these ten yeares past by order of his Superiours giuen the account of his conscience in writing He had great coniunction with the Angells and Saints with whome he conuersed both in heauen and earth and especially with 24. of the more principall amongst whome he deuided the 24. houres to treate and recommend himselfe vnto them wherin he neuer fayled though in the night and in his sleepe awaking duly at the beginning of euery houre to performe his accustomed deuouotion which diligence of his our Sauiour recompensed by discouering vnto him his glory wherin he saw more perfectly and knew all 〈◊〉 B◠in Heauen their names and all particulers as if he had conuersed with them all his life time From his very infancy he bare so extraordinary and tender deuotion towards the Blessed Virgin at whose hands he receiued many fauours that one time discoursing and recreating as it were with her he said O Queene of heauen I loue thee more then my selfe I loue thee more then thou louest me The motherly affection of the Blessed Virgin could hould no longer but appearing presently she made answere vnto him No no Alphōsus it is not so I loue the more then thou louest me His familiarity with the Blessed Virgin and her Sōne was such as is wont to be betweene friends one to another or as of a little child with his father and mother and indeed he esteemed them for such who affoarded him often their corporall presence he spake vnto them but once especially when they entred into his heart with such deuotion sweetnes that he caused the same effectinall those that did heare him whome he exhorted wholy to forget themselues only to delight in his sweet Louers Iesus and Mary for so he was wont to call them because they would be carefull both of body and soule For 40. yeares together he dayly said the Office of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Lady to which mystery he was much deuoted and the Blessed Virgin one day tould him that she was very much pleased with his deuotion which he did exhort all the Society dayly to practise telling them that one of the principall reasons of the Institution of the Society was to preach and defend the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Lady And this he said with so great affection that he neuer vsed the like feruour therby assuring them that he spake it nor of himselfe but had recaued it by reuelation from heauen The continuall vse of his beades as was found after his death had caused an extraordinary hardnes in his fingars ends I omit an infinite number of things which might be said of his rare vertues of his admirable lights and diuine fauours remitting the Reader to the history of his life which without doubt is one of the most rare and perfect amongst the liues of those Saintes which haue receaued extraordinary fauours from almighty God and will briefly recount his last sicknes death and buriall though from the very beginning of the 47. yeares which he liued in the Colledge of Maiorca our Lord exercised him in all sortes of paines as well diuers persecutiōs of the diuell which vexed him for many yeares as corporall infirmities grieuous sicknes wherwith he visited him from time to time yet he seemeth to haue made choice of the last 7. yeares wherin besides those infirmities which ordinarily accompany old age he began to be extremely troubled with the stone which caused him to keepe his bed continually and the three last monethes of his life to lye only vpon one side being not able to turne himselfe He spent all his time in prayer begging earnestly of almighty God not that he would mitigate or take away his paines but rather he would augment them and lay vpon him others more grieuous His ordinary complaints in his sicknes were that there was too much care had of him who desired rather altogether to be forgot or detested as a carion or dead beast Whē the Rectour once bad him take a few conserues of sweetmeates to comforte him he answered Belieue me Father those sweet things are paines vnto me and these paines sweetnes which he vsually also answered to those who asked him how he did By reason of great familiarity and conuersation with his Father and mother Iesus Mary he spake vnto them with great affection those wordes which he had learned of our Sauiour himselfe O Iesus and Mary my only comforts grant me that I may suffer and die for your loue and that I may be wholy yours and not mine owne Once when he could scarcely speake the Infirmarian asking what troubled him he answered Nothing but selfe loue Some few dayes before his happy death he was taken with such a vehement ague that renewing all his paines it seemed God would take him away within one houre in which time he did nothing but repeate these wordes Yet more good Lord yet more Therfore he receaued the B. Sacrament which for many yeares he had receaued twice a weeke for his Viaticum with his accustomed deuotiō as also the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction still begging of God with inuincible patience to increase his paines He bare such extraordinary respect to the Fathers that whē he could scarce stirre his armes yet he would alwayes when any came to him pull off his night cap. Vpon Saturday in the euening being the 29. of October almighty God performing that which he had promised him before he fell into an extasy much like to those which he had diuers times the yeare before in which he perseuered the three last dayes of his life And although his sicknes had disfigured his body yet after his extasy he became as beautifull as an Angell and as red as a Rose which were certaine proofes of the great flame which burned in his brest brake out by those exteriour signes and exclamations which he vttered from time to time O sweet Iesus O my deare mother and the like About ten a clocke in the night hauing giuen some signe of death approaching all the house came vnto him they oftē repeating the name of Iesus and giuing him a Crucifix to adore he presently opened his eyes which for three dayes before he had kept shut and looking vpon the Crucifix they perceaued thē to be more quicke and liuely then when he was in best health And with this kissing the feete of the Crucifix and saying O sweet Iesus he gaue vp the Ghost the Eue of All-Saints about midnight in the yeare of our Lord 1617. The rare vertue of this holy Brother was in such esteeme that not only those of this Prouince but also those of Italy Cast le And alusia Portugall and the Indies haue sent to Maiorca with earnest intreaty for some of his Reliques Many wrote vnto him cōmending themselues to his prayers only to haue his name written with his owne hand as graue Ecclesiasticall and Secular men Gētlemen of great note Grandies of Spaine
