rs in a conquered country. The pleasures of Asia, and
the commerce of infidels, aided not a little to debauch the Portuguese,
as starched and regular as they naturally are. The want of spiritual
directors contributed largely to this growing mischief. There were not
four preachers, in all the Indies, nor any one priest without the walls
of Goa; insomuch, that in many fortified places whole years were passed
without hearing a sermon or a mass.

Behold a draught, not unresembling the face of Christianity in this new
world, when Father Xavier arrived in it.

The author of the relation from whence mine is copied, seems to have had
some kind of foresight of his coming; for, in the conclusion of his
memorial, he prays Almighty God, and earnestly desires the king of
Portugal, to send some holy man to the Indies, who might reform the
manners of the Europeans, by his apostolic instructions, and his
exemplary virtues.

As for the Gentiles, the life they led resembled that of beasts rather
than of men. Uncleanness was risen to the last excess amongst them; and
the least corrupt were those who had no religion. The greatest part of
them adored the devil under an obscene figure, and with ceremonies which
modesty forbids to mention. Some amongst them changed their deity every
day; and the first living creature which happened to meet them in the
morning was the object of their worship, not excepting even dogs or
swine. In this they were uniform, that they all offered bloody sacrifices
to their gods; and nothing was more common, than to see bleeding infants
on the altars, slaughtered by the hands of their own parents.

Such manifold abominations inflamed the zeal of Father Xavier. He wished
himself able at the same time, to have applied remedies to them all; yet
thought himself obliged to begin with the household of faith, according
to the precept of St Paul; that is to say, with the Christians: and
amongst them he singled out the Portuguese, whose example was like to be
most prevalent with the baptised Indians. Behold in what manner he
attempted this great enterprise of reformation.

To call down the blessing of heaven on this difficult employment, he
consecrated the greatest part of the night to prayers, and allowed
himself at the most but four hours of sleep; and even this little repose
was commonly disturbed: for, lodging in the hospital, and lying always
near the sick, as his custom had been at Mozambique, his slumber was
broke