1922. ] History and Ethnology of N.-E. India. 43 
Portuguese settlements on the Malabar Coast. Others took: 
service with native princes and fought bravely against Mughal 
and Afghan. These mercenaries were regarded as rebels (levan- 
tados del rey), because they neither assisted their countrymen 
nor paid tribute to the Goa Government. Their character was 
infamous. The majority was composed of military deserters, 
ruined traders, renegade priests, and spendthrifts of all ranks 
and professions, who, resorting to Bengal, led scandalous lives, 
without any religion or law. The dishonour brought on the 
Christian name forced the Church to interfere and at the end 
ot 1597 [ May, 1598] a deputation, consisting of two Jesuit 
fathers from Goa and one from Dianga, was sent by the Arch- 
bishop of Goa to preach the gospel in Bengal and minister to 
the Portuguese settled there. ! 
In 1598, the fathers arrived at Hughli, where many Portu- 
guese and native Christians resided. The number of professing 
Christians far exceeded what was anticipated, and at © Ciande- 
can ”’ or Jessore, the mission baptised two hundred free and bond 
men. The toleration of the native rulers and officials is most 
surprising. When the fathers left Hughli, after founding a 
school and an hospital, the first in Bengal, the Mungif did not 
exact the customary fees. At “‘Ciandecan” they were given a 
piece of land rent free on which to build a church, and got 
permission to preach and convert at pleasure. At Sripur the 
same liberality was shown. Six hundred pieces of gold were 

Ruins of a church, etc., are said to nh still visible there. Three miles to the 
north on the ag bank, half way tothe present town of Bi is 
Angaracole, which had also an Aisestiisians Church when spa sr visit- 
ed Chittagong in 1630. In 1843, Father Barbe, the Vicar of Chittagong, 
wrote to the Bengal Catholic pukg: es V, pp. 268-271) that 12 Christian 
: Deke 
faciiling still lived at hat h ad been told ‘* by a Mosulman, 
1 0 years old, eh e recollected the time when 
villages close to that place were ot Heung by ist i 
h a are gone to , some to Neacolly ( Noakhali ) 
ilies 
na the remainder are in iaect eae s of the Chittagong District.” 
(ch. Father Hosten’s notes to Pére Barbier’s letter (loc. cit , pp. 20 and 21) 
H.E.S. 
| [There were, however, priests in Bengal proper before 1597, to 
ae ministrations the oceurrence of the Christians referred to in the 
par fs, S was ey du from Go 
ae Pedro Dias) are mentioned in 1576 as having visited Bengal. Soke. 
priest of Satgaon, called Julian Pereira journeyed to the Court of Ak 
in 1578; and the impression he made on the Mughal Emperor Seitittedl 
Montserrate (Josson, op. cit., pp. 289, 290 a he names 
of the two priests (not three, as Dr, Wise states), sent by Father Nicolas 
Pimenta, Visitor of the Society of Jesus, gal from 5 
were F: s Fernandez and Sosa. ey were joined in the 
following y v w Bowes and Melchior - Fonseca ; but Father 
Hosten doubts whether either of the latter ca Dianga. Fernandez 
died in prison at Chittagong in 1602 from ill sreatiient at the hands of 
the Arrakanese King. (Josson, op. cit., pp. 290 and 291 ; Beveridge, 
Bakarganj, pp. 28-34.) H.E.S.] 
