poisoned. When any of his women happened to be near their delivery, he
used to open them to take out their children. Being one day out hunting
accompanied by some of his women, he fell from his horse and was dragged
by the stirrup, when one of his women boldly made up to his horse and
cut the girth with a cymeter; in requital for this service he killed
her, saying "that a woman of such courage had enough to kill him." He
was at length murdered by a page in whom he had great confidence. For
tyrants always die by the hands of those in whom they repose most trust.
He was succeeded by a child who was his reputed son; but the nobility of
the kingdom, offended by the insolence of Madrem-al-mulk who acted as
governor of the kingdom, rebelled in several places. Abex Khan, who
commanded in the city of Diu, was one of these, and in consequence of
some disagreement between his soldiers and the Portuguese garrison, Don
Diego de Almeyda made an assault on the city with 500 men, in which many
of the Moors were slain and their houses plundered. Though late, Abex
Khan saw his error, and made proper concessions. Soon afterwards, when
Don Diego de Noronha succeeded Almeyda in the command of the castle of
Diu, fresh troubles broke out at Diu, which were not appeased, till a
good many men had been skin on both sides, chiefly owing to the rashness
and obstinacy of Diego de Noronha, for which he was afterwards excluded
from the appointment to the viceroyalty of India.
In 1554 Don Alfonso de Noronha was superseded in the government of
Portuguese India by Don Pedro de Mascarenhas, who was 70 years of age
when appointed viceroy. Soon after his arrival at Goa, some of the great
subjects of Adel Khan, king of Visiapour, made proposals for raising
Meale Khan, who had long resided at Goa, to the musnud, and offered to
cede the Concan to the crown of Portugal, in reward for assistance in
bringing about that revolution. That province, which produced a million
of yearly revenue, was so great a bait, that the enterprise was engaged
in without consideration of its difficulties. Meale Khan was immediately
proclaimed king of Visiapour, and a force of 3000 Portuguese infantry
with 200 horse and a body of Malabars and Canarins was immediately sent
to reduce the fort of _Ponda_; after which, leaving his family in Goa as
hostages for the faithful performance of the treaty, Meale Khan was
conducted thither by the viceroy and placed at the head of his new
subjects. Leaving Ponda under the charge of Don Antonio de Noronha, with
a garrison of 600 men, the viceroy returned to Goa, where he soon
afterwards died, having enjoyed the viceroyalty of India only ten
months.
On the death of Mascarenhas, which happened some time in 1555, Francisco
de Barreto succeeded to the government by virtue of a patent of
succession. He immediately proceeded to Ponda to support the cause of
Meale Khan, who was soon afterwards taken prisoner, and the Portuguese
were utterly disappointed in the hopes of profiting by this intended
revolution.
In the beginning of 1556, Juan Peixoto sailed with two gallies for the
Red Sea, to examine if the Turks were making any preparations at Suez
for attacking the Portuguese in India. Finding every thing quiet, he
landed unperceived during the night in the island of Swakem, whence he
carried off a considerable booty and many prisoners, and returned to Goa
with much honour.
About this time the king of _Sinde_ sent an embassy to the governor
general, desiring assistance in a war against one of his neighbours, and
700 men were dispatched for that purpose in 28 vessels under the command
of Pedro Barreto, who arrived safe at Tatta in the _delta_ of the Indus,
the residence of the king of Sinde. The prince immediately visited the
Portuguese commander, and sent notice of his arrival to the king his
father who was absent in the field against the enemy. As the king made
peace with his enemy, Barreto desired leave to depart, and required that
the Portuguese should be reimbursed for the expences of the expedition,
as had been agreed upon, by the ambassador who solicited it. Receiving
an unsatisfactory answer, Baretto landed his men and entered the city,
where he slew above 8000 persons, destroyed to the value of above eight
millions in gold[372], and loaded his vessels with the richest booty
that had ever been made in India, without losing a single man. He
afterwards spent eight days destroying every thing within reach on both
sides of the river. On this occasion one Gaspar de Monterroyo, going
accidentally into a wood, killed a monstrous serpent thirty feet in
length and of prodigious bigness, which had just devoured a bullock.
Thus victorious over men and monsters, Barreto returned to Chaul, whence
he and Antonio Pereyra Brandam went and destroyed Dabul in revenge for
the injury done by Adel Khan to the Portuguese possessions on the coast.
