neere vnto Campo Vaccino commonly called S. Maria Nuoua and there with great solemnity and veneration interred wherat miracles haue bene daily euer since wrought and the same is greatly honoured and reuerenced by all the people of Rome euen vntill this day She was Canonized for a S. by Pope Paul the fifth the 29. day of May in the yeare of our Lord 1606. Her feast is vsually celebrated vpon the ninth day of March. THE LIFE OF THE HOLY Virgin S. Teresa of Iesus of the Order of our Blessed Lady of Mont Carmell Foundresse of the Congregation of the discalced Carmelites IN the famous Citty of Auila in the Kingdome of Castile in Spaine was borne the holy and glorious Saint Teresa vpon the 28. of March in the yeare of our Lord 1515. Her Father was called Alfonso Cepeda and her mother Batrixe Ahumada Both were noble and excelled in all kind of piety and vertue wherein with great care they brought vp their children in particular this their yong and tender daughter She being about the age of seauen yeares contemplating of the ioyes and glory of heauen would oftē pronounce to her selfe these words and say O Eternity Eternity Eternity vsing also daily many prayers especially the Rosary by her mothers instruction made very deuout to our Blessed Lady In these her yong yeares reading in the liues of Saints the torments deaths of the Blessed martyrs and the glory they had obtayned therby she iudged that they had gotten heauen at an easy rate wishing that she might suffer the like paines to attaine the like glory And being inflamed thus with the loue of heauen and of death for Christ his sake she instilled the like desire into her yong brother in such sort that they determined iointly to goe together amōg the Moores that at their hāds they might receaue the crowne of martyrdome But beginning their iourney they met with their vncle who by intercepting hindred them and brought thē back to their parents Their intention thus crossed as they remained in their Fathers house they passed their time often in the Garden and Orchard where they would build little houses like Celles and Hermitages and though after the manner of childrē yet it fore shewed what she should afterward accōplish as inded she did At the age of 12. yeares her mother died whereat being much afflicted she presēted herselfe before an image of our B. Lady desiring her to be her mother whome she euer after found ready with her protection helpe and assistance in all her necessities Now our Lord began to enkindle in this his seruant the spirit of prayer and inward deuotion in so much that at the age of 20. yeares she fully despised the world and desired earnestly a Religious course of life though her Father out of his extraordinary loue to her would not consent therto Yet she remembring the counsell of S. Hierome brake violently from all and entred into the Monastery of the Order of the Incarnation in Auila where she passed her Nouiceship with great alacrity and comfort Shortly after she falling into an extreme sicknes her Father was inforced to couey her into the country to the house of a phisitian for helpe But it auayled not for her infirmity did daily and diuersly increase and in such sort that all being out of hope of her life the last Sacraments were ministred vnto her she lay a dying At which time she was in a traunce for foure dayes and comming to her selfe againe she complained of those that had called her back from heauē where she said she had seene many mysteries as also the saluation of her Father diuers other friendes which should be saued by her meanes and many Monasteries which she was to erect and her owne happy death all which proued afterward true After her recouery by her prayers she obtayned health for a Religious person of their Monastery and new amendment of life for a Priest who was besotted with the dishonest loue of a woman who had bewitched him with her diuellish inchantments by a Copper Idoll which she had giuen him to weare which this holy womā obtayning of him cast into a riuer whereby he was freed and lead afterwards a vertuous life and died blessedly And for diuers others she obtained health and many she reduced to vertuous life by her example and prayers and by the intercession of S. Ioseph to whom she was very affectionate and deuout Being on a time at her prayers she cast her selfe prostrate before a piteous Picture of our B. Sauiour beseeching his grace and assistance to protect her from offending him any more from which time euer after she found continuall increase of spirituall comforts and also amendement of her former life For after this time our Lord did communicate himselfe vnto her in diuers manners aswell in inward and spirituall comforts conuersing speaking to her soule as also by outward and plaine apparitions guiding and directinge her with his counsell in all her affaires of difficulty and speaking to her in his owne voice She being once surprised with an extasy our Lord said to her My will is that hereafter thou be not conuersant with men but with Angells which wordes made such impression in her as from that time she wholly abandoned the world and all humane things adhered only to God Our Lord himselfe frō this time teaching and aduising her her sanctity being suspected by others what she should say answere to stop their mouths as she euer did And our Lord said also to her Feare not daughter for I will not leaue thee Frō which time forward she seemed wholly vnited to God Being once in her deuotions our B. Sauiour appeared to her againe hauing with him S. Peter S. Paul and shewed to her first his hands shining beautifully and after that his face and thus continued with her the space of three daies Also hearing Masse vpon S. Pauls day our Blessed Sauiour appeared to her in his humanity very glorious And these apparitions of our Sauiour at Masse time in diuers formes continued to her more then three yeares These visions being very frequent increasing her Confessor and diuers others grew suspitious that they might be illusions of the deuill and she be deceiued but our Lord himselfe did with his presence and speach to her both satisfy and instruct her how she should stop the slaunderous mouths of all After this a Seraphim appeared to her with a flaming dart in his hand wherwith he seemed to pierce her hart so as from that time forward she remained wholy inflamed with the loue of God and of which wound she felt at diuers times very sensible paine Once in a vision she was taken vp to heauen where she saw such misteries and fulnes of glory and ioyes as cannot be expressed Our Lord saying to her Consider daughter how great ioyes worldlings depriue thēselues of These visions came to her very often and in diuers
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
