in his own Palace a magnificent Solemnity in honor of our Blessed Lady vpon the Sunday within the Octaue of her Immaculate Conception he ordained amongst other preparations that four Altars should be erected at the four corners of the Court of his Palace to the end that nothing should be wanting at them he assigned the care of adorning of them to four of the chief Nobility of the City One of which hauing the relation both of a Kinsman and also of a familiar freind to R. Father Marcellus Mastrilli he intreated the said Father to assist him in the erection of the Altar committed to his charge who most willingly yeelded to his request such was his desire to concurr in any manner to the aduancement of the honor of the euer Blessed Virgin and all things succeeded very happily Only at night the solemnity being now ouer as they were taking down the ornaments of the Altar Father Marcellus from below giuing directions to one that was loosning the hangings aboue by I know not what chance he aboue let fall a hammer of about two pound weight from a loft thirty palms high vpon the head of the Father which so wounded him in the right temple that he fell down half dead vpon the ground Being perceiued to be dangerously wounded he was immediately carryed home and the wound instantly searched but more exactly the day following by the surgeons who iudged him to be in euident danger of his life For besides the grieuousnes of the wound vpon the fourth day he was seized vpon by a violent feauer accompanied with a defluxion vpon his right eye certain other distempers for the most part mortal In such sort that after diuers consults and applications of most soueraign remidies but all in vain vpon the one and twentith day of his distemper which was looked vpon as a critical day both the Physitians and surgeons gaue him ouer for a dead man For that all vpon the sudden vpon the beginning of this day which was the first day of the New year he began to faint and to feel certain grieuous pains in his stomack and was not able to eat any thing no nor euen to open his mouth but a very litle to receiue any nourriture for that the nerues of his jaws and muscles were become vnseruiceable Other signes of present death did also discouer themselues Wherefore many Physitians of cheif account professed openly again and again which afterwards also they attested vpon oath that Marcellus was not curable by any human power So that his friends desired of them that if they could not saue his life that at least they would prolong it for some hours by thrusting some litle bits of meat in to his mouth by force But his mouth was shut so close as that the surgeon vpon the second of Ianuary very hardly by litle and litle opened it with two Spoons and yet notwithstanding nether art nor force nor counsel or command of superiors was able to make the despaired patient to swallow down euen som few drops of liquid sustenance much less to eat any thing which was solid Besides what has been said such a vehement cold and chilness seized vpon his whole body as they were not able to expell or mitigate it by any somentations nor euen by the application of fire it self Wherefore Marcellus giuen ouer by the Doctors and despaired of by all human art exspects death euery hour In the time of this his sicknes he was often visited by one who appeared vnto him in a white soldiers-coat with a cross vpon his breast who often asked him whether he had rather dy or liue whether there were any thing he desired he should ask for him of heauen whether he desired a wax-taper or a Pilgrims staff both which he brought in his hand Marcellus alwaies answered he was indifferent to any thing might he but more sincerely serue the Diuine Majesty Vpon another day F. Marcellus took the freedom to ask the warrior whether death or a journey for those were the things which were signified by the Taper Pilgrims staff were decreed for him in heauen The warrior answered him he would consult the Diuine Majesty and in due time and that very shortly let him know but at present he said it was not lawfull for him to reueal those secrets Marcellus being now as was said despaired of the same warrior appeared to him again but attended by a troop of very many others concerning whom the Sick person asking who they were and particularly whether they were not Iaponian Martyrs nothing more was at present answered him but that they were his friends and those who would earnestly cōmend him to almighty God The same together with the same attendants appeared to him immediately before the three daies in which he was prodigiously cured and Marcellus demanding whether perhaps they were not souls that were in Purgatory the warrior answered him again that they were his dear frinds and those which were very solicitous for all his affairs but with all told him that the souls in Purgatory were not a litle sorry for his sicknes by reason whereof they wanted his help and suffrages Wherefore replied the Father methinks it were fitting I should procure some Masses and Praiers to be