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
AN APPENDIX OF THE SAINTS lately Canonized and Beatifyed by PAVLE the fift AND GREGORIE the Fifteenth DOWAY By HENRIE TAYLOR 1624. To the Catholike Readers in England DEare Countrimen If my abilitie in Health Wealth or Vnderstanding were answereable to my desire of your good you should heare from mee oftner But these gifts are at the disposure of a higher power And therefore at the abounding in any one or all of these ought to tend vnto his glorie so their want shall not inforce mee to derogate either from that or hinder mee from laboring to the vtmost of my power to bring you such merchandize as may refresh your soules with spirituall delight and comfort Wherefore I haue reprinted the Appendix of such Saints liues as were lately Canonized and beatified by Paule the fift and Gregorie the fifteenth translated into English by M. Ed. Kinsman The motiues vrging mee hereunto next after your good was the generall approbation and likeing of the booke amongst all which had it the raritie of it amongst many which desirde it it being annexed to the Saints liues of the wholl yeare and therfore cannot bee had without the byeing of the wholl volume which many will not for that they haue those liues all ready and others cannot the volume being of so great a price exceeding their poore ability These are the reasons mouing mee to this I haue heere done wherfore I hope you will take it in as good part at I meane it therest of my indeauours to you which is sincerely wishing they may proue happie Mediums to bring you safe to the peaceable harbour of Eternall blisse still resting Yours in what he is Henry Taylor AN APPENDIX OF the Saints lately Canonized and Beatifyed by Paule the Fift and Gregorie the Fifteene And First The Miraculous life and Vertues of Saint Isidore Husbandman and Patrone of Madrid in Spaine lately canonized by Pope Gregory the XV. Abridged and translated out of Spanish SAINT Isidore was borne in the ancient Kingdome of Castile in the famous Cittie of Madrid in Spaine where the Kinges Court is ordinarily kept about the yeere of our Lord 1130. of very Catholike and deuout Parents though of meane condition whom they piouslie brought vp and instructed in all kinde of vertue according to their poore abilitie especially in Prayer saying of his Beades hearing Masse frequenting of Sermons Exhortations and the like and for corporal exercises he was brought vp and taught to Till and manure the ground in maner of a Laborer or Husbandman After that he was growen to mans estate and his Parents both dead he married a wife of an honest though poore family like vnto himselfe and beginneth to dispose and set in order that little meanes which he had still following his manuall art of Husbandrie labouring for day-wages and hire for other Husbandmen of the Countrey that were rich and had landes of their owne to manure But yet with all he had got a pious custome and vse which grew vp with him euen from his Childhood to heare Masse dailie before hee began to labour Which he neuer omitted though there were neuer so great hast of worke to be done And for this cause certaine of his neighbours through the instigation of the diuell who now began to make hoate war vpon S. Isidore for his sanctitie and holynesse of life which they could not endure stirred vp against him his maister of whom he had taken a peece of ground to plow and was to labour by the day complaining grieuously of him that he came euery day very late to worke and that besides he omitted the same oftentimes in the day and went to his praiers His maister the Farmer was much incensed against him by hearing this their accusation and one day falling into a fit of choller at their reportes presently went vnto him in the field to see if it were true or no which they had told him by way of complaint And comming in all hast vnto the field where S. Isidore was to be at his work he saw three plowes going two whereof were drawne gouerned by Angels in the likenes of young men cloathed in most pure and white garments At the first sight whereof standing amazed he drew neeres vnto them when vpon the sudaine they vanished away Heere vpon he came to S. Isidore whom hee found at the other plow seeing so much worke done beyond his expectation he fel downe at his seruants feete and cryed him pardon for so easily beleuing the false reportes his neighbours had made of him assuring himselfe of the trueth of the wordes which Saint Isidore had often told him to wit that how much time soeuer he spent in prayer the same was recompensed larglie in his worke by the handes of his sweete Sauiour and rather to the profite then any way to the lest hinderance or losse of his Maister And so he departed with confusion in himselfe and full of loue and reuerence towards his seruant As soone as his said maister was departed the Angels returned againe vnto the plowes and as they laboured they taught S. Isidore and instructed him in many mysteries of his faith accompanying him all that day vntill night going home with him also euen to his house whither when hee came he found a poore Pilgrime at his doore asking an almes of meate for the refreshing of his body who calling his wife and bidding her giue the Pilgrime some what to eate shee replyed sadly and said there was nothing in the house Hee bid her looke into the Potte for some Pottage