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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28873	The life of St. Francis Xavier, of the Society of Jesus, apostle of the Indies, and of Japan written in French by Father Dominick Bohours, of the same Society ; translated into English by Mr. Dryden.; Vie de Saint François Xavier de la Campagnie de Jesus, apostre des Indes et du Japon. English	Bouhours, Dominique, 1628-1702.; Dryden, John, 1631-1700.	1688 (1688)	Wing B3825; ESTC R15455	341,142	791

usage which was given to the Man in the Parable of the Gospel Who dar'● to appear ●n the Wedding-Room without Cloathing himself in Wedding-Garments By meditating at his leisure on the great truths of Christianity and especially on the Mysteries of our Saviour according to the Method of Ignatius he was wholly chang'd into another Man and the humility of the Cross appear'd to him more amiable than all the Glories of the World. These new insights caus'd him without the least re●ugnance to refuse a Canonry of Pampe●una which was offer'd him at that time and was very considerable both in regard of the Profits and of the Dignity He form'd also during his solitude the design of glorifying God by all possible means and of employing his whole Life for the Salvation of Souls On these foundations having finished the course of Philosophy which he read and which had lasted three years and a half according to the custome of those times he studied in Divinity by the Counsel of Ignatius whose Scholar he openly declar'd himself to be In the mean time Ignatius who found in himself an inward Call to the Holy-Land for the Conversion of Iews and Infidels discovered his intentions to Xavier which he had already communicated to Le Fevre and four other Learned young men who had embrac'd his form of Life All the seven engag'd themselves by promise to each other and by solemn Vows to God Almighty to forsake their worldly goods and undertake a Voyage to Ierusalem or in case that in the compass of a Year they cou'd not find an accommodation of passing the Seas that they would cast themselves at the feet of our Holy Father for the Service of the Church into what ever part of the World he would please to send them They made these Vows at Montmartre on the day of our Ladies Assumption in the year 1534. That holy place which has been water'd with the Blood of Martyrs and where their Bodies are still deposited inspir'd a particular Devotion into Xavier and possess'd him with a ●ervent desire of Martyrdom Towards the end of the year following he went from Paris in the Company of Le Fevre Laynez Salmeron Rodriguez Bobadilla and three other Divines whom Le Fevre had gain'd in in the absence of Ignatius who for important Reasons was oblig'd to go before and who was waiting for them at Venice Somewhat before their departure Xavier who was sometimes too far transported by the servency of his Soul had tied his Arms and Thighs with little Cords to morti●ie himself for some kind of vain satisfaction which he took in out-running and overleaping his young Companions for he was very active and amongst all the Recreations us'd by Scholars he lik'd none but the exercises of the Body Though the Cords were very straight about him yet he imagin'd they wou'd not hinder him from travelling on foot But he had scarcely begun his journey when he was taken with extream pains He bore them as well as he was able and dissembled them till his strength fail'd him His motion had swell'd his Thighs and indented the Cords so deep into his flesh that they were hardly visible Insomuch that the Chirurgions to whom his Fellows discover'd them plainly said that any incisions which cou'd be made wou'd serve onely to increase his pains and that the ill was incurable In this dangerous conjuncture Le Fevre Laynez and the rest had recourse to Almighty God and not in vain Xavier waking the next morning found the Cords fallen down the swelling wholly taken away from his Thighs and the marks of the Cords only remaining on his Flesh. They joyn'd in actions of Thanksgiving to the Almighty for his providential care already shewn in their behalf and though the ways were very rugged in the inclemency of that Season yet they chearfully pursu'd their Journey Xavier was serviceable to his Companions on all occasions and was always before hand with them in the duties of Charity whether it were that being naturaly officious and of a warm temper he was more eager to employ himself for them or that his health miraculously restor'd render'd him more obligeing and charitable towards those by whose prayers it was recover'd When they were arriv'd at Venice their breathings were only after the holy places Ignatius whom they were ravish'd to see again and whom they acknowledg'd for their common Father was of opinion that while they were waiting the opportunity of going to receive the Pope's blessing for their Voyage to Ierusalem each of them shou'd employ himself on works of Charity in the Hospitals of the Town Xavier whose lott fell in the Hospital of the Incurable was not satisfied onely with busying himself all day in dressing sick men's sores in making their Beds and