both in her life and after her death Blessed Vraca Roderiguez of Vlmes of most noble parentage and exceeding rich entring into a a Church where she heard the words of our Sauiour si vis perfectus esse vade vende omnia quae habes da pauperibus tooke them as said to her selfe and so bestowed much part of her meanes vpon religious houses builded an hospitall conuerting her owne house into a monasterie and giuing all the rest to the poore Afterward she with fiue of her neeces and three other gentlewoemen entred into this order about the yeare 1491. None was more chast than she none more vigilant She exceld all the rest in patience meekenesse mercie humilitie and dayly labours and at last replenished with merits and sanctitie died lies buried in the monasterie she had erected About the same time liued Blessed Agnes à ferro who sometime did attend on the Queene of Aragonia but afterward being weary of the world and despiseing the vaine honours thereof became religious of this third order liuing in great pouertie humilitie and sanctitie In the yeare 1500. Blessed Anne of Areualo was famous for sanctitie in the monasterie of S. Elizabeth of the third order of S. Francis where she liued for a hundred yeares in exceeding great humilitie patience abstinence prayer and charitie About the same yeare liued Blessed Clare of Fulginea famous for pietie and deuotion being very zealous of regular obseruance and often deseruing to be comforted in apparitions by the seraphicall Father S. Francis About the yeare 1515. florished Blessed Catharine Ruiz whose charitie in assisting the sicke sisters was admirable spending all that euer she could get for them yea begging for them and thereby became famous for sanctitie Blessed Anna Sanchez was one of her companions whose deuotion and continuall prayer was much to be admired yet she was of an excellent prudence for gouernement and therfore was sent to be mother or Abbesse in the Cloyster of S. Clement from whence after she had beene there 20. yeares with great labours and toiles leauing the most fragrant odour of her sweet conuersation she returned to her former place where broken and wearied with pennances fastings and continuall prayers she died with great sanctitie the cell and bed wherein she died did for sometime after shine with a great light to the great admiration of those that beheld it About the same time also liued in Placentia Blessed Baptista famous in her life for many vertues and after her death for many miracles especially for that her body remaining entire doth yeeld a most sweet and pleasing smell In the yeare 1519. liued B. Maria Pennalosa in the monasterie of S. Elizabeth in Segouia a woman of a very religious spirit in humilitie prayer and charitie hardly to be equalised who as it is commonly reported in her life time did obtaine life for a yong man that was dead for which and other things she is worshipped there with great deuotion About the same time B. Elizabeth Pontia together with her two daughters both also holy woemen began the monasterie of S. Anne in the prouince of Carthage and by their example did draw many others to Religion And as in their life they had the generall opinion of sanctitie so after their death their Reliques haue deliuered many that had beene possessed as also cured many diseases Blessed Francisca of S. Anne in the yeare 1525. was brought from the monasterie where she had made profession of the third order to the monasterie of the annuntiation at Grinion in the diocesse of Toledo that she might giue a beginning therto and instruct others that were to come in regular discipline and as she had beene abbesse of the former place so was she abbesse of this with woÌ„derfull fruit of soules for she did excell in prudence charitie pietie humilitie affabilitie modestie abstinence and monasticall obseruance B. Lucie about the yeare 1530. did found the monasterie of S. Clare vnder the rule of the third order and was very famous for perfection of life and miracles Her body is had in great estimation with the faithfull in those parts About this time liued Blessed S. Ioane of the holy Crosse whose admirable life is set forth in out vulgar language and therefore here omitted B. Francis liued in the same time of whom Gonzaga thus writes This most vertuous and religious sister Francis was a child of the third order of saint Francis who declining from the innumerable deceits of the fiend did get a glorious victorie ouer sathan and therefore was much feared by him B. Aldonza about the yeare 1566. was famous for sanctitie and after hauing beene abbesse when the sisters were to remoue she prayed that she might die in the same place which she obtained and six yeares after her death her body was found whole and entire yeelding a fragrant odour wherefore she was held in great veneration Blessed Marie Gonsalue in the yeare 1577. died with great opinioÌ„ of sanctitie after she had fouÌ„ded a monasterie of this third order wherein she lead a life of great perfection aswell in seruing the poore as in compassionating their miseries and wants she did alwayes sleep without any bed vnder her exactly obseruing the fasts of the whole yeare with rigorous and bloudy disciplines Blessed Olalia Grinesia was famous for sanctitie about the yeare 1583. For entring into this order and therein desiring the height of pennance she was not contented with the ordinary austerities of her order but inuented new fastings all the lents and vigils in bread and water and three times in the weeke did take bloudy disciplines being much addicted to pouertie and humilitie she would willingly serue all and continually did meditate on our lords Passion and not without teares Lastly falling into a dropsy now fourscore yeares old she died most blessedly The sisters by her reliques did cure very many diseases About the same time liued B. Clare Martineira whost abstinences fastings watchings teares haircloaths rigorous disciplines humble exercises feruent prayers mortificatioÌ„s pious workes most great temptations deuout actâ—oÌ„s celestiall visions diuine fauours frequent miracles both in her life and after her death are set downe by Daza And least I be ouer tedious in rehearsing so many holy persons to omitte many others which may be seene in the martyrologe amounting to two hundred vpwards I will conclude this chapter with Blessed Innocentia who liued in these our times and died in the yeare 1624. This Blessed virgin of noble parents in Cicilie from her infancy gaue her selfe to pietie vertue and temperance obseruing the fasts very strictly and despiseing the pompe and vanitie of this world out of her great desire of perfection entred into this third order giuing very good example of humilitie pouertie chastitie and obedience And by her continuall meditation she was so enflamed with the fire of diuine loue especially when she communicated that she was often rapt into extasie Her body remaines as yet whole and
