It was in this manner, that the holy apostle, Francis Xavier, instructed the young men of the Society; and nothing, perhaps, could better explain to us the great resemblance that was betwixt the souls of Xavier and Ignatius.
At this time, there came news from Japan; and some letters reported, that one of the kings of that island had desired some preachers to be sent to him, by an express embassy to the viceroy of the Indies. That this king had learnt somewhat of the Christian law, and that a strange accident had made him desirous of knowing more. This accident was related in those letters, after the following manner.
"Some Portuguese merchants, being landing at the port, belonging to the capital city of one of those kingdoms of Japan, were lodged by the king's order in a forsaken house, which was thought to be haunted by evil spirits: the common opinion was not ill grounded, and the Portuguese soon perceived, that their lodging was disturbed. They heard a horrible rumbling all the night; they felt themselves pulled out of their beds, and beaten in their sleep, without seeing any one. One night being awakened, at the cry of one of their servants, and running with their arms towards the place from whence the noise was heard, they found the servant on the ground, trembling for fear. They asked him the occasion of his outcry, and why he shook in that manner? He answered, 'That he had seen a frightful apparition, such a one as painters use to draw for the picture of the devil.' As this servant was not thought either faint-hearted, or a liar, the Portuguese no longer doubted, what was the meaning of all that rattling and clutter, which they heard every night; to put an end to it, they set crosses in all the rooms, after which they heard no more of it."
The Japonese were much surprised to hear the house was now at quiet: the king himself, to whom the Portuguese had said, "That the Christian cross had driven away the evil spirits," admired that wonderful effect, and commanded crosses to be set up in all places, even in his own palaces, and in the highways. In consequence of this, he desired to be informed from whence the cross derived that virtue, and for what cause the devils so much feared it. Thus, by little and little, he entered into the mysteries of faith. But as the Japonese are extremely curious, not content to be instructed by soldiers and merchants, he thought of sending for preachers, and in that prospect sent an ambassador to the Indies.
This news gave infinite satisfaction to Father Xavier; and so much the more hastened his voyage, by how much he now perceived the Japonians were disposed to receive the gospel. There were in the port of Malacca many Portuguese vessels, in readiness to set sail for Japan; but all of them were to make many other voyages by the way, which was not the saint's business. His only means was to have recourse to a junk of China, (so they call those little vessels,) which was bound directly for Japan. The master of the vessel, called Neceda, was a famous pirate; a friend to the Portuguese, notwithstanding the war which was newly declared against them; so well known by his robberies at sea, that his ship was commonly called, The Robber's Vessel. Don Pedro de Sylva, governor of Malacca, got a promise from the Chinese captain, that he would carry the Father, safely, and without injury, and took hostages to engage him inviolably to keep his faith; but what can be built on the word of a pirate, and a wicked man?
Xavier, and his companions, embarked on the twenty-fourth of June, in the dusk of the evening; and set sail the next morning, at break of day, with a favourable wind. When they were out at sea, the captain and ship's crew, who were all idolaters, set up a pagod on the poop; sacrificed to it in spite of Xavier, and all his remonstrances to the contrary; and consulted him by magical ceremonies, concerning the success of their voyage. The answers were sometimes good, and sometimes ill: in the meantime they cast anchor at an isle, and there furnished themselves with timber, against the furious gusts of those uncertain seas. At the same time they renewed their interrogatories to their idol; and cast lots, to know whether they should have good winds. The lots promised them a good passage, whereupon the Pagans pursued their course merrily. But they were no sooner got out to sea again, when they drew lots the third time, to know, whether the junk should return safely from Japan to Malacca. The answer was, that they should arrive happily at Japan, but were never more to see Malacca. The pirate, who was extremely superstitious, resolved at the same instant to change his course; and in effect tacked about, and passed his time in going to every isle which was in view. Father Xavier was sensibly displeased, that the devil should be master of their destiny, and that all things should be ordered, according to the answers of the enemy of God and man.
In cruising thus leisurely, they made the coast of Cochin China; and the tempests, which rose at the same time, threatened them more than once with shipwreck. The idolaters had recourse to their ordinary superstitions. The lot declared, that the wind should fall, and that there was no danger. But an impetuous gust so raised the waves, that the mariners were forced to lower their sails, and cast anchor. The shog of the vessel threw a young Chinese (whom Xavier had christened, and carried along with him) into the sink, which was then open. They drew him out half dead, much bruised, and hurt in the head very dangerously. While they were dressing him, the captain's daughter fell into the sea, and was swallowed by the waves, notwithstanding all they could do to save her.
This dismal accident drove Neceda to despair; "and it was a lamentable sight," says Xavier himself, in one of his letters, "to behold the disorder in the vessel. The loss of the daughter, and the fear of shipwreck, filled all with tears, and howlings, and confusion."
Nevertheless, the idolaters, instead of acknowledging that their idol had deceived them with a lie, took pains to appease him, as if the death of the Chinese woman had been an effect of their god's displeasure. They sacrificed birds to him, and burnt incense in honour of him; after which they cast lots again to know the cause of this disaster which had befallen them. They were answered, "That if the young Christian, who had fell into the sink, had died, the captain's daughter had been preserved." Then Neceda, transported with fury, thought to throw Xavier and his companions overboard. But the storm ceasing in an instant, his mind grew calmer by degrees, he weighed anchor, and set sail again, and took the way of Canton, with intention there to pass the winter. But the designs of men, and power of devils, can do nothing against the decrees of Providence. A contrary wind broke all the projects of the captain, constraining him, in his own despite, to enter with full sails into the ocean of Japan. And the same wind carried the junk of the pirate toward Cangoxima, the birth-place of Anger, sirnamed Paul de Sainte Foy. They arrived there on the fifteenth of August, in the year 1549.