﻿376 ACCOUNT OF THE ST. THOMe' CHRISTIANS 



The number of these Christians who consider 

 themselves as under the protection of the Fort of 

 Cochin, is computed to amonnt to about 36,0' '0 



In ecclesiastical matters they were formerly sub- 

 ject, to the Portuguese bishop of CocJtin, whom the 

 Dutch expelled as soon as they got possession of the 

 Fort. Thence he went to fix his residence at Coilatij 

 retaining, however, his former appellation of Bishop 

 of Cochin, and a g-reat part of bis former ecclesiasti- 

 cal jurisdiction over all the churches that were not 

 under the immediate controul of the Dutch. His 

 successors continue to preside over the same diocese, 

 which extends as far as the Cavery river, on the other 

 coast, including the (sland of Ce//o;2 ; comprehend- 

 ing more than 100 churches of the new or Latin 

 Christians. 



V/ >A F.x, for political reasons, the Dutch had expelled 

 the Portuguese Bishops from Cochin; in order that 

 the churches, which w ere now under their immediate 

 protection, should not remain without an ecclesias- 

 tical cliief, they applied to the see of Rome for a 

 nev.' Bishop, who would be under their controul, and 

 whom t'iey could better trust than a vassal of Por- 

 tugal. The Pope, in compliance with their wishes, 

 sent out a Carmelite Friar, with episcopal powers, 

 under the name of Vicar General, and the States 

 General granted him a diplovaa to that purpose in 

 the year l6s>8 



ThEY made it however an express condition with 

 the Pope, that he should appoint no Vicar General 

 who was not by birth either a German, Dutchman, 

 or Italian ; the company reserving to themselves 

 the right of rejecting him if they have any exception 

 against his person; and that in general, he must 

 consider hin^self as subject to the Company's or- 

 ders. 



His paltry allowance of about 4G0 rupees per 



annun). 



