Fathers sake The Solemnity being over one askt her how it was possible that beholding the great Commotion and Tears of so many about her she could remain so chearful and unconcern'd as she seem'd to be during the whole Ceremony She Answer'd with a Spirit as full of Ingenuity as Humility That this constancy and chearfulness took their rise from no other source than the Divine Goodness which during the whole Ceremony had fil'd her heart with so great an Interior peace and comfort as she had never felt before in all her Life Which was a due reward for that generous oblation she had that Day made of her self to Almighty God Had the Person who askt her this Question propos'd the same to any one of the Religious they would have given an Answer quite different from hers which her Humility would not permit her to give The Religious had seen with how much Industry even from her first entrance into Religion she had made it her chief endeavour to suppress and overcome the Sallies and Efforts of Nature and had beheld her comportment in several other occasions and seen with how great a Courage she had behav'd he self in other tryals which God thought fit to send her during her Noviship to dispose her to a due performance of this great act of Love and therefore they were not so surpriz'd as those were who had only seen that one action of hers they having been Eye Witnesses of divers evidences she had given of her perfect and intire resignation to Gods Holy Will even in the greatest afflictions and most sensible tryals that could have happen'd to her Now the Reader that may the better perceive how she carry'd her self in them I will here set down a Relation of her behaviour and perfect Conformity to Gods Will at the Death of two of her dearest friends The first tryal of her Conformity was given her by the Death of Reverend Mother Luisa Taylor Abbess of the Monastry The History of whose Life deserves a Volum being a person of an absolute and consummated Vertue This Holy Abbess being suddenly seiz'd with violent symtoms of Death was piously expecting her last happy moment and all the Religious were sent for and came without the least delay except Sister Clare who being advertis'd by one of the Religious that came in great hast to her Cell that Reverend Mother Abbess was a dying and that if she did not come quickly she would never see her alive Sister Clare joyning her hands without the least surprize made a bow to her expressing thereby her gratitude for the Message she brought her it being their Custom never to speak in their Cells and without making any such hast as might occasion the omission even of the least or most inconsiderable Ceremony of Religion she first put on her great Veil then kist the ground and afterwards with a modest and graceful gate follow'd the Religious to the Infirmary where Mother Abbess lay a dying as if this sad News had not at all come unexpected or given her the least affliction She came into the Chamber where her dear Friend and tender Mother lay ready to expire and where she found all the Religious bath'd in Tears like so many tender hearted Children bemoaning the loss of their dying Mother yet she who was like to sustain as great a loss as any having had a great dependance upon her and receiv'd great comfort from her Counsels beheld her ready to leave her without shedding a Tear whilst all the rest seem'd to be in a very great affliction and general consternation and so concern'd as if all their happiness had depended on this Abbesses Life Sister Clare knew her great Vertues and worth and had no less respect and affection for her than they which the many Obligations she had receiv'd from her justly deserv'd yet for all this she shewed not the least outward sign of grief And when one of the Religious exprest hers by her many Tears for Reverend Mother Abbesses Death she efficaciously stopt them by the following words VVeep not so much Dear Sister 't is the VVill of God you love so well Her bearing this cross with so admirable a Conformity mov'd Almighty God to reward her by sending another equally sensible and at the same time to give her his Divine Grace to bear it with no less constancy It was the Death of her Mistress of Novices Sister Mary Bonaventure Carleton who thô she had had a long experience in training up the Novices in perfection yet us'd to say She learnt more from this than ever she had taught the rest finding her perfect even before she enter'd into the way of perfection which made her have a very great esteem of her confidence in her and affection for her looking upon her as sent from Heaven rather to perfect her than be perfected by her Sister Clare being of a grateful nature was no ways backward in her returns and looking upon her as the best of friends and plac'd her confidence in her as in a Mother But God by her surprizing Death almost as soon snatcht away this comfort as he had given it which cross Sister Clare supported with the like courage as she did the former even without the loss of a Tear Insomuch that being ask'd by a Person of Quality Madam Flavecoeur the Governors Lady of Graveling If she were not very much concern'd for the Death of her Mistress She Answer'd Yes Madam I have a great feeling of it and indeed more than I can well express These words and the manner of delivering them struck the Lady with admiration to see such a temper as did not shed a Tear when she had thus renewed the sorrowful thoughts of the loss of her Mistress and mov'd her to urge the matter a little farther and ask her How it was possible she could forbear weeping at the Remembrance of the loss of such a friend The good Novice for then she was not Profest told her after her sweet and affable way Madam nothing but God deserves our Tears who is so good as to hinder me from paying them where they are not due Such as knew not of how excellent and sweet a disposition Sister Clare was might perhaps think so great an insensibility as appear'd in such moving circumstances as I have related effects of an ill hard and ungrateful nature which was insensible of kindness and knew not either what friendship was how to value it what gratitude it requires or how much a Spiritual friendship exceeds that of Nature ordinarily grounded upon Sympathy Natural inclination or Interest and therefore perhaps might not much wonder at her comportment in the occasions I have related But those who by Reading her Life are made better acquainted with her humor and have seen how solidly she grounded her friendship how warily she engag'd her affection and with what constancy and tenderness upon all occasions she exprest it to those she had made choice of for