and Flesh but she knowing that al was spent said there was assuredly none left and withall she tooke vp the Pot into her hands to shew that it was empty But behold a wonder for she felt the Pot heauy and lookeing thereinto found it full of very excellent Pottage Flesh where with she fed the Pilgrime liberally and with admiration acknowledge the miracle her husband in the meane time with drawing himselfe into an inner roome and falling to his praiers as his custome was The same night he being a sleepe the said Pilgrime appeared vnto him againe in the same habit that he had done before in the Euening and seemed to awake him and put vpon him a Pilgrims weede and sayling ouer the seas conducted him to the holy land whether when he was come he shewed him all the places of chiefe note where our Sauiour had taught preached was taken examined whipped condemned and lastlie suffered death for our sakes Which places S. Isidore semed to reuerence and greatly to adore with gust and affection of hart and afterward was presently conueyed backe to his own house where the Pilgrime tooke his leaue and departed Vpon a time in a great Frost and Snow one Iohn de Vargas a Farmer sent Saint Isidore to the Mill with a sacke of wheate to haue it ground to make bread for his family Saint Isidore tooke the sacke of corne early in the morning and
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
at what time the same was extended almost throughout the whole world For he left established twelue Prouinces to wit that of Portugall of Castile of Aragon of Andaluzia of all Italy which comprehendeth Lombardy Toscan of Naples of Sicily of Germany of Franders of France of Brasile and of the East Indies and in these Prouinces there were at that time about an hundred Colledges or Houses of the Society His body was buried first in a low and humble Tombe at the right band of the high Altar in his owne little Church of our Blessed Lady at Rome and afterward in the yeare 1587. it was translated solemnely to the new and sumptuous Church of the Casa Prosessa which Cardinall Alexander Farnesius had newly erected there placed in a Vault at the Right hand of the high Altar where it is yet reuerenced with concourse of people frō all parts of the world as well for his admirable life and sanctity as for the innumerable miracles that haue bene and are daily wrought there at by his intercession some wherof we shall relate at the end of this narration after we haue briefly laid downe his vertues which follow in this manner and first of his Faith Such was the excellency of Faith which the Holy Ghost by meanes of his perusing the a foresaid bookes before his Conuersion began to plat in the hart of Ignatius that reading the wonderfull things which God had wrought with his Saintes and belieuing that he would deale in like māner with him if he should follow their steps he therfore without any more adoe leauing all followed only our Sauiour Iesus Christ This same Faith made him so meekely and patiently endure so many labours and ouercome so many difficulties in bringing to passe whatsoeuer he had once vndertakē for the glory of God and saluation of soules This confirmed him so strongly in his poore and laborious course of life not only by perpetuall perseuerance notwithstanding many great impediments but also by a formall institution of the same established with solemne vowes Finally hence arose that wonderfull care and diligence in procuring the conuersion of Heretikes Schismatikes Moores Iewes Insidells in preaching the Ghospell to the Indians Barbarians and other natiōs by meanes of S. Xauerius and other of his Society and in alwayes teaching and holding the most sound and Catholike Doctrine as a true scholler of the Angelicall Doctour S. Thomas neuer giuing care to any new fangled opinions especially about the sacred mysteries of our Faith which he so firmely belieued that he was wont to say That although there were no Scriptures for his warrant yet was he ready with all his hart to suffer death in defence of the same faith for so much only as God had imparted and reuealed vnto him while he was at Manresa First out of this so well grounded root of Faith sprung vp that his most singular Hope wherof his true contempt of all worldly things his austere pennance his rare confidence so little in himselfe and so much in Almighty God his wonderfull courage in strong and hard enterprises for the glory of God the delight and pleasure he tooke in the paines reproaches and persecutions which he suffered for Christ and to be short his most sweet and continuall meditation of death are more then sufficient testimonies Secondly his Charity towards his Neighbours was such that besides his daily seruing of the poore and sicke in Hospitalls and not only curinge their bodies but with most profound humility euen licking their botches and sores he also euery day went a begging frō doore to doore bestowing the best part of the Almes he got vpon the poore of the Hospitalls and prisons of the Citty where he liued contenting himselfe with the refuse and worst part of all Extraordinary was the care he had to instruct children and ignorant people in Christian doctrine And the zeale wherwith he was carried away in procuring the saluation of soules could not be conteyned within the bounds of one Kingdome but extended it selfe euen vnto Hierusalem whither after one pilgrimage