strong seale signe confirme his first purpose of altering his manner of life into a better course giuing his Sword as a pawne sealing his intentiōs as it were in the motherly bosome of the Sacred Virgin He did offer also vp into the hādes of our B. Lady the Vowes which he and his fellowes made at Paris in her Chappel called The Mont of martyrs on the day of her Assumption commending in like manner to her the solemne profession made by himselfe and his fellows in Rome at S. Paules within her Chappell Neyther intended he any thing else when in the Rules of his Order he interposed these wordes Before the most Blessed Virgin Mary then that he might leaue it as a document vnto his Sonnes that as their Vowes so all their good purposes should be offered vp before the Blessed Virgin to the end that partly by the reuerence and respect due vnto her partly by the confidence of her assistance they may be made more ready and cheerefull in bringing them to effect OVR B. LADIES LITLE GARDEN THE SECOND BED planted with Roses Wherin diuers Exercises of Loue to our B. Lady are cōtained BEhold the Rose the second flower of this Virginall Garden an Embleme of Loue which if you gather with such deuotion diligence and constancy as it behooueth you may easily compose therof a most faire Garland fitt both in beauty and odour for the glorious Head of the Bles Virgin First therfore striue daily to stirre vp in your selfe as soone as you rise a tender and sweet affection vnto this glorious Queene remēbring as well her singular Perfections beauty as her infinite Mercies shewed vnto vs sinners Which two considerations will serue as fewell to increase and nourish within your breast the fier of diuine loue towards so beautifull a Queene so louing a Mother But least this heate of deuotion which you inioy in the morning waxe cold ere night by reason of many cares and imployments which daily are like to trouble you you must labour to kindle and quicken the same by frequēt though briefer deuotiōs as the practice following shall instruct you CHAP. I. The first way to stirre vp Affection to the B. Virgin is the contemplation of her Perfections and Beauty YOur cōposition of place shal be to imagine that you see the B. Virgin shining with infinite beauty and glory in the midst of men and Angels towards whome are directed the affections of euery Saint in particular Your petition shal be to demaūd grace of our Lord to perceaue tast in some sort how dearly our Bles Lady ought to be loued for her rare Pefections Beauty The first Point Of the multitude and greatnes of our B. Ladyes Perfections I Magin you see the Blessed Virgin in the midst of all creaturs darting our of her owne hart as from a bow innumerable arrows wherof euery one flying a diuers way woundeth a seuerall hart These arrowes are so many perfectiōs of hers which wounde the beholders of her beauty with loue to wit Men Angels yea God himselfe Thou art all faire O my beloued thou art all beautifull and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. Void she is from originall yea and from the very least blemish of actuall sinne Beautifull in body faire in soule pleasing in this life by grace resplendent in the other by glory most excelent worthy of loue aboue all creatures because she being first ordained predestinated and elected before all others by the mouth of the Higbest Eccles 24. was by law of birth-right by her portion of grace and inheritance of heauenly glory preferred by her celestiall Father before all creaturs Yea whatsoeuer otherwaies is foūd amongst Creatures good faire holy or amiable all that in a far more ample manner is fully contained in the B. Virgin Affections of Loue. WIth this consideration you shall stirre vp in your selfe affectiōs of loue reioycing to see your deare Mother indewed with so many perfectiōs worthy of al honour praise loue in such sort that if you enioyed the same she being depriued therof you would most willingly resigne thē all vnto her againe With this so ardent charity was Charles the Sonne of S. Brigit enflamed who receiued great comfort and exulted with ioy as often as he cōsidered the excellent prerogatiues of this B. Virgin but especially when he remembred how she amōgst all others was chosen by God to be the Mother of his only Sonne and he did often protest that he had rather choose to lye in the grieuous torments of hell for all eternity thē that the B. Virgin should be depriued although but for one momēt if it were possible of that dignity in which now she shineth This was a great expression of loue The second Point Of the exteriour Perfection and Beauty of our B. Lady AFter you haue thus in generall be held the admirable perfection of our B Lady you may begin by litle litle to descēd to pōder in particular euery part therof And in the first place remember to consider the excellent beauty which externally proceeded either from the admirable proportiō of her body or from the exteriour Portraiture of her diuine vertue Let not that worthy saying of Saint Denis or rather some other vnknowne though most excellent Writer goe out of your mind who in an Epistle to S. Paul after he had beheld our Bles Lady sayth thus of himselfe Eftsoons as I came into the presence of the sacred Virgin so great a light suddainly enuyroned me exteriourly and fully enlightened me interiourly so fragrant a smell of all kind of odours abounded in me as that neyther my vnhappy body nor my poore soule was able to sustaine the ensignes of such and of so great happines My hart fainted my spirit failed ouerwhelmed with the maiesty of so great glory I take God to witnes who was then present in the Virgin had not that doctrine which I learned of thee taught me the contrary I shold haue belieued that she had bene the true God So he If such were the beauty of this Virgin while she liued yet a pilgrime in this vale of tears how great may we imagine the same to be whilst she now triūpheth in the kingdome of heauen Affections of Loue YOu shall make a firme purpose to imploy allwaies hereafter the powers of your body and soule in celebrating the praises of this so glorious and beautifull Virgin speaking vnto her in the words of Blosius a most deuout Client of hers in Prec pijs endolog 4. Haile MARY Virgin most honourable Virgin more cleere then the sunne brighter thē the stars more sweet the balsamum more ruddy then the Rose whiter then the Lilly farre more gratious and comely then can be imagined Morouer you shall desire to vse the tongues of all men and Angels to play on all kind of instruments that so with most pleasāt harmony you might sound forth both in heauen and earth honour renowne
