cānot put away the griefe it causeth me to think if therfore I shall be abhorred of the venerable prelates of the order of our Father S. Francis if this shal be cause that I may lose the masses and suffrages which after my death I did hope for of them And whē I thinck vpon my sinnes chiefly after they haue iudged me to be euill I do so beyond reason afflict my selfe as I knowe not how to expresse it And saying this she shed many teares for the which her Angell desiring to cōfort her said 9. Be quiet blessed soule let not the memorie of thy sinnes so much torment thee nor let thy tribulations wearie thee when for them thou shalt bee blessed and they purifie thee as the fornace doth the gold Neither do thou thinck that because thou art reprehēded by thy prelates that they do abhorre thee but that by this way thy crowne shall be made and thy soule shall be purified for as the holy scripture saith thou hast it alwayes in the palme of thy hands I wold not sir that my soule should be in such wicked hands as mine are replyed shee but only in the handes of God for so I shold haue it most secure for I being so euill a sinner do feare much to lose it sir it seemeth to me that according to the great mercies which God vseth towards such a sinner our Lord would be pleased with me if I did not so much feele how greatly they doe afflict persecute me and wher I should perswade my selfe that with great reason they doe it yet I cannot at all times for the little virtue which I haue I wold rather not to haue bene borne thē to haue offended my God so many times Ah holy Angell how great are my sinnes What shall be come of me if God according to his mercy do not deale with me like himself demand it thou of him my holy keeper let not this soule bee lost which is cōmitted to thy charge giue good accoumpt of this thy little sheepe suffer not the wolfe holy S. Laruell to cary her away Blessed comforter of soules comfort mine for I am altogether without comfort and persecuted although the greatest of my persecutions is to thincke that God permitteth them because I am so great a sinner and for this cause it is that the diuell doth so much torment me 10. Be not vngratefull to our Lord saide the Angell for the persecutiōs which ar inflicted on thee are so many fauours which God doth giue thee and thou knowest well that it is long time since I told thee that satan had asked licence to persecute thee and to tempt thee as hee did holy Iob. But trust in Iesus Christ our redeemer and in the virtue of his Crosse for although the body suffer yet the soule shall be saued Cast therfore away this feare and vexation and consider that if thy persecutions be great so also are the helpes and succours which our Lord sendeth thee to support them as are the many visitations which his diuine maiestie and his holy mother do so often afforde thee the spirituall goods which thou doest enioy in this life when being on earth thou participatest so oftentimes of the delightes of that celestiall Hierusalem the great familiaritie wherwith thou conuersest with me and the particular care wherwith I defend and keep thee I giue infinite thancks to my God sayde shee and to thee my good Angell who so hast comforted me with thy holy discourses yet I desire that thou tell me how I being so great a sinner We read of some saintes who had much familiaritie with their Angell keeper of S. Lyd win a virgin Surias tom 7. April 14. of S. Francisca Romana Iulius Vrsinus in her life lib. 1. cap. 1◠and saint Elizabeth sister of King Eckerbert Abbasse of the monasterie of Esconaagia Marcus Marulus lib. 2. cap. 4. thou art seene of me so oftentimes I enioy so oft the most sweet presence of my redeemer Iesus Christ and of his most holy mother It is his grace answered the Angell and hee cōmunicateth it to whom hee will whereof thou art to render him a strict accoūpt His diuine maiestie knoweth well answered she that I neuer demanded of him neither visions not apparitions for being so miserable and a sinner I do not deserue it and so I knowe that only because he is who he is hee doth me these fauours Giue him many thancks for them said the Angell and confesse that other persons without enioying of these fauours ar better then thou And this hold alwayes in thy memorie that for thy greater good and to keepe thee from vaine glory God hath permitted thee to be persecuted and troaden vnder foot of euery one and by the tongues of many to be detracted and torne in peeces 11. At the fame of these things and many others which befell her with her Angell there repaired vnto her so many people that stood in neede of cōsolation that many times there were seene all at once at the doore of the conuent a hundred persons al which she receiued heard spake vnto most curreously without being euer tired or distastfull to any of them Wherin she had in truth the condition of her good Angell to whom after their departures shee represēted the necessities of them all requesting him to comfort them and so well she retained the answear of her Angell as although they were of things very differēt yet she forgot none To a certain spirituall person who prayed her to know of her Angell what he shold do to please our Lord she answered Peace prayer and silence are three things which much please God And to another who desired to knowe the same she saide Weepe with those that weep reioyce with those that reioyce and hold thy peace with those that speake Another person in necessitie of health and comfort knowing that eache one found it by her meanes sent to pray her that she wold obtaine of her Angell some holesom councell to beare with patience the dolours of her infirmitie which were great And the holy Virgin hauing cōsulted with him about it the Angell gaue her this answear Tell this afflicted persō that she put for the tester of her bed Christ crucified for corteines the ensigne of his passion so offer to God all his dolours Many were the answeres which the Angell gaue to the seruant of God in diuers busines which euery moment she consulted with him all full of misteries like celestiall oracles most important for the health of the soule of which I leaue some not to make this volume to large and because they are like to these allready related 12. This seruant of our Lord did not only treat with her good Angell and with other Angells with the familiaritie which we haue seene but shee had the same in very great degree with many saintes in especiall with the most glorious S. Annie of Padua
as soone as she sawe him she stretched out her armes for to embrace him but at the same instant appeared his most holy mother taking him in her armes lifted her self vpon highe with him accompanied with infinite Angells who with most sweet harmonie made him musick But as soone as blessed Ioane sawe that the mother the Sonne departed and left her so alone iudgeing her selfe vnworthie of so soueraigne companie she remained very sadd and without comfort but she that is mother of comfort comforting her sayde Do not afflict thy selfe daughter but come toward the figtrees in the garden for there thou shalt find vs. 6. Most contented with this fauour accomplishing her office of obedience shee went to the garden looking on euery side to see that which her soule desired and approaching to the bake-howse neer vnto the figtrees she sawe our Lord Iesus Christ and his blessed mother and many Angells which awayted her And falling prostrate vpon the earth shee adored God and the B. virgin and stood long time enioying of that soueraigne vision so absorpt as although they called her with a bell she heard not vntill the mother of God said to her Goe daughter performe thy obedience for they haue called thee three seuerall times and thou hast neuer heard them Then leauing God and his mother for obedience sake shee went to see who it was that sought her and hauing done the businesse she returned by by to the bake-howse aforesaid where she had left her hart and her rest But some of the nonnes meeting her noted much the speed and hast with which she went that her face was very bright and that a sweet sauour proceeded from it for the which some of them followed her desirous to know what the matter was suspecting some great thing And seeing her enter into the bake howse they heard her say O soueraigne mother of God great is thy mercy towards me vnworthie sinner that I hauing gone and left thee and my most sweet espouse in this