Chap. II. 
Portuguese Empire in the Eaft-Indies. 
-very Scheme of planting, and muft always ruin the Settle- 
ments where it prevails, and confequently the religious 
Houfes themfelves, which is certainly an Argument that 
ought to prevail even with Popilh Princes to lay fome Re- 
ftraint on the Miffionaries that are fent abroad, unlefs they 
prefer the Reputation of Zeal among fuch as are no com- 
petent Judges, not only to Maxims of Policy and good 
Government, but to the Principles of true Religion, For, 
If there be any Piety in converting Pagans to the Chriftian 
Faith, it follows, that there is ftill greater Piety in doing 
this effectually, and in maintaining for ever the Eftablifh- 
ments neceffary to fupport them, which Reafon and Expe- 
rience fhews, the building Monafteries, and maintaining 
Numbers of idle People in them, will not do, but on the 
contrary will bring on in time the DeftruCtion of thofe Co- 
lonies, In which this Humour is fuffered to prevail. 
The very laft Advices from this Part of the World in- 
form us, that feveral Indian Princes were driven from be- 
fore Goa , which they had blocked up with a numerous 
Army, by the powerful Succours fent by the prefent King 
of Portugal , and by the excellent ConduCt of the late Vice- 
roy, who was the Count de Laurical , and who, if I miftake 
not, was twice in the Indies , and behaved there with great 
Reputation. Such Expeditions, however, are to be con- 
fidered as Expedients only, which may for a time preferve 
that Settlement, but can never reftore it, or bring the Af- 
fairs of this Nation in thefe Parts into fo good Order, as to 
make them worth the Attention of a Prince, who has the 
Honour of his Crown, and the Good of his People, at 
Heart. It may not therefore be amifs, before we conclude 
this Sedlion, to confider what is like to be the future Fate 
of the Portugueze in the Indies , in which, if our Conjec- 
tures Ihould be juftified by Events, they cannot but do 
Honour to this Performance. 
32. It is morally certain, that the Eftablifhments which 
the Crown of Portugal ftill has in the Eaft-Indies might, in 
the Hands of an aCtive and induftrious Nation, turn to con- 
fiderable Account •, for it has been long ago obferved by 
M. Tavernier , that the Port of Diu is as well fituated for 
Trade, and as capable of Improvement, as any in that Part 
of the World, or more fo ; and if put under proper Regu- 
lations, that is, if made in fome meafure a free Port, it 
muft neceffarily come in for a large Share of that Commerce 
now carried on at Surat , and in all probability, retrieve 
much of the Arabian and Perfian Commerce that has been 
fo long loft to the Portugueze. On the other hand, as they 
have ftill fome Factories at Bifnagar and other Places on 
that Coaft, it would be no difficult Matter to re-eftablifh 
their Commerce in the Heart of India, at the fame time 
that the Port of Macao would furnifh them with the Means 
of fupplying the China Market as cheap or cheaper than 
any other European Nation, becaufe their Colony at Mo- 
fambique is fo fituated, as to ferve them for the fame Pur- 
pofes that the Cape of Good Hope does the Hutch , or the 
Illand of St. Helena the Englifh. 
But all thefe Advantages fignify nothing in the Hands of 
thofe who are fo far from poffeffmg the Virtues requifite to 
fuch Improvements, that on the contrary, they are not only 
tainted with, but over-run by fuch Vices, as muft unques- 
tionably overturn the beft Eftabliffiment in the World. It 
is neceffary to fupport a Charge of this Nature by FaCts, 
that it may not appear to be the EffeCts of Fancy, Preju- 
dice, or Mifinformation. I fhall mention but one, which, 
as it is very lingular in its kind, will at once anfwer my 
Purpofe, and ferve to enliven the SubjeCt. The Portu- 
gueze had, in the Clofe of the laft Century, an Offer capa- 
ble of doing much towards the Execution of fuch a Plan as 
this, inafmuch that he was a Man of great Prudence and 
Virtue ; but withal, he had too high a Spirit, which led 
him to treat the Vices of his Countrymen with fuch Afpe- 
rity as drew upon him a difaftrous Death, and thereby de- 
feated all the Hopes that had been raifed from the great 
Victories he obtained over the Arabs and Moors , and that 
noble Zeal he had upon all Occafions ffiewh For the Welfare 
of his Country. 
