tain it with their Lives and Fortunes, ordered it to be published thorow the whole Diocess.

After the meeting of this Synod, the Chriftians of St. Thomas came to be fo far enraged against the Latins, for what they had done to destroy their ancient Faith, and for their having treated so many of their Arch-Bishops, fo barbaroufly as fo they had done, that they would fuffer no Latin Priest to officiate in their Churches, nor fo much as to live among them. Two Jefuites, one at Angamale, and another at Carturte, having very narrowly escaped being murdered by them. The Jefuites, and other Latin Priefts, were so far intimidated, by the fury that Synod had put that whole Christianity into, that for fome time none of them were found fo hardy, as to venture to go among them.

The news of this great and unexpected Heat, as it did ftrangely afflict the Arch-Bishop, who had fet his Heart fo much on the reducing of those Christians; fo it was the thing that made him refolve to go in Perfon to the Serra to try what his Presence and Authority would do.

Not only the Viceroy, but the whole Clergy and Laity, and particularly the whole Chapter of Goa, together in a body, did all they could, as it is faid, to diffwade him from fo dangerous. an enterprise, but tho' he was deaf to all the Remonftrances of his Friends, yet upon a War breaking out fuddenly in the Year 1598. betwixt the Kings of Mangate and Paru, in whofe Territories most of these Chriftian Churches stand,

he

he thought fit to put off his Journey for that Year, fatisfying himself with writing a Letter to the Arch-Deacon to perfwade him to reconcile himfelf and his Church to that of Rome, and acquainting him with his Intentions to vifit all the Churches in the Serra in Perfon, fo foon as the forementioned War was over, which he believed would be very speedily.

The Arch-Deacon, when he received this Letter, dreading nothing fo much as the Arch-Bifhop's coming in Perfon among them, declared that he had refused to Subscribe the forementioned Profeffion of Faith, for no other reason, but because he was Commanded to do it before the Rector of the Jefuites College of Vaipicotta, with whom and his whole Order he pretended to be justly diffatisfied, giving the Arch-Bishop to understand at the fame time, that if he would order any other Priest or Friar to take his Subfcription, that he was ready to make it.

But the Arch-Bishop looking upon this only as a Trick to throw an Odium upon the whole · Order of Jefuites, and that for no other reason, but because they were the most industrious in the reduction of those Chriftians to the Roman Faith, would not comply with the Arch-Deacon's Requeft, in naming fome body elfe to take his Subfcription; for which Conduct the Arch-Bishop was very much blamed, moft People, and efpecially the other Orders of Friars murmuring against him, as one grown fo fond of the Jefuites, as to lose the reduction of fo many thousand Souls,

Souls, rather than difplease the Jefuites. But the Jefuites, who facrifice all Interests and Obligations to the Honour of their Order, have requited the Arch-Bishop but very ill for this his great kindness for them, in having reported this Affair fo here in Europe, as to rob him of that which he esteemed his chief Glory, to wit, the Reduction of this Church to the Roman Faith.

For in the History of the Jefuites in the Indies, published by Pieire du Farri, a Jefuite, and printed at Bourdeaux, in the Year 1608. we have all that is faid by the Portuguezes of Mar Abraham, and his Arch-Deacon's great averfion to the Roman Church, and particularly to the whole Order of Jefuites, flatly contradicted; for in that History we are told that Mar Abraham had fuch an extraordinary kindness for the Jefuites, that for fome time before his Death, he put himself fo entirely into their hands, as to be governed by them in all things; and that the Arch-Deacon George had fuch an high Opinion of their worth, as to declare to all the World, that without their aid and affiftance, he fhould not know after the Arch-Bishop's Death, how to Govern the Diocess. It is furthermore faid, that Mar Abraham, when he was upon his Death-bed called the Rector of the College of Vaipicotta to him, and having all his Clergy about him, declared, that he committed his Flock to the Bishop of Rome, as the chief Paftor and Prelate of the whole Church, and Commanded the Arch-Deacon, and all his Priests,

to

the Church of MALABAR.

49

to obey the Jefuites, whom his Holiness had fent to cultivate that Vineyard in all things, and to be fure to follow the Doctrines that they taught, which were the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; after which Charge he is faid furthermore to have befeeched and conjured the Rector, by the love of Christ, and the great friendship there had been always between them, to take care of the Government of his Church after his Death, and to have ordered an authentick inftrument to be made of all this to remain as a Teftimony of his last Will, and of the Faith he died in.

The fame History furthermore tells us, That this Church was fo far reconciled to the Pope, in the Year, 1596. that when the Jubile of Clement VIII. was published among them by the Jefuites, they gave his Holiness a thousand Blef-· fings for it, and took a fingular pleafare in pronouncing his Name; and that during the whole time of the Jubile, they were at Church from Morning to Night, without taking any refection, and were fo zealous to confefs themfelves to the Fathers, that they waited in the Church till Midnight in great Crowds to do it. Now according to this report of things, the Arch Bishop, when he came. into the Serra, had little more to do than to open his Arms to embrace a People, who, being before hand prepared by the Jefuites, were ready to throw themselves into them.

But to leave Romance, and return to History, having only obferved by the way, that it is vIfible from this grofs mifreprefentation of those

C

Af

Souls, rather than difplease the Jefuites. But the Jefuites, who facrifice all Interefts and Obligations to the Honour of their Order, have requited the Arch-Bishop but very ill for this his great kindness for them, in having reported this Affair fo here in Europe, as to rob him of that which he esteemed his chief Glory, to wit, the Reduction of this Church to the Roman Faith.

For in the History of the Jefuites in the Indies, publifhed by Pieire du Farri, a Jefuite, and printed at Bourdeaux, in the Year 1608. we have all that is faid by the Portuguezes of Mar Abraham, and his Arch-Deacon's great averfion to the Roman Church, and particularly to the whole Order of Jefuites, flatly contradicted; for in that History we are told that Mar Abraham had fuch an extraordinary kindness for the Jesuites, that for fome time before his Death, he put himself fo entirely into their hands, as to be governed by them in all things; and that the Arch-Deacon George had fuch an high Opinion of their worth, as to declare to all the World, that without their aid and assistance, he should not know after the Arch-Bishop's Death, how to Govern the Diocess. It is furthermore faid, that Mar Abraham, when he was upon his Death-bed called the Rector of the College of Vaipicotta to him, and having all his Clergy about him, declared, that he commit ted his Flock to the Bishop of Rome, as the chief Paftor and Prelate of the whole Church, and Commanded the Arch-Deacon, and all his Priests,

to