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

The child discoursed on other subjects, and spoke with so much reason, and with that sublimity of thought, that the Father doubted not but he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, who, when he pleases, can replenish the souls of infants with wisdom, and give eloquence to their tongues, before nature has ripened in them the use of reason.

In these entertainments, which were surprising to all the assistants, they passed into another hall, where there were many gentlemen richly habited, and of good mein. At the moment when the Father entered, all of them bowed with reverence; which action they repeated thrice, and so very low, that they touched the ground with their foreheads, as the Japonese are very dextrous at that exercise. And this reverence, which they call Gromenare, is only performed by the son 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: "May your arrival, holy Father Bonza, be as pleasing to our 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, that every thing, even to the very walls, which seem to dance for joy at your desired presence, conspires to your good reception, and excites us to rejoice at your arrival; we doubt not but it will turn to the glory of that God. of whom you have spoken so greatly at Amanguchi." This compliment being ended, these young lords were following the Father; but the child of whom we made mention, and whom Xavier led by the hand, made a sign to them, that they should go no farther. They mounted on a terrace bordered with orange trees, and from thence entered into another hall, more spacious than either of the former. Facharandono, the king's brother, was there, with a magnificent retinue. Having done to the saint all the civilities which are practised to the greatest of Japan, he told him, "that this day was the most solemn and auspicious of all the year for the court of Bungo; and that his lord the king esteemed himself more rich and happy to have him in his palace, than if he were master of all the silver contained in the two-and-thirty treasuries of China. In the mean time," added the prince, "I wish you an increase of glory, and an entire accomplishment of that design, which brought you hither from the extremities of the earth."

Then the child, who had hitherto been the master of the ceremonies to the Father, left him in the hands of Facharandono, and retired apart. They entered into the king's antichamber, where the principal lords of the kingdom were attending him. After he had been received by them with all possible civilities, he was at last introduced to his audience in a chamber which glittered with gold on every side. The king, who was standing, advanced five or six paces at the first appearance of the Father, and bowed himself even to the ground thrice successively, at which action all the company were in great amazement. Xavier, on his side, prostrated himself before that prince, and would have touched his foot, according to the custom of the country, but the king would not permit him, and himself raised up the saint; then taking him by the hand, he caused him to sit down by him on the same estrade. The prince, his brother, was seated somewhat lower; and the Portuguese were placed over against them, accompanied by the most qualified persons of the court. The king immediately said all the obliging things to the Father which could be expected from a well-bred man; and, laying aside all the pomp of majesty, which the kings of Japan are never used to quit in public, treated him with the kindness and familiarity of a friend. The Father answered all these civilities of the prince with a most profound respect, and words full of deference and submission; after which, taking occasion to declare Jesus Christ to him, he explained, in few words, the principal maxims of Christian morality; but he did it after so plausible a manner, that at the conclusion of his discourse, the king cried out in a transport of admiration, "How can any man learn from God these profound secrets? Why has he suffered us to live in blindness, and this Bonza of Portugal to receive these wonderful illuminations? For, in fine, we ourselves are witnesses of what we had formerly by report; and all we hear is maintained by proofs so strong and evident, and withal so conformable to the light of nature, that whoever would examine these doctrines, according to the rules of reason, will find that truth will issue out, and meet him on every side, and that no one proposition destroys another. It is far otherwise with our Bonzas; they cannot make any discourse without the clashing of their own principles; and from thence it happens, that the more they speak, the more they entangle themselves. Confused in their knowledge, and yet more confused in the explication of what they teach, rejecting to day as false what yesterday they approved for true; contradicting themselves, and recanting their opinions every moment, insomuch, that the clearest head, and the most ready understanding, can comprehend nothing of their doctrine; and in relation to eternal happiness, we are always left in doubt what we should believe; a most manifest token that they only follow the extravagancies of their own fancies, and have not, for the rule and foundation of their faith, any permanent and solid truth."

