This Stone Is About A Yard
Long And Three Quarters Broad, Of A Grey Colour With Some Red Spots.
On
its middle there is a carved porch, having letters between two borders,
and within two banisters, on which are two twisted figures resembling
dogs in a sitting posture.
From their heads springs a graceful arch of
five borders, between every two of which are knobs resembling heads. In
the hollow of this arch or portal is a pedestal of two steps, from the
upper of which rises a branch on each side, and over these, as if hung
in the air, is a cross, said to resemble that of the military order of
Alcantara; but in the print the ends resemble three crescents with their
convex sides outwards and their points meeting, like those in many old
churches in Europe. Over all is a dove on the wing, as if descending to
touch the cross with its beak.
When, in the year 1551, this oratory was repaired and beautified, this
stone was solemnly set up and consecrated; and when the priest was
reading the gospel, it began to turn black and shining, then sweated,
and returned to its original colour, and plainly discovered, the red
spots of blood, which were before obscure. The letters on this stone
could not be understood till the year 1561, when a learned bramin said
they consisted of 36 hieroglyphic characters, each containing a
sentence, and explained them to this effect: "In the time of the son of
Sagad the gentile, who reigned 30 years, the one only GOD came upon
earth, and was incarnate in the womb of a virgin. He abolished the law
of the Jews, whom he punished for the sins of men.[374], after he had
been thirty-three years in the world, and had instructed twelve
servants in the truth which he preached. A king of three crowns
Cheraldcone, Indalacone, Cuspindiad, and Alexander; king of
Ertinabarad, with Catharine his daughter, and many virgins, with six
families, voluntarily followed the law of Thomas, because the law of
truth, and he gave them the sign of the cross to adore. Going up to the
place of Antenodur, a bramin thrust him through with a lance, and he
died embracing this cross which was stained with his blood. His
disciples carried him to Maiale, where they buried him in his own
church with the lance still in his body. And as we, the above mentioned
kings, saw this, we carved these letters." Hence it may be inferred,
that Maiale was the ancient name of Meliapour, now called St
Thomas. This stone afterwards sweated sometimes, which, till the year
1561, was a good omen, but has since been a bad one.
[Footnote 374: Probably Mr Stephens may have mistranslated this passage,
which might be more appropriately read, who put him to death for the
sins of men. This clumsy legend of St Thomas may amuse our readers; but
probably derives its principal features from the contrivances of the
Jesuits.
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