vvealth of the vvorld The continance and encrease vvherof I euer vvish both to you and yours Your Ladiships seruant euer during his life IOHN HEIGHAM THE LIFE OF THE MOST PVRE AND ANGELIKE VIRGIN S. CATHARINE OF SIENA IN whom by whom almightie God wrought manie strange and wonderful thinges THE FIRST PART Of the birth and infancie of this holie virgin and of certaine wonderful tokens of holines that shewed in her euen in that age CHAP. I. THere was in Siena which is an ancient citie of Tuscan in Italie a certaine man called Iames benincasa a dyer by occupation no ritch man of substance but hauing conueniently well to liue He liued as he was brought vp in the feare of God and towardes the worlde he was a plaine and vpright dealing man welbeloued of all that had anie cōuersation with him by reason of his sweet and gentle demeanour which vertue emong manie other was noted in him to be singular This Iames tooke to wife a woman called Lapa who was likewise a vertuous woman verie careful and diligent about her familie and withal of verie modest chast and womanlie behauiour And therfore almightie God blessed her with manie children of the which she bare for the most part euerie yeare one and some yeares two Last of all it pleased God so to dispose that she brought foorth two daughters at one byrth The one was called Ione which after she was baptised liued not many daies The other was this Catharine of whom we mynd here to speake whom the mother brought vp with great diligence and loued more tenderly then she did the rest of her children bicause the rest coming on so fast one vpon an other that she might not endure to nourse them her selfe but put them out to others this only she noursed at home with the mylke of her owne brestes which was one great cause of special loue But the thing that did most principally moue the mother to cast a singular affection towardes this daughter was a certaine vnwonted and meruelous grace which shewed in the deliteful presence deedes gestures and wordes of this child euen in the tyme of her tender in fancie For when she was but only weaned from the mothers mylke and could a litle goe about the howse the parentes and neighbours thought they could neuer haue their fill of seeyng and hearing her her countenance was so sweet and amiable her talke so wittie and to so good purpose And as she grewe in yeares so did she also increase in grace and wisedome in so much that when she was fiue yeares old hauing then learned the Aue Marie she vsed continually to saie the same with ripe iudgement and feruent deuotion And going vp and downe a paire of stayers that were in the howse her maner was to say one Aue Marie vpon euerie steppe kneeling vpon her knees with great reuerence The which singular deuotion towardes our blessed Ladie how acceptable it was to almightie God it may right well appeere by the most excellent graces and priuileges that ensued therupon euen in her tender age which were vndoubtedly most certaine tokens of a verie noble high calling of God as hereafter shal be declared more at large Of a verie strange vision shewed vnto her and of certaine wonderful effects of the loue of God towardes her and of her loue towardes God Chap. 2. When she was sixe yeares olde her mother seeing her to be of a verie towardly wit sent her on a daie with her brother Steuen who was somewhat elder then she to a sisters howse of theirs called Bonauētura a maried woman either to see how she did as the maner of kinsfolkes is or els in some other arrand When she had done what she was willed by her mother to doe she returned homewardes againe and passing by a street which is called in their tongue Valle piatta she cast vp her head a litle and looked towardes the Church of S. Dominicke which stood there right ouer against her and behould she sawe in the aier a goodlie chamber royally decked and in it our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ sitting in a seat imperial clad with a solemne pontifical robe wearing on his head a mitre such as the bisshops of Rome are wont to weare and with him she sawe the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and S Iohn the Euangelist When this blessed infant beheld all this at the first she was astonished But afterward being come to her selfe and well aduised she cast vp her eyes both of body and sowle to her Sauiour who likewise cast the eyes of his diuine maiestie vpon her with a louelie and smyling cheere And stretching out his right hand towardes her and ouer her made the signe of the Crosse as the maner of bisshops and prelats is to doe and gaue her his blessing The which foorthwith wrought so effectually and mightily in her that she was rauished and transfourmed spiritually into that most glorious and beawtiful Lord whom she beheld with such an inward and spiritual liking that she forgat not only her going and waie but also her own selfe In so much that she stoode still there without mouing any part of her bodie so would she haue stood not only then but manie other tymes also without regard or feare of either men or beastes which are wont to be dreadful to litle childrē if she had not ben towched or taken awaie by some other But at the lenght her brother Steuen who was gone on his waie imaginyng that she had folowed turnyng backe and seeing her a great waie behind standing still in the waie looking vp into the elemēt cried vnto her alowd called her by her nam But she gaue him no word to answere for she was in deed so wholly occupied in al her senses both in wardly outwardly that she gaue no heed to his crying whereupon he went neerer and neerer and euermore as he went he cried vnto her But all was to