But when once the saint was departed from Goa, Gomez usurped the whole government; alleging, for his own justification, that Father Rodriguez had given him an absolute power; and that Camerine was a poor honest creature, more fit to visit the prisons and hospitals of Goa, than to manage the missions, and govern the colleges, of the Society. He began with prescribing new rules to his inferiors; and declared to them, in express terms, that they must return into their mothers' wombs, that they might be born again into a spiritual life, and transformed into other men. Not that they had any need of reformation, they who were themselves the models of a perfect life; but the business was, that he had brought with him out of Europe, I know not what contrivance of new living, framed according to his own fanciful speculations. He undertook then to change their domestic discipline, and to regulate the studies of the Jesuits by the model of the university of Paris, where he had been a student in his youth. There was nothing but change and innovation every day; and he exercised his power with such haughtiness and magisterial hardness, that it appeared more like the dictates of an absolute monarchy, than the injunction of a religious superior: For, to make himself obeyed and feared, he went so far as to tell them he had received an unlimited power from Father Simon Rodriguez, in virtue of which he could imprison, or remand into Portugal, any person who should presume to oppose his government.
His conduct was not less irregular in respect of the young men who were educated in the seminary, of whom the greatest part were Indians. Though they were yet but novices in the faith, and scarcely to be accounted Christians, he enjoined them the practices of the most perfect interior life, which they could not possibly understand; and as they could not acquit themselves of those exercises, which were too sublime for them, he failed not to punish them severely. From thence arose murmurs and combinations, and even despair began to seize on those young ill-treated Indians; and from thence also it came to pass, that many of them, not able to endure so violent a government, leapt over the walls by night, and fled from out the college. Gomez, who could not bear the least contradiction, upon this became more assuming and fantastical; so that one day he turned out all the remaining scholars of the seminary, as if they had been incapable of discipline, and, receiving into their places seven and-twenty Portuguese, who desired to be of the Society, without having any tincture of human learning, he changed the seminary into a noviciate. As he had gained an absolute ascendant over the mind of George Cabral, at that time viceroy of the Indies, no man durst oppose his mad enterprizes, not so much as the Bishop Don Juan d'Albuquerque, who was unwilling to displease the viceroy, and feared to increase the distemper by endeavouring to cure it. Neither was the rector so confined to Goa, that he made not frequent sallies into the country; whether his natural activity would not suffer him to take repose, or that his zeal required a larger sphere; or that, in fine, he looked upon himself as superior general of the missions, and therefore thought it incumbent on him to have an inspection into all affairs, and to do every thing himself.
The town of Cochin being willing to found a college for the Society, he went thither to receive the offer; but he spoiled a good business by ill management. The captain of the fortress immediately gave him a church, called the Mother of God, against the will of the vicar of Cochin, and in despite of a certain brotherhood to which that church belonged. The donation being disputed in law, Gomez, who had it still about him to make a false step, that is, having much opiniatreté, great credit, good intentions, took upon him to stand the suit, and to get the church upon any terms. This violent procedure exasperated the people, who had been hitherto much edified by the charily of the Fathers; and the public indignation went so high, that they wrote letters of complaint concerning it to the King of Portugal and Father Ignatius.
This was the present face of things when Xavier returned from Japan; and it was partly upon this occasion that the letters which he received at Amanguchi so earnestly pressed his coming back. His first endeavours were to repair the faults committed by the rector; and he began with the business of Cochin: for, in his passage by it, at his return, knowing the violence of Gomez, he assembled in the choir of the cathedral the magistrate of the town, with all the fraternity of the mother of God, and, in the presence of the vicar, falling on his knees before them, he desired their pardon for what had passed, presented to them the keys of the church, which was the cause of the dispute, and yielded it entirely to them. But submission sometimes gains that, which haughty carriage goes without: The fraternity restored the keys into the hands of Xavier, and, of their own free motion, made an authentic deed of gift of their church to the college of the Society. As for what relates to Goa, the saint dismissed those Portuguese whom Gomez had received into the Society; and, having gathered up as many as he could find of those young Indians, who had either been expelled, or were gone out of the college of their own accord, he re-established the seminary, whose dissolution was so prejudicial to the Christianity of the Indies.
It was only remaining to chastise the criminal, who had made such evil use of his authority. Xavier would make an example of him; and so much the rather, because, having told him what punishment his faults had merited, he found him standing on his terms, insolent, and with no disposition to submit. He judged, upon the whole, that a man who was neither humble nor obedient, after such scandalous misdemeanours, was unworthy of the Society of Jesus; which notwithstanding, he was not willing to pull off his habit at Goa, for fear his departure might make too great a noise; but having made the viceroy sensible of the justice of his proceeding, he sent him to the fortress of Diu, towards Cambaya, with orders to the Fathers residing there to give him his dismission, and to use all manner of persuasions with him that he would return into Portugal, by the opportunity of the first ship which went away. All was performed according to the intentions of the holy man. But Gomez embarking on a vessel which was wrecked in the midst of the voyage, was unfortunately drowned; giving us to understand, by so tragical an end, that the talents of nature, and even the gifts of grace itself, serve only to the destruction of a man in religious orders, who is not endued with the spirit of humility and obedience.
BOOK VI.
