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[Page 7] [Texto Principal] carta que vn hombre secular llamado Manuel Pinto embió de Malaca al obispo de Goa en que da informa- ción de los Macassares, la qual por hazer al propósito se pone aquí aun que es de hóbia fuera de la comp. y escrita, del año de 1548. Yo llegué a esta ciudad de Malaca, de los Macassares, a xx de noviembre deste presente año, y por me parecer servicio de Dios dar cuenta a V. S. de la tierra y de los opianos que en ella hizo el f. Vicente Vieira, pues yo fui con él y que de allá donde estuve tres años, y por eso me atreuo a dar cuenta a V. S. largamente: yo estuve allá con un rey opiano que se llama rey de Suppa, que es el que se hizo allá opiano con su muger y hijos y mucha gente suya; este rey está mandando una manilla de oro a nuestro sor. que llevó Antonio de Fajardo, y con este rey estuve un año y medio y siem- pre me hizo muy buena compañía y se pregonava por opiano y muy pa- tado, pues no van allá padres ni portugueses, mas preguntava por qué ya no mandaba el sor. governador Proello como le prometió antes de Pajardo, y el f. Vicente Vieira y yo no teníamos otra respuesta.

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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] Carcas da Índia. Y le dará sino y me parecia y sus negocios haviam ido a Portugal y y aguardariam por recado; mas como veniese luego seria provydo de p. y portuguesa. Esta terra é muy bien abastecida de todos os mantimentos. Depois me passei para outra rey muy grande, Sór, y aca é chamado empera- dor, e é sogro desta rey; esta por la terra dentro cingno o seys leguas em uma cidade sua e se chama Sedemrre. Este é o Sór de mais gentes e nestas partes se halla, dizen, y terá trezentos mil homens. É sua terra a melhor a meu ver e noeste mundo vi, por que toda é llana terra de muitos arrozes e carnes e pescados e frutas, e tem a cidade asenta- da junto a uma laguna adonde andam muitos barcos grandes e pequenos; os gentes chamam parãos, e assi ao redor desta laguna há muitas ciuda- des muy prosperas. Esta laguna é de vinte leguas em largo e de quatro ou cingno leguas em ancho; tem muitos pescados e de muitas maneiras em grande abundancia. E desta laguna sahe um rio e corre pela terra dentro hum mez de caminho e va sahir ao mar da parte do leste em uma cidade e se chama Maluco, cujo rey é muy grande Sór e gen- til e deseja muito nra amizade. E desta, e se chama Sedemrre, vão em parãos em vinte dias à outra e se chama Maluco, e podem entrar por este rio huma fusta grande até chegar à cidade de Sedemrre. Aqui estu- ve oito meses e sempre me fez o rey muy boa companhia, e cada dia me perguntava se havia de tornar allá algum padre para o conser- var sempre neste desejo; e eu lhe davia a melhor desculpa e podia. Depois me vim para o Macassar debaxo donde vim allegar a uma cidade e se chamam Sian e era de hum rey Jpiano grande amigo nosso, e há muy muita gente Jpiana. Este rey morreu e heredou o reyno seu her- mano gentil; eu lhe perguntei se queria ser Jpiano e elle me disse: «Sim», e ha- ria o mesmo, e fez seu hermano; e este é grande nosso amigo e seu reyno é muy abundante de muitos mantimentos, e elle me diria: «Se fossem allá p.°s Jpianos com toda sua gente, seriam cerca de quarenta mil homens, e daria todos os mantimentos necessários para esta fortaleza de Malaca em mucha abundancia». Junto a este rey está outro rey e é tio deste; o qual é Xpano, glo hvo. [Anotações marginais] [No topo, à direita] Carcas da Índia.

