Lord Archbishop would needes speake with her againe as he did in familiar manner and at large particulerly asking about those things which a little before he had vnderstood of her when she was in Rapt She euer as to her true Superiour with profound humility and reuerence answered to all his demands and conferred about many other thinges with great confidence After which he departed much satisfyed when first in the presence of the Mother Prioresse and many other of the Mothers he had highly praysed the vertue and sanctity of this their Religious Sister She foretelleth vnto the Cardinall Archbishop of Florence that he should be Pope and at another tyme forseeth that he should hold that place but few dayes CHAP. 19. AMONG those discourses which she had with the Lord Cardinall she told him vpon occasion that he should one day come to that highest dignity of Popedome Which came to passe when in the yeare 1605. vpon the death of Clemens Octauus he was chosen Pope and he called himselfe Leo the eleuenth Not only did she forsee this but sayd afterwards in a Rapt that he was to rule the Church of God but a very short tyme for when he past by Florence as the Pops legate to the King of France she vsed these wordes This Christ is in present possession of a great honour but he shall afterwards ariue to the greatest although he shall not long stay therein for when he would fain imbrace it then shall the glory of it vanish out of his sight How clearely this was verifyed we see by the successe for he gouerned the Christian Common Wealth but six and twenty dayes How she was perfectly resigned to God How Iesus shewed himselfe thrice to her with a troubled countenance and afterwards well pleased and of the three offers which she made to the Eternall Father with an Image of Iesus in her hand CHAP. 20. SPEAKING once with one of the Sisters Note she sayd in humble manner that she desired nothing of her Lord but that he would take from her her owne will and that as she knew that by her own only indeauour or power she could not profit according to her desire in those vertues which make a soule gratefull to God She had scarse ended these wordes when turning vp her eyes to heauen she was rapt in Extasis and it was shewed to her by Iesus how great an impediment the being guided by ones proper will doth bring to a soule and especially of one that is Religious who by the vow of Obedience hath already consecrated the Will to God She therefore vnderstood how the will of Iesus was that in nothing she was to suffer her owne Will to haue dominion This being done she instantly tooke the Prioresse by the hand who togeather with many other of the Religious was there present and she conducted her to the Oratory where she made feruent prayers to the B. Virgin beseeching her that she would get her light towardes the executing of the diuine Will After this turning aside to the Mother Prioresse whom still she held by the hand she begged of her with great earnestnes and with many tears that euen for the loue of Iesus she also would indeauour to depriue her of doing her owne Will And then Note prostrating herselfe thrice vpon the ground after the manner of demanding pardon she returned from the Rapt The day following she being withall the other Religious imployed in holy exercises she was againe rapt in Extasis and with great violence cast downe to the ground Her countenance was already seene to be growne pale for the great horrour that she had and easily it might be discerned that this happēned not without some mystery And so it was for she seemed then to see Iesus extraordinarily troubled because she had made some resistance to his diuine VVill. For she vnderstood from himselfe that her actions were to be singular and that he was pleased to raise her to higher degrees of Religious perfection but she being vrged by an extreme desire of not appearing such made therein a kind of resistance in her mind desiring rather to suffer whatsoeuer kind of affliction then to be held by others of a singular life Therefore our Lord shewed himselfe againe vnto her as offended added how it was his VVill that both interiourly and exteriourly she should appeare gratefull to him and therfore that she was to make no resistance After dinner she was againe raysed to Extasis and vnderstood many things from the Incarnate VVord but particulerly how she was to suffer much affliction thereby to grow more gratefull to the Eternall Father She was also illuminated about many other things apperteyning to the Constitutions of the Monastery which she particulerly related to Mother Prioresse Not many dayes after hauing left the Religious with whome then she was and going into the Quire being by that tyme alienated from her senses she let her selfe fall vpon the ground with her armes crossed seeing Christ Iesus who seemed to be againe of troubled countenance Wherupon in imitation of S. Paul she sayd O Lord what wilt thou haue me do Tell me what is pleasing to thee and whatsoeuer it be I will procure to accomplish it so that thy bright eyes may shine vpon me and that thy countenance towards me may no more be obscured She added other wordes all full of profound humility and hauing so remayned a while she turned her selfe with great ioy towardes a picture of the B. Virgin saying O Maria I do yet once againe behould those most pure and bright eyes of my Spouse and they looke on me no more with a troubled countenance But I beseech thee tell me O my Iesus what can I haue done in so short a tyme whereby I may haue obteyned this so deere and delicious aspect of thyne And she had scarce ended these words when she heard a celestiall voyce that sayd Conformity of will whereupon she came to know that by being so humbly resigned to the Will of God she saw her Iesus no more now offended but benigne and appeased In this feruour of spirit she went into the Quire to a chappel of the B. Virgin and opening the grates of the Altar she tooke off the candlestickes with more agility then can be imagined Afterwards ascending vp to the Altar she powred forth earnest prayers to the Mother of God that she would giue her her sonne Iesus whose Image togeather with her owne was there embost and vpon the signe made that her sute was graunted she takes into her armes that deuout Image of Iesus and laying aside all the ornaments sayd thus I will haue thee naked O my Iesus for I were not able to endure thee withall thy infinite vertues perfections I will haue thy humanity all naked She went afterwardes with that Image into all those three places where he had shewed himselfe to be offended and in the selfe same manner as a Priest doth offer the
