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

Xavier having thus declared Barzæus superior in a full assembly of the college, kneeled down, and acknowledged him for such, thereby giving a public example of submission. After which, he commanded all of them, in virtue of holy obedience, to be subject to him, and ordered him to expel from the society, all such as should enterprize ought against his authority, or refuse obedience to his orders. He ordered him, I say, positively to expel them, without consideration of their capacity, their eloquence, or any other gifts of nature; adding, that whatever excellent qualities they had, they wanted those which were essential, namely, humility and obedience.

Barzaeus replied not one word when it was intimated to him, that he should not go to China, how desirous soever he were of that voyage; and it may be said, that, on this occasion, he made a noble sacrifice of all his fervent zeal to his obedience. But when he was nominated both rector and vice-provincial, confounded at the mention of those dignities, he said aloud, "That he was not endued with the spirit of government." He was ready to die of shame, when he saw the saint upon his knees before him; and, with great precipitation, fell also on his knees, and humbly begged of him, with tears in his eyes, 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 much the more worthy of those two employments, as he judged himself to be incapable. As Barzaeus was the desire of all in all places, and yet his presence was necessary at Goa, not only for the due regulation of the college, but also for the good of missions, Xavier forbade him, in virtue of holy obedience, to depart out of the isle of Goa during the space of three years ensuing; and for this reason, that Barzaeus having this tie of prohibition upon him, might be privileged to refuse any towns which might desire him amongst them; and that if his refusal should displease them, yet at least the unkindness might not rest on him.

After all these punctual orders, Xavier gave in writing, to the new rector, such instructions as he was to use in the government of his inferiors, and in reference to the conduct of himself; according to what all of them had proposed to themselves, to have no design, save only ad majorem Dei gloriam; to God's greater honour. Those instructions are very ample, and I shall give you only the most material.

"Have before your eyes continually your own nothingness; and endeavour, above all things, to have your mind so possessed with it, that the contempt of yourself may never leave you. Always treat the fathers of the Society with great mildness and respect; as well those who inhabit with you, as those who live in other places at a distance. Let not the least roughness, or haughty carriage, appear in you, if it be not when your moderation and humility are 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 the object of your vengeance, you are to make the guilty somewhat sensible of your power. But you shall only punish them so far as need requires, and for their amendment, and the edification of our brethren, who were witnesses of their fault. All the offences which shall be committed, either by the fathers or the brothers, against the rule of obedience, ought to be punished by some correction; and in so doing, the character of priesthood must be no privilege to the offender. If any of your inferiors act presumptuously against you, and, full of self-opinion, resist you with stubbornness, raise yourself in opposition to their pride, and speak magisterially to them. Let your behaviour towards them have more of severity than of mildness. Impose some public penance on them; and beware, of all things, that they may not observe in you the least remissness, which they will be sure to interpret fear; for nothing more encourages the untractable and haughty to rebellion, than the softness and fearful spirit of a governor. And it is not credible, how assuming, proud, and peremptory, they will grow, when once they find the reins are slackened, and that their pusillanimous superior is afraid 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 opinion or speech of people; and let no consideration, no regard of persons, hinder you from the performance of your duty. Amongst your inferiors, you will find some who are neither obstinate nor disobedient, but who are weak; who are forgetful of what is enjoined them, 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 more gentleness and moderation, and temper your reproof with the mildness of your countenance; and if you find it necessary to punish them, impose but an easy penance on them. Never admit into the Society such as are not endued with judgment, and good natural parts; nor those who are of a weak constitution, and proper for no employment, or of whom you may reasonably suspect, that they would enter into religion for secular respects, rather than out of a sincere devotion of serving God. When they shall have ended their exercises, you are to employ them in the service of the sick in the public hospitals, and in the meanest offices of the house. You shall cause them to give you an account of the endeavours they have made, to acquit themselves well of their ordinary meditations, according to the form prescribed. If you are assured, that they are lukewarm and faint at their devotions, you will do well to dismiss them, and turn them out of the Society betimes; or if there be any hope of their amendment, you shall withdraw them for some days from those interior exercises; depriving them, by way of penance, of an honour which their negligence has made them unworthy to enjoy; and such indeed is that of communicating with God in prayer, to the end, that, being ashamed to stand excluded from that celestial commerce, they may desire more ardently to be re-admitted to it. I recommend extremely to you, that you pay an extraordinary respect to my lord the bishop; and that you be obedient to him. Beware of doing any thing which may displease him; endeavour, on the contrary, to serve him in all things according to your power; and acknowledge, by all manner of good offices, those infinite obligations which we have to so charitable a father and benefactor. Command those fathers who are out of Goa, to write to him from time to time, but not too prolixly; and to give him an account of the fruit of their labours. That they mention in their letters, as far as truth will give them leave, the commendation of his vicars; and omit not the other good actions of the religious; and if they can say no good of them, let them be silent of them; for we are not to imagine that our duty obliges us to complain to the bishop, of the ill conduct of his vicars, or of other gospel-labourers; there will never be wanting those who will ease us of that trouble. Beware, not to trouble yourself with the management of worldly business; nor even to encumber your inferiors with it, on any occasion whatsoever. When secular men shall desire to engage you in the employments of civil life, return this answer, 'That the time which remains free to you from preaching, and the administration of the sacraments, is scarce sufficient for your studies and devotions, which are yet necessary to you before you go into the pulpit, or appear in the tribune of penance; that you cannot prefer the care of worldly things, before the cure of souls, without perverting the order and rule of charity.' By this means you shall disengage yourself from all those sorts of encumbrances; and without this circumspection, you will do great prejudice to the Society; for you ought to understand, that the world often enters by this door into religious houses, to the extreme damage both of the religious, and of religion.