humble and poore place I find that you ar stil here attending for me The nonnes also heard the B. virgin answeare saying My daughter thou hast therfore found me because for obedience sake thou hast left me which much pleaseth my Sonne and me 7. The blessed Ioane was so fauoured of our B. Ladie the virgin as the fauours and comforts which she receiued from her powerfull hand cannot as they worthilie deserue be esteemed For not only being a child but when she was of greater age and in all times she had great reuelations and visites of our Lord and of his most holy mother both in râ—ptes and out of them which dured her more or lesse time as pleased God At the beginning three or foure howres after they were greater for they came to fourteen and to twenty and forty houres euery one sometimes she was eleuated three dayes without returning to herself Once it happened her to returne from a very great rapt and scarcely to haue come to her selfe when only hearing named the most sweete name of Iesus or of seing some image of his most sacred passion shee was againe eleuated as before without any manner of sense or feeling She was most beautifull and shining in these rapts and when she returned from them the nonnes besought her that shee would tell where shee was and what shee had seen in those raptâ—s and reuelations which although she refused to doe excusing her selfe for humilitie sake yet when it was the will of God that shee shold manifest it shee sayde that her good Angell carried her in spirite and set her in a throne very bright and glorious where she â—awe our Lord and his most holy mother and the Angells the Apostles and Euangelistes the Patriarches and Prophets our holy Father saint Francis and infinite other saints men and women of the newe and old testament giuing such euident signes of them as if she had beene borne and brought vp with them She said that they went adorned with their particular insignes The saints of the old testament with the figures therof which they represented conforme to their prophecies Abraham with the sacrifice of the lamb Moyses with his serpent and the bush Aaron with his rodd others with the Arck of the testament And that the saints of the newe testament carried also their ensignes The Apostles and Martyrs those of their martyrdome our holy Father S. Francis the fiue wounds more bright then starres others carried the chalice with the most holy Sacrament others the font of baptisme and others the keyes of the Church Euery one of them more faire and bright and more shining then the sunne in so much that it is a meruellous thinge and very pleasing to see and contemplate these things full of so much beautie and comlinesse as no tongue is able to explicate the same answerable to that which our Lord of his mercy doth shew them vnto me said the Saint and will that I see them from that holy place where as it seemeth to me I stand tyed with a certaine beame of that place which denoteth that my soule is not yet wholly vntied and free from the prison of this body 8. The blessed Ioane was foure and twentie yeares ould at which age the noÌ„nes saw her fall into a rapt such as neither before nor after she neuer was seene to haue the like For other times when shee was rapt she remained with much beautie and lustre of her face but this time it was not so for all that wanted in her and she remained as one dead her eyes broken sunck her lippes blue her teeth gnashing her nose drawen vp and all the members of her body disioynted and stiffe and her face so pale and wanne as if she were altogether dead The nonnes admired at the noueltie of the chance and desiring to know the cause therof prayed the holy virgin that shee wold reueale the same vnto them But shee as one prudent and silent wold neuer tell it vntill some dayes being passed her good Angell commanded her to tell it and then shee sayde the cause mothers that you sawe in me such noueltie in that rapt was for that being in it I sawe my good Angell with sad countenance And I asking him the cause he sayde that our Lord had shewed him the great persecutious wearinesses and infirmities which were to come vpon me and that he hauing prayed for me The Angells to shew sad countenance and to weep is a speach which the holy scripture vseth as in the 33. chapter of Isaias more by similitude then by proprietâ—e for an Angell although he appeare in corporall forme and visible to men doth neither weep nor eat nor speake nor exercise any vitall operation according to S. Thom. 1. p. q. 51. a. 3. for to Worck properly these things which are vitall actions he should be the soule of the same body in which he appeareth and as the forme therof animate it
not that which he willeth with the will which diuines do call in signe which is not absolute but condition ally and this is that which is not alwaies fulfilled S. Tho. 1. p. q. 19. a. 11. and 12. and q. 23. a. 5. and lib. 4. D. 45. a. 4. and D. 47. a. 2. and de veritate q. 6. and q. 23 Then the blessed mayde praied the holy Apostles whom she had present with much instance that they would aske of our Lord not to reuoke his senteÌ„ce and they promised her so to do And the next day when the physitian came to visite her she entreated him to take no more paines about her for the will of our Lord was that she should die of that infirmitie This was by and by knowen in Madrid and Toledo and some Ladies with licence which they had for to enter in to the conuent desirous to be at the death of the seruant of our Lord came froÌ„ diuers partes in especiall the Lady Isabell de Mendoza wife to Don Gonzalo Chacon Lord of the towne of Casarrubios who was one of the first and deserued to be present at the maruailles which our Lord wrought at the passage of his blessed espouse so full of fauoures and cherinshings from heauen as it seemeth the diuine maiestie would seale vp in her death the great fauoures which he had done in the course of her life 5. First of all on friday the first of May the day of the Apostles Saint Philipp and Iacob the seruaÌ„t of God being in her senses sawe with her bodilie eies certaine visions of the which she would tell none although the religious did entreat it of her The night of the same day she gaue a great cry saying Wo is me how carelesse haue I beene And that night she was many times rapte and entring into the agonie of death she entred into the last battaile with the enemie of mankind as another S. Hilarion according as they sawe and vnderstood who were present and as was manifest by those things which she saide for sometimes she held her peace other times she answeared and as if she had spoken with another person she saide O what a cruell sword hold him hold him let him not kill me with it And a little while after she saide Call her to me call her to me she goeth away And asking her whom she would they shold call She answeared the blessed Saint Magdalen Then she rested a little after with much affectioÌ„ saide Let vs goe mother of God mother of God let vs goe for it is late After all this she saide with notable hart and courage cast him hence cast him hence 6. It hapned that in this battell and conflict the Saints left her our Lord permitting it that alone she might ouercome in death him whom so often she had ouercome in life All the time that this coÌ„bate dured which was a great while she lamented much saying Oh in what an ill time hast thou left me and after she saide Lord hast thou left me alone goe to cast hence this diuell for he hath no part in me euill goe with him And turning to the religious she saide Sisters lâ—fte me from hence I will giue my soule to my Creator and a little after as speaking with other persons she beganne to say seeke me him out seeke me my Lord Iesus Christ Let him find me and I will finde him Wherfore haue you carried him from me let me alone I will goe to see him although I am all disioynted The religious asked her whom she would they should seeke and shee saide my Lord Why where shall we find him mother In the garden answered the blessed maide and as it were complaining for griefe with a great sighe she saide Ah mother of God Iesus what crueltie what crueltie my Lord let thy mercy exceed thy iustice Iesus what anguish and turning her face to the religious much afflicted she saide help me to pray And stopped with the word in her mouth the nonnes much afflicted saide what will you mother that wee help you to pray for she answeared