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Of the Memory there is of the Preaching the Gospel of Christ in all Asia and its Islands, particularly by the Apostle Saint Thomas in those Parts mentioned in this History, and of the Extirpation and Re∣paration of the same.
1. FOR the better understanding of what follows, it is necessary to run over the Position of these Countries. Off from the Island Zocotora appears on the Coast of Africk the Empire of Ethiopia, divided on the East from Asia by the Red Sea, begin∣ning
on the North at the City Suanquem, and ending on the South almost at the Mouth of the Red Sea. Between that Sea and the Persian Golph lies that part of Arabia, which is most Fruitful and best Peopled. Ten Leagues from this Shore, and three from that of Persia, just within the Mouth of the Gulph, is the Island Gerum, and in it the City Ormuz, a Kingdom more famous for its Trade than extent. From thence runs along the Coast of Caramania subject to Per∣sia for the space of Two hundred Leagues, to the City Diul seated on the Westernmost Mouth of Indus, which River makes one of the sides of that Continent which is pro∣perly called India, and is in the form of a Lozenge.
2. Of its most distant Angles, the one lies North between the Fountains of Indus and Ganges on Mount Imaus; the other South, and is the famous Cape Comori, the distance between these two Angles is Four hundred Leagues. The other two Angles which lie East and West, at Three hundred Leagues in∣terval reach the Mouths of the same two Rivers. This vast Continent, called by the Natives Indostan, is divided into several Kingdoms and Dominions, as are (to begin at the Mouth of Indus where we left off) the Kingdoms of Gurzarate or Cambaya, De∣can, Bisnagar; those of Malabar, viz. Canor, Calicut, Cranganor, Cochim, Porcà, Coulam and Travancor, reaching to the Point of the Cape in 7 deg. 40 min. of N. Lat. From
the Cape, the Coast runs again toward the North till the Mouth of Ganges, where taking a great round it makes the Bay of Bengala, and runs again towards the South, to the other famous Cape of Cingapura, the South∣ernmost of all the Eastern Continent. Op∣posite to Cape Comori is the Island Ceylon, that of Sumatra to Cingapura: But begin∣ning at Cape Comori, Two hundred Leagues of the Coast belong to the Kingdom of Nar∣singa, or Bisnagar, the rest to those of Orixa, Bengala, Pegu and Siam. Beyond Cingapura are those of Cambodia, Tsiompa, Cochinchina, and the Great China.
3. The Islands of this great Archipelago are innumerable: But not to mention those opposite to Indostan, there are Iava, Timor, Borneo, Banda, the Molucos, Celebes, Maza∣car, Sunda, Lequia, and those of Iapan, without speaking of many more of Note. It is certain the Gospel was in the time of the Apostles Preached in many of these Pro∣vinces, if not in all. For the Ethiopians value themselves upon receiving it from a Servant of Queen Candace baptized by Saint Philip, and from the Evangelist St. Matthew. There is no doubt but Arabia and Persia flourished with many Saints and Martyrs, and the People of Bazora, where Tigris and Euphrates fall into the Sea, have a Tradition that the beloved Disciple preached to them. But the most singular Apostle of those Parts of Asia was St. Thomas, the memory of whom is still preserved in Cranganor, Coulam, and
Meliapor, with evident Testimonies that he travelled over all those Countries, even as far as China, whence he returned to the King∣dom of Coromandell, where he ended his Preaching with his Life.
4. Christianity being now utterly corrupt in some Parts of Asia, and quite lost in o∣thers, the Portugues Arms, accompanied by Apostolical Ministers, went thither to restore it. The first who Baptized in that Part of Asia was F. Peter de Cubillones of the Holy Order of the Blessed Trinity, and Confessor to the first Discoverer, Vasco de Gama.