he vowed another both for himselfe the rest of his Society For his Neighbours sake he composed the Booke of Spirituall Exercises which is one of the best that hath bene written in that kinde for them he exceedingly furthered and increased the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament in his owne Countrey For them he was not a bashed at the age of thirty yeares to go to schoole amongst litle boyes To conclude for them after he had ended his studies at Paris together with a few more that had entred there into his Society he went to Rome where for them he offered all his indeauours and seruice to the Pope for thē he instituted the Order it selfe of the Society propagating and multiplying the same with Missiōs Colledges Churches Schooles and Vniuersities of all kind of sciēces with other pious workes besides in particular the German Colledge the Hospitalls of the Orphans and Cathecumens the monasteries of S. Martha and S. Katherine in Rome throughout all the world euery where by the exhortation administration of his subiects teaching the people to frequent the Sacrament of Pennance and holy Communion Masse Sermons and other holy Exercises And what wonder in him who euen in the beginning of his cōuersion after he had bene grieuously beaten and almost brought to the point of death at Barcelona for procuring the saluation of his neighbours did not only not complaine therof but gaue God thankes for it forgiuing and to fulfill our Lords commandement praying for his persecutours In so much that after he had recouered his health he was not afraid to returne to his former workes of Charity and to hazard his very life for his brethren notwithstanding all his friends dissuading him from it to whom he alwayes gaue this answere Quid mihi optabiliue quà m more pro Christe salute proximi mei What can I wish for that would be more gratefull and welcome to me then to die for Christ and the saluation of my neighbour Thirdly if wee consider how Ignatius did all that hath bene touched aboue meerly for the loue of God how carefull he was euer from his first conuersion to keepe his hart pure and cleane from all touch of mortall sinne either in word or deed how strictly and often euery day he examined his conscience least he should haue any thing in it that might displease God were it but the least veniall negligence in his daily meditation how he had withdrawne all his affection from all things that were not good and fixed his whole hart vpon God how he daily vsed to meditate vpon heauenly things eftsoones stirring vp himselfe to the loue of God by a certaine Iaculatory prayer in his booke of Exercises which beginneth Suscipe Domine vniuersam libertatem meam c. How he leuelled all his thoughts words and deedes to the honour and glory of God in so much as he had alwaies in his
and so begged his victuals in the ship slept in the open ayre aboue the hatches hauing a cable rope for his bed He was alwayes ready to helpe the sicke not only begging of those who had meate for such as wanted but with his owne hands also dressing and parting it amongst them thinking no scorne euen to wash their cloathes or do any other seruice were it neuer so base for them in whose persons this holy and prudent seruant of Christ acknowledged and reuerenced Christ himselfe Hauing spent all day in praying taking paines he vncessantly watched all night in comforting the afflicted and administring the Sacraments to such as were in danger of death Whervpon some were wont to say that the only thinge Francis tooke pleasure in next vnto prayer was seruing of the sicke And this was euer his fashion and manner of liuing not only in this but also in all other voyages he made by sea where in he spent a great part of his life Neither did this his charity towards poore and sicke persons shine only vpon the sea but also vpō land while he abode in Citties the beames of the same charity neuer lost one iot of their brightnes Nay rather being now made all with all that he might gaine and purchase the soules of all for God Almighty to those that either by reason of wealth or health had no need of this kind of seruice he was neuer wanting in other seruioe of no lesse importance for them when occasion was offered neuer sparing of labour which he was to bestow in furthering the saluation of his Neighbours When he arriued at the Indies after a long yeares sea-faring he would graunt no time of rest to his weather beaten body but presently began to fling about the fire which he came to cast into those Prouinces going vp and downe the Citty and calling together with a litle bell into some Church or other the children and people there teaching them the Christian Doctrine with such effieacy of spirit that it pierced euen to the bottome of their hearts like vnto the Doctrine of the Apostles He perswaded them all to sing the prayers he taught them vp and downe the streetes and to teach their friends acquaintance the same at home Which custome by him brought into the Indies to the great glory of God remayneth and is obserued there euen vntill this day Those that were come to yeares of discretion by all gentle meanes possible he inuited to confession pennance and neuer ceased with an vndaunted courage and many times with euident danger of his life venturing into strange and vncouth Proninces that often times barefoote with torne and beggailie apparell to