NUEUHOFF's brazil. yg^ 



Andrew Vidal fent a letter in anfwer to this by one of our drummers (fent to the 

 €nemy upon fome errand), dated the 20th of September, as follows : 



His Anfwer to the Admiral* s Letter, 



" We are fufEciently fatisfied by Your Lordihip's letter, that, inftead of being enter- 

 tained according to your merits, you receive the fame ill treatment with the reft of our 

 countrymen ; though, confidering that your cafe is different from the reft, you ought 

 to have been treated in another manner. Your Lordfhip being come without the leaft 

 intention of waging war againft them, (which they ought to have made due refledHon 

 upon,) but only as you were going to convoy fome fhips homeward, did at their own 

 requeft land our forces in that captainihip ; confidering the ill ufage and tyrannies our 

 fubje<2s have received at their hands, we are afraid we cannot prormfe Your Lordfhip a 

 much better entertainment ; of all which murders, committed in cold blood, we have 

 taken fo circumftantial an account, that we are fure we ihall be able to juftify our caufe 

 and ourfelves, both to the flates of the United Netherlands and the reft of our allies ; 

 for we have fifhed up many of our Portuguefe with bullets and ftones tied to their legs 

 and necks ; fome had the good fortune to be faved as they were f^^-imming afhore, but 

 many were burnt alive in the wrecks of the fhips ; the intention of thefe gentlemen 

 being without queftion, by making fo general a Daughter among their fellow-chriftians, 

 to cut us from all hopes of returning home : of all which they ■will be obliged to give 

 one day a fevere account, both to God Almighty and thofe who fhall require fatisfac- 

 tion for it at their hands, it being our conftant opinion that they never will be able to 

 juftify their cruelties, and the mifchief done to our people, dther before God or the King 

 our mafter. We hope Your Lordfhip will reft fatisfied in this prefent condition, and 

 put your truft in God and our King, who are ftill alive to demand a fevere fatisfadion 

 from them. God protect Your Lordfhip. 



" From our quarters at St. John in the Vergea, Sept. 29, 1645. 



" (Signed) Andrew Vidal de Negreiros.'* 



A certain lieutenant belonging to the enemy, called Francifco Guomes, came along 

 with the fame drummer, with a letter from the faid Andrew \1dal direded to the great 

 council, the contents of which were as follow : 



Andrew Vidal de Negreiros*s Letter to the Great Cotmcil. 



* I received Your Lordfhip's letter at Iguarafu, wherein you feem to be extremely 



'ted at the killing of fome Brazilians, with their wives, by our foldiers, under pre- 



^at the abfolute command over them belongs only to you ; which I cannot but 



furprifed at, when I confider that Your Lordfhips in your proclamation, 



T command not to give quarter to any Portuguefe inhabitants, though na- 



of the King my mafter ; you alledge, among other reafons, becaufe they 



^ir birth and education in this captainfhip (which, however, was firft con- 



"^uguefe kings at the expence of many of their fubjeftsj, whereas now 



this hardfhip upon the fame inhabitants, to give quarter to thofe 



"nng ago have been maintained and inftruded in the Catholic faith, 



id confequently not your's, but the King my mafter's fubjeds. 



remember, that you are not in poffellion of this country by 



512 right 



