Warning letter from Maria Mendes de Abreu to her son [Duarte Rebelo de Mendonça], a salesman.
The author tells her son to be careful because he can be arrested. She sends him a certificate made by a doctor and scolds him because of a fight he had with his own brother.
Two New Christians, António Soares de Mendonça and his son Duarte Rebelo de Mendonça, were arrested by the Inquisition under the accusation of publicly offending the fiscal behavior of the institution’s officials. The son, while in prison, used a maid to carry his messages to his family and friends and was denounced by her to the same court.
My beloved son,
I received your letter, which I very much enjoyed as it reassured me of your good health. May Our Lord make it even better, for my relief. I’m more and more numb, but, anyway, I send you my blessing and God’s blessing too to protect you, and I ask you to be careful because I’m afraid they will arrest you, since they have already arrested António de Amaral, the, the other day. They are intensively looking for you here and they are making searches to whoever comes in the house to know where you are. I don’t know if they are after you for your belongings or due to Manuel. I ordered the release of nothing but two sacks of flour. You will lodge for a petition to see if they hurry up and give us the houses, since here they give us nothing. I send you the petition an the doctor’s certificate. You will then decide as you please. São João’s wife told me you had fought with António. As if the sorrows I suffer weren’t enough, you give me even more, and especially the way things are. I, therefore, ask you to act prudently, and don’t count with one thing only. May God keep you as I wish.
Penela, September 11th 1725. From your mother who loves you dearly, Maria Mendes de Abreu.
I send you that letter which came in the mail. Send me news of Estêvão, since I haven’t received any.
