the neck, so that he fell down stairs, where he who guarded the door
tried to finish him; but as Messa was well-armed he could not do so
readily until he wounded him in the face. During all this time Messa
was not heard to ask confession or even say "Jesus," or any other
words, except: "Whoever you are, do not kill me; consider the honor
of your lady." While this was going on in the street, the governor
found his wife in hiding. After wounding her three times, she asked
confession; and he, as a knight and a Christian, went out to look for
a confessor, and brought one. He resigned her to the priest, urging
her to confess herself well and truly, which she did for some time,
until the confessor absolved her. With three or four more wounds, and
the words with which he aided her to die, he finished with her. The
three dead bodies remained there until seven or eight o'clock in
the morning before anyone dared to remove them. The master-of-camp,
Don Geronimo de Sylva, who had been governor of Maluco, and was
a knight of St. John, had the body of the governor's wife removed
to her house, to wrap it in a shroud; and that night she received
solemn burial by the Recollects of St. Augustine. The two bodies of
Joan de Messa and the pilot remained in the street all day, while
a multitude of people, of the various nations who are in this city,
collected to gaze at them, manifesting awe at seeing a spectacle so
new to them, and one never seen before in these regions. At night,
some members of La Misericordia carried them away, without clergy,
lights, or funeral ceremony. They carried the two bodies together on
some litters, and buried them both in the same grave. This was the
disastrous end of a poor young fellow, upon whom our Lord lavished many
and most gracious gifts--although he knew not how to profit by them,
but offended Him who had granted them. Those who will feel it most
are the owners of the property [confided to him]; for God knows when
they will collect it, because it is sequestrated. Will your Reverence