"In the visits which are made to you, endeavour to find out the bottom and end of their design, who come to see you. For some there are, the least part of whose business is to be instructed in spirituals; it is only temporal interest which brings them to you: there will even be some, who will come to confession, on no other motive, than to acquaint you with the necessities of their family. The best counsel I can give you, is to stand upon your guard with such; and, to be rid of them, let them know from the very first, that you can neither furnish them with money, nor procure them any favour from other men. Be warned to have as little discourse with this sort of people as possibly you can; for most commonly they are great talkers, and if you trouble yourself with giving them the hearing, you are almost certain to lose your time. For what remains, disquiet not yourself with what they think or say of you; let them murmur on, and do you take up a resolution of standing out so firmly, that they may not find the least concernment in you; for the shew of any natural sensibility would discover that you are not enough disengaged from the world, as if you were wavering what part to take betwixt the world and Christ. Remember, that you cannot covet popular approbation without betraying your ministry, or becoming a deserter of your sacred colours, in going back from that evangelical perfection, which you are obliged to follow, with an unrelenting ardour."

After this, Xavier gave Barzaeus sundry particular orders, relating to the persons and houses of the Society.

And now he chose for his companions, Balthazar Gago, Edward Silva, and Peter Alcaceva, with Francis Gonçalez, and Alvarez Ferreyra de Monte Major; without reckoning into 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 others for Japan. Father Ignatius had written to Father Xavier, that it was of great importance to send from the Indies into Europe one of the Society, well versed in the eastern affairs, who might render an exact account of all things to the king of Portugal, and the Pope; as a means of procuring temporal supplies from the one, and spiritual favours from the other; both which were necessary for the further increase of Christianity in Asia. Father Francis did not receive those letters till after his voyage of Japan. He had thought of these very things formerly, but now seeing that the judgment of Ignatius concurred with his, he deputed into Italy and Portugal, Andrew Fernandez, a man of parts and probity, who was not yet in priest's orders. He not only gave him ample informations concerning the present condition of the Indies, but also wrote large letters on the same subject, to the king of Portugal, to Father Ignatius, and to Simon Rodriguez. Being now ready to go for the voyage of China, he gave notice of his intentions to king John, in this ensuing letter.

