that rapt that they could not heare her without wonder Another tyme retyring into the Quire she tooke a great Rope with which she caused her handes to be bound behind her and she made her selfe to he hood-winked and so to be tyed to the grate of the Altar to the end that the Religious who were to passe that way might be moued therby to vilify laugh at her But it proued otherwise for they seeing so piteous a spectacle there was not one of them who did not find her selfe kindled towardes deuotion and she being asked by the Prioresse vpon what reason she had done that act she answered that she had done it to become thereby more humble and more prone to holy Obedience She prayed her also with feruent tears that she would be pleased to bid the Religious that as she should be going to that Altar for a certaine deuotion oâ— hers they should say such wordes to heâ— as these whereby to vilify her so much the more Suor Maria Maddalena this iâ— come vpon you for your dâ—fects and because you will be doing of thinges too much after your owne fashion The Mother Prioresse satisfyed her desire heerin and therupon Suor Maria Maddalena demanded pardon of them all with so great humility that there was none of them who found not her selfe tenderly affected with it and hauing continued for the space of an houre in this Mortification she was loosed at last by Mother Prioresse not without extraordinary edification In this meane tyme fastning her eyes vpon an Image of the B. Virgin she was estranged from her senses and she vnderstood from her Lord how that act of humility had beene gratefull to him And by this meanes a great multitude of Diuells being confounded they came about her with so horrible outcryes as gaue her no small vexation She resisteth other tentations of the Diuells and sends them often away CHAP. 37. FOR the adding of one affliction to another there passed not much tyme before the Diuell appeared to her againe with hideous aspect whilest she was making Prayer so that euen ouerwhelmed instantly with great terrour she became deadly pale And calling first vpon S. Michael the Archangell in her ayde and turning her face vp to heauen she sayd O Word O Word In te Domine sperâ—ui non confundar in aeternum After which words she vttered a profound sigh and turning towards the Diuell sayd What dost thou demand of me O thou horrible beast O bone Iesu by the sight of my offences which I see and by that other sight of myne enemyes me thinkes that I am euen in possession of hell But if you O Diuells had euen swallowed me vp you should yet be forced to deliuer me backe againe Whilest thus she was tormented with this fearefull spectacle her face became al wanne and through the excesse of that agony her sweat distilled in great aboundance She was then cast downe to the ground with great fury beaten with incredible rage For sometimes the Diuell strocke her ouer the head sometymes he cast her downe precipitously so that her face was swelled in such sort that for the space of many dayes it was necessary for her to be vnder cure But she conforming her selfe to the will of God sayd thus In fine O thou hideous beast when thou shalt haue tormented me according to thyne owne desire what wilt thou haue obteyned therby Benedicaâ— Dominum in omni tempore semper laus eius in ore meo Then rysing vp on her feet and leaning against an Altar she was againe impetuously cast downe to the ground But she hauing recourse to the ayde of heauen sayd Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici eius And then turning towards the Diuells she added Yet can you do no more then is permitted to you by my Spouse I deny not but that thou art strong O horrible beast that I of my selfe am weake Note but my Lord standeth neere me who is infinitely more strong and more couragious then thou Do you not obserue O you ignorant fooles that I am with my Iesus and that you can do me no harme Do you not yet further obserue that by these so many your battailes you make me become a more glorious Conqueresse Soone after she droue those maligne spirits away with a discipline For seeing her selfe enuironed by them she cast her selfe vpon the ground still striking now on the right hand and then on the left with strange agility Afterwardes walking through the Oratory where she was with great speed she did strike vpon the benches and vpon the walls in such sort as that she resembled the Sonne of God when he droue the sellers out of the Temple She saw afterwards that many of those maligne spirits retyred themselues into all the parts of the Monastery to assault the other Religious with other tentations but they could not enter into the Chapter house for the humble and reuerent acts which are exercised there Some of them she saw where the Religious vse to communicate where they heare the word of God who earnestly laboured to disquiet their harts with earthly thoughts to the end that they might not come to know the great vnion which is made with Almighty God by receauing that food of life Some of them she saw in the worke house who tempted the Religious to worke negligently and to haue no zeale to relieue the pouerty of their Order Others againe she saw in the Refectory who incited the Religious to be at the Table without deuotion and attention to the sacred lesson Seeing also at another time whilest she was in Rapt and the Religious were singing the diuine Laudes in the Quire that a great multitude of Diuells was at the doore ready to enter in and that one was already entred and stood tempting the Spouses of Christ the good Mother being enflamed with feruour of Spirit went as it were flying towards the Quire and snatching vp a Crosse she droue away therewith those infernall spirits But as she often saw the Diuells throughout the Couent who indeuoured extremely to distract the Relious from the strait way to heauen so were there also shewed vnto her by our Lord a greater number of holy Angells which gaue strength and courage to their soules whereby they might resist temptations She freeth one of the Religious from a contagious disease and cureth a lay Sister of whome the one halfe was senseles from the head to the feet CHAP. 38. SVOR Barbara Bassi a professed Religious had beene subiect for many yeares to a contagious disease almost throughout her whole body wherby she was much payned and especially when she tooke her food And the remedyes she vsed did but tend to the increase of her torment so as the Phisitians allowed her but a short tyme of life the rather because the sayd sicknes was such as that by little and little it did eate away all her flesh Many tymes she had recommended her selfe to the
THE LIFE OF THE HOLY AND VENERABLE MOTHER Suor Maria Maddalena DE PATSI A Florentine Lady Religious of the Order of the Carmelites WRITTEN In Italian by the Reuerend Priest Sigr. Vincentio Puccini who was sometymes her Ghostly Father And now translated into English Si compatimur conregnabimus Rom. 8. If we suffer with Christ we shall raigne with him Published by allowance of Superiours ANNO M.DC.XIX TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND MOST REVEREND LADIE THE LADIE MARY PERCY LA. ABBESSE OF THE ENGLISH RELIGIOVS OF THE HOLY ORDER OF S. BENNET AT OVR B. LADYES OF THE ASSVMPTION IN BRVXELLS MADAME HAVING receaued commandment froÌ„ a dying Freind to publish this Translation of the life of the Venerable and holy Suor Maria Maddalena de Patsi togeather with the Preface that goes before it vnder such an auow as I should thinke most fit for such a subiect I found my self cast vpon the same resolution by duty which of my selfe I should haue imbraced out of voluntary election affection in as much as the thing admitted of no debate or dispute but that it must be presented to your Ladiship For your Ladiship taketh not vp the life of this Great and Admirable Woman vpon trust since you haue read it in the originall tongue and by meanes thereof you haue planted not only in your owne Religious hart but in the harts also of your own excellent Religious a most tender deere remembrance of her rare vertue And besides I am in my selfe so much bound to your Ladiship as that hauing nothing of myne owne to present as a token of my true desires to serue you I account this trust to haue come into my hands very luckily since it helpes me to paye my debts without any charge to my conscience out of another mans goods It appeares already that I need not bring this Holy WomaÌ„ and your Ladiship acquainted togeather That which I haue to say of her goeth in the Preface to the Reader Of your Ladiship I only aske that you will continue to make her as much your patterne as you may I wish that as you were the first of our couÌ„trey since the lamentable fall thereof who made so high Nobility of bloud as high perhaps as any Subiect in Christendome doth beare stoope so low to the lure of Euangelicall Pouerty and other perfections so the eminency of your Heroicall Example may againe be able to bring forlorne vertue into request Only I aduise the world that vnles it will amend it come not neere your Ladiship the blessed coÌ„pany of Religious which you haue the honour happines to gouerne For I know not what receipt you haue gotten but I am sure you haue it ther among you to make Beauty chast Pouerty commodious Obedience easy Vnderstanding humble and the bitternes of Austerity not only sauory but euen sweet And I beseech Iesus you may euer haue it and that by the intercession of this great Seruant of his your deuotion to her both your Lad ' selfe your whole happy Congregation may obtaine as full a measure of benediction from his diuine Maiesty as is cordially desired by Your La. most entierly deuoted seruant G. B. From Collen this 20. of April 1619. THE PREFACE TO THE READER IT was the saying of an ancient Romane who going to dye in a valiant manner according to the accompt which then was made being withal desirous that one of the branches of his House should profit by the sight of that example Specta iuuenis c. in ea enim tempora natus es quibus firmare animum expedit constantibus exemplis Behold O yong man for thou art borne in such an age as wherein thy mind hath need to be fortifyed by such examples of constancy as this is How much more need haue we of pregnant and excellent examples we who are Christians and must therefore by answerable to the dignity and height of that incomparable vocation and who withall are fallen vpon such a sensuall corrupt and erroneous age as this wherein well doing is so wonderfully out of fashion And therefore Specta iuuenis behould and looke vpon examples which may help thee both vnto true spirituall fortitude in vndertaking and performing that with is good and to vncorrupted prudence in discerning and auoyding that which is ill And howsoeuer it be true that through the goodnes of God we haue many other helps which by our cooperating with his grace may induce vs much towards the remayning in our duty or at least returning towards him as namely the counsaile of vertuous friends the reading of holy bookes and the obseruation of Gods vniuersall prouidence yet I thinke there is none which doth more sweetly insinuate it selfe and more effectually preuaile with vs then that of good and fit examples Segniùs irritant animum demissa per aures quà m quae sunt oculis subiecta fidelibus The hearing of good aduise is but a dull kind 〈◊〉 insinuation in respect of the seeing strong â—xamples And from hence it is that when either good counsaile is giuen vs in priuate coÌ„â—erence or by publique exhortation or preaâ—hing men thinke that then they do the busiâ—es best when they accompany that part with â—he other Benedictus Deus qui talia doâ—a dedit hominibus Blessed be therefore Almighty God who hath giuen men such gifts as these and who hath enriched all ages with innumerable examples of vertuous actiâ—ns to be admired and hath permitted such as are vicious to be abhorred I propound to you therfore towards the making of you with my selfe a little more obseruant of the good will of God and more consideratiue of what his grace is accustomed to worke in their harts who truly operatiuely loue him an example of a venerable most holy creature by sex a woman but in spirit strength of mind more then a man And I would not go far off for it in respect of tyme least I should be tould of being vnseasonable as if so great perfection were not compatible with such an age as this but I bring it to you of such â—one as dyed but in the year of our Lord 1607. This great Seruant of God was calleâ— Suor Maria Maddalena de Patsi a Florentine Lady of excellent beauty of illustrious extraction both by Father and Mother and which more properly was her own of sâ— eminent admirable vertue as the processâ— of her life heere translated will declare Now this life was written originally in Italian by 〈◊〉 Reuerend Priest called Sigr. Vincentiâ— Puccini and he chose to do it in a playne anâ— perspicuous manner without any other ornament then that of Truth He deuided it intâ— two parts the former contayning an historiâ— call narration of what she did and suffered iâ— this world the other a particuler accompt oâ— those high intelligences which it pleased God tâ— impart to her in her seuerall Rapts and Excesses of mind which by order of Superiourâ— were
