of there are but
few in India, and that they had great need of him to paint their Church,
which otherwise would cost them great charges, to bring one from Portugall,
they were very glad thereof, hoping in time to get the rest of them with
all their money into their fellowship: so that to conclude, they made this
Painter a Iesuite, where he remained certaine dayes, giuing him good store
of worke to doe, and entertaining him with all the fauour and friendship
they could deuise, and all to winne the rest, to be a pray for them: but
the other three continued still in prison, being in great feare, because
they vnderstood no man that came to them, nor any man almost knew what they
sayd: till in the end it was tolde them that certaine Dutch men dwelt in
the Archbishops house, and counsell giuen them to send vnto them, whereat
they much reioyced, and sent to me and an other Dutch man, desiring vs at
once to come and speake with them, which we presently did, and they with
teares in their eyes made complaint vnto vs of their hard vsage, shewing vs
from point to point (as it is sayd before) why they were come into the
countrey, withall desiring vs for Gods cause, if we might by any meanes, to
helpe them, that they might be set at liberty vpon sureties, being ready to
endure what iustice should ordaine for them, saying, that if it were found
contrary, and that they were other then trauelling marchants, and sought to
finde out further benefit by their wares, they would be content to be
punished. With that we departed from them, promising them to do our best:
and in the end we obtained so much of the archbishop, that he went vnto the
Viceroy to deliuer our petition, and perswaded him so well, that he was
content to set them at libertie, and that their goods should be deliuered
vnto them againe, vpon condition they should put in sureties for two
thousand pardawes, not to depart the countrey before other order should be
taken with them. Thereupon they presently found a Citizen of the towne that
was their surety for two thousand pardawes, to whom they payed in hand one
thousand and three hundred pardawes, and because they sayd they had no more
ready money, he gaue them credit, seeing what store of marchandise they
had, whereby at all times if need were, he might be satisfied: and by that
meanes they were deliuered out of prison, and hired themselues an house,
and beganne to set open shoppe: so that they vttered much ware, and were
presentl
|