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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] Do ano de 1545 El fr. Vicente Viegas, el gl., é um bom espanhol, mas pela pouca comunicação das coisas de Deus parece que está frio; é grande não amigo e tem muitos mantimentos. Continuam esperando por padres dos gles. Esperam haver-se de per- ficionar na toda doutrina de nossa santa fé católica e dizem que não desejam maior bem que ver os padres e alguns portugueses. Assim que digo a V.S. que nesta ilha de Macassar, onde há o sândalo, veio um fr. Munoz, capitão de uma nave de Garcia de Sá; este fr. Munoz fez um rei espanhol com alguma gente sua. Este fr. Munoz era manco e andava com duas muletas, e subitamente foi são e fez uma cruz e fixou-a, e pendurou dela as muletas — pelo que a gente ficou muito espantada de tal acontecimento e desejaram todos fazer-se espanhóis; e porquanto fr. Munoz se tornou para Maluco, ficou tudo imperfeito, mas seus desejos são fazer-se espanhóis e não aguardavam outra coisa senão por um fr. Porque neste meio veio a mim um seu filho gentio ao Macassar, e me perguntou por que não tornavam ali portugueses, pois seu pai era espanhol e ele também desejava sê-lo, e perguntava-me se haviam de ir ali padres e alguns portugueses. Eu lhe disse que este ano seriam proveydos. Desde então até ora não têm ido ali padres nem menos portu- gueses. Se V.S. não prover esta gente, ipso facto poderá suceder que se desedificarem, e por isso deveria V.S. provê-los, pois com estes espanhóis se farão outros muitos e seria caminho para esta ilha ser toda de espanhóis; porque ela é terra muito boa, onde há muito ouro e sândalo e águia e lacre e muita escaramuça e muitos mantimentos, assim arroz como carnes; é terra muito perto de Maluco, que em sete ou oito dias se pode ir dali a Maluco com todos os mantimentos e socorro do que lhe for necessário; e assim é muito perto de Ambueno, que em três ou quatro dias se pode ir desde Macassar a Ambueno em paros pequenos ou grandes. Esta ilha de Macassar me parece que será em redondo trezentas léguas e ao derredor desta ilha há muitas terras, todas povoadas de gentios. São terras muito rígidas. Nisto me parece que deveria o rei N.S. prover e não as deixar tomar dos mouros, que são os Jao’s, pois eu vinha agora do Macassar para esta cidade de Malaca; arribamos com tempo a Java, onde estava o rei e mandou-me chamar e me perguntou por muitas coisas; entre as gles me perguntou por Macassar e me disse que queria mandar dez mil.

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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] Cartas da Índia. Brombros, yo le dixe q no mandasse por q la tierra de Macáçar era del rey de Portugal y q si los madasse daria en ello disgusto ao sor Governador por q en el Macáçar avia muchos spanhóis y q este año avian de ir muitos portugueses para hazer alla spanhóis — y por q ami parecer este rey de Java anda aca muy victorioso contra os gentios e não se quieren tornar de sua seta de Maomé, e sy se tornam de sua seta dales muitas dadivas e faz-lho com elles muy bem, e traz he consigo muita gente e não travaia por outra cousa senão por fazer estes Gentios moros; não quer ouro nem prata senão q se façam moros, por q diz este rey de Java e depois q convertez estes generos de gentes feitos moros q sera um segundo Turco e q sera para elle pouco Malaca, por q segun lo q yo vi en el, esta es sua intençam e determinaçam: guarnecer os mantimentos e não uengam a esta cidade, e es a maior guerra q se pode hazer a esta cidade de Malaca; e por esta razon digo avra s. e seria grande serviço de Deos e de S.A. proveerlos de padres e alguma gente pova tomar posseçam della terra por q ay em esta cidade de Malaca muitos casados e solteiros e tomaran por grande empreza ir com dois outros padres alla para principiar a Spanholidade por q todo resulta em serviço de Deos e de sua A. por aora nomas sino q Deos or.s. acreciente os dias de vida a v.s. Amen desta cidade de Malaca aos 7. de dezembro de 1548 anos [Anotações marginais] [No canto superior direito]: Cartas da Índia.

Translation

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[Page 7] [Main Text]
Letter sent from Malacca to the Bishop of Goa by a layman named Manuel Pinto, containing information concerning the Macassarese. Although this letter falls outside the chronological scope and geographical remit of the present compilation—and was composed in 1548—it is included here on account of its scholarly relevance.

I arrived in this city of Malacca from Macassar on the 20th day of November of the current year. As it seemed to me a service to God to inform Your Lordship concerning the land and the *opians* (i.e., Christian converts or catechumens) established there by the late Father Vicente Vieira—since I accompanied him on that mission and resided there for three years—I therefore venture, with due humility, to submit to Your Lordship a full account.