that mercy may exceed iustice After this very merrie she beganne to say let vs goe O at what a point O at what a point and this she repeated many times 7. The physitian who assisted at her beddes head seing these thinges saide happie monasterie which sendest such a soule to heauen where she will do thee more fauours theÌ„ hauing her vpon the earth And the Saint answeared it may bee and with all this she had beene foure howers without pulse and three daies without eating Then lifting vp her voice againe she saide my frendes carrie me away carrie me by and by They asked her with whom she spake and she answered with the Saints and virgins They saide to her why with whom will you go mother wiâ—â— Iesus Christ my true spouse answered she wherfore do you hide said she my Lord from me and my Lady the religious hearing this shewed her an image of our B. Lady and adoring it she saide it is not this bring me againe bring me againe my Queene and Lady And asking her if the mother of God were there she saide yea and my Angells and my Saints and she saide let vs goe my Lady let vs goe And by and by she saide againe with most great alacritie make him place here at my side iust by me And a little after she saide with great reuerence O my Father And the religious thought she spake to her Father Saint Francis And although they had beene wearied with the sick partie all the saturday night yet it seemed not a moment to them and the holy morning of the sunday comming she saide why then sweet Iesus let vs goe hence my Lord let vs goe quickly let vs goe my redemer Then the religious seeing their comfort was going away and their sunne setting made processions praiers and disciplines praying God he would not depriue them of so great a good but giue health to their B. Mother All of them kissed her hand and she blessed the present and absent and all that were deuoted to her And againe she saide let vs goe Lord my Redemer let vs goe from hence they asked her if our Lord were there she saide yea and also his most holy mother 8. On the saturday morning came the physitian and saide to the sicke partie it seemeth to me mother that you are going from vs to heauen tell vs who accompanieth you in the way My Lady the virgin Marie and my Angell keeper and my Angells and my Saints answered shee and her face by and by became so faire and so resplendent as when she was wont to be in raptes and hauing had till that time a very vnsauorie breath caused by her infirmitie from that time so much sweetnesse and fragrancie came out of her mouth as it seemed some heauenlie thing And a little while after with newe feruour and spirit as if she spake
the graces from heauen which the Angell was to bring them when the seruant of God shold returne from that rapte From which when she returned there was felte ouer all the conuent so great fragrancie and sweetnes of sauour that drawen therby they came to aske the seruant of God the cause of such noueltie Presently said shee sisters you shall knowe it and the fauour which God hath done vs. Come to me all of you and especiallie shee that hath the key of the little coffre 6. It was a maruailous thing to see it being but a little while since they had opened it and seene it emptie opening it now againe they found it with the same Rosaries and Beades which they had put into it without wanting any one because the Angell which had carried them to heauen had now brought them back againe blessed and put them in the same chest and when the nonne opened it who had the key the smell which issued theÌ„ce encreased so much as the nonnes admired But the B. Ioane told them that that sweetnes and good sauour came from their Rosaries the which had cleaued to them as hauing beene in the most sacred hands of our Lord Iesus Christ who not only had giueÌ„ them his benediction but granted them many graces and virtues which she related to them with all giuing to euery religioâ—s her beades of these some the called Agnus Deies because our Lord had granted them the graces which the Popes do grant to the Agnus Deies Others against deuilles for the virtue which they had to cast them out of the bodies of the possessed Others against temptations and infirmities and others against other perills according to the virtues which God had giuen them And this great maruaill happened in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred twentie three 7. With â—his treasure of heauen which our Lord Iesus Christ granted to his seruant the religious remained mâ—ch comforted and much obliged to their blessed mother for the mercy which by her intercessâ—oÌ„ they had receiued And with much deuotion they beganne to enâ—oye the graces of those holy beades and Rosaries yet euery one desiring to enioye more copiously of that good and to participate of the virtues which the others had by theire beades they besought the blessed Abbesse she would obtaine of our Lord that the graces and virtues which his diuine maiestie had diuided amoÌ„g all â—he Rosaries he would generally grant them all to euery one of their beades that they might better participate of his mercies The seruant of our Lord did ask it of him and his diuine maiestie accorded it with coÌ„dition that for the graces of those beads they should not despise those which the Popes should grant vpon the earth 8. This is the historie of these misteriouâ— beades of which the like so rarely hath beene seene And it is much to be noted that our Lord did this most notable fauour to his Church in a time when it was very necessarie for it was at the same time when Luther impudently and sacrilegiously opened his excommunicated mouth against the indulgences and Reades of pardon which the Popes did grant and against Agnus Deies and all kind of holy thinges The virtues of these beades are many and by experience it is knowne that they haue virtue against the diuels for they driue them out of humane bodies confessing that they goe out of them through the virtue of these beades and fly from those that carrie them about them They haue virtue also against fire against thunder lightening tempestes and troubles of the raging seaes and against many infirmities both of body and soule They heale agues the pestilence and other infirmities They are also of force against scruples temptations and frightes of the diuells These and other virtues our Sauiour granted them as is gathered by the miracles which are approued for of those which are not approued which are many I do not speake because all that I shall speake in this historie I pretend to the honour and glory of God that it be so authenticke and certaine as with reason none may doubt therof 9. That which hath beene hitherto saide hath beene gathered from the informations aforementioned and especiallie of that which vnder oath certaine of the ancient religious did affirme who knewe and treated with the companions of the same seruant of God and being deposed do sweare that they haue heard it told many tâ—mes and it is a publicke tradition froÌ„ those times vnto these that these beades were in heauen and our Lord Iesus Christ blessed them granting them many virtues and graces without any person of accoumpt hauing spoken against them but rather many Lordes of this kingdome and great prelates therof haue procured of them much esteemed them King Philip the second of glorious memorie had one of theÌ„ our Catholick King Philipp the third and Margarite haue two of them which they hould in very great estimatioÌ„ And Pope Clement the eight of glorious memorie who before he was Pope came to Spaine with a brother of his Auditor of the Rota about the businesses of the earldome of Punnonrostro went from Torreion of Velasco to the coÌ„uent of the Crosse where the body of B. Ioane is in companie of Don Iohn Arrias Portocarrero and the Lady Ioane of Castro his wife and being informed of the life miracles of this virgin of the truth of these beades after he had saide masse in the Chappell where her body lieth demanded of sister Ioane Euangelist then Abbesse some of the beades and with much deuotion carried with him that which they gaue him And the blessed freers freer Francis of Torres and freer Iulian of Saint Augustine men of singular virtue and sanctitie by whom in their life after their death God did many miracles do affirme that these beades had bene carried vp to heauen and that Christ our redeemer had blessed them and granted them many virtues and pardons 10. And to the end that the faithfull might enioye them they perswaded the people that they shold touch their Rosaries and Beades at those which they brought with them And if there were no other testimonie of the truth of these beades but only the sanctitie of this seruant of God and that only she had affirmed it it were most sufficient to perswade vs that shee would not deceiue the Church publishing false virtues and graces And lesse can it be thought that she was deluded by the diuell who was so much enlightened of God and of her Angell keeper But that which fully proueth and confirmeth the virtu truth of these beades are the many miracles which God hath wrought of his goodnes and in confirmation of them and of those that haue touched them which haue the same virtue as shall be seene in the ensuing chapters THE XI CHAPTER Of the many miracles where with our Lord hath confirmed the virtue of the Beades aforsaid and of those also that