doing them more inferiour service but also pass'd whole nights in watching by them But his care and pains were not confin'd to the succour of their Bodies Tho' he was wholly ignorant of the Italian Tongue he frequently spoke of God to them and above all things exhorted the greatest Libertines to repentance by causing them to comprehend in the best manner he was able that though their corporal maladies were incurable yet the diseases of their Souls were not so that how enormous soever our offences were we ought always to rely on God's mercy and that a desire of being sincerely converted was onely requisite in Sinners for obtaining the grace of their Conversion One of these sick Alms-men had an Ulcer which was horrble to the sight but the noysomness of the stench was yet more insupportable Every one shun'd the miserable Creature not enduring so much as to approach him and Xavier once found a great Repugnance in himself to attend him But at the same time he call'd to his remembrance a Maxim of Ignatius that we make no progress in Vertue but by vanquishing our selves and that the occasion of making a great Sacrifice was too precious to be lost Being fortify'd with these thoughts and encourag'd by the example of St. Catharine de Sienna which came into his Mind he embrac'd the sick person apply'd his Mouth to the Ulcer surmounted his natural loathing and suck'd out the Corruption at the same moment his Repugnance vanish'd and after that he had no farther trouble in the like cases of so great importance it is to us once to have throughly overcome our selves Two Moneths were pass'd away in these exercises of Charity After which he set forward on his Journey to Rome with the other Disciples of Ignatius who himself stay'd behind alone at Venice They underwent great hardships in their way It rain'd continually and Bread was often wanting to them even when their strength was wasted Xavier encourag'd his Companions and sustain'd himself by that Apostolick Spirit with which God replenish'd him from that time forwards and which already made him in love with pain and sufferings Being arriv'd at Rome his first care was to visit the Churches

Holiness of Xavier to give credence to such improbable stories as were rais'd of him and all the Bonza's cou'd say against him serv'd only to increase the publick hatred against themselves Thus despairing of success amongst the multitude they were forc'd to take another course to destroy him in the good Opinion of the King. About twelve Leagues distant from the Town there was a famous Monastery of the Bonza's the Superiour of which was one Fucarandono esteem'd the greatest Scholar and most accomplish'd in all the Learning of Iapan He had read Lectures of the Mysteries of their Divinity for the space of thirty years in the most renown'd University of the Kingdom But however skill'd he was in all Siences his Authority was yet greater than his Knowledge Men listen'd to him as to the Oracle of Iapan and an implicit Faith was given to all he said The Bonza's of Fucheo were perswaded that if they cou'd bring him to the Town and set him up against Xavier in presence of the Court they shou'd soon recover their lost Honour such confidence they had of a certain Victory over the European Doctor On this account they writ to Fucarandono with all the warmness of an earnest Invitation and sent him word That if he wou'd give himself the trouble of this little Journey to revenge the injury they had receiv'd they wou'd carry him back in triumph on their Shoulders to his Monastery The Bonza who was full as vain as he was learn'd came speedily attended by six Bonza's all Men of Science but his inferiours and Scholars He enter'd the Palace at that point of time when Xavier and the Portugueses had Audience of the King for their last farewel being to embark the next morning Before the King had dismiss'd them he was inform'd that Fucarandono desir'd to kiss his Hand in presence of the Portuguese Bonza At the name of Fucarandono the King was a little nonplus'd and stood silent for some time suspecting that he came to challenge Father Xavier to a Disputation and devising in himself some means of breaking off this troublesome affair as he afterwards acknowledg'd For what ever good Opinion he had of the Saints Ability Yet he cou'd not think him strong enough to encounter so formidable an Adversary and therefore out of his kindness to him was not willing to expose him to a disgrace in publick Xavier who perceiv'd the Kings perplexity and imagin'd from whence it might proceed begg'd earnestly of his Majesty to give the Bonza leave of entrance and also free permission of speaking For as to what concerns me said the Father you need not give your self the least disquiet The Law I preach is no earthly Science taught in any of your Vniversities nor a Humane Invention 't is a Doctrine altogether Heavenly of which God himself is the only teacher Neither all the Bonza's of Japan nor yet all the Scholars extant in the World can prevail against it any more than the shadows of the night against the Sun-beams of the rising-Sun The King at the request of Xavier gave entrance to the Bonza Fucarandono