Approbation I do moreover declare that by the Title of Saint which upon occasion I have given her or any other Person whose Vertues I have related I intended only to signifie thereby that they were endow'd with a more than ordinary Vertue and design'd the word should be taken in no other sense than what St. Paul meant it when he apply'd it to the more Vertuous amongst the Primitive Christians and had no intention to ranck them amongst Beatified or Canoniz'd Saints which power only appertains to the Holy See Apostolick Having nothing more to add to the foregoing Memoires I heartily wish the Reader may find as much comfort in their perusal as I did in Reading and putting them together and that whatever I have here Writ may redound to Gods greater Honor and Glory Amen The End of the Life THE CONTENTS OF EACH BOOK OF THE Life of the Lady WARNER The First BOOK Contains her Life to her Entrance into Religion CHAP. I. HER Birth and Family her inclination even from her tender Years to a Religious Life both in France and England Pag. 1. CHAP. II. Her Pious designs are crossed by her Mother-in-law and what happen'd to her till the time of her Marriage Pag. 9. CHAP. III. The first interview between her and Sir John Warner her Marriage and behaviour in the World Pag. 15. CHAP. IV. The first beginning and occasion of her Conversion Pag. 30. CHAP. V. A Relation of Sir John Warners Conversion and how both he and his Lady resolve to enter upon a Religious course of Life Pag. 49. The Second BOOK Contains her Life from her Entrance into Religion till her Profession CHAP. I. She takes the Habit at Liege amongst the English Nuns's call'd Sepulchrines of the Order of St. Austin Pag. 71. CHAP. II. How she came to be call'd to a more rigorous State of Life or to a stricter Order Pag. 78. CHAP. III. How she resolves to enter amongst the Poor Clares her departure and journy from Liege and her arrival at Graveling Pag. 87. CHAP. IV. Sister Clare of Jesus begins her Noviship amongst the English Poor Clares at Graveling her Humility Zeal Courage Chearfulness and Blind-obedience in this her new Enterprize Pag 101. CHAP. V. Her Interior and Exterior Mortification her singular Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament her modesty and recollection Pag. 109. CHAP. VI. The happy thô untimely Death of Mr. Francis Warner and how this and several other cross and unexpected accidents which happen'd to Sir John retarded her Profession to which the Enemy endeavour'd to make even hâ—r self instrumental and how she discover'd and generously overcame his crafty Temptations Pag. 120. CHAP. VII Her Letter in Answer to one Sir John Writ upon the news of her desires to leave Graveling new hindrances of her Profession by the delay of the execution of a Commission out of Chancery and Death of Mother Taylor Abbess of the Poor Clares Pag. 136. CHAP. VIII Her concern about her Children's Education her Letters to Sir John and the Abbess of Gant about their removal to Graveling Sir John's return from England their preparation for their Profession her Oblation of her self during the Exercise and their taking their last leave of each other the Night before they made their Vows Pag. 143. The Third BOOK Contains her Life from her Profession or the making her Vows to her Death CHAP. I. The Ceremony of their Profession at Graveling Pag. 161. CHAP. II. What effects this Ceremony wrought upon her self and those that were present at it the great Victory she obtain'd over her Passions manifested by her unconcernedness in this and on some other very moving occasions Pag. 177. CHAP. III. Her exact compliance with Mother Abbesses Orders in taking care of her Children in which she exprest more of a careful Mistress than a tender Mother and hereby manifested that pure Obedience the inclination of Grace and not affection to her Children the inclination of Nature mov'd her to accept this employment Pag. 185. CHAP. IV. Her Zeal for the Conversion of her Relations to the Catholic Faith her Prayer for them and ferverous Letters to the Father expressing her passionate love towards him by her fervent Zeal for his Conversion notwithstanding his great severity and unkindnesses towards her Pag. 190. CHAP. V. Her generous resolution of tending to perfection the Testimony of her Ghostly Father and others how diligently she puts these her resolutions in practice Pag. 199. CHAP. VI. The Excellency of her Prayer gather'd from it's fruits Pag. 204. CHAP. VII Mr. Ruisson's Letter to Sistâ—r Clare containing admirable directions for Prayâ—r and Vnion with God in which perfection chiâ—fly consists Together with her humble Answer Pag. 210. CHAP. VIII A short account of some remarkable passages in the Life and Death of Mr. Ruisson Pag. 222. CHAP. IX A Remarkable passage of her burning her Picture a little before her Death Pag. 230. CHAP. X. The foresiight God gave her of her Death her concern for her Fathers Conversion and her Letters to him about it Pag. 234. CHAP. XI Her Interior sufferings in time of her Sickness and the effects of her Childrens Visit Pag. 241. CHAP. XII Another tryal God gave her to compleat her Crown Pag. 245. CHAP. XII Her concern for her Father and Children she seeks her greater Mortification even to the last the declaration of her satisfaction in her State of Life a little before her Death Pag. 252. The Fourth BOOK Contains some passages that happen'd after her Death CHAP. I. Marks whereby God gave evidence of her Vertuous Life after her Death Pag. 257 CHAP. II. The Points of her Funeral Sermon in short together with her Burial and Epitaph Pag. 261. CHAP. III. The Letter of Reverend Mother Abbess of Graveling to Brother Clare concerning Sister Clares happy Death with an abrigment of her Vertuous Life Pag. 208. CHAP. IV. A Letter to Brother Clare from Reverend Father Warren Confessour to the Poor Clares of Graveling concerning the Death of Sister Clare in which he also takes notice of some particular Vertues she excell'd in Pag. 273. CHAP. V. A Description in General of the Sanctity of her Life Pag. 280. CHAP. VI. A more exact Relation of her Vertues in particular Pag. 284. FINIS