most sacred Mother to the holy Angels Saintes in Heauen And likewise when in the Euening like vnto the flower shutting it selfe at the setting of the sunne you shall silently consider all things passed that whole day and pondering euery thought word and deed shutting vp within the Center of your hart these most sweet Names IESVS MARIA then shall you enioy a peacefull security and a secure happinesse 4. It will be also an argument of especiall Reuerence towardes this sacred Name to recite those fiue Psalmes or Hymnes whose first letters make the Name Maria. These are Magnificat Ad Dominum cùm tribularer Retribuc Jn conuertendo Ad te leuaui Or these Magnificat Aue Regina caelorum Regina caeli Jnuiolata Aue Maris stella being the most pious and singular inuentiō of a holy man of the order of S. Benet This exercise did S. Joscius a Monke of admirable piety of the Monastery of S. Bertin in S. Omers obserue dayly liuing and being dead commended the same to all posterity For after his death fiue Roses of rare beauty did spring from his head One out of his mouth wherin the Name Maria was written in letters of gold two out of his eyes and other two out of his eares which Roses not only all the Religious that were then liuing in the monastery but also the Bishop of Arras the Clergy and all the whole Citty Countrey that then flocked thither did with amazement behold Vincent Bellonac Spec. Hist. l. 7. c. 116. An. Domini 1163. O Blessed Mary most mercyfull most benigne Place your most amiable Name as a signet vpon my eyes that being preuented with the benedictions of your sweetnes I may be refreshed by the light of your mercyes Place it vpon my eares that being secure of your protection I may not feare in that terrible day of iudgment to heare the dreadfull sentence which shall be vttered against the damned Place it also on my mouth that recreated with the milke of your cōsoiation I may both in this and the next life with perpetuall prayses exalt the Glory sweetnes of your Holy Name CHAP. IV. The fourth Exercise of Reuerēce towards our Blessed Lady is to Honour her Image THE deuout Seruant of the Blessed Virgin must first haue an especiall regard that her Image be placed in some decent conspicuous part of his Oratory which S. Charles Borromeus of Millan for his singular deuotiō vnto that sacred Queene did alwayes most carefully obserue and amongst other thinges appoynted that through his whole Diocesse there shold be placed ouer euery Church doore the Picture of our B Lady For as that holy Bishop according to the opinion of S. Bernard thought there was no place more worthy vpon earth to receiue the sonne of Almighty God then the sacred Teple of his Mothers wombe nor no place more noble in Heauen then the royall throne which our B. Sauiour bestowed vpon his Mother so did he iudge that place fittest for the Picture of the B. Virgin which for sanctity worthynes was most eminent For another reason also would he haue it placed ouer the church doore therby to admonish all those who entred to make their prayer that the best meanes to come to Almighty God was by the intercession of his Blessed Mother and that neuer any man is to be admitted into that Heauenly Temple which doth not loue and reuerēce her who is called The Gate of Heauen 2. It is behouefull also that whē you se the picture of this sacred Virgin especially if you passe by it that you make some signe of Reuerēce vnto it either by putting off your hat bowing your heade bending your knee or the like This deuotion all true Seruants of our B. Lady haue alwaies diligently obserued to let passe in silence many others S. Margarite daughter to the King of Hungary passing by any picture of our Lady was allwayes wont to recite the Angelicall Salutation vpon her knees Sur. in her life 28. Ian. And for more confirmation of the excellency of this practise of Reuerence I wil adioyne heere a miracle that happened at Affligem in Brabant in the Monastery of S. Benet where there is yet an image of our B. Lady to be seene which being on a tyme saluted by S. Bernard after his wonted custome with these words of Salue Maria Haile Mary did againe with an intelligible and courteous voyce resalute him with Salue Bernarde God saue thee also Bernard O most happy O sublime salutatiō with the truest and most earnest desires of our harts to be wished for I should easily belieue these two words as so many darts of loue to haue so pierced the brest of this mellifluous Doctour with such sweetnes and heauēly delight that his hart did leape the rest of his body exult with ioy and tendernes of loue And as the soule of the Spouse did melt at the voyce of her beloued so was his soule in like māner euen melted when he heard the voice of his beloued Mother The like testimony of loue may you securely expect from the B. Virgin if in your carriage towards her you behaue your selfe like another S. Bernard 3. The third manner of honouring the Images of our B. Lady is to handle them with Decency Reuerence imparting kisses of piety and deuotion vnto them praysing the pictures chiefly her whom the picture doth represent Lewis surnamed the pious Emperour sonne to Charles the Great when he went a hunting carried allwayes with him an Image of our B. Lady and in the middest of the woodes he was wont with great deuotion vpon his bare knees to make his prayers and supplications before the same Canis l. 5. de B. Ma. cap. 29. 4. Some deuout seruants of hers vse alwayes to hang about their neckes putting it against their hart eyther her Image or some medall at their beades hauing her picture on it or els they inuent some other meanes to be sure alwayes to carry her picture about them This manner of reuerencing our B. Ladyes Image gaue help to a sicke noble yongman whose cure was desperate in the cōfines of Ebora in Spain in the yeare 1593. of which the Annuall letters of the Society make mention This young Noble man by reason of a vehement sicknes had wāted a good while the perfect vse of his wits when once being one a tyme left by some chāce alone in his bed without any attendance he suddenly by the diuels instigatiō perceauing the chāber free from all company starteth vp putteth on a doublet in which not long before he had sowed two meddals of our B. Lady had hanged another at his necke which done he precipitateth himselfe out of the window vpon a heape of sharpe stones falling secure without hurt of bruze The diuel amazed with the miracle who in the shape of a man appeared vnto him conducted him by the hād to a deepe well where the distracted man stil obeying
vnto the Name of MARY And for an example or patterne of this tender affection you may take Fa. Peter Faber of the Society of IESVS and one of the Ten first Companions of S. Ignatius who being presēt at Spire in a Church dedicared to the most sacred Virgin where he heard Euensong sung with as great pompe celebrity as possible could be vpon the eue of our B. Ladyes Assumption to heauen perceauing the Altar to be decked with flowers shining with cādels adorned with many holy reliques the wals hūg with Tapestry the Quiers sounding with variety of musicke was so rauished with inward ioy that he beganne to wish all happines vnto those who had rāked and lighted the candels in such good order who had adorned the wals with Tapestry had exposed the sacred reliques had gathered the musitians togeather In such affectuous manner did the signes of a mind reioycing in God and exulting at the Honour of our Bles Lady shew it selfe on euery side In eius vita The third point Of the internall Beauty of our Blessed Lady THat you may in some sort perceiue how great the internall Beauty of our Bles Lady is in very deede you shall consider first the beauty of a soule free from sinne indewed with vertues So great sayth S. Catharin of Siena is the beauty of a soule as that if it could be seene with corporall eyes there would be none who would not most willingly giue his life to conserue the same in so beautifull amiable estate Surius in eius vita For if all beauty grace comelinesse or amiablenesse whatsoeuer that shineth in any creature as in the Sunne Moone stars Gold Siluer Precious stones rich apparell gorgeous Pallaces rare Gardens curious Pictures