said for theyr relief by others By all meās subjoyned the warrior it were very good to do so nor will they be wanting to return your Charity and so disappeared And F. Marcellus procured many holy sacrifices and praiers of his friends for the faithful departed Who this was which appeared in a soldiers habit is not known but out of a letter of F. Marcellus to his freind M. Antony Tellez in which he wishes that his beloued Father S. Francis Xauerius would vouchsafe also to visit him in a white garment with a Cross vpon his breast with a taper and pilgrims staff in his hands attended by his Royal Train according to his wonted manner And indeed S. Xauerius at this time often and familarly appeard vnto him somtimes by night otherwhiles by day now as he was a praying and then as he was conuersing with others somtimes sitting by his bed-side comforting of him bidding him be of good courage and in fine filling his soul with a heauenly sweetnes But now when there was no expectation of any thing but death S. Francis Xauerius signified to a noble matron that Marcellus would not dy of that sicknes but was destind to do great things and charged her immediately to acquaint her Confessarius hereof that he might afterwards be a witnes of the prediction F. Marcellus prepares himself for death rather to satisfy his deuotion then that he had any hopes or desire of life with leaue of superiors makes a vow of going into the Indies for the help of souls in case he should recouer for now he desired nothing of almighty God but either Death or the Indies After this towards night was administred him the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction
and a few bookes which he thought he should not finde in the Indies Professing that he had made a vow of pouerty and he was resolued to keep it hoping that our Lord would prouide him what was necessary for his seruice and that he had no need of a seruant so long as our Lord preserued his hands and feet as for going to the Kitchin and accommodating his Chamber he did not think it would diminish his Religious Autority so long as he did not hereby offend God The gouernor of India with whome he embarked could not perswade him to sit at his table the allowance of other passengers he accepted of but without eating any thing of it he distributed it amongst the necessitous as for himself he liued vpoÌ„ what he begged in the ship with an vnwearied charity seruing the fick night and day in the most abiect offices his bed as atlaÌ„d it was ordinarily the grouÌ„d so at sea it was the cable of the ship Being arriued in India he immediately betook himself with a feruor of spirit truly Apostolical to preach the Gospel and with such fruit God Almighty cooperating by his holy grace and euident miracles as that he not only reformed the depraued manners of the Christians he found there but also regenerated to God many hundred thousands of the Infidels by the sacred waters of Baptisme For not only amongst the Indians Brachmans and Malauarians Apostoâ—ical preaching which lorg ago had flourished there but by the fraud of the enemy of mankind was now quite aboliâ—hed by Xauerius was reuiued but also he first preached the Gospel of Christ to the Parauians Malaians Iaians â—â—nians Malacensians and Iaponians and brought many King and great Princes of those nations to submit their â—eâ—â— to the sweet yoak of Christ In order to these great conuâ—rsions he was miraculously endowed with the perfect knowledge of different languages somtimes when he spoke onlâ— in one language diuers people of different languages vnderstood him at the same time what he suffered for the name oâ— Christ in his Apostolical labours is incredible For in thosâ— vast Regious he went through diuers Kingdoms alwaieâ— asoot and very often barefoot and also through score hiâ— Sands he was oftentimes persecuted with contumelies reproaches and scoffes nay with blowes and stones he ofteâ— suffered shipwrack he endured waâ—chings cold and nakednes hunger and thirst contracting by his continual and vnsupportable labours most grieuous sicknesses but with the great Apostle he contemned his life that he might consummate his course and ministery of the Gospel which he had receiued And which is not a litle admirable amidst these and his other singular vertues and great things which he did and suffered for God he was so humble that he alwaies wrote vnto his Superior S Ignatius vpon his knees and as if he had been the vnworthiest of all he would be exercising himself in the most abject offices of the house he wore such poor and patched cloths as the boys in the street laughed at him But he did not more contemne himself then God Almighty honored him both aliue and dead mercifully renewing by his seruant Xauerius the miracles and prodigies he heretofore wrought to confirm the Doctrin of his first Apostles Besides his miraculous speaking of diuers languages the Acts of his Canonization to omit many other euident miracles there recorded make mention of fiue and twenty raised by him from death to