no purpose vntill he came at length to the verie place where she stood tooke her by the hand saying What doest thou here whie comest thou not awaie At the which wordes and pulling of her hand she cast downe her eyes a litle like one that had ben awaked out of a dead sleepe and said Oh said she if thou haddest seene that goodlie sight that I sawe thou wouldest neuer haue done so to me And whē she had said those wordes she cast vp her eyes againe thinking to haue seene it as she did before But when she sawe that it was vanished awaie she reuenged the iniurie done vnto her by her brother as childrē are wont to doe with weping And it grieued her so much the more bicause she perswaded her selfe that by the casting downe of her eyes she had deserued to leese the blisful fruition of that glorious sight Thus ended this wonderful vision leauing her with such a thirst and languishing loue after that heauenlie beawtie which she
God Whose prouident goodnes disposeth all thinges for his chosen seruantes so sweetly that he turneth euen their synful deffectes to their further good benefite And therfore he would not suffer his deere spouse to cōtinue long in that state but that there might be nothing to hinder her feruour and deuotion he laid his hand soone after vpon Bonauentura her sister by whose meanes she was induced to that inconuenience and tooke her out of this life with great anguish and trauaile in child-bearing not withstanding that she was otherwise a lustie yong woman and like to beare manie children This Bonauentura was euer of good life and conuersation and yet bicause she had attempted to drawe her sister from the seruice of God to whom only she had wholly deuoted her selfe and to allure her to the vanities of the worlde it pleased God to shewe this dreadful example vpon her for the terrour of all such as should at anie tyme afterwardes be meanes to hinder holie vowes and purposes And yet would he not haue her to be vtterly lost but as it was reuealed afterwardes to this holie virgin and she declared the same secretly to her ghostlie Father she was in Purgatorie and there abode manie grieuous paines and tormentes for a long season and longer should haue done if this blessed virgin had not hopen her with her deuout praiers Now when her sister Bonauentura was thus passed out of the wordle this deuout maid being by her departure deliuered from that importunate clamour which was before verie troublesome vnto her began to see more cleerly both the deformitie of her synne and the vanitie of the wordle Wherupon with an humble knowledge of her selfe and sure affiance in the mercie of God she cast her selfe downe at the feet of our Lord with Marie Magdalen and there lying prostrate with much lamentation and teares besought him of pardon for her offence and would neuer geue ouer her weeping and wailing but continued stil her most humble sute that she also might at the lenght heare those comfortable wordes spoken by our Lord to her hart Thy sinnes are forgeuen thee And from that daie foreward she began to beare a special loue and deuotion to the said Marie Magdalen and to conforme her selfe to her in the workes of penance It can not be expressed with wordes what inward griefe of mynd shee tooke so often as that offence came to her mynd She sighed and sobbed she wept and wrang her handes she tooke no comfort in anie thing but only in the endles mercie of God of the which she made her selfe well assewred that it did infinitely passe all the sinnes that anie man doth or can commit and that it was alwaies freely offred to as manie as would require it with a contrite and humble hart wherupon she sequestred her selfe from all creatures which she sawe were void of cōfort and turned her selfe to God in whom only she fownd her selfe to receiue perfecte and sownd comfort With him she sought by all meanes to make her peace and attonement so that made to set her whole loue and felicitie in him But the ghostlie enemie of mankind enuying the blisful state of this goodlie peace did his endeuour to disturbe the same by putting into the myndes of her parentes and kinsfolke how expedient it was to bestowe her honestly in mariage especially now considering that her other sister was departed this life And so by these and other the like suggestions the craftie serpent perswaded them to be earnest and diligent both in solliciting her to embrace that state of life and in prouiding her of a conuenient husband But when the wise virgin sawe by the light of Gods holie spirite that all that was but the sutteltie of the deuel meanyng therby to withdrawe her from her holie purpose she contrarie wise set her selfe more earnestly then she was wont to continual praiers heauenlie meditations and other workes of austeritie and penance She eschewed the sight and conuersation of men and gaue all her frindes to vnderstand plainely that she would haue no earthlie creature for her husband but only the euerlasting Sonne of God vpon whom she had fixed her loue The which resolution when her father and mother vnderstood they thought good to take an other waie which was to send for one of the Dominican Friars whose authoritie they thought she would reuerence and to intreat him to talke with her and to see if he could by anie meanes alter her mynd The Friar came and promised to doe what in him laie and so did in deed He set out vnto her in manie wordes what austeritie of life belonged to that profession that she mynded to enter into what a hard matter it was to hold out in the same what snares the deuel would laie to entrappe her how the wordle would vse manie meanes to circumuent flatter her how fraile and weak the flesh