bodyofasoldieroftheeighthcentury。So，too，ImightmentionthebodiespreservedatthechurchofSt。ThomasatStrasburg，beneaththeCathedralofBremen，andelsewhereduringhundredsofyearspast；alsothecasesof“adiposeration“invariousAmericancemeteries，whichnevergrowlesswonderfulbyrepetitionfrommouthtomouthandinthepublicprints。But，whilesuchpreservationisnotincredibleorevenstrange，thereismuchreasonwhypreciselyinthecaseofasaintlikeSt。
FrancisXaviertheevidenceforitshouldbereceivedwithespecialcaution。Whatthetouchingfidelityofdisciplesmayleadthemtobelieveandproclaimregardinganadoredleaderinatimewhenfaithisthoughtmoremeritoriousthancarefulstatement，andmiraclemoreprobablethanthenaturalcourseofthings，isseen，forexample，insimilarpiousaccountsregardingthebodiesofmanyothersaints，especiallythatofSt。CarloBorromeo，sojustlyveneratedbytheChurchforhisbeautifulandcharitablelife。Andyetanyonelookingattherelicsofvarioussaints，especiallythoseofSt。Carlo，preservedwithsuchtendercareinthecryptofMilanCathedral，willseethattheyhavesharedthecommonfate，beingeithermummifiedorreducedtoskeletons；andthisistrueinallcases，asfarasmyobservationhasextended。Whatevenagreattheologiancanbeinducedtobelieveandtestifyinasomewhatsimilarmatter，isseeninSt。Augustine’sdeclarationthatthefleshofthepeacock，whichinantiquityandintheearlyChurchwasconsideredabirdsomewhatsupernaturallyendowed，isincorruptible。ThesaintdeclaresthathetesteditandfounditsoseetheDeCivitatedei，xxi，c。4，underthepassagebeginningQuisenimDeus。WiththiswemaycomparethetestimonyofthepiousauthorofSirJohnMandeville’sTravels，thatironfloatsupontheDeadSeawhilefeatherssinkinit，andthathewouldnothavebelievedthishadhenotseenit。So，too，testimonytothe“sweetodour“diffusedbytheexhumedremainsofthesaintseemtoindicatefeelingratherthanfact——thosehighlywroughtfeelingsofdisciplesstandingby——thesamefeelingwhichledthosewhovisitedSt。SimonStylitesonhisheapofordure，andotherhermitsunwashedandlivinginfilth，todwelluponthedelicious“odourofsanctity’pervadingtheair。Inpoint，perhaps，isLouisVeuillot’sidealizationofthe“parfumdeRome。”infaceofthefact，towhichthepresentwriterandthousandsofotherscantestify，thatunderPapalruleRomewasmateriallyoneofthemostfilthycitiesinChristendom。
ForthecaseofJulia，seethecontemporaryletterprintedbyJanitschek，GesellschaftderRenaissanceinItalien，p。120，note167；alsoInfessura，DiariumRom。Urbis，inMuratori，tom。iii，pt。2，col。1192，1193，andelsewhere；alsoSymonds，RenaissanceinItaly：AgeofDespots，p。22。ForthecaseatStade，seepressdispatchfromBerlininnewspapersofJune24，25，1895。
ThecopyofEmanuelAcostaIhavemainlyusedisthatintheRoyalLibraryatMunich，DeJaponicusrebusepistolarumlibriiii，itemrecogniti；etinLatinumexHispanicosermoneconversi，Dilingae，MDLXXI。IhavesinceobtainedandusedtheworknowinthelibraryofCornellUniversity，beingthelettersandcommentarypublishedbyEmanuelAcostaandattachedtoMaffei’sbookontheHistoryoftheIndies，publishedatAntwerpin1685。
ForthefirstbeginningsofmiracleswroughtbyXavier，asgiveninthelettersofthemissionaries，seethatofAlmeida，lib。ii，p。183。Ofothercollections，orselectionsfromcollections，ofletterswhichfailtogiveanyindicationofmiracleswroughtbyXavierduringhislife，seeWytflietandMagin，HistoireUniverselledesIndesOccidentalesetOrientales，etdelaConversiondesIndiens，Douay，1611。ThoughseverallettersofXavierandhisfellow-missionariesaregiven，datedattheveryperiodofhisallegedmiracles，notatraceofmiraclesappearsinthese。AlsoEpistolaeJaponicaedemultoruminvariisInsulisGentiliumadChristifidemConversione，Lovanii，1570。TheseletterswerewrittenbyXavierandhiscompanionsfromtheEastIndiesandJapan，andcovertheyearsfrom1549to1564。ThoughthesereferfrequentlytoXavier，thereisnomentionofamiraclewroughtbyhiminanyofthemwrittenduringhislifetime。
For，shortlyafterXavier’sheroicandbeautifuldeathin1552，storiesofmiracleswroughtbyhimbegantoappear。Atfirsttheywerefewandfeeble；andtwoyearslaterMelchiorNunez，ProvincialoftheJesuitsinthePortuguesedominions，withallthemeansathiscommand，andacorrespondenceextendingthroughoutEasternAsia，hadbeenabletohearofbutthree。
