Selected quad for the lemma: blood_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
blood_n	day_n	eat_v	flesh_n	7,778	5	7.8149	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19758	The historie, life, and miracle, extasies and revelations of the blessed virgin, sister Ioane, of the crosse, of the third order of our holy Father S. Francis. Composed by the Reuerend Father, brother Anthonie of Aca, diffinitor of the prouince of the conception, and chroinckler [sic] of the Order aforesaid. And translated out of Spanish into English, by a father of the same order	Daza, Antonio.; Bell, James, d. 1643.	1625 (1625)	STC 6185; ESTC S115421	144,091	328

only in yeares 3. When shee was four yeares old it happened that her mother sending her to the yard where the corne was dressed to play because it was summer time as she passed by a street shee remembred howe a little before they had carried that way the most holie Sacrament to a sick person and in such manner was she rapt with this consideration that she fell from the asse on which she sate The Curate of the towne sawe her and taking her vp from the ground found her without any kind of sense and carried her in his armes to her fathers howse where she was a great while without comming to her self and as shee recounted when after shee came to her senses shee was carried in spirite to a most faire place where shee sawe many Ladies maruailously composed among them one who to her seeming was the Queene of them all according to her beautie and splendor shee sawe also many children of great beauty which said to her what dost thow heer come with vs and adore that Ladie which is the mother of almightie God the blessed child answered I do not know what I must doe but I will say the Aue Maria and kneeling on her knees she presently rehearced it Hauing saluted the Queene of heauen with that Angelicall Salutation she sawe at her side her good angell which taught her many things and at the end of a large conference which shee had with him she prayed him that he wold carrie her to her fathers howse and when she returned from that rapt she recounted in order all the things which she had seene vntill her Father bad her hold her peace and so shee did 4. This same yeare the blessed child standing at the doore of her fathers howse the most holie Sacrament passing that way which was carried to a sick body she adored it and sawe ouer the chalice our Sauiour Iesus Christ in forme of a child very faire and bright Another time vpō the day of the purification of our B. Ladie hearing masse at the time that the priest made an end of consecrating the hoste she sawe it most cleer and bright and within it our Lord Iesus Christ and round aboue him many Angells of the which the innocent creature made no great account at that time thincking that all had seene those soueraigne meruails and that they were common to all as wel as to her for being her self so humble so innocent and sincere she neuer thought that such things were wrought in fauour of her vntill our Lord declared it to her in manner following THE III. CHAPTER Of the penances which the seruant of God did being a child and of the feruent desires thee had to bee religious 1 AT this time the blessed child being but seauen yeares ould it fell out that her mother died who seing the end of her dayes to approch and not hauing accomplished the promise she had made to bring her daughter with her waight in wax to the conuent of S. Maries of the Crosse besought her husband that he wold accomplish it for her and bidding her daughter farwell giuing her her benediction she yelded vp her soule to her Creator in the yeare of ou● Lord 1488. But the blessed childe considering these things said with in herself It shal be better that I go my self to fulfill the promise of my mother to the house of our B. Ladie S. Marie of the Crosse and that I remaine religious there She communicated her desires with an aunt she had which at the same time tooke the habit of S. Dominicke in the cōuent of Toledo and wold haue beene a nunne with her and asked it of her Father and kinsfolke who hindred her putting her in mind of her tender yeares the austeritie of religion Her aunt was profest and encreased so much in sanctitie and virtue that she had many reuelations from almightie God 2. Being one time in prayer it was reuealed vnto her that her neece was to be a great saint that shee was endued with great graces of God For the which her aunt desiring to haue her a nunne in that howse treated therof with the prioresse and the nunnes of the cōuent who desired it so earnestly that they offered to receiue her without dowrie but the Father and kinred of the childe yealded not then vnto it because they loued her very much And being this took no effect nor other diligences which on the behalf of the conuent were made the aunt took● order with her owne mother which was the grandmother of the child in whose house shee was brought vp to steale her away and to bring her to that monasterie But God hauing