and pardon of our B. Lady Neither in vaine For his sinne being forgiuen him and taken away by deuotion did also take away the sicknes of the body that the care might demōstrate the cause of the disease Assoone as he recouered he aduertised the Pope of the whole matter and asked his aduise what was best to be done who being well assured that the said euill happened vnto him more through to much confidence in him selfe then the indignation of the B. Virgin tempering his cōmand with godly admonitions persuaded Nerusio that vnder the authority of the Vicar of God and without any feare at all he should go forward with the worke which he had begunne and seriously admonished him to digge through the sacred walls not so much with his hammer and boldnes as armed with fasting and veneration towards the B. Virgin so at last the thing would succeed according to desire For it is not to be feared that the B. Virgin Mother of God will not haue her House to become a through-fare who will haue it open to Pilgrims not only without their danger but also for their good But the Popes authority it self could not inforce Nerusio much frighted allready with the late euill of his presumption to experience that againe which he assayed a little before with so great danger to him selfe At last because the Popes command did vrge and the delay of opening these doores hindred the building of the worke there was a yong man who seemed nothing fearfull to do it who relying on the Popes authoritie and much intreated by his friendes would aduenture the thing He was one of the Cleargie of the Church of Loreto and was called Ventura Perino who arming him selfe with three dayes fast came with his hammer very reuerently to the sacred wall About whome there flocked a multitude of strangers and of the Cleargie these solicitous of the yong mans confidence those in suspence with the expectatiō of the thing But with humble supplicatiō Perino is said to haue spoken thus Sacred House of the B. Virgin pardon Innocencie for I do not digge thee through with this hammer but Clement the Vicar of God desirous of thy ornament he coueteth to haue thee adorned he to haue thee a through-fare Therfore let it please the Mother of God which pleaseth the Vicar of God Hauing prayed thus he digged through the designed place of the wall without any punishment at all And afterward the Masons prepared with like fasting and reuerence followed him iterating his blowes with safetie and opened three dores wherof two giue free entrance and regresse to the people and the third maketh way for the Priestes to the holier part of the sacred Chappell where the Image of the B. Virgin is reuerenced neere at hand At the same time the little window being alone in the fore wall right almost against the Image was made wider to receiue the light and strenghned with brazen barres beautifully guilt And whē the rubbish was taken out the olde dore being to bigge and open in the midst of the sacred wall was also mured vp And then the new walles begā to be raised to be couered and vested with the notable Crust of the carued worke Pope Clement being holpen by the aide of the B. Virgin of Loreto doth adorne her with great care CHAP. XXIIII ABOVT that time Clement vsing all diligence to adorne the House of Loreto eschewed great danger by the protectiō of the B. Virgin Mother of God For the Cittie of Rome being taken by fraud and guile of the enemie he retyred himselfe into the Castle of Adrians Forte where the Imperialls besieging him till he was able to withstand their forces no longer he implored the help of the B. Virgin of Loreto not onely by vow but also by letters Which was to good effect for not long after he escaped from amidst the enemies bullets with safetie being in great want was relieued with three thousand Crownes of the gold and siluer of Loreto Bern. Cyril So that by double benefit of the B. Virgin of Loreto Clement escaped present danger and necessitie and at last dashing the imminent storme of war brought peace and repose to his people Being deliuered from danger of life and from feare of war he thought good not onely to giue thanks to the B. Virgin of Loreto but also as much as lay in mans power to requite it Hauing therfore inuested Charles the V. with the Imperiall Crowne at Bologna and returning backe againe to Rome he came to the House of Loreto to salute his Patronesse and deliueresse and performing his vow to God and the B. Virgin with harty thanks that the grace of so many merits towards him might not be forgotten he resolued with himselfe by all meanes to hasten on the building of Loreto to solicite the Architect masons therunto hauing a speciall desire to bring the Church at least vnto the toppe To dispatch these workes he repayed the money which he receiued in loane frō the B. Virgin wherby in his Popedome both the Bishops Pallace at Loreto was speedily forewarded and also a roofe put on the Church with the admirable thole which is as high from the roofe as the roofe from the groūd Meanewhile it was not Clements least care to finish that worthy Crust of the carued worke which as the beginnings made shew was not vnlikely to be the most curious worke of the whole world Loreto is made more healthfull by cutting downe the woods and drying vp the lakes CHAP. XXV WHILES the House of Loreto was daily more and more adorned with excellent works