maid How almightie God permitted the deuel to haue power ouer her bodie and how she ouercame all with great patience Chap. 33. THe malice that the damned sprites bare to this holie virgin was verie great and the battailes that they made continually against her to remoue her from her constancie and vowe of virginitie were surely verie fierce and cruel All the which she ouercame by the grace of God and triumphed ouer all their malice and wilines as we haue in part touched before but as our Lord would not suffer them to haue anie power ouer her soule which could not be without synne so did he permit them to vexe her bodie and put it to great paine for her further increase of merite and higher crowne In so much that some tymes they threwe her into the fyer sometymes they cast her downe headlong from her horse and one tyme when doctour Raimundus her Confessour with diuerse other was present they hurled her downe in such sort that both she and her horse were ouer the head and eares in the myer Wherat she smyled pleasantly and said to her companie Be not afraid for this is the worke of Malatasca And this happened most commonly vnto her when she had done some special worke that tended to the edifying of soules As she declareth verie well her selfe in her hundreth and sixt epistle where after that she had declared what intolerable paines she suffred which were in deed so vehement that for verie paine she raught at her garmentes and looke how much she latched with her hand so much she rent awaie and how the next daie being to write letters to the Popes holines and to three Cardinals when she had ended her letler to the Pope she was able to write no more by reason of the violent paines that came vpon her she writeth these wordes And so standing stil a litle while there began a terrour of deuels which was done in such sort that they set me quite besides my selfe raging like mad dogges against me as though I seelie worme had ben the occasion of taking out of their handes that which they had holden longe tyme in the holie Church And this terrour together with the paine of my bodie was so great that I had thought to haue gone from my studie and to get me to the chappell as though my studie had ben the occasion of my paines but sodainly I was throwen downe And being throwen downe it seemed to me that my soule was departed from my body howbeit not so as when it was departed in deed for then my soule did tast the felicitie of the immortal spirites and did receiue that most soueraigne blessednes with them But now it seemed as a thing reserued though it seemed not to be in my bodie but I sawe my bodie as though it had ben an other These be the verie wordes that she writeth in that epistle in the which she describeth certaine newe battailes made against her by those damned sprites farre greater and more terrible then euer she susteined at anie other tyme. And in the next epistle she declareth how she was verie sore beaten and tormented by them bicause she praied with a great zeale for the Catholike Church where she saieth moreouer that the more she suffred in her bodie the greater was her loue towardes the Church and the more she desired to see the same refourmed How she deliuered a certaine yong maid that was possessed of a wicked sprite Chap. 34. AS it was well knowen to diuerse and sundrie persones that this holie maid was meruelously vexed and put to intolerable paines by the malice of wicked sprites so it pleased God to shewe likewise to the wordle that he had graunted her as it were by special priuilege authority iurisdiction ouer the said sprites to commaund bynd and cast them out at her pleasure to the great comfort of the true and humble seruantes of God and withal to the vtter confusion of those proude sprites that set them selues vp against God and his seruantes as maie appeere euidently by these examples here ensewing There was in the citie of Siena a certaine notarie called maister Michael who when he was well striken in yeares determined with the consent of his wife to forsake the wordle and to geue him selfe to a more streigth order of life He determined also to dedicate two of his daughters to the seruice of God in a monasterie founded in the name honour of S. Iohn Baptist in the same citie Where when they had continued a certaine tyme one of the daughters whose name was Laurentia a child of eight yeares old was by the secret iudgement of God posessed with a wicked sprit by reason wherof the whole monasterie was much disquieted Wherupon by common consent they sent for her father and gaue him his daughter againe After that this child was thus taken out of the monasterie the wicked sprite vttered many wonderful thinges by her mouth and answered to manie darcke and hard questions And which was most strange he spake commonly in the latine tongue He disclosed also manie secret vices of diuerse and sundrie persones to their great reproach and slaunder Which thing turned the father and mother and others also of their kinred and acquentance to great heauines who left no meane vnsought wherby they thought they might ease the child Emong other thinges wherin those deuout folkes hoped in tyme to find helpe comfort one special meane was the reliques of Sainctes kept in manie places in the citie vnto the which places they resorted daily with all diligence namely to S. Ambrose tombe who had ben in his life tyme a Fryer preacher to whome almightie God had graunted a singular grace in casting out deuels frō such as were possessed in so much that his cope or scapular which were there kept being laied vpon them that were vexed with vncleane sprites did verie commonly chase them awaie Wherfore they brought the child thither and laied her downe vpon the tombe cast the said clothes ouer her And the father and mother in the meane tyme set them selues earnestly to praier beseeching our Lord with great instance that it would please him at the contemplation of that holie Saincte to take mercie on their child But their praier was not heard as then Which thing happened vnto them not for anie synne that they committed but bicause it was otherwise disposed by the prouident wisdome of God who vndoubtely put it in the heartes of certaine of their frindes to geue them counsel that they should repraire to the holie maid for the reliefe of their child Which counsel they folowed in deed and first sent vnto her praying her in most earnest maner that she would vouchsafe to doe her best to helpe their daughter wherunto she made answere that she had inough to doe with the wicked sprites that did from tyme to tyme molest and trouble her selfe and therfore praied them that they would hold her
Of this euident miracle were witnesses the ladie Bianchina that holie Anchorite in whose lappe it was done other moe to the number of thirtie persones Manie other miracles she wrought of like sort in casting out of deuels in the presence of diuerse and sundrie credible persones the which honour triumph ouer the enemie it pleased out Lord to geue her in the sight of the wordle bicause she had at all tymes so valiantly resisted and ouerthrowen him in her owne persone when soeuer he moued her by anie meanes either to pride of mynd or vncleannes of bodie THE THIRD PART How the holie maid was endued with the spirite of prophecie and foretold what calamities should happen to the Church and likewise how it should be restored againe Chap. 1. EMONG manie goodlie gyftes and graces with the which this holie Virgin was endued one was the spirite of prophecie which was in her so strange and singular that she not only foresawe the thinges that were to come so perfectely as if they had ben present but also persed into the verie secrets of mens hartes told them what they thought Which thing caused the wordle to haue her in such admiration that when she spake to them of matters concerning their soules health they heard her wordes with greater attention and reuerence About the yeare of our Lord. 1375. at what tyme Gregorie the eleuenth was Pope manie cities and territories in Italie rebelled against the Sea Apostolike withdrawing them selues and their yearelie reuenwes from the Church of Rome Which reuolt all good men tooke verie heauily and namely Doctoure Raimundus whose griefe was so great that he went of purpose to Pisa where the holie maid chaunced to be at that tyme to powre out his hart before her As he was declaring to her the lamentable state of thinges abrode with sorowful wordes and manie teares she shewed likewise in countenance that she had great compassion of a nomber of soules that were like to perish through that synful rebellion But when he had said she made him answere after this maner Father said she begynne not to weepe so soone for all this is but honye mylke in comparison of that that shall come hereafter What said he Thinke you that I shall euer haue greater cause to sorrowe then I haue at this present seeing as I now see the people so wickedly bent that they are not afraid to set them selues against our holie mother the Church and to make light of her curse excommunication What remaineth now but only that they do vtterly denie the faith of Christ To that the holie maid made answere and said Father all that ye see hitherto is done by the common laie people but you shall see hereafter an other maner of rebellion then this is contriued and practised by the clergie When Doctour Raimundus heard that he was meruelously astonied for a tyme. At the length he asked her whether she thought it a thing possible that the clergie should rebell against the Church Yea said she it is possible and you shall see it For when our holie Father the Pope shall goe about to reforme their maners then shall they set them selues vp against him and make a schisme in the Church Wherof shall arise great slaunder and offence to all good men And therefore I geue you warning before that you arme your selfe with patience for you shall see all this Doctour Raimundus at that tyme mistooke the holie maides wordes supposing that she had meant that all these thinges should haue come to passe then presently in Pope Gregories daies And therefore when he sawe that Pope Gregorie was dead he thought no more of her wordes because he imagined that the terme of her prophecie had ben expired But afterwardes in the tyme of Pope Vrbanus the sixte when he sawe and felt also that wicked rebellion that was raised against him by the proude prelates of the Church he called to mynd what the holie maid had said vnto him before and thought euerie hower a daie vntill he might haue some oportunitie to conferre with her concerning the state of those present troubles Which by the disposition of almightie God came to passe euen as he desired for in that furie of rebellion and schisme the holie maid was sent for to Rome by commaundement of the Popes holines where Doctour Raimundus repaired vnto her and put her in mynd of such communication as had passed betweene them long tyme before in Pisa I remember well said she that such wordes I spake to you at that tyme which now you see verified And now I will geue you to vnderstand thus much more Like as I said to you then that the rebellion of that tyme was but mylke and honey in comparison of this that you see now euen so I tell you now that these present troubles are but a childes game in comparison of those horrible calamities that are to come And with that she began to recite diuerse and sundrie plagues which she foresawe should fall vpon manie partes of the wordle and namely vpon the Kingdome of Sicilia and countreis there about The which prophecie was in deed fulfilled soone after in the tyme of Queene Ione and of her successour with such vnwonted scourges calamities and almost vtter subuersion not only of the Kingdome of Sicilia but also of all other Kingdomes Territories and Cities lying neere vnto it that Doctour Raimundus and as manie as liued and sawe afterwardes the horrible state of that bloodie tyme confessed that the like had not ben often seene in those partes of the wordle before When Doctour Raimundus had heard thus much concerning the scourges and afflictions that were towardes the Church of the which some he sawe then presently verified and therefore doubted nothing of the rest he asked the holie maid whether after all these stormes there were not like to come a calme emong the people of God Wherunto she made answere after this maner Father said she almightie God hath determined thus to purge his Church by calamities and tribulations The which when he hath once done he will raise vp a newe spirite in his chosen seruantes and send such godlye Pastors and Curates ouer his flocke that my hart reioyseth within my bodie to thinke vpon that goodlye reformation that shall insue in all states of men And as the Church of Christ seemeth now poore deformed and naked so shall it then be seene in a verie glorious and beautifull state clad with the seemelie ornamentes of vertue godlines The good shall ioye to see the Church of God in such a flourishing peace and the euel shal be allured by the sweet sauour of their vertuous conuersation to folowe them in the patthes of Gods holie commandementes Therefore father thanke our Lord who of his gracious goodnes voutchsafeth after raine and tēpestes to send faire wether Thus much spake the holie maid touching the state of the Church to Doctour Raimundus whom she lefte in a
patience contempte of the wordle and feruour towardes religion The which state of life she tendred so much that he buylded two monasteries of Nonnes and in the later of the two she liued a holie life and died a blessed death where it pleased God to worke manie greate and straunge miracles by her in her life time and many moe after her death Emonge other this was and is one that her bodie continueth still whole and vnputrified euen as it was at the verie hower of her departure When she was newly dead the people in regard of the wonderful signes that she had wrought emong them in her life thought to haue preserued her bodie with baulme But when they came to the bodie they sawe that it was needles forsomuch as there distilled a verie sweet and precious liqour out at the endes of her fingers toes that passed all baulme which was diligently gathered by them and put in a viole in the which it is kept to this daie and at tymes shewed to the people for a perpetual remembrāce of this great miracle The night that she died the yong babes that laie in bed with their fathers and mothers cried out and said Sister Agnes is now departed and she is a Saincte in heauen And the next mornyng a great companie of yong children by the instincte of God gathered them selues together and would admit none into their companie that was not a maid and set them selues in order after the maner of a procession and so went with candels burnyng in their handes to the monasterie where they offred them vp at the bodie of the blessed virgin euen as we are wont to doe at the monumentes of Sainctes These and manie other miracles were wrought by almightie God in the honour of S. Agnes which caused the people of the country to haue her relikes in great price and reuerence How the holie maid in hir life tyme healed manie that were sicke of the plague Chp. 3. ABout the yeare of our Lord 1373. ther was a great plague in the citie of Siena of the which manie men and women of all condicions and ages died verie soone after they were once taken some within one daie some within two and fewe or none passed the third daie which mortalitie caused a great terrour emong the people Doctour Raimundus chaunced to be in the citie at that tyme reader of the diuinitie lesson in his couent who being a charitable man tendring more the health of soules then the preseruation of his owne bodie as his profession and rule required he tooke great paines and went by daie and by night to the houses where he might vnderstand anie to be sicke to visite comfort and counsel them for their soules health And manie tymes when he was weerie of runnyng thus to and fro he vsed to turne a litle aside into an house or hospital called Our ladie of mercie and there to repose him selfe a while partly for rerecreation both of bodie and soule and partly also to speake with Maister Matthewe the rectour of the said house whome he loued entierly for vertues sake and resorted vnto him commonly once in the daie and so did the holie maid also verie often sometymes to conferre with him of spiritual matters and sometymes to aske either his aduise or charitie towardes the reliefe of the poore On a daie doctour Raimundus going to visite the sicke after his accustomed maner and passing by the gate of this house went familiarly to see how Maister Matthewe did with the rest of his family When he was entred he saw the bretheren and clearkes busilie occupied in carying Maister Matthew from the Church towardes his chamber With that he asked him cheerfully how he did But Maister Matthew was so feeble and so farre spent that he could not giue him one word to answere Then he asked them that were about him how that sicknes came to him And they made answere that he had watched that night with one that was sicke of the plague and about midnight tooke the sicknes of him since the which time said they he hath remained as yee see without coloure without strength without spirit When they had brought him to his chamber they laide him downe vopn his bedde VVhere when he had rested a litle while he came to him selfe againe called for doctour Raimundus and made his confession to him as he was wont often times to doe That done doctour Raimundus spake to him comfortablie M. Matthew said he how feele yee your selfe where is your paine My griefe said he is in my flancke and it paineth me so sore that me thinketh my thighe is ready to breake in sunder And I haue withal such a vehement headache that it seemeth as though my head would cleaue in fower partes With that he felt his pulses and fownd in deed that he had a verie sharpe feuer Wherupon he caused them to carrie his vrine to a learned phisicion that was in the citie called maister Sensus and soone after went him selfe to vnderstand his resolution and aduise in the matter When he came the phisicion declared vnto him that he sawe in the water verie euident tokens of an ague pestilential and also of death neere at hand for said he this water sheweth plainely to me certaine bubling or boiling of the blood out of the liuer which is the common disease that reigneth now ouer all the citie Wherefore I am verie sorie for I see we are like to leese a verie deere frend and they of his howse a verie good rectour What said doctour Raimundus is it not possible by your art to deuise some kind of medecine that maie doe him good We will see to morrowe said he whether we can purge that blood with Cassia Fistula but to tell you truely I haue small hope of doing anie good The disease is to farre gone When doctour Raimundus heard those vncomfortable wordes he returned towardes the sicke man againe with a heauie hart In this meane tyme it came to the eares of the holie maid that maister Matthewe was dangerously sicke and of the plague When she heard that she was troubled in spirite as it were against that euel for she knewe him to be a verie vertuous man and therefore loued him verie entierly and forthwith went in great hast towardes his howse And before she came at him she cried out with a lowd voice saying Maister Matthewe rise rise vp maister Matthewe It is no tyme to lie now sluggyng in your bed At that word and at that verie instant the paine in his slancke and headache and the whole disease forsooke him quite and he rose vp as merrie and as sound in all his bodie as if there had neuer ben anie such disease vpon him And when he was readie he honoured the the holie maid and gaue her most humble thankes saying that he knewe now by experience in his owne bodie that the power of God dwelled in her and wrought strange thinges by