after the three usual reverences to the King seated himself by Xavier and after he had fix'd his Eyes earnestly upon him I know not said he with an overweening look if thou knowest me or to speak more properly if thou remembrest me I remember not said Xavier that I have ever seen you Then the Bonza breaking out into a forc'd laughter and turning to his fellows I shall have but little difficulty in overcoming this Companion who has convers'd with me an hundred times and yet w●u'd make us believe he had never seen me Then looking on Xavier with a scornful smile Hast thou none of those Goods yet remaining continu'd he which thou soldest me at the Port of Frenajoma In truth reply'd Xavier with a sedate and modest Countenance I have never been a Merchant in all my life neither have I ever been at the Port of Frenajoma What a beastly forgetfulness is this of thine Pursu'd the Bonza with an affected wonder and keeping up his bold laughter how canst thou possibly forget it Bring it back to my remembrance said Xavier mildly you who have so much more Wit and a Memory happier than mine That shall be done rejoin'd the Bonza proud of the Commendations which the Saint had given him 'T is now just fifteen hundred years since thou and I who were then Merchants traded at Frenajoma and where I bought of thee an hundred Bales of Silk at an easy pennyworth dost thou yet remember it The Saint who perceiv'd whither the discourse tended ask'd him very civilly of what age he might be I am now two and fifty said Fucarandono How can it then be reply'd Xavier that you were a Merchant Fifteen hundred years ago that is fifteen Ages when yet you have been in ● the World by your own confession but half an Age And how comes it that you and I then traffick'd together at Frenajoma since the greatest part of you Bonza's maintain that Japan was a Desart and uninhabited at that time Hear me said the Bonza and liste● to me as an Oracle I will make the● confess that we have a greater 〈◊〉 of things past than thou and thy fellows have ●f the present Thou art then to understand that the World had no beginning and that Men Properly speaking never die The Soul only breaks loose from the Body in which it was confin'd and while that Body is rotting under ground is looking out for another fresh and vigorous Habitation wherein we are born again sometimes in the nobler sometimes in the more imperfect Sex according to the various Constellations of the Heavens and the different Aspects of the Moon These alterations in our Birth produce the like changes in our F●rtune Now it is the recompense of those who have liv'd virtuously to preserve a const●nt memory of all the lives which they have pass'd through in so many Ages and to represent themselves to themselves entirely such as they have been from all Eternity under the figure of a Prince of a Merchant of a Scholar of a Souldier and so many other various forms On the contrary they who like thee are so ignorant of their own Affairs as not to understand who or what they have been formerly during th●se infinite rev●lutions of Ages shew that their Crimes have deserv'd death as often as they h●ve lost the remembrance of their lives in every change The Portuguese from whose relation we have the knowledge of what is above written and who was present at the Dispute as himself informs us in his Book of Travels gives us no account of the Answers which were made by Xavier I have neither Knowledge nor Presumption enough says he to relate those subtile and solid Reasons with which he confuted the mad imaginations of the Bonza We only have learnt from this Portuguese that Fucarandono was put to silence upon the point

that perpetual Chearfulness which render'd him so easie and so acceptable in all Companies 'T is natural for a man who is extreamly mortify'd to be chaste And so was Xavier to such a degree of perfection that we have it certify'd from his Ghostly Fathers and amongst others from the Vicar of Meliapore that he liv'd and dy'd a Virgin. From his youth upward he had an extream horrour for impurity notwithstanding that he was of a sanguine complexion and naturally lov'd pleasure While he was a Student at Paris and dwelt in the Colledge of Sainte Barbe his Tutor in Philosophy who was a man lost in debauches and who dyed of a dishonest disease carried his Scholars by night to Brothel-houses The abominable man did all he cou'd towards the debauching of Francis Xavier who was handsom and well shap'd but he cou'd never accomplish his wicked purpose so much was the youth estrang'd from the uncleanness of all fleshly pleasures For what remains nothing can more clearly make out his love to purity than what happen'd to him once at Rome Simon Rodriguez being ●allen sick Father Ignatius commanded Xavier to take care of him during his distemper One night the sick man awaking saw Xavier who was asleep at his beds-●eet thrusting out his arms in a dream with the action of one who violently repells an Enemy he observ'd him even casting out blood in great abundane through his nostrils and at his mouth Xavier himself awaking with the labour of that strugling Rodriguez enquir'd of him the cause of that extream