[Footnote 372: On many occasions, as here, De Faria, or his translator,
gives no intimation of the species of coin to which he alludes. - E.]
In the year 1557, Nazer-al-mulk, the general of Adel Khan, invaded the
districts of Salsete and Bardes with 2000 horse and 81,000 foot.
Francisco Barreto, the governor-general, went against him with 3000
Portuguese infantry, 1000 Canarins, and 200 horse, and defeated him in
the plain country near Ponda. In the district of Bardes, Juan Peixoto
was opposed to another general of the enemy named Murad Khan, and being
much incommoded by a Portuguese renegado who had fortified himself,
assaulted and routed him twice with considerable slaughter. As the
governor-general had retired to Goa after his late victory,
Nazer-al-mulk returned to the flat country and intrenched his army near
Ponda. About the same time an officer of Adel Khan waded the ford of
_Zacorla_ into the island of _Choram_ with 500 men, and did considerable
damage; but on the arrival of assistance from other parts was repulsed
with considerable loss, and Francisco de Mascarenhas was left for the
defence of the island with 300 men. Being desirous to secure the
promontory of Chaul, the governor asked leave to fortify that place from
Nizam Shah[373], who not only refused permission, but sent 30,000 of his
own men with orders to build there an impregnable fort. On this the
governor went there in person with 4000 Portuguese troops besides
natives, and a pacific arrangement was entered into, but without liberty
to build the fort. A miracle was seen at this place, as the Moors had
been utterly unable to cut down a small wooden cross fixed upon a stone,
or even to remove it by the force of elephants. Likewise about this time
a Portuguese soldier bought for a trifle from a _jogue_ in Ceylon, a
brown pebble about the size of an egg, on which the heavens where
represented in several colours, and in the midst of them the image of
the holy Virgin with the Saviour in her arms; this precious jewel fell
into the hands of Franciso Barreto, who presented it to Queen Catharine,
and through its virtues God wrought many miracles both in India and
Portugal.
[Footnote 373: Named Nizamuxa in De Faria, and perhaps the same prince
called Nizamaluco on former occasions, whom we have always designated
Nizam al Mulk. The Indian officers named in the text a little before
Nazer al Mulk and Murad Khan, are called Nazar Maluco and Moatecan by De
Faria, whose orthography of eastern names is continually vicious. - E.]
About the end of the government of Franciso Barreto, Joam III, king of
Portugal died, in whom ended the good fortune of the Portuguese. In 1558
the regency, during the minority of King Sebastian, sent out Don
Constantin de Braganza as viceroy to India. Don Constantin was younger
brother of Theodosius duke of Braganza, and was only 30 years of age
when appointed to that high office. He arrived at Goa in the beginning
of September 1558, with four ships and 2000 men, having performed the
voyage with unusually favourable weather; and, contrary to the usual
practice, he assumed the government without affronting in any way the
person whom he superseded. Soon after his arrival he went upon an
expedition against Daman, which had been ceded to the former governor by
the king of Guzerat, but which was still retained by Side Bofata, who
was in rebellion against his own prince. On the arrival of the
Portuguese armament, Bofata abandoned the city and fort, which the
viceroy took possession of, as a post of importance to secure the
district of Basseen, and converted the mosque into a Christian church.
Bofata encamped at a place named _Parnel_, two leagues from Daman,
whence with 2000 horse he infested the Portuguese in their new
possession; but was driven from his encampment by Antonio Moniz Barreto,
leaving thirty-six pieces of cannon, several cart-loads of copper money,
and other plunder. The viceroy behaved with such liberality and
discretion, that he soon attracted abundance of inhabitants to this new
acquisition, and reduced the neighbouring island of _Balzar_, which he
deemed necessary for the security of Daman, of which he gave the command
to Don Diego de Noronha with a garrison of 1200, appointing Alvaro
Gonzales Pinto to command in Balzar with 120 men and some cannon.
In 1560, the viceroy went against Jafnapatam in the island of Ceylon,
because the king of that place, who was likewise lord of the isle of
Manar, persecuted the Christians, and had usurped the throne from his
brother, who fled to Goa, and was there baptised by the name of Alfonso.
