the Empire and Marques of the aboue named Castilion and of Martha Tana-Sanrenia no lesse Noble as the Inhabitāts about the Alpes can testify and vertuous as appeareth in that euen from the first day of her mariage she began to pray like another Anne not for feare of barrennes but for the glory of God that it would please our Lord to send her a sonne that in some Religion might wholy dedicate himselfe to his holy seruice And so it seemed that God Almighty therfore vouchsafed to sēd her this Samuel permitting him to haue a dangerous entrance into this world that he might the sooner marke him for his owne with the character of Baptisme which by the Phisitians aduise was giuē him before he was halfe come forth of his mothers wombe but the danger of this passage at lenght by theintercession of our B. Lady was taken away although for a space there remayned some feare and doubt whether he were aliue or dead For he lay still without mouing for the space of an houre whē to shew that he was aliue he gaue one little cry only so gaue ouer and neuer vsed to cry any more as other children are wont to doe a presage doubtlesse of his future behauiour and conditions which were alwayes most gentle mild and courteous After his mother had brought him vp in all piety and feare of God vnto the age of fiue yeares or thereabout his Father desiring to traine vp his sonne in warlike affaires frō his very cradle tooke him away with him to a towne called Casall the greater in the Territory of Milan where whensoeuer he mustered his souldiers he made him march before them in light armour with a little speare vpon his shoulder From hence the Marques his Father being to march with his army to Tunis a Citty in Afrike sent Lewis backe to Castilion where growing now towards seauen yeares of age at which time children begin to haue discretion to discerne betweene good bad he withdrew himselfe by little and little from the conuersation of souldiers and began to apply himselfe to the seruice of God saying euery day at home vpon his knees the prayers which are The Daily Exercise together with the seauen Penitentiall psalmes and the office of our Blessed Lady with so great feruour and care that he neuer omitted the same were he neuer so sicke and was wont to call that the time of his conuersion When the Marques came home and saw his sonnes warlike audacity changed into a pious and prudent modesty he reioyced exceedingly to see how wise and discret an heire he should haue to succeed him in the gouernement of his subiects But Lewis his intentions were leuelled at a farre higher marke which he was not afraid now and then to signify vnto his mother who albeit she desired nothing more then that one of her sonnes should become a Religious man yet was she halfe afraid to heare her eldest sonne and heire talke of taking that course of life much more to persuade him to it Not long after the Marques vpon some occasion going to visit the Duke of Florence tooke both Lewis and his younger brother with him and there set them both to schoole to the end that in that Great Dukes court they might not only learne good manners but other sciences also Lewis at the age of nine yeares being left there by his father began to exercise himselfe in all kinde of vertues especially of Chastity and purity wherof out of the great deuotion he had conceaued towards our Blessed Lady he made a vow to keepe the same perpetually before an Image of hers which the whole Citty hath in great deuotion He heard Masse euery day and besides masse vpon holy dayes he alwayes was present at Euensong And although he knew not yet how to meditate yet the neuer let passe the dayly Exercise and other Offices which we haHe spoken of before rising to say them euery morning as soone as it was day Heere finally he began to wayne himselfe from all kinde of pleasures and pastimes eschewing all conuersation that might giue him occasion to speake the least idle word for he had now begun to frequent the Sacrament of Pennance with much feruour And so euer after he was wont to call Florence the mother of his piety and deuotion Two yeares being now past in Florence Lewis and his brother taking their leaue of the great Duke with Order from the Marques went to liue at Mantua where he came to take so great delight in abstinence and fasting which was for a time prescribed him for the health of his body that afterwardes to the great domage of the same he could not be dissuaded from vsing still the same medicine for the good of his soule Here now as he began to thinke with himselfe how he might make all his inheritance ouer to his Brother and take vpon himselfe an Ecclesiasticall kind of life being called home from the heates of Mantua at the age of twelue yeares he receiued of our Lord the gift of prayer and contemplation and by aduise of Saint Charles Borromeus Cardinall then visiting that Diocesse he began to frequent the holy Communion with exceeding great deuotion But his stomacke now with praying and fasting was growne so weake that he was scarce able to disgest any meate at all Wherfore his Father sent for him to Montserrat to see if by any meanes he could draw him a little from that austerity that he might recouer his health But Lewis there for the space of halfe a yeare could take pleasure in nothing but in his former exercises vsing for his pastime only to visit holy places and Monasteries flying from the conuersation of all but Religious mē by whose examples he was so efficaciously moued that he fully purposed to take vpon him some Religious habit or other although being not yet full thirteene yeares old he had not yet determined of what Order he would be In the meane time being returned home againe with his Father to Castilion he went forward exceedingly in all kind of vertues especially in extraordinary abstinence and mortification From hence not long after as he trauailed into Spaine in company of his Father and other noble Italians he neuer omitted his accustomed contemplations and holy Exercises But he so behaued himselfe for the space of two yeares and more that he liued in the King of Spaines Court that no Prouerbe was so much in the mouthes of the chiefest Coutiers as that the yonger Marques of Castilion seemed not to be made of flesh and bloud Such progresse had he made in the contempt of all worldly honours and pleasures Heere how Lewis being at the age of fifteene yeares and an halfe began to feele in himselfe so ardent a desire of forsaking the world that after many dayes commending the matter to God Almighty in his prayers it pleased his diuine Maiesty by a voyce from heauen to giue him a particular vocation to the Society