designed her for that of S. Marie of the Crosse altered all those purposes in his seruant which shee had before to be religious with her aunt It seeming to her that to be with her were a point of little perfection and carried with it somthing of flesh and bloud purposed firmly not to take the habitt in that monasterie but in an other without respect of parents kinred or any other thing of the world so much enamored was her soule of God and so desirous to serue him and to please him 3. In the same towne of Hazanna the blessed child had some principall vncles and very rich who desired to haue her in their howse it seeming to them that she would be better kept and more secure then in the howse of her grandmother with much entreatie they obteined it of her Father most contented with the iewell they carried her to their howse and committed to her the gouernment of all the familie for although she were yong yet was she most prudent and obedient to all Heer beganne our Lord to bring to light her virtues and wonderfull penances to be admired in men of great strength how much more in so dedicate a child as shee was All the dayes of obligation she fasted in bread and water and sometimes shee was two or three dayes without eating and like another Cecilie shee ware a haire cloth next vnto her flesh she whipped herself with chaines of iron vntill she drew bloud and there was neuer heard from her a vaine or idle word When she went about the howse or did any labour shee pinched her armes and if shee were at the ouen or in other place where shee was not seene shee vnstripped them and vndressed her head to scorche herself with the flames of the ouen and to suffer paine for the loue of God and with this shee was so hūble that shee held her self for vnworthie of the bread that shee eat and of the earth she troad vpon 4. Besides the hairie and pricking shirt that wounded her body in a thowsand places shee ware chaynes next vnto her flesh and although it were in winter time when the nights are cold and long yet after the seruants were gone to bed shee rose vp and all naked she remained only with the at shirt of

knew of her absence seeking her in many places and with licence of her Father and kinsfolke he offered to carrie her to Illescas and keepe her with his mother daintilie and well attended on vntill such time as all things shold be well composed The seruant of our Lord with great humilitie and integritie satisfied these speaches obteined of her kinsfolk that they shold leaue her in that monasterie of our B. Ladie whither interiorly the holy spirite had called her The religious seeing these thinges and the great deuotion and perseuerance of the most humble and deuout Damsell had compassion of her in such sorte as althoug they were very poore they said they wold haue no more riches then to haue such a pledge from heauen in their house and that they wold receiue her ether with little or without any dowrie at all as her Father was best able who something appeased and touched with the powerfull hand of God said God forbid my daughter that we shold goe against the will of him from whom I knowe very well thy determinations doe proceed as the great perseuerance and patience which thou hast had well declareth and this newe deed doth now confirme I giue thee my benediction giue many thancks to God and he guide thee for I am resolued to conforme my self to his holy will THE V. CHAPTER How the seruant of God receiued the h●bitt And of some things which hapned to her being a nouice 1 IN the estate which we haue spoken stood the affaires of the blessed Damsell shee with the nunnes and with her Father treating of her reception at the same time the prouinciall came to the monasterie which doutles was the prouidence of God for but eight dayes before he departed thence with intent not to returne for many moneths and without his licence they could not receiue her The Abbesse asked his licence recounting to him what had passed gaue many thancks to God for hauing brought to her con●ent a person of such spirite The prouincial sawe her and satisfied with her deuotion and the teares where with shee demanded the habit comanded it shold be giuen her and went his way And so shee was admitted into the conuent and receiued the habit on the third of May the day of the inuention of the holy Crosse when she had accomplished 15. yeares the yeare of our Lord 1496. her Father and kinsfolk being present 2. As soone as the holy virgin sawe herself religious considering the obligation of the newe estate she had chosen she beganne from that time presently to shine amongst all the other religious as the sunne among the starres The mistresse of the nouices commanded her by and by that in all the yeare of her nouitiate she should not speake but with her or the Abbesse or Vicaresse or with her Confessor of which the nouice was very glad for naturally shee was inclined to speake little and so she kept it so punctually all the yeare of her nouice ship and all the things which shee was