PT | EN | ES

Main Menu


Powered by <TEI:TOK>
Maarten Janssen, 2014-

CARDS0024

1823. Carta assinada sob o pseudónimo de António Chuço e enviada a João Farinha Relvas, lavrador.

Author(s) Anónimo17      
Addressee(s) João Farinha Relvas      
In English

Extortion letter, signed with the alias Antonio Chuço (Antonio, the Pike), sent to João Farinha Relvas, farmer.

The author threatens the recipient with death if the latter doesn't deliver 15 coins to liberate a man from the Limoeiro jail.

In the first quarter of the 19th century, extorsion letters became a very typical practice in the Limoeiro jail, near Lisbon. Prisoners, pretending to be highwaymen, contacted people outside jail, threatening them with all sorts of ruinous events in the case they didn't hand in a certain amount of money. The frequentness of this practice was possible also because of the political and social turmoil associated with these first years of Liberalism.

«Friend.

As soon as you receive this one, you will send someone to Lisbon, to Limoeiro, the City Jail, to hand in to the prisoner Andrade, who is my companion, and you will send 15 coins for his release. I guarantee you will recover them in the end of January. I'm António Chuço, from Trancoso, captain of gangs and [robbers] rings. Beware of what you're unnecessarily getting into if you uncover this business, for I swear to set fire and burn down everything you own, and to kill all your cattle, and you and your family will pay for it, whether in my hands or in the ones of my fill-in, Captain Taborda, and my fellows. Now, pay attention to your safety, for I'm counting on you, without fail. Don't you dare to fail me, because my companion who asked for it is in danger. You won't lose with me. Don't send anyone on Friday and whoever goes to the jail to deliver the money to the prisoner must go at six o'clock in the afternoon and, as soon as he enters in the Limoeiro square, he must sit down on one of the guard stones which are linked to the Limoeiro stairs and must not get up before the prisoner yells twice "Hey, José!". Then he will get up and hand in the money to the prisoner. And as soon as prisoner the receives the money at the grille, it will be retained, because I'm not a man to fail a payment when I say I'll pay. Don't complain about your life afterwards and don't call for God, for it's useless. Now see what you prefer: to lose your house, to be killed, and your family, or to serve me in what I ask you, as you won't lose nothing. Your servant, the Captain of gangs,

António Chuço

15 December, 1823»

If there is no translation for the letter itself, you may copy the text (while using the view 'Standardization') and paste it to an automatic translator of your choice.

Javascript seems to be turned off, or there was a communication error. Turn on Javascript for more display options.

Ao Illmo Capitão Farinha meu amo Lavrador do Crato pelo Corro da Flor da Roza Amo

Logo que VSa esta reseba mandara a lisboa o lemoero Cadeia d Cidade entregar o prezo Andrade que he me conpanheiro e amanda 15 moedas q he pa o seu livramto as quaes eu sustento que VSa as receba no fim de Janeiro eu sou o Anto Chuço de Trancozo capitão de quadrilhas e partidas veja VSa no que se mete sem falta a descobrir este negoçio que lhe juro de lançar fogo e arazar qto tenha e qto gado tiver he morto e VSa e a sua familia o pagarão o nas minhas maos o do meu segundo Capitão Taborda e meos camaradas agora veja o seu bem pois eu conto com VSa sem falta veja se me falta que o meu Camarada que o pediu que esta em prigo VSa comego não perde mande VSa não ir cesta feira que vem e qm for a cadea levar o prezo o dinheiro que va as ceis horas da tarde e que logo que entre no largo do Lemoero que se va centar em hum dos Frades de pedra que estão pegados com as escadas do lemoero e deles se não levante sen que o prezo da grade brade 2 vezes o Joze atão se levantara e va entregar o dinheiro o prezo e logo que o prezo da grade reseba o dinheiro que se retem pois eu não sou capas de faltar con a paga qdo digo o depois não diga mal a sua vida e não chame por deos q lhe não vale veja agora o que quer o perder a sua caza ser morto e a sua fama o serverme neste que peço q o não perde

su criado o Capitão das quadrilhas Anto Chuço 15 de Dezbro 1823

Legenda:

ExpandedUnclearDeletedAddedSupplied


Download XMLDownload textText viewWordcloudFacsimile viewManuscript line viewPageflow viewSentence view