was what a great danger and shame it would be if when she had once put her hand to the plough she should looke backe againe Vnto the which pointes the faithful spowse of Christ answered with such wisedome and constancie that the religious man which came to turne her was turned him selfe and so being sorie that he had waded so farre with her in that course changed his stile and said these wordes Daughter seeing it is so that yee are fully resolued to serue God in the holie state of virginitie and that yee are therunto called as I am thoroughly perswaded by your wordes euen by God him selfe I haue no more to saie in the matter it is the best part that yee haue chosen our Lord geue you grace to folowe it And now if yee thinke good furthermore to folowe my counsel I would aduise you to cut off your haire For in so doing it is like yee shall both cut of all hope of mariage in your parentes and withal redeme a great deale of tyme and labour which otherwise must needes be spent about the trymmyng of the same When the holie virgin heard those wordes she tooke them as spoken by God him selfe and foorthwith she ranne and tooke a payre of sheares and cut of her haire hard by the skynne For she had before conceiued a certaine displeasure against her haire bicause she perswaded her selfe that by the trymmyng of the same she had committed a grieuous offence against God And when she had so done she couered her head with a coyfe and so went about her busines contrarie to the maner of all other maidēs The which when her mother espied she asked her what that coife meant Wherunto she made no direct answeere bicause she was afraid to tell the truth and to make a lie she had a great conscience Whereupon her mother stept hastely vnto her and taking of the kerchefe from her head sawe that her faire haire was cut of hard by the head The which sight and losse so pinched her by the hart that for verie inward griefe she
lothsome tentations Daughter said he I was in thyne hart Then said she againe O Lord sauing alwaies thy truth and my dutiful reuerence to thy diuine Maiestie how is it possible that thou shouldest dwell in an hart replenished with so manie filthie and shameful thoughtes Whervnto our Sauiour said Tell me daughter Those vncleane thoughtes did they cause in thy hart grief or delite No said she they caused very great griefe and sorrowe Who then said our Lord was he that caused that griefe and misliking in thyne hart Who was it but only I that laie secretly within in the middle of thy soule Assure thy selfe of this If I had not ben there present those fowle thoughtes that stood rownd about thyne hart seeking meanes to enter but euermore with the repuâ—â—e had without all doubt preuailed and made their entrie into thy sowle with full consent of thy will and synful delite But my presence was it that caused that misliking in thyne hart and moued thee to make resistance against those fowle tentations the which thy hart refused so much as it could bicause it could not doe so much as it would it conceiued a greater displeasure both against them and also against it selfe It was my gracious presence that wrought all these goodlie effectes in thyne hart wherein I tooke great delite to see my loue my holie feare and the zeale of my faith planted in thy sowle my deere daughter and spowse And so when I sawe my tyme which was when thou haddest through my grace and assistance thoroughly vanquished the pride and insolencie of thyne enemie I sent out certaine external beames of my light that put these darcke feendes to flight For by course of nature darckenes maye not abide where light is last of all by my light I gaue thee to vnderstand that those paines were thy great merite gayne and increase of the vertue of Fortitude And bicause thou offredst thy selfe willingly to suffer for my loue taking such paines with a cheerefull hart and esteemyng them as a recreation according to my doctrine therefore my will and pleasure was that they should endure no longer And so I shewed my selfe where vpon they vanished quite awaie My daughter I delite not in the paines of my seruantes but in their good will and readines to suffer patiently and gladly for my sake And bicause such patience and willingnes is shewed in paines and aduersitie therefore doe I suffer them to endure the same Take this similitude of my bodie At what tyme my bodie hong vpon the Crosse in extreme paines and tourmentes and afterwardes when it laie dead vpon the ground no man could euer haue thought that all that notwithstanding there had ben in it hiden that true life that geueth life and mouing to euerie liuing thing And yet so it was by reason of the inseperable vnion that was and is betweene my Godhead and humane nature though not so vnderstood of men no not of myne owne Apostles and disciples that had conuersed with me a long tyme. Now as at that tyme when my bodie laie there dead void of sense and without all outward shewe of anie inward power there was not withstanding in it a diuine power able to quiken and geue life to other creatures no lesse then afterwardes when it was raised from death and endewed with the glorious gyftes of immortal life euen so though after a different maner do I dwell in the sowles of my faithful seruantes at one tyme couertly and without shewing my selfe for their exercise further merite and at an other tyme openly and without couert for their comfort and ioye In this the tyme of thy battaile I was in thyne hart armyng and fortifying thee with my grace against the force of the enemie but couertly for to exercise thy patience and increase of merite But now that thou hast through my grace fought out thy