present admiring the virtue which God had put in the saide beades 9. Iohn of Arriaga a neighbour of Cubas had a broken bead of those that were touched and going to the towne of Pinto he found that they were exorcising in the Church a woman possessed by the diuell who so soone as he sawe him beganne to cry out that they shold put from thence that man for he bringes a bead of Iugg of the Crosse which tormented him more then hell it selfe and the said Arriaga gaue it to the priest which exorcised and putting it vpon the possessed the diuell went forthwith out of her and left her free 10. Catharine of S. Anne an old religious of the conuent of the Crosse gaue to a certaine man one of these beades and he thinking that it was of the originalls expected the houre to make experience of it and of the virtue it had against the diuells and meeting with one possessed and putting it vpon him the diuell fell into great extremities saying most furiously it is not a beade of S. Ioane that casteth me out but a bead of S. Anne for so was the religious called that gaue it him because it was not an originall but of those that were touched therat 11. Many other miracles I leaue to sett downe for it seemeth to me that these do sufficiently proue the virtue of these beades and that which they haue that are touched at them and such are the most of those that are extant for of those originall Beades which our Lord blessed in heauen there are verie fewe being that with the time they haue beene lost and consumed In the conueÌ„t of the Crosse there are two since the time of the glorious Ioane and among the nonnes therof some are found and other particular persons also haue of them In the towne of Cubas so nere to the conuent of the Crosse are found some of them so much esteemed of those who haue them that they are hereditarie from one to another and they leaue them by will of testament when they dye for the great deuotion they haue to the saide beades and great experience of the virtues which God hath put in them THE XIII CHAPTER Of many other miracles which our Lord hath done by meanes of the said Beades 1 OVr most clement Lord who hath done so many fauours to his seruant sister Ioane of the Crosse at the same time when the contempt was made of the Beades which his diuine maiestie had blessed at her instaÌ„ce was pleased to worck many others in defence of the truth and in publicke places where the ecclesiasticall and secular iudges could make iuridicall processes Of the which I will heer recite some to the greater glorie of almightie God 2. Francis Rodrigues the Sonne of Antonie Rodriguez and of Helena Rodriguez neighbours of Monforte de Lemos and resident in the cittie of Valladolid of 24. yeares of age being on thursdays at night well and sound of his eyes was found so blind on the morrowe that although he opened them yet he could not see the light of the day nor the shininge of the sunne noâ— any other thing and so he went blind leaning vpon a staffe asking almes almost three moneths vntill comming to aske at the monasterie of S. Francis of Valladolid after the porter had giuen him his almeâ— hauing great pittie of him he put vpon his eyes an oâ—â—ginall bead of the B. Ioane of the Crosse which is in the same conuent and touched therwith his Rosarie which he carried bidding him to haue much deuotion faith toward the glorious saint and that when he went to bed he shold put that Rosarie many times vpon his eyes and so he did with the greatest deuotion that he could all that night calling many times vpon the Saint vntill he fell a sleepe and waking in the morning being Palme sonday in the year 1611. he found his eyes very cleer and well and with the selfe same sight as before for the which not containing himself for ioy he arose from his bed crying out and without remembring his staffe on which hee leaned for now he had no need of it he went straite to giue thancks to the saint to the foresaid conuent of S. Francis where her image is painted as also that both the freers the porter might see the fauour God had done him Wherupon Doctor Don Fernande de Valdes Prouisor generall of the Bishopricke of Valladolid examined him iuridically and the information being made with many other sworne witnesses and with the interueÌ„tion of the fiscall of the episcopall audience this aboue said was found to be true by the same originall information which is in thâ— office of Iohn de Vaga in the cittie of Valladolid Notarie and the authenticall coppie therof in the conuent of the Crosse Also Doctor Ortega de Salazar teniente of the corrigidor of Valladolid gaue another information vpon this case before Peter of Auila a publique scriuener of his maiestie and of the number of that cittie approued by Antonie Vasquez of Barreda and Iohn de Gamarra the Kings publicke scriueners of Valladolid It is also manifest by a testimonie sealed and signed by seauen scriueners of the King and of the number of the forenamed cittie the which is originally kept in the conuent of the Crosse 3. The same yeare it happened in Valladolid that a child of thirteene moneths the sonne of one Iohn of Velasco a Gold smith being sick of the squincie and of the euill of the throate together with an aposteme in the throat and besides all these infirmities it did not suck and had nâ—we the brest swollen which caused the phisiâ—iaÌ„s â—o despayre of it who had it in cure The parents seeing that their childe would dye and that there was no remedie for it on the earth commended it to the B. Ioane of the Crosse and put vpon the throate of it thâ—ee of her touched beades wherwith the aposteme brake and the child cast out at the nose and mouth great quantitie of matter and bloud and withoâ—t any other benefit by and by tooke the brest and remained sound all holding it for a miracle of the â—aint according as vnder oaâ—h Doctor Hernan Sanches Professor of Phisick in the Vniuersitie of Valladolid declared who was the phisitian that had it in cure being iuridicallie examined by Doctor Fernando de Valdes Prouost generall of the Diocese of Valladolid who gaue the information of this miracle which declaration is in the office of Iâ—hn Vega Notarie of Valladolid and the authenticall copie of it in the conuent of the Crosse 4. It fell out also the same yeare that Manuela de Toro daughter of Antonie de Toro and of Anne de la Fuente neighbours of the forenamed citty of Valladolid hauing a great running in her eyes and two clodds or skinnes that couered them although they applyed many remedies none proâ—ited vntill they put vpon her eyes an originall bead of the B. Ioane which
the diuine maiestie answeared him that it was coÌ„uenient to leade me by that way and to see what courage I had in me Then he againe beseeched him that for his clemencie he wold doe me that grace to relieue me and that I might not endure that paine which then I had and the most powerfull Lord did grant it him And so from that day all her rapts were very sweet being so great so long that the most of the day and of the night shee was so eleuated that she could not now doe any office nor follow the burden of the communitie as shee was wont wherfore they gaue her a cell aparte and one of the Religious that shold take care of her whereof she was very glad hauing better commoditie for the secret penances which she performed of the which some were knowen 9. Oftentimes it happened vnto her that desiring to please her beloued espouse and remembring with how great crueltie he was whippt at a pillar desiring to imitate him in that point asking first leaue for it of his diuine maiestie she shut her selfe vp in a chamber very close and secret where shee was wont to do her mortifications and penances and naked she tyed her selfe to a pillar which she had there for these mortifications then fastning herself with cordes first her feet and after her body leauing her armes free shee whipped her selfe all ouer with a chayne of iron and that the chayne might the better discharge its office she huÌ„g at the end of it a ball of iron round and massiue and taking it in her hand she strook her selfe with the ends of the chayne ouer all the body vntill she shed bloud Being in this holy exercise contemplating the stripes of our Sauiour and brusing her flesh with those she gaue her selfe her good Angell appeared to her and commanded her to cease saying enough for hitherto extendeth the will of my Lord Iesus Christ and the same Angell vntied her sometimes from the pillar at which shee stood 10. Other times with the desire she had to please God kneeling on her knees in that little chamber she tooke a flint which weighed seaueÌ„ pounds and with so great feruour shee strooke her selfe vpon the breast there with that at the very first blowe the bloud sprang out so far that it spotted the walles Shee coÌ„tinued in this holy exercise as long as she was wont to bee in going on her knees fifteen times about the chamber in memorie of the fifteen principall woundes of our Lord Iesus Christ 11. One night the saint finding her selfe much afflicted and euilly treated of the diuells which with filthie and vnseemly figures pretended to induce her to sensuall desires shee went out into the garden and gathering together many bushes in imitation of our holy Father saint Francis stripping herselfe naked she layd herself downe vpon that thornie bed and leauing it all bespotted with her bloud she entred into a lake saying That thou mayest knowe that thou art clay in this mudd thou shalt wash thy selfe and yet thou doest not deserue this There shee stood a great while and before shee put on her cloathes againe shee whipped herselfe with a chayne which she had made to this effect after which time she remained so fauored of almightie God that neuer after did the enemie set vpon her with such like temptations 12. With the great spirite and deuotion which this blessed one had she made a thousand inuentions for mortification and penance sometimes she girded her armes and her body with ropes of brissels and of hard rushes in memorie of the ropes wher with our Sauiour was fastned to the pillar Other times she girded herselfe with the chaynes with which before she had whipped herself And for the most parte she went alwayes vested with iron as the hard shirtes do well proue which shee vsed during her whole life as of brissels of cardes of iron one of maile with half sleeues made in manner of a iacket so long that it reached to her knees another of plates of iron in forme of a hart which girded her body on euery side and for her more deuotion shee carried it set with crosses the instruments of the passion made of very sharp nayles although she vsed this shirt very seldom because without great difficultie shee could not stoope and so it happened vnto her on a time that bowing herself with it the pointes of the nailes entred into her body she offering all to our Sauiour in memorie of his sacred passion And for her greater mortification she was wont to drawe herself along vpon the ground holding by a rope which she put about her neck and whipping herself with a chayne shee said who so doeth so let him pay wherof doest thou complayne noughtie miserable body when thou hast so much offended thy God 13. Othertimes set in forme of a Crosse shee walked with her bare knees vpon the earth vntill the bloud burst forth of them Other times for more grief shee tyed vpon her knees little stones or tile shardes which did greatly wound her Other times shee set herself crosse-wise against a wall where she had driuen some nayles and thrust her handes so fast vpon them as shee hung there in Crosse wise an houre together without her feet touching the ground 14. On a certaine occasion making an end of taking a great discipline vpon â—he woundes which shee had made with the chaynes shee put on that shirt of maile which was the more ordinarie and scarcely had shee put on her habitt when shee remayned eleuated for six houres vntill the nonnes coming vnto her found her in that maÌ„ner to whom shee recounted meruailous things concerning the manner which they were to take to serue and please our Lord who thervpon became so full of deuotion as they enkindled and enflamed all that euer heard them in the loue of God THE VII CHAPTER How the child Iesus espoused himself with the blessed Ioane of the Crosse and of the deuotion she had to the most holy Sacrament 1 THis chapter requireth singular attention and therfore I doe humblie aske of God his grace to asist me to write for his honor and glory two most singular fauoures and very royall benefits which with great shewe of loue he granted to this most tender virgin For when our Lord wold giue more rich pledges of his loue towards her his diuine maiestie determined to visite her not by the ministerie of Angells as at other times but in his owne person and to wedd himselfe vnto her his most holy mother assisting at this spirituall wedding with many Angells and virgins which came accompanying their King and Lord on whom the blessed Ioane set her eyes and calling to minde the promise which he had giuen her to espouse him selfe vnto her with much humilitie and loue she demanded of the Queene of heauen shee wold obtaine of her Sonne that he wold fulfill what he had promised and with much faith
carried her and the feare and reuerence they bare vnto her was so much that oftentimes it happened that sending to call a religious to her she would come trembling in such sort as it was necessarie the blessed superior should take from her that feare to the end shee might be able to make her answear Before all her chapters went raptes and very great eleuations in which she knewe all the necessities of the conuent and of the nonnes as well publique as secret spirituall as temporall all which she remedied and prouided for her Angell keeper often telling her what she was to doe and to ordaine Finallie she exhorted them all to what was good and reprehended that which was not so chastizing with much charitie and prudence without dissembling any fault were it neuer so little And for to animate the nonnes in the seruice of God and better obseruing of their profession and rule she related in the Chapter many things of those which our Lord of his mercy shewed vnto her 4. One of the Religious being very â—icke in the article of death full of great anxietie and vexation which the memorie of the paines of Purgatorie caused in her and of the paines of hell she gaue most terrible groanes and was in noâ—able extremitie The blessed Abbesse seeing her feare full of charitie and confidence said Daughter doe not feare trust in our Lord Iesus Christ who hath created thee redemed thee for thou shalt not goe to hell nor yet to Purgatorie caused in her and of the paines of hell she gaue most terrible groanes and was in notable extremitie The blessed Abbesse seeing her feare full of charitie and confidence said Daughter do not fear trust in our Lord Iesus Christ who hath created thee and rede ned thee for thou shalt not goe to hell nor yet to Purgatorie and I although miserable beseech his diuine maiestie to bestowe it and grant it thee with plenarie remission of all thy sinnes This saide the blessed Abbesse went to communicate and being rapte the sick partie died and shee sawe that they caried her soule to iudgment taking of her a most strict account of all her wordes worckes and thoughts The holy virgin seeing this cried out to the Angells which were present at that iudgment and saide Sirres carrie not that soule to Purgatorie I pray you for I trust in the mercie of God he will grant me this fauour which I his vnworthy seruant haue demanded of him And so our Lord granted it to her and the libertie of that soule Whence is seene how much the prayers of the iust can doe with God 5. So much virtue this holy woman had so much loue of God and zeâ—le of his honour as our Lord was pleased to authorize the same with miracles which is wont to be the sealeof â—uch like fauours And as those of this seruant of God recounted from the beginning were so miraculous and diuine it was necessarie that the testimonies to belieue them should also bee supernaturall and diuine AmoÌ„g the which the raising of a childe deserueth the first place who died when her parents had carried her in pilgrimage to the conuent of the Crosse the seruant of God being Abbesse at the same time of whose sanctitie the world had such opinion and credit that the parents of the dead child perswading themselues that if she shold giue her benediction she shold giue her also life entreated the same of her But the huÌ„ble Abbesse refuâ—ed it excusing herself with words of humilitie yet in the end being ouercome by naturall pittie by the teares great instance wherwith the afflicted parents entreated her she commanded to bring the dead child taking it into her armes she said on it a crucifix which she had about her and making vpon her the signe of the Crosse raised her to life and returned her to her parents whole and sound in the presence of more then eightie persons all witnesses of this miracle 6. There was in Madrid a great Lady called the Lady Anne Manrique afflicted with the paine of her side in great dout of the danger of her life The B. Ioane appeared vnto her as was knowne by that the sicke Lady related afterwards and by a letter of hers with a clause which ruâ—eth in this manner I am much better as you mother doe knowe since you haue beene with me I well sawe you when you visited me on the seauenth day of my infirmitie I being despiced of all and full of paine and great gâ—â—â—e lawe you come vpon my bedd and touching my shoulders and that side where the grief held me it was by by taken from me and with the great pleasure that I had for your sighâ—â—â—ue me great alacritie I did speake to you Do not deny me mother this truth for your selfe knoweth that it is so The nonnes vnderstanding this went to know the truth of the humble Abbesse and she desiring to hide the caâ—e rather then to manifest it sayde Do you not belieue all that is said sisters But they seeing that it was publique in the courte and that the sick woman did â—iuulge it besought her that she would not conceale it but that for the honour and glory of God she wold recount howe it was Then shee saide Do not thinâ—k sisters that this charitie of hauing gone and visited our sister came 〈◊〉 me but froÌ„ my holy Angell for I requesting him that he wold demand of God to giue her health he said vnto me It shall bee better that we goe and visite her she being thy frend for frendes are knowen in necessities and entring into her chamber he commanded me to touch her on the sholders and to make vpon her the signe of the Crosse and the Angell gaue her also his benediction and if shee be healed it was because he blessed her Nether doe I maruaile much that God should permitt her to see me and not the Angell 7 Another case very like to this happened with anoâ—her religious of her owne conuent for hauing carried her many leagueâ— from thence to found a newe conuent after some yeares our Lord sent her an infirmitie of which she died And being at the poinâ— of death and with great desire to see this seruant of God shee sayde wiâ—h much anxietie O that I might see my mother Ioane of the Crosse and drawing nerer to her end she sayde with much alacritie Do you not see her it is my mother Ioane of the Crosse And the other nonnes saying that she was deceiued she answered no surely for I knowe her well it is shee indeed as may be well perceiued by the much that shee hath comforted me And afterward this apparition was knowen to haue bene certaine 8. Two sick Religious of which the one had two cankers and the other one vpon her brest as bigg as ones fist were healed by commending themselues to their holy Abbesse And one Religious very sick of an ague asked for
the graces from heauen which the Angell was to bring them when the seruant of God shold returne from that rapte From which when she returned there was felte ouer all the conuent so great fragrancie and sweetnes of sauour that drawen therby they came to aske the seruant of God the cause of such noueltie Presently said shee sisters you shall knowe it and the fauour which God hath done vs. Come to me all of you and especiallie shee that hath the key of the little coffre 6. It was a maruailous thing to see it being but a little while since they had opened it and seene it emptie opening it now againe they found it with the same Rosaries and Beades which they had put into it without wanting any one because the Angell which had carried them to heauen had now brought them back againe blessed and put them in the same chest and when the nonne opened it who had the key the smell which issued theÌ„ce encreased so much as the nonnes admired But the B. Ioane told them that that sweetnes and good sauour came from their Rosaries the which had cleaued to them as hauing beene in the most sacred hands of our Lord Iesus Christ who not only had giueÌ„ them his benediction but granted them many graces and virtues which she related to them with all giuing to euery religioâ—s her beades of these some the called Agnus Deies because our Lord had granted them the graces which the Popes do grant to the Agnus Deies Others against deuilles for the virtue which they had to cast them out of the bodies of the possessed Others against temptations and infirmities and others against other perills according to the virtues which God had giuen them And this great maruaill happened in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred twentie three 7. With â—his treasure of heauen which our Lord Iesus Christ granted to his seruant the religious remained mâ—ch comforted and much obliged to their blessed mother for the mercy which by her intercessâ—oÌ„ they had receiued And with much deuotion they beganne to enâ—oye the graces of those holy beades and Rosaries yet euery one desiring to enioye more copiously of that good and to participate of the virtues which the others had by theire beades they besought the blessed Abbesse she would obtaine of our Lord that the graces and virtues which his diuine maiestie had diuided amoÌ„g all â—he Rosaries he would generally grant them all to euery one of their beades that they might better participate of his mercies The seruant of our Lord did ask it of him and his diuine maiestie accorded it with coÌ„dition that for the graces of those beads they should not despise those which the Popes should grant vpon the earth 8. This is the historie of these misteriouâ— beades of which the like so rarely hath beene seene And it is much to be noted that our Lord did this most notable fauour to his Church in a time when it was very necessarie for it was at the same time when Luther impudently and sacrilegiously opened his excommunicated mouth against the indulgences and Reades of pardon which the Popes did grant and against Agnus Deies and all kind of holy thinges The virtues of these beades are many and by experience it is knowne that they haue virtue against the diuels for they driue them out of humane bodies confessing that they goe out of them through the virtue of these beades and fly from those that carrie them about them They haue virtue also against fire against thunder lightening tempestes and troubles of the raging seaes and against many infirmities both of body and soule They heale agues the pestilence and other infirmities They are also of force against scruples temptations and frightes of the diuells These and other virtues our Sauiour granted them as is gathered by the miracles which are approued for of those which are not approued which are many I do not speake because all that I shall speake in this historie I pretend to the honour and glory of God that it be so authenticke and certaine as with reason none may doubt therof 9. That which hath beene hitherto saide hath beene gathered from the informations aforementioned and especiallie of that which vnder oath certaine of the ancient religious did affirme who knewe and treated with the companions of the same seruant of God and being deposed do sweare that they haue heard it told many tâ—mes and it is a publicke tradition froÌ„ those times vnto these that these beades were in heauen and our Lord Iesus Christ blessed them granting them many virtues and graces without any person of accoumpt hauing spoken against them but rather many Lordes of this kingdome and great prelates therof haue procured of them much esteemed them King Philip the second of glorious memorie had one of theÌ„ our Catholick King Philipp the third and Margarite haue two of them which they hould in very great estimatioÌ„ And Pope Clement the eight of glorious memorie who before he was Pope came to Spaine with a brother of his Auditor of the Rota about the businesses of the earldome of Punnonrostro went from Torreion of Velasco to the coÌ„uent of the Crosse where the body of B. Ioane is in companie of Don Iohn Arrias Portocarrero and the Lady Ioane of Castro his wife and being informed of the life miracles of this virgin of the truth of these beades after he had saide masse in the Chappell where her body lieth demanded of sister Ioane Euangelist then Abbesse some of the beades and with much deuotion carried with him that which they gaue him And the blessed freers freer Francis of Torres and freer Iulian of Saint Augustine men of singular virtue and sanctitie by whom in their life after their death God did many miracles do affirme that these beades had bene carried vp to heauen and that Christ our redeemer had blessed them and granted them many virtues and pardons 10. And to the end that the faithfull might enioye them they perswaded the people that they shold touch their Rosaries and Beades at those which they brought with them And if there were no other testimonie of the truth of these beades but only the sanctitie of this seruant of God and that only she had affirmed it it were most sufficient to perswade vs that shee would not deceiue the Church publishing false virtues and graces And lesse can it be thought that she was deluded by the diuell who was so much enlightened of God and of her Angell keeper But that which fully proueth and confirmeth the virtu truth of these beades are the many miracles which God hath wrought of his goodnes and in confirmation of them and of those that haue touched them which haue the same virtue as shall be seene in the ensuing chapters THE XI CHAPTER Of the many miracles where with our Lord hath confirmed the virtue of the Beades aforsaid and of those also that
is in the conuent of S. Francis oâ— Vâ—lladoliâ— wherwith she remained sound of her sight 5. Marie of Tordesillas daughter to Gabriell of Tordesillas a Broker in Valladolid being a child of only â—wo moneths ould fell into certaine quartanes and very strong agâ—es which dured her for foure â—eares and it pleased God that touching her with the beade of B. Ioane which is in the conuent of saint Francis and putting about her neck another of the touched at it she remained forthwith found and perfectly whole 6. Marie Mexia wife to Iohn of Mexia scriuener in Valladolid became blind of both her eyes by certaine wennes and putting vpon them the Rosarie of her husband which had beene touched at a beade of the Saint and coÌ„mending herself to her recouered sight at the second time that they applyed the said Rosarie to her eyes 7. Gaâ—par de Arriaga who resideth in the courte and Anne Perez his Lady declared how the said Gaâ—par de Arriaga being sicke with a paine of the side and of very great agues forsake of the Physitians his wife commending him to the B. Ioane of the Crosse and making on that side where the paine was many Crosses with one of the touched beades it pleased God that at that instant he was ridd of the paine and of the ague and was presently well and so they promised to goe and visite her bodie and in accomplishing the aforsaid promisse they sware that this aboue said was truth wherof information was made and is originally kept in the conuent of the Crosse and in the same is related another case much like vnto this 8. In Villaseca of Sagra was a woman much persecuted of the diuell which many times appeared to her in diuers formes giuing her many blowes and punches but it pleased our Lord that putting vpoÌ„ her one of the touched beades the diuell tormeÌ„ted her no more nor came vnto her from that time forward although once he appeared to her and told her that if she would not take away that beade which was not of the true originalls of Ioane of the Crosse he would choake her And the woman noted that this time the diuell did not come nere her as he was wont not yet within fiue paces of her wherof Iohn Fernandez de Plaza scriuener of his maiestie and notarie of the holy office in the towne of Cubas thâ— yeaâ— 1611. gaue his testimonie 9. Dame Luissa de Pâ—rres Montaluo neighbour of Valladolid being deafe of both her eares and no remedie profitting her of many which were soughâ—e was healed by touching a beade of the B. Ioane of the Crosse and putting vpon her eares others oâ— those 〈◊〉 had beene touched at it remained â—erâ—ectly whole wherof the originall information is in the conâ—ent of the Crosse 10. In the cittie of Palencia was a man possessâ—◠〈◊〉 â—he diuell who seing a surgeane of the same cittâ—â— â—ed and bad him get him from him for he came to kill him and the surgeane bidding him â—ooke for he had no weapons wherwithall â—o offend hiâ— hee answered that it was with the beades he brought with him of Ioane of the Crosse This possessed person being to be exorcised infinite people came together and the foresaid surgeane whom as sone as he sawe he saide calling him by his name what wâ—t thou with me Peter Doblanza that thou so dost persecute and burne me the surgen replied with what do I thee so much harme when I haue no weapons to offend thee then the possessed person lifting vp his voice saide With those which thou sleepest with a nights which are three beades touched at that of Ioane of the Crosse the which thou wearest on thy wristes and throate Wherin was manifest that it was the diuell who spake in that man because this was so secret that none at all knewe thereof And it was more knowen because at the first exorcismes the curate commanded him to tell who he was and he said satan Then the curate demanding some bead of B. Ioane they gaue him a Rosarie which he put about his neck although the possessed refused it much and beganne to make manie faces and gestures making shewe of many most grieuous pinchinges and griefes wherupoÌ„ the curate asking of him what he felt he answered that he felt greater paines and torment with that Rosarie then if for three thousand yeares he had beene in hell suffering all the paines and torments which there are suffered and this he saide with a voice so terrible and so sorrowfull as hee feared all that heard it Being asked by the curate whose those beades were which so much did tormeÌ„t him he answered that they were Ioanes of the Crosse and againe asking him if they were of the originalls he answered no but of those that were touched at them addinge that he would goe out of that body if they would take them away for they much burned him The curate tooke them away and in the sight of all the diuell went out of the body and neuer returned againe but rather from that time forward they haue seene him do many things of deuotion aske beades of the Saint which he carrieth about him The originall information of this case as it hath beene recounted is in the conuent of the Crosse 11. In the towne of Madrid it happened in the yeare 1611. that Marie of Aluarado being very sick of a strong euill of the hart that tooke her very oft during when it was least an houre and a halfe hauing actually this sicknesse vpon her they put vpon the pulse of her hande a bead of the B. Ioane and at the same instant she returned to her selfe and was well with great admiration to all those that sawe her who remained praysing our Lord in his seruant wherat were found present many witnesses and seauen publicke scriueners of his maiestie residing in the court and prouince and one Apostolicall Notarie who gaue his testimonie and signed it with their seales and confirmed it with their names as appeareth by the originall testimonie which is yet in the conuent of the Crosse 12. All the miracles which hitherto haue beene related in this chapter are of the yeare 1611. and those that our Lord doth euery day by meanes of the beades of this his seruant are so many as if all of them were to be written they whold containe a great volume Wherfore leauing many I will recount one publicke and notorius meruaill seene and examined by many people which at this day and euery day God worketh in the towne of Grinnon six leagues from the courte of our Lord the King vpon a woman taken with so greate soundinges as comming vpon her very often they are wont to dure her two dayes and nights together proceeding of a strong euill of a ruÌ„ning goute which because she hath had it many yeares and is an aged person it is incurable in her as the phisitians affirme which haue had her in cure Being as it were dead