Thesewereentirelyfromhearsay。First，JohnDeyrosaidheknewthatXavierhadthegiftofprophecy；but，unfortunately，XavierhimselfhadreprimandedandcastoffDeyroforuntruthfulnessandcheatery。Secondly，itwasreportedvaguelythatatCapeComorinmanypersonsaffirmedthatXavierhadraisedamanfromthedead。
Thirdly，FatherPablodeSantaFehadheardthatinJapanXavierhadrestoredsighttoablindman。Thisseemsafeeblebeginning，butlittlebylittlethestoriesgrew，andin1555DeQuadros，ProvincialoftheJesuitsinEthiopia，hadheardofninemiracles，andassertedthatXavierhadhealedthesickandcastoutdevils。Thenextyear，beingfouryearsafterXavier’sdeath，KingJohnIIIofPortugal，averydevoutman，directedhisviceroyBarretotodrawupandtransmittohimanauthenticaccountofXavier’smiracles，urginghimespeciallytodothework“withzealandspeedily。”Wecanwellimaginewhattreasuresofgraceanobsequiousviceroy，onlytooanxioustopleaseadevoutking，couldbringtogetherbymeansofthehearsayofignorant，compliantnativesthroughallthelittletownsofPortugueseIndia。
Butthelettersofthemissionarieswhohadbeenco-workersorimmediatesuccessorsofXavierinhisEasternfieldwerestillsilentasregardsanymiraclesbyhim，andtheyremainedsilentfornearlytenyears。InthecollectionofletterspublishedbyEmanuelAcostaandothersnohintatanymiraclesbyhimisgiven，untilatlast，in1562，fullytenyearsafterXavier’sdeath，thefirstfaintbeginningsoftheselegendsappearinthem。
AtthattimetheJesuitAlmeida，writingatgreatlengthtothebrethren，statedthathehadfoundapiouswomanwhobelievedthatabookleftbehindbyXavierhadhealedsickfolkwhenitwaslaiduponthem，andthathehadmetanoldmanwhopreservedawhipleftbythesaintwhich，whenproperlyappliedtothesick，hadbeenfoundgoodbothfortheirbodiesandtheirsouls。
Fromtheseandothersmallbeginningsgrew，alwaysluxuriantandsometimesbeautiful，thevastmassoflegendswhichweshallseehereafter。
ThisgrowthwasaffectionatelygarneredbythemorezealousandlesscriticalbrethreninEuropeuntilithadbecomeenormous；
butitappearstohavebeenthoughtoflittlevaluebythosebestabletojudge。
Forwhen，in1562，JuliusGabrielEugubinusdeliveredasolemnorationontheconditionandgloryoftheChurch，beforethepapallegatesandotherfathersassembledattheCouncilofTrent，whilehealludedtoamultitudeofthingsshowingtheDivinefavour，therewasnottheremotestallusiontothevastmultitudeofmiracleswhich，accordingtothelegends，hadbeensoprofuselylavishedonthefaithfulduringmanyyears，andwhich，iftheyhadactuallyoccurred，formedanargumentofprodigiousvalueinbehalfofthespecialclaimsoftheChurch。
ThesamecompleteabsenceofknowledgeofanysuchfavoursvouchsafedtotheChurch，oratleastofanybeliefinthem，appearsinthatgreatCouncilofTrentamongthefathersthemselves。Certainlythere，ifanywhere，onemightontheRomantheoryexpectDivineilluminationinamatterofthiskind。ThepresenceoftheHolySpiritinthemidstofitwasespeciallyclaimed，andyetitsmembers，withalltheirspiritualaswellasmaterialadvantagesforknowingwhathadbeengoingonintheChurchduringthepreviousthirtyyears，andwithXavier’sownfriendandcolleague，Laynez，presenttoinformthem，shownottheslightestsignofanysuspicionofXavier’smiracles。WehavethelettersofJuliusGabrieltotheforemostofthesefathersassembledatTrent，from1557onwardforaconsiderabletime，andwehavealsoamultitudeofletterswrittenfromtheCouncilbybishops，cardinals，andevenbythePopehimself，discussingallsortsofChurchaffairs，andinnotoneoftheseisthereevidenceoftheremotestsuspicionthatanyofthesereports，whichtheymusthaveheard，regardingXavier’smiracles，wereworthyofmention。
Here，too，comesadditionalsupplementarytestimonyofmuchsignificance。Withtheseorationsandletters，EugubinusgivesaLatintranslationofaletter，“onreligiousaffairsintheIndies。”writtenbyaJesuitfathertwentyyearsafterXavier’sdeath。ThoughthelettercamefromafieldverydistantfromthatinwhichXavierlaboured，itwassure，amongthegeneraltokensofDivinefavourtotheChurchandtotheorder，onwhichitdwelt，tohavealludedtomiracleswroughtbyXavierhadtherebeentheslightestgroundforbelievinginthem；butnosuchallusionappears。[292]