but instead of steering out of the Harbor fell foul on a Sand banck where the Vessel stuck so fast that the flowing Tide quickly fill'd it with Water and the boisterous Waves washt those over Deck who came up to save their Lives Amongst these was Mr. VVarner who as the Waves carry'd him into the Sea cry'd out to those who to save themselves were got upon the Shrouds conjuring them if they escap't to let the Carthusians know the manner of his Death and how earnestly he desir'd they would Pray for the Repose of his Soul Some few that escaped after the Tide was fallen so low as to permit them acquainted the good Fathers with his earnest request which they not only granted by Praying for his Soul but exprest the greatness of their Charity by an earnest search after his Body which that it might be the better found out they gave a discription of the Rings they had observ'd upon his fingers Which being brought by a Seaman to a Goldsmith to be Sold the Goldsmith found them to be the same the Carthusians had describ'd to him and told the Person that brought them that if he would discover where the Body was he would procure him a reward that should not be inferior to the value of the Rings which he undertaking to do the Goldsmith order'd him to acquaint the Procurator of the Carthusians where it was who went with him to the Sea-shore where he uncover'd the Body he had buried in the Sand Which they knew to be Mr. VVarner's by it's wanting those fingers the Seaman had cut off not being able otherwise to get off his Rings The Carthusians presently took care decently to Bury his Body amongst their own Religious he having plainly declar'd himself a Carthusian in desire thô Providence permitted not his being one in effect Whose innocent Life deserv'd as a reward a Death which thô suddain should not be un-prepar'd It happen'd on the 3d. of April 1667. But to return to the Discourse I have interrupted with the Relation of this passage his suddain and unexpected Death was a double Mortification and affliction to Sister Clare first for the loss of so near a Relation for whom she had a very particular esteem secondly because by his Death her Profession would necessarily be defer'd She evidently foreseeing that this unfortunate accident would cost Brother Clare a Journy into England in order to make a new settlement of his Estate which could not possibly be dispatcht by the Month of August which was the time prefixt for the folemn making of their Vows But the same hand that sent these Afflictions intended them as a tryal to improve their Merit and for that end largely distributed his Divine Grace to encourage them to a chearful Resignation The necessity therefore of making another setlement summon'd Brother Clare to England and forced him with sorrow to re-assume his Title together with his Estate and with them those troublesome concerns from which he had a little before so happily disengag'd himself Being come to London the Enemy resolv'd to give him as uneasie a welcome as he had had a Journy thither for his Steward to whom he had given notice of his arrival sent an express to inform him that he himself was put in Prison that his House had been search'd by Order of the Lord Lieutenant of the County that they had taken away all the Arms they found and had set a Guard upon it This fell out about the same time that the Dutch design'd to Land in England and appear'd upon the Coasts of Suffolk about Seven Miles distant from his House Whereupon some Malitious Persons gave out that he was privately come into England and lay hid in his own House at Parham with a great many more Papists he had brought along with him to joyn the Dutch Sir Iohn whose Family as well as himself had always been Loyal Sufferers for the King was more concern'd to be accus'd of such black Crimes as Treason and Rebellion were than he would have been for any other accusation they could have laid to his charge Wherefore he went immediatly to a friend and Neighbor of his then in London and Major of the Kings Guards desiring him to acquaint his Majesty with what had past but the Major thought it more proper to accompany him to the Countess of Suffolk to acquaint her with what had been done by her Husbands the Lord Lieutenants Order They went together to my Lady whom the Major inform'd of all that had past and moreover assur'd her Ladyship the King would not be well pleas'd should he hear of these proceedings against a Person of whose Fidelity and Loyalty he was convinc'd and for which he himself was ready to Answer Upon the Majors Testimony my Lady Writ a Letter to her Husband the Earl of Suffolk in which she acquainted him of what the Major had inform'd her desiring him to make Sir Iohn what amends he could for what by his Authority had been acted against him which Letter she gave to Sir Iohn who immediatly took Post and deliver'd it himself the next Morning to my Lord from whom he receiv'd as good effects of it as could be expected for my Lord gave