Iohn hauing a bead of the B. Ioane of the Crosse put it vpon the head of one of those which was possessed without telling her whose it was but forthwith she beganne to manifest it crying with aloude voice making moste fearefull aâ—d terrible faces and much hurting her owne selfe saide take it away take it away the Father wold not do it but asked her what shee felt with that bead which so pained her To which she answered in french that they should take away the bead for although they â—â—ld teare her to pieces she wold not tell seing this he commanded her in virtue of the holy Ghost and the priestly dignitie which he had that he should tell him what she felt with that beade and whose it was The possessed partie stood a good while without answering any thing vntill forcing her by exorcisme she said that that beade was of Ioane the Spaniard and that with it she felt so much fire after they had put it vpon her head as if they had put her into a burning ouen He also asked her what virtue that bead had and although at the beginning she refâ—sed yet still constraining her she said it had many virtues and commanding her in virtue of thâ— holy Ghost â—hat for the glory of God and of his seruant the B. Ioane of the Crosse she should tell which was the greatest it had she saide It hath virtue against vs. And asking her from whence the beade had that virtue she answered that from the benediction of God aboue And that an Angell had carried it vp pointing towards heauen to the end it shold be blessed of God 17. Whilest this passed thus with this religious possessed many of the others fled away but bringing them to the presence of all and putting vpon them the beades the same succeded with them which had succeeded with the other euery one seuerally coÌ„fessing that the bead was of Ioane and that the Angell carrying it vp God had blest it from whence it had the virtue which it had And because at the beginning the Fathers did not well vnderstand some wordeâ— which the possessed parties spake for that it was in French they were explicated vnto them by the two religious men who had them in charge and by a Doctor of Physicke which had them in cure It was also seene that touching their Rosaries at the saide bead the diuell did the same confessing that they had the same virtue and putting in the mouth of one of theÌ„ a Rosarie touched at the said bead she made strange faces and cryed out saying that if they tooke it not from her she would teare them in pieces and the said Father made her answeare that she could not do it for that the beades of that Rosarie had virtue from God and she answeared it is true I cannot and so she did them no maner of dammage 18. It was also seene that with another of the said beades which Father Cauanillas one of the forenamed carried the same succeeded and that Father Peter Iouer carried with him two beades which had bene giuen him in Castile although of the one hee were doubtfull if it were a right one yea or no because the person which had giuen him them told him that for the one it was most certaine but for the other he held it not for so certaine And the saide Father asking of one of the possessed that for the honour and glory of God and of his Saint she would tell him if those beades were of Saint Ioane she answered that the one was most certaine pointing to that which for such had beene giuen him and that the other was not of the true beades It was also seene how in presence of those which were there as to all it appeared the diuell went out of the bodies of the religious which were possessed in putting on theÌ„ the aforesaid bead for the same instant that the diuell left them they remained wearie and sweating exceedingly they made the signe of the Crosse and blessed themselues and those which before fled from the bead kiâ—â—ed it making shewe of denotion and that they were free from the diuell and she which was first free of him holpe the others that they might put vpon them the bead Wherat at all the aboue saide were found prelent the saide Fathers who gaue testimonie of it and sware it to be true in verbo sacerdotis in the word of a Priest 19. Likewise there are witnesses yet liuing and aboue all exception who haue read a letter newly written of the most excellent Lord Cardinall Dietrichastain Archbishop of Nichilspurgâ— in Almania to the Lady Marquesse of Mondeiar his Sister wherin is a clause of the tenor following Your excellencie shall do me a singular fauour in sending me the other bead of saint Ioane of the Crosse for certainly I haue taken infinit deuotion to them seing the great miracles of that which I haue heere for by the meanes therof the wife of the Lord of Mechaw great chamberlin of the King of Hungarie holding as at the last gaspe the holy Candle in her hand and he shutting her eyes thinking she had giuen vp the ghost for that she had brought forth a dead sonne hauing fortie times a day a paine of the hart accompained with soundinges I sent it thither and it being applied to her necke she presently reposed and at this day is perfectly well besides other particular benefits which I haue experienced 20. The Lady Marquesse aforsaid hauing read this clause of the letter to the nunnes of the mother of God of the conuent called Constantinople in Madrid where shee is lodged she sent it to the Lord Bishopp of Canaria the Lord freer Francis of Sosa who read it copied it out and gaue his testimonie signed with his name and sealed with his seale and approued of Iohn Alonso de Medina his Secretarie which is to be found in the archiue of the monasterie of the Crosse were he testifieth he knoweth the letter the hand the seale of the said Lord Cardinall and that the letter is all of his owne haÌ„d besides it being so euident none durst write to the Lady Marquessa a faulse letter whence the truthe therof remaineth much authorised 21. Many other miracles persons worthie of credit doe relate which I silence for that I finde not iuridicall informations concerning theÌ„ and because these related are sufficient for our purpose which is to proue that great are the merits of the B. Sister Ioane of the Crosse and the virtues of her beades most certaine seeing they are then most manifested and in places remote at such time when most contradiction is made against them which is the ordinarie meane our Lord is wont to defend his cause withal THE XIV CHAPTER Of certaine reuelations and things very profitable which our Lord communicated to his seruant and how deuoute shee was to the virgin our B. Lady 1 SO much shineth the sweetnes greatnes
most of all others felt his death and sacred passion and in whom was most liuely the hope of the holy Resurrection S. Bonauent in medit vitae Christi cap. 87. S. Ambros lib. 3. de vir c. 6. S. Anion de Padua serm in die sancto Paschatis and S. Brigit lib. 6. of her reuelations These fauoures and many others did God to his seruant on the feastes of his most sacred mother but especially on that of the most pure conception because to this feast she was most deuote which she celebrated with particular ioy and deuotion and that her religious also might haue the same she made them on these dayes most deuout speaches 12. One day of the most pure Conception in the yeare 1509. being in prayer she was eleuated in a most profound rapte which endured her for some houres and so remayning for an houre together she neuer left speaking recounting worthie things and prayses of our B. Lady as calling her the most pure the rose among thornes she which only among the children of Adam was conceiued without originall sinne And explicated the Ghospell Beatus venter qui te portauit which is that that on that day the Church doth recite in the proper office and many other authorities of the sacred scripture and the Psalmes all vttered in prayse of the Queene of Angells These and many other things of much edification the blessed Abbesse vttered to her religious in the spirituall speaches she made them beside the sermons which being eleuated she preached vnto them which caused so great admiration in those that heard them wherof mention is made in the chapter following 13. There was brought to the seruant of God a sucking child very sicke that she mighe giue it her benediction and as soone as she sawe it our Lord reuealing to her that it was possessessed she saide to the religious with great affliction of her spirite Great is the height of the secretes of God when his diuine maiestie permitteth that the diuell hath power to torment this innocent childe which is but seauen moneths old I pray you sisters let vs commend it to God And making vpon it the signe of the Crosse it remained free from that euill spirite which did before so much torment it We may say of this childe that which Christ saide of the blind man that he was not blind for his owne sinnes nor for the sinnes of his Fathers but for the glory of God which in the healing of it was to be manifested It happened many times to this seruant of our Lord that being in prayer in her cell praying to God for such persons as were commended to her prayers she sawe them all and their necessities and trauaills and that so clearly and so distinctly as if she had had thē there present which recounting once to her Angell keeper he answered that God had shewed them vnto her to the end she should the more charitablie and the more feruently be mindfull of them in her prayer 14. The Angells visiting the B. Ioane vpon a certaine day they said vnto her that with so great affect of loue one might feele and deplore the passion of Christ Iesus our Lord that it might be so acceptable a sacrifice to his diuine maiestie as if he should haue shed his bloud should haue suffered great trauaills for his sake so much doth the memorie of his sacred passion please him These things many others quoth shee to her religious doth my holy Angell shewe vnto me by the will of God and both for myne profit and for yours I relate them to you and assure you that our Lord hath done me so much fauour and that he hath giuen me so much light and charitie in them that most certainly I knowe them to be his and for so true and certaine I hold them as I would sweare they are his if I were put vnto to it vpon my oath although because my soule had not so much charitie at the beginning I did not receiue so much comfort in the reuelations which our Lord did shewe me as now I doe For the which I miserable sinner giue infinite thancks to his diuine maiestie THE XV. CHAPTER How thorough diuine virtue the seruant of God spake for the space of thirteene yeares maruelous things being eleuated and of the gift of tongues which our Lord granted her 1 ONe of the greatest laboures which the B. Ioane had in this life was that many persons desiring to know the fauoures which God had done her and the secrets which in those extasies and raptes he reuealed to her begged it of her many times And wheras the B. virgin was so humble she tooke this in such manner as she affirmed that she had much rather relate her faultes then the mercies and fauoures which God had done her And if she told of some of those which are written in this historie it was for that God had so commanded her some times by himselfe other times by the Angell of her garde And wheras by this occasion she was much discomforted our Lord willing to deliuer her frō the tediousnesse and also to cōfort his seruāts who desired to know these things for whose good his maiestie had wrought many of them he vsed this meanes as to strike her dumbe and to make him selfe speake by the mouth of his espouse and so our Lord appearing to her and comforting her she remained speechles for some moneths and after againe appearing to her in another rapte touching her with his diuine hand she remained sound but in the time of her dumbenesse and for some yeares after the seruant of God being eleuated did preach vttering by the diuine virtue maruelous sentences explicating propheties and difficult places of sacred scripture to the great admiration of all those that heard her seing so manifestly the virtue of our Lord in his seruant This most singular grace lasted her thirteene yeares speaking some times euery eight dayes or fifteene dayes other times euery foure dayes other times euery third day other times one day after another and some dayes twice more or lesse as it pleased our Lord. 2. This great maruaill being diuulged through the kingdome much people came to see her although not all with equall intention for some had a very euill opinion of her but for greater confusion of these and of others incredulous being rapte she spake vnto them shewing that God reuealed her what they had in their hartes and reprehending them she saide who art thou who wilt limite the power of God hath not the now the same he had alwayes can he not infuse his grace into whō he please can he not make a vessell which may containe it To this purpose it fell out that a certaine inquisitor very zealous about things of faith not being able to suffer that it should bee saide that the holy Ghost did speake by the mouth of this B. woman came to heare her with intent to examine her wordes
Lord gaue wisdome and grace to a religious which could not read nor write called Sister Marie Euangelist to write a great booke intituled of the Mariners carde which conteineth the sermons the glorious Ioane preached in one yeare two other religious helping her called sister Catharine of S. Francis and sister Catharine of the martyres wherof there is tradition publique voice and fame in the monasterie of the Crosse and some ancient religious which liue at this day knewe the said sister Marie Euangelist and sweare that they know her hand and heard her speake it many times 7. This booke of the Carde conteineth seauentie and two sermons diuided into as many chapters written in seuenhundred thre leaues in folio and is kept in the conuent as a relique of great esteeme and with great reason all what soeuer is in it being miraculous as is also it that a woman should haue written it without knowing how to read or write should beare in memorie all whatsoeuer the blessed preacher had saide in such sort that making an end to heare the sermon she wrote the same some of them contayning twelue and some twentie sheetes of paper full of Theologie and authorities of sacred scripture And only in one yeare taking part of that of 1508. and part of 1509. this blessed woman wrote three hundred sixtie and fiue sheetes the nomber that this booke conteineth of a very legible and plaine letter although nowe the time and the wormes haue much endamaged it The sermons which this seruant of God preached in this yeare as they are found originally in the booke of the Carde are these that followe 8. Of the Incarnation of the Natiuitie of the Circumcision of the Epiphanie of the flight into Egypt Excellencies of the holy Baptisme Reprehensions and counsells of the Purification of our B. Lady of the creation of Adam of Septuagesima of holy and true doctrines Of the Chaire of Saint Peter of the parable of the Gospell of the sower of our Redeemer lost in Hierusalem of his fast and tentation in the desert How sinners aske of God fauoures of Palme sonday of tenebre Wednesday of Mandy thursday of Good friday of the misteries of the most holy Resurrection of the good Pastor of the Crosse of the Gospell which is song on the sonday before the Ascension of the holy Ascension of our Lord of the comming of the holy Ghost of the most holy Trinitie of Corpus Christi of the holy Catholicke faith of the excellencie of the friday of the dayes of the weeke of the Visitation of our B. Lady of saint Iohn Baptist of saint Laurence of saint Peter and S. Paule of S. Marie Magdalen of the holy Crosse of S. Anne of the euill steward of the Transfiguration of saint Laurence martyr of our Sauiours weeping ouer Hierusalem of S. Clare of the Assumption of our B. Lady of S. Bartholomew of the Decollation of S. Iohn Baptist of the Feastes which Nathaniel made to our Lord of the Natiuitie of our B. Lady of the Exaltation of the Crosse How our Redemer raised the sonne of the widdowe of the Conuersion of S. Matthew of celestiall figures doctrines of reprehensions for our sinnes of S. Michaell and of all the Angells of our glorious Father S. Francis of the Feastes which they make to our redemer on the fridayes of celestiall Feastes A declaration of the Gospell of the virgins of saint Luke of S. Simon and Iude of all Saints of the paines of hell of the comming of Antichrist of the Dedication of the Church of the Presentation of our B. Lady of the most pure ConceptioÌ„ of our B. Lady of Reprehensions and of Aduent all with great misteries And the booke of these sermons is not of little authoritie for the continuall tradition with which it hath beene conserued since the life time of the seruant of our Lord with admiration and approbation of so many learned Prelates Generalls and Prouincialls who haue visited that holy conuent for the space of eightie yeares and aboue And when the tradition of any thing goeth coÌ„tinued from the day in which it happened by a whole communitie it hath and is of much authoritie THE XVI CHAPTER How our Lord gaue to the Blessed Ioane the feeling of his sacred woundes and how the blessed Apostle S. Peter healed her of her deafenes 1 IN thirteene yeares which our Lord so much fauoured his holy espouse he wrought in her things very misterious and diuine And because some times God is iealous of the soules which he mâ—ch loueth and will haue them all for himselfe he made his louing espouse deafe for that she much diuerted herselfe in the consideration of creatures and receiued some consolation and delight in hearing the little birdes to sing and chirp Wherefore not willing she should employ her loue on any other thing but on himselfe and in token of the loue his maiestie bore her he wrought in her a soueraigne maruaill seene and experiented of very many and especially of all the religious of the conuent which freer Alonso de Mena her confessor freer Alonso de Tarracena his companion and other religious graue Fathers of the order all sawe it and made experience of it the case was this Our Lord willing to enrich honour his beloued espouse gaue her for pretious Iewells the paines and signes of his most sacred woundes the historie and miraculous successe wherof passed in this manner 2. In the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred twentie and foure the virgin being fourtie and three yeares of age one yeare after the concession of the beades it happened that on Good friday in the morning being in prayer set in Crosse wise she was rapte her armes so stretched out and stiffe as also all the members of her body as if it had beene a Crucifix of stone in such sort that no humane force could stir her froÌ„ that holy composture although it was sometimes atteÌ„pted The noÌ„nes seing her rapte in so differeÌ„t a posture to that which at other times shee was wont to be and that the rapte continued longe they carried her vnto her cell and went all to the quire because it was time to beginne the diuine office Being in the office while the passion was read the virgin entred into the quire shedding many teares The nonnes seeing her come and leaning to the walles who for that she could not goe nor keepe herselfe vpon her feete she went barefooted as shee was accustomed and because she could not set them to the ground she went only vpon her heeles and toes with so much difficultie as if she had set her eyes where she set her feet The nonnes seing this asked her the reason of it by signes they made her for being deafe she vnderstood not otherwise how she came in that maÌ„ner who made theÌ„ answere that she could not goe because her feet grieued her so much Let vs see them saide the nonne that wrote
this bedd this is thy heauen for I am with thee here This saide our Lord disappeared leauing her much comforted although something confounded not knowing whether shee had seene this vision with the eies of her soule or of her body but alwaies shee knew most certainly that it was her redeemer who had appeared and spoken to her and to take from her this doubt he appeared to her the second time as shee herselfe told it Then she remained not only satisfied but much strengthened and with newe courage to suffer the trauailes and paines of all the world for his loue 7. Although our Lord so much cherished his espouse and had adorned her with the signes of his sacred passion yet he still kept her deafe which was in part the cause that she liued in so great sinceritie as she had bene a childe of a yeare old the which was a great discommoditie not only for the religious of the howse but also for other persons abroad which came to communicate with her and to confort them selues who hartely prayed our Lord he would restore her her hearing for the want they had thereof The diuine maiestie heard their praiers appearing to his espouse on the day of S. Clare it being six moneths that he had kept her deaf wherupon she made a maruellous sermō in presence of many people and declaring most great misteries she saide that he had made her deafe for that she should haue her senses and thoughts more recollected vpon the diuine maiestie and on no other thing of the earth and that now it had pleased him to heale her And ending the sermon before she came vnto her senses the glorious S. Peter appeared to her and putting his fingers into her eares and making vpon her the signe of the Crosse he restored her her hearing and shee remained sound the religious giuing much thancks to God for so remarkable a faruour THE XVII CHAPTER Of the great deuotion and compassion which the blessed Ioane had of the soules in purgatorie and of the efficacie of her prayers to our Lord for to deliuer them from the paines which they sufferred 1 THis holy virgin being Abbesse with the desire she had to exercise her religious in the feare of God she told them many things of those which his maiestie reuealed to her concerning his rigorous iudgement the paines of Purgatorie and of hell But it hath seemed conuenient to leaue to relate many of them for although they be very conforme to the doctrine of the Saints and to a great multitude of examples which are found in their bookes yet are they not written in the vulgar tongue nor may goe in all mens hands without speciall declaration That which in rigour is deliuered in such like cases is better explicated in tearmes proper to the schooles then to be vsed in such a booke as this which is written that it may goe in the hands of all of which many will find a rocke of scandall in that which well and piously vnderstood is of much edification as the glorious Saint Gregorie and other holy doctors rightly iudged who of these matters and apparitions of the soules and speciall places where they purged their faultes and of that which had passed with them in diuine iudgmēt set downe so many reuelations made not only to them but to persons so vnequall in sanctitie and credit to the blessed Ioane that they were holden for grieuous sinners and God our Lord did them this great fauour to reueale them these like things that taking heed by others mens harmes they might feare the rigour of his iustice and haue confidence in his diuine mercy 2. With the same desire this blessed Abbesse in the chapters and speaches which she made to her religious did exhort them recounting them many reuelations which she had had of God and with notable spirite saide as followeth when she related them Thincke not sisters that the paines of hell and Purgatorie are but little for by only thinking on that which our Lord doth shew me sometimes my flesh trēbleth and I am driuen euen to the very straites of death She further recounted what passed with a soule when it was taken out of the body aswell with the supreame iudge as with the Angell keeper of the same and in especiall when it heard the terrible sentence of euerlasting glory or paine And although of these things the bookes of the Saints be full and of these apparitions of Christ our Lord in the particular iudgement of euery one which are to be vnderstood not according to his reall presence but according to his efficacie and virtue they are not written here not to giue occasion of erring For the greater declaration therfore of some things heere related of many which are found in the booke of the life of this seruant of God it seemed conuenient to note some of them not because that which I shall note is not most euidently knowen to the learned and to many of those which haue not studied for as much as they are found in euery manuall but because none may haue occasion of errour 3. I say then first that in the houre of death euery one heareth his sentence of condemnation or libertie according as is gathered out of many places of the sacred scripture and out of the holy Fathers as appeareth in Ecclesiasticus in S. Mathew and in S. Luce S. Augustine also affirmeth as much together with Saint Hierom and Saint Bonauenture although concerning the manner and how it ought to be vnderstood there be diuers opinions whereupon Pope Innocent the third wrote at large in his second booke and Landulphus the Carthusian in the fourty six chapter of the third tome Who all relate some cases very like to those which befell to the B. Ioane But where it is said that euery one heareth this sentence of Christ our Lord it ought to bee vnderstood as is alreadie saide not according to his reall presence but according to his efficacie Eccl. 11. Matth. 10. 22. Luc. 16. D. Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 20. cap. 1. de anima eius origine lib. 2. cap. 4. S. Hierom. in Ioel. cap. 2. S. Bonauent lib. 4. sent dist 20. 1. p. q. 5. 4. The second that as little improprietie it hath to say with the same declaration that the glorious Archangell S. Michaell doth iudge in particular the soules after they are gone out of the bodies as the Church singeth when in his office she saith to God that he constituteth him prince ouer all soules and the same she repreateth in the prose of the Masse of the dead Constitui te principem super omnes animas suscipiendas Signifer sanctus Michael representes eas in Lucem Sanctam 5. The third and most principall which we haue in this matter is that the Saints speake therin after two manners the one according to the Common Lawe which is that ordinarilie is executed and the other according to particular cases which God