AT what tyme Pope Vrbanus the sixt was enforced to flee out of Rome by reason of a rebellion that was raised against him in the citie by the french faction the holie maid which as then was left behind in Rome and sawe the miserable state of the Church wept daie and night and with continual sighes and sobbes made her praier to our Lord beseeching him most instantly that he would voutchsafe to cease the furie of those wicked rebels and geue peace to his afflicted Church And it was well seene that her praier was heard For soone after it pleased God so to dispose that in one daie both those factious schismatikes that had taken armes against the Sea Apostolike were vanquished and taken and the castle of S. Angelo which had holden out long tyme before rendred it selfe into the Popes handes When our holie father the Pope vnderstood of this great victorie he returned to the citie againe where he asked the holie maid her aduise what she thought best to be done in that case And her aduise was that he should goe bare footed to S. Peeters Church and all the people with him to thanke God with all submission and sowlines of hart for that ioyous calme after so lōg stormes And thus the Church of Christ began as it were to reuiue againe and the holie maid tooke passing great comfort to see it But that ioye endured not long For within a litle tyme after these troubles were pacified the deuel whose malice is euermore vigilant against the Church of God raised vp a newe tempest And what he could not bring to passe by the furie of strangers that did he attempt againe by sowing discord betweene the citizens of Rome and the Popes holines When the holie maid perceiued that and sawe the imminent peril that was like thereby to ensue to the Church of God she turned her selfe to our Lord in praier and besought him that he would hold his holie hand ouer the people and not suffer them to commit such a wicked and heinous synne And as she was thus praying she sawe the citie full of damned sprites stirring and exciting the people to kill the Pope And those sprites cried horribly to her and said Thou cursed wretch thou art euermore busie to let our designementes But be thou well assured we shall put thee to a foule death She gaue them no word to answere but continued her praier with greater feruour and deuotion beseeching our Lord with all instancie that he would voutchsafe to keepe her from all mischiefe and also that it would please him to preserue the Pope his lieuetenant and vicar general in earth from all the violent attemptes of those wicked conspiratours for the honour of his owne holie name and for the redresse of his deere Spouse the Church which as then was in verie lamentable state She praied likewise for those impious rebels and besought our Lord most earnestly that he would voutchsafe of his infinite mercie to mollifie their hartes not suffer them to commit such a horrible sinne as to murder their owne Father and Pastour When she had praied often after this maner it pleased God one tyme to geue her this answere Daughter said he suffer the people to accōplish their malice in committing this damnable synne that they are about that I maie exercise my iustice and punish them according to their desertes For their wickednes is so odious and horrible in my sight that it maie no longer be endured When the holie maid heard those dreadful wordes she set her selfe to praier againe with farre greater deuotion and vehemencie of spirite then before and said O most merciful Lord thou seest how thy deere of Spouse the Church whom thou hast redeemed with the price of thy most precious blood is this daie miserably vexed and afflicted almost through out the wordle Thou knowest on the one side how fewe there are that shewe them selues readie to assist and comfort her and thou art not ignorant on the other side how manie there are and how cruelly bent that seeke by all possible meanes to annoye and discomfort her And in this behalfe it can not be hidden from thyne eyes which see all thinges how manie treacheries and treasons there are now in contriuing to make our holie father thy vicar out of the waie The which most detestable conspiracie if it take place must needes turne not only this citie of Rome but also the whole bodie of Christendome to great discomfort and slaunder Therefore ô blessed Lord I most humbly beseech thee that thou wilt for this tyme temper the rigour of thy iustice and spare thy people whom thou hast bought so deere After this maner did the holie maid continue manie daies and manie nightes together in feruent praier in the which tyme our Lord did euer more alleadge iustice and she craued mercie And all the tyme that she was thus occupied in praier the wicked sprites did so vexe and torment her with their horrible scriching and crying that her bodie waxed meruelous feeble In so much that if our Lord had not by his almightie power susteined her it had not ben possible for her to haue endured but her hart must needes haue burst in sunder In the end she concluded her praier with these wordes O Lord said she seeing it is so that thy mercie maie not be granted without thy Iustice I beseech thee despise not my praiers but whatsoeuer paine is to be laied vpon this people laie it vpon my bodie and I will beare it with all my hart for the loue that I beare to the honour of thy holie name and to the saluation of their soules After the tyme that she had spoken these wordes our Lord made no more mention of his iustice but held his peace and gaue her the victorie as the effecte declared euidently For from that verie hower foreward it was seene that the people did by litle and litle cease off their conspiracies and practises against the Popes holines and in the end submitted them selues wholly to his authoritie But as their malice relented by litle and litle and in tyme ceased so did her paine and smart likewise increase answerably by the permission of God by whose suffrance the wicked sprites vexed and tormented her bodie so cruelly that it seemed incredible but only to such as were present with her and sawe how it was in part rent and torne as it had ben with yron hookes in part swollen and full of blacke and blewe wailes as though it had ben beaten with clubbes and all ouer so pitifully araied that it seemed rather a thing to wonder at then a natural bodie All the which notwithstanding she gaue not ouer her accustomed maner of praier but continued in the same both longer tyme together then she was wont to doe before and also with greater feruour of spirite and deuotion then she was wont to haue at other tymes And euermore as she increased in praier charitable
her But she might not abide to heare anie wordes that tended to her owne commendation and therefore she went awaie As she was going out doctour Raimundus came towardes the howse and met with her in the gate looking verie heauily of the matter for he knewe nothing of all this that was done in the howse but came directly from the phisicion When he sawe her there being as it were ouercome with sorrowe he said to her O mother will you suffer this good man that is soe deere to vs so profitable and necessarie to mà nie others to die after this sorte To that shee made answere verie humblie shewing in deed that she had no liking in such wordes O Father said shee what maner of talke is this that you vse to mee Take yee me to be a God that you would haue me to deliuer a mortall man from death I pray you said he speake these wordes to some other that is a stranger to you and not to me that knowe your secretes I knowe right well that whatsoeuer you aske of God hartely he will grant it you With that she bowed downe her head a litle smyled and after a tyme looking vp to him againe cheerefully she said these wordes Father be of good cheere for he shall not die at this tyme. VVhen doctour Raimundus heard those wordes he was a glad man for he knewe well what grace and prerogatiue was geuen to her from aboue And so he went into the house to comfort his frind not knowing in deed that he had no need of it but supposing that the thing had ben yet to do that was alreadie done VVhen he came in he found him sitting vp in good health and liking declaring vnto them that were about him the maner of the miracle that was wrought vpon him selfe For the further confirmation wherof the table was laid and they eate together that mornyng not such meates as sicke men vse to eate but rawe oynions and such other grosse meates as can not be digested but only in whole stomakes And as they were eating they tooke great pleasure to recite the wonderful thinges that it pleased God to worke by the holie maid In the tyme while this contagious disease reyned in Siena it chaunced a certaine Hermite called Sanctus that liued in an Hermitage a litle without the citie to be infected with the same The which thing when the holie maid vnderstood she caused him to be taken out of his cell and brought to this afore mentioned hospital of our Ladie of mercie VVhere she came to him with certaine other of her sisters tended him prouiding for him all such thinges as she thought necessarie or requisite for a man in that case And to comfort him with wordes also she put her head to his and whispered him softely in the eare saying Be not afraid howsoeuer yee feele your selfe for yee shall not dye at this tyme. But to the rest that were there she said no such thing but rather when they entreated her that she would praie to God for his recouerie she gaue them but an vncomfortable answere which made them verie sad for they all knewe him to be a holie man and therfore both honoured and loued him verie tenderly The disease increased howerly more and more and he decayed so sensibly that they dispairing his life gaue ouer the charge of his body and looked only to the health of his soule At the length when he was in extreames they all stoode about him with greate heuines looking only when he woulde giue vp the ghost the holie maide came to him againe and said in his eare Be not afraid for yee shal not die at this time The sicke man both heard vnderstood that word though before it seemed that he was past all sense And he tooke comfort in it rather crediting the word of the holie maid that sounded in his eare then the throwes of death that griped him by the hart Howbeit he shewed no token of amendement and therefore they not vnderstanding what she had said prouided lightes and other thinges necessarie for his burial looking still when he would depart out of this life And in this howerly expectation of death they continued certaine daies longer in deed then men are wont to liue that are sicke of that disease At the length when it seemed that he was euen passing out of the wordle the holie maid came to him againe and spake these wordes in his eare I commaund thee in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that thou passe not at this tyme. At that word he tooke comfort of spirite and strength of bodie and rose vp in his bed and called for meate and in the presence of them all eate his meate with good appetite and receiued perfecte health and liued after manie yeares and was one of them that were present with the holie maid in Rome when she departed out of this wordle And he declared afterwardes what wordes the holie maid spake in his eare how by the vertue of the same his soule that was vpon the verie point of departing out of his bodie was mightely reteined adding furthermore that he esteemed the miracle that was wrought vpon him selfe to be no lesse then if she had raised him vp againe from death to life and that without all doubt it was no natural cause that had restored him againe but only the almightie power of God working by the meanes of that holie maid During this tyme of pestilēce in the citie of Siena it pleased God to worke an other miraculous cure by the meanes of the holy maid vpon Doct Raimundus her owne ghostlie father after this maner The plague increased so sore and the inhabitantes fled so fast for feare of infection not only the citizēs but also the priestes and religious persones that manie soules remained without comfort or counsel But doct Raimundus taried still in the citie would not remoue but determined with him selfe that he would visite helpe as manie as he could possibly The which charitable purpose being once knouē he was so much called vpō to earnestly intreated to come now to one house and now to an other bicause there were fewe or none to helpe him that he had scantly leisure to eate his meate or to take his rest One night whē he had rested on his bed thought to haue risen vp after his accustomed maner to say his seruice he felt a verie great paine in his flāke And feeling with his hand he found that there was a great sweelling in the place which made him sore afraid For experience had taught him that the disease begā commonly after that maner Wherfore he laie still in his bed durst not rise but began to thinke of death euermore wishing that it had ben daie that he might haue gone and spoken with the holie maid before the disease had taken full place in him In the meane tyme the ague came vpon him and withal a