or in the excellent feature and composition of body that either is was or shall be If I say all the beauty that might be gathered out of all and euery one of these should be amassed and put togeather to make one beauty although it seeme it would be almost infinite and incomprehensible yet would it not parallell that beauty which the least degree of Grace or of any vertue that commeth with it imparteth to a Soule Raise now your mind as high as you shal be able contemplate the beauty of the B. Virgin her soule endewed not only with one two or some few degrees of grace but with so many and those so great as that some Deuines renowned as well for piety as learning hould that she had imparted to her alon more grace in this life glory in the other thē all the rest of the Saints together as we sayd before in the Preface § 1. Affections of Loue. YOu shall admire praise these so great and singular perfections in the most Bles Virgin saying with Prouerb 31. vers 29. Many daughters haue gathered heaped vp riches yet haue you exceeded thē all You surmount the Patriarkes in Fayth the Prophets in knowledge the Apostles in zeale the Martyrs in patience in humility the Cōfessours and in purity the Virgins You being decked and trimmed vp with Iewels of inspeakable worth draw the heauenly Spirits to behould you You are as it were a most cleere Sunne voyde of Eclipse a Sunne displaying his beames from earth vpon heauen from heauen vpon earth euen a Sunne dissoluing the very cloudes of our iniquities After this you shall be sorry that hitherto you haue esteemed so lightly the admirable sanctity of this diuine Virgin and say O if she with the sweet pēsill of her singular mercy would but with the first ground or colour of diuine grace paynt my soule forth vnto her owne likenes O if she would clēse adorne it with such vertues as might make it acceptable vnto her selfe herdeare Sonne Then do you aspire with burning desires after that true beauty which only deserueth to be sought for and this to no other end but only that you may loue and be beloued of the most glorious and B. Virgin The Speach or Colloquy YOu shal adioyne to these Contemplations Affections of Loue thanks giuing to the most B. Trinity which hath beene pleased to set forth the most pure Virgin with so many gifts rare vertues which hath enriched her with so great perfection made her amiable in the eyes of all and therfore shall you also honour Her euen with the whole powers of your soule body prouoking with great and most liuely affectiō all Creaturs to doe the same Lastly you shall beseech the most B. Virgin that she would shoote one only dart of her Loue into your soule and grant you this only fauour that you may liue and dye her most true and Faithfull Seruant Then say Pater Noster Aue Maria. CHAP. II. The second contemplatiō to stirre vp loue in vs towards the B. Virgin is the remembrance of her mercyes benefits to vs. YOur Preamble shal be the same as in the former meditation THE FIRST POINT Of the greatnes of the mercyes of our B Lady by reasons he is the Mother of God THe second incitement to loue the most sacred virgin after the cōtemplation or her Perfectiōs Beauty is a pious consideration of her Mercy Liberality and Care of vs humane creatures The which that in some sort you may cōceiue how great it is remember her to be the Mother of God whose bowells doubtles were wholy turned into Mercy since therein shee bare for nine monethes togeather Mercy it selfe Whose hart breast were throughly enkindled with the fire of charity since she often imbraced and fostered in her bosome Fier Charity it selfe She well knew into what plight the loue of vs lost Sinners had brought euen God himselfe her dearest sonne she heard his words in which euery syllable was an argument of his loue to vs. Lastly she both saw felt how great the torments griefes molestatiōs were which he suffered onely for the redemption of makind And is it possible that she should not most vehemently thirst after our good and saluation who heard on the Crosse her dearest Sonne though all his body were torne and mangled with whips and scourges and his handes feete pierced with hard nayles yet notwithstanding more mindfull of vs then of himselfe cry out I thirst For if this voyce of our most beloued IESVS vnderstood by Fayth and distilled into the eares of the hart by meditation did mooue and incite those Apostolicall men those Paules those Dominickes those Francis'es those Ignatius'es those Xaucrius'es to so noble and heroicall attemps for the Saluation of their neighbours what did it not worke in the Bles Virgin who in the stage of Mount Caluary in that Scaffolde of diuine loue heard saw and euen felt the wonderfull loue her Sonne bare to mankind Affections of loue YOu shall proceede further beginne to tast and see how benigne and sweet our B. Lady is Then shall you congratulate with her for her most singular mercy wherby
carried him into Aegypt so you wil be pleased in all chaunces to guard and defend me with a Motherly charity against the force of all my most dreadfull Enemies 6. Offer your selfe as one wandering out of his way and say O my most wise Mother B. Mary behold me your most vnworthy SoÌ„ne like a lost sheep through ignoraÌ„ce straying from the right way I humbly beseech you that as you did seeke little IESVS being lost and after three dayes fouÌ„d in the Temple did bring him backe againe feeding sustaining nourishing him euen to the thirtith yeare of his age so you would be pleased to inquire after me your strayd child almost lost in the errour of imperfection and bring me backe to the Fatherly house of diuine grace and mercy instructing teaching me with your wise precepts in such sort that I may hereafter become perfect in all vertue 7. Offer your selfe as one being iudged to death O my most glorious Mother behold me your SoÌ„ne iudged by the diuine Iustice to death although vncertaine of the time of execution yet howerly expecting and searing the same Therefore as you did accoÌ„pany your Blessed Sonne IESVS with an vnspeakeable affection of griefe condemned to death for our sakes were present with him dying vpoÌ„ the Crosse In like manner I humbly beseech you to assist me with present ayde and not to forsake me in that last hower of my life And as you receiued into your bo some the body of your SoÌ„ne IESVS taken downe from the Crosse so receiue I humbly deseech you O Blessed Mary Mother of Grace Mother of mercy into those your Motherly armes my poore soule departing out of my body These seauen consideratioÌ„s may be deuided into the seauen dayes of the Weeke adding to the end of ech one the hymne Aue Maris stella And truly how great profit this kind of filiall confidence bringeth vnto our soules may easily be knowne by the example of S. Bernard to whome for this cause only our Blessed Lady descended from heauen giuing vnto him the milke of her owne breasts From whence as it is credible he sucked that admirable sweetnes intermixed with piety which euery line of his writings doth sauour off But what shall I say concerning Blessed Stanislaus Kostka a Nouice of the society of IESVS who euen from his infancy nourished in his brest so tender an affection vnto our B. Lady that he doubted not allwaies to call her his Mother and that with so great feeling of deuotion in so louing a manner that he alwayes moued exceedingly the standers by to piety Neyther did our B. Lady omit to shew