The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16Dryden, John
History
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16
Dryden, John
English literature
not send for the holy Father? he will infallibly cure him." She gave
credit to her words, and sent for Xavier. He was immediately there:
Fernandez, who had lost his senses, and lay gasping in death, began to
cry out, and make violent motions, so soon as the Father had set his foot
within the doors; but when he came into the room, and stood before the
youth, he fell into howlings and dreadful wreathings of his body, which
redoubled at the sight of the cross that was presented to him. Xavier
doubted not but there was something of extraordinary in his disease, nor
even that God, for the punishment of the mother, who had made use of
diabolical remedies, had delivered her son to the evil spirits. He fell
on his knees by the bed-side, read aloud the passion of our Lord, hung
his reliquiary about the neck of the sick person, and sprinkled him with
holy water. This made the fury of the devil cease; and the young man,
half dead, lay without motion as before. Then Xavier rising up, "get him
somewhat to eat," said he, and told them what nourishment he thought
proper for him. After which, addressing himself to the father of the
youth, "when your son," added he, "shall be in condition to walk, lead
him yourself, for nine days successively, to the church of our Lady of
the Mount, where to-morrow I will say mass for him." After this he
departed, and the next day, while he was celebrating the divine
sacrifice, Fernandez on the sudden came to himself, spoke very sensibly,
and perfectly recovered his former health.
But how wonderful soever the cure of this youth appeared in the eyes of
all men, the resurrection of a young maid was of greater admiration.
Xavier was gone on a little journey, somewhere about the neighbourhood of
Malacca, to do a work of charity when this girl died. Her mother, who had
been in search of the holy man during her daughter's sickness, came to
him after his return, and throwing herself at his feet all in tears, said
almost the same words to him which Martha said formerly to our Lord,
"That if he had been in town, she, who was now dead, had been alive; but
if he would call upon the name of Jesus Christ, the dead might be
restored to life." Xavier was overjoyed to behold so great faith in a
woman, who was but lately baptized, and judged her worthy of that
blessing which she begged. After having lifted up his eyes to heaven,
and silently prayed to God some little space, he turned towards her, and
said to her, with much assurance, "Go, your daughter is alive." The poor
mother seeing the saint offered not to go with her to the place of
burial, replied, betwixt hope and fear, "That it was three days since her
daughter was interred." "It is no matter," answered Xavier, "open the
sepulchre, and you shall find her living." The mother, without more
reply, ran, full of confidence, to the church, and, in presence of many
persons, having caused the grave-stone to be removed, found her daughter
living.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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