Confraternity arriued to a good quantity sufficient for the reliefe almost of twenty persons Wherevpon he taking the bread and wine home to his house inuited all the poore people round about who flocked thither in great numbers to whom he began to distribute the same with his owne hands and it multiplied so much that it sufficed three hundred persons all being satisfied and praysing God for the great liberality bestowed vpon them and acknowledging the miracle Other Miracles which hee wrought in his life time are innumerable and would fill a great volume to recount them al. But those which haue happened since his death at his holy Body by his intercession to God are sat more in number some few only whereof according to the breuity this place requireth shal be recounted afterwards when we haue said a word or two of his death which happened as followeth In the yeare of our Lord 1170. which was the last of his life whem by diuine Reuelation hee knewe that his death drew neare hee intreated to haue the B. Sacrament brought vnto him which hee receaued with great Reuerence and Deuotion and after made a long and most deuour speech to those of his househould and neighbours present exhorting them to liue Christian-like and in the feare of God and obseruations of his holy Commandements And so with a most sweete and amiable Countenance rich in merites and famous for miracles he quietly and most happely gaue vp his soule to God When the bruite of his happy death was spread abroad the people of Madrid came to see and to touch his holy body whom many held for a Saint for the miracles which they had heard him to haue done but especially those of the villages neere about and of the poorer sort of people that were better acquainted with the manner of his life and had seene and bene present at many miracles which he had wrought Not-with-standing because he was exteriourlie poore his body was buryed in the Churchyearde in an ordinary Graue among all other people where it remained for the speace of 40. yeares of whom all this while little or nothing more was spoken of except it were amongst the meaner sort of people of the adioyning Villages who had byne best acquainted with him when he liued But our Lord who would haue this his Saint honored as well in earth as in heauen at the ende of fourtie yeares reuealed his intention to a pious and venerable Matron of Madrid who had all this time bene very deuour vnto Saint Isidore for the miraculous things she had heard recounted of him by the fornamed Iohn de Vargas wherfore to satisfie her deuotion she dealt seriously with the Pastour of the Village to haue his body translated into the Church and layed in some decent place therof promising to defray all the charges there about The Pastour being a vertuens man and hauing heard much talke of the miracles which he did when he liued made further inquirie thereof and found that hee was in deede a very holy and innocent man and that the Fountaine which was close by the village and very profitable and commodious for all the people for the excellent water there of was mireculously raised out of the ground by his merites he dealt with the Bishop expounded vnto him the Matrons pious request and hauing obtained his licence appointed a certaine day for the remouall of the said body into the Church In the meane time there was a little Vault propared humble and decent at the cost of the foresaid deuout Matron where his body was appoynted to be layde And when the day appointed came the people there about resorted to the solemnitie according as the Pastour had informed and inuited them All being ready the Pastour with the rest of the Clergy of the Church came in manner of procession to the Churchyard and opening the Graue where his body lay they found it whole and vncorrupt and as fresh and faire as if he had byne dead but the day before it being fourtie years complete after his decease and from the same there proceeded so sweet and fragrant a smell that it rauished all that were present The graue was no sooner opened but all the bels of the steeple began to ring in excellent tune and order of themselues and so continued during the Ceremony and vntill he was translated into the Church and laid in his new Sepulcher to the astonishment of all that heard them at which time also were healed many persons of many sorts of diseases After his body was thus decently laid in the Church very many began to do great reuerence therto and it pleased God to witnesse of what great merit esteeme he would haue this his seruant to be by the many and wonderfull miracles daily wrought at the same by his intercession of some whereof we shall speake a word And first to begin with a continuall miracle which remayneth euen vnto this day the water of the fountaine which he miraculously raised out of the ground hath cured infinite people of all sicknesses and infirmities and is had in very great esteeme by all the inhabitants both of the Citty and Country roūd about where you shall scarcely find a house who hath not some of the said water continually preserued in vialls of glasse or botles ready for all infirmities or suddaine sicknesse that may happen especially agues or blew spots And when oftentimes there happeneth the sicknes of the plague the people find none so presēt or assured remedy as the water of the said fountaine Another miracle that hath very often bene seene testified by thousands of all sorts of people is that the Lampe which hangeth before his sepulcher hath bene oftentimes lighted from heauē without putting any fire therto by the industry of man Nay which is more when there hath wanted oyle in the lampe and the same filled with water the weeke hath burned as cleere and as bright as with oyle Which some curious persons haue desired to proue and they themselues both by putting in water and lightning the weeke because they would not belieue the same without their owne experience The women of Spaine haue a very peculiar deuotion to S. Isidore when they are great with child in labour of Childbyrth because very many haue bene safely deliuered by his intercession and by commending thēselues vnto him in the extremity of their labour at such times as there hath bene little hope of life Those also who be troubled with the Gout haue great deuotion vnto him for that many haue bene holpē being in great extremity and cured of that infirmity by his merits and prayers Vpon a time there was a man who desired to get a relique of the holy Saint whether for himselfe or for another is not certainly knowne This man watching his opportunity and hiding himselfe in the Church till all were gone thence the dores being locked came to the Tombe and making shift to open a