him presently an Order for the taking his Steward out of Prison for the discharge of the Guards that were set upon his House and for the Restitution of his Arms. My Lord moreover assur'd him that the former Orders he had given were rather to secure his House from the Rabble that threatned to pull it down than out of the least suspition or doubt of his Loyalty Most of the Informers and chief Actors in this business living at Framlingham a Mile beyond his House he chose first to go thither lest the news of his return to his House might give a second alarum and create new troubles Upon his way he met several Gentlemen of his acquaintance who accompanied him to the Town aforesaid where he was no sooner enter'd but the chief Inhabitants came to Congratulate his arrival Expressing their sorrow for what had happen'd in his absence and desiring him not to believe any of them the cause of it And moreover manifested their joy for his return by Ringing of the Bells This second Storm the Enemy had rais'd being thus happily appeas'd Sir Iohn return'd to London there to make a settlement of his Estate upon his second and now only Brother Mr. Edmund VVarner a Merchant in London Here Sir Iohn met with hit Father-in-law Sir Thomas Hanmer to whom he gave an account how he design'd to settle his Estate telling him he intended instead of the Six Thousand Pound which according to the Articles of Marriage he was oblig'd to give his Daughters to settle upon them the Mannor of Boyton worth Four Hundred Pound a Year Sir Thomas instead of taking kindly this great addition to his Grand-childrens Portions as Sir Iohn expected he would have done declar'd that he lookt upon these Lands he
admiration as she afterwards declar'd and lest her design should be discover'd before she could meet with a conveniency of burning it she immediately scratcht the Face all over with the same Pin with which she had taken it out of the Case and as soon as she came to the Fire so dextrously threw it in that none perceiv'd it Not long after Reverend Mother Abbess asking for the Picture Sister Clare ingenuously told her what she had done with it having had her leave to dispose of it as she pleas'd And Brother Clare hearing also she had burnt it and some time after Expostulating with her for having depriv'd the Children of so comfortable a Treasure as that would have been to them she made him this Answer That she was sorry she had done what she found was displeasing to him which he would not have disapprov'd had he reflected how fit it was that the Picture of what she had taken so much Pride in should come to no better an end than the Original deserv'd Ingeniously covering and excusing one act of Humility with another This seem'd to be the last Action that God Almighty had reserv'd for the compleating of her Crown for the very Morning that the Coppy thus perish'd the Original was seiz'd on by her last Sickness as if the Humility she had exprest in burning her Picture had obtain'd of God to perfect the Original and render it more like his own Image by calling her to his Beatifical Vision St. Iohn assuring us VVe shall be like him when we shall see him as he is Providence also hereby manifesting that the more earnestly she desir'd to be forgot by Creatures the more she was remembred and rewarded by her Creator So that whilst Sister Clare thus fervently endeavour'd in a little time to make up a great Crown by a faithful practice of all Vertues especially of a profound Humility the foundation of them all Almighty God as I before hinted design'd to put a Period to her Vertuous course judging it time to reward the labors of so Penitential a Life as her love had caus'd her both to undertake for his sake and to make such wonderful progress in as I have recounted Whereby she deserv'd the Encomium which the Holy Ghost gives a fervent Soul Viz. that she had consummated or heapt together in a short time so great a stock or Treasure of Vertue and Merits as others in a long time even in many Years were not able to obtain CHAP. X. The Foresight God gave her of her Death her concern for her Fathers Conversion and her Letters to him about it THE reward that God often bestows upon persons of an extraordinary Piety and Vertuous Life is a foresight and knowledge of their Death both to animate them to spend the short time that remains to make up their Crown with greater fervor and the better to prepare themselves for this change by a frequent Resignation and ardent desires of a happy disolution that ends in the beginning of an Eternal Union with himself 'T is probable as we may gather from that which follows that God had bestow'd this favor upon Sister Clare for whom Reverend Mother Abbess being much concen'd by reason of the accident which that Morning had happen'd to her of falling into a sound in the Quire she having no less kindness and tenderness for her than her Predecessor had went to Visit her in the Infirmary whether she had order'd her to retire her self to try if she could repose thinking nothing better for her Where finding she had got two or three hours rest Mother Abbess was much comforted to see her so extraordinary chearful as she seem'd to be hereupon she told her she thought the worst was now past and exprest how comforted she was to see her so well She smiling told Mother Abbess That she thanked God she found her self ready and most perfectly resign'd to embrace his Holy VVill in all things and therefore had no apprehensions at all of Death nay if she could desire one thing more than another it would be rather to die than live And that which now comforted her was the thought that this would be her last Sickness Reverend Mother Abbess earnestly desir'd her to lay aside these thoughts telling her there was not the least appearance of any danger of Death and that she hop't