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

They sailed along the coasts for the space of six days, and the navigation was prosperous till they made an island belonging to the king of Minaco, called Meleitor; from whence, crossing a strait, they put out into the main ocean. At that time the change of the moon altered the weather, and there blew a furious south wind, so that the pilot, with all his art, could not bear up against it. The tempest carried 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 appearance of sun or stars; insomuch that the mariners-were not able to take the elevation of the pole, and consequently not to know whereabouts they were. One day, towards the evening, the wind redoubled with so much fury, that the vessel had not power to break the waves, so high they went, and came on with so much violence. In this terrible conjuncture they thought fit to cut down the forecastle, that the ship might work the better; after which, they bound the sloop which followed with thick cables to the ship: but night coming on while they were thus employed, and being very dark, abundance of rain also falling at the same time, which increased the tempest, they could not draw out of the sloop five Portuguese and ten Indians, as well as 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 to appease the wrath of God; and he himself poured forth whole showers of tears before the face of the Almighty. When night was now at the darkest, a lamentable cry was heard, as of people just upon the brink of perishing, and calling out for succour. The noise came from the sloop, which the violence of the winds had torn off from the vessel, and which the waves were hurrying away. 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 saving his nephew, Alphonso Calvo, who was one of the five Portuguese in the sloop, the ship must certainly be lost, and himself with her. In effect, as it was difficult to steer the ship, when they would have turned her towards the sloop, she came across betwixt two mountains of water, which locked her up betwixt them; one of those waves fell upon the poop, and washed over the deck; and then it was that the whole company thought their business was done, and nothing but cries and 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, – the vessel ready to bulge, the seamen, the soldiers, and the passengers, all tumbling in confusion on each other, deploring their unhappy destiny, and expecting nothing but present death. Then the holy man, lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, said thus aloud, in the transport of his fervour, "O Jesus, thou love of my soul, succour us, I beseech thee, by those five wounds, which, for our sakes, thou hast suffered on the cross!" At that instant the ship, which already was sinking under water, raised herself aloft, without any visible assistance, and gained the surface of the waves. The mariners, encouraged by so manifest a miracle, so ordered the sails, that they had 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 shed tears for their lost companions. As for the Father, his greatest affliction was for two Mahometan slaves, whom he could not convert to Christianity: he sighed in thinking of their deplorable condition, but, in the midst of these anxious thoughts, entering into himself, or rather wholly recollecting himself in God, it came into his mind to intercede with Heaven for the protection of the sloop, in case it were not already lost. In this he followed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and his prayer was not yet ended when he perceived that it was heard: insomuch, that turning towards Edward de Gama, who was oppressed with sadness, "Afflict not yourself, my brother," said he with a cheerful countenance; "before three days are ended, the daughter will come back and find the mother." The captain was so buried in his grief, that he saw too little probability in what the Father said, to found any strong belief upon it; which notwithstanding, at break of day, he sent one up to the scuttle, to see if any thing were within ken; but nothing was discovered, saving the sea, 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 cheerfulness upon, his countenance; and having given the good day to the captain and pilot, and six or seven Portuguese who were in company, he enquired "if they had not yet seen the chalop?" they answered they had not: and, because he desired that some one might 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 another be lost: " he meant that it was impossible the same chalop should come again.

Xavier mildly reprehended Veglio for his little faith, and told him nothing was impossible to God. "The confidence which I have in the Divine mercy," said he, "gives me hope, that they whom I have put under the protection of the Holy Virgin, and for whose sake I have vowed to say three masses to our Lady of the Mountain, shall not perish." After this he urged Gama to send up to the scuttle for discovery: Gama, to satisfy the man of God, went 'up himself with a seaman, and after having looked round him for the space of half an hour, neither he nor the other could see any thing. In the mean time Xavier, whose stomach was turned with the tossing of the ship, and who had been two days and three nights without eating, was taken with a violent head-ach, and such a giddiness, that he could scarcely stand. One of the Portuguese merchants, called Ferdinand Mendez Pinto, desired him to repose a little while, and offered him his cabin; Xavier, who, by the spirit of mortification, usually lay upon the deck, accepted his courtesy; and desired this further favour, that the servant of this merchant, who was a Chinese, might watch before the door, that none might interrupt his rest.