by cutting downe the woods drying vp the waters neere vnto it the towne it selfe was made more healthfull Bern. Cyril For at that season the aire was generally misliked by reason of the diseases and death of the Inhabitants because for the most part being marish and vnwholsome it caused such distemperature in their bodies that a good part of the yeare the inhabitants were all rhewmatike and full of fleame were weake and diseased and children cheifly were taken away with vntimely death who for the weaknes of their bodies could hardly brooke the vnwholsomnes of the next lake the grosse ayre of the place it selfe And albeit Loreto is seated on a little hill which looketh towards the South the sunne-rising yet on the West and the North being inclosed with wooddy fenns and interposed hills all the wholsome ayre was taken from it and contrary being on the other part open it admitted the vnhealthfull and grossest windes Not far of there was a plaine allwaies foggie by reason of the fennes which came by the ouer-flowing of the riuer Musion and also slymie with the winter fludds which by little and little gathering together for want of motion became noisome You may beleiue that this vnwholsome seate was pleasing to the Mother of God that the wholsomnes of her help might more appeare in an vnhealthful place But at
corruptible heauēs which God graunt to be your happy choice that still in this earthly peregrination you may be made more like to her whose name you beare that as a well-deseruing seruant you may sollace with her in the ioy of eternall beatitude In all sincere affection Euer ready to do you seruice in Christ Iesu T. P. From my poore dwelling this 29. of March 1608. TO THE GODLY READER AMONG all the wonders which haue happened on earth since the mysteries of our Redemption what more meruailous more wonderfull profitable to man than to haue an infallible refuge and harbour of security against the fury and storme of the diuine wrath where he may be deliuered from the imminent blow of that dreadfull sword which perceth with so great woe as the extreme and insufferable paine which it causeth can neuer be mitigated nor in any sorte abated but rather more and more increased as by meditating considering and reading the holy Scriptures it is playne to all that can conceiue the misfortunate state of sinners VVhich is the chance of all that dy the children of wrath and are plunged into the fiery pittes of damnation bycause they did not succour themselues in their life on earth in the harbour of Gods vnspeakable mercies which very specially do appeare at his beloued Loreto the precinct the walls and the circuite of that Paradise where Christ our Lord was not only made man and the Sauiour of our soules but also the sentence of malediction was taken from the damned posterity of Adam and happily changed into the former benediction If that the place where our first Father was created was the delight and ioy of man yf the place where the sentence of death was pronounced against vs were holden of such wonder estimation and desire that no wordes can declare it what I pray thee ought that to be where Christ himself was framed of our nature where in steed of damnation benediction was brought from heauen and giuen to all well deseruing people VVhich was not made the barre the tribunall and the throne of the rigorous and seuere iudgment of our death but the Paradise the treasury and the sacred Fountaine where that heauenly salue was made that cureth the grieued woundes of our manifold sinnes If Allmighty God destroied the former Paradise as the place of our damnation and by a miracle vnheard of from the beginning of the world hath preserued this in the very same state wherin it was when he himself was there made man can any imagine dare any say will any iudge that it is for no end This speciall wonder was for some greate purpose as indeed the meruailous the dayly and the manifold benefits bestowed there on mankinde by the praier of the immaculate Mother of our God do vndoubtedly declare yea and do signify to all that God Allmighty hath made this a very speciall harbour of refuge and succour vnto vs in the manifold dangers of our earthly peregrination which not only many thousands of supernaturall wonders wholy surpassing the power of all naturall meanes but also the incredible deuotion of all Christians doth acknowledge testify and approoue the same with more effectuall zeale than any words can deliuer to the godliest Reader in so much indeed that they who haue not seene tasted this wherof I speake at first will not so easily belieue to be true For the like concourse the like feruour and such continuall deuotion was neuer heard of from the beginning of the world And what is the cause of all this so great feruour and reuerence The reuiuing of dead men the curiug of diseases that by naturall meanes were vtterly despaired of and past all hope of cure the heauenly visions and reuelations which haue beene shewed to deuout people in this most Maiesticall Seate of the whole world No no not only these but chiefly the aboundance of Gods grace the Fountaine of heauenly ioy and consolation which seemeth still to flow and to be powred into mens harts beyond all measure in this celestiall place which is so euident and so manifest that 〈◊〉 one nor two hundred thousands of people which dwell neere at hand