Pe Juse Mingel Mendez’s petition to Buchanan, January 18, 1801[1]

That it is about 150 years since the Roman Catholic religion is established in this province. Your petitioner’s forefathers were formerly of Goa. At the request of the Rajahs of this place they came and settled here and they have been greatly favoured by the said Rajahs who furnished them with lands and subsidy sufficient for their own maintenance for the building of churches.

This establishment continued from the time of Queen of Canara[2] to the death of Hyder Alli, Tippu’s father with the same honour and respect, and the latter even allowed the Roman Catholics (priests) domineering power over the Roman Catholic subjects.

But the Sultan Tippu had a great hatred against the Christian religion. When he came here to restore the country which had been subdued by the Hon’ble Company he carried all the Christians to Pattana amounting to 80,000 souls and by force and violence made them moors, most of them died there. After the conquest of Seringapatam some Christians that remained there came to this place, it being their native country. The number of whom here now will be about 15,000 souls who are in utmost distress and poverty, their houses being demolished, their estates given away, their Churches destroyed.

The churches in this reign (?) of Canara were twenty and two with so many vicars and curates, besides a seminary for the education of children which all is destroyed by Tippu.

Your petitioners therefore finding themselves in this wretched condition without any means to reform their churches or maintain their priests, all that they can earn by their daily labour being hardly enough for their subsistence they most humbly request your Lordship will be pleased to consider their case and make them such an allowance as your Lordship may think proper and enough for the rebuilding of their churches and maintenance of their priests and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.

Mangalore, January 18, 1801

Signed: Franco de Saldanha, Constantio de ma, Francisco Coelho, Ignacio Coelho, Pedro Lobo, Salvadore Koir, Manuel da Cunha, Alexio Dhepn, Sebastiao Montr, Matheus Montr, Salvador Giz, Bernardo Lobo, Paulus Minezes, Ant de Souza, Ant Juso de Silva, Lorenco de Silva, Mel de Silva, Laserca Sequeria, Ventura Paes, Diogos de Souza, Seb Lobo Goora, Diogo Pias, Come Pais, Salvador de Nova, Juao de Salda, Ventura Rasquinha, Salvador de Souza, Francisco Fernandes.

Marks: Caetano de Souza, Simao Pais, Thome Saures, Diogo Koir, Sebastiao Telles, Alexio Dessa, Francis Saldanha, Salvador Ptp, Salvador Minezes, Basilio Coelho, Mathews Montr, Lucao Dessa, Juse Tauro, Francsico Fernandes, Antonio Barreto, Mathews Rego

[1] Silva 1958: 215-217

[2] Rani Chennama (1672-97)