consecrated oils, and a few of the ornaments, he 6 says the missionary, "should be looked upon as a very edifying spectacle." The pageantry concluded, the Bishop ordered a large fire to be lighted before the church, in which he burned the books, the oils that had been consecrated by the Archdeacon, his palanquin, and a few things of less value. This achievement was performed with great pomp, amid the discharge of mortars and other artillery, which the Portuguese had provided for the purpose. The Romish historian himself avows, that this was some consolation to the Bishop for his grief and disappointment, at not having it in his power in the same manner to consume the Archdeacon's body," which would have been a much more acceptable oblation to the demands of his church. Here we have another specimen of the religion of Rome. The Jesuits, we see, are not the only sanguinary order in that church. What daring effrontery to attribute conduct like this to a zeal for the religion of that compassionate Redeemer, who came not to destroy men's lives, but to save? 8 If Christian love were ever kindled in this Carmelite's bosom, it was now consumed in the fires of ambition and revenge. A. D. 1661. 22. Can we be surprised, that a mission Time of re 7 Giuseppe di S. Maria, p. 51. La Croze, p. 409. Quel fuoco accesso, &c." The fire of the sacrament lighted to burn the spoils, but he could not get the Archdeacon's body to burn." 8 Luke ix. 56. tribution arrives. CHAP. II. The Dutch capture Coulan and which it was attempted to maintain by such outrageous conduct, soon came to nothing? When these persecuted people found all human resources fail, Divine Providence interposed for their deliverance. We say, Divine Providence -for that person must be a very inattentive observer of the wisdom and justice of the Almighty's ways with men, who shall refuse to acknowledge His hand in the events which, at this juncture, rescued the churches of Malabar from the tyranny of the Jesuits, the Carmelites, and the Portuguese. The triumph of these wicked confederates was short, their days being numbered by Him, who, in His own time, breaks the rod of the oppressor. 23. The Dutch, awake to their interests, and well-informed of the detestation in which the Cranganore, princes and inhabitants of Malabar had long held the Portuguese, in consequence of their tyranny and pride, looked upon the events now transpiring as favourable to their hostile intentions. Nor were they mistaken. In 1660, four years after the capture of Columbo, they took Negapatam from the Portuguese, and made it the capital of their possessions on the Coromandel coast. They next turned their attention to the Portuguese maritime towns in Malabar, the possession of which they found essential to the safety of their commerce. They succeeded in taking Coulan about the end of the year 1661 and in January of the following year, they captured by assault the town of Cranganore, which was the residence of the Jesuit Archbishops, who, it will be remembered, were the cause of all the calamities that had befallen the country. This blow struck terror into the hearts of the Portuguese; and the Carmelite Bishop sympathized, as he well A. D. 1662. might, in the general consternation. All felt alarmed for Cochin itself, which they expected to fall next; but none seem to have thought of attempting to avert such a disaster by timely repentance and supplication before the throne of God. Indeed, there was a voice pleading there against them. The blood of three Bishops, Mar Joseph, Mar Simeon, and Attalla, besides that of many Indian Christians, which these pretended Apostles of Jesus Christ had so wickedly shed, now cried to heaven for vengeance against them, and prevailed.9 A. D. 1662. good con 24. The taking of Cranganore was soon fol- Their siege lowed, as expected, by the siege of Cochin, during of Cochin: which the Christians remained neutral. It is duct of the satisfactory to find that they had enough of Syrians. Christian principle to refrain from rendering to the Portuguese evil for evil, by assisting their enemies. But, on the other hand, Christian principle did not require them to step forward in their defence, and thereby help to fasten on their own necks the yoke that was now falling off. They were justified in quietly awaiting the issue of the present contest. As it is foreign from the design of this History to describe the wars of earthly powers with each other, the reader who may wish to see the details of the present siege, is referred to the accounts published by two Dutch writers who were present on the occasion.1 raised: 25. The S. W. monsoon, or rainy season, The siege which set in this year with great violence, com- Bishop repelled the Dutch to raise the siege and retire. news his La Croze, p. 410. Lee's History. 1 Schouten and Baldaeus. Churchill's Voyages and Travels. Folio. The Carmelite Bishop agrees substantially with these authors in his account of the siege. La Croze, pp. 410, 411. proceedings. CHAP. This filled the Portuguese with exultation, though they might have known that nothing but the violence of the tempest had caused the Dutch to withdraw, and they ought therefore to have expected them to return as soon as the monsoon was over. Yet such was their infatuation, that, notwithstanding what they had already lost, they would not believe the ruin of their interests on the coast to be so near as it proved. Joseph de St. Maria took fresh courage with the rest; but the manner in which they endeavoured to improve this respite, could tend only to aggravate their offence in the judgment of the Most High. The Bishop renewed his efforts against the Archdeacon, who, seeing the turn that affairs had taken, expected to maintain himself in his dignity; while the principal churches in the North, especially that of Angamale, remained firm in their attachment to his party. The Bishop having secured the support of some heathen princes, particularly that of Codormo, whom the Portuguese writers describe as Rajah of Cochin, he resolved to visit the churches, and compel them, if possible, to submit to his authority. A few of them gave him a favourable reception; but from others he received no further attention than they were forced by the native princes to render. He confesses that he bought the submission of some with money, and that several joined him for the sake of the Portuguese protection.2 All this, however, did not deter the inhabitants of Mangate from insulting him but, with the assistance of the princes, he took possession of their church, removed the rector, who had been placed there by the Archdeacon, and put in his place a partisan of his own. 2 P. p. 64. 66. A. D. 1662. put up to 26. As the church of Angamale was considered the first in the diocese, and had been the most firm in its determination to maintain Native princes less the liberty of the Archdeacon, the Bishop re- zealous for solved to spare no pains to reduce it to sub- him: the mission. The princes had promised him a strong Angamale escort for the purpose, but their zeal in his auction; cause now began to wane. Probably his pre- buys it. Bishop sents did not satisfy them; or they might think that in the present jeopardy of the Portuguese affairs, it was time to look out for themselves, and not exasperate too much their Christian subjects or neighbours. It requires a high sense of honour, and a strong conviction of duty, to remain with a vessel in danger. But whatever were the cause of the decline of these natives' ardour, it was too manifest to escape observation. They now gave the prelate a guard of only four soldiers, and that merely to save appearances. Of this he bitterly complains, and says, that he should have derived no advantage from so feeble a support, if he had not found here some Christians already disposed to join the Roman Church. These, he says, welcomed him with joy; but that others opposed him with so much violence, that it seemed to him as if all hell was let loose to resist the reduction of this church, and the salvation of souls which would have followed. At last the princes determined to put up this church to auction, and it was knocked down to the Bishop for a thousand fanams. One cannot but be amazed at the simplicity of the man who could imagine, that the congregations of churches acquired by such means, would remain attached to a communion 3 Id. p. 67. Again assuming this to have been the Madras single fauam, the church was sold for about 81. 6s. 8d. |