ty, that they had kings of their own; the first of whom was Baliartes. In process of time, however, the regal power passed over to the infidel kings of Diamper; and, in the year 1500, they were found, by the Portuguese, in subjection to the king of Cochin.

There are at this day in India several Churches of Monophysites, or Jacobites, as they are called. Renaudotius was of opinion, that this sect had been in India since the year 696, when a Bishop had been sent from Alexandria, and introduced the creed of the Monophysites. Asseman, how ever, thinks this opinion ill founded; and argues that the Monophysites first found their way into India about the year 1663; when the Nestorians were distracted by the Catholics, and were unable to obtain a prelate from Babylon: for in this year, he says, the Patriarch of the Monophysites sent George of Jerusalem into India, as Metropolitan of the Syrians, who was the first that induced the Nestorians to embrace the tenets of the Monophysites. George was succeeded by Andrew; Andrew by Basilius the Maphrian; Basilius by John; and John by Thomas, who, in the year, 1720, wrote a second Letter to the Patriarch of Antioch, having written one in 1709 which fell into the hands of Schaaf, Professor of Oriental Languages in Holland, and was translated and printed by him at Leyden in 1714. If the copy of this Letter published by Asseman may be considered as genuine, the opinion of that writer seems well founded, as Thomas counts himself the fifth in succession from George of Jerusalem; which he would hardly, have done, had other prelates of the Monophysite Communion preceded them. It is, moreover, probable, that the

whole of that Church, now separate from that of Rome, acknowledges the creed of the Monophysites: for, in the above Letter, it is said,-"These all honour Antioch and despise Rome," speaking of the whole nation of the Syrians. Besides, it is not probable that a small community, of either Monophysites or Nestorians, would have been able to withstand the unremitted endeavours of the Roman Catholics to overthrow them.

This statement is corroborated by the united testimonies of Drs. Buchanan and Kerr.

"The Syrian Christians," says Dr. Buchanan, "are not Nestorians. Formerly, indeed, they had Bishops of that communion; but the liturgy of the present Church is derived from that of the early Church of Antioch, called Liturgia Jacobi Apostoli." They are usually denominated Jacobite; but they differ in ceremonial from the Church of that name in Syria, and indeed from any existing Church in the world." And again, "It appears, then, that the Syrian Christians have laterly been denominated Jacobitæ, or Jacobites; so called, according to their books, from (Jacobus) James the Apostle."

And Dr. Kerr says, "The Christians on the Malabar Coast are divided into three sects: I. The St. Thomè, or Jacobite Christians. II. The Syrian Roman Catholics. III. The Latin Church." And again, "It has been believed that these Christians held the tenets of the Nestorian He resy.... however, it appears that the creed which they now hold denies that heresy; and seems to coincide, in se veral points, with the creed of Athanasius, but without its damnatory. clauses."*

1663, considered themselves as dependent on the See of Antioch.

But to return to the history of the Nestorian Church.

The first who brought intelligence to Europe of the Christians in India, was Pedralvares Cabral, a Portuguese adventurer; who, putting into the Port of Cranganor, A. D. 1500, saw several of them. Two brothers, named Matthias and Joseph, he took on board, and brought with him to Portugal. Matthias, the eldest, died, soon after his arrival, at Lisbon; and Joseph proceeded to Rome, and thence to Venice, where, from his information, a Latin Tract was published, giving some account of the Christians in Malabar. After this, Joseph returned, through Portugal, to Malabar. In 1501 a fleet of the Portuguese arriving at Cochin, the Christians of St. Thomas sent a deputation to the Admiral, Don Vasco da Gaina, requesting that his master, whom they understood to be a Christian king, would take them under his protection, and defend them from the encroachments and oppression of the native princes; little thinking that these very Christians would eventually reduce them to greater distress than the infidel princes had hitherte done. The Admiral dismissed them with some favourable promises; but, as conquest was the object that demand ed the first consideration of the Portuguese, nothing appears to have been done for the Christians during the forty following years, except the erection of some commodious convents for friars.

