At thirteen degrees South there opens in this coast of Brazil an entrance or opening of three leagues which, widening proportionally inwards, forms a Bay [Bahia] so beauteous, wide and capacious that, so being, it gave its name to the City, antonomastically known as "Bahia." It begins on the right side of a Point, which by reason of a Church and Fortress dedicated to Santo Antonio [St. Antony of Padua], bears the name of this same Saint; and forming a crescent for two Leagues, it ends in a spit of land that is called Our Lady of Monserrate, a small country chapel consecrated to that same Lady. In the centre of this sound, equidistant from each point, there lies the City atop a high Cliff, which is rugged when facing the Sea, but gently rounded and spacious above; on land, it is fringed by three hills of equal height, from where its outskirts spread out: of which to the south, it is bounded by the Monastery of St. Benedict, and correspondingly to the North there lies [the convent of] Our Lady of Carmel. The third lies to the East, and is less populous. And the Shore of the City down below is narrow, defended by three Forts, two on land and one in the Sea, which is superior to the others due to its Site and Fortress.

Some days before the arrival of the Enemy, two of our Priests being in the Chancel at Prayer, one of them saw Our Lord [Jesus] Christ extending an unsheathed sword towards the City of Bahia, in a threatening gesture. The next day, the same Lord appeared wielding three spears that he seemed to hurl against the Body of the Church. Those who witnessed this well understood that it presaged some dire punishment; but of what kind they were uncertain; when on the feast of the Apparition of St. Michael, which was the 8th of May 1624, there appeared off the Coast of this Bay 24 large Dutch Sails, and some launches rigged with topsails: which made believers of Citizens accustomed to living in peace, who were not persuaded by all the warnings that His Majesty had sent two years before, nor [by] the Flagship of this same Armada, which for most of the last month had sailed in the Bay entrance and seized a ship come from Angola laden with slaves for the service and management of this Captaincy.

The Lord Governor Diogo de Mendonça Furtado immediately ordered a response: he gathered Men who numbered a little more or less than three thousand, each armed as best he could, and divided them into Companies, appointed their Ranks and assigned them to Posts. That same afternoon, the Lord Bishop Dom Marcos Teixeira set out with a Company of Priests, ready not only to hearten the Men but with sword in hand to defend himself and offend the Enemy if necessary: and visiting all the posts, like a true Prelate and pastor, he exhorted all to fight to the death for their Faith and King, and [told them] that by winning or dying for this cause, they would always be the victors. Our Priests set out with the same haste, bound for the streets, Houses and Fortresses to inspire the Soldiers and hear their confessions. And many of the other Clerics did the same. With no less care, they prepared Souls for death and Bodies for War. Here many ancient hatreds ended, and hidden sins were uncovered after many years of silence: in truth, such was the change present that for this reason alone, it seemed convenient to many that God had wrought this punishment.

With the light of day the enemy Armada appeared, which entered subdivided into Squadrons. On all these Ships, coaching horns sounded the call of War; which together with the red of their shields proclaimed blood from afar. There appeared the Dutch Flags, Pennants and Standards; which, fluttering from the spars and topmasts, hung down until they swept the Sea with such Majesty and grace that, for those who did not fear them, they might have been a joyous, beautiful sight. In this order they were seen arriving safe and sound without impediment by the Forts, for the Port is so broad that they had room to steer clear of their fire.

As soon as it had come up before the City, the Flagship hailed it without bullets, and sent a small boat with a flag of piece. But before this salute and Embassy were heard, our men answered with cannon balls: which seeing, the enemy armed themselves for War. Soon the Ships were strung along the coast, and wherever they went, fired broadsides at the City, Fort and Ships moored near the Shore: and they continued a second and third time until, after midday, they all pointed their prows towards the coast and the three foremost determined to ram the Fort; but prevented [from sailing towards it] by the shallows, they dropped anchor and bared their masts, as though all fire and steel, and began firing on the Fort so heavily that it seemed they fought with [the fires of] Hell. And such was the tempest of fire and steel, such was the tumult and confusion that to many, particularly the less experienced, it caused unease and horror, for some of the many firing flashes hurt their eyes, and the thick cloud of smoke was such that none could see: and then, the continued thunder of Artillery fire hindered the use of tongues and ears, and all together, the mingling of trumpets and other instruments of war instilled terror in many and confusion in all.