The intention of the Father was not to give the least refreshment to his body; he set himself again to prayers, and it was affirmed by the Chinese servant, that from seven in the morning, when he retired, he had been constantly on his knees until the evening, groaning in the agony of his spirit, and shedding tears. He came out from his retirement after sunset, and once more enquired of the pilot, if they had not seen the chalop, which could not possibly be far distant. The pilot replied, that it was in vain to think of her, and that it was impossible for her to resist so furious a tempest; but in case that, by some wonderful accident, or rather by some miracle, she had been preserved, she must of necessity be at fifty leagues distance from the ship. It is the propriety of Christian confidence to remain unshaken and secure, when human reason leaves us destitute of hope. The Saint acknowledged the pilot to have spoken judiciously, and yet doubted not but the chalop would return. He constantly maintained that she could not be far off, and pressed him to send up to the scuttle before the dusk. The pilot, less out of complaisance to the Father, than out of his desire to undeceive him, went up himself, and could discover nothing. Xavier, without any regard to the affirmation of the pilot, instantly desired the captain to lower the sails, that the chalop might more easily come up with the ship. The authority of the holy man carried it, above the reasons of the pilot; the sail-yard was lowered, and a stop was made for almost three hours: but at length the passengers grew weary, as not being able any longer to bear the rolling of the ship, and one and all cried out to sail. The Father upbraided them with their impatience; and himself laid hold on the sail-yard, to hinder the seamen from spreading the sails; and leaning his head over it, broke out into sighs and sobbings, and poured out a deluge of tears.

He raised himself a little after, and keeping his eyes fixed on heaven, yet wet with tears, "O Jesus, my Lord and my God," said he, "I beseech thee, by thy holy passion, to have pity on those poor people, who are coming to us, through the midst of so many dangers." He composed himself, after he had uttered this, and continued leaning on the sail-yard, wholly silent for some time, as if he had been sleeping.

Then a little child, who was sitting at the foot of the mast, cried out on the sudden, "A miracle, a miracle, behold the chalop!" All the company gathered together at the cry, and plainly perceived the chalop within musket-shot. Nothing but shouts and exclamations of joy were heard, while she drew still nearer and nearer to the vessel. In the meantime, the greatest part fell down at the feet of Father Xavier, and, confessing they were sinners, unworthy the company of a man so holy, asked him pardon for their unbelief. But the Father, in great confusion for being treated in this manner, escaped out of their hands as soon as possibly he could, and shut himself up within the cabin, in conclusion, the chalop came up with the ship; and it was observed, that though the waves were in great agitation, she came right forward, without the least tossing, and stopped of herself. It was also taken notice of, that she continued without any motion till the fifteen men which she carried were entered the ship, and that the seamen had fastened her behind the poop. When they had embraced those men, whom so lately they had given for lost, every one was desirous of knowing their adventures; and were much surprised to understand, that they were come through the midst of the most horrible tempest which was ever seen, without any apprehension either of drowning or losing of their way; because, said they, Father Francis was our pilot, and his presence freed us even from the shadow of any fear. When the ship's company assured them, that the Father had been always with themselves, those of the chalop, who had beheld him constantly steering it, could not believe what had been told them. After some little dispute 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 on the minus of the two Saracen slaves who had been in the chalop, that they abjured their Mahometanism. The impatience of these fifteen men to behold their miraculous steersman, who had so happily brought them to the ship, and who vanished from their eyes at the same moment when they joined her, obliged Xavier to come out and shew himself. They would have saluted him as their protector, by prostrating themselves before him, but he would not suffer it: declaring to them, that it was the hand of the Lord, and not his, which had delivered them from shipwreck. At the same time, he rendered public thanks to God for so eminent a favour, and ordered the pilot to pursue his voyage, assuring him that he should have a good wind immediately. The pilot's experience of the sea did not promise him this sudden change; but this late deliverance of the chalop quickened his belief in the Father's words; and it was not long before he understood, that He, who commands the winds and seas, had authorised the holy man to make that prediction.

