to Jesus to obtain the grace of a lively and constant faith, he failed not of addressing himself to Mary.  He concluded all his instructions with the Salve Regina; he never undertook any thing but under her protection; and in all dangers, he had always recourse to the blessed Virgin as his patroness.  For the rest, to shew that he depended on her, and made his glory of that dependence, he commonly wore a chaplet about his neck, to the end that Christians might take delight in seeing the chaplet; and made frequent use of it in the operation of his miracles.

When he passed whole nights at his devotions in churches, it was almost always before the image of the Virgin, and especially he offered his vows to her for the conversion of notorious sinners, and also for the remission of his own offences; as himself testifies in a letter of his, which shews not less his humility than his confidence in the intercession of the blessed Virgin:  “I have taken the Queen of Heaven for my patroness, that, by her prayers I may obtain the pardon of my innumerable sins.”  He was particularly devoted to her immaculate conception, and made a vow to defend it to the utmost of his power.

In conversation he frequently spoke of the greatness of the blessed Mary, and attracted all men to her service.  In fine, being just upon the point of drawing his last breath, he invoked her name with tender words, and besought her to shew herself his mother.

These are the principal virtues which were collected, to be presented to the Holy See.  The archbishop of Goa, and all the bishops of India, seconded the designs of the king of Portugal, by acting on their side with the Pope, for the canonization of Xavier; but no one, in process of time, solicited with more splendour than the king of Bungo.

This prince, who was upon the point of being converted when Xavier left Japan, had no sooner lost the holy man, but he was regained by the Bonzas, and fell into all the disorders of which a Pagan can be capable.  He confessed the Christian law to be the better; but said it was too rigorous, and that a young prince, as he was, born in the midst of pleasures, could not brook it.  His luxury hindered him not from the love of arms, nor from being very brave; and he was so fortunate in war, that he reduced four or five kingdoms under his obedience.  In the course of all his victories, the last words which Father Francis had said to him, concerning the vanity of the world, and the necessity of baptism, came into his remembrance:  he made serious reflections on them, and was so deeply moved by them, that one day he appeared in public, with a chaplet about his neck, as it were to make an open profession of Christianity.

The effects were correspondent to the appearances:  he had two idols in his palace of great value, which he worshipped every day, prostrating himself before them with his forehead touching the ground; these images he commanded to be thrown into the sea.  After this, applying himself to the exercises of piety and penitence, he totally renounced his sensual pleasures, and was finally baptized by Father Cabira, of the Society of Jesus.  At his baptism he took the name of Francis, in memory of the holy apostle Francis Xavier, whom he acknowledged for the Father of his soul, and whom he called by that title during the remainder of his life.