The Fort returned fire from the shore, and our Ships as well, although unequally, having little Artillery, and being already hot from their arduous task.

But while we were occupied in defending the Shore, two or three Dutch Ships, which had remained in the rear, landed many Men on the Point we call Santo Antonio, and it is said that they were five hundred to six hundred Soldiers. Two of our companies that stood guard there did not wait for them to arrive, and not daring to resist, returned to the City, forgetting that Portuguese Name which in our time still caused entire Armies to tremble and take flight; and because one of our Priests urged them to "turn about", the true Portuguese and true Soldiers of Christ advanced eagerly until they were face to face with the Enemy, armed only by faith in God, but they were so chilled with fear that the Priest’s fervour and spirit were not sufficient to spur them on.

The battery did not cease, increasing continually. Thus, hearing that our men had left the Ships nearest their reach, and boarded those which lay closer to the shore, to do battle more safely from there, the Enemy sent a goodly number of boats filled with Soldiers and Sailors to seize those which were unmanned: they began to board them and sent ahead a Soldier to raise the Dutch Flag, and a Portuguese seaman, who was in a ship closer to shore, and could not stomach such audacity, raised his harquebus and shot him dead, and the flag fell amid the deck; the same fate befell the second and third who dared to use the Flag with the same intent as the first, and he was so skilful that, not missing a single shot, he struck all three.

While all three ended in this manner, the rest began [to take action], some towing the Ships to deepest part of the bay, others defending themselves with muskets. Our men, upon seeing this, and knowing that this could not be a good thing, resorted to the final remedy, which was to sink some [ships] and burn others, laden as they were, it being better to surrender them to the sea and fire than to the Enemy. This was cause for prolonging the day, and the War; for although it was night, the dark was overcome by the glare of fires, which blazing in pitch and sugar, sent up great tongues of flame, piercing and transforming the clouds above, shedding such a great light on all the Port that both sides could see clearly and fire upon each other, which they did while the flames endured.

When this occurred, the Enemy, whom the burning of the ships inflamed still more, determined to take the Fortress, which was yet unfinished, and only as high as the waves. Without any other defences other than some large baskets, partly filled with earth, part empty, it was easy to penetrate. Soon a large number of Boats filled with Soldiers left the Ships; and surrounding the Fort, after many rounds of musket fire, attacked it to overwhelm our men. But they resisted valiantly, not letting them put a foot on the wall, hurling them all down and killing and wounding many. And there was a Soldier who, wielding his sword, plunged after the Enemy, who fled beneath the water. But the Dutch were undaunted; instead they were heartened by fresh reinforcements from the Sea, returning with greater strength, in so many waves that our exhausted men could not resume the fray; after killing some [Dutch soldiers], they retreated by land; from where, with redoubled fire, they beat the Enemy, who soon surrendered the Fort: to which two soldiers soon repaired to cast the Artillery into the Sea, which in the meantime had been disabled.

By that time it was late at night, when suddenly a cry was heard throughout the City (without knowing where it began): "The Enemy have come. They are coming, the Enemy are coming." And amidst this alarm there came others saying that they were entering through this or that gate, and perhaps a Company of ours had secretly retreated through the same portal. As fear is highly credulous, such audacity was believed, and thus struggling in the night for the opposite side, no one recognised his neighbour, people shunned one another, and everyone they saw was believed to be a Dutchman.

But who could describe the toils and lamentations of that night! Nothing could be heard in the forest but the piercing groans and heartbreaking sighs of the women as they fled; Children cried for their Mothers; these for their Husbands: and everyone, according to his fortune, lamented his wretched fate. To this, another, no lesser travail was added, as if forced, for those who forged ahead. They would come upon a River, called Rio Vermelho [Red River]: here they found themselves in the straits confronted by the children of Israel in another Red Sea when they fled from the Pharaoh; for such was their fear that it seemed the Dutch were at their heels: the River barred their passage: the night made things all the more difficult, and panic infected all. And thus, seeing themselves in such dire straits and perplexity, without seeking advice, they burst into groans and sighs, with which they pierced Heaven and the hearts of all who heard them.

