this Sacred Veil and wear it till you come before the Tribunal of the Eternal Iudge to whom all Knees both in Heaven and Earth and Hell are bent remember you have for ever taken leave of the World and given and united your self wholy to Iesus Christ as to your beloved Spouse may he defend and protect you from all Evils and receive you at length into Eternal Life Amen Then the Bride with a loud Voice recited the words of St. Agnes He has put a Mark and Veil ever my Face that I may admit no other Lover but himself Then the Abbess put on the Brides head a Crown saying Take my dear Sister this Temporal Crown as a certain pledge of that Eternal one which your Divine Spouse has prepar'd for you if you be faithful to him After this the Abbess also put a Ring on her Finger saying at the same time My beloved Daughter take this Ring as a Mark of that love and fidelity which you ought inviolably to keep to your faithful Spouse Iesus Christ as long as you love To which the Bride Answer'd with a high Voice My Lord Iesus Christ has engag'd me to him with his Ring and adorn'd me as his Spouse with a Crown Then the Abbess put into her hand a Crucifix and said Receive here and embrace your Spouse may he receive bless and preserve both you and us for ever Amen After she had receiv'd the Crucifix the Father recited the following Prayers LOrd Iesus Christ who by the immense goodness of thy Purity hast vouchsafed to Espouse our Souls with an indissoluble band of Love grant we beseech thee that this thy Servant being firmly engag'd by thy Ring of Faith may become so constant faithful and devout a Spouse in thy service as that she may firmly persever in it to the end who livest and reignest c. O God who by thy love hast inflam'd this thy Servant and drawn her from the Vanity of the World to the reward of so high a Calling vouchsafe so to purifie her heart with thy presence and the infusion of thy Divine Grace that she may persever in it that being strengthen'd by thy assistance she may be able to perform what by thy Divine inspirations she has promis'd and by the execution hereof happily partake of the Eternal reward thou hast promis'd those that persever in thy service through Christ our Lord Amen These Prayers being ended the Quire began to Sing the following Responsal The Kingdom of this VVorld and all it's Ornaments I have contemn'd for the Love of my Lord Iesus Christ Which having ended they began the Hymn Te Deum Laudamus and whilst they were Singing it the Bride went round the Quire and receiv'd the Embraces and Congratulations of all the Religious then returning to her place she and the rest of the Religious kneeling in their order the Father recited that Verse of the 67 Psalm Confirm O God what thou hast wrought in us and then made a very moving Sermon upon the following Text out of the 9th Psalm Sperent in te Domine qui noverunt nomen tuum Let them hope in thee O Lord who know thy Name In this Exhortation he First lay'd open the nature of this Action or Ceremony they had perform'd by evidencing that a greater Act of hope could not be express'd then by a Voluntary Contempt of the present but transitory Comforts of this World in expectation of those solid and inexplicable joys whose durance was to be Eternal in the next Believe me said he the vain hopes of the Earth are too poor and inconsiderable for so generous hearts as yours are the Kingdom of Heaven as you have made out to Day is only worthy of them Secondly He shew'd there could be no way more Compendious to Honor and Celebrate this great Feast of All-Saints then by striving to make themselves conformable to those Great Originals which in this present conjuncture they had done by so generously undervaluing all the transitory goods of this Life and so might justly hope to arrive at that pitch of Sanctity this Contempt of the World had rais'd the Saints unto and also to share with them the Crown of Glory in the World to come Thirdly Addressing himself to the Bride he assur'd her she had strictly follow'd the direction of St. Austin in Solemnising this Feast by so closely following the Example of Saints nay even the hardest example which is that of Martyrs Whereby she had made a better and a more moving Exhortation by her Example then he was able to make by his words she having verified those of this great Doctor Ser. 47. de Sactis Ab ipsis Martyrum Festivitatum gaudia celebrantur qui ipsorum Martyrum exempla sequuntur Solemnitates enim Martyrum Exhortationes sunt Martyriorum ut imitari non pigeat quod celebrare delectat The joys of the Festivals of Saints are best Celebrated by those who follow their Examples for the Solemnities of Martyrs are so many Exhortatations to Martyrdome that it may not be tedious to Practice what is delightful to Celebrate Proving that the Bride had couragiously enter'd upon the hardest of Martyrdoms by taking upon her so long and terrifying a one as was that dying Life or living Death she had so joyfully embrac'd for the love of God CHAP. II. What Effects this Ceremony wrought upon her self and those that were present at it The great Victory she had obtain'd over her passions manifested by her unconcernedness in this and two other very moving occasions Having ended the Ceremony of her Profession I hope the taking notice of some moving Circumstances in it and of the effects it wrought both upon the Bride and those that were present will prove as grateful to the Reader as I believe the foregoing Relation has been The Ceremony was so moving as that there was scarce a Religious or Secular Person present who were as many as the Doxal could hold that was able to refrain from Tears Nay the Governor himself the Marquiss of Flavecoeur a Person not at all subject to this passion declar'd that he could not refrain from weeping at the sight of it no more then the rest and that he had never felt such a tenderness of heart in all his Life She her self who was the Actor was the only person that seem'd unmov'd in this action appearing all the while with a chearful yet so recollected a Countenance as if she had been totally absorpt in God whose Sacrifice she fell that Day Her little ones stood by her all the time she perform'd the Ceremony which was enough to have mov'd any heart but hers For they being of an Age not sensible of their loss seem'd as little concern'd as their Mother and were very much pleas'd at what they understood not being very busie in assisting at the Ceremony The one put on her Veil the other her Crown at which Sister Clare smiling told her in a low Voice she wore that for her
