1834 ] Account of the Christians on the Malabar Coast, 260 



his boats, and retained only two priests to assist in the ceremonies 

 of the day. Having put on his pontifical robes, be gave his bene- 

 diction to the people, after which he made a long discourse the first 

 part of which is directed against the errors of Nestorius, and en- 

 forced the obedience due*" to the see of Rome. All this passed 

 quietly, but whe.i he began to speak to them of confirmation and 

 exhorted them to receive it, they siezed their arms and cried out 

 tumuUuously * that they would not submit to an ordinance, which 



* they did not acknowledge to be a Sacrament of Christ, but was 



* an invention of the Portuguese, to mark them as tlseir slaves and 



* vassals ; and that though the cowards of Vaipicotta had sub- 



* mitted to his degrading innovations, they would never endure it.' 

 On hearing this, the archbishop with great calmness sate down, and 

 began to reason with them on the divine institution of that Sacra- 

 ment, but finding that the tumult still continued, he rose and ad- 

 vanced boldly to them, with the cross in his hand and the mitre 

 upon his head, exclaiming. This is the Catholic Faith which I 

 " preach to you Jesus Christ taught it to his disciples, and St. 

 ** Thomas preached it in these regions. All true Christians ac- 



knowledge it, and I am ready to die for it ; nor will 1 leave this 

 *' place, until I have estabhshed it by my preaching or by my 



blood. If you desire this last attestation of the truth, approach. 



Ycu are armed — I am defenceless. The shepherd fights not : 

 *' his only office is to feed his sl^eep. I have dismissed my Portu- 

 ** guese attendants and am alone in the midst of you." 



In conclusion he challenged * those who talked against the Roman 



* faith by night in corners, to come forth, if they dared, to dispute 



* with him publickly.' The Archdeacon, who the night before had 

 assembled the principal persons of the town and received their solemn 

 assurance of allegiance to the Patriarch of Babylon, took this chal- 

 lenge to himself, and rising in passion, asked aloud ' who they were 

 that taught heresies in the dark, and that preached no where but in 

 corners/ Then suddenly leaving the church he went round the 

 town and brought back with him nine or ten boys whom he pre- 

 sented to the Archbishop. Menezes received the children with every 

 mark of affection, embraced them, and administered to them the 

 right of confirmation. Despairing of further success, he returned 

 to his boats and left Ptiruthe next morning. 



Arriving at Mangatte, the chief town of another principality, he 

 found the people in alarm from a war in which they were engaged 

 with the neighbouring state of Paru, and havmg preached upon his 



