The Works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16

"Live so well with the Portuguese commandants, that no misunderstanding be ever perceived betwixt you 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 they should bring you into law, or quarrel with you without the least provocation on your part. If they use the new Christians hardly, oppose them, but with much mildness; and, if you find your opposition may be likely to succeed, make your complaint to the Portuguese commandant, with whom I once again beseech you never to have any difference.

"Let your conversation with the Portuguese be always confined to spiritual subjects; of death, of judgment, of purgatory, of hell, of the frequentation of sacraments, and the exact observation of God's commandments; for, if you never speak to them but concerning these matters, they will never rob you of those hours which are set apart for your function.

"Fail not to write to Goa, to the fathers and brothers of our society, giving them an account of the fruit of your labours, and proposing to them what you think may be to the advancement of piety. You shall write also to the bishop, but with much reverence 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, that whatsoever voyage you make, and wheresoever you shall be, you shall endeavour to gain the love of all people, by your good offices and fair demeanour, by which means you will have greater opportunities for the gaining of souls, which God Almighty grant you all the 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 before his return to Goa. His design was to gather the fruit of that precious blood which two years before was shed by the king of Jafanatapan; or, at least, to see what inclination those people had to receive the 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, destroyed almost all hopes of planting Christianity in that isle. Notwithstanding which, Xavier converted the king of Candè, who is one of the kings of Ceylon. After which he went to the tyrant, who had treated the Christians with so much cruelty, to try if he could work him, though against all human appearances, to suffer the law of Jesus Christ to be preached in his dominions, and to bring him also to be a Christian.

As reasons of state prevail most with princes, so the Father represented to this infidel, that his throne could never he established but by the arms of the Portuguese; that, if he once contracted with them a strict alliance, he had nothing farther to apprehend, either from his enemies or his subjects. The barbarian, who feared all things, both from within and from without, forgetting that Don Alphonso de Sosa would have made war upon him in favour of the two baptized princes, hearkened to the propositions of peace, and even permitted the Father to explain to him the mysteries of the Christian faith. The instructions of the saint wrought so much upon the tyrant, that being changed, in a very short space of time, he promised to embrace the faith, and labour to bring his subjects into it; offering for the pledge of his word, to put his kingdom into the hands of the king of Portugal, and to pay him such tribute as should be thought fitting, without any farther demand in his own behalf, than of two things. The one was, that the governor of the Indies should conclude a firm alliance with him, as he had clone with other Indian kings, who had made themselves vassals to the crown of Portugal; the other, that, in order to hinder those revolts and troubles which might arise from the change of religion, he might have a company of Portuguese soldiers, to be entertained at his own charges.

Father Xavier, well satisfied to have thus succeeded beyond his expectations, set sail for Goa, with an ambassador of the infidel king, and arrived there on March the 20th, in the year 1548. Understanding there, that the viceroy Don John de Castro was at Bazain, towards the gulph of Cambaya, he embarked anew, notwithstanding that the season was improper for navigation; as judging that a business of such consequence could not be too soon concluded, and that delays frequently ruined the most hopeful affairs. Castro had never seen Xavier, but all he had heard related of him, gave him an earnest longing to behold him. He received him with all those honours which are due to a saint at the first meeting, and willingly accepted what the king of Jafanatapan had offered, on the conditions above mentioned; but he retained for some time the man of God, both to hear him preach, and to consult him on some difficult affairs, where the interests of state and those of religion were joined together.

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

The stay which Xavier made at Bazain was not unprofitable to a young man of quality, who was much debauched, called Rodrigue Segueyra, whom he had known two years before. For Segueyra having committed a murder at Malacca, when the Father made his first voyage to the town, retired into the hospital, to avoid the pursuit of justice. There it was that the Father knew him, and grew into his familiarity, by his engaging ways of mildness and courtesy, which always succeeded with him. When he had gained the affection of Segueyra, he spoke to him of eternity with so much power, that the young gentleman entered into serious thoughts, 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 obtained his pardon from the governor of Malacca; but seeing the soft and dissolute manner of living in Malacca was capable of ruining all his good intentions, he advised him to leave the Indies, and return into Europe. Segueyra, who was sensible of his own weakness, and desired to save his soul, promised the Father to obey him, and put himself into a condition of executing his promise. In effect, he took the way of Goa, with design from thence to go for Portugal. But being made a receiver of the public revenues by the viceroy Don John de Castro, he thought no more of Portugal, but relapsed into his first debauches.