In this manner spoke the king; and it was easy to judge by the vehemence of his action, that he spoke from the abundance of his heart. There was present a Bonza, very considerable in his sect, and of good knowledge, but too presuming of his understanding, and as much conceited of his own abilities as any pedant in the world. This Bonza, whose name was Faxiondono, either jealous of the honour of his profession, or taking to himself in particular what the king had said of all in general, was often tempted to have interrupted him, yet he mastered his passion till the king had done; but then losing all manner of respect, and not keeping any measures of decency, "How dare you," said he, "decide matters relating to religion; you who have never studied in the university of Fianzima, the only place where the sacred mysteries of the gods are explicated? If you know nothing of yourself, consult the learned. I am here in person to instruct you."

The insolence of the Bonza raised the indignation of all the company, the king excepted, who, smiling, commanded him to proceed, if he had more to say. Faxiondono growing more arrogant by this moderation of his prince, began raising his note by extolling the profession of a Bonza: "That nothing was more certain than that the Bonzas were the favourites of heaven, both observing the law themselves, and causing it to be observed by others; that they passed the longest nights, and the severest colds, in praying for their benefactors; that they abstained from all sensual pleasures; that fresh fish never came upon their tables; that they administered to the sick, instructed the children, comforted the distressed, reconciled enemies, appeased seditions, and pacified kingdoms; that, which was first and chiefest, they gave letters of exchange for another life, by which the dead became rich in heaven; that, in fine, the Bonzas were the familiar friends of the stars, and the confidents of the saints; that they were privileged to converse with them by night, to cause them to descend from heaven, to embrace them in their arms, and enjoy them as long as they desired." These extravagancies set all the company in a laughter; at which the Bonza was so enraged, that he flew out into greater passion, till the king commanded his brother to impose silence on him; after which, he caused his seat to be taken from under him, and commanded him to withdraw, telling him, by way of raillery, "That his choler was a convincing proof of a Bonza's holiness;" and then seriously adding, "That a man of his character had more commerce with hell than heaven." At these words, the Bonza cried out with excess of rage, "The time will come, when no man of this world shall be worthy enough to serve me; there is not that monarch now breathing on the face of the earth, but shall be judged too vile to touch the hem of my garment." He meant, when he was to be transformed into one of their deities, and that God and he should be mixed into one divinity, which is the reward of a Bonza after death. Though the king could not hear his madness without smiling, yet he had so much compassion on his folly, that he took 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 capable of hearing reason. Then the king said only to Faxiondono, "That he should go and do penance for the pride and insolence of his speech, wherein he 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 at the chamber door, and ready to go out, "May the gods," said he aloud, "dart their fire from heaven to consume thee, and burn to ashes all those kings who shall presume to speak like thee!"

The king and Xavier prosecuted their discourse on several articles of religion till dinner time; when the meat was on the table, the king invited the Father to eat with him. Xavier excused himself with all possible respect, but that prince would absolutely have it so. "I know well," said he, "my friend and father, that you are not in want of my table; but, if you were a Japanner, as we are, you would understand, that a king cannot give those he favours a greater sign of his good will, than in permitting them to eat with him; for which reason, as I love you, and am desirous of shewing it, you must needs dine with me; and farther, I assure you, that I shall receive a greater honour by it, than I bestow." Then Xavier, with a low reverence, kissing his scymitar, which is a mark of most profound respect, much practised in Japan, said thus to him: "I petition the God of heaven, from the bottom of my heart, to reward your majesty for all the favours you have heaped on me, by bestowing on you the light of faith, and the virtues of Christianity, to the end you may serve God faithfully during your life, and enjoy him eternally after death." The king embraced him, and desired of God, on his side, that he would graciously hear the saint's request, yet on this condition, that they might remain together in heaven, and never be divided from each other, that they might have the opportunity of long conversations, and of discoursing to the full of divine matters. At length they sat to dinner: while they were eating, the Portuguese, and all the lords of the court, were on their knees, together with the chief inhabitants of the town, amongst whom were also some Bonzas, who were enraged in their hearts; but the late example of Faxiondono hindered them from breaking into passion.