After some considerable successes, and having even forced the king of
Jafnapatam to cede the island of Manar, and to submit to the vassalage
of Portugal, the viceroy was obliged to desist from the enterprise with
considerable loss, but retained the island of Manar, where he built a
fort. Among the treasure belonging to the king of Jafnapatam, taken in
this expedition, was an idol, or relic rather, which was held in high
estimation by all the idolaters on the coast of India, and, in
particular, by the king of Pegu, who used to send ambassadors yearly
with rich presents, merely to get a _print_ of the precious relic. This
holy relic was nothing more than the tooth of a white monkey; and some
say that the cause of its being so much admired was owing to the rarity
of the colour, like the white elephant of Siam. Others say that the
monkey was held in such veneration for having discovered the wife of an
ancient Indian king who had eloped from her husband. Some again alleged
that it was the tooth of a man who had performed that service. However
this may have been, when the king of Pegu heard that this tooth was in
possession of the viceroy, he made an offer of 300,000 ducats for it,
and it was believed his zeal would extend to a million if the bargain
was well managed. Most of the Portuguese were for taking the money, and
some wished to be employed in carrying the tooth to Pegu, expecting to
derive great profit by shewing so precious a treasure by the way. But in
a meeting of the principal clergy and laity of Goa, held on purpose, it
was determined that the tooth should be destroyed; and it was
accordingly pounded in a mortar in presence of the assembly, and reduced
to ashes. All men applauded this act; but, not long afterwards, _two
teeth_ were set up instead of one.
Madrem al Mulk, king of Cambaya, desirous of recovering Daman, was ready
to march against that place with a numerous army; but Don Diego de
Noronha, getting intelligence of the design, contrived to persuade
Cedeme Khan, lord of Surat, that the expedition was intended against
him. Cedeme Khan, giving credit to this fiction, went to visit his
brother-in-law, Madrem al Mulk, and persuaded him, with the principal
leaders of his army, to visit him in the city of Surat, where he killed
them all, and falling upon the camp put the Guzerat army to the rout
with great slaughter. Zingis Khan, the son and successor of Madrem al
Mulk, marched with a numerous army to Surat to revenge the death of his
father. Cedeme Khan abandoned the city and retired into the fort, where
he was besieged by Zingis Khan, and reduced to great extremity; but
hearing that his dominions were invaded by a new enemy, Zingis Khan
patched up an agreement with Cedeme Khan, and returned to defend his own
country. Soon afterwards, Don Diego de Noronha, commandant of Daman,
died poor, having expended all his substance in the service of his king
and country. Don Antonio de Noronha, who was afterwards viceroy, used to
say "That a man must be mad who practised that kind of liberality."
Now-a-days all men are very wise in that respect.
Some time afterwards, Cedeme Khan sent notice to the viceroy, that
Zingis Khan was again marching against Surat, which he was in no
condition to defend, and offered to deliver up the fort at that place to
the Portuguese, on condition of being carried with his family and
treasure to such place as he should appoint. The viceroy accordingly
sent fourteen ships under the command of Don Antonio de Noronha to
Surat, accompanied by Luis de Melo, who was appointed to succeed Diego
de Noronha in the command of Daman. Coming to Surat, they forced their
way up the river through showers of bullets, and landing with only 500
Portuguese troops, defeated Zingis Khan, who had an army of 20,000 men,
but were unable to drive him from the city of Surat. Cedeme Khan however
refused to deliver up the fort of Surat according to agreement,
alledging that his own men would kill him if he did so. This is very
likely; for, on the retirement of Antonio to Goa, Cedeme Khan was forced
to make his escape from his own people, and, being made prisoner by
Zingis Khan, was put to death. _Caracen_, who succeeded Cedeme Khan,
contrived to patch up an agreement with Zingis Zhan, who left him in
possession of Surat.
The conduct of Don Constantin de Braganza gave so much satisfaction to
King Sebastian, that he offered to continue him as viceroy of India for
life; but on his refusal, Don Francisco de Cotinho, count of Redondo,
was appointed his successor. This nobleman, who was no less
distinguished for his witty sayings than for his conduct in peace and
war, arrived at Goa in the beginning of September 1561. Nothing worth
relating happened during his government of India, which lasted two years
and five months, except the ordinary occurrences of petty wars on the
Malabar coast, in Ceylon, Malacca, and the Moluccas, not worth relating.
