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
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
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 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
strong and guilded and a lampe of siluer which burneth before the holy body where it is much worshipped not only of the people of the countrey but of many others also who come to visite it from very remote and farre places performing there their nouenas On the day that this blessed woman dyed the towne of Cubas celebrateth her feast with great deuotion and goeth in processioÌ„ to the monasterie with other of the adioyning townes and highe masse is sunge before the body on a portatible altar which to this effect is set vp The excellencies of the seruant of God are preached and the towne giueth bread and wine and cheese to innumerable people which repaire thither against that day And the deuotion encreasing in the people through particular benefits which they haue receiued of the seruant of God they haue offered to her nine lampes of siluer which burne day and night before her body wherwith she is had in great veneration 4. Since the saide translation it is not knowen that the chest hath beene opened vntill the yeare one thousand fiue hundred fiftie two Which appeareth by a testimonie sealed and signed of Iohn de Villores publique scriuener of his maiestie testifieng how on the 14. day of the moneth of September in the saide yeare on the day of the Exaltation of the holy Crosse a deuout procession hauing bene made by the nonnes of the monasterie there being present for witnesses the Lordes Don Bernardino de Mendoza and Toledo and the Lady Marie de Pisa his wife Lordes of the towne of Cubas and â—rinnon And Don Alonso de Mendoza his Sonne and the Lord Don Iohn Pachieco brother of the Lord Don Alonso Thellez Lord of the towne of the Puebla de Montaluan and the Lady Donna Leonor Chacon wife to the Lord Don Iohn Pacheco which had beene Lord of the said Puebla de Montaluan and the Lady Donna Isabell de Mendoza wife of Don Consalo Chacon Lord of the towne of Casarrubios with infinite other people Before whom was discouered the body of the blessed Sister Ioane of the Crosse and the saide scriuener affirmeth that it was entire retayning still a most sweet odor and such disposition through all as caused in the beholders notable admiration 5. And although the saide testimonies be of sufficient authoritie to prooue our intent albeit the holy body had beene afterward dissolued as it hath succeeded in the bodies of other Saintes which for some time our Lord conserued without corruption miraculously and afterward were dissolued yet to proue the incorruptibilitie of the body of this seruant of God there is little necessitie of ancient testimonies for all ceasseth with the euidence which at this day we haue before our eies When being eightie yeares since she died it lieth with the same integritie freshnesse and fairenesse with which they found it when it was translated after it had lyen in the bare earth seauen yeares together The first time that in these daies it was discouered certaine things succeeded worthie of memorie which I will relate because they are very graue persons and all aliue which were then present 6. In the beginning of the yeare 1601. came to Madrid the most reuerend Father freer Francis de Sosa the first time after he had beene chosen minister generall of our sacred Religion hauing beene there some daies he departed toward Toledo with determination to dine at Grinnon and to take his rest in the conuent of Oliua and the next day to come to Toledo Departing out of Grinnon immediatly after dinner because it was cloudie hauing gone a little more then a quarter of a league the cloudes were dispersed and the sunne scorched and therfore their iourney being short he would returne to Grinnon And the Father freer Peter Gonzales de Mendoza who this day is the most worthie Archbishopp of Grannada and then was Prouinciall went in companie of the saide Father Generall tould him that it would be better to goe to the conuent of the Crosse which was about the same distance and he should see that monasterie before the setting of the Sunne They did so and after that Father generall had beene receiued with the accustomed ceremonie of bringing him to the quire in procession and the religious had taken his benediction and he hauing made them a spirituall exhortation as the custome is he went to the infirmarie where there was a very ancient religious woman who had beene at the last translation of the body of the blessed sister Ioane of the Crosse The Father talked with her a good while of thinges concerning the blessed Saint and where her body was vntill it was time to departe 7. Passing along the cloister where the window was which goeth to the saide sepulture by chance Father Generall saide that hee could be glad it were not so late that he might call woâ—ckmen to open the grate and take downe the chest to see that which the ancient nonne had related to him And such was the instance which aswell the religious which accompanied Father Generall as the nonnes of the conuent made that although it seemed to little purpose it being nowe late and no worckmen at hand nor instruments such as were necessarie the saide Father Generall suffered himselfe to be ouercome And seeking ladders and hammers he himselfe being the first at worcke with much a doe they tooke away the grate for it was great and heauie and garnished with very great cost Afterward they