of the spirit of our Lord in all the reuelatioÌ„s which he communicated to this virgin as although her life be so full of them as it might be called a continual reuelation yet would I write this chapter of reuelations in regard that God communicating them did it for the profit of many as the Angell tould commanding her to write them And this was the end that the extaticall virgin had in manifesting them and the end which now we haue in bringing them to light that the sinner reading them may be coÌ„forted considering the mercies of God which do so much shine in them as shall be seene in one which shee related to her religious in these wordes following 2. My holy Angell carrying me on Saint Marie Magdalens day to visite the Church wher her holy body is for to gaine the pardoÌ„s which there are granted and passing by a certain citty of Castile I sawe in a field many people round about a bonfire from the which betweene the flames and the smoake went out a soule more bright then the sunne with two Angells which carried it in the middest of them and another which went before with a Crosse in his hand all going a great pace towardes heauen and my holy Angell saide to me That thou maiest see what the mercy of God can doe and how great the force is of true coÌ„trition This example is more for to trust in the mercy of God then for to imitate by reason of the danger which penance differred to the hower of death bringeth with it De hoc videatur D. August lib. de vera falsâ— poenitentia S. Greg. cap. 27. in Iob S. Ambros. lib. de poenitentia S. Hierom. tom 4. in epist. Eusebij ad Damasum Episcopum That soule which thou hast seene goe from the flames vp to heauen accompanied with the Angells is of an old man a most grieuous sinner who dwelt in mortall sinne all his life and that so abominable and so filthie as not only he merited the flames of that temporall fire but to be burned in hell The iustice apprehended him and he confessed plainely his sinne demanding of God mercye for it protesting that he willingly desired to suffer for his fault in this life the most cruell death that could be deuised and although he might haue saued his life if he would yet he chose to dye and to suffer that paine in satisfactioÌ„ of his fault and so after they had strangled him they burned him in that fire out of which and oâ— the body in this instaÌ„t the soule departeth goeâ—h streight to heauen accompanied with thâ—se Angells as thou seest Which I am glad that thou hâ—st seene that thou maiest know that whilest the soule is in the body place is to be found for the mercy of God euen betwene the rope and the neck 3. Being one day in prayer our Lord shewed her how to an Eremite of holy life who did penaÌ„ce liuing solitarie in the desert the diuell appeared in figure of Christ crucified saide vnto him Adore me for I am thy God who for thy sake suffered my selfe to be nailed on this Crosse and am here come to assure thee that thy prayer and penance much pleaseth me The Heremite did so and being in adoration on his knees at the foot of that false crucifix many other diuells came saying Prince of darcknesse returne to thyne infernall kingdome for the Angells destroy vs the Angells of him that was crucified what will this profit vs sith thou knowest that their God doth hould him selfe well appayed with the good will and that he accepteth that of this Hermite as if he trulie adored the God of heauen leaue therfore these vaine adorations which so little profit thee and returne by and by to thy miserable kingdome which much more importeth thee Our Lord would haue the Eremite to heare these things In such cases God accepteth the will for the worcke S. T. 1. p. q. 64. a. 2. ad 3. and 1. 2. q. 20. a. 4. and 5. and 3 p. q. 68. a. 2. ad 3. S. Bonau de prefect religiosor lib. 2. cap. 23. to enlighten him in this this way saide the seruant of God and that I should tell them to you that you may knowe the craftes of the enemie and may keep your selues from his deceptes which are greater then men thincke of 4. Another time it hapned that this seruant of God vpon the day of S. Lucie being eleuated in prayer and her spirit in that celestiall place where God was wont to put it shee sawe as another Prophet Esaias the Lord of Hoste seated in a throne of most great maiestie and glory compassed with infinite Angells and Saints who gaue rewards and commanded that that Feast should be made to the glorious Saint Lucie for hauing suffered on that day and shed her bloud for the honour of his name She confidering these things and how well God rewarded the laboures suffered for his loue our Lord himselfe seemed to say to her with so shrill and strong a voice as it were the noyse of a great water Wilt thou not my daughter haue as much as I nowe giue to this my seruant The humble and deuote virgin with great confidence and loue after she had adored him said I rendre immense thaÌ„cks to thy maiestie for so soueraigne a fauour and I hope to receiue no lesse of thy most powerfull and liberall haÌ„d for these giftes Lord do not fill me nor do these Iewells and feastes satisfie me because the hunger of my soule can not be satisfied with lesse theÌ„ drinking of this fountaine of life and vntill I get and obtaine it I will not ceasse to make supplication to thy diuine maiestie for it 5. Another time being in a most profound rapte there came to visite her the glorious Saint Barbara to whom she was particularly deuoted and reasoning with her saide You well knowe Lady how much this your vnworthie seruant desireth to serue you Yea I know it well sister answered S. Barbara and I would also that you should knowe I loue you in our Lord and hold you for my singular and deuoted frend With this the B. virgines ended their talke which scarcely was ended when the soule of a childe which had newely expired did appeare vnto her praying her to speake to her mother to chastise her children for she should giue a strict account to God our Lord for their euill breeding and I giue his maiestie many thancks for hauing brought me to his holy kingdom in so tender age for if I had come to be great I had beene damned by the ill education of my mother Bid her looke to my brothers and chastize them before they be greater and come to be lost My mother is called such an one and liueth in such a place and is the wife of such an one With this the seruant of God sent to call her and recounted all that had passed with such assured signes
