shewed me his paternitie being present with other religious And I sawe it and touched it many times And that those that were in the Church might see it Father Proâ—inciall lifting it vp in his armes and I with him wee shewed it to all two or three seuerall times vested and dressed as she was so that she seemed a liue religious And one thing I noted worthie of much consideration that the blessed virgin being so stiffe and cripled when she dyed for with the force of her doloures all her members were wrested and gathered together euen so yet now her holy body remaineth wrested draweÌ„ together retaining that most sweet sauour which it had when she died being a celestiall sauour that comforteth entire without any thing wanting to it sauing the little toe of one foote which as hath beene saide the most reuerend Father Generall tooke away for his owne deuotion As also for our sakes who were there Father Prouinciall tooke away the veile from her head which was diuided amongest all and with the part that fell to his owne lot and was put vpon his head was taken from him a very strong ache which he had And a Lady of Toledo was healed of a great paiâ—e of her head with the same peece of veile although taking it from her the paine returned But yet our Lord would to haue the miracle more manifest that putting it on her againe the paine should be wholly taken away by the intercession and merits of the blessed Ioane whose historie so miraculous and diuine written with great desire that God may be glorified endeth heere leauing many other things which in the aboue mentioned originalls and other manuscriptes I haue found as not finding them very authenticke and to auoide prolixitie it seeming to me that these spoken do suffice to the end that those who hitherto haue not had so much notice of this seruant of our Lord may know some of her sanctitie and of the many marueiles which dayly God worketh by her intercession and merits And those who nowe haue it may be confirmed in their deâ—otion All to the greater glorie and honour of our Lord Iesus Christ who liueth and raigneth world without end IESVS MARIA The Approbation of the Readers in Diuinitie The Readers in Diuinitie of S. Francis of Valladolid who heere set downe our names haue seene by the command of our Father Fr. Louis Velasquez Minister Prouinciall of this Prouince of the Conception the booke of the life and miracles of the glorious Mother Saint Ioane of the Crosse composed by the Father Fr. Antonie Daça diffinitor of the same Prouince and generall cronicler of the order and all which in it is conteyned is Catholique and the reuelations of the Saint are admirable and most conforme to the sacred scripture and doctrine of the Saintes teaching the way of heauen with notable sweetnesse and spirit of our Lord whereof they are all full For the which the said booke may and ought to be imprinted hoping with much confidence that it shall be for the honour and glorie of God and vtilitie and profit of the faithfull And this is our opinion in the said Conuent of S. Francis of Valladolid the 8. day of Iulie of the yeare 1610. F. Alonso de Herrera Fr. Francis Aluarez Licence of the Order Freeâ— Louis de Velasquez of the order of our seraphicall Father S. FraÌ„cis Minister Prouinciall in this Prouince of the Conception and visitor of all the religious women thereof by these presentes doe giue licence to the Father Fr. Antonie Deça Deffinitor and Father of the â—ame Prouince that he may imprint and publish a booke which he hath composed of the life and miracles of the Virgin Saint Ioane of the Crosse Religious which was in the monasterie of the Crosse of the holie Prouince of Castile considering that by our commission learned persons of the Prouince haue seene and approued it keeping in the rest which the customary lawe of these kingdomes doe dispose of concerning the impression of bookes giuen in our Conuent of S. Francis of Valladolid the 22. of Iulie of the yeare 1610. Fr. Lewis de Velasquez Minister Prouinciall Approbation of the Vicar of Madrid By commission and commandement of the Lordes of the councell I haue caused this booke of the blessed Ioane of the crosse composed by the Father Fr. Antonie Daça Diffinitor of the Prouince of the conception and cronicler generall of the order of Saint Francis to be visited Being a booke of much learning and deuotion and of much profit for those that shall reade it contayning nothing contrarie to faith nor to good maners and so licence may be giuen him to imprint it Dated in Madrid on the 4. of August 1610. Doctor Gutierre de Cetina his Approbation By particular commission of your Highnesse I haue seene and read this booke intituled the historie life and miracles of the blessed Ioane of the Crosse composed by the Father Fr. Antonie Daça Diffinitor and chronicler of the sacred order of the seraphicall Father and I wish as saith Saint Hierome writing the life of Saint Paâ—la that all the members of my bodie might become tongues to set out the extraordinarie fauours which God hath communicated to this blessed Saint but the author fulfilleth what he promiseth explicating her miracles extasies and reuelations with so great erudition doctrine and truth treated with a delicate and acute wit authorized with the sentences and sayings of the Saints manifested Catholiquely and piously therefore hold for certaine that it shall be much esteemed and with edification read of all and of manie imitated And so I iudge that the licence which he requireth ought to be giuen him Dated in this Conuent of the most holie Trinitie in the street of the Atocha of Madrid on the sixt day of August in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and tenne The Presentado Fr. Iohn Baptista Approbation and licencâ— I Doctor GalipieÌ„zo first Reader of sacred Diuinitie by coÌ„mission of the most excelleÌ„t most reuerend Lord Don Francisco Virgilio Bishop of Lerida and of the counsell of his Maiestie haue seene and with attention read this present booke whose title is The life and miracles extasies and reuelations of the blessed Virgin sister Ioane of the Crosse wherein there is nothinge which contradicteth the holie Catholique faith nor good customes rather there are great motiues to serue God particularly for religious persons for the manie graces and fauours which of his diuine hand they receiue who with feruour do serue him as is seene in the blessed Ioane of the Crosse and so is verie iust that it come to light and therfore haue signed it with my hand on the seauenteenth of Iune one thousand six hundred and thirteene Doctor Antonie Galipienzo Approbation To the Catholique Maiestie of our Lord the King Don Philippe the third Because the little offering is properly of him that can little although in the eyes of a prince it
be qualified with the will of him that offereth it and because that how much lesse it is which goeth to the market of the world it hath so much more neede of valorous protection I was bold to dedicate to your Maiestie this book little in as much as it is a worke of my handes but great in the subiect thereof It is the life of the blessed Virgin sister Ioane of the Crosse by whome our Lord hath wrought and worketh daily so manie maruailes amongest the which one hath beene and not the least to haue excited the most pious minde of your Maiestie to command that this booke reuewed by persons of all sufficiencie come to light againe wherwith it commeth out much honoured and secure from all emulation Our Lord keepe your Maiestie for the helpe and protection of his church as this vnworthly chaplaine of your Maiestie desireth Fr. Antonie Daça Reasons of the truth and authoritie of this historie Truth is the soule of a historie and the historie that wanteth it is as a bodie without a soule for it deserueth not the name of a historie chiefly if it be of Saintes where to lie is sacriledge being they are not honoured but with sinceritie truth The truth which hath beene kept in writing the life of this holy Virgin is the greatest which in the law of historie can be found collected out of these papers following First of all what concerneth the apparitions and miracles of our B. Ladie which are written in the first Chapter of this booke hath beene gathered of three authenticall informatioÌ„s made with ninety and three witnesses before Râ—y Dias of Madrid scriuener de Camâ—ra and publicke notarie and before Peter Sanches and Iohn Gonsales publicke notaries and the Kings scriueners of the towne of Cubas They are authorised and bound together as a booke in the archiue of the Conuent of the Crosse Likewise the life and miracles of the glorious Ioane hath beene gathered out of a booke verie ancient in written hand of a hundred sixtie and foure leaues in quarto with twentie eight chapters bound in boarde with two broken claspes sowed with white threed written by a religious disciple of the B. Ioane called sister Marie Euangelist who neither knew how to read or write vntill miraculously our Lord