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

by John Dryden

"I shall depart from Goa within the compass of five days, intending first for Malacca; from whence I shall take the way of China, in the company of James Pereyra, who is named ambassador. We carry with us the rich presents, which are bought partly at the cost of your majesty, and partly at the proper charges of Pereyra: but we carry also a far more precious present, and such an one as no king, at least to my knowledge, has made the like to another prince, namely, the gospel of Jesus Christ; and if the emperor of China once knew its value, I am confident he would prefer that treasure before all his own, how immense soever they may be. I hope, that at length Almighty God will look with eyes of pity on that vast empire, and that he will make known to those great multitudes, who are all made after his own image, their Creator, and the Saviour of mankind, Christ Jesus.

"We are three in company, who go to China with Pereyra; and our design is, to free from prison those Portuguese who are there languishing in chains; to manage the friendship of the Chinese in favour of the crown of Portugal; and, above all things, to make war with the devils, and their adherents: on which occasion, we shall declare to the emperor, and, in sequel, to all his subjects, from the King of Heaven, the great injury which they have done him, to give the devils that adoration which is only payable to the true God, creator of mankind, and to Jesus Christ, their judge and master. The undertaking may seem bold, to come amongst barbarians, and dare to appear before a mighty monarch, to declare the truth to him, and reprehend his vices: but that which gives us courage is, that God himself has inspired us with these thoughts; that he has filled us with the assurance of his mercy; and that we doubt not of his power, which infinitely surpasses that of the emperor of China. Thus our whole success being in the hands of God, what cause of distrust or fear is it possible for us to have? for certain it is, that our only apprehension ought to be of offending him, and of incurring those punishments which are ordained for wicked men. But my hopes are incomparably greater when I consider, that God has made choice of such weak instruments, and such sinners, as we are, for so high an employment, as to carry the light of the gospel almost, I may say, into another world, to a nation blinded with idolatry, and given up to vice."

While they were fitting out the ship, which was to carry the missioners of China and Japan, Xavier assembled the fathers of the college by night, not being able to do it by day, because they were in continual employment till the evening. He discoursed with them concerning the virtues requisite to the apostolic vocation, and spoke with so much ardency and unction, that the congregation was full of sighs and tears, according to the relation of some who were present, and have left it to us in writing. But the instructions which he gave, in taking his last farewell of them, are very remarkable. And I cannot, in my opinion, report them better, than in the very words of the author, who took them from the mouth of the apostle: "The Father, Master Francis," says he, "embracing his brethren before his departure for China, and weeping over them, recommended constancy in their vocation to them; together with unfeigned humility, which was to have for its foundation, a true knowledge of themselves, and particularly a most prompt obedience. He extended his exhortation on this last point, and enjoined them obedience, as a virtue most pleasing to Almighty God, much commended by the Holy Spirit, and absolutely necessary to the sons of the Society."

The apostle went from Goa on holy Thursday, which fell that year, 1552, on the 14th of April. The sea was calm enough, till they came to the height of the islands of Nicubar, which are somewhat above Sumatra, towards the north. Thereabouts the waves began to swell; and presently after, there arose so furious a tempest, that there scarcely remained any hopes of safety. That which doubled their apprehension, was, that two foists, which bore them company, unable to sustain the fury of the waves, sunk both by one another. The ship, which carried Xavier and his companions, was a royal vessel, very large and deep laden, so that her unwieldy bulk and heavy freight hindered her sailing and her steering. It was thought necessary to ease her, and the merchandizes were ready to be cast overboard, when Father Francis desired the captain not to be too hasty. But the sailors saying, that the tempest increasing, as usually it does towards evening, the vessel could not so conveniently be disburdened in the dark, he bid them not disturb themselves about it, for the storm should cease, and they should make land before sun-set. The captain, who knew how certain the predictions of Xavier were, made not the least scruple of believing him, and the event verified the prophecy. The sea grew calm, and land appeared before the setting of the sun.

But while every one was rejoicing at the nearness of the port, the holy man had sadness in his countenance, and often sighed. Some of them enquired the cause, and he bade them pray to God for the city of Malacca, which was visited with an epidemical disease. Xavier said true; for the sickness was so general, and so contagious, that it seemed the beginning of a pestilence. Malignant fevers raged about the town, which carried off the strongest constitutions in a little space, and the infection was caught almost at sight. In this condition the ship found Malacca; and never was the sight of the holy man more pleasing to the inhabitants. Every one promised himself ease of body, and consolation of mind from him; and they were not deceived in their expectation.

So soon as he was set on shore, he went in search of the sick, and found employment enough amongst them for the exercise of his charity. Not a man of them, but desired to confess to Father Francis, and to expire in his arms; according to the popular opinion, that whoever died in that manner, could not fail of being saved. He ran from street to street with his companions, to gather up the poor, who lay languishing on the ground for want of succour. He carried them to the hospitals, and to the college of the Society, which on this occasion he changed into an hospital. And when both the college and the hospitals were full, he ordered cabins to be built along the shore, out of the remainders of rotten vessels, for lodgings, and necessary uses of those distressed creatures. After which he procured them food and medicines, which he begged from the devouter sort, and himself attended them both day and night. That which appeared most wonderful, was, that though the sick could not be served, nor the dying assisted, nor the dead buried, without taking the infection, and it was death to take it, yet Xavier and his companions enjoyed their perfect health in the midst of such dangerous employments. This indeed was wonderful, but there was also an undoubted miracle, which it pleased Almighty God to work by the ministry of his servant, on a young man, whom at that time he restored to life.