with bad Mony and indeed we have no other make a Divine Commerce an Eternal Bargain with God whereby your Will which is a free Spiritual and an Immortal Power Mistress of her self and of all the other Powers does from this moment for ever destine imploy and apply all the parts and peices of your Being to be as the hand of a Dial that shows the hour a perpetual Remembrance Congratulation Thanksgiving and Iubilation for all the Praises Homages Respects and Adorations which all Creatures give or shall eternally give to God for the love he bears to himself to the end you may Adore and Glorifie him in this Spirit and love him with that eternal love which alone is worthy of him And God will shew you as much good will and give you as great a reward for it as if you your self did give all the Offerings Sacrifices and Blessings which Men and Angels give him in Heaven and Earth Nay the Will that has an Infinity for it's Object may make all the Individuals of Human and Angelical Natures all the motions of Soul and Body Nay even all Created Beings to an Atome or grain of Sand concur to so noble a work Good God how admirable profitable and Divine is this exercise which costs nothing at all and may be compleated in a moment And what Treasures of Glory does a Man loose that is either ignorant of it or neglects it Whilst he is busied in so many things whilst he is sad or joyful upon account of different accidents without referring them to God as their Origin Since in him they are eternal infinite and most perfect and out of him they are nothing but vanity and lys that is finite corruptible and subject to an infinity of changes Dear Sister stop a while here view this Spirit of Vnity which is the Spirit of God himself which gathers divided and dis-united things into one to draw us out of multiplicity and the imperfection of nature into this holy Vnion with a Transformation into himself Which makes one contrary to be found in the other the Creature in God Perfection in Imperfection Vnity in Multiplicity Light in Darkness Peace in War Recollection in Distraction Sweetness in the Cross Abundance in Poverty Life in Death Corporal in Spiritual God in All and All in Him Do not mistake me I beseech you in thinking that because God changes so often his manner of proceeding with you he is not still yours and you his dive by the light of Faith into the darkness where he hides himself penetrate the Veiles of Bodies and Spirits with which he covers himself see him act in all his Creatures giving them their determinate motion who is properly their Life and Being Not a Hair presents it self unto our Eyes without his sight and permission to the end that that lively and active Faith of yours may see him in his Images and Characters as we see a Saint in his Cloaths or a Friend in Imagination whilst we behold his Picture that repairs the weakness of our Memory Dear Sister make the last effort imitate a King who to Establish himself and to Reign peaceably in a Kingdom newly Conquer'd fills every place with horror and desolation Puts to the Sword not only such as oppose his designs but even rids himself of his suspected Friends for fear of some Treasonable surprize In like manner do you kill and destroy all your Sworn Enemies Annihilate all your desires and Passions take leave even of what appears Vertue and Perfection because they make a noise and pudder and cause more Smoak and distracttion than they augment the fire of Love Bid Love enter into it's source cause Humility to keep love Company or debase it self below Lucifer and desire your Friends to sleep and take their repose since the Son of Man goes to be abandoned forsaken and Crucified to Establish God alone in All and through All. His Dominion and Empire in a Soul in Grace is the Creating Essence or the very Essence of the Creator I have made an Epitome of the Nothing of all things and of the All of God which Practice will better explain than reason I hope this at present is sufficient to assure you of the Affection of him who is as much as any one in the World except your Brother Clare Dear Sister Your most humble and most affectionate Servant in God RUISSON Herke Iuly 13. 1669. To show with what Humility and how briefly and solidly she reply'd to this excellent Letter I will here set down her Answer Translated out of French which contains a great deal of substance in a few words SIR I Confess 't is a good while since I receiv'd your welcome Letter which my indisposition hinder'd me till now from Answering Please but to obtain for me some of that true and pure love of God which you so well discourse of and so faithfully practice that animated thereby I may be able to suffer sickness or whatever God pleases to send me with such a perfect submission and Vnion to his Divine Will as that I may become intirely his and then I shall be better able to converse with you for at present I am unworthy of such a Conveâ—sation but must own that when 't is God's Will to move you to Write to me I both receive and read your Letters with a great deal of comfort yet cannot desire this or any thing else but that his Holy Will should be done in all things Amen SIR Your most unworthy Servant CLARE of JESUS For the Love of God and the Blessed Virgin Pray for me CHAP. VIII A Short Account of some remarkable passages in the Life and Death of Mr. Ruisson SInce Mr. Ruisson's Letter set down in the foregoing Chapter as you have seen contains so much Spirit and Devotion I think it will be no unpardonable digression if I add a word or two concerning himself that the Reader may be convinced that this Servant of God practized what he Taught and thereby be induc'd to set a high value and estimate as well upon his Person as upon his Doctrin and also conceive a higher esteem of Sister Clare since a Person so Illuminated and favor'd by God as he was exprest so high an esteem of her and such a Zeal to serve her in so earnestly promoting her advancement in Perfection and the service of God Take for a mark of his Humility a Vertue that is the foundation of all Perfection the humble Letter he Writ to Brother Clare then Studying Philosophy at Liege in which he inclosed the foresaid Letter unsealed where after all the pains he had taken in Writing it and in obtaining light from Heaven without which such a Letter could not be Writ left the sending or burning it intirely to him confiding more in the Judgment of others than his own a great mark of Humility and of the true Spirit of God His Letter follows Translated out of Latin in which it was Writ Dearest Brother in
hear the Angel Guardian of our Iland Whispering in Our Soverains Far as heretofore the Angel Guardian of Israel did in the Ear of St. Ioseph these joyful vvords Rise and take the Child and his Mother and return into your Country for they are Dead vvho sought the Life of the Child Pardon me Madam for enlarging the Preface by this Digression The Zeal I have for Your Majesties happy Restauration vvill Apologize for the length I have no more to add but to beg that Your Majesty vvould vouchsafe to Honor these Memoires vvith Your Royal Approbation and accept this Tribute of my poor endeavours vvhich vvith all imaginable submission I lay dovvn at Your Sacred Feet That the Great God of Iustice may speedily restore Your Majesty and Our Gracious Soverain to Your Thrones and that after a long and happy Raign upon Earth You may receive an everlasting Crovvn in Heaven are the earnest vvishes and dayly Prayers of MADAM Your Majesties most Dutiful and most Devoted Subject and Servant N. N. THE LIFE OF THE LADY WARNER In RELIGION Sister CLARE of IESVS THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. Her Birth and Family her Inclination even from her tender Years to a Religions Life both in France and England ALTHO ' Vertue stands in need of no additional Luster yet commonly the Ornaments of Nature are never wanting to accompany the high Prerogatives of Grace and for the most part Sanctity of Life has been attended by Nobility of Birth and good Education The Lady VVarner had no small advantages in this kind She was Born on the 20th of April the Year 1636. at Hanmer-hall in the Town of Hanmer in the County of Flint the Ancient Seat of the Family whose Name it bears and after a few days she there received her Christian Name of Trevor