The works of John Dryden, $c now first collected in eighteen volumes. $p Volume 16 eBook (2024)

The works of John Dryden, $c now first collected in eighteen volumes. $p Volume 16 by John Dryden

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Table of Contents
Section	Page

Start of eBook	1
MADAM,	1
THE AUTHOR’S ADVERTIsem*nT TO THE READER.	3
THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.	6
BOOK I.	6
THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.	32
BOOK II.	32
THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.	65
BOOK III.	66
BOOK IV.	109
THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.	166
BOOK V.	166
THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.	237
BOOK VI.	237
END OF THE SIXTEENTH VOLUME.	313

MADAM,

The reverend author of this life, in his dedicationto his Most Christian Majesty, affirms, that Francewas owing for him to the intercession of St FrancisXavier. That Anne of Austria, his mother, aftertwenty years of barrenness, had recourse to heaven,by her fervent prayers, to draw down that blessing,and addressed her devotions, in a particular manner,to this holy apostle of the Indies. I know not,madam, whether I may presume to tell the world, thatyour majesty has chosen this great saint for one ofyour celestial patrons, though I am sure you will neverbe ashamed of owning so glorious an intercessor; noteven in a country where the doctrine of the holy churchis questioned, and those religious addresses ridiculed.Your majesty, I doubt not, has the inward satisfactionof knowing, that such pious prayers have not beenunprofitable to you; and the nation may one day cometo understand, how happy it will be for them to havea son of prayers ruling over them.[2] Not that we arewholly to depend on this particular blessing, as athing of certainty, though we hope and pray for itscontinuance. The ways of Divine Providence areincomprehensible; and we know not in what times, orby what methods, God will restore his church in England,or what farther trials and afflictions we are yetto undergo. Only this we know, that if a religionbe of God, it can never fail; but the acceptable timewe must patiently expect, and endeavour by our livesnot to undeserve. I am sure if we take the exampleof our sovereigns, we shall place our confidence inGod alone; we shall be assiduous in our devotions,moderate in our expectations, humble in our carriage,and forgiving of our enemies. All other panegyricsI purposely omit; but those of Christianity are such,that neither your majesty, nor my royal master, needbe ashamed of them, because their commemoration isinstructive to your subjects. We may be allowed,madam, to praise Almighty God for making us happy byyour means, without suspicion of flattery; and themeanest subject has the privilege of joining his thanksgivingwith his sovereigns, where his happiness is equallyconcerned. May it not be permitted me to add,that to be remembered, and celebrated in after ages,as the chosen vessel, by which it has pleased theAlmighty Goodness to transmit so great a blessing tothese nations, is a secret satisfaction, which is notforbidden you to take; the blessings of your peopleare a prelibation of the joys in heaven, and a lawfulambition here on earth.

Your majesty is authorized, by the greatest exampleof a mother, to rejoice in a promised son. Theblessed Virgin was not without as great a proportionof joy, as humanity could bear, when she answered thesalutation of the angel in expressions, which seemedto unite the contradicting terms of calmness, andof transport: “Be it to thy hand-maid,according to thy word.”

It is difficult for me to leave this subject, butmore difficult to pursue it as I ought; neither mustI presume to detain your majesty by a long address.The life of Saint Francis Xavier, after it had beenwritten by several authors in the Spanish and Portuguese,and by the famous Padre Bartoli in the Italian tongue,came out at length in French, by the celebrated penof Father Bohours, from whom I have translated it,and humbly crave leave to dedicate it to your patronage.I question not but it will undergo the censure ofthose men, who teach the people, that miracles areceased. Yet there are, I presume, a sober partyof the Protestants, and even of the most learned amongthem, who being convinced, by the concurring testimoniesof the last age, by the suffrages of whole nationsin the Indies and Japan, and by the severe scrutiniesthat were made before the act of canonization, willnot dispute the truth of most matters of fact as theyare here related; nay, some may be ingenuous enoughto own freely, that to propagate the faith amongstinfidels and heathens, such miraculous operations areas necessary now in those benighted regions, as whenthe Christian doctrine was first planted by our blessedSaviour and his apostles.

The honourable testimonies which are cited by my author,just before the conclusion of his work, and one ofthem in particular from a learned divine of the churchof England,[3] though they slur over the mention ofhis miracles, in obscure and general terms, yet arefull of veneration for his person. Farther thanthis I think it needless to prepossess a reader; lethim judge sincerely, according to the merits of thecause, and the sanctity of his life, of whom suchwonders are related, and attested with such cloudsof witnesses; for an impartial man cannot but of himselfconsider the honour of God in the publication of hisgospel, the salvation of souls, and the conversionof kingdoms, which followed from those miracles; theeffects of which remain in many of them to this day.

But that it is not lawful for me to trespass so faron the patience of your majesty, I should rather enlargeon a particular reflection, which I made in my translationof this book, namely, that the instructions of thesaint, which are copied from his own writings, areso admirably useful, so holy, and so wonderfully efficacious,that they seem to be little less than the productof an immediate inspiration. So much excellentmatter is crowded into so small a compass, that almostevery paragraph contains the value of a sermon.The nourishment is so strong, that it requires butlittle to be taken at a time. Where he exhorts,there is not an expression, but what is glowing withthe love of God; where he directs a missioner, orgives instructions to a substitute, we can scarcelyhave a less idea than of a St Paul advising a Timothy,or a Titus. Where he writes into Europe, he inspireshis ardour into sovereign princes, and seems, withthe spirit of his devotion, even to burn his colleaguesat the distance of the Indies.

But, madam, I consider that nothing I can say is worthyto detain you longer from the perusal of this book,in which all things are excellent, excepting onlythe meanness of my performance in the translation.Such as it is, be pleased, with your inborn goodness,to accept it, with the offer of my unworthy prayersfor the lasting happiness of my gracious sovereign,for your own life and prosperity, together with thepreservation of the son of prayers, and the fartherencrease of the royal family; all which blessingsare continually implored from heaven, by,

Madam,
Your Majesty’s most humble,
And most obedient subjectand servant,
JohnDryden.

[Footnote 1: Mary of Este, wife of James II.]

[Footnote 2: The superstitious and, as it proved,fatal insinuation, that the birth of the Chevalierde St George was owing to the supernatural intercessionof St Francis Xavier, was much insisted on by theProtestants as an argument against the reality of hisbirth. See the Introduction to “BritanniaRediviva,” Vol. X. p. 285. In thatpiece, our author also alludes to this foolery:
Hail, son of prayers, by holy violence
Drawn down from heaven!—]

[Footnote 3: The Reverend Richard Hackluyt, editorof the large collection of voyages to which Purchas’Pilgrim is a continuation.]

THE AUTHOR’S ADVERTIsem*nT TO THE READER.

Having already presented you with the Life of St Ignatius,I thought myself obliged to give you that of St FrancisXavier. For, besides that it was just that theson should attend the father, it seemed to me, thatthese two saints being concerned so much together,the history of the apostle of India and Japan wouldgive you a clearer knowledge of him who was founderof the Jesuits. I may add likewise, that manyconsiderable persons, and particularly of the court,have testified so great a desire to see a completehistory of St Xavier in our language, that I thoughtmy labour would not be unacceptable to them; and thatin satisfying my own private devotion, I might atthe same time content the curiosity of others.

The writings out of which I have drawn this work,have furnished me with all I could desire for theperfection of it, in what regards the truth and theornaments of this history: for without speakingof Turselline and Orlandino, I have diligently readLucena and Bartoli; the first of which Wrote in Portuguesewith this title, “The History of the Life ofFather Francis Xavier, and of what was done in theIndies by the Religious of the Society of Jesus.”He informs us, that he had in his hands the authenticcopies of the informations which were made by orderof John III. king of Portugal, concerning the actionsof the blessed Father Xavier, and the originals ofmany letters, written from the Indies on that subject,which are to this day deposited in the archives ofthe university of Coimbra. As for Bartoli, whois so famous by his writings, and who is accountedamongst the best of the Italian authors, he has extractedfrom the archives of the Casa Professa at Rome, andfrom the acts of the canonization, what he relatesof our saint in the first part of the History of theSociety, intitled, Asia.

Though these two historians have in some sort collectedall that can be said concerning St Francis Xavier,I omitted not to take a view of what others have writtenon that subject; and chiefly the book of Nieremberg,which bears for title, “Claros Varones,or Illustrious Men;” the History of India, byMaffeus, and that of Jarrio; the Church History ofJapan, by Solia; the Castilian History of the Missions,which the Fathers of the Society have made to theEast Indies, and the kingdoms of China and Japan,composed by Lewis de Gusman; and, lastly, the PortugueseHistory of the Travels of Ferdinand Mendez Pinto.

But seeing St Francis Xavier himself has written someparts of those accidents which have befallen him inIndia and Japan, I have faithfully copied his letters,and from thence have drawn those particulars whichhave much conduced to my information, and clearingof the truth. These letters have also furnishedme with materials to make the narration appear morelively and moving, when you hear the saint himselfspeaking in his proper words, and mixing his own thoughtsand reflections with his actions. I had almostfinished this my work, when I received from Spainand Italy two other lives of St Francis Xavier, whichbefore that time I had not seen: the one verynew, which was written in Italian by Father JosephMassei; the other more ancient, written in Spanishby Father Francis Garcia. I found nothing inthose two books which I had not observed in others;but read them with great pleasure, as being most exactlyand elegantly written, each in their several tongue.

For what remains, amongst all those historians whichI have cited, there is only the author of the newItalian Life, who has not followed the common error,in relation to the age of St Francis Xavier: forthe rest of them not precisely knowing the year andday of his birth, have made him ten years older thanhe was; placing his nativity about the time when thepassage to the East Indies was discovered by Vascode Gama.

But Father Massei has taken his measures in that particular,from Father Poussines, that judicious person to whomwe are owing for the new letters of St Xavier, andwho has composed a dissertation in Latin, touchingthe year of our apostle’s birth.

He produces, in the said treatise, a Latin paper,written in all appearance in the year 1585, and foundin the records of the house of Don Juan Antonio, Countof Xavier. That paper,—wherein is treatedof the ancestors and birth of the saint, and whichvery probably, as Poussines judges, is the minuteof a letter sent to Rome, where Dr Navara then resided,to whom it refers you,—that paper, I say,has these words in it: Non scitur certo annusquo natus est P. Franciscus Xaverius. Vulgo tameninvaluit, a quibusdam natum cum dici anno millesimoquadragintesimo nonagesimo-sexto: which isto say, the year is not certainly known, in whichFather Francis Xavier was born; but it is generallyheld, that some have reported he was born in the year1496.

But it is to be observed, that these words, Nonscitur certo annus quo natus est P. Franciscus Xaverius,are dashed out with the stroke of a pen. Thereis also a line drawn over these other words, Natumeum dici millesimo, quadragintesimo, nonagesimo-sexto:and this is written over head, Natus est P. FranciscusXaverius anno millesimo quingentesimo sexto.Father Francis Xavier was born in the year 1506.There is also written in the margin, Natus estdie 7 Aprilis, anni 1506. He was born onthe 7th of April, 1506.

That which renders this testimony more authentic,is, that at the bottom of the letter, these words,in Spanish, are written by the same hand which correctedthose two passages of which I spoke: Hallose la razon del tiempo que el S. P. Francisco Xaviernacio, en un libro manual de su hermano el CapitanJuan de Azpilcueta: la qual saco de un libro,de su padre Don Juan Jasso; viz. “Thetime when the blessed Father Francis Xavier was born,is found in the journal of his brother Don Juan deAzpilcueta, who extracted it from the journal or manualof his father Don Juan Jasso.” ’Tison this foundation, that, before I had read the Lifewritten by Father Massei, I had already closed withthe opinion of Father Poussines.

As to the precise day of the father’s death,I have followed the common opinion, which I take tobe the most probable, in conformity to the bull ofhis canonization. For the historians who havementioned it, agree not with each other, on what clayhe died. ’Tis said in Herbert’s Travelsto the Indies and Persia, translated out of the English,“St Francis Xavier, the Jesuit of Navarre, diedthe 4th of December, 1552.” Ferdinand MendezPinto, the Portuguese, affirms, that he died at midnight,on Saturday the 2d of December, the same year.A manuscript letter, pretended to be written by Anthonyde Sainte Foy, companion to Xavier for the voyage ofChina, the truth of which I suspect, relates, thatthe Saint died on a Sunday night at two of the clock,on the 2d of December, 1552. Now ’tis mostcertain, that in the year 1552, the 2d of Decemberfell on a Friday; so that it is a manifest mistaketo say, that St Xavier died that year either on Saturdayor Sunday the 2d of December.

I should apprehend, lest a life so extraordinary asthis might somewhat shock the profaner sort of men,if the reputation of St Francis Xavier were not wellestablished in the world, and that the wonderful thingshe did had not all the marks of true miracles.As the author who made the collection of them haswell observed, the mission of the saint gives theman authority, even in our first conceptions of them:for being sent from God for the conversion of infidels,it was necessary that the faith should be plantedin the East, by the same means as it had been throughall the world, in the beginning of the church.

Besides which, never any miracles have been examinedwith greater care, or more judicially than these.They were not miracles wrought in private, and whichwe are only to believe on the attestation of two orthree interested persons, such who might have beensurprised into an opinion of them; they were ordinarilypublic matters of fact, avowed by a whole city orkingdom, and which had for witnesses the body of anation, for the most part Heathen, or Mahometan.Many of these miracles have been of long continuance;and it was an easy matter for such who were incredulous,to satisfy their doubts concerning them. Allof them have been attended by such consequences ashave confirmed their truth, beyond dispute: suchas were—the conversions of kingdoms, andof kings, who were the greatest enemies to Christianity;the wonderful ardency of those new Christians, andthe heroical constancy of their martyrs. But afterall, nothing can give a greater confirmation of thesaint’s miracles, than his saint-like life;which was even more wonderful than the miracles themselves.It was in a manner of necessity, that a man of soholy a conversation should work those things, whichother men could not perform; and that, resigning himselfto God, with an entire confidence and trust, in themost dangerous occasions, God should consign overto him some part of his omnipotence, for the benefitof souls.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK I.

His birth. His natural endowments, and firststudies. His father purposes to recal him fromhis studies, and is diverted from that resolution.He continues his studies, and sets up a philosophylecture. He is preserved from falling into heresy.His change of life. His retirement, and totalconversion. He consecrates himself to God, bya vow. What happened to him in his journey toVenice. What he did at Venice. He goes toRome, and from thence returns to Venice. He prepareshimself to celebrate his first mass. He celebrateshis first mass, and falls sick after it. St Jeromeappears to him. He goes to Bolognia, and laboursthere with great success. He relapses into hissickness, and yet continues preaching. He isrecalled to Rome by Father Ignatius, and labours therewith great success. The occasion of the missioninto the Indies. He is named for the missionof the Indies. God mysteriously reveals to himhis intended mission to the Indies. He takes hisleave of the Pope, and what his Holiness said to him.He departs from Rome. How he employed himselfduring his journey. His letter to Ignatius.Some remarkable accidents in his journey to Lisbon.He passes by the castle of Xavier without going toit. He arrives at Lisbon, and cures Rodriguezimmediately after his coming. He is called tocourt. The manner of his life at Lisbon.He refuses to visit his uncle, the Duke of Navarre.The fruit of his evangelical labours. The reputationhe acquired at Lisbon. They would retain himin Portugal. He is permitted to go to the Indies,and the king discourses with him before his departure.He refuses the provisions offered him for his voyage.He goes for the Indies, and what he said to Rodriguezat parting.

I have undertaken to write the life of a saint, whohas renewed, in the last age, the greatest wonderswhich were wrought in the infancy of the church; andwho was himself a living proof of Christianity.There will be seen in the actions of one single man,a new world converted by the power of his preaching,and by that of his miracles: idolatrous kings,with their dominions, reduced under the obedienceof the gospel; the faith flourishing in the very midstof barbarism; and the authority of the Roman churchacknowledged by nations the most remote, who were utterlyunacquainted with ancient Rome.

This apostolical man, of whom I speak, is St FrancisXavier, of the society of Jesus, and one of the firstdisciples of St Ignatius Loyola. He was of Navarre;and, according to the testimony of Cardinal AntoniaZapata, who examined his nobility from undoubted records,he derived his pedigree from the kings of Navarre.

His father was Don Juan de Jasso, a lord of greatmerit, well conversant in the management of affairs,and who held one of the first places in the councilof state, under the reign of King John III. Thename of his mother was Mary Azpilcueta Xavier, heiressto two of the most illustrious families in that kingdom;for the chief of her house, Don Martin Azpilcueta,less famous by the great actions of his ancestors,than by his own virtue, married Juana Xavier, theonly daughter and remaining hope of her family.He had by her no other child but this Mary of whomwe spoke, one of the most accomplished persons ofher time.

This virgin, equally beautiful and prudent, beingmarried to Don Jasso, became the mother of many children;the youngest of whom was Francis, the same whose lifeI write. He was born in the castle of Xavier,on the 7th of April, in the year 1506. That castle,situated at the foot of the Pyrenean Mountains, sevenor eight leagues distant from Pampeluna, had appertainedto his mother’s house for about two hundred andfifty years; his progenitors on her side having obtainedit in gift from King Thibald, the first of that name,in recompence of those signal services which theyhad performed for the crown. ’Tis from thencethey took the name of Xavier, in lieu of Asnarez,which was the former name of their family. Thissurname was conferred on Francis, as also on some ofthe rest of his brothers, lest so glorious a name,now remaining in one only woman, should be totallyextinguished with her.

That Providence, which had selected Francis for theconversion of such multitudes of people, endued himwith all the natural qualities which are requisiteto the function of an apostle. He was of a stronghabit of body, his complexion lively and vigorous,his genius sublime and capable of the greatest designs,his heart fearless, agreeable in his behaviour, butabove all, he was of a gay, complying, and winninghumour: this notwithstanding, he had a most extremeaversion for all manner of immodesty, and a vast inclinationfor his studies.

His parents, who lived a most Christian life, inspiredhim with the fear of God from his infancy, and tooka particular care of his education. He was nosooner arrived to an age capable of instruction, than,instead of embracing the profession of arms, afterthe example of his brothers, he turned himself, ofhis own motion, on the side of learning; and, as hehad a quick conception, a happy memory, and a penetratingmind, he advanced wonderfully in few years.

Having gained a sufficient knowledge in the Latintongue, and discovered a great propensity to learning,he was sent to the university of Paris, the most celebratedof all Europe, and to which the gentlemen of Spain,Italy, and Germany, resorted for their studies.

He came to Paris in the eighteenth year of his age,and fell immediately on the study of philosophy.’Tis scarcely credible with how much ardourhe surmounted the first difficulties of logic.Whatsoever his inclinations were towards a knowledgeso crabbed and so subtle, he tugged at it with incessantpains, to be at the head of all his fellow students;and perhaps never any scholar besides himself couldjoin together so much ease, and so much labour.

Xavier minded nothing more, than how to become anexcellent philosopher, when his father, who had anumerous family of children, and who was one of thosem*n of quality, whose fortunes are not equal to theirbirth, was thinking to remove him from his studies,after having allowed him a competent maintenance fora year or two. He communicated these his thoughtsto Magdalen. Jasso, his daughter, abbess of theconvent of St Clare de Gandia, famous for the austerityof its rules, and established by some holy Frenchwomenof that order, whom the calamities of war had forcedto forsake their native country, and to seek a sanctuaryin the kingdom of Valencia.

Magdalen, in her younger days, had been maid of honourand favourite to the Catholic queen Isabella.The love of solitude, and of the cross, had causedher to forsake the court of Arragon, and quit for everthe pleasures of this world. Having chosen themost reformed monastery of Spain for the place ofher retreat, she applied herself, Avith fervour, tothe exercises of penitence and prayer; and became,even from her noviciate, a perfect pattern of religiousperfection.

During the course of her life, she had great communicationswith God; and one day he gave her to understand, thatshe should die a sweet and easy death; but, on thecontrary, one of her nuns was pre-ordained to die instrange torments. The intention of God was notthereby to reveal to the abbess what was really tohappen, but rather to give her an opportunity of exercisingan heroic act of charity. She comprehended whather heavenly Father exacted from her, and petitionedhim for an exchange.

God granted to her what himself had inspired her todemand; and was pleased to assure her, by a new revelation,that he had heard her prayers. She made knownto her ghostly father what had passed betwixt Godand her, and time verified it: for the sisterabove mentioned died without sickness, and appearedin dying to have had a foretaste of the joys to come.On the other side, the abbess was struck with a terribledisease, which took all her body, as it were, in pieces,and made her suffer intolerable pains; yet even thosepains were less cruel to her, than those inward tormentswhich God at the same time inflicted on her.She endured all this with wonderful patience and resignation;being well assured, that in the whole series of thesedispensations there was somewhat of divine.

For what remains concerning her, from the first yearsof her entry into a religious life, the gift of prophecyshone so visibly in her, that none doubted but thatshe was full of the spirit of God; and ’tis alsoprobable, that she left a legacy of her prophetic giftsto her spiritual daughters. For, after her decease,the nuns of Gandia foretold many things, which afterwardthe event confirmed; as, amongst others, the unhappysuccess of the expedition to Algier; of which the Dukeof Borgia, viceroy of Catalonia, gave the advertisem*ntfrom them to Charles V. when he was making his preparationsfor that enterprize.

It was six years before the death of Magdalen, thatDon Jasso, her father, writ to her concerning Xavier.After she had received the letter, she was illuminatedfrom above; and, according to the dictates of thatdivine light, she answered Don Jasso, that he shouldbeware of recalling her brother Francis, whatsoeverit might cost him for his entertainment in the universityof Paris. That he was a chosen vessel, pre-ordainedto be the apostle of the Indies, and that one dayhe should become a great pillar of the church.

These letters have been preserved for a long timeafterwards, and have been viewed by many persons,who have deposed the truth judicially in the processof the canonization of the saint.

Don Jasso received this answer from his daughter asan oracle from heaven; and no longer thought of recallinghis son from his studies.

Xavier, thereupon, continued his philosophy; and succeededso well in it, that having maintained his thesis,at the end of his course, with a general applause,and afterwards taking his degree of master of arts,he was judged worthy to teach philosophy himself.His parts appeared more than ever in this new employment;and he acquired an high reputation in his public lectureson Aristotle. The praises, which universally weregiven him, were extremely pleasing to his vanity.He was not a little proud to have augmented the gloryof his family by the way of learning, while his brotherswere continually adorning it by that of arms; and heflattered himself, that the way which he had taken,would lead him onward to somewhat of greater consequence.

But God Almighty had far other thoughts than thoseof Xavier; and it was not for these fading honoursthat the Divine Providence had conducted him to Paris.

At the same time, when this young master of philosophybegan his course, Ignatius Loyola, who had renouncedthe world, and cast the model of a learned society,wholly devoted to the salvation of souls, came intoFrance to finish his studies, which the obstacles hefound in Spain, after his conversion, had constrainedhim to interrupt.

He had not continued long in the university of Paris,before he heard talk of Xavier, and grew acquaintedwith him. Our new professor, who taught at thecollege of Beauvois, though he dwelt in the collegeof St Barbe, with Peter le Fevre, a Savoyard, wasjudged by Ignatius to be very proper for the preachingof the gospel, as well as his companion. To gainthe better opportunity of insinuating himself intotheir acquaintance, he took lodgings with them, andwas not wanting to exhort them to live up to the rulesof Christianity.

Le Fevre, who was of a tractable nature, and was notenamoured of the world, resigned himself without opposition.But Xavier, who was of a haughty spirit, and whosehead was filled with ambitious thoughts, made a fierceresistance at the first. The discipline and maximsof Ignatius, who lived in a mean equipage, and valuednothing but that poverty, made him pass for a low-mindedfellow in the opinion of our young gentleman.And accordingly Xavier treated him with much contempt;rallying him on all occasions, and making it his businessto ridicule him.

This notwithstanding, Ignatius omitted no opportunitiesof representing to him the great consequence of hiseternal welfare, and urging the words of our blessedSaviour, “What profit is it to a man to gainthe whole world, and to lose his own, soul?”but perceiving that he could make no impression ona heart where self-conceit was so very prevalent, andwhich was dazzled with vain-glory, he bethought, himselfof assaulting him on the weaker side.

When he had often congratulated with him for thoserare talents of nature with which he was endowed,and particularly applauded his great wit, he madeit his business to procure him scholars, and to augmenthis reputation by the crowd of his auditors.He conducted them even to his chair; and in presentingthem to their master, never failed to make his panegyric.

Xavier was too vain, not to receive, with a greedysatisfaction, whatever incense was given him of thatkind: applause was welcome from whatever handsit came; and withal he was too grateful, not to acknowledgethose good offices which were done him, by a personwhom he had used so very ill: he was the moresensible of such a kindness, by being conscious tohimself how little he had deserved it. He beganto look with other eyes on him who had the appearanceof so mean a creature; and at the same time was informed,that this man, of so despicable a presence, was bornof one of the noblest families in Guypuscoa; thathis courage was correspondent to his birth; and thatonly the fear of God had inspired him with the choiceof such a life, so distant from his inclination, andhis quality.

These considerations, in favour of Ignatius, led himto hearken, without repugnance, to those discourseswhich were so little suitable to his natural bent;as if the quality and virtue of him who made them,had given a new charm and weight to what he said.

While things were passing in this manner, Xavier’smoney began to fail him, as it frequently happensto foreigners, who are at a great distance from theirown country; and Ignatius, who was newly returned fromthe voyages which he had made into Flanders and England,from whence he had brought back a large contributionof alms, assisted him in so pressing an occasion,and thereby made an absolute conquest of his affections.

The heresy of Luther began to spread itself in Europe:and it was an artifice of those sectaries, to procureproselytes in the Catholic universities, who, by littleand little, might insinuate their new opinions intothe scholars, and their masters. Many knowingmen of Germany were come on that design to Paris,though under the pretence of seconding the intentionsof Francis the First, who was desirous to restorelearning in his kingdom. They scattered theirerrors in so dexterous a manner, that they made themplausible; and principally endeavoured to fasten onyoung scholars, who had the greatest reputation ofwit. Xavier, who was naturally curious, took pleasurein these novelties, and had run into them of his ownaccord, if Ignatius had not withdrawn him. Hegave an account of this very thing not long afterwardsin a letter to his elder brother, Don Azpilcueta, ofwhich Ignatius himself was the bearer; who made avoyage into Spain, for those reasons which I haveset down in another place. And these are his words,which well deserve to be related.

“He has not only relieved me, by himself, andby his friends, in those necessities to which I wasreduced; but, which is of more importance, he haswithdrawn me from those occasions which I had to contracta friendship with young men of my own standing, personsof great wit, and well accomplished, who had suckedin the poison of heresy, and who hid the corruptionsof their heart under a fair and pleasing outside.He alone has broken off that dangerous commerce inwhich my own imprudence had engaged me; and has hinderedme from following the bent of my easy nature, by discoveringto me the snares which were laid for me. If DonIgnatius had given me no other proof of his kindness,I know not how I could be able to return it, by anyacknowledgments I could make: for, in short,without his assistance, I could not have defended myselffrom those young men, so fair in their outward carriage,and so corrupt in the bottom of their hearts.”

We may conclude, from this authentic testimony, thatXavier, far from carrying the faith to the remotestnations of idolaters, was in danger to make shipwreckof his own; had he not fallen into the hands of sucha friend as was Ignatius, who detested even the leastappearance of heresy, and whose sight was sharp enoughto discover heretics, how speciously soever they weredisguised.

It was not sufficient to have only preserved Xavierfrom error, but it was farther necessary to wean himaltogether from the world: these favourable dispositionswhich appeared in him, encouraged Ignatius to pursuehis design, and gave him hope of a fortunate success.Having one day found Xavier more than ordinarily attentive,he repeated to him these words more forcibly thanever: “What will it profit a man to gainthe whole world, and to lose his own soul?”After which he told him, that a mind so noble andso great as his, ought not to confine itself to thevain honours of this world; that celestial glory wasthe only lawful object of his ambition; and that rightreason would require him to prefer that which waseternally to last, before what would vanish like adream.

Then it was that Xavier began to see into the emptinessof earthly greatness, and found himself touched withthe love of heavenly things. But these firstimpressions of grace had not all their effect immediately:he made frequent reflections within himself, of whatthe man of God had said to him; and it was not withoutmany serious thoughts, and after many a hard struggling,that, being overcome at length by the power of thoseeternal truths, he took up a solid resolution, of livingaccording to the maxims of the gospel, and of treadingin his footsteps, who had made him sensible of hisbeing gone astray.

He resigned himself therefore to the conduct of Ignatius,after the example of Le Fevre, who had already reformedhis life, and was inflamed with the zeal of edifyingothers. The directions of a guide so well enlightened,made easy to Xavier the paths of that perfection whichwere hitherto unknown to him. He learnt fromhis new master, that the first step which a sincereconvert is to make, is to labour in the subduing ofhis darling passion. As vainglory had the greatestdominion over him, his main endeavours, from the verybeginning, were to humble himself, and to confoundhis own pride in the sense of his emptiness, and ofhis sins. But well knowing that he could nottame the haughtiness of the soul without mortifyingthe flesh, he undertook the conquest of his body, byhaircloth, by fasting, and other austerities of penance.

When his time of vacancies was come, he performedhis spiritual exercises, which his lectures of philosophyhad till then hindered. Those very exercisesI mean, which Ignatius, inspired of God, had composedat Manreze; and of which I have drawn the model, inthe life of that holy founder of the society of Jesus.

He began his retirement with an extraordinary fervour,even to the passing of four days entire without takingany nourishment. His contemplations were whollybusied, day and night, on divine matters. Andan ancient memorial assures us, that he went to hisdevotions with his hands and feet tied; either tosignify, that he was desirous to do nothing, but bythe inspiration of the Holy Spirit, or to give himselfthe same usage which was given to the man in the parableof the gospel; “who dared to appear in the wedding-room,without cloathing himself in wedding-garments.”

By meditating at his leisure on the great truths ofChristianity, and especially on the mysteries of ourSaviour, according to the method of Ignatius, he waswholly changed into another man; and the humility ofthe cross appeared to him more amiable than all theglories of the world. These new insights causedhim, without the least repugnance, to refuse a canonryof Pampeluna, which was offered him at that time, andwas very considerable, both in regard of the profitsand of the dignity. He formed also, during hissolitude, the design of glorifying God by all possiblemeans, and of employing his whole life for the salvationof souls.

On these foundations, having finished the course ofphilosophy which he read, and which had lasted threeyears and a half, according to the custom of thosetimes, he studied in divinity, by the counsel of Ignatius,whose scholar he openly declared himself to be.

In the mean time, Ignatius, who found in himself aninward call to the Holy-Land, for the conversion ofJews and Infidels, discovered his intentions to Xavier,which he had already communicated to Le Fevre, andfour other learned young men, who had embraced hisform of life.

All the seven engaged themselves, by promise to eachother, and by solemn vows to God Almighty, to forsaketheir worldly goods, and undertake a voyage to Jerusalem;or in case that, in the compass of a year, they couldnot find an accommodation of passing the seas, thatthey would cast themselves at the feet of our holyFather, for the service of the church, into whateverpart of the world he would please to send them.

They made these vows at Montmartre, on the day ofour Lady’s assumption, in the year 1534.That holy place, which has been watered with the bloodof martyrs, and where their bodies are still deposited,inspired a particular devotion into Xavier, and possessedhim with a fervent desire of martyrdom.

Towards the end of the year following, he went fromParis, in the company of Le Fevre, Laynez, Salmeron,Rodriguez, Bobadilla, and three other divines, whomLe Fevre had gained in the absence of Ignatius, who,for important reasons, was obliged to go before, andwho was waiting for them at Venice.

Somewhat before their departure, Xavier, who was sometimestoo far transported by the fervency of his soul, hadtied his arms and thighs with little cords, to mortifyhimself, for some kind of vain satisfaction whichhe took in out-running and over-leaping his young companions;for he was very active; and, amongst all the recreationsused by scholars, he liked none but the exercisesof the body.

Though the cords were very straight about him, yethe imagined they would not hinder him from travellingon foot. But he had scarcely begun his journey,when he was taken with extreme pains. He borethem as well as he was able; and dissembled them,till his strength failed him. His motion hadswelled his thighs, and indented the cords so deepinto his flesh, that they were hardly visible; insomuchthat the chirurgeons, to whom his fellows discoveredthem, plainly said, that any incisions which couldbe made, would serve only to increase his pains, andthat the ill was incurable.

In this dangerous conjuncture, Le Fevre, Laynez, andthe rest, had recourse to Almighty God, and not invain. Xavier waking the next morning, found thecords fallen down, the swelling wholly taken away fromhis thighs, and the marks of the cords only remainingon his flesh. They joined in actions of thanksgivingto the Almighty, for his providential care alreadyshewn in their behalf; and though the ways were veryrugged, in the inclemency of that season, yet theycheerfully pursued their journey.

Xavier was serviceable to his companions on all occasions,and was always beforehand with them in the dutiesof charity; whether it were, that, being naturallyofficious, and of a warm temper, he was more eagerto employ himself for them; or that his health, miraculouslyrestored, rendered him more obliging and charitabletowards those by whose prayers it was recovered.

When they were arrived at Venice, their breathingswere only after the holy places. Ignatius, whomthey were ravished to see again, and whom they acknowledgedfor their common father, was of opinion, that whilethey were waiting the opportunity of going to receivethe Pope’s blessing for their voyage to Jerusalem,each of them should employ himself on works of charity,in the hospitals of the town.

Xavier, whose lot fell in the hospital of the incurable,was not satisfied only with busying himself all day,in dressing sick men’s sores, in making theirbeds, and doing them more inferior service, but alsopassed whole nights in watching by them. But hiscare and pains were not confined to the succour oftheir bodies. Though he was wholly ignorant ofthe Italian tongue, he frequently spoke of God to them;and, above all things, exhorted the greatest libertinesto repentance, by causing them to comprehend, in thebest manner he was able, that though their corporalmaladies were incurable, yet the diseases of theirsouls were not so; that how enormous soever our offenceswere, we ought always to rely on God’s mercy;and that a desire of being sincerely converted, wasonly requisite in sinners for obtaining the grace oftheir conversion.

One of these sick alms-men had an ulcer, which washorrible to the sight, but the noisomeness of thestench was yet more insupportable; every one shunnedthe miserable creature, not enduring so much as toapproach him; and Xavier once found a great repugnancein himself to attend him: but at the same time,he called to his remembrance a maxim of Ignatius, thatwe make no progress in virtue, but by vanquishingourselves; and that the occasion of making a greatsacrifice, was too precious to be lost. Beingfortified with these thoughts, and encouraged by theexample of St Catharine de Sienna, which came intohis mind, he embraced the sick person, applied hismouth to the ulcer, surmounted his natural loathing,and sucked out the corruption. At the same momenthis repugnance vanished; and after that, he had nofarther trouble in the like cases: of so greatimportance it is to us, once to have thoroughly overcomeourselves.

Two months were passed away in these exercises ofcharity. After which he set forward on his journeyto Rome with the other disciples of Ignatius, whohimself stayed behind alone at Venice. They underwentgreat hardships in their way. It rained continually,and bread was often wanting to them, even when theirstrength was wasted. Xavier encouraged his companions,and sustained himself by that apostolic spirit withwhich God replenished him from that time forwards,and which already made him in love with pain and sufferings.

Being arrived at Rome, his first care was to visitthe churches, and to consecrate himself to the ministryof the gospel, upon the sepulchre of the holy apostles.He had the opportunity of speaking more than oncebefore the Pope: for the whole company of thembeing introduced into the Vatican, by Pedro Ortiz,that Spanish doctor whom they had formerly known atParis, and whom the emperor had sent to Rome for theaffair concerning the marriage of Catharine of Arragon,queen of England, Paul the Third, who was a loverof learning, and who was pleased to be entertainedat his table with the conversation of learned men,commanded that these strangers, whose capacity hehad heard so extremely praised, should be admittedto see him for many days successively; and that inhis presence they should discourse concerning diverspoints of school-divinity.

Having received the benediction of our holy fatherfor their voyage to the Holy Land, and obtained thepermission for those amongst them who were not insacred orders, to receive them, they returned to Venice.Xavier there made his vows of poverty and perpetualchastity, together with the rest, in the hands ofJeronimo Veralli, the Pope’s nuncio; and havingagain taken up his post in the hospital of the incurable,he resumed his offices of charity, which his journeyto Rome had constrained him to interrupt, and continuedin those exercises till the time of his embarkment.

In the mean time, the war which was already kindledbetwixt the Venetians and the Turk, had broken thecommerce of the Levant, and stopt the passage to theHoly Land; insomuch, that the ship of the pilgrimsof Jerusalem went not out that year, according tothe former custom.

This disappointment wonderfully afflicted Xavier;and the more, because he not only lost the hope ofseeing those places which had been consecrated bythe presence and the blood of Jesus Christ, but wasalso bereft of an occasion of dying for his divineMaster. Yet he comforted himself in reflectingon the method of God’s providence; and at thesame time, not to be wanting in his duty to his neighbour,he disposed himself to receive the orders of priesthood,and did receive them with those considerations ofawful dread, and holy confusion, which are not easyto be expressed.

The town appeared to him an improper place for hispreparation, in order to his first mass. He soughtout a solitary place, where, being separated fromthe communication of man, he might enjoy the privaciesof God. He found this convenience of a retirementnear Monteselice, not far from Padua: it wasa miserable thatched cottage, forsaken of inhabitants,and out of all manner of repair. Thus accommodated,he passed forty days, exposed to the injuries of theair, lying on the cold hard ground, rigidly disciplininghis body, fasting all the day, and sustaining natureonly with a little pittance of bread, which he beggedabout the neighbourhood; but tasting all the whilethe sweets of paradise, in contemplating the eternaltruths of faith. As his cabin did not unfitlyrepresent to him the stable of Bethlehem, so he proposedto himself frequently the extreme poverty of the infantJesus, as the pattern of his own; and said withinhimself, that, since the Saviour of mankind had chosento be in want of all things, they who laboured afterhim for the salvation of souls, were obliged, by hisexample, to possess nothing in this world.

How pleasing soever this loneliness were to him, yet,his forty days being now expired, he left it, to instructthe villages and neighbour-towns, and principallyMonteselice, where the people were grossly ignorant,and knew little of the duties of Christianity.

The servant of God made daily exhortations to them,and his penitent aspect gave authority to all hiswords; insomuch, that only looking on his face, nonecould doubt but he was come from the wilderness toinstruct them in the way to heaven. He employedhimself during the space of two or three months inthat manner: for, though there was no appearancethat any vessel should set sail for the Holy Land,yet Ignatius and his disciples, who had obliged themselvesto wait one year in expectation of any such opportunity,would not depart from the territories of the republictill it was totally expired, that they might havenothing to upbraid themselves, in relation to the vowwhich they had made.

Xavier being thus disposed, both by his retirement,and his exterior employments, at length said his firstmass at Vicenza; to which place Ignatius had causedall his company to resort; and he said it with tearsflowing in such abundance, that his audience couldnot refrain from mixing their own with his.

His austere, laborious life, joined with so sensiblea devotion, which often makes too great an impressionon the body, so much impaired the strength of hisconstitution, that he fell sick, not long after hisfirst mass. He was carried into one of the ownhospitals, which was so crowded, and so poor, thatXavier had in it but the one half of a wretched bed,and that too in a chamber which was open on every side.His victuals were no better than his lodging, andnever was sick man more destitute of human succours.But, in requital, heaven was not wanting to him.

He was wonderfully devoted to St Jerome; and had oftenhad recourse to that blessed doctor of the churchfor the understanding of difficult places in the scripture.The saint appeared to him one night, refulgent inhis beams of glory, and gave him consolation in hissickness; yet, at the same time, declaring to him,that a far greater affliction than the present waswaiting for him at Bolognia, where himself and oneof his companions were to pass the winter; that someof them should go to Padua, some to Rome, others toFerrara, and the remainder of them to Sienna.

This apparition fortified Xavier so much, that herecovered suddenly; yet whether he had some doubtsconcerning it, or was of opinion that he ought tokeep it secret, he said nothing of it at that time.But that which then happened to him made it evident,that the vision was of God: for Ignatius, whowas ignorant of what had been revealed to Xavier,having assembled his disciples, gave them to understand,that since the gate of the Holy Land was shut againstthem, they ought not any longer to defer the offeringof their service to the Pope; that it was sufficientif some of them went to Rome, while the rest of themdispersed themselves in the universities of Italy,to the end, they might inspire the fear of God intothe scholars, and gather up into their number someyoung students of the greatest parts. Ignatiusappointed them their several stations, just as theyhad been foreshewn by St Jerome; and that of Bologniafell to the share of Xavier and Bobadilla.

After their arrival at Bolognia, Xavier went to saya mass at the tomb of St Dominic; for he had a particularveneration for the founder of that order, whose institutionwas for the preaching of the gospel.

A devout virgin, whose name was Isabella Casalini,seeing him at the altar, judged him to be a man ofGod; and was led by some interior motion to speakto this stranger priest when his mass was ended.She was so much edified, and so satisfied with thediscourse of Xavier, that she immediately informedher uncle, at whose house she lodged, of this treasurewhich she had discovered.

Jerome Casalini, who was a very considerable clergyman,both in regard of his noble blood, and of his virtue,went in search of this Spanish priest, upon the accountwhich was given of him by his niece; and, having foundhim at the hospital, he importuned him so much to takea lodging in his house, that Xavier could not in civilityrefuse him. But the holy man would never acceptof his table, of whose house he had accepted.He begged his bread from door to door according tohis usual custom; and lived on nothing but the almswhich was given him in the town.

Every day, after having celebrated the divine mysteriesin St Lucy’s church, of which Casalini was curate,he there heard the confessions of such as presentedthemselves before him: after which he visitedthe prisons and the hospitals, catechised the children,and preached to the people.

’Tis true, he spoke but very ill; and his languagewas only a kind of Lingua Franca, a confused medleyof Italian, French, and Spanish: but he pronouncedit with so much vehemence, and the matter of his sermonswas so solid, that his ill accent and his improperphrases were past by. His audience attended tohim, as to a man descended from above, and his sermonbeing ended, came to cast themselves at his feet, andmake confession.

These continual labours, during a very sharp winter,threw him into a relapse of sickness, much more dangerousthan the former; as it were to verify the predictionof St Jerome; for he was seized with a quartan ague,which was both malignant and obstinate; insomuch thatit cast him into an extreme faintness, and made himas meagre as a skeleton. In the mean time, leanand languishing as he was, he ceased not to crawl tothe public places, and excite passengers to repentance.When his voice failed him, his wan and mortified face,the very picture of death, seemed to speak for him,and his presence alone had admirable effects.

Jerome Casalini profited so well by the instructionsand example of the holy man, that he arrived in ashort space to a high degree of holiness: thegreater knowledge he had of him, he the more admiredhim, as he himself related. And it is from thisvirtuous churchman chiefly, that we have this accountof Xavier, that having laboured all the day, he passedthe night in prayer; that on Friday saying the massof the passion, he melted into tears, and was oftenravished in his soul; that he spoke but seldom, butthat all his words were full of sound reason, and heavenlygrace.

While Xavier was thus employing his labours at Bolognia,he was recalled to Rome by Father Ignatius; who hadalready presented himself before the Pope, and offeredhim the service both of himself and his companions.Pope Paul the Third accepted the good will of thesenew labourers; enjoining them to begin their workin Rome, and preach under the authority of the HolySee. The principal churches were assigned them;and that of St Laurence in Damaso was allotted toXavier.

Being now freed from his quartan ague, and his strengthbeing again restored, he preached with more vigourand vehemence than ever.

Death, the last judgment, and the pains of hell, werethe common subject of his sermons. He proposedthose terrible truths after a plain manner, but withalso movingly, that the people, who came in crowds tohear him preach, departed out of the church in a profoundsilence; and thought less of giving praises to thepreacher, than of converting their own souls to God.

The famine, which laid waste the city of Rome at thattime, gave opportunity to the ten stranger-priests,to relieve an infinite number of miserable people,oppressed with want, and unregarded. Xavier wasardent above the rest, to find them places of accommodation,and to procure alms for their subsistence. Hebore them even upon his shoulders to the places whichwere provided for them, and attended them with allimaginable care.

In the mean time, James Govea, a Portuguese, who hadbeen acquainted with Ignatius, Xavier, and Le Fevre,at Paris, and who was principal of the college ofSaint Barbe, when they lived together there, beingcome to Rome on some in portant business, for whichhe was sent thither by John III. King of Portugal,and seeing the wonderful effects of their ministry,wrote to the king, as he had formerly done from Paris,on the reports which were spread of them, that suchmen as these, knowing, humble, charitable, inflamedwith zeal, indefatigable in labour, lovers of thecross, and who aimed at nothing but the honour of AlmightyGod, were fit to be employed in the East-Indies, toplant and propagate the faith. He adjoined, thatif his majesty were desirous of these excellent men,he had only to ask them from the Pope, who had theabsolute disposition of them.

John III., the most religious prince then living,wrote thereupon to his ambassador, Don Pedro Mascaregnas,and ordered him to obtain from his Holiness, six atleast of those apostolic men, which had been commendedto him by Govea. The Pope having heard the propositionof Mascaregnas, remitted the whole business to FatherIgnatius, for whom he had already a great consideration,and who had lately presented to his Holiness the modelof the new order, which he and his companions weredesirous to establish.

Ignatius, who had proposed to himself no less a designthan the reformation of the whole world, and who sawthe urgent necessities of Europe, infected with heresyon every side, returned this answer to Mascaregnas,that often, which was their whole number, he couldspare him at the most but two persons. The Popeapproved this answer, and ordered Ignatius to makethe choice himself. Thereupon Ignatius named SimonRodriguez, a Portuguese, and Nicholas Bobadilla, aSpaniard. The first of these was, at that time,employed at Sienna, and the other in the kingdom ofNaples, as they had been commissioned by the Holy Father.Though Rodriguez was languishing under a quartan ague,when he was recalled from Sienna, yet he failed notto obey the summons; and shortly after embarking ona ship of Lisbon which went off from Civita Vecchia,carried with him Paul de Camerin, who, some monthsbefore, had joined himself to their society.

As for Bobadilla, he was no sooner come to Rome, thanhe fell sick of a continued fever; and it may be said,that his distemper was the hand of heaven, which hadordained another in his stead for the mission of theIndies. For sometimes that which appears but chance,or a purely natural effect in the lives of men, isa disposition of the Divine Providence which movesby secret ways to its own proposed ends; and is pleasedto execute those designs, by means as easy as theyare powerful.

Mascaregnas, who had finished his embassy, and wasdesirous to carry with him into Portugal the secondmissioner who had been promised him, was within aday of his departure, when Bobadilla arrived.Ignatius seeing him in no condition to undertake avoyage, applied himself to God for his direction,in the choice of one to fill his place, or rather tomake choice of him whom God had chosen; for he wasimmediately enlightened from above, and made to understand,that Xavier was that vessel of election. He calledfor him at the same instant, and being filled withthe Divine Spirit, “Xavier,” said he, “Ihad named Bobadilla for the Indies, but the Almightyhas nominated you this day. I declare it to youfrom the vicar of Jesus Christ. Receive an employmentcommitted to your charge by his Holiness, and deliveredby my mouth, as if it were conferred on you by ourblessed Saviour in person. And rejoice for yourfinding an opportunity, to satisfy that fervent desire,which we all have, of carrying the faith into remotecountries. You have not here a narrow Palestine,or a province of Asia, in prospect, but a vast extentof ground, and innumerable kingdoms. An entireworld is reserved for your endeavours, and nothingbut so large a field is worthy of your courage andyour zeal. Go, my brother, where the voice ofGod has called you; where the Holy See has sent you,and kindle those unknown nations, with the flame thatburns within you.”

Xavier, wholly confounded in himself with these expressionsof Ignatius, with tears of a tender affection in hiseyes, and blushing in his countenance, answered him,that he could not but be astonished, that he shouldpitch upon a man, so weak, and pusillanimous as himself,for an enterprize which required no less than an apostle:that nevertheless he was ready to obey the commandsof heaven; and that he offered himself, with the wholepower of his soul, to do and suffer all things forthe salvation of the Indies. After which, givingleave to his internal joy to break out, and to diffuseitself, he more confidently said to Father Ignatius,that his desires were now accomplished; that for along time he had sighed after the Indies without daringto declare it; and that he hoped, from those idolatrousnations, to have the honour of dying for Jesus Christ,which had been denied him in the Holy Land.

He added, in the height of these transports, thatat length he saw that clearly, of which God had oftengiven him a glimpse, under some mysterious figures.In effect, Xavier had frequently dreamed by night,that he carried on his shoulders a gigantic and veryswarthy Indian; and opprest with this strong imagination,he groaned and sighed, in that uneasy slumber, asone out of breath, and labouring under an intolerableburden; insomuch that the noise of his groans and heavingswaked those who were lodged in the same chamber; and,one night it happening that Father Laynez being awakenedby it, asked him what it was that troubled him:Xavier immediately told his dream, and added, thatit put him into a sweat, with big drops over all hisbody.

Besides this, he once beheld, either in a dream, orin a trance, vast oceans full of tempests and of rocks,desart islands, barbarous countries, hunger and thirstraging every where, nakedness, multiplicity of labours,with bloody persecution, and imminent dangers of deathand of destruction. In the midst of this ghastlyapparition, he cried aloud, “yet more, O myGod, yet more!” and Father Simon Rodriguez heardthese words distinctly; but however he importunedhim to declare their meaning, he would discover nothingat that time, till embarking for the Indies, he revealedthe mystery.

Such ideas, always present in his imagination, filledhis familiar discourses with notions of a new world,and the conversion of infidels. While he wasspeaking on that subject, his face was on a fire, andthe tears came into his eyes. This was testifiedof him by Father Jerome Dominic, who, before he enteredinto the Society, had conversed with him at Bolognia,where a strict friendship was made betwixt them.

As Xavier was advertised of this voyage to the Indiesbut the day before Mascaregnas departed, he had buttime enough to piece up his cassock, bid his friendsfarewell, and go to kiss the feet of our Holy Father.

Paul III., overjoyed, that under his pontificate agate should be opened to the gospel, in the OrientalIndies, received him with a most fatherly affection,and excited him to assume such thoughts, as were worthyof so high an undertaking; telling him for his encouragement,that the Eternal Wisdom is never failing to supplyus with strength, to prosecute the labours to whichit has ordained us, even though they should surpassall human abilities. He must, indeed, preparehimself for many sufferings; but the affairs of Godsucceeded not but by the ways of suffering, and thatnone could pretend to the honour of an apostleship,but by treading in the steps of the apostles, whoselives were but one continual cross, and a daily death;that heaven had employed him in the mission of StThomas, the apostle of the Indies, for the conquestof souls; that it became him to labour generously,in reviving the faith in those countries, where ithad been planted by that great apostle; and that ifit were necessary for him to shed his blood, for theglory of Christ Jesus, he should account it his happinessto die a martyr.

It seemed that God himself had spoken by the mouthof his vicegerent, such impression had these wordson the mind and heart of Xavier. They inspiredinto him a divine vigour; and in his answer to hisHoliness, there shone through a profound humilitysuch a magnanimity of soul, that Paul III. had fromthat very minute a certain presage of those wonderfulevents which afterwards arrived. Therefore themost Holy Father, having wished him the special assistanceof God in all his labours, tenderly embraced him,more than once, and gave him a most ample benediction.

Xavier departed in the company of Mascaregnas the15th of March, in the year 1540, without any otherequipage besides his breviary. In giving hislast adieu to Father Ignatius, he cast himself at hisfeet, and with all humility desired his blessing;and, in taking leave of Laynez, he put into his handsa small memorial, which he had written, and signed.

This memorial, which is still preserved at Rome, contains,that he approves, as much as depends on him, the rulesand constitutions, which shall be drawn up, by Ignatiusand his companions; that he elects Ignatius to betheir general, and, in failure of him, Le Fevre; thathe consecrates himself to God, by the three vows,of poverty, chastity, and obedience, in the Societyof Jesus, when it shall be raised into a religiousorder, by the apostolical authority.

The conclusion of that affair was daily expected;and indeed it was happily finished, before the endingof the year, in that almost miraculous manner, asis related in the Life of St Ignatius.

His journey from Rome to Lisbon was all the way byland, and was above three months. Xavier hada horse allowed him, by order from the ambassador;but they were no sooner on their way, than he madehim common. The Father often alighted to easethe servants who followed on foot; or exchanged hishorse with others, who were not so well mounted.At the inns he was every man’s servant, evento the rubbing of the horses, by an excess of humility,which, on those occasions, caused him to forget thedignity of his character. He resigned his chamberand his bed to those who wanted them; and never lodgedbut either on the ground, or on the litter in thestable. In the rest of his actions, ever cheerful,and pleasant in discourse, which made all men desirousof his company; but always mixing somewhat with thatgaiety, which was edifying both to the masters andthe servants, and inspired them alike with thoughtsof piety.

They went by Loretto, where they rested at the leasteight days; after which they continued their journeyby Bolognia. From thence, Xavier wrote to Ignatius,in this manner:

“I received, on the holiday of Easter, the letterwhich you wrote and inclosed in the packet of my lordambassador. God only knows my joy in receivingit. Believing, as I do, that we shall never entertaineach other in this world, by any other way than thatof writing, and that we shall never see each otherbut in heaven, it concerns us, that little time wehave to live in this place of exile, to give ourselvesthe mutual consolation of frequent letters. Thecorrespondence, on my part, shall be exactly kept;for being convinced, by the reasons which you gaveme at our parting, that a commerce of this natureought to be established, in a regular method, betwixtthe colonies and the mother country, I have resolved,that in whatever parts of the world I shall reside,or any members of our Society with me, to maintaina strict communication with you, and with the fathersat Rome, and send you as large an account, as possiblyI can, of any news concerning us. I have takenmy opportunity of seeing the Cardinal of Invrea, asyou gave me in command, and have discoursed at leisurewith him. He received me with much goodness, andoffered me, with great civility, his interest, forour common cause. In the midst of the discourse,which we had together, I threw myself at his feet,and kissed his hand, in the name of all our Society.As much as I can gather by his words, he extremelyapproves the manner of our living.

“As concerning my lord ambassador, he loadsme with so many favours, that I should never conclude,if I began to relate them. And I know not howI could suffer the many good offices he does me, ifI had not some hope of repaying him in the Indies,at the expence of my life itself. On Palm-SundayI heard his confession, and after him many of his domesticservants; I communicated them afterwards, in the holychapel of Loretto, where I said mass. I likewiseconfessed them, and gave them the communion, on EasterSunday. My lord ambassador’s almoner recommendshimself to your good prayers, and has promised to bearme company to the Indies. I am more taken upwith confessions here, than I was in Rome, at St Lewis.I heartily salute all our fathers; and if I name notevery one of them in particular, I desire them tobelieve, ’tis neither from my want of memory,or affection.

“Your brother and servant in Jesus Christ,
Francis.”
from Bolognia, March 31. 1540.

The whole town of Bolognia was in motion at the approachof Father Xavier: they were wonderfully affectedto him, and in a manner esteemed him their apostle:both great and small were desirous of seeing him, andmost of them discovered the state of their conscienceto him; many of them proffered themselves to go alongwith him to the Indies; all of them shed tears athis departure, as thinking they should never more beholdhim.

Jerome Casalini, curate of St Lucy, who had lodgedhim the year before, was most particularly kind tohim at his return: he obliged him to accept ofhis house once more; and his church became as it werethe public rendezvous, where Xavier heard an infinitenumber of confessions.

In the rest of this long journey, there happened twoor three passages, which were sufficiently remarkable.A domestic servant to the ambassador, who rode beforeas harbinger, to take up lodgings for the train, aviolent and brutal man, being reprehended by his lordfor having been negligent in his duty, fell into ahorrible fit of passion, as soon as he was out ofMascaregnas his presence. Xavier heard him, buttook no notice of it at that time, for fear of provokinghim to any farther extravagance. But the nextmorning, when the same person set out before the company,according to his custom, he spurred after him at fullspeed. He found him lying under his horse, whowas fallen with him from a precipice, the man sorelybruised, and the horse killed outright. “Wretchedcreature,” said the father to him, “whathad become of thee, if thou hadst died of this fall?”These few words made him sensible of his furious expressions,for which he sincerely asked pardon of Almighty God;and Xavier alighting, mounted him on his own horse,and walked on foot by him, to their lodging.

Another time, the gentleman of the horse attemptingto pass a small river, which was very deep and rapid,the current carried away both man and horse, and thewhole company gave him for lost. Xavier, movedwith compassion for the danger of his soul, because,having had a call from heaven to enter into a religiouslife, he had not followed the motions of grace, butremained in the world, began to implore God in hisbehalf. The ambassador, who had a great kindnessfor him, joined in that devout action, and commandedthe whole train to follow their example. Theyhad scarcely opened their mouths for him, when theman and horse, who were both drowning, came againabove water, and were carried to the bank. Thegentleman was drawn out, pale in his countenance, andhalf dead. When he had recovered his senses,Xavier demanded of him, what thoughts he had, whenhe was at the point of perishing? He freely acknowledged,that the religious life, to which God had called him,then struck upon his soul; with dismal apprehensions,for having neglected the means of his salvation.He protested afterwards, as Xavier himself relates,in one of his letters, that, in that dreadful moment,the remorse of his conscience, and the sense of God’sjudgments on souls unfaithful to their vocation, weremore terrible to him, than the horrors even of deathitself. He spoke of eternal punishments, withexpressions so lively and so strong, as if he hadalready felt them, and was returned from hell.He frequently said, (as the saint has assured us,)that, by a just judgment of eternal God, those who,during their life, made no preparations for theirdeath, had not the leisure to think on God when deathsurprised them.

The ambassador, and all his people, doubted not, butthe safety of this gentleman was to be ascribed tothe merits of the saint: but Xavier himself believedit to be the pure effect of the ambassador’sdevotion; for thus he writes to father Ignatius concerningit—“Our Lord was pleased to giveear to the fervent prayers of his servant Mascaregnas,which he made with tears in his eyes, for the deliveranceof the poor creature, whom he looked upon as lost;and who was taken from the jaws of death by a mostevident miracle.”

In passing over the Alps, the ambassador’s secretaryalighting to walk in a difficult way, which he couldnot well observe, by reason of the snows, his foothappened to slip on a sharp descent, and he rolleddown into a precipice: he had tumbled to thevery bottom, if, in falling, his clothes had not takenhold on one of the crags of the rock, where he remainedhanging over the depths without ability, either todisengage himself, or get up again. Those whofollowed, made towards him, but the horror of thatabyss stopt short the most daring: Xavier onlymade not the least demur; he descended the precipice,and lending his hand to the secretary, by little andlittle dragged him up.

Being gotten out of France, and having passed thePyreneans, on the side of Navarre, when they werenow approaching Pampeluna, Mascaregnas bethought himself,that Father Francis, for by that name Xavier was usuallycalled, had not spoken one word of going to the castleof Xavier, which was but little distant from theirroad: he remembered him of it, and was even soimportunate with him, as to say, that since he wasabout to leave Europe, and perhaps never more to seeit, he could not in decency dispense with giving avisit to his family, and taking his last leave ofhis mother, who was yet living.

But all the arguments of Mascaregnas wrought no effectupon a man, who, having forsaken all things for thelove of God, was of opinion, that he had nothing remainingin this world; and who also was persuaded, that fleshand blood are enemies to the apostolical spirit.He turned not out of the road, but only said to theambassador, that he deferred the sight of his relationstill he should visit them in heaven; that this transientview would be accompanied but with melancholy and sadness,the common products of a last farewell, but in heavenhe should eternally behold them with pleasure, andwithout the least allay of sorrow.

Mascaregnas had already a high idea of Xavier’svirtue; but this wonderful disengagement from theworld yet more increased the esteem which he had ofhim; insomuch, that before they reached Portugal, hesent an express to King John III. with no other errand,than to inform him of the holiness of this secondmissioner to the Indies.

They arrived at Lisbon towards the end of June; andXavier retired to the hospital of All Saints, whereRodriguez, who came by sea, had taken up his lodging.He found him much weakened with a quartan ague, whichhad not left him; and embraced him just at the momentwhen his fit was coming on him. But whether itwere, that the extreme joy which Rodriguez found,so unexpectedly to see him, dissipated the humour whichcaused his disease, or that the embraces of Xavierhad from that time an healing virtue; certain it isthat the fit came not, and from thenceforward thesick man entirely recovered of that distemper.

Three or four days after, they were both called tocourt. The king and queen, who were in companytogether, received Xavier as a saint, on the reportof Mascaregnas, and entertained him with all imaginableshews of kindness. They asked them diverse questionsconcerning their way of living; by what accident theirnew Society came to be formed; and what was the groundand ultimate design of it; and at last desired to beinformed by them, from whence proceeded that strangepersecution, which was raised in Rome against theirbody, which had made so great a noise over all Europe.Xavier made answer to all these demands in few words,but so very pertinently, as much satisfied both theirmajesties: they gave great approbation, (as himselfrelates in his letter from Lisbon to Ignatius,) towhat he said, concerning the discipline of our houses,the quality of our ministry, and the spirit and modelof our foundation.

In the midst of the conversation, the king sent forthe Prince of Portugal, his son Don Juan, and theInfanta Maria, his daughter, that the two missionersmight see them. And from thence his majesty tookoccasion of relating to them, how many children hehad still living, and how many he had lost, whichturned the discourse on the education of youth; andbefore the fathers were dismissed, the king recommendedto their care, an hundred young gentlemen, who werebred at court.

Though an officer of the palace had orders to preparean handsome lodging, with good accommodation, forXavier and Rodriguez, they returned to their hospital,and there continued. They would not so much asreceive their entertainment of diet, which was assignedthem from court, but went the round of the city beggingalms at their appointed hours, and lived in poverty,according to the manner of life which they had prescribedthemselves.

The fleet not being to set sail till the next spring,and these apostolical persons not knowing what itwas to live in idleness, Xavier was not satisfiedonly to instruct those young gentlemen in piety, whomthe king had committed to his charge; he gave himselfan employment, and did at Lisbon what he had doneat Venice, Bolognia, and Rome, for the space of twoyears and more. But, besides that he assistedthe sick in the hospital day and night, visited theprisoners every day, and catechised the children manytimes in the week, he often discoursed with the principalpersons of the court, and engaged them in the spiritualexercises of Ignatius.

At first he preached not in the churches, judging,that the ministries of the gospel ought to begin withless public actions; and went not into the pulpit,without being first requested by the king, who oneday sending for him to the palace, acquainted himwith the desire he had to hear him preach; and toldhim, “That the Bishop of Lisbon was of opinion,that they ought not any longer to defer his publicexhortations.”

Father Simon Rodriguez laboured also on his part,in the service of his neighbour, according to thesame method, and with the same spirit.

In the mean time, Martin d’Azpilcueta, surnamedthe doctor of Navarre, who was uncle to Xavier, onthe mother’s side, and who was chief professorof divinity in the university of Coimbra, having heardthe news of his nephew’s arrival, wrote earnestlyto the king, that it would please him to send FatherFrancis to him. He added, that in case the Fathermight have leave to remain with him till the departureof the fleet, he would oblige himself to make twonew lectures, at his own expence, the one in canon-law,the other in mystical divinity. And farther,that in few years afterwards he would follow Xavierto the Indies, and preach the gospel in conjunctionwith him, to the eastern idolaters.

These letters prevailed nothing; the man, who hadrefused so much as to turn out of his way to see hismother, was bent against the taking of a journey,and forsaking his important business to visit one ofhis relations. The king retained Xavier at Lisbon,at the request of Xavier himself; and the father wrotea letter of excuse to the doctor of Navarre, who hadwritten two to him full of tenderness and friendship.As that doct&r was unsatisfied with that kind of life,which his nephew had embraced, so Xavier resolvedhim, on that point, in this manner. “Forwhat concerns our institute, of which so many reportsare now raised, I have but one word, at present, tosay of it. ’Tis of little consequence,illustrious doctor, to be judged by men, especiallyby such, who will needs be judging before they understandthe matter, and know the merits of the cause.”

As to his intention of going to the Indies, he desiredhim to think no farther of it; for thus Navarre relatesthat passage in his manual: “I had resolvedto have ended my days in those parts, if Xavier, inconsideration of my great age, had not thought me incapableof those labours which attend his mission: andif he had not written to me at his departure, thatI should comfort myself for his absence, by the hopeof seeing each other in the celestial kingdom.”

Our two missioners laboured not in vain at Lisbon.From the very beginning of their ministry, devotionbegan to spread amongst the people. All men ranto the blessed sacrament, which before was never thoughton but in Lent: and this holy custom diffuseditself insensibly through all the towns of PortugalMany, who had deferred their conversion from timeto time, now on the sudden gave themselves up to God,and even renounced the world. The most inveterateenemies were sincerely reconciled, and the most impudentharlots abandoned their prostitute way of living.

But this change of manners was most particularly apparentat the court: the king, who was truly religious,and full of goodness, was the first to declare himselfa*gainst those vices which usually infect the palacesof princes. And that he might introduce a reformationby degrees, not only into his house, bat also dilateit through his whole kingdom, he obliged all the youngcourtiers to confess themselves once a week; for hesaid, “That if the lords and gentlemen wouldaccustom themselves, from their tender years, to theservice and fear of God, they would live with greaterChristianity in their riper age: and if personsof quality came once to give good examples of religion,the commonalty, who form themselves according to theirmodel, would not fail to regulate their manners; andtherefore the reformation of all degrees in the kingdomconsisted chiefly in the virtuous education of youngnoblemen.”

The example of the prince and the young courtiersdrew the rest; and thereupon Xavier writes to Ignatiusin these terms:

“Nothing can be more regular than the courtof Portugal: it resembles rather a religioussociety, than a secular court. The number of courtierswho come to confession, and are afterwards communicated,every eight days, is so very great, that we are inadmiration of it,” and are in perpetual thanksgivingfor it. We are so taken up with hearing confessions,that if we were twice so many as we are, there wouldbe employment more than enough for us. We aresitting on the confession-seat all the day long, andpart of the night, though none but courtiers are permittedto come to us.

“I remember, that I observed, when the kingwas at Almerin, those who waited on him, from allparts of the kingdom, about their own affairs, asthe custom is, were in great admiration at this newcourt-mode; and when they beheld the young gentlemenat the sacrament of the altar, every Sunday and holiday,with great reverence, they thought themselves in anotherworld. But the greatest part of them imitatingthat which they admired, drew near to the tribunalof penance, and the holy table. Had we confessorsenow to attend the crowds that come to court, no manwould venture to apply himself to the king for anybusiness, before he had been first with God, and werewell with him.”

The two labourers in God’s harvest were so exhaustedwith their pains, that at length they were constrainedto accept of the diet which was provided for themby the king’s appointment; for they judged theirtime was better employed in the service of souls,than in begging their daily bread about the streets.Yet they omitted not to ask alms once or twice a-week,that they might not disuse themselves from the spiritof mortification and poverty. With these considerations,they reserved but little of what was sent them fromthe palace, and distributed the rest among the poor.

On the other side, the perpetual labour of confessionsreduced them to preach but very seldom, for want ofleisure. But, all things duly examined, theythought it of more consequence to God’s service,to administer the sacrament of penance, than to preachthe word; because the court of Portugal was furnishedwith able preachers, but was much wanting in judiciousconfessors; which was the very observation that Xaviermade in the letter above cited.

These visible and wonderful operations caused thetwo missioners to be respected as men sent down fromheaven, and replenished with the spirit of the MostHigh; insomuch that all men gave them the surname ofapostles, which glorious title still remains with theirsuccessors in Portugal. The king, on all occasions,shewed them a most particular affection; and Xavier,ravished with so many expressions of his goodnessto them, gives this account of it to Father Ignatius.

“Our whole society stands obliged to his majesty,for his singular favour to us; as well the rest ofyou at Rome, as we in Portugal. I am given tounderstand, from the ambassador Mascaregnas, that theking told him, he should be very glad, that all themembers of our company might be gathered together,and established here; though on that condition heemployed a good part of his revenue for our entertainment.”

“This pious prince,” says Xavier in anotherof his letters, “who has so tender an inclinationfor our society, and who wishes our advancement asmuch as if he were one of us, has thereby engaged usfor ever to his service; and we should be guilty ofa most horrible ingratitude, even to be unworthy oflife, if we made not a public profession of our serviceto him, and if every day of our lives we endeavourednot to acknowledge, by our prayers, as far as ourweakness will give us leave, all the favours of sogenerous a protector, and so magnificent a benefactor.”

The Prince, Don Henry, who was nominated cardinalnot long after, and in process of time came to thecrown by the death of Don Sebastian, had not lessaffection for them than the king his brother.Being grand inquisitor, he gave the fathers an absolutepower in his tribunal; and permitted them to discoursefreely with all the prisoners of the Inquisition.

Some of the greatest quality in the court were somuch edified with the apostolic life of Xavier andRodriguez, that they were desirous to embrace theirinstitute; as some learned persons of the city hadalready done. In short, every thing succeededwith them so, that Xavier had some apprehensions concerningthis tide of happiness: He bemoaned it sometimesto himself, and said, that prosperity was always formidable,even in the most pious undertakings; that persecutionwas more desirable, and a much surer mark of Christ’sdisciples.

The two missioners appointed for the Indies livedin this manner; and impatiently waited for the properseason of navigation. But the king weighing inhis mind the great good which they had done, in soshort a time, both amongst the nobility and the commonpeople, was desirous to retain them still in Portugal.It seemed reasonable to him, that the interest ofhis own kingdom ought to be dearer to him than thatof foreign nations; and that these new labourers wouldproduce a larger increase in Catholic countries, thanamongst barbarians.

Yet that he might undertake nothing without maturedeliberation, he called a council, and himself proposedit to them. All of them approved the king’sopinion, excepting only the Prince Don Henry; who stronglyurged, that Xavier and Rodriguez having been nominatedfor the new world, by the vicar of our Saviour, itwas in a manner to disturb the order of Providence,if he thwarted their intended voyage; that the Indieswere equally to be considered with Portugal itself,since they had been conquered by the Portuguese, andwere annexed to the imperial crown; that those idolatershad better inclinations towards Christianity than wasgenerally thought; and that they would come over tothe faith of their own accord, when they should seeamongst them disinterested preachers, free from avariceand ambition.

As the opinions of kings are always prevalent, thereasons of Don Henry were slighted; and it was concludedin council, that the two missioners should not departthe realm. This resolution afflicted them themore sensibly, because they both breathed after thoseeastern countries; their last recourse was to writeto Rome, and interpose the mediation of Father Ignatius.He accordingly moved the Pope in their behalf; buthis Holiness refused to make an absolute decision,and remitted the whole affair to Portugal: insomuchthat Ignatius sent word to the two fathers, that theking was to them in the place of God, and that it wastheir duty to pay him a blind obedience. At thesame time he also wrote to Don Pedro Mascaregnas,that Xavier and Rodriguez were wholly at the king’scommand; and that they should always remain in Portugal,in case his majesty desired it. Notwithstandingwhich, he thought a temperament might be found, whichwas, that Rodriguez might be retained in Portugal,and Xavier permitted to go for India.

The king was satisfied with this proposal of Ignatius;and believed it to be inspired by God himself.Xavier, transported with joy at the news of it, gavethanks to the Divine Goodness, which had chosen himanew for the mission of the Oriental parts, or ratherwhich had executed its eternal purpose, notwithstandinghuman opposition.

The time of embarkment being come, he was called oneday to the palace: the king discoursed fullywith him concerning the present condition of the Indies,and recommended particularly to him the affairs ofreligion. He likewise gave him in charge, tovisit the fortresses of the Portuguese, and take noticehow God was served in them; and withal to give himan account of what more was requisite to be done forthe establishment of Christianity in those new conquests;and to write frequently on that subject, not onlyto his ministers, but to his own person.

After this he presented him the four briefs, whichhad been expedited from Home the same year; in twoof which, our Holy Father had constituted Xavier apostolicalnuncio, and endued him with ample power for the extendingand maintenance of the faith throughout the East; inthe third, his Holiness recommended him to David Emperorof Ethiopia; and in the fourth, to all the princeswho possessed the isles of the sea, or the continentfrom the Cape of Good Hope, even beyond the Ganges.

John III. had requested these briefs, and the Popehad freely granted them, with design thereby to makethe mission of Father Francis the more illustriousand authentic. The father received them from thehands of the king with profound respect; saying, thatas much as his weakness was capable of performing,he should endeavour to sustain the burden, which Godand man had laid upon him.

Some few days before he went to sea, Don Antonio d’Ataida,count of Castagnera, who supervised the provisionsof the naval army, advertised Xavier to make a noteof what things were necessary for him in order tohis voyage; assuring him from his majesty, that heshould be furnished to his own desire. They wantnothing, replied the father with a smile, who haveoccasion for nothing. I am much obliged to theking for his liberality, and to you for your careof me; but I owe more to the Divine Providence, andyou would not wish me to distrust it.

The count of Castagnera, who had an express orderfrom the king, to make a large provision for FatherXavier, was very urgent with him, and importuned himso strongly to take something, for fear, said he, oftempting Providence, which does not every day workmiracles, that Xavier, not to appear either obstinateor, presumptuous, demanded some few little books ofdevotion, for which he foresaw he should have occasionin the Indies, and a thick eloth habit against theexcessive colds, which are to be endured in doublingthe Cape.

The count, amazed that the father asked for nothingmore, besought him to make a better use of the king’soffers; but seeing that all his intreaties prevailednothing, “you shall not be master in every thing,”said he, with some kind of heat, “and at theleast you cannot possibly refuse a servant to attendyou, because I am sure you cannot be without one.”“So long as I have the use of these two hands,”replied Xavier, “I will have no other servant.”“But decency,” rejoined the count, “requires,that you should have one, if it were but to maintainthe dignity of your character. How shameful wouldit seem to behold an apostolical legate washing hisown linen on the deck, and dressing his own victuals?”“I will take upon me for once,” said Xavier,“to serve myself, and others too, without dishonouringmy character. So long as I do no ill, I am inno fear of scandalizing my neighbour; nor of debasingthat authority with which I am entrusted by the HolySee. They are these human considerations, andfalse notions of decencies and punctilios, which havereduced the church to that condition in which we nowsee it.”

This positive answer stopped Castagnera’s mouth;but afterwards, he gave great commendations of Xavier,and publicly said, “that he found it much moredifficult to combat the denials of Father Francis,than to satisfy the craving desires of other men.”

The day of his departure being come at length, andall things in a readiness to set sail, Xavier wentto the port, with his two companions, whom he carriedwith him to the Indies; namely, Father Paul de Camerino,an Italian, and Francis Mansilla, a Portuguese, whowas not yet in priests orders. Simon Rodriguezbore him company to the fleet; and then it was, that,embracing each other with much tenderness, “Mybrother,” said Xavier, “these are thelast words which I shall ever say to you: weshall see each other no more in this present world;let us endure our separation with patience; for mostcertain it is, that, being well united with our Lord,we shall be united in ourselves; and that nothing shallbe able to divide us from the society which we havein Jesus Christ.

“As to what remains, I will, for your satisfaction,”added he, “discover to you a secret, which hithertoI have concealed from your knowledge: You mayremember, that when we lodged as chamber-fellows, inthe hospital at Rome, you heard me crying out onenight, ‘yet more, O my Lord, yet more!’you have often asked what that exclamation meant; andI have always answered you, that you should not troubleyourself about it: I must now tell you, thatI then beheld, (but whether sleeping or waking, Godonly knows,) all I was to suffer for the glory ofJesus Christ; our Lord infused into me so great adelight for sufferings, that not being able to satiate,myself with those troubles which he had presented tomy imagination, I begged of him yet more; and thatwas the sense of what I pronounced with so much fervency,‘yet more, yet more!’ I hope the DivineGoodness will grant me that in India, which he hasforeshewn to me in Italy, and that the desires whichhe inspired into me shall be shortly satisfied.”

After these words they embraced each other anew, andparted both of them in tears. When Rodriguezwas returned on shore, they gave the signal of departure,and set sail. This was on the 7th of April, inthe year 1541, under the command of Don Martin Alphonsode Sosa, viceroy of the Indies; a man of known integrity,and consummate experience in what related to thoseparts, where he had formerly lived for many years.He was desirous of Xavier’s company, in theAdmiral, which was called the St James. Xavierwent aboard on his own birth-day, entering then onhis six-and-thirtieth year. He had resided eightmonths entire at Lisbon; and forseven years, and somewhatmore, had been the professed disciple of IgnatiusLoyola.

* * * * *

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK II.

By what way he passes to the Indies. His employmentin the ship. He arrives at Mozambique, and whathe does there. He falls sick himself, and yetcontinues to serve the sick. His first predictionVerified by the success. He arrives at Melinda,and there confers with the Mahometans. He passesover to Socotora; his opinion concerning that people.He arrives at Goa. He visits the Bishop of theIndies. The estate of religion in the India athis arrival. His first work at Goa. The firstfruits of his labours. His industry to gain theConcubinarians. He is told of the coast of Fishery,and goes thither. This coast is called in themaps La Pescaria. He works a miracle at CapeComorin. He labours in the salvation of the Paravas.His manner of teaching the Christian faith. Heestablishes catechists and teachers of the faith tosupply ids place. The fruit of his labours onthe coast of Fishery. He makes use of childrento cure the sick. The zeal of the children againstidols and idolaters. The punishment of a pagan,who had despised the admonitions of Father Xavier.The original and character of the Brachmans. Hetreats with the Brachmans. The conference ofXavier with a famous Brachman. He works diversmiracles. He declares himself against the Brachmans.The means whereby he destroyed idolatry. He returnsto Goa, and for what reason. The beginning andestablishment of the seminary of holy faith. Theseminary of holy faith new named the College of StPaul. He returns to the coast of Fishery; hisactions there. He goes to the relief of the Christians,on the coast of Fishery. He goes to the kingdomof Travancore, and there labours with great success.God communicates to him the gift of tongues.He is persecuted by the Brachmans. He goes tomeet the army of the Badages, and puts them to flight.He prevails upon the king of Travancore to favourthe gospel. He raises two from death.

While the Christian religion flourished in Asia, underthe emperors of Constantinople, there were two ordinarypassages, and both of them short enough towards theIndies: the one by Syria, over the Euphrates andthe Persian Gulph; the other by Egypt, over the ArabianGulph, commonly called the Red Sea. But afterthe Saracens had possessed themselves of those places,the European Christians finding those passages unsecurefor travelling, sought out ways of a larger circuit,to avoid falling into the hands of their most mortalenemies.

The Portuguese were the first who bethought themselvesof coasting all Africa, and one part of Arabia andPersia; by taking this compass, the Indies are distantfrom Portugal about four thousand leagues, and thepassengers are constrained to suffer twice the scorchingheats of the torrid zone, in going under the equinoctialline, which divides Africa almost in two equal parts.

Don Henry, son of King John I., the most skilful princeof that age in the mathematics, was he who attemptedthe discovery of those seas, and undertook to doublethe Cape of Good Hope, upon the account of traffic,which he desired to establish betwixt the crown ofPortugal and the emperor of Ethiopia, commonly calledPrester John. This enterprise having succeeded,the kings of Portugal, Alphonso V., John II., and EmanuelI., followed it so happily, that, by little and little,they completed the passage to the Indies.

This was the course that Father Xavier held with thefleet of Portugal. He found himself sufficientemployment, during the time of the navigation:his first study was to put a stop to those disorderswhich are commonly occasioned by an idle life on ship-board;and he began with gaming, which is the only recreation,or rather the whole employment, of the seamen.

That he might banish games of chance, which almostalways occasion quarrels and swearing, he proposedsome little innocent diversions, capable of entertainingthe mind, without stirring up the passions. Butseeing that, in spite of his endeavours, they werebent on cards and dice, he thought it not convenientto absent himself, but became a looker on, that hemight somewhat awe them by his presence; and when theywere breaking out into any extravagance, he reclaimedthem by gentle and soft reproofs. He shewed concernmentin their gains, or in their losses, and offered sometimesto hold their cards.

There were at least a ’thousand persons in theAdmiral, men of all conditions: the father madehimself all to all, thereby to gain some to JesusChrist; entertaining every man with such discourseas was most suitable to his calling. He talkedof sea affairs to mariners, of war to the soldiery,of commerce to merchants, and of affairs of state tomen of quality. His natural gaiety, and obliginghumour, gained him a general esteem; the greatestlibertines, and most brutal persons, sought his conversation,and were even pleased to hear him speak of God.

He instructed the seamen daily in the principles ofreligion, of which the greater part were wholly ignorant,or had at the best but a smattering of it; and preachedto them on every holiday, at the foot of the mainmast. All of them profited by his sermons, andin little time nothing was heard amongst them, whichwas offensive to the honour of God, or that woundedChristian charity; or touched upon obsceneness, orill manners. They had a profound veneration forhim; with one word only, he appeased their quarrels,and put an end to all their differences.

The viceroy, Don Martin Alphonso de Sosa, invitedhim from the very first clay to eat at his table;but Xavier humbly excused it, with great acknowledgments,and during all the voyage lived only on what he beggedabout the ship.

In the mean time, the insufferable colds of Cabo Verde,and the excessive heats of Guinea, together with thestench of the fresh waters, and putrifaction of theirflesh provisions under the line, produced many dangerousdistempers. The most common was a pestilentialfever, accompanied with a kind of cancer, which bredin the mouth, and ulcerated all the gums; the sickbeing crowded together, spread the infection amongstthemselves; and as every one was apprehensive of gettingthe disease, they had been destitute of all succour,if Father Francis had not taken compassion on them.He wiped them in their sweats, he cleansed their ulcers,he washed their linen, and rendered them all the mostabject services; but, above all things, he had careof their consciences, and his principal employmentwas to dispose them to a Christian death.

These were his perpetual employments; being at thesame time himself seized with continued fits of vomiting,and extreme languishments, which lasted two wholemonths. For his ease and refreshment, Sosa causedhim to be accommodated with a larger cabin than wasfirst appointed for him: he accepted of it, butit was only to lodge in it those who were most desperatelyill; as for himself, he lay bare upon the deck, withoutother pillow than the tackling.

He received also the dishes which the viceroy senthim from his table, and divided them amongst thosewho had most need of nourishment. So many actionsof charity gained him the surname of the Holy Fatherfrom thenceforward, which continued to him all hislife, even, amongst Mahometans and idolaters.

While Xavier employed his time in this manner, thenavy following its course, met with rocks and tempests,and contrary tides. After five months of perpetualnavigation, it arrived at Mozambique, towards the endof August.

Mozambique is a kingdom situated on the eastern coastsof Africa, inhabited by negroes; a barbarous people,but less savage than their neighbours the Cafres,by reason of the trade which they continually maintainwith the Ethiopians and Arabs. There is no porton all the shore to secure shipping from the winds;only one little island is shaped into a haven, bothconvenient and safe.

This isle, which is but a mile distant from the mainland, bears the name of Mozambique, together withthe whole kingdom. It was formerly subject tothe Saracens, and a Xeriffe Moor commanded it; butsince, the Portuguese have made themselves mastersof it, and built a fort, to secure the passage oftheir vessels, and refresh their sea-beaten men, whocommonly stay there for some time.

The army under Sosa was constrained to winter in thisisland, not only because the season was far spent,but also because the sick passengers could no longersupport the incommodities of the sea. The placenotwithstanding was not very proper for infirm persons,for the air is unwholesome; which proceeds from hence,that the sea overflowing the low-lands of the isle,at the spring tides, the mass of waters there gatheredand inclosed is corrupted by the heats; for which reason,the inhabitants are commonly short-lived, but moreespecially strangers; upon which occasion, Mozambiqueis generally called the sepulchre of the Portuguese.Besides the intemperance of the air, at the same time,an infectious disease was raging in the country.

Being come ashore, Sosa gave immediate orders to carrythe sick of every ship to the hospital, which is inthe island, of which the kings of Portugal are founders.Father Xavier followed them; and, with the assistanceof his two companions, undertook to attend them all.The undertaking was beyond his strength; but the soulsustains the body of apostolical men, and charitycan do all things.

Animated with this new fervour, he went from chamberto chamber, and from bed to bed, giving remedies tosome, and administering the last sacrament to others.Every one desired to have him by him; and all acknowledged,that only the sight of his countenance availed themmore than a thousand medicines.

Having passed the day in continual labour, he watchedall night with dying men, or laid himself down bythose who were in most danger, to steal a short unquietslumber, which was interrupted almost every moment:at the least complaint, or even at a sigh, he was awake,and ran to their relief.

So many fatigues at the length overwhelmed nature,and he fell sick himself of a fever, so violent, andso malignant, that he was blooded seven times in alittle space, and was three days in a delirium.At the beginning of his sickness, many were desirousto have withdrawn him from the hospital, where thecontagion was frightful, and offered him their ownlodgings. He constantly refused their offers,and told them, “That, having made a vow of poverty,he would live and die amongst the poor.”

But when the violence of his distemper was somewhatabated, the saint forgot himself to think on others.Sometimes, not being able to sustain his body, andburning with his fever, he visited his dear patients,and attended them as much as his weakness would permithim. The physician having one day met him, goinghither and thither as his charity called him, in themiddle of his fit, after having felt his pulse, plainlytold him, that in all the hospital, there was notone man in more danger than himself, and prayed himthat he would take some small repose, and but givehimself a breathing time until his fever were on thedeclension.

“I will punctually obey you,” repliedthe father, “when I have satisfied one partof my duty which calls upon me; it concerns the salvationor a soul, and there is no time to be lost on suchan occasion.” Immediately he ordered tobe carried to his own bed a poor ship-boy, who laystretched out on a little straw, with a burning feverupon him, without speech or knowledge. The youthwas no sooner placed upon the saint’s bed, buthe came to himself: Xavier made use of the opportunity,and laying himself by the sick person, who had leda most dissolute life, exhorted him so strongly allthat night to abominate his sins, and to rely on themercy of Almighty God, that he saw him die in greatcontrition, mixed with saving hope.

After this, the father kept the promise which he hadmade to the physician, and took a greater care ofhis own preservation; insomuch that his fever abatedby degrees, and at length left him of itself; but hisstrength was not yet recovered, when the navy put tosea again. The viceroy, who began to find himselfindisposed, would make no longer stay upon a placeso much infected, nor attend the recovery of his people,to continue his voyage. He desired Xavier toaccompany him, and to leave Paul de Camerino, andFrancis Mansilla, to attend the sick in the hospital;where indeed they both, performed their duty as becamethem.

Thus having made a six months residence on Mozambique,they embarked once more on the 15th of March, andin the year 1542. But they went not aboard theSt James, in which they came thither, changing herfor a lighter vessel, which made better sail.

It is here proper to observe, that the father, accordingto the report of the passengers who came with himfrom Portugal to Mozambique, began to manifest thatspirit of prophecy, which he had to the end of hisdays in so eminent a degree. For hearing thoseof the St James commend that ship, as a vessel ofthe strongest built, and the best equipped of all thefleet, he said in express words, that she would proveunfortunate. And in effect, that ship, whichthe viceroy left behind him at Mozambique, in thecompany of some others, pursuing her course afterwardsto the Indies, was driven against the rocks, and dashedin pieces towards the island of Salseta.

The galeon, which carried Sosa and Xavier, had thewind so favourable, that in two or three days shearrived at Melinda, on the coast of Africa, towardsthe equinoctial line. It is a town of Saracens,on the sea side, in a flat country, well cultivated,planted all along with palm-trees, and beautifiedwith fair gardens. It has a large enclosure, andis fortified with walls, after the European fashion.Though the building is Moresque, the houses notwithstandingare both pleasantand convenient. The inhabitantsare warlike, they are black, and go naked; exceptingonly that they are covered with a kind of an apronof cotton or linen, from the waist to the mid thigh.And indeed the heat of their climate will permit themto wear no more; Melinda being distant from the linebut three degrees and some few minutes.

They have always maintained a good correspondencewith the Portuguese, by reason of the commerce establishedbetwixt them. The flag of Portugal was no soonerseen, but the Saracen king Came down to the port, attendedby the most honourable persons of his court, to receivethe new governor of the Indies. The first objectwhich presented itself to Father Francis when he steptashore, drew tears from his eyes; but they were tearsof joy and pity mingled together. The Portuguesehaving there a constant trade, and now and then someof them happening to die, are allowed a burying-placenear the town, full of crosses set upon their graves,according to ihe custom of the Catholics: andabove the rest there was a very large one of hewnstone placed in the middle, and all over gilded.

The saint ran to it, and adored before it; receivingan inward consolation, to behold it raised so high,and, as it were, triumphing amongst the enemies ofJesus Christ. But at the same time, he was sensiblyafflicted, that this sign of our salvation served lessto edify the living, than to honour the memory ofthe dead. And lifting up his hands to heaven,he besought the Father of all mercies to imprint inthe hearts of the infidels, that cross, which theyhad suffered to be planted on their ground.

His next thoughts prompted him to confer of religionwith the Moors, that he might endeavour to shew themthe extravagances of the Mahometan belief, and gainan opportunity of revealing to them the eternal truthsof Christian faith. One of the principal inhabitants,and wonderfully bigotted to his sect, prevented him,and immediately demanded of him, if piety were notwholly extinguished in the towns of Europe, as it wasin Melinda. “For, to confess the truth,”said he, “of seventeen mosques which we have,fourteen are quite forsaken; there are but three remaining,at which we pay our devotions; and even those threeare but little visited, and by few persons.

“This proceeds, without all question,”added the Mahometan, “from some enormous sin,but what it is, I know not: and whatsoever reflectionsI can make, I am not able to find what has drawn uponus so dreadful a misfortune.” “Thereis nothing more clear,” replied Xavier; “God,who detests the prayer of infidels, has permitteda worship to moulder away, which is displeasing tohim; and gives you thence to understand, that he condemnsyour sect.” The Saracen was not satisfiedwith this reason, nor with any other argument whichXavier used against the Alcoran. While they werethus disputing, a Caciz, or doctor of the law, joinedcompany with them, having made the same complaintconcerning the mosques, how little they were frequented,and how cold was grown the devotion of the people.“I have taken my measures,” said he, “andif in two years Mahomet comes not in person to visitthe congregations of the faithful, who acknowledgehim for God’s true prophet, I will certainlylook out for some other religion.” Xaviertook pity on the folly of the Caciz, and endeavouredall he could to convert him at that instant from Mahometanism;but he could not prevail upon an obstinate mind, blindedwith the opinion of its own reason; and thereforethe father acquiesced in the decrees of that Providence,which has fixed the times and revolutions for the conversionof infidels and sinners.

