r, and bowed himself even to the ground thrice successively, at
which action all the company were in great amazement. Xavier, on his
side, prostrated himself before that prince, and would have touched
his foot, according to the custom of the country, but the king would not
permit him, and himself raised up the saint; then taking him by the hand,
he caused him to sit down by him on the same estrade. The prince, his
brother, was seated somewhat lower; and the Portuguese were placed over
against them, accompanied by the most qualified persons of the court. The
king immediately said all the obliging things to the Father which could
be expected from a well-bred man; and, laying aside all the pomp of
majesty, which the kings of Japan are never used to quit in public,
treated him with the kindness and familiarity of a friend. The Father
answered all these civilities of the prince with a most profound respect,
and words full of deference and submission; after which, taking occasion
to declare Jesus Christ to him, he explained, in few words, the principal
maxims of Christian morality; but he did it after so plausible a manner,
that at the conclusion of his discourse, the king cried out in a
transport of admiration, "How can any man learn from God these profound
secrets? Why has he suffered us to live in blindness, and this Bonza of
Portugal to receive these wonderful illuminations? For, in fine, we
ourselves are witnesses of what we had formerly by report; and all we
hear is maintained by proofs so strong and evident, and withal so
conformable to the light of nature, that whoever would examine these
doctrines, according to the rules of reason, will find that truth will
issue out, and meet him on every side, and that no one proposition
destroys another. It is far otherwise with our Bonzas; they cannot make
any discourse without the clashing of their own principles; and from
thence it happens, that the more they speak, the more they entangle
themselves. Confused in their knowledge, and yet more confused in
the explication of what they teach, rejecting to day as false what
yesterday they approved for true; contradicting themselves, and recanting
their opinions every moment, insomuch, that the clearest head, and the
most ready understanding, can comprehend nothing of their doctrine; and
in relation to eternal happiness, we are always left in doubt what we
should believe; a most manifest token that they only follow the
extravagancies o