the princesse Marie sister of the same Philip the 4. gaue their names to this Religion Perhaps the cilice doth not become the Royall dignitie certainely it doth and in the time of Elizeus the prophet the sacred historie doth tell that the king of Israel did vse it Wherefore then doe you admire that a Cardinall should put vpon his purple a cinericious habit and gird himselfe with a cord You say it is a habit too humble for such a dignitie But I answere therefore it is to be taken in this time c. What therfore should I doe when I am eleuated to so supreme a dignitie in the Church but defend my selfe with the humility of S. Francis whereby I may more securely beare the labours and burthen of my enioyned charge But what more is not the cinericious or ashy coloured habit of S. Francis truly purple wherewith Royall and Cardinall dignitie may be adorned it is truely purple which the bloud of Christ hath coloured and the faith of his passion signed and which in Christs place S. Francis hath made redde with his proper bloud flowing from his stigmats Is the humilitie of Christ a seruitude that is not seruile which doth nobilitate the Royall purple If any one should contemne or abhorre this habit let him consider that it is not gray but purple for humilitie vnder taken for Christ doth carry with it a Royall dignitie What therefore haue I done I haue couered purple with purple and that of a Cardinall with a kingly one It is so farre from humbling me that I may doubt whether I am become prouder thereby Thus farre the foresaid Cardinall Whence we may gather that this Order is sutable to Popes and Cardinals kings and princes and other of what condition soeuer they be and this day in Spaine nothing more frequent almost whole townes being of this Order There are other sorts of the third order both meÌ„ and woemen who are taken either in the Conuents of Friar Minors or Monasteries of S. Clare or ' of other Religions that liue vnder the gouernement of the Friar Minors in other Orders they are called Donats because they giue themselues to the seruice of such a house and Oblates because offered vp to such an end these make only simple vowes There are others whom the fire of diuine loue hath caused to leaue the world and liue in communitie vnder solemne vowes of obedieÌ„ce pouertie and chastitie professing this Rule of the 3. Order not barely as it was made by the seraphicall Father S. Francis but as it is accomodated to their state by seuerall Popes as we shall shew hereafter Some of these doe addict themselues to the keeping of Hospitals teaching of children seruing the sicke and such like Finally there be some that to make a compleat religious state haue ioyned certaine statutes to their Rule for the better attaining to perfection and doe adde the fourth vow of Enclosure Of these in this our treatise we meane to speake explicating the Rule conformably to their estate This diuersitie may perhaps seeme strange to the Reader and therfore it shall not be amisse to shew how it was brought in by shewing what progresse in perfection this holy Order hath made THE NINTH CHAPTER Of the great progresse that the professors of this Rule haue made in the way of perfection PLutarch in his apothegmes saith that there be more who adore the sunne rising than the sunne setting and that in some occasions with iust reason for such is the frailtie of creatures that all things are subiect to decay and euen man by nature growes worse and worse being as Aristotle saith the example of imbecillitie spoyle of time play of fortune and image of inconstancy Whence it is that almost all orders haue decayed and fallen from their first feruour and zeale which can neuer be repaired but by casting our eies vpon the rising sunne of that spirit which first began such and such an Order setting before vs the heroicall vertues of our progenitors endeauouring with new force and vigor to imitate their examples Let vs not looke vpon the sunne setting that is on the tepide and cold state that the corruption of nature hath brought vs to but as the Prophet Isay saith Attend to â—he rocke that is the first founder whence we were hewen out for in Christ they haue begotten vs and to the caue of the lake to the Profession of our Rule from whence wee are cut out that is hacked and hewed and made fitting for the celestiall HierusaleÌ„ There is no better way to reduce vs to perfection than by returning to the begining Whence in all orders almost there haue bene continuall reformations which not withstanding doe soone decay I pray God that the like doe not happen to this third Order which hitherto contrary to the ordinary course hath dayly more and more encreased not only in number but also in perfection and from a low shrubbe is become a faire and beautifull tree from the lowest state in Gods Church to be equall in a manner with the highest I can see nothing here but what the prophet Ezechiel denounceth c. 37. God made a league of peace to them and an euerlasting couenant shal be to them he hath founded them and will multiplie them and giue them his sanctification in the midst of them for euer The continuaÌ„ce in the same state is much considering our frailtie but to encrease dayly more and more in perfection is the hand of the almightie which particularly is to be seene in this Order for in the beginning it was but a certaine deuout course of life which our seraphicall Father did prescribe for all sorts as is said before but not long after the institution therof it became a sett Order and state of life for within six or seauen yeares after the Blessed and glorious Saint S. Elizabeth of hungary as Iodocus Chlictouaeus reporteth made a formall profession of this Rule and did take a gray poore patched habit and girt her selfe with a rude cord going alwayes barefoot spending the rest of her dayes in a most austere manner with some of her ladies cloathed in the same habit and professed in the same Order Which as it seemes was the first communitie that militated vnder this Rule After this the most pious Angela countesse of Ciuitella hauing gathered together many noble virgins at Fulginea which is a towne some twelue miles distant from Assisium did build a couent vnder the title of S. Anne wherein entring with her companions and making the three vowes of chastitie obedience and pouertie she perseuered ingreat sanctitie to her death as is to be seene hereafter in her life After her example very many virgins gathering their meanes together caused to be builded and erected in short time 8. monasteries in diuerse parts of Italie wherein they did liue vnder the habit and Rule of the third Order of S. Francis Gonzaga saith that this B. woman was the first who did make these
