stood out; and in the sequel, of so great a multitude of idol-priests,
not one embraced the Christian doctrine from the heart. Nevertheless,
Xavier, in their presence, wrought many miracles which were capable of
converting them. Having casually met a poor creature all naked, and full
of ulcers from head to foot, he washed him with his hands, drank part of
the water wherewith he had washed him, and prayed by him with wonderful
fervency; when he had ended his prayer, the flesh of the diseased person
was immediately healed, and appeared as clean as that of an infant.

The process of the saint's canonization makes mention of four dead
persons, to whom God restored their life, at this time, by the ministry
of his servant. The first was a catechist, called Antonio Miranda, who
had been stung in the night by one of those venomous serpents of the
Indies, whose stings are always mortal. The second was a child, who fell
into a pit, and was drowned. The two others were a young man and a maid,
whom a pestilential fever had carried off after a short sickness.

But these miracles, which gave to the father the name of saint among the
Christians, and caused him to be called the God of Nature amongst the
Gentiles, had no other effect upon the Brachmans than to harden their
hearts, and blind their understandings. Xavier, despairing of their
conversion, thought himself bound to publish all their wicked actions,
and bring them into disrepute. And he performed it so successfully, that
those men, who were had in veneration by the people, came to be despised
by all the world; insomuch, that even the children laughed at them, and
publicly upbraided them with their cheats. They began at first to
threaten the people, according to their custom, with the anger of their
pagods; but seeing their menaces turned to scorn, they made use of
another artifice, to regain their credit.