Xavier was wholly lost to his remembrance when he happened to meet him at Bazain. The sight of the Father surprised him at first, and almost confounded him; but straight recovering, he came up boldly to him, and took his hand, to have kissed it according to his former custom. The Father, as courteous and 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 return to Portugal?"

The Portuguese, in great disorder, and not knowing how to excuse himself, laid all the blame upon the governor, who had detained him, in some sort, against his will. "But," replied Xavier, with a holy indignation, "is it the governor who has obliged you to lead the life of a beast, and to continue 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. He confessed himself the same day; and wholly changed his life, under his direction, whom God had sent to bring him back into a better way.

Don John de Castro, who was desirous of profiting by the Father's counsels for the regulation of his own life, would have been glad to have retained him longer; but, seeing him resolved on going, gave him leave to depart; yet, begging him at the same time, that he would pass the winter at Goa, that, after his own return thither, he might use his assistance in the affairs of his conscience.

The Father returned very seasonably for the good of Cosmo de Torrez, a Spanish priest, and native of Valentia, one of the greatest wits, and most knowing persons of that age. Torrez was embarked on the fleet which came from Mexico to the Molucca islands; and which 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 manner of life, that he had thoughts of becoming his disciple. But, besides that the labours which are inseparable from the ministry apostolical somewhat shocked him, he judged, that he ought to undertake nothing but by the 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 presented himself to the bishop, who, being in want of spiritual substitutes, gave him one of the chief vicariats of his diocese. Torrez was of opinion, that God required nothing farther of him; and for the space of four or five months, performed all the functions of that office, which the bishop had given him in charge. But the continual disquiets of his soul rendered him suspicious of his own condition, and brought him to believe, that God had punished him, for not following the new apostle of the East.

Being one day much troubled in his mind, he went to the college of St Paul, and opened himself to Father Lancilotti, desiring him to unfold to him the nature of that institute, with which he was so much taken, by seeing Father Xavier at Amboyna. As some interior motions had of late pushed him on to the performance of somewhat that was great, and of suffering all things for the glory of Jesus Christ, he found the institute of Ignatius so conformable to the present dispositions of 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 so much comfort from above, that he believed himself in heaven already. He could not sufficiently admire, that those plain and easy truths, which he had often read without any taste of them, should make such lively impressions in him, as now they did. And he discovered this to Lancilotti, with expressions full of astonishment. Nevertheless, being affrighted at the prospect of a perpetual engagement, and perhaps tempted by the devil, he could not settle to it, and was every day more and more irresolute.

Xavier arrived just at that point of time. He had scarcely seen Torrez, when behold a man, fixed on the sudden, and resolved, and pressing to be received amongst the children of Ignatius. The apostle received him, and took pains himself to form him, according to the spirit of the society. He also admitted some Portuguese, who had great talents for the mission, and were inflamed with the zeal of souls.

They lived together in the college of St Paul, where that fervour reigned, not only amongst the Jesuits, but also amongst those of the seminary, whose number increased daily. The Japonese, Anger, was amongst them, leading a most regular life, and breathing after that baptism, which had been deferred till the return of the holy man.

Xavier did not satisfy himself with having instructed him 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 same instruction, 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 the most remote nation in the world, on the same day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit, descending on the apostles, gave them their mission to carry the gospel to all the people of the earth.

Anger was desirous to be named Paul de Sainte Foi, in memory of the college belonging to the Society of Jesus, where he had received the particular knowledge of the divine law, which was sometimes called the College of St Paul, and sometimes the Seminary of the Holy Faith. One of his servants took the name of John, and the other of Anthony. In receiving baptism, he received the peace of soul which he never could obtain before; and writ word of it to Rome, the same year, in a letter to Father Ignatius, dated November the 25th.

But to the end, that the new converts might have the true principles of Christian morality, and that their behaviour might be answerable to their belief, Father Xavier intrusted Torrez with giving them the spiritual exercises of the society.