in Baptism from my Lord Baron Trevor her Godfather Her Father was Sir Thomas Hanmer Baronet whose fidelity and loyalty recommended him to the Honorable Employment of Cup-bearer to King Charles the first Her Mother was Mrs. Elizabeth Baker of the Ancient Family of the Bakers of VVhittingham-hall in the County of Suffolk whose Birth Natural Parts Beauty and Education rendred her worthy to be chosen by the Queen Henrietta Maria for one of her Maids of Honor. Soon after her Birth the Civil Wars of England began in which her Father employed the utmost of his Power for the Interest of the King his Master but finding after his Majesties Imprisonment no possibility of rendring him any farther service rather then remain a sad and useless Spectator of His Misery he chose to leave the Kingdom and to go for France where he might be able to express more evident Testimonies of his Duty than he could in his own Country in which he was dayly exposed to the danger of Imprisonment and other inconveniences incident to those times Here it was she began first to discover her inclinations to a Religious Life and Pious desires to cast those seeds which afterwards growing up came to that ripness and maturity For Sir Thomas carrying her with his Lady to Paris happened to take up his Lodgings in a Catholic House she was then about Ten Years Old and in a short time had gain d so much upon the Son and Daughter of that Family who were about her Age and had inform'd her how happy a Life the Religions of their Church lead and had given her such an Idea of it as had inflam'd her to embrace it as to obtain of them privatly to accompany her to the Monastry of Mont-Martyr a little out of the Town where her want of experience perswaded her she should be received as soon as she presented her self For this end she gathered together what Cloaths and other thing she had which she did not so carfully put up but that she dropt them as she passed through the House whereby her Plot was discovered and her design blown up and all the reward she received for her intended Devotion was a severe correction from my Lady her Mother thô then detained in bed by her last sickness but thô this design was hindred she went on in her wonted innocent divertisments of making and adorning little Oratories whilst others play'd The Death of my Lady gave Sir Thomas Hanmer more liberty of returning privatly to England to see how his private concerns went there and whether he might be any ways useful to his Master Beginning his Journy he left his Daughter Trevor in the care of an Ancient Burgher and his Wife who were Hugenots and had no Children where she might be out of danger of improving such designs as formerly she attempted which he and his Lady who were both Protestants could not but disapprove Sir Thomas contriving for his greater security whilst he was in England to keep as far from his own home as he could retired to Hengrave-hall near Bury in Suffolk where Sir Thomas Harvey a Loyal Subject and sufferer for the King having Married my Lady Penelope Gage whose Joynturhouse it was lived with his whole Family Here Sir Thomas Hanmer moved by the beauty and excellent endowments of Mrs. Susan Harvey Daughter of Sir Thomas makes his earnest Suit to her and at last having obtained her Father's and her consent Married her Sir Thomas Hanmer's thoughts were either so taken up with his new Mistriss or so distracted with the danger of those troublesome times that he seemed almost to have forgotten his Daughter who had now been above a Year in Paris without hearing from him or of him insomuch that the People with whom she was believed him Dead and looked upon it as a favorable effect of Providence that had this way found a means of giving them an Heiress whom they esteemed and loved as if she had been their own Child and resolved to make her so as much as they were able Such was her admirable sweet disposition as it won the hearts and affections of all she convers'd with But whilst they pleased themselves with this Treasure Providence they thought had sent them Sir Thomas Hanmer returned and dasht all their hopes and as a Testimony of his affection came expresly himself to fetch her over into England Being returned to England he gave her choice either to go with him to her Mother in-law in Suffolk or to live with her Grand-Mother the Lady Hanmer at Haughton in Flintshire which last place she chose Here the former thoughts she had at Paris returned and she desisted not to form new designs of executing them which her Grand-mother discovering gaue notice of them to her Father otherwise her want of ability to mannage them might have exposed her to several inconveniences which her want of experience could not foresee Her Father upon this Information sends for her to Hengrave where she is received with all imaginable kindness by my Lady her Mother-in-law which she returned with what dutiful respect and affection she was able Here she beg'd and obtain'd of her Father knowing into what
knew had Visited her several times whilst she was in London My Lady had several Discourses with Father Travers in which he gave her so evident an assurance of the Truth of the Roman Catholic Religion that she resolv'd forthwith to embrace it and was in pain till shâ— did so but yet would first acquaint Sir Iohn with her desires Wherefore one Night they being alone together she told him she had a request to beg of him which for the Passion of our Savior she desir'd him not to deny her he was surpriz'd at such an earnest and unusal Petition and told her he wonder'd she should by so earnest a Solicitation express a fear of his refusal who had never yet deny'd her any thing she had askt and therefore she needed not with that earnestness demand any thing that was in his Power to grant since she could not but know it was as great a satisfaction to him to grant her request as it could be to her to obtain what she askt Upon this she desir'd him to give her leave to save her Soul he told her That he was now more struc at the request it self than before at the manner of asking it because she could not think he would deny her leave to save her Soul it being as dear to him as his own He could not yet conceive the drift or reason of this demand Infine she told him That she beg'd his leave to Reconcile her self to the Roman Catholic Church without which she was convinc'd she could never be sav'd Adding That thô she knew his Condescention to her Request would be a prejudice to him both in his Estate and Reputation yet she could not but believe that the Love she had ever experienc'd from him and the necessity of a grant of what she desâ—r'd in ordâ—r to her obtaining Heaven would move him to Sacrifice both for the Salvation of her Soul Sir Iohn knowing her Zeal for the Protestant Religion and how far she was from sickleness or unconstancy in any thing especially in Religion Could not conceive what should be the cause of so earnest and unexpected a Request Therefore He desir'd her to tell him how she came now to make this Petition after such an eaâ—nest manner as she had done Hereupon she told him all that had past at London both between herself and Father Hanmer and also between her and Dr. Buck at which he was no less surpriz'd than she had been before never having believ'd that to be the Protestant Faith which Dr. Buck declar'd to be so she told him also That this Gentleman whom her Vnckle Hanmer had sent had given