Confraternity arriued to a good quantity sufficient for the reliefe almost of twenty persons Wherevpon he taking the bread and wine home to his house inuited all the poore people round about who flocked thither in great numbers to whom he began to distribute the same with his owne hands and it multiplied so much that it sufficed three hundred persons all being satisfied and praysing God for the great liberality bestowed vpon them and acknowledging the miracle Other Miracles which hee wrought in his life time are innumerable and would fill a great volume to recount them al. But those which haue happened since his death at his holy Body by his intercession to God are sat more in number some few only whereof according to the breuity this place requireth shal be recounted afterwards when we haue said a word or two of his death which happened as followeth In the yeare of our Lord 1170. which was the last of his life whem by diuine Reuelation hee knewe that his death drew neare hee intreated to haue the B. Sacrament brought vnto him which hee receaued with great Reuerence and Deuotion and after made a long and most deuour speech to those of his househould and neighbours present exhorting them to liue Christian-like and in the feare of God and obseruations of his holy Commandements And so with a most sweete and amiable Countenance rich in merites and famous for miracles he quietly and most happely gaue vp his soule to God When the bruite of his happy death was spread abroad the people of Madrid came to see and to touch his holy body whom many held for a Saint for the miracles which they had heard him to haue done but especially those of the villages neere about and of the poorer sort of people that were better acquainted with the manner of his life and had seene and bene present at many miracles which he had wrought Not-with-standing because he was exteriourlie poore his body was buryed in the Churchyearde in an ordinary Graue among all other people where it remained for the speace of 40. yeares of whom all this while little or nothing more was spoken of except it were amongst the meaner sort of people of the adioyning Villages who had byne best acquainted with him when he liued But our Lord who would haue this his Saint honored as well in earth as in heauen at the ende of fourtie yeares reuealed his intention to a pious and venerable Matron of Madrid who had all this time bene very deuour vnto Saint Isidore for the miraculous things she had heard recounted of him by the fornamed Iohn de Vargas wherfore to satisfie her deuotion she dealt seriously with the Pastour of the Village to haue his body translated into the Church and layed in some decent place therof promising to defray all the charges there about The Pastour being a vertuens man and hauing heard much talke of the miracles which he did when he liued made further inquirie thereof and found that hee was in deede a very holy and innocent man and that the Fountaine which was close by the village and very profitable and commodious for all the people for the excellent water there of was mireculously raised out of the ground by his merites he dealt with the Bishop expounded vnto him the Matrons pious request and hauing obtained his licence appointed a certaine day for the remouall of the said body into the Church In the meane time there was a little Vault propared humble and decent at the cost of the foresaid deuout Matron where his body was appoynted to be layde And when the day appointed came the people there about resorted to the solemnitie according as the Pastour had informed and inuited them All being ready the Pastour with the rest of the Clergy of the Church came in manner of procession to the Churchyard and opening the Graue where his body lay they found it whole and vncorrupt and as fresh and faire as if he had byne dead but the day before it being fourtie years complete after his decease and from the same there proceeded so sweet and fragrant a smell that it rauished all that were present The graue was no sooner opened but all the bels of the steeple began to ring in excellent tune and order of themselues and so continued during the Ceremony and vntill he was translated into the Church and laid in his new Sepulcher to the astonishment of all that heard them at which time also were healed many persons of many sorts of diseases After his body was thus decently laid in the Church very many began to do great reuerence therto and it pleased God to witnesse of what great merit esteeme he would haue this his seruant to be by the many and wonderfull miracles daily wrought at the same by his intercession of some whereof we shall speake a word And first to begin with a continuall miracle which remayneth euen vnto this day the water of the fountaine which he miraculously raised out of the ground hath cured infinite people of all sicknesses and infirmities and is had in very great esteeme by all the inhabitants both of the Citty and Country roūd about where you shall scarcely find a house who hath not some of the said water