contrary For this end she would have them always call their Maid Sister in which she show'd no little sign of Humility in her self by commanding them to give the same Title to their Servant they gave to her self And thô nothing could be more taking than the sweet and submissive humor or these Children towards her yet she forc'd the efforts of Nature always to give place to those of Grace as may be gather'd from the following passage The Governours Lady being one Day within the Inclosure amongst the Religious desir'd to see Sister Clare and her Children together upon this she was order'd to come and as she enter'd the Room the Lady wisper'd one of them in the Ear from whom I had the Relation saying I see 't is not a poor and mean Habit that can hide true Mobility and VVorth and beholding her very attentively she was so struck that words were too scant to express the sentiments of her mind till some Tears had made way for them and then recovering her self in a passionate and abrupt manner she said Here needs a Powerful Hand to sustain this great work and being still in a kind of confusion she could not proceed farther upon that subject but looking stedfastly upon the Children who all this time by moving Language Caress'd their Mother and hung about her Neck she broke out again into this expression O Madam how is it possible to leave such Children This is a touch of God that strangely surprizes me Another Person of Quality that accompany'd the Governors Lady seeing their Mother express so little kindness and tenderness towards them endeavor'd to Caress them and show as much fondness towards them as she was able Telling them They did mistake their Mother and that she her self was their Mother and not Sister Clare upon which the Children ran from her to their Mother hanging about her and speaking to her in such moving Language as melted the Ladys heart and mov'd her with Tears modestly to inveigh against the leaving such little Angels declaring That her change of Condition was an act above her Sex nay even above Flesh and Blood and was in her opinion rather to be admir'd then imitated This Rhetoric of both these Ladies had no influence upon Sister Clare she seem'd as if their words had not concern'd her or as if she had not heard them and by this her humble and modest comportment much amaz'd the standers by who admir'd to see God Almighties Grace so strangely Triumphing over the bent and inclination or Nature CHAP. IV. Her Zeal for the Conversion of her Relations to the Catholic Faith her Prayer for them and Ferverous Letters to her Father expressing her passionate Love towards him by her fervent Zeal for his Conversion notwithstanding his great severity and unkindnesses towards her BUt this Heroical abnegation of whatsoever the tenderness of Nature was able to suggest thô very extraordinary as we have seen in the foregoing Chapter did no ways hinder that restless Zeal she always had for the Conversion of her friends Her own words sufficiently prove that her Charity had no other tendency as the following Prayer she made for her nighest Relations will evidence Which I find in her own hand amongst the rest of her Papers O Most great God of Mercy look with the Eyes of compassion upon my near Relations and Friends who are yet detain'd in Schism and Heresie And remember I beseech you that you did not bring them out of their Eternal Nothing and Stamp upon their Souls your own Sacred Image in order to destroy and abandon those perfect products of your powerful hand having been pleas'd to send your only Son to pay the ransome for them as well as for my unworthy self with the price of your most precious Blood Dart therefore O most merciful God some beams of your light into their dark and deceived understandings Have mercy upon them and let the light of your Countenance shine upon them that they may see the Truth of your Sacred Mysteries Give them Grace to submit their Necks to the sweet and easie Yoke of your Precepts propos'd and deliver'd by your Holy Church O my dear Redeemer what have I done for you Or what have I deserv'd at your hands that I should be called to your saving Faith and be made a member of your Holy Church Impart I beseech you the like favor by your bitter Death and Passion to those your misled and unbelieving Creatures my Friends and Relations that together with my self they may faithfully acknowledge adore and love you their glorious Creator and Redeemer here in this World and in the World to come praise and magnifie your goodness and joyfully Celebrate your Mercies with Canticles of Eternal Gratitude and Thanksgiving Amen If this Zeal was so particular for her friends you may imagine how active it was for the conversion of her Father whom she so passionately lov'd that no want of Affection in him was ever able to lessen it Who thô he Wrote several Letters to her yet he never gave her the Title of Child or Subscrib'd himself her Father But oftentimes in his Letters he upbraids her for committing an unheard of ingratitude in taking such a course as this was without asking his advice or consent The news of which as he said in one seem'd to him incredible because he never judg'd that her Husband's or her Affections to one another had been so moderate by any thing he had ever heard or seen as that they could be perswaded upon pretence of Christianity to embrace such a strange and horrid undertaking by breaking the Solemn Vow of Matrimony That hereby she seem'd to have suckt the Milk of a Tygress rather than of a Woman and to have lost all good Nature and even Humanity it self He added that it was an injury done to Heaven to call such follies and Insinuations as these Inspirations and godly motions assuring her upon his Faith that all the Catholics he had spoken with condemned this rash and inconsiderate Action of theirs and therefore conjur'd her either to return to England that he might have the comfort of visiting them there or to live together some where in France or Flanders whether he would come to see them Requiring her to obey this his advice as the Counsel of a Father Which if she did not he would never give her his blessing and ends his Letter by a bare subscription of his Name These severe checks from a Father she lov'd so tenderly must needs have wrought upon her had not the Grace of Almighty God in a particular manner assisted her so piously to bear them and that she did so is evident from the Dutiful Answer she return'd him to his Letter couch't in so hard and severe terms SIR THe great condescention of your Goodness to me I did not receive till almost two Months after it's date else I had not deferred my acknowledgment of it a Minute and was not all that