feruently prayed vnto God for the health of the poore man who was presently deliuered and freed wholy from all his infirmities Againe at another time also as Xauerius sayled from Ambionum a Citty in the Ilands of Moluca vnto the Iland of Baranula there arose vpon the suddaine a cruell Tempest for the deasing wherof he tooke froÌ„ his neck a little Crucifixe about a fingars length and held it in his hand in the water for a good space praying vnto our Lord for the ceasing of the tempest The ship beinge tossed to and fro with the waues by chance he let it fall from him into the sea for which he was very pensiue shewed great signes of sorrow The day following they all ariued safe at the for said Iland whither they were to sayle where Xauerius going a land with his Companion a long the sea shore towards the towne of Tamalum behould a great sea-Crabbe leapt from out the sea to land carring the said Crucifix vpright and on high betweene her Finnes and made hast to Xauerius who seing the wonder fell downe on his knees and reuerently tooke the Crucifix from her and then prosently without more adoe the fish returned into the sea Xauerius hauing receaued the Crucifix kissed the same deuoutly and with his armes a crosse for halfe an houre lay prostrate vpon the ground in prayer with his CompanioÌ„ giuing God thanks for so wonderfull a miracle Many more and strange were the miracles which God wrought by Xauerius his intercession in his life time as when with the signe of the crosse he turned the salt water of the sea into sweet when he cured the blinde raised three bodies froÌ„ death to life wherof one had laine a whole day buried in his graue and the like as may be seene at large in the said Relation All which together with his excellent vertues aboue touched did so fill the most wide large Prouinces both of East and West with the great fame of his admirable sanctity that euen while he was yet aliue he was called by no other name but Saint both by Christians and Infidells all euer calling vpoÌ„ him though he were absent in all their dangers and afflictions As soone as he was dead his body was put into a coffin full of pure lime and so buried vnder ground that the flesh being consumed his bones might the sooner be carried into the Indies But foure monethes after they found both his cloathes and his body as fresh and free froÌ„ all corruption as if they had bene then newly put into the coffin and yielding more ouer a most sweet and comfortable smell vnto all that were present Wherfore putting it againe into the same Coffin with fresh lime they brought it vnto Malaca at the very first entrance whereof into the Citty a great plague which Xauerius had foretold and had long afflicted the same wholy ceased and there likewise finding it yet entire and sweet they made a new coffin and by thrusting in the body for they made it too little bloud issued out of his shoulders and so they buried him only with earth in a Church of our B. Ladie where also nine monethes after his death being found as before and with the veyle that couered his face all imbrued in fresh bloud they made him a rich and sumptuous Coffin wherin being carried into the Indies he was solemnely receiued in the Citty of Goa with great PoÌ„pe both of the Viceroy him selfe and of all the Clergy people who flocked thither from all parts to see and reuerence his sacred body which after many â—â—ialls found still to remayne vncorrupted and that without balme or an yother pretious ointments was placed at last in a sepulcher made of purpose at the right side of the high altar in the church of the Society in the same Citty Vnto which as also vnto other Churches in which his Images are set vp to be piously reuerenced all as well heathens as Christians doe make great pilgrimages obtayning therfore of God no small fauours by his intercession For by this meanes the blind recouer sight the leprosy and other diseases are cured the dead raised to life and many other such like wonders wrought Nay which is more and very wonderfull there was a woman called Lucy de Villanzan who being an hundred and twenty yeares of age and had bene baptized by Xauerius after his death got a Meddall made at Coccinum wheron was engrauen his picture for the great deuotion she had towards the said Blessed Father for twelue yeares together she vsed to touch sicke and diseased people therwith with as also diuers kinds of vlcers cankers and other sores washing theÌ„ in the water wherin she did put the said meddall with great reuerence and humility making the signe of the Crosse vpon them and saying In the name of Iesus and of Father Francis Xauerius be thy health restored to thee c. they were presently cured and many other meruailous things were done by the vertue of the said meddall sincere faith and deuotion of that Christian woman So great is the respect which the very Infidells themselues beare to Xauerius that although they haue destroyed a dozen Churches within the Coast of Trauancor neere to the PromoÌ„tary of Comorinum yet they would neuer touch or once meddle with the Church of Cottara staÌ„ding amongst the rest which for hauing in it the Image of Xauerius they greatly honour calling it the Church of the great Father And so amongst other wonderfull workes of God in confirmation of the Christian Faith and sanctity of Xauerius the very lampes that hang before his Image hauing nothing else but holy water in them haue bene seene to burne for many houres together as if there had bene oyle and that with great admiration and wonder of many Turkes and Infidells wherof some especially such as the Christians did now and then inuite to see the miracle to the intent that they might make a full triall of the truth diuers times changed the water and put new matches or weekes in the said lampes which neuerthelesse did burne as before sometimes euen take fire and kindle of themselues Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis O how wonderfull is God in his Saints THE LIFE OF S. PHILIP Nerius of FloreÌ„ce Founder of the CoÌ„gregation of The Oratory wittten in Latin by Antony Gallonius Priest of the same Congregation and translated into English SAINT Philip Nerius was borne in Florence a famous and principall Citty of Italy the 23. of Iuly in the yeare of our Lord 1515. Whose parents were Francis Nerius Lucretia Soldi Cittizens of Florence When he was but fiue yeares old he was so obedient vnto his father and mother that whatsoeuer they commaunded him to doe or not to doe he most diligently and carefully obserued It happened that on a time a seruaÌ„t of his Fathers brought froÌ„ his Farme which he had in the Countrey an Asse loaden with apples which