find 5. canonized saints whereto we may adde S. Roch as approued by the practise of the whole Church 9. beatified 21. knowue martyrs So that we may well say that of Num. cap. 24. O quam pulchra tabernacula tua Iacob How beautifull are thy tabernacles ô Iacob and thy tents ô Israell as wooddie vallies as watered gardens besides the Riuers as tabernacles which our lord hath pitched as cedars by the waterside O how beautifull are the seuerall congregations militating vnder the tents or Rules of the seraphicall Father S. Francis they are like to wooddy vallies extending themselues through the whole world which like strong bulwarkes are to withstand the treacheries and deceits of the Diuell for as he euery day vseth new inuentions to deceiue and deuoure soules so these orders yeeld new souldiours day ly to vanquish and tread him vnder foot no soouer doth one troupe begin to faile but another rises vp And therfore they may well be compared to watered gardēs besides the Riuers alwayes florishing and in due time giuing copious fruicts amongst whome by a pious kinde of emulation the true worship of God and religious pietie dayly encreaseth And according as they encrease so they are more and more strengthned being also as tabernacles which our lord hath pitched that is solide and firme as being erected and established by God who hath adorned each member and branche of them with seuerall gists and graces conformable to their capacity This camot choose but be a great ornament and splendour to the Church proceeding from the varietie of these cedars by the water side who being watered with the water of grace doe bring forth fruit in abundance Truly it is a thing worthy to be noted that in the sole order of S. Francis there is meat for all palats none can excuse themselues of weakenesse none can presume of their strength For amongst the professours of this order or children of S. Francis some liue as strictly and with as much austeritie as in any order of Gods Church as be those of the first and second order but in the third order as it is now be of all forts some liuing in a very strict manner no way inferiour to the professours of the first and second order some obseruing a meane accomodating themselues according to the disposition and nature of the country where they liue others liuing in a deuout manner in their houses And out of each of them haue sprung forth many saints which is an argument that this Rule is holy And least that any one should thinke I speake without ground I will compendiously set downe here the liues of some of them first beginning with the canonized Saints THE FISTEENTH CHAPTER The life of Blessed S. Elizabeth Queene of Hungary compendiously extracted out of the Annalls of our Order I Haue made choise to begin with this glorious saint as being the first canonized saint and as it seemes to me first that liued a claustral life in this order and therfore worthely acknowledged as patronesse thereof Her life is very amply set forth in latin by the R. F. Sedulius and now is translated out of french into English by S. Thomas H. whose sweet and elegant stile will soone shew a blemish in my harsh and vnpollished phrase who likes not one may read the other and pardon my desires to honour so great a Sainct whose heroicall and pious acts require a Seraphs penne If the reuerence I beare to the holy woman make me ouerbold the fault is pardonable or at least to be mended by others howsoeuer I intend not to make a compleat worke but a rude delineation and briefe extract of her life diuiding it into fiue parts the first shall be of her life vntill she was married the second of what she did in marriage the third what she did after her husbands death the fourth how she finished her life in a religious course and lastly of her translation What this sainct did vntill such time as she was married §. 1. OMitting the description of her noble race for she was daughter to the king of Hungary and the prophecy reported to haue beene made before the world enioyed so rare a piece of her birth name wit miracles and many such like things worthy enough of recording I will beginne at the 7. yeare of her age when she begins to shew forth the lustre of her future sanctitie For euen now before she well knowes what vertue is she is become the mirrour and patterne of vertue especially of patience and charitie For although her infancy principally in the more tender sex might excuse her griefe for her mothers death yet she then aboue her age and sex tooke it with a constant patience and with a patient charity not any waies seeking to reuenge her deare mother but sweetly prayeing for thē who had iniuriousely takē away her life And frō thēce forward you should find the little child alwayes in the Church before some Altar or other now prostrating her selfe in a most pious manner now kneeling for a long space together with eies and hands lifted vp to heauen and if she could not get into the Church sweetly kneeling at the doore kisseing the threshold doores and walles of that holy place As she encreased in yeares so she encreased in pietie making a happy progresse in all vertues and begins now to lay solide grounds of a spirituall life For at the 9. yeare of her age she begins to haue God alwayes before her eies and for his sake to despise contemne and cast of superfluitie of apparell the pleasures of the flesh and vanity of the world Now she prescribes to her selfe certaine prayers which she resolued dayly to make and if she chanced in the day time to be hindred as seldome she was because true deuotion will alwayes find occasion that her defect would she supply in the night Aboue all other saints next to our Blessed lady she made choise of S. Iohn Euangelist for her patron hauing first made her prayer to God that she might choose one who should most aduance her pious desires him she loued and reuerenced so much that she would neuer deny any thing that was demanded for his sake Shee most religiously obserued the solemnities of feasts and holy dayes and whereas according to the vanitie of the world others adorne and decke themselues with gay apparell shee on those dayes would take away some thing of her ordinary attire well knowing that it was more pleasing to God to haue the minde adorned with vertues than the body with rich apparell and that a soule addicted to the studie of religious pietie is more acceptable to him than the corporall substance shining with purple gold siluer iewels or pretious stones which are but as the drosse of the earth Although she were but yet a child yet tooke she no delight in childish toyes and playes and if by chance she were compelled to daunce she vsed such temperance therein that she rather