He sends out missioners to divers places. He endeavours an embassy to China. He appoints Barzæus rector of the college of Goa. The form by which Barzæus was made rector of the college, &c. He himself acknowledges Barzæus for superior. In what manner Barzæus receives the offices of rector and vice-provincial. The new instructions which he gives to Barzæus. He makes choice of his companions for China and Japan. He writes to the king of Portugal concerning his voyage to China. He assembles the fathers of Goa by night, and upon what account. He departs from Goa, and what happens him in the way. Before his arrival at Malacca, he knows the plague is in the town. He employs himself in succouring the sick. He raises a young man to life. The embassy of China is crossed by the governor of Malacca. Xavier endeavours all he can to gain the favour of the governor for the embassy. Endeavours are used in vain to get the governor's consent. The governor flies out into fury against the Father. The Father resolves to excommunicate the governor; and what he does in order to it. The grand vicar excommunicates the governor in the name of Xavier. The saint imputes the overthrow of the embassy to his own sins. In writing to the king of Portugal, he makes no complaint of the governor of Malacca. He takes up the design of going to the isle of Sancian, and from thence into China. He departs from Malacca without seeing the governor; and what he does in going out of the town. He embarks, and what happens afterwards. He changes the salt-water into fresh. He restores to a Mahometan his son, who was fallen into the sea. He appears of an extraordinary height, and muck above his own stature. He reassures the captain of the Santa Cruz, and the mariners. He arrives at the isle of Sandan. What passes betwixt Xavier and Veglio. He foretels to Veglio, that he shall be advertised of the day of his death. The prediction of the saint is accomplished in all its circumstances. Other wonderful illuminations. He raises up a dead man, and drives the tygers out of the island. Endeavours are used in vain, to dissuade him from the voyage of China. He takes his measures for the voyage of China. The Portuguese of Sancian traverse the design of Xavier. He defers his voyage, in consideration of the Portuguese merchants. He writes divers letters to Malacca, and to Goa. He gives orders to Father Francis Perez, and to Father Caspar Barzaeus. He foretels the unhappy death of a merchant. He is reduced to an extreme want of all necessaries. The means fail him for his passage into China. He is still in hope, and the expedient which he finds. He falls sick again, and foreknows the day of his death. The nature of his sickness, and how he was inwardly disposed. He entertains himself with God in the extremity of his sickness. He denounces to a young Indian, the unhappy death which was attending him. The Death of the Saint. His age and person. Of the duties which were paid him immediately after his decease. They inter him without any ceremony. The miraculous crucifix in the chapel of the castle of Xavier. He is disinterred, and his body is found without the least corruption. The body of the saint is put on ship-board, to be transported into India. How the body is received at Malacca. The punishment of the governor of Malacca. The town of Malacca is freed from the pestilence at the arrival of the holy body. In what manner the body of the saint is treated in Malacca. They consider of transporting the holy corpse to Goa. The body is put into a crazed old ship, and what happens to it in the passage. How the body is received at Cochin, and the miracle which is wrought at Baticula. They come from Goa to meet the corpse. How the corpse of the saint is received at Goa. The miracles which are wrought, during the procession. The body is placed in the church of Saint Paul. New miracles are wrought in presence of the body. The informations of the saint's life are gathered in the Indies. The people invoke him, and venerate his images. They build churches in honour of him, in divers parts of the East. The praises which are given him by infidels, and the honour they perform to him. How much he is honoured at Japan. His gift of prayer. His love of God. His charity towards his neighbour. His zeal of souls. The various industry of his zeal. The condescendance of his zeal, and how dear the conversion of people costs him. The extent of his zeal. His intrepidity in dangers, and his confidence in God. His humility. His maxims on humility. His submission to God's good pleasure. His religious obedience. His maxims on obedience, and his love for the Society. His poverty, and his mortification. His purity of soul and body. His devotion to the blessed Virgin. His canonization is solicited, and what is done in order to it, by the king of Bungo. He is had in veneration through all Asia. Miracles are wrought in all places through his intercession. Three remarkable cures. The perpetual miracle of the saint's body. He is beatified, and in sequel canonized. The contents of the bull of his canonization. The veneration of the saint is much increased since his canonization. New miracles are wrought, and chiefly in Italy. What may be concluded from these testimonies, and from all the Book.
The affairs of the Society being accommodated in this manner, Xavier thought on nothing more than how to supply the missions of the Indies with good labourers; or rather to increase the number of the missioners, who were not sufficient for the common needs. He therefore sent Melchior Nugnez to Bazain, Gonsalvo Rodriguez to Cochin, John Lopez to Meliapor, and Luys Mendez to the Fishery, where he confirmed Henry Henriquez for superior, whom the missioners of that coast had already chosen instead of Antonio Criminal.
After this, he bent his whole endeavours to procure an embassy to China. The viceroy, Don Alphonso de Norogna, with great willingness, granted to James Pereyra that employment which Xavier had desired for him. He promised even to favour it, in all things depending on him; and gave wherewithal to furnish out presents for the emperor of China. Notwithstanding the most magnificent were made at the charges of the ambassador, he had prepared cloth of gold, ornaments for an altar of brocard pictures of devotion, in rich frames, made by the best hands of Europe, with copes and other magnificent church-stuff, all proper to represent to the Chinese the majesty of the Christian religion. The bishop, Don Juan d'Albuquerque, was not less favourable to the designs of the Father than the viceroy; and being willing to write to the emperor of China, thereby to give an honourable testimony to the holy law of God, he ordered his letter to be written in characters of gold, and bordered about with curious painting. Nothing more was wanting than only to make choice of such missioners as were to accompany Xavier to China, and to provide others for Japan; for, besides that the saint himself had his dear Japonians always in his memory, the ambassador of the king of Bungo, who was come with him to Goa, requested some evangelical preachers in his master's name. The man of God had enough to do, to content all those, who were desirous of that employment. There were at that time thirty of the Society in the college of Goa. Some of them had been in the Indies from the first years of Xavier's arrival in those ports; others were either new comers, or had been lately admitted; all of them were of approved virtue, and well worthy of that vocation, which they so earnestly desired; but there was none amongst them who sought it with more eagerness, nor who more signally deserved it, than Caspar Barzaeus.