Reverend in Christ Father George Archdeacon of the Christians of St. Thomas in the Serra of the Kingdom of Malabar and to all other Priests Curates Deacons and Subdeacons and to all Towns Villages and Hamlets and to all Christian People of the said Bishoprick Health in our Lord Jesus Christ We give you all and every one of you in particular to understand that the most Holy Father Pope Clement VIII our Lord Bishop of Rome and Vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ upon earth at this time presiding in the Church of God having sent two Briefs directed to Vs one of the 27th of Jan. in the Year 1595 and the other of the 21st of the same Month in the Year 1597 in which by virtue of his Pastoral Office and that Vniversal Power bequeathed to the Supream Holy and Apostolical Chair of St. Peter over all the Churches in the World by Jesus Christ the Son of God our Lord and Redeemer he commanded us upon the death of the Archbishop Mar-Abraham to take Possession of this Church and Bishoprick so as not to suffer any Bishop or Prelate coming from Babylon to enter therein as has been hitherto the Custom all that come from thence being Schismaticks Hereticks and Nestorians out of the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church and Subject to the Patriarch of Babylon the Head of the said Heresy and to appoint a Governour or Apostolical Vicar to Rule the said Diocess both in Spirituals and Temporals until such time as the Holy Roman Church shall provide it of a proper Pastor which being read by us we were desirous to execute the Apostolical Mandates with due Reverence and Obedience besides that the same was incumbent on us of right the said Church having no Chapter to take care of it during the vacancy of the See as Metropolitan and Primate of this and all the other Churches of the Indies and the Oriental Parts But perceiving that our Mandate in that behalf had no effect what we had ordered not having been obeyed in the said Diocess so that what our most Holy Father the Bishop of Rome had designed was like to be frustrated after having laboured therein for the space of two Years Schism and Disobedience to the Apostolical See having been so rooted in that Diocess for a great many Years that the Inhabitants thereof instead of yielding Obedience to the Apostolical and Our Mandates on the contrary upon the intimation thereof did daily harden themselves more and more committing greater Offences against the Obedience due to the Holy Roman Church after having commended the Matter to God and ordered the same to be done through our whole Diocess and after mature Advice by which Methods the Apostolical Mandates might be best executed and being also moved by the Piety of the People and the Mercy God had shewn them in having preserved so many thousand Souls in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ from the time that the Holy Apostle St. Thomas had Preached to them until this day notwithstanding their having lived among so many Heathens and been scattered in divers places their Churches and all belonging to them having been always subject to Idolatrous Kings and Princes and incompassed with Idols and Pagods and that without holding any correspondence with any other Christians before the coming of the Portuguezes into these Parts we being likewise desirous that the Labours of the Holy Apostle St. Thomas which still remained among them should not be lost for want of sound Doctrine and that the Apostolical Mandates might not be frustrated did determine and having provided for the Government of our own Church during our absence did prepare to go in Person to take Possession of the said Bishoprick to see if by our Presence we might be able to reduce them to the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church and purge out the Heresies and false Doctrines sown among them and introduced by the Schismatical Prelates and Nestorian Hereticks that had governed them under the Obedience of the Patriarch of Babylon as also to call in and purge the Books containing those Heresies and according to our Pastoral Duty so far as God should enable us to Preach to them in Person the Catholick Truth Accordingly going into the said Bishoprick we set about visiting the Churches thereof but at that time Satan the great Enemy of the good of Souls having stirred up great Commotions and much opposition against this our just intent great numbers departing from us and forming a Schism against the Holy Roman Church after having passed through many troubles and dangers out of all which God of his great mercy not remembring our sins and evil deeds was pleased to deliver us and to grant us an intire Peace for the Merits of the glorious Apostle St. Thomas the Patron of this Christianity but chiefly of his own great Clemency and Mercy which makes that he doth not delight in the death of a sinner but rather that he should return and live and by coming all to the light of the Truth may joyn with us in the Confession of the Catholick Faith approving our Doctrine and Intention and submitting themselves to the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church which being by us observed after having returned Thanks to God we thought fit in order to the compassing and securing of all those good Effects to assemble a Diocesan Synod in some commodious place near the middle of the said Diocess there to Treat of all such Matters as are convenient for the honour of God the exaltation of the Holy Catholick Faith and Divine Worship the good of the Church the extirpation of Vice the Reformation of the Christians of the said Diocess and the profit and peace of their Souls to which end having pitched upon the Town and Church of Diamper We do hereby let all the Inhabitants and Christians of the said Bishoprick as well Ecclesiasticks as Laicks of what State or Condition soever to understand that we do call and assemble a Diocesan Synod in the said Town of Diamper on the 20th of June of this present Year 1599 being the Third Sunday after Whitsuntide and do therefore by Virtue of holy Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication latae Sententiae Command the Reverend the Arch-Deacon of this Diocess and all the other Priests of the same that shall not be hindered by Age or some other just Impediment to be present in the said Town of Diamper there with us to celebrate a Diocesan Synod conformable to the Holy Canons And whereas by immemorial Custom and a Right introduced into this Diocess from its Beginning and consented to by all the Infidel Kings of Malabar the whole Government as it were and the Cognizance of all Matters wherein Christians are any ways concerned has belonged to the Church and the Prelate thereof and it having likewise been an ancient Custom in the same to give an Account to the People of whatsoever has been ordained in the Church in order to its being the
