idolaters by birth, and had only received baptism in order to their
marrying with the Portuguese, were not capable of profiting by the common
sermons, for want of sufficient understanding in the mysteries and maxims
of Christianity; he undertook to expound to them the articles of faith,
the commandments, and other points of Christian morality. The time of
Lent was passed in these exercises of piety, and penitence, which fitted
them for the blessed sacrament at Easter. All people approached the holy
table, and celebrated that feast with renewed fervour, which resembled
the spirit of primitive Christianity.

But the chief employment of Father Xavier was to endeavour the conversion
of the king of Ternate, commonly called king of the Moluccas. This
Saracen prince, whose name was Cacil Aerio, was son to king Boleife, and
his concubine, a Mahometan, and enemy to the Portuguese, whom Tristan
d'Atayda, governor of Ternate, and predecessor of Antonio Galvan, caused
to be thrown out of a window, to be revenged of her. This unworthy and
cruel usage might well exasperate Cacil; but fearing their power, who had
affronted him in the person of his mother, and having the violent death
of his brothers before his eyes, he curbed his resentments, and broke not
out into the least complaint. The Portuguese mistrusted this over-acted
moderation, and affected silence; and according to the maxim of those
politicians, who hold, that they who do the injury should never pardon,
they used him afterwards as a rebel, and an enemy, upon very light
conjectures, Jordan de Treitas, then governor of the fortress of Ternate.
a man as rash and imprudent as Galvan was moderate and wise, seized
the person of the prince, stript him of all the ornaments of royalty, and
sent him prisoner to Goa, in the year 1546, with the Spanish fleet, of
which we have formerly made mention.

The cause having been examined, in the sovereign tribunal of Goa, there