ty of
the heavens, the fruitfulness of the earth, and the order of the seasons,
we might conclude, that he only, who is a spirit, eternal, all-powerful,
and all-wise, could be the creator and absolute commander of the world."
As soon as Xavier had concluded, the whole assembly cried out, that he
spoke reason; and the judges immediately pronounced, as a manifest truth,
that the pagods were not gods. Fucarandono would have replied, but the
general cry gave it for a cause decided; and the king imposed silence on
the Bonza, according to the articles of agreement.

Thus the Bonza passed on to another question in his own despite; and
asked Father Xavier, "Why he allowed not of those bills of exchange which
they gave in favour of the dead, since the rich found their account in
them, and that they had their return of their money, with usury, in
heaven?" The Father answered, "That the right we had to a better world
was founded not on those deceitful letters, but on the good works which
are practised with the faith and doctrine which he preached: That he who
inspired it into our souls was Jesus Christ, the true and only Son of
God, who was crucified for the salvation of sinners; and that they who
preserved that living faith till death should certainly obtain eternal
happiness: That for what remained, this holy law was free from worldly
interest, and that it excluded not from heaven either the poor or women;
that even poverty, which is patiently endured, was a means of gaining the
kingdom of heaven; and that the weaker sex had greater advantages
than ours, by reason of that modesty and piety which is almost inherent
in their nature." The applause which followed this discourse was general;
only Fucarandono and his companions, who had not wherewith to reply, and
yet were too obstinate to recant, kept a discontented silence. It was
judged that Xavier's opinion was the more reasonable, and the dispute
adjourned to the day following.

These ill successes would have driven the Bonza to despair, if his
presumption had not kept up his spirits. He returned at the time
appointed; but, as if he distrusted his own strength, as presuming as he
was, he brought with him six other Bonzas, the most learned amongst them,
and chosen out of all their sects, not to be bare spectators of the
combat, but to relieve each other, and to charge every one in his turn.
At the first they propounded very subtile questions concerning the
mysteries of our faith.