Having left Melinda, where they continued but fewdays, and still coasting Africa, they cast anchorat Socotora, which is beyond Cape Guardafu, and overagainst the Strait of Mecca. The Moors of thatcountry call it the Isle of Amazons; and the reasonthey allege is, because it is governed by women.The inhabitants believe their isle to be the earthlyparadise; which notwithstanding, there is scarcelyto be found in all the world, a spot of ground lessdeserving that glorious title. The air is ina perpetual sultry heat, the soil is dry and barren,and, excepting only for the aoes which is there produced,and is indeed the best which grows in those easternparts, even the name of Socotora would not be mentioned.It is not certainly known what religion they profess,so monstrous is their belief. They hold fromthe Saracens the worship of Mahomet, from the Jewsthe use of circumcision and sacrifices, and yet givethemselves the name of Christians. The malesbear the name of some or other of the apostles, themost part of the women are called Mary, and yet theyhave no knowledge of baptism. They adore thecross, and hang it in little about their necks.They chiefly venerate St Thomas; and it is an ancienttradition amongst them, that this holy apostle, ingoing to the Indies, was cast by a tempest on theircoast; that being come ashore, he preached Jesus Christto those of Socotora; and that from the wreck of thatship which brought him thither, they built a chapelin the middle of their island.

The condition of these islanders sensibly afflictedFather Xavier; yet he despaired not of reducing themto a right understanding of the faith, because, asbarbarous as they were, they still preserved some footstepsof Christianity amongst them. Having no knowledgeof their tongue, which bears not the least resemblanceto any of our European languages, and is also whollydifferent from the Ethiopian and Arabic, at the firsthe was constrained to testify his sorrow to them bydumb signs, for their ignorance and errors. Afterwards,whether it were that some one amongst them understoodthe Portuguese, and served as interpreter to all therest, or that counting from this very time he beganto receive from above, the first fruits of the giftof tongues, which was so abundantly bestowed on himin the Indies on sundry occasions, he spoke to themconcerning the necessity of baptism, and let them know,that there was no possibility of salvation withouta sincere belief in Jesus Christ: but that thefaith allowed of no mixture, and that to become Christians,they must of necessity cease to be Jews or Mahometans.

His words made a wonderful impression on the soulsand hearts of those barbarians: some of themmade him presents of their wild fruits, in token oftheir good will; others offered him their childrento be baptised; all promised him to receive baptismthemselves, and to lead the life of true Christians,on condition he would remain with them. But whenthey beheld the Portuguese galleon ready to depart,they ran in crowds to the water-side, and besoughtthe holy man, with tears in their eyes, not to forsakethem.

So moving a spectacle wrought compassion in Xavier;he was earnest with the viceroy for leave to stayupon the isle, at least till the arrival of the vessels,which he had left at Mozambique, But he could obtainno part of his request: and Sosa told him, thatheaven having designed him for the Indies, it wasto be wanting to his vocation if he endeavoured thisexchange, and stopped in the beginning of his race;that his zeal would find a more ample field, whereinto exercise itself, than in Socotora, and people ofbetter inclination than those islanders, naturallyinconstant, and as ready to forsake the faith, as theywere easy to receive it.

Xavier submitted to these reasons of the viceroy,which on this occasion seemed to interpret to himthe good pleasure of Almighty God. Instantlythey hoisted sail; but the saint was pierced with sorrowto behold those poor creatures, who followed him withtheir eyes, and held up their hands from afar to him;while the vessel was removing into the deep, he turnedhis head towards them, breathing out profound sighs,and looking mournfully upon them. But that hemight leave nothing upon his conscience to upbraidhim concerning the Socotorins, he engaged himself solemnlybefore Almighty God to return to them, so soon as possiblyhe could; or in case he could not, to procure forthem some preachers of the gospel, to instruct themin the way of their salvation.

This last part of his navigation was not long.After having crossed the sea of Arabia, and part ofthat which belongs to India, the fleet arrived atthe port of Goa, on the 6th of May, in the year 1542,being the thirteenth month since their setting outfrom the port of Lisbon.

The town of Goa is situated on this side of the Ganges,in an island bearing the same name. It is thecapital city of the Indies, the seat of the bishopand the viceroy, and the most considerable place ofall the East for traffic. It had been built bythe Moors forty years before the Europeans had passedinto the Indies; and in the year 1510, Don Alphonsode Albuquerque, surnamed the Great, took it from theinfidels, and subjected it to the crown of Portugal.

At that time was verified the famous prophecy of StThomas the apostle, that the Christian faith, whichhe had planted in divers kingdoms of the East, shouldone day flourish there again; which very predictionhe left graven on a pillar of living stone, for thememory of future ages. The pillar was not fardistant from the walls of Meliapore, the metropolisof the kingdom of Coromandel; and it was to be readin the characters of the country, that when the sea,which was forty miles distant from the pillar, shouldcome up to the foot of it, there should arrive in theIndies white men and foreigners, who should there restorethe true religion.

The infidels had laughed at this prediction for along time, not believing that it would ever be accomplished,and indeed looking on it as a kind of impossibilitythat it should; yet it was accomplished, and thatso justly, that when Don Vasco de Gama set foot onthe Indies, the sea, which sometimes usurps upon thecontinent, and gains by little and little on the dryland, was by that time risen to the pillar, so as tobathe its lower parts.

Yet it may be truly said, that the prophecy of StThomas had not its full effect, till after the comingof Father Xavier; according to another predictionof that holy man Peter de Couillan, a religious ofthe Trinity, who, going to the Indies with Vasco deGama, in quality of his ghostly father, was martyredby the Indians on the seventh of July 1497, forty-threeyears before the beginning of the Society of Jesus,who being pierced through with arrows, while he wasshedding his blood for Christ, distinctly pronouncedthese following words: “In few years thereshall be born in the church of God, a new religiousorder of clergymen, which shall bear the name of Jesus:and one of its first fathers, conducted by the Spiritof God, shall pass into the most remote countries ofthe East Indies, the greatest part of which shallembrace the orthodox faith, through the ministry ofthis evangelical preacher.”

This is related by Juan de Figueras Carpi, in hishistory of the order of the redemption of captives,from the manuscripts of the Trinity Convent in Lisbon,and the memoirs of the king of Portugal’s library.

After Xavier was landed, he went immediately to thehospital, and there took his lodging, notwithstandingthe instances of the viceroy, who was desirous tohave had him in his palace. But he would not beginhis missionary function, till he had paid his respectsto the Bishop of Goa; whose name was Juan d’Albuquerque,of the order of St Francis, a most excellent person,and one of the most virtuous prelates which the churchhas ever had.

The father having informed him of the reasons forwhich his Holiness and the king of Portugal had senthim to the Indies, presented to him the briefs ofPope Paul III., at the same time declaring to him,that he pretended not to use them without his approbationand good-liking: after this, he cast himselfat his feet, and desired his blessing.

The prelate, edified with the modesty of the father,and struck with that venerable air of sanctity whichappeared in his countenance, took him up immediately,and embraced him with great tenderness. Havingoften kissed the briefs, he restored them to the father,with these words: “An apostolical legate,sent from the vicar of Jesus Christ, has no need ofreceiving his mission from any other hand; use freelythat power, which the holy seat has conferred uponyou; and rest assured, that if the Episcopal authoritybe needful to maintain, it shall never be wanting toyou.”

From that moment they contracted a most sacred friendship,whose union was so strict, that ever after they seemedto have but one heart and one soul: insomuchthat Father Xavier undertook not any thing withoutconsulting the bishop first; and the bishop, on hisside, imparted all his designs to Father Xavier:and it is almost incredible, how much this holy correspondencecontributed to the salvation of souls, and exaltationof the faith.

Before we pass farther, it is of consequence to knowthe estate of religion at that time in the Indies.It is true, that, according to the prophecy of St.Thomas, they who discovered the East Indies, had newplanted Christianity in some parts of them, where allwas in a manner quite forgotten. But ambitionand avarice, in short time after, cooled the zealof these new conquerors; instead of extending the kingdomof Jesus Christ, and of gaining souls to him, theythought of nothing more than of enlarging their dominion,and enriching themselves. It happened also, thatmany Indians newly converted to the faith, being neithercultivated by wholesome instructions, nor edified bygood examples, forgot insensibly their baptism, andreturned to their ancient superstitions.

And if any amongst them kept constant to his Christianity,and declared himself a believer, the Mahometans, whowere uppermost in many places along the coast, andvery wealthy, persecuted him with great cruelty, withoutany opposition on the part of the Portuguese governoror magistrates. Whether the power of Portugalwere not yet sufficiently established, or that interestwas predominant over justice and religion, this cruelusage deterred the new Christians fom professing JesusChrist, and was the reason, that, amongst the infidels,all thoughts of conversion were laid aside.

But what yet appears more wonderful, the Portuguesethemselves lived more like idolaters than Christians.For, to speak somewhat more particularly of theircorrupt manners, according to the relation which wassent to King John III. of Portugal from the Indies,by a man in power, and worthy of belief; some fewmonths before the arrival of Father Xavier, every mankept as many mistresses as he pleased, and maintainedthem openly in his own house, even in the qualityof lawful wives. They bought women, or took themaway by force, either for their service, or to makemoney of them. Their masters taxed them at acertain sum by the day, and, for fault of payment,inflicted on them ail sorts of punishment; insomuch,that those unhappy creatures, not being able sometimesto work out the daily rate imposed on them, were forcedupon the infamous traffic of their bodies, and becamepublic prostitutes, to content the avarice of theirmasters.

Justice was sold at the tribunals, and the most enormouscrimes escaped from punishment, when the criminalshad wherewithal to corrupt their judges.

All methods for heaping up money were accounted lawful,how indirect soever, and extortion was publicly protest.Murder was reckoned but a venial trespass, and wasboasted as a piece of bravery.

The Bishop of Goa, to little purpose, threatened themwith the wrath of heaven, and the thunder of excommunications.No dam was sufficient for such a deluge; their heartswere hardened against spiritual threatening and anathemas;or, to speak more properly, the deprivation of sacramentswas no punishment to such wicked wretches, who wereglad to be rid of them.

The use of confessions, and the communion, were ina manner abolished; and if any one by chance was struckwith a remorse of conscience, and desired to reconcilehimself to God, at the foot of a priest, he was constrainedto steal to his devotions by night, to avoid the scandalto his neighbour.

So strange a depravation of manners proceeded fromthese causes. Its rise was taken from the licenceof arms, which permit, and almost authorize, the greatestdisorders in a conquered country. The pleasuresof Asia, and the commerce of infidels, aided not alittle to debauch the Portuguese, as starched andregular as they naturally are. The want of spiritualdirectors contributed largely to this growing mischief.There were not four preachers, in all the Indies,nor any one priest without the walls of Goa; insomuch,that in many fortified places whole years were passedwithout hearing a sermon or a mass.

Behold a draught, not unresembling the face of Christianityin this new world, when Father Xavier arrived in it.

The author of the relation from whence mine is copied,seems to have had some kind of foresight of his coming;for, in the conclusion of his memorial, he prays AlmightyGod, and earnestly desires the king of Portugal, tosend some holy man to the Indies, who might reformthe manners of the Europeans, by his apostolic instructions,and his exemplary virtues.

As for the Gentiles, the life they led resembled thatof beasts rather than of men. Uncleanness wasrisen to the last excess amongst them; and the leastcorrupt were those who had no religion. The greatestpart of them adored the devil under an obscene figure,and with ceremonies which modesty forbids to mention.Some amongst them changed their deity every day; andthe first living creature which happened to meet themin the morning was the object of their worship, notexcepting even dogs or swine. In this they wereuniform, that they all offered bloody sacrifices totheir gods; and nothing was more common, than to seebleeding infants on the altars, slaughtered by thehands of their own parents.

Such manifold abominations inflamed the zeal of FatherXavier. He wished himself able at the same time,to have applied remedies to them all; yet thoughthimself obliged to begin with the household of faith,according to the precept of St Paul; that is to say,with the Christians: and amongst them he singledout the Portuguese, whose example was like to be mostprevalent with the baptised Indians. Behold inwhat manner he attempted this great enterprise ofreformation.

To call down the blessing of heaven on this difficultemployment, he consecrated the greatest part of thenight to prayers, and allowed himself at the mostbut four hours of sleep; and even this little reposewas commonly disturbed: for, lodging in the hospital,and lying always near the sick, as his custom hadbeen at Mozambique, his slumber was broken by theirleast complaint, and he failed not to rise to theirrelief.

He returned to his prayers at break of day, afterwhich he celebrated mass. He employed the forenoonin the hospitals, particularly in that of the lepers,which is in one of the suburbs of Goa. He embracedthose miserable creatures one after the other, anddistributed amongst them those alms which he had beenbegging for them from door to door. After thishe visited the prisons, and dealt amongst them thesame effects of charity.

In coming back, he made a turn about the town, withhis bell in his hand, and gave a loud summons to thefathers of families, that, for the love of God, theywould send their children and their slaves to catechism.

The holy man was convinced in his heart, that if thePortuguese youth were well instructed in the principlesof religion, and formed betimes to the practice ofgood life, Christianity, in a little time, would beseen to revive in Goa; but in case the children grewup without instruction or discipline, there was noremaining hope, that they who sucked in impiety andvice, almost with their milk, should ever become sincereChristians.

The little children gathered together in crowds abouthim, whether they came of their own accord, througha natural curiosity, or that their parents sent them,out of the respect which they already had for the holyman, howsoever vicious themselves. He led themto the church, and there expounded to them the apostles’creed, the commandments of God, and all the practicesof devotion which are in use amongst the faithful.

These tender plants received easily the impressionswhich the father made on them, and it was throughthese little babes that the town began to change itsface. For, by daily hearing the man of God, theybecame modest and devout; their modesty and devotionwas a silent censure of that debauchery which appearedin persons of riper age. Sometimes they evenreproved their fathers, with a liberty which had nothingof childish in it, and their reproofs put the mostdissolute libertines to the blush.

Xavier then proceeded to public preaching, whitherall the people flocked; and to the end that the Indiansmight understand, as well as the Portuguese, he affectedto speak that language in a gross and clownish dialect,which passed at that time amongst the natives of thecountry. It was immediately seen what power apreacher, animated by the spirit of God, had overthe souls of perverted men. The most scandaloussinners, struck with the horror of their crimes, andthe fear of eternal punishment, were the first whocame to confession. Their example took away fromothers the shame of confessing; insomuch, that everyone now strove who should be foremost to throw himselfat the father’s feet, knocking their breasts,and bitterly lamenting their offences.

The fruits of penitence accompanying these tears,were the certain proofs of a sincere conversion.They cancelled their unlawful bonds and covenantsof extortion; they made restitution of their ill-gottengoods; they set at liberty their slaves, whom theyhad opprest, or had acquired unjustly; and lastly,turned away their concubines, whom they were unwillingto possess by a lawful marriage.

The saint acted with the concubinarians almost inthe same manner as our Saviour dealt with the publicansand harlots. Far from treating them severely,the deeper they were plunged in that darling vice,the more tenderly he seemed to use them. On alloccasions he declared himself their friend; he madethem frequent visits, without fear of being upbraidedwith so infamous a conversation. He invited himselfsometimes to eat with them; and then, assuming anair of gaiety, he desired the master to bring downthe children to bear him company. When he hada little commended their prettiness, he asked to seetheir mother, and shewed her the same countenance,as if he had taken her for an honest woman. Ifshe were beautiful or well shaped, he praised her,and said “she looked like a Portuguese:”after which; in private conversation, “you have,”said he to her master, “a fair slave, who welldeserves to be your wife.” But if she werea swarthy, ugly Indian, “Good God!” hecried out, “what a monster do you keep withinyour doors! and how are you able to endure the sightof her?” Such words, spoken in all appearancewithout design, had commonly their full effect:the keeper married her whom the saint had commended,and turned off the others.

This so sudden a change of manners was none of thosetransient fits of devotion, which pass away almostas soon as they are kindled; piety was establishedin all places, and they who formerly came to confessiononce a year, to speak the best of it, now performedit regularly once a month. They were all desirousof confessing themselves to Father Xavier; so that,writing from Goa to Rome on that subject, he said,“That if it had been possible for him to havebeen at once in ten places, he should not have wantedfor employment.” His catechising havinghad that wonderful success which we have mentioned,the Bishop Don John d’Albuquerque ordained,that, from thenceforward, the children should be taughtthe Christian doctrine, in all the churches of thetown. The gentlemen and merchants applied themselvesto the regulation of their families, and banishmentof vice. They gave the father considerable sumsof money, which he distributed in their presence,in the hospitals and prisons. The viceroy accompaniedthe saint thither once a week, to hear the complaintsof the prisoners, and to relieve the poor. ThisChristian practice was so pleasing to the king ofPortugal, John III, that afterwards he writ to DonJohn de Castro, governor of the Indies, expresslyordering him to do that once a month, which Don MartinAlphonso de Sosa never failed of doing every week;in short, the Portuguese of Goa had gained such anhabitude of good life, and such an universal changeof manners had obtained amongst them, that they seemedanother sort of people.

This was the state of affairs, when Michael Vaz, vicargeneral of the Indies, a man of rare virtue, and wonderfulzeal for the propagation of the faith, gave Xavierto understand, that on the Oriental coast, which liesextended from Cape Comorin to the Isle of Manar, andis called the coast of Fishery, there were certainpeople called Paravas, that is to say, fishers, whohad caused themselves to be baptized some time since,on occasion of succours which had been given them bythe Portuguese against the Moors, by whom they werecruelly opprest; that these people had nothing moreof Christianity than baptism, and the name, for wantof pastors to instruct them; and that it would bea work well-pleasing in the sight of God to accomplishtheir conversion. He concealed not from him,that the land was barren, and so destitute of the conveniencesof life, that no stranger was willing to settle there;that interest alone drew the merchants thither, inthe season of pearl-fishing, and otherwise the heatswere insupportable.

There could not have been made to Xavier a propositionmore according to his heart’s desire. Heoffered himself, without the least hesitation, togo and instruct that people; and he did it so muchthe more freely, because his presence was no longerso necessary at Goa, where piety was now grown intoa habit, by a settled form of five months standing.

Having received the benediction of the bishop, heembarked about the midst of October, in the year 1542,in a galiot, which carried the new captain of Comorin;and took with him two young ecclesiastics of Goa, whohad a tolerable insight into the language of the Malabars,which is spoken in the coast of Fishery. Sosaoffered to have furnished him with money for all hisoccasions; but apostolic men have no greater treasuresthan their poverty, nor any fund more certain thanthat of Providence. He accepted only a pair ofshoes, to defend him in some measure from the burningsands upon the coasts; and, at parting, desired theviceroy to send him his two companions, who were leftbehind at Mozambique, so soon as they should arriveat Goa.

The Cape of Cornorin is at the distance of about sixhundred miles from Goa. It is a high promontory,jutting out into the sea, and facing the isle of Ceylon.The Father being there arrived, immediately fell inwith a village of idolaters. He could bear togo no farther without preaching the name of Jesusto the Gentiles; but all he could declare, by the mouthof his interpreters, signified nothing; and those pagansplainly told him, that they could not change theirfaith without consent of the lord of whom they held.Their obstinacy, however, was of no long continuance;and that Omnipotence, which had pre-ordained Xavierto the conversion of idolaters, would not that hisfirst labours should be unsuccessful.

A woman of the village had been three days in thepains of childbirth, and had endured great torments,without being eased, either by the prayers of theBrachmans, or any natural remedies. Xavier wentto visit her, accompanied by one of his interpreters;“and then it was,” says he, in one ofhis letters, “that, forgetting I was in a strangecountry, I began to call upon the name of the Lord;though, at the same time, I could not but remember,that all the earth is equally his, and all its inhabitantsare belonging to him.”

The Father expounded to the sick woman the principlesof our faith, and exhorted her to repose her trustin the God of the Christians. The Holy Ghost,who, by her means, had decreed to save that people,touched her inwardly; insomuch, that being asked ifshe believed in Jesus Christ, and if she desired tobe baptized? she answered, yes; and that she spakefrom the bottom of her heart. Xavier then readthe gospel to her, and baptized her:—shewas immediately delivered of her child, and perfectlyrecovered. This visible miracle immediately filledthat poor cabin with astonishment and gladness:The whole family threw themselves at the Father’sfeet, and asked to be instructed; and, being sufficientlytaught, not one amongst them but received baptism.This news being blown abroad through all the country,the chief of the place had the curiosity to see aperson so wonderful in his works and in his words.He preached to them the words of eternal life, andconvinced their reason of the truth of Christianity;but convinced though they were, they durst not, asthey said, become Christians, without the permissionof their prince.

There was at that time in the village an officer,sent expressly from the prince to collect a certainannual tribute. Father Xavier went to see him,and expounded so clearly to him all the law of JesusChrist, that the pagan presently acknowledged therewas nothing in it which was ill; and after that gaveleave to the inhabitants to embrace it. Thereneeded no more to a people, whom nothing but fearwithheld from it; they all offered themselves to bebaptized, and promised thenceforth to live in Christianity.

The holy man, encouraged by so happy a beginning,followed his way with more cheerfulness, and cameto Tutucurin, which is the first town belonging tothe Paravas. He found, in effect, that this people,excepting only their baptism, which they had received,rather to shake off the Moorish yoke than to subjectthemselves to that of Jesus Christ, were wholly infidels;and he declared to them the mysteries of our faith,of which before they had not received the least tincture.The two churchmen who accompanied him served him inthe nature of interpreters; but Xavier, reflectingwithin himself, that these churchmen frequently alteredthose things which passed through their mouths, andthat our own words, when spoken by ourselves, havemore vigour in them, bethought himself of findingsome expedient, whereby to be understood without theassistance of another. The way he took, was toget together some people of the country, who understoodthe Portuguese language, and to join them with thetwo ecclesiastics who were knowing in the Malabar.He consulted both parties for many days together,and, drudging at his business, translated into theParavas tongue, the words of the sign of the cross,the apostles’ creed, the commandments, the Lord’sprayer, the salutation of the angel, the confiteor,the salve regina, and, in fine, the whole catechism.

The translation being finished, the Father got, withoutbook, what he could of it, and took his way aboutthe villages of the coast, in number thirty, abouthalf of which were baptized, the rest idolaters.

“I went about, with my bell in my hand,”says he himself, “and gathering together allI met, both men and children, I instructed them inthe Christian doctrine. The children learnt iteasily by heart in the compass of a month; and whenthey understood it, I charged them to teach it theirfathers and mothers, all of their own family, and eventheir neighbours.

“On Sundays I assembled the men and women, littleboys and girls, in the chapel; all came to my appointmentwith an incredible joy, and most ardent desire tohear the word of God. I began with the confessingGod to be one in nature, and trine in Persons; I afterwardsrepeated distinctly, and with an audible voice, theLord’s prayer, the angelical salutation, andthe apostles’ creed. All of them togetherrepeated after me; and it is hardly to be imaginedwhat pleasure they took in it. This being done,I repeated the creed singly; and, insisting on everyparticular article, asked, if they certainly believedit? They all protested to me, with loud cries,and their hands across their breasts, that they firmlybelieved it. My practice is, to make them repeatthe creed oftener than the other prayers; and I declareto them, at the same time, that they who believe thecontents of it are true Christians.

“From the creed I pass to the ten commandments,and give them to understand, that the Christian lawis comprised in those ten precepts; that he who keepsthem all according to his duty is a good Christian,and that eternal life is decreed to him; that, onthe contrary, whoever violates one of these commandmentsis a bad Christian, and that he shall be damned eternallyin case he repent not of his sin. Both the newChristians and the pagans admire our law as holy, andreasonable, and consistent with itself.

“Having done as I told you, my custom is, torepeat with them the Lord’s prayer, and theangel’s salutation. Once again we recitethe creed; and at every article, besides the Paternosterand the Ave Maria, we intermingle some short prayer;for having pronounced aloud the first article, I beginthus, and they say after me,—’ Jesus,thou son of the living God, give me the grace to believefirmly this first article of thy faith, and with thatintention we offer thee that prayer of which thouthyself art author.’ We add,—’Holy Mary, mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, obtainfor us, from thy beloved Son, to believe this article,without any doubt concerning it.’ The samemethod is observed in all the other articles; andalmost in the same manner we run over the ten commandments.When we have jointly repeated the first precept, whichis, to love God, we pray thus: ’O JesuChrist, thou Son of the living God, grant us thy graceto love thee above all things!’ and immediatelyafter we say the Lord’s prayer; then immediatelywe subjoin: ’O holy Mary, mother of Jesus,obtain for us, from thy Son, that we may have the graceto keep this first commandment.’ After whichwe say the Ave Maria. We observe the same methodthrough the other nine commandments, with some littlevariation, as the matter requires it.

“These are the things which I accustom themto beg of God in the common prayers; omitting notsometimes to assure them, that if they obtain thething for which they pray, even that is a means forthem to obtain other things more amply than they coulddemand them.

“I oblige them all to say the confiteor, butprincipally those who are to receive baptism, whomI also enjoin to say the belief. At every article,I demand of them, if they believe it without any scruple;and when they have assured me, that they do, I commonlymake them an exhortation, which I have composed intheir own language,—being an epitome ofthe Christian faith, and of the necessary duties incumbenton us in order to our salvation. In conclusion,I baptize them, and shut up all in singing the salveregina, to implore the assistance of the blessed Virgin.”

It is evident, by what we have already said concerningthe instruction of the Paravas, that Xavier had notthe gift of tongues when he began to teach them:But it appears also, that, after he had made the translation,which cost him so much labour, he both understood andspoke the Malabar tongue, whether he had acquiredit by his own pains, or that God had imprinted thespecies of it in his mind after a supernatural manner.It is at least probable, that, being in the Indieswhen he studied any tongue, the Holy Spirit secondedhis application, and was in some sort his master;for it is constantly believed, that in a very littletime he learnt the most difficult languages, and,by the report of many persons, spoke them so naturally,that he could not have been taken for a foreigner.

Father Xavier having, for the space of a month, instructedthe inhabitants of one village, in the manner abovesaid, before he went farther, called together themost intelligent amongst them, and gave them in writingwhat he had taught, to the end, that as masters ofthe rest, on Sundays and Saints-days, they might congregatethe people, and cause them to repeat, according tohis method, that which they had learnt formerly.

He committed to these catechists, (who in their owntongue are called Canacopoles,) the care of the churches,which he caused to be built in peopled places; andrecommended to them the ornament of those sacred buildings,as far as their poverty would allow. But he wasnot willing to impose this task on them, without somekind of salary; and therefore obtained from the viceroyof the Indies, a certain sum for their subsistence,which was charged upon the annual tribute, payableto the crown of Portugal, from the inhabitants ofthat coast.

It is hardly to be expressed, what a harvest of soulswas reaped from his endeavours; and how great wasthe fervour of these new Christians. The holyman, writing to the fathers at Rome, confesses himself,that he wanted words to tell it. He adds, “Thatthe multitude of those who had received baptism, wasso vast, that, with the labour of continual christenings,he was not able to lift up his arms; and that hisvoice often failed him, in saying so many times overand over, the apostles’ creed, and the ten commandments,with a short instruction, which he always made concerningthe duties of a true Christian, before he baptizedthose who were of age.”

The infants alone, who died after baptism, amounted,according to his account, to above a thousand.They who lived, and began to have the use of reason,were so affected with the things of God, and so covetousof knowing all the mysteries of faith, that they scarcelygave the father time to take a little nourishment,or a short repose. They sought after him everyminute; and he was sometimes forced to hide himselffrom them, to gain the leisure of saying his prayers,and his breviary.

By the administration of these children, who wereso fervently devout, he performed divers extraordinaryworks, even many of those miraculous cures, whichit pleased God to perate by his means. The coastof Fishery was never so full of diseases, as whenthe father was there. It seemed, as he himselfhas expressed it in a letter, that God sent thosedistempers amongst that people, to draw them to himalmost in their own despite. For coming to recoveron an instant, and against all human appearance, sosoon as they had received baptism, or invoked the nameof Jesus Christ, they clearly saw the difference betwixtthe God of the Christians and the pagods, which isthe name given in the Indies, both to the templesand the images of their false gods.

No one fell sick amongst the Gentiles, but had immediaterecourse to Father Xavier. As it was impossiblefor him to attend them all, or to be in many placesat the same time, he sent there Christian childrenwhere he could not go himself. In going fromhim, one took his chaplet, another his crucifix, athird his reliquiary, and all being animated with alively faith, dispersed themselves through the townsand villages. There gathering about the sickas many people as they could assemble, they repeatedoften the Lord’s prayer, the creed, the commandments,and all they had learnt by heart of the Christianfaith; which being done, they asked the sick, “Ifhe believed unfeignedly in Jesus Christ, and if hedesired to be baptized?” When he had answered“Yes,” they touched him with the chaplet,or crucifix belonging to the father, and he was immediatelycured.

One day, while Xavier was preaching the mysteriesof faith to a great multitude, some came to bringhim word from Manapar, that one of the most considerablepersons of that place was possessed by the devil,desiring the father to come to his relief. Theman of God thought it unbecoming of his duty to breakoff the instruction he was then making. He onlycalled to him some of those young Christians, and gavethem a cross which he wore upon his breast; afterwhich he sent them to Manapar with orders to driveaway the evil spirit.

They were no sooner arrived there, than the possessedperson fell into an extraordinary fury, with, wonderfulcontortions of his limbs, and hideous yellings.The little children, far from being terrified, as usuallychildren are, made a ring about him, singing the prayersof the church. After which they compelled himto kiss the cross; and at the same moment, the devildeparted out of him. Many pagans there present,visibly perceiving the virtue of the cross, were convertedon the instant, and became afterwards devout Christians.

These young plants, whom Xavier employed on such occasions,were in perpetual disputations with the Gentiles,and broke in pieces as many idols as they could getinto their power; and sometimes burnt them, throwingtheir ashes into the air. When they discoveredany bearing the name of Christianity, and yet keepinga pagod in reserve to adore in secret, they reprovedthem boldly; and when those rebukes were of no effect,they advertised the holy man, to the end, he mightapply some stronger remedy. Xavier went oftenin their company, to make a search in those suspectedhouses; and if he discovered any idols, they wereimmediately destroyed.

Being informed, that one who was lately baptized,committed idolatry sometimes in private, and thatthe admonitions which he had received were useless,he bethought himself to frighten him; and in his presencecommanded the children to set fire to his house, thatthereby he might be given to understand, how the worshippersof devils deserved eternal burning like the devils.They ran immediately to their task, taking the commandin a literal sense, which was not Xavier’s intention.But the effect of it was, that the infidel, detestingand renouncing his idolatry, gave up his pagods tobe consumed by fire, which was all the design of theholy man.

Another infidel was more unhappy; he was one of thefirst rank in Manapar; a man naturally violent andbrutal. Xavier one day going to visit him, desiredhim, in courteous words, that he would listen to whathe had to say to him concerning his eternal welfare.The barbarian vouchsafed not so much as to give himthe hearing, but rudely thrust him out of his house,saying, “That if ever he went to the Christians’church, he was content they should shut him out.”Few days after, he was assaulted by a troop of armedmen, who designed to kill him: all he could dowas to disengage himself from them, and fly away.Seeing at a distance a church open, he made to itas fast as he could run, with his enemies at his heelspursuing him. The Christians, who were assembledfor their exercises of devotion, alarmed at the loudcries they heard, and fearing the idolaters were comingto plunder the church, immediately shut their doors,insomuch that he, who hoped for safety in a holy place,fell into the hands of murderers, and was assassinatedby them, without question by a decree of the divinejustice, which revenged the saint, and suffered thewretch to be struck with that imprecation which hehad wished upon himself.

These miracles, which Xavier wrought by the meansof children, raised an admiration of him, both amongstChristians and idolaters; but so exemplary a punishmentcaused him to be respected by all the world: andeven amongst the Brachmans there was not one who didnot honour him. As it will fall in our way tomake frequent mention of those idol-priests, it willnot be from our purpose to give the reader a descriptionof them.

The Brachmans are very considerable amongst the Indians,both for their birth and their employment. Accordingto the ancient fables of the Indies, their originalis from heaven. And it is the common opinion,that the blood of the gods is running in their veins.But to understand how they were born, and from whatgod descended, it is necessary to know the historyof the gods of that country, which in short is this:

The first, and lord of all the others, is Parabrama;that is to say, a most perfect substance, who hashis being from himself, and who gives being to therest. This god being a spirit free from matter,and desirous to appear once under a sensible figure,became man; by the only desire which he had to shewhimself, he conceived a son, who came out at his mouth,and was called Maiso. He had two others afterhim, one of them whose name was Visnu, was born outof his breast, the other called Brama, out of hisbelly. Before he returned to his invisibility,he assigned habitations and employments to his threechildren. He placed the eldest in the first heaven,and gave him an absolute command over the elementsand mixed bodies. He lodged Visnu beneath hiselder brother, and established him the judge of men,the father of the poor, and the protector of the unfortunate.Brama had for his inheritance the third heaven, withthe superintendance of sacrifices, and other ceremoniesof religion. These are the three deities whichthe Indians represent by one idol, with three headsgrowing out of one body, with this mysterious signification,that they all proceed from the same principle.By which it may be inferred, that in former timesthey have heard of Christianity; and that their religionis an imperfect imitation, or rather a corruptionof ours.

They say that Visnu has descended a thousand timeson earth, and every time has changed his shape; sometimesappearing in the figure of a beast, sometimes of aman, which is the original of their pagods, of whomthey relate so many fables.

They add, that Brama, having likewise a desire ofchildren, made himself visible, and begot the Brachmans,whose race has infinitely multiplied. The peoplebelieve them demi-gods, as poor and miserable as theyare. They likewise imagine them to be saints,because they lead a hard and solitary life; havingvery often no other lodging than the hollow of a tree,or a cave, and sometimes living exposed to the airon a bare mountain, or in a wilderness, sufferingall the hardships of the weather, keeping a profoundsilence, fasting a whole year together, and makingprofession of eating nothing which has had life init.

But after all, there was not perhaps a more wickednation under the canopy of heaven. The fruitof those austerities which they practice in the desart,is to abandon themselves in public to the most brutalpleasures of the flesh, without either shame or remorseof conscience. For they certainly believe, thatall things, how abominable soever, are lawful to bedone, provided they are suggested to them by the lightwhich is within them. And the people are so infatuatedwith them, that they believe they shall become holyby partaking in their crimes, or by suffering anyoutrage from them.

On the other side, they are the greatest impostorsin the world; their talent consists in inventing newfables every day, and making them pass amongst thevulgar for wonderful mysteries. One of their cheatsis to persuade the simple, that the pagods eat likemen; and to the end they may be presented with goodcheer, they make their gods of a gigantic figure,and are sure to endow them with a prodigious paunch.If those offerings with which they maintain theirfamilies come to fail, they denounce to the people,that the offended pagods threaten the country withsome dreadful judgment, or that their gods, in displeasure,will forsake them, because they are suffered to dieof hunger.

The doctrine of these Brachmans is nothing betterthan their life. One of their grossest errorsis to believe that kine have in them somewhat of sacredand divine; that happy is the man who can be sprinkledover with the ashes of a cow, burnt by the hand ofa Brachman; but thrice happy be, who, in dying, layshold of a cow’s tail, and expires with it betwixthis hands; for, thus assisted, the soul departs outof the body purified, and sometimes returns into thebody of a cow. That such a favour, notwithstanding,is not conferred but on heroic souls, who contemn life,and die generously, either by casting themselves headlongfrom a precipice, or leaping into a kindled pile,or throwing themselves under the holy chariot wheels,to be crushed to death by the pagods, while they arecarried in triumph about the town.

We are not to wonder, after this, that the Brachmanscannot endure the Christian law; and that they makeuse of all their credit and their cunning to destroyit in the Indies. Being favoured by princes, infinitein number, and strongly united amongst themselves,they succeed in all they undertake; and as being greatzealots for their ancient superstitions, and mostobstinate in their opinions, it is not easy to convertthem.

Father Xavier, who saw how large a progress the gospelhad made amongst the people, and that if there wereno Brachmans in the Indies, there would consequentlybe no idolaters in all those vast provinces of Asia,spared no labour to reduce that perverse generationto the true knowledge of Almighty God. He conversedoften with those of that religion, and one day founda favourable occasion of treating with them: Passingby a monastery, where above two hundred Brachmanslived together, he was visited by some of the chiefest,who had the curiosity to see a man whose reputationwas so universal. He received them with a pleasingcountenance, according to his custom; and having engagedthem by little and little, in a discourse concerningthe eternal happiness of the soul, he desired themto satisfy him what their gods commanded them to do,in order to it after death. They looked a whileon one another without answering. At length aBrachman, who seemed to be fourscore years of age,took the business upon himself, and said in a gravetone, that two things brought a soul to glory, andmade him a companion to the gods; the one was to abstainfrom the murder of a cow, the other to give alms tothe Brachmans. All of them confirmed the oldman’s answer by their approbation and applause,as if it had been an oracle given from the mouthsof their gods themselves.

Father Xavier took compassion on this their miserableblindness, and the tears came into his eyes.He rose on the sudden, (for they had been all sitting,)and distinctly repeated, in an audible tone, the apostles’creed, and the ten commandments, making a pause atthe end of every article, and briefly expounding it,in their own language; after which he declared tothem what were heaven and hell, and by what actionsthe one and other were deserved.

The Brachmans, who had never heard any thing of Christianitybefore, and had been listening to the father withgreat admiration, rose up, as soon as he had donespeaking, and ran to embrace him, acknowledging, thatthe God of the Christians was the true God, sincehis law was so conformable to the principles of ourinward light. Every one of them proposed diversquestions to him; if the soul were immortal, or thatit perished with the body, and in case that the souldied not, at what part of the body it went out; ifin our sleep we dreamed we were in a far country, orconversed with an absent person, whether the soul wentnot out of the body for that time; of what colourGod was, whether black or white; their doctors beingdivided on that point, the white men maintaining hewas of their colour, the black of theirs: thegreatest part of the pagods for that reason beingblack.

The father answered all their questions in a mannerso suitable to their gross understanding, which wasignorant alike of things divine and natural, thatthey were highly satisfied with him. Seeing theminstructed and disposed in this sort, he exhortedthem to embrace the faith of Jesus Christ, and gavethem to understand, that the truth being made knownto them, ignorance could no longer secure them frometernal punishment.

But what victory can truth obtain over souls whichfind their interest in following error, and who makeprofession of deceiving the common people? “Theyanswered,” said the saint in one of his letters,“that which many Christians answer at this day,what will the world say of us if they see us change?And after that, what will become of our families, whoseonly subsistence is from the offerings which are madeto the pagods? Thus, human interest, and worldlyconsiderations, made the knowledge of the truth serveonly to their greater condemnation.”

Not long afterwards, Xavier had another conferencewith a Brachman, who lived in the nature of an hermit.He passed for the oracle of the country, and had beeninstructed in his youth at one of the most famousacademies of the East. He was one of those whowas knowing in their most hidden mysteries, whichare never intrusted by the Brachmans, but to a certainselect number of their wise men. Xavier, who hadheard speak of him, was desirous to see him; and he,on his side, was as desirous to see Xavier. Theintention of the saint was to try, in bringing overthis Brachman, if he could gain the rest, who wereproud of being his disciples.

After the first civilities which commonly pass betwixttwo men, who mutually covet an acquaintance, and knoweach other by reputation, the discourse fell uponreligion; and the Brachman found in himself, at thevery first, so great an inclination for Xavier, thathe could not conceal from him those secrets whicha religious oath had bound him never to disclose toany. He confest plainly to him, that the idolswere devils, and that there was only one God, creatorof the world, and that this God alone deserved theadoration of men: that those who held the rankof wisdom amongst the Brachmans, solemnized the Sundayin his honour as a holiday; and that day they onlysaid this prayer, “O God, I adore thee at thispresent, and for ever:” that they pronouncedthose words softly, for fear of being overheard, andto preserve the oath which they had made, to keepthem secret. “In fine,” said he, “itis to be read in our ancient writings, that all thefalse religions should one day cease, and the wholeworld should observe one only law.”

The Brachman having disclosed these mysteries to FatherXavier, desired him, in his turn, to reveal to himwhat was most mysterious in the Christian law; andto engage him to deal the more freely with him, andwithout the least disguise, swore, that he would inviolably,and for ever, keep the secret. “I am sofar,” said the father, “from obligingyou to silence, that I will inform you of nothing youdesire to know, but on condition that you shall publishin all places what I tell you.” The Brachmanhaving given him his word, he began to instruct himby these words of Jesus Christ; “He who willbelieve, and be baptized, shall be saved.”This he expounded to him at large; at the same time,declaring to him how baptism was necessary to salvation:and passing from one article of faith to another,he placed the truth of the gospel in so advantageousa light before him, that the Brachman declared uponthe place he would become a Christian, provided hemight be so in secret; and that he might have a dispensationfrom some certain duties of Christianity.

This so wicked a disposition made him unworthy ofthe grace of baptism; he remained unconverted.Notwithstanding which, he desired to have in writingthe apostles’ creed, together with our Saviour’swords, which had been expounded to him.

He saw Father Xavier a second time, and told him hehad dreamed he was baptized, and that afterwards hebecame his companion, and that they travelled togetherpreaching the gospel in far countries; but this dreamhad no effect, and the Brachman would never promiseto teach the people, that there was one only God,creator of the world, “or fear,” says he,“that if he broke that oath which obliged himto secrecy, the devil should punish him with death.”

Thus the master, though convinced, yet not submitting,the scholars all stood out; and in the sequel, ofso great a multitude of idol-priests, not one embracedthe Christian doctrine from the heart. Nevertheless,Xavier, in their presence, wrought many miracles whichwere capable of converting them. Having casuallymet a poor creature all naked, and full of ulcersfrom head to foot, he washed him with his hands, drankpart of the water wherewith he had washed him, andprayed by him with wonderful fervency; when he hadended his prayer, the flesh of the diseased personwas immediately healed, and appeared as clean as thatof an infant.

The process of the saint’s canonization makesmention of four dead persons, to whom God restoredtheir life, at this time, by the ministry of his servant.The first was a catechist, called Antonio Miranda,who had been stung in the night by one of those venomousserpents of the Indies, whose stings are always mortal.The second was a child, who fell into a pit, and wasdrowned. The two others were a young man and amaid, whom a pestilential fever had carried off aftera short sickness.

But these miracles, which gave to the father the nameof saint among the Christians, and caused him to becalled the God of Nature amongst the Gentiles, hadno other effect upon the Brachmans than to harden theirhearts, and blind their understandings. Xavier,despairing of their conversion, thought himself boundto publish all their wicked actions, and bring theminto disrepute. And he performed it so successfully,that those men, who were had in veneration by thepeople, came to be despised by all the world; insomuch,that even the children laughed at them, and publiclyupbraided them with their cheats. They began atfirst to threaten the people, according to their custom,with the anger of their pagods; but seeing their menacesturned to scorn, they made use of another artifice,to regain their credit.

What malice soever they harboured in their heartsagainst Father Xavier, they managed it so well, that,to see their conduct, they might have been taken forhis friends. They made him visits; desired himto have some kindness for them; they gave him manycommendations; they presented him sometimes with pearlsand money. But the father was inexorable; andfor their presents, he returned them without so muchas looking on them.

The decrying of those idol-priests contributed nota little to the destruction of idolatry through allthat coast. The life which Xavier led, contributedfull as much. His food was the same with thatof the poorest people, rice and water. His sleepwas but three hours at the most, and that in a fisher’scabin on the ground: for he had soon made awaywith the mattress and coverlet, which the viceroy hadsent him from Goa. The remainder of the nighthe passed with God, or with his neighbour.

He owns himself, that his labours were without intermission;and that he had sunk under so great hardships, ifGod had not supported him. For, to say nothingof the ministry of preaching, and those other evangelicalfunctions, which employed him day and night, no quarrelwas stirring, no difference on foot, of which he wasnot chosen umpire. And because those barbarians,naturally choleric, were frequently at odds, he appointedcertain hours, for clearing up their misunderstandings,and making reconciliations. There was not anyman fell sick, who sent not for him; and as therewere always many, and for the most part distant fromeach other, in the scattering villages, his greatestsorrow was, that he could not be present with themall. In the midst of all this hurry, he enjoyedthose spiritual refreshments and sweets of heaven,which God only bestows on souls, who regard nothingbut the cross; and the excess of those delights wassuch, that he was often forced to desire the DivineGoodness to moderate them; according to what himselftestifies in a letter to his father Ignatius, thoughwritten in general terms, and in the third person.

Having related what he had performed in the coastof the Fishery, “I have no more to add,”says he, “concerning this country, but only thatthey who come hither to labour in the salvation ofidolaters, receive so much consolation from above,that if there be a perfect joy on earth, it is thatthey feel.” He goes on, “I have sometimesheard a man saying thus to God, O my Lord, give menot so much comfort in this life; or if, by an excessof mercy, thou wilt heap it on me, take me to thyself,and make me partaker of thy glory, for it is too greata punishment to live without the sight of thee.”

A year and more was already past since Xavier hadlaboured in the conversion of the Paravas; and inall this time, his two companions, Paul de Camerine,and Francis Mansilla, were not come to his assistance,though they had been arrived at Goa some months since.The number of Christians daily multiplying to a prodigy,and one only priest not being sufficient to cultivateso many new converts in the faith, or advance themin Christian piety, the saint thought it his duty tolook out for succour. And besides, having selectedsome young men, well-natured, and of a good understanding,qualified for the studies of divinity, and human sciences,who being themselves well modelled, might return withhim to instruct their countrymen; he was of opinion,that he ought to conduct them himself, without deferringhis voyage any longer.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK III.

He writes into Europe for a supply of missioners.The saint’s letter to the doctors of Sorbonne.Ambassadors from the isle of Manar to the saint.He sends a missioner to the isle of Manar. Theconstancy of the Christians of Manar. A miraculouscross, and its effects. The enterprise of Xavieragainst the persecutor. New motives for his journeyto Cambaya. He persuades Michael Vaz to go toPortugal. His letter to the king of Portugal.The success of the voyage undertaken by Michael Vaz.He converts a debauched Portuguese. He engagesthe viceroy of the Indies to make war on the kingof Jafanatapan. Divers predictions of the saint.He goes to join the Portuguese fleet, and raises onefrom the dead. He frees the island of Manar fromthe plague. The enterprise of Jafanatapan defeated.He designs the voyage of Macassar, and the conversionof many kingdoms. He goes to the sepulchre ofSt Thomas, to consult God concerning his voyage toMacassar. What happened to him in his passageto Meliapor. He comes to Meliapor; the monumentswhich he there finds of the apostle St Thomas.He is threatened by devils, and afterwards beaten bythem. He learns the will of God concerning hisdesign. The conversions which he makes at Meliapor.He brings a great sinner to repentance. Diverswonderful events which encrease his fame. He persuadesa rich merchant to evangelical perfection. Thenew convert falls from grace, and becomes suspectedto the Saint. His charity to a soldier, who hadlost all his money at play. He arrives at Malacca;a digression concerning it. In what conditionhe found the town, and what he did in order to reformit. He labours with success at Malacca. Herevives a dead maid. He receives letters fromEurope by the new missioners who are sent him.He defers the voyage to Macassar, and designs another.He foreknows, and foretels the ruin of Malacca.He goes to Amboyna, and what happens to him in hisvoyage. He arrives at Amboyna: What he performsthere. He converts the idolaters and Moors ofAmboyna. A Spanish fleet arrives at Amboyna.He assists the Spanish fleet during the contagion amongstthem. He passes into divers islands. Herecovers his crucifix, which was fallen into the sea.He foretels the holy death of a new convert. Hegoes to the island of Ulate, and the miracle therewrought by him. He goes to the Moluccas.What happens to him in his way. He declares tothe people the death of John Araus. He makesmany converts at Ternate. Conversion of a queenat Ternate. He hears of the isles del Moro.Great endeavours are used to dissuade the saint fromgoing to the isles del Moro. He complains ofthose who make opposition to his voyage to the isleDel Moro. He goes for the isle Del Moro, andwrites to Rome. God reveals to him what is doingin a distant island. He arrives at Del Moro; thecondition in which he found it. He gains theinhabitants of the isle Del Moro. He speaks tothem of hell. He exhorts them to repentance.He says mass in the midst of an earthquake. Heis admired by the barbarians. He is persecutedby a cruel and savage people. His sufferingsin the isle Del Moro; and the consolations which hethere received. He goes for Goa; and the reasonthat induced him. He returns to Ternate.His proceedings at Ternate. He endeavours theconversion of the king of Ternate. What hinderedthe king of Ternate’s conversion. He labourswith great fruit in the court of Ternate. Heleaves to the islanders a Christian instruction writtenwith his own hand. The counsel he gave the Ternatinesat parting. He renews his labours at Amboyna.He is endued with the supernatural knowledge of somethings. A cross, erected by Xavier, becomes famous.The constancy of the Christians in Amboyna.

The reputation of Xavier was not confined to the kingdomof Travancore; it was spread abroad through all theIndies; and the God of the Christians, at the sametime, was had in so great veneration, that the mostidolatrous nations sent to desire the saint, that hewould come and give them baptism. His joy wasinfinite, to find the Gentiles, of their own freemotion, searching after the way of eternal life; but,on the other side, he was afflicted that he was notsufficient alone to instruct so many vast countriesas were gone astray from it.

Seeing the harvest so great, and the labourers sofew, he wrote earnestly to Father Ignatius in Italy,and to Simon Rodriguez in Portugal, for a supply ofmissioners. He had such transports of zeal onthat occasion, as to say, in one of his letters, “Ihave often thoughts to run over all the universitiesof Europe, and principally that of Paris, and to cryaloud to those who abound more in learning than, incharity, Ah, how many souls are lost to heaven throughyour default! It were to be wished, that thosepeople would apply themselves as diligently to thesalvation of souls, as they do to the study of sciences;to the end they might render to Almighty God a goodaccount of their learning, and the talents which hehas bestowed on them. Many, without doubt, movedwith thoughts like these, would make a spiritual retreat,and give themselves the leisure of meditating on heavenlythings, that they might listen to the voice of God.They would renounce their passions, and, tramplingunder foot all worldly vanities, would put themselvesin condition of following the motions of the divinewill. They would say, from the bottom of theirhearts, behold me in readiness, O my Lord; send mewheresoever thou shalt please, even to the Indies,if thou commandest me.

“Good God, how much more happily would thoselearned men then live, than now they do! with howmuch more assurance of their salvation! and, in thehour of death, when they are ready to stand forth beforethe dreadful judgment-seat, how much greater reasonwould they have, to hope well of God’s eternalmercy, because they might say, O Lord, thou hast givenme five talents, and behold I have added other five.

“I take God to witness, that, not being ableto return into Europe, I have almost resolved to writeto the university of Paris, and namely to our masters,Cornet and Picard, that millions of idolaters mightbe easily converted, if there were more preachers,who would sincerely mind the interests of Jesus Christ,and not their own concernments.”

It is pity that his letter to the doctors of Sorbonneis irrecoverably lost; for certain it is, he wroteto them from the midst of the Indies, to engage themto come, and preach the gospel. And for this wehave the testimony of Don John Derada, one of thechief magistrates of the kingdom of Navarre, who,studying at Paris, saw the letter sent from FatherXavier, admired the apostolical charity with whichit was replenished, and took a copy of it, as didalso many divines, to whom it was directed.

Amongst those idolatrous nations, which breathed afterbaptism, and desired to be instructed, the Manaroiswere the first, who made a deputation to the saint.

The isle of Manar is situate towards the most northernpoint of Ceylon, and at the head of the sands of Remanancor.It has a very convenient port, and is a place of greattraffic. But the soil is so sandy and so dry,that it produces nothing, unless in some few places,which also are cultivated with much care and labour.For Manar has no resemblance to Ceylon, though placedso near it: Ceylon being the most delicious andmost fruitful part of all the East; where the treesare always green, and bear fruits and flowers in everyseason; where there are discovered mines of gold andsilver, crystal, and precious stones; which is encompassedwith forests of ebony, cinnamon, and cocoa; and wherethe inhabitants live to an extreme old age, withoutany of the incommodities which attend it, The wonderis, that, being distant from the equinoctial but sixdegrees, the air is temperate and pure, and the rains,which water it from heaven regularly once a month,joined with the springs and rivers which pass throughit, refresh the ground in a greater measure than thescorching heats can parch it.

Father Xavier was employed in establishing Christianityin Travancore, when he received this embassy fromManar. As he could not forsake an infant churchwithout a reasonable apprehension of its ruin, he sentto Manar one of the priests whom he had left on thecoast of Fishery. And God so blessed the laboursof that missioner, that the Manarois not only becameChristians, but died generously for the faith; andthis was the occasion of their martyrdom.

The isle of Manar was at that time under the dominionof the king of Jafanatapan; for by that name the northernpart of Ceylon is called. This prince had usurpedthe crown from his elder brother, and enslaved hissubjects. Above all things, he was an implacableenemy of the Christian faith; though in appearancehe was a friend to the Portuguese, whose forces onlycould set bounds to his tyranny. When he understoodthat the Manarois were converted to Christianity,he entered into that fury of which tyrants only canbe capable; for he commanded, that his troops shouldimmediately pass over into the island, and put allto the sword, excepting only the idolaters. Hisorders were punctually executed; and men, women, andchildren, were all destroyed, who had embraced theChristian faith.

It was wonderful to behold, that the faithful beingexamined, one by one, concerning their religion, andno more required for the saving of their lives, thanto forsake their new belief, there was not one amongstthem, who did not openly declare himself a Christian.The fathers and mothers answered for the newly baptizedinfants, who were not able to give testimony of theirfaith; and offered them to the death, with a resolution,which was amazing to their executioners. Six orseven hundred of these islanders gave up their livesfor the name of Jesus Christ; and the principal placewhich was consecrated by so noble blood, from Pasim,which it was called before, now took the name of theField of Martyrs.

This dreadful massacre, far from abolishing the Christianlaw, served only to render it more flourishing.The tyrant had even the shame of seeing his officersand domestic servants forsake their ancient superstitionin despite of him. But what most enraged him,was the conversion of his eldest son. This youngprince, inspired of God, caused himself to be instructedby a Portuguese merchant, who had dealings at thecourt; which yet could not be so secretly performed,but that the king had notice of it. At the firstnews, he cut his throat, and threw the body into thefields, to serve for food to savage beasts.

But Heaven permitted not, that a death which was soprecious in the sight of God, should be without honourin the sight of men, The Portuguese merchant buriedhis disciple by night; and on the next morning, thereappeared a beautiful cross, printed on the ground,which covered the body of the martyr. The spectacleextremely surprised the infidels. They did whatthey were able, to deface, and (if I may so say) toblot out the cross, by treading over it, and castingearth upon it. It appeared again the day following,in the same figure, and they once more endeavouredto tread it out. But then it appeared in theair, all resplendent with light, and darting its beamson every side. The barbarians who beheld it,were affrighted; and, being touched in their hearts,declared themselves Christians. The king’ssister, a princess naturally virtuous, having privatelyembraced the faith, instructed both her own son, andher nephew, who was brother to the martyr. But,while she directed them in the way of heaven, shetook care to preserve them from the cruelty of thetyrant. To which purpose she addressed herselfto the merchant above mentioned, and intrusting himwith the lives of the two princes, ordered him toconvey them to the seminary of Goa.

This Portuguese managed all things so discreetly,with the concurrence of the princess, that he escapedout of the island, with the two princes, undiscovered.He took his way by the kingdom of Travancore, thathe might behold Father Xavier, and present to himthese two illustrious new converts. The fatherreceived them as angels descended from above, andgave immortal thanks to God, for so noble a conquest.He fortified them in the faith, gave them excellentinstructions, and promised so to mediate in theirfavour, with the viceroy of the Indies, that they shouldhave no occasion of repenting themselves for havingabandoned all things for the sake of Jesus Christ.

When the king of Jafanatapan had notice of the flightof his son and nephew, he broke out into new furyagainst the Christians, and put to death great numbersof them. Being apprehensive that his brother,from whom he had usurped the crown, and who now leda wandering life, might possibly change his religionalso, and beg protection from the Portuguese, he sentofficers round about, with orders to bring him intohis hands, or, at the least, to bring back his head.But he failed of getting him in his power either aliveor dead; for this unhappy prince, attended by tenhorsem*n, having passed to Negapatan, came by landto Goa, after having suffered extreme hardships, ina journey of more than two hundred leagues.

Father Xavier, who was informed of all these proceedings,thought it necessary to make advantage of these favourableopportunities without loss of time. He consideredwith what perfection Christians might live in a kingdomwhere they died so generously for the faith, with soimperfect a knowledge of it. On the other side,he judged, that if the injustice and cruelty of thetyrant remained unpunished, what an inducement itmight be to other idolatrous kings, for them to persecutethe new converts in their turn; that the only meansfor repairing the past, and obviating future mischiefs,was to dispossess the tyrant of the crown, which heso unjustly wore, and restore it to his brother, towhom it rightfully belonged; that, for these considerations,recourse ought to be had to the Portuguese to engagethem, by a principle of religion, to take arms againstthe usurper of the kingdom, and the persecutor of theChristians.

In order to this, the father caused Mansilla to berecalled from the coast of Fishery; and having intrustedhim with the care of christianity in Travancore, tookhis way by land to Cambaya, where the viceroy of theIndies then resided.

Besides these reasons, relating to the king of Jafanatapan,the saint had other motives which obliged him to takethis journey. The greatest part of the Europeans,who were in the Indies, and chiefly the officers ofthe crown of Portugal, lived after so infamous a manner,that they made the Christian faith appear odious,and scandalised alike both the idolaters and the faithful.

The public worship of the pagods was tolerated atGoa, and the sect of the Brachmans daily increasedin power; because those Pagan priests had bribed thePortuguese officers. The people professed heathenismfreely, provided they made exact payments of theirtribute, as if they had been conquered only for thesake of gain. Public offices were sold to Saracens,and the Christian natives stood excluded, for wantof money, which does all things with corrupt ministers.The receivers of the king’s revenues, who wereto pay the Paravas of the coast of Fishery, constrainedthose poor fishers to deliver their pearls almost fornothing; and thus the exaction of a lawful tribute,in the constitution, became tyranny and oppressionin the management. Men were sold like beasts,and Christians enslaved to Pagans at cheap pennyworths.To conclude, the king of Cochin, an idolater, buttributary to the crown of Portugal, was suffered toconfiscate the goods of his subjects, who had receivedbaptism.

Father Francis was wonderfully grieved to perceive,that the greatest hindrance to the growth of Christianity,in those vast dominions of Asia, proceeded only fromthe Christians. He bewailed it sometimes to God,in the bitterness of his heart; and one day said,“That he would willingly return to Portugalto complain of it to the king, not doubting, but soreligious and just a prince would order some remedyfor this encroaching evil, if he had notice how itspread.”

Xavier had taken the way of Cochin, along by the seacoast. He arrived there the 16th of December,1544, where he happened to meet with Michael Vaz,vicar-general of the Indies. In acquainting himwith the reasons of his journey, he made him sensible,that the weakness of the government was the principalcause of the avarice and violence of the officers;that Don Alphonso de Sosa was indeed a religious gentleman,but wanted vigour; that it was not sufficient to willgood actions, if, at the same time, he did not stronglyoppose ill ones; in a word, that it was absolutelynecessary for the king of Portugal to be informed ofall the disorders in the Indies, by a person who wasan eye-witness of them, and whose integrity was notliable to suspicion. Vaz immediately entered intothe opinions of the father, and his zeal carried himto pass himself into Portugal, in a vessel which wasjust ready to set sail. Xavier praised God forthose good intentions; and wrote a letter by him toKing John the Third, the beginning of which I havehere transcribed:—

“Your Majesty ought to be assured, and oftento call into your mind, that God has made choice ofyou, amongst all the princes of the world, for theconquest of India, to the end he may make trial ofyour faith, and see what requital you will make tohim for all his benefits. You ought also to consider,that, in conferring on you the empire of a new world,his intention was, not so much that you should fillyour coffers with the riches of the East, as thatyou should have an opportunity of signalizing yourzeal, by making known to idolaters, through the meansof those who serve you, the Creator and Redeemer ofmankind.”

The saint, after this beginning, gave the king tounderstand the good intentions of Michael Vaz, andthe ill conduct of the Portuguese, who were in thegovernment of the Indies. He suggested to himthe means of putting a stop to those disorders, andadvised him, above all things, not only to recommend,by letters, the interest of religion, but rigorouslyto punish all those officers, who were wanting to theirduty in that respect; “for there is danger,”said he, “that when God shall summon your Majestyto judgment, that will then come to pass which youleast expect, and which is not to be avoided; thereis danger, great Prince, that you may then hear thesewords of an offended God. Why have you not punishedthose who, under your authority, have made war againstme in the Indies, you who have punished them so severely,when they were negligent in gathering your revenues?Your cause will be little helped by your return ofthis answer to Jesus Christ;—Lord, I havenot wanted yearly to recommend, by letters to my subjects,all that concerns thy honour and thy service.For, doubt not, it will be thus answered;—Butyour orders were never put in execution, and you leftyour ministers, at their own disposal, to do whateverthey thought good.

“I therefore beg your Majesty, by that ferventzeal which you have for the glory of our Lord, andby the care which you have always testified of youreternal salvation, to send hither a vigilant and resoluteminister, who will bend his actions to nothing morethan to the conversion of souls; who may act independentlyto the officers of your treasury; and who will notsuffer himself to be led and governed by the politicsof worldly men, whose foresight is bounded with theprofit of the state. May your Majesty be pleaseda little to inspect your incomes from the Indies,and, after that, look over the expences which are madefor the advancement of religion; that, having weighedall things equally on either side, you may make ajudgment, if that which you bestow bears any proportionwith that which you receive; and then, perhaps, youwill find a just subject to apprehend, that, of thoseimmense treasures, which the Divine Goodness has heapedupon you, you have given to God but an inconsiderablepittance.

“For what remains, let not your Majesty deferany longer the payment of so just a debt, to so bountifula giver, nor the healing of so many public wounds.What remedy soever you can apply, what diligence soeveryou can make, all will be too little, and of the latest.The sincere and ardent charity of my heart, towardsyour Majesty, has constrained me to write to you inthis manner, especially when my imagination representsto me, in a lively sort, the complaints which thepoor Indians send up to heaven, that out of so vasta treasure, with which your estate is enriched bythem, you employ so little for their spiritual necessities.”The letter ended, in begging this favour of AlmightyGod, “that the king, in his lifetime, mighthave those considerations, and that conduct, whichhe would wish to have had when he was dying.”

Michael Vaz negotiated so well with King John theThird, pursuant to the instructions of Father Xavier,that he obtained another governor of the Indies, andcarried back such orders and provisions, signed byhis Majesty’s own hand, as were in a mannerthe same which the father had desired.

These orders contained, That no toleration shouldbe granted for the superstition of the infidels inthe isle of Goa, nor in that of Salseta; that theyshould break in pieces all the pagods which were there,and make search, in the houses of the Gentiles, forconcealed idols, and whosoever used or made them shouldbe punished according to the quality of his crime;that as many of the Brachmans as were found to opposethe publication of the gospel, should be banished;that out of a yearly rent of three thousand crowns,charged on a mosque at Bazain, a subsistence shouldbe made for the poor, newly converted from idolatry;that hereafter no public employment should be givento Pagans; that no exaction should remain unpunished;that no slaves should henceforth be sold, either toMahometans or Gentiles; that the pearl fishing shouldonly be in the hands of Christians, and that nothingshould be taken from them, without paying them thedue value; that the king of Cochin should not be sufferedto despoil or oppress the baptized Indians; and, lastof all, that if Sosa had not already revenged themurder of the Christians in Manar, who were massacredby the king of Jafanatapan’s command, Castro,who succeeded in his place, should not fail to seeit done.

To return to Father Xavier;—he put to seaat Cochin, and sailed towards Cambaya. In theship there was a Portuguese gentleman, much a libertine,and one of those declared atheists who make a boastof their impiety. This was motive enough forthe holy man to make acquaintance with him. Hekept him company, and was even so complaisant as toentertain him with pleasant conversation. ThePortuguese was much delighted with his good humour,and took pleasure in hearing him discourse on manycurious subjects. But if Xavier offered to letfall a word concerning the salvation of his soul,he laughed at it, and would hear no more. Ifthe father mildly reproved him for his profane andscandalous way of living, he flew out into a furyagainst the holy practice of the church, and sworehe would never more come to confession.

These ill inclinations did not at all discourage Xavierfrom his undertaking. He treated this hardenedsinner after the manner that physicians use a patientraving in his sickness, with all manner of compassionand soft behaviour. In the meantime, they cameto an anchor before the port of Cananor, and, goingashore together, they took a walk into a wood of palm-treeswhich was near their place of landing. Afterthey had made a turn or two, the saint stripped himselfto the waist, and taking a discipline, pointed atthe ends with wire, struck so hard and so often on

his naked body, that, in a very little time, his backand shoulders were all bloody. “It is foryour sake,” said he to the gentleman who accompaniedhim, “that I do what you see, and all this isnothing to what I would willingly suffer for you.But,” added he, “you have cost ChristJesus a much dearer price. Will neither his passion,his death, nor all his blood, suffice to soften thehardness of your heart?” After this, addressinghimself to our blessed Saviour, “O Lord,”said he, “be pleased to look on thy own adorableblood, and not on that of so vile a sinner as myself.”The gentleman, amazed and confounded, both at once,at such an excess of charity, cast himself at the feetof Xavier, beseeching him to forbear, and promisingto confess himself and totally to change his formerlife. In effect, before they departed out ofthe wood, he made a general confession to the father,with sincere contrition for his sins, and afterwardslived with the exemplary behaviour and practice ofa good Christian.

Being returned to the port, they went again on shipboard,and continued their voyage to Cambaya. When theywere arrived at that place, Xavier went to wait onthe viceroy, and easily persuaded him to what he desired,in reference to Jafanatapan; for, besides that Sosareposed an entire confidence in Father Xavier, andwas himself zealous for the faith, the expedition,which was proposed to him, was the most glorious thatthe Portuguese could undertake, since the consequenceof it was to punish a tyrant, to dispossess an usurper,and to restore a lawful king.

The viceroy, therefore, wrote letters, and dispatchedcouriers, to the captains of Comorin and of the Fishery,commanding them to assemble all the forces they couldmake at Negapatan, and make a sudden irruption intothe tyrant’s country, without giving him timeto provide for his defence. He gave them alsoin charge to take the tyrant alive, if possibly theycould, and put him into the hands of Father Francis,who desired his conversion, not his death, and hopedthe blood of the martyrs of Manar might obtain theforgiveness of his crimes.

Xavier, encouraged by these hopes, returned towardsCochin, where he proposed to himself to follow hisministerial vocation, while the preparations of warwere making. Coming back by Cananor, he lodgedin the house of a Christian, who himself was religious,but his son debauched, and subject to all sorts ofvices. The good man, sensibly afflicted at theill conduct of his graceless son, wept day and night;and Xavier began at first to comfort him, saying,those vices were ordinary in youth, and riper agewould reclaim him from them. Having done speaking,he stood mute awhile, and recollected himself; then,suddenly lifting up his eyes to heaven, “Know,”said he, “that you are the most happy fatherin the world. This libertine son, who has givenyou so many disquiets, shall one day change his manners,he shall be a religious of the order of St Francis,and at last shall die a martyr.” The eventverified the prediction. The young man afterwardstook the habit of St Francis, and went to preach thefaith in the kingdom of Cande,[1] where he receivedmartyrdom from the barbarians.

[Footnote 1: Cande is a kingdom in the islandof Ceylon.]

Father Xavier, being come back to Cochin, was verykindly received by the secretary of state, Cosmo Annez,his intimate friend, who was there on some importantbusiness. Being one day together, and talkingfamiliarly, Xavier asked Annez, if the year had beengood for the Portugal merchants? Annez answeredhim, that it could not have been better: thatnot long since, seven vessels had been sent off, whichwere now in their passage to Europe, and richly laden.He added, that himself had sent the king of Portugala rare diamond, which had cost six thousand ducatsat Goa, and Avould be worth more than thirty thousandat Lisbon. Xavier had a farther curiosity toenquire, which of the ships had carried the diamond;and Annez told him, it was the ship called the Atoghia,and that he had entrusted the jewel to John Norogna,who was captain of the ship.

Xavier then entered into a profound meditation; andafter he had kept silence for some time, all on thesudden thus replied; “I could have wished thata diamond of so great value had not been entrustedto that ship.” “And for what reason?”answered Annez; “is it not because the Atoghiahas once formerly sprung a leak? but, father, she isnow so well refitted, that she may be taken for anew vessel.” The saint explained himselfno farther; and Annez, upon a second consideration,began to conjecture, both from the father’swords, and afterwards from, his silence, that therewas some danger in the matter, whereupon he desiredhim to recommend that ship to the protection of almightyGod; “for in conclusion,” said he, “theAtoghia cannot be lost without a very considerabledamage to me. I have had no order,” saidhe, “to buy that diamond; so that in case itshould miscarry, the loss will be wholly mine.”

Sitting one day together at the table, and Xavierobserving Annez to be in great concernment, “givethanks to God,” said he, “your diamondis safe, and at this very time in the hands of thequeen of Portugal.” Annez believed Xavieron his word; and understood afterwards, by lettersfrom Norogna, that the ship opened in the midst ofher voyage, and let in so much water, that being uponthe point of sinking, the mariners had resolved tohave forsaken her, and thrown themselves into the sea,but after having cut down the main mast, they changedtheir thoughts without any apparent reason; that theleak stopped of itself, and the ship pursuing hercourse, with only two sails, arrived safely in theport of Lisbon.

The man of God remained about three months in Cochin,and towards the end of May set sail for Negapatan,where the Portuguese fleet was now in a readiness.Passing by the Isle of De las Vaccas, which is nearthe flats of Ceylon, towards the north, he raisedto life a Saracen’s child, which is all thatis known of that miracle. He was desirous in hispassage to see the isle of Manar, where so many Christianshad been massacred for the faith; and going ashore,he often kissed the ground, which had been sprinkledwith the blood of martyrs at Pasim. While herejoiced at the happy destiny of the dead, he had causeto be afflicted for the misfortune of the living:a contagious disease laid waste the island, and theredied an hundred every day.

When the Manarois had notice, that the great father,so famous in the Indies, was at Pasim, they assembledtogether, above three thousand of them, for the mostpart Gentiles, and being come to the village, besoughthim humbly to deliver them from the pestilence.

Xavier asked three days, wherein to implore of God,for that which they had begged from him. Duringall which time, he only offered up to our Lord, andset before him the merits of those blessed martyrs,who had suffered for his name at Pasim. Beforethose days were ended, his prayers were heard, theplague ceased, and all the sick were restored to healthat the same moment. So visible a miracle wroughton all of them to believe in Jesus Christ; and theapostle baptized them with his own hand. He couldmake no longer stay with them; for the naval army thenexpected him, and his presence was necessary to encouragethe soldiers, and mind the captains of the performanceof their duty.

He passed over from Manar to Negapatan; but therehe found all things in a far different condition fromwhat he hoped. The Portuguese navy diminisheddaily; and the commanders, who at the beginning hadbeen so zealous for the Holy War, were now the firstto condemn it. It was in vain for him to setbefore their eyes the honour of their nation, andthat of God: interest did so blind their understanding,that they forgot they were either Portuguese or Christians:behold, in short, what overthrew so glorious an expedition.

While they were equipping the fleet, it happened thata Portuguese vessel, coming from the kingdom of Pegu,and laden with rich merchandise, was driven by tempestupon the coast of Jafanatapan. The king madeseizure of it, and possessed himself of all withinit, according to the custom of the barbarians.The captain and the ship’s company foreseeing,that if, in this conjuncture, war should be made againstthe heathen prince, they should never be able to retrievetheir wealth out of his hands, corrupted the officersof the fleet with large presents, to desist from theirundertaking. Thus the tyrant, whom Father Xavierdesigned to drive out from his ill-gotten kingdom,was maintained in it, by the covetousness of Christians;or rather by the secret decrees of Providence, whichsometimes permits the persecutors of the church toreign in peace, to the end a trial may be made of suchas dare to continue constant in their faith.

As holy men resign their will to that of God, Xavierwholly abandoned the enterprize of Jafanatapan, andthought only of returning to the kingdom of Travancore.Being now on sea, he cast back his eyes on the Isleof Ceylon, which he saw from far; and cried out, lamentingfor it, “Ah! Unhappy island, with how manycarcases do I behold thee covered, and what riversof blood are making inundations on all sides of thee!”These words were prophetical of what happened afterwards,when on Constantine de Braganza at one time, and DonHurtado de Mendoca at another, destroyed all thoseislanders with the sword; and the king of Jafanatapanbeing himself taken, together with his eldest son,was put to death in his own palace; as if the divinejustice had not deferred the death of this persecutor,but only to render it more terrible, and more memorable.

Father Xavier was very desirous of returning to Travancore;but the winds blew so contrary, that they always drovehim from the coast. By this he judged that Godhad called him to some other place; and thereupon formeda resolution of carrying the light of the gospel fromisle to isle, and from kingdom to kingdom, even tothe utmost limits of the East. The news he heard,during his navigation, caused him suddenly to casthis thoughts on an island situate under the equinoctial,betwixt the Moluccas and Borneo, stretched in lengthtwo hundred leagues from north to south, and dividedinto sundry kingdoms, called by the geographers Celebes,by the historians Macassar, from the names of thetwo capital cities, of the two principal kingdoms;as to the rest, well peopled, and abounding in allsorts of riches.

It was related to him, that about the year 1531, twobrothers, both idolaters, as were all the inhabitantsof Macassar, going on their private business to Ternate,the chief of the Moluccas, had some conference, relatingto religion, with the governor, Antonio Galvan, aPortuguese, one of the most famous warriors of hisage, and celebrated in history both for his pietyand valour: that having learnt from him the vanityof their idols, they embraced the Christian faith,and at their baptism took the names of Antonio andMichael: that being returned into their country,they themselves taught publicly the faith of JesusChrist: that all their countrymen, with one accord,sent their ambassadors to the governor of Ternate,desiring him to send them some to instruct them inthe principles of faith; and that the heads of thisembassy were the two brothers, known to Galvan:that these ambassadors found a very kind reception;and that for want of a priest, Galvan gave them a soldierfor their teacher, whose name was Francis de Castro;a man knowing in religion, and of exemplary piety.In conclusion, that Castro, who was thus chosen toinstruct that people, embarking for Macassar, was drivenby a tempest another way.

Besides this, Xavier was likewise informed, that notlong before, a Portuguese merchant, called AntonioPayva, going to Macassar in the name of Ruys Vaz Pereyra,captain of Malacca, for a ship’s lading of sandal,a precious wood growing in that island, the king ofSupa, which is one of the kingdoms of Macassar, camein person to see him, and asked divers questions relatingto the Christian faith: that this honest merchant,better acquainted with his traffic than his religion,yet answered very pertinently, and discoursed of themysteries of faith after so reasonable a manner, thatthe king, then threescore years of age, was converted,with all his family and court: that another kingof the same island, called the king of Sion, followedhis example; and that these two princes, who weresolemnly baptized by the hand of Payva, not being ableto retain him with them, desired him to send them somepriests, who might administer the sacraments, andbaptize their subjects.

These pious inclinations appeared to Father Xavieras an excellent groundwork for the planting of thegospel. He wept for joy at the happy news; andadored the profound judgments of the Divine Providence,which, after having refused the grace of baptism tothe king of Travancore, when all his subjects hadreceived it, began the conversion of Sion and of Supaby that of their sovereigns. He even believed,that his evangelical ministry exacted from him, toput the last hand to the conversion of those kingdoms.

In the mean time, he thought it his duty, that, beforehe resolved on the voyage of Macassar, he should askadvice from heaven concerning it; and to perform itas he ought, it came into his mind to implore theenlightnings of God’s spirit at the sepulchreof St Thomas, the ancient founder, and first fatherof Christianity in the Indies, whom he had taken forhis patron and his guide, in the course of all histravels. He therefore resolved to go in pilgrimageto Meliapor, which is distant but fifty leagues fromNegatapan, where the wind had driven him back.And embarking in the ship of Michael Pereyra, on Palm-Sunday,which fell that year, 1545, on the 29th of March,they shaped their course along-the coasts of Coromandel,having at first a favourable wind; but they had notmade above twelve or thirteen leagues, when the weatherchanged on a sudden, and the sea became so rough,that they were forced to make to land, and cast anchorunder covert of a mountain, to put their ship intosome reasonable security. They lay there for sevendays together, in expectation of a better wind; andall that time the holy man passed in contemplation,without taking any nourishment, either of meat or drink,as they observed who were in the vessel with him, andas James Madeira, who was a witness of it, has deposedin form of law. He only drank on Easter-Eve,and that at the request of the said Madeira, a littlewater, in which an onion had been boiled, accordingto his own direction. On that very day, the windcame about into a favourable quarter, and the seagrew calm, so that they weighed anchor, and continuedtheir voyage.

But Xavier, to whom God daily imparted more and moreof the spirit of prophecy, foreseeing a furious tempest,which was concealed under that fallacious calm, askedthe pilot, “If his ship were strong enough toendure the violence of bad weather, and ride out astorm?” The pilot confessed she was not, asbeing an old crazy vessel. “Then,”said Xavier, “it were good to carry her backinto the port.” “How, Father Francis,”said the pilot, “are you fearful with so faira wind? you may assure yourself of good weather byall manner of signs, and any little bark may be insafety.” It was in vain for the saint topress him farther, not to believe those deceitfulappearances; neither would the passengers follow hisadvice, but they soon repented of their neglect.For far they had not gone, when a dreadful wind arose,the sea was on a foam, and mounted into billows.The ship was not able to withstand the tempest, andwas often in danger of sinking, and the mariners wereconstrained to make towards the port of Negapatan,from whence they set out, which, with much ado, theyat length recovered.

The impatience of Father Xavier to visit the tombof the apostle St Thomas, caused him to make his pilgrimageby land; and he travelled with so much ardour, throughthe rough and uncouth ways, that in few days he arrivedat Meliapor.

That city is now commonly known by the name of StThomas; because that blessed apostle lived so longin it, and there suffered martyrdom. If we willgive credit to the inhabitants, it was once almostswallowed by the sea; and for proof of this tradition,there are yet to be seen under water, the ruins ofgreat buildings. The new town of Meliapor wasbuilt by the Portuguese; near the walls there is ahill, which they called the Little Mount, and in ita grotto, wherein they say St Thomas hid himself duringthe persecution. At the entry of this cave thereis a cross cut in the rock; and at the foot of themountain there arises a spring, the waters of whichare of such virtue, that sick people drinking of themare ordinarily cured.

From this small ascent you pass to a higher and muchlarger mountain, which seems formed by nature fora lonely contemplative life; for on one side it looksupon the sea, and on the other is covered with oldtrees, always green, which at once make a fruitfuland a pleasing object. Hither St Thomas retiredto pray with his disciples; and here it was also thathe was slain by a Brachman with the thrust of a spear.

The Portuguese, who rebuilt Meliapor, found on thetop of the mountain a little chapel, of stonework,all in ruins. They were desirous to repair it,in memory of the holy apostle; and, as they were rummagingall about, even to the foundations of it, they drewout a white marble, whereon was a cross, with charactersgraved round about it, which declared, “ThatGod was born of the Virgin Mary; that this God waseternal; that the same God taught his law to his twelveapostles; and that one of them came to Meliapor witha palmer’s staff in his hand; that he built achurch there; that the kings of Malabar, Coromandel,and Pandi, with many other nations, submitted themselvesto the law preached by St Thomas, a man holy and penitent.”

This marble, of which we make mention, having on itdivers stains of blood, the common opinion is, thatthe apostle suffered martyrdom upon it. Howsoeverit be, the marble was placed upon the altar when thechapel was rebuilt; and the first time that a solemnmass was said there, the cross distilled some dropsof blood, in the sight of all the people; which alsohappened many times in the following years, on theday whereon his martyrdom is celebrated.

When Xavier was come into the town, the vicar of Meliapor,who had heard speak of him as a successor of the apostles,and a man sent from God, for the conversion of theIndies, came to offer him a lodging in his house.The father accepted of it, because it was adjoiningto the church, wherein were kept the relicks of StThomas; and that he could easily step from thenceby night, to consult the will of God concerning hisintended voyage to Macassar.

In effect, as soon as the vicar was laid to sleep,for they were lodged in the same chamber, Xavier roseas softly as he could, and went to the church, througha church-yard which parted it from the house.The vicar perceived it, and advertised Xavier, thatthis passage was not over-safe by night, and thathorrible phantoms had been often seen in it. Thesaint believed this only said to frighten him, andhinder him from rising before day; so he continuedhis usual prayers; but it was not long before he foundthat the advice was true: for, the nights ensuing,as he passed through the church-yard, he saw thosedreadful spectres, which endeavoured to have stoppedhim; yet he saved himself from them, and even laughedat them as vain illusions.

The demons are too proud to bear contempt withoutrevenge, when God permits them. One night, whenthe saint was at his devotions before the image ofthe blessed Virgin, they assaulted him in great numbers,and beat him so violently, that he was all over bruised,and forced to keep his bed for some days together.He said nothing of his adventure to the vicar; butit was discovered by a young man of Malabar, who lodgednear the church, and was awakened with the noise;rising from his bed, he heard the blows distinctly,and what Father Xavier said to the holy Virgin, invokingher assistance against the infernal powers, insomuch,that the vicar, to whom the young man had related thewords which he had heard, sometimes repeated themto Xavier with an inoffensive kind of raillery.

The servant of God having recovered some little strength,returned to the church, and there continued all thenight. What rage soever the devils had againsthim, they durst no more attempt his person, nor somuch as endeavour to affright him. They onlymade a noise to distract him in his prayers; and onetime, disguised in the habit of canons, they counterfeitedso well the midnight matins, that he asked the vicar,“Who were those chanters who sung so admirably?”

But the favours which Xavier received from heaven,made him large amends for all the injuries of hell;for though the particulars of what passed betwixtGod and him were kept secret, it is known, at leastin regard of the principal affair, for which he consultedGod, that he had an interior light, which gave himclearly to understand, that he was commanded to passto the more southern islands, and to labour in theirconversion. The Christian, strength, with whichhe found himself animated at the same time, causedall the dangers, which naturally he might apprehend,to disappear, as is manifest by what he wrote fromMeliapor on that occasion, to two of his friends atGoa, Paul de Camerin, and James Borba, of whom wehave made so frequent mention.

“I hope that God will confer many favours onme in this voyage; since, through his infinite mercy,I have learned, with so much spiritual joy, that itis his holy pleasure I should go to those kingdomsof Macassar, where so many Christians have been madein these latter years. For what remains, I amso much resolved on executing what our Lord has revealedto me, that if I should be wanting on my part, I shouldgo, to my thinking, in direct opposition to his orders,and render myself unworthy of his favour, both inthis life and in the next. If I cannot find thisyear any Portuguese vessel bound for Malacca, I willembark myself on any ship belonging to the Gentilesor the Saracens. I repose, withal, so great aconfidence in God, for the love of whom I undertakethis voyage, that if there should only pass this waysome little bark of Malacca, I should go aboard withoutthe least deliberation. All my hope is in God;and I conjure you by his love, to remember alwaysin your prayers so great a sinner as myself.”

Though his intentions in coming to Meliapor were onlyto receive the instructions of heaven in his solitude,yet he employed some part of his time in the goodof others. His holy life gave a lustre and valueto his discourse; and the sight of him alone was ofefficacy to touch the heart. The people had receivedit as a maxim, “That whoever followed not thecounsel of Father Francis, should die an enemy of God.”And they related the unhappy end of some sinners,who, being urged by Xavier to make a speedy repentance,had deferred the work of their conversion. Thispopular opinion contributed much to the change of mannersin the town; and the fear of a disastrous death servedfrequently to break off in one moment the criminalcommerce of many years.

There was in Meliapor a Portuguese gentleman, wholived a debauched and scandalous life. His housewas a seraglio, in little; and the greatest part ofhis business was making a collection of beautiful slaves.Xavier went one day to visit him about dinner time:“Are you willing,” said the Father, “thatwe should begin an acquaintance by dining together?”The Portuguese was somewhat discomposed, both at thevisit and the compliment; yet he forced himself intogood humour, and made shew of being very glad of thehonour which the Father had done him. While theywere at table, Xavier spoke not one word to him concerninghis debauchery, and only entertained him with ordinarytalk, though they had been served by young damselswhose habit was not over modest, and whose air wasvery impudent. He continued in the same way hehad began, after they were risen from dinner, and,in conclusion, took his leave, without making himthe least reproach.

The gentleman, surprised at the conduct of FatherFrancis, believed his silence to be a bad omen tohim; and that he had nothing else to expect but anunhappy death, and a more unhappy eternity. Inthis thought, he went with all diligence to find theFather, and falling down before him, “Your silence,”said he, “has spoken powerfully to my heart:I have not enjoyed one moment of repose since youparted from me: Ah, Father, if my everlastingdamnation be not already fixed, I put myself into yourhands; do with me what you shall judge necessary forthe salvation of my soul, behold me ready to pay youa blind obedience.”

Xavier embraced him; and after he had given him tounderstand that the mercies of the Lord are infinite,that it is our duty never to despair, that he whosometimes refuses to sinners the hour of repentance,always grants pardon to the penitent; he caused himto put away those occasions of his sin, and disposedhim to a general confession, the fruit of which wasa chaste and Christian life.

In short, the Father did what he could desire to bedone at Meliapor; and witnesses of known integrityhave deposed on oath, that he left the town so differentfrom what it was, at his coming thither, that it washardly to be known for the same place; which alsogave him so entire a satisfaction, that giving ita thousand benedictions, he said that there was notin all the Indies a more Christian town. And atthe same time he prophecied, that one day it shouldbecome flourishing and wealthy; which prediction wasaccomplished some few years afterward.

Though all these conversions drew the public venerationon Father Francis, it seemed that God took pleasurein making the name of his servant yet more illustrious,by certain wonderful events. A merchant of Meliaporbeing just ready to embark for Malacca, went to takehis leave of him. In receiving his blessing,he begged of him some little token of his friendship.The Father, who was very poor, could find nothing togive him but the chaplet which was hanging at hisneck: “This chaplet,"[1] said he to themerchant, “shall not be unprofitable to you,provided you repose your trust in the Virgin Mary.”The merchant went away in full assurance of the divineprotection, and without fear of pirates, winds, orrocks; but God would make a trial of his faith.He had already almost crossed, without the least hazard,the great gulph which is betwixt Meliapor and Malacca,when suddenly there blew a furious storm, the sailswere torn, the rudder broken, and the mast came bythe board, and the vessel afterwards being drivenagainst the rocks, was split: The greatest partof the seamen and passengers were drowned; some ofthem held upon the rocks, where they were cast away,and the merchant himself was of that number; but,being upon the wide sea, and not having wherewithalto supply nature, to avoid dying by hunger, they tooka resolution which only despair could have inspired;having gathered up some floating planks of their wreckedvessel, and joining them together the best they could,they put themselves upon them, and abandoned theirsafety to the mercy of the waves, without other hopethan of lighting on some current which might possiblycarry them on shore.

[Footnote 1: Or beads.]

The merchant, full of confidence in the blessed Virgin,had still preserved the chaplet of Xavier, and fearednot drowning while he held it in his hand. Thefloat of planks was hardly adrift upon the waves, whenhe found he was transported out of himself, and believedhe was at Meliapor with Father Francis. Returningfrom his extacy, he was strangely surprised to findhimself on an unknown coast, and not to see about himthe companions of his fortunes, nor the planks to whichhe had entrusted his life. He understood, fromsome people who casually came that way, that it wasthe coast of Negapatan, and, in a transport mixed withjoy and amazement, he told them, in how miraculousa manner God had delivered him from death.

Another Portuguese, by profession a soldier, calledJerome Fernandez de Mendoza, received a considerableassistance from Xavier, in a different manner, butfull as marvellous. Fernandez, having put offfrom the coast of Coromandel, in a ship belongingto him, wherein was all his wealth, to go to anothercoast more westward, was taken near the cape of Comorin,by the Malabar pirates, equally covetous and cruel.To save his life, in losing his goods, he threw himselfinto the sea, and was happy enough, in spite of hisill fortune, to swim to land, on the coast of Meliapor.Meeting there Father Francis, he related his misfortuneto him, and begged an alms. The father was almostsorry, at that time, for his being so poor himself,that he had not wherewithal to relieve the miserableman; yet he put his hand into his pocket, as if hewere searching there for something, but finding nothing,he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and afterwards turningto Fernandez, with looks full of compassion, “havecourage, brother,” said he to him, “heavenwill provide for you.” After which, walkingforward four or five paces, he once more put his handsinto his pockets, and pulled out fifty pieces of gold:“receive,” added he, “what heavensends you; make use of it, but speak not of it.”The surprise and joy of Fernandez were so great, thatit was impossible for him to keep silence. Hepublished, in all places, the bounty of his benefactor;and the pieces of gold were found to be so pure andfine, that it was not doubted but they were miraculous.

But perhaps nothing is more admirable, than what passedbetwixt the Father and John Duro, or Deyro, as somehave called him. He was a man of about five-and-thirtyyears of age, who had formerly borne arms; afterwardsbecame a merchant and owner of a ship, very wealthyand fortunate in all his traffic; all which notwithstanding,he was ill satisfied with the world, uneasy to himself,unquiet in the midst of all his wealth, and persuadedthat God alone could content his soul. He wentone day to see the holy man, and told him, that formany years he had a desire of changing his condition,and of serving God as perfectly as he was able, butthat two reasons had always hindered him: theone was, that he never yet could meet with any person,who was capable of shewing him the way of perfection;the other was, that he was afraid of falling intopoverty. He added, that he was now out of painconcerning those two points. That for the first,he hoped he should walk surely in the way of heaven,having so able a guide as he; and for the second, hehad got sufficiently for his maintenance in an honestand comfortable way, during the remainder of his life.He begged leave of Father Xavier, that he might followhim, and promised, on all occasions, to defray hischarges.

The Father made Deyro understand, how far he was yetfrom the kingdom of heaven; that, to arrive at perfection,he must perform what our Saviour counselled the youngman, who seemed willing to follow him, that is tosay, he must practise these words in the literal sense,“sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor.”Deyro, thus undeceived, immediately desired the Fatherto take all his goods, and distribute them amongstthe poor; but the Father would neither do what Deyrohad proposed to him, nor permit that he should himselfdispose of any thing, before he had made confessionto him. Foreseeing, without doubt, that beingso rich, he should be obliged to make restitutionof some part of that which he had gained.

The confession of the merchant was three days in making;after which, having sold his ship and his merchandise,he restored what he had got unjustly, and gave greatalms. And in consequence of this, under the directionof the saint, he gave himself to the exercises of pietyand penitence, thereby to lay a solid foundation ofthat perfection to which he aspired.

But these fair beginnings were not attended with anyanswerable fruit; and that spirit of retirement, ofmortification, and of poverty, was soon extinguishedin a man accustomed to the turmoils of the world, whohad always lived in plenty, and who passionately lovedhis profit. He returned to the thoughts of hisformer condition, and having recovered some jewels,and bought a small vessel in secret, he set himselfto follow his former way of living.

