“As concerning my lord ambassador, he loads me with so many favours, that I should never conclude, if I began to relate them.  And I know not how I could suffer the many good offices he does me, if I had not some hope of repaying him in the Indies, at the expence of my life itself.  On Palm-Sunday I heard his confession, and after him many of his domestic servants; I communicated them afterwards, in the holy chapel of Loretto, where I said mass.  I likewise confessed them, and gave them the communion, on Easter Sunday.  My lord ambassador’s almoner recommends himself to your good prayers, and has promised to bear me company to the Indies.  I am more taken up with confessions here, than I was in Rome, at St Lewis.  I heartily salute all our fathers; and if I name not every one of them in particular, I desire them to believe, ’tis neither from my want of memory, or affection.

“Your brother and servant in Jesus Christ,
Francis.”
from Bolognia, March 31. 1540.

The whole town of Bolognia was in motion at the approach of Father Xavier:  they were wonderfully affected to him, and in a manner esteemed him their apostle:  both great and small were desirous of seeing him, and most of them discovered the state of their conscience to him; many of them proffered themselves to go along with him to the Indies; all of them shed tears at his departure, as thinking they should never more behold him.

Jerome Casalini, curate of St Lucy, who had lodged him the year before, was most particularly kind to him at his return:  he obliged him to accept of his house once more; and his church became as it were the public rendezvous, where Xavier heard an infinite number of confessions.

In the rest of this long journey, there happened two or three passages, which were sufficiently remarkable.  A domestic servant to the ambassador, who rode before as harbinger, to take up lodgings for the train, a violent and brutal man, being reprehended by his lord for having been negligent in his duty, fell into a horrible fit of passion, as soon as he was out of Mascaregnas his presence.  Xavier heard him, but took no notice of it at that time, for fear of provoking him to any farther extravagance.  But the next morning, when the same person set out before the company, according to his custom, he spurred after him at full speed.  He found him lying under his horse, who was fallen with him from a precipice, the man sorely bruised, and the horse killed outright.  “Wretched creature,” said the father to him, “what had become of thee, if thou hadst died of this fall?” These few words made him sensible of his furious expressions, for which he sincerely asked pardon of Almighty God; and Xavier alighting, mounted him on his own horse, and walked on foot by him, to their lodging.