her Motherly affection many times vnto him but chiefly when she placed her little Sonne IESVS in his bed as he lay sicke and thereby filled his Soule with comfort restored health vnto his body and departing coÌ„maunded him to enter into the Society of IESVS CHAP. V. That the often deuout remembrance of our B. Lady is an effect and signe of true loue towards her WHere thy Treasure is there is thy hart sayth the holy Scripture Where loue is there is often remembraÌ„ce of the thing beloued Hence it commeth that the true Seruants of our B. Lady do recreate as it were their minds with the remembrance and contemplation of her when they see any Image of hers then do they shew their deuotion by saluting her as present in the same with these or the lik words Haile Mother of beautifull loue of feare of knowledge of Holy Hope Shew your selfe to be a Mother c. Or else they haue alwayes in readines some other Iaculatory prayer Of which kind of deuotion S. Philip Nereus had great store as for example O Virgin Mary Mother of God pray vnto IESVS for me O Glorious Virgin grauÌ„t I may alwaies be mindefull of you c. Many more like vnto these had he gathered togeather to the number of the Beads of his Rosary reciting them ofte insteed of his Pater Nosters Aue Maries What we haue sayd heeretofore of shewing reuerence both to other things and to the pictures of our Bles Lady may be reduced vnto this place for the Reuerence we â—â—eated of there is a filiall duty ioyned with loue and proceeding from the same You may adioyne vnto the former discourse that which is recounted in the life of S. Dominicke concerning the first Friars of that Order who were allwaies accustomed to place in their Ceis our B. Ladyes picture imbracing her little Sonne Iesus with another of Christ hanging on the Crosse by the behoulding whereof their memory might be alwayes styrred vp and their exteriour senses gather new spirituall force Vita S. Dom. lib. 6. c. 20. Moreouer the louers of our Blessed Lady as if some sweet hony were distilled into their bowels do reioyce and exult as often as they heare her most Blessed Name which thing was most ordinary with B. Aloysius Gonzaga of the Society of IESVS who being yet but a child conceiued so great deuotion towards our B. Lady that as often as he heard her Name he seemed to be moued and begin to melt with a spirituall feeling of deuotion In eius vita lïb 1. c 6. And for this cause doth S. Bonauenture cry out not without reason O Blessed Mary how famous is your Name how can it choose but be famous seing it is neuer pronounced without some very great profit vnto the speaker Let your Bernard be witnes of this who sayth O Great O Godly O Worthy Mary You caÌ„not be so much as named but you enkindle vs with your loue nor thought vpoÌ„ without comfort vnto the minds of your Seruants You neuer do enter into the gates of our pious affection but you are accompanied with an heauenly sweetnes engrafted in you by the diuine hand Lastly all who are truly vigilant in the seruice of this Glorious Virgin do hourely when they heare the Clocke strike recite an Aue Maria in the honour of the Angelicall Salutation and the Incarnation of the Sonne of God for which kind of deuotion Pope Leo the tenth after him Paul the fifth haue graunted a thousand dayes pardon CHAP. VI. Another euident signe of Affection vnto the B. Virgin is to speake often of her THe tongue alwayes speaketh out of the aboundaÌ„ce of the heart whose Soule the loue of our Bles Lady doth once possesse his tongue doth challenge it as its owne For your speaches most B. Virgin are sweet in the mouth of them that loue you therefore they often vse them with great contentement heare theÌ„ vttered by others and vtter them vnto such as will heare them S. Bernardine being yet a child was carried with such feruour to talke of Christ his B. Mother that his coÌ„panions durst not bring in any other discourse in his presence In eius vita This also was obserued in B. Stanislaus Kostka aforesaid that although he spake frequently of the B. Virgin yet he alwaies inueÌ„ted new those
most magnificent Names wherewith be did entitle her and euer sought the highest degrees to place her in yea it seemed oftentymes grieuous to him that he could not parallell the excellency of his Iudgement with words and that he could not inuent some higher places to allot her Neyther would I haue you imagine in this place that our affection to the B. Virgin must be only declared in priuate meetings but also in publike Sermons by setting forth her prayses in great Assemblies by refuting Heretical blasphemyes and lastly by exorting Catholikes to a more feruent reuerence of her This deuotion was very profitable vnto a certayne Religious man a pious and Godly Preacher who for the singular affection he bore vnto the Bles Virgin was wont to end all his Sermons with the rehearsall of some miracle of hers This man being at the point of death was much strengthened by the assistance and visible presence of our B. Lady and ouerwelmed with incredible ioy iubily of hart singing the Virgins prayses the diuels storming in vaine he departed out of this life into heauen Spec. Exempl d. 7. Exemp 56. Nor can I omit the deuotion of S. Francis Xauier to our Bles Lady which he shewed in teaching the Christian doctrine in the Indies for in explicating the Articles of the Creed and the Ten commaundemets he vsed this method that in the end of Euery Precept he woulde first craue by reciting the Pater Noster our Sauiours help but afterwards he caused al the assembly to sing with a loud voyce these words Holy Mary Mother of God obtaine for vs grace of thy B. Sonne IESVS Christ allwayes to obserue this precept And not being contēt with this admirabe deuotion he allwayes did end his Catechisme with a Salue Regina whereby the whole company craued the assistance of the B. Virgin lib. 1. epist. Xauer ep 5. Out of the same fountaine of loue towards our Bles Lady springeth their piety who sing forth her prayses and celebrate them aswell by songs and dytties as by other their labours And truly all posterity may take for a parterne in this kinde S. Casimirus Sonne to the King of Polonia This man being very much addicted vnto the B. Virgin daily on his knees saluted her with most Excellet and learned verses made by himselfe wherin were contayned all the mysteryes of Christ incarnate Bellar. de offic c. 3. in eius vita CHAP. VII Another euidente signe of Loue towards our B. Lady is to honour and reuerence her Friends FIrst togeather with our Bles Lady we ought to loue reuerence and honour S. Ioseph whome our B. Lady esteemed as her most chast and dearest Spouse as most carefull in the education of Christ our Sauiour and defireth much that he be beloued and honoured by those who serue her There is extant a litle deuout Office vnto this holy Saint Ioseph as also many other deuotions which do require a longer discourse After him by order of good consequence do follow S. Ioachim S. Anne our B. Ladyes Father and Mother to whom there are many goodly prayers vsed by holy Church vs witnesses of the affection reuerence our Auncestors did beare vnto them To conclude all other Saints who for their singular deuotion haue beene deare vnto our Bles Lady ought also to be deare vnto vs and all who loue and honour her ought likewise to be beloued and honoured of vs Of the honour which we are to giue to the friends of our B. Lady these shall be the