his cloathing was very miserable and poore he went vpon his handâ— and feet like a beast being he could not make his complaint he roared like a Bull and he carried about him all the sinnes which he had committed against God and some soules which by his euill example had beene condemned were put to paines vpon his backe he carried also vpoÌ„ him a great troupe of diuells on horsbacke which cast in his teeth his sinnes and gaue him many blowes and buffets and taking the gagge out of his mouth they put in it a hallow truÌ„ck by the which issued a voice so terrible that at the only hearing of it the B. Ioane was exceeding sorowfull although much more for that she knewe not if his paines were of Purgatorie or of hell which desirous to knowe she asked it of her Angell keeper who answeared her God in time will reueale it to thee And so perseuering in her prayer she praied our Lord he would take pitty of the paines of that soule and remember some good worckes which it had done in this life But not knowing any other which in particular she might alleadge in his fauour she saide Lord I knowe that this man was so deuout to a Saint that being in this life he caused his image to bee painted and had much deuotion to it for the which I beseech thy maiestie that taking pitty vpon his soule thou wilt deliuer it from the paines which it suffereth 12. So long she perseuered in praier to God for this soule that some daies being passed ouer she sawe enter in at the doore of her cell a most fierce bull which bare betweene his hornes the image of the Saint which that man had caused to be painted and he came along by it as it were helping him selfe by the image looking toward the seruant of our Lord said I am such an one for whom thou so much hast praied for thy merites God hath done me great mercy and gaue me this image for my comforte and defense which is the same that I caused to be painted of the Saint to which I was deuout the which doth much help me in this labour our Lord lighten thy paines christian soule said the seruant of God for thou hast coÌ„forted me sufficiently by reason I desired so much to know if thou wert in the way of saluation for the other time when I sawe thee thou camest in such tormeâ—â—s as I could not discerne it Be not amazed answeared the soule for my paines haue beene very great and if I had none other but those of this oxe on which I goe they were most grieuous for on him I haue the paine of thirst hunger fire and cold And this saide he asked her pardon of many aggreuances which in this life he had done her and saide that the deuotion which some time he had had to her holpe him much and with this he vanished Whom she neuer left to pray to God for visiting him and comforting him in purgatorie vntill our Lord by her prayers tooke him from those paines 13. The paines of purgatorie are such as they surpasse exceed all the tormeÌ„ts which can be suffered in this life S. Tho. 3. p. q. 46. a. 6. lib. 3. sent d. 15. q. 1. a. 3. our Lord reuealeth it to his seruants that they may know thâ— great rigour of his iustice when one idle word and whatsoeuer negligence in his seruice how little soeuer he chastiseth so rigorously And that people may learne to walke with a thousand eyes in the seruice of God not so much to fly these paines as to see how much his maiestie is offended with the faultes which so rigorously he chastiseth For according to S. Vincent Ferrer a soule was a whole yeare in purgatorie suffering these most rigorous paines for one only veniall sinne In sermone de aqua benedicta littera G. and certainly this example alone might suffice with people that euerie one procure to conforme his life as he may liue with the faith which he professeth The B. Ioane returned one time froÌ„ a rapte very sadd and shedding so many teares that the nonnes taking compassioÌ„ of her praied her she would tell them the cause of her sadnesse The holy virgin to the end they might commend to God that soule giuing a pitifull scrich saide Alas if people knewe what the soules suffer in the other life they would not offeÌ„d God nor would they commit so many sinnes as they doe for those paines are fare greater then all that in this world can be suffered and then she recounted what she had seene neuer forsooke that soule nor ceassed to pray to God for it vntill he tooke it out of the paines of Purgatorie 14. One day in Lent this seruant of our Lord feeling great griefes and infirmities other of the sicke religious women went to comfort themselues with her such I meane as were a recouering and speaking with them she was rapte and returned from this rapte so merry that the nonnes which sawe her asked her the cause of her extraordinarie mirth and she to pleasure the sicke saide I sawe the Queene of heauen who with much glorie and maiestie accompanied with many Angells and with the glorious Saint Iohn Euangelist and Lazarus his holy Sisters Martha and Marie came downe to Purgatorie and passing by the place where I stood the most Clement Lady looking vpon me saide sweet hart come thou with vs and it pleased our Lord through his great mercie that at the same time our blessed Lady tooke a great number of soules out of Purgatorie with the which she returned to heauen and I remained so comforted heerwith that all my doloures are turned into particular ioy and rest when I see any soule goe out of Purgatorie and for this my ioy is so great as neither doe I know howe to speake it nor is it in my power to dissemble it THE XVIII CHAPTER Of the laboures and infirmities with which God proued his seruant with all and of her great patience 1 BY a reuelation made to this seruaÌ„t of our Lord it was knowen that God had chosen her to make her very like to his only begotten Sonne in laboures persecutions and disgraces And she desiring to haue in her soule all such Iewells which so much please God asked of his maiestie in all her praiers with much humilitie teares that he would giue her paines laboures wearinesse and doloures to suffer for his loue Our Lorde heard her praier and gaue her them in so great plentie as she could desire which manifested well the powerfull hand of him who gaue them by the multitude which came vpon her being tormented with very excessiue doloures which she had in her head so great as there was no physitiaÌ„ found that could vnderstand what they were and those daies that she had them it was with such rigor that she could nether eate nor sleepe nor get downe a draft
her seeing her weaknesse the tumult of laboures which threatned her on euery side Our Lord heard her praier and for the greater comfort of his seruant spake to her in the same image with sadd and dolorous voice saying My celestiall Father who would not reuoke the sentence of my death although I praied wept wil not that it be reuoked which hath beene giuen against thee but that it be rigorously executed that wearied euery way thou maiest enioy the fruit of patience And the seruant of God confident that our Lord who with one hand giueth laboures with the other coÌ„municateth aide for to drawe fruit out of them as often as shee felte speciall fauoures of the holy spirite praied to haue paines and trauaills to be mixed with them as who so well vnderstood this to be the most secure way THE XIX CHAPTER How the Angell keeper of the seruant of God commanded her to write the things which our Lord did reueale vnto her and of her glorious death 1 SO great is the charitie of God and such his mercy that seeldom times ho doth so speciall fauoures as those which haue beene seene in this historie to any one for himselfe alone but by meanes therof to profit many others And hence it is that her Angell keeper so oftentimes commaÌ„ded the seruant of God B. Ioane to write the mercies and fauoures which God did to her For she with womanly modestie and through her great humilitie was ashamed for to write them Which not to do nor prosecute what was begunne she proposed a thousand infirmities euery day alleaging those of her little health and her being so stiffe in the handes as she could hardly write her name as appeareth by some papers and writings found which she wrote while she was Abbesse Wherupon the Angell commanded her she should write no more with her owne hand but that she should cause them to be written by the hand of another of the religious which was to her another labour greater then the former was and therfore refusing it as much as she could shee saide Sir the fauoures which God hath done me and the things which your beautie hath told me haue beene all in secret and writing them by another hand they cannot choose but be published And fearing it and the iudgements of men being so persecuted as she was and as other religious of the conuent were also for her sake she saide to the Angell sir if hereupoÌ„ there should befall some great euill to my sisters and to me what should we doe God hath care of them and of thee saide the Anâ—ell feare not but do that which I command thee for our Lord who worketh these maâ—uailes in thee doth them for the good of many others and will that they be written and that there be made a memorie of them and if not the fauoures which hee doth thee shall cease and thy doloures and persecutions shall be augmented more then thou artable to thincke 2. She hearing this with humilitie and feare obeying the Angell beganne to write by the hand of another religious called sister Marie Euangelist who according to the tradition of the conuent and as is manifest by an information made with sworne witnesses which knewe her and many times heard her say it neither knewe how to reade nor write vntill our Lord miraculously granted her this grace to write the booke of the Carde as aforsaide and so she wrote with much certaintie the life and miracles of this B. virgin Those two bookes haue beene holden and are holden in the conuent as reliques of much esteeme giuing help against tempestes and thunders and many infirmities They are both very olde and at this day liue three religious which knewe her that wrote them and heard her tell it many times and they affirme that she was a nunne of good life very penitent and of much praier contemplation and that after her death she appeared to another religious in the Church with much splendor and with a booke of Gold in her hands open which was that shee wrote of the things of the glorious Ioane The seruant of our Lord grieued much to see that the writing was neuer made an end of and howe faire and softly the nunne proceeded in her writing wherfore a little before the last infirmitie tooke her of which she died she praied her Angell keeper he would be content with that was written and not oblige her to more he granted it her with good will and saide bid thy sister that her pen cease and she write no more With this licence of the Angell the seruant of God hauing what she desired was bold to say sir if it should please the sisters it would be to me much comfort that what is writteÌ„ should be torne God forgiue thy presumption answered the Angell and do by and by penance therof for thou hast offended him with this euill thought With this she tooke her leaue of her Angell and bid the sister she should leaue wrighting 3. To the many infirmities which she had our Lord sent her the last which was a sttoÌ„g euill of her vrine whereby she was driuen to great straites with most grieuous paines and was fifteene daies together without paying to nature her accustomed tribute And although in all her infirmities she had marueilous patience in this which was the last she had a thousand times more and exceeded euen her selfe she had in the same exceeding raptes and most familiar colloquies with her Angell keeper And as the Swanne towards her death singeth most sweetly and melodiously so this soueraigne Swanne by how much more her desired and happy end approached with so much more sweetnesse she song discouering with acceÌ„ts froÌ„ aboue the fire of the diuine loue which did burne within her breast And although in her infirmities she neuer consented that the phâ—siâ—ians should cure her in this last she did admit them at the instance and deuotion of some Ladies which entreated her she would be cured and sent to her their owne physitians who seing that the infirmitie so much encreased and her weakenesse with all despaired of her at the first time of their visite But she as a most prudent virgin and well experimented in the things of her soule before she came to this point receiued her viaticum and extreame vnction 4. Three daies before her death being in a raâ—te which dured her two howers she â—â—we the Apostles S. Philipp and Iacob and her Angell keeper who bid her conforme herselfe to the will of God and pray him to confirme his sentence for that he had giuen it three times as many times had reuoked it at the instance of other persons which had prayed for her There is no change in God for as the first being infinite and most simple that which once he willeth and can neuer leaue to will it S. Th. 1. p. q. 9. a. 1. and so all that God willeth efficaciously is done but
with other persons she saide happy tydings salute me with happy tydings And this she saide with such alacritie that those which stood there iudged that her celestiall spouse adorned now that holy soule with the Iewells of her espousall The blessed maide remained full of that sweet smell and her face most resplendent and her lippes carnatioÌ„ redd as corall with such quiet and alacritie as was admirable And so she remained not speaking a word from saturday vntill sunday after euensong the day of the Inuention of the Crosse on which she was borne tooke the habit was professed On this happy day at six of clocke in the euening reading the passion with extraordinarie ioye she gaue vp her soule to her celestiall spouse in the yeare of our Lord one thousaÌ„d fiue huÌ„dred thirtie foure at fiftie and three yeares of her age at fourtie of her conuersion to the order 9. Those that stood about her remained with much maruaile at the peace quietude and alacritie with which she rendred vp her soule to her Creator the rather for hauing vnderstood by her wordes the great force of her doloures which at that time her many infirmities caused her and the strong conflict which she had with the diuell a thing which our Lord permitted to happen to other Saints as to Saint Martin Saint Hilarion c. that they should see so great noueltie for many houres before her blessed passage when she that before so much complained stood so quiet and the afflicted so merry and ioyfull and that which more is the euill smell of her breath changed into most sweet sauour And although they attribute this to the diuine reuelations the presence of the Saints which she saide came to help her neuerthelesse afterward another cause of these maruailes was knowen by testimonie of another grâ—â—t seruant of God called Marie of Saint Iohn who at the same time was religious in the conuent of the Conception in the Citty of Almeria very like in virtue and sanctitie to our glorious Ioane and both of them so great frendes that being so farre a sunder they communed together many times in spirite And the proofe which for some of these cases was had doth add more credit to that which this seruant of God testified of the glory of the blessed Ioane the which was this Foure daies after her death she appeared to her compassed about with certaine Saints and Angells and all admiring she asked of her Angell keeper how it came that the mother Sister Ioane of the Crosse appeared to her so much altered and in so different figure to that which at other times she hath done placed in so highe degrees of glory The Angell answeared her that nowe the was losed from the bondes of the flesh and the blessed soule bowing downe they embraced one another and this seruant of God saide to her how now sister thus without me yea sister answered shee for the will of the powerfull God was accomplished and it is now foure daies since I departed this mortall life where I had my Purgatorie and two daies before I expired my soule beganne to feele the ioye of the eternall blisse although to the eies of the people it seemed that I was touched with the paines of the passage of death When notice was had of this reuelation the cause was better vnderstood of the saide change in the seruant of God so many houres before her passage THE XX. CHAPTER Of some miracles which our Lord wrought by the merits of the glorious Ioane by and by after her departure and of the incorruptibilitie and translation of her body 1 SO soone as the B. Ioane was departed out of this life they treated of giuing sepulture to her B. body yet because the concourse and deuotion of the people was so great and the instance so much which they made to see her the religious of the order who assisted at her buriall ordained to giue satisfaction to all that her body should be brought in procession out of the monasterie A cripple comming to touch the holy body kissing the habit remained sound left two crouches with which he weÌ„t Likewise a sicke religious which had a very great swelling and many paines touching the dead body was healed The same succeeded to another man who had a great paine in his teeth The procession in which they carried the holy body to the sepulture returning to the conuent they found messingers with letters from great persons who demanded to haue the buriall differred vntill they should come for they were nowe in the way And so they detained her fiue daies vnburied that most sweet odor of which we haue spoken alwaies proceeding from the dead body 2. The people that came from Madrid from Toledo as also from diuers other places were so many that they couered the fieldes for which cause and for to auoide the disturbance which was great they determined to commit that pretious treasure to the earth burying her without coffin or any thing else of defence that might conserue her entire but rather after they had couered her with earth they cast a great quantitie of water vpon the sepulture as ordinarily the custome is And although it seemeth to haue beene want of consideration and a kinde of rudenesse hauing experienced so great maruaills it was surely a particular instinct of God that so much the better his power might be manifested in that which afterward was seene when the holy body was translated which hauing beene vnder ground seauen yeares at the end wherof very graue Ladies which had beene deuoted to the seruant of God making great instance and inespeciall the Lady DoÌ„na Isabell de Mendoça the wife of Don Gonzalo Chacon Lord of the towne of Casarrubios of the hill consultation was held of placing the bones of the glorious Ioane in a more decent place whose sanctitie and miracles were so notorious wherupoÌ„ there was made an arche at the right side of the high altar in the wall which diuideth the chancell from the cloister of the monasterie where a hollowe hole was left of two yardes in a highe place and eminent wherin might be contained a gilden chest which the saide Lady Isabell had commanded to be made with two strong grates one of the side of the chapell and another of the side of the cloister that without perill as well the religious as the seculars might enioy of the reliques of the seruant of God 3. This done the sepulture was opened making accoumpt that the body was now resolued into ashes which yet was found so entire so fresh with so sweete a sauour as when it was first buried All being amased at the sight their deuotion encreased and the habit wherwith she had beene enterred was deuided into reliques and they vested her with another of sad colored damask And laying her in the saide chest with great veneration it was put in the place aboue mentioned with the grates of yron very
head of the said Agnes and they shold carrie her to saint Maries of Guadalupe where shee shold bee two dayes and that they should carrie with her foure poundes of wax and by and by shee should be sound her hand should be dissolued and the marck be taken from her This is that which Agnes affirmed vnder oath 7. And the people seeing these maruaills adored the place where the virgin set her most blessed feet and with the graines of the sand in which remained the signes of her plantes they healed manie sick They adored also the holie Crosse and setting men to keept it the procession returned to Cubas with the child and all being done with her which the B. virgin commanded her parents brought her to Guadalupe in the way shee did some miracles in the cure of the sick and at her returne shee healed of the paine of the side one of the men which came with her shee was in Guadalupe three dayes and the secoÌ„d day her hand was vnloosed and she remained perfectly whole the miracle being publicke and euident being seene by the Prior and Monckes of that howse with manie other people who tooke it for a testimonie of the truth of the fact When Agnes returned from Guadalupe before shee went home shee went to the place where our B. Ladie had placed the Crosse and as she stood adoring it the most holie virgin appeared vnto her the second time and spake vnto her and from thence she returned with her parents home Those of Cubas found themselues so fauoured for that the mother of God had visited them nine times that within one yeare they builded her a Church bearing the title of S. Maries of the Crosse wherin the most holie virgin wrought aboue the nuÌ„ber of three score six miracles all which by scriueners publicke notaâ—ies haue bene fouÌ„d forth approued AmoÌ„gst others twelue criples were healed eight freed from manifest perill of death and eleuen dead raised to life At the fame of these meruaills and apparitions of our B. Ladie some deuote women which dwelt in the neighbouring places of Cubas came vnto them and of their pouertie builded a howse ioyned to the Church the which after was giuen them with the Crosse which our B. Ladie had taken in her hands who yelded their obedience to the order of our holie Father S. Francis and taking his habitt professed the third rule the little hogardesse Agnes also tooke the same habit and after some yeares the other religious chose her for their head and superior for the holinesse and virtues which shined in her But as the Diuell where he findeth most perfection procureth the greatest fall so he sollicited the perfection of these poore women giuing them occasions of treatie and frendshipp with seculars whâ—ch in short time forsooke that good odor of sanctitie and virtue in which they had been brought vpp in so much that some of them went out of the monasterie And the sorowfull Agnes which in foremer time was the first in virtue ouercome by the diuell went apostata out of the conuent But fauoured by the Queene of Angells did penance for her sinne and lead so good a life as it is holden by tradition that at the houre of her death the belles rang miraculously THE SECOND CHAPTER How to restore the monasterie God sent vnto the world the glorious sister Ioane of the Crosse at the intercession of his most holie Mother 1 THe soueraigne Queene of heauen seeing the fall of her howse where with so many miracles she had appeared besought her most blessed sonne that he wold send such a person as was meet to restore such a breach our Sauiour granted her petition promising hee wold send a person of singular perfection For accomplishmeÌ„t wherof in the yeare 1481. was borne this seruant of our Lord on the day of the holie Crosse in Maye in the holie ground of Toledo in Hazanna a towne of the same archbishopricke and of the holie Church of Toledo called S. Maries because shee that was to liue and dy in the howse of the most holie virgin should be borne in a towne of her iurisdiction and lordshipp and that the same shold be called Hazanna being God was to worck in her by the intercession of his most holie mother so admirable a fact and so worthie an exploit in matter of sanctitie and virtue Her parents being of the same nation were called Iohn Vasquez and Catharine Gutierzes both of them Catholiques and very virtuous and honorablie endued with the goodes of fortune God gaue them this daughter and in baptisme they called her Ioane shee was scarcely borne as they say when the greatnesse of the merueils of God beganne to be declared in her which in her so tender age he begaÌ„ne to manifest by her with notable admiration of the people for being but newly borne she fasted the fridayes sucking only once in the day for so soone would our Lord manifest in his seruant the great abstinences and fastes in which for the time to come he was to make her so notable and famouse And although of S. Nicolas and other saints the like maruaills bee read it doth not therfore followe that they had vse of reason but that God wrought them in signe of other greater which by them he wold worke when they shold attaine to the vse of reason and in signe of their future holinesse and excellencie 2. The holines of this happie child was such as from so tender age not only shee fasted the fridayes as hath beene saide but also one time shee was 3. dayes without sucking or returning to herself wherfore the afflicted mother beleeuing that her daughter was dead besought our Lord he would raise her to life promising to carrie her with her weight of wax to the conuent of S. Marie of the Crosse and to watch with her there a whole night The child returned to her senses wherwith her mother was much conforted confesing she had recouered the health and life which shee desired These and many other tokens shee gaue in her childhood and encreased euerie day in spirituall graces and gifts of God although at that time they were not knowen of her parents The child being two yeares old grewe so pale and sick that shee could not make her take the breaste nor swallow downe any other thing for the which they carried her to a very denote pilgrimage of S. Bartholomew in the townâ— of Annouer and being in the Church looking vpon the image of the glorious Apostle which stood on the altar the child laughed and by and by demanded to eate From that instant she was well related afterward when she could speak that shee had seene the Apostle S. Bartholomew who touching her with his hand healed her and tooke away the ill colour of her face which before she had They neuer sawe her play with children of her age for although shee was a child yet shee did not seeme so but
only in yeares 3. When shee was four yeares old it happened that her mother sending her to the yard where the corne was dressed to play because it was summer time as she passed by a street shee remembred howe a little before they had carried that way the most holie Sacrament to a sick person and in such manner was she rapt with this consideration that she fell from the asse on which she sate The Curate of the towne sawe her and taking her vp from the ground found her without any kind of sense and carried her in his armes to her fathers howse where she was a great while without comming to her self and as shee recounted when after shee came to her senses shee was carried in spirite to a most faire place where shee sawe many Ladies maruailously composed among them one who to her seeming was the Queene of them all according to her beautie and splendor shee sawe also many children of great beauty which said to her what dost thow heer come with vs and adore that Ladie which is the mother of almightie God the blessed child answered I do not know what I must doe but I will say the Aue Maria and kneeling on her knees she presently rehearced it Hauing saluted the Queene of heauen with that Angelicall Salutation she sawe at her side her good angell which taught her many things and at the end of a large conference which shee had with him she prayed him that he wold carrie her to her fathers howse and when she returned from that rapt she recounted in order all the things which she had seene vntill her Father bad her hold her peace and so shee did 4. This same yeare the blessed child standing at the doore of her fathers howse the most holie Sacrament passing that way which was carried to a sick body she adored it and sawe ouer the chalice our Sauiour Iesus Christ in forme of a child very faire and bright Another time vpō the day of the purification of our B. Ladie hearing masse at the time that the priest made an end of consecrating the hoste she sawe it most cleer and bright and within it our Lord Iesus Christ and round aboue him many Angells of the which the innocent creature made no great account at that time thincking that all had seene those soueraigne meruails and that they were common to all as wel as to her for being her self so humble so innocent and sincere she neuer thought that such things were wrought in fauour of her vntill our Lord declared it to her in manner following THE III. CHAPTER Of the penances which the seruant of God did being a child and of the feruent desires thee had to bee religious 1 AT this time the blessed child being but seauen yeares ould it fell out that her mother died who seing the end of her dayes to approch and not hauing accomplished the promise she had made to bring her daughter with her waight in wax to the conuent of S. Maries of the Crosse besought her husband that he wold accomplish it for her and bidding her daughter farwell giuing her her benediction she yelded vp her soule to her Creator in the yeare of ou◠Lord 1488. But the blessed childe considering these things said with in herself It shal be better that I go my self to fulfill the promise of my mother to the house of our B. Ladie S. Marie of the Crosse and that I remaine religious there She communicated her desires with an aunt she had which at the same time tooke the habit of S. Dominicke in the cōuent of Toledo and wold haue beene a nunne with her and asked it of her Father and kinsfolke who hindred her putting her in mind of her tender yeares the austeritie of religion Her aunt was profest and encreased so much in sanctitie and virtue that she had many reuelations from almightie God 2. Being one time in prayer it was reuealed vnto her that her neece was to be a great saint that shee was endued with great graces of God For the which her aunt desiring to haue her a nunne in that howse treated therof with the prioresse and the nunnes of the cōuent who desired it so earnestly that they offered to receiue her without dowrie but the Father and kinred of the childe yealded not then vnto it because they loued her very much And being this took no effect nor other diligences which on the behalf of the conuent were made the aunt took◠order with her owne mother which was the grandmother of the child in whose house shee was brought vp to steale her away and to bring her to that monasterie But God hauing designed her for that of S. Marie of the Crosse altered all those purposes in his seruant which shee had before to be religious with her aunt It seeming to her that to be with her were a point of little perfection and carried with it somthing of flesh and bloud purposed firmly not to take the habitt in that monasterie but in an other without respect of parents kinred or any other thing of the world so much enamored was her soule of God and so desirous to serue him and to please him 3. In the same towne of Hazanna the blessed child had some principall vncles and very rich who desired to haue her in their howse it seeming to them that she would be better kept and more secure then in the howse of her grandmother with much entreatie they obteined it of her Father most contented with the iewell they carried her to their howse and committed to her the gouernment of all the familie for although she were yong yet was she most prudent and obedient to all Heer beganne our Lord to bring to light her virtues and wonderfull penances to be admired in men of great strength how much more in so dedicate a child as shee was All the dayes of obligation she fasted in bread and water and sometimes shee was two or three dayes without eating and like another Cecilie shee ware a haire cloth next vnto her flesh she whipped herself with chaines of iron vntill she drew bloud and there was neuer heard from her a vaine or idle word When she went about the howse or did any labour shee pinched her armes and if shee were at the ouen or in other place where shee was not seene shee vnstripped them and vndressed her head to scorche herself with the flames of the ouen and to suffer paine for the loue of God and with this shee was so hūble that shee held her self for vnworthie of the bread that shee eat and of the earth she troad vpon 4. Besides the hairie and pricking shirt that wounded her body in a thowsand places shee ware chaynes next vnto her flesh and although it were in winter time when the nights are cold and long yet after the seruants were gone to bed shee rose vp and all naked she remained only with the at shirt of