and octaues of S. Clare which is not ordinarily granted vnlesse they were patrons or patronesses THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER Of the life and death of Blessed S. Lewis king of France THis glorious saint was borne of blessed parents to wit of Lewis the 8. king of France and Blancha queene of Castile both holy persons in the yeare 1215. being obtained of almightie God by the intercession of our B. lady For his deuout mother who also was of this third order grieuing that she had no children to succeed in the kingdome was persuaded by S. Dominicke to implore the aide and helpe of the B. virgin and to that end instructed her the manner of saying the Rosarie which had newly begunne Her prayers were not without fruit for she obtained her desire in enioying so blessed an ofspring who at twelue years old was crowned king of France yet remained vnder the protection of his mother who would often incultate these words vnto him My most deare sonne I had rather thou shouldest vndergoe a temporall death than by one mortall sinne offend thy creatour Which words tooke such root in his mind that Gods grace so preseruing him he neuer sinned mortally in his life his mother still instructing him in the way of vertue and procureing alwayes some religious men especially Franciscans and Dominicans to be with him that by their example he might be drawne to vertue and pietie And being now of age fit for marriage she prouided a wife for him to the great ioy and comfort of all his subiects but for three nights after his marriage he still continued in prayer bridling his coniugall desire with the feare of God and euer after liued most chastly with his queene Hee was greatly addicted vnto pietie and deuotion daily saying the canonicall houres and much loued humilitie pouertie charitie patience and other vertues studyeing the workes of pennance and mercy liuing in watchings prayers fastings disciplines and haircloath and continually meditateing on the sacred misteries of the Incarnation and Passion of our Sauiour the principall instruments whereof he from all places procured as that of the crowne of thornes great part of the Crosse the Iron of the lance that opened our Sauiours side with many others He was very deuout in hearing Masse and did communicate often and that with such deuotion that he would allure others to pietie so strong in faith thereto that being one time called to behold an apparition of a most beautifull child when the priest did eleuate the holy Sacrament he refused to goe to see it saying that such signes were for those that did not belieue Out of his great zeale of Gods honour he went forth to make warre with the Sarazens wherein at the first he properously proceeded but in the end God so willing he was taken prisoner but by composition being set at libertie in his returne God by his prayer deliuered both himselfe and his company from shipwracke And as in this he shewed his feruent desire to reduce those infidels to the light of faith so he alwayes did defend the Church against its enemies he loued and maintained all religious orders especially those of the Friar minors and Preachers but was a seuere enemie to all heretickes euen to the houre of his death for on his death bed it was one of his last and greatest charges he gaue to his sonne Fili saith he fis deuotus obediens matri nostrae Romanae Ecclesiae summo Pontifici tanquam Patri spirituali be deuout and obedient to our mother the Romane Church and to the Soueraigne bishop as to a spirituall Father It is reported of him that going in pilgrimage to Rome he passed by Perusia to see Brother Giles one of the companions of our holy Father a man of great contemplation who by reuelation vnderstanding of his comming and meeting the king in a disguised habit for he went in a pilgrimes weed he presently most ioyfully receiued him and both falling prostrate to each other and both rising together after an houres space they went one from another Brother Giles being demanded why he did not speake to the king sith he knew him he answered we saw one anothers hearts so clearely that it was not needfull to speake any thing Omitting many other most excellent things in his life I will conclude with his death which was thus In the yeare 1270. hauing receiued all the Sacraments of the Church with great deuotion and casting himselfe prostrate on the ground with a haire-cloath and ashes vnder him holding his hands stretched forth in the forme of a Crosse he gaue vp the Ghost and afterward shined with many miracles especially that of curing the disease commonly called the kings Euill and as some will haue it from him all the succeeding kings haue that vertue For the great vertues and miracles that God wrought by this saint he was canonised by Pope Bonifacius the 8. in the yeare 1298. And that he was of this third order is manifest by all the ancient monuments of our order the whole order hauing alwayes celebrated his feast with peculiar right And Paulus 3. in his Bull Cum à nobis petitur 1547. numbers him amongst the saincts of this third order See the Martirologe of the Friar Minors on the 25. of August THE SEAVENTEENTH CHAPTER The life of S. Iuo Patrone of the lawyers BLessed S. Iuo was borne of noble Parents neere Trecore in little Brittaine in the yeare 1258. who at competent age was sent thēce to Paris where hauing past his studies with praise as well in humanitie as Philosophy and diuinitie he departed thence and went to Orleans to study the cannon law where fearing the occasion of place and companie he began to exercise himselfe in the way of mortification and vertue which much encreased his good fame and esteeme of all men and made the Archdeane of Rhemes to choose him for to be his officiall which office he performed with great applause He euer cherished the poore helped orphans and comforted those that were in any affliction he was a great peacemaker neuer giuing sentence or iudgement but with teares accompanying it as vnwilling to displease any one In all things he did shew his great charitie to the poore and singular loue to God for whose sake he despised all the things of this world Which that he might more perfectly effect he tooke the habit of this third order which humble state made him to leaue his office or place although now he were officiall to the Bishop and retire himselfe to a poore little Parish Church where with more freedome he might be attentiue to diuine contemplation And now going in his poore habit vnder which also he did weare a hairshirt with most strict fasts euen in bread and water very frequently did remaine in extasie and sometimes for the space of seauen dayes together He celebrated Masse with exceeding great deuotion as also the diuine office which he said alwayes at midnight very sparing in
