Women, Crime, and Forgiveness in Early Modern Portugal by Darlene Abreu-Ferreira

Author:Darlene Abreu-Ferreira [Abreu-Ferreira, Darlene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Modern, 17th Century, Social Science, Gender Studies
ISBN: 9781134777587
Google: BdO1CwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2016-03-09T01:26:46+00:00

Inappropriate Gifts

This, at least, is what seemed to have transpired on 19 November 1582 when Diogo Fernandes, shoemaker, resident of the district of São João in Lisbon, visited the Paço dos Tabeliães (Offices of the Notaries) to have a pardon drawn up. His pardon had two parts, for Diogo had much to complain about, and to reconsider. During the oitava (church festival of eight days) at Christmas time of the previous year (1581), at the tower of São Pedro in Lisbon, Diogo had had a quarrel with Gaspar Dias, ‘homen baço’ (dark skinned), also a shoemaker. During that fight Diogo was stabbed with a knife on the head and on the left hand, for which injuries he filed a complaint. In that complaint Diogo had also accused Gaspar of having relations with his (Diogo’s) wife, a complaint Diogo filed as well against his wife, Margarida Fernandes. These were two serious accusations, but Diogo had changed his mind on both counts.

First, the stab wounds had healed without any scar or blemish, and it was foolish to ruin a perfectly good friendship over such a minor skirmish.

Given that Diogo has respect for Gaspar and they had been good friends, and they ate and drank together, and there was a lot of good affection between them, and the argument had been over words that they had, and for other just and honest considerations but principally for the love of the Senhor Deus who pardoned his sins, and also because he [Diogo] had been the aggressor and responsible for the said fight, he pardoned Gaspar for the said injury and of all blame for the said fight, of his free will.

Second, there had never been any adultery, or maybe just a little bit, hardly worth mentioning.

As for the querela against the said his wife, claiming that she had dealings with Gaspar Dias … he [Diogo] said that he had based his accusation on false information and because he was still vexed for the said injury, but not because his wife had any culpability in this, for he knew and knew with certainty that his wife was not involved with the said Gaspar Dias, for these reasons and others that moved him [Diogo] said that he also pardoned his wife and the said Gaspar Dias for the said querela and adultery which had no basis.

Benevolent he may have been, but Diogo Fernandes had his pride and there were limits to what he could tolerate. To avoid future misunderstandings, the kind that led to the ‘false information’ noted in his statement, Diogo granted this pardon to Gaspar on one condition: Gaspar was not to send any more earrings (‘arrecadas’) to Margarida Fernandes, Diogo’s wife, nor speak with her for whatever reason. The document further stipulated that Diogo granted this pardon to Gaspar because of their friendship, but if Gaspar did not adhere to this important condition of the pardon, Diogo would renew the complaint against him for adultery. Both witnesses were shoemakers as well, who vouched

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