life One of which was resuâ—citated in the maner folloving At the promonâ—ory of Comorino as this seruant of God was vpon a time preaching in a certain Church to the Infidels and by reason of the hardnes of their hearts without effect hauing first praied to Almighty God he commanded a graue to be opened in which was buryed one that dyed the day before signifying 〈…〉 â—â—uld again come to life to confirm the truth of the Chriâ—â—â—n Faith the dead corps then being taken vp and the sheet â—â—â—ned in which it was wrapped hauing again made his pâ—â—ier to God he commanded the dead man to liue who presentely to the amazement of all tose vp aliue By which â—â— notorious a miracle not only those who were present â—â—t also many others were moueâ— to belieue in God If this â—â—â—rue as is most certain then no man can vpon good grounds belieue the Christian Fâ—ith but he must also belieue the Roman-Catholik Christian Faith for the Roman-Catholik Christian Faith was the Faith which S. Francis Xauerius preached to those Infidels and which God Almighty by this and many other euident miracles confirmed Nor did Christ our Lord endow this his new Apostle only with the grace of working miracles but also with the gift of Prophesy Frequent eueâ—â—s which he foretold proued him a Prophet At length after he had vndergon innumerable and extraordinary labors after he had toâ— firmed the Roman-Catholick Faith by miracles of all Kind wrought by him and after he had left the world many rare examples of Apostolical vertues he went from Sanciano an Iland of China to heauen vpon the second of December on a Friday in the year 1552. His Feast not withâ—tanding is Kept vpon the third of December He liued fifâ—y fiue yeares twelue of them as a Religious of the Socieâ—y of Iesus ten and seauen months of those twelue as Apostle of the Indies His body after his death was twice oâ— many months buryed in quick lime yet notwithstanding remains in corrupt to this very year 1666 and is Kept â—ith great veneration at Goa the Metropolis of the East Inâ—ies â—t being brought to Malaca did immediately free that 〈◊〉 from a most terrible plague God Almighty through 〈◊〉 intercession of this his seruant has wrought diuers mirales of late years which haue been approued by Seueâ— Pâ—eâ—ates in their particular Diocesses The Bishop of â—alaca râ—â—kâ—neth eight hundred wrought in his Diocess â—â—e Potâ—mo a towne of Calabria recounts two hunâ—â—ed forty two wrought in one year towit in the year â—6â—2 And yet nerer vs Flanders rings of the late miraculous fauours obtained by the 〈…〉 our daies He has cured madnes witch craft blindnes dâ—â—es fore eyes necks arms breasts leggs and other parts mans body women in childbearing and such as were danger at sea haue found him propitious other he â—â— freed from ruptures palsy and gout he has driuen away â— kinds of feauers and deadly diâ—eases as the sole refuge â— the sick and aflicted God grant that our poor Country â— England also may glory in his protection and supernaturâ— graces and no doubt but she will if she be not wanting iâ— making her addresses to him Amen To the greater glory of God and S. Francis Xauerius Ex Bul. Canon vit Imprimatur I. C. de Longueual A MIRACLE Wrought at Naples vpon R. F. Marcellus Mastrilli of the Society of IESVS ABOVT the end of the year 1633. my Lord the Count of Mount Royal An. Dom. 1634 then viceroy of Naples hauing designed to celebrate
AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE LIFE OF S. FRANCIS XAVERIVS OF THE SOCIETY OF IESVS NEW APOSTLE OF INDIA AND JAPONY Together with some few of the innumerable Authentical Miracles wrought by him of late years By W. B. Rabbi we know that you are a master come from God for no body can do these signes which you do vnles God be with him John 3. v. 2. ✚ PRINTED At S. OMERS by THOMAS GEVBELS 1667. With Licence S. FRANCIS XAVERIUS his manner of exercising acts of the loue of God Translated out of his own hand-writing O God! I loue thee Nor do I loue thee to the end that thou shouldst saue me Or because thou doest punish with eternal fire Those who do not loue thee Thou Thou my IESUS didst embrace All me vpon the Cross Thou sufferedst nayls a spear And many an ignominy Innumerable Dolors Sweats and Anguishes And Death And this for me Yea for me a sinner Why then should I not Ioue thee O most louing IESVS Not to the end that thou shouldst saue me in heauen Or least thou shouldst eternaly damne me Nor out of hope of any reward But as Thou hast loued me So I loue and will loue thee Only because thou art my King And only because thou art God Amen S. FRANCIS XAVERIVS of the Society of IESVS Apostle of the Indies and Iapony A PRAIER IN HIS HONOR O God who 〈◊〉 pleased to gather to thy church the nations of the Indies by the preaching and miracles of S. FRANCIS Vouchâ—afe mercifully to grant that we who reverence his glorious merits may alsoe imitate the examples of his Vertues through our Lord Iesus Christ. etc. This picture hath touched his holy Relickes and by such like pictures many