mouth as a token of what was in his hart this sentence Admaiorem Dei gloriam If wee I say consider all this we shall the lesse wonder how he should out of the feruour of this charity be forced to say That he had rather if he were to haue his choise remaine aliue with vncertainty of his saluation to the end he might serue God in the meane time then die and goe straight to heauen and moreouer he did persuade himselfe if God Almighty should euer thrust him downe to hell that it would be a greater torment for him to heare those horrible blasphemies against the name of God then to be tortured with the most cruell paynes that the damned suffer Whatsoeuer he tooke in hand first he commended it to God Almighties prouidence and assistance then he maturely consulted and examined what meanes he was to vse and what impediments he was to auoyd which done with great confidence and resolution he achieued his intent finall end which was alwaies the glory of God The great desire he had to satisfie Gods diuine Iustice for his sinnes past made him in Monserat Manresa and Barcelona goe cloathed in sackcloath and girded about the very bare skin with a chaine of iron It made him oftentimes goe barefoot that he might eschew vaine glory to cut out the soles of his shooes It made him sleepe vpon the bare boards and grounde afflicting and punishing his body with iron whippes and disciplines fasting and other such like mortifications To these may be added the feruour of his Deuotion the abundance of his teares his daily prayer his hearing or saying of Masse euery day his frequenting of the Sacraments his visiting of holy places singular deuotion to our B. Lady to the Angels Saints and holy Reliques Finally his perfect keeping and fulfilling of the vowes of Pouerty Chastity and perpetuall Obedience which he had made in the Society Moreouer touching his vprightnes towards his neighbour his words were alwaies sincere plaine and deuoid of all deceipt or flattery his hart was pure and simple euer taking all things in good part His inuincible courage could not be quailed with the many and grieuous tentations he had in the beginninge of his conuersion nor with the manifold diseases he got in visiting of the sicke No nor all the iniuries reproaches nor difficulties he found which were without number were able so much as once to turne him backe much lesse hinder him from attayning vnto his desired end He tooke great pleasure in seeing himselfe wronged and disgraced still requiting his enemies with speciall fauours and benefits All the time he was at Manresa Barcelona his fare was bread and water euery day except Sundaye Once in a Chappel at Villadord and another time in the Caue before mentioned what with continuall prayer what with abstinence he was found so leane and weake that he was scarce able to stand But at Barcelona by reason of the same extraordinary mortification he fell into so grieuous a sicknes that he would hardly haue escaped death if a certaine pious and charitable woman had not taken care of him which he not without some difficulty admitting said Sinite me pati haec leuia vt saluetur anima mea let me suffer these trifles that my soule may be saued Out of the wonderfull great care he had of Castity both in himselfe his subiects proceeded that clause of his Constitutions to wit That those who were of his Society should striue to imitate the purity of Angels both in mind and body After he had once made a purpose to change his life he could not indure to heare his brother talke of his Nobility Riches Warlike Prowesse and the like but as soone as he was well he forsooke the world And once comming neere home into his natiue soyle to recouer his health for feare of being honoured by his brother other inhabitants if they should haue notice of him he left the company of one of his acquaintance and passing through desert mountaines and by-wayes made choice rather of a poore Hospitall then of his Fathers Hall Thus euery where as much as he could still hiding his Nobility he alwayes shunned the speach and conuersation of such as he thought would know him But if it were his chaunce in any place to meere with any that did know him or tooke acquaintance with him he would be sure neuer to returne to that place any more This rare contempt he had not only of the worlde but euen of his owne person is sufficiently seene before in his poore and meane kind of liuing and in taking such pleasure when he heard any thing spoken or done to his owne disgrace When he was chosen Generall of the Society of Iesus which he himselfe hauing instituted desired therfore it should be accounted and called The least of all Religious he altogether refused to vndertake the charge till such time as his Ghostly Father commāded him to take it vpon him And againe ten yeares after perseuering still in the same Humility he endeauoured by all meanes possible to be put out of the office alleadging that he himselfe was not fit to beare it Hauing taken the office vpō him first he bestowed some dayes in seruing the Cooke in the kitchin and afterwards began to teach children the Christian Doctrine according to his Constitutions that he might seale with his owne example the Ordinances of Humility which he was to propose vnto others He did what he could to conceale his owne vertues and heauenly visiōs intermingling euer in his speach some words or other of humility as Miserum me miseram animam meam Wo is me wretch wo is my wretched soule Nay and which is more sometimes he was wont to say that If he were to aske a boone of Almighty God at the houre of his death this he would be sure to request of him that he would permit him to be buried in a dunghil because he esteemed himselfe as dunge And to this many times he added that he was much edified with the example and conuersation of all but himselfe and in a certaine Epistle he wrote that he neuer had conference or communication about spirituall matters with any mā were he neuer so bad that he did not reape some profit by him Amongst the rest of the miracles of this great seruāt of God we might well account this one and not the least to wit the wonderfull light and knowledge he had in spirituall things as by the restimony of Pope Iulius the third in the beginning of his booke of Spirituall exercises is sufficiently declared Miraculous was that brightnes which S. Philip Nerius and Father Oliuer Mannareus saw shine in his face whiles he liued And no lesse miraculous was the speedy cōcourse and flocking of the people vnto his body as soone as he was dead and the continuall veneration and visiting not only of his Sepulchre but also of his Chamber his Caue and other places wherin
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
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