immortall fountaine of saluation by her that as the most wretchedest of all women was the occasion of bringing all misery on our heads so the most glorious not only of women but of all creatures whatsoeuer should direct and guide vs vnto our former state of blisse againe Wherfore blessed Mother of mercy and the most comfortable refuge of all offenders giue eare and harken I beseeche thee to these plaints of thy vnworthy suppliant Neyther the voice of a wretched sinner nor his poore wishes and praiers alone durst presume to present thēselues before so singular a Patronesse to intreate so great a benefit as pardon peace and grace for thy distressed England if the merits of all holy Apostles Prophets Martyrs Confessours Virgins deuout Matrons yea and that nothing at all may be wanting euen thy owne aboundant well-deseruing merits themselues did not come to intreate to request and to call vnto thee in behalf of this out-cast and abandoned Iland If it be exceeding ioy and contentment to thee to haue Loreto glorified and most reuerenced of all places in the worlde worke meanes with thy beloued Sonne that this vnfruitfull vineyard may haue the earth and soile of her harte sowne with that heauenly seede which at Loreto is most aboūdantly powred from heauen into the soules of thy deuout Clients that all the people of our Countrey may reioyce not only to haue vnderstanding but also to see planted in their soules the beautifull flowres of the mysticall Paradise where the spirituall Adā CHRIST IESVS our Lord and Sauiour was framed and made mā of the virginall earth of thy body where he found all delicacies and dainty fruites of vertues the sweetest flowers which heauenly grace could produce and the comfortablest nourishment and food which Angells taste Amidst which was made and framed the Lord of Angells in thee the earthly Paradise of this world and the ioy of our God which doth well shew that thou indeed O glorious art the Paradise which was neuer defiled neuer was stained with any imperfection nor neuer sawest the least blemish of earthly corruptiō Witnes herof not only the glorious Resurrection of Christ our Lord thy Sonne thy most happy Assumption into heauen both in body and soule but the very precinct the circuite and the place where this Paradise was planted those very walls I say and the rest of the sacred House of Loreto it self which by a great miracle haue stood from the very time that you liued till this day without any alteration or change at all either by default of antiquity or iniury of the weather declaring vnto vs the rare wonders and mercies of Allmighty God who by his only will doth make mortall things immortall in a sort for euer VVherfore that the gate of this Paradise may allwayes be open and that all may haue free passage to gather the sweete flowers seedes of vertue which vndoubtedly do cure both spirituall corporall infirmities request intreate importune thy Lord thy Creator thy Sauiour thy Sonne that the Angell may terrify prohibite no longer that the fiery sword of wrath reuenge may be remoued that in Loreto all may come to tast of the tree of life whose fruit doth not only heale and take away sinne but also doth so comfort all them that be in distresse and misery that neyther death nor the fruites therof can haue power to raigne in them any longer but that the sacred fountaine of life it self which there was made man to saue man by thy B. merits and most holy prayer may most happily be planted giuen and bestowed on man to the well-fare of his euerlasting felicity and desired saluation TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND RIGHT VERTVOVS Gentlewoman M. ris M. B. T. P. VVisheth increase of vertue and true felicity in IESVS CHRIST CONSIDERING with my self right vertuous M. ris M. to whom of mortal creatures euen next after that glorious Virgin the Mother of our mercifull and great God I might present and deliuer this discourse being as it were the gate of the flourishing place where the true spirituall Paradise was planted to be opened for the well-fare of our distressed Countrey me thought none could better performe so singular an office of duty towards B. Mary of Loreto than they who with the example of Virginall purity haue euē from their cradle beene allwaies specially deuoted to that place and haue much desired to heare and to read the meruailous wonders of so mercifull a Patronesse that their soules might be fully replenished and happily blest with the great comfort of so diuine a benefit Among whome who may be iudged more worthy than shee in whome from infancy the disposer of these celestiall graces hath dwelt both by name grace And that she may allwaies dwell in your religious hart to the increase of your noble vertues and to the good of many soules to you deuout M. ris