submit herself to so base and sordid a means to compass so glorious an end as she aim'd at Sir Thomas not being able to allow her more upon condition she sold only to his own Tenants gave his consent which she having obtain'd pleas'd herself with the imagination of being again enabled to compass her wishes and in a short time by her good Huswifry to improve that little stock allow'd her to such a Summ as Father Hammer had told her would be sufficient to obtain her Admittance into a Monastry But whilst she was thus in pursuit of so Pious an intention it fell to the ground her Fathers Tenants in those troublesome times grew so poor that they were not able to pay for what they had bought of her This design also failing instead of laying aside the thoughts of a Religious Life which seemed now an improbable thing to hope for she still hoped even against hope and resolved at least never to Marry that thereby she might not incapacitate herself for that Happiness she so earnestly desired Times growing now a little better her Father was offer'd several considerable Matches for her which he pressed her to hearken to by the same Arguments she had used to him to perswade him to give his consent for her being Religious Viz. That if any misfortune should happen to him the thoughts that he had provided for her would be a comfort to him in it and therefore earnestly desired her to accept of any one of these offers she liked best She on the other side beg'd of him to shew the continuance of his Affection to her by not pressing her to embrace that course of Life to which she had a greater aversion than to any thing in the World and that no heavier cross could happen to her than that of Marriage Her Father at that time desisted from any farther importunity but a Baronet who was one of her earnest Suiters did not from his to avoid which she beg'd leave of her Father to go out of the Country and obtain'd his consent for her going to live at Mr. Hawley's at Brainford near London Hither she came accompanied with a Cousin German of hers Mrs. Catherin Kinnaston who had lived with her at Alrhey where they had contracted a very particular friendship But here she was not freed as she hop'd from her Suitors importunity who followed her and had gain'd her Fathers Letter to her to perswade her to grant his request Her Fathers Letter joyn'd with the Baronets importunity wrought much upon her but he having received several denyals by word of mouth resolved to make his last attempt by Letter in which he very pathetically express'd his Passion for her telling her amongst other things That whatever he suffer'd if she deny'd him now it should be the last solicitation he would ever give her the trouble of This Letter with her Fathers perswasions in his put her into a doubt what to do and in this perplexity she consulted her Cousin who used all the Arguments she could to prevail with her not to give him any farther denyal Her powerful Counsel had such an ascendency over her that she Writ him a civil Answer which she had no sooner done and given it her Maid to send away but the thoughts of the former happiness she had propos'd return'd in so forcible a manner and the resolutions she had taken of not puting her self into any condition that might render her uncapable of that happiness came so lively to her thoughts that almost before her Maid was down Stairs she called her back took the Letter from her and immediately burnt it giving her another in which she desired her Suiter if he had the Affection he pretended for her to shew it by keeping his promise in never more troubling her in that nature It was no wonder that this as well as other Persons of Quality expressed so great an earnestness of gaining her since both her Exterior and Interior were such as challeng'd the Affections and Admiration of all that knew her and I conceive I cannot have a fitter place to give the Reader a satisfactory discription and a short pourtraiture of both than this She was above the Middle Stature of Women excellently well shapt her Complexion not extraordinary fair but comely and lasting her Featurs were charming her Eyes brown as well as her hair and her countenance had such a particular sweetness as several Painters who drew her Pictures admired but own'd their skill not sufficient to express This beautiful Symmetry of her Body was accompanied with no less lovely Qualities of her Mind Her humor was grave and serious yet sweetn'd with such an affability that render'd her conversation no ways disagreeable or uneasie but sought after and desired by All. This created a freedom in those she convers'd with as the other kept them in a certain becoming distance She was an excellent friend and where she once took a kindness 't was impossible for any to alter it and thô she chose very few to whom she expressed a particular friendship yet the choice she made evidenc'd the goodness of her judgment they being such as deserv'd it She was mild and not easily mov'd to anger yet her meekness did not hinder the expressing of her resentments when she had just cause She was a lover of frugality and industry set a high value upon time and had every hour of the day regulated took no Resolutions but with mature consideration and was as constant in the execution of what she once resolv'd upon She had a clear and peircing wit Masculine Judgment a fruitful Memory whereby she came to understand several Languages besides her own and a Prudence in business above the ordinary capacity of a Woman She was so bigotted to the Protestant Religion she was brought up in that neither the intreaties or promises of her Elder Brother Sir Iohn Hanmer could perswade her to alter it who at his return our of Portugal where he became a Catholic whilst he Studied in the English Seminary at Lisbon was so Zealous for his Religion as often upon his Knees with Tears he beg'd her to embrace it Yet all this could never move her thô she passionatly lov'd him to a less Esteem or Affection for her own Religion which nothing but the hopes she had of being Religious could ever make her think of quiting and she was very often used to say That those Desires so transported her as often as they occur'd that the scarse thought them inconsistent with her own Religion CHAP. III. The first interview between her and Sir John Warner her Marriage and behavior in the World HAving given you the discription of what she was it is time to let you know those secret and hidden ways God makes use of to draw the Predestinate to his service It happen'd whilst she liv'd at Branford that the Protector dyed whose Splendid and Magnificent Funeral invited all People to a sight of it and her amongst