signes arguments 1. Among the other praises of the Saints to place this as most singular and excellent that they haue beene great louers of our B. Lady 2. To honour these Saints with great affection beseeching them that they out of the fornace of their loue to our B. Lady would send one onely sparke thereof into our hearts 3. To make great esteeme and to loue imitate the piety towards our B. Lady of such as we liue withall and willingly to conuerse with them chiefly principally for this cause 4. To pray often for the deuout Clients of the B. Virgin and with a great readines of mind to be willing to help them as far as lieth in our power when they stand in need of vs. To these kind of charitable Offices we are incited by the example of the Angels themselues who loue most intierely the friends of our Bles Lady indeauoring to cherish them with their presence helpe and consolation whereof let this example of S. Catharine of Siena giue vs testimony who euen about the fifth yeare of her age as often as she eyther went vp or came downe the stairs of her Fathers house did kneele at Euery step and recited an Aue Maria in which deuotion she was often lifted vp aboue the ground by the hands of Angells B. Ant. 3. p. Hist. tit 25. c. 14. Neither is this a wonder for that Virginity is a vertue which clay meth affinity with the celestiall Spirits who do admire loue prayse vphold promote the beautifull steps of the Virgins daughter that is of the Soule tending to Perfection in ornaments of reuerence and loue towards the B. Virgin And who can consider this affection of the Blessed Spirits Who can behold these dutiful offices without honouring the Virgin Mary and louing her followers Let vs adde vnto these another faire spectacle no lesse pleasant then pious S. Mary of Oegnta was accustomed euery yeare to goe in pilgrimage vnto our Ladyes Church at Oegnia situated about some two miles from her howse and although it was in the very depth of cold winter yet neuer was she in any case slack to performe that excellent worke euen on her bare feete For the internall feruour and heate of her deuotiō towards Christ and his B. Mother easily banished all the externall cold Through the sweet feeling of deuotion the vsed to shed teares of comfort wherewith her face garments were largly bedewed She breathed forth hoat flames of feruent aspirations crying out for flowers to vnderproppe her euen languishing with loue The Angells came straight to ayde her some of them holding her vp by the hands as she wēt others that she might not go astray in a blind crooked vnknowne way carryed before her a heauēly light others when it was needfull were ready to couer her head to defend her from the snow and rayne yea and brought her home safe againe from the iniury of ayre wind tempests Sur. in eius vita O what a spectacle was this to behold How is the feruour of a louing Soule euen in this life recompensed with the seruices of so many Angels O hart O tongue O affection O wordes Goe sigh runne fly vnto our sweetest Loues of IESVS and MARY OVR B. LADIES LITLE GARDEN THE THIRD BED florishing with Lillyes Wherin are contained Exercises proper for those who like vnto Lillies shining in purity of life and sincerity of affection doe after a peculiar manner
obtaine the same By these wordes OVR LORD IS VVITH THEE are declared that vnspeakeable vnion and operation which the Blessed Trinity did perfect in me when he conioyned the Substance of my flesh to the diuine Nature in one person so as God became Man man God I being in that houre made worthy to tast the ioy and sweetnes which no other Creature could experience And by the wordes BLESSED ART THOV AMONGST VVOMEN euery Creature with admiration doth acknowledge professe me to be Blessed and exalted aboue all By the wordes BLESSED IS THE FRVITE OF THY VVOMBE the most excellent fruite of my wombe which hath sanctifyed euery Creature is blessed and extolled for all eternity In vita S. Mechtildis This holy Virgin of Christ afterwards in saying her Beades was alwayes accustomed to adde three Aue Maries for the obtayning of a happy death of which we haue spoken before in the first Bed and 5. Chapter It wil be also very profitable at all houres of the day and night when the Clocke strikes to say once the Angelicall Salutation to which deuotion certaine Indulgences are granted by the holy Sea Apostolicke as we haue sayd before in the second Bed V. Chater The custome likewise is deuoutly to be kept to recite thrice a day morning noone night three Aue Maries according to so many tolles of the bell adding these vsuall Versicles before euery Aue The Angell of our Lord. Behold the Handmayd And the Word became flesh in honour of the principall Mysteries to wit The Resurrection the Passion and Incarnation of our Lord. CHAP. II. Of the Crowne or Rosary of the B. Virgin and of the first manner of saying the same THat manner of saluting the B. Virgin is very ancient and famous which consisteth of an hundred fifty Aue Maries and one Pater Noster before euery decade Neither is that lesse in vse which consisteth of 63. Aue Maries according to the number of yeares which our Blessed Lady is thought to haue liued on earth adioyning to euery Decade one Pater Noster The first of these manners is called the Rosary both because it is knit together with mysticall Roses as S. Dominicke the Author therof is recounted to haue so receiued the same The latter is tearmed the Crown wherewith as with a garland the B. Virgin shewed her selfe adorned as afterwards we shal declare Chap. 4. And the Religious Order of the Minimes hath greatly propagated the same although the Crowne it selfe is vsually euery where called by the name of Rosary in regard whereof we wil vse these Names confusedly without any regard of distinction But the thing of greatest profit and consolation is to recite daily and offer vnto our B. Lady the Rosary or Crowne the which oblation that it may be done with more fruit and gust it is expediēt to season the same with diuers considerations which are found euery where in deuout bookes and heere we will propound three only as it were fountaines of the rest The first manner of saying the Rosary is that wherin chiefest regard is had of attentiō to the wordes with some application of the sense to the same which is very easy if with discretion the Rules following be obserued 1. Before you begin recollect your selfe a little marking with attention how Noble and Angelicall an Office you are about to performe and for what intent 2. Blessing your selfe with the signe of the crosse begin with saying one of these Versicles or the like Now let my lippes sing display The Blessed Virgins praise this day Grant me O Virgin thee to prayse Againsts thy foes giue strenght allwayes Then recite the first Decade or Ten pondering the Consideration next ensuyng This being duely performed say O mother of God and Virgin Mary let all the holy Angells ten thousand tymes extoll and blesse you The second decade with the Consideration being also ended say Let all holy Patriarches Prophets twenty thousand tymes extoll and blesse you After the third say Let all holy Apostles thirty thousand tymes c. After the fourth Let all holy Martyrs fourty thousand tymes c. After the fifth Let all holy Confessours fifty thousand tymes c. After the sixth Let all holy Virgins widdowes and others blesse and extoll you a hundred thousand tymes Then reciting the three