but euen very many of the remotest parts of the world yearly pilgrimage thither to drinke of this fountaine and sacred Riuer o◠heauen Seing therfore that these things are so euident that the very enemies of the Christian name neither do nor can deny them what will they say who deny that Saintes can heare our prayers That their sacred Reliques can worke any effect aboue nature VVhat answere will they frame and shape to this VVell may they blush and be much ashamed to haue denied hated contemned and reiected Christ himself by reiecting these things with such malicious contempt and hatred But what can any answere be made to the inscrutable iudgments of Allmighty God who doth worke thus meruailously by the things which he and his B. Mother touched and sanctified by their owne habitation whiles they liued on earth If in the old Law allmighty God did worke these and such like wonders in the Pond vpon Probatica Ioan. 5. which he neuer commanded to be made either for the cure of infirmities or for people to resorte vnto it for that or any other end but approoued their deuotion and godly reuerence by miracles from heauen will he then be lesse beneficiall to Christians in the new law than to the Iewes in the old Or will he do lesse honour to the Reliques of his deere Saintes than to the waters which only washt the sacrifices of the old Law Or haue people lesse need of these things now than at those times they had Or be there not now as many diseases in the new as before in the old Law VVhy therfore should not Christ bestow benefits on his beloued in this and in other places by the merits of his B. Mother VVhy should not diseases be cured in this deuout House before the Image of our B. Lady now a dayes aswell as in the waters of that Pond in the tyme of the former people Is Christ power lesse now in his owne House than in tyme past in the waters of that place But why by more wordes should I seeke to prooue and declare the possibility of Gods grace power which so admirably so comfortably and most merueilously doth not only shew it self but also doth flow into mens soules in the sacred House of Loreto that by his holy Conception and education there Christ our Lord doth seeme to haue made it the gate of heauen for our comfort and euerlasting ioy Haue not all nations Christian by their vowes votaries gifts and donaries approoued and most religiously desired to tast as indeed they haue of the sweetnes of Loreto And which is more do not heathenish nations admire and confesse the diuine power which allwaies is so present there that to them it seemeth as it were to dwell in the most sacred House of Loreto All Barbary is full
war our B. Lady of Loreto had obtained for him the helpe which he desired he began to adorne her House to the vttermost of his abilitie And first of all he thought good to impresse the ancient report of the sacred house more deeply in the hartes of mortall men with Pontificall authoritie as a thing most effectuall to increase the religion of the place it selfe Therfore in the beginning of his first Breue The Bull testimonie of Iulius the 2. recounting the Decrees of his predecessours very honourable to the house of Loreto of Vrbane the 6. of Bonifacius the 9. and Martin the 5. then relating the cause of so great deuotion to the House of Loreto he saith that it is the Chamber of our B. Lady as it is piously belieued and the report goeth where she was coÌ„ceiued where she was brought vp where by the salutatioÌ„ of the Angell she conceiued and nourished Christ which House since that time being consecrated by the Apostles first by miracle departed out of Nazareth then out of the wood infested with theeues into the hill of the two brothers from thence by reason of the brothers discord into the hill where at this present it standeth And afterward declaring that he was bound to adorne the House of Loreto with no lesse care then Paul the second or Xistus the fourth whose worthy benefits towards the same were well knowne to all he confirmeth their gifts and immunities rceiuing the House of Loreto into the protection of the Sea Apostolike The benefits of Iulius the 2. calleth it the Popes Chappell coÌ„manding that diuine seruice should be celebrated there with folemne rites in like manner as in the Popes Chappell at Rome He also priuiledged all the Ministers of the Church of Loreto to be of the Popes familie and retinue with as much prerogatiue as the best and ordained a Gouernour ouer Loreto to be chosen by the Pope himselfe to whome he gaue mixt authoritie From which time the towne of Loreto The tovvne of Loreto is exempted from the iurisdietioÌ„ of other Citties being exempted out of the Iurisdiction of Recanati began to be free of it selfe Moreouer he gaue coÌ„mandment that â—â—ey which brought prouision of victualls or other vendible thinges to Loreto should be freed of portage and tole And straitly ordained that none should pilfer neither the Donaries nor the money which was offered to our B. Lady of Loreto vnder the paine of excommunication Latae Sententiae For about that time I find that the sacred House was enriched not only with money but also with giftes George Monachus of Padua The gift of George Monachus brought for a gift a siluer Image of our B. Lady of Loreto of fiue pound weight Cardinall Tranensis an other of the same substance forme but of double weight And