to them 't would be a cause of disturbance not only to my own Soul but might probably make me troublesome both to my Superior and the Community and this perhaps without the least redress to the poor Children Moreover should they be here and not speak privately to me which truly if they do will be no small prejudice and distraction to the quiet and advancement if my Soul how should I come to know if they were contented or if they wanted any thing fitting for them or not Whereas if they are in another place some one whom God should inspire with that Charity might take the liberty at least to acquaint you or me with it But yet on the other side when I consider the care that our most dear and Reverend Mother Abbess as well as the rest of this Holy Family will undoubtedly have of them I do not see any cause of this fear Therefore what I chiefly apprehend and propose to you as in the Presence of God is my own disturbance without any profit to them I conceive the best way to avoid this if you think fit to let them come hither will be to have them here as if I were not here my self and I shall endeavour to imagine it so For 't is impossible I should have any thing to do in their dayly concerns with any repose of mind yet if any thing extraordinary should happen to them I may be consulted here as I should be were they in another place I think if they come hither 't is necessary that they should have a good careful Servant and I am sure you will be very circumspect in choosing such a one I hope the Widdow Draper if you can prevail with her to leave her Family might prove a fit one for them I have no such design nor never had as your Letter mentions that they should wear this Habit as heretofore Convictrisses in this place have done For I desire they should wear no Religious Habit till God Cloaths them with one As to their Portions I need not recommend them to your Care I hope I may have your Answer so soon as that they may be here before our Profession if you approve of their coming Your unworthy Sister in our Savior CLARE of JESUS The Reasons propos'd in this Letter were sufficient to move Sir Iohn to give his consent for his Childrens removal to Graveling who immediately procur'd and sent over the same Servant she suggested as the fittest for them Reverend Mother Abbess being acquainted with Sir Iohn's consent for the Children's coming to Graveling cast about to find a convenient means to convey them safe thither which was the harder to be effected by reason there was then a War betwixt France and Spain Amongst others Mother Abbess consulted the Pastor of Graveling about this business who very obligingly offer'd her his service to go himself to fetch them whose experience and knowledge both of the Country and Language made her accept his offer he being the fittest person they could have pitch'd on By whom Sister Clare Writ to the Lady Mary Knatchbull Abbess of Gant in the following Terms Reverend Madam I Presum'd very lately to trouble your Ladiship in this kind to the end I might acquaint you with my desire of having the Children here bâ—fore my Profession The favors I have receiv'd from your Ladiship and the many assurances Brother Clare has given me of your own as well as of all your Holy Communities extraordinary Charity to them and the great content he receiv'd in seeing the tender care your goodness was pleas'd to have of them has so justly rais'd my sense and gratitude above my expressions that your Ladiship must not wonder if I say no more than that I shall ever esteem my self oblig'd to Pray for you and all your Community and bless God who was pleas'd to give you so Motherly a tenderness for them for which I hope you will meet the reward of Eternal embraces in the Arms of your dear Spouse Christ Jesus Dear Madam when I assure you that my desires of sâ—ttling them here proceed wholy from my self without any other inducement of our dear Reverend Mother now with God or of this we now enjoy than a favorable condescention to my request or of Brother Clare who has kindly left them wholy to me than his assurance of his being perfectly satisfied with their staying at Gant I presume you may well think I retain too much of Nature But thô I will not excuse my self in that yet I must needs say the great Affliction I suffer out of an apprehension that my friends should endeavor to force them to England makes me cast about how to secure my Children from such an attempt and the reason I have to hope that if they be with me they will be more out of this danger than any where else moves me to desire for their good even what I apprehend may prove an occasion of suffering to my self for there is no cross I would not willingly undergo rather than they should be brought up in England amongst Protestants with evident danger of their Eternal Salvation I have Writ my Father word that 't is very hard he should desire to take them from me to put them under the Tuition of another And now I humbly desire your Ladiship to assist me in making good this Argument by sending the Children to me I confess yen must have a great deal of goodness to pardon my boldness in being thus tedious but it proceeds from an earnest desire that you should not think I remove them upon any apprehension that they wanted any thing or had not more of your Ladiship 's care and kindness than any thing but pure Charity could move you to So that I may well think if it were not your great Civility that hinders you you would presently thank me for freeing you and your Vertuous Community from so great a trouble and distraction The Gentleman who has the Charity to come for them is our Pastor a Man of great worth and esteem in this place whose acquaintance with the People and way of the Country will I hope with God's blessing bring them safe hither to Madam Your Ladiships most humble and most obedient Servant in Christ CLARE of JESUS This Civil Letter was kindly receiv'd by the Lady Abbess of Gant who made an addition to her former favors by the kind entertainment she gave the Gentleman For being of so obliging a Nature as that a removal of the Children from her sight could not remove them from her heart she thought she could not give a better demonstration of her Love than by complying with what their Friends thought best for them This made her part with the Children with so much chearfulness and satisfaction as put the good Pastor into admiration The prospect she had of their being Fortunes and of the probability of their entring amongst them if they stay'd there could not so far enter into her
