of them, with all possible care, to apply himself to the study of the Malabar language, which obtains through all that coast.  Upon this account, he commanded Father Francis Henriquez to reduce that tongue into the rules of art, and to compose an exact grammar of it, according to the method of the Greek and Latin grammars.  The work seemed impossible, especially to one who was newly come from Europe, and who had little knowledge in the Indian tongues; nevertheless Henriquez compassed it in a small time, which was apparently a miracle of obedience.  In the mean while, Xavier judging that the exposition of the Christian doctrine, which he had made for those of Molucca, might be of use to his dear Paravas, ordered a Malabar priest, who was well versed in the Portuguese, to translate it into his own language.  But to the end that the conduct of the missioners might be uniform, and that the same spirit might animate all of them, besides the instructions which he gave them by word of mouth, he gave them the following rules in writing.

In the first place, “Wherever the lot of your ministry shall fall, be mindful of baptising infants newly born, and perform it yourselves, without trusting the care of it to any other person:  there is nothing at present of more importance.  Do not wait till the parents bid you come; as they may easily neglect it, it behoves you to run through all the villages, to enter into the houses, and to christen all the infants you can find.

“After the great concernment of giving baptism, you ought to be careful of nothing more than of entering those little children into the principles of faith, who are grown capable of instruction.  Not being able to be in all places, you shall cause the Canacapoles, and the teachers of the catechism, to perform their duty, and religiously to observe the customs established.  To which purposes, when you visit the villages, to take an account of what passes there, assemble the masters, with their scholars, and know from the children, in the presence of those who are accustomed to instruct them, what they have learned, or forgotten, since your last visit; this will double the ardency of the scholars, and the diligence of their teachers.

“On Sundays, gather the men together in the church to repeat their prayers; and observe well, whether the Pantagatins, or chief of the people, are there present.  You are to expound the prayers which they repeat, and reprove them for the vices then in fashion, which you are to make them comprehend, by using familiar examples.  In fine, you are to threaten the more stubborn sinners with the wrath of God; and tell them, that if they do not reform their lives, their days shall be shortened by all manner of diseases; that the Pagan kings shall enslave them, and that their immortal souls shall become fuel to the everlasting flames of hell.

“When you come to any place, you shall inform yourselves what quarrels are stirring in it, and who are the parties; after which, you shall endeavour to reconcile them.  These reconciliations are to be made in the church; where it will be fitting to assemble all the women on Saturdays, as the men on Sundays.