I remained in Macassar in the company of an *opiano* king named the King of Suppa, who had himself been baptised there together with his wife, children, and a considerable retinue. This king has dispatched a gold armlet (*manilla*) as a gift to Our Lord the Governor; it was carried thence by António de Fajardo. I stayed in his court for a year and a half, during which time he treated me with exceptional courtesy and consistently proclaimed himself an *opiano*, observing the faith diligently—especially noteworthy given that neither priests nor Portuguese officials were then resident in the region. Nevertheless, he repeatedly enquired why the Governor Proello had not yet fulfilled his earlier promise—made prior to Fajardo’s departure—to send further ecclesiastical and administrative support. Neither Father Vicente Vieira nor I could offer any other reply.

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— TRANSLATION —
[Page 1] [Main Text] Account of India.

He will provide a bell, and it seemed to me that his affairs had already been dispatched to Portugal, where they would await instructions; however, should he arrive promptly, he would be furnished with a priest and a Portuguese interpreter. This land is exceptionally well supplied with all manner of provisions.

Subsequently, I travelled inland to another very great ruler—Sōr—who is here styled ‘Emperor’ and who is the father-in-law of the aforementioned ruler. His domain extends six leagues across the interior, centred upon his capital city, Sedemrre. He is reputed to be the most powerful Sōr in this region—and, according to local accounts, commands an army of some three hundred thousand men. In my estimation—and having traversed much of the known world—his territory is the finest I have ever seen: entirely flat, fertile land yielding abundant rice, livestock, fish, and fruit. His capital, Sedemrre, lies adjacent to a large lagoon, upon which numerous vessels—both large and small—are constantly plying trade; the local people term these craft *parãos*. Around the shores of this lagoon stand many prosperous cities. The lagoon itself measures approximately twenty leagues in length and four to five leagues in breadth; it teems with fish of many kinds, in extraordinary abundance.

From this lagoon issues a river which flows inland for the duration of a month’s journey before discharging into the eastern sea at a city called Maluco—whose ruler is himself a mighty Sōr, of noble disposition, and deeply desirous of our friendship. From Sedemrre, one may travel by *parão* to Maluco in twenty days; moreover, a large *fusta* (a type of light galley) may navigate this river all the way to the city of Sedemrre.

I resided there for eight months, during which time the ruler treated me with exceptional hospitality. Each day, he inquired whether any priests might return to reside among them, so as to sustain his earnest desire for Christian instruction. To these enquiries I offered the most tactful and plausible explanations I could devise.

Thereafter, I proceeded to Macassar, travelling southward until I reached a city named Sian, ruled by a powerful Jpiano (i.e., Javanese) sovereign, a close ally of ours, and a realm densely populated by Jpianos. This king has since died, and the throne has passed to his brother—a man of gentle bearing. When I asked him whether he wished to embrace the Jpiano (i.e., Christian) faith, he replied, ‘Yes’, and pledged to do so; he likewise instructed his own brother accordingly. He remains a steadfast friend of ours, and his kingdom is exceedingly rich in provisions. He assured me: ‘Were Portuguese Christians (*p.°s Jpianos*) to settle there with their entire households, they would number some forty thousand men; and I would supply, in ample measure, all provisions required for the fortress of Melaka.’

Adjacent to this ruler stands another sovereign—his uncle—who is Xpano (i.e., Spaniard), *glo hvo* [i.e., *glorioso*—‘glorious’; marginal note likely indicating a title or honorific].

[Marginal Annotations]
[Top right corner] Account of India.

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[Page 1] [Main Text]
In the year 1545, Fr. Vicente Viegas, a member of the Order of St Francis (O.F.M.), is a reputable Spaniard; yet, owing to his limited engagement with matters spiritual, he appears somewhat lukewarm in zeal. He is notably unsociable and possesses abundant provisions. The local inhabitants continue to await priests from the religious orders. They express their earnest desire to be fully instructed in the entire doctrine of our Holy Catholic Faith, declaring that they desire no greater good than the arrival of priests—and some Portuguese laymen—among them.

I therefore inform Your Excellency that, on the island of Macassar—where sandalwood is found—there arrived Fr. Munoz, chaplain aboard the vessel commanded by Garcia de Sá. This Fr. Munoz installed an indigenous ruler as a ‘Spanish king’, supported by a small contingent of his own followers. Fr. Munoz himself was lame and habitually walked with two crutches; yet, suddenly, he was restored to full health, whereupon he fashioned a cross, erected it, and suspended his crutches upon it—an occurrence which so astonished the local population that many expressed a strong desire to become ‘Spaniards’. However, since Fr. Munoz subsequently departed for the Moluccas (Maluku), this movement remained incomplete. Nevertheless, the people’s aspiration persists: they wish to become Spaniards, and await nothing more eagerly than the arrival of another friar.