continually preserued in vialls of glasse or botles ready for all infirmities or suddaine sicknesse that may happen especially agues or blew spots And when oftentimes there happeneth the sicknes of the plague the people find none so presēt or assured remedy as the water of the said fountaine Another miracle that hath very often bene seene testified by thousands of all sorts of people is that the Lampe which hangeth before his sepulcher hath bene oftentimes lighted from heauē without putting any fire therto by the industry of man Nay which is more when there hath wanted oyle in the lampe and the same filled with water the weeke hath burned as cleere and as bright as with oyle Which some curious persons haue desired to proue and they themselues both by putting in water and lightning the weeke because they would not belieue the same without their owne experience The women of Spaine haue a very peculiar deuotion to S. Isidore when they are great with child in labour of Childbyrth because very many haue bene safely deliuered by his intercession and by commending thēselues vnto him in the extremity of their labour at such times as there hath bene little hope of life Those also who be troubled with the Gout haue great deuotion vnto him for that many haue bene holpē being in great extremity and cured of that infirmity by his merits and prayers Vpon a time there was a man who desired to get a relique of the holy Saint whether for himselfe or for another is not certainly knowne This man watching his opportunity and hiding himselfe in the Church till all were gone thence the dores being locked came to the Tombe and making shift to open a
difficulty to bury him which at last they found meanes to doe in a woodden Coffin in an humble graue at the foote of the High Altar But wheÌ„ Cardinall Pamphilius had vnderstood thereof he was much displeased therwith that a man so famous and illustrious for miracles both aliue dead should be laid in so humble a place therfore dealt seriously with the Fathers of the same Congregation to remoue him who consulting the busines with Cardinall Medices he was taken vp and put into a newfaire Coffin which the said Cardinall had caused to be made and placed in a more decent place at one side of the High Altar with an Arch made ouer the body wherat miracles were wrought so frequently that the walls about were presently hung with votiue Tables and such a most sweet smell as it were of Roses and violets was daily felt to proceed from his body as was wonderfull After some yeares that the holy Body had laine in this place and so many miracles were daily wrought therat a noble cittizen of Florence who had obtained a Sonne by the prayers of S. Philip caused a most sumptuous and gorgeous chappell to be erected neere to the right side of the high altar wherto his body was translated there remaineth to this day and is reuerenced with great deuotion of the whole Christian world He was canonized for a Saint the 12. day of March by Pope Gregory the fifteeÌ„th in the yeares of our Lord 1622. THE ADMIRABLE LIFE of S. Charles Borromeus Archbishop of Milan and Cardinall WritteÌ„ in Italian by Doctour Guissano of the Order of Oblates of S. Ambrose in Milan and translated in to English SAINT Charles was borne in the yeare of our Lord 1538 the 2. day of October Paul the 3. being Pope Charles the 5. being Emperour His father was called Gilbert Borromeus his mother Margaret de Medices sister germane to Pope Pius the 4. not inferior to other Lords of MilaÌ„ eyther for religioÌ„ or for antiquity of their family and nobility Our Lord entending to decl are that he had designed this child for the honor and increase of the Catholike Church it pleased his diuine Maiesty to honour his birth with a strange and wonderfull signe For in the same momeÌ„t wherin he was borne there appeared ouer his mothers bed chamber a light like vnto the beames of the sunne and as long as a crosbow can well carry which was attentiuely considered by sundry persons that beheld the same foretelling by this vnusuall light the spleÌ„dor and heroicall acts as also the holy and irreprehensible conuersation of S. Charles Many were the arguments which he gaue of his future sanctity being yet a little child as to erect and adorne litle Altars before which he made his prayer and other like exercises of deuotion And it is almost incredible how much this little soule tooke delight and contentment therin Which being coÌ„sidered by his Parents seemed to presage no other thing of him but that he was especially called of God to an Ecclesiasticall estate for which cause they clothed him in the habit of a Cleark which he receiued whore the same so inyfully as it seemed they had in this fully accomplished his desire His vertues increased in him together with his yeares wher of he gaue most rare testimony studying in the Vniuersity of Padua where neuer any heard word to issue from his mouth which sauoured not of vertue and edification he was exceeding patient sweet peaceable modest and huÌ„ble so that none euer saw him arrogaÌ„t neuer in any choler neuer addicted to pleasures or any youth full leuity During his studies he had for maister and conductor one Alciatus who was Cardinall vnder whome he made so great profit that at the age of 22. yeares he was with the generall applause of all adorned with the title of Doctor Pius the 4. Vncle to Charles being made Pope in the yeare 1559. he â—ent for him vnto Rome and created him Cardinall Archbishop of MilaÌ„ giuing him charge not only of affaires concerning the gouernment of that Sea but also honored him with suÌ„dry titles of most rich and wealthy dignities Being placed therein although he were set in the highest degree of honor yet he neuer omitted to instruct and teach by his wholsome examples the Prouinces as well neere at hand as far off pursuing the affaires of