These honours which Xavier received from the king of Bungo, made him so considerable, and gave him so great a reputation with the people, that being at his lodgings with the Portuguese, they came thronging from all quarters to hear him speak of God. His public sermons, and his private conversations, had their due effect. Vast multitudes of people, from the very first, renounced their idols, and believed in Jesus Christ. The saint employed whole days together in baptising of idolaters, or in teaching new believers; so that the Portuguese could not enjoy him to themselves for their own spiritual consolation, unless at some certain hours of the night, while he was giving himself some breathing time after his long labours. Loving him so tenderly as they did, and fearing that his continual pains might endanger his health, they desired him to manage it with more caution, and to take at least those refreshments which human nature exacted from him, before he sunk at once under some distemper. But he answered them, "That if they truly loved him, they would trouble themselves no more concerning him; that they ought to look on him 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 devil those precious souls, for whose sake chiefly God had called 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 famous Bonza, of Canafama, called Sacay Ecran. This Bonza, who was very learned, and a great pillar of his sect, seeing that none of his brethren durst attempt Xavier on the matter of religion, undertook a public disputation with him. The conference Avas made in a principal place of the town, in presence of a great multitude. Scarcely had Xavier made an end of explaining the Christian doctrine, when the Bonza grew sensible of his errors. The infidel, notwithstanding, went on to oppose those truths, of which he had already some imperfect glimpse; but being at length convinced, by the powerful reasons of his adversary, and inwardly moved by God's good spirit, he fell on his knees, and lifting up his hands towards heaven, he pronounced aloud these words, Math tears 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 thou art God eternal and omnipotent; and I earnestly desire the pardon of all my auditors, that I have so often taught them things for truth, which I acknowledge, and at this present declare before them, were only forgeries and fables."

An action which was so surprising, moved the minds of all the assistants; and it was in the power of Father Xavier to have baptized that very day five hundred persons, who, being led by the example of the Bonza of Canafama, all of them earnestly desired baptism. He might perhaps have done this in the Indies, where there were no learned men to oppose the mysteries of our faith, and to tempt the fidelity of the new converts by captious queries. But he judged this not to be practicable in Japan, where the Bonzas, not being able to hinder the conversion of idolaters, endeavoured afterwards to regain them by a thousand lying artifices and sophistications; and it appeared necessary to him, before he baptized those who were grown up to manhood, to fortify them well against the tricks of those seducers.

Accordingly, the saint disposed the souls of those Gentiles by degrees to this first sacrament, and began with the reformation of their manners, chusing rather not to baptize the king of Bungo, than to precipitate his baptism; or rather he thought, that his conversion would be always speedy enough, provided it were sincere and constant. Thus, the great care of Father Xavier, in relation to the prince, was to give him an aversion to those infamous vices which had been taught him by the Bonzas, and in which he lived without scruple, upon the faith of those his masters. Now the king, attending with great application to the man of God, and having long conversations with him, began immediately to change his life, and to give the demonstrations of that change. From the very fist, he banished out of his chamber a beautiful youth, who was his minion, and also forbade him the entry of his palace. He gave bountifully to the poor, to whom he had formerly been hard-hearted, as thinking it was a crime to pity them, and an act of justice to be cruel to them, according to the doctrine of his Bonzas, who maintained, that poverty not only made men despicable and ridiculous, but also criminal, and worthy of the severest punishments. According to the principles of the same doctors, women with child were allowed to make themselves miscarry by certain potions, and even to murder those children whom they brought 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, to save the charges of their food and education, others to avoid the miseries attending poverty, and many to preserve the reputation of chastity, however debauched and infamous they were. The king, by the admonition of the Father, forbade those cruelties on pain of death. He made other edicts against divers Pagan ceremonies, which were lascivious or dishonest, and suffered not the Bonzas to set a foot within his palace. As to what remains, he was wrapt in admiration at the virtue of the holy man; and confessed often to his courtiers, that when he saw him appear at any time, he trembled even to the bottom of his heart, because he seemed to see the countenance of the man of God, as a clear mirror, representing to him the abominations of his life.