granted it her to this effect as is proued by an information made for the auouching of this pointe And the booke with the markes aboue saide is originally kept in the Archiue of the crosse Item of an information made with twelue witnesses by commission of the councell of the most excellent Lord Don Bernardo de Roxas Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo made before Louis de Siles Publicke notarie and the Kings scriuener in the cittie of Toledo The originall is in the office of the secretarie Francis Salgado in Toledo Item of another information made in diuers places with seuenteene witnesses by commission of the councell of the foresaid most excellent Lord of Toledo the authenticall copie whereof is in the Archiue of the Crosse Item of another information with fourteene witnesses made in diuers places by commission of our most reuerend Father Fr. Archangell de Messina the authenticall copie wherof is in the Archiue of the Conuent of the crosse Item of another information with eleuen witnesses made in diuers places by commission of our most reuerend Father Iohn de Gazinman Minister Prouinciall of the holy Prouince of Castile which is originally kept in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another informatioÌ„ which was made by the commission of the councell of the most excellent Lord Don Bernardo de Roxas Cardinall and Archbishop of Toledo in Villanuena and Gamarra townes of the said archbishopricke made for to qualifie some miracles of the holie Brother Iulian of S. Augustine The originall is in Toledo in the office of the seer Salgado Item of fiue informations made in Valladolid by Doctor Don Fernando de Valdes Prouost generall of the diocese of Valladolid with interuention of the Fiscall before Iohn de Vega notarie in the audience episcopall of Valladolid in whose office the originalls lie and their authenticall copies in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another information made in Palencia by liceÌ„tiaâ—e Manuell Garcia de Miranda Prouost of the Diocesse of Palencia before Francis Harris de Rueda Apostolicall notarie the originalâ— is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of two informations made in Valladolid by Doctor Orâ—ega de Salazar Lieftenant of the corrector the one before Peter de Auila publicke scriuener of the number of the said cittie and the other before Iulian Garçia scriuener they are originally in the Conuent of the Crosse Item another made by the iustice of the towne of Cubas before Iohn Fernandez Munnos the Kings scriuener and of the number the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of a testimonie sealed and signed of seauen of the Kinges scriueners and publicke of the nuÌ„ber of Valladolid the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another sealed and signed of seauen scriueners of Madrid and of one Apostolicall notarie the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of a testimonie of Iohn Fernandez de Plaza the Kings scriuener and notarie of the holie office neighbour of Cubas the originall is in the office of the saide scriuener Item of another testimonie of Isidro Garçia publicke scriuener of the towne of Cubas whose originall is in the Archiue of the Conuent of the Crosse of others which are in the same CoÌ„ueÌ„t Approbation The Bishop Freer Francis de Sosa of the councell of his Maiestie and generall inquisition to the Christian reader For as much as I haue committed the reuiew of this booke of the life and miracles of the blessed siâ—â—er Ioane of the Crosse which hath beene spoken of in so manie manners and for that it is so naturall to enerie one to defend that which once he hath saide it seemeth to me I haue obligation to satisfie all and I speake to all for although in other cases we must follow the opinion of Cassiodorus in Praefat. lib. 11. who saith that the satisfaction of some defectes may be excused because the discreet without giuing it them doe pardon others errors knowing their owne and to the rest no satisfaction is due yet in matter of doctrine the opinion of the Apostle S. Paule is Rom. 1. that we are debters to the wife and to the vnwise following which aduise I will satisfie both the one and the other in as much as my little sufficiency wil attaine to Beinge the life of this seruant of God was written in a vulgar tongue and conteineth thinges so strange although the booke hauing bene printed so ofâ—in so little time and the great profit it hath done doe well proue the pietie of Spaine which hath also beene the cause that some thinges therin hâ—ue beene noted by persons learned and discreet it seeming to them inconâ—enient that they should goe in
her seeing her weaknesse the tumult of laboures which threatned her on euery side Our Lord heard her praier and for the greater comfort of his seruant spake to her in the same image with sadd and dolorous voice saying My celestiall Father who would not reuoke the sentence of my death although I praied wept wil not that it be reuoked which hath beene giuen against thee but that it be rigorously executed that wearied euery way thou maiest enioy the fruit of patience And the seruant of God confident that our Lord who with one hand giueth laboures with the other coÌ„municateth aide for to drawe fruit out of them as often as shee felte speciall fauoures of the holy spirite praied to haue paines and trauaills to be mixed with them as who so well vnderstood this to be the most secure way THE XIX CHAPTER How the Angell keeper of the seruant of God commanded her to write the things which our Lord did reueale vnto her and of her glorious death 1 SO great is the charitie of God and such his mercy that seeldom times ho doth so speciall fauoures as those which haue beene seene in this historie to any one for himselfe alone but by meanes therof to profit many others And hence it is that her Angell keeper so oftentimes commaÌ„ded the seruant of God B. Ioane to write the mercies and fauoures which God did to her For she with womanly modestie and through her great humilitie was ashamed for to write them Which not to do nor prosecute what was begunne she proposed a thousand infirmities euery day alleaging those of her little health and her being so stiffe in the handes as she could hardly write her name as appeareth by some papers and writings found which she wrote while she was Abbesse Wherupon the Angell commanded her she should write no more with her owne hand but that she should cause them to be written by the hand of another of the religious which was to her another labour greater then the former was and therfore refusing it as much as she could shee saide Sir the fauoures which God hath done me and the things which your beautie hath told me haue beene all in secret and writing them by another hand they cannot choose but be published And fearing it and the iudgements of men being so persecuted as she was and as other religious of the conuent were also for her sake she saide to the Angell sir if hereupoÌ„ there should befall some great euill to my sisters and to me what should we doe God hath care of them and of thee saide the Anâ—ell feare not but do that which I command thee for our Lord who worketh these maâ—uailes in thee doth them for the good of many others and will that they be written and that there be made a memorie of them and if not the fauoures which hee doth thee shall cease and thy doloures and persecutions shall be augmented more then thou artable to thincke 2. She hearing this with humilitie and feare obeying the Angell beganne to write by the hand of another religious called sister Marie Euangelist who according to the tradition of the conuent and as is manifest by an information made with sworne witnesses which knewe her and many times heard her say it neither knewe how to reade nor write vntill our Lord miraculously granted her this grace to write the booke of the Carde as aforsaide and so she wrote with much certaintie the life and miracles of this B. virgin Those two bookes haue beene holden and are holden in the conuent as reliques of much esteeme giuing help against tempestes and thunders and many infirmities They are both very olde and at this day liue three religious which knewe her that wrote them and heard her tell it many times and they affirme that she was a nunne of good life very penitent and of much praier contemplation and that after her death she appeared to another religious in the Church with much splendor and with a booke of Gold in her hands open which was that shee wrote of the things of the glorious Ioane The seruant of our Lord grieued much to see that the writing was neuer made an end of and howe faire and softly the nunne proceeded in her writing wherfore a little before the last infirmitie tooke her of which she died she praied her Angell keeper he would be content with that was written and not oblige her to more he granted it her with good will and saide bid thy sister that her pen cease and she write no more With this