5. The most successful Labourers after him were in India the Vicar Michael Vaz, and Iames de Borba, and other Religious of the Order of St. Francis. In the Moluco Islands, Captain Francis de Castro, who con∣verted five Kings in the Island Mazacar. Captain Antony de Payva, who in the same Island Baptized two Kings and their Courts in one Day. Others are named in their proper Places in this History, and will doubt∣less be Recorded in the Book of Life.
6. This was the Estate of Christianity in Asia, when its new Apostle St. Francis Xa∣verius, of the Society of Jesus came thither. He travelled more than is credible, and did more than human Works. He was born of a Noble Family at Pamplona in Navarre in the Year 1497, studied and taught Philo∣sophy and Divinity at Paris, whence he went Companion to St. Ignatius Loyola, fol∣lowed
his Rule, and received Holy Orders at Venice.
7. He came to Portugal in order to pass into India in the Year 1540, and the Reign of King Iohn the Third, who sent for him and a Companion from Rome. He had the Dignity of Apostolical Nuncio in the East; and during the Voyage, and in India, was called Holy Father. He Preached in the Island Zocotora, at Goa and Travancor, where he was persecuted. It cost him no less Pains to reclaim the Portugueses, debauched with the Riches of Asia, than to convert Infidels. In the Island Ceylon he Converted the King of Candea, went thence to the Moluco's, and gained many Souls. After several times traversing the Islands, India, and other Parts, he went to Iapan, and, with the Prince's leave, Preached at Cangoxima, and suffered many Afflictions, then went to Fi∣rando, Yamanguchi and Miaco, where with great pains he planted the Faith. Then he returned to Malaca, after converting the King of Bungo, who soon after died a Chri∣stian, being called Francis in Baptism.
8. Next he prepared to go into China, and died at the Entrance of it in the Island Sancham, in the Fifty-fifth Year of his Age, and the Eleventh of his Preaching, having first foretold the Day of his Death, which was the second of December about midnight: His Body the Year following was translated to Goa. He had the Gift of Languages and Prophecy, and was Canonized by Pope Gre∣gory
the 15th, in the Year 1622. He had many Disciples and Companions, who wrought and endured much, and were held in opinion of sanctity.
9. We have already spoke of the first en∣trance of Christianity into Ethiopia, India, Iapan, Persia, and Arabia, and of its restau∣ration by the Portugueses; now we will say somewhat relating to the same in China; there are still undeniable testimonies that St. Tho∣mas spread the Evangelical Doctrine there, and though no footsteps of it appeared, the same had happened in all India, had not Thomas called Cananeus an Armenian Christi∣an, about the Year 800 come to Mogodover or Patana, who renewing the Apostles Churches, and building others, resettled the Christian Religion, and gave occasion to the mistake (because both had the same name) in believ∣ing they were all the work of the sormer. The same happened in China, as shall be made appear; the time Christianity was forgot in both places, differs not much, for as it appears, Thomas-Cananeus re-establish∣ed it in India about the Year Eight hun∣dred, so it is plain by what shall be said, that about the Year Seven hundred it began again to take footing in China.
10. Let us first speak of the antient and then of the modern testimonies. In the Cal∣daick Books of the Indian Christians still re∣maining at Cranganor, and particularly in a breviary, there is a lesson to this purpose;
By St. Thomas the Errors of the Idolatry
of India were abolished; by St. Thomas the Chineses and Ethiopians were convert∣ed to the Truth; by St. Thomas &c. by St. Thomas were spread in all India, the rays of the Doctrine of Life; by St. Tho∣mas flew to the Chineses the Kingdom of Heaven. And again in an Antiphon, the Indians, Chineses, the Persians and Islan∣ders, those of Siria, Armenia, Grecia, and Romania, in commemoration of St. Thomas, offer adoration to thy Holy Name.A∣mong the Islanders may well be reckoned the Iaponeses; in the summary of the Synodical Constitutions, and Chapter of those that are Canonical, there is a Canon of the Pa∣triarch Theodosius, in which are these words, So also the Bishops of the great Province, as are most of the Metropolitans of China. When the Portugueses entered India, the Governor of the Malabar Mountains, called Iacoh, stiled himself, Metropolitan of India and China; Paulus Venetus a true Historian in all points, that can now be proved, assures in his time, there were in China many Christians who had sumptuous Churches, and names the Cities in which they were. The Fa∣thers of the Society of Jesus had an account of People who worshipped the Cross. The cause why the Christians and their Churches were quite extinct, and no footsteps of them remains, is that they having favoured the Tartar when he invaded China about Three hundred Years since, he being overcome by the Chineses, many of them were killed,
the rest fled, and all that had been theirs was totally extirpated.
