Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	goodness_n	great_a	sin_n	6,173	5	4.6117	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18208	The life of the blessed virgin, Sainct Catharine of Siena Drawne out of all them that had written it from the beginning. And written in Italian by the reuerend Father, Doctor Caterinus Senensis. And now translated into Englishe out of the same Doctor, by Iohn Fen priest & confessar to the Englishe nunnes at Louaine.; Vita di S. Catarina da Siena. English	Raymond, of Capua, 1330-1399.; Fenn, John, 1535-1614.	1609 (1609)	STC 4830; ESTC S107914	227,846	464

to leese no more tyme about her she turned her selfe to God who only is the phisitioÌ„ in such desperate cases besought him most instantly that he would take mercie on her sister molifie her hart This praier was made with such feruour vehemeÌ„cie of spirite that it perced the heauens and sownded into the eares of almighty God who to cure that froward womaÌ„ finally of her synful disease of mynd smote her mercifully with a certaine grieuous infirmity of bodie WheÌ„ the holy maid heard tell that Palmerina was so daÌ„gerously sicke she was a heauie womaÌ„ for her For she sawe that if she should depart the worlde in that state her soule was lost euerlastingly Which consideratioÌ„ wrought so in her that she determined to leaue nothing vndone that might possibly be done for the recouerie of that sowle And so she went to her and with verie sweet and louelie wordes offred both her selfe all that she had to be at her deuotion and seruice But the churlish woman was so maliciously bent against her that she not only refused al this courtesie but also reuiled her vsing most vnseemelie and reprochful laÌ„guage against her and in the end bad her goe out of her chaÌ„ber with great threates thundering wordes All which vilanie the holy maid bare with great meekenes patieÌ„ce and continuyng her wonted charitie and coÌ„passion towardes that furious womaÌ„ turned her selfe to God againe in praier In this meane tyme that wretched womans sickenes by the diuine prouidence and disposition of God increased so vehemently vpon her that without making anie reconciliation with God or the wordle she drewe on verie fast to death both of bodie soule The which thing when the holie maid vnderstood her hart being thoroughly perced with the dartes of compassion she shut her selfe vp in her Cell and there casting her selfe downe prostrate vpon the grownd with much sobbing weeping and lamentation she made her praier vnto God after this maner O Lord my God Maker maie it be that I wretched creature shold be borne into the worlde to this end that sowles which thou hast created to thine owne ymage likenes should by anie occasion of me be condemned to euerlasting paines Canst thou my good Lord and deere spowse suffer that I which ought to be to my sister an instrument of euerlasting saluation should now become an occasion of her euerlasting woe and calamitie Turne awaie that dreadful iudgement O Lord I beseech thee for thy mercies sake It had ben better for me that I had neuer ben borne then that the sowles which thou hast redeemed with the price of thy most precious blood should through me be brought againe into that miserable captiuitie of our auncient enemie the Deuel O Lord are these the promises which thou madest vnto me when thou diddest saie that I should be an instrument and meane to wynne manie sowles to thee Are these the fruites of life which I thyne vnworthie hand-maid should bring foorth to the behoofe of others There is no doubt O Lord but that my synne is the cawse of all this out of the which I can not looke to receiue anie better fruite then this is But yet O Lord I am right well assured that the botomles sea of thy mercies can not be drayned or in anie part diminished and therefore I set my selfe here before thee with a great affiance and humbly beseech thee that thou wilt vowchsafe to cast downe the eyes of thy clemencie vpon this wretched creature thy seruant my sister This I most instantly craue of thee o most sweet comforter of all afflicted hartes not trusting in anie worke or merite of myne owne but only in thy wonted mercie and goodnes These and other the like wordes did the holie virgin vse in her praier as she declared afterwardes to her ghostly Father which she powred out before God rather with feruour of desire and inward affection then with outward noyse and sownd of voice And our Lord to moue her to further compassion and to make her yet more earnest in praier gaue her to vnderstand and see the euident and imminent peril that her wretched sister was in and she heard it pronownced in plaine termes that the iustice of God could not beare but that such an obstinate malice and hardnes of hart must needes be punished The which horible sentence geuen vpon her sister Palmerina whose sowles health she tendred exceedingly strooke her to the verie hart so mightily that she fell downe to the grownd againe and there lying prostrate groned vnto almightie God after a most lamentable sort saying O Lord God almightie Father of mercies and onlie helper in all extremities I am right well contented yea I most humbly craue it at thy hand that thou wilt vowchsafe to laie all the paine dwe to this wretched womans synnes vpon my backe punish me for them for I am the cause of them and not she Wherefore I most instantly beseeche thee beate me but spare her And with that she raised vp her hart to God with a greater affiance and said furthermore O merciful Lord I will neuer rise out of this place vntill thou shewe mercie to my sister Wherefore I here groane and crie vnto thee O lord euen from the verie botome of myne hart beseeching thee by thyne vnspeakable goodnes by thine infinite mercie and by the price of thy most precious blood shed for the redeÌ„ption of mankind that thou wilt not suffer my sisters soule to depart out of her bodie vntill the tyme that thou haue graunted her the grace of due penance and contrition for all her synnes Thus did the holie maid make intercession to almighty God for the recouery of her sisters soule her praier was as the euent shewed of meruelous great force vertu For the sicke womaÌ„ laie in extremes three daies and three nightes drawing on continually in such sort that as manie as were preseÌ„t looked euerie hower wheÌ„ she should passe out of this wordle for they all saw that she was staied in that paineful state of life not by any strength of nature but by some secret extraordinarie power All the which tyme the deuout virgin coÌ„tinued in most earnest ferueÌ„t praiers for her and neuer gaue ouer vntil she had with her teares and humilitie as it were wrested the sword of Gods iustice out of his almightie hand and obteined for that wretched woman so much mercie grace that she might first see the deformitie of her synnes then vnderstand the dreadful decree of Gods iustice against her for the same last of all be hartily sorie repentant for her life past with a sure hope of forgiuenes by the mercy of God through the merites of the most precious blood death of our Sauiour Christ This blessed alteratioÌ„ was reuealed by God to the holie maid also who vpon the vnderstanding of the same went foorthwith to her sicke sisters chamber to comfort her Whether when

the howse to comfort the afflicted mother When they were there and sawe what had happened it is hard to saie whether of them two they pitied more either the mother whose bowels they sawe were so inwardly moued with compassion on her deere child or the daughter who had exercised such rigorous iustice and bloodie reuenge vpon her owne bodie for the synnes of others How she desired earnestly to receiue the habite of S. Dominicke and how her mother to turne her mynde lead her awaie to the batthes What penance she did euen in the batthes Chap. 13. WHen this blessed maid was thus at libertie to occupie her selfe in the afore mentioned exercises of godlines and penance the more the ghostlie enemie busied him selfe to hinder her good purposes the more earnest she waxed in folowing the same And now calling to mynd the religious habite promised vnto her long before by the blessed Father S. Dominicke she neuer ceased to praie to God with inwarde groanyng teares both by daie by night that he would vowchsafe to fulfill his promise with speed For she sawe that she should neuer be free from the molestatioÌ„ of her parents vntill such tyme as she had receiued it therfore she humbly besought theÌ„ also that they would be conteÌ„ted to dismisse her to be meanes to the sisters that liued in penance vnder the rule of S. Dominicke coÌ„monly called there the sisters of the Mantel that she might be admitted into their coÌ„pany But her mother who had no liking of her sute but sought rather somewhat to qualifie the rigour of her exercises alreadie begon determined to goe to a hoat bath and to take her daughter with her hoping thereby to bring to passe what by cherishing of her bodie with such sensual delites and what by distracting her mynd from her wonted meditations that she should in tyme by litle and litle relent the extremitie of her rough discipline Vndoubtedly this was not done without the instigatioÌ„ of the deuel whose bent was to withdrawe that deuout sowle from folowing the calling of her spowse But there is no counsel against God who taught his true seruaÌ„t to turne all the treacherous wiles of the enemie to her further coÌ„moditie profit WheÌ„ she came to the bath she fownd out a new maner of bathing such as had not lightly ben hard of before that tyme. she intreated her mother that she might be in the bath alone when all other had bathed theÌ„ selues The which thing when her mother had graunted with a verie good will being in deed a plaine meanying woma nand nothing suspecting the wilines of her daughter in that matter she went and set her selfe vnder the spowt where the water came scalding hoate into the bath and there suffred patiently greater paines of the heat of the water then she was wont to doe at home when she beat her selfe with the yron chaine Now when her mother had espied that also and sawe that whatsoeuer she coulde deuise for the solace or comfort of her daughters bodie was by her wilines turned to the contrarie she determined to returne to her howse againe where not withstanding she ceased not to shewe in wordes that she had a great misliking of her extreme seueretie and penance Vnto the which wordes the good daughter gaue but a deafe eare hauing euermore greater regard to the holie spirite of God speaking inwardly in her hart then to the outward sownd of wordes that tended to the hinderance of her godlie designementes Afterwardes when her ghostlie Father who had heard tell of her bathing by the report of her mother demaunded of her how it was possible that she shoulde be able to suffer the heat of that scalding water so long tyme