lesse then Noble She had a vineyard out of Rome without S. Paules gate from whence she vsed ordinarily to bring fagots made of vine branches or of other wood which the place afforded vnto Rome on her head and there to distribute it amongst the poore and oftentimes she hath bene seene together with her Companion Vannosia begging in the Citty from doore to doore during a great famine for the reliefe of poore people Her patiēce is incredible in bearing as well the aduersities of the body as of the mind for when her husband for being engaged in the ciuill broyles of the Citty was banisht and his goods cōfiscated and her brother-in-law Paulinus sent likewise into a miserable exile and her sonne I hon Baptista taken forcibly away from her for hostage the spirit of this S. remained victorious and vndaunted as well in the losse of her childrne as of her husband friends She praysed God in the ruine of so rich honorable a family so neerly concerning her as that of her husbāds did in briefe in all the assaults and afflictiōs with which the diuell assayled her patience she got the victory put him to shame confusion and euer praysed God She did eate ordinarily but once a day and then very sparingly and for the most part fed vpon hearbes or rootes which she did eate only with salt She abstayned both from wine fish and neuer did eate flesh but in great necessity and then in very little quantity She alwayes eate without appetite for she had so lost and mortified her tast by her cōtinuall fasting and abstinēce that the most sweetest things seemed to her bitter and vnsauory When she was not with her husband she vsed to repose her body vpō a bed so straite as she mightmore properly be said to sit and leane then lye or rest thereon She vsed to sleepe in her clothes and that only but two houres in the night and yet contrary to the generall custome of Italy she neuer slept in the day She girded a sharpe hairecloth vnto her naked body with a great girdle made of horse haire that it might the more afflict her she disciplined herselfe ordinarily with a discipline of six cordes ech corde hauing a rowell at the end She vsed also a hoope of iron which she fastned so straitly vnto her skin that it became almost buried in the flesh which hoope the discipline her Ghostly Father commaunded to vse nomore and which together with her hairecloth are to be seene at this day in her Monastery She made her a cup of a dead mās Scull for to drinke that little water in which she vsed for the sustenance of nature both to diminish the little pleasure she might haue in drinking by the hortor of that spectacle as also to haue euer before her eyes the memory and image of death She had accustomed so often and so violently to beate her brest that it became hardned like brawne if it hapned that she offended neuer so little by any one part of her body vpon the same part would she presently and pittifully reuenge her selfe And if her tongue had offended she would byte it till the bloud followed and so in like manner on any other part or sense This Saint went customarily to confession euery Wedensday and Saturday and to Communion at the least once a weeke she visited often the Churches of S. Peter in the Vatican S. Paules out of the walles of the Citty our Blessed Ladies de Ara Caeli Sancta Maria Nuoua our Blessed Ladies on the other side of Tibur and Saint Cecilies where desiring one day to communicate the Priest not approuing that married women should cōmunicate so often gaue vnto her in place of the Blessed Sacramēt an vnconsecrated host by which S. Francis was deceaued of her expectation but not by his imposture for presently she feeling the want of those inteteriour comforts of her soule which she vsed to receaue by the presence of her spouse knew he was absent whereof with a great and sensible feeling of the losse she complained to Father Antony de Monte Sabellio at that time her Ghostly Father who thereupon examined the Priest and he confessed the crime and humbly begged pardon and secrecie of the offence This Saint being one day retired with her Holy Companion Vannosia to a hidden Oratory which she had made in her garden vnder the shadow of an Arbor being then the moneth of Aprill it pleased God to shew them both how gratfull their retiremēt as also their communication together which was about the withdrawing themselues wholy from the world was vnto him by his great bounty in causing that from the Arbor there dropped downe at their feete ripe peares both faire and excellēt although both out of seasō not the naturall fruite of that tree which they hauing tasted finding wonderfull pleasant and delectable bare the rest vnto their husbands therby to stirre vp in thē greater deuotion and confidence in God After the death of her husband she retired her selfe into a