In the year 1545 Don Juan d'Albuquerque, Bishop of Goa, began to think it time to do something toward bringing over these Christians to the faith of Rome; and, accordingly, sent

one Vincent, a Franciscan friar, to Cranganor, to preach among them; but, as the objects of the Roman Missionary were soon perceived to be of no friendly nature, his mission, as might be supposed, was entirely without success. This was attributed to the want of a place of instruction for the Syrian youth. Father Vincent therefore applied to the Vice-Roy, and to the Bishop of Goa, for power to erect a College at Cranganor for this purpose, which was granted; and some Syrian youths were accordingly instructed in the Latin rites and language, in order to assist the Franciscan in his mission. It was found, however, when these youths were deemed fit for the ministry, that the Syrians refused to admit them into their Churches, regarding them as instruments of Rome, and apostates from the faith. This was an unexpected and mortifying check to the progress of Father Vincent; who, however, lost no time in endeavouring to find a remedy. This he thought would be obtained in the erection of another College, in which the Syriac language should be taught, as he had attributed the whole failure of his project to the defective instruction of his Syrian Associates. A College was, therefore, erected in 1587, at the expense of Antonio Guedes Morales, in the village of Vaipicotta, situated about a league from Cranganor. This proved equally unavailing with the former.

It now appeared, that, in order to reduce these Christians to the faith and authority of Rome, force, or stratagem, or both, must finally be resorted to; and the seizure of their Bishop presented itself as the first and most effective step toward the accomplishment of so desirable an end. Joseph was accordingly seized, and

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sent to Portugal, in order to his being conveyed to Rome; where, it was hoped, he would be detained during the remainder of his life.

Mar Joseph, finding himself thus deprived of his liberty, had recourse to dissimulation; and, on his arrival in Portugal, either by his address or apparent sanctity, wrought so far on the Queen Regent Donna Catarina, that he was sent back to Goa by the next ships, with her Majesty's Letters Patent, ordering that he should still be permitted to reside in his Diocess, as he had promised to do every thing in his power toward the reduction of the Churches to the See of Rome.

The Christians, during the absence of Mar Joseph, finding themselves deprived of their Bishop, and despairing of seeing him again, wrote to Mar Simeon, Patriarch of Babylon, requesting that he would immediately send a Bishop into India. This request was granted, and one Abraham was consequently ordained Bishop, and sent to Malabar; where he arrived in disguise, in order to evade the vigiJance of the Portuguese, who had resolved, if possible, to take him.

Mar Abraham was received, as might be supposed, with great demonstrations of joy, as he appeared to come to the relief of a flock that had been deprived of its shepherd.

Soon after this, Mar Joseph, to the great surprise of all, returned to Goa, with the Letters of the Queen, notwithstanding the request of the Archbishop that he might never be permitted to return thither. The Letters of the Queen gave strong suspicions to the Archbishop of the prevarications of Mar Joseph when in Portugal; and in this he was soon after confirmed, upon the refusal of Mar Joseph to take with him some Catholic priests, whom he had appointed as missionaries. The Archbishop, however, seeing that another Bishop was already in possession of the Church of Malabar, and supposing that by a division which must necessarily take place among them, both parties must be considerably weakened, and consequently more easily subjected to the Pope, sent Mar Joseph to his Bishopric.

What the Archbishop had meditated in reserve, was soon realized; for, on the return of Mar Joseph to his See, the Church was immediately divided into parties; of which, that of Mar Abraham, on account of his never having joined the Latins, was considerably the strongest. On this, Mar Joseph, with a spirit far from Apostolic, and a versatility that cannot be too much deprecated, laid an infor mation to the Archbishop of Goa, against his competitor Mar Abraham, showing that he was hostile to the Catholic faith. This was what the Archbishop and Vice-Roy had foreseen and wished. Orders were thereupon issued for the immediate apprehension of Mar Abraham, and were soon executed. Mar Abraham being seized, was sent to Goa, where he was embarked for Portugal, in order to his being sent to Rome. But, a storm arising, the vessel was forced to put into Mozambique, a port on the southern coast of Africa, whence Mar Abraham escaped; and, by the route of Melindo and Ormus, found his way to the Patriarch of Babylon, who provided him with new briefs, confirming his title to the Bishopric of Malabar.