without the extreme domage and peril of her bodie she made answere and said verie simply that being in the bath she called to mynde the paines of hell purgatorie and so made her praier to almightie God whom she had so grieuously offended that he would vowchsafe of his endles mercie to change the tormentes that she had deserued by her synnes into those paines that she would willingly put her selfe vnto there for is loue Vnto the which praier it pleased God to make answere by geuing her such a passing great ioye and gladnes in her hart that all the paine that she suffred was pleasant and deliteful vnto her and the almightie power of God so dispensed with her bodie that it had in deed a verie great and sensible feeling of paine but no hurt or blemish at all When she had thus satisfied the demaund of her ghostly Father she went home and fell againe to the exercises of her accustomed penance How she receiued the habite of S. Dominicke and how she was the first virgin that receiued the same Chap. 14. NOw to come to our matter againe wheÌ„ this blessed virgin was returned from the batthes she ceased not to sollicite her mother that she would moue the aforenamed sisters of the Mantel that she might receiue the habite that she had so long and earnestly desired The mother being ouercome with the importunitie of her daughter went to the sisters and intreated them that she might be receiued into their companie Wherunto they made answere that it was not their maner to receiue yong maidens into their habite but only widowes and women of sad yeares such as were thought able and likelie to haue experience to gouerne them selues bicause they had no common place and conuersation as commonly couentes of religious persons haue but liued echone a part from other in priuate celles When the mother came home with this answere to her daughter she was nothing daunted withal but besought her mother after a verie humble maner that she would take the paines to renewe her sute againe and vse more earnest meanes to perswade with them then she had done before Which thing she was well content to Doe and went againe but in fine could obteine no better answere then she had at the first The which vnpleasant answere also the good daughter tooke in verie good part remitting her selfe humbly to the will of God in all thinges and making her selfe well assured that the holie Father S. Dominicke would in tyme when it should please God fulfill his promise In the meane tyme it chaunced this blessed virgin to be visited with a verie painful sicknes Her bodie was so disfigured with the measels that she could scantly be knowen and withall she was so sore vexed with a hoat burnyng ague that her mother who loued her emong all her chidren most tenderly had verie great pitie and feare of her The which occasion the wise virgin thought was not to be slipt but taking the oportunitie of the present state and tyme began to moue her mother once againe after this maner Good mother as yee tender my life and health so I beseech you to vse diligent and earnest meanes to procure me the habite that I haue so long

frindlie and comfortable looke though he like an vnkind man had thrice refused and denied thee Thou drewest Marie Magdalen to thee with the lines of loue when she had estranged her selfe from thee by her manifold synnes Thou tookest Mathewe the Publicane from a synful trade of life in the wordle to be an Apostle and Euangelist Thou diddest not repell the woman of Cananee nor Zacheus the Prince of Publicans but didest most sweetly accept the one and inuite the other Wherefore I most humbly beseech thee for all thy mercies hitherto shewed vnto man and for all those also that thyne infinite goodnes hath determined to shewe hereafter that thou wilt voutchsafe to looke downe vpon these wretched creatures mollifie their hartes with the fyer of thy holie spirite that they maie be deliuered from the second death Our Lord heard the praier of his Spowse and graunted her such a grace that she went in spirite with those two theeues towardes the place of execution weeping and lamenting for their synnes and mouing them to repentance for the same Which thing the wicked sprites perceiued well inough and therefore they cried out vpon her and said Catherine leaue to trouble vs. If thou wilt not we will surely enter into thee and vexe thee To whom the holie maid made this answere As God will so will I. And therefore I will not cease to doe what lieth in me for the reliefe of these poore wretches because I know it is the will of God that I should so doe And so continuing in praier she procured them a verie singular fauour and grace as the effecte declared For when these theeues were come to the gate of the citie our Sauiour Christ appeered to them shewing to them his precious woundes all streamiÌ„g downe with blood inuiting them to become repeÌ„tant for their former life Which if they did he put them in a sure coÌ„fort that all was quite forgeuen At this straÌ„ge sight their hartes were sodainly so altered to the great woÌ„der of as manie as were there preseÌ„t that they changed their stile and turned their blasphemie into thaÌ„kesgeuing praysing God for his great mercies And shewing theÌ„selues to be hartely sorie contrite for their synnes desired earnestly that they might haue a Priest to heare their CoÌ„fessioÌ„s That done they went forward cheerfully towardes the place of executioÌ„ where they shewed likewise great tokens of ioy coÌ„fort for that they had to passe by a reproachful death to a glorious life All the people sawe this strange alteratioÌ„ were much astonied at it because as theÌ„ they vnderstood not the cause thereof which afterwards came to light by this meane The Priest that heard these felloÌ„s CoÌ„fessioÌ„s weÌ„t soone after to visit Doct. Rai the holie maides CoÌ„fessour in talke declared vnto him how wonderfully God had wrought with theÌ„ Doct. Rai foorthwith begaÌ„ to suspect as it was indeed therfore asked Alexia what the holie maid was doiÌ„g at that tyme wheÌ„ the theeues were lead thorough their street towardes the place of executioÌ„ She made him answer declared the whole processe of the matter so much as she had seene heard in her owne house Whereby Doctour Raimundus sawe a verie great likelihood that the thing had ben wrought as he deemed before by the praier and intercession of the holie maid Howbeit for the more assurance he tooke an occasion afterwardes to aske the holie maid her selfe And she to the honour of God and for the satisfaction of her ghostlie father declared vnto him particularly how euerie thing had passed Within a fewe daies after this was done certaine of the sisters that chaunced to be present while the holie maid was praying heard her saie these wordes in her praier with a full voice O Lord Iesu I most hartely thanke thee that thou hast deliuered them out of the second prison Of the which wordes being demaunded afterwardes what she meant by them she made answere that the soules of those theeues were as then deliuered out of Purgatorie and restored to Paradyse Such was her charitie towardes them that as she had by praier deliuered them from the euerlasting tormentes of hell so she neuer ceased to praie for them vntill she sawe that they were also passed the temporal paines of Purgatorie and receiued into euerlasting blisse How by the praier of the holie maid an obstinate synner was turned to God Chap. 11. THere was a man dwelling in the citie of Siena called Andrewe Mardine well endued with wordlie substance but bare of heauenlie ritches void of the loue and feare of God a baretter blasphemer and wicked liuer This man about the fortieth yeare of his age was sodainly taken with a verie grieuous sickenes which held him so vehemently that he was faine to keepe his bed where he laie waxed euerie daie weaker weaker vntill at the length he was geuen ouer by the Phisicions and despaired of all men His curate hearing that came to visite him and as his Pastoral charge required exhorted him with manie wordes that he should now in the end of his life dispose him selfe to Confession and penance for his soules health But he was so obstinately bent that he litle esteemed the Priest and lesse his counsel Which thing his wife perceiuing which was a good woman and had a great desire to sawe her husbandes soule ranne to diuerse and sundrie religious persones both men and women besought them that they would come and doe their diligence to turne his hart They came at her instance and vsed manie perswasible meanes to bring him to a better mynd setting before his eyes now the horrible threates of hell fyer and now the sweete peomises of the ioyes of heauen but all in vaine After them came the curate againe with great heauines and care to doe what in him laie towardes the recouerie of this sowle that was thus in danger to perish He exhorted him as he had done before and thereunto added manie goodlie perswasions to induce him to be repentant for his foremer life and to call to God for mercie But the wretched mans hart was so hardened that he might not endure to heare him speake but scorned both him and his holesome exhortations In so much that at the lenght he fell into plaine desperation and synne against the holie Ghost and in that damnable state drewe on a pace towardes his end This matter chanced to come to the knowledge of doctour Thomas who hauing great compassion of the wretched mans case went foorthwith towardes the holie Maides lodging hoping by her mediation to find some grace in the sight of God But when he came thither he found the holie maid rauished from her bodilie senses And so long as she was so he durst not doe anie thing to her bodie wherby to bring her againe and tarrie there anie longer he might not bicause it wae verie late in the euenyng Wherefore he gaue a verie streight charge to one of

