lmost naked; he treated
us with the most opprobrious language, and threatened to cut off our
heads. We comforted ourselves in this condition, hoping that all our
sufferings would end in shedding our blood for the name of Jesus Christ.
We knew that the bassa had often made a public declaration before our
arrival that he should die contented if he could have the pleasure of
killing us all with his own hand. This violent resolution was not
lasting; his zeal gave way to his avarice, and he could not think of
losing so large a sum as he knew he might expect for our ransom: he
therefore sent us word that it was in our choice either to die, or to pay
him thirty thousand crowns, and demanded to know our determination.

We knew that his ardent thirst of our blood was now cold, that time and
calm reflection and the advice of his friends had all conspired to bring
him to a milder temper, and therefore willingly began to treat with him.
I told the messenger, being deputed by the rest to manage the affair,
that he could not but observe the wretched condition we were in, that we
had neither money nor revenues, that what little we had was already taken
from us, and that therefore all we could promise was to set a collection
on foot, not much doubting but that our brethren would afford us such
assistance as might enable us to make him a handsome present according to
custom.

This answer was not at all agreeable to the bassa, who returned an answer
that he would be satisfied with twenty thousand crowns, provided we paid
them on the spot, or gave him good securities for the payment. To this
we could only repeat what we had said before: he then proposed to abate
five thousand of his last demand, assuring us that unless we came to some
agreement, there was no torment so cruel but we should suffer it, and
talked of nothing but impaling and flaying us alive; the terror of these
threatenings was much increased by his domestics, who told us of many of
his cruelties. This is certain, that some time before, he had used some
poor pagan merchants in that manner, and had caused the executioner to
begin to flay them, when some Brahmin, touched with compassion,
generously contributed the sum demanded for their ransom. We had no
reason to hope for so much kindness, and, having nothing of our own,
could promise no certain sum.

At length some of his favourites whom he most confided in, knowing his
cruelty and our inability to pay what he demande