10 



I am aware that Mr, Tillemont, La Croze, and others maintam 

 that it was not the Apostle, but Thomas the disciple of Manes^ 

 A. D 277, that first preached Christianity in India. But there are 

 two strong objections to this opinion. First, the constant tra- 

 dition, which, as we have seen is entirely for the Apostle; and 

 Secondly, because Epiphanias, in his history of Manes and his 

 disciples, says that he fled not into India, but into JudcBtty where 

 he was taken by the king of Persia.* We are told also by 

 Epiphanias that Manes on his arrival at CaskaVy found there bi* 

 shops, presbyters, and deacons, with a large body of orthodox 

 christians, who banished hi\n for his heresy. This establish- 

 ment surely implies the introduction of Christianity at a much 

 earlier period, i. e. at a date much anterior to the year 277. 



But to pass from this, the scene of the Apostle's ministry, to the 

 opposite coast, the immediate object of our present enquiry. The 

 most credible and constant tradition, among Arabs, heathens and 

 christians, is that after his death, his disciples, being driven hence 

 by persecution, crossed the Peninsula, to the opposite coast of Ma- 

 labar, and took refuge in the hills of Travancore, where they found 

 other christians, converts of the Apostle on his first landing on that 

 coast before he visited Madras. 



The heathen princes conferred great privileges on the christians 

 thus assembled in their territories, and especially Serun Perumal, 

 the Samorin or king of Malabar and the founder of Calicut, in the 

 ninth century. f This was the prince who divided the provinces of 

 his empire amongst his relations and favourites, and so introduced 

 that multitude of petty principalities with which Malabar has been 

 ever since divided. In virtue of the privileges granted them by 

 Perumal, the christians ranked amongst the nobles of the country, 

 and at one period look precedence of the nairs. The most consider- 

 able of these is one which still continues, that the heathen Govern- 

 ment recognizes the metropolitan whom they elect as their tem- 

 poral as well as spiritual chief. 



These privileges, together with others which the king of Cranga- 

 nore afterwards granted to Mar Thomas, were written in the lan- 

 guage of the country on plates of brass, and were preserved till the 

 arrival of the Portuguese in India. A bishop of Angamale, called 

 Mar Yacoob, from fear of losing them, entrusted them to the Por- 

 tugues commissioners at Cochin on their first establishment there ; 



* Epiphan. 1. 629. 

 t According to Scaliger A. J). 907. but according to Mr. Vicher A. D. 825. 