in all simplicity for so you shall arriue to great perfection In summe she did so instruct her Subiects in holy exercises of a true Religious life as they who are yet liuing do coâ—fesse that then it was that they layed the true foundation of the spirit Her only countenance caused griefe for sinne in the minds of others CHAP. 67. IT was a strang and curious accident that chanced in the yeare 1599. when Suor Maria Maddalena was Mistres of the Nouices It happened that one of her Nouices was called to the grate to speak with a brother of hers who led not any of the best liues And so hauing giuen her leaue to speake with him she also as Superiour went in her company according to the custome of the Monastery Being both come to the grate the yong gentlemen had scarce saluted his Sister when instantly he went away in a fury without vsing any further speach or so much as taking his leaue The Nouice wondered and grieued to see the so hasty vnciuil departure of her brother but her owne Mother shortly after comming to visite her she asked her sayd Mother whether he had yet acquainted her therewith to which she answered that his departure grew from his not being able to remain in the presence of the Religious woman who was in her company Note and that she hauing cast an eye vpon him he found himselfe instantly and interiourly to be filled with so great confusion shame as that being surprized with an extraordinary inquietude he was not able to remaine in her presence but was forced to take himselfe out of sight From that time forwards he changed his course of life and hath ever since giuen good example to others And surely this Suor Maria Maddalena had that vertue in her most pure aspect imparted by Almighty God for in particuler those Religious do testify who are now liuing formerly were vnder her charge that they should easily passe ouer any affliction be wholy appeased in their mind by seeing in her eyes somwhat as if it had been diuine and on the other side being admonished or reproued by her they would from her very countenance take reason euen of trembling and vnspeakable sorrow for their faults And because with her only countenance she penetrated the mindes of others so far to the quike and cleerely saw the state wherein they were when she was called to the Grate she found that she spake to some with great repugnaÌ„ce and to others with great consolation so that only by her aspect indeed Angelical one might come to the knowledg of her angelicall life She sheweth in many thinges her Propheticall spirit CHAP. 68. IN the yeare 1600. being one day according to her custome in Extasis she saw the Reuerend Father Rectour of the College of the Society of Iesus who at that tyme was Virgilio Cepari as he was speaking to some of the Fathers of his College about an houre and halfe after Sunset But that which was strang is that as she told instantly after by Obedience she distinctly heard all the speach that past betweene them This was verifyed to the full the next day following when the sayd Father Rectour went to confesse those Religious as sometymes vpon extraordinary occasions he did For the good Mother doubting least perhaps she might haue beene deceaued by the Diuell related to him the whole processe and found it to be punctually true And this is cleerly testifyed by the sayd Father who yet liueth She foresaw at diuers tymes many virgins who were to be Religious in that Monastery besides that she saw the deuotions which they should performe coÌ„ferring with the Religious she would say That God prouided trees for that garden which should fructify Once particulerly about that tyme she was asked by them if a certaine Virgin who was then in the Monastery would become in the end Religious She answered that she knew for certaine that she would and that God had reuealed it to her She had indeed many difficulties afterwardes but yet in fine ouercame them al and tooke the habit of Religion in that Monastery She foretold very often the death of many but in particuler of a Religious woman of her Monastery who was sick at the same tyme. Speaking one day with Mother Prioresse about her she sayd these words Note You shall vnderstand Mother that this Sister will dye shortly The Prioresse was amazed at these wordes that Religious being then in good health but eight dayes were not passed before she grew very sicke and seauen dayes after that she dyed She also fortold her owne death in one of her grieuous sicknesses vnderstanding that her recouery was despaired of by the Phisitians she sayd often to Mother Prioresse Assure your selfe Mother that I shal not dye yet Moreouer a year before her death when the Phisitians couÌ„sailled her to take the Extreme vnction without delay she resolutly sayd though with profound humility That the tyme was not yet come and a few dayes before she dyed indeed she foretould that one of the Religious would shortly follow her And being desired by the Religious to pray for the recouery of her who was already sicke she answered how the will of God was that she should dye and so the sixt day after the