call heathens to the true liberty of the sounes of God In which enterprize Almighty God did specially assist the indeauours of his seruant confirming euery where what he preached with miracles that were most notorious and like to those which the Apostles wrought and inwardly mouing the hearts of those that heard him in such sort that he conuerted and baptized many tho Lsandes and drew many out of the puddle of sinne not without many and troublesome iourneyes both by sea and land Many are the Kingdomes Prouinces and Ilāds through which the Legate of Heauen and of the Roman Sea went sowing the word of God And at lēgth as he was seeking entrance for the Ghospell into the great Kingdome of China this faithfull seruant quite bruised broken with the intollerable paines which beyond all humane force he had so long indured for the glory of God and altogether worne out and consumed with the heauenly burning desire he had to see Christ his Sauiour being now at last out of a desert I le named Sancianum called home vnto his country of Heauen to the marriage of the Lābe of God entred into the ioy which our Lord had prepared for him the second day of Decēber in the yeare of our Lord 1552. The vertues of this holy Apostle are very many and most Heroicall some wherof I shall heere recount The daily profession he made of his faith in receiuing of the Sacraments himselfe with wonderfull great deuotion and with no lesse paines ministring the same to others his heroicall workes his great and dangerous pilgrimages to preach the same faith to Barbarous and Sauage people and that alone without any humane helpe at all expressing and setting foorth so liuely in himselfe the purity and sanctity of the Euāgelicall Doctrine finally the abundance of the fruit which he hath sent out of those forraine countreies into the granaries of the Catholike Church to wit so many millions of Christians amōgst whom so many glorious martyrs haue watered and fertilized the Primitiue Church of those Countre with their blood and so many Confessours in the very middle of most cruel persecutions haue defended the faith of Christ are pregnant proofes of the excellency of that Euangelicall seed of Faith which he carried with him Fiue things he had in him which cannot possibly consist without a most firme and stedfast Hope First a cōtempt of all temporall things most manifestly seene in his despising of all worldly honours dignities and riches which the world in all abondāce did assure him of and imbracing an humble kind of life in religious purity vnder the yoke of obedience and that in the very flowre of his youth Secondly his voluntary sufferance of excessiue trouble labours miseries to the which by how much more grieuous they were so much more willingly did he expose himselfe as it most plainly appeareth in the whole discourse of his life Thirdly an vndaunted courage in attempting hard enterprises putting his very life so oftē in danger amōgst strange and barbarous people As for example when alone he encountred a whole army of Badagars which afterward I will rehearse amongst other miracles Fourthly a wonderfull great security in dangers in so much that in the middest of cares he was without care and without feare in the middest of feares ship wrackes enemies and many other miseries hanging many times ouer his very head Lastly an incredible ioy in aduersity which may be euidently proued by his continuall cheerfulnes of mind and readines of will wherby glorying with the Apostle in the hope of the sonnes of God he suffered so many labours and troubles so many perills and aduersities liuing iustly holily in this world and expecting the blessed hope and comming of Almighty God For the loue of God he most exactly and perfectly kept all his commaundements daily meditating vpō his sacred Law with a pure consciēce and great horrour of neuer so little transgressing or doing any thing against the same him selfe and neuer without great care that others should likewise obserue the same wherin as also in keeping his vowes of voluntary Pouerty Chastity and Obediēce he so excelled that he did not only thereby stop the aduersaries mouthes but by the mouthes and tongues of all not only of Christians
to me Giue him me Giue me my loue and that presently that I may enioy him within me And this he spake with such vehemency of spirit that he moued all the standers by to teares The same night he sell againe into an agony with vomiting of bloud yet by the Phisitians care he was preserued from death After a day or two the Phisitians cōming vnto him one morning somewhat earely he said vnto them with a lowd voyce Get you gone my Maisters for I haue no more need of your helpe for the present My soitting of bloud is now stayed and paine of my brest is gone I begin to get strēgth a pace The Phisitiās feeling his pulse found him to be in very good temper to their great amazement and by and by he arose out of his bed and began to follow his exercises as before and so continued vntill the 25. of the same moneth saying masse euery day with great alacrity of deuotion so as he seemed to be now in very perfect health Vpon the 25. day of May which was that yeare the feast of Corpus Christi which is in Rome kept most sollemue of all the dayes in the yeare in saying of his Masse he seemed to pronounce the words in a new tune as it were singing for ioy after which he spent a great