[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 362.2 # Storia do Mogor 362.2 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 362.2 - **Language:** English ### [362.2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2.1) When his Lordship learnt that the Reverend Father Michel Ange was at his door with the Reverend Father Esprit, he sent word to the former that he was free to enter. The message given to Father Esprit was that he must wait at the door. This order he obeyed with all possible patience without a murmur. He made no complaint whatever of the bad treatment to which he had been subjected up to that time. Having greeted Monsignor and presented congratulations on the Festival of the Nativity, the Reverend Father Michel Ange, after a little \[277\] conversation lasting half an hour, finding his Lordship in a fairly good humour, asked him why he had declared the Reverend Father Esprit to be excommunicated — was it because the said father was the cure, or was it because he had published the decrees without permission ? His Lordship answered at once that he had done so for both reasons. Upon hearing this the Reverend Father Michel Ange showed him the Bull of Pius V., which not only disapproved of excommunications launched so inconsiderately, but, in addition, showed the nullity of the Pastoral that his Lordship had sent to the Reverend Jesuit fathers with the object of placing them a second time in possession of our mission to the Malabārīs. ### [362.2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2.2) Here are the very words of the Bull : ' Et insuper ne in locis illarum partium ' (that is, in India, of which the Bull is speaking), ' in quibus sunt religiosorum monasteria qui animarum curam exercent, aliquid per praedictos episcopos innovetur, eadem authoritate et tenore statuimus et ordinamus, ac quidquid secus super his à quocumque quavis authoritate scienter vel ignoranter attentari contigerit, irritum et inane decernimus.' \[And, moreover, by the same authority and to the same purport, we decree and ordain that in places in India where there are monasteries of religious who exercise a cure of souls, no innovation be made by the said bishops, and whatever may chance to be attempted by any person, whosoever and whatever his authority and whether he act with or without knowledge, contrary to this order, in respect of those religious, we decree to be null and vain.\] ' As regards the second reason — that of having published the decrees without permission,' said the Reverend Father Michel Ange, ' have you not, my Lord, given me permission, orally and in writing, to have them published in our church at Pondicherry ?' ' No,' replied his Lordship. ### [362.2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2.3) ' Let us suppose that you did not give it to me,' said the Reverend Father Michel Ange — ' a matter that will be seen to in due time and place — have I not presented the decrees to your Lordship, and have you not written on the margin of the said decrees : " The Reverend Father Guy Tachard has seen this petition and also the decrees of the Sacred Congregation, et cetera?' \[278\]. 'That is true,' said his Lordship. 'Then, surely,' retorted the Reverend Father Michel Ange, 'that sufficed without other permission, not only for publishing the decrees, but equally for performing the functions of our mission to the Malabāris, for which purpose the decrees were issued. This is so, since the Sacred Congregation "de Propaganda Fide" issued a decree of September 19, 1630, where they say in so many words that it is sufficient for patents to be presented to the bishop to allow of the functions being performed, permission or no permission: "Sacra Congregatio censuit missionariis quibuscumque sufficere, quod suas Patentes suae missionis ostendant, ut illis ostensis, sive obtenta sive non obtenta licentia, libere et licite suum officium et múnus exercere valeant." \[The Sacred Congregation has ruled that it is sufficient for the missionaries of every sort to show their patent letters of their own mission, and that, after showing them, they are empowered to exercise their office and duties, whether permission be obtained or no.\] ### [362.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2.4) Having heard these words, the Lord Bishop grew a little angry and wanted to leave the place. But the Reverend Father Michel Ange has the gift of gaining hearts by sweet and obliging manners. 'My Lord,' said he to him, 'listen to my arguments, I conjure you; reflect well whether they are correct or not.' 'Speak, then,' said Monsignor to him. 'Perhaps you say,' then resumed the Reverend Father Michel Ange, 'that the Reverend Father Esprit has incurred excommunication under the Bull "In Cœna Domini," through having published the decrees?' 