her such a clear knowlâ—dge of the Roman Catholic Faith and such convincing Reasons of the Truth of it that she no longer doubted there was any other way to Salvation than by making her self a Member of the Roman Catholic Church Sir John desir'd her not to be too rash in her Resolutions telling her That oftentimes a too precepitous Zeal is apt to out-run reason and discretion and make Resolutions otherways good to become Abortive that too great heat is an hinderance from bringing any thing to prefection and then added How uncomfortable a thing it would be for them to be of different Religions that he had a Soul to save as well as she and that no Temporal Interest or loss of Reputation should hinder him from doing what was necessary to obtain Salvation That he was troubled no less than her self was upon what she had related and assur'd her that he would not rest satisfied till he was throughly convinc'd which of the two Religions was the truest and that perhaps after a diligent enquiry he might be of the same mind with her and that 't would be most comfortable to both to embrace the same Religion together But he believ'd this Gentleman would not be able to Answer such difficulties as he would propose to him concerning the Roman Catholic Faith which if he could not she would then have little reason to acquiesce in those Arguments he had given her for it And lastly Desir'd her for sâ—me time at least to defer for his sake the change of her Religion however if she thought these his Reasons insufficient to move her to do what he desir'd he left her intirly to her liberty to do what she thought best Hereupon she resolv'd to put off her Reconciliation till another time The next Morning Sir Iohn not doubting but that the difficulties he had to propose were unanswerable accosts the Gentleman who handsomly Eluded all Questions that might occasion a Dispute in Religion Which Sir Iohn perceiving told him That he wonder'd he shew'd not the same Zeal for his Soul that he had express'd for his VVives and did not give him the same satisfaction in his doubts that he found he had given her in hers The Gentleman perceiving that my Lady had inform'd Sir Iohn of all that had past desir'd him to propose his difficulties which he had no sooner done but the Gentleman so easily and clearly answer'd them that Sir Iohn was astonish'd and had nothing to reply to his Answers they being so clear and convincing Amongst other things Sir Iohn asking him what rational grounds there could be for a Belief of Purgatory Hereupon he solidly explicated them shewing the difference between the guilt of Punishment and guilt of Offence by the Example of David who after the Pardon of his Transgression had the Punishment of it inflicted upon him by the Death of his Child and so ingeniously Moraliz'd upon God's Infinite goodness and mercy that would not permit him to Damn a Soul for one small Offence no more than his Justice would suffer any thing that was defil'd to enter into Heaven and therefore requir'd either a Voluntary Pennance or Mortification to be undergone in this Life or an involuntary Punishment to be suffer'd in the next to purifie such a Soul and thereby render it fit for Heaven and also clearly Explicated the difference between a Voluntary satisfaction made for Sin in this Life and a necessary undergoing the Punishment inflicted for it in the next and how much more acceptable the one must needs be to God than the other and that therefore a small Pennance perform'd in this World was able to satisfie more than many Years great sufferings could do in the next The one being freely and willingly undertaken the other suffer'd by force Sir Iohn at the end of this Discourse found himself so sensibly toucht by it that he could not refrain from telling him That were he convinc'd there was a Purgatory as he should be were he once a Roman Catholic he would use the best means he could to avoid it and he thought none better than to betake himself to a Religious course of Life the Roman Catholic Church affording this means of avoiding it having many Religious Houses whether such as perceiv'd the great danger the VVorld expos'd to and the little satisfaction it gave might retire
reason was concern'd that he so long defer'd the settelement of his Estate according to the Articles agreed upon at their Marriage Sir Iohn was startl'd that others should take notice of what he so little thought on and which he had more reason to apprehended then they and esteem'd this as a timely admonition from Heaven to make a Spiritual Provision for Eternity A settlement far more worth thinking on and of greater moment than any this World could afford But my Lady went on arguing as Father Travers before had done That a Religious Life they aim'd at as happy as it was requir'd such a Disposition as neither of them yet had Viz. The being Members of the Roman Catholic Church none but that affording the happiness of such a Retirement And therefore that they ought first to satisfie themselves and embrace this before they could partake of the other he had propos'd This Discourse being ended Sir Iohn retir'd himself again to his Closet where he was seiz'd with so great trouble and anxiety occasion'd by the uncertainty he felt whether he was in the true way to Salvation or no that made him restless Which disquiet of Mind was the principal occasion of ripening his Conversion and for the fear of what irreparable consequences might follow if he were not in the true way gaâ—e him no time of respite or breathing And amidst these perplexities he began to Model and consider with himself how to make a serious and lasting provision against so great an evil Finding no help from any diversion he took to ease his troubled Mind thinking the time long thô but Ten Days since Father Travers departure resolv'd to go himself purposly to him to get the Paper he had promis'd him from which he hop't to receive some comfort and satisfaction and found him in a readiness to begin his Journy for Parham with the Summary or Treatise he had promis'd of the Catholic Doctrin He beg'd of him not to charge his kind design but to accompany him back to Parham which request he condescended to Where reading the Articles over to Sir Iohn his Lady and Sister the two last were throughly and effectually convinc'd and resolv'd to take the opportunity of Father Travers presence to Reconcile themselves before his departure and thereby become Members of the Roman Catholic Church Which they did upon the Eve of St. Iohn Baptists and Receiv'd the Holy Sacrament the next Day But Sir Iohn resolv'd to hear what those of his Church would say to the Reasons set down in the foresaid Treatise before he would make any change of Religion CHAP. V. A Relation of Sir John Warner's Conversion and how both he and his Lady resolve to enter upon a Religious course of Life I Must here beg leave of the Reader to accept of a short Relation of Sir Iohns Conversion together with some Motives which conduced not a little to his change of Religon because 't will no less inform him how my Lady by that means was set at Liberty to embrace a Religious State of Life than disabuse some persons who by mistake thought such a separation impossible considering their ample Fortune in the World unless some disgust or dissatisfaction had interven'd on the one side or the other and by this short Narrative the Rich goodness of Almighty God's over-ruling Providence in