haire vpon her and in this manner passed all the night in prayer vntill about the break of day when with much silence and quiete shee returned to her bed without any one perceiuing of it But one time the seruants seeing that shee was missing out of her bed and that shee returned late vnto it they told it to her aunt who being vexed about it commanded a seruant that shee shold follow her in secret and espie whether shee went at such houres And so the night following the maide seeing that shee was not in her bed waited for her at the chamber doore thinking that shee was gone out but within a little while shee heard her weep before a certain image and coming to her she perceiued her to be couered as she thought with haire or hard mattes and vpon her knees for being by night she could not see her perfectlie The mayde dissembled the matter for that time and the next morning she told her mistresse of the sanctitie of her neece and of the steps of virtu wherin shee walked for which the seruant of God was full of great grief and began with newe care to seeke another place where with more quiete and peace without being seene or perceiued of the people shee might alone enioy God 5. The virgin being newe come to this howse of her vncles entring into a chamber shee sawe by an image of our B. Ladie a most faire fountaine and two Seraphines with diuers pots in their hands which did nothing else but take water out of the fountaine and often to fill and ouerturne the pots who as often as shee entred into that chamber the which she did oftentimes looked vpon her laughed and made very merrie with her and shee said shee receiued so much comfort alwayes when shee sawe them that shee would not willingly goe out of that chaÌ„ber although the coÌ„fort which the peaceable sight of the Seraphines caused her were great the admiration was no lesse which shee had in not knowing what was done with so much water as was draweÌ„ out of that fountaine for shee neuer sawe where they put it nor did shee know vntill some yeares afterward her good Angell told her that that fountaine was miraculous and the water which the Seraphines powred out to represent the grace of the holy Ghost which copiously and aboundantly they powred forth into her soule 6. On good friday in the morning hauing spent a good part therof and of the night like another Magdalen in teares and tender feelings cast at the feet of Christ contemplanting that which his maiestie had suffered that day he appeared vnto her crucified with all the ensignes of his holy PassioÌ„ the three Maries much grieued and sadd The holy Damsell was so sadd with the feeling and griefe which this souereigne visioÌ„ caused her the which shee enioyed not being rapt but in her proper senses that of the great feeling shee had and the much that shee wept she left the place where shee was all watered her face remained so pale and disfigured that when her vncles came from Church amazed at the soddaine change which they sawe in their neece they procured that shee should eate something But the disease of the blessed Damsell not being that which her vncles thought she herself comforted them willing them not to take care nor to oblige her to breake the fast of good friday for shee shold bee very soone well 7. Another night there arriuing certaine gentlemen at her vncles house after shee had giuen them their supper and conuersed with them and with all those of the howse shee went out into the court alone seeking some solitude for her exercices Then set on her knees and being in very profound prayer she sawe heauen open it self and from thence descended the Queene of Angells with her most sacred Sonne in her armes who comming neere vnto her looked vpon her with eyes very amorous and milde and considering how neere her shee had God and his most holy Mother with most deuote words she besought her that she wold fauour her and helpe her with her most Noble Sonne in that which shee so much desired which was to be religious and this she vttered with such feruor of spirite that at the cries shee gaue they went out into the court to see what it was and they found her sett with her hands knees vpon the ground speaking to our B. Ladie And after being well certified thereof and the vision ended they came all vnto her and spake to her dissemblingly of which the virgin receiued great trouble fearing least hence that shold be discouered which shee so much sought to couer 8. Being thus busied in the exercises aforsaid daylie encreasing in virtue as well as in yeares shee came to be 14. yeares old at which time her father kinsfolks begaÌ„ne to treat of her remedie for that name the world giueth to the mariages of women as if there were no other remedie left by God for them And at the fame of her great retirednesse honestie and beautie which in that age so greatly pleaseth shee was sought of many in marriage among which he that was most of note was a noble yong man borne in Illescas but wheras the intents of the blessed Damsell were to haue for espouse Iesus Christ our Lord to coÌ„secrate to him her virginitie perpetually of this only shee treated and with such teares demanded it as shee deserued to be heard of God and her petition also dispatched as we shall see in the ensuing chapter THE IV. CHAPTER How the seruant of God went out of her howsâ— in mans apparell to be religious and of the great fauours which our Ladie did her in the way 1 WHeras the solicitous virgin sought alwayes to please and truly to serue that Lord who from her mothers wombe chose her for himself and separated her from the number of the childreÌ„ of perdition she ceased not euen from her tender yeares to beseech him that he wold grant her to bee religious to the end shee might yet more truly serue him and being that at home they watched her and went euer espying after her that it might not be discouered what she desired to keep so close shee retired her selfe into an ould for-lorne Pigeon house which stood a good way of from the noize of the house although within the enclosure therof making of it her oratorie she there speÌ„t loÌ„g time with God in prayer And one day of the holy weeke after shee had whipped her self with chaines of iron as her custome was lying prostrate on the earth before a picture of S. Veronica shee sayde O my sweet Iesus Christ I beseeche thee Lord for the merites of thy sacred passion that I may deserue to bee thy espouse and to enter into religion that freed from the affaires of the world I may the better resigne my selfe vp to thee the sweet redeâ—mer of my soule And saying this the picture
was changed and transformed into the most faire countenance of our Lord Iesus Christ so liuely as it â—eemed to her as if he had bee in very mortall and passible flesh and then spake she those wordes vnto him Seeing now her Lord and her redeemer in this sort such were her teares such her vexation and grief springing from so great loue that our Lord himself comforted her promising to receiue her for his espouse and to bring her to religion if with all she wold help her selfe in what she could and would doe what lay in her 2. These wordes said the holy picture turned to the former likenesse and the blessed maide remained with this fauour so comforted and cheered that from that instant she beganne to inuent meanes how to goe to the monasterie of S. Marie of the Crosse where to she had most great deuotion and many inspirations from heauen to take in it the habite of the third order of our holy Father S. Francis She further considered that if in these occasions a firme and resolute determination do not strongly posesse a person with courage and valour cold and weakâ— purposes doe little profite But being these of this solicitous virgin were no such but strong feruorous shee resolued that as soone as easter should be passed to goe to the happie monasterie two leagues from her towne and as she imagined it so she did it not as a weake woman but as a strong and forcible man putting herself into the garments of one of her cozins and making a pack of her owne in the habit of a man so with a sword vnder her arme alone and on foote shee tooke her way one morning before the rising of the sunne with contradiction enough of the diuell who desiring to hinder her represented vnto her many feares astonishmeÌ„ts together with the displeasure of her Father kinred who wold conceiue amisse of her going in that habit so vndecent for her person age This made such an impression in the holy Damsell that beginning the way she beganne to tremble vntill combated by weakenesse and feare all her body treÌ„bling she fell on the ground much dismayed where she heard thrice a voice which said vnto her Take courage be not dismayd make an end of the good worck begunne for God will fauour thee Shee did not then see who spake to her vntill going on shee knew that it was her Angell Gardian 3. With this fauour the holy virgin was much cheered and prosecuted her way hauing gone a good part of it she perceiued that there came after her although a far off a person on horsback who coming more neere shee knew it was the gentleman that pretended to haue her for his wife She was much troubled when she sawe him considering herself to be alone and in that place but our Lord who wold keep her permitted him not to know her and she seing her self free froÌ„ that perill kneeling vpoÌ„ the ground gaue many thancks to God and to his most holy mother who appeared to her and sayde My daughter take courage for I pray for thee and I haue asked thee of my deare Sonne to the end thou restore my howse of the Crosse With these and other words of much loue which our B. Ladie spake vnto her she rested much conforted and prosecuting her way she came to the holy monasterie where hauing made her prayer in the habit of a man as shee went and adored the holy image of the mother of God shee turned aside to a corner of the church and putting off that apparell put on the womans apparell which she brought with her and lifting vp her eyes to an image of our B. Ladie of much deuotion which stood ouer the regular dore of the coÌ„uent which as is said was the same which is there now and kneeling befor it gaue thankes to her anew for hauing deliuered her from so many dangers and brought her to her holy howse The image spake vnto her and saide my daughter in good time bee thow come to my howse enter merrily for well thow maiest when for the same God created thee and I againe giue thee the superioritie and care ouer it with authoritie that thou edifie and plant virtues and root out and destroy vices and sinnes To this the innocent Damsell replyed saying Ah Ladie being I come alone in this sort I feare they will not receiue me your seruant Feare nothing said the holy image for my deare Sonne who hath brought thee hither will cause that they receiue thee 3. With this the virgin comforted in our Lord spake vnto the Abbesse and giuing her accoumpt who she was and what shee would demanded that they wold receiue her into their coÌ„panie which for to enioy she had left her Father and kinred and to take that holy habitt had come in the habitt of a maÌ„ so not to be knowen The Abbesse repreheÌ„ded her for hauing put herself in so manifest perill although interiorly she gaue many thancks to God who had infused such spirit and fortitude in to so tender a Damsell she was so affected to her seeing her so faire of so comely a grace so well spoken and so composed that shee called other religious and giuing them notice of the successe sayd that the mayden was an Angell in face in her discretion and spirite and that without doubt God had brought her to the howse for some great good for the reparation of the conuent The nunnes asked her a thousand things with bashfulnesse enough vnto herself shee must againe and againe relate all her former histories 4. As shee was recounting these things her Father arriued with her kinsfolks who came to seeke her What hast thou done daughter said hee what madnesse is this what desparate partes are these of thyne such like words he spake vnto her so grieuous and so foule as they could not be worse had he found her in some fault of a loose woman To all which she made herself deafe to iniuries dumbe and to the fiercenesse of her Father a sheep But when shee heard that he wold force her to returne vnto his howse with much humilitie her eyes becoming fontaines of teares and setting vpon her knees before his feet shee besought him and her vncles that they wold molest her no more nor wearie themselues in perswading her any other thing for more easie it shold bee to moue the mountaines and soften the rockes then to goe against the firmnesse of her purpose for that now shee was vnder the ayde and protection of our B. Ladie with great confidence not to goe out of her howse in all her life and therfore she besought them they wold not assay to drawe her from thence because our Lord himself for whom she had come would defend her 5. By this time also was the yong man come who had mett her in the way and preteÌ„ded marriage with her he was driuen to great extremities when hee
knew of her absence seeking her in many places and with licence of her Father and kinsfolke he offered to carrie her to Illescas and keepe her with his mother daintilie and well attended on vntill such time as all things shold be well composed The seruant of our Lord with great humilitie and integritie satisfied these speaches obteined of her kinsfolk that they shold leaue her in that monasterie of our B. Ladie whither interiorly the holy spirite had called her The religious seeing these thinges and the great deuotion and perseuerance of the most humble and deuout Damsell had compassion of her in such sorte as althoug they were very poore they said they wold haue no more riches then to haue such a pledge from heauen in their house and that they wold receiue her ether with little or without any dowrie at all as her Father was best able who something appeased and touched with the powerfull hand of God said God forbid my daughter that we shold goe against the will of him from whom I knowe very well thy determinations doe proceed as the great perseuerance and patience which thou hast had well declareth and this newe deed doth now confirme I giue thee my benediction giue many thancks to God and he guide thee for I am resolued to conforme my self to his holy will THE V. CHAPTER How the seruant of God receiued the hâ—bitt And of some things which hapned to her being a nouice 1 IN the estate which we haue spoken stood the affaires of the blessed Damsell shee with the nunnes and with her Father treating of her reception at the same time the prouinciall came to the monasterie which doutles was the prouidence of God for but eight dayes before he departed thence with intent not to returne for many moneths and without his licence they could not receiue her The Abbesse asked his licence recounting to him what had passed gaue many thancks to God for hauing brought to her conâ—ent a person of such spirite The prouincial sawe her and satisfied with her deuotion and the teares where with shee demanded the habit comanded it shold be giuen her and went his way And so shee was admitted into the conuent and receiued the habit on the third of May the day of the inuention of the holy Crosse when she had accomplished 15. yeares the yeare of our Lord 1496. her Father and kinsfolk being present 2. As soone as the holy virgin sawe herself religious considering the obligation of the newe estate she had chosen she beganne from that time presently to shine amongst all the other religious as the sunne among the starres The mistresse of the nouices commanded her by and by that in all the yeare of her nouitiate she should not speake but with her or the Abbesse or Vicaresse or with her Confessor of which the nouice was very glad for naturally shee was inclined to speake little and so she kept it so punctually all the yeare of her nouice ship and all the things which shee was taught with such exactnes that she wold sooner yeld to be killed then to breake only one howe little soeuer the same were And so much she desired to please God that not only shee obserued all things which they taught her but whatsoeuer virtue shee heard of an other body she procured to imitatâ— it Concerning which there hapned to her some cases of great edification supposing her sinceritie which are not related because they are not so imitable 3. The first time that the blessed nouice communicated with the other nunnes a thing happened to her of great noueltie and discomfort for our Lord so permitting it shee did not then see in the consecrated hoste that which alwayes shee was wont to see which was Christ our Sauiour as hath beene sayde Wherat she remained so afflicted and disconforted that her eyes casting forth fountaines of teares she went to giue account to the confessor of her new discoÌ„fort so extreme as it draue her into great straites and no little care of seeking reasons therof to comfort herselfe with all What Father quoth she Doth not this deserue hell Is it not enough said this innocent soule to condemne me this offence of God must needs be great why it is denied me for my sinnes what is graunted to all Christians The prudent coÌ„fessor comforted her saying that although shee had not seene Christ our Lord in the consecrated hoste she shold not thinck that she had coÌ„municated in mortall sinne nor that the fauours which God had done her at other times were coÌ„municated to all for although the change of the bread into the flesh of Christ is reall and true yet it is not alwayes seene with corporall eyes but with those of the soule wherby the faith is very meritorious of those who come to this most holy SacrameÌ„t beleeuing truly that Christ our redeemer whom they see not is vnder those accidents With these and other reasons which he spake vnto her the sincere nouice remained much comforted and gaue great thancks to God for so singular fauours as he had done her vntil then with the presence of her most sweet redeemer whom so often she had seene in the Sacrament of the Altar and for that which then he did vnto her in exercizing of her faith 4. The blessed Nouice accomplished the yeare of her probation and with the voices of all the conuent she was admitted to be professed which she made with much seruour and teares on the day of the holy Crosse the third of May for the which and for hauing taken the habitt on the same day shee tooke her surname of the Crosse so truly to follow Christ crucified as her life from that time forward was a Crosse so terrible to the diuell that not being able to endure it he who with hellishe furie threwe downe the first man from the height in which God had created him that a woman yong weak should now ouercome him escape free out of his haÌ„ds God permitting it to exercise his seruant as another Iob or S. Antonie in patience he persecuted her visiblie and inuisible and the diuell tempted her in a thousand manners many times whipping her so rigorously and so cruelly that the stripes and markes of the strokes and blowes which he gaue her dured on her for many dayes and newe woundes added before the old were wholly healed 5. One time it chanced to her that asking humbly of God for a soule the diuells whipped her so cruelly and shed so much bloud forth of her body that they left her for dead At that time came her Angell keeper and cheering herselfe with his presence shee saide vnto him with great loue O blessed Angell what haue you done how haue you left me in so great necessitie and wearinesse looke how the ministers of the diuine iustice haue handled me To which the Angell answeared very ioyfull nether haue I left thee nor doth my Lord Iesus Christ leaue thee
but I tell thee in his behalf that with this euill entreatie these blowes and stripes which they haue giuen thee thou hast gained a crowne very gratefull to the diuine maiestie and I come in virtue of his name to cure thee of these woundes And making vpon her the signe of the Crosse he healed her and our Lord granted her that which she asked for that soule for which she was praying Who is able to recount all the euill intreatings that the infernall ministers inflicted vpoÌ„ her whom it seemed they were so resolued and set to persecute as if they had neglected all the world besides her Who can explicate the mortification and pennance of this virgin and the depth and height of her humilitie wher with she thought so highlie of God and so lowly of herself maruelling alwayes with her selfe that God shold inclose so great treasures in a vessell so fraile and miserable as she was who thought not herself worthie of the earth which she troad vpon THE VI. CHAPTER Of the pennances of the seruant of God and of the frequencie of her raptes 1 THe newe Professed found herself so obliged to God for hauing brought her to holy religion and so desirous to doe him great seruice that from the day shee was professed she determined to suffer for his loue whatsoeuer kind of torment was compatible with her condition desiring to giue her life for that Lord who with so much loue gaue his life for her And many times thinking on this loue of her God with desire to be a martyr shee sayd with great grief O that God would doe me this fauour that I might dy for him for I desier no other blessednes on the earth then to see my selfe beheaded for his loue burned beaten to poulder or scalded to death Thincking on this and on her most sweet espouse crucified for her burning in his loue shee sayde Lord giue me paines torments labours and griefs command the Angells of heauen the diuells of hell and all the creatures of the earth to execute vpon me all their power for be it as great as it can be it shall be all limited and little in comparison of the much which for thy diuine maiestie I desire to suffer my only loue and my good through thy diuine grace 2. Accompanying with worckes these so feruorous desires shee beganne to lead a newe life and to doe very sharp penances adding to the old ones some newe and to her great rigours others very terrible And her fastes were such as she brake them not in three dayes together and often times she passed eight whole dayes without eating one bitt Her watching was very long and her sleep so little that shee slept not vntill the day break then only that which serued to comfort the head Her clothing was alwayes more humble poore and patched then of any other of the nunnes but without any extremitie of singularitie although inwardly shee vsed shirts of haire and chaynes next vnto her skinne And for the greater penâ—nce and the more to mortifie her tast mouth many times she carried in it bitter worâ—wood in memorie of the gall and vinegre which our Sauiour taâ—ted vpon the Crosse In prayer shee spent the most of the night and she would say that when it was not very feruorous and accompanied with many teares it seemed to her vnworthie that God shold receiue it Her times of leisâ—re in the day shee spent in humble offices and in the seruice of the conuent Whâ—n she washed the poâ—tes and platters of the kitchin and other like vessells she considered that they were for the seruants of God to eat in And so in these humble and base offices she receiued many fauours particular comforts of God and of his most holy and blessed Mother 3. And wheras she knewe how much humilitie pleaseth God shee procured â—lwayes to occupie herself in humble offices and with notable charitie to serue the sicke religious wholly carring for their seruice and comforte in which there happened to her things of great mortification much like to those which haue happened to diuers other saints who licked the wounds of the sick and exercised themselues in offices which of their oune nature were very loathsome but to God very pleasing as with his diuine fauour shee his douote seruant did many times who being Cooke and drawing water out of the well brake a great panne of clay which shee carried in her hands for the which shee was much confounded and attributing it to her slouth and carelesnesse she threw herselfe downe vpon the earth and making prayer to our Lord the pieces were ioyned together and the panne remaining whole serued afterward two or three yeares in the kitchin One religious who was present at all this and sawe with her eyes the miracle sayde what is this sister was not this panne all to peeces how is it now whole to this the blessed cooke answered with much humilitie yes sister but our Lord hath remedied by his goodnesse that which I haue abused by my sinnes 4. In such exercises as this and the like the seruant of God spent her time and the first yeares of her religion which being so admirable and the great talent and valour of the newe professed and her prudence and sanctitie being knowen although her yeares were but fewe obedience employed her in the office of sacristian after hauing been well prooued in that of the kitchen of the which she gaue so good account that without taking her from it they gaue her also care of the Torner and shee proued so well in these offices that in short time they made her Portresse All which in that shee did them with so much humilitie and patience as most zealous of the seruice of God of sanctitie and of the seruice of the conuent she did vndergoe great labours for because shee was yong all opposed themselues against her and the most mild lambe humbled herself to whom soeuer and to those that chiâ—d her confest her fault praying our Lord for those that persecuted her And shee was so well contented in seruing of the other religious in offices of humilitie and obedience as if therin had been her glory her blisse and her heauen And intruth so it was for in these offices shee found God who is the blisse and true heauen of the iust as this virgin found him in the porterie and in the torner for doing these offices shee went so enamored of her most sweet Iesus that alwayes shee had him present in so much that if shee turned the torner to giue or receiue any thing thorough the same she contemplated the cradell in which she rocked the sweet child Iesus And once indeed it happened her so to turne it wâ—â—h this thought as shee found God a child therin who wiâ—h a countenance very peaceable smiling spake vnto her making merry with her 5. Another time being Portresse the most holy child Iesus appeared to her and
as soone as she sawe him she stretched out her armes for to embrace him but at the same instant appeared his most holy mother taking him in her armes lifted her self vpon highe with him accompanied with infinite Angells who with most sweet harmonie made him musick But as soone as blessed Ioane sawe that the mother the Sonne departed and left her so alone iudgeing her selfe vnworthie of so soueraigne companie she remained very sadd and without comfort but she that is mother of comfort comforting her sayde Do not afflict thy selfe daughter but come toward the figtrees in the garden for there thou shalt find vs. 6. Most contented with this fauour accomplishing her office of obedience shee went to the garden looking on euery side to see that which her soule desired and approaching to the bake-howse neer vnto the figtrees she sawe our Lord Iesus Christ and his blessed mother and many Angells which awayted her And falling prostrate vpon the earth shee adored God and the B. virgin and stood long time enioying of that soueraigne vision so absorpt as although they called her with a bell she heard not vntill the mother of God said to her Goe daughter performe thy obedience for they haue called thee three seuerall times and thou hast neuer heard them Then leauing God and his mother for obedience sake shee went to see who it was that sought her and hauing done the businesse she returned by by to the bake-howse aforesaid where she had left her hart and her rest But some of the nonnes meeting her noted much the speed and hast with which she went that her face was very bright and that a sweet sauour proceeded from it for the which some of them followed her desirous to know what the matter was suspecting some great thing And seeing her enter into the bake howse they heard her say O soueraigne mother of God great is thy mercy towards me vnworthie sinner that I hauing gone and left thee and my most sweet espouse in this humble and poore place I find that you ar stil here attending for me The nonnes also heard the B. virgin answeare saying My daughter thou hast therfore found me because for obedience sake thou hast left me which much pleaseth my Sonne and me 7. The blessed Ioane was so fauoured of our B. Ladie the virgin as the fauours and comforts which she receiued from her powerfull hand cannot as they worthilie deserue be esteemed For not only being a child but when she was of greater age and in all times she had great reuelations and visites of our Lord and of his most holy mother both in râ—ptes and out of them which dured her more or lesse time as pleased God At the beginning three or foure howres after they were greater for they came to fourteen and to twenty and forty houres euery one sometimes she was eleuated three dayes without returning to herself Once it happened her to returne from a very great rapt and scarcely to haue come to her selfe when only hearing named the most sweete name of Iesus or of seing some image of his most sacred passion shee was againe eleuated as before without any manner of sense or feeling She was most beautifull and shining in these rapts and when she returned from them the nonnes besought her that shee would tell where shee was and what shee had seen in those raptâ—s and reuelations which although she refused to doe excusing her selfe for humilitie sake yet when it was the will of God that shee shold manifest it shee sayde that her good Angell carried her in spirite and set her in a throne very bright and glorious where she â—awe our Lord and his most holy mother and the Angells the Apostles and Euangelistes the Patriarches and Prophets our holy Father saint Francis and infinite other saints men and women of the newe and old testament giuing such euident signes of them as if she had beene borne and brought vp with them She said that they went adorned with their particular insignes The saints of the old testament with the figures therof which they represented conforme to their prophecies Abraham with the sacrifice of the lamb Moyses with his serpent and the bush Aaron with his rodd others with the Arck of the testament And that the saints of the newe testament carried also their ensignes The Apostles and Martyrs those of their martyrdome our holy Father S. Francis the fiue wounds more bright then starres others carried the chalice with the most holy Sacrament others the font of baptisme and others the keyes of the Church Euery one of them more faire and bright and more shining then the sunne in so much that it is a meruellous thinge and very pleasing to see and contemplate these things full of so much beautie and comlinesse as no tongue is able to explicate the same answerable to that which our Lord of his mercy doth shew them vnto me said the Saint and will that I see them from that holy place where as it seemeth to me I stand tyed with a certaine beame of that place which denoteth that my soule is not yet wholly vntied and free from the prison of this body 8. The blessed Ioane was foure and twentie yeares ould at which age the noÌ„nes saw her fall into a rapt such as neither before nor after she neuer was seene to haue the like For other times when shee was rapt she remained with much beautie and lustre of her face but this time it was not so for all that wanted in her and she remained as one dead her eyes broken sunck her lippes blue her teeth gnashing her nose drawen vp and all the members of her body disioynted and stiffe and her face so pale and wanne as if she were altogether dead The nonnes admired at the noueltie of the chance and desiring to know the cause therof prayed the holy virgin that shee wold reueale the same vnto them But shee as one prudent and silent wold neuer tell it vntill some dayes being passed her good Angell commanded her to tell it and then shee sayde the cause mothers that you sawe in me such noueltie in that rapt was for that being in it I sawe my good Angell with sad countenance And I asking him the cause he sayde that our Lord had shewed him the great persecutious wearinesses and infirmities which were to come vpon me and that he hauing prayed for me The Angells to shew sad countenance and to weep is a speach which the holy scripture vseth as in the 33. chapter of Isaias more by similitude then by proprietâ—e for an Angell although he appeare in corporall forme and visible to men doth neither weep nor eat nor speake nor exercise any vitall operation according to S. Thom. 1. p. q. 51. a. 3. for to Worck properly these things which are vitall actions he should be the soule of the same body in which he appeareth and as the forme therof animate it
