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The governor said, "That in his own person were to be considered the services of the count his father; and that those hundred thousand crowns, which would be gained at least by Pereyra, were a more suitable reward for the son of Atayda, than for the valet de chambre of Cotigno."
Atayda receiving favourably those propositions of the prince of Momoya, the prince came in person to Ternate, and desired baptism; taking then, the name of John, in honour of John III., king of Portugal. At his return to Momoya, he took along with him a Portuguese priest, called Simon Vaz, who converted many idolaters to the faith.
At the same time, Xavier was inspired with the knowledge of the quarrel betwixt Don Alvarez de Atayda, governor of Malacca, and Don Bernard de Sosa, who was newly arrived from the Moluccas; and told the circumstances of it to the Portuguese, who, having afterwards the particulars of it from some of Malacca, were astonished to find them the very same which the Father had related.
For the holy man had procured him the command of captain-major of the sea, and himself had brought him the provisions for that place: because when first the Father had opened his purpose of going into China, Atayda seemed to have espoused the project with great affection, and engaged himself to make it succeed, in case the ports and navigations of the Portuguese were once depending on him.
Some amongst them exclaimed openly againt Alvarez, without fearing the consequence; and there was one who said aloud, what was said afterwards by the viceroy of the Indies, Don Alphonso de Norogna, "That Alvarez de Atayda had been the death of Father Francis, both by his persecutions at Malacca, and by the cruelties of his servants at Sancian."
Don Alvarez not being able any longer to support the credit of his tale, pulled off the mask, and stood upon no farther ceremonies. Xavier perceiving that the love of lucre was his governing passion, made offers to him, by Pereyra, of thirty thousand crowns in pure gift; but the desire of engrossing all the gain, was the reason which prevailed with Atayda to refuse it.
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