Monastery which she had so long and earnestly desired wherin she attained to a most high degree of perfection became a most perfect patterne of all sanctity of life holines In so much that after a while she was chosen Gouernesse of the whole house had many worthy disciples and Virgins vnder her whome she instructed with such sweetnes feruour of spirit hauing receaued a wonderfull new light learning from heauen that she was a mirrour to thē all She was very often rapt in extasie and had therin such sweet and sensible communication with her Lord and spouse Christ Iesus as was wonderfull of whome she learned infinite mysteries and became indued with so diuine and propheticall a spirit that God gaue vnto her the priuiledge of kowing the state of all such persons soules as came in her presence And thus this Blessed S. heaping vp daily more and more merit by her great Sanctity of life she fell into her last sicknes the yeare of our Lord 1440. who by diuine reuelation was admonished of the day and houre of her death Wherfore she making cōtinuall preparation therto without any great sicknes of body when the day came she heard masse and communicated and spent all the rest of the same day in spirituall communication with her sisters and disciples saying the houres of the Breuiary Euensong and Compline with them and when the night grew on she seemed to take her last leaue of them all and setting her selfe as it were in prayer being rapt into an extasy and talking with her spouse she pleasantly rendred her holy soule into the hands of her Creatour Whē it was knowne she was dead there was such a wonderfull cōcourse of people to doe honour to her holy body as was strange and the miracles that were wrought therat are sufficient to make a good volume by themselues Her body was carried to our blessed Ladies new Church
kindes As of the blessed Trinity of our blessed Sauiour of our B. Lady of S. Peter and S. Paul of the Angels yea and these were not only in spirit but her body also hath bene seene many times eleuated from the ground vntill through her humility she desired of our Lord the cessation of that miraculous fauour which he graunted her This holy Saint was fearfull herselfe least it might be a deceit of the deuill and therfore was content to be narrowly sifted and examined with all diligence not only in her Confessions but also in her life particuler actions and proceedings which were searched by very many Fathers of the Society of Iesus and almost by fourty other principall and the most famous learned men in Spaine and other Countries all graue and reuerend and the best spirituall Maisters then liuing who all allowed and approoued her life her proceedings for good and vertuous free from illusion or deceit After this the holy Saint beginning to build a Monastery our B. Lady S. Ioseph appeared to her and promised to protect and assist her which did encourage her so much as though she found many difficulties yet she brought at last to good effect and finished the same Adding to their former rules some others concerning Mentall Prayer and Meditation all which were approued by the Popes Holines And at the end our Blessed Sauiour appeared to her and set a crowne vpon her head as a reward of her former trauailes She founded diuers other Monasteries after this to the number of seauenteene well knowne as in Medina del Campo in Duruell in Malaga in Valladolid in Toledo in Pastrana in Salamanca in Alua de Tornes in Segouia in Beas in Seuill in Carauaque in Xare in Palencia in Sorie in Granada in Burgos Besides these she founded diuers others as namely fifteene for the discalced Brothers all well knowne in Spaine In all these her Monasteries she caused a reformation with addition of many good and spirituall constitutions all approoued by her Superiours and confirmed by the Pope And during her life time with her infatigable labour and continuall trauell from one to another she gouerned them all in most exact obseruance of their rules and exēplar life to the great edification of all amēdement of many in the way of more vertuous life She wrote foure bookes One of her owne life by commaund of her Ghostly Father one of the way of Perfection one Of the Foundation of her Monasteries And afterward three other bookes contayning relations of her life and of deuout prayers All which said bookes being approoued both by the Inquisition and the graue learned Father aforesaid her Cōfessours with diuers others and being sound and Catholike Doctrine and full of diuine learning and wholesome precepts were thought good to be translated into diuers languages that others reading her holy life following her coūsells might profit therby and increase in vertue to the saluatiō of their soules as very many haue done by her meanes as was before shewed vnto her in a