vnto them, did presently inuent all the subtile meanes
they could to hinder them: and to that end they
went vnto the Captaine of Ormus, as then called Don
Gonsalo de Meneses, telling him that there were certaine
English men come into Ormus, that were sent onely
to spie the countrey; and sayd further, that they
were heretikes: and therefore they sayd it was
conuenient they should not be suffered so to depart
without being examined, and punished as enemies, to
the example of others. The Captaine being a friend
vnto the English men, by reason that one of them which
had bene there before, had giuen him certaine presents,
would not be perswaded to trouble them, but shipped
them with all their wares in a shippe that was to saile
for Goa, and sent them to the Viceroy, that he might
examine and trie them, as he thought good: where
when they were arriued, they were cast into prison,
and first examined whether they were good Christians
or no: and because they could speake but badde
Portugall, onely two of them spake good Dutch, as
hauing bene certaine yeres in the Low countreyes, and
there traffiked, there was a Dutch Iesuite born in
the towne of Bruges in Flanders, that had bene resident
in the Indies for the space of thirty yers, sent vnto
them, to vndermine and examine them: wherein
they behaued themselues so well, that they were holden
and esteemed for good Catholicke Christians: yet
still suspected, because they were strangers, and specially
English men. The Iesuites still tolde them that
they should be sent prisoners into Portugall, wishing
them to leaue off their trade of marchandise, and to
become Iesuites, promising them thereby to defend them
from all trouble. The cause why they sayd so,
and perswaded them in that earnest maner, was, for
that the Dutch Iesuite had secretly bene aduertised
of great summes of money which they had about them,
and sought to get the same into their fingers, for
that the first vowe and promise they make at their
entrance into their Order, is to procure the welfare
of their sayd Order, by what meanes soeuer it be.
But although the English men denied them, and refused
the Order, saying, that they were vnfit for such places,
neuerthelesse they proceeded so farre, that one of
them, being a Painter that came with the other three
for company, to see the countreys, and to seeke his
fortune, and was not sent thither by the English marchants,
partly for feare, and partly for want of meanes to
relieue himselfe, promised them to become a Iesuite:
and although they knew and well perceiued he was not
any of those that had the treasure, yet because he
was a Painter, whereof there are but few in India,
and that they had great need of him to paint their
Church, which otherwise would cost them great charges,
to bring one from Portugall, they were very glad thereof,
hoping in time to get the rest of them with all their
money into their fellowship: so that to conclude,
they made this Painter a Iesuite, where he remained
certaine dayes, giuing him good store of worke to


