1834.] Account of the Christians on the Malabar Coast. 262 



landurte, where he was received with great kindness. In the mean 

 time the Archdeacon, who had been obliged by sickness to leave 

 him, or more probably using that pretext to excuse his absence, 

 learning that Menezes had already violated the treaty, wrote letters 

 from Angamale, where he then resided, to all the Churches of the 

 diocese, threatening to excommunicate all that should unite with 

 the Archbishop of Goa. He entreated also the Heathen Kings to 

 forbid him to enter their territories, and gave them to understand 

 that the Portuguese Prelate desired the control of the Christians of 

 St. Thomas in order to make them the vassals of Portugal These 

 Princes, especially the King of Cochin, had already begun to sus-= 

 pect such a design, and to bejealous of his interference with their 

 subjects. 



The Archbishop, proceeding southward, arrived at Diamper, 

 which had been the residence of several of their former Bishops, 

 and finding that no ordination had taken place in the last two years, 

 he gave notice of his intention of ordaining any candidates that 

 should offer themselves on the day before the fifth Sunday in Lent, 

 writing at the same time to the Archdeacon and desiring his attend- 

 ance at the time appointed. 



The Archdeacon reminded him that this was an open violation 

 of the agreement made at Chegureef and that if he persisted, the 

 Synod could not take place, since the first question for the Synod 

 to discuss was that of his jurisdiction. Menezes answered that 

 nothing should prevent him from exercising this and all other epis. 

 copal functions, in obedience to the Pope's commands, to whom 

 the whole world was subject. The Archdeacon desired him, at 

 least, only to ordain those of the Latin rite, that is, the Portuguese 

 and such natives as had been educated by the Jesuits. The an- 

 swer was positive and characteristic — that he should ordain all, 

 both * of the Latin and Syriac ritual, since it was his object to des- 

 * troy all distinctions and reduce all to one common head.' 



Upon this the Archdeacon published an edict to all the Churches 

 of the diocese prohibiting all, on pain of excommunication, from 

 receiving holy orders from the foreign Prelate, and strictly com- 

 manding all, both Clergy and Laity, to exclude him from their 

 churches and not to attend his ministry. 



The Senior Catanar of the Church of Diamper on receipt of 

 these letters, immediately required the Archbishop to desist from 

 administering confirmation and not to enter the Church again. He 

 paid no attention to this remonstrance, and was equally unmoved by the 

 threats of the King of Cochin and his officers, who strongly enfoic- 



