"This castle is so hard pressed, that the Persians demand
us to surrender by capitulation, but which we will not consent
to:
For, when reduced to that necessity, we will call
upon your worships for that purpose, as it were not reasonable
for us to capitulate with the infidels when you are present.
We hold it more humane to deliver our innocent women,
and other unnecessary people, to the rigour of our own
weapons, than to the clemency of the Persians; and that you
might know this our purpose, I have written these lines to
accompany the letter from our captain. What else you may
wish to know, you may learn from the bearer of these letters,
to whom you may give the same credit as to myself. And so
God keep your worships," &c.
Luis de Brito Dar.
Dated 1st May, 1622.[310]
Taking these letters into consideration, and commiserating their
situation as Christians, it was resolved to give them a favourable
answer, which was done accordingly in a letter to the Captain Simon de
Mela, offering to become an intermedium for procuring them such
conditions from the Persians as might save the lives of the Christians
who still remained in the castle, which we had in our power to warrant,
and were willing to shew them such farther courtesy as might tend to
their relief, as far as we could see. We desired him therefore to put
his demands in writing, and send them to us as soon as possible. A
similar answer was written to the almirante, and with these the two
messengers were sent back to the castle in one of our own boats. They
soon returned with other letters from the captain and almirante, saying,
"That they left themselves entirely in our hands, the necessity of their
situation not allowing time for farther writing, lest the Persians might
in the mean while break in and put them all to the sword."
[Footnote 310: The 1st of May, new style, was the 21st April, old
style; the difference being then ten days. - E.]
Upon this we addressed ourselves to the Persian general, requesting him
to grant a truce of two days to the distressed Portuguese, in which time
we might treat with them for such conditions as might be at the same
time beneficial for the Persians and ourselves. At length, a Persian
officer and I were deputed to go into the castle to treat with the
Portuguese, and they also desired our vice-admiral, Mr Woodcock, might
accompany us. We all three went to the castle gate, but could not be
allowed to enter; yet were met by Luis de Brito, the Portuguese
almirante, and five or six other cavalieros, but did not see the
captain, as the inferior officers and soldiers had mutinied against him,
and detained him as a prisoner. Our whole conference, therefore, was
with the almirante, who chiefly addressed himself to Captain Woodcock,
our almirante, or vice-admiral.
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