this bedd this is thy heauen for I am with thee here This saide our Lord disappeared leauing her much comforted although something confounded not knowing whether shee had seene this vision with the eies of her soule or of her body but alwaies shee knew most certainly that it was her redeemer who had appeared and spoken to her and to take from her this doubt he appeared to her the second time as shee herselfe told it Then she remained not only satisfied but much strengthened and with newe courage to suffer the trauailes and paines of all the world for his loue 7. Although our Lord so much cherished his espouse and had adorned her with the signes of his sacred passion yet he still kept her deafe which was in part the cause that she liued in so great sinceritie as she had bene a childe of a yeare old the which was a great discommoditie not only for the religious of the howse but also for other persons abroad which came to communicate with her and to confort them selues who hartely prayed our Lord he would restore her her hearing for the want they had thereof The diuine maiestie heard their praiers appearing to his espouse on the day of S. Clare it being six moneths that he had kept her deaf wherupon she made a maruellous sermō in presence of many people and declaring most great misteries she saide that he had made her deafe for that she should haue her senses and thoughts more recollected vpon the diuine maiestie and on no other thing of the earth and that now it had pleased him to heale her And ending the sermon before she came vnto her senses the glorious S. Peter appeared to her and putting his fingers into her eares and making vpon her the signe of the Crosse he restored her her hearing and shee remained sound the religious giuing much thancks to God for so remarkable a faruour THE XVII CHAPTER Of the great deuotion and compassion which the blessed Ioane had of the soules in purgatorie and of the efficacie of her prayers to our Lord for to deliuer them from the paines which they sufferred 1 THis holy virgin being Abbesse with the desire she had to exercise her religious in the feare of God she told them many things of those which his maiestie reuealed to her concerning his rigorous iudgement the paines of Purgatorie and of hell But it hath seemed conuenient to leaue to relate many of them for although they be very conforme to the doctrine of the Saints and to a great multitude of examples which are found in their bookes yet are they not written in the vulgar tongue nor may goe in all mens hands without speciall declaration That which in rigour is deliuered in such like cases is better explicated in tearmes proper to the schooles then to be vsed in such a booke as this which is written that it may goe in the hands of all of which many will find a rocke of scandall in that which well and piously vnderstood is of much edification as the glorious Saint Gregorie and other holy doctors rightly iudged who of these matters and apparitions of the soules and speciall places where they purged their faultes and of that which had passed with them in diuine iudgmēt set downe so many reuelations made not only to them but to persons so vnequall in sanctitie and credit to the blessed Ioane that they were holden for grieuous sinners and God our Lord did them this great fauour to reueale them these like things that taking heed by others mens harmes they might feare the rigour of his iustice and haue confidence in his diuine mercy 2. With the same desire this blessed Abbesse in the chapters and speaches which she made to her religious did exhort them recounting them many reuelations which she had had of God and with notable spirite saide as followeth when she related them Thincke not sisters that the paines of hell and Purgatorie are but little for by only thinking on that which our Lord doth shew me sometimes my flesh trēbleth and I am driuen euen to the very straites of death She further recounted what passed with a soule when it was taken out of the body aswell with the supreame iudge as with the Angell keeper of the same and in especiall when it heard the terrible sentence of euerlasting glory or paine And although of these things the bookes of the Saints be full and of these apparitions of Christ our Lord in the particular iudgement of euery one which are to be vnderstood not according to his reall presence but according to his efficacie and virtue they are not written here not to giue occasion of erring For the greater declaration therfore of some things heere related of many which are found in the booke of the life of this seruant of God it seemed conuenient to note some of them not because that which I shall note is not most euidently knowen to the learned and to many of those which haue not studied for as much as they are found in euery manuall but because none may haue occasion of errour 3. I say then first that in the houre of death euery one heareth his sentence of condemnation or libertie according as is gathered out of many places of the sacred scripture and out of the holy Fathers as appeareth in Ecclesiasticus in S. Mathew and in S. Luce S. Augustine also affirmeth as much together with Saint Hierom and Saint Bonauenture although concerning the manner and how it ought to be vnderstood there be diuers opinions whereupon Pope Innocent the third wrote at large in his second booke and Landulphus the Carthusian in the fourty six chapter of the third tome Who all relate some cases very like to those which befell to the B. Ioane But where it is said that euery one heareth this sentence of Christ our Lord it ought to bee vnderstood as is alreadie saide not according to his reall presence but according to his efficacie Eccl. 11. Matth. 10. 22. Luc. 16. D. Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 20. cap. 1. de anima eius origine lib. 2. cap. 4. S. Hierom. in Ioel. cap. 2. S. Bonauent lib. 4. sent dist 20. 1. p. q. 5. 4. The second that as little improprietie it hath to say with the same declaration that the glorious Archangell S. Michaell doth iudge in particular the soules after they are gone out of the bodies as the Church singeth when in his office she saith to God that he constituteth him prince ouer all soules and the same she repreateth in the prose of the Masse of the dead Constitui te principem super omnes animas suscipiendas Signifer sanctus Michael representes eas in Lucem Sanctam 5. The third and most principall which we haue in this matter is that the Saints speake therin after two manners the one according to the Common Lawe which is that ordinarilie is executed and the other according to particular cases which God
his cloathing was very miserable and poore he went vpon his handâ— and feet like a beast being he could not make his complaint he roared like a Bull and he carried about him all the sinnes which he had committed against God and some soules which by his euill example had beene condemned were put to paines vpon his backe he carried also vpoÌ„ him a great troupe of diuells on horsbacke which cast in his teeth his sinnes and gaue him many blowes and buffets and taking the gagge out of his mouth they put in it a hallow truÌ„ck by the which issued a voice so terrible that at the only hearing of it the B. Ioane was exceeding sorowfull although much more for that she knewe not if his paines were of Purgatorie or of hell which desirous to knowe she asked it of her Angell keeper who answeared her God in time will reueale it to thee And so perseuering in her prayer she praied our Lord he would take pitty of the paines of that soule and remember some good worckes which it had done in this life But not knowing any other which in particular she might alleadge in his fauour she saide Lord I knowe that this man was so deuout to a Saint that being in this life he caused his image to bee painted and had much deuotion to it for the which I beseech thy maiestie that taking pitty vpon his soule thou wilt deliuer it from the paines which it suffereth 12. So long she perseuered in praier to God for this soule that some daies being passed ouer she sawe enter in at the doore of her cell a most fierce bull which bare betweene his hornes the image of the Saint which that man had caused to be painted and he came along by it as it were helping him selfe by the image looking toward the seruant of our Lord said I am such an one for whom thou so much hast praied for thy merites God hath done me great mercy and gaue me this image for my comforte and defense which is the same that I caused to be painted of the Saint to which I was deuout the which doth much help me in this labour our Lord lighten thy paines christian soule said the seruant of God for thou hast coÌ„forted me sufficiently by reason I desired so much to know if thou wert in the way of saluation for the other time when I sawe thee thou camest in such tormeâ—â—s as I could not discerne it Be not amazed answeared the soule for my paines haue beene very great and if I had none other but those of this oxe on which I goe they were most grieuous for on him I haue the paine of thirst hunger fire and cold And this saide he asked her pardon of many aggreuances which in this life he had done her and saide that the deuotion which some time he had had to her holpe him much and with this he vanished Whom she neuer left to pray to God for visiting him and comforting him in purgatorie vntill our Lord by her prayers tooke him from those