Thus it came to pass that when the Sun rose on the 10th of May, the Dutch, judging the City to be without Defenders due to the great silence, debated whether to enter her. They entered, not without fear of some ambuscade: but the City (or better, the Desert) gave them free and safe access. They at once took possession of the Royal Edifices, where they found the Governor, forsaken by all, accompanied only by one of his sons and three or four men. Once they had been arrested and imprisoned in the Flagship, the pillage began, as those who had washed their hands had liberally left these Edifices with open Doors. Everything they steal and nothing spare, seizing the gold, silver and things of greater value, and destroying the rest, leaving it in the streets, as if it had cost them little.

Having sacked and destroyed these Edifices, the Heretics went to the Temples, and there they wrought the greatest damage. They hurled themselves with diabolic fury upon the Sacred Images of the Saints, and the same God: quis talia fando, temperet a lacrimis. Here they tore off a Head, there, they cut off feet and hands, some [statues] they hacked with swords and others were hurled into the flames. They tore down and shattered crosses, profaning Altars, Vestments and sacred Vessels, using chalices, in which the blood of Christ was consecrated the day before, to serve Bacchus on their intemperate tables; and the Temples and Monasteries devoted to Divine Service and Worship, [served] their abominations and heresies. Such was the Mercy of our God who then wished to take upon Himself the greater part of the punishment, so that we should not receive the greater one our sins deserved.

But it is no surprise that those who had lived in such luxury were defeated. Alexander the Great taught his Soldiers well that poverty is the only Mistress of the Militia, and thus the Macedonians conquered all before them, for they had nothing; and that Cities defended themselves with steel and not with gold; with armed men, not ornate houses; as later, after long experience, King Dario confessed. A goodly part of the burden fell to our Priests, particularly the old and sick, who could not withstand the journey, or bear the midday heat. The most determined that day reached the Village of Espirito Santo [Holy Spirit], six or seven leagues from the City; and little by little, everyone gathered there with much travail. The direness of their straits and discomfort was evident, for there seventy lived in Houses built and allotted to four.

In view of these trials, more and more we all greatly desired to see the expected succour arrive. In the Villages where we lived, those of the Society [Jesuits], in addition to Prayers and penitence, which were added every Friday and Saturday, formed a Procession singing litanies and beseeching the mercy of God: until even the Lord on the day of the World’s Redemption wished to show us our own, anticipating our Hallelujahs with the first sight of Our Armada which, at dawn on Easter Sunday, the first of April 1625, appeared entirely within the bay, in a crescent formation, so that the enemy sails that were then in Port could not leave or take flight.

All the Armadas of Spain, Portugal, the Kingdom of Castile and the Strait and the Captaincy of Naples had come together with other Galleons and Ships, all told they were sixty Sails, a little more or less. The Supreme Commander of all these Armadas was Don Fradique de Toledo, General of the Kingdom of Castile, and much renowned for all the years he has served as General, and for the Victories he has won against these same Dutch; this Armada was the most powerful that had ever before crossed the Line, and in it one could see the Royal Person, in the Nobility come from Portugal.

The Army began to land without resistance, for our men here controlled everything as far as the City: if this had not been so, many would have lost their lives when disembarking. But this ease and safety was the cause of the misfortune I shall recount.

Those who arrived with the Armada, seeing that there were so many thousands of them, and that four men had the Dutch in such dire straits: they underestimated them, not realising that the more the Enemy is belittled, the bolder he becomes, and thus, they began to lodge themselves in the Houses of the Benedictine Monastery, unarmed, as if they were in their own homes, resting after their labours, and they had to walk a league to reach that Post.

Meanwhile, in two nights the Enemy nearly set two Ships ablaze so that, borne by the tide, they should collide with ours, and setting fire to one, the flames should leap towards the rest, destroying all: but as our men were forewarned and prepared, they escaped by casting off sails, lines and anchors, although the nearest vessels were still in great danger, from which God saved one or two miraculously.

On this occasion, our men feared that the Dutch, despairing of defending themselves, would seek the safety of their Ships, for although our side had taken the bay entrance with ease, particularly in the confusion of the night, some might have escaped. Thus, our ships approached the enemy vessels and, aided by our Artillery on land, toppled masts, shrouds and stays, and holed others below the waterline so that they were all crippled and unable to sail.

