l to the sword,
excepting only the idolaters. His orders were punctually executed; and
men, women, and children, were all destroyed, who had embraced the
Christian faith.

It was wonderful to behold, that the faithful being examined, one by one,
concerning their religion, and no more required for the saving of their
lives, than to forsake their new belief, there was not one amongst them,
who did not openly declare himself a Christian. The fathers and mothers
answered for the newly baptized infants, who were not able to give
testimony of their faith; and offered them to the death, with a
resolution, which was amazing to their executioners. Six or seven
hundred of these islanders gave up their lives for the name of Jesus
Christ; and the principal place which was consecrated by so noble blood,
from Pasim, which it was called before, now took the name of the Field of
Martyrs.

This dreadful massacre, far from abolishing the Christian law, served
only to render it more flourishing. The tyrant had even the shame of
seeing his officers and domestic servants forsake their ancient
superstition in despite of him. But what most enraged him, was the
conversion of his eldest son. This young prince, inspired of God, caused
himself to be instructed by a Portuguese merchant, who had dealings at
the court; which yet could not be so secretly performed, but that the
king had notice of it. At the first news, he cut his throat, and threw
the body into the fields, to serve for food to savage beasts.

But Heaven permitted not, that a death which was so precious in the sight
of God, should be without honour in the sight of men, The Portuguese
merchant buried his disciple by night; and on the next morning, there
appeared a beautiful cross, printed on the ground, which covered the body
of the martyr. The spectacle extremely surprised the infidels. They did
what they were able, to deface, and (if I may so say) to blot out the
cross, by treading over it, and casting earth upon it. It appeared again
the day following, in the same figure, and they once more endeavoured to
tread it out. But then it appeared in the air, all resplendent with
light, and darting its beams on every side. The barbarians who beheld it,
were affrighted; and, being touched in their hearts, declared themselves
Christians. The king's sister, a princess naturally virtuous, having
privately embraced the faith, instructed both her own son, and her
nephew, who was brother to the