Machico (parish)

The oldest and most glorious traditions concerning the discovery of this island and its first settlement are inseparably bound up with the name of the place that later became the parish (freguesia), the town (vila) and the seat of the captaincy of Machico. The history of Madeira begins at the very moment when the caravels commanded by João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira dropped anchor in the picturesque and enchanting bay of this locality. At this moment the history of Machico also begins. As they rounded the promontory of São Lourenço (‘St Lawrence’), which had been given that name shortly before, there opened before the enraptured eyes of the navigators a small but lovely cove, bounded by a beach of rounded pebbles, which met a smiling valley hemmed in between steep and towering mountains. Everything invited them to make their first landing. It seems that the discoverers put in here on a warm, calm July afternoon, when the sun was already sinking fast towards the horizon. Despite the eagerness that overwhelmed those spirits, hungry for adventure and the unknown, the captains did not allow anyone to set foot that day on the virgin soil of this remote and unknown island. The landing took place the following day (see Discovery of the archipelago), and the historian of the islands describes it in these terms:

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As soon as day broke on the morrow, the captain sent a ship’s boat ashore, placing it in the charge of Rui Pais, that he might go and see the lie and situation of the land and bring him word of what he found. He went, but could not land on the beach, because of the trees that came down to the sea and the timber that they and the stream had gathered there. From there he went towards the east to land on the cliff, where there are rocks and shallows on which one can easily land, however rough the sea may be, for it is sheltered by the cliff; and this place is called today the Desembarcadouro [landing place], where Machim’s people also landed. Once ashore, they found the land very pleasing and delightful with great woods, and in places meadows, all of which could also be seen from the ships. Rui Pais went with his companions between the woods and the sea, and, finding cut wood and traces of people, they followed them and came upon the trunk of the great tree where Machim had been, and they found the table and the crucifix that the Englishmen had left, and the graves with crosses at their heads; at which they were astonished, although they had heard of all this from their pilot’.

If we were to believe the romantic legend of Robert Machin and Ana de Arfet, we would have to accept that the discoverers, on landing on the beaches of Machico, found the graves of the two ill-fated lovers, and on them the epitaph that told of their unhappy adventure and asked that a chapel dedicated to Christ be built there. What does seem established, however, is that on the very day the captains of the small fleet made their first landing, they had a makeshift altar set up, and there one of the Franciscan friars whom Gonçalves Zarco had brought with him celebrated the sacrifice of the Mass. It was an ardent expression of faith, offering Providence without delay the humblest thanks for the fortunate and momentous discovery they had just made. It is said that the discoverers vowed to build a church on that spot, and this is the true origin of the foundation of the chapel of Christ (Cristo), or of the Lord of Miracles (Senhor dos Milagres) (see Capela de Cristo, p. 332 of vol. I).

What is the true origin of this locality’s name? Nothing definite is known on the matter, although several men of great intellectual stature, such as Pinheiro Chagas, Camilo Castelo Branco, Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo and J. I. de Brito Rebêlo, have dealt with the subject at length. When we treat the legend of Machim, we shall try to summarise the opinions of those who have discussed this matter with the most recognised authority, presenting a brief outline of the various hypotheses and conjectures to which the explanation of the fact has given rise.

No one doubts that Machico was one of the first places to be settled, and that a large population centre formed there at once and grew rapidly. Detailed information on its earliest colonisation and first settlers is scarce, however, and even the exact year in which the parish (paróquia) was created is unknown. All that is known is that the discoverer Tristão Vaz chose this place as the seat of his captaincy and settled there in the very first days after the discovery, devoting himself zealously to peopling and cultivating his lands. Gaspar Frutuoso says that some claim the first donatary (donatário) settled in Machico with his wife and children in May 1425. Much land was granted in sesmaria (royal land grant to settlers on condition of cultivation) to colonists and noblemen from mainland Portugal, and it soon became an important settlement that rivalled Funchal and even surpassed it, according to some old documents.