His fharp Tongue, fays my Author, had gained him 
a the Ill-will of almoft all the Gentry of Goa-, and along 
u the Coaft *, but more particularly of the Family of Melo$ 
“ which was powerful in Kindred, and great by Birth. Flis 
“ Affronts becoming infupportable, they confpiredf to the 
<c Number of fifty, to murder him j and having agreed on 
“ the Time, Place, and Manner of executing their Defign* 
“ they made feveral Loop-holes in the Houfes of the 
“ Quarter and Parifh of St. Peter , that they might fhoot 
“ him with more Safety. The General, or rather Admi- 
“ ral, perfuading himfelf, that Gentlemen could not har- 
<c bour Thoughts of taking an ungenerous Revenge, tho 3 
“ warned to be upon his Guard, becaufe there were trea- 
<c cherous Pradtices againft him, would never admit any 
“ Soldiers to attend him, and particularly two Captains 
<£ that were willing to fhare in his Dangers. Thus being 
“ carried j n a Palankin alone, only with one Black that 
“ carried his Umbrella, a Shot was made at him from a 
sc Houfe, which giving him a flight Wound 4 - he leaped 
££ out of the Palankin, and taking the Snuff he held be- 
“ tween his Fingers, faid, Who is it you aim at ? Prif- 
££ tan de Melo at thefe Words coming out of his Houfe, 
££ anfwered, at you, and fired a Blunderbufs at him. He^ 
££ with an undaunted Courage, defended it with his Cloak, 
“ and bowing his Body ; then drawing his Sword, and 
<e falling on his Enemy, he ftruck him five times, but to 
“ no Purpofe, becaufe he had on a Coat of Mail ; where- 
££ upon he cleft his Head, and with a back Stroke cut him 
££ over the Face, which made him fall ; then taking him 
ct by the Hair, he fet his Feet upon him, and was going 
££ to run his Sword into his Breaft, but Triftan begging 
<c his Life, he generoufly granted it, faying, he would not 
“ embrue his Hands in fuch bafe Blood. In the mean 
££ while out came Triftan ’’ s Son, and a Mulatto, (fo they 
££ call all thofe that are got between Blacks and Whites) 
££ and firing two Blunderbuffes, lodged feveral Bullets in the 
££ Admiral’s Breaft, breaking in Pieces the Crofs he wore 
“ as a Badge of Knighthood ; but ftill he ftood and de- 
“ fended himfelf, when a Slave came up and run him into 
“ the Side with a Javelin ; nor did he go unpunifhed, for 
“ the General, with a Back-ftroke, ripped open his Belly, 
“ whereof he died at Night. Machado being ready to ex- 
“ pire, drew near to the Palankin, and fetting his Peruke 
£C to rights the beft he could, laid himfelf in it. The 
“ Murderers fearing he might yet live, one of them, who 
cc was a Prieft, came with a Blunderbufs in his Hand to 
“ make an end of him ; but feeing him ready to breathe 
“ out his Soul, afked, whether he would make his Con- 
“ feflion ? The Admiral called him Jew, and bid him go 
“ about his Bufinefs : Afterwards a Hominican coming to 
“ him, he gave Signs of Repentance, and grafping his 
“ Hands, died with thefe Words : The Blood of Chrift 
“ fave me. They found in his Breaft about thirty Bullets 5 
tc whereupon People admiring his Valour, faid, he muft 
“ needs have more vital Spirits than other Mortals, fince 
“ there muft go fo much to the killing himv” 
This Murder, foul and deteftable as it was, could never 
be punifhed, fo powerful was the Family concerned in it, 
and fo weak the Authority of the Viceroy, in Matters re- 
lating to Juftice. It is true, this ftrange Fadt happened 
fifty Years ago, but things are far from being mended 
fince. Affaffinations are ftill common in this Country, and 
fuch as would not expofe their own Lives for the Prelerva- 
tion of the Colony are ready, on the (lighted: Provocation, 
to command their Slaves to take away the Life of another 
Man, let his Worth or Dignity be what it will, even at the 
Altar, and this without the lead Apprehenfion of Juftice. 
We need no clearer Proof than this, that the Minds of thefe 
People are totally enervated and corrupted, and that as Cow- 
ards, they are cruel and revengeful, which wicked Difpofi- 
tions arife from a lazy and luxurious Life. We may there- 
7 This gallant. Man Don Antonio Machado de Brito, was general of the North, and afterwards Admiral of the GuTph of Ormuz, in which Cha- 
tafter he gained immortal Reputation. In the Month of April 1694, he with three Ships only fought fourteen Arabian Veffels of the fame Size, 
in the Bay of Surat, for a . whole Day ; and when he might have retired fafely into the Port of Diu , he anchored clofe by them all Night’ 
m order to have renewed the Fight next Morning ; but the Arabs having had fighting enough the Day before, hole away in the Dark and recover- 
ed their own Coaft. Several Boats full of Englijh, French , and Dutch Merchants, went from Surat, to fee this Battle, and afterwards complemented 
the Portugueze Admiral on his Victory, little fufpecting, that before the End of that Year, a Man, who had done fuch eminent Service to the Pub- 
«ck, would fah, as he did, a Vidim to private Revenge. 
fore 
