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Updated: June 4, 2025
He prepares to leave Japan, and takes leave of the king of Bungo. The advice which he gives to the king of Bungo. The Bonzas rise anew against Xavier. A new artifice of the Bonzas against the saint. The beginning of the conference betwixt Xavier and Fucarandono. The advantage of the dispute on the side of Xavier. The fury of the Bonzas forces the Portuguese to retire to their ship.
He entered the palace at that point of time when Xavier, and the Portuguese, had audience of the king, for their last farewell, being to embark the next morning. Before the king had dismissed them, he was informed that Fucarandono desired to kiss his hand, in presence of the Portuguese Bonza.
Fucarandono, who heard all these passages from his place, took them for so many ill omens; and, turning to his four associates, told them, "that he suspected this day would be yet more unsuccessful to them than the last." The king received Father Xavier with great civility; and, after he had talked with him sometime in private, very obligingly ordered him to begin the disputation.
Fucarandono, after the three usual reverences to the king, seated himself by Xavier; and after he had fixed his eyes earnestly upon him, "I know not," said he, with an overweaning look, "if thou knowest me; or, to speak more properly, if thou rememberest me." "I remember not," said Xavier, "that I have ever seen you."
Fucarandono affecting an air of devotion and modesty, asked, Why the Christians gave obscene names to the saints in Paradise, whensoever they invoked them in their public prayers; giving him to understand, that sancte, in the Japonian language, signified something too dishonest to be spoken. The Father declared, that the word in Latin had only a pure and pious meaning.
As soon as Xavier had concluded, the whole assembly cried out, that he spoke reason; and the judges immediately pronounced, as a manifest truth, that the pagods were not gods. Fucarandono would have replied, but the general cry gave it for a cause decided; and the king imposed silence on the Bonza, according to the articles of agreement.
The people, who followed in great multitudes, made loud acclamations, and the streets rung with the praises of the holy man: While the Bonzas, mad with rage and envy, cried out aloud, "May the fire of heaven fall down upon a prince, who suffers himself to be so easily seduced by this foreign magician!" Thus concluded the disputations which he had with Fucarandono and the Bonzas.
In the mean time the Portuguese, not believing themselves to be secure against the rage of a superstitious people, and having just grounds of apprehending that the affront which Fucarandono had received might be revenged on their persons, returned with all expedition to their ship, designing to set sail with the benefit of the first fair wind.
After he had thus spoken, the Bonza held his peace; and Xavier, who had received a sign from the king to make reply, said, at the beginning of his discourse, "that seeing Fucarandono had mingled many things together, it was reasonable, for the better clearing of the difficulties, to tie him up to one single proposition, which was not to be left until it was evacuated, and plainly found to be either true or false."
The captain of the ship endeavours to persuade Xavier to return, but in vain. The captain takes up a resolution to stay with Xavier. A new enterprize of the Bonzas against him. He returns to the palace, to renew the conference with Fucarandono. The dispute renewed. The answer of Xavier to the first question of Fucarandono.
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