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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

the same year A Manuscript Letter pretended to be written by Anthony de Sainte Foy Companion to Xavier for the Voyage of China the truth of which I suspect relates that the Saint dyed on a Sunday night at two of the Clock on the second of December 1552. Now 't is most certain that in the year 1552 the second of December fell on a Friday So that it is a manifest mistake to say that St. Xavier dyed that year either on Saturday or Sunday the second of December I shou'd apprehend lest a Life so extraordinary as this might somewhat shock the profaner sort of men if the reputation of St. Francis Xavier were not well establish'd in the World and that the wonderful things he did had not all the marks of true Miracles as the Authour who made the Collection of them has well observ'd The Mission of the Saint gives them an authority even in our first conceptions of them for being sent from God for the conversion of Infidels it was necessary that the Faith shou'd be planted in the East by the same means as it had been through all the World in the beginning of the Church Besides which never any Miracles have been examin'd with greater care or more judicially than these They were not Miracles wrought in private and which we are onely to believe on the attestation of two or three interessed persons such who might have been surpris'd into an opinion of them they were ordinarily publick matters of fact avow'd by a whole City or Kingdom and which had for Witnesses the body of a Nation for the most part Heathen or Mahometan Many of these Miracles have been of long continuance and it was an easie matter for such who were incredulous to satisfie their doubts concerning them All of them have been attended by such consequences as have confirm'd their truth beyond dispute such as were the Conversions of Kingdoms and of Kings who were the greatest Enemies to Christianity the wonderful ardency of those new Christians and the heroical constancy of their Martyrs But after all nothing can give a greater confirmation of the Saint's Miracles than his Saint-like Life which was even more wonderful than the Miracles themselves It was in a manner of necessity that a man of so holy a conversation shou'd work those things which other men cou'd not perform and that resigning himself to God with an entire confidence and trust in the most dangerous occasions God shou'd consign over to him some part of his Omnipotence for the benefit of Souls THE LIFE OF St. FRANCIS XAVIER BOOK 1. I Have undertaken to write the Life of a Saint who has renew'd in the last Age the greatest Wonders which were wrought in the Infancy of the Church and who was himself a living proof of Christianity There will be seen in the Actions of one single Man a New World converted by the power of his Preaching and by that of his Miracles Idolatrous Kings with their Dominions reduc'd under the Obedience of the Gospel the Faith flourishing in the very midst of Barbarism and the Authority of the Roman Church acknowledg'd by Nations the most remote who were utterly unacquainted with Ancient Rome This Apostolical Man of whom I speak is St. Francis Xavier of the Society of Iesus and one of the first Disciples of St. Ignatius Loyola He was of Navarre and according to the Testimony of Cardinal Antonio Zapata who examin'd his Nobility from undoubted Records he deriv'd his Pedigree from the Kings of Navarre His Father was Don Iuan de Iasso a Lord of great merit well conversant in the management of Affairs and who held one of the first places in the Council of State under the Reign of King Iohn the Third The name of his Mother was Mary Azpilcueta Xavier Heiress to two of the most Illustrious Families in that Kingdom for the chief of her House Don Martin Azpilcueta less famous by the great Actions of his Ancestors than by his own Vertue married Iuana Xavier the only Daughter and remaining hope of her Family He had by her no other Child but this Mary of whom we spoke one of the most accomplish'd persons of her time This Virgin equally beautiful and prudent being married to Don Iasso became the Mother of many Children the youngest of whom was Francis the same whose Life I write He was born in the Castle of Xavier on the seventh of April in the year 1506. That Castle scituate at the foot of the Pyrenean Mountains seven or eight Leagues distant from Pampeluna had appertain'd to his Mother's House for about two hundred and fifty years His Progenitors on her side having obtain'd it in gift from King Thibald the first of that name in recompence of those signal services which they had perform'd for the Crown 'T is from thence they took the name of Xavier in lieu of Asnarez which was the former name of their Family This Surname was conferr'd on Francis as also on some of the rest of his Brothers lest so glorious a name now remaining in one onely Woman shou'd be totally extinguish'd with her That Providence which had selected Francis for the Conversion of such