After this, hoping soon to terminate their labours, they applied themselves igorously to the work of subjuga tion.

Some time after, however, the Archdeacon received an anonymous let ter, which had the effect of considerably checking the progress of the Missionaries. "What will become of you," said the writer," upon submitting to he deposed? what, but to be the scorn and contempt of both Christians and Pagans? Consider the danger to which you will expose your self of being treated like your prede cessor Attalla. They will send you to Goa, where you will perish by the hands of the Inquisitors." This letter had the desired effect. The Archdeacon assembled his friends; and, with tears, represented the misery of his condition, and the outrages to which he saw himself exposed. This reanimated his adherents, and added many to his party. He refused, in consequence, to receive the letters of the assembly at Mutane; or to attend, as had been hoped, in order to ratify the treaty of reunion. This occurrence was probably the means of saving the life of the Archdeacon; as it is most likely that he would have been seized at Mutane, and conveyed to the Inquisition, where a dungeon and a stake awaited him.

On the 23d of September following, the Missionaries held another assembly in the Church of St. Thomas, near the walls of Cochin, which was at tended with some embarrassment in ats very outset; for on proceeding to read their Briefs, in which the Christians of St. Thomas were commanded to submit to the Jesuit Prelate, Don Francisco Garzia, they were stopped short by a declaration, that it was in vain to talk any further of a union of this nature, in which the Christians were expected to submit to a bondage the most odious that could be conceived. The appearance, moreover, of some Jesuits, who had been sent to insist on the reading of the Briefs, very nearly occasioned the dispersion of the assembly, which would actually have taken place, had not the Car melites adopted the immediate step of

excluding them. The Briefs were then passed over, the Missionaries insisting only on the right of proceeding as Apostolic Commissaries. In this assembly the Carmelites had the address to procure the election of Joseph de Santa Maria, as Prelate of the Diocess, which, as we shall see, was afterward confirmed by the Pope..

The proceedings at Cochin, as might be expected, were not very acceptable, either to the Archdeacon or to the Jesuit Prelate. The Governors of the Inquisition, however, appeased the Prelate: the Archdeacon remained for the further exercise of the Apostolic powers of the Missionaries. They accordingly proceeded to Mangate, in order to see what could be done toward the accomplishment of their object. The Archdeacon, hearing of the movements of the Missionaries, proceeded also to Mangate to maintain his cause in person. After his arrival at Mangate, he received the Missionaries in his Episcopal habits; and, without so much as offering them seats, told them that he referred the decision of his cause to the Churches of Mangate and Cinotța. The Carmelites then proceeded to Cinotta to muster their forces there. On their return to Mangate, they found the Christians assembled in the Church; but, as the Archdeacon's party was, notwithstanding the interference of the native Princes, in favour of the Missionaries, much the strongest, nothing very satisfactory was effected.

In December, 1657, another assembly was held in the Church of St. Thomas, at Matanger, near Cochin, in which forty-four Cassanars met together. There the Missionaries apprized them of their wish to return to Rome, and recommended Father Hyacinth de St. Vincent for their Pastor, till such time as the Pope should provide for their necessities. Ecclesiastics promised obedience to the Missionary and, immediately after Christmas, the Carmelites embarked for Italy, where they arrived in due time.

The

On Dec. 15, 1659, Joseph de Santa Maria was consecrated, by the Pope, Bishop of Hierapolis, now called Ve

rapoli; and was, soon after, sent into - India to exercise his Episcopal functions. He arrived there, by the route of Aleppo and Bassora, toward the end of April, 1661.

The Bishop of Hierapolis was, by virtue of his Briefs, well received by the Inquisition of Goa; which had at that time the whole ecclesiastical power in its own hands, on account of the death of Father Hyacinth de St. Vincent, which had happened a short time before. Father Hyacinth had not been able, it seems, to effect much during the absence of his colleague: he had, however, succeeded in bringing over some to the faith, by the instrumentality of the native Princes, added to the no less effective measures of prisons and sequestrations.