part of that day in hearing of Confessions and communicating the people In the afternone came to visit him very many honorable personages amongst whom were Cardinall Pamphilius Augustinus Cusanus Auditour of the Rota and Spinellus Bencius Bishop of Politianum whom he entertayned with a very merry countenance according to his fashion although he knew the houre of his death drew very neere These forsaid Prelates that came to visit him would needs say the Office of the Breuiary with him by which meanes they stayed there till it was farre in the eueninge When supper time came the holy Father eate very sparingly and was very well after supper In so much as himselfe then said that he had not bene better in health at any time for ten yeares before thē he was at that present Moreouer he was so merry and of so pleasant a countenance that death was the least thing thought on of all but of himselfe After this he went to bed and now desiring to conceale his death no longer though yet he spake obscurely he said to those that stood about him Behold we must all die Thē he asked what a clocke it was And they answered that it was almost three When two houres more shall be added said he it wil be fiue after one more added to those it will be six Then he said Goe yee all to bed in the name of God And so they all departed At six a clocke Antony Gallonius the writer of this his life that lay in a Chamber next vnto him soddanly awaking seemed to heare the holy Father to walke vp and downe in his Chamber Wherfore he arose speedily and ran vnto him Where he found the holy man sitting vpon his bed his mouth full of bloud which he began to vomite in aboundance Heerevpon others were called and many remedies applyed but all in vaine About a quarter of an houre after the vomit stayed of it selfe and he tooke breath and spake very readily so as all now thought the danger of death was past By and by after turning to his Disciples who by this time were come all into his chamber he said Stay with me a while for now I begin to striue with death Which words when he had spoken he held his peace and seemed to repose as if he had bene in prayer Remayning in this sort a good while Caesar Baronius read the Commendation of the soule all the rest answering with watry eyes When this was done Baronius stood vp and speaking vnto him with a loud voyce desired that he would speake vnto his Disciples there present and impart his benediction vnto them before he departed The holy Father at these wordes opened his eyes and lifting them vp towards heauen prayed a while and after that gaue them his blessing and so without any signe of paine or any griping or gasping with a most sweet and delectable countenance he gaue vp his blessed soule to rest the 25. day of May being the feast of Corpus Christi in the yeare of our Lord 1595. about the sixt houre within night as himselfe had fortold As soone as he was dead he appeared vnto many in the Citty in particular to a very deuout religious virgin cloathed with a very white pretious garment saying thus vnto her I am now as thou seest called to the Crowne of my labours haue thou a care to follow the course of life thou hast begun and thou shalt enioy the same glory and with this he vanished out of her sight The next morning his body was laid in the Church whervnto all the Citty great small rich and poore made concourse and the Cardinalls and Princes of the Court did no lesse all reuerencing the body of the holy Father and well was he that could come neere to kisse or touch the same Others brought Roses and flowers and strawed his body all ouer but as fast as they were laid vpon him so fast were they taken away and gathered as pious spoiles and applied to all sorts of diseases fores wherby very many were cured And whilest he thus lay vpon the Beere in the Church one Augustinus Magistrius a Roman yong man hauing a sore in his necke which had eaten two great holes one to his mouth and the other to his shoulder and was pronunced incurable came to the holy body and after he had made his prayers tooke the hand of S. Philip and hauing kissed the same deuoutly put it to his necke and touched the soare therwith and was therby presently cured As soone as he came home he tould a yong sister of his whose name was Margaret who for six yeares had laboured of the same disease presently she hasted to the Church with her mother and for that it was impossible for her being but a girle to get vnto the body for the presse of people her mother tooke her vp in her armes carried her with maine strength to the body who taking the holy Fathers hand as her Brother had done and touching her necke therwith was also presently healed Herevpon the Father of the yong man and maide named Alexāder who was 60. yeares of age and who had a running also in his eyes which had continued aboue 2. moneths so grieuous that he could not endure so much as the least light of a candle hearing of the cure of his two children ran presently to the holy body and making his prayers and doing as his childrē had done he was also cured These miracles with many more being diuulged there was such running for the space of three dayes and neights vnto his body that his disciples of the Congregation had great
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
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