reign with Christ in the Heavens are to be venerated and invok'd by the Faithful desiring of God a Remedy for our wants through their Intercession and of them that they would intercede for us which they do daily by offering up our Prayers and Petitions to God That the Bodies and Reliques of Saints ought to be had in veneration in being carefully kept kissed and adored by the Faithful and placed under the Holy Altars and other consecrated places upon the account of their having been lively Members of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit and because they are to be raised again at the day of Judgment and and clothed with Eternal Glory in Heaven and God vouchsafes many Blessings upon Earth by them CHAP. XI FUrthermore That the Images of our Lord Christ and of our Lady the Glorious Virgin Mary and of the Holy Angels that are painted after our manner and of other Saints which the Church believes to be in Heaven ought to be kept and used in all decent places not only in the houses of the Faithful but chiefly in Churches and Altars and to be reverenced and adored with due veneration and with the same that is due to the Persons they represent not that we believe that there is any thing of Divinity or * Virtue If there is nothing of Virtue in one Image more than another why do People go so many hundred miles to pray to some particular Images of the Virgin Mary when there is scarce a Church or Chappel in their way wherein there is not an Image of her Virtue in them for which they ought to be honoured or that we put our Hope and Confidence in them as the * Heathens The Learned Heathens made the very same declaration concerning their worshipping of Images Heathens did in their Idols but because the Honour which we pay to them referrs to what they represent so that in prostrating our selves before their Images we adore Christ and reverence the Saints whose Images they are In like manner we adore the sign of the Cross with the Worship of †Latria The saying that this Latria or Supream worship is only Relative cannot excuse it from being Idolatrous without excusing the grossest Worship among the Heathen it being impossible in Nature to give any other Worship than what is relative to an Image when worshipped as such Martinus Peresius Aila Bishop of Guidez in Spain in the third part of his Book of Traditions p. 223. passeth a severe but just censure upon the Worship here established Cujus doctrinae nullum quod ego viderim afferunt validum fundamentum quod possit fideles ad id quod docent obligari Nam neque Scripturam neque Tracitionem Ecclesiae neque communem sensum sanctorum neque Concilii Generalis determinationem aliquam nec etiam rationem quâ hoc efficaciter suaderi possit adducunt Et p. 226. Certe haud dissimile imò fortè majâ—s scandalum infirmis paratur qui has distinctiones prorsus ignorant nec possunt nisi errando intelligere ut ego ipse in multis simplicibus experimento deprehendi cum ab eis sciscitarer quid de hac re sentirent in eo quod dicitur eâdem adoratione adorandum esse Imaginem quâ rem cujus est Nam cum videant simulachrum operosè sculptum affabrè expolitum in eminenti loco templi positum ipsumque à multitudine veneratum super haec audiant quòd eodem honore debeat honorari quo res cujus est colitur certè in multis simplicibus periculosissimus erroris affectus facilè potest adgenerari quo putent aliquid Numinis latere in imagine sic quoque rei repraesentatae tum nomen tum gloriam ad imaginem facilè possunt transferre quod maximè periculosum esse judico Latria which is due only to God because it is a sign representing the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ upon the Cross and which he himself hath told us will be the sign of the Son of Man in the Day of Judgment and with the same Worship of Latria we adore the Images of our Lord Jesus Christ because they represent him CHAP. XII FUrthermore the Church professeth that every Person as soon as he is born hath a Guardian Angel given him whose business it is to excite People to what is good and to deliver them from many evils which they would otherwise have fallen into which Angel protects and accompanies People through their whole lives doing all it can to keep them from Sin and all other Evils that so it may bring them to Eternal Life and is always suggesting good things to their Free Will from which we receive many Blessings as well Spiritual as Temporal notwithstanding we neither see them nor understand how they do it and these we call our Guardian Angels CHAP. XIII FUrthermore That the Catholick Church is one and the same all over the World having for its Pastor the chief Bishop of Rome Successor in the Chair of the Blessed Prince of the Apostles St. Peter to whom and by him to his Successors our Lord Jesus Christ delivered the full power of ruling and governing his whole Church from whence it is that the Roman Church is the Head of the whole Church and the Father Master and Doctor of all Christians and the Prelate of all in common and of all Priests Bishops Archbishops Primates and Patriarchs of whatsoever Church they are as also the Pastor of all Emperors Kings Princes and Lords In a word of all that are Christians and of all the Faithful People Hence it is that all that are not under the Obedience of the said Roman Bishop the Vicar of Christ upon Earth are out of a state of Salvation and shall be condemned to Hell as Hereticks and Schismaticks for their Disobedience to the Commands of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Order that he left in his Church CHAP. XIV FUrthermore that One and the same God is the Author of the New and Old Testament of the Prophets and the Gospels the Saints of both those Testaments being inspired in the Writing of them with the same Holy Spirit and so the Catholick Church receives all the Canonical Books of both Testaments which contain in them nothing but what is infallibly true and was dictated by the Holy Spirit To wit of the Old Testament the five Books of Moses Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy as also Joshua the two Books of Judges Ruth the four Books of Kings the two Books of Chronicles the first Book of Esdras the second which is called Nehemias Tobit Judith Esther Job the Psalms of David being 150 the Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Song of Songs the Book of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus the four greater Prophets viz. Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel the twelve lesser viz. Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi and the first and second of Maccabees and of the New Testament St. Matthew
and Heretical wherefore the Synod doth command That since there are no such Prayers used in the Church nor any such Petitions made to God in behalf of the Saints notwithstanding they are said in the Revelation to make them for themselves that those words be blotted out and what follows be joined with what went before saying Confessores hujus loci omnium Regionum oremus inquam ut det nobis ut efficiamur socii eorum c. leaving out the fore-mentioned words and at the end of the Prayer where it is said per gratiam Christi it shall be said Per gratiam Dei Domini nostri Jesu Christi Furthermore where the Priest begins Confitemur laudamus Domine Deus noster where he saith below Dignos nos fecisti dispensatione sacramentorum sanctorum corporis sanguinis Christi tui it shall be said Christi filii tui as also before where the Priest speaketh to those on the right side of the Altar and they answer with the Deacon Christus exaudiat orationes tuas hoc sacrificium quod tu offers pro te pro nobis pro toto orbe à minimo usque ad maximum the last words pro toto orbe à minimo usque ad maximum must be left out for the Mass being a publick Prayer of the Church Infidels Schismaticks and Hereticks are not to be prayed for therein but only Catholicks and such as are united to the Church wherefore instead thereof it shall be said quod tu offers pro te pro nobis pro universâ Ecclesiâ Catholicâ omnibus orthodoxis atque Apostolicae Catholicae fidei cultoribus Furthermore where the Priest begins Etiam Domine Deus