taught with such exactnes that she wold sooner yeld to be killed then to breake only one howe little soeuer the same were And so much she desired to please God that not only shee obserued all things which they taught her but whatsoeuer virtue shee heard of an other body she procured to imitat● it Concerning which there hapned to her some cases of great edification supposing her sinceritie which are not related because they are not so imitable 3. The first time that the blessed nouice communicated with the other nunnes a thing happened to her of great noueltie and discomfort for our Lord so permitting it shee did not then see in the consecrated hoste that which alwayes shee was wont to see which was Christ our Sauiour as hath beene sayde Wherat she remained so afflicted and disconforted that her eyes casting forth fountaines of teares she went to giue account to the confessor of her new discōfort so extreme as it draue her into great straites and no little care of seeking reasons therof to comfort herselfe with all What Father quoth she Doth not this deserue hell Is it not enough said this innocent soule to condemne me this offence of God must needs be great why it is denied me for my sinnes what is graunted to all Christians The prudent cōfessor comforted her saying that although shee had not seene Christ our Lord in the consecrated hoste she shold not thinck that she had cōmunicated in mortall sinne nor that the fauours which God had done her at other times were cōmunicated to all for although the change of the bread into the flesh of Christ is reall and true yet it is not alwayes seene with corporall eyes but with those of the soule wherby the faith is very meritorious of those who come to this most holy Sacramēt beleeuing truly that Christ our redeemer whom they see not is vnder those accidents With these and other reasons which he spake vnto her the sincere nouice remained much comforted and gaue great thancks to God for so singular fauours as he had done her vntil then with the presence of her most sweet redeemer whom so often she had seene in the Sacrament of the Altar and for that which then he did vnto her in exercizing of her faith 4. The blessed Nouice accomplished the yeare of her probation and with the voices of all the conuent she was admitted to be professed which she made with much seruour and teares on the day of the holy Crosse the third of May for the which and for hauing taken the habitt on the same day shee tooke her surname of the Crosse so truly to follow Christ crucified as her life from that time forward was a Crosse so terrible to the diuell that not being able to endure it he who with hellishe furie threwe downe the first man from the height in which God had created him that a woman yong weak should now ouercome him escape free out of his hāds God permitting it to exercise his seruant as another Iob or S. Antonie in patience he persecuted her visiblie and inuisible and the diuell tempted her in a thousand manners many times whipping her so rigorously and so cruelly that the stripes and markes of the strokes and blowes which he gaue her dured on her for many dayes and newe woundes added before the old were wholly healed 5. One time it chanced to her that asking humbly of God for a soule the diuells whipped her so cruelly and shed so much bloud forth of her body that they left her for dead At that time came her Angell keeper and cheering herselfe with his presence shee saide vnto him with great loue O blessed Angell what haue you done how haue you left me in so great necessitie and wearinesse looke how the ministers of the diuine iustice haue handled me To which the Angell answeared very ioyfull nether haue I left thee nor doth my Lord Iesus Christ leaue thee

the diuine maiestie answeared him that it was cōuenient to leade me by that way and to see what courage I had in me Then he againe beseeched him that for his clemencie he wold doe me that grace to relieue me and that I might not endure that paine which then I had and the most powerfull Lord did grant it him And so from that day all her rapts were very sweet being so great so long that the most of the day and of the night shee was so eleuated that she could not now doe any office nor follow the burden of the communitie as shee was wont wherfore they gaue her a cell aparte and one of the Religious that shold take care of her whereof she was very glad hauing better commoditie for the secret penances which she performed of the which some were knowen 9. Oftentimes it happened vnto her that desiring to please her beloued espouse and remembring with how great crueltie he was whippt at a pillar desiring to imitate him in that point asking first leaue for it of his diuine maiestie she shut her selfe vp in a chamber very close and secret where shee was wont to do her mortifications and penances and naked she tyed her selfe to a pillar which she had there for these mortifications then fastning herself with cordes first her feet and after her body leauing her