soon to see her as well again as ever she was in her Life But she Answer'd with a smiling Countenance full of comfort and conformity Dear Mother God has now decided a Question which I have often thought of with no small trouble Viz. VVhether Brother Clare or I should die first For knowing how great an Affliction the Death of either would be to the surviver and diffiding in my own strength and ability to bear such a cross and on the other side compassionating the affliction which I am sure he would suffer I durst never beg the one or the other But now it is Gods VVill that I should go first and this Sickess is to carry me to my Grave I doubt not but his Infinite goodness who designs to give Brother Clare this Cross will also give him strength to bear it This passage alone is an undeniable Argument as I said before of her being a Favourite of Heaven and evidently shews the great Union she had with God in Prayer and is a signal token of her great Conformity to the Will of her Heavenly Father After she had imparted this sad and Prophetical News to Reverend Mother Abbess her Feavor grew more violent which finding a Body so exhausted and broken it soon got the Mastery over Nature and render'd her unable to take any farther care or charge of her Children yet did not hinder her from prosecuting her Pious endeavours for her Fathers Conversion by making use of that little strength she had left to Write at different times the following Letter SIR MY true and Passionate desires for your happiness cannot be lessen'd by any severity of yours nor can your silence frighten me out of the concern I ought to have for your felicity to my last breath The dayly experience I have of the comfort and happiness that there is in being in the true Catholic Church breaks my heart to think that you are out of it and that I am yet so uncertain of meeting you in an Eternity of Ioys O let it not be so any longer the ways to God are sweet and easie you 'l never find comfort seek it as long as you please but in God You would pardon me this presumption I allow my self if you saw my heart and Tears which almost hinder me from Writing this Letter and I am sure they would move your goodness to a compliance with my request in vouchsafeing me an Answer which I shall receive on my Knees with inexplicable joy if it please God that I live till it comes I humbly beg your blessing and my Ladies for the Children and Your unworthy Child CLARE of
circumspect graceful and enfie to be esteem'd and respected and to be lov'd and reverenc'd by those who were most familiar with her Nor can I rest satisfied with this general Character I have given of her Humor but must descend to those particulars which the Religious have given me Who took notice that whatever difficulty or indisposition she suffer'd she ingeniously dissembl'd them in time of Recreation Being always resolv'd to uphold and maintain the hour alotted to this innocent Pastime by a provision which she had made of such pleasant Spiritual Stories as serv'd not only to divert the hearers but excite them to the Love of God Yet was never known to express even the least sign of impatience whilst others related theirs having no inclination to ingross the Discourse to her self in which she carefully wav'd whatever in the least related to her self or Family Her punctual observance of the Constitutions in speaking spiritually was the more wonder'd eat by the Community because she having been a Person in the World whose Quality and Education must necessarily have furnisht her with many extraordinary passages the Relation of which would have been very diverting yet nothing was ever heard from her Mouth which tended not either to the Praise of Virtue or to the Love of God Neither did the energy with which she spoke of Heavenly things give any trouble or Mortification at all to those that heard her no more than their Discourses did ever give her which appear'd by that constant and extraordinary serenity of countenance she particularly seem'd to put on in time of Recreation Which was hereby no less promoted and animated by her whilst others spoke than when she spoke her self But whilst with a constant and un-interrupted Progress she thus chearfully advanc'd in the pl asant path of Perfection behold God who knew her fidelity permitted a great and unexpected Storm to be rais'd against her so much the more sensible because it depriv'd her not only of a near Relation but by his Death occasion'd a delay of that happiness self so much thirsted after and thought her self even ready to possess Viz. that of her Profession or Espousals with Christ CHAP. VI. The happy tho' untimely Death of Mr. Francis Warner and how this and several other cross and unexpected accidents which happen'd to Sir John retarded her Profession To which the Enemy endeavour'd to make even her self instrumental and how she discover'd and generously overcame his crafty Temptations THat I may the better perform my promise made in the Contents of this Chapter of giving the Reader an account of the happy thô untimely Death of Mr. Francis VVarner I hope 't will not appear too great a digression from what I have undertaken to Write if I relate a little at large such Circumstances as may conduce to a perfect knowledge of his Death Especially since 't was an un-expected hindrance of her happy Profession she so earnestly desir'd to make In the Month of Ianuary 1667. Mr. Francis VVarner came over to give his Brother a Visit thereby to express his Gratitude no less for the Estate he had given him than for having been under God the chief occasion of his Conversion as also to be convinc'd as well from his Mouth as he had been from his Pen of the great satisfaction he experienc'd in the Religious State he had undertaken In his way to Liege as he passed through the Low-Countries