and humilitie she ceased not from her holy prayer vntill our most clement Lord moued by the petitions of his most holy mother and of the Angells and virgins which on their knees in his diuine presence did aske it of him his maiestie cast on the blessed Ioane the eyes of his diuine mercy and looking vpon her with a countenance very pleasant and amorouse sayde It pleaseth me daughter to espousâ—â— my selfe vnto thee and then extending his powerfull hand he gaue it vnto her in signe of espousall with many shewes of loue 2. The deuotion she had to the most holy Sacrament surpasseth all that can be sayde Before communion she set all thinges in order to dispose her selfe for communion after communion all which followed she wholy spent in giuing of thancks And such gust and comfort she receiued in this celestiall meate that the more she tasted of it the more encreased her hunger of it and so she procured to come to this diuine Sacrament as oft as she could which when it was not granted her she communicated spiritually that so frequently without intermission as her life was a continuall spirituall communion In so much that being one time rauished in those maruailous raptes which heerafter wee shall declare our Lord said that those spirituall communions did please him much wherwith the seruant of God was much comforted And acknowledging this so soueraigne benefitt Spirituall communion is when as one cannot receiue the body of Christ our Lord sacramentally he receiueth it interiorly spirituallie in his soule with faith and charitie as the Counsell of Trent defineth in the 13. session and 8. ca. S. Thomas in the 3. p. q. 80 a. 1. and 2. and 4. booke d. 9. a. 2. Suarez tom 3. p. 3. d. 62 sect 1. and to those that so communicate spiritually is giuen the effect and virtue of the sacrament according to their deuotioÌ„ and after this manner a soule may communicate spiritually many times in the day she was woÌ„t to say many times O my Lord how excellent is this maÌ„ner of communicating without being seen or perceiued without any other troubling the ghostly Father or giuing account thereof to any creature but only to thee my Creator and my Lord who heapest on me such delights and susteynest with the sweet sauorie bittes of thy most holy presence me poore sinner vnworthie of this most high gift the most vile and out-cast of the world and doest me such singular fauour that euery houre and moment my soule may receiue such gust sweetnesse and delight and that alwayes I may bee sweetened of thee my sweet Iesus my espouse and Lord if I by the bitternesse of my sinnes do not make my self vnworthie of thy diuine sweetnesse O meruailous meat O bread of Angells what banquet is this what pietie is this my sweet Iesus and what mercy and liberalitie is that which thy diuine maiestie bestoweth vpon an vnworthie miserable slaue This said the holy Ioane giuing thancks to God for communicating so often spirituallie and touching Sacramentall Communion such meruailous things happened vnto her as these following do declare 3. This most deuote virgin on a time confessing her selfe while the conuentuall masse was sayde the confessor bidd her goe and adore the most holy Sacrament and comming to a portall hard by the Church hearing it ring to the eleuation she kneeled on her knees to adore from thence with the eyes of her soule him whom she could not see with the eyes of her body Being so on her knees the wall of the portall which diuided the conuent from the Church was opened a wide and shee sawe the most holy Sacrament on the altar as also the priest who said masse and all the Church persons which were therein And hauing adored the sacred Hoste and Chalice the wall ioyned it selfe againe together she remayning on her knees in the same place but when the priest eleuated the Hoste the latter time the wall opened againe And for a perpetuall memorie of this miracle our Lord God would that the last stone in which the ioynt of the wall shut it selfe shold remayne more white then the others and clouen in three partes in manner of a Crosse as is to be seene to this very day and from that time hath beene held in great veneratioÌ„ And when that wall was taken downe for to make the Church in the forme that now it is the most part of this stone as a pretious relique was put in the high cloyster as now it standeth couered with a grate of iron guilded whither the nonnes repaire to pray and to touch their beades 4. The like to this happened to the humble seruant of God as she went about the worke of the kitchen for hearing it ring to the eleuation amongst the firebrands and the pots where as she was she kneeled vpon her knees and there adored and it seemed to her that she sawe the most holy Sacrament although there were foure or fiue seuerall walles and as many chambers between it her And one time Christ our Lord spake to her in the consecrated hoste promising her the saluation of a nonne of her coÌ„uent which was in the very agonie of death for whom shee prayed Being one Easter eue in her cell she heard it ring to the Gloria and being not able to goe to masse because she was sick kneeling on her knees in the bed to giue thancks to God she sawe from thence and heard all that which the priest sayd at the Altar and that which the nonnes did say in the quire And which is more shee sawe Christ risen bright and glorious as he came out of the sepulchre with many Angells which made him musick and song many hymnes Other times it happened to this virgin so tendered of God that being farr froÌ„ the quire she heard the diuine office which the nonnes said by the signes which she gaue so punctually of all things done the miracle was appareÌ„t the truth therof 5. One of the Religious seeking another thing in the cell of this holy virgin sawe within a little coffer a consecrated hoste our Lord permitting it who by this meanes would publish so soueraigne a miracle At the same instant the seruant of God returned from a rapt in which she was and with great anxietie went streight to the little coffer wherin the religious went to looke to whom she sayde sister do not touch this holy relique for it is the most holy Sacrament which the Angells haue brought hither The religious astonished to heare her say so prayed her she wold tel theÌ„ how it came thither to whom she saide A certaine man who for his sinnes went to hell dyed with the most holy Sacrament in his mouth froÌ„ wheÌ„ce the Angells tooke it with great reuerence and brought it hither commanding me that being I had seene it I shold communicate that holy Hoaste and receiue it for one of the soules in purgatorie
cānot put away the griefe it causeth me to think if therfore I shall be abhorred of the venerable prelates of the order of our Father S. Francis if this shal be cause that I may lose the masses and suffrages which after my death I did hope for of them And whē I thinck vpon my sinnes chiefly after they haue iudged me to be euill I do so beyond reason afflict my selfe as I knowe not how to expresse it And saying this she shed many teares for the which her Angell desiring to cōfort her said 9. Be quiet blessed soule let not the memorie of thy sinnes so much torment thee nor let thy tribulations wearie thee when for them thou shalt bee blessed and they purifie thee as the fornace doth the gold Neither do thou thinck that because thou art reprehēded by thy prelates that they do abhorre thee but that by this way thy crowne shall be made and thy soule shall be purified for as the holy scripture saith thou hast it alwayes in the palme of thy hands I wold not sir that my soule should be in such wicked hands as mine are replyed shee but only in the handes of God for so I shold haue it most secure for I being so euill a sinner do feare much to lose it sir it seemeth to me that according to the great mercies which God vseth towards such a sinner our Lord would be pleased with me if I did not so much feele how greatly they doe afflict persecute me and wher I should perswade my selfe that with great reason they doe it yet I cannot at all times for the little virtue which I haue I wold rather not to haue bene borne thē to haue offended my God so many times Ah holy Angell how great are my sinnes What shall be come of me if God according to his mercy do not deale with me like himself demand it thou of him my holy keeper let not this soule bee lost which is cōmitted to thy charge giue good accoumpt of this thy little sheepe suffer not the wolfe holy S. Laruell to cary her away Blessed comforter of soules comfort mine for I am altogether without comfort and persecuted although the greatest of my persecutions is to thincke that God permitteth them because I am so great a sinner and for this cause it is that the diuell doth so much torment me 10. Be not vngratefull to our Lord saide the Angell for the persecutiōs which ar inflicted on thee are so many fauours which God doth giue thee and thou knowest well that it is long time since I told thee that satan had asked licence to persecute thee and to tempt thee as hee did holy Iob. But trust in Iesus Christ our redeemer and in the virtue of his Crosse for although the body suffer yet the soule shall be saued Cast therfore away this feare and vexation and consider that if thy persecutions be great so also are the helpes and succours which our Lord sendeth thee to support them as are the many visitations which his diuine maiestie and his holy mother do so often afforde thee the spirituall goods which thou doest enioy in this life when being on earth thou participatest so oftentimes of the delightes of that celestiall Hierusalem the great familiaritie wherwith thou conuersest with me and the particular care wherwith I defend and keep thee I giue infinite thancks to my God sayde shee and to thee my good Angell who so hast comforted me with thy holy discourses yet I desire that thou tell me how I being so great a sinner We read of some saintes who had much familiaritie with their Angell keeper of S. Lyd win a virgin Surias tom 7. April 14. of S. Francisca Romana Iulius Vrsinus in her life lib. 1. cap. 1◠and saint Elizabeth sister of King Eckerbert Abbasse of the monasterie of Esconaagia Marcus Marulus lib. 2. cap. 4. thou art seene of me so oftentimes I enioy so oft the most sweet presence of my redeemer Iesus Christ and of his most holy mother It is his grace answered the Angell and hee cōmunicateth it to whom hee will whereof thou art to render him a strict accoūpt His diuine maiestie knoweth well answered she that I neuer demanded of him neither visions not apparitions for being so miserable and a sinner I do not deserue it and so I knowe that only because he is who he is hee doth me these fauours Giue him many thancks for them said the Angell and confesse that other persons without enioying of these fauours ar better then thou And this hold alwayes in thy memorie that for thy greater good and to keepe thee from vaine glory God hath permitted thee to be persecuted and troaden vnder foot of euery one and by the tongues of many to be detracted and torne in peeces 11. At the fame of these things and many others which befell her with her Angell there repaired vnto her so many people that stood in neede of cōsolation that many times there were seene all at once at the doore of the conuent a hundred persons al which she receiued heard spake vnto most curreously without being euer tired or distastfull to any of them Wherin she had in truth the condition of her good Angell to whom after their departures shee represēted the necessities of them all requesting him to comfort them and so well she retained the answear of her Angell as although they were of things very differēt yet she forgot none To a certain spirituall person who prayed her to know of her Angell what he shold do to please our Lord she answered Peace prayer and silence are three things which much please God And to another who desired to knowe the same she saide Weepe with those that weep reioyce with those that reioyce and hold thy peace with those that speake Another person in necessitie of health and comfort knowing that eache one found it by her meanes sent to pray her that she wold obtaine of her Angell some holesom councell to beare with patience the dolours of her infirmitie which were great And the holy Virgin hauing cōsulted with him about it the Angell gaue her this answear Tell this afflicted persō that she put for the tester of her bed Christ crucified for corteines the ensigne of his passion so offer to God all his dolours Many were the answeres which the Angell gaue to the seruant of God in diuers busines which euery moment she consulted with him all full of misteries like celestiall oracles most important for the health of the soule of which I leaue some not to make this volume to large and because they are like to these allready related 12. This seruant of our Lord did not only treat with her good Angell and with other Angells with the familiaritie which we haue seene but shee had the same in very great degree with many saintes in especiall with the most glorious S. Annie of Padua
of whom from her infancie she was so tendered and fauoured in all her laboures that in each occasion he was her singular patrone and aduocate Being one time in prayer asking of our Lord mercy for her owne and for other soules the glorious Saint appeared to her and saide Daughter who pleaseth her sweetest espouse so much as thou dost please him may demand much of him And the saint contemplating the beauty of that most sweet childe which S. Antonie brought in his hand beganne to speake to him such louing speaches and so sweet that she stood so a great while vntill the same saint sayed to her Turne away my daughter thy face and be sorrowefull for thy sisters and for their necessities And turning her face a little aside she sawe two soules in great necessitie and with the great loue she bore to the child Iesus shee begged for them saying with great humilitie and confidence Lord I will not arise from these thy most holy feet vntill I obtaine this fauour The which our most pious Lord moued by her clamoures and begging did forthwith bestowe vpon her And giuing thancks to his diuine maiestie for the pardon which he had giuen to those soules saint Antonie stretching out ouer her his hande and giuing her his benediction sayde Here resteth in his espouse diuine Iesus the true espouse of soules This rapt endured long time and the saint returned out of it with so great mirth and splendor in her face that shee caused great admiration to all the religious which sawe the same 13. Another time the B. virgin making an end of doing a certaine worck of charitie to the benefit of one of the religious of the house she remayned with some discomfort seeing her waÌ„t of other necessities for her soule and this griefe encreasing in her because the spirituall necessitie of her sister encreased fetching a great sigh shee called vpon S. Antonie saying ô my Father S. Antonie help me nowe and be my intercessor to the diuine maiestie that he will deliuer this my sister This she saide with so much charitie and loue of God that at the same instant the saint appeared and said to her beloued espouse of my Lord Iesus Christ what doost thou aske me what is that thou woldest haue for thou shalt obtaine it of his diuine maiestie To the which with most profound humilitie the blessed woman answered my Father S. Antonie I find my selfe so vnworthie that I dare not appeare before my most sweet Iesus but only by thy intercession Then the glorious Father strerching out his blessed hand gaue her his benediction and the child Iesus which he held in the other hand sayde to her with many shewes of loue I will help thee in thy necessities and that which now thou demandest for thy sister is alreadie granted thee who within one moneth shall passe out of this temporall life to the eternall pardoning her many yeares of Purgatorie by thy intercession and prayers And giuing many thancks to God for this mercy with great alacritie of spirite she went to the religious and bad her prepare her selfe for in very short time God wold receiue her to his rest The sister asked her how soone her departure shold be and shee was answered that within one moneth And it pleased our Lord to giue her at that instant great contrition and sorrowe for her sinnes and within the moneth tooke her from hence to himself THE IX CHAPTER How the seruant of God was chosen Abbesse and of one dead which she raised to life and of other miracles which she did 1 ALthough the B. Ioane was very yong to vndertake the office of a Prelate the NoÌ„nes not relying so much on her little age as on her great virtue demanded her sometimes for Abbesse of their conuent But the superiors considering that she was not but fiue or six twentie yeares of age the first time that they would haue made her Abbesse hindered it And when in another occasion the office was voide they besought the diuine maiestie that he would be pleased to put his seruant into the same who now was full 27. or 28. yeares of age Our Lord heard them and the prouinciall comming to the conuent to make the election beganne to coÌ„ceiue some scruple for hauing contradicted it before when the religious would haue chosen her Although yet it seemed doutfull to him to place one for Abbesse who for the most part of the time was rapt in prayer he thinking it a great aduenture so to do for offices and busines be they neuer so holy are wont oftentimes to distract the persons The prouinciall being doubtfull and combated with diuers thoughts and with the instances the religious made vnto him the hand of our Lord came vpon his seruant and she beganne to speake eleuated as she was wont to be addressing her speeche to the prouinciall who was a Biscaner she spake to him in the Biscay toÌ„gue coÌ„manding him that he should make her Abbesse for he might securely All the Nonnes gaue their voices wiâ—hout wanting one and the Prouinciall confirming her said Sisters I giue you not this Abbesse but the holy Ghost who commandeth it and recounted that which hath beene saide 2. The Nonnes could not containe the ioy they conceiued to see themselues subiects to so blessed a Superiour who for the space of seauenteene yeares that she was so performed things of very great importance in the seruice of God and augmentation of the monasterie which was so poore and needie when she beganne to gouerne that it had only a fewe little landes wheron they sowed a little miserable quantitie of wheat and nine reales of rent euery yeare But God wold forthwith by the merits of the holy Abbesse that the conuent should encrease and be augmented not only in great perfection of sanctitie and virtue but also in the edifices and other things necessarie for humane life For Lordes and Grandes of the kingdome gaue vnto it certaine great almes The Lord Cardinall freer Francis Simenes much deuoted to hâ—r was very notable herein the great capitaine Gonsalo Fernandes of Corduba gaâ—e vnto it fiue hundred thousand Marauadis at one time a great almes for that time with which the seruant of Goâ— built one quarter and the best dormiâ—orie that the conuent hath And for the diuine seruice she made many ornamentes vessells of gold and siluer and she encreased the house in rents fiftie bushellâ— of wheat and fiftie thousand marauadis euery yeare aboue all being markable in sanctitie and in good gouernment of the house 3. She ordained that the Nonnes shold be encloased for vntill then because they were very poore they did neither keep it nor yet promise it but went abroad like to the freers to demand almes of the neighbour places Shee was so much beloued of them that they held themselues for blessed in taking her benediction kissing her hand or touching her habit Besides this the tender loue the nonnes
a little of the bread which the mother Abbesse had left vneaten and as soone as she had put it into her mouth the ague left her and shee remayned whole and sound Another Religious had one arme very dangerous soare with a great wound and asking of her good Angell that he would obtaine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ true health for that her sicke sister he answeared her This nonne hath a greater euill then you thinck for it is Saint Martiales fire and such as will not heale vnlesse it be by miracle The fire beganne to manifest it self in her arme and shee in such earnest prosecuted her prayer that shee obtained of God health for the sicke To a little child sick of the euill of the hart she gaue health making vpon it the signe of the Crosse And to the confessor of the conuent being sick of a phrenesie she gaue health by blessing his meat And like vnto these shee did other miracles in the cure of the sicke and in bringing to light many things lost which were commended vnto her prayers THE X. CHAPTER Of the beades which our Lord blessed at the instance of the B. Ioane of the Crosse 1 BEfore I treate of the graces and virtues graÌ„ted to the beades so celebrated through the world by the name of the beades of S. Ioane it hath seemed to me conuenient to aduertise first that being this miracle is so singular and which hath so much excited the deuotion of the faithfull not only in Spaine but also in other partes very remote the diuell hath procured by meanes of his ministers to mingle with the truth of the miracles which could not be denied because they were so apparaÌ„t many superstitioÌ„s of which some little summaries were full which went in print into the handes of the ignorant people which it was necessarie to prohibit as a thing many wayes pernicious 2. The second that there is great difference betweene the virtues which wee experience in things blessed or thinges of deuotion as are Agnus Deies Reliques Images c. and those which we call indulgences for this second presupposeth iurisdiction in him that granteth them and for to publish them certitude in the concession In consequence wherof although it be holden for a tradition very ancient that some Popes and in especiall Gregorie the 13. of happy memorie granted many indulgences to these beades and this might be without bulle by only oracle of liuely voice at the iustance of the generalls and of others deuoted to Religion as hath beene done in many other cases of which the compendiums of the indulgences granted to the religious at full yet because this was not knowen with that claritie which was conuenient I did not treat of these indulgences in particular in the first impression of this booke nor yet did I hold it for incoÌ„uenient to vse the name of indulgences considering that some of the said summaries which went abroade were falle and without ground And yet because that sufficed not I haue determined in this impression not to vse the name of indulgences or any other which may presuppose iurisdiction vntill it be made apparent by the Apostolicall grant And so I vse only the name of virtues and graces which our Lord granted to these beades as hath beene manifested by many miracles without denying or affirming that the diuine maiestie or any of the Popes haue granted many indulgences to the said beades For in matter of indulgences that cannot be published which is not proued by the indulte neither dare I deny that which tradition so commonly receiued â—oldeth and whiâ—h we read in the originalls of the life of this seruant of God 3. The third that thâ—se graces and virtues may not be contemned for that they are not alwayes expâ—â—ienced because they are fauours of God which he granteth to the faithfull according to the good â—aith and deuotion of euery one or according to the necessitie of the occasioÌ„ or according as his maiestie of his clemencie is pleased to impart yea iâ— is cleer that it should be a great impietie to â—ffirme that the Agnus Deies and other things whiâ—h are blest haue not the virtues which are granted them in the benedictions of the Church because they are not alwayes experienced 4. This being supposed the historie ensueth of the saide beads approued not only by tradition so ancient but by many informations iuridically made some by the coÌ„mission of the most graue prelates others in their owne persons and others by testimonie of persons very worthy of credit of all which mention is made in relating the said miracles And being the fauours which our Lord did to his blessed seruant sister Ioane were so manifest the Religious of the said conuent desiring to help themselues by the intercession of their B. Mother prayed her that she wold obtaine of our Lord by meanes of her good Angell that he wold blesse their Rosaries grant them some graces for them and for the soules of Purgatorie because in those times there were very fewe hallowed beades The seruant of God out of her charitie who neuer knewe how to deny any thing they asked her for Gods sakâ— did promise to treat therof with her Angell keeper and hauing communicated it with him and obtained of God what shee desired she willed the nonnes that against a certain day they shold get together all the Rosaries beaâ—â—es they had for our Lord of his goodnes would blesse them and had coÌ„maÌ„ded that the Angell shold bring theÌ„ vp to heauen from whence he shold bring theÌ„ back againe blessed She spake not this to deaâ— people for the nonnes hearing her sought in the house and in all places of the couÌ„trie about all the Rosaries decades and beades they could all which they brought her against the day appointed and being they were so many and so different hence it commeth that there is so much difference of them some of amber and iett others of wood others of corall and of glasse c. the B. sister Ioane when she sawe amasâ—ed together so many beades she wild them to be put in a little chest which I haue seene sometimes is kept in the conuent wiâ—h great veneration euen from that time vnto this day and one of the nonnes to locke it and to keepe the key to herself 5. This done she â—eâ—her selfe to prayer the religious seing her rapt held for certaine that that was the happie houre and instant when the holy Angell shold carrie the Rosaries vp to heauen there to blesse them And so carried away with a kinde of curiositie they came to the religious that kept the key of the coffer and opening it they sawe that it was emptie and that there were no beades at all therin whence they held for certaine that which they had imagined and so locking it againe as it was before they retyred from thence that she returning from her rapt might not see them awaiting with great coÌ„fort