armes free shee whipped her selfe all ouer with a chayne of iron and that the chayne might the better discharge its office she hūg at the end of it a ball of iron round and massiue and taking it in her hand she strook her selfe with the ends of the chayne ouer all the body vntill she shed bloud Being in this holy exercise contemplating the stripes of our Sauiour and brusing her flesh with those she gaue her selfe her good Angell appeared to her and commanded her to cease saying enough for hitherto extendeth the will of my Lord Iesus Christ and the same Angell vntied her sometimes from the pillar at which shee stood 10. Other times with the desire she had to please God kneeling on her knees in that little chamber she tooke a flint which weighed seauē pounds and with so great feruour shee strooke her selfe vpon the breast there with that at the very first blowe the bloud sprang out so far that it spotted the walles Shee cōtinued in this holy exercise as long as she was wont to bee in going on her knees fifteen times about the chamber in memorie of the fifteen principall woundes of our Lord Iesus Christ 11. One night the saint finding her selfe much afflicted and euilly treated of the diuells which with filthie and vnseemly figures pretended to induce her to sensuall desires shee went out into the garden and gathering together many bushes in imitation of our holy Father saint Francis stripping herselfe naked she layd herself downe vpon that thornie bed and leauing it all bespotted with her bloud she entred into a lake saying That thou mayest knowe that thou art clay in this mudd thou shalt wash thy selfe and yet thou doest not deserue this There shee stood a great while and before shee put on her cloathes againe shee whipped herselfe with a chayne which she had made to this effect after which time she remained so fauored of almightie God that neuer after did the enemie set vpon her with such like temptations 12. With the great spirite and deuotion which this blessed one had she made a thousand inuentions for mortification and penance sometimes she girded her armes and her body with ropes of brissels and of hard rushes in memorie of the ropes wher with our Sauiour was fastned to the pillar Other times she girded herselfe with the chaynes with which before she had whipped herself And for the most parte she went alwayes vested with iron as the hard shirtes do well proue which shee vsed during her whole life as of brissels of cardes of iron one of maile with half sleeues made in manner of a iacket so long that it reached to her knees another of plates of iron in forme of a hart which girded her body on euery side and for her more deuotion shee carried it set with crosses the instruments of the passion made of very sharp nayles although she vsed this shirt very seldom because without great difficultie shee could not stoope and so it happened vnto her on a time that bowing herself with it the pointes of the nailes entred into her body she offering all to our Sauiour in memorie of his sacred passion And for her greater mortification she was wont to drawe herself along vpon the ground holding by a rope which she put about her neck and whipping herself with a chayne shee said who so doeth so let him pay wherof doest thou complayne noughtie miserable body when thou hast so much offended thy God 13. Othertimes set in forme of a Crosse shee walked with her bare knees vpon the earth vntill the bloud burst forth of them Other times for more grief shee tyed vpon her knees little stones or tile shardes which did greatly wound her Other times shee set herself crosse-wise against a wall where she had driuen some nayles and thrust her handes so fast vpon them as shee hung there in Crosse wise an houre together without her feet touching the ground 14. On a certaine occasion making an end of taking a great discipline vpon ●he woundes which shee had made with the chaynes shee put on that shirt of maile which was the more ordinarie and scarcely had shee put on her habitt when shee remayned eleuated for six houres vntill the nonnes coming vnto her found her in that māner to whom shee recounted meruailous things concerning the manner which they were to take to serue and please our Lord who thervpon became so full of deuotion as they enkindled and enflamed all that euer heard them in the loue of God THE VII CHAPTER How the child Iesus espoused himself with the blessed Ioane of the Crosse and of the deuotion she had to the most holy Sacrament 1 THis chapter requireth singular attention and therfore I doe humblie aske of God his grace to asist me to write for his honor and glory two most singular fauoures and very royall benefits which with great shewe of loue he granted to this most tender virgin For when our Lord wold giue more rich pledges of his loue towards her his diuine maiestie determined to visite her not by the ministerie of Angells as at other times but in his owne person and to wedd himselfe vnto her his most holy mother assisting at this spirituall wedding with many Angells and virgins which came accompanying their King and Lord on whom the blessed Ioane set her eyes and calling to minde the promise which he had giuen her to espouse him selfe vnto her with much humilitie and loue she demanded of the Queene of heauen shee wold obtaine of her Sonne that he wold fulfill what he had promised and with much faith

