1618. Carta de Simão Lopes Henriques, mercador, para Paulo Zónio, feitor de mercadorias.

Private letter from Simão Lopes Henriques, merchant, to Paulo Zónio, a bailiff

The author tells the addressee that he is going to Lisbon to take care of some issues before leaving the kingdom.

Paulo Zónio, Flemish, was a commercial mediator in Lisbon to several merchants from Viana do Castelo, where he allegedely lived. After being accused of Judaism by the Holy Office, he implied several New Christians, whom he knew in the mercantile community in Viana do Castelo. One of them, Simão Lopes Henriques, was referred by Paulo Zónio several times. This letter was considered an evidence that Simão Lopes Henriques was planning on leaving Portugal to avoid being accused by the Inquisition.