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
them and comforteth them as is manifest by expresse places of the new testament and the Saints doe relate in manie histories S. Thomas 3. p. q. 57. a. 6. ad 3. Caiet Suarez 3 p. Tom. 2. The historie of the woundes of our holie Fa. S. Francis is well knowen whom our Lord Iesus Christ visited not by ministerie of Angels but in his proper person when he imprinted his most sacred woundes in his feete handes and side as speake the Popes of glorious memorie Gregorie the 9. Alexander the 4. Nicolas the 3. and Sixtus the 4. in diuerse Bulles and is the doctrine of manie Saints and authors Disp. 15. sect 4. Belarm de Sacrament Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 3. Actor cap. 9. 22. 26. ad Corinth cap. 9. 19. Dionis epist 8. ad Demophil 8. Antonin in vita S. Antonij S. Gregor lib. 4. Dialog 16. And the seraphicall Father himselfe after his death appearinge to a holie religious told it him in these wordes Ille qui mihi apparuit non fuit Angelus sed fuit Dominus meus Iesus Christus in specie seraph qui sicut vulnera ipsa sacra in cruce suscepit ita manibus suis benedictis in corpore meo impressit primo manibus deinde pedibus postea lateri Monumenta ordinis tract 1. 2. S. Bonauent in Apologia pauperum Tom. 7. p. 4. de sex alijs Seraphim Tom. 7. p. 3 S. Anto. 3. p. hist tit 24. c. 1. § 8. S. Bernardin de Sena de euangel aetern serm 60. a. 1. cap. 1. serm de stigmatib S. Francis a 1. cap. 1. Tom. 2. Angel del Pus in expositione symboli Apostolor lib. 8. cap. 19. Chroni antiq 1. p. lib. 2. cap. 55. Rodulph historia seraphica lib. 1. cap. 12. lib. 2. fol. 264. Bartholome de Pisa in conform lib. 2. 3. Boragines serm 1. de stigmatibus S. Francisci Robertus de Licio Bishop of Aquitania serm de S. Catharina de Sena cap. 3. serm S. Francisci Gonzaga Bishop of Mantua 2. p. fol. 327. 241. speculum B. Francisci fol. 98. Gerardus Odon in officiâ— stigmatum B. Francisci Leonardus de Vtino serm de B. Francis Biga salutis serm de sacris stigmatibus S. Franc. Bernardinus de Bustis in rosario serm 72. Mathew Palmerius in additionibus ad Chronicon Eusebij Mairones serm de S. Francis Truxille in thesau serm de S. Francisco Bartholo de Pisa confort 31. lib. 3. And our Lord is wont to make these apparitions descending to the earth and together remaining in heauen which although to our apparance difficult is not to God impossible yea rather among learned men it is an opinion verie probable and secure as also it is in good phisicke and theologie which Scotus teacheth with manie others which follow him that one and the same bodie by the power diuine may be at once quantitatiuely in two places distinct and different The Angels when they appeare and speake to the Saints and the diuels when they torment and scourge take for to exercise these actions bodies apparant and phantastike of ayre imperfectly mixte applying actiue things to passiue as teaceth the subtilitie of Scotus and the glorious Father S. Augustine And although it be true that these bodies in which they shew themselues and appeare are not true bodies of flesh and bloud as ours are for according to S. Thomas to worke properly these things which are vitall actions they ought to be the soule of the same bodie in which they appeare and as the forme thereof to animate it yet for all this so great is the force which the spirites haue aboue all things corporall and visible as they doe with them what they wil moouing the tongue of the body feinedly to speake the feete to go the eyes to see and with the same facilitie that the soule doth serue her selfe of her members the spirite serueth it selfe of these which it maketh For to as much as this commeth the power of the Angell good or euill And let this serue the curious reader for the vnderstandinge of manie thinges which shall occurre vnto him in the discourse of the life of this seruant of God Ioannes Mai. 4. sent d. 10. q. 4. Suar. 3. p. Tom. 2. q. 58. disp 51. sect 4. Scotus lib. 4. dist 10. per multas qq in 2. Alex. de Hales 4. p. q. 11. a. l. § vlt. Gab. lib. 4. q. 1. a. 1. lect 46. in Canon Belar lib. 3. de Euchar cap. 3. 4. tract 4. physicor q. â— Scot. 2. senten dist 18. q. 1. S. August lib. de Gen. ad literam cap. 10. S. Tho. 1. p. q. 51. a. 3. THE HISTORIE LIFE AND MIRACLES EXTASIES AND REVELATIONS OF THE blessed virgin sister IOANE of the third order of our holy Father S. Francis THE FIRST CHAPTER Of the foundation of the Monasterie of saint Marie of the Crosse and of nine times which our B. Ladie appeared to a little keeper of swine natiue of Cubas FIue leagues from Madrid the famous court of the Catholicke Kings of Spaine standeth the towne of Cubas although little and poore yet most happiâ— and fortunate for that neere vnto it the virgin our B. Ladie had chosen her habitation dwelling place and so neer vnto it that only fiftie paces from it shee would haue her howse as Ladie and neighbour of the people in whose iurisdiction and bounds the soueraigne virgin appeared nine times on the first nine dayes of March in the yeare one thâ—wsand fouer hundred forty and nine to a little gyâ—le which kept swine of thirteen yeares called Agnes keeping a littleheard of hâ—gges so deâ—ote to our B. Ladie that euery day shee reciâ—ed her Rosarie fasted her feastes and the halâ—e of the lent from seauen yeareâ— of her age and when shee came to more yeares shee commâ—n caâ—ed oft and frequented much the Church And although vpon the informations which were taken vpon this occasion we haue no assurance but only of fiue or six apparitions of the B. virgin yet it is certaine that they were nine in number as God reuealed to the blessed saint Ioanne by her good Angell and is holden for a common tradition in that countrie and in the conuent where are celebrated euerie yeare since that time the feast of those nine apparitions with great solemnitie and concourse of people 2. The truth of this historie of the apparitions of the B. virgin hath been gathered from an information made by the commandment of the most excellent Lord Alfonsus Carillo Archbishopp of Toledo committed to Iohn Nunes archpriest of the towne of Madrid and to Iohn Gonzales Morejon archpriest of the towne of Illesias by particular order of the said Archbishopp dated in the towne of Benauente the seauenth of Aprill in the yeare 1449. signed by Gomez of Cordoua his secretarie and authorized by Ruy Dias of Madrid scriuener of the chamber of ouâ— Loâ—d the King and publicke noâ—aâ—ie in his court and
in all his kingdome And to write so graue a hâ—storie as this of the apparitions of our Ladie I doe not finde any wordes more to the purpose not more graue or true then the selfe same words wher with the said Agnes recounted them being examined vpoÌ„ this article which because they are hers for the plainenesse the antiquitie of the laÌ„guage will the raâ—her giue coÌ„tentemeÌ„t to whosoeuer shall read theÌ„ which are these following 3. Agnes affiâ—meâ—h that this munday now past which was the thâ—â—d day of the moneth of March she being a broad keeping hogges in the field which is called Fount Cecilie at the houre of midd day little more or lesse there came to her a woman verie faire vested in cloth of gold and sayde to her What dost thow heer little Chiâ—k and that shee answeared her I keep these hoggs Then the Ladie said vnto her Why dost thow fast the dayes of saint Marie on fridayes who answered that her parents commanded so so to doe And by and by the Ladie saide that â—hee did well and that fewe fridayes remayned her to fast this yeare but that from thence forward she shold fast the feastes of the Ladie saint Marie on the same dayes which they should fall for why those that fasted so did gaine eightiâ— thowsand yeares of pardon And that also shee commanded her to will all the people that they should confesse themselues and put their soules in good estate for that there wold fall vpon them a great pestilence and paine of the side and manie red stones embrued in bloud of the which manie people should die which hauing said forth with shee disappeared And the said Agnes saide that these things shee durst not speâ—ke of to her Father nor to her mother nor to anie person And that by and by the Tuesday following going with the said hoggs by the side of the riuer Torrejon about the houre of midday the forsaid Ladie appeared to her as before saying 4. Daughter tell me wherfore diddest thou not relate that which I coÌ„maÌ„ded thee yesterday And that shee answered that she durst not tell it it seeming to her that she should not be beleeued and that then the Ladie saide to her Take heed that what I command thee thow tell it and if they shal not beleeue thee I will giue thee a signe wherby they shall beleeue thee And then the said Agnes asked her who she was and she answered her that shee wold not tell her nowe and with this disappeared Vpon the friday the seauenth day of the same month the said Agnes saide that going to keep the hoggs in the newe pasture neer the said towne of Cubas the said Ladie came to her the third time at the foresaid houre clothed as shee had alreadie related and spake to her asking if she had tould that which shee had commanded her and she answered that shee had told it to her Father and to her mother and to other persons of the towne And then the Ladie said that shee should publish it and should tell it to the priest and to the people without any feare or trembling 5. And after this the said Agnes said that the sunday now passed which was the ninth day of the said month keeping the said hoggs in the pasture which they call of the Cirolera kneeling vppon her knees and kissing the earth offering vp her prayers and crauing that the saide Ladie might appeare vnto her that shee came vnto her in the forme that other times shee had appeared and said to her Rise vp daughter And that then she was afraide and raised her self vp And that the said Ladie said to her Be not afraid And asking her who shee