come downe with me and see And with that he would needes haue him downe into the cellar and shewed him the vessel Wherein that red wine had ben And the messenger might well perceiue that the vessel was drie and that it had stood long emptie But yet the good man for the more assurance in his presence would needes drawe out the spigot also that he might see it with his eyes and so satisfie maister Gerardes mynd So soone as he had taken out the spigot behold there issued out of the vessel a goodlie red wine which ranne abondantly euen as from a full tappe and wette all the ground vnderneth VVherat the good man of the house was meruelously astoined and putting vp the spigot againe called all that were in his house both men and women and examined them diligently if anie of them knewe of anie wine that was put into that vessel They said all and sware also that the vessel had stood emptie for the space of three monethes before and they thought it not only vnlike but also impossible that anie creature should bring so much wine into the house and put it into the vessel without their knowledge Which made them to thinke as it was in deed that this wine was sent them from God to the behoofe and comfort of the holie maid And when the messenger that was sent from maister Gerard came home with his bottel ful of that wine and declared to him and the rest what had happened they all tooke great comfort in it and magnified the bountifull goodnes of almightie God that had so miraculously prouided for the reliefe of his true handmaid The fame of this miracle being spread thorough out the citie it chanced within a fewe daies after when the holie maid was recouered that she had an occasion to goe abroad to visite a certaine patriarke that was newly come to the citie sent from the Sea Apostlolike While she passed thorough the streetes the people hauing vnderstanding of her comyng abroade forsooke their worke and shoppes and ranne from all partes of the citie to see her and said What a woman is this that drincketh water her selfe and yet filleth our vessels with wine VVhen the holie maid sawe that presse of the people and vnderstood the cause of the same it went to the verie hart of her as she declared afterwardes in confession to her ghostlie Father And therefore she turned her selfe to almightie God after a sorowful maner spake to him in her hart after this sort O Lord whie hast thou plagued me thy poore hand-maid thus as to make me a laughing stocke to all the people All other thy seruantes maie be seene emong men only I can not Who desired this wine of thee for me Thou knowest O Lord that I haue long forborne the drincking of wine and now for a litle wine I am made a common talke in euerie mans mouth I most humbly beseech thee O my deere Lord for all the mercies that euer thou hast shewed vnto me thine vnworthie handmaid that thou wilt cause this wine vtterly to vanish awaie in such sort that the brute that is raised of me emong the people maie cease withal Thus she praied with deepe sighes and inward gronyng of hart and our Lord despised not her praier For wheras the people repaired stil to the house to drinke of the wine and manie honest citizens drancke of it for pure deuotion and euermore perceiued that there was nothing the lesse wine for all their drincking comyng now to the vessel to drincke they found that all the wine was turned to thicke dregges And wheras before it was a verie pleasant wine it was now of a sodaine become so pudlie and vnpleasant that no man might abide to drincke of it VVhich thing caused a great alteration in the myndes of the people For wheras before they thought spake verie reuerently of the holie maid manie of them began now to imagin that this wine was a thing counterfeicted by the deuel and that almightie God to make such treacherie knowen to the wordle had turned it vnto dregges VVhich made the good man of the house and all other that had before by occasion of this miracle geuen the holie maid a report of great vertue and holines so much ashamed that afterwardes they durst not once to open their mouthes to speake anie thing that tended to her commendation But the holie maid her selfe was verie glad of it and gaue God most humble thankes that had deliuered her from such vaine and troublesome applauses of the people VVherin she shewed her selfe in deed to be the true disciple and folower of our Sauiour Christ whose maner it was euermore when he had wrought miracles to auoid the fauourable speaches of men And howsoeuer it pleased euel disposed persones to interprete these two miracles there could be no fault in the holie maid For of the foremer which they ascribed to the deuel she knewe nothing vntill it was done and the latter was wrought by almightie God at her request But a charitable mynd would rather interprete them thus that our Lord shewed in the foremer miracle how much he loued her and in the latter how she answered his loue againe with a profound humilitie In the foremer he gaue vs matter to praise her in the later example to folowe her In the foremer he taught vs how she was adorned with grace in the latter how she was staied with wisdome for where humilitie is there is also true wisedome Of a goodlie vision that was shewed to a certaine deuout matrone in Rome at the departure of the holie maid out of this life Chap. 9. AT what tyme the holie maid departed out of this life there was in the citie of Rome a certaine deuout matrone of honest parentage called Semia This woman in hir husbandes daies serued God diligently But after her husbandes death being lefte with two sonnes she gaue her selfe wholly to praier visiting of holie places and other the like deuout exercises and so continued manie yeares Her maner was to rise euerie night to praier and towardes the mornyng to take a litle rest lying downe or leanyng her head for a while to her beds side that she might the better endure the labour of going the stations in Rome the next daie This Semia when the holie maid came first to the citie being infourmed by diuerse and sundrie persones of her great vertue and holines resorted much to her house and in tyme became verie familiar with her Howbeit she was so thoroughly occupied what with her ordinarie stations and pilgrimages and what with the necessarie attendance vpon her two sonnes that sometymes for certaine daies together she had no leysure to come and see the holie maid as it chaunced in deed at the tyme of her final sickenes passage out of this worlde The night before the holy maid gaue vp the ghost in the morning this deuout matrone rose vp after her accustomed maner
more phisicke vnto him When all men had geuen him ouer as a dead man a certaine deuout woman that was about him called Cecola Cartaria made a vowe to the blessed virgin S. Caterine in his behalfe and foorthwith the yong man began to amend and within a verie litle tyme was fully recouered of his disease In like maner a certaine woman called Gilia Petruccies when the phisicions had geuen their diffinitiue sentence that by the course of nature she must needes die made the like vowe to S. Catherine of Siena and with that found present ease of her paine and within a fewe daies after was perfectly restored to her health There was also at this tyme in the citie a certaine noble and deuout woman called Ladie Ione Ilperines which was well acquenited with the holie maide in her life tyme. And therefore seeing the miracles that were wrought after her death she conceiued the greater opinion of holines in her In so much that wheresoeuer she went to visite anie that were sicke and diseased she would alwaies perswade with them that they should commend them selues deuoutly to the holie virgin S. Caterine of Siena By the which meanes she procured the recouerie of a great manie that were sicke of diuerse and sundrie diseases On a tyme it chaunced that one of this ladies owne children sporting and runnyng rechlesly as yong children are wont to doe in an vpper lofte of the house fell downe headlong to the ground in her presence She seeing the sodaine fall of her child whome as a good mother she could not but loue tenderly and considering of the thing as it was like to be in the discourse of man which was that her sonne should either die presently or els at the least be sore crusshed that he should prooue but a criple or wraile all the daies of his life after cried out mightely and said O blessed S. Caterine of Siena I commend my child to thee It is a wonderful matter to consider that though the height and other condicions of the place from whence the child fell were such that in reason they might hope of none other but only present death yet when they came to take vp the child they found that he had no maner of harme in anie part of his bodie but was fully in as good case and liking after that great fall as he was before When the mother sawe that she gaue most humble thankes to almightie God and to his deere spowse S. Caterine and ceased not wheresoeuer she came to set out her holines and vertues to the vttermost of her power There was also a poore woman in the citie called good Ione which being a common landresse gate a poore liuing by seruing of others specially by washing of clothes This Ione wasshing on a tyme by the riuers side called Tiber happened emong other clothes to wash a quilte of the which one part was in the riuer and the other vnder her hand in washing But that part the swame in the riuer being heauier then the other of a sodaine drewe that part that was in wasshing from vnder her and so the whole was caried away with the swaie of the streame Whē the poore womā sawe the quilt gone knewe that if it were lost she was neuer able to paie for it hauing a greater care to recouer the quilt then to saue her selfe she reached so farre after it that she fell into the water also and was caried likewise a good waie from the land Being there in great distresse and destitute of all mans helpe it came to her mynd what great miracles were wrought at that time in the citie by the holie maid Wherupon she cried out said O blessed virgin S. Catherine of Siena helpe me now in this great need She had no sooner spoken those wordes but that foorthwith she was holpen vp by the almightie hand of God and brought against the course of the streame and set with the quilt in her hand vpon the bancke without anie helpe of man When she sawe her selfe there and could not imagin how she came thither she thāked God with all her hart and ascribed the benefite of her escaping from that present danger as it was in deed to the merites of B. S. Caterine Not long after the death of the holy maid doct Raimund being made the general ouer his whole order came to Rome as his charge required And being there translated the holie bodie of S. Caterine vpon that verie daie that she had prophecied that it should be done manie yeares before By trauailing wherin in other affaires apperteining to his office his bodie was distēpered in such sort that he had need to haue the aduise of some learned phisicion Wherupon he sent for one that dwelt ther by not farre from the monasterie called maister Iames of our Ladie the round which coming one time to visite doct Raimundus talking of the holy maid told him of a very strāge thing that had chaūced in his oune knouledge to a certaine yong man called Colas of Ciuccio This Colas lay sick in his father in lawes house whose name was Cincius Tancancim of a verie grieuous disease in his throte called the Squinancie Which increased so mightely vpon him that the phisiciōs gaue him ouer said plainely that by the course of nature he must needes die that within a verie fewe houers when the yōg mā was euen at the point of death Alexia hearing of it who loued Cincius wel bicause he was a deuout man and bare a singular affection to the holie maid in her life tyme went to the house in great hast and tooke with her a tooth of the holie maid which she kept as a great relike and iewel And when she came sawe the yong mā as it were vpon passing out of this wordle by reason that the aposteme had streightened his throte so much that he was euen at the point of choking she put the said tooth to his throte And foorthwith the aposteme brake and he lifted vp his head and auoided a great quantitie of rotten matter out at his mouth And within a very litle tyme he recouered perfectly gaue most hūble thākes to almighty God to his glorious spouse S. Caterine by the vertue of whose tooth he confessed in al companies in all places wheresoeuer he came that he had ben deliuered euen from present death In so much that one tyme when doctour Raimundus had made a sermon in the cōmendation of the holy maid had emong other thinges touched this present miracle the yong man being there at that tyme by chance stood vp befor al the people said these wordes It is true that yee saie maister doctour for I am the man vpon whom this great miracle was wrought At what tyme queene Ione of Sicilia sent Rainald of Vrsine with a great companie of men of armes against Pope Vrbane the sixt with purpose either to expell him out of
and yealding a meruelous beawtiful light in proportion and quaÌ„titie answerable to the measure of her bodie and putting the same vpon her with his owne handes said This garment I geue thee for all the tyme that thou shalt liue here vpon the earth in token and pleadge of that immortal garment that thou shalt receiue at my handes in heauen And with these wordes that vision ceased and left her endewed with such a strange grace and qualitie not only in sowle but also in bodie that from that verie instant that our Lord spake vnto her she neuer felt alteration in her bodie but continued euermore in one temper whether it were winter or somer hote or cold wind or raine And whatsoeuer wether came she neuer ware moe or fewer clothes then one only single peticote vnderneth and one only single kirtel aboue and that rather for decencie then for necessitie Of two euident miracles which our Lord wrought to declare how accceptable her workes of Charitie were to him Chap. 8. THere was in the citie of Sienna a certaine poore man that had dispossessed him selfe of all his worldlie goods for Gods sake and was in great distresse for lacke of necessarie sustenance The which thing when this holie maid vnderstood being moued withal compassion she tooke a lynnen bag the she had and filled the same with egges and caried it priuily vnderneth her cote towardes the howse of the said poore man to relieue him withal When she came neere the place were he dwelt seeing a Church there by she entred into it first as her maner was to doe her deuotion Where lifting vp her hart to God in praier and comtemplation she was foorthwith so rauished in spirite that her bodilie senses failing she fell downe with all the waight of her bodie on that side where the bag of egges was There was also in the bag a thymble such as taylours do so we withal which she had forgoten to take out when she put in the egges This thymble was broken in three peeces and the egges remained as whole and as sownd as they were put in notwithstanding that she had lyen vpon them with the burthen of her whole bodie and that for the space of certaine howers It pleased almightie God to work an other verie strange miracle also to the like effecte a thing well knowen and testified by as manie as were in the howse which were to the nomber of twentie persones It happened that the howsehold had dronke out a vessel of wine so lowe that the remnant that was left seemed not good ynough to geue to the poore for her maner was alwaies to geue out the best in almes for Gods sake Where vpon she went to the next vessel and drewe out of that largely for the poore a nomber of daies together and was neuer espied by anie of the howsehold At the length when the other vessel was quite drawen out the Butler also went to the vessel that she had broched and drewe of it for the whole howse The howsehold drancke as they were wont to doe sufficiently and she gaue out as her maner was plentifully And yet the wine neuer decreased nether in quantitie nor qualitie but kept euermore at one staie both for fulnes and for freshnes All the howse had great wonder how the vessel should continue so long and withal so good For they all knewe that such a vessel was wont to serue the howse but only xv or at the vttermost xx daies And this had continued a ful moneth and yet to all their seemyng was neither the lesse in measure nor worse in tast but rather they all confessed that in their whole life tyme they had neuer tasted a better wine But that holie maid made no wonder of it for she vnderstood that it was the worke of God whose propertie it is to blesse multiplie the substance of those that are readie to geue to the poore for his loue One moneth was fully expired an other was well entred yet the wine continued still as good and as fresh as it was the first daie that it was broached At the length when the tyme was come that the grapes were ripe and readie to the presse to make newe wyne he that had the chiefe charge about the making of the same tooke order that this vessel which had continued so long with old wine should be emptied that it might be filled with newe wine Whereupon one of the seruantes which thought of all likelyhood that there had ben litle or nothing left in the vessel went about to drawe it out into bottels After the which maner when he had drawen a good deale he sawe still that it ran with full tap At the last they resolued to gawge the vessel and so to see what was in it The which they did and behold they fownd the vessel so drie as if it had stood without licour for the space of manie monethes before Whereat the whole household was meruelously astoined in so much that they had no greater wonder before to see the cleere colour freshnes and long continuance of the wine then they had now to see so sodaine an alteration and fayling of the same Of a passing great charitie and diligence which she vsed in attending vpon a sicke woman and of her inuincible patience in bearing the waiwardnes of the same woman Chap. 9. AS this holie maid had a passing great desire to relieue the poore in their distresse and extremitie so had she also a meruelous tender care and compassion ouer them that were sicke and diseased Concernyng the which vertue she left manie wonderful examples to the wordle emong others this was one There was in the citie of Sienna a poore widowe called â—ecca who for lacke of necessarie attendance and sustentation in her owne howse being verie weake and feeble was constreined to craue the ordinarie charitie of an hospital that was there by Where she was charitably receiued but the hospital was so poore that they were not able to make her allowance of such thinges and seruices as her disease required and so her maladie increasing daily more and more at the length she became disfigured with a verie fowle leprie all ouer her bodie Which made her so lothsome to all that were in the hospital that they eschewed her and there was none fownd that would serue her anie longer Wherupon they determined to send her to a spittle-house that was ordained for such Lazarous folkes about a mile from the citie But before she was remoued it pleased God that this holie maid should haue vnderstanding of their determination Who being inwardly moued with pitie went foorthwith to the hospital where she laie and serued her both with her bodie and with her goods mornyng and euenyng prouiding for her whatsoeuer she thought necessarie or requisite for a woman in that case and dressing the same for her with her owne handes And all this she did with as diligent a care and