The sails were scarcely spread, when a north wind arising, the air cleared up, and the sea was immediately calmed. So that in thirteen days sailing, they arrived at the port of Sancian, where the Portuguese merchants of the ship had traffic. As the season of sailing in those seas was already almost past, there were remaining but two ships of the Indies in port, one of which belonged to James de Pereyra. The ship of Edward de Gama not being in condition to go on directly for Malacca without stopping by the way, and having need of refreshment at Sian, the saint went into the ship of his friend Pereyra. It was wonderful, that at the same moment when he passed into that vessel, the wind, which for the space of fifteen days had blown at north, which was full in their faces who were going for the Indies, came about on the sudden; so that the day following, which was the last of the year 1551, they set sail again. Another ship, which was waiting also for a wind, set out in their company; but that vessel found afterwards to her cost, that she carried not the apostle of the Indies.

Before they put to sea, Xavier discoursing with the pilot concerning the dangers of the ocean, (it was the same pilot who had brought him from Japan, whose name was Francis D'Aghiar,) foretold him, that he should not end his days upon the water; and that no vessel wherein he should be should suffer shipwreck, were the tempest never so outrageous. D'Aghiar was possessed with so firm a belief of what the Father told him, and afterwards found the effect of it so manifest on various occasions, that, without observing either winds or seasons, he often put to sea in an old crazy vessel, ill provided; insomuch, that they who were ignorant of the secret cause of this his confidence, took him for a rash presuming man, and of little understanding in sea affairs.

Once, amongst many other times, he gave a demonstration how much he relied on the promise of the saint, and that was, in going from Tenasserim to the kingdom of Pegu, in a light barque, which was quite decayed, and out of order. A tempest rising in the midst of his voyage, dashed against the rocks, and split in pieces some great vessels, which were following the barque of D'Aghiar. She alone seemed to defy the rocks; and while the sea was in this horrible confusion, the pilot sat singing at his ease, as if the waters had been hushed beneath him. A passenger, who shook with fear, demanded of him, "With what courage he could sing, when he was just upon the brink of death?" "It is because I fear nothing," replied Aghiar: "And I should fear nothing," added he, "though the waves should mount as high again as now we see them, and my barque were also made of glass; for the Father Master Francis has assured me, that I should not die upon the seas, in whatsoever vessel I should go." Some Saracens who were in the barque, and who heard these sayings of the pilot, were so moved with this continued miracle, that they vowed to become Christians so soon as ever they should come on shore; and they complied religiously with their promise. The barque casting anchor at Tanar, they received baptism at that place; so much the more persuaded both of the truth of the miracle, and of the Christian faith, because they saw before their eyes, upon the coast, the wrecks of other vessels, which were floating round about it.

The conversations which Xavier had with Pereyra during all the navigation, were almost wholly relating to Japan and China. The Father told his friend what progress the faith had made in little time in the kingdoms of Saxuma, of Amanguchi, and of Bungo; and what hopes he had conceived, to convert all those islands with great ease, when once the Chinese should be brought to acknowledge Jesus Christ. And on that motive, he had fixed his resolution to go to China; that his return to the Indies was only in order to this intended voyage, after he had regulated the affairs of the Society at Goa; that, on this account, he had brought with him from Japan the translation of his catechism into the Chinese language, by the benefit 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 were well acquainted with the government of China, thought this proposition of the Father not a little extravagant. They told him, that, besides the ill understanding which was betwixt China and Portugal, it was forbidden to strangers on pain of death, or of perpetual imprisonment, to set a foot upon that kingdom; and that the merchants of their nation, who had stolen thither for the benefit of trade, having been discovered, some of them had lost their heads, others had been put in irons, and cast into dungeons, there to lie and rot for the remainder of their lives. They added, notwithstanding, that there was a safe and certain way of entering into China, provided there was a solemn embassy sent to the emperor of that country from the king of Portugal. But since that could not be compassed without a prodigious expence, if nothing else were to be considered but only the presents for the emperor and his ministers of state, in all probability the viceroy of the Indies would not burden himself with the cost of such an enterprize, at a time when he had enough to do to defray more 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 the promoting of the expedient which had been mentioned. The Father accepted of his generous proffer with transports of joy, and engaged, on his side, to procure the embassy of China for his friend. Pereyra, who had received intelligence of the siege of Malacca, told the saint, "He apprehended lest an embargo might be put upon his ship, for the immediate service of the town." Xavier, to whom God had revealed the deliverance of Malacca, and to whose prayers that deliverance had perhaps been granted, cheered up his friend, with this assurance, "That when the fortress was just upon the point of yielding, the infidels had been struck with a panic fear, and fled away, so that the town was wholly free."