Exercituum where he saith pro Sacerdotibus Regibus Principibus it shall be said pro Regibus Principibus Catholicis the Christians of this Church being subject to Infidel Princes and a little lower where the Priest begins Tu Domine cui propter c. where he saith recordatione corporis sanguinis it shall be said Christi filii tui and a little lower in the same Prayer near the end it shall be said sanguine Christi filii tui redempta Furthermore where the Deacon and Clergy praying do say Et pro omnibus Patriarchis Episcopis Presbyteris c. it shall be said pro beatissimo Papâ nostro naming him pro omnibus Patriarchis Episcopis Furthermore in the Hymn said by the Clergy and the Deacon alternatim after the elevation of the most Holy Sacrament in the Verse where the Priest saith Quando ad sanctum altare ingreditur manus suas purè protendit in coelum invitat spiritum qui de superis descendit consecrat corpus sanguinem Christi in which words the Priest seems to call upon the Holy Ghost to come down from Heaven to consecrate the Body of Christ as if it were not the Priest that consecrated it whereas in truth it is the Priest that does it tho' not in his own words but the words of Christ wherefore that no colour may be given to such an error it shall be said manus suas purè protendit in coelum consecrat corpus sanguinem Christi leaving out the words of invitat spiritum qui de superis descendit c. and the following words à saeculo usque in saeculum Furthermore in the Prayer said by the Deacon which begins Omnes timore pariter amore accedamus where it is said unigenitus Dei mortale corpus spiritualem rationalem immortalemque animam ex filiis hominum suscepit that there may be no countenance given to an error held by some and followed by several Nestorians that the Soul as well as the Body is ex traduce or derived from the Parents whereas in truth it is created by God out of nothing and infused into the Body when it is perfectly formed it shall therefore be said unigenitus Dei mortale corpus ex filiis hominum spiritualem rationalem immortalemque animam suscepit As also where the Deacon after the Communion of the Priest inviting the People to communicate saith fratres mei suscipite corpus ipsius filii he shall say ipsius filii Dei Furthermore in the first word of the Benediction of the People where he saith Ille qui benedicit nos in coelis per filium Humanitatis he shall say Per filium suum and in the first Blessing which the Priest gives to the People at the end of the Mass where he saith Cathedra gloriosa Catholicorum orientalium meaning Schismatical Babylon he shall say benedicatur Cathedra gloriosa Romana and in the following verse of the same Blessing where speaking of the Bishop of the Diocess he saith Dominus totius gregis episcopus plenus sobrietate custodiatur à malo c. he shall name our Lord the Pope saying Dominius totius gregis catholici Papa N. plenus sobrietate custodiatur à malo una cum bono Doctore Episcopo nostro N. naming him by his Name And a little after in the same Blessing where he saith Illustris in congregatione Sanctorum religiosus Hormisda sanctitas sanctitatum c. the name of Hormisda who as has been observed was a Nestorian Heretick shall be left out and instead thereof he shall say Illustris in congregatione Sanctorum S. Apostolus Thomas c. all that follows agreeing very well with that glorious Apostle who first taught the Faith in these parts and not to that false Heretick Furthermore in the first Verse of the Blessing of the Solemn Days where it is said of the Divine Word Qui factus est homo operuit speciem suam in filio hominis for fear of the Nestorian Doctrine it shall be said Qui factus est homo operuit Divinitatem suam humilitate nostrâ and a little lower where it is said Benedic Ecclesiam tuam quae patitur in ovili pessimi Daemonis ecce comprehenditur it shall be said Quae patitur infestationes a pessimo Daemone libera illam c. for the Catholick Church tho' it be infested and persecuted by the Devil is not held nor overcome by him our Saviour having promised that all the Powers of Hell shall never prevail against her And afterwards where it is said Benedic dextrâtuâ Christe congregationem hanc it shall be said Benedic dextrâ tuâ Jesu Christe c. and in the same Blessing where it is said Salva Reges nostros Duces nostros it shall be said Salva Reges nostros Duces nostros Catholicos all the Kings and Princes of this Church being Infidels and so ought not to be prayed for in the publick Prayers of the Mass and a little after where it is said Sicut decet coram ipso Jesu Salvatore it shall be said Coram ipso Jesu Deo Salvatore because of the Nestorian error and in the last Verse but one of that Blessing where it
that in imitation of the Heathens do go to some of them and others to some of their own Superstitious Priests to learn which are the best Days and Hours to be Married on after the manner of the Infidels and do furthermore on their Wedding-day make certain Circles into which they put Rice and certain Persons using several Superstitious Ceremonies which are plainly Heathen and do moreover make certain Figures behind their Doors to make their Marriage Fortunate and use several Prayers with Ceremonies which they call the Ring of Solomon all which being Devilish Superstitious and Heathenish Ceremonies condemned by Holy Mother Church Wherefore the Synod doth command and exhort all Faithful Christians neither to practise any such Ceremonies themselves nor to suffer others to use them in their Houses and that all who shall presume to practise them themselves or permit others to do it in their Houses shall be denied the Sacrament for a whole Year and be rigorously punished at the pleasure of the Prelate and the same shall be done to those that go to Heathens to learn what Days are Fortunate Decree XV. THe Synod having been informed that when Contracts de futuro are celebrated among the Christians of this Diocess or Marriages are concerted that it is performed with some Heathenish and Superstitious Ceremonies and that many times when the Parties contracted are not of Age or have not Judgment enough to give their consent doth command that no such Contracts be made but when the Parties contracting are of sufficient Age to understand what they do and are capable of giving their consent de futuro and if the Parents will make such Matches they shall do it by a simple Writing or by shaking Hands or by any other way that has nothing of Superstition in it neither shall they use any Superstitious Ceremonies upon pain of being severely chastised at the pleasure of the Prelate commanding the Priests in virtue of Holy Obedience not to be present at Contracts where any such damnable Superstitions are performed that so they may not seem to Authorize them by their Person and Dignity Decree XVI THe Synod doth condemn the Custom or abuse that has obtained in this Diocess of the new-married couple's not going to Church till after the fourth day after their Marriage when they use to Wash themselves which is according to the Judaical Ceremonies condemned by the Law of Christ but on the contrary doth exhort all new-married People without respect of Days to go to Church and say their Prayers knowing for certain that if any of the Days that they stay from Church should happen either to be a Saint's-day or a Sunday upon which all People are obliged to hear Mass that they sin mortally in not hearing it if hindred by no other cause Neither are they to imagine that such Washings do any way contribute to