God Whose prouident goodnes disposeth all thinges for his chosen seruantes so sweetly that he turneth euen their synful deffectes to their further good benefite And therfore he would not suffer his deere spouse to coÌ„tinue long in that state but that there might be nothing to hinder her feruour and deuotion he laid his hand soone after vpon Bonauentura her sister by whose meanes she was induced to that inconuenience and tooke her out of this life with great anguish and trauaile in child-bearing not withstanding that she was otherwise a lustie yong woman and like to beare manie children This Bonauentura was euer of good life and conuersation and yet bicause she had attempted to drawe her sister from the seruice of God to whom only she had wholly deuoted her selfe and to allure her to the vanities of the worlde it pleased God to shewe this dreadful example vpon her for the terrour of all such as should at anie tyme afterwardes be meanes to hinder holie vowes and purposes And yet would he not haue her to be vtterly lost but as it was reuealed afterwardes to this holie virgin and she declared the same secretly to her ghostlie Father she was in Purgatorie and there abode manie grieuous paines and tormentes for a long season and longer should haue done if this blessed virgin had not hopen her with her deuout praiers Now when her sister Bonauentura was thus passed out of the wordle this deuout maid being by her departure deliuered from that importunate clamour which was before verie troublesome vnto her began to see more cleerly both the deformitie of her synne and the vanitie of the wordle Wherupon with an humble knowledge of her selfe and sure affiance in the mercie of God she cast her selfe downe at the feet of our Lord with Marie Magdalen and there lying prostrate with much lamentation and teares besought him of pardon for her offence and would neuer geue ouer her weeping and wailing but continued stil her most humble sute that she also might at the lenght heare those comfortable wordes spoken by our Lord to her hart Thy sinnes are forgeuen thee And from that daie foreward she began to beare a special loue and deuotion to the said Marie Magdalen and to conforme her selfe to her in the workes of penance It can not be expressed with wordes what inward griefe of mynd shee tooke so often as that offence came to her mynd She sighed and sobbed she wept and wrang her handes she tooke no comfort in anie thing but only in the endles mercie of God of the which she made her selfe well assewred that it did infinitely passe all the sinnes that anie man doth or can commit and that it was alwaies freely offred to as manie as would require it with a contrite and humble hart wherupon she sequestred her selfe from all creatures which she sawe were void of coÌ„fort and turned her selfe to God in whom only she fownd her selfe to receiue perfecte and sownd comfort With him she sought by all meanes to make her peace and attonement so that made to set her whole loue and felicitie in him But the ghostlie enemie of mankind enuying the blisful state of this goodlie peace did his endeuour to disturbe the same by putting into the myndes of her parentes and kinsfolke how expedient it was to bestowe her honestly in mariage especially now considering that her other sister was departed this life And so by these and other the like suggestions the craftie serpent perswaded them to be earnest and diligent both in solliciting her to embrace that state of life and in prouiding her of a conuenient husband But when the wise virgin sawe by the light of Gods holie spirite that all that was but the sutteltie of the deuel meanyng therby to withdrawe her from her holie purpose she contrarie wise set her selfe more earnestly then she was wont to continual praiers heauenlie meditations and other workes of austeritie and penance She eschewed the sight and conuersation of men and gaue all her frindes to vnderstand plainely that she would haue no earthlie creature for her husband but only the euerlasting Sonne of God vpon whom she had fixed her loue The which resolution when her father and mother vnderstood they thought good to take an other waie which was to send for one of the Dominican Friars whose authoritie they thought she would reuerence and to intreat him to talke with her and to see if he could by anie meanes alter her mynd The Friar came and promised to doe what in him laie and so did in deed He set out vnto her in manie wordes what austeritie of life belonged to that profession that she mynded to enter into what a hard matter it was to hold out in the same what snares the deuel would laie to entrappe her how the wordle would vse manie meanes to circumuent flatter her how fraile and weak the flesh was what a great danger and shame it would be if when she had once put her hand to the plough she should looke backe againe Vnto the which pointes the faithful spowse of Christ answered with such wisedome and constancie that the religious man which came to turne her was turned him selfe and so being sorie that he had waded so farre with her in that course changed his stile and said these wordes Daughter seeing it is so that yee are fully resolued to serue God in the holie state of virginitie and that yee are therunto called as I am thoroughly perswaded by your wordes euen by God him selfe I haue no more to saie in the matter it is the best part that yee haue chosen our Lord geue you grace to folowe it And now if yee thinke good furthermore to folowe my counsel I would aduise you to cut off your haire For in so doing it is like yee shall both cut of all hope of mariage in your parentes and withal redeme a great deale of tyme and labour which otherwise must needes be spent about the trymmyng of the same When the holie virgin heard those wordes she tooke them as spoken by God him selfe and foorthwith she ranne and tooke a payre of sheares and cut of her haire hard by the skynne For she had before conceiued a certaine displeasure against her haire bicause she perswaded her selfe that by the trymmyng of the same she had committed a grieuous offence against God And when she had so done she couered her head with a coyfe and so went about her busines contrarie to the maner of all other maideÌ„s The which when her mother espied she asked her what that coife meant Wherunto she made no direct answeere bicause she was afraid to tell the truth and to make a lie she had a great conscience Whereupon her mother stept hastely vnto her and taking of the kerchefe from her head sawe that her faire haire was cut of hard by the head The which sight and losse so pinched her by the hart that for verie inward griefe she

vse at tymes by reason of great infirmities and diseases vnto the which her bodie was verie much subiecte The which thing her ghostlie Father vnderstanding at the lenght by them not long before her death being moued with pittie commanded her by vertue of obedience that she should leaue it off Which though she was verie loth to doe bicause she perswaded her self that the roughnes therof had a great comformitie with the life of Christ yet bicause she knewe on the other side that obedience was more acceptable in the sight of God then anie austeritie of life she did humbly as she was commaunded Of her wonderful watching and of the griefe that her mother tooke for the same Chap. 11. HEr watching was verie strange wonderful for at the length she had by a litle and litle so ouercome sleepe that in two daies two nightes she would allowe no more but one halfe hower to sleepe the which halfe hower also she would neuer take but when very feeblenes of bodie constreined her Her bed as it is said before was bare bordes her bolster or pillowe a hard peece of wood The which thing her mother perceiuing being moued with motherlie affection and pitie towardes her owne flesh entreated her earnestly that she would geue ouer her owne hard bed for a tyme and be contented to lie with her vpon her bed and there to take her sleepe if she could if she could not at the least to rest her selfe a litle She shewed her selfe in all pointes obedient to her mother and went with her into her chamber and when her mother was laid in one side of the bed she went laid her selfe downe in the other side Where she continued watching in praier and meditation vntill at the lenght perceiuing her mother to be fast a sleepe she rose vp softely without making anie noyse gott her selfe to her wonted exercises But the suspicious mother whose hart was euermore waking espied forthwith the wilines of her daughter and tooke it verie grieuously VVherupon the good daughter who had alwaies a great care to doe nothing that might grieue her mother deuised a newe sleight by the which she thought she might both satisfie her mothers mynd and exercise in some degree her accustomed discipline She tooke two peeces of tymber and put them priuily into the bed vnder the sheet on that side where she should lie and laid her selfe downe vpon the same But it was not so secretly done but that the mother who had a great iealousie of all her doinges within a short tyme fownd it out The which when she espied and sawe withal that how diligent and carefull soeuer she was to qualifie the rigour of her daughters life she would on the other side be as politike and inuentiue to find meanes to continue the same as one ouercome she gaue ouer and said vnto her after this maner Daughter I see well it booteth not to striue with you anie longer I doe but leese my labour Wherfore a Gods name goe your waie take your rest in your owne chaÌ„ber at what tyme and after what maner yee shall thinke best And so after this tyme she entermedled no more in her doings but suffred her freely to folowe the instincte guidaÌ„ce of the holie Ghost in all thinges When the blessed virgin had thus by her godlie wilines ouercome this battaille that was raised against her by the malice of the ghostlie enemie to hinder her heauenlie designemeÌ„tes she returned to her former spiritual exercises againe with a passing great increase of feruour and deuotion She tooke such a delite in meditating reasonyng vpon thinges apperteinyng to godlines that doctour Raimundus her ghostlie Father who was a verie graue wise and learned man affirmed this to be a thing which he tooke to be most certainly true that if she might haue come into the companie of men of vnderstanding that would haue reasoned with her of God a hundred nightes she would haue continued with them in such communication without eating drinking or sleeping Yea he affirmed furthermore that wheÌ„ she had anie such occasion to speake or heare others speake of God she was sensibly nourished recreated and conforted withal as contrary wise when she might not be so occupied it was euidently seene that she drooped and became leane drie and feeble He confessed also to the honour of God of his holie spowse though withal to his owne shame confusion when that blessed virgin would at tymes speake of the goodnes of God and of his mercies towardes her he by reason of the lenght of tyme which she spent euermore willingly about that matter and also bicause he was farre from that feruour of loue that was in her being ouercome with the heauines of his bodie fell into a slomber she in the meane tyme being mightiely caried vp into God by the vehemence of her spirite continued her discourse still taking no heed to him vntill at the lenght after a long tyme casting her eye aside and seeing that he was a sleepe she would crie to him alowd and saie Alas Father why leese you the profite of your sowle for a litle sleepe Doe I speake to a wall or to you How she beate her selfe for a long tyme thrise in the daie with a chaine of yron Chap. 12. THis holie virgin hauing a great desire to folowe the steppes of S. Dominicke vsed for a long space to beate her selfe three tymes euery daie with a chaine of yron The first tyme for her selfe the second for the liuing the third for the dead The which discipline she was enforced at the lenght to geue-ouer by reason of the weakenes of her bodie Being demaunded on a tyme of her ghostlie Father how and after what maner she did that penance she answered with great bashfulnes that for euerie tyme she tooke an hower and a halfe and beat her selfe so that the blood tricled downe from her shoulders to her feet And while she was in this exercise laid on so sore vpoÌ„ her bodie that her mother being one tyme neere vnto the chamber hearing the noise of the strokes was in wardly moued with motherlie pitie and so entred in sodainly vpon her But when she sawe the maner of it when she beheld presently with her eyes the roughe yroÌ„ chaine wher with she beate her selfe the bodie of daughter miserably rent and torne the bloodie streames that ranne downe to the grownd on all sides being ouercome with natural compassion she cried out like a woman besides her selfe and said Alas Daughter what doest thou what meanest thou Wilt thou kill thy selfe Who hath counselled my daughter to exercise such crueltie vpon her tender bodie with that she scright out as lowd as euer she could and tare her haire and clothes and sared like a madd woman In so much that the neighbours rownd about hearing the lamentable criyng of the old woman and dowbting of some strange and heauie mischance came runnyng into