licence of the Angell the seruant of God hauing what she desired was bold to say sir if it should please the sisters it would be to me much comfort that what is writteÌ„ should be torne God forgiue thy presumption answered the Angell and do by and by penance therof for thou hast offended him with this euill thought With this she tooke her leaue of her Angell and bid the sister she should leaue wrighting 3. To the many infirmities which she had our Lord sent her the last which was a sttoÌ„g euill of her vrine whereby she was driuen to great straites with most grieuous paines and was fifteene daies together without paying to nature her accustomed tribute And although in all her infirmities she had marueilous patience in this which was the last she had a thousand times more and exceeded euen her selfe she had in the same exceeding raptes and most familiar colloquies with her Angell keeper And as the Swanne towards her death singeth most sweetly and melodiously so this soueraigne Swanne by how much more her desired and happy end approached with so much more sweetnesse she song discouering with acceÌ„ts froÌ„ aboue the fire of the diuine loue which did burne within her breast And although in her infirmities she neuer consented that the phâ—siâ—ians should cure her in this last she did admit them at the instance and deuotion of some Ladies which entreated her she would be cured and sent to her their owne physitians who seing that the infirmitie so much encreased and her weakenesse with all despaired of her at the first time of their visite But she as a most prudent virgin and well experimented in the things of her soule before she came to this point receiued her viaticum and extreame vnction 4. Three daies before her death being in a raâ—te which dured her two howers she â—â—we the Apostles S. Philipp and Iacob and her Angell keeper who bid her conforme herselfe to the will of God and pray him to confirme his sentence for that he had giuen it three times as many times had reuoked it at the instance of other persons which had prayed for her There is no change in God for as the first being infinite and most simple that which once he willeth and can neuer leaue to will it S. Th. 1. p. q. 9. a. 1. and so all that God willeth efficaciously is done but
this matter but much in generall against those which sell the euill for good and in the chapter 1. and 2. de reliquijs veneratione Sanctorum Alexander the 3. câ—â—demneth the reuerence which was done to one Ebrius whom they worshipped for a Saint and the Doctors canonistes vpon those texts doe not depart from the middle sentence which is the truth And although some doe not speake with so much distinction others as Hostiensis and Innocentius doe distinguish verie cleerly betweene publicke prayers obsequies and sacâ—ifices made to the Saints in the name of the whole church and of the particular and priuate which are made to any Saint for the notoriousnesse of his holie life and miracles and they confesse that the prohibition of the said texts is vnderstood of the first and not of the second which also all the diuines doe affirme with more claritie who follow the said middle sentence Suares 3. p. q. 25. a. 1. d. 52. sect 3. conforme to which is to be affirmed that the said texts prohibit the publicke and solemne veneration in name of the whole church but not the particular although there come with them publicke actions and notorious as hath beene saide in consequence wherof must be approued or reproued such like actions accordinge to the ground which there is for the same and for their vse for if it be weake they shall be worthie of reprehension as light and vaine but of it be reasonable they shall be pious and laudable and so is the veneration particular and publicke which in so manie places is made to manie Saints which although they are not canonized nor beatified their sanctitie is knowen by the notoriousnesse of their holie life and the manifestation of their miracles and by other signes in which is grounded the common acclamation of the Christian people and such like although we call them Saints as we would say the holie Freer Didacus the holie freer Raymundus c. we doe not yet giue them the title of Saint absolutely as to say Saint Raymundus Saint Didacus vntill they be canonized For to graduate them with this title the church reserueth for the action of the canonization as is manifest of the first booke of the sacred ceremonies sect 6. cap. 2. § antequam where treating of the processe of the canonization this title of Saint is not giuen vntill the sentence diffinitiue in the which are put these wordes Decernimus definimus bonae memoriae N. Sanctum esse c. And that which to the contrarie Francis Pegna would perswade besides that it is contrarie to what himselfe required to see himselfe in Rome with the blessed Francisca and manie other blessed bodies which neither are canonized nor beatified it is scrupulous without apparance of ground First because the most ancient custome hath so receiued it as we see in such a number of graue authors ancient and moderne which to such like doe giue the name of Saints and referre the veneration which in diuerse partes is made them of this are the bookes full not only of those who haue written the liues of Saints as Surius Lipomanus Vincentius Bellouacensis and others and the chronicles of Religions with infinite graue authors but euen in the very bookes of the holy Fathers and which is more in the Generall Councells is found this manner of speach Nor is it against this to say that those authors were before the saide decrees for some of them were after as S. Bernard S. Raymundus S. Bonauenture S. Antoninus of Florence and many others whose language to condemne wold be temeritie Secondly because not only bookes of history but the Romane Martyrologe it selfe which euery day is read in the diuine office at Prime calleth Saints many centenaries yea thousands of persons which neither are canonized nor beatified Thirdly that which cleerlie conuinceth as well noteth Azorius Tom. 2. p. 2. lib. 5. among those things which are commanded by the Pope of Rome to be auouched for the canonizatioÌ„ of a Saint is the fame which hath beene of his sanctitie and the veneration which the people doe him and so in all the Buls which to this ende are dispatched is put a clause with this demand following An magno pietatis affectu studio eum fuerit populus prosecutus an apud populum haeatur pro beato qui in coelesti patria vita perfrui aeterna credatur quam frequenter eius sepulchrum visitare solet eius opem patrecinium apud Deum implorando multa offerendo tabellas gratiarum ab eo obtentarum indies appendendo These thinges then be lawfull and holy when the Popes doe command to auouch them for an argument of the definition which they pretend to make in so graue a matter This supposed it remaineth to satisfie in particular the censurers of this booke who as hath beene saide are some learned and prudent and others scrupulous and ignorant the first thincke it conuenient to take away some reuelations and other cases which not being for all it is not good that they go in vulgar tongues for the reasons spoken of in the first and second presupposition and so it hath beene done not only in the places which they pointed out but also in many others without making thereby any want in the historie it beinge no wrong to retaine in silence some truthes neither yet is anie iniury done to the originals so worthy of credit for they are kept with all their authoritie vntill it shall be necessarie to recur to them There haue beene also some thinges cut off and others declared touching Purgatorie and other matters which although they be true in rigour of Theologie yet are not so manifest to those who haue not studied to whom it might serue for a rock of scandal what wel vnderstood were matter of edification Likewise in what concerneth the virtue of the beades which Christ our Lord blessed at the instance of this seruant of God hath bene taken away all whatsomeuer sounded of iurisdiction as are indulgences not because we doe not beleeue but that there are many gained as tradition hath receiued but for the reason which in the 10. chapter is declared which is that concession of them is not constant with that distinction which is conuenient for the publication of indulgences and the miracles which hitherto haue beene auâ—uched although they proue alike other great virtues yet not that there are indulgences gained and so this is lefte without wrong to the truth for if the indulgences bee granted they may be gained and if they be not the other virtues are such and so maruailous as they are sufficient that the Christian people may make such estimation of these beades as alwaies they haue done and with so great reason as by and by we will proue Also the title of Saint hath beene taken away which might haue bene vsed with the modification expressed in the fourth supposition that is to say the Saint Ioane and not S.
