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

"Since the greatness of my sins," says he, "has been the reason why God Almighty would not make use of us two for the enterprize of China, it is upon myself that I ought, in conscience, to lay the fault. They are my offences, which have ruined your fortunes, and have caused you to lose all your expences for the embassy of China. Yet God is my witness, that I love him, and that I love you also; and I confess to you, that if my intentions had not been right, I should be yet more afflicted than I am. The favour which I desire of you, is, that you would not come to see me; for fear, lest the condition to which you are reduced, should give me too much trouble; and that your sorrow might be the occasion of increasing mine. In the mean time, I hope this disgrace of yours may be of advantage to you; for I doubt not but the king will reward your zeal, as I have requested of him by my letters. As for the governor, who has broken our voyage, I have no farther communication with him: God forgive him, I pity him, and lament his condition; for he will soon be punished, and more severely than he thinks."

But though Father Xavier wrote very pressing letters to the king of Portugal in favour of Pereyra, he wrote nothing against Don Alvarez; and Alvarez himself was witness of it, having intercepted the letters of the Father. In effect, he found not the least expression of complaint against him, at which he was wonderfully surprised. The man of God daily offered the sacrifice of the mass for him, and shed many tears at the foot of the altar, to the end he might obtain for him the favour of a sincere repentance. He said one day, he should lose at once, his estate, his honour, and his life; and added, I beseech God that he lose not his soul also.

For what remains, though the door of China seemed to be shut upon him, since all hopes of the embassy were vanished, which had facilitated his entrance into that kingdom, yet the saint despaired not of preaching the gospel to the Chinese; and a thought came into his head, that if he could get to an isle, which was neighbouring to Canton, he might from thence go privately over into the continent; that if he were stopped and put in prison, he should at least preach to the prisoners; that from the prisons, the Christian doctrine might spread into the towns, and possibly might reach the court; that perhaps also the great men of the empire, and even the emperor himself, might have the curiosity to see a man who published so new a faith; and then he might gain an opportunity of declaring the whole law of Jesus Christ.

With these considerations, he took up the design of embarking on the Santa Cruz, which the governor of Malacca was sending out for Sancian. But seeing that the entry of China could not be attempted by that way which he had proposed without great hazard, he would be the only priest who should expose himself to those dangers; and retaining with him only one brother of the Society, the Chinese, Antonio de Sainte Foy, and another young Indian, he sent Balthazar Jago, Edward Silvia, and Peter Alcaceva, to several employments; the first to the kingdom of Bungo, and the two others to Amanguchi.

During these passages, it happening that John Beyro came from the Moluccas, to desire some more assistance, for the farther propagation of the faith in those islands, Xavier received from him the comfortable news of the great spreading of Christianity, and sent him to Barzæus, with orders that more companions should be joined to him; and that he should be remanded thither with all expedition.

The Santa Cruz being now upon the point of setting sail, he retired into the church of our Lady of the Mount, to recommend his voyage to the protection of the blessed Virgin. He continued his devotions till the evening; and had also passed the night in prayer, if they had not come to give him notice that the ship had already weighed anchor.

The grand vicar, John Suarez, who bore him company to the ship, asked him by the way, if he had taken leave of the governor; adding, that if he failed in that point of ceremony, the weaker Christians might be scandalized; that it would be a proof of his resentment, and an occasion of public murmur. The saint, who was willing to shew by his example, how excommunicated persons ought to be treated, replied immediately, "Don Alvarez shall never see me in this life; I expect him at the judgment-seat of God, where he will have a great account to answer." Having walked on a little farther, he stopped at a church door, which was near the sea; and, in a transport of spirit, lifting up his eyes to heaven, he prayed aloud for the salvation of the unhappy Don Alvarez. Then he prostrated himself, and was silent for some time, praying from the bottom of his heart to God, with his face to the ground. Soon after he rose up with a vehement action, which had somewhat of a holy disdain in it; he took off his shoes, beat them one against another, and afterwards against a stone, saying, "that he would not bear away the dust of an accursed place." He then foretold, with circumstances at large, and more than formerly, the punishment which heaven had prepared for the governor of Malacca; and going on board, left the people, who had followed him thus far, astonished at his prophecies, and afflicted at his departure.