tooke downe the arcke wherin the blessed body was but vnder it they did not find the keyes which were not there where the nuÌ„ne affirmed they had beene put And because they would not breake the lockes they vnnailed three barâ—es of iron and carried the chest in procession to the quier of the nonnes where they opened it and with great admiration of all they found the holy Body entire and fresh The seruant of God was vested with a habit of sad coloured Damask with two very white attires vpon her head for when shee dyed the nonnes had not the blacke veile she had a Crosse in her hande and a little string of beades of orange about her necke And all with great consolation and many teares worshipped the holy Body and they brought it to the grate that the people which were there might see it It was a marueillous thing to see that the conuent standing in a desert and the resolution of opening the arck hauing beene sodenly taken in hand yet the Church was as full of people as if it had beene published in all the prouince for many daies before Father Generall tooke away the kercher from the head of the seruant of God and the orange beades which she had about her necke and diuided them among the freers and nonnes And taking from one of those that stood by her veile and another string of beades put them vpon the blessed Ioane 8. Shutting vp the arcke and calling worckmen to put it in the place againe he tooke
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
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
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
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
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
with this euill and with these so great soundinges depriued of all kind of sense if they put on her a bead of the B. Ioane she coÌ„meth to her selfe saying Iesus and if they take it of presently she falleth into her sound againe the same effect being knowen to be as oft as they take it of and put it on in such sort as the sound taking her her remedie consisteth in that they put on her the bead And this is a thing so knowen there about that whosoeuer hath any of these beades to be out of doubt to know if they be true they goe and make experience vpon this sick woman as is manifest by diuers testimonies which concerning this point diuers scriueners haue giuen that haue seene it and by a declaration of Doctor Roias phisitian made before Francis Ortiz de Herrera publicke scriuener of our Lord the King from whom is also taken this testimonie following 13. I Francis Ortiz of Herrera publicke scriuener of his maiestie neighbour and natiue of this towne of Grizonno do testifie and faithfully declare that Marie de la Vieia daughter of Bartholomew de la Vieia neighbour of the same towne hath beene sicke these three yeares last past and is so now at this present of an euill which the phisitians call a running goute which is wont to take her so furioâ—sly as she giueth herself great strokes on her body enduring on her two dayes two nightes for about fiue or six monethes the said Marie de la Vieia hath had this euill who when she is depriued of her senses putting vpon her a bead of the B. Ioane of the Crosse eâ—her to her neck or throate or what part soeuer of her body in such sorte that it touch her flesh she retâ—rneth forthwith in that instant out of her sounding saying many times Iesus in taking it from her in the same instant she is bereued of all her senses and the said euill returneth to her but putting the said bead to her she returneth to herself vntill she be altogether well And this miracle being seene so patent the sounding taking her so ordinarily many persons which haue the saide beades and reliques put them vpon the forenamed Marie de la Vieia when she is in her sounding and without sense and by and by she returneth to herselfe which hath bene done in my presence infinite times especially one night when Father Didâ—cus Ordonnes Commissarie generall of the order of our Seraphicall Father S. Francis being come to the monasterie of this towne of Grinnon the Lord Don Pedro de Mendoza sonne and heyre of the Lord Don Ynigo Lopes of MeÌ„doza Lord of this towne and also of Cubas called in my presence his reuerend Paternitie that he might see the miracles which our Lord wrought by meane of the beades of the B. Ioane who went to see it and sawe how the said Lord Don Pedro touched the said Marie de la Vieia with a beade and making with the same the signe of the Crosse saying in the name of the most holy Trinitie and of the B. Ioane although she were were in a sound yet by and by she came to herself sayed Iesus and if they tooke from her the saide bead the former euill tooke her againe and as before she remained depriued of her senses 14. His reuerend Paternitie seeing so great a miracle and so patent drew out two beades which he had with him of the B. Ioane and made the same proofe and she came to herself with whichsoeuer of them and taking them from her she fell into the same And this passed in presence of me the said scriâ—ener and the saide Father commissarie generall and his secretarie and of the Gardian of Pinto and of many others who all admired it and gaue many thancks to God that they had seene with their eyes so great a miracle done by meane of the beades of the B. Ioane of the Crosse And the same I testifie succedeth euery time that the euill taketh her putting vpon her whichsoeuer of the saide beades Which that it might be manifest I haue giuen this testimonie and haue signed and sealed it and the saide Lord Don Pedro de Mendoza confirmed it also in Madrid the eight day of Aprill in the yeare 1611. Don Pedro Gonzales de Mendoza and Boâ—mediano in testimonie of the truth Francisco Ortiz de Herrera 15. Our Lord would not shut vp the virtue of these beades within the limites of Spaine but that extending it beyond them other nations also might enioy it for now they haue experienceâ— and knowen it In the cittie of Ays in the kingdome of France on Easter â—ay the 2. of Aprill in the yeare 16. 