described required great peeces of the same he commanded that they should be fetched from Carrara which is a quarrey of white marble of most estimatiō in all Liguria not regarding the charges he tooke order that Ligurian marble should be layd into vessells to be brought about a long circuit for it must needes be conueyed by the Inferū and Superum seas almost all the coast of Italy as long as it is which at last being vnladen either at Ancona or els at the hauen of Recanati were carried to Loreto in cartes where they were polished with the antique worke of the Greekes and Romans by the rarest workmen of that age hired with great expences Meane while Leo bestowed no small benefit on the Church of Loreto The gift of Leo the X. to increase the maiestie and religion of the place For to make the representatiō of the Seate of Loreto more maiesticall God Laur. he made Peter Antonie Perotto the Gouernour when he celebrated Masse the more venerable not onely with Episcopall but also with other ornature and attire and grāted vnto him whē he said Masse to blesse the people with Episcopall authoritie and priuiledge Neither was Leo more carefull to adorne the Prelate of Loreto then the Altar with Pontificall gifts Foure siluer Candlesticks of a cubite and a halfe parcell guilt and ingrauē with curious worke about 50. pound weight a square Canopy were the worthy Donaries of Leo. About the same time the House of Loreto was honoured with other gifts of most noble persons Of Antonie Leiua others Antonie Leiua Generall of the Spanish Armie sent for a gift a vestment of damaske for the Preist curiously wrought with curled gold The Queene of Hungary her owne Image of siluer as if she were praying of XXX pound weight The Marquesse of Mantua vestmēts for the Priest Ministers sacrificing with solemnitie made of siluer and gold And others presented other Donaries who although they were noble personages yet they desired to haue their names concealed in their gi t s of which these be the cheifest A siluer statua of the B. Virgin with the Image of the most sweet child IESVS holding a globe in his hand of 8. pound weight To this was added an other of equall weight like fashion differing onely in this that Christ the little Childe doth sitt in his mothers lappe holding a peare in his right hand Besides there is an other Image of our B. Lady pourtraited in siluer of XI pound weight And also an other of like weight with the ensignes of the Imperiall Eagle that it may not obscurely appeare whence it was sent A Dalmatian Priest commeth to Loreto carrying vp with his hand his bowells pulled out of his bellie CHAP. XVIII MVCH about the same time a wonderfull thing more credible for the infinite power of God then for the strangenes of the fact made the House of Loreto much more illustrious in all the whole world A Dalmatian Priest a man of true simplicitie and of great deuotion to the B. Virgin of Loreto being takē by chāce by the Turkes and by all subtill meanes vrged to renounce his religion would in no wise admitt such wicked persuasions neither into eare nor mind but greatly disdained those importunate wretches and the more to offend them freely called on Christ and likewise on Marie which they stomaking demanding why he repeated those names so often he answered because they be fixed in my bowells Wherupō the Turkes threatned that they would pull forth his very bowells vnlesse in continent he would abiure Christ and Marie You are deceiued said he my bowells indeed you may take from me but Christ and Marie you cannot take from me Then in great rage they assaulted the Priest with a drawne sword who calling on the B. Virgin of Loreto made a vow vnto her that with the first oportunitie he would go to Loreto to visit her if life would giue him leaue Which speach did more enkindle the inraged Turkes for compassing him about and cutting and opening his breast they drew out his bowells tearing them from the vppermost partes and deliuered them to him selfe now halfe dead and by by as they supposed ready to fall downe scorning him in this manner Go make haste carrie thy bowells in which thou saist Marie of Loreto doth adhere vnto her as thou hast vowed And albeit it exceed all credit which we are now to deliuer yet neither the power nor the goodnes of Almightie God For the Priest who was readie to die God prolonging death and giuing him sufficient strength began to set forward and speedilie dispatching a iourney of many dayes came to Loreto carrying his bowells in his hand Which way soeuer he went great resort was made vnto him with desire to see and to know the matter Wherupon the Preist but cheifly to the ministers of the Church of Loreto shewing his open and emptie breast his bowells which he held vp with his hand declared breifly the whole matter leauing them all amazed with the admiration of so great a thing And when he had giuen harty thankes to the B. Virgin armed himselfe with the comfortable succours of Cōfession of the holy Eucharist in the sight and imbracements of the Mother of God as we may belieue he yielded vp his soule The very bowells of the Dalmatian Preist were hong vp hard by the most sacred Cell for strangers to behold and as soone as they were consumed with corruption counterfaite bowells made of wood and affiged in the same place remained there many yeares for a monument of that miracle But because the rude people which came to the Church of Loreto busied their mindes in such spectacles reuerenced the mother of God with lesse care thē they ought to haue donne they were at last remoued thence Yet in time of Pope Paul the III. by occasion of strengthening the pillers which support the thole the rafter on which they did hang being by chance cast downe it was decreed that a Preist holding vp his bowells with his hand and a short narration of the whole matter should be expressed in a table to preserue the memory of so great a miracle to posteritie and sett vp in the Church for all to beholde which at this day is there to be seene And the miracle it selfe is so witnessed that it is wickednes to doubt therof For many do yet liue who affirme that thē selues haue seene the bowells which were made of wood and haue heard many of the Inhabitants report that they had seene the very bowells of the Dalmatian Priest when they were fresh and in their naturall state Diuers assaultes of the Turkes are repelled from the House of Loreto by diuine power CHAP. XIX ABOVT the same time the B. Virgin shewed by vndoubted meanes how pleasing the House of Loreto was vnto her Annal. Laur. Rier Selime the Turkish Emperour and the Nephew of Mahomet comming