this Sacred Veil and wear it till you come before the Tribunal of the Eternal Iudge to whom all Knees both in Heaven and Earth and Hell are bent remember you have for ever taken leave of the World and given and united your self wholy to Iesus Christ as to your beloved Spouse may he defend and protect you from all Evils and receive you at length into Eternal Life Amen Then the Bride with a loud Voice recited the words of St. Agnes He has put a Mark and Veil ever my Face that I may admit no other Lover but himself Then the Abbess put on the Brides head a Crown saying Take my dear Sister this Temporal Crown as a certain pledge of that Eternal one which your Divine Spouse has prepar'd for you if you be faithful to him After this the Abbess also put a Ring on her Finger saying at the same time My beloved Daughter take this Ring as a Mark of that love and fidelity which you ought inviolably to keep to your faithful Spouse Iesus Christ as long as you love To which the Bride Answer'd with a high Voice My Lord Iesus Christ has engag'd me to him with his Ring and adorn'd me as his Spouse with a Crown Then the Abbess put into her hand a Crucifix and said Receive here and embrace your Spouse may he receive bless and preserve both you and us for ever Amen After she had receiv'd the Crucifix the Father recited the following Prayers LOrd Iesus Christ who by the immense goodness of thy Purity hast vouchsafed to Espouse our Souls with an indissoluble band of Love grant we beseech thee that this thy Servant being firmly engag'd by thy Ring of Faith may become so constant faithful and devout a Spouse in thy service as that she may firmly persever in it to the end who livest and reignest c. O God who by thy love hast inflam'd this thy Servant and drawn her from the Vanity of the World to the reward of so high a Calling vouchsafe so to purifie her heart with thy presence and the infusion of thy Divine Grace that she may persever in it that being strengthen'd by thy assistance she may be able to perform what by thy Divine inspirations she has promis'd and by the execution hereof happily partake of the Eternal reward thou hast promis'd those that persever in thy service through Christ our Lord Amen These Prayers being ended the Quire began to Sing the following Responsal The Kingdom of this VVorld and all it's Ornaments I have contemn'd for the Love of my Lord Iesus Christ Which having ended they began the Hymn Te Deum Laudamus and whilst they were Singing it the Bride went round the Quire and receiv'd the Embraces and Congratulations of all the Religious then returning to her place she and the rest of the Religious kneeling in their order the Father recited that Verse of the 67 Psalm Confirm O God what thou hast wrought in us and then made a very moving Sermon upon the following Text out of the 9th Psalm Sperent in te Domine qui noverunt nomen tuum Let them hope in thee O Lord who know thy Name In this Exhortation he First lay'd open the nature of this Action or Ceremony they had perform'd by evidencing that a greater Act of hope could not be express'd then by a Voluntary Contempt of the present but transitory Comforts of this World in expectation of those solid and inexplicable joys whose durance was to be Eternal in the next Believe me said he the vain hopes of the Earth are too poor and inconsiderable for so generous hearts as yours are the Kingdom of Heaven as you have made out to Day is only worthy of them Secondly He shew'd there could be no way more Compendious to Honor and Celebrate this great Feast of All-Saints then by striving to make themselves conformable to those Great Originals which in this present conjuncture they had done by so generously undervaluing all the transitory goods of this Life and so might justly hope to arrive at that pitch of Sanctity this Contempt of the World had rais'd the Saints unto and also to share with them the Crown of Glory in the World to come Thirdly Addressing himself to the Bride he assur'd her she had strictly follow'd the direction of St. Austin in Solemnising this Feast by so closely following the Example of Saints nay even the hardest example which is that of Martyrs Whereby she had made a better and a more moving Exhortation by her Example then he was able to make by his words she having verified those of this great Doctor Ser. 47. de Sactis Ab ipsis Martyrum Festivitatum gaudia celebrantur qui ipsorum Martyrum exempla sequuntur Solemnitates enim Martyrum Exhortationes sunt Martyriorum ut imitari non pigeat quod celebrare delectat The joys of the Festivals of Saints are best Celebrated by those who follow their Examples for the Solemnities of Martyrs are so many Exhortatations to Martyrdome that it may not be tedious to Practice what is delightful to Celebrate Proving that the Bride had couragiously enter'd upon the hardest of Martyrdoms by taking upon her so long and terrifying a one as was that dying Life or living Death she had so joyfully embrac'd for the love of God CHAP. II. What Effects this Ceremony wrought upon her self and those that were present at it The great Victory she had obtain'd over her passions manifested by her unconcernedness in this and two other very moving occasions Having ended the Ceremony of her Profession I hope the taking notice of some moving Circumstances in it and of the effects it wrought both upon the Bride and those that were present will prove as grateful to the Reader as I believe the foregoing Relation has been The Ceremony was so moving as that there was scarce a Religious or Secular Person present who were as many as the Doxal could hold that was able to refrain from Tears Nay the Governor himself the Marquiss of Flavecoeur a Person not at all subject to this passion declar'd that he could not refrain from weeping at the sight of it no more then the rest and that he had never felt such a tenderness of heart in all his Life She her self who was the Actor was the only person that seem'd unmov'd in this action appearing all the while with a chearful yet so recollected a Countenance as if she had been totally absorpt in God whose Sacrifice she fell that Day Her little ones stood by her all the time she perform'd the Ceremony which was enough to have mov'd any heart but hers For they being of an Age not sensible of their loss seem'd as little concern'd as their Mother and were very much pleas'd at what they understood not being very busie in assisting at the Ceremony The one put on her Veil the other her Crown at which Sister Clare smiling told her in a low Voice she wore that for her