was shee answered I am the virgin saint Marie and shee came to the said Agnes tooke her by the right hand and griped it with her thumb and left her the fingers of it ioyned and sticking toge her and made in manner of a crosse according as shee shewed it and wee all sawâ— it who stood there present And that when shee ioyned her aforsaid fingers the said Agnes complained and the said Ladie said to her wâ—â—h this signe which I giue thee they shall beleeue thee and this thow shalt suffer for their sakes goe thy way to the Church and thow shâ—lâ— come when they goe out from masse and shewe it to all the people that they may belieue that which thâ—w shalt say And so shee went by and by to the Church and came at the time which the â—aide Ladie had told and entring into the Church she bowed her knees before the altar of the B. virgin Marie and told publickly to the priest and to all the people all what hath bene aboue said And by and by the Priest the Church wardens the cunstables and all the chiefest men of the towne bearing much deuotion to our B. blessed Ladie the virgin saint Marie who had shewed such a miracle on the saide Agnes began with great deuotion with Crosses candles and torches lighted in their hands and all barefooted to goe in procession with all the children which they could finde in the said place and with the said Agnes carryed a Crosse of wood for to place it where our B. Ladie had taken her by the hand and made vpon her the said signe 6. Going beyond the place where they dresse their corne thinking to enter into the vineyards the said Agnes who went before the children turned her head and said to Lopes of Lorbes and Andrew Ferrandes the cunstable who went ordering the procession of the saide children that they shold stand still that shee had heard a voice that the said Ladie saint Marie the virgin called her that shee had twice said Come hither and that therfore shee wold goe to see that which the said Ladie commanded her And that by and by the said Andrew Ferrandes who carried the Crosse of wood gaue it to the said Agnes who went with the Crosse and saide that assoone as shee seuered herself from the procession the virgin our B. Ladie came and they went together at the right side of the said Agnes and that she neuer spake a word vnto her vntill they came to the place where shee had giuen her the said signe and that then the virgin S. Marie tooke the Crosse in her hands and bowing her Bodie pitched it fast in the ground and commanded her to kneele on her knees with her face towards the procession and that shee shold wishe the people there to errect a Church vnto her which they should call S. Maries and commanded her that shee should returne with the processioÌ„ to the Church of the towne and that she should stand in the same before the altar of S. Marie with some pure and innocent people all that day and that night vntill the next day that they shold say two masses of S. Marie on her altar and that at the end of eache masse they should say the gospell vpon the
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
reuealeth to them In consequence whereof it is so that there is a common place which is called Purgatorie where regularly the soules are purged with paine correspondent to the faultes which they committed and satisfied not in their life time and there are also particular places where God ordeyneth that they satisfie as teacheth S. Thomas with all the Doctors in especiall S. Gregorie S. Tho. in 4. D. 21. q. 1. a. 1. ad 3. S. Bonau in 4. D. 20. 1. p. q. 6. S. Antonin 3. p. hist. tit 33. § 3. S. Greg. lib. 4. Dialog cap. 40. and 55. 6. Likewise the common opinion is that in Purgatorie neither the Angells nor the diuels doe torment the soules but only the diuine iustice by meanes of the fire of Purgatorie as teach S. Thomas and Scotus with all schoole diuines Yet for all this it is no lesse manifest certaine that sometimes the diuells do torment the soules in Purgatorie as appeareth by a reuâ—lation made to saint Bernard and is related in the 23. chapter of the first booke of his life and of other reuelations venerable Bead and Dionysius Carthufianus and the maister of senteÌ„ces with many others doe make mention S. Thom. lib. 2. sent D. 6. a. 6. ad 3. and lib. 4. D. 20. a. 5. Scotus 4. sent D. 44. q. 3. Beda lib. 3. hist. Angliae cap. 19. 7. The fourth thing that concerneth the terriblenesse and duration of the paines of Purgatorie and the great valour of the suffrages of the Church and intercession of the iust we find in many of the Saints bookes some things very great and of greater note then that which hath beene reuealed to this B. virgin Saint Thomas pondereth the greatnesse of the paines and saint Vincent Ferer affirmeth that a soule was suffering these most grieuous paines a yeare for one veniall sinne and to the same it was reuealed that his Sister Francis Ferrer was in Purgatorie condemned to the paines therof vntill the end of the world from which within fewe dayes she was free by the prayers and masses of her holy Brother Dionysius Carthus de iudicio particulari Magist senten lib. 4. D. 44. S. Thom. 3. p. q. 46. a. 6 3. sent D. 15 q. 2. a. 3. S. Vincent serm de aqua benedicta in vita eius 8. Cesarius in his Dialogues recounteth of an other soule which was condemned to purgatorie for two thousaÌ„d yeares Iohn Heralt in his fortie first sermon of the deceased soules doth say that some soules haue beene condemned for one thousand yeares And in his examples he recounteth of a religious which was condemned to the paines of Purgatorie vntill the day of iudgement because he accomplished his penances coldly and slackly And Saint Bede Richard de S. Victore and Belarmine affirme the same of others Beda hist. Angliae lib. 5. cap. 3. Belarm tom 1. de Purgatorio libro 2. And although other authors do limit this very much iudging that at most a soule may be in Purgatorie for the space of ten yeares yet they deserue not so rigorous ceÌ„sure as those who impugne it affirming it contrarie to the doctrine of the Saints for the one part speaketh according to the iust condemnation in respect of the faultes and the other of that which seemeth to them in respect of the many suffrages of the Church which continually are made for the soules in Purgatorie 9. This supposed the holy Abbesse perswaded her nonnes much to feare the paines of Purgatorie and to be very deuote to the Archangell Saint Michaell whom in spirite she had seene iâ—dge the soules and that wheÌ„ he condeÌ„ned any soule to hell We paint the Archangell Saint Michaell with a waieght and a sword in his hand declaring by this painting the power wherwith he iudgeth poÌ„dereth and measureth the merites and demerites of the soules Iohannes Molanus in historia sanctar imaginum lib. 2. cap. 28. Viegas in Apocalypsim cap. 12. tom 1. sect 17. num 5. sect 18. num 7. Iohan. Eckius homil 8. de sancto Michaele other Angells did singe O Lord of maiestie how full of mercy is thy iustice we blesse and adore thee for it and that they cursed the soules condemned to hell that others were the executors of the diuine iustice vpon those which went to Purgatorie as S. Hierom and S. Augustine doe affirme S. Hier. in Dani. cap. 7. S. Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 9. cap. 5. She saide also that the Angells keepers carry the soules to Purgatorie and comfort them as the Saints do say to many of whom our Lord hath permitted that soules which were in paine should appeare S. Bonauen lib. 4. sent dist 2. in 1. p. q. 5. that in their praiers they might be commended and that others in spirite might see Purgatorie and the rigorous paines which in so many manners the soules did there suffer S. Thom. ibi dist 21. q. 1. a. 1. that they might recount them to the liuing and taking pitty vpon them they might beware by others harmes The same happened to the B. Ioane many times and among others being sacristian and ringing one night to martines she heard very sorrowfull grones as of some person that bewailed and asking of her Angell keeper what voices those were he saide They are of a soule in great necessitie which by the licence of God commeth to commend it selfe by thy prayers This was the soule of a great Lady of Castile who died a little before which said to B. Ioane that in as much as her paines were most grieuous she entreated her she would coÌ„mend her to God and also to pray her mother to helpe her with certaine almes masses of these cases many happened to her and she said that she sawe in purgatorie certaine places darke most fearfull and filthie and the diuells which very cruellie tormented some soules to the which for euery fault they gaue different paines and that the soules gaue many grones saying woe to vs which had time to serue God and did not do it now we are tormented and contrition auaileth vs not nor repentance 10. I sawe by the will of God said she on a time to her religious the soule of a certaine Prelate in purgatorie which suffered much paine and I demanding the cause therof of my holy Angell he saide to me that that soule was of a prelate which for hauing beene carelesse of the soules of his subiects suffered great paines for the faultes he did in the seruice of God and for those which his subiects did by his occasion and euill example 11. This blessed woman knewe that a certaine Ecclesiasticall person of whom herselfe had receiued particular aggrieuances of much authoritie was dead And as she was a friend of doing good for euill she did not cease to pray to God to haue mercie of his soule making therfore her prayer for him he appeared to her one night in a figure very fearfull filthie He bare in his mouth a gagge
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