Venice and there many yeares together making gaine of her dishonest bodie and heaping vp good store of wealth at last had a desire to see her Countrey returne home againe Therefore turning all her wealth into money with a familiar mate of hers she went towards Loreto intending to wash away the filth of her former life by Cōfesliō to salute the B. Virgin of Loreto that then she might go more ioyfullie into Sicilie But assoone as they came to the wood of Rauenna that good companion seeing all round about secure and the hope of the prey greatly prouoking him set on her vnawares with a drawne sword vpon with a deadlie weapon inuocated the B. Virgin of Loreto But the thiefe our B. Ladie deferring her helpe to haue it more notable cast her from the horse wheron she rode with the wound of the sword pursued her when she was downe and gaue her many blowes ernestlie imploring the help of our B. Ladie At length lest any hope of life should remaine the cruell wretch cut her throate whē she was halfe dead and taking away her golde and iewells and leauing her miserablie wounded departed from her Who tumbling in her owne bloud euen readie to yeeld vp the ghost recommended her agonizing soule to the B. Virgin and in that verie instant was made partaker of the vndoubted help of her Patronesse For presentlie with great glorie of heauenlie brightnes our B. Ladie appeared vnto her in a white garment and bidding her be of good comfort gentlie imbraced her cherished her in her lap in this her extremitie healed the wounds of her body with her touch replenished her sorrowfull hart with heauenly ioy and then admonishing her to lead a chaste life vanished out of her sight Wherewith the woman awaking as it were out of a heauie sleepe and viewing her body all ouer saw that the scarres of her late wounds were closed vp feeling with her hand perceiued also that the deadly woūd of her throate was perfectly cured Wherfore with exceeding ioy she fel downe on her knees and next after God gaue manifold thankes to her most assured Patronesse for so worthie a benefit Yet one thing did disturbe her great ioy which was to be left in the wood by the thiefe in her bloudie torne smocke But the B. Virgin Mother of God was as carefull to prouide for the naked shamefastnes of the womā as she had beene to preuēt the imminēt dāger of death For beholde as she was giuing thākes to our B. Ladie with great deuotion certaine Mulatiers passed that way by chāce who taking compassion to see a yong woman without clothes and imbrued with bloud also pilgrimaging to Loreto as by herself they vnderstood forth with clothed her with a couerlet putting her on a mule carried her to Ancona in token of their deuotiō to the B. Virgin of Loreto Whereuppō assoone as she had begged some meane apparell she went reioycing to Loreto to wash away the blemishes of her life by sacred Cōfessiō to performe her vow to our B. Ladie euerie where intending to publish her singular help by whose benefit without all doubt next after God she was preserued aliue and restored to perfect health when she was at the pointe of death it self To confirme the truth of this miracle she shewed the new signe of the deadlie woūd in her throate and by the prouidence of God there appeared no obscure token of so great a wonder For about her necke did glitter a golden scarre in māner of a chaine that you may playnlie vnderstand that her deadlie wound was toucht and cured by the heauenlie hand of our B. Ladie Which trulie to all that beheld it wherof Raphaell Riera who set it downe in writing was one was not onely a great monumēt of the miracle but euen a miracle of it self And the woman being either allured with the sweetnes of the House of Loreto or els desiring to render due thankes to the Mother of God so well deseruing of her preferred Loreto before her Countrey where she liued many yeares so deuoutlie that she would receiue the holie mysteries verie often then also reuisit the B. Virgin of Loreto to excite the Inhabitants to the seruice of God and his B. Mother with singular example of innocencie and pietie A certaine man of Genua doubting of the House of Loreto being well punished repenteth CHAP. XXIX ABOVT that time Almighty God established the religion of the Cell of Loreto with a famous miracle Annal. Laur. Rier lest any hereafter should doubt therof The yeare 1557. a certaine Genuese whose name we conceale to saue his credit borne of no meane parentage but more curious then godlie went on horsbacke from Genua to Loreto Who in the way by instinct doubtles of the diuell first began to suspect then also to belieue that the House of Loreto was no ancient monument of our B. Ladie but a new muention or superstition and auarice But the wicked cogitation of the mad man was not long vnpun shed For the verie same day the horse on which he rode fell downe vpon him and oppressed him so greatlie with the weight of all his bodie that the miserable man lay bruized and halfe dead vnder his horse in the high way without any hope of helpe because