he Visited several Religious Houses and amongst others the English Carthusians at Newport Where the admirable order and chearfulness he beheld amongst them amidst so great Solitude and Austerity had already by the influence of Gods Grace so toucht his Heart that he resolv'd to follow his Brothers example in quitting the World as soon as he could compass it by a settlement of his Affairs in England But said nothing of this his design till one Night at Liege he and his Brother being alone together he ask'd to borrow his square Cap which pulling of his Periwig he put on asking his Brother If it became him Who Answer'd That it became him very well and that he did not doubt but if God gave him inclinations to a Religious State that he would find the same happiness and satisfaction in it as he himself had done Mr. Francis VVarner hereupon reply'd with Tears That he was sorry he had not profited by his Education at School as he wisht he had done since by reason of this neglect he could not now be so happy as to be his Brother also in Religion But added That he had made a Resolution of becoming a Carthusian in which Order Literature was not so absolutely necessary as in the Society VVhere they tended not only to their own Perfection but also to the Perfection of their Neighbor And that he doubted not but that he should meet with the same content amongst the Carthusians which he exprest to have already experienc'd in the Society VVherefore he resolv'd to hasten back to England there to settle his Estate and to take Graveling and Watten in his way thither and that at the last place he design'd to make the Spiritual Exercise to see whether this Vocation to be a Carthusian were from God or no and if he found it were that he might thereby be strengthen'd to overcome all obstacles that should oppose or retard the execution of what God had inspir'd him to undertake You may well imagine how overjoy'd Brother Clare was at this welcome thô un-exspected News and with what seasonable Counsels he seconded his Brothers Pious intentions Who resolving forthwith to leave Liege Brother Clare desir'd him to take his two Daughters who were still with the Vrsulins along with him to conduct them to the English Monastry of Benedictine Dames at Gant Whether he carry'd them very safe Hence he continu'd his Journy towards Graveling both to Visit his Sisters there and to give them an account of the welfare of his Neeces and of their removal from Liege to Gant You may imagine how overjoy'd they were to see him but the joy his presence gave them was nothing in comparison of that which the welcome news of his design of leaving the World occasion'd From thence he went to VVatten where he made Eight Days Exercise In which retirement by the light and unction of the Holy Ghost he was thorowly convinc'd that his Vocation unto the Holy Order of Carthusians was an Inspiration from Heaven Wherefore having ended his retreat he hasten'd to Newport as well once more to take a a view of that place in which he resolv'd to end his Life as to Embark from thence for England He stay'd here longer than he intended in expectation of fair weather but it continu'd Stormy so very long that his impatience of compassing the happy State he aim'd at caus'd him to urge the Master of the Packet-boat to venter out to Sea in that Stormy weather The Master overcome by his earnest intreaties and large promises hoisted Sail
her Friends especially two such choice Friends as these whose great Vertue mov'd her to a high esteem of them their Station to a confidence in them and their extraordinary Zeal for her Perfection to a grateful affection for them cannot but wonder to see her in so short a time to have gain'd so strange a command over her passions as not to shed a Tear at their Death which is the more to be admir'd in her tender Sex especially since as her Answer to the Governors Lady declares she so sensibly felt this Tryal But God by her faithful co-operation with his Grace had so strengthen'd her to overcome these feelings of Nature as not to give the least sign or expression of sorrow whereby she manifested that thô she lov'd them well yet she lov'd God better whom also she lov'd in such a manner as to desire rather that he should please himself than her nay that even he should please himself in her affliction Which shew'd not only her sincere love to God but also her dis-interessed love to her friends prefering their happiness before her own and therefore since their Death was a gain to them she could not regret her own loss by it nor permit her sorrow to overcome the joy she ought to have in thinking they were happy The will of God was what she endeavor'd most industriously to find out and joyfully embrac'd in whatsoever terrifying manner it appear'd to her as her words to that Pious Religious who was lamenting the Abbesses Death declares And therefore what tryal soever of her Love God thought fit to send her by depriving her of those friends she lov'd best she was resolv'd this tryal should not deprive her of the chief object of her Love himself who was the best of friends And therefore was resolv'd to express her love in the best manner she was able by preferring his Will and Pleasure before her own in all things Whereby she so surmounted all these sensible tryals as to seem even insensible of them And also dispos'd her self for the making her Profession and for the loss of two such friends with such a constancy and unconcernedness as I have declar'd And was also inabl'd quite to overcome the tenderness of an affectionate Mother towards her Children as in the following Chapter I shall relate CHAP. III. Her exact compliance with Mother Abbesses Orders in taking care of her Children in which she exprest more of a careful Mistress than a tender Mother and hereby manifested that Pure