When he was just on the point of setting sail, a catechist,called Antonio, came and told him, that Father Xavierdesired to speak with him. Deyro, who thoughtof nothing more than of making his escape, and whohad not entrusted his design to the knowledge of anyperson, made as if he took him for another. ButAntonio persisting in it, that it was himself whomthe Father meant, he durst not dissemble any longer,and went to find him; resolved, however, of denyingall, as thinking the Father at most could have buta bare suspicion of his change and intended flight.He therefore assumed an air of confidence, and presentedhimself boldly before the saint; but God had givenhim knowledge of Deyro’s intentions. “Youhave sinned,” said Xavier, as soon as he beheldhim; “you have sinned.” These fewwords so deeply struck him, that he threw himself atthe feet of the Father, all trembling, and crying out,“it is true, my Father, I have sinned:”“Penitence then, my son,” replied the Father,“penitence!” Deyro confessed himself immediately,went to sell off his ship, and distributed all themoney to the poor. He returned afterwards, andput himself once more under the conduct of the Father,with a firm resolution of following his counsels moresincerely, and of serving God more faithfully.

How unfeigned soever the repentance of Deyro seemed,Xavier had no confidence in it; and these new fervourswere suspected by him. He would not receive himinto the company of Jesus, which requires solid spirits,and such as are firm to their vocation.

Yet he refused not to admit him for his companion,in quality of a catechist, and carried him with himto Malacca: for having continued four monthsat Meliapor, he parted thence in September 1545, notwithstandingthe tears of the people, who were desirous of retaininghim; and held the course of Malacca, designing fromthence to pass to Macassar.

Before he went on board, he wrote to Father Paul deCamerine at Goa, that when the fathers of the society,who were daily expected from Portugal, should arrive,two of those new missioners should accompany the princesof Jafanatapan, whensoever the Portuguese should thinkfit to re-establish the lawful king. For therewas a report, that the expedition should be renewed,which a base interest had set aside. But thisproject was not put in execution; and both the princesdied, one after the other, in less than two yearsafter their conversion, which was only profitableto their souls. While the ship that carried Xavierwas crossing the Gulph of Ceylon, an occasion of charitywas offered to the saint, which he would not sufferto escape. The mariners and soldiers passed theirlime, according to their custom, in playing at cards.Two soldiers set themselves to it, more out of avaricethan pleasure, and one of them played with such illfortune, that he lost not only all his own money,but the stock which others had put into his hands totraffic for them. Having nothing more to lose,he withdrew, cursing his luck, and blaspheming God.His despair prevailed so far over him, that he hadthrown himself into the sea, or run upon the pointof his sword, if he had not been prevented. Xavierhad notice of these his mad intentions and execrablebehaviour, and immediately came to his relief.He embraced him tenderly, and said all he could tocomfort him; but the soldier, who was still in thetransports of his fury, thrust him away, and forborenot even ill language to him. Xavier stood recollectedfor some time, imploring God’s assistance andcounsel; then went and borrowed fifty royals of apassenger, brought them to the soldier, and advisedhim once more to try his fortune. At this thesoldier took heart, and played so luckily, that herecovered all his losses with great advantage.The saint, who looked on, took out of the overplusof the winnings, what he had borrowed for him; andseeing the gamester now returned to a calm temper,wrought upon him so successfully, that he, who beforerefused to hear him, was now overpowered by his discourse,never after handled cards, and became exemplary inhis life.

They arrived at Malacca the 25th of September.As this is one of those places in the Indies, wherethe saint, whose life I write, had most business,and whither he made many voyages, it will not be unprofitableto say somewhat of it. It is situate beyond thegulph of Bengal, towards the head of that great peninsula,which, from the mouth of the Ara, is extended to thesouth, almost to the equinoctial line; and is of twodegrees and a half of elevation, over against the islandof Sumatra, which the ancients, who had not frequentedthis channel, believed to be joined to the continent.

Malacca was under the dominion of the kings of Siam,until the Saracens, who traded thither, becoming powerful,first made it Mahometan, then caused it to revoltagainst the lawful prince, and set up a monarch oftheir own sect, called Mahomet. There was not,at that time, any more famous mart town than this,and where there was a greater concourse of differentnations. For, besides the people of Guzuratte,Aracan, Malabar, Pegu, Sumatra, Java, and the Moluccas,the Arabs, the Persians, the Chinese, and the Japonians,trafficked there; and accordingly the town lay extendedall along by the sea side, for the convenience of trade.

Amongst all the nations of Asia there is not any moreinclined to pleasure; and this seems chiefly to proceedfrom the mild temper of the air. For there isan eternal spring, notwithstanding the neighbourhoodof the line. The inhabitants follow the naturalbent of their complexion; their whole business isperfumes, feasts, and music; to say nothing of carnalpleasures, to which they set no bound. Even thelanguage which they speak participates of the softnessof the country: It is called the Malaya tongue,and, of all the orient, it is the most delicate andsweet of pronunciation.

Don Alphonso Albuquerque conquered Malacca in theyear 1511, and thirty thousand men, with eight thousandpieces of artillery, and an infinite number of elephantsand ships, were not able to defend it. It wastaken by force, at the second assault, by eight hundredbrave Portuguese, seconded by some few Malabars.It was given up to pillage for three days; and theMoor king, after all his endeavours, was forced tofly with only fifty horsem*n to attend him. ThePortuguese built a citadel, which the succeeding governorstook care to fortify; yet not so strongly, as to beproof against the attempts of the barbarians, who manytimes attacked it, and half ruined it.

As soon as Xavier came on shore, he went to visitthe governor of the town, to inform him of his intendedvoyage to Macassar. The governor told him, thathe had lately sent thither a priest of holy life, withsome Portuguese soldiers, and that he expected tohear of them very suddenly: that, in the meantime, he was of opinion, that the Father and his companionshould stay at Malacca, till the present conditionof the Christians in Macassar were fully known.Xavier gave credit to the governor, and retired tothe hospital, which he had chosen for the place ofhis abode. The people ran in crowds to beholdthe countenance of that great apostle, whose famewas spread through all the Indies, and over all theEast. The parents showed him to their children;and it was observed, that the man of God, in caressingthose little Portuguese, called every one of themby their proper names, as if he had been of theiracquaintance, and were not a stranger newly come onshore.

For what remains, he found the town in a most horriblecorruption of manners. The Portuguese who livedthere, at a distance both from the Bishop and theviceroy of the Indies, committed all manner of crimes,without fear of laws, either ecclesiastical or civil.Avarice, intemperance, uncleanness, and forgetfulnessof God, were every where predominant; and the habitonly, or rather the excess and number of their vices,distinguished the Christians from the unbelievers.

This terrible prospect of a sinful town, gave Xavierto comprehend, that his stay in Malacca was necessary,and might possibly turn to a good account; but beforehe would undertake the reformation of a town so universallycorrupted, he employed some days in serving of thesick; he passed many nights in prayer, and performedextraordinary austerities.

After these preparatives, he began his public instructions,according to the methods which he had frequently practisedat Goa. Walking the streets at evening with hisbell in his hand, he cried, with a loud voice, “Prayto God for those who are in the state of mortal sin;”and by this, he brought into the minds of sinners,the remembrance and consideration of their offences.For, seeing the ill habits of their minds, and thatthe disease was like to be inflamed, if violent remedieswere applied, he tempered more than ever the ardourof his zeal. Though he had naturally a serenecountenance, and was of a pleasing conversation, yetall the charms of his good humour seemed to be redoubledat Malacca, insomuch, that his companion, John Deyro,could not but wonder at his gaiety and soft behaviour.

By this procedure, the apostle gained the hearts ofall and became in some manner, lord of the city.At the very first, he rooted out an established custom,which permitted the young maids to go in the habitof boys whenever they pleased, which occasioned aworld of scandal. He drove out of doors the concubines,or turned them into lawful wives, according to hisformer method. As for the children, who had noknowledge of God, and who learnt songs of ribaldryand obsceneness as soon as they began to speak, heformed them so well in a little time, that they publiclyrecited the Christian doctrine, and set up little altarsin the streets, about which they sung together thehymns of the Catholic church. But that in whichhe was most successful, was to restore the practiceof confession, which was almost entirely lost.But now men and women crowded the tribunal of holypenitence, and the Father was not able to supply thenecessities of so many.

He laboured in the knowledge of the Malaya tongue,which is spoken in all the isles beyond Malacca, andis as it were the universal language. His firstcare was to have a little catechism translated intoit, being the same he had composed on the coast ofFishery; together with a more ample instruction, whichtreated of the principal duties of Christianity.He learnt all this without book; and, to make himselfthe better understood, he took a particular care ofthe pronunciation.

With these helps, and the assistance of interpreters,who were never wanting to him at his need, he convertedmany idolaters, as also Mahometans and Jews; amongstthe rest, a famous rabbi, who made a public adjurationof Judaism. This rabbi, who before had taken forso many fables, or juggling tricks, all those wonderswhich are reported to have been done by Xavier, nowacknowledged them for truths by the evidence of hisown eyes: for the saint never wrought so manymiracles as at Malacca. The juridical depositionsof witnesses then living, have assured us, that allsick persons whom he did but touch, were immediatelycured, and that his hands had an healing virtue againstall distempers. One of his most famous cures,was that of Antonio Fernandez, a youth not above fifteenyears of age, who was sick to death. His mother,a Christian by profession, but not without some remaindersof paganism in her heart, seeing that all naturalremedies were of no effect, had recourse to certainenchantments frequently practised amongst the heathens,and sent for an old sorceress, who was called Nai.The witch made her magical operations on a lace braidedof many threads, and tied it about the arm of thepatient. But instead of the expected cure, Fernandezlost his speech, and was taken with such violent convulsions,that the physicians were called again, who all despairedof his recovery. It was expected every momenthe should breath his last, when a Christian lady, whohappened to come in, said to the mother of the dyingyouth, “Why do you not send for the holy Father?he will infallibly cure him.” She gavecredit to her words, and sent for Xavier. He wasimmediately there: Fernandez, who had lost hissenses, and lay gasping in death, began to cry out,and make violent motions, so soon as the Father hadset his foot within the doors; but when he came intothe room, and stood before the youth, he fell intohowlings and dreadful wreathings of his body, whichredoubled at the sight of the cross that was presentedto him. Xavier doubted not but there was somethingof extraordinary in his disease, nor even that God,for the punishment of the mother, who had made useof diabolical remedies, had delivered her son to theevil spirits. He fell on his knees by the bed-side,read aloud the passion of our Lord, hung his reliquiaryabout the neck of the sick person, and sprinkled himwith holy water. This made the fury of the devilcease; and the young man, half dead, lay without motionas before. Then Xavier rising up, “get himsomewhat to eat,” said he, and told them whatnourishment he thought proper for him. Afterwhich, addressing himself to the father of the youth,“when your son,” added he, “shallbe in condition to walk, lead him yourself, for ninedays successively, to the church of our Lady of theMount, where to-morrow I will say mass for him.”After this he departed, and the next day, while hewas celebrating the divine sacrifice, Fernandez onthe sudden came to himself, spoke very sensibly, andperfectly recovered his former health.

But how wonderful soever the cure of this youth appearedin the eyes of all men, the resurrection of a youngmaid was of greater admiration. Xavier was goneon a little journey, somewhere about the neighbourhoodof Malacca, to do a work of charity when this girldied. Her mother, who had been in search of theholy man during her daughter’s sickness, cameto him after his return, and throwing herself at hisfeet all in tears, said almost the same words to himwhich Martha said formerly to our Lord, “Thatif he had been in town, she, who was now dead, hadbeen alive; but if he would call upon the name ofJesus Christ, the dead might be restored to life.”Xavier was overjoyed to behold so great faith in awoman, who was but lately baptized, and judged herworthy of that blessing which she begged. Afterhaving lifted up his eyes to heaven, and silentlyprayed to God some little space, he turned towardsher, and said to her, with much assurance, “Go,your daughter is alive.” The poor motherseeing the saint offered not to go with her to theplace of burial, replied, betwixt hope and fear, “Thatit was three days since her daughter was interred.”“It is no matter,” answered Xavier, “openthe sepulchre, and you shall find her living.”The mother, without more reply, ran, full of confidence,to the church, and, in presence of many persons, havingcaused the grave-stone to be removed, found her daughterliving.

While these things passed at Malacca, a ship fromGoa brought letters to Father Xavier from Italy andPortugal; which informed him of the happy progressof the society of Jesus, and what it had already performedin Germany for the public service of the church.He was never weary of reading those letters; he kissedthem, and bedewed them with his tears, imagining himselfeither with his brethren in Europe, or them presentwith himself in Asia. He had news at the sametime, that there was arrived a supply of three missioners,whom Father Ignatius had sent him; and that Don Johnde Castro, who succeeded Alphonso de Sosa, in thegovernment of the Indies, had brought them in his company.These missioners were Antonio Criminal, Nicholas Lancilotti,and John Beyra, all three priests; the two first Italians,and the last a Spaniard: apostolical men, andof eminent virtue, particularly Criminal, who, ofall the children of Ignatius, was the first who washonoured with the crown of martyrdom. Xavierdisposed of them immediately, commanding, by his letters,“That Lancilotti should remain in the seminaryof holy faith, there to instruct the young Indiansin the knowledge of the Latin tongue, and that theother two should go to accompany Francis Mansilla onthe coast of Fishery.”

For himself, having waited three months for news fromMacassar, when he saw the season proper for the returnof the ship, which the Governor of Malacca had sent,was now expired, and that no vessel was come from thoseparts, he judged, that Providence would not make useof him at present, for the instruction of those people,who had a priest already with them. Nevertheless,that he might be more at hand to succour them, wheneverit pleased God to furnish him with an occasion, itwas in his thoughts to go to the neighbouring islandsof that coast, which were wholly destitute of gospelministers.

God Almighty at that time revealed to him the calamitieswhich threatened Malacca; both the pestilence andthe war, with which it was to be afflicted in theyears ensuing; and the utter desolation, to which itshould one day be reduced for the punishment of itscrimes. For the inhabitants, who, since the arrivalof the Father, had reformed their mariners, relapsedinsensibly into their vices, and became more dissolutethan ever, as it commonly happens to men of a debauchedlife, who constrain themselves for a time, and whomthe force of ill habits draws backward into sin.Xavier failed not to denounce the judgments of Godto them, and to exhort them to piety, for their owninterest. But his threatenings and exhortationswere of no effect: and this it was that madehim say of Malacca the quite contrary of what he hadsaid concerning Meliapor, that he had not seen, inall the Indies, a more wicked town.

He embarked for Amboyna the 1st of January, 1546,with John Deyro, in a ship which was bound for theIsle of Banda. The captain of the vessel wasa Portuguese; the rest, as well mariners as soldiers,were Indians; all of them almost of several countries,and the greatest part Mahometans, or Gentiles.The saint converted them to Jesus Christ during thevoyage; and what convinced the infidels of the truthof Christianity, was, that when Father Xavier expoundedto them the mysteries of Christianity in one tongue,they understood him severally, each in his own language,as if he had spoken at once in many tongues.

They had been already six weeks at sea, without discoveringAmboyna; the pilot was of opinion they had passedit, and was in pain concerning it, not knowing howto tack about, because they had a full fore-wind.Xavier perceiving the trouble of the pilot, “Donot vex yourself,” said he, “we are yetin the Gulph; and to-morrow, at break of day, we shallbe in view of Amboyna.” In effect, at thetime mentioned, the next morning, they saw that island.The pilot being unwilling to cast anchor, Father Xavier,with some of the passengers, were put into a skiff,and the ship pursued its course. When the skiffwas almost ready to land, two light vessels of pirates,which usually cruised on that coast, appeared on thesudden, and pursued them swiftly. Not hopingany succour from the ship, which was already at agreat distance from them, and being also without defence,they were forced to put off from shore, and ply theiroars towards the main sea, insomuch that the piratessoon lost sight of them. After they had escapedthe danger, they durst not make to land again, forfear the two vessels should lie in wait to interceptthem at their return. But the Father assuredthe mariners, they had no further cause of fear:turning therefore towards the island, they landedthere in safety, on the 16th of February.

The Isle of Amboyna is distant from Malacca abouttwo hundred and fifty leagues; it is near thirty leaguesin compass, and is famous for the concourse of merchants,who frequent it from all parts. The Portuguese,who conquered it during the time that Antonio Galvanwas governor of Ternate, had a garrison in it; besideswhich, there were in the island seven villages ofChristians, natives of the place, but without anypriest, because the only one in the island was justdead. Xavier began to visit these villages, andimmediately baptized many infants, who died suddenlyafter they were christened. “As if,”says he himself in one of his letters, “theDivine Providence had only so far prolonged theirlives, till the gate of heaven were opened to them.”

Having been informed, that sundry of the inhabitantshad retired themselves from the sea-side into themidst of the woods, and caves of the mountains, toshelter themselves from the rage of the barbarians,their neighbours and their enemies, who robbed thecoasts, and put to the sword, or made slaves of allwho fell into their hands, he went in search of thosepoor savages, amidst the horror of their rocks andforests; and lived with them as much as was necessary,to make them understand the duties of Christianity,of which the greatest part of them was ignorant.

After having instructed the faithful, he applied himselfto preach the gospel to the idolaters and Moors; andGod so blessed the endeavours of his servant, thatthe greatest part of the island became Christians.He built churches in every village, and made choiceof the most reasonable, the most able, and the mostfervent, to be masters over the rest, till there shouldarrive a supply of missioners. To which purposehe wrote to Goa, and commanded Paul de Camerine tosend him Francis Mansilla, John Beyra, and one ortwo more of the first missioners which should arrivefrom Europe: he charged Mansilla, in particular,to come. His design was to establish in one ofthose isles a house of the company, which should sendout continual supplies of labourers, for the publicationof the gospel, through all that Archipelago.

While Xavier laboured in this manner at Amboyna, twonaval armies arrived there; one of Portugal with threeships, the other of Spaniards with six men of war.The Spaniards were come from Nueva Espagna, or Mexico,for the conquest of the Moluccas, in the name of theemperor Charles the Fifth, as they pretended; buttheir enterprise succeeded not. After two yearscruising, and long stay with the king of Tidore, whor*ceived them, to give jealousy to the Portuguese,who were allied to the king of Ternate, his enemy,they took their way by Amboyna, to pass into the Indies,and from thence to Europe. They were engaged inan unjust expedition against the rights of Portugal,and without order from Charles the Fifth; for thatemperor, to whom King John the Third addressed hiscomplaints thereupon, disavowed the proceedings ofhis subjects, and gave permission, that they shouldbe used like pirates.

Yet the Portuguese proceeded not against them withthat severity. But it seems that God revengedtheir quarrel, in afflicting the Spaniards with acontagious fever, which destroyed the greatest partof their fleet. It was a sad spectacle to beholdthe mariners and soldiers, lying here and there intheir ships, or on the shore, in cabins, covered onlywith leaves. The disease which consumed them,kept all men at a distance from them; and the morenecessity they had of succour, the less they foundfrom the people of the island.

At the first report which came to Xavier of this pestilence,he left all things to relieve them; and it is scarceto be imagined, to what actions his charity led himon this occasion. He was day and night in a continualmotion, at the same time administering to their bodiesand their souls; assisting the dying, burying thedead, and interring them even with his own hands.As the sick bad neither food nor physic, he procuredboth for them from every side; and he who furnishedhim the most, was a Portuguese, called John d’Araus,who came in his company from Malacca to Amboyna.Nevertheless the malady still increasing day by day,Araus began to fear he should impoverish himself bythese charities; and from a tender-hearted man, becameso hard, that nothing more was to be squeezed outof him. One day Xavier sent to him for some wine,for a sick man who had continual faintings: Arausgave it, but with great reluctance, and charged themessenger to trouble him no more; that he had needof the remainder for his own use; and when his ownwas at an end, whither should he go for a supply?These words were no sooner related to Father Francis,than inflamed with a holy indignation, “What,”says he, “does Araus think of keeping his winefor himself, and refusing it to the members of JesusChrist! the end of his life is very near, and afterhis death all his estate shall be distributed amongstthe poor.” He denounced death to him withhis own mouth; and the event verified the prediction,as the sequel will make manifest.

Though the pestilence was not wholly ceased, and manysick were yet aboard the vessels, the Spanish fleetset sail for Goa, forced to it by the approach ofwinter, which begins about May in those quarters.Father Xavier made provisions for the necessitiesof the soldiers, and furnished them, before theirdeparture, with all he could obtain from the charityof the Portuguese. He recommended them likewiseto the charity of his friends at Malacca, where thenavy was to touch; and wrote to Father Paul de Camerineat Goa, that he should not fail to lodge in the collegeof the company, those religious of the order of StAugustin, who came along with the army from Mexico,and that he should do them all the good offices, whichtheir profession, and their virtue, claimed from him.

After the Spaniards were departed, Xavier made somelittle voyages to places near adjoining to Amboyna;and visited some islands, which were half unpeopled,and desart, waiting the convenience of a ship to transporthim to the Moluccas, which are nearer to Macassar thanAmboyna. One of those isles is Baranura, wherehe miraculously recovered his crucifix, in the mannerI am going to relate, according to the account whichwas given of it by a Portuguese, called Fausto Rodriguez,who was a witness of the fact, has deposed it uponoath, and whose juridical testimony is in the processof the saint’s canonization.

“We were at sea,” says Rodriguez, “FatherFrancis, John Raposo, and myself, when there arosea tempest, which alarmed all the mariners. Thenthe Father drew from his bosom a little crucifix, whichhe always carried about him, and leaning over deck,intended to have dipt it into the sea; but the crucifixdropt out of his hand, and was carried off by the waves.This loss very sensibly afflicted him, and he concealednot his sorrow from us. The next morning we landedon the island of Baranura; from the time when thecrucifix was lost, to that of our landing, it was neartwenty-four hours, during which we were in perpetualdanger. Being on shore, Father Francis and Iwalked along by the sea side, towards the town ofTamalo, and had already walked about 500 paces, whenboth of us beheld, arising out of the sea, a crab-fish,which carried betwixt his claws the same crucifixraised on high. I saw the crab-fish come directlyto the Father, by whose side I was, and stopped beforehim. The Father, falling on his knees, took hiscrucifix, after which the crab-fish returned intothe sea. But the Father still continuing in thesame humble posture, hugging and kissing the crucifix,was half an hour praying with his hands across hisbreast, and myself joining with him in thanksgivingto God for so evident a miracle; after which we arose,and continued on our way.” Thus you havethe relation of Rodriguez.

They staid eight days upon the island, and afterwardsset sail for Rosalao, where Xavier preached at hisfirst coming, as he had done at Baranura. Butthe idolaters, who inhabited these two islands, beingextremely vicious, altogether brutal, and having nothingof human in them besides the figure, gave no creditto his words; and only one man amongst them, morereasonable than all the rest, believed in Jesus Christ.Insomuch, that the holy apostle, at his departure fromRosalao, took off his shoes, and shook off the dust,that he might not carry any thing away with him, whichbelonged to that execrable land.

Truly speaking, the conversion of that one man wasworth that of many. The saint gave him in baptismhis own name of Francis; and foretold him, that heshould die most piously, in calling upon the name ofJesus. The prophecy was taken notice of, whichhas recommended the fame of this new convert to posterity,and which was not accomplished till after forty years.For this Christian, forsaking his barbarous island,and turning soldier, served the Portuguese, on diversoccasions, till in the year 1588 he was wounded todeath in a battle given by Don Sancho Vasconcellos,governor of Amboyna, who made war with the SaracenHiamo. Francis was carried off into the camp;and many, as well Indians as Portuguese, came abouthim, to see the accomplishment of the prediction,made by the blessed Francis Xavier. All of thembeheld the soldier dying, with extraordinary signsof piety, and crying, without ceasing, “Jesus,assist me!”

The island of Ulate, which is better peopled, andless savage than those of Baranura and Rosalao, wasnot so deaf nor so rebellious to the voice of theholy man. He found it all in arms, and the kingof it besieged in his town, ready to be surrendered,neither through want of courage, nor of defendants,but of water; because the enemy had cut off the springs,and there was no likelihood of rain; insomuch, thatduring the great heats, both men and horses were indanger of perishing by thirst.

The opportunity appeared favourable to Father Xavier,for gaining the vanquished party to Jesus Christ,and perhaps all the conquerors. Full of a nobleconfidence in God, he found means to get into the town;and being presented to the king, offered to supplyhim with what he most wanted. “Suffer me,”said he, “to erect a cross, and trust in theGod, whom I come to declare to you. He is theLord and Governor of nature, who, whenever he pleases,can open the fountains of heaven, and water the earth.But, in case the rain should descend upon you, giveme your promise, to acknowledge his power, and thatyou, with your subjects, will receive his law.”In the extremity to which the king was then reduced,he consented readily to the Father’s conditions;and also obliged himself, on the public faith, tokeep his word, provided Xavier failed not on his partof the promised blessing. Then Xavier causinga great cross to be made, set it up, on the highestground of all the town; and there, on his knees, amongsta crowd of soldiers, and men, women, and children,attracted by the novelty of the sight, as much as bythe expected succour, he offered to God the deathof his only son, and prayed him, by the merits ofthat crucified Saviour, who had poured out his bloodfor the sake of all mankind, not to deny a littlewater, for the salvation of an idolatrous people.

Scarcely had the saint begun his prayer, when thesky began to be overcast with clouds; and by thattime he had ended it, there fell down rain in greatabundance, which lasted so long, till they had madea plentiful provision of water. The enemy, nowhopeless of taking the town, immediately decamped;and the king, with all his people, received baptismfrom the hand of Father Xavier. He commanded also,that all the neighbouring islands, who held of himshould adore Christ Jesus, and engaged the saint togo and publish the faith amongst them. Xavieremployed three months and more in these little voyages;after which, returning to Amboyna, where he had lefthis companion, John Deyro, to cultivate the new-growingChristianity, and where he left him also for the sameintention, embarked on a Portuguese vessel, which wassetting sail for the Moluccas.

That which is commonly called by the name of the Moluccas,is a country on the Oriental Ocean, divided into manylittle islands, situated near, the equator, exceedingfruitful in cloves, and famous for the trade of spices.There are five principal islands of them, Ternate,Tidor, Motir, Macian, and Bacian. The first ofthese is a degree and a half distant from the equinoctialto the north, the rest follow in the order above named,and all five are in sight of one another. Theseare those celebrated islands, concerning which FerdinandMagellan raised so many disputes amongst the geographers,and so many quarrels betwixt Spain and Portugal.For the Portuguese having discovered them from theeast, and the Spaniards from the west, each of thempretended to inclose them, within their conquests,according to the lines of longitude which they drew.

Ternate is the greatest of the Moluccas, and it wason that side that Father Xavier took his course.He had a gulph to pass of ninety leagues, exceedinglydangerous, both in regard of the strong tides, andthe uncertain winds, which are still raising tempests,though the sea be never so calm. The ship whichcarried the Father was one of those vessels, which,in those parts, are called caracores, of a long andnarrow built, like gallies, and which use indifferentlysails and oars. Another vessel of the same makecarried a Portuguese, called John Galvan, having aboardher all his goods. They set out together fromAmboyna, keeping company by the way, and both of thembound for the port of Ternate.

In the midst of the gulph, they were surprised witha storm, which parted them so far, that they lostsight of each other. The caracore of Xavier,after having been in danger of perishing many times,was at length saved, and recovered the port of Ternateby a kind of miracle: as for that of Galvan,it was not known what became of her, and the news concerningher was only brought by an evident revelation.

The first saint’s day, when the Father preachedto the people, he stopped short in the middle of hisdiscourse, and said, after a little pause, “Prayto God for the soul of John Galvan, who is drownedin the gulph.” Some of the audience, whowere friends of Galvan, and interested in the caracore,ran to the mariners, who had brought the Father, anddemanded of them, if they knew any certain news ofthis tragical adventure? They answered, “thatthey knew no more than that the storm had separatedthe two vessels.” The Portuguese recoveredcourage at those words, and imagined that Father Francishad no other knowledge than the seamen. But theywere soon undeceived by the testimony of their owneyes; for three days after, they saw, washed on theshore, the corpse of Galvan, and the wreck of thevessel, which the sea had thrown upon the coast.

Very near this time, when Xavier was saying mass,turning to the people to say the Orate Fratres, headded, “pray also for John Araus, who is newlydead at Amboyna.” They who were presentobserved punctually the day and hour, to see if whatthe Father had said would come to pass: ten ortwelve days after, there arrived a ship from Amboyna,and the truth was known not only by divers letters,but confirmed also by a Portuguese, who had seen Arausdie at the same moment when Xavier exhorted the peopleto pray to God to rest his soul. This Araus wasthe merchant which refused to give wine for the succourof the sick, in the Spanish fleet, and to whom thesaint had denounced a sudden death. He fell sickafter Xavier’s departure; and having neitherchildren nor heirs, all his goods were distributedamongst the poor, according to the custom of the country.

The shipwreck of Galvan, and the death of Araus, gavegreat authority to what they had heard at Ternate,concerning the holiness of Father Francis, and fromthe very first gained him an exceeding reputation.And indeed it was all necessary; I say not for thereformation of vice in that country, but to make himeven heard with patience by a dissolute people, whichcommitted, without shame, the most enormous crimes,and such as modesty forbids to name.

To understand how profitable the labours of FatherXavier were to those of Ternate, it is sufficientto tell what he has written himself: “Thatof an infinite number of debauched persons living inthat island when he landed there, all excepting twohad laid aside their wicked courses before his departure.The desire of riches was extinguished with the loveof pleasures. Restitutions were frequently made,and such abundant alms were given, that the houseof charity, set up for the relief of the necessitous,from very poor, which it was formerly, was put intostock, and more flourishing than ever.”

The change of manners, which was visibly amongst theChristians, was of no little service to the conversionof Saracens and idolaters. Many of those infidelsembraced Christianity. But the most illustriousconquest of the saint, was of a famous Saracen lady,called Neachile Pocaraga, daughter to Almanzor, kingof Tidore, and wife to Boliefe, who was king of Ternate,before the Portuguese had conquered the island.She was a princess of great wit and generosity, butextremely bigotted to her sect, and a mortal enemyto the Christians, that is to say, to the Portuguese.Her hatred to them was justly grounded; for, havingreceived them into her kingdom with great civility,and having also permitted them to establish themselvesin one part of the island, for the convenience oftheir trade, she was dealt with so hardly by them,that, after the death of the king, her husband, shehad nothing left her but the bare title of a queen;and by their intrigues, the three princes, her sons,lost the crown, their liberty, and their lives.Her unhappy fortune constrained her to lead a wanderinglife, from isle to isle. But Providence, whichwould accomplish on her its good designs, brought herback at last to Ternate, about the time when Xaviercame thither. She lived there in the conditionof a private person, without authority, yet with splendour;and retaining still in her countenance and behaviour,somewhat of that haughty air, which the great sometimesmaintain, even in their fetters.

The saint gained access to her, and found an opportunityof conversing with her. In his first discourse,he gave her a great idea of the kingdom of God; yetwithal informed her, that this kingdom, was not difficultto obtain; and that being once in possession of it,there was no fear of being after dispossessed.Insomuch, that the Saracen princess, who had no hopesremaining of aught on earth, turned her thoughts andher desires towards heaven. It is true, that,as she was endued with a great wit, and was very knowingin the law of Mahomet, there was some need of argumentation;but the Father still clearing all her doubts, the disputeonly served to make her understand more certainly thefalseness of the Alcoran, and the truth of the gospel.She submitted to the saint’s reasons, or ratherto the grace of Jesus Christ, and was publicly baptizedby the apostle himself, who gave her the name of Isabella.

He was not satisfied with barely making her a Christian.He saw in her a great stock of piety, an upright heart,a tenderness of mind, inclinations truly great andnoble, which he cultivated with admirable care, andset her forward, by degrees, in the most sublime andsolid ways of a spiritual life: So that Neachile,under the conduct of Father Xavier, arrived to a singulardevotion; that is to say, she grew humble and modest,from disdainful; and haughty as she was, mild to others,and severe to herself, suffering her misfortunes withoutcomplaint of injuries; united to God in her retirements,and not appearing publicly, but to exercise the deedsof charity to her neighbour; but more esteemed andhonoured, both by the Indians and Portuguese, thanwhen she sat upon the throne, in all the pomp andpower of royalty.

During the abode which Xavier made in Ternate, heheard speak of certain isles, which are distant fromit about sixty leagues eastward; and which take theirname from the principal, commonly called the Isle delMoro. It was reported to him, that those islanders,barbarians as they were, had been most of them baptized,but that the faith had been abolished there immediatelyafter it was introduced, and this account he heardof it.

The inhabitants of Momoya, which is a town in theIsle del Moro, would never embrace the law of Mahomet,though all the neighbouring villages had receivedit. And the prince, or lord of that town, whochose rather to continue an idolater, than to becomea Mahometan, being molested by the Saracens, had recourseto the governor of Ternate, who was called Tristand’Atayda, promising, that himself and his subjectswould turn Christians, provided the Portuguese wouldtake them into their protection. Atayda receivingfavourably those propositions of the prince of Momoya,the prince came in person to Ternate, and desired baptism;taking then, the name of John, in honour of John III.,king of Portugal. At his return to Momoya, hetook along with him a Portuguese priest, called SimonVaz, who converted many idolaters to the faith.The number of Christians, thus daily increasing moreand more, another priest, called Francis Alvarez,came to second Vaz, and both of them laboured so happilyin conjunction, that the whole people of Momoya renouncedidolatry, and professed the faith of Jesus Christ.

In the mean time, the Portuguese soldiers, whom thegovernor of Ternate had promised to send, came fromthence to defend the town against the enterprizesof the Saracens. But the cruelty which he exercisedon the mother of Cacil Aerio, bastard son to KingBoliefe, so far exasperated those princes and theneighbouring people, that they conspired the deathof all the Portuguese, who were to be found in thosequarters. The inhabitants of Momoya, naturallychangeable and cruel, began the massacre by the murderof Simon Vaz, their first pastor; and had killed Alvarez,whom they pursued with flights of arrows to the seaside, if accidentally he had not found a bark in readiness,which bore him off, all wounded as he was, and saved him from the fury of those Christian barbarians.

The Saracens made their advantage of these disorders,and mastering Mamoya, changed the whole religion ofthe town. The prince himself was the only man,who continued firm in the Christian faith, notwithstandingall their threatening, and the cruel usage which hereceived from them. Not long after this, AntonioGalvan, that Portuguese, who was so illustrious forhis prudence, his valour, and his piety, succeedingto Tristan d’Atayda in the government of Ternate,sent to the Isle del Moro a priest, who was both ableand zealous, by whose ministry the people were oncemore reduced into the fold of Christ, and the affairsof the infidels were ruined. But this priestremained not long upon the island, and the people,destitute of all spiritual instructions, returned soonafter, through their natural inconstancy, to theiroriginal barbarism.

In this condition was the Isle del Moro when it wasspoken of to Father Xavier; and for this very reason,he determined to go, and preach the gospel there,after he had stayed for three months at Ternate.When his design was known, all possible endeavourswere used to break it. His friends were not wantingto inform him, that the country was as hideous asit was barren: That it seemed accursed by nature,and a more fitting habitation for beasts than men:That the air was so gross, and so unwholesome, thatstrangers could not live in the country: Thatthe mountains continually vomited flakes of fire andashes, and that the ground itself was subject to terribleand frequent earthquakes. And besides, it wastold him, that the people of the country surpassedin cruelty and faithlessness all the barbarians ofthe world: That Christianity had not softenedtheir manners; that they poisoned one another; thatthey fed themselves with human flesh; and that, whenany of their relations happened to die, they cut offhis hands and feet, of which they made a delicateragou: That their inhumanity extended so far,that when they designed a sumptuous feast, they beggedsome of their friends to lend them an old unprofitablefather, to be served up to the entertainment of theirguests, with promise to repay them, in kind, on thelike occasion.

The Portuguese and Indians, who loved Xavier, added,that since those savages spared not their own countrymenand their parents, what would they not do to a stranger,and an unknown person? That they were first tobe transformed into men, before they could be madeChristians. And how could he imprint the principlesof the divine law into their hearts, who had not theleast sense of humanity? Who should be his guidethrough those thick entangled forests, where the greatestpart of them were lodged like so many wild beasts;and when, by rare fortune, he should atchieve thetaming of them, and even convert them, how long wouldthat conversion last? at the longest, but while hecontinued with them: That no man would ventureto succeed him in his apostleship to those parts,for that was only to be exposed to a certain death;and that the blood of Simon Vaz was yet steaming.To conclude, there were many other isles, which hadnever heard of Jesus Christ, and who were better disposedto receive the gospel.

These reasons were accompanied with prayers and tears;but they were to no purpose, and Xavier was stedfastto his resolution. His friends perceiving theycould gain nothing upon him by intreaties, had recourse,in some measure, to constraint; so far as to obtainfrom the governor of Ternate a decree, forbidding,on severe penalties, any vessel to carry the Fatherto the Isle del Moro.

Xavier then resented this usage of his friends, andcould not forbear to complain publicly of it.“Where are those people,” said he, “whodare to confine the power of Almighty God, and haveso mean an apprehension of our Saviour’s loveand grace? Are there any hearts hard enough toresist the influences of the Most High, when it pleaseshim to soften and to change them? Can they standin opposition to that gentle, and yet commanding force,which can make the dry bones live, and raise up childrento Abraham from stones? What! Shall he, whohas subjected the whole world to the cross, by theministry of the apostles, shall he exempt from thatsubjection this petty corner of the universe?Shall then the Isle del Moro be the only place, whichshall receive no benefit of redemption? And whenJesus Christ has offered to the eternal Father, allthe nations of the earth as his inheritance, were thesepeople excepted out of the donation? I acknowledgethem to be very barbarous and brutal; and let it begranted they were more inhuman than they are, it isbecause I can do nothing of myself, that I have thebetter hopes of them. I can do all things inHim who strengthens me, and from whom alone proceedsthe strength of those who labour in the gospel.”

He added, “That other less savage nations wouldnever want for preachers; that these only isles remainedfor him to cultivate, since no other man would undertakethem.” In sequel, suffering himself to betransported with a kind of holy choler, “Ifthese isles,” pursued he, “abounded withprecious woods and mines of gold, the Christians wouldhave the courage to go thither, and all the dangersof the world would not be able to affright them; theyare base and fearful because there are only souls topurchase: And shall it then be said, that charityis less daring than avarice? You tell me theywill take away my life, either by the sword or poison;but those are favours too great for such a sinner asI am to expect from heaven; yet I dare confidentlysay, that whatever torment or death they prepare forme, I am ready to suffer a thousand times more forthe salvation of one only soul. If I should happento die by their hands, who knows but all of them mightreceive the faith? for it is most certain, that sincethe primitive times of the church, the seed of thegospel has made a larger increase in the fields ofpaganism, by the blood of martyrs, than by the sweatof missioners.”

He concluded his discourse, by telling them, “Thatthere was nothing really to fear in his undertaking;that God had called him to the isles del Moro; andthat man should not hinder him from obeying the voiceof God.” His discourse made such impressionson their hearts, that not only the decree againsthis passage was revoked, but many offered themselvesto accompany him in that voyage, through all the dangerswhich seemed to threaten him.

Having thus disengaged himself from all the incumbrancesof his voyage, he embarked with some of his friends,passing through the tears of the people, who attendedhim to the shore, without expectation of seeing himagain. Before he set sail, he wrote to the Fathersof the company at Rome, to make them acquainted withhis voyage.

“The country whither I go,” says he inhis letter, “is full of danger, and terribleto strangers, by the barbarity of the inhabitants,and by their using divers poisons, which they minglewith their meat and drink; and it is from hence thatpriests are apprehensive of coming to instruct them:For myself, considering their extreme necessity, andthe duties of my ministry, which oblige to free themfrom eternal death, even at the expence of my ownlife, I have resolved to hazard all for the salvationof their souls. My whole confidence is in God,and all my desire is to obey, as far as in me lies,the word of Jesus Christ: ’He who is willingto save his life shall lose it, and he who will loseit for my sake shall find it.’ Believeme, dear brethren, though this evangelical maxim, ingeneral, is easily to be understood, when the timeof practising it calls upon us, and our business isto die for God, as clear as the text seems, it becomesobscure; and he only can compass the understandingof it, to whom God, by his mercy, has explained it;for then it will be seen, how frail and feeble ishuman nature. Many here, who love me tenderly,have done what possibly they could to divert me fromthis voyage; and, seeing that I yielded not to theirrequests, nor to their tears, would have furnishedme with antidotes; but I would not take any, lest,by making provision of remedies, I might come to apprehendthe danger; and also, because, having put my lifeinto the hands of Providence, I have no need of preservativesfrom death: for it seems to me, that the moreI should make use of remedies, the less assuranceI should repose in God.”

They went off with a favourable wind, and had alreadymade above an hundred and fourscore miles, when Xavier,on the sudden, with a deep sigh, cried out, “Ah,Jesus, how they massacre the poor people!” sayingthese words, and oftentimes repeating them, he hadturned his countenance, and fixed his eyes towardsa certain part of the sea. The mariners and passengers,affrighted, ran about him. Inquiring what massacrehe meant, because, for their part, they could see nothing;but the saint was ravished in spirit, and, in thisextacy, God had empowered him to see this sad spectacle.

He was no sooner come to himself, than they continuedpressing him to know the occasion of his sighs andcries; but he, blushing for the words which had escapedhim in his transport, would say no more, but retiredto his devotions. It was not long before theybeheld, with their own eyes, what he refused to tellthem: Having cast anchor before an isle, theyfound on the shore the bodies of eight Portuguese,all bloody; and then comprehended, that those unhappycreatures had moved the compassion of the holy man.They buried them in the same place, and erected a crossover the grave; after which they pursued their voyage,and in little time arrived at the Isle del Moro.

When they were come on shore, Xavier went directlyon to the next village. The greatest part ofthe inhabitants were baptized; but there remainedin them only a confused notion of their baptism; andtheir religion was nothing more than a mingle of Mahometanismand idolatry.

The barbarians fled at the sight of the strangers,imagining they were come to revenge the death of thePortuguese, whom they had killed the preceding years.Xavier followed them into the thickest of their woods;and his countenance, full of mildness, gave them tobelieve, that he was not an enemy who came in searchof them. He declared to them the motive of hisvoyage, speaking to them in the Malaya tongue:For though in the Isle del Moro there were great diversityof languages, insomuch, that those of three leaguesdistance did not understand each other in their islandtongues, yet the Malaya was common to them all.

Notwithstanding the roughness and barbarity of theseislanders, neither of those qualities were of proofa*gainst the winning and soft behaviour of the saint.He brought them back to their village, using all expressionsof kindness to them by the way, and began his workby singing aloud the Christian doctrine through thestreets; after which he expounded it to them, andthat in a manner so suitable to their barbarous conceptions,that it passed with ease into their understanding.

By this means he restored those Christians to thefaith, who had before forsaken it; and brought intoit those idolaters who had refused to embrace it whenit was preached to them by Simon Vaz and Francis Alvarez.There was neither town nor village which the Fatherdid not visit, and where those new converts did notset up crosses and build churches. Tolo, thechief town of the island, inhabited by twenty-fivethousand souls, was entirely converted, together withMomoya.

Thus the Isle del Moro was now to the holy apostlethe island of Divine Hope,[1] as he desired it thenceforthto be named; both because those things which werethere accomplished by God himself, in a miraculousmanner, were beyond all human hope and expectation;and also because the fruits of his labours surpassedthe hopes which had been conceived of them, when hisfriends of Ternate would have made him fear that hisvoyage would prove unprofitable.

To engage these new Christians, who were gross ofapprehension, in the practice of a holy life, he threatenedthem with eternal punishments, and made them sensibleof what hell was, by those dreadful objects which theyhad before their eyes: For sometimes he led themto the brink of those gulphs which shot out of theirbowels vast masses of burning stones into the air,with the noise and fury of a cannon; and at the viewof those flames, which were mingled with a dusky smokethat obscured the day, he explained to them the natureof those pains, which were prepared in an abyss offire, not only for idolaters and Mahometans, but alsofor the true believers, who lived not according totheir faith. He even told them, the gaping mouthsof those flaming mountains were the breathing placesof hell; as appears by these following words, extractedout of one of his letters on that subject, writtento his brethren at Rome: “It seems thatGod himself has been pleased, in some measure, to discoverthe habitation of the damned to people had otherwiseno knowledge of him.”

[Footnote 1:_Divina Esperanya_.]

During their great earthquakes, when no man couldbe secure in any place, either in his house, or abroadin the open air, he exhorted them to penitence; anddeclared to them, that those extraordinary accidentswere caused, not by the souls of the dead hidden underground, as they imagined, but by the devils, who weredesirous to destroy them, or by the omnipotent handof God, who adds activity to natural causes, that hemay imprint more deeply in their hearts the fear ofhis justice and his wrath.

One of those wonderful earthquakes happened on the29th of September; on that day, consecrated to thehonour of St Michael, the Christians were assembledin great numbers, and the Father said mass. Inthe midst of the sacrifice, the earth was so violentlyshaken, that the people ran in a hurry out of thechurch. The Father feared lest the altar mightbe overthrown, yet he forsook it not, and went throughwith the celebration of the sacred mysteries, thinking,as he said himself, that the blessed archangel, atthat very time, was driving the devils of the islanddown to hell; and that those infernal spirits madeall that noise and tumult, out of the indignationwhich they had to be banished from that place wherethey had held dominion for so many ages.

The undaunted resolution of Father Xavier amazed thebarbarians; and gave them to believe, that a man whor*mained immovable while the rocks and mountains trembled,had something in him of divine; but that high opinionwhich most of them had conceived of him, gave him anabsolute authority over them; and, with the assistanceof God’s grace, which operated in their soulswhile he was working by outward means, he made so totala change in them, that they who formerly, in respectof their manners, were like wolves and tygers, nowbecame tractable and mild, and innocent as lambs.

Notwithstanding this, there were some amongst themwho did not divest themselves fully, and at once,of their natural barbarity; either to signify, thatdivine grace, how powerful soever, does not work allthings in a man itself alone, or to try the patienceof the saint. The most rebellious to God’sspirit were the Javares,—a rugged and inhumanpeople, who inhabit only in caves, and in the day-timeroam about the forests. Not content with notfollowing the instructions of the Father, they laiddivers ambushes for him; and one day, while he wasexplaining the rules of morality to them out of thegospel, by a river side, provoked by the zeal wherewithhe condemned their dissolute manners, they cast stonesat him with design to kill him. The barbarianswere on the one side of him, and the river on theother, which was broad and deep; insomuch, that itwas in a manner impossible for Xavier to escape thefury of his enemies: but nothing is impossibleto a man whom heaven protects. There was lyingon the bank a great beam of wood; the saint pushedit without the least difficulty into the water, andplacing himself upon it, was carried in an instantto the other side, where the stones which were throwncould no longer reach him.

For what remains, he endured in this barren and inhospitablecountry all the miseries imaginable, of hunger, thirst,and nakedness. But the comforts which he receivedfrom heaven, infinitely sweetened all his labours;which may be judged by the letter he wrote to FatherIgnatius. For, after he had made him a faithfuldescription of the place, “I have,” saidhe, “given you this account of it, that fromthence you may conclude, what abundance of celestialconsolations I have tasted in it. The dangersto which I am exposed, and the pains I take for theinterest of God alone, are the inexhaustible springsof spiritual joys; insomuch, that these islands, bareof all worldly necessaries, are the places in theworld, for a man to lose his sight with the excessof weeping; but they are tears of joy. For myown part, I remember not ever to have tasted suchinterior delights; and these consolations of the soul,are so pure, so exquisite, and so perpetual, thatthey take from me all sense of my corporeal sufferings.”

Xavier continued for three months in the Isle delMoro; after which, he repassed to the Moluccas, withintention from thence to sail to Goa; not only thathe might draw out missioners from thence, to take careof the new Christianity which he had planted in allthose isles, and which he alone was not sufficientto cultivate, but also to provide for the affairsof the company, which daily multiplied in this newworld.

Being arrived at Ternate, he lodged by a chapel, whichwas near the Port, and which, for that reason, iscalled “Our Lady of the Port.” Hethought not of any long stay in that place, but onlytill the ship which was intended for Malacca shouldbe ready to set out. The Christians, more gladof his return, because they had despaired of seeinghim again, begged of him to continue longer with them,because Lent was drawing near; and that he must, however,stay all that holy time, in the island of Amboyna,for the proper season of navigation to Malacca.The captain of the fortress of Ternate, and the brotherhoodof the Mercy, engaged themselves to have him conductedto Amboyna, before the setting out of the ships.So that Xavier could not deny those people, who madehim such reasonable propositions; and who were sodesirous to retain him, to the end they might profitby his presence, in order to the salvation of theirsouls.

He remained then almost three months in Ternate; hearingconfessions day and night, preaching twice on holidays,according to his custom; in the morning to the Portuguese,in the afternoon to the islanders newly converted;catechising the children every day in the week, exceptingWednesday and Friday, which he set apart for the instructionof the Portuguese wives. For, seeing those women,who were either Mahometans or idolaters by birth,and had only received baptism in order to their marryingwith the Portuguese, were not capable of profitingby the common sermons, for want of sufficient understandingin the mysteries and maxims of Christianity; he undertookto expound to them the articles of faith, the commandments,and other points of Christian morality. The timeof Lent was passed in these exercises of piety, andpenitence, which fitted them for the blessed sacramentat Easter. All people approached the holy table,and celebrated that feast with renewed fervour, whichresembled the spirit of primitive Christianity.

But the chief employment of Father Xavier was to endeavourthe conversion of the king of Ternate, commonly calledking of the Moluccas. This Saracen prince, whosename was Cacil Aerio, was son to king Boleife, andhis concubine, a Mahometan, and enemy to the Portuguese,whom Tristan d’Atayda, governor of Ternate,and predecessor of Antonio Galvan, caused to be thrownout of a window, to be revenged of her. This unworthyand cruel usage might well exasperate Cacil; but fearingtheir power, who had affronted him in the person ofhis mother, and having the violent death of his brothersbefore his eyes, he curbed his resentments, and brokenot out into the least complaint. The Portuguesemistrusted this over-acted moderation, and affectedsilence; and according to the maxim of those politicians,who hold, that they who do the injury should neverpardon, they used him afterwards as a rebel, and anenemy, upon very light conjectures, Jordan de Treitas,then governor of the fortress of Ternate. a man asrash and imprudent as Galvan was moderate and wise,seized the person of the prince, stript him of allthe ornaments of royalty, and sent him prisoner toGoa, in the year 1546, with the Spanish fleet, ofwhich we have formerly made mention.

The cause having been examined, in the sovereign tribunalof Goa, there was found nothing to condemn, but theinjustice of Treitas: Cacil was declared innocent;and the new viceroy of the Indies, Don John de Castro,sent him back to Ternate, with orders to the Portuguese,to replace him on the throne, and pay him so muchthe more respect, by how much more they had injuredhim. As for Treitas, he lost his government, andbeing recalled to Goa, was imprisoned as a criminalof state.

The king of Ternate was newly restored, when Xaviercame into the isle for the second time. KingTabarigia, son of Boleife, and brother to Cacil, hadsuffered the same ill fortune some years before.Being accused of felony, and having been acquittedat Goa, where he was prisoner, he was also sent backto his kingdom, with a splendid equipage; and theequity of the Christians so wrought upon him, thathe became a convert before his departure.

Xavier was in hope, that the example of Tabarigiawould make an impression on the soul of Cacil afterhis restoration, at least if any care were taken ofinstructing him; and the hopes or the saint seemednot at the first to be ill grounded. For thebarbarian king received him with all civility, andwas very affectionate to him, insomuch that he couldnot be without his company. He heard him speakof God whole hours together; and there was great appearance,that he would renounce the Mahometan religion.

But the sweet enchantments of the flesh are oftenan invincible obstacle to the grace of baptism.Besides a vast number of concubines, the king of Ternatehad an hundred women in his palace, who retained thename and quality of wives. To confine himselfto one, was somewhat too hard to be digested by him.And when the Father endeavoured to persuade him, thatthe law of God did absolutely command it; he reasonedon his side, according to the principles of his sect,and refined upon it in this manner: “TheGod of the Christians and of the Saracens is the sameGod; why then should the Christians be confined toone only wife, since God has permitted the Saracensto have so many?”

Yet sometimes he changed his language; and said, thathe would not lose his soul, nor the friendship ofFather Xavier, for so small a matter. But, inconclusion, not being able to contain himself withinthe bounds of Christian purity, nor to make the lawof Jesus Christ agree with that of Mahomet, he continuedfixed to his pleasures, and obstinate in his errors.Only he engaged his royal word, that in case the Portuguesewould invest one of his sons in the kingdom of theIsles del Moro, he would on that condition receivebaptism.

Father Xavier obtained from the viceroy of the Indieswhatever the king of Ternate had desired; but thebarbarian, far from keeping his promise, began fromthenceforward a cruel persecution against his Christiansubjects. And the first strokes of it fell onthe Queen Neachile, who was dispossessed of all herlands, and reduced to live in extreme poverty duringthe remainder of her days. Her faith supportedher in these new misfortunes; and Father Xavier, whohad baptized her, gave her so well to understand howhappy it was to lose all things and to gain Christ,that she continually gave thanks to God for the totaloverthrow of her fortune.

In the mean time, the labours of the saint were notwholly unprofitable in the court of Ternate.He converted many persons of the blood-royal; and,amongst others, two sisters of the prince, who preferredthe quality of Christians, and spouses of Christ Jesus,before all earthly crowns; and chose rather to sufferthe ill usage of their brother, than to forsake theirfaith.

Xavier, seeing the time of his departure drawing near,composed, in the Malaya tongue, a large instruction,touching the belief and morals of Christianity.He gave the people of Ternate this instruction writtenin his own hand, that it might supply his place duringhis absence. Many copies were taken of it, whichwere spread about the neighbouring islands, and eventhrough the countries of the East. It was readon holidays in the public assemblies; and the faithfullistened to it, as coming from the mouth of the holyapostle.

Besides this, he chose out some virtuous young menfor his companions in his voyage to Goa, with designto breed them in the college of the company, and fromthence send them back to the Moluccas, there to preachthe gospel. These things being thus ordered, andthe caracore, winch was to carry him to Amboyna, inreadiness, it was in his thoughts to depart by night,in the most secret manner that he could, not to saddenthe inhabitants, who could not hear of his going fromthem without a sensible affliction. But whatsoeverprecautions he took, he could not steal away withouttheir knowledge. They followed him in crowds tothe shore; men, women, and children, gathering abouthim, lamenting his loss, begging his blessing, andbeseeching him, with tears in their eyes, “Thatsince he was resolved on going, he would make a quickreturn.”

The holy man was not able to bear these tender farewellswithout melting into tears himself. His bowelsyearned within him for his dear flock; and seeingwhat affection those people bore him, he was concernedlest his absence might prejudice their spiritual welfare.Yet reassuring himself, by considering the providenceof God, which had disposed of him another way, heenjoined them to meet in public every day, at a certainchurch, to make repetition of the Christian doctrine,and to excite each other to the practice of virtue.He charged the new converts to learn by heart theexposition of the apostles’ creed, which he hadleft with them in writing; but that which gave himthe greatest comfort was, that a priest, who was therepresent, promised him to bestow two hours every dayin instructing the people, and once a-week to performthe same to the wives of the Portuguese, in expoundingto them the articles of faith, and informing themconcerning the use of the sacraments.

After these last words, Father Xavier left his well-belovedchildren in Jesus, and immediately the ship went off.At that instant an universal cry was raised on theshore; and that last adieu went even to the heartof Father Xavier.

Being arrived at Amboyna, he there found four Portuguesevessels, wherein were only mariners and soldiers,that is to say, a sort of people ill instructed inthe duties of Christianity, and little accustomed toput them in practice, in the continual hurry of theirlife. That they might profit by that leisurewhich they then enjoyed, he set up a small chapelon the sea-side, where he conversed with them, sometimessingle, sometimes in common, concerning their eternalwelfare. The discourses of the saint broughtover the most debauched amongst them; and one soldier,who had been a libertine all his life, died with suchevident signs of true contrition, that being expired,Father Xavier was heard to say, “God be praised,who has brought me hither for the salvation of thatsoul;” which caused people to believe, thatGod Almighty had made a revelation of it to him.

By the same supernal illumination, he saw in spiritone whom he had left in Ternate in the vigour of health,now expiring in that place; for preaching one day,he broke off his discourse suddenly, and said to hisauditors, “Recommend to God, James Giles, whois now in the agony of death;” the news of hisdeath came not long after, which entirely verifiedthe words of Xavier.

The four ships continued at Amboyna but twenty days,after which they set sail towards Malacca. Themerchant-ship, which was the best equipped and strongestof them, invited the saint to embark in her; but herefused, out of the horror which he had for thoseenormous crimes which had been committed in her.And turning to Gonsalvo Fernandez, “This ship,”said he, “will be in great danger; God deliveryou out of it.” Both the prediction andthe wish of the saint were accomplished; for the ship,at the passage of the Strait of Saban, struck againsta hidden rock, where the iron-work of the stern wasbroken, and little wanted but that the vessel hadbeen also split; but she escaped that danger, and therest of the voyage was happily performed.

The Father staying some few days longer on the isle,visited the seven Christian villages which were there;caused crosses to be set up in all of them, for theconsolation of the faithful; and one of these crosses,in process of time, became famous for a great miracle,of which the whole country was witness.

There was an extreme drought, and a general dearthwas apprehended. Certain women, who before theirbaptism were accustomed to use charms for rain, beingassembled round about an idol, adored the devil, andperformed all the magic ceremonies; but their enchantmentswere of no effect. A devout Christian woman knowingwhat they were about, ran thither, and having sharplyreprehended those impious creatures, “As if,”said she, “having a cross so near us, we hadno expectations of succour from it; and that the holyFather had not promised us, that whatsoever we prayedfor at the foot of that cross, should infallibly begranted.” Upon this, she led those otherwomen towards a river-side, where Xavier had set upa cross with his own hands, and falling down with thembefore that sacred sign of our salvation, she prayedour Saviour to give them water, to the shame and confusionof the idol. At the same moment the clouds beganto gather on every side, and the rain poured down ingreat abundance. Then, all in company, they ranto the pagod, pulled it down, and trampled it undertheir feet; after which they cast it into the river,with these expressions of contempt, “That thoughthey could not obtain from him one drop of water,they would give him enough in a whole river.”

A faith thus lively, answered the hopes which thesaint had conceived of the faithful of Amboyna.He compared them sometimes to the primitive Christians;and believed their constancy was of proof against thecruelty of tyrants. Neither was he deceived inthe judgment he made of them; and they shewed themselves,when the Javeses, provoked by their renouncing thelaw of Mahomet, came to invade their island. Whilethe Saracen army destroyed the country, six hundredChristians retired into a castle, where they werepresently besieged. Though they were to fear allthings from the fury of the barbarians, yet what they

only apprehended was, that those enemies of JesusChrist might exercise their malice against a crosswhich was raised in the midst of all the castle, andwhich Father Xavier had set up with his own hands.To preserve it, therefore, inviolable from their attempts,they wrapt it up in cloth of gold, and buried it inthe bottom of the ditch. After they had thussecured their treasure, they opened the gate to theunbelievers, who, knowing what had been done by them,ran immediately in search of the cross, to revengeupon it the contempt which had been shown to Mahomet.But not being able to find it, they turned all theirfury upon those who had concealed it, and who wouldnot discover where it was.

Death seemed to have been the least part of what theysuffered. The Mahometan soldiers cut off oneman’s leg, another’s arm, tore out thisman’s eyes, and the other’s tongue.So the Christians died by degrees, and by a slow destruction,but without drawing one sigh, or casting out a groan,or shewing the least apprehension; so strongly werethey supported in their souls by the all-powerfulgrace of Jesus Christ, for whom they suffered.

Xavier at length parted from Amboyna; and probablyit was then, if we consider the sequel of his life,that he had the opportunity of making the voyage ofMacassar.

For though it be not certainly known at what timehe visited that great island, nor the fruit whichhis labours there produced, it is undoubted that hehas been there; and, in confirmation of it, we have,in the process of his canonization, the juridicaltestimony of a Portuguese lady of Malacca, calledJane Melo, who had many times heard from the princessEleonar, daughter to the king of Macassar, that theholy apostle had baptized the king her father, theprince her brother, and a great number of their subjects.

But at whatsoever time he made this voyage, he returnedto Malacca, in the month of July, in the year 1547.

BOOK IV.

He arrives at Malacca, and there meets three missionersof the company. His conduct with John Deyro.Deyro has a vision, which God reveals to Xavier.The actions of the saint at Malacca. The occasionof the king of Achen’s enterprise against Malacca.The preparation of the barbarians for the siege ofMalacca. The army of Achen comes before Malacca;its landing and retreat. The letter of the generalof Achen to the governor of Malacca. Xavier’sadvice to the governor of Malacca. They followhis counsel. They prepare to engage the enemy.He exhorts the soldiers and captains to do their duty.The fleet sets out, and what happened at that time.He upbraids the governor with his diffidence.He foretels what is suddenly accomplished. ThePortuguese fleet goes in search of the enemy.Troubles in Malacca concerning their fleet. Anew cause of consternation. The true conditionof the fleet. The soldiers are encouraged by theirgeneral to fight. The naval fight betwixt thePortuguese and the Achenois. The Achenois defeated.The saint declares the victory to the people of Malacca.The certain news of the victory is brought. Thereturn of the victorious fleet. Anger arrivesat Malacca, when the saint was ready to depart fromit. Divers adventures of Anger. Anger isbrought to the Father, who sends him to Goa.Xavier calms a tempest. He writes to the kingof Portugal. His letter full of zeal, discretion,and charity. He desires the king to send himsome preachers of the society. He writes to FatherSimon Rodriguez. He sends an account to the Fathersat Rome of his voyages. He receives great comfortfrom the fervency of the new converts. He staysat Manapar, and what he performed there. The ruleswhich he prescribes to the missioners of the fishingcoast. He puss*s over to the isle of Ceylon;his actions there. He departs for Goa, and findsthe viceroy at Britain. He obtains whatever hedemands of the viceroy. He concerts a young gentleman,who was very much debauched. He fixes the resolutionof Cosmo de Torrez to enter into the society.He instructs Anger anew, and causes him to be farthertaught by Torrez. He hears news from Japan, anddesigns a voyage thither to preach the gospel.He undertakes the conversion of a soldier. Heconverts the soldier, and what means he uses to engagehim to penance. He assists the viceroy of theIndies at his death. He applies himself more thanever to the exercises of an interior life. Hereturns to his employment in the care of souls atGoa. He receives supplies from Europe: thearrival of Father Gasper Barzaeus. He goes tothe fishing coast; his actions there. He speaksto the deputy-governor of the Indies, concerning hisvoyage to Japan. All endeavours are used to breakthe Father’s intended voyage to Japan.He slights the reasons alleged against his voyage toJapan. He writes to Father Ignatius, and to FatherRodriguez. He constitutes superiors to superintendthe society in India during his absence, and the orderswhich he leaves them. He sends Gasper Barzaeusto Ormuz. He gives instructions and orders toBarzaeus. He recommends to him the perfectingof himself. He charges him to instruct the childrenhimself. He recommends the poor to him.He recommends the prisoners to him. His adviceconcerning restitutions. He prescribes him someprecautions in his dealings with his friends.He recommends to him the practice of the particularExamen. He exhorts him to preach, and gives himrules for preaching. He institutes him in theway of correcting sinners. He prescribes hima method, for administering the sacrament of penance.He continues to instruct him on the subject of confession.He instructs him how to deal with those who want faith,concerning the blessed sacrament. He instructshow to deal with penitents. He recommends to him,the obedience due to ecclesiastical superiors.He commands him to honour the governor. He giveshim advice concerning his evangelical functions.He orders him to write to the Fathers of the societyat Goa. He counsels him to inform himself ofthe manner of the town at his arrival. He recommendsto his prayers the souls in purgatory. He exhortshim not to shew either sadness or anger. He prescribeshim the time of his functions. He gives him instructions,touching the conduct of such as shall be received intothe society. He teaches him the methods of reducingobstinate sinners. He advises him to find outthe dispositions of the people, before he treats withthem. He counsels him to learn the manners andcustoms of the people. He gives him counsel concerningreconciliations. He instructs him in the wayof preaching well. What he orders him concerninghis subsistance, and touching presents. Whathe orders him in reference to his abode. He goesfor Japan. He arrives at Malacca, and what heperforms there. His joy for the success of hisbrethren in their functions. He receives a younggentleman into the society. The instructions whichhe gives to Bravo. The news which he hears fromJapan. He disposes himself for the voyage ofJapan more earnestly than ever. He goes from Malaccato Japan; and what happens to him in the way.

Xavier found at Malacca three missioners of the company,who were going to the Moluccas, in obedience to theletters he had written. These missioners wereJohn Beyra, Nugnez Ribera, and Nicholas Nugnez, whohad not yet received priests’ orders. Mansillacame not with them, ’though he had precise ordersfor it; because he rather chose to follow his owninclinations, in labouring where he was, than the commandof his superior, in forsaking the work upon his hands.But his disobedience cost him dear. Xavier expelledhim out of the society, judging, that an ill brotherwould do more hurt, than a good labourer would profitthe company.

These three missioners above mentioned had been broughtto the Indies in the fleet, by Don Perez de Pavora,with seven other sons of Ignatius; part of whom wasalready left at Cape Comorine, and the fishing coast,to cultivate those new plants of Christianity, whichwere so beloved by Father Xavier. Now the shipswhich were bound for the Moluccas, being not in areadiness to sail before the end of August, Beyra,Ribera, and Nugnez, had all the intermediate time,which was a month, to enjoy the company of the saint,in which space they were formed by him for the apostolicfunction. For himself, he remained four monthsat Malacca, in expectation of a ship to carry himto Goa; and during all that time, was taken up withcontinual service of his neighbour.

He had brought with him, from Amboyna, his old companion,John Deyro. Though Deyro was in his attendance,yet he was not a member of the society, for the causesalready specified, and deserved not to be of it, forthose which follow. Some rich merchants havingput into his hands a sum of money, for the subsistenceof the Father, he concealed it from him. Xavier,who lived only on the alms which were daily given him,and who hated money as much as his companion lovedit, looked on this action of Deyro as an injury doneto evangelical poverty; and the resentment which hehad of it, caused him to forget his usual mildnessto offenders. Not content to make him a sharpreprimand, he confined him to a little desart islenot far distant from the port; enjoining him, not onlycontinual prayer, but fasting upon bread and water,till he should of his own accord recal him. Deyro,who was of a changeable and easy temper, neither permanentin good, nor fixed in ill, obeyed the Father, and livedexactly in the method which was prescribed.

He had one night a vision, whether awake or sleepinghas not been decided by the juridical informationsof the Father’s life. It seemed to him,that he was in a fair temple, where he beheld the BlessedVirgin, on a throne all glittering with precious stones.Her countenance appeared severe; and he, making hisapproaches to her, was rejected with indignation,as unworthy to be of the company of her son. Afterwhich she arose from the throne, and then all thingsdisappeared. Deyro being recalled from his solitudesome time after, said nothing of his vision to FatherXavier, to whom God had revealed it. He even deniedboldly to have seen any, though the Father repeatedit to him, with all the circ*mstances. Xavier,more scandalised than ever with this procedure ofDeyro, refused all farther communication with a man,who was interested, and insincere. He rid hishands of him, but withal foretold him, “ThatGod would be so gracious to him, as to change his evilinclinations, and that hereafter he should take thehabit of St Francis.” Which was so fullyaccomplished, that when the informations were takenin the Indies, concerning the holiness and miraclesof Xavier, Deyro then wore the habit of St Francis,and lived a most religious life.

After the three missioners were gone for the Moluccas,Xavier alone bore the whole burden of the work.The knowledge which the Portuguese and Indians hadof his holiness, made all men desirous of treatingwith him, concerning the business of their conscience.Not being able to give audience to all, many of themwere ill satisfied, and murmured against him:but since their discontent and murmurs proceeded froma good principle, he comforted himself, and ratherrejoiced than was offended, as he says himself expresslyin his letters. His ordinary employment was preachingto the Christians and Gentiles, instructing and baptisingthe catechumens, teaching children the Christian doctrine,visiting the prisoners and the sick, reconciling enemies,and doing other works of charity.

While the saint was thus employed, there happenedan affair, which much increased his reputation inall the Indies. For the understanding of thewhole business, it will be necessary to trace it fromits original.

Since the conquest of Malacca by the Portuguese, theneighbouring princes grew jealous of their power,and made many attempts to drive that nation out ofthe Indies, which came to brave them at their own doors.Thereupon, they set on foot many great armies, at diverstimes, but always unsuccessfully; and learning, bydear-bought experience, that multitudes can hardlyprevail against true valour.

These disgraces provoked the Sultan Alaradin, kingof Achen, instead of humbling him. Achen is thegreatest kingdom of the island of Sumatra, distantabout twelve leagues from the terra firma ofMalacca. This prince was a Mahometan, an implacableenemy of the Christians by his religion, and of thePortuguese by interest of state. Yet he durstnot immediately assault the fortress of Malacca.All his fury was spent in cruizing about the coasts,with a strong fleet, thereby to break the trade ofthe Portuguese, and hinder the succours which theyhad from Europe. His design was then to attackthe town, when it should be bare of defendants, andunprovided of stores of victuals: but to compasshis enterprize, he was to assure himself of a port,which was above Malacca towards the north, which mightserve for a convenient retreat to his fleet; and hadalso occasion for a fortress, to secure himself fromthe enemy. He therefore made himself master ofthat port, and ordered the building of a citadel.

As for his preparations of war, he made them so secretly,that the Portuguese had neither any news, nor eventhe least suspicion of them. Five thousand soldiers,trained up in wars, and well-experienced in navalfights, were chosen out for this glorious expedition;and five hundred of them, called Orabalons, were theflower of the whole nobility, and accordingly worebracelets of gold, as a distinguishing mark of theirhigh extraction. There was besides a great numberof Janisaries newly arrived at the court of Achen,who served as volunteers, and were eager of shewingtheir courage against the Christians. The fleetconsisted of sixty great ships, all well equippedand manned, without reckoning the barks, the frigates,and the fire-ships. It was commanded by the Saracen,Bajaja Soora, a great man of war, and so famous forhis exploits in arms, that his prince had honouredhim with the title of King of Pedir, in reward forhis taking Malacca even before he had besieged thetown.

There was no other intelligence of this at Malacca,but what the army of Achen brought itself. Theycame before the place, and entered the port on the9th of October, in the year 1547, about two o’clockin the morning, resolved to assault it while theywere favoured by the darkness. They began bya discharge of their artillery, and sending in theirfire-ships against the Portuguese vessels. Afterwhich the most daring of them landed, ran withoutany order against that part of the wall which theybelieved weakest, filled up part of the ditch, andmounted the ladders with a furious assault. Theyfound more resistance than they expected: thegarrison, and the inhabitants, whom the shouts andartillery of the barbarians had at first affrighted,recovering courage through the imminence of danger,and the necessity of conquering or dying, ran uponthe rampart, and vigorously repulsed the assailants;overthrowing their ladders, or tumbling their enemiesheadlong from them, insomuch that not a man of thementered the town, and great numbers of them lay deador dying in the ditch.

Soora comforted himself for the ill success of hisassault, by the execution which his fire-ships andcannon had done. All the vessels within the portwere either burnt or disabled. And the rain whichimmediately fell, served not so much to extinguishthe flames, as the violent wind which then arose contributedto kindle them. Those of Achen, proud of thataction, appeared next morning on their decks, lettingfly their pompous streamers, and shouting, as if alreadythey were victorious. But their insolence wassoon checked; the cannon from the fortress forcedthem to retire as far off as the isle of Upe.In the mean time, seven poor fishermen, who had beenout all night about their employment, and were nowreturning to the town, fell into an ambuscade of theInfidels, were taken, and brought before the general.After he had cut off their ears and noses, he sentthem back with a letter, directed to Don Franciscode Melo, governor of Malacca, of which these were thecontents:

“I Bajaja Soora, who have the honour to carryin vessels of gold the rice of the Great Souldan,Alaradin, king of Achen, and the territories washedby the one and the other sea, advertise thee to writeword to thy king, that, in despite of him, I am castingterror into his fortress by my fierce roaring, andthat I shall here abide as long as I shall please.I call to witness of what I declare, not only theearth, and all nations which inhabit it, but all theelements, even to the heaven of the moon; and pronouncewith these words of my mouth, that thy king is a manof no reputation nor courage; that his standards,now trampled under foot, shall never be lifted upagain without his permission who has conquered him;that, by the victory already by us obtained, my kinghas under his royal foot the head of thine; that fromthis day forward he is his subject and his slave;and, to the end, that thou thyself mayest confessthis truth, I defy thee to mortal battle, here on theplace of my abode, if thou feelest in thyself sufficientcourage to oppose me.”

Though the letter of Soora was in itself ridiculous,and full of fustian bravadoes, according to the styleof the barbarians, yet it put the governor and officersof the fortress to a shrewd demur; for how shouldthey accept the challenge without ships to fight him,and how could they refuse it with their honour?A council of war was summoned to deliberate on thisweighty and nice affair, when Father Xavier came amongstthem. He had been saying mass at the church ofour Lady Del Monte; so called, from its being builton a mountain near the city, and dedicated to the blessedVirgin. Don Francisco, who had sent for him toconsult him in this troublesome business, gave himthe general of Achen’s letter to peruse, anddemanded his advice what was to be done on this occasion.

The saint, who knew the king of Achen’s businesswas not only to drive the Portuguese out of Malacca,but also, and that principally, to extirpate Christianityout of all the East; having read the letter, liftedup his eyes to heaven, and answered without the leastpause, that the affront was too great to be endured;that the honour of the Christian religion was moreconcerned in it than that of the crown of Portugal:If this injury should be dissembled, to what audaciousnesswould the enemy arise, and what would not the otherMahometan princes attempt after this example?In conclusion, that the challenge ought to be accepted,that the infidels might see the King of Heaven wasmore powerful than their king Alaradin.

“But how,” said the governor, “shallwe put to sea, and on what vessels, since, of eightgally-foysts which we had in port, there are but fourremaining, and those also almost shattered in pieces,and half burned; and, in case we could refit them,what could they perform against so numerous a fleet?”“Suppose,” answered Xavier, “thebarbarians had twice so many ships, are not we muchstronger, who have heaven on our side; and how canwe choose but overcome, when we fight in the name ofour Lord and Saviour?”

No man was so bold to contradict the man of God; andthey all went to the arsenal. There they founda good sufficient bark, of those they call catur,besides seven old foysts, fit for nothing but the fire.Duarte de Bareto, who by his office had the superintendanceof their naval stores, was commanded to fit out thesefoysts with all expedition. But he protestedit was not in his power; for, besides that the kingsmagazines were empty of all necessaries for the equippingof them, there was no money in the treasury for materials.

The governor, who had no other fund, was ready tolose courage, when Xavier, by a certain impulse ofspirit, suddenly began to embrace seven sea captainsthere present, who were of the council of war.He begged of them to divide the business amongst them,and each of them apart to take care of fitting outone galley: At the same time, without waitingfor their answer, he assigned every man his task.

The captains durst not oppose Xavier, or rather God,who inclined their hearts to comply with the saint’srequest. Above an hundred workmen were instantlyemployed on every vessel; and in four days time theseven gallies were in condition for fighting.Melo gave the catur to Andrea Toscano, a man of courage,and well versed in sea affairs. He divided amongstthe seven captains an hundred and fourscore soldiers,chosen men, and appointed Francis Deza admiral ofthe fleet. Xavier was desirous to have gone alongwith them, but the inhabitants, who believed all waslost if they lost the Father, and who hoped for noconsolation but from him alone in case the enterprizeshould not succeed, made such a disturbance about it,that, upon mature deliberation, it was resolved tokeep him in the town.

The day before their embarkment, having called togetherthe soldiers and the captains, he told them that heshould accompany them in spirit; and that while theywere engaging the barbarians, he would be lifting uphis hands to heaven for them: That they shouldfight valiantly, in hope of glory, not vain and perishable,but solid and immortal: That, in the heat ofthe combat, they should cast their eyes on their crucifiedRedeemer, whose quarrel they maintained, and, beholdinghis wounds themselves, should not be afraid eitherof wounds or death; and how happy should they be torender their Saviour life for life.

These words inspired them with such generous and Christianthoughts, that, with one voice, they made a vow tofight the infidels to their last drop of blood.This solemn oath was so moving to Xavier, that it drewtears from him: he gave them all his blessing;and, for their greater encouragement, named them,“The Band of our Saviour’s Soldiers:”in pursuit of which, he heard every man’s confession,and gave them the communion with his own hand.

They embarked the clay following with so much cheerfulness,that it seemed to presage a certain victory.But their joy continued but a moment. They hadscarcely weighed anchor, when the admiral split, andimmediately went to the bottom, so that they had hardlytime to save the men. The crowd of people, whowere gathered together on the shore to see them gooff, beheld this dismal accident, and took it for abad omen of the expedition; murmuring at the sametime against Father Xavier, who was the author ofit, and casting out loud cries to recal the other vessels.The governor, who saw the people in an uproar, andapprehended the consequences of this violent beginning,sent in haste to seek the Father. The messengerfound him at the altar, in the church of our Lady DelMonte, just ready to receive the blessed sacrament:he drew near to whisper the business to him, but theFather beckoned him with his hand to keep silence,and retire. When mass was ended, “Return,”said Xavier, without giving the man leisure to tellhis message, “and assure the governor from me,that he has no occasion to be discouraged for the loss

of one vessel.” By this the saint made known,that God had revealed to him what had happened.He continued some time in prayer before the imageof the Virgin; and these words of his were overheard:“O my Jesus, the desire of my heart, regardme with a favourable eye; and thou, holy Virgin, bepropitious to me! Lord Jesus,” he continued,“look upon thy sacred wounds, and remember theyhave given us a right to ask of thee every thing conducingto our good.”

His prayers being ended, he goes to the citadel:The governor, alarmed with the cries and murmurs ofthe people, could not dissemble his disturbance, butreproached the Father for having engaged them in thisenterprize. But Xavier upbraided him with hisdistrust of God; and said, smiling, to him, “What!are you so dejected for so slight an accident?”After which, they went in company to the shore, wherethe soldiers belonging to the admiral stood in greatconsternation for the hazard they had run so lately.The Father reassured them, and exhorted them to remainconstant in their holy resolution, notwithstandingtheir petty misadventure: he remonstrated tothem, that heaven had not permitted their admiralto sink, but only to make trial of their faith; neitherhad themselves been saved from shipwreck, but onlythat they might perform their vow. In the meantime, the governor held it necessary to summon thegreat council. All the officers of the town, andthe principal inhabitants, were of opinion to giveover an enterprize, which, as they thought, was begunrashly, and could have no fortunate conclusion.But the captains and soldiers of the fleet, encouragedby the words of the holy man, and inspired with vigour,which had something in it of more than human, wereof a quite contrary judgment. They unanimouslyprotested, that they had rather die than violate thatfaith, which they had solemnly engaged to Jesus Christ.“For the rest,” said they, “whathave we more to fear this day than we had yesterday?our number is not diminished, though we have one vesselless, and we shall fight as well with six foysts,as we should with seven. But, on the other side,what hopes ought we not to conceive, under the auspicesand promise of Father Francis?”

Then Xavier taking the word, “The lost galleyshall be soon made good,” said he with a propheticvoice; “before the sun goes down, there shallarrive amongst us two better vessels than that whichperished; and this I declare to you from AlmightyGod.” This positive prediction amazed thewhole assembly, and caused them to put off the determinationof the affair until the day ensuing. The remainingpart of the day was passed with great impatience,to see the effect of the Father’s promise.When the sun was just on the point of setting, andmany began to fear the accomplishment of the prophecy,in the very minute marked out by the Father, theydiscovered, from the clock-house of our Lady del Monte,two European ships, which were sailing directly from

the north. Melo sent out a skiff immediatelyto hail them, being informed that they were Portuguesevessels, one belonging to James Soarez Gallego, andthe other to his son Balthazar, who came from thekingdom of Patan, but who took the way of Pegu, withoutintentions of casting anchor at Malacca, to avoidpaying customs. He went in search of Father Francis,who was at his devotions in the church del Monte,and told him, that his prophecy would be accomplishedto little purpose, if the ships came not into the port.Xavier took it upon himself to stop them; and, goinginto the skiff which had hailed them, made directlyto the two vessels. The masters of the ships,seeing the man of God, received him with respect.He made them understand the present juncture of affairs,and earnestly besought them, by the interests of theirreligion, and their country, to assist the town againstthe common enemy of the Christian name, and the crownof Portugal. And to engage them farther, by theirparticular concernment, he let them see the dangerinto which they were casting themselves, in case theyshould obstinately pursue their voyage; and that theywere going, without consideration, to precipitatethemselves into the hands of the barbarians.

They yielded to the reasons of the Father; and thenext morning entered the port amidst the shouts andacclamations of the people. After this, therewas no farther dispute of fighting the enemy; and themost timorous came about to the opinion of the captainsand the soldiers.

All things being in a readiness to set sail, the admiral,Francis Deza, received the flag from the hands ofXavier, who had solemnly blessed it, and mounted theship of his brother George Deza, instead of his own,which was already sunk. The rest of the captains,who had been on shore, returned on ship-board; and,with the two newly arrived vessels, the whole fleetconsisted of nine, their number also being increasedby fifty men; they were in all two hundred and thirtyPortuguese. The fleet went out of port the 25thof October, with strict orders from the general notto pass beyond the Pulo Cambylan, which is the farthestbounds of the kingdom of Malacca on the west.His reason was, that since they were so much inferiorin strength to the enemy, who vastly outnumbered themin men and shipping, their glory consisted in drivingthem from off their coasts, and not in farther pursuitof them: That what hope soever we have in God,yet it becomes us not to tempt him, because heavenis not accustomed to give a blessing to rashness andpresumption.

Thus setting out full of assurance and of joy, theyarrived in four days at Pulo Cambylan, without havingany news of the enemy, notwithstanding their endeavoursto find him out. The admiral, in obedience tothe governor, was thinking to return; though the courageof his soldiers prompted them to pass beyond the boundsprescribed them, and to go in search of the barbariansinto whatsoever corner of the world they were retired.The admiral, I say, was disposed to have gone back,when the moon suddenly went into an eclipse.It was one of the greatest which had ever been observed,and seemed to them to prognosticate the total defeatof the Mahometans. But the same night there aroseso violent a wind, that they were forced to stay upontheir anchors for the space of three-and-twenty dayssuccessively. Their provisions then beginningto grow short, and the wind not suffering them toturn to the coast of Malacca, they resolved on takingin fresh provisions at Tenasserim, towards the kingdomof Siam.

In the mean time, all things were in confusion atMalacca. The hopes which Father Xavier had giventhe people, supported them for some few days.But seeing a month was now expired, without any intelligencefrom the fleet, they believed it was either swallowedby the waves, or defeated by the Achenois, and thatnone had escaped to bring the news. At the sametime, the Saracens reported confidently, they had itfrom good hands, that the fleets had met, that theAchenois had cut in pieces all the Portuguese, andhad sent the heads of their commanders as a presentto their king. This bruit was spread through allthe town, and was daily strengthened after the rateof false rumours, which are full of tragical events.The better to colour this report, they gave the circ*mstancesof time and place, and the several actions of thebattle. The sorcerers and soothsayers were consultedby the Pagan women, whose husbands and sons were inthe fleet; and they confirmed whatever was relatedin the town. It came at last to a public risingagainst Xavier; and the governor himself was not whollyfree from the popular contagion.

But Xavier, far from the least despondence in thepromises of God, and of the knowledge he had givenhim concerning the condition of the fleet, with anerected countenance assured, they should suddenly seeit return victorious. Which notwithstanding,he continued frequent in his vows and prayers; andat the end of all his sermons, recommended to theirdevotions the happy return of their desired navy.Their spirits were so much envenomed and prejudicedagainst him, that many of them treated him with injuriouswords; while he was rallied by the more moderate, whowere not ashamed to say, his prayers might be of usefor the souls of the soldiers, who were slain in fight,but were of little consequence to gain a battle whichwas lost.

Some fresh intelligence, which arrived from Sumatra,increased the disorders and consternation of the town.The king of Bintan, son to that Mahomet, whom Albuquerquethe Great had despoiled of the kingdom of Malacca,sought for nothing more than an opportunity of reconqueringwhat his father had lost by force of arms. Seeingthe town now bare of soldiers, and hearing that theAchenois had beaten the Portuguese, he put to sea,with three hundred sail, and put in at the river ofMuar, within six leagues of Malacca, towards the west.

That he might the better execute his design, by concealingit, he wrote from thence to the governor Melo, “Thathe had armed a fleet against the king of Patan, hisenemy, but that having been informed of the defeatof the Portuguese, he was come as a friend and brotherof the king of Portugal, to succour Malacca, againstthe king of Achen, who would not fail to master thetown, if the course of his victories was not stopped;that therefore he desired only to be admitted intothe place before it came into the possession of theconqueror; after which he had no farther cause ofapprehension.”

Melo, whom the constancy of Father Xavier had reassured,discovered the snare which was laid for him; and trickedthose, who had intended to circumvent him. Heanswered the king of Bintan, “That the town hadno need of relief, as being abundantly provided bothof men and ammunition: That so great a conqueroras he, ought not to lay aside an expedition of suchimportance, nor to linger by the way: That, forthemselves, they were in daily expectation of theirfleet; not defeated, according to some idle rumoursconcerning it, but triumphant, and loaden with thespoils of enemies: That this report was onlyspread by Saracens, whose tongues were longer thantheir lances:” For these were the expressionswhich he used.

The Mahometan prince, judging by the governor’sreply, that his artifice was discovered; and that,in reason, he ought to attempt nothing till it werecertainly known what was become of the two fleets,kept himself quiet, and attended the success.

To return to the Christian navy: Before theycould get to Tenasserim, their want of fresh waterforced them to seek it nearer hand, at Queda, in theriver of Parlez; where being entered, they perceivedby night a fisher-boat, going by their ships.They stopped the boat, and the fishermen being examined,told them, “That the Achenois were not far distant;that they had been six weeks in the river; that theyhad plundered all the lowlands, and were now buildinga fortress.” This news filled the Portuguesewith joy; and Deza, infinitely pleased to have foundthe enemy, of whom he had given over the search, puttingon his richest apparel, fired all his cannon, to testifyhis joy; without considering that he spent his powderto no purpose, and that he warned the barbarians tobe upon their guard. What he did with more prudence,was to send three gallies up the river, to discoverthe enemy, and observe their countenance, while heput all things in order for the fight, The three foysts,in their passage, met with four brigantines, whichthe enemies had detached, to know the meaning of theguns which they had heard. Before they had takena distinct view on either side, the three foysts hadgrappled each a brigantine, and seized her; the fourthescaped. The soldiers put all the enemies to thesword, excepting six, whom they brought off, togetherwith the brigantines. These prisoners were all

put to the question; but whatsoever torments they endured,they could not at first get one syllable out of them,either where the enemy lay, or what was the numberof his men, or of his ships. Two of them diedupon the rack, and other two they threw overboard;but the remaining couple, either more mortified withtheir torments, or less resolute, being separatedfrom each other, began at last to open: And toldthe same things apart; both where the Achenois werelying, and that their number was above ten thousand,reckoning into it the mariners, which were of moreconsideration than the soldiers; that the king of thecountry, where now they lay, had been constrainedto avoid a shameful death, by flight; that havingmassacred two thousand of the natives, and made asmany captives, they were building a citadel, on thepassage which the ships ordinarily make from Bengalto Malacca; and that their design was not only toblock up that road, but to murder all the Christianswho should fall into their hands.

This report inflamed anew the zeal and courage ofthe soldiers. The admiral was not wanting toencourage them to fight. Entering into a skiff,with his drawn sword, he went from vessel to vessel,exhorting his men to have Christ crucified beforetheir eyes, while they were in fight, as Father Francishad enjoined them; and ever to keep in mind the oathwhich they had taken; but, above all things, to havean assured hope of victory, from the intercessionof the holy Father, who had promised it.

All unanimously answered, “That they would fightit out to death; and should be happy to die in defenceof their religion.” Deza, animated by thistheir answer, posted himself advantageously on theriver, so as to be able from thence to fall upon theenemy, without endangering his little fleet, to beencompassed by their numbers.

The Achenois no sooner were informed by their brigantineof the Portuguese navy, than they put themselves intoa condition of attacking it. They were not onlyinsolent by reason of their strength, but provokedalso by the late affront they had received in theirbrigantines; so that, full of fury, without the leastbalancing of the matter, they set sail with all theirnavy, excepting only two vessels, and two hundred landsoldiers, which were left in guard of two thousandslaves, and all their booty. Having the windfor them, and coming down the river, they were carriedwith such swiftness, that Deza was hardly got aboardthe admiral, when he heard their drums, and theiryelling shouts, which re-echoed from the shores andneighbouring mountains. They were divided intoten squadrons, and each of them composed of six vessels,excepting only the first, which consisted but of four,but those the strongest of the fleet. The admiral,on which the king of Pedir was on board, was in thefirst squadron, and with him were three Turkish gallions.

That fury, which transported the barbarians, causedthem, at the first sight of the Portuguese navy, todischarge against it their whole artillery; but theyaimed so ill, that they did them little or no mischief.Immediately after, the two admirals met, and stemmedeach other. They engaged on either side withso much resolution, that the advantage was not seen,till a shot was made from the vessel of John Soarez,and out of the cannon called the camel It took placeso justly, that Soora’s vessel sunk to rights.The three gallions which were in front with him, onthe same time, immediately changed their order, andleft off fighting, to save their general, and the principallords of his retinue. But these gallions, whichwere across the stream, and took up half the breadthof it, stopped their own vessels, which followed fileby file; insomuch, that those of the second rank strikingagainst the first, and those of the third againstthe second, they fell foul on each other, with a terribleconfusion.

The Portuguese seeing the army of the enemy, on aheap together, without being able to disengage theirships, encompassed them, and battered them with theircannon. They discharged every tier, three roundssuccessively, and so to purpose, that they sunk ninegreat ships, and disabled almost all the rest.Then four of the Portuguese foysts set upon six Mahometans,which the cannon had used more favourably than therest; the soldiers boarded them with their swordsin their hands, and calling on the name of Jesus,in less than half an hour they destroyed above 2000men. The fright and the disorder of the enemywas redoubled, at the sight of this slaughter, andat the thundering of the guns, which did such dreadfulexecution; insomuch, that the Achenois leaped intothe river of their own accord, chusing rather to diein that manner, than by the hands of the Christians.