he had none in his companie to do any thing for him His miserie gaue him vnderstanding Whereuppon turning rashues into deuotion he called on our B. Ladie of Loreto Neither in vaine For being presently desiuered of the horse he rose vp safe and sound But the present clemencie of God did not expell the conceiued frenzie of the mad man who within a while returning to his wicked conceite againe made the miracle more notable For hauing gone but a little way and the diuell tempting him more vehementlie then before he thought with himself that the wonders which were reported of the House of Loreto were altogether false But not without punishment For the House of Loreto being now in sight the blindenes of his minde brake out into the bodie by a dymnesse which tooke away his sight presentlie strength began to faile him not well in his witts Therfore trembling for feare and seeming like to one dismaied and not able to guide his horse by the horse himself he was brought to Loreto which stood still at the next Inne where almost faynting and readie to fall downe he was supported by the host who taking him by the hand lead him into a chāber laid him in a bed where carefullie recalling to minde the manifest wrath of Almightie God twice experienced in the same iourney and also fearing greater punishment by the present losse of his sight he began to weepe bitterlie This feare was his health For being assisted by the grace of God he repented and hoping that a penitent might haue safe reguge by the fauour and clemencie of the B. Virgin he besought pardon of God and his B. Mother
conscience he returned vnto the Priest with weeping eyes to wash away his sinnes aswell with teares as by Confession and at last hauing rightly purified his soule he went to the Maiesticall Cell of the B. Virgin shamefastly and fearfully A wonder to be spoken The entrance which was shut vnto his impudency was opened to his shamefastnes A certaine man intending to commit murder in the House of Loreto by miracle is changed to the contrary CHAP. XXVII ABOVT the same time there happened an other not vnlike to this An honest and a rich Cittizen of Ascolo hauing a sonne the seauenth moneth of his new marriage committed him to a Nourse to be brought vp and because he was his onely child and borne before the time he did often visit him with great sollicitude and care But it chanced that suddaine death tooke away the weake child without the Nourses fault Who well knowing what danger she was likely to incurre by the father of the Child a man of fierce disposition forthwith fled secretly to Loreto putting great confidence in the Mother of God Her hope deceiued her not For when he saw his onely child dead he was so enraged with griefe and wrath that he began to blaspheme God and his Saintes and to seeke the Nourses death But when she appeared not he turned his wrath on her husband whome he left for dead hauing giuen him many dangerous woundes Neither did his fury being once imbrued in bloud stay it self heere For knowing of the Nourses flight forthwith he tooke his weapōs made hast to Loreto and rusht into the Church with intent to kill the Nourse euen in the most sacred Cell it self before the B. Virgins face When he had searched euery corner of the Church in vaine he came to the Cell of the Mother of God where a little before the Nourse hauing washed away the blemishes of her soule very deuoutly implored the assistance of our B. Lady hyding her self vnder her protection and shaddow But this cogitation came into the mind of this furious man wholy bent to do murder If that he entred into the sacred Chappell without doubt his hart would be so mollified therewith that he should thinke no more of reuenge Therefore turning an other way he began to seeke all the corners of the Church But behold as he went to and fro like one distracted vnawares he passed by the Altar famous for the title of the Annunciation of our B. Lady which is without the most sacred Chappell vnder the window wherat Gabriell the Archangell is said to haue entred And by chance seeing the lights through the window wherof many burne continually before the B. Virgin he was so mooued with the present religion of the place that he fell downe on his knees A meruailous thing to be said The fierce and hardned man was presently so mollified that he changed his mind to the contrary wēt vnto one of the Priests laid aside his weapō fell downe at his feete told him how he desired to turne a iorney which he had vndertaken for the destruction of others to his owne saluation And in this the protection of the Mother of God was very apparant that he went vnto the same Priest to whome the nourse had gone a little before Wherby the Priest hauing sufficient notice of the whole successe of the matter as soone as he had heard the Confession of the Cittizen of Ascolo easily persuaded him being now well pacified to pardon the innocent woman and made him faithfully to promise and to shew that in good sooth he was friends with her His deedes were more bountifull than his wordes For assoone as the woman returned home he preferred her to gouerne his houshould and her husband whome he charitably cured ouer his husbandry wherby the danger turned to their good by the help of the Mother of God About the same time it was determined to remooue the Sclauonian Colledge to Rome that the students might more diligētly be instructed in good disciplyne Wherfore by commandment of Pope Clement the eight the Collegialls being called to Rome and put into the Roman Seminary in their part do mayntaine the right and title of the Sclauonian Colledge This remoouall happened the yeare 1594. which is the last of our History that it may comprehend the full three hundred yeares of the House of Loreto And these we haue chosen among many and almost innumerable things to