M. I present this small token of my dutifull affection that by your singular piety and true Christian zeale towards this miraculous place others may know what vnfayned happines if any be on earth this little booke doth set before their eyes For as by her glorious merits and the disposition of the Father of mercies B. Mary of Loreto hath deserued the principality and to be Queene of all heauenly creatures so by the sanctification and will of Mary the most sacred House of Loreto hath euer beene the first of all places consecrated to her name on earth and that in so meruailous a manner that the most B. Queene of Angells doth bestow her Angelicall benefits so bountifully in this place that there is none although he doe not visit her with corporall presence if conueniently he can not but in spirit only that departeth hence without the speciall reward and blessing of Loreto such a fountaine of sanctity haue the merits of this Virginall Queene produced for our miseries infirmities that O wonder these burdēs seeme as it were to be remooued and taken from vs during our aboad in that Paradise which B. Maries habitation touchings and vertues haue truly sanctified for the good well-fare of her Suppliants for euer Which you deuout M. ris M. knowing to be true will not cease this haruest-tyme of your life to gather into the treasury of your hart all spirituall seedes of celestiall glory with more singular example and zeale of the honour of her your Patronesse of your owne perfection and the good of all that shall concurre with you in this most profitable seruice of the heauenly Queene And that you may most faithfully performe it heere once againe you your self and they by you receiue the full view of that true flourishing vineyard and of all her heauenly fruites that among such variety you may make speciall choice of some of her odoriferous vertues which haue so singular a quality that they neuer change their first beauty but still adorne the soule with greater purity than the brightest planets these
THE HISTORY OF OVR B. LADY OF LORETO TRAÌ„SLATED out of Latyn into English IMPRINTED with Licence 1608. APPROBATIO NOs Ant. Maria miseratione diuina tit S. Agnetis in Agone S. R. E. Presb. Card. Gallus nuncupatus Dei Apostolicae Sedis gratia Episcopus Auximanus Almae Domus Ciuitatis Lauretanae Protect Guber perpetuus Vidimus probauimus Historiam Lauretanam R P. Horatij Tursellini è Societate IESV in quinque libros distinctam consentit enim in omnibus cum antiquis traditionibus scripturis Almae Domus Lauretanae In cuius rei fidem hoc ei testimonium dedimus Auximi in nostris aedibus Episcopalibus Die XIV Maij Anno M.D.XCVII Ant. Mar. Card. Gallus Laur. Prot. Guber perp EGo Claudius Aquauiua Societatis IESV Praepositus Generalis Lauretanae Historiae libros quinque à P. Horatâ—o Tursellino compositos per tres alios Theologos nostrae Societatis recognosci mandaui quos cum illi approbauerint probo etiam vt possint imprimi si ita placuerit Reuerendissimo D. Viceregenti ac Reuerendissimo Patri Magistro Sacri Palatij Datum Romae die VIII Octobris Anno Domini M.D.XCVII Claudius Aquauiua Imprimatur Alex. Prouicesg Imprimatur P. Paulus Picus Reuer Mag. Sac. Palatij socius TO THE MOST GLORIOVS AND MOST B. VIRGIN OF LORETO The most mercifull Patronesse and greatest Ioy of Christians WHEREAS a custome hath long preuailed among mortall meÌ„ most singular Queene of heauen to dedicate their labours and workes to great men on earth either to aduance the glorie of their familie by recording the worthie memorie of their vertues for the perpetuall view of people nations or els to gaine their singular loue and fauour by so speciall a grace towards them and their posterity Which albeit it be the full intent if my mind deceiue me not of them that labour to fill the world with knowledge yet this kinde of gratitude not to be misliked nor censured according to euery mans conceite doth little auaile to further and helpe the imbecillity of humane vnderstanding and to infuse the true spirit of the worke into the Readers minde wherby he may attaine specially in the Treatises of spirituall discourses to the knowledge of true Christianity which onely by the direction and grace of the heauenly spirit leadeth a deuout soule out of the banishment and peregrination of mortality to the sacred fountaine of euerlasting felicity Which happines being the whole intent and the onely desire of the Author and Translatour of this worke and the true cause wherefore thou most mercifull Mother of Loreto by so great a miracle hast made thy most deare most beloued house to follow the religion honour of the Christian name from Country to country froÌ„ place to place to incline the hartes of sinners to repeÌ„tance that the Father of heaueÌ„ might be truly scrued honoured vpon earth and