In the year 1599, these Christians, by the exertions of Alexis Menesez, archbishop of Goa, were united to the Catholic church. As some customs of the oriental churches were, however, introduced among them in the council at _Udiamper_, and as they by degrees found the arbitrary conduct of the Portuguese insupportable, they raised a violent outcry against them; and in a tumultuary congress, held on the 22d of May 1653, at _Alangatta_, at length formally separated from the Catholic church[102]. A re-union was, however, effected by the barefooted Carmelites; and at present there are, on the coast of Malabar, as I have already observed, eighty-four Roman Catholic, and thirty-five Schismatic congregations, the latter of which adhere to the errors of the Jacobites. These congregations support each other, and form a kind of Christian republic. If any one of them is injured, they all make a common cause of it. The clergy and elders settle all quarrels and disputes which arise among the members of their different congregations; excommunicate the contumacious, but with the consent of the bishop or missionary, and exclude them from the society of the faithful. Confession and the holy sacrament are denied to such persons; no priest dare enter their habitations; they can be married neither publicly nor privately; and are not allowed to be present at the _Ciata_, or festival of commemoration, which is celebrated every year in their houses in remembrance of deceased relations. This sentence of excommunication is never recalled till those who lie under it have made sufficient atonement for their sins, which must always be done before the judgement-seat of the congregation. If the offender wishes to be again received into the bosom of the Church, he must crave mercy on his knees at the church-door, on a Sunday or Festival, when all the people are assembled to public worship. The _Cassanaris_ or priests, the _Cariacarer_ or overseers, and the _Muppenmar_ or elders, then assemble and examine the conduct of the penitent, together with every concomitant circumstance, and likewise the state of his property and goods. If he is rich, he is with one voice required to pay a _Pràcittam_, that is, a public fine; so that he must present to the church a _Ciodana_ of lamp-oil, a large umbrella covered with red cloth, a covering for the altar, or some other thing of the like kind which can be used in divine service. If he has no property, a large wooden cross is placed on his shoulders while he is kneeling at the church-door; a human skull is put into his hand, and in that manner he is made to creep round the church; or he is sent to _Maleatur_, where he must do penance at the foot of the holy cross, which is said to have been erected there by the apostle Thomas himself. Women must bear a death’s head, or a wax-candle. When the penance is over, the bishop, missionary, or priest gives the offender absolution in the