of the spirit of our Lord in all the reuelatiōs which he communicated to this virgin as although her life be so full of them as it might be called a continual reuelation yet would I write this chapter of reuelations in regard that God communicating them did it for the profit of many as the Angell tould commanding her to write them And this was the end that the extaticall virgin had in manifesting them and the end which now we haue in bringing them to light that the sinner reading them may be cōforted considering the mercies of God which do so much shine in them as shall be seene in one which shee related to her religious in these wordes following 2. My holy Angell carrying me on Saint Marie Magdalens day to visite the Church wher her holy body is for to gaine the pardōs which there are granted and passing by a certain citty of Castile I sawe in a field many people round about a bonfire from the which betweene the flames and the smoake went out a soule more bright then the sunne with two Angells which carried it in the middest of them and another which went before with a Crosse in his hand all going a great pace towardes heauen and my holy Angell saide to me That thou maiest see what the mercy of God can doe and how great the force is of true cōtrition This example is more for to trust in the mercy of God then for to imitate by reason of the danger which penance differred to the hower of death bringeth with it De hoc videatur D. August lib. de vera fals● poenitentia S. Greg. cap. 27. in Iob S. Ambros. lib. de poenitentia S. Hierom. tom 4. in epist. Eusebij ad Damasum Episcopum That soule which thou hast seene goe from the flames vp to heauen accompanied with the Angells is of an old man a most grieuous sinner who dwelt in mortall sinne all his life and that so abominable and so filthie as not only he merited the flames of that temporall fire but to be burned in hell The iustice apprehended him and he confessed plainely his sinne demanding of God mercye for it protesting that he willingly desired to suffer for his fault in this life the most cruell death that could be deuised and although he might haue saued his life if he would yet he chose to dye and to suffer that paine in satisfactiō of his fault and so after they had strangled him they burned him in that fire out of which and o● the body in this instāt the soule departeth goe●h streight to heauen accompanied with th●se Angells as thou seest Which I am glad that thou h●st seene that thou maiest know that whilest the soule is in the body place is to be found for the mercy of God euen betwene the rope and the neck 3. Being one day in prayer our Lord shewed her how to an Eremite of holy life who did penāce liuing solitarie in the desert the diuell appeared in figure of Christ crucified saide vnto him Adore me for I am thy God who for thy sake suffered my selfe to be nailed on this Crosse and am here come to assure thee that thy prayer and penance much pleaseth me The Heremite did so and being in adoration on his knees at the foot of that false crucifix many other diuells came saying Prince of darcknesse returne to thyne infernall kingdome for the Angells destroy vs the Angells of him that was crucified what will this profit vs sith thou knowest that their God doth hould him selfe well appayed with the good will and that he accepteth that of this Hermite as if he trulie adored the God of heauen leaue therfore these vaine adorations which so little profit thee and returne by and by to thy miserable kingdome which much more importeth thee Our Lord would haue the Eremite to heare these things In such cases God accepteth the will for the worcke S. T. 1. p. q. 64. a. 2. ad 3. and 1. 2. q. 20. a. 4. and 5. and 3 p. q. 68. a. 2. ad 3. S. Bonau de prefect religiosor lib. 2. cap. 23. to enlighten him in this this way saide the seruant of God and that I should tell them to you that you may knowe the craftes of the enemie and may keep your selues from his deceptes which are greater then men thincke of 4. Another time it hapned that this seruant of God vpon the day of S. Lucie being eleuated in prayer and her spirit in that celestiall place where God was wont to put it shee sawe as another Prophet Esaias the Lord of Hoste seated in a throne of most great maiestie and glory compassed with infinite Angells and Saints who gaue rewards and commanded that that Feast should be made to the glorious Saint Lucie for hauing suffered on that day and shed her bloud for the honour of his name She confidering these things and how well God rewarded the laboures suffered for his loue our Lord himselfe seemed to say to her with so shrill and strong