In his time, the famous poet _Camoens_ was in Goa, where he had been
favoured by the two last viceroys. The former governor, Francisco
Barreto, had imprisoned and banished him for getting into debt, and
other youthful extravagancies; and, being given up to the law by the
count towards the end of his government, he was thrown into prison. We
shall afterwards see him deceitfully carried to Sofala, and there sold
as a slave. About the end of February 1564, the viceroy died suddenly,
much lamented by all, being a great lover of justice, and so happy in
his witticisms that all pleasant sayings were fathered upon him.
SECTION VI.
_Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, from_ 1564 _to
the year_ 1571.
On the death of the count of Redondo, Juan de Mendoza late governor of
Malacca succeeded to the command in India with, the title of governor. A
short while before his accession, some Malabar pirates had committed
hostilities on the coast of Calicut upon the Portuguese; and when
complaints were carried to the zamorin, he alleged that these had been
done contrary to his authority by rebels, and that the Portuguese were
welcome to punish them at their pleasure. The late viceroy had
accordingly sent Dominic de Mosquita to make reprisals, who took above
twenty sail of Malabar vessels, the crews of which he barbarously put to
death. Immediately after the accession of Mendoza to the government an
ambassador was sent to him from the zamorin, complaining of the conduct
of Mosquita; when the governor, in imitation of the answer given on a
similar occasion by the zamorin, said that it had probably been done by
Portuguese rebels whom he might punish if taken. As Mosquita came to Goa
while the Calicut ambassadors were still there, the governor thought it
expedient to apprehend him in their presence; but as soon as they were
departed, he released Mosquita and rewarded him. His conduct, however,
soon afterwards occasioned a long war with the zamorin. Mendoza only
enjoyed the government for six months, as, in the beginning of September
1564, Don Antonio de Noronha arrived at Goa with the title of viceroy.
It is the received opinion in India, that the apostle St. Thomas was
slain at _Antmodur_, a mountain about a league and half from Meliapour,
where were two caves into which he used to retire for prayer and
meditation. The nearest of these caves now belongs to the Jesuits, and
the other has been converted into a church dedicated to our Lady of the
Mount. According to the legend, the apostle being one day at prayers in
the former of these caves, opposite to a cleft which let in the light, a
bramin thrust in a spear at the hole and gave the saint a mortal wound,
part of the spear breaking off and remaining in his body. The saint had
just strength enough remaining to go into the other cave, where he died
embracing a stone on which a representation of the cross was engraved.
His disciples removed his body, and buried it in the church which he had
built, where the body was afterwards found by Emanuel de Faria and the
priest Antonio Penteado, who were sent thither on purpose by king
Emanuel. When, in the year 1547, the Portuguese were clearing out the
cave or oratory in which the apostle died, a stone was found which seems
to have been that he clung to at his death. This stone is about a yard
long and three quarters broad, of a grey colour with some red spots. On
its middle there is a carved porch, having letters between two borders,
and within two banisters, on which are two twisted figures resembling
dogs in a sitting posture. From their heads springs a graceful arch of
five borders, between every two of which are knobs resembling heads. In
the hollow of this arch or portal is a pedestal of two steps, from the
upper of which rises a branch on each side, and over these, as if hung
in the air, is a cross, said to resemble that of the military order of
Alcantara; but in the print the ends resemble three crescents with their
convex sides outwards and their points meeting, like those in many old
churches in Europe. Over all is a dove on the wing, as if descending to
touch the cross with its beak.
When, in the year 1551, this oratory was repaired and beautified, this
stone was solemnly set up and consecrated; and when the priest was
reading the gospel, it began to turn black and shining, then sweated,
and returned to its original colour, and plainly discovered, the red
spots of blood, which were before obscure. The letters on this stone
could not be understood till the year 1561, when a learned bramin said
they consisted of 36 hieroglyphic characters, each containing a
sentence, and explained them to this effect: "In the time of the son of
Sagad the gentile, who reigned 30 years, the _one only_ GOD came upon
earth, and was incarnate in the womb of a virgin. He abolished the law
of the Jews, _whom he punished for the sins of men._[374], after he had
been thirty-three years in the world, and had instructed _twelve_
servants in the truth which he preached. A king of three crowns
_Cheraldcone, Indalacone, Cuspindiad, and Alexander_; king of
_Ertinabarad_, with _Catharine_ his daughter, and many virgins, with six
families, voluntarily followed the law of _Thomas_, because the law of
truth, and he gave them the sign of the cross to adore. Going up to the
place of _Antenodur_, a bramin thrust him through with a lance, and he
died embracing this cross which was stained with his blood. His
disciples carried him to _Maiale_, where they buried him in his own
church with the lance still in his body. And as we, the above mentioned
kings, saw this, we carved these letters." Hence it may be inferred,
that _Maiale_ was the ancient name of _Meliapour_, now called _St
Thomas_. This stone afterwards sweated sometimes, which, till the year
1561, was a good omen, but has since been a bad one.