Obedience the inclination of Grace and not affection to her Children the inclination of Nature mov'd her to accept this employment AFter she had made her Profession as above declar'd the first thing she set upon was strictly to perform what she had so lately promis'd Obedience was her chief care and thô nothing was more contrary to her inclination than to look after her Children yet seeing this charge was impos'd upon her by her Superior she chearfully undertook it She knew by experience what advantages order and method always brought with it and therefore was sollicitous that every moment should be rightly spent by her Children For this end she made them an exact Distribution or Journal for every hour of the Day accommodated to their Age and Years She spar'd no labor to Cultivate these tender Plants and even from their Infancy to prepare them for the Garden of Religion if God should make them so happy as to call them to that blessed State To set down the whole Distribution of time she had made for them would I fear seem too tedious yet I cannot but let the Reader see some part of it and thereby give him a knowledge of her own Devotions she without doubt practising her self what she endeavor'd to instil into them She order'd them that the first thing they did as soon as they awak'd should be to make the Sign of the Cross adding the following words Blessed be the Holy and undivided Trinity now and for ever Amen And having done this she bids them tell sweet Jesus that they would suffer the Mortification of rising in the cold and of leaving the comfort of their warm bed for his sake who left Heaven for theirs Then as soon as they were up she Counsels them to kiss the ground in Memory of that dust out of which they came and to which they were to return and to make an Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving to the Divine Majesty for having Created them of nothing capable of loving serving and enjoying him for all Eternity and also for having preserv'd them the Night past from all dangers Then that they should make an Oblation of themselves to his Infinite goodness Afterwards to say an Ave Mary to beg our Ladies blessing upon them for that Day whom they were to love and confide in as in a Mother having recourse to her in all their necessities as such and dayly beg her Intercession by saying their Beads together at the time she had appointed Then she order'd them to say a Gloria Patri c. in thanksgiving to God for the glory given to their good Angels and for the honor given to themselves by bestowing upon them such Beautiful and Powerful Protectors whose Protection that Day they were humbly to beg and then to recommend themselves to their particular Patrons and Saints of their Name and Pray for their friends especially for their Grand-fathers and Uncles Conversion This done she order'd them before they came to School to her to go to their Closset and there offer up that and all the other actions of that Day with a pure intention for want of which many even of our best actions were frequently lost and the Merit also of our other actions which are indifferent and of no Merit without such an intention that as soon as they came thither they should strive which of them should first kiss sweet Jesus's Feet in their Crucifix and remember they had chosen St. Mary Magdalen for one of their Patronesses whose place was at the foot of the Cross when Christ dy'd upon it and wish to Love him as she did saying a Pater and Ave and telling our dear Savior they were going to School to please him and that all their actions that Day shall be for no other end When they came to School to confirm them in the practice of that profitable Devotion to their good Angel she had recommended to them she gave them an example of it her self and took out of her breast a little Paper Picture of her good Angel she always carry'd about her and placeing it before her and them to put them in mind of their good Angels who were present thô invisible she recommended her self and Children to them To these she added also other profitable Documents and necessary Instructions as of submission of obedience but most particularly of that of Humility a Virtue very necessary to be acquir'd in young Years where Nature still leads to the
contrary For this end she would have them always call their Maid Sister in which she show'd no little sign of Humility in her self by commanding them to give the same Title to their Servant they gave to her self And thô nothing could be more taking than the sweet and submissive humor or these Children towards her yet she forc'd the efforts of Nature always to give place to those of Grace as may be gather'd from the following passage The Governours Lady being one Day within the Inclosure amongst the Religious desir'd to see Sister Clare and her Children together upon this she was order'd to come and as she enter'd the Room the Lady wisper'd one of them in the Ear from whom I had the Relation saying I see 't is not a poor and mean Habit that can hide true Mobility and VVorth and beholding her very attentively she was so struck that words were too scant to express the sentiments of her mind till some Tears had made way for them and then recovering her self in a passionate and abrupt manner she said Here needs a Powerful Hand to sustain this great work and being still in a kind of confusion she could not proceed farther upon that subject but looking stedfastly upon the Children who all this time by moving Language Caress'd their Mother and hung about her Neck she broke out again into this expression O Madam how is it possible to leave such Children This is a touch of God that strangely surprizes me Another Person of Quality that accompany'd the Governors Lady seeing their Mother express so little kindness and tenderness towards them