vision The vertues of this Saint were very many and manifest and great store of examples there be therof in euery kind though for breuity sake I will but touch and only name a few of them First she was so carefull in obseruance of the Commandements of Almighty God as her Confessour thought she neuer committed any mortall sinne Her obedience was extraordinary to all her Superiours and Prelats in all things both humane diuine The guift of Chastity giuē her by our Blessed Sauiour was such as she was surnamed by her Confessors The treasure of Virginity And the purity of her mind appeared well by thevncorruptiō of her body after her death and by the modest obseruances she appointed for her Nunnes as the couering of their faces with a veile their strict in closure their silence and other the like She had a great loue to pouerty praising it and commending it to her Nūnes that not only in their holy estate in hauing their meanes without certainty of maintenance and their house without rent but also in their habit which she chose to be very meane Yet principally she commended and preferred inward pouerty of spirit wherin she was a rare and exemplar patterne to all In taming of her flesh she was very rigorous and austere for besides her spare diet she vsed sharpe disciplines sometimes with cordes with keyes with Iron chaines wearing cōtinually a hairecloth next her skin and ordayninge her Order to be one of the strictest in the Church of God And if any meate was made something more dainty by the fire as either rosted or baked she would refuse it saying Meate is to nourrish our bodies not to delight the taste Her sleepe was seldome aboue three houres in a night all the rest she spent in prayer In humility she excelled giuing many worthy testimonies thereof in diuers places both at Rome and abroad seruing all the rest of the sisters by her good will in the lowest ad basest Offices in the house Her courage was great as appeared by her continuall trauells and troubles in erecting Monasteries which yet at last she alwayes brought to good effect Besides the often apparition of deuills which she feared not but euer chased a way from her euen as flies Such was her admirable patience in all crosses and afflictions as she tooke great ioy comfort in suffring them hauing an ardent desire to die for Christ his sake and hauing these wordes often in her mouth O Lord graunt me either to die or at least to suffer for thy sake In her body she suffered long and grieuous sicknesses and infirmities besides her continuall trauaile and toyle In her reputation honour she suffered great detriment and no lesse inward spirituall cōbats and desolatiōs in her soule To speake of the wonderfull Prudence of this holy Saint in gouerning of her many Monasteries of her simplicity sincere vertue in religion and aboue all her extraordinary deuotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar and her other vertues wherein she did excell and was so exemplar it would truly fill whole volumes The same may be said of her diuine contemplation of her eminent Faith of her Hope of her enflamed Loue to God of her Charity to wards her neighbour of her forcible persuasiue vertue of speach her grace of interpretation of Scriptures and Prophesy and in discerning of spirits And for all these her vertues seruice and loue vnto our Lord it may well cause admiration in vs to consider his reciprocall loue and his continuall high and diuine fauours donevnto her His often consolations to her soule and inward spirituall apparitions as also corporally and frequently in diuers formes and manners instructing and directing her from time to time how she should proceed in all her affaires of importance best to his liking and seruice As also dictating to her with his owne voice the very words she should speake to
Rome that not without great difficulty could his body be buried euery one striuing to kisse his handes and for some relique of him some cutting his haire others his garments others euen his fingers ends He was put into a Coffin and laid in the Chappell of the Crucifix and from thence in the yeare of our Lord 1598. he was remoued to a more eminent place of the same Church finally the thirteenth day of May in the yeare 1605. he was solemnely translated with musicke and lights into the great Chappell of our Blessed Lady in the same Church and there placed in the wall neere the right side of the Altar This translation was caused by reason of the many miracles that it pleased out Lord to worke by him in diuers places and the multitude of people that came dayly to his Tombe to offer vp theire vowes which exceedingly increased the deuotion of the people and the concourse to his B. Reliques which was a thing so celebrated at Rome that Pope Paul the fifth in the month of SepteÌ„ber 