Fathers sake The Solemnity being over one askt her how it was possible that beholding the great Commotion and Tears of so many about her she could remain so chearful and unconcern'd as she seem'd to be during the whole Ceremony She Answer'd with a Spirit as full of Ingenuity as Humility That this constancy and chearfulness took their rise from no other source than the Divine Goodness which during the whole Ceremony had fil'd her heart with so great an Interior peace and comfort as she had never felt before in all her Life Which was a due reward for that generous oblation she had that Day made of her self to Almighty God Had the Person who askt her this Question propos'd the same to any one of the Religious they would have given an Answer quite different from hers which her Humility would not permit her to give The Religious had seen with how much Industry even from her first entrance into Religion she had made it her chief endeavour to suppress and overcome the Sallies and Efforts of Nature and had beheld her comportment in several other occasions and seen with how great a Courage she had behav'd he self in other tryals which God thought fit to send her during her Noviship to dispose her to a due performance of this great act of Love and therefore they were not so surpriz'd as those were who had only seen that one action of hers they having been Eye Witnesses of divers evidences she had given of her perfect and intire resignation to Gods Holy Will even in the greatest afflictions and most sensible tryals that could have happen'd to her Now the Reader that may the better perceive how she carry'd her self in them I will here set down a Relation of her behaviour and perfect Conformity to Gods Will at the Death of two of her dearest friends The first tryal of her Conformity was given her by the Death of Reverend Mother Luisa Taylor Abbess of the Monastry The History of whose Life deserves a Volum being a person of an absolute and consummated Vertue This Holy Abbess being suddenly seiz'd with violent symtoms of Death was piously expecting her last happy moment and all the Religious were sent for and came without the least delay except Sister Clare who being advertis'd by one of the Religious that came in great hast to her Cell that Reverend Mother Abbess was a dying and that if she did not come quickly she would never see her alive Sister Clare joyning her hands without the least surprize made a bow to her expressing thereby her gratitude for the Message she brought her it being their Custom never to speak in their Cells and without making any such hast as might occasion the omission even of the least or most inconsiderable Ceremony of Religion she first put on her great Veil then kist the ground and afterwards with a modest and graceful gate follow'd the Religious to the Infirmary where Mother Abbess lay a dying as if this sad News had not at all come unexpected or given her the least affliction She came into the Chamber where her dear Friend and tender Mother lay ready to expire and where she found all the Religious bath'd in Tears like so many tender hearted Children bemoaning the loss of their dying Mother yet she who was like to sustain as great a loss as any having had a great dependance upon her and receiv'd great comfort from her Counsels beheld her ready to leave her without shedding a Tear whilst all the rest seem'd to be in a very great affliction and general consternation and so concern'd as if all their happiness had depended on this Abbesses Life Sister Clare knew her great Vertues and worth and had no less respect and affection for her than they which the many Obligations she had receiv'd from her justly deserv'd yet for all this she shewed not the least outward sign of grief And when one of the Religious exprest hers by her many Tears for Reverend Mother Abbesses Death she efficaciously stopt them by the following words VVeep not so much Dear Sister 't is the VVill of God you love so well Her bearing this cross with so admirable a Conformity mov'd Almighty God to reward her by sending another equally sensible and at the same time to give her his Divine Grace to bear it with no less constancy It was the Death of her Mistress of Novices Sister Mary Bonaventure Carleton who thô she had had a long experience in training up the Novices in perfection yet us'd to say She learnt more from this than ever she had taught the rest finding her perfect even before she enter'd into the way of perfection which made her have a very great esteem of her confidence in her and affection for her looking upon her as sent from Heaven rather to perfect her than be perfected by her Sister Clare being of a grateful nature was no ways backward in her returns and looking upon her as the best of friends and plac'd her confidence in her as in a Mother But God by her surprizing Death almost as soon snatcht away this comfort as he had given it which cross Sister Clare supported with the like courage as she did the former even without the loss of a Tear Insomuch that being ask'd by a Person of Quality Madam Flavecoeur the Governors Lady of Graveling If she were not very much concern'd for the Death of her Mistress She Answer'd Yes Madam I have a great feeling of it and indeed more than I can well express These words and the manner of delivering them struck the Lady with admiration to see such a temper as did not shed a Tear when she had thus renewed the sorrowful thoughts of the loss of her Mistress and mov'd her to urge the matter a little farther and ask her How it was possible she could forbear weeping at the Remembrance of the loss of such a friend The good Novice for then she was not Profest told her after her sweet and affable way Madam nothing but God deserves our Tears who is so good as to hinder me from paying them where they are not due Such as knew not of how excellent and sweet a disposition Sister Clare was might perhaps think so great an insensibility as appear'd in such moving circumstances as I have related effects of an ill hard and ungrateful nature which was insensible of kindness and knew not either what friendship was how to value it what gratitude it requires or how much a Spiritual friendship exceeds that of Nature ordinarily grounded upon Sympathy Natural inclination or Interest and therefore perhaps might not much wonder at her comportment in the occasions I have related But those who by Reading her Life are made better acquainted with her humor and have seen how solidly she grounded her friendship how warily she engag'd her affection and with what constancy and tenderness upon all occasions she exprest it to those she had made choice of for