the Spiritual Health of their Souls the Worship of God or the Reverence of the Church ACTION VIII Of the Reformation of Church-Affairs Decree I. WHereas the Universal Catholick Church is Ruled Inspired and Taught by the Holy Spirit by whose direction for the better Government of Christians and the more commodious administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful it has divided the Provinces of the whole World into Diocesses which are all subject to their several Bishops and the Diocesses into Parishes which are all subject to their Parish-Priests so that as the Diocesses and all the faithful Inhabitants of the same are subject to their several Bishops and through them to the Bishop of Rome the Vniversal Pastor and Head of the Church and Christ's Vicar upon Earth so all the faithful Inhabitants in every Parish are subject to their Rector or Vicar that administer the Sacraments to them and are the particular Pastors and Curates of their Souls through whom they are subject to their Bishop and through the Bishop to the Pope and through the Pope to Christ which Order has been at all times preserved in the Church all over the World and for want whereof this Church is so Confused and Disorderly as it is every one doing what seems good in his own eyes without ever being called to an Account for what they do having none that are under any obligation to take care of their Souls nor no particular Pastor to assist them in their Necessities nor distinct Parishes unto which every one is bound to resort therefore this Synod conforming it self to the Government of the whole Catholick Church doth ordain that this Diocess be also divided into Parishes allotting such a number of People to each Parish as shall be found most convenient and furnishing them with particular Vicars and Curates to watch over the Souls of the Faithful and as for other Priests and Curates that shall be in any Church they shall be therein as Beneficed Persons and Co-adjutors to the Vicars in the administration of the Sacraments to the People as also in the Divine Service and Worship of the Church as they have hitherto been having the same Profits and Dividend they had formerly save that the Synod intends to deprive them of those Fees which formerly they Simonaically received for administration of the Sacraments as to which they shall observe what is before decreed as the Vicars and Parish-Priests are to have what is allotted for their maintenance in the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Decrees and the said Vicars shall make a Roll of all the Inhabitants of their several Parishes that so they may be acquainted with their Customs and way of living and may administer the Sacraments unto them and comfort them in their Troubles and Necessities neither shall the Faithful receive the Sacrament from any but their own Vicar without his Licence in Form Decree II. THe Synod doth declare That the Division of Parishes and the laying of People to them has at all times belonged to the Prelate so that he may at any time Divide or Unite Parishes at his pleasure and as he shall find to be most convenient for the administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful to whom it also belongs to provide Vicars and Curates for Churches whom he may Institute or Depose as often as he shall judge it to be necessary to the better feeding of the Flock of Christ which he is charged with and is to give an account of and for the present the most Reverend Metropolitan shall make such a reparition of Parishes and People in this his Visitation Uniting or Dividing them as shall seem to him to be most commodious for the administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful who at the end of the Synod will name Vicars for every Parish And the Synod for the just Respects and the better Government of the Church will not have any Vicars so Established as not to be removable at the pleasure of the Prelate Decree III. THe Synod doth furthermore declare That no Priest shall hold Two Churches with Cure or receive the Fruits of them according
of Religion the Greek and Alexandrian Christians have them in such detestation as to reckon an Altar defiled by a Roman Priest's having celebrated thereon And for the Muscovites Possevinus tells us their greatest imprecation is I hope to live to see thee so far abandoned as to turn Papist The Abbyssin Christians as Godinus tells us do not only condemn the Romanists as Hereticks but do affirm that they are worse than Mahometans and in the 28th Chap. of the first Book of Archbishop Menezes's Visitation it is said that the Chaldaean and Malabar Christians did so abhorr the Pope that they could not endure so much as to hear him named and Head of all the Churches in the World and confess that all that were not obedient to her were out of a state of Salvation and if they did promise and swear true Obedience and subjection to the most Holy Father the Pope and Bishop of Rome as Universal Pastor of the Church and Successor of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Christ upon Earth without any manner of dependance upon the Schismatical Patriarch of Babylon to whom tho' contrary to Justice they had hitherto been subject and if they did promise never to receive any other Bishop into this Diocess but what shall be sent by the Holy Roman Church by the appointment of our Lord the Pope and that whomsoever he shall ordain they will acknowledge and obey for their Prelate as becomes true Catholicks and Sons of the Church anathematizing the Patriarch of Babylon as a Nestorian Heretick out of the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church and promising and swearing never to obey him more in any matter nor to have any further Commerce or Communion with him in things appertaining to the Church To all which and every particular they did all and every one of them for themselves with their hands upon the Cross and the Gospel swear and protest to God by the Holy Gospel and the Cross of Christ After the Ecclesiasticks had made this Profession and Oath the Procurators and Representatives of the People by virtue of the Powers they had made the same in their own Name and in the Name of the People of the Bishroprick as did also all the other Christians that were present Decree III. THe Synod doth command all Priests Deacons and Sub-Deacons of this Bishoprick that were not present at this Solemnity to make the foresaid Oath and profession of Faith in the hands of the most Illustrious Metropolitan at the Visitation of their Churches which he intends to make speedily or in the hands of such as he shall depute for those that shall be absent at the time of the Visitation that so there may be none in Holy Orders in this Bishoprick but what has made this Profession in the manner aforesaid The Synod doth likewise declare That hereafter none shall be capable of undertaking any Vicaridge or Cure of a Church until they have made the said Profession in the hands of their Prelate or of some Commissionated by him for that purpose as also that all that take Holy Orders do first make the said Profession in the same manner and if any of the forementioned which God forbid shall refuse to do it that they shall thereupon be declared Excommunicate until they comply and withal be vehemently suspected of Heresy and be punished according to the Sacred Canons ACTION III. BEcause without Faith it is impossible to please God and the Holy Catholick Faith without which none can be saved is the beginning of true