he carried with him a bead of B. Ioane and casting it into the sea fastned to a long corde that he might get it againe in that instant the heauen cleered and the tempest ceassed and the sea was asswaged in such sort that they gained the hauen and all of them gaue many thanckes to God for hauing deliuered them from so manifest perill by the virtue of that bead to the which all of them attributed it because the faire wether came so instantly and so vnhoped for by the mariners 10. Christofer of Cerro neighbour of Torreion affirmed that a great tempest of thunder hayle and lightening fallinge he remembred himself of one of these beades which he had with him and desiring that all that stood there shold knowe the virtue of these beades he threw that which he had toward that quarter whence the tempest came and at the same instant it ceased and thâ— skie waxed cleere to the great admiration of them all 11. Luissa Roman neighbour of Torreion fell into a great infirmitie for which she was wholly despaired of by the phisitions and being almost dead they put about her neck the beades of the B. Ioane and she sawe in a dreame that a nonne of her habit put on her the said beades and bad her take courage for with those she should bee healed And when shee awaked shee was found couered with a great sweat and wholie healed not without great admiration of all those who had seene her in so great perill and all praysed our Lord for so great a meruaill 12. Anne of Lero widowe neighbour of Torreion was much oppressed with a palsey in such sort that she could not stir her arme nor her left legg and commending herself to the B. Ioane of the Crosse she promised that if it pleased her to heale her she would visit her holy body for nine dayes together And putting vpon her one of those beades she found herself sodainly whole The same woman also in the time of â—he plague had vpon her two deadly impostumes was quitte despaired of the phisitians and forsaken of the peoâ—le of her owne house who to fly from the plague vtterly left her But remembring her of a bead she hoped that by the merits of the Saint our Lord would restore her to her health She was not frustrated of her hoâ—e for the diuine maiestie caused that the selfe â—ame houre in which the phisitian affirmed shee would dye shee was all couered with a sweat which being past she was well called the people of her house vnto her asking them to giue her to eat the Phisitian demanding on the morrowe it she were dead they told him that she was amended and entring to see her hee found her without any manner of sicknesse and when she was well recouered she came to watch at the body of B. Ioane as she had promised 13. Dame Isabell of Valleio was in Alcada of Henares much oppressed with the euill of the hart and with other infirmities so perilous as that she was despayred of But laying one of these Beades vpon her hart it stuck so fast vnto her flesh as if they had nayled it and she beganne presently to be better and in short time obtained entire health of all her infirmities by the virtue which God had put into that beade 14. Hieronyma Euangelist a Religious of the conuent of the Crosse declared that as she eate a little fishe a sharp bone went crosse her throate and fearing to choake herself she commended it to the glorious S. Blase but seeing her self still oppressed of her griefe and calling to mind the beades of B. Ioane inuoked her help and putting to her throat one of the beades at that very instant the thorne came out all bloudie at that end which had stucke fast in her throat and shee remayned whole and well 15. A Lady of Madrid whom for iust respectes I do not name being much perplexed with scruples and doutes of faith wherwith the diuell did disquiet her procured a beade of the B. Ioane and only with carying it about her she remained free from the temptations of the diuell And the same bead put vpon a grandchild of the iustice Villaroell in Madrid who then was sicke of a strong ague she remayned forthwith well discouering herein the virtue which our Lord put in these beades against the perills both of soule and body 16. Marie Nunnes a neighbour of Torreion on a time saide to Isabell of Cerro her neighbour that there was no saluation for her for she was condemned and that her Angell keeper had now forsaken her The said Isabell of Cerro hearing this put in her haÌ„d the beades of B. Ioane with which she slept for the space of an houre and awaking she saide Ah neighbour what is this you haue put betwixt my handes for by it I haue fouÌ„d both health and remedie and presently remained free from that desperation and madnesse in to which shee formerly was fallen 17. Anne Lopez a neighbour of the foresaid place prayed the said Isabell of Cerro to giue her one of those beades for to put it vpon a sonne of hers which sawe many euill visions and after she had put it on him he neuer sawe them more but remained very quiet and well at ease A little while after Isabell prayed her to restore her the bead back againe being her sonne was now well but she couetous therof would not rendre it wherupon the said Isabell of Cerro said I pray God thou maiest neuer enioy it and so it happened for Anne saying her prayers vpon it it vanished from out of her fingers leauing her full of confusion and feare and neuer after could she see it 18. Agnes Baptist a religious in the monasterie of Saint Marie of the Crosse gaue one of these beades to Francis of Royas her cozin germane and he losing it vpon the waye missed it and returning back some leagues so seeke it praying the glorious Ioane of the Crosse that he might find it because he esteemed it very much he found it in a cobwebb in the ayre eleuated a yard from aboue the ground and with much reuerence hee tooke it and caused it to be set in gold and full of teares and deuotion he recounted this historie to his afore named cozin which shee relateth vpon her oath 19. It is also manifest by information and by the testimonie of Isidore Garcia publicke scriâ—ener of the towne of Cubas that in the yeare 1607. the 11. day of Iuly Anne de Montoya a neighbour of Valdemoro being in the Church of the monasterie of the Crosse fulfilling a nouen or nine dayes prayer which shee had promised to the blessed Ioane of the Crosse for hauing deliuered her husband from a very perilous infirmitie and desiring much to haue some of her beades prayed that she might find one and being in this prayer one came in the ayer which fell from on highe and strooke her on the fore head in the
sight of Angela of Auila wife to Iohn Giron and Catharine of Tolosa wife to Iohn Martinez neighbours of Cienposuelos who were present and declared it before the said scriuener And considering the place where the woman â—ate when the bead fell it was a miraculous chance for it could not be by humane industrie because there was not neer about it any doore window hole not chinâ—k wherby they might cast it which therfore is holden for a miracle of the blessed Ioane of the Crosse THE XII CHAPTER Of other miracles which our Lord hath wrought with the Beades touched at the originall Beades 1 NOt only the beades which the Angell carried vp to heauen and there were blessed by our Lord haue the virtues which wee haue seene But also those haue the same which are touched at them as the B. Ioane had said to her religious And the virtue of these beades doe much more prooue the miracles done at those that haue bene touched of them which haue beene done by meanes of those which our Lord blessed in heaâ—en For if only for hauing toâ—ched these beades they haue such propertie and virtue as to cast out â—iuells and doe other miracles it is cleere that the beades which gaue them this virtue do not want it themselues when in good Philosophie they must haue it eminently And because miracles are so good a proofe and so sufficient for supernaturall things for no proofe is equall vnto it because a miracle being doone in confirmation of the doctrine which is preached God is found to be the witnesse therof I willl heer recount some gathered of the aboue named informations and of another made by authoritie of his excellencie of Toledo for the auouching of certaine miracles of the blessed freer Iulian of S. Augustin by whom our Lord hath wrought so mâ—ny that those which are iuridically proued in nintie two authenticall informatioÌ„s aâ—erred by a thousand and foure hundred witnesse taken first by authoritie of the ordinarie and after by especiall commission of his holinesse passe the nuÌ„ber of six huÌ„dred This seruaÌ„t of God had one of the originall Beades so much deuotioÌ„ bare he to it as he exhorted the people to touch their Rosaries at the same and in this worâ—k of charitie there fell out strange cases wiâ—h the diuells who procured to depriue him of it as these miracles which followe do approue 2. The blessed Father being in the yarde where they of the towne of Villanueua dresse their corne there came to him Marie Sanz wife to Bartholomew de Onchell the elder and requesting him that she might touch her Rosarie at the beade that he had hanging at this Rosarie hee saide lift vp first this stone which is hard by vs the woman tried twise and could not for it burnt like fire and shee burnt herself B. freer Iulian seeing this saide Do not labour about it daughter for this is no stone although it seemeth so to bee but it is a diuell which pretendet to hinder that thy beades bee not touched at the bead of B. Ioane that thou maiest not enioy of the virtues which God hath put therin like cases to these happened him many times in the saide towne of Villanueua and in Camarma as appeareth by the saide information and that the stones disappeared when the saint discouered what they were 3. In the towne of Meiorada the seruant of God being a touching other Rosaries at the bead which he had there came to him Iulian Dias daughter of Albertus de Cobeia that he might touch her ten beades and the saint saide They haue beene touched at an other time and they haue the virtue of the beades of the B. Ioane which was approued to be so and that it was more then two yeares since Francis Moreno a neighbour of Zelafe had touched them in Madrid at another beade 4. Magdalen Esâ—riuano a neighbour of Torreion of Velasco was much tempted by the diuell who appeared to her oftentimes and offering her a rope willed her to hang herself But our Lord was pleased that he laying vpon her a touched bead the diuell neuer more appeared vnto her and she remained free from him and from the feares and amazements which he suggested vnto her 5. A certaine Doctor was much troubled with scruples and doutes in matters of faith wherwith the diuell vexed him and hauing heard speake of the virtue of the beades of the blessed Ioane he procured one of theÌ„ that were touched and with only carrying it about him he remained free and with the same bead cast the diuell out of a man 6. Carrillo priest and singing man of the holy Church of Toledo had one of the touched beades and thinking that it was of the originalls because for such it was giuen him comming where there was a possessed person the diuell wild him that he shold get him from him because he brought with him a bead of S. Ioane which although it were of those that were touched had the same virtue that the others had that he much tormented him with it and with this the priest was freed of his errour knewe that the bead was no originall but of the touched yet that it had the selfe same virtue which those had which Christ himselfe blessed And although the diuell be the Father of lyes yet in such like cases God is not wont to let him lye nor yet permit him to deceiue vs. 7. Mâ—rie Magdalen a Religious of the conuent of the Crosse declared on her word that a woman of Madâ—id came to watch at the said conuent and said that shee seeing a possâ—ssed person carried to be exorcised and remembring herself of the beades of B. Ioane saide oh that we had one another woman that went with her heard it and answered I haue one of those that are touched but I will not part with it least it bee lost and the foresaid woman said why then let me touch another with that for although those that that are touched are not of the originall Beades yet faith will suffice And touching a beaâ— at that which had beene touched went with it to the Church where they exoâ—cised the possessed person and as soone as she entred at the doore the diuell beganne to cry out saying that they shold put out that woman from thence for with a bead that shee brought shee tormented him more then all hell together 8. Dame Katharine of Salazar declared that a woman slaue of her mothers had one of the touched beades and that going one day to the market shee sawe many people about a possessed person and coming also to looke on the possessed beganne to cry out saying Take away from theÌ„ce that slaue for she tormeÌ„teth me with a beâ—d which shee bringeth of that same Iugg Which the people hearing gaue place that the slaue might come neer and put the bead vpon the possessed person and at that instant the diuell went out of him leauing him free all that were
of the spirit of our Lord in all the reuelatioÌ„s which he communicated to this virgin as although her life be so full of them as it might be called a continual reuelation yet would I write this chapter of reuelations in regard that God communicating them did it for the profit of many as the Angell tould commanding her to write them And this was the end that the extaticall virgin had in manifesting them and the end which now we haue in bringing them to light that the sinner reading them may be coÌ„forted considering the mercies of God which do so much shine in them as shall be seene in one which shee related to her religious in these wordes following 2. My holy Angell carrying me on Saint Marie Magdalens day to visite the Church wher her holy body is for to gaine the pardoÌ„s which there are granted and passing by a certain citty of Castile I sawe in a field many people round about a bonfire from the which betweene the flames and the smoake went out a soule more bright then the sunne with two Angells which carried it in the middest of them and another which went before with a Crosse in his hand all going a great pace towardes heauen and my holy Angell saide to me That thou maiest see what the mercy of God can doe and how great the force is of true coÌ„trition This example is more for to trust in the mercy of God then for to imitate by reason of the danger which penance differred to the hower of death bringeth with it De hoc videatur D. August lib. de vera falsâ— poenitentia S. Greg. cap. 27. in Iob S. Ambros. lib. de poenitentia S. Hierom. tom 4. in epist. Eusebij ad Damasum Episcopum That soule which thou hast seene goe from the flames vp to heauen accompanied with the Angells is of an old man a most grieuous sinner who dwelt in mortall sinne all his life and that so abominable and so filthie as not only he merited the flames of that temporall fire but to be burned in hell The iustice apprehended him and he confessed plainely his sinne demanding of God mercye for it protesting that he willingly desired to suffer for his fault in this life the most cruell death that could be deuised and although he might haue saued his life if he would yet he chose to dye and to suffer that paine in satisfactioÌ„ of his fault and so after they had strangled him they burned him in that fire out of which and oâ— the body in this instaÌ„t the soule departeth goeâ—h streight to heauen accompanied with thâ—se Angells as thou seest Which I am glad that thou hâ—st seene that thou maiest know that whilest the soule is in the body place is to be found for the mercy of God euen betwene the rope and the neck 3. Being one day in prayer our Lord shewed her how to an Eremite of holy life who did penaÌ„ce liuing solitarie in the desert the diuell appeared in figure of Christ crucified saide vnto him Adore me for I am thy God who for thy sake suffered my selfe to be nailed on this Crosse and am here come to assure thee that thy prayer and penance much pleaseth me The Heremite did so and being in adoration on his knees at the foot of that false crucifix many other diuells came saying Prince of darcknesse returne to thyne infernall kingdome for the Angells destroy vs the Angells of him that was crucified what will this profit vs sith thou knowest that their God doth hould him selfe well appayed with the good will and that he accepteth that of this Hermite as if he trulie adored the God of heauen leaue therfore these vaine adorations which so little profit thee and returne by and by to thy miserable kingdome which much more importeth thee Our Lord would haue the Eremite to heare these things In such cases God accepteth the will for the worcke S. T. 1. p. q. 64. a. 2. ad 3. and 1. 2. q. 20. a. 4. and 5. and 3 p. q. 68. a. 2. ad 3. S. Bonau de prefect religiosor lib. 2. cap. 23. to enlighten him in this this way saide the seruant of God and that I should tell them to you that you may knowe the craftes of the enemie and may keep your selues from his deceptes which are greater then men thincke of 4. Another time it hapned that this seruant of God vpon the day of S. Lucie being eleuated in prayer and her spirit in that celestiall place where God was wont to put it shee sawe as another Prophet Esaias the Lord of Hoste seated in a throne of most great maiestie and glory compassed with infinite Angells and Saints who gaue rewards and commanded that that Feast should be made to the glorious Saint Lucie for hauing suffered on that day and shed her bloud for the honour of his name She confidering these things and how well God rewarded the laboures suffered for his loue our Lord himselfe seemed to say to her with so shrill and strong a voice as it were the noyse of a great water Wilt thou not my daughter haue as much as I nowe giue to this my seruant The humble and deuote virgin with great confidence and loue after she had adored him said I rendre immense thaÌ„cks to thy maiestie for so soueraigne a fauour and I hope to receiue no lesse of thy most powerfull and liberall haÌ„d for these giftes Lord do not fill me nor do these Iewells and feastes satisfie me because the hunger of my soule can not be satisfied with lesse theÌ„ drinking of this fountaine of life and vntill I get and obtaine it I will not ceasse to make supplication to thy diuine maiestie for it 5. Another time being in a most profound rapte there came to visite her the glorious Saint Barbara to whom she was particularly deuoted and reasoning with her saide You well knowe Lady how much this your vnworthie seruant desireth to serue you Yea I know it well sister answered S. Barbara and I would also that you should knowe I loue you in our Lord and hold you for my singular and deuoted frend With this the B. virgines ended their talke which scarcely was ended when the soule of a childe which had newely expired did appeare vnto her praying her to speake to her mother to chastise her children for she should giue a strict account to God our Lord for their euill breeding and I giue his maiestie many thancks for hauing brought me to his holy kingdom in so tender age for if I had come to be great I had beene damned by the ill education of my mother Bid her looke to my brothers and chastize them before they be greater and come to be lost My mother is called such an one and liueth in such a place and is the wife of such an one With this the seruant of God sent to call her and recounted all that had passed with such assured signes
as she could not doubt there of and she from that time forward was so much affected to the seruant of God that she visited her very oft making profit of the holy counsells which she gaue her 6. Euerie yeare vpon the fundation of the conuent of the Crosse is celebrated therin the apparition of the Queene of Angells the first nine dayes of March on the which the B. virgin appeared as hath beene saide and euery yeare on these 9. dayes at the houre of matines the seruant of God sawe a most solemne procession in which the mother of God came with many Angells and Saints and the soules of many religious of that howse and of other persons departed which were in blisse and had beene deuoute to that holy apparition and also those which were in Purgatorie for the virgin tooke them out on this holy Feast And before they entred into the conuent they went in procession round about it giuing her blessing to the fieldesâ—lying round about the monasterie in the which she entred by and by and went streight to the dormitorie of the religious where they were retired some at prayers and others sleeping To all of them she gaue her blessing with words of most great charitie and loue spake with their Angells keepers who presented to her the prayers and good desires wherwith they had prepared themselues to celebrate the feast of her holy apparition And our B. Lady said Be constant in your laboures for so are the crownes of heauen gained 7. Other times she commanded their Angells kepers they should put them Garlandes of Roses on their heades although they did not see them nor knowe of them And sometimes she reprehended them with most sweet wordes From hence she went to the quire with all that celestiall companie and assisted at the martines the blessed Ioane in spirite being present at all went with the procession On the morrowe at highe Masse comming to her selfe she went to the quire wher she heard the diuine office sermon and sawe the procession And at that instant she was wont to be eleuated and when she came to her selfe the religious entreated her to tell what she had seene and she with much humilitie recounting that which hath beene said could them that she had seene the Queene of heauen in that procession and that she blessed those which had come to celebrate the feast of her holy apparition that they should be very deuote to the same and to the most holy virgin for at her instance God bestowed on this Church many graces and fauoures 8. There was in this monasterie an image of miracles very ancient to which the nonnes had much deuotion and carried it in procession the day of the apparition but because it was nowe very old and without lustre they made the head and face anewe and that the seruant of God might see it who lay sicke in bed they carried it to her cell where for her comfort they left it her vpon an altar and that same night the Saint being at prayer saw in an imaginarie vision the Queene of Angells who stood by the image whom the seruant of God prayed to grant some fauour to her image and the night following at the houre of matines she sawe how Christ our Lord appeared vnto her and blessed the image which from that time is much reuerenced for the tradition of this miracle And of these is God wont to do many according to the necessitie of the times But at this time the heretiques doing so many iniuries to holy images they will censure amisse of this maruaill which our Lord did for their confusion and for the confirmation of the ancient custome of the Church 9. In this seruant of our Lord that was experienced which the Saints say that it is a singular meanes for to attaine to the toppe of Christian perfection to haue deuotion to our B. Lady the virgin to whom this her humble seruant was so deuote that from a very child she vsed to recite her Rosarie and not hauing one of beades she made one of a cord with knottes in place of the Pater nosters and Aue marias And being waxen bigger as she encreased in age so she encreased in this holy deuotion in such sort as when the feastes of our B. Lady came to her great penances fastes and ordinarie exercises she added others extraordinarie with which she disposed herselfe to celebrate them worthilie For which the fauours were very great which God did her on these dayes and greater more frequent were her raptes in the which our Lord tooke her tongue for instrument to publish the prayses of his most holy mother And so this seruant of our Lord being in prayer and abstract from her senses in the great eleuations raptes which we shall sue in the ensuing chapter one day of the Annuntiation of our B. Lady in the yeare 1508. contemplating that so maruellous worcke of the Incarnation of the word which that day the Church representeth and the profound humilitie wherwith the most sacred virgin gaue her consent to be mother of God she said That when the diuine word tooke flesh in her virginall wombe she sawe in that instant the diuine essence and many other misteries which were reuealed to her as graue authores haue affirmed and that she did merit more in that houre obeying to the will of God and giuing credit to the wordes of the Angell then all the Angells had merited when they yelded their obedience to God more then all the martyres in their martyrdomes more then all the confessoures in as many penances as they did and more then all the virgines in the virginitie and puritie which they kept Our B. Lady sawe the diuine essence in the incarnation of the word S. Antonin 4. parte titulo 15. c. 17. § 1. 10. So also vpon a certaine day of the Presentation of our B. Lady in the yeare 1509. this B. Saint being in a rapte which endured her for many houres she saide that from that instant in which the most excellent Queene of Angells was conceiued in the wombe of her mother S. Anne she had the vse of reason as if she had beene of perfect age together with great loue and knowledge of almightie God wherin she alwayes encreased and in all other virtues vntill shee came to be among the pure creatures the most perfect and holy of as many as haue beene or euer shall be in heauen or in earth Our B. Lady had vse of reason in the wombe of her mother from the first instant of her conception S. Bernardinus de Sena serm 51. de B. virg cap. 2. Caiet 3. p. q 27. 11. Another time on the day of the Resurrection of our Lord in the yeare 1508. being eleuated she saide that when our Lord Iesus Christ went out of the sepulchre glorious and risen againe he appeared first before to any other person to his most sacred mother for that she had
this historie and then they sawe that she had in her feet handes the signes of our B. Sauiour crucified being rounde of the bignesse of a sixpence of the colour of roses very flesh and redd and of which figure and colour they were equallie both on the toppes and soles of her feet and on her handes aboue and belowe and out of them iussed such fragrancie of sauour as nothing created could be comparable vnto it she complaining of the great paine and griefe that these signes did cause her 3. The religious seeing her in this plight wept for deuotiō and gaue thancks to God for what they had seene with their eyes and felt with their owne hands And taking her in their armes for she could not goe nor susteine herselfe vpon her feet they carried her into her cell and making her a thousand chrerishings with tendernesse and deuotiō they asked her by signes because it was in the time that she was deafe what markes those were who had giuen her them or howe they had beene there made To the which she answered that being in that most pretious place where by commandmēt of God the Angell of her garde had carried her she sawe our Lord Iesus Christ crucified who touching her with his most sacred woundes left her with most grieuous doloures in her handes and feet And this soueraigne vision ended she found herselfe in her cell and in her senses with those markes which endured her from this good Friday vntill the day of the Ascension although she had thē not euery day but only fridaies and saturdaies Vpon the sonday at the houre that our Lord arose both the paines and the markes quite departed without any more apparence remaining of them then if she neuer had thē And being so humble as she was with much humilitie and teares of deuotion she praied her most holy espouse he would not permit that so pretious and rich Iewells should be emploied vpon a creature so vile as shee beseeching his diuine maiestie he would take them away for it seemed to her a thing of little securitie to expose to the sight of others eyes those singular fauoures which God had done her This she demanded with such teares with such gronings anxietie as she obtained what she desired in such māner that the very day of the Ascension of our Lord to heauen our Lord tooke from her these sacred signes hauing first said to her Thou importunest me that I take away that pretious gift which I gaue vnto thee I will do it but being thou wilt not suffer my roses I will giue thee my thornes and a thing that shall grieue thee more And our Lord fulfilling his worde tooke from her these signes and gaue her to feele the doloures of his passion in all the partes of her body much more painfull then before For although from the seauen or eight yeares of her age our Lord had giuen her to feele them yet they had not beene so painfull to her as they were from this day forward as the reuelations following do declare 4. Being eleuated in spirite by her good Angell in that place where he was wont to place her on friday the twentie two of Iune before the day breake our Lord represented vnto her all the misteries of his sacred passion so liuely to her seeming as if she had seene them on the mount of Caluarie at the foote of the Crosse when Christ did suffer them His maiestie also shewed her in a great field the martyrdome of Saint Acatius and his ten thousand companions how they were crucified and how our Lord from his owne Crosse did animate thē saying Couragious my frendes behold me crucified and dead for you She seing all this asked of her Angell keeper what it ment that Christ stood crucified and so many other crucified with him After that God made himselfe man answered the Angell he hath many companions and thou also must be one and partaker of the doloures of his passion and of his Crosse for so his maiestie will haue it And that thou mightest see his sacred passion the passions of so many of his seruants crucified with him I brought thee to this place And our Lord looking vpon her saide wilt thou daughter tast of this fruit Lord answeared she I will whatsoeuer thy maiestie will and his maiestie embracing her left her the doloures of his sacred passion and so liuely a feeling of them all as the virgin saide that it seemed to her that they had driuen burning nailes through all the partes of her body and that she heard a great noyse as if with yron hammers they did driue and enforce them into her flesh 5. Another time being very sicke a bed there appeared to her our holy Father S. Francis vpon his owne feast glorious and bright accompanied with many Saintes whō she both sawe spake vnto The Seraphicall Father gaue her his benediction and the blessed virgin with much humilitie and loue hauing receiued it asked it for all the freers and nonnes of his order and in especiall for those of that holy conuent beseeching he would giue them all his blessing The holy Father did so and taking his leaue of her because she was prostrate at his sacred feet she kissed them and he againe kist her head saying◠my daughter I will kisse the doloures of my Lord Iesus Christ which by his mercy the diuine maiestie hath placed in thee 6. At the beginning of her great infirmities her doloures being most grieuous it happened her with the force of them to bee two or three daies without rapte a thing which was very newe vnto her and attributing it to her sinnes she thought that God for them handled her as his enemie Thinking vpon this her good Angell appeared to her and sayde harken and heare for our Lord will speake to thee and remember what he shall say vnto thee Forthwith our Lord Iesus Christ appeared in a throne of Maiestie accompanied with many Angells and speaking to her with most sweet and amorous wordes he said what doest thou daughter on this bedd shee answered delighting her selfe with him hauing first adored him ô my Lord how do I suffer so many doloures and yet thy maiestie doth not helpe me neither doth my soule enioy thy soueraigne cherishings as it was wont our pious Lord answered It is not much that thou suffer doloures and infirmities seeing thou art my espouse and hast also chosen me for thine for I in the time of my passion was a man of doloures It is but iust that who loueth truly do partake of the doloures of the beloued A great fauour and grace is this for me replied the virgin but how ô Lord do I find my selfe so luke-warme as I am in thy loue why commandest thou not my Angell keeper to comfort me so oft as hee was wont sweet hart said our Lord where I am there is comfort and beatitude and so although thou be in