battaile manfully and vanquished the enemie I geue thee to vnderstand that I am and wil be in thyne hart more openly yea and withal more often for thy comfort And with these wordes that blessed vision ended at what tyme the holie virgin was left replenished with such abundance of ioye and sweetnes that no penne is able to describe it And specially she tooke passing great comfort in that that our Lord called her Myne owne daughter Catherine And therefore she entreated her ghostlie Father that when he spake vnto her he would vse the selfe same wordes and saie My daughter Catherine to the end that by the often repetition of those wordes she might often tymes renewe the inward sweetnes that she felt in her hart of those ioyous wordes of her Deere Lord and spowse How our Lord with diuerse other Sainctes visited her oftentymes verie familiarly And how he taught her to read by miracle Chap. 22. FRom that tyme foreward it pleased our Lord to vse a verie vnwonted familiaritie with her and to visite her both verie often and verie louingly euen as one frend is wont to visite an other comyng to her sometymes him selfe alone sometymes bringing with him his most blessed mother the virgin Marie some tymes the holie patriarke S. Dominicke sometymes also with his mother S. Marie Magdalene S. Iohn the Euangelist the Apostle S. Paul and other Sainctes whom he brought with him sometymes all together and sometymes againe some one or els some few of them according as his pleasure was For the most part he came alone and conferred with her euen as one familiar is wont to doe with an other In so much that manie tymes they walked vp and downe in her chamber together and said the psalmes or diuine seruice together as though they had ben two clerkes or religious persones Which maie seeme a verie strange thing and so much the more if it be considered withal that she neuer learned to read by the teaching of anie man or woman for as she declared to her ghostlie Father she had a great desire to learne her mattins and therefore on a tyme she besought one of her sisters to geat her an A. B. C. and to teach her the lettres But when she had trauailed about the same a certaine of weekes and sawe that she did but leese her tyme she thought good to geue ouer that course and to set her selfe againe to her customable exercises of praier and meditation And one tyme lying prostrate on the grownd she made her praier after this maner Lord if it be not thy holie will and pleasure that I shall atteine the knowledge of reading I am verie well content for thy loue to continue in my ignorance and to spend my tyme in such simple meditations as it shal please thee to graunt me But if thou wouldest vowchsafe to shewe me so much fauour as that I might be able to read and sing the deuine seruice I would be right glad also to serue thee in such maner It is a wonderfull thing to report that she had no sooner ended her praier
great reuerence as if she had ben her owne mother Which charitable and humble seruice the sicke woman tooke in verie good part at the first and thought her selfe much beholding vnto her for it But afterwardes when she sawe that the holie maid continued her diligent attendance with such regard and loue as no seruant would haue done the like like a prowd and vnthankeful woman she tooke all that she did to be more then duetiful and looked for it In so much that if anie thing were done otherwise then her pleasure was to haue it done she would chide with her and reuile her and speake such wordes of villanie and reproch vnto her as no honest woman would haue spoken the like to her bondwoman or slaue that she had bought with her money If it happened as it did sometymes that she taried at Church about her deuotions longer then her accustomed maner was the waiward sicke woman would receiue her at her returne with verie sharp and despiteful termes saying Ah ladie queene yee are welcome Where hath ladie queene ben so long It seemeth that the queene can neuer haue her fill of these Fryars These and other the like wordes would the old woman powre out against her with great stomacke and choler But the holie maid gaue her not one euel word to answere but went about her busines diligently and when she sawe her tyme she would speake to her after a gentle and lowlie maner saying Good mother for Gods loue haue patience And if anie thing be amisse it shal be amended by and by And with that she bestirred her selfe about that she had to doe for her with all possible diligence and made a fyer and dressed her meate and serued her of all necessaries after such humble sort and with such sweete wordes that the impatient woman that was so caried awaie with her passions that she seemed rather a raging bedlame then a resonable creature had great wonder of her patience This brawling continued a long tyme and the more the disease increased vpon the old woman the more wayward and tedious she waxed and yet was this holie maid neuer weerie of her lothsome seruice but held out still and did all that was to be done about her with great loue and reuerence At the length her mother Lapa who had a great misliking of that kind of seruice cried out vpon her and said Daughter it can not be but that if thou continue in this maner of seruice thou must needes in tyme become a leaper which thou knowest I maie not abide to see And therefore I charge thee in anie case to geue it ouer Whereunto she made answere verie discreetely and said Good mother haue you no feare or doubt of that for the seruice that I do about this sicke woman is done by the commaundement of God And thinke yee not that he will laie so fowle a plague vpon me for that that him selfe