paines 13. The paines of purgatorie are such as they surpasse exceed all the tormeÌ„ts which can be suffered in this life S. Tho. 3. p. q. 46. a. 6. lib. 3. sent d. 15. q. 1. a. 3. our Lord reuealeth it to his seruants that they may know thâ— great rigour of his iustice when one idle word and whatsoeuer negligence in his seruice how little soeuer he chastiseth so rigorously And that people may learne to walke with a thousand eyes in the seruice of God not so much to fly these paines as to see how much his maiestie is offended with the faultes which so rigorously he chastiseth For according to S. Vincent Ferrer a soule was a whole yeare in purgatorie suffering these most rigorous paines for one only veniall sinne In sermone de aqua benedicta littera G. and certainly this example alone might suffice with people that euerie one procure to conforme his life as he may liue with the faith which he professeth The B. Ioane returned one time froÌ„ a rapte very sadd and shedding so many teares that the nonnes taking compassioÌ„ of her praied her she would tell them the cause of her sadnesse The holy virgin to the end they might commend to God that soule giuing a pitifull scrich saide Alas if people knewe what the soules suffer in the other life they would not offeÌ„d God nor would they commit so many sinnes as they doe for those paines are fare greater then all that in this world can be suffered and then she recounted what she had seene neuer forsooke that soule nor ceassed to pray to God for it vntill he tooke it out of the paines of Purgatorie 14. One day in Lent this seruant of our Lord feeling great griefes and infirmities other of the sicke religious women went to comfort themselues with her such I meane as were a recouering and speaking with them she was rapte and returned from this rapte so merry that the nonnes which sawe her asked her the cause of her extraordinarie mirth and she to pleasure the sicke saide I sawe the Queene of heauen who with much glorie and maiestie accompanied with many Angells and with the glorious Saint Iohn Euangelist and Lazarus his holy Sisters Martha and Marie came downe to Purgatorie and passing by the place where I stood the most Clement Lady looking vpon me saide sweet hart come thou with vs and it pleased our Lord through his great mercie that at the same time our blessed Lady tooke a great number of soules out of Purgatorie with the which she returned to heauen and I remained so comforted heerwith that all my doloures are turned into particular ioy and rest when I see any soule goe out of Purgatorie and for this my ioy is so great as neither doe I know howe to speake it nor is it in my power to dissemble it THE XVIII CHAPTER Of the laboures and infirmities with which God proued his seruant with all and of her great patience 1 BY a reuelation made to this seruaÌ„t of our Lord it was knowen that God had chosen her to make her very like to his only begotten Sonne in laboures persecutions and disgraces And she desiring to haue in her soule all such Iewells which so much please God asked of his maiestie in all her praiers with much humilitie teares that he would giue her paines laboures wearinesse and doloures to suffer for his loue Our Lorde heard her praier and gaue her them in so great plentie as she could desire which manifested well the powerfull hand of him who gaue them by the multitude which came vpon her being tormented with very excessiue doloures which she had in her head so great as there was no physitiaÌ„ found that could vnderstand what they were and those daies that she had them it was with such rigor that she could nether eate nor sleepe nor get downe a draft
her seeing her weaknesse the tumult of laboures which threatned her on euery side Our Lord heard her praier and for the greater comfort of his seruant spake to her in the same image with sadd and dolorous voice saying My celestiall Father who would not reuoke the sentence of my death although I praied wept wil not that it be reuoked which hath beene giuen against thee but that it be rigorously executed that wearied euery way thou maiest enioy the fruit of patience And the seruant of God confident that our Lord who with one hand giueth laboures with the other coÌ„municateth aide for to drawe fruit out of them as often as shee felte speciall fauoures of the holy spirite praied to haue paines and trauaills to be mixed with them as who so well vnderstood this to be the most secure way THE XIX CHAPTER How the Angell keeper of the seruant of God commanded her to write the things which our Lord did reueale vnto her and of her glorious death 1 SO great is the charitie of God and such his mercy that seeldom times ho doth so speciall fauoures as those which haue beene seene in this historie to any one for himselfe alone but by meanes therof to profit many others And hence it is that her Angell keeper so oftentimes commaÌ„ded the seruant of God B. Ioane to write the mercies and fauoures which God did to her For she with womanly modestie and through her great humilitie was ashamed for to write them Which not to do nor prosecute what was begunne she proposed a thousand infirmities euery day alleaging those of her little health and her being so stiffe in the handes as she could hardly write her name as appeareth by some papers and writings found which she wrote while she was Abbesse Wherupon the Angell commanded her she should write no more with her owne hand but that she should cause them to be written by the hand of another of the religious which was to her another labour greater then the former was and therfore refusing it as much as she could shee saide Sir the fauoures which God hath done me and the things which your beautie hath told me haue beene all in secret and writing them by another hand they cannot choose but be published And fearing it and the iudgements of men being so persecuted as she was and as other religious of the conuent were also for her sake she saide to the Angell sir if hereupoÌ„ there should befall some great euill to my sisters and to me what should we doe God hath care of them and of thee saide the Anâ—ell feare not but do that which I command thee for our Lord who worketh these maâ—uailes in thee doth them for the good of many others and will that they be written and that there be made a memorie of them and if not the fauoures which hee doth thee shall cease and thy doloures and persecutions shall be augmented more then thou artable to thincke 2. She hearing this with humilitie and feare obeying the Angell beganne to write by the hand of another religious called sister Marie Euangelist who according to the tradition of the conuent and as is manifest by an information made with sworne witnesses which knewe her and many times heard her say it neither knewe how to reade nor write vntill our Lord miraculously granted her this grace to write the booke of the Carde as aforsaide and so she wrote with much certaintie the life and miracles of this B. virgin Those two bookes haue beene holden and are holden in the conuent as reliques of much esteeme giuing help against tempestes and thunders and many infirmities They are both very olde and at this day liue three religious which knewe her that wrote them and heard her tell it many times and they affirme that she was a nunne of good life very penitent and of much praier contemplation and that after her death she appeared to another religious in the Church with much splendor and with a booke of Gold in her hands open which was that shee wrote of the things of the glorious Ioane The seruant of our Lord grieued much to see that the writing was neuer made an end of and howe faire and softly the nunne proceeded in her writing wherfore a little before the last infirmitie tooke her of which she died she praied her Angell keeper he would be content with that was written and not oblige her to more he granted it her with good will and saide bid thy sister that her pen cease and she write no more With this licence of the Angell the seruant of God hauing what she desired was bold to say sir if it should please the sisters it would be to me much comfort that what is writteÌ„ should be torne God forgiue thy presumption answered the Angell and do by and by penance therof for thou hast offended him with this euill thought With this she tooke her leaue of her Angell and bid the sister she should leaue wrighting 3. To the many infirmities