This young man, named Francis Ciavus, the only son of a devout woman, who had long been under the conduct of Xavier, having put into his mouth, without thinking of it, a poisoned arrow, such as are used in those eastern parts, died suddenly, so subtile and so mortal was the venom. They were already burying him, when Xavier came by chance that way. He was so moved with the cries and lamentations of the mother, that, taking the dead by the hand, he revived him with these words: "Francis, in the name of Jesus Christ, arise." The youth thus raised, believed from that moment, that he was no more his own, and that he was obliged to consecrate that life to God, which was so miraculously restored: In effect he did it, and out of acknowledgment to Xavier, took the habit of the Society. When the mortality was almost ceased, the saint pursued his design of the embassy to China, and treated with Don Alvarez d'Atayda, the governor of Malacca, on whom the viceroy had reposed the trust of so important an affair Don Alvarez had much approved this enterprize, when Xavier had first opened it, at his return from Japan, and had even promised to favour it with all his power. But envy and interest are two passions, which stifle the most reasonable thoughts, and make men forget their most solemn protestations.

The governor had a grudging to Pereyra, who, the year before, had refused to lend him ten thousand crowns; and could not endure, that a merchant should be sent ambassador to the greatest monarch in the world. He said, "That certainly that Pereyra, whom the viceroy had empowered by his letters, was some lord of the court of Portugal, and not James Pereyra, who had been domestic servant to Don Gonsalvo de Cotigno," But that which most disturbed him, was, that, besides the honour of such an embassy, the merchant should make so vast a profit of his wares, which he would sell off at an excessive rate in China. The governor said, "That in his own person were to be considered the services of the count his father; and that those hundred thousand crowns, which would be gained at least by Pereyra, were a more suitable reward for the son of Atayda, than for the valet de chambre of Cotigno." With such grating thoughts as these, he sought occasions to break off the voyage; yet he Would not declare himself at first; and the better to cover his design, or not to seem unthankful to Father Xavier, he fed him with fair promises. For the holy man had procured him the command of captain-major of the sea, and himself had brought him the provisions for that place: because when first the Father had opened his purpose of going into China, Atayda seemed to have espoused the project with great affection, and engaged himself to make it succeed, in case the ports and navigations of the Portuguese were once depending on him. To oblige him yet farther, the saint had procured from the viceroy, and brought along with him, certain extraordinary privileges, which had not been comprised in the provisions of the command. And, lastly, that he might wholly gain him at his arrival, finding the governor very sick, he attended him with great diligence, and made himself at once both his nurse and his chaplain, watching by him all the night, and saying mass for him in the morning. But all these offices of friendship wrought nothing on a heart, where jealousy and avarice were predominant.

What care soever Don Alvarez took to conceal his ill intentions, Xavier quickly discovered them; and at the same time wrote to Pereyra, who was yet at Sunda, advising him to come without any equipage, and to affect nothing of magnificence, that he might not farther exasperate an interested and jealous soul. But all the modesty of the ambassador could not hinder the governor from breaking out. At the first noise of his arrival, he sent officers of justice, and soldiers, to the port, with orders to make seizure on the ship called Santa Cruz, to take away the rudder, and give it into his hands. This was the first act of jurisdiction, which was exercised by Don Alvarez, as captain of the sea; employing against Xavier himself, that authority which had been procured him by Xavier, and pushing his ingratitude as far as it could go. In the mean time, to cover his passion with the pretext of public good, according to the common practice of men in power, he protested loudly, that the interests of the crown had constrained him to act in this manner; that he had received information from his spies, that the Javans were making preparations of war, to come upon Malacca once again; that he could not have too many ships in readiness, against such formidable enemies; and that the Santa Cruz was of absolute necessity to the king's service. This fable, which was the product of his own brains, was soon exploded by the arrival of some other Portuguese vessels, who, coming from the isles of Java, made oath, that these barbarians, being engaged amongst themselves in civil wars, had no thoughts of any foreign conquest. Don Alvarez not being able any longer to support the credit of his tale, pulled off the mask, and stood upon no farther ceremonies. Xavier perceiving that the love of lucre was his governing passion, made offers to him, by Pereyra, of thirty thousand crowns in pure gift; but the desire of engrossing all the gain, was the reason which prevailed with Atayda to refuse it.

The treasurer, with the rest of the crown-officers, being come to remonstrate to him, that the king's orders were positive, not to stop the navigation of those merchants, who had paid the duties of the port, he threatened them with his cane, which he held up against them, and drove them out of his chamber with great fury, saying, "That he was too old to be counselled; that, as long as he continued governor of Malacca, and captain of the seas, James Pereyra should not go to China, either as ambassador, or merchant; and if Father Xavier was intoxicated with the zeal of converting heathens, he might go to Brazil, or to the kingdom of Monomotapa."