Immediately they set sail, and there were in the vessel above five hundred persons, counting in the passengers and servants. They were already forward on their voyage, when the wind fell on the sudden; and in a moment the waves were laid, and the face of the ocean grew so smooth, that the Santa Cruz stood still, and moved no more than if she had been at anchor. During this becalming, which lasted fourteen days together, their water failed them, and some died from the first want of it. They rowed on every side with their chalop, to make discovery of some coast where they might find fresh water. Being far at sea, they could discern nothing, but the island of Formosa, at least they believed it so to be. They endeavoured to gain the shore; but in seven days time, notwithstanding all their attempts, they could not reach it.

In the meantime, the ship was full of sick people, who were burnt up with a deadly thirst; and they had all perished, without hope of succour, if one of them, reflecting within himself, that Father Xavier had been always prevalent with God, had not hinted this notion to the rest; whereupon all of them coming on their knees before him, besought him, with more tears than words, to obtain from heaven either wind or water for them.

Xavier bade them address themselves to God in their own behalf; caused them to recite the litany on their knees, at the foot of a large crucifix; and then ordered them to retire, but to have confidence in Jesus Christ. He himself withdrew also into a chamber; from whence coming out some time after, he went down into the chalop with a little child, and having caused him to taste of the sea water, asked him whether it were fresh or salt? The child answering that it was salt, he commanded him to taste again, and the child told him that it was fresh. Then the Father, returning into the ship, ordered them to fill all their vessels; but some amongst them, being eager to drink, found the water salt. The saint made the sign of the cross over the vessels, and at the same moment the water, losing its natural saltness, became so good, that they all protested it was better than that of Bangar, of which the seamen make their ordinary provision, and which is esteemed the best water in all the Indies.

This miracle so struck some Saracen Arabs, who were transporting their whole families into China, that, throwing themselves at the feet of the holy man, they acknowledged the God of the Christians, and desired baptism. The faithful, on their side, admired Father Francis; and all of them, in a body, owned the preservation of their lives to him. But the Father told them, that it was to God, and not to such a sinner as he was, that they were obliged to pay their thanks. The greatest part of the mariners and passengers kept, out of devotion, some of this water, at the first as a testimony of the miracle, afterwards as a celestial remedy: for the water, being carried to the Indies, cured great numbers of sick people; and infusing some small quantity of it into any sort of drink, was sufficient to restore their health.

During the navigation, a child of five years old happened to fall into the sea; the vessel, which had a fore-wind, pursuing its course. The father of this child was not to be comforted, and his grief so overwhelmed him, that he kept in private for three days. He was a Mahometan, and the miracle of the water had not converted him. At length he appeared in public, but all in tears, and never ceasing to lament the loss of his only son. Xavier, who knew nothing of this misfortune, asked him the reason of his sorrow? Having learnt it, he stood recollected in himself a little time, and then said, "Supposing that God should restore your son to you, would you promise me to believe in Jesus Christ, and to become a sincere Christian?" The infidel promised him; and three days after this, before sun-rising, they saw the child upon the hatches. The child knew not what had become of him for those six days, and only remembered his falling into the sea, not being able to give any account how he returned into the ship. His father was ready to die with joy when he received him; and Xavier had no need of putting him in mind of his engagement: he came of his own accord, accompanied by his wife, his son, and his servant; all of them were baptized, and the child was named Francis.

Those of the vessel having been witnesses of these two miracles, spoke of them to the inhabitants of an isle called Cincheo, by which they passed, and which was a place of great traffic, full of merchants from several parts. The desire of seeing so admirable a man, caused about sixty persons, some Ethiopians, other Indians, all Idolaters or Mahometans, to come into the ship: Xavier took the occasion, and preached the gospel to them; withal, instructing them in the holy practices of Christianity. He had no sooner ended his exhortation, than they acknowledged Jesus Christ, and received baptism.