Their general being taken up, when he was just drowning,and drawing new courage from despair, endeavouredto have heartened up the remainder of those who wereabout him. But having himself received a musket-shot,he lost all manner of resolution, and made away withonly two vessels. The five hundred gentlemenOrobalans were either slain or drowned, with all theJanisaries. None escaped, but those who followedSoora in his flight. On the side of the Christiansthere were twenty-six slain, of whom four only werePortuguese by nation The spoil was great; for, besidesthe two guard-ships which came into the power of theconquerors, and wherein was all the pillage whichthe enemy had gained, they took at least forty-fivevessels, which might again be made serviceable.There was found amongst the spoils a prodigious quantityof Saracen and Turkish arms; 300 pieces of cannonof all sorts; and, what was yet more pleasing, sixty-twopieces of ordnance, whereon were graven the arms ofPortugal, and which had been lost in divers wars,returned at length to the possession of their lawfullord and owner.

The king of Parlez no sooner had notice of the enemy’sdefeat, than, issuing out of the woods where he layconcealed, he came with 500 men, and fell upon theworkmen, who, by Soora’s orders, were buildinga fortress, and on the soldiers appointed for theirguard. Having cut them in pieces, he went tovisit Captain Deza, and congratulated the valour ofthe Portuguese, and their success. He owned thepreservation of his kingdom to their arms; and offered,by way of acknowledgment, a yearly tribute to theking of Portugal.

Deza immediately ordered a frigate to carry the newsof his victory to Malacca; but it was fully knownin that city, with all its circ*mstances, before thefrigate was sent off, and thus it happened.

Father Xavier, preaching in the great church, betwixtnine and ten of the clock on Sunday morning, whichwas the 4th of January, according to the old calendar,at the same time when the two fleets were actuallyengaged, stopped short on the sudden, and appearedtransported out of himself, so manifest a change appeared,both in his countenance, and his whole person.Having somewhat recovered himself, instead of followinghis discourse, inspired with a divine impulse, hedeclared to his audience the encounter, and shockof the two navies, but in a mysterious and figurativemanner.

The assembly, not comprehending their preacher’smeaning, were of opinion that he was distracted; stillas the fight grew warmer, and the engagement cameto be more close, he seemed to be more and more inflamed,with all the motions of a man inspired, and speakingstill prophetically. At the length, fixing hiseyes on the crucifix that was before him, he said,with tears in his eyes, accompanied with sighs, butwith an audible and distinct voice, “Ah Jesus,thou God of my soul, and Father of all mercies, Imost humbly implore thee, by the merits of thy sacredpassion, not to forsake those who fight thy battle!”After these words, he hung down his head, as overwearied,and leaned upon his pulpit, without farther speaking.Having continued in that posture for some time, hesprung up, on the sudden, and said aloud, with allthe motions of joy, which he could not master, “Mybrethren, Jesus Christ has vanquished for you.At this moment, while I am speaking, the soldiers ofhis blessed name have completed their victory, bythe entire defeat of the enemy’s navy.They have made a great slaughter, and we have lostbut four of our Portuguese. You shall receivethe news of it on Friday next, and may shortly expectthe return of your victorious fleet.”

How incredible soever this appeared, yet Melo, andthe principal persons of the town there present, gavecredit to it, without the least scruple; consideringthe manner of his speaking, and his air, which hadsomewhat of divine in it, and bore the testimony ofits truth. Yet the wives and mothers of the absentsoldiers, apprehending still it might be false, andfearing the more, the more they desired it should betrue, the Father assembled them all in the afternoon,at the church of our Lady del Monte, and there repeatedso distinctly the whole series of what he had saidin the morning, that they durst no longer doubt ofit.

Even in the beginning of the week, they had almostevident signs of the victory, by the news which cameof the king of Bintan; who having sent on all sidesto be informed, whether the Portuguese had been defeated,being advertised from the river of Parlez of whathad passed, forsook Muar, and retired with expedition,bewailing the misfortune of his allies, and ashamedof his ill-timed enterprize.

The frigate dispatched away by Deza, under the conductof Emanuel Godigno, arrived exactly on the day mentionedby the saint. The fleet followed shortly after,and made a triumphant entry into the port, with trumpetssounding, and a general discharge of all their artillery.The town received them with repeated shouts of welcome;and Father Francis, who was at the head of the peopleon the shore, held forth a crucifix in his hand, togive both the inhabitants and soldiers to understand,that they owed their victory to Christ alone.

Both the one and the other joining their voices, gavesolemn thanks to the Saviour of mankind; but theyalso broke out into the praises of the saint, uponthe truth of his predictions, and could not hold frompublishing, that it was he who had obtained from heaventhis wonderful success.

The burden of these praises did no less hasten thesaint’s intended voyage to Goa, than the necessityof those affairs which called him thither. Hehad remained four months together at Malacca, sincehis return from the Moluccas, and was just on hisdeparture, when the ships, which early come from China,arrived in the port. A Japonese, whose name wasAnger, came with these vessels, expressly to see Xavier.He was about thirty-five years of age, rich, noblyborn, and one whose life had been sufficiently libertine.The Portuguese, who two years before had made thediscovery of Japan, had been acquainted with him atCangoxirna, the place of his birth, and understood,from his own mouth, that, having been much troubledwith the remembrance of the sins of his youth, he hadretired himself amongst the solitary Bonzes; but thatneither the solitude, nor the conversation of thoseheathen priests, had been able to restore him thetranquillity of his soul, and that thereupon he hadreturned into the world, more disquieted than everwith his remorse of conscience.

Some other Portuguese merchants, who at that timecame to Cangoxima, and who had seen Father Francisat Malacca, the first voyage he had made thither,made an intimate acquaintance and friendship with Anger.And this Japonese, discovering to them the perplexityof his soul, which augmented daily more and more,they told him that in Malacca there was a religiousman, eminent for his holy life, well experienced inthe conduct of souls, and most proper to settle hisperplexed conscience; and that if he would try thisremedy, they would facilitate the means to him, andbring him to the saint, of whom they had spoken:That it was Father Francis Xavier, their friend, therefuge of sinners, and comforter of troubled minds.

Anger found himself possessed with a strong desireof going to see the holy man; but the length of thevoyage, which was 800 leagues, the dangers of a tempestuoussea, and the considerations of his family, somewhatcooled him. A troublesome affair, which he hadupon his hands at the same time, at length resolvedhim. For, having killed a man in a quarrel, andbeing pursued by justice, he could not find a moresecure retreat than the ships of Portugal, nor a surerway of preserving his life, than to accept the offerthey had made him.

Alvarez Vaz, who had most importuned him to take thisvoyage, and who had many times offered to bring himto Father Xavier, had not yet finished all his business,when this Japonese came to take sanctuary in his ship.He therefore gave him letters of recommendation toanother Portuguese, called Ferdinand Alvarez, whowas at another port of Japan, and who was suddenlyto set sail for Malacca.

Anger departed by night, attended by two servants.Being arrived at the port, and enquiring for FerdinandAlvarez, he lighted accidentally on George Alvarez,who was just ready to weigh anchor. This Georgewas a wealthy merchant, a man of probity, and whohad an extreme affection for the Father. He receivedthe letters of Alvarez as if they had been addressedto himself, took the three Japonians into his ship,entertained them with all kindness, and brought themto Malacca; taking great satisfaction in the goodoffice he should do in presenting them to the manof God, who might, perhaps, make them the first Christiansof their country. But the misfortune was, thatthey missed the Father, who was just gone for theMoluccas. Anger, more disquieted in a foreignland than he had been at home, and despairing of everseeing him, whom he had so often heard of from hisfriends, had it in his thoughts to have returned toJapan, without considering the danger to which he exposedhimself, and almost forgetting the murder which hadcaused his flight, according to the custom of criminals,who blind themselves in those occasions, and whomdivine justice oftentimes brings back to the sameplace where they had committed their offence.Whereupon, he went again to sea, and having made somelittle stay in a port of China, he pursued his voyage.Already some Japonian islands were in sight, when therearose a furious tempest, which endangered the sinkingof the ship, and which in four days brought him backinto the same port of China, from whence he had setout. This was to Anger a favourable effect ofGod’s providence; for the same hand which drivesthe guilty to the precipice, sometimes preserves themfrom falling into it, and pulls them back, after amiraculous manner.

The Japonese, very happily for himself, met thereAlvarez Vaz, just ready to set sail for Malacca.The Portuguese, who loved Anger, reproved him forhis impatience, and offered to reconduct him to theplace which he had so abruptly left; withall tellinghim, that, according to all appearances, the Fatherby this time was returned from the Moluccas.Anger, who still carried about him a troubled conscience,and thereby was easily induced to any propositionwhich tended to compose it, followed the advice ofVaz, and returned with him.

Coming on shore, he there found George Alvarez, thesame person who had brought him the first time toMolucca. Alvarez, surprised to see him once again,told him, that Father Xavier was returned from theMoluccas, and immediately brought Anger to his presence.The Father, who foresaw, not only that this Japonianshould be the first Christian of that kingdom, butalso, by his means, the gospel should be preached init, was transported with joy at the first sight ofhim, and embraced him with exceeding tenderness.The sight of the saint, and his embracements, gavesuch consolations to Anger, that he no longer doubtedof receiving an entire satisfaction from him.Understanding, in some measure, the Portuguese language,Xavier himself assured him, that the disquiets ofhis mind should be dissipated, and that he should obtainthat spiritual repose, in search of which he had undertakenso long a voyage; but that before he could arriveto it, it concerned him first to understand and practisethe law of the true God, who alone could calm the troublesof his heart, and set it in a perpetual tranquillity.Anger, who desired nothing so much as to have hisconscience in repose, and who was charmed with thegreat goodness of the Father, offered himself to bedirected in all things by him. The servant ofGod instructed him in the principles of faith, ofwhich his friends, the Portuguese, had already givenhim some knowledge, as far as men of their professionwere capable of teaching him. But to the endhis conversion might be more solid, he thought itconvenient to send him and his servants to the seminaryof Goa, there to be more fully taught the truths andpractice of Christianity before their baptism.The Father had yet a further purpose in it, that thesefirst fruits of Japonian Christianity should be consecratedto God by the Bishop Don John d’Albuquerque,in the capital city of the Indies.

Since in his voyage to Goa he was to visit the fishingcoast, he would not take the three Japonians withhim, and gave the care of conducting them to GeorgeAlvarez. He only wrote by them to the rector ofthe College of St Paul, giving him orders to instructthem with all diligence. He put on board theship of another Portuguese, called Gonsalvo Fernandez,twenty or thirty young men whom he had brought fromthe Moluccas, in order to their studies in the samecollege; after which, himself embarked in anothervessel, which went directly for Cochin.

In passing the Strait of Ceylon, the ship which carriedXavier was overtaken with the most horrible tempestwhich was ever seen. They were constrained, atthe very beginning of it, to cast overboard all theirmerchandize; and the winds roared with so much violence,that the pilot not being able to hold the rudder,abandoned the vessel to the fury of the waves.For three days and nights together they had death continuallypresent before their eyes; and nothing reassured themariners but the serene countenance of Father Xavier

amidst the cries and tumults in the ship. Afterhe had heard their confessions, implored the help ofheaven, and exhorted all of them to receive, withan equal mind, either life or death from the handof God, he retired into his cabin. Francis Pereyra,looking for the man of God in the midst of the tempest,to have comfort from him, found him on his knees beforehis crucifix, wholly taken up and lost to all thingsbut to God. The ship, driven along by an impetuouscurrent, already struck against the sands of Ceylon,and the mariners gave themselves for lost, withouthope of recovery; when the Father coming out of hiscabin, asked the pilot for the line and plummet, withwhich he was accustomed to fathom the sea; having takenthem, and let them down to the bottom of the ocean,he pronounced these words: “Great God,Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, have mercy on us!”At the same moment the vessel stopped, and the windceased; after which they pursued their voyage, andhappily arrived at the port of Cochin on the 21st ofJanuary, 1548.

There the Father gave himself the leisure of writingdivers letters into Europe, by a vessel of Lisbon,which was just in readiness to set sail. Thefirst was to the King of Portugal, John III.:the letter was full of prudent counsels concerningthe duties of a king: he advertised him anew,that his majesty should be guilty before God of theevil government of his ministers, and that one dayan account must be given of the salvation of thosesouls which he had suffered to perish, through neglectof application, or want of constancy in his endeavours;but he did it with all manner of precaution, and softenedhis expressions with Christian charity.

“I have long deliberated,” said he, “whetherI should certify your majesty of the transactionsof your officers in the Indies, and what ought furtherto be done for the establishment of our faith.On the one side, the zeal of God’s service,and his glory, encouraged me to write to you:on the other, I was diverted from that resolution bythe fear I had of writing to no purpose; but, at thesame time, I concluded, that I could not be silentwithout betraying my ministerial function: andit also seemed to me, that God gave me not those thoughtswithout some particular design; which probably was,that I might communicate them to your majesty; andthis opinion, as the more likely, has at length prevailedwith me. Nevertheless, I always feared, that ifI should freely give you all my thoughts, my letterwould only serve for evidence against you at the hourof your death, and would augment against your majestythe rigour of the last judgement, by taking from youthe excuse of ignorance. These considerationsgave me great anxieties, and your majesty will easilybelieve me: For, in fine, my heart will answerfor me, that I desire not to employ all my strength,or even my life itself, for the conversion of theIndians, out of any other prospect than to free yourmajesty’s conscience, as much as in me lies,and to render the last judgment less terrible to you.I do in this but that which is my duty; and the particularaffection which you bear our Society well deservesthat I should sacrifice myself for you.”

After he had informed his majesty, how much the jealousiesand secret divisions of his officers had hinderedthe progress of the gospel, he declares, that he couldwish the king would bind himself by a solemn oath,to punish severely whosoever they should be who shouldoccasion any prejudice to the farther propagationof faith in the Indies; and farther assured him, thatif such who had the authority in their hands were madesensible, that their faults should not escape punishment,the whole Isle of Ceylon, all Cape Comorine, and manykings of Malabar, would receive baptism in the spaceof one year; that as many as were living in all theextent of the Indies would acknowledge the divinityof Jesus Christ, and make profession of his doctrine,if those ministers of state, who had neglected theinterests of the faith, had been deprived of theirdignities and their revenues.

After this he petitions the king to send him a supplyof preachers, and those preachers to be of the Society,as judging them more proper than any others for thenew world. “I beg and adjure your majesty,”says he, “by the love you bear to our blessedLord, and by the zeal wherewith you burn for the gloryof the Divine Majesty, to send next year some preachersof our Society to your faithful subjects of the Indies:For I assure you, that your fortresses are in extremewant of such supplies; in garrison, and to the newChristians established in the towns and villages dependingon them. I speak by experience; and that whichI have seen with my own eyes obliges me to write concerningit. Being at Malacca, and at the Moluccas, Ipreached every Sunday, and all saints’ days twice;and was forced upon it, because I saw the soldiersand people had great need of being frequently taughtthe word of God.

“I preached then, in the morning, to the Portugueseat mass: I went again into the pulpit in theafternoon, and instructed their children, their slaves,and idolaters newly converted, accommodating my discourseto the measure of their understanding, and expoundingto them the principal points of Christian doctrine,one after another. Besides which, one day inthe week, I assembled in the church the wives of thePortuguese, and catechised them on the articles offaith, on the sacraments of penance, and the eucharist.Much fruit would be gathered in a few years, if thesame method were constantly observed in all places.I preached also, every day, in the fortresses, theprinciples of religion, to the sons and daughtersof the soldiers, to their servants of both sexes; infine, to the natives of the country, who were bornChristians: and these instructions had so goodeffect, that they totally renounced the superstitionsand sorceries which were in use amongst those stupidand ignorant new converts.

“I descend into all these petty circ*mstances,to the end your majesty may judge, according to yourprudence, what number of preachers may be necessaryhere; and that you may not forget to send many to us:for if the ministry of preaching be not more exercisedamongst us, we have reason to apprehend, that notonly the Indians, who have embraced the faith, willleave it, but that the Portuguese also may forget theduties of Christianity, and live afterwards like Heathens.”

As Father Simon Rodriguez, who governed the Societyin Portugal, had great credit at the court, FatherXavier writ to him at the same time, desiring him,he would support his demands with his interest.He recommended to him in especial manner, “Thathe would make choice of those preachers, who weremen of known virtue, and exemplary mortification.”He subjoined, “If I thought the king would nottake amiss the counsel of a faithful servant, whosincerely loves him, I should advise him to meditateone quarter of an hour every day, on that divine sentence,’What does it profit a man to have gained theworld, and to lose his soul?’ I should counselhim, I say, to ask of God the understanding and tasteof those words, and that he would finish all his prayerswith the same words, ’What will it profit a man,to gain the world, and to lose his soul? ’Tistime,” said Xavier, “to draw him out ofhis mistake, and to give him notice, that the hourof his death is nearer than he thinks: that fatalhour, when the King of kings, and Lord of lords, willsummon him to judgment, saying to him these dreadfulwords, ‘Give an account of your administration.’For which reason, do in such manner, my dear brother,that he may fulfil his whole duty; and that he maysend over to the Indies all needful supplies, for theincrease of faith.”

Xavier also wrote from Cochin to the fathers of thesociety at Rome; and gave them an account, at large,of his voyages to Malacca, to Amboyna, to the Moluccas,and the Isle del Moro; with the success which God hadgiven to his labours. But he forgot not the relationof his danger in the Strait of Ceylon, and made itin a manner which was full of consolation to them.

“In the height of the tempest,” said hein his letter, “I took for my intercessors withGod, the living persons of our society, with all thosewho are well affected to it; and joined to these, allChristians, that I might be assisted with the meritsof the spouse of Christ, the holy Catholic Church,whose prayers are heard in heaven, though her habitationbe on earth: afterwards I addressed myself tothe dead, and particularly to Piere le Fevre, to appeasethe wrath of God. I went through all the ordersof the angels, and the saints, and invoked them all.But to the end that I might the more easily obtainthe pardon of my innumerable sins, I desired for myprotectress and patroness, the most holy Mother ofGod, and Queen of Heaven, who, without difficulty,obtains from her beloved Son whatsoever she requests.In conclusion, having reposed all my hope in the infinitemerits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, beingencompassed with this protection, I enjoyed a greatersatisfaction, in the midst of this raging tempest,than when I was wholly delivered from the danger.

“In very truth, being, as I am, the worst ofall men, I am ashamed to have shed so many tears ofjoy, through an excess of heavenly pleasure, whenI was just upon the point of perishing: insomuch,that I humbly prayed our Lord, that he would not freeme from the danger of my shipwreck, unless it wereto reserve me for greater dangers, to his own gloryand his service. For what remains, God has oftenshewn me, by an inward discovery, from how many perilsand sufferings I have been delivered, by the prayersand sacrifices of those of the society, both suchas labour here on earth, and such who enjoy the fruitsof their labours in the heavens. When I haveonce begun the mention of our society, I can neverleave; but the departure of the vessels constrainsme to break off: and behold what I have judgedmost proper for the conclusion of my letter.If I ever forget thee, O Society of Jesus, let myright hand be unprofitable to me, and may I even forgetthe use of it! Si oblitus unquam fuero tui, SocietasJesu, oblivioni detur dextera meu. I prayour Lord Jesus Christ, that since, during the courseof this miserable life, he has gathered us into hissociety, he would reunite us in a blessed eternity,in the company of saints, who behold him in his glory.”

After he had written these letters, and given sometime to the service of his neighbour, he took theway of Comorine, doubled the Cape a second time, andarrived at the coast of Fishery. The Paravas,who were his first children in Jesus Christ, wereoverjoyed at the sight of their saint, and good Father,as they called him. All the villages came to meethim, singing the Christian doctrine, and praising Godfor his return. The satisfaction of the saintwas not less than theirs: but above all thingshis consolation was unspeakable to see the number ofChristians so much augmented, by the labours of hisbrethren. There were in that place many of thesociety, of whom the chief were Antonio Criminal, FrancisHenriquez, and Alphonso Cyprian; for Father Xavierhaving written from Amboyna for the greatest numberof missioners whom they could spare, towards the cultivationof those new plants at the coast of Fishery, all thosewho came from Portugal, after his own arrival in theIndies, went thither, excepting the three who wentto the Moluccas, and two who stayed at Goa, for theinstruction of the youth.

The fervency of those new converts did not less edifyXavier than their number. In visiting a certainvillage, they shewed him a young man, a native ofthe country, who, having embarked in company of a Portuguese,had been cast, by tempest, on the coast of Malabar.The Saracens, who inhabit that place, having murderedthe Portuguese, would have forced his companion torenounce his faith. Thereupon they brought himinto a mosque, where they promised him great storeof money and preferments, in case he would forsakethe law of Jesus Christ, and take up that of their

prophet Mahomet. But seeing their promises couldnot prevail, they threatened him with death, and heldtheir naked weapons over his head to fright him; butneither could they shake his resolution with thatdreadful spectacle: then they loaded him withirons, and used him with extraordinary cruelty, tilla Portuguese captain, informed of it, came suddenlyupon them with a troop of soldiers, and rescued theyoung man out of their hands. Xavier embracedhim many times, and blessed Almighty God, that hisfaith was imprinted so lively in the heart of a barbarian.He heard also, with great satisfaction, of the constancyof some slaves, who, having fled from the houses oftheir Portuguese masters, and living amongst Gentiles,far from being corrupted with the superstitions ofthe Infidels, complied exactly with the obligationsof their baptism, and lived in a most religious manner.It was reported to him of these slaves, that whenany of them died, they suffered not his body to beburnt, according to the custom of the Pagans, neitherwould they leave it without sepulture; but buriedit according to the ceremonies of the church, andset up a cross over the grave.

Though these infidels, whom they served, did not hinderthem from continuing in Christianity, and that everyone of them in particular was resolved to perseverein his faith, even in the midst of idolatry, yet theyhad a longing desire to return into the company ofthe faithful, where they might be supplied with thosespiritual succours which they wanted, and lead a lifeyet more conformable to their belief: so thatas soon as they had the news of Father Xavier’sreturn, who had baptized the greatest part of them,they came to desire him, that he would make theirpeace with their masters, whom they had left to freethemselves from slavery, and declared, that they werecontent once more to lose their liberty in prospectof the salvation of their souls. Xavier receivedthem with open arms, as his well-beloved children,and afterwards obtained their pardon.

After he had visited all the villages, he made somestay at Manapar, which is not far distant from CapeComorine. As the only end which he proposed tohimself, was to plant the gospel in the Indies, andthat in order to it he must there establish the society,he began to regulate all things according to the principles,and in the spirit of Father Ignatius, general of theorder. Having reassembled all the labourers inthe gospel of that coast, he examined their severaltalents and virtues, in familiar conversation withthem, by causing them to give an account of what passedbetwixt God and them in their own hearts. Afterhe had assigned to each of them the places which weremost convenient for them, both in regard of theirbodily strength, and of their spiritual endowments,he constituted Father Antonio Criminal superior ofall the rest: and to the end they might be morecapable of serving that people, he ordered every one

of them, with all possible care, to apply himselfto the study of the Malabar language, which obtainsthrough all that coast. Upon this account, hecommanded Father Francis Henriquez to reduce that tongueinto the rules of art, and to compose an exact grammarof it, according to the method of the Greek and Latingrammars. The work seemed impossible, especiallyto one who was newly come from Europe, and who hadlittle knowledge in the Indian tongues; neverthelessHenriquez compassed it in a small time, which wasapparently a miracle of obedience. In the meanwhile, Xavier judging that the exposition of the Christiandoctrine, which he had made for those of Molucca,might be of use to his dear Paravas, ordered a Malabarpriest, who was well versed in the Portuguese, totranslate it into his own language. But to theend 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 wordof mouth, he gave them the following rules in writing.

In the first place, “Wherever the lot of yourministry shall fall, be mindful of baptising infantsnewly born, and perform it yourselves, without trustingthe care of it to any other person: there is nothingat present of more importance. Do not wait tillthe parents bid you come; as they may easily neglectit, it behoves you to run through all the villages,to enter into the houses, and to christen all the infantsyou can find.

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

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

“When you come to any place, you shall informyourselves what quarrels are stirring in it, and whoare the parties; after which, you shall endeavourto reconcile them. These reconciliations are tobe made in the church; where it will be fitting toassemble all the women on Saturdays, as the men onSundays.

“When the Malabar priest shall have translatedthe exposition of the creed, you shall take copiesof it, which you shall cause to be carefully readto 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 convenientfor the farther clearing it.

“Distribute to the poor those collections whichare made for them in the churches, by the charityof the congregation; and beware of taking any partof them for your own uses.

“Fail not every Saturday and Sunday to put thefaithful in mind of giving you notice when any onefalls sick, to the end you may visit them; and givethem to know, that if they do not advertise you, andthat the sick person dies, you will not allow himburial amongst Christians, in punishment of theirneglect.

“When you visit the sick, take especial carethat they repeat to you the apostles’ creedin their mother tongue. Interrogate them on everyarticle, and ask them if they believe sincerely.After this, make them say the confiteor, and the otherCatholic prayers, and then read the gospel over them.

“For the burial of the dead, you shall assemblethe children; and, coming out of the church with them,the cross being at the head of the procession, youshall sing the Christian doctrine, coming and going.You shall say the prayers of the church at the houseof the dead person, and before he is put into theground. You shall also make a short exhortationto the assembly before the corpse, upon the necessityof death, the amendment of life, and the practiceof virtue.

“You shall give notice to the men on Sunday,and to the women on Saturday, to bring their sickchildren into the church, that you may read the gospelover them for their cure; and that the parents fromthence may receive increase of faith, and respectto the temples of our Lord.

“You shall yourselves determine all litigiouscauses; 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 inhabitantsof the place. Yet I will not that these sortof affairs should take up too much of your time, northat you prefer the care of your neighbour’stemporal concernments before works of charity, whichrespect the salvation of souls; and am of opinion,that when any important business of that kind shallhappen, you should remit it to the Portuguese commandant.

“Do all things in your power to make yourselvesbeloved by those people; for by that you will be ableto do more good upon them, than by being feared.Decree no punishment against any person but by theadvice of Father Antonio Criminal; and, if the commandantof the Portuguese be present, do nothing without hisorder. In case any man or woman shall make apagod, or idol, banish them from the village, if FatherCriminal consent to it. Testify great affectionto the children who frequent the Christian schools;pardon, and wink at their faults sometimes, lest asevere usage should fright them from us.

“In presence of a Portuguese, abstain from reprovingand condemning the natives of the country who areChristians; on the contrary, commend and excuse themon all occasions; for, considering how lately theyhave embraced the faith, and what assistance is wantingto them to live like good Christians, it is only tobe admired that they are not more vicious.

“Be serviceable in all you can to the Malabarpriests, in what relates to their spiritual advantage;take care that they confess themselves, and say mass,and give good examples, and write nothing against themto any person whatsoever.

“Live so well with the Portuguese commandants,that no misunderstanding be ever perceived betwixtyou and them. For the rest of the Portuguese,use all sort of means to make them your friends:Have never any quarrel with any of them, though theyshould bring you into law, or quarrel with you withoutthe least provocation on your part. If they usethe new Christians hardly, oppose them, but with muchmildness; and, if you find your opposition may belikely to succeed, make your complaint to the Portuguesecommandant, with whom I once again beseech you neverto have any difference.

“Let your conversation with the Portuguese bealways confined to spiritual subjects; of death, ofjudgment, of purgatory, of hell, of the frequentationof sacraments, and the exact observation of God’scommandments; for, if you never speak to them but concerningthese matters, they will never rob you of those hourswhich are set apart for your function.

“Fail not to write to Goa, to the fathers andbrothers of our society, giving them an account ofthe fruit of your labours, and proposing to them whatyou think may be to the advancement of piety.You shall write also to the bishop, but with muchreverence and submission, as to the common father,and pastor-general of this new world.

“What, above all things, I recommend to you,and which I can never sufficiently repeat, is, thatwhatsoever voyage you make, and wheresoever you shallbe, you shall endeavour to gain the love of all people,by your good offices and fair demeanour, by whichmeans you will have greater opportunities for thegaining of souls, which God Almighty grant you allthe grace to do, and abide for ever with you.”

Things being thus regulated on the coast of Fishery,the Father would pass into the isle of Ceylon beforehis return to Goa. His design was to gather thefruit of that precious blood which two years beforewas shed by the king of Jafanatapan; or, at least,to see what inclination those people had to receivethe gospel, who had heheld the constancy of the martyrs.Indeed, the death of the two young princes converted,who pretended to the crown of Jafanatapan, destroyedalmost all hopes of planting Christianity in thatisle. Notwithstanding which, Xavier convertedthe king of Cande, who is one of the kings of Ceylon.After which he went to the tyrant, who had treatedthe Christians with so much cruelty, to try if hecould work him, though against all human appearances,to suffer the law of Jesus Christ to be preached inhis dominions, and to bring him also to be a Christian.

As reasons of state prevail most with princes, sothe Father represented to this infidel, that his thronecould never he established but by the arms of thePortuguese; that, if he once contracted with them astrict alliance, he had nothing farther to apprehend,either from his enemies or his subjects. Thebarbarian, who feared all things, both from withinand from without, forgetting that Don Alphonso deSosa would have made war upon him in favour of thetwo baptized princes, hearkened to the propositionsof peace, and even permitted the Father to explainto him the mysteries of the Christian faith.The instructions of the saint wrought so much uponthe tyrant, that being changed, in a very short spaceof time, he promised to embrace the faith, and labourto bring his subjects into it; offering for the pledgeof his word, to put his kingdom into the hands ofthe king of Portugal, and to pay him such tribute asshould be thought fitting, without any farther demandin his own behalf, than of two things. The onewas, that the governor of the Indies should concludea firm alliance with him, as he had clone with otherIndian kings, who had made themselves vassals to thecrown of Portugal; the other, that, in order to hinderthose revolts and troubles which might arise fromthe change of religion, he might have a company ofPortuguese soldiers, to be entertained at his owncharges.

Father Xavier, well satisfied to have thus succeededbeyond his expectations, set sail for Goa, with anambassador of the infidel king, and arrived thereon March the 20th, in the year 1548. Understandingthere, that the viceroy Don John de Castro was at Bazain,towards the gulph of Cambaya, he embarked anew, notwithstandingthat the season was improper for navigation; as judgingthat a business of such consequence could not be toosoon concluded, and that delays frequently ruined themost hopeful affairs. Castro had never seen Xavier,but all he had heard related of him, gave him an earnestlonging to behold him. He received him with allthose honours which are due to a saint at the firstmeeting, and willingly accepted what the king of Jafanatapanhad offered, on the conditions above mentioned; buthe retained for some time the man of God, both tohear him preach, and to consult him on some difficultaffairs, where the interests of state and those ofreligion were joined together.

In the mean time, he designed Antonio Monis Barreto,a man of authority, and very brave, for the garrisonof Jafanatapan, with an hundred soldiers, well disciplined,and worthy of such an officer. At the same timehe ordered a magnificent entertainment for the ambassador,who remained at Goa; and that if any of his trainwould receive baptism, no cost should be spared atthat solemnity. But the king of Jafanatapan failedafterwards in fidelity, both to God and man; and inall probability, it was that failure which drew thelast misfortunes on his person and his kingdom.

The stay which Xavier made at Bazain was not unprofitableto a young man of quality, who was much debauched,called Rodrigue Segueyra, whom he had known two yearsbefore. For Segueyra having committed a murderat Malacca, when the Father made his first voyageto the town, retired into the hospital, to avoid thepursuit of justice. There it was that the Fatherknew him, and grew into his familiarity, by his engagingways of mildness and courtesy, which always succeededwith him. When he had gained the affection ofSegueyra, he spoke to him of eternity with so muchpower, that the young gentleman entered into seriousthoughts, and made a general confession to him.Xavier, to engage him the more in the ways of goodness,and to free him from that confinement of the hospital,where his crimes had forced him to take sanctuary,made up the business with his adversaries, and obtainedhis pardon from the governor of Malacca; but seeingthe soft and dissolute manner of living in Malaccawas capable of ruining all his good intentions, headvised him to leave the Indies, and return into Europe.Segueyra, who was sensible of his own weakness, anddesired to save his soul, promised the Father to obeyhim, and put himself into a condition of executinghis promise. In effect, he took the way of Goa,with design from thence to go for Portugal. Butbeing made a receiver of the public revenues by theviceroy Don John de Castro, he thought no more ofPortugal, but relapsed into his first debauches.

Xavier was wholly lost to his remembrance when hehappened to meet him at Bazain. The sight ofthe Father surprised him at first, and almost confoundedhim; but straight recovering, he came up boldly tohim, and took his hand, to have kissed it accordingto his former custom. The Father, as courteousand civil as he was, yet thrust him back sternly enough;yet, mollifying himself a little, “How, my son,”said he, “are you still in the Indies? Were you not advised to leave Malacca, and returnto Portugal?”

The Portuguese, in great disorder, and not knowinghow to excuse himself, laid all the blame upon thegovernor, who had detained him, in some sort, againsthis will. “But,” replied Xavier, witha holy indignation, “is it the governor whohas obliged you to lead the life of a beast, and tocontinue for two years without going to confession?However it be,” continued the Father, “know,that we two shall never be well with one another,so long as you are upon ill terms with God.”At these words, Segueyra, pierced with a lively sorrow,asked pardon of the Father for his breach of promise,and his unfaithfulness to the Divine Grace. Heconfessed himself the same day; and wholly changedhis life, under his direction, whom God had sent tobring him back into a better way.

Don John de Castro, who was desirous of profitingby the Father’s counsels for the regulationof his own life, would have been glad to have retainedhim longer; but, seeing him resolved on going, gavehim leave to depart; yet, begging him at the sametime, that he would pass the winter at Goa, that,after his own return thither, he might use his assistancein the affairs of his conscience.

The Father returned very seasonably for the good ofCosmo de Torrez, a Spanish priest, and native of Valentia,one of the greatest wits, and most knowing personsof that age. Torrez was embarked on the fleetwhich came from Mexico to the Molucca islands; andwhich having sailed over so many seas to little purpose,stayed at Amboyna, as we have already related.He there met Xavier, and was so charmed with his mannerof life, that he had thoughts of becoming his disciple.But, besides that the labours which are inseparablefrom the ministry apostolical somewhat shocked him,he judged, that he ought to undertake nothing but bythe counsel of the bishop of the Indies; insomuch,that he left Amboyna without forming any resolution,and even without opening himself to Father Xavier.

When the Spanish fleet was arrived at Goa, he presentedhimself to the bishop, who, being in want of spiritualsubstitutes, gave him one of the chief vicariats ofhis diocese. Torrez was of opinion, that God requirednothing farther of him; and for the space of four orfive months, performed all the functions of that office,which the bishop had given him in charge. Butthe continual disquiets of his soul rendered him suspiciousof his own condition, and brought him to believe, thatGod had punished him, for not following the new apostleof the East.

Being one day much troubled in his mind, he went tothe college of St Paul, and opened himself to FatherLancilotti, desiring him to unfold to him the natureof that institute, with which he was so much taken,by seeing Father Xavier at Amboyna. As some interiormotions had of late pushed him on to the performanceof somewhat that was great, and of suffering all thingsfor the glory of Jesus Christ, he found the instituteof Ignatius so conformable to the present dispositionsof his soul, that, without farther balancing the matter,he was resolved to go through the spiritual exercises,to fit himself for the change of his condition.From the second day, he received such light, and somuch comfort from above, that he believed himselfin heaven already. He could not sufficientlyadmire, that those plain and easy truths, which hehad often read without any taste of them, should makesuch lively impressions in him, as now they did.And he discovered this to Lancilotti, with expressionsfull of astonishment. Nevertheless, being affrightedat the prospect of a perpetual engagement, and perhapstempted by the devil, he could not settle to it, andwas every day more and more irresolute.

Xavier arrived just at that point of time. Hehad scarcely seen Torrez, when behold a man, fixedon the sudden, and resolved, and pressing to be receivedamongst the children of Ignatius. The apostlereceived him, and took pains himself to form him,according to the spirit of the society. He alsoadmitted some Portuguese, who had great talents forthe mission, and were inflamed with the zeal of souls.

They lived together in the college of St Paul, wherethat fervour reigned, not only amongst the Jesuits,but also amongst those of the seminary, whose numberincreased daily. The Japonese, Anger, was amongstthem, leading a most regular life, and breathing afterthat baptism, which had been deferred till the returnof the holy man.

Xavier did not satisfy himself with having instructedhim anew; he consigned him over to the care of Torrez,who fully explained to him all the mysteries of faith.Anger, with his two servants, who received the sameinstruction, were at length solemnly baptized, on Whitsunday,by the bishop of Goa, Don John d’Albuquerque;so that the church began to take possession of themost remote nation in the world, on the same day ofPentecost, when the Holy Spirit, descending on theapostles, gave them their mission to carry the gospelto all the people of the earth.

Anger was desirous to be named Paul de Sainte Foi,in memory of the college belonging to the Societyof Jesus, where he had received the particular knowledgeof the divine law, which was sometimes called theCollege of St Paul, and sometimes the Seminary of theHoly Faith. One of his servants took the nameof John, and the other of Anthony. In receivingbaptism, he received the peace of soul which he nevercould obtain before; and writ word of it to Rome,the same year, in a letter to Father Ignatius, datedNovember the 25th.

But to the end, that the new converts might have thetrue principles of Christian morality, and that theirbehaviour might be answerable to their belief, FatherXavier intrusted Torrez with giving them the spiritualexercises of the society.

During the thirty days that these Japonians were inretirement, it is not to be expressed, what celestialilluminations, what holy thoughts, what interior delights,the Holy Spirit infused into them. Anger couldspeak of nothing but of God; and spoke of Him withso much fervency, that it seemed even to burn himup. The mystery of the passion moved him aboveall the rest; and he was so ravished with the goodnessof God, so possessed with love, in considering a Godcrucified, that he breathed nothing but martyrdom,and the salvation of his brethren. So that hewas often heard to cry out, in the midst of his devotions,“How glad should I be to die for thee, O myGod! O my dear Japonians, how much are you tobe lamented, and what compassion do you raise in me!”

The master and servants came out of their retirementwith so much ardour, that Xavier wrote into Europe,that he was animated by their example to the serviceof God, and that he could not look on them withoutblushing at his own cowardice.

In conversing with them, he understood what he hadformerly learnt by hearsay, from George Alvarez, andother Portuguese, that the empire of Japan was oneof the most populous in the world; that the Japonesewere naturally curious, and covetous of knowledge,and withal docible, and of great capacity; that beinggenerally ingenious, and very rational, if they wereinstructed in the morals of Christianity, they wouldeasily submit to them; and that, if the preachersof the gospel lived according to gospel rules, thewhole nation would subject itself to the yoke of JesusChrist, not perhaps so readily at first, but in processof time, and after clearing of their doubts.

There needed no more to induce Xavier to carry thefaith into Japan. The mildness, the civility,and the good parts of the three baptized Japonians,made him conceive a high opinion of all the rest; andthe Portuguese merchants newly returned from Japan,confirmed it so fully to him, that in these threehe had the pattern of the whole nation, that he doubtednot, but that the Christian religion would make anadmirable progress there. But that which Angertold him, that there were in his country many monasteriesof Heathen priests; that some of them led their livesin solitude and contemplation; that every monasteryhad its superior, who was a person venerable for hisage and learning; that they came abroad from theirlonely abode once a week, with mortified looks, anduncouth habits, to preach to the people; that, in theirsermons, they drew such lively figures of hell, thatthe women wept, and cried out at those dismal representations:All this, I say, appeared to Xavier as so many doorsand inlets for the faith; and he praised God, that,by the admirable conduct of his providence, whichsecretly manages the salvation of men, the spiritof lies had thus prepared the ways for the spirit oftruth.

He adored also the wisdom of the same Providence,which, taking the occasion of a man who fled fromjustice, and sought repose for his troubled conscience,had led three Japonians from their native country,and brought them to Goa, that they might serve forguides to a missioner; but, that these guides mightbe the more serviceable, he thought fit they shouldlearn to read and write in the Portuguese language.Anger, whom from henceforth we shall name Paul deSainte Foy, was easily instructed in all they taughthim; for, besides that he was of a quick and livelyapprehension, he had so happy a memory, that he gotby heart almost all the gospel of St Matthew, whichFather Cosmo de Torrez had expounded to him beforehis baptism.

In the mean time, Don John de Castro was rigging outa fleet, with design to possess himself of Aden, oneof the strongest towns of Arabia Felix, and situatedat the foot of a high mountain, which reached evento the sea by a narrow tongue of earth. Thisport is of great importance to shut up the passageof the Indies to the Turks and Saracens, who go thitherby the Red Sea; and from this consideration it was,that Albuquerque the Great endeavoured to have masteredit in the year 15_13_, but the vigorous resistanceof the Achenois forced him to forsake the siege.After that time, they were desirous, of their own accord,to have delivered it up to the Portuguese, therebyto free themselves from the tyranny of the Turks.Yet it was not then done, through the fault of a captaincalled Soarez, who, having no orders to take possessionof the town, was so weak a politician as to refuseit when it was offered to the crown of Portugal.

That people, whom the Turk used worse than ever, testifiedthe same inclination under the government of Castro;and it was on that occasion that he sent a fleet towardsthe Strait of Mecca, under the command of his sonAlvarez de Castro. Eight foysts of Goa, full ofsoldiers, set out for the expedition of Aden.Amongst these there was one very brave fellow, renownedfor his military actions, but blackened with all sortsof crimes, and more infamous by his debauched manners,than known by his valour. He seemed a kind ofsavage beast, who had no more of man in him than thebare figure, nor any thing of a Christian besides thename. Above eighteen years he had abstained fromconfession; and that he once presented himself tothe bishop of Goa, was less to reconcile himself toGod, than to take off the imputation of being eithera Mahometan or an idolater.

Father Xavier had cast an eye upon this wretch, andwaited only an opportunity to labour in so difficulta conversion. Understanding that this soldierwas embarking on one of the foysts, which were goingto join the fleet, he went out of the college of StPaul, at the first notice of it, taking nothing withhim besides his breviary, and entered into the samevessel. It was believed by those who saw the Father,that he had orders from the viceroy to accompany hisson Alvarez; and every one was glad of it, exceptingonly he, for whose sake he came. He drew nearthe soldier, and when they had weighed anchor, beganto make acquaintance with him, and grew familiar tothat degree, that the rest of the soldiers, who wereless debauched, could not sufficiently admire it; andsome of them said of Xavier, what a Pharisee said formerlyof our Lord, “If this man were indeed a prophet,he would discern what manner of man he was, in whomhe takes so much delight.”

These discourses did not at all daunt the Father.He saw his soldier playing whole nights together,for he was a great gamester. He took no noticeof his extravagancies, and sometimes heard him swearwithout seeming to regard it. Only one day hesaid to him, that gaming required a composed spirit,and if he took not the better heed, that passion, whichhe had in play, would make him lose.

The soldier, brutal as he was, grew insensibly tohave a kindness for a man, who was so much concernedin his advantages, and took pleasure in hearing himdiscourse not only of war, and sea affairs, but alsoof religion and morality. In conclusion, he madesome reflections on the horror of his life, and felteven some remorse of conscience for it. Beingone day together with the Father, in a private partof the ship, Xavier asked him, to whom he had confessedhimself before he went on shipboard? “AhFather,” said the soldier, “I have notbeen at confession these many years!” “Andwhat do you imagine would become of you,” saidthe holy man, “supposing you should be killedin this action, and in the condition you now are?”

“I would once have confessed myself,” repliedthe soldier, “at least for fashion and decency,but the vicar of Goa would not so much as hear me,but told me I was a reprobate, and deserved nothingbut hell-fire.” “The vicar was, inmy opinion,” said Xavier, “somewhat toosevere, to treat you in that manner. He had perhapshis reasons for that usage, and I have mine to treatyou otherwise. For indeed the mercies of ourLord are infinite, and God would have us as indulgentto our brethren, as he himself is to us. Thus,when the sins, of which you find yourself guilty,are a thousand times more numerous and more cryingthan they are, I shall have the patience to hear themall, and shall make no difficulty of giving you absolution,provided you take those thoughts and resolutions whichI shall endeavour to infuse into you.”

By these words he brought the soldier to a generalconfession. He disposed him for it, by causinghim to recal into his memory his past life, and drawinghim into the particulars of those sins, which a manof his character and profession might possibly havecommitted. While they were upon these terms,the ship cast anchor at the port of Ceylon for refreshment.Many of the fleet went on shore, and, amongst the rest,the Father and the soldier. They went togetherto a wild solitary place; there the soldier made hisconfession with abundance of tears, resolved to expiatehis crimes, with whatsoever penance the Father shouldenjoin him, were it never so rigorous. But hisconfessor gave him only a paternoster and an ave tosay. Whereat the penitent being much amazed,“from whence proceeds it, my Father,” saidhe, “that, being so great a sinner as I am,you have given me so light a penance?” “Becontent,” answered Xavier; “O my son,we shall appease the divine justice:” andat the same instant, he withdrew into a wood, whilethe soldier performed his penance. There he didwhat he had formerly done on the like occasion:he bared his shoulders, and disciplined himself sorigorously, that the soldier heard the noise of thestrokes, and came running to him, beholding the Fatherall in blood; and rightly judging what was the motiveof so strange an action, he snatched the disciplineout of his hands, and crying out, “it was thecriminal who ought to endure the punishment, and notthe innocent to bear the pains of sin;” he immediatelystripped himself, and chastised his body with all hisstrength. Xavier oftentimes embraced him, anddeclared, that it was for his sake alone that he cameon shipboard. So having given him wholesome admonitionsto confirm him in the grace of God, he left him, andreturned to Goa in the first vessel which went outof the port where they made the stay. As forthe soldier, he followed the fleet; and after theexpedition of Aden was ended, he entered into religion,chusing one of the most austere orders, where he livedand died in extraordinary holiness.

Not long after the Father was returned to Goa, thegovernor Don John de Castro returned also; but veryill of a hectic fever, which had been consuming himfor some months before. Finding himself in a dailydecay of health and strength, and doubting not theend of his life was near approaching, he quite laidaside all business, and substituted others to supplyhis place; after which his thoughts were wholly employedon death, and the great concernments of eternity.He had many long conversations with Father Xavieron that subject, and refused to see any one but him.During these transactions, a ship which came from Lisbonbrought letters to the viceroy from the king of Portugal,who gave great praises to his management, and continuedhim for three years longer in the government of theIndies. As Don John was much beloved, so on thisoccasion public rejoicings were made over all thetown. But the sick viceroy, hearing the dischargeof the artillery, and seeing almost from his bed thebonfires that were made, could not forbear laughingat it, though he was almost in the agonies of death.“How deceitful and ridiculous is this world,”said he, “to present us with honours of threeyears continuance, when we have but a moment moreto live!” The Father assisted him, even to thelast drawing of his breath; and had the consolationto behold a great man of this world, expiring withthe thoughts of a saint in holy orders.

Xavier being master of himself, in some manner, afterthe disease of Don John de Castro, who had desiredhim not to stir from Goa, during the winter, had thoughtsof visiting once more the coast of Fishery beforehis voyage to Japan; his resolutions of which, he hadnot hitherto declared. But the incommoditiesof the season hindered him; for at one certain timethe sands so choke up the channels of the isle, thatno ship can either go out of the port, or enter intoit.

In waiting until the navigation became free, the saintapplied himself particularly to the exercises of aspiritual Life, as it were to recover new strengthafter his past labours, according to the custom ofapostolical men, who, in the communications which theyhave with God, refresh themselves after the painswhich they have taken with their neighbour.

Then it was, that, in the garden of Saint Paul’scollege, sometimes in walking, at other times in retiringinto a little hermitage, which was there set up, hecried out, “It is enough, O my Lord, it is enough!”and that he opened his cassock before his breast,to give a little air to those flames which burnt withinhim, by which he declared, that he was not able tosupport the abundance of heavenly consolations; andat the same time gave us to understand, that he wouldhave rather chosen to suffer any torments for theservice of God, than to have enjoyed all those spiritualdelights; so that his true meaning, was a prayer toGod, that he would please to reserve for him thosepleasures in another life, and in the mean time, wouldnot spare, to inflict on him any pains or sufferingsin this present world.

These interior employments did not hinder him fromthe labours of his ministerial vocation, nor fromsuccouring the distressed in the hospitals and prisons.On the contrary, the more lively and ardent the loveof God was in him, the more desirous He was to bringit forth, and kindle it in others. His charitycaused him often to relinquish the quiet of solitude,and the delights of prayer; therein following the principleof his Father Ignatius, that it was necessary to forsakeGod for God.

The season began to be more moderate, and Xavier wasdisposing himself to set sail for the Cape of Comorine,when a Portuguese vessel arrived from Mozambique,which brought in her live missioners of the society.The most considerable of these missioners, and offive others which came along with the fleet, was CasparBarzaeus, a Fleming by nation. Father Francishad already heard speak of him, as an excellent labourer,and a famous preacher; but his presence, and thetestimony of all the ship, gave the saint such greatideas of his merit, that he looked on him from thenceforwardas an apostle of the eastern countries.

He passed five days with these new companions, onthe fourth of which he caused Father Gaspar to preachbefore him, that he might see his talent for the pulpit;and discovered in him all the qualities of a perfectpreacher. Many Portuguese gentlemen, who had beenmuch edified by the virtues and conversation of Barzaeusduring all the navigation, which had been exceedingdangerous, came and fell at the feet of Xavier, desiringthat he would please to receive them into the society.The captain of the ship, and the governor of one ofthe chief citadels, which the Portuguese enjoy inIndia, were of the number. He admitted some ofthem before his departure, and deferred the rest tillhis return; but he would that all of them should performthe spiritual exercises of Father Ignatius.

At length Xavier embarked, on the 9th of September,for the fishing coast. There he comforted andconfirmed the faithful, who were continually persecutedby the Badages, those mortal and irreconcileable enemiesof the Christian name. He also encouraged thegospel labourers of the society, who, for the samereason, went in daily hazard of their lives.Having understood, that Father Francis Henriquez, whocultivated the Christianity of Travancore, was somewhatdissatisfied, and believed he lost his time, becausesome of those new converts, shaken either by the promisesor threatenings of a new king, who hated the Christians,had returned to their former superstitions, he writhim letters of consolation, desiring him to be ofgood courage, and assuring him, that his labours weremore profitable than he imagined; that when all thefruit of his zeal should be reduced to the little childrenwho died after baptism, God would be well satisfiedof his endeavours, and that, after all, the salvationof one only soul ought to comfort a missioner for allhis pains; that God accounted with us for our goodintentions; and that a servant of his was never tobe esteemed unprofitable, who laboured in his vineyardwith all his strength, whatever his success might prove.

Father Xavier was not content to have fortified themissioners, both by word and writing, in his own person;he desired of Father Ignatius, that he would alsoencourage them with his epistles, and, principally,that he would have the goodness to write to HenryHenriquez, a man mortified to the world, and laboriousin his ministry.

Having ordered all things in the coast of Fishery,he returned by Cochin, where he staid two months;employing himself, without ceasing, in the instructionof little children, administering to the sick, andregulating the manners of that town. After whichhe went to Bazain, there to speak with the deputy-governorof the Indies, Don Garcia de Saa, whom Don John deCastro had named, upon his death-bed, to supply hisplace. The Father was desirous to obtain hisletters of recommendation to the governor of Malacca,that, in virtue of them, his passage to Japan mightbe made more easy.

It is true, the news he received, that the Chinese,ill satisfied with the Portuguese, had turned themout of their country, seemed to have broken all hismeasures, because it was impossible to arrive at theisles of Japan, by the way of Malacca, without touchingat some port of China; but it is the property of apostolicalzeal, to make no account of those seeming impossibilities,which appear in the greatest undertakings.

When Xavier was come back to Goa, and it was knownthat he designed a voyage to Japan, his friends madeuse of all their endeavours to divert him from it.They first set before him the length of the way, whichwas thirteen hundred leagues; the certain and inevitabledangers to which he must expose his life, not onlyby reason of pirates, which continually infest thoseseas, and murder all who come into their hands, butalso for the rocks, unknown to the most skilful pilots,and of certain winds called Typhons, which reign fromChina even to Japan, in a vast extent of sea.They said, “That those impetuous hurricanes wereused to whirl a vessel round, and founder it at thesame moment; or else drive it with fury against therocks, and split it in a thousand pieces.”They added, “If, by miracle, he should happento escape the pirates, and avoid the tempests, yethe could promise no manner of safety to himself inthe ports of China, from whence the Portuguese wereexpelled; and, for what remained, if he were possessedwith an unsatiable zeal, there were other vast kingdomsof the East, where the light of the gospel had notshone; that even in the neighbourhood of Goa therewere isles remaining, and territories, of idolaters:that he might go thither in God’s name, andleave the thoughts of those remote islands, which natureseemed to have divided from the commerce of mortals;and where the power of the Portuguese not being established,Christianity could not be able to maintain itselfa*gainst the persecution of the Pagans.”

Xavier was so well persuaded that God would have himtravel to Japan, that he would not listen, to thereasons of his friends. He laughed at their fears,and told them, “That perhaps he should not bemore unfortunate than George Alvarez, or Alvarez Vaz,who had performed the voyage of Japan, in spite ofall those pirates, and those hurricanes, with whichthey would affright him.” This he said smiling;after which, resuming a serious air, “Verily,”said he, “I am amazed that you would endeavourto hinder me from going for the good of souls, whitheryou yourselves would go out of the sordid considerationof a small transitory gain; and must plainly tellyou, I am ashamed of your little faith. But Iam ashamed for myself, that you have prevented me ingoing thither first, and cannot bear that a merchantshould have more courage than a missioner.”In conclusion, he told them, “That having sooften experienced the care of Providence, it wouldbe an impiety to distrust it; that it had not preservedhim from the swords of the Badages, and the poisonsof the Isle del Moro, to abandon him in other dangers;that India was not the boundary of his mission; butthat in coming thither, his design had always been,to carry the faith even to the utmost limits of theworld.”

He then wrote to Father Ignatius, to give him an accountof his intended voyage, and of the thoughts of hisheart concerning it. “I cannot expressto you,” said he, “with what joy I undertakethis long voyage. For it is all full of extremedangers; and he, who out of four ships can preserveone, thinks he has made a saving voyage. Thoughthese perils are surpassing all I have hitherto proved,yet I am not discouraged a jot the more from my undertaking;so much the Lord has been pleased to fix it in mymind, that the cross shall produce great fruits inthose countries, when once it shall be planted there.”

He wrote at the same time to Father Simon Rodriguez,and some passages of the letter well describe thedisposition of the holy man. “There arearrived here some ships from Malacca, who confirm thenews, that all the ports of China are armed, and thatthe Chinese are making open war with Portugal; whichnotwithstanding, my resolutions still continue forJapan; for I see nothing more sweet or pleasing inthis world, than to live in continual dangers of death,for the honour of Jesus Christ, and for the interestsof the faith. It being indeed the distinguishingcharacter of a Christian, to take more pleasure inthe hardships of the cross, than in the softness ofrepose.”

The apostle, being upon the point of his departurefor Japan, established Father Paul de Camerine, superior-generalin his place, and Father Antonio Gomez, rector ofthe seminary at Goa. At the same time he prescribedrules to both of them, in what manner they should livetogether, and how they should govern their inferiors.

Behold, in particular, what he recommended to FatherPaul: “I adjure you,” said he, “bythe desire you have to please our Lord, and by thelove you bear to Father Ignatius, and all the society,to treat Gomez, and all our fathers and brothers,who are in the Indies, with much mildness; not orderingthem to do any thing without mature deliberation,and in modest terms, without any thing of haughtinessor violence. Truly, considering the knowledgeI have of all the labourers of the society, at thispresent day employed in the new world, I may easilyconclude, they have no need of any superior; nevertheless,not to bereave them of the merit of obedience, andbecause the order of discipline so requires, I havethought convenient to set some one above the rest,and have chosen you for that purpose, knowing, asI do, both your modesty and your prudence. Itremains that I command and pray you, by that voluntaryobedience which you have vowed to our Father Ignatius,to live so well with Antonio Gomez, that the leastappearance of misunderstanding betwixt you may beavoided, nay, and even the least coldness; but, onthe contrary, that you may he always seen in a holyunion, and conspiring, with all your strength, tothe common welfare of the church.

“If our brethren, who are at Comorine in theMoluccas, or otherwhere, write to you, that you wouldobtain any favour for them from the bishop or theviceroy, or demand any spiritual or temporal suppliesfrom you, leave all things, and employ yourselvesentirely to effect what they desire. For thoseletters which you shall write to those unwearied labourers,who bear the heat and burden of the day, beware thatthere be nothing of sharpness or dryness in them;rather be careful of every line, that even every wordmay breathe nothing but tenderness and sweetness.

“Whatsoever they shall require of you for theirdiet, their clothing, for their preservation of health,or towards their recovery of it, furnish them liberallyand speedily; for it is reasonable you should havecompassion on them, who labour incessantly, and withoutany human consolation. What I have said, pointschiefly to the missioners of Comorine and the Moluccas.Their mission is the most painful, and they oughtto be refreshed, lest they sink under the burden ofthe cross. Do then in such manner, that theymay not ask you twice for necessaries. They arein the battle, you are in the camp; and, for my ownpart, I find those duties of charity so just, so indispensible,that I am bold to adjure you in the name of God, andof our Father Ignatius, that you would perform yourduties with all exactness, with all diligence, andwith all satisfaction imaginable.”——

Father Xavier, since his return, had sent NicholasLancilotti to Coulan, Melchier Gonzales to Bazain,and Alphonso Cyprian to Socotora. Before hisdeparture, he sent Gasper Barzaeus to Ormuz, with onecompanion, who was not yet in orders. This famoustown, situate at the entry of the Persian Gulph, wasthen full of enormous vices, which the mingle of nationsand different sects had introduced. The sainthad thoughts of going thither himself, to preparethe way for other missioners; according to his ownmaxims, to send none of the priests to any place, whichhe knew not first by his own experience. Butthe voyage of Japan superseded that of Ormuz.

How great soever his opinions were of the prudenceand virtue of Father Gasper, yet he thought fit togive him in writing some particular instructions,to help him in the conduct of that important mission.I imagine those instructions would not be unpleasingto the reader; I am sure, at least, they will notbe unprofitable to missioners; and for that reasonI shall make a recital of them. You shall beholdthem, neither altered, nor in that confusion whichthey are in other authors; but faithfully translatedfrom the copy of a manuscript extant in the archivesof Goa.

“1. Above all things, have care of perfectingyourself, and of discharging faithfully what you oweto God, and your own conscience. For by thismeans you will become most capable of serving yourneighbour, and of gaining souls. Take pleasurein the most abject employments of your ministry; that,by exercising them, you may acquire humility, and dailyadvance in that virtue.

“Be sure yourself to teach the ignorant thoseprayers, which every Christian ought to have by heart;and lay not on any other person an employment so littleostentatious Give yourself the trouble of hearingthe children and slaves repeat them word by word afteryou. Do the same thing to the children of theChristian natives of the country: they who beholdyou thus exercised, will be edified by your modesty;and as modest persons easily attract the esteem ofothers, they will judge you proper to instruct themselvesin the mysteries of the Christian religion.

“You shall frequently visit the poor in thehospitals, and from time to time exhort them to confessthemselves, and to communicate; giving them to understand,that confession is the remedy for past sins, and thecommunion a preservative against relapses; that bothof them destroy the cause of the miseries of whichthey complain, by reason that the ills they suffer,are only the punishment of their offences. Onthis account, when they are willing to confess, youshall hear their confessions, with all the leisureyou can afford them. After this care taken oftheir souls, you are not to be unmindful of theirbodies; but recommend the distressed, with all diligenceand affection, to the administrators of the hospital,and procure them, by other means, all relief withinyour power.

“You shall also visit the prisoners, and excitethem to make a general confession of their lives.They have more need than others to be stirred up toit, because among that sort of people there are fewto be found, who ever made an exact confession.Pray the Brotherhood of Mercy to have pity on thosewretches, and labour with the judges for their enlargement;in the mean time, providing for the most necessitous,who oftentimes have not wherewithal to subsist.

“You shall serve, and advance what lies in you,the Brotherhood of Mercy. If you meet with anyrich merchants, who possess ill-gotten goods, andwho, being confessed, are willing to restore that whichappertains not to them, though of themselves theyentrust you with the money for restitutions, whenthey are ignorant to whom it is due, or that theircreditors appear not—remit all those sumsinto the hands of the Brotherhood of Mercy, even thoughyou know of some necessitous persons, on whom suchcharities might be well employed.

“Thus you shall not expose yourself to be deceivedby those wicked men, who affect an air of innocenceand poverty, and who cannot so easily surprise theBrotherhood, whose principal application is to distinguishbetwixt counterfeits and those who are truly indigent.

“And, besides, you will gain the more leisurefor those functions, which are yours in a more especialmanner, which are devoted to the conversion of souls,and shall employ your whole time therein, some of whichmust otherwise be taken up in the distribution ofalms, which cannot be performed without much troubleand distraction. In fine, by this means, youshall prevent the complaints and suspicions of a sortof people who interpret all things in the worst meaning,and who might perhaps persuade themselves, that, underthe pretence of paying other men’s debts, youdivert the intention of the money given, and employin your own uses some part of what was entrusted withyou.

“Transact in such manner, with secular persons,with whom you have familiarity or friendship, as ifyou thought they might one day become your enemies:by this management of yourself, you will neither donor say any thing of which you may have reason torepent you, and with which they may upbraid you intheir passion. We are obliged to these precautions,by the sons of a corrupt generation, who are continuallylooking on the children of light with mistrustfuland malignant eyes.

“You ought not to have less circ*mspection inwhat relates to your spiritual advancement; and assureyourself you shall make a great progress in contemningof yourself, and in union with God, if you regulateall your words and actions by prudence. The Examen,which we call particular, will assist you much init. Fail not of doing it twice a day, or onceat least, according to our common method, whatsoeverbusiness you have upon your hands.

“Preach to the people the most frequently thatyou can, for preaching is an universal good; and amongstall evangelical employments, there is none more profitable:but beware of advancing any doubtful propositions,on which the doctors are divided: take for thesubject of your sermons clear and unquestionable truths,which tend of themselves to the regulation of manners:set forth the enormity of sin, by setting up that infiniteMajesty which is offended by the sinner: imprintin souls a lively horror of that sentence, which shallbe thundered out against reprobates at the last judgment:represent, with all the colours of your eloquence,those pains which the damned are eternally to suffer.In fine, threaten with death, and that with suddendeath, those who neglect their salvation; and who,having their conscience loaded with many sins, yetsleep in security, as if they had no cause of fear.

“You are to mingle with all these considerationsthat of the cross, and the death of the Saviour ofmankind; but you are to do it in a moving patheticalmanner; by those figures which are proper to excitesuch emotions, as cause in our hearts a deep sorrowfor our sins, in the presence of an offended God,even to draw tears from the eyes of your audience.This is the idea which I wish you would propose toyourself, for preaching profitably.

“When you reprove vices in the pulpit, nevercharacterise any person, especially the chief officersor magistrates. If they do any thing which youdisapprove, and of which you think convenient to admonishthem, make them a visit, and speak to them in private,or, when they come of themselves to confession, tellthem at the sacred tribunal of penance, what you haveto say to them: but never advertise them in publicof it; for that sort of people, who are commonly proudand nice of hearing, instead of amendment by publicadmonitions, become furious, like bulls who are prickedforward by a goad: moreover, before you take uponyou to give them private admonition, be careful toenter first into their acquaintance and familiarity.

“Make your admonition either more gentle ormore strong, according as you have more or less accessto them: but always moderate the roughest partof your reproof, with the gaiety of your air, and asmiling countenance; by the civility of well-manneredwords, and a sincere protestation that all you dois but an effect of the kindness you have for them.It is good also to add respectful submissions to thepleasingness of your discourse, with tender embraces,and all the marks of that consideration and goodwillyou have for the person of him whom you thus correct.For, if a rigid countenance, and harsh language, shouldaccompany reproof, which of itself is hard of digestion,and bitter to the taste, it is not to be doubted butmen, accustomed to flatteries, will not endure it;and there is reason to apprehend, that a burst ofrage against the censor, will be all the fruit ofthe reprimand.

“For what concerns confession, behold the methodwhich I judge the fittest for these quarters of theEast, where the licence of sin is very great, andthe use of penance very rare. When a person, hardenedin a long habit of vice, shall come to confession,exhort him to take three or four days time of preparation,to examine his conscience thoroughly; and for theassistance of his memory, cause him to write down thesins which he has observed in all the, course of hislife, from his childhood to that present time.Being thus disposed, after he has made his confession,it will not be convenient that you should be too hastyin giving him absolution. But it will be profitableto him to retire two or three days, and abstain fromhis ordinary conversation and dealings with men, andto excite himself to sorrow for his sins, in considerationof the love of God, which will render his sacramentalabsolution of more efficacy to him. During thatlittle interval of retirement, you shall instruct himin the way of meditation, and shall oblige him tomake some meditations from the first week of exercises.You shall counsel him to practise some mortificationof his body; for example, to fast, or to disciplinehimself, which will help him to conceive a true sorrowfor his offences, and to shed the tears of penance.Besides this, if the penitents have enriched themselves

by sinister ways, or if, by their malicious talk,they have blasted the reputation of their neighbour,cause them to make restitution of their ill-gottengoods, and make reparations of their brethren’shonour, during the space of those three days.If they are given to unlawful love, and are now inan actual commerce of sin, cause them to break offthose criminal engagements, and forsake the occasionsof their crime. There is not any time more properto exact from sinners those duties, the performanceof which is as necessary as it is difficult; for whenonce their fervour is past away, it will be in vainto demand of them the execution of their promise; andperhaps you will have the trouble of seeing them fallback into the precipice, for want of removing themto a distance from it.

“In administering the sacrament of penance,take heed of discouraging those who begin to discoverthe wounds of their souls to you, by appearing toorashly and too hastily severe. How enormous soevertheir sins may be, hear them, not only with patience,but with mildness; help out even their bashfulness,by testifying to them your compassion, and not seemingto be amazed at what you hear. Insinuate intothem, that you have heard in confession sins of amuch more crying nature: and, lest they shoulddespair of pardon for their faults, speak to them ofthe infinite mercies of the Lord.

“When they declare a crime in such a mannerthat you may perceive they are in trouble how to speak,interrupt them, by letting them know, that their sinis not altogether so great as they may think; thatby God’s assistance you can heal the most mortalwounds of the soul; bid them go on without any apprehension,and make no difficulty of telling all. You willfind some of them, whom either the weakness of theirage or sex will hinder from revealing to you theirmost shameful sins. When you perceive that bashfulnesshas tied their tongue, be before-hand with them; and,by the way of a charitable prevention, let them know,that they are neither the first, nor the only persons,who have fallen into disorder; that those things whichthey want the confidence to tell you, are little incomparison of what you have heard from others on thesame subject. Impute some part of their offenceto the corruption of nature, to the violence of thetemptation, and to the unhappiness they had to be engagedin such occasions and pressing circ*mstances, wheretheir fall was almost unavoidable. In fine, Imust advertise you, that to remove from such personsthat unseasonable shame-facedness which keeps themsilent; from such persons, I say, whom the devil hasmade as bashful after a crime as they were impudentbefore it, it may be necessary sometimes to discoverto them, in general, the frailties of our own pastlives. For what can a true and fervent charityrefuse, for the safety of those souls who have beenredeemed with the blood of Jesus Christ! But tounderstand when this is proper to be done, how farto proceed, and with what precautions, is what theinterior spirit, and your experience, must teach you,in those particular conjunctures.

“You will ordinarily meet with some Christianswho believe not the truth of the holy sacrament ofthe altar, either by not frequenting it, or by theirconversation with Pagans, Mahometans, and Heretics,or by the scandal which is given them by some Christians,and principally (which I speak with shame and sorrow)by such priests whose life is not more holy than thatof the people. For beholding some of them approachingthe altar without any preparation, assisting at itwithout modesty and reverence, they imagine that JesusChrist is not, as we say he is, in the sacrifice ofthe mass; for if he were there present, he would neversuffer such impure hands to touch him. Make ityour business, that those misbelieving Christiansshould propose to you all their doubts, and discoverto you all their imaginations, which being known,then prove to them the real presence of Jesus Christ,by all those reasons which are capable of establishingit; and shew them, that the surest means for them tocome out of their errors, and leave their vices, isoften to approach that sacrament, with suitable preparationsto it.

“Though your penitents may be well preparedfor confession, think not, when they shall declaretheir sins, that your business is done. You mustdive into the bottom of their conscience, and, by examination,draw out of them what themselves know not. Askthen of them, by what ways, and in what manner, theymake advantage of their money; what are their principles,and what their practice, in their sales, in their borrowing,and in all their business. You shall find usuryreigning throughout their traffic; and that they whohave no stings of conscience, in relation to unjustdealings, have by indirect ways scraped together thegreatest part of their estates. But in thingswhere money has to do, many are so hardened, that,being charged with rapine, they have either no scrupleconcerning it, or so very light, that it never breakstheir sleep.

“Use particularly this method towards the governors,the treasurers, the receivers, and other officersbelonging to the revenue. Whensoever they presentthemselves before you in the sacred tribunal, interrogatethat sort of people, by what means they grow so rich?what secret they have to make their offices and employmentsbring them in such mighty sums? If they are shyof telling you, turn and wind them every way, and themost mildly that you can, make them speak, in spiteof themselves. You shall soon discover theirtricks, and secret ways of management, by which aninconsiderable number of those they call men of business,divert, to their own private advantages, what wasdesigned for the public profit. They buy up commoditieswith the king’s money, that, by selling themagain, they may be able to make up their accounts:And by taking up all the commodities in the port,they put the people upon a necessity of buying attheir price, that is, at most intolerable rates.

“Too often also, they make men languish at thetreasury, with long delays, and cunning shifts, orsome other captious trick; men, I say, to whom theexchequer is owing, that they may be driven to compoundwith those sharks of state for half their due, andlet them go off with the other half. This openrobbery, this manifest villainy, those gentlemen call,by a mollified name, ‘the fruits of their industry.’When you have squeezed out of them the confessionof these monopolies, and the like, by wire-drawingthem, with apt questions, you will come more easilyto the knowledge of their ungodly gains, and whatthey ought to make restitution of to their neighbour,in order to their being reconciled to God, than ifin general you should interrogate them concerning theirinjustice. For example, demand of them, whatpersons they have wronged? they will immediately answer,that their memory upbraids them not with wronging anyman; and behold the reason! Custom is to themin the place of law; and that which they see donebefore them every day, they persuade themselves maybe practised without sin. As if custom can authorize,by I know not what kind of prescription, that whichis vicious and criminal in its own nature. Youshall admit of no such right, but shall declare tosuch people, that if they will secure their conscience,they must restore what they possess unjustly.

“Remember especially, to obey the vicar of thebishop. When you are arrived at Ormuz, you shallgo to wait on him, and, falling on your knees beforehim, you shall humbly kiss his hand. You shallneither preach, nor exercise any other employmentof our institute, without his permission; above allthings, have no difference with him for any whatsoevercause; on the contrary, endeavour, by all submissions,and all possible services, to gain his friendship,in such sort, that he may be willing to be taughtby you, to make the meditations of our spiritual exercises,at least those of the first week. Use almostthe same method with all the other priests; if youcannot persuade them to retire for a month, accordingto our custom, engage them to a retreat of some fewdays, and fail not to visit them every day, duringthat recess, to explicate to them the subjects ofthose meditations.

“Pay a great respect to the person of the governor,and make it apparent, by the most profound submissions,how much you honour him. Beware of any differencewith him, on whatsoever occasion, even though you shouldobserve, that he performs not his duty in matters ofimportance; but after you perceive, that your demeanourhas instated you in his favour and good graces, goboldly to visit him; and after you have testified theconcernment you have for his safety and his honour,by a principle of good will to him, then declare,with all modesty and softness of expression, the sorrowyou have to see his soul and reputation endangered,by what is reported of him in the world.

“Then you shall make known to him the discourseof the people; you shall desire him to reflect onthe bad consequences of such reports; that they maypossibly be put in writing, and go farther than hewould willingly they should, if he bethinks him notin time of giving satisfaction to the public.Nevertheless, take not this upon you before you arein some sort satisfied of his good disposition, andthat it appears probable to you that your advertisem*ntmay sort to good effect.

“Be yet more cautious in charging yourself withbearing to him the complaints of particular persons;and absolutely refuse that commission, by excusingyourself on your evangelical functions, which permityou not to frequent the palaces of the great, norto attend whole days together for the favourable minutesof an audience, which is always difficult to obtain.You shall add, that when you should have the leisureto make your court, and that all the doors of thepalace were open to you at all hours, you should havelittle hopes of any fruit from your remonstrances;and that if the governor be such a man as they report,he will have small regard to you, as being no waytouched, either with the fear of God, or the dutiesof his own conscience.

“You shall employ, in the conversion of infidels,all the time you have free from your ordinary labourswhich indispensably regard Christians. Alwaysprefer those employments which are of a larger extentto those which are more narrowly confined. Accordingto that rule, you shall never omit a sermon in public,to hear a private confession; you shall not set asidethe catechising, which is appointed every day, at acertain hour, to visit any particular person, or forany good work of the like nature. For the rest,an hour before catechism, either you or your companionshall go to the places of most concourse in the town,and invite all men, with a loud voice, to come andhear the exposition of the Christian doctrine.

“You shall write, from time to time, to thecollege of Goa, what functions you exercise for theadvancement of God’s glory, what order you keepthere, and what blessing God gives on your endeavours.Have care that your relations be exact, and such thatour Fathers at Goa may send them into Europe, as somany authentic proofs of what you perform in the East,and of what success it shall please God to bestow onthe labours of our little Society. Let nothingslip into those accounts which may reasonably giveoffence to any man; nothing that may seem improbable;nothing which may not edify the reader, and give himoccasion to magnify the name of God.

“When you are come to Ormuz, I am of opinionthat you should see particularly those who are ofgreatest reputation for their probity, the most sincere,and who are most knowing in the manners of the town.From such, inform yourself exactly what vices aremost reigning in it, what sorts of cheats; enter mostinto contracts, and societies of commerce, that sounderstanding all things thoroughly and truly, youmay have your words and reasons in a readiness, toinstruct and reprove those who, being guilty of covertusuries, false bargaining, and other wicked actions,so common in a place which is filled with such a concourseof different nations, shall treat with you in familiarconversation, or in sacramental confession.

“You shall walk the streets every night, andrecommend the souls of the dead to the prayers ofthe living; but let those expressions which are usedby you be proper to move the compassion of the faithful,and to imprint the thoughts of religion in the bottomof their souls. You shall also desire their prayersto God for such as are in mortal sin, that they mayobtain the grace of coming out of so deplorable a condition.

“Endeavour at all times to make your humouragreeable: keep a gay and serene countenance,without suffering the least shadow of choler or sadnessto appear in it; otherwise those who come to visityou will never open their hearts to you, and willnot repose all that confidence in you which it isnecessary they should have, to the end they may profitby your discourse. Speak always with civilityand mildness, even in your reprehensions, as I havealready told you; and when you reprove anyone, doit with so much charity, that it may be evident thefault displeases you, and not the person.

“On Sundays and saints’ days you shallpreach at two o’clock in the afternoon, at thechurch of the Misericordia, or in the principal churchof the town; sending first your companion about thestreets, with his bell in his hand, to invite thepeople to the sermon.

“If you had not rather perform that office inyour own person, you shall carry to church that expositionof the apostles’ creed which I have put intoyour hands, and the practice, which I have composed,how to pass the day in Christian duties. Youshall give copies of that practice to those whoseconfessions you hear; and shall enjoin them, for theirholy penance, to do for certain days that which iscontained in it. By this means they shall accustomthemselves to a Christian life, and shall come todo, of their own accord, by the force of custom, thatwhich they did at the first only by the command oftheir confessor. But, foreseeing that you cannothave copies enough for so many people, I advise youto have that practice written out in a fair largehand, and expose it in some public place, that theywho are willing to make use of it may read and transcribeit at their own convenience.

“They who shall be desirous of being receivedinto the society, and whom you shall judge to be properfor it, you may send them to Goa with a letter, whichshall point out their design, and their talents forit, or else you may retain them with you. Inthis last case, after you have caused them to performthe spiritual exercises for a month together, youshall make a trial of them, in some such manner asmay edify the people without exposing them to be ridiculous.Order them, therefore, to serve the sick in the hospitals,and to debase themselves to the meanest and most distastefuloffices. Make them visit the prisoners, and teachthem how to give comfort to the miserable. Infine, exercise your novices in all the practices ofhumility and mortification; but permit them not to

appear in public in extravagant habits, which may causethem to be derided by the multitude;—sufferit not, I say, far from imposing it upon them.Engage not all the novices indifferently to those trialswhich their nature most abhors; but examine well thestrength of each, and suit their mortification totheir temper, to their education, to the advance theymake in spirituals, in such sort, that the trial maynot be unprofitable, but that it may produce its effectaccording to that measure of grace which is giventhem. If he who directs the novices has not allthese considerations, it will fall out, that they whowere capable of making a great proficiency in virtue,with good management, will lose their courage, andgo backward; and besides, those indiscreet trials,too difficult for beginners, take off the love of themaster from his novices, and cause his disciples tolessen their confidence in his directions. Inthe mean time, whoever forms young people to a religiouslife, ought to leave nothing untried to bring themto a candid and free discovery of their evil inclinations,and the suggestions of the devil, at the same momentwhen they are tempted: for without this they willnever be able to disentangle themselves from the snaresof the tempter; never will they arrive to a religiousperfection. On the contrary, those first seedsof evil being brooded over, and nourished, as I maysay, by silence, will insensibly produce most lamentableeffects; even so far, until the novices come to growweary of regular discipline, to nauseate it, and atlength throw off the yoke of Jesus Christ, and replungethemselves in the pollutions of the world.

“They amongst those young men whom you shallobserve to be most subject to vain-glory, and delightedwith sensual pleasures, and other vices, ought tobe cured in this following manner: Make them searchfor reasons, and for proofs, against those vices towhich they are inclined; and when they have foundmany, help them to compose some short discourses onthem. Cause them afterwards to pronounce thosediscourses, either to the people in the church, orin the hospitals, to those who are in a way of recovery,so as to be present at them, or in other places;—thereis reason to hope, that the things which they havefixed in their minds, by constant study and strongapplication, will be at least as profitable to themselvesas to their audience. Doubtless they will be ashamednot to profit by those remedies which they proposeto others, and to continue in those vices from whichthey endeavour to dissuade their hearers. Youshall use proportionably the same industry towardsthose sinners who cannot conquer themselves so far,as, they commonly say, to put away the occasions oftheir sin, or to make restitution of those goods whichthey have gotten unlawfully, and detain unjustly fromother men. After you have endeared yourself tothem by a familiar acquaintance, advise them to saythat to their own hearts which they would say to afriend on the like occasion, and engage, as it werefor the exercise of their parts, to devise such argumentsas condemn their actions in the person of another.

“Sometimes you will see before you, when youare seated in the tribunal of penance, men who areenslaved to their pleasures and their avarice, whomno motive of God’s love, nor thought of death,nor fear of hell, can oblige to put away a mistress,or to restore ill-gotten goods. The only meansof reducing such people, is to threaten them with themisfortunes of this present life, which are the onlyills they apprehend. Declare then to them, thatif they hasten not to appease Divine Justice, theyshall suddenly suffer considerable losses at sea, andbe ill treated by the governors; that they shall losetheir law-suits; that they shall languish many yearsin prison; that they shall be seized with incurablediseases, and reduced to extreme poverty, without anyto relieve them; in fine, that they and their posterity,becoming infamous, shall be the objects of the publichate and curses. Tell them, by way of reason forthose accidents, that no man who sets God at noughtremains unpunished; and that his vengeance is so muchthe more terrible, by how much longer his patiencehas been abused. The images of these temporalpunishments will affright those carnal men who arenot to be wrought on but by their senses, and willbring forth in their insensible souls the first motionsof the fear of God,—of that saving fearwhich is the beginning of wisdom.

“Before you treat with any one concerning hisspiritual affairs, endeavour to understand how hissoul stands affected. Whether it be calm, ortossed with any violent passion; whether he be readyto follow the right way when it shall be shewn tohim, or whether he wanders from it of set purpose;whether it be the tempter, or the bias of his owninclination, which seduces him to evil; whether hebe docile, and disposed to hear good counsel, or ofthat untractable humour on which no hold is to befastened,—it will behove you to vary yourdiscourse according to these several dispositions:But though more circ*mspection is to be taken withhardened souls, and difficult of access, you are neverto flatter the disease, nor say any thing to him whichmay weaken the virtue of the remedy, and hinder itseffect.

“Wheresoever you shall be, even though you onlypass through a place, and stay but little in it, endeavourto make some acquaintance; and inquire of those whohave the name of honest and experienced men, not onlywhat crimes are most frequently committed in thattown, and what deceits most used in traffic, as Ihave already taught you in relation to Ormuz; butfarther, learn the inclinations of the people, thecustoms of the country, the form of government, thereceived opinions, and all things respecting the commerceof human life: for, believe me, the knowledgeof those things is very profitable to a missioner,for the speedy curing of spiritual diseases, and tohave always at hand wherewithal to give ease to suchas come before you.

“You will understand from thence, on what pointyou are most to insist in preaching, and what chieflyto recommend in confessions. This knowledge willmake, that nothing shall be new to you, nothing shallsurprise or amaze you; it will furnish you with theaddress of conducting souls, and even with authorityover them. The men of the world are accustomedto despise the religious as people who understandit not: But if they find one who knows how tobehave himself in conversation, and has practisedmen, they will esteem him as an extraordinary person;they will give themselves up to him; they will findno difficulty, even in doing violence to their owninclinations, under his direction, and will freelyexecute what he enjoins, though never so repugnantto their corrupt nature. Behold the wonderfulfruit of knowing well the world:—so thatyou are not, at this present, to take less pains inacquiring this knowledge, than formerly you have donein learning philosophy and divinity. For whatremains, this science is neither to be learned fromancient manuscripts nor printed books; it is in livingbooks, and the conversation of knowing men, that youmust study it: with it, you shall do more good,than if you dealt amongst the people, all the argumentsof the doctors, and all the subtilties of the schools.

“You shall set apart one day of the week, toreconcile differences, and regulate the interestsof such as are at variance, and are preparing to goto law. Hear them one after the other, and proposeterms of accommodation to them. Above all things,give them to understand, that they shall find theiraccount in a friendly reconciliation, sooner thanin casting themselves into eternal suits, which, withoutspeaking of their conscience, and their credit, evercost much money, and more trouble. I know well,that this will not be pleasing to the advocates andproctors, whom the spinning out a process, and tricksof wrangling, still enrich. But trouble not yourselfwith what those bawlers say; and make even them comprehend,if it be possible, that by perpetuating suits, bythese numberless formalities, they expose themselvesto the danger of eternal damnation. Endeavouralso to engage them into a retirement of some fewdays, to the end their spiritual exercises may workthem off to other courses.

“Stay not till your arrival at Ormuz beforeyou preach. Begin on shipboard, and as soon asyou come there. In your sermons, affect not tomake a show of much learning, or of a happy memory,by citing many passages of ancient authors; some feware necessary, but let them be chosen and fitted tothe purpose. Employ the best part of your sermon,in a lively description of the interior estate ofworldly souls. Set before their eyes, in yourdiscourse, and let them see, as in a glass, their owndisquiets, their little cunnings, their trifling projects,and their vain hopes. You shall also show them,the unhappy issue of all their designs. You shall

discover to them, the snares which are laid for themby the evil spirit, and teach them the means of shunningthem. But, moreover, you shall tell them, thatif they suffer themselves to be surprised by them,they are to expect the worst that can happen to them;and by this you shall gain their attention; for aman never fails of attentive audience, when the interestof the hearer is the subject of the discourse.Stuff not out your sermons with sublime speculations,knotty questions, and scholastical controversies.Those things which are above the level of men of theworld, only make a noise, and signify nothing.It is necessary to represent men to themselves, ifyou will gain them. But well to express whatpasses in the bottom of their hearts, you must firstunderstand them well; and in order to that, you mustpractise their conversation, you must watch them narrowly,and fathom all their depths. Study then thoseliving books; and assure yourself, you shall draw outof them the means of turning sinners on what sideyou please.

“I do not forbid you, nevertheless, to consultthe holy scriptures on requisite occasions, nor thefathers of the church, nor the canons, nor books ofpiety, nor treatises of morality; they may furnishyou with solid proofs for the establishment of Christiantruths, with sovereign remedies against temptations,and heroical examples of virtue. But all thiswill appear too cold, and be to no purpose, if soulsbe not disposed to profit by them; and they cannotprofit but by the ways I have prescribed. Sothat the duty of a preacher is to sound the bottomof human hearts, to have an exact knowledge of theworld, to make a faithful picture of man, and setit in so true a light, that every one may know itfor his own.

“Since the king of Portugal has ordered, thatyou shall be allowed from the treasury what is needfulfor your subsistence, make use of the favour of socharitable a prince, and receive nothing but from hisministers. If other persons will give you anything, refuse it, though they should offer it of theirown mere motion. For as much, as it is of greatconsequence to the liberty of an apostolical man, notto owe his subsistence to those whom he ought to conductin the way of salvation, and whom he is bound to reprove,when they go astray from it; one may truly say ofthose presents, that he who takes, is taken. Andit is for this, that when we are to make a charitablereprehension, to such of whom we receive alms, weknow not well how to begin it, or in what words todress it. Or if our zeal emboldens us to speakfreely, our words have less effect upon them, becausethey treat us with an assuming air of loftiness, asif that which we received from them had made them ourmasters, and put them in possession of despising us.What I say, relates chiefly to a sort of persons,who are plunged in vice, who would willingly be creditedwith your friendship, and will endeavour by all goodoffices to make way to your good will. Their design

is not to profit by your conversation, for the amendmentof their lives; all they pretend to, is to stop yourmouth, and to escape a censure, which they know theyhave deserved. Be upon your guard against suchpeople: yet I am not of opinion, that you shouldwholly reject them, or altogether despise their courtesy.If they should invite you to their table, refuse itnot; and yet less refuse their presents of small value,such as are usually made in the Indies by the Portugueseto each other, and which one cannot refuse withoutgiving an affront; as, for example, fruits and drinks.At the same time, declare to them, that you only receivethose little gifts, in hope they will also receiveyour good advice; and that you go to eat with them,only that you may dispose them, by a good confession,to approach the holy table. For such presentsas I have named, such I mean as are not to be refused,when you have received them, send them to the sick,to the prisoners, or to the poor. The people willbe edified with this procedure, and no occasion leftof suspecting you, either of niceness or covetousness.

“For what relates to your abode, you will seeat your arrival; and having prudently considered thestate of things, you may judge where it will be mostconvenient for you to dwell, either in the hospital,or the house of mercy, or any little lodging, in theneighbourhood. If I think fit to call you toJapan, you shall immediately give notice of it, bywriting to the rector of this college by two or threedifferent conveyances, to the end, he may supply yourplace with one of our fathers, a man capable of assistingand comforting the city of Ormuz. In fine, I recommendyou to yourself; and that in particular, you neverforget, that you are a member of the Society of Jesus.

“In the conjunctures of affairs, experiencewill best instruct you what will be most for God’sservice; for there is no better master than practice,and observation, in matters of prudence. Rememberme always in your prayers; and take care, that theywho are under your direction, recommend me in theirsto the common Master whom we serve. To concludethis long instruction, the last advice I give you,is to read over this paper carefully once a week,that you may never forget any one of the articlescontained in it. May it please the Lord to goalong with you, to conduct you in your voyage, andat the same time to continue here with us!”—

Eight days after Gasper Barzaeus was gone for Ormus,with his companion Raymond Pereyra, Father Xavierwent himself for Japan; it was in April 1549.He embarked in a galley bound no farther than Cochin,where waited for him a ship, which was to go towardsMalacca. He took for companions Father Cozmode Torrez, and John Fernandez, besides the three Japonese,Paul de Sainte Foy, and his two servants, John andAnthony.

It is true, there embarked with him in the same galley,Emanuel Moralez, and Alphonso de Castro; but it wasonly that the Father might carry them to Malacca,from whence both of them were to be transported tothe Moluccas. The ship, which attended the Fatherat Cochin, being just ready to set sail they madebut a short stay in that place, but it was not unprofitable.The saint walking one day through the streets, happenedto meet a Portuguese of his acquaintance; and immediatelyasked him, “how he was in health?” ThePortuguese answered, “he was very well.”“Yes,” replied Xavier, “in relationto your body, but, in regard of your soul, no mancan be in a worse condition.” This man,who was then designing in his heart a wicked action,knew immediately that the Father saw into the bottomof it; and seriously reflecting on it, followed Xavier,confessed himself, and changed his evil life.The preaching of Castro so charmed the people, thatthey desired to have retained him at Cochin, thereto have established the college of the Society; butXavier who had designed him for the Moluccas opposedit. And Providence, which destined the crownof martyrdom to that missioner, suffered him not tocontinue in a place, where they had nothing but venerationfor him.

They left Cochin on the 25th of April, and arrivedat Malacca on the last of May. All the town cameto meet Father Xavier, and every particular personwas overjoyed at his return. Alphonso Martinez,grand vicar to the bishop, at that time lay dangerouslysick, and in such an agony of soul, as moved compassion.For, having been advertised to put himself in conditionof giving up his accounts to God of that ministry whichhe had exercised for thirty years, and of all theactions of his life, he was so struck with the horrorof immediate death, and the disorders of his life,which was not very regular for a man of his profession,that he fell into a deep melancholy, and totally despairedof his salvation. He cast out lamentable cries,which affrighted the hearers; they heard him name hissins aloud, and detest them with a furious regret,not that he might ask pardon for them, but only todeclare their enormity. When they would havespoken to him of God’s infinite mercy, he brokeout into a rage, and cried out as loud as he was able,“that there was no forgiveness for the damned,and no mercy in the bottomless pit.” Thesick man was told, that Father Francis was just arrived;and was asked if he should not be glad to see him?Martinez, who formerly had been very nearly acquaintedwith him, seemed to breathe anew at the hearing ofthat name, and suddenly began to raise himself, togo see, said he, the man of God. But the attempthe made, served only to put him into a fainting fit.The Father, entering at the same moment, found himin it. It had always been his custom, to makehis first visit to the ecclesiastical superiors; butbesides this, the sickness of the vicar hastened the

visit. When the sick man was come, by littleand little, to himself, Xavier began to speak to himof eternity, and of the conditions requisite to a Christiandeath. This discourse threw Martinez back againinto his former terrors; and the servant of God, inthis occasion, found that to be true, which he hadoften said, that nothing is more difficult than topersuade a dying man to hope well of his salvation,who in the course of his life had flattered himselfwith the hopes of it, that he might sin with the greaterboldness.

Seeing the evil to be almost past remedy, he undertookto do violence to heaven, that he might obtain forthe sick man the thoughts of true repentance, andthe grace of a religious death. For he made avow upon the place, to say a great number of masses,in honour of the most Holy Trinity, of the BlessedVirgin, of the angels, and some of the saints, towhom he had a particular devotion. His vows werescarcely made, when Martinez became calm; began tohave reasonable thoughts, and received the last sacraments,with a lively sorrow for his sins, and a tender relianceon God’s mercies; after which, he died gentlyin the arms of Xavier, calling on the name of JesusChrist.

