Imatges de pàgina
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ship of Pagods, of which there are several among them of incredible Riches.

The Serra or Gate, as the Natives call it, is a Ridge of Mountains running 200 Leagues from North to South, the South end whereof is inhabited by Christians, who call themselves the Chriftians of St. Thomas, upon the account of their having first been converted to the Christian Faith by the Apostle of that Name. They have always, or at least for 1300 years, been under the Patriarch of Babylon, who, as their Meterane or Arch-Bishop died, took care to fend them another, who refided ftill among them, and was had in great Reverence both by Chriftians and Infidels. As for the Doctrines and Customs of this Church, I fhall referr the Reader to the Accounts he will meet with of them in the following History.

The firft news of this ancient, but remote Church, was brought to Europe by Pedralvares Cabral, who putting into Cranganor in the year 1501. and meeting there with feveral of thofe Chriftians, he perfwaded two of them, who were Brothers, to come along with him to Portugal, where the eldeft, whofe Name was Matthias, died at Lisbon; and the other, whofe Name was Jofeph, went first to Rome, and from thence to Venice, where, upon his information, a Trac was publish'd in Latin of the State of the Church of Malabar, and is printed at the end of Fafciculus Temporum.

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The year following the Chriftians of St. Tho mas hearing of Don Vafco da Gama being at Cochim, with a confiderable Fleet of Ships, fent fome of their Body to let him know, that understanding that he was a Subject of a Chriftian King, they beg'd the favour of him to take them under his Masters Protection, that fo they might be defended against the Oppreffions and Injuries which were done them daily by Infidel Princes, and for a lafting Testimony of their having put themfelves under the King of Portugal, they fent his Majesty a Rod tipp'd at both ends with Silver, with three little Bells at the head of it, which had been the Sceptre of their Christian Kings, for fuch they are reported to have had formerly, tho' upon no very good grounds, fo far as I can per

ceive.

The Admiral Vasco da Gama, not being in a condition at that time, to do any more for them, gave them a great many good words, promifing them, in his Masters name, the favour and protection they had defired, and which he was fenfible they stood in great need of.

In the year 1505 two Chriftians, who were famous for their great skill in cafting great Guns, and whom, for that reafon, Don Vafco da Gama had taken along with him to the Indies, ran over to the Samorim, and were the first that introduc'd the use of Artillery among the Malabars: For the Venetians foreseeing that their great Indian Trade would be utterly ruin'd, by the new Paffage that was discover'd to the Indies by the

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Cape

Cape of Good Hope, if the Portugueze fhou'd once get any footing in thofe parts,are faid to have sent those two Engineers, who were their natural born Subjects, into the Portugueze fervice, on purpose to go over to the Indians, to teach them the ufe of Great Guns, and other Fire-arms, that they might be the better able to oppose the Portuguezes.

But after this forementioned Complement of the Admiral, we hear no more of these Chriftians, till about the Year 1545, the Portuguezes being all that while too bufie in making new Conquefts, and the Friars, who were fent thither, too much employed in building and providing commodious Seats for their Convents, to attend to foany reign Business, of what nature foever.

This 40 Years neglect of a Christianity, which was just under their Nofes, puts me in mind of what a Minister of State faid of the Portugueze Zeal in the Indies.

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Hizieron por obra thofe Conquefts. The Con"divina y charidad de verfions that have been perfonas religiofas par- made there were perform"ticulares, el commun ed by the Divine Power, y direction de la co- and the Charity of a few "rona attendio a de- particular Friars, the Gopredar Reynos y Ci- vernment and Crown ha"dades, alli avia mas ving no other aim therein, "dilatados converfio

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but the robbing of Kingcc nes a donde avia doms and Cities; and “mas que hartar la co- there were still be greatdicia, y alla eran eft Converfions where there "hombres obftinados, "donde no avia que "robar, concluding: y "ceffa Religion quan"do no fe fique la co. "dicia, y que no en"tran en el cielo to"dos los, que dizen fe"nor abrid nos.

was most to gratify their Covetousness. But where there was nothing to be bad, there the People were Obdurate, and not to be wrought upon. And so we fee their Zeal expired quickly in all places, where it was not animated by Covetousness, and how they who had nothing else to say but, Lord open unto us, were not thought fit to enter into Heaven.

Manuel de Faria alfo in the Third Tome of his Afia Portuguesa, after having reckoned up the Errors (as he calls them) of the Chriftians of St. Thomas, makes the following Reflection

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upon his Countrymen's having been so long in reducing them to the Roman Church.

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"Gran laftima es oir t que uvieffe efto in "frente de los Portuguefes en la India a "los cien annos de fu "affistancia en ella; y que es mas a los "mefmos oios de pre"lados en Goa. La "verdad es que deftos "eran los Mercadores que Chrifto hallo en "el Templo y echo del t açote.

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It is a fhameful thing (faith he) that this Church should continue an Hundred Years in the Neighbourhood of the Portuguezes without being reduced to the Roman Faith, and which makes it fell the worse, under the Eye of the Bifhops of Goa; but the truth is, thofe Merchants whom Chrift whipp'd out of the Temple, were such as thefe.

Tho' after all, the Portuguezes Negligence in this matter was nothing fo fcandalous as the Violences they afterwards made ufe of in the reducing of them.

In the Year 1544. the Crofs and other Reliques of St. Thomas, which have fince made fuch a Noife in the World, were found at Meliapor, the Legend whereof in fhort is, That the Portuguezes as they were pulling down an old Chappel in order to rebuild it, met with a vast Stone fome Foot underground, which having lifted up with great ease, they found all the Earth under it ftain'd deep with Blood, that appear'd very fresh, and thereon a Cross excel

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