the worke of our Redemption take such effect in the fraile harts of thy deuout suppliants that with great zeale they might wish theÌ„selues wholy deuoted to the seruice of Allmighty God most desirously tast of that happines which doth not onely giue life but life without end purchased and bought with the dearest bloud of the immaculate Lambe of God for the inhabitants of the whole worlde Among which that thy Owne Dowry may haue the grace once againe to reape the singular benefit of so heauenly a fauour vouchsafe most glorious and before all creatures the most happy Mother of God to receiue from the handes of an vnworthy seruitour of most B. Mary of Loreto vnfaynedly desiring that true honour should be donne vnto thee this labour as a small token of his seruice and euer bounden duty to the most B. Queene of Heauen being most willing heerby if so be it may stand with thy good liking to aduance propagate the worthy and most comfortable name of most B. Mary of Loreto in euery angle yea and in euery Christian hart of this distressed Iland which indeed vnles it be performed by thee the generall Patronesse of our miseries my slender endeuour not worthy to obtaine for poore Lazarus the least cruÌ„be that doth fall from the rich table of those heauenly bankets will little auaile For these outward wordes may sound to small increase of sincere deuotion if the hart be shut from the true feeling of diuine mysteries which by none more willingly more admirably and with lesse intreaty than by thee eyther can or are reuealed to those soules which now sit in darknes and in the shadow of death drawne thither by the deceipt and fraude of thy enemies with such lamentable woe as most of thy Clients heretofore much deuoted to thy holy Name now by euill information and damnable doctrine seeme to make it an honour to their God and a point of their religon to renounce thy seruice to contemne thy prayer and from their hartes to reiect thy thrice fortunate protection helpe But O vouchsafe to heare will the Mother of mercy the gate of heauen the glory of Hierusalem the ioy of Israëll turne her desired countenance her mercifull eyes her melting bowells her inflamed zeale of soules from her Owne Dowry besieged and fiercely assaulted with the deadly enemies of Mary euen of Mary the Mother of God Do not respect looke not at abuses and great wrongs thinke not of iniuries donne vnto thee for now mercy is expected now fauour is sought now pardon is obtayned for the greatest offenders and by whome but by B. Mary of Loreto The more peruerse the more obstinate and greater that the offenders conuerted be the more glory doth come to Loreto the beloued Cell of thy habitation and to Mary the giuer of all gifts and graces next after God Which at thy beloued Loreto are most aboundantly bestowed on them that by thy holy intercession and meane craue humble pardon of their sinnes from God Therfore for the beloued name of Mary for the Mother of God for Loreto it self mollify and mercifully incline the hartes of them that shall reade these thy wonders miracles inspire into them the light of grace giue them by thy holy intercession true vnderstanding prompt will and willing perfourmance to imbrace all which belongeth to know the seruice of the true omnipotent God and of Iesus Christ his and thy only Sonne Which once performed is not the straied sheepe found out and carried on the Pastours shoulders to his fellowes and placed in the cherishing bosome of his dearest Mother the holy Catholike Church Is not the prodigall Child receiued with all exultatioÌ„ ioy againe into his Fathers fauour Is not dead Lazarus reuiued doth not all heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner and doth it not sound with the praises of B. Mary of Loreto whome Allmighty God hath so glorified that he hath made her the instrument and the meane to haue all the chosen sheepe of Christs flocke to returne to Paradise and to tast of the
of the reuerēce of Loreto and doth tremble to heare the name of Mary of Loreto mentioned whome many times that country-people thinking to haue robbed spoiled of her wealth were taught by many great miracles and infinite losse of men not to touch nor approach vnto her but to reuerence and honour her with religious respect and deuout wordes Only England of all nations vnder the sunne doth not know doth not honour and reuerence this glorious Paradise of the earth VVhat is she worse than Turkes and heathen people who dare not attempt any hostility nor vtter any irreuerent thing of Loreto being taught this fruitfull lesson by their great harme Truly for that presumptuousnes which maketh thee O England to say that Saints cannot heare our praiers that Mary the Mother of Christ is no better than other women that she can not heare nor help her Suppliants But