of AlexaÌ„der the first by whom was prohibited the power of painting Christ our Sauiour in figure of a lambe and the same we read in the Sixth Generall Synod in the canon 28. where the author of the summe of the councels noteth that it was then also forbidden to paint the holie Ghost in figure of a doue Concil Nicen. 2. And in the second Nicene councell in the action 4. and 5. the opinion of Saint German is approued which condemneth the painting of the eternall Father in figure of a man and that of the diuine persons only the person of Christ our Sauiour ought to be painted who was a man And this sentence foloweth S. Iohn Damascene and Saint Augustin Ioan. Dam. lib. 4. fidei Orthodoxae cap. 17. D. August lib. 7. de fide symbolo This seemed conuenient for that time in which the heretiques Anthropomorphitae did trouble the church but that necessitie ceassing who seeth not with what veneration the holie church doth vse and reuerence such like pictures and the manie decrees which in their fauour haue beene giuen ex 6. anathematismo 5. Concilij Constant. ex 6. anathematismo edict imperatoris Iustini ex Euagr. cap. 2. lib. 11. Ioannes Damasc cap. 1. lib. 3. de side orthodoxa And the same heed was taken in the manner of speaking for we read in the 5. Councel of Constantinople and in the edict of Iustinian the Emperour and in Euagrius and S. Iohn Damascene and other graue authors that it was prohibited to call the Virgin our B. Ladie Christotocos which is to say Mother of Christ because the hereeike Nestorius gaue her that name denying that she might bee called Theotocos that is Mother of God and so only she might be called Mother of Christ But after the diuell had taken away Nestorius and that there is no feare that aâ—ie one in Europe will follow him we confesse Christ our Sauiour for true God as properly and commonly we call the most holie Virgin Mother of Christ as Mother of God And of these exaÌ„ples many might be related of which the heretikes doe pretend to helpe theÌ„selues for to put a vaine change in the decrees vse of the church But their calumniation doth clearly appeare because noueltie ruled by the times necessitie is not Instabilitie but Prudence and hence springeth that it is permitted in one time what in another is prohibited and prohibited at one time what at another was permitted to take away whatsoeuer occasioÌ„ of peril without hauing for manie of these things new decrees with expresse reuocation of the ancient When the vniuersal custome sufficeth tolerated by the church and head Bishop As proueth Paulus Borgatius with the authoritie of graue authors and specially of Hostiensis in his Summe of the Cardinall Paulus Borgatius in tracta de irregularitatibus tit de decimes Hostienfis Cardinalis in C. nobis de decimis The third thing to be noted is that there are manie kinds of Saints or blessed persons whom the Christian people may and ought to worship The first degree hath those which are declared for such in whatsoeuer of the canonicall bookes of the new and old testament whose sanctitie if it should be denied or put in doubt it wold be a formall heresie as it is to doubt of the truth of the holie scripture The second degree is that of the ancieÌ„t Saintes whom the tradition of the vniuersall church holdeth from their beginnings for such Saintes building them temples altars and celebrating their feastes inuocating their intercession and the sanctitie of such is authenticke in so much that the heretiques themselues confesse and reuerence it although they confesse not the intercession of the Saints and to denie the sanctitio of such should be the same errour as to affirme that the vniuersall church which the holie spirit doth enlighten may erre in a matter so graue as this is The third degree is of the Saints which we call canonized not because those of the second degree are not so which ar also by the vniuersall church as hath beene saide canonized but because notice beinge had of certeine deceiptes which some particular churches had in admitting for Saints those which were none approuing false miracles wherwith the diuell did procure to deceiue the people the Romane Bishops as vniuersall Pastors and the generall Councels willing to procure an opportune remedie to this dammage reserued to themselues this case of of canonizing Saints which is to propose them for such to the vniuersall church after hauing sought out their life and miracles with so much diligence as we see it done and this began in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred and three when Pope Leo the third canonized at the instance of the Emperour Carolus Magnus Saint Suitbertus Bishop although afterward the reseruation of this case to the Romane church was more expressed by Alexander the third as appeareth by the chapter audiuimus de reliq veneratione Sanctorum and the solemnitie of ceremonies with which it is now vsed hath beene continued and there haue beene canonized seauentie and three adding eleuen to the computation which Freer Angelus de Roca made in the booke which he wrote vpon this matter where he saith that although being sacristane of the Pope he vsed great diligence yet he holdeth for certaine that some haue beene forgotten by him and so it is that he put not Saint Elzearius and seauen Martyres of our sacred religion which suffered in Cepta and with three which haue beene canonized after he had written which are Saint Raimundus S. Francisca and Saint Charles is made the said number of eleuen and of the said seauentie and three fourtie and three are religious and of these twentie and fiue only of our order counting those of the third rule The fourth degree is of Saints which in different places are worshipped and are called Beatified for the processe of their life and miracles hauing bene seene by persons to whom the apostolicall sea committeth this charge licence hath beene giuen that they may be worshipped and inuocated with publicke prayers by some religion or people or kingdome c. in the meane time that the cause of the canonization be concluded The fifth degree is of Saints which are worshipped by the faithfull in different places without being canonized or beatified in the manner spokeÌ„ the which although they dyed after that the Roman church reserued to it selfe the decree of the canonization the custome of celbrating their feast with publicke prayers in all the vniuersall church are neuertheles so ancient and so notorious as the said vse and permission is holden for a tacite canonization and such like in all and through al we worship as canonised Saints as for example sake Saint Roch is neither canonized nor beatified in the forme aboue said yet almost through all the church generally his feast is celebrated his name is inuocated and churches are dedicated to him c. with so notable
permission of the sea Apostolicke as this same passeth in Rome it selfe And of these many are worshipped in diuers kingdomes The last degree is of those who by the notice which is had of their holie life and miracles before and after their death the faithfull doe worship with particular veneration and not publick and solemne and these are of more or lesse authoritie conforme to the antiquitie and notice which is had of their life and miracles and the approbation or permission of the superiors It remaineth now to see the veneration which to such Saints may and ought to be giuen lawfully Fourthly it is noted that in as much as toucheth the veneration due to the Saints it is not heere treated of that which coÌ„cerned the Saints of the fiue degrees proposed because it is not a thing in controueâ—sie among the Catholiques and that which against the heretiques is defined by the church and the Doctors doe write is not matter for this purpose but only that which toucheth those of the last degree in which is the blessed Ioane I say therefore that the vnderstanding of this truth fundamentally presupposeth another truth which is that there are two manners of celebration veneration or inuocation of Saints the one is publicke and generall this is made in the name of all the church and with the authoritie therof expresse or tacite and another particular and this latter is diuided also into particular secret one commending him selfe to the prayers of whom he holdeth for a Saint and into particular publicke and notorious as proclaiming one for a Saint hanging vp lampes making otherlike demonstrations This supposed two thinges are certaine and in one is the difficultie which maketh to our purpose The first thing certaine is that the veneration publicke and generall in the name of all the church only can and ought to be done to the Saints of the first fiue degrees keeping in what concerneth the beatified in the order of the confession because in some it is more limited then in others And the second thing also certaine is that the veneration or inuocation particular secret euerie one may make to whomsoeuer he holdeth for iust aliue or dead without hauing more defect herein then in giuing more credit to the sanctitie of anie one then prudence teacheth but in fine his intent is good as only to esteeme and honour virtue a thing which the very light of nature teacheth as Aristotle 1. Ethic. cap. 5. affirmeth And that this honour is due not onlie to the liuing but also to the dead the philosophers came to know as Plato and others with Eusebius noteth it lib. 13. de praeparat euangel c. 6. 