death of Suor Maria Maddalena that other Religious also passed on to a better life Many other things also did she forsee concerning the good estate of that Monastery but they are passed ouer to auoyd tediousnes She seeth in Rapt B. Luigi Gonzaga of the Society of Iesus amongst the Saints of Heauen CHAP. 69. ON the fourth of Aprill in the same yeare being rapt in spirit as she was often it was graunted to her that she might see in heauen the glory of B. Luigi Gonzaga of the Society of Iesus and being surprised by the sight of so glorious an obiect she began to speake thus with great pawses interposing a space between one and another as the lines doe afterward declare O what glory hath Luigi the sonne of Ignatius I should neuer haue beleeued it to haue beene so much if my Iesus hid not shewed it me Me thinkes there should hardly be so much glory in all heauen as I see that Luigi doth enioy I say that Luigi is a great Saint We haue Saints in the Church who I doe not thinke haue so much glory She speaketh heere of the Reliques Bones of Saints which were kept in the Reliquaries of that Church Faine would I go throughout the whole world and say that Luigi the sonne of Ignatius is a great Saint and I wish I could shew to euery one his glory to the end that God might be glorifyed He hath so great glory because he operated interiourly Who can euer expresse the valew and vertue of internall workes there is no comparison between the internall and the externall Luigi whilest he was on earth held his mouth open towards the countenance of the Word
as thou wert when thy Mother lost thee in the Temple and lastly as thou wert when thou wert prepared for thy Passion She had no sooner spoke these wordes but this suit of hers was graunted and Iesus shewed himselfe to her punctually as she desired in the tyme of his infancy So as full of ioy turning her eyes towardes him she began to speake in this manner O heer behould my little one in the age of three or foure yeares O admirable thing thou art so very little and yet thou art God but thy littlenes makes me know thy greatnes O greatnes and littlenes of my God I shall neuer be satisfyed in behoulding thee O little and great God so beautifull and attractiue She then saw the same Iesus in the state of riper childhood and being then surprized with greater ioy she sayd O behould my spouse who before shewed himselfe to me so very little and now I see him in the age of twelue yeares with a countenance so delightfull admirable wherein there shineth such a graue sweetnes O my God so louely gracious to such as tast thee After this she went to the Oratory where prostrating her selfe on earth before the Altar of the B. Virgin with full zeale she prayed that the liuely flames of diuine loue might dilate themselues in the hart of euery Religious in that Monastery And these prayers were well made for she vnderstood soone after that God granted singular graces to that Monastery so she being all comforted returned shortly out of the Rapt As soone as she had strengthned her selfe by a little food she was againe abstracted from her senses and she laboured with much desire to see the great Son of God in the third manner as she had demanded Her Iesus then appearing to her in that forme and she looking on him with attentiue eyes sayd O my Iesus I will behould thee in this flourshing age of thyne sometimes working sometimes praising thee sometymes labouring for thee I will see thee I say in this so beautifull and gracious age of thyne when thou dost leaue thy selfe to vs by enduring the most sacred Passion I will take extreme delight to behould thee as now theâ— shewest thy selfe namely sitting vpon that fountaine where thou wast interrogating and illuminating Many other discourses she had with her beloued Lord whilest she saw him in those three aforesayd formes besides that in these three dayes of the Holy Ghost whereof she consumed the greatest part in Extasis there were coÌ„municated to her many celestiall secrets and she spake so highly of the greatnesses that are in God as doth exceed all humane thought But I passe on for greateâ— breuity By her Prayers she obteyneth from God space of life for the Confessarius of the Monastery CHAP. 42. IN the yeare 1590. the Confessarius of the Monastery being grieuously sicke and neere to death hauing already beene anâ—ealed this seruant of God both wâ—th sighes and teares disposed her selfe to pray our Lord so earnestly that for the spirituall benefit of her Monastery he would prolonge his life that the sayd Confessarius being aged of 77. yeares in â—hort tyme recouered his forces so well â—hat he left his bed and at the solemnity of the Corpus Domini which was at hand he confessed and communicated the Reâ—igious to their great comfort And by â—his prolonging of his life came much â—pirituall profit to the Monastery To â—his miracle all the Religious doe giue â—laine testimony who yet liue were â—resent at the working thereof She seeth the soule of her Mother ascend vp to heauen and she also seeth a good Priest who enioyeth eternall happines CHAP. 43. IN the Month of September of the same yeare 1590. our Lord Iesus was pleased to refresh his beloued Spouse with an extreme consolation for the agonyes which were so patiently endured by her in the time of her Probation For she being in rapt he shewed her the soule of her mother who 15. dayes before was departed out of this life and so being enuironed by eternall splendours she went vp to heauen accompanyed by her Patron-Saints There were giuen her by her Mother three aduices which by holy Obedience she was enioyned to declare First that to the vttermost of her power she should endeauour to profit in holy humility Secondly that she should be a true obseruer of Obedience and thirdly that in all thinges she should striue to exercise Prudence Hauing giuen these holy counsels