Ioane absolutely as before it was Sancta Ioanna that is the Saint Ioane or the holie Ioane ouâ— now that this was mended it seemed gooâ— to take it away altogether for the greater satisfaction of those who in this matter do speak with too much rigour without condemning for al this the common language of the people who call this seruant of God the Saint Ioane nor that of so many graue authors which giue her this title and euen the Lord Bishop of Mantua in his chronicle calleth her sanctissima who all speake with much decencie and proprietie as is proued in the fourth note The Bishop of Mantua of the Seraphical Religion Bishop of laen lib. of the veneration of reliques Barespo 4. P. Chronic. N Pereclo lib. of our B. Lady of Atocha Villegas in the flos Sanctorum Fr. Peter de Salazar and others The second sorte of censurers are the scrupulous although well meaning and the first thing wherat they stumble is in that there are related in this booke a great multitude of miracles without being approued by the ordinarie conforme to the decree of the holy couÌ„cel of Trent and the truth is that this decire for prouing miracles and reliques is not new but a confirmation of many others most ancient by the which if these scrupulous would passe their eyes with a very litle obseruance that they might make for the vnderstanding of them they shold be verie farr from giuing such censure For there is verie great difference betweene approning miracles reliques and relating them in a historie the first is reserued to Superiours accordinge to the qualitie of the ende for which the approbation is intended and the second is graunted to all as many as haue beene borne in the world seing that since the beginning thereof haue beene related and written diuers miraculous cases without that any one haue more obligation for the truth of the history then to relate the thinges as he knoweth them and euery one giueth him the credit that accordinge to prudence seemeth good vnto him and to whom this shall be wâ—nting he shall giue it him that will so that nether the historiagrapher nor thâ— hâ—â— oâ—e shall therfore lose or gaine more credâ—â— then before they had And Aristotle saith 1. Ethic. lib. 3. cap. 7. from whom Cicero tooke it that all thinges must not be handled with such subtilitie that a mathematicall demonstration be made of them but that the arguments wherwith that shall be proued which is related must be according to the subiect wherof is treated and the end wherfore it is treated In such manner as to relate by worde or writing a miracle which God did by the intercession of any Saints it is not more necessarie then to haue heâ—rd it of persons worthy of credit But to publish with solemnitie this miracle and to celebrate it with festiuitie in thankesgiuing or to take it for argument of the sanctitie of that Saint for to canonize him or beatifie him c. the approbation of a superior is necessarie to whom according to the law it belongeth according to the end for the which it is pretended to be approued so also to worship and hold in reuerence a relique which is giuen to any one and to beleeue with pietie that it is true sufficeth the authority of a person worthy of credit who affirmeth that he found it in such a place or church worshipped and had for such But if a church or monasterie which shold much esteeme a relique had in this manner as we might say a head of the eleuen thousand Virgins wold recite of them on their day with a double office and not of the Saint which the Kalendar doth assigne as is granted in the rubriques of the breuiarie it wold be necessarie to haue approbation of that relique because one thing it is to worship and esteeme it in particular and another to approue it for publique ministerie whereof the said decree of the sacred couÌ„cell teacheth and the rest touching this matter In consequence wherof to the obiection it is answered First that the miracles which are written in bookes which are infinite as in the cronicles of religions and other innumerable tracts not for this are approued and published authorizedly which is that which the law prohibteth commanding that it be done with authority of the ordinary that which this booke conteineth is the same with infinite others ancient and moderne where is recounted that which in euery parte happened and euery one may giue it the credit that he will Secondly that which is written of this seruant of God is the same which of her haue written so graue authors as haue bene related and if in their histories this inconuenience was not found there is no cause wherefore it should be found in this booke Thirdly and principally with which it seemeth there remayneth no kinde of doubt in this matter is that being so many bookes which speake of miracles in few or it may be in none shall be found the warinesse that is in this for speaking in the context of the historie of some miraculous thing euery one is related as it was found and as it is for it is saide such a miracle such a one recounted and such a one passed before such and such persons and of such a miracle was information made by commission of the ordinary and is in the archiue of the councell of the most illustrious of Toledo and of such an one made information only the Iustice of the people and of such an one the Father Generall of the order with such witnesses and of such an one is knowen no more then what the partie sayeth or is found by tradition And this beinge so cleare what hath the approbation which the holy councell of Trent commandeth to be made for the publishing of a new miracle to doe with this history written in imitation of as many authors as haue written liues of Saints from the time that the church was founded and from the same councell vnto this day and with more warinesse then the rest when they only relate the case and the author of this cronicle addeth that which hath beene saide The second obiection which they oppose is the greatnesse of the fauours which our Lord is shewen to haue done to this seruant of God the which are such and so great as with great reason may cause not only much admiration but some doubte in beleeuing them And I answere that the admiration in the coÌ„sideration of the workes of God is for to acknowledge the greatnesse of his clemency and liberality and for it to giue him thankes consideraui opera tua c. said the Prophet of this admiration God draweth light to all the virtues for mirabilia opera tua anima mea cognoscet nimis For faith is confirmed and charitie is enkindled more for to loue such a Lord and so liberall and hope is many waies nourished by hoping that God will worke
THE HISTORIE LIFE AND MIRACLES EXTASIES AND REVELATIONS of the blessed virgin sister IOANE OF THE CROSSE OF THE THIRD ORDER OF OVR HOLY FATHER S. Francis Composed by the Reuerend Father brother ANTHONIE OF ACA Diffinitor of the Prouince of the Conception and Chroinckler of the Order aforsaid And translated out of Spanish into English by a Father of the same Order AT S. OMERS For Iohn Heigham with Approbation Anno 1625. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE TO THE RIGHT VIRTVOVS and venerable Sisters both in Bloud and Religion Sister Margaret and Sister Elizabeth Radcliffe professed of the second order of S. Francis called the poore Dames of S. Clare the peace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. RIght virtuous and venerable Sisters Sisters I say first in our Lord and Sauiour Christ because both beleeuinge and embracinge one and the same most ancient holy and Christian faith Sisters in Blood because both descended of one and the same Father and Mother Sisters also in Religion because both professinge vnder one and the same Father S. Francis and Mother S. Clare full fifteene yeares the second Rule or Order of that Seraphicall Saint For as much as in virtu of the Obedience giuen me my by Superiours your selues with all that are vnder you are committed to my charge I finde my selfe bound to promote you in the way of Pietie all that possibly lyeth in my power Wherein the better to discharge my dutie I haue thought good to present you with the life of a Saint of our owne Order who liued and dyed in the profession of the third Rule of holy S Francis For this Seraphicall Father as all doe know instituted his Order so as he might drawe all people to God by three Rules The first wherof is the Apostolicall Rule of the Friar Minors which I although far vnworthy doe professe The second the Rule of S. Clare which vvith great perfection your selues doe practise The third the Rule of Penance in which this blessed Saint liued and dyed The first for Religious men The second for Religious virgins The third for all virtuous people of ether sex in vvhich this holy Virgin profited so vvell that although she were of the lovvest ranck for the number of Rules yet vvas she not the lowest in holie obseruance but singular for sanctitie here in earth as she is now for glorie aboue in heauen This premised the Dedication of this booke seemeth in particular to be due to you by reason of a certaine Simpathie betwixt you and this B Saint Who as she vvas extraordinarily obtayned of God by the intercession of his B. Mother for the reparation of a Religious house of the third order vvhich thorough the indeuotion of the Religious vvas quite fallen to decay so are you the very first vvho are elected for Superiors of an English Monasterie of the third order nevvly