“When the Malabar priest shall have translated the exposition of the creed, you shall take copies of it, which you shall cause to be carefully read to the women on Saturdays, to the men on Sundays.  If you are there present, you shall read it yourselves, and add to the exposition what you think convenient for the farther clearing it.

“Distribute to the poor those collections which are made for them in the churches, by the charity of the congregation; and beware of taking any part of them for your own uses.

“Fail not every Saturday and Sunday to put the faithful in mind of giving you notice when any one falls sick, to the end you may visit them; and give them to know, that if they do not advertise you, and that the sick person dies, you will not allow him burial amongst Christians, in punishment of their neglect.

“When you visit the sick, take especial care that they repeat to you the apostles’ creed in their mother tongue.  Interrogate them on every article, and ask them if they believe sincerely.  After this, make them say the confiteor, and the other Catholic prayers, and then read the gospel over them.

“For the burial of the dead, you shall assemble the children; and, coming out of the church with them, the cross being at the head of the procession, you shall sing the Christian doctrine, coming and going.  You shall say the prayers of the church at the house of the dead person, and before he is put into the ground.  You shall also make a short exhortation to the assembly before the corpse, upon the necessity of death, the amendment of life, and the practice of virtue.

“You shall give notice to the men on Sunday, and to the women on Saturday, to bring their sick children into the church, that you may read the gospel over them for their cure; and that the parents from thence may receive increase of faith, and respect to the temples of our Lord.

“You shall yourselves determine all litigious causes; and, if you cannot end them on the place, defer them to the next Sunday; and, after divine service, cause them to be expedited by the principal inhabitants of the place.  Yet I will not that these sort of affairs should take up too much of your time, nor that you prefer the care of your neighbour’s temporal concernments before works of charity, which respect the salvation of souls; and am of opinion, that when any important business of that kind shall happen, you should remit it to the Portuguese commandant.

“Do all things in your power to make yourselves beloved by those people; for by that you will be able to do more good upon them, than by being feared.  Decree no punishment against any person but by the advice of Father Antonio Criminal; and, if the commandant of the Portuguese be present, do nothing without his order.  In case any man or woman shall make a pagod, or idol, banish them from the village, if Father Criminal consent to it.  Testify great affection to the children who frequent the Christian schools; pardon, and wink at their faults sometimes, lest a severe usage should fright them from us.