"I shall depart from Goa within the compass of five days, intending first for Malacca; from whence I shall take the way of China, in the company of James Pereyra, who is named ambassador. We carry with us the rich presents, which are bought partly at the cost of your majesty, and partly at the proper charges of Pereyra: but we carry also a far more precious present, and such an one as no king, at least to my knowledge, has made the like to another prince, namely, the gospel of Jesus Christ; and if the emperor of China once knew its value, I am confident he would prefer that treasure before all his own, how immense soever they may be. I hope, that at length Almighty God 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 with Pereyra; and our design is, to free from prison those Portuguese who are there languishing in chains; to manage the friendship of the Chinese in favour of the crown of Portugal; and, above all things, to make war with the devils, and their adherents: on which 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 give the devils that adoration which is only payable to the true God, creator of mankind, and to Jesus Christ, their judge and master. The undertaking may seem bold, to come amongst barbarians, and dare to appear before a mighty monarch, to declare the truth to him, and reprehend his vices: but that which gives us courage is, that God himself has inspired us with these thoughts; that he has filled us with the assurance of 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 for us to have? for certain it is, that our only apprehension ought to be of offending him, and of incurring those punishments 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 to carry the missioners of China and Japan, Xavier assembled the fathers of the college by night, not being able to do it by day, because they were in continual employment till the evening. He discoursed with them concerning the virtues requisite to the apostolic vocation, and spoke with so much ardency and unction, that the congregation was full of sighs and tears, according to the relation of some who were present, and have left it to us in writing. 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, than in the very words of the author, who took them from the mouth of the apostle: "The Father, Master Francis," says he, "embracing his brethren before his departure for China, and weeping over them, recommended constancy in their vocation to them; together with unfeigned humility, which was to have for its foundation, a true knowledge of themselves, and particularly a most prompt obedience. He extended his exhortation on this last point, and enjoined them obedience, as a virtue most pleasing to Almighty God, much commended by the Holy Spirit, and absolutely necessary to the sons of the Society."

The apostle went from Goa on holy Thursday, which fell that year, 1552, on the 14th of April. The sea was calm enough, till they came to the height of the islands of Nicubar, which are somewhat above Sumatra, towards the north. Thereabouts the waves began to swell; and presently after, there arose so furious a tempest, that there scarcely remained any hopes of safety. That which doubled their apprehension, was, that two foists, which bore them company, unable to sustain the fury of the waves, sunk both by one another. The ship, which carried Xavier and his companions, was a royal vessel, very large and deep laden, so that her unwieldy bulk and heavy freight hindered her sailing and her steering. It was thought necessary to ease her, and the merchandizes were ready to be cast overboard, when Father Francis desired the captain not to be too hasty. But the sailors saying, that the tempest increasing, as usually it does towards evening, the vessel could not so conveniently be disburdened in the dark, he bid them not disturb themselves about it, for the storm should cease, and they should make land before sun-set. The captain, who knew how certain the predictions of Xavier were, made not the least scruple of believing him, and the event verified the prophecy. The sea grew calm, and land appeared before the setting of the sun.

But while every one was rejoicing at the nearness of 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 of a pestilence. Malignant fevers raged about the town, which carried off the strongest constitutions in a little space, and the infection was caught almost at sight. In this condition the ship found Malacca; and never was the sight of the holy man more pleasing to the inhabitants. Every one promised himself ease of body, and consolation of mind from him; and they were not deceived in their expectation.

So soon as he was set on shore, he went in search of the sick, and found employment enough amongst them for the exercise of his charity. Not a man of them, but desired to confess to Father Francis, and to expire in his arms; according to the popular opinion, that whoever died in that manner, could not fail of being saved. He ran from street to street with his companions, to gather up the poor, who lay languishing on the ground for want of succour. He carried them 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, out of the remainders of rotten vessels, for lodgings, and necessary uses of those distressed creatures. After which he procured them food and medicines, which he begged from the devouter sort, and himself attended them both day and night. That which appeared most wonderful, was, that though the sick could not be served, nor the dying assisted, nor the dead buried, without taking the infection, and it was death to take it, yet Xavier and his companions enjoyed their perfect health in the midst of such dangerous employments. This indeed was wonderful, but there was also an undoubted miracle, which it pleased Almighty God to work by the ministry of his servant, on a young man, whom at that time he restored to life.

This young man, named Francis Ciavus, the only son of a devout woman, who had long been under the conduct of Xavier, having put into his mouth, without thinking of it, a poisoned arrow, such as are used in those eastern parts, died suddenly, so subtile and so mortal was the venom. They were already burying him, when Xavier came by chance that way. He was so moved with the cries and lamentations of the mother, that, taking the dead by the hand, he revived him with these words: "Francis, in the name of Jesus Christ, arise." The youth thus raised, believed from that moment, that he was no more his own, and that he was obliged to consecrate that life to God, which was so miraculously restored: In effect he did it, and out of acknowledgment to Xavier, took the habit of the Society. When the mortality was almost ceased, the saint pursued his design of the embassy to China, and treated with Don Alvarez d'Atayda, the governor of Malacca, on whom the viceroy had reposed the trust of so important an affair Don Alvarez had much approved this enterprize, when Xavier had first opened it, at his return from Japan, and had even promised to favour it with all his power. But envy and interest are two passions, which stifle the most reasonable thoughts, and make men forget their most solemn protestations.