While he was christening them, he appeared of a stature much higher than his own; insomuch, that those who were upon the shore near the vessel, believed he had been standing on some bench; but seeing him coming and going, and always appearing of the same height, they thought there might possibly be some miracle in the matter, and were desirous to be satisfied concerning it: Stephen Ventura went into the ship on purpose, and approaching Father Xavier, saw that with his feet he touched the hatches, and yet his head was higher than the tallest there, on whom he sprinkled the sacred waters of baptism. Ventura likewise observed, that, after he had baptized the company, he returned to his natural proportion.

From Cincheo the ship pursued her voyage towards Sancian, which is but six leagues distant from the continent, over against Canton, a town of China. They had sailed far beyond Canton, and the mariners believed they were still on this side of it. Xavier endeavoured to undeceive them, but they adhered to their first opinion, and they had gone much further out of their way, if the captain, upon the word of the saint, had not struck sail, and cast anchor till the return of the chalop, which he had sent out to discover the neighbouring coast. She was three days before she came back, and all the ship's company imagined that she had been overtaken by some hurricane; but Xavier assured them that she should suddenly return, with refreshments sent them by the Portuguese of Sancian; and that also she should be followed by some vessels, which should come to meet them on their way, and conduct them into the port. All happened as the Father had foretold; and the Santa Cruz, guided by the vessels of Sancian, arrived at that island, twenty-three days after her departure from Malacca.

There are three islands so little distant from each other, that they appear but one; for which reason the Chinese, in their language, call them Samceu; a word composed of sam, which signifies three, and ceu, which is to say an island. The chief of these islands, which the Portuguese have named Sancian, has a convenient and safe port, all crowned with mountains, and forming a semicircle on that side, which looks towards Macao. It has few inhabitants who are natives, almost no provisions, and is so barren of itself, so uncultivated and so wild, that it seems rather a place of banishment than of commerce. The Chinese had permitted the Portuguese to trade thither, to buy their commodities, and sell their own to them, without breaking their fundamental law, of suffering no stranger to set foot within their country; so that the Portuguese durst come no nearer the main land, for fear of hazarding their lives, or at least their liberty. Neither was it permitted them to build solid houses in the isle; they were only allowed to set up slight cabins, covered with mats, and dressed about with boughs of trees, that they might not always be shut up within their vessels.

Amongst these merchants there was one who was very rich, and infinitely charitable, but of a gay humour, and pleasant in conversation, addicted to all pleasure which decency permits, and loving not to deny himself any thing which will make life comfortable; – for the rest, most affectionate to Father Xavier: his name was Peter Veglio, the same Veglio who was with the saint at Japan, and who returned in his company. Xavier being very desirous of his friend's salvation, exhorted him, from time to time, to mortify his natural inclinations, even sometimes to chastise his body for the expiation of his sins. Veglio understood not that Latin; whether he was too tender of his own person, or thought his sins were not of a nature to deserve such severities, he could never find in his heart to take up the discipline; but instead of macerations and penances, he gave great alms; and Father Francis received from him very large supplies, for the relief of such as were in want. One day, the Father having need of a certain sum of money, to marry a young orphan virgin, who was poor and handsome, and consequently in danger of being ruined, had recourse to Veglio, according to his custom. He found him engaged in play with another merchant; but the business being urgent, he forbore not to request his charity. Veglio, who loved to be merry, made as if he were angry with him, and answered thus; "Father Francis, when a man is losing, he is in no condition of giving alms; and for a wise man as you are, you have made a very gross mistake in this unseasonable demand." "It is always in season to do good," replied Xavier; "and the best time for giving money, is when a man has it in his hand." The merchant continuing in the same tone, and seeming to be displeased with the Father's company, added, as it were to be rid of him, "Here, take the key of my chest; take all my money if you will, and leave me to play my game in quiet." In the merchant's chest were thirty thousand taes, which amount to forty-five thousand crowns of gold. The Father took out three hundred crowns, which were sufficient to marry the orphan maiden. Some time afterward, Veglio counting over his money, and finding the sum was still entire, believed the Father had not touched it, and reproached him with want of friendship for not making use of him; whereupon Xavier protested to him, that he had taken out three hundred crowns. "I swear to you," said Veglio, "that not one of them is wanting; but God forgive you," added he, "my meaning was to have parted the whole sum betwixt us; and I expected, that of my forty-five thousand crowns, you should at least have taken the one moiety."