order since it came to be a perfect religious state ALthough there haue beene from the beginning of this holy order many that did liue in a claustrall manner the order it selfe euery day encreasing more and more yeelding abūdāce of holy persons who haue professed this holy rule yet it neuer came to its full perfection that is to compleat and perfect state of religion vntill the time of blessed Angeline a diminitiue frō Angela for distinction sake other wise she was also called Angela who from being Countesse of Ciuitella became religious of this order For hauing gathered together many noble yong woemen of the same minde with her selfe shee built a monasterie and dedicated it to S. Anne in the yeare 1397. and entring therein with her associats hauing first made the three vowes of obedience pouerty and chastitie she did with sanctitie perseuer to the end of her life in fasting prayer and other exercises of pennance By her example many other gathering their meanes together in short time did build eight monasteries in diuerse parts of Italy and did liue vnder the habit and rule of the third order which manner of life was approued and confirmed by the Popes Martin 5 Eugenius 4. Not long after by their example many men did also build conuents liuing vnder the same habit and rule with the three vowes of religion as they had done This holy woman died on the day that Christ was borne as our Sauiour appearing on S. Thomas his day had declared vnto her and lies buried in the said monastery of S. Anne where she is worshipped with great reuerence of the people Amongst the disciples of this holy woman were many religious persons famous for sanctitie Iacobellus principally notes three to wit blessed Onuphria sometimes countesse of Aprutia and B. Francis of Burgaria of the house of the Earles of Marsican and blessed Ioane of Fulginea much renowned for pietie vertue regular obseruance and perfection of life who afterward went to Florence and there built the monasterie of S. Onuphrius ending their daies in great sanctitie Blessed Margaret Dominicke was also one of them that tooke the habit from S. Angeline and became a perfect follower of her vertues for she much excelled in prayer humilitie and contēpt of her selfe and did serue euery one as if she had beene their subiect and with a sincere heart and candide mind did reuerence all her sisters her puritie was rather angelicall than humane and her obedience such that without the consent of her superiour she would doe or resolue nothing shewing no lesse respect also to her ghostly Father She tamed her flesh with abstinence fastings and haircloath as being most zealous of her vowes being full of charitie she did helpe any of her sisters that were in necessitie and willingly performe their wills In the end the monasterie of S. Anne being ouer filled with religions the citizens of Fulginea did build another vnder the title of S. Anne and this holy woman was made Abbesse therof where she instructed her sisters in the best manner and by her friends enlarged the monastery which she most religiously gouerned vntill she was called to Spoletum where she began also another monasterie vnder the title of S. Catharine Which done she was brought home to herformer monasterie where she appeared more feruent excercising her selfe in the workes of holy prayer pennance and mortification whence after the death of B. S. Angeline she was called to succeede in her place and therein began to shine with miracles and there died with incredible patiēce in her infirmitie her body was placed in a shrine neere to the altar in the said monasterie of S. Anne which was long times after found whole and entire yeelding a most fragrant odour and shining with miracles Blessed Lucida was one of the companions of S. Magaret famous for regular obseruance and rare vertues She was much delighted in the memorie of Christs Passion and thereby merited to feele the dolour of the wounds of our Sauiour in her hands Blessed Sanctia Martinez was endowed with great humilitie and perfection of life For after she had builded at her owne charges the monasterie of S. Elizabeth at Arenali in the yeare 1440. and laid a good foundation for the reuenues thereof became her selfe religious of this order being of such examplar life that all did striue to imitate her humilitie being such that although she was borne of nobler parents yet was she not ashamed to carry water vpon her shoulders through the market place And no lesse addicted she her selfe to austeritie and pennance and so died with great opinion of sanctitie Blessed Pyrona of flāders did enter into the monasterie of the third order in Gāt that there she might serue God more purely and more freely giue her selfe to workes of pennance She had the gift of compunction so copiously that her eies were as a red cloth She was very obedient to her superiours flourished in true pouertie and did much labour to conserue her chastitie and keepe her mind and body free from all spot After she had liued thus a long time with great sanctitie she got leaue of her Abbesse to goe and liue in an hermitage within the Church yard of S. Nicholas neere to the towne where she did shine with admirable sanctitie austeritie of life patience and miracles and knew the secret thoughts of the mindes of those that came to her and oftentimes made them knowne She died in the yeare 1472. Blessed Mary Ruiz of Alcarazio despiseing all nuptiall rites tooke the habit of this order and by her example did draw many others to her and together with them by the authoritie of Pope Innocent the 8. did liue after a religious manner changeing her house into a monasterie in the yeare 1486. And liuing vnder the obedience of the Prouinciall of the Friar Minors with abundance of merits and vertues most religiously died hauing before foretold the time of her death About the same time liued Blessed Beatrix Hermosilla who together with her Ant did study to perfection nothing esteeming the world and pompe therof whatsoeuer they could get they did distribute to the poore and by their labours with helpe of the citizens did erect the monasterie of S. Elizabeth in Castile where with other virgins and woemen they made profession of this third order and with great sanctitie of life liued and died therein in the yeare 1485. Her bones were taken vp 47. yeares after being fresh and yeelding a very sweet sent and being translated to a more conuenient place very many miracles were wrought before them which gaue occasion to the people to shew great deuotion vnto them B. Aldonza Lopetia of noble race by the helpe of the cittizens of Arenali in the yeare 1490. began the monasterie of our lady after wards through the sanctitie of the holy woeman called the monasterie of Aldonza for that she was the first Abbesse of this house who had the spirit of prophecie working miracles