2. passing by the same citty Father Antonie de Treio commissarie generall of Indies and other Fathers Prouincialls and Gardians of the order of our holy Father S. Francis of the prouinces of Spaine which went to the generall chapter to be celebrated in Rome being in the connent of our holy Father S. Francis in the saide cittie they vnderstood how there was in the same a monasterie of religious much reformed of the order of S. Clare in the which of fortie nunnes which were therein twentie foure of them were possessed by the diuell a case which grieued all the cittie and kingdome For the which the Bishopp of the cittie moued with compassion carried them to his pallace where he kept them with all the care and tendernesse possible that so with more commoditie he might come to remedie so great an euill and to the spirituall comfort of their soules which was done by the asistance of the saide Lord Bishopp and of the religious of our order to whom this care was committed Some of the Fathers which were there especially Father Hierom of Cauanillas reader Iubilate in diuinitie and custos of the prouince of Valencia Father Peter Iouer reader of diuinitie and custos of the prouince of Catalunna now Prouinciall of the same Father Iohn Grao reader of diuinitie of the same prouince Father Echauarri preacher of the prouince of S. Iames and Father Iohn Ninno Vice-commissarie generall of the Indies and reader of diuinitie in S. Francis of Salamanca hearing of so pittyfull a case and desiring to put some remedie therto together with the two religious who had charge to repayre to the spirituall comforth of the religious went the first day of Easter to the pallace of the Lord Bishopp where the religious liued with their Abbesse and those which were sound receiued them in a high hall after the manner of a chappel where they sawe an altar wheron stood the B. Sacrament with lights and some of theÌ„ vpon their knees 16. After they had made their prayer they brought forth those that were possessed who so much refused it that they came with an euill will by force crying out and foming at the mouth scratching their faces and sweating through great affliction and vexation For remedy therof the said Father
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
and pious Doctor Iohn Molanus in his booke of Images Lib. 2. cap. 28. This we haue sayed is the same which is represented vnto vs in pictures where they paint S. Michaell with a ballance in his hand for it is as much as to say vnto vs that as a iudge vpright and of great integritie first he pondereth weigheth the merites of the soules with great particularitie and euerie one by it selfe and afterward pronounceth the sentence vpon them The same saith that most stout defender of the faith Iohn Eckius and other authors Hom. 8. de S. Michaele relatus à Ioanne Molane Which speake of the same and after the same manner must be vnderstood what in that reuelation our blessed one doth say that forthwith at the same instant that S. Michaell hath pronounced the sentence against the euill soules other Angells as executors of this sentence doe begin to chastize with rigorous stripes those soules which is to say that in the same instant they doe begin to feele and suffer the rigorous whipp of the iust chastisement of God and of the paines which for them he hath prepared And I say no more of that which remaineth of this historie for it is all very facill and there is nothing wheron to repaire and more I confesse that if I were not commanded to speake what hath beene saide I could very well haue excused it for al these thinges doth the author very well declare and ponder in their places so â—earnedly that he leaueth not whence to doubte in this nor in any other thing for not only in that which is historicall he proceedeth with so much certeintie and securitie in this his worke speaking in most thinges of it as an eye witnesse but also in that which is Theologicall and the reason of the historie he proceedeth with great ground and with reasons verie solide and with Theologicall for the which are due to the author many thankes for hauing vndertaken this so holy occupation and so important for the spirite profit of soules and for the greater glorie of God and of his holie religion and of the glorious Father and Patriarche Saint Francis who daily with new birthes and springings of Saints of his doth giue vs new alacritie and spiritual ioy in the church militant triumphant And for all the aforesaide doe admitt him and approue him this booke of his that it may come to light and be communicated to all This is that which I thinke vnder the censure seeming most sure of your highnesse In Madrid the sixteenth of September in the yeare one thousand six hundred and ten Fr. Ignatius de Ibero Abbat of Fitero Licence In the towne of Madrid the 16. day of September in the yeare 1610. the most excelleÌ„t Lord Cardinall of Toledo inquisitor generall in the kingdomes of his Maiestie hauing seene this approbation of the Maister Fr. Don Ignatius