and enuironed round about with that heauenly and vnspeakeable light the beawtie and brightnes wherof was so great that no tongue was able to expresse it This testimonie of the sicke woman was spread allouer the citie by reason wherof the fame of the blessed virgin and the opinion of her rare vertue and holines was so much increased as the malice of the deuel had thought to haue obscured the same by this false treacherie But in all this as she was nothing deiected by the raising of that slanderous reporte so was she nothing puffed vp with pride for all the honour that the wordle gaue her but acknowledging humblie all vertues and holines to be the gyftes of God she continued still in her foremer state at the seruice of that sicke woman But the ghostlie enemie whose malice ceaseth not though he sawe that he had had verie euel lucke in all that he had euer attempted against her before yet like an earnest gamester he thought he would aduenture one cast more as it were vpon desperation On a tyme as the holie maid was dressing the old womans sore by the malicious working of the feend there issued out of it such a loathsome and horrible stench that she was vpon the point to haue cast vp all that was in her bodie The which when she sawe perceuing that it was the practise of that venemous serpent she entred into an earnest displeasure against her owne flesh and spake to her selfe with great vehemencie of spirite saying Ah wretched and caraine flesh dost thou loath thyne euen Christian I shall make thee not only to endure the sauour of it but also to reciue it within thee With that she tooke all the wasshing of the sore together with the corrupt matter and filth and going aside put it all into cup and drancke it vp lustely And in so doing she ouercame at one tyme both the skeymishnes of her owne stomake and malice of the Deuel This was told afterwardes to her ghostlie Father in her presence and she confessed that it was all true and said furthermore that she could not remember that she had euer eaten or droncken such a pleasant and delicate meate or drincke as that seemed to be in all her life The next night folowing after this glorious victorie our Sauiour Christ appeered vnto her and showed her his handes feete and side in them imprinted the fiue woundes of his most bitter passion said vnto her Deere daughter manie are the battailes that thou hast susteined for my loue and great are the victories that thou hast atchieued through my grace and assistance For the which I beare thee great good will and fauour But especially that drincke that thou tookest yester daie for my sake liked me passingly well in the which bicause thou hast not only despised the delite of the flesh cast behind thy backe the opinion of the wordle and vtterly subdued thyne owne nature I will geue thee a drincke that shall passe in sweetnes and pleasure all the licours that the wordle is wont or able to geue With that he reached out his arme and tooke her about the necke and brought her mouth softely to the sacred wound of his side and said vnto her Drincke daughter drincke thy fill at the verie founteine of life This drincke shall replenish thy soule with vnspekeable sweetnes in such sort that it shall abound and ouerslowe into thy bodie also which thou hast so vtterly despised for my loue Then the holie maid set her mouth to with great greedines and drewe out of that founteine of euerlasting saluation the licour of life And so she continued sucking a good while not only with the mouth of her bodie but also and that much more with the mouth of her soule vntill at the length when his holie will and pleasure was she gaue ouer feeling her selfe in a meruelous blesful state For she had droncke her fill and yet was nothing glutted but rather thirstie and desirous to drincke still Which thirst and desire was no paine at all to her but rather a passing great delite pleasure After this tyme the holie maid was so replenished with heauenlie grace that she neither did nor might eate her bodilie meate in such sort as she was wont to doe before How she was endewed with manie goodlie priuileges How she had a passing desire to receiue the blessed Sacrament How being fortified by the spirite of God she endured much labour and trauaile without bodilie sustinance Chap. 12. AFter that the faithful disciple of Christ had thus by the grace of God ouercome diuerse and sundrie tentations being now thoroughly tried like fine gold in the fornace of tribulation there remained nothing els but only to receiue the crowne of iustice in life euerlasting But bicause the diuine prouidence of God had so disposed of her that she should yet remaine in this life a litle while for the benefite of others in the which tyme she was not able to receiue the fruition of that endles blesse that is prepared for the tyme to come and yet our Lord of his goodnes would not suffer her to continue anie longer in this present life without some degree or state of blessednes he gaue her a certaine tast or pledge of that blesful state that she was to receiue in the other life euen in this vale of miserie And he did it after this maner On a tyme while she was praying in her chamber our Lord appeered vnto her and spake after this maner My deere daughter Catherine I geue thee now to vnderstand that the rest of thyne abode in this wordle shal be full of such strang and vnwonted gyftes of my grace that it shall cause diuerse and sundrie effectes in the hartes of men Simple and ignorant persones shal be greatly astoined to see the thinges that shal be wrought by thee Carnal men and such as haue litle experience in spiritual matters shal be in danger to fall quite from their faith Yea and manie of those also that are good and vertuous seeing certaine tokens of my passing great loue towardes thee such as haue not lightly ben heard of and withal the wonderful strangenes of the thinges that thou shalt worke shall suppose that all is but deceite and illusion For I will endue thy soule with such abundance of grace that it shall redound into thy bodie also by reason wherof thou shalt lead such a meruelous kind of life as the wordle hath not oftentymes seene or heard tell of Againe I will enkendle in thine hart such a fyerie zeale both of myne honour and of the saluation of soules that thou shalt in a maner forget thyne owne kind and alter the wonted order of thy whole conuersation For thou shalt not from hence foorth shonne the compaine of men and women as thou hast hitherto but rather to wynne them to God thou shalt presse in emong them and labour to the vttermost of thy power Of this maner of
frindlie and comfortable looke though he like an vnkind man had thrice refused and denied thee Thou drewest Marie Magdalen to thee with the lines of loue when she had estranged her selfe from thee by her manifold synnes Thou tookest Mathewe the Publicane from a synful trade of life in the wordle to be an Apostle and Euangelist Thou diddest not repell the woman of Cananee nor Zacheus the Prince of Publicans but didest most sweetly accept the one and inuite the other Wherefore I most humbly beseech thee for all thy mercies hitherto shewed vnto man and for all those also that thyne infinite goodnes hath determined to shewe hereafter that thou wilt voutchsafe to looke downe vpon these wretched creatures mollifie their hartes with the fyer of thy holie spirite that they maie be deliuered from the second death Our Lord heard the praier of his Spowse and graunted her such a grace that she went in spirite with those two theeues towardes the place of execution weeping and lamenting for their synnes and mouing them to repentance for the same Which thing the wicked sprites perceiued well inough and therefore they cried out vpon her and said Catherine leaue to trouble vs. If thou wilt not we will surely enter into thee and vexe thee To whom the holie maid made this answere As God will so will I. And therefore I will not cease to doe what lieth in me for the reliefe of these poore wretches because I know it is the will of God that I should so doe And so continuing in praier she procured them a verie singular fauour and grace as the effecte declared For when these theeues were come to the gate of the citie our Sauiour Christ appeered to them shewing to them his precious woundes all streamīg downe with blood inuiting them to become repētant for their former life Which if they did he put them in a sure cōfort that all was quite forgeuen At this strāge sight their hartes were sodainly so altered to the great wōder of as manie as were there presēt that they changed their stile and turned their blasphemie into thākesgeuing praysing God for his great mercies And shewing thēselues to be hartely sorie contrite for their synnes desired earnestly that they might haue a Priest to heare their Cōfessiōs That done they went forward cheerfully towardes the place of executiō where they shewed likewise great tokens of ioy cōfort for that they had to passe by a reproachful death to a glorious life All the people sawe this strange alteratiō were much astonied at it because as thē they vnderstood not the cause thereof which afterwards came to light by this meane The Priest that heard these fellōs Cōfessiōs wēt soone after to visit Doct. Rai the holie maides Cōfessour in talke declared vnto him how wonderfully God had wrought with thē Doct. Rai foorthwith begā to suspect as it was indeed therfore asked Alexia what the holie maid was doīg at that tyme whē the theeues were lead thorough their street towardes the place of executiō She made him answer declared the whole processe of the matter so much as she had seene heard in her owne house Whereby Doctour Raimundus sawe a verie great likelihood that the thing had ben wrought as he deemed before by the praier and intercession of the holie maid Howbeit for the more assurance he tooke an occasion afterwardes to aske the holie maid her selfe And she to the honour of God and for the satisfaction of her ghostlie father declared vnto him particularly how euerie thing had passed Within a fewe daies after this was done certaine of the sisters that chaunced to be present while the holie maid was praying heard her saie these wordes in her praier with a full voice O Lord Iesu I most hartely thanke thee that thou hast deliuered them out of the second prison Of the which wordes being demaunded afterwardes what she meant by them she made answere that the soules of those theeues were as then deliuered out of Purgatorie and restored to Paradyse Such was her charitie towardes them that as she had by praier deliuered them from the euerlasting tormentes of hell so she neuer ceased to praie for them vntill she sawe that they were also passed the temporal paines of Purgatorie and receiued into euerlasting blisse How by the praier of the holie maid an obstinate synner was turned to God Chap. 11. THere was a man dwelling in the citie of Siena called Andrewe Mardine well endued with wordlie substance but bare of heauenlie ritches void of the loue and feare of God a baretter blasphemer and wicked liuer This man about the fortieth yeare of his age was sodainly taken with a verie grieuous sickenes which held him so vehemently that he was faine to keepe his bed where he laie waxed euerie daie weaker weaker vntill at the length he was geuen ouer by the Phisicions and despaired of all men His curate hearing that came to visite him and as his Pastoral charge required exhorted him with manie wordes that he should now in the end of his life dispose him selfe to Confession and penance for his soules health But he was so obstinately bent that he litle esteemed the Priest and lesse his counsel Which thing his wife perceiuing which was a good woman and had a great desire to sawe her husbandes soule ranne to diuerse and sundrie religious persones both men and women besought them that they would come and doe their diligence to turne his hart They came at her instance and vsed manie perswasible meanes to bring him to a better mynd setting before his eyes now the horrible threates of hell fyer and now the sweete peomises of the ioyes of heauen but all in vaine After them came the curate againe with great heauines and care to doe what in him laie towardes the recouerie of this sowle that was thus in danger to perish He exhorted him as he had done before and thereunto added manie goodlie perswasions to induce him to be repentant for his foremer life and to call to God for mercie But the wretched mans hart was so hardened that he might not endure to heare him speake but scorned both him and his holesome exhortations In so much that at the lenght he fell into plaine desperation and synne against the holie Ghost and in that damnable state drewe on a pace towardes his end This matter chanced to come to the knowledge of doctour Thomas who hauing great compassion of the wretched mans case went foorthwith towardes the holie Maides lodging hoping by her mediation to find some grace in the sight of God But when he came thither he found the holie maid rauished from her bodilie senses And so long as she was so he durst not doe anie thing to her bodie wherby to bring her againe and tarrie there anie longer he might not bicause it wae verie late in the euenyng Wherefore he gaue a verie streight charge to one of
the sisters that was there with her at that tyme that when the holie maid came to her selfe againe she should desire her in his name and also charge her in the vertue of her obedience that she should extend her charitie towardes that miserable man that laie on passing and praie to God hartely for his recouerie When the holie maid vnderstood the lamentable state of the sicke man and withall the charge that was geauen her from her ghostlie father she taried not but foorthwith set her selfe to praier and besought our Lord with great instance and feruour of spirite that he would not suffer that soule to perish whome he had redeemed with the price of his most precious blood To that our Lord made answere and said that the iniquitie of that wicked man was so heinous in his sight that the crie thereof perced the heauens and called for iustice for he had not only in wordes most horribly blasphemed the holie name of God and of his Sainctes but also with great despite and malice throwen a table into the fyer in the which was painted the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ together with the images of our blessed Ladie and other Sainctes By the which facte he had deserued euerlasting damnation When the holie maid heard that she fell downe prostrate before our Lord and said O Lord if thou wilt looke narrowly to our iniquities who shal be able to stand Wherefore camest thou downe from heauen into the wordle Wherefore tookest thou flesh of the most pure and vnspotted virgin Marie Wherefore diddest thou suffer a most bitter and reprochfull death Hast thou done all these thinges ô Lord to this end that thou mightest call men to a streight and rigorous account for their synnes and not rather that thou mightest vtterly cancel their debtes and take them to mercie Why dost thou ô merciful Lord tell me of the synnes of one lost man seeing thou hast borne vpon thyne owne shoulders the synnes of the whole wordle that none should be lost Doe I lie here prostrate at thy feete to demaund iustice and not rather to craue mercie Doe I present my selfe here before thy diuine Maiestie to pleade the innocencie of this wretched creature and not rather to confesse that he is gyltie of euerlasting death and damnation and that the onlie refuge is to appeale to thyne endles mercie Remember ô deere Lord what thou saidest to me when thou diddest first will me to goe abrode and to procure the saluation of manie soules Thou knowest right well that I haue none other ioye or comfort in this life but only to see the conuersion of synners vnto thee And for this cause only I am content to lacke the ioyful fruition of thy blessed presence Wherefore if thou take this ioye from me what other thing shall I find in this vale of miserie wherein to take pleasure or comfort O most merciful Father God of all comfort reiecte not the hūble petition of thyne handmaid put me not awaie from thee at this tyme but graciously graunt me that this my brothers hard hart maie be mollified and made to yeald to the working of thy holie spirite Thus did the holie maid continue in praier and disputation with our Lord from the begynning of the night till the nexte morning All the which tyme she neither slept nor tooke anie maner of rest but wept and wailed continually for great compassion that she had to see that soule perish our Lord euermore alleaging his iustice and she crauing his mercie At the length our