Colledge called the colledge of gentlemen therin to instruct the young nobility in all vertue learning and discipline and another for the cleargy of the Heluetians and Switzers where they are instructed in Philosophy and Diuinity to help the the conuersion of their countries which produceth such exceeding fruit that it may of right be called the rampaire and defence of the Catholike Faith in the confines of Germany At Pauia he built another called the colledge of Borromeus which is without comparison the most goodly and most sumptuous that is in all Europe and endued the same with great reuenues He founded a congregation of secular priest called Oblats of S. Ambrose He built a Church neere our Ladies of Rauda in his diocesse in honor of the Queen of heauen and another very sumptuous in Milan called the Church of S. Fidelis which hegaue to the fathers of the Society for whom he also foūded the Colledge of Brera in Milan where they read all sciēces like vnto that which was erected in Rome by Pope Gregory the thirtēth He likewise built a Colledge for the order of Theatins Two other Seminaries he built in Milan the one in the Church and house of Saint Iohn Baptist capable of a hundred and fifty priests The other called Canonicall wherin are resident sixty cleargy mē who study the holy Scripture and cases of Conscience to become able to take vpon them the care of soules two others also in the Diocesse of Celana He erected two Conuents of the poore Clares with he babit of Capucinesses each containing fifty religious who leade so holy and austere a life that all th Citty of Milan hold for assured to be succoured by their prayers in any necessity He built also a house with prouision spirituall and temporall for poore maidens that were left fatherlesse that so their honesty should be conserued and two for women which eyther were forsaken by their husbands or by some meanes had blemished their good name or were any way in danger of soule or body and a Hospitall for those that were infected with the plague Finally to omit many more of like sorte for breuities sake he let passe no worke of charity towards poore and distressed persons of either sex as well of body as of soule For exāple at what time there was in Milan an infinit number of poore beggats gathered together who were ready to dye for hungar and thirst the plague being then in chiefest fury he caused to be giuen vnto them all the prouision that was in his house and after commaunded all his siluer and goldē plate to be carried to the kings coyners and to be stamped into mony and giuen vnto them And moreouer he disfurnished his palace of all the tapistry to the very carpets of his tables to cloth the poore against the rigor of the cold Yea his charity extēded it selfe so far as to lye himselfe vpon the bordes and cause his owne bed to be carried to the Hospitall And further he depriued himselfe of the Dutchy of Auriana in the kingdome of Naples valued at ten thousand Ducats yearly mony of Naples giuing all that sūme vnto the poore vnto Hospitals and vnto other works of piety so that one may iustly say that S. Charles was much more affected towards the poore then he was towards his owne kinred Amongst sixty or seauenty thousand poore persons sick of the plague and of other diseases one was not to be foūd that wanted foode or rayment so great was the care solicitude of S. Charles especially to those who were infected with the plague to whome this pittifull Pastour did goe in person frō tent to tēt to succor visit thē as they lay in the fields which visit he often continued till six or seauen houres within the night And albeit he had in his traine a great number of priests which he had sent for out of Sauoy to administer vnto them the holy Sacraments yet he himselfe also vndertooke the same work so full of perill as to visit them and to administer the Sacraments vnto them with his owne hands making no difficulty to stand by the beds side of those that dyed and to put them in mind of the mercy of God and to giue them full pardon in the houre of death Great likewise was the temperāce abstinence and austerity of life of this holy Saint who first accustomed to fast once a weeke then twice and afterwards foure tymes a weeke and so cōtinued vntill such time as quite for saking flesh wine and all other meates he accustomed himselfe to fast euery day except holy dayes taking only a meane refection in bread and water He likewise got a custome to eate and to study altogether so to gayne tyme and many tymes he was found eating vpon his knees because of his reading of the holy Scriture which he still did read in that posture of body to declare the great reuerence that he bare therto Sometymes he remayned in the Church by occasion of the forty houres prayer all the tyme that they lasted and almost in each houre preached to the people the concourse wherof was great both night and day To these rigors of fastings he added the chasticement of his body with whippes scourges woare a shirt of haire slept vpon a bed of straw or else vpon the bare bordes He would not in the greatest cold come neere the fier and alwaise had his handes bare so that sometimes the bloud issued from them For an euident signe of the fanctity of this seruant of God and in approbation of his great zeale in defending the rightes priuiledges of the Church and reforming of corruptiō crept in amongst the religious and cleargy vnder his care behold how the hand of Almighty God was very present assisting him at such tyme as a wicked Apostata attempted to slay him the occasion of which crime was as followeth This holy Archbishop endeauouring to reforme the order of the Religious called Humiliats of whome he was Protectour by order of the Apostolique Sea and labouring to restraine their scandalous liberty and to reduce them to the first obseruation of their anciēt rule foure of them who stifly withstood this reformation cōspired his death not otherwise able to auoid restraint by reason of the great zeale and authority of their zealous pastour and protectour Wherupon one of them named Hierom Farina for a summe of mony receiued promised to be executioner of this murder This fellow therfore conducted by the diuell as a second Iudas in the yeare 1569. the 26. day of October at one a clock in the night finding S. Charles according to his custome at prayer in his Bishops chappel euē as the quier sung these words of the ghospell Let not your hart be troubled nor feare you not This wicked murderer hauing got on secular apparell approaching neere vnto the Bishop shot off a pistoll charged with a bullet sundry other murthring shot the bullet wherof lighted full