de Ibero Abbat of Fitero of the booke of B. Ioane of the Crosse gaue licence as Ordinarie that the saide booke shold be imprinted putting in it the opinion and approbation of the said Abbat Before me Michaell Garcia de Molina secretarie of the councell of his Maiestie of the holy generall inquisition Michaell Garcia de Molina ApprobatioÌ„ of the Lord Bishop Don Fr. Francis de Sosa of the councell of his Maiestie and of the generall inquisition to whom the most excellent Cardinal of Toledo committed the renew of this booke Most excellent Lord hauinge seene by commande of your Lordships excellencie the booke of the life and miracles of the seruaunt of God sister Ioane of the Crosse religious of the order of our holie Father Saint Francis it seemed to me not only to be coÌ„uenient to reforme in some places which occurred vnto me with different censures noted of the diuines of the consistory of the catalogue therof but also that it would be good to doe the same in many other being the same reason concurred which is to publish in a vulgar tongue thinges which is not conuenient that they go in the handes of all the which is done without note or disauthorizing of men so graue as at first did censure this booke by commandement of the councell royall of iustice afterwards of your most excellent Lorship for they could what they thought of the doctrine of the saide booke and experience shewed afterwards the same inconuenience worthy the remedy of your excellency which you and the holie office haue put commanding it to be reuewed that it might come out printed anew corrected and the Christian people to enioy so holie a historie for edification in manners and the greater glorie of our Lord. And because of this booke it hath beene spoken after diuers maÌ„ners both pro and contra and so notoriously that to me was committed the reuew therof I thought I had obligation to giue satisfaction to all as I doe in a preface which shall be put in the beginning to which I remitte mee giuen in Madrid the 24. of December 1612. Fr. Francis Bishop of Canaria Licence of the most excellent Lord Cardinall of Toledo inquisitor generall Don Bernardo de Sandouall and Roias by the diuine miseration priest Cardinall of the holie Church of Rome with title of S. Athanasius Archbishop of Toledo primate of Spaine high Chancelor of Castile inquisitor generall in the kingdomes and dominions of his Maiestie and of his councell of estate c. by these presents we giue facultie and licence to Father Fr. Anthonie Daça Coronist of the order of the glorious Father S. Francis that he may vse the priuiledge which of his Maiestie he hath to make to be imprinted the booke of the life and miracles of the seruant of God sister Ioane of the Crosse religious of the saide order prouided that by our commission it hath beene corrected and those things amended which it seemed inconuenient shold go in a vulgar tongue giuen in Madrid the 11. of Ianuarie 1613. The Cardinall of Toledo By commandement of his most Excellent Lordship Francis de Salago Secretarie APPROBATIO EX mandato Reuerendissimi Patris nostri Commissarij Fratris Andreae à Soto Serenissimae Hispaniarum Infanti à sacris confessionibus perlegi vitam hanc Beatae Ioannae de Sancta Cruce ex lingua Hispanica in Anglicanum idioma transpositum iudico multùm proficuam populo Christiano consolationem religiosis vel religionem anhelaÌ„tibus cum viderint tam stupenda authenticae probata miracula à diuina misericordia in approbationem status religiosi exhibita contra malignos huius temporis haereticorum oblatratus sic censeo 4. Feb. 1625. Fr. FRANCISCVS à S. CLARA S. Theol. in Collegio Anglorum Recol S. Bonauenturae Duaci Lector APPROATIO EGo F. Francisous Crathorne Monachus Benedictinus testor hanc vniuersam translationem cum originali diligenter fuisse collationatam eidem per omnia esse conformem Datum Duaci 7. Octobris 1624. F. FRANCISCVS CRATHORNE Benedictus Anglus in Collegio nostro Vedastino Philosophiae Professor APPROBATIO VIsis Approbationibus Reuerendi Patris Crathorne Reuerendi Patris Fr. Francisci à Sancta Clara consentio vt vita B. Ioannae ex lingua Hispanica in Anglicanam translata imprimatur 10. Sept. 1625. Fr. IOANNIS GENNINGVS Prouinciae Angliae Min. Custos Fratrum Minorum strictioris obseruantiae FINIS TO THE HOLY IOANE OF THE CROSSE LOPE-VEGA DE CARPio professed of the third Order of our holy Seraphicall Father S. Francis A SONNET THE noble Sunne whose radian beames doe cleare The asurde skie with his celestiall light Yet often times an obscure cloake doth weare Of foggie clowdes like to the â—able night That whilst it lasts the vilde earth thinketh sure Heauns and Sunne doe violence indure Yet notwithstanding doth his virtues send Through all those cloudes which cortynde in his rayes Eftesoones his glympes and greater glorie lend Vnto the dismall earth which hopelesse stayes Of all such comforth so by meanes of this With doubled crowne it more resplendant is Thâ—ice happie Virgin thus thy virtues rare Brighter then Sunne with deeds heroicke shine Spouse of the lambe when once they touched are Quicl lie doc shew themselues soe pure and fine That no man henceforward once dare call Them into question or make doubte at all Loe thus sweete Sainte how these thy virtues blase Thorough all the world thrice happie Ioane they doe Whilst wee with wonder at such beauties gaze And what like clowdes vnto vs erst did showe Cloudes are noe more but curtaines sure they are Which doe disclose thy Image farre more faire Fr. Ludouicus à Sancto Francisco