'No,' answered his Lordship. 'It was perhaps for having summoned the Rev. Father Tachard to the courts at Rome?' 'Not in the least, although it was possible to have found something to object to,' retorted the Lord Bishop. ' But one does not incur excommunication for that,' replied Father Michel Ange. ' How is it, then, that your Lordship has stated in the Declaration that Father Esprit has incurred excommunication under the Bull " In Caena Domini " by reason of having published certain decrees without your permission, and for having cited Father Tachard to appear at the court of Rome ?' 'Oh! I do not want any of your arguing,' said the Lord Bishop. Seeing that his Lordship contradicted himself, and was not willing to reply to his question, Father Michel Ange said to him with a smile : ### [362.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2.5) ' If the Reverend Father Esprit has not incurred excommunication by publishing the decree, nor by citing the Reverend Father Tachard to Rome, why, then, has your Lordship declared him excommunicated, ordering, in addition, that your Declaration should be posted on the door of the Jesuits' church ?' ' Oh ! he (Esprit) said that the reverend Jesuit fathers were not the parish priests of the Malabāris at Pondicherry — there's the reason, since you want to know.' ### [362.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2.6) Upon this Father Michel Ange said that this single reason should have been stated in the Declaration, and not the two others. He followed this up by praying his Lordship to tell him this. If a man menaced a priest with violence, saying he would beat him or even slay him, did he incur excommunication under the Bull ' In Caena Domini ' or not ? The Lord Bishop answered at once that it was not enough to threaten, that there must be an overt act. This was so, because the Bull said: ' Si quis percuserit clericum anathema sit.' After hearing these words Father Michel Ange said to him : ' Then Father Esprit has not incurred excommunication, for, besides the fact that he has not opened his mouth since the Pastoral, of itself a severe enough punishment for us, even had he spoken after the issue of the Pastoral it was impossible for him, until he had done some overt act, to become liable to excommunication. The use of words only is not a sufficient ground for excommunication ; acts are necessary. Where, then, are the acts as a cure performed by Father Esprit after the publication of your Pastoral? Has he married, baptized, buried, any Malabar? No one can assert this, much less prove it.' ### [362.2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2.7) It is true that the reverend Jesuit fathers, who are so benevolently inclined towards us that they would rejoice to see us destroyed root and branch, caused an infant to be carried into our church. They wanted to see if the Reverend Father Esprit would confer on it Holy Baptism. But the said father perceived at once that it was a snare laid for him by his enemies, and all that they wanted was something they could lay hold of against us. He sent back the infant forthwith to the reverend Jesuit fathers, although they would have much preferred to see it baptized than to get it again unbaptized. 'What do you call that, Monsignor?' said Father Michel Ange to him. 'Oh! I have already told you I want none of your arguments.' 'I have one more, if it please you, for the love of God,' replied the Reverend Father Michel Ange. 'What is it, then?' asked the Lord Bishop. 'Here it is,' said Father Michel Ange: 'let us suppose that a person has brought a suit before a divisional court (présidial), and there loses his case. He then appeals to the Parlement, empowered to decide in the last instance. If that Parlement decides in his favour, can the divisional court, subordinate to that Parlement, revive the suit, and once more decide it against the appellant suitor, in spite of the Parlement being in no manner under its control?' 'No,' says Monsignor. ### [362.2.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2.8) 'Now, here I have you, my Lord,' replied the Reverend Father Michel Ange, 'and this will demonstrate to the entire world that you had no power to excommunicate the Reverend Father Esprit; still less could you restore the reverend Jesuit fathers to the possession of our cure of the Malabāris, as you have done by a special Pastoral.' 'Let us see a little how that is,' said the Lord Bishop. 'Were we, or were we not, eight years ago the curés of the Malabāris?' retorted Father Michel Ange. 'Did not your Lordship himself, five or six months before you took away that cure and gave it to the reverend Jesuit fathers, issue to us an executive order (provision) to that effect ?' --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.362.2) · Pramāṇa