The new Prelate met with a kind reception at Cochin; as well from the Christians of his party, as the ecclesiastics and laymen of the Portuguese, the Jesuits only excepted, who were still very unwilling to give up the power which they had so long abused. The Jesuit Prelate, Don Francisco Garzia, having died during the absence of the Carmelite Missionary, had nominated a Vicar General as his successor, who now refused to submit to the new Bishop. Joseph de Santa Maria was, however, of too haughty a disposition to submit to any diminution of his prerogatives, and determined accordingly to reduce the Jesuits by force. This he effected by means of the censures of the Ecclesiastics and Governors of the Inquisition, and then proceeded to the reduction of the Archdeacon.

The Archdeacon was not without his apprehensions, that he should soon be implicated in an affair with the Carmelite. He thought, therefore, that no time was to be lost in reducing, as much as possible, the power of his adversary; and accordingly wrote letters to the Churches, warning them of the intrigues of the Carmelite; who, as he said, had not, in reality, been at Rome, but had only lain concealed at Goa: affirming, moreover, that he was nothing more than a Jesuit in disguise. This, as it exceeded the truth, failed of producing the de

sired effect; but rather the contrary: and of this the Bishop had the address to avail himself.

Soon after the Bishop sent his circular Letters to the Churches of the Diocess, fifty-two of which received them with respect. Such as chose to be refractory, were, at the instigation of the Portuguese General, punished by the native Princes, in such manner as he thought proper.

In the mean time, the Churches, the revenues of which had been seiz. ed by the native Princes, in conse quence of their refusing to recognise the new Bishop, sent deputies to ten'der their obedience to him. Nothing offended these deputies so much as the oath which was demanded of them by the Bishop. This oath they considered as dishonourable and unnecessary; especially as such a custom was unknown among them ; most of the Casanars being now dead who had taken it in the days of Menezes. Some time after this, the Bishop departed from Cochin, to visit the Churches of the Diocess.

This visitation was conducted with the greatest pomp and splendour, in imitation of the visitations of Menezes, and of the Indian Bishops, who had always observed the same custom. "This," says the Bishop, in the History of his expedition, "is the only method calculated to give a barbarous nation an adequate notion of God."

The first place of the Bishop's visitation was Mutane, where he was well received. Thence he passed to Ca lurcate, which is situated in the ter ritories of the King of Porca. Here a forced obedience was obtained by the presence of the King's minister, who had been sent thither for that purpose.

These successes of the Italian Prelate, which had nevertheless been ob tained rather by force than consent. very much alarmed the Archdeacon and his friends. The Churches of Candanate, and of some other places in the Kingdom of Cochin, which had suffered in consequence of their dis obedience to the Bishop, resolving to come to some agreement, and to ex tricate themselves, if possible, from the

evils under which they laboured, sent a deputation to Diamper, proposing an interview between the Archdeacon and the Italian Bishop. This proposal was accepted by the Bishop, who proceeded immediately to Diamper, expecting to meet the Archdeacon according to the agreement. But the Archdeacon, well knowing the design of the Catholics to secure his person, refused to trust himself in so questionable a place. At the solicitation of his friends, however, he ventured as far as Molandurtè, which was not far from Cochin, and situated on the frontiers of the Kingdom of Barcate; where, on the least movement of the Portuguese, he would be able to make his escape.

The two Prelates having taken their ground, it became necessary that the affairs under discussion should be decided by deputies assembled in a third place; which was determined to be the Court of the Queen of Cochin, in presence of the Brahmins and Ministers of her Majesty. The activity, however, and influence of the Bishop in that Court, procured him eventually the victory in the debate; and the Churches were once more reduced to the authority of Rome.

The Archdeacon, perceiving that his cause was losing ground, began to think of escaping into the interior for his own security; but the Italian Prelate, whose object it was to seize the person of the Archdeacon, prevailed on the Court to make the inhabitants of Candanate and Molandurtè responsible for his person, under an enormous fine.

At the beginning of October, 1661, the Archdeacon Thomas is said to have excommunicated all the Ecclesiastics who had joined the Bishop's party.

