o Rome, while the rest of them dispersed themselves
in the universities of Italy, to the end, they might inspire the fear of
God into the scholars, and gather up into their number some young
students of the greatest parts. Ignatius appointed them their several
stations, just as they had been foreshewn by St Jerome; and that of
Bolognia fell to the share of Xavier and Bobadilla.

After their arrival at Bolognia, Xavier went to say a mass at the tomb of
St Dominic; for he had a particular veneration for the founder of that
order, whose institution was for the preaching of the gospel.

A devout virgin, whose name was Isabella Casalini, seeing him at the
altar, judged him to be a man of God; and was led by some interior motion
to speak to this stranger priest when his mass was ended. She was so much
edified, and so satisfied with the discourse of Xavier, that she
immediately informed her uncle, at whose house she lodged, of this
treasure which she had discovered.

Jerome Casalini, who was a very considerable clergyman, both in regard of
his noble blood, and of his virtue, went in search of this Spanish
priest, upon the account which was given of him by his niece; and, having
found him at the hospital, he importuned him so much to take a lodging in
his house, that Xavier could not in civility refuse him. But the holy man
would never accept of his table, of whose house he had accepted. He
begged his bread from door to door according to his usual custom; and
lived on nothing but the alms which was given him in the town.

Every day, after having celebrated the divine mysteries in St Lucy's
church, of which Casalini was curate, he there heard the confessions of
such as presented themselves before him: after which he visited the
prisons and the hospitals, catechised the children, and preached to the
people.

'Tis true, he spoke but very ill; and his language was only a kind of
Lingua Franca, a confused medley of Italian, French, and Spanish: but he
pronounced it with so much vehemence, and the matter of his sermons was
so solid, that his ill accent and his improper phrases were past by. His
audience attended to him, as to a man descended from above, and his
sermon being ended, came to cast themselves at his feet, and make
confession.

These continual labours, during a very sharp winter, threw him into a
relapse of sickness, much more dangerous than the former; as it were to
verify the prediction of St Jerome; for he was sei