vpon his back some of the other lesser shot pierced his garments euen to his flesh and others went thorough a table of an inch thick and the residue did notably batter the walls the were before him Sodainly all the assistants rose vp on their feete and began to be sore affrighted he only who had receiued the blow sitting still vpon his knees remained in peace not showing any signe of feare But because the blow had made him much to bowe downward fearing they should thinke that he were slaine holding his haÌ„des still ioyned together he at the last lifted vp his head towards heauen and hauing appeased those that were present he ended the prayer he had begun without so much as once more mouing his body Afterwards retiring himselfe to goe to rest he found that his Rochet was soyled with the bullet and his other garments also but were not pierced NotwithaÌ„ding there appeared vpon his back a buÌ„ch of a blewish coulor like to dead flesh where the bullet had light which fell at the feete of Saint Charles as it were for reuerence not drawing so much as a drop of bloud which marke remayned vntill his death for a memory of the fact The Doctors of phisick and many others which had seene coÌ„sidered the place that was shot iudged that it was a cleere manifest miracle In fine the murderer was appreheÌ„ded with his foure companions by the commandemeÌ„t of the Duke Asburquerco couernour of MilaÌ„ by an edict which he published the selfe same night and shortly after were put to death for their horrible fact Hauing walked in the narrow way of this world triumphed ouer vices and adorned himselfe with all the excellent vertues before rehearsed the houre of his departure approaching neere he first visited the holy Sudary of our Sauiour Iesus at Turino with a singular vnspeakeable deuotion and from thence went to the mount of Varalla neere vnto Nouara where there is a deuout solitary place of Religious men and the sepulcher of our Sauiour is erected like vnto that in Hierusalem with diuers other monuments of Christs passion whervnto the holy man was specially deuoted where he abode the space of fifteene dayes exercising himselfe in most austere workes of pennance reÌ„dring his soule capable of celestiall glory by a generall Confession of all his life with many sighes and abundance of teares But falling sicke by his too much rigour and feeling that his sicknes increased he returned towards Milan enflaming those that went in his company in the loue of God by a burning charity wherwith he was wholy inflamed and by his sermons which he made of the glory of the blessed which were so ful of fire and so piercing that the harts of those that heard him were touched therwith in such sort that from their eyes distilled fountaines of teares He arriued at MilaÌ„ vpon the feast of All Soules towards euening and hauing passed the day following in holy discourses and receiued the Sacraments of the Church with singular deuotion and humility holding his eyes fixed vpon a picture of the sepulture of the dead couered with a shirt of haire and with ashes like vnto another S. Martin whose vertues he had diligeÌ„tly imitated during his life with great tranquility and quiet of body and mind he rendred his soule vp to God about three houres after sunne setting the last yeare of the Popedome of Gregory the 13. 47. yeare of his age It is impossible to declare what sorrowe what lameÌ„tations and what sighings the vnexpected death of this most holy pastor caused both in poore and rich The Church deplored her vigilant Pastour the tribunalls their incorrupted iudge the orphanes their protectour and defender and the needy their most liberall benefactour Finally to satisfy the great deuotion of the people which flowed thither on euery side it was necessary to expose the body the space of three dayes in the Church to the view of euery one The Bishops Pallace was filled with deepe sighes the streetes with sobbs and the houses with teares mourning so that there was not any in so great a multitude of people which did not bewaile the losse of his good father for hard it was to iudge whether there were more people in the streetes then vpon the topps of the houses and who pursued not his most holy Pastour with complaints and inconsolable sorrow in such sort that all the people cryed out aloud Mercy mercy euery one thinking himselfe right happy to touch with their beades or Rosary his venerable hody The miracles which Almighty God wrought by the intercession merits of S. Charles were very many wherof these which follow were in part examined and approued for his canonization He healed by the vertue of his holy prayer Iohn Pietro Stopano at this day Archbishop of Maccia in the valley of Telino of a deadly disease being forsaken of the phisitians By the signe of the crosse he preserued the Abbot Bernardino Tarusi and Ioseph Cauallerio being drowned in the râ—uer of Tâ—cino By the force of his prayer he saued froÌ„ the perill of death Iulio Homatto who being on horsback fell froÌ„ the top of a most high horrible precipice He draue away by the benediction of his hands diuers diuells who had loÌ„g tyme obsessed a young youth With the same benediction he healed in an instant one Margarete Vertua who had a double tertian ague for the space of eight moÌ„ths was brought vnto so low estate that she could not lying alwayes on her bed moue so much as any one part of her body In an instant he likewise healed by his blessing a noble woman of a disease proceeding of witch-craft diuelish art These miracles with many others were wrought by him during his life but he wrought a great many more after his death wherof for breuity sake I will recount only some omitting the circumstances which make the miracles the more famous declare only the matter it selfe and substance of the things Dame Paula Iustina Casara religious in the great monastery of Milan hauing bene for the space of eight yeares and a halfe paralitique altogether dead on the one side infected with diuers other diseases and lastly giuen ouer of the best Phisitians of the Citty finally inuocated S. Charles Borromeus and that with very great fruit for as soone as she had made her prayer before the picture of S. Charles by her sted-fast faith she was healed the yeare 1601. vpon the feast of S. Ihon Baptist And at the selfe same instant fearing to be more slack in giuing thaÌ„kes vnto the Saint then he had beene to giue her health she went forth of her chaÌ„ber entred into the Church and sunge Te DeuÌ„ together with the other religious who were all assembled to see this miracle Sister Candida a religious woman of the conuent of Capucinesses in Milan hauing lyen three yeares sick and her disease being iudged incurable by the Doctors hauing