by Almighty God CHAP. 6. GREAT was the contentment which the Nouiciate yea all the Monastery receaued through the health miraculously recouered by this beloued child of Iesus And the Superiours discouering that she was guided by Almighty God in a particuler manner and that euery day more then other she profited in the obteyning of vertue they deliberated about drawing her out of the Nouiciate although she had beene but lately profest and to put her in some seuerall place where she might with better opportunity serue our Lord. But when this resolution was come to her ears she was much afflicted as being an enemy to all singularity went suddainly to beseech the Superiours with great instance that they would not seuer her from the other Nouices or withdraw her from the obedience of her Mistresse accusing her selfe to be the most imperfect of thē al that she had more need then others to be directed by her in the way of vertue When her Superiours obserued this singular humility of hers they were cōtent to graunt her holy suite whereupon being confirmed vnder the care of the Mistresse it cannot be exprest with how much spirit she gaue her selfe to the contemplation of heauenly Misteryes And if in the first yeare of her Nouiciate she had made particuler proofe of her sanctity she grew in doing of it afterward not imploying her forces vpon any other thing then the procuring of those graces which make soules acceptable in the eyes of God She went euer thinking how she might inflame others towards diuine loue exhorting her Sisters to performe the seruice of God with humility and purity of mind From her mouth there came none but holy words She would excuse the defects of others Note and interprete euery thing to a good end She would neuer speake much vnles she were vrged by questions that which she sayd would be full of mildnes and charity In this meane tyme being yet more kindled to holy actions she was often rapt in spirit and was come to such a degree of perfection that no worldly thing could disorder the vnion which she had with the diuine Maiesty When it pleased God to restore her to her senses she would immediatly returne to her fellow Nouices and she proceeded towards them with so great humility and suauity that it seemed not to be she who so lately had beene seene to participate of so high and heauenly Misteryes as one who valued not much such gifts as those but attended only to solid vertue and the contempt of her selfe Now her Superiour obseruing the wonders that God wrought by meanes of this his true seruant since euery day after the holy Communion they had seene her in excesse of mind raysed vp to the vnderstanding of so high things they appointed her in vertue of holy obedience to preuent the loosing of so great heauenly treasures by communicating whatsoeuer God should manifest vnto her with the Reuerend Mother Suor Vangelista del Giocundo her Mistresse and Suor Maria Maddalena Mori Of these two Mothers the first who is yet liuing a Religious woman of great prudence of no lesse vertue and sanctity of life hath witnessed in particuler by oaths and writings vnder her hand that she hath with her owne eyes seene that which is recounted in this Story of Suor Maria Maddalena besides many other Religious who in like manner haue affirmed and do affirme the very same So as now Suor Maria Maddalena did relate to the sayd Mothers the fauours and intelligences which were cōmunicated to her by Almighty God in those Extasies And although she extremly desired to maintaine her self abiect vile in the sight of others yet neuertheles she alwayes preferred holy Obedience before any inclination of her own and the rather she did it in this case to be the better assured thereby whether or no there were any mixture of diabolicall fraud but in this point she was satisfyed by her Ghostly Father And for the better testifying of the truth the Right Reuerend Man Francesco Benuenuti Gouernour and Confessarius of the Monastery Penitentiarius of the Cathedrall Church of Florence subscribed with his owne hand to foure bookes written by the Religious which conteine many deuout and high intelligences By him they were deliuered to be reuiewed by the Fathers of the Society of Iesus who gaue this testimony that there was nothing to be found in them contrary to the Catholique fayth but on the other side many things of perfection worthy to be vnderstood by all to bring thē more in loue with God She seeth the soule of Madre Suor Maria Bagnese a Florentine rich with the glory of Heauen CHAP. 7. SVOR Maria Maddalena was wont to visit often the body of the venerable Mother Suor Maria Bagnese a Florentine who is buried in a case of stone within the Chapter-house of that Monastery and there did see exhibite earnest prayers to that holy soule to which she was most deuoted Whereupon she obteyned to see her in heauen many tymes but particulerly vpon the eleauenth of Iuly 1584. she saw her in a most excellent manner and being commanded in vertue of holy Obedience she related the Vision in these very words I haue seene in heauen a most beautifull Throne of incomprehensible light wherein did sit the Blessed Mother Suor Maria Bagnese all resplendent and full of wonderfull Maiesty And I vnderstood that this Throne was her virginity and purity which gaue her an extreme ornament I saw also that the sayd Throne was all set with precious stones these were all those souls which her example had brought to the seruice of God which compassing her in round about after the manner of a crown did giue her greater grace and beauty This was the relation which Suor Maria Maddalena made of that particuler But of how great sanctity the sayd Madre Suor Maria Bagnese was whosoeuer will may see in her life which is written by the Father Alessandro Capocchi a Dominican a man of great holynes as also by the Father Abbot Don Siluano Razzi of Camaldoli in the second part of Tuscan Saintes and by the Father Fra Serafino his brother a Dominican both who were men for their learning and vertue very much to be esteemed Three times our Lord made her know his will was that she should liue vpon bread and water Triall was taken of that motion by her Superiours and with their permission she began to execute the will of God CHAP. 8. ON the 21. of May 1585. this blessed Creature being then imployed about the exercises of the Monastery finding her selfe to be moued by God she went into the dormitory of the Nouiciate where at the instant that she arriued she was cast downe to the earth with great violence and remayning so a good while as if she had been dead she afterwards vttered these wordes O my Lord and what is it which thou demandest of me Is it perhaps the exteriour by the interiour
suffered death for the saluation of mankind Other amorous Excesses towardes Christ Iesus whereof she discharged her hart CHAP. 12. THE celestiall fire of loue did dayly more and more increase in this deer Spouse of Iesus in so much that for the excessiue inward heate that she felt she could not oftentims in the very middest of winter keep on her wollen bodyes It was further necessary for her to haue her other garmeÌ„ts extraordinarily loose about her to the end that her inflamed affections might be able to passe more freely and oftentymes she was forced to drinke cold water in great quantity Into the very water she would also thrust her armes and bath her face and cast part thereof into her bosome affirming that she found her selfe not only to burne but euen to consume Then turning her selfe vp to heauen with inamoured countenance she often repeated these words I can no longer indure so great a flame And certainly if she had not byn succoured by supernatural help impossible it had beene that she could haue liued Besides these ardent affects one other that was very strang may be recouÌ„ted which she shewed on the day of the Inuention or Finding of the Holy Crosse when hauing first communicated she stood for the space of an houre like a strong immoueable Tower and spake at large of the excellency and nobility of the Crosse of Iesus with most ardent affection of mind And after insisting vpon the contemplation of the Incarnate VVord which was nayled theron she began thus to exclaime O loue O loue how â—ttle art thou knowne and beloued Note If thou â—anst not find a place wherein to rest come O â—ue come all into me for I shall not faile to â—eceaue thee O you soules created by loue â—hy do you not loue this Loue And what â—hing is loue but only God Deus Charitas est 〈◊〉 loue thou makest me euen melt consume Thou makest me dye and yet I liue and I â—eele payne by thy making me know how little â—hou art beloued and knowne In the meane tyme she vsed such â—eere and pious gestures as kindled in the beholders an vnspeakable deuotion sometymes she would spread her armes abroad sometymes she would clap her handes togeather and neuer cease from saying O come you soules to loue my loue come loue your God But how hoat this fire of loue was which burned her most pure hart might well be knowne by her face which was euen like to fire it selfe And so with her cloaths and the veyles of her head she was forced sometimes to fanne her selfe for the mitigating of the extreme heat wherein she was and yet in the very midst of it she would often runne with great speed sometymes through the Couent and sometymes throughout the whole garden affirming that she went vp and downe seeking of soules which might know and loue this Loue. When she happened to meet some one of her Sisters in the way she would take her by the hand and wringing her very hard would say O thou soule doest thou loue this loue what shift dost thou make to liue doest thou not feele thy self consume and euen dye for loue And when for a good while she had walked thus vp and downe she would take into her handes the ropes of the bells and ringing them exclaime with a loud voyce O you soules come loue come loue this loue by whome you are so much beloued With these affects of her spirit it would not be credible to tell how the mindes of the Religious there present were inflamed to deuotion and withall to wonder But among all her amorous excesses which were so many one of them was admirable which in one of her Raptes she expressed She had passed a whol day in heauenly contemplations spoken with so much feruour of soule of the diuine loue that she seemed some Angelicall spirit which might haue beene descended from heauen to expresse the excellency thereof By meanes of this labour she was growne exceedingly weary and voyd of strength and being desirous to refresh and restore her self she tooke a Crucifixe into her hand and applying her mouth to the wound thereof she was seene by the Religious to swallow in the same very sort as men vse to do when they feed vpon som delightful meat And moreouer she deliuered such words as whereby it might cleerely be vnderstood that she was then deliciously fed through the wounds of Iesus And she returned from her Rapt with such sweetnes of spirit and so ouer-flowed with ioy as wel might shew that she had beene nourished with celestiall Manna Of an Examination of her conscience that she made in Rapt whereby the great purity of her soule may be seene CHAP. 13. HOvv diligent she was in the examination of her conscience and how she fixed the eye of her mind vpon euery little moare that might pretend to defile her hart may be considered by the inquiry that she made vpon her selfe of what she had done that day she made it in a Rapt whilest she was in the presence of God She began therefore lying halfe prostrate with her knees vpon the ground to recite those Psalmes Domine quid multiplicati sunt c. Qui habitat in adiutoâ—io c. Which as soone as she had ended thus she sayd O my Iesus what was the first thought which I had to day I grieue that it was not of thee Note but I was fearefull least it had beene too late to call thy Spouses to prayse thee nor was my thought to offer my selfe to thee nor to honour thee Afterwards O my Iesus I went to offer my selfe to thee in the Quire but I dâ—d not resigne my selfe intierly and absolutly to thy will O most bountifull God and what grace may I hope to receaue of thee I who did not resigne my selfe wholy vnto thee haue mercy vpon me O Lord although I deserue it not but do rather dâ—serue a thousand hells Againe when I went to sing prayses vnto thee I was troubled more to see that some of my Sisters were wanting in performance of the ceremonyâ—s and Religious actions then I tooke care to honour thee and to offer vp my prayses in vnion of such as are presented by the heaueÌ„ly spirits I may well beg thy mercy O thou great God when euen in that which immediatly apperteines to thee and to thy prayse I haue committed so many imperfections When I came to receaue thy body and bloud which I ought to haue done with all possible deuotioÌ„ I accuse my selfe that I made no intention to do it in memory of thy Passion as thou hast directed I should do neither yet did I thinke of vniting my soule to thee but I considered what course I might take for the quieting of my hart I did first heare the diuine Word but I thought more whether it was true that we were such as thou didst cause vs to be told by thy Christ then
Ghost in seuerall formes CHAP. 14. ABOVE all the Extasies of this beloued Spouse of Iesus that one was admirable which she had vpon the Vigil of the holy Ghost in the yeare 1585. wherin she remayned eight continuall dayes from the sayd Vigil vntill the feast of the Blessed Trinity returning only to her senses for the space of two houres euery day wherin she recyted her office and prouided for the necessity of her life by feeding only vpon a little bread and water and taking very little rest In this tyme she did euery morning receaue at the houre of Tertia the Holy Ghost in diuers forms of Fire of a Riuer of a Doue of a Pillar of a Clowd of a Wind and of Flaming tongues And at the same tyme she became so ioyfull and bright and did speake so sublimely of the most hidden Mysteries that it was a thing miraculous And yet further whilest she was speaking in the person of the Eternall Father or of Christ or of her selfe her voyce would be changed in such sort that euen without vnderstanding the wordes one might haue knowne that they were diuers persons which discoursed by her tongue So many were the spirituall intelligences which our Lord communicated vnto her in this Rapt as that being set downe by the Religious as she produced them they make a iust volume whereof is compiled an addition to the third part of her life But to giue some patterne of the aforesayd Extasis I say that on the Vigil of the holy Ghost which came that yeare vpon the eight of Iune she was called by the Eternall Father in these words Come my spouse the rest yet the impulse of my spirit Wherupon she remayned suddainly abstracted from her senses sayd Ecce venio venio citò citò venio And hauing beene a while in contemplation she began thus to speake in the person of the Incarnate Word Before thou enter into the admirable knowledge of my holy Ghost I will make knowne to thee what I meane to do with thee therfore be attentiue Heere she stayed a while and then resumed the discourse still in the person of the Eternall Word Know that vntill the day where you there below do celebrate that feast whereon thou didst so intrinsecally knit thy selfe to me and I in so great aboundance gaue my selfe to thee which was meant of the Profession which the yeare before she had made vpon the day of the most holy Trinity thou shalt be vnited to me in such sort that thou shalt be made partaker of diuin treasures Yet further know that for the space of fiue yeares as heertofore I told thee I will depriue thee of the feeling of my grace but not of my grace it selfe for that shall euer be in thee That priuation shall be made for the glory of my Father for the ioy of the Angells and of all the blessed spirits which stand assisting at the Throne of the most holy Trinity for the example of mortall creatures for the greater torment of damned soules for the confusion of Diuells for the ease of the soules in Purgatory and for the comfort of thy self I will also proceed with thee like to a valerous Captaine who before he exalt his souldier to high honour doth put him to many proofs and so I before I will exalt thee in the sight of my Father will proue thee first Thou shalt therfore indeauour to haue in thee the knowledge of thy being nothing and to be euer seconding and executing the internall inspirations which I will giue thee as hitherto thou hast