commit to writing being content to admonish the Reader that the aboundance of the matter and miracles of Loreto is so great that so many and so great can be related by none but many more and greater may remaine to be rehearsed The Celebrity and Maiesty of the House of Loreto CHAP. XXVIII TRVELY I thinke I may do a thing worth my labour to cōclude this History of Loreto with a short rehearsall of the incredibile Celebrity and Maiesty of the House of Loreto it self There passeth no time of the yeare no moneth no day in which the Cell of the most B. Virgin is not reuerēced of many strāgers This cōmendation of piety is not proper to the Picētians Italians but cōmon to the Trāsalpines thē that dwell beyōd the seas specially to Sclauonians French and Flemings Neither do Spaniards Portugals Polonians or Germanes faile therin Notwithstanding two times of the yeare are of speciall respect for the confluence and celebrity of all people and nations the Spring and the Autumne wherof to the one the sacred Conception of God to the other the Birth of the B. Virgin Mother of God do giue beginning to the solemnity And ech doth continue three moneths all which time the House of Loreto is almost dayly honoured with great concourse of people For there is no Citty no Towne no Village nor no Streete of the Territory of Picene which doth not yearly in troupes and multitudes visit the B. Virgin of Loreto Whose example doth inuite the borderers therabout to wit of Abruzzo Vmbria Flaminia Aemilia and the rest of Italy to deserue the like praise of pietie Their manner of comming for the most part is thus The Sodalities go before euery one both beautified distinguished with their speciall Ensignes and Banners Wherof diuers besides the Image of Christ Crucified do carry before them the Image of the Mother of God and of other Saintes excellently represented The moderators of these Sodalities and the Priests with the musicke of ech company be the last of the assembly Then follow their Donaries siluer Crownets Chalices Cādles beset with money rich clothing siluer Images of Citties townes votiue tables betokening the diuine benefitts which they haue obtayned by the intercessiō of our B. Lady Many times men like vnto Angells and sometimes also like to the Prophets and Sybills prophesying of the B. Virgin are graciously placed among them with other persons singular for the presentation of their attire And last of all the disordered and confused multitude of the people doth many times
soule giuē by vow to hell it self by fauour of the Mother of God was set in the liberty of the childrē of God that no wicked nor desperate man should despaire of saluation if he himselfe will not perish nor doubt of the clemencie of God who hath freelie giuen his B. Mother a Patronesse to offenders for their saluation The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF LORETO Collected by the Reuerend F. HORATIVS TVRSELLINVS Of the Society of IESVS The care of Pope Pius IIII. and of the Cardinall of Vrbine in adorning the House of Loreto CHAP. I. THIS meane while Pius succeeded Paul the IV. whose Popedome Trad. Laur. Annal. Laur. Rier as it was more ioyfull to Italy by reason of peace so was it more notable in adorning the House of Lerote For Pius built most of the higher porch of the Bishops Pallace The benefits and giftes of Pius the 4. made the old hospitall more conuenient and commodious by adding new building vnto it exempting the House of Loreto out of the Iurisdiction of the people of Recanati made it a free State the 65. yeare of this age The cause wherof was for that they were accused to be negligent in execution of Iustice and suffering the walls to decay in many places Wheruppon the towne of Loreto was restored to her former liberty by Pius the IIII. about 30. yeares after Paul the III. had committed it to the Gouernment of the Citty of Recanati who also commanded the Gouernour of Loreto to repay eight thousand Crownes to the Cittizens of Recanati albeit they should refuse it But the piety of the good Pope was not more notable in augmenting the State of Loreto then in adorning the B. Virgin herself For he supplied the number of the Chanons and of the Officers not a litle diminished with his Pontificall Breue established the Colledge of the Society of IESVS which Paul had inlarged and also increased it with reuenewes About which time the Cardinall of Carpa departing this mortall life he gaue the Patronship of Loreto to the Cardinall of Vrbine who in piety and care towards the B. Virgin of Loreto was inferiour to none of the former Patrons For first he committed the Gouernment of the House of Loreto to Pompeius Pallanterius by whose direction he caused the Thole of the Church to be adorned on the inside with costly marble worke Also at the foote of a hill which is neere to Loreto and in the high way that goeth to the hauen of Recanati he made a commodious and well adorned fountaine for Pilgrims and afterward by other Gouernours did many more notable things as in due place shall be sayd The care of the Picentians in defending the House of Loreto against the Turkes the protection of the B. Virgin towards her owne House CHAP. II. AT that time the terrour of the Turkish nauy comming to Loreto Annal. Laur. Rier did manifestly shew the deuotion of the Picentians to our B. Lady likewise the beneuolence of our B. Lady towards the Picentians Word was brought by the Scoutes that a great nauy of Turkes in which were a hundred fifty galleys had set out of Epyrus intending to assault Ancona assoone as they had spoiled the Church of Loreto And within few dayes a speach of their nauy being seene vpon the coast of Italy caused the Picentians to assemble themselues with great strength Among the first multitude the flower of Recanati flocked to Loreto to defend the Sacred House