of water nor yet open her mouth to coÌ„plaine They endured her foureteene yeares not continually but at certaine times sometimes euery fourteenâ— dayes other times euery twenty daies more or lesie as our Lord was pleased which euill vsed to take her sodainely and sodainely to leaue her againe 2. To these so great doloures were added also others of her stomache and liuer with most grieuous vexations and with so great sweateâ— that they changed her habit her tunicke the cloathes of her bed fiue or six times a day These sweates were as cold as yee and endured her twentie and thirtie daies without ceasing and with so many doloures and euills our Lord sent her others very great and more continuall for her armes and handes knees legges and feet were drawen together in such sort as she could neuer more open them nor stretch them out with the great force of the paines all her members were out of iointe so that many of them remained not only cripled and lame but also wrested turned aside and thrust out of their places and in this sort and manner her bodie is at this day according as heereafter we shall declare 3. The blessed Abbesse finding herselfe one day much tired with the troope of laboures which attended her and with much weakenesse of her infirmities her corporall forces now failing and her griefes abouÌ„ding lifted vp her eies to an image of the praier of our Lord in the garden which she had by her at her beddes head sheding some teares shee prayed our Lord to help her in the vexations laboures which she awayted And being in this praier she heard a voice which saide to her our Lord is with thee and will that thou suffer great doloures and anguishes that the meÌ„bers of thy body bee cripled broken as the corne is threshed brokeÌ„ on the floore wheÌ„ they thresh it out of the eare And so was this seruant of our Lord made a see of griefe and an abysse of reuelations 4. The diuine maiestie willing to manifest to the world the patience and sanctitie of his seruant permitted to come vpon her a persecution which the diuell plotted taking for instrument some of her owne religious in the which the seruant of God shewed howe exercised shee was in patieÌ„ce for one had noâ— need of no small portion to suffer such like tribulations which although light and not of so great substance in themselues yet are much felt because of the offense of God in those that procure them and in this was also ioyned very great ingratitude for so many benefits as the coÌ„ueÌ„t had alwaies receiued of so inculpable a Prelate The occasioÌ„ was that the Lord Cardinall freer Francis Simenes hauing done a grace to the conuent of bestowing on it the benefice of Cubas a certaine person which pretended therto procured to obtaine the same from Rome at the death of him that had it in possession and they counselled the seruant of God she should procure of his holinesse a perpetuall confirmation of that which the Cardinall had granted temporally This was done by meanes of one deuout to the saide monasterie and the Bull was obtained in virtue wherof at this day the nonnes possesse the aforsaid benefice in getting of which Bull was spent some quantitie of money The fact was this and the circumstances which therin might be considered of so little coÌ„sideration as would hardly be thought for they would haue done it without consulting with the Prelate and to spend that money without her licence or any religious contradicting it And howsoeuer it bee I found not in the bookes of the life of this seruant of God more then this spoken of 5. And yet on the other side the successe was terrible For first of all the Superior suspended her and after corrected her and depriued her of her office and placed in it the vicaresse which had accused her and being the seruant of God had such credit before hereby occasion was giuen that many spake diuersly of her calling in doubt the great maruailes which before were related of her holding it morally impossible that the religious which had great experience of her could doubt of her sanctiâ—ie and not doubting of her could inuent such like persecution against her And aboue all it made the case hard that the superiour should take such a resolution against a person of such credite for it was as much as to set a seale to a blancke to the end that each one might put therin what pleased him That which I belieue of the case is that the superiour did it in policie for to proue this seruant of God in all manners For wheras the thinges published of her were so strange and admirable and the diuell so subtill it was not contrarie to prudence to refine her in all manners But howsoeuer it was God â—rewe out of it much profit in fauour and praise of his seruant For first of all was seene not only her patieÌ„ce but the great quietude of her conscieÌ„ce in the equalitie and alacritie wherwith she bare this trauaile iudging her selfe not only worthie of this but also of many others greater She shewed also her feruent charitie in praying to God for her that persecuted her for whom she obtained pardon of her faulte by the earnest praier she made for our Lord chastising her with temporall paine she died in the same office within short time of a great paine of the side And acknowledging her faulte she demanded publickely pardon of the seruant of God with great teares and hauing receiued the SacrameÌ„ts with great shewes of contrition she gaue vp the Ghost of which the nonnes admiring were confirmed a new in the great good opinion which they had of their blessed Abbesse 6. A little before this succeeded on friday before the day breake this seruant of our Lord sawe his maiestie shewing it her hell open out of it ranne to her conuent infinite diuells in figures of diuerse sauage beastes WherupoÌ„ with many teares she demaÌ„ded aide of our Lord that he would cast out of her monasterie that infernall rable And the diuine maiestie hearing her sent his Angells to expell the diuells of which the seruant of God remaining much comforted on the one side and timorous on the other called the nunnes together to chapter and with many teares said vnto theÌ„ O Sisters how much change do I see this pallace of our B. Lady the virgin for I was wont to see it full of Angells and nowe I see it full of diuells my sinnes must needes be the cause of it and not yours let vs amend our liues and procure to exercise vs in true virtues and in especiall in charitie and humilitie which are those which the diuells do most of all feare 7. At this same time the seruâ—nt of God compassed about with infirmities and trauailes set her selfe in praier before an image of our Lords prayer in the garden beseeching our Lord to helpe
not that which he willeth with the will which diuines do call in signe which is not absolute but condition ally and this is that which is not alwaies fulfilled S. Tho. 1. p. q. 19. a. 11. and 12. and q. 23. a. 5. and lib. 4. D. 45. a. 4. and D. 47. a. 2. and de veritate q. 6. and q. 23 Then the blessed mayde praied the holy Apostles whom she had present with much instance that they would aske of our Lord not to reuoke his senteÌ„ce and they promised her so to do And the next day when the physitian came to visite her she entreated him to take no more paines about her for the will of our Lord was that she should die of that infirmitie This was by and by knowen in Madrid and Toledo and some Ladies with licence which they had for to enter in to the conuent desirous to be at the death of the seruant of our Lord came froÌ„ diuers partes in especiall the Lady Isabell de Mendoza wife to Don Gonzalo Chacon Lord of the towne of Casarrubios who was one of the first and deserued to be present at the maruailles which our Lord wrought at the passage of his blessed espouse so full of fauoures and cherinshings from heauen as it seemeth the diuine maiestie would seale vp in her death the great fauoures which he had done in the course of her life 5. First of all on friday the first of May the day of the Apostles Saint Philipp and Iacob the seruaÌ„t of God being in her senses sawe with her bodilie eies certaine visions of the which she would tell none although the religious did entreat it of her The night of the same day she gaue a great cry saying Wo is me how carelesse haue I beene And that night she was many times rapte and entring into the agonie of death she entred into the last battaile with the enemie of mankind as another S. Hilarion according as they sawe and vnderstood who were present and as was manifest by those things which she saide for sometimes she held her peace other times she answeared and as if she had spoken with another person she saide O what a cruell sword hold him hold him let him not kill me with it And a little while after she saide Call her to me call her to me she goeth away And asking her whom she would they shold call She answeared the blessed Saint Magdalen Then she rested a little after with much affectioÌ„ saide Let vs goe mother of God mother of God let vs goe for it is late After all this she saide with notable hart and courage cast him hence cast him hence 6. It hapned that in this battell and conflict the Saints left her our Lord permitting it that alone she might ouercome in death him whom so often she had ouercome in life All the time that this coÌ„bate dured which was a great while she lamented much saying Oh in what an ill time hast thou left me and after she saide Lord hast thou left me alone goe to cast hence this diuell for he hath no part in me euill goe with him And turning to the religious she saide Sisters lâ—fte me from hence I will giue my soule to my Creator and a little after as speaking with other persons she beganne to say seeke me him out seeke me my Lord Iesus Christ Let him find me and I will finde him Wherfore haue you carried him from me let me alone I will goe to see him although I am all disioynted The religious asked her whom she would they should seeke and shee saide my Lord Why where shall we find him mother In the garden answered the blessed maide and as it were complaining for griefe with a great sighe she saide Ah mother of God Iesus what crueltie what crueltie my Lord let thy mercy exceed thy iustice Iesus what anguish and turning her face to the religious much afflicted she saide help me to pray And stopped with the word in her mouth the nonnes much afflicted saide what will you mother that wee help you to pray for she answeared that mercy may exceed iustice After this very merrie she beganne to say let vs goe O at what a point O at what a point and this she repeated many times 7. The physitian who assisted at her beddes head seing these thinges saide happie monasterie which sendest such a soule to heauen where she will do thee more fauours theÌ„ hauing her vpon the earth And the Saint answeared it may bee and with all this she had beene foure howers without pulse and three daies without eating Then lifting vp her voice againe she saide my frendes carrie me away carrie me by and by They asked her with whom she spake and she answered with the Saints and virgins They saide to her why with whom will you go mother wiâ—â— Iesus Christ my true spouse answered she wherfore do you hide said she my Lord from me and my Lady the religious hearing this shewed her an image of our B. Lady and adoring it she saide it is not this bring me againe bring me againe my Queene and Lady And asking her if the mother of God were there she saide yea and my Angells and my Saints and she saide let vs goe my Lady let vs goe And by and by she saide againe with most great alacritie make him place here at my side iust by me And a little after she saide with great reuerence O my Father And the religious thought she spake to her Father Saint Francis And although they had beene wearied with the sick partie all the saturday night yet it seemed not a moment to them and the holy morning of the sunday comming she saide why then sweet Iesus let vs goe hence my Lord let vs goe quickly let vs goe my redemer Then the religious seeing their comfort was going away and their sunne setting made processions praiers and disciplines praying God he would not depriue them of so great a good but giue health to their B. Mother All of them kissed her hand and she blessed the present and absent and all that were deuoted to her And againe she saide let vs goe Lord my Redemer let vs goe from hence they asked her if our Lord were there she saide yea and also his most holy mother 8. On the saturday morning came the physitian and saide to the sicke partie it seemeth to me mother that you are going from vs to heauen tell vs who accompanieth you in the way My Lady the virgin Marie and my Angell keeper and my Angells and my Saints answered shee and her face by and by became so faire and so resplendent as when she was wont to be in raptes and hauing had till that time a very vnsauorie breath caused by her infirmitie from that time so much sweetnesse and fragrancie came out of her mouth as it seemed some heauenlie thing And a little while after with newe feruour and spirit as if she spake
his way toward the conuent of Oliua where talking with the Religious of that which had passed they noted one thing which before they had not considered and this it was The seruant of God desired much in her life time that her nonnes shold vowe encloasure take the veile and not hauing obtained the second in her life she obtained it of our Lord after her death in such sort as now all the religious hauing the blacke veile she alone had it white in her sepulture And because to veile the nonnes is to be the act of a Prelate and Superior by Apostolicall priuiledge God brought the most reuereÌ„d Generall of all the order to the saide monasterie so vnthought of and by chance who without morâ— a doe put the blacke veile vpon the blâ—ssed deceassed it being the first time that he had come to the saide prouince after his election and before he had exercised the principall actes of his iurisdiction therein For then he went to celebrate the Prouinciall chapter God hauing deliuered him in Madrid from a perilous infirmitie And more the same day also succeeded a marueilous thing that Father Generall taking from the saide body the little toe of one foote it was apparent afterward that bloud had issued out of it as was seene by the cloathes which she had on although at that time it was not marked for that the saide Father Generall tooke the toe in secret pulling it off with his hand Since that time the chest hath beene opened diuers times the testimonies being coÌ„tinued of the incorruptibilitie of the saide body which are kept in the saide monasterie and the last is of the tenor following 9. In the monasterie of our Blessed Lady S. Marie of the Crosse being of professed nonnes of the regular obseruance and third order of the Seraphicall Father S. FraÌ„cis neere to the towne of Cubas and within the bounds and iurisdiction therof on the fourth day of the moneth of Februarie in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and nine there being in the said conuent the most reuerend Fathers Brother Archangell of Missina Generall minister of all the said order and brother Peter Gonzales de Mendoza Commissarie generall of the same in the Cismontane familie hauing had notice that in the said conuent was the body of the blessed Ioane of the Crosse which had bene sometime nunne and Abbesse of the saide monasterie it being more then seauentie yeares since she died her body being kept in a chapell which is in the hollowe place of the wall of the chancell of the Church of the saide monasterie on the Ghospell side where alwaies it hath beene worshipped and esteemed as a holy Body and the saide most reuerend Father Generall hauing had notice that her life was miraculous and she alwaies holden and commonly reputed for a Saint and for such was alwaies reuerenced as well of the nonnes of the saide conuent as also of all persons that knowe her a great number of people comming together as well of the saide towne of Cubas as from other places asking and praying with great instaÌ„ce that the arcke might be opened wherin the body of the saide Saint Ioane of the Crosse was and the most reuerend Father Generall hauing seene the instance and supplication of the saide concourse of people which came thither of the rest of the Fathers which were in the saide conuent the Abbesse and nonnes therof for the honour and glorie of our Lord commanded to open the saide chapell arck wherein the saide body was which being done the yron grate was taken away which was set in the saide chappell on the side of the conuent and the saide arcke taken out and carryed to the lowe quire of the said conuent where the most reuerend Fathers being present and much people so many that it caused a great pressâ— in my presence Iohn Fernandez de Plaza scriuener of his Royall maiestie and Notarie of the holy office neighbour of the saide towne of Cubas the barres of yron of the saide arcke were vnnayled and the couer of it being taken away the saide body was found entire and with very good sauour And to the end that those which were present might see the same the saide most reuerend Fathers caused it sometimes to be lifted it vp on highe whence there was very great content receiued as well of the saide Fathers as of the Nunnes of the saide conuent giuing thancks to our Lord God and presenting their Rosaries to be touched at the saide holy Body by reason of the great deuotion and estimation all there about who reuerenced it had therof And the saide most reuerend Father Generall called me that I might see it and he lifted it vp and raised it from the saide chest and arcke wherein it was Moreouer he moued the armes and handes of it that I might giue testimonie therof and I sawe all the aboue saide At all which were present fr. Paule de Cheuarri secretarie of the said Father Generall and freer Didacus Barassa secretarie of the saide Father Generall freer Antonie Xaca fr. Peter de Castro his companions fr. Francis de Mora Guardian of Pinto fr. Luis de Miesses Guardian of Escalona fr. Didacus de Herrera Vicar of the saide conuent fr. Ba tholomew Lopez his companion fr. Peter de Chosas coÌ„missarie of Hierusalem fr. Peter de Royas fr. Iohn of Ricaro of the Prouince of Saint Ioseph fr. Francis Pascuall of the saide Prouince and the Licentiate Peter Gonzalesâ— de Sepulueda Priest CoÌ„misâ—arie of the holy office neighbour of the saide towne of Cubas Blase Martinez Priest of the saide towne and fr. Blase Delgado of the order of Saint Dominicke fr. Marck Losano of the order of Carmelites Peter Tartallo and Iohn Martin Crespo orcinarie Alcaldes in the saide towne of Cubas Didacus Nauarre Francis Hernandes Regidores of the same Isidore Garcia scriuener of the saide towne and many other people And some of the saide persons subscribed it with their names all whom I knowe The Abbesse also and discreetes of the saide conuent subscribed therto fr. Didacus de Herrera fr. Bartholomew Lopez Anne of the Conception Abbesse Agnes of the Mother of God Anne of Saint Raphaell Vicarisse Marie of the Purification Agnes of Iesus the Licentiate Peter Gonzales of Sepulueda Blase Martinez Peter Tartalo Iohn Martinez Crespo Isidore Garcia scriuener before me Iohn Fernandez de Plaza And I the saide Iohn Fernandez de Plaza scriuener of his Royall Maiestie and Notarie of the holy office neighbour of the towne of Cubas was present at the aboue saide and put to my signe in testimonie of the truth Iohn Fernandez de Plaza 10. After the aboue saide on the first day of Iulie of this present yeare 1610. the most reuerend Father fr. Iohn de Guzman Prouinciall minister of the holy prouince of Castile at my instance that with more certaintie and truth I might write this historie made the body of this blessed one be
shewed me his paternitie being present with other religious And I sawe it and touched it many times And that those that were in the Church might see it Father Proâ—inciall lifting it vp in his armes and I with him wee shewed it to all two or three seuerall times vested and dressed as she was so that she seemed a liue religious And one thing I noted worthie of much consideration that the blessed virgin being so stiffe and cripled when she dyed for with the force of her doloures all her members were wrested and gathered together euen so yet now her holy body remaineth wrested draweÌ„ together retaining that most sweet sauour which it had when she died being a celestiall sauour that comforteth entire without any thing wanting to it sauing the little toe of one foote which as hath beene saide the most reuerend Father Generall tooke away for his owne deuotion As also for our sakes who were there Father Prouinciall tooke away the veile from her head which was diuided amongest all and with the part that fell to his owne lot and was put vpon his head was taken from him a very strong ache which he had And a Lady of Toledo was healed of a great paiâ—e of her head with the same peece of veile although taking it from her the paine returned But yet our Lord would to haue the miracle more manifest that putting it on her againe the paine should be wholly taken away by the intercession and merits of the blessed Ioane whose historie so miraculous and diuine written with great desire that God may be glorified endeth heere leauing many other things which in the aboue mentioned originalls and other manuscriptes I haue found as not finding them very authenticke and to auoide prolixitie it seeming to me that these spoken do suffice to the end that those who hitherto haue not had so much notice of this seruant of our Lord may know some of her sanctitie and of the many marueiles which dayly God worketh by her intercession and merits And those who nowe haue it may be confirmed in their deâ—otion All to the greater glorie and honour of our Lord Iesus Christ who liueth and raigneth world without end IESVS MARIA The Approbation of the Readers in Diuinitie The Readers in Diuinitie of S. Francis of Valladolid who heere set downe our names haue seene by the command of our Father Fr. Louis Velasquez Minister Prouinciall of this Prouince of the Conception the booke of the life and miracles of the glorious Mother Saint Ioane of the Crosse composed by the Father Fr. Antonie Daça diffinitor of the same Prouince and generall cronicler of the order and all which in it is conteyned is Catholique and the reuelations of the Saint are admirable and most conforme to the sacred scripture and doctrine of the Saintes teaching the way of heauen with notable sweetnesse and spirit of our Lord whereof they are all full For the which the said booke may and ought to be imprinted hoping with much confidence that it shall be for the honour and glorie of God and vtilitie and profit of the faithfull And this is our opinion in the said Conuent of S. Francis of Valladolid the 8. day of Iulie of the yeare 1610. F. Alonso de Herrera Fr. Francis Aluarez Licence of the Order Freeâ— Louis de Velasquez of the order of our seraphicall Father S. FraÌ„cis Minister Prouinciall in this Prouince of the Conception and visitor of all the religious women thereof by these presentes doe giue licence to the Father Fr. Antonie Deça Deffinitor and Father of the â—ame Prouince that he may imprint and publish a booke which he hath composed of the life and miracles of the Virgin Saint Ioane of the Crosse Religious which was in the monasterie of the Crosse of the holie Prouince of Castile considering that by our commission learned persons of the Prouince haue seene and approued it keeping in the rest which the customary lawe of these kingdomes doe dispose of concerning the impression of bookes giuen in our Conuent of S. Francis of Valladolid the 22. of Iulie of the yeare 1610. Fr. Lewis de Velasquez Minister Prouinciall Approbation of the Vicar of Madrid By commission and commandement of the Lordes of the councell I haue caused this booke of the blessed Ioane of the crosse composed by the Father Fr. Antonie Daça Diffinitor of the Prouince of the conception and cronicler generall of the order of Saint Francis to be visited Being a booke of much learning and deuotion and of much profit for those that shall reade it contayning nothing contrarie to faith nor to good maners and so licence may be giuen him to imprint it Dated in Madrid on the 4. of August 1610. Doctor Gutierre de Cetina his Approbation By particular commission of your Highnesse I haue seene and read this booke intituled the historie life and miracles of the blessed Ioane of the Crosse composed by the Father Fr. Antonie Daça Diffinitor and chronicler of the sacred order of the seraphicall Father and I wish as saith Saint Hierome writing the life of Saint Paâ—la that all the members of my bodie might become tongues to set out the extraordinarie fauours which God hath communicated to this blessed Saint but the author fulfilleth what he promiseth explicating her miracles extasies and reuelations with so great erudition doctrine and truth treated with a delicate and acute wit authorized with the sentences and sayings of the Saints manifested Catholiquely and piously therefore hold for certaine that it shall be much esteemed and with edification read of all and of manie imitated And so I iudge that the licence which he requireth ought to be giuen him Dated in this Conuent of the most holie Trinitie in the street of the Atocha of Madrid on the sixt day of August in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and tenne The Presentado Fr. Iohn Baptista Approbation and licencâ— I Doctor GalipieÌ„zo first Reader of sacred Diuinitie by coÌ„mission of the most excelleÌ„t most reuerend Lord Don Francisco Virgilio Bishop of Lerida and of the counsell of his Maiestie haue seene and with attention read this present booke whose title is The life and miracles extasies and reuelations of the blessed Virgin sister Ioane of the Crosse wherein there is nothinge which contradicteth the holie Catholique faith nor good customes rather there are great motiues to serue God particularly for religious persons for the manie graces and fauours which of his diuine hand they receiue who with feruour do serue him as is seene in the blessed Ioane of the Crosse and so is verie iust that it come to light and therfore haue signed it with my hand on the seauenteenth of Iune one thousand six hundred and thirteene Doctor Antonie Galipienzo Approbation To the Catholique Maiestie of our Lord the King Don Philippe the third Because the little offering is properly of him that can little although in the eyes of a prince it