last Aue Maries in the first you shall salute the B. Virgin Mary daughter of the Eternall Father demaunding the vertue of Fayth offering your body to her perpetuall seruice In the second you shall salute the B. Virgin Mary Mother of the Sonne of God asking the vertue of Hope offering your soule vnto her In the third you shall salute the Virgin Mary Spouse of the Holy Ghost crauing the vertue of Charity and offering vnto her whatsoeuer you haue or by any iust title can lay claime vnto after this conclude by saying the Creed deuoutly When you haue thus ended the Rosary you may recite the Hymne Aue Maris stella with the versicle and Prayer Diuers do adde the Psalme De profundis for the dead Or Laudate Dominum omnes gentes c. These aduertisemens may be common to all the manners of saying the beades but that with followeth is most proper for our purpose In saying the first Decade or Ten. YOu shall imagine all the Aues thereof to be as so many pretious stones or other ornamets most beautifull to the sight which are offered to the Mother of God by the handes of your Angel Guardian for composing a Garland or Crowne to adorn her head Neither doth this conceit want good warrant as shal be manifest by the following history taken out of Dionysius Carthusianus in his first Sermon of the Assumption of our Blessed Lady and 13. verse A certaine Monke of the Religious Order of Cistercians who had accustomed daily with great deuotion to salute the B. Virgin by reciting the Rosary when vpon a certaine day all alone in his chamber he was paying on his knees his accustomed taske the most deuout Virgin appeared vnto him shewing him a most beautifull Robe shining with admirable splendour except only a little part thereof being all ouer engrauen with Golden Aue Maries and saying Seest thou quoth shee in what esteem I haue the Aue Maries which hitherto thou hast offred vp vnto me And when this part of the Robe that is vnfinished shall be adorned also with the like Aue Maries I will cause thee to enter into the kingdome of my Sonne adorned also with comelines and glory After the same manner do you behold the B. Virgin present whiles you are saying the first Decade offering those salutations vnto her as if they were so many pretious stones and rich iewells most pleasing and gratefull to hereyes to all the heauenly Court and you shall most humbly intreate her that she will vouchsafe to present vnto herselfe and her beloued Sōne your Soule first made beautifull with the ornaments of
3. Her holy Natiuity 4. Her Presentation in the Tēple 5. The yeares of her Childhood and her vow of Virginity made in her tender age 6. Her betroathing to S. Joseph On Twesday they consider 1. The Annunciation of the Angell 2. The visitation of Saint Elizabeth 3. The Natiuity of Christ 4. The adoration of the Sheepheardes 5. The Circumcision 6. The Adoration of the three kinges On Wednesday they beare in mind 1. The Purification of the B. Virgin and Presentation of Christ in the Temple 2. Their flight into Aegypt and seauen yeares abode there 3. The remayning of Iesus in the Temple his finding there 4. His childhood life vntill thirty yeares of age 5. His departure from the company of his Mother his Baptisme and fasting 6. His preaching and miracles On Thursday they meditate 1. The solēne entrance of Christ into Ierusalem 2. His washing of the Apoles feet 3. The institution of the most B. Sacrament 4. His prayer in the Garden 5. His apprehending 6. That which he suffered in the house of Annas and Cayphas and S. Peters denyall of him On Friday they contemplate 1. Christ our Lord led vnto Pilate and Herod 2. His whipping at the pillar 3. His crowning with thornes 4. His shewing to the people and the wordes Ecce homo 5. His condemnation and carrying of his Crosse 6. His crucifying On Saturday they ponder 1. The words of Christ our Lord vttered vpon the Crosse and chiefly these Behold thy Mother and Behold thy Sonne 2. His death 3. The great griefe sorrow of our Bles Lady 4. The taking downe of Christs body from the Crosse 5. His Buryall 6. The desceding of his soule into Hell On Sunday they call to mynd 1. The Resurrection of Christ our Lord. 2. His Ascension 3. The sending downe of the holy Ghost 4. The rest of our B. Ladyes life vntill her death 5. Her triumphall Assumptiō 6. Her Coronation and the patronage of all men giuen vnto her This exercise of meditating the mysteries of Christ our Lord and of the B. Virgin in saying the Rosary hath beene had in great esteeme and was constantld practysed by Saint Charles Borromeus that famous Contemplant of our B. Lady in eius vita l. 8. c. 2. S. Bernardinus also of Sienna hath left testifyed that whatsoeuer Graces or Spirituall gifts at any tyme he obtayned came from the deuout remembrace of the Ioyes of our B. Lady in the honour of which he dayly recyted her Rosary Ineius vita But a singular testimony of this deuotion may be taken out of the Chronicles of S. Francis where it is recounted that a certayne Priest who had accustomed dayly to adorne an Image of our B. Lady with a garland of flowers entred into Saint Francis Order where when as he could not dayly offer his wonted garland vnto the B. Virgin he thought of retourning backe to the world againe But the Mother of God full of Mercy permitted not that her Client should long remaine in errour but compassed about with a heauenly light she appeared vnto him and with the beames of her benignity did she driue away the darke myst of his mynd commāding that he should not rashly cast from him so great a Iewell of Religious vocation which now he had vndertakē least otherwise himselfe also might perhaps afterwards come to be reiected of God and withall she instructed him how he should dayly offer to her another garlād more odoriferous and gratefull cōposed of the fixty three Aue Maries seauen Pater Nosters in memory of the seauen Ioyes which she tenderly and entirly felt 1. In the Conception of her Blessed Sonne 2. When she carryed him in her wombe and visited S. Elizabeth 3. In his birth 4. In the Adoration of the three Kings 5. In her finding him in the Temple 6. In his Resurrection 7. When she was assumpted into heauen So that euery ioy correspondeth to euery Decade and the seauenth to the three last Salutations This good Religious mā obeyed the admonition wholsome counsell of the B. Virgin and from thence forth began to recite dayly the Corone after that methode and manner A long tyme after notwithout a great miracle the B. Virgin appeared agayne vnto him being in daunger of his life no lesse powerfull benigne a Guardian then before she had beene a prudent and wise Mistresse towardes her seruant For on a tyme as he trauayled by Obedience with his cōpanion through a wood which was much haunted with theeues reciting the Rosary meditating vpon of the foresayd Mysteries the theeues espied him togeather with a most beautiful Virgin who at euery Angelicall Salutation gathered from his mouth as he spake a Rose and with a threed of gold fastened the same to a circle in manner of a Crowne When he had ended his beades and the B. Virgin departed forthwith the theeues came rushing with great violence vpon the Religious mā inquiring of him from whēce that Virgin came and whither she was gone He denyed to haue seene any as also his companion did the like at which the theeues were enraged and ready to kill them In the meane space they both with very great earnestnes inward