While Xavier had this success at the court of Bungo, Cosmo de Torrez, and John Fernandez, suffered for the faith at Amanguchi. After the departure of the saint, the whole nation of the Bonzas rose against them, and endeavoured to confound them in regular disputes; flattering themselves with this opinion, that the companions of Xavier were not so learned as himself, and judging on the other side, that the least advantage which they should obtain against them, would re-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 to withstand his arguments, they endeavoured to decry him by their calumnies, spreading a report, that the companions of the great European Bonza cut the throats of little children by night, sucked their blood, and eat their flesh; that the devil had declared, by the mouth of an idol, that these two Europeans were his disciples; and that it was himself who had instructed them in those subtle answers which one of them had returned in their public disputations. Besides this, some of the Bonzas made oath, that they had seen a devil darting flakes of fire like thunder and lightning against the palace of the king, as a judgment, so they called it, against those who had received into the town these preachers of an upstart faith. But perceiving that none of these inventions took place according to their desires, and that the people, instead of giving credit to their projects, made their sport at them, partly in revenge, and partly to verify their visions, they engaged in their interests a lord of 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 ill usage at court, and farther heightened by motives of religion and interest, raised an army in less than three 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 him battle, nor provided to sustain a siege, and who feared all things from his subjects, of whom he was extremely hated, lost his courage to that degree, that lie looked on death as his only remedy; for, apprehending above all things the ignominy of falling alive into the power of rebels, pushed on by a barbarous despair, he first murdered his son, and then ript up his own belly with a knife, having beforehand left order with one of his faithful servants to burn their bodies so soon as they were dead, and not to leave so much as 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 the Bonzas, searched for Torrez and Fernandez, to have massacred them: And both of them had perished without mercy, if the wife of Neatondono, of whom formerly we have made mention, and who, though continuing a Pagan, yet had so great a kindness for Xavier, that, for his sake, she kept them hidden in her palace till the public tranquillity was restored; for, as these popular commotions are of the nature of storms, which pass away, and that so much the more speedily, as they had been more violent, the town resumed her former countenance in the space of some few days.

The heads of the people being assembled for the election of a new king, by common consent pitched on the brother of the king of Bungo, a young prince, valiant of his person, and born for great atchievements. Immediately they sent a solemn embassy to that prince, and presented to him the crown of Amanguchi. The court of Bungo celebrated the election of the new king with great magnificence, while Xavier was yet residing at Fucheo. The saint himself rejoiced the more at this promotion, because he looked, on this wonderful revolution, which was 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 the beginning, had a kind of assurance, that this turn of state would conduce to the advantage of the faith: for having desired the king of Bungo, that he would recommend to the prince his brother the estate of Christianity in 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 as the king his brother.

Xavier had been forty days at Fucheo when the Portuguese merchants were in a readiness to set sail for China, according to the measures which they had taken. All necessary preparations being made, he accompanied them to take his leave of the king of Bungo. That prince told the merchants, that he envied them the company of the saint; that, in losing him, he seemed to have lost his father; and that the thought of never seeing him again, most sensibly afflicted him.

Xavier kissed his hand with a profound reverence, and told him, that he would return to wait on his majesty as soon as possibly he could; that he would keep him inviolably in his heart; and that in acknowledgement of all his favours, he should continually send up his prayers to heaven, that God would shower on him his celestial blessings.

The king having taken him aside, as to say something in private to him, Xavier laid hold on that opportunity, and gave him most important counsel for the salvation of his soul. He advised him above all things to bear in mind how soon the greatness and pomp of this present life will vanish away; that life is but short in its own nature; that we scarcely have begun to live, before death comes on; and if he should not die a Christian, nothing less was to be expected than eternal misery; that, on the contrary, whoever, being truly faithful, should persevere in the grace of baptism, should have right to an everlasting inheritance with the Son of God, as one of his beloved children. He desired him also to consider what was become of so many kings and emperors of Japan; what advantage was it to them to have sat upon the throne, and wallowed in pleasures for so many years, being now burning in an abyss of fire, which was to last to all eternity. What madness was it for a man to condemn his own soul to endless punishments, that his body might enjoy a momentary satisfaction; that there was no kingdom, nor empire, though the universal monarchy of the world should be put into the balance, whose loss was not to be accounted gain, if losing them, we acquired an immortal crown in heaven; that these truths, which were indisputable, had been concealed from his forefathers, and even from all the Japonians, by the secret judgment of Almighty God, and for the punishment of their offences; that, for his own particular, he ought to provide for that account, which he was to render of himself, how much more guilty would he appear in God's presence, if the Divine Providence having conducted from the ends of the earth, even into his own palace, a minister of the gospel, to discover to him the paths of happiness, he should yet continue wildered and wandering in the disorders of his life. "Which the Lord avert," continued Xavier; "and may it please him to hear the prayers which day and night I shall pour out for your conversion. I wish it with an unimaginable ardour, and assure you, that wheresoever I shall be, the most pleasing news which can be told me, shall be to hear that the king of Bungo is become a Christian, and that he lives according to the maxims of Christianity."

