from the uncleanness of all
fleshly pleasures.

For what remains, nothing can more clearly make out his love to purity,
than what happened to him once at Rome. Simon Rodriguez being fallen
sick, Father Ignatius commanded Xavier to take care of him during his
distemper. One night, the sick man awaking, saw Xavier, who was asleep at
his bed's feet, thrusting out his arms in a dream, with the action of one
who violently repels an enemy; he observed him even casting out blood in
great abundance, through his nostrils, and at his mouth. Xavier himself
awaking, with the labour of that struggling, Rodriguez enquired of him
the cause of that extreme agitation, and the gushing of his blood. Xavier
would not satisfy him at that time, and gave him no account of it, till
he was just upon his departure to the Indies; for then being urged anew
by Rodriguez, after he had obliged him to secrecy, "Know," said he, "my
brother, master Simon, that God, out of his wonderful mercy, has done me
the favour, to preserve me, even till this hour, in entire purity; and
that very night I dreamed, that, lodging at an inn, an impudent woman
would needs approach me: The motion of my arms was to thrust her from me,
and to get rid of her; and the blood, which I threw out, proceeded from
my agony."

But whatsoever detestation Xavier had, even for the shadow of a sin, he
was always diffident of himself; and withdrew from all conversation of
women, if charity obliged him not to take care of their conversion; and
even on such occasions, he kept all imaginable measures, never
entertaining them with discourse, unless in public places, and in sight
of all the world; nor speaking with them of ought, but what was
necessary, and then also sparing of his words, and with a grave, modest,
and serious countenance. He would say, "That, in general conversation, we
could not be too circumspect in our behaviour towards them; and that,
however pious the intentions of their confessors were, there still
remained more cause of fear to the directors in those entertainments,
than of hope, that any good should result from them to the
women-penitents."

Besides all this, he kept his senses curbed and recollected, examined his
conscience often every day, and daily confessed himself when he had the
convenience of a priest. By these means, he acquired such a purity of
soul and body, that they who were of his intimate acquaintance, have
declared, that they could never observe in h