ten him, and hinder him from rising
before day; so he continued his usual prayers; but it was not long before
he found that the advice was true: for, the nights ensuing, as he passed
through the church-yard, he saw those dreadful spectres, which
endeavoured to have stopped him; yet he saved himself from them, and even
laughed at them as vain illusions.

The demons are too proud to bear contempt without revenge, when God
permits them. One night, when the saint was at his devotions before the
image of the blessed Virgin, they assaulted him in great numbers, and
beat him so violently, that he was all over bruised, and forced to keep
his bed for some days together. He said nothing of his adventure to the
vicar; but it was discovered by a young man of Malabar, who lodged near
the church, and was awakened with the noise; rising from his bed, he
heard the blows distinctly, and what Father Xavier said to the holy
Virgin, invoking her assistance against the infernal powers, insomuch,
that the vicar, to whom the young man had related the words which he had
heard, sometimes repeated them to Xavier with an inoffensive kind of
raillery.

The servant of God having recovered some little strength, returned to the
church, and there continued all the night. What rage soever the devils
had against him, they durst no more attempt his person, nor so much as
endeavour to affright him. They only made a noise to distract him in his
prayers; and one time, disguised in the habit of canons, they
counterfeited so well the midnight matins, that he asked the vicar, "Who
were those chanters who sung so admirably?"

But the favours which Xavier received from heaven, made him large amends
for all the injuries of hell; for though the particulars of what passed
betwixt God and him were kept secret, it is known, at least in regard of
the principal affair, for which he consulted God, that he had an interior
light, which gave him clearly to understand, that he was commanded to
pass to the more southern islands, and to labour in their conversion. The
Christian, strength, with which he found himself animated at the same
time, caused all the dangers, which naturally he might apprehend, to
disappear, as is manifest by what he wrote from Meliapor on that
occasion, to two of his friends at Goa, Paul de Camerin, and James Borba,
of whom we have made so frequent mention.

"I hope that God will confer many favours on me in this voyage; since,
through his infinit