her happy Mother tooke her selfe out of sight and went to enioy supreme happynes Soone after also she saw the soule of a venerable Priest who for the loue of God had laboured much in spirituall exercises and he went to inhabit his celestiall Countrey being rich in glory By these meanes she went still profiting in holy vertue and was kindled more and more towards the purchase of true felicity Of the manner of her life from the tyme that she entred into her Probation vntill her death CHAP. 44. THIS couragious warriour of Iesus being to encounter with diuers tentations lead a life wholy illuminated by God and full of mortification and pennance For in the fiue yeares of her Proâ—ation Note she susteyned not her body otherwise in effect then by bread and water By the space of three yeares she being admonished by aduice from heaueÌ„ went bare footed and consequently being of delicate complexioÌ„ she could not without extreme paine endure those bitter coldes of winter So much the more because for her greater mortification she imployed her selfe as hath been sayd already in those painefull exercises of drawing water and doing of other inferiour things and neither making any account of the raine or snow she went vp and down sometymes in the garden and sometyms in other places of the Monastery so that through the most bitter season of the yeare her flesh would break and open in such sort as to shed bloud in great quantity and that would make most painefull sores Therefore out of compassion the Religious would sometymes swath her legs but she caring for no such complements with a cheerefull countenance would say Giue me leaue to suffer for my sinnes She wore only one Coate which was old and patcht as well in the sharp seasons of the yeare as â—t other tymes so as now and then â—hrough the extreme could she trembled â—n such sort as she could hardly speake Moreouer the vsuall tyme of feeding or sleeping she did ordinarily spend in continuall prayer or in excesses of mind And yet euen when she would dispose her selfe to take any rest she slept in her cloathes and almo t euer vpon a hard sacke of straw or els vpon the bare ground Her sleep was extremly short for that mind which was accustomed in those Nocturnal houres to transforme it selfe often into God by diuine contemplation could hardly induce it selfe to giue long repose to the body though it were much weakned with affliction And yet more to exercise her self in
they still remayned in â—he darcknes of sinne Sometymes she would say Thou â—â—est O Lord the need which there is of these â—oules for if they who are the light of the â—orld remaine in darknes how much more â—â—all other creatures remaine there And if â—hey who are the salt of the earth be vnsauouâ—y and insipide how shall they be able to seaâ—on others O my Iesus and how shall they be â—ble to lead others on in the way to thee if â—hemselues go on in that way which is conâ—rary to thee She offered her selfe afterwards to our Lord to indure all the peâ—altyes which these soules deserued so â—hat he would deliuer them from comâ—itting of sinne And she would say with â—dmirable zeale Infuse O my Iesus infuse â—â—y bloud into them and for my part if I â—ight indure all the paynes of Purgatory so as â—ithall they might be saued I should be conâ—ent Lay punishment I beseech thee vpon me â—nd giue me payne interiour and exteriour as 〈◊〉 all best please thee For I cannot endure â—hat there should be so great ignorance where there is so great aboundance O miserable and wretched creature that I am why am not I able to take vpon me and to beare all payne Punish thou vpon me O Word their so great ingratitude so great blindnes and ignorance At last finding that she had obteined the conuersion of those sinners she sayd with excesse of ioy Then let them returne vnto thee like so many wandring sheep for all the happy soules of heauen are expecting their approach with ioy With these feruours of Charity she endlesly prayed the diuine Maiesty for the saluation of others reaped the desired fruit of her labours for she often saw how these soules being illuminated by God with his diuine grace did returne to him with repentant harts by the meanes of her prayers Of the Charity which she vsed towardes her Neighbours CHAP. 52. AS her zeale was such towardes the saluation of others soules so her Charity was no lesse which she imployed towards them in all their other necessityes whether they were spiritual or corporall She euer aspired earnestly to be labouring about them and then did she giue particuler demonstration thereof when any one was sicke in the Monastery So as she would be often saying to the Infirmarian That she had nothing to do Note that she had no disposition to pray nor could keep her mind retyred inwardly vpon God and she would secretly inferre by these words that they might giue her much contentment if they would serue themselues of her in the gouernement of such as were sicke Whensoeuer she was satisfyed in this holy desire of hers she would vse supreme diligence about them and when at any tyme the sicknes grew great the good Mother would sometims by holding them vp in her armes and sometimes feeding them performe all the good offices which are imaginable Among many others this one deserues to be remembred There was a lay Sister who had long been sicke and hauing a veyne broken in her breast was afflicted with much infirmity and griefe Suor Maria Maddalena hauing obserued this tooke her into her care and continuing so about a yeare the sayd Sister dyed In that last passage it caÌ„not be exprest what paines she tooke for she watched with her ten nights without taking in effect any rest at all It happened not long after that another lay Sister fell sicke of an incurable soare and it was offensiue in sauour beyond measure Suor Maria Maddalena desired to haue the charge of