About the same period, a young Indian having deserted the Archdeacon, informed the Bishop that his master had given a large sum of money to the Princes of the coast, requesting, at the same time, that they would defer their decision on his case, hoping that the Dutch would, in the mean while, take Cochin. It is probable, however, that this was nothing more than a fiction, introduced merely to

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justify the subsequent proceedings of the Italian Prelate,; who said, on receiving this intelligence, "Since the Archdeacon has had recourse to stratagem to obtain that for which he could produce no reason, I will now have recourse to force in order to support reason.'

At that time each of two young men, who had been successively adopted by the Queen of Cochin, looked forward to become King of that territory. One of them, who was entirely devoted to the interest of the Portuguese, had been prevailed on by the Italian Missionary to pillage the towns of Candanate and Molandurtè; and, for this purpose, he had blocked up the Church in which the Archdeacon resided, in order to secure him a prisoner for the Bishop. This was bringing matters to an issue: and, that the plan might succeed to the utmost, the Prelate immediately sent for the Portuguese General, and a great number of soldiers, from Diamper. The General, as might be supposed, soon put his men in motion; who, with a great number of the Clergy of Cochin, hastened toward the spot that was to conclude their labours, and add a decisive victory to the cause of Rome. It pleased Divine Providence, however, to frustrate this scheme. The Archdeacon, during the night, escaped with his confidant, Iti Thomas; and never more came within reach of the Portuguese,

The flight of the Archdeacon laid the Churches of Candanate, Molandurtè, and Paru open to the power of the Bishop. The Ecclesiastics of these Churches were, of course, compelled to proceed to Diamper; and there to make a solemn abjuration of their pretended errors. This was done in the presence of the Portuguese General, and of the infidel Prince of Cochin ! who, on being instructed by the Bishop, received the abjurations of the Christians.

After this the Prince of Cochin accompanied the Bishop's Secretary to Molandurte, in order to make himself master of the ornaments and effects of the Archdeacon, which the precipitancy of his flight had compelled him

to leave in the Church. The pèople, finding resistance was in vain, at length consented to admit the Bishop, provided he would come in person; which he did, at the head of three companies of Portuguese soldiers, and a great retinue of nobility, with six principal officers of the Prince of Cochin. The Bishop gave the Archdeacon's ornaments to the Prince, whose name was Codormo; reserving to himself only a few, with the books and holy oils. The day following Mass was celebrated at Diamper, after which the Host was carried in procession. When this pageantry had ended, the Bishop burnt the books and oils that had been consecrated by the Archdeacon, together with his palanquin, &c. This was done with great pomp, amid the discharge of cannon; in order to ease, in some degree, the Bishop's mind, who had hoped for a far more gratifying repast in reducing the body of the Archdeacon to ashes. It should not at all be surprising, if the cause of these Missionaries, after such conduct, verged more and more toward its destruction. Providence had, indeed, so ordered it, that events should take place, which should ruin their interests, and close the ravages of their tyranny for ever. The blood of Mar Joseph, Simeon, and Attalla, seemed to call down the vengeance of Heaven upon them.

The Dutch, as before noticed, had been in possession of an extensive tract of coast; and had taken Cranganor by assault, in the year 1661. This was followed by the siege of Cochin; which was, however, raised, a short time after its commencement. This afforded the Italian Prelate an opportunity of renewing his efforts once more for the reduction of the Archdeacon. On the other hand, the Archdeacon seeing matters likely to press hard on the Portuguese, hoped that he should still be able to main tain his dignity, especially as many Churches in the north, and that of Angamale in particular, were very much attached to his party. The Italian Prelate, armed with the authority of the Prince of Cochin, visited and reduced the Churches within his

district: such among them as mani. fested any resistance to his authority, were wrought upon by money. At Mangate, indeed, he took possession of the Church by force; and deposed the Rector, who had favoured the party of the Archdeacon.

The Bishop proceeded next to Angamale, the most noble Church of the Diocess, and of which it had long been the capital. The native Princes had promised him an escort; but, for some reasons which do not appear, they afforded him no more than four soldiers. The Bishop had, therefore, recourse to other means. Still his success was of so unpromising a nature, that he said, all hell seemed to be let loose at this place, for impeding the union, and for the destruction of souls. At length, however, money prevailed; and a thousand fanains succeeded in obtaining possession of the Church.