Percyra had yet another thing which troubled him, concerning the voyage which Father Xavier had to make before that of China. The season being already far spent, he feared there were no vessels at Malacca, which were bound for Goa. He could not carry the Father to Cochin himself, because he was obliged to 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, "That the 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 during a great calm, which made the navigation pleasing; when suddenly they perceived one of those terrible hurricanes arising, which in a moment sink a vessel. All the company gave themselves for lost; or if they had any hope remaining, it was only in consideration of the saint; and therefore they earnestly desired him to intercede with God in their behalf. The holy man, without replying, retired to his devotions; he returned to them not long after, with his countenance all on fire, and gave his blessing to the ship, pronouncing these following words aloud: "This vessel of the Santa Cruz⁸ (for so she was named) shall never perish on the seas; the place where she was built, shall behold her fall in pieces of herself. Might it please Almighty God," continued he, "that the same could be said concerning that vessel which put to sea with us! But we shall be witnesses too soon of her unhappy destiny." At that very instant appeared the signs, which were to begin the verification of the prophecy; the whirlwind was dissipated, and the sea grew calm. Not long afterwards, they beheld the merchandize and dead bodies floating on the waters, and from thence concluded, that the hurricane had destroyed the ship which followed them. Immediately their opinion was confirmed by two mariners, who had gotten on a plank when the ship was foundering; and who, having afterwards struggled with the waves, were driven by them to the board of Pereyra's vessel. The rest of the navigation was 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 desire that he would wait for him three days longer. He wrote also, by the same conveyance, to Father Francis Perez, superior of the Jesuits at Malacca, and commanded all of them to provide refreshments for the Japonese, who came along with him.

When it was known in the city that Xavier was coming, the joy was so general, that it almost blotted out the remembrance of all they had suffered in the war. The inhabitants ran crowding to the shore; and at the first appearance of the saint, nothing was to be heard, but acclamations and shouts of rejoicing on every side. They received him at his landing with all the tenderness of affection, and all the reverence imaginable. In conducting him to the house of the 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 been preserved from the fury of the Javans, as they had formerly been protected from the barbarians of Achen." But the Father answered them, "That their crying sins had called down the wrath of heaven upon them; that nothing could divert it but a speedy change of life; and that the only means of reconciling themselves to God, was to receive those chastisements at his hands, with the spirit of humiliation and of penitence." He visited the old governor Don Pedro de Silva, and the new one who succeeded him, Don Alvarez de Atavda, and communicated to them his design concerning an embassy 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 Pereyra not being capable of accompanying the Father to Goa, for the reason above mentioned, furnished him at present with thirty thousand crowns, for the preparatives of that intended voyage; and sent a servant with the Father, with commission to dispose of all things. Xavier having often embraced this faithful friend, entered with his Japonians into the vessel of Antonio Pereyra, who attended but their company to set sail.