his charge faithfully with singular prudence to the incredible contentment of euery one Amongst many affaires of importance which were effected and brought to happy end by his labour and industry one that of chiefest moment was the concluding and finishing of the Councell of Trent the which Pope Paul the 3. had begun in the yeare 1537. to withstand and suppresse the wicked heresies of Luther Caluin Zuinglius and other seducers but could not haue it ended for sundry difficulties which occured wherof Pope Pius the 4. hauing once againe vndertakeÌ„ the pursuite he gaue the first chiefest charge therof vnto his nephew Charles as to one most zealous in this affaire wherein he trauelled with such solicitude vigilancy and feruour of courage as none but himselfe could so well haue effected a busines so intricate as that was The Councell being ended himselfe was the first who his Vncle holding yet the soueraigne Sea put in practise the execution of those decrees in his owne bishoprick of Milan and other Bishops moued therto by his exemple did the like by meanes wherof many kingdomes and Prouinces in Christendome increased incredibly in the seruice of God and in Catholike piety but the greatest fruite remained in the Church of MilaÌ„ where this holy Pastour desirous to reforme his cleargy and people began first with his own person then with his house and family dismissing out of his seruice all such persons as seemed to him lesse profitable to his desine to the nuÌ„ber of no lesse then fourescore yet first recoÌ„pensing them all well retaining the Cleargy men of who me he hoped for good exemple and assistance in that which concerned the reformation of his Church of Milan The Catholike Church hath receaued an immortall benefit by the meanes of this holy man for none so much watched and solicited as he to bring into vse the ancient custome to hold Prouinciall and Diocesan councells according to the decree of the councell of Trent For in the space of â— yeares that he resided in Milan he held six Prouinciall councells and eleuen Sinodes of the diocese wherin he instructed his subiects with so many documents and good exaÌ„ples that the new order of the Church of MilaÌ„ did illustrate all especially the adioyning seas For proofe of his zeale charity and liberality we may looke vpon the many Churches Chappels Altars which he eyther builded or repaired as also sundry Colledges and Seminaries which he erected for the education and instruction of youth who should afterwards trauell in the vineyard of Iesus Christ In Milan he built a
being vnloaden Philip being now about 8. yeares old got vpon the Asse who by misfortune was cast from his back headlong into a Cellar which thing beinge knowne his parents presently ran with sorrowfull harts to take vp their sonne without hope to find him aliue but when they came to the Cellar they found him safe and soūd to their great astonishment About this Age he was set to schoole who not only profited in learning but in vertue also farre aboue his fellowes And seing he was as it were chosen by the holy Ghost to be a preacher of Gods word he did much delight in visiting and frequenting of churches and hearing of sermons greatly reuerencing the Priests and Preachers of the holy Church Whē he was sixteene yeares of age and somewhat more his Father sent him into Campania to his Vncle Romulus liuing there in the towne of S. Germans at the foote of Mount Cassine who was a very wellthy mā and had no children and who had sent for Philip his nephew vnto Florence to the end to make him his Heyre But after he had stayed there a few dayes fearing to be entangled with the world he left his vncle and all other friends and came to Rome in the yeare 1533. When he was come to the Citty he went vnto the house of one Galeot who was a Cittizen of Florēce with whome he liued diuers yeares in great sanctity leading an austere life contenting himselfe with bread and water once a day and oftentimes he passed three whole dayes without eating any thing at all delighting himselfe only with meditation of heauenly things in the very youth flowre of his age wherein he spent whole dayes and nightes And that he might be the better able to helpe others afterward in spirituall matters he frequēted the schooles and heard Philosophy profiting so well therein that he became equall to any of his fellowes still retayning the innocēcy of his childhood euen in that age of his and amongst so many dissolute students as then he must needs be conuersant withall When he had now ended his Philosophy and also a good part of his Diuinity he began to bid adue vnto the world thought seriously how he might best imploy himselfe in the honour of God and seruice of his neighbours Wherfore he betooke himselfe vnto the Hospitalls where he comforted the ficke serued them with his owne handes assisted them in any thing he could teaching and instructing thē how to make a good Confession and to die happily if it should please God to call them He had alwayes a speciall care neuer to come acquainted or be familiar with wicked persōs He exhorted as many as he saw had good partes to enter into Religion and in this point he happily preuailed with a great nūber who by his persuasion daily renounced the world and became Riligious In so much that S. Ignatius of Loyola who then liued in Rome and had newly instituted the Socity of Iesus and with whomthis holy man was greatly acquainted and conuersant was wont to call him the Bell for that by his good sound and pious voyce he called so many to holy Religion And thus labouring on all sides to gaine soules to God he became a most liuely example of Piety and Deuotion vnto all euen whiles he was yet a lay man In the yeare of Christ 1551. He tooke vpon him holy Orders was made Priest by commandement of his Ghostly Father In saying of his Masse he was so rapt