The governor had a grudging to Pereyra, who, the year before, had refused to lend him ten thousand crowns; and could not endure, that a merchant should be sent ambassador to the greatest monarch in the world. He said, "That certainly that Pereyra, whom the viceroy had empowered by his letters, was some lord 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, besides the honour of such an embassy, the merchant should make so vast a profit of his wares, which he would sell off at an excessive rate in China. The governor said, "That in his own person were to be considered the services of the count his father; and that those hundred thousand crowns, which would be gained at least by Pereyra, were a more suitable reward for the son of Atayda, than for the valet de chambre of Cotigno." With such grating thoughts as these, he sought occasions to break off the voyage; yet he Would not declare himself at first; and the better to cover his design, or not to seem unthankful to Father Xavier, he fed him 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 that place: because when first the Father had opened his purpose of going into China, Atayda seemed to have espoused the project with great affection, and engaged himself to make it succeed, in case the ports and navigations of the Portuguese were once depending on him. To oblige him yet farther, the saint had procured from the viceroy, and brought along with him, certain extraordinary privileges, which had not been 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 with great diligence, and made himself at once both his nurse and his chaplain, watching by him all the night, and saying mass for him in the morning. But all these offices of friendship wrought nothing on a heart, where jealousy and avarice were predominant.

What care soever Don Alvarez took to conceal his ill intentions, Xavier quickly discovered them; and at the same time wrote to Pereyra, who was yet at Sunda, advising him to come without any equipage, and to affect nothing of magnificence, that he might not farther exasperate an interested and jealous soul. But all the modesty of the ambassador could not hinder the governor from breaking out. At the first noise of his arrival, he sent officers of justice, and soldiers, to the port, with orders to make seizure on the ship called Santa Cruz, to take away the rudder, and give it into his hands. This was the first act of jurisdiction, which was exercised by Don Alvarez, as captain 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 pretext of public good, according to the common practice of men in power, he protested loudly, that the interests of the crown had constrained him to act in this manner; that he had received information from his spies, that the Javans were making preparations of war, to come upon Malacca once again; that he could not have too many ships in readiness, against such formidable enemies; and that the Santa Cruz was of absolute necessity to the king's service. This fable, which was the product of his own brains, was soon exploded by the arrival of some other Portuguese vessels, who, coming from the isles of Java, made oath, that these barbarians, being engaged amongst themselves in civil wars, had no thoughts of any foreign conquest. Don Alvarez not being able any longer to support the credit of his tale, pulled off the mask, and stood upon no farther ceremonies. Xavier perceiving that the love of lucre was his governing passion, made offers to him, by Pereyra, of thirty thousand crowns in pure gift; but the desire of engrossing all the gain, was the reason which prevailed with Atayda to refuse it.

The treasurer, with the rest of the crown-officers, being come to remonstrate to him, that the king's orders were positive, not to stop the navigation of those merchants, who had paid the duties of the port, he threatened them with his cane, which he held up against them, and drove them out of his chamber with great fury, saying, "That he was too old to be counselled; that, as long as he continued governor of Malacca, and captain of the seas, James Pereyra should not go to China, either as ambassador, or merchant; and if Father Xavier was intoxicated with the zeal of converting heathens, he might go to Brazil, or to the kingdom of Monomotapa."

Francis Pereyra, who was auditor-royal, and who had great credit in the town, not being able, either by his intreaties, or his arguments, to oblige Don Alvarez to restore the rudder of the Santa Cruz, would have forced 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, and that this affair would have ill consequences.