done But although thou hast heeretofore done it with much indeauour yet heereafter thou must do it with much more Thou shalt procure to obserue nay I command thee that thou do obserue interiourly withall sincerity all the directions which I haue giuen thee Thou shalt reproue the defects of others speaking euer all truth I tell thee yet further that in all the Feria's Sexta's if thou wilt be attentiue at the houre when I dyed vpon the Crosse thou shalt receaue the spirit which I rendred to my eternall Father and although thou feele it not yet shall it euer descend on thee And as the creature cannot liue without a hart so I cannot be without thee whensoeuer thou shalt haue the knowledge of thy being nothing which as long as it remaynes in thee thou mayst well be confident that thou shalt euer be vnited to me And my peace shall be with thee although it may seeme to thee that thou art in continuall warre because in this probation which I will make of thee many infernall Lyons will come forth against thee beating thee and giuing thee torments Nor shall they only striue to beate thee exteriourly but also interiourly with greater fury yet they shall not be permitted by me to haue power to conquer thee but thou shalt euer be stored with this same grace of myne which now thou hast Nay how much more they come towards thee with violence so much more shall my fauourable assistance towards thee superabound although it is to be without any feeling comfort of thyne To this she answered cheerfully sufficit mihi gratia tua And after hauing beene a while in silence the discourse of the Incarnate Word followed on with great earnestnes and aboundance of speach to this effect There will not be wanting such as I haue appointed to fauour thee this was sayd by her Patron-Saints in bringing to thee spirituall food and thou shalt speedily flye vnder the shaddow of my purity not making any motion or operation without that although yet euen this shall be without the feeling of my grace Against the fiue grieuous temptations by which thou shalt be most assaulted thou shalt arme thy selfe with the gifts which already I haue communicated to thee Thou shalt take in the first assault my purity In the second my hart and thyne In the third my woundes which thou hast of me In the fourth the crowne of thorns which I wore In the fifth the great desire which thou hast of the saluation of my creatures And if all the Diuells in hell come with great fury to fright thee thou shalt not yet be afrayd for as their Enuy hath no end so I will neuer be wanting to continue my grace in thee And faile not thou to relate that which thou shalt participate therein This was meant by the high Intelligences which he would be pleased to graunt her as afterwards appeared After these words she hauing heard those heauenly directions replyed in her owne person O thou only begotten O Incarnate and humane Word who can execute thy great workes In respect of thee they are little but for me they are great Vpon this thought she remayned a while in silence finding her selfe still to be filled more and more with the Spirit of God she followed thus Who shall euer be able to resist so great assaults but such a one as is transformed into thee O my God
who is blind in himselfe true in speaking of thee and of thy creatures He that shall conuerse with the creatures without giuing scandall or impediment to thy Loue. The meeke the peaceable and the patient After these and many such other intercourses of heauenly speach which as hath beene sayd are noted in a booke apart she added this in the person of the only begotten Word Feare nothing my deerest Child for I will euer remayne with thee and this probation which I am pleased to make of thee shall be an euident signe of the certainty of the great gifts and graces which I haue graunted thee Besides it shall be a meane of bringing thee vp to greater perfection If thou shalt be inuironed by great battailes not knowing which way to turne thy selfe nor conceauing that I am with thee yet know indeed that by me thou shalt neuer be abandoned To these words she answered Sufficit mihi gratia tua in excessu mentis mea non mouebor in aeternum And thus hauing humbled her selfe in the diuine presence after many other discourses she yeilded her selfe readily to the soueraign will of God by saying Omnia possum in te She entreth into the lake of Lyons that is to say into the battaile against the Diuells and vnderstandeth that she is to suffer for the good of soules CHAP. 15. IN this very Rapt vpon the day of the solemnity of the Holy Ghost she was conducted in height of spirit and the Lake of Lyons was shewed whereinto shortly she was to enter This was easily knowne by her words her becoming so very pale and sad as it moued euery one to compassion She then beheld a number of Diuells almost numberles who with frightfull tentatiōs threatned to assault her and she heard most horrible rorings as of the fiercest Lyons Whereupon with the very anguish hauing cast her selfe vpon her knees she deliuered words so deseruing pitty as made all them weep who were present But because she spake with extraordinary vehemency her speach could not be taken but a little at the first which was thus I inuite the heauen and the earth the inhabitants thereof to come and succour me Soone after turning her selfe towards God Where is sayd she O my God that sun of thy grace To me it seemes obscured thy goodnes seemeth to be wholy withdrawn from me I am now abandoned like a body that hath no part wherewith to help it selfe and as the trunke of a barren tree for hearing that thy grace is retyred from me I cannot help my selfe After this it was told her by Almighty God that she not being able to help her Neighbours otherwise he was pleased that she should do it by supporting of paynes and troubles for them Whereupon she added The cursed Heretikes nor can I name them in this action otherwise will be an occasion to me of most bitter paynes for although they did once receaue thy holy Ghost yet haue they not continued to possesse it And so many proud Spouses of thyne which haue rebelled from thee will prouoke these raging Lyons to come against me for the increase of my anguish affliction But at last O Word if those wretched soules will returne to thee I would esteeme my selfe happy and a thousand tymes contented that the Diuells should come vnto my torment I see I am round about enuironed with such cruell spectacles that I cannot conteyne my selfe whilest I heare their hideous noyse from extending also myne owne voyce And if I shall be forbidden to do so exteriourly yet I can neuer be so abridged interiourly but that I will exclayme so long to God as that I will be heard at last These diuellish spirits O my Iesus would fayne abolish all Fayth annihilate humility disgrace purity and in lieu of my resignation vnto thee would place in my hart a will peruerted Nor doe I meruaile that since they cannot bring this to passe they returne to me with so great fury and rage and striue to make so hideous noyse to the end that I may not heare the Orders which came downe to me from my God It happeneth to me as to one that expecteth death who hath no lesse affliction when he seeth the instrumēt which is to cut off his head then he hath whilest he is in the act of suffering I see well O my Lord that if thou shouldst retyre the power of thy hand these enemyes would depriue me of life They would fayne teare out my bowells which makes them run against me with such fury But my Spowse hath first placed in me his owne spirit and his hart withall those other gifts and graces and did after place me in this Probation and tentation resoluing that I should suffer for the creatures to the end that they may be conuerted to him I remember well O Word of certaine shaddowes which were giuen me by thee vnder which I was to fly for some space of time that I might loose the hearing of these horrible rorings and fearefull noyses and the seeing of this spectacle of Diuells which is so hideous O Eternall Word thou hast brought me into a great lake wherein I know not which way to turne my selfe where I may not see heare so many fierce beasts which run with open mouth towardes the deuouring of me What therefore shall I do It will be best that I take courage and do my selfe honour by it making a vertue of necessity that is by glorying in the paynes I endure Redime me à caluminantibus me Generatio mea ablata est conuoluta à me Oportet me gloriari in varijs tentationibus Timor tremor venerunt super me contexerunt me tenebrae Aestimata sum tamquam mortuus à corde O Lord cast thy right hand ouer me and giue me strength Many other things she proceeded to say and she also vnderstood in this Bapt that vntill the day of the most B. Trinity the feeling of the diuine grace should not be wholy withdrawn from her but that she was more to be fortifyed by God for her spirituall comfort Of fiue tentations which for fiue years did afflict her She had a signe from God tha◠she was not deluded And how for the space of fiue houres she was beaten by Diuells CHAP. 16. AFTER that the Omnipotent God had fortifyed this true seruant of his with so many soueraigne conceptions enricht her with so many graces vpon the day of the most holy Trinity being the 16. of Iune in the sayd yeare 1585. when she returned from that Rapt wherein she had remayned for the space of eight dayes and nights successiuely he withdrew from her the delight and feeling of his grace Whereupon the hideous sight of Diuells and fierce tentations did at that tyme begin to afflict and fright her in such sort that it wold haue brought terrour and horrour to any humane creature whatsoeuer though of most innocent and holy life And as she had receaued from her
most gracious God those singular gifts which are deiuered in the second part that is The sacred woundes in her soule the crowne of thornes the being espoused by Iesus his hart and the participation of his diuine purity so on the other side she vnderstood that she was to be assaulted by fiue most grieuous tentations First in the points of Fayth she was to indure many difficultyes Secondly by tentations of Pride Thirdly by diuers motions of sense Fourthly she was to fall into so great obscurity of mind that she might haue run into many acts of desperation if she had not beene most vigilantly carefull And lastly the inordinate appetite and desire of meates was extremely to assault her with other tentations which were to be in a manner infinite Heereupon she sayd often afterwardes that there remayned not as it were any tentation which she had not proued and by the excessiue furiousnes thereof she suffered griefe almost insufferable But among these that sorrow was most piercing beyond al estimation which she tooke by the horrible sight o◠the Diuells who were still vnder seuerall apparences discouering and representing to her the multitude of mens enormous and shamefull sinnes Besides this she heard now and then such horrible skreaming and roring in her eares togeather with hideous blasphemyes which so possest her hearing that oftentymes she could hardly hearken to what the Religious would say vnto her Nor did those diuellish assaults giue her ouer heere for sometymes the enuious spirits would throw her downe the staires and sometyms she was cruelly bitten by thē as by so many venemous vipers whereby she suffered extreme payne When by night she would desire to repose her body it is hard to expresse in how great paine she consumed very vsually foure or fiue continued houres In this manner she passed many many monthes away so as now she was come to the 14. of her probation when on S. Margarets day of the yeare 1586. being in the Quire in celebrating the sacred Office of the Church she was rapt in spirit she vnderstood from her deere Iesus that he was pleased vntill the end of October following to ease her in som sort of those tentations So as during that tyme she was often abstracted from her senses and enriched with celestiall treasures by the vnderstanding of high Misteryes But much more was she formerly afflicted by the great feare she had least the Diuell should delude her Therefore for the securing of her that whatsoeuer happened was by the diuine Will and not accompanyed with any illusion it pleased God whilest once she was by excesse of mind transformed into him to shew her cleerely the truth of all that processe he gaue her this for a signe that she should miraculously remaine 15. dayes successiuely without taking any materiall food at all excepting only the Sundayes and Thursdayes which should occure Vpon the Thursdayes he was pleased that she should susteyne he◠selfe by a little bread and water and vpon the Sundayes by some food of Lent This she obteyning first licence of her Superiours did punctually execute At that tyme all her solace comforts were placed in the holy food of the Angels which she receaued euery morning with vnspeakable deuotion but otherwise besids the sadnes which long fasting vsually carryeth with it she was assaulted at that tyme with most furious tentations and once lying vpon a hard sacke of straw she was dragged horribly beaten by the Diuells for the space of fiue houres togeather It seemed to her then that she was sometymes cu◠in peeces sometyms so cruelly bruzed that she was forced to vtter these dolefull speaches which S. Antony vsed when he was in like manner beaten by Diuells O my Lord where art thou But afterward being eased of that agony she was liberally rewarded by Almighty God with heauenly graces She deliuereth a child possessed by a Diuell CHAP. 17. SO much was our Lord pleased to shew himselfe powerfull and wonderfull in this deere seruant of his that not only he did enrich her with many celestiall gifts made her appeare to be a heauenly spirit euen heer on earth but he would also shew his wonders by making her do those thinges which to the frailty of flesh and bloud are impossible This was made euident by many miracles that she wrought in her life tyme which as testimonyes of her sanctity are set downe in the course of this Story according to the tymes when they were wrought and the first of them was this The daughter of a Gentleman of Florence named Catharina was much afflicted by a maligne spirit which possest her body She was brought by her Mother in the yeare 1586. to this seruant of God and whilest she was speaking with her the child began to be tormented as her manner was by the Diuell in so much as through the much paine she endured she foamed aboundantly at her mouth seemed to be suffocated But as soone as Suor Maria Maddalena had in the name of God commanded the foule spirit that he should depart the child was presently freed and from that tyme forward was neuer troubled She speaketh in a Rapt to the Cardinall Archbishop of Florence who was afterwardes Pope Leo the eleuenth and by whome she was found to be sound in spirit CHAP. 18. THIS beloued soule of Iesus had vnderstood that the Cardinall Archbishop of Florence who was afterwards Pope Leo the eleuenth was desirous to speake with her of many important things when he should come vnto the Monastery about the election of a new Superiour And the Confessarius togeather with the Prioresse hauing heard therof and fearing least the Cardinal might take some disgust by somewhat that she might say they resolued to procure in dexterous manner that she might haue no occasion of speaking with him Note But to shew that no counsaile though neuer so wisely conceaued is of force against the will of God it happened directly contrary to their appointment For Suor Maria Maddalena being gone to communicate on the 29. day of September 1586. which was the day of the Cardinalls comming she was rapt in that very place where the election of the new Prioresse was to be made and she was by the spirit of God placed there with such stability as it was not possible for them by any meanes to remoue her thence And in that very place the Cardinall found her after that she had remayned there for the space of eleuen houres to whome yet in Rapt as she was she presently began to deliuer that with great zeale which our Lord had commanded her to say This was somewhat concerning the due execution of his place Wherunto the Cardinal made answere benignely according to his custome but not without great wonder And the Hymne of Veni Creator Spiritus being sung for the election of a new Prioresse she returned from her Rapt and gaue her voyce amongst the rest The ceremony being ended the
