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

by John Dryden

To return to the navigation of Father Xavier:—he arrived at Cochin, January 24th, in the year 1552. The king of the Maldivias had been there for some months: He was a prince of about twenty years of age, born in the Mahometan religion, and bred up in the hatred of Christians. The revolt of his subjects, who loved him not, or hated the government, forced him, for the safeguard of his life, to abandon his kingdom, and to seek sanctuary amongst the Portuguese, by whom he hoped to be restored. The fathers of the Society received him into their house, and went about to convert him, by letting him see the falsehood of his sect. The ill posture of his affairs made him apt to receive the instructions which were given him by Father Antonio Heredia, who endeavoured his conversion with great zeal. But his fear of farther exasperating his rebellious subjects, in case he changed his religion, caused him to defer that change from time to time; and perhaps he had never forsaken the law of Mahomet, if Father Francis had not arrived to complete that work which Heredia had begun. The holy apostle preached the word with so much efficacy to the king of the Maldivias, that at length he reduced him to the obedience of Christ, notwithstanding all the motives of worldly interest to the contrary. Having instructed him anew in the mysteries of Christianity, he solemnly baptized him. In sequel of which, he excited the Portuguese to replace him on the throne, and nominated some of the fathers to accompany the naval army, which should be sent to the Maldivias. His intention was, that they should labour in the conversion of the whole kingdom, when once the king should be established. But because it was of small importance to the crown of Portugal, that those islands, which produce neither gold, nor spices, nor perfumes, should be made tributary to it, the governors did nothing for that exiled prince; who, despairing to recover his dominions, married a Portuguese, and lived a private life till the day of his death; happy only in this, that the loss of his crown was made up to him, by the gift of faith, and the grace of baptism.

When the holy man was ready to depart, an opportunity was offered him of writing into Europe, which he laid hold on, thereby to render an account of his voyage to Japan, both to the king of Portugal, and to the general of his order. Then embarking for Goa, he had a speedy voyage, and arrived there in the beginning of February.

So soon as he was come on shore, he visited the sick in the town-hospitals; and then went to the college of St Paul, which was the house of the Society. After the ordinary embracements, which were more tender than ever, he enquired if none were sick within the college? He was answered, there was only one, who was lying at the point of death. Immediately Xavier went, and read the gospel over him. At the sight of the Father, the dying man recovered his spirits, and was restored to health. The physicians had given him over, and all things had been ordered for his burial; but he himself had never despaired of his recovery: and the day when Xavier arrived, he said, with a dying voice, "That if God would grant him the favour of beholding their good Father, he should infallibly recover."

The relation which Xavier made to the Fathers of Goa, concerning the church of Japan, was infinitely pleasing to them: and he himself was filled with equal consolation, in learning from them the present condition of Christianity in the Indies. The missioners, whom he had dispersed before his departure, were almost all of them united at his return. Some of them were come by his command, and others of their own motion, concerning urgent business; as if the Holy Spirit had re-assembled them expressly, that the presence of the man of God might redouble in them their apostolic zeal, and religious fervour. God had every where blest their labours. The town of Ormus, which fell to the lot of Father Gaspar Barzaeus, had wholly changed its countenance; idolaters, Saracens, and Jews, ran in multitudes to baptism: the temples of idols were consecrated to Christ; the mosques and synagogues were dispeopled, ill manners were reformed, and ill customs totally abolished. Christianity flourished more than ever in the coast of Fishery, since the death of Father Antonio Criminal, who had cultivated it with care, and in that cultivation was massacred by the Badages. The blood of the martyr seemed to have multiplied the Christians: they were reckoned to be more than five hundred thousand, all zealous, and ready to lay down their lives for their religion. The gospel had not made less progress at Cochin, and at Coulan; at Bazain and at Meliapore, at the Moluccas, and in the Isles del Moro. But it is almost incredible, with what profit the gospel labourers preached at Goa. All the priests of idols have been driven out of the Isle of Goa, by order from the governor, and at the solicitation of one of the Fathers belonging to the college of St Paul. It was also prohibited, under severe penalties, to perform any public action of idolatry within the district of Goa; and those ordinances, by little and little, reduced a multitude of Gentiles. As for the Portuguese, their lives were very regular; amidst the liberty of doing whatsoever pleased them, they refrained from all dishonest actions; and concubines were now as scarce as they had been common. The soldiers lived almost in the nature of men in orders; and even their piety edified the people.