Xavier, finding that Veglio had spoken very sincerely to him, and out of a pure principle of charity, said, as a man transported out of himself by the spirit of God; "Peter, the design you had, is a good work before the eyes of Him, who weighs the motions and intentions of the heart; He himself will recompence you for it, and that which you have not given, shall be one day restored to you an hundred-fold. In the meantime, I answer for Him, that temporal goods shall be never wanting to you; and when you shall have misfortunes to put you backwards in the world, your friends shall assist you with their purses. I farther declare to you, that you shall not die without being first advertised of the day of your death." After these predictions, Veglio was quite changed into another man, applying himself wholly to exercises of piety; and in the condition of a merchant, lived almost the life of a religious. What had been foretold him, that he should have warning of his death, came frequently into his remembrance; and he could not hinder himself one day from asking the saint, at what time, and in what manner, it should be? The saint told him, without pausing, "When you shall find the taste of your wine bitter, then prepare yourself for death, and know that you have but one day more to live."

The merchant lived in opulence and splendour, even to an extreme old age. He had several losses in his trade, according to the chance of things which are depending on the sea; but his friends continually relieved him in his necessities, and gave him wherewithal to set up again. At length, being one day at a great entertainment, and more gay than ever, having asked for wine, he found the taste of it was bitter. Immediately remembering the prophecy of Father Xavier, he was seized with an inward horror; which beginning from the soul, spread over his body, as if death had been pronounced against him, or the image of death presented to his eyes. Nevertheless, somewhat recovering his spirits, for his farther satisfaction in the point, he desired his fellow-guests at the table to taste the wine out of his glass. All judged it to be excellent, besides himself, who made divers trials of it on his palate. He called for other wines, and another glass; but always found the same bitterness. Then, no longer doubting but that his last hour was coming, after he had made an interior sacrifice of his life to God, he related to the company that prediction, which was now accomplished; and arose from the table with the thoughts of a Christian, who is disposing himself for death. Having distributed his goods betwixt his children and the poor, he went to see his friends, and to give and take the last farewell; – notwithstanding his great age, he was in perfect health. It was thought he doted, and they endeavoured to persuade him out of his melancholy apprehensions. But their arguments prevailed so little on his mind, that he gave orders for his own funeral, and invited his friends to do him the last kind office, of accompanying his corpse to burial. To content him, and to make themselves merry at his folly, they attended him into the church: in their presence he received the viaticum, and the extreme unction, without being sick; afterwards he laid himself upon the bier, and caused them to sing the mass for the dead. The people gathered in a crowd at the strangeness of the report; some drawn by the novelty of the sight, the rest to be eye-witnesses how the prediction of Father Xavier would succeed. Mass being ended, the priest, attended by his inferiors, performed all the ceremonies of the church about the grave, and, at length, sung the last words belonging to a Christian burial over the old man, who was alive, and bore his part in the responses. There now remaining no more to do, the servant of Veglio coming to help his master off the bier, he found him dead. All the assistants were witnesses of the matter of fact, and every one went home full of admiration of God's mercy towards this merchant, who had been so charitable, and blessing the memory of the holy apostle of the Indies.

This was not the only prophetical light, which Xavier had in the isle of Sancian. A ship, which went from Macao to Japan, appeared in sight of Sancian, to be overtaken by a dreadful hurricane. The Portuguese, who had great concernments in that vessel, being alarmed at so inevitable a danger, came running for comfort to Father Xavier; but the Father assured them, they had no cause of fear, and that the ship was safely arrived at her port. They kept themselves quiet, upon the assurance of his word, till finding that the ship made no return, which was to stay at Japan but some few days, they gave her for lost. Xavier reproved their want of faith, and positively told them, that she should come back before the week were ended. In effect, she returned two days afterwards, laden with rich merchandizes, and proud of her escape from the fury of the hurricane.