1607. gaue order that an inquisition might be made of his life and miracles for his Canonization Among the many miracles that haue bene wrought by the intercessioÌ„ of Blessed Lewis there be forty and foure approued and recorded which he hath done in the State of CastilioÌ„ his owne proper Countrey and patrimony where his Image is placed on an Altar with twelue lamps before it continually burning besides the other innumerable lights which the people daily offer vnto his honour and before the same are hanged on the walles more then three hundred votiue Tablets offered in remembrance and for deuotion of his miracles Our Lord in diuers other places hath likewise shewed forth his wonders by the meanes of this blessed Saint rendring health to diuers dangerously sicke of feuers and other diseases restoring the blind to sight the deafe to hearing helping of women in the perill of child-birth with many others which are all at large recorded in the Booke of his life out of which I will only rehearse briefly these few that follow In the yeare 1593. his mother being in danger of her life hauing receaued the holy Sacraments of CommunioÌ„ and Extreme Vnction her sonne appeared resplendent and glorious vnto her with the comfort of whose presence she presently began to amend and in few dayes recouered her perfect health which was the first miracle that it pleased God to worke by him after his death The Duke of Mantua comming to Rome in the yeare 1605. visited with great deuotion the tombe of his Cosen Lewis and had there giuen him by his Brother Francis Gonzaga theÌ„ Embassadour for the Emperour a relique of his with which returning by Florence to Mantua he was taken with a grieuous paine in his knee which had long sorely vexed him to which applying this holy Relique of B. Lewis he was presently cured the which was testified by his owne letter written backe to Rome to the Marques his Brother He had likewise the guift of Prophesy foretould vnto his mother that his Brother Francis who was the youngest of his Brothers should be the Rayser vp and glory of their House which proued true as likewise diuers other things which he foretould Who seeth not in this life and admireth not the bounty and liberality of our Lord who had so filled with his grace this Blessed young man whome he made choiceof euen from his mothers wombe to render glorious both in heauen and earth How great spirit in so young age what recollection in so many troubles what mortifications in the miedest of pleasures and delightes what humility in greatnesse what misprise of all worldly thinges and earnest seeking after heauenly To what greater degree of perfection can a soule ariue in this life beyond the preseruatioÌ„ of the grace receaued in Baptisme theÌ„ not to feele in their body the tentations of the flesh not to suffer in prayer distractioÌ„s of thoughts and to liue on earth as an Angell in heauen All which vertues are apparaÌ„t to haue bene eminent in this blessed young maÌ„ whose life we all ought to imitate to the end that imitating his vertues we may be also made partakers of his rewards and merits He was Beatified by Pope Paul the fifth by whome leaue was also grauÌ„ted to say masse of him His feast is kept by the Fathers of the Society of Iesus with great solemnity plenary Indulgence and in the Diocesse of Mantua is for the most part kept holy THE LIFE AND VERTVES of B. Stanislaus Kostka of the Society of Iesus abridged out of his life written by Peter Rybadeneira and others of the same Society BLESSED Stanislaus was borne in the Kingdome of Polonia in the yeare of our Lord 1550. in a Castle of his ancestours called Kostkouo His Fathers name was Iohn Kostka his mothers Margaret Keysban both Illustrious and of the principall houses of that Kingdome but much illustrated by this that neuer any of that house was tainted with heresy Out of their family haue issued diuers Lords Palatines Electors Senators Captaines Bishops and other of great dignity in that kingdome God blest them with diuers children and amongst others with this Stanislaus who hauing laudably passed his infancy at home was â—â—â—t by his Father being the but thitteene yeares of age together with another of his Brothers elder then he to Vienna in Austria where the Emperour Maximilian at that time kept his Court for to study there in the Colledge of the Fathers of the Society of Iesus which was at that time very famous for the education of youth StaÌ„nislaus studied so diligently there being of an excellent wit that he surpassed all the rest of his School-fellowes of whome for his gentlenes modesty he was generally beloued Euery morning before he went to schoole and euery euening after he came from schoole he vsed to make his prayers in the Church of the Society He auoyded all ill company all conuersation