to anie man and that it is not in the power of anie creature but only of God to moue the hart of maÌ„ to what him listeth And so with this intent he went vnto her without declaring anie thing particularly he desired her that she would doe him a pleasure What pleasure said she forsoouth said he that you would be a meane to your spowse for me that he of his great mercie would pardon me all my synnes Whereunto she made answere with a cheereful countenance as casting no doubt at all of the effecte that she would doe it Then said he againe Daughter I thanke you for this But yet thus much I must tell you more That vnlesse you procure me some good assurance of the same you doe me no pleasure at all What assurance would you require said she I would require said he that I might haue a full Pardon and a Bull drawen vpon the same after the maner of the court of Rome With that she smiled sweetly and asked him what maner of Bull he would haue The Bull said he that I desire is that I maie feele in my selfe a certaine deepe and perfecte Contrition of my synnes beyond the common course At that word she gaue him such a coÌ„fortable looke that it seemed to him that she had entred into all the secrets of his hart Well said she such a Bull shall you haue also And so they parted for the daie was almost spent The next mornyng doctour Raimundus was taken after his customable maner with certaine infirmities which were notwithstanding verie grieuous and as then so paineful vnto him that he was inforced to keepe his bed There was at that tyme about him brother Nicolas of Pisa a verie religious man and one that he loued deerely The place where he laie was a Monasterie of Nunnes of S. Dominickes order not farre from the lodging of this holie maid who saw right well in spirite in what case doctour Raimundus was and said to her companion Come let vs goe to visite our father doctour Raimundus for he is sicke what will you doe said she ye are in worse case then he But she foorthwith set her selfe in the waie with her companion and making more hast then she was wont to doe at other tymes came vpon him sodainly â—â— lying in his bed and said Father how is it with you Which was to him so vnlooked for that he had no tyme to talke with his brother and to take order for thinges as he would haue done if he had knowen of her comyng And scantly could he answere her and saie that he was sorie that she should take such paines in comyng to him being her selfe in farre weaker state then he was but that she was entred without anie further circumstances into an high discourse as her maner was of heauenlie matters of God and of his benefites bestowed vpon his creatures and contrariwise of our vngratefulnes towardes him and pronenesse to offend such a good and bowntiful Lord. Which wordes were spoken with such grace that he felt that his hart was strangely drawen by the vertu of the same and that it receiued great comfort And so for maners sake he caused him selfe to be taken out of the bed were he laie and to be set on an other lower cowch neerer to her Who went on with her discourse he neuer thought of his petition made vnto her ouer night coÌ„cernyng the Bull but was caried awaie with the efficacie strength of her wordes which pearsed his hart like sharpe dartes Whereupon his mynd being thus forcibly driuen and entring at the length into a certaine deepe and inward coÌ„sideration of his synnes such as he neuer had in his life before there was represented vnto him iâ— a most cleere vision the iudgement seat of Christ before whom being arrained accused and acknowledging him selfe gyltie he heard a sentence of euerlasting damnation pronounced against him selfe which he confessed he had deserued by the order of Gods iustice This senteÌ„ce he heard openly read and he sawe withal a preparatioÌ„ made for his execution in such order maner as is wont to be when malefactours or theeues are condemned to the gallowes At the length when this dreadful and horrible vision had continued a good space our Sauiour appeered againe vnto him not like a terrible Iudge but like a pitiful Father wheras he was naked he clad him with his owne garmentes lead him into his howse gaue him to eate and drincke plentifully made verie much of him accepted him into his familie as one of his howsehold seruantes and changed the sentence of euerlasting death into a firme promise of euerlasting life The which when he sawe and considered inwardly with him selfe first the deformitie of his sinnes and danger that he was in and then the merciful goodnes of our Sauiour that receiued him againe so louingly he burst out into groanyng sobbing sighing and weeping so aboundantly that in all his life tyme there neuer happened the like vnto him The holie maid that was by all this while sawe how the medicine wrought began then to hold her peace and to let him alone for a good tyme that he might haue his fill of weeping CoÌ„trition And when she sawe her tyme she spake to him againe and said Father I praie you geue ouer this maner of reading and coÌ„sider well of the tenour of the Bull. The Bull said he And with that turnyng him selfe towardes her he said Ah daughter maie this be the Bull that I required of you yester euenyng This is it good Father said she Wherefore be yee myndful of the benefites of God That said she tooke her leaue foorthwith went her waie Doctour Raimundus her ghostlie Father declared yet an other verie euident signe of her great holines and familiaritie with almightie God which was this Being on a tyme verie sicke and feeble she laid her downe as her maner was vpon her boordes Where hauing diuerse and sundrie reuelations she caused her ghostie Father to be sent for that she might impart the same to him So soone as he was come she began after her accustomable maner to speak of God to recite vnto him many thinges namely those thinges that our Lord had vowchsafed to shewe vnto her at shrofte whereof we spake a litle before When he heard the thinges that she reported and considered of the greatnes of the same in comparison of that he had read of other Sainctes he said thus in his mynd Is it possible that all this should be true that she saieth And with that looking stedfastly vpon her he sawe her face sodainly transfourmed into the face of a man who likewise set his eyes stedfastly vpon him and gaue him a meruelous dreadful looke The face that he sawe was somewhat long he shewed like a man of middle age his beard was of the colour of ripe wheat that is betweene red and yallowe his countenance was verie comelie

reuerend full of maiestie And for a litle tyme he sawe that face only and could see none other thing which put him in such a feare and terrour that casting vp his handes aboue his shoulders he cried with a lowd voice and said Oh Lord who is this that looketh thus vpon me It is he said she that is And with that she came againe to her owne fourme These and other the like thinges did doctour Raimundus her ghostlie Father report of his owne experience all which he affirmed to be most certainly true with a verie great and earnest protestation THE SECOND PART How the spowse of Christ was made by litle and litle to shewe her selfe to the wordle Chap. 1. AFter that our Sauiour Christ had thus espowsed this holie virgin to him selfe and beawtified her with manie graces and gyftes his will pleasur was that she should from that tyme foreward by litle and litle shewe her selfe to the worlde that the graine that had now lyen hidden in the grownd a conuenient tyme and was sufficiently mortified might bud flower and bring foorth the frute of manie excellent vertues to the comfort of men Wherefore on a tyme when he had shewed her many mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and had taught her also to saie the Psalmes and Canonical howers with him selfe as is declared before he bad her that she should goe downe to eate with others and then returne to him againe When she heard that she sobbed and wept fell downe at his feete after a verie pitiful maner and said vnto him O most sweet Iesu whie wilt thou put me awaie from thee If I haue offended thy diuine Maiestie behold here my bodie at thy feete laie what penance it shall please thee vpon it and I will helpe with all my hart Only this I beseech thee let me not be so sharply punished as to be sundred from thy blessed presence What haue I to doe with their meates I haue meate to eate that they knowe not of Oh my good Lord wherefore dost thou will me to goe to eate with them Doth man liue of bread only and not rather and better of euerie word that cometh out of thy mouth Art not thou he my deere Lord that hast cawsed me to eschewe the conuersation of men that I might the better conuerse with thee And now that I haue fownd thee without anie desert on my part only of thy mere liberalitie and goodnes shall I be so vnhappie as to forsake such a goodlie treasure for to returne to the conuersation of men and so to dymme the puritie and cleerenes of my faith Suffer not that O my deere spowse and Lord for thyne infinitie goodnes When she had thus powred out her hart before our Lord pitifully sobbing and weeping and lying prostrate at his feete he like a merciful Lord gaue her verie sweet wordes againe and said My deere daughter leaue the care of thy selfe to me It is meete that thou doe fulfill all righteousnes Which thou canst not doe vnlesse thou be fruteful and profitable not only to thy selfe but also to others Thinke not my good daughter