of these fortunate martyrs turned their eyes toward heaven, and, without moving them in the least, remained in this posture after death.  During the first few days a strict watch was kept over the blessed bodies to prevent the Christians from taking them away, but through the efforts of our fathers who live in that city some have already been recovered.”  So far I quote from the father provincial.  To this I will add some points taken from other letters and relations.

The above-mentioned father provincial is a strong pillar in Japon, and an excellent interpreter.  He is director of the Christian community there, by virtue of a brief from his Holiness, which arrived last year, and in which, it is ordered that in default of a bishop in japon the provincial of the Society who may be in office at the time shall rule that bishopric and Christian community.  Therefore, although the bishop has come; the provincial has governed up to the present time, and continues to govern, because, as I have said, conditions in Japon do not admit of the bishop’s going there, since it is feared that the situation may be aggravated and persecution increased thereby.  Consequently his Lordship is now in Macan.

About two years ago our father general appointed Father Francisco Vieira as visitor of Japon.  He is a man already past sixty, and, indeed, is nearing seventy; but in spite of this he is so vigorous that when the persecution was at its height he, with great courage, went from Macan to Japon.  He was often in imminent danger of being imprisoned.  He took refuge in Canzuca, a place in the lands of Arima, where he abode in a hut of straw.  Here, on account of the hardships he endured, he was frequently attacked by a kidney disease which caused him great pain.  Once he had so violent an attack that he sent in great haste to get holy oil in order that he might take the holy sacrament.  Again the same disease, accompanied by a severe pain above the heart, attacked him with such violence that he could scarcely breathe.  So he determined that extreme unction should be administered to him; but, remembering that he had a written signature of our holy father, he placed it with great devotion over his heart and commended himself to the saint [12]—­through whose merits the Lord caused the pain to be assuaged within an hour, and he became entirely well.  From Canzuca the father visitor went to Nangasaqui, to take ship to return to Macan.  He was kindly received, and with due precaution taken into the house of a certain Portuguese.  But still he ran great risk of being imprisoned by the servants of the heathen president, who were searching for another religious, named Fray Bartholome Gutierrez, of the Order of San Agustin, who was wearing the Spanish dress.  They suddenly entered three Portuguese houses, and the father visitor scarcely had time to retire from one house to another.  In short, the labors and dangers that he suffered in Japon were great.  But they had no power to turn him from so glorious