Indian Antiquary Vol 56

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 55

MAROE, 1927)
LAND'S ANECDOTA SYRIACA ON THE SYRIANS OF MALABAR
43
build a church and town. And they built a church in the country of Kûramaklûr22 which they had received in gift from the king, and there they erected a town of 472 houses from east to West on both sides, and they duly inhabited it. Now, in those days and subsequently Syrian Father 13 used to come by order of the Catholicus of the East, and they took care of the district of India and Malabar, (v8. 51) while the Syrians spread from that town.
Again, in the year 823 Syrian Fathers came, the lord Sapor (Sapores) and the lord Pheroz (Pherozes), 26. and with them Sš barjes: ac, a famous man. So, they came to the town of Kulam, 26 went to the king Sakîrbirtist and asked for lands.28 The king gave them as much land as they wished. So they too built a church and town in the country of Kulum. Next, after those days, 29 Syrian bishops and metropolitans camo oftener (? rather often, saepius) by order of the Catholicus, who used to send them.
However, long afterwards, about the year 1500,30 the deceitful Franks (Franci fraudu. lenti) came to this country of Malabar, and they too began to inhabit Malabar and India. At that time, Syrian Fathers came again, the lord Denho, and the lord Thomas, and the lord Jacob, and the lord Jahbaloh0,30a and, according to ancient usage, they shepherded Malabar and India. (08.61.) Then, after those days, in the year 1580, came lord Abraham,31 a Syrian bishop. When he had come to Malabar, the fierce Franks wero jealous of him, and they laid snares to him and tried to kill him ; but with the help of Christ our Lord he was saved from their hands. Accordingly, in fear and trenibling, he could hardly carry on his office. For, in those days, the Franks, enemies of Almighty God, began to lay snares on the roads where the Syrians walked, to seize them and put them to death. (Page 126.) After the death of the Syrian bishop lord Abraham, during 52 years no bishop came to Malabar. Then, by order of the Pope of Rome, a certain Frank bishop 38 came, who tried to reduce the Syrians to his power, but the Syrians were against him. Then that rebel went to the king of Quqs.in,33 and gave him a present of thirty thousand double gold pieces, 34 and the king began to harass the Syrians in various ways. That vexatious king oppressed the Syrians during three years, (us. 71) and after those persecutions the Syrians had no strength left them. Therefore, under coercion from the king, they submitted to the Frank bishop340, The Franks now began to change the good customs of the Syrians, they forbade the marriages of presbyters and deacons and taught a new and abominable faith. When the Syrians had suffered this 52 years, 36 God deigned to reveal the treachery of the Franks through Patriarch Ignatius, 36 who came to Mailopar on his way to Malabar. As soon as this Syrian arrived at Mailopur, the Franks apprehended him, loaded him with chains and took him to Quqs.in, where they drowned him in the waves of the sea. The nows of this spread through the whole of Malabar by means of the Syrian deacons37 then living there. So, all the Syrians assembled at the church of Matums'er 38 near Quqs.in, and all the Syrians swore that to the end of time they would not obey the Franks, nor those who sowed their seed. 39 (vs. 81.) These words they put down in writing. Amen. Now, when the Syrians had thus separated from the Franks, and the strength of the Syrians had grown after a few years, the bishop of the Franksto began to send presents of great value to the priests of the Syrians and to write to them letters secretly. Some of the Syrian priests stealthily accepted these gifts and went at night to the bishop of the Franks; others refused them and would not go. When this had gone on for some time, some of the priests were scandalizod, and turned against the bishop; others, not at all ; accord. ingly, a dissension arose among the Syrians, and there were two sides. The Franks overcamo the Syrians, because part of the Syrians had betaken themselves to the Franks and the Franks solicited the king and nobles with presents to vex the Syrians.
But at that time came a faithful Amirol, 41 a just judge, the chief of the whole of India and Malabar, who extirpated all the Franks from Quqs.in (Page 127) and from all the towns roundabout India. So did Josua exterminate the Canaaneans and the other nations. (18.91.)