drawing Souls to his Service will also evidently appear Sir Iohn thô he could not refute those Reasons Father Travers had set down yet thought it prudence to suspend his judgment and submission to a change of Religion till he found whether others of his own could solve those Queries he had heard Read Wherefore he obtains leave of Father Travers to show this Treatise to some Learned Men of the Protestant Church and for this end resolv'd to make a Journy on purpose to London and prevail'd with the Father to meet him there that they might be able to confer about the Objections that others should make to what he had set down in his Treatise Sir Iohn being in London first of all apply'd himself to Dr. Buck with whom thô he had been Chaplain to his Grand-father and had Baptiz'd Sir Iohn he had no Personal acquaintance but found him so Civil as freely to Discourse with him without asking him who he was The Doctor Read over the whole Treatise with Sir Iohn and made no Objection either against the Real Presence Prayer to Saints Purgatory Confession or Satisfaction for Sins But when he came to that Point that there was no true Oridination or Priest-hood in the Protestant Church for a proof whereof was alleadg'd what Dr. Thomdike in his VVeights and Measures wisht That since there was a great doubt in so Essential a Point they would submit to a Re-ordination by the Suftra an Bishops of Rome the Doctor was so mov'd that he declar'd the Author of that Pamphlet deserv'd a severe Punishment And when Sir Iohn endeavor'd to pacifie the Doctor telling him His Citation was out of a Protestant Author and therefore unless false was not so much to be blam'd yet the Doctor could not be perswaded to Read any further which when Sir Iohn perceiv'd he desir'd the Doctor That he would voughsafe at least to inform him since there was a doubt in the Protestant Church of a Point of so great consequence as that of True Ordination was VVhether there could be any danger of his Salvation if for this reason as well as for the advantage of Religious Houses which the Protestant Church wanted finding himself most particularly mov'd to a Religious State of Life he should quit the Protestant Religion he was Ered up in to become a Member of the Roman Catholic Church The Doctor here exprest his concern that there wanted such a conveniency in the Protestant Religion which the Roman Catholic had but would not own a want of Ordination but still invey'd against the Author of that Assertion and earnestly perswaded Sir Iohn to continue in the Church he was in which was very good and had in it all things necessary to Salvation assuring him That in a short time they would both be United The chief difference betwixt them consisting in the Popes Usurping a Power beyond what Christ had given him Their Church allowing him to be Question he believ'd would soon be decided by a Condescention on both sides Sir Iohn was not satisfied with this Answer but resolv'd to go to the Arch-bishop of Canturbury Dr. Sheldon he being the Primat of the Protestant Church whom Dr. Buck had also cited to be of his Opinion And that he might not be too troublesome to his Grace he reduc'd what he intended to propose to him to Three Queries The First VVhether there were a Church Establish'd by Christ out of which there was no Salvation The Second VVhether the Roman Catholic Church were a Member of this The Third VVhether there was Salvation in the Roman Catholic Church When Sir Iohn came to Lambeth and asked to
might take effect if she would not stay where she was He being desirous that she should rather be amongst those of her own Nation than Strangers since frequent examples have shew'd how easily the Enemy raises jealousies and disgusts in those that enter among Externs For this reason he procur'd a Book of the Rules of St. Clare which he gave her to Read and desir'd her for his comfort and satisfaction if she lik'd the Rules which she would find rigorous enough rather to make choise of that place to go to than any other She promis'd to Read them and was so taken with them that she resolv'd if her Ghostly Father approv'd of it immediatly to betake her self to that course of Life Which was a great subject of joy to Brother Clare thô on the other side it was a great trouble to him to find that his Sister and Kinswoman who had enter'd with her resolv'd to take the same course For he fear'd that it might be a prejudice to the Monastry they left which had been extraordinary kind to them Since the World which is too apt to censure might think that three Religious going away together could not but have some Motive of disgust or dislike to the place and did not purely leave it out of a desire to serve God in a stricter and more austere Order He therefore oppos'd his Sisters and Kinswomans going and had just reason to disswade his Sister because her Constitution was so weak and her health so impair'd that the Doctors would not permit her even to comply with the Church-precept in keeping her fast in Lent Whereas in the place she design'd to go to she must keep the Lenten Fast as long as she liv'd He told her therefore That this desire of hers could not be good it being too presumptuous and inconsiderate to expect that God should work a Miracle for the satisfying of her own humor Especially when in doing so she went against the Advice of those whom he had substituted in his place to direct her That it was an ordinary Artifice of the Malignant Spirit under pretence of a specious and plausible good to draw several out of the way God had plac'd them in This Discourse so sensibly afflicted her that she fell a weeping saying That she was sure that God had call'd her to a stricter Order and that his Power and Grace was always proportionable to his Call The Reverend Mother and the Religious finding them so earnest to go upon so good and solid Motives were so kind as to second their Requests and prevail'd with Brother Clare for their removal This then being the good effect of Brother Clare's Journy to Liege he resolv'd to hasten back to VVatten to dispatch all things necessary for their Admittance at Graveling that they might the sooner be able to follow him Amongst other Discourses which Brother Clare had with Sister Teresa Clare she thanked him extreamly for the favor of a Letter which he had procur'd her from Father Philip Marini a Missioner that came from China to England and other parts of Europe to gain Companions to Labor with him in that large Vinyard With whom Brother Clare coming acquainted whilst after her departure he stay'd at London obtain'd from him a Letter of encouragment to her which being from so Apostolical a Man who had spent many Years in the hard and dangerous Mission of China not only exposing his Life during those great Persecutions that happen'd whilst he was there but also in taking so long and dangerous a Journy for the procuring help for those many Souls that he had hopes to reduce by their assistance to the true Faith and as she also profest having given her so inexplicable a comfort in her undertaking I thought worth your purusal as it is Translated out of Italian in which Language it was Writ MAy the Grace and Love of Iesus Christ increase in our Souls to Gods greater Glory Writing to a person of your Merit I ought to do it in such a manner as may give you an assurance of the reward of that Eternal happiness which you will certainly gain not by running but flying from