Xavier embraced him; and after he had given him to understand that the mercies of the Lord are infinite, that it is our duty never to despair, that he who sometimes refuses to sinners the hour of repentance, always grants pardon to the penitent; he caused him to put away those occasions of his sin, and disposed him to a general confession, the fruit of which was a chaste and Christian life.

In short, the Father did what he could desire to be done at Meliapor; and witnesses of known integrity have deposed on oath, that he left the town so different from what it was, at his coming thither, that it was hardly to be known for the same place; which also gave him so entire a satisfaction, that giving it a thousand benedictions, he said that there was not in all the Indies a more Christian town.  And at the same time he prophecied, that one day it should become flourishing and wealthy; which prediction was accomplished some few years afterward.

Though all these conversions drew the public veneration on Father Francis, it seemed that God took pleasure in making the name of his servant yet more illustrious, by certain wonderful events.  A merchant of Meliapor being just ready to embark for Malacca, went to take his leave of him.  In receiving his blessing, he begged of him some little token of his friendship.  The Father, who was very poor, could find nothing to give him but the chaplet which was hanging at his neck:  “This chaplet,"[1] said he to the merchant, “shall not be unprofitable to you, provided you repose your trust in the Virgin Mary.”  The merchant went away in full assurance of the divine protection, and without fear of pirates, winds, or rocks; but God would make a trial of his faith.  He had already almost crossed, without the least hazard, the great gulph which is betwixt Meliapor and Malacca, when suddenly there blew a furious storm, the sails were torn, the rudder broken, and the mast came by the board, and the vessel afterwards being driven against the rocks, was split:  The greatest part of the seamen and passengers were drowned; some of them held upon the rocks, where they were cast away, and the merchant himself was of that number; but, being upon the wide sea, and not having wherewithal to supply nature, to avoid dying by hunger, they took a resolution which only despair could have inspired; having gathered up some floating planks of their wrecked vessel, and joining them together the best they could, they put themselves upon them, and abandoned their safety to the mercy of the waves, without other hope than of lighting on some current which might possibly carry them on shore.

[Footnote 1:  Or beads.]

The merchant, full of confidence in the blessed Virgin, had still preserved the chaplet of Xavier, and feared not drowning while he held it in his hand.  The float of planks was hardly adrift upon the waves, when he found he was transported out of himself, and believed he was at Meliapor with Father Francis.  Returning from his extacy, he was strangely surprised to find himself on an unknown coast, and not to see about him the companions of his fortunes, nor the planks to which he had entrusted his life.  He understood, from some people who casually came that way, that it was the coast of Negapatan, and, in a transport mixed with joy and amazement, he told them, in how miraculous a manner God had delivered him from death.