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Maarten Janssen, 2014-

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1663. Carta de Jacob José Henriques para Simão Mendes de Almeida, mercador.

Author(s) Jacob José Henriques      
Addressee(s) Simão Gomes de Almeida      
In English

Warning letter from Jacob José Henriques to Simão Mendes de Almeida, merchant

The author warns the addressee about the rumours being spread in the city concerning him and his loyalty to the Jewish people. He asks for a clarification.

This is the Inquisition lawsuit of Simão Gomes, a 35 years old New Christian accused of Judaism. The defendant was a merchant, son of Francisco Carvalho and Brites Gomes and he was married to Guiomar Serrana, also a New Christian. He lived in London. Simão Gomes confessed having lived several years under the Judaic faith, after his father had taught him the Law of Moses. After he went to London, the defendant realized that he no longer wanted to live as a Jew, but he wished to convert himself to Christianism. He wrote friar Cristóvão do Rosário, a religious member of the ‘Ordem dos Pregadores’ and also the queen of England’s preacher, telling him about his intentions. Since his name was mentioned in several proceedings of family members accused of Judaism, Simão Gomes decided to present his confession to the Inquisition. He presented the letters he had written to friar Cristóvão do Rosário as proof of his conversion to Christianism after arriving at London. This way he hoped to gain forgiveness and some benefits that allowed him to come back to Lisbon with his family. He was well succeeded in his efforts. In an auto-de-fé on 23rd July 1664, the defendant was sentenced to abjuration in the form of instruction in the Catholic faith, spiritual penitence and payment of legal costs. He was released five days later.

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Simam Gomes d almda amsterdam 10 de agosto 663 @

ha mtos dias que dezejo de escrever a vm sobre o que nesta digo por me pareser conhesendo sua

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creasam numqua, em vm poderia caber a minima coiza das mutas que todos os que desa
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vem dizem E tinha pa commigo vm se inzentava de declarar por algus respeitos que por agora
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o que tanto em seo corasam era bem estivese estampado E seos pais E avos senpre obraram
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mas passa a couza em tanto escandallo que porcuram apartallo da comonicasam do gremosa
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de que deus livre a todo israel couza que soo se uza com algũ depravado blasfemoso
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que repuna a lei mental E dispusisam de nosos sabios. E isto a deus grasas mais raramte
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acontese, mas o que cair en tal disventura o nam podera remediar sem
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grande mostra de arrependimto E aseitando a penitensia que se lhe der, E suposto
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que conheso a vm de criasam E seu bom prosedimto, ao que vejo falar me da motivo
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que como nosso, o podia pervalicar algũ maldito carraim couza tamto contra
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deos E escandallo de seu povo, a resam que ha de proneio E amistade con que sem
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pre nos tratamos me da confiansa a falar con Esta clareza porque me em
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vergonho do que ciso, E assi convem que desde logo sem se lhe por nenhũ
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respeito que pertenda por diante mostre vm nam he o que se dis E que
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nam desgenera de qem prosede, para que todos fiquem desenganados que
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por imaginasam lhe não podia pasar tam maldoso intento, E querendo eu
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em alguã ocaziam disculpar a vm me responderam que mutas pesoas que
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vivem por estas ptes por alguãs pertensois que tem em portugal E castella
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se nam declaram do que o servam, mas que nam dam escandallo nem falam
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o que nam he mas antes con os nosos se desclupam E vm que o fas ao contrario
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galanteando, disso couza que nem os que sam de deferente religions fazem
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para qen ten Juuzo basta o que nesta digo E assi me nam alargo a maes
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gde ds a vm e dee o que lhe dezejo

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Jaco E Juzep Enriques

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