oftentimes that he was seene to remayne in the ayre 2 foote aboue the ground and was smetimes so takē in extasy through the extreme loue and admitation of that Diuine mistery that he knewe not where he was His hart was also so inflamed with the lolue of the Holy Ghost that often times in the very depth of winter and in the greatest cold weather he was forced to apply outwardly some cooling and refrigeratiue thinge vnto his brest It happened on a time that by his reading certaine Epistles of the Indies In which he tooke great delight he was so mooued with compassion towards the Infidels of those vast and remote Coūtreyes for that they were not members of Gods Church that he resolued to goe thither in person with twenty others of his disciples to preach and teach the faith of Christ vnto them for their Conuersion But this busines as all other of moment he first commended seriously to God in his daily prayers and meditations crauing his assistance direction and declaration of his holy will therein At lēgth our Lord put into his mind that concerning this great affaire he should goe and consult and take his direction frō a Monke of S. Bernards Order who then liued in the Monastery of S. Vincentius and Anastasius in Rome a greet seruant of God and much reuerenced for the holines of his life To him S. Philip presently repayred and expounded vnto him his whole intention and desire who presently demaunded some respite to answere him saying that this busines was to be sought from God for answere by earnest prayer and intercession to know his will wherfore ioyning both their prayers together after some houres of recollection the Holy Monke told him that he was not to goe to the Indies for that work was to be done by another but to remayne still in Rome that Rome must be the Indies and the vineyard which God would haue him to manure and cultiuate Adding further that S. Iohn the Euangelist had appeared vnto him and tould him so and that he should gather together many Disciples in Rome whose workes should be very profitable to that Citty With this answere S. Philip was fully satisfied of the will of God concerning that busines and therfore now began to apply himselfe to the helpe of his neighbours by teacing preaching reading of Saints liues hearing Confessions and the like so that in short time he had many followers and worthy Disciples amōgst which Caesar Baronius afterward Cardinall that famous Historiographer was one with whom he laid the foundatiō of his order beginning by little little calling the people together into the Church with a bell at certaine houres of the day wherein after halfe an houre of mētall prayer spēt which euery one made to himselfe yet altogether in one place there were recited publikely te letanies and other prayers commending therin as well the publike as the priuate affaires of the holy Church This order was obserued on Sundayes Tuesdayes Thursdayes and Saturdayes The other three dayes of the weeke to wit Munday Wednesday day and Friday when they met together thy made a discipline whiles the 50. psalme and the Anthymne of Salue Regina or some other Psalme or Hymne was reading hauing exposed before thē only the Image of Christ crucified placed in such order in a lanterne that all the Confraternity might behould the same at once in the darke Which custome weekely obserued doth yet remayne in the said Congregation
neere vnto Campo Vaccino commonly called S. Maria Nuoua and there with great solemnity and veneration interred wherat miracles haue bene daily euer since wrought and the same is greatly honoured and reuerenced by all the people of Rome euen vntill this day She was Canonized for a S. by Pope Paul the fifth the 29. day of May in the yeare of our Lord 1606. Her feast is vsually celebrated vpon the ninth day of March. THE LIFE OF THE HOLY Virgin S. Teresa of Iesus of the Order of our Blessed Lady of Mont Carmell Foundresse of the Congregation of the discalced Carmelites IN the famous Citty of Auila in the Kingdome of Castile in Spaine was borne the holy and glorious Saint Teresa vpon the 28. of March in the yeare of our Lord 1515. Her Father was called Alfonso Cepeda and her mother Batrixe Ahumada Both were noble and excelled in all kind of piety and vertue wherein with great care they brought vp their children in particular this their yong and tender daughter She being about the age of seauen yeares contemplating of the ioyes and glory of heauen would oftē pronounce to her selfe these words and say O Eternity Eternity Eternity vsing also daily many prayers especially the Rosary by her mothers instruction made very deuout to our Blessed Lady In these her yong yeares reading in the liues of Saints the torments deaths of the Blessed martyrs and the glory they had obtayned therby she iudged that they had gotten heauen at an easy rate wishing that she might suffer the like paines to attaine the like glory And being inflamed thus with the loue of heauen and of death for Christ his sake she instilled the like desire into her yong brother in such sort that they determined iointly to goe together amōg the Moores that at their hāds they might receaue the crowne of martyrdome But beginning their iourney they met with their vncle who by intercepting hindred them and brought thē back to their parents Their intention thus crossed as they remained in their Fathers house they passed their time often in the Garden and Orchard where they would build little houses like Celles and Hermitages and though after the manner of childrē yet it fore shewed what she should afterward accōplish as inded she did At the age of 12. yeares her mother died whereat being much afflicted she presēted herselfe before an image of our B. Lady desiring her to be her mother whome she euer after found ready with her protection helpe and assistance in all her necessities Now our Lord