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

by John Dryden

Though all these conversions drew the public veneration on Father Francis, it seemed that God took pleasure in making the name of his servant yet more illustrious, by certain wonderful events. A merchant of Meliapor being just ready to embark for Malacca, went to take his leave of him. In receiving his blessing, he begged of him some little token of his friendship. The Father, who was very poor, could find nothing to give him but the chaplet which was hanging at his neck: "This chaplet,"[1] said he to the merchant, "shall not be unprofitable to you, provided you repose your trust in the Virgin Mary." The merchant went away in full assurance of the divine protection, and without fear of pirates, winds, or rocks; but God would make a trial of his faith. He had already almost crossed, without the least hazard, the great gulph which is betwixt Meliapor and Malacca, when suddenly there blew a furious storm, the sails were torn, the rudder broken, and the mast came by the board, and the vessel afterwards being driven against the rocks, was split: The greatest part of the seamen and passengers were drowned; some of them held upon the rocks, where they were cast away, and the merchant himself was of that number; but, being upon the wide sea, and not having wherewithal to supply nature, to avoid dying by hunger, they took a resolution which only despair could have inspired; having gathered up some floating planks of their wrecked vessel, and joining them together the best they could, they put themselves upon them, and abandoned their safety to the mercy of the waves, without other hope than of lighting on some current which might possibly carry them on shore.

[1] Or beads.

The merchant, full of confidence in the blessed Virgin, had still preserved the chaplet of Xavier, and feared not drowning while he held it in his hand. The float of planks was hardly adrift upon the waves, when he found he was transported out of himself, and believed he was at Meliapor with Father Francis. Returning from his extacy, he was strangely surprised to find himself on an unknown coast, and not to see about him the companions of his fortunes, nor the planks to which he had entrusted his life. He understood, from some people who casually came that way, that it was the coast of Negapatan, and, in a transport mixed with joy and amazement, he told them, in how miraculous a manner God had delivered him from death.

Another Portuguese, by profession a soldier, called Jerome Fernandez de Mendoza, received a considerable assistance from Xavier, in a different manner, but full as marvellous. Fernandez, having put off from the coast of Coromandel, in a ship belonging to him, wherein was all his wealth, to go to another coast more westward, was taken near the cape of Comorin, by the Malabar pirates, equally covetous and cruel. To save his life, in losing his goods, he threw himself into the sea, and was happy enough, in spite of his ill fortune, to swim to land, on the coast of Meliapor. Meeting there Father Francis, he related his misfortune to him, and begged an alms. The father was almost sorry, at that time, for his being so poor himself, that he had not wherewithal to relieve the miserable man; yet he put his hand into his pocket, as if he were searching there for something, but finding nothing, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and afterwards turning to Fernandez, with looks full of compassion, "have courage, brother," said he to him, "heaven will provide for you." After which, walking forward four or five paces, he once more put his hands into his pockets, and pulled out fifty pieces of gold: "receive," added he, "what heaven sends you; make use of it, but speak not of it." The surprise and joy of Fernandez were so great, that it was impossible for him to keep silence. He published, in all places, the bounty of his benefactor; and the pieces of gold were found to be so pure and fine, that it was not doubted but they were miraculous.

But perhaps nothing is more admirable, than what passed betwixt the Father and John Duro, or Deyro, as some have called him. He was a man of about five-and-thirty years of age, who had formerly borne arms; afterwards became a merchant and owner of a ship, very wealthy and fortunate in all his traffic; all which notwithstanding, he was ill satisfied with the world, uneasy to himself, unquiet in the midst of all his wealth, and persuaded that God alone could content his soul. He went one day to see the holy man, and told him, that for many years he had a desire of changing his condition, and of serving God as perfectly as he was able, but that two reasons had always hindered him: the one was, that he never yet could meet with any person, who was capable of shewing him the way of perfection; the other was, that he was afraid of falling into poverty. He added, that he was now out of pain concerning those two points. That for the first, he hoped he should walk surely in the way of heaven, having so able a guide as he; and for the second, he had got sufficiently for his maintenance in an honest and comfortable way, during the remainder of his life. He begged leave of Father Xavier, that he might follow him, and promised, on all occasions, to defray his charges.

The Father made Deyro understand, how far he was yet from the kingdom of heaven; that, to arrive at perfection, he must perform what our Saviour counselled the young man, who seemed willing to follow him, that is to say, he must practise these words in the literal sense, "sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor." Deyro, thus undeceived, immediately desired the Father to take all his goods, and distribute them amongst the poor; but the Father would neither do what Deyro had proposed to him, nor permit that he should himself dispose of any thing, before he had made confession to him. Foreseeing, without doubt, that being so rich, he should be obliged to make restitution of some part of that which he had gained.

The confession of the merchant was three days in making; after which, having sold his ship and his merchandise, he restored what he had got unjustly, and gave great alms. And in consequence of this, under the direction of the saint, he gave himself to the exercises of piety and penitence, thereby to lay a solid foundation of that perfection to which he aspired.

But these fair beginnings were not attended with any answerable fruit; and that spirit of retirement, of mortification, and of poverty, was soon extinguished in a man accustomed to the turmoils of the world, who had always lived in plenty, and who passionately loved his profit. He returned to the thoughts of his former condition, and having recovered some jewels, and bought a small vessel in secret, he set himself to follow his former way of living.

When he was just on the point of setting sail, a catechist, called Antonio, came and told him, that Father Xavier desired to speak with him. Deyro, who thought of nothing more than of making his escape, and who had not entrusted his design to the knowledge of any person, made as if he took him for another. But Antonio persisting in it, that it was himself whom the Father meant, he durst not dissemble any longer, and went to find him; resolved, however, of denying all, as thinking the Father at most could have but a bare suspicion of his change and intended flight. He therefore assumed an air of confidence, and presented himself boldly before the saint; but God had given him knowledge of Deyro's intentions. "You have sinned," said Xavier, as soon as he beheld him; "you have sinned." These few words so deeply struck him, that he threw himself at the feet of the Father, all trembling, and crying out, "it is true, my Father, I have sinned:" "Penitence then, my son," replied the Father, "penitence!" Deyro confessed himself immediately, went to sell off his ship, and distributed all the money to the poor. He returned afterwards, and put himself once more under the conduct of the Father, with a firm resolution of following his counsels more sincerely, and of serving God more faithfully.

How unfeigned soever the repentance of Deyro seemed, Xavier had no confidence in it; and these new fervours were suspected by him. He would not receive him into the company of Jesus, which requires solid spirits, and such as are firm to their vocation.