errected in a forraine contrie vvith hope hereafter to transplant the same in to your ovvne where Religious discipline is so decayed For this effect you Renovvned Sisters being by Obedience first called from your former Celles of quiet repose and seuered by the holy Ghost vnto the worke wherto he had chosen you were next by lot and common suffrage of your whole communitie elected to vndergoe so great labours as must needes be granted to be in so great an enterprise For those whom you were to gouerne not being in all particulars of your ovvne obseruance nor of so straite and strict a Rule hence it followeth that clothing others vvith linnen your selues goe vvollevvard lodging others on beds of vvolle your selues doe lie vpon the stravv prouiding others hose and shoes your selues goe barefoote finally sitting at the selfe same Table and feeding all your Religious vvith flesh your daintiest dishe is but only fishe What Monke or Heremit vvas euer yet by his profession of fasting obliged to the like Austeâ—itie To conclude therefore Right venerable Sisters besides the particular obligation loue and zeale vvhich I beare to your soules your rare virtu worthely dravveth this litle booke to your defence Wherin if this my Epistle Dedicatorie may seeme to affect too much plainnesse I freely confesse to affect plaine dealing open sinceritie and simplicitie If any shall censure the Translation as sauouring of too rude a language in this I humbly pray you both to pardon me your selues and to excuse me also vnto others vvho so vvell knovv me to be so far alienated from all sort of affectation and from seeking to please the itching vaine of any with vvorldly eloquence vvhich I vvillingly professe to vvant my principall care hauing beene employed faithfully to translate the booke in a plaine and homely language the talent vvhich most aggreeable to my nature God hath giuen me Far yee vvell my very deare and beloued Sisters and forget not him in your holy prayers vvho euer remayneth your faithfull seruant and poore brother Brother Francis Bell. THE PROLOGVE Anâ— aduertisements to the Reader wherin is declared what is Vision Extasies Raptes and other thinges most important for the vnderstanding of this historie WIth tongues of Seraphins and spirit from heauen I wold manifest to the worlde the things so soueraigne which for his honour and glory God wrought in his faithfull and louing espouse sister Ioane of the crosse with whoÌ„ he so enlarged the hand of his mercie as being so singular as they are they require singular attention to reade them and particular deuotion to write them And that I might obtaine the same the end of my desire hauing visited her holie bodie and the places where she was borne liued and dyed and seeking with particular care the truest papers that could be had for to write her life I follow fourteene authenticke informations and a very auncient manuscript which shee her selfe dictating by commandement of her Angell keeper sister Marie Euangelist a disciple of hers did write to whom miraculously to this effect and to write the booke of sermons which the seruant of God preached our Lord gaue the grace to reade and write for before she did not know it according as by many witnesses hath beene proued and that after the death of this blessed woman she appeared to another religious in the quire vested with splendor with a booke of gold open in her handes representinge that which she had written of the thinges of the glorious Ioane And to all this authoritie as great as it is another is added no lesse which is the miracle of the incorruptibilitie of her bodie seene with my eyes and handled with my handes when I wrote this she being incorrupte intire and of excellent sauour accordinge as to the honour and glorie of God we will speake hereafter more at large So admirable are the thinges of this seruant of God as they oblige me that they may better be vnderstood to doe not only the office of an historian but also of a paraphraste with particular annotations scholia in the margent wherwith are explained many
Lord gaue wisdome and grace to a religious which could not read nor write called Sister Marie Euangelist to write a great booke intituled of the Mariners carde which conteineth the sermons the glorious Ioane preached in one yeare two other religious helping her called sister Catharine of S. Francis and sister Catharine of the martyres wherof there is tradition publique voice and fame in the monasterie of the Crosse and some ancient religious which liue at this day knewe the said sister Marie Euangelist and sweare that they know her hand and heard her speake it many times 7. This booke of the Carde conteineth seauentie and two sermons diuided into as many chapters written in seuenhundred thre leaues in folio and is kept in the conuent as a relique of great esteeme and with great reason all what soeuer is in it being miraculous as is also it that a woman should haue written it without knowing how to read or write should beare in memorie all whatsoeuer the blessed preacher had saide in such sort that making an end to heare the sermon she wrote the same some of them contayning twelue and some twentie sheetes of paper full of Theologie and authorities of sacred scripture And only in one yeare taking part of that of 1508. and part of 1509. this blessed woman wrote three hundred sixtie and fiue sheetes the nomber that this booke conteineth of a very legible and plaine letter although nowe the time and the wormes haue much endamaged it The sermons which this seruant of God preached in this yeare as they are found originally in the booke of the Carde are these that followe 8. Of the Incarnation of the Natiuitie of the Circumcision of the Epiphanie of the flight into Egypt Excellencies of the holy Baptisme Reprehensions and counsells of the Purification of our B. Lady of the creation of Adam of Septuagesima of holy and true doctrines Of the Chaire of Saint Peter of the parable of the Gospell of the sower of our Redeemer lost in Hierusalem of his fast and tentation in the desert How sinners aske of God fauoures of Palme sonday of tenebre Wednesday of Mandy thursday of Good friday of the misteries of the most holy Resurrection of the good Pastor of the Crosse of the Gospell which is song on the sonday before the Ascension of the holy Ascension of our Lord of the comming of the holy Ghost of the most holy Trinitie of Corpus Christi of the holy Catholicke faith of the excellencie of the friday of the dayes of the weeke of the Visitation of our B. Lady of saint Iohn Baptist of saint Laurence of saint Peter and S. Paule of S. Marie Magdalen of the holy Crosse of S. Anne of the euill steward of the Transfiguration of saint Laurence martyr of our Sauiours weeping ouer Hierusalem of S. Clare of the Assumption of our B. Lady of S. Bartholomew of the Decollation of S. Iohn Baptist of the Feastes which Nathaniel made to our Lord of the Natiuitie of our B. Lady of the Exaltation of the Crosse How our Redemer raised the sonne of the widdowe of the Conuersion of S. Matthew of celestiall figures doctrines of reprehensions for our sinnes of S. Michaell and of all the Angells of our glorious Father S. Francis of the Feastes which they make to our redemer on the fridayes of celestiall Feastes A declaration of the Gospell of the virgins of saint Luke of S. Simon and Iude of all Saints of the paines of hell of the comming of Antichrist of the Dedication of the Church of the Presentation of our B. Lady of the most pure ConceptioÌ„ of our B. Lady of Reprehensions and of Aduent all with great misteries And the booke of these sermons is not of little authoritie for the continuall tradition with which it hath beene conserued since the life time of the seruant of our Lord with admiration and approbation of so many learned Prelates Generalls and Prouincialls who haue visited that holy conuent for the space of eightie yeares and aboue And when the tradition of any thing goeth coÌ„tinued from the day in which it happened by a whole communitie it hath and is of much authoritie THE XVI CHAPTER How our Lord gaue to the Blessed Ioane the feeling of his sacred woundes and how the blessed Apostle S. Peter healed her of her deafenes 1 IN thirteene yeares which our Lord so much fauoured his holy espouse he wrought in her things very misterious and diuine And because some times God is iealous of the soules which he mâ—ch loueth and will haue them all for himselfe he made his louing espouse deafe for that she much diuerted herselfe in the consideration of creatures and receiued some consolation and delight in hearing the little birdes to sing and chirp Wherefore not willing she should employ her loue on any other thing but on himselfe and in token of the loue his maiestie bore her he wrought in her a soueraigne maruaill seene and experiented of very many and especially of all the religious of the conuent which freer Alonso de Mena her confessor freer Alonso de Tarracena his companion and other religious graue Fathers of the order all sawe it and made experience of it the case was this Our Lord willing to enrich honour his beloued espouse gaue her for pretious Iewells the paines and signes of his most sacred woundes the historie and miraculous successe wherof passed in this manner 2. In the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred twentie and foure the virgin being fourtie and three yeares of age one yeare after the concession of the beades it happened that on Good friday in the morning being in prayer set in Crosse wise she was rapte her armes so stretched out and stiffe as also all the members of her body as if it had beene a Crucifix of stone in such sort that no humane force could stir her froÌ„ that holy composture although it was sometimes atteÌ„pted The noÌ„nes seing her rapte in so differeÌ„t a posture to that which at other times shee was wont to be and that the rapte continued longe they carried her vnto her cell and went all to the quire because it was time to beginne the diuine office Being in the office while the passion was read the virgin entred into the quire shedding many teares The nonnes seeing her come and leaning to the walles who for that she could not goe nor keepe herselfe vpon her feete she went barefooted as shee was accustomed and because she could not set them to the ground she went only vpon her heeles and toes with so much difficultie as if she had set her eyes where she set her feet The nonnes seing this asked her the reason of it by signes they made her for being deafe she vnderstood not otherwise how she came in that maÌ„ner who made theÌ„ answere that she could not goe because her feet grieued her so much Let vs see them saide the nonne that wrote