began to enkindle in this his seruant the spirit of prayer and inward deuotion in so much that at the age of 20. yeares she fully despised the world and desired earnestly a Religious course of life though her Father out of his extraordinary loue to her would not consent therto Yet she remembring the counsell of S. Hierome brake violently from all and entred into the Monastery of the Order of the Incarnation in Auila where she passed her Nouiceship with great alacrity and comfort Shortly after she falling into an extreme sicknes her Father was inforced to couey her into the country to the house of a phisitian for helpe But it auayled not for her infirmity did daily and diuersly increase and in such sort that all being out of hope of her life the last Sacraments were ministred vnto her she lay a dying At which time she was in a traunce for foure dayes and comming to her selfe againe she complained of those that had called her back from heauē where she said she had seene many mysteries as also the saluation of her Father diuers other friendes which should be saued by her meanes and many Monasteries which she was to erect and her owne happy death all which proued afterward true After her recouery by her prayers she obtayned health for a Religious person of their Monastery and new amendment of life for a Priest who was besotted with the dishonest loue of a woman who had bewitched him with her diuellish inchantments by a Copper Idoll which she had giuen him to weare which this holy womā obtayning of him cast into a riuer whereby he was freed and lead afterwards a vertuous life and died blessedly And for diuers others she obtained health and many she reduced to vertuous life by her example and prayers and by the intercession of S. Ioseph to whom she was very affectionate and deuout Being on a time at her prayers she cast her selfe prostrate before a piteous Picture of our B. Sauiour beseeching his grace and assistance to protect her from offending him any more from which time euer after she found continuall increase of spirituall comforts and also amendement of her former life For after this time our Lord did communicate himselfe vnto her in diuers manners aswell in inward and spirituall comforts conuersing speaking to her soule as also by outward and plaine apparitions guiding and directinge her with his counsell in all her affaires of difficulty and speaking to her in his owne voice She being once surprised with an extasy our Lord said to her My will is that hereafter thou be not conuersant with men but with Angells which wordes made such impression in her as from that time she wholly abandoned the world and all humane things adhered only to God Our Lord himselfe frō this time teaching and aduising her her sanctity being suspected by others what she should say answere to stop their mouths as she euer did And our Lord said also to her Feare not daughter for I will not leaue thee Frō which time forward she seemed wholly vnited to God Being once in her deuotions our B. Sauiour appeared to her againe hauing with him S. Peter S. Paul and shewed to her first his hands shining beautifully and after that his face and thus continued with her the space of three daies Also hearing Masse vpon S. Pauls day our Blessed Sauiour appeared to her in his humanity very glorious And these apparitions of our Sauiour at Masse time in diuers formes continued to her more then three yeares These visions being very frequent increasing her Confessor and diuers others grew suspitious that they might be illusions of the deuill and she be deceiued but our Lord himselfe did with his presence and speach to her both satisfy and instruct her how she should stop the slaunderous mouths of all After this a Seraphim appeared to her with a flaming dart in his hand wherwith he seemed to pierce her hart so as from that time forward she remained wholy inflamed with the loue of God and of which wound she felt at diuers times very sensible paine Once in a vision she was taken vp to heauen where she saw such misteries and fulnes of glory and ioyes as cannot be expressed Our Lord saying to her Consider daughter how great ioyes worldlings depriue thēselues of These visions came to her very often and in diuers
satisfy doubts and answere all obiections She had an extraordinary guift in healing of the sick of all infirmities by her prayers and working other miracles so vsually as I may say familiarly as it seemed our Lord neuer denied her any thing that she requested of him The aged weake body of this holy woman almost spent and worne out with continuall trauell frō one Monastery to another being now at Burgos and foreseing her end approaching which she had prophesied 8. yeares before hastened towards Auila where she was borne desiring to end her daies therein her first owne House But reposing as she trauelled at the house of the Duchesse of Alua she was enforced there to make stay partly by her importunity as also by reason of a feuer she had which continued with her increased so incessantly that at the end of three dayes hauing receaued all the rites of the Holy Catholike Church recommended her selfe to God with many deuout prayers and giuen many holesome precepts and admonitions to those that were present to their great cōfort edification with a ioyfull and peaceable serenity of mind she sweetly yeelded vp her soule to her beloued spouse Sauiour vpon the 4. day of October being the feast of S. Francis in the 68. yeare of her age 47. of her being religious It pleased our Lord to shew the holines of this Saint by some signes at her death by many miracles after For at the instant of her death a certaine Religious woman saw two starres to descend vpon her Cell Another sister saw a bright starre shinning ouer her Monastery another starre at the window of the chamber where she died A Religious man in Valladolid