uncertain manner, shot out its tremendous bolts into the air and discharged them over the miserable city.  With such powerful enemies all the buildings fell down—­not one stone remaining upon another—­except a chapel of our Lady of Health [Nuestra Senora de la Salud], and part of the convent of St. Francis, where some people took refuge.  There were lost, in the river more than sixty vessels loaded with provisions, bound for Goa; and two others from Ormuz, one coming and the other going.  This destruction took place on the seventeenth of May, 1618.  The reason for it only God, with His unbounded wisdom, knows.  All that we here can understand is that the sins of the city provoked His wrath, and that for two years past interdictions and censures upon it have been continuous.  Even the day before this disaster occurred, God took from it (as He did another [?]) Father Rodrigo, of the Society, who was one of His zealous servants, and transported him to another and a better life.  When news of this reached Goa, great demonstrations were made there to appease the wrath of God, that He might not afflict that city as He had afflicted Bacani.

Of Great China

In China, within recent years, a very severe persecution of Christians broke out; and on account of the enmity of a mandarin, who was the cause of this storm, four fathers were ejected from the residences of Sanguin and Paquin [i.e., Pekin].  One of them was Father Diego Pantoja, [61] a native of Toledo, a noted religious, one of the most noted men who have been in China, and one who has learned most of the Chinese letters, sciences, and language.  Upon reaching Macan from his exile, this father passed from this to a better life.  There still remained in China eight fathers of our Society.  These, with some others, are cultivating the vineyard of the Lord, maintaining in the faith those already converted, and bringing into it others, who, forsaking the false belief of idolatry, receive the water of holy baptism.  In short, these fathers are promulgating the holy gospel.  They write that they found, in one of the many provinces of that extensive realm, a people who worship the holy cross, and who are called Christians—­although they are so only in name, for they are in truth heathen.  They also found a synagogue of more than twelve thousand jews who live under the law of Moses. [62]

The Tartars, who usually are at war with the Chinese, this year invaded China on the north side by way of the border province of Lona [sc. Liao?]. [63] They routed the Chinese armies, made a great slaughter among them, took some cities, and destroyed many villages; and then, because the winter is so cold, they retired to their own country to remain till another year, when, they say, they will come with a great force.  And although they fear that they are not possessed of everything necessary for this invasion, yet a short time before, [64] a violent storm demolished for them