Lord being as it were ouercome with her importunitie and crying gaue her this comfortable answere Deere daughter I will stand no longer with thee in this matter Thy teares and lamentable crying haue preuailed and wrested the sword of my iustice out of myne hand This synful man shall for thy sake find such fauour and grace as thou requirest for him And with that our Lord withdrewe him selfe from the holie maid and appeered the same hower to the sicke man and spake to him after this maner Deere child why wilt thou not be repentant for the synnes that thou hast committed against me In anie case be sorie for thyne offences and confesse the same and I am readie to pardon thee That word so persed the hart of that obstinate man that he relented foorth with and cried with a lowd voice to them that were there present besought them for Gods loue that they would helpe him to a ghostlie father with all possible speed For said he my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath shewed him selfe mercifully to me and willed me to be confessed of all my synnes When they heard that they were verie much astoined but withall meruelously comforted to see that soddaine and blessed alteration in him And they made great hast to bring him a ghostlie father to whome he made a perfecte Confession of all his synnes with great contrition and so passed out of this wordle in the state of grace How the holie maid by praier procured the conuersion of a fierce yong gentleman in Siena called Iames Tolomes Cap. 12. THere was in the citie of Siena a gentleman of a worshipfull parentage called Francis Tolomes who tooke to wife on Rabes a gentlewoman likewise of a good howse and by her had manie sonnes and daughters His eldest sonne was called Iames a prowd and hawtie yong man and of nature verie fierce and cruel in so much that being yet but a child of age he killed two men with his owne handes which cawsed all men both to dread him and to shunne his companie And as he grewe in yeares so did he also increase in malice and wickednes and ranne without raine or bridle euen as his outragious mynd caried him into all kindes of mischiefe He had two sisters the one called Francis the other Ginoccia which were also dissolute and light of behauiour and specially Ginoccia which was wholly geuen to vaintie and superfluous decking of her selfe And yet had she euermore a care to keepe the virginitie of her bodie which she did rather for feare of shame in the wordle then for anie feare or loue of God Which thing was no small griefe to their mother Rabes who being a woman that feared God and tendred much the soules health of her daughters went on a daie to the holie maid and declaring the state of her daughters besought her for Gods loue that she would bee so good as to come with her and geue them some godlie exhortation The holie maid which had euermore a passing great desire to wynne soules to God went with the gentlewoman with a verie good will and did as she was required And her wordes so wrought in the hartes of those two yong maidens that they gaue ouer all the vanities of the wordle and tooke the habite of S. Dominicke Ginoccia foorth with and Francis soone after In the which rule and discipline they liued a verie streight and rigorous life
good men became a newe man and liued in the state of matrimonie a verie quiet and orderlie life to the great comfort of his frindes and example of vertue to as manie as chaunced to conuerse with him How the holie maid obteined by praier the conuersion of a gentleman called Nannes Chap. 13. THere was in the cittie of Siena a worshipful gentleman called Nannes de Vannis which bare a great swaie emong the people by reason that as he was a verie fierce and warlike man so he was also of a meruelous suttle and craftie wit to deale in wordlie affaires This Nannes with the rest of his familie allies and frindes mainteined a faction and perpetual quarrel against certaine other families in the cittie who dreading his power and policie sought by meanes and with great submission to make their peace with him He made them answere that it was all one to him whether they had peace or no peace and that for his owne part he was verie readie and willing to come to accord if they could wynne certaine other to it to whome it apperteined as well as to him selfe And thus he gaue them verie faire wordes and put them in hope of peace but in the meane tyme he dealt secretly with those other persones willing them to stand stiffely to it and in no wise to condescend to anie condicions of peace This matter came to the eares of the holie maid which seeing herein a goodlie occasion ministred vnto her of working a verie charitable worke sought by manie meanes to speake with him But euermore when he vnderstood that she was comyng towardes him he fled from her euen as the serpent is wont to flee from the enchantour that cometh to charme him At the length by the importunitie of a certaine holie Heremite of S. Augustines order called brother VVilliam an English man they wonne so much of him that he was content to heare the holie maid speake but yet with this protestation that whatsoeuer she said concernyng the accord he was fixed and would not be remoued And with this resolution he went to the holie maides house at a tyme when she was abrode by a verie vrgent occasion of procuring the health of soules But Doctour Raimundus by the prouidence of God was there at that tyme who vnderstanding that Nannes was comyng was verie glad of it for he knewe that the holie maid had a great desire to speake with him Wherefore he went out to meete with him and to geue him enterteinement vntill her returne When they were come into the house Doctour Raimundus lead him the waie into the holie maides chapple or oratorie where he caused him to sit downe and ministred such talke vnto him as he thought most conuenient to protracte the tyme. But after that they had sate there a litle while and sawe that she came not Nannes thought the tyme long and therefore began to breake with Doctour Raimundus after this maner Father said he I promised brother VVilliam that I would come hither and speake with the holie maid But now seeing she is abrode about some other busines and I haue at this present certaine affaires that must needes be dispatched out of hand I praie you excuse me vnto her and tell her that I would gladly haue spoken with her if she had ben at home Doctour Raimundus was verie sorie that the holie maid came not awaie Howbeit to wynne yet a litle more tyme he tooke occasion to enter in talke with him concernyng the peace and asked him how the matter stood betweene such and such persones Whereunto he made answere after this maner Father said he to you that are a priest and religious and to this blessed maid of whome I heare report of great vertue and holines I will make no lie but tell you plainely and syncerely how the case standeth betweene these men True it is that I am he that letteth this accord and agreement though in deed it seeme otherwise because the matter is openly contriued by others I alone do priuily mainteine and vphold one side and if I alone would geue my consent to the peace the matter were ended But to tell you my meanyng in fewe wordes my peace shal be made and firmed with the blood of myne aduersaries This is my resolution and from this I will not be remoued Wherefore I praie you set your hartes at rest and trouble me no more And with that he rose vp and tooke his leaue to depart But Doctour Raimundus was verie loth to let him goe and therefore though he sawe that he was vnwilling to tarrie there and for that cause loth also to heare anie moe wordes of that or anie other matter yet did he to gaine more tyme aske him diuerse and sundrie questions and by that meanes held him there so long that the holie maid was come home and entred into the house before he could get out of the oratorie When Nannes sawe the holie maid he was sorie that he had taried so long But she was right glad to see him there and bad him welcome after a verie charitable and louing maner and caused him to sit downe againe And when he was sette she asked him the cause of his comyng He made her answere and declared so much in effecte as he had declared before to Doctour Raimundus adding his protestation withal that concernyng that matter of the peace he would abide no talke for he was resolutely bent to the contrarie The holie maid hearing that began to exhort him to brotherlie loue and concord and shewed him withal what a dangerous and damnable state they were in that liued out of charitie But he gaue but a deaffe eare to her wordes Which thing she perceaued well inough and therefore she sate still and spake no more to him but casting vp her eyes and hart to God she besought him of grace and mercie for that hard harted man When Doctour Raimundus which had euermore a diligent eye to the holie maid had espied that he spake some wordes to Nannes to occupie him the while nothing doubting but that she should worke some better effecte in him by that silent praier then both he and she had done before with manie wordes And so it prooued in deed for within a litle tyme after he spake to them both after this maner It shall not be said of me that I am so hard and vntractable that I will haue myne owne mynd in all thinges and relent in nothing I will condescend to your mynd in some one thing and then I will take my leaue of you I haue fower quarels in the cittie of the which I am content to put one into your handes Doe in it what you shall thinke good make you my peace and I will abide your order With that he rose vp and would haue gone his waie But in the rising being inwardly touched he said these wordes to him selfe O Lord what comfort is this that I feele at this instant in
The which when the holie maid perceiued she gaue charge to the rest that were about her that they should haue a care of the confesssours and prouide them of thinges necessarie Which was in deed verie requisite for they were so intentiue to their spirituall haruest and tooke such a passing inward delite to see the wonderfull increase that almightie God had sent in all places where they trauailed with the holie maid that they liue mynded either meat or drincke or anie thing els belongyng to the bodie And when all bodilie recreations failed it was no small recreation and comfort to them to see the holie maid her selfe what a spirituall Iubilee she kept and how her hart did as it were leape and daunce for ioye when she sawe such nombers of soules to leaue the broade waies of their accustomed synfull life and now by her direction to walke in the narrowe pathes of Gods holie commandements And as the wordes of the holie maid had a wonderfull vertue and strenght in drawing the hartes of such as were present and might heare her speake so had she also a singular gyfte of perswasion in her writinges to them that were absent and might not heare her wordes as it maie appeere by her letters writen with a meruelous heauenlie grace and eloquence to Popes and Cardinalls to Kinges and Princes to Bishops and Prelates to Lordes and Rulers to communities and common weales to Magisitates and priuate citisens to religious persones both men and women and also to diuerse and sundrie secular persones And such was her zeale and charitable affection towardes all kindes of men that whether they were present or absent she omitted not to doe good where soeuer occasion was ministred How the holie maid made manie goodlie sermons or collations in the presence of Pope Gregorie and afterwardes likewise in the presence of Pope Vrbanus and his Cardinals Cap. 15. AFter that this chosen vessell of God was apointed to shewe her selfe to the wordle as is before declared to beare the name of Christ before kinges and rulers and all other states of men and women she made diuerse and sundrie sermons in the presence of Pope Gregorie the eleuenth with such a wonderfull grace eloquence and authoritie that the Pope him selfe and all that were about him were astoined to heare her And afterwardes being required by Pope Vrbanus his successour to doe the like in open consistorie she made such a wonderfull and dreadfull oration concerning the particular prouidence of God ouer his Church and ouer the head pastour of the same whom she declared to be the said Pope Vrbanus the sixt affirming constantly before them all that she vnderstood so much by a most certaine reuelation from God and she rebuked both the pope and all his Cardinals with such a constant boldnes for their base myndes and lacke of manlie courage in Gods cause that they were all enforced to confesse that it was not she that spake but the spirite and wisedome of God in her Whereupon Pope Vrbanus turning him selfe to the rest said these wordes Behold brethren how contemptible we are become in the sight of God for being thus fearefull in his cause Our Lord hath sent here a seelie woman to controll and reproach vs of cowardise I call her a seelie woman not for anie defecte that I note in her but only to expresse the frailtie of her sexe or kind which as you knowe is naturally more subiecte to feare then we are It would be thought in this case that she as a woman should be timorous and we manlie and stoute But we see nowe that we are faint harted and deiected and she contrariwise verie full of manlie courage and comfort It is surely a great shame and reproach to vs all that we haue need to be comforted at this tyme by a woman Howbeit seeing it is the will of God to send vs such a comforter let vs accept it especially considering that her wordes are most true which are that the vicare of Christ ought not to feare though the whole wordle should set them selues in armes against him for so much as almightie God who hath taken the charge and protection of him is stronger then the wordle When the pope had said these wordes he turned him selfe to the holie maid and gaue her a verie graue testimonie of vertue and holines And when he had so done he opened the treasure of the Church and gaue manie spirituall graces both to her and to them that were there with her Manie other collations did she make in places where occasion was ministred to edifie soules to the great profit and comfort of them that heard her as it maie appeere in part by some thinges that are alreadie declared in this booke before and more by this present matter and some other thinges that shal be declared hereafter How the holie maid was sent to Pope Gregorie from the Florentines about a treatie of peace and how she was sent backe againe with the condicions of peace in her owne hand Chap. 16. ABout the yeare of our Lord 1375. the citie of Florence which had in foretymes shewed it selfe euermore loiall and obedient to the Sea Apostolike being moued partly by the instigation of certaine euell disposed citizens that were in authoritie and partly also as it was thought by the lewd demeanour of some insolent persones that bare office in the Church began to withdrawe their obedience and to ioyne them selues with the enemies of the Church By reason whereof there ensued a general reuolt in Italie almost of all the territories that belonged to the Sea Apostolike which were at that tyme as it is reported to the nomber of three score cities and ten thousand walled townes Pope Gregorie the eleuenth seeing that proceeded against the Florentines by waie of excommunication whereof it came to passe that their merchantes and trauailers wheresoeuer they went were taken robbed and spoiled in all places and debarred of all trafficke with other nations The which smart and losse of temporal goods so pinched them that they were enforced to seeke all possible meanes how they might be reconciled to the Popes holines againe And because they vnderstood that the holie maid was in great credite and fauour with the Pope by reason of her vertue and holines the lordes and principal rulers of the cittie thought good that Doctour Raimundus her Confessour should be sent before as it were to make her waie And that done they sent for the holie maid also And when she was come almost to the cittie of Florence they went out against her to receiue her with all honour and besought her for Gods loue that she would take the paines to goe to Auinion where the Pope was then resident and to entreate him to condescend to certaine reasonable condicions or peace The holie maid had such a passing desire to make peace that she cast no doubt neither of the trauaile and tediousnes of the long iourney nor yet of the effecte