Life and the foundation of all our Good the Purity thereof being that that distinguishes Christians and Catholicks from all other People wherefore the Synod being sensible that by means of some Heretical Persons and Books scattered all over this Bishoprick many Errors and Falsities have been sown therein with which many are poisoned and more may be doth judge it necessary besides the profession of Faith that has been made further to declare to the People in some Chapters the chief Articles of our Holy Catholick Faith and to point at and observe the Errors contained in their Books and to have them Preached against in this Bishoprick that so knowing the mischief and falsehood of them they may avoid them CHAP. I. The Doctrine of Faith OUr Holy Faith that is believed with one unanimous consent by the Catholick Church spread all over the World is That we believe in One only True Almighty Immutable Incomprehensible and Ineffable God the Eternal Father Son and Holy Ghost One in Essence and Three in Persons the Father not begotten the Son begotten of the Father and of the same substance with him and equal to him and the Holy Ghost proceeding eternally from the Father and the Son not as from two Principals or two Inspirations but from both as from one only Principal and one only Inspiration the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit is not the Father nor the Son but the Father is only the Father the Son is only the Son and the Holy Spirit is only the Holy Spirit none of them being before another in Eternity nor superiour to another in Majesty nor inferiour to another in Power but were all without beginning or end the Father is he who begot the Son is he who was born and the Holy Ghost he who proceedeth Consubstantial Equal alike Almighty and alike Eternal These three Persons are one only God and not three Gods one only Essence and Substance one Nature one Immensity one Principal one Creator of all things Visible and Invisible Corporal and Spiritual who when he pleased created all things with his goodness and would that they should be all very good CHAP. II. FUrthermore That the only begotten Son of God who is always with the Father and the Holy Spirit Consubstantial to the Father at the time appointed by the profound Wisdom of the Divine Mercy for the redeeming of Men from the sin of Adam and from all other sins was truly Incarnate by the operation of the Holy Spirit in the pure Womb of our Lady the most Blessed Virgin Mary and in her took our true and intire Nature of Man that is a Body and rational Soul into the Unity of the Divine Person which Unity was such that our Lord Jesus Christ is God and Man and the Son of God and the Son of Man in as much as he was the Son of the Blessed Virgin so that the one Nature is not confounded with the other neither did the one pass into nor mix it self with the other neither did either of them vanish or cease to be but in one only Person or in one Divine Suppositum there are two perfect Natures a Divine and Humane but so that the properties of both Natures are still preserved there being two Wills the Divine and Humane and two Operations Christ still continuing one for as the Form of God does not destroy the Form of a Servant so the
In a word any Person that can Baptize using the Form of the Church and intending to do what she does may administer this Sacrament For seeing none can be saved without being Baptized therefore as our Lord ordained Water than which nothing is more ready at hand to be the matter of this Sacrament so he would exclude no Man from being the Minister thereof the effects and virtue of this Sacrament is the pardon and remission of all sins Original and Actual and of all punishments due to them for which reason there is no Penance to be enjoyned those that are Baptized for any sin they committed before Baptism all that die after Baptism before they have committed any sin going directly to Heaven where they enjoy the Divine Vision for ever Decree I. WHereas in the Examination of the Forms of the administration of the Sacraments of the Church in this Diocess made by the most Reverend Metropolitan in his last Visitation he found that in divers Churches there were different Forms used and written in the Baptisteries some Curates using the Form following * The Ancient Form of Baptizing was by Prayer N. is Baptized and perfected in the name of the Father Amen in the name of the Son Amen in the name of the Holy Ghost Amen Others using the Greek Form saying Baptizetur servus Christi in nomine Patris Amen in nomine Filii Amen in nomine Spiritûs Sancti Amen The Synod in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred doth command that no Person shall presume hereafter to use either these or any other Forms but that which is used in the Holy Roman Church I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that all other Forms be blotted out of their Baptisteries and Books and this be put in their place Decree II. THis Synod being informed That at divers times they have used different Forms of Baptism in this Diocess which were introduced by Schismatical and Ignorant Prelates some of which were not Legitimate neither was the Sacrament administred by them as was declared by the most Illustrious Metropolitan and others after a strict Examination and others were very doubtful doth therefore in the name of the Holy Ghost desire and command all the faithful Christians of this Diocess to declare to the said Metropolitan at the Visitation he intends to make of the Churches of this Diocess or to Persons deputed by him the time when they were Baptized that so according to the Form that was then used a saving remedy may be provided in conformity to what shall be ordained therein and that all submit themselves to whatsoever he shall be pleased to order Decree III. FOrasmuch as the Synod is informed that there are many Persons in this Diocess and especially among those that live in the Heaths and are far from any Church who tho' they are not Baptized yet being of a Christian race do profess themselves Christians and when they come where there is a Church do go to it and receive the Holy Sacraments with others and out of meer shame of letting it be known that they are not Christened do die without Baptism and others because they will not pay the Fees which are Simoniacally demanded of them It doth therefore command all Vicars of Churches to make diligent inquiry through their whole Parishes and the Heaths to see if there are any that are not Christened besides the search that the most Illustrious Metropolitan does intend at his next Visitation as he did at his former and that the said Vicars on the high Festivals upon which those that live in the Heaths do usually come to Church shall admonish them all in general that in case there are any among them that have never been baptized or that have some reason to doubt whether they have or not that they go to them and acquaint them therewith in private that so they may be secretly Christened and without paying any Fee letting them know that they are not Christians nor capable of inheriting Eternal Life nor of receiving the Holy Sacraments without being baptized and all Preachers shall frequently give the same admonition and all Confessors must be careful to ask all rude Christians that live in the Heaths whether they have been baptized and in case it appear doubtful they shall then baptize them privately The Synod grants the same License to all Priests within or without this Diocess to baptize