if the Catholicke Church can not teach thee if Turkes if heathenish people cannot informe thee let wonderfull workes of God this miracle of the world the meruailous benefits bestowed on mankinde in this most sacred place by the praiers of the Mother of God make it manifest vnto thee that Christ doth heare his Mothers praiers and that the contrary irreuerent impious and blasphemous opinion doth bring dānation of body soule to all those that belieue such fancies diuellish inuentions as to contemne to deride to detract the Saintes of Allmighty God wheras the contrary that is to honour to reuerence and by humble praier to intreate the help the assistance and the aid of his Saintes is so pleasing acceptable and deere in the sight of his diuine Maiesty that he doth confirme this beliefe of his Catholike seruants with dayly innumerable miracles from heauen wherby the contrary is so confoūded detested hated by Allm. God himself that he can do no more to make thē to know see their detestable dānable errour indeed their heresy as palpable Christs Conception who would not see the ouershadowing of the holy Ghost and the vertue of the Highest descēd on the B. Virgin in her litle house of Loreto who would not be present at all the wōders that Christ wrought in that litle place of his aboad who would not allwaies most effectually desire to pray with his body in Loreto before the glorious Images of IESVS MARY that his mind may be carried to greater ioy than wordes can expresse O what increase of vertue will come to your soules to thinke that B. Mary the Mother of God doth worke in your hartes all those miraculous cures which she hath donne in the bodies of her suppliants what ioy will it be to your harts to see your sinnes taken away to feele the working of the holy ghost in your breasts to see damnation turned into saluation deepe auersion into sweet imbracing loue These things are so wonderfull and admirable that nothing can be more desired of your soules Therfore giue your selues to Mary offer your selues to Mary consecrate your harts and wills wholy to Mary and Mary will allwaies be with you in Loreto she will teach you to pray she will be an exāple still before your eyes in your behalf before the Altar of his diuine presence she will also offer vp euery Aue Maria euery deuout naming of Iesus to the increase of your holines on earth to your great cōfort in all your tribulations to the full accomplishment of your heauenly Crowne in the Paradise of eternity Your Welwiller T. P. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND Lord Peter Aldobrandino CARDINAL Of the Holy Roman Church HORATIVS TVRSELLINVS VVISHETH FELICITY THE prouidence of Allmighty God doth appeare in many great and wonderfull things Right honorable Cardinall but specially in this that he hath made his B. Mother the Patronesse and parent of mankind For seeing that humane imbecillity was subiect to innumerable chaunces he euer determined to appoint such a keeper and defendresse vnto the same as chiefly aboue all others both would could deliuer their health euery way beset with dangers blesse their life with true happy goodnes For our mighty God hath made his B. Mother a companiō of his diuine maiesty and power as far as may be lawfull long agoe bestowing vpon her the speciall prerogatiue and principality of all heauenly and earthly creatures According to whose will as much as the protectiō of mankind doth require he moderateth the earth the sea heauen and nature it self at whose intreaty and by whome he bestoweth diuine treasures and heauenly gifts on mortall men that all may vnderstād that whatsoeuer doth flow from that eternall and most sacred Fountaine of goodnes to earth that it doth flow vnto vs by Mary his most B. Mother What region therfore what people what nation is there where the Patronage of Mary is not illustrated with miracles consecrated with Houses adorned with titles But among all the sacred Houses dedicated to the B. Virgin Mother of God one House of Loreto doth excell which with the fame of her name hath both filled the whole world and also for the space of these many ages is reuerenced dayly more and more with the concourse and frequency of all people and nations For as other Churches of our B. Lady are for the most part the refuges of particular Citties Coūtries so this seemeth to be the common refuge of all people and nations And therfore to you Peter Aldobrādino I specially dedicate the History both of this House Church aswell in the name of our whole Society which you fauour with singular beneuolence as in my owne who for the same cause must needes confesse my self to owe more to your singular humanity than I am able to performe Nether must any meruaile why we write this History in Latin for they erre by some mens leaue be it spoken