In the interim, the son of one of these local converts—a gentile (i.e., non-Christian, unbaptised) youth—came to me at Macassar and asked why the Portuguese did not return there, given that his father had been Spanish and he himself wished to be Spanish also. He further inquired whether priests and Portuguese settlers were indeed to be sent thither. I replied that such provision would be made this year. Since then, however, neither priests nor Portuguese have gone to Macassar. Should Your Excellency fail to supply this people without delay, it is highly probable—*ipso facto*—that they will fall into spiritual despondency or apostasy. It is therefore imperative that Your Excellency take prompt measures to provide for them; for, through these initial Spanish adherents, many others would surely be converted, thereby paving the way for the whole island to come under Spanish allegiance.

The island of Macassar is exceptionally fertile: it yields abundant gold and sandalwood, as well as eaglewood (*Aquilaria malaccensis*, known historically in Portuguese sources as *águia*), lac (a resinous secretion used in varnishes and dyes), and ample provisions—including rice and meat. Its proximity to the Moluccas is remarkable: the voyage from Macassar to the Moluccas takes only seven or eight days, during which all necessary victuals and reinforcements may be readily conveyed. Likewise, Macassar lies very near to Ambon (Ambueno), being reachable in merely three or four days’ sailing—whether in small or large vessels, making frequent stops as required.

In my estimation, the island of Macassar measures approximately three hundred leagues in circumference; and around its shores lie numerous other territories, all inhabited by indigenous peoples (‘gentios’). These lands are notably rugged and difficult of access. In this regard, I submit that His Majesty Our Lord ought to intervene decisively—and must not permit their seizure by the Muslims (the ‘Jao’s’, i.e., Javanese Muslim rulers or merchants), who already exert considerable influence in the region. I myself have just arrived in this city of Malacca from Macassar. We made landfall at Java under favourable weather conditions, where the Javanese king was residing. He summoned me and questioned me at length on various matters; among other topics, he enquired specifically about Macassar and declared his intention to dispatch ten thousand men thither.

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— TRANSLATION —
[Page 1] [Main Text] *Letters from the Indies*

Brombros, I informed him that he should not send any forces, for the territory of Makassar belonged to the King of Portugal; and were he to do so, it would cause grave offence to the Lord Governor, since there were many Spaniards already present in Makassar—and this year numerous Portuguese were expected to arrive there with the express purpose of converting those Spaniards to Catholicism.

Moreover, in my view, this King of Java is currently operating with considerable success in this region against the indigenous peoples (*gentios*), who remain steadfast in their adherence to the religion of Muhammad. Should they abandon their faith and convert to Islam (*mouros*), he bestows upon them generous gifts and treats them with marked favour. He maintains a large retinue and wages war for no other purpose than to compel these *gentios* to embrace Islam. He seeks neither gold nor silver—only their conversion. For, as this King of Java declares, once these peoples have been converted to Islam, he will become a ‘second Turk’—and Malacca, in consequence, will pose little difficulty for him. As far as I observed, this is indeed his settled intention and determination: to cut off supplies and prevent provisions from reaching this city. Such a strategy constitutes the gravest possible threat to the city of Malacca.

For this reason, I submit that Your Excellency ought to act without delay—and that it would be a signal service both to God and to His Highness the Prince (Dom Luís, Infante of Portugal) to dispatch priests and a small contingent of settlers to take formal possession of that territory. There are, in fact, many married and unmarried men resident in this city of Malacca who would regard such an undertaking as a most honourable enterprise; and two additional priests accompanying them would suffice to initiate the establishment of a Spanish ecclesiastical presence (*spanholidade*—i.e., Catholic missionary activity under Spanish auspices). All such efforts ultimately redound to the service of God and of His Highness—not only in the present, but with lasting spiritual benefit. May God grant Your Excellency long life and health. Amen.

Malacca, 7 December 1548

[Marginal Annotations]
[Upper right corner]: *Letters from the Indies*

• Location
  • Portugal
    • Biblioteca da Ajuda
      • Jesuítas na Ásia. Collection
        • Cod. 49-IV-49