and element containeing themselues within the limits of their natures to the vse of man But that which excelles all is that man was made to the image and likenesse of God that he might alwayes tend towards him and conforme himselfe entirely to his holy will nothing being sufficient to content him saue only God So that beholding himselfe he had occasiō to contemplate the maker of all things and consider the dignitie of his owne soule To be briefe Adam had such great prerogatiues in the state of innocency that he was alwayes vnited to God his soule enriched with grace was pleasing to God his appetite without contradiction was subiect to the lawes of reason his body should have beene alwayes vigorous and strong c. Who is he that beholding this well carued image is not rauished and astonished or can refraine from extolling the honour and praise of the workeman Who can behold so noble a creature not magnify the Creatour who hath made man the ornament of the world the epitomie of the grand vniuerse the loue of heauen the terrour of the diuell cōpaniō of angels sonne of God and brother of Christ Iesus what shall I say more It is impossible to conceiue much harder to declare the preheminence dignity and nobility of man in the state of Innocence when as he was cloathed with that royall robe of originall iustice whereby man was subiect to God all the inferiour powers to reason But alas this did not long continue as is to be seene in the following chapter THE 23. CHAPTER Declaring mans fall from the state of Innocency HOmo cum in honore esset non intellexit comparatus est iumentis insipientibus similis factus est illis Psal 48. Man when he was in honour did not vnderstand he was compared to the foolish beasts and became like to them Adam did not know his excellency and dignity but he became like an irrationall creature without iudgement and transgressed the commands of God by eating of forbidden fruit and so by his disobedience did as it were make a massacre vpon all mankind which thus piously S. Augustine deplores vpon S. Paules epistles O durus durior casus c. ô cruell and more than cruell fall alas what is it that man hath lost what is it that he hath found he hath lost the beatitude whereunto he was created he hath found death from whence he was exempted O infortunate Adam thou hast chased vs out of our country thy sinne hath banished vs into this troublesome desart of cursed earth and from immortall as we were we are become mortals O miserable seruitude inestimable losse insupportable paine and most grieuous torment ô vnfortunate Adam what hast thou done wherefore last thou so soone forgotten the commande of thy creatour transgressed the precept of thy master and trodden vnder foot the law of thy God what disorder what passion what intemperance hath seased on thee that thou couldest not be contented with so great abundance of all good but must needs eat of forbiddē fruit whereas thou mightest at thy pleasure eat of all the rest S. Chrysostome in his homily de Adamo in the person of God doth the same Vbi imago meaprimum for mosa c. where is my image that I haue created so beautifull where is that most pretious ornament of Paradise where is the chiefe worke of my hands where is the liuely heire of my kingdome where now is my familiar friēd O vnfortunate sinne that hath depriued mankind of so great good made him to be cast out of paradise and to be condemned to teares labours griefes and death both in himselfe and all his posteritie No sooner then had man disobeyed God but concupiscence began to raigne and domineere ouer the spirit and the inferiour powers to rebell against reason He who euen now was the most noble and most perfect of all sensible creatures is now become of all the most miserable and because he had rebelled against his God he finds a continuall rebellion within and against himselfe being as the Apostle S. Paule saith Rom 7. venundatus sub peccato sold vnder sinne and he his posteritie deliuered vp to the slauery of originall sinne and tyrannie of concupiscence The flesh is become a remora to the spirit in its course to heauē whereof each one may iustly complaine in himselfe saying I see another law in my members repugning that is rebelling to the law of my minde and captiuating me in the law of sinne making me subiect to the law of sinne that is my concupiscence In so much that vnwillingly and with reluctation I am forced to feele its vitious inclinations and I cannot escape its snares Well hath the wise man sayd Eccl. 40. Great trauell is created to all men and an heauie yoake vpon the children of Adam from the day of their comming forth of their mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying into the mother of all In their whole life they are to suffer many infirmities wants griefes lamentations mournings cares anguishes labours contradictions persecutious wearinesses iniuries rapines slaughters temptations and other innumerable troubles and afflictions in so much that life seemeth no other than a long and continuall death a prolonged death or decaying life I will conclude omitting many yea innumerable euills that haue proceeded from this sinne of Adam and only set downe the ten effects of originall sinne which Cardinall Bellarmime in his booke de amiss gra doth assigne to wit Ignorance in the vnderstanding malice in the will concupiscene in the flesh calamitie labour and paine in the members death in the body anger and wrath of God captiuitie vnder the diuell strifes debates brawlings seditions and warres with our neighbours enmitie and rebellion of irrationall creatures and innumerable euils comming from the heauens and elements O grieuous yoake of mankind THE 24. CHAPTER Declaring how we may reduce our selues to the state of Innocency HAuing thus briefly shewed what the state of innocence was and what we haue lost by Adams sin it is now time to explicate the Popes words afore cited and see how we may be reduced to the state of Innocence The light and Doctour of the Gentils Rom. 5. saith If in the offence of one death reigned by one much more they who receiue abundance of grace and of donation and of Iustice shall reigne by one Iesus Christ Therfore as by the offence of one vnto all men to condemnation so also by the iustice of one vnto all men to iustification of life As if he should haue sayd If by the fault of Adam all his posteritie did incurre the guilt paine of death know that Christ hath exhibited a farre greater benefit for Christ by his grace hath giuen vs greater gifts than Adam by his sinne hath taken from vs. For saith he not as the offence so also the gift For if by the offence of one many died much more the grace of God and the gift in