His happy death gave great consolation to the holyman; but the apostolic labours of Francis Perez andRoch Oliveira increased his joy. He had sentthem the year before to Malacca, there to found a collegeof the Society, according to the desire of the people,and they had been very well received. Perez hadbegun to open a public school, for the instructionof the youth in learning and piety, according to thespirit of their institute. Oliveira had whollygiven himself to the ministry of preaching, and theconduct of souls; but tying himself more especiallyto the care of Turks and Jews, of which there was alwaysa vast concourse in the town. For the first cameexpressly from Mecca, and the last from Malabar, toendeavour there to plant Mahometanism and Judaism,where Christianity then flourished.

The example of the two missioners drew many Portugueseto that kind of life, of which they both made profession.The most considerable of all, was a young gentleman,whose name was Juan Bravo; who, by his noble birthand valour, might justly hope to raise his fortunesin the world. But he preferring evangelical poverty,and religious humility, before all those earthly expectationsand establishments, was just then ready to have takenship for Goa, there to execute those thoughts withwhich heaven had inspired him, when he was informed,that Xavier would take Malacca in his way. Hetherefore waited for him, and in the mean time livedwith Perez and Oliveira as if he had been alreadyof the Society. At least he conformed himselfas much as he was able to their manners, and habitedhimself like them; that is to say, instead of richgarments, he put on an old threadbare cassock, withwhich he looked the world in the face without havingyet forsaken it. He performed the spiritual exercisesfor a month together, and never came out of his retirement,but to employ himself in works of charity in the hospital.There, for three months, he attended the sick, livingin poverty, and begging his bread from door to door,even in the sight of James Sosa his kinsman, admiralof the fleet, which was rigging out for the Moluccas.

These trials obliged the Father to receive Bravo intothe Society. He admitted him almost immediatelyto take the first vows; and finding in him an excellentfoundation for all the apostolical virtues, he tookcare to cultivate him, even so far, as to leave himin writing these following rules, before his departureto Japan.

“See here, my dear brother, the form of lifewhich you are constantly to practise every day.In the morning, as soon as you are awakened, prepareyourself to meditate on some mystery of our Lord; beginningfrom his holy nativity, and continuing to his gloriousascension: the subjects of the meditations aremarked, and put in order, in the book of Exercises.Employ, at the least, half-an-hour in prayers; andapply yourself to it with all those interior dispositions,which you may remember you practised in your retirementof a month. Consider every day one mystery, insuch manner, that if, for example, on Monday, the birthof our Saviour was the subject of your meditation,that of his circumcision shall be for Tuesday, andso in course, till in a month’s time, havingrun through all the actions of Jesus Christ, you cometo contemplate him ascending into heaven in triumph.You are every month to begin these meditations againin the same order.

“At the end of every meditation, you shall renewyour vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, towhich you have obliged yourself. You shall makethem, I say, anew, and offer them to God with the samefervency wherewith you first made them. Thisrenewing of your vows will weaken in you the motionsof concupiscence, and render all the powers of hellless capable of hurting you; for which reason, I amof opinion that you ought never to omit them.

“After dinner, you shall resume your morning’sprayer, and reflect on the same mystery half an hour;you shall also renew your vows, at the end of yourmeditation. You are to employ yourself in thismanner interiorly through all the variety of youroutward business; giving an hour in every day to theconsideration of the most holy life of our Lord Jesus,in whatsoever affair, or in whatsoever incumbrance,you are engaged. You may practise this with mostconvenience, by allowing half-an-hour in the morning,and another half in the afternoon, according to mydirection.

“Before you lie down at night, examine wellyour conscience, in calling over your thoughts, words,and actions, of all the day; and even observing, ifyou have not failed of doing something, which it wasyour duty to have done: let this discussion beas exact, as if you were just ready to confess yourself.After you have conceived a most lively sorrow foryour faults, by the motive of God’s love, youshall humbly ask pardon of Jesus Christ, and vow amendmentto him. In fine, you shall so dispose yourselfto rest, that your sleep may come upon you, in thoughtsof piety, and in resolutions of passing the next daywith greater holiness.

“On the morrow, at your waking, think on thesins which you observed in the examen of the nightbefore; and while you are putting on your clothes,ask the assistance of God’s grace, that you maynot that day relapse into your yesterday’s offences.Then perform your morning’s meditation, andproceed through your whole day’s work, as I haveordered you. But be so punctual, and so constantin all these spiritual practices, that nothing butsickness cause you to forbear them. For if, whenyou are in health, you should defer, or leave themoff, under some pretence of business, be sure youmake a scruple of it, and let not the day pass overyou, till, in the presence of your brethren, you confessyour fault, and of your own free motion demand penancefor having omitted or neglected that which was sostrictly commanded by your superior.

“For what remains, whatsoever you do, or inwhatsoever condition of spirit you may be, labourwith all your power still to overcome yourself.Subdue your passions, embrace what is most abhorringto your sense, repress all natural desire of glorymost especially; and spare not yourself in that particular,till you have torn out of your heart the very rootsof pride; not only suffering yourself to be debasedbeneath all men, but being glad to be despised.For hold this for certain, that, without this humilityand mortification, you can neither advance in virtue,nor serve your neighbour as you ought, nor be acceptableto God, nor, to conclude all, persevere in the Societyof Jesus.

“Obey in all things the Father with whom youlive; and however displeasing or difficult the thingsmay be which he commands you, perform them with muchcheerfulness, never opposing his orders, nor makingany exceptions on your part, on any account whatsoever.In fine, hearken to him, and suffer yourself to bedirected in all things by him, as if Father Ignatiuswere personally present, speaking to you, and directingyou.

“With whatsoever temptations you shall findyourself assaulted, discover them all sincerely tohim who governs you; and remain persuaded, that thisis the only means of subduing them. Besides thisadvantage, there accrue other spiritual profits, inmaking known the secret motions of your heart; forthe violence which you do to yourself, to surmount,that natural shamefacedness which hinders you fromacknowledging your imperfections and frailties, drawsdown the grace of God upon you; and on the other side,this overture, and frankness of your heart, ruins thedesigns of the evil spirit, who can never do mischiefbut when he is in disguise; but when once discovered,is so far disarmed, and despicably weak, that they,for whom he lies in ambush, laugh at him.”—

It was in this manner, that the holy apostle, FrancisXavier, instructed the young men of the Society; andnothing, perhaps, could better explain to us the greatresemblance that was betwixt the souls of Xavier andIgnatius.

At this time, there came news from Japan; and someletters reported, that one of the kings of that islandhad desired some preachers to be sent to him, by anexpress embassy to the viceroy of the Indies.That this king had learnt somewhat of the Christianlaw, and that a strange accident had made him desirousof knowing more. This accident was related inthose letters, after the following manner.

“Some Portuguese merchants, being landing atthe port, belonging to the capital city of one ofthose kingdoms of Japan, were lodged by the king’sorder in a forsaken house, which was thought to behaunted by evil spirits: the common opinion wasnot ill grounded, and the Portuguese soon perceived,that their lodging was disturbed. They heard ahorrible rumbling all the night; they felt themselvespulled out of their beds, and beaten in their sleep,without seeing any one. One night being awakened,at the cry of one of their servants, and running withtheir arms towards the place from whence the noisewas heard, they found the servant on the ground, tremblingfor fear. They asked him the occasion of hisoutcry, and why he shook in that manner? He answered,’That he had seen a frightful apparition, sucha one as painters use to draw for the picture of thedevil.’ As this servant was not thoughteither faint-hearted, or a liar, the Portuguese nolonger doubted, what was the meaning of all that rattlingand clutter, which they heard every night; to putan end to it, they set crosses in all the rooms, afterwhich they heard no more of it.”

The Japonese were much surprised to hear the housewas now at quiet: the king himself, to whom thePortuguese had said, “That the Christian crosshad driven away the evil spirits,” admired thatwonderful effect, and commanded crosses to be setup in all places, even in his own palaces, and inthe highways. In consequence of this, he desiredto be informed from whence the cross derived thatvirtue, and for what cause the devils so much fearedit. Thus, by little and little, he entered intothe mysteries of faith. But as the Japonese areextremely curious, not content to be instructed bysoldiers and merchants, he thought of sending forpreachers, and in that prospect sent an ambassadorto the Indies.

This news gave infinite satisfaction to Father Xavier;and so much the more hastened his voyage, by how muchhe now perceived the Japonians were disposed to receivethe gospel. There were in the port of Malaccamany Portuguese vessels, in readiness to set sailfor Japan; but all of them were to make many othervoyages by the way, which was not the saint’sbusiness. His only means was to have recourseto a junk of China, (so they call those little vessels,)which was bound directly for Japan. The masterof the vessel, called Neceda, was a famous pirate;a friend to the Portuguese, notwithstanding the warwhich was newly declared against them; so well knownby his robberies at sea, that his ship was commonlycalled, The Robber’s Vessel. Don Pedro deSylva, governor of Malacca, got a promise from theChinese captain, that he would carry the Father, safely,and without injury, and took hostages to engage himinviolably to keep his faith; but what can be builton the word of a pirate, and a wicked man?

Xavier, and his companions, embarked on the twenty-fourthof June, in the dusk of the evening; and set sailthe next morning, at break of day, with a favourablewind. When they were out at sea, the captain andship’s crew, who were all idolaters, set upa pagod on the poop; sacrificed to it in spite ofXavier, and all his remonstrances to the contrary;and consulted him by magical ceremonies, concerningthe success of their voyage. The answers weresometimes good, and sometimes ill: in the meantimethey cast anchor at an isle, and there furnished themselveswith timber, against the furious gusts of those uncertainseas. At the same time they renewed their interrogatoriesto their idol; and cast lots, to know whether theyshould have good winds. The lots promised thema good passage, whereupon the Pagans pursued theircourse merrily. But they were no sooner got outto sea again, when they drew lots the third time, toknow, whether the junk should return safely from Japanto Malacca. The answer was, that they shouldarrive happily at Japan, but were never more to seeMalacca. The pirate, who was extremely superstitious,resolved at the same instant to change his course;and in effect tacked about, and passed his time ingoing to every isle which was in view. FatherXavier was sensibly displeased, that the devil shouldbe master of their destiny, and that all things shouldbe ordered, according to the answers of the enemyof God and man.

In cruising thus leisurely, they made the coast ofCochin China; and the tempests, which rose at thesame time, threatened them more than once with shipwreck.The idolaters had recourse to their ordinary superstitions.The lot declared, that the wind should fall, and thatthere was no danger. But an impetuous gust soraised the waves, that the mariners were forced tolower their sails, and cast anchor. The shog ofthe vessel threw a young Chinese (whom Xavier had christened,and carried along with him) into the sink, which wasthen open. They drew him out half dead, muchbruised, and hurt in the head very dangerously.While they were dressing him, the captain’sdaughter fell into the sea, and was swallowed by thewaves, notwithstanding all they could do to save her.

This dismal accident drove Neceda to despair; “andit was a lamentable sight,” says Xavier himself,in one of his letters, “to behold the disorderin the vessel. The loss of the daughter, and thefear of shipwreck, filled all with tears, and howlings,and confusion.”

Nevertheless, the idolaters, instead of acknowledgingthat their idol had deceived them with a lie, tookpains to appease him, as if the death of the Chinesewoman had been an effect of their god’s displeasure.They sacrificed birds to him, and burnt incense inhonour of him; after which they cast lots again toknow the cause of this disaster which had befallenthem. They were answered, “That if the youngChristian, who had fell into the sink, had died, the

captain’s daughter had been preserved.”Then Neceda, transported with fury, thought to throwXavier and his companions overboard. But thestorm ceasing in an instant, his mind grew calmerby degrees, he weighed anchor, and set sail again,and took the way of Canton, with intention there topass the winter. But the designs of men, andpower of devils, can do nothing against the decreesof Providence. A contrary wind broke all theprojects of the captain, constraining him, in hisown despite, to enter with full sails into the oceanof Japan. And the same wind carried the junk ofthe pirate toward Cangoxima, the birth-place of Anger,sirnamed Paul de Sainte Foy. They arrived thereon the fifteenth of August, in the year 1549.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK V.

The situation of Japan, and the nature of the country.The estate of the government of Japan. The religionof the Japonese when the Father arrived in that country.The six jesuits who were sent to Siam in 1685,in their relation of the religion of the Siamois,which much resembles this of Japan, guess, with moreprobability, that these opinions were the corruptionsof the doctrine preached in the Indies by St Thomas.Paul de Sainte Foy goes to wait on the king of Saxuma.That which passed at the court of Saxuma. Thesaint applies himself to the study of the Japoniantongue. He baptizes the whole family of Paul deSainte Foy. He goes to the court of Saxuma, andis well received. He begins to preach at Cangorima,and converts many. He visits the Bonzas, and endeavoursto gain them. He proves the soul’s immortalityto the chief of the Bonzas. The Bonzas rise againsthim. The Bonzas succeed not in their undertaking.He leads a most austere life. He works diversmiracles. He raises a maid from death. Godavenges the saint. A new persecution raised againstXavier by the Bonzas. The king of Saxuma is turnedagainst Xavier and the Christians. The saintfortifies the Christians before he leaves them.He causes his catechism to be printed before his departure.He departs from Cangoxima. He goes to the castleof Ekandono. He declares the gospel before Ekandono,and the fruits of his preaching. What he doesfor the preservation of the faith in the new Christiansof the castle. Thoughts of a Christian of Ekandono.He leaves a disciple with the steward of Ekandono,and the use he makes of it. He leaves a littlebook with the wife of Ekandono, and for what it served.He arrives at Firando; and what reception he had there.He preaches at Firando with great success. Hetakes Amanguchi in his way to Meaco. He staysat Amanguchi; his actions there. What hinderedthe fruit of his preaching at Amanguchi. He appearsbefore the king of Amanguchi, and expounds to him thedoctrine of Christianity. He preaches beforethe king in Amanguchi without success. He pursueshis voyage for Meaco. His sufferings in the voyageof Meaco. He follows a horseman with great difficulty.He instructs the people in passing through the towns.He arrives at Meaco, and labours there unprofitably.He departs from Meaco to return to Amanguchi.Being returned to Amanguchi, he gains an audienceof the king. He obtains permission to preach.He is visited by great multitudes. The qualitieswhich he thinks requisite in a missioner to Japan.He answers many men with one only word. He preachesin Amanguchi. He speaks the Chinese languagewithout learning it. The fruit of his preaching.His joy in observing the fervour of the faithful.His occasions of sorrow amongst his spiritual joys.The faith is embraced, notwithstanding the prince’sexample; and by what means. Divers conversions.He declares against the Bonzas. The Bonzas opposethe Christian religion. He answers the argumentsof the Bonzas. The Bonzas provoke the king againstthe Christians. The number of Christians is augmentedtogether with the reputation of the saint. Hesends a Japonian Christian to the kingdom of Bungo;and for what reason. He departs from Amanguchi,and goes for Bungo. He falls sick with overtravellinghimself; and after a little rest, pursues his journey.He is received with honour by the Portuguese, andcomplimented from the king of Bungo. He is muchesteemed by the king of Bungo. The letter ofthe king of Bungo to Father Xavier. In what equipagehe goes to the court of Bungo. His entry intothe palace of the king of Bungo. He receivesthe compliments of several persons in the court.He is introduced to an audience of the king of Bungo,and what passes in it. What passes betwixt theking of Bungo and Xavier. The honour of Xavierin the kingdom of Bungo, and the success of his laboursthere. He converts a famous Bonza. In whatmanner he prepares the Gentiles for baptism.What happens to the companions of Xavier at Amanguchi.The death of the king of Amanguchi, and the desolationof the town. The brother of the king of Bungois chosen king of Amanguchi: the saint rejoicesat it. He prepares to leave Japan, and takes leaveof the king of Bungo. The advice which he givesto the king of Bungo. The Bonzas rise anew againstXavier. A new artifice of the Bonzas against thesaint. The beginning of the conference betwixtXavier and Fucarandono. The advantage of thedispute on the side of Xavier. The fury of theBonzas forces the Portuguese to retire to their ship.The captain of the ship endeavours to persuade Xavierto return, but in vain. The captain takes upa resolution to stay with Xavier. A new enterprizeof the Bonzas against him. He returns to thepalace, to renew the conference with Fucarandono.The dispute renewed. The answer of Xavier to thefirst question of Fucarandono. The second questionof Fucarandono, to which the Father answers with thesame success as to the former. The sequel of thedispute betwixt Xavier and Fucarandono. The honourwhich the king of Bungo does to Xavier. The Bonzaspresent a writing to the king, but without effect.They wrangle about the signification of words.They dispute in the nature of school-divines.He answers the objections of the Bonzas, and theirreplies. The fruit of his disputation with theBonzas. He leaves Japan, and returns to the Indies.God reveals to him the siege of Malacca. Whathappens to him in his return from Japan to the Indies.How Xavier behaves himself during the tempest.What happens to the chalop belonging to the ship.He expects the return of the chalop, or co*ckboat,notwithstanding all appearances to the contrary.He renews his prayers for the return of the chalop.He prays once more for the return of the chalop.The chalop appears, and comes up with the ship.He arrives at the isle of Sancian; and goes off aftera little time. His prediction to the pilot.A marvellous effect of the saint’s prophecy.He forms the design of carrying the faith to China.He takes his measures with Pereyra, for the voyageof China. He dissipates a tempest; his prophecyconcerning the ship of James Pereyra. His receptionat Malacca. The history of the ship called SantaCruz. He arrives at Cochin; and finishes the conversionof the king of the Maldivias. He writes intoEurope, and comes to Goa. He cures a dying manimmediately upon his arrival. He hears joyfulnews of the progress of Christianity in the Indies.The conversion of the king of Tanor. The conversionof the king of Trichenamalo. The letter from thebishop of the Indies to Father Ignatius. He hearsother comfortable news. He is afflicted withthe misdemeanors of Father Antonio Gomez. HowGomez attacks the authority of Paul de Camerine.The extravagances of Gomez in matters of religion.The violence and injustice of Gomez. Xavier repairsthe faults committed by Gomez. He expels Gomezfrom the Society.

I undertake not to make an exact description of Japan,after those which have been made of it by geographersand travellers: by an ordinary view of the charts,and common reading of the relations of the Indies,it is easy to understand, that Japan is situate atthe extremity of Asia, over against China; that itis a concourse of islands which compose as it wereone body, and that the chiefest of them gives the nameto all the rest; that this world of islands, as itis called by a great geographer, is filled with mountains,some of which are inaccessible, and almost above theclouds; that the colds there are excessive, and thatthe soil, which is fruitful in mines of gold and silver,is not productive of much grain of any sort necessaryto life, for want of cultivation. Without dwellinglonger either on the situation or nature of the country,or so much as on the customs and manners of the inhabitants,of which I have already said somewhat, and shall speakyet farther, as my subject requires it, I shall hereonly touch a little on the government and religion,which of necessity are to be known at the beginning,for the understanding of the history which I write.

Japan was anciently one monarchy. The emperor,whom all those isles obeyed, was called the Dairy;and was descended from the Camis, who, according tothe popular opinion, came in a direct line from theSun. The first office of the empire was thatof the Cubo, that is to say, captain-general of thearmy. For the raising of this dignity, which initself was so conspicuous, in process of time, thename of Sama was added to that of Cubo; for Sama intheir language signifies Lord. Thus the generalof Japan came to be called Cubo Sama.

Above three hundred years ago, the Cubo Sama thenbeing, beholding the sceptre of Japan in the handsof a Dairy, who was cowardly and effeminate, revoltedfrom him, and got possession of the regal dignity.His design was to have reduced the whole estate underhis own dominion; but he was only able to make himselfmaster of Meaco, where the emperor kept his court,and of the provinces depending on it. The governorsof other provinces maintained themselves in theirrespective jurisdictions by force of arms, and shookof the yoke as well as he; insomuch, that the monarchycame to be suddenly divided into sixty-six cantons,which all assumed the names of kingdoms.

Since these revolutions, the king of Meaco took thetitle of Cubo Sama, and he who had been deprived ofit still retained the name of Dairy; and, exceptingonly the power, there was still left him all the privilegeof royalty, in consideration of the blood of the Camis.His descendants have had always the same title, andenjoyed the same advantages. This, in general,was the face of the government, in the time of St FrancisXavier. For some years afterwards, Nabunanga,one of the neighbour kings to him of Meaco, defeatedthe Cubo Sama in a pitched battle, and followed hisblow with so much success, that, having destroyed allthose petty princes, he re-united the whole empireof Japan under his sole obedience.

As to what concerns religion, all the Japonians, exceptingsome few who make profession of atheism, and believethe soul mortal, are idolaters, and hold the transmigrationof souls, after the doctrine of Pythagoras. Someof them pay divine worship to the sun and moon; othersto the Camis, those ancient kings of whom we havemade mention; and to the Potoques, the gods of China.There are divers of them who adore some kinds of beasts,and many who adore the devil under dreadful figures.Besides these, they have a certain mysterious deity,whom they call Amida; and say, this god has builta paradise of such distance from the earth, that thesouls cannot reach it under a voyage of three years.But the god Xaca is he of whom they report the greatestwonders, who seems to be a counterfeit of the trueMessiah, set up by the devil himself, or by his ministers.For if one would give credit to them, Xaca being bornof a queen, who never had the carnal knowledge ofman, retired into the deserts of Siam, and there underwentsevere penances, to expiate the sins of men:that coming out of his wilderness, he assembled somedisciples, and preached an heavenly doctrine in diverscountries.

It is incredible how many temples have been builtto the honour of Amida and Xaca; all the cities arefull of them, and their magnificence is equal to theirnumber. Nor is it easy to imagine how far theirsuperstition carries the worshippers of these two deities.They throw themselves headlong down from rocks, orbury themselves alive in caves; and it is ordinaryto see barques, full of men and women, with stoneshanging at their necks, and singing the praises oftheir gods, after which they cast themselves intothe sea.

For what remains, the spirit of lies has establishedin Japan a kind of hierarchy, not unlike that of theCatholic church. For these people have a chiefof their religion, and a kind of sovereign priest,whom they call Saco. He keeps his court in thecapital city of the empire; and it is he who approvesthe sects, who institutes the ceremonies, who consecrates,if I may be allowed to say so, the Tundi, who resembleour bishops, and whose principal function is to ordainthe priests of idols, by conferring on them the powerof offering sacrifice. These priests, who arecalled Bonzas, part of them living in desarts, therest in towns, all affect a rigid austerity of manners,and are amongst the Japonese what the Brachmans areamongst the Indians, unless that they are yet moreimpious, and greater hypocrites.

To resume our history: immediately after thearrival of Xavier and his companions, Paul de SainteFoy, whom formerly we called Anger, went to pay hisduty to the king of Saxuma; on which Cangoxima is depending,and whose palace is about the distance of six leaguesfrom it. That prince, who had heretofore shewngreat favour to him, received him with much humanity,and with so much the greater joy, because he had believedhim dead. This kind reception gave Paul de SainteFoy the confidence to petition the king for the pardonof that action, which had occasioned his departure,and it was not difficult for him to obtain it.

The king, naturally curious, as the Japonians generallyare, enquired much of him concerning the Indies; as,what was the nature of the country, and the humourof the people, and whether the Portuguese were asbrave and as powerful as they were represented by commonfame. When Paul had satisfied him on these andthe like particulars, the discourse fell on the differentreligions in the Indies, and finally on Christianity,which was introduced by the Portuguese in India.

Paul unfolded at large the mysteries of our faith;and seeing with what pleasure he was heard, produceda tablet of the Virgin, holding the little Jesus inher arms. The tablet was very curious, and Xavierhad given it to this Japonese, that he might shewit as occasion offered. The sight alone of thisexcellent painting wrought so much upon the king,that, being touched with thoughts of piety and reverence,he fell on his knees, with all his courtiers, to honourthe persons therein represented, which seemed to himto have an air that was more than human.

He commanded it should be carried to the queen, hismother. She was also charmed with it, and prostratedherself by the same instinct, with all the ladiesof her train, to salute the Mother and the Son.But as the Japonian women are yet more inquisitivethan the men, she asked a thousand questions concerningthe Blessed Virgin and our Saviour, which gave Paulthe desired opportunity of relating all the life ofJesus Christ; and this relation so much pleased thequeen, that some few days after, when he was uponhis return to Cangoxima, she sent one of her officersto have a copy of the tablet which she had seen; buta painter was not to be found to satisfy her curiosity.She required, that at least she might have an abridgmentin writing of the chief points of Christianity, andwas satisfied therein by Paul.

The Father, overjoyed at these good inclinations ofthe court, thought earnestly of making himself capableto preach in the language of the country. Thereis but one language spoken through all Japan; but thatso ample, and so full of variety, that, in effect,it may be said to contain many tongues. Theymake use of certain words and phrases, in familiardiscourse; and of others in studied compositions.The men of quality have a language quite differingfrom the vulgar. Merchants and soldiers have aspeech proper to their several professions, and thewomen speak a dialect distinct from any of the rest.When they treat on a sublime subject, (for example,of religion, or affairs of state,) they serve themselvesof particular terms; and nothing appears more incongruousamongst them, than to confound these different mannersof expression.

The holy man had already some light notions of allthese languages, by the communication he had withthe three Japonian Christians; but he knew not enoughto express him with ease and readiness, as himselfacknowledges in his epistles, where he says, “thathe and his companions, at their first arrival, stoodlike statues, mute and motionless.” Hetherefore applied himself, with all diligence, to thestudy of the tongue, which he relates in these followingwords: “We are returned to our infancy,”says he, “and all our business at present isto learn the first elements of the Japonian grammar.God give us the grace to imitate the simplicity andinnocence of children, as well as to practise theexercises of children.”

We ought not to be astonished in this passage lastquoted, that a man to whom God had many times communicatedthe gift of tongues, should not speak that of Japan,and that he should be put to the pains of studyingit. Those favours were transient, and Xavier neverexpected them; insomuch, that being to make abodein a country, he studied the language of it as ifhe could not have arrived to the knowledge of it butby his own industry. But the Holy Spirit assistedhim after an extraordinary manner, on those occasions,as we have formerly observed. And we may say,that the easiness wherewith he learnt so many tongues,was almost equivalent to the lasting gift of them.

While Xavier and his companions were labouring toacquire that knowledge which was necessary for theirpreaching the word of Jesus Christ to the people ofCangoxima, Paul de Sainte Foy, with whom they lodged,himself instructed his own family. God gave thatblessing to his zeal, that, besides his mother, hiswife and daughter, many of his relations were convertedand baptized by Xavier. Within the compass offorty days, the saint understood enough of the languageto undertake the translation of the apostles’creed, and the exposition of it, which he had composedin India. As fast as he translated, he got everyparcel of it by heart; and with that help, was ofopinion, that he might begin to declare the gospel.But seeing that in Japan all the measures of the lawsand customs are to be taken, and observed with greatexactness, and nothing to be attempted in public withoutpermission from the government, he would first visitthe king of Saxuma, and chose the time on the day ofSt Michael the archangel He had put the whole empireunder the protection of that glorious general of thecelestial host, who chased the rebellious angels outof heaven, and recommended in his daily prayers tohim, that he would exterminate those devils from Japan,who had usurped the dominion of it for so many ages.

The apostle of the Indies was not unknown at the courtof Saxuma. Paul de Sainte Foy had spoken of himthere, in such a manner, as infused the desire ofseeing him into all hearts, and caused him to be lookedon with admiration when he first appeared. Theking and queen treated him with honour, testifiedgreat affection to him, and discoursed with him thebetter part of the night. They could not but beastonished, that he and his companions were come fromanother world, and had passed through so many stormyseas, not out of an avaricious design of enrichingthemselves with the gold of Japan, but only to teachthe Japonese the true way of eternal life. Fromthe very first meeting, the king cautioned Xavier tokeep safely all the books and writings which containedthe Christian doctrine; “for,” said he,“if your faith be true, the demons will be sureto fly furiously upon you, and all manner of mischiefis to be expected from their malice.” Afterwardshe granted permission to the saint to preach the Christianlaw within the whole extent of his dominions; andfarther, caused his letters patent to be expedited,by virtue of which, all his subjects had free libertyof being made Christians, if they so desired.

Xavier took advantage of this happy conjuncture, anddeferred no longer his preaching in Cangoxima.He began by explaining the first articles of the creed.That of the existence of one God, all powerful, theCreator of heaven and earth, was a strange surpriseto his auditors, who knew nothing of a first Being,on whom the universe depended, as on its cause andprinciple. The other articles, which respect theTrinity and Incarnation, appeared to them yet more

incredible; insomuch, that some of them held the preacherfor a madman, and laughed him to scorn. Notwithstandingwhich, the wiser sort could not let it sink into theirbelief, that a stranger, who had no interest to deceivethem, should undergo so many hardships and dangers,and come so far, on set purpose to cheat them witha fable. In these considerations, they were desirousof clearing those doubts, which possessed them, inrelation to those mysteries which they had heard.Xavier answered them so distinctly, and withal soreasonably, with the assistance of Paul de Sainte Foy,who served him for interpreter in case of need, thatthe greatest part, satisfied with his solutions, cameover to the faith.

The first who desired baptism, and received it, wasa man of mean condition, destitute of the goods offortune; as if God willed, that the church of Japanshould have the same foundations of meanness and povertywith the universal church: The name of Bernardwas given him, and, by his virtue, he became in processof time illustrious.

In the mean time, Xavier visited the Bonzas, and endeavouredto gain their good will; being persuaded that Christianitywould make but little progress amongst the people,if they opposed the preaching of the gospel:And, on the other side, judging that all the worldwould embrace the law of the true God, in case theyshould not openly resist it. His good behaviourand frankness immediately gained him the favour oftheir chief: he was a man of four-score yearsof age, and, for a Bonza, a good honest man; in thatestimation of wisdom, that the king of Saxuma entrustedhim with his most important affairs; and so well versedin his religion, that he was sirnamed Ningit, whichis to say, the Heart of Truth. But this namewas not altogether proper to him; and Xavier presentlyperceived, that the Veillard knew not what to believeconcerning the immortality of the soul; saying sometimes,“That our souls were nothing different fromthose of beasts;” at other times, “Thatthey came from heaven, and that they had in them somewhatof divine.”

These uncertainties of a mind floating betwixt truthand falsehood, gave Xavier the occasion of provingthe immortality of the soul, in the conversationsthey had together; and he reasoned strongly thereupon,according to natural principles alone. Yet hisarguments had no other effect, than the praises whichwere given them. Ningit commended the knowledgeof the European Bonza, (so they called the Father,)and was satisfied that no man had a deeper insightinto nature. But he still remained doubtful onthe business of religion, either out of shame to changehis opinion at that age, or perhaps because those whohave doubted all their life, are more hard to be convinced,than those who have never believed at all.

The esteem which Ningit had for Xavier, caused himto be had in great repute with the rest of the Bonzas.They heard him with applause, when he spoke of thedivine law; and confessed openly, that a man who wascome from the other end of the ’world, throughthe midst of so many dangers, to preach a new religion,could only be inspired by the spirit of truth, andcould propose nothing but what was worthy of belief.

The testimony of the Bonzas authorised the preachingof the gospel; but their scandalous way of living,hindered them from following our holy law. Notwithstanding,before the conclusion of the year, two of them ofless corrupt manners than the rest, or more faithfulto the grace of Jesus Christ, embraced Christianity;and their example wrought so far upon the inhabitantsof Cangoxima, that many of them desired to be baptized.

These first fruits of preaching promised greater,and the faith flourished daily more and more in Cangoxima,when a persecution, raised on a sudden, ruined thesefair expectations, and stopt the progress of the gospelThe Bonzas, surprised to see the people ready to forsakethe religion of the country, opened their eyes totheir own interest, and manifestly saw, that if thisnew religion were once received, as they only livedon the alms and offerings which were made to theirdeities, they should be wholly deprived of their subsistence.They judged, in consequence, that this evil was tobe remedied, before it grew incurable; and nothingwas to be spared for the rooting out these Portuguesepreachers. It was then manifest, that those religiousidolaters, who at first had been so favourable toXavier, now made open war against him. They decriedhim in all places, and publicly treated him as an impostor.Even so far they proceeded, that one day as he waspreaching, in one of the public places of the city,a Bonza interrupted him in the midst of his discourse,and warned the people not to trust him; saying, “Thatit was a devil, who spoke to them in the likenessof a man.”

This outrageousness of the Bonzas failed of the effectwhich they desired; the Japonians, who are naturallymen of wit, and plain dealers, came easily to understandthe motives of their priests, to change their mannerof behaviour, and finding interest in all they saidor did, grew more and more attentive to the doctrineof the Father.

Some of them upbraided the Bonzas, that their properconcernments had kindled their zeal to such an height:that religion was not to be defended by calumniesand affronts, but by solid arguments: that ifthe doctrine of the European was false, why did theynot demonstrate clearly the falsehood of it:that, for the rest, it was of little consequence whetherthis new preacher was a demon or a man; and that truthwas to be received, whosoever brought it: that,after all, he lived with great austerity, and wasmore to be credited than any of them.

In effect, Xavier, for the edification of the people,who commonly judge by appearances of things, abstainedentirely both from flesh and fish. Some bitterroots, and pulse boiled in water, were all his nourishment,in the midst of his continual labours. So thathe practised, rigorously and literally, that abstinenceof which the Bonzas make profession, or rather thatwhich they pretend to practise. And he accustomedhimself to this immediately, upon what Paul de SainteFoy had told him, that it would look ill if a religiousChristian should live with less austerity than thepriests of idols should in their course of life.

The wonders which God wrought, by the ministrationof his servant, gave farther confirmation to the Christianlaw. The saint walking out one day upon the sea-shore,met certain fishers, who were spreading their emptynets, and complained of their bad fortune. Hehad pity on them, and, after making some short prayers,he advised them to fish once more. They did soon his word, and took so many fish, and of such severalsorts, that they could hardly draw their nets.They continued their fishing for some days after withthe same success; and what appears more wonderful,the sea of Cangoxima, which was scarce of fish, fromthat time forward had great plenty.

A woman, who had heard reports of the cures whichthe apostle had made in the Indies, brought him herlittle child, who was swelled over all the body, evento deformity. Xavier took the infant in his arms,looked on him with eyes of pity, and pronounced thriceover him these words, “God bless thee;”after which, he gave the child back to his mother,so well and beautiful, that she was transported withjoy and admiration.

This miracle made a noise about the town; and gaveoccasion to a leper to hope a cure for his disease,which he had sought in vain for many years. Notdaring to appear in public, because his uncleannesshad excluded him from the society of men, and madehim loathsome to all companies; he sent for Xavier,who at that time happened to be engaged in business,and could not come; but deputed one of his companionsto visit him; giving orders to ask him thrice, ifhe was content to believe in Christ, in case he shouldbe healed of his leprosy; and thrice to make the signof the cross over him, if he promised constantly toembrace the faith. All things passed accordingto the commission of the Father: the leper obligedhimself to become a Christian, upon the recovery ofhis health; and the sign of the cross was no soonermade over him, but his whole body became as cleanas if he had never been infected with leprosy.The suddenness of the cure wrought in him to believein Christ without farther difficulty, and his livelyfaith brought him hastily to baptism.

But the most celebrated miracle which Xavier wroughtin Cangoxima, was the resurrection of a young maidof quality. She died in the flower of her youth,and her father, who loved her tenderly, was ready togo distracted with his loss. Being an idolater,he had no source of comfort remaining for his affliction;and his friends, who came to condole with him, insteadof easing, did but aggravate his grief. Two newChristians, who came to see him before the burialof his daughter, advised him to seek his remedy fromthe holy man, who wrought such wonders, and beg herlife of him, with strong assurance of success.

The heathen, persuaded by these new believers, thatnothing was impossible to this European Bonza, andbeginning to hope against all human appearances, afterthe custom of the distressed, who easily believe whatthey infinitely desire, goes to find Father Xavier,throws himself at his feet, and, with tears in hiseyes, beseeches him to raise up from death his onlydaughter; adding, that the favour would be to givea resurrection to himself. Xavier moved at thefaith and affliction of the father, withdraws, withFernandez, his companion, to recommend his desireto Almighty God; and having ended his prayer, returnsa little time after: “Go,” says heto the sorrowful father, “your daughter is alive.”

The idolater, who expected that the saint would haveaccompanied him to his house, and there called uponthe name of his God, over the body of his daughter,thought himself ill used and cheated, and Trent awaydissatisfied. But before he had walked many stepshomeward, he saw one of his servants, who, transportedwith joy, cried out aloud to him, at a distance, thathis daughter lived. Soon after this, his daughtercame herself to meet him, and related to her father,that her soul was no sooner departed from her body,but it was seized by two ugly fiends, who would havethrown her headlong into a lake of fire; but that twounknown persons, whose countenances were venerablymodest, snatched her out of the gripe of her two executioners,and restored her to life, but in what manner she couldnot tell.

The Japonian suddenly apprehended who were the twopersons concerned in her relation, and brought herstraight to Xavier, to acknowledge the miraculousfavour she had received. She no sooner cast hereyes on him, and on Fernandez, than she cried out,“Behold my two redeemers!” and at thesame time both she and her father desired baptism.Nothing of this nature had ever been seen in thatcountry: no history ever made mention, that thegods of Japan had the power of reviving the dead.So that this resurrection gave the people a high conceptionof Christianity, and made famous the name of FatherXavier.

But nothing will make more evident how much a favouritehe was of heaven, and how prevalent with that God,whom he declared, than that exemplary judgment withwhich Divine Justice punished the bold impiety of aman, who, either carried on by his own madness, orexasperated by that of the Bonzas, one day railedat him, with foul injurious language. The saintsuffered it with his accustomed mildness; and onlysaid these words to him, with somewhat a melancholycountenance, “God preserve your mouth.”Immediately the miscreant felt his tongue eaten witha cancer, and there issued out of his mouth a purulentmatter, mixed with worms, and a stench that was notto be endured. This vengeance, so visible, andso sudden, ought to have struck the Bonzas with terror;but their great numbers assured them in some measure;and all of them acting in a body against the saint,each of them had the less fear for his own particular.What raised their indignation to the height, was,that a lady of great birth and riches, wife to oneof the most considerable lords of all the court, andvery liberal to the pagods, was solemnly baptized withall the family.

Seeing they prevailed nothing by the ways they hadattempted, and that persons of quality were not lessenamoured of the Christian doctrine than the vulgar;and, on the other side, not daring to use violence,in respect of the king’s edicts, which permittedthe profession of Christianity, they contrived a newartifice, which was to address a complaint to theking, of the king himself, on the part of their countrydeities. The most considerable of the Bonzas havingbeen elected, in a general assembly for this embassy,went to the prince, and told him, with an air ratherthreatening than submissive, that they came, in thename of Xaca and Amida, and the other deities of Japan,to demand of him, into what country he would banishthem; that the gods were looking out for new habitations,and other temples, since he drove them shamefully outof his dominions, or rather out of theirs, to receivein their stead a stranger God, who usurps to himselfdivine honours, and will neither admit of a superiornor an equal. They added haughtily, that it istrue he was a king; but what a kind of king was aprofane man? Was it for him to be the arbiterof religion, and to judge the gods? What probabilitywas there too, that all the religions of Japan shoulderr, and the most prudent of the nation be deceivedafter the run of so many ages? What would posteritysay, when they should hear, that the king of Saxuma,who held his crown from Amida and Xaca, overthrewtheir altars, and deprived them of the honours whichthey had so long enjoyed? But what would not theneighbouring provinces attempt, to revenge the injurydone to their divinities? that all things seemed lawfulto be done on such occasions; and the least he hadto fear was a civil war, and that, so much the morebloody, because it was founded on religion.

The conjuncture in which the Bonzas found the king,was favourable to them. It was newly told him,that the ships of Portugal, which usually landed atCangoxima, had now bent their course to Firando, andhe was extremely troubled at it; not only becausehis estates should receive no more advantage by theirtrade, but also because the king of Firando, his enemy,would be the only gainer by his loss. As the good-willwhich he shewed in the beginning to Father Xavierhad scarce any other principle but interest, he grewcold to him immediately after this ill news; and thiscoldness made him incline to hearken to the Bonzas.He granted all they demanded of him, and forbade hissubjects, on pain of death, to become Christians,or to forsake the old religion of their country.

Whatsoever good inclinations there were in the peopleto receive the gospel, these new edicts hindered thoseof Cangoxima from any farther commerce with the threereligious Christians; so easily the favour or displeasureof the prince can turn the people.

They, notwithstanding, whose heart the Almighty hadalready touched, and who were baptized, far from beingwanting to the grace of their vocation, were moreincreased in faith, not exceeding the number of anhundred; they found themselves infinitely acknowledgingto the Divine Mercy, which had elected them to composethis little flock. Persecution itself augmentedtheir fervour; and all of them declared to Father Xavier,that they were ready to suffer banishment or death,for the honour of our Saviour.

Though the Father was nothing doubtful of their constancy,yet he would fortify them by good discourses, beforehe left a town and kingdom where there was no fartherhope of extending the Christian faith. For whichreason he daily assembled them; where, having readsome passages of scripture, translated into theirown language, and suitable to the present conditionof that infant church, he explained to them some oneof the mysteries of our Saviour’s life; andhis auditors were so filled with the interior unctionsof the Holy Spirit, that they interrupted his speechat every moment with their sighs and tears,

He had caused divers copies of his catechism to betaken for the use of the faithful Having augmentedit by a more ample exposition of the creed, and addedsundry spiritual instructions, with the life of ourSaviour, which he entirely translated, he caused itto be printed in Japonese characters, that it mightbe spread through all the nation. At this timethe two converted Bonzas, and two other baptized Japonians,undertook a voyage to the Indies, to behold with theirown eyes, what the Father had told them, concerningthe splendour of Christianity at Goa; I mean the multitudeof Christians, the magnificence of the churches, andthe beauty of the ecclesiastic ceremonies.

At length he departed from Cangoxima, at the beginningof September, in the year 1550, with Cozmo de Torrez,and John Fernandez, carrying on his back, accordingto his custom, all the necessary utensils for thesacrifice of the mass. Before his departure, herecommended the faithful to Paul de Sainte Foy.It is wonderful, that these new Christians, bereftof their pastors, should maintain themselves in themidst of Paganism, and amongst the persecuting Bonzas,and not one single man of them should be pervertedfrom the faith. It happened, that even their exemplarylives so edified their countrymen, that they gainedover many of the idolaters; insomuch, that in theprocess of some few years, the number of Christianswas encreased to five hundred persons; and the kingof Saxuma wrote to the viceroy of the Indies, to havesome of the fathers of the Society, who should publishthrough all his territories a law so holy and so pure.The news which came, that the Portuguese vessels, whichcame lately to Japan, had taken their way to Firando,caused Xavier to go thither; and the ill intelligencebetwixt the two princes, gave him hopes that the kingof Firando would give him and his two companions agood reception.

They happened upon a fortress on their way, belongingto a prince called Ekandono, who was vassal to theking of Saxuma. It was situate on the heightof a rock, and defended by ten great bastions.A solid wall encompassed it, with a wide and deepditch cut through the middle of the rock. Nothingbut fearful precipices on every side; and the fortressapproachable by one only way, where a guard was placedboth day and night. The inside of it was as pleasingas the outside was full of horror. A statelypalace composed the body of the place, and in thatpalace were porticoes, galleries, halls, and chambers,of an admirable beauty; all was cut in the livingstone, and wrought so curiously, that the works seemedto be cast within a mould, and not cut by the chizzel.

Some people of the castle, who were returning fromCangoxima, and who had there seen Xavier, invitedhim, by the way, to come and visit their lord; notdoubting but Ekandono would be glad to see so famousa person.

Xavier, who sought all occasions of publishing thegospel, lost not that opportunity. The good receptionwhich was made him, gave him the means of teachingimmediately the true religion, and the ways of eternallife. The attendants of the prince, and soldiersof the garrison, who were present, were so moved,both by the sanctity which shone in the apostle’scountenance, and by the truth which beamed out in allhis words, that, after the clearing of their doubts,seventeen of them at once demanded baptism; and theFather christened them in presence of the Tono, (sothe Japonese call the lord or prince of any particularplace) The rest of them were possessed with the samedesire, and had received the same favour, if Ekandonohad not opposed it by reason of state, and contraryto his own inclinations, for fear of some ill consequencesfrom the king of Saxuma; for in his heart he acknowledgedJesus Christ, and permitted Xavier privately to baptizehis wife and his eldest son. For the rest, hepromised to receive baptism, and to declare himselfa Christian, when his sovereign should be favourableto the law of God.

The steward of Ekandono’s household was onewho embraced the faith. He was a man steppedinto years, and of great prudence. Xavier committedthe new Christians to his care, and put into his handsthe form of baptism in writing, the exposition ofthe creed, the epitome of our Saviour’s life,the seven penitential psalms, the litanies of the saints,and a table of saints’ days as they are celebratedin the church. He himself set apart a place inthe palace proper for the assemblies of the faithful;and appointed the steward to call together as manyof the Pagans as he could, to read both to the oneand the other sort some part of the Christian doctrineevery Sunday, to cause the penitential psalms to besung on every Friday, and the litanies every day Thesteward punctually performed his orders; and thoseseeds of piety grew up so fast, that some few yearsafter, Louis Almeyda found above an hundred Christiansin the fortress of Ekandono. all of an orderly andinnocent conversation; modest in their behaviour,assiduous in prayer, charitable to each other, severeto themselves, and enemies to their bodies; insomuchthat the place had more resemblance to a religioushouse, than to a garrison. The Tono, though stillan idolater, was present at the assemblies of theChristians, and permitted two little children of histo be baptized.

One of these new converts composed elegantly, in histongue, the history of the redemption of mankind,from the fall of Adam to the coming down of the HolyGhost The same man being once interrogated, what answerhe would return the king, in case he should commandhim to renounce his faith? “I would boldlyanswer him,” said he, “in this manner:’Sir, you are desirous, I am certain, that,being born your subject, I should be faithful to you;you would have me ready to hazard my life in yourinterests, and to die for your service; yet, farther,you would have me moderate with my equals, gentleto my inferiors, obedient to my superiors, equitabletowards all; and, for these reasons, command me stillto be a Christian, for a Christian is obliged to beall this. But if you forbid me the professionof Christianity, I shall become, at the same time,violent, hard-hearted, insolent, rebellious, unjust,wicked; and I camiot answer for myself, that I shallbe other.”

As to what remains, Xavier, when he took leave ofthe old steward, whom he constituted superior of therest, left him a discipline, which himself had usedformerly. The old man kept it religiously as arelique, and would not that the Christians in theassemblies, where they chastised themselves, shouldmake a common use of it. At the most, he sufferednot any of them to give themselves above two or threestrokes with it, so fearful he was of wearing it out;and he told them, that they ought to make use of itthe less in chastising their flesh, that it might remainfor the preservation of their health. And indeedit was that instrument which God commonly employedfor the cures of sick persons in the castle.The wife of Ekandono being in the convulsions of death,was instantly restored to health, after they had madethe sign of the cross over her, with the disciplineof the saint.

Xavier, at his departure, made a present to the samelady of a little book, wherein the litanies of thesaints, and some catholic prayers, were written withhis own hand. This also in following times wasa fountain of miraculous cures, not only to the Christians,but also the idolaters; and the Tono himself, in theheight of a mortal sickness, recovered his healthon the instant that the book was applied to him byhis wife. So that the people of the fortresssaid, that their prince was raised to life, and thatit could not be performed by human means.

The saint and his companions being gone from thence,pursued their voyage, sometimes by sea, and sometimestravelled by land. After many labours cheerfullyundergone by them, and many dangers which they passed,they arrived at the port of Firando, which was theend of their undertaking. The Portuguese didall they were able for the honourable reception ofFather Xavier. All the artillery was dischargedat his arrival; all the ensigns and streamers weredjsplayed, with sound of trumpets; and, in fine, allthe ships gave shouts of joy when they beheld the

man of God. He was conducted, in spite of hisrepugnance, with the same pomp to the royal palace;and that magnificence was of no small importance,to make him considered in a heathen court, who withoutit might have been despised, since nothing was tobe seen in him but simplicity and poverty. Theking of Firando, whom the Portuguese gave to understand,how much the man whom they presented to him was valuedby their master, and what credit he had with him,received him with so much the greater favour, becausehe knew the king of Carigoxima had forced him to goout of his estates: for, to oblige the crown ofPortugal, and do a despite to that of Cangoxima, hepresently empowered the three religious Christiansto publish the law of Jesus Christ through all theextent of his dominions.

Immediately they fell on preaching in the town, andall the people ran to hear the European Bonzas.The first sermons of Xavier made a great impressionon their souls; and in less than twenty days, he baptizedmore infidels at Firando, than he had done in a wholeyear at Cangoxima. The facility which he foundof reducing those people under the obedience of thefaith, made him resolve to leave with them Cosmo deTorrez, to put the finishing hand to their conversion,and in the mean time to go himself to Meaco, whichhe had designed from the beginning; that town beingthe capital of the empire, from whence the knowledgeof Christ Jesus might easily be spread through allJapan.

Departing with Fernandez, and the two Japonian Christians,Matthew and Bernard, for this great voyage at theend of October, in the year 1550, they arrived atFacata by sea, which is twenty leagues distant fromFirando; and from thence embarked for Amanguchi, whichis an hundred leagues from it. Amanguchi is thecapital of the kingdom of Naugato, and one of therichest towns of all Japan, not only by the trafficof strangers, who come thither from all parts, butalso by reason of silver mines, which are there ingreat abundance, and by the fertility of the soil;but as vices are the inseparable companions of wealth,it was a place totally corrupted, and full of themost monstrous debaucheries.

Xavier took that place only as his passage to Meaco;but the strange corruption of manners gave him somuch horror, and withal so great compassion, thathe could not resolve to pass farther without publishingChrist Jesus to those blind and execrable men, norwithout making known to them the purity of the Christianlaw. The zeal which transported him, when heheard the abominable crimes of the town, suffered himnot to ask permission from the king, as it had beenhis custom in other places. He appeared in publicon the sudden, burning with an inward fire, whichmounted up into his face, and boldly declared to thepeople the eternal truths of faith. His companionFernandez did the same in another part of the town.People heard them out of curiosity; and many after

having inquired who they were, what dangers they hadrun, and for what end, admired their courage, andtheir procedure, void of interest, according to thehumour of the Japonians, whose inclinations are naturallynoble, and full of esteem for actions of generosity.From public places they were invited into houses,and there desired to expound their doctrine more atlarge, and at greater leisure. “For if yourlaw appear more reasonable to us than our own,”said the principal of the town, “we engage ourselvesto follow it.”

But when once a man becomes a slave to shameful passions,it is difficult to follow what he thinks the best,and even to judge reasonably what is the best.Not a man amongst them kept his word. Having comparedtogether the two laws, almost all of them agreed,that the Christian doctrine was most conformable togood sense, if things were only to be taken in thespeculation; but when they came to consider them inthe practice, and saw how much the Christian law discouragedvengeance, and forbade polygamy, with all carnal pleasures,that which had appeared just and reasonable to them,now seemed improbable, and the perversity of theirwills hoodwinked the light of their understanding;so that, far from believing in Jesus Christ, theysaid, “That Xavier and his companions were plainmountebanks, and the religion which they preached amere fable.” These reports being spreadabroad, exasperated the spirits of men against them,so that as soon as any of them appeared, the peopleran after them, not as before, to hear them preach,but to throw stones at them, and revile them:“See,” they cried, “the two Bonzas,who would inveigle us to worship only one God, andpersuade us to be content with a single wife.”

Oxindono, the king of Amanguchi, hearing what hadpassed, was willing to be judge himself of the Christians’new doctrine. He sent for them before him, andasked them, in the face of all his nobles, of whatcountry they were, and what business brought themto Japan? Xavier answered briefly, “Thatthey were Europeans, and that they came to publishthe divine law. For,” added he, “noman can be saved who adores not God, and the Saviourof all nations, his Son Christ Jesus, with a pure heartand pious worship.” “Expound to me,”replied the prince, “this law, which you havecalled divine.” Then Xavier began, by readinga part of the book which he had composed in the Japoniantongue, and which treated of the creation of the world,of which none of the company had ever heard any thing,of the immortality of the soul, of the ultimate endof our being, of Adam’s fall, and of eternalrewards and punishments; in fine, of the coming ofour Saviour, and the fruits of our redemption.The saint explained what was needful to be cleared,and spoke in all above an hour.

The king heard him with attention, and without interruptinghis discourse; but he also dismissed him without answeringa word, or making any sign, whether he allowed ordisapproved of what he said. This silence, accompaniedwith much humanity, was taken for a permission, byFather Xavier, to continue his public preaching.He did so with great warmth, but with small success:Most of them laughed at the preacher, and scornedthe mysteries of Christianity: Some few, indeed,grew tender at the hearing of our Saviour’ssufferings, even so far as to shed tears, and thesemotions of compassion disposed their hearts to a belief;but the number of the elect was inconsiderable; forthe time pre-ordained for the conversion of that peoplewas not yet come, and was therefore to be attendedpatiently.

Xavier then having made above a month’s abodein Amanguchi, and gathered but small fruit of allhis labours, besides affronts, continued his voyagetowards Meaco with his three companions, Fernandez,Matthew, and Bernard. They continually bemoanedthe blindness and obduracy of those wretches, whor*fused to receive the gospel; yet cheered up themselveswith the consideration of God’s mercies, andan inward voice was still whispering in their hearts,that the seed of the divine word, though cast intoa barren and ungrateful ground, yet would not finallybe lost.

They departed toward the end of December, in a seasonwhen the rains were continually falling, during awinter which is dreadful in those parts, where thewinds are as dangerous by land as tempests are at sea.The colds are pinching, and the snow drives in suchabundance, that neither in the towns nor hamlets,people dare adventure to stir abroad, nor have anycommunication with each other, but by covered walksand galleries: It is yet far worse in the country,where nothing is to be seen but hideous forests, sharp-pointedand ragged mountains, raging torrents across the vallies,which sometimes overflow the plains. Sometimesit is so covered over with ice, that the travellersfall at every step; without mentioning those prodigiousicicles hanging over head from the high trees, andthreatening the passengers at every moment with theirfall.

The four servants of God travelled in the midst ofthis hard season, and rough ways, commonly on theirnaked feet, passing the rivers, and ill accommodatedwith warm clothes, to resist the inclemencies of theair and earth, loaden with their necessary equipage,and without other provisions of life than grains ofrice roasted or dried by the fire, which Bernard carriedin his wallet. They might have had abundantlyfor their subsistence, if Xavier would have acceptedof the money which the Portuguese merchants of Firandooffered him, to defray the charges of his voyage,or would have made use of what the governor of theIndies had supplied him with in the name of the kingof Portugal: But he thought he should have affronted

Providence, if he should have furnished himself withthe provisions needful to a comfortable subsistence;and therefore taking out of the treasury a thousandcrowns, he employed it wholly for the relief of thepoor who had received baptism. Neither did herest satisfied with this royal alms, he drew whathe could also from his friends at Goa and Malacca;and it was a saying of his, “That the more thesenew converts were destitute of worldly goods, the moresuccour they deserved; that their zeal was worthythe primitive ages of the church; and that there wasnot a Christian in Japan, who would not choose ratherto lose his life, than forfeit the love of Jesus Christ.”

The journey from Amanguchi to Meaco is not less thanfifteen days, when the ways are good, and the seasonconvenient for travelling; but the ill weather lengthenedit to our four travellers, who made two months of it;sometimes crossing over rapid torrents, sometimes overplains and forests thick with snow, climbing up therocks, and rolling down the precipices. Theseextreme labours put Father Xavier into a fever fromthe first month, and his sickness forced him to stopa little at Sacay; but he would take no remedies,and soon after put himself upon his way.

That which gave them the greatest trouble was, thatBernard, who was their guide, most commonly misledthem. Being one day lost in a forest, and notknowing what path to follow, they met a horseman whowas going towards Meaco; Xavier followed him, andoffered to carry his mail, if he would help to disengagethem from the forest, and shew them how to avoid thedangerous passages. The horseman accepted Xaviersoffer, but trotted on at a round rate, so that thesaint was constrained to run after him, and the fatiguelasted almost all the day. His companions followedhim at a large distance; and when they came up tothe place where the horseman had left him, they foundhim so spent, and over-laboured, that he could scarcelysupport himself. The flints and thorns had tornhis feet, and his legs were swelled so that they brokeout in many places. All these inconvenienceshindered him not from going forward: He drew hisstrength from the union he had with God, continuallypraying from the morning to the evening, and neverinterrupting his devotions but only to exhort hisfriends to patience.

In passing through the towns and villages where hisway led him, Xavier always read some part of his catechismto the people who gathered about him. For themost part they only laughed at him; and the littlechildren cried after him, “Deos, Deos, Deos,”because, speaking of God, he had commonly that Portugueseword in his mouth, which he seldom pronounced withoutrepetition; for, discoursing of God, he would not usethe Japonese language till they were well instructedin the essence and perfections of the Divine Majesty:and he gave two reasons for it; the first, becausehe found not one word in all the language which well

expressed that sovereign divinity, of which he desiredto give them a distinct notion; the second, becausehe feared lest those idolaters might confound thatfirst Being with their Camis, and their Potoques, incase he should call it by those names which were commonto their idols. From thence he took occasionto tell them, “That as they never had any knowledgeof the true God, so they never were able to expresshis name; that the Portuguese, who knew him, calledhim Deos:” and he repeated that word withso much action, and such a tone of voice, that he madeeven the Pagans sensible what veneration was due tothat sacred name. Having publicly condemned,in two several towns, the false sects of Japan, andthe enormous vices reigning there, he was drawn bythe inhabitants without the walls, where they hadresolved to stone him. But when they were beginningto take up the stones, they were overtaken by a violentand sudden storm, which constrained them all to betakethemselves to flight: The holy man continuedin the midst of this rack of heaven, with flashesof lightning darting round about him, without losinghis habitual tranquillity, but adoring that DivineProvidence which fought so visibly in his favour.

He arrived at length at Meaco with his three companionsin February 1551. The name of that celebratedtown, so widely spread for being the seat of empireand religion, where the Cubosama, the Dairy, and theSaso kept their court, seemed to promise great mattersto Father Xavier; but the effect did not answer theappearances: Meaco, which in the Japonian tonguesignifies a thing worth seeing, was no more than theshadow of what formerly it had been, so terribly warsand fires had laid it waste. On every side ruinswere to be beheld, and the present condition of affairsthreatened it with a total destruction. All theneighbouring princes were combined together againstthe Cubosama, and nothing was to be heard but thenoise of arms.

The man of God endeavoured to have gained an audiencefrom the Cubosama, and the Dairy, but he could notcompass it: He could not so much as get admittanceto the Saso, or high-priest of the Japonian religion.To procure him those audiences, they demanded no lessthan an hundred thousand caixes, which amount to sixhundred French crowns, and the Father had it not togive. Despairing of doing any good on that side,he preached in the public places by that authorityalone which the Almighty gives his missioners.As the town was all in confusion, and the thoughtsof every man taken up with the reports of war, nonelistened to him; or those who casually heard him inpassing by, made no reflections on what he said.

Thus, after a fortnight’s stay at Meaco to nopurpose, seeing no appearance of making converts amidstthe disturbance of that place, he had a strong impulseof returning to Amanguchi, without giving for lostall the pains he had taken at Meaco; not only becauseof his great sufferings, (and sufferings are the gainsof God’s apostles) but also because at leasthe had preached Christ Jesus in that place, that isto say, in the most idolatrous town of all the universe,and opened the passage for his brethren, whom Godhad fore-appointed in the years following, there toestablish Christianity, according to the revelationswhich had been given him concerning it.

He embarked on a river which falls from the adjoiningmountains, and washing the foot of the walls of Meaco,disembogues itself afterwards into an arm of the sea,which runs up towards Sacay. Being in the ship,he could not turn off his eyes from the stately townof Meaco; and, as Fernandez tells us, often sung thebeginning of the 113th Psalm, In exitu Israel deAEgypto, domus Jacob de populo Barbaro, &c. whetherhe considered himself as an Israelite departing outof a land of infidels by the command of God, or thathe looked on that barbarous people, as one day destinedto be the people of God. As for what remains,perceiving that presents are of great force to introduceforeigners to the princes of Japan, he went from Sacayto Firando, where he had left what the viceroy ofthe Indies and the governor of Malacca had obligedhim to carry with him to Japan, that is to say, alittle striking clock, an instrument of very harmoniousmusic, and some other trifles, the value of whichconsisted only in the workmanship and rarity.

Having also observed, that his ragged habit had shockedthe Japonese, who judge by the outside of the man,and who hardly vouchsafe to hear a man ill clothed,he made himself a new garment, handsome enough, ofthose alms which the Portuguese had bestowed on him;being verily persuaded, that an apostolic man oughtto make himself all to all, and that, to gain overworldly men, it was sometimes necessary to conformhimself a little to their weakness.

Being come to Amanguchi, his presents made his wayfor an audience from the king, and procured him afavourable reception. Oxindono, who admired theworkmanship of Europe, was not satisfied with thankingthe Father in a very obliging manner, but the sameday sent him a large sum of money, by way of gratification;but Xavier absolutely refused it, and this very denialgave the king a more advantageous opinion of him.“How different,” said Oxindono, “isthis European Bonza from our covetous priests, wholove money with so much greediness, and who mind nothingbut their worldly interest!”

On the next morning Xavier presented to the king theletters of the governor and of the bishop of the Indies,in which the Christian faith was much extolled; anddesired him, instead of all other favours, to granthim the permission of preaching it, assuring him onceagain, that it was the only motive of his voyage.The king increasing his admiration at the Father’sgenerosity, granted him, by word of mouth, and alsoby a public edict, to declare the word of God.The edict was set up at the turnings of streets, andin public places of the town. It contained afree toleration for all persons to profess the Europeanfaith, and forbade, on grievous penalties, any hinderanceor molestation to the new Bonzas in the exercise oftheir functions.

Besides this, Oxindono assigned them, for their lodgings,an old monastery of the Bonzas, which was disinhabited.They were no sooner established in it, than greatnumbers of people resorted to them: Some outof policy, and to please the king; others to observetheir carriage, and to pick faults in it; many outof curiosity, and to learn something that was new.All in general proposed their doubts, and disputedwith so much vehemence, that most of them were outof breath. The house was never empty, and theseperpetual visits took up all the time of the man ofGod.

He explains himself on this subject, and almost complains,in the letters which he writes to Father Ignatiusconcerning his voyage to Japan. For after hehad marked out to him the qualities which were requisitein a labourer of the Society, proper to be sent thither,“That he ought, in the first place, to be aperson of unblameable conversation, and that the Japonesewould easily be scandalised, where they could findoccasion for the least reproach; that, moreover, heought to be of no less capacity than virtue, becauseJapan is also furnished with an infinite number ofher own clergymen, profound in science, and not yieldingup any point in dispute without being first convincedby demonstrative reasons; that, yet farther, it wasnecessary, that a missioner should come prepared toendure all manner of wants and hardships; that he mustbe endued with an heroic fortitude to encounter continualdangers, and death itself in dreadful torments, incase of need,” Having, I say, set these thingsforth, and added these express words in one of hisletters, “I write to Father Simon, and, in hisabsence, to the rector of Coimbra, that he shall sendhither only such men as are known and approved by yourholy charity,” he continues thus:

“These labourers in the gospel must expect tobe much more crossed in their undertaking than theyimagine. They will be wearied out with visits,and by troublesome questions, every hour of the day,and half the night: They will be sent for incessantlyto the houses of the great, and will sometimes wantleisure to say their prayers, or to make their recollections.Perhaps, also, they will want time to say their massor their breviary, or not have enough for their repast,or even for their natural repose, for it is incrediblehow importunate these Japonians are, especially inreference to strangers, of whom they make no reckoning,but rather make their sport of them. What thereforewill become of them, when they rise up against theirsects, and reprehend their vices?” Yet theseimportunities became pleasing to Father Xavier, andafterwards produced a good effect. As the Japoneseare of docible and reasonable minds, the more theypressed him in dispute, they understood the truth themore: So that their doubts being satisfied, theycomprehended easily, that there were no contradictionsin our faith, nothing that would not abide the testof the most severe discussion.

It was in the midst of these interrogations, withwhich the saint was overburdened, that, by a prodigiousmanner of speech, the like of which was scarcely everheard, he satisfied, with one only answer, the questionsof many persons, on very different subjects, and oftenopposite to each other; as suppose, the immortalityof the soul; the motions of the heavens; the eclipsesof the sun and moon; the colours of the rainbow; sinand grace; hell and heaven. The wonder was, thatafter he had heard all their several demands, he answeredthem in few words, and that these words, being multipliedin their ears, by a virtue all divine, gave them tounderstand what they desired to know, as if he hadanswered each of them in particular. They frequentlytook notice of this prodigy; and were so much amazedat it, that they looked on one another like men distracted,and regarded the Father with admiration, as not knowingwhat to think or say. But as clear-sighted andable as they were, for the most part, they could notconceive that it was above the power of nature.They ascribed it to I know not what secret kind ofscience, which they imagined him only to possess.For which reason, Father Cozmo de Torrez, being returnedfrom Firando to Amanguchi, the Bonzas said, “Thisman is not endued with the great knowledge of FatherFrancis, nor has the art of resolving many doubtswith one only answer.”

The process of the saint’s canonization makesmention of this miracle; and Father Antonio Quadros,who travelled to Japan four years after Father Xavier,writes it to Father Diego Moron, provincial of Portugal,These are his words: “A Japonese informedme, that he had seen three miracles wrought by FatherXavier in his country. He made a person walkand speak, who was dumb and taken with the palsy; hegave voice to another mute; and hearing to one thatwas deaf. This Japonian also told me, that FatherXavier was esteemed in Japan for the most knowing manof Europe; and that the other Fathers of the Societywere nothing to him, because they could answer butone idolater at a time, but that Father Xavier, byone only word, decided ten or twelve questions.When I told him, that this might probably happen becausethose questions were alike, he assured me it was notso; but that, on the contrary, they were very different.He added, lastly, that this was no extraordinary thingwith him, but a common practice.”

When Xavier and his companion Fernandez were a littledisengaged from these importunities, they set themselveson preaching twice a day, in the public places ofthe town, in despite of the Bonzas. There wereseven or eight religions in Amanguchi quite oppositeto each other, and every one of them had many proselytes,who defended their own as best; insomuch, that theseBonzas, who were heads of parties, had many disputesamongst themselves: But when once the saint beganto publish the Christian law, all the sects unitedagainst their common enemy; which, notwithstanding,they durst not openly declare, against a man who wasfavoured by the court, and who seemed, even to themselves,to have somewhat in him that was more than human.

At this time God restored to Father Xavier the giftof tongues, which had been given him in the Indieson divers occasions; for, without having ever learnedthe Chinese language, he preached every day to theChinese merchants, who traded at Amanguchi, in theirmother-tongue, there being great numbers of them.He preached in the afternoon to the Japonians in theirlanguage; but so naturally and with so much ease, thathe could not be taken for a foreigner.

The force of truth, against which their doctors couldoppose nothing that was reasonable in their disputations;the novelty of three miracles, which we have mentioned,and of many others which Xavier wrought at the sametime; his innocent and rigid life; the Divine Spiritwhich enlivened his discourses;—all thesetogether made so great an impression on their hearts,that in less than two months time, more than five hundredpersons were baptized; the greatest part men of qualityand learning, who had examined Christianity to thebottom, and who did not render up themselves for anyother reason, than for that they had nothing fartherto oppose.

It was wonderful, according to the report of the sainthimself, to observe, that there was no other speechbut of Jesus Christ through all the town; and thatthose who had most eagerly fought against the Christianlaw in their disputes, were now the most ardent todefend it, and to practise it with most exactness.All of them were tenderly affectionate to the Father,and were ever loath to leave his company They tookdelight in making daily questions to him, concerningthe mysteries of faith; and it is unspeakable whatinward refreshments they found, in seeing that allwas mysterious even, in the most ordinary ceremonies,—as,for example, in the manner wherewith the faithful signthemselves with the cross.

The Father, on his side, had as ample a satisfaction;and he confesses it himself, in a letter which hedirected some time after to the Jesuits in Europe:“Though my hairs are already become all hoary,”says he to them, “I am more vigorous and robustthan I ever was; for the pains which are taken tocultivate a reasonable nation, which loves the truth,and which covets to be saved, afford me matter ofgreat joy. I have not, in the course of all mylife, received a greater satisfaction than at Amanguchi,where multitudes of people came to hear me, by theking’s permission. I saw the pride of theirBonzas overthrown, and the most inflamed enemies ofthe Christian name subjected to the humility of thegospel. I saw the transports of joy in thosenew Christians, when, after having vanquished theBonzas in dispute, they returned in triumph. Iwas not less satisfied, to see their diligence inlabouring to convince the Gentiles, and vying witheach other in that undertaking; with the delight theytook in the relation of their conquests, and by whatarguments and means they brought them over, and howthey rooted out the heathen superstitions; all these

particulars gave me such abundant joy, that I lostthe sense of my own afflictions. Ah, might itplease Almighty God, that, as I call to my remembrancethose consolations which I have received from thefountain of all mercies in the midst of my labours,I might not only make a recital of them, but givethe experience also, and cause them to be felt andconsidered as they ought, by our universities of Europe,I am assured, that many young men, who study there,would come hither to employ all the strength of theirparts, and vigour of their minds, in the conversionof an idolatrous people, had they once tasted thoseheavenly refreshments which accompany our labours.”

These inward delights of God’s servant werenot yet so pure, but that some bitterness was intermixed.He was not without sorrow for Oxindono king of Amanguchi;who, though persuaded of the excellence of Christianity,was retained in idolatry by carnal pleasures:and for Neatondono, first prince of the kingdom, who,having noble and virtuous inclinations, might haveproved the apostle of the court, if some trivial reasonshad not hindered him from becoming a Christian.He, and the princess his wife, respected Xavier astheir father, and even honoured him as a saint.They also loved the faithful, and succoured them inall their needs. They spoke of our faith in termsof great veneration; but, having founded many monasteriesof Bonzas, it troubled them, as they said, to losethe fruit of charity: and thus the fear of beingfrustrated of I know not what rewards, which the Bonzaspromised them, caused them to neglect that eternalrecompence of which the holy man assured them.

But how powerful soever the example of princes isusually in matters of religion, yet on all sides Christianitywas embraced; and an action of Xavier’s companiondid not a little contribute to the gaining over ofthe most stubborn. Fernandez preached in oneof the most frequented places of the town; and amongsthis crowd of auditors were some persons of great wit,strongly opinioned of their sect, who could not conceivethe maxims of the gospel, and who heard the preacherwith no other intention than to make a sport of him.In the midst of the sermon, a man, who was of thescum of the rabble, drew near to Fernandez, as if itwere to whisper something to him, and hawking up amass of nastiness, spit it full upon his face.Fernandez, without a word speaking, or making the leastsign that he was concerned, took his hand-kerchief,wiped his face, and continued his discourse.

Every one was suprised at the moderation of the preacher:—themore debauched, who had set up a laughter at thisaffront, turned all their scorn into admiration, andsincerely acknowledged, that a man who was so muchmaster of his passions, as to command them on suchan occasion, must needs be endued with greatness ofsoul and heroic courage. One of the chief ofthe assembly discovered somewhat else in this unshaken

patience: He was the most learned amongst allthe doctors of Amanguchi, and the most violent againstthe gospel He considered, that a law which taughtsuch patience, and such insensibility of affronts,could only come from heaven; and argued thus withinhimself: “These preachers, who with somuch constancy endure the vilest of all injuries, cannotpretend to cozen us. It would cost them too deara price; and no man will deceive another at his ownexpence. He only, who made the heart of man, canplace it in so great tranquillity. The forceof nature cannot reach so far; and this Christianpatience must proceed alone from some divine principle.These people cannot but have some infallible assuranceof the doctrine they believe, and of the recompencewhich they expect; for, in line, they are ready tosuffer all things for their God, and have no humanexpectations. After all, what inconvenience ordanger can it be to embrace their law? If whatthey tell us of eternity be true, I shall be eternallymiserable in not believing it; and supposing therebe no other life but this, is it not better to followa religion which elevates a man above himself, andwhich gives him an unalterable peace, than to professour sects, which continue us in all our weakness,and which want power to appease the disorders of ourhearts?” He made his inward reflections on allthese things, as he afterwards declared; and theseconsiderations being accompanied with the motionsof grace, touched him so to the quick, that, as soonas the sermon was ended, he confessed that the virtueof the preacher had convinced him; he desired baptism,and received it with great solemnity.

This illustrious conversion was followed with answerablesuccess. Many who had a glimmering of the truth,and feared to know it yet more plainly, now openedtheir eyes, and admitted the gospel light; amongstthe rest, a young man of five-and-twenty years of age,much esteemed for the subtlety of his understanding,and educated in the most famous universities of Japan.He was come to Amanguchi, on purpose to be made aBonza; but being informed that the sect of Bonzas,of which he desired to be a member, did not acknowledgea first Principle, and that their books had made nomention of him, he changed his thoughts, and was unresolvedon what course of living he should fix; until beingfinally convinced, by the example of the doctor, andthe arguments of Xavier, he became a Christian.The name of Laurence was given him; and it was he,who, being received by Xavier himself into the Societyof Jesus, exercised immediately the ministry of preachingwith so much fame, and so great success, that he convertedan innumerable multitude of noble and valiant men,who were afterwards the pillars of the Japonian church.

As to what remains, the monasteries of the Bonzaswere daily thinned, and grew insensibly to be dispeopledby the desertion of young men, who had some remaindersof modesty and morality. Being ashamed of leadinga brutal life, and of deceiving the simple, they laidby their habits of Bonzas, together with the profession,that, coming back into the world, they might moreeasily be converted. These young Bonzas discoveredto Xavier the mysteries of their sects, and revealedto him their hidden abominations, which were coveredwith an outside of austerity.

The Father, who was at open defiance with those men,who were the mortal enemies of all the faithful, andwhose only interest it was to hinder the establishmentof the faith, published whatsoever was told him inrelation to them, and represented them in their propercolours. These unmasked hypocrites became thelaughter of the people; but what mortified them more,was, that they, who heard them like oracles beforethis, now upbraided them openly with their ignorance.A woman would sometimes challenge them to a disputation;and urge them with such home and pressing arguments,that the more they endeavoured to get loose, the morethey were entangled: For the Father, being madeprivy to the secrets of every sect, furnished thenew proselytes with weapons to vanquish the Bonzas,by reducing them to manifest contradictions; which,among the Japonese, is the greatest infamy that canhappen to a man of letters. But the Bonzas gotnot off so cheap, as only to be made the derision ofthe people; together with their credit and their reputationthey lost the comfortable alms, which was their wholesubsistence: So that the greater part of them,without finding in themselves the least inclinationsto Christianity, bolted out of their convents, thatthey might not die of hunger in them; and changedtheir profession of Bonzas, to become either soldiersor tradesmen; which gave the Christians occasion tosay, with joy unspeakable, “That, in a littletime, there would remain no more idolaters in Amanguchi,of those religious cheats, than were barely sufficientto keep possession of their monasteries.”

The elder Bonzas, in the mean time, more hardenedin their sect, and more obstinate than the young,spared for nothing to maintain their possession.They threatened the people with the wrath of theirgods, and denounced the total destruction of the townand kingdom; they said, “The God whom the Europeansbelieved, was not Deos, or Deus, as the Portuguesecalled him, but Dajus, that is to say, in the Japoniantongue, a lie, or forgery.” They added,“That this God imposed on men a heavy yoke.What justice was it to punish those who transgresseda law, which it was impossible to keep? But wherewas Providence, if the law of Jesus was necessaryto salvation, which suffered fifteen ages to slideaway without declaring it to the most noble part ofall the world? Surely a religion, whose God waspartial in the dispensation of his favours, could notpossibly be true; and if the European doctrine hadbut a shadow of truth in it, China could never havebeen so long without the knowledge of it.”These were the principal heads of their accusation,and Xavier reports them in his letters; but he givesnot an account of what answers he returned, and theyare not made known to us by any other hand. Thus,without following two or three historians, who makehim speak according to their own ideas on all thesearticles, I shall content myself with what the sainthimself had left in writing. The idolaters, insteadof congratulating their own happiness, that they wereenlightened by the beams of faith, bemoaned the blindnessof their ancestors, and cried out in a lamentabletone, “What! are our forefathers burning in hellfire,because they did not adore a God who was unknown tothem, and observed not a law which never was declared?”The Bouzas added fuel to their zeal, by telling them,

“The Portuguese priests were good for nothing,because they could not redeem a soul from hell; whereasthey could do it at their pleasure, by their fastsand prayers: that eternal punishments either provedthe cruelty or the weakness of the Christian God;his cruelty, if he did not deliver them, when he hadit in his power; his weakness, if he could not executewhat he desired; lastly, that Amida and Xaca were farmore merciful, and of greater power; but that theywere only pleased to redeem from hell those who, duringtheir mortal life, had bestowed magnificent alms uponthe Bonzas.”

We are ignorant of all those particular answers ofthe saint, as I said above: we only know fromhis relation, that, concerning the sorrow of the Japoniansfor having been bereft for so many ages of Christianknowledge, he had the good fortune to give them comfort,and put them in a way of more reasonable thoughts;for he shewed them in general, that the most ancientof all laws is the law of God, not that which is publishedby the sound of words, but that which is written inhearts by the hand of nature; so that every one whocomes into the world, brings along with him certainprecepts, which his own instinct and reason teach him.“Before Japan received its laws from the wisem*n of China,” said Xavier, “it was knownamongst you, that theft and adultery were to be avoided;and from thence it was that thieves and palliardssought out secret places, wherein to commit thosecrimes. After they had committed them, they feltthe private stings of their own consciences, whichcease not to reproach the guilty to themselves, thoughtheir wickedness be not known to others, nor evenso much as prohibited by human laws. Suppose aninfant bred up in forests amongst the beasts, farfrom the society of mankind, and remote from the civilizedinhabitants of towns, yet he is not without an inwardknowledge of the rules of civil life; for ask him,whether it be not an evil action to murder a man,to despoil him of his goods, to violate his bed, tosurprise him by force, or circumvent him by treachery,he will answer without question, ’That nothingof this is to be done.’ Now if this bemanifest in a savage, without the benefit of education,how much more way it be concluded of men well educated,and living in mutual conversation? Then,”added the holy man, “it follows, that God hasnot left so many ages destitute of knowledge, as yourBonzas have pretended” By this he gave themto understand, that the law of nature was a step whichled them insensibly to the Christian law; and thata man who lived morally well, should never fad of arrivingto the knowledge of the faith, by ways best knownto Almighty God; that is to say, before his eath,God would either send some preacher to him, or illuminatehis mind by some immediate revelation. These reasons,which the fathers of the church have often used onlike occasions, gave such satisfaction to the Pagans,that they found no farther difficulty in that point,which had given them so much trouble.

The Bonzas perceiving that the people preferred theauthority of Xavier above theirs, and not knowinghow to refute their adversary, made a cabal at court,to lessen the Christians in the good opinion of theking. They gave him jealousies of them, by decryingtheir behaviour, and saying, “They were menof intrigue, plotters, enemies of the public safety,and dangerous to the person of the king;” insomuch,that Oxindono, who had been so favourable to them,all on the sudden was turned against them. Itis true, that as the Japonese value themselves aboveall things, in the inviolable observation of theirword, when they have once engaged it, he durst notrevoke that solemn edict, which he had published infavour of the Christians; but to make it of no effect,he used the faithful with great severity, even sofar as to seize upon their goods, and began with menof the first rank in his dominions. At the sametime, the Bonzas, grown insolent, and swelled withthis new turn of tide, wrote letters and libels fullof invectives against Xavier. They said, he wasa vagabond beggar, who, not knowing how to maintainhimself in India, was come to Japan to live on charity.They endeavoured above all things to make him passfor a notorious magician, who, through the power ofhis charms, had forced the devil to obey him, andone who, by the assistance of his familiars, performedall sorts of prodigies to seduce the people.

But neither this alteration in the king, nor thesecalumnies of the Bonzas, hindered the progress ofthe gospel. The number of Christians amountedin few days to three thousand in Amanguchi, and theywere all so fervent, that not one of them but wasready, not only to forego his fortunes, but also toshed his blood for the defence of his faith, if theking should be carried on to persecute the growingchurch with fire and sword, as it was believed hewould. The reputation of the apostle was alsoencreased, in spite of the false reports which werespread concerning him; and his name became so famousin the neighbouring kingdoms, that all the peopleround about were desirous to see the European Bonza.

Xavier had of late some thoughts of returning to theIndies, there to make a choice himself of such labourersas were proper for Japan; and his design was to comeback by China, the conversion of which country hadalready inflamed his heart. For discoursing dailywith such Chinese merchants as were resident at Amanguehi,he had entertained a strong opinion, that a nationso polite, and knowing, would easily be reduced toChristianity; and on the other side, he had great hopes,that when China should be once converted, Japan wouldnot be long after it; at least the more unbelievingsort of Japonese often said, “That they wouldnot alter their religion till the Chinese had ledthe way. Let him carry his gospel to that flourishingand vast empire; and when he had subdued it to JesusChrist, then they would also think of turning Christians.”

In the meantime, a Portuguese vessel, commanded byEdward de Gama, arrived at the kingdom of Bungo, andnews came to Amanguchi, that this ship, which wassailed thither from the Indies, would be on its wayback again in a month or two. Xavier, to learnwhat truth there was in this report, sent Matthewto those parts, who was one of the Japonian converts,which accompanied him, and gave him a letter, directedto the captain and merchants of the vessel. Thesaint desired them to send him word, who they were,from whence bound, and how soon they intended to return;after which he told them, “That his intentionswere to return to the Indies, and that he should beglad to meet them, in case they were disposed to repassthither.” In conclusion, he desired themearnestly, that they would borrow so much time fromtheir affairs of merchandize as to think a littleon their souls; and declared to them, that all thesilks of China, whatever gain they might afford them,could not countervail the least spiritual profit whichthey might make, by a daily examination of their consciences.The ship was at the port of Figen, about fifty leaguesfrom Amanguchi, and within a league of Fucheo, whichsome call Funay, the metropolis of Bungo. ThePortuguese were overjoyed to hear news of Father Xavier.They sent him an account of theirs, and withal advertisedhim, that, in the compass of a month at farthest, theyshould set sail for China, where they had left threevessels laden for the Indies, which were to returnin January, and that James Pereyra, his familiar friend,was on board of one of them. Matthew came backin five days time; and, besides the letters whichhe brought the Father from the captain, and the principalmerchants, he gave him some from Goa; by which theFathers of the college of St Paul gave him to understand,that his presence in that place was of absolute necessity,for the regulation of affairs belonging to the Society.

Then Xavier, without losing time, after he had recommendedthe new Christians to the care of Cosmo de Torrez,and John Fernandez, whom he left at Amanguchi, puthimself upon his way towards Mid-September, in theyear 1551. He might have made this voyage easilyby sea, but he loved rather to go by land, and thaton foot, according to his custom. He took forhis companions, Matthew and Bernard; two Christianlords would be also of the party. Their goodshad lately been confiscated, as a punishment for changingtheir religion; but the grace of Jesus Christ, whichwas to them instead of all, rendered their povertyso precious, that they esteemed themselves richerthan they had been formerly. Another Christianbore them company; that Laurence sirnamed the Squint-eyed,because of that imperfection in his sight.

The Father walked cheerfully with his five companions,as far as Pinlaschau, a village distant a league ortwo from Figen. Arriving there he found himselfso spent with travelling, that his feet were swollen,and he was seized with a violent headach, so that hecould go no farther. Matthew, Laurence, and Bernard,went on to carry news of him to the vessel. WhenEdward de Gama understood that the holy man was sonear, he called together all the Portuguese who residedat Fucheo; and having chosen out the principal amongstthem, got on horseback with them, to pay him theirrespects in ceremony. Xavier, whom a little resthad now recruited, and who was suspicious of the honourwhich they intended him, was already on his journey,but fell into that ambush of civility, which he wouldwillingly have shunned. The cavalcade came upto him within a league’s distance of Figen;and found him walking betwixt the two lords of Amanguchi,who had never left him, and himself carrying his ownequipage. Gama was surprised to see a person soconsiderable in the world in such a posture, and alightingfrom his horse, with all his company, saluted himwith all manner of respect. After the first complimentswere over, they invited the Father to mount on horseback,but he could not be persuaded; so that the Portuguesegiving their horses to be led after them, bore himcompany on foot even to the port.

The ship was equipped in all its flourish, with flagshung out, and streamers waving, according to the ordersof the captain. They who were remaining in herappeared on the decks, and stood glittering in theirarmour. They gave him a volley at his first approach,and then discharged all their cannon. Four roundsof the artillery being made, the noise of it was heardso distinctly at Fucheo, that the city was in a fright,and the king imagined that the Portuguese were attackedby certain pirates, who lately had pillaged all thecoasts. To clear his doubts, he dispatched awaya gentleman of his court to the ship’s captain.Gama shewing Father Francis to the messenger, toldhim, that the noise which had alarmed the court, wasonly a small testimony of the honour which was owingto so great a person, one so dear to heaven, and somuch esteemed in the court of Portugal.

The Japanner, who saw nothing but poverty in the personof the Father, and remembered what had been writtenof him from Amanguchi, stopped a little without speaking;then, with amazement in his face, “I am in pain,”said he, “what answer I shall return my prince;for what you tell me has no correspondence eitherwith that which I behold, or with the account we havereceived from the Bonzas of Amanguchi; who have seenyour Father Bonza entertain a familiar spirit, whotaught him to cast lots, and perform certain magicaloperations to delude the ignorant. They reporthim to be a wretch forsaken, and accurst by all theworld; that the vermin which are swarming all overhim, are too nice to feed on his infectious flesh;

besides which, I fear, that if I should relate whatyou say concerning him, our priests would be takeneither for idiots, or men of false understanding,or for envious persons, and impostors.”Then Gama replying, told the Japonian all that wasnecessary to give him a good impression of the saint,and to hinder him from contempt of his mean appearance.On this last article he declared to him, that he, whohad so despicable an outside, was of noble blood;that fortune had provided him with wealth, but thathis virtue had made him poor; and that his wilfullwant of all things was the effect of a great spirit,which despised those empty pomps that are so eagerlydesired by mankind. This discourse ravished theJapanner with admiration; he made a faithful relationof it to his king; and added of himself, that thePortuguese were more happy in the possession of thisholy man, than if their vessel were laden with ingotsof gold.

The king of Bungo had already heard speak of FatherFrancis; and gave no credit to what the Bonzas ofAmanguchi had written of him. He was a princeof five-and-twenty years of age, very judicious, generous,and civil; but too much engaged in carnal pleasures,after the manner of the Japonian princes. Whathe had heard from the relation of the messenger, increasedhis longing to behold Xavier; and the same day he writto him, in these very terms:—

“Father Bonza of Chimahicoghin, (for by thatname they call Portugal,) may your happy arrival inmy estates be as pleasing to your God, as are thepraises wherewith he is honoured by his saints.Quansyonofama, my domestic servant, whom I sent tothe port of Figen, tells me, that you are arrivedfrom Amanguchi; and all my court will bear me witness,with what pleasure I received the news. As Godhas not made me worthy to command you, I earnestlyrequest you to come before the rising of the sun to-morrow,and to knock at my palace gate, where I shall impatientlyattend you. And permit me to demand this favourof you without being thought a troublesome beggar.In the meantime, prostrate on the ground, and on myknees before your God, whom I acknowledge for the Godof all the gods, the Sovereign of the best and greatestwhich inhabit in the heavens, I desire of him, I say,to make known to the haughty of the world, how muchyour poor and holy life is pleasing to him; to theend, that the children of our flesh may not be deceivedby the false promises of the earth. Send me newsof your holiness, the joy of which may give me a goodnight’s repose, till the co*cks awaken me withthe welcome declaration of your visit.”

This letter was carried by a young prince of the bloodroyal, attended by thirty young lords belonging tothe court; and accompanied by a venerable old man,who was his governor, called Poomendono, one of thewisest and most qualified of all the kingdom, andnatural brother to the king of Minato. The honourwhich was paid by the Portuguese to Father Xavier,so surprised the prince, that, turning to his governor,he said aloud, “the God of these people mustbe truly great, and his counsels hidden from mankind,since it is his pleasure, that these wealthy shipsshould be obedient to so poor a man as is this Bonzaof the Portuguese; and that the roaring of their cannonshould declare, that poverty has wherewithal to bepleasing to the Lord of all the world; even that povertywhich is so despicable of itself, and so disgracefulin the general opinion, that it seems even a crimeto think of it.”

“Though we have a horror for poverty,”replied Poomendono, “and that we believe thepoor incapable of happiness, it may be this poor manis so much enamoured of his wants, and so esteemsthem, that he is pleasing to the God whom he adores,and that practising it with all imaginable rigourfor his sake, he may be richer than the greatest monarchof the world.”

The young ambassador being returned to court, reportedto the king with what respect his letter had beenreceived; and took upon him to persuade that prince,that this European Bonza was to be treated with greaterhonour, and far otherwise than their ordinary Bonzas;even so far as to say, that it would be an enormoussin to level him with them; that for the rest, hewas not so poor as his enemies had suggested; thatthe captains and Portuguese merchants would bestowon him both their ship and all their treasure, incase he would accept of them; and that, properly speaking,he was not to be accounted poor, who possessed as muchas he desired. In the mean time, the Portuguesebeing assembled, to consult how Father Xavier shouldappear in court the next morning, all of them wereof opinion, that he should present himself with allthe pomp and magnificence they could devise.At first he opposed it, out of the aversion he hadfor this pageant show, so unsuitable to the conditionof a religious man; but afterwards he yielded to therequest, and withal to the reasons of the assembly.Those reasons were, that the Bonzas of Amanguchi,having written all they could imagine, to render Xaviercontemptible, it was convenient to remove those falseconceptions from the people; and at the same time,to let them see how much the Christians honour theirministers of the gospel, that thereby the Heathensmight be the more easily induced to give credit tothem; so that the honour would reflect on Jesus Christ,and the preaching would be raised in value, accordingto the esteem which was given to the preacher.

They prepared therefore, with all diligence, for theentry of the saint, and set out the next morning beforeday-light, in a handsome equipage. There werethirty Portuguese, of the most considerable amongstthem, richly habited; with their chains of gold, andadorned with jewels. Their servants and slaves,well clothed likewise, were attending on their masters.Father Xavier wore a cassock of black chainlet, andover it a surplice, with a stole of green velvet,garnished with a gold brocard. The chalop andthe two barques, wherein they made their passage fromthe ship to the town, were covered on the sides withthe fairest China tapestry, and hung round with silkenbanners of all colours. Both in the sloop, andin the barques, there were trumpets, flutes, and hautboys,and other instruments of music, which, playing together,made a most harmonious concert: the news whichwas spread about Fucheo, that the great European Bonzawas to enter into the town that morning, drew manypersons of quality to the sea-side; and such a multitudeof people ran crowding together, at the sounding ofthe trumpets, that the Portuguese could hardly findfooting to come on shore.