satisfy doubts and answere all obiections She had an extraordinary guift in healing of the sick of all infirmities by her prayers and working other miracles so vsually as I may say familiarly as it seemed our Lord neuer denied her any thing that she requested of him The aged weake body of this holy woman almost spent and worne out with continuall trauell frō one Monastery to another being now at Burgos and foreseing her end approaching which she had prophesied 8. yeares before hastened towards Auila where she was borne desiring to end her daies therein her first owne House But reposing as she trauelled at the house of the Duchesse of Alua she was enforced there to make stay partly by her importunity as also by reason of a feuer she had which continued with her increased so incessantly that at the end of three dayes hauing receaued all the rites of the Holy Catholike Church recommended her selfe to God with many deuout prayers and giuen many holesome precepts and admonitions to those that were present to their great cōfort edification with a ioyfull and peaceable serenity of mind she sweetly yeelded vp her soule to her beloued spouse Sauiour vpon the 4. day of October being the feast of S. Francis in the 68. yeare of her age 47. of her being religious It pleased our Lord to shew the holines of this Saint by some signes at her death by many miracles after For at the instant of her death a certaine Religious woman saw two starres to descend vpon her Cell Another sister saw a bright starre shinning ouer her Monastery another starre at the window of the chamber where she died A Religious man in Valladolid saw at the instant of her death the heauens open and a glorious way prepared wherby a soule ascended The prioresse of Segouia smelt in her Cell a most sweet odour at the instāt of her death with an extraordinary light Another Prioresse in Paris saw our Sauiour ascend to heauen with great glory many Angells with him Another sister saw a white doue to ascend frō her mouth All her Conuent at the instant saw a great light and felt a very sweet smell fillinge the house as also from her habit and all things that she had touched The body of this holy Saint lying faire fresh and liuely as though she had bene yet liuing a certaine Religious mā came and touched with her handes his head and eyes and presently recouered of two infirmities which he had in those parts Another Religious woman kissing her seete recouered her smelling which she had lost And that night after her death she appeared to diuers Religious persons After that her body had bene by many and with great deuotiō visited she was with great sollemnity due reuerence enterred Her habit and all things that she vsed be kept still in Alua with great reuerence for holy Reliques and many miracles haue bene wrought by them This holy Saint appeared to diuers after her death and first to one Mother Antonetta in Granada she wing her the glory that she was in and encouraging her in her vertuous course of life Also to a Religious woman in Auila she appeared in great glory She appeared also in Segouia with a sweet odour in the midest of the Quier with a rich crowne on her head And to the Earle of Osorne to the Bishop and diuers others there The miracles after her death were many As the miraculous incorruptiō of her body The pleasant odour and sweetnes therof filling the place where it was kept as also of her habit cloathes and all things she had touched By which being religiously kept many of sundry infirmities were healed Also there was a pretious oyle or liquor that distilled continually from her body and frō euery small part therof though separated a sunder whereby many miracles were done as appeareth by one of her hāds that was carried by the Prouinciall of her Order to Lisbone and by one of her fingers at Malaga Also a linnē cloth died with her bloud continued pure and fresh wherby many miracles were done in diuers places and in diuers manners Don Aluarez de mendoza Bishop of Alua hauing in his life time built a faire chappell with a Tombe therin for himselfe an by a fore-contract with the Prouinciall of her Order another by it for this holy Saint and hearing now of her death and buriall made suite iointly with the people of the towne to the Prouinciall for her body which not being obtayned she was translated to Auila in the moneth of Nouēber 1585. with great sollemnity and ioy But the Duke of Alua and Ferdinand of Toledo Prior of S. Ihons made suit to Pope Sixtus V. for her returne to Alua where she died which he graunted and so with greater ioy and applause she was brought back to Alua the 23. of August 1586. where she remayneth and God by meanes of this his seruāt doth worke many miracles euen to this present as is daily seene by those that be deuout vnto her and frequent her sepulcher the which hath bene adorned enriched with many great guiftes and pretious Iewells of many of the greatest Princes and Religious Bishops and Persons of Spaine and Christendome And after all due diligence and examinations of her life and miracles made as in such cases appertayneth she was Canonized for a Saint by Pope Gregory the XV. vpō the 12. of March 1622. But her feast is celebrated vpon the 4. day of October To rehearse the manifold exāples in euery of her seuerall vertues the frequent apparitions of our Blessed Sauiour and other Saints her visiōs raptes and miracles accordinge to the truth thereof and her desert I should neuer be able to say inough all the aforesaid thinges being so certaine and so well knowne in Spaine as they be yet fresh in memory and many are yet liuing that knew her well and were present and eye witnesses to all that which is here writtē of her And he that shall read her life written by herselfe at the commaūd of her Ghostly Father trāslated lately into English and also her life writtē by Brother Ihon of S. Ierome and Brother Ihon of Iesus Maria of her owne Order from whence this is extracted may be there further satisfied with examples in euery kind these things being heere only touched for breuity sake as a taste out of aboundance God graunt that we following her heauenly documents instructions imitating hervertuous life may by her intercession merit to come to that heauenly glory which she with her deerespouse Iesus now enioyeth Amen THE LIFE AND VERTVES OF Blessed Lewis Gonzaga of the Society of Iesus taken out of his history written at large by Virgilius Ceparius of the same Order BLESSED Lewis Gonzaga was borne in that part of France which lyeth beyōd the Alpes at the Chastle of Castilion in the Diocese of Brixia in the yeare of our Lord 1568. of Ferdinand Prince of
