66 J 
A fhort Introduction to the Malaba: 
Language ^ 
TH E AlalahAri write upon the 
Leaves of the wild Palm-Trees 
with Iron t'encils their Letters 
are very anticnt, and diflinguifli'd into 
(i.) Short or running Letters, (2.) Long 
ones^ (3.) yowcls^ (4.) Confonants^ (5.) 
Vfpthongs, (6.) Letters us'd only in the 
beginning of a Word, (7.) Such as are 
Us'doiily in the Middle, and (8.) Such 
as are tls'd only in the End, as will more 
clearly appear out of the annexed Cuts, 
Arid feeing that the Malabar Letters have 
hitherto not appeared in publick Print, 
either in Holland or Gcrman^^ it ivill not 
be amifs to alledg the Rcafons thereof, 
and to fliew that this Language is no leis 
worth our care now-a-days, than the He- 
brew^ Chaldean^ Arabian^ Pcrftaiif Sdtna' 
ritan and other Languages. 
The main reafon why the Malabar 
Language has remained fo long unknown 
tons, is, bccaule that Country was not 
conquered by the Dutch Company till in 
the Years f562, 166^. from the 
Portuguefes \ and it is not their Cuftom to 
fend any Minifters into thofe Places, 
where they are not Sovereign Mafters. 
""Tis true, I adifted at the Sieges of Cou- 
lang^ Cranganor^ Cochin^ &c. and 1658. 
at the Sieges of Tutecoryn^ Manaar^ 'jaf- 
rtapatnam and Negapatan ^ but was imme- 
diately after order'd to PJephina in the 
Kingdom of Jafnapatnamy where I !iad 
the overdght over 24 Churches. During 
thcfpacc of near four Years that I ftaid 
here alone, Iv?as fenfible what Obftacle 
the Ignorance of the Native Language 
was to my good Intentions : For tho ma- 
ny of the Chriftians here were well e- 
nough verfed in the Dutch and Portugucfc 
Languages, yet fome belonging to the 
more remote Churches, who had been 
but flenderly inftrufled in the Principles 
of the Chriftian Religion by the Romn 
MiQionaries, were ftrangely at a lofs till 
I got a good Interpreter, who being well 
skill'd both in iih Mothcf Tongue the Mk- 
labar^ and the PortugucJ'e Languages, did 
me great Services tof eight Years toge- 
ther. His Name wa^ fV^jMcw, and it was 
chiefly with his Alfiftance, that the fun- 
damental Points of our Religion, bting 
comprehended in a fmall Treatife, were 
tranllated out of the Portugucfc into the 
Malabar Lv^ngua^Q^ which has been fince 
printed^ .i^7t. at Roterdanji by John Bor- 
jlius. The multiplicity of Rulinefs in fq 
weighty a concern as the Salvation of* 
Souls, iiaving been no fmall hindrance in 
encompafTrng fo diilkuk a Language as 
the Malabar , 1 was forced to be content- 
ed with what part thereof I could attain, 
and thofe few Intervals of time I had 
left, whereof I have given fome Specimen 
in the following Pages and Cuts, I can'C 
upon this Occafion pafs by in Silence the 
Condderations which might induce us to 
piropagate the Malabar Language with 
more care, than has been done hitherto ; 
it being certain, that if our Religious 
Worlhip could be firmly eftablifhed in 
thofe Parts (whereof the Knowledg of 
the Language is one of the chief means) 
it would be very inflrumental to reconcile 
not only many of the Inhabitants, buc 
alfo even of the Indian Princes thcmfelves 
to our Intereft i a piece of Policy well 
underllood by Emanuel King of PoiU.* 
galy when he introduced the jftoman Ca- 
thotick Religion by fhe help of the JcfuUs 
in the Indies. 
I reft: your Servant and Friend 
in Jefus Chrift, 
Gccrvliet, 3j 7*^/. 
1^7 J . ' 
S&me 