attending her and when she had obteyned it she would needs with her own hands dresse the soare and when there grew any vermine as sometymes there did she vsed al diligence in remouing it and sometimes would apply her mouth vnto it as if she were tasting of some curious and delicious liquor She fayled not also with deer wordes to exhort the sicke person to endure all with patience assuring her that in heauen she should find a most liberall remuneration When these two were passed in their seuerall tymes to a better life she performed to their bodyes all the accustomed dutyes before they were buryed and to that she added continuall prayers for their soules and by night without taking in a manner any rest she exhibited her feruent desires to God that they might hasten to the fruition of eternall glory And she procured with great diligence that all the Religious would multiply their prayers she offered her selfe willingly to receaue the punishment of their faults and she prayed to God earnestly that she might doe so who graunting her request made her very often feele grieuous paines for many dayes togeather by meanes whereof they being endured by her with singular patience he shewed her those soules when they went towards the enioying of eternall happynes She seeth the soules of two sinners condemned to Hell at their death CHAP. 53. ON the 22. of December in the yeare 1594. being in excesse of mind she saw the soule of a sinner who at that instant departed out of this life and was condemned to those euerlasting paynes She vnderstood afterwardes how that wretched man besides that he had lead a most wicked life was particulerly sentenced to those endled flames for not hauing in account the spirituall treasures of the Church but despising both Indulgences and all other graces which she tenderly powreth vpon her faythfull children About the same tyme she saw in like manner another soule shut vp on all sides into vnquenchable fire and coÌ„demned by the Iustice of God to the torments of Hell Whereupon she grew to be of an afflicted countenance pale beyond all imagination and with tears and sighes turning her selfe to the soule she sayd Thou art now become a firebrand of hell and soone are thy pleasures and pastimes conuerted into bitter and eternall paynes and then looking vp to heauen she sayd O eternall God the men of this world do not consider and penetrate these thinges But vpon this occasion so great was the griefe affliction of her hart that she wanted little of sowning by it And these visions as she related afterwards by her vsuall Obedience were shewed her by God to the end that both her selfe and the other Religious of that Monastery should inflame themselues more vehemently towards the zeale of the saluation of soules offering vp for them both prayers and pennances to the diuine Iustice She was chosen Mistresse of the yong Religious whome she did admirably help forward in the way of spirit CHAP. 54. IN the yeare 1595. she was by common consent of all the Religious elected Mistresse of the yong Religious It would be heard to deliuer fully with how much zeale she addressed them towards Religious perfection and by the vertue which shined in her they went forwards with great facility towards the procuring of euangelicall perfection In this gouernement of hers she euer prescribed seasonable remedyes and gaue wise
CHAP. 71. SCARSELY had she ended her Office of the Mistres of the Nouices and being confirmed therein for three other years when in the yeare 1602. she was ouertaken with a continuall Catarre which wrought vpon her in such sort as wholy to depriue her of her strength in a very short tyme. Yet she making small account thereof would neuer excuse her selfe from the rigour of the life she led nay she increased it by more sharp pennances being in doubt that it might arriue by the art of her enemy to alienate her therby from austerity For this cause she would say O how watchfull ought we to be ouer ourselues so dull and cowardly is this sense of ours which will esteeme that to be weaknes iâ—firmâ—ty Note whiâ—h indeed is noth ng but dâ—owsinâ—s for the getting oâ—ly of some repose And to herselfe looking on her selfe she would say I know thee well inough and I will neuer do after thy fancy but gladly imploy my selfe in accomplishment of the will of God In the meane tyme her sickenes increast and in the month of Apâ—ill 160â— a veine brake in her breast so as she cast vp great quantity of bloud which weakned her much But for all this nothing daunted she would neuer thinke of restoring her selfe esteeming that by the fauour of God she might ouercome the inconuenience Yet sometymes she her selfe would say I am many tymes considering whether I be she that I was or no because heeretofore I conceaued that with a strong resolution I could ouercome any difficulty and now the more I force my selfe so much the more feeble and faint I am Neither woâ—ld her Superiours presume hauing seene in her so great wonders to commaÌ„d her by holy Obedience that she should go into the bed and forbeare the austerityes of her life though they fayled not earnestly to desire it of her but contrary wise she made earnest prayers mingled with salt teares to God that he would not permit that she should seeme sicke Finally she was reduced to such termes that she could not take any food nor make two paces without much afflictioÌ„ and her Superiours commanded her to go to bed Imediatly she did as they enioyned such account did she make of holy Obedience Note but because as hath beene sayd she feared much that this might happen by the stratagems of the Diuell whilest she tooke conuenient remedyes for her body she was much troubled in her mind She continued so till the second of August with singuler patience when being first surprised with an extraordinary accident of her cough there followed a very great