he
fort. He retraced his steps, leaving his entire retinue about a legua
from here. He entered the city with the intention of accomplishing
the deed (which he did later) in his own house; but before entering
it he was informed by a page that his wife had gone, disguised as a
man, to the house of Joan de Messa, where she had often gone in the
same dress. After receiving this information, he sought his retinue,
taking counsel with his servant and three captains, whom he placed
in four streets in order to let no one pass. The governor alone
arrived at the house at the very moment that his wife entered,
and was going upstairs with Joan de Messa, and behind them a very
noted pilot, on account of whom the ship that I mentioned above was
celebrated. The governor attacked him and pierced him with a mortal
thrust. With that he rushed out of the house, calling for confession;
but, those who guarded the street, not giving him time for that,
put him to death. Immediately Messa went up the stairs, and safely
reached a large room where two candles were burning on a buffet. If
these had been extinguished, he might have escaped. He drew his sword
and defended himself for some time. As the governor perceived that he
was clad in armor, he aimed at Messa's face and pierced him through
the neck, so that he fell down stairs, where he who guarded the door
tried to finish him; but as Messa was well-armed he could not do so
readily until he wounded him in the face. During all this time Messa
was not heard to ask confession or even say "Jesus," or any other
words, except: "Whoever you are, do not kill me; consider the honor
of your lady." While this was going on in the street, the governor
found his wife in hiding. After wounding her three times, she asked
confession; and he, as a knight and a Christian, went out to look for
a confessor, and brought one. He resigned her to the priest, urging
her to confess herself well and truly, which she did for some time,
until the confessor absolved her. With three or four more wounds, and
the words with which he aided her to die, he finished with her. The
three dead bodies remained there until seven or eight o'clock in
the morning before anyone dared to remove them. The master-of-camp,
Don Geronimo de Sylva, who had been governor of Maluco, and was
a knight of St. John, had the body of the governor's wife removed
to her house, to wrap it in a shroud; and that night she received
solemn burial by the Recolle