feruour cryed vpon our B. Lady O Mother of God ayd and succour vs. And behold the B. Virgin presently appeared with a glorious company of Angels adornd with that same garland and first rebuking the theeues turned to the Angels and with a cheerfull countenance said Lo with what a beautifull Crowne thi◠Brother hath adorned me and foothwith vanished away Leauing the mynds of the beholders in great astonishment at this incredible motiue and aspect which so moued the theeues to the true vnderstanding of themselues serious conuersion of their liues that they entred into religion became deuout seruants of the B. Virgin The same also that this religious mā now spoke of did accomplish was no lesse deuoutly performed by S. Thomas of Canterbury who was accustomed dayly to call to mynd the seauen ioyes wherwith our B. Lady was replenished lyuing vpon earth in the pious remembrance whereof he tooke great contentement and sweetnes Wherefore the Virgin Mother hauing a desire to transfer his deuotion to more sublyme ioyes appeared and spake vnto him in this manner Why O my beloued Thomas doest thou meditate only vpon those ioyes that I had on earth cal to mynd also those which I now enioy in heauen which are these 1. I reioyce that aboue all pure Creatures I am placed next in honour vnto the most Blessed Trinity 2. I reioyce for the garland of my vnspotted Virginity whereby I far excell all the orders of Angells Saints 3. I reioyce that euen as the Day is replenished with light from the Sun so the whole Heauēly Court more abundantly shyning by my beatitude is replenished with ioy 4. I reioyce that all the Cittizens of that Court do obey and reuerence me the Mother of their King 5. I recoice because
come neere vnto him he is none of yours neyther can you preuayle against him At which wordes the wicked crew swifter thē thought did vanish away Then she turning to the Religious man sayd thou shalt vnderstand that thy deuotion is very gratefull and acceptable both to God and me therefore perseuere as how hast begun striue dayly to profit therein And that I may also giue thee some directions in particuler be sure to eate the worst meate thou canst find Exercise thy selfe deuoutly in the labour of thy hands and choose the worst coursest cloathes And hauing thus spoken vnto him she sently departed Vincent Bellou l. 7. spec hist. c. 117. How the Bl. Virgin did ioyne the Refection of her mynd with that of her Body NEyther may we make doubt but that the B. Virgin whilest she fed her body did also nourish her soule since that she had the Angells alwayes to serue her and Christ our Lord sitting at the Table with her If you desyre to imitate this recollection of the B. Virgin and nourish your soule with some pious meditation whilst you are feeding your body on Sunday you may imagine that you see the heauenly banquet wherwith the Angels and Blessed soules in heauen together with IESVS-Christ his B. Mother are sweetly replenished with the Glory of God On munday you may imagine Christ our Lord in his Holy Mothers armes when he was a child feeding sucking at her breastes On Tuesday thinke you see him now more grown sitting at the Table with the Bl. Virgin S. Joseph On Wednesday that you see him seeding in the desart after he had fasted fourty daies receauing food from the hands of Angels On thursday that you see him eating his last Supper with his disciples On Friday drinking gal on the crosse On Saturday that you see the Bl. Virgin as before sayd feeding with the Angells who administer vnto her or els saying grace at your table giuing a sweet tast relish to your meate with the hony of her diuine Goodnes and Mercy Which benefit she hath often bestowed on many especially Religious persons as she was once seene to go about the Table of the Cisterciā monks with her owne handes distribute a certayn Electuary or sweet confection to all of them one only excepted who refused to eat as the rest did but was of a particular diet Caesar l. 7. c. 48. It is recorded also of one Fulbertus a singular Honourer of the Bles Virgin that being once very sicke and loathing all kind of meate the B. Virgin apeared to him gaue him her virginall breasts to sucke wherby he presently recouered his health O that the Bles Virgin would bestow vpon vs some of that celestiall sweetnes out of her motherly breasts how then should we despise and contemne all these corporall delicacies and sensual pleasures which are as wel common euen vnto bruite beasts as to vs. With what discourse did the B. Virgin recreate her mynd after her Refection AFTER her sparing and temperate repast we may piously imagine what recreation the B. Virgin vsed being so neerly conioyned to God that daily she conuersed with him or with Angels or els with S. Ioseph or som of the sacred Virgins who had dedicated their seruice to the honour of God in the Temple It was reuealed to S. Brigit that Christ IESVS when he was yet a Child in priuate and domesticall discourse with his Mother S. Ioseph did reueale vnto them diuers hidden diuine things and that the sweetnes of his words caused in thē both singulardelight kindling a great fiame of the diuine loue in their breasts lib. 6. de reuel cap. 58. And it hath byn said before that those who are truly louers honourers of the B. Virgin are very much addicted to spiritual colloquies and discourses therefore there is no need to say any more thereof in this place CHAP. XII How the Bles Virgin i to be imitated in Sleeping YOu may learne out of S. Ambrose what the repose of our B. Lady was The B. Virgin sayth he l. 2. de Virg had sooner necessity thē desire to sleep and yet whilest her body did rest her soule was still watchfull often repeating in her sleepe what she had read or interrupted of her rest she continued still the same To which may added out of S. Bernard that whilst the B. Virgin slept by a meritorious act she did wholy aspire vnto God was euen then a perfect cōtemplant serm 51. c. 2. The which sanctity of hers euen in sleeping you are to imitate as neere as you can To the attaining wherof a continuall deuotion and exercise of vertue wil wōderfully help Besithe B. Virgin doth vse to bestow her benediction vpon those who take their rest in decent holy manner as S. Dominicke did see her once sprinkle with holy water and blesse all his Religious being a sleepe excepting one who lay vndecently in his bed although he were ignorant thereof CHAP. XIII Of the Imitation of the princicipall Vertues of the B. Virgin first of her Purity THat the B. Virgins Purity was neuer so much as blemished with the least spot of sin S. Basil in one word doth sufficiently declare when he sayth That among all Creatures liuing there was not any greater nor the like Purity to be found then that of the Bl. Virgin in orat de hum Christi gener And S. Anselme sayth The pure Sanctity and most saintly Purity of her pious breast did infinitly surpasse the purity of all other creatures whatsoeuer de Excell B. Virgin c. 9. And the better to preserue this purity the B. Virgin did accompany it with two other Vertues to wit the continuall Presence of God and as carefull Custody of her selfe Of the presence of God Canisius doth thus discourse What is more happy then the B. Virgin who whithersoeuer she went did alwayes contemplate the Euerlasting Diuinity of God adoring inwardly so great a Maiesty in spirit and truth conceyuing nothing in that her so pure and holy breast but what was also most diuine and pure lib. 1. c. 13. Of her euer watchful care to keep this Purity the B. Virgin herselfe sayd thus vnto S. Brigit Euen from that tyme sayd she that I first vnderstood there was a God I was alwayes fearfull and solicitous of my selfe of my obseruance towards him inwardly louing him and euery houre fearing least by word or deed I might any wayes offend him lib. de reuel cap. 10. Of the loue and desire of the like Purity NOw that you may not only know this Purity but that knowing it may also loue it that louing it may likewise desyre and imbrace it you must often represent vnto your selfe the most admirable purity of the B. Virgin as most resplendant fayre louely and gratefull both to God Angels and Men. She appeared once to S. Gertrude like to a most white shining Lilly spreading it self before the most Holy and