his life miracles permitted that his Picture might be publiquely set vp neere vnto his Tombe with lights burning before it and the memories and votiue Tables of the miracles which our Lord had wrought by his intercession to be there likewise publiquely hunge vpon the walles the which was done with a wonderfull extraordinary cōcourse of people both frō the Citty Court of Rome the King of Polonia his Embassadour being present the Sunday following the Bishop of Seruia sunge Masse at his body assisted by the forsaid Embassadour of Polonia and other of the Nobility of Poland that were then in Rome Likewise in Polonia in diuers Churches masse was publiquely said in his Commemoration where the Altars were richly adorned with his Reliques and Images placed theron diuers rich guiftes and presents were sent from Polonia and other Countreyes to adorne his Tombe Altar in Rome which are visited euery day with singular deuotion by reason of the many miracles that it hath pleased our Lord to worke by his intercessiō in diuers places of Europe Many praying at his sepulcher haue felt a most sweet odour to proceed from his body which being opened a long time after his death his said body was found entire without any corruption at all The miracles that it hath pleased our Lord to worke by this his seruant are very many at large set downe in the booke of his life out of which these few that follow are briefly taken forth In the Prouince of Rusia a venerable Priest being grieuously sicke B. Stanislaus appeared vnto him with two other Saints assuring him that they shortly should meete all together in heauē vpon which the Priest who was much deuoted vnto him was greatly comforted and shortly after died One that was possessed by the diuell at Rome exceedingly tormenred with euill spirits was deliuered by the intercessiō of B. Stanislaus A certaine Lady in Frence being become lame and impotent by reason of certaine poison that had ben giuen her desired to be carried in a chaire to a certaine Church where humbly beseeching our Lord by the merits of B. Stanislaus to restore vnto her her health and strength she was sodainly healed and rising from her chaire in the sight of many people she walked alone to the wonder astonishment of all that were present especially of the Phisitians who had long before esteemed her incurable Diuers other womē haue ben succoured by his intercession in their trauayles of Childbirth others haue ben deliuered from feuers swellings blindnes many broken legges and armes haue ben made whole many diseases almost incurable healed By drinking a little wine wherein one of his bones had ben steeped one was cured of a dangerous sicknes Another was cured by the touch of one of his teeth and by other his Reliques diuers others At Rome in the yeare 1602 a Gentleman of Poland visited with a cōtinuall feuer desired a certaine Priest to pray vnto B. Stanislaus for his recouery who with great confidēce in the name of God commaunded the feuer by the merits of that B. Seruāt of his to depart and no more afflict the Gentleman which God by his intercession effected and the Gentleman was sodainly restored to his health For these and diuers other restimonies by which it hath pleased God to shew forth the Sanctity of his Seruant Stanislaus his sepulcher or shrine is wunderfully frequented and reuerenced at Rome and adorned by the piety of deuout people with so many ornaments and riches that of the number of the remarquable and memorable thinges to be seene at Rome this is reckoned for one He was of small stature his haire blacke of faire complexion full faced he alwayes looked cheerfully and was of a pleasing composition of body of so rare and singular modesty that the only beholding of his face did moue others to deuotion and purity of life His holy life is of very great esteeme and read with admiration both in France Italy Flaunders Bohemia Germany Polonia and Spaine wherof this is only an abridgement the which whosoeuer shall peruse attentiuely shall find full of rare examples of vertue and learne that there is no age so young that may not with its owne endeauours cooperating with Gods grace imploying it selfe wholy in his seruice gayne to it selfe the treasure of many merits the testimony of an holy life the blessednes of an happy death and finally the glory of an euerlasting kingdome THE LIFE AND VERTVES OF Holy Alphonsus Rodriquez a Brother Coadiutor of the Society of Iesus abridged by Father Michael Iulian of the same Society ALphonsus Rodriquez was borne at Segouia a famous Citty in Spaine and studying in Valentia heard his Humanity and Retoricke two yeares leading a very exēplar kind of life in all modesty deuotion He was called miraculously to the Order of the Society of Iesus was receaued therin for a Coadiutor The first yeare of his Nouiceship he was sent to the Colledge of Maiorca an Iland betweene Sicily and Spaine and because the story of his whole life is now in hand to be written at large remitting my selfe therunto I will only touch some few principall things out of an infinite number which might be recounted From the first day that this holy Brother begā to serue God in the Society of Iesus he made a firme resolution to serue him with great diligence and therfore he besought his diuine maiesty that he would be pleased to exercise him in continuall paines and trauailes He was so excellent in all kind of vertues that he was a perfect modell