The way which was taken by the holy man, was to send to the governor the grand vicar John Suarez, attended by the most considerable persons of the town, to shew him the letters of King John III., which expressly made out his intentions, that Father Xavier should extend the faith, as far as he was able, through all the kingdoms of the East, and that the governors should favour him on all occasions. Suarez read also to the governor, the letter of the vice-king Don Alphonso de Norogna, in which he declared criminal of state, whosoever should hinder or oppose this particular voyage of the saint. That which ought to have reduced Don Alvarez to reason, or at least to have terrified him, served only to make him more unreasonable, and more audacious. He rose from his seat, with the action of a madman, and stamping with his foot, sent back the grand vicar, with this dutiful expression: "The king's interest, you say, requires this to be performed; and I will not suffer it to be performed: Here I am, and will be master."

These outrageous dealings of the governor were not confined to those, who made these remonstrances to him from the Father; they extended even to the saint himself, whom he looked on as the author and head of the enterprize. It is incredible what injurious words he gave him, and how rudely he treated him on several occasions; insomuch, that it was the common talk of Malacca, that this persecution might pass for the martyrdom of Father Xavier. The servant of God resented nothing which was done to his own person. He blessed God continually, for giving him occasions of suffering; but he was extremely sensible of what religion and the progress of the gospel suffered, and was often seen to weep abundantly.

He ceased not for a month together to solicit the governor; sometimes beseeching him by the wounds of a crucified Saviour, sometimes urging him with the fatal consequences of a miserable eternity, and endeavouring to let him understand, what a crime it was to hinder the publication of the gospel; but these divine reasons prevailed as little with Don Alvarez, as the human had done formerly. This strange obduracy quite overwhelmed the Father, when he saw that all these ways of mildness were unsuccessful, and the season of navigation passed away; after he had well consulted God upon it, he concluded, that it was time to try the last remedies. Ten years were now expired since his coming to the Indies, and hitherto no one person, excepting only the bishop of Goa, was made privy to his being the apostolic Nuncio. He had kept this secret in profound silence, and had not once exercised his power; but now he thought himself obliged to own it, in a business of so great consequence, and to strike with the thunders of the church, if occasion were, the man who made open war against the church.

Which notwithstanding, he would not dart the thunderbolt himself, but used the hand of the grand vicar. Having sent for him, he began with shewing him one of the briefs of Paul III., which constituted him his Nuncio in all the kingdoms of the East. After this, he requested Suarez to shew this brief to Don Alvarez, and to explain to him the censures which were incurred by those, who should oppose the pope's legates in matters of religion, and to exhort him, by what was most holy in the world, to suffer the embassy to proceed. In case of refusal, to threaten him with ecclesiastical punishments from the vicar of Jesus Christ, and to adjure him at the same time, by the death of the Saviour of mankind, to take compassion on himself.

Xavier had always hoped, that the governor would open his eyes; and in that writing which he gave the vicar to engage him in that nice commission, there were these following words: "I cannot believe that Don Alvarez can be so hardened, but that he will be mollified, when he shall know the intentions and orders of the holy see." He desired the grand vicar, in the same writing, to send that very paper back to him, together with the answer of Don Alvarez, that both the one and the other might be an authentic evidence to the bishop of Goa, that he had omitted nothing for advancing the embassy; and that if it succeeded not, the fault lay not at his door. Suarez proceeded with the governor, according to all the directions which had been traced out to him by the Father. But nothing could work upon Alvarez. He laughed at the threatenings, and broke out 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 endure so outrageous and scandalous an impiety, at length excommunicated the governor, according to the agreement betwixt himself and Father Xavier. He also excommunicated all his people, who basely flattered the passion of their master, and spoke insolently of the holy see. This excommunication signified little to a man, who had no principles, either of honour, or of religion. Without giving himself the least disquiet for the wrath of heaven, or talk of men, he made himself master of the ship Santa Cruz, and placed in her a captain, with 25 mariners, all of them in his interests, to go and trade at Sancian, where the Portuguese had established a wealthy traffic. The ill success of the negociation, betwixt the grand vicar and the governor, was very afflicting to Father Xavier; his heart was pierced with sorrow, and he acknowledged to Father Francis Perez, that he never resented any thing with greater grief. The deplorable condition of Don Alvarez in the sight of God, the ruin of his friend Pereyra, the embassy of China utterly destroyed, – all these made him sigh from the bottom of his soul; and so much the more, because he imputed these so great misfortunes to himself; as he gave Pereyra to understand, who lay hidden at Malacca, and to whom he expressed himself in writing, because he knew not with what face to see him.