that it is my meanyng to separate thee from me but rather to vnite thy hart more firmely vnto me Knowest thou not that all the lawe and prophetes stand of two pointes to witt of the loue of God and of the loue of thy neighbour Wherefore to make thee perfecte my will is that thou exercise thy selfe in the loue of thy neighbour with great compassion and mercie that thou maiest flie vp to heauen not with one wing but with two Call to mynd the zeale that thou haddest of winning sowles which I planted in thy hart euen in thyne infancie at what tyme thou haddest a desire to change thyne habite and to clad thy selfe like a man that thou mightest be receiued into the order of the Fryars Preachers Remember that this habite which thou wearest is the habite of thy father S. Dominicke and was geuen vnto thee by my deere mother namely for a special loue and affection that thou barest vnto him for the great trauaile that he susteined in wynning of sowles Behold I doe now dispose and ordaine thee to that end that thou diddest through my secret inspiration so much desire in thy yowth I dispose thee to that function that my Father disposed me vnto in the earth I ordaine thee to that ministerie that I ordained my beloued Apostles and disciples vnto before I departed from them on the earth And all this I doe for thy further merite and greater crowne At these wordes the humble virgin tooke great comfort and bowing downe her head with all submission said O Lord thy will be done in all thinges and not myne for thou art light and I am darckenes thou art he that is and I am she that is not But yet I beseech thee my Lord God let me be so bold as to aske how I a wretched vile woman should be able to doe anie good in thy Church How shall I being a simple womaÌ„ be able to instructe wise and learned men How shall it be seemelie for me to liue and conuerse emong men Vnto that our Sauiour answered and said Who is he that created man made a distinctioÌ„ betweene man womaÌ„ was it not I If I theÌ„ be the creatour of man womaÌ„ what lawe maie restraine me that I shall not doe with my creatures what I shall thinke good Can my power be limited that I shall not dispose of man and woman of learned and vnlearned of noble and base according to my will Touching thy question therefore which is how a woman that is the weaker vessel should be an able and sufficient meane to edifie men with doctrine and example bicause I knowe that this thy demaund proceedeth not of anie lacke of faith in my almightie power but only of an humble consideration of thyne owne weakenes and frailtie I will impart vnto thee my secret in this behalfe Daughter it is so that now a daies there aboundeth such pride in the worlde and specially in those that hold them selues for learned and wise that my iustice can no loÌ„ger beare it But bicause my mercie is aboue all my workes as I haue determined to doe iustice vpon this heinous synne so haue I also prouided a soueraigne medicine against the same to as manie as will accept it The proper medicine and punishment of pride is to be confownded and brought to shame And therefore my deliberation is that these men that are wise in their owne conceite shal be made ashamed and controlled in their owne iudgemeÌ„t when they shall see those creatures that they account vile and abiecte as fraile and weake women to vnderstand the hidden mysteries of God not by humane studie but only by grace infused and to shewe the same to the worlde both by word and example of life and for confirmation of such doctrine to worke manie strange signes wonders and miracles

wherin you haue begun to trade vs. We will praie with you also but what are we seelie wretches and sinful creatures we are vnworthie to appeere before his diuine maiestie beinge as we are full of iniquitie and subiecte to manie imperfections And therefore we praie you deere mother that our sute maie be offred vp to almightie God by you who for the tender loue that you haue alwaies shewed to vs are like to sollicite it more carefully and for the singular fauour that you haue found in his sight are like to obteine it more certainly Manie such wordes spake her Confessour and the rest to her with great heauines of hart which they shewed more with the teares that they shed then with the wordes that they spake When they had said the holie maid made them answer after this maner It is now long as you knowe sence I resigned my selfe wholly vnto God and haue no will of myne owne but do remit all to the direction of his blessed will True it is that I loue you verie entierly and haue a great desire of your saluation And it is no lesse true that he loueth and tendreth you infinitly more then I do or can do and that he thirsteth after your saluation more then I and all men are able to conceiue wherof we haue most sufficient testimonie the shedding of his most precious blood His will therfore be done in this and in all other thinges I wil not cease to praie for you howbeit not otherwise but only that his will be done which I knowe shal be best for you howsoeuer it fall out When she had spoken these wordes they went aside fot a tyme in great heauines and perplexitie vntill the tyme that they might heare some more comfortable answere The next daie after she called her Confessour vnto her and said Father I beleeue our Lord hath somewhat condescended to your petition and I hope you shall vnderstand his will and pleasure touching the same within a short tyme. And as she said so it prooued in deed For vpon the next morowe which was sondaie she receiued the blessed Sacrament at her Confessours hand And as on the sondaie before she was brought to verie great weakenes after the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament so at this tyme she was meruelously refresshed and strengthened in bodie Which seemed strange to as manie as were there present Then doctour Raimundus seeing that wonderful and comfortable alteratioÌ„ in her bodie said these wordes I am now in great hope that our Lord hath accepted our teares and that he hath geuen fauorable eare to the humble praiers of vs his vnworthie seruantes With that for their further assurance and comfort he asked the holie maid whether the paine that she was wont to haue in her handes feete and side did continue still as it did before Wherunto she made answere and said that our Sauiour Christ had now so wrought in her bodie that those woundes or markes were no more a griefe and torment vnto her but rather a passing great ioye and sensible comfort and that our Lord at their instance and sute had graunted her a longer tyme of affliction in this life which she was glad of for the loue she bare to them How she was rauished in spirite for the space of three daies and how afterwardes she did penance as long for a word that escaped her vnwares Chap. 23. VPon the feast of S. Pauls conuersion this holie maid was meruelously rauished froÌ„ her bodilie senses and her spirite was so mightely drawen vp to heauenward that for the space of three daies three nightes she was vnmoueable and without all bodilie feeling in so much that manie thought verily that she had bin fully dead But there were some that vnderstood her condicion better then the rest who were of opinion that she should be rauished with S. Paul into the third heauen At the lenght when the three daies were ended she came to her selfe againe But her spirite was so comforted with the thinges that had ben reuealed vnto her in that tyme that she stood long tyme after like one that had ben neither fully sleeping nor fully awaked In the meane tyme whil she so stood there came to her doctour Thomas her first Confessour and with him an other Friar called brother Donatus of Florence who were going to visite a certaine holie Heremite in the wildernes And taking this holie maid in their waie and finding her in this case they thought they would proue whether they might awake her fully by inuiting her to doe some worke of charitie And so they asked her whether she would goe with theÌ„ to see that holie man Yea said she not knowing in deed at that verie instant what she said For as yet she remained in that sleepie state that she had ben in before But so soone as she perceiued that such a woord had passed her she had such a remorse of conscience bicause she had said otherwise theÌ„ she mynded to doe that for verie griese of mynd sorrowe for her offence she awaked altogether as she had ben before three daies three nightes in a deliteful conteÌ„plation of heauenly thinges so did she likewise coÌ„tinue three daies three nightes after a verie lameÌ„table maner waling weeping for her synne and said to her selfe O most wicked and peruerse woman hast thou thus requited the infinite goodnes and mercie of thy Lord and Sauiour with making a lie Be these the truthes that thou hast learned in heauen Be these the frutes of the doctrines that the holie Ghost hath inspired in thy hart Thou knewest well when thou spakest those wordes that it was not thy meanyng to goe with them And yet thou wouldest saie yea and make a lie to those good men and vertuous priestes that haue charge of thy soule Ah wretched creature Ah wicked woman These and other the like wordes did she speake with an earnest displeasure against her selfe and did great penance vpon her bodie for the space of three daies and three nightes for that lie that she had made if it maie truly be termed a lie and not rather a word that escaped her vnwares Howsoeuer it was she was permitted by the prouidence of God so to slide and also to haue a timorous remorse for her offence to keepe downe her hart that it should not be puffed vp with pride in regard of those heauenlie reuelations that she had seene Which were so great as she declared afterwardes to her ghostlie Father that no tongue of man was able to expresse them Of certaine other reuelations and againe of the tendernes of her conscience Chap. 24. AT an other tyme the Apostle S. Paul appeered to her and gaue her warnyng that she should geue her selfe earnestly to praier The which warnyng she receiued with verie great obedience and did in deed set her selfe wholy to the exercise of praier and therby deserued to haue manie goodlie reuelations Vpon S. Dominickes eueen a