saw at the instant of her death the heauens open and a glorious way prepared wherby a soule ascended The prioresse of Segouia smelt in her Cell a most sweet odour at the instāt of her death with an extraordinary light Another Prioresse in Paris saw our Sauiour ascend to heauen with great glory many Angells with him Another sister saw a white doue to ascend frō her mouth All her Conuent at the instant saw a great light and felt a very sweet smell fillinge the house as also from her habit and all things that she had touched The body of this holy Saint lying faire fresh and liuely as though she had bene yet liuing a certaine Religious mā came and touched with her handes his head and eyes and presently recouered of two infirmities which he had in those parts Another Religious woman kissing her seete recouered her smelling which she had lost And that night after her death she appeared to diuers Religious persons After that her body had bene by many and with great deuotiō visited she was with great sollemnity due reuerence enterred Her habit and all things that she vsed be kept still in Alua with great reuerence for holy Reliques and many miracles haue bene wrought by them This holy Saint appeared to diuers after her death and first to one Mother Antonetta in Granada she wing her the glory that she was in and encouraging her in her vertuous course of life Also to a Religious woman in Auila she appeared in great glory She appeared also in Segouia with a sweet odour in the midest of the Quier with a rich crowne on her head And to the Earle of Osorne to the Bishop and diuers others there The miracles after her death were many As the miraculous incorruptiō of her body The pleasant odour and sweetnes therof filling the place where it was kept as also of her habit cloathes and all things she had touched By which being religiously kept many of sundry infirmities were healed Also there was a pretious oyle or liquor that distilled continually from her body and frō euery small part therof though separated a sunder whereby many miracles were done as appeareth by one of her hāds that was carried by the Prouinciall of her Order to Lisbone and by one of her fingers at Malaga Also a linnē cloth died with her bloud continued pure and fresh wherby many miracles were done in diuers places and in diuers manners Don Aluarez de mendoza Bishop of Alua hauing in his life time built a faire chappell with a Tombe therin for himselfe an by a fore-contract with the Prouinciall of her Order another by it for this holy Saint and hearing now of her death and buriall made suite iointly with the people of the towne to the Prouinciall for her body which not being obtayned she was translated to Auila in the moneth of Nouēber 1585. with great sollemnity and ioy But the Duke of Alua and Ferdinand of Toledo Prior of S. Ihons made suit to Pope Sixtus V. for her returne to Alua where she died which he graunted and so with greater ioy and applause she was brought back to Alua the 23. of August 1586. where she remayneth and God by meanes of this his seruāt doth worke many miracles euen to this present as is daily seene by those that be deuout vnto her and frequent her sepulcher the which hath bene adorned enriched with many great guiftes and pretious Iewells of many of the greatest Princes and Religious Bishops and Persons of Spaine and Christendome And after all due diligence and examinations of her life and miracles made as in such cases appertayneth she was Canonized for a Saint by Pope Gregory the XV. vpō the 12. of March 1622. But her feast is celebrated vpon the 4. day of October To rehearse the manifold exāples in euery of her seuerall vertues the frequent apparitions of our Blessed Sauiour and other Saints her visiōs raptes and miracles accordinge to the truth thereof and her desert I should neuer be able to say inough all the aforesaid thinges being so certaine and so well knowne in Spaine as they be yet fresh in memory and many are yet liuing that knew her well and were present and eye witnesses to all that which is here writtē of her And he that shall read her life written by herselfe at the commaūd of her Ghostly Father trāslated lately into English and also her life writtē by Brother Ihon of S. Ierome and Brother Ihon of Iesus Maria of her owne Order from whence this is extracted may be there further satisfied with examples in euery kind these things being heere only touched for breuity sake as a taste out of aboundance God graunt that we following her heauenly documents instructions imitating hervertuous life may by her intercession merit to come to that heauenly glory which she with her deerespouse Iesus now enioyeth Amen THE LIFE AND VERTVES OF Blessed Lewis Gonzaga of the Society of Iesus taken out of his history written at large by Virgilius Ceparius of the same Order BLESSED Lewis Gonzaga was borne in that part of France which lyeth beyōd the Alpes at the Chastle of Castilion in the Diocese of Brixia in the yeare of our Lord 1568. of Ferdinand Prince of
