Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c5.s2.t5.1

c5.s2.t5.1

¹ The first specimen printed in an European book that I know of is of 1625 (Purchas’ “His Pilgrimes” vol. i., Bk. i., p. 185.) But this was not the first: In 1578 Father João de Faria cut Tamiḷ types, and printed on the “Pescaria” (Tinnevelly) coast in the same year: “O Flos Sanctorum., a doutrina Christãa, hū copioso confessionario, & outros livros” (Sousa, Oriente Conquistado. ii., p. 256.) I give the exact words as several different accounts have been given which are incorrect. F. de Sousa S. J. compiled his work from MSS. (not now in existence) at Goa in the 17th century. It was printed in 1710, and he died at Goa in 1713. Tamiḷ was printed also in the 17th century at a place in the Cochin territory called Ambalakkāḍu where the Jesuits had a house. F. Paulinus says (“*India Or. Christiana*”): “Anno 1679 in oppido Ambalacāta in lignum incisi alii characteres Tamulici per Ignatium *Aichamoni* indigenam Malabarensem, iisque in lucem prodiit opus inscriptum: *Vocabulario Tamulico com a dignificação Portugueza composto pello P. Antem de Proença da Comp. de Jesu, Miss. de Maduré.*” This writer was born in 1624, went to India (Madura) in 1647, and died at Toṭṭiyam (Madura district) in 1666. Barbosa Machado (“Bibliotheca Lusitana” i., p. 182.) from whom I have taken the dates of F. da Proença’s life, did not know of his Tamiḷ Dictionary, and since Profr. de Gubernatis has made a fruitless search in the library of the Propaganda, there is little hope that a copy will be discovered. If any exist, it must be in the ‘Mission House’ at Halle, or at Goa. The first (engraved) Tamiḷ alphabet that I know of, is in Baldæus (1672) “Beschrijving der Oost-Indische Kusten Malabar en Choromandel” p. 191 ffg. The first printing press in India was that of I. de Endem at Goa—1563.