Maddalena by Obedience giue me those cloths and forbeare to put them on but that she hearing that word Obedienâ—e returned from the Rapt offered instantly to obey her In Rapt she cureth a lay Sister who then lay sicke in the Monastery CHAP. 22. ON the thirtenth of Iuly of the same yeare she was againe rapt in Extasis and being gone to the Oratory of the Nouices she fell vpon her knees before an image of the B Virgin and soone after taking it into her armes she went to visit a sick lay Sister called Suor Fedâ— the daughter of Puccius of Lâ—gnaia This woman was mightily afflicted with grieuous sicknes so sharp paines ouer her whole body that her sinews did shrink and sometimes againe she would be all swolne She did eate and sleep extremely litle and was brought to such tearms that her health was despaired of they looked euery houre when she would dye As soon as the Mother Suor Maria Maddalena being yet in Rapt was arriued there she made the signe of the Crosse vpon her with the Image of the B. Virgin which she carryed with her and hauing made some prayer she sayd looking vp to heauen Thy will O my God be done Hauing spoken these wordes Note the paynes of the sicke woman did instantly cease and she was wholy freed from her infirmity yea and as soone as she had eaten somewhat she rose out of her bed returned cheerfully to performe the exercises of the Monastery This she her selfe who is yet liuing hath testifyed vpon her oath The Diuell afflicteth her much exteriourly afterwards appeareth to her in the forme of a most horrible beast CHAP. 23. IN this meane time the Diuell did procure to disturbe the Peace of her mind with most subtile and slye temptations And he vsed all art whereby to make her beleeue that the graces which had been giuen her by God were but false apparances and diabolicall deceits Nor was he content to tempt her inwardly but he began exteriourly vpon the 19. of Iuly 1587. to afflict her so fiercely that any one would haue byn moued to pitty by seeing her Going to rest one euening there came vpon her so great an anxiety and streightnes of breast and throate that being growne euen vgly in countenance she seemed as if then she were strangled whereupon being forced to make lamentation she vttered words in so weake a voyce that hardly they could be heard which yet were these I dye I dye I am suffocated And although she were recomforted by the Religious yet still her torment was seene to increase and great bunches would rise out of her afflicted body Hauing remayned three houres in this labour she began at last to repose a little But the Diuell left not to torment her for shortly after he appeared to her in the forme of a most horrible beast which seemed to make hast towards her to deuoure her The afflicted Mother cast stones against it and sayd Depart from mâ— O thou vgly beast and come not neer me I will thee to depart and then she added in the name of Iesus and if I can command thee I do She was so astonisht with this so horrible sight that vnles she had taken courage as knowing that it came vpon her for Gods greater glory it might haue beene doubted that the horrour of it would haue depriued her of life This infernall Monster continued two houres in tormenting her but afterwards it pleased our Lord to free her and to graunt her many graces which made her in the after battailes more secure and full of courage After she had beene againe proued by her Superiours they knowing the will of God by a miraculous signe she obteyned leaue to go bare foot CHAP. 24. OVR Sauiour being pleased that his beloued Spouse should go bare footed and vilely clad as already hath been touched he inspired her on the seauenth of August 1587. to say thus to her Ghostly Father with incredible feruour O Father who are giuen me by Iesus for the guiding and safe keeping of my soule I being vrged euen by God himselfe do beseech you to giue me leaue that for my vse I may haue one only coate after the patterne of my spouse and of his Apostles and I tell you my deere Father that Iesus is he who will haue it so and it is not I. But the Ghostly Father to be yet better assured that the diuine Will was such inioyed her still to cloath her selfe like the rest Which she readily obeying found her selfe to be assaulted with so grieuous paines in the soles of her feet that she lost the vse of her legs not being able to stand vpon them But incouraged by the Prioresse to force her selfe she came to that passe that she was faine to go vpon all foure with her hands and knees vpon the ground and when she was to communicate she was carryed in the armes of the Religious Neither yet for all this did it seeme fit to the Confessarius to giue her the leaue she asked In the end her paines growing vpon her the Prioresse and the other Religious going towardes her after they had recommended the matter to God by prayer sayd thus Suor Maria Maddalena if you iudge that this be the worke of God I will you in the name of our Ghostly Father that you put off your hose and shooes Note that yee walke as we do It is a wonderful thing to tell how as soone as she had taken them off as if they had beene giues and fetters she was wholy free from her paine she went vp and downe speedily and suddainly into the Quire to giue thankes to the B. Virgin from thenceforth without any impediment she betooke her selfe to do the ordinary busines of the Monastery after her accustomed manner Of the tentations that she had against Fayth and of many other aridityes of spirit CHAP. 25. BY how much more victorious she remayned after these infernal battails so much the more did the Diuel torment her with new temptations Wherupon she would often say I know not what kind of thing I am I know not whether I be a liuing creature or some senseles thing At least there remaines nothing in me that is good but only a little desire that I haue not to offend God I am growne to be the very receptacle of iniquity the occasion of all mischief and of all the offences which are committed against God so that sometymes I am considering how Iesus and the creatures can suffer me to liue on earth By this aridity of spirit all the exercises of Religion grew tedious to her so that sometymes she could hardly be drawne either into the Refectory or into the Quire But when the tentation was diminished so many were her teares her sighes and so great her sadnes that euery one would haue thought she had committed some grieuous sinne Besides she was incredibly tempted in Fayth and the Diuell sought to
perswade her Note that she should not adore the B. Sacrament that God was not there Nay many tyms she found extreme difficulty to receaue it for drawing neere to the little window to communicate she remayned as it were depriued of all sense and to her seeming the Diuell would stand there being resolued to kill her Besides he cast it into her thought as if there were no other life but this and therefore there was no cause why she should labour and indure so much Sometyms she came to so great aridity of spirit that she was scarce able to looke vpon the sacred Images and pictures Oftentimes the Diuel tempted her to blaspheme God and the Saints and chiefly when with the rest of her Sisters she was singing the diuine Office in the Quire at that time she heard such blasphemyes pronounced in her eares and such horrible outcryes of Diuells that seeming to her by great odds to exceed the voyces of her Sisters she had much difficulty to comply with her obligations Whereupon weeping often for grief in great aboundance she turned to her Sisters saying Pray to Iesus for me that in steed of praying him I blaspheme him not and the Religious were moued to much compassion by seeing this blessed soule so afflicted in the spirit of deuotion For this reason the Ghostly Father was often forced to communicate her alone that more easily she might ouercome those tentations But hardly was she fortifyed sufficiently euen by that heauenly food for the tentations would occure againe with greater fury the Diuell indeauouring to perswade her that she had lost the diuine grace and therefore that the custome of communicating did her no good but rather that the Iustice of God was prouoked so much the more to her punishment And thus she became byond all conceit full of dolour only thought how she might carry her selfe in those fierce assaults In the midst of these cogitations it came once into her mind to vse a remedy which against tentations she had learned of the B. Virgin And it was that going to Mother Prioresse she prayed her with great instance to command her by holy Obedience that she should not forbeare the holy Communion and the exercises of the Monastery and that she should punctually obserue that manner of life which had beene prescribed to her by God Now Mother Prioresse to content her commanded her to do all by holy Obedience And it cannot be exprest with how great deuotion and humility she answered to euery particle of that which was imposed in these words Benedictus Deus adding further I will indeauour with the help of Iesus to do all that you haue imposed This solemne sacrifice of her will was so gratefull to God that afterwards he raysed her to many Rapts and her hart became in the midst of so many temptations to be full of tranquility ioy The Diuell afflâ—ctâ—th her with impure temptations The remedyes which she vsed against them The B. Virgin couereth her with a white veile so as she was no more troubled The Diuell procureth to delude her in the forme of a Religious woman CHAP. 26. ON the eight of September in the same yeare 1587. she was assaulted by a continuall sight of Diuells and by entising tentations of sense her Chastity was fiercely set vpon but she remembring that which S. Bennet had done vpon a like occasion going into a roome where the wood was kept and there hauing first bolted the doore she gathered togeather rugged sticks and thornes she tumbled therein so long stark naked Note that the paine serued to quench that diuellish fire Sometimes she would afflict her with disciplines of iron and girde her selfe about with a most terrible girdle which in coursest canuas she had imbrodered with piercing nayls in such sort that in truth the only sight thereof maketh them shrinke and euen tremble who looke vpon it But this being found by the Mistres she was commanded not to vse either that or any other so rigorous mortifications without expresse licence which she punctually obserued from that tyme forward In exchange thereof she had recourse by ardent prayers to the most diuine assistance parâ—iculerly confiding in the intercession of the B. Virgiâ— to whom praying one day with abundant tears that she would inable her to ouercome all impure tentations without any spot to her virginity the Queene of Heauen appeared to her al enuironed about with eternall glory told her that in those so sharp battailes she had neuer offended his diuine Maiesty nay that with hauing fought so valiantly she had euer obteyned glorious victory And then she couered her all ouer with a most pure white veyle wherewith she found her selfe interiourly to be as it were restrayned bound in token that from theÌ„ceforth she should neuer more be assaulted with tentations of Sense as in deed it happened for in all the course of her life she was neuer troubled more in that kind nor euer felt in her mind so much as any one impure imagination On the same day she was surprised by a burning feuer with payne in her head and backe which afflicted her for twenty dayes Notwithstanding this she neuer forbare the exercise of the Monastery but was much more kindled towards the vse of holy prayer to which now she gaue her selfe in extraordinary manner Whereupon being rapt in excesse of mind she vnderstood from her Iesus that her sicknes proceeded not from naturall causes but was otherwise permitted by the will of God for her greater glory and probation The Diuell in the meane tyme enuying her so great good and being enraged that he could not ouercome her made her fall sometims down the stairs sometimes in the Quire and sometimes in other places but the seruant of God supporting all for the loue of Iesus was not at all hurt by it but taking courage to her selfe she rose vp fitter for new battailes Besides this in the midst of those feruent prayers which oftentimes he sent vp to heauen she found her selfe to be much bitten as by venemous serpents it seemed vnto her that the parts of her body were cut off by inches and being forced by these accidents she fell downe to the ground where it was necessary for her to stay a good while with much payne not being able to moue any way and partly by her continuall feuer and partly because she susteyned her self with only bread water she was weakned in such sort that it seemed she must â—nstantly faint and sowne For this cause by Obedience which was imposed vpon her by her Superiours she was coÌ„manded for three weeks togeather to take towards the recouery of her strength all kind of nutriment excepting flesh Which being done and she hauing recouered a little force she instantly returned to her former life But the Diuells forgot not to afflict her with new tentations that so they might discourage her from austerity by putting thus great doubtes into her