aboundance of bloud which she could not forbeare to cast vp The Phisitians were in some doubt least perhaps she might be suffocated with that bloud and so continued she till the day of S. Laurence there being found no remedy by which her bleeding might be stayed At that tyme all the Religious stood round about her bed euen ouerwhelmed with affliction but to all of them she gaue courage and assured them confidently that she was not then to dye but that she must make an end of her office of Mistress of the Nouices as indeed it happened for shortly after being in great part deliuered of her infirmity vpon the feast of all the Saints she resumed her Charge to the ioy of the whole Monastery Our Lord telleth her in a Rapt that she was to suffer much till her death She is elected Subprioresse by the Religious and soone after she is assaulted by her last sicknes CHAP. 72. VPON the day of S. Iohn Baptist in the yeare 1604. she was rapt in Extasis this being the last Rapt which was manifested to the Religious and she vnderstood by God that from thenceforth euen to her death she was to be afflicted with continuall sicknes She with a cheerfull countenance made answere O my Iesus wilt thou haue me become as a little Infant nay wilt thou that I be borne againe And being all in admiration she added O how little shall I become againe by reason of wh ch littlenes these soules of myne will know me no longer She would by this inferre as afterwards by Obedience she related that by occasion of her sicknes she was now to lead a life so different from the former that it would seeme to them a being borne againe because she was to beare the naked crosse This succeeded punctually for from that tyme forward she found so great pouerty of spirit as it might seeme after a sort that she was abandoneâ— by God Yet she neuertheles was still more earnest in the execution of the diuine Will and shewed her selfe ready to suffer any afflictioÌ„ whatsoeuer theÌ„ shortly after returned out of Rapt In the meane tyme she ended her Office of Mistresse of the Nouices and because new Officers were to be chosen she fearing very much that some other charge might be giuen her did humbly propose her case and much desired to repose a little in her so great weaknes and withall in respect of her sicknes which so continually called vpon her This she sayd not for the ease of her body but to auoyd all kind of superiority The Religious being assembled among themselues considering the great goodnes of this holy Soule they chose her by common consent to be Subprioresse of the Monastery in the moneth of October of the same yeare She accepted the Office but with much griefe of mind esteeming her self vnable to satisfy so great an obligation yet being resigned to the Will of God she instantly quieted her selfe and began her charge with singuler example But as it pleased Almighty God eight daâ—es were not past when she being assayled by a vehement feuer and intense paines of â—he head she was forced to retyre to bed although she vsed all endeauour to rise euery morning with the other Religious to heare Masse and to receaue the food of the Angells Returning afterwards into her cell so weake would she be growne with it and so afflicted that euen for pure weaknes she was like to swoune Yet being vrged by the great deuotion she carryed towardes that heauenly food she imbraced euery morning the same trouble so that she was often assaulted by an extraordinary accesse of a feuer euen at that tyme. Nay euen for this very cause she suffered euery morning most bitter paynes vntill her death because her body not being able to mainteine it selfe through the great weaknes wherein it was vnles from three to three houres it were successiuely fed she indured patiently all that misery that she might communicate Sometymes being exhorted by the Religious that for this reason she would not frequent the B. Sacrament euery morning but by forbearing it the better attend to the recouering of her health the good Mother made answere If it seeme fit to you that I forbeare for my vnworthines willingly I will be depriued ut if you be moued by other respects I would neuer yeâ—ld to it though
great booke filled and in the presence of Monsigr. the Vicar Generall and of the Gouernour of the Monastery and of foure witnesses there was an authentical Instrument or Writing made by Sigr. Frosino a Milanese Chancellour of the Archbishoprike which publique Instrument or writing togeather with the aforesayd booke full of subscriptions is kept for eternall memory in the Monastery and a coppy of them both being authenticated by the sayd Chancellour was entred is conserued in the Roles of the Archbishopricke of Florence And all this diligence was vsed to take from any man that shall read the great and wonderfull thinges that God did worke by this Mother Suor Maria Maddalena his beloued Spouse the least suspition or doubt of the truth therof This is contayned in the Authours Preface to the Reader touching those thinges that passed from the tyme of her entring into the Monastery which was in the seauententh yeare of her age vntill the tyme of her death which happened in the one and fortith yeare and for those other that are recounted from her first vse of reason till she entred into Religion her Mother and Seruants next kindred and Ghostly Fathers did certainly ionytly and seuerally auow that which is heer related besides that her selfe did confesse them to be true So that for as much as concernes the matter in fact the credit of the history being now settled as I conceaue it is I will only in a few words giue an aduice or two concerning the reading of this life whether it falâ— into the hands of Catholikes or Protestants And first let it be layd for a ground that mirabilis est Deus in Sanctis suis Almighty God is wonderfull in his Saints God iâ— wonderfull in all his