At the same time, Xavier was inspired with the knowledge of the quarrel betwixt Don Alvarez de Atayda, governor of Malacca, and Don Bernard de Sosa, who was newly arrived from the Moluccas; and told the circumstances of it to the Portuguese, who, having afterwards the particulars of it from some of Malacca, were astonished to find them the very same which the Father had related.

This miraculous foreknowledge was accompanied by actions as surprising; and without speaking of a dead infant, which Xavier restored to life, but whose resurrection is without circumstances in the acts of the saint's canonization, he cleared the country of the tygers, which laid it waste. These furious beasts came in herds together out of the forests, and devoured not only the children, but the men also, whom they found scattered in the fields, and out of distance from the entrenchments which were made for their defence. One night the servant of God went out to meet the tygers, and when they came near him, he threw holy water upon them, commanding them to go back, and never after to return. The commandment had its full effect, the whole herd betook themselves to flight, and from that time forward no tygers were ever seen upon the island.

The joy which the Portuguese had conceived at the arrival of Father Xavier, was immediately changed to sadness, when they understood that he had only taken Sancian in his way to China. They all endeavoured to dissuade him from it, and set before his eyes the rigorous laws of that government; that the ports were narrowly observed by vigilant and faithful officers, who were neither to be circumvented nor bribed with presents; that the Mandarins were cruel to all strangers; that, the year before, some Portuguese seamen being cast by tempest on the coast of Canton, had been severely whipped, and afterwards inclosed in dark dungeons, where, if they were not already dead, they were still exercised with new punishments; that, for himself, the least he could expect was perpetual imprisonment, which was not the business of an apostle, who designed to run from place to place, and propagate the faith through all the East. These arguments made no impression on the saint; he had fortified his resolution with more potent reasons, and answered the merchants in the same tenor in which he had written to Father Francis Perez, that he could not distrust the Divine Goodness, and that his distrust would be so much the more criminal, because the powerful inspiration of the Holy Spirit pushed him forward to teach the Chinese the gospel of the living God. "I am elected," said he, "for this great enterprize, by the special grace of heaven. If I should demur on the execution, or be terrified with the hardships, and want courage to attempt those difficulties, would it not be incomparably worse than all the evils with which you threaten me? But, what can the demons and their ministers do against me? Surely no more than what is permitted them by the sovereign Lord of all the world; and that in giving up myself in this manner, I shall obey my Lord Jesus, who declares in his gospel, 'That whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whoever will lose it for my sake, shall find it.' Our Saviour also says, 'That he who, having put his hand to the plough, shall look behind him, is not fit for the kingdom of heaven.' The loss of the body being then without comparison less to be feared than that of the soul, according to the principles of Eternal Wisdom, I am resolved to sacrifice a frail and miserable life for everlasting happiness. In fine, I have set up my rest, I will undertake this voyage, and nothing is capable of altering my resolution. Let all the powers of hell break loose upon me, I despise them, provided God be on my side; for if he be for us, who shall be against us?" The Portuguese being of opinion, that this fixed intention of the man of God was partly grounded on his ignorance of the dangers, which he believed they magnified to him beyond their natural proportion, sent some Chinese merchants, with whom they traded, to discourse the business calmly with him; but the matter went otherwise than they had imagined. Those Chinese, to whom Xavier failed not to speak of Christianity, and who were men of understanding, advised him to the voyage, instead of dissuading him. They counselled him only to carry books which contained the Christian doctrine; and added, that, not long since, the emperor had sent some learned men into the neighbouring kingdoms, to inform themselves of such religions as were different from the received opinions of the Chinese; that they believed the Christian doctrine would be well received at court; and that it seemed probable to them, that the novelty of so reasonable a belief would make his way who was the first bearer of it.