hath willed me to doe And so with such wordes she quieted the mynd of her mother But our Lord whose pleasure it is to trie his faithful seruantes to the vttermost permitted in deed the enemie of mankind to haue such power ouer her bodie that he infected her handes with the leprie in such sort that euerie one that looked vpon her iudged by and by that it came to her by the towching of the contagious bodie of that ould woman Which thing caused manie of them that spake euel of her before to speake worse now Some said this and some said that euerie man might speake his fantasie freely for it seemed that they were not altogether without some good grownd And which was most of all euerie bodie shuned her companie as a woman infected with a contagious disease All which disgrace moued her nothing at all but that she continued her wonted charitie and seruice towardes the sicke woman and tooke no care what became of her owne bodie so long as she might emploie it to the seruice of God That womans sickenes continued manie daies but the holie maid thought them verie fewe by reason of the great loue that she had to our Lord whom she thought she serued in that sicke woman At the length when our Lord had thus sufficiently tried the loue and constancie of his faithful spowse he determined that this her paineful and lothsome seruice should haue an end by the passing of that sicke woman out of this wretched life At the which passage the holie maid stood by her and comforted her with her seruice with good praiers with godlie wordes and exhortations and neuer gaue her ouer vntill the last breath And when the bodie was dead she tooke off the clothes and wasshed it and shrowded it in the winding sheet and so laid it on the beere readie to be caried to the place of burial Where when the Dirige and other diuine seruice was done according to the order of the Church she tooke it off againe and laid it in the graue and couered it with earth with her owne handes That done behold by euident miracle and worke of almightie God her handes which were before fowly disfigured with the leprie were now at that verie instant become not only sownd whole but also much fairer and cleerer then anie other part of her bodie to the sight of as manie as beheld her An other verie strange example of her charitie and patience towardes a sicke woman of her owne Order and how she rendred great good for great euel Chap. 10. THe charitie of this holie maid shewed vpon that vnthankeful leperous woman was surely verie great and so was her charitie and patience shewed towardes a sister of her owne Order no lesse great and worthie to be remembred There was emong the sisters of S. Dominickes Order commonly called the sisters of penance one sister namel Palmerina who by reason of certaine workes of charitie that she did outwardly shewed to the worlde to be a merciful woman to others but in deed was vnmerciful both to her selfe others as it maie appeere by that that shal be here recited This Palmerina bare such a deepe malice and hatred in her hart against the holie maid that it was a great paine to her not only to see or speak to her but also to heare her named or spoken of by others In so much that whensoeuer mention was made of her she could not hold her selfe but that she must needes breake out into reprochful wordes into backbiting slawndering yea sometymes to plaine curssing and banning Whē this holie maid vnderstood that she bare her selfe cōtrariwise verie lowlie and louingly towardes her and did what in her laie to wynne her loue with gentle behauiour sweet wordes But the more hūble she shewed her self ready to please the more did the proud woman despise her and set her at naught The which when she sawe taking the disease of that womans mynd to be incurable by ought that man could doe therfore resoluing
she was come the sicke woman which was now verie weake in bodie but well strengthened in spirite made signes of great reuerence and ioye and partly with woordes as well as she could partly with tokens and gestures of bodie and countenance she lamented her vncharitable demeanour towardes her and besought her of mercy and pardon That done she made her cōfession with great humilitie and contrition so receiuing the Sacramentes rightes of holie Church she yealded vp her soule to God At what tyme it pleased almightie God to shewe to the holie virgin what a blesful beautiful state that saued sowle was in which as she declared afterwardes to her ghostlie father was so great that no tongue of man is able to expresse it And yet was not this that beawtie that she should receiue afterwardes in the blesse of heauen but only that godlie state that the sowle had in her first creation and receiued againe at the tyme of her Baptisme Thē said our Lord to the holie maid How saiest thou my deere daughter is not this a faire and goodlie sowle which through thy paines and diligēce is now recouered out of the hādes of the enemie What man or woman would refuse to take paines for the wynning of such a beawtiful creature If I which am the most high and soueraigne beawtie and of whom proceedeth all maner of beawtie was notwithstāding so ouercome with the loue and beawtie of mans sowle that I refused not to come downe from heauen to clad my selfe with the simple weede of mans bodie in the same to susteine labours and reproches for the space of manie daies and yeares and in the end to shed myne owne blood for his redemption yet had I no need of mans sowle but was most sufficiently and most perfectly blessed in my selfe how much more ought you to labour one for an other and doe what in you lieth for the recouerie of such a noble and excellent