Mar Abraham, however, judging it imprudent to make his way to Malabar with instruments so little availing as the papers of the Patriarch of Babylon were likely to prove, resolveď to take a journey to Rome, and to lay his case before the Pope. This he did; and having, at the same time, abjured his paternal faith, and promised obedience to the Pope, he was furnished with the necessary instruments for his re-establishment in the Bishopric of Malabar. But, on his coming to Venice, it was discovered that he had never been regularly ordained; he was, therefore, compelled to undergo all the ceremonies of the Romish Ordination, from the first tonsure to the order of Priesthood. was ordained priest by the Bishop of St. Salvador; and afterward conse crated Bishop by the Patriarch of Venice.

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During this time, Mar Joseph, finding himself in quiet possession of the See of Malabar, began openly to teach

those doctrines which he appeared to have abjured in Portugal. This, as might be expected, soon found its way to the ears of the Archbishop of Goa, and thence to Rome; and, accordingly, Pius the Fifth, A. D. 1567, issued an order for the apprehension of Mar Joseph; which was, in a short time, executed, and Mar Joseph was sent prisoner to Rome. He was never after permitted to visit the Christians in Malabar.

Mar Abraham, on his return to Goa, finding that his competitor Joseph had been sent to Rome without the probability of ever returning, flattered himself with the hopes of long and unin terrupted tranquillity in the exercise of his Episcopal functions; but in this he was miserably deceived: for the motive which had formerly procured the dismissal of Mar Joseph to his Bishopric, that of bringing about a schism, had now ceased to exist. The briefs and instructions, therefore, which Mar Abraham had brought from the Pope, instead of procuring his dismissal to the See, were subjected to a rigorous examination, in order to discover, if possible, some passages that should show that Mar Abraham had prevaricated with the Pope. The wished-for passages were soon found; and Mar Abraham was, of course, confined at Goa, till a satisfactory answer should be received from the Pope.

Mar Abraham, finding himself in this hopeless condition, resolved, if possible, to make his escape. This he effected on the night of Holy Thursday, at a time when the Friars were engaged at prayers in the Chapel. The news of Mar Abraham's escape was received with great joy in the Churches of Malabar, and with equal dissatisfaction at the court of Goa. Strict orders were issued for the ap prehension of the Bishop, which, how ever, failed of success.

Pope Gregory XIII. hearing of this circumstance, immediately despatched a Brief to India, ordering Mar Abraham forthwith to assist at a Provincial Council at Goa; and send ing, at the same time, his Letters of Safe Conduct, which were forwarded by the Archbishop of Goa, enclosing

also Letters of Safe Conduct from himself and the Vice-Roy. On the receipt of these, Mar Abraham, perceiving that it was impossible long to escape the power of the Portuguese, which was every day increasing in India, resolved once more to try what dissimulation could effect; and accordingly attended the Council. There he again abjured his ancient faith, and swore allegiance to the See of Rome: with this, and a promise that he would again ordain all such as he had admitted to the Holy Orders, the Council was satisfied, and dismissed him to his See.

Mar Abraham, on returning to his See, still persisted in observing the ancient faith and ritual; naming the Patriarch of Babylon in his prayers, as the head of the Church. He moreover wrote a Letter to the Patriarch, stating, that he had attended the late Council merely out of fear; for the Portuguese were over his head, as a hammer over an anvil; and that he had, at the Council, delivered a Confession of Faith, which none of the Latin Bishops were able to answer: and still professing his cordial adher ence to the Chaldean faith. This Letter the Portuguese are said to have intercepted, though it does not appear that they made any immediate use of it.

Mar Abraham, growing in years, and probably harassed from within by a sense of his own prevarications, and persecuted from without by his enemies the Catholics, wrote to the Patriarch of Babylon, requesting a person who should assist and succeed him. This request was immediately granted; and one Simeon was accordingly consecrated Bishop, and sent to Malabar.

Mar Simeon was very kindly receiv ed by the Church; and, on account of his having had no intercourse with the Latins, began to be much more respected than Mar Abraham himself. This, it is probable, had no small influence on the mind of the young man; and, perhaps, kindled a feeling of va nity, which, under other circumstances, might not have manifested itself. In short, Mar Simeon began to place him