be qualified with the will of him that offereth it and because that how much lesse it is which goeth to the market of the world it hath so much more neede of valorous protection I was bold to dedicate to your Maiestie this book little in as much as it is a worke of my handes but great in the subiect thereof It is the life of the blessed Virgin sister Ioane of the Crosse by whome our Lord hath wrought and worketh daily so manie maruailes amongest the which one hath beene and not the least to haue excited the most pious minde of your Maiestie to command that this booke reuewed by persons of all sufficiencie come to light againe wherwith it commeth out much honoured and secure from all emulation Our Lord keepe your Maiestie for the helpe and protection of his church as this vnworthly chaplaine of your Maiestie desireth Fr. Antonie Daça Reasons of the truth and authoritie of this historie Truth is the soule of a historie and the historie that wanteth it is as a bodie without a soule for it deserueth not the name of a historie chiefly if it be of Saintes where to lie is sacriledge being they are not honoured but with sinceritie truth The truth which hath beene kept in writing the life of this holy Virgin is the greatest which in the law of historie can be found collected out of these papers following First of all what concerneth the apparitions and miracles of our B. Ladie which are written in the first Chapter of this booke hath beene gathered of three authenticall informatioÌ„s made with ninety and three witnesses before Râ—y Dias of Madrid scriuener de Camâ—ra and publicke notarie and before Peter Sanches and Iohn Gonsales publicke notaries and the Kings scriueners of the towne of Cubas They are authorised and bound together as a booke in the archiue of the Conuent of the Crosse Likewise the life and miracles of the glorious Ioane hath beene gathered out of a booke verie ancient in written hand of a hundred sixtie and foure leaues in quarto with twentie eight chapters bound in boarde with two broken claspes sowed with white threed written by a religious disciple of the B. Ioane called sister Marie Euangelist who neither knew how to read or write vntill miraculously our Lord granted it her to this effect as is proued by an information made for the auouching of this pointe And the booke with the markes aboue saide is originally kept in the Archiue of the crosse Item of an information made with twelue witnesses by commission of the councell of the most excellent Lord Don Bernardo de Roxas Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo made before Louis de Siles Publicke notarie and the Kings scriuener in the cittie of Toledo The originall is in the office of the secretarie Francis Salgado in Toledo Item of another information made in diuers places with seuenteene witnesses by commission of the councell of the foresaid most excellent Lord of Toledo the authenticall copie whereof is in the Archiue of the Crosse Item of another information with fourteene witnesses made in diuers places by commission of our most reuerend Father Fr. Archangell de Messina the authenticall copie wherof is in the Archiue of the Conuent of the crosse Item of another information with eleuen witnesses made in diuers places by commission of our most reuerend Father Iohn de Gazinman Minister Prouinciall of the holy Prouince of Castile which is originally kept in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another informatioÌ„ which was made by the commission of the councell of the most excellent Lord Don Bernardo de Roxas Cardinall and Archbishop of Toledo in Villanuena and Gamarra townes of the said archbishopricke made for to qualifie some miracles of the holie Brother Iulian of S. Augustine The originall is in Toledo in the office of the seer Salgado Item of fiue informations made in Valladolid by Doctor Don Fernando de Valdes Prouost generall of the diocese of Valladolid with interuention of the Fiscall before Iohn de Vega notarie in the audience episcopall of Valladolid in whose office the originalls lie and their authenticall copies in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another information made in Palencia by liceÌ„tiaâ—e Manuell Garcia de Miranda Prouost of the Diocesse of Palencia before Francis Harris de Rueda Apostolicall notarie the originalâ— is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of two informations made in Valladolid by Doctor Orâ—ega de Salazar Lieftenant of the corrector the one before Peter de Auila publicke scriuener of the number of the said cittie and the other before Iulian Garçia scriuener they are originally in the Conuent of the Crosse Item another made by the iustice of the towne of Cubas before Iohn Fernandez Munnos the Kings scriuener and of the number the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of a testimonie sealed and signed of seauen of the Kinges scriueners and publicke of the nuÌ„ber of Valladolid the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another sealed and signed of seauen scriueners of Madrid and of one Apostolicall notarie the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of a testimonie of Iohn Fernandez de Plaza the Kings scriuener and notarie of the holie office neighbour of Cubas the originall is in the office of the saide scriuener Item of another testimonie of Isidro Garçia publicke scriuener of the towne of Cubas whose originall is in the Archiue of the Conuent of the Crosse of others which are in the same CoÌ„ueÌ„t Approbation The Bishop Freer Francis de Sosa of the councell of his Maiestie and generall inquisition to the Christian reader For as much as I haue committed the reuiew of this booke of the life and miracles of the blessed siâ—â—er Ioane of the Crosse which hath beene spoken of in so manie manners and for that it is so naturall to enerie one to defend that which once he hath saide it seemeth to me I haue obligation to satisfie all and I speake to all for although in other cases we must follow the opinion of Cassiodorus in Praefat. lib. 11. who saith that the satisfaction of some defectes may be excused because the discreet without giuing it them doe pardon others errors knowing their owne and to the rest no satisfaction is due yet in matter of doctrine the opinion of the Apostle S. Paule is Rom. 1. that we are debters to the wife and to the vnwise following which aduise I will satisfie both the one and the other in as much as my little sufficiency wil attaine to Beinge the life of this seruant of God was written in a vulgar tongue and conteineth thinges so strange although the booke hauing bene printed so ofâ—in so little time and the great profit it hath done doe well proue the pietie of Spaine which hath also beene the cause that some thinges therin hâ—ue beene noted by persons learned and discreet it seeming to them inconâ—enient that they should goe in
Ioane absolutely as before it was Sancta Ioanna that is the Saint Ioane or the holie Ioane ouâ— now that this was mended it seemed gooâ— to take it away altogether for the greater satisfaction of those who in this matter do speak with too much rigour without condemning for al this the common language of the people who call this seruant of God the Saint Ioane nor that of so many graue authors which giue her this title and euen the Lord Bishop of Mantua in his chronicle calleth her sanctissima who all speake with much decencie and proprietie as is proued in the fourth note The Bishop of Mantua of the Seraphical Religion Bishop of laen lib. of the veneration of reliques Barespo 4. P. Chronic. N Pereclo lib. of our B. Lady of Atocha Villegas in the flos Sanctorum Fr. Peter de Salazar and others The second sorte of censurers are the scrupulous although well meaning and the first thing wherat they stumble is in that there are related in this booke a great multitude of miracles without being approued by the ordinarie conforme to the decree of the holy couÌ„cel of Trent and the truth is that this decire for prouing miracles and reliques is not new but a confirmation of many others most ancient by the which if these scrupulous would passe their eyes with a very litle obseruance that they might make for the vnderstanding of them they shold be verie farr from giuing such censure For there is verie great difference betweene approning miracles reliques and relating them in a historie the first is reserued to Superiours accordinge to the qualitie of the ende for which the approbation is intended and the second is graunted to all as many as haue beene borne in the world seing that since the beginning thereof haue beene related and written diuers miraculous cases without that any one haue more obligation for the truth of the history then to relate the thinges as he knoweth them and euery one giueth him the credit that accordinge to prudence seemeth good vnto him and to whom this shall be wâ—nting he shall giue it him that will so that nether the historiagrapher nor thâ— hâ—â— oâ—e shall therfore lose or gaine more credâ—â— then before they had And Aristotle saith 1. Ethic. lib. 3. cap. 7. from whom Cicero tooke it that all thinges must not be handled with such subtilitie that a mathematicall demonstration be made of them but that the arguments wherwith that shall be proued which is related must be according to the subiect wherof is treated and the end wherfore it is treated In such manner as to relate by worde or writing a miracle which God did by the intercession of any Saints it is not more necessarie then to haue heâ—rd it of persons worthy of credit But to publish with solemnitie this miracle and to celebrate it with festiuitie in thankesgiuing or to take it for argument of the sanctitie of that Saint for to canonize him or beatifie him c. the approbation of a superior is necessarie to whom according to the law it belongeth according to the end for the which it is pretended to be approued so also to worship and hold in reuerence a relique which is giuen to any one and to beleeue with pietie that it is true sufficeth the authority of a person worthy of credit who affirmeth that he found it in such a place or church worshipped and had for such But if a church or monasterie which shold much esteeme a relique had in this manner as we might say a head of the eleuen thousand Virgins wold recite of them on their day with a double office and not of the Saint which the Kalendar doth assigne as is granted in the rubriques of the breuiarie it wold be necessarie to haue approbation of that relique because one thing it is to worship and esteeme it in particular and another to approue it for publique ministerie whereof the said decree of the sacred couÌ„cell teacheth and the rest touching this matter In consequence wherof to the obiection it is answered First that the miracles which are written in bookes which are infinite as in the cronicles of religions and other innumerable tracts not for this are approued and published authorizedly which is that which the law prohibteth commanding that it be done with authority of the ordinary that which this booke conteineth is the same with infinite others ancient and moderne where is recounted that which in euery parte happened and euery one may giue it the credit that he will Secondly that which is written of this seruant of God is the same which of her haue written so graue authors as haue bene related and if in their histories this inconuenience was not found there is no cause wherefore it should be found in this booke Thirdly and principally with which it seemeth there remayneth no kinde of doubt in this matter is that being so many bookes which speake of miracles in few or it may be in none shall be found the warinesse that is in this for speaking in the context of the historie of some miraculous thing euery one is related as it was found and as it is for it is saide such a miracle such a one recounted and such a one passed before such and such persons and of such a miracle was information made by commission of the ordinary and is in the archiue of the councell of the most illustrious of Toledo and of such an one made information only the Iustice of the people and of such an one the Father Generall of the order with such witnesses and of such an one is knowen no more then what the partie sayeth or is found by tradition And this beinge so cleare what hath the approbation which the holy councell of Trent commandeth to be made for the publishing of a new miracle to doe with this history written in imitation of as many authors as haue written liues of Saints from the time that the church was founded and from the same councell vnto this day and with more warinesse then the rest when they only relate the case and the author of this cronicle addeth that which hath beene saide The second obiection which they oppose is the greatnesse of the fauours which our Lord is shewen to haue done to this seruant of God the which are such and so great as with great reason may cause not only much admiration but some doubte in beleeuing them And I answere that the admiration in the coÌ„sideration of the workes of God is for to acknowledge the greatnesse of his clemency and liberality and for it to giue him thankes consideraui opera tua c. said the Prophet of this admiration God draweth light to all the virtues for mirabilia opera tua anima mea cognoscet nimis For faith is confirmed and charitie is enkindled more for to loue such a Lord and so liberall and hope is many waies nourished by hoping that God will worke
in vs what he hath wrought in our neighbour But to draw out of the greatnesse of the fauours of God coldnesse to beleeue them lesse is to thinke basely of the infinite liberality of God and to measure the same by the shortnesse of our mind without consideration that it is consequent to the liberality of God to be infinite in giuing the most with best will and so the desire and hope in the thinges of the worlde are different from those of thinges diuine for in humane thinges while that is greater which is desired the hope of obteininge it is lesse and in diuine thinges contrariewise For being we treat with one that is infinitely most magnificent while the pretension more encreaseth the hope will be more firme and this the Apostle S. Paule calleth to abound more in hope and virtue of the holy Spirit Deus autem spei repleat vos omni gaudio pace in credendo vt abundetis magis in spe virtute Spiritus sancti Rom. 15. and so the Prophet Helisaeus 4. Reg. 4. willing to enrich a poore widdow with giuing her such abundaÌ„ce of miraculous oyle that she might pay her debters and liue of the rest fearing in her some scantnesse of minde as there is in these scrupulous persons aduertised her to aske vessels not of one of her neighbours but of all nor a few vessels but manie Vade pete mutuo ab omnibus vicinis tuis vasa vacua non pauca And although she did so and they were all filled the Prophet demanded if she had more vessels and answering no the oyle ceassed in such sorte that it failed not for fault of the giuer but for want of vessels to receiue it in And in like competeÌ„ce alwaies wil God ouercome in such sorte as the fauours done to the B. Saint Ioane are not lesse credible because they are great how much more if we read the bookes a of the Saints which are full of meruailous cases where is shewen how our Lord hath done very great mercies to theeues robbers and to all sorâ—es of most hainous persons when it seemed they lest deserued it for his secret iudgements and declaration of his infinite mercie then what great thing is it that he hath done the same for a chosen seruant from her mothers wombe And finally these are not amazed at the greatnesse for they know it not nor can tell in what it consisteth but at the noueltie and extraordinary cases and in humane thinges this hath some ground but in the diuine it is the parte of blockheads not to consider vpon the great thinges which God doth ordinarilie and to admire much at the extraordinarie as S. Augustine pondereth saving of such vt non maiora sed in solit â— videndo stuperent quibus quotidiana viluerunt Trac 24. in Ioannem And those aforesaid will fall into the accoumpt if they shall make the consideration that heere shal be represented vnto them and this it is that they let loose the reynes of their vnderstandinge and add to the fauours which in this booke are related that our Lord did to this his seruant other greater more vnmed and admirable in such sorte as if it be related that in contemplation he visited her sometimes let these visites be in publicke and with all the celestiall courte and many times euerye day and more then this let them consider how farre the imagination can reach And because the vnderstanding of man is shorte let the most high Seraphin doe this and altogether as much as you can imagine and much more commeth not neither in the greatnesse of the worcke nor in the finenesse of the loue nor in the nouelcie of the marueile neere to the communicating one only time for this fauour can not haue any equall nor the misterie any similitude Then let these men in a maze tell how manie times they haue communicated What great admiration it hath caused them what thankes they haue giuen to our Lord with what seruices they haue acknowledged a fauour so vnequal to as many as haue beene related of S. Ioane might be related of S. Iohn Baptist and of all the Saints of whom we take no aduantage for her as these ignorantly doe say by the greatnesse of the fauors for why the degrees of grace and glorie which the diuines doe call essentiall are not measured with these exteriour demonstrations And so Caietane saith very well that if by the multitude of miracles we must make computation of the greatnesse of the sanctitie much aduantage wold Saint Antonie of Padua haue of Saint Peter and great temerity it shold be to compare the one with the other how much more to aduance Saint Antony as Saint Thomas saith Lectio 5. c. 8. in epist. ad Rom. 3. in cap. 5. ad Ephes Secondly to some hath beene a great noueltie the tearme of consecratinge of blessinge the Image of our Ladie and to others that Christ our Lord himselfe hath done this ministerie at the supplicatien of this his espouse and although in al of them ignorance haue place yet it is more grosse in the former because the ecclesiasticall ceremonie of blessing Crosses Images altars c. is an apostolicall tradition of which are full not only the sacred councels and apostolical decrees but the manualls most ordinarie and in the Roman Pontificall Pontif. Rom. 2. p. fol. 505. there is an especiall rubrique with this title De benedictione Imaginis Virginis Mariae Neither yet is it a new thing for Iesus Christ to doe such like fauours when we read in so many graue authors Vincent Valda. in speculo historiar lib. 23. c. 36. 37. that in the yeare 644. our Lord Iesus Christ in his proper person blessed and consecrated the temple of S. Denis neer Paris and so also he consecrated the church of the monasterie of Senon in France at the miraculous consecration wherof were heard the voices of Angels which did sing and there appeared in the corners of the temple Crosses which are wont to be put in churches which are consecrated The same is related of the glorious Apostle Saint Peter that miraculously he coÌ„secrated a church of his name of Westminster in London in the yeare 610. and anointed it with holy oyle and after it was consecrated were seene in the walls of the temple the Crosses which the Apostle had put and the candles of wax which had burned in the consecration And Saint Mellitus Bishop of that cittie being informed of this truth doubted in himselfe if he shold againe consecrate that temple or no and deferred the resolution vntill being in Rome in a councell he consulted this matter with Pope Boniface the 4. and it was determined that it ought not be coÌ„secrated againe sith it had beene done by the Apostle S. Peter This doerelate S. Bede Surius Caesar Baronius and is found in the second tome of the saide councells which anew hath beene printed in the life of S. Boniface the 8. fol.
963. Beda lib. 2. hist Angliae cap. 4. Surius Tom. 1. in vita S. Ianuarij Baronius Tom. 8. Anno 610. Numer 12. 13. 14. Thirdly it troubled many to read that one Chapter of this booke which hath for title how the holy Ghost spake thirteene yeares by the mouth of Saint Ioane and that this manner of speakinge is many times repeated which seemeth reserued to the authors only of the sacred scripture when euen of the authors of the Popes definitions and of the Generall Councells we doe not say that they had immediate reuelation of the holy Ghost but assistance that they could not erre This superficially spoken seemeth to haue some appearance of reason but the truth cleared no obiection hath beene put against this booke with lesse ground for the differeÌ„ce which is betweene an immediate reuelation from God to the authors of the sacred bookes and the assistance of the church not to erre is a matter verie scholasticall and which is not touched in this booke nor is any thing to the purpose of that which therin is treated of many as the Doctors doe teach For to declare this difference and the language in saying the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of such a partie is common to all kinde of persons not only Saints but without difference betweene good and euill seing Saint Iohn saith that the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of Caiphas and Saint Augustin and Saint Hierom by the mouthes of the Sibills which were gentiles Finally the Prophets haue saide that God spake in them Haec dicit Dominut And S. Paule Ego enim accepi à Domino And Saint Augustine in diuerse places and particularly in the preamble to the 118. Psalme And our holy Father S. Francis saith in his testament Nemo ostendebat mihi quid deberem sacere sed ipse altissâ—mus reuelauit mihi In testamento S. Francisci And the same may whatsoeuer person say And betweene the truth which God manifesteth by the mouth of Isaias or by the mouth of Saint Francis or of whatsomeuer persons there is no difference in the reason of truth for as infallible is the one as the other God being the author who neither can because he is infinitely wife be deceiued nor caÌ„ because he is infinitly good deceiue but the difference consisteth in knowing or beleeuing that God hath reuealed this truth for that which Isaias saith is not only of faith because God hath saide it but also it is of faith that God hath said it for so the holy church hath defined it but in other truthes we hold them for such because we beleeue that God hath said theÌ„ because Saint Augustine or Saint FraÌ„cis c. hath saide it And to euery thing of humane faith is giuen the credit which the author deserueth to Saint Augustin and Saint Francis as to so great Saints and to whomsoeuer els to such an one as he is And this being so plaine there is no improprietie in the saide manner of speakinge but rather much conuenience because not only the history proposeth that the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of this his seruant the things shee spake being so holy but also for the manner so merueilous of preaching being eleuated and absorpte And if the admiration grewe out of this noueltie it is not a case which hath not happened to others when the same hath succeded oftentimes to S. Catharine of Siena of whom most graue histories doe recount that being in extasies from her sences she made long speaches and most deuoute orations which the holy Ghost did inspire into her S. Antonin 3. p. hist. tit 25. cap. 14. § 17. Chronica de S. Dominic 2. p. lib. 2. cap. 44. And that God so communicateth himselfe in this sorte to this seruants being in extasies and out of their senses and to doe them so great fauours is because the greatnesse of the thinges which he communicateth them is so superiour to the forces of nature and the capacitie of man so short and limited that for those that it can receiue it is necessary to estrange it from the corporall senses as was seene in Adam of whom S. Bernard saith that when God wold eleuate him to thinges purely spirituall and diuine he cast him in a kind of sleepe his soule being eleuated in sublime operation aboue all materiall and sensible things and that not as somethinke because he shold not feele the paine of his ribbe which was taken out for to that without a particular miracle no sleepe could suffice and so the sleepe of Adam according as is gathered of the holy scripture and of diuerse translations was not sleepe purely naturall but extaticall and miraculous as are those which in the contemplatiue are called extasies and raptes because the senses ceassing the imagination from corporall things Adam might receiue more purely the spirituall and diuine which our Lord did communicate vnto him the stile most ordinarie with which his maiestie doth communicate himsâ—lfe to his Saints Gen. cap. 2. misit Dominus soporem in Adam The Greeke translation sayeth estasin and the Hebrew tardemach which is profound sleepe Aquila and Symachus translated it grauem profundum soperem which is the same And in this sorte he is found to haue communicated himselfe to this his most deuote seruant for as his delightes are alwayes to be with the children of men Prouerb 8. so the familiaritie hath beene very great with which in all times he hath handled them How can I doe a thinge that Abraham may not know saide our Lord when he would destroy Sodome Genesis 18. And with Moyses the holy scripture saith that that he spake as one freind with another Exod. 33. Of this kinde are the prophecies visions reuelations of all the Prophets of the old testament and the raptes of the Apostles as is that which S. Luc. recounteth of the Apostle S. Paule in the actes of the Apostles cap. 9. euen to the third heauen in which he knew such things as after he could not tell how to speake The rapte of the sheet of S. Peter Actorum 10. where he knew the conuersion of the gentiles and all the prophecies and reuelations which the Catholique church hath had since the Apostles which are almost infinite of which the chronicles and liues of the Saints are full of the same priuiledge and fauour women haue enioyed before and after the coming of Christ for God hath not excluded them from this fauour these mercies And God who saith by Oseas cap. 2. I wil leade her into solitude and speake to her in the harte doth not only speake with men nor is his powerfull hand abbreuiated with women more then with them for we know that the spirite of our Lord breatheth where it will and that God is no accepter of persons Ioannis cap. 3. to exclude women from so great a good Rather in all times and ages there haue beene many in the world with whom he hath
of S. Peter but to do a seruice to our Lord God or to his most holy Mother in obsequie of S. Peter who will so much be pleased that his deuotarie doe serue God and his Mother So that the sayings of these seducers are vaine aggrauations And the truth being made cleare they haue neither substance nor apparance of ground as is manifest More I could say vpon this but I leaue to enlarge me and to applie that hath beene said not to hitt vpon a knowen action in this matter euery one shall take what toucheth him it sufficeth to say that the veneration to these beades and to those touched at them is very holy and the comparation of their virtues verie sufficient and the doubt whether they be certaine or not of no substance when with the same good faith we worship reliques and other pious thinges in which the Christian people hath more neede of spurres then of a bridle when it is not founded vpon fandy things without ground or with suspicion of fiction But the thinges of this seruant of God are founded vpon a most pure life most approued and clarified and vpon a glorious death vpon infinite miracles and vpon veneration of the faithfull so knowen and vpon the vncorruptibilitie of her holie bodie so euident and vpon tradition of all this of so many yeares and so continued and approued So neither the greatnesse of the fauours which God hath done her maketh them lesse credible nor saying that the holie Ghost spake by her mouth hath indecencie nor noueltie and much lesse the miracle of the beades but rather of all is drawen much profit for the greater glorie of our Lord and honour of of his Saint Brother Francis Bishop of Canaria The petition of Father Anthonie Daça giuen to the councell of the holy generall inquisition before the most excellent Lord Cardinall of Toledo inquisitor generall and those of his councell in Madrid The 19. of August in the yeare 1610. Most powerful Lord Brother Anthonie Daça diffinitor of the holy Prouince of the Conception and Coronist generall of the order of Saint Francis doth say that for as much as I haue composed a booke of the life and miracles of the blessed Ioane of the Crosse religious of the same order the which although it be perused by the councel of iustice and by their commission seene and approued by the ordinarie of Madrid before al these approbations haue gone those of the lectors of Theologie of our order by commission of the same religion and the councell hauing seene them and the informations and originall papers from whence the said booke hath beene taken and composed for greater qualification and authoritie thereof the said councell will haue the approbation of your hignesse to whom humbly I make supplication that you command it to be giuen and your censure for in the same shal be done to our Lord great seruice and to me a most great fauour For the which c. Brother Anthonie Daça The answere of the Councell Let the Abbot of Fitero ouerloke this booke and giue his censure informing first thereof the most excellent Lord Cardinall inquisitor generall Michaell Garcia de Molina The opinion and censure of the M. F. Don Ignatius of Iberus Abbat of the monasterie of Saint Marie the regall of Fitero qualificator of the holie office of the inquisition and one of those which assist at the meeting which is made in this courte of his Maiestie for the new catalogue and expurgatorie of the prohibited bookes I the Maister â—reer Don Ignatius de Ibero Abbat of the Monasterie of Saint Marie the regall of Fitero qualificator of the holy office of the inquisition c. doe lay that by commandement of the moste excellent Lord Don Bernardo de Roias and Sandouall Cardinall of Toledo inquisitor general in the kingdomes and Lordships of the King our Lord and of the councel of state of his Maiestie and of the Lords of the holy and generall inquisition haue seene and read with particular attention a booke intituled the historie life and miracles extasies and reuelations of the blessed Virgin sister Ioane of the Crosse of the third order of our Father Saint Francis composed by the most learned and very expert Father freer Anthonie Daça diffinitor of the holy Prouince of the Conception and Coronist generall of his order for to giue my opinion censure concerning the same And not only I haue not found in it any thing which may be ceÌ„lured or which is worthy to be noted but rather it seemeth to mee that the booke will be of much profit and vtilitie for all those that wil make vse therof especially for deuout people and those that treate of spirit and that all which therein is written is doctrine very good and very appâ—oued and most conforme to that doctrine which the Catholike Church our Mother reacheth and her holie Doctors And because it hath beene commanded mee that besides giuinge my opinion and censure of all this booke yet that I rather also tell in particular all what I thinke of iâ— and of the miracles and reuelations which are written in it I shall be more large in this my writinge and relation For the which I haue also read besides that which this booke coÌ„teineth the authenticall informations which of the things in the same conteyned haue beene made at diuers times the originall booke from wheÌ„ce these were drawen which is that which a disciple wrote of this seruant of God who liued in her time called sister Marie euangelist to whom as the informations which of this haue beene made and the tradiditions of that Monasterie doe say that miraculously to this effect our Lord gaue grace of knowledge to write and reade and it seemeth to mee that in as much as hath beene possible for mee I haue auouched to be certaine and true that which in the history is written of the life miracles and sanctiâ—ie of this seruant of God which is the first thing which ought to be presupposed in writing the liues of the Saints and that which the holy councel of Trent commandeth to the Pastors and Prelates that they looke much to it when they are to bring to light and publish histories of the miracles and liues of Saints to the end that with truth the meruailes of God and his omnipotencie be published Sess 25. in decreto de purgatorio § de inuoc veneratione Sanctorum For being that with these thinges God discouereth how admirable he is in his Saints it is greatly to his seruice that with thinges certaine and true we praise him and magnifie his omnipotencie and infinite greatnesse without telling fictions or vncertaine things for as saith holy Iob. Iob. 13. there is no necessitie of them for that which God pretendeth I hold then all this historie for most true and I vnderstand in as much as I can atteine to with probability and humane saith that al that which heere is written passed