creature For this cause haue I shewed thee the beawtie of this sowle that hereafter thou mightest both thy selfe be the more earnest about the wynnyng of sowles and also procure others to doe the like With that she thanked our Lord in most humble maner and besought him furthermore that he would vowchsafe to geue her a newe grace which was that she might from that tyme foreward be able to see the state and condicions of all such sowles as should by occasions haue anie conuersation or dealing about spiritual matters with her that by the sight of the same she might be the more prouoked to procure their saluation Vnto the which demaund our Lord made answere after this maner Daughter bicause thou hast forsaken all carnal conuersation for my sake and hast by all meanes laboured to vnite thy selfe to me in spirite which am the most excellent and soueraigne spirite therefore I here make thee a full graunt that from this verie instant thy soule shal be endewed with such a gracious light that thou shalt see and behold both the beawtie and also the deformitie of euerie sowle that is presented before thee And as hitherto thou hast seene the proportion and qualitie of bodies with thy bodilies eyes euen so from this tyme foreward thou shalt see the condicions of sowles with the spiritual eye of thy sowle not only of such as shal be present before thee but also of all other for whose sowles health thou shalt make intercession to me though thou neuer see them with thy bodilie eyes How she serued an old widdowe that had a festered sore runnyng vpon her by whom she was also infamed And of diuerse strange accidentes that ensued vpon the same Chap. 11. THere was emong the sisters of penance one sister called Andrea who had vpon her brest a verie lothsome sore commonly called a Canker This sore had fretted and eaten so much flesh rownd about and the corruption of the same yealded such an horrible sauour that none might come neere for stench By reason whereof there was none fownd that would attend vpon her in her sickenes The which thing when the holie maid vnderstood she went out of hand to visite her and seeing her vtterly forsaken and destitute of all succour and comfort she made her selfe well assured that the prouidence of God had reserued that sister for her keeping And so accepting the charge of her as at Gods hand she began to speake comfortable wordes vnto her and to make her a free offer of her owne person to attend and serue her to the vttermost of her power which made the widowe a glad woman The holie maid therefore set her selfe to the seruice of that poore woman she tooke care for her that she might haue whatsoeuer was necessarie or requisite for a woman in that case when tyme was she opened her sore clensed it of all the fowle matter she was shed it and wypt it and couered it againe with plaisters and cleane clothes and in all this she neuer shewed so much as one litle token of lothsomenes but did euerie thing with such diligence and cheerefulnes that the sicke sister was astoined to see so great loue and charitie in a maid of those yeares But the malicious feend who hath great enuie at all workes of charitie bent him selfe to doe all that in him laie to disannull if it were possible if not at the least to hinder this godlie and merciful enterprise so much as might be And first of all vpon a daie as the holie maid was about to open the sore to dresse it there came out such an horribile stench that she could hardly beare it but that she must needes vomite The which thing when she perceiued she entred into a passing great choler and displeasure against her owne skeymish bodie ane stomake and said to her selfe Ah vile and wretched flesh dost thou loath thy sister whom our Lord hath bought so deerely euen with the price of his owne most precious blood The daie maie come when thou also maiest fall into the like sickenes or peraduenture worse As I am a Christian woman thou shalt abide for it And with that she bowed downe and held her mowth and nose ouer the sore so long vntill at the length it seemed that she had comforted her stomake quite ouercome the skeymishnes that she felt before All the which tyme he sicke sister cried out vnto her and said Good daughter stand vp good daughter geue ouer cast not thy selfe awaie endanger not thy bodie with this infectuous sauour But she would neuer geue ouer vntill she had ouercome both the tew lines of her owne stomake and also the tentation of the ghostlie enemie When the suttle serpent sawe that this his assault was thus repelled being vtterly in despaire of anie better successe against that holie virgin which stood euermore like a strong fortresse well furnished defenced he deuised to laie his batterie to the weake woman whom he knewe to be of lesse experience and
sicke woman In this meane tyme the slaunderous rumour was bruted and came to her mothers eares Who for her selfe made no doubt at all of her daughters innocēcie for she knewe manie thinges that the worlde knewe not and yet she could not but take it verie heauelie when she heard tell that such a slawnder was raised vpon her The griefe wherof so ouercame her mynd that she flang to her daughter with great heat and vehemencie of spirite and began with her after this maner How often tymes haue I told thee that thou shouldest no more serue yonder stinging old croyne See now what reward she geueth thee for all thy good seruice she hath brought vp a foule slaunder vpon thee emong all thy sisters which God knoweth whether thou shalt euer be able to rid thy selfe of so lōg as thou liuest If euer thou serue her againe after this daie or if euer thou come where she is neuer take me for thy