with Libertines or any other thing that had not the odour of deuotion With all diligence he was a great louer of silence and neuer spake but what he had first well weighed considered He was modestly cheerfull and cheerfully modest affable He conuersed most willingly with those that were simple and sincere he was very compassionate and succoured to his power all those that were in neede or extremity he was euer the first vp of his school-fellowes in the morning he contented not himselfe with hearing one masse daily nor on feasts with fewer then all he could possibly heare He went meanely cladde and for all the cold season which in those parts is very bitter in the winter he neuer wore gloues nor would euer vse the helpe of any seruant vnlesse when he was commaunded by his maister or brother Almost all his Orations and Declamations that he made in the exercise of Eloquence were in the praise of the glorious Virgin Mary to whome he was singularly
Stanislaus in short time ariued at Ausburge where not finding Father Canisius he went vnto Dibsinge a towne ten leagues from Ausburge where the said Father was and where he was charitably intreated and shortly after with other two Cōpanions sent vp to Rome and in the eighteenth yeare of his age he arriued at his desired port and where after a most wearisome iourney for that he had trauayled more thē two hundred threescore leagues on foote he was receaued into the Society of Iesus by Father Francis Borgia then Generall vpon the eight and twentith day of October being the feast of S. Simon and Iude in the yeare of our Lord 1567. As soone as his Father vnderstood that he was entred into the Society at Rome he was liuely touched with sorrow because according to flesh and bloud he loued him deerely Therfore he wrote vnto him a letter full of passion and threates That he had dishonoured his House and family by the course he had taken and that if euer he returned into Polonia he would either force him from that state of life or send him to his graue and that insteed of those riches chaines of Gold Iewells that he intended to bequeath him if he had remayned in the world he would load him with captiuity and chaines of iron Stanislaus answered this letter with great humility and modesty and with no lesse courage and constancy that he was most vnworthy to suffer for God who had suffered so much for man yet neuerthelesse if it should please God to be so bountifull vnto him there could not happen any thing more desired by him then euen to die for the testimony of those vowes that he had made promised to God He gaue also incessant thankes to God euen with floudes of teares whē he saw himselfe in the Nouiciate free frō the molestations of parēts in the assured port of religion hauing escaped the stormes and dangers of the world he thought of no other Father but what he had in heauen nor of other mother then the blessed Virgin he contemplated all his fellow Nouices as Saints to the end to imitate their vertues and esteemed himselfe farre vnworthy to liue among such Angells and to be imployed by the great fauour and mercy of God in the seruice of them that were his most deuout and profitable seruants He was truly humble and well instructed in the knowledge of himselfe his desire to be despised and not accounted coūted of for the loue of Christ appeared in his poore habit his earnest seeking for the most abiect and painfull Offices of the house he alwayes rankt himselfe with the last accounting euery one much more worthy then himselfe When he was at Viēna before his entrance into the Society he gaue himselfe so much to prayer that by reason of his long continuāce and attētion his heart and senses had often fayled him in such sort that not without diuers remedies he hath bene brought vnto himselfe againe And if this Blessed Youth did so apply himselfe to prayer and deuotion liuing in the world how much more did he excell being now secure in Religion This only may suffice that he did not only spend in prayer all those houres of the day in which he was not otherwise imployed but also the most part of the night reseruing only so much for sleepe as would hardly serue to suffice nature By his long exercise and custome to pray attentiuely he had obtained such a particuler guift of our Lord that the Maister of the Nouices and his Confessour haue affirmed that he had neuer any distractions in prayer so perfectly had he subdued his imagination to his will And whē any one complayned of distractions or wandring thoughts in prayer Stanislaus wondred at it as a most strange thing vnto him nor was he only so vnited vnto God in prayer and meditation but also in his exteriour and domesticall workes which he performed with such recollection that it was easy to see that no outward thing could trouble the inward