other three went on to the Moluccas. On the 21st January 1598,
they discovered the _Great Java_[420], and touched at the port of
_Tuban_, after which they came to _Madura_ an island in lat. 2 deg. 30' S.
on the 27th of that month. At this place they endeavoured to ransom some
of their countrymen who had been cast away in their former ships, and
some others who had been made prisoners for endeavouring to pass false
money; but as the natives demanded too high a ransom, they attempted to
rescue them by force; but two boats full of armed men being sunk in the
attempt, they were forced to comply with the terms demanded. They
settled a trade at Amboina, and two of the ships opened a factory at
Banda, where they loaded with spice and returned into Holland on the
20th of April 1600. Those who were left in the remaining ship at Amboina
went to Ternate in the Moluccas where they were well received by the
king, and after procuring a lading of cloves returned home.

[Footnote 419: We have no means of correcting the strange chronology of
this voyage, _wonderful_ even in the opinion of De Faria. He names the
Dutch Admiral _Neque_; but as _qu_ in Portuguese is used to mark the
sound of _k_ or hard _c_, we have ventured to give this first successful
rival of the Portuguese trade in India the name of _Van Nec_.--E.]

[Footnote 420: Borneo is probably here meant, as they could not have
been in Banda without seeing both Sumatra and Java.--E.]

Don Alexius de Menezes archbishop of Goa went about this time to visit
the Christians of St Thomas, who lived dispersedly in the mountains of
Malabar, in _Muli_, _Turubuli_, _Maota_, _Batimena_, _Diamper_,
_Pimienta_, _Tetemute_, _Porca_, _Paru_, and _Cartuti_. These Christians
continued stedfast at the faith till about the year 750, yet with some
tincture of error. About the year 810 the second _Thomas_, formerly
mentioned, came to this country, where he repaired the churches that had
been erected by the apostle and restored the true doctrine; but about
the year 900 this church was overrun by the _Nestorian_ heresy. In the
year 890 two _Chaldeans_ came here from _Babylon_, named _Mar Xarsio_
and _Mar Prod_, who divided the district into two bishoprics, and were
ever afterwards prayed to as saints, till our archbishop ordered this to
be discontinued, as he much suspected they had not been legitimately
canonized. After these Chaldeans came one _Mar Joanne_, who was sent by
the Greek Patriarch, and r