which she had our Lord sent her the last which was a sttoÌ„g euill of her vrine whereby she was driuen to great straites with most grieuous paines and was fifteene daies together without paying to nature her accustomed tribute And although in all her infirmities she had marueilous patience in this which was the last she had a thousand times more and exceeded euen her selfe she had in the same exceeding raptes and most familiar colloquies with her Angell keeper And as the Swanne towards her death singeth most sweetly and melodiously so this soueraigne Swanne by how much more her desired and happy end approached with so much more sweetnesse she song discouering with acceÌ„ts froÌ„ aboue the fire of the diuine loue which did burne within her breast And although in her infirmities she neuer consented that the phâ—siâ—ians should cure her in this last she did admit them at the instance and deuotion of some Ladies which entreated her she would be cured and sent to her their owne physitians who seing that the infirmitie so much encreased and her weakenesse with all despaired of her at the first time of their visite But she as a most prudent virgin and well experimented in the things of her soule before she came to this point receiued her viaticum and extreame vnction 4. Three daies before her death being in a raâ—te which dured her two howers she â—â—we the Apostles S. Philipp and Iacob and her Angell keeper who bid her conforme herselfe to the will of God and pray him to confirme his sentence for that he had giuen it three times as many times had reuoked it at the instance of other persons which had prayed for her There is no change in God for as the first being infinite and most simple that which once he willeth and can neuer leaue to will it S. Th. 1. p. q. 9. a. 1. and so all that God willeth efficaciously is done but
in vs what he hath wrought in our neighbour But to draw out of the greatnesse of the fauours of God coldnesse to beleeue them lesse is to thinke basely of the infinite liberality of God and to measure the same by the shortnesse of our mind without consideration that it is consequent to the liberality of God to be infinite in giuing the most with best will and so the desire and hope in the thinges of the worlde are different from those of thinges diuine for in humane thinges while that is greater which is desired the hope of obteininge it is lesse and in diuine thinges contrariewise For being we treat with one that is infinitely most magnificent while the pretension more encreaseth the hope will be more firme and this the Apostle S. Paule calleth to abound more in hope and virtue of the holy Spirit Deus autem spei repleat vos omni gaudio pace in credendo vt abundetis magis in spe virtute Spiritus sancti Rom. 15. and so the Prophet Helisaeus 4. Reg. 4. willing to enrich a poore widdow with giuing her such abundaÌ„ce of miraculous oyle that she might pay her debters and liue of the rest fearing in her some scantnesse of minde as there is in these scrupulous persons aduertised her to aske vessels not of one of her neighbours but of all nor a few vessels but manie Vade pete mutuo ab omnibus vicinis tuis vasa vacua non pauca And although she did so and they were all filled the Prophet demanded if she had more vessels and answering no the oyle ceassed in such sorte that it failed not for fault of the giuer but for want of vessels to receiue it in And in like competeÌ„ce alwaies wil God ouercome in such sorte as the fauours done to the B. Saint Ioane are not lesse credible because they are great how much more if we read the bookes a of the Saints which are full of meruailous cases where is shewen how our Lord hath done very great mercies to theeues robbers and to all sorâ—es of most hainous persons when it seemed they lest deserued it for his secret iudgements and declaration of his infinite mercie then what great thing is it that he hath done the same for a chosen seruant from her mothers wombe And finally these are not amazed at the greatnesse for they know it not nor can tell in what it consisteth but at the noueltie and extraordinary cases and in humane thinges this hath some ground but in the diuine it is the parte of blockheads not to consider vpon the great thinges which God doth ordinarilie and to admire much at the extraordinarie as S. Augustine pondereth saving of such vt non maiora sed in solit â— videndo stuperent quibus quotidiana viluerunt Trac 24. in Ioannem And those aforesaid will fall into the accoumpt if they shall make the consideration that heere shal be represented vnto them and this it is that they let loose the reynes of their vnderstandinge and add to the fauours which in this booke are related that our Lord did to this his seruant other greater more vnmed and admirable in such sorte as if it be related that in contemplation he visited her sometimes let these visites be in publicke and with all the celestiall courte and many times euerye day and more then this let them consider how farre the imagination can reach And because the vnderstanding of man is shorte let the most high Seraphin doe this and altogether as much as you can imagine and much more commeth not neither in the greatnesse of the worcke nor in the finenesse of the loue nor in the nouelcie of the marueile neere to the communicating one only time for this fauour can not haue any equall nor the misterie any similitude Then let these men in a maze tell how manie times they haue communicated What great admiration it hath caused them what thankes they haue giuen to our Lord with what seruices they haue acknowledged a fauour so vnequal to as many as haue beene related of S. Ioane might be related of S. Iohn Baptist and of all the Saints of whom we take no aduantage for her as these ignorantly doe say by the greatnesse of the fauors for why the degrees of grace and glorie which the diuines doe call essentiall are not measured with these exteriour demonstrations And so Caietane saith very well that if by the multitude of miracles we must make computation of the greatnesse of the sanctitie much aduantage wold Saint Antonie of Padua haue of Saint Peter and great temerity it shold be to compare the one with the other how much more to aduance Saint Antony as Saint Thomas saith Lectio 5. c. 8. in epist. ad Rom. 3. in cap. 5. ad Ephes Secondly to some hath beene a great noueltie the tearme of consecratinge of blessinge the Image of our Ladie and to others that Christ our Lord himselfe hath done this ministerie at the supplicatien of this his espouse and although in al of them ignorance haue place yet it is more grosse in the former because the ecclesiasticall ceremonie of blessing Crosses Images altars c. is an apostolicall tradition of which are full not only the sacred councels and apostolical decrees but the manualls most ordinarie and in the Roman Pontificall Pontif. Rom. 2. p. fol. 505. there is an especiall rubrique with this title De benedictione Imaginis Virginis Mariae Neither yet is it a new thing for Iesus Christ to doe such like fauours when we read in so many graue authors Vincent Valda. in speculo historiar lib. 23. c. 36. 37. that in the yeare 644. our Lord Iesus Christ in his proper person blessed and consecrated the temple of S. Denis neer Paris and so also he consecrated the church of the monasterie of Senon in France at the miraculous consecration wherof were heard the voices of Angels which did sing and there appeared in the corners of the temple Crosses which are wont to be put in churches which are consecrated The same is related of the glorious Apostle Saint Peter that miraculously he coÌ„secrated a church of his name of Westminster in London in the yeare 610. and anointed it with holy oyle and after it was consecrated were seene in the walls of the temple the Crosses which the Apostle had put and the candles of wax which had burned in the consecration And Saint Mellitus Bishop of that cittie being informed of this truth doubted in himselfe if he shold againe consecrate that temple or no and deferred the resolution vntill being in Rome in a councell he consulted this matter with Pope Boniface the 4. and it was determined that it ought not be coÌ„secrated againe sith it had beene done by the Apostle S. Peter This doerelate S. Bede Surius Caesar Baronius and is found in the second tome of the saide councells which anew hath beene printed in the life of S. Boniface the 8. fol.
