776 NIEUHOFF*S BRAZIL. 



breach of peace) fent two Jefuits to perfuade them to return, but in vain, they refufing 

 to obey, either for fear of punifhment, or that they were already engaged with the 

 rebels (as I now am apt to believe they were), fo that I have heard nothing from them 

 fmce, except what I have underflood out of Your Lordfhip's letter. The Portuguefe 

 under your jurifdidion have fent to, me the reafons which moved them to this in- 

 furreftion, imploring my affiftance, as fubjedts of the King my mailer ; they told me, 

 that they flood in fear of being facrificed to the fury of four thoufand Tapoyers, fent 

 for that purpofe from Rio Grande; to avoid which, and dreading Your Lordlhips' 

 anger, awakened againfl them by the falfe accufations of the Jews (the mofl perfidious 

 and irreconcileable enemies of Chrillendom), had rather chofen to expofe themfelves to a 

 miferable flight, leaving behind them their wives and children, than to indure the 

 hardfhips of a tedious imprifonment. I could fcarce have imagined, that you could 

 be fo far mifled by the fictions of a people fo much defpifed by all other nations, as 

 to be perfuaded by them, that certain perfons were fent from hence into your terri- 

 tories, who have been feen here by your deputies. And though I am apt to perfuade 

 myfelf, that fome of the Portuguefe would, as the cafe now Hands, be glad to embrace 

 our protection, it being much more natural to be opprefled by one*s own King or 

 Prince, than by foreigners : yet when I ferioufly refle6l upon Your Lordfhips' pro- 

 pofals made by your deputies, viz. to oblige Captain Kamaron and Henry Dias to 

 return to the Bahia, and to ufe all other proper means to bring the revolted Portuguefe 

 to reafon ; when, I fay, I ferioufly refled: upon the public galamities on one fide, and 

 how defliitute I am of fuitable means at prefent to fatisfy your defires, I cannot but be 

 infinitely concerned thereat ; being fenfible that thefe captains will not be brought 

 over by perfuafions ; and wanting means to reduce them to obedience, who have now 

 fettled themfelves at fo great a diftance among the woods and forefl:s. But as I am 

 ready to conform myfelf in all refpedls to Your Lordfliips* defires, to convince you 

 of the fincerity of the Portuguefe nation, which is fuch, that no opportunity, though 

 never fo great, of promoting their own intereft:, does ever fl:and in competition with 

 what they think they owe to their confederates : I am willing to take upon me the 

 ofiice of a mediator, in order" to endeavour to appeafe thefe troubles by my authority ; 

 for which end I intend to fend to you with all pollible fpeed, certain perfons of known 

 ability, with fufiicient infl:ru6lions and power, to the rebellious to return to their 

 duty ; which, if they decline, fuch meafures may be taken as will force them to it ; 

 which, as I hope, may ferve as the mofl; effedual means to refl:ore tranquillity to your 

 dominions, and to cultivate the good opinion and correfpondency betwixt us ; which 

 I wifli God Almighty will be pleafed to continue betwixt thefe two nations, by a perpe- 

 tual tie of amity. 



" Bahia, July 19, 1645. (Signed) Antonio Telles de Sylva." 



Mr. Hoogfl;raten at the fame time gave a fecret verbal account to the great council, 

 that foon after their arrival there, Andrew Vidal, Captain Paulo Kunha, and John de 

 Soufa came to them, the lafl: of whom fat himfelf down near him (Mr. Hoogfl:raten), 

 inquiring fecretly after his uncle Philip Pays Baretto, whether he was among the 

 mutineers ; to whom he gave for anfwer, that he was fl:ill in his mill. After which, 

 the table-cloth being laid, Soufa was invited to flay at dinner with them, which he re- 

 fufed ; becaufe, as he faid, he was upon the guard : before dinner was ended Soufa 

 came back, and after the table-cloth was taken away, invited Mr. Hoogflraten and 

 Kunha to fmoke a pipe with him in a back room, whither they went, but were followed 

 by the fecretary, Mr. Springapple. As they paffed through a gallery, Paulo de Kunha 



took 