leaue he went to visite the holy places to salute his friends and other Princes there and to receiue the Popes benediction All which being dispatched vpon Saint Catherine the Virgin and martyrs day at the age of seauenteene yeares eight monethes and six dayes he entred into the Nouiciate of the Society of Iesus at S. Andrews in Rome with as great ioy and iubily of heart as if he had entred into a paradise of all delights and pleasures giuing immortall thankes to God for bringing him out of Aegypt into that Land of Promise flowing with milke and hony Heere now Lewis hauing passed thorough all kind of exorcises in Humility and Obedience with great admiration of all almost the space of a yeare was sent to Naples to recouer his health and to make an end of the course of Philosophy which he had begun at Milan But after halfe a yeare finding by experience that that place nor ayre agreede with his health he was called backe againe to Rome and sent vnto the Romane Colledge where he defended his Philosophy publikly with great applause and so proceeded to heare his higher courses of diuinity After he had liued now two yeares in the Society vpon Saint Catherines day being the day on which first he entred he also made the three vowes of Pouerty Chastity and Obedience as the custome is For albeit he had not spent all this time in the Nouiciate yet God by his holy grace did so supply in his soule the want of that time which the infirmity of his bodye tooke from him that wheresoeuer he liued all his life after he remayned still as it were a Nouice The next yeare vpon the eight abd twentith day of Ianuary he began to take Ecclesiasticall Orders and by the 26. of Frebruary he had receaued one after another vpon seuerall dayes all those which are called the Minores or inferiour Orders The yeare following he was sent to Castilion and Mantua to compose certaine contentions and debates betweene his Brother the Marques his Father being now deceased and the Duke of Mantua which if he had not by the great authority which for his sanctity he alwayes had amongst them taken vp and decided would haue cost much bloudshed on both sides The next yeare he withdrew himselfe with order from his Superiours to Milan where it pleased God to reueale vnto him that the houre of his death approached with which reuelation he returned ioyfully to Rome with his thoughts so fixed on heauen so dead to the world and to all worldly thinges that he appeared rather as one dead then liuing his only sight stirred vp deuotion in others and his very wordes incited his hearers to the loue of God In fine he was in the estimation of all aliuely patterne of all perfection In the yeare 1591. the Citty of Rome was sorely visited with a mortality by reason of the multitude of poore people that were inforced by a former famine to repaire thither for to begge their sustenance at which time the Generall and others of the Society inforcinge themselues to the ayde and succour of the poore besides the large almes that they daily procured for them they laboured the foundation of an Hospitall to relieue and cure the sicke which were in great number visited with sundry dangerous and infectious diseases where those of the Society attended them with great diligence and charity of which number Lewis by much importunity obtained of his Superiours to be one where he serued the sicke with wonderfull deuotion humility and charity exercising himselfe euer most willingly about those that were the most loathsome and dangerously infected In this imployment he together with many others of the Society got that infection wherof afterwards he died which he feeling and knowing that our Lord was pleased to doe him that fauour to deliuer him from the prison of his body and to take him to rest he reioyced exceedingly giuing God most humble and harty thanks for so great a benefit and the more for calling him in such an age and before he was Priest whereby he esteemed himselfe secure of rendring accompt either for the vnprofitable expence of many yeares or the abuse of so great a dignity He made a generall Confession and hauing receaued his Viaticum and Extreme Vnction he attended the houre of his death neuerthelesse it pleased our Lord that the seauenth day of his sicknesse the fury of it ceased and there remayned only a gentle feuer which held him three monthes in all which time he neuer willingly entertayned discourse of any thing but of heauen and heauenly thinges in so much that we may say as it were he had sent his hart before him He being by little and little sore weakened by the feuer it pleased our Lord to reueale vnto him the howre of his decease wherupon with great signes of ioy he said Te Deum laudamus and tould those that were about him that he should dye on the Octaue of the feast of the Blessed Sacrament notwithstanding on Corpus Christi day as also during the Octaue he seemed so well to recouer that on the Octaue day they said vnto him That he should rather thinke of his recouery then of his death that day since there appeared no danger at all To whome he quietly answered The day is not yet past I shall assuredly dye this night The euening being come the Prouinciall came to visit him who demaunded of him how he did Lewis answered I goe Father Whither said the Prouinciall To heauen answered Lewis I trust by the great mercy of God if my sinnes doe not hinder me Pope Gregory the fourteenth hearing that he was in the Agony of death sent vnto him his benediction with a plenary Indulgence of all his sinnes and drawing towards his end he desired earnestly to take a discipline or at least by reason of his owne weakenes that one might be giuen him vpon his backe which being denyed he humbly beseeched leaue of Father Prouinciall that he might dye vpon the ground so great was his feruour and desire of suffering euen then when his sicknesse had rendred him almost incapable of sufferinge In briefe after that he had taken leaue of the Fathers and Brothers of the Colledge with many teares he entred into long and sweet interiour Colloquies with our Lord kissing often a Crucifix which he held in his handes with his eyes sixed thereon and often calling vpon the holy name of Iesus he rendred his soule to rest on Thursday at night being the Octaue of the B. Sacrament the one twentith of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1591. and in the three and twentith yeare of his age three monthes and eleauen daies after he had bene of the Society fiue yeares and almost seauen monthes He was interred in the Chutch of the Annuntiation in the Roman Colledge with so great concourse of people not only of those of the Society and Schollers but also from the Court and Citty of