all such secretly in what place soever they shall think fit Decree IV. THE Synod being informed that there are some small Villages in this Diocess which by reason of the great distance they are at from any Church and through the negligence of their Prelates and Priests tho' they call themselves Christians of St. Thomas because descended of such yet are not Baptized having nothing of Christians but the bare name doth command a diligent enquiry to be made into this matter recommending the same to the most Reverend Metropolitan and commanding all Vicars of Churches to search all places bordering upon their Parishes and to oblige all such to be Baptized The Synod doth likewise command Chappels to be built in or near to all such Villages and to be provided with such Curates as may instruct them in all matters of Faith that so there may be none in all these parts that call themselves Christians of St. Thomas but what are Baptized and of some Parish where they may receive the Sacraments Decree V. BY reason of the great negligence that is so visible in the Christians of this Bishoprick in bringing their Children to be baptized within eight days after they are born according to the Custom of the Church but chiefly among those that live at a considerable distance from any Church whose Children are many times some Months or Years old before they are Christen'd the Synod doth strictly command That all Children be baptized on the 8th day after they are born according to the custom of the Universal Church without there should be some danger of their dying before in which case they ought to be Christened immediately or that it should so happen that if they are not baptized sooner they cannot be in a long time in which case also they ought to be presently Christened and for those that live in Heaths and far from any Church if they should not be able to bring their Children to be baptized on the eighth day they must not fail to bring them betwixt the fifteenth and the twentieth and all that are found to be negligent herein let them be punish'd severely and whosoever shall neglect to bring their own Children or others that they have the charge of tho' their Slaves to Baptism for above a Month let them be thrown out of the Church neither shall it be lawful for any Priest to go to their Houses or to give them the Casturi or a Visit no not in order to
hujus sceleris à judicibus Ecclesiasticis praemissâ I do not deny but the Canons and Bulls of that Church are severe against all sorts of Simony namely the Bull of Julius the II. published in the Year 1553 against Simony in obtaining the Papacy I shall here set down the substance of that Bull and then leave it to any to judge whether according to that Bull we have had so much as one true Pope since it was made or are likely ever to have one so long as the Papacy continues so great a preferment Si Papa elâ—gatur per Simoniam nempe aliquo Cardinale quomodo libet suffragium ferente datâ vel acceptâ vel promissi pecuniâ vel honis cujuslibet generis Castris Officiis Beneficiis Promissionibus vel Obligationibus vel per se vel per alium pro Pontifice non habeatur item etiamsi duarum partium suffragiis vel unanimi Cardinalium concordiâ etiam per viam assumptionis concorditer nemine discrepante etiam sine scrutinio facto sit electio nullus existat nihil juris electus acquirat sive in Spiritualibus sive in Temporalibus contra electum per Simoniam oppâ—ri criminis exceptio possit sicut contra electum potest opponi vera indubitata haeresis electus Simoniacè à nullus pro Papâ habeatur Simony is one of the greatest offences in the Church and a pernicious plague therein which God has always punished with great rigour it being the selling of Spiritual things for Money and this Bishoprick which the Synod takes notice of with great regret having hitherto abounded with it Money having been publickly taken for the administration of the Holy Sacraments and after such a manner that none of them were given before the Money was either put into the Priest's hands or into the Church Box to be divided among them no not so much as the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist at which all pious Ears do tremble nor any other Sacraments or Dispensations for Marriages nor Absolutions from Excommunication nor the Consecrations of Stones nor any of the lesser Orders nor Licences nor Reverenda's to go to receive those Orders in another place nor Letters Dimissory for Clerks to go to other Diocesses all which was done at a Rated Price or by a Publick Agreement All which the Sydod detesting as a most execrable and horrid abomination doth therefore in virtue of Holy Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred command That no Money nor nothing else be taken for any of the foresaid things and that no Priests shall dare to take any thing for the administration of any of the Sacraments nor to give them upon any such consideration to any Person whatsoever but shall give the Holy Sacrament gratis to the Faithful according to the Precept of our Lord Christ who said Freely you have received freely you shall give neither shall they so much as receive Alms that the Faithful would give voluntarily though not given with any respect to the Sacrament if offered at the same time when the Sacrament is administred And the Priest that shall be found to transgress herein besides being Excommunicated shall be suspended from his Office and Benefice for three Years and the Vicars must take care to advertise the People thereof The Synod being moreover informed That a great many poor People who live in the Heaths do not bring their Children to be Baptized because they have not so much Money as is demanded doth order the Priest to be satisfied with the profits arising from the Dead the Alms they receive for their Masses in which the Synod declares there is nothing of Simony but only a congruous maintenance for the Priest that Celebrates given by the Person that he recommends and with the other Alms which the Faithful are accustomed to give which being Just and Holy shall be divided after the same manner as they have been formerly And the Synod doth declare further That such as are absolved from Excommunication if it was for any great Crime that they were under that Censure though there can be nothing taken for their Absolution yet for the Fault that they have committed they may by way of Punishment be Condemned in a Pecuniary Mulct if Authorized by the Prelate which Money must be put to some Pious use or employed in the building of a Church and the Offender being Poor he may be employed in Person to do some work about a Church for so long as shall be thought fit and in that Case no Money shall be required of him Decree XXI THe Synod desiring by all means possible to destroy and root out of this Diocess the pernicious Vice of Simony which it understands to have been encreased in part by the want the Ministers of the Church are in of a necessary maintenance doth therefore most earnestly entreat the People of this Bishoprick to apply a certain Yearly Summ to be raised by the way of Alms Collection or Assessment or by the way of Tithes according to Peoples Abilities for the support of the Vicar and Curate of their Souls and the other Ministers that are necessary to the Divine Service in the Church which the most Reverend Metropolitan may treat about in every Parish for they must know that Christians are bound both by Divine and Humane Laws to maintain the Priests which pray to God for them and