and measure the thing rather by the loue which they beare to their natiue tongue than by the truth it self if any thinke that more fruite of a History may be receiued by this our late and Tuscane lāguage than by the old Latin tongue For the Tuscane tongue doth not much passe the boūds of Italy it self which heerafter an interpreter of this History may satisfy but the Latin tongue doth go far neere almost through all people and nations that the Roman language may extend further than in times past the Roman Empire did And if the protection of the B. Virgin of Loreto be shewed to all Countreys of the world truly with good reason we may wish that her glory and fame may go as farre as the Christian Religion reuerence hath donne Wherfore most honorable Cardinal with that benignity wherwith you are wont to receiue our Men receiue this small gift of our Order and permit the most famous name of Peter Aldobrandino to be carried ouer most remote nations and countreys togeather with the History of Loreto that it may be a monument
ancient custome he daily went vnto it to adore God and his B. mother in the place where his seet had stood Wherupon Paul giuing him selfe to prayer and to the meditation of heauenly thinges in the sight of the most sacred Chappell as his custome was as if it were in the fight of our B. Lady her selfe he often obserued that a heauenly flame spreading abroad far wide Heauenly fire doth rest ouer the sacred House in manner of a great blazing starre rested ouer the Cell of the B. Virgin And obseruing the thing the time very diligently he found that on the 6. of the Ides of September that is to say on the very day of the B. Virgins birth yearly about the fourth Vigill of the night a great flame falling from heauen and couering the roofe of her sacred house with an vniforme brightnes within a while ascēded on high from whence it came Which wonderfull spectacle did not only replenish him with great ioy but also amazed him And as he was a man of true simplicitie he supposed that the B. Virgin her selfe came from heauen into her natiue House in likenes of a flame to celebrate her birth Wherupon hauing a desire to behold so great a wonder neere at hand he began to expect the opportunity of the time thē the which nothing seemed longer vnto him At length when the yeare came about that heauenly flame shewed it selfe againe he speedily ranne vnto it to behold with his eyes as he beleeued and with all deuotiō to salute the Queene of heauen inuironed with blisle But the neerer his hope was of approaching vnto it the more the thing and the flame at first diminished and at last vanished away and withdrew it selfe quite out of sight leauing the credulous beholder frustrate of his expectation which inflamed his godly hart with a more ardent affection and desire as if he had receiued all that heauenly fire into him selfe though he was altogeather ignorāt what it might portend And hauing thus spent ten whole yeares yeare by yeare alwayes the selfe same day this heauenly flame hanging ouer the sacred House deceiuing the hope of the beholder more more inflamed his godly desire But at length obtaining it of Almightie God by prayer he had his wish For in his quiet rest in the night time he learned by a heauenly vision that the natiue House of the B. Virgin was honoured with an anniuersary flame the very day of her natiuitie because it was to her liking to haue that day to be kept and reuerenced there with great solemnitie Wherfore Paul who vntill this day had concealed this admirable spectacle in great silence now either vpon deuotion or els as it may be supposed compelled by the B. Virgin in his rest went speedily to Recanati and declared the whole matter to the Bishop and to the Magistrates of the Cittie who through the opinion of his sanctitie was esteemed a graue authour euen of so great a thing And the Bishop being moued with the authoritie of the man and with the congruencie of the thing and the time beleeued that the heauenly vision was vnfayned and presently published it abroad that the people of Recanati might reuerence the most sacred Cell of the B. Virgin with speciall honour deuotiō the very day of her natiuitie Wherby it came to passe that afterward the adioyning also remote people either imitating the example of the people of Recanati The day of our B. Ladies natiuitie is had in greatest reuerence or els stirred with the fame of this miracle chiefly in the month of Septēber assēbled to Loreto with great zeale to celebrate the day of our B. Ladies birth And shortly after the new bountie of the Popes increased the deuotion of the people who chieflie at that time as in due place we are to declare granted most ample Indulgences to the House of Loreto And these spectacles of the heauenly flames continued not only