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.
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