1756. Carta de José da Costa Martins para o seu pai, Luís da Costa Martins, negociante.

Family letter from José da Costa Martins to his father, Luís da Costa Martins, merchant.

The author describes to his father in detail what happened in Lisbon during the earthquake of 1755, and states that the post-earthquake period became a moment of great revenue for merchants (which was his father's profession), thus being a good time for him to return to Portugal and stay with his family.

Luís da Costa Martins was accused of bigamy by the Inquisition. In fact, he was married in Lisbon when he went to Pernambuco, Brazil, and there he got married again. It was his friend Manuel Rodrigues who, having seen some letters from the defendant's family in Lisbon, convinced him to go back to Portugal and confess his crime. Although he argued that he got married in Brazil out of fear of being killed by that woman's family, Luís da Costa Martins was sentenced to four years of exile in the Algarve, and also to some spiritual penances.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph.

Lisbon, 15th February 1756 years.

My much reverenced father, I truly hope, and so does my mother, that these letters will find you in good health, according to your wishes and ours as well. Our health is so good that, while suffering with the absence of news from you, due to our precautions, we were caught by the great earthquake, which left the city of Lisbon completely devastated. This could have been nothing if it wasn’t for a fire that lasted fifteen days, from Rossio do Palácio and to Boa Vista and to Chafariz de el-Rei. In the end, two parts of this great noble people perished. But this was nothing compared to what came next. Firstly, not all businessmen were lost, but a few arrived asking for alms, without even a shirt left, and everyone run to the fields and slept with their clothes on, on the floor, for over two months. And many of those people had never left home before. Every good temple, convent and parish came down, except for São Sebastião da Pedreira, and some other hermitage which didn’t fall but were damaged, an therefore we now attend the mass in the fields, in shacks, because Our Lord didn’t want us in His house anymore, due to people’s disrespect. And, to even greater pity, the church of Nossa Senhora da Penha de França was the place where many people lost their lives. And, since it was All Saints day, around nine and half in the morning, the churches were full of people for confession, due to the Jubilee. You probably know that everyone is in shacks in Campo do Torel and Rato and from Campo de Santa Clara to Graça and in Fontinha and through the farms. Noblemen, most of them, are very poor because their houses and income sources were all burnt. Nuns are helpless, on the streets, as never seen before, nor to be seen again. Our king and other royal people also in the same situation, because God’s warning came for everyone in such a way that it is no longer possible to distinguish the King from the noblemen, or the judges, the nobleman and the mechanic from the poor. Everyone is poor now! Nonetheless, there have been many thieves and the searches are over. And this stroke many places! Setúbal is devastated, Peniche and Cascais and finaly Mourama. Obviously that a single letter is not enough to tell you everything and that is why I send you the documents which show the truth of such great sorrow and compassion. This was good for the prisoners. I save the rest to tell you personally, as I hope. My father, now is the time to do business in this court. Some people who didn’t see their income burnt have been making great deals with little money in this court. Let me also tell you about the greatness of God, who is so good that He has been giving us abundance, cheap products, as we have experienced every single day. And disagreements, women who were apart from their husbands, everything is now in God’s peace. People are all very God-fearing for what they have seen with their own eyes. And, by reading this, you will understand our proximity to God, due to the constant threats He puts before our eyes, for the earth is continuously shaking. Praise the Lord forever. My father, you know very well our situation and what we have been through. I’m not sure if I should say you lost your love towards us, so we could, at least, receive a letter from you. Take notice of our abandonment, as I told before, and your absence, because I, for God’s kindness, don’t deserve your absence, since I have always acted according to your wishes and my mother’s. However, not even this way, I deserve that fatherly gesture for what I have been through, despite our constant prayers to God and the Holy Mary to bring you to our sight, which is what we wish the most. But I see that wouldn’t please you. You can be sure that I will never fail as an obedient son and you will behave as a good father, as we hope. My father, we are staying in the Calçada de Santa Ana, in the drugstore in front of Nossa Senhora da Pena. I’m with uncle Tomás, as I have told you before, until God is served and you have decided. My dear father, don’t forget to give me your blessing so that God keeps helping me as He did so far. And, my father, believe that the tears coming from my eyes as I write this letter are more than the ink from my misspellings. But, if God forgave all of those who offended Him, how can you not forgive me, lacking your assistance due to the lack of your teachings. Nonetheless, as I hope for your forgiveness, may God give you all happiness, as we both wish, etc.

From you son who loves you dearly until death, José da Costa Martins