workes and wayes buâ— he is sayd to be wonderfull per excellentiaÌ„ in his Saints as if in comparison of that wonderfullnes the rest of his works were not wonderfull Heerupon I would have it follow that in the reading of Saints Liues men ought tâ— carry themselues with great sobriety Catholikes must be sober and not venture to freely vpon the imitation of euery thing wherof they find an example in the life of Saints but content themselues with the knowledg of how litlâ— themselues are worth and with admiration oâ— that which is aboue their calling or the proportion of Gods grace giuen to them And for as much as concerneth practise they must imploy themselues in the purchase of those seueâ—ll solid vertues which shine so brightly in â—hose Liues according to the circumstances of â—me and place and in such cases as are queâ—ionable it is not safe to do any thing of moâ—ent without the aduice of their spirituall â—uides and Ghostly Fathers And aboue all we â—ust be sure not to despise or censure rashly â—hat which is represented by great authority â—nd with great Charity but praysing Almighâ—y God according to the aduise of Sales the â—ood Bishop of Geneua in that excellent book â—f his which is intituled An Introduction â—o a deuout life for the superabundance of â—is graces powred vpon others we must stay â—ur selues humbly in the ordinary for vs â—ore assured way lesse excellent in it selfe â—ut more sutable to our infirmity and pouerty wherin yet if we conuerse with humility and â—delity God will afterward raise vs vp to â—reatnes which is truly great And as for Proâ—estants if any such may read this booke I will only desire them to be that which they â—ould fayne be thought to be that is discreet â—nd not to oppose vpon this only reason beâ—ause we affirme nor to scorne thinges as vanityes and inuentions only because themseluâ— vnderstand them or see them not and finally not to be so discourteous euen to the Omnipocency of Almighty God as not to let him dispose of his creatures as is most pleasing tâ— himselfe We see that he gouerneth his seruants oâ— ordinary condition with great variety according to the seuerall temper of their mindes some are drawn by health plenty estimation and all kind of prosperity which without sinne may be enioyed some others againe would be as it were putrifyed by such warmth as that and are best kept in temper by the contraryes So also are his Saints in whom nature is not destroyed but perfected conducted by the hand of his admirable prouidence in seueral wayes some by Comforts and Rapts Extasies of loue and they also are in themselues of very seuerall kinds for some of them bind all the senses at once and some leaue them free to some particuler purposes euen as we see that naturally it happeneth sometyms in dreames And in like manner we also find by experience that some men are mad outright and others againe are so in some one particuler occasion and some againe are mad in all vnles it be only in some one wherein â—hey are of as sound discourse as any other man But it pleaseth God to lead on other Saints by great aridityes and desolations of spirit and so he maketh them appeare in the eyes of men to be no more then ordinary persons others againe he placeth as Lanternes and Beakons for all the world to behould and take example by through the supernaturall concourse which it pleaseth his diuine Maiesty to yield of working many and most vndoubted miracles in confirmation of their sanctity or otherwise for the manifestation of his owne greater glory as it hath been abundantly seene in the case of Suor Maria Maddalena The euidence of whose holynes and the testimony which it both pleased God to giue vnto it hath so appeared in the eyes of the world as that order is come from Rome to the Religious where she liued that they may publiquely expose her Picture in their Church with the Voto's round about it which are testimonyes of the graces that God hath granted by means of her intercession Now these things are yielded to so very rarely and neuer but after a most rigorous examination of particulers which is taken by a Congregation of Cardinalls and other learned and prudent pious men deputed euer for these purposes as that euen this circumstance alone doth much aduance our certainty of her sanctity and this so much the more because it hath beene done within a dozen yeares after her death A rare example for the Church walkes on with a foot of lead in such occasions as these and maks not such hast but vpon extraordinary inducements And whensoeuer any particuler is recompted if a man shall deride it because only it is strang or superiour to the course of nature or because it is ridiculous in his opinion and contrary to those foolish and false grounds which maÌ„s discourse being naturally both lame and blind hath framed for it selfe to walke vpon he may also scoffe at those particulers which are related in the holy Scripture it selfe That God condemned all mankind for one only mans and womans eating of an apple That he brought armyes of frogs into
