And In A Battle Fought Between These People
That Adhered To The Religion Of Their Ancestors, And The Troops Of
Sultan Segued, six hundred religious, placing themselves at the head
of their men, marched towards the Catholic army with the
Stones of
the altars upon their heads, assuring their credulous followers that
the Emperor's troops would immediately at the sight of those stones
fall into disorder and turn their backs; but, as they were some of
the first that fell, their death had a great influence upon the
people to undeceive them, and make them return to the truth. Many
were converted after the battle, and when they had embraced the
Catholic faith, adhered to that with the same constancy and firmness
with which they had before persisted in their errors.
The Emperor had sent a viceroy into this province, whose firm
attachment to the Roman Church, as well as great abilities in
military affairs, made him a person very capable of executing the
orders of the Emperor, and of suppressing any insurrection that
might be raised, to prevent those alterations in religion which they
were designed to promote: a farther view in the choice of so
warlike a deputy was that a stop might be put to the inroads of the
Galles, who had killed one viceroy, and in a little time after
killed this.
It was our custom to meet together every year about Christmas, not
only that we might comfort and entertain each other, but likewise
that we might relate the progress and success of our missions, and
concert all measures that might farther the conversion of the
inhabitants. This year our place of meeting was the Emperor's camp,
where the patriarch and superior of the missions were. I left the
place of my abode, and took in my way four fathers, that resided at
the distance of two days' journey, so that the company, without
reckoning our attendants, was five. There happened nothing
remarkable to us till the last night of our journey, when taking up
our lodging at a place belonging to the Empress, a declared enemy to
all Catholics, and in particular to the missionaries, we met with a
kind reception in appearance, and were lodged in a large stone house
covered with wood and straw, which had stood uninhabited so long,
that great numbers of red ants had taken possession of it; these, as
soon as we were laid down, attacked us on all sides, and tormented
us so incessantly that we were obliged to call up our domestics.
Having burnt a prodigious number of these troublesome animals, we
tried to compose ourselves again, but had scarce closed our eyes
before we were awakened by the fire that had seized our lodging.
Our servants, who were fortunately not all gone to bed, perceived
the fire as soon as it began, and informed me, who lay nearest the
door. I immediately alarmed all the rest, and nothing was thought
of but how to save ourselves and the little goods we had, when, to
our great astonishment, we found one of the doors barricaded in such
a manner that we could not open it.
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