7. yet the Saints haue proceeded further prouing that the honour and veneration done to the good liuinge and dead is done to God him selfe in his Saints and so saith Saint Basil D. Basil in orat in 40. Martyr lib. 4. cap. 16. Honor quem bonis conseruis exhibemus beneuoli erga communem Dominum significationem de se praebet The same Saint Iohn Damascene proueth almost in the same wordes and Saint Hierome in his epistle to Ripario doth say honoremus seruos vt eorum honor redundat ad Dominum serm 6. in fine And in the life of Saint Paule he celebrateth much the deuotion wherwith shee cast her selfe at the seere of the eremites not thinking her selfe worthie to kisse them and the Saint saith so much she worshipped as if in euery one of them she worshipped Iesus Christ Lib. de Virginitate Ac si in singulis Dominum adoraret And it is no merueile for why S. Athanasius in his booke of virginitie saith St homo iustus domumtuam intrauerit adorabis humi ad pedes illius Deum enim qui illum mittit adorabis So as if one reuerence him whom he holdeth for a Saint dead or aliue he doth not sinne although the same were no Saint for his intention is not but to reuerence true sanctitie as if one adored a hoste vnconsecrated thinkinge it to be consecrated it is cleere that he meriteth as Doctors doe note by the same reason Medina 3 p. q. 25. a. con 4. In like manner as these two things of publicke veneration in the name of all the church and of the particular of euerie one are certaine so that which supposeth the doubt and maketh to our purpose is in the particular publicke which is called particular because it is not generall nor is made in name of the church and it is called publicke because the actions of veneration are so as is declared Concerning this manner of veneration two extreames must be fledd and the middle may be followed The one extreme is that of those who with apparence of pietie approue false miracles and other actions by which the people proclaimeth one for a Saint with great perill of approuing feigned sanctitie whereupon haue beene seene pittifull cases of which the histories are full procured by the diuell not so much for to deceiue in that article as to discredit true virtue and so all that which in this matter shall not be censured and iudged by the superiours to whom it belongeth is holden suspected And in these cases as the iudgements and opinions of men are diuers so also are their effectes and feelings for some wâ—epe and others laugh and others are dismayâ—d and of all the diuell draweth much gaine The other extreme is of them who so much streighten this matter as they affirme to be prohibited what some euer kind of exteriour veneration as to hang vp lampes to offer guifts to call one a Saint although it be in particular without speciall approbation and decree of the sea apostolique So thought Francis de Pegna auditor of the Rota in a treatie which he composed of this matter cap. si quis hominem 11. q. 3. where he affirmeth that so it was decreed by the chapter si quis hominâ—m and by the first and second chapter de reliquijs veneratione Sanctorum and is the sentence of Hostiensis whom commonly the canonistes doe follow vpon these textes and that it is proued in proper tearmes by Zanguinus in the treatie de Haereticis cap 12. num 8. and the author of the Repertorie of the inquisitors verbo canonizatus § si tales and from hence he inferreth that which without doubt he tooke for assumpt in that treatie which was to condemne certaine pictures and stampes of one Beatus whose canonization was treated with such rigor of wordes as although in a certaine manner they shew more submission to the sea apostolicke litle malice is necessarie â—o know that some passion or affection went betweene when neither the texts which he relateth doe proue what he pretendeth nor the authors which he alreadgeth doe speake so cruelly for why the chapter Si quis hominem is no decree but certaine wordes which Gracian tooke out of Saint Hierom vpon the epistle of Saint Paule to Philemon and speaketh not of
this matter but much in generall against those which sell the euill for good and in the chapter 1. and 2. de reliquijs veneratione Sanctorum Alexander the 3. câ—â—demneth the reuerence which was done to one Ebrius whom they worshipped for a Saint and the Doctors canonistes vpon those texts doe not depart from the middle sentence which is the truth And although some doe not speake with so much distinction others as Hostiensis and Innocentius doe distinguish verie cleerly betweene publicke prayers obsequies and sacâ—ifices made to the Saints in the name of the whole church and of the particular and priuate which are made to any Saint for the notoriousnesse of his holie life and miracles and they confesse that the prohibition of the said texts is vnderstood of the first and not of the second which also all the diuines doe affirme with more claritie who follow the said middle sentence Suares 3. p. q. 25. a. 1. d. 52. sect 3. conforme to which is to be affirmed that the said texts prohibit the publicke and solemne veneration in name of the whole church but not the particular although there come with them publicke actions and notorious as hath beene saide in consequence wherof must be approued or reproued such like actions accordinge to the ground which there is for the same and for their vse for if it be weake they shall be worthie of reprehension as light and vaine but of it be reasonable they shall be pious and laudable and so is the veneration particular and publicke which in so manie places is made to manie Saints which although they are not canonized nor beatified their sanctitie is knowen by the notoriousnesse of their holie life and the manifestation of their miracles and by other signes in which is grounded the common acclamation of the Christian people and such like although we call them Saints as we would say the holie Freer Didacus the holie freer Raymundus c. we doe not yet giue them the title of Saint absolutely as to say Saint Raymundus Saint Didacus vntill they be canonized For to graduate them with this title the church reserueth for the action of the canonization as is manifest of the first booke of the sacred ceremonies sect 6. cap. 2. § antequam where treating of the processe of the canonization this title of Saint is not giuen vntill the sentence diffinitiue in the which are put these wordes Decernimus definimus bonae memoriae N. Sanctum esse c. And that which to the contrarie Francis Pegna would perswade besides that it is contrarie to what himselfe required to see himselfe in Rome with the blessed Francisca and manie other blessed bodies which neither are canonized nor beatified it is scrupulous without apparance of ground First because the most ancient custome hath so receiued it as we see in such a number of graue authors ancient and moderne which to such like doe giue the name of Saints and referre the veneration which in diuerse partes is made them of this are the bookes full not only of those who haue written the liues of Saints as Surius Lipomanus Vincentius Bellouacensis and others and the chronicles of Religions with infinite graue authors but euen in the very bookes of the holy Fathers and which is more in the Generall Councells is found this manner of speach Nor is it against this to say that those authors were before the saide decrees for some of them were after as S. Bernard S. Raymundus S. Bonauenture S. Antoninus of Florence and many others whose language to condemne wold be temeritie Secondly because not only bookes of history but the Romane Martyrologe it selfe which euery day is read in the diuine office at Prime calleth Saints many centenaries yea thousands of persons which neither are canonized nor beatified Thirdly that which cleerlie conuinceth as well noteth Azorius Tom. 2. p. 2. lib. 5. among those things which are commanded by the Pope of Rome to be auouched for the canonizatioÌ„ of a Saint is the fame which hath beene of his sanctitie and the veneration which the people doe him and so in all the Buls which to this ende are dispatched is put a clause with this demand following An magno pietatis affectu studio eum fuerit populus prosecutus an apud populum haeatur pro beato qui in coelesti patria vita perfrui aeterna credatur quam frequenter eius sepulchrum visitare solet eius opem patrecinium apud Deum implorando multa offerendo tabellas gratiarum ab eo obtentarum indies appendendo These thinges then be lawfull and holy when the Popes doe command to auouch them for an argument of the definition which they pretend to make in so graue a matter This supposed it remaineth to satisfie in particular the censurers of this booke who as hath beene saide are some learned and prudent and others scrupulous and ignorant the first thincke it conuenient to take away some reuelations and other cases which not being for all it is not good that they go in vulgar tongues for the reasons spoken of in the first and second presupposition and so it hath beene done not only in the places which they pointed out but also in many others without making thereby any want in the historie it beinge no wrong to retaine in silence some truthes neither yet is anie iniury done to the originals so worthy of credit for they are kept with all their authoritie vntill it shall be necessarie to recur to them There haue beene also some thinges cut off and others declared touching Purgatorie and other matters which although they be true in rigour of Theologie yet are not so manifest to those who haue not studied to whom it might serue for a rock of scandal what wel vnderstood were matter of edification Likewise in what concerneth the virtue of the beades which Christ our Lord blessed at the instance of this seruant of God hath bene taken away all whatsomeuer sounded of iurisdiction as are indulgences not because we doe not beleeue but that there are many gained as tradition hath receiued but for the reason which in the 10. chapter is declared which is that concession of them is not constant with that distinction which is conuenient for the publication of indulgences and the miracles which hitherto haue beene auâ—uched although they proue alike other great virtues yet not that there are indulgences gained and so this is lefte without wrong to the truth for if the indulgences bee granted they may be gained and if they be not the other virtues are such and so maruailous as they are sufficient that the Christian people may make such estimation of these beades as alwaies they haue done and with so great reason as by and by we will proue Also the title of Saint hath beene taken away which might haue bene vsed with the modification expressed in the fourth supposition that is to say the Saint Ioane and not S.