mind that she did not performe the Will of God and especially in going bare-foote and in wearing one only coate as well in Winter as in Sommer Yea and the better to perswade her the Diuell appeared to her at that tyme in the shew of two Religious women the one apparelled in white Note the other in blacke who both aduertised her that the manner of her life was nothing gratefull and acceptable to God nay that she offended him thereby if she continued in such obstinacy she would fall into his displeasure Heerewith she was much afflicted but conferring the whole matter with Mother Prioresse and hauing made much prayer with much feruour she rested certaine that those had been but deceits of the Diuell wherby to remoue her from her course begun Heerof she was yet more assured by God in a Rapt which she had vpon the Vigil of S. Symon and Iude wherein she receaued many other spirituall consolations She seeth Iesus in such sort as he was shewed by Pilate to the Iewes A little bundle of the myrrh of his Passion was graunted to her and Iesus was put into her armes as he was new borne CHAP. 27. VVE must not passe ouer in silence a singular fauour which our Lord God vouchsafed to this blessed soule vpon the Tuesday before Lent which came vpon the 5. of February 1585. as they were making a deuout Procession in the Monastery to appease the diuine Iustice least otherwise he might haue taken due vengeance for the many offences which on that day vse to be committed against him She being rapt in Extasis saw her heauenly Spouse expresly in that dolorous manner as he was when Pilate shewed him to the Iews with these words Ecce Homo By which sight she being instantly kindled with great desire to suffer sayd O my Iesus why cannot I be she who may suffer so many outrages so many scornes and villanies as I see those traytours put vpon thee whilest they are shewing thee to the people Why may not I take from off thy head that piercing Crowne which so much afflicts thee put it vpon myne owne since for me thou wearest it and for me thou sufferest those paynes and torments After these wordes she saw that Iesus to satisfy her desire of suffering would giue to her as once he did to S. Bernard a bundle of the Myrrhe of his Passion and so did she affectuously pray that Saint that he would dispose her to receaue it worthily that her mind by the bloud of Iesus might be purified And when she had named the instrumeÌ„ts of the Passion by one and one she opened her armes making shew of receauing so great a benefit and afterwards ioyning her hands in forme of a Crosse vpon her breast she sayd Fasciculus myrrhae dilectus meus inter vbera mea commorabitur My beloued is as a bundle of Myrrhe which shall remayne betweene my breasts After this action she fell all trembling to the ground making shew of suffering beyond measure for as afterwardes she related by holy Obedience in that instant she endured most bitter torments not only interiourly but exteriourly also But she vnderstood at the same time that her beloued Iesus had graunted her grace whereby she might haue forcible armes to resist the encounters of her spirituall enemyes who then did much more combate with her Neither was there heere an end of celestiall fauours for our Lord God hauing giuen her a â—ittle bundle of Myrrhe the gift of sadnes and griefe he was pleased to release the paines which she endured in receauing therof by a recompence of incomparable ioy For she hauing a long tyme aspired to see her Iesus in such sort as he was wheÌ„ he parted from the pure womb of Maria not only did she remayne fully satisfyed but it was graunted her that for sometyme she might hold the tender infant in her owne armes It is too hard a taske to expresse the vnspeakable ioy which at that tyme she shewed by her countenance and with her wordes full of louing feruour and deuotion and with what actes of humility she did solemnize and reuerence that celestiall infant and willingly I can be content to leaue it to the contemplation of such deuout spirits as shall read these lines It sufficeth for the present to adde that she being fortifyed by these so great graces was from thenceforth better able to resist all diabolicall temptations Of the sight which God gaue her of her owne defects and of the great comfort which she receaued by a certaine act of Humility CHAP. 28. THE sayd tentations grew vpon her euery day the Diuell seeking someâ—yms to kindle in her a desire of honour and worldly greatnes sometymes to cast â—er vpon despaire and withall to perâ—wade her that she should not weary her â—elfe in vaine nor imploy her selfe so without profit in leading an austere Reâ—igious life She was brought heereby to â—uch termes as she thought that in euery â—f her actions she offended God Before â—hose Image sometimes passing being â—urprized by extraordinary deuotion she would with tendernes let her selfe fall â—owne and in one Rapt of two houres â—ur Lord made her see all the faults and â—efects though neuer so light which in 〈◊〉 her life she had committed This sight made her weep bitterly and she sayd Willingly would I go into Hell if thereby could purchase this that I might neuer hauâ— offended thee O my God Yet euen heer thâ— tentations stayed not nor yet did shâ— giue ouer the discouery of new wayes whereby she might vanquish the common enemy And once she prayed thâ— Mother Prioresse that for her greateâ— mortification she would cause her hand to be bound behind her This act of humility was so pleasing to God that shortly he rapt her into Extasis and for whole continued weeke in a manner she was comforted by the spirit of God The Diuel enuying her so great happynes appeared to her often in diuers terrible shapes Sometymes he representeâ— to her mind the delights of this world Sometimes he made that appeare vntâ— her for base and vile which is so high noble as namely a Religious state Buâ— aboue all thinges he troubled her mucâ— vpon the point of Pouerty for as haâ— beene sayd already she wearing no otheâ— thing vpon her then one bare patcâ— coate the enemy could not endure so great perfection But the Religious Mothers considering that she being clad with one light coate and that almost worne out she would hardly be able to resist the sharp coldes of winter and not being willing on the other side to disturbe her so much as to make her change it they resolued that the Prioresse should dexteriously find some remedy Who in the night of S. Iohn the Euangelist after Mattins made her come into the midst of the Quire told her that to make her profit in holy Pouerty she was desirous that she should depriue her selfe of her coate and should apparell
her selfe with another which was to be giuen her for Gods sake if the rest of the Mothers and Sisters should be so contented Heereupon they consenting not without abundance of teares seeing there before them an example of so great vertue the Prioresse made her put off her coate and to put on the coate of another Sister affirming that she gaue it her for Iesus sake bidding her keep it till it were required againe By this action all diabolicall tentation which vexed her in the point of Pouerty was much weakned and she found withall so great contentment of soule that being rapt in Extasis she seemed to feele part of the ioy of those blessed spirits which are apparelled in heauen with immortall glory And moreo she had a liuely feeling of how much the vertues of Humility and Pouerty ought to be esteemed and loued which make the soules in heauen happy and amiable euen heer on earth God sheweth her the glory of S. Augustine and he helpeth her to say her Office CHAP. 29. ON the Vigil of S. Augustine in the same yeare of 1587. she being imployed about some busines of the Monastery after she had sayd with the other Religious as many Psalmes in honour of that Saint as the name of Augustine conteyned letters she was rapt in Extasis instantly began with great feruour to beg of God that he would shew her the glory of that Saint and that through his merits he would impart some grace to the Religious of that Monastery Her prayers were not made in vaine for instantly she saw as might be vnderstood by her manner of speach that our Lord God for the merits of that Saint imparted to them many spirituall gifts The euening after she being in the Quire at Complyn whilest the Salue Regina was sung she saw S. Augustine inuironed with eternall glory then fastning her eyes on heauen being filled with diuine splendour she began to discourse with that Saint with such admirable feruour of spirit and with so great vehemency of speach that it was impossible for the Religious to note her wordes But the night following saying her Mattins with the rest when she was come to the middest thereof retyring her selfe a little aside she was againe alienated from her senses and S. Augustine did in like manner appeare to her who made an end of saying the Office with heâ— as might easily be knowne by her recyting of one verse and not the other she hearing that the Saint did vtter it At the same tyme she also heard the Angelicalâ— melodyes whereupon she sayd Yea this is other manner of musicke then that which is made below on earth Hauing ended the Office she began to beg of Iesus with most deuout words That he would vouchsafe to come and vnite himselfe to her in the B. Sacrament and remayning yet still in Rapt she went to the vsuall place of the Communion being vpon her knees she remayned there till the Ghostly Father came to communicate the Religious she was also commumnicated without euer going out of the Rapt whereby she was so much kindled with the loue of God that she seemed euen with excesse of tendernes to faint and she vttered words so feruent affectuous as would haue mollifyed any peruerse and stony hart and thus passed she that night in these deuout contemplations She is tempted that for the benefit of soules she would leaue that Religious state And afterwards she was tempted with Pride proper Estimation and of the remedyes which she vsed that she might not be ouercome CHAP. 30. HOVVSOEVER the enemy of mankind saw that he laboured in vaine in striuing to remoue this Spouse of Christ from her holy life yet he ceased not with new assaults to afflict tempt her For vnder the shaddow of good he was desirous to perswade her Note that more quietly she might serue God if putting of the habit of Religion for the benefit of Soules she would returne into the world But finding her still more and more stable in her holy purpose he began againe to appeare to her in fearefull shapes threatning that he would destroy her if she consented not to his wicked suggestion But she contemning his threats and rages being inflamed with desire to serue God to free her selfe from the tentation of leauing the Religious habit she tooke one day the keyes of the Monastery and placed them in the hands of the Crucifixe to shew that she should yeild Obedience only to him in the obseruation of her inclosure The night after being of S. Andrew the Apostle saying Mattins with the rest of her Sisters she was troubled with a most grieuous tentation to make her selfe away She went from thence to the Refectory where she tooke vp a knife and returning into the Quire yet still in Rapt she ascended vp to the Altar of the B. Virgin and put it into her handes so to obteyne the grace of being able to conquer the temptation After this she troad it vnder her feet therby to put the greater scorne vpon the Tempter Another tyme she procured Mother Prioresse to tye her first in her cell for the same purpose and in reward of so great humility God called her to the knowledge of high Mysteryes and â—rengthned her much against new comâ—ts But the threats and temptations of â—he Diuell sometymes of Pride someâ—imes of forsaking her Religious habit â—ot ceasing she ran hastily to the Prioâ—esse and in the presence of all the Religious with a Rope about her necke her hands bound togeather she demanâ—ed the Religious habit for Gods sake and with these actes of mortification humility she obteyned the conquest Yet hardly ouercame she any temptatioÌ„ but that others would grow the more terrible to her thereby Being tempted that she should not obey the Superiours Mother Prioresse made her promise to God in the presence of many Religious perpetuall Obedience Hearing Masse somtymes she was cruelly tormented by Diuells and with much fury sometymes throwne this way and sometymes that way which the Religious so visibly seeing were brought to great compassion towards her To profit yet more in vertue she would put her selfe to the performing of the most vile and ignoble exercises of the Kitchen not only did she make her selfe obedient and subiect to the Mothers but euen to the lay Sisters also And for their help she carryed wood and coles and drew water without fauouring her selfe at all as if she had beene the most abiect person in the Monastery Besids that she did these things whilest she went bare-foot and vilely clad as our Lord had commanded her so that it cannot be exprest how much she mortifyed her self by these exercises Hauing once serued the Religious at the Table and kissed all their feet she was alienated from her senses in reward of that act she was kissed by Iesus and she obteyned to see S. Iohn the Euangelist and S. Catharine of Siena who bound the