others brought other Donaries not needfull to be rehearsed A noble woman is cured of the Palsey CHAP. X. THIS time was also memorable for miracles whereof that was the chiefest which fell in the yeare 1508. The king of Naples had a certaine person of his Councell called LoÌ„gus Bern. Cyril famous for manie notable thinges whose wife being a womaÌ„ of great accompt also called Longa by the surname of her husband was so taken in all her bodie and tormented with such bitter paine that she lead a most miserable life more like to death then life who at last reiecting the help of Physitians intreated her husband that she might be carried to Loreto When she came thither she requested her sonne-in-law who accompanied her in that iourney to procure a certaine Masse to be said in the most sacred Cell of the B. Virgin agreeable to her purpose the beginning wherof is Repleatur os meum laude Let my mouth be filled with praise in which is recited the gospell of the palseymaÌ„ whome Christ our Sauiour did cure which being assigned for the friday in WhitsoÌ„ week was not the proper of that time seing that day was past long since but Longa desired that votiue Masse She had scarce giuen this coÌ„mandment to her sonne-in-law when she her self her sonne-in-law atteÌ„ding on her was brought into the most sacred nouse presented before the B. Virgin not doubting but that our B. Ladies prayers would be profitable vnto her Behould before her sonne-in-law could fullsill his mother-in-lawes commaÌ„d a strange Priest came to the Altar who beginning diuine seruice with this Introite Let my mouth be silled with praise stroke her into so great admiration that she remained a while dismayed therwith But presentlie turning to her soÌ„ne-in-law who was not yet gone to procure that Masse but now prepared to go stay said she it is booteles for thee to go for this is the verie Masse which I desired And when it was come to that place of the gospell He said to the sicke of the palsey I say to thee arise a woÌ„derfull thing to be spoken and seene the Palsey womaÌ„ perceiuing that by a certaine supernaturall grace her bodie was suddainlie cured her soule replenished with vnwonted sweetnes arose presentlie out of her chaire with greatioy leauing all amazed at the strangnes of the thing with flowing teares of â—oy made no end of thankes giuing to the B. Virgin And when Masse was donne went on foote to her lodging to the greate astonishment of all her acquaintance who were present at the miracle of so great a thing At which time the Duke of Termero being by chance at Loreto with a chiefe company of horse-men to go to the war of Lombardie as Iulius the second had appointed knowing LoÌ„ga her incurable disease verie well and also seeing her go on her feete was first amazed at the noueltie of the thing but presentlie being moued with so euident a miracle he ioyned with her in praysing Almightie God And eftsoones a new wonder made the miracle it selfe most euident For the Priest who had said Masse to Longa being long and much sought for was not to be found that you may belieue he was sent by miracle to be the minister of the heauenly worke And Longa hauing obtained her vow returned to Naples purposing to consecrate to Alm. God her health restored vnto her by miracle Wherupon building a Monasterie of sacred Virgins at Naples she betooke herselfe to the seruice of incurable diseases whiles Raymund Cardona was Vice-roy of Naples Pope Iulius the second finisheth and fortifieth the Church of Loreto CHAP. XI MOREOVER Iulius granted many other benefits to the former which are declared and set downe in a long Breue not needfull to be rehearsed And wheÌ„ he had graced the house of Loreto with these immunities he was very careâ—ull to fortifie the same Therfore begining the workes of peace with no lesse courage theÌ„ he waged his huge and troublesome war he prepared not to build vp but also to fortifie the Church of Loreto which Paul the 2. had begunne the finishing wherof was hindered by
by the Pope himself that he might accompany her to the most desired House of the B. Virgin Vnder the walls of Recanati the godly woman beholding the House of Loreto a far of forthwith came out of her Coach and kneeling downe reuerently saluted the Mother of God from whence performing the rest of that iourney on foote all her traine followed the example of their Lady who came into Loreto in a white and a plaine garment shewing therby the great purity of her mind Her modesty was also very singular For being brought into the most sacred House of the B. Virgin by two Bishops without regard of Cushins or Tapestry she fell downe on her knees on the bare floore deuoutly worshipped the King and the Queene of heauen in time past the Inhabitants but now the Gouernours of that House with flowing teares besought pardon for herself and her huâ—band and by praier intreated peaceable wedlocke and issue-male Soone after deuoutly receiuing the sacred Mysteries she spent all the night following in praier with humble supplication before the B. Virgin doing also the like the two daies and nights that followed such strength did her feruent deuotion and piety bring vnto her And at her departure The vvorthy gifts or the great Duchesse of Tuscany she hung vp two harts of gold in golden chaines to be a monument that she was either most deare to her and her husband or els