Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 626

1841.

Life of Father G. Magaillans.

609

veral persons. They continued seven years at court, before they were known to the king. But then the prince, understanding who they were, was extremely joyful at their preservation, and gave them a house, a church, revenues, and money to buy them vestments. Thereupon father Magaillans, in testimony of his gratitude to the king for so many favors, employed himself day and night in making several curious and ingenious pieces of art to please him; yet not so, but that he was no less diligent in the conversion of souls, as well by preaching as by writing. He also wrote several relations, and tran- slated the book of Thomas Aquinas concerning the resurrection of the body, which was received with great applause.

After a reign of eight years the king died; and because his son, who is the present emperor, was very young, he appointed four pro tectors to govern the empire during his son's minority. Now at the beginning of their regency, some footmen belonging to a Christian mandarin, to revenge themselves upon their master, against whom they were highly incensed, falsely accused father Magaillans of having given presents in favor of that mandarin, who was put out of his em- ployment; which is a great crime in China. Thereupon the father was carried before the Board of Punishments where he was put tó the rack twice, by the squeezing of both his feet in a press, which though it were a hideous pain, yet the father endured it with a con- stant resolution, nor would be brought to confess a thing of which he was not guilty. Nevertheless the judges, contrary to all justice, con- demned him to be strangled, and sent their sentence, according to custom, to the four regents. But they, as well for that he was a stranger, as because they were satisfied of his innocency, acquitted him, and restored him to his liberty.

Three years after, in the persecution which all the fathers suffered for religion, he was apprehended with others, and loaded for four whole months together with nine chains, three about his neck, three about his arms, and three about his legs; he was also condemned to have forty lashes, and to be banished out of Tartary as long as he lived. But a great earthquake that happened at that time at Peking, delivered both him and the rest of his companions. Afterwards for several years together, he made it his business as well to perform the actual functions of the mission, as to please the reigning prince, who had taken possession of the government, with his ingenious in- ventions; laboring like an ordinary mechanic, to the end that the favor of the prince might be a means to maintain and augnient the faith, which was the father's only aim.

VOL. X. NO. XI.

77.