11. In the Year 1625, digging for a foundation near Siganfu, Metropolis of the Province of Xensi, there was found a flat stone above 9 spans in length, 4 in breadth, and one in thickness; one end of it goes off sharp like a Pyramid, on it is cut a Cross, the ends of it adorned with Flower de luces like that found in the Tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle, about it are Clouds, and at the foot of it three lines, each containing three Chinese Letters, all the superficies of the stone is full of those Characters, and the edges, only that on these are some Sirian Characters, containing the names of the Bishops then in being. The Governor of the Town set it up there, under an Arch within the inclosure of a Temple. The three first lines have these words,
A Mo∣nument in Praise and Eternal Memory, of the propogating the law of light; and Truth come from Iudea into China. Then over the rest of the writing is this Title; the Prologue made by the Priest of the Kingdom of Iudea called Qui∣mein.
12. The Substance of the Inscription is this:
That the most Spiritual, Incom∣prehensible and Eternal is without be∣ginning or end; That the beginning is three and one without having a begin∣ning. Lord Olooyu; That he formed the four Parts of the World in the figure of
a Cross; That he framed all Creatures and Man; That Man perverted from his Innocence, fell into the Snares of Satan; That hence sprang Three hnndred sixty five Sects; That some assigned Divinity to Creatures, and others believed all was a meer nothing; That all was full of Errors and Confusion; That then the Messiah, concealing his Majesty by be∣coming Man, appeared to the World; That an Angel coming to declare the My∣stery to a Virgin, she brought forth the Holy; That a Star appeared, denoting his Birth, and those of the Kingdom of Pozu went to offer him Tribute, all sui∣table to what the Twenty-four Saints had said; That he proposed to the World the most pure Law, and filled it with Light and Virtues, opening the way to Life, and shutting that of Death; That he overcame the dark Seat, and the Devil was destroyed, and Man made capable of ascending to the bright Seats; That at noon Day he ascended into Heaven, and there remained Twenty-seven Books of the Holy Scriptures; That he opened the Gate of Conversion by the Water that purifies; That his Ministers used the Holy Cross, and stayed not in one Coun∣try, nor had Servants, nor looked for Riches; That they seven times offered Sacrifice of sweet Odor, wherewith they helped the living and dead; That every seven Days they offered and purified the
Heart to receive the Holy Innocence; That no proper Name could be given to the true Law, and for want of another they called it, The Law of Light; That in the Year of Chinquon Kieiça, there came from Iudea a Man of great Virtue, called Olo∣puem, with the true Doctrine; That this was received throughout all the Kingdom, and Churches erected; that afterwards some change of Affairs happening, it grew weak, but in the Time of the Great Tam, the Holy Gospel returned to China; That in the Year of Ximbie, the Priests Iohn and Paul redressed all, and new Churches were erected; That in the Reign of the Great Tam, the second Year Kienchum, on the seventh day of the Month of Autumn, this Stone was set up, Kinçin Governor of the Church of China being Bishop.
13. By this venerable Piece of Antiquity it appears, that the Christian Faith was planted in China about the Year Six hun∣dred thirty-one. From it also may be inferr'd, that St. Thomas first Preached there, but that Christianity being almost forgot, those Priests of Iudea and Kings of China restored it, as has been shown it happened in India. So that what the Portugueses, assisted by other European Religious Men now perform, is a second Re-establishment of the Faith.