the Liberty of the World to the narrow confinement of a Cloyster Thrice happy are you that have so great an assurance of Heaven by so Noble and Generous a forsaking of all pleasures upon Earth the better to embrace what the World flies from the Cross of Christ Following hereby St. Teresa's admirable Lesson Either to suffer or die for Iesus This is that Jewel which the wise Marchant gave all he had to purchase and did not repent his bargain And thó he became Poor in the Eyes of the World yet he recover'd his loss by purchasing a Good which was of greater value than all other Goods How happy then is the Renunciation of that Blessed Soul which leaving all looseth nothing still finding all in the Poverty of Iesus The Apostles Patrimony after they had forsaken their Parents Friends and all they had was a pure nothing which put into the Hands of Iesus as St. Gregory saith excellently well so multiply'd as to become all things Totum reliquit qui sibi nil retinuit He left all who retain'd nothing to himself Behold therefore the nothing which the Apostles reserv'd but this nothing put into the Hands of Iesus grew to the hight of that Glory to which they were call'd At this Day so many Ages after their departure out of the World we proclaim their Dignity and give them greater Titles than ever the Ambition of Monarch could Usurpe I would say more of this subject but time will not give me leave therefore to send you my Opinion about leaving the World my sentiment is that it is not sufficient to go out of it to live in Religion unless we bid adieu to and renounce all things that are united to it The difference between those who leave and renounce is this He that leaves can return to the thing he left but he that renounceth looseth the Dominion over what he renounces in the same manner as a Man does his Right to what he has Sold. This was that which our Saviour said to the Young Man Vade vende omnia quae habes veni sequere me go Sell all you have come and follow me which words agree with those others Nisi quis renunciaverit omnibus quae possidet non potest mâ—us esse Discipulus Vnless one renounce all things he Possesseth he cannot be my Disciple What therefore is it to be a Disciple of Christ 'T is to have Christ for our Master Father Spouse Lord God and All. But what need I Write after this manner to you Who I know practice better things than I can suggest Wherefore I Write not to give you instruction but to praise your Generosity by which you have not only left the World with your Body but with your Soul also have renounc'd all it's Vanities and every thing that relates to it Heaven
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
design'd to give them as next to nothing because they were Abby Lands which never thrive with the owners but like a Moth by little and little insensiblely eat up the rest of their Estates Sir Thomas told him moreover that he easily perceiv'd what his design was in giving these Lands to his Daughters Viz. That out of a Scruple of Possessing them they should be in a manner forc't to make themselves Nuns that thereby they might restore them to the Roman Catholic Church to which they formerly belong'd Sir Iohn wonder'd that a Protestant as Sir Thomas was should Scruple at the Possessing of such Lands or have a doubt of the just Title of their owners which that he might free him from Sir Iohn gave him the same Answer he had receiv'd from his Master of Novices in the like doubt Viz. That these Lands came not to his Ancestors by gift but by Purchase and that the Pope had given Cardinal Pool his Legat in the Reign of Queen Mary Permission to dispence even with Catholics to enjoy Abby-Lands But these Reasons not satisfying Sir Thomas as they had himself Sir Iohn promis'd him to engage other Lands for the Payment of his Daughters Portions in ready Mony and gave order to his Lawyer to make the settlement accordingly Whilst he was thus busied in getting the Writings ingrost the Enemy still to retard the execution of his design to which the settelment was a necessary means rais'd another Storm far different from the former and far more surprizing and afflicting by reason he made use of his Lady to do it and mov'd her also by such pretences as were so much the more dangerous by how much they carried an appearance of Piety along with them And consequently were the more apt to deceive her who sought no less Gods greater Glory than her own greater contempt in all things Of all which Father Martin Green then Rector of VVatten inform'd Sir Iohn by a Letter in which he also desir'd him to desist from making any further settlement till he had heard again from him because the Enemy being not a little busie in disquieting Sister Clare he knew not whether his Malice might not end in perswading her to return again to the World having by crafty pretences dissatisfied her with the place where she was In the mean time Father Thomas VVorsley went to Graveling who had been for some time her Director to try if he could dissipate such difficulties as the Enemy had rais'd and endeavour'd to foment not much unlike those he had suggested at Liege Viz. That God call'd her still to a stricter Order than this was that here she found too much esteem and respect and therefore it would be more grateful to God to go amongst Strangers where she might be freed from the too great civility and kindness she experienc'd amongst the English That there were Orders still stricter than this where she could find no impediment of entering as she did among the Carthusianesses Hereupon she Mortified her self above what the Rule allowed thinking a Liberty in that kind lawful and upon this gave what scope she was able to those Austerities to which this Rigorous but false Spirit drew her upon pretence to gain light from Heaven All which without doubt could not be from God since the Austerity of this Rule was as great as her strength of Body was able to bear And that you may the better judge of this I will give you here a short account of their strict and severe manner of living The Convent is Commodiously and Neatly Built but a true Emblem of Poverty Their Cells are not long enough for one of an ordinary Stature to lye at full length and therefore when they sleep they almost sit upright in their Beds which are not two foot and a half broad and the Cell is no broader besides what the Bed takes up than to give room enough for a single person to go in and out All their furniture is a little low Stool to sit upon and a Straw-bed and Bolster or if Sick a Pillow of Chaff upon which they lye in their Habits having a Blanket to cover them They wear no Linnen go bare-foot having only Sandals rise at Midnight abstain all their life time from Flesh and keep such a Fast all the Year except Sundays as we do in Lent Their Cells were then only separated with Bricks without any Plaistring upon them but the present Bishop of St Omers in his last Visit gave order to have them Plaister'd Their Tables in the Refectory are never cover'd and they Eat only in Earthen Dishes Notwithstanding this extream Poverty the Neatness that is observ'd in their Dormitory Quire Refectory and Cell is such as Charms the Eyes of all that by the Bishops leave are permitted to enter And the chearfulness of these Mortified Souls their fresh colour the healthful and youthful looks even of Ancient Persons are such as strike admiration into those that behold and converse with them One