Diuells with strait chaines Thus continued she by the space of three years continually fighting and by Humility obteyning victory ouer Pride For hauing ouercome the tentations of leauing her Religious habit she was by Iesus apparelled interiourly with the same habit and by him she was communicated CHAP. 31. HAVING by heauenly help ouercome the tentations of leauing her Religious habit she was much inflamed with a desire to be interiourly apparelled therewith And heereupon powring forth earnest prayers to our Lord vpon the fifth of August and reading the life of S. Diego to whome she was deuoted she grew to be alienated from her senses and by her wordes it was knowne that the Saint aforesayd did shew her a white and faire habit which came forth of the side of the Sonne of God So as now she doubled her prayers to her heauenly Spouse that he would be pleased to grant it to her She also inuocated all her Patron Saints beseeching our Lord againe that vpon that day which was the Feast of S. An Aduocate of interssiō not of Redemption Albertus her Aduocate he would cloath her all interiourly to the end that she might imitate the same Saint with greater feruour of spirit Her desirs were graunted for turning her eyes towards Christ Iesus crucifyed she saw issuing out of his side a most precious Coate out of his right hand a Scapulary out of his left hand a Girdle from his thorny head a White veile and from the wound of his necke which was made when he bare the Crosse a Mantle bright and shining beyond all possibility of imagination Then moued by diuine spirit she ascended vp to the little Altar where the Crucifixe was and whilest she fastned her eyes vpon it the Religious found plainly by her postures and motions that interiourly she was apparelled with the holy Coate Afterwards with great feruour of loue she kist the wound of his side from whence the Vest issued afterwardes receaued from euery other wound of the Crucifixe all those seueral things aforesayd The Garland the Light and the Crucifixe which is giuen by the Priest to such as are vested with a Religious habit she receaued from the Queen of heauen Whereof by the words which then she vttered cleare proof was giuen as also by her kissing an Image of the B. Virgin in the same manner as she had done that of the Crucifixe And it was very remarkable that she omitted not euen the least ceremony which is vsed when the habit of Religion is taken only she vttered not the verses which then are vsually sung but for as much as was to be conceaued they were sung in her hearing by the Angells of heauen for she sayd O yea you sing well indeed these are other manner of musickes then are made heere below on earth After this she was communicated by her Iesus not being able that morning to receaue him with the Religious by reason of her continuall Rapts She sayd the Confiteor and Domine non sum dignus c and the Religious that were present saw that she opened her mouth and made all those other demonstrations which are vsuall with such as receaue the Sacrament Then being richly full of ioy she sayd with incredible spirit of deuotion these wordes Dilectus meus candidus rubicundus Speciosus forma prae filijs hominum Diffusa est gratia in labijs tuis Collocauit se in anima mea Dilata cor meum vt inducat omnem creaturam ad communicationem corporis sanguinis tui Quà m bonus Israël Deus And taking the Crucifixe she gaue it to be kissed by all the Religious there present and hauing afterward recommended to our Lord the saluation of his creatures and withall giuing him thankes for so many graces she returned out of the Rapt wherein for the space of three houres she had remayned She bringeth backe a But of wine which was vtterly spoyled to the perfection which before it had by making a signe of the Crosse vpon it and one of the Religious who was then sicke by drinking thereof was cured CHAP. 32. IN the same yeare and about the end of the sayd Month a But of wine being vtterly spoyled in the Monastery the Religious being poore and ill prouided of money it fell out to be very incommodious to them But Suor Maria Maddalena being called was commanded in vertue of Obedience by Mother Prioresse being Suor Vangelista del Giocondo to pray that the wine might returne to his goodnes and so the Monastery be freed from want The Seruant of God did instantly put her selfe into prayer and being rapt in spirit out of her senses she went speedily where the But of wine was and as soone as euer she made the signe of the Crosse vpon it the wine returned to the former state and so the Monastery was serued At that very tyme one of the Religious called Suor Maria Angela Santucci was sicke so afflicted with a grieuous fluxe that the Phisitians doubted greatly of her recouery But hearing speach of the sayd miracle she demanded a little of that wine which as soone as euer she had drunke with great Fayth she sensibly felt her disease to lessen and soone after she grew intierly well to the great wonder of all the Religious And she her selfe who yet liueth giueth testimony to this miracle She seeth the soule of one of the Religious of that Monastery depart out of Purgatory into Heauen CHAP. 33. ON the third of February in the same yeare 1588. she being rapt in spirit it was graunted her by God to see the soule of one of the Religious of that Monastery which after it had remayned 16. dayes in Purgatory all enuironed with eternall glory went vp to heauen And she vnderstood that vpon three particuler occasions she had remayned during that tyme in Purgatory First because vpon holy dayes hauing an extraordinary curious hand with the needle she had wrought some thinges without necessity Secondly because being an ancient Mother in that Religion she had failed sometymes for certaine humane respects to aduertise the Superiours of the inspirations which God had giuen her for the good state of that Monastery And thirdly because she was too great a louer of her kinred Three vertues also were discouered to her for which the others paine had beene abbreuiated The first was the studious care which she euer had to conserue the purity simplicity of her Order The second the great Charity which she had shewed towards al the Religious The third because she still endeauoured to interprete all thinges to a good end She saw then that this blessed soule went rich in merit to enioy that incomprehensible felicity in the midst of her good Angell and S. Miniatus the Martyr to whome in that yeare she had beene particulerly deuoted And now by the sight of so noble an obiect as this was she did euen triumph with ioy and seemed vnable to conteyne her selfe from aspyring to
follow her that she might also possesse her deere Spouse Christ Iesus She is much troubled by the temptations of Gluttony CHAP. 34. IN THIS meane tyme the Diuell neuer ceasing to molest her came with a temptation of extreme Gluttony And although any vice of this kind was wholy contrary euen to her naturall inclination besides the resolution that she had made to feed only vpon bread and water yet neuertheles she was vrged withall violence by that maligne spirit sometims to take meat by stealth sometymes to desire those meats which howsoeuer they were in themselues shut vp yet they seemed visibly to be represented before his eyes For hauing occasion to passe often by those places where the prouision was kept she would instantly see the doores and cupbords to fly open before her so as by occasion thereof she was extraordinarily troubled with that tentation But by how much the more she esteemed that sinne to be absurdly vndecent and deformed Note so much the more did the motion thereof giue her cause to humiliate her selfe and she would vse to say to one of her Sisters That God Almighty could not suffer the Diuells to trouble her in any thing which gaue her greater affliction then by that tentation of Gluttony But yet sayd she I must be faine to swallow downe these bits which are both sweet and bitter sweet because they are made by the permission of God and bitter for the shame and paine which they carry in themselues In the eating now and then of an apple when she was permitted to vse food of Lent she would through the contemplation of the beauty therof so diue into the prouidence liberality of him that made it that she found no tast or sauour at all in the thing it selfe With these exercises but aboue all with the consideration of her owne weaknes since so vile and poore a thing as the desire of meat is able to make such warre against vs she humbling her selfe so much the more was dayly ouercoming all diabolicall suggestions She is tempted with desperation of those succours which God by his Saints doth graunt her and of the remedyes which she found CHAP. 35. YET the sayd suggestions did not cease For the infernall enemy obseruing her great constancy began furiously to tempt her with despaire And therefore he represented to her sometymes that she was to be damned and that God had abaÌ„doned her for her grieuous sinnes At other tymes he would in like manner striue to perswade her that she was neuer to find mercy with God very often he vrged her to kil her selfe with her owne hand sâ— entising her sometymes to thrust a knife into her throat and sometymes to cast a halter about her neck and so to end her life But she in the midst of these passages as afterwardes she tould the Prioresse with abundant tears made a vow to God that she would neuer offend him And so our Lord was not wanting to strengthen her in those temptations with many celestiall fauours For vpon the day of S. Thomas of Aquine being alienated from her senses she saw him in the glory of heauen adorned with immortall light and by him as afterwardes she tould by Obedience all her senses and her hart were vnited by a most precious and delicious liquor that he powred into her whereby she was restored as that her enemyes could not conquer her She also vnderstood in this Rapt by that glorious Saint that the aridity of her spirit was yet to increase much more which she could hardly beleeue as thinking that already it was as much as it could be But soone after the temptations began againe to assault vrge her with such fury that oftentimes the Prioresse commanding her to do some things vnder holy Obedience she was euen as it were constreyned to refuse the doing of it in wordes although her mind were most ready to put it in execution But yet hardly could she haue pronounced the ending of those words but that with teares she would protest that she would sooner dye then fayle to yield Obedience to her Superiours Whereupon she would in the handes of Mother Prioresse make cheerfully her Profession And our Lord at that tyme to make her profit more in holy vertue did inspire her Superiours to double her pennances and mortifications which she with a cheerfull mind did execute not without admirable example to others And she was often rapt in Extasis and strengthned towardes the enduring of new spirituall combats It happened in particuler manner vpon the day of the holy Annunciata in the same yeare that being rapt in spirit she spake for the space of six houres of the Incarnation of the Word in so high manner that whosoeuer had heard her would haue beene astonished Besides this she saw when she was in Extasis at seuerall tymes the glory of many Saints in heauen wherby she was greatly comforted And among others she was often assisted by S. Diego her particuler Patron and taught by him how to obteine victory against the Diuell Notwithstanding all this the drinesse of spirit grew yet greater in her Note so as in the midst of her temptations she tooke this expedient to resort to Mother Prioresse and confer with her touching all things but the Diuell opposing himselfe thereunto made her often loose the way she purposing to go to Mother Prioresse should find her selfe in other places And besides when she would be going towards the Chapter-house to accuse her selfe publiquely of her defects she was sometymes so disquieted by the horrible blasphemyes of Diuells which she heard sounding in her eares that she found much difficulty to get thither But by the many acts of humility and reuerence which she made she ouercame all those diabolicall deuises and receaued greater spirituall light from Almighty God Of the seuerall mortifications and humble acts which she performed for the ouercomming of her tentations CHAP. 36. FOR this reason she would often kisse the feet of all the Religious Sometimes with her handes bound behind her she seuerally of them all asked pardon for her defects At other times in the presence of them all she was disciplined by Mother Prioresse and sometymes by some other of the Religious Very often being at table in the Refectory she was called by her Superiour with a loud voyce and commanded to go round about by the Religious with a basket begging a bit of bread for Gods sake and then commanded to sit vpon the ground and so eate the bread which she had begged At other tymes she was made to prostrate vpon the ground and all the Religious did passe ouer her And once being in the Quire with the rest he was caused to be bound to a post with her handes behind her But she reâ—eaued this mortification with so ioyfull 〈◊〉 mind remembring in this act how Christ Iesus had beene tyed to a pillar â—hat she was instantly rapt in spirit and spake so highly in
you vp into heauen consider it well and faile not to become Religious in this Monastery if you will accomplish the will of God She afterwards going forth of the Monastery was so diuerted by her Parents friends that being one euening in her chamber alone she resolued to go to her Father and readily yield her selfe to his direction And verily it was a wonderful thing that being euen going out of her Chamber she found her selfe to be held so fast that she was not able to stir any further and although she much endeauoured to go forth she was not possibly able to effect it In the end reflecting vpon the tentation she changed her purpose and remayned Superiour in that conflict of the Diuell by meanes of the prayers of Suor Maria Maddalena who at the selfe same tyme seeing in Rapt that the soule of that creature still in the forme of a Doue was striuing to get out of her hands she begged of God both with sighes teaâ—es that he would preserue her But the Religious being desirous to satisfy themselues of the truth heereof the very next day sent to speak with the young mayd and asking what had passed with her in the night before she related the whole story to them and in all the parts thereof it was agreable to that which Suor Maria Maddalena had seene at the selfe same tyme. Of the zeale which she had towards the sauing of Soules CHAP. 50. THIS singular spirit had such an ardent charity towardes the good of soules that it exceeded all humane conceit Our Lord had once shewed her a soule adorned with his grace wherewith she was so strocken in loue that from thenceforth she did euen melt with the desire she had of reducing soules to God and she ardently prayed him that he would graunt her many Soules and in the feruour of her spirit she would say O that it were lawfull for me to go into the Indies or amongst the Turkes I would take those little children Note and with so great affection teach them all that belongeth to our holy Religion that whatsoeuer payns I might endure should be of much comfort to me But because she could not performe this she would often take occasioÌ„ to speake with some of the simpler sort of the Religious and be euer instructing them about heauenly thinges and about the perfection of a Religious life and so great delight she tooke heerin that for this she would forget both her food and her rest Moreouer to the end that God might be pleased for her sake to draw sinnefull soules vnto himselfe she would in the horrour of the night take seuere disciplines and imprison her flesh within piercing haire cloaths Sometimes in the most secret places of the coueÌ„t she would pray most ardently sometymes she would exhibite â—ertaine acts of humility to his diuine Maiesty whereby he might be pleased with the lightning of his loue to pierce â—he stony hart of sinners reducing them â—t last to Pennance But especially in the tyme of Shroâ—etide when the diuine goodnes is most offended she would redouble those holy exercises consuming sometymes the whole nights in prayer and continuall â—amentation oftentymes she was heard to say these wordes I beseech thee O my Iesus that thou wilt grant me so many soules as I am to moue paces in this day Sometims being set on fire by this flame of Charity she would