daunger of her owne life The Sonne hunge vpoÌ„ the Crosse and the Mother of fred herselfe vnto the persecutors wherby she became more then a Martyr and is therfore commonly called the Queen of Martyrs l. de insâ—t virg But how many how solide arguments of patieÌ„ce did the B. Virgin suggest vnto S. Lidwyne a most deuout seruant of hers whilst she lay grieuously sicke for many yeares may easily appeare in that she often sent vnto her an Angell to recreate and coÌ„fort her with his presence in the midst of her dolours afflictions This Angell would often carry S. Lidwyne to an Image of the B. Virgin to salute the same often also to a most pleasant GardeÌ„ of flowers and into a most sweet and temperate ayre where she suffered neyther heate nor cold Somtimes also would he carry her to see the paynes in Purgatory that she might learne to set light by what she suffered heere on earth At other times would he rayse her vp to behold the Blessed Soules in heauen froÌ„ whence she receaued such aboundant pleasure delight that she was euen rauished with the sight therof And the Blessed Saintes did call vnto her animate her in these words Suffer constantly Lidwyne that which yet remayneth for thee to suffer for we all haue passed through fyer and water before we came to inioy this rest happines as you see Jn eius vita Do you likwise imagine that you heare the B. Virgin animating you with like wordes to suffer couragiously whensoeuer occasion is offered To this may be added the example of Hermanus surnamed CoÌ„tractus or the Cripple borne of a noble Family in Sueueland so called for that all his members were from his youth shrunke vp contracted This man led a Religious life famous for learning in the holy Order of S. Benedict about the yeare of Christ 1060. And praying once vnto the Bles Virgin most earnestly to graunt him the vse of all his lymmes she appeared vnto him and gaue him his choyce of thes two things eyther to remayne as he was haue the guift of al humayne diuine science learning or els to be made whole altogether ignorant vnlearned But he considering well the matter chose to remaine a cripple as he was Tritem de viris illustr lib. 2. c. 84. No doubt but the Blessed Virgin persuaded this singular exaÌ„ple of patience vnto Hermanus to giue vs to vnderstand that whosoeuer will please the Blessed Virgin according to her example must patiently imbrace all troubles and afflictions But to returne vnto our story From that time forwards Hermanus did so excell in all kind of Learing both in the Latin Greeke Arabicke touÌ„ge as he was inferior to none of his age And among many other things he set forth the Ant-hymne of Salue Regina vsually sunge by theÌ„ Church in her Office and often celebrated by Angelicall musicke and many miracles Of the Obedience of the B. Virgin LAstly Obedience the Daughter of Humility was most excellent rare in the B. Virgin the which Gerson doth coÌ„firme wheÌ„ he sayth That she standing by the Crosse exercised a most highe Act of Obedience in offering her Sonne vnto God and in conforming her will in his most bitter death vnto the will of God She was most obedient vnto all but especially vnto her Parents as saith S. Metchtild of whom she was so obseruant that she neuer offended them in any the least thing The Vertue of her imitation in this so excellent maÌ„ner she commended vnto S. Catharine daughter to S. Brigit who liuing at Rome with her Mother did so greatly desire to returne to her Country of Sueuia againe that her Mother could by no means perswade her froÌ„ the same WherupoÌ„ the B. Virgin appearing did sharply reprehend her saying Shall I help or fauour thee in any thing when thou neyther obeyest God nor me nor thy Mother nor thy Confessor After this admonition S. Catherine began to desist was euer after of a most ready and prompt obedience Sur. in eius vita The great propension readines of Fa. Peter Canisius of the Society of IESVS late Apostle of Germany to honour the B. Virgin is well knowne vnto all and himselfe hath declared in the end of his fifth Booke writteÌ„ of her prayses The which our B. Lady did as greatly abundantly reward by bestowing on him the Vertue of Obedience to his Superiours with such true feeling and impression of hart as he was ready to vndergo any Office or ministery of the Society though neuer so meane or humble without respect or care of himselfe but reposing all his comfort confidence in God and his B. Mother These be his owne words I desire you earnestly O most glorious Queene whome none do call vpon without pious fruite that you would fauourably accept this poore testimony of my deuotion towards you I confesse I am not Ephrem that I would dare to say with him Make me worthy to praise you o holy Virgin Neither am I Damascen that I should make new hymnes vnto your honour Nor am I Hildephonsus that I should be honoured with a peculiar reward for vndertaking your defence But I shall thinke my selfe fully and highly rewarded if you would be pleased to enrole me not in the number of your friends or children but of your seruants and vassals Thus he of his deuotion towards the B. Virgin Heare now what a true feeling of Obedience she therefore in recompence bestowed vpon him For he thus answered S. Jgnatius commending Obedience vnto all those of his Society to him in particuler I do simply professe that it will be most gratefull vnto me whatsoeuer office or ministery shal be inioyned me by holy ObedieÌ„ce be it of Cooke Gardener Porter or any other office in which I am ignorant wholy to learne And froÌ„ this day forwards I do make a holy vow setting aside all respect whatsoeuer that I will haue no care heerafter either of the disposall of my selfe for Mission or habitation or any other commodity whatsoeuer but remit all vnto the Care and disposition of our Reuerend Father Generall to whome I offer vp faithfully commend in Christ Iesus our Lord the gouernement both of my body soule my vnderstaÌ„ding my wil and all that I haue OrlaÌ„d hist. l. 8. n. 4. Do you by these examples implore the ayde of the B. Virgin that you may be obedient in so excellent a degree imagining you heare her often say vnto you as she did to those seruants of the wedding feast in Cana of Galiley Whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you that do CHAP. XVII The Imitation of the B. Virgin in Charity towards our Neighbours SAint Bonauenture speaking of the Almes which the B. Virgin was wont to bestow vpon the poore when she was yet a Child sayth She refreshed her body with the foode she receaued from the hand of her Angell gaue all that was allowed