[292]Fortheworkreferredto，seeJuliiGabrieliiEugubiniorationumetepistolarum，etc。，libriduo[et]EpitoladerebusIndicisaquodamSocietatisJesupresbytero，etc。，Venetiis，1569。TheEpistolabeginsatfol。44。
So，too，whenin1588，thirty-sixyearsafterXavier’sdeath，theJesuitfatherMaffei，whohadbeenespeciallyconversantwithXavier’scareerintheEast，publishedhisHistoryofIndia，thoughhegaveabiographyofXavierwhichshowsferventadmirationforhissubject，hedweltverylightlyontheallegedmiracles。Buttheevolutionofmiraculouslegendsstillwenton。
Sixyearslater，in1594，FatherTursellinuspublishedhisLifeofXavier，andinthisappearstohavemadethefirstlargeuseoftheinformationcollectedbythePortugueseviceroyandthemorezealousbrethren。Thisworkshowsavastincreaseinthenumberofmiraclesoverthosegivenbyallsourcestogetheruptothattime。Xavierisrepresentedasnotonlycuringthesick，butcastingoutdevils，stillingthetempest，raisingthedead，andperformingmiraclesofeverysort。
In1622camethecanonizationproceedingsatRome。AmongthespeechesmadeinthepresenceofPopeGregoryXV，supportingtheclaimsofXaviertosaintship，themostimportantwasbyCardinalMonte。InthistheoratorselectsouttengreatmiraclesfromthoseperformedbyXavierduringhislifetimeanddescribesthemminutely。HeinsiststhatonacertainoccasionXavier，bythesignofthecross，madesea-waterfresh，sothathisfellow-passengersandthecrewcoulddrinkit；thathehealedthesickandraisedthedeadinvariousplaces；broughtbackalostboattohisship；wasononeoccasionliftedfromtheearthbodilyandtransfiguredbeforethebystanders；andthat，topunishablasphemingtown，hecausedanearthquakeandburiedtheoffendersincindersfromavolcano：thiswasafterwardstillmorehighlydeveloped，andthesaintwasrepresentedinengravingsascallingdownfirefromheavenandthusdestroyingthetown。
Themostcuriousmiracleofallistheeighthonthecardinal’slist。Regardingthishestatesthat，Xavierhavingduringoneofhisvoyageslostoverboardacrucifix，itwasrestoredtohimafterhehadreachedtheshorebyacrab。
ThecardinalalsodweltonmiraclesperformedbyXavier’srelicsafterhisdeath，themostoriginalbeingthatsundrylampsplacedbeforetheimageofthesaintandfilledwithholywaterburnedasiffilledwithoil。
ThislatteraccountappearstohavedeeplyimpressedthePope，forintheBullofCanonizationissuedbyvirtueofhispowerofteachingtheuniversalChurchinfalliblyinallmatterspertainingtofaithandmorals，HisHolinessdwellsespeciallyuponthemiracleofthelampfilledwithholywaterandburningbeforeXavier’simage。
Xavierhavingbeenmadeasaint，manyotherLivesofhimappeared，and，asarule，eachsurpasseditspredecessorinthemultitudeofmiracles。In1622appearedthatcompiledandpublishedunderthesanctionofFatherVitelleschi，andinitnotonlyarenewmiraclesincreased，butsomeoldonesaregreatlyimproved。Oneexamplewillsufficetoshowtheprocess。Inhiseditionof1596，Tursellinushadtoldhow，Xavieronedayneedingmoney，andhavingaskedVellio，oneofhisfriends，tolethimhavesome，Velliogavehimthekeyofasafecontainingthirtythousandgoldpieces。XaviertookthreehundredandreturnedthekeytoVellio；whereuponVellio，findingonlythreehundredpiecesgone，reproachedXavierfornottakingmore，sayingthathehadexpectedtogivehimhalfofallthatthestrongboxcontained。Xavier，touchedbythisgenerosity，toldVelliothatthetimeofhisdeathshouldbemadeknowntohim，thathemighthaveopportunitytorepentofhissinsandprepareforeternity。
Buttwenty-sixyearslatertheLifeofXavierpublishedunderthesanctionofVitelleschi，givingthestory，saysthatVellioonopeningthesafefoundthatALLHISMONEYremainedashehadleftit，andthatNONEATALLhaddisappeared；infact，thattherehadbeenamiraculousrestitution。OnhisblamingXavierfornottakingthemoney，XavierdeclarestoVelliothatnotonlyshallhebeapprisedofthemomentofhisdeath，butthattheboxshallalwaysbefullofmoney。Stilllaterbiographersimprovedtheaccountfurther，declaringthatXavierpromisedVelliothatthestrongboxshouldalwayscontainmoneysufficientforallhisneeds。Inthatwarmanduncriticalatmospherethisandotherlegendsgrewrapidly，obedienttomuchthesamelawswhichgoverntheevolutionoffairytales。[293]