quiet of his mind nor attention of his spirit which was increased in him to such perfection that in time of prayer many of the Nouices would endeauour to pray where they might see him for in behoulding him they learned to compose themselues and were incited to an extraordinary recollection of spirit Many repayred vnto him in their troubles and tentations recommending themselues vnto his prayers by which meanes diuers were deliuered from sundry tentations and restored to quietnes of spirit One time a Brother of the Society of Iesus who is now a Priest being assaulted with a great and vehement tentation of auersion from a Superiour communicated the same with Staniflaus who at that time serued in the Kitchin desiring him to pray to God that he would graūt him grace to ouercome it Stanislaus presently went into the Church and by his prayers obtained his present deliuery from that tentation He had the great guift of teares which he shad in great aboundance with a mernailous sweetnes of spirit our Blessed Sauiour had illustrated him by his diuine light with such a knowledge of spirituall things that euery one admired to see so much prudence discretion and spirit in so young a Nouice Our Lord had bestowed diuers great and celestiall guifts and consolations on his B. Soule whereby he became so inflamed with the diuine loue that diuerse times with the force and feruour therof he sell into extasy out of which they could not sometimes recall him without applying to him of linnen dipped in cold water wherby in short time his health was much impayred But who can imagin the singular deuotion that he had to the sacred Queene of Heauen being dissolued in sweetnes of mind as often as he thought vpon her admirable vertues it seemed that both night day he had no other care but how to serue her and meditate vpon the mysteries of her holy life For his affectiō to her was so ardēt in his brest that it could not be contained from discouering it selfe by his words saluting her often speaking alwayes of her graces and vertues making euen whole nights most amorous Colloquies with her whome he euer vsed to call his mother This deuotion of Stanislaus to our blessed Lady was so notable among the Nouices that they to content him when they were together would alwayes hould discourse of the praises priuiledges and excellencies of this most excellent Virgin and for his sake the Maister of the Nouices ordayned that both at rising in morning going to bed and likewise at night after letanies all the Nouices should kneeling towards the Church of S. Maria Maior which is scituated in Rome neere to the Nouitiate of S. And rews salute the B. Virgin demaūd her benediction and desire her to fauour protect all those that desired to enter into the Society This deuotion that he bare to the Blessed Virgin made him desire to die the Eue of her glorious
Father drew out a knife from the scabbard of his Fathers sword and putting the point thereof to the reynes of his said Fathers back told him that in that very place he should shortly after receaue a dāgerous woūd as it happened vnto him in the yeare 1406. in a sedition betweene the Romans and the people of Ladislaus King of Naples This Child likewise seeing another time a Frier passing along the way told him that ere long he should change that habit for a more honorable which prooued true for the Frier was shortly after created Bishop The Citty of Rome being visited with the plague this little Saint feeling himselfe stroken with the contagion and knowing that he should shortly die made great instance for Confession after which he told his mother that S. Antony and S. Onuphrius to whome he was particularly deuoted were come with a glorious company of Angells to conduct him to heauen and so this blessed child being only 9. yeares old with an inexpressible ioy passed from this fading life vnto the ioyes of an euerlasting blisse At the instant of his departure a little girle them lying sick of the plaguein another house hauing for a long time before bene speachles sodainly cryed out that she saw Euangelist de Pontiano with great glory borne vp by Angells into heauen S. Francisca his Mother praying in her oratory about a yeare after Euangelist appeared vnto her of the same stature and forme only that he was aboue all expression more faire and glorious as he was when he died hauing another Child with him of the same age and no lesse glorious who declared vnto his mother that he was placed in heauen among the second quire of Angells and that the principall cause of his coming was to lead along with him to heauen his sister Agnes she being only 5. yeares old whose place was prepared in heauen equall to his Agnes therfore shortly after falling sick her mother saw a faire white doue flying vp downe ouer her bed not departing