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Life of Father G. Magaillans.
Nov.
don. Thereupon the tyrant sent away with all speed to have them brought back again into his presence, where, after he had loaded them with ill language and reproaches, he committed them to the custody of certain soldiers, with orders to guard them day and night. In this condition they remained for a whole month, at the end of which he sent for them one inorning into his presence. They found him then very bloodily employed in giving orders for the putting to death a great number of persons, aud verily believed that their last hour had been at hand. But at the same time it was the will of God, that the scouts came in one after another, bringing intelligence that some of the avant couriers of the Tartars' vanguard were at hand. But the tyrant, not giving credit to their intelligence, would needs mount without his arms, and attended only by some of his most faith- ful friends, rode forth to make a farther discovery of the enemy him- self, at which time, being forced to a skirmish, he was at the begin- ning of the fight, shot through the heart with an arrow. Thus the fa- thers, finding themselves at liberty by the death of the tyrant, resolved to retire to their house. But by the way they met a troop of Tartars that shot several arrows at them, insomuch that father Magaillans was shot quite through the arm, and father Buglio into the thigh, where the head of the arrow struck very deep in the flesh: so that although father Magaillans made use of his teeth to pull it out he could not. Till looking about him in that extremity, he spyed at last a pair of pincers lying in a blind place to which they had retired for shelter, by the help of which he drew the arrow out of the wound, not without great loss of blood.
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The same evening they were presented to the prince who com- manded the army, who being informed what they were, entertained them with an extraordinary civility, and ordered two lords to take care to furnish them with all things necessary. However, the fathers underwent great hardships, for above a year together that they follow- ed the army, till they came to Peking, more especially for want of victuals, of which there was great scarcity in the army for some time: so that father Magaillans was constrained for three months to live upon a small quantity of rice only boiled in fair water. But upon their arrival at court, the Tribunal of Ceremonies, which takes care of all strangers, caused them to be lodged in the royal hostery, with a large allowance of provisions for their entertainment. There they resided two years, which being expired, a person of quality was com manded to take care of their entertainment. During all which time they employed themselves in preaching the gospel, and baptized se-