But nothing was more pleasing to Xavier, than the conversion of two princes, who during his absence had been at Goa. The first was king of Tanor, a kingdom situate along the coasts of Malabar, betwixt Cranganor and Calecut. This prince, who was party-per-pale, Mahometan and Idolater, but prudent, a great warrior, of a comely shape, and more polite than was usual for a barbarian, had from his youth a tendency to Christianity, without being well instructed in it. He was enamoured of it, after he had been informed to the full concerning the mysteries of our faith, by a religious of the order of St Francis, who frequented his palace. In the mean time, the wars, which he had with other princes for ten years together, hindered him from receiving baptism. At length he was christened, but very secretly; so that, in appearance, he remained an infidel, to keep the better correspondence with his people. Yet he was not without some scruple concerning the manner of his life; and, in order to satisfy his conscience on so nice a point, he desired the bishop of Goa to send him an apostle; for by that name the Fathers of the Society were called by the Indians, as well as by the Portuguese. Father Gomez, who was sent to the king of Tanor, told him positively, that God would be served in spirit and in truth; that dissembling in religion was worse than, irreligion; and that Jesus would disown before his angels, those who disowned him before me. The king, who preferred his salvation before his crown, believed Gomez, and resolved to declare himself solemnly a Christian, as soon as he had made a treaty with his enemies. Having concluded a peace through the mediation of the Father, who had advised him to it, he came to Goa, in despite of all his subjects, who, not being able to gain upon him, either by their reasons, or their desires, had seized upon his person, and shut him up in one of the strongest citadels of the kingdom. He escaped out of his prison, swam a river, and having found eight foists, or half galleys, belonging to Goa, which were purposely sent to favour his passage, he had the good fortune to arrive safely at the town. The bishop and the viceroy conducted him to the cathedral, amidst the acclamations of the people; and at the foot of the altar, he made a public profession of his faith; with such expressions of true devotion as melted the assistants into tears.

The other prince, whose conversion gave so much joy to Father Xavier, was the king of Trichenamalo, who is one of the sovereigns of Ceylon This king, while he was yet an infant, was set upon the throne, and afterwards dispossessed by an usurper, when he was but eight years old. The tyrant, not content to have taken the crown from him, would also have murdered him, but was prevented by a prince of the blood-royal, who carried him out of his reach, being accompanied by forty lords of the loyal party, and sought sanctuary for him on the coasts of Fishery. The Paravas received him with all the charitable compassion which was due to his illustrious birth, to the tenderness of his years, and to his misfortunes; they also promised his attendants to serve him what was in their power; but, at the same time, advised them, to procure him a more durable and more glorious crown; and withal informed them of what they had been taught, concerning the adoption of the sons of God, the kingdom of heaven, and inheritance of the saints. Whether those considerations prevailed upon the prince of the blood-royal, or that the spirit of God wrought powerfully on his heart, lie consented to what the Paravas desired, and put himself into the hands of Father Henriquez to be instructed. The rest of the lords followed his example, and were all baptised together with the king, who seemed at his baptism to have an understanding much above his years. The rulers of the Christians on the fishing coast having afterwards made up an army, supplied with what ammunitions of war, and other provisions which the country could furnish, passed over into the Isle of Ceylon, under the conduct of the prince and the forty lords; but the usurper was so well established in his possession, that the Paravas were forced to retire with speed into their own country. As for the young king, he was brought to Goa; and the Portuguese, who took the conduct of him into their hands, put him into the college of St Paul, where he was virtuously educated by the Fathers of the Society. Xavier praised Almighty God to see the great men of the earth subjected to the empire of Jesus Christ, by the ministry of the children of Ignatius; and rejoiced with his brethren so much the more, because the bishop of Goa, Don Juan de Albuquerque, was so well satisfied of their conduct.

