78 K. D. Maclagan — Jesuit Missions to the Emperor Akbar. [No. 1, 
Father Jerome goes on to mention the case of an Armenian Chris- 
tian who wished to marry his deceased wife’s sister.! The Father had 
refused to sanction the marriage, and the Armenian, having embraced 
the Emperor’s new religion, enlisted the Emperor’s sympathy so far 
as to induce him to call for the Fathers and expostulate with them. 
They held stoutly to their refusal and ultimately the case was referred 
to Prince Salim, who expressed his indignation at the Armenian’s 
desertion of his original faith. The incident was looked on by the Fathers 
as one of great importance, bringing them as it did into opposition to 
the ‘ secta pestilens et perniciosa nove a lege instituta.’ 
The letter proceeds to record an occasion on which the Prince 
asked if he could ‘see St. James, and the Father went so far as to say : 
“Yes; if Your Highness will become a Christian and be baptized.’ 
On another occasion the Father was asked why more persons were 
possessed by devils in Christendom than among Muhammadans, he did 
not deny the fact, but explained it—to the amusement of his hearers— 
by replying that the devil having the Muhammadans already in his 
power could afford to neglect them! The Father adds in his letter 
that a‘ young son® of the King of Badakhshan, who was eighteen years 
of age and was to marry the Prince’s daughter, had informed him that 
if the Prince embraced Christianity he would do the same.’ 
Xavier then goes on to describe the usages of the heathen. He 
first describes the idol at Kangra (Nazar Coto)* and gives the story 
that men who cut off their tongues and present them to the idol receive 
them back whole. He then mentions certain metaphysical and cos- 
mograplical theories of the Hindus and details at some length the 
avatars of Vishnu. As regards the tenth avatar, he writes, some said 
it was Akbar himself. 
Then follow some narrations of persons baptized at the point of 
death, and of others cured by receiving baptism or by having the 
Gospel read to them, and the letter concludes with the account of the 
opening for mission work in Cathay, which has already been published 
in Sir Henry Yule’s ‘ Cathay and the way Thither,’ Vol II. p. 532. 
So far Jerome Xavier. When Akbar left Lahore for Agra, which 
he appears to have done towards the end of 1598,* he was accompanied 
by Xavier and by Benedict de Goes, Pinheiro being left again in charge 
1 So the Maintz version, which the context shows to be correct. Oranus hag 
“neptem.’ 
2 Mirza Sultan. See Blochm., Aim 1.313. cf pp. 70 and 80 of this paper. 
8 cf Jarrett, Ain II. 312. Purchas II. 1480. 
4 Hlphinst., Hist. Ind. (ed. 1857) p. 457. 