leaue he went to visite the holy places to salute his friends and other Princes there and to receiue the Popes benediction All which being dispatched vpon Saint Catherine the Virgin and martyrs day at the age of seauenteene yeares eight monethes and six dayes he entred into the Nouiciate of the Society of Iesus at S. Andrews in Rome with as great ioy and iubily of heart as if he had entred into a paradise of all delights and pleasures giuing immortall thankes to God for bringing him out of Aegypt into that Land of Promise flowing with milke and hony Heere now Lewis hauing passed thorough all kind of exorcises in Humility and Obedience with great admiration of all almost the space of a yeare was sent to Naples to recouer his health and to make an end of the course of Philosophy which he had begun at Milan But after halfe a yeare finding by experience that that place nor ayre agreede with his health he was called backe againe to Rome and sent vnto the Romane Colledge where he defended his Philosophy publikly with great applause and so proceeded to heare his higher courses of diuinity After he had liued now two yeares in the Society vpon Saint Catherines day being the day on which first he entred he also made the three vowes of Pouerty Chastity and Obedience as the custome is For albeit he had not spent all this time in the Nouiciate yet God by his holy grace did so supply in his soule the want of that time which the infirmity of his bodye tooke from him that wheresoeuer he liued all his life after he remayned still as it were a Nouice The next yeare vpon the eight abd twentith day of Ianuary he began to take Ecclesiasticall Orders and by the 26. of Frebruary he had receaued one after another vpon seuerall dayes all those which are called the Minores or inferiour Orders The yeare following he was sent to Castilion and Mantua to compose certaine contentions and debates betweene his Brother the Marques his Father being now deceased and the Duke of Mantua which if he had not by the great authority which for his sanctity he alwayes had amongst them taken vp and decided would haue cost much bloudshed on both sides The next yeare he withdrew himselfe with order from his Superiours to Milan where it pleased God to reueale vnto him that the houre of his death approached with which reuelation he returned ioyfully to Rome with his thoughts so fixed on heauen so dead to the world and to all worldly thinges that he appeared rather as one dead then liuing his only sight stirred vp deuotion in others and his very wordes incited his hearers to the loue of God In fine he was in the estimation of all aliuely patterne of all perfection In the yeare 1591. the Citty of Rome was sorely visited with a mortality by reason of the multitude of poore people that were inforced by a former famine to repaire thither for to begge their sustenance at which time the Generall and others of the Society inforcinge themselues to the ayde and succour of the poore besides the large almes that they daily procured for them they laboured the foundation of an Hospitall to relieue and cure the sicke which were in great number visited with sundry dangerous and infectious diseases where those of the Society attended them with great diligence and charity of which number Lewis by much importunity obtained of his Superiours to be one where he serued the sicke with wonderfull deuotion humility and charity exercising himselfe euer most willingly about those that were the most loathsome and dangerously infected In this imployment he together with many others of the Society got that infection wherof afterwards he died which he feeling and knowing that our Lord was pleased to doe him that fauour to deliuer him from the prison of his body and to take him to rest he reioyced exceedingly giuing God most humble and harty thanks for so great a benefit and the more for calling him in such an age and before he was Priest whereby he esteemed himselfe secure of rendring accompt either for the vnprofitable expence of many yeares or the abuse of so great a dignity He made a generall Confession and hauing receaued his Viaticum and Extreme Vnction he attended the houre of his death neuerthelesse it pleased our Lord that the seauenth day of his sicknesse the fury of it ceased and there remayned only a gentle feuer which held him three monthes in all which time he neuer willingly entertayned discourse of any thing but of heauen and heauenly thinges in so much that we may say as it were he had sent his hart before him He being by little and little sore weakened by the feuer it pleased our Lord to reueale vnto him the howre of his decease wherupon with great signes of ioy he said Te Deum laudamus and tould those that were about him that he should dye on the Octaue of the feast of the Blessed Sacrament notwithstanding on Corpus Christi day as also during the Octaue he seemed so well to recouer that on the Octaue day they said vnto him That he should rather thinke of his recouery then of his death that day since there appeared no danger at all To whome he quietly answered The day is not yet past I shall assuredly dye this night The euening being come the Prouinciall came to visit him who demaunded of him how he did Lewis answered I goe Father Whither said the Prouinciall To heauen answered Lewis I trust by the great mercy of God if my sinnes doe not hinder me Pope Gregory the fourteenth hearing that he was in the Agony of death sent vnto him his benediction with a plenary Indulgence of all his sinnes and drawing towards his end he desired earnestly to take a discipline or at least by reason of his owne weakenes that one might be giuen him vpon his backe which being denyed he humbly beseeched leaue of Father Prouinciall that he might dye vpon the ground so great was his feruour and desire of suffering euen then when his sicknesse had rendred him almost incapable of sufferinge In briefe after that he had taken leaue of the Fathers and Brothers of the Colledge with many teares he entred into long and sweet interiour Colloquies with our Lord kissing often a Crucifix which he held in his handes with his eyes sixed thereon and often calling vpon the holy name of Iesus he rendred his soule to rest on Thursday at night being the Octaue of the B. Sacrament the one twentith of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1591. and in the three and twentith yeare of his age three monthes and eleauen daies after he had bene of the Society fiue yeares and almost seauen monthes He was interred in the Chutch of the Annuntiation in the Roman Colledge with so great concourse of people not only of those of the Society and Schollers but also from the Court and Citty of