[1827]. Carta de Maria José Benedita Franca de Barros para Gertrudes Caetana da Cunha Fialho.

The author writes her friend giving her information concerning the judicial process and expressing her displeasure about the course it is taking

The defendants in this process are Maria Isabel Barreto de Pina and Gertrudes Magna, both accused of stealing in the house of the Counselor José da Cunha Filhado, who had passed away. The complaint was presented by Gertrudes Caetana Fialho, sister of the deceased and married to João Paulo Fabre. Due to the lack of evidences, the defendants were considered not guilty , but the complainant contested the decision. The defense argued that the letters presented as proof of guilty had no value, since most of they didn’t even have stamps. Some of the letters were believed to have been written by the complainant’s acquaintances or by herself, Gertrudes Fialho. The process contains a petition signed by the people of Torres Vedras, on the defendant’s behalf.

Dear madam,

Seeing the news you and our solicitor give me regarding the bail license, my soul gloats with joy, as I am sure that, as soon as you get to Lisbon and they question you, everything will be discovered. And now, don’t neglect yourself, don’t fall asleep, because I want to see you cheerful, lady of the Pipa’s farms. A great scholar told me you should required the guilt minister to call before you, as a witness, the goddaughter, whose name is Maria José, because she knows it too. Since she is no longer at Carlota’s home, she is now serving a watchmaker here. She told someone that she was sorry Romão wasn’t at home to give him a parcel containing valuable objects in the day of the robbery. There can’t be a better witness! As soon as they departure, I will order a couple of turkeys and I will take them to Lisbon to greet them. I ask you to send compliments to everyone, on my behalf and my son’s and my heat wishes to see you and I plan on going there for the procession of Passos da Graça.

I am your truly your friend, as I should, Maria José Benedita Franca de Barros