of China, returned not at the time appointed, and
he in vain expected him for many days.

Despairing of any thing on that side, he still maintained his resolution,
and another expedient seemed to promise him success. News was brought
him, that the king of Siam, whose dominions are almost bordering on
Malacca, and who also was in league with Portugal, was preparing a
magnificent embassy to the emperor of China for the year following.
Whereupon Xavier resolved on returning to Malacca by the first
opportunity, and to use his best endeavours, that he might accompany the
ambassador of Siam to China.

But the Eternal Wisdom, which sometimes inspires his servants with great
designs, does not always will the performance of them; though he wills
that on their side nothing be omitted for the execution. God was pleased
to deal with Xavier as formerly he had dealt with Moses, who died in view
of that very land whither he was commanded to conduct the Israelites. A
fever seized on Father Francis on the 20th of November; and at the same
time he was endued with a clear knowledge of the day and hour of his
death; as he openly declared to the pilot of the vessel, Francis
D'Aghiar, who afterwards made an authentic deposition of it by solemn
oath.

From that moment he perceived in himself a strange disgust of all earthly
things, and thought on nothing but that celestial country whither God
was calling him. Being much weakened by his fever, he retired into the
vessel, which was the common hospital of the sick, that there he might
die in poverty; and the Captain Lewis Almeyda received him,
notwithstanding all the orders of his master Don Alvarez. But the tossing
of the ship giving him an extraordinary headach, and hindering him from
applying himself to God, as he desired, the day ensuing he requested that
he might be set on shore again. He was landed and left upon the sands,
exposed to the injury of the air, and the inclemency of the season,
especially to the blasts of a piercing north wind, which then arose. He
had there died without relief, had not a Portuguese more charitable than
the rest, whose name was George Alvarez, caused him to be carried into
hiscabin; which yet was little different from the naked shore, as being
open on every side.

The indications of his disease being an acute pain in his side, and a
great oppression, Alvarez was of opinion that they ought to breathe a
vein; and the Father was consenting to it, by a blind s