Ioane absolutely as before it was Sancta Ioanna that is the Saint Ioane or the holie Ioane ouâ— now that this was mended it seemed gooâ— to take it away altogether for the greater satisfaction of those who in this matter do speak with too much rigour without condemning for al this the common language of the people who call this seruant of God the Saint Ioane nor that of so many graue authors which giue her this title and euen the Lord Bishop of Mantua in his chronicle calleth her sanctissima who all speake with much decencie and proprietie as is proued in the fourth note The Bishop of Mantua of the Seraphical Religion Bishop of laen lib. of the veneration of reliques Barespo 4. P. Chronic. N Pereclo lib. of our B. Lady of Atocha Villegas in the flos Sanctorum Fr. Peter de Salazar and others The second sorte of censurers are the scrupulous although well meaning and the first thing wherat they stumble is in that there are related in this booke a great multitude of miracles without being approued by the ordinarie conforme to the decree of the holy couÌ„cel of Trent and the truth is that this decire for prouing miracles and reliques is not new but a confirmation of many others most ancient by the which if these scrupulous would passe their eyes with a very litle obseruance that they might make for the vnderstanding of them they shold be verie farr from giuing such censure For there is verie great difference betweene approning miracles reliques and relating them in a historie the first is reserued to Superiours accordinge to the qualitie of the ende for which the approbation is intended and the second is graunted to all as many as haue beene borne in the world seing that since the beginning thereof haue beene related and written diuers miraculous cases without that any one haue more obligation for the truth of the history then to relate the thinges as he knoweth them and euery one giueth him the credit that accordinge to prudence seemeth good vnto him and to whom this shall be wâ—nting he shall giue it him that will so that nether the historiagrapher nor thâ— hâ—â— oâ—e shall therfore lose or gaine more credâ—â— then before they had And Aristotle saith 1. Ethic. lib. 3. cap. 7. from whom Cicero tooke it that all thinges must not be handled with such subtilitie that a mathematicall demonstration be made of them but that the arguments wherwith that shall be proued which is related must be according to the subiect wherof is treated and the end wherfore it is treated In such manner as to relate by worde or writing a miracle which God did by the intercession of any Saints it is not more necessarie then to haue heâ—rd it of persons worthy of credit But to publish with solemnitie this miracle and to celebrate it with festiuitie in thankesgiuing or to take it for argument of the sanctitie of that Saint for to canonize him or beatifie him c. the approbation of a superior is necessarie to whom according to the law it belongeth according to the end for the which it is pretended to be approued so also to worship and hold in reuerence a relique which is giuen to any one and to beleeue with pietie that it is true sufficeth the authority of a person worthy of credit who affirmeth that he found it in such a place or church worshipped and had for such But if a church or monasterie which shold much esteeme a relique had in this manner as we might say a head of the eleuen thousand Virgins wold recite of them on their day with a double office and not of the Saint which the Kalendar doth assigne as is granted in the rubriques of the breuiarie it wold be necessarie to haue approbation of that relique because one thing it is to worship and esteeme it in particular and another to approue it for publique ministerie whereof the said decree of the sacred couÌ„cell teacheth and the rest touching this matter In consequence wherof to the obiection it is answered First that the miracles which are written in bookes which are infinite as in the cronicles of religions and other innumerable tracts not for this are approued and published authorizedly which is that which the law prohibteth commanding that it be done with authority of the ordinary that which this booke conteineth is the same with infinite others ancient and moderne where is recounted that which in euery parte happened and euery one may giue it the credit that he will Secondly that which is written of this seruant of God is the same which of her haue written so graue authors as haue bene related and if in their histories this inconuenience was not found there is no cause wherefore it should be found in this booke Thirdly and principally with which it seemeth there remayneth no kinde of doubt in this matter is that being so many bookes which speake of miracles in few or it may be in none shall be found the warinesse that is in this for speaking in the context of the historie of some miraculous thing euery one is related as it was found and as it is for it is saide such a miracle such a one recounted and such a one passed before such and such persons and of such a miracle was information made by commission of the ordinary and is in the archiue of the councell of the most illustrious of Toledo and of such an one made information only the Iustice of the people and of such an one the Father Generall of the order with such witnesses and of such an one is knowen no more then what the partie sayeth or is found by tradition And this beinge so cleare what hath the approbation which the holy councell of Trent commandeth to be made for the publishing of a new miracle to doe with this history written in imitation of as many authors as haue written liues of Saints from the time that the church was founded and from the same councell vnto this day and with more warinesse then the rest when they only relate the case and the author of this cronicle addeth that which hath beene saide The second obiection which they oppose is the greatnesse of the fauours which our Lord is shewen to haue done to this seruant of God the which are such and so great as with great reason may cause not only much admiration but some doubte in beleeuing them And I answere that the admiration in the coÌ„sideration of the workes of God is for to acknowledge the greatnesse of his clemency and liberality and for it to giue him thankes consideraui opera tua c. said the Prophet of this admiration God draweth light to all the virtues for mirabilia opera tua anima mea cognoscet nimis For faith is confirmed and charitie is enkindled more for to loue such a Lord and so liberall and hope is many waies nourished by hoping that God will worke
in vs what he hath wrought in our neighbour But to draw out of the greatnesse of the fauours of God coldnesse to beleeue them lesse is to thinke basely of the infinite liberality of God and to measure the same by the shortnesse of our mind without consideration that it is consequent to the liberality of God to be infinite in giuing the most with best will and so the desire and hope in the thinges of the worlde are different from those of thinges diuine for in humane thinges while that is greater which is desired the hope of obteininge it is lesse and in diuine thinges contrariewise For being we treat with one that is infinitely most magnificent while the pretension more encreaseth the hope will be more firme and this the Apostle S. Paule calleth to abound more in hope and virtue of the holy Spirit Deus autem spei repleat vos omni gaudio pace in credendo vt abundetis magis in spe virtute Spiritus sancti Rom. 15. and so the Prophet Helisaeus 4. Reg. 4. willing to enrich a poore widdow with giuing her such abundaÌ„ce of miraculous oyle that she might pay her debters and liue of the rest fearing in her some scantnesse of minde as there is in these scrupulous persons aduertised her to aske vessels not of one of her neighbours but of all nor a few vessels but manie Vade pete mutuo ab omnibus vicinis tuis vasa vacua non pauca And although she did so and they were all filled the Prophet demanded if she had more vessels and answering no the oyle ceassed in such sorte that it failed not for fault of the giuer but for want of vessels to receiue it in And in like competeÌ„ce alwaies wil God ouercome in such sorte as the fauours done to the B. Saint Ioane are not lesse credible because they are great how much more if we read the bookes a of the Saints which are full of meruailous cases where is shewen how our Lord hath done very great mercies to theeues robbers and to all sorâ—es of most hainous persons when it seemed they lest deserued it for his secret iudgements and declaration of his infinite mercie then what great thing is it that he hath done the same for a chosen seruant from her mothers wombe And finally these are not amazed at the greatnesse for they know it not nor can tell in what it consisteth but at the noueltie and extraordinary cases and in humane thinges this hath some ground but in the diuine it is the parte of blockheads not to consider vpon the great thinges which God doth ordinarilie and to admire much at the extraordinarie as S. Augustine pondereth saving of such vt non maiora sed in solit â— videndo stuperent quibus quotidiana viluerunt Trac 24. in Ioannem And those aforesaid will fall into the accoumpt if they shall make the consideration that heere shal be represented vnto them and this it is that they let loose the reynes of their vnderstandinge and add to the fauours which in this booke are related that our Lord did to this his seruant other greater more vnmed and admirable in such sorte as if it be related that in contemplation he visited her sometimes let these visites be in publicke and with all the celestiall courte and many times euerye day and more then this let them consider how farre the imagination can reach And because the vnderstanding of man is shorte let the most high Seraphin doe this and altogether as much as you can imagine and much more commeth not neither in the greatnesse of the worcke nor in the finenesse of the loue nor in the nouelcie of the marueile neere to the communicating one only time for this fauour can not haue any equall nor the misterie any similitude Then let these men in a maze tell how manie times they haue communicated What great admiration it hath caused them what thankes they haue giuen to our Lord with what seruices they haue acknowledged a fauour so vnequal to as many as haue beene related of S. Ioane might be related of S. Iohn Baptist and of all the Saints of whom we take no aduantage for her as these ignorantly doe say by the greatnesse of the fauors for why the degrees of grace and glorie which the diuines doe call essentiall are not measured with these exteriour demonstrations And so Caietane saith very well that if by the multitude of miracles we must make computation of the greatnesse of the sanctitie much aduantage wold Saint Antonie of Padua haue of Saint Peter and great temerity it shold be to compare the one with the other how much more to aduance Saint Antony as Saint Thomas saith Lectio 5. c. 8. in epist. ad Rom. 3. in cap. 5. ad Ephes Secondly to some hath beene a great noueltie the tearme of consecratinge of blessinge the Image of our Ladie and to others that Christ our Lord himselfe hath done this ministerie at the supplicatien of this his espouse and although in al of them ignorance haue place yet it is more grosse in the former because the ecclesiasticall ceremonie of blessing Crosses Images altars c. is an apostolicall tradition of which are full not only the sacred councels and apostolical decrees but the manualls most ordinarie and in the Roman Pontificall Pontif. Rom. 2. p. fol. 505. there is an especiall rubrique with this title De benedictione Imaginis Virginis Mariae Neither yet is it a new thing for Iesus Christ to doe such like fauours when we read in so many graue authors Vincent Valda. in speculo historiar lib. 23. c. 36. 37. that in the yeare 644. our Lord Iesus Christ in his proper person blessed and consecrated the temple of S. Denis neer Paris and so also he consecrated the church of the monasterie of Senon in France at the miraculous consecration wherof were heard the voices of Angels which did sing and there appeared in the corners of the temple Crosses which are wont to be put in churches which are consecrated The same is related of the glorious Apostle Saint Peter that miraculously he coÌ„secrated a church of his name of Westminster in London in the yeare 610. and anointed it with holy oyle and after it was consecrated were seene in the walls of the temple the Crosses which the Apostle had put and the candles of wax which had burned in the consecration And Saint Mellitus Bishop of that cittie being informed of this truth doubted in himselfe if he shold againe consecrate that temple or no and deferred the resolution vntill being in Rome in a councell he consulted this matter with Pope Boniface the 4. and it was determined that it ought not be coÌ„secrated againe sith it had beene done by the Apostle S. Peter This doerelate S. Bede Surius Caesar Baronius and is found in the second tome of the saide councells which anew hath beene printed in the life of S. Boniface the 8. fol.