with fortifications and armes who neglecting their Countrey and friends fortified Loreto with rampiers bulwarkes And other people of Picene filling all the shores round about with armed men hasted thither with no lesse emulation chiefly to defend the Sacred House of Loreto with all their might against the Barbarians for with all willingnes they desired if necessity required to dye a glorious death for her and in her sight To these forces of armed men were conioyned cruell weapōs against the outragious Barbarians to wit the continuall prayers of the godly For all the Priests and deuout people of Loreto and of the bordering townes round about ceased not to pacifie Almighty God by praier by supplication to inuocate the B. Virgin that she her self would vouchsafe to defend her owne House and Clients Their praier and vow had effect For the B. Virgin mother of God did not onelie keepe the force of the Barbarians from her natiue House but also from the Territorie of Picene it self Because the Captaines of the Turkish nauy suddainlie changed their determination of attempting Ancona and turned their fury on the maritime people of Abruzzo where setting their men a land and taking Ortona Guasto Francauilla and other no meane townes of Abruzzo by force they destroied them with fier and sword Hauing for the most part ransackt Abruzzo yet they durst not touch the bordering Countrey wholy exposed to their prey euen so present was the protection of the B. Virgin of Loreto vnto her owne people Whereuppon the Pope himself being most glad that the House of Loreto was deliuered out of such imminent danger by heauenlie protection thought it also his dutie to prouide that heereafter it might not onelie be far from danger but euen from any feare therof For which cause by aduise of the Architects he determined to fortifie the hills neere to the towne whence the enemy might easilie assault the sacred House with walls fortresses ditches and rampiers to the end that it might not onelie be able to withstand their suddaine incursions but also notablie sustaine a siege But one care after another put of this holie determination of the Pope finallie vntimelie death wholie dissolued his holie and godlie purpose The Bishop of Conymbria being taught by his owne harme restoreth a stone which he procured to be taken out of the House of Loreto CHAP. III. THIS time was not without miracles and Donaries Annal. Laur. Rier For neuer before in so few yeares did there happen a greater number better witnessed and more knowne among all people wherof this was most famous in all the Christian world The 61. yeare of this age Iohn Suarez Bishop of Conymbria a man famous for learning and pietie going to the Coūcell of Trent sūmoned by Pius the IIII. came out of his way to go to Loreto about the Natiuitie of the B. Virgin where dutifullie making his prayer and performing his vow he had a great desire to build in his Bishopricke a litle House like to that of Loreto for which purpose he desired to take some one stone out of the House of Loreto it self But the Gouernour of the place and the Patron withstood it menacing him with the Popes inhibition Yet Suarez making honourable shew to propagate the reuerence of the B. Virgin of Loreto in Portugall obtayned his desire of the Pope by an Authenticall Breue which by Francis Stella his Chapline for he himself was gone to Trent he sent
if you consider the persons Annal. Laur. Rier but if the things themselues more meruailous which happened few yeares before The Lady Susan Thainonio is deliuered from death The Lady Susan wife of Iames Thainonio a worthy Knight of Cordauella being throwne to the ground by the horse wheron she rode came to exceeding danger by so great a fall For she lost all sense by the breaking or disioynting of her bones and by little and little the vitall heate forsaking all the body the skillfullest Phisitians despaired of her life Wheruppon the Priest recommending her as the vse is to God and his Saintes and now and then sprikling her with holy water prouided for the saluation of her soule being ready to depart Meanwhile Iames much grieuing the misfortune of his most deere wife entred into the next Church where kneeling downe and lifting vp both eyes and handes to heauen with many teares he deuoutlie inuocated the B. Virgin of Loreto promising vowing to go to the House of Loreto if she preserued her by her helpe whome no humane helpe could saue His vow had good effect For he had scarce made this promise but the woman began to be better and in short time recouered hauing her bones and lymmes cured by miracle And because the Knight would in no wise neglect his vow he and his wife came to Loreto the yeare 1576. famous and memorable for the Iubiley and brought to the Mother of God for a votiue gift a siluer plate with the Image of the B. Virgin of Loreto by which on the one side the Image of the man on the other the Image of the woman prayin deuoutly And the plate it self hath a short inscription which doth briefly relate the miracle for a monument therof to posterity About the same time there happened such an other Nicolas Pauonius is also deliuered from death Nicolas Pauonius a worthy Cittizen of Catana managing his horse among his companions was cast headlong on the ground by the horse falling in his swift course where he lay without life with the bruize of his body the bursting of his arme all to peeces Forthwith his seruants tooke him vp like to one giuing vp the ghost and carried him home hauing little vse of reason and also sent presently for Surgeons who being ouercome with the greatnes of his danger pronounced that there was no way but one Wheruppon by persuasion of his friends Pauonius called on our B. Lady of Loreto with this vow if he recouered his health he promised to go to the House of Loreto to giue her