her Friends especially two such choice Friends as these whose great Vertue mov'd her to a high esteem of them their Station to a confidence in them and their extraordinary Zeal for her Perfection to a grateful affection for them cannot but wonder to see her in so short a time to have gain'd so strange a command over her passions as not to shed a Tear at their Death which is the more to be admir'd in her tender Sex especially since as her Answer to the Governors Lady declares she so sensibly felt this Tryal But God by her faithful co-operation with his Grace had so strengthen'd her to overcome these feelings of Nature as not to give the least sign or expression of sorrow whereby she manifested that thô she lov'd them well yet she lov'd God better whom also she lov'd in such a manner as to desire rather that he should please himself than her nay that even he should please himself in her affliction Which shew'd not only her sincere love to God but also her dis-interessed love to her friends prefering their happiness before her own and therefore since their Death was a gain to them she could not regret her own loss by it nor permit her sorrow to overcome the joy she ought to have in thinking they were happy The will of God was what she endeavor'd most industriously to find out and joyfully embrac'd in whatsoever terrifying manner it appear'd to her as her words to that Pious Religious who was lamenting the Abbesses Death declares And therefore what tryal soever of her Love God thought fit to send her by depriving her of those friends she lov'd best she was resolv'd this tryal should not deprive her of the chief object of her Love himself who was the best of friends And therefore was resolv'd to express her love in the best manner she was able by preferring his Will and Pleasure before her own in all things Whereby she so surmounted all these sensible tryals as to seem even insensible of them And also dispos'd her self for the making her Profession and for the loss of two such friends with such a constancy and unconcernedness as I have declar'd And was also inabl'd quite to overcome the tenderness of an affectionate Mother towards her Children as in the following Chapter I shall relate CHAP. III. Her exact compliance with Mother Abbesses Orders in taking care of her Children in which she exprest more of a careful Mistress than a tender Mother and hereby manifested that Pure Obedience the inclination of Grace and not affection to her Children the inclination of Nature mov'd her to accept this employment AFter she had made her Profession as above declar'd the first thing she set upon was strictly to perform what she had so lately promis'd Obedience was her chief care and thô nothing was more contrary to her inclination than to look after her Children yet seeing this charge was impos'd upon her by her Superior she chearfully undertook it She knew by experience what advantages order and method always brought with it and therefore was sollicitous that every moment should be rightly spent by her Children For this end she made them an exact Distribution or Journal for every hour of the Day accommodated to their Age and Years She spar'd no labor to Cultivate these tender Plants and even from their Infancy to prepare them for the Garden of Religion if God should make them so happy as to call them to that blessed State To set down the whole Distribution of time she had made for them would I fear seem too tedious yet I cannot but let the Reader see some part of it and thereby give him a knowledge of her own Devotions she without doubt practising her self what she endeavor'd to instil into them She order'd them that the first thing they did as soon as they awak'd should be to make the Sign of the Cross adding the following words Blessed be the Holy and undivided Trinity now and for ever Amen And having done this she bids them tell sweet Jesus that they would suffer the Mortification of rising in the cold and of leaving the comfort of their warm bed for his sake who left Heaven for theirs Then as soon as they were up she Counsels them to kiss the ground in Memory of that dust out of which they came and to which they were to return and to make an Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving to the Divine Majesty for having Created them of nothing capable of loving serving and enjoying him for all Eternity and also for having preserv'd them the Night past from all dangers Then that they should make an Oblation of themselves to his Infinite goodness Afterwards to say an Ave Mary to beg our Ladies blessing upon them for that Day whom they were to love and confide in as in a Mother having recourse to her in all their necessities as such and dayly beg her Intercession by saying their Beads together at the time she had appointed Then she order'd them to say a Gloria Patri c. in thanksgiving to God for the glory given to their good Angels and for the honor given to themselves by bestowing upon them such Beautiful and Powerful Protectors whose Protection that Day they were humbly to beg and then to recommend themselves to their particular Patrons and Saints of their Name and Pray for their friends especially for their Grand-fathers and Uncles Conversion This done she order'd them before they came to School to her to go to their Closset and there offer up that and all the other actions of that Day with a pure intention for want of which many even of our best actions were frequently lost and the Merit also of our other actions which are indifferent and of no Merit without such an intention that as soon as they came thither they should strive which of them should first kiss sweet Jesus's Feet in their Crucifix and remember they had chosen St. Mary Magdalen for one of their Patronesses whose place was at the foot of the Cross when Christ dy'd upon it and wish to Love him as she did saying a Pater and Ave and telling our dear Savior they were going to School to please him and that all their actions that Day shall be for no other end When they came to School to confirm them in the practice of that profitable Devotion to their good Angel she had recommended to them she gave them an example of it her self and took out of her breast a little Paper Picture of her good Angel she always carry'd about her and placeing it before her and them to put them in mind of their good Angels who were present thô invisible she recommended her self and Children to them To these she added also other profitable Documents and necessary Instructions as of submission of obedience but most particularly of that of Humility a Virtue very necessary to be acquir'd in young Years where Nature still leads to the