maid How almightie God permitted the deuel to haue power ouer her bodie and how she ouercame all with great patience Chap. 33. THe malice that the damned sprites bare to this holie virgin was verie great and the battailes that they made continually against her to remoue her from her constancie and vowe of virginitie were surely verie fierce and cruel All the which she ouercame by the grace of God and triumphed ouer all their malice and wilines as we haue in part touched before but as our Lord would not suffer them to haue anie power ouer her soule which could not be without synne so did he permit them to vexe her bodie and put it to great paine for her further increase of merite and higher crowne In so much that some tymes they threwe her into the fyer sometymes they cast her downe headlong from her horse and one tyme when doctour Raimundus her Confessour with diuerse other was present they hurled her downe in such sort that both she and her horse were ouer the head and eares in the myer Wherat she smyled pleasantly and said to her companie Be not afraid for this is the worke of Malatasca And this happened most commonly vnto her when she had done some special worke that tended to the edifying of soules As she declareth verie well her selfe in her hundreth and sixt epistle where after that she had declared what intolerable paines she suffred which were in deed so vehement that for verie paine she raught at her garmentes and looke how much she latched with her hand so much she rent awaie and how the next daie being to write letters to the Popes holines and to three Cardinals when she had ended her letler to the Pope she was able to write no more by reason of the violent paines that came vpon her she writeth these wordes And so standing stil a litle while there began a terrour of deuels which was done in such sort that they set me quite besides my selfe raging like mad dogges against me as though I seelie worme had ben the occasion of taking out of their handes that which they had holden longe tyme in the holie Church And this terrour together with the paine of my bodie was so great that I had thought to haue gone from my studie and to get me to the chappell as though my studie had ben the occasion of my paines but sodainly I was throwen downe And being throwen downe it seemed to me that my soule was departed from my body howbeit not so as when it was departed in deed for then my soule did tast the felicitie of the immortal spirites and did receiue that most soueraigne blessednes with them But now it seemed as a thing reserued though it seemed not to be in my bodie but I sawe my bodie as though it had ben an other These be the verie wordes that she writeth in that epistle in the which she describeth certaine newe battailes made against her by those damned sprites farre greater and more terrible then euer she susteined at anie other tyme. And in the next epistle she declareth how she was verie sore beaten and tormented by them bicause she praied with a great zeale for the Catholike Church where she saieth moreouer that the more she suffred in her bodie the greater was her loue towardes the Church and the more she desired to see the same refourmed How she deliuered a certaine yong maid that was possessed of a wicked sprite Chap. 34. AS it was well knowen to diuerse and sundrie persones that this holie maid was meruelously vexed and put to intolerable paines by the malice of wicked sprites so it pleased God to shewe likewise to the wordle that he had graunted her as it were by special priuilege authority iurisdiction ouer the said sprites to commaund bynd and cast them out at her pleasure to the great comfort of the true and humble seruantes of God and withal to the vtter confusion of those proude sprites that set them selues vp against God and his seruantes as maie appeere euidently by these examples here ensewing There was in the citie of Siena a certaine notarie called maister Michael who when he was well striken in yeares determined with the consent of his wife to forsake the wordle and to geue him selfe to a more streigth order of life He determined also to dedicate two of his daughters to the seruice of God in a monasterie founded in the name honour of S. Iohn Baptist in the same citie Where when they had continued a certaine tyme one of the daughters whose name was Laurentia a child of eight yeares old was by the secret iudgement of God posessed with a wicked sprit by reason wherof the whole monasterie was much disquieted Wherupon by common consent they sent for her father and gaue him his daughter againe After that this child was thus taken out of the monasterie the wicked sprite vttered many wonderful thinges by her mouth and answered to manie darcke and hard questions And which was most strange he spake commonly in the latine tongue He disclosed also manie secret vices of diuerse and sundrie persones to their great reproach and slaunder Which thing turned the father and mother and others also of their kinred and acquentance to great heauines who left no meane vnsought wherby they thought they might ease the child Emong other thinges wherin those deuout folkes hoped in tyme to find helpe comfort one special meane was the reliques of Sainctes kept in manie places in the citie vnto the which places they resorted daily with all diligence namely to S. Ambrose tombe who had ben in his life tyme a Fryer preacher to whome almightie God had graunted a singular grace in casting out deuels froÌ„ such as were possessed in so much that his cope or scapular which were there kept being laied vpon them that were vexed with vncleane sprites did verie commonly chase them awaie Wherfore they brought the child thither and laied her downe vpon the tombe cast the said clothes ouer her And the father and mother in the meane tyme set them selues earnestly to praier beseeching our Lord with great instance that it would please him at the contemplation of that holie Saincte to take mercie on their child But their praier was not heard as then Which thing happened vnto them not for anie synne that they committed but bicause it was otherwise disposed by the prouident wisdome of God who vndoubtely put it in the heartes of certaine of their frindes to geue them counsel that they should repraire to the holie maid for the reliefe of their child Which counsel they folowed in deed and first sent vnto her praying her in most earnest maner that she would vouchsafe to doe her best to helpe their daughter wherunto she made answere that she had inough to doe with the wicked sprites that did from tyme to tyme molest and trouble her selfe and therfore praied them that they would hold her

AT what tyme Pope Vrbanus the sixt was enforced to flee out of Rome by reason of a rebellion that was raised against him in the citie by the french faction the holie maid which as then was left behind in Rome and sawe the miserable state of the Church wept daie and night and with continual sighes and sobbes made her praier to our Lord beseeching him most instantly that he would voutchsafe to cease the furie of those wicked rebels and geue peace to his afflicted Church And it was well seene that her praier was heard For soone after it pleased God so to dispose that in one daie both those factious schismatikes that had taken armes against the Sea Apostolike were vanquished and taken and the castle of S. Angelo which had holden out long tyme before rendred it selfe into the Popes handes When our holie father the Pope vnderstood of this great victorie he returned to the citie againe where he asked the holie maid her aduise what she thought best to be done in that case And her aduise was that he should goe bare footed to S. Peeters Church and all the people with him to thanke God with all submission and sowlines of hart for that ioyous calme after so loÌ„g stormes And thus the Church of Christ began as it were to reuiue againe and the holie maid tooke passing great comfort to see it But that ioye endured not long For within a litle tyme after these troubles were pacified the deuel whose malice is euermore vigilant against the Church of God raised vp a newe tempest And what he could not bring to passe by the furie of strangers that did he attempt againe by sowing discord betweene the citizens of Rome and the Popes holines When the holie maid perceiued that and sawe the imminent peril that was like thereby to ensue to the Church of God she turned her selfe to our Lord in praier and besought him that he would hold his holie hand ouer the people and not suffer them to commit such a wicked and heinous synne And as she was thus praying she sawe the citie full of damned sprites stirring and exciting the people to kill the Pope And those sprites cried horribly to her and said Thou cursed wretch thou art euermore busie to let our designementes But be thou well assured we shall put thee to a foule death She gaue them no word to answere but continued her praier with greater feruour and deuotion beseeching our Lord with all instancie that he would voutchsafe to keepe her from all mischiefe and also that it would please him to preserue the Pope his lieuetenant and vicar general in earth from all the violent attemptes of those wicked conspiratours for the honour of his owne holie name and for the redresse of his deere Spouse the Church which as then was in verie lamentable state She praied likewise for those impious rebels and besought our Lord most earnestly that he would voutchsafe of his infinite mercie to mollifie their hartes not suffer them to commit such a horrible sinne as to murder their owne Father and Pastour When she had praied often after this maner it pleased God one tyme to geue her this answere Daughter said he suffer the people to accoÌ„plish their malice in committing this damnable synne that they are about that I maie exercise my iustice and punish them according to their desertes For their wickednes is so odious and horrible in my sight that it maie no longer be endured When the holie maid heard those dreadful wordes she set her selfe to praier againe with farre greater deuotion and vehemencie of spirite then before and said O most merciful Lord thou seest how thy deere of Spouse the Church whom thou hast redeemed with the price of thy most precious blood is this daie miserably vexed and afflicted almost through out the wordle Thou knowest on the one side how fewe there are that shewe them selues readie to assist and comfort her and thou art not ignorant on the other side how manie there are and how cruelly bent that seeke by all possible meanes to annoye and discomfort her And in this behalfe it can not be hidden from thyne eyes which see all thinges how manie treacheries and treasons there are now in contriuing to make our holie father thy vicar out of the waie The which most detestable conspiracie if it take place must needes turne not only this citie of Rome but also the whole bodie of Christendome to great discomfort and slaunder Therefore Ã´ blessed Lord I most humbly beseech thee that thou wilt for this tyme temper the rigour of thy iustice and spare thy people whom thou hast bought so deere After this maner did the holie maid continue manie daies and manie nightes together in feruent praier in the which tyme our Lord did euer more alleadge iustice and she craued mercie And all the tyme that she was thus occupied in praier the wicked sprites did so vexe and torment her with their horrible scriching and crying that her bodie waxed meruelous feeble In so much