thankes And soone after a most pleasant sleepe came vpon him in which a glorious forme of the B. Virgin of Loreto was presented vnto him who with the touch of her hand presently cured his grieued members And the euent shewed that it was no deceitfull dreame For Nicolas awaking out of his sleepe and fynding that his lymmes were cured by miracle lept ioyfully out of his bed made hast to Loreto and performed his vow A certaine person who was taken out of the hands of his enemies when he had receaued twelue deadly wounds is cured by miracle CHAP. XXVIII HERE followeth another in another kind Annal. Laur. Rier of speciall admiratioÌ„ Iohn Philip Ambrose a NeapolitaÌ„ a maÌ„ of small substance but greatly deuoted to the B. Virgin of Loreto the 79. yeare of this age going vnarmed amongst his armed enemies was most tumultuously circumuented and wounded to death For being thrust in with many wounds how could he be far from his end wheÌ„ he had none in his coÌ„panie to aid him they were so inraged that they would not cease to wound him vntill they saw him throughly dead Wheruppon Ambrose being at the point of death deuoutly called on the B. Virgin of Loreto his praier was to good effect For he was presently taken out of the hands of these furious men by heauenly protectioÌ„ escaped present death He himself as afterward he reported perceiued that he was carried miraculously from thence about an arrowes flight The present help of our B. Lady at the houre of death where his friends receauing him conueyed him hom languishing and half dead But for all that he had not escaped the danger of death vnles he had gotten new helpe from our B. Lady in the said perill For his enemies had giuen him no lesse then twelue woundes wherof many were deadly which the Physitians beholding vtterly despaired of his life But the sicke man calling to mind the heauenly helpe which he had lately obtained of our B. Lady belieued that so great a miracle was to some great purpose Therfore whence he receaued help against the weapons of his enemies thence he began to hope for cure of his woundes And behold a new miracle For presently the B. Virgin whome he deuoutly inuocated making heauenly salue for his sores made him who was held for a dead man to arise out of his bed safe and sound and to go in continent to Loreto to performe his vow and to be a worthy document of the help which he had receaued from Loreto For twice at the same time he was deliuered from death it self and by knowne and vnknowne was no more called Iohn Philip but Lazarus reuiued The Mother and the Daughter are deliuered from death others from other diseases CHAP. XXIX Annal. Laur. Rier ABOVT the same time the B. Virgin of Loreto was as fauourable in curing of diseases as wounds There was one Melido a Cittizen of Guasto in Abruzzo whose wife and daughter were afflicted with so grieuous long a feuer that being in great extremity and hauing hallowed Candles burning at their heads as the vse is both at once were vpon departing But Melido who loued them both entirely purposing to trie the last refuge of all with great sorrow sell downe on his knees and with gushing teares implored the help of the 〈◊〉 Virgin of Loreto making a vow with his praâ—er and putting great coÌ„fidence in her benignity and help His hope deceaued him not A meruailous thing Suddainly his wife his daughter were deliuered out of danger and in few dayes perfect well being brought to Loreto by Melido himself the yeare 1579. they performed to the B. Virgin Mother of God the vow which he made for their recouerie The yeare following Iohn Peter of Florence hauing a daughter by Anne Bassa of Verselli his wife blind in both her eyes assoone as she was rightly baptized Anne her Mother deuoutly inuocated the B. Virgin of Loreto with this vow If sight of one eye onely were giuen vnto her child she promised to bring her to Loreto with the first conueniencie It appeared straight that her vow was pleasing to our B. Lady For by and by without the helpe of man A blind infant is restored vnto her eight the blind infant began to see with one eye And the Mother being very carefull of her vow went spedily to Loreto
of Lasturo a Village of the State of Venice lay sicke not far from Bergamo of an incurable disease and the anguish of his infirmity wherwith he was most miserably vexed brought with it cruell and almost perpetuall paine in all his members Therfore despayring of help by Physitians he inuocated the B. Virgin of Loreto giuing himself wholy vnto her by vow which if he obtayned he promised to performe with all speed His vow had effect Being giuen ouer by the Physitians he did not so much wrestle with the disease as with death it self But suddainly in the very agony he had present help For our B. Lady as it were vnlooked for appearing vnto him in the same shape wherein she is reuerenced at Loreto which before that time he neuer saw so much as in picture and bidding him be of good comfort replenished him with great ioy and comfort Wheruppon out of hand for deuotion sake the sicke man endeuoured to kneele downe on his bed as well as he could and with great confidence in this exceeding dāger of death began to implore the assistance of the Mother of God And she with a meeke a motherly countenance said vnto him Sonne put away feare thou shalt not dy of this sicknes be thankfull mindfull of thy Vow For which cause calling to his houshold that they might hasten thither to reuerence the Queene of Heauen with due deuotion our B. Lady went suddainly out of his sight And the promise was performed on both sides For the sicke man recouering a litle after came to Loreto to performe his vow the 90. yeare of this age where leasurely viewing the Image of the Mother of God he affirmed to those to whome he related this miracle that the B. Virgin appeared vnto him