therefore, sent him word, that the Archdeacon might wait upon him whenever he pleased; that he should not interfere, and had never thought of interfering to hinder him. Notwithstanding this, the Archdeacon did not make his appearance; "having, in truth, no stomach to the morsel the Archbishop had prepared for him.” Menezes, therefore, sent two Jesuits to him, to let him know, that this was his last admonition, and that, if he did not come to him in eight days, he would certainly depose him, and put another in his place. 20. The governor and commissioners who went after the Rajah of Cochin, overtook him, and prevailed upon him to suspend hostilities, and retrace his steps. He resolved to take Cranganore in his way back, where he arrived, with twenty of his chief Naires, besides his usual train. The Archbishop, as soon as he heard that he was ready to come on shore, went to the landing place of the castle to meet him, and he there behaved towards him with greater appearance of civility than before. After an exchange of compliments, they proceeded together to a hermitage, at a short distance, where they held a private conference for a considerable time. At length the Rajah called in his prime minister, and some of the chief men, together with the commandant of the castle, and several of the Archbishop's attendants. In presence of this company, Menezes thanked the Rajah for desisting from the war of Corugeira, and also promised him the thanks of the King of Portugal. At the same time, he said, that this must not hinder him from acquainting his Highness, that he had cause to be much dissatisfied with the usage which he had received from him. The Rajah then desired to know what A. D. 1599. Overcomes rajah by his violence and the Cochin insolence. CHAP. V. had displeased him; assuring him, that there was nothing he so much desired as to satisfy him in all things. The Archbishop replied, "with a frowning countenance:"-"The confidence with which the King of Portugal, my master, and your High"ness brother in arms, ordered me to come alone, "without any apprehension of danger, into these "parts, with a view to restore the Christian "law, which is corrupted and fallen into decay, "was founded upon his knowledge, that in your "dominions there are many of these churches "placed under your immediate protection. As "heir and successor to the Kings of Diamper, "the former sovereigns of these Christians, you are bound to defend and succour them as those "princes did, into whose rights and possessions you have entered. Besides, your Highness is "brother in arms to the King of Portugal, and "the most powerful sovereign on the coast of "Malabar; which caused the King, my master, "to think that you would protect me in all perils, and that you would assist me to ob"tain what I expect from all the Christians of "these countries. In this persuasion I am my"self come from Goa, having left my own "diocese to strengthen myself in these parts, "which are so far from my home, and at "such a distance from the sea, and from the "arms and protection of my own nation. But "I see that I was mistaken in my confidence. I "have been in the countries of all the sovereigns of Malabar, and in none of them have 9 This is the first time that we hear of this order from the King of Portugal. It is no where said when he received it; nor is any attempt made to reconcile it with the entreaties of the viceroy, and other public authorities, that he would not expose himself to the dangers of which they forewarned him, if he should venture to visit the southern coast. "I received worse treatment than in those of your Highness. Indeed, they have all ho"noured me more than you have. Within your "dominions I have been exposed to many in"sults, and a thousand incivilities from your governors and Naires. The Christians, your "subjects, have been persecuted and loaded "with taxes, for no other reason, but because they received me with civility: and I myself "have been threatened every day with a vio"lent death.” Here the prime minister abruptly interposed, desiring Menezes to let his majesty know what affronts or injuries he had received in any part of his dominions. This threw the prelate into a violent rage, and he vociferated" Sir, no one knows them better than you do, for they were done before your own eyes. You chose, however, to wink at them. Nay, I do not "know but that you had a hand in procuring "them so do not, I pray you, pretend to be ignorant of them, nor offer to conceal them "from your master." 66 The Rajah then protested that he had never heard of any wrong or insult offered to the Archbishop in any part of his territories. This Menezes flatly contradicted, telling him, that it was no such thing; for that he had himself frequently informed him by letter, what he had endured from his subjects, but could gain no redress; that the insults offered him, and the impediments thrown in his way, had never been remedied, as he expected, and as they ought to have been, considering how much the Rajah was indebted to the Portuguese. "Your High"ness imagines," said he, "that I want to stir up your Christian subjects against you: "whereas you should rather reflect that the A. D. 1599. CHAP. 66 Portuguese, so far from wishing to deprive you of your subjects, are obtaining fresh subjects for you every day. To them are you "indebted for all that submit at this time "to your authority. When the Portuguese "first entered into alliance with the Rajah of "Cochin, he was the poorest sovereign in Ma"labar, and had the fewest subjects. But now, you have been exalted by the Portuguese to "a state of wealth and power far exceeding all "the rest. Yet, instead of rendering them "a due acknowledgment for such obligations, your Highness prefers the Archdeacon, your "subject, to me, and to the whole state of the "Portuguese, who have so often shed their "blood in your defence, and in that of your 66 predecessors. Wherefore, for the future, I "will complain of no one but the King, my "master, for sending me from a palace at Goa, "where I lived at my ease and in splendour, "to wander up and down the Serra to be "abused as I have been.1 To this insolent harangue the rajah replied, by asking Menezes what he meant; telling him, that the treatment he had received in his dominions did not merit such complaints; and desiring him to instance in what particulars he had been aggrieved. Menezes rejoined, that the worst that could be done to a man was to kill him, and that this was what the subjects of his Highness had repeatedly attempted to do to him; not to mention other insults to which he had been exposed. He then entered into the particulars of 1 Geddes has justly remarked, that "this does not agree 66 very well with what is said before of his going into the "Serra purely out of zeal and devotion, and contrary to all "that the viceroy and others could say or do to hinder him." p. 101. of what had happened at Molandurté and Diamper, and openly charged the Rajah with encouraging the Archdeacon in his rebellion against him. The only proof he gave in support of this allegation was, that he had granted several ollas to that ecclesiastic to obtain supplies of provision; whereas he had never given one to himself, though he had often desired it, and especially a decree, ordering all his Christian subjects to submit to him. The Rajah quietly promised to speak to the governor of Cochin, to send to the Archbishop an olla, with the edict that he desired. This irritated him still more; for he thought the Rajah used him contemptuously, when he talked of treating with the governor about that which was his own immediate concern. He, therefore, told him, that it had always been his practice to put him off with delays; that for his own part he desired none of his ollas; and that the Christians of St. Thomas, had they been true Christians, would never have suffered their kings to intermeddle with religious matters; especially infidel kings and idolaters, as he was, who, knowing nothing of the true God, worshipped stocks and stones, and even devils, instead of God; that for his part, he could not but marvel at his Highness, who, though he took no heed to the laws of the Jews and Mahomedans in his kingdom, yet presumed to blend the laws of the Christians with his own; that he was indeed surprised at his countenancing the Archdeacon, while in a state of rebellion against his own prelate; and at his favouring those who adhered to the Patriarch of Babylon, in opposition to the Pope, though he knew nothing of the difference between those prelates; that he would do well, therefore, to leave his Christian subjects to A. D. 1599. |