they shall never want a Mother in what lies in my Power to serve them and I shall always look upon it as an obligation and pledge of that Treasure their dear Mother whom God has been pleased to deprive us â—f I must confess my weakness in not well bearing so great a Cross and our Community is in such a melancholly temper that we are incapable of giving them any comfort upon her death For this reason I sent for Reverend Father Rector of Watten who has acted the part of a Comforter both to them and us I keep her Beads Reliquary and Proffession Ring which she so highly esteem'd for you to dispose of who I hope this Summer will give us a Visit which will be the greatest comfort that your sweet Children and this Community can receive especially my self who am Dear Brother Graveling Ianuary 27th 1670. Your obliged and humble Servant ANNE BONAVENTURE Abbess CHAP. IV. A Letter to Brother Clare from Reverend Father Warren Confessour to the Poor Clares of Graveling concerning the Death of Sister Clare in which he also takes notice of some particular Vertues she excell'd in THO' the foresaid Letter confirms what we have hitherto said concerning Sister Clare yet I hope the Addition of another from her Confessour who had a more intimate knowledge of her than Mother Abbess could have Sister Clare being accustom'd to disclose to him the most hidden secrets of her heart will not seem tedious since it more efficaciously shews the Truth of what I have already Writ than any other Testimony that has been yet given he being the fittest Person to give us a knowledge of that eminent Perfection she had in a short time arriv'd to which joyn'd with that of so Prudent Vertuous and Experienc d a Superior as I have related must needs convince the Reader of Sister Clares most eminent Vertue Honour'd Sir THE happiness I have had in being acquainted with Sister Clare whose Name I can scarce write or even think of without Tâ—ars is a reward sufficient for what service I have been able to do her She was indeed the Pattern and Mirror of a true Religious Soul there could not possibly be any one more dis-engag'd from all things here below than she was for that short time that God was pleas'd to lend her to us nothing but God nothing but Heaven was in her Heart and Month. All other Discourses and entertainments were tedious to her as I am confident you know very well yet notwithstanding all these gusts and comforts that her Soul tasted in thinking of her Heavenly Spouse she seem'd as she thought to be perfectly forsaken by him in her last Sickness wherefore I cannot be perswaded but God us'd this means to purifie her Soul that it might fly directly into his loving embraces where 't is at present absorpt in Eternal delights But because the Iudgments of God are secret I will never cease to remember her dayly in my Poor Devotions But I cannot end this sad subject without speaking a word or two of her Perfections for your comfort First her Humility and perfect Contempt of her self which is the foundation of all other Vertues was such as that the most Ambitious Person could not more earnestly seek after Honor than she sought in all things her greatest Abnegation and Humiliation neither was she content to have this low and mean esteem of her self but earnestly desir'd to imprint the same in the minds of all others taking all occasions she was able of doing it and when she found her endeavors had not the desir'd effect but according to our Saviors promise Qui se humiliat exaltabitur He that humbles himself shall be exalted that the more pains she took to lessen the more she gain'd esteem it cannot be imagin'd what an affliction this was to her which the Enemy took an occasion to push on to such an excess that had she not had that submission to her Directors which was admirable in her and follow'd their advice rather than her own inclinations this affliction had caus'd her to leave this place to go amongst Strangers The only fault she found with it being the too much esteem and respect she receiv'd from the Religious which was to her humble Spirit as great a Mortification as the want of it can be even to the proudest heart Her Love and Practice of Mortification and Abnegation was also very extraordinary Nor would permit her to rest satisfied with the ordinary Austerities of the Rule which were even too great for her delicate and tender Complexion to suffer unless she added others to them and my refusing her leave to practice the Pennances she so earnestly desir'd I believe was a greater Mortification than they themselves could have been to her I often thought whilst she as earnestly Petition'd for leave to practice extraordinary Mortifications as if she had beg'd for her Life of the agreement of her Spirit with that of St. Teresa's her great Paironess who beg'd of God so earnestly Either to permit her to suffer or to die and that which mov'd Sister Clare chiefly to this ardent desire of suffering for God was her extraordinary Love of him better exprest as she thought by suffering than any way else and therefore what she could not get leave to practice exteriorly she interiorly supply'd by violently contradicting and overcoming her passions and even lawful inclinations in such a manner as to keep her self constantly upon the rack never giving the least way to Nature but curbing it upon all occasions so that her dayly Conversation with her Children which seem'd to others a comfort was to her without doubt a great occasion of suffering it giving nature an occasion of a continual conflict over which she constantly got the Mastery Her Conformity to God's Will and Abnegation of her own appear'd no less admirable in her blind and prompt Obedience than in receiving from his hands whatever his Providence vouchsaft to send by others and what was most contrary to Flesh and Blood seem'd always most pleasing and welcome to her By these steps of Humility Mortification and Conformity she had rais'd her self to such an Vnion with God as was wonderful walking always in his presence which no employment or accident could deprive her off And all the time she had free to her self she spent in a profound Contemplation or Communication with his Divine Majesty who was not wanting on his part in replenishing her Soul with such extraordinary Lights and Graces as still animated and strengthned her in the constant pursuite of the highest Perfection Nor was she so absâ—rpt in the Love of God as to permit that to her Neighbor to be less fervent and active her Love to his Image was like that to himself always in action on all occasions assisting every one with that Zeal that Humility that Chearfulness and Comfort as if what she did to them had been actually done to himself And her compassion whilst she assisted those who