963. Beda lib. 2. hist Angliae cap. 4. Surius Tom. 1. in vita S. Ianuarij Baronius Tom. 8. Anno 610. Numer 12. 13. 14. Thirdly it troubled many to read that one Chapter of this booke which hath for title how the holy Ghost spake thirteene yeares by the mouth of Saint Ioane and that this manner of speakinge is many times repeated which seemeth reserued to the authors only of the sacred scripture when euen of the authors of the Popes definitions and of the Generall Councells we doe not say that they had immediate reuelation of the holy Ghost but assistance that they could not erre This superficially spoken seemeth to haue some appearance of reason but the truth cleared no obiection hath beene put against this booke with lesse ground for the differeÌ„ce which is betweene an immediate reuelation from God to the authors of the sacred bookes and the assistance of the church not to erre is a matter verie scholasticall and which is not touched in this booke nor is any thing to the purpose of that which therin is treated of many as the Doctors doe teach For to declare this difference and the language in saying the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of such a partie is common to all kinde of persons not only Saints but without difference betweene good and euill seing Saint Iohn saith that the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of Caiphas and Saint Augustin and Saint Hierom by the mouthes of the Sibills which were gentiles Finally the Prophets haue saide that God spake in them Haec dicit Dominut And S. Paule Ego enim accepi à Domino And Saint Augustine in diuerse places and particularly in the preamble to the 118. Psalme And our holy Father S. Francis saith in his testament Nemo ostendebat mihi quid deberem sacere sed ipse altissâ—mus reuelauit mihi In testamento S. Francisci And the same may whatsoeuer person say And betweene the truth which God manifesteth by the mouth of Isaias or by the mouth of Saint Francis or of whatsomeuer persons there is no difference in the reason of truth for as infallible is the one as the other God being the author who neither can because he is infinitely wife be deceiued nor caÌ„ because he is infinitly good deceiue but the difference consisteth in knowing or beleeuing that God hath reuealed this truth for that which Isaias saith is not only of faith because God hath saide it but also it is of faith that God hath said it for so the holy church hath defined it but in other truthes we hold them for such because we beleeue that God hath said theÌ„ because Saint Augustine or Saint FraÌ„cis c. hath saide it And to euery thing of humane faith is giuen the credit which the author deserueth to Saint Augustin and Saint Francis as to so great Saints and to whomsoeuer els to such an one as he is And this being so plaine there is no improprietie in the saide manner of speakinge but rather much conuenience because not only the history proposeth that the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of this his seruant the things shee spake being so holy but also for the manner so merueilous of preaching being eleuated and absorpte And if the admiration grewe out of this noueltie it is not a case which hath not happened to others when the same hath succeded oftentimes to S. Catharine of Siena of whom most graue histories doe recount that being in extasies from her sences she made long speaches and most deuoute orations which the holy Ghost did inspire into her S. Antonin 3. p. hist. tit 25. cap. 14. § 17. Chronica de S. Dominic 2. p. lib. 2. cap. 44. And that God so communicateth himselfe in this sorte to this seruants being in extasies and out of their senses and to doe them so great fauours is because the greatnesse of the thinges which he communicateth them is so superiour to the forces of nature and the capacitie of man so short and limited that for those that it can receiue it is necessary to estrange it from the corporall senses as was seene in Adam of whom S. Bernard saith that when God wold eleuate him to thinges purely spirituall and diuine he cast him in a kind of sleepe his soule being eleuated in sublime operation aboue all materiall and sensible things and that not as somethinke because he shold not feele the paine of his ribbe which was taken out for to that without a particular miracle no sleepe could suffice and so the sleepe of Adam according as is gathered of the holy scripture and of diuerse translations was not sleepe purely naturall but extaticall and miraculous as are those which in the contemplatiue are called extasies and raptes because the senses ceassing the imagination from corporall things Adam might receiue more purely the spirituall and diuine which our Lord did communicate vnto him the stile most ordinarie with which his maiestie doth communicate himsâ—lfe to his Saints Gen. cap. 2. misit Dominus soporem in Adam The Greeke translation sayeth estasin and the Hebrew tardemach which is profound sleepe Aquila and Symachus translated it grauem profundum soperem which is the same And in this sorte he is found to haue communicated himselfe to this his most deuote seruant for as his delightes are alwayes to be with the children of men Prouerb 8. so the familiaritie hath beene very great with which in all times he hath handled them How can I doe a thinge that Abraham may not know saide our Lord when he would destroy Sodome Genesis 18. And with Moyses the holy scripture saith that that he spake as one freind with another Exod. 33. Of this kinde are the prophecies visions reuelations of all the Prophets of the old testament and the raptes of the Apostles as is that which S. Luc. recounteth of the Apostle S. Paule in the actes of the Apostles cap. 9. euen to the third heauen in which he knew such things as after he could not tell how to speake The rapte of the sheet of S. Peter Actorum 10. where he knew the conuersion of the gentiles and all the prophecies and reuelations which the Catholique church hath had since the Apostles which are almost infinite of which the chronicles and liues of the Saints are full of the same priuiledge and fauour women haue enioyed before and after the coming of Christ for God hath not excluded them from this fauour these mercies And God who saith by Oseas cap. 2. I wil leade her into solitude and speake to her in the harte doth not only speake with men nor is his powerfull hand abbreuiated with women more then with them for we know that the spirite of our Lord breatheth where it will and that God is no accepter of persons Ioannis cap. 3. to exclude women from so great a good Rather in all times and ages there haue beene many in the world with whom he hath
cōmunicated himselfe largely and most liberally S. Aug. lib. 18. de ciuit Dei Witnesses are of this truth the auncient Sybillas so esteemed of the Saints for S. Hierom. lib. contra Iouinian saith of them that God gaue them the guift of prophecie in reward of the virginitie which they kept reuealing to them many things of the future state of the church and of the comming of the Messias with other misteries of his death and passion resurrection and glorious ascension to heauen The reuelations of S. Brigitt are approued by the councels of Constance and Florence Clem. Alex. lib. storm lib. of the reuelat of S. Brigit and those of S. Hildegarde by S. Bernard and by Pope Eugenius 3. In the beginning the generall chronic of S. Benet Tom. 1. centuria 1. cap. 1. Martyrol Rom die 17. Trithem de viris illustrib ordinis S. Benedict lib. 3. cap. 222. And by the councell of Treuers those of S. Gertrude Saint Matildis and Saint Elizabeth Abbesse of the monasterie of Esconaugia daughter of the King and a person of great sanctitie graue authors doe write that her Angell keeper did reueale to her great misteries and commanded her in the name of God to write them Marc. Marul lib. 3. which is the same that passed with our blessed S. Ioane And the reuelations of Saint Angela of Fulgino haue bene very much esteemed of the learned spirituall men of the world legenda de beata Angela de Fulgino Those of the blessed Mother Teresa of Iesus in our time haue beene so admirable as profitable The booke of the life of S. Teresa of Iesus The thinges of the glorious S. Catharine of Siena in her time ouershadowed the world and stayed not vntill Vrbanus Sixtus the Pope commanded her to preach before him and his Cardinalls that she might perswade the peace of the church as at another time she had done in presence of Pope Gregory the eleuenth his predecessor Anton. 