The prediction which the man of God had made in favour of the ship called Santa Cruz, gave it the new name of the "Saint's Vessel;" and from Malacca, from whence she departed at the same time when Xavier went on board of Antonio, her reputation was extended over all the East. Wheresoever she arrived, she was received with ceremony, and saluted by all other ships with the honour of their cannon. All merchants were desirous of stowing their goods in her, and willingly paid the carriage of their wares, and the dues of custom, beyond the common price of other vessels. The weight of lading was never considered, but her freight was always as much as they could crowd into her. As she lasted very long, and that thirty years after the decease of the Father she was in being, and was used for the traffic of the Indies, they never failed of lading her with an extraordinary cargo, all worn and worm-eaten as she was. The owners into whose hands she came, during the space of those thirty years, took only this one precaution, which was to keep her off from shore; so that when she was to be refitted, that work was constantly done upon the sea. As to what remains, 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 of all those dangers, and never any one repented of embarking in her. One time it is acknowledged, sailing from Malacca to Cochin, with an extraordinary lading, she sprung a leak, and took in so much water at the beginning of the voyage, that the passengers, who were very numerous, were of opinion to unlade her of half her burden, and half her men, and to put them upon other ships which were in their company. But those vessels, which had already their whole lading, would not consent to ease the Santa Cruz; so that, fear overpowering the ship's company, they returned speedily into the port. The whole town was surprised to see the ship so suddenly come back; and they were laughed to shame for apprehending shipwreck in the vessel of the saint. Being thus publicly upbraided with their want of faith, to mend their error, they took out nothing of the lading, but put again to sea. And what every one said to them, concerning the good fortune which perpetually attended that ship, for two-and-twenty years together, so much renewed their confidence, that they performed their voyage without farther fear. The Santa Cruz continued in this manner, sailing over all the seas, and to every port of Asia, till she came into the possession of the captain who commanded the port of Diu; who perceiving her to be half-rotten, and opened in divers parts, concluded she could serve no longer, unless she were brought into harbour, and set upon the stocks. For which purpose she was sent to Cochin, and hauled ashore on the same dock where she had been built; but she was no sooner there, than she fell in pieces of herself; nothing remaining of that great bulk, besides planks and beams of timber, unprofitable for any thing but for the fire. The inhabitants of Cochin, who knew the prediction of the saint to every circumstance, came out to behold its accomplishment. An inconsiderable merchant, called George Nugnez, who happened to be there present, began to think within himself, that, there might be yet remaining in those planks somewhat of the virtue, which the blessing of the saint had imprinted in them; and thereupon took one of them, which he caused to be nailed to his own frigate, out of the persuasion he had, that with this assistance he should be secure from shipwreck. Thus being filled with a lively faith, he boldly undertook such long and hazardous voyages, that ships of the greatest burden were afraid to make; and without consideration of the weather, adventured many times to cross the most tempestuous gulphs. When he was told, that it was not the part of a prudent man to endanger himself in that manner, he answered, "That the winds and seas were well acquainted with his frigate, and had a reverence for the plank of the Santa Cruz." In effect, his little vessel was ever fortunate enough to escape the greatest perils; and what was most remarkable, was, that having had the same destiny with the ship in her adventures and deliverances, she ended like her, breaking in pieces of herself, on the shore of Coulan, where she was brought to be refitted.

To return to the navigation of Father Xavier: – he arrived at Cochin, January 24th, in the year 1552. The king of the Maldivias had been there for some months: He was a prince of about twenty years of age, born in the Mahometan religion, and bred up in the hatred of Christians. The revolt of his subjects, who loved him not, or hated the government, forced him, for the safeguard of his life, to abandon his kingdom, and to seek sanctuary amongst the Portuguese, by whom he hoped to be restored. The fathers of the Society received him into their house, and went about to convert him, by letting him see the falsehood of his sect. The ill posture of his affairs made him apt to receive the instructions which were given him by Father Antonio Heredia, who endeavoured his conversion with great zeal. But his fear of farther exasperating his rebellious subjects, in case he changed his religion, caused him to defer that change from time to time; and perhaps he had never forsaken the law of Mahomet, if Father Francis had not arrived to complete that work which Heredia had begun. The holy apostle preached the word with so much efficacy to the king of the Maldivias, that at length he reduced him to the obedience of Christ, notwithstanding all the 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 the naval army, which should be sent to the Maldivias. His intention was, that they should labour in the conversion of the whole kingdom, when once the king should be established. But because it was of small importance to the crown of Portugal, that those islands, which produce neither gold, nor spices, nor perfumes, should be made tributary to it, the governors did nothing for that exiled prince; who, despairing to recover his dominions, married a Portuguese, and lived a private life till the day of his death; happy only in this, that the loss of his crown was made up to him, by the gift of faith, and the grace of baptism.

When the holy man was ready to depart, an opportunity was offered him of writing into Europe, which he laid hold on, thereby to render an account of his voyage to Japan, both to the king of Portugal, and to the general of his order. Then embarking for Goa, he had a speedy voyage, and arrived there in the beginning of February.

So soon as he was come on shore, he visited the sick in the town-hospitals; and then went to the college of St Paul, which was the house of the Society. After the ordinary embracements, which were more tender than ever, he enquired if none were sick within the college? He was answered, there was only one, who was lying at the point of death. Immediately Xavier went, and read the gospel over him. At the sight of the Father, the dying man recovered his spirits, and was restored to health. The physicians had given him over, and all things had been ordered for his burial; but he himself had never despaired of his recovery: and the day when Xavier arrived, he said, with a dying voice, "That if God would grant him the favour of beholding their good Father, he should infallibly recover."