ABSTRACT
After my arrival in Goa, I made an appointment with the Viceroy, who at that time was the Count of Linhares. 1 He heard me very graciously as I informed him of everything I had intended to convey to him. My presentation and request for action consisted of two parts. The first part was a plea for help for Christianity in Ethiopia, so that it would not be completely destroyed, and for the sad state and danger in which the Catholics there found themselves, both Portuguese born there and native Abyssinians as well as the Bishop and Fathers of the Company who had remained there so as not to abandon those Christians exposed to obvious peril of their lives as was soon obvious when the heretics killed two of them 2 and captured three along with the Bishop, who to t}lis very day are still living in heavy irons and harsh imprisonment [sic]. The second part was a plea for the liberation of the Patriarch and a few other companions of his who remained as captives in Suaquem as I have already related. Suitable means for accomplishing these two purposes were discussed and the conclusion was reached that a military operation was the only possible one considering the pass things had reached and in view of past experience on many other occasions. The experience of those of us who at such close hand and for so many years had seen the situation and had, so to speak, felt it with our own hands led us to the opinion that a military operation was the most suitable remedy. To accomplish this purpose, a fleet should go into the Red Sea, forcibly take the Patriarch and his companions from the hands of the Turks while at the same time demanding an accounting from the Turks for the cruelties and treachery they had done to us, take possession of the island of Ma\ua and establish a Portuguese stronghold there, whereby the Portuguese
not only would remain masters of the entire Red Sea but also, because of the very close proximity of this island to the land of Abyssinia and its being the Empire's only seaport, through which all its imports and exports must pass, would make the Ethiopians entirely dependent. This dependency and the great fear they have of the Portuguese would be enough to restore the Catholic faith, permitting the Catholics to live there in freedom, many of whom are roaming the lands closest to the sea in hope of this very thing, awaiting our arrival to throw in their lot with us and to reinforce us and the Catholic side, this closeness being all that would be needed to permit the Catholic faith to thrive without any impediment or fear of any substantial opposition. This enterprise recommended itself not only as a service to God, which was its principal purpose and interest, and as a service to His Majesty, who on several occasions had urged the Viceroys to favour it, but also would be advantageous to the individuals who embarked with the Fleet because of the booty and plunder necessarily to be obtained from rich cities.