During the thirty days that these Japonians were in retirement, it is not to be expressed, what celestial illuminations, what holy thoughts, what interior delights, the Holy Spirit infused into them. Anger could speak of nothing but of God; and spoke of Him with so much fervency, that it seemed even to burn him up. The mystery of the passion moved him above all the rest; and he was so ravished with the goodness of God, so possessed with love, in considering a God crucified, that he breathed nothing but martyrdom, and the salvation of his brethren. So that he was often heard to cry out, in the midst of his devotions, "How glad should I be to die for thee, O my God! O my dear Japonians, how much are you to be lamented, and what compassion do you raise in me!"

The master and servants came out of their retirement with so much ardour, that Xavier wrote into Europe, that he was animated by their example to the service of God, and that he could not look on them without blushing at his own cowardice.

In conversing with them, he understood what he had formerly learnt by hearsay, from George Alvarez, and other Portuguese, that the empire of Japan was one of the most populous in the world; that the Japonese were naturally curious, and covetous of knowledge, and withal docible, and of great capacity; that being generally ingenious, and very rational, if they were instructed in the morals of Christianity, they would easily submit to them; and that, if the preachers of the gospel lived according to gospel rules, the whole nation would subject itself to the yoke of Jesus Christ, not perhaps so readily at first, but in process of time, and after clearing of their doubts.

There needed no more to induce Xavier to carry the faith 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; and the Portuguese merchants newly returned from Japan, confirmed it so fully to him, that in these three he had the pattern of the whole nation, that he doubted not, but that the Christian religion would make an admirable progress there. But that which Anger told him, that there were in his country many monasteries of Heathen priests; that some of them led their lives in solitude and contemplation; that every monastery had its superior, who was a person venerable for his age and learning; that they came abroad from their lonely abode once a week, with mortified looks, and uncouth habits, to preach to the people; that, in their sermons, they drew such lively figures of hell, that the women wept, and cried out at those dismal representations: All this, I say, appeared to Xavier as so many doors and inlets for the faith; and he praised God, that, by the admirable conduct of his providence, which secretly manages the salvation of men, the spirit of lies had thus prepared the ways for the spirit of truth.

He adored also the wisdom of the same Providence, which, taking the occasion of a man who fled from justice, and sought repose for his troubled conscience, had led three Japonians from their native country, and brought them to Goa, that they might serve for guides to a missioner; but, that these guides might be the more serviceable, he thought fit they should learn to read and write in the Portuguese language. Anger, whom from henceforth we shall name Paul de Sainte Foy, was easily instructed in all they taught him; for, besides that he was of a quick and lively apprehension, he had so happy a memory, that he got by heart almost all the gospel of St Matthew, which Father Cosmo de Torrez had expounded to him before his baptism.

In the mean time, Don John de Castro was rigging out a fleet, with design to possess himself of Aden, one of the strongest towns of Arabia Felix, and situated at the foot of a high mountain, which reached even to the sea by a narrow tongue of earth. This port is of great importance to shut up the passage of the Indies to the Turks and Saracens, who go thither by the Red Sea; and from this consideration it was, that Albuquerque the Great endeavoured to have mastered it in the year 1513, but the vigorous resistance of 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, thereby to free themselves from the tyranny of the Turks. Yet it was not then done, through the fault of a captain called Soarez, who, having no orders to take possession of the town, was so weak a politician as to refuse it when it was offered to the crown of Portugal.

That people, whom the Turk used worse than ever, testified the same inclination under the government of Castro; and it was on that occasion that he sent a fleet towards the Strait of Mecca, under the command of his son Alvarez de Castro. Eight foysts of Goa, full of soldiers, set out for the expedition of Aden. Amongst these there was one very brave fellow, renowned for his military actions, but blackened with all sorts of crimes, and more infamous by his debauched manners, than known by his valour. He seemed a kind of savage beast, who had no more of man in him than the bare figure, nor any thing of a Christian besides the name. Above eighteen years he had abstained from confession; and that he once presented himself to the bishop of Goa, was less to reconcile himself to God, than to take off the imputation of being either a Mahometan or an idolater.

