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

by John Dryden

The saint, who knew the king of Achen's business was not only to drive the Portuguese out of Malacca, but also, and that principally, to extirpate Christianity out of all the East; having read the letter, lifted up his eyes to heaven, and answered without the least pause, that the affront was too great to be endured; that the honour of the Christian religion was more concerned in it than that of the crown of Portugal: If this injury should be dissembled, to what audaciousness would the enemy arise, and what would not the other Mahometan princes attempt after this example? In conclusion, that the challenge ought to be accepted, that the infidels might see the King of Heaven was more powerful than their king Alaradin.

"But how," said the governor, "shall we put to sea, and on what vessels, since, of eight gally-foysts which we had in port, there are but four remaining, and those also almost shattered in pieces, and half burned; and, in case we could refit them, what could they perform against so numerous a fleet?" "Suppose," answered Xavier, "the barbarians had twice so many ships, are not we much stronger, who have heaven on our side; and how can we choose but overcome, when we fight in the name of our Lord and Saviour?"

No man was so bold to contradict the man of God; and they all went to the arsenal. There they found a good sufficient bark, of those they call catur, besides seven old foysts, fit for nothing but the fire. Duarte de Bareto, who by his office had the superintendance of their naval stores, was commanded to fit out these foysts with all expedition. But he protested it was not in his power; for, besides that the kings magazines were empty of all necessaries for the equipping of them, there was no money in the treasury for materials.

The governor, who had no other fund, was ready to lose courage, when Xavier, by a certain impulse of spirit, suddenly began to embrace seven sea captains there present, who were of the council of war. He begged of them to divide the business amongst them, and each of them apart to take care of fitting out one galley: At the same time, without waiting for their answer, he assigned every man his task. The captains durst not oppose Xavier, or rather God, who inclined their hearts to comply with the saint's request. Above an hundred workmen were instantly employed on every vessel; and in four days time the seven gallies were in condition for fighting. Melo gave the catur to Andrea Toscano, a man of courage, and well versed in sea affairs. He divided amongst the seven captains an hundred and fourscore soldiers, chosen men, and appointed Francis Deza admiral of the fleet. Xavier was desirous to have gone along with them, but the inhabitants, who believed all was lost if they lost the Father, and who hoped for no consolation but from him alone in case the enterprize should not succeed, made such a disturbance about it, that, upon mature deliberation, it was resolved to keep him in the town.

The day before their embarkment, having called together the soldiers and the captains, he told them that he should accompany them in spirit; and that while they were engaging the barbarians, he would be lifting up his hands to heaven for them: That they should fight valiantly, in hope of glory, not vain and perishable, but solid and immortal: That, in the heat of the combat, they should cast their eyes on their crucified Redeemer, whose quarrel they maintained, and, beholding his wounds themselves, should not be afraid either of wounds or death; and how happy should they be to render their Saviour life for life.

These words inspired them with such generous and Christian thoughts, that, with one voice, they made a vow to fight the infidels to their last drop of blood. This solemn oath was so moving to Xavier, that it drew tears from him: he gave them all his blessing; and, for their greater encouragement, named them, "The Band of our Saviour's Soldiers:" in pursuit of which, he heard every man's confession, and gave them the communion with his own hand.

They embarked the clay following with so much cheerfulness, that it seemed to presage a certain victory. But their joy continued but a moment. They had scarcely weighed anchor, when the admiral split, and immediately went to the bottom, so that they had hardly time to save the men. The crowd of people, who were gathered together on the shore to see them go off, beheld this dismal accident, and took it for a bad omen of the expedition; murmuring at the same time against Father Xavier, who was the author of it, and casting out loud cries to recal the other vessels. The governor, who saw the people in an uproar, and apprehended the consequences of this violent beginning, sent in haste to seek the Father. The messenger found him at the altar, in the church of our Lady Del Monte, just ready to receive the blessed sacrament: he drew near to whisper the business to him, but the Father beckoned him with his hand to keep silence, and retire. When mass was ended, "Return," said Xavier, without giving the man leisure to tell his message, "and assure the governor from me, that he has no occasion to be discouraged for the loss of one vessel." By this the saint made known, that God had revealed to him what had happened. He continued some time in prayer before the image of the Virgin; and these words of his were overheard: "O my Jesus, the desire of my heart, regard me with a favourable eye; and thou, holy Virgin, be propitious to me! Lord Jesus," he continued, "look upon thy sacred wounds, and remember they have given us a right to ask of thee every thing conducing to our good."

His prayers being ended, he goes to the citadel: The governor, alarmed with the cries and murmurs of the people, could not dissemble his disturbance, but reproached the Father for having engaged them in this enterprize. But Xavier upbraided him with his distrust of God; and said, smiling, to him, "What! are you so dejected for so slight an accident?" After which, they went in company to the shore, where the soldiers belonging to the admiral stood in great consternation for the hazard they had run so lately. The Father reassured them, and exhorted them to remain constant in their holy resolution, notwithstanding their petty misadventure: he remonstrated to them, that heaven had not permitted their admiral to sink, but only to make trial of their faith; neither had themselves been saved from shipwreck, but only that they might perform their vow. In the mean time, the governor held it necessary to summon the great council. All the officers of the town, and the principal inhabitants, were of opinion to give over an enterprize, which, as they thought, was begun rashly, and could have no fortunate conclusion. But the captains and soldiers of the fleet, encouraged by the words of the holy man, and inspired with vigour, which had something in it of more than human, were of a quite contrary judgment. They unanimously protested, that they had rather die than violate that faith, which they had solemnly engaged to Jesus Christ. "For the rest," said they, "what have we more to fear this day than we had yesterday? our number is not diminished, though we have one vessel less, and we shall fight as well with six foysts, as we should with seven. But, on the other side, what hopes ought we not to conceive, under the auspices and promise of Father Francis?"

Then Xavier taking the word, "The lost galley shall be soon made good," said he with a prophetic voice; "before the sun goes down, there shall arrive amongst us two better vessels than that which perished; and this I declare to you from Almighty God." This positive prediction amazed the whole assembly, and caused them to put off the determination of the affair until the day ensuing. The remaining part of the day was passed with great impatience, to see the effect of the Father's promise. When the sun was just on the point of setting, and many began to fear the accomplishment of the prophecy, in the very minute marked out by the Father, they discovered, from the clock-house of our Lady del Monte, two European ships, which were sailing directly from the north. Melo sent out a skiff immediately to hail them, being informed that they were Portuguese vessels, one belonging to James Soarez Gallego, and the other to his son Balthazar, who came from the kingdom of Patan, but who took the way of Pegu, without intentions of casting anchor at Malacca, to avoid paying customs. He went in search of Father Francis, who was at his devotions in the church del Monte, and told him, that his prophecy would be accomplished to little purpose, if the ships came not into the port. Xavier took it upon himself to stop them; and, going into the skiff which had hailed them, made directly to the two vessels. The masters of the ships, seeing the man of God, received him with respect. He made them understand the present juncture of affairs, and earnestly besought them, by the interests of their religion, and their country, to assist the town against the common enemy of the Christian name, and the crown of Portugal. And to engage them farther, by their particular concernment, he let them see the danger into which they were casting themselves, in case they should obstinately pursue their voyage; and that they were going, without consideration, to precipitate themselves into the hands of the barbarians.

They yielded to the reasons of the Father; and the next morning entered the port amidst the shouts and acclamations of the people. After this, there was no farther dispute of fighting the enemy; and the most timorous came about to the opinion of the captains and the soldiers.