Having
Assembled An Army Of 120,000 Men, And 400 Vessels Of Considerable
Strength, In Which Were Above 6000 Of Those Moors So Noted For Valour,
Called Caperuzas From Their Wearing Caps, He Marched Against Siriam,
Where He Burnt Every Thing Beyond The Walls Of The Fort.
Nicote made a
brave resistance though taken unawares, as he had suffered most of his
men to go to India, and was very scarce of powder.
In this distress, he
sent a soldier to purchase powder at Bengal, who ran away with the
money; and sent likewise to San Thoma for the same commodity, but was
refused any supply. For want of powder he was unable to fire his cannon
against the enemy, and was reduced to the expedient of pouring boiling
pitch and oil on their heads. At length, Nicote was taken and carried to
the king of Ova, who ordered him to be impaled on an eminence in view of
the fort, where he lived two days in torment. His wife, Donna Luisa de
Saldanna, was kept three days in the river to be purified, as the king
designed her for himself; but when brought before him, she upbraided him
for his cruelty, and he ordered her leg to be bored, and that she
should be sent to Ova along with the other slaves. A native named
Banna who had betrayed Nicote, demanding his reward from the king of
Ova, was ordered to be torn in pieces, the king alleging, that he who
had been false to his benefactor would never be true to him. The son of
Nicote resided, at that time, in Martavan, having married the daughter
of the king of that place; but the king of Ova caused him to be put to
death, that no one of the race might remain alive. Thus ended Nicote,
who, from the lowest poverty, had raised himself to great power and
prodigious riches, being worth three millions[432]. The enemy allowed of
having lost 30,000 men in this siege. The viceroy on hearing of the
danger of Siriam, had dispatched Diego de Mendoza to its relief with
five galliots; but having put off his time by the way on other objects,
he was too late.
[Footnote 432: Probably ducats are here meant.]
In the year 1614, the viceroy resolved to go in person to the sea of
Guzerate to meet the English and Hollanders, who were then strong
in these seas. He sent before him Emanuel de Azevedo with 22 sail, who
was joined at Surat by two other squadrons, after which he landed and
destroyed the lands of Cifandam and Diva. The towns of Baroach and
Goga were plundered, with six large ships in the bay, as was likewise
the city of Patane. Having completed his preparations, the viceroy
sailed from Goa with seven galleons, one of which was so large that it
easily carried 230 men besides mariners, 30 of them being gentlemen.
Besides the galleons, there were two pinks, one galley, one caravel, and
five other vessels, on board of which were 1400 Portuguese soldiers,
with a great number of cannon, but the gunners were very unskilful.
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