that the B. Virgin the author of concord would make her nusbands hart such a one vnto her as she knew hers to be vnto him And not coteÌ„ting herself with these Donaries she departed fully determined to honour the B. Virgin of Loreto with some yearly gift which as loÌ„g as she liued she did more carefully theÌ„ she purposed A worthy Image of siluer of Christ Crucified with a great Crosse of Ebony foure curious Candlestickes of siluer of a cubite and a half ornaments for the Bishop Priest Ministers and the Altar made of gold and siluer double curled and imbrodered a golden garment for the B. Virgin made with meruailous art also other furniture for the Altar and the holy Chalices beautified with imbrodery iewells gold and siluer were the worthiest gifts of Ioane de Austria whose praier and Donaries obtained her desire For soone after this Pilgrimage to Loreto she had issue-male by her husbaÌ„d a patterne of his Mothers piety borne in expectance of his Fathers and almost of a Kingly State who a while suruiuing his Mother erected the mindes of his people to the hope of vndoubted felicity But afterward the Mother dying and by the secret iudgment of God the yong child also following his Mother filled Tuscany with sorrow and lamentation And Ioane de Austria did not onely adorne the House of Loreto with her act but also with her example For not long after Margaret de Austria that out of the same family examples may be shewed not only of vertue in men but also of piety in women the daughter of Charles the V. and wife of Octauius Farnesius Duke of Parma came to Loreto with a great company of Noble meÌ„ where rightly receauing the mysteries of Confession and the most holy Eucharist for the space of three daies she was allwaies present in the Church at diuine seruice and in the most Maiesticall Chappell it self praied to God his B. Mother not so long The gift of Margaret de Austria as deuoutly and last of all putting a great quantity of gold into the arke honoured the B. Virgin with gifts worthy such a woman The Duchesse of Loraine being brought to Loreto sicke of the Palsey is cured by Miracle CHAP. XXVI THIS praise was not proper to the women of Austria and Italy Annal. Laur. Rier Victo Brigant Christerne or Christine the daughter of the King of Denmarke and of the Emperours sister Charles the V. being Duchesse of Loraine and a woman of manlike valour exceeding piety great age and much hindered with age and the palsey determined to come to Loreto to performe her vow who at the intreaty of her friends would neuer giue consent that the Pope himself should exchange that vow into other workes of piety so feruent was her desire to see the B. Virgin of Loreto Therefore assoone as she and her most Princely traine came into Italy but specially into Picene she made hast to the place whether she was bound well hoping to recouer perfect health by the help of our B. Lady Wheruppon in the very entrance of the most sacred House her soule was not only replenished with heauenly ioy but also her body restored to perfect health And perceyuing that the vse and strength of those members wherin she was molested was restored vnto her by miracle first beyond her custome she stood on her feet by her self alone to make triall of her strength then seeing the thing succeeded well without any help at all she went ioyfully about the most sacred Cell of the B. Virgin all her familiar friends admiring the miracle and greatly extolling the worthy benefit of God and his B. Mother But Christine whome that thing did most concerne entring againe into the most Maiesticall Chappell with flowing teares of ioy fell downe before the Queene of heauen made no end of praising the diuine benefit no end of thanksgiuing and dedicated her self and all hers to God and his B. Mother And afterward that a monumeÌ„t of so great a benefit might euer remaine at Loreto in sight of the B. Virgin she hung vp in a chaine of gold a great hart crowned with solid gold which for that purpose she brought with her from home which donne she layd out Princely gifts a Crownet of vnions and orient pearles a Carkanet of precious stones siluer vestments of very curious damaske-worke for the Altar Priest and Ministers sacrificing with solemnity and last of all she increased these Princely gifts with a great summe of money Neither did she depart thence vnrewarded For Pope Gregory the xiij sent vnto her from the Citty a most ample Iubiley which she with her whole traine in which were almost fiue huÌ„dred people rightly receiued But the sorrowful message of the death of Sebastian King of Portugall her sisters sonne did not a little trouble her hart being made most ioyfull with these heauenly gifts yet in so great and suddaine a griefe the worthy vertue of the couragious and godly woman was not a little manifested because from mourning for the King her Cousin she imployed her self to help his soule and celebrated his funeralls with the greatest pompe that might be but so that in the House of Loreto it self she procured very many masses to be said for him And finally being inflamed with ChristiaÌ„ charity she her self did twice visit the hospitall of Loreto bestowing on euery sicke body two Crownes in golde with no lesse praise of humanity then liberality Two throwne very dangerously from their horses are deliuered from death CHAP. XXVII IT is lesse admirable