3. p. hist titulo 23. cap. 14. § 17. And besides al this remaining in extasies rapte of her sences she made speeches and marueilous orations of the which Freer Marck Briganus composed a booke which goeth with this title Incipit liber diuinae doctrinae datae per personam aeterni patris intellectui loquentis admirabilis almae Virginis Catharinae de Senis Iesu Christi sponsae fidelissimae sibi sub habitu Beati Deminici famulantis conscriptus dictante ipsa vulgari sermone dum esset in extasi siue raptu actualiter audiente quid in ealoqueretur ipse Dominus corampluribus reserente Chronicle of S. Dominic lib. 2. cap. 51. and 45. And in the booke of the epistles of the same Saint which by order of the most excellent Lord Freer Francis Ximenez Archbishop of Toledo Cardinall inquisitor generall of Spaine was translated into Spanish there goe imprinted some of the orations exhortations which this holy Virgin made being in extasies and abstract from her sences and one with this title The fifth oration which the holie Virgin made in Rome on Friday the 18. of Februarie in the yeare 1573. being in abstraction after hauing communicated Another saith the eleuenth oratiō which the same holy Virgin made in Rome on the day of the annunciation of the most B. Virgin Marie our Ladie the which she made in abstraction Another saith thus the 22. prayer made in rapte of eleuation of the holy spirit on the day of the conuersion of S. Paule and they are full of most high misteries and of many places of the sacred scripture which the Saint most highly declared being eleuated Neither is it against this to say that these are Saints canonized for some of them be not so and none of them were when these merueills were written of them for S. Antoninus and Saint Raimūous who wrote the things of Saint Catharine of Siena died hundreds of yeares before she was canonized and the same is also of almost all the rest rather these same thinges which were written of these Saints and went about the world with so much edification of the Christian people were the most efficacious motiue to deale about their canonization and to effect it and the same I hope in our Lord shall succed to our blessed Ioane And neuerthelesse the title of the saide chapter hath beene changed from whence it was before how the holy Ghost spake thirteene yeares by the mouth of S. Ioane now it is how by the diuine virtue the seruant of God spake for the space of thirteene yeares and that which was taken away is the same which was put in realtie of truth but hath another apparāce of those which haue not studied Fourthly it seemed also to those a thing worthie to haue beene kept in silence the miracle of the Angel hauing caried to heauen the rosaries and to bring them downe againe blessed by our Lord being a thing vnheard of and so extraordinarie but it is a correction without ground First because that which is related of the miracle was manifest by the testimonie of a whole conuent and the tradition of the same hath bene so continued for the space of so many yeares and confirmed with the sanctitie of the seruant of God and with so many and so famouse miracles and againe because it is not a case without an example but there are many in thinges which shall bee seene for they descended from heauen or howsoeuer it be wee enioy them by the ministerie of Angels And setting aside some of that which the scripture treateth as the Manna the sword or holy Knife which Hieremias brought to Iudas Machabeus 2. Mach. 15. there are manie others which the Christian people venerate as the Crosse of the Angels which is kept in the holie church of Ouiedo and that of Crauaca the Casula of S. Ildefonsus the peece of the veile which the same Saint cut from S. Leocadia the christall viol in which appeared inclosed the miracle of the Eucharist which is conserued in Santaren the habit which our blessed Lady the Virgin brought to S. Norberte wherwith she vested him when he was to institute his religion Surius Tom. 3. And the same passed with other founders of religions And Philip Proculus the most holie Martyr celebrating Masse the Angels lifted vp the chalice and carried it to heauen after two howres brought it him againe and said Christ hath consecrated it do not thou consecrate it againe but receiue it and so he did all admiring who were present S. Antonin 3. p. hist tit 24. cap. 13. Aquilinus lib. 1. cap. 15. And Nicephorus Calixtus wrireth in his ecclesiasticall historie lib. 19. cap. 20. the excellencies of the glorious Amphilochius Bishop of Iterana and among other things relateth how the Angels did consecrate him Peter Sanchez lib. of the Kingdome of God cap. 4. Num. 34. And very graue are the histories which affirme to haue descended from heauen the three lilies of gold called floure-delis which the Kinges of Frāce beare
these wordes not only he approueth teacheth this of particular purgatoties and extraordinary but also he saith more that of these particular reuelations made to holy men it is confirmed that such there are And so there is nothing which may oblige vs to doubte but to beleeue that it might be truth which this historie telleth of the purgatories of the soules which God reuealed to this great seruant of his and that it is so when it may be reached vnto by reasons and humane probabilitie There is also mention made in this history of a very particular miracle which God wrought by this blessed one no lesse worthy to be pondered and considered then this of the soules of purgatorie concerning certaine rosaries which the Angell of her garde caried vp to heauen and brought from thence with many benedictions and virtues granted them by our Sauiour Christ to the end that the blessed one shold recite vpon them and diuide them amongest her nunnes other deuout people that all might enioy the goods indulgences which froÌ„ heauen his diuine Maiesty imparteth manifesting herin how much he is pleased with the deuotioÌ„ of the holy rosarie of his B. Mother that he will haue vs to praise her with the prayer of Aue Maria saying it by the beades of the sacred rosarie And although this miracle is farr aboue all as manie as in this matter I haue read it shall become easie to be beleeued consideringe that in the sacred histories in those of the councels of the Catholique church and in many sacred and auncient writers are found others very like to this Vincentius Bellouacensis Saint Hilandus Saint Cesaria Thomas Brabautine Giâ—â—es Aurificus Carthusian if this were the author of magnum speculum exemplorum as saith Father Iohn Maior Pebartus Iohn Bonifacius and other authors of our times doe write innumerable miracles which God hath done in confirmatioÌ„ of what the esteemeth and how he is pleased with the angelical salutation of the Aue Maria and with saying it frequeÌ„tly by the beades of the Rosarie the faithfull doe praise his gloriouse Mother our blessed Ladie the Virgin Marie In speculo hist lib. 7. cap. 84. lib. 3. Magni Exord Cisterciens cap. 25. lib. 7. Illust Miraculo c. 26. 27. 28. 33. lib. 12. c. â— lib. 2. de apib c. 29. p. 6. q. 23. 24. in magno speculo exemplor dist 3. exemp 32. dist 4. exemp 1. dist 5. exemp 58. dist 8. exemp 60. lib. 1. pag. 4. a. 2. c. 4. p. 5. a. 1. c. 3. lib. 12. p. vlt. c. 6. In histor virginali lib. 2. cap. 11. The authors being many which I haue related and very common I speake not of them in particular one only I will relate for that he seemeth to mee more new and more like then the others to that we haue in this booke And it is of a tree very prodigious which miraculously sprong vp on a sodaine in a great field in the I le of Ireland in the bishopprike of Corcke and Clon in the countie of Desmon all loaden with rosaries like a vine when it is most loden with clusters of grapes and the cordes or stringes of the beades cleauing to the tree and were fastned so to it as are the stalkes of the fruict which groweth out of whatsomeuer other tree of this miracle make mention Francis Belleforesto a graue author and others who haue written after him and all doe note that it seemed God made it that it might appeare how he fauoured approued the vse of holy rosaries For this was in time that Almanie was perishing with the euill sectes of the heretiques to whom was abhominable that vse of reciting and chiefly that of the holy rosarie and the indulgence which therin are granted vs. Peter Bouistau Claudius Tesser and Francis Belleforest lib. 4. of the prodigious hictories cap. 1. F. Iohn Sagastizab lib. of the exhortation to the rosarie lib. 6. c. 84. F. Geroni Rom. lib. of the Comunwelth cap. 12. And it is to be noted that a little before this miracle of these rosaries and blessed beades had fallen out which the Angell brought from heauen to this B. maide and consequently it may be beleeued that God also wrought it not only for the comforte of his seruant so deere espouse but also as that other of Ireland for greater confirmation of the deuotion of the faithfull confusion of the heretiques of those times yet there is one thing very particular and rare in these rosaries which her good Angell brought to the B. Ioane which I haue not found neither in the miracles which I haue seene and related