Father Xavier had cast an eye upon this wretch, and waited only an opportunity to labour in so difficult a conversion. Understanding that this soldier was embarking on one of the foysts, which were going to join the fleet, he went out of the college of St Paul, at the first notice of it, taking nothing with him besides his breviary, and entered into the same vessel. It was believed by those who saw the Father, that he had orders from the viceroy to accompany his son Alvarez; and every one was glad of it, excepting only he, for whose sake he came. He drew near the soldier, and when they had weighed anchor, began to make acquaintance with him, and grew familiar to that degree, that the rest of the soldiers, who were less debauched, could not sufficiently admire it; and some of them said of Xavier, what a Pharisee said formerly of our Lord, "If this man were indeed a prophet, he would discern what manner of man he was, in whom he 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 notice of his extravagancies, and sometimes heard him swear without seeming to regard it. Only one day he said to him, that gaming required a composed spirit, and if he took not the better heed, that passion, which he had in play, would make him lose.

The soldier, brutal as he was, grew insensibly to have a kindness for a man, who was so much concerned in his advantages, and took pleasure in hearing him discourse not only of war, and sea affairs, but also of religion and morality. In conclusion, he made some reflections on the horror of his life, and felt even some remorse of conscience for it. Being one day together with the Father, in a private part of the ship, Xavier asked him, to whom he had confessed himself before he went on shipboard? "Ah Father," said the soldier, "I have not been at confession these many years!" "And what do you imagine would become of you," said the holy man, "supposing you should be killed in this action, and in the condition you now are?" "I would once have confessed myself," replied the 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 nothing but hell-fire." "The vicar was, in my opinion," said Xavier, "somewhat too severe, to treat you in that manner. He had perhaps his reasons for that usage, and I have mine to treat you otherwise. For indeed the mercies of our Lord are infinite, and God would have us as indulgent to 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 crying than they are, I shall have the patience to hear them all, and shall make no difficulty of giving you absolution, provided you take those thoughts and resolutions which I shall endeavour to infuse into you."

By these words he brought the soldier to a general confession. He disposed him for it, by causing him to recal into his memory his past life, and drawing him into the particulars of those sins, which a man of his character and profession might possibly have committed. 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 together to a wild solitary place; there the soldier made his confession with abundance of tears, resolved to expiate his crimes, with whatsoever penance the Father should enjoin him, were it never so rigorous. But his confessor gave him only a paternoster and an ave to say. Whereat the penitent being much amazed, "from whence proceeds it, my Father," said he, "that, being so great a sinner as I am, you have given me so light a penance?" "Be content," answered Xavier; "O my son, we shall appease the divine justice: " and at the same instant, he withdrew into a wood, while the soldier performed his penance. There he did what he had formerly done on the like occasion: he bared his shoulders, and disciplined himself so rigorously, that the soldier heard the noise of the strokes, and came running to him, beholding the Father all in blood; and rightly judging what was the motive of so strange an action, he snatched the discipline out of his hands, and crying out, "it was the criminal who ought to endure the punishment, and not the innocent to bear the pains of sin;" he immediately stripped himself, and chastised his body with all his strength. Xavier oftentimes embraced him, and declared, that it was for his sake alone that he came on shipboard. So having given him wholesome admonitions to confirm him in the grace of God, he left him, and returned to Goa in the first vessel which went out of the port where they made the stay. As for the soldier, he followed the fleet; and after the expedition of Aden was ended, he entered into religion, chusing one of the most austere orders, where he lived and died in extraordinary holiness.

Not long after the Father was returned to Goa, the governor Don John de Castro returned also; but very ill of a hectic fever, which had been consuming him for some months before. Finding himself in a daily decay of health and strength, and doubting not the end of his life was near approaching, he quite laid aside all business, and substituted others to supply his place; after which his thoughts were wholly employed on death, and the great concernments of eternity. He had many long conversations with Father Xavier on that subject, and refused to see any one but him. During these transactions, a ship which came from Lisbon brought letters to the viceroy from the king of Portugal, who gave great praises to his management, and continued him for three years longer in the government of the Indies. As Don John was much beloved, so on this occasion public rejoicings were made over all the town. But the sick viceroy, hearing the discharge of the artillery, and seeing almost from his bed the bonfires that were made, could not forbear laughing at 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 three years continuance, when we have but a moment more to live!" The Father assisted him, even to the last drawing of his breath; and had the consolation to behold a great man of this world, expiring with the thoughts of a saint in holy orders.