endeavor'd to Caress them and show as much fondness towards them as she was able Telling them They did mistake their Mother and that she her self was their Mother and not Sister Clare upon which the Children ran from her to their Mother hanging about her and speaking to her in such moving Language as melted the Ladys heart and mov'd her with Tears modestly to inveigh against the leaving such little Angels declaring That her change of Condition was an act above her Sex nay even above Flesh and Blood and was in her opinion rather to be admir'd then imitated This Rhetoric of both these Ladies had no influence upon Sister Clare she seem'd as if their words had not concern'd her or as if she had not heard them and by this her humble and modest comportment much amaz'd the standers by who admir'd to see God Almighties Grace so strangely Triumphing over the bent and inclination or Nature CHAP. IV. Her Zeal for the Conversion of her Relations to the Catholic Faith her Prayer for them and Ferverous Letters to her Father expressing her passionate Love towards him by her fervent Zeal for his Conversion notwithstanding his great severity and unkindnesses towards her BUt this Heroical abnegation of whatsoever the tenderness of Nature was able to suggest thô very extraordinary as we have seen in the foregoing Chapter did no ways hinder that restless Zeal she always had for the Conversion of her friends Her own words sufficiently prove that her Charity had no other tendency as the following Prayer she made for her nighest Relations will evidence Which I find in her own hand amongst the rest of her Papers O Most great God of Mercy look with the Eyes of compassion upon my near Relations and Friends who are yet detain'd in Schism and Heresie And remember I beseech you that you did not bring them out of their Eternal Nothing and Stamp upon their Souls your own Sacred Image in order to destroy and abandon those perfect products of your powerful hand having been pleas'd to send your only Son to pay the ransome for them as well as for my unworthy self with the price of your most precious Blood Dart therefore O most merciful God some beams of your light into their dark and deceived understandings Have mercy upon them and let the light of your Countenance shine upon them that they may see the Truth of your Sacred Mysteries Give them Grace to submit their Necks to the sweet and easie Yoke of your Precepts propos'd and deliver'd by your Holy Church O my dear Redeemer what have I done for you Or what have I deserv'd at your hands that I should be called to your saving Faith and be made a member of your Holy Church Impart I beseech you the like favor by your bitter Death and Passion to those your misled and unbelieving Creatures my Friends and Relations that together with my self they may faithfully acknowledge adore and love you their glorious Creator and Redeemer here in this World and in the World to come praise and magnifie your goodness and joyfully Celebrate your Mercies with Canticles of Eternal Gratitude and Thanksgiving Amen If this Zeal was so particular for her friends you may imagine how active it was for the conversion of her Father whom she so passionately lov'd that no want of Affection in him was ever able to lessen it Who thô he Wrote several Letters to her yet he never gave her the Title of Child or Subscrib'd himself her Father But oftentimes in his Letters he upbraids her for committing an unheard of ingratitude in taking such a course as this was without asking his advice or consent The news of which as he said in one seem'd to him incredible because he never judg'd that her Husband's or her Affections to one another had been so moderate by any thing he had ever heard or seen as that they could be perswaded upon pretence of Christianity to embrace such a strange and horrid undertaking by breaking the Solemn Vow of Matrimony That hereby she seem'd to have suckt the Milk of a Tygress rather than of a Woman and to have lost all good Nature and even Humanity it self He added that it was an injury done to Heaven to call such follies and Insinuations as these Inspirations and godly motions assuring her upon his Faith that all the Catholics he had spoken with condemned this rash and inconsiderate Action of theirs and therefore conjur'd her either to return to England that he might have the comfort of visiting them there or to live together some where in France or Flanders whether he would come to see them Requiring her to obey this his advice as the Counsel of a Father Which if she did not he would never give her his blessing and ends his Letter by a bare subscription of his Name These severe checks from a Father she lov'd so tenderly must needs have wrought upon her had not the Grace of Almighty God in a particular manner assisted her so piously to bear them and that she did so is evident from the Dutiful Answer she return'd him to his Letter couch't in so hard and severe terms SIR THe great condescention of your Goodness to me I did not receive till almost two Months after it's date else I had not deferred my acknowledgment of it a Minute and was not all that