of her paines with the Popes holines but tooke it vpon her with a verie good will When she came to Auinion she spake to the Pope so effectually and vsed such perswasible meanes to induce him to condescend to the peace that he without anie further deliberation or sticking at the matter made her this resolute answere Daughter said he that you maie see how much I tender peace and concord I put the whole matter in your hand Doe in it as you shall thincke good Only this haue a regard to the honour of the Church And with that he reuoked his processe and sentence of excommunication against the cittie of Florence by reason wherof they had some respite for a tyme from such vexations and troubles as they suffred before in all places where they had trafficke with other nations The which when certaine craftie persones that bare the swaie at that tyme emong the people perceiued they thought to vse the oportunitie of that release to the furtherance of their malicious intent which was to hinder the peace And though they spake openly of pacification yet did they worke couertly by all possible meanes to depraue and discredite whatsoeuer was spoken or done for the confirmation of the same In so much that when the holie maid sent the condicions of peace to them requiring them to set their handes to them and to make a publike instrument vpon the same as the maner is when anie composition of peace is made they denied vtterly to doe it The which thing Pope Gregorie foresawe verie well and in deed said these wordes to the holie maid before she sent vnto them Beleeue me Catherine said he these Florentines haue beguyled thee And either they will send thee none answere at all or if they doe they will not doe it to such effecte as thou requirest And in truth as he said so it was For afterwardes when the Embassadours came from Florence to the Pope and it was thought that they should haue conferred with the holie maid they refused it plainely and said that they had no such commission The holie maid seeing that was in deed verie sorie to see ther vnhonest and craftie dealing Howbeit she ceased not to asswage the displeasure of the Popes holines iustly conceaued against them and she vsed meruelous meanes to perswade him that he should rather shewe him selfe a pitiful father towardes them then a rigorous iudge While the matter stoode in these termes the Pope being resolued to returne againe to the cittie of Rome which was also wrought by the wonderful perswasion of the holie maid thought good to differre this treatie of peace with the Florentines vntill he came thither where it might be done with better oportunitie And so the Pope returnyng to Rome the holie maid with Doctour Raimundus and the rest of her companie went home to Siena where she busied her selfe after her accustomed maner about the wynning of soules to God How the holie maid was sent backe from Pope Gregorie to the Florentines with the condiditions of peace freely put in her owne hand Cap. 17. AT what tyme these thinges were in doing it chanced that Doctour Raimundus was verie familiarly acqueinted with a worshipful gentleman of Florence called Maister Nicolas Soderines who was well thought of emong all good men for vertue and godlines Doctour Raimundus reasonyng with him on a tyme and complainyng of the vniust dealyng of the Florentines in that treatie of peace the gentleman made answere that in truth it was the fault of some fewe which being in office and authoritie emong the people were able to lead the multitude where they listed And if those fewe could by anie meanes be displaced he doubted not but that anie iust demaund would be heard emong the people When Doctour Raimundus had heard that he conferred with the holie maid and by her aduise drewe out certaine treaties of peace which were thought both verie honorable and also verie profitable for both parties if they might be receiued and exhibited the same to the Popes holines as sent from her And declared withall what he had heard of the afore named gentleman concernyng the hinderance of the said peace Within a fewe daies after the Pope called for Doctour Raimundus againe and spake vnto him I haue said he receiued letters in the which it is signified vnto me that if the holie maid will goe to Florence the peace is like to be concluded To that Doctour Raimundus made answere that not only the holie maid but he also and all the rest of her spiritual sonnes and daughters would be found readie at all tymes to offer them selues to Martyrdome whensoeuer anie like occasion was ministred to shewe them selues dutiful and obedient children to our holie mother the Church No said the Pope I thinck it not good that you should goe at this tyme. It maie be dangerous for you But she being a woman and also holden in great reuerence emong them for her vertue and holines maie I thinke goe without anie danger And so it was concluded and the Pope wrote his letters to the cittie of Florence in the which he gaue her a meruelous testimonie of holines and with the same sent her as an oratrice from the Sea Apostolike When she came to Florence she was receiued of the godlier sort with all honour and reuerence and by the meanes of the afore mentioned Maister Nicolas Soderines came to conferre priuately with manie of those citizens that liued in the feare of God who were easilie induced by her to accepte the peace that was offred vnto them by the Popes holines After this she went and conferred likewise with that companie or partie of the cittie that were called Guelphi and to them set out with manie vehement wordes what a prowde insolent and vngrateful part it was to hinder that holie peace calling those fewe that were the doers therof enemies and vndoers of all common weale and therefore vnmeete to beare office emong the people She declared furthermore what a profit was like to insue to their cittie by that peace if it might be receiued not only in their temporal goods but also and much more for the furtherance edifying of soules Then she shewed the heynousnes of their faicte to be such in the sight both of God and man that if the rigour of lawes and iustice should be extēded vpon them they had deserued to be extremely punished in bodie and soule Last of all she gaue them to vnderstand what a fatherlie loue the Popes holines bare to them and how inclinable he was to shewe mercie if they would submit them selues seeke it at his hāds And these pointes she set out vnto them with such a comelie grace with wordes of such efficacie that all those Magistrates with manie other honest citizens being brought by her talke into an vtter misliking of their present troublesome state and also into a great loue and longyng after that blessed peace which they sawe
euidētly by her wordes must needes turne them to verie great cōmoditie and comfort wēt foorth with to the lordes and nobilitie of the citie perswaded with thē that in anie case they should seeke to be recōciled to the Popes holines And because certaine persones ther present had openly impugned this peace and specially one capitaine or principal man of the partie called Guelphi which were in nōber eight had spokē against it in plaine wordes they depriued thē of their offices Wherof there ensued a great turmoyle in the citie by reason that the persones so depriued for enuie malice to be reuēged of those that had caused it sought by the fauour of the people to cause manie other to be depriued also in the end caused so manie to be depriued that for lacke of discreete Magistrates there grewe much disorder in the common weale And though the holie maid did shewe openly at all tymes in all places that she had no liking of these broiles but rather great heauines sorrow to see that whereas her meaning was to set thē at vnitie concord abrode her charitable trauaile was through the malice of certaine euel disposed persones made an occasion of ciuile discord and tumult at home yet there lacked not a nomber of wicked and diuelish men which bare the common people in hand that the holie maid and such as she dealt withal were the cause of raising those troubles in the citie Whereupon first of all they bent them selues against those men that had ben doers in anie degree about the afore mentioned depriuation And of them some were driuen out of the cittie some were slaine and some were constreined to flee for feare Then they began to make outcries against the holie maid her selfe Some said Come let vs goe to that naughtie womans house Some others said Let vs kill the queanc and cut her in peeces With these and other the like wordes those good folkes that kept her were put in such feare least some great mischiefe might come either to them selues or to their houses for her sake that they entreated her to depart Whereat she shewed her selfe to be no more moued neither in wordes nor yet in countenance then if there had ben no such thing But smyling sweetely to her selfe as her maner was and speaking comfortably to the rest she went her waie into an orchyard not farre from thence Where when she had made an exhortation to those deuout persones that were about her she set her selfe to praier While the holie maid was thus praying in the orchyard after the example of our Sauiour Christ there came rushing in vpon her a fierce companie of cruell men with clubbes speares and swoordes readie drawen showting and crying horribly Where is that naughtie woman where is that cursed wretch where is she With the noyse of this outragious and beastlie crie the holie maid being as it were violently broken of the sweet sleepe of her meditation start vp sodainly and ranne to meete with them with as louelie and cheerefull a countenance as if she had ben a yong spouse and had gone to receiue her loue whom she had long looked for And seing emong them one man that came on faster then his companie hauing a verie cruell and murdering looke shaking his swoord after a dreadfull manner and crying lowder then the rest where is the naughtie woman which is she which is Caterine she offred her selfe to him and kneeling downe before him said I am Caterine Doe your will with me but let these alone At those wordes the cruell harted man that came with a full purpose to strike her was so striken himself that he had neither strength to hold vp his hand against her nor boldnes to looke her once in the face She kneeled boldly before him without anie weapō and he stood trembling before her with his swoord in his hand There lacked no will nor boldnes in her to receiue the stroke but there lacked both strength and courage in him to geue it As it maie appeere by a letter that she wrote afterwardes to doctur Raimundus in the which she maketh a verie pitifull lamentation that she could not at that tyme effectually offer vp her blood to the vspoted lambe of God that had offred vp his most precious blood so freely vpon the Crosse for her loue Now though this wicked attempt of these furious men was thus staied by the mightie hand of God Yet did there remaine such a feare striken into the hartes of all good folkes both of the citie and of her companie and retinue that no man hauing the boldnes to receiue her into his house they all gaue her counsell to depart But she vpon a great affiance that she had in the mercifull goodnes of God and also as a prophetesse well assured of the finall successe and effecte of the matter said in plaine wordes that she would neuer depart the citie vntill the peace were fully and perfectly concluded Which thing came to passe within a fewe daies after euen as she haid said when Pope Gregorie was dead and Pope Vrbanus chosen in his place At what tyme the first mouers and principall workers of this tumult in the citie of Florence were seuerely punished and specially those that did anie thing against the holie maid And a firme peace was made established betweene the Popes holines and their cittie to the honour of God and great comfort not only of both parties but of all Christendome besides How the holie maid shewed her selfe to be excellently well learned both by her writinges and workes set out to the wordle and also by her conferences and disputations had with certaine great learned men Chap. 18. YF anie man doubt whether the holie maid were learned let him reade her workes namely her booke of Epistles or the Dialogue that she wrote concernyng the prouidence of God and there is no doubt but that he shal be fully satisfied and perswaded that no creature could euer haue conceiued such pointes of high and heauenlie learnyng without a verie special grace light geuen from God And as she shewed her selfe to be diuinely learned by a nomber of bookes and treatises that she endited and set out to the wordle so did she also meruelously satisfie yea and passe the expectation of all learned men that came of purpose to appose her and to trie in deed whether the opinion of such excellent knowledge generally conceiued of her had his true grownd in her or rather in others as they suspected Concernyng this point a blessed and holie man called Steuen sometimes her gostlie child trained vnder her discipline afterwardes a monke of the Charterhouse writeth one verie notable example worthie to be remembred The which can not better be set out then with his owne wordes which are these When Pope Gregorie being in Auinion gaue much audience and reuerence to the holie maid there came three great prelates vnto him and said
great hedach which tormented him verie sore and were as he knewe vndoubted signes of the common infection that raigned ouer the citie at that tyme. The which notwithstanding he did what he could to make an end of his diuine seruice In the mornyng calling a felowe to him he went with great paine towardes the holy maides house whether when he came he found her not at home For she was gone out to visite an other that was sicke Then being no longer able to hold vp his head he laied him selfe downe vpon a couch that was there in her house praied the sisters that they wold send for her with al speed When the holie maid came home and found him there and vnderstood in what case he was she kneeled downe by the bed and laying her hand vpon his forehead she began after her maner to lifte vp her hart to God in praier And foorthwith he sawe that she was quite abstracted from her bodilie senses rauished in sprite Which was no vnwonted sight to him nor yet vncomfortable at that tyme. For he hoped well that she should obteine some great benefite for him both of bodie and soule at Gods hand When she had continued after that maner about the space of halfe an hower he felt in him selfe a mightie alteration and stirring in euerie part of his bodie and withal a vehement prouocation towardes a vomite which he had seene to hapen before to many that had died of that disease How beit it fell not so out with him but rather contrariwise For it seemed to him that he felt sensibly how those corrupt humours that caused his paine were violently drawen from within to the vttermost partes of the bodie And certaine he was that he found present ease of his paines And before the holie maid came to her selfe againe he was fully and perfectly restored to his health sauing only that there remained a litle feeblenes in him which he thought our Lord suffred to remaine in him as a token either of the disease that was cured or els of the weakenes of his faith So soone as the holie maid had obteined this grace at Gods hand for her ghostlie father she was foorthwith restored to her bodilie senses And finding him as yet in some weakenes she willed her sisters to prouide some meate for him such as is wont to be geuen to sicke folkes The which when he had receiued at her holie hand she willed him to lie downe and rest a while and so he did And when he had rested a litle tyme he rose vp and felt him selfe as strong and in as good liking as if he had neuer ben sicke Then said the holie maid to him Father goe your waie and labour about the edifying of soules and be thankeful to almightie God that hath deliuered you out of this present danger The like miracle did the holie maid worke about the same tyme vpon father Bartilmewe of whome mention hath ben made diuerse and sundrie tymes before The miracle was much alike but the cure seemed somewhat greater biause he was both longer and also more grieuously sicke How the holie maid healed a great nomber that were sicke of other diseases after the like maner Chap. 4. AFter the tyme that this pestilence was ceased in Siena it chaunced that manie deuout and well disposed persones as well religious as others but specially certaine Nunnes of Pisa hearing the fame of the holie maid had a great desire to see her and to heare her doctrine which was reported to be and was in deed verie wonderful And because it was not lawful for many of them that had this godly inclination to come to her to Siena they sent letters and messengets to her very often beseeching her that she would take the paines to come ouer to them to Pisa And to allure her the more to take that iourney vpon her they declared vnto her what frute and gaine of soules was like to ensue by her comyng thither The holie maid though she had no desire to be from home yet being ouercome with their long importunate sute especially considering that there was great hope of winning soules to God first she asked the aduise of them that liued in house with her of the which compaine some were with her going to Pisa and some against it Then when she sawe that she could not be resolued by men she fled vnto almightie God as her maner was and besought him humbly that he would vouchsafe to make her to vnderstand what his will and pleasure was that she should doe in that case And it came to passe after certaine daies that our Lord appeered to her and willed her that she should accomplish the godlie request of those his seruantes hand maides in Pisa without delaie Wherupon she went to her ghostelie father and declaring thus much to him besought him like an obedient daughter that he would geue her licence to doe as she was willed by God He assented willingly to her demaund and went him selfe with her and with him two other of his brethren to heare the confessions of such as should resort vnto her according to a graunt made to her by Pope Gregorie the eleuenth When she came to Pisa she lodged in the house of an honest citizen called maister Gerardus where on a daie there was presented vnto her a certaine younge man of the age of twentie yeares or there about which had ben sore vexed with a quotidian ague for the space of a yeare and halfe and neuer missed one daie And though there were no fit of an ague vpon him at that tyme yet might she see that he had ben long sicke For whereas he was by constitution of bodie a verie strong and lustie yong man he was now brought so lowe that he had neither flesh strength nor colour And no medicine could be found that would doe him good Wherfore they entreated the holie maid that she would commend his lamentable state to God in her praier The holie maid pitied his case verie much and asked him how long it was sence he was last confessed To that he answered and said that it was a good manie yeares Yea said she and that is the cause whie our Lord hath laied this discipline vpon you bicause yee would not clense your soule in all this tyme by confession Wherfore deere sonne see that yee goe out of hand to confession and rid your selfe of these sinnes that haue infected you both bodie and soule With that she caused Doctour Thomas her owne confessour to be called and deliuered the yong man to him willing him to heare his confession That done the yong man returned to her againe and she laied her hand vpon his shoulder and said these wordes Sonne goe your waie with the peace of our Lord Iesus Christ For I will not that these agues trouble you anie more She said and it was done for the almightie power of him spake in her who said and it