that if our Lord had not by his almightie power susteined her it had not ben possible for her to haue endured but her hart must needes haue burst in sunder In the end she concluded her praier with these wordes O Lord said she seeing it is so that thy mercie maie not be granted without thy Iustice I beseech thee despise not my praiers but whatsoeuer paine is to be laied vpon this people laie it vpon my bodie and I will beare it with all my hart for the loue that I beare to the honour of thy holie name and to the saluation of their soules After the tyme that she had spoken these wordes our Lord made no more mention of his iustice but held his peace and gaue her the victorie as the effecte declared euidently For from that verie hower foreward it was seene that the people did by litle and litle cease off their conspiracies and practises against the Popes holines and in the end submitted them selues wholly to his authoritie But as their malice relented by litle and litle and in tyme ceased so did her paine and smart likewise increase answerably by the permission of God by whose suffrance the wicked sprites vexed and tormented her bodie so cruelly that it seemed incredible but only to such as were present with her and sawe how it was in part rent and torne as it had ben with yron hookes in part swollen and full of blacke and blewe wailes as though it had ben beaten with clubbes and all ouer so pitifully araied that it seemed rather a thing to wonder at then a natural bodie All the which notwithstanding she gaue not ouer her accustomed maner of praier but continued in the same both longer tyme together then she was wont to doe before and also with greater feruour of spirite and deuotion then she was wont to haue at other tymes And euermore as she increased in praier charitable

the sisters that was there with her at that tyme that when the holie maid came to her selfe againe she should desire her in his name and also charge her in the vertue of her obedience that she should extend her charitie towardes that miserable man that laie on passing and praie to God hartely for his recouerie When the holie maid vnderstood the lamentable state of the sicke man and withall the charge that was geauen her from her ghostlie father she taried not but foorthwith set her selfe to praier and besought our Lord with great instance and feruour of spirite that he would not suffer that soule to perish whome he had redeemed with the price of his most precious blood To that our Lord made answere and said that the iniquitie of that wicked man was so heinous in his sight that the crie thereof perced the heauens and called for iustice for he had not only in wordes most horribly blasphemed the holie name of God and of his Sainctes but also with great despite and malice throwen a table into the fyer in the which was painted the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ together with the images of our blessed Ladie and other Sainctes By the which facte he had deserued euerlasting damnation When the holie maid heard that she fell downe prostrate before our Lord and said O Lord if thou wilt looke narrowly to our iniquities who shal be able to stand Wherefore camest thou downe from heauen into the wordle Wherefore tookest thou flesh of the most pure and vnspotted virgin Marie Wherefore diddest thou suffer a most bitter and reprochfull death Hast thou done all these thinges Ã´ Lord to this end that thou mightest call men to a streight and rigorous account for their synnes and not rather that thou mightest vtterly cancel their debtes and take them to mercie Why dost thou Ã´ merciful Lord tell me of the synnes of one lost man seeing thou hast borne vpon thyne owne shoulders the synnes of the whole wordle that none should be lost Doe I lie here prostrate at thy feete to demaund iustice and not rather to craue mercie Doe I present my selfe here before thy diuine Maiestie to pleade the innocencie of this wretched creature and not rather to confesse that he is gyltie of euerlasting death and damnation and that the onlie refuge is to appeale to thyne endles mercie Remember Ã´ deere Lord what thou saidest to me when thou diddest first will me to goe abrode and to procure the saluation of manie soules Thou knowest right well that I haue none other ioye or comfort in this life but only to see the conuersion of synners vnto thee And for this cause only I am content to lacke the ioyful fruition of thy blessed presence Wherefore if thou take this ioye from me what other thing shall I find in this vale of miserie wherein to take pleasure or comfort O most merciful Father God of all comfort reiecte not the huÌ„ble petition of thyne handmaid put me not awaie from thee at this tyme but graciously graunt me that this my brothers hard hart maie be mollified and made to yeald to the working of thy holie spirite Thus did the holie maid continue in praier and disputation with our Lord from the begynning of the night till the nexte morning All the which tyme she neither slept nor tooke anie maner of rest but wept and wailed continually for great compassion that she had to see that soule perish our Lord euermore alleaging his iustice and she crauing his mercie At the length our Lord being as it were ouercome with her importunitie and crying gaue her this comfortable answere Deere daughter I will stand no longer with thee in this matter Thy teares and lamentable crying haue preuailed and wrested the sword of my iustice out of myne hand This synful man shall for thy sake find such fauour and grace as thou requirest for him And with that our Lord withdrewe him selfe from the holie maid and appeered the same hower to the sicke man and spake to him after this maner Deere child why wilt thou not be repentant for the synnes that thou hast committed against me In anie case be sorie for thyne offences and confesse the same and I am readie to pardon thee That word so persed the hart of that obstinate man that he relented foorth with and cried with a lowd voice to them that were there present besought them for Gods loue that they would helpe him to a ghostlie father with all possible speed For said he my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath shewed him selfe mercifully to me and willed me to be confessed of all my synnes When they heard that they were verie much astoined but withall meruelously comforted to see that soddaine and blessed alteration in him And they made great hast to bring him a ghostlie father to whome he made a perfecte Confession of all his synnes with great contrition and so passed out of this wordle in the state of grace How the holie maid by praier procured the conuersion of a fierce yong gentleman in Siena called Iames Tolomes Cap. 12. THere was in the citie of Siena a gentleman of a worshipfull parentage called Francis Tolomes who tooke to wife on Rabes a gentlewoman likewise of a good howse and by her had manie sonnes and daughters His eldest sonne was called Iames a prowd and hawtie yong man and of nature verie fierce and cruel in so much that being yet but a child of age he killed two men with his owne handes which cawsed all men both to dread him and to shunne his companie And as he grewe in yeares so did he also increase in malice and wickednes and ranne without raine or bridle euen as his outragious mynd caried him into all kindes of mischiefe He had two sisters the one called Francis the other Ginoccia which were also dissolute and light of behauiour and specially Ginoccia which was wholly geuen to vaintie and superfluous decking of her selfe And yet had she euermore a care to keepe the virginitie of her bodie which she did rather for feare of shame in the wordle then for anie feare or loue of God Which thing was no small griefe to their mother Rabes who being a woman that feared God and tendred much the soules health of her daughters went on a daie to the holie maid and declaring the state of her daughters besought her for Gods loue that she would bee so good as to come with her and geue them some godlie exhortation The holie maid which had euermore a passing great desire to wynne soules to God went with the gentlewoman with a verie good will and did as she was required And her wordes so wrought in the hartes of those two yong maidens that they gaue ouer all the vanities of the wordle and tooke the habite of S. Dominicke Ginoccia foorth with and Francis soone after In the which rule and discipline they liued a verie streight and rigorous life

my soule vpon the only namyng of this word peace And soone after he said againe O Lord O God what vertue or strength is this that holdeth and draweth me after this sort I haue no power to goe hence I can denie you nothing that you require me O Lord Ã´ Lord what thing maie this be that thus enforceth me And with that he burst out into weeping and said I am quite ouerthrowen I am not able to make anie longer resistance Then sodainly he cast him selfe downe at the holie maides feete and with meruelous great submission and aboundance of teares said these wordes O blessed maid I am readie to doe whatsoeuer you commaund me not only in this matter of peace but also in all other thinges whatsoeuer they be Hitherto I knowe well the deuel hath lead me vp and downe fast tied in his chaine but now I am resolued to folowe you whether soeuer it shall please you to lead me And therefore I praie you for charities sake be you my guide and teach me how I maie deliuer my soule out of his bandes At those wordes the holie maid turned to him and said Brother our Lord be thanked that you are now through his great mercie come to vnderstand in how dangerous a state you stood I spake to you concernyng your soules health and you made light of my wordes I spake to our Lord touching the same matter and he was content to heare me My aduise therefore is that you do penance for your synnes in tyme for feare of some sodaine calamitie that maie fall vpon you which finding you vnprouided maie otherwise beare you downe and quite ouerwhelme you This gentleman was so inwardly striken with these wordes of the holie maid that he went foorthwith to Doctour Raimundus and made a generall Confession of all his synnes with great sorrowe and contrition And so when he had made his peace with almightie God by the aduise of Doctour Raimundus and vertue of the holie Sacrament of penance he was content likewise to submit himselfe to the order of the holie maid and according to her direction and arbitrement to make a firme peace with all his aduersaries Within a fewe daies after this Mannes was thus conuerted it chaunced that he was taken by the gouernour of the citie and cast into a streight prison for certaine outrages that he had committed before And it was commonly talked emong the people that he should be put to death The which when Doctour Raimundus vnderstood he came to the holie maid with a heauie