Quansyandono, captain of Canafama, and one of theprincipal of the court, was there attending them,by order from the king. He received the saintwith great civility, and offered him a litter to carryhim to the palace; but Xavier refused it, and walkedon foot, with all his train, in this order: Edwardde Gama went foremost bare-headed, with a cane in hishand, as the gentleman of the horse, or Major Domoto the Father. Five other Portuguese followedhim, who were the most considerable persons of theship. One of them carried a book in a bag of whitesatin; another a cane of Bengal, headed with gold;a third his slippers, which were of a fine black velvet,such as are worn only by persons of the first quality,a fourth carried a fair tablet of Our Lady, wraptin a scarf of violet damask; and the fifth a magnificentparasol. The Father came next after them, inthe habit which I have described; with an air composedbetwixt majesty and modesty. The rest of thePortuguese followed; and to behold their countenance,their dress, and the beauty of their train, they resembledrather cavaliers and lords, than a company of merchants.They passed in this manner through the chief streetsof the city, with sound of trumpets, flutes, and hautboys,followed by an infinite multitude of people, withoutreckoning into the number those who filled the windows,the balconies, and the tops of houses. Being arrivedat the great place, which fronts the royal palace,they found there six hundred of the king’s guards,drawn up, some armed with lances, others with darts,all of them with rich scymiters hanging by their sides,and costly vests upon their backs. These guards,at the sign given them by their captain, called Fingeiridono,advanced in good order towards the saint, after whichthey divided into two ranks, and opened a passagefor the Father through the midst of them.

Being come to the palace, the Portuguese, who walkedimmediately before the Father, turned towards him,and saluted him with great respect. One presentedhim the cane, and another the velvet slippers; he,who held the parasol, spread it over his head; andthe two others, who carried the book and picture,placed themselves on each side of him. All thiswas so gracefully performed, and with so much honourto the Father, that the lords who were present muchadmired the manner of it: and they were heardto say amongst themselves, that Xavier had been falselyrepresented to them by the Bonzas; that questionlesshe was a man descended from above, to confound theirenvy, and abate their pride.

After they had gone through a long gallery, they enteredinto a large hall full of people; who, by their habit,which was of damask, heightened with gold, and diversifiedwith fair figures, seemed to be persons of the highestquality. There a little child, whom a reverendold man held by the hand, coming up to the Father,saluted him with these words: “May yourarrival in the palace of my lord the king, be as welcometo him, as the rain of heaven to the labourers, ina long and parching drought: Enter without fear,”continued he, “for I assure you of the love ofall good men, though the wicked cannot behold youwithout melancholy in their faces, which will makethem appear like a black and stormy night.”Xavier returned an answer suitable to his age whohad made the compliment; but the child replied ina manner which was far above his age. “Certainly,”said he, “you must be endued with an extraordinarycourage, to come from the end of all the world intoa strange country, liable to contempt, in regard ofyour poverty; and the goodness of your God must needsbe infinite, to be pleased with that poverty againstthe general opinion of mankind. The Bonzas arefar from doing any thing of this nature; they whopublicly affirm, and swear, that the poor are no morein a possibility of salvation than the women.”“May it please the divine goodness of our Lord,”replied Xavier, “to enlighten those dark andwretched souls with the beams of his celestial truth,to the end they may confess their error, both as tothat particular, and to the rest of their belief.”

The child discoursed on other subjects, and spokewith so much reason, and with that sublimity of thought,that the Father doubted not but he was inspired bythe Holy Spirit, who, when he pleases, can replenishthe souls of infants with wisdom, and give eloquenceto their tongues, before nature has ripened in themthe use of reason.

In these entertainments, which were surprising toall the assistants, they passed into another hall,where there were many gentlemen richly habited, andof good mein. At the moment when the Father entered,all of them bowed with reverence; which action theyrepeated thrice, and so very low, that they touchedthe ground with their foreheads, as the Japonese arevery dextrous at that exercise. And this reverence,which they call Gromenare, is only performed by theson to the father, and by the vassal to his lord.After this, two of them separating from the company,to testify their general joy at the sight of him,one of them spoke in this manner: “Mayyour arrival, holy Father Bonza, be as pleasing toour king as the smiles of a babe are to his mother,who holds him in her arms; which certainly will be,for we swear to you by the hairs of our heads, thatevery thing, even to the very walls, which seem todance for joy at your desired presence, conspiresto your good reception, and excites us to rejoiceat your arrival; we doubt not but it will turn to theglory of that God. of whom you have spoken so greatlyat Amanguchi.” This compliment being ended,these young lords were following the Father; but thechild of whom we made mention, and whom Xavier ledby the hand, made a sign to them, that they shouldgo no farther. They mounted on a terrace borderedwith orange trees, and from thence entered into anotherhall, more spacious than either of the former.Facharandono, the king’s brother, was there,with a magnificent retinue. Having done to thesaint all the civilities which are practised to thegreatest of Japan, he told him, “that this daywas the most solemn and auspicious of all the yearfor the court of Bungo; and that his lord the kingesteemed himself more rich and happy to have him inhis palace, than if he were master of all the silvercontained in the two-and-thirty treasuries of China.In the mean time,” added the prince, “Iwish you an increase of glory, and an entire accomplishmentof that design, which brought you hither from theextremities of the earth.”

Then the child, who had hitherto been the master ofthe ceremonies to the Father, left him in the handsof Facharandono, and retired apart. They enteredinto the king’s antichamber, where the principallords of the kingdom were attending him. Afterhe had been received by them with all possible civilities,he was at last introduced to his audience in a chamberwhich glittered with gold on every side. The king,who was standing, advanced five or six paces at thefirst appearance of the Father, and bowed himselfeven to the ground thrice successively, at which actionall the company were in great amazement. Xavier,on his side, prostrated himself before that prince,and would have touched his foot, according to thecustom of the country, but the king would not permithim, and himself raised up the saint; then taking himby the hand, he caused him to sit down by him on the

same estrade. The prince, his brother, was seatedsomewhat lower; and the Portuguese were placed overagainst them, accompanied by the most qualified personsof the court. The king immediately said all theobliging things to the Father which could be expectedfrom a well-bred man; and, laying aside all the pompof majesty, which the kings of Japan are never usedto quit in public, treated him with the kindness andfamiliarity of a friend. The Father answeredall these civilities of the prince with a most profoundrespect, and words full of deference and submission;after which, taking occasion to declare Jesus Christto him, he explained, in few words, the principalmaxims of Christian morality; but he did it after soplausible a manner, that at the conclusion of hisdiscourse, the king cried out in a transport of admiration,“How can any man learn from God these profoundsecrets? Why has he suffered us to live in blindness,and this Bonza of Portugal to receive these wonderfulilluminations? For, in fine, we ourselves arewitnesses of what we had formerly by report; and allwe hear is maintained by proofs so strong and evident,and withal so conformable to the light of nature,that whoever would examine these doctrines, accordingto the rules of reason, will find that truth willissue out, and meet him on every side, and that noone proposition destroys another. It is far otherwisewith our Bonzas; they cannot make any discourse withoutthe clashing of their own principles; and from thenceit happens, that the more they speak, the more theyentangle themselves. Confused in their knowledge,and yet more confused in the explication of what theyteach, rejecting to day as false what yesterday theyapproved for true; contradicting themselves, and recantingtheir opinions every moment, insomuch, that the clearesthead, and the most ready understanding, can comprehendnothing of their doctrine; and in relation to eternalhappiness, we are always left in doubt what we shouldbelieve; a most manifest token that they only followthe extravagancies of their own fancies, and havenot, for the rule and foundation of their faith, anypermanent and solid truth.”

In this manner spoke the king; and it was easy tojudge by the vehemence of his action, that he spokefrom the abundance of his heart. There was presenta Bonza, very considerable in his sect, and of goodknowledge, but too presuming of his understanding,and as much conceited of his own abilities as anypedant in the world. This Bonza, whose name wasFaxiondono, either jealous of the honour of his profession,or taking to himself in particular what the king hadsaid of all in general, was often tempted to haveinterrupted him, yet he mastered his passion till theking had done; but then losing all manner of respect,and not keeping any measures of decency, “Howdare you,” said he, “decide matters relatingto religion; you who have never studied in the universityof Fianzima, the only place where the sacred mysteriesof the gods are explicated? If you know nothingof yourself, consult the learned. I am here inperson to instruct you.”

The insolence of the Bonza raised the indignationof all the company, the king excepted, who, smiling,commanded him to proceed, if he had more to say.Faxiondono growing more arrogant by this moderationof his prince, began raising his note by extollingthe profession of a Bonza: “That nothingwas more certain than that the Bonzas were the favouritesof heaven, both observing the law themselves, andcausing it to be observed by others; that they passedthe longest nights, and the severest colds, in prayingfor their benefactors; that they abstained from allsensual pleasures; that fresh fish never came upontheir tables; that they administered to the sick,instructed the children, comforted the distressed,reconciled enemies, appeased seditions, and pacifiedkingdoms; that, which was first and chiefest, theygave letters of exchange for another life, by whichthe dead became rich in heaven; that, in fine, theBonzas were the familiar friends of the stars, andthe confidents of the saints; that they were privilegedto converse with them by night, to cause them to descendfrom heaven, to embrace them in their arms, and enjoythem as long as they desired.” These extravaganciesset all the company in a laughter; at which the Bonzawas so enraged, that he flew out into greater passion,till the king commanded his brother to impose silenceon him; after which, he caused his seat to be takenfrom under him, and commanded him to withdraw, tellinghim, by way of raillery, “That his choler wasa convincing proof of a Bonza’s holiness;”and then seriously adding, “That a man of hischaracter had more commerce with hell than heaven.”At these words, the Bonza cried out with excess ofrage, “The time will come, when no man of thisworld shall be worthy enough to serve me; there isnot that monarch now breathing on the face of theearth, but shall be judged too vile to touch the hemof my garment.” He meant, when he was tobe transformed into one of their deities, and thatGod and he should be mixed into one divinity, whichis the reward of a Bonza after death. Thoughthe king could not hear his madness without smiling,yet he had so much compassion on his folly, that hetook upon him to confute those extravagant propositions;but Xavier desired him to defer it to a fitter time,till he had digested his fury, and was more capableof hearing reason. Then the king said only toFaxiondono, “That he should go and do penancefor the pride and insolence of his speech, whereinhe had made himself a companion of the gods.”Faxiondono did not reply, but he was heard to mutter,and grind his teeth, as he withdrew. Being atthe chamber door, and ready to go out, “Maythe gods,” said he aloud, “dart their firefrom heaven to consume thee, and burn to ashes allthose kings who shall presume to speak like thee!”

The king and Xavier prosecuted their discourse onseveral articles of religion till dinner time; whenthe meat was on the table, the king invited the Fatherto eat with him. Xavier excused himself with allpossible respect, but that prince would absolutelyhave it so. “I know well,” said he,“my friend and father, that you are not in wantof my table; but, if you were a Japanner, as we are,you would understand, that a king cannot give thosehe favours a greater sign of his good will, than inpermitting them to eat with him; for which reason,as I love you, and am desirous of shewing it, youmust needs dine with me; and farther, I assure you,that I shall receive a greater honour by it, than Ibestow.” Then Xavier, with a low reverence,kissing his scymitar, which is a mark of most profoundrespect, much practised in Japan, said thus to him:“I petition the God of heaven, from the bottomof my heart, to reward your majesty for all the favoursyou have heaped on me, by bestowing on you the lightof faith, and the virtues of Christianity, to the endyou may serve God faithfully during your life, andenjoy him eternally after death.” The kingembraced him, and desired of God, on his side, thathe would graciously hear the saint’s request,yet on this condition, that they might remain togetherin heaven, and never be divided from each other, thatthey might have the opportunity of long conversations,and of discoursing to the full of divine matters.At length they sat to dinner: while they wereeating, the Portuguese, and all the lords of the court,were on their knees, together with the chief inhabitantsof the town, amongst whom were also some Bonzas, whowere enraged in their hearts; but the late exampleof Faxiondono hindered them from breaking into passion.

These honours which Xavier received from the kingof Bungo, made him so considerable, and gave him sogreat a reputation with the people, that being athis lodgings with the Portuguese, they came throngingfrom all quarters to hear him speak of God. Hispublic sermons, and his private conversations, hadtheir due effect. Vast multitudes of people, fromthe very first, renounced their idols, and believedin Jesus Christ. The saint employed whole daystogether in baptising of idolaters, or in teachingnew believers; so that the Portuguese could not enjoyhim to themselves for their own spiritual consolation,unless at some certain hours of the night, while hewas giving himself some breathing time after his longlabours. Loving him so tenderly as they did, andfearing that his continual pains might endanger hishealth, they desired him to manage it with more caution,and to take at least those refreshments which humannature exacted from him, before he sunk at once undersome distemper. But he answered them, “Thatif they truly loved him, they would trouble themselvesno more concerning him; that they ought to look onhim as one who was dead to all outward refreshments;that his nourishment, his sleep, and his life itself,consisted in delivering from the tyranny of the devilthose precious souls, for whose sake chiefly God hadcalled him from the utmost limits of the earth.”

Amongst the conversions which were made at Fucheo,one of the most considerable was that of a famousBonza, of Canafama, called Sacay Ecran. ThisBonza, who was very learned, and a great pillar ofhis sect, seeing that none of his brethren durst attemptXavier on the matter of religion, undertook a publicdisputation with him. The conference Avas madein a principal place of the town, in presence of agreat multitude. Scarcely had Xavier made anend of explaining the Christian doctrine, when theBonza grew sensible of his errors. The infidel,notwithstanding, went on to oppose those truths, ofwhich he had already some imperfect glimpse; but beingat length convinced, by the powerful reasons of hisadversary, and inwardly moved by God’s goodspirit, he fell on his knees, and lifting up his handstowards heaven, he pronounced aloud these words, Mathtears trickling from his eyes; “O Jesus Christ,thou true and only son of God, I submit to thee.I confess from my heart, and with my mouth, that thouart God eternal and omnipotent; and I earnestly desirethe pardon of all my auditors, that I have so oftentaught them things for truth, which I acknowledge,and at this present declare before them, were onlyforgeries and fables.”

An action which was so surprising, moved the mindsof all the assistants; and it was in the power ofFather Xavier to have baptized that very day fivehundred persons, who, being led by the example of theBonza of Canafama, all of them earnestly desired baptism.He might perhaps have done this in the Indies, wherethere were no learned men to oppose the mysteriesof our faith, and to tempt the fidelity of the newconverts by captious queries. But he judged thisnot to be practicable in Japan, where the Bonzas,not being able to hinder the conversion of idolaters,endeavoured afterwards to regain them by a thousandlying artifices and sophistications; and it appearednecessary to him, before he baptized those who weregrown up to manhood, to fortify them well against thetricks of those seducers.

Accordingly, the saint disposed the souls of thoseGentiles by degrees to this first sacrament, and beganwith the reformation of their manners, chusing rathernot to baptize the king of Bungo, than to precipitatehis baptism; or rather he thought, that his conversionwould be always speedy enough, provided it were sincereand constant. Thus, the great care of FatherXavier, in relation to the prince, was to give himan aversion to those infamous vices which had beentaught him by the Bonzas, and in which he lived withoutscruple, upon the faith of those his masters.Now the king, attending with great application tothe man of God, and having long conversations withhim, began immediately to change his life, and togive the demonstrations of that change. From thevery fist, he banished out of his chamber a beautifulyouth, who was his minion, and also forbade him theentry of his palace. He gave bountifully to the

poor, to whom he had formerly been hard-hearted, asthinking it was a crime to pity them, and an act ofjustice to be cruel to them, according to the doctrineof his Bonzas, who maintained, that poverty not onlymade men despicable and ridiculous, but also criminal,and worthy of the severest punishments. Accordingto the principles of the same doctors, women withchild were allowed to make themselves miscarry by certainpotions, and even to murder those children whom theybrought into the world against their will; insomuch,that such unnatural cruelties were daily committed,and nothing was more common in the kingdom of Bungo,than those inhuman mothers: Some of them, tosave the charges of their food and education, othersto avoid the miseries attending poverty, and many topreserve the reputation of chastity, however debauchedand infamous they were. The king, by the admonitionof the Father, forbade those cruelties on pain ofdeath. He made other edicts against divers Paganceremonies, which were lascivious or dishonest, andsuffered not the Bonzas to set a foot within his palace.As to what remains, he was wrapt in admiration at thevirtue of the holy man; and confessed often to hiscourtiers, that when he saw him appear at any time,he trembled even to the bottom of his heart, becausehe seemed to see the countenance of the man of God,as a clear mirror, representing to him the abominationsof his life.

While Xavier had this success at the court of Bungo,Cosmo de Torrez, and John Fernandez, suffered forthe faith at Amanguchi. After the departure ofthe saint, the whole nation of the Bonzas rose againstthem, and endeavoured to confound them in regulardisputes; flattering themselves with this opinion,that the companions of Xavier were not so learned ashimself, and judging on the other side, that the leastadvantage which they should obtain against them, wouldre-establish the declining affairs of Paganism.

It happened quite contrary to their expectations:Torrez, to whom Fernandez served instead of an interpreter,answered their questions with such force of reason,that they were wholly vanquished; not being able towithstand his arguments, they endeavoured to decryhim by their calumnies, spreading a report, that thecompanions of the great European Bonza cut the throatsof little children by night, sucked their blood, andeat their flesh; that the devil had declared, by themouth of an idol, that these two Europeans were hisdisciples; and that it was himself who had instructedthem in those subtle answers which one of them hadreturned in their public disputations. Besidesthis, some of the Bonzas made oath, that they hadseen a devil darting flakes of fire like thunder andlightning against the palace of the king, as a judgment,so they called it, against those who had receivedinto the town these preachers of an upstart faith.But perceiving that none of these inventions tookplace according to their desires, and that the people,

instead of giving credit to their projects, made theirsport at them, partly in revenge, and partly to verifytheir visions, they engaged in their interests a lordof the kingdom, who was a great soldier, and a malecontent;him they wrought to take up arms against the king.This nobleman, provoked with the sense of his illusage at court, and farther heightened by motivesof religion and interest, raised an army in less thanthree weeks time, by the assistance of the Bonzas,and came pouring down like a deluge upon Amanguchi.

The king, who was neither in condition to give himbattle, nor provided to sustain a siege, and who fearedall things from his subjects, of whom he was extremelyhated, lost his courage to that degree, that lie lookedon death as his only remedy; for, apprehending aboveall things the ignominy of falling alive into thepower of rebels, pushed on by a barbarous despair,he first murdered his son, and then ript up his ownbelly with a knife, having beforehand left order withone of his faithful servants to burn their bodiesso soon as they were dead, and not to leave so muchas their ashes at the disposal of the enemy.

All was put to fire and sword within the city.During this confusion, the soldiers, animated by theBonzas, searched for Torrez and Fernandez, to havemassacred them: And both of them had perishedwithout mercy, if the wife of Neatondono, of whomformerly we have made mention, and who, though continuinga Pagan, yet had so great a kindness for Xavier, that,for his sake, she kept them hidden in her palace tillthe public tranquillity was restored; for, as thesepopular commotions are of the nature of storms, whichpass away, and that so much the more speedily, asthey had been more violent, the town resumed her formercountenance in the space of some few days.

The heads of the people being assembled for the electionof a new king, by common consent pitched on the brotherof the king of Bungo, a young prince, valiant of hisperson, and born for great atchievements. Immediatelythey sent a solemn embassy to that prince, and presentedto him the crown of Amanguchi. The court of Bungocelebrated the election of the new king with greatmagnificence, while Xavier was yet residing at Fucheo.The saint himself rejoiced the more at this promotion,because he looked, on this wonderful revolution, whichwas projected by the Bonzas for the ruin of Christianity,as that which most probably would confirm it.He was not deceived in his conjectures; and, from thebeginning, had a kind of assurance, that this turnof state would conduce to the advantage of the faith:for having desired the king of Bungo, that he wouldrecommend to the prince his brother the estate of Christianityin Amanguchi, the king performed so fully that request,that the new monarch promised, on his royal word,to be altogether as favourable to the Christians asthe king his brother.

Xavier had been forty days at Fucheo when the Portuguesemerchants were in a readiness to set sail for China,according to the measures which they had taken.All necessary preparations being made, he accompaniedthem to take his leave of the king of Bungo. Thatprince told the merchants, that he envied them thecompany of the saint; that, in losing him, he seemedto have lost his father; and that the thought of neverseeing him again, most sensibly afflicted him.

Xavier kissed his hand with a profound reverence,and told him, that he would return to wait on hismajesty as soon as possibly he could; that he wouldkeep him inviolably in his heart; and that in acknowledgementof all his favours, he should continually send uphis prayers to heaven, that God would shower on himhis celestial blessings.

The king having taken him aside, as to say somethingin private to him, Xavier laid hold on that opportunity,and gave him most important counsel for the salvationof his soul. He advised him above all things tobear in mind how soon the greatness and pomp of thispresent life will vanish away; that life is but shortin its own nature; that we scarcely have begun tolive, before death comes on; and if he should not diea Christian, nothing less was to be expected thaneternal misery; that, on the contrary, whoever, beingtruly faithful, should persevere in the grace of baptism,should have right to an everlasting inheritance withthe Son of God, as one of his beloved children.He desired him also to consider what was become ofso many kings and emperors of Japan; what advantagewas it to them to have sat upon the throne, and wallowedin pleasures for so many years, being now burningin an abyss of fire, which was to last to all eternity.What madness was it for a man to condemn his own soulto endless punishments, that his body might enjoy amomentary satisfaction; that there was no kingdom,nor empire, though the universal monarchy of the worldshould be put into the balance, whose loss was notto be accounted gain, if losing them, we acquired animmortal crown in heaven; that these truths, whichwere indisputable, had been concealed from his forefathers,and even from all the Japonians, by the secret judgmentof Almighty God, and for the punishment of their offences;that, for his own particular, he ought to providefor that account, which he was to render of himself,how much more guilty would he appear in God’spresence, if the Divine Providence having conductedfrom the ends of the earth, even into his own palace,a minister of the gospel, to discover to him the pathsof happiness, he should yet continue wildered and wanderingin the disorders of his life. “Which theLord avert,” continued Xavier; “and mayit please him to hear the prayers which day and nightI shall pour out for your conversion. I wish*t with an unimaginable ardour, and assure you, thatwheresoever I shall be, the most pleasing news whichcan be told me, shall be to hear that the king ofBungo is become a Christian, and that he lives accordingto the maxims of Christianity.”

This discourse made such impressions on the king,and so melted into his heart, that the tears camethrice into his eyes; but those tears were the onlyproduct of it at that time, so much that prince, whohad renounced those impurities, which are abhorredby nature, was still fastened to some other sensualpleasures. And it was not till after some succeedingyears, that, having made more serious reflections onthe wholesome admonitions of the saint, he reformedhis life for altogether, and in the end received baptism.

Xavier having taken leave of the king, returned tothe port of Figen, accompanied by the merchants, whowere to set sail within few days after. The departureof the saint was joyful to the Bonzas, but the gloryof it was a great abatement to their pleasure.It appeared to them, that all the honours he had receivedredounded to their shame; and that after such an affront,they should remain eternally blasted in the opinionof the people, if they did not wipe it out with somememorable vengeance. Being met together, to consulton a business which so nearly touched them, they concluded,that their best expedient was to raise a rebellionin Fucheo, as they had done at Amanguchi, and fleshthe people by giving up to them the ship of the Portuguesemerchants, first to be plundered, then burned, andthe proprietors themselves to be destroyed. Inconsequence of this, if fortune favoured them, toattempt the person of the king, and having dispatchedhim, to conclude their work by extinguishing the royalline. As Xavier was held in veneration in thetown, even amongst the most dissolute idolaters, theywere of opinion they did nothing, if they did notruin his reputation, and make him odious to the people.Thereupon, they set themselves at work to publish,not only what the Bonzas of Amanguchi had writtenof him, but what they themselves had newly invented;“That he was the most wicked of mankind; an enemyof the living and the dead; his practice being todig up the carcases of the buried, for the use ofhis enchantments; and that he had a devil in his mouth,by whose assistance he charmed his audience.”They added, “That he had spelled the king, andfrom thence proceeded these new vagaries in his understandingand all his inclinations; but that, in case he camenot out of that fit of madness, it should cost himno less than his crown and life: That Amida andXaca, two powerful and formidable gods, had sworn tomake an example of him and of his subjects; that thereforethe people, if they were wise, should prevent betimesthe wrath of those offended deities, by revengingtheir honour on that impostor of a Bonza, and theseEuropean pirates who made their idol of him.”The people were too well persuaded of the holinessof Xavier, to give credence to such improbable storiesas were raised of him; and all the Bonzas could sayagainst him, served only to increase the public hatredagainst themselves. Thus despairing of successamongst the multitude, they were forced to take anothercourse, to destroy him in the good opinion of the king.

About twelve leagues distant from the town there wasa famous monastery of the Bonzas, the superior ofwhich was one Fucarandono, esteemed the greatest scholarand most accomplished in all the learning of Japan:he had read lectures of the mysteries of their divinityfor the space of thirty years, in the most renowneduniversity of the kingdom. But however skilledhe was in all sciences, his authority was yet greater

than his knowledge: men listened to him as tothe oracle of Japan, and an implicit faith was givento all he said. The Bonzas of Fucheo were persuaded,that if they could bring him to the town, and sethim up against Xavier, in presence of the court, theyshould soon recover their lost honour; such confidencethey had of a certain victory over the European doctor.On this account they writ to Fucarandono, with allthe warmness of an earnest invitation, and sent himword. “That if he would give himself thetrouble of this little journey, to revenge the injurythey had received, they would carry him back in triumph,on their shoulders, to his monastery.”

The Bonza, who was full as vain as he was learned,came speedily, attended by six Bonzas, all men ofscience, but his inferiors and scholars. He enteredthe palace at that point of time when Xavier, andthe Portuguese, had audience of the king, for theirlast farewell, being to embark the next morning.Before the king had dismissed them, he was informedthat Fucarandono desired to kiss his hand, in presenceof the Portuguese Bonza. At the name of Fucarandonothe king was a little nonplused, and stood silentfor some time, suspecting that he came to challengeFather Xavier to a disputation, and devising in himselfsome means of breaking off this troublesome affair,as he afterwards acknowledged. For whatever goodopinion he had of the saint’s abilities, yelhe could not think him strong enough to encounter soformidable an adversary; and therefore, out of hiskindness to him, was not willing to expose him toa disgrace in public. Xavier, who perceived theking’s perplexity, and imagined from whenceit might proceed, begged earnestly of his majestyto give the Bonza leave of entrance, and also freepermission of speaking: “for, as to whatconcerns me,” said the Father, “you neednot give yourself the least disquiet: the lawI preach is no earthly science, taught in any of ouruniversities, nor a human invention; it is a doctrinealtogether heavenly, of which God himself is the onlyteacher. Neither all the Bonzas of Japan, noryet all the scholars extant in the world, can prevailagainst it, any more than the shadows of the nightagainst the beams of the rising sun.”

The king, at the request of Xavier, gave entranceto the Bonza. Fucarandono, after the three usualreverences to the king, seated himself by Xavier;and after he had fixed his eyes earnestly upon him,“I know not,” said he, with an overweaninglook, “if thou knowest me; or, to speak moreproperly, if thou rememberest me.” “Iremember not,” said Xavier, “that I haveever seen you.” Then the Bonza, breakingout into a forced laughter, and turning to his fellows,“I shall have but little difficulty in overcomingthis companion, who has conversed with me a hundredtimes, and yet would make us believe he had never seenme.” Then looking on Xavier, with a scornfulsmile, “Hast thou none of those goods yet remaining,”

continued he, “which thou soldest me at the portof Frenajoma?” “In truth,” repliedXavier, with a sedate and modest countenance, “Ihave never been a merchant in all my life, neitherhave I ever been at the port of Frenajoma.”“What a beastly forgetfulness is this of thine,”pursued the Bonza, with an affected wonder, and keepingup his bold laughter, “how canst thou possiblyforget it?” “Bring it back to my remembrance,”said Xavier mildly, “you, who have so much morewit, and a memory happier than mine.” “Thatshall be done,” rejoined the Bonza, proud ofthe commendations which the saint had given him; “itis now just fifteen hundred years since thou and I,who were then merchants, traded at Frenajoma, andwhere I bought of thee a hundred bales of silk, atan easy pennyworth: dost thou yet remember it?”The saint, who perceived whither the discourse tended,asked him, very civilly, “of what age he mightbe?” “I am now two-and-fifty,” saidFucarandono. “How can it then be,”replied Xavier, “that you were a merchant fifteenhundred years ago, that is fifteen ages, when yet youhave been in the world, by your own confession, buthalf an age? and how comes it that you and I thentrafficked together at Frenajoma, since the greatestpart of you Bonzas maintain, that Japan was a desart,and uninhabited at that time?” “Hear me,”said the Bonza, “and listen to me as an oracle;I will make thee confess that we have a greater knowledgeof things past, than thou and thy fellows have ofthe present. Thou art then to understand, thatthe world had no beginning, and that men, properlyspeaking, never die: the soul only breaks loosefrom the body in which it was confined, and whilethat body is rotting under ground, is looking out foranother fresh and vigorous habitation, wherein weare born again, sometimes in the nobler, sometimesin the more imperfect sex, according to the variousconstellations of the heavens, and the different aspectsof the moon. These alterations in our birth producethe like changes in our fortune. Now, it is therecompence of those who have lived virtuously, to preservea constant memory of all the lives which they havepassed through, in so many ages; and to representthemselves, to themselves, entirely, such as theyhave been from all eternity, under the figure of aprince, of a merchant, of a scholar, of a soldier,and so many other various forms: on the contrary,they who, like thee, are so ignorant of their own affairs,as not to understand who, or what they have been formerly,during those infinite revolutions of ages, shew thattheir crimes have deserved death, as often as theyhave lost the remembrance of their Jives in everychange.”

The Portuguese, from whose relation we have the knowledgeof what is above written, and who was present at thedispute, as he himself informs us, in his book ofTravels, gives us no account of the answers which weremade by Xavier. “I have neither knowledgenor presumption enough,” says he, “torelate those subtile and solid reasons, with whichhe confuted the mad imaginations of the Bonza.”We only have learnt from this Portuguese, that Fucarandonowas put to silence upon the point in question, andthat, a little to save his reputation, he changed thesubject, but to no purpose, for even there too he wasconfounded; for, forgetting those decencies whicheven nature prescribes to men, and common custom hastaught us in civil conversation, he advanced infamouspropositions, which cannot be related without offendingmodesty; and these he maintained with a strange impudence,against the reasons of the Father, though the kingand the noble auditory thought the Christian argumentsconvincing. But the Bonza still flying out intopassion, and continuing to rail and bawl aloud, asif he were rather in a bear-garden than at a solemndisputation, one of the lords there present said,smiling, to him, “If your business be fighting,why did not you go to the kingdom of Amanguchi, whenthey were in civil wars? there you might have foundsome one or other with whom you might have gone tohard-heads. What make you here, where all thingsare at quiet? But, if you came hither to dispute,why do you not carry on your argument with mildnessand good manners, according to the copy which is setyou by the European Bonza?”

This sharp raillery had no effect upon Fucarandono:he replied to the lord with so much impudence andhaughtiness, that the king, whose patience was tiredwith so much insolence, caused him to be put out ofthe hall, saying, “That his coat of a Bonza wasthe only protection of his life.” The affrontwhich Fucarandono had received, was interpreted bythe Bonzas as an injury done to the gods, and as suchthey declared it to the people, saying, “Thatreligion was profaned, and that the king, the court,and the whole nation, had incurred the wrath of heaven.”Upon which pretence they shut up the temples, andwould neither offer sacrifice nor accept of alms.The multitude, which had already been disposed torise, began to get together, and had certainly takenarms, if the king, by good management, had not somewhatcalmed their spirits.

In the mean time the Portuguese, not believing themselvesto be secure against the rage of a superstitious people,and having just grounds of apprehending that the affrontwhich Fucarandono had received might be revenged ontheir persons, returned with all expedition to theirship, designing to set sail with the benefit of thefirst fair wind. At their departure from thetown, they intreated Father Xavier to follow them;but he could not resolve to run off like a fugitive,or to forsake those new Christians whose ruin had

been sworn by the Heathen priests. How eagersoever those merchants were to get out of a countrywhere their lives were in so little safety, yet theirfear for Father Xavier kept them lingering there somedays longer; they deputed the captain of the vesselto him, who was to desire him, in their name, to makehaste to them. Edward de Gama, after a long inquiry,found him at last in a poor cabin, with eight Christians,who, having been the most zealous in opposition ofthe Bonzas, were in reason to expect the more cruelusage at their hands, and were content to offer uptheir lives, provided they might die in the arms ofthe man of God.

The captain urged him with the strongest reasons whichhe could invent, and set before him all the dangerswhich attended him; that, being at the mercy of theBonzas, his death was inevitable; and that the meansof escaping would be lost when once the tempest shouldbegin to rise. The Father, far from yieldingto these arguments, was offended at the captain andthe merchants for desiring to hinder him from the crownof martyrdom which he had taken so long a journeyto obtain. “My brother,” said he toGama, with a fervour which expressed the holy ambitionof his soul, “how happy should I be, if I couldreceive what you reckon a disgrace, but what I accounta sovereign felicity! but I am unworthy of that favourfrom Almighty God; yet I will not render myself moreunworthy of it, which assuredly I should if I embarkedwith you: For what scandal should I give, byflying hence, to my new converts? Might they nottake occasion from it to violate their promises toGod, when they should find me wanting to the dutyof my ministry? If, in consideration of that moneywhich you have received from your passengers, you thinkyourself obliged to secure them from the clanger whichthreatens them, and, for that reason, have summonedthem on board, ought not I, by a stronger motive,to guard my flock, and die with them for the sake ofa God who is infinitely good, and who has redeemedme at the price of his own life, by suffering forme on the cross? Ought not I to seal it with myblood, and to publish it by my death, that all menare bound to sacrifice their blood and lives to thisGod of mercies?”

This generous answer wrought so much upon the captain,that, instead of doubling his solicitations on FatherXavier, he resolved to partake his fortune, and notto leave him. Having taken up this resolution,without farther care of what might happen to his ship,or what became of his own person, and accounting allhis losses for a trifle while he enjoyed the companyof Xavier, he returned indeed to his merchants, butit was only to declare to them the determination ofthe Father, and his own also; that in case they wouldnot stay, he gave up his vessel to them. Theywere supplied with mariners and soldiers, and had plentifulprovisions laid in, both of food and ammunition forwar. They might go at their pleasure wheresoeverthey designed; but, for his own particular, he wasresolved to live and die with the man of God.

Not a man of them but subscribed to the opinion ofthe captain; and they were one and all for followinghis example, and the fortune of the saint. Suddenlythey put into the port again, for the ship had lainoff at a good distance, for fear of some attempt whichmight be made upon it from the town; soldiers wereleft for its defence, and the captain and merchantscame in company to Fucheo. Their return gave newvigour to the Christians, and amazed the people, whocould not but wonder that so poor a man should behad in such esteem by his countrymen, that they choserather to run the hazard of their wealth, and of theirlives, than to lose the sight of him.

This prompt return broke all the measures of the Bonzas,whose courage had been swelled by the flight of Gama,which had given them the opportunity of making theircabals against the Christians; but when they foundthat those designs might possibly miscarry, and that,on the other side, they were again defied to a newconference on the subject of religion, they thoughtgood to accommodate themselves a little to the times,and to renew the dispute betwixt Xavier and Fucarandonobefore the court. To seem beforehand with theChristians, they made it their own petition to theking, who freely-granted it, but on some conditions,which were to be observed on either side. Thesearticles were,—“That noise was tobe banished in dispute; no flying out to be permitted,nor any provocation by sharp language: That thearguments and answers were to be couched in preciseterms, and drawn up in form of a just dispute, asit should be agreed by the judges, who were to moderate:That the approbation of the audience was to decidethe victory: That if the point were doubtfulbetwixt them, the suffrages should be taken, and thathe should be judged to have reason on his side whohad the majority of voices: Lastly, That whoeverwas willing to enter himself a Christian, might professhis faith without hinderance or molestation from anyman.” These conditions were too reasonableto be accepted by the Bonzas. They appealed fromthe king to the king better informed, and told himboldly, that, in matters of religion, it was not justthat the profane (that is the laity) should be umpires;but when they found the king resolved to maintainhis point, they quitted theirs. The next morningwas agreed on for the conference, and some of themost understanding persons of the court were appointedjudges. Fucarandono made his appearance at thetime, attended by three thousand Bonzas. The king,who was either apprehensive of his own safety amongstthat religious rabble, or feared, at least, that somedisorder might ensue, permitted hut four of all thesquadron to enter; and sent word to the others, fortheir satisfaction, that it was not honourable forso many to appear against a single man.

Xavier, who had notice sent him from the king, thathis adversary was on the place of combat, came, accompaniedwith the chiefest of the Portuguese, all richly habited,who appeared as his officers, and paid him all possiblerespect, attending him bare-headed, and never speakingto him but on the knee. The Bonzas were readyto burst with envy, beholding the pompous entry oftheir antagonist; and that which doubled their despitewas, that they overheard the lords saying to one another,—“Observethis poor man, of whom so many ridiculous pictureshave been made to us; would to God our children mightbe like him, on condition the Bonzas might say asbad of them as they speak of him! Our own eyesare witnesses of the truth; and the palpable lies whichthey have invented, show what credit is to be givento them.” The king took pleasure in thosediscourses, and told those lords, that the Bonzas hadassured him that he should be sick at heart at thefirst appearance of Father Francis. He acknowledgedhe was almost ready to have believed them; but beingnow convinced, by his own experience, he found thatthe character of an ambassador from heaven, and interpreterof the gods, was not inconsistent with a liar.Fucarandono, who heard all these passages from hisplace, took them for so many ill omens; and, turningto his four associates, told them, “that hesuspected this day would be yet more unsuccessfulto them than the last.”

The king received Father Xavier with great civility;and, after he had talked with him sometime in private,very obligingly ordered him to begin the disputation.When they had all taken their places, the saint demandedof the Bonza, as the king had desired him, “Forwhat reason the Christian religion ought not to bereceived in Japan?” The Bonza, whose haughtinesswas much abated, replied modestly, “Because itis a new law, in all things opposite to the ancientestablished laws of the empire; and that it seemsmade on purpose to render the faithful servants ofthe gods contemptible,[1] as annulling the privilegeswhich the Cubosamas of former ages had conferred onthe Bonzas, and teaches that out of the society ofChristians there is no salvation: but especially,”added he, a little kindling in the face, “becauseit presumes to maintain, that the holy Amida and Xaca,Gizon and Canon, are in the bottomless pit of smoke,condemned to everlasting punishment, and deliveredup in prey to the dragon of the house of night.”After he had thus spoken, the Bonza held his peace;and Xavier, who had received a sign from the king tomake reply, said, at the beginning of his discourse,“that seeing Fucarandono had mingled many thingstogether, it was reasonable, for the better clearingof the difficulties, to tie him up to one single proposition,which was not to be left until it was evacuated, andplainly found to be either true or false.”All agreed this was fair; and Fucarandono himselfdesired Xavier to shew cause, why he and his companionsspoke evil of the deities of the country.

[Footnote 1: An argument ready cut and driedfor the use of any church by law established]

The saint replied, “That he gave not to idolsthe name of gods, because they were unworthy of it;and that so sacred a title was only proper to theSovereign Lord, who had created heaven and earth.Then he proceeded to discourse of the Divine Being,and described those properties which are known tous by the light of nature; that is to say, his independence,his eternity, his omnipotence, his wisdom, goodness,and justice, without circ*mscription. He madeout, that those infinite perfections could not becomprehended by any created understanding, how refinedsoever. And thus having filled his auditors witha vast idea of the Deity, he demonstrated, that theidols of Japan, who, according to the Japonians themselves,had been men, subject to the common laws of time andnature, were not to be accounted gods; and, at themost, were only to be reverenced as philosophers,lawgivers, and princes, but not in the least as immortalpowers, since the date both of their birth and deathwas registered in the public monuments: That,if their works were duly considered, they were yetless to be accounted for omnipotent: That havingnot been able, after their decease, to preserve theirstately palaces and magnificent sepulchres from decay,there was no appearance that they had built the fabricof the universe, or could maintain it in its presentstate. Lastly, that this appertained alone tothe true God, who is worshipped by the Christians;and that, considering the beauty of the heavens, thefruitfulness of the earth, and the order of the seasons,we might conclude, that he only, who is a spirit, eternal,all-powerful, and all-wise, could be the creator andabsolute commander of the world.” As soonas Xavier had concluded, the whole assembly cried out,that he spoke reason; and the judges immediately pronounced,as a manifest truth, that the pagods were not gods.Fucarandono would have replied, but the general crygave it for a cause decided; and the king imposed silenceon the Bonza, according to the articles of agreement.

Thus the Bonza passed on to another question in hisown despite; and asked Father Xavier, “Why heallowed not of those bills of exchange which theygave in favour of the dead, since the rich found theiraccount in them, and that they had their return oftheir money, with usury, in heaven?” The Fatheranswered, “That the right we had to a betterworld was founded not on those deceitful letters,but on the good works which are practised with thefaith and doctrine which he preached: That hewho inspired it into our souls was Jesus Christ, thetrue and only Son of God, who was crucified for thesalvation of sinners; and that they who preservedthat living faith till death should certainly obtaineternal happiness: That for what remained, thisholy law was free from worldly interest, and thatit excluded not from heaven either the poor or women;

that even poverty, which is patiently endured, wasa means of gaining the kingdom of heaven; and thatthe weaker sex had greater advantages than ours, byreason of that modesty and piety which is almost inherentin their nature.” The applause which followedthis discourse was general; only Fucarandono and hiscompanions, who had not wherewith to reply, and yetwere too obstinate to recant, kept a discontented silence.It was judged that Xavier’s opinion was themore reasonable, and the dispute adjourned to theday following.

These ill successes would have driven the Bonza todespair, if his presumption had not kept up his spirits.He returned at the time appointed; but, as if he distrustedhis own strength, as presuming as he was, he broughtwith him six other Bonzas, the most learned amongstthem, and chosen out of all their sects, not to bebare spectators of the combat, but to relieve eachother, and to charge every one in his turn. Atthe first they propounded very subtile questions concerningthe mysteries of our faith. Father Xavier wassurprised at the hearing of them; and as those questions,which are not reported by the Portuguese particularly,were in all likelihood above the knowledge of the Pagans,he was almost induced to think the devil had suggestedthem; at the least he acknowledged, that to solvethem he needed an extraordinary assistance from above,and desired the Portuguese to second him with theirprayers during the disputation. Whether he receivedthat supernatural assistance, or that those difficultiesdid not so much surpass his knowledge as he had thought,he answered to the satisfaction of the whole assembly.When judgment was passed that those questions werefully decided, one of the Bonzas, whose heart waswholly set on riches, and who believed that therewas nothing more charming in the world than gold andsilver, undertook to prove, that God was an enemyto the poor: “For,” said the Bonza,“since he denies them those blessings whichhe bountifully gives the rich, and, in causing themto be born in a mean condition, exposes them to allthe miseries and ignominy of life, is it not a sign,that he has neither kindness nor value for them?”

Xavier denied the consequence of that proposition;and argued both from the principles of morality, whichlook on riches as false goods, and out of the groundsof Christianity, which, in respect of salvation, countthem true evils. He reasoned thereupon so justly,and withal so clearly, that his adversaries were forcedto give up the cause, according to the relation ofthe Portuguese, who were witness of it. Afterthis they advanced such extravagant and mad propositions,that they cost the Father no trouble to confute, forthey destroyed themselves. But the most pleasantpart of this day’s work was, that the seven Bonzasnot being able to agree on some points of doctrine,fell foul on each other, and wrangled with so muchheat and violence, that at last they came to downrightrailing, and had proceeded to blows, if the king hadnot interposed his authority, which frightened theminto quiet. This was the end of that day’sdisputation; and nothing more confirmed the minds ofthe auditors on the side of Xavier, than to see hisadversaries at civil wars amongst themselves.

The king going out of his palace the next morning,with a great attendance, to walk in the town, accordingto his custom, and passing by the house where thePortuguese lodged, sent a message to the holy man,desiring him to come to his gardens, where he wouldshow him sport, provided he came well armed, for hewas to kill, with one blow, two kites or puttocks,at the least, out of those seven which yesterday endeavouredto have pulled out his eyes Xavier, who easily understoodhis meaning, came out to pay him his respects, andto acknowledge the honour which was done him.The king took him by the hand, and led him to thepalace amidst the acclamations of the people.The seven Bonzas, represented by the seven kites,were already in the hall, with a confirmed impudence,and so much the more haughty, as they had the lessreason so to be; according to the usual character ofvain and self-opinioned men.

The first step they made in order to a new dispute,was to enter a protestation, in writing, against thejudgment and proceedings of the former day; whereinthey declared void the sentence of the umpires, appealedfrom them, and set forth new objections and difficultiesupon the questions formerly debated. The kinganswered himself, that those points which had beendecided had no need of any farther explanation, andthat they were already tied up by the conditions ofthe conference, which both parties had accepted.He added, that Father Xavier was ready to go on ship-board,and that it was not reasonable to lose time by fruitlessrepetitions, but if they had any new questions to propose,let them begin, and they should be heard; if not,they had free licence to depart.

This positive answer constrained them to supersedetheir writing, and to pitch on other matters.Fucarandono affecting an air of devotion and modesty,asked, Why the Christians gave obscene names to thesaints in Paradise, whensoever they invoked them intheir public prayers; giving him to understand, thatsancte, in the Japonian language, signifiedsomething too dishonest to be spoken. The Fatherdeclared, that the word in Latin had only a pure andpious meaning. Nevertheless, that it might notgive scandal, nor pollute the imagination of the Japoniansby an equivocal sound, he ordered the new Christians,from thenceforward, to use the word beate insteadof it; and to say, Beate Petre, Beate Pauls,in the room of Sancte Petre, Sancte Paule.Concerning the name of God, the Bonzas would alsohave fastened a quarrel on the Father; because dajus,in their tongue, signifies a lie. He laughedat this ridiculous exception, which was in effecta mere jingle; and the judges and audience concludedit to be no more.

Three other points, on which the Bonzas more insisted,were thought to be more solid, and of greater consequence.The first was proposed in this manner: “EitherGod foresaw that Lucifer and his accomplices wouldrevolt, and be damned eternally, or he foresaw it not.If he had no foresight of it, his prescience did notextend so far as you would have us to believe; butif he foresaw it, the consequence is worse, that hedid not hinder this revolt, which had prevented theirdamnation. Your God being, as you say, the fountainof all goodness, must now be acknowledged by you forthe original cause of so much evil. Thus you areforced,” said the Bonza, “to confess,either ignorance or malice in your God.”

Xavier was so much amazed to hear a Bonza reasoninglike a schoolman, that turning to Edward de Gama,who was by him, “See,” says he softlyin Portuguese, that he might not be understood by theJaponians, “see how the devil has sharpenedthe wit of these his advocates.” In themean time, one of the Bonzas coming up to the charge,said, according to the same principle, “Thatif God had foreknown that Adam would sin, and castdown, together with himself, his whole progeny intoan abyss of miseries, why did he create him?At least, when our first father was ready to eat ofthe forbidden fruit, why did not that omnipotent hand,which gave him being, annihilate him at the same moment?”

A third Bonza, taking the word, urged him with anotherargument: “If our evil be as ancient asthe world,” said he, subtilely, “why didGod let so many ages pass away without giving it aremedy? Why did he not descend from heaven, andmake himself man, to redeem human kind, by his deathand sufferings, as soon as ever man was guilty?To what degree did those first men sin, to becomeunworthy of such a favour? And what has been themerit of their descendants, that they should be morefavourably treated than their predecessors?”

These difficulties did not appear new to Xavier, whowas very learned, and who had read whatsoever thefathers and school divines had said concerning them.He answered, without doubt, according to their doctrine;but the Portuguese, who relates the objections, durstnot undertake to write the solutions of them, if wewill believe himself, because they surpassed the understandingof a merchant. The Bonzas made many replies,to all which the Father gave the proper solutions infew words, and according to the rules of the schools.Whether it were that they comprehended not the solutions,or were it out of their hot-headedness, or that theyseemed not to understand them to avoid the shame ofbeing baffled, they yielded not, but cried out louderthan before. As they disputed more for victorythan truth, they denied all things, even to thoseprinciples which are self-evident; pretending therebyto encumber their opponent. Xavier knew whatuse to make of his advantages; he turned the confusionupon them, by reducing them to manifest contradictions,

from whence they could never disengage themselves;so that, instead of answering, they gnashed theirteeth, foamed at mouth, and stamped and stared aboutlike madmen. The king, whose indignation was raisedby seeing the obstinacy of the Bonzas, said to them,in a kind of passion, “As for myself, as faras I am capable of judging, I find that Father Xavierspeaks good sense, and that you know not what you say.You should either understand better, or be less violentthan you appear, to judge of these truths withoutprejudice. But, if the divine law be wanting toyou, make use of your reason, which, of itself, willlet you see, that you are not to deny things whichare evident, nor to bark like dogs.” Afterthese words he rose from his seat, and, taking Xavierby the hand, brought him back to his own lodging.The people, who followed in great multitudes, madeloud acclamations, and the streets rung with the praisesof the holy man: While the Bonzas, mad with rageand envy, cried out aloud, “May the fire ofheaven fall down upon a prince, who suffers himselfto be so easily seduced by this foreign magician!”

Thus concluded the disputations which he had withFucarandono and the Bonzas. They were very gloriousfor him, and for the religion which he preached, butbrought not forth the expected fruit amongst the idolaterswho were present at them; for neither the Portugueseauthor, whom we have frequently cited, nor other historiansof the Father’s life, make mention of any newconversions which were made; and it affords great occasionfor our wonder, that the lords of the court, who somuch approved the doctrine of Christianity, shouldstill continue in the practice of idolatry, and oftheir vices, if it were not always to be remembered,that, in conversion, the light of the understandingavails nothing unless the heart be also touched, andthat the philosophers, of whom St Paul speaks, “havingknown God, did not glorify him as God.”Nevertheless we may probably believe, that these disputationsin progress of time failed not of their due; effect;and it is also probable, that they were the seed ofthose wonderful conversions which were made in followingyears.

Father Xavier went the next morning to take his lastfarewell of the king, who was more kind to him thanever, and parted from Japan the same day, which wasNov. 20th, in the year 1551, having continued in thatcountry two years and four months.

Not long before, Clod had made known to his servant,that the town of Malacca was besieged by sea and land;and that the king of Jentana, a Saracen, was personallybefore it, with an army of twelve thousand men:That neither the conduct of the governor, Don Pedrode Silva, nor the succours of Don Fernandez Carvalio,had been able to defend it against the attempts ofthe barbarians; that the Javans, a fierce and warlikepeople, had mastered that place; that of three hundredPortuguese, who were within it, above an hundred had

been put to the sword, and the rest of them had onlyescaped by retiring into the fortress. In short,that Malacca was now become a place of horror, andthat the enemy, wearied with the slaughter, had reservedmany thousands of the inhabitants for the chain.The saint informed Gama, and the Portuguese of theship, of these sad tidings, before they left the port,and declared to them, that the sins of that corruptcity had drawn down the curse of God upon it, as hehad foretold and threatened; but he desired them, atthe same time, to supplicate the Father of all Mercies,for the appeasing of his divine justice, and he himselfprayed earnestly in their behalf. Besides thetwo Japanners, Matthew and Bernard, who had constantlyfollowed the Father, and would never forsake him,an ambassador from the king of Bungo embarked withhim in the same vessel. The business of this embassywas to seek the friendship of the viceroy of the Indies,and to obtain a preacher from him, who might finishthe conversion of that kingdom, in the room of FatherXavier.

They sailed along the coasts for the space of sixdays, and the navigation was prosperous till theymade an island belonging to the king of Minaco, calledMeleitor; from whence, crossing a strait, they putout into the main ocean. At that time the changeof the moon altered the weather, and there blew afurious south wind, so that the pilot, with all hisart, could not bear up against it. The tempestcarried the ship into a sea unknown to the Portuguese;and the face of heaven was so black with clouds, that,during five days and nights, there was no appearanceof sun or stars; insomuch that the mariners-were notable to take the elevation of the pole, and consequentlynot to know whereabouts they were. One day, towardsthe evening, the wind redoubled with so much fury,that the vessel had not power to break the waves, sohigh they went, and came on with so much violence.In this terrible conjuncture they thought fit to cutdown the forecastle, that the ship might work the better;after which, they bound the sloop which followed withthick cables to the ship: but night coming onwhile they were thus employed, and being very dark,abundance of rain also falling at the same time, whichincreased the tempest, they could not draw out ofthe sloop five Portuguese and ten Indians, as wellas slaves and mariners, which were in her.

Those of the ship had neither comfort nor hope remaining,but in the company and assistance of Father Xavier.He exhorted them to lament their sins, thereby toappease the wrath of God; and he himself poured forthwhole showers of tears before the face of the Almighty.When night was now at the darkest, a lamentable crywas heard, as of people just upon the brink of perishing,and calling out for succour. The noise came fromthe sloop, which the violence of the winds had tornoff from the vessel, and which the waves were hurryingaway. As soon as the captain had notice of it,

he ordered the pilot to turn towards those poor creatures,without considering, that, by his endeavour of savinghis nephew, Alphonso Calvo, who was one of the fivePortuguese in the sloop, the ship must certainly belost, and himself with her. In effect, as it wasdifficult to steer the ship, when they would haveturned her towards the sloop, she came across betwixttwo mountains of water, which locked her up betwixtthem; one of those waves fell upon the poop, and washedover the deck; and then it was that the whole companythought their business was done, and nothing but criesand lamentations were heard on every side. Xavier,who was at his prayers in the captain’s cabin,ran out towards the noise, and saw a miserable object,—thevessel ready to bulge, the seamen, the soldiers, andthe passengers, all tumbling in confusion on each other,deploring their unhappy destiny, and expecting nothingbut present death. Then the holy man, liftingup his eyes and hands to heaven, said thus aloud,in the transport of his fervour, “O Jesus, thoulove of my soul, succour us, I beseech thee, by thosefive wounds, which, for our sakes, thou hast sufferedon the cross!” At that instant the ship, whichalready was sinking under water, raised herself aloft,without any visible assistance, and gained the surfaceof the waves. The mariners, encouraged by somanifest a miracle, so ordered the sails, that theyhad the wind in poop, and pursued their course.

In the mean time the sloop was vanished out of sight,and no man doubted but she was swallowed by the Waves.The captain lamented for his nephew, the rest shedtears for their lost companions. As for the Father,his greatest affliction was for two Mahometan slaves,whom he could not convert to Christianity: hesighed in thinking of their deplorable condition,but, in the midst of these anxious thoughts, enteringinto himself, or rather wholly recollecting himselfin God, it came into his mind to intercede with Heavenfor the protection of the sloop, in case it were notalready lost. In this he followed the inspirationof the Holy Spirit, and his prayer was not yet endedwhen he perceived that it was heard: insomuch,that turning towards Edward de Gama, who was oppressedwith sadness, “Afflict not yourself, my brother,”said he with a cheerful countenance; “beforethree days are ended, the daughter will come backand find the mother.” The captain was soburied in his grief, that he saw too little probabilityin what the Father said, to found any strong beliefupon it; which notwithstanding, at break of day, hesent one up to the scuttle, to see if any thing werewithin ken; but nothing was discovered, saving thesea, which was still troubled and white with foam.The Father, who had been in private at his devotions,came out two hours after, with the same cheerfulnessupon, his countenance; and having given the good dayto the captain and pilot, and six or seven Portuguesewho were in company, he enquired “if they hadnot yet seen the chalop?” they answered theyhad not: and, because he desired that some onemight again get up to the scuttle, one of the Portuguese,called Pedro Veglio, replied thus bluntly, “Yes,Father, the chalop will return, but not until anotherbe lost:” he meant that it was impossiblethe same chalop should come again.

Xavier mildly reprehended Veglio for his little faith,and told him nothing was impossible to God. “Theconfidence which I have in the Divine mercy,”said he, “gives me hope, that they whom I haveput under the protection of the Holy Virgin, and forwhose sake I have vowed to say three masses to ourLady of the Mountain, shall not perish.”After this he urged Gama to send up to the scuttlefor discovery: Gama, to satisfy the man of God,went ’up himself with a seaman, and after havinglooked round him for the space of half an hour, neitherhe nor the other could see any thing. In themean time Xavier, whose stomach was turned with thetossing of the ship, and who had been two days andthree nights without eating, was taken with a violenthead-ach, and such a giddiness, that he could scarcelystand. One of the Portuguese merchants, calledFerdinand Mendez Pinto, desired him to repose a littlewhile, and offered him his cabin; Xavier, who, bythe spirit of mortification, usually lay upon thedeck, accepted his courtesy; and desired this furtherfavour, that the servant of this merchant, who wasa Chinese, might watch before the door, that nonemight interrupt his rest.

The intention of the Father was not to give the leastrefreshment to his body; he set himself again to prayers,and it was affirmed by the Chinese servant, that fromseven in the morning, when he retired, he had beenconstantly on his knees until the evening, groaningin the agony of his spirit, and shedding tears.He came out from his retirement after sunset, andonce more enquired of the pilot, if they had not seenthe chalop, which could not possibly be far distant.The pilot replied, that it was in vain to think ofher, and that it was impossible for her to resistso furious a tempest; but in case that, by some wonderfulaccident, or rather by some miracle, she had been preserved,she must of necessity be at fifty leagues distancefrom the ship. It is the propriety of Christianconfidence to remain unshaken and secure, when humanreason leaves us destitute of hope. The Saintacknowledged the pilot to have spoken judiciously,and yet doubted not but the chalop would return.He constantly maintained that she could not be faroff, and pressed him to send up to the scuttle beforethe dusk. The pilot, less out of complaisanceto the Father, than out of his desire to undeceivehim, went up himself, and could discover nothing.Xavier, without any regard to the affirmation of thepilot, instantly desired the captain to lower thesails, that the chalop might more easily come up withthe ship. The authority of the holy man carriedit, above the reasons of the pilot; the sail-yardwas lowered, and a stop was made for almost threehours: but at length the passengers grew weary,as not being able any longer to bear the rolling ofthe ship, and one and all cried out to sail.The Father upbraided them with their impatience; andhimself laid hold on the sail-yard, to hinder theseamen from spreading the sails; and leaning his headover it, broke out into sighs and sobbings, and pouredout a deluge of tears.

He raised himself a little after, and keeping hiseyes fixed on heaven, yet wet with tears, “OJesus, my Lord and my God,” said he, “Ibeseech thee, by thy holy passion, to have pity onthose poor people, who are coming to us, through themidst of so many dangers.” He composed himself,after he had uttered this, and continued leaning onthe sail-yard, wholly silent for some time, as ifhe had been sleeping.

Then a little child, who was sitting at the foot ofthe mast, cried out on the sudden, “A miracle,a miracle, behold the chalop!” All the companygathered together at the cry, and plainly perceivedthe chalop within musket-shot. Nothing but shoutsand exclamations of joy were heard, while she drewstill nearer and nearer to the vessel. In themeantime, the greatest part fell down at the feetof Father Xavier, and, confessing they were sinners,unworthy the company of a man so holy, asked him pardonfor their unbelief. But the Father, in great confusionfor being treated in this manner, escaped out of theirhands as soon as possibly he could, and shut himselfup within the cabin, in conclusion, the chalop cameup with the ship; and it was observed, that thoughthe waves were in great agitation, she came rightforward, without the least tossing, and stopped ofherself. It was also taken notice of, that shecontinued without any motion till the fifteen menwhich she carried were entered the ship, and thatthe seamen had fastened her behind the poop. Whenthey had embraced those men, whom so lately they hadgiven for lost, every one was desirous of knowingtheir adventures; and were much surprised to understand,that they were come through the midst of the most horribletempest which was ever seen, without any apprehensioneither of drowning or losing of their way; because,said they, Father Francis was our pilot, and his presencefreed us even from the shadow of any fear. Whenthe ship’s company assured them, that the Fatherhad been always with themselves, those of the chalop,who had beheld him constantly steering it, could notbelieve what had been told them. After some littledispute on the matter of fact, both sides concluded,that the saint had been at the same time in two places;and this evident miracle made such an impression onthe minus of the two Saracen slaves who had been inthe chalop, that they abjured their Mahometanism.The impatience of these fifteen men to behold theirmiraculous steersman, who had so happily brought themto the ship, and who vanished from their eyes at thesame moment when they joined her, obliged Xavier tocome out and shew himself. They would have salutedhim as their protector, by prostrating themselvesbefore him, but he would not suffer it: declaringto them, that it was the hand of the Lord, and nothis, which had delivered them from shipwreck.At the same time, he rendered public thanks to Godfor so eminent a favour, and ordered the pilot topursue his voyage, assuring him that he should havea good wind immediately. The pilot’s experienceof the sea did not promise him this sudden change;but this late deliverance of the chalop quickenedhis belief in the Father’s words; and it wasnot long before he understood, that He, who commandsthe winds and seas, had authorised the holy man tomake that prediction.

The sails were scarcely spread, when a north windarising, the air cleared up, and the sea was immediatelycalmed. So that in thirteen days sailing, theyarrived at the port of Sancian, where the Portuguesemerchants of the ship had traffic. As the seasonof sailing in those seas was already almost past,there were remaining but two ships of the Indies inport, one of which belonged to James de Pereyra.The ship of Edward de Gama not being in conditionto go on directly for Malacca without stopping bythe way, and having need of refreshment at Sian, thesaint went into the ship of his friend Pereyra.It was wonderful, that at the same moment when hepassed into that vessel, the wind, which for the spaceof fifteen days had blown at north, which was fullin their faces who were going for the Indies, cameabout on the sudden; so that the day following, whichwas the last of the year 1551, they set sail again.Another ship, which was waiting also for a wind, setout in their company; but that vessel found afterwardsto her cost, that she carried not the apostle of theIndies.

Before they put to sea, Xavier discoursing with thepilot concerning the dangers of the ocean, (it wasthe same pilot who had brought him from Japan, whosename was Francis D’Aghiar,) foretold him, thathe should not end his days upon the water; and thatno vessel wherein he should be should suffer shipwreck,were the tempest never so outrageous. D’Aghiarwas possessed with so firm a belief of what the Fathertold him, and afterwards found the effect of it somanifest on various occasions, that, without observingeither winds or seasons, he often put to sea in anold crazy vessel, ill provided; insomuch, that theywho were ignorant of the secret cause of this hisconfidence, took him for a rash presuming man, andof little understanding in sea affairs.

Once, amongst many other times, he gave a demonstrationhow much he relied on the promise of the saint, andthat was, in going from Tenasserim to the kingdomof Pegu, in a light barque, which was quite decayed,and out of order. A tempest rising in the midstof his voyage, dashed against the rocks, and splitin pieces some great vessels, which were followingthe barque of D’Aghiar. She alone seemedto defy the rocks; and while the sea was in this horribleconfusion, the pilot sat singing at his ease, as ifthe waters had been hushed beneath him. A passenger,who shook with fear, demanded of him, “With whatcourage he could sing, when he was just upon the brinkof death?” “It is because I fear nothing,”replied Aghiar: “And I should fear nothing,”added he, “though the waves should mount ashigh again as now we see them, and my barque werealso made of glass; for the Father Master Francis hasassured me, that I should not die upon the seas, inwhatsoever vessel I should go.” Some Saracenswho were in the barque, and who heard these sayingsof the pilot, were so moved with this continued miracle,that they vowed to become Christians so soon as everthey should come on shore; and they complied religiouslywith their promise. The barque casting anchorat Tanar, they received baptism at that place; somuch the more persuaded both of the truth of the miracle,and of the Christian faith, because they saw beforetheir eyes, upon the coast, the wrecks of other vessels,which were floating round about it.

The conversations which Xavier had with Pereyra duringall the navigation, were almost wholly relating toJapan and China. The Father told his friend whatprogress the faith had made in little time in thekingdoms of Saxuma, of Amanguchi, and of Bungo; andwhat hopes he had conceived, to convert all thoseislands with great ease, when once the Chinese shouldbe brought to acknowledge Jesus Christ. And onthat motive, he had fixed his resolution to go toChina; that his return to the Indies was only in orderto this intended voyage, after he had regulated theaffairs of the Society at Goa; that, on this account,he had brought with him from Japan the translationof his catechism into the Chinese language, by thebenefit of which he hoped to overcome the first difficulties,which in matters of conversion are still the greatest.Some Portuguese who were in the same vessel, and werewell acquainted with the government of China, thoughtthis proposition of the Father not a little extravagant.They told him, that, besides the ill understandingwhich was betwixt China and Portugal, it was forbiddento strangers on pain of death, or of perpetual imprisonment,to set a foot upon that kingdom; and that the merchantsof their nation, who had stolen thither for the benefitof trade, having been discovered, some of them hadlost their heads, others had been put in irons, andcast into dungeons, there to lie and rot for the remainderof their lives. They added, notwithstanding,that there was a safe and certain way of entering intoChina, provided there was a solemn embassy sent tothe emperor of that country from the king of Portugal.But since that could not be compassed without a prodigiousexpence, if nothing else were to be considered butonly the presents for the emperor and his ministersof state, in all probability the viceroy of the Indieswould not burden himself with the cost of such anenterprize, at a time when he had enough to do to defraymore necessary expences.

These difficulties began to startle Father Xavier,when James Pereyra, who, under the habit of a merchant,had the heart of an emperor, and the zeal of an apostle,made offer of his ship, and all his goods, for thepromoting of the expedient which had been mentioned.The Father accepted of his generous proffer with transportsof joy, and engaged, on his side, to procure the embassyof China for his friend. Pereyra, who had receivedintelligence of the siege of Malacca, told the saint,“He apprehended lest an embargo might be putupon his ship, for the immediate service of the town.”Xavier, to whom God had revealed the deliverance ofMalacca, and to whose prayers that deliverance hadperhaps been granted, cheered up his friend, withthis assurance, “That when the fortress was justupon the point of yielding, the infidels had beenstruck with a panic fear, and fled away, so that thetown was wholly free.”

Percyra had yet another thing which troubled him,concerning the voyage which Father Xavier had to makebefore that of China. The season being alreadyfar spent, he feared there were no vessels at Malacca,which were bound for Goa. He could not carrythe Father to Cochin himself, because he was obligedto go on to Sunda, there to unlade his merchandize;but that apprehension was soon at an end, for Xavier,illuminated from heaven, told him positively, “Thatthe ship of Antonio Pereyra was in the port of Malacca,and that they should find it just ready to weigh anchor,and set sail for Cochin.”

Xavier discovered these things to his friend duringa great calm, which made the navigation pleasing;when suddenly they perceived one of those terriblehurricanes arising, which in a moment sink a vessel.All the company gave themselves for lost; or if theyhad any hope remaining, it was only in considerationof the saint; and therefore they earnestly desiredhim to intercede with God in their behalf. Theholy man, without replying, retired to his devotions;he returned to them not long after, with his countenanceall on fire, and gave his blessing to the ship, pronouncingthese following words aloud: “This vesselof the Santa Cruz[1] (for so she was named) shallnever perish on the seas; the place where she wasbuilt, shall behold her fall in pieces of herself.Might it please Almighty God,” continued he,“that the same could be said concerning thatvessel which put to sea with us! But we shallbe witnesses too soon of her unhappy destiny.”At that very instant appeared the signs, which wereto begin the verification of the prophecy; the whirlwindwas dissipated, and the sea grew calm. Not longafterwards, they beheld the merchandize and dead bodiesfloating on the waters, and from thence concluded,that the hurricane had destroyed the ship which followedthem. Immediately their opinion was confirmedby two mariners, who had gotten on a plank when theship was foundering; and who, having afterwards struggledwith the waves, were driven by them to the board ofPereyra’s vessel. The rest of the navigationwas prosperous; a calmer season was never known.The ship being landed at the port of Sincapour, Xavier(who knew certainly that Antonio Pereyra was at Malacca,ready to hoist sail towards Cochin, as we have said,)wrote to him by a frigate which went off, to desirethat he would wait for him three days longer.He wrote also, by the same conveyance, to Father FrancisPerez, superior of the Jesuits at Malacca, and commandedall of them to provide refreshments for the Japonese,who came along with him.

[Footnote 1: The Holy Cross.]

When it was known in the city that Xavier was coming,the joy was so general, that it almost blotted outthe remembrance of all they had suffered in the war.The inhabitants ran crowding to the shore; and atthe first appearance of the saint, nothing was to beheard, but acclamations and shouts of rejoicing onevery side. They received him at his landingwith all the tenderness of affection, and all the reverenceimaginable. In conducting him to the house ofthe Society, they shewed him, as he passed along,the ruins of their houses; and told him, sighing,“that if he had not left them, they had beenpreserved from the fury of the Javans, as they hadformerly been protected from the barbarians of Achen.”But the Father answered them, “That their cryingsins had called down the wrath of heaven upon them;that nothing could divert it but a speedy change oflife; and that the only means of reconciling themselvesto God, was to receive those chastisem*nts at hishands, with the spirit of humiliation and of penitence.”He visited the old governor Don Pedro de Silva, andthe new one who succeeded him, Don Alvarez de Atavda,and communicated to them his design concerning anembassy to China Both of them concurred in the opinion,that it would be advantageous to the crown of Portugal,and to the interests of Christianity. James Pereyranot being capable of accompanying the Father to Goa,for the reason above mentioned, furnished him at presentwith thirty thousand crowns, for the preparativesof that intended voyage; and sent a servant with theFather, with commission to dispose of all things.Xavier having often embraced this faithful friend,entered with his Japonians into the vessel of AntonioPereyra, who attended but their company to set sail.

The prediction which the man of God had made in favourof the ship called Santa Cruz, gave it the new nameof the “Saint’s Vessel;” and fromMalacca, from whence she departed at the same timewhen Xavier went on board of Antonio, her reputationwas extended over all the East. Wheresoever shearrived, she was received with ceremony, and salutedby all other ships with the honour of their cannon.All merchants were desirous of stowing their goodsin her, and willingly paid the carriage of their wares,and the dues of custom, beyond the common price ofother vessels. The weight of lading was neverconsidered, but her freight was always as much asthey could crowd into her. As she lasted verylong, and that thirty years after the decease of theFather she was in being, and was used for the trafficof the Indies, they never failed of lading her withan extraordinary cargo, all worn and worm-eaten asshe was. The owners into whose hands she came,during the space of those thirty years, took onlythis one precaution, which was to keep her off fromshore; so that when she was to be refitted, that workwas constantly done upon the sea. As to whatremains, it is true she met with many ill accidents

and hardships: she was often engaged with pirates,and combated by tempests; but she escaped clear ofall those dangers, and never any one repented of embarkingin her. One time it is acknowledged, sailing fromMalacca to Cochin, with an extraordinary lading, shesprung a leak, and took in so much water at the beginningof the voyage, that the passengers, who were verynumerous, were of opinion to unlade her of half herburden, and half her men, and to put them upon otherships which were in their company. But thosevessels, which had already their whole lading, wouldnot consent to ease the Santa Cruz; so that, fearoverpowering the ship’s company, they returnedspeedily into the port. The whole town was surprisedto see the ship so suddenly come back; and they werelaughed to shame for apprehending shipwreck in thevessel of the saint. Being thus publicly upbraidedwith their want of faith, to mend their error, theytook out nothing of the lading, but put again to sea.And what every one said to them, concerning the goodfortune which perpetually attended that ship, fortwo-and-twenty years together, so much renewed theirconfidence, that they performed their voyage withoutfarther fear. The Santa Cruz continued in thismanner, sailing over all the seas, and to every portof Asia, till she came into the possession of the captainwho commanded the port of Diu; who perceiving herto be half-rotten, and opened in divers parts, concludedshe could serve no longer, unless she were broughtinto harbour, and set upon the stocks. For whichpurpose she was sent to Cochin, and hauled ashoreon the same dock where she had been built; but shewas no sooner there, than she fell in pieces of herself;nothing remaining of that great bulk, besides planksand beams of timber, unprofitable for any thing butfor the fire. The inhabitants of Cochin, whoknew the prediction of the saint to every circ*mstance,came out to behold its accomplishment. An inconsiderablemerchant, called George Nugnez, who happened to bethere present, began to think within himself, that,there might be yet remaining in those planks somewhatof the virtue, which the blessing of the saint hadimprinted in them; and thereupon took one of them,which he caused to be nailed to his own frigate, outof the persuasion he had, that with this assistancehe should be secure from shipwreck. Thus beingfilled with a lively faith, he boldly undertook suchlong and hazardous voyages, that ships of the greatestburden were afraid to make; and without considerationof the weather, adventured many times to cross themost tempestuous gulphs. When he was told, thatit was not the part of a prudent man to endanger himselfin that manner, he answered, “That the windsand seas were well acquainted with his frigate, andhad a reverence for the plank of the Santa Cruz.”In effect, his little vessel was ever fortunate enoughto escape the greatest perils; and what was most remarkable,was, that having had the same destiny with the shipin her adventures and deliverances, she ended likeher, breaking in pieces of herself, on the shore ofCoulan, where she was brought to be refitted.

To return to the navigation of Father Xavier:—hearrived at Cochin, January 24th, in the year 1552.The king of the Maldivias had been there for somemonths: He was a prince of about twenty yearsof age, born in the Mahometan religion, and bred upin the hatred of Christians. The revolt of hissubjects, who loved him not, or hated the government,forced him, for the safeguard of his life, to abandonhis kingdom, and to seek sanctuary amongst the Portuguese,by whom he hoped to be restored. The fathersof the Society received him into their house, and wentabout to convert him, by letting him see the falsehoodof his sect. The ill posture of his affairs madehim apt to receive the instructions which were givenhim by Father Antonio Heredia, who endeavoured hisconversion with great zeal. But his fear of fartherexasperating his rebellious subjects, in case he changedhis religion, caused him to defer that change fromtime to time; and perhaps he had never forsaken thelaw of Mahomet, if Father Francis had not arrivedto complete that work which Heredia had begun.The holy apostle preached the word with so much efficacyto the king of the Maldivias, that at length he reducedhim to the obedience of Christ, notwithstanding allthe motives of worldly interest to the contrary.Having instructed him anew in the mysteries of Christianity,he solemnly baptized him. In sequel of which,he excited the Portuguese to replace him on the throne,and nominated some of the fathers to accompany thenaval army, which should be sent to the Maldivias.His intention was, that they should labour in the conversionof the whole kingdom, when once the king should beestablished. But because it was of small importanceto the crown of Portugal, that those islands, whichproduce neither gold, nor spices, nor perfumes, shouldbe made tributary to it, the governors did nothingfor that exiled prince; who, despairing to recoverhis dominions, married a Portuguese, and lived a privatelife till the day of his death; happy only in this,that the loss of his crown was made up to him, bythe gift of faith, and the grace of baptism.

When the holy man was ready to depart, an opportunitywas offered him of writing into Europe, which he laidhold on, thereby to render an account of his voyageto Japan, both to the king of Portugal, and to thegeneral of his order. Then embarking for Goa,he had a speedy voyage, and arrived there in the beginningof February.

So soon as he was come on shore, he visited the sickin the town-hospitals; and then went to the collegeof St Paul, which was the house of the Society.After the ordinary embracements, which were more tenderthan ever, he enquired if none were sick within thecollege? He was answered, there was only one,who was lying at the point of death. ImmediatelyXavier went, and read the gospel over him. Atthe sight of the Father, the dying man recovered hisspirits, and was restored to health. The physicianshad given him over, and all things had been orderedfor his burial; but he himself had never despairedof his recovery: and the day when Xavier arrived,he said, with a dying voice, “That if God wouldgrant him the favour of beholding their good Father,he should infallibly recover.”

The relation which Xavier made to the Fathers of Goa,concerning the church of Japan, was infinitely pleasingto them: and he himself was filled with equalconsolation, in learning from them the present conditionof Christianity in the Indies. The missioners,whom he had dispersed before his departure, were almostall of them united at his return. Some of themwere come by his command, and others of their ownmotion, concerning urgent business; as if the HolySpirit had re-assembled them expressly, that the presenceof the man of God might redouble in them their apostoliczeal, and religious fervour. God had every whereblest their labours. The town of Ormus, whichfell to the lot of Father Gaspar Barzaeus, had whollychanged its countenance; idolaters, Saracens, andJews, ran in multitudes to baptism: the templesof idols were consecrated to Christ; the mosques andsynagogues were dispeopled, ill manners were reformed,and ill customs totally abolished. Christianityflourished more than ever in the coast of Fishery,since the death of Father Antonio Criminal, who hadcultivated it with care, and in that cultivation wasmassacred by the Badages. The blood of the martyrseemed to have multiplied the Christians: theywere reckoned to be more than five hundred thousand,all zealous, and ready to lay down their lives fortheir religion. The gospel had not made less progressat Cochin, and at Coulan; at Bazain and at Meliapore,at the Moluccas, and in the Isles del Moro. Butit is almost incredible, with what profit the gospellabourers preached at Goa. All the priests ofidols have been driven out of the Isle of Goa, byorder from the governor, and at the solicitation ofone of the Fathers belonging to the college of St Paul.It was also prohibited, under severe penalties, toperform any public action of idolatry within the districtof Goa; and those ordinances, by little and little,reduced a multitude of Gentiles. As for the Portuguese,their lives were very regular; amidst the liberty ofdoing whatsoever pleased them, they refrained fromall dishonest actions; and concubines were now asscarce as they had been common. The soldiers livedalmost in the nature of men in orders; and even theirpiety edified the people.

But nothing was more pleasing to Xavier, than theconversion of two princes, who during his absencehad been at Goa. The first was king of Tanor,a kingdom situate along the coasts of Malabar, betwixtCranganor and Calecut. This prince, who was party-per-pale,Mahometan and Idolater, but prudent, a great warrior,of a comely shape, and more polite than was usualfor a barbarian, had from his youth a tendency to Christianity,without being well instructed in it. He was enamouredof it, after he had been informed to the full concerningthe mysteries of our faith, by a religious of theorder of St Francis, who frequented his palace.In the mean time, the wars, which he had with otherprinces for ten years together, hindered him from

receiving baptism. At length he was christened,but very secretly; so that, in appearance, he remainedan infidel, to keep the better correspondence withhis people. Yet he was not without some scrupleconcerning the manner of his life; and, in order tosatisfy his conscience on so nice a point, he desiredthe bishop of Goa to send him an apostle; for bythat name the Fathers of the Society were called bythe Indians, as well as by the Portuguese. FatherGomez, who was sent to the king of Tanor, told himpositively, that God would be served in spirit andin truth; that dissembling in religion was worse than,irreligion; and that Jesus would disown before hisangels, those who disowned him before me. Theking, who preferred his salvation before his crown,believed Gomez, and resolved to declare himself solemnlya Christian, as soon as he had made a treaty with hisenemies. Having concluded a peace through themediation of the Father, who had advised him to it,he came to Goa, in despite of all his subjects, who,not being able to gain upon him, either by their reasons,or their desires, had seized upon his person, andshut him up in one of the strongest citadels of thekingdom. He escaped out of his prison, swam ariver, and having found eight foists, or half galleys,belonging to Goa, which were purposely sent to favourhis passage, he had the good fortune to arrive safelyat the town. The bishop and the viceroy conductedhim to the cathedral, amidst the acclamations of thepeople; and at the foot of the altar, he made a publicprofession of his faith; with such expressions oftrue devotion as melted the assistants into tears.

The other prince, whose conversion gave so much joyto Father Xavier, was the king of Trichenamalo, whois one of the sovereigns of Ceylon This king, whilehe was yet an infant, was set upon the throne, andafterwards dispossessed by an usurper, when he wasbut eight years old. The tyrant, not contentto have taken the crown from him, would also have murderedhim, but was prevented by a prince of the blood-royal,who carried him out of his reach, being accompaniedby forty lords of the loyal party, and sought sanctuaryfor him on the coasts of Fishery. The Paravasreceived him with all the charitable compassion whichwas due to his illustrious birth, to the tendernessof his years, and to his misfortunes; they also promisedhis attendants to serve him what was in their power;but, at the same time, advised them, to procure hima more durable and more glorious crown; and withalinformed them of what they had been taught, concerning the adoption of the sons of God, the kingdom of heaven,and inheritance of the saints. Whether thoseconsiderations prevailed upon the prince of the blood-royal,or that the spirit of God wrought powerfully on hisheart, lie consented to what the Paravas desired,and put himself into the hands of Father Henriquezto be instructed. The rest of the lords followedhis example, and were all baptised together with the

king, who seemed at his baptism to have an understandingmuch above his years. The rulers of the Christianson the fishing coast having afterwards made up anarmy, supplied with what ammunitions of war, and otherprovisions which the country could furnish, passedover into the Isle of Ceylon, under the conduct ofthe prince and the forty lords; but the usurper wasso well established in his possession, that the Paravaswere forced to retire with speed into their own country.As for the young king, he was brought to Goa; and thePortuguese, who took the conduct of him into theirhands, put him into the college of St Paul, wherehe was virtuously educated by the Fathers of the Society.Xavier praised Almighty God to see the great men ofthe earth subjected to the empire of Jesus Christ,by the ministry of the children of Ignatius; and rejoicedwith his brethren so much the more, because the bishopof Goa, Don Juan de Albuquerque, was so well satisfiedof their conduct.

This wise and holy prelate communicated to the Fathera letter, which he had written on that subject duringhis absence to the general of the Society. Theletter was in Portuguese, dated from Cochin, November28, in the year 1550, and is thus translated intoour language: “The great performances ofyour children and subjects, in all the dominions ofthe East; the holiness of their lives, the purityof their doctrine, their zeal in labouring the reformationof the Portuguese, by the ministry of God’sword, and the sacrament of penance; their unweariedtravels through all the kingdoms of India, for theconversion of idolaters and Moors; their continualapplication to study the tongues of this new world,and to teach the mysteries of faith, and principallyat the Cape of Comorin,—all this obligesme to write to your reverence, and to give testimonyof what I have beheld with my own eyes. Indeedthe fathers of your Society are admirable labourersin our Lord’s vineyard; and are so faithfullysubservient to the bishops, that their endeavours forthe good of those souls with which I am intrusted,give me hope of remaining the fewer years in purgatory.I dare not undertake the relation of all their particularactions; and if I durst adventure it, want time forthe performance of it: I will only tell you,that they are here like torches lighted up, to dissipatethe thick darkness wherein these barbarous peoplewere benighted; and that already, by their means, manynations of infidels believe one God in three persons:for what remains, I freely grant them all they requireof me for the good of souls. Every one of thempartakes with me in my power and authority, withoutappropriating any of it to myself: and I lookupon myself as one of the members of that holy body,though my life arises not to their perfection.In one word, I love them all in Jesus Christ, witha fervent and sincere charity.”

The rest of the letter is nothing appertaining toour purpose, and therefore is omitted.

The man of God received intelligence, at the sametime, that the ministers of Portugal at Goa had sentword to Lisbon of the great progress which the Societyhad made; and that, in particular, the new viceroy,Don Antonio de Norogna, had written, that the Indieswere infinitely satisfied with the Jesuits; that nonecould look on the good effects of their labours withoutblessing the name of God for them; and that theirlives were correspondent to their calling. Thesaint also was informed, that the king of Portugalhad sent word of all these proceedings to the Pope;especially the conversion of the king of Tanor, andthe martyrdom of Father Antonio Criminal: Thathe had communicated to his Holiness his intentionsof founding many colleges for the Society, to theend the East might be filled with apostolical labourers;and that, in the mean time, he had ordained, thatall the seminaries established in the Indies, forthe education of youth, should be put into the handsof the Society, in case it was not already done:Lastly, it was told to Father Xavier, that the viceroyof the Indies, and the captains of the fortresses,had orders from King John III. to defray the chargesof the missioners in all their voyages; and that thismost religious prince had discharged his conscienceof the care of souls, by imposing it on the Society;obliging the Fathers, in his stead, to provide forthe instruction of the infidels, according to theancient agreement which had been made with the HolySee, when the conquests of the East were granted tothe crown of Portugal.

Amidst so many occasions of joy and satisfaction,the ill conduct of Antonio Gomez gave Xavier an exceedingcause of grief. Before his voyage to Japan, hehad constituted him rector of the college of St Paul,according to the intention, or rather by the order,of Father Simon Rodriguez, who had sent him to theIndies three years after his noviciate; and who, inrelation to these missions, had an absolute authority,as being provincial of Portugal, on which the Indieshave their dependence. Gomez was master of manyeminent qualities which rarely meet in the same person:He was not only a great philosopher, divine, and canonist,but also an admirable preacher, and as well conversantas any man in the management of affairs; and, besidesall this, was kindled with a most fervent zeal forthe conversion of souls; always prompt to labour inthe most painful employments, and always indefatigablein labour: but wonderfully self-opinioned; neverguided by any judgment but his own, and acting ratherby the vivacity of his own impetuous fancy, than bythe directions of the Holy Spirit, or the rules ofright reason. As he was of a confirmed age athis entrance into the Society, so he had not soonenough endeavoured to get the mastery of those headstrongpassions which ran away with his understanding.And when he had once taken upon him the charge ofrector, he began to govern by the dictates of his

own capricious humour, even before the face of Xavier,ere he departed from the Indies for Japan; and theFather, who easily perceived that the government ofGomez was not in the least conformable to the spiritof their Institute, would at that time have withdrawnhim from Goa, and sent him to Ormuz: but the viceroy,to whom Gomez had been powerfully recommended by oneof the chief ministers of Portugal, would not sufferhim to be transplanted, or that his authority shouldbe taken from him: so that all Xavier could do,was to temper and draw off from his jurisdiction,by establishing Father Paul de Camerine superior-generalof all the missions of the Indies.

But when once the saint was departed from Goa, Gomezusurped the whole government; alleging, for his ownjustification, that Father Rodriguez had given himan absolute power; and that Camerine was a poor honestcreature, more fit to visit the prisons and hospitalsof Goa, than to manage the missions, and govern thecolleges, of the Society. He began with prescribingnew rules to his inferiors; and declared to them, inexpress terms, that they must return into their mothers’wombs, that they might be born again into a spirituallife, and transformed into other men. Not thatthey had any need of reformation, they who were themselvesthe models of a perfect life; but the business was,that he had brought with him out of Europe, I knownot what contrivance of new living, framed accordingto his own fanciful speculations. He undertookthen to change their domestic discipline, and to regulatethe studies of the Jesuits by the model of the universityof Paris, where he had been a student in his youth.There was nothing but change and innovation every day;and he exercised his power with such haughtiness andmagisterial hardness, that it appeared more like thedictates of an absolute monarchy, than the injunctionof a religious superior: For, to make himselfobeyed and feared, he went so far as to tell themhe had received an unlimited power from Father SimonRodriguez, in virtue of which he could imprison, orremand into Portugal, any person who should presumeto oppose his government.

His conduct was not less irregular in respect of theyoung men who were educated in the seminary, of whomthe greatest part were Indians. Though they wereyet but novices in the faith, and scarcely to be accountedChristians, he enjoined them the practices of the mostperfect interior life, which they could not possiblyunderstand; and as they could not acquit themselvesof those exercises, which were too sublime for them,he failed not to punish them severely. From thencearose murmurs and combinations, and even despair beganto seize on those young ill-treated Indians; and fromthence also it came to pass, that many of them, notable to endure so violent a government, leapt overthe walls by night, and fled from out the college.Gomez, who could not bear the least contradiction,upon this became more assuming and fantastical; so

that one day he turned out all the remaining scholarsof the seminary, as if they had been incapable ofdiscipline, and, receiving into their places sevenand-twenty Portuguese, who desired to be of the Society,without having any tincture of human learning, hechanged the seminary into a noviciate. As hehad gained an absolute ascendant over the mind of GeorgeCabral, at that time viceroy of the Indies, no mandurst oppose his mad enterprizes, not so much as theBishop Don Juan d’Albuquerque, who was unwillingto displease the viceroy, and feared to increase thedistemper by endeavouring to cure it. Neitherwas the rector so confined to Goa, that he made notfrequent sallies into the country; whether his naturalactivity would not suffer him to take repose, or thathis zeal required a larger sphere; or that, in fine,he looked upon himself as superior general of themissions, and therefore thought it incumbent on himto have an inspection into all affairs, and to doevery thing himself.

The town of Cochin being willing to found a collegefor the Society, he went thither to receive the offer;but he spoiled a good business by ill management.The captain of the fortress immediately gave him achurch, called the Mother of God, against the willof the vicar of Cochin, and in despite of a certainbrotherhood to which that church belonged. Thedonation being disputed in law, Gomez, who had it stillabout him to make a false step, that is, having muchopiniatrete, great credit, good intentions,took upon him to stand the suit, and to get the churchupon any terms. This violent procedure exasperatedthe people, who had been hitherto much edified bythe charily of the Fathers; and the public indignationwent so high, that they wrote letters of complaintconcerning it to the King of Portugal and Father Ignatius.

This was the present face of things when Xavier returnedfrom Japan; and it was partly upon this occasion thatthe letters which he received at Amanguchi so earnestlypressed his coming back. His first endeavourswere to repair the faults committed by the rector;and he began with the business of Cochin: for,in his passage by it, at his return, knowing the violenceof Gomez, he assembled in the choir of the cathedralthe magistrate of the town, with all the fraternityof the mother of God, and, in the presence of thevicar, falling on his knees before them, he desiredtheir pardon for what had passed, presented to themthe keys of the church, which was the cause of thedispute, and yielded it entirely to them. Butsubmission sometimes gains that, which haughty carriagegoes without: The fraternity restored the keysinto the hands of Xavier, and, of their own free motion,made an authentic deed of gift of their church tothe college of the Society. As for what relatesto Goa, the saint dismissed those Portuguese whomGomez had received into the Society; and, having gatheredup as many as he could find of those young Indians,who had either been expelled, or were gone out of thecollege of their own accord, he re-established theseminary, whose dissolution was so prejudicial tothe Christianity of the Indies.

It was only remaining to chastise the criminal, whohad made such evil use of his authority. Xavierwould make an example of him; and so much the rather,because, having told him what punishment his faultshad merited, he found him standing on his terms, insolent,and with no disposition to submit. He judged,upon the whole, that a man who was neither humblenor obedient, after such scandalous misdemeanours,was unworthy of the Society of Jesus; which notwithstanding,he was not willing to pull off his habit at Goa, forfear his departure might make too great a noise; buthaving made the viceroy sensible of the justice ofhis proceeding, he sent him to the fortress of Diu,towards Cambaya, with orders to the Fathers residingthere to give him his dismission, and to use all mannerof persuasions with him that he would return intoPortugal, by the opportunity of the first ship whichwent away. All was performed according to theintentions of the holy man. But Gomez embarkingon a vessel which was wrecked in the midst of the voyage,was unfortunately drowned; giving us to understand,by so tragical an end, that the talents of nature,and even the gifts of grace itself, serve only tothe destruction of a man in religious orders, who isnot endued with the spirit of humility and obedience.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK VI.