leaue Exercise wherein she was casting her selfe vpon her knees would with sighes and tears desire of Iesus Christ that sinners might be conuerted to him At other tymes she would take a Crucifixe into her hand and after hauing wholy offered her selfe to God she would discharge her selfe further in these wordes Thou O Lord wast pleased to dye vpon the Crosse and to bestow all thy bloud vpon sinners and I also O Lord would be glad to giue my bloud and be depriueâ— of life that they might be conuerted By this meanes she gaue desires to the Religiouâ— of induring any payne for the reduction of soules to God And because Iesus had shewed sometymes to her in Rapt how hideously deformed a Soule is which liueth in darknes of sinne she would say sometymes that she saw no difference in the vglines thereof from that of the infernall spirits She sayd she would willingly be depriued of al the extraordinary gifts which she had receaued of God Note that they might be granted to her neighbours that for her part it would suffice if she might keep her good desire of being able to loue and serue his diuine Maiesty For this cause she would also depriue her selfe sometimes of her deere discourses with God that she might be a help to her Sisters for as she often sayd she made greater account of being able to assist others then of all the excesses of mind that she might haue For in these excesses sayd she I am holpen by God but by assisting my neighbour I helpe God Besides she considered so earnestly â—he Creatures in their spirituall part that â—he named them not otherwise then by â—he name of soules not regarding any â—hing in them but the participation which they haue with God in being creâ—ted after his image She obteined of God by her prayers the conuersion of many sinnefull soules CHAP. 51. BVT greater signes of her zeale towards the saluation of others were then seene when being in prayer she was kindled with such desires as made her say once I find that now the world is growne to be in worse state then euer for now there is no more to be found any Charity I haue enuy against the Birds of the aire who can flye vp and downe where they will and make euery body heare their sweet notes they can euery where renew their delightfull musicke without euer resting O thou Word so would I be able to do I would flye through out the world and make my selfe to be heaâ— by euery one that so I might imprint this loâ— and this delight in the harts of thy creatures After this she shewed by her wordâ— that she saw a Priest farre of from thâ— way of God Wherupon she gaue her selfâ— to pray vnto the diuin Maiesty with sucâ— feruour of spirit with words so affectuous and with such aboundance of tears for the reduction of that person that she obteyned to see him in good estate Being for this reason growne as cherefull as may be imagined she brake forth into this speach At last O Word my prayers haue obteyned their end Yet did not this qualify the burning fire of her great charity but did rather kindle it so much the more for not content with this she began to pray our Lord for the conuersion of other Priests whome she saw defiled with diuers sinnes and this she vrged by so deuout reasons as seemed after a sort euen to conuince and oblige Almighty God to infuse diuine grace into those sinnefull soules whereby they might be â—lluminated for
more inflamed â—owardes the purchase of vertue With â—hese profitable and laudable directions â—he went through her office in such sort â—hat she was accounted by all the Religiâ—us to be the very rule it selfe of liuing well Of the zeale which she had to Gods honour and the hatred which she bare to sinne CHAP. 55. THE Zeale which she had of Gods honour was so ardent That as she often sayd she would be glad to giue her life for it a thousand tymes in a day And she would often affirme with teares To me it seemeth a strang thing and for my part I cannot comprehend it how there should be so few soules in the world Note which hold the honour of God in the true account of greatnes that it deserues But especially considering how little diligence there is vsed in frequenting the B. Sacrament of the Altar she would be so opprest with sorrow anâ— paine as if with a sharp knife she haâ— beene strocken to the hart she woulâ— often say Well I am sure that one Communion made with true spirit and feeling is apâ— to procure that a soule may come to great perfection of life At other tymes being full of these celestial thoughts she called somâ— one of the Religious to her sayd thus with sighes and teares Let vs pray vnto our Lord O my Sister that he will graunt vâ— light and that we may not be so frozen-cold in his seruice and especially in frequenting that food of life which since it is all fire and loue O let vs euen now constreyne Iesus by our prayers to graunt vs euer in this place 〈◊〉 Pastour who may be zealous of Gods honour and who may haue such light as wherewithal to admit vs worthily to this celestiall table She had moreouer a most feruent zeale in saying the Diuine office when she went towards the Quire she felt such ioy of hart that she seemed as one inuited to a sumptuous banket She endeauoured alwayes that those diuine Laudes should be sayd deuoutly and when she heard any of the Religious make a little more then ordinary hast she suffered much affliction thereby and she would often say to them that she had not the hart to post ouer the Diuine Laudes like to the other externall exercises of the Monastery Note Offences made against God did â—o displease her and caused in her such grief that hearing sometymes but these wordes Mortall Sinne she could hardly conteyne her self through the vehemenâ—y of her affliction from crying out with 〈◊〉 loud voyce giuing an euident signe of â—he offence which in her hart she felt Being able as she was to penetrate the â—eformity of sinne euen to the quicke so much she abhorred it and such horrour â—he had thereat that to her it would seem â—mpossible to find a Christian so wicked â—s deliberately to offend God And 15. â—ayes before she departed this life I goe â—sayd she out of the world with this incapaâ—ity aboue all the rest that I cannot deuise â—ow to vnderstand by what means a creature â—an be induced to consent and resolue to commit a mortall sinne against the Creatour Whereby it may be well seene how much she was illuminated by God who had made her so zealous of his honour Of her great Humility CHAP. 56. THIS seruant of God was moreoueâ— a bright example of perfect humility and she euer had her selfe in so base conceit that she thought her selfe good for nothing and would often say thaâ— therefore it seemed to her that her Superiour should speake to her in this sort Get you out of this holy place for you are nâ—â— worthy to remayne in the company of thâ— Spouses of Christ Therefore would she bâ— turning towards the Prioresse with such a trembling as if she had committed somâ— grieuous fault Sometyms she would caâ—â— her self vpon her knees at the feet of heâ— Sisters beseech them that they would let her know her faults But then was he conceit of her selfe more base when she was to receaue the B. Sacrament of thâ— Altar for in that act she would doubt least the Diuine iustice might make the earth open to swallow her vp and bitterly weeping she would often say I most vile creature full of sinnes do presume to receaue the King of glory and in this fear she would say further casting her eyes to heauen O my Lord assist me and haue mercy on me Then would she intreat the Religious with great affection to pray to God for her that his Iustice might not cast her headlong into hell It was also necessary sometymes for her Ghostly Father with words of coÌ„fort to encourage her that she should confide in the diuine Mercy Now the account that she made of the vertue of the other Religious was so great that she would kisse the ground where they had gone and she accounted her selfe to haue obteyned of God a space of doing Pennance by meanes of their prayers and she endeauoured to help them in al the exercises which they were to performe how vile so euer in reward as she sayd of so great a benefit When she was Superiour to others she would be euer humbling her selfe to one of her subiects and then in vertue of holy Obedience would command her to impose vpon her some rigorous pennance of what kind she would and oftentymes made some one of them to giue her a discipline commanding her to make no body acquainted with it and so by these acts of great humility those Sisters wold remayne astonished confounded She would also appoint that in the euening they should tell her of any defect committed by her in that day and then she would beg a pennance of them It happened once when she was Mistresse of the Nouices that a deuout yong mayd tooke the holy Habit. And within few dayes after she called her to her and did communicate some of the temptations that troubled her with so great humility and so many teares as if they had beene so many sinnes committed by her and she sayd My child I tell you this Note to the end that you may know what kind a woman you haue to your Mistres and â—f our Lord had not called her to a Religious â—tate she would either haue beene shut vp into â—ome perpetuall prison or els haue ended her â—ayes no otherwise then by the handes of puâ—â—ique Iustice The she added Pray you vnto â—od for me that he may haue mercy on me and â—hat in the end I may be saued She would â—â—wayes euen to her death haue one of â—he Religious expresly deputed to accuse â—er of her defects thereby to humble her â—o much the more in the sight so God â—n the other side she kept her vertues as â—â—cret as was possible and felt great affliâ—â—ion when by any meanes they were â—ade knowne Neuer would she excuse â—er selfe of any errour When any one â—ould recommend some sinner to her â—rayers she was
that they would with plainesse discouer their most secret thoughts and she would also add If you desire O my daughters to come in short tyme to great perfection take for your Maister the Crucifixe let your eares be attentiue to his wordes for continually he is speaking to your hart and especially then when you haue receaued the B. Sacrament For this she would often say What hath Christ Iesus been speaking to your hart this morning and this custome which I haue euen vsed from my first tender yeares hath been of great profit to me And indeed she made such account of the frequēt receauing of the B Sacrament that she could not endure any one to depriue her selfe voluntarily thereof and would say Thou knowest not O blessed child of what thou hast depriued thy selfe this morning Knowest thou not that there is not a more effectuall meanes towards the getting of true perfection then this B. Sacrament if thou knewest how to serue thy selfe well thereof in few dayes thou wouldst become full of celestiall loue Remember that God is immense charity and for loue doth communicate himselfe to soules by meanes of this amorous food yet take heed thou receaue him not by custome but with actuall deuotion And being demanded sometimes what thoughts it was fit to haue in receauing of it It may suffice sayd she to penetrate only in some measure that it is God whome we are about to receaue And she would say further When you are communicated offer vp vnto our Lord all the workes and spirituall exercises which you are to performe vpon that day in preparation of the sacred food which you are to receaue the day following She told them further that the fittest tyme to profit in the perfection of spirituall life is after the Cōmunion And therfore she would not suffer the Nouices after they were communicated to go about ordinary busines so soone Other Aduertisements which she gaue to her Nouices CHAP. 66. BESIDES this she would remember them often that in confessing themselues they must be diligent by making a most punctuall Examen of their life past And she aduised them therein to vse words of confusion whereby the Sacrament might be more gratefull to his diuin Maiesty whē they asked leaue to go and confesse themselues she should say Note Remember children that you are going to wash your selues in the bloud of Christ She would haue them examine their consciences thrice in the day Not so much sayd she to be able to confesse themselues well as for the taking away of those defects which hinder the life of the spirit Often she would recommend to them the diuine Office shewing how this was one of the greatest obligations which they had and therefore they must then entierly alienate their mind from all earthly thoughts And when they went to the Quire she would call them saying Children till now you haue beene about humane actions discoursing and conuersing with creatures but now you are to performe diuine exercises by conuersing with God himselfe yet many tymes this is little considered and we hold the diuine worship in lesse estimation then our other actions Moreouer before they began the diuine prayses she would haue them performe acts of humility as reputing themselues vnworthy to exercise so noble a function And sometyms she would say Do you hold your selues worthy to performe the office of the Angells If you thinke so you are in great errour and therfore I require you instantly to depart out of the Quire that prostrate vpon earth you pray our Lord to graunt you another manner of Purity of hart then yet you haue wherewith to celebrate the diuine praises Note She exhorted them very often that whensoeuer they sayd the Gloria Patri they should bow downe their heads and make offer to the most holy Trinity of their liues in act of Martyrdom And it was obserued oftentims that the good Mother when her selfe did exercise the like acts became in countenance so afflicted and so pale as did euen strike with a kind of honour such as looked vpon her for then it seemed vnto her that she gaue her head to the executioner for the fayth of Christ as being commanded by Obedience she confessed to her Superiours She considered also in what sort her Nouices did recite the Psalmes how they were composed if their eyes were deiected the like and with so great meeknes she conuersed with them as made her both to be loued and feared She had great care to order thinges so as they might not giue them any interiour disgust for she would often say That God commeth notwith his gifts to inhabit an vnquiet hart Note When any of them was interiourly afflicted with tentations of the enemy she would soone perceaue it and calling her would encourage her in so deer a manner as would serue to cōfort the most afflicted hart in the world But when she saw vrgent reason she would vse seuere punishmēts nor would she whē there was question of the greater glory of God suffer her selfe to be ouercome in any thing and she was wont to say I will see who can do more either God whose presence I hold although vnworthily or the aduersary who with his tentations procures to remoue this soule from doing well That her Nouices should be zealous towards holy Obedience she vsed all incessant diligence and for this purpose she would impose vpon them certaine things disagreable in appearance euen to reason and she would ponder well both what they answered what they did One of them once who had difficulty in praying she cōmanded to go learne that exercise of a certaine tree in the garden and that she should be attentiue to what it sayd The Nouice obedient to that cōmandment did put it presently in execution and it is admirable to consider that she felt her selfe so inflamed in her prayer that she could haue passed the whole night following in that action At another tyme seeing another of her Nouices much tempted she gaue her her own girdle and made the Nouice put it on whereby the tentation did immediatly cease wherefore she sayd to the other Nouices that they should so confide in holy obedience that by meanes thereof they might hope to obteyne singuler gifts from God Finding them sometymes troubled she would say Why do you not cast your selues as dead persons into the hands of Obedience for if you do not this you will neuer be able to know what belongeth to the seruice of God She perswaded them to offer their will to our Lord as a full sacrifice assuring thē they would receaue by it extreme contentment nor would she endure that any of them should oppose themselues to Obedience saying that so they would depriue themselues of the merit thereof If you desire sayd she to accomplish the diuine will Note take heed you draw not by perswasions the will of the Superiours to your fancy but seeke their will
