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

about three months in Cochin, and towards the end of May set sail for Negapatan, where the Portuguese fleet was now in a readiness. Passing by the Isle of De las Vaccas, which is near the flats of Ceylon, towards the north, he raised to life a Saracen's child, which is all that is known of that miracle. He was desirous in his passage to see the isle of Manar, where so many Christians had been massacred for the faith; and going ashore, he often kissed the ground, which had been sprinkled with the blood of martyrs at Pasim. While he rejoiced at the happy destiny of the dead, he had cause to be afflicted for the misfortune of the living: a contagious disease laid waste the island, and there died an hundred every day.

      When the Manarois had notice, that the great father, so famous in the Indies, was at Pasim, they assembled together, above three thousand of them, for the most part Gentiles, and being come to the village, besought him humbly to deliver them from the pestilence.

      Xavier asked three days, wherein to implore of God, for that which they had begged from him. During all which time, he only offered up to our Lord, and set before him the merits of those blessed martyrs, who had suffered for his name at Pasim. Before those days were ended, his prayers were heard, the plague ceased, and all the sick were restored to health at the same moment. So visible a miracle wrought on all of them to believe in Jesus Christ; and the apostle baptized them with his own hand. He could make no longer stay with them; for the naval army then expected him, and his presence was necessary to encourage the soldiers, and mind the captains of the performance of their duty.

      He passed over from Manar to Negapatan; but there he found all things in a far different condition from what he hoped. The Portuguese navy diminished daily; and the commanders, who at the beginning had been so zealous for the Holy War, were now the first to condemn it. It was in vain for him to set before their eyes the honour of their nation, and that of God: interest did so blind their understanding, that they forgot they were either Portuguese or Christians: behold, in short, what overthrew so glorious an expedition.

      While they were equipping the fleet, it happened that a Portuguese vessel, coming from the kingdom of Pegu, and laden with rich merchandise, was driven by tempest upon the coast of Jafanatapan. The king made seizure of it, and possessed himself of all within it, according to the custom of the barbarians. The captain and the ship's company foreseeing, that if, in this conjuncture, war should be made against the heathen prince, they should never be able to retrieve their wealth out of his hands, corrupted the officers of the fleet with large presents, to desist from their undertaking. Thus the tyrant, whom Father Xavier designed to drive out from his ill-gotten kingdom, was maintained in it, by the covetousness of Christians; or rather by the secret decrees of Providence, which sometimes permits the persecutors of the church to reign in peace, to the end a trial may be made of such as dare to continue constant in their faith.

      1

      Mary of Este, wife of James II.

      2

      The superstitious and, as it proved, fatal insinuation, that the birth of the Chevalier de St George was owing to the supernatural intercession of St Francis Xavier,

1

Mary of Este, wife of James II.

2

The superstitious and, as it proved, fatal insinuation, that the birth of the Chevalier de St George was owing to the supernatural intercession of St Francis Xavier, was much insisted on by the Protestants as an argument against the reality of his birth. See the Introduction to "Britannia Rediviva," Vol. X. p. 285. In that piece, our author also alludes to this foolery:

Hail, son of prayers, by holy violence

Drawn down from heaven! —

3

The Reverend Richard Hackluyt, editor of the large collection of voyages to which Purchas' Pilgrim is a continuation.

4

Cande is a kingdom in the island of Ceylon.