mother For I tell thee plaine I will neuer knowe thee for my daughter These and other the like wordes did the mother vtter in great heate choler whereat the daughter at the first was somewhat astoined But after a litle tyme when she had gathered her selfe together she went to her mother and kneeling downe before her with great reuerence she spake these wordes Sweete mother thinke you that our Lord would be pleased with vs if wee should leaue the workes of mercie vndone bicause our neigbour sheweth him selfe vnthankeful towardes vs When our Sauiour Christ hong on the Crosse and heard there the reprochful talke of that vngrateful people rownd about did he in regard of their cruel wordes geueouer the charitable worke of their redemption Good mother you knowe verie well that if I should leaue this old sicke woman she were foorthwith in great danger to perish for lacke of keeping bicause she should not find anie that would come neere her do such seruice as is requisite to be done about a woman in this case And so should I be the occasion of her death She is now a litle deceiued by the ghostlie enemie but she maie hereafter by the grace of God come to acknowledge her fault and be sorie for the same With such wordes she qualified her mothers mynd gate her blessing and so returned againe to the seruice of the sicke woman About whom she did all thinges with great diligence loue neuer shewing neither in wordes nor in countināce so much as anie token of discontētantiō or displeasure In so much that the sicke sister seeing her demeanour was verie much astoined withal ashamed of that she had done and so began to haue great sorrowe at hart and repentance for the slaunder that she had raised vpon her Then also it pleased our Lord to shewe his mercie towardes his faithful spowse to restore her againe to her good fame estimatimatiō after this maner On a daie the holie maide went to the sicke sisters chamber to serue her as she was wont to doe At what tyme as she was comyng towardes her bed where she laie to doe some thing that was to be done about her behold the sicke woman sawe a meruelous goodlie light commyng downe from heauen which filled all her chamber and was so beautifull and comfortable that it made her vtterly to forget all the paines of her disease What that sight might meane she could not conceiue But looking about her here and there she beheld the maidens face gloriously transformed the maiestie wherof was so strang that she seemed to her rather an Angel of heauen then anie earthlie creature And this beautiful light enuironed the holie virgins bodie rownd about The which brightnes the more the old woman beheld the more did she condemne the malice of her owne hart and tongue in that she had conceiued and vttered so fowle matter as she had done against such an excellent and pure creature as the holie maid then shewed to be This vision continued a good tyme and at the length when it ceased left the sicke woman both in sorrowe and also in comfort In sorrowe bicause on the one side she sawe what a heynous synne she had committed in dissamyng that innocent virgin In comfort bicause on the other side she sawe the mercie of God freely and franckely offred vnto her The which thing so mollified her hart that with much sobbing weeping she confessed her fault to the holie maid and besought her of pardon When the good virgin sawe the hūble maner of her repentance and submission she likewise verie amiably tooke the old woman in her armes kissed her and spake very sweet and comfortable wordes vnto her saying Good mother I haue no displeasure in the worlde against you but only against our enemie the Deuel by whose malice suttiltie I knowe all this is wrought but rather I haue to thanke you with all my hart for you haue put me in mynd to haue a more careful and vigilant regard to my selfe and so doing you haue turned the malicious drifte of the feend to my further good and commoditie With such sweet speeches she comforted the sicke sister and then she set her selfe to doe all such seruices as were wont to be done about her And when she had done all she tooke her leaue verie gently as her maner was and so retired her selfe to her chamber to geue God thankes so the prosperous successe that she had had in this matter and to enter into her accustomed exercise of praier meditation In this meane tyme the old woman who had a great care to restore the innocent virgin to her good name againe when anie of those came to her before whom she had made that slaunderous report tooke occasion to vnburthen her conscience and confessed openly with great lamentation and teares that whatsoeuer dishonestie she had anie tyme reported by that holie maid she had ben induced to report it by the crafte of the deuel not by anie thing that euer she sawe or knewe in her And therfore she cried them all mercie and besought them for charitie to forgeue her She affirmed furthermore that she was able to make good proofe that the holie maid was not only free from all suspicion of anie vncleannes of bodie but also endued with manie high singular graces of God and that she was in deed a verie pure virgin and a Saincte Thus much said she I speake not vpon heresaie or opinion but vpon verie certaine knoweledge Then certaine of the elder and sadder women talked with her secretly and required to vnderstand what certaine tokens and knowledge of holines she had in the maid Whereupon she declared vnto them so much as hath ben here receited before And said furthermore verie constantly and with great feruour of spirite that in all her life tyme she neuer knewe what true sweetnes of sowle and spiritual comfort meant vntill that tyme when she sawe the holie maid so transfourmed