Xavier was overjoyed to find a passage opened for the gospel, to the most polite nation of the world; and doubted not but that the Christian religion, coming to be compared by judicious men with the other opinions of the East, would have the advantage. Being thus encouraged to pursue his purpose, his first business was to provide himself of a good interpreter. For Antonio, the Chinese, whom he had brought from Goa, was wholly ignorant of the language which is spoken at the court, and had almost forgotten the common idiom of the vulgar. He found out another Chinese, who had a perfect knowledge of the language of the Mandarins, and who could also write excellently well, in which consists the principal knowledge of China. For the rest, he was a man well shaped, of a good presence, of great natural parts, of a pleasing conversation, and, which was above all, he seemed entirely devoted to the Christians: he promised all possible good offices, – whether he hoped to make his fortune, by presenting to the emperor one who published a new law, or that God had inspired him with those pious thoughts.

There was more difficulty in finding seamen to transport the Father; for there was no less venture than that of life, for any one who undertook that business. But interest gives him courage to hazard all, who values money more than life itself. A Chinese merchant, called Capoceca, offered himself to carry Xavier into the province of Canton, provided he might be well paid; and asked the value of two hundred pardos⁹in pepper. The Chinese promised to take Xavier into his barque by night, and to land him before day on some part of the coast, where no houses were in view; and if this way was thought uncertain, he engaged to hide the Father in his own house, and four days after to conduct him, early in the morning, to the gates of Canton. But he would have Xavier oblige himself also, on his side, to go immediately to the Mandarin, with the letters which the viceroy of the Indies, and the bishop of Goa, had written to the emperor; for the Father had still reserved by him those letters which related to the embassy, though the design had been ruined by the governor of Malacca. The Chinese also exacted an oath of secrecy from the saint, that no torments, however cruel, should bring him to confess either the name or the house of him who had set him on shore.

Xavier made as solemn an engagement as he could desire, not without knowledge of the hazard which he ran, as himself related to one of his dearest friends. "I perceive," said he, "two dangers, which are almost inevitable in this affair; on the one side, there is great cause of apprehension, lest the idolatrous merchant, having received the price of my passage, should throw me overboard, or leave me on some desart isle; on the other side, lest the governor of Canton should discharge his fury upon me, and make me an example to all strangers, by putting me to a cruel death, or condemning me to perpetual imprisonment. But in case I follow the voice which calls me, and obey my Lord, I count my life and liberty at nothing."

When the voyage of China was on these terms, and that all things seemed to favour it, the Portuguese of Sancian put an obstacle in the way, of which Xavier had never thought. The appetite of gain made them apprehend, lest his zeal should bring them into trouble; and they said to one another, that the Mandarin governor of Canton would certainly revenge on them the boldness of their countryman: That he would commission his officers to pillage their ships, and confiscate their effects, and that their lives were not in safety. In this general affrightment, which was not ill grounded, and which increased daily, the wealthier sort addressed themselves to Father Xavier, and desired him to take compassion on them, and on their wives and children, if he would have no compassion on himself.

Xavier, who was no less careful for the interests of others, than he was negligent of his own, found an expedient to satisfy them. He engaged his word, that he would not pass over into China, till they had ended all their business, and were gone from Sancian. This gave opportunity to the Chinese merchant, with whom he had treated, to make a short voyage, under promise, notwithstanding, to return at a time which was prefixed. While these things were thus managed, the Father fell sick of a violent fever, which continued on him fifteen days. The Portuguese took occasion from thence to tell him, that heaven had declared against the voyage of China; but being recovered, he followed his design with more warmth than ever. While the merchants were lading their ships, he entertained himself day and night with the prospect of converting China; and all his pleasure was to think, how happy he should be, in dispossessing the devil of the largest empire in the world. "If yet," said he, "it shall please Almighty God to employ so vile an instrument as I am, in so glorious an undertaking." Taken up with these and such-like meditations, he often took his walk along the shore, and turning his eyes towards that desired country, sent out ardent sighs. He said sometimes amongst his friends, that his only wish was to be set down at the gates of Canton, and troubled not himself with what might happen afterwards: happy he, if he could once declare the Son of God to the Chinese, and more happy, if, for his sake, he might suffer martyrdom.