and patterne of the same He was so humble that he esteemed himselfe the greatest sinner in the world and though he knew by reuelatiō that he should be saued without going to Purgatory yet was he wont to weepe for his sinnes neither did any thing so grieue him as when he saw himselfe esteemed by others wōdring how any body could endure to treate with so base and vile a creature such was his opinion of himselfe He was very notable in mortification both exteriour and interiour seeking in euery thing that which was most repuguant to sense fensuall appetite as well in distastfull meates which if they were by chance giuē him he eate in great hast least they should be changed as also in other pennances and corporall mortifications fastinges wearing of hairecloth and the like and euen in these latter yeares wherin he hath benevery sickly to haue desired leaue he might not omit any fasting dayes besides that euery weeke he vsed to take three disciplines during the time of his infirmity He was so giuē to feruēt prayer that he passed many ho wers of the night and the whole day in continuall prayer in so much that his exteriour exercises did not any way interrupt it giuing sufficiēt testimony by his rare modesty and singular good carriage how feruent his prayers were so that he neuer lost the presence of God not for
Cardinalls VpoÌ„ the report of his death the whole Citty came flocking to kisse his hands feete and among others the Viceroy with all the Nobility and kings officers the Ecclesiasticall and Religious meÌ„ After dinner his body was carried into the Church with much adoe to passe through the presse of people it was laid vpon a hearse All the Religious Orders came to sing the office of the dead the Dominicans Mercedes Franciscans Augustines Trinitarians Minimes with their Superious and Prouincialls as also the whole Chapter of Chanons and all the Priests Pastours of the towne Incredible it is to one that did not see it what a multitude there was of those who came to touch his body with their beades or to get some little peece of his garment for Reliques of sicke folkes who came to touch him in so much that sixe of the Society and two Fathers of S. Dominicke who affoarded their helpe were not sufficient to reach the beades and meddalls wrapped in haÌ„dkerchiffes and throwne by the people that could not come neere to haue them touch his body The Office of the dead being said as the custome is there was made a short SermoÌ„ only to declare vnto the people some few particulars of his life during which time no man presumed to couer his head in presence of the holy Corps though the Church was as full as it could thrust all as deuout and silent as if there had beene no man there The next day being Friday he was most soleÌ„nely interred in the Church of the Society wherat the foresaid Viceroy Nobility Ecclesiasticall Regular were againe present as also the Lord Bishop who the day before was sicke and could not be present The Masse was song with Organs musicke and other significations of deuotion At the same instant that he was carried to be buried a yong man who by reasoÌ„ of a thin skinn couering his eyes caused a great dimnes was almost become blind came full of hope to the holy Brothers Hearse kneeling downe kissing his handes presently all the paine ceased and the little skinne which before couered the ball of his eyes falling away he receiued his sight most perfectly And to the end that some there present might open the eyes of their mindes shut with incredulity Blessed Alphonsus opened also his owne eyes which death had closed a thing no lesse admirable then profitable that might conceaue a great opinion of his holines whom almighty God did honour with so great miracles For a certaine Priest amongst the rest not being very well contented to see the Viceroy and all the Senate one after another to kisse the Blessed Brothers hands yet least he might giue offence by omitting that duety which all others did performe resolued with himselfe not to kisse the holy mans hands as others did but comming with the rest to kisse the crosse which he held in his hands therby intending to conceale his thoughts from the standers by which yet he could not doe from the dead man For as soone as he came neere to the astonishment of all the dead man opening his eyes cast them with a smiling countenance vpon the Priest stretching out his hand seemed to inuite him to kisse it The Priest astonished presently with great reuereÌ„ce kissed the same and departed thence and wholy became another maÌ„ The same day a child was healed of a rupture by the only touch of a peece of his cassock The same time also a sucking child was cured of a vehement ague wherof it lay desperate whose throat being stopped with a great swelling in the iawes it had not sucked for 4. dayes therfore a certaine gentlewoman hauing confidence of supernaturall helpe encouraged the parents of the child and applying an handkerchiffe wherwith she had touched the holy mans body recouered the child presently that there remained not so much as any signe of infirmity Two dayes after Blessed Alphonsus his death there came a woman afflicted with many grieuous infirmities and diseases and among the rest with a dangerous bloudy fluxe in so much that there being no hope of her life a Father was called to assist her at her death Before the Father came she was past sense