this bedd this is thy heauen for I am with thee here This saide our Lord disappeared leauing her much comforted although something confounded not knowing whether shee had seene this vision with the eies of her soule or of her body but alwaies shee knew most certainly that it was her redeemer who had appeared and spoken to her and to take from her this doubt he appeared to her the second time as shee herselfe told it Then she remained not only satisfied but much strengthened and with newe courage to suffer the trauailes and paines of all the world for his loue 7. Although our Lord so much cherished his espouse and had adorned her with the signes of his sacred passion yet he still kept her deafe which was in part the cause that she liued in so great sinceritie as she had bene a childe of a yeare old the which was a great discommoditie not only for the religious of the howse but also for other persons abroad which came to communicate with her and to confort them selues who hartely prayed our Lord he would restore her her hearing for the want they had thereof The diuine maiestie heard their praiers appearing to his espouse on the day of S. Clare it being six moneths that he had kept her deaf wherupon she made a maruellous sermō in presence of many people and declaring most great misteries she saide that he had made her deafe for that she should haue her senses and thoughts more recollected vpon the diuine maiestie and on no other thing of the earth and that now it had pleased him to heale her And ending the sermon before she came vnto her senses the glorious S. Peter appeared to her and putting his fingers into her eares and making vpon her the signe of the Crosse he restored her her hearing and shee remained sound the religious giuing much thancks to God for so remarkable a faruour THE XVII CHAPTER Of the great deuotion and compassion which the blessed Ioane had of the soules in purgatorie and of the efficacie of her prayers to our Lord for to deliuer them from the paines which they sufferred 1 THis holy virgin being Abbesse with the desire she had to exercise her religious in the feare of God she told them many things of those which his maiestie reuealed to her concerning his rigorous iudgement the paines of Purgatorie and of hell But it hath seemed conuenient to leaue to relate many of them for although they be very conforme to the doctrine of the Saints and to a great multitude of examples which are found in their bookes yet are they not written in the vulgar tongue nor may goe in all mens hands without speciall declaration That which in rigour is deliuered in such like cases is better explicated in tearmes proper to the schooles then to be vsed in such a booke as this which is written that it may goe in the hands of all of which many will find a rocke of scandall in that which well and piously vnderstood is of much edification as the glorious Saint Gregorie and other holy doctors rightly iudged who of these matters and apparitions of the soules and speciall places where they purged their faultes and of that which had passed with them in diuine iudgmēt set downe so many reuelations made not only to them but to persons so vnequall in sanctitie and credit to the blessed Ioane that they were holden for grieuous sinners and God our Lord did them this great fauour to reueale them these like things that taking heed by others mens harmes they might feare the rigour of his iustice and haue confidence in his diuine mercy 2. With the same desire this blessed Abbesse in the chapters and speaches which she made to her religious did exhort them recounting them many reuelations which she had had of God and with notable spirite saide as followeth when she related them Thincke not sisters that the paines of hell and Purgatorie are but little for by only thinking on that which our Lord doth shew me sometimes my flesh trēbleth and I am driuen euen to the very straites of death She further recounted what passed with a soule when it was taken out of the body aswell with the supreame iudge as with the Angell keeper of the same and in especiall when it heard the terrible sentence of euerlasting glory or paine And although of these things the bookes of the Saints be full and of these apparitions of Christ our Lord in the particular iudgement of euery one which are to be vnderstood not according to his reall presence but according to his efficacie and virtue they are not written here not to giue occasion of erring For the greater declaration therfore of some things heere related of many which are found in the booke of the life of this seruant of God it seemed conuenient to note some of them not because that which I shall note is not most euidently knowen to the learned and to many of those which haue not studied for as much as they are found in euery manuall but because none may haue occasion of errour 3. I say then first that in the houre of death euery one heareth his sentence of condemnation or libertie according as is gathered out of many places of the sacred scripture and out of the holy Fathers as appeareth in Ecclesiasticus in S. Mathew and in S. Luce S. Augustine also affirmeth as much together with Saint Hierom and Saint Bonauenture although concerning the manner and how it ought to be vnderstood there be diuers opinions whereupon Pope Innocent the third wrote at large in his second booke and Landulphus the Carthusian in the fourty six chapter of the third tome Who all relate some cases very like to those which befell to the B. Ioane But where it is said that euery one heareth this sentence of Christ our Lord it ought to bee vnderstood as is alreadie saide not according to his reall presence but according to his efficacie Eccl. 11. Matth. 10. 22. Luc. 16. D. Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 20. cap. 1. de anima eius origine lib. 2. cap. 4. S. Hierom. in Ioel. cap. 2. S. Bonauent lib. 4. sent dist 20. 1. p. q. 5. 4. The second that as little improprietie it hath to say with the same declaration that the glorious Archangell S. Michaell doth iudge in particular the soules after they are gone out of the bodies as the Church singeth when in his office she saith to God that he constituteth him prince ouer all soules and the same she repreateth in the prose of the Masse of the dead Constitui te principem super omnes animas suscipiendas Signifer sanctus Michael representes eas in Lucem Sanctam 5. The third and most principall which we haue in this matter is that the Saints speake therin after two manners the one according to the Common Lawe which is that ordinarilie is executed and the other according to particular cases which God
a vulgar tongue through the handes of all the censure of such like persons hath beene seene approued and esteemed as reason is But because a speech was made of correcting this booke some scrupulous persons although well intentioned began to censure it â—hough more touched with that bitter zeale wherof S. Iames speaketh Iacob 3. cap. 3. then with true science and with this they noted a great number of errors and their owne consisted in their vnderstandinge for that they hit not vpon the subiect of these errors iudging it to be the booke it was not And because the said satisfaction doth presuppose some thinges which are as certaine and generall principles it seemed to me coÌ„uenient to propose them in the beginning as groundes of my intention which is to satisfie all for more claritie and to auoide often repeating of them The first thing to be considered is that many graue thinges are written in Latin Greek and Hebreue which are not permitted to goe in vulgar tongues not because they conteine euill doctrine but because all can not goe without danger into the handes of all and this is with as little disparagement to the authors as is seene euen in the sacred scripture whose author is the holie Ghost and yet is not permitted to goe in the vulgar tongue without a Comment which thing the heretikes doe much condemne Lutherus praefat assertionis articulor à Leone Pontifice damnator Brentius in prolegomenis contra Petruâ—â— Ã Soto saying that we depriue the Mother tongue of great misteries and that superiors will reserue to themselues the diuine misteries granted to all whom they depriue of reading the sacred bookes wherein thinges are learned necessarie to attaine eternall life without fiction of arbitrarie expositions And with these inueÌ„tions they deceiue the ignorant people being disparates altogether without apparence of truth For setting aside the doctrine of the Saints as S. Ambrose Saint Augustine S. Hierome S. Gregorie S. Basile S. Iraeueus S. Chrysostome Origene and many others D. Ambros in epist 24. ad Constantium Aug. lib. de fide operibus cap. 15. 