Madeira in the Torre do Tombo

Everyone knows that the National Archive of the Torre do Tombo (National Archives) is the richest and most abundant repository of original manuscript documents in our country. For that reason it is also the surest and most copious source for any historical research into mainland Portugal and into its former overseas dominions in Africa, Asia and America.

The Madeira archipelago is extensively represented in this archive, which holds a precious body of documents that it would be very worthwhile to make known to those who devote their labours specifically to the study of Madeiran history. We are not unaware of the difficulties such an undertaking would entail. Most of the documents held in the Torre do Tombo (national archives) (Torre do Tombo) have not been catalogued, and there would be considerable expense in employing suitably qualified staff to carry out such laborious and lengthy research.

Nevertheless, something could and should be done. Let the Azorean archipelago serve us as an example and a spur. When in 1878 the illustrious native of São Miguel Dr Ernesto do Canto began publishing the Archivo dos Açores, he at once commissioned the journalist José Torres to carry out an exploration, albeit a summary one, of that vast archive. It brought to light valuable documents, which were included in several volumes of that important publication. The same should be done for Madeira. The first research would be limited to a search among the documents already catalogued, and work would begin at once on compiling an inventory, as complete as possible, of the documents of interest to the history of these islands. Once this inventory had been completed and published, the most useful and necessary manuscripts could be printed little by little, after careful selection, as circumstances at the time advised. There would be no lack, in Lisbon or even in Madeira, of a person of recognised integrity and competence to be entrusted with this arduous task; what may be lacking is an administrative body or official entity willing to take the initiative in carrying out so profitable and praiseworthy an idea.

It is with great satisfaction that we see, in several issues of the Arquivo Historico da Madeira, a list of documents relating to this island that belong to the precious ‘Corpo Chronologico’ collection of the Torre do Tombo. It may be presumed that other documents are still contained among the eighty-three thousand documents making up that collection; to find them, one would consult the twelve volumes of Index to the said ‘Corpo Chronologico’, which fortunately survive. It is also known that extensive and valuable documentation on this archipelago is to be found in the books of the Islands (Ilhas), the Misticos, the Ementas and the General Confirmations (Confirmações Gerais), and especially in the books and bundles of the Chancery records of all the kings of the second dynasty, as well as in other collections.

As we said above, the work of research in the collections of the Torre do Tombo (national archives) relating to Madeira ought to begin with a thorough examination of the catalogues and inventory books held there, and particularly of the following, which we find cited in a short historical and descriptive study of that Archive: ‘Funchal, Alfandega, Catalogo em verbetes; Cabido da Sé, Catalogo em verbetes: Convento de Santa Clara e N. S. da Incarnação, Catalago em caderno; Relação dos livros existentes no arquivo da Alfandega, Catalogo em caderno; Relação dos livros existentes no arquivo do Cabido da Sé, Catalogo em caderno; Relação dos livros existentes na repartição de fazenda do distrito, Catalogo em caderno’ (Funchal Customs House, card catalogue; Chapter of the Cathedral, card catalogue; Convent of St Clare (Santa Clara) and Nossa Senhora da Encarnação, catalogue in notebook form; lists of the books in the archives of the Customs House, of the Chapter of the Cathedral and of the district Revenue Office, catalogues in notebook form). In the same study we also read that the following documents are in the ‘Sala da Livraria’ (Library Room): ‘Receipts and Expenditure of the Works of the High Court of Appeal (Relação), Funchal Customs House, Azemmour and Hormuz, 10 bundles; Revenue from the fifths (quintos, levy of one fifth on sugar) on the sugar of the island of Madeira, single bundle; Revenue of the customs houses of the Algarve, Funchal and Marvão, bundle 7; and Register belonging to Funchal Cathedral (the Sé), single book’. And the same study further states that the ‘Sala A – Ministério do Reino’ (Room A – Ministry of the Kingdom) holds: ‘Funchal Customs House, 255 books, shelves 18 and 19; Santa Clara, 16 bundles, shelf 74, and 128 books, shelf 74; Encarnação, 46 books, shelf 75; Chapter of the Cathedral, 23 bundles and 44 books, shelf 74’.

Among the Customs House books referred to above are those of the former Crown Revenue Office (Provedoria), which was attached to that revenue house and exercised superintendence over it until 1775, when it was abolished. The enactments issued by the central government concerning the collection of certain contributions and taxes, the creation of posts and the appointment of those who were to hold them, the construction and repair of buildings, the reorganisation of various public services, etc., etc., were addressed to the Royal Treasury Office (Provedoria da Real Fazenda). This office filed and registered these enactments and partly carried them out, so its register books are of great interest and value for the history of our island. The importance of these documents becomes clear on reading the ‘Index da antiga Provedoria da Real Fazenda. . .’, a bulky folio volume held in this city and partly published some years ago in the Heraldo da Madeira (‘Madeira Herald’). It gives a brief, methodically arranged list of the enactments registered in twenty-four volumes, covering the long period from 1566 to 1775. This index ought to be reproduced again in some newspaper or review, since the first printing was riddled with typographical errors, and the opportunity should be taken to accompany the new publication with short explanatory notes on the text.

From what we have said and from the passages transcribed above, it is clear that it would not be very difficult to gather a considerable body of material for compiling a list or catalogue of the documents of interest to Madeira, making use of the inventories and indexes that already exist, in addition to the further research that should be undertaken in due course.

Some sixty years ago the Madeiran Roberto Augusto da Costa Campos, a distinguished official of the Torre do Tombo (national archives), visited the archives of several public departments in Funchal and, with official authorisation, collected some hundreds of volumes to be incorporated into the National Archive. They are there at present, awaiting patient researchers who will make these valuable codices known to those who need to consult them.