The remainder of this visitation is, according to La Croze, not worth description. We therefore hasten to matters of greater importance.

In January, 1663, Cochin fell into the hands of the Dutch, which put an entire termination to the visitations of the Prelate; and placed the Christians of St. Thomas in possession of their ancient liberty. This circumstance was no less gratifying to the Christians, than to the native Princes, who had long groaned under the oppression of the Jesuits.

The Archdeacon was as much rejoiced at this event, as the Italian Prelate, and the Christians who had attached themselves to his party, were dejected. After the capture of Cochin, the Prelate remained near that place; and found himself grievously perplexed on hearing that the Dutch Government had determined to exclude all European Ecclesiastics from the coast, as such a proceeding would put an end to all his views. After some efforts to succeed with the Dutch Governor, he had the mortification to find that he had only ten days allowed for his departure. Seeing things in this situation, he determined to make the best of the little time left in his power. He accordingly consecrated

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one Alexander de Campo, as his Vicar Apostolic, and Bishop in partibus infidelium. He then excommunicated the Archdeacon and his adherents, and proceeded to Cochin, where the Dutch had summoned him to attend.

On the arrival of the Prelate at Cochin, he earnestly solicited for permission to remain on the coast: but, as the Dutch were inflxible, his next effort was to obtain the countenance of the new Government for his Bishop, and his aversion to the Archdeacon and his party. In this he succeeded: so that the Archdeacon could not obtain an audience at Cochin in conse

quence, though he brought with him letters of recommendation from the King of Tecancur; while the new Prelate was received with the greatest favour. The Archdeacon retired, therefore, with some confusion.

The Italian Bishop, before his departure, again recommended his new Bishop to the Government of Cochin and, lest the Dutch should interest themselves at all in the affairs of the Christians, he added, "It is in vain to suppose that these people would receive the Reformed Religion, as there are three things in which they are diametrically opposite to the doctrines of Luther and Calvin: in the adoration of images and the cross, in fasts, and in their prayers and masses for the souls in Purgatory; which they would rather be torn in pieces than give up." The falsehood of these assertions needs no refutation; and the object for which they were made needs no comment.

After this Vincent de Santa Maria sailed for Goa; where he was honourably received by the Vice-Roy, Antonio de Mello de Castro. A letter from his new Prelate, the Bishop of Megara, informed him that he wanted nothing but money to abolish the very memory of the Archdeacon, who had fallen into great contempt among the people.

This success, if such it may be called, was followed by the news of peace concluded between the Crown of Portugal and the United States of Holland. The Prelate hoped that this would procure his return to Ma

labar; but the Dutch remained inflexible; and Joseph de Santa Maria sailed for Rome, where he arrived in the month of May, 1665, and had his proceedings approved by the Pope and his Cardinals.

After the expedition of Joseph de Santa Maria, scarcely any thing occurs respecting the Christians of Malabar. The Dutch, it is probable, defended them, in a great degree, from the attacks of the Jesuits; who, on that account, had no marvellous conversions to record, and remained therefore silent.

In 1714, two Bishops presided over the Churches in Malabar. The one, Mar Thomas, was of the Monophysite persuation, and presided over the Churches in the south: the other, Mar Gabriel, who was a Nestorian, exercised his jurisdiction in the north. These two Prelates, it should seem, were then in open schism with each other.

What progress this schism has made since that day, or what successes may have been obtained by the Catholics, we are not informed: we know, however, that the little, remaining power of the Catholics in those parts, is still exerted toward the same object, and, indeed, with the same spirit that actuated their forefathers. But as these efforts are probably inconsiderable, it is now to be hoped, that the late provisions and encouragements held out to that ancient and venerable Church, may have the effect of purging her from that rust and contamination which she appears to have contracted from the persecution of her enemies, or the want of vital religion within her own bosom. It cannot, however, but be matter of admiration, that, at the very time when our own confessors and martyrs were struggling for a purer faith and more spiritual ri tual, the Prelates of this ancient Church were sealing with their blood, in the Inquisitions of Portugal or Goa, a faith which, in essentials, agreed with our own.

These considerations, it might have been hoped, would have ere now had some force with the Reformed Churches, in favour of this persecuted