CHAP. He resolves to hold an -attempts made to prevent it. they already suspected, and it had given them no little uneasiness. The rajah of Cochin, especially, was fully aware of the prelate's intention, and awake to the danger that threatened his own dominions; and he ventured, as far as he could, to endeavour to impede the Archbishop's progress. He began by making the Christians of Molandurté, who were his subjects, pay dearly for their kindness and submission to Menezes, imposing upon them a heavy tribute, from which they were not relieved for many years. He also commanded them, on pain of death, to repair to their Archdeacon at Angamale. 2. While these proceedings intimidated the ordination Syrians, they were calculated to have the oppoat Diamper site effect upon the determined spirit of the ineffectually Archbishop. Having despatched his business with the Zamorin, and being encouraged by his favourable reception at Molandurté, he set out for Diamper, the ancient seat of several Bishops of Malabar. His great object in his present migrations was, to form a strong party among the Syrians, that through them he might gain access to the whole community : and having remarked that the Cattanars retained a close attachment to the prelate who ordained them, he resolved to commence his proceedings with the ordination of as many as he could persuade to receive orders at his hands. At this time the circumstances of the diocese favoured his design, for he had succeeded in keeping the see in abeyance for two years. Consequently, there had been no ordination during that period and concluding that many would be desirous and ready to present themselves for the purpose, he gave notice of his intention to hold a public ordination at Diamper on the Saturday before the approaching Palm Sunday. This plan succeeded, though not at first to his wishes, nor without opposition. Affecting ignorance of the Archdeacon's dissatisfaction at what he had hitherto done, he wrote to inform him of his intention, and to invite him to be present and assist at the solemnity. The Archdeacon was much grieved at this determination to anticipate the approaching council, and replied, "That it was contrary to the late agreement they had made together, and that it would put an end to the affair of the Synod, which the Archbishop seemed so much to desire, since the principal question to be debated therein was, Whether he was their Prelate or no.” But Menezes suspected that the Archdeacon talked so much about the Synod only to amuse him and gain time, in the hope that he would soon be compelled to return before he had done anything of importance. Indeed, Gouvea goes so far as to charge the Archdeacon with the first infraction of the treaty at Chegurèe; because, as that historian asserts, without attempting to explain how he ascertained the fact, he never meant the Synod to be held.2 Enough, however, has here been adduced to show, that the Archbishop alone was guilty of breach of faith; for he did not suffer a week to elapse without breaking the agreement that he had signed. It cannot be pretended that he was under any constraint when he put his signature to the deed; for at the time he actually held, in a manner, possession of the Archdeacon's person, who, therefore, if any one, had cause to complain of coercion. A. D. 1599. СНАР. The suspicion, however, of the Archdeacon's duplicity, furnished the artful prelate with an excuse for setting him at defiance. He wrote him word, "that nothing should hinder him from conferring orders at the appointed time: and not only so, but that he would exercise all other acts of episcopal jurisdiction, in obedience to the Pope's briefs, to whom all the churches of the world were subject." These "Briefs,' it will be remembered, were in his possession, when he signed the agreement to abstain from the acts which he now shamelessly avows his determination to perform. The Archdeacon, finding him so bent upon holding an ordination, and, probably, wishing to appear ready to make some concession, rejoined, "that since he was resolved to do it, right or wrong, he begged of him to ordain none but To this the Archbishop Latin 3 candidates." replied, "that he should ordain both Latins and Chaldæans; for that it was his business to put an end to that distinction, by bringing all Christians into one fold under one universal Shepherd, who was the Pope." But Seeing that he thus gloried in the shame of violating the act of Chegurèe, the Archdeacon was convinced that nothing he could do would stop so unprincipled a man in his career. he determined, notwithstanding, to use all his influence with the native authorities to prevent the intended ordination, or, at least, to reduce the number of candidates as low as possible. He suspected that Menezes would ordain all that came to him, without exacting the usual fee; for he knew enough of that prelate to see, that he had sufficient sagacity to discover the 3 This name is given to all the native youths educated at the Jesuits' college, as well as to Portuguese students. advantage that would accrue to him from this For this purpose he wrote in pressing terms to the rajahs of Cochin, Angamale, and Mangate, who had for some time been the friends and protectors of Menezes, entreating them to use their interest with him to dissuade him from his purpose. The rajah of Cochin he especially urged not to permit the ordination to take place within his dominions. On receipt of this remonstrance, those princes wrote to the Archbishop, earnestly requesting him not to confer orders before the proposed general Synod of all the Christians in Malabar: but their letters proved as unavailing as that of the Archdeacon. Menezes replied to them all in the same strain,-"That in matters relating to the Christian Law he could have nothing to say to them; that he gave no account of his conduct to infidels, to whom the secrets of Christianity were unknown; that in every thing else he A. D. 1599. CHAP. should obey them, in justice and equity; and, finally, that the administration of orders which he was about to confer, was included in those things in which they had promised him their favour and assistance." Besides soliciting the intervention of these princes, the Archdeacon published an edict throughout the diocese, forbidding all Christians, upon pain of excommunication, to receive orders from the hands of Menezes. He circulated another document, commanding all Cattanars and Christians not to suffer the Archbishop to enter any of their Churches, nor to be present at any of his masses and sermons. Besides the ecclesiastical censures which they would incur by their disobedience, he warned them of the disgrace and chastisement that would fall on them from their sovereigns. To the cattanars and inhabitants of Diamper he addressed a special olla, commanding them to prevent the Archbishop from holding an ordination in their Church, or exercising any other jurisdiction. This order arrived too late, as he had already preached twice on two successive days, and confirmed several persons, without the slightest interruption. But the Archdeacon's commands were no sooner made known, than the people raised a disturbance against Menezes; and the senior cattanar immediately went to him, and, in his own name and that of every other cattanar in the place, desired him to quit the town, and not to set his 4 Olla, i. e. leaf. This is the Palmyra leaf, which is cut in strips, and written upon with a stylus, or pointed iron pen. This seems to have been the only mode of writing used in India before the introduction, by Europeans, of pen, ink and paper. To this day their Vedas and Shasters are composed of these strips of Olla strung together. |