seditious citizens against the holie maid that her freendes doubting and fearing her life counseled her to depart But she made them answere that she had an expresse commaundement from God not to depart vntill the peace were fully agreed vpon and openly published in the said citie Howbeit she was contented a litle to geue place to the furie of the people and to withdrawe her selfe into a secret place not farre from the citie there to remaine for a tyme vntill the tempest were somewhat asswaged Now as she was preparing her selfe to his voiage in a maner readie to set foreward one of her sisters called Ione fell sicke Her foote was swollen very much of what cause no man knewe he paine anguish wherof was so great that it cast her into an ague also By reason wherof she was not in state to take that iourney with the rest of her compaine VVhen the holie maid vnderstood of her sickenes being vn willing to leaue her there behind bicause she was manie waies subiecte to the furie and malice of naughtie men she fled to her accustomed refuge of praier besought almighty God of his infinity mercie that he would prouide for the indēnitie of her sister God heard the petition of his spouse For al the whil that she continued thus in praier that other sister slept sloundely Out of the which sleepe so soone as she awaked she found her selfe in as perfecte health strength as if she had neuer ben sicke And so she rose vp set her selfe in order went the same mornyng with the maid and the rest of the compaine so nimbly that they wer al astoined to se it When Pope Greg. had resolued to remoue out of Frāce vnto the citie of Rome againe the holie maid likewise with doctour Raimundus the rest of her retinue departed from auinion towardes Italie And passing through the prouince they came to a citie called Tolonne where when they had taken vp their Inne the holie maid to auoid the presse of the people which flocked meruelously about her in al places to doe her honour left her compaine and as her maner was conueied her selfe as secretly as was possible to an inner chamber And her whole compaine knowing how troublesome such resort had ben to her at at other tymes did what they could to prouide that fewe or none should knowe of her being there But as they vsed all diligence to keepe the matter secret so it seemed that the verie stones of the streete cried out and be wraied her to the people for she was no sooner in her chamber but that they came to the house from all partes of the citie flocking in great nombers first of women and then of men and asked wher that holie Ladie was that came from the court of Rome At the length when Doct Raimundus the rest sawe that the matter could no longer be hidden being ouercome with the importunate pressing of the people they were contented to admit the women only Emong whome there was one that had a yong infant so strangely swollen especially in the bellie that it seemed rather a mōster thē a child for the which infant the women besought the holie maid that she would vouchsafe to take it into her armes she refused it at the first for humilities sake but afterwardes being ouercome with pitie and seeing their faith she yealded vnto thē So sone as the child was in her armes it beganne to let out out great store of wind and with that in the presence of all that multitude the swelling of his bellie and whole bodie asswaged and she gaue it againe to the mother in perfecte health and shape of bodie The fame of this miracle being spread thoroughout the citie it came to the eares of the bishop Who sent out of hand for Doctour Raimundus and desired him that he would be a meane to the holie maid that he might speake with her and told him withal that the child vpon whom this great miracle was wrought was nephewe to his vicare generale She came with doctour Raimundus and certaine of her sisters and spake with the bishop and he found him selfe meruelously well edified by her talke and behauiour Manie other miracles did the holie maid worke to the benefite and health of mens bodies But these maie suffice to declare that the power of God dwelt in her which was the principal worker of all these thinges How the holie maid made good bread of fustie and stincking corne and how she multiplied the same Chap. 5. BIcause the order of iustice requireth that such as shewe thē selues perfectly obediēt to God should be obeied of all his creatures our Lord to declare to the wordie that the obediēce of his spouse was verie perfecte towardes him caused his creatures likewise to shewe their obedience towardes her At the tyme while the holie maid liued in Siena it chaunced that a yong widowe called Alexia of whom mention hath bē made oftentimes before in this booke bare such a singular affectiō to her that it seemed she could not almost liue without her For the which cause she gaue ouer the wordle tooke the habite vpō her which the holy maid ware and forsaking her owne house tooke an house neere vnto the place where the holie maid dwelt that she might resort vnto her more commodiously continue longer tyme in her compaine And the holie maid likewise to auoid the distractions of her fathers house and to retire her selfe more closely to praier and contemplation would goe to the house of Alexia and there continue with her sometymes whole daies sometymes whole weekes yea and sometymes whole monethes At that tyme it chaunced one yeare to be such a scarcitie of corne in the citie countrie that the people were constreined to eate bread made of fustie and stincking corne that had ben kept long tyme vnder the ground in cesternes caues bicause there was none other to be gotten for money Of such corne had Alexia made prouision for her selfe and her familie for that yeare But before her store was spent the haruest tyme was come and she heard tell that there was newe corne to be sold in the market wherupon she thought to cast awaie that litle portion that was lefte of the stinking corne and buye newe But before she did it the holie maid being in house with her she chaunced to breake her mynd to her and to tell her what she was about to doe What will yee doe said she Will you cast that awaie that God hath sent for the sustenance of man If you will not eate of that bread your selfe yet bestowe it vpon the poore that haue no bread to eate To that Alexia replied and said that she had a conscience to geue such stinking vnholesome bread to the poore she would rather buye newe corne and make them bread of that Well said the holie maid bring me here a litle warer and that meale which you mynd
my sweet mother secret from me wherefore would yee not call me to be present with others at her passage out of the worlde They excused them selues alleaging certaine reasonable cawses which did in some degree satisfie her mynd VVell then said she I praie you tell me what tyme she departed Yester daie said they about eight of the clocke she gaue vp the ghost VVith that she rent her owne face with her nailes and cried out ruthfully I sawe her I sawe my sweet mother euen when she departed out of her bodie I sawe her caried vp into heauen by the ministerie of Angels crowned with three precious crownes clad solomnely with statelie robes of shynyng white Now I knowe that it was our Lord that sent his Angel to shewe me the departure of my good mother It was he that prouided for me that I should heare Masse so late And which is more I see now that it was our Lord him selfe that supplied my charge miraculously in the dressing of my childrens dyner O mother O deere mother O sweete mother whie wouldest thou not geue me to vnderstand that it was thou that diddest depart out of this life VVhen she had thus eased her hart somewhat with weeping and speaking she declared to those religious sisters and to the rest that stoode there about the beere what a goodlie vision our Lord had shewed her at that verie tyme whē the holie maid passed out of this world with all such other thinges as haue ben recited here to fore Wherof they all glorified God and tooke no small comfort How the holie maides bodie laie three daies three nightes aboue the ground vnburied and of a nomber of miracles which it pleased our Lord to work in that meane time C. 10. WHile the holie maides bodie laie thus within the chappel of S. Dominicke the people came in so fast frō all partes of the citie to kisse her handes and feete to touch some part of her garmentes to commend thē selues to her praiers that they were cōstreined for satisfying the peoples deuotion to keepe her aboue the ground vnburied for the space of three daies three nightes In the which tyme very manie came thither brought with them a nōber of weake impotent creatures hoping that they should obtein their recouerie and health at Gods hād through the holy praiers merites of the B. virgin And they wer not deceiued in their hope expectatiō There was dwelling in the citie of Rome at that tyme a sister of the third order of S. Francis called Dominica borne in Bergamo a citie of Lombardie which had one of her armes benommed and as it were withered and dried vp in such sort that for the space of six monethes before the departure of the holie maid she had no vse of it This Dominica came to the Church and to the chappel where the holie corps laie But bicause being a weake woman she could not come her selfe to touch anie part of her bodie or garmentes by reason of the great presse and crowd of the people she praied some one that stood there neere to the beere that he would be so good as to take a vele of hers and put it to some part of the bodie and so deliuer it vnto her aganie When she had receiued her vele againe she put it to her armes and foorthwith her arme was perfectly healed and in as good state as euer it was before The which when she perceiued she cried out for ioye and declared to all the people that were there present what a wonderfull worke our Lord had wrought vpon her Whervpon they brought in manie other weake and feeble creatures hoping thad if they might come to touch but only the hemme of her garmentes they should be made whole Emong others they brought in a child of fower yeares old whose sinowes in his necke were shronken that he held his head euermore vpon his shoulder and could not lifte it vp When this child was brought thither they held him downe to the beere that the holie maides hand might touch that part that was so shronken and they tooke the vele that was ouer the holie maides head and put it about the childes necke And foorthwith the child began to amend and in the presence of all that people within a verie litle tyme lifte vp his head and was fully and perfectly healed After this an honest citizen of Rome called Lucius Cauarulis which was so grieuously pained with an incurable disease in his hippe and legge that he could scantly endure to goe a verie litle waie with the helpe of a staffe or crooch hearing the fame of the great miracles that were wrought by almightie God in the honour of the holie maid came with passing great paine and trauaile to the Church of the Friers preachers And when he was come thither he found the meanes by the helpe of others to be caried to the place where her bodie laie And there with great deuotion he tooke her hand and laid it vpon the partes diseased to witt vpon his thigh and legge He had no sooner done so but that he felt immediatly a present ease and helpe And before he departed from thence was perfectly cured of his disease and maine to the great wonder and astonishment of all the people In like maner a yong maid called Ritozola vpon whome a verie lothsome and stincking leprie was so farre growen that her nose and vpper lippe were foulie disfigured with the same hearing in the citie the brute and talke of these strange miracles came to the Church and pressed to approch neere to the holie corps but was diuerse tymes repelled by them that stood there about the beere Al the which not withstanding she assaied againe and againe and at the length with much a doe gate in When she was entred she went foorthwith and put her nose and lippe that were so pitifully disfigured not only to the feete and handes of the holie maid as others did but also to her face VVhereby she was so fully cured of her foule disease that there remained not so much as anie litle signe or token of the leprie in her face A certaine Romaine called Typreus had a daughter which in her tender age fel into a verie grieuous infirmitie called the ptisicke of the which she could not be cured by anie medicine This Typreus and his wife whose name was Lella hearing the fame of these great miracles that were wrought by the holie maid commended their daughter with great deuotion vnto her and caused their daughter to touch a certaine kerchiefe and beades that had touched the holie maides bodie A wonderful thing The yong maid that was before despaired of phisicions and other foorthwith vpon the touching of these thinges without any longer time or helpe of medicine found her selfe to be in as good state of bodie as euer she was in her life before and so continued In this tyme likewise while the bodie of the holie
