Travels in India (Tavernier) 119: Concerning the idolatrous Kings and Princes of Asia.

119

It is necessary to place in the front rank of the idolatrous Kings of Asia, the King of Arakan, the King of Pegu, the King of Siam, the King of Cochinchina, the King of Tonquin, and, as for the King of China, we know that he was an idolater before the irruption of the Tartars into his territories; but since that time one can say nothing certain about him, because these Tartars, who are now the masters of the country, are neither idolaters nor Muhammadans, being, rather, both combined. In the principal islands, firstly, the King of Japan, next the King of Ceylon, and some small Kings of the islands of the Moluccas, and, finally, all the Rajas, both of the Empire of the Great Mogul and of the neighbourhoods of the Kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda, are all idolaters. In general, all the common people, whether in the territories subject to the Great Mogul, or the Kings of Golconda and Bijapur, and the islands of Achin, Java, and Macassar, the Kings of which, as I have elsewhere said, are Muhammadans, — all the common people, I say, of these countries are Idolaters.
I have stated that the King of Ceylon is an idolater, and it is true. But it is true also that about fifty years ago a King of Ceylon became a Christian, and received at his baptism the name of Jean, having been previously called the Emperor Priapender. As soon as he embraced Christianity, the Princes and priests of the country established another King in his stead. He did what he could to induce all his people to imitate him, and for this purpose assigned to the Jesuit Fathers twelve of the largest villages which were around Colombo, so that from the revenue of these places they might support the children of the country in colleges, where, being well instructed, they would afterwards be able to teach others. For the King represented to these Fathers that it was impossible for them to learn the language of the country well enough to preach to the people, and in effect they found that the youth of Ceylon were so quick and intelligent that they learnt, in six months, more Latin, philosophy and other sciences, than Europeans acquire in a year, and they questioned the Fathers with such subtlety, and so deeply, that they were amazed.
Some years after the King had become a Christian, a very accomplished man and good native philosopher, named Alegamma Motiar, as one might say master of the philosophers, after having conversed some time with the Jesuit Fathers and other priests at Colombo, was inspired to become a Christian. With this object he went to see the Jesuit Fathers, and told them that he desired to be instructed in the Christian faith, but he inquired what Jesus Christ had done and left in writing. He set himself then to read the New Testament with so much attention and ardour that in less than six months there was not a passage which he could not recite, for he had acquired Latin very thoroughly. After having been well instructed, he told the Fathers that he wished to receive holy baptism, that he saw that their religion was the only good and true one, and such as Jesus Christ had taught, but what astonished him was, that they did not follow Christ’s example, because, according to the Gospel, he never took money from any one, while they on the contrary took it from every one, and neither baptized nor buried any one without it. This did not prevent him from being baptized, and from working for the conversion of the idolaters afterwards.
Such is the present condition of the idolaters throughout Asia. I come now to those of India in detail and to their gross errors, after which I shall speak of their customs and of the penances of their Fakirs.