Book! Travels in India. 87 



Never did any Vice-Roy depart from Goa fo rich as Don Pbilippo de Ma/car eg- 

 nas ; fc> r he had a great parcel of Diamonds, all large itones^ from ten Carats to 

 forty. He fhew'd me two when I was at Goa, one whereof weigh'd p Carats^ die 

 other 67 and an half, clean Stones, of an excellent water, and cut after the In- 

 dian manner. The report was that the Vice-Roy was poifon'd in the Ship, and 

 that it was a juft punimment of Heaven, for that he had poifon'd feveral others, 

 efpecially when he was Governor of Ceylon, He had always moft exquifite poi- 

 fons by him, to make ufe of when his revenge required it : for which reafon, ha- 

 ving rais'd himfelf many enemies, one morning he was found hung in Ejjigie in 

 Q oa 5 when I was there in the year 1648. 



In the mean time, the Imprifonment of Father Ephraim made a great noife in 

 Europe 5 Monfieur de Chafieau des Bois his Brother complain'd to the Portugal £m- 

 baflador, who presently wrote to the King his Matter to fend a pofitive command 

 by the firft Ships, that Father Ephraim mould be difcharg'd. The Pope alib^wrote, 

 declaring that he would excommunicate all the Clergy of Goa, if they did not fet 

 him at liberty. But all this fignifi'd nothing. So that Father Ephraim was be- 

 holding for his liberty to none but the-King of Golconda, who had a Jove for him, 

 andwould have had him have ftaid at Bagnagar. For the King was then at Wars with 

 the Raja of Carnatica, and his Army lay round about St. Thomas's. Hearing there- 

 fore what a bafe trick the Portugueses had plaid with Father Ephraim', he lent Or- 

 ders to his General Mirgimola to lay fiege to the Town, and put all to Fire and 

 Sword, unlefs the Governor would make him a.firm promife that Father Ephraim 

 fhould be fet at liberty in two months. A Copy of this Order was fent to the 

 Governor, which fo alarm'd the Town, that they difpatch'd away Barque after 

 Barque, to prefs the Vice-Roy to ufe his endeavours for the relcafe of Father 

 Ephraim. Thereupon he was releas'd ; but though the door were let open, he 

 would not ftir,till all the Religious Perfons in Goa came in Proceflion to fetch 

 him out. When he was at liberty he fpent 1 j days in the Convent of the Capu- 

 chins. I have heard Father Ephraim fay feveral times, 'that nothing troubl'd him 

 fo much all the while of his imprifonment, as to fee the ignorance of the Inquifitor 

 and his Councel, when they put him any quettion : and that he did not believe 

 that any one of them had ever read the Scripture. They laid him in the lame 

 Chamber, with a Maltefe, who never fpoke two words without a defperate oath 5 

 and took Tobacco all day, and a good part of the night, which was very offenfive 

 to Father Ephraim. 



When the Inquifitors feize upon any perfon, they fearch him prefently ; and as 

 for his Goods and wearing-Apyarel, it is fet down in an Inventory, to be returned 

 him again in cafe he be acquitted -, but if he have any Gold, Silver, or Jewels, 

 that is never fet down ; but is carri'd to the Inquifitor to defray the expences of 

 the Procefs. They fearch'd tne Reverend Father Ephraim, but found nothing in 

 his Cloak- pockets, unlefs it were a Comb, an Inkhorn, and two or three Hand- 

 kerchiefs. But forgetting to fearch the little Pockets which the Capuchins carry 

 in their fleeves toward their armpits, they left him four or five black-lead pens, 

 Thefe Pencils did him a great kindnefs. For the Maltcje calling tor fuch a deal of 

 Tobacco which is always cut and ti'd up in white-paper, for the profit of the 

 feller,who weighs both Tobacco and Paper together : thefe Papers Father E?™.um 

 kept very charily, and with his Pencil wrote therein whatever he had ttudi d at 

 any time : though he loft the fight of one of his eyes, through the darknefs of 

 the Chamber, which had but one window, half a foot fquare, and barr'd with iron. 

 They would never fo much as lend him a Book, or let him have an end of Candle; 

 but us'd him as bad as a certain Mifcreant that had been twice let out already with 

 his Shirt fulphur'd, and a St. Andrew s-Crofs upon his ftomach, in company with 

 thofc that are lead to the Gallows, and was then come in again. 



Father Eplvaim having ftaid ij days in the Convent of the Capuchins to re- 

 cover his itrength after 20 months imprifonment, return d for Madrejpatan and 

 pafiine through Golconda, went to return his humble thanks to the King ot Got 

 coldawd his Son-in-law, who had fo highly interefs'd themfelves for his liberty. 

 The King importun'd him again to ftay at Bagnagar, but feeing him refolv d to re- 

 turn to his Convent at Madrefpatatij they gave him as before, an Oxe, two Ser- 

 vants, and Money for his journey, CHAP 