in all simplicity for so you shall arriue to great perfection In summe she did so instruct her Subiects in holy exercises of a true Religious life as they who are yet liuing do coâ—fesse that then it was that they layed the true foundation of the spirit Her only countenance caused griefe for sinne in the minds of others CHAP. 67. IT was a strang and curious accident that chanced in the yeare 1599. when Suor Maria Maddalena was Mistres of the Nouices It happened that one of her Nouices was called to the grate to speak with a brother of hers who led not any of the best liues And so hauing giuen her leaue to speake with him she also as Superiour went in her company according to the custome of the Monastery Being both come to the grate the yong gentlemen had scarce saluted his Sister when instantly he went away in a fury without vsing any further speach or so much as taking his leaue The Nouice wondered and grieued to see the so hasty vnciuil departure of her brother but her owne Mother shortly after comming to visite her she asked her sayd Mother whether he had yet acquainted her therewith to which she answered that his departure grew from his not being able to remain in the presence of the Religious woman who was in her company Note and that she hauing cast an eye vpon him he found himselfe instantly and interiourly to be filled with so great confusion shame as that being surprized with an extraordinary inquietude he was not able to remaine in her presence but was forced to take himselfe out of sight From that time forwards he changed his course of life and hath ever since giuen good example to others And surely this Suor Maria Maddalena had that vertue in her most pure aspect imparted by Almighty God for in particuler those Religious do testify who are now liuing formerly were vnder her charge that they should easily passe ouer any affliction be wholy appeased in their mind by seeing in her eyes somwhat as if it had been diuine and on the other side being admonished or reproued by her they would from her very countenance take reason euen of trembling and vnspeakable sorrow for their faults And because with her only countenance she penetrated the mindes of others so far to the quike and cleerely saw the state wherein they were when she was called to the Grate she found that she spake to some with great repugnaÌ„ce and to others with great consolation so that only by her aspect indeed Angelical one might come to the knowledg of her angelicall life She sheweth in many thinges her Propheticall spirit CHAP. 68. IN the yeare 1600. being one day according to her custome in Extasis she saw the Reuerend Father Rectour of the College of the Society of Iesus who at that tyme was Virgilio Cepari as he was speaking to some of the Fathers of his College about an houre and halfe after Sunset But that which was strang is that as she told instantly after by Obedience she distinctly heard all the speach that past betweene them This was verifyed to the full the next day following when the sayd Father Rectour went to confesse those Religious as sometymes vpon extraordinary occasions he did For the good Mother doubting least perhaps she might haue beene deceaued by the Diuell related to him the whole processe and found it to be punctually true And this is cleerly testifyed by the sayd Father who yet liueth She foresaw at diuers tymes many virgins who were to be Religious in that Monastery besides that she saw the deuotions which they should performe coÌ„ferring with the Religious she would say That God prouided trees for that garden which should fructify Once particulerly about that tyme she was asked by them if a certaine Virgin who was then in the Monastery would become in the end Religious She answered that she knew for certaine that she would and that God had reuealed it to her She had indeed many difficulties afterwardes but yet in fine ouercame them al and tooke the habit of Religion in that Monastery She foretold very often the death of many but in particuler of a Religious woman of her Monastery who was sick at the same tyme. Speaking one day with Mother Prioresse about her she sayd these words Note You shall vnderstand Mother that this Sister will dye shortly The Prioresse was amazed at these wordes that Religious being then in good health but eight dayes were not passed before she grew very sicke and seauen dayes after that she dyed She also fortold her owne death in one of her grieuous sicknesses vnderstanding that her recouery was despaired of by the Phisitians she sayd often to Mother Prioresse Assure your selfe Mother that I shal not dye yet Moreouer a year before her death when the Phisitians couÌ„sailled her to take the Extreme vnction without delay she resolutly sayd though with profound humility That the tyme was not yet come and a few dayes before she dyed indeed she foretould that one of the Religious would shortly follow her And being desired by the Religious to pray for the recouery of her who was already sicke she answered how the will of God was that she should dye and so the sixt day after the death of Suor Maria Maddalena that other Religious also passed on to a better life Many other things also did she forsee concerning the good estate of that Monastery but they are passed ouer to auoyd tediousnes She seeth in Rapt B. Luigi Gonzaga of the Society of Iesus amongst the Saints of Heauen CHAP. 69. ON the fourth of Aprill in the same yeare being rapt in spirit as she was often it was graunted to her that she might see in heauen the glory of B. Luigi Gonzaga of the Society of Iesus and being surprised by the sight of so glorious an obiect she began to speake thus with great pawses interposing a space between one and another as the lines doe afterward declare O what glory hath Luigi the sonne of Ignatius I should neuer haue beleeued it to haue beene so much if my Iesus hid not shewed it me Me thinkes there should hardly be so much glory in all heauen as I see that Luigi doth enioy I say that Luigi is a great Saint We haue Saints in the Church who I doe not thinke haue so much glory She speaketh heere of the Reliques Bones of Saints which were kept in the Reliquaries of that Church Faine would I go throughout the whole world and say that Luigi the sonne of Ignatius is a great Saint and I wish I could shew to euery one his glory to the end that God might be glorifyed He hath so great glory because he operated interiourly Who can euer expresse the valew and vertue of internall workes there is no comparison between the internall and the externall Luigi whilest he was on earth held his mouth open towards the countenance of the Word
for some of the Religious to be euer present with linnen cloaths wherewith to dry her But she all this while attentiue to the saluation of soules thought still vpon new wayes how to please the diuine Maiesty Note and causing the Mother Prioresse to be called to her she discoursed with her at large of Euangelicall Perfection and of that which concerned the good of her religion promising her that she would giue it more assistance from heauen then she had giuen heere on earth Then to all the Mothers and Sisters she againe gaue profitable remembrances amongst which she willed them in particuler Note That they should loue nothing but Christ Iesus that in him they should place all their hope and that they should euer be desirous to suffer for the loue of God After which wordes she tooke leaue of them Being then neere vnto her last passage the Confessarius demanding of her whether yet she was much afflicted and tormented with paine she answered You shall vnderstand O Father that there is no part of my body which is not ful of paine yet indeed I find a great peace in my hart But that which giueth cleere testimony of her sanctity and of all that which in her life is written is that a little after turning towards the sayd Father she coÌ„sulted him about some things to which he hauing giuen satisfaction You shall know sayth she that I haue euer suffered my selfe to be guided simply by Obedience to my Superiours Note and in all my actions haue had no other thing in my mind but the presence of God In the meane tyme vpon the 24. of May 1607. on the day of the most holy Ascension she had the Recommendation of the soule and hauing almost lost her speach yet in the midst of the sighes teares of her Sisters which made a garland of grief about the poore bed whereon she lay turning her head towards the Confessarius she asked him when he could giue her the Viaticum and it being told her that after midnight her desire should be satisfyed she began in that dolorous but yet glorious state to discourse with so much feruour of spirit of the thinges of heauen Note that it was as if she would haue melted and distilled away in the excesse and quintessence of loue At midnight the Father returned to her with the Viaticum and which till then had neuer happened he communicated her in the presence of all the Religious This being done she was obserued to reioyce exceedingly and through the great spirituall contentment of her soule to receaue strength euen in her body but by this tyme the houre of her parting out of this transitory life drew neere vpon her and of her aspiring to that Crowne which once being gotten is neuer lost Therefore the Fathers was called to her at * That is about 8. or 9. by our accouÌ„t twelue of the clocke in the morning that he might be present at her death as was much desired by her In the same manner did they remayâ—e til 14. recyting Psalmes and Hymnes for theÌ„ she had wholy lost the vse of speach But the Ghostly Father being yet to say Masse to communicate the Religious he departed thence and whilest he prepared himselfe he was aduertised how that holy Soule was euen then going to God so that he was much perplexed with the doubt of what he were best to do because if he went to the dying Mother he should not be able it being then too late either to say masse or communicate the Religious But by the prouidence of God it came into his mind to send her word that in vertue of holy Obedience she shold respite her dying so long as that he might haue ended Masse and ministred the most holy Sacrament to the Religious It is an admirable thing how when she receaued that message she seemed to be all reuiued strengthned yea and not hauing spoken at all for many hours she then sayd instantly with a cleare and cheerefull voyce Note being accompanyed with a gracious smile Benedictus Deus And hauing demanded somwhat which might giue her strength she turned to her Sisters who there were present saying I giue thankes vnto our Lord that euen to the very last he hath left me so desolate Vnspeakable spirit and without comfort I do well content my selfe with any thing that pleaseth him And yet againe I offer vnto him any spirituall comfort that I might haue so that only I my be saued Whilest she interteyned her selfe with these so great actions of spirit the Father withall the Religious returned to her and kneeling about her bed all afflicted and full of teares they recyted Psalmes and Hymnes to the end that her holy soule might in the midst of those diuine Laudes which by her were so entierly loued be receaued into that celestiall Countrey At 18. houres of the clocke vpon Friday expresly at that houre wherein Christ Iesus our Lord was tormented vpon the Crosse with the greatest pains she also vpon the Crosse of her bitter afflictions although with extreme sweetnes almost no motion at all finished happily her life on 25. of May in the yeare 1607. that being the feast day of S. Zanobius Bishop of Florence Her countenance remayned so faire and white that insteed of giuing offence it did of all sides breath forth deuotion the odour of sanctity And that holy soule like vnto purest done being euery way enuironed with glorious light and accompanyed by squadrons of Angels did flye as becommeth vs to beleeue into the bosome of God to liue happily there for all eternity The Mother Suor Maria Maddalena dyed in the yeare of her age 41. and 2. monthes and 24. dayes and of her being Religious in the yeare 24. and 25. dayes O blessed soule now that thou liuest triumphant in that happy countrey of Charity in that kingdome of loue imploy I beseech thee thy feruent prayers to the great God for the children of thy Monastery Thou didst vndergo many labours for them thou didst beare painefull burthens that thou mightst with excelleÌ„t vertue discouer to them the way of true happines And if thy zeale were so great in this miserable and fading life now that thou art ascended vp to heauen and art inflamed with more ardent charity how much greater must thy heat be in that most glorious kingdome which was heere so great in the company of terrene and humane passions No other thing is aspired by them but to feele by experience the force of thy deere and blessed help by giuing help with thy prayers towardes those vertues which conduct the possessours of them to that crowne of which there is difficulty in getting but no danger in loosing Permit not that any tyme the horrible infernall Serpent with the poyson of discord may disturbe their holy purposes nor diminish their ObedieÌ„ce which is both the Mother and the Nurse of peace Procure that these thy