the Kingdoms of Cochin and Travav^re. 73 



the archbishop of Goa, and restored to the^Garmelite bishop 

 of the apostolic mission, the president in council has accord- 

 ingly resolved, that the said restitution shall take plafe on 

 the 1st of the ensuing month ; from which time he hereby 

 enjoins all the catholic inhabitants in Bombay, as well as 

 the several factories and settlements subordinate thereto, to 

 pay due obedience in spiritual matters to the said bishops 

 on pain of incurring the severe displeasure of (rovcrnnront. 

 By order of the honourable the governor in council, 

 Bombay Cattle, (Sismed) \VxLLiAM Page, Secretary. 



The priests attached to the colletre of Verapoli are ail Car- 

 nielites, united to the apostolic mission at Bombav, but not 

 subject to it. The jurisdiction of each is not marked by di- 

 stinct bounds ; lh,e p.irishes and churclu-s being so intermin- 

 gled, that it is difficult to form a right notion of their ex- 

 tent. The bibhop of Cochin, ho\\'eyer, may be said to have 

 a control over all the Romish churches situated on the sea- 

 coast immediately (with few exceptions) from Cochin to 

 Ramnad, and thence round the whole island of Ceylon: the 

 churches are numerous ; but as they are in general poor, and 

 are obliged to be supplied with piicsts from Goa, it would 

 appear that one vicar holds, upon an average, five or six 

 churches. The number of Christians composing these 

 churches must be great, as all and every of the fishermen 

 are Romtm catholics. The bishop of Cochin usually resides 

 at Ouilon. There are very few European clergy (not above 

 seven or eight) under the three jurisdictions, and none of 

 them men of education ; and it cannot be expected that the 

 native priests, who have been educated at Goa, or at the 

 seminary at ^'crapoli, should know much beyond their mis- 

 salf and riluals. The Latin connnunicants in the diocese 

 of Verapoli arc estimated at 35,000. The catechumen suf- 

 fers no persecution on account of his religion when once 

 converted; hut the country governments are excessively jea- 

 lous upon this point, and do their uliiiosl to discountenance 

 any conversion. 



The converts are from various cast«, viz. Cheo-as or Teers 

 Muckvvas and Pullers; and there can be no doubt but that 



many 