This discourse made such impressions on the king, and so melted into his heart, that the tears came thrice into his eyes; but those tears were the only product of it at that time, so much that prince, who had renounced those impurities, which are abhorred by nature, was still fastened to some other sensual pleasures. And it was not till after some succeeding years, that, having made more serious reflections on the wholesome admonitions of the saint, he reformed his life for altogether, and in the end received baptism.

Xavier having taken leave of the king, returned to the port of Figen, accompanied by the merchants, who were to set sail within few days after. The departure of the saint was joyful to the Bonzas, but the glory of it was a great abatement to their pleasure. It appeared to them, that all the honours he had received redounded to their shame; and that after such an affront, they should remain eternally blasted in the opinion of the people, if they did not wipe it out with some memorable vengeance. Being met together, to consult on a business which so nearly touched them, they concluded, that their best expedient was to raise a rebellion in Fucheo, as they had done at Amanguchi, and flesh the people by giving up to them the ship of the Portuguese merchants, first to be plundered, then burned, and the proprietors themselves to be destroyed. In consequence of this, if fortune favoured them, to attempt the person of the king, and having dispatched him, to conclude their work by extinguishing the royal line. As Xavier was held in veneration in the town, even amongst the most dissolute idolaters, they were of opinion they did nothing, if they did not ruin 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 written of him, but what they themselves had newly invented; "That he was the most wicked of mankind; an enemy of the living and the dead; his practice being to dig up the carcases of the buried, for the use of his 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, and from thence proceeded these new vagaries in his understanding and all his inclinations; but that, in case he came not out of that fit of madness, it should cost him no less than his crown and life: That Amida and Xaca, two powerful and formidable gods, had sworn to make an example of him and of his subjects; that therefore the people, if they were wise, should prevent betimes the wrath of those offended deities, by revenging their honour on that impostor of a Bonza, and these European pirates who made their idol of him." The people were too well persuaded of the holiness of Xavier, to give credence to such improbable stories as were raised of him; and all the Bonzas could say against him, served only to increase the public hatred against themselves. Thus despairing of success amongst the multitude, they were forced to take another course, to destroy him in the good opinion of the king.

About twelve leagues distant from the town there was a famous monastery of the Bonzas, the superior of which was one Fucarandono, esteemed the greatest scholar and most accomplished in all the learning of Japan: he had read lectures of the mysteries of their divinity for the space of thirty years, in the most renowned university of the kingdom. But however skilled he was in all sciences, his authority was yet greater than his knowledge: men listened to him as to the oracle of Japan, and an implicit faith was given to all he said. The Bonzas of Fucheo were persuaded, that if they could bring him to the town, and set him up against Xavier, in presence of the court, they should soon recover their lost honour; such confidence they had of a certain victory over the European doctor. On this account they writ to Fucarandono, with all the warmness of an earnest invitation, and sent him word. "That if he would give himself the trouble of this little journey, to revenge the injury they 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 of science, but his inferiors and scholars. He entered the palace at that point of time when Xavier, and the Portuguese, had audience of the king, for their last farewell, being to embark the next morning. Before the king had dismissed them, he was informed that Fucarandono desired to kiss his hand, in presence of the Portuguese Bonza. At the name of Fucarandono the king was a little nonplused, and stood silent for some time, suspecting that he came to challenge Father Xavier to a disputation, and devising in himself some means of breaking off this troublesome affair, as he afterwards acknowledged. For whatever good opinion he had of the saint's abilities, yel he could not think him strong enough to encounter so formidable an adversary; and therefore, out of his kindness to him, was not willing to expose him to a disgrace in public. Xavier, who perceived the king's perplexity, and imagined from whence it might proceed, begged earnestly of his majesty to give the Bonza leave of entrance, and also free permission of speaking: "for, as to what concerns me," said the Father, "you need not give yourself the least disquiet: the law I preach is no earthly science, taught in any of our universities, nor a human invention; it is a doctrine altogether heavenly, of which God himself is the only teacher. Neither all the Bonzas of Japan, nor yet all the scholars extant in the world, can prevail against it, any more than the shadows of the night against the beams of the rising sun."