would have imagin'd that Sister Clare needed not to have thought of any other Rigorous Life than what she found here and that she could not think of greater Austerity than was here practis'd However at length Father VVorsley convinced her that this seeming Call to greater Mortification was only a deceit of the Enemy to hinder her from the happiness of a Religious State she so much desir'd to embrace Which he endeavour'd first to make her defer that he might have the more time to exercise his Malicious design upon her of making her quite lay aside what she had so Piously undertaken These Reasons so successfully mov'd her that howsoever cunningly the Train was laid by the Enemy it took no effect for she following the advice of her Confessour resolv'd for the future to regard such thoughts as Temptations and that nothing hereafter should ever hinder her from a speedy execution of what she had before so earnestly desir'd Viz. The making of her Profession in this place Whereupon finding again that Peace of Mind return she had lost ever since she had given way to these Temptations she was mov'd to express her submission to the Will of God declar'd to her by her Confessour in this following humble and submissive Act which finding in her own hand amongst her Papers I thought it would not be ungrateful to the Reader to set it down at large having a Scruple to shorten what I found so solid and moving Her Act of Submission O most merciful Lord God the Refuge of all distressed Souls when I consider that Immense Ocean of your Prerogatives and Divine Perfections in Relation to my own nothing and demerits I am wholy confounded and utterly asham'd to appear before your dreadful Majesty or to lift up mine Eyes towards Heaven But your infinite Goodness and Mercy gives me confidence to acknowledge my Imperfections for when my stubborn and disobedient Will was in the full Career of my misted Life your powerful hand was
time without great perplexity whether I might without an unpardonable presumption attempt to beg your blessing since my Actions have unhappily appear'd to you so Criminal as rather to deserve the contrary Wherefore I most humbly beg you upon my Knees to give me leave to offer unto you the sole Motives of our so much wonder'd at resolutions You know Sir that the State of Life I am now in is but what God Almighty has been pleas'd to grant me after a long and earnest pursuit of it and which if it had pleas'd him to move you to grant me sooner as he was pleas'd to move my dear Sir John Warner not only to consent to but even to propose might have prevented the unhappy disturbance I have since given you Those that consider his Vertue and that our Affections were wholy grounded on that will not wonder we should deprive our selves of those Temporal enjoyments we had here to make one another a present of Eternal ones and indeed Sir I presume to say I believe you have that opinion of my kindness to him thô you were never pleas'd to believe I had those due Respects and Affections I ought for you which might make you mitigate that severe Censure you are pleas'd to make of my Actions towards you Certainly Sir less than a particular and strong Impression that the World was not safe for me had not been sufficient to have made me part with such an Husband if you will give me leave to say nothing of your self But I must now acknowledge Sir that every word of this without your particular goodness may be offensive Therefore I do not Write without extraordinary pain As to the Infinite blessing of a Fathers presence that you were pleas'd to mention 't was too great to be offer'd till we were out of the Power of enjoying it and if you did not name it for a Torment to me you would find these Countries considering the nearness of the Spaw very convenient for you here being such entertainments and so good Conversations which if I were not here might perhaps be an invitation to you Oh Sir I wish since God has thus dispos'd of me by his infinite mercy that we had a Monastry near you in Wales for if I am to have any happiness in this World I wish it might be by your procurement For then my heart would be at rest that you had forgiven me but above all that by so acceptable a work as this you had gain'd those blessings of Almighty God which in my Prayers I shall never cease to ask knowing you would then find that true content which the World has not yet been able to give you Which that you may I beseech him of his mercy to move you to pardon whatever appears to you as Criminal in me since what contradicts not the Duty I owe my Heavenly Father I shall ever confess due to you With all Humility upon my Knees I beg your blessing for my self and Children Your most passionate and affectionate Poor Child CLARE of JESUS To which Letter she adds this Post-Script Sir I thought fit to send you these but I beseech you forget them as soon you have read them and forgive me who am the cause of so much trouble to you Nor did her restless Zeal for her Father's Conversion terminate here but she still us'd new Methods of endeavouring it And receiving no Answer to her last Letter she procur'd a Catholic Gentleman who was extreamly well verst in Controversie and a Neighbor to Sir Thomas Hanmer to take the occasion of giving him a Visit and Discoursing with him concerning Catholic Religion and withal desir'd him to carry this second Letter no less passionate then the former that by his Conversation he might come to a better knowledge of the truth of the Roman Catholic Religion SIR MY Obligations and ardent affection for you will not suffer me to be long silent nor to fear or excuse my often troubling you and I do now do it in hopes that the Conversation and acquaintance of this Gentleman who is the bearer will be so welcome to you that you will esteem his Company a divertisment At least Sir grant me this only request and satisfaction to hear you have discoursed with him I do really assure my self that if you were convinced of the necessity and had weighed the many reasons why you ought to be other than what you are your heart is too great and Noble to be kept back by any Worldly consideration St. Austin had surely something extraordinary in his Soul before it me with it's right Object and give me leave to say Sir so have you and I hope you may live to teach many to Love as he did if once all hindrances were taken away betwixt you and that ravishing goodness of God What is it we seek after but full contentment of mind And who can give that but the plenitude of all goodness In him there is nothing but love and joy his nature is to make all things happy in him and whoever has once experienced the delights he gives proper for the Soul will immediately abhor those of Sense and confess them to be real pains Sir what can you leave or suffer but he can fortifie you to undergo and change into comfort what by nature you most of all fear And infallibly his goodness will do so if you will only hear and Discourse impartially Which on my Knees I humbly beg for Christ's sake in remembrance of all he suffer'd for you Sir do not deny me behold me at your Feet embracing them with the affection of my whole heart and be no longer cruel to your self who are so dear to me since all the joys in this World can be nothing to me without your being happy Pardon me this importunity I could Write I confess and never give over but for fear of troubling you being truly thô your unworthy yet Your most passionate and affectionate poor Child CLARE of JESUS One would have thought that these lines so full of respect and affection might have deserv'd an Answer if the former had not and have convinced him that the want of affection was not the cause of her pious undertaking which he taxt her with but that this happy change of hers had purified that love which she before had for him in giving her so great a concern as she expresses in this for his Conversion on which depended his Eternal happiness And thô neither this nor those dayly Prayers and Tears she offer'd for him could gain the least upon him yet still she continu'd her sollicitations to Heaven in his behalf and that her Prayers might be the more efficacious she endeavour'd the more earnestly to obtain a more perfect and happy Union with God CHAP. V. Her generous Resolution of tending to Perfection The Testimony of her Ghostly Father and others how diligently she puts these her Resolutions in Practice IT will not perchance here be amiss to give