a voice as it were the noyse of a great water Wilt thou not my daughter haue as much as I nowe giue to this my seruant The humble and deuote virgin with great confidence and loue after she had adored him said I rendre immense thācks to thy maiestie for so soueraigne a fauour and I hope to receiue no lesse of thy most powerfull and liberall hād for these giftes Lord do not fill me nor do these Iewells and feastes satisfie me because the hunger of my soule can not be satisfied with lesse thē drinking of this fountaine of life and vntill I get and obtaine it I will not ceasse to make supplication to thy diuine maiestie for it 5. Another time being in a most profound rapte there came to visite her the glorious Saint Barbara to whom she was particularly deuoted and reasoning with her saide You well knowe Lady how much this your vnworthie seruant desireth to serue you Yea I know it well sister answered S. Barbara and I would also that you should knowe I loue you in our Lord and hold you for my singular and deuoted frend With this the B. virgines ended their talke which scarcely was ended when the soule of a childe which had newely expired did appeare vnto her praying her to speake to her mother to chastise her children for she should giue a strict account to God our Lord for their euill breeding and I giue his maiestie many thancks for hauing brought me to his holy kingdom in so tender age for if I had come to be great I had beene damned by the ill education of my mother Bid her looke to my brothers and chastize them before they be greater and come to be lost My mother is called such an one and liueth in such a place and is the wife of such an one With this the seruant of God sent to call her and recounted all that had passed with such assured signes

most of all others felt his death and sacred passion and in whom was most liuely the hope of the holy Resurrection S. Bonauent in medit vitae Christi cap. 87. S. Ambros lib. 3. de vir c. 6. S. Anion de Padua serm in die sancto Paschatis and S. Brigit lib. 6. of her reuelations These fauoures and many others did God to his seruant on the feastes of his most sacred mother but especially on that of the most pure conception because to this feast she was most deuote which she celebrated with particular ioy and deuotion and that her religious also might haue the same she made them on these dayes most deuout speaches 12. One day of the most pure Conception in the yeare 1509. being in prayer she was eleuated in a most profound rapte which endured her for some houres and so remayning for an houre together she neuer left speaking recounting worthie things and prayses of our B. Lady as calling her the most pure the rose among thornes she which only among the children of Adam was conceiued without originall sinne And explicated the Ghospell Beatus venter qui te portauit which is that that on that day the Church doth recite in the proper office and many other authorities of the sacred scripture and the Psalmes all vttered in prayse of the Queene of Angells These and many other things of much edification the blessed Abbesse vttered to her religious in the spirituall speaches she made them beside the sermons which being eleuated she preached vnto them which caused so great admiration in those that heard them wherof mention is made in the chapter following 13. There was brought to the seruant of God a sucking child very sicke that she mighe giue it her benediction and as soone as she sawe it our Lord reuealing to her that it was possessessed she saide to the religious with great affliction of her spirite Great is the height of the secretes of God when his diuine maiestie permitteth that the diuell hath power to torment this innocent childe which is but seauen moneths old I pray you sisters let vs commend it to God And making vpon it the signe of the Crosse it remained free from that euill spirite which did before so much torment it We may say of this childe that which Christ saide of the blind man that he was not blind for his owne sinnes nor for the sinnes of his Fathers but for the glory of God which in the healing of it was to be manifested It happened many times to this seruant of our Lord that being in prayer in her cell praying to God for such persons as were commended to her prayers she sawe them all and their necessities and trauaills and that so clearly and so distinctly as if she had had thē there present which recounting once to her Angell keeper he answered that God had shewed them vnto her to the end she should the more charitablie and the more feruently be mindfull of them in her prayer 14. The Angells visiting the B. Ioane vpon a certaine day they said vnto her that with so great affect of loue one might feele and deplore the passion of Christ Iesus our Lord that it might be so acceptable a sacrifice to his diuine maiestie as if he should haue shed his bloud should haue suffered great trauaills for his sake so much doth the memorie of his sacred passion please him These things many