Add MS 42056

CORRSPONDENCE and reports relating to Portuguese affairs in India and Ceylon; 1619-1688. Portuguese. The papers consist partly of letters from Portuguese officials in India and Ceylon, addressed to the King of Portugal and dealing mainly with the state of the cinnamon and pepper trade and the rivalry of the Dutch, and partly of reports and recommendations of the Conselho Ultramarino at Lisbon upon the documents submitted to them. For similar papers see Add. MS. 41996 Q, which was obtained from the same source. As follows:-

(1) Ignacio Sarmnento de Carualho to the King, reporting on his activities; Cochin, 17 Nov. 1619. Signed. ff. 1-1b.

(2) Luis de Serra to the King, reporting on the request of Diogo de Mello de Castro, Captain-General of Ceylon, for reinforcements to be sent direct from Portugal; Lisbon, 13 Dec. 1634. ff. 2-2b. Accompanied (ff. 4-8) by copies of the request and the official decree in reply. Signed. ff. 2-8 b.

(3) Joseph Pinto Pereira to the King, on the state of the pepper and cinnamon trade; Goa, 15 Dec. 1637. Signed. ff. 9-10b.

(4) The same to the same, advising the construction of trading vessels of lighter draught; Goa, 1 Oct. 1638. Signed. ff. 11-14b.

(5) Papers rel. to the offer made by Francisco Botelho Chacon and Alvaro da Silveira to purchase the cargo of cinnamon brought to Portugal on the vessel Nossa Senhora da Oliveira; Lisbon, 3 Sept.-3 Oct. 1639. ff. 15-26b.

(6) Diogo Vieira, Rector of the Jesuit college at Jaffnapatam in Ceylon, to the King, asking for restoration of revenues to the College and of privileges to native Christians; Jaffnapatam, 30 Oct. 1642. Signed, with annotations by the Conselho. ff. 27-28b.

(7) Letter from native Christians of Manaar to the King, appealing for redress of grievances; 3 Nov. 1642. Signed by headmen (patangatims) and others in native script, with annotations by the Conselho. ff. 29-32b.

(8) Manuel Sidrão, Superior of the Franciscans in Ceylon, to the King, asking for the restitution of revenues and other privileges; Colombo, 10 Nov. 1642. Signed. Followed (f. 35) by minute of the official reply (cf. also art. 12 below). ff. 33-35.

(9) Francis Breton, President of the English factory at Surat, to the Conde de Aveiras (João da Silva Tello de Menezes), Portuguese Viceroy at Goa, concerning the actions of the Dutch; Surat, 9 Dec. 1643. Portuguese. Copy. ff. 36-36b.

(10) The Conde de Aveiras, Portuguese Viceroy, to the King, introducing Francisco Ribeiro, Augustinian Friar; Goa, 30 Dec. 1643. Signed. f. 37.

(11) Joseph Pinto Pereira, Veedor da fazenda geral da India, to the King, commenting on the miserable state of Portuguese interests in the East; Goa, 5 Mar. 1644. Printed and signed. ff. 39-39b.

(12) Report of the Conselho upon the letter of Manuel Sidrão (art. 8 above); Lisbon, 4 May 1644. Signed by four members. ff. 41-42b.

(13) (a) Report of the Conselho upon the letter (20 Dec. 1642) of Diogo Mendez de Britto, sent as envoy by the Viceroy at Goa to the Dutch Governor- General at Batavia for the purpose of concluding a truce; Lisbon, 5 Oct. 1644. Signed by three members. ff. 44-45;-(b) Copy of the memorial presented to Anthony Van Diemen, Dutch Governor General at Batavia, by Antonio Fialho Ferreira, sent as envoy by the King of Portugal, followed by two certificates of authentication, dated at Goa, 4 and 20 Dec. 1642. With seven signatures. ff. 46-47.

(14) Report of the Conselho upon the letter (20 Oct. 1643) from the city of Colombo to the King asking for confirmation of its privileges; Lisbon, 5 Oct. 1644. Signed by three members. ff. 48-48b.

(15) Report of the Conselho upon the letter (9 Dec. 1643) of the Viceroy, the Conde de Aveiras, to the King, asking that all soldiers in the East should serve two years in Ceylon; Lisbon, 7 Oct. 1644. Signed by the same. Followed (f. 52) by a copy of the Viceroy's proposal dated Goa, 27 Aug. 1643.ff. 50-52.

(16) Report of the Conselho upon the letter (30 Dec. 1643) from Dom Francisco, Prince of Jaffnapatam, to the King, asking for sustenance; Lisbon, 25 Oct. 1644. Signed by the same. ff. 53-53b.

(17) Report of the Conselho upon the letter (Batavia, 22 Dec. 1644) from Antonio Fialho Ferreira to the King, giving an account of his misfortunes on his voyage to Macao; Lisbon, 5 Oct. 1645. Signed by three members. Followed (ff. 58-60b) by a copy of the letter. ff. 55-60b. (I8) Report of the Conselho upon the dispatches of Frey Goncalo Velozo de São Joseph, negotiator with the Dutch concerning the restitution of Negombo to the Portuguese and other questions at issue in Ceylon; Lisbon, 6 July 1646. ff. 62-66. Followed by the relevant documents, viz.:(a) Appointment of Velozo as plenipotentiary by Filippe Mascarenhas, Portuguese Viceroy; Colombo, 22 Jan. 1645. Copy. f. 67;-(b) Agreement between the Portuguese and the Dutch in Ceylon against the King of Kandy; Galle, 9 Mar. 1645. Copy. ff. 69-70;-(c)-(i) Propositions and replies of Velozo and the Dutch authorities at Batavia relative to Negombo and other matters, 19 Apr.-16 May, 1645. Copies. ff. 71-86;-(k) and (1) Letters from Velozo to the King; Batavia, 15 May 1645. Signed. ff. 87-87b, 89.

(19) (a) Antonio Machado Ribeiro, procurator of the inhabitants of Manaar, to the King, relating to the dispute with the inhabitants of Lugar dos Carias over the distribution of provisions; Manaar, 7 Nov. 1654. Signed. ff. 91-91 b; -(b) Documentary statement of the case, extracted from official registers and authenticated by João de Moura Lobo, notary; Manaar, 24 Oct. 1645. ff. 93-106.

(20) Petition of Manuel Ramos of Goa to the King, asking redress for wrongful imprisonment, followed (ff. 109-113) by the 'carta testemunhavel' or official report on his case, signed by Dr Manuel Manco da Fonseca, judge; Lisbon, 1645. ff. 107-113.

(21) The Conselho to the King, reporting on letters of the Viceroy of India rel. to the despatch of pepper seed, accompanied by instructions (f. 117) for sowing; Lisbon, 19 Oct. 1688. Signed by three members. ff. 115-117. Paper; ff. 118. Folio. A.D. 1619-1688.