of whom from her infancie she was so tendered and fauoured in all her laboures that in each occasion he was her singular patrone and aduocate Being one time in prayer asking of our Lord mercy for her owne and for other soules the glorious Saint appeared to her and saide Daughter who pleaseth her sweetest espouse so much as thou dost please him may demand much of him And the saint contemplating the beauty of that most sweet childe which S. Antonie brought in his hand beganne to speake to him such louing speaches and so sweet that she stood so a great while vntill the same saint sayed to her Turne away my daughter thy face and be sorrowefull for thy sisters and for their necessities And turning her face a little aside she sawe two soules in great necessitie and with the great loue she bore to the child Iesus shee begged for them saying with great humilitie and confidence Lord I will not arise from these thy most holy feet vntill I obtaine this fauour The which our most pious Lord moued by her clamoures and begging did forthwith bestowe vpon her And giuing thancks to his diuine maiestie for the pardon which he had giuen to those soules saint Antonie stretching out ouer her his hande and giuing her his benediction sayde Here resteth in his espouse diuine Iesus the true espouse of soules This rapt endured long time and the saint returned out of it with so great mirth and splendor in her face that shee caused great admiration to all the religious which sawe the same 13. Another time the B. virgin making an end of doing a certaine worck of charitie to the benefit of one of the religious of the house she remayned with some discomfort seeing her waÌ„t of other necessities for her soule and this griefe encreasing in her because the spirituall necessitie of her sister encreased fetching a great sigh shee called vpon S. Antonie saying ô my Father S. Antonie help me nowe and be my intercessor to the diuine maiestie that he will deliuer this my sister This she saide with so much charitie and loue of God that at the same instant the saint appeared and said to her beloued espouse of my Lord Iesus Christ what doost thou aske me what is that thou woldest haue for thou shalt obtaine it of his diuine maiestie To the which with most profound humilitie the blessed woman answered my Father S. Antonie I find my selfe so vnworthie that I dare not appeare before my most sweet Iesus but only by thy intercession Then the glorious Father strerching out his blessed hand gaue her his benediction and the child Iesus which he held in the other hand sayde to her with many shewes of loue I will help thee in thy necessities and that which now thou demandest for thy sister is alreadie granted thee who within one moneth shall passe out of this temporall life to the eternall pardoning her many yeares of Purgatorie by thy intercession and prayers And giuing many thancks to God for this mercy with great alacritie of spirite she went to the religious and bad her prepare her selfe for in very short time God wold receiue her to his rest The sister asked her how soone her departure shold be and shee was answered that within one moneth And it pleased our Lord to giue her at that instant great contrition and sorrowe for her sinnes and within the moneth tooke her from hence to himself THE IX CHAPTER How the seruant of God was chosen Abbesse and of one dead which she raised to life and of other miracles which she did 1 ALthough the B. Ioane was very yong to vndertake the office of a Prelate the NoÌ„nes not relying so much on her little age as on her great virtue demanded her sometimes for Abbesse of their conuent But the superiors considering that she was not but fiue or six twentie yeares of age the first time that they would haue made her Abbesse hindered it And when in another occasion the office was voide they besought the diuine maiestie that he would be pleased to put his seruant into the same who now was full 27. or 28. yeares of age Our Lord heard them and the prouinciall comming to the conuent to make the election beganne to coÌ„ceiue some scruple for hauing contradicted it before when the religious would haue chosen her Although yet it seemed doutfull to him to place one for Abbesse who for the most part of the time was rapt in prayer he thinking it a great aduenture so to do for offices and busines be they neuer so holy are wont oftentimes to distract the persons The prouinciall being doubtfull and combated with diuers thoughts and with the instances the religious made vnto him the hand of our Lord came vpon his seruant and she beganne to speake eleuated as she was wont to be addressing her speeche to the prouinciall who was a Biscaner she spake to him in the Biscay toÌ„gue coÌ„manding him that he should make her Abbesse for he might securely All the Nonnes gaue their voices wiâ—hout wanting one and the Prouinciall confirming her said Sisters I giue you not this Abbesse but the holy Ghost who commandeth it and recounted that which hath beene saide 2. The Nonnes could not containe the ioy they conceiued to see themselues subiects to so blessed a Superiour who for the space of seauenteene yeares that she was so performed things of very great importance in the seruice of God and augmentation of the monasterie which was so poore and needie when she beganne to gouerne that it had only a fewe little landes wheron they sowed a little miserable quantitie of wheat and nine reales of rent euery yeare But God wold forthwith by the merits of the holy Abbesse that the conuent should encrease and be augmented not only in great perfection of sanctitie and virtue but also in the edifices and other things necessarie for humane life For Lordes and Grandes of the kingdome gaue vnto it certaine great almes The Lord Cardinall freer Francis Simenes much deuoted to hâ—r was very notable herein the great capitaine Gonsalo Fernandes of Corduba gaâ—e vnto it fiue hundred thousand Marauadis at one time a great almes for that time with which the seruant of Goâ— built one quarter and the best dormiâ—orie that the conuent hath And for the diuine seruice she made many ornamentes vessells of gold and siluer and she encreased the house in rents fiftie bushellâ— of wheat and fiftie thousand marauadis euery yeare aboue all being markable in sanctitie and in good gouernment of the house 3. She ordained that the Nonnes shold be encloased for vntill then because they were very poore they did neither keep it nor yet promise it but went abroad like to the freers to demand almes of the neighbour places Shee was so much beloued of them that they held themselues for blessed in taking her benediction kissing her hand or touching her habit Besides this the tender loue the nonnes