It is incredible how many temples have been built to the honour of Amida and Xaca; all the cities are full of them, and their magnificence is equal to their number.  Nor is it easy to imagine how far their superstition carries the worshippers of these two deities.  They throw themselves headlong down from rocks, or bury themselves alive in caves; and it is ordinary to see barques, full of men and women, with stones hanging at their necks, and singing the praises of their gods, after which they cast themselves into the sea.

For what remains, the spirit of lies has established in Japan a kind of hierarchy, not unlike that of the Catholic church.  For these people have a chief of their religion, and a kind of sovereign priest, whom they call Saco.  He keeps his court in the capital city of the empire; and it is he who approves the sects, who institutes the ceremonies, who consecrates, if I may be allowed to say so, the Tundi, who resemble our bishops, and whose principal function is to ordain the priests of idols, by conferring on them the power of offering sacrifice.  These priests, who are called Bonzas, part of them living in desarts, the rest in towns, all affect a rigid austerity of manners, and are amongst the Japonese what the Brachmans are amongst the Indians, unless that they are yet more impious, and greater hypocrites.

To resume our history:  immediately after the arrival of Xavier and his companions, Paul de Sainte Foy, whom formerly we called Anger, went to pay his duty to the king of Saxuma; on which Cangoxima is depending, and whose palace is about the distance of six leagues from it.  That prince, who had heretofore shewn great favour to him, received him with much humanity, and with so much the greater joy, because he had believed him dead.  This kind reception gave Paul de Sainte Foy the confidence to petition the king for the pardon of that action, which had occasioned his departure, and it was not difficult for him to obtain it.

The king, naturally curious, as the Japonians generally are, enquired much of him concerning the Indies; as, what was the nature of the country, and the humour of the people, and whether the Portuguese were as brave and as powerful as they were represented by common fame.  When Paul had satisfied him on these and the like particulars, the discourse fell on the different religions in the Indies, and finally on Christianity, which was introduced by the Portuguese in India.

Paul unfolded at large the mysteries of our faith; and seeing with what pleasure he was heard, produced a tablet of the Virgin, holding the little Jesus in her arms.  The tablet was very curious, and Xavier had given it to this Japonese, that he might shew it as occasion offered.  The sight alone of this excellent painting wrought so much upon the king, that, being touched with thoughts of piety and reverence, he fell on his knees, with all his courtiers, to honour the persons therein represented, which seemed to him to have an air that was more than human.