many yeares but also many ages For about 20. yeares agone diuers Cittizens of Recanati The vvonder of the heauenly fiers is renevved remarkable for vertue and grauitie reported to Raphael Riera of whom I receiued it that about the day of the B. Virgins natiuitie flames of fire were seene to fall from heauen in the night time on the House of Loreto all the whole Cittie of Recanati looking on and that them selues had seene the same many times with exceeding ioy of mind adding withall that the day before about night when it began to be darke the Cittizens of Recanati hauing a great desire to see so gratefull so pleasant a sight flocked commonly to the houses walles whence they might behold the House of Loreto that they might delight their eyes and mindes with the admirable beautie of that heauenly flame which euery yeare was seene as it was reported vntill the time of Pope Paul the third Riera in Annal. Laur. Ambro. Noui. Fast. l. 9. so that among all the wonders of Loreto there is scarce any more notable than this which not only historiographers set downe in writing but also Nouidius a famous Poet recorded it in a notable poeme which he dedicated to Pope Paul the third which we thought good to insert in this historie Wherfore thus he writeth extolling the B. Virgin with worthy praise To thee therfore are temples built rare monuments of loue As many as be tongues on earth or shyning starres aboue Yet none with that may be compard in which the Virgin bright The Queene of heauen to blesse the world at first was brought to light VVith wonder great this worthy House to good for Parthia land Did mount into the lofty ayer borne vp by Angells hand VVhen after stay in diuers coastes to Italie it came And of the Picene people there did lastlie beare the name And lest succeeding ages should the truth hereof suspect This night strang lights vpon the roofe do glittering beames reflect VVhen the towne of Loreto was gouerned by lawes the Cittizens of Recanati inuironed the Sacred House with a Church CHAP. XVIII THE Cittizens of Recanati being mooued with these heauenly signes Bap. Mant. Hiero. Angel determined to defend adorne the House of Loreto with their vttermost endeuours For when the towne of Loreto was daily more and more frequented by reason that many came thither frō all places to dwell either vpon deuotion to the B. Virgin or els for desire of traffique the Cittizens of Recanati thinking it most conuenient to order them by lawes and statutes The tovvn of Loreto hath a Gouernour giuen vnto it set them downe lawes and gaue them a Magistrate for execution of Iustice Hauing disposed matters in the towne they turned their care to thinges abroad For certaine necessitous and notorious wretches allured either with a fit occasion of robbing or els with the sweetnes of the prey it selfe spoiled many straying and wandering Pilgrimes setting on them among bushes and woodes adioyning
the money is kept and when he had prouided all things for that purpose craftily hid himself in the sacred Cell of the B. Virgin Whereuppon going about to execute his sacrilegious desire in the dead of the night he gathered the sacred Donaries of gold and siluer into one place And when he had opened the Arcke and the doores of the sacred Chappell he also assayed to burst open the leaues of the Church-doore it self which assoone as he had broken open he began to looke about to seeke the complice of his wickednes who at that very houre for so they had agreed was to be in readines in the Church porch to hide the sacred gifts and the money in an appointed place But beholde whiles he intentiuely looked about he saw a companie of armed people at hand a multitude of heauenly spirits as it was supposed watching the House of the B. Virgin whose vnexpected presence stroke him into so great feare that he speedily shut to the doores hid himself thinking they sought his life But the vnhappy man hauing escaped that danger as he thought and auarice egging him on began to aduenture the thing againe Wheruppon opening the dores of the Church againe and the third time to seeke out the complice of his mischiefe allwaies that heauenly company met him in armes and with all speed forced him to fly againe into the Church Hauing thus spent the night betweene hope and feare at last he was more sollicitous of his life then of the prey and determined to depart without his purpose For the morning being ready to approach he assayed to get away by a back doore of the Church but still being frighted with the encounter of that heauenly watch which we haue mentioned he fled back againe into the most sacred Cell where remained manifest signes of his attempted sacriledge that the place which was the witnes of his wickednes might also manifestlie declare the same And the keepers of the most