multitudes of People indued him with all the Natural Qualities which are requisite to the Function of an Apostle He was of a strong habit of Body his Complection lively and vigorous his Genius sublime and capable of the greatest designs his Heart fearless agreeable in his Behaviour but above all he was of a gay complying and winning Humour This notwithstanding he had a most extreme aversion for all manner of immodesty and a vast inclination for his Studies His Parents who liv'd a most Christian Life inspir'd him with the fear of God from his Infancy and took a particular care of his Education He was no sooner arriv'd to an age capable of Instruction than instead of embracing the Profession of Arms after the example of his Brothers he turn'd himself of his own motion on the side of Learning and as he had a quick Conception a happy Memory and a penetrating Mind he advanc'd wonderfully in few years Having gain'd a sufficient knowledge in the Latin Tongue and discover'd a great propensity to Learning he was sent to the University of Paris the most celebrated of all Europe and to which the Gentlemen of Spain Italy and Germany resorted for their Studies He came to Paris in the eighteenth year of his age and ●ell immediately on the study of Philosophy 'T is scarcely credible with how much ardour he surmounted the first difficulties of Logick Whatsoever his Inclinations were towards a knowledge so crabbed and so subtle he tugg'd at it with incessant pains to be at the head of all his fellow Students and perhaps never any Scholar besides himself cou'd join together so much ease and so much labour Xavier minded nothing more than how to become an excellent Philosopher when his Father who had a numerous Family of Children and who

of the Devil at the same moment when they are tempted for without this they will never be able to disintangle themselves from the Snares of the Tempter never will they arrive to a religious perfection On the contrary those first seeds of evil being brooded over and nourish'd as I may say by silence will insensibly produce most lamentable effects even so far 'till the Novices come to grow weary of regular Discipline to nauseate it and at length throw off the yoke of Jesus Christ and re-plunge themselves in the pollutions of the World. They amongst those young men whom you shall observe to be most subject to vain-glory and delighted with sensual pleasures and other vices ought to be cur'd in this following manner Make them search for reasons and for proofs against those Vices to which they are inclin'd And when they have found many help them to compose some short Discourses on them Cause them afterwards to pronounce those Discourses either to the p●●ple in the Church or in the Hospitals to those who are in a way of recovery so as to be present at them or in other places there is reason to hope that the things which they have fix'd in their Minds by constant study and strong application will be at least as profitable to themselves as to their Audience Doubtless they will be asham'd not to profit by those Remedies which they propose to others and to continue in those Vices from which they endeavour to dissuade their Hearers You shall use proportion●bly the same industry towards those Sinners who cannot conquer themselves so far as they commonly say to put away the occasions of their Sin or to make restitution of those goods which they have gotten unlawfully and detain unjustly from other men After you have indear'd your self to them by a familiar acquaintance advise them to say that to their own Hearts which they wou'd say to a Friend on the like occasion and ingage as it were for the exercise of their parts to devise such Arguments as condemn their Actions in the prson of another Sometimes you will see before you when you are seated in the Tribunal of Pe●ance Men who are inslav'd to their Pleasures and their Avarice whom no motive of Gods Love nor thought of D●ath nor fear of Hell can oblige to put away a Mistress or to restore ill-gotten Goods The only means of reducing such people is to threaten them with the misfortunes of this present life which are the only ills they apprehend Declare then to them that if they hasten not to appease Divine Iustice they shall suddenly suffer considerable losses at Sea and be ill treated by the Governours that they shall lose their Law-Suits that they shall languish many years in Prison that they shall be seiz'd with incurable Diseases and reduc'd to extream poverty without any to relieve them in fine that they and their Posterity becoming infamous shall be the Objects of the publick hate and curses Tell them by way of reason for those accidents that no Man who sets God at naught remains unpunish'd and that his vengeance is so much the more terrible by how much longer his Patience has been abus'd The Images of these temporal punishments will affright those Carnal Men who are not to be wrought on but by their Senses and will bring forth in their insensible Souls the first motions of the fear of God of that saving fear which is the