hauing turned vp the white of her eyes ready to giue vp the ghost when on the suddaine a peace of B. Alphonsus his cassocke being applyed by the Father she cried out that she was cured Her fluxe ceased the ague weÌ„t away in so much that one might doubt whether was first the Reliques applied or she healed As sonne as she was come to her selfe she made her Confession to the Father with the same ioy of mind wherwith she had receaued her corporall health Being thus restored to the health both of body and minde she liued after with much deuotion towards him by whose meanes she receyued it Some 4. daies after his funeralls another womaÌ„ being desperatly sicke of an ague which came euery day vpon her with a great head-ach made recourse to God sending her little Sonne of 7. yeares old to say his beades at B. Alphonsus his Tombe and to touch the Tombe therewith the child did so returning home his mother tooke the beades touching her head put theÌ„ about her necke the paine presently ceased God Almighty recompencing the childes prayer the mothers deuotion and confidence with restoring her health and by and by she falling a sleepe saw B. Alphonsus compassed with a great light who for the accomplishment of the benefit restored also her strength so as she presently rising out of her bed as well as stronge as euer before began with all her forces to singe his prayses by whose intercession she had obtayned that benefit Another womaÌ„ hauing a sore breast extremly swolne and hardened for the space of two monethes had in vaine tried all humane remedies who being wonderfully encouraged by the example of others began to haue hope in Alphonsus and laid a peece of his cloacke to her brest saying a Pater noster which before she had ended the swelling began to be asswaged the corruption to breake forth in such abouÌ„dance that she begaÌ„ to feare least all her breast being inwardly putrified would fall away which feare increased the miracle and the miracle the ioy For two dayes after both the holes of the vlcer were so growne vp that there remayned not so much as any marke therof out of the same briest hauing two dayes before come such aboundance of corruption now the third day there came forth milke as good and pure as euer before by which miracle the mother was preserued from death and her yong suckinge child from staruing These miracles recouÌ„ted are testified by the disposition of sworne witnesses Many other things be daily related which shall after be publshed for God seemeth to haue set vp this holy Brother as a light to the world who also 〈…〉 the same before by his veâ—tues The generall deuotion of the people doth witnes it sufficieÌ„tly who from morning to night neuer cease comming some offering caÌ„dles others making vowes and the like in so much that he seemeth to liue in his sepulcher such are the wonders he worketh A man may ghâ—sse of what saÌ„ctity he was in his life which being dead causeth such deuotioÌ„ in the people that resort vnto him and he recoÌ„peÌ„seth their reares by graÌ„ting their desires That you may expect many the like things hereafter I will briefly recount one worthy of a large relatioÌ„ Some dayes before his death as he lay in his bed thinking on the heaueÌ„ly felicity which was prepared for him from all eternity he began to taste of those delights so much the more purely and aboundaÌ„tly as being abstracted from sensible things he drew neerer to Almighty God who represented vnto his mind the kingdome of Maiorea as he did the whole world to S. Benet in a beame of light adding these words Doest thou see this kingdome I haue resolued to make tâ—ee famous in â—â— by Working of many miracles by meanes of thy prayers And we already hoping of this promise I conclude wishing that whosoeuer hath beene stirred vp to admiration by these may likewise be stirred vp to deuotioÌ„ to this Holy maÌ„ that as the better part of him doth liue immortally in heauen he may also in some sort liue still immortally with vs on earth For the Diuine Goodnesse hath seemed to determine with itselfe so to recoÌ„pence the Deuotion of Holy Alphonsus Rodriquez that as in his life he made him a patterne of Religious perfectioÌ„ for the example of others so now being dead for the glory of himselfe his Saints he maketh him woÌ„derfull to the world causing many to haue confideÌ„ce in his patronage that being departed hence he may not haue lesse Honour by this coÌ„fidence in his sanctity then whiles he remayned heere aliue he had gayned by the opinion of the same His body lyeth buried at Maiorca in the Church of the Fathers of the Society in the same Iland the which is so honoured by all the InhabitaÌ„ts therof that it is wonderfull to see and the dayly and certaine miracles wrought therat are already sufficient to make a whole volume His memory is very famous all ouer Europe and his Picture is exposed to be publikely reuerenced with licence of the Popes Holines in many Churches and Oratories therby to put vs in remembrance of that saying of the Holy Prophet Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis God is wonderfull in his Saints To whose prayers and merits let all good Christians commend themselues Amen Laâ—s Deo FINIS APPROBATIO HORVM SanctoruÌ„ Vitae ex alijs linguis in Anglicam à D. Eduardo Kinesman versae tutò cum fructu edi possunt Audomarop 27. Maij M. DC XXIII Ioan. Floydus Soc. Iesu Theologus