till this child had rendred her innocent soule into the hands of Angells God had giuen to S. Francisca an Angell not only to defend and guard her from euill spirits but also to rule and direct her in all her actions he neuer left her one moment and by especiall priuildge she inioyed the sight of him continually He was of an incredible beauty a countenance wondrous gratious more white then snow more ruddy then the rose his eyes euer looking vp towards heauē his armes crossed on his breast his haire long and curled more cleere shining then the polisht gold his robe extended long vnto the ground and was for the most part of a pure white colour other times skyblew sometimes also red Frō his face proceeded so great a light brightnes that it often dazeled her eyes to behold it and sometimes there proceeded such beames that only by their brightnes she saw to read her Mattins at midnight Her Ghostly Father cōmaunded her once to disclose vnto him the forme and shape of her good Angell which she did holding her Angell by the little hād the whilst looking friendly vpon him so properly and so particularly that therby her Confessor easily perceaued his proportion not to exceed a child of 5. or 6. yeares old If at any time the diuell molested her either with horrible apparitions to afright her or by transforming himselfe into some holy shape to delude her her faithfull Guardiā Angell at the same instāt by the shaking and mouing of his golden locks would cast forth such comfortable beames as would make her soule at once both feareles and secure On the contrary if in company of her parents or friends there escaped from her either any inconsiderate thought word or deed or if she were to sollicitous of her domesticall affaires presently she might behould this blessed spirit turne away his eyes frō her wherby she became to reflect on herselfe and carefull to examine her cōsciēce so by knowledge of those small faults that had caused his auersion by this meanes she became daily more wary and vigilant ouer herselfe euer renewing her purposes to amēd wherby she recouered the sweet regard of her Angell If any one in the company of this Saint forgot them selues in doing any thing that was vndecent she presently perceaued her Angell as it were in horrour of their sinnes and imperfections to close his eyes with his hands A Gentlewoman a deere friend and kinswoman of hers called Vannosia being in a desperate sicknesse had a great desire to eate of a Crab fish after which Francis carefully seeking and finding that in that season of the yeare they were impossible to be had she put herselfe in prayer desiring one from God when behold in the sight of all the houshould there fell one from the seeling of the Chāber fresh and aliue as if newly taken our of the sea which she presently prepared for Vannosia who eating thereof was not only satisfied of her desire but also perfectly recouered of her sicknes She neuer dismissed any poore frō her gate without almes and once in a great famine at Rome Andreas her Father-in-law hauing made his prouision of an excellent tunne of wine she being importuned by the poore not hauing wherwithall to satisfy them gaue to all that came of the said wine as long as it lasted Which when her Father-in-law vnderstood he was much offended with her therefore of which she hūbly excused herselfe assuring him that his wine was not spent but euen as he left it which to cōfirme she wēt with him downe into the Cellar where drawing of the same tunne they found it full of most excellent wine Whervpon Andreas being not ignorant of her bestowing it was confirmed of the miracle and she acknowledginge Gods bounty remayned therafter more animated to doe the workes of charity Another time hauing giuen to the poore a little quātity of corne which she had swept from the beames and rafters of her husbands granary by chance returning thither not long after she found there fourty measures of fine wheat neither she nor any other knowing how it came thither She vsed to reserue for herselfe those hard and mouldy crusts chippings of bread which were appointed for the poore and in the place therof would secretly giue vnto them the best and purest bread that was in the house Although all the actions of this Saints life were full of rare examples of Humility notwithstanding it appeared in nothing more then in her art and holy subtility to conceale the frequent miracles that she wrought for wheras she healed all sorts of diseases by her only touch yet she would withall apply a certaine ointment to the diseased which she had made of Mariolane or Rew therby to cōceale the miracle although this ointment for some diseases was altogether vnprofitable and for many absolutely hurtefull She neuer went vested but in course cloth although her condition was no