beginning of Wisdom Before you treat with any one concerning his Spiritual Affairs endeavour to understand how his Soul stands● affected Whether it be calm or toss'd with any violent passion whether he be ready to follow the right way when it shall be shewn to him or whether he wanders from it of set purpose Whether it be the Tempter or the Byass of his own Inclination which seduces him to evil whether he be docile and dispos'd to hear good Counsel or of that untractable humour on which no hold is to be fasten'd it will beh●ve you to vary your Discourse according to these several dispositions but though more circumspection is to be taken with harden'd Souls and difficult of access you are never to flatter the Disease nor say any thing to him which may weaken the vertue of the Remedy and hinder its effect Wheresoever you shall be even though you only pass through a place and stay but little in it endeavour to make some acquaintance and enquire of those who have the name of honest and experienc'd Men not only what Crimes are most frequently committed in that Town and what deceipts most us'd in Traffick as I have already taught you in relation to Ormuz but farther learn the Inclinations of the people the Customs of the Country the form● of Government the receiv'd Opinions and all things respecting the commerce of Humane Life For believe me the knowledge of those things is very profitable to a Missioner for the speedy curing of Spiritual Diseases and to have always at hand wherewithal to give ease to such as come before you You will understand from thence on what point you are most to insist in preaching and what chiefly to recommend in Confessions This knowledge will make that nothing shall be new to you nothing shall surprise or amase you it will furnish you with the Address of conducting Souls and even with Authority over them The Men of the World are accustom'd to despise the Religious as people who understand it not But if they find one who knows how to behave himself in Conversation and has practis'd Men they will admire him as an extraordinary person they will give themselves up to him they will find no difficulty even in doing violence to their own Inclinations under his direction and will freely execute● what he injoys though never so repugnant to their corrupt Nature Behold the wonderful fruit of knowing well the World so that you are not at this present to take less pains in acquiring this knowledge than formerly you have done in learning Philosophy and Divinity For what remains this Science is neither to be learnt from ancient Manuscripts nor printed Books 't is in living Books and the Conversation of knowing Men that you must study it With it you shall do more good than if you dealt amongst the people all the Arguments of the Doctors and all the Subtilties of the School You shall set apart one day of the week to reconcile differences and regulate the Interests of such as are ●t variance and are preparing to go to Law. Hear them one after the other and propose terms of Accommodation to them Above all things give them to understand that they shall find their account in a friendly Reconciliation sooner than in casting themselves into eternal Suits which without speaking of their Conscience and their Credit ever cost much Money and more trouble I know well that this will not be pleasing to the Advocates and Proctors whom t●e spinning out

Cangoxima she sent one of her Officers to have a Copy of the Tablet which she had seen but a Painter was not to be found to satisfie her curiosity She requir'd that at least she might have an abridgment in writing of the chief Points of Christianity and was satisfy'd therein by Paul. The Father overjoy'd at these good inclinations of the Court thought earnestly of making himself capable to preach in the Language of the Country There is but one Language spoken through all Iapan but that so ample and so full of variety that in effect it may be said to contain many Tongues They make use of certain words and Phrases in familiar Discourse and of others in studied compositions The Men of quality have a Language quite differing from the Vulgar Merchants and Souldiers have a Speech proper to their several Professions and the Women speak a Dialect distinct from any of the rest When they treat on a sublime Subject for Example of Religion or Affairs of State they serve themselves of particular terms and nothing appears more incongruous amongst them than to confound these different manners of expression The holy Man had already some light notions of all these Languages by the communication he had with the three Iaponian Christians but he knew not enough to express him with ease and readiness as himself acknowledges in his Epistles where he says that he and his Companions at their first arrival stood like Statues mute and motionless He therefore apply'd himself with all diligence to the study of the Tongue which he relates in these following words We are return'd to our Infancy says he and all our business at present is to learn the first Elements