in his sleep in that very forme attire that you may thinke that shape and habit was pleasing to our B. Lady A Knight of Flanders being deliuered from his enemies by an euident miracle dedicateth a wax-candle of huge bignesse to our B. Lady of Loreto CHAP. XVII Vict. Brig ABOVT the same time a Knight of Flanders presented to the B. Virgin of Loreto For a gift a votiue candle of huge bignes to wit of 300. pound weight in token of a miracle almost incredible The cause of his vow gift was this The said Knight his name is not set downe for he himself would haue it concealed escaped manifest perill of life in Flanders by help of our B. Lady who by commandment of the Prince of Parma going on improuidently with eight horsemen to view the coast fell into the ambush of the enemy The enemies were about eight hundred some horsmen some footemen who quickly spreading themselues abroad tooke from thē all hope of escape Notwithstanding the Fleming wanted not courage For inuocating our B. Lady of Loreto and animating his fellowes therūto they valiantly fought with them their confidence in the B. Virgin preuailing so much with them that it easily put away the cogitation of so great danger Such was the courage and strength which was giuen to that small company by the vertue of the heauenly help which they besought not failing them in their fight For when on euery side they were assaulted with so many handes and weapons of sundry sortes by the protection of the Mother of God they sustayned the violence of their enemies the multitude of their weapons so long till the Spanish forces came to rescue them and then the danger turned on their enemies themselues wherof many were slayne or taken And that there may be no doubt at all of the vertue of the heauenly help neither the Knight himself nor any of his fellowes nor yet any of their horses were hurt the least iote in so cruell a fight which held for the space of two houres that you may thinke they fought vnder the protection of God who fighting for them made them to ouercome In regard wherof the Knight desiring to haue a perpetuall monument of so worthy a miracle to remayne at Loreto sent the wax-candle of huge bignes wherof I haue spoken with intent that on certaine festiuall daies it should burne before the Maiesticall House of the B. Virgin And it is said that he also gaue a certaine stipend that when the same was consumed an other candle of like bignes should be put in his place for euerlasting memory to posterity A deafe-man recouereth his hearing CHAP. XVIII THIS which I am to relate is not so meruailous Annal. Laur. Rier Vict. Brig but better witnessed Erasmus Deane of the Cathedrall Church of Cracouia in Polonia being deafe in either eare heard almost nothing at all so that they must deale with him not so much by wordes as by signes But before his hearing was taken from him by report he had heard many admirable things of the B. Virgin of Loreto and seeing he could get no help by means of physicke and that the heauenly vertue of the House of Loreto came often to his mind much grieued and perplexed with the infirmity it stirred him to come to the sacred House of our B. Lady that with great confidence he might say Masse in the most Maiesticall Cell of the B. Virgin and implore her help where he found most present remedy for his griefe For assoone as he had ended Masse he perceiued that his left eare was opened and cured and the next day saying Masse in the same place he likewise recouered the vse of his right Whereby he who came to the most sacred House halfe deafe or rather deafe indeed within two dayes departed thence full glad to haue recouered the perfect vse of hearing Andrevv Bētiuoglio Gouernour of Loreto He himself told the whole matter with teares of ioy to Rutilius Benzonius the Bishop to Andrew Bentiuoglio Gouernour of Loreto on the Nones of Aprill the yeare of our Redemption 1590. At which time the new Citty of Loreto being built with great speed on the inlarged space was suddainly interrupted by the vntimely death of Xystus assaied also by other Popes to small purpose For Monte-Regal was pared about and left half plained the new Houses which were crected without the old circuite be now insteed of Suburbs wherof many remayne vnfinished that you may thinke the renowme of a Citty was not pleasing to our B. Lady of Loreto who chose her self a seate in a desert place lest the fame of the Citty rather then the Religion of the place should inuite the Pilgrims to visit her About that time Andrew Bentiuoglio departing this life Fuluius Paulucius Gouernour of Loreto Fuluius Paulucius the Protonotary Apostolicall succeeded in the Gouernement of Loreto whose vertue troublesome times did both exercise and illustrate Donaries brought or sent to the B. Virgin of Loreto in the troublesome time of Gregory the XIIII CHAP. XIX SHORTLIE after in the same yeare of our Redemption to witt 1590. in the moneth of September Vrbane the vij was created Pope who
