The anonymous, and undated Primor e honra da vida soldadesca no Estado da India or Excellence and honour of the soldier's life, a lengthy and powerfully argued tract seeking to uphold military standards in the Portuguese Orient, holds many mysteries: although published in 1630, we do not know when it was written, or by whom. The text has been republished, most recently by Laura Monteiro Pereira in 2003, who argues that the text was written during one of the two administrations of D. Luís de Ataíde tends and tends towards religious rather than classical authority. In this analysis, the varied sources drawn on by the anonymous author are systematically categorised, the work is dated more precisely to 1578-80, some effort is made to adequately contextualise the text, and the impact of the text-one written very much for the future-assessed on subsequent Portuguese policy towards the Orient. Keywords = military literature-Estado da Índia-monarchical leadership-Black Legend of Portuguese India-European relations with Islam. Cap. 11. Of the death of António Tourinho in Upper Chaul, Gaspar Camelo and three fathers of the Company of Jesus in Calicut, and Father António Criminal on the Fishery Coast. Cap. 12. Of what happened to a soldier at the court of Kutb-ul-Mulk (Cotamaluco, ruler of Golconda), and what this tyrant did to one Manuel Fernandes Arménio. Cap. 13. How one should not return one who asks for baptism back to the infidel, nor ever call a good Moor or Jew a good Christian, nor should one swear an oath or blaspheme amongst them, nor attend their festivals. Cap. 14. How the infidel praise the good treatment we mete out to our religious fathers, and how it scandalizes them when new converts are treated badly. Cap. 15. How in light of some miracles worked in these parts, and out of respect for the apostle St. Thomas, we may assume God is served by their conversion. II. 'Service to the King and the Common Weal' Cap. 1. Of the obligation we have to serve the King, and for it being a general good [as monarchy] how it is to be preferred to service to the specific king. Cap. 2. Of those who are prejudicial and profitable to the service of the King. Cap. 3. That it is prejudicial to the service of the King to entrust his business to the pusillanimous and imprudent and those either of suspect faith, or envious. Cap. 4. How in order to carry out service to the King perfectly great experience is necessary to those so entrusted. Cap. 5. How in order to carry out service well or perfectly to the King one cannot be without prudence. Cap. 6. How for the execution of war and service to the King, his captains must [understand] suffering. Cap. 7. How in order to conduct war and service to the King force, after experience, prudence and suffering, is necessary. Cap. 8. How in order to serve the King perfectly it is necessary to be very obedient, and that without it warfare will be one great confusion. Cap. 9. How order is infallibly necessary to the service of the King. Cap. 10. How if order is necessary for warfare, secrecy too is...