others quoth shee to her religious doth my holy Angell shewe vnto me by the will of God and both for myne profit and for yours I relate them to you and assure you that our Lord hath done me so much fauour and that he hath giuen me so much light and charitie in them that most certainly I knowe them to be his and for so true and certaine I hold them as I would sweare they are his if I were put vnto to it vpon my oath although because my soule had not so much charitie at the beginning I did not receiue so much comfort in the reuelations which our Lord did shewe me as now I doe For the which I miserable sinner giue infinite thancks to his diuine maiestie THE XV. CHAPTER How thorough diuine virtue the seruant of God spake for the space of thirteene yeares maruelous things being eleuated and of the gift of tongues which our Lord granted her 1 ONe of the greatest laboures which the B. Ioane had in this life was that many persons desiring to know the fauoures which God had done her and the secrets which in those extasies and raptes he reuealed to her begged it of her many times And wheras the B. virgin was so humble she tooke this in such manner as she affirmed that she had much rather relate her faultes then the mercies and fauoures which God had done her And if she told of some of those which are written in this historie it was for that God had so commanded her some times by himselfe other times by the Angell of her garde And wheras by this occasion she was much discomforted our Lord willing to deliuer her frō the tediousnesse and also to cōfort his seruāts who desired to know these things for whose good his maiestie had wrought many of them he vsed this meanes as to strike her dumbe and to make him selfe speake by the mouth of his espouse and so our Lord appearing to her and comforting her she remained speechles for some moneths and after againe appearing to her in another rapte touching her with his diuine hand she remained sound but in the time of her dumbenesse and for some yeares after the seruant of God being eleuated did preach vttering by the diuine virtue maruelous sentences explicating propheties and difficult places of sacred scripture to the great admiration of all those that heard her seing so manifestly the virtue of our Lord in his seruant This most singular grace lasted her thirteene yeares speaking some times euery eight dayes or fifteene dayes other times euery foure dayes other times euery third day other times one day after another and some dayes twice more or lesse as it pleased our Lord. 2. This great maruaill being diuulged through the kingdome much people came to see her although not all with equall intention for some had a very euill opinion of her but for greater confusion of these and of others incredulous being rapte she spake vnto them shewing that God reuealed her what they had in their hartes and reprehending them she saide who art thou who wilt limite the power of God hath not the now the same he had alwayes can he not infuse his grace into whō he please can he not make a vessell which may containe it To this purpose it fell out that a certaine inquisitor very zealous about things of faith not being able to suffer that it should bee saide that the holy Ghost did speake by the mouth of this B. woman came to heare her with intent to examine her wordes

his way toward the conuent of Oliua where talking with the Religious of that which had passed they noted one thing which before they had not considered and this it was The seruant of God desired much in her life time that her nonnes shold vowe encloasure take the veile and not hauing obtained the second in her life she obtained it of our Lord after her death in such sort as now all the religious hauing the blacke veile she alone had it white in her sepulture And because to veile the nonnes is to be the act of a Prelate and Superior by Apostolicall priuiledge God brought the most reuerēd Generall of all the order to the saide monasterie so vnthought of and by chance who without mor● a doe put the blacke veile vpon the bl●ssed deceassed it being the first time that he had come to the saide prouince after his election and before he had exercised the principall actes of his iurisdiction therein For then he went to celebrate the Prouinciall chapter God hauing deliuered him in Madrid from a perilous infirmitie And more the same day also succeeded a marueilous thing that Father Generall taking from the saide body the little toe of one foote it was apparent afterward that bloud had issued out of it as was seene by the cloathes which she had on although at that time it was not marked for that the saide Father Generall tooke the toe in secret pulling it off with his hand Since that time the chest hath beene opened diuers times the testimonies being cōtinued of the incorruptibilitie of the saide body which are kept in the saide monasterie and the last is of the tenor following 9. In the monasterie of our Blessed Lady S. Marie of the Crosse being of professed nonnes of