He sends out missioners to divers places.He endeavours an embassy to China. He appointsBarzaeus rector of the college of Goa. The formby which Barzaeus was made rector of the college,&c. He himself acknowledges Barzaeus for superior.In what manner Barzaeus receives the offices of rectorand vice-provincial. The new instructions whichhe gives to Barzaeus. He makes choice of hiscompanions for China and Japan. He writes tothe king of Portugal concerning his voyage to China.He assembles the fathers of Goa by night, and uponwhat account. He departs from Goa, and what happenshim in the way. Before his arrival at Malacca,he knows the plague is in the town. He employshimself in succouring the sick. He raises a youngman to life. The embassy of China is crossed bythe governor of Malacca. Xavier endeavours allhe can to gain the favour of the governor for theembassy. Endeavours are used in vain to get thegovernor’s consent. The governor flies outinto fury against the Father. The Father resolvesto excommunicate the governor; and what he does inorder to it. The grand vicar excommunicates thegovernor in the name of Xavier. The saint imputesthe overthrow of the embassy to his own sins.In writing to the king of Portugal, he makes no complaintof the governor of Malacca. He takes up the designof going to the isle of Sancian, and from thence intoChina. He departs from Malacca without seeingthe governor; and what he does in going out of thetown. He embarks, and what happens afterwards.He changes the salt-water into fresh. He restoresto a Mahometan his son, who was fallen into the sea.He appears of an extraordinary height, and muck abovehis own stature. He reassures the captain ofthe Santa Cruz, and the mariners. He arrives atthe isle of Sandan. What passes betwixt Xavierand Veglio. He foretels to Veglio, that he shallbe advertised of the day of his death. The predictionof the saint is accomplished in all its circ*mstances.Other wonderful illuminations. He raises up adead man, and drives the tygers out of the island.Endeavours are used in vain, to dissuade him from thevoyage of China. He takes his measures for thevoyage of China. The Portuguese of Sancian traversethe design of Xavier. He defers his voyage, inconsideration of the Portuguese merchants. Hewrites divers letters to Malacca, and to Goa.He gives orders to Father Francis Perez, and to FatherCaspar Barzaeus. He foretels the unhappy deathof a merchant. He is reduced to an extreme wantof all necessaries. The means fail him for hispassage into China. He is still in hope, and theexpedient which he finds. He falls sick again,and foreknows the day of his death. The natureof his sickness, and how he was inwardly disposed.He entertains himself with God in the extremity ofhis sickness. He denounces to a young Indian,the unhappy death which was attending him. TheDeath of the Saint. His age and person.Of the duties which were paid him immediately afterhis decease. They inter him without any ceremony.The miraculous crucifix in the chapel of the castleof Xavier. He is disinterred, and his body isfound without the least corruption. The body ofthe saint is put on ship-board, to be transportedinto India. How the body is received at Malacca.The punishment of the governor of Malacca. Thetown of Malacca is freed from the pestilence at thearrival of the holy body. In what manner thebody of the saint is treated in Malacca. Theyconsider of transporting the holy corpse to Goa.The body is put into a crazed old ship, and what happensto it in the passage. How the body is receivedat Cochin, and the miracle which is wrought at Baticula.They come from Goa to meet the corpse. How thecorpse of the saint is received at Goa. The miracleswhich are wrought, during the procession. Thebody is placed in the church of Saint Paul. Newmiracles are wrought in presence of the body.The informations of the saint’s life are gatheredin the Indies. The people invoke him, and veneratehis images. They build churches in honour ofhim, in divers parts of the East. The praiseswhich are given him by infidels, and the honour theyperform to him. How much he is honoured at Japan.His gift of prayer. His love of God. Hischarity towards his neighbour. His zeal of souls.The various industry of his zeal. The condescendanceof his zeal, and how dear the conversion of peoplecosts him. The extent of his zeal. His intrepidityin dangers, and his confidence in God. His humility.His maxims on humility. His submission to God’sgood pleasure. His religious obedience. Hismaxims on obedience, and his love for the Society.His poverty, and his mortification. His purityof soul and body. His devotion to the blessedVirgin. His canonization is solicited, and whatis done in order to it, by the king of Bungo.He is had in veneration through all Asia. Miraclesare wrought in all places through his intercession.Three remarkable cures. The perpetual miracleof the saint’s body. He is beatified, andin sequel canonized. The contents of the bullof his canonization. The veneration of the saintis much increased since his canonization. Newmiracles are wrought, and chiefly in Italy. Whatmay be concluded from these testimonies, and fromall the Book.

The affairs of the Society being accommodated in thismanner, Xavier thought on nothing more than how tosupply the missions of the Indies with good labourers;or rather to increase the number of the missioners,who were not sufficient for the common needs.He therefore sent Melchior Nugnez to Bazain, GonsalvoRodriguez to Cochin, John Lopez to Meliapor, and LuysMendez to the Fishery, where he confirmed Henry Henriquezfor superior, whom the missioners of that coast hadalready chosen instead of Antonio Criminal.

After this, he bent his whole endeavours to procurean embassy to China. The viceroy, Don Alphonsode Norogna, with great willingness, granted to JamesPereyra that employment which Xavier had desired forhim. He promised even to favour it, in all thingsdepending on him; and gave wherewithal to furnishout presents for the emperor of China. Notwithstandingthe most magnificent were made at the charges of theambassador, he had prepared cloth of gold, ornamentsfor an altar of brocard pictures of devotion, in richframes, made by the best hands of Europe, with copesand other magnificent church-stuff, all proper torepresent to the Chinese the majesty of the Christianreligion. The bishop, Don Juan d’Albuquerque,was not less favourable to the designs of the Fatherthan the viceroy; and being willing to write to theemperor of China, thereby to give an honourable testimonyto the holy law of God, he ordered his letter to bewritten in characters of gold, and bordered aboutwith curious painting. Nothing more was wantingthan only to make choice of such missioners as wereto accompany Xavier to China, and to provide othersfor Japan; for, besides that the saint himself hadhis dear Japonians always in his memory, the ambassadorof the king of Bungo, who was come with him to Goa,requested some evangelical preachers in his master’sname. The man of God had enough to do, to contentall those, who were desirous of that employment.There were at that time thirty of the Society in thecollege of Goa. Some of them had been in the Indiesfrom the first years of Xavier’s arrival inthose ports; others were either new comers, or hadbeen lately admitted; all of them were of approvedvirtue, and well worthy of that vocation, which theyso earnestly desired; but there was none amongst themwho sought it with more eagerness, nor who more signallydeserved it, than Caspar Barzaeus.

Xavier, before his voyage to Japan, had recalled himfrom Ormuz, with design of sending him to that country,or else of taking him with himself to China.Yet he altered both those intentions; for, after manyserious debates within himself, he thought it mostconvenient to leave Barzaeus at Goa, where, sincehis return from Ormuz, he had laboured in the ministrywith great success; but his principal reason was, thenecessity of the college of St Paul, which had notyet shaken off all the ill symptoms of the governmentof Gomez, and which stood in need of a superior, whoseconduct should be regular. On these considerations,he made him rector of the college of Goa, and alsovice-provincial of the Indies, by the authority whichhe had received from the general of the order.For the saint, at his return from Japan, found twopatients waiting for him, which had been expeditedfrom Rome in the year 1549, one bearing date the 10thof October, the other the 2nd of December, as theminutes which are kept in the archives of the Societydeclare. By the first, Ignatius constitutes FatherXavier provincial of the Indies, and of all the kingdomsof the East, of which he made a particular province,distinct from that of Portugal; by the second, he endowshim with all the privileges which the popes have grantedto the head of the order, and to those members ofit to whom the general shall please to impart them.For what remains, see here the form of Barzaeus’sestablishment, which is preserved in the archivesof Goa, and written by the hand of Father Xavier.

“Master Gasper, I command you, in virtue ofholy obedience, as superior of the company of Jesusin these countries of the Indies, to take the governmentof this college of Santa Fe, in quality of rector;persuaded, as I am, of your virtue, your humility,your prudence, and of all those qualities which makeyou proper for the governing of others.

“I will, that all the fathers and Portuguesebrothers of the Society of Jesus, who are spread overthis new world from the Cape of Good Hope, as faras Malacca, the Moluccas, and Japan, be subject toyou. I will, in like manner, that all those whoshall come from Portugal, or from any other countryof Europe, into the houses of the Society under myobedience, should acknowledge you for their superior;if it happen not, that our Father Ignatius name someother rector of this college of Goa, as I have alreadyrequested him by my letters; informing him at largeof the necessity of sending hither some experiencedperson, in whom he much confides, to govern this college,and all the missions of our Society depending on it.If then any of the Society sent by Father Ignatius,or by any other general of the Society of Jesus, withpatents signed in due form, shall arrive at Goa, totake the government of this house, and of those whoare subjected to it, I command you, in the same virtueof holy obedience, to resign the government into hishands forthwith, and to be obedient to him in allthings.”

Xavier having thus declared Barzaeus superior in afull assembly of the college, kneeled down, and acknowledgedhim for such, thereby giving a public example of submission.After which, he commanded all of them, in virtue ofholy obedience, to be subject to him, and ordered himto expel from the society, all such as should enterprizeought against his authority, or refuse obedience tohis orders. He ordered him, I say, positivelyto expel them, without consideration of their capacity,their eloquence, or any other gifts of nature; adding,that whatever excellent qualities they had, they wantedthose which were essential, namely, humility and obedience.

Barzaeus replied not one word when it was intimatedto him, that he should not go to China, how desiroussoever he were of that voyage; and it may be said,that, on this occasion, he made a noble sacrifice ofall his fervent zeal to his obedience. But whenhe was nominated both rector and vice-provincial,confounded at the mention of those dignities, he saidaloud, “That he was not endued with the spiritof government.” He was ready to die ofshame, when he saw the saint upon his knees beforehim; and, with great precipitation, fell also on hisknees, and humbly begged of him, with tears in hiseyes, that he would consider his infirmities.The saint, who had a perfect insight into his integrity,would not hearken to him, and judged him to be so muchthe more worthy of those two employments, as he judgedhimself to be incapable. As Barzaeus was thedesire of all in all places, and yet his presence wasnecessary at Goa, not only for the due regulationof the college, but also for the good of missions,Xavier forbade him, in virtue of holy obedience, todepart out of the isle of Goa during the space of threeyears ensuing; and for this reason, that Barzaeushaving this tie of prohibition upon him, might beprivileged to refuse any towns which might desire himamongst them; and that if his refusal should displeasethem, yet at least the unkindness might not rest onhim.

After all these punctual orders, Xavier gave in writing,to the new rector, such instructions as he was touse in the government of his inferiors, and in referenceto the conduct of himself; according to what all ofthem had proposed to themselves, to have no design,save only ad majorem Dei gloriam; to God’sgreater honour. Those instructions are very ample,and I shall give you only the most material.

“Have before your eyes continually your ownnothingness; and endeavour, above all things, to haveyour mind so possessed with it, that the contemptof yourself may never leave you. Always treatthe fathers of the Society with great mildness andrespect; as well those who inhabit with you, as thosewho live in other places at a distance. Let notthe least roughness, or haughty carriage, appear inyou, if it be not when your moderation and humilityare turned into contempt; for on such occasions, having

nothing in your intentions but the good of your interiors,and not making the contempt of your authority theobject of your vengeance, you are to make the guiltysomewhat sensible of your power. But you shallonly punish them so far as need requires, and for theiramendment, and the edification of our brethren, whowere witnesses of their fault. All the offenceswhich shall be committed, either by the fathers orthe brothers, against the rule of obedience, oughtto be punished by some correction; and in so doing,the character of priesthood must be no privilege tothe offender. If any of your inferiors act presumptuouslyagainst you, and, full of self-opinion, resist youwith stubbornness, raise yourself in opposition totheir pride, and speak magisterially to them.Let your behaviour towards them have more of severitythan of mildness. Impose some public penanceon them; and beware, of all things, that they maynot observe in you the least remissness, which theywill be sure to interpret fear; for nothing more encouragesthe untractable and haughty to rebellion, than thesoftness and fearful spirit of a governor. Andit is not credible, how assuming, proud, and peremptory,they will grow, when once they find the reins areslackened, and that their pusillanimous superior isafraid of punishing their want of due respect.Impunity hardens that sort of people in their insolence;or rather, it makes them more and more audacious;which disturbs the peace of religious houses.Execute then my orders, without fearing the opinionor speech of people; and let no consideration, noregard of persons, hinder you from the performanceof your duty. Amongst your inferiors, you willfind some who are neither obstinate nor disobedient,but who are weak; who are forgetful of what is enjoinedthem, who indeed despise not the orders of their superiors,but sometimes neglect them, either out of faintheartedness,or want of sense. Reprehend such men with moregentleness and moderation, and temper your reproofwith the mildness of your countenance; and if youfind it necessary to punish them, impose but an easypenance on them. Never admit into the Societysuch as are not endued with judgment, and good naturalparts; nor those who are of a weak constitution, andproper for no employment, or of whom you may reasonablysuspect, that they would enter into religion for secularrespects, rather than out of a sincere devotion ofserving God. When they shall have ended theirexercises, you are to employ them in the service ofthe sick in the public hospitals, and in the meanestoffices of the house. You shall cause them togive you an account of the endeavours they have made,to acquit themselves well of their ordinary meditations,according to the form prescribed. If you areassured, that they are lukewarm and faint at theirdevotions, you will do well to dismiss them, and turnthem out of the Society betimes; or if there be anyhope of their amendment, you shall withdraw them forsome days from those interior exercises; deprivingthem, by way of penance, of an honour which their negligencehas made them unworthy to enjoy; and such indeed isthat of communicating with God in prayer, to the end,that, being ashamed to stand excluded from that celestialcommerce, they may desire more ardently to be re-admittedto it. I recommend extremely to you, that youpay an extraordinary respect to my lord the bishop;and that you be obedient to him. Beware of doingany thing which may displease him; endeavour, on thecontrary, to serve him in all things according to yourpower; and acknowledge, by all manner of good offices,those infinite obligations which we have to so charitablea father and benefactor. Command those fatherswho are out of Goa, to write to him from time to time,but not too prolixly; and to give him an account ofthe fruit of their labours. That they mentionin their letters, as far as truth will give them leave,the commendation of his vicars; and omit not the othergood actions of the religious; and if they can sayno good of them, let them be silent of them; for weare not to imagine that our duty obliges us to complainto the bishop, of the ill conduct of his vicars, orof other gospel-labourers; there will never be wantingthose who will ease us of that trouble. Beware,not to trouble yourself with the management of worldlybusiness; nor even to encumber your inferiors withit, on any occasion whatsoever. When secularmen shall desire to engage you in the employmentsof civil life, return this answer, ’That thetime which remains free to you from preaching, andthe administration of the sacraments, is scarce sufficientfor your studies and devotions, which are yet necessaryto you before you go into the pulpit, or appear inthe tribune of penance; that you cannot prefer thecare of worldly things, before the cure of souls,without perverting the order and rule of charity.’By this means you shall disengage yourself from allthose sorts of encumbrances; and without this circ*mspection,you will do great prejudice to the Society; for youought to understand, that the world often enters bythis door into religious houses, to the extreme damageboth of the religious, and of religion.

“In the visits which are made to you, endeavourto find out the bottom and end of their design, whocome to see you. For some there are, the leastpart of whose business is to be instructed in spirituals;it is only temporal interest which brings them toyou: there will even be some, who will come toconfession, on no other motive, than to acquaint youwith the necessities of their family. The bestcounsel I can give you, is to stand upon your guardwith such; and, to be rid of them, let them know fromthe very first, that you can neither furnish them withmoney, nor procure them any favour from other men.Be warned to have as little discourse with this sortof people as possibly you can; for most commonly theyare great talkers, and if you trouble yourself with

giving them the hearing, you are almost certain tolose your time. For what remains, disquiet notyourself with what they think or say of you; let themmurmur on, and do you take up a resolution of standingout so firmly, that they may not find the least concernmentin you; for the shew of any natural sensibility woulddiscover that you are not enough disengaged from theworld, as if you were wavering what part to take betwixtthe world and Christ. Remember, that you cannotcovet popular approbation without betraying your ministry,or becoming a deserter of your sacred colours, ingoing back from that evangelical perfection, whichyou are obliged to follow, with an unrelenting ardour.”

After this, Xavier gave Barzaeus sundry particularorders, relating to the persons and houses of theSociety.

And now he chose for his companions, Balthazar Gago,Edward Silva, and Peter Alcaceva, with Francis Goncalez,and Alvarez Ferreyra de Monte Major; without reckoninginto the number a young secular Chinese, named Antonio,who had been brought up in the seminary of Sainte Foy.Some of these were intended for China, and othersfor Japan. Father Ignatius had written to FatherXavier, that it was of great importance to send fromthe Indies into Europe one of the Society, well versedin the eastern affairs, who might render an exactaccount of all things to the king of Portugal, andthe Pope; as a means of procuring temporal suppliesfrom the one, and spiritual favours from the other;both which were necessary for the further increaseof Christianity in Asia. Father Francis did notreceive those letters till after his voyage of Japan.He had thought of these very things formerly, butnow seeing that the judgment of Ignatius concurredwith his, he deputed into Italy and Portugal, AndrewFernandez, a man of parts and probity, who was notyet in priest’s orders. He not only gavehim ample informations concerning the present conditionof the Indies, but also wrote large letters on thesame subject, to the king of Portugal, to Father Ignatius,and to Simon Rodriguez. Being now ready to gofor the voyage of China, he gave notice of his intentionsto king John, in this ensuing letter.

“I shall depart from Goa within the compassof five days, intending first for Malacca; from whenceI shall take the way of China, in the company of JamesPereyra, who is named ambassador. We carry withus the rich presents, which are bought partly at thecost of your majesty, and partly at the proper chargesof Pereyra: but we carry also a far more preciouspresent, and such an one as no king, at least to myknowledge, has made the like to another prince, namely,the gospel of Jesus Christ; and if the emperor ofChina once knew its value, I am confident he wouldprefer that treasure before all his own, how immensesoever they may be. I hope, that at length AlmightyGod will look with eyes of pity on that vast empire,and that he will make known to those great multitudes,who are all made after his own image, their Creator,and the Saviour of mankind, Christ Jesus.

“We are three in company, who go to China withPereyra; and our design is, to free from prison thosePortuguese who are there languishing in chains; tomanage the friendship of the Chinese in favour of thecrown of Portugal; and, above all things, to makewar with the devils, and their adherents: onwhich occasion, we shall declare to the emperor, and,in sequel, to all his subjects, from the King of Heaven,the great injury which they have done him, to givethe devils that adoration which is only payable tothe true God, creator of mankind, and to Jesus Christ,their judge and master. The undertaking may seembold, to come amongst barbarians, and dare to appearbefore a mighty monarch, to declare the truth to him,and reprehend his vices: but that which givesus courage is, that God himself has inspired us withthese thoughts; that he has filled us with the assuranceof his mercy; and that we doubt not of his power,which infinitely surpasses that of the emperor of China.Thus our whole success being in the hands of God,what cause of distrust or fear is it possible forus to have? for certain it is, that our only apprehensionought to be of offending him, and of incurring thosepunishments which are ordained for wicked men.But my hopes are incomparably greater when I consider,that God has made choice of such weak instruments,and such sinners, as we are, for so high an employment,as to carry the light of the gospel almost, I may say,into another world, to a nation blinded with idolatry,and given up to vice.”

While they were fitting out the ship, which was tocarry the missioners of China and Japan, Xavier assembledthe fathers of the college by night, not being ableto do it by day, because they were in continual employmenttill the evening. He discoursed with them concerningthe virtues requisite to the apostolic vocation, andspoke with so much ardency and unction, that the congregationwas full of sighs and tears, according to the relationof some who were present, and have left it to us inwriting. But the instructions which he gave,in taking his last farewell of them, are very remarkable.And I cannot, in my opinion, report them better, thanin the very words of the author, who took them fromthe mouth of the apostle: “The Father,Master Francis,” says he, “embracing hisbrethren before his departure for China, and weepingover them, recommended constancy in their vocationto them; together with unfeigned humility, which wasto have for its foundation, a true knowledge of themselves,and particularly a most prompt obedience. Heextended his exhortation on this last point, and enjoinedthem obedience, as a virtue most pleasing to AlmightyGod, much commended by the Holy Spirit, and absolutelynecessary to the sons of the Society.”

The apostle went from Goa on holy Thursday, whichfell that year, 1552, on the 14th of April. Thesea was calm enough, till they came to the heightof the islands of Nicubar, which are somewhat aboveSumatra, towards the north. Thereabouts the wavesbegan to swell; and presently after, there arose sofurious a tempest, that there scarcely remained anyhopes of safety. That which doubled their apprehension,was, that two foists, which bore them company, unableto sustain the fury of the waves, sunk both by oneanother. The ship, which carried Xavier and hiscompanions, was a royal vessel, very large and deepladen, so that her unwieldy bulk and heavy freighthindered her sailing and her steering. It wasthought necessary to ease her, and the merchandizeswere ready to be cast overboard, when Father Francisdesired the captain not to be too hasty. Butthe sailors saying, that the tempest increasing, asusually it does towards evening, the vessel couldnot so conveniently be disburdened in the dark, hebid them not disturb themselves about it, for the stormshould cease, and they should make land before sun-set.The captain, who knew how certain the predictionsof Xavier were, made not the least scruple of believinghim, and the event verified the prophecy. Thesea grew calm, and land appeared before the settingof the sun.

But while every one was rejoicing at the nearnessof the port, the holy man had sadness in his countenance,and often sighed. Some of them enquired the cause,and he bade them pray to God for the city of Malacca,which was visited with an epidemical disease.Xavier said true; for the sickness was so general,and so contagious, that it seemed the beginning ofa pestilence. Malignant fevers raged about thetown, which carried off the strongest constitutionsin a little space, and the infection was caught almostat sight. In this condition the ship found Malacca;and never was the sight of the holy man more pleasingto the inhabitants. Every one promised himselfease of body, and consolation of mind from him; andthey were not deceived in their expectation.

So soon as he was set on shore, he went in searchof the sick, and found employment enough amongst themfor the exercise of his charity. Not a man ofthem, but desired to confess to Father Francis, andto expire in his arms; according to the popular opinion,that whoever died in that manner, could not fail ofbeing saved. He ran from street to street withhis companions, to gather up the poor, who lay languishingon the ground for want of succour. He carriedthem to the hospitals, and to the college of the Society,which on this occasion he changed into an hospital.And when both the college and the hospitals were full,he ordered cabins to be built along the shore, outof the remainders of rotten vessels, for lodgings,and necessary uses of those distressed creatures.After which he procured them food and medicines, whichhe begged from the devouter sort, and himself attended

them both day and night. That which appearedmost wonderful, was, that though the sick could notbe served, nor the dying assisted, nor the dead buried,without taking the infection, and it was death totake it, yet Xavier and his companions enjoyed theirperfect health in the midst of such dangerous employments.This indeed was wonderful, but there was also an undoubtedmiracle, which it pleased Almighty God to work bythe ministry of his servant, on a young man, whomat that time he restored to life.

This young man, named Francis Ciavus, the only sonof a devout woman, who had long been under the conductof Xavier, having put into his mouth, without thinkingof it, a poisoned arrow, such as are used in thoseeastern parts, died suddenly, so subtile and so mortalwas the venom. They were already burying him,when Xavier came by chance that way. He was somoved with the cries and lamentations of the mother,that, taking the dead by the hand, he revived himwith these words: “Francis, in the nameof Jesus Christ, arise.” The youth thusraised, believed from that moment, that he was nomore his own, and that he was obliged to consecratethat life to God, which was so miraculously restored:In effect he did it, and out of acknowledgment toXavier, took the habit of the Society. When themortality was almost ceased, the saint pursued hisdesign of the embassy to China, and treated with DonAlvarez d’Atayda, the governor of Malacca, onwhom the viceroy had reposed the trust of so importantan affair Don Alvarez had much approved this enterprize,when Xavier had first opened it, at his return fromJapan, and had even promised to favour it with allhis power. But envy and interest are two passions,which stifle the most reasonable thoughts, and makemen forget their most solemn protestations.

The governor had a grudging to Pereyra, who, the yearbefore, had refused to lend him ten thousand crowns;and could not endure, that a merchant should be sentambassador to the greatest monarch in the world.He said, “That certainly that Pereyra, whomthe viceroy had empowered by his letters, was somelord of the court of Portugal, and not James Pereyra,who had been domestic servant to Don Gonsalvo de Cotigno,”But that which most disturbed him, was, that, besidesthe honour of such an embassy, the merchant shouldmake so vast a profit of his wares, which he wouldsell off at an excessive rate in China. The governorsaid, “That in his own person were to be consideredthe services of the count his father; and that thosehundred thousand crowns, which would be gained at leastby Pereyra, were a more suitable reward for the sonof Atayda, than for the valet de chambre of Cotigno.”With such grating thoughts as these, he sought occasionsto break off the voyage; yet he Would not declarehimself at first; and the better to cover his design,or not to seem unthankful to Father Xavier, he fedhim with fair promises. For the holy man had

procured him the command of captain-major of the sea,and himself had brought him the provisions for thatplace: because when first the Father had openedhis purpose of going into China, Atayda seemed to haveespoused the project with great affection, and engagedhimself to make it succeed, in case the ports andnavigations of the Portuguese were once dependingon him. To oblige him yet farther, the saint hadprocured from the viceroy, and brought along withhim, certain extraordinary privileges, which had notbeen comprised in the provisions of the command.And, lastly, that he might wholly gain him at his arrival,finding the governor very sick, he attended him withgreat diligence, and made himself at once both hisnurse and his chaplain, watching by him all the night,and saying mass for him in the morning. But allthese offices of friendship wrought nothing on a heart,where jealousy and avarice were predominant.

What care soever Don Alvarez took to conceal his illintentions, Xavier quickly discovered them; and atthe same time wrote to Pereyra, who was yet at Sunda,advising him to come without any equipage, and to affectnothing of magnificence, that he might not fartherexasperate an interested and jealous soul. Butall the modesty of the ambassador could not hinderthe governor from breaking out. At the first noiseof his arrival, he sent officers of justice, and soldiers,to the port, with orders to make seizure on the shipcalled Santa Cruz, to take away the rudder, and giveit into his hands. This was the first act ofjurisdiction, which was exercised by Don Alvarez, ascaptain of the sea; employing against Xavier himself,that authority which had been procured him by Xavier,and pushing his ingratitude as far as it could go.In the mean time, to cover his passion with the pretextof public good, according to the common practice ofmen in power, he protested loudly, that the interestsof the crown had constrained him to act in this manner;that he had received information from his spies, thatthe Javans were making preparations of war, to comeupon Malacca once again; that he could not have toomany ships in readiness, against such formidable enemies;and that the Santa Cruz was of absolute necessity tothe king’s service. This fable, which wasthe product of his own brains, was soon exploded bythe arrival of some other Portuguese vessels, who,coming from the isles of Java, made oath, that thesebarbarians, being engaged amongst themselves in civilwars, had no thoughts of any foreign conquest.Don Alvarez not being able any longer to support thecredit of his tale, pulled off the mask, and stoodupon no farther ceremonies. Xavier perceivingthat the love of lucre was his governing passion, madeoffers to him, by Pereyra, of thirty thousand crownsin pure gift; but the desire of engrossing all thegain, was the reason which prevailed with Atayda torefuse it.

The treasurer, with the rest of the crown-officers,being come to remonstrate to him, that the king’sorders were positive, not to stop the navigation ofthose merchants, who had paid the duties of the port,he threatened them with his cane, which he held upagainst them, and drove them out of his chamber withgreat fury, saying, “That he was too old tobe counselled; that, as long as he continued governorof Malacca, and captain of the seas, James Pereyrashould not go to China, either as ambassador, or merchant;and if Father Xavier was intoxicated with the zealof converting heathens, he might go to Brazil, or tothe kingdom of Monomotapa.”

Francis Pereyra, who was auditor-royal, and who hadgreat credit in the town, not being able, either byhis intreaties, or his arguments, to oblige Don Alvarezto restore the rudder of the Santa Cruz, would haveforced it from him; but this was opposed by Xavier,who foresaw, that the soldiers, who kept the rudder,would defend it with the hazard of their lives, andthat this affair would have ill consequences.

The way which was taken by the holy man, was to sendto the governor the grand vicar John Suarez, attendedby the most considerable persons of the town, to shewhim the letters of King John III., which expresslymade out his intentions, that Father Xavier shouldextend the faith, as far as he was able, through allthe kingdoms of the East, and that the governors shouldfavour him on all occasions. Suarez read alsoto the governor, the letter of the vice-king Don Alphonsode Norogna, in which he declared criminal of state,whosoever should hinder or oppose this particularvoyage of the saint. That which ought to havereduced Don Alvarez to reason, or at least to haveterrified him, served only to make him more unreasonable,and more audacious. He rose from his seat, withthe action of a madman, and stamping with his foot,sent back the grand vicar, with this dutiful expression:“The king’s interest, you say, requiresthis to be performed; and I will not suffer it tobe performed: Here I am, and will be master.”

These outrageous dealings of the governor were notconfined to those, who made these remonstrances tohim from the Father; they extended even to the sainthimself, whom he looked on as the author and head ofthe enterprize. It is incredible what injuriouswords he gave him, and how rudely he treated him onseveral occasions; insomuch, that it was the commontalk of Malacca, that this persecution might pass forthe martyrdom of Father Xavier. The servant ofGod resented nothing which was done to his own person.He blessed God continually, for giving him occasionsof suffering; but he was extremely sensible of whatreligion and the progress of the gospel suffered,and was often seen to weep abundantly.

He ceased not for a month together to solicit thegovernor; sometimes beseeching him by the wounds ofa crucified Saviour, sometimes urging him with thefatal consequences of a miserable eternity, and endeavouringto let him understand, what a crime it was to hinderthe publication of the gospel; but these divine reasonsprevailed as little with Don Alvarez, as the humanhad done formerly. This strange obduracy quiteoverwhelmed the Father, when he saw that all theseways of mildness were unsuccessful, and the seasonof navigation passed away; after he had well consultedGod upon it, he concluded, that it was time to trythe last remedies. Ten years were now expiredsince his coming to the Indies, and hitherto no oneperson, excepting only the bishop of Goa, was madeprivy to his being the apostolic Nuncio. He hadkept this secret in profound silence, and had notonce exercised his power; but now he thought himselfobliged to own it, in a business of so great consequence,and to strike with the thunders of the church, ifoccasion were, the man who made open war against thechurch.

Which notwithstanding, he would not dart the thunderbolthimself, but used the hand of the grand vicar.Having sent for him, he began with shewing him oneof the briefs of Paul III., which constituted him hisNuncio in all the kingdoms of the East. Afterthis, he requested Suarez to shew this brief to DonAlvarez, and to explain to him the censures whichwere incurred by those, who should oppose the pope’slegates in matters of religion, and to exhort him,by what was most holy in the world, to suffer theembassy to proceed. In case of refusal, to threatenhim with ecclesiastical punishments from the vicarof Jesus Christ, and to adjure him at the same time,by the death of the Saviour of mankind, to take compassionon himself.

Xavier had always hoped, that the governor would openhis eyes; and in that writing which he gave the vicarto engage him in that nice commission, there werethese following words: “I cannot believethat Don Alvarez can be so hardened, but that he willbe mollified, when he shall know the intentions andorders of the holy see.” He desired thegrand vicar, in the same writing, to send that verypaper back to him, together with the answer of DonAlvarez, that both the one and the other might bean authentic evidence to the bishop of Goa, that hehad omitted nothing for advancing the embassy; andthat if it succeeded not, the fault lay not at hisdoor. Suarez proceeded with the governor, accordingto all the directions which had been traced out tohim by the Father. But nothing could work uponAlvarez. He laughed at the threatenings, and brokeout into railing language against the person of Xavier,saying loudly, “That he was an ambitious hypocrite,and a friend of publicans and sinners.”

The grand vicar not being able any longer to endureso outrageous and scandalous an impiety, at lengthexcommunicated the governor, according to the agreementbetwixt himself and Father Xavier. He also excommunicatedall his people, who basely flattered the passion oftheir master, and spoke insolently of the holy see.This excommunication signified little to a man, whohad no principles, either of honour, or of religion.Without giving himself the least disquiet for the wrathof heaven, or talk of men, he made himself masterof the ship Santa Cruz, and placed in her a captain,with 25 mariners, all of them in his interests, togo and trade at Sancian, where the Portuguese hadestablished a wealthy traffic. The ill successof the negociation, betwixt the grand vicar and thegovernor, was very afflicting to Father Xavier; hisheart was pierced with sorrow, and he acknowledgedto Father Francis Perez, that he never resented anything with greater grief. The deplorable conditionof Don Alvarez in the sight of God, the ruin of hisfriend Pereyra, the embassy of China utterly destroyed,—allthese made him sigh from the bottom of his soul; andso much the more, because he imputed these so greatmisfortunes to himself; as he gave Pereyra to understand,who lay hidden at Malacca, and to whom he expressedhimself in writing, because he knew not with whatface to see him.

“Since the greatness of my sins,” sayshe, “has been the reason why God Almighty wouldnot make use of us two for the enterprize of China,it is upon myself that I ought, in conscience, tolay the fault. They are my offences, which haveruined your fortunes, and have caused you to loseall your expences for the embassy of China. YetGod is my witness, that I love him, and that I loveyou also; and I confess to you, that if my intentionshad not been right, I should be yet more afflictedthan I am. The favour which I desire of you,is, that you would not come to see me; for fear, lestthe condition to which you are reduced, should giveme too much trouble; and that your sorrow might bethe occasion of increasing mine. In the meantime, I hope this disgrace of yours may be of advantageto you; for I doubt not but the king will reward yourzeal, as I have requested of him by my letters.As for the governor, who has broken our voyage, Ihave no farther communication with him: God forgivehim, I pity him, and lament his condition; for hewill soon be punished, and more severely than he thinks.”

But though Father Xavier wrote very pressing lettersto the king of Portugal in favour of Pereyra, he wrotenothing against Don Alvarez; and Alvarez himself waswitness of it, having intercepted the letters of theFather. In effect, he found not the least expressionof complaint against him, at which he was wonderfullysurprised. The man of God daily offered the sacrificeof the mass for him, and shed many tears at the footof the altar, to the end he might obtain for him thefavour of a sincere repentance. He said one day,he should lose at once, his estate, his honour, andhis life; and added, I beseech God that he lose nothis soul also.

For what remains, though the door of China seemedto be shut upon him, since all hopes of the embassywere vanished, which had facilitated his entranceinto that kingdom, yet the saint despaired not of preachingthe gospel to the Chinese; and a thought came intohis head, that if he could get to an isle, which wasneighbouring to Canton, he might from thence go privatelyover into the continent; that if he were stopped andput in prison, he should at least preach to the prisoners;that from the prisons, the Christian doctrine mightspread into the towns, and possibly might reach thecourt; that perhaps also the great men of the empire,and even the emperor himself, might have the curiosityto see a man who published so new a faith; and thenhe might gain an opportunity of declaring the wholelaw of Jesus Christ.

With these considerations, he took up the design ofembarking on the Santa Cruz, which the governor ofMalacca was sending out for Sancian. But seeingthat the entry of China could not be attempted by thatway which he had proposed without great hazard, hewould be the only priest who should expose himselfto those dangers; and retaining with him only onebrother of the Society, the Chinese, Antonio de SainteFoy, and another young Indian, he sent Balthazar Jago,Edward Silvia, and Peter Alcaceva, to several employments;the first to the kingdom of Bungo, and the two othersto Amanguchi.

During these passages, it happening that John Beyrocame from the Moluccas, to desire some more assistance,for the farther propagation of the faith in thoseislands, Xavier received from him the comfortable newsof the great spreading of Christianity, and sent himto Barzaeus, with orders that more companions shouldbe joined to him; and that he should be remanded thitherwith all expedition.

The Santa Cruz being now upon the point of settingsail, he retired into the church of our Lady of theMount, to recommend his voyage to the protection ofthe blessed Virgin. He continued his devotionstill the evening; and had also passed the night inprayer, if they had not come to give him notice thatthe ship had already weighed anchor.

The grand vicar, John Suarez, who bore him companyto the ship, asked him by the way, if he had takenleave of the governor; adding, that if he failed inthat point of ceremony, the weaker Christians mightbe scandalized; that it would be a proof of his resentment,and an occasion of public murmur. The saint,who was willing to shew by his example, how excommunicatedpersons ought to be treated, replied immediately, “DonAlvarez shall never see me in this life; I expect himat the judgment-seat of God, where he will have agreat account to answer.” Having walkedon a little farther, he stopped at a church door, whichwas near the sea; and, in a transport of spirit, liftingup his eyes to heaven, he prayed aloud for the salvationof the unhappy Don Alvarez. Then he prostrated

himself, and was silent for some time, praying fromthe bottom of his heart to God, with his face to theground. Soon after he rose up with a vehementaction, which had somewhat of a holy disdain in it;he took off his shoes, beat them one against another,and afterwards against a stone, saying, “thathe would not bear away the dust of an accursed place.”He then foretold, with circ*mstances at large, andmore than formerly, the punishment which heaven hadprepared for the governor of Malacca; and going onboard, left the people, who had followed him thusfar, astonished at his prophecies, and afflicted athis departure.

Immediately they set sail, and there were in the vesselabove five hundred persons, counting in the passengersand servants. They were already forward on theirvoyage, when the wind fell on the sudden; and in amoment the waves were laid, and the face of the oceangrew so smooth, that the Santa Cruz stood still, andmoved no more than if she had been at anchor.During this becalming, which lasted fourteen days together,their water failed them, and some died from the firstwant of it. They rowed on every side with theirchalop, to make discovery of some coast where theymight find fresh water. Being far at sea, theycould discern nothing, but the island of Formosa,at least they believed it so to be. They endeavouredto gain the shore; but in seven days time, notwithstandingall their attempts, they could not reach it.

In the meantime, the ship was full of sick people,who were burnt up with a deadly thirst; and they hadall perished, without hope of succour, if one of them,reflecting within himself, that Father Xavier had beenalways prevalent with God, had not hinted this notionto the rest; whereupon all of them coming on theirknees before him, besought him, with more tears thanwords, to obtain from heaven either wind or waterfor them.

Xavier bade them address themselves to God in theirown behalf; caused them to recite the litany on theirknees, at the foot of a large crucifix; and then orderedthem to retire, but to have confidence in Jesus Christ.He himself withdrew also into a chamber; from whencecoming out some time after, he went down into thechalop with a little child, and having caused himto taste of the sea water, asked him whether it werefresh or salt? The child answering that it wassalt, he commanded him to taste again, and the childtold him that it was fresh. Then the Father,returning into the ship, ordered them to fill all theirvessels; but some amongst them, being eager to drink,found the water salt. The saint made the signof the cross over the vessels, and at the same momentthe water, losing its natural saltness, became so good,that they all protested it was better than that ofBangar, of which the seamen make their ordinary provision,and which is esteemed the best water in all the Indies.

This miracle so struck some Saracen Arabs, who weretransporting their whole families into China, that,throwing themselves at the feet of the holy man, theyacknowledged the God of the Christians, and desiredbaptism. The faithful, on their side, admiredFather Francis; and all of them, in a body, ownedthe preservation of their lives to him. But theFather told them, that it was to God, and not to sucha sinner as he was, that they were obliged to paytheir thanks. The greatest part of the marinersand passengers kept, out of devotion, some of thiswater, at the first as a testimony of the miracle,afterwards as a celestial remedy: for the water,being carried to the Indies, cured great numbers ofsick people; and infusing some small quantity of itinto any sort of drink, was sufficient to restoretheir health.

During the navigation, a child of five years old happenedto fall into the sea; the vessel, which had a fore-wind,pursuing its course. The father of this childwas not to be comforted, and his grief so overwhelmedhim, that he kept in private for three days. Hewas a Mahometan, and the miracle of the water hadnot converted him. At length he appeared in public,but all in tears, and never ceasing to lament theloss of his only son. Xavier, who knew nothingof this misfortune, asked him the reason of his sorrow?Having learnt it, he stood recollected in himselfa little time, and then said, “Supposing thatGod should restore your son to you, would you promiseme to believe in Jesus Christ, and to become a sincereChristian?” The infidel promised him; and threedays after this, before sun-rising, they saw the childupon the hatches. The child knew not what hadbecome of him for those six days, and only rememberedhis falling into the sea, not being able to give anyaccount how he returned into the ship. His fatherwas ready to die with joy when he received him; andXavier had no need of putting him in mind of his engagement:he came of his own accord, accompanied by his wife,his son, and his servant; all of them were baptized,and the child was named Francis.

Those of the vessel having been witnesses of thesetwo miracles, spoke of them to the inhabitants ofan isle called Cincheo, by which they passed, andwhich was a place of great traffic, full of merchantsfrom several parts. The desire of seeing so admirablea man, caused about sixty persons, some Ethiopians,other Indians, all Idolaters or Mahometans, to comeinto the ship: Xavier took the occasion, and preachedthe gospel to them; withal, instructing them in theholy practices of Christianity. He had no soonerended his exhortation, than they acknowledged JesusChrist, and received baptism.

While he was christening them, he appeared of a staturemuch higher than his own; insomuch, that those whowere upon the shore near the vessel, believed he hadbeen standing on some bench; but seeing him comingand going, and always appearing of the same height,they thought there might possibly be some miraclein the matter, and were desirous to be satisfied concerningit: Stephen Ventura went into the ship on purpose,and approaching Father Xavier, saw that with his feethe touched the hatches, and yet his head was higherthan the tallest there, on whom he sprinkled the sacredwaters of baptism. Ventura likewise observed,that, after he had baptized the company, he returnedto his natural proportion.

From Cincheo the ship pursued her voyage towards Sancian,which is but six leagues distant from the continent,over against Canton, a town of China. They hadsailed far beyond Canton, and the mariners believedthey were still on this side of it. Xavier endeavouredto undeceive them, but they adhered to their firstopinion, and they had gone much further out of theirway, if the captain, upon the word of the saint, hadnot struck sail, and cast anchor till the return ofthe chalop, which he had sent out to discover theneighbouring coast. She was three days beforeshe came back, and all the ship’s company imaginedthat she had been overtaken by some hurricane; butXavier assured them that she should suddenly return,with refreshments sent them by the Portuguese of Sancian;and that also she should be followed by some vessels,which should come to meet them on their way, and conductthem into the port. All happened as the Fatherhad foretold; and the Santa Cruz, guided by the vesselsof Sancian, arrived at that island, twenty-three daysafter her departure from Malacca.

There are three islands so little distant from eachother, that they appear but one; for which reasonthe Chinese, in their language, call them Samceu;a word composed of sam, which signifies three,and ceu, which is to say an island. Thechief of these islands, which the Portuguese havenamed Sancian, has a convenient and safe port, allcrowned with mountains, and forming a semicircle onthat side, which looks towards Macao. It hasfew inhabitants who are natives, almost no provisions,and is so barren of itself, so uncultivated and sowild, that it seems rather a place of banishment thanof commerce. The Chinese had permitted the Portugueseto trade thither, to buy their commodities, and selltheir own to them, without breaking their fundamentallaw, of suffering no stranger to set foot within theircountry; so that the Portuguese durst come no nearerthe main land, for fear of hazarding their lives,or at least their liberty. Neither was it permittedthem to build solid houses in the isle; they wereonly allowed to set up slight cabins, covered withmats, and dressed about with boughs of trees, thatthey might not always be shut up within their vessels.

Amongst these merchants there was one who was veryrich, and infinitely charitable, but of a gay humour,and pleasant in conversation, addicted to all pleasurewhich decency permits, and loving not to deny himselfany thing which will make life comfortable;—forthe rest, most affectionate to Father Xavier:his name was Peter Veglio, the same Veglio who waswith the saint at Japan, and who returned in his company.Xavier being very desirous of his friend’s salvation,exhorted him, from time to time, to mortify his naturalinclinations, even sometimes to chastise his body forthe expiation of his sins. Veglio understood notthat Latin; whether he was too tender of his own person,or thought his sins were not of a nature to deservesuch severities, he could never find in his heart totake up the discipline; but instead of macerationsand penances, he gave great alms; and Father Francisreceived from him very large supplies, for the reliefof such as were in want. One day, the Father havingneed of a certain sum of money, to marry a young orphanvirgin, who was poor and handsome, and consequentlyin danger of being ruined, had recourse to Veglio,according to his custom. He found him engagedin play with another merchant; but the business beingurgent, he forbore not to request his charity.Veglio, who loved to be merry, made as if he wereangry with him, and answered thus; “Father Francis,when a man is losing, he is in no condition of givingalms; and for a wise man as you are, you have madea very gross mistake in this unseasonable demand.”“It is always in season to do good,” repliedXavier; “and the best time for giving money,is when a man has it in his hand.” The merchantcontinuing in the same tone, and seeming to be displeasedwith the Father’s company, added, as it wereto be rid of him, “Here, take the key of my chest;take all my money if you will, and leave me to playmy game in quiet.” In the merchant’schest were thirty thousand taes, which amount to forty-fivethousand crowns of gold. The Father took out threehundred crowns, which were sufficient to marry theorphan maiden. Some time afterward, Veglio countingover his money, and finding the sum was still entire,believed the Father had not touched it, and reproachedhim with want of friendship for not making use ofhim; whereupon Xavier protested to him, that he hadtaken out three hundred crowns. “I swearto you,” said Veglio, “that not one ofthem is wanting; but God forgive you,” addedhe, “my meaning was to have parted the wholesum betwixt us; and I expected, that of my forty-fivethousand crowns, you should at least have taken theone moiety.”

Xavier, finding that Veglio had spoken very sincerelyto him, and out of a pure principle of charity, said,as a man transported out of himself by the spiritof God; “Peter, the design you had, is a goodwork before the eyes of Him, who weighs the motionsand intentions of the heart; He himself will recompenceyou for it, and that which you have not given, shallbe one day restored to you an hundred-fold. Inthe meantime, I answer for Him, that temporal goodsshall be never wanting to you; and when you shallhave misfortunes to put you backwards in the world,your friends shall assist you with their purses.I farther declare to you, that you shall not die withoutbeing first advertised of the day of your death.”After these predictions, Veglio was quite changed intoanother man, applying himself wholly to exercisesof piety; and in the condition of a merchant, livedalmost the life of a religious. What had beenforetold him, that he should have warning of his death,came frequently into his remembrance; and he couldnot hinder himself one day from asking the saint,at what time, and in what manner, it should be?The saint told him, without pausing, “When youshall find the taste of your wine bitter, then prepareyourself for death, and know that you have but oneday more to live.”

The merchant lived in opulence and splendour, evento an extreme old age. He had several lossesin his trade, according to the chance of things whichare depending on the sea; but his friends continuallyrelieved him in his necessities, and gave him wherewithalto set up again. At length, being one day ata great entertainment, and more gay than ever, havingasked for wine, he found the taste of it was bitter.Immediately remembering the prophecy of Father Xavier,he was seized with an inward horror; which beginningfrom the soul, spread over his body, as if death hadbeen pronounced against him, or the image of deathpresented to his eyes. Nevertheless, somewhatrecovering his spirits, for his farther satisfactionin the point, he desired his fellow-guests at the tableto taste the wine out of his glass. All judgedit to be excellent, besides himself, who made diverstrials of it on his palate. He called for otherwines, and another glass; but always found the samebitterness. Then, no longer doubting but thathis last hour was coming, after he had made an interiorsacrifice of his life to God, he related to the companythat prediction, which was now accomplished; and arosefrom the table with the thoughts of a Christian, whois disposing himself for death. Having distributedhis goods betwixt his children and the poor, he wentto see his friends, and to give and take the lastfarewell;—notwithstanding his great age,he was in perfect health. It was thought he doted,and they endeavoured to persuade him out of his melancholyapprehensions. But their arguments prevailedso little on his mind, that he gave orders for hisown funeral, and invited his friends to do him the

last kind office, of accompanying his corpse to burial.To content him, and to make themselves merry at hisfolly, they attended him into the church: intheir presence he received the viaticum, and the extremeunction, without being sick; afterwards he laid himselfupon the bier, and caused them to sing the mass forthe dead. The people gathered in a crowd at thestrangeness of the report; some drawn by the noveltyof the sight, the rest to be eye-witnesses how theprediction of Father Xavier would succeed. Massbeing ended, the priest, attended by his inferiors,performed all the ceremonies of the church about thegrave, and, at length, sung the last words belongingto a Christian burial over the old man, who was alive,and bore his part in the responses. There nowremaining no more to do, the servant of Veglio comingto help his master off the bier, he found him dead.All the assistants were witnesses of the matter offact, and every one went home full of admiration ofGod’s mercy towards this merchant, who had beenso charitable, and blessing the memory of the holyapostle of the Indies.

This was not the only prophetical light, which Xavierhad in the isle of Sancian. A ship, which wentfrom Macao to Japan, appeared in sight of Sancian,to be overtaken by a dreadful hurricane. The Portuguese,who had great concernments in that vessel, being alarmedat so inevitable a danger, came running for comfortto Father Xavier; but the Father assured them, theyhad no cause of fear, and that the ship was safelyarrived at her port. They kept themselves quiet,upon the assurance of his word, till finding thatthe ship made no return, which was to stay at Japanbut some few days, they gave her for lost. Xavierreproved their want of faith, and positively toldthem, that she should come back before the week wereended. In effect, she returned two days afterwards,laden with rich merchandizes, and proud of her escapefrom the fury of the hurricane.

At the same time, Xavier was inspired with the knowledgeof the quarrel betwixt Don Alvarez de Atayda, governorof Malacca, and Don Bernard de Sosa, who was newlyarrived from the Moluccas; and told the circ*mstancesof it to the Portuguese, who, having afterwards theparticulars of it from some of Malacca, were astonishedto find them the very same which the Father had related.

This miraculous foreknowledge was accompanied by actionsas surprising; and without speaking of a dead infant,which Xavier restored to life, but whose resurrectionis without circ*mstances in the acts of the saint’scanonization, he cleared the country of the tygers,which laid it waste. These furious beasts camein herds together out of the forests, and devourednot only the children, but the men also, whom theyfound scattered in the fields, and out of distancefrom the entrenchments which were made for their defence.One night the servant of God went out to meet thetygers, and when they came near him, he threw holywater upon them, commanding them to go back, and neverafter to return. The commandment had its fulleffect, the whole herd betook themselves to flight,and from that time forward no tygers were ever seenupon the island.

The joy which the Portuguese had conceived at thearrival of Father Xavier, was immediately changedto sadness, when they understood that he had onlytaken Sancian in his way to China. They all endeavouredto dissuade him from it, and set before his eyes therigorous laws of that government; that the ports werenarrowly observed by vigilant and faithful officers,who were neither to be circumvented nor bribed withpresents; that the Mandarins were cruel to all strangers;that, the year before, some Portuguese seamen beingcast by tempest on the coast of Canton, had been severelywhipped, and afterwards inclosed in dark dungeons,where, if they were not already dead, they were stillexercised with new punishments; that, for himself,the least he could expect was perpetual imprisonment,which was not the business of an apostle, who designedto run from place to place, and propagate the faiththrough all the East. These arguments made noimpression on the saint; he had fortified his resolutionwith more potent reasons, and answered the merchantsin the same tenor in which he had written to FatherFrancis Perez, that he could not distrust the DivineGoodness, and that his distrust would be so much themore criminal, because the powerful inspiration ofthe Holy Spirit pushed him forward to teach the Chinesethe gospel of the living God. “I am elected,”said he, “for this great enterprize, by thespecial grace of heaven. If I should demur onthe execution, or be terrified with the hardships,and want courage to attempt those difficulties, wouldit not be incomparably worse than all the evils withwhich you threaten me? But, what can the demonsand their ministers do against me? Surely nomore than what is permitted them by the sovereignLord of all the world; and that in giving up myselfin this manner, I shall obey my Lord Jesus, who declaresin his gospel, ’That whosoever will save hislife shall lose it, and whoever will lose it for mysake, shall find it.’ Our Saviour also says,’That he who, having put his hand to the plough,shall look behind him, is not fit for the kingdomof heaven.’ The loss of the body being thenwithout comparison less to be feared than that ofthe soul, according to the principles of Eternal Wisdom,I am resolved to sacrifice a frail and miserable lifefor everlasting happiness. In fine, I have setup my rest, I will undertake this voyage, and nothingis capable of altering my resolution. Let allthe powers of hell break loose upon me, I despise them,provided God be on my side; for if he be for us, whoshall be against us?” The Portuguese being ofopinion, that this fixed intention of the man of Godwas partly grounded on his ignorance of the dangers,which he believed they magnified to him beyond theirnatural proportion, sent some Chinese merchants, withwhom they traded, to discourse the business calmlywith him; but the matter went otherwise than theyhad imagined. Those Chinese, to whom Xavier failednot to speak of Christianity, and who were men of

understanding, advised him to the voyage, instead ofdissuading him. They counselled him only to carrybooks which contained the Christian doctrine; andadded, that, not long since, the emperor had sent somelearned men into the neighbouring kingdoms, to informthemselves of such religions as were different fromthe received opinions of the Chinese; that they believedthe Christian doctrine would be well received at court;and that it seemed probable to them, that the noveltyof so reasonable a belief would make his way who wasthe first bearer of it.

Xavier was overjoyed to find a passage opened forthe gospel, to the most polite nation of the world;and doubted not but that the Christian religion, comingto be compared by judicious men with the other opinionsof the East, would have the advantage. Being thusencouraged to pursue his purpose, his first businesswas to provide himself of a good interpreter.For Antonio, the Chinese, whom he had brought fromGoa, was wholly ignorant of the language which isspoken at the court, and had almost forgotten thecommon idiom of the vulgar. He found out anotherChinese, who had a perfect knowledge of the languageof the Mandarins, and who could also write excellentlywell, in which consists the principal knowledge ofChina. For the rest, he was a man well shaped,of a good presence, of great natural parts, of a pleasingconversation, and, which was above all, he seemedentirely devoted to the Christians: he promisedall possible good offices,—whether he hopedto make his fortune, by presenting to the emperorone who published a new law, or that God had inspiredhim with those pious thoughts.

There was more difficulty in finding seamen to transportthe Father; for there was no less venture than thatof life, for any one who undertook that business.But interest gives him courage to hazard all, who valuesmoney more than life itself. A Chinese merchant,called Capoceca, offered himself to carry Xavier intothe province of Canton, provided he might be wellpaid; and asked the value of two hundred pardos[1]inpepper. The Chinese promised to take Xavier intohis barque by night, and to land him before day onsome part of the coast, where no houses were in view;and if this way was thought uncertain, he engagedto hide the Father in his own house, and four daysafter to conduct him, early in the morning, to thegates of Canton. But he would have Xavier obligehimself also, on his side, to go immediately to theMandarin, with the letters which the viceroy of theIndies, and the bishop of Goa, had written to the emperor;for the Father had still reserved by him those letterswhich related to the embassy, though the design hadbeen ruined by the governor of Malacca. The Chinesealso exacted an oath of secrecy from the saint, thatno torments, however cruel, should bring him to confesseither the name or the house of him who had set himon shore.

[Footnote 1: A pardo (says Tavernier) is of thevalue of twenty-seven sous, French money; ten of whichmake about a shilling English.]

Xavier made as solemn an engagement as he could desire,not without knowledge of the hazard which he ran,as himself related to one of his dearest friends.“I perceive,” said he, “two dangers,which are almost inevitable in this affair; on theone side, there is great cause of apprehension, lestthe idolatrous merchant, having received the priceof my passage, should throw me overboard, or leaveme on some desart isle; on the other side, lest thegovernor of Canton should discharge his fury uponme, and make me an example to all strangers, by puttingme to a cruel death, or condemning me to perpetualimprisonment. But in case I follow the voicewhich calls me, and obey my Lord, I count my life andliberty at nothing.”

When the voyage of China was on these terms, and thatall things seemed to favour it, the Portuguese ofSancian put an obstacle in the way, of which Xavierhad never thought. The appetite of gain made themapprehend, lest his zeal should bring them into trouble;and they said to one another, that the Mandarin governorof Canton would certainly revenge on them the boldnessof their countryman: That he would commissionhis officers to pillage their ships, and confiscatetheir effects, and that their lives were not in safety.In this general affrightment, which was not ill grounded,and which increased daily, the wealthier sort addressedthemselves to Father Xavier, and desired him to takecompassion on them, and on their wives and children,if he would have no compassion on himself.

Xavier, who was no less careful for the interestsof others, than he was negligent of his own, foundan expedient to satisfy them. He engaged hisword, that he would not pass over into China, tillthey had ended all their business, and were gone fromSancian. This gave opportunity to the Chinesemerchant, with whom he had treated, to make a shortvoyage, under promise, notwithstanding, to returnat a time which was prefixed. While these thingswere thus managed, the Father fell sick of a violentfever, which continued on him fifteen days. ThePortuguese took occasion from thence to tell him,that heaven had declared against the voyage of China;but being recovered, he followed his design with morewarmth than ever. While the merchants were ladingtheir ships, he entertained himself day and nightwith the prospect of converting China; and all hispleasure was to think, how happy he should be, indispossessing the devil of the largest empire in theworld. “If yet,” said he, “itshall please Almighty God to employ so vile an instrumentas I am, in so glorious an undertaking.”Taken up with these and such-like meditations, he oftentook his walk along the shore, and turning his eyestowards that desired country, sent out ardent sighs.He said sometimes amongst his friends, that his onlywish was to be set down at the gates of Canton, andtroubled not himself with what might happen afterwards:happy he, if he could once declare the Son of Godto the Chinese, and more happy, if, for his sake,he might suffer martyrdom.

In the mean time, all the Portuguese vessels, exceptingonly the Santa Cruz, which had not yet her whole lading,set sail from Sancian for the Indies. Xaviergave many letters to the merchants, to be deliveredboth at Malacca and at Goa. He wrote to his friendJames Pereyra, in terms which were full of acknowledgmentand charity. “Almighty God,” saidhe in his letter, “abundantly reward you, sinceI am not able of myself to do it; at least, whileI continue in this world, I shall not fail to implorethe Divine Goodness to confer on you, during your life,his holy grace, accompanied with perfect health, andafter your death eternal happiness. But as Iam persuaded, that I cannot acquit myself, by thesemy prayers, of the great obligements which I haveto you, I beg all those of our Society in the Indies,to desire of God the same blessings in your behalf.For what remains, if I compass my entrance into China,and if the gospel enter with me, it is to you, nextto Almighty God, to whom both the Chinese and myselfshall be owing for it. You shall have the meritof it in the sight of God, and the glory in the sightof men. Thus, both the Chinese, who shall embracethe faith, and those of our Society, who shall goto China, shall be obliged, to offer, without ceasing,their vows to heaven in favour of you. God grantus both the happiness once to meet in the court ofChina! As for myself, I am of opinion if I getinto that kingdom, and that you come thither, youwill either find me a prisoner at Canton, or at Pequin,which is the capital city of that empire; and I beseechthe Lord, out of his infinite mercy, that we may bejoined together either in the kingdom of China, orat least in the kingdom of immortal glory.”

He wrote by the same conveyance to Father FrancisPerez, superior of Malacca. He commanded him,in virtue of holy obedience, to depart with the soonestout of that unhappy town, and to conduct his inferiorsto Cochin, where he established him rector of thecollege, in the place of Antonio Heredia, whom hesent to Goa. Though Father Xavier deplored anew,the wretched condition of Don Alvarez, it hinderedhim not from enjoining Father Barzaeus, in his letterto him, that he should work the bishop to send hisorders to the grand vicar of Malacca, therein declaringthe governor to be excommunicated. And he tookthis way, not only because hardened and scandalousoffenders, such as Don Alvarez, ought to incur a publicdishonour, by that means to induce them to a seriousconsideration of their own estate, and that othersmight take warning by them; but also, that succeedinggovernors might fear, by the example of his punishment,to set themselves in opposition to any intended voyageof the missioners, who should be sent hereafter tothe Moluccas, Japan, or any other places.

He desired Father Barzaeeus, in the same letter, toreceive few persons into the Society, and to makean exact trial of those whom he should receive:“For I fear,” said he, “that manyof them who have been admitted, and daily are admitted,were better out of our walls than within them.

“You ought to deal with such people, as youhave seen me deal with many at Goa; and as I havelately treated my companion, whom I have dismissedfrom the Society, not having found him proper for ourbusiness.” He meant Alvarez Pereyra, whomhe had brought with him from the Indies, and whomhe sent back from Sancian with the Portuguese vessels.

Amongst those merchants who went off from Sancian,there was one who made more haste than any of therest; without giving notice of his departure to theFather, whom he had lodged in his cabin, or withoutwaiting for a Chinese vessel, which he had boughtat the port of Canton. One morning while theFather was saying mass very early, this merchant hadput off from shore, and fled with as much precipitationas if the island was ready to be swallowed by thesea. After mass was ended, he looked round him,and not seeing him for whom he searched, “Whatis become of my host?” said he, with the looksand gesture of a man inspired. Being answered,that he was already in open sea; “What couldurge him,” continued he, “to so prompta resolution? why did he not expect the ship whichcomes from Canton? And whither is he dragged byhis unhappy destiny?” That very evening theChinese vessel was seen to arrive: as for thefugitive merchant, he was no sooner landed at Malacca,when, going into a wood to seek materials for therefitting of his ship, he was poniarded by robbers.

All the Portuguese vessels being gone, saving onlythat which belonged to the governor of Malacca, orrather of which the governor had possessed himselfby violence, Xavier was reduced to so great a wantof all necessaries, that he had scarcely wherewithalto sustain nature. It is certainly a matter ofamazement, that they, whose lives he had preservedby changing the salt sea-water into fresh; should beso hard-hearted as to abandon him to die of hunger.Some have thought that Don Alvarez had given orders,that all things should be refused him; but I ratherthink, that Providence would try him in the same manner,as sometimes God is pleased to prove those whom heloves the best, and permitted that dereliction ofhim for the entire perfection of the saint.

That which most afflicted him, was, that the Chineseinterpreter, who had made him such advantageous offers,recalled his word, either of himself for fear of danger,or at the solicitation of those who were devoted tothe governor of Malacca. Yet the Father did notlose his courage; he still hoped that God would assisthim some other way; and that, at the worst, Antoniode Sainte Foy might serve his turn for an interpreter.But for the last load of his misfortunes, the merchant,who had engaged to land him on the coast of China,returned not at the time appointed, and he in vainexpected him for many days.

Despairing of any thing on that side, he still maintainedhis resolution, and another expedient seemed to promisehim success. News was brought him, that the kingof Siam, whose dominions are almost bordering on Malacca,and who also was in league with Portugal, was preparinga magnificent embassy to the emperor of China forthe year following. Whereupon Xavier resolvedon returning to Malacca by the first opportunity,and to use his best endeavours, that he might accompanythe ambassador of Siam to China.

But the Eternal Wisdom, which sometimes inspires hisservants with great designs, does not always willthe performance of them; though he wills that on theirside nothing be omitted for the execution. Godwas pleased to deal with Xavier as formerly he haddealt with Moses, who died in view of that very landwhither he was commanded to conduct the Israelites.A fever seized on Father Francis on the 20th of November;and at the same time he was endued with a clear knowledgeof the day and hour of his death; as he openly declaredto the pilot of the vessel, Francis D’Aghiar,who afterwards made an authentic deposition of it bysolemn oath.

From that moment he perceived in himself a strangedisgust of all earthly things, and thought on nothingbut that celestial country whither God was callinghim. Being much weakened by his fever, he retiredinto the vessel, which was the common hospital ofthe sick, that there he might die in poverty; andthe Captain Lewis Almeyda received him, notwithstandingall the orders of his master Don Alvarez. Butthe tossing of the ship giving him an extraordinaryheadach, and hindering him from applying himself toGod, as he desired, the day ensuing he requested thathe might be set on shore again. He was landedand left upon the sands, exposed to the injury ofthe air, and the inclemency of the season, especiallyto the blasts of a piercing north wind, which thenarose. He had there died without relief, hadnot a Portuguese more charitable than the rest, whosename was George Alvarez, caused him to be carried intohiscabin; which yet was little different from the nakedshore, as being open on every side.

The indications of his disease being an acute painin his side, and a great oppression, Alvarez was ofopinion that they ought to breathe a vein; and theFather was consenting to it, by a blind submissionto the judgment of his host, though he knew beforehandthat all manner of remedies were in vain. A chirurgeonof the ship, who was awkward at his work, and of smallexperience in his art, bled him so unluckily, thathe hurt the nerves, and the patient fell immediatelyinto swooning convulsions; yet they drew blood fromhim a second time; and that operation had all theill accidents of the former. Besides which, itwas attended with a horrible nauseousness; insomuch,that he could take no nourishment, at least the littlewhich he took, consisted only of some few almonds,which the captain of the vessel sent him out of charity.The disease increased hourly, and he grew weaker everyday; but his countenance was still serene, and hissoul enjoyed a perpetual calmness. Sometimeshe lifted up his eyes to heaven, and at other timesfixed them on his crucifix, entertaining divine conversationwith his God, and not without shedding abundant tears.He remained in this condition till the 28th of November,when the fever mounted into his head. During thisdelirium he talked of nothing but of God, and of hispassage into China, but in terms more tender and ardentthan ever formerly.

At length he lost his speech, and recovered not theuse of it till three days afterwards: his strengththen left him all at once, so that it was expectedevery moment that he would pass away; which notwithstanding,he once more recovered, and having the free exerciseboth of his reason and his speech, he renewed hisentertainments with his Saviour in an audible manner.Nothing was to be heard from him but devout aspirations,and short ejacul*tions of prayer, but those full oflife and of affection. The assistants understoodnot all he said, because he continually spoke in Latin;and Antonio de Sainte Foy, who never left him, hasonly reported, that the man of God made frequent repetitionof these words, Jesu, fili David, miserere mei!and these also, which were so familiar to him, sanctissimaTrinitas! Besides which, invoking the blessedVirgin, he would say, Monstra te esse Matrem!He passed two days without taking any food; and havingordered his priestly habits, and the other church-stuffwhich he used in saying mass, to be carried aboardthe ship, together with those books which he had composedfor the instruction of the Eastern people, he disposedhimself for his last hour, which was near approaching.

Besides Antonio de Sainte Foy, he had near his persona young Indian, whom he had brought with him fromGoa. The saint, dying as he was, cast his eyeson the young man, and appeared discomposed in lookingon him; afterwards, with a compassionate regard, hetwice pronounced these words, “Ah miserableman!” and afterwards shed tears. God, atthat moment, was pleased to reveal to Xavier, theunhappy death of this young Indian, who, five or sixmonths afterwards, falling into most horrible debauches,was killed on the place by the shot of an arquebuse.So that the spirit of prophecy accompanied the holyman, even to his last breath.

At last, on the 2d of December, which fell on Friday,having his eyes all bathed in tears, and fixed withgreat tenderness of soul upon his crucifix, he pronouncedthese words, In te, Domine, speravi, non confundarin aeternum; and at the same instant, transportedwith celestial joy, which appeared upon his countenance,he sweetly gave up the ghost, towards two of the clockin the afternoon, and in the year of God 1552.

He was six-and-forty years of age, and had passedten-and-a-half of them in the Indies. His staturewas somewhat above the middle size; his constitutionstrong; his air had a mixture of pleasingness and majesty;he was fresh-coloured, had a large forehead, a well-proportionednose; his eyes were blue, but piercing and lively;his hair and beard of a dark chesnut; his continuallabours had made him gray betimes; and in the lastyear of his life, he was grizzled almost to whiteness.This without question gave occasion to his first historiansto make him five-and-fifty years old, before the certainproofs of his age came at length to be discovered.

When it was known that Father Francis was expired,many of the ship, and even the most devoted to thegovernor, ran to the cabin. They found the samefresh colour on his face as he had when living, andat the first sight could hardly persuade themselvesthat he was dead. When they had looked on himat a nearer distance, piety began to be predominantover all their other thoughts: they kneeled downby him, and kissed his hands with reverence, recommendingthemselves to him, with tears in their eyes, as nothingdoubting but that his happy soul was perfectly enjoyingGod in heaven.

His corpse was not laid into the ground till Sundaytowards noon. His funerals were made withoutany ceremony; and, besides Antonio de Sainte Foy,Francis d’Aghiar, and two others, there werenot any more assistants. An historian of theIndies has written, that the unsupportable coldnessof that day, was the occasion of it. But in allprobability, the apprehension which the ship’scompany had of drawing on themselves the displeasureof the governor, Don Alvarez, had at least as greata share in it as the sharpness of the season.They took off his cassock, which was all in tatters;and the four, who had paid him those last duties,divided it amongst them, out of devotion; after whichthey arrayed him in his sacerdotal habits.

George Alvarez took upon himself the care of bestowingthe body in a large chest, made after the Chinesefashion; he caused this chest to be filled up withunslaked lime; to the end that, the flesh being soonconsumed, they might carry the bones in the vessel,which within some few months was to return to India.

At the point of the haven there was a little spotof rising ground, and at the foot of this hillocka small piece of meadow, where the Portuguese hadset up a cross. Near that cross they interredthe saint: they cast up two heaps of stones,the one at his head, the other at his feet, as a markof the place where he was buried.

In the mean season, God made manifest the holinessof his servant in the kingdom of Navarre, by a miraculousaccident, or rather by the ceasing of a miracle.In a little chapel, at the castle of Xavier, therewas an ancient crucifix made of plaster, of aboutthe stature of a man. In the last year of theFather’s life, this crucifix was seen to sweatblood in great abundance every Friday, but after Xavierwas dead the sweating ceased. The crucifix isto be seen even at this day, at the same place, withthe blood congealed along the arms and thighs, to thehands and sides. They, who have beheld it, havebeen informed by the inhabitants of the neighbourhood,that some persons of that country having taken awaysome of the flakes of that clotted blood, the bishopof Pampeluna had forbidden any one from henceforwardto diminish any part of it, under pain of excommunication.They also learnt, that it had been observed, according;to the news which came from the Indies, that at the

same time when Xavier laboured extraordinarily, orthat he was in some great danger, this crucifix distilledblood on every side; as if then, when the apostlewas actually suffering for Jesus Christ, Jesus Christwas suffering for him, notwithstanding that he iswholly impassible. The ship, which was at theport of Sancian, being at the point of setting sailFor the Indies, Antonio de Sainte Foy, and George Alvarez,desired the captain, Luys Almeyda, not to leave uponthe isle the remainders of Father Francis.

One of the servants of Almeyda opened the coffin,by the order of his master, on the 17th of February,1553, to see if the flesh were totally consumed, sothat the bones might be gathered together; but havingtaken the lime from off the face, they found it ruddyand fresh-coloured, like that of a man who is in asweet repose. His curiosity led him farther toview the body; he found it in like manner whole, andthe natural moisture uncorrupted. But that hemight entirely satisfy all doubts and scruples, hecut a little of the flesh on the right thigh, nearthe knee, and beheld the blood running from it.Whereupon he made haste to advertise the captain ofwhat he was an eye-witness; and carried with him alittle piece of flesh, which he had cut off, and whichwas about a finger’s length. All the companyran immediately to the place of burial, and havingmade an exact observation of the body, found it tobe all entire, and without any putrefaction.The sacerdotal habits, with which he had’ beenvested after his disease, were nowise damaged by thelime. And what was most amazing to them all,was, that the holy corpse exhaled an odour so delightful,and so fragrant, that, by the relation of many therepresent, the most exquisite perfumes came nothing nearit, and the scent was judged to be celestial.

Then those very people, who, basely to comply withthe brutality of Alvarez, had misused Father Xavierin his life, after his decease did honours to him;and many of them asked his pardon with weeping eyes,that they had forsaken him so unworthily in his sickness.Some amongst them exclaimed openly againt Alvarez,without fearing the consequence; and there was onewho said aloud, what was said afterwards by the viceroyof the Indies, Don Alphonso de Norogna, “ThatAlvarez de Atayda had been the death of Father Francis,both by his persecutions at Malacca, and by the crueltiesof his servants at Sancian.” With thesepious meditations, having laid the unslaked lime oncemore upon the face and body, the sacred remains werecarried into the ship; and not long after they setsail, esteeming themselves happy to bear along withthem so rich a treasure to the Indies.

They arrived at Malacca, March 22, without meetingin their passage any of those dreadful whirlwindswhich infest those seas; as if the presence of thisholy corpse was endued with virtue to dispel them.Before they had gained the port, they sent in theirchalop to give them notice in the town of the presentwhich they were about to make them: though noneof the Society were in Malacca, and that the plaguewas there violently raging, yet the whole nobility,and all the body of the clergy, came with James Pereyrato the shore, to receive the blessed body, each witha waxen taper in his hand, and carried it in ceremonyto the church of Our Lady of the Mount, followed bya crowd of Christians, Mahometans, and Idolaters,who on this occasion seemed all to be joined in thesame religion.

Don Alvarez was the only person who was wanting inhis reverence to the saint: he was then actuallyat play in his palace, while the procession was passingby; and, at the noise of the people, putting his headout at the window, he miscalled the public devotion,by the names of silliness and foppery; after which,he set him again to gaming. But his impiety didnot long remain unpunished, and the predictions ofthe man of God made haste to justify their truth.

The viceroy of the Indies, upon the complaints whichwere brought against Don Alvarez for his tyrannicalproceedings, deprived him of the government of Malacca;and causing him to be brought to Goa as a prisonerof state, sent him to Portugal under a sufficient guard.There all his goods were confiscated to the king’sexchequer; and for himself, he was condemned to perpetualimprisonment Before his departure from the Indies,he had gotten an obscene disease, which increased tothat degree in Europe, that he died of it at lastin a shameful manner, no remedy availing to his cure;the stench of his polluted body having first madehim insupportable to all the world. As for Pereyra,who had sacrificed his whole estate for the benefitof souls, and propagation of the faith, though thegovernor had so unjustly made a seizure of his fortunes,yet King John III. restored him all with interest,and heaped his royal favours on him in succeedingyears, according to the prediction of the Father.

But the devotion of the people failed not of an Immediatereward. The pestilence, which for some weekshad laid waste the town, as the saint had foretoldnot long before his death, in his letter to FatherFrancis Perez, on the sudden ceased; insomuch, thatno infection was from thenceforward caught; and they,who had been infected, were cured, without takingany remedy. Besides this contagious disease, thefamine raged to that degree, that multitudes of peopledaily died of hunger. This second judgment waslikewise diverted at the same time; for, togetherwith the vessel, which bore the sacred body, therecame in a fleet of ships, which were laden with allmanner of provisions, to supply the necessities ofthe town.

These so considerable favours ought to have obligedthe inhabitants to have honoured the body of theirbenefactor with a sepulchre which was worthy of him.In the mean time, whether the fear of their governorwithheld them, or that God permitted it for the greaterglory of his servant, having taken the body out ofthe chest, they buried it without the church, wherethe common sort of people were interred; and, whichwas yet more shameful, they made the grave too scanty;so that crushing the body to give it entrance, theybroke it somewhere about the shoulders, and theregushed out blood, which diffused a most fragrant odour.And farther, to carry their civility and discretionto the highest point, they trampled so hard upon theearth, which covered the blessed corpse, that theybruised it in many parts; as if it had been the destinyof that holy man to be tormented by the people ofMalacca, both during his life, and after his decease.The sacred corpse remained thus without honour, tillthe month of August, when Father John Beyra came fromGoa, in his return to the Moluccas, with two companionswhom Gaspar Barzaeus, the vice-provincial, had givenhim, pursuant to the orders of Father Xavier.This man, having always had a tender affection forthe saint, was most sensibly afflicted for his death;and could not think of continuing his voyage to theMoluccas, till he had looked upon the body, of whichso many wonders were related. Opening himselfon that subject to James Pereyra, and two or threeother friends of the dead apostle, they took up hisbody privately one night. The corpse was foundentire, fresh, and still exhaling a sweet odour; neitherhad the dampness of the ground, after five monthsburial, made the least alteration in him: theyfound even the linen which was over his face tincturedwith vermilion blood.

This surprising sight so wrought upon their minds,that they thought it their duty, not to lay it againinto the ground, but rather to contrive the meansof transporting it to Goa. Pereyra ordered a coffinto be made of a precious wood, and after they hadgarnished it with rich China damask, they put thecorpse into it, wrapping it in cloth of gold, witha pillow of brocard underneath the head. Thecoffin was afterwards bestowed in a proper place,known only to the devoted friends of Father Xavier;and it pleased the Almighty to declare, by a visiblemiracle, that their zeal was acceptable to him:For a waxen taper, which they had lighted up beforethe coffin, and which naturally must have burnt outwithin ten hours, lasted eighteen days entire, burningday and night; and it was observed, that the droppingsof the wax weighed more than the taper itself at thebeginning.

In the mean time an occasion offered for the voyageof the Moluccas, while they were waiting for an opportunityof passing to Goa. Beyra, therefore, put to sea,more inflamed than ever with the zeal of souls; andfilled with a double portion of an apostolic spirit,which the sight of the saint had inspired into him.But of the two companions which had been assignedfor the mission of the Moluccas, he left one behindhim at Malacca, to be a guardian of that holy treasure,and this was Emanuel Pavora. Peter de Alcacevaat the same time returned from Japan, whither he hadbeen sent from Goa, for the affairs of that new Christianity.And both of them, not long after, carried the holycorpse along with them in the vessel of Lopez de Norogna.

The ship was so old and worn, and out of all repair,that none durst venture to embark upon her. Butwhen once it was divulged, that it was to carry thecorpse of Father Francis, every one made haste to geta corner in her, not doubting but there they mightbe safe. And the passengers had no cause to repentthem of their confidence; for, in effect, God deliveredthem, more than once, miraculously from shipwreck.

A furious tempest, almost at their first setting out,cast them upon banks of sand, and the keel struckso far into it, that they could not get her off; when,against all human appearances, the wind coming about,and blowing full in their faces, disengaged the vessel;and, that it might manifestly appear to be the handof God, the blast ceased that very moment when thekeel was loosened from the sands.

Not long after, at the entry into the gulph of Ceylon,they struck impetuously against some hidden shelves,the rudder flying off with the fury of the stroke,the keel stuck fast within the rock; and it was amiracle that the vessel, being so crazy, did not splitasunder. The mariners did that on this occasion,which is commonly put in practice in extremity ofdanger: They cut the masts with their hatchets,but that being of no effect, they were going to throwall their lading overboard, to ease the ship; butthe fury of the waves, which beat upon her on everyside, and outrageously tossed her, suffered them notto perform what they desired. Then they had theirlast recourse to the intercession of that saint, whosecorpse they carried. Having drawn it out of thepilot’s cabin, they fell on their knees aboutit with lighted flambeaux; and, as if Father Xavierhad been yet living, and that he had beheld and heardthem, they begged succour of him from that eminentdestruction.

Their prayer was scarcely ended, when they heard arumbling noise from underneath the vessel; and atthe same time, perceived her following her coursein open sea: from whence they concluded, thatthe rock was cleft in pieces, and had left a freepassage for the ship.

They pursued their voyage cheerfully; and turningtowards the cape of Comorine, landed at Cochin.The whole city came to pay their last duty to theirinstructor and beloved Father; and it is incrediblewhat demonstrations of piety the people gave.From Cochin they set sail for Baticula. The wifeof Antonio Rodriguez, one of the king’s officers,who had long been sick, was in hope to recover, ifshe could see Father Francis. She caused herselfto be carried to the ship, and at the sight of thedead saint, was restored to her health at the samemoment. Not satisfied with this, she was desirousto have a little piece of the cope, with which theFather was habited; and it is wonderful what curesshe effected by that precious relique.

The ship being now within twenty leagues of Goa, andbeing unable to make any farther way, because of thecontrary winds, the captain went into the chalop,with some of his people, and got to the town by thehelp of oars, that himself might have the honour ofbearing the first news to the viceroy, and the Fathersof the Society, that the blessed corpse was comingto them. Father Caspar Barzaeus was already dead,and Father Melchior Nugnez declared his successorin his two offices, of rector of the college, andvice-provincial of the Indies, in virtue of the letterwhich Father Xavier had left sealed behind him whenhe went for China, and which was opened after thedeath of Gaspar, according to the orders of Xavierhimself.

The viceroy immediately ordered a light galley forNugnez; upon which he and three others of the Societyembarking, together with four young men of the seminary,they set sail towards the vessel, to bear off the bodyof the saint. They received it with the honourabledischarge of all the cannon, not only from the shipof Lopez, but from six other vessels which were incompany, and which had been wind-bound towards Baticula.On the 15th of March, in the year 1554, the galleylanded at Rebendar, which is within half a leagueof Goa; she remained there the rest of that day, andall the night; while they were making preparationsin the town, for the solemn reception of the holyapostle of the Indies. The next morning, whichwas Friday in Passion week, six barks were seen tocome, which were all illuminated with lighted torches,and pompously adorned, wherein was the flower of thePortuguese nobility. Twelve other barks attendedthem, with three hundred of the principal inhabitants,each of them holding a taper in his hand; and in everyone of these barks, there was instrumental music ofall sorts, and choirs of voices, which made an admirableharmony. The whole squadron was drawn up intotwo wings, to accompany the galley, which rowed betwixtthem. The body of the saint was covered withcloth of gold, which was the present of Pereyra, andwas placed upon the stern, under a noble canopy, withlighted flambeaux, and rich streamers waving on bothsides of it,

In this equipage, they rowed towards Goa, but verysoftly, and in admirable order. All the townwas gathered on the shore, in impatient expectationof their loving and good Father. When they perceivedthe vessel from afar, there was nothing to be heardbut cries of joy, nothing to be seen but tears ofdevotion. Some, more impatient than the rest,threw themselves into the sea, and swimming up to thegalley, accompanied it to the shore in the same posture.

The viceroy was there waiting for it, attended byhis guards, the remaining part of the nobility, thecouncil royal, and the magistrates, all in mourning.At the time when the holy corpse was landing, a companyof young men, consecrated to the service of the altars,sung the Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel. Inthe mean while, they ordered the ceremony of the processionafter this ensuing manner:—

Ninety children went foremost, in long white robes,with chaplets of flowers on their heads, and eachof them holding in his hand an olive branch.The Brotherhood of Mercy followed them, with a magnificentstandard. The clergy succeeded to the Brotherhood,and walked immediately before the corpse, which wascarried by the fathers of the Society. The viceroy,with his court, closed up the ceremony, which was followedby an innumerable multitude of people. All thestreets were hung with tapestry; and when the blessedcorpse appeared, flowers were thrown upon it fromall the windows, and from the tops of houses.

But nothing rendered the pomp more famous, than themiracles which at that time were wrought; for thereseemed to breathe out from this holy body, a savingvirtue, together with a celestial odour. Manysick persons, who had caused themselves to be carriedout into the streets, were cured with only seeingit; and even some, who were not able to leave theirbeds, recovered their health with the bare invocationof his name. Jane Pereyra was of this number;after a sickness of three months, being almost reducedto a despair of life, she had no sooner implored theassistance of the saint, but she found herself in aperfect state of health.

Another young maiden, who was just at the point ofdeath, and held the consecrated taper in her hand,having been recommended by her mother to the patronageof the saint, came suddenly to herself, and rose upwell recovered, while the procession was passing bythe house.

After many turns and windings, at last they proceededto the college of St Paul; and there set down thecoffin, in the great chapel of the church. Aretrenchment had been made before the chapel, to keepoff the crowd; but it was immediately broken down,notwithstanding the opposition of the guards, whichwere placed on purpose to defend it. To appeasethe tumult, they were forced to shew the saint threetimes successively, and to hold him upright, thathe might more easily be seen by the longing multitude.It was also thought convenient to leave the body exposedto view, for three days together, for the comfortof the inhabitants, who were never weary with gazingon it; and who, in gazing, were pierced with a sensibledevotion.

New miracles were wrought in presence of the holybody. The blind received their sight, those whowere taken with the palsy recovered the use of theirlimbs, and the lepers became clean as babes. Atthe sight of these miraculous cures, the people publishedaloud all those wonderful operations, which they knewto have been performed by Father Xavier; and his oldcompanion John Deyro, at that time a religious of theorder of St Francis, related, with tears of tendernessand devotion, what the saint had prophesied of him,which was now accomplished. In the mean time,on that very day, which was Friday, the canons ofthe cathedral solemnly sung the high mass of the cross.The clay following, the religious of St Francis, whomthe man of God had always honoured, and tenderly affected,came to sing the mass of the blessed Virgin, in thechurch of the Society.

When in this manner the public devotion had been accomplished,on Sunday night the coffin was placed on an eminencenear the high altar, on the gospel side.

In this place I ought not to omit, that the vesselwhich had borne this sacred pledge to Goa, split asunderof itself, and sunk to the bottom, so soon as themerchandizes were unloaded, and all the passengerswere come safe on shore; which was nothing less thana public declaration of Almighty God, that he hadmiraculously preserved her in favour of that holytreasure; and that a ship which had been employed onso pious an occasion, was never to be used on anysecular account.

As soon as it was known in Europe that Father Xavierwas dead, they began to speak of his canonization.And on this account, Don John the Third, King of Portugal,gave orders to the viceroy of the Indies, Don FrancisBarreto, to make a verbal process of the life and miraclesof the man of God. This was executed at Goa,at Cochin, at the coast of Fishery, at Malacca atthe Moluccas, and other parts; and men of probity,who were also discerning and able persons, were sentupon the places, heard the witnesses, and examinedthe matters of fact, with all possible exactness.

It is to be acknowledged, that the people took itin evil part, that these informations were made; beingfully satisfied of the holiness of the saint, andnot being able to endure that it should be doubtedin the least; in like manner, neither would they stay,till all the ecclesiastical proceedings were whollyended, nor till the Holy See had first spoken of renderinghim the worship due to saints; they invoked him alreadyin their necessities, and particularly in all sortsof dangers. Some of them placed his picture intheir oratories; and even the archbishop of Goa, DonChristopher de Lisbonne, (for the episcopal see hadbeen erected into an archbishopric,) the archbishop,I say, wore on his breast an image of Xavier in little,which he often kissed with a reverent affection:and his devotion was not without reward; for, havingbeen cruelly tormented with the stone, for a monthtogether, he was freed immediately from it, and feltnot any farther pains.

It also happened, that in many places of the Indiesthe new converts built churches in honour of FatherFrancis, through a precipitate and indiscreet devotion,which their good meaning and their zeal are only capableof excusing. Amongst those churches, there wasone much celebrated, on the coast of Travancore.The Saracens having demolished it, together with elevenother ancient structures of piety, the Christians,who, by reason of their poverty, were not able to rebuildthem all, restored only this one church, which wasdearer to them than any of the rest.

For what remains, in what place soever any churcheswere dedicated to the Father, there never failed awonderful concourse of people to honour the memoryof the holy man; and, according to the relation ofFrancis Nugnez, vicar of Coulan, they were obligedto sink a well for the relief of poor pilgrims nearthe church, which was built in honour of him at thattown. Nugnez also reports, “That those whichhad been consecrated to the apostles, and other saints,in a manner lost their titles, when once the imageof St Xavier was there exposed; and that the people,turning all their devotion towards him, were wontto call them the churches of Father Francis.”

But what was most to be admired, even the professedenemies of Jesus Christ paid him reverence after hisdecease, as well as during his life; calling him,“the man of prodigies, the friend of heaven,the master of nature, and the god of the world.”Some of them undertook long voyages, and came to Goa,expressly to behold his body exempted from corruption,and which, only excepting motion, had all the appearanceof life. There were amongst the Gentiles, whospoke of raising altars to him; and some people ofthe sect of Mahomet did, in effect, dedicate a mosqueto him, on the western coast of Comorine. Theking of Travancore, though a Mahometan, built a magnificenttemple to him; and the infidels had so great a venerationfor that place, where the great Father was adored,that they durst not spit upon the ground, if we maybelieve the testimony of those who were natives ofthe country.

The Pagans had a custom, that, in confirmation ofa truth, they would hold a red-hot iron in their hands,with other superstitions of the like nature; but afterthat Father Francis came to be held in so great venerationthrough the Indies, they swore solemnly by his name;and such an oath was generally received for the highestattestation of a truth. Neither did any of themforswear themselves unpunished after such an oath;and God authorized, by many proofs, this religiouspractice, even by manifest prodigies. Beholda terrible example of it: An Idolater owed aChristian a considerable sum of money; but as he deniedhis debt, and no legal proof could be made of it,the Christian obliged him to swear in the church,upon the image of St Francis: the Idolater madea false oath without the least scruple; but was scarcelygot into his own house, when he began to void bloodin abundance at his mouth, and died in a raging fitof madness, which had the resemblance of a man possessed,rather than of one who was distracted.

Neither was his memory less honoured in Japan thanin the Indies. The Christians of the kingdomof Saxuma kept religiously a stone, on which he hadoften preached, and shewed it as a precious rarity.The house wherein he had lodged at Amanguchi, wasrespected as a sacred place; and was always preservedfrom ruin, amidst those bloody wars, which more thanonce had destroyed the town. For what remains,the Indians and Japonians were not the only peoplewhich honoured Father Xavier after his decease; theodour of his holy life expanded itself beyond the seasinto other Heathen countries where he had never been.And Alphonso Leon Barbuda, who has travelled overall the coasts of Afric, reports, that in the kingdomsof Sofala, beyond the great river of Cuama, and inthe isles about it, the name of Father Francis wasin high repute; and that those Moors never mentionedhim, but with the addition of a wonderful man So manyillustrious testimonies, and so far above suspicion,engaged the king of Portugal anew to solicit the canonizationof the saint; and in that prospect there was madean ample collection of his virtues, of which I presentyou with this following extract.

No exterior employments, how many, or how great soever,could divert the Father from the contemplation ofcelestial things. Being at Goa, his ordinaryretirement, after dinner, was into the clock-houseof the church, to avoid the interruption of any person;and there, during the space of two hours, he had aclose communication with his God. But becausehe was not always master of himself on those occasions,so as to regulate his time, and that he was sometimesobliged to leave his privacy, he commanded a youngman of the seminary of Sainte Foy, whose name wasAndrew, to come and give him notice when the two hours,to which he was limited, were expired. One day,when the Father was to speak with the viceroy, Andrew,being come to advertise him, found him seated on alittle chair, his hands across his breast, and hiseyes fixed on heaven. When he had looked on hima while attentively, he at length called him; butfinding that the Father answered not, he spoke yetlouder, and made a noise. All this was to nopurpose, Xavier continued immovable; and Andrew wenthis way, having some scruple to disturb the quiet ofa man, who had the appearance of an angel, and seemedto enjoy the pleasures of the souls in paradise, Hereturned, nevertheless, about two hours after, andfound him still in the same posture. The youngman fearing that he should not comply with duty, if,coming the second time, he should not make himselfbe heard, began to pull the Father, and to jog him.Xavier at length returning to himself, was in a wonderat the first, that two hours should so soon be slippedaway; but coming to know, that he had remained inthat place beyond four hours, he went out with Andrew,to go to the palace of the viceroy. He had scarcelyset his foot over the threshold, when he seemed tobe ravished in spirit once again. After he hadmade some turns, without well knowing whither he went,he returned as night was beginning to come on, andsaid to his attendant, “My son, we will takeanother time to see the governor; it is the will ofGod, that this present day should be wholly his.”