of the rosaries not in any other of as many things as by Angels haue beene brought from heauen to the earth For of those rosaries of Ireland it is not read that the Angels haue caried them from the earth to heauen but that either they were created and made there miraculously or brought from heauen like many other things as the casula of S. â—â—deâ—onsus which the glorious Virgin Marie brought froÌ„ heauen the crosse of Ouiedo that of Carauaca and other such thinges which are saide to haue come from heauen not because they haue beene there in the supreme heauen but because by ministerie of the Angels they were formed and made in the elementall heauen and in the aeÌ„ry parte commonly called heauen and for the same reason also it is saide that the Manna came downe from heauen and the scripture calleth it bread of heauen In Chronicis Hisp post alios Vasaeus circa annum 662. Baron in annalib an 657. Rode Xime lib. 2. cap. 22. Trith lib. de script Ecclesiastic Pet. Cresp in sum Eccles litera M. alij apud Locrium in August Maria. lib. 5. cap. 41. Psalm 77. But the â—osaries of which our historie speaketh accordinge as in it is written were caried by the Angell from hence from the earth to heauen to the presence of the Maiestie of thesonne of God Christ our Sauiour where the same Redeemer of the worlde blessed them and touched them with his moste sacred handes And that this miracle might not seeme to the reader difficult to beleeue for making of it fâ—cill we might well bring for example that which some authors doe say and S. Thomas 22. q. 73. a 5. 6. holdeth not for impossible supposing the infinite omâ—â—potencie of God how the Apostle Saint Paule in his misterious rapte was caried to heauen in bodie and soule so mortal and corruptible as it was But because the same Apostle doth say that he knoweth not if that rapte were in corpore â—iue extra corpus 2. Cor. 12. although he neither denie it not speake it as a thinge impossible and the glorious Doctor S. Augustine commandeth and aduertiseth vs that what the Apostle confesseth he doth not know it is not good that wee our selues determine Lib. 12. sup Genes ad literam c. 3. post medium Tomo 3. I
will relate another history very authentical and more neere to our times although very ancient of other thinges corruptible and earthly which miraculously were carried to the third heauen and brought thence againe to the ende that this of the rosaries of our Beata seeme not incredible Verie well knowen is that historie of the childe which in Chron. the yeare 446. in Constantinople in sight of all the people and of the Emperour Theodosius the yonger and of the Patriarcke Proclus was caried to heaueÌ„ from whence he heard the blessed which stood continually praising God and after hauinge beene there for the space of an hower he was againe brought to the earth for why besides the historiographers And Greeke Chronistes Marcellinus Nicephorus Euagâ—ius the Greeke Menologie S. Iohn Damascene and others very particular also Pope Felix the third writâ—th it in an epistle decretall of his the Bishops also write it which were in the councell of Constantinople which was celebrated in time of Pope Felix the third against the errors of Peter Fullon Archbishop of Antioche Lib. 14. cap. 46. lib. 1. Ecclesiast hist c. Meno 25. sept lib. 3. de fide orth c. 10. lib. de Trissa Felix 3. epist 3. decreta Tom. 2. Concil And all of them say that al the city of Constantinople going in procession for a great earthquake which for six moneths continually did perseuer in that cittie doinge in the same great dammage and causing many ruines of the houses and walles therof in the middest of a fielde where al the people was in publicke procession a childe was rapte vp and caried to heauen rursusque descendens saith Pope Felix nunciauit quae in athere audierat dicens de coelo quasi de multitudine psallentium huiusinodi laudes insonuisse auribus suis c. That he heard there in heauen the blessed which praised God with that most holie hymne of the Trisagio saying Sanctus Deus Sanctus fortis Sanctus immortalis The same the Bishops write which aboue I haue related of this councell of Constantinople Acatius of Constantinople Anteon of Arsinoi Faustus of Apolonide Pamphilus of Auida Asclepiades and many other historiographers olde and new Habentur horum epistolae Tom. 2. Concil post Conc. Constantinopolit sub Felice 3. anno 483. vide Seue Vinium in notis Then as there was no repugnance nor impossibilitie supposing the infinite power of God that childe as he was to be caried vp to heauen neither is there for vs to beleeue that this might be so which of these beades and rosaries is written and a mightie argument to beleeue this is as also all whatsoeuer in this matter els is written to see the many miracles which with these beades God doth daily of which the author doth relate some and I haue seene with my eyes the informations and authenticall probations those of many sworne witnesses from whome with much truth and fidelitie he hath drawen all that he sayeth And I will not tell what I haue knoweÌ„ that happened with one of these beades which by particular fauour done me by God I haue obteyned hold in my power that I may not more enlarge my selfe in this my relation God grant that in some other occasion it may be knowen It is also necessarie to be considered and I haue considered how that ought to be taken which is recounted in this historie Habetur cap. 16. huius historiae How it was reuealed to the B. Ioane that the Archangell S. Michaell did iudge the soules after they departed from the bodies doing the office of supreme iudge of great power and preheminencie with ensignes of crowne imperiall scepter and tribunall of great Maieiestie This taking it in the sense it ought to be taken can not haue difficultie for the beliefe for it neither is against that which the sacred and the scholasticall Doctors doe teach nor doth any thing derogate from the iudiciarie power of God For taking it for the supreme absolutely it is only in God and takinge it for the power of excellencie and singular immediatly participated of that supreme it is so solely in Christ our Sauiour in as much as he is man according to authors that for this they expound that place of S. Ioan 5. Omne iudicium dedit filio Nor is it hard to beleeue for with this it is compatible that there be other inferiour iudges which participate of the power of God and may be called iudges of soules As it derogateth nothing to the eminencie and independence of the first cause to haue other secoÌ„d cases together with the which it may worke concurr and doe his effects And so without any repugnance in this sense is it said that also the Saints shall iudge the nations Sap. 3. and to his holie disciples Christ promised that sittinge with him they shoulde iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Math. 19. Luc. 22. Then S. Michael being an ArchaÌ„gel of so great excellencie and Maiestie as the manie and verie great titles which the church giueth him and the honorable epithetes which she singeth to him doe declare Litaniae S. Michael Ambr. Cathe 1. ad Heb. alij plures quos refert Bla. Vugas in Apoc. c. 12. Comment 1. sectio 18. it shall be very easie to beleue that which of him this blessed one hath said that our Sauiour reuealed to her concerning the iudgement of the soules that go to the other life The church calleth him praepositus and Prince of the Church primate of heauen head of all the Angels of heauen high standart bearer of the supreme Emperour Victor of the great dragon Lucifer most valiant capitaine receiuer of the soules which goe out of this life and iudge of them All these Epithethes and many others do the Saints gather out of that which the sacred scripture Daniel 10. Apocalips 12. doth say of Sainâ— Michaell And for this and other reasons found in authors it is holden for most certeine that this glorious Archangell hath this power and iurisâ—iction ouer the soules that in the particular iudgemeÌ„t of them which is when they departe from their bodies he iudge them weighinge and ponderinge the merites of euery one of them pronouncing and notifying to them the definitiue sentence of the supreme iudge B. Basil in Homil. de Angel D. Greg. Hom. 34. in Euang Clem. Alex lib. 5. Strom. ad fin Pantaleo Diac. apud Lypom Hom. de S. Micha Amb. Cath. in t c. epist. ad Heb. Blasius Viega cum alijs quos citat Commont in 12. cap. Apoc. Comment 1. fect 18. And this would God giue to vnderstand to this his blessed one in that imaginarie vision and reuelation in which shee saw this glorious Archangell in that figure posture of a great iudge with those imperiall â—â—signs and royall crowne And this is very conforme to the stile and vse which the church hath to declare vs this power and this greatnesse of S. Michaell For as verie well saide the most learned