The fighting went on without pause in the shadow of the Artillery, as our Men arrived to build Trenches, digging the first holes in the earth, so that they could walk there without being seen by the Enemy, for as soon as they came into sight, they would be picked off by cannon balls. At times the Enemy found themselves in increasingly dire straits, but the worst pass of all was caused by the skill of our Gunners, who fired some of their bullets at the Enemy’s Artillery, and others at the streets: with the first, they dismounted the [artillery] pieces, killing those who manned them: with the second, they mowed down everything before them, causing numerous deaths and cruel carnage.

After twelve or thirteen days of battery fire, and the Dutch seeing all their artillery lost and their Gunners dead, in whom they mainly trusted, and that our Trenches were closing in on theirs, considering that they resisted at such great cost at little profit; and that if they wished to withstand the siege they risked being put to the sword and dying miserably, they thought it best to surrender and reach an accord. Thus, after several proposals and responses from both sides, they agreed that "[the Dutch] would deliver up the City and all its contents and the rebels: and that persons and their possessions would not be harmed, and that to return to their lands they would be given a Ship, some Arms and provisions, the Dutch paying a fair price for these things."

Having determined things in this manner, on the Feast of St. Philip and St. James, which was the first of May 1625, Our Men entered the City to take possession of it; and having lowered the Dutch Flag, they hoisted that of Portugal and Castile. They gave thanks to the Lord our God for the success of such an important enterprise, freeing the Holy Sacrament in the See and our College with sermons in both Churches, and a solemn Procession, which was joined by all the Generals, Captains, Lords, Nobles and other Men of the Fleet; in our Church, the sanctuary was soon repaired, and the Holy Sacrament placed there before it went to the other Churches, one year after we had removed it from the same place when we left the City and took it with us.

To besiege the City there also came, ordered by the Priests, all the Indians from our Villages [missions], and they worked very well, just as they had done during the time preceding these conflicts, and in the Camp. But as they were few -- no more than three hundred, not reaching four hundred -- among the many Soldiers of the Armada, whom they attended, there should have been thousands of them to work; when landing the herd, and towing the Artillery, they did not appear or stand out greatly. Even the slaves of the College were few, as many had been slain, and these were necessary for the service and maintenance of the Priests: they worked as hard as they could, and we underwent great fatigue and oppression. This work was much greater following the invasion of the College, as it was infected by the Heretics. The Fathers and Brothers nearly all fell ill, and from these infirmities and lack of good food to eat, they suffered so that the healthy were struck to the heart: they even lacked someone to tend to them, for out of sheer exhaustion from attending and aiding them, the Nurse fell ill and died….

This relieved us of the joy we felt at taking possession of the City and the College: but then, on the twenty-sixth of May, thirty three or thirty-four Dutch ships arrived to succour those which had surrendered. We gave thanks to God for diverting and detaining them, for, if they had arrived before our Armada, the restoration of the City would have cost much greater bloodshed, and we rejoiced greatly, taking care to ask that God should grant us the added mercy of a second Victory at Sea, following the first, which happened on Land: but our sins did not merit such a blessing; for, seeing the enemy Ships enter [the bay], ensuring that the Shore was safely in our hands, the largest Galleons in our Armada set out to meet them: in view of which they soon turned on their heels and as some of Our Men came within reach to board them, out of fear that they might suffer losses, they fired the signal to retreat, and in truth a Galleon lost one man, and was at risk of sinking: this was a dire misfortune and we suffered and lamented greatly due to this turn of events, and because the Coast was still infested with Enemies.

Therefore this Bay was oppressed by one thousand troops [stationed there] for its defence, and for their maintenance a tax was levied on the Residents. But God our Lord was merciful and sent the thirty-three ships to the Antilles, punishing them there as they deserved.

However, this City still suffers greatly, and will not soon be as it was before, for lack of Ships and until the arrival of the new Governor. All this gives rise to sin, which is now greater than before.

This College has done its utmost to banish [sin] with Sermons, Doctrines, confessions and counsel; and because there are some Italians among the Soldiers, an Italian Priest has been assigned to them to help meet their needs and teach and hear confession, which he does with great benefit; and we put our faith in God, who takes away so much from those on Earth that they may change their lives, and may that same Lord gaze Mercifully upon us.

Annua or Annals of the Province of Brazil for the two years of 1624 and of 1625.

Father Antonio Vieira