happy arrival in my estates be as pleasing to your God, as are
the praises wherewith he is honoured by his saints. Quansyonofama, my
domestic servant, whom I sent to the port of Figen, tells me, that you
are arrived from Amanguchi; and all my court will bear me witness, with
what pleasure I received the news. As God has not made me worthy to
command you, I earnestly request you to come before the rising of the sun
to-morrow, and to knock at my palace gate, where I shall impatiently
attend you. And permit me to demand this favour of you without being
thought a troublesome beggar. In the meantime, prostrate on the ground,
and on my knees before your God, whom I acknowledge for the God of all
the gods, the Sovereign of the best and greatest which inhabit in the
heavens, I desire of him, I say, to make known to the haughty of the
world, how much your poor and holy life is pleasing to him; to the end,
that the children of our flesh may not be deceived by the false promises
of the earth. Send me news of your holiness, the joy of which may give me
a good night's repose, till the cocks awaken me with the welcome
declaration of your visit."

This letter was carried by a young prince of the blood royal, attended by
thirty young lords belonging to the court; and accompanied by a venerable
old man, who was his governor, called Poomendono, one of the wisest and
most qualified of all the kingdom, and natural brother to the king of
Minato. The honour which was paid by the Portuguese to Father Xavier, so
surprised the prince, that, turning to his governor, he said aloud, "the
God of these people must be truly great, and his counsels hidden from
mankind, since it is his pleasure, that these wealthy ships should be
obedient to so poor a man as is this Bonza of the Portuguese; and that
the roaring of their cannon should declare, that poverty has wherewithal
to be pleasing to the Lord of all the world; even that poverty which is
so despicable of itself, and so disgraceful in the general opinion, that
it seems even a crime to think of it."

"Though we have a horror for poverty," replied Poomendono, "and that we
believe the poor incapable of happiness, it may be this poor man is
so much enamoured of his wants, and so esteems them, that he is pleasing
to the God whom he adores, and that practising it with all imaginable
rigour for his sake, he may be richer than the greatest monarch of the
world."

The young ambassador being returned to cou