1â— lib. 2. de doctrinae Christiana c. 6. lib. 12. confessionum cap. 14. ep 3. epist. 119. c. 21. Hieronymus in epist. ad Pau. linum Gregor Homil. 6. ia Ezechielem de Basilio Gregorio NaziaÌ„zeno Ruffin 9. lib. 11. historiar cap. 9. Irenaeus lib. 2. cap. 47. Chrysostomus Homil. 40. ad Ioan. Homil. 44 in Math. Origen lib. 7. contra Celsum Homil 12. in Exodum Lucae Actorum 8. 2. Petri. cap. vltimo to whom they giue no credit of the sacred scripture it selfe which they confesse for infallible it is manifest that it is verie difficult to interprete as the Regall Prophet saith in many places and specially In the 118. Psalme and S. Luc and the Apostle S. Peter do affirme that in the epistles of Saint Paule are manie things difficult which the vnlearned and vnstable do falsely interprete And finally of the â—iuers expositions which presumptuous men haue giuen vpon the sacred scripture haue sprong almost all heresies To proue this we neede spend little time for to themselues it is manifest that the sects are innumerable which daily they inuent and their bookes are full of contradictions in this kind as appeareth when Osiander confuteth Philip Melancthon Osiander in confutatione aduersus Philippum who affirmeth that there were propounded by the confessionistes twenty contrarie propositions in the matter only of iustification The same doth Luther Luther contra Zing Oecolam against Zuinglius Oecolampadius and vpon the Psalmes and in the booke of councells he confesseth concerning the obscurity of the sacred scripture that which he denyeth in the saide booke against the articles of Pope Leo. Finally there can be no greater blindnesse then to denie the Pope and Generall Councells that which they themselues grant to an artificer which is the exposition of sacred letters For the which with most holie prudence it is prohibited that the canonicall bookes goe not abroade in vulgar tongues that not absolutely as the heretiques doe feine but when they haue no commentarie for with it there is no prohibition at all Rather if we consider that which goeth written in such a multitude of spirituall bookes with great facility may whosoeuer is wel read in theÌ„ they haue notice not only of that which is in the sacred scripture necessarie to saluation but of the letter itselfe and of manie difficulties and curiosities of the same so that as much as they alledge are false deceiptes for neither is the Mother tongue depriued of great misteries nor those that are learned of holie doctrine but of the danger of erring which the Apostle Saint Peter teacheth this is greater in some matters then in others and in few so great as when matters of reuelations are treated of through the great experience which hath beene had of cases in which Satan transforminge him selfe into an Angell of light hath deceiued not only persons vaine vitious but manie verie spirituall as the glorious Saint Vincent Ferer hath aduertised vs in his commentarie of the spirituall life Cap. 12. 13. and Saint Antonine of Florentia in diuers places in so much as he speaketh these wordes following D. Anton. 3. part sum Theo. tit 8. cap. 2. 3. Non omnia etiam Sanctorum hominum visa aut si maius reuelationes indubitatae fidei veritatis esse quia nonnunquam viri pij hallucinantur And to auoide this danger graue bookes are prohibited and of authors well knowen and esteemed and others haue beene commanded to be corrected as those of fr. Louis of Granada which without aggreuance of as manie as in our times haue written in vulgar tongues haue as great place in pietie and doctrine and proprietie of language as anie whatsoeuer and yet were prohibited which had beene printed vntill the yeare 1561. For that they conteined certaine thinges about the grace of God and the signes thereof being shewen in some persons more sensiblie and being true and taken out of the doctrine of the Saintes and relating sometimes their owne wordes it seemed inconuenient it should go in a vulgar tongue and the author him selfe amended it and his bookes haue gone and go in all languages with much edification and mightie profit of the Christian people Secondly is to be considered that some histories and examples which against this may be alleaged out of bookes in which is much perill and are not prohibited do not proue anie thing against what hath beene saide First because notice can not be had of all and then because the foundation of such prohibitions is only to auoid danger of erring this goeth accordinge to the necessitie of the times after the which prudence teacheth that things may be permitted which in another occasion haue beene prohibited for why the cause ceassing which was the danger the effect also may ceasse Ca. 6. de consecra dist 3. 6. Synod Cleere is the example
of AlexaÌ„der the first by whom was prohibited the power of painting Christ our Sauiour in figure of a lambe and the same we read in the Sixth Generall Synod in the canon 28. where the author of the summe of the councels noteth that it was then also forbidden to paint the holie Ghost in figure of a doue Concil Nicen. 2. And in the second Nicene councell in the action 4. and 5. the opinion of Saint German is approued which condemneth the painting of the eternall Father in figure of a man and that of the diuine persons only the person of Christ our Sauiour ought to be painted who was a man And this sentence foloweth S. Iohn Damascene and Saint Augustin Ioan. Dam. lib. 4. fidei Orthodoxae cap. 17. D. August lib. 7. de fide symbolo This seemed conuenient for that time in which the heretiques Anthropomorphitae did trouble the church but that necessitie ceassing who seeth not with what veneration the holie church doth vse and reuerence such like pictures and the manie decrees which in their fauour haue beene giuen ex 6. anathematismo 5. Concilij Constant. ex 6. anathematismo edict imperatoris Iustini ex Euagr. cap. 2. lib. 11. Ioannes Damasc cap. 1. lib. 3. de side orthodoxa And the same heed was taken in the manner of speaking for we read in the 5. Councel of Constantinople and in the edict of Iustinian the Emperour and in Euagrius and S. Iohn Damascene and other graue authors that it was prohibited to call the Virgin our B. Ladie Christotocos which is to say Mother of Christ because the hereeike Nestorius gaue her that name denying that she might bee called Theotocos that is Mother of God and so only she might be called Mother of Christ But after the diuell had taken away Nestorius and that there is no feare that aâ—ie one in Europe will follow him we confesse Christ our Sauiour for true God as properly and commonly we call the most holie Virgin Mother of Christ as Mother of God And of these exaÌ„ples many might be related of which the heretikes doe pretend to helpe theÌ„selues for to put a vaine change in the decrees vse of the church But their calumniation doth clearly appeare because noueltie ruled by the times necessitie is not Instabilitie but Prudence and hence springeth that it is permitted in one time what in another is prohibited and prohibited at one time what at another was permitted to take away whatsoeuer occasioÌ„ of peril without hauing for manie of these things new decrees with expresse reuocation of the ancient When the vniuersal custome sufficeth tolerated by the church and head Bishop As proueth Paulus Borgatius with the authoritie of graue authors and specially of Hostiensis in his Summe of the Cardinall Paulus Borgatius in tracta de irregularitatibus tit de decimes Hostienfis Cardinalis in C. nobis de decimis The third thing to be noted is that there are manie kinds of Saints or blessed persons whom the Christian people may and ought to worship The first degree hath those which are declared for such in whatsoeuer of the canonicall bookes of the new and old testament whose sanctitie if it should be denied or put in doubt it wold be a formall heresie as it is to doubt of the truth of the holie scripture The second degree is that of the ancieÌ„t Saintes whom the tradition of the vniuersall church holdeth from their beginnings for such Saintes building them temples altars and celebrating their feastes inuocating their intercession and the sanctitie of such is authenticke in so much that the heretiques themselues confesse and reuerence it although they confesse not the intercession of the Saints and to denie the sanctitio of such should be the same errour as to affirme that the vniuersall church which the holie spirit doth enlighten may erre in a matter so graue as this is The third degree is of the Saints which we call canonized not because those of the second degree are not so which ar also by the vniuersall church as hath beene saide canonized but because notice beinge had of certeine deceiptes which some particular churches had in admitting for Saints those which were none approuing