JESUS Not long after she had Writ this Letter a good occasion offering it self by a Gentlemans passing through Graveling who going for England undertook to deliver a Letter to her Father with his own hand she took the pains to Write again being mov'd to it by the thoughts of her own approaching Death as well as by the news of the Death of several of her Fathers Neighbours and Relations which put her in mind of what might happen to him and how unprepared he was for it SIR WHilst I was making a strict iniquiry how I might speedily and securely send you another Letter in hopes that before I die your goodness would move you to vouchsafe me the comfort of such an Answer as my heart most passionately longs for Providence was pleas'd to bring a Gentleman this way who has kindly offer'd me the safe conveyance of this Letter into your hands wherefore thô I very lately troubl'd you with one and thô Writing in the weak condition I am in gives me a great deal of pain yet that of the Body is nothing in respect of the pain my Soul suffers as often as I reflest upon the danger yours is in and that the Eternal happiness of that depends upon the uncertain moments of this transitory Life Wherefore Dear Sir once more upon my Knees I humbly beg your Blessing which perhaps will be the last time I shall ask it and also beg the comfort of hearing of your health which I hope is good thô I thank God mine is at present in a very low condition his Divine Will be done in me who does all things for the best Alas Sir when I consider that we are all Mortal and that there is an Eternity of Happiness or Misery that attends us how can I refrain from being thus troublesome Since I know not how soon that change may come to you which I have reason to expect will soon happen to my self and which I lately heard has arriv'd to several of your Neighbors who thô young and as I fear far from the thoughts of it are now but Dust. How then can the pain that my Heart feels be conceal'd Or indeed how can I express what I feel till you are out of danger and in such a condition as Death may be welcome to you whenever it comes For God's sake Sir think of it surely such a number of Martyrs and Learned Confessors have not dispised the World and suffer'd for nothing Oh no God speaks to us in every thing and all the Benefits that we receive every moment proclaim his goodness who requires nothing but that we Believe be Sorry and be Saved And when we do believe in and love Iesus Crucified that we hate our selves for having offended so much love Having done this what he requires for our Repentance instead of seeming hard will prove sweet and easie And so I doubt not but it will to you Dear Sir if at my humble request you will do this and that you will find such a joy and comfort in the doing it as all your past Life could never afford you Behold me now therefore prostrate if I could below the Feet of all Creatures and even the Earth it self to beg of you for Christs sake not to deny my request of retiring your self two or three Days to consider the Truth of things and to take to heart your Eternal concern If I were dying you would not deny me this and I know not how far I am from it at present being very ill of a languishing distemper which I fear will end in Death And therefore I beg it of you as my last request with all the tenderness and earnestness my Soul can express assuring you that your grant of it will be as dear to me as the Life you gave me Pardon my too great boldness I beseech you for thô I would not for the World willingly offend you yet I cannot avoid making this presumptuous request as I fear you will think it Dear Sir my heart is too full of Affection Respect and Concern for you to be silent where your Eternal happiness is in so eminent a danger I humbly beg my Ladies and your own Blessing for Your Poor Sick Child CLARE of JESUS CHAP. XI Her interior sufferings in time of her sickness and the effects of her Childrens Visit ONE would have thought that the infinite goodness of God which permits him not to be behind hand with his Creatures seeing her in the interior affliction she suffer'd upon account of her Father as the foresaid Letters sufficiently express as well as the exterior she felt from her Sickness and a want of those helps to bear it which the Austerity of her Order permitted not the use of and which her love for him had therefore made her choose loving suffering above all things in this World because it was the best expression she could make of her love to him I say one would have thought that the goodness of God would have mov'd him to temper and sweeten these great afflictions with some interior Comforts but it happen'd that his Providence dealt quite otherwise with her not out of a want of Love but out of an abundance of it who seeing the fidelity and courage with which she serv'd him and her constant Conformity to his Divine Will even in the hardest things and knowing also what an Eternal weight of Glory these momentary sufferings gain'd for her and that the more pure her sufferings were the greater also was her gain seem'd to withdraw himself together with all interior comforts that accompany a sensible feeling of his presence so intirely from her that she thought he had totally abandon'd and forsaken her thô still he resided in the secret of her heart and invisibly assisted her to bear this most sensible affliction Declaring one Day these her sufferings to a Sister that came to Visit her who was a great confident of hers she desir'd her to Pray for her that she might intirely abandon her self to Gods Will and signified to her how great an addition it was to the Mortification her sickness brought with it that it depriv'd her of Religious observance especially that of the Divine Office Another time she exprest her self to those that Visited her in the following manner Happy are you dear Sisters that can assist in the Quire amongst those Seraphims for so she call'd the Religious in praising and loving God and can still be punctual in the performance of all other things that Religious Observance requires alas we never know a Benefit till we are depriv'd of it How happy was I when I had strength and abilities to perform what our Rules require but not justly acquÄtting my self in the performance of them God has justly placed me here and taken that happiness from me to whom I humbly submit for I know his Infinite VVisdom thinks it best to have it so his Holy VVill be done Adding moreover That it seem'd to her since she