maid laie aboue the ground there was in Rome a certaine citizen called Antonie Lellipeeters which by ouer labouring his bodie had fallen into such a nommenes of his limmes that he was as it were an impotent man and could neither walke nor stand And the phisicions could find nothing in their art that could either cure him wholly of his disease or ease him in anie degree of his extreme paine This Antonie hearing what wonderful thinges were done by the holie maid commended him selfe deuoutly vnto her and made a vowe that he would doe some special thing to her might honour if he be deliuered by her merites He had no sooner geuen out that vowe in his hart but that he felt him selfe perfectly healed both of his lamenes and paine and began to walke as nymbly as euer he did in his life before went by and by to the place where the holie corps laie and perfourmed his vowe and declared with great ioye in the presence of all the people there assembled at that tyme what a wonderful grace he had receiued at Gods hand through the merites of that holie maid There was also a certaine deuout matrone in Rome called Paula which was vsed of the holie maid or rather vsed her verie familiary for shee was her hostesse and enierteined both the holie maid and all her companie in her house This Paula was at the tyme of the holie mades departure pained with two diseases which had continued vpon her four monethes before The one was the gowte the other the paine of the flancke And because these two maladies were of such contrarie qualitie that whatsoeuer was ministred vnto her for the helpe of the one was hurtful to the other the one requiring thinges to loose the other contrarie wise thinges to bind the sicke woman was pitifully vexed and manie tymes brought euen to the verie point of death When the holie maid passed out of this life she besought them that were about her verie instantly that they would let her haue certaine thinges that had touched the holie maides bodie The which thinges being geuen vnto her ouer night the next mornyng she rose out of her bed which she was neuer able to doe in fower monethes before and walked as lustely as euer she had done when she was in her best health These and manie other miracles did almightie God worke to the honour of the holie maid in those three daies while her bodie laie vnburied which through the negligence of men were not so duly examined and diligently writen as these Emong other thinges that chaunceed within the space of those three daies one thing which seemeth to geue a certtaine credit confirmatiō to the rest is not to be passed ouer with silence There was a certaine Doctour of diuinitie which in the tyme of that great concourse of people went vp to the pulpet to make a sermon or collation in the the praise of the holie maid And when he had stood there a good while and had assaied by diuerse and sundrie meanes to get him audience and sawe at the length that it would not be he said only these wordes This holie virgin hath no need of our preaching She preacheth much better her selfe then we are able to doe And with that he came downe ano lefte the people sufficiently edified with the wonderful thinges that they sawe there with their eyes What miracles almightie God wrought to honour the holie maid after her burial Chap. 11. WHen the holie maides bodie had ben thus kept three daies and three nightes aboue the ground they buried it Howbeit almightie God ceased not to honour his deere spouse with miracles but wrought both moe and greater thinges then before A certaine Romaine called Iohn Veries had a litle sonne which could neither goe nor stand vpright on his feete This man hearing by others what great miracles were wrought by the holie maide made a vowe to God and her for the recouerie of his child and brought him to the place where she was buried So soone as the child was laied vpon the holie maides graue his feete and legges receiued firmenes and strength and he began to stand vpright and walke so well as if he had neuer had anie such defecte In like maner one Iohn Tozos had a verie strange and horrible infirmitie in his eyes in so much that there bred wormes in one of his eyes This Iohn made a vowe to the blessed virgin S. Catherine and foorthwith he was perfectly healed of his paineful and lothsome disease Wherupon he went to the holie maides graue and offred vp a certaine memorial of waxe as the maner is in token of his deliuerie and declared what a wonderful grace he had receiued There was also a certaine woman that came out of Germanie to the citie in pilgrimage whose name by negligence of them that were appointed to write these thinges was not taken This pilgrymme had with long sickenes as it were lost the vse of her eyes and was without hope to recouer the same by anie medicine Wherefore she commended her selfe deuoutly to the holie maid and made a vowe So soone as she had so done she receiued her sight againe and came to the graue to perfourme her vowe and sawe as well as euer she had done in her life before There was also a woman of honour in Rome called ladie Marie which had such a grieuous paine in her head that in continuāce of time she lost one of her eyes though she had vsed diuerse and sundrie medecines for the sauing of the same For the which cause partly for sorowe and partly for shamefastnes she kept her self euermor within her owne house would not be seene abrode neither in the church nor els wher in any open place This ladie vnderstanding by others what great thinges had ben wrought in the citie by the holie maid commended her selfe vnto her and made a vowe The night folowing the holie maid appeered to one of her waiting women in her sleepe and willed her to tell her ladie that she should make no mo medecines for her eyes but should goe euerie mornyng to Church to heare the diuine seruice and so doing she should find helpe The ladie hearing that did as she was willed by her seruant and found as she was promised by the holie maid For she recouered not only strenght for that eye that remained which was much weakened but also perfecte sight in that other eye that was quite out And which was the greatest cure of all the eye of her mynd was also restored in such sort that she sawe now how to obserue the commaundement of God in going to the sermons and keeping holie the sondaies and other holie daies commaunded by our holie mother the Church There was also a certaine yong man in Rome called Iames the sonne of a certaine citizen called Peeter Nicols which with long sickenes at the length was brought so lowe that it booted not to minister anie
sicke woman In this meane tyme the slaunderous rumour was bruted and came to her mothers eares Who for her selfe made no doubt at all of her daughters innocēcie for she knewe manie thinges that the worlde knewe not and yet she could not but take it verie heauelie when she heard tell that such a slawnder was raised vpon her The griefe wherof so ouercame her mynd that she flang to her daughter with great heat and vehemencie of spirite and began with her after this maner How often tymes haue I told thee that thou shouldest no more serue yonder stinging old croyne See now what reward she geueth thee for all thy good seruice she hath brought vp a foule slaunder vpon thee emong all thy sisters which God knoweth whether thou shalt euer be able to rid thy selfe of so lōg as thou liuest If euer thou serue her againe after this daie or if euer thou come where she is neuer take me for thy mother For I tell thee plaine I will neuer knowe thee for my daughter These and other the like wordes did the mother vtter in great heate choler whereat the daughter at the first was somewhat astoined But after a litle tyme when she had gathered her selfe together she went to her mother and kneeling downe before her with great reuerence she spake these wordes Sweete mother thinke you that our Lord would be pleased with vs if wee should leaue the workes of mercie vndone bicause our neigbour sheweth him selfe vnthankeful towardes vs When our Sauiour Christ hong on the Crosse and heard there the reprochful talke of that vngrateful people rownd about did he in regard of their cruel wordes geueouer the charitable worke of their redemption Good mother you knowe verie well that if I should leaue this old sicke woman she were foorthwith in great danger to perish for lacke of keeping bicause she should not find anie that would come neere her do such seruice as is requisite to be done about a woman in this case And so should I be the occasion of her death She is now a litle deceiued by the ghostlie enemie but she maie hereafter by the grace of God come to acknowledge her fault and be sorie for the same With such wordes she qualified her mothers mynd gate her blessing and so returned againe to the seruice of the sicke woman About whom she did all thinges with great diligence loue neuer shewing neither in wordes nor in countināce so much as anie token of discontētantiō or displeasure In so much that the sicke sister seeing her demeanour was verie much astoined withal ashamed of that she had done and so began to haue great sorrowe at hart and repentance for the slaunder that she had raised vpon her Then also it pleased our Lord to shewe his mercie towardes his faithful spowse to restore her againe to her good fame estimatimatiō after this maner On a daie the holie maide went to the sicke sisters chamber to serue her as she was wont to doe At what tyme as she was comyng towardes her bed where she laie to doe some thing that was to be done about her behold the sicke woman sawe a meruelous goodlie light commyng downe from heauen which filled all her chamber and was so beautifull and comfortable that it made her vtterly to forget all the paines of her disease What that sight might meane she could not conceiue But looking about her here and there she beheld the maidens face gloriously transformed the maiestie wherof was so strang that she seemed to her rather an Angel of heauen then anie earthlie creature And this beautiful light enuironed the holie virgins bodie rownd about The which brightnes the more the old woman beheld the more did she condemne the malice of her owne hart and tongue in that she had conceiued and vttered so fowle matter as she had done against such an excellent and pure creature as the holie maid then shewed to be This vision continued a good tyme and at the length when it ceased left the sicke woman both in sorrowe and also in comfort In sorrowe bicause on the one side she sawe what a heynous synne she had committed in dissamyng that innocent virgin In comfort bicause on the other side she sawe the mercie of God freely and franckely offred vnto her The which thing so mollified her hart that with much sobbing weeping she confessed her fault to the holie maid and besought her of pardon When the good virgin sawe the hūble maner of her repentance and submission she likewise verie amiably tooke the old woman in her armes kissed her and spake very sweet and comfortable wordes vnto her saying Good mother I haue no displeasure in the worlde against you but only against our enemie the Deuel by whose malice suttiltie I knowe all this is wrought but rather I haue to thanke you with all my hart for you haue put me in mynd to haue a more careful and vigilant regard to my selfe and so doing you haue turned the malicious drifte of the feend to my further good and commoditie With such sweet speeches she comforted the sicke sister and then she set her selfe to doe all such seruices as were wont to be done about her And when she had done all she tooke her leaue verie gently as her maner was and so retired her selfe to her chamber to geue God thankes so the prosperous successe that she had had in this matter and to enter into her accustomed exercise of praier meditation In this meane tyme the old woman who had a great care to restore the innocent virgin to her good name againe when anie of those came to her before whom she had made that slaunderous report tooke occasion to vnburthen her conscience and confessed openly with great lamentation and teares that whatsoeuer dishonestie she had anie tyme reported by that holie maid she had ben induced to report it by the crafte of the deuel not by anie thing that euer she sawe or knewe in her And therfore she cried them all mercie and besought them for charitie to forgeue her She affirmed furthermore that she was able to make good proofe that the holie maid was not only free from all suspicion of anie vncleannes of bodie but also endued with manie high singular graces of God and that she was in deed a verie pure virgin and a Saincte Thus much said she I speake not vpon heresaie or opinion but vpon verie certaine knoweledge Then certaine of the elder and sadder women talked with her secretly and required to vnderstand what certaine tokens and knowledge of holines she had in the maid Whereupon she declared vnto them so much as hath ben here receited before And said furthermore verie constantly and with great feruour of spirite that in all her life tyme she neuer knewe what true sweetnes of sowle and spiritual comfort meant vntill that tyme when she sawe the holie maid so transfourmed
the citie or els to take him and so to put him to death the Romaines stood verie duetifully and fought manie skirmishes in the defence of their citie and bisshop In the which skirmishes manie of them especially of the inferiour sort were taken by the enemie and cruelly handled Some were tied vp against trees and so let alone that they might die a long and paineful death Some other that were thought to be of some abilitie to ransome them selues were lead into a brode field and there after diuerse and sundrie horrible tormentes fettered with chaines and boltes of yron Of these it was generally marcked that so manie as called vpon S. Caterine of Siena were foorthwith loosed of their bandes returned home to their owne houses And some of thē to doct Raimundus and declared to him and other how wonderfully our Lord had wrought for their deliuerance These thinges did almightie God worke to honour the holie virgin after her death burial with many other that were not writen through the negligēce of a certaine notarie whome doct Raimundus put in trust Bicause he was him selfe at that tyme an old man could not remember so manie thinges as were credibly reported to him so particularly so precisely as he knewe was requisite for the credit of a holie legend or historie of a Sainctes life Howbeit whatsoeuer lacked in him or in the notarie was in some degree supplied by the deuotion of thē that had receiued such benefites Of the which there came a meruelous great nōber both men women and offred vp as the maner is certaine images of wax vpō her tōbe in the which was expressed as wel as they could the maner of each miracle to the honour of God the worker and geuer of all good thinges and of his glorious spowse S. Caterine in contemplation of whose merites it pleased him to worke such good thinges at that tyme. A TABL OF THE CHAPTERS CONTEINED IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS BOOKE OF the birth and infancie of this holie virgin and of certeine wonderful tokens of holines that shewed in her euen at that age Chap. 1. Of a verie strange vision shewed vnto her and of certaine wonderful effectes of the loue of God towardes her and of her loue towardes God Chap. 2. Of a bold entreprise which this blessed infant made to liue a solitarie life after the maner of the auncient fathers in Egipt and how she vnderstood that it was not the wil of God that she should enter into that state of life as yet Chap. 3. How she vowed her virginitie vnto almightie God Chap. 4. Of a wonderful zeale that was in her to wynne soules to God and how for that cause she cast a great loue to S. Dominicke and to his order Chap. 5. How she relented somewhat in her spiritual exercises being thervnto induced by the importunitie of her mother sisters who woulde needes haue her to vse some diligence in trymyng her selfe And of the penance wich she did for that offence Chap. 6. How she recouered her wonted libertie in seruing God and was reconciled againe to her spowse How the persecutions that she susteined at home did not only not hurt her but also profit her much Chap. 7. Of her continuance in her feruent and deuout exercises and how her father sawe a doue ouer her head Of a singular affection that she bare to the habit of S. Dominicke and how it was declared vnto her by a cleere vision that she was heard How she preuailed against all those in the house that went about to hinder her holie designementes and vowes Chap. 8. Of her great abstinence Chap. 9. Of her great austeritie about her bed and apparel Chap. 10. Of her wonderful watching and of the griefe that her mother tooke for the same Chap. 11. How she beat her selfe for a long tyme thryce in the daie with a chaine of yron Chap. 12. How she desired earnestly to receiue the habite of S. Dominike and how her mother to turne her mynd lead her awaie to the batthes VVhat penance she did euen in the batthes Chap. 13. How she receiued the habite of S. Dominike and how she was the first virgin that receiued the same Chap. 14. Of the holie vowes designementes and exercises which the blessed virgin vsed after the receiuing of the habite And what effectual exhortations she made to excite her selfe to the seruice of God Chap. 15. Of diuerse and sundrie visions and reuelations shewed vnto her with a doctrine how to discerne betweene true and false visions Chap. 16. Of a verie goodlie and profitable doctrine of our Sauiour worthie to be planted in the hartes of as manie as are desirous to come to spiritual perfection Chap. 17 An other goodlie doctrine by the which a sowle is made pure and meete to enioye the familiaritie of almightie God euen in this life with a miracle wrought by our Lord on the sea for confirmation of the same Chap. 18. Certaine goodlie sayinges which she was wont to vse to excite her selfe and others to the perfection of charitie Chap. 19. Of the straunge batailes which she had against the deuel and how she a med her selfe with a strong faith and other heauenlie vertues and so gate a most glorious victorie ouer her enemie Chap. 20. How the enemie accompanied with a great multitude of vncleane spirites renewed his batterie against this strong fortresse and vsed greater enforcement then before Chap. 21. How our Lord with diuerse other Sainctes visited her oftentymes verie familiarly and how he taught her to read by miracle Chap. 22. How she increased so much in heauenlie contemplations that she was oftentymes rauished in the same and how she was espoused to our Saurour Christ with a ring Chap. 23. Certaine proofes of the holines of this blessed virgin declaring the afore mentioned streight frindship and familiaritie betweene our Lord and her to be a thing vndoubted Chap. 24. A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONTEINED IN THE SECOND PART OF THIS BOOKE HOw the spowse of Christ was made by litle and litle to shewe her selfe to the wordle Chap. 1. Of her vertuous and lowlie conuersation emong men and how she would debase her selfe to doe the vilest seruices in the house Of manie strange visitations excesses and trawnses which she had in the presence of manie Chap. 2. How being in a trawnse she fell into the fyer and there continued a good while without anie harme Chap. 3. Of diuerse and sundrie miracles like to this afore writen And how it pleased our Sauiour Christ to geue the enemie power ouer her bodie Chap. 4. VVhat a charitable affection and great care she had of the poore and of a pleasant matter that fell out about the same Chap 5. An other verie notable example of her great charitie towardes the poore Chap. 6. An other verie wonderfull example of her passing great charitie like to this afore writen Chap. 7. Of two euident miracles which our Lord