himselfe the basest yea worst of all men And this because he did not know whether the good which he did doe did please God or whether he should perseuer therein neither did he know the end wherto another might come and for this he iudged none Whē he did heare any euill of any one either he did excuse him or in hearing did shew himselfe sadde or did wholy turne the words of the speaker to some other matter The 6. was that he did much loue reprehensions them who reprehended him And if any ill thing was spoken of him he granted it if they did say any good he excused himselfe and said that he did no good knowing in his minde that God did doe and giue all good The 7. was that he did willingly serue all and would scarce permit any one to serue him reputing himselfe vnworthy of all seruice for said he Christ did not come to be ministred vnto but to minister If therfore any one did serue him in any necessitie in his heart he gaue thankes to God who gaue him that will to serue and to be able to doe it The 8. was that he did endeavour to contemplate all Gods benefits in himselfe in others yea in all creatures and did giue thankes to God for all of them afterward humbling himselfe did say who am I that I should giue thankes for others when I am not sufficient to giue thanke◠for the least part of the good tha◠God hath done vnto me especially sith I am so poore a creature The 9. was the guard of his tongue with out which all good is easily lost for he did abstain◅ not only from evill hurtfull or vnciuill words but also from all superfluous vaine talke which doth expell deuotion 10. Aboue all things he did take care that in euery word of his there should be truth goodnesse and humilitie Because the words of a man ought to begin in truth proceed in goodnesse end in humilitie and be measured in breuitie The 11. was his great Povertie which he esteemed as his Lady and Spouse because that it had bene so dignified in our Saviour and his Blessed Mother And therfore he left this as an inheritance to all his children The 12. was his prompt obedience which he esteemed aboue all other things because it did so shine in our Saviour who was obedient to his Father euen to the death of the crosse and therfore our holy Father said he would as willingly obey to a Novice of one dayes standing as to the eldest of the house if he were made his Superiour To omit many other rare Perfections which the devout Reader may gather in his life the last principall was his tender compassion of our Saviours Passion whereby he did merite to receiue the stigmats or markes of Christ Iesus crucifyed After this example devout soules in reading the liues of Saincts may gather the principall perfections or rarest vertues which haue bene in the Saincts that they may lay them vp in store to benefit themselues by their examples To conclude I will adde the words of S. Hierome in the first chapter of his Rule Christ saith he hath instructed women placed in Monasteries what manner of life they should principally take saying Mat. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements and what those are he hath tought saying thou shall loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neigbour as thy selfe diligently consider that without the fullfilling of those commandements no man entreth to liue with God therfore the Apostle doth not glorie in the tongues of Angels and men nor in the knowledge of the misteries of God nor in the spirit of Prophecy but in charitie This alone doth make men liue to God This maketh Religious monkes Nunnes Without charitie Monasteries are but hell and those who dwell in them are but divells But with charitie Monasteries are Paradises on earth and those who abide in them are Angels therfore my most beloved daughters although long fasts doe make your bodies leane and abiect and poore garments deforme them and long offices be performed if charitie be wanting within you are not as yet come to the lowest degree of Religion It is a good pleasant thing for Sisters to dwell in one that is in one bond of loue and affection of charitie who doe helpe one another in tentation mutually administer to each other the offices of charitie and pietie Wherfore let there be one heart one soule in you corporally vnited for certrinely there is no life worse than to liue together in body and not in minde and they are truly vnhappy in whom there is not one will but diverse therfore let there be alwayes in you one affection one fraternitie one will one proportion of manners one ioy one sadnesse let not that which in our Lord is pleasing to one be displeasing to another neither that which is the ioy of one be the griefe of another and so ye may haue the proposed end and virtue of Religion if yee dwell vnanimously in the house of Lord. Instructions for the conservation of mutuall charitie FIrst you ought to consider your Sister not as flesh and bloud but as the image of God which he most affectionately loueth and to reforme it hath giuē his only Sonne he hath created all this world for its corporall service and spirituall assistance he hath also ordayned those most noble creatures the Angels to labour for its profit the Sonne of God Christ Iesus hath giuen his proper life for it for he hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes by his bloud Iudge whether it be reasonable to hate those whom he so infinitely loueth or contemne those whom Iesus Christ cherisheth 2. Consider your Sister not as a stranger but as one who is very neere vnto you whose prosperitie or adversitie concernes your selfe if any one loueth hir carnall Sister much more ought you to loue your spirituall Sister engendred with you by the same mother the holy Church and Religion and of the same Father Christ Iesus We come from the wombe of our Mother to miseries sinne and death wherein is no true fraternitie but we are engendred in the bosome of the Church Religiō to ioy merits and life everlasting wherein is perfect affinitie 3. Regard not your Sister al though shee be angry and envious towards you as euill or iniurious to you but as one who doth cause you great good honour for in speaking ill of you or contradicting or discoursing of you c. she is the occasion that you walke more carfully liue more religiously therfore consider that by her meanes you may heape vp merits 4. At all times when you find in your minde any ill will or a version against your Sister doe not suffer the cockle sowed by the craftie enimie to encrease in you but presently apply some remedy which you may doe by vncessantly praying God for her If
