APRIL— sept. 1859.] Copper Plates of Malabar. 



31 



yet however justly claim to be admitted to be a people of ability 

 and intellect. 



The whole of the original Kerala was ruled by Parasa Ramen, 

 and afterwards by the Brahmins established there by him, but the 

 greater portion, that is to say, the southern part of it, was after 

 some time ruled by Peroomals or Viceroys sent at the desire of the 

 Brahmins by the Rajahs of Salem, and each of whom governed for 

 the space of 12 years, being subject to certain regulations of the 

 Brahmins, but in fact having the superior authority. This species 

 of mixed Government appears from several circumstances and 

 other proofs, to have commenced 68 years before the Christian 

 era, and ended about A. D. 352. The names of the 37 Peroo- 

 mals who ruled during this period are still to be found in the old 

 records of the history of the country. From this time till Hyder 

 Ally's' usurpation in A. D. 1766, the ancestors of the present 

 nominal Rajahs unquestionably ruled over the country with some 

 slight interruptions from the Portuguese subsequently to A. D. 

 1498. 



The above narrative (the outline of which may be gleaned, 

 though with difficulty it is true, from various old works, however 

 overlaid the history in those works may be with fables) is very 

 fully illustrated by the following trustworthy Deeds on Copper, 

 viz., No. I. dated as will be hereafter shown, without doubt in 

 A. D. 230, No. III. apparently dated in A. D. 168, and No. II., 

 which from certain circumstantial evidence it may be concluded 

 was executed about A D. 321. It is also corroborated by a Euro- 

 pean named Cona Thorn a, who testifies that he saw the last 

 Peroomal at Cranganore (Codungalore) in A. D. 345. 



These three Copper Plate Documents are still extant being pre- 

 served respectively by the Jews and by Nasaranies or Syrian Chris- 

 tians of Malabar. Of these deeds two were executed by the Peroo- 

 mals themselves with the knowledge and concurrence of the Brah- 

 mins and Chieftains before alluded to, and granted to certain indi- 

 viduals mentioned therein ; and the other was granted by Marm- 

 van Sapir Iso to a Church called Tarisa Pully built by Isodata V ee- 

 ray, and was executed in conjunction with the then Venaad Adi- 

 gul or Chief, now called the Travancore Rajah, From fear of mis- 