who had both led such a holy life had been honoured euen on earth by so admirable graces from God Of her great Patience in the paynes of her sicknes and how she receaued the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction CHAP. 74. SHE hauing demaunded of God as hath been sayd already that she might purely and solely suffer when any thing brought the least shaddow of comfort to her she would be seriously thinking whether in that she had not offended God and whether for that cause she might not perhaps be suffering perpetually in the next life And being told by the Ghostly Father that before her death it was likely she might feele much spirituall comfort I aske not that answered she of my Lord but indeed I aske patience of him Inuincible spirit for the supporting of these payns Wherby yet she was not afflicted so furiously as that she fayled to exercise according to her power the Office of Subprioresse giuing conuenient instructions to those sisters which repaired to her And it was an admirable thing that none of them could euen then go from her without extreme contentment and satisfaction Note But her anguish more increasing euery day she felt sometimes in her brest as if it had beene a rasour which would haue deuided her parts one from another sometimes in her head as if there had beene strockes with hammers and such other vnspeakable torments that if formerly she had not freely offered her selfe to suffer or had not had a liuely notice of the nobility of suffering for the loue of Iesus Christ her so many seuerall anguishes which were excessiue beyond humane conceit would infallibly haue produced wordes of impatience Among other thinges it was matter of much compassion to consider her body so consumed that her bones made great holes though her skin and concauityes in the bed wherein she lay so that when for any necessary occasion the Religious were to rayse her vp she suffered paines that were insufferable And that which giueth irrefragable testimony to her Purity is that when the Religious were performing those aforesayd offices to her person Note she would say to them Do you thinke O my Sisters that this touching or wrapping of myne which you haue vsed for my assistance hath impeached Virginâ—ty or Purity in any degree if you thinke it haue I will procure to help my selfe alone or els I will remayne still in the place where I am An euident signe that as she had related to her Confessarius she had neuer coÌ„ceaued or knowne any thing in her selfe which might be contrary to Chastity in the least degre The Phisitians could neuer find a reason how that body might be able to keep it selfe in life so long vnder the burthen of so many so cruell tormeÌ„ts Nay and the Religious themselues being all astonished would say sometymes that it was impossible for her to liue 8. dayes And yet those dayes did passe weekes and moneths so that all human discourse was put to silence and it grew to be accounted miraculous that body of hers being then reduced to such state that hardly the Religious had the hart to visit her as not being able to endure so lamentable a spectacle And euen when they did visite her they could not containe their tears they had not the power to looke vpon her they lost as it were the vse of speach so as then they parted from her very often without speaking any word vnto her at all The Father who then had the care of the Monastery communicated her euery morning did often seriously consider her extremely fearing that she had not force to swallow downe that celestiall food as also he doubted least that act of piety in the bitternes of her pains might depriue her of life Notwithstanding all this she tooke hart by tymes would needs euery day heare the sacred Office to which she would often listen with incredible attention whilest two of her Sisters were reciting it neere her bed and sometymes she would also her selfe pronounce some verses Finally after fiue months of so great infirmity she was exhorted by the Phisitians to take the Extreme Vnction esteeming that at the most she could not passe two or three dayes of life She as foreknowing her approaching death did instantly resigne and prepare her selfe with great humility for the taking of that holy Sacrament But first she did with ardent wordes recommend the Monastery to the Father who was the Gouernour thereof and made him a promise that if she went to heauen she would pray earnestly to God both for him and all the Religious that after this short life they might meet in that celestiall kingdom Note She then desired the Prioresse to draw all the Religious thither into her presence and she asked pardon of them all for her defects and for the euill example that she had giuen them encouraging them to keep themselues true spouses of Christ Iesus After this she receaued of the Ghostly Father on the 13. of May in the year 1607. the Extreme Vnction and she her selfe did answere both to the verses and to the Letanies and neuer remoued her eye from a Crucifixe which she would needs hold coÌ„tinually in her hand There were not then heard other then sighes and sobbes of the Religious who all being prostrate about the bed of their deer Mother made as it were a very poole of tears As soone as she had receaued this Sacrament by the comfort which she drew from thence she was all cleere in countenance and seemed in a manner as if all her paines had left her And turning towards the Confessarius she sayd Father I vnderstand that to morrow morning you will go to visit those Fathers the Eremits of Monte Senario A most holy Ermitage within 8. miles of Florence and now I tell you that you may go securely Concerning me haue no doubt at all for you shall find me aliue at your returne and I beseech you recommend me to their prayers whereby I much confide that our Lord may graunt me grace that I may be saued The Confessarius then answered that he had no mind to go considering the state wherein she was she replyed yet againe Go securely for you shall finâ—â—me aliue And so he hauing a firme hope therof went thither where he had designed returning after three dayes did find her in the selfe same termes Hauing prepared her selfe to death she piously rendreth her soule into the hands of her beloued Iesus CHAP. 75. AFTER she had receaued the Sacrament of Holy Oyle in those 13. dayes of her suruiuing she was much more afflicted with seuerall paynes it seemed as if they had al vnited themselues to pul her downe And that little flesh which had been resting vpon her afflicted bons through the excesse of anguish was distilled into so great aboundance of sweat as not only the sheets but euen the bed was bathed therwith so as it was necessary