and also in English that the meaning of it may be understood by all of our own Nation for whom this Life was chiefly Writ Siste Lege Mirare Sta Viator debitaque lachrymarum tributa Huic persolve Funeri Jacet hic Sepulta CLARA de JESU Nomen illam haud vulgarem indicat Nobilis ac Illustris HANMERORUM Domus Suam esse Progeniem jactat Latuit aliquantisper haec Stella Errorum tenebris offuscata Sed ut postea Orbem Orbe splendidiore decoraret Nupsit perillustri Domino JOANNI WARNERO Baronetto Sed cum nil nisi Caelum spiraret Caelestes affectavit Thalamos Sicque consentiente atque approbante Optimo Conjuge Toro Maritali Parentum Charissimorum pignorum Amplexibus posthabitis De Mundo esse desijt ut de JESU fieret Hoc Monasterium Suae Virtutis Theatrum esse voluit Ubi suave Christi jugum Ad finem usque vitae portans Omni perfectionis genere Multisque Nominibus CLARA Vixit Obijt Anno Domini M DC LXX Ianuarij xxvi Stop Read Admire Stay Passenger and pay a due Tribute of Tears To this Funeral Here lies Buried CLARE of JESUS Her Name speakes her no ordinary Person The Noble and Illustrious House of HANMERS Boasts of her as their Progeny This Star lay hid a little while Clouded with the darkness of Errors That afterwards it might adorn the World With a more resplendent Orb. She Married the Honourable Sir JOHN WARNER Baronet But breathing after nothing but Heaven She Aspir'd to Celestial Nuptials And her desires being approv'd and consented to By her Excellent Husband Forsaking his Embraces and those also Of her Dearest Father and Children She ceast to be of the World to be of JESUS She chose this Monastry For the Theater of her Vertue Where she carried the sweet Yoak Of Christ to her very last breath By the Practice of all Perfection Verifying her Name GLORIOUS She liv'd And Dyed In the Year of our Lord M DC LXX the 26th Day of Ianuary CHAP. III. The Letter of Reverend Mother Abbess of Graveling to Brother Clare concerning Sister Clares happy Death with an abridgment of her Vertuous Life THE Authority of Mother Abbess must needs gain no little credit to what she Writes concerning Sister Clare as having been very intimate to all her actions and proceedings For she always looked upon her as her Mother and with a more than filial confidence had recourse unto her upon all occasions believing her advice and direction to be the infallible Rule of Gods Will whose place she bore and consequently none can be more fit than she to give the World her Caracter Mother Abbess then after her Death Writes in this manner to Brother Clare Honour'd Dear Brother THE Will of God be ever done Life and Death are in his Hands and all works are perfected in mercy and goodness I have taken my Pen in hand upon the saddest subject that could have happen'd to me or this Community and were I not resolv'd never to let my Will jarre with the Will of God I should want resignation to this present visitation which has depriv'd us of your and our ever dear Sister Sister Clare of Iesus whom Iesus her dear Spouse called to his Eternal embraces on the 26th Instant Having left us a greater affliction I am bold to say than ever any conceived at the Death of their own Natural Sisters For in her we lost a great light of Vertue more than I am able to express since her generous embracing of our Abjections did incourage us in our Vocations I never heard her complain nor repine at our Austerities but I have often heard her say that they were too little and that she did nothing as she ought for the love of God Her Humility engag'd her to make use of all means to cover her Vertue yet I cannot frame to my self how any one could have liv'd more perfectly than she has done these few Years that she hath been with us Her perfection appear'd so much in all she did that it is hard to say in what she was most perfect I never could see how any one could be more prompt simple or blindly Obedient than she was and yet she was always accusing her self of her want of it O how clear sighted are Saints This made her to say dayly to me when I came to Visit her in her Sickness that she scarce thought her self Religious because she had never done any action in her Life time like a Religious Woman Dear Brother what great Humility was this That did so wean her from all self-opinion when the Life she led was such as I am sure none can surpass In her Sickness she us'd to express her Conformity in such like words as these It has pleas'd God to send me such or such a tryal or to deprive me of such or such a comfort This shew'd that she took all from the immediate hand of God and that her Sickness did not as her Humility made her believe rob her of her former near Vnion with him as far as I could perceive but when he seem'd to withdraw himself from her it was without doubt the greatest Affliction in her Sickness and consequently an effect of his Love to encrease her Merit Dear Brother I wish that you had seen her dying as we did what profit would you have made of such an example That God did not think us fit to enjoy any longer I wish I could do by her as our Blessed Lady did by her dear Son lay up in my Heart all the Words and Actions of her Life as a Rule whereby to square my own There has been little other Discourse since her happy Death but of her Vertuous Life and I wish that it may always continue amongst us to excite us to a faithful Imitation of her as the best means of meeting her once more in Heaven What reason have we then but to confide in her present happiness She knew that Heaven suffer'd violence and therefore resolv'd to be one of those that should take it by force Whilst she was well her Life was a continu'd practice of Religious Perfection and her Sickness was nothing but an encrease of her Merit because she suffer'd it with so much love and patience She would often sweetly invite Death that is dreadful and ugly to most to come and dispatch and not linger about her We are now Writeing to all the Convents as we use to do upon such occasions to procure Prayers for her thô I believe we want her Prayers more than she does ours I shall dayly beg at her Grave that she would obtain comfort for you and that you may bear this Cross with a resign'd Patience Our whole Community is full of Affliction and I hardly see what I Write my Eyes are so full of Tears I wish they may Redeem yours As for her two sweet Children if you please to intrust your dear Sister and me with them by Gods Grace