person, without authority, yet with splendour; and
retaining still in her countenance and behaviour, somewhat of that
haughty air, which the great sometimes maintain, even in their fetters.

The saint gained access to her, and found an opportunity of conversing
with her. In his first discourse, he gave her a great idea of the kingdom
of God; yet withal informed her, that this kingdom, was not difficult to
obtain; and that being once in possession of it, there was no fear of
being after dispossessed. Insomuch, that the Saracen princess, who had no
hopes remaining of aught on earth, turned her thoughts and her desires
towards heaven. It is true, that, as she was endued with a great wit, and
was very knowing in the law of Mahomet, there was some need of
argumentation; but the Father still clearing all her doubts, the dispute
only served to make her understand more certainly the falseness of the
Alcoran, and the truth of the gospel. She submitted to the saint's
reasons, or rather to the grace of Jesus Christ, and was publicly
baptized by the apostle himself, who gave her the name of Isabella.

He was not satisfied with barely making her a Christian. He saw in her a
great stock of piety, an upright heart, a tenderness of mind,
inclinations truly great and noble, which he cultivated with admirable
care, and set her forward, by degrees, in the most sublime and solid ways
of a spiritual life: So that Neachile, under the conduct of Father
Xavier, arrived to a singular devotion; that is to say, she grew humble
and modest, from disdainful; and haughty as she was, mild to others, and
severe to herself, suffering her misfortunes without complaint of
injuries; united to God in her retirements, and not appearing publicly,
but to exercise the deeds of charity to her neighbour; but more esteemed
and honoured, both by the Indians and Portuguese, than when she sat upon
the throne, in all the pomp and power of royalty.

During the abode which Xavier made in Ternate, he heard speak of certain
isles, which are distant from it about sixty leagues eastward; and which
take their name from the principal, commonly called the Isle del Moro. It
was reported to him, that those islanders, barbarians as they were, had
been most of them baptized, but that the faith had been abolished there
immediately after it was introduced, and this account he heard of it.

The inhabitants of Momoya, which is a town in the Isle del Moro, would
never embrace the la