The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16Dryden, John
History
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16
Dryden, John
English literature
Father Xavier, who was informed of all these proceedings, thought it
necessary to make advantage of these favourable opportunities without
loss of time. He considered with what perfection Christians might live in
a kingdom where they died so generously for the faith, with so imperfect
a knowledge of it. On the other side, he judged, that if the injustice
and cruelty of the tyrant remained unpunished, what an inducement it
might be to other idolatrous kings, for them to persecute the new
converts in their turn; that the only means for repairing the past, and
obviating future mischiefs, was to dispossess the tyrant of the crown,
which he so unjustly wore, and restore it to his brother, to whom it
rightfully belonged; that, for these considerations, recourse ought to be
had to the Portuguese to engage them, by a principle of religion, to take
arms against the usurper of the kingdom, and the persecutor of the
Christians.
In order to this, the father caused Mansilla to be recalled from the
coast of Fishery; and having intrusted him with the care of christianity
in Travancore, took his way by land to Cambaya, where the viceroy of the
Indies then resided.
Besides these reasons, relating to the king of Jafanatapan, the saint had
other motives which obliged him to take this journey. The greatest part
of the Europeans, who were in the Indies, and chiefly the officers of the
crown of Portugal, lived after so infamous a manner, that they made the
Christian faith appear odious, and scandalised alike both the idolaters
and the faithful.
The public worship of the pagods was tolerated at Goa, and the sect of
the Brachmans daily increased in power; because those Pagan priests had
bribed the Portuguese officers. The people professed heathenism freely,
provided they made exact payments of their tribute, as if they had been
conquered only for the sake of gain. Public offices were sold to
Saracens, and the Christian natives stood excluded, for want of money,
which does all things with corrupt ministers. The receivers of the king's
revenues, who were to pay the Paravas of the coast of Fishery,
constrained those poor fishers to deliver their pearls almost for
nothing; and thus the exaction of a lawful tribute, in the constitution,
became tyranny and oppression in the management. Men were sold like
beasts, and Christians enslaved to Pagans at cheap pennyworths. To
conclude, the king of Cochin, an idolater, but tributary to the crown of
Portugal, was suffered to confiscate the goods of his subjects, who had
received baptism.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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