1619. Carta anónima para Duarte Dias Henriques.

Private letter, not signed, allegedly written by João Rodrigues da Guarda to Duarte Dias Henrique

The author writes the addressee asking for alms, otherwise other people would know that he was a New Christian.

Duarte Dias Henrique, a New Christian resident in Lisbon, received a letter from an unidentified author, asking for alms. The letter itself mentioned the name of Sebastião de Matos, who was identified as being the one who ordered the holder of the letter to give it to Duarte Dias Henrique. Duarte Dias Henrique was instructed to go to a certain address to hand in the money. As he reached the place, he found Domingos Tavares de Vasconcelos and Sebastião de Matos. The latter denied being the author of the letter. Being under pressure, he presented another letter (PSCR1309), to which he torned the signature. He ended up pointing João Rodrigues da Guarda as the real author, whom he had met in the Inquisition prison in Coimbra, the previous year. After this statement, Domingos Tavares de Vasconcelos added the name of João Rodrigues da Guarda to the letter. However, Duarte Dias Henriques continued to suspect that Sebastião de Matos was the author, given that his handwriting was very similar to the one in the letter.

In the statement given to the Holy Office, Domigos Tavares de Vasconcelos admitted having written both letters, responding to Sebastião de Matos’ request. However, he denied knowing the purpose of the request contained in the letters. He also revealed that Sebastião de Matos threatened Duarte Dias Henrique, who ended up by giving him two thousand 'reais'.

This same scheme was reported to the Holy Office Court by Vasco Peres.

The scribe of this letter is Domingos Tavares de Vasconcelos.