haue receiued divers fauors 1666. AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE life of S. Francis Xauerius S. FRANCIS XAVERIVS by Gods grace new Apostle of the Indies and Iapony had for the place of his Natiuity the Castle of Xauier in the Kingdom of Naâ—ar for his extraction he was descended from noble Ancesters for his education his Parents no less Pious then Honorable taught him from his childhood to fear God and keep himself pure from sin when he was mature for studies they sent him to the Famous Vniuersity of Paris where he was first à scholar and afterwards à Master of Philosophy but leauing those profaner sciences he betook himself to the sacred and more certain studies of Diuinity in the same Academy Here he happily fell in to the Company and acquaintance of S Ignatius who by his holy praier and other Pious endeauors drew him to a more strict and perfect Kind of life and made him one of his first Companions in Founding the Society of Iesus Being now entred into the strait way which leads vnto life he most seuerely mortified his body according to the example of the ancient holy Fathers For by à seuere Interdict he denied himself the vse not only of flesh and wine but also of wheaten bread contenting himself with cours and lâ—ss sauory meats and these also in a very sparing quantity Morouer oftentimes he wholy abstained from all Kind of food somtimes for two otherwhiles for three daies together this for his diet his sleep also was very sparing and shorr and this other vpon the ground or a poor bed which was litle better Not wanted he other inuentions to aflict his poor body oftentimes making it all on a goâ—t blood with cruel iron whips To omit the holy reuenge he took vpon himself for the leuity of his youth girding about his thighes so strait with certain litle cords as the flesh yeelding to them and growing ouer them they could not be loosed but by an euident miracle Thus he treated his own body but he was not more seuere to himself then he was good and charitable to others The coÌ„mon hospital was his ordinary lodging wheresoeuer he came in which he assisted both the soâ—â— and bodies of those infirm people with such cheerfulnes anâ— alacrity as those humble charitable seruices were comonlâ— called his delights with such mortification and triumph ouâ— nature as he oftentimes drunck vp that filthy water with which he had washed horrid and incurable vlcers nay his story testifies how that he might ouercome that horroâ— which nature hath of poor Lazars laying his mouth to â— fetid vlcer he greedily sucked out the purulent matter This glorious victory ouer himself God Almighty rewarded with a strange delight which he euer after took in those huÌ„ble offices of charity Morouer he performed these offices of corporal and spiritual charity with such diligence and constancy as no weaknes or sicknes of his own body could make him interrupt them Hence at Bolonia when he was become a very picture of death by the hardship he endured continual labors and a quartan ague he would not for all this giue ouer his publick preaching cate chizing of children visiting of prisons and Hospirals nay when he was tyed to his bed in the Hospital at Mozambico by a malignant dangerous feauer he made shift to scramble out of it to assist à poor frantick mariner who lay rauing vpon the ground first carrying him to his owne bed and then restoring him to his â—enses and afterwards to the grace of God by administring him the holy Sacraments Nor was his piety to God himself less admirable and notorious then was his charity to the poor of God for Gods sake Such was his vnion with almighty God and such the seruor of his spirit in holy praier as he spent whole nights in it nor when he was vpon the sea were eminent dangers of death and most terrible tempests able to make him break it off or in the least to disturb the quiet of his holy soul and somtimes he was seized vpoÌ„ by such a sacred extasy as with his eyes fixed vpon heauen he was lifted vp by diuine force from the earth with his face so enflamed as he liuely represented the burning charity of the Angels nor being able to bear the heaâ— of diuine loue oftentimes he exclamed satis est Domine satis est It is enough Blessed Lord it is enough Nor had the holy Saint God Almighty in his heart and mouth only whâ—â— â—â— was awake but also while he slept he was often heard â—â—th rauishing sweetnes to cry out O my good Iesus â— whom my soul loues O my Creator my Lord But perhaps honors and dignities would make him chanâ—e these his pious and humbly charitable manners no such matter For Iohn the third King of Portugal of worthy memory demanding some of S. Ignatius his companions for the propagating of the Gospel in the vast regions of the East Indies Francis Xauerius by the aduice of S. Ignatius was pitched vpon by his Holiness Paul the third who endowed him with most ample power and dignity of Apostolical legat which not withstanding he would not accept ether of a seruant to assist him or money or any thing els but a poor coat