afterward the occasion present it selfe or if you can seeke the occasion to praise that Sister shew her a good countenance and talke with her of things that occurre so you shall become a child according to that of our Saviour Matt. 18. Vnlesse you be converted and become as little children you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen You shal be a little child not in sense but in malice a child not in imbecillitie but in sinceritie 5. Doe not contract ouer much familiaritie or immoderate friendship with any one Sister for this is not charitie but a moth of charitie the ruine of peace vertue and perfection and is obtained with offense to others for from this root most commonly buddes forth these branches 1. a continuall remembrance of those whom you loue with an obliuion of God 2. many idle discourses and losse of time ordained to contrition prayer and good workes not to vanitie detractiōs which ordinarily follow such familiaritie 3. scandale to the other Sisters who detest such affections which are contrarie to a Religious life 4. a continuall anguish and care least some corporall euill sicknesse or dishonour should come vnto them 5. a continuall care to defend them with such like which many times causeth dissension and strife with others wherfore cōmunicate a generall loue to all assist all speake to all and shew to all the same signes of familiaritie And if you are bent to loue one more than another let it be in no other but in Iesus Christ your Spouse wherby you may the more encrease in his loue 6. Contemne all tēporall things and wholy banish the loue of them from your heart For oftentimes base and abiect things defited doe breake peace betweene Sisters and hurt Charitie Be you ashamed that possessing the guifts of God with hope to be heires of God you should dispute and quarrell for a little booke for a cell and such like preferring those little and vaine things before the good of charitie loue 7. Overcome your proper will and submit it to the will of your Sisters For Iesus Christ did not come to doe his proper will but to be subiect to all So you are not entred into Religion to satisfie your proper desires but the will of our Lord. If you will know what the proper will is which for the good of peace you ought to forsake S. Bernard will tell you Proper will saith he is not commonto God and men but is only ours when we will any thing not for the honour of God nor for the will of our Sisters but we doe and accomplish it for our selues without intention to please God or profit our Sisters but to satisfie the proper motions of our spirit This is directly opposite to charitie 8. Renounce your proper iudgement not too much confiding or relying vpon your owne opinion for euen as amongst carnall and imperfect persons disordinate loue of earthly things doth ordinarily raise strifes and debates so amongst spirituall persons the diversitie of sense and iudgement ordinarily engendreth discord Now you may obtaine this abnegation of your iudgement by true humilitie of heart if you esteeme others more wise and stayed and your selues more foolish and lesse experienced Hearken to S. Paule praying each one Phil. 2. If therfore there be any consolation in Iesus Christ if any solace of charitie if any societie of spirit if any bowels of commiseration fullfill my ioy that you be of one meaning hauing the same charitie of one minde agreeing in one Nothing by contention neither by vaine glorie but in humilitie each counting other better than thēselues 9. Thinke seriously that there is nothing so great profitable or pretious which may be preferred before the good of charitie and vnion wherfore order all your exteriour things all your affaires in such sort that the fraternall charitie may not be preiudiced but cōserved with the losse and interest of all other things 10. Be neuer angry against your Sister how iust an occasion soeuer you haue according to your seeming for anger doth blind the vnderstanding and looseth the good of peace and charitie you may well be angry against your sinnes but beare alwayes a peaceable and quiet heart towards your Sisters or at the least striue to appeare so exteriourly Endeavour to suppresse anger not only in your owne heart but also in the hearts of your Sisters which you may doe by cutting of the occasions by humble satisfaction and by sweet courteous words 11. Doe not promise to your selfe long life but thinke that you may presently die and accustome your selfe with tranquillitie of spirit to suffer iniuries and wrongs from your Sisters as you would doe if you were at point of death when you would not esteeme of such things but rather apply your mind to God wherfore euen now consider all things which are done and said as if they did no way touch you and so you shall not be any wayes troubled and shall offer all to God as voluntarie Sacrifices 12. Consider and reuerence Iesus Christ in every one for you ought not so much to consider the person as God who by his essence presence and power is in all things and principally in rationall creatures and therfore for his sake you ought to interpret all their words and works in good part or if you cannot returne to your owne selfe and consider whether there be nothing in you that may displease God who is present where perhaps you may find greater faults and therfore you may the better support the imperfections of others Besides such is Gods goodnesse that oftentimes he couereth great and heroicall vertues vnder day ly and light imperfections ORDO AD VNGENDAM INFIRMAM IN primis pulsetur campana Capituli Sorores quae possunt in Ecclesiam conveniant quibus congregatis Sacerdote cum Ministris praeparatis Sacerdos accipiat olcum sanctum Deinde ordinate procedant cum psalmo Miserere mei Deus Cum autem peruentum fuerit ad locum vbi iacet infirma Sacerdos dicat Pax huic domui ℟ Et omnibus habitantibus in ea Stans ante agrotam dicat ℣ Adiutorium nostrum c. ℟ Qui fecit caelum c. ℣ Dominus vobiscum c. Oremus INtroeat Domine Iesu Christe domum hanc sub nostrae humilitatis ingressu aeterna foelicitas diuina prosperitas serena laetitia charitas fructuosa sanitas sempiterna Effugiat ex hoc loco accessus daemonum adsint Angeli pacis domumque hanc deserate effugata discordia Magnifica Domine super nos nomen sanctum tuum ✠benedic nostrae conuersationi sanctifica ✠nostrae humilitatis ingressum qui sanctus pius es permanes cum Patre spiritu sancto in saecula saeculorum Amen ORemus deprecemur Dominum nostiū Iesum Christum vt benedicendo benedicat ✠hoc tabernaculum omnes habitantes in eo det eis Angelum bonum custodem faciat eas sibi