ending on him. To oblige him yet farther, the saint had procured from
the viceroy, and brought along with him, certain extraordinary
privileges, which had not been comprised in the provisions of the
command. And, lastly, that he might wholly gain him at his arrival,
finding the governor very sick, he attended him with great diligence, and
made himself at once both his nurse and his chaplain, watching by him all
the night, and saying mass for him in the morning. But all these offices
of friendship wrought nothing on a heart, where jealousy and avarice were
predominant.

What care soever Don Alvarez took to conceal his ill intentions, Xavier
quickly discovered them; and at the same time wrote to Pereyra, who was
yet at Sunda, advising him to come without any equipage, and to affect
nothing of magnificence, that he might not farther exasperate an
interested and jealous soul. But all the modesty of the ambassador
could not hinder the governor from breaking out. At the first noise of
his arrival, he sent officers of justice, and soldiers, to the port, with
orders to make seizure on the ship called Santa Cruz, to take away the
rudder, and give it into his hands. This was the first act of
jurisdiction, which was exercised by Don Alvarez, as captain of the sea;
employing against Xavier himself, that authority which had been procured
him by Xavier, and pushing his ingratitude as far as it could go. In the
mean time, to cover his passion with the pretext of public good,
according to the common practice of men in power, he protested loudly,
that the interests of the crown had constrained him to act in this
manner; that he had received information from his spies, that the Javans
were making preparations of war, to come upon Malacca once again; that he
could not have too many ships in readiness, against such formidable
enemies; and that the Santa Cruz was of absolute necessity to the king's
service. This fable, which was the product of his own brains, was soon
exploded by the arrival of some other Portuguese vessels, who, coming
from the isles of Java, made oath, that these barbarians, being engaged
amongst themselves in civil wars, had no thoughts of any foreign
conquest. Don Alvarez not being able any longer to support the credit of
his tale, pulled off the mask, and stood upon no farther ceremonies.
Xavier perceiving that the love of lucre was his governing passion, made
offers to him, by Pereyra, of thirty thousand crowns in pure