give Spiritual Food to their Souls of which they are to render an account to God and their Prelates Decree XXII THat this Synod may by all ways possible supply the Necessities of the Ministers of the Church and by that means extirpate Simony besides what it desires the People to contribute towards their maintenance understanding their Poverty to be such that they are not able to supply them with so much as is necessary it doth further beseech his Catholick Majesty the King of Portugal that as Protector of the Christians of these parts and the only Christian King and Lord in the Indies he would be graciously pleased to provide the Vicars of this Church with a sufficient Maintenance as he does in all the other Churches of the Indies allowing them at least fifteen thousand Cruzado's to be divided among them all besides what shall be gathered for them in their respective Parishes which as the Synod is informed is the Summ that was formerly desired of his Majesty in the third Provincial Council of Goa in order to the reducing of this Church to the Obedience of the Church of Rome and the extirpating of Simony The Synod doth moreover intreat the most Illustrious Metropolitan to present this their Petition to his Majesty in the Name of this Church representing therewith the great Necessities of the Ministers thereof and that until such time as they shall have his Majesty's Answer the said Lord Archbishop Metropolitan of this Church and President of the Synod Dom fray Aleixo de Menezes understanding how effectual a course
Families to be very watchful over the Lives and Manners of their Slaves and Servants and the rather for having been informed that most of the Black Women belonging to Christians in this Bishoprick do lead very ill Lives in being publick Whores and known to be such by their Masters never going to Mass or Confession and being totally ignorant of the Christian Religion their Mastâ—â— taking no care to have them instructed thereiâ— or of the good of their Souls notwithstandinâ— the Obligation they are under of doing it Sâ— Paul having told us that he that does not taâ—â— care of his Family is worse than an Infidel Wherefore the Synod doth very much recommend it to the Vicars of Churches to be very watchful oveâ— and to make diligent Inquiry into the Lives oâ— the Slaves that are in their Parishes and as they shall see occasion to exhort their Masters and oblige them not to suffer their Slaves to live in a sinful State Decree XIII WHereas several poor wretched Christians following the Custom of the Heathen among whom they live when they find themselves pinched with any want do contrary to all right and reason sell their Children Wherefore the Synod doth in Virtue of Obedience and upon pain of the greater Excommunication prohibit all Christians to sell their Children or any of their Kindred no not to other Christians and doth under the same Precept and censure forbid all Christians to buy any such or to keep them as Slaves except when they see Parents so far despise this prohibition as to be ready to sell their Children to Infidels in which case they may buy them to keep the Christian Children from coming under the power of Heathens whom nevertheless they shall not keep as Slaves but shall forthwith signifie what they have done to the Prelate that he may take such course therein that the Buyer may have his Money and the Child its liberty and the Seller may be punished all that shall buy such Children in any other case as well as those that sell them shall be held Excommunicate until they have effectually dissolved all such Bargains and if the Child do happen to be made an Infidel he that sold it shall not be absolved until he has ransomed the said Child or at least until the Vicar and People are satisfied of his having done all that he is able to have redeemed it and the Synod doth furthermore recommend it to the Vicars and Curates of Churches and to all Christian People that whenever any such thing happens they do all that is in their power to recover such Children and to ransom them whatever it cost by contributing Money towards it and by complaining thereof to their Kings and advising the Prelate of it leaving no means untried to rescue such Children that so they may not be bred up Infidels Decree XIV THe Synod doth approve of the laudable Custom of this Diocess of Mens giving the Tenth part of their Wives Portion when they are Married to the Church as also of that of making a repartition of the said Alms betwixt the Fabrick of the Church and the Priests thereof and whereas this Custom does not obtain all over the Diocess and especially in the Southern Parts the Synod doth intreat and command all People to conform themselves to the same and willeth that the People among whom this Custom is not as yet introduced may be obliged to it by their Procurators there being no reason since it is observed in the greater part of this Diocess why it should not be established all over it Decree XV. WHereas by the ancient Custom consented to by the Infidel Kings of Malabar the whole Government of the Christians of this Bishoprick not only in Spirituals but in Temporals also is devolved to the Church and the Bishop thereof who is to determine all differences that are among Christians and that some dreading the Justice and Judgment of the Prelate in their Controversies do without any fear of God carry them before Infidel Kings and their Judges who are easily bribed to do as they would have them to the great prejudice of Christianity the said Kings taking occasion from thence to intrude themselves into the Affairs of Christians by which means besides that they do not understand such Matters being Tyrants and Idolaters they become very grievous and vexatious to Christians for the avoiding of which and several other mischiefs arising from thence to Christianity the Synod doth strictly command all the Christians of this Diocess not upon any pretence whatsoever to presume to carry any of their Causes before Infidel Kings or their Judges without express Licence from the Prelate which whensoever it shall be judged necessary shall be granted to them as shall be thought fit in the Lord but all Causes shall be first carried before the Prelate that he may judge or compose them according to Reason and Justice and all that shall do otherwise shall be severely punished for the same at the pleasure of the Prelate and be thrown out of the Church for so long time as he shall think fit Decree XVI WHereas the Christians of this Bishoprick are subject to Kings and Lords that are Infidels by whom they are many times obliged to handle Bars of hot Iron or to thrust their Hand into boyling Oil or to swim thorow Rivers that are full of Snakes reckoning that if they are Innocent none of those things can hurt them but will certainly if guilty of what they are accused And seeing there are not wanting some ill-minded Christians who finding themselves unjustly accused do voluntarily offer themselves to undergo the said Ordeals for the manifestation of their Innocency and notwithstanding that it is true that God has sometimes concurr'd with Peoples Innocency and Simplicity in such Cases by not suffering them to be hurt by such things nevertheless since for any to offer themselves to undergo such Ordeals is to tempt God and to pretend to work a Miracle which is not lawful and may sometimes so succeed as to be a great affront to our Catholick Faith therefore the Synod doth prohibit all Christians to presume to offer themselves to undergo any such Ordeals knowing that they sin mortally in so doing in being guilty therein of tempting God commanding all that shall transgress therein to be severely punished And when it shall happen that any such Ordeals shall be so imposed upon them by their Infidel Princes that there is no avoiding it in such Cases they shall submit themselves to the Will of God as to the Injustices and Violences laid upon them by Infidel Tyrants and in case of any Oath being tendred to them by Infidels wherein they must swear by their Pagods they must know that they ought rather to suffer death than take any such Oath the taking of an Oath being an act of Worship and Veneration that is due to God alone Neither shall Christians use any Ordeals among themselves or Oaths but such as were in use