little drawing the forke towards him thinking that the gifte remained on the same hand of Christ on which he left it suddainly he saw the bracelett remooued from the right to the left hand the golden globe which he held in that hand laid downe in the B. Virgins lap and the said bracelet fastened theron so fitlie and so elegantly that by setting of ladders with leisure and of purpose it could not be done more aptly seemely Wherupon the Keeper being suddainly stroken with a certaine sacred dread at the admiration of the thing said to the woman And Christ himselfe doth shew that thy gift is very gratefull vnto him for he hath put both thy bracelets on his owne hands whiles I was doing another thing Wherwith the woman heauenly grace assisting her sighed and whether for the riot of her former life or els for the late token of the diuine beneuolēce in her sighing powred forth such aboundance of teares that the sighes and sobs of her weeping were heard of them that prayed in the other part of the sacred Chamber Which moouing diuers of the company they came straight to the holier part of the sacred Chamber to see the woman ouercome with teares deuotion and the Keeper himself admiring the wonder of so great a thing Who afterward with many others told me this very thing as it happened which seemed wonderfull to all that considered the order and euent therof and was much spoken of both by word and writing of many Also at this day the sweet Child IESVS doth weare the said bracelets on his hands for a monument of the Miracle Two are deliuered from danger of death CHAP. XXV BVT to many peraduēture this may rather seeme a wonder then a miracle but it is an euident miracle The same yeare Bartholomew Meliorinus no meane Cittizen of Genua being at Placemia from altercation as it happeneth fell to blowes He was alone The contention began in the House of a Merchant of Florence with the maister of the House himself Wheruppon the houshold running at the first noise therof layd hands on their weapons to help their Maister In the fray Meliorinus receiued a grieuous wound in the shoulder and to make it more grieous the dagger being thrust in with great force brake in the midst At the intreaty of others the quarrell was ended Meliorinus was carried home dangerously wounded Forthwith Surgeons are sent for who wyping the wound looked on it and found that the dagger being thrust deep into the bone stucke so fast that it could not otherwise be gotten out then by launcing making the wound greater that they might haue meanes to come vnto the broken weapon When they had cut the flesh foure waies about the wound in manner of a Crosse they assaied to pull out the peece of the dagger with pinchers When that preuailed not they inuented a new and a paynfull remedy to bring it forth by beating of his brest on the contrary side which did much increase the most bitter payne of the woūd it self After the dagger was both beaten and drawne with the pinchers mooued nothing at all they constantly pronounced that he could not liue vnles God tooke mercy on him Wheruppon newes of his death comming to Genua his friends lamented him as dead But he thinking to adde diuine to humane help implored the aide of the B. Virgin of Loreto A wonderfull thing to be spoken seene The dagger mooued so easily out of the place to follow the pinchers that you may playnly perceiue it came not out so much by the endeauour of man as the goodnes of God And the sicke man obtaining his vow and recouering of that wound came to Loreto this very yeare 1594. euen as we were committing these things to writing and giuing manifold thankes to the B. Virgin left with her the peece of the dagger in token of so great a benefit About the same time Iohn Baptista Iudex a yong man of the same Citty noble for descent and wealth came to Loreto in performance of a Vow Who being at Venice the yeare before and falling into a grieuous and troublesome ague was so cruelly afflicted therwith that it brought him to the last cast and being forsaken by the Physitians he had no hope at all of recouering his health But being verie much deuoted to the B. Virgin of Loreto he confidently implored the help of his patronesse in this extremitie His trust deceiued him not For though the Phisitians despaired of the sick-mans amendment and thought verily that he could not liue yet being called vnto him againe by his houshold to feele his pulse they were presently put in so good comfort by signes of health that they conceiued great hope of his recouerie and deliuered the like to the sick-man and his frends Their hope deceiued them not Because from that time he began to be better euery houre and almost euerie moment vntill the ague quite forsooke him that in few dayes he throughly recouered and the yeare after came to Loreto to performe his vow where as I was committing these things to writing he himselfe told me the whole matter as I haue related it A notorious wicked man was miraculously debarred from comming into the most sacred Cell before he had made his Confession CHAP. XXVI ALSO at this very time Almightie God shewed by new miracles what care he hath of the sanctity of the House of Loreto A certaine Pilgrime came to Loreto loaden with all kind of wickednes and exceedingly giuen to an vngodly a desperate life Before whome as he presumed to passe the threshold of this most sacred Cell in the very entrance was presented a certaine ghost of horrible shape which deterred the desperate bold wretch and draue him backe againe with exceeding feare Wheruppō being touched with remorse for his sinnes he went vnto the Priest to purge his soule But to remember the sinnes of so many yeares much time was requisite and great feeling of repentance For he came to Confession nothing prepared nor thinking therof Wherfore the Priest persuaded him to retire him self into the most sacred Chappell to implore the help of God and his B. Mother to looke diligently into his former life and then to come to Confession better prepared When the Priest had dismissed him he went about that which he was cōmanded but wicked custome did prolong true pennance and sorrow of his shame rather then of his sinnes did molest and trouble his mind For which cause the said ghost appearing vnto him as he went backe to the sacred Chamber of the B. Virgin forbad him entrance againe which made him exceeding sorrowfull to be twice kept out of the most maiesticall Cell and sight of the Mother of God as a most wicked and defiled fellow Wherby true griefe and sorrow for offending God was giuen vnto him assoone as he was truely compunct for the loathsomnes of his wicked and filthy life Wherfore after diligent examination of his