agitation and the gushing of his blood Xavier would not satisfie him at that time and gave him no account of it 'till he was just upon his departure to the Indies for then being urg'd a-new by Rodrigu●z after he had oblig'd him to secrecy Know said he my Brother Master Sim●n that God out of his wonderful mercy has done me the ●avour to preserve me even 'till this hour in entire purity and that very night I dreamt that lod●ing at an Inn an impudent Woman wou'd needs approach me The motion of my arms was to thrust her from me and to get rid of her and the blood which I threw out proceeded from my ag●ny But whatsoever detestation Xavier had even for the shadow of a sin he was always di●●ident of himself and withdrew from all conversation of Women if charity oblig'd him not to take care of their conversion And even on such occasions he kept all imaginable measures never entertaining them with discourse unless in publick places and in sight of all the world nor speaking with them of ought but what was necessary and then also sparing of his words and with a grave modest and serious countenance He would say That in general conversation we cou'd not be too circumspect in our behaviour towards them and that however 〈◊〉 the intentions of their Confessours were there still remain'd more cause of fear to 〈◊〉 directours in those entertainments than of ●ope tha● any good shou'd result from them to the Women Penitents Besides all this he kept his senses curb'd and recollected examin'd his conscience often every day and daily confess'd himself when he had the convenience of a Priest. By these means 〈◊〉 acquir'd such a purity of Soul and Body that they who were of his intimate acquaintance have declar'd that they cou●d never observe in him ought that was not within the rules of the exactest decency In like manner he never forgave himself the least miscarriage and 't is incredible how far the tenderness of his Conscience went on all occasions In that Vessel which carried him from Lisbonne to the Indies a Child who was of years which are capable of instruction one day happen'd to dye suddenly Xavier immediately enquir'd if the Child had been usually present at Catechism together with the Ship 's Company It was answer'd in the negative and at the same moment the man of God whose countenance commonly was cheerful appear'd extreamly sad The Viceroy Alphonso de Sosa soon observ'd it and knowing the cause of his affliction ask'd the Father if he had any former knowledge that the Child came not to Catechism If I had known it reply'd Xavier I had not fail'd to have brought him thither But why then said the Vicerory are you thus disquieted for a thing you know not and of which you are no ways guilty 'T is reply'd the Saint because I ought to upbraid my self with it as a fault that I was ignorant that any person who was imbark'd with me wanted to be taught the Christian Faith. A body so chaste and a mind so pure cou'd not have been but of one who was faithfully devoted to the holy Virgin The Saint honour'd and lov'd her all his life with thoughts full of respect and tenderness It was in the Church of Mont Martre dedicated to the Mother of God and on the day of her Assumption that he made his first vows It was in that of Loretto that he had his first inspiration and conceiv'd his first desires of going to the Indies He petition'd for nothing of our Lord but by the intercession of his Mother and in the exposition which he made of the Christian Doctrine after addressing himself to Iesus to obtain the grace of a lively and constant Faith he fail'd not of addressing himself to Mary He concluded all his instructions with the Salve Regina he never undertook any thing but under her protection and in all dangers he had always recourse to the blessed Virgin as his Patroness For the rest to shew that he depended on her and made his glory of that dependance He commonly wore a Chaplet about his neck to the end that Christians might take delight in saying the Chaplet and made f●equ●nt use of it in the operation of his Miracles When he pass'd whole nights at his devotions in Churches it was almost always before the Image of the Virgin and especially he offer'd his vows to her for the Conversion of notorious Sinners and also for the remission of his own offences as himself testifies in a Letter of his which shews not less his humility than his confidence in the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. I have taken the Queen of Heaven for my Patroness that by her Prayers I may obtain the pardon of my innumerable sins He was particularly devoted to her immaculate Conception and made a vow to defend it to the utmost of his power In conversation he frequently spoke of the greatness of the divine Mary and attracted all men to her service In fine being just upon the point of drawing his last breath he invok'd her name with tender words and besought her to shew her self his Mother These are the principal vertues which were collected to be presented to the Holy S●● The Archbishop of Goa and all the Bishops of India seconded the designs of the King of Portugal by acting on their side with the Pope for the canonization