Along With This Persian Ambassador, Antonio
De Guovea, Titular Bishop Of Sirene, Went For The Purpose Of
Propagating Christianity In
Persia; but, finding that the Persian
government was inimical to his mission, he went no farther than Ormuz.
Shah Abbas
Was so much displeased with his ambassador for not succeeding
in his negotiation for the surrender of Ormuz, that he caused him to be
beheaded; and was so much exasperated against the Christians, that he
forced many of his Armenian subjects to renounce the faith.
The fortune of Nicote in Pegu now declined as swiftly as it had risen.
In 1513, the king of Ova, being provoked at the violence which Nicote
had been guilty of against the king of Tangu, who was under his
protection, made a vow that he would revenge his injuries. Having
assembled an army of 120,000 men, and 400 vessels of considerable
strength, in which were above 6000 of those Moors so noted for valour,
called Caperuzas from their wearing caps, he marched against Siriam,
where he burnt every thing beyond the walls of the fort. Nicote made a
brave resistance though taken unawares, as he had suffered most of his
men to go to India, and was very scarce of powder. In this distress, he
sent a soldier to purchase powder at Bengal, who ran away with the
money; and sent likewise to San Thoma for the same commodity, but was
refused any supply. For want of powder he was unable to fire his cannon
against the enemy, and was reduced to the expedient of pouring boiling
pitch and oil on their heads. At length, Nicote was taken and carried to
the king of Ova, who ordered him to be impaled on an eminence in view of
the fort, where he lived two days in torment. His wife, Donna Luisa de
Saldanna, was kept three days in the river to be purified, as the king
designed her for himself; but when brought before him, she upbraided him
for his cruelty, and he ordered her leg to be bored, and that she
should be sent to Ova along with the other slaves. A native named
Banna who had betrayed Nicote, demanding his reward from the king of
Ova, was ordered to be torn in pieces, the king alleging, that he who
had been false to his benefactor would never be true to him. The son of
Nicote resided, at that time, in Martavan, having married the daughter
of the king of that place; but the king of Ova caused him to be put to
death, that no one of the race might remain alive. Thus ended Nicote,
who, from the lowest poverty, had raised himself to great power and
prodigious riches, being worth three millions[432]. The enemy allowed of
having lost 30,000 men in this siege. The viceroy on hearing of the
danger of Siriam, had dispatched Diego de Mendoza to its relief with
five galliots; but having put off his time by the way on other objects,
he was too late.
[Footnote 432: Probably ducats are here meant.]
In the year 1614, the viceroy resolved to go in person to the sea of
Guzerate to meet the English and Hollanders, who were then strong
in these seas. He sent before him Emanuel de Azevedo with 22 sail, who
was joined at Surat by two other squadrons, after which he landed and
destroyed the lands of Cifandam and Diva. The towns of Baroach and
Goga were plundered, with six large ships in the bay, as was likewise
the city of Patane. Having completed his preparations, the viceroy
sailed from Goa with seven galleons, one of which was so large that it
easily carried 230 men besides mariners, 30 of them being gentlemen.
Besides the galleons, there were two pinks, one galley, one caravel, and
five other vessels, on board of which were 1400 Portuguese soldiers,
with a great number of cannon, but the gunners were very unskilful. At
Surat the viceroy was joined by the squadron under Emanuel de Azevedo,
the chief design of this large armament being to destroy four English
vessels then in that port. The preparations for this purpose seemed
disproportionately large, yet the event proved the contrary. Being come
in sight of the English, the viceroy ordered the two pinks with the
caravel and other smaller vessels to close with one of the English
vessels which lay at some distance from the rest. Having all grappled
with the enemy and almost carried her by boarding, the other three ships
came up and drove them all off. The first of the three vessels which had
attacked the English ship took fire, and being attempted to be steered
on board the English ship to set her on fire was destroyed without doing
the enemy any harm. In this manner the first day was expended to no
purpose, and next day, on proposing to attack the English ships, they
were found riding in a place to which the entrance was so narrow that
one galleon only could come at them at once, which might therefore have
been disabled by the English cannon, for which reason no attempt was
made to attack them; but some alleged that this was only a pretence set
up by those who had no mind for the enterprise. A fruitless endeavour
was made to destroy them by means of fire-ships.
Perceiving that he only lost his labour at this place, the viceroy went
to Diu, whence he dispatched relief to Ormuz; and on his return from Diu
towards Goa, the four English ships were seen at a great distance from
Surat in full sail to the south. The viceroy pursued, and towards
evening came up with the sternmost, having left his own fleet far
behind. The head gunner offered to sink the English ship by means of two
40 pounders; but the officers who accompanied the viceroy opposed this,
alleging that the other three English ships would come upon him while
alone and the galleon might be lost.
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