of the Japonian Grammar God give us the grace to imitate the simplicity and innocence of Children as well as to practise the exercises of Children We ought not to be astonish'd in this passage last quoted that a man to whom God had many times communicated the gift of Tongues shou'd not speak that of Iapan and that he shou'd be put to the pains of studying it Those favours were transient and Xavier never expected them Insomuch that being to make abode in a Country he studied the Language of it as if he cou'd not have arriv'd to the knowledge of it but by his own industry But the holy Spirit assisted him after an extraordinary manner on those occasions as we have formerly observ'd And we may say that the easiness wherewith he learnt so many Tongues was almost equivalent to the lasting gift of them While Xavier and his Companions were labouring to acquire that knowledge which was necessary for their preaching the word of Iesus Christ to the People of Cangoxima Paul de Sainte Foy with whom they lodg'd himself instructed his own Family God gave that Blessing to his Zeal that besides his Mother his Wife and Daughter many of his Relations were converted and baptiz'd by Xavier Within the compass of forty days the Saint understood enough of the Language to undertake the translation of the Apostles Creed and the Exposition of it which he had compos'd in India As fast as he translated he got every parcel of it by Heart and with that help was of Opinion that he might begin to declare the Gospel But seeing that in Iapan all the Measures of the Laws and Customs are to be taken and observ'd with great exactness and nothing to be attempted in publick without permission from the Government he wou'd first visit the King of Saxuma and chose the time on the day of St. Michael the Arch-Angel He had put the whole Empire under the protection of that glorious General of the Coelestial Host who chas'd the Rebellious Angels out of Heaven and recommended in his daily Prayers to him that he wou'd exterminate those Devils from Iapan who had usurp'd the Dominion of it for so many Ages The Apostle of the Indies was not unknown at the Court of Saxuma Paul de Sainte Foy had spoken of him there in such a manner as infus'd the desire of seeing him into all Hearts and caus'd him to be look'd on with admiration when he first appear'd The King and Queen treated him with honour testify'd great affection to him and discours'd with him the better part of the night They cou'd not but be astonish'd that he and his Companions were come from another World and had pass'd through so many stormy Seas not out of an avaritious design of enriching themselves with the Gold of Iapan but only to teach the Iaponneses the true way of Eternal Life From the very first meeting the King caution'd Xavier to keep safely all the Books and Writings which contain'd the Christian Doctrine For said he if your Faith be true the Demons will be sure to fly furiously upon you and all manner of mischief is to be expected from their Malice Afterwards he granted permission to the Saint to preach the Christian Law within the whole extent of his Dominions and farther caus'd his Letters Patents to be expedited by vertue of which all his Subjects had free liberty of being made Christians if they so desir'd Xavier took advantage of this happy conjuncture and deferr'd no longer his preaching in Cangoxima He began by explaining the first Articles of the Creed That of the Existence of one God all powerful the Creatour of Heaven and Earth was a strange surprise to his Auditours who knew nothing of a first Being on whom the Universe depended as on its Cause and Principle The other Articles which respect the Trinity and Incarnation appear'd to them yet more incredible Insomuch that some of them held the Preacher for a Mad-man and laugh'd him to scorn Notwithstanding which the wiser sort cou'd not let it sink into their Belief that a Stranger who had no Interest to deceive them shou'd undergo so many hardships and dangers and come so far on set purpose to cheat them with a Fable In these considerations they were desirous of clearing those doubts which possess'd them in relation to those Mysteries which they had heard Xavier answer'd them so distinctly and withal so reasonably with the assistance of Paul de Sainte Foy who serv'd him for Interpreter in case of need that the greatest part satisfy'd with his solutions came over to the Faith. The first who desir'd Baptism and receiv'd it was a man of mean condition destitute of the goods of Fortune as if God will'd that the Church of Iapan shou'd have the same Foundations of meanness and Poverty with the Universal Church the name of Bernard was given him and by his Vertue he became in process of time Illustrious In the mean time Xavier visited the Bonza's and endeavour'd to gain their good-will being persuaded that Christianity wou'd make but little progress amongst the people if they oppos'd the preaching of the Gospel And on the other side judging that all the World wou'd embrace the Law of the true God in case