sacred Chappell comming vpon him vnawares and finding the dores broken open and the sacred Donaries gathered into one place began easilie to suspect his intent and purpose And the lewd fellow himself trēbling with a guiltie cōsciēce seeming to discouer his intended wickednes was straight apprehended and being examined confessed the whole matter Wherefore with the partner of his filthie sacriledge he suffered deserued punishment to be no small document of the prouidence of Almightie God towards the well-fare and good of the sacred House of Loreto Two yong men are deliuered from the seruitude of the Diuell CHAP. XXXII MOREOVER other wicked and almost forlorne men were reduced to an honest life and to the way of saluation by the help of the B. Virgin of Loreto There was a certaine yong man as notorious for his birth as for his wicked life who in a quarrell receiued a grieuous wound in his knee for offending Alm. God for which cause he could not cure the wound vntill he began to mitigate the wrath of God For hauing wasted good part of his substance in physicke and surgerie the cure was more likelie to bring him into feare of greater incōuenience thē any good hope of recouerie Annal. Laur. Rier wherby he mightilie feared speedie death or at least perpetuall lamenesse For which cause reiecting help of Surgeons he put all his hope and trust in the B. Virgin of Loreto and repenting with teares the truest signes of pennance began to pacifie the wrath of God and to implore the help of his B. Mother making this vow vnto her if he escaped this danger he would go to the House of Loreto with gifts to giue her thankes A wonderfull thing to be sayd Speaking these wordes with great repentance of minde the wound was presentlie cured and he recouered perfect health of bodie But health restored to an vngratefull and dissolute man was almost his destruction who quite forgetting so great a benefit thought it not inough to neglect his vow vnles he also abused the benefit of his recouerie with the licenciousnes of his former life For being inclined to worser things at last he came to that passe by giuing himself wholy to lust that he had scarce the grace to repent So much were his later workes worse than his former He had beene vndone if Alm. God had not looked on the out-cast man and by heauenlie fauour brought him againe into the way of saluation For shortlie after he seemed to heare a silent voice bidding him go to Loreto and speedilie performe the vow which he had made and then lo he obeyed and went to Loreto to worship the Mother of God with gifts But no small thing to be spokē of preuented the fruite of his votiue pilgrimage For lust had so thralled him vnto her that still sticking in the same filth he refused to go to Confession though Alm. God reached forth his helping hand Yet because his conscience pricked him and permitted him to haue no rest first he began to go round about the sacred House of the B. Virgin and the place appointed to heare Confessions then leasurelie to view the forme of the Church and the votiue tables hanging about the walles within a while by impulsion of the wicked diuell he also departed out the Church it self but presently by heauēly grace returned thither againe You would haue thought he had beene mad and distracted in minde so far did it repēt him sometimes of his purpose sometimes of his pēnance And being scarce well in his wittes he was so disquieted in mind and in bodie that he could neither abide the sight of the Priests nor the remorse of his owne conscience And also being in great perplexitie and doubtfull what to doe he remayned three dayes in these cogitations But at last through the goodnes of God and his B. Mother new zeale of saluation was enkindled in him For by chance being present at diuine seruice he seemed to heare a voyce frō heauen blaming his delay commanding him to go to one of the Priests there prepared and to disburden his soule of his offences with purpose of better life That voice pierced and bowed his obstinate minde and so at last being ouercome or rather ouercōming all impediments he peesentlie changed his minde◠and did as he was commanded Whereby getting happilie out of the sinke of lust he washed away all the blemishes of his life with great aboundāce of teares and reioycing with heauenlie ioy as men are wont to doe gaue manifolde thankes to God and his B. Mother that he was twice deliuered from imminent danger of bodie and soule by her protection and fauour There was the like condition of an other yong mā the euēt not vnlike who being wholie giuen to lust those things that follow it in short time spent all his Fathers substance in wickednes filthines of life whiles he striued to bring himself to all naughtines dishonestie at last the matter came to that passe that he was