false miracles wherwith the diuell did procure to deceiue the people the Romane Bishops as vniuersall Pastors and the generall Councels willing to procure an opportune remedie to this dammage reserued to themselues this case of of canonizing Saints which is to propose them for such to the vniuersall church after hauing sought out their life and miracles with so much diligence as we see it done and this began in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred and three when Pope Leo the third canonized at the instance of the Emperour Carolus Magnus Saint Suitbertus Bishop although afterward the reseruation of this case to the Romane church was more expressed by Alexander the third as appeareth by the chapter audiuimus de reliq veneratione Sanctorum and the solemnitie of ceremonies with which it is now vsed hath beene continued and there haue beene canonized seauentie and three adding eleuen to the computation which Freer Angelus de Roca made in the booke which he wrote vpon this matter where he saith that although being sacristane of the Pope he vsed great diligence yet he holdeth for certaine that some haue beene forgotten by him and so it is that he put not Saint Elzearius and seauen Martyres of our sacred religion which suffered in Cepta and with three which haue beene canonized after he had written which are Saint Raimundus S. Francisca and Saint Charles is made the said number of eleuen and of the said seauentie and three fourtie and three are religious and of these twentie and fiue only of our order counting those of the third rule The fourth degree is of Saints which in different places are worshipped and are called Beatified for the processe of their life and miracles hauing bene seene by persons to whom the apostolicall sea committeth this charge licence hath beene giuen that they may be worshipped and inuocated with publicke prayers by some religion or people or kingdome c. in the meane time that the cause of the canonization be concluded The fifth degree is of Saints which are worshipped by the faithfull in different places without being canonized or beatified in the manner spokeÌ„ the which although they dyed after that the Roman church reserued to it selfe the decree of the canonization the custome of celbrating their feast with publicke prayers in all the vniuersall church are neuertheles so ancient and so notorious as the said vse and permission is holden for a tacite canonization and such like in all and through al we worship as canonised Saints as for example sake Saint Roch is neither canonized nor beatified in the forme aboue said yet almost through all the church generally his feast is celebrated his name is inuocated and churches are dedicated to him c. with so notable
of S. Peter but to do a seruice to our Lord God or to his most holy Mother in obsequie of S. Peter who will so much be pleased that his deuotarie doe serue God and his Mother So that the sayings of these seducers are vaine aggrauations And the truth being made cleare they haue neither substance nor apparance of ground as is manifest More I could say vpon this but I leaue to enlarge me and to applie that hath beene said not to hitt vpon a knowen action in this matter euery one shall take what toucheth him it sufficeth to say that the veneration to these beades and to those touched at them is very holy and the comparation of their virtues verie sufficient and the doubt whether they be certaine or not of no substance when with the same good faith we worship reliques and other pious thinges in which the Christian people hath more neede of spurres then of a bridle when it is not founded vpon fandy things without ground or with suspicion of fiction But the thinges of this seruant of God are founded vpon a most pure life most approued and clarified and vpon a glorious death vpon infinite miracles and vpon veneration of the faithfull so knowen and vpon the vncorruptibilitie of her holie bodie so euident and vpon tradition of all this of so many yeares and so continued and approued So neither the greatnesse of the fauours which God hath done her maketh them lesse credible nor saying that the holie Ghost spake by her mouth hath indecencie nor noueltie and much lesse the miracle of the beades but rather of all is drawen much profit for the greater glorie of our Lord and honour of of his Saint Brother Francis Bishop of Canaria The petition of Father Anthonie Daça giuen to the councell of the holy generall inquisition before the most excellent Lord Cardinall of Toledo inquisitor generall and those of his councell in Madrid The 19. of August in the yeare 1610. Most powerful Lord Brother Anthonie Daça diffinitor of the holy Prouince of the Conception and Coronist generall of the order of Saint Francis doth say that for as much as I haue composed a booke of the life and miracles of the blessed Ioane of the Crosse religious of the same order the which although it be perused by the councel of iustice and by their commission seene and approued by the ordinarie of Madrid before al these approbations haue gone those of the lectors of Theologie of our order by commission of the same religion and the councell hauing seene them and the informations and originall papers from whence the said booke hath beene taken and composed for greater qualification and authoritie thereof the said councell will haue the approbation of your hignesse to whom humbly I make supplication that you command it to be giuen and your censure for in the same shal be done to our Lord great seruice and to me a most great fauour For the which c. Brother Anthonie Daça The answere of the Councell Let the Abbot of Fitero ouerloke this booke and giue his censure informing first thereof the most excellent Lord Cardinall inquisitor generall Michaell Garcia de Molina The opinion and censure of the M. F. Don Ignatius of Iberus Abbat of the monasterie of Saint Marie the regall of Fitero qualificator of the holie office of the inquisition and one of those which assist at the meeting which is made in this courte of his Maiestie for the new catalogue and expurgatorie of the prohibited bookes I the Maister â—reer Don Ignatius de Ibero Abbat of the Monasterie of Saint Marie the regall of Fitero qualificator of the holy office of the inquisition c. doe lay that by commandement of the moste excellent Lord Don Bernardo de Roias and Sandouall Cardinall of Toledo inquisitor general in the kingdomes and Lordships of the King our Lord and of the councel of state of his Maiestie and of the Lords of the holy and generall inquisition haue seene and read with particular attention a booke intituled the historie life and miracles extasies and reuelations of the blessed Virgin sister Ioane of the Crosse of the third order of our Father Saint Francis composed by the most learned and very expert Father freer Anthonie Daça diffinitor of the holy Prouince of the Conception and Coronist generall of his order for to giue my opinion censure concerning the same And not only I haue not found in it any thing which may be ceÌ„lured or which is worthy to be noted but rather it seemeth to mee that the booke will be of much profit and vtilitie for all those that wil make vse therof especially for deuout people and those that treate of spirit and that all which therein is written is doctrine very good and very appâ—oued and most conforme to that doctrine which the Catholike Church our Mother reacheth and her holie Doctors And because it hath beene commanded mee that besides giuinge my opinion and censure of all this booke yet that I rather also tell in particular all what I thinke of iâ— and of the miracles and reuelations which are written in it I shall be more large in this my writinge and relation For the which I haue also read besides that which this booke coÌ„teineth the authenticall informations which of the things in the same conteyned haue beene made at diuers times the originall booke from wheÌ„ce these were drawen which is that which a disciple wrote of this seruant of God who liued in her time called sister Marie euangelist to whom as the informations which of this haue beene made and the tradiditions of that Monasterie doe say that miraculously to this effect our Lord gaue grace of knowledge to write and reade and it seemeth to mee that in as much as hath beene possible for mee I haue auouched to be certaine and true that which in the history is written of the life miracles and sanctiâ—ie of this seruant of God which is the first thing which ought to be presupposed in writing the liues of the Saints and that which the holy councel of Trent commandeth to the Pastors and Prelates that they looke much to it when they are to bring to light and publish histories of the miracles and liues of Saints to the end that with truth the meruailes of God and his omnipotencie be published Sess 25. in decreto de purgatorio § de inuoc veneratione Sanctorum For being that with these thinges God discouereth how admirable he is in his Saints it is greatly to his seruice that with thinges certaine and true we praise him and magnifie his omnipotencie and infinite greatnesse without telling fictions or vncertaine things for as saith holy Iob. Iob. 13. there is no necessitie of them for that which God pretendeth I hold then all this historie for most true and I vnderstand in as much as I can atteine to with probability and humane saith that al that which heere is written passed