, who was either
apprehensive of his own safety amongst that religious rabble, or feared,
at least, that some disorder might ensue, permitted hut four of all the
squadron to enter; and sent word to the others, for their satisfaction,
that it was not honourable for so many to appear against a single man.

Xavier, who had notice sent him from the king, that his adversary was on
the place of combat, came, accompanied with the chiefest of the
Portuguese, all richly habited, who appeared as his officers, and paid
him all possible respect, attending him bare-headed, and never speaking
to him but on the knee. The Bonzas were ready to burst with envy,
beholding the pompous entry of their antagonist; and that which doubled
their despite was, that they overheard the lords saying to one
another,--"Observe this poor man, of whom so many ridiculous pictures
have been made to us; would to God our children might be like him, on
condition the Bonzas might say as bad of them as they speak of him! Our
own eyes are witnesses of the truth; and the palpable lies which they
have invented, show what credit is to be given to them." The king took
pleasure in those discourses, and told those lords, that the Bonzas had
assured him that he should be sick at heart at the first appearance of
Father Francis. He acknowledged he was almost ready to have believed
them; but being now convinced, by his own experience, he found that the
character of an ambassador from heaven, and interpreter of the gods, was
not inconsistent with a liar. Fucarandono, who heard all these passages
from his place, took them for so many ill omens; and, turning to his four
associates, told them, "that he suspected this day would be yet more
unsuccessful to them than the last."

The king received Father Xavier with great civility; and, after he had
talked with him sometime in private, very obligingly ordered him to begin
the disputation. When they had all taken their places, the saint demanded
of the Bonza, as the king had desired him, "For what reason the Christian
religion ought not to be received in Japan?" The Bonza, whose haughtiness
was much abated, replied modestly, "Because it is a new law, in all
things opposite to the ancient established laws of the empire; and that
it seems made on purpose to render the faithful servants of the gods
contemptible,[1] as annulling the privileges which the Cubosamas of
former ages had conferred on the Bonzas, and teaches that out of the