At this time, there came news from Japan; and some letters reported, that one of the kings of that island had desired some preachers to be sent to him, by an express embassy to the viceroy of the Indies.  That this king had learnt somewhat of the Christian law, and that a strange accident had made him desirous of knowing more.  This accident was related in those letters, after the following manner.

“Some Portuguese merchants, being landing at the port, belonging to the capital city of one of those kingdoms of Japan, were lodged by the king’s order in a forsaken house, which was thought to be haunted by evil spirits:  the common opinion was not ill grounded, and the Portuguese soon perceived, that their lodging was disturbed.  They heard a horrible rumbling all the night; they felt themselves pulled out of their beds, and beaten in their sleep, without seeing any one.  One night being awakened, at the cry of one of their servants, and running with their arms towards the place from whence the noise was heard, they found the servant on the ground, trembling for fear.  They asked him the occasion of his outcry, and why he shook in that manner?  He answered, ’That he had seen a frightful apparition, such a one as painters use to draw for the picture of the devil.’  As this servant was not thought either faint-hearted, or a liar, the Portuguese no longer doubted, what was the meaning of all that rattling and clutter, which they heard every night; to put an end to it, they set crosses in all the rooms, after which they heard no more of it.”

The Japonese were much surprised to hear the house was now at quiet:  the king himself, to whom the Portuguese had said, “That the Christian cross had driven away the evil spirits,” admired that wonderful effect, and commanded crosses to be set up in all places, even in his own palaces, and in the highways.  In consequence of this, he desired to be informed from whence the cross derived that virtue, and for what cause the devils so much feared it.  Thus, by little and little, he entered into the mysteries of faith.  But as the Japonese are extremely curious, not content to be instructed by soldiers and merchants, he thought of sending for preachers, and in that prospect sent an ambassador to the Indies.

This news gave infinite satisfaction to Father Xavier; and so much the more hastened his voyage, by how much he now perceived the Japonians were disposed to receive the gospel.  There were in the port of Malacca many Portuguese vessels, in readiness to set sail for Japan; but all of them were to make many other voyages by the way, which was not the saint’s business.  His only means was to have recourse to a junk of China, (so they call those little vessels,) which was bound directly for Japan.  The master of the vessel, called Neceda, was a famous pirate; a friend to the Portuguese, notwithstanding the war which was newly declared against them; so well known by his robberies at sea, that his ship was commonly called, The Robber’s Vessel.  Don Pedro de Sylva, governor of Malacca, got a promise from the Chinese captain, that he would carry the Father, safely, and without injury, and took hostages to engage him inviolably to keep his faith; but what can be built on the word of a pirate, and a wicked man?