This wise and holy prelate communicated to the Father a letter, which he had written on that subject during his absence to the general of the Society. The letter was in Portuguese, dated from Cochin, November 28, in the year 1550, and is thus translated into our language: "The great performances of your children and subjects, in all the dominions of the East; the holiness of their lives, the purity of their doctrine, their zeal in labouring the reformation of the Portuguese, by the ministry of God's word, and the sacrament of penance; their unwearied travels through all the kingdoms of India, for the conversion of idolaters and Moors; their continual application to study the tongues of this new world, and to teach the mysteries of faith, and principally at the Cape of Comorin,—all this obliges me to write to your reverence, and to give testimony of what I have beheld with my own eyes. Indeed the fathers of your Society are admirable labourers in our Lord's vineyard; and are so faithfully subservient to the bishops, that their endeavours for the good of those souls with which I am intrusted, give me hope of remaining the fewer years in purgatory. I dare not undertake the relation of all their particular actions; and if I durst adventure it, want time for the performance of it: I will only tell you, that they are here like torches lighted up, to dissipate the thick darkness wherein these barbarous people were benighted; and that already, by their means, many nations of infidels believe one God in three persons: for what remains, I freely grant them all they require of me for the good of souls. Every one of them partakes with me in my power and authority, without appropriating any of it to myself: and I look upon myself as one of the members of that holy body, though my life arises not to their perfection. In one word, I love them all in Jesus Christ, with a fervent and sincere charity."

The rest of the letter is nothing appertaining to our purpose, and therefore is omitted.

The man of God received intelligence, at the same time, that the ministers of Portugal at Goa had sent word to Lisbon of the great progress which the Society had made; and that, in particular, the new viceroy, Don Antonio de Norogna, had written, that the Indies were infinitely satisfied with the Jesuits; that none could look on the good effects of their labours without blessing the name of God for them; and that their lives were correspondent to their calling. The saint also was informed, that the king of Portugal had sent word of all these proceedings to the Pope; especially the conversion of the king of Tanor, and the martyrdom of Father Antonio Criminal: That he had communicated to his Holiness his intentions of founding many colleges for the Society, to the end the East might be filled with apostolical labourers; and that, in the mean time, he had ordained, that all the seminaries established in the Indies, for the education of youth, should be put into the hands of the Society, in case it was not already done: Lastly, it was told to Father Xavier, that the viceroy of the Indies, and the captains of the fortresses, had orders from King John III. to defray the charges of the missioners in all their voyages; and that this most religious prince had discharged his conscience of the care of souls, by imposing it on the Society; obliging the Fathers, in his stead, to provide for the instruction of the infidels, according to the ancient agreement which had been made with the Holy See, when the conquests of the East were granted to the crown of Portugal.

Amidst so many occasions of joy and satisfaction, the ill conduct of Antonio Gomez gave Xavier an exceeding cause of grief. Before his voyage to Japan, he had constituted him rector of the college of St Paul, according to the intention, or rather by the order, of Father Simon Rodriguez, who had sent him to the Indies three years after his noviciate; and who, in relation to these missions, had an absolute authority, as being provincial of Portugal, on which the Indies have their dependence. Gomez was master of many eminent qualities which rarely meet in the same person: He was not only a great philosopher, divine, and canonist, but also an admirable preacher, and as well conversant as any man in the management of affairs; and, besides all this, was kindled with a most fervent zeal for the conversion of souls; always prompt to labour in the most painful employments, and always indefatigable in labour: but wonderfully self-opinioned; never guided by any judgment but his own, and acting rather by the vivacity of his own impetuous fancy, than by the directions of the Holy Spirit, or the rules of right reason. As he was of a confirmed age at his entrance into the Society, so he had not soon enough endeavoured to get the mastery of those headstrong passions which ran away with his understanding. And when he had once taken upon him the charge of rector, he began to govern by the dictates of his own capricious humour, even before the face of Xavier, ere he departed from the Indies for Japan; and the Father, who easily perceived that the government of Gomez was not in the least conformable to the spirit of their Institute, would at that time have withdrawn him from Goa, and sent him to Ormuz: but the viceroy, to whom Gomez had been powerfully recommended by one of the chief ministers of Portugal, would not suffer him to be transplanted, or that his authority should be taken from him: so that all Xavier could do, was to temper and draw off from his jurisdiction, by establishing Father Paul de Camerine superior-general of all the missions of the Indies.