for their Son whereupon the Bishop passeth an Olla or Certificate and so the Adoption is perfected the Synod doth command That from henceforward the Prelate do not accept of an Adoption from any that have Children of their own or in case they have none yet it shall be declared in the Olla That if they shall afterwards happen to have any that the said Olla shall be void to all intents and purposes by which means the great Injustices that are now so common in this Diocess will be prevented Decree XXIII THe Synod being desirous to have all the Christians of this Diocess to live together in Villages by reason of the great inconveniencies they are under that live in the Heaths as well by reason of the great communication they must have with Infidels as for wanting opportunities of going to Church and Sacraments whereby they are kept in ignorance of Christianity doth in order thereunto very earnestly recommend it to all Christians that live in Heaths to do all they are able either to come and live in some Village or to build new Villages with Churches that so they may live more civilly and be separated from the communication of Infidels and be the better instructed in the Customs of our Holy Catholick Faith recommending it earnestly to the Vicars to persuade their Sheep thereunto for the Spiritual profit they will receive thereby which the Prelate shall also endeavour with all his power Decree XXIV THe Synod having taken into consideration the manifold Injustices Oppressions and Grievances wherewith Infidel Kings and Governours do often treat the Christians of this Bishoprick and that out of enmity to our Holy Catholick Faith and observing the necessity they are in of Defence and Protection doth with great instance desire That his Majesty the King of Portugal would be graciously pleased to take all the Christians of this Bishoprick under his Favour and * Protection By this we see the King of Cochim was not jealous without reason that the Arch-Bishop had a State design in the great pains and charge he was at in the reduction of his Christian Subjects and tho' nothing was talked of but the Pope and the Roman Obedience that the King of Spain and the augmentation of his strength in the Indies by the accession of so many new Subjects was the main Spring in the Enterprize I will not say tho' it is probable enough that the Arch-Bishop by magnifying this Service at the Court of Spain got first to be Governour of the Indies and afterwards to be Governour of all the Dominions of Portugal and President of the Council of State at Madrid but this we are sure of that that Service to the Crown of Spain was much boasted of here in Europe by others For the Jesuit Ilayus in his Book De Rebus Japonicis speaking of this very thing â—â—ith Cuae res quanto Regie Majestati emolumento sit latura nôrunt qui non ignorant quanti sit momenti gentem in tota India lectissimam à temporibus B. Thomae Christiano cultui deditum támque numerosum potentem ut armatos ad Triginta Millia in promptu habeat cum Lusitanis unire ad Ecclesiae Romanae obedientiam revocare in Fidem ditionemque Regis Catholici accipere But as it is visible that the increasing of the Portugueze strength in the Indies by the accession of so many new Subjects was what both the Arch-Bishop and Spanish Government aimed at chiefly in the troublesome and chargeable reduction of this Church So it is certain that from this very Year 1599 the Portugueze Historians do begin to reckon the declination of their strength in those parts who give the following Account of the three Ages of their Indian Government that it was in its Infancy till the Year 1561 and from that time till the Year 1600 in its Manhood or full strength and ever since has been in its Old declining Age and is now in truth become so decrepid as to be only the Ghost of a great Name Neither is this to be wondred at considering how common a thing it is for God to blast the most promising Securities when obtained by such violent and unlawful Methods Protection he being the only Christian King or Lord in all these Oriental Parts and the Christians of this Diocess shall on their parts be ready at all times to sacrifice their Lives to their Holy Catholick Faith the preservation of Christianity and the defence of Christians which they shall be always prepared to do with their Lives and Fortunes beseeching the most Reverend Metropolitan President of this Synod to present this their Petition to his Majesty and to let him know how ready all the Christians of this Bishoprick are to serve him Decree XXV WHereas in this Synod Matters pertaining to our Holy Catholick Faith the Holy Sacraments of the Church the Reformation of Affairs thereof and the Customs of Christian People have been handled the Synod doth command all Vicars of Churches not to fail to have all its Decrees Transcribed from the Original Malabar and to have a Copy thereof in all their Churches Signed by the Reverend the Arch-Deacon of this Diocess and the Rector of the College of Vaipicotta and upon every Sunday and Holy-day when there is no Sermon nor no Lecture upon the Catechism set forth by the most Reverend Metropolitan that a portion of this Synod be read to the People but on the Seasons when the said Catechism is ordered to be read it shall be read on Sundays and the Synod upon Holy-days that so all that is decreed therein may come to the knowledge of the People and may be remembred and observed by them the Original of the said Synod being Signed by the most Reverend Metropolitan and all the other Members thereof shall be put in the Archives of the Jesuites College of Vaipicotta in this Diocess from whence so many Copies as shall be thought necessary shall be transmitted to the Churches there shall also be another Original Signed by the most Reverend Metropolitan the Arch-Deacon and other Members kept in the Archives of the Church of Angamale called the Arch-Bishop's See that all Copies may at all times be Corrected according to either of those Originals and the Synod doth furthermore recommend it to all Vicars Priests and Curates and to all and every Christian of this Diocess and commands them all in the Lord to conform themselves to the Decrees of this Diocesan Synod and so far as is in their power to observe and cause them to be observed inviolably and to govern themselves by them in all things which the Synod is confident they will do with the help of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who liveth and reigneth for ever Amen After the Decrees were read the Bishoprick was divided into Seventy-five Parishes whose Bounds were greater or lesser as was judged to be most convenient for the administration of the Holy Sacraments and the Spiritual Food