Rome that not without great difficulty could his body be buried euery one striuing to kisse his handes and for some relique of him some cutting his haire others his garments others euen his fingers ends He was put into a Coffin and laid in the Chappell of the Crucifix and from thence in the yeare of our Lord 1598. he was remoued to a more eminent place of the same Church finally the thirteenth day of May in the yeare 1605. he was solemnely translated with musicke and lights into the great Chappell of our Blessed Lady in the same Church and there placed in the wall neere the right side of the Altar This translation was caused by reason of the many miracles that it pleased out Lord to worke by him in diuers places and the multitude of people that came dayly to his Tombe to offer vp theire vowes which exceedingly increased the deuotion of the people and the concourse to his B. Reliques which was a thing so celebrated at Rome that Pope Paul the fifth in the month of SepteÌ„ber 1607. gaue order that an inquisition might be made of his life and miracles for his Canonization Among the many miracles that haue bene wrought by the intercessioÌ„ of Blessed Lewis there be forty and foure approued and recorded which he hath done in the State of CastilioÌ„ his owne proper Countrey and patrimony where his Image is placed on an Altar with twelue lamps before it continually burning besides the other innumerable lights which the people daily offer vnto his honour and before the same are hanged on the walles more then three hundred votiue Tablets offered in remembrance and for deuotion of his miracles Our Lord in diuers other places hath likewise shewed forth his wonders by the meanes of this blessed Saint rendring health to diuers dangerously sicke of feuers and other diseases restoring the blind to sight the deafe to hearing helping of women in the perill of child-birth with many others which are all at large recorded in the Booke of his life out of which I will only rehearse briefly these few that follow In the yeare 1593. his mother being in danger of her life hauing receaued the holy Sacraments of CommunioÌ„ and Extreme Vnction her sonne appeared resplendent and glorious vnto her with the comfort of whose presence she presently began to amend and in few dayes recouered her perfect health which was the first miracle that it pleased God to worke by him after his death The Duke of Mantua comming to Rome in the yeare 1605. visited with great deuotion the tombe of his Cosen Lewis and had there giuen him by his Brother Francis Gonzaga theÌ„ Embassadour for the Emperour a relique of his with which returning by Florence to Mantua he was taken with a grieuous paine in his knee which had long sorely vexed him to which applying this holy Relique of B. Lewis he was presently cured the which was testified by his owne letter written backe to Rome to the Marques his Brother He had likewise the guift of Prophesy foretould vnto his mother that his Brother Francis who was the youngest of his Brothers should be the Rayser vp and glory of their House which proued true as likewise diuers other things which he foretould Who seeth not in this life and admireth not the bounty and liberality of our Lord who had so filled with his grace this Blessed young man whome he made choiceof euen from his mothers wombe to render glorious both in heauen and earth How great spirit in so young age what recollection in so many troubles what mortifications in the miedest of pleasures and delightes what humility in greatnesse what misprise of all worldly thinges and earnest seeking after heauenly To what greater degree of perfection can a soule ariue in this life beyond the preseruatioÌ„ of the grace receaued in Baptisme theÌ„ not to feele in their body the tentations of the flesh not to suffer in prayer distractioÌ„s of thoughts and to liue on earth as an Angell in heauen All which vertues are apparaÌ„t to haue bene eminent in this blessed young maÌ„ whose life we all ought to imitate to the end that imitating his vertues we may be also made partakers of his rewards and merits He was Beatified by Pope Paul the fifth by whome leaue was also grauÌ„ted to say masse of him His feast is kept by the Fathers of the Society of Iesus with great solemnity plenary Indulgence and in the Diocesse of Mantua is for the most part kept holy THE LIFE AND VERTVES of B. Stanislaus Kostka of the Society of Iesus abridged out of his life written by Peter Rybadeneira and others of the same Society BLESSED Stanislaus was borne in the Kingdome of Polonia in the yeare of our Lord 1550. in a Castle of his ancestours called Kostkouo His Fathers name was Iohn Kostka his mothers Margaret Keysban both Illustrious and of the principall houses of that Kingdome but much illustrated by this that neuer any of that house was tainted with heresy Out of their family haue issued diuers Lords Palatines Electors Senators Captaines Bishops and other of great dignity in that kingdome God blest them with diuers children and amongst others with this Stanislaus who hauing laudably passed his infancy at home was â—â—â—t by his Father being the but thitteene yeares of age together with another of his Brothers elder then he to Vienna in Austria where the Emperour Maximilian at that time kept his Court for to study there in the Colledge of the Fathers of the Society of Iesus which was at that time very famous for the education of youth StaÌ„nislaus studied so diligently there being of an excellent wit that he surpassed all the rest of his School-fellowes of whome for his gentlenes modesty he was generally beloued Euery morning before he went to schoole and euery euening after he came from schoole he vsed to make his prayers in the Church of the Society He auoyded all ill company all conuersation with Libertines or any other thing that had not the odour of deuotion With all diligence he was a great louer of silence and neuer spake but what he had first well weighed considered He was modestly cheerfull and cheerfully modest affable He conuersed most willingly with those that were simple and sincere he was very compassionate and succoured to his power all those that were in neede or extremity he was euer the first vp of his school-fellowes in the morning he contented not himselfe with hearing one masse daily nor on feasts with fewer then all he could possibly heare He went meanely cladde and for all the cold season which in those parts is very bitter in the winter he neuer wore gloues nor would euer vse the helpe of any seruant vnlesse when he was commaunded by his maister or brother Almost all his Orations and Declamations that he made in the exercise of Eloquence were in the praise of the glorious Virgin Mary to whome he was singularly