FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119  
120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   >>   >|  
s if the divine justice had not deferred the death of this persecutor, but only to render it more terrible, and more memorable. Father Xavier was very desirous of returning to Travancore; but the winds blew so contrary, that they always drove him from the coast. By this he judged that God had called him to some other place; and thereupon formed a resolution of carrying the light of the gospel from isle to isle, and from kingdom to kingdom, even to the utmost limits of the East. The news he heard, during his navigation, caused him suddenly to cast his thoughts on an island situate under the equinoctial, betwixt the Moluccas and Borneo, stretched in length two hundred leagues from north to south, and divided into sundry kingdoms, called by the geographers Celebes, by the historians Macassar, from the names of the two capital cities, of the two principal kingdoms; as to the rest, well peopled, and abounding in all sorts of riches. It was related to him, that about the year 1531, two brothers, both idolaters, as were all the inhabitants of Macassar, going on their private business to Ternate, the chief of the Moluccas, had some conference, relating to religion, with the governor, Antonio Galvan, a Portuguese, one of the most famous warriors of his age, and celebrated in history both for his piety and valour: that having learnt from him the vanity of their idols, they embraced the Christian faith, and at their baptism took the names of Antonio and Michael: that being returned into their country, they themselves taught publicly the faith of Jesus Christ: that all their countrymen, with one accord, sent their ambassadors to the governor of Ternate, desiring him to send them some to instruct them in the principles of faith; and that the heads of this embassy were the two brothers, known to Galvan: that these ambassadors found a very kind reception; and that for want of a priest, Galvan gave them a soldier for their teacher, whose name was Francis de Castro; a man knowing in religion, and of exemplary piety. In conclusion, that Castro, who was thus chosen to instruct that people, embarking for Macassar, was driven by a tempest another way. Besides this, Xavier was likewise informed, that not long before, a Portuguese merchant, called Antonio Payva, going to Macassar in the name of Ruys Vaz Pereyra, captain of Malacca, for a ship's lading of sandal, a precious wood growing in that island, the king of Supa, which is one of th
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119  
120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Macassar

 

called

 

Galvan

 

Antonio

 

Moluccas

 
instruct
 

ambassadors

 

kingdoms

 

island

 
Castro

kingdom

 
governor
 

religion

 

Xavier

 

Ternate

 

brothers

 

Portuguese

 

countrymen

 

valour

 

accord


celebrated

 

history

 

desiring

 

Michael

 

baptism

 

Christian

 

embraced

 

returned

 

country

 

publicly


principles

 
Christ
 

learnt

 

taught

 

vanity

 
teacher
 

merchant

 

Pereyra

 

Besides

 

likewise


informed

 

captain

 

Malacca

 

growing

 

lading

 

sandal

 
precious
 

tempest

 

driven

 

priest