[Footnote 374: Probably Mr Stephens may have mistranslated this passage,
which might be more appropriately read, _who put him to death for the
sins of men_. This clumsy legend of St Thomas may amuse our readers; but
probably derives its principal features from the contrivances of the
Jesuits. - E.]
There were likewise found three brass plates, about a span long and half
a span broad, shaped like scutcheons, having rings on the top. On one
side was engraven a cross and peacock, the ancient arms of Meliapour,
and on the other side certain characters which were explained by another
learned bramin to the following effect: "_Boca Rajah_ son of _Campula
Rajah_, and grandson of _Atela Rajah_, who confesses one GOD without
beginning, creator of all things, who is greater than the beast
_Chigsan_, and one of five kings who has conquered ninety and nine, who
is strong as one of the eight elephants that support the world, and hath
conquered the kingdoms of Otia, Tulcan, and Canara, cutting his enemies
to pieces with his sword." This is the Inscription on one of these
plates. The others contain grants of lands to St Thomas, directed by the
king to himself, and calling him _Abidarra Modeliar;_ whence it may be
inferred, that these kings reigned at the time when Christ was
crucified. One of these grants begins thus: "After the year 1259, in
the first year called _Icarana Rachan_, and on the 12th day of the new
moon of the good year, I give in alms to the saint _Abidarra Modeliar,"_
&c. The other begins in this manner: "This is a token of alms-deeds to
purchase Paradise. All kings that perform them shall obtain much more
than they give; and he who disannuls them shall remain 60,000 years with
the worms in hell," &c.
It has been disputed by what road St Thomas came into India. The heathen
history says, that he and Thaddeus being in Mesopotamia, they parted at
the city of Edessa, whence St Thomas sailed with certain merchants to
the island of Socotora where he converted the people, and then passed
over to Mogodover Patana, a city of Paru, in Malabar, where he built a
church. When at this place, a heathen, who had struck St Thomas in the
king's presence, going to fetch water had his hand bitten off by a
tiger; and running to the palace to tell his misfortune, a dog followed
him with the hand in his mouth, on which the saint set on his hand
again, so that no mark remained. He went afterwards to Calicut, where he
converted king _Perimal_. There is an account that he went to the Moguls
country, where Chesitrigal then reigned, whence going into China, he
returned through Thibet into India, and went to Meliapour, where he
ended his days.
In the year 800, a rich Armenian Christian, named Thomas Cananeus,
arrived at Mogodover or Patana. Having acquired the favour of the king
by his presents, he received a grant of Cranganor and the city of
Patana, in which there were scarcely any vestiges remaining of the
church there established by St Thomas. On these foundations the Armenian
built a new church, and another at Cranganor, which he dedicated to St
Thomas, and which is still standing on the outside of the Portuguese
fort. He likewise built two other churches, one dedicated to the Holy
Virgin, and the other to St Cyriacus. All of these have been erroneously
ascribed to St Thomas, when in fact they were the works of Thomas
Cananeus, the Armenian. It may reasonably be believed that the temple or
pagoda, into which Vasco de Gama entered, as he went from Calicut to the
palace of the zamorin, may have been one of these churches, because the
image of the Virgin was there called Mary by the heathens. It is
believed that one of the three kings who went to Bethlem, at the
nativity of our Lord, was king of Malabar. The heathens celebrate yearly
a festival in honour of St Thomas, for the preservation of their ships,
because formerly, every year, many of them used to be lost while sailing
to Parvi.
From this long digression we return to the government of the viceroy Don
Antonio de Noronha, who arrived in the beginning of September 1564, as
formerly mentioned. In consequence of the cruelties exercised on the
Moors of Malabar by Mesquita, as formerly mentioned, those of Cananor
had besieged the Portuguese fort at that place, and had destroyed above
thirty vessels which were under its protection. After a siege of some