Another time, walking through the streets of the samecity, his thoughts were so wholly taken up with God,that he perceived not a furious elephant, who, beingbroken loose, caused a general terror, and every manmade haste out of his way. It was in vain to cryout to the Father, that he might avoid him; he heardnothing, and the enraged beast passed very near himwithout his knowledge.

In his voyages at sea, he continued earnestly in prayer,from midnight even to sun-rising, and that regularly.From thence it came almost to a proverb amongst theseamen, “That nothing was to be feared in thenight, because Father Francis watched the vessel;and the tempests durst not trouble them, while heheld conversation with God.”

A man of Manapar, at whose house he lodged, and whoobserved him at divers hours of the night, found himalways on his knees before a crucifix, and frequentlybeheld the chamber enlightened by the rays which dartedfrom his countenance.

While he was sojourning among Christians, the smallrepose he gave to nature was commonly in the church;to the end he might be near the blessed sacrament,before which he prayed all the remainder of the night.But in countries where yet there were no churches built,he passed the night in the open air; and nothing somuch elevated his soul to God as the view of heaven,spangled over, and sowed, as it were, with stars; andthis we have from his own relation.

The Pope had permitted him, in consideration of hisemployments and apostolical labours, to say a breviarywhich was shorter than the Roman, and had but threelessons: it was called the “Office of theCross,” and was easily granted in those timesto such who were overburdened with much business.But Xavier never made use of this permission, whataffairs soever he was pressed withal, for the serviceof Almighty God: on the contrary, before thebeginning of every canonical hour, he always saidthe hymn of Veni, Creator Spiritus; and it wasobserved, that while he said it, his countenance wasenlightened, as if the Holy Ghost, whom he invoked,was visibly descended on him.

He daily celebrated the sacrifice of the mass withthe same reverence and the same devotion with whichhe had said it the first time, and most ordinarilyperformed it at break of day. Those heavenly sweetswhich overflowed his soul at the altar, spread theirmild inundations even over the assistants; and AntonioAndrada reported of himself, that, being then a youngsoldier, he found such an inward satisfaction whenhe served the Father, in serving at mass, that, inthat consideration, he sought the occasions of performingthe clerk’s office.

In the midst of his conversations with secular men,the saint was often called aside of God, by certainsudden illuminations which obliged him to retire;and when afterwards they sought him, he was found beforethe holy sacrament, in some lonely place, engulphedin deep meditations, and frequently suspended in theair, with beams of glory round his countenance.Many ocular witnesses have deposed this matter of fact;but some have affirmed, that at first they have foundhim on his knees immovable; that they have afterwardsobserved, how by degrees he was mounted from the earth;and that then, being seized with a sacred horror,they could not stedfastly behold him, so bright andradiant was his countenance. Others have protested,that while he was speaking to them of the things ofGod, they could perceive him shooting upward, anddistancing himself from them on the sudden, and hisbody raising itself on high of its own motion.

These extraordinary ravishments, which bore some mannerof proportion to the glory of the blest above, happenedto him from time to time during the sacrifice of themass, when he came to pronounce the words of consecration;and he was beheld elevated in that manner, particularlyat Meliapore and at Malacca. The same was frequentlyobserved at Goa, while be was communicating the people;and what was remarkable, as it was then the customto give the sacrament in kneeling, he appeared to belifted from the earth in that humble posture.

For common extasies, he had them almost every day,especially at the altar, and after the sacrifice ofthe mass: insomuch, that many times they couldnot bring him to himself, with pulling him by the robe,and violently shaking him.

The delights which he enjoyed at such a time, areonly to be comprehended by such souls, which havereceived from heaven the like favours. Nevertheless,it is evident, that if it be possible for man to enjoyon earth the felicities of heaven, it is then, whenthe soul, transported out of itself, is plunged, andas it were lost, in the abyss of God.

But it was not only in these extatic transports, thatXavier was intimately united to our Lord: Inthe midst of his labours, he had his soul recollectedin God, without any dissipation caused by the multitudeor intricacy of affairs; insomuch, that he remainedentire in all he did, and at the same time whole inHim, for whose honour he was then employed.

This so close and so continual an union, could onlyproceed from a tender chanty: the divine loveburning him up in such a manner, that his face wascommonly on fire; and both for his interior and outwardardour, they were often forced to throw cold waterinto his bosom.

Frequently in preaching and in walking, he felt inhimself such inward scorching, that, not being ableto endure it, he was constrained to give himself air,by opening his cassock before his breast; and thishe has been seen to do on many occasions, in the publicplaces at Malacca and at Goa, in the garden of StPaul’s college, and in the sandy walks of thesea-shore.

Almost every hour, words of life and fire burst andsallied as it were from out his mouth, which wereindeed the holy sparkles of a burning heart.As for example, “O most Holy Trinity! Omy Creator! O my Jesus! O Jesus, the desireof my soul!” He spoke these words in Latin, thathe might not be understood by the common people:and being on the coast of Fishery, at the kingdomof Travancore, and at the Moluccas, he was heard tospeak so many times every day these words, O SanctissimaTrinitas! that the most idolatrous barbarians,when they found themselves in extreme dangers, orthat they would express their amazement at any thing,pronounced those very words, without understandingany thing more of them than that they were holy andmysterious.

Even sleep itself had not the power to interrupt thosetender aspirations; and all the night long he washeard to say, “O my Jesus, my soul’s delight!”or other expressions as full of tenderness, which shewedthe inclination of his heart. Being out of hissenses by the violence of a burning fever, both atMozambique and at Sancian, he spoke of God, and toGod, with more fervency than ever; insomuch, that hisdelirium seemed only to be a redoubling of his love.He was so sensible of the interests of the DivineMajesty, that, being touched to the quick with theenormity of those crimes that were committed in thenew world, he wrote to a friend of his, in these veryterms:—“I have sometimes an abhorrenceof my life, and would rather chuse to die than tobehold so many outrages done to Jesus Christ, withoutbeing able either to hinder or to repair them.”

For the rest, that he might always keep alive thefire of divine love, he had incessantly before hiseyes the sufferings of our Lord. At the sightof the wounds and of the blood of a crucified God,he fell into sighs and tears, and languishments, andextasies of love. He was consumed with the zealof returning his Saviour life for life; for martyrdomwas his predominant passion, and his sentiments area continual proof of it. “It sometimeshappens, through a singular favour of the Divine Goodness,”says he in one of his letters, “that for theservice of God we run ourselves into the hazard ofdeath. But we ought to bear in mind, that weare born mortal; and that a Christian is bound to desirenothing more than to lay down his life for Jesus Christ.”

From thence proceeded that abundant joy which he conceived,when the faithful poured out their blood for faith;and he wrote to the Fathers at Rome, on occasion ofthe massacre of the baptized Manarois;—“Weare obliged to rejoice in Jesus Christ, that martyrsare not wanting, not even in our decaying times; andto give Him thanks, that, seeing so few persons makethe right use of His grace for their salvation, Hepermits that the number of the happy shall be completedthrough the cruelty of men.” “Admirablenews,” says he elsewhere, “is lately comefrom the Moluccas; they who labour there in the Lord’s

vineyard suffer exceedingly, and are in continualhazard of their lives I imagine that the Isles delMoro will give many martyrs to our Society, and theywill soon be called the Isles of Martyrdom. Letour brethren then, who desire to shed their bloodfor Jesus Christ, be of good courage, and anticipatetheir future joy. For, behold at length a seminaryof martyrdom is ready for them, and they will havewherewithal to satisfy their longings.”

The same love which inspired him with the desire ofdying for our Saviour, made him breathe after thesight and the possession of God. He spoke notbut of paradise, and concluded almost all his letterswith wishing there to meet his brethren.

But his charity was not confined to words and thoughts,—itshone out in his works and actions, and extended itselfto the service of his neighbour. Xavier seemedto be only born for the relief of the distressed;he loved the sick with tenderness, and to attend themwas what he called his pleasure: he sought outnot only wherewithal to feed them but to feast them;and for that purpose begged from the Portuguese themost exquisite regalios, which were sent them out ofEurope. He was not ashamed of going round thetown with, a wallet on his back, begging linen forthe wounded soldiers; he dressed their hurts, and didit with so much the more affection, when they werethe most putrified and loathsome to the smell.If he happened to meet with any beggar who was sinkingunder sickness, he took him in his arms, bore him tothe hospital, prepared his remedies, and dressed hismeat with his own hands.

Though all the miserable were dear to him, yet heassisted the prisoners after a more particular manner,with the charities which he gathered for them; andin Goa, which was the common tribunal of the Indies,he employed one day in the week in doing good to suchwho were overwhelmed with debts. If he had notwherewithal to pay off their creditors entirely, hemollified them at least with his civilities, and obligedthem sometimes to release one moiety of what was owingto them.

The poor, with one common voice, called him theirFather, and he also regarded them as his children.Nothing was given him, but what passed through hishands into theirs, who were members of Jesus Christ;even so far as to deprive himself of necessaries.He heaped up, as I may call it, a treasury of alms,not only for the subsistence of the meaner sort, whoare content with little, but for the maintenance ofhonourable families, which one or two shipwrecks hadruined all at once; and for the entertainment of manyvirgins of good parentage, whom poverty might necessitateto an infamous course of living.

The greatest part of the miracles, which on so manyoccasions were wrought by him, was only for the remedyof public calamities, or for the cure of particularpersons; and it was in the same spirit, that, beingone day greatly busied in hearing the confessions ofthe faithful at Goa, he departed, abruptly in appearance,out of the confessional, and from thence out of thechurch also, transported with some inward motion,which he could not possibly resist: after he hadmade many turns about the town, without knowing whitherhe went, he happened upon a stranger, and having tenderlyembraced him, conducted him to the college of theSociety. There that miserable creature, whom hisdespair was driving to lay violent hands upon himself,having more seriously reflected on his wicked resolution,pulled out the halter, which he had secretly abouthim, and with which he was going to have hanged himself,and gave it into the Father’s hands. Thesaint, to whom it was revealed, that extreme miseryhad reduced the unhappy wretch to this dismal melancholy,gave him comfort, retained him in the college forsome time, and at length dismissed him with a roundsum of money, sufficient for the entertainment ofhis family. He recommended, without ceasing, hisfriends and benefactors to our Lord; he prayed bothday and night for the prosperity of King John III.of Portugal, whom he called the true protector of allthe Society: But the persecutors of the sainthad a greater share in his devotions than any others;and at the same time when he was treated so unworthilyby the governor of Malacca, he daily offered for himthe sacrifice of the mass. He was used to say,that to render good for evil, was in some sort a divinerevenge; and he revenged himself in that very sorton the governor of Comorine, which, in one of his lettersis thus attested: “My dear brother in JesusChrist, (thus he wrote to Father Mansilla,) I hearuncomfortable news, that the governor’s shipis destroyed by fire; that his houses also are burntdown; that he is retired into an island, and has nothingleft him, even for the necessary provisions of life.I desire you, out of Christian charity, to go withthe soonest to his relief, with your Christians ofPunical: get what barks you can together, andload them with all manner of provisions; I have writtenearnestly to the chief of the people, that they furnishyou with all things necessary, and especially withfresh water, which, as you know, is very scarce inthose desart islands. I would go in person tothe assistance of the governor, if I thought my presencemight be acceptable to him; but of late he hates me,and has written that he could not say, without givingscandal, all the evils I have done him. God andman can bear me witness, if ever I have done him theleast prejudice.”

His charity towards his neighbour has principallyappeared in what he did for the conversion of souls.It is difficult to enumerate all his travels by land,and his voyages by sea; and if any one would take thatpains, it might be thought he had scarce the leisureto do any thing but travel. Without mentioninghis journey’s from France to Italy, and fromItaly to Portugal, he went from Lisbon to Mozambique,and from Mozambique to Melinda, to Socotoro, and infine to Goa. From Goa he passed to Cape Comorine,and to the Fishing-coast, from thence to Cochin, andreturning to Goa, came back to the coast of Fishery,entered far into the islands, and returned to theFishery, from whence he travelled to the kingdom ofTravancore, which is seated to the west.

After he had run over all these coasts, he was a secondtime at Cochin and at Goa; from Goa he took the wayof Cambaya, and having crossed that whole region,which lies extended from the mouth of the river Indus,as far as Cochin, he made the tour of Cape Cori, andwent to the islands of Ceylon, of Manar, and of LasVaccas. There he took shipping for Negapatan,and from thence undertook the voyage of Meliapor, alongthe coasts of Coromandel. From Meliapor he setsail for Malacca, from Malacca he descended towardsthe equinoctial, which having passed, he entered intothe southern hemisphere, as far as the Isle of Banda,and those of Amboyna, Nuliager, Ulate, Baranura, Rosalao,and others without name, unknown even to seamen andgeographers.

In sequel of these voyages, he turned towards theMoluccas, was at Ternata, and passed from thence tothe Isles del Moro. Went again to Ternata andAmboyna, repassed the equator, and returned to Malacca;from thence, by sea, he regained the port of Cochin;but immediately after his arrival departed for thecoast of Fishery and Ceylon. After this he returnedto Goa, and drew downward on the same coast for Bazain;from Bazain he returned once more to Goa and Cochin.He passed a-new from Goa to Cochin, and from Cochinto Goa; from thence following the coast as far asCape Comorine, he set sail towards Malacca. Havingthere made some little stay, he continued his coursenorthward, and coasting certain isles in sight ofChina, came at length to Japan. After he had madesome courses there, during the space of two years,from Cangoxima to Firando, from. Firando to Amanguchi,from Amanguchi to Meaco, from Meaco back to Amanguchi,and from thence to Bungo, he put once more to sea,touched at the isle of Sancian, and was driven bytempest on the Isle of Mindanao, one of the Phillippinas.Once again he went to Malacca, and to Goa; from Goa,he repassed the fifth time to Malacca, and from thencearrived at Sancian, where death concluded all histravels.

Behold the sequel of the voyages of the Indian apostleFrancis Xavier! I have omitted a vast numberof islands and regions, where we are satisfied hecarried the light of the gospel; I say I have not mentionedthem, because the time is not precisely known, whenhe made these voyages. For what remains, I undertakenot to reckon up the leagues which he has travelled,(the supputation would be difficult to make,) and contentmyself to say in general, that, according to the rulesof our geographers, who have exactly measured theterrestrial globe, if all his courses were to be computed,they would be found to be many times exceeding thecircumference of this world.

In the mean time, the least of his business, in allhis travels, was to travel: And they who werebest acquainted with him, report of him, what St Chrysostomsaid of the apostle St Paul, “That he ran throughthe world with an incredible swiftness, and as itwere on the wing,” yet not without labour, northat labour without fruit, but preaching, baptizing,confessing, disputing with the Gentiles, rooting outIdolaters, reforming manners, and throughout establishingthe Christian piety. His apostolical labourswere attended with all the incommodities of life; andif those people were to be credited, who the mostnarrowly observed him, it was a continual miraclethat he lived; or rather the greatest miracle of Xavierwas not to have revived so many dead, but not to diehimself of labour, during the incessant sweat of tenyears toiling.

His zeal alone sustained him; but how painful soeverwere the functions of his ministry, he acquitted himselfof them with so much promptitude and joy, that, bythe relation of Father Melchior Nugnez, he seemed todo naturally all he did. These are the very wordsof Nugnez: “The Father, Master Francis,in labouring for the salvation of the Saracens andIdolaters, seemed to act not by any infused or acquiredvirtue, but by a natural motion: for he couldneither live, nor take the least pleasure, but inevangelical employments; in them he found even hisrepose; and to him it was no labour to conduct othersto the love and knowledge of his God.”

Thus also, whensoever there was the least probabilitythat the faith might be planted in any new countryof the Gentiles, he flew thither in despite of allthreatening difficulties. The certain number isnot known of those whom he converted, but the receivedopinion amounts it to seven hundred thousand souls.Which notwithstanding, it ought not to be believedthat he instructed them but lightly; for before hechristened them, he gave them a thorough insight intoall the principles of faith. According to theirdifferent conditions, his instructions were also different.He had some which were proper to youth, others forwives, for widows, for servants, and for masters.He never changed places till he had left behind hima solid establishment of faith, and capable of preserving

itself on its own basis. And in effect, of allthe countries which he made Christian, there is noneto be found which relapsed into idolatry, exceptingonly the town of Tolo; and not that neither for anylong continuance. But it is well known, that thepeople, who, during the space of fifteen or sixteenyears, had not seen the face of any priest, or evenof any Christian stranger, have been found instructedin religion, and as fervent in the practice of goodworks, as if they had but newly received baptism.It is known, that many of those converts were notless firm in their belief, than the prince of the isleof Rosalao, whom Pedro Martinez protests to have heardsay, “That though all the world should arm againsthim, they should never be able to tear out of hisheart that persuasion which Father Francis had inspiredinto him.”

We know farther, that some of them having been madecaptives by the Pagans, have preserved their faithentire in the midst of Heathenism; and have chosenrather to lose their lives in torments, than renouncetheir Saviour Jesus Christ. The saint was accustomedto desire earnestly of God, the conversion of theGentiles, in the sacrifice of the altar; and for thatvery end, said a most devout prayer, which he composedin Latin; and is thus rendered in our language.

“O eternal God, creator of all things, mercifullyremember, that the souls of Infidels are the workof thy hands, and that they are created to thy resemblance.Behold, O Lord, how hell is filled with them, to thedishonour of thy name. Remember that Jesus Christthy son, for their salvation, suffered a most crueldeath; permit not, I beseech thee, that he shouldbe despised by those Idolaters. Vouchsafe to bepropitiated by the prayers of the church, thy mostholy spouse, and call to mind thy own compassion.Forget, O Lord, their infidelity, and work in suchmanner, that at length they may acknowledge for theirGod, our Saviour Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sentinto the world, and who is our salvation, our life,our resurrection, by whom we have been redeemed fromhell, and to whom be all glory now and evermore.Amen.”

The industry which the saint employed in convertingthe nations of the East, or in strengthening theirconversion, was of various sorts. In those placeswhere he preached the gospel, he erected crosses onthe seashore, on hills, and in public passages, tothe end, that the view of that sign of our salvationmight give the Gentiles the curiosity to know themeaning of it, or to inspire them with religious thoughts,if they had already heard speak of Jesus Christ.

As it was impossible for him to preach always, orin all places, he writ many instructions relatingto faith and to good manners, some more ample, andothers more brief, but all in the languages of theconverted nations; and it was by these instructions,in writing, that the children learned to read.The saint also composed devout hymns, and set the Lord’sPrayer in musical numbers, to be sung, together withthe Angelical Salutation, and the Apostles’Creed. By these means he banished those ribaldsongs and ballads, which the new Christians were accustomedto sing before they had received baptism; for thoseof Xavier were so pleasing, to men, women, and children,that they sung them day and night, both in their houses,and in the open fields.

But amongst all the means which the Father used forthe conversion of Infidels, the most efficacious wasthis: So soon as he entered into a country ofIdolaters, he endeavoured to gain to God those personswho were the most considerable, either for their dignity,or by their birth, and especially the sovereign; notonly because the honour of Jesus Christ requires,that crowned-heads should be subject to him, but also,that, by the conversion of princes, the people areconverted. So much authority there resides inthe example of a monarch, over his subjects, in everynation of the world.

He was of easy conversation to all sorts of persons,but more familiar with the greatest sinners, not seemingto understand that they were keepers of mistresses,blasphemers, or sacrilegious persons. He wasparticularly free in his converse with soldiers, whoare greater libertines, and more debauched, in theIndies than elsewhere; for, that they might the lesssuspect him, he kept them company; and because sometimes,when they saw him coming, they hid their cards anddice, he told them, “They were not of the clergy,neither could they continue praying all the day; thatcheating, quarrelling, and swearing, were forbid togamesters, but that play was not forbidden to a soldier.”Sometimes he played at chess himself, out of compliance,when they whom he studied to withdraw from vice werelovers of that game; and a Portuguese gentleman, whosename was Don Diego Norogna, had once a very ill opinionof him for it. This cavalier, who had heard areport of Xavier, that he was a saint-like man, anddesired much to have a sight of him, happened to beaboard of the same galley. Not knowing his person,he enquired which was he, but was much surprised tofind him playing at chess with a private soldier;for he had formed in his imagination, the idea ofa man who was recollected and austere, one who neverappeared in public, but to discourse of eternity,or to work miracles: “What, in the nameof God,” said Norogna, “is this your saint!For my part, I believe not one syllable of his sanctity,and am much deceived if he be not as arrant a priestas any of his fellows.” Don Pedro de Castro,his comrade, and cousin, took pains, to little purpose,to persuade Norogna of the wonderful things whichhad been wrought by Xavier: Norogna still adheredto his opinion, because he always found the Fathercheerful, and in good humour. The whole companygoing ashore on the coast of Malabar, he perceivedXavier taking a walk by himself into a wood, and sentafter him one of his servants to observe his actions:The servant found the man of God raised from the groundinto the air; his eyes fixed on heaven, and rays abouthis countenance. He ran to give notice of hisdiscovery to his master; who, upon the report, camethither, and was himself a witness of it. ThenNorogna was satisfied that Xavier was truly a saint,and that his holiness was not incompatible with thegaiety of his conversation. By these methodsthe apostle of the Indies attracted the hearts of thesoldiery to himself, before he gained them to our Lord.

He took almost the same measures with the merchants;for he seemed to be concerned for nothing more thanfor their interests: He gave his benedictionto the vessels which they were sending out for traffic,and made many enquiries concerning the success oftheir affairs, as if he had been co-partner with them.But while he was discoursing with them of ports, ofwinds, and of merchandizes, he dexterously turned theconversation on the eternal gains of heaven: “Howbent are our desires,” said he, “on heapingup the frail and perishable treasures of this world,as if there were no other life besides this earthlybeing, nor other riches besides the gold of Japan,the silks of China, and the spices of the Moluccas!Ah, what profits it a man to gain the universe, andlose his soul?” These very words, which FatherIgnatius had formerly used to Xavier, in order toloosen him from the world, were gotten familiar tohim, and he had them frequently in his mouth.In respect of the new Christians, his conduct wasaltogether fatherly. He suffered their roughand barbarous behaviour; and required no more fromthem in the beginning, than what might be expectedthen from people of base extraction, and grown inveteratein vice As they were generally poor, he took a particularcare of their families; and obtained from the kingof Portugal, that the Paravas should be dischargedfrom certain excessive yearly tributes. He protectedthem more than once from the fury of their neighbouringnations, who made war against them out of hatred tothe faith, and induced the governor of the Indiesto send a royal army to their relief; he saved themeven from the violence of the officers, who despoiledthem of their goods through avarice, and set boundsto the unjust exactions of those griping ministers,by threatening to complain of them both to King Johnthe Third, and to the Cardinal Infante, who was grandinquisitor.

As the sin of impurity was the reigning vice in Indiaamongst the Portuguese, he applied himself, in a particularmanner, to withdraw them from their voluptuous living.The first rule of his proceeding was to insinuatehimself into the favour, not only of the concubinarians,but of their mistresses; and he compassed this bythe mildness of his aspect, by the obligingness ofhis words, and sometimes by good offices. Yetwe cannot think that the conversions of sinners costhim only these addresses. Before he treated withthem concerning the important business of their souls,he treated with God at the holy altars; but to renderhis prayers more efficacious, he joined them withall manner of austerities. Having notice thatthree Portuguese soldiers, belonging to the garrisonof Amboyna, had lived for five years past in greatdebauchery, he got their good wills by his engagingcarriage, and wrought so well, that these libertines,as wicked as they were, lodged him in their quartersduring a whole Lent, so much they were charmed withhis good humour. But while he appeared thus gay

amongst them in his outward behaviour, for fear ofgiving them any disgust of his company, he underwentmost rigorous penances to obtain the grace of theirconversion, and used his body so unmercifully, thathe was languishing for a month of those severities.When Xavier had reduced his penitents to that pointat which he aimed, that is, when he had brought themto confession, they cost him not less pains than formerly.He always begged of God their perseverance with histears; and frequently, when he had enjoined them somelight penance, paid for them the remainder of theirdebts with bloody disciplining of his own body.But when he lighted on intractable and stubborn souls,he left them not off for their contumacy, but rathersought their good opinion; and, on occasion, shewedthem a better countenance than usual, that thencethey might be given to understand how ready he wasfor their reception.

When he went from Ternata to Amboyna, he left buttwo persons who were visibly engaged in vice:The first opportunity which the vessels had of repassingto Ternata, he writ expressly to one of his friends,that he should salute those two scandalous sinnerswith all tenderness from him, and let them know, that,upon the least sign which they should make him, hewould return to hear their confessions.

But these condescensions, and this goodness of theapostle, had nothing in them of meanness, or of weakness;and he knew well enough to make use of severity whenthere was occasion for it. Thus, a lady who hadaccused herself in confession, to have looked upona man with too alluring an eye, was thus answeredby him: “You are unworthy that God shouldlook on you; since, by those encouraging regards whichyou have given to a man, you have run the hazard oflosing God.” The lady was so pierced withthese few words, that, during the rest of her life,she durst never look any man in the face.

By all these methods, Xavier made so many converts.But whatever he performed, he looked on it as no morethan an essay; and he wrote, in the year 1549, thatif God would be pleased to bestow on him yet ten yearsmore of life, he despaired not but these small beginningswould be attended with more happy consequences.This ardent desire of extending farther the dominionof Jesus Christ, caused him to write those pressingletters to the king of Portugal, and Father Ignatius,that he might be furnished with a larger supply ofmissioners: he promised, in his letters, to sweetenthe labour of the mission, by serving all his fellows,and loving them better than himself. The yearhe died, he writ, that when once he had subdued theempire of China, and that of Tartary, to the sceptreof Jesus Christ, he purposed to return into Europeby the north, that he might labour in the reductionof heretics, and restoration of discipline in manners;that after this he designed to go over into Africa,or to return into Asia, in quest of new kingdoms, wherehe might preach the gospel.

For what remains, though he was ever forming new designs,as if he were to live beyond an age, yet he labouredas if he had not a day to live, and so tugged at thework which he had in hand, that two or three daysand nights passed over his head without once thinkingto take the least manner of nourishment. In sayinghis office, it often happened to him to leave, forfive or six times successively, the same canonicalhour, for the good of souls, and he quitted it withthe same promptitude that afterwards he resumed it:he broke off his very prayers when the most inconsiderableperson had the least occasion for him; and ordered,when he was in the deepest of his retirements, thatif any poor man, or even but a child, should desireto be instructed, he might be called from his devotions.

No man perhaps was ever known to have run more dangers,both by land and sea, without reckoning into the accountthe tempests which he suffered in ten years of almostcontinual navigation. It is known, that beingat the Moluccas, and passing from isle to isle, hewas thrice shipwrecked, though we are not certainof the time or places; and once he was for three daysand nights together on a plank, at the mercy of thewinds and waves. The barbarians have often shottheir arrows at him, and more than once he fell intothe hands of an enraged multitude. One day theSaracens pursued him, and endeavoured to have stonedhim; and the Brachmans frequently sought after himto have murdered him, even to that point of mercilessbarbarity, as to get fire to all the houses where theyimagined he might lie concealed. But none ofall these dangers were able to affright him; and theapprehension of dying could never hinder him fromperforming his ordinary functions. It seemed thateven dangers served to the redoubling of his courage,and that, by being too intrepid, he sometimes enteredinto the extreme of rashness. Being at Japan,he reprehended the king of Amanguchi so severely forthe infamy and scandal of his vices, that Father JohnFernandez, (who served him for interpreter, as beingmore conversant than the saint in the language ofthe court) was amazed and trembled in pronouncing whatthe Father put into his mouth; as we are given tounderstand in a letter written by the same Fernandez.Xavier, one day perceiving the fear of his companion,forbade him absolutely either to change or soften anyof his words: “I obeyed him,” saysFernandez, “but expected every moment when thebarbarian should strike me with his scymiter, and confessmy apprehensions of death were as much too great,as the concernment of Father Francis was too little.”

In effect, he was so far from fearing death, thathe looked on it as a most pleasing object. “Ifwe die for so good a cause,” said Xavier onanother occasion, “we ought to place it amongstthe greatest benefits we receive from God; and shallbe very much obliged to those, who, freeing us froma continual death, such as is this mortal life, shallput us in possession of an eternal happiness:So that we are resolved to preach the truth amongstthem, in despite of all their threatenings, and, encouragedby the hopes of divine assistance, obey the preceptof our Saviour, who commands us to prefer the salvationof others above our lives.”

In the most hazardous undertakings, he hoped all thingsfrom God, and from thence drew his assurance of daringall things. Behold what he says himself concerninghis voyage of Japan: “We set out full ofconfidence in God, and hope, that, having him forour conductor, we shall triumph over all his enemies.

“As to what remains, we fear not to enter intothe lists with the doctors of Japan; for what availableknowledge can they have, who are ignorant of the onlytrue God, and of his only Son our Lord Jesus?And besides, what can we justly apprehend, who haveno other aim than the glory of God and Jesus Christ,the preaching of the gospel, and the salvation of souls?supposing that we were not only in a kingdom of barbarians,but in the very dominion of devils, and that nakedand disarmed, neither the most cruel barbarity, northe rage of hell, could hurt us without God’spermission. We are afraid of nothing but offendingGod Almighty; and provided that we offend not him,we promise ourselves, through his assistance, an assuredvictory over all our enemies. Since he affordssufficient strength to every man for his service, andfor avoiding sin, we hope his mercy will not be wantingto us. But as the sum of all consists in thegood or evil use of his benefits, we also hope he willgive us grace to employ ourselves for his glory, bythe prayers of his spouse, and our holy mother theChurch, and particularly by the intercession of ourSociety, and those who are well affected to it.Our greatest, comfort proceeds from this, that Godbeholds the scope of this our voyage, that our onlyaim is to make known the Creator of the universe tosouls which are made after his own image; to bringthose souls to give him the worship due to him, andto spread the Christian religion through all regions.

“With these encouragements, we doubt not butthe issue of our voyage will be prosperous; and twothings especially seem to assure us, that we shallvanquish all the opposition of hell; the one is thegreatness of our holy enterprize, the other is thecare of Divine Providence, whose dominion is of noless extent over devils than over men. I acknowledge,that in this voyage, I foresee not only great labours,but also dangers of almost inevitable death; and thisimagination is frequently presented to my thoughts,that if those of our Society, who are endued with thegreatest stock of knowledge, should come into theIndies, they would certainly accuse us of too muchrashness, and would be apt to think, that, in exposingourselves to these manifest dangers, we tempted God.Nevertheless, upon a more serious reflection, I ceaseto fear; and hope that the spirit of our Lord, whichanimates our Society, will regulate their judgmentsconcerning it. For my own particular, I thinkcontinually on what I have heard our good Father Ignatiusoften say, that those of our Society ought to exerttheir utmost force in vanquishing themselves, andbanish from them all those fears which usually hinder

us from placing our whole confidence in God.For, though divine hope is purely and simply the graceof God, and that he dispenses it, according to hispleasure, nevertheless, they who endeavour to overcomethemselves, receive it more frequently than others.As there is a manifest difference betwixt those, who,abounding with all things, trust in God, and those,who, being sufficiently provided with all necessaries,yet bereave themselves of them, in imitation of JesusChrist; so is there also, in those who trust in God’sprovidence, when they are out of danger, and thosewho, with the assistance of his grace, dare voluntarilyexpose themselves to the greatest hazards, which arein their proper choice and power to shun.”

It was in the spirit of this holy confidence, thatthe saint, writing to Simon Rodriguez, speaks in thismanner to him:—

“Our God holds in his hand the tempests whichinfest the seas of China and Japan; the rocks, thegulphs, and banks of sands, which are formidably knownby so many shipwrecks, are all of them under his dominion.He is Sovereign over all those pirates which cruizethe seas, and exercise their cruelties on the Portuguese:and for this reason I cannot fear them; I only fearlest God should punish me for being too pusillanimousin his service; and so little capable, through my ownfrailty, of extending the kingdom of his Son amongstthose nations who know him not.”

He speaks in the same spirit to the Fathers of Goa,in giving them an account of his arrival at Japan:“We are infinitely obliged to God, for permittingus to enter into those barbarous countries, where weare to be regardless, and in a manner forgetful ofourselves; for the enemies of the true religion, beingmasters every where, on whom can we rely, but on Godalone? and to whom can we have recourse besides him?In our countries, where the Christian faith is flourishing,it happens, I know not how, that every thing hindersus from reposing ourselves on God; the love of ourrelations, the bonds of friendship, the conveniencesof life, and the remedies which we use in sickness;but here, being distant from the place of our nativity,and living amongst barbarians, where all human succoursare wanting to us, it is of absolute necessity thatour confidence in God alone should be our aid.”

But the saint perhaps never discoursed better on thissubject, than in a letter written at his return fromthe Moluccas, after a dangerous navigation. Hiswords are these: “It has pleased God, thatwe should not perish; it has also pleased him, toinstruct us even by our dangers, and to make us know,by our own experience, how weak we are, when we relyonly on ourselves, or on human succours. For whenwe come to understand the deceitfulness of our hopes,and are entirely diffident of human helps, we relyon God, who alone can deliver us out of those dangers,into which we have engaged ourselves on his account:we shall soon experience that he governs all things;

and that the heavenly pleasures, which he conferson his servants on such occasions, ought to make usdespise the greatest hazards; even death itself hasnothing in it which is dreadful to them, who havea taste of those divine delights; and though, whenwe have escaped those perils of which we speak, wewant words to express the horror of them, there remainsin our heart a pleasing memory of the favours whichGod has done us; and that remembrance excites us,day and night, to labour in the service of so gooda Master: we are also enlivened by it to honourhim during the rest of our lives, hoping, that, outof his abundant mercy, he will bestow on us a newstrength, and fresh vigour, to serve him faithfullyand generously, even to our death.”

“May it please the Divine Goodness,” hesays elsewhere, “that good men, whom the devilendeavours to affright in the service of God, mightfear no other thing besides displeasing him, in leavingoff what they have undertaken for his sake. Ifthey would do this, how happy a life would they thenlead! how much would they advance in virtue, knowing,by their own experience, that they can do nothingof themselves, but that they can do all things bythe assistance of his grace!”

He said, “that our most stedfast hold in dangersand temptations, was to have a noble courage againstthe foe of our salvation, in a distrust of our ownstrength, but a firm reliance on our Lord, so thatwe should not only fear nothing under the conductof such a general, but also should not doubt of victory.”He said also further, “that, in those dangerousoccasions, the want of confidence in God was more tobe feared, than any assault of the enemy; and thatwe should run much greater hazard in the least distrustof the divine assistance, in the greatest dangers,than in exposing ourselves to those very dangers.”He added, lastly, “that this danger was so muchthe more formidable, the more it was hidden, and theless that we perceived it.”

These thoughts produced in the soul of this holy manan entire diffidence of himself, together with a perfecthumility. He was the only discourse of the newworld; Infidels and Christians gave him almost equalhonour; and his power over nature was so great, thatit was said to be a kind of miracle, when he performedno miracle But all this served only to raise confusionin him; because he found nothing in himself but hisown nothingness; and being nothing in his own conceit,he could not comprehend, how it was possible for himto be esteemed. Writing to the doctor of Navarre,before his voyage to the Indies, he told him, “Thatit was a singular grace of heaven to know ourselves;and that, through the mercy of God, he knew himselfto be good for nothing.”

“Humbly beseech our Lord,” he wrote fromthe Indies to Father Simon Rodriguez, “thatI may have power to open the door of China to others;where I am, I have done but little.” Inmany other passages of his letters, he calls himselfan exceeding evil man; a great sinner; and conjureshis brethren to employ their intercessions to God inhis behalf. “Bring to pass, by your prayers,”says he to one of them, “that though my sinshave rendered me unworthy of the ministerial vocation,yet God may vouchsafe, out of his infinite goodness,to make use of me.”

“I beseech you,” says he to another, “toimplore the heavenly assistance for us; and to theend you may do it with the greater fervency, I beseechour Lord, that he would give you to understand, howmuch I stand in need of your intercession.”

“It is of extreme importance to my consolation,”he writes to the fathers of Goa, “that you understandthe wonderful perplexity in which I am. As Godknows the multitude and heinousness of my sins, I havea thought which much torments me; it is, that Godperhaps may not prosper our undertakings, if we donot amend our lives, and change our manners: itis necessary, on this account, to employ the prayersof all the religious of our Society, and of all ourfriends, in hope that, by their means, the Catholicchurch, which is the spouse of our Lord Jesus, willcommunicate her innumerable merits to us; and thatthe Author of all good will accumulate his graceson us, notwithstanding our offences.”

He attributed all the fruits of his labours to anevident miracle of the Divine Power, which made useof so vile and weak an instrument as himself, to theend it might appear to be the work of God. Hesaid, “that they who had great talents, oughtto labour with great courage for the safety of souls;since he, who was wanting in all the qualities whichare requisite to so high a calling, was not altogetherunprofitable in his ministry.”

As he had a mean opinion of himself, and that hisown understanding was suspected by him, he frequently,by his letters, requested his brethren of Italy, andPortugal, to instruct him in the best method of preachingthe gospel profitably. “I am going,”said he, “to publish Jesus Christ, to peoplewho are part Idolaters, and part Saracens; I conjureyou, by Jesus Christ himself, to send me word, afterwhat manner, and by what means, I may instruct them.For I am verily persuaded, that God will suggest thoseways to you, which are most proper for the easy reductionof those people into his fold; and if I wander fromthe right path, while I am in expectation of yourletters, I hope I shall return into it, when I shallhave received them.”

All that succeeded well to his endeavours in the serviceof our Lord, he attributed to the intercession ofhis brethren. “Your prayers,” he writto the Fathers at Rome, “have assuredly obtainedfor me the knowledge of my infinite offences; andwithal the grace of unwearied labouring, in the conversionof Idolaters, notwithstanding the multitude of my sins.”

But if the designs which he was always forming, forthe advancement of religion, happened to be thwarted,he acknowledged no other reason of those crosses thanhis own sins, and complained only of himself.

As for those miracles which he continually wrought,they passed, in his opinion, as the effects of innocencein children, or for the fruits of faith in sick persons.And when, at the sight of a miraculous performance,the people were at any time about to give him particularhonours, he ran to hide himself in the thickest ofa forest; or when he could not steal away, he enteredso far into the knowledge of himself, that he stoodsecure from the least temptation of vain glory.It even seemed, that the low opinion which he hadof his own worth, in some sort blinded him, in relationto the wonders which he wrought, so that he perceivednot they were miracles.

It was the common talk at Goa, that he had raisedthe dead on the coast of Fishery. After his returnto Goa, James Borba and Cozmo Annez, his two intimatefriends, requested him to inform them, for God’sfurther glory, how those matters went; and particularlythey enquired concerning the child who was drownedin the well. The holy man, at this request, hungdown his head, and blushed exceedingly: when hewas somewhat recovered of his bashfulness, “Jesus,”said he, “what, I to raise the dead! can youbelieve these things of such a wretch as I am?”After which, modestly smiling, he went on, “Alas,poor sinner that I am! they set before me a child,whom they reported to be dead, and who perhaps wasnot; I commanded him, in the name of God, to arise;he arose indeed, and there was the miracle.”

Ordognez Cevalio, who travelled almost round the world,tells us, in the relations of his voyages, that, inIndia, he happened to meet a Japonese, who informedhim, in a discourse which they had together of theseparticulars: “Know,” said he, “thatbeing in Japan, a Bonza by profession, I was onceat an assembly of our Bonzas, who, upon the reportof so many miracles as were wrought by Father FrancisXavier, resolved to place him in the number of theirgods; in order to which, they sent to him a kind ofembassy; but the Father was seized with horror atthe proposition of their deputies. Having spokenof God to them, after a most magnificent and elevatedmanner, he spake of himself in terms so humble, andwith so much self-contempt, that all of us were muchedified by his procedure; and the greatest part ofus seriously reflecting, rather on his carriage thanhis words, from priests of idols, which we were, becamethe worshippers of Jesus Christ.”

He shunned the offices of the Society, and believedhimself unworthy of them. “I cannot tellyou,” wrote he from Cochin to Father Ignatius,“how much I stand obliged to the Japonese; infavour of whom, God has given me clearly to understandthe infinite number of my sins; for till that time,I was so little recollected, and so far wandered outof myself, that I had not discovered, in the bottomof my heart, an abyss of imperfections and failings.It was not till my labours and sufferings in Japan,that I began at length to open my eyes, and to understand,with God’s assistance, and by my own experience,that it is necessary for me to have one, who may watchover me, and govern me. May your holy charitybe pleased, for this reason, to consider what it isyou do, in ranging under my command so many saint-likesouls of the fathers and brethren of our Society.I am so little endued with the qualities which arerequisite for such a charge, and am so sensible thatthis is true, through God’s mercy, that I mayreasonably hope, that, instead of reposing on me thecare of others, you will repose on others the careof me.” He infinitely esteemed those missionerswho were his seconds; and accounted his own pains

for nothing, in comparison of theirs. After havingrelated, what had been performed by Father FrancisPerez in Malacca; “I confess, my brethren,”said he to Paul de Camerino and Antonio Gomez, “that,seeing these things, I am ashamed of myself; and myown lazy cowardice makes me blush, in looking on amissioner, who, infirm and languishing as he is, yetlabours without intermission in the salvation of souls.”Xavier more than once repeats the same thing in hisletter, with profound sentiments of esteem for Perez,and strange contempt of his own performances.

He recommends not any thing so much to the gospel-labourersas the knowledge of themselves, and shunning of pride;and we need only to open any of his letters, to beholdhis opinions on that subject,

“Cultivate humility with care, in all thosethings which depraved nature has in horror; and makesure, by the assistance of divine grace, to gain athorough knowledge of yourselves; for that understandingof ourselves is the mother of Christian humility.Beware especially, lest the good opinion, which menhave conceived of you, do not give you too much pleasure:for those vain delights are apt to make us negligent;and that negligence, as it were by a kind of enchantment,destroys the humility of our hearts, and introducespride instead of it.

“Be distrustful of your proper strength, andbuild nothing upon human wisdom, nor on the esteemof men, By these means you will be in condition tobear whatsoever troubles shall happen to you; for Godstrengthens the humble, and gives him courage; heis proof against the greatest labours, and nothingcan ever separate him from the charity of Jesus Christ;not the devil with his evil angels, nor the oceanwith its tempests, nor the most brutal nations withall their barbarity. And if God sometimes permitsthat the devil put impediments in his way, or thatthe elements make war against him, he is persuaded,that it is only for the expiation of his sins, forthe augmentation of his merits, and for the renderinghim more humble.

“They who fervently desire to advance God’sglory, ought to humble themselves, and be nothingin their own opinion; being diffident, even in thesmallest matters, of their own abilities; to the end,that in great occasions, becoming much more diffidentof themselves, through a principle of Christian humility,they may entirely confide in God; and this confidencemay give them resolution; for he who knows that heis assisted from above, can never degenerate intoweakness.

“Whatever you undertake will be acceptable inthe sight of God, if there appear in your conducta profound humility, and that you commit the careof your reputation into his hands; for he himself willnot be wanting to give you both authority and reputationwith men, when they are needful for you; and whenhe does it not, it is from his knowledge that you willnot ascribe to him that which only can proceed fromhim. I comfort myself with thinking, that thesins of which you find yourselves guilty, and withwhich you daily upbraid your own consciences, producein you an extreme horror of windy arrogance, and agreat love of perfection; so that human praises willbecome your crosses, and be useful to admonish youof your failings.

“Take heed of yourselves, my dearest brethren;many ministers of the gospel, who have opened theway of heaven to other men, are tormented in hellfor want of true humility, and for being carried awaywith a vain opinion of themselves; on the contrary,there is not to be found in hell one single soul whichwas sincerely humble.”

These are the instructions which the saint gave ingeneral to his brethren on the subject of humility;and, next, behold some particular admonitions whichwere addressed to some amongst them:—

“I conjure you to be humble and patient towardsall the world,” says he to Father Cyprian, whopreached the gospel at Meliapore; “for, believeme, nothing is to be done by haughtiness and choler,when it cannot be accomplished by modesty and mildness.”He continues; “We deceive ourselves, in exactingsubmission and respect from men, without any othertitle to it than being members of our Society, andwithout cultivating that virtue which has acquiredus so great an authority in the world; as if we ratherchose to recommend ourselves by that credit and reputation,than by the practice of humility and patience, andthose other virtues by which our Society has maintainedits dignity and honour with mankind.”

“Be mindful,” writes he to Father Barzaesus,who was rector of’ the college of Goa, “toread frequently the instructions which I have leftwith you, particularly those which concern humility;and take an especial care in considering what Godhas done by you, and by all the labourers of the Society,that you do not forget yourself: for my own particular,I should be glad, that all of you would seriouslythink how many things God leaves undone, because youare wanting to him in your fidelity; and I would ratherthat consideration should employ your thoughts, thanthose great works which it has pleased our Lord toaccomplish by your ministry; for the first reflectionwill cover you with confusion, and make you mindfulof your weakness; but, instead of that, the secondwill puff you up with vanity, and expose you to thedanger of having thoughts of arrogance.”

This well-grounded humility in Xavier, was the principleof a perfect submission to the will of God. Henever undertook any thing without consulting him before-hand;and the divine decrees were his only rule. “Ihave made continual prayers,” says he, speakingof his voyage to Macassar, “to know what heavenrequires of me; for I was firmly resolved not to bewanting on my part to fulfil the will of God, whensoeverit should be made known to me. May it pleaseour Lord,” said he on the same subject, “thatout of his goodness we might understand what he designsby us, to the end we might entirely conform ourselvesto his holy will so soon as it shall be discoveredto us; for he commands us to be always in a readinessto obey him at the first signal; and it becomes usto be as strangers in this world, always preparedto follow the voice of our conductor.”

“I wish,” said he, in another place, “thatGod would declare to us his most holy will, concerningthe ministries and countries where I may best employmy labours for his glory. I am ready, by his grace,to execute those things which he makes me understandto be most pleasing to him, of whatsoever nature theymay be; and, undoubtedly, he has admirable means ofsignifying his good pleasure to us; such as are ourinward sentiments and heavenly illuminations, whichleave no remaining scruple concerning the place towhich he has designed us, nor what we are to undertakefor his service. For we are like travellers,not fixed to any country through which we pass.It is our duty to be prepared to fly from one regionto another, or rather into opposite regions, wherethe voice of heaven shall please to call us.East and west, north and south, are all indifferentto me, provided I may have an opportunity of advancingthe glory of our Lord.”

He says elsewhere, “I could wish, that you hadever in your mind this meditation, that a ready andobedient will, which is entirely devoted to God’sservice, is a more pleasing sacrifice to the DivineMajesty, than all the pomp and glitter of our noisyactions, without the interior disposition.”

Being thoroughly convinced that the perfection ofthe creature consists in willing nothing but the willof the Creator, he spoke incessantly of God’sgood pleasure, and concluded almost all his letterswith his desires of knowing and fulfilling it.He sacrificed all to that principle; even his ardentwishes to die for Jesus by the hands of the barbarians:for though he breathed after martyrdom, he well understoodthat the tender of our life is not acceptable to God,when he requires it not; and he was more fearful ofdispleasing him, than desirous of being a martyr forhim. So that he died satisfied, when he expiredin a poor cabin of a natural death, though he wasat that very time on the point of carrying the faithinto the kingdom of China: And it may be thereforesaid, that he sacrificed not only his own glory, buteven that of Jesus Christ, to the good pleasure ofGod Almighty.

A man so submissive to the orders of heaven, couldnot possibly want submission in regard of his superior,who was to him in the place of God. He had forFather Ignatius, general of the Society of Jesus, aveneration and reverence, mixed with tenderness, whichsurpass imagination. He himself has expressedsome part of his thoughts on that subject, and wecannot read them without being edified. In oneof his letters, which begins in this manner, “Myonly dear Father, in the bowels of Jesus Christ;”he says at the conclusion, “Father of my soul,for whom I have a most profound respect, I write thisto you upon my knees, as if you were present, andthat I beheld you with my eyes.” It washis custom to write to him in that posture; so highwas the place which Ignatius held within his heart.

“God is my witness, my dearest Father,”says he in another letter, “how much I wishto behold you in this life, that I might communicateto you many matters, which cannot be remedied withoutyour aid; for there is no distance of places whichcan hinder me from obeying you. I conjure you,my best Father, to have some little consideration ofus who are in the Indies, and who are your children.I conjure you, I say, to send hither some holy man,whose fervour may excite our lazy faintness. Ihope, for the rest, that as you know the bottom ofour souls, by an illumination from heaven, you willnot be wanting to supply us with the means of awakeningour languishing and drowsy virtue, and of inspiringus with the love of true perfection.” Inanother of his letters, which is thus superscribed,“To Ignatius, my holy Father in Jesus Christ,”he sends him word, that the letter which he receivedfrom his holy charity, at his return from Japan, hadreplenished him with joy; and that particularly hewas most tenderly affected with the last words of it:“I am all yours, yours even to that degree,that it is impossible for me to forget you, Ignatius.”“When I had read those words,” said he,“the tears came flowing into my eyes, and gushingout of them; which makes me, that I cannot forbearwriting them, and recalling to my memory that sincereand holy friendship which you always had, and stillhave, for me; nothing doubting, but that if God hasdelivered me from so many dangers, it has principallyproceeded from your fatherly intercessions for me.”He calls himself his son in all his letters, and thussubscribes himself in one: “The least ofyour children, and most distant from you, Francis Xavier.”But the high ideas which Francis had of Ignatius, causedhim frequently to ask his advice in relation to hisown conduct. “You will do a charitablework,” said he, “in writing to me a letter,full of spiritual instructions, as a legacy bequeathedto one who is the least of all your children, at thefarthest distance from you, and who is as it werebanished from your presence, by which I may partakesome part of those abundant treasures which heavenhas heaped upon you. I beseech you not to betoo nigg*rdly in the accomplishment of my desires.”“I conjure you,” says he elsewhere, “bythe tender love of Jesus Christ, to give me the methodwhich I ought to keep, in admitting those who are tobe members of our Society; and write to me at large,considering the smallness of my talent, which is wellknown to you; for if you give me not your assistance,the poor ability which I have in these matters, willbe the occasion of my losing many opportunities forthe augmentation of God’s glory.”

In prescribing any thing that was difficult to hisinferiors, he frequently intermixed the name of Ignatius:“I pray you by our Lord, and by Ignatius, theFather of our Society. I conjure you by the obedience,and by the love which you owe to our Father Ignatius.”“Remember,” said he farther, “towhat degree, both great and small, respect our FatherIgnatius.”

With these sentiments, both of affection and esteem,he depended absolutely on his superior. “IfI believed,” says he, writing from the Indiesto Father Simon Rodriguez, “that the strengthof your body were equal to the vigour of your mind,I should invite you to pass the seas, and desire yourcompany in this new world; I mean, if our Father Ignatiusshould approve and counsel such a voyage: Forhe is our parent, it behoves us to obey him; and itis not permitted us to make one step without his order.”

In this manner, Xavier had recourse to Ignatius onall occasions, as much as the distance of places wouldpermit; and the orders which he received, were tohim inviolable laws. “You shall not sufferany one,” so he writ to Gaspar Barzaeus, rectorof the college of Goa, “to receive the ordersof priesthood, who is not sufficiently learned; andwho has not given, for the space of many years, sufficientexamples of his good life in our Society; becauseour Father Ignatius has expressly forbidden it.”For the same reason he exactly observed the constitutionsof the Society. “Make not haste,”writes he in the same letter to Barzaeus, “toreceive children which are too young; and totallyreject such sorts of people, whom Father Ignatiuswould have for ever excluded from our order.”But nothing, perhaps, can more clearly discover howperfect the submission of Xavier was, than what hissuperior himself thought of it. At the time whenXavier died, Ignatius had thoughts of recalling himfrom the Indies; not doubting, but at the first noticeof his orders, this zealous missioner would leaveall things out of his obedience. And on thisoccasion he wrote to him a letter, bearing date the28th of June, in the year 1553. Behold the passagewhich concerns the business of which we are speaking:“I add,” says Ignatius in his letter, “thathaving in prospect the salvation of souls, and thegreater service of our Lord, I have resolved to commandyou, in virtue of holy obedience, to return into Portugalwith the first opportunity; and I command you thisin the name of Christ. But that you may moreeasily satisfy those, who are desirous of retainingyou in the Indies, for the good of those countries,I will present you with my reasons: You know,in the first place, of what weight are the ordersof the king of Portugal, for the confirmation of religionin the East, for the propagation of it in, Guinea andBrasil; and you can rightly judge, that a prince soreligious as he, will do all things necessary forthe advancement of God’s honour, and the conversionof people, if one of your ability and experience shallpersonally instruct him; And besides, it is of greatimportance, that the holy apostolical see should beinformed of the present state of India, by some authenticwitness; to the end, that Popes may issue out spiritualsupplies, as well to the new as to the ancient Christianityof Asia; without which, neither the one nor the othercan subsist, or cannot subsist without much trouble;and nobody is more proper than yourself for this, bothin respect of your knowledge in the affairs of thenew world, and of your reputation in these parts.

“You know, moreover, of what consequence itis, that the missioners, who are sent to the Indies,should be proper for the end proposed; and it is convenient,on that account, that you come to Portugal and Rome:for not only many more will be desirous of going onthose missions, but you will make a better choiceof missioners, and will see more clearly to what partssuch and such are proper to be sent. You judgeyourself of what consideration it is, not to be mistakenin these affairs; and whatsoever relation you cansend us, your letters are not sufficient to give usa true notion of what labourers are fitting for theIndies. It is necessary that you, or some oneas intelligent as you, should know and practise thosewho are designed for those countries. Besideswhat it will be in your power to do for the commonbenefit of the East, you will warm the zeal of theking of Portugal, in relation to Ethiopia, which hasbeen under consideration for so many years, but nothingyet performed. You will also be of no littleuse to the affairs of Congo and Brasil, on which youcan have no influence in India, for want of commercebetwixt them and you. But if you think your presencemay be necessary, for the government of those of theSociety who are in the Indies, you may govern themmore easily from Portugal, than you can from Chinaor Japan. For what remains, I remit you to theFather, Master Polanque, and recommend myself mostcordially to your good prayers, beseeching the DivineGoodness to multiply his favours on you; to the end,that we may understand his most holy will, and thatwe may perfectly perform it.”

Father Polanque, who was secretary to Father Ignatius,and confident to all his purposes, has given testimony,that the intention of the holy founder was to makeXavier general of the Society. The letter of Ignatiusfound Xavier dead. But we may judge of what hewould have done, by what he writ before his deathto Ignatius himself, who had testified so earnesta desire to see him: “Your holy charity,”says he in his letter, “tells me, that you havean earnest desire to see me once again in this presentlife: God, who looks into the bottom of my heart,can tell how sensibly that mark of your tendernesshas touched me. Truly, whenever that expressionof yours returns to my remembrance, and it frequentlyreturns, the tears come dropping from my eyes, andI cannot restrain them; while I revolve that happythought, that once, yet once again it may be givenme to embrace you. I confess, it appears difficultto compass my desires, but all things are possibleto holy obedience.”

Undoubtedly, if the letter of Ignatius had found Xavieralive, he had soon been seen in Europe; for havingoffered, of his own free motion, to leave the Indies,Japan, and China, and all the business which he hadupon his hands, and having said, that the least beckoningof his superior should be sufficient for it, whatwould he not have done, when he had received a positivecommand to abandon all, and repass the seas?

His maxims of obedience shew clearly what his ownsubmission was.

“There is nothing more certain, nor less subjectto mistake, than always to be willing to obey.On the contrary, it is dangerous to live in complaisanceto our own wills, and without following the motionof our superiors; for though we chance to performany good action, yet if we never so little deviatefrom that which is commanded us, we may rest assured,that our action is rather vicious than good.

“The devil, by his malicious suggestions, temptsthe greatest part of those who have devoted themselvesto God’s service: ’What make youthere?’ he secretly whispers; ’See younot that you do but lose your labour?’ Resistthat thought with all your strength; for it is capablenot only of hindering you in the way to perfection,but also of seducing you from it: and let everyone of you persuade himself, that he cannot betterserve our Lord, than in that place where he is setby his superior. Be also satisfied, that whenthe time of God is come, he will inspire your superiorswith thoughts of sending you to such places, whereyour labours shall abundantly succeed. In themean time, you shall possess your souls in peace.By this means, you will well employ your precioustime, though too many do not understand its value,and make great proficiencies in virtue. It isfar otherwise with those restless souls, who do nogood in those places where they wish to be, becausethey are not there; and are unprofitable both to themselvesand others where they are, because they desire tobe otherwhere.

“Perform, with great affection, what your superiorsorder you, in relation to domestic discipline, andsuffer not yourself to be surprised with the suggestionsof the evil spirit, who endeavours to persuade you,that some other employment would be fitter for you;his design is, that you should execute that officeill in which you are employed: I entreat you,therefore, by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, toconsider seriously, how you may overcome those temptations,which give you a distaste of your employment; andto meditate, more on that, than how to engage yourselfin such laborious affairs, as are not commanded you.Let no man flatter himself; it is impossible to excelin great matters, before we arrive to excel in less:and it is a gross error, under the pretence of savingsouls, to shake off the yoke of obedience, which islight and easy, and to take up a cross, which, withoutcomparison, is more hard and heavy.

“It becomes you to submit your will and judgementto your governors; and to believe that God, will inspirethem, in reference to you, with that, which will bemost profitable to you. For the rest, beware ofasking any thing with importunity, as some have done,who press their superiors with such earnestness, thatthey even tear from them that which they desire, thoughthe thing which they demand be in itself pernicious;or if it be refused them, complain in public, thattheir life is odious to them: they perceive not,that their unhappiness proceeds from their neglectof their vow, and their endeavour to appropriate thatwill to themselves, which they have already consecratedto our Lord. In effect, the more such peoplelive according to their own capricious fancy, themore uneasy and melancholy is their life.”

The holy man was so thoroughly persuaded, that theperfection of the Society of Jesus consisted in obedience,that he frequently commanded his brethren, in virtueof their holy obedience, thereby to increase theirmerit.

“I pray you,” said he to two missionersof Comorine, “to go to the Isles del Moro; andto the end you may the better have occasion of meritingby your obedience, I positively command you.”

But it is impossible to relate, with what tendernesshe loved the Society, or how much he concerned himselfin all their interests, though of the smallest moment.Being in Portugal, before his voyage to the Indies,he wrote not any letters to Rome, wherein he did nottestisfy his great desire to know what progress itmade in Italy. Writing to the Fathers, Le Gay,and Laynez, he says thus: “Since our ruleis confirmed, I earnestly desire to learn the namesof those who are already received into our order,and of such as are upon the point of being admitted.He exhorts them, to thank the king of Portugal, forthe design which his majesty had to build a college,or a house for the Society: and we ought to makethis acknowlegment to the king,” said he, “toengage him thereby to begin the building.”

The news which he received from Father Ignatius, andthe other Fathers who were at Rome, gave him infiniteconsolation. “I have received your letters,which I expected with much impatience; and have receivedthem with that joy, which children ought to have inreceiving some pleasing news from their mother.In effect, I learn from them the prosperous conditionof all the Society, and the holy employments whereinyou engage yourselves without intermission.”He could scarcely moderate his joy, whensoever hethought on the establishment of the Society. Thushe wrote from the Indies to Rome: “Amongstall the favours which I have received from God inthis present life, and which I receive daily, the mostsignal, and most sensible, is to have heard that theinstitute of our Society has been approved and confirmedby the authority of the Holy See I give immortal thanksto Jesus Christ, that he has been pleased his vicarshould publicly establish the form of life, which hehimself has prescribed in private to his servant,our Father Ignatius.”

But Xavier also wished nothing more, than to see theSociety increased; and he felt a redoubling of hisjoy, by the same proportion, when he had notice oftheir gaining new houses in the East, or when he heard,from Europe, of the foundation of new colleges.

To conclude, he had not less affection for the particularpersons, who were members of the Society, than forthe body of it. His brethren were ever presentin his thoughts; and he thought it not enough to lovethem barely, without a continual remembrance of them.“I carry about with me (thus he writes to theFathers at Rome) all your names, of your own handwriting,in your letters; and I carry them together with thesolemn form of my profession.” By whichhe signifies, not only how dear the sons of the Societywere to him, but also how much he esteemed the honourof being one of their number.

The love which he bore to gospel-poverty, caused himto subsist on alms, and to beg his bread from doorto door, when he might have had a better provisionmade for him. Being even in the college of Goa,which was well endowed, he sought his livelihood withoutthe walls, the more to conform himself to the povertyof his blessed Saviour. He was always very meanlyclothed, and most commonly had so many patches on hiscassock, that the children of the idolaters deridedhim. He pieced up his tatters with his own hand,and never changed his habit till it was worn to rags;at least, if the honour of God, and the interest ofreligion, did not otherwise oblige him. At hisreturn from Japan to Malacca, where he was receivedwith so much honour, he wore on his back a torn cassock,and a rusty old hat on his head.

The Portuguese, beholding him always so ill apparelled,often desired him to give them leave to present himwith a new habit; but seeing he would not be persuaded,they once devised a way of stealing his cassock whilehe was asleep. The trick succeeded, and Xavier,whose soul was wholly intent on God, put on a newhabit, which they had laid in the place of his oldgarment, without discovering how they had served him.He passed the whole day in the same ignorance of thecheat, and it was not till the evening that he perceivedit; for supping with Francis Payva, and other Portuguese,who were privy to the matter,—“Itis perhaps to do honour to our table,” saidone amongst them, “that you are so spruce to-day,in your new habit.” Then, casting his eyesupon his clothes, he was much surprised to find himselfin so strange an equipage. At length, being madesensible of the prank which they had played him, hetold them, smiling, “That it was no great wonderthat this rich cassock, looking for a master in thedark, could not see its way to somebody who deservedit better.”

As he lived most commonly amongst the poorer sortof Indians, who had nothing to bestow, and who, forthe most part, went naked, he enjoyed his povertywithout molestation. All his moveables were amat, on which he lay sometimes, and a little table,whereon were his writings, and some little books,with a wooden crucifix, made of that which the Indianscall the wood of St Thomas.

He cheerfully underwent the greatest hardships ofpoverty; and, writing from Japan to the Fathers ofGoa, his words were these:—“Assistme, I beseech you, my dear brethren, in acknowledgingto Almighty God the signal favour he has done me.I am at length arrived at Japan, where there is anextreme scarcity of all things, which I place amongstthe greatest benefits of Providence.”

Mortification is always the companion of poverty,in apostolical persons. Xavier bore Constantlyalong with him the instruments of penance; haircloth,chains of iron, and disciplines, pointed at the ends,and exceeding sharp. He treated his flesh withgreat severity, by the same motive which obliged StPaul, the apostle, to chastise his body, and to reduceit into servitude, lest, having preached to other men,he might himself become a reprobate.

At sea, the ship tackling served him for a bed; onland, a mat, or the earth itself. He eat so little,that one of his companions assures us, that, withouta miracle, he could not have lived. Another tellsus, that he seldom or never drank wine, unless atthe tables of the Portuguese; for there he avoidedsingularity, and took what was given him. But,afterwards, he revenged himself on one of those repasts,by an abstinence of many days.

When he was at Cape Comorine, the viceroy; Don Alphonsode Sosa, sent him two barrels of excellent wine.He did not once taste of it, though he was then broughtvery low, through the labours of his ministry, butdistributed the whole amongst the poor.

His ordinary nourishment, in the Indies, was riceboiled in water, or some little piece of salt fish;but during the two years and a half of his residencein Japan, he totally abstained from fish, for the betteredification of that people; and wrote to the Fathersat Rome, “that he would rather choose to dieof hunger, than to give any man the least occasionof scandal.” He also says, “I countit for a signal favour, that God has brought me intoa country destitute of all the comforts of life, andwhere, if I were so ill disposed, it would be impossiblefor me to pamper up my body with delicious fare.”He perpetually travelled, by land, on foot, even inJapan, where the ways are asperous, and almost impassible;and often walked, with naked feet, in the greatestseverity of winter.

“The hardships of so long a navigation,”says he, “so long a sojourning amongst the Gentiles,in a country parched up with excessive heats, allthese incommodities being suffered, as they ought tobe, for the sake of Christ, are truly an abundantsource of consolations: for myself, I am verilypersuaded, that they, who love the cross of Jesus Christ,live happy in the midst of sufferings; and that itis a death, when they have no opportunities to suffer.For, can there be a more cruel death, than to livewithout Jesus Christ, after once we have tasted ofhim? Is any thing more hard, than to abandonhim, that we may satisfy our own inclinations?Believe me, there is no other cross which is to becompared to that. How happy is it, on the otherside, to live, in dying daily, and in conquering ourpassions, to search after, not our proper interests,but the interests of Jesus Christ?”

His interior mortification was the principle of thesethoughts, in this holy man; from the first years ofhis conversion, his study was to gain an absoluteconquest on himself; and he continued always to exhortothers not to suffer themselves to be hurried awayby the fury of their natural desires. He writesthus to the fathers and brethren of Coimbra, fromMalacca:—“I have always present, inmy thoughts, what I have heard from our holy FatherIgnatius, that the true children of the Society ofJesus ought to labour exceedingly in overcoming ofthemselves.

“If you search our Lord in the spirit of truth,”says he to the Jesuits of Goa, “and generouslywalk in those ways, which conduct you to him, thespiritual delights, which you taste in his service,will sweeten all those bitter agonies, which the conquestof yourselves will cost you. O my God, how grosslystupid is mankind not to comprehend, that, by a faintand cowardly resistance of the assaults of the devil,they deprive themselves of the most pure and sinceredelights which life can give them.”

By the daily practice of these maxims, Xavier cameto be so absolute a master of his passions, that heknew not what it was to have the least motion of cholerand impatience; and from thence proceeded partly, thattranquillity of soul, that equality of countenance,that perpetual cheerfulness, which rendered him soeasy and so acceptable in all companies.

It is natural for a man, who is extremely mortified,to be chaste; and so was Xavier, to such a degreeof perfection, that we have it certified from hisghostly fathers, and, amongst others, from the vicarof Meliapore, that he lived and died a virgin.From his youth upward he had an extreme horror forimpurity; notwithstanding, that he was of a sanguinecomplexion, and naturally loved pleasure. Whilehe was a student at Paris, and dwelt in the collegeof Sainte Barbe, his tutor in philosophy, who wasa man lost in debauches, and who died of a dishonestdisease, carried his scholars by night to brothel-houses.The abominable man did all he could towards the debauchingof Francis Xavier, who was handsome, and well shaped,but he could never accomplish his wicked purpose;so much was the youth estranged from the uncleannessof all fleshly pleasures.

For what remains, nothing can more clearly make outhis love to purity, than what happened to him onceat Rome. Simon Rodriguez being fallen sick, FatherIgnatius commanded Xavier to take care of him duringhis distemper. One night, the sick man awaking,saw Xavier, who was asleep at his bed’s feet,thrusting out his arms in a dream, with the actionof one who violently repels an enemy; he observedhim even casting out blood in great abundance, throughhis nostrils, and at his mouth. Xavier himselfawaking, with the labour of that struggling, Rodriguezenquired of him the cause of that extreme agitation,and the gushing of his blood. Xavier would notsatisfy him at that time, and gave him no account ofit, till he was just upon his departure to the Indies;for then being urged anew by Rodriguez, after he hadobliged him to secrecy, “Know,” said he,“my brother, master Simon, that God, out ofhis wonderful mercy, has done me the favour, to preserveme, even till this hour, in entire purity; and thatvery night I dreamed, that, lodging at an inn, an impudentwoman would needs approach me: The motion ofmy arms was to thrust her from me, and to get ridof her; and the blood, which I threw out, proceededfrom my agony.”

But whatsoever detestation Xavier had, even for theshadow of a sin, he was always diffident of himself;and withdrew from all conversation of women, if charityobliged him not to take care of their conversion; andeven on such occasions, he kept all imaginable measures,never entertaining them with discourse, unless inpublic places, and in sight of all the world; norspeaking with them of ought, but what was necessary,and then also sparing of his words, and with a grave,modest, and serious countenance. He would say,“That, in general conversation, we could notbe too circ*mspect in our behaviour towards them; andthat, however pious the intentions of their confessorswere, there still remained more cause of fear to thedirectors in those entertainments, than of hope, thatany good should result from them to the women-penitents.”

Besides all this, he kept his senses curbed and recollected,examined his conscience often every day, and dailyconfessed himself when he had the convenience of apriest. By these means, he acquired such a purityof soul and body, that they who were of his intimateacquaintance, have declared, that they could neverobserve in him ought that was not within the rulesof the exactest decency.

In like manner, he never forgave himself the leastmiscarriage; and it is incredible how far the tendernessof his conscience went on all occasions. In thatvessel which carried him from Lisbon to the Indies,a child, who was of years which are capable of instruction,one day happened to die suddenly: Xavier immediatelyinquired if the child had been usually present atcatechism, together with the ship’s company?It was answered in the negative; and at the same momentthe man of God, whose countenance commonly was cheerful,appeared extremely sad. The viceroy, Alphonsode Sosa, soon observed it; and knowing the cause ofhis affliction, asked the Father if he had any formerknowledge that the child came not to catechism? “If I had known it,” replied Xavier, “Ihad not failed to have brought him thither:”“But, why then,” said the viceroy, “areyou thus disquieted for a thing you know not, and ofwhich you are no ways guilty?” “It is,”replied the saint, “because I ought to upbraidmyself with it as a fault, that I was ignorant thatany person, who was embarked with me, wanted to betaught the Christian faith.”

A body so chaste, and a mind so pure, could not havebeen but of one who was faithfully devoted to theHoly Virgin. The saint honoured and loved herall his life, with thoughts full of respect and tenderness.It was in the church of Mont Martre, dedicated tothe mother of God, and on the day of her assumption,that he made his first vows. It was in that ofLoretto that he had his first inspiration, and conceivedhis first desires of going to the Indies. Hepetitioned for nothing of our Lord, but by the intercessionof his mother; and in the exposition which he madeof the Christian doctrine, after addressing himself

to Jesus to obtain the grace of a lively and constantfaith, he failed not of addressing himself to Mary.He concluded all his instructions with the SalveRegina; he never undertook any thing but underher protection; and in all dangers, he had alwaysrecourse to the blessed Virgin as his patroness.For the rest, to shew that he depended on her, andmade his glory of that dependence, he commonly worea chaplet about his neck, to the end that Christiansmight take delight in seeing the chaplet; and madefrequent use of it in the operation of his miracles.

When he passed whole nights at his devotions in churches,it was almost always before the image of the Virgin,and especially he offered his vows to her for theconversion of notorious sinners, and also for theremission of his own offences; as himself testifiesin a letter of his, which shews not less his humilitythan his confidence in the intercession of the blessedVirgin: “I have taken the Queen of Heavenfor my patroness, that, by her prayers I may obtainthe pardon of my innumerable sins.” Hewas particularly devoted to her immaculate conception,and made a vow to defend it to the utmost of his power.

In conversation he frequently spoke of the greatnessof the blessed Mary, and attracted all men to herservice. In fine, being just upon the point ofdrawing his last breath, he invoked her name with tenderwords, and besought her to shew herself his mother.

These are the principal virtues which were collected,to be presented to the Holy See. The archbishopof Goa, and all the bishops of India, seconded thedesigns of the king of Portugal, by acting on theirside with the Pope, for the canonization of Xavier;but no one, in process of time, solicited with moresplendour than the king of Bungo.

This prince, who was upon the point of being convertedwhen Xavier left Japan, had no sooner lost the holyman, but he was regained by the Bonzas, and fell intoall the disorders of which a Pagan can be capable.He confessed the Christian law to be the better; butsaid it was too rigorous, and that a young prince,as he was, born in the midst of pleasures, could notbrook it. His luxury hindered him not from thelove of arms, nor from being very brave; and he wasso fortunate in war, that he reduced four or fivekingdoms under his obedience. In the course ofall his victories, the last words which Father Francishad said to him, concerning the vanity of the world,and the necessity of baptism, came into his remembrance:he made serious reflections on them, and was so deeplymoved by them, that one day he appeared in public,with a chaplet about his neck, as it were to makean open profession of Christianity.

The effects were correspondent to the appearances:he had two idols in his palace of great value, whichhe worshipped every day, prostrating himself beforethem with his forehead touching the ground; these imageshe commanded to be thrown into the sea. Afterthis, applying himself to the exercises of piety andpenitence, he totally renounced his sensual pleasures,and was finally baptized by Father Cabira, of the Societyof Jesus. At his baptism he took the name ofFrancis, in memory of the holy apostle Francis Xavier,whom he acknowledged for the Father of his soul, andwhom he called by that title during the remainder ofhis life.

The king of Bungo had hitherto been so fortunate,that his prosperity passed into a proverb; but Godwas pleased to try him. Two months after hisbaptism, the most considerable of his subjects enteringinto a solemn league and covenant against him outof hatred to Christianity, and joining with his neighbouringprinces, defeated him in a pitched battle, and despoiledhim of all his estates. He endured his ill fortunewith great constancy; and when he was upbraided bythe Gentiles, that the change of his religion hadbeen the cause of his ruin, he made a vow at the footof the altar to live and die a Christian; adding, bya holy transport of zeal, that if all Japan, and allEurope, if the Father’s of the Society, andthe Pope himself, should renounce our Saviour JesusChrist; yet, for his own particular, he would confesshim to the last gasp; and be always ready, with God’sassistance, to shed his blood, in testimony of hisfaith.

As the piety of this prince diminished nothing ofhis valour nor of his conduct, having gathered upthe remainder of his troops, he restored himself bydegrees, partly by force of arms, and partly by amicableways of treaty. His principal care, after hisre-establishment, was to banish idolatry out of hisestates, and to restore the Catholic religion.His devotion led him to send a solemn embassy to PopeGregory XIII. who at that time governed the church.Don Mancio, his ambassador, being arrived at Rome,with those of the king of Arima, and the prince ofOmura, was not satisfied with bringing the obedienceof the king, his master, to the vicar of Jesus Christ,by presenting him the letters of Don Francis, fullof submission and respect to the Holy See; but he alsopetitioned him, in the name of his sovereign, to placethe apostle of Japan amongst those saints whom thefaithful honour; and declared to his Holiness, “Thathe could not do a greater favour to the king of Bungo.”

In the mean time, the memory of Xavier was veneratedmore than ever through all Asia. An ambassadorfrom the great Mogul being come to Goa, to desiresome Fathers of the Society might be sent to explainthe mysteries of Christianity to that emperor, askedpermission to see the body of Father Francis; buthe durst not approach it till first himself and allhis train had taken off their shoes; after which ceremony,all of them having many times bowed themselves tothe very ground, paid their respects to the saintwith as much devotion as if they had not been Mahometans.The ships which passed in sight of Sancian salutedthe place of his death with all their cannon:sometimes they landed on the island, only to viewthe spot of earth where he had been buried for twomonths and a half, and to bear away a turf of thatholy ground; insomuch, that the Chinese entering intoa belief, that there was some hidden treasure in theplace, set guards of soldiers round about it to hinderit from being taken thence. One of the new Indian

converts, and of the most devoted to the man of God,not content with seeing the place of his death, hadalso the curiosity to view that of his nativity; insomuch,that travelling through a vast extent of land, andpassing through immense oceans, he arrived at thecastle of Xavier: entering into the chamber wherethe saint was born, he fell upon his knees, and withgreat devotion kissed the floor, which he wateredalso with his tears. After this, without fartherthought, or desire of seeing any thing besides inEurope, he took his way backwards to the Indies; andcounted for a mighty treasure a little piece of stone,which he had loosened from the walls of the chamber,and carried away with him in the nature of a relick.

For what remains, a series of miracles was blazedabroad in all places. Five or six passengers,who had set sail from Malacca towards China, in theship of Benedict Coeglio, fell sick, even to the pointof death. So soon as they were set on shore atSancian, they caused themselves to be carried to themeadow, where Xavier had been first interred; and therehaving covered their heads with that earth which oncehad touched his holy body, they were perfectly curedupon the spot.

Xavier appeared to divers people on the coast of Travancore,and that of Fishery; sometimes to heal them, or tocomfort them in the agonies of death; at other timesto deliver the prisoners, and to reduce sinners intothe ways of heaven.

His name was propitious on the seas, in the most evidentdangers. The ship of Emanuel de Sylva, goingfrom Cochin, and having taken the way of Bengal, inthe midst of the gulph there arose so furious a tempest,that they were constrained to cut the mast, and throwall the merchandizes overboard; when nothing lessthan shipwreck was expected, they all implored theaid of the apostle of the Indies, Francis Xavier.At the same instant, a wave, which was rolling on,and ready to break over the ship, like some vast mountain,went backward on the sudden, and dissipated into foam.The seamen and passengers, at the sight of so manifesta miracle, invoked the saint with loud voices, stillas the tempest grew upon them; and the billows failednot of retiring always at the name of Xavier; butwhenever they ceased from calling on him, the wavesoutrageously swelled, and beat the ship on every side.

It may almost be said, that the saint in person wroughtthese miracles; but it is inconceivable, how manywere performed by the subscriptions of his letters,by the beads of his chaplet, by the pieces of his garments,and, finally, by every thing which had once been anyway appertaining to him.

The crosses which he had erected with his own handon sundry coasts, to be seen from far by marinersand travellers, were loaded with the vows and gifts,which Christians, Saracens, and Idolaters, had fastenedto them daily, in acknowledgment of favours whichthey had received, through the intercession of theholy man. But the most celebrated of those crosses,was that at Cotata, whereon an image of Xavier wasplaced. A blind man received sight, by embracingof that cross; two sick men were cured on the instant,one of which, who was aged, had a settled palsy, andthe other was dying of a bloody flux. Copies weremade of that miraculous image at Cotata; and GasperGoncalez brought one of them to Cochin. It waseleven of the clock at night when he entered into theport: an hour afterwards, the house of ChristopherMiranda, adjoining to that of Goncalez, happened tobe on fire. The north-wind then blowing, andthe building being almost all of wood, the burningbegan with mighty rage, and immediately a maid belongingto the house was burned. The neighbours, awakenedwith the cries of fire, cast their goods out at thewindows in confusion; there being no probability ofpreserving the houses, because that of Miranda wasthe highest, and the burning coals which flew outon every side, together with the flames, which weredriven by the wind, fell on the tops of the houses,that were only covered with bows of palm-trees, dry,and easy to take fire. In this extremity of danger,Goncalez bethought himself of the holy image whichhe had brought; falling on his knees, accompaniedby all his domestic servants, he held it upwards tothe flames, and invoked Father Francis to his assistance.At the same instant the fire was extinguished of itself;and the town in this manner preserved from desolation,when it was ready to be burned to ashes.

A medal, which had on one side the image of the saint,and on the other that of the Holy Virgin holding thelittle Jesus, wrought yet more admirable effects.It was in the possession of a virtuous widow of Cochin,born at Tamuzay in China, and named Lucy de Vellanzan,who had formerly been instructed at Malacca in themysteries of faith by Xavier himself; and who wasaged an hundred and twenty years, when she was juridicallyinterrogated, concerning the miracles which had beenwrought by her medal. All infirm persons, whocame to Lucy, received their cure so soon as she hadmade the sign of the cross with her medal over them;or when she had sprinkled them with water, whereinthe medal had been dipt; in saying only these words,“In the name of Jesus, and of Father Francis,be your health restored.”

“I have seen many,” says an eye-witness,“who have been cured on the instant, by beingonly touched with that medal: Some, who beingonly putrified, ejected through the nose corruptedflesh, and matter of a most offensive scent; others,who were reduced to the meagerness of skeletons, byconsumptions of many years; but the most celebratedcures, were those of Gonsalvo Rodriguez, Mary Dias,and Emanuel Fernandez Figheredo.”

Rodriguez had a great imposthume on the left side,very near the heart, which had been breeding manymonths. The chirurgeons, for fear of exasperatingthe malady, by making an incision in so dangerous apart, endeavoured to dry up the humour, by applyingother remedies; but the imposthume degenerated intoa cancer, which gave the patient intolerable pains,and made him heart and stomach sick. Rodriguezhaving notice given him, what wonders were wroughtby the Chinese Christian, by means of the medal ofFather Xavier, went immediately to her, and kneeledbefore her. The Chinese only touched him thrice,and made the sign of the cross over him, accordingto her custom, and at the same moment the cancer vanished;the flesh returned to its natural colour, on the partwhere the ulcer had been formerly, and Rodriguez foundhimself as well as if nothing had ever ailed him.

Mary Dias was not only blind, but taken with the palsyover half her body, on the right side of it; so thather arm hung dead from her shoulder, and she had onlythe use of one leg: despairing of all naturalremedies, she caused herself to be conveyed to Lucy’slodgings. The hospitable widow kept her in herhouse for the space of seven days; and washed herevery of those days with the water wherein the medalhad been dipt. On the seventh day, she made thesign of the cross over the eyes of the patient withthe medal itself, and then Dias recovered her sight;her palsy, in like manner, left her, so that she wasable to walk alone to the church of the Society, whereshe left her crutches.

As for Emanuel Goncalez Figheredo, both his legs,for a long time, had been covered with ulcers, andwere become so rotten, that worms were continuallycrawling out of them. The physicians, to divertthe humours, put in practice all the secrets of theirart, but without effect; on the contrary, the sinewswere so shrunk up on one side, that one leg was shorterthan the other. And for the last addition of misfortunes,Figheredo was seized with so terrible a lask, that,in a man of threescore years old, as he was, it wasjudged mortal. In effect, it had been so, butthat he had immediate recourse to the medal of Xavier;he drank of the water wherein it had been dipped,after which he was entirely cured both of his ulcersand his disentery.

But that which was daily seen at Goa, blotted outthe memory of the greatest prodigies which were doneelsewhere. The body of the saint perpetuallyentire, the flesh tender, and of a lively colour, wasa continued miracle. They who beheld the sacredcorpse, could scarcely believe that the soul was separatedfrom it; and Dias Carvaglio, who had known Xavierparticularly in his life, seeing his body many yearsafter he had been dead, found the features of hisface so lively, and every part of him so fresh, thathe could not forbear to cry out, and repeat it often,“Ah, he is alive!”

The vicar-general of Goa, Ambrosia Ribera, would himselfexamine, if the inwards were corresponding to theoutward appearances. Having thrust his fingerinto the hurt which they gave the saint, when theyinterred him at Malacca, he saw blood and water issueout of it. The same experiment happened at anothertime to a brother of the Society.

The saint was one day publicly exposed, with his feetbare, at the importunity of the people, who throughdevotion petitioned to kiss them. A woman, whopassionately desired to have a relick of Xavier, drawingnear, as if it were to have kissed his foot, fastenedher teeth in it, and bit off a little piece of flesh.The blood immediately ran in great abundance out ofit; and of so pure a crimson, that the most healthfulbodies could not send out a more living colour.The physicians, who visited the corpse from time totime, and who always deposed, that there could benothing of natural in what they saw, judged, that theblood which came from a body deprived of heat, andissued from a part so distant from the heart as isthe foot, could be no other than the effect of a celestialvirtue; which not only preserved all parts of it fromputrefaction, but also caused the humours to flow,and maintained them in the motion which only lifeinfuses in them.

So many wonders, which spread through all the East,and were transmitted into every part of Europe, somoved the heart of Paul V. that he finally performedwhat his predecessor had designed. After a juridicalexamen of the virtues and miracles above-mentioned,he declared beatified Francis Xavier, priest of theSociety of Jesus, by an express bull, dated the 25thof October, in the year 1619.

Gregory XV., who immediately succeeded Pope Paul V.,canonized him afterwards in all the forms, and withall the procedures, which the church observes on thelike occasions. The ceremony was performed atRome on the 12th of March, in the year 1622.But as death prevented him from making the bull ofthe canonization, it was his successor Urban VIII.who finally accomplished it.

This bull bearing date the 6th of August, in the year1623, is an epitome and panegyric of the miraculouslife of the saint. It is there said, “Thatthe new apostle of the Indies has spiritually receivedthe blessing which God vouchsafed to the patriarchAbraham, that he was the father of many nations; andthat he saw his children in Jesus Christ multipliedbeyond the stars of heaven, and the sands of the sea:That, for the rest, his apostleship has had the signsof a divine vocation, such as are the gift of tongues,the gift of prophecy, the gift of miracles, with theevangelical virtues in all perfection.”

The bull reports almost all the miracles which wehave seen in his life, particularly the resurrectionsof the dead; and, amongst other miraculous cures,which were wrought after his decease, it observes thoseof Gonsalvo Fernandez, Mary Bias, and Emanuel RodriguezFigheredo. It also mentions two famous cures,of which we have said nothing. One is of a blindman, who having prayed to God nine days successively,by the order of Xavier, who appeared to him, instantlyrecovered his sight. The other was of a leper,who being anointed, and rubbed over, with the oil ofa lamp, which burned before the image of Xavier, wasentirely cured. The Pope has added in his bull,“That the lamps which hung before the image,which was venerated at Cotata, often burned with holy-water,as if they had been full of oil, to the great astonishmentof the heathens.” The other miracles whichwe have related, and which are omitted in the bull,are contained in the acts of the process of the canonization.

Since the time that the Holy See has placed the apostleof the Indies in the number of the saints, it is incrediblehow much the public devotion has every where beenaugmented towards him. Cities have taken him fortheir patron and protector; altars have been erected,and incessant vows have been made to him; men havevisited his tomb with more devotion than ever; andthe chamber wherein he was born, has been convertedinto a chapel, to which pilgrims have resorted ingreat crowds, from all the quarters of the world.

For the rest, it was not in vain that they invokedhim; and if I should take upon me to relate the miracleswhich have been lately done through his intercession,they would take up another volume as large as this.Neither shall I go about to make a recital of whatthings were wrought in succeeding years at Potamo,and Naples; but shall content myself to say, thatin those places God was pleased to honour his servantby the performance of such wonders as might seem incredible,if those which preceded had not accustomed us to believeall things of St Xavier.

I shall even forbear to speak of the famous FatherMastrilli, who, being in the agony of death, was curedon the instant by the saint; and who, going to Japanby the order of the saint himself, to be there martyred,built him a magnificent sepulchre at Goa. It isenough for us to know, that never saint has been,perhaps, more honoured, nor more loved, in the church,than St Francis Xavier; and that even the enemies ofthe Society of Jesus have had a veneration and tendernessfor him.

But these opinions are not confined to Catholics alone;the very heretics revere Xavier, and Baldeus speaksof him in these terms, in his History of the Indies:“If the religion of Xavier agreed with ours,we ought to esteem and reverence him as another StPaul; yet, notwithstanding the difference of religion,his zeal, his vigilance, and the sanctity of his manners,ought to stir up all good men, not to do the work ofGod negligently; for the gifts which Xavier had received,to execute the office of a minister and ambassadorof Jesus Christ, were so eminent, that my soul isnot able to express them. If I consider the patienceand sweetness wherewith he presented, both to greatand small, the holy and living waters of the gospel;if I regard the courage wherewith he suffered injuriesand affronts; I am forced to cry out, with the apostle,Who is capable, like him, of these wonderful things!”Baldeus concludes the panegyric of the saint, withan apostrophe to the saint himself: “Mightit please Almighty God,” says he, “thatbeing what you have been, you had been, or would havebeen, one of ours.”

Richard Hackluyt, also a Protestant, and, which ismore, a minister of England, commends Xavier withoutrestriction:[1] “Sancian,” says he, “isan island in the confines of China, and near the portof Canton, famous for the death of Francis Xavier,that worthy preacher of the gospel, and that divineteacher of the Indians, in what concerns religion;who, after great labours, after many injuries, andinfinite crosses, undergone with great patience andjoy, died in a cabin, on a desart mountain, on thesecond of September, in the year 1552, destitute ofall worldly conveniences, but accumulated with allsorts of spiritual blessings; having first made knownJesus Christ to many thousands of those Eastern people."[2]The modern histories of the Indies are filled withthe excellent virtues, and miraculous operations,of that holy man.

[Footnote 1: “The principal Navigations,Voyages, Discoveries, &c. of the English, &c.”second part of the second volume.]

[Footnote 2: The reader is referred to the originalEnglish for the words themselves; the translator nothaving the work by him.]

Monsieur Tavernier, who is endued with all the probitywhich a man can have, without the true religion, makesa step farther than these two historians, and speakslike a Catholic: “St Francis Xavier,”says he, “ended in this place his mission, togetherwith his life, after he had established the Christianfaith, with an admirable progress in all places throughwhich he passed, not only by his zeal, but also byhis example, and by the holiness of his manners.He had never been in China, but there is great probability,that the religion which he had established in theisle of Niphon, extended itself into the neighbouringcountries; and multiplyed by the cares of that holyman, who by a just title may be called the St Pauland true apostle of the Indies.”

As to what remains, if Xavier was endued with allapostolical virtues, does it not follow, that thereligion which he preached, was that of the apostles?Is there the least appearance, that a man, who waschosen by God to destroy idolatry and impiety in thenew world, should be himself an idolater and a wickedman, in adoring Jesus Christ upon the altars, in invokingof the Holy Virgin, in engaging himself to God by vows,in desiring indulgences from the Pope, in using thesign of the cross and holy-water for the cure of thesick, in praying and saying masses for the dead? infine, is it possible to believe, that this holy man,this new apostle, this second St Paul, continued allhis life in the way of perdition, and, instead ofenjoying at this present time the happiness of thesaints, endures the torments of the damned? Letus then pronounce, concluding this work as we beganit, that the life of St Francis Xavier is an authentictestimony of the truth of the gospel; and that we cannotstrictly observe what God has wrought by the ministryof his servant, without a full satisfaction in thispoint, that the catholic, apostolic, and Roman church,is the church of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

END OF THE SIXTEENTH VOLUME.

* * * * *

The works of John Dryden, $c now first collected in eighteen volumes. $p Volume 16 eBook (2024)

The works of John Dryden, $c now first collected in eighteen volumes. $p Volume 16 by John Dryden

MADAM,

THE AUTHOR’S ADVERTIsem*nT TO THE READER.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK I.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK II.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK III.

BOOK IV.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK V.

THE LIFE OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER.

BOOK VI.

END OF THE SIXTEENTH VOLUME.

References