Dr Álvaro de Azevedo gives 1430 as the year in which the parishes (freguesias) of Câmara de Lobos (‘seals’ den’) and Calheta (‘small cove’) were created, and 1440 for those of Caniço (‘reed’) and Ribeira Brava (‘wild river’), while fixing 1450 for Machico. This is rather surprising, considering that Machico was one of the first places settled and one of those that grew and prospered most quickly; it was, moreover, the seat of a captaincy and a very important centre of the early colonisation. We are inclined to believe that the parish of Machico was created around the middle of the 15th century, whereas the others were at first merely constituted as chaplaincies with cure of souls or autonomous curacies (curatos) in the years indicated. Machico must have had a more or less regular religious service from the building of the chapel that Tristão Vaz erected there at the very start of settlement and land clearance. It was in 1450 that Dom Friar Pedro Vaz, prior (title of the parish priest) of the Order of Christ (Ordem de Cristo), sent Friar João Garcia to Madeira as the first vicar of the recently created parish of Machico. A similar case occurred in Funchal with Friar Nuno Cão, also sent by the Order of Christ to serve as parish priest at the seat of the captaincy and to superintend religious services throughout the island. In the article Parishes we expressed the opinion that the first parish created in Madeira had its seat in Funchal; we now add that the foundation of the parish of Machico was probably almost contemporary with it, just as the two towns were created at the same time.

The parish, as has been said, was created around 1450 and its parochial jurisdiction extended over the whole area of the captaincy. Chaplaincies with cure of souls, dependent on the mother church (igreja matriz), were later established in Santa Cruz, Porto Moniz, São Vicente, Ponta Delgada, São Jorge, Santana, Faial and Porto da Cruz. That of Santa Cruz was soon made an independent parish, and the other chaplaincies gradually became autonomous parishes. The rapid growth of the population at the seat of the captaincy led to the creation of new ecclesiastical posts: a collegiate church with six beneficed clerics was established before 1572, and a curacy by royal decree (alvará) of 15 November 1576.

The parish church also had the posts of preacher, created by royal decree of 4 August 1590, organist, created by royal decree of 27 November 1594, and treasurer, the date of whose creation we do not know.

Within this parish chapels were built to the Lord of Miracles, which we have already discussed (vol. 1, p. 332), St Roch, Nossa Senhora do Rosário, Our Lady of Grace, Our Lady of Prayers, São Cristóvão, Our Lady of Protection, St Joseph, Santo António and Santana, to which we shall refer at greater length elsewhere in this work. Among the events of interest to the history of this parish, special mention should be made of the floods of 1724 and 1803 (see Floods, vol. 1, p. 54 ff.), the attack by the Miguelist squadron and troops on this town (see Occupation of Madeira by the Miguelist troops) and the killings that took place in the mother church (igreja matriz) of this parish in May 1870 (see Popular Riots).

In the article Geology we have already referred briefly to the lava channel on the left bank of the stream, near the Quinta Santana, and on p. 265 of vol. 1 of this Elucidário we transcribed the description of it that Hartung gave in his book Geologische Beschreibung der Inseln Madeira und Porto Santo. About this channel, or the Furna de Cavalum as it is generally known, there is a legend which Lieutenant-Colonel A. Artur Sarmento used for one of the chapters of his book Migalhas.

Overlooking the sea at the western end of the bay stands the old chapel of St Roch. At its foot rise the springs known by the name of the chapel’s patron saint, which issue from the cliff almost at the level of the ocean’s waterline. These waters have excellent therapeutic properties, and their use is especially recommended for certain diseases of the stomach. The statements of many patients and the testimony of physicians are irrefutable proof of their efficacy. The local Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal) had the waters chemically and bacteriologically analysed, and the results confirmed the opinion already held of them. They draw a considerable number of people to this town in the hot season. For this reason, and because of its bathing beach, the place is gradually becoming a popular spa and seaside resort. Another powerful attraction is the enchanting beauty of the spot and the complete absence of heat, which together make the town of Machico one of the most sought-after places in Madeira in which to spend the summer.

In the article Fortifications (p. 45) we have already referred to the forts that defended this place. The small, old and useless fortress facing the town’s finest public promenade, a handsome avenue of old and massive plane trees, ought to be demolished.

The principal localities (sítios) of this parish are: Vila, Pé da Ladeira, Pontinha, Estacada, Moinhos, Serra de Água, Azinhaga, Piquinho, Torre, Terça, Fazenda, Moinho da Serra, Caramanchão, Murtinhal, Landeiros, Marco, Maroços, Ribeira Grande, Ribeira Seca, Poço do Gil, Paraíso, Graça, Banda de Além and Misericórdia.

There are three state schools in this parish (1921), two in the town itself and the other in the locality of Caramanchão.

The 1930 census gives this parish 10,114 inhabitants.

Machico’s most illustrious son is Francisco Álvares de Nóbrega, known by the epithet of ‘Camões Pequeno’ (the Little Camões), who was born in the locality of Torre in this parish on 2 October 1772 and whom we have already discussed in this Elucidário (vol. I, p. 60). Another distinguished son of this place was Dr José António de Almada, born on 7 March 1843 (vol. I, p. 48).