the regular obseruance and third order of the Seraphicall Father S. Frācis neere to the towne of Cubas and within the bounds and iurisdiction therof on the fourth day of the moneth of Februarie in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and nine there being in the said conuent the most reuerend Fathers Brother Archangell of Missina Generall minister of all the said order and brother Peter Gonzales de Mendoza Commissarie generall of the same in the Cismontane familie hauing had notice that in the said conuent was the body of the blessed Ioane of the Crosse which had bene sometime nunne and Abbesse of the saide monasterie it being more then seauentie yeares since she died her body being kept in a chapell which is in the hollowe place of the wall of the chancell of the Church of the saide monasterie on the Ghospell side where alwaies it hath beene worshipped and esteemed as a holy Body and the saide most reuerend Father Generall hauing had notice that her life was miraculous and she alwaies holden and commonly reputed for a Saint and for such was alwaies reuerenced as well of the nonnes of the saide conuent as also of all persons that knowe her a great number of people comming together as well of the saide towne of Cubas as from other places asking and praying with great instāce that the arcke might be opened wherin the body of the saide Saint Ioane of the Crosse was and the most reuerend Father Generall hauing seene the instance and supplication of the saide concourse of people which came thither of the rest of the Fathers which were in the saide conuent the Abbesse and nonnes therof for the honour and glorie of our Lord commanded to open the saide chapell arck wherein the saide body was which being done the yron grate was taken away which was set in the saide chappell on the side of the conuent and the saide arcke taken out and carryed to the lowe quire of the said conuent where the most reuerend Fathers being present and much people so many that it caused a great press● in my presence Iohn Fernandez de Plaza scriuener of his Royall maiestie and Notarie of the holy office neighbour of the saide towne of Cubas the barres of yron of the saide arcke were vnnayled and the couer of it being taken away the saide body was found entire and with very good sauour And to the end that those which were present might see the same the saide most reuerend Fathers caused it sometimes to be lifted it vp on highe whence there was very great content receiued as well of the saide Fathers as of the Nunnes of the saide conuent giuing thancks to our Lord God and presenting their Rosaries to be touched at the saide holy Body by reason of the great deuotion and estimation all there about who reuerenced it had therof And the saide most reuerend Father Generall called me that I might see it and he lifted it vp and raised it from the saide chest and arcke wherein it was Moreouer he moued the armes and handes of it that I might giue testimonie therof and I sawe all the aboue saide At all which were present fr. Paule de Cheuarri secretarie of the said Father Generall and freer Didacus Barassa secretarie of the saide Father Generall freer Antonie Xaca fr. Peter de Castro his companions fr. Francis de Mora Guardian of Pinto fr. Luis de Miesses Guardian of Escalona fr. Didacus de Herrera Vicar of the saide conuent fr. Ba tholomew Lopez his companion fr. Peter de Chosas cōmissarie of Hierusalem fr. Peter de Royas fr. Iohn of Ricaro of the Prouince of Saint Ioseph fr. Francis Pascuall of the saide Prouince and the Licentiate Peter Gonzales● de Sepulueda Priest Cōmis●arie of the holy office neighbour of the saide towne of Cubas Blase Martinez Priest of the saide towne and fr. Blase Delgado of the order of Saint Dominicke fr. Marck Losano of the order of Carmelites Peter Tartallo and Iohn Martin Crespo orcinarie Alcaldes in the saide towne of Cubas Didacus Nauarre Francis Hernandes Regidores of the same Isidore Garcia scriuener of the saide towne and many other people And some of the saide persons subscribed it with their names all whom I knowe The Abbesse also and discreetes of the saide conuent subscribed therto fr. Didacus de Herrera fr. Bartholomew Lopez Anne of the Conception Abbesse Agnes of the Mother of God Anne of Saint Raphaell Vicarisse Marie of the Purification Agnes of Iesus the Licentiate Peter Gonzales of Sepulueda Blase Martinez Peter Tartalo Iohn Martinez Crespo Isidore Garcia scriuener before me Iohn Fernandez de Plaza And I the saide Iohn Fernandez de Plaza scriuener of his Royall Maiestie and Notarie of the holy office neighbour of the towne of Cubas was present at the aboue saide and put to my signe in testimonie of the truth Iohn Fernandez de Plaza 10. After the aboue saide on the first day of Iulie of this present yeare 1610. the most reuerend Father fr. Iohn de Guzman Prouinciall minister of the holy prouince of Castile at my instance that with more certaintie and truth I might write this historie made the body of this blessed one be