cheere and said Loe mother so long as Mannes serued the deuel so long did all thinges goe prosperously with him But now sence the tyme that he began to serue God we see the wordle is wholly bent against him This sodaine alteration putteth me in great doubt and feare of the man lest being as yet but a yong and tender branch he should be broken of by the violence of this storme and so fall into despaire Wherefore I beseech you hartely good mother commmend his state to God in your praiers And as you haue by your mediation deliuered him from euerlasting death so doe your endeuour also to deliuer him from this temporall and imminent danger To that the holie maid made answere Father said she whie take you this matter so heauily Me thinketh you should rather be glad of it for by this you maie conceiue a verie sure hope that our Lord hath pardoned him all his synnes and changed those euerlasting paines that were due to him for the same into these temporall afflictions When he was of the wordle the wordle made much of him as one that was his owne But nowe sence he began to spoorne at the wordle no meruaile if the wordle do likewise kicke at him againe As for the feare that you haue lest he being ouerlaied with these calamities should fall into despaire be of good comfort and assure your selfe that the mercifull goodnes of our Lord that hath deliuered him out of the deepe dongeon of hell will not suffer him to perish in prison And as she said so it prooued in deed For within a fewe daies after he was deliuered out of prison His life was in deed spared but for that they set a great fyne of money on his head Whereof the holie maid was nothing sorie but rather glad for said she our Lord hath mercifully taken awaie from him tha poison with the which he had before and might agine haue poisoned him selfe So soone as this Mannes was thus deliuered he like a gratefull gentleman ascribing the benefite both of his foremer recouerie out of synne and also of this his deliuerie out of prison to the merites and praier of the holie maid made a deed of gyfte to her of a goodlie palace that he had four myles from the citie Of the which by licence of Pope Grogorie the eleuenth she made a monasterie for her spirituall daughters the sisters of penance and dedicated it to our blessed Ladie and in the honour of her named the place Our Lord of Angels And he after this happie conuersion was wholly directed by doctour Raimundus and lead a verie blessed life What a wonderfull grace the holie maid had in making exhortations and conuerting soules to God Chap. 14. EMong a nomber of strange gyftes that were in this holie maid one was a meruelous singular grace that she had in drawing the hartes of men vnto God not only with the wordes that she spake vnto them but also with her onlie presence And in this she so much passed all that we read or heare reported of other great Sainctes that it might seeme incredible but that it pleased almightie God to make it knowen to the wordle by diuerse and sundrie effectes wrought in such sort that they could not be couered Manie tymes as she was passing from place to place the people came out from all sides by hundreds and thousandes to see her of the which great nombers were wonne to God by her godlie exhortations and went foorthwith to be confessed of their synnes with great sorrowe and contrition Of the which thing when Pope Gregorie the eleuenth was enformed by the report of credible persones to further her charitable trauaile in winnyng of sowles to God he made her a speciall graunt by his bull or letter patent that she might haue alwaies three learned confessours about her vnto whome he gaue authoritie to absolue from all kindes of synne in as ample maner as anie bishop hath within his diocese And those three confessors were so thoroughly occupied by reason of the great multitudes that were turned to God by her meanes that Doctur Raimundus who was one of the three and euermore assistant to her reported both of him selfe and of the other two also that manie tymes they sate in confession from morning to night without anie bodilie recreation or refection yea and sometymes when night came had scantly so much leisure as to receiue a litle sustenance

and me by such meanes as I declared vnto thee thou camest to the knowledge of truth Thy second petition was that I should shewe mercie to the wordle Thy third petition was for the bodie mysticall of my holie Church beseeching me that I should take awaie from it darckenes and persecutions which it suffreth at this present And thou requiredst that I should punish the iniquities of the euell vpon thee Whereupon I declared vnto thee that no paine that hath an end or is geuen in tyme that hath an end is able of it selfe alone to satisfie for a synne done and committed against me which am an endles goodnes But it maie well satisfie if it be ioyned with contrition of hart and desire of sowle The maner also how this satisfaction maie be made I haue declared vnto thee Then I made thee answere that I will shewe mercie to the worlde shewing thee that it is proper to me to be mercifull Whereupon for mercies sake and for the inestimable loue that I bare to man I sent my only begotten Sonne and word The which thing that I might declare more plainely to thee I likened him to a bridge that reacheth from heauen to earth by reason of the vnion that is made in him betweene the nature of God and man And to geue thee yet a further light of my truth I shewed thee how the waie to clymme vp this bridge is by three steppes to witte by the three powers of the soule And of this true bridge shewed vnto thee I made a figure in my bodye resembling those three steppes as thou knowest verie well the first in my feete the second in my side and the third in my mouth In the which I put the three states of the soule to witte the state imperfecte the state perfecte and the state most perfecte in the which the soule atteineth fully to the excellencie of inward loue And in each of these I shewed thee plainely what thing that is that taketh awaie imperfection and what is the defecte or let of perfection and by what waie one maie come to it I spake to thee also concernyng the secret deceites of the deuels and concernyng spirituall selfe loue Furthermore I spake to thee in these three states of the reproofes that my clemencie maketh The first reproofe I put to be made in this life before they depart out of their bodie The second at their death which toucheth them that die in mortall synne Of whome I told thee that they went vnder the bridge by the waie of the deuell and I shewed vnto thee of their myseries The third reproofe I shewed should be at the generall iudgement where I shewed thee somewhat concernyng the paines of the damned and glorie of the blessed when euerie one shall receiue the dowries of his bodie In like manner I promised thee and doe promise that with much sufferance of my mynisters I will refourme my spouse the Church inuiting you to such sufferance complainyng my self with thee of their iniquitie and shewing thee withall what an excellent place I haue put them in and what reuerence I doe require that secular personnes should doe vnto them And I declared vnto thee that my will was that their reuerence should in no wise be diminished for anie defectes or excesses that are in them and how much it displeaseth me when the contrarie is done I spake also to thee of the vertue of those that liue like Angels Where I touched withall the excellencie and worthnes of the blessed Sacrament of the Aulter Againe while I was speaking to thee of the three states of the soule thou wert desirous to be infourmed concerning the states of teares and to know from whence teares proceede Whervpon I declared the matter orderly vnto thee shewing that the states of teares haue an accordance with the states of the soule and that all teares doe proceede out of the fountaine of the hart And of this I assigned the cause proceeding orderly Moreouer I declared that there were fiue kindes of teares of the which the fifte engendreth death Then I made answere to thy fouerth request which was that I should prouide for a certaine particular case that had happened for the which I prouided as thou knowest verie well And vpon this I declared vnto thee of my prouidence both in generall and in speciall from the begynning of the creation vntill the end of the wordle Where I shewed how I made and doe make all thinges with a most high and diuine prouidence geuing or permitting all thinges to witt comfortes and tribulations spirituall and temporall for your good that you maie be sanctified in me and my truth fulfilled in you For my truth was and is this that I haue created you to haue life euerlasting Which truth is opened to you with the blood of the Word which is my only begotten Sonne Last of all I satisfied thy desire and discharged my promise made to thee by declaring vnto thee and speaking of the perfection of obedience and of the imperfection of disobedience and from whence it cometh and what thing that is that taketh obedience from you And I put it for a generall keye and so it is And I spake to thee of the particular and of the perfecte and imperfecte personnes liuing both in religion and out of religion Of each of these pointes I informed thee plainely and distinctly I spake to thee likewise of the peace that obedience geueth and of the warre that disobedience causeth adding and shewing withall how by the disobedience of Adam death came into the wordle Now I the euerlasting Father the most high and eternall veritie doe conclude openly that you doe obteine euerlasting life by the obedience of the Word to witt of my only begotten Sonne And as all men haue taken death and damnation of the first man Adam so haue all men that will beare the keye of obedience taken life euerlasting of the newe man Iesus Christ my most deerely beloued Sonne Of whome I haue made you a bridge after the tyme that the waie of heauen was broken downe that you maie passe without harme by this sweete and streight waie which is a cleere and lightsome truth with the keye of holesome obedience And so passing without harme thorough the darckenes of this present life at the last with the keye of my Word you find heauen open vnto you Now I inuite thee with the rest of my frindes and seruantes to weepe for by weeping and by continuall and humble praier I mynd to shewe mercie to the wordle Runne therefore by this waie of truth that thou be not rebuked afterwardes for going slowly for there shal be more required of thee now then before bicause I haue shewed my selfe vnto thee in my truth And take good heed that thou neuer goe out of the cell of the knowledge of thy selfe but in this cell keepe and spend the treasure that I haue geuen thee which treasure is a doctrine of truth founded

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