14. About the Year 1543, Fernan Men∣dez Pinto had this following Information in China. He was Travelling from the City
Mindoo to that of Peking, and seeing by the way the Ruins of another, was informed, that about Two hundred Years before it was a most flourishing Place. That a Holy Man coming thither raised some dead to life, and Preach∣ed of Jesus Christ, and his Vicar upon Earth; that the Heathen Priests designing to burn him, he quenched the fire, making the sign of the Cross over it; that they stoned him to Death, and being thrown into a River, the Stream stood still five days, the holy Bo∣dy being born upon the Superficies all the time; that this occasioned the Conversion of many People, of which there was a great number in that Province. Further upon a Mountain was a Stone Cross, which this Writer saw some People Worship, pro∣nouncing these Words: Christ Iesus; Mary conceived him being a Virgin, brought him forth a Virgin, and remained a Virgin. These were Disciples descended from a Weaver, called Iohn, in whose House that Holy Mar∣tyr was entertained. They preserve a Book of his Life, which says his Name was Mat∣thew Escandel, by Birth an Hungarian, and had been an Heremite on Mount Sinai. That History related, that he being taken out of the River and buried nine days after, the City was swallowed up with Four thousand Bonzos, who only durst stay in it, the People having abandoned it, by reason of the Earth∣quakes that happened before.
15. At the same time the same Writer found in the Cities Sampitay and Quiangsi
of China, many Christians who had been converted Twenty-five Years before, which was Sixty Years before the Jesuits entered China, which is now One hundred and four∣teen Years since. And this is the Reason those Fathers found some Monuments of Christianity, but so obscure that little could be made out by them.
16. The same Feruand Mendez relates, That in the City Timplan, the Court of the Emperor of Caminam, a Borderer on Chi∣na, he found most ancient Monuments of the Christian Faith, and some account of the Holy Scripture.
Those People said, That the Creation of the World was the work of the Will of the Creator; That he was not visible, nor to be felt; That there were Eighty-two thousand Moons since the Earth was separated from the Water; That on Earth God had crea∣ted a most delightful Garden, and pla∣ced therein the first Man called Adda, and his Wife Baragom: That he forbid them the Fruit of the Tree Hisaforam, and they transgressing this Command, all Men became liable to the Punishment of that Guilt: That the Man broke the Precept, being deceived by the Woman, and she by the Serpent Lupantoo: That for this Disobedience they were cast out of that delightful Place: That by reason of the Sinfulness of Man, God had drown∣ed the World; That only one just Man with his Family escaped in a Wooden
House, and by them Mankind was resto∣red: That God would punish the Wicked, and reward the Good: That one Iohn, a Disciple of Thomas Modeliar, (a Servant of God, whom the Citizens of Digun killed, because he preached that God be∣came Man, and suffered Death for the Sins of Men) had Preached the same in that Country, and lost his Life for so doing. Thomas Modeliar is the Apostle St. Thomas.The People of Calaminam own the Blessed Trinity; when they Sneeze they say some Words that declare it, and they make the sign of the Cross.
17. The last Testimony was discovered in the Year 1635, but the thing in it self is at least as antient as the Stone already spo∣ken of. Some Heathens passing through a Street in a Village near the City Civenche•…•… of the Province of Fokien, by Night saw Lights on some Stones that lay there, and turning them up, found on that part which had lain next the Ground Crosses carved. A Jesuit examining into it, caused the Stone on which the greatest Light appeared to be fixed in a decent place, as a Monument of the Miracle, and of our Religion in those Parts.
18. We shall speak of what was done by the Religious of the Society of Jesus in order to the Reparation of Christianity in this Empire in the proper place, and Third Tome of this our Asia. They entred upon this undertaking in the Year 1579, which
was the the last under our Portugues Princes who yet expired not without this Glory. In the Year 1583, they Founded the first Church at Xauking. The rest of their Pro∣ceedings we refer to the Third Tome, be∣ginning under the Spanish Monarchs, as this has ended with the Portugueses.