e souls of perverted men. The most scandalous sinners,
struck with the horror of their crimes, and the fear of eternal
punishment, were the first who came to confession. Their example took
away from others the shame of confessing; insomuch, that every one now
strove who should be foremost to throw himself at the father's feet,
knocking their breasts, and bitterly lamenting their offences.

The fruits of penitence accompanying these tears, were the certain proofs
of a sincere conversion. They cancelled their unlawful bonds and
covenants of extortion; they made restitution of their ill-gotten goods;
they set at liberty their slaves, whom they had opprest, or had acquired
unjustly; and lastly, turned away their concubines, whom they were
unwilling to possess by a lawful marriage.

The saint acted with the concubinarians almost in the same manner as our
Saviour dealt with the publicans and harlots. Far from treating them
severely, the deeper they were plunged in that darling vice, the more
tenderly he seemed to use them. On all occasions he declared himself
their friend; he made them frequent visits, without fear of being
upbraided with so infamous a conversation. He invited himself sometimes
to eat with them; and then, assuming an air of gaiety, he desired the
master to bring down the children to bear him company. When he had a
little commended their prettiness, he asked to see their mother, and
shewed her the same countenance, as if he had taken her for an honest
woman. If she were beautiful or well shaped, he praised her, and said
"she looked like a Portuguese:" after which; in private conversation,
"you have," said he to her master, "a fair slave, who well deserves to be
your wife." But if she were a swarthy, ugly Indian, "Good God!" he cried
out, "what a monster do you keep within your doors! and how are you able
to endure the sight of her?" Such words, spoken in all appearance without
design, had commonly their full effect: the keeper married her whom the
saint had commended, and turned off the others.

This so sudden a change of manners was none of those transient fits of
devotion, which pass away almost as soon as they are kindled; piety was
established in all places, and they who formerly came to confession once
a year, to speak the best of it, now performed it regularly once a month.
They were all desirous of confessing themselves to Father Xavier; so
that, writing from Goa to Rome on that subject, he said, "That