was done who gaue commaundement and all thinges visible and inuisible were created This strange miracle was wrought before so manie witnesses that it was in a verie litle tyme bruted thoroughout the whole citie And the yong man him selfe that was cured within a fewe daies after came to Doctour Raimundus as he was passing by the citie so fat and in such good liking that the Doctour did scantly knowe him and before a great multitude of men and women recited the whole maner of the miracle as it hath ben declared here before and thanked God and the holie maid most humbly for the benefite of his health which he confessed he had receiued perfectly at Gods handes by her meanes and intercession One of the sisters of penance called Gemina being so extremely pained with a disease of the throte commonly called the Squynancie that so often as she tooke breath it seemed that she was in great danger of strangling found the meanes to be brought where the holie maid was and besought her of helpe The holie maid being moued with compassion laid her hand vpon the sisters throte and made the signe of the Crosse vpon it and foorth with the disease lefte her and she returned home againe with great ioye When the holie maid went from Pisa to Auinion there were in her companie two deuout yong men that wrote her letters the one called Nerius Landoccius de Pagliar ensibus which afterwardes forsooke the worlde vtterly became an Heremite the other Steuen Corradi which likewise gaue ouer the world at her commandement and became a Christian in the which rule discipline he lead a verie streight holie life Now when the holy maid returned from Auinion into Italie againe and was come to the citie of Genua it chaunced this Nerius to be taken with such a paineful gnawing and grieping in his bowels that he cried pitifully and crope vpon his handes and knees from place to place for he was not able to raise vp him selfe and could find no place where to rest And thus he continued daie and night without anie release in extreme paine and made great lamentation to the rest of the compaine which loued him all verie tenderly Wherupon doctour Raimundus with other of them wente to the holie maid and told her in what a lamentble case the poore man stood She shewed that she had great compassion on him but she gaue them no word of comfort or hope of recouerie as she was wont to doe at other tymes but contrariwise willed them to seeke to the phisicions and cause them to minister to the sickeman When they sawe that the would put them in no maner of comfort they sent out of hand for two learned phisicions which came and ministred to him with great diligence and their precptes were obserued verie precisely But the man recouered not but ratherwaked worse worse in so much that at the length the phisicions them selues said to doctour Raimundus that they despaired of his health The which iudgement of the phisicions when doctour Raimundus declared afterwards to the rest of the compaine as he was sitting with them at supper that other yong man called Steuen of whome mention is made before rose vp sodainly from the table with great feruour and vehemencie of spirite and went to the holie maids chamber and there casting him selfe downe at her feet wept bitterly and besought her in most humble maner that she would not suffer his brother companion to die in the waie and his bodie to be buried in a strange land especially considering that he had taken that iourney vpon him for Gods sake and for a charitable cause With those wordes she was inwardly touched and said vnto him Sonne if God will now take your brother Nerius from you reward him for all his paines in heauen me thinketh yee should not be sorie for it but rather reioice O good mother said he I praie you heare me at this tyme and helpe him for I doubt not but that you are able to doe it if you will Then she being no longer able to refraine her motherlie affection spake thus vnto him Sonne my meanyng was to exhort you that you should comforme your will to the will of God But now seeing you are so much afflicted to morrowe in the mornyng when I goe to heare Masse and to receiue the blessed Sacrament put me in mynd and I promise you that I will offer vp your petition vnto God In the meane tyme praie you to God for me that it maie please him to heare my praier Steuen was glad of that promise and the next daie he waited diligently for her And when she went to heare Masse he kneeled downe before her verie humbly and said I praie you good mother remember your promise made to me yester night With that she went to heare Masse and after Masse receiued And when she had receiued she continued a certaine tyme abstracted from her bodilie senses as her maner was So soone as she came to her selfe againe she spake to Steuen who attended there with a cheereful countenance and said Yee haue obteined the grace that yee desire What said he shall Nerius recouer Yea said she for certaine Nerius shall recouer for our Lord hath graunted him vnto vs. When Steuen heard that he ranne to Nerius and told him what comfortable wordes the holie maid had spoken After that the phisicions came againe to the sicke man and considering diligently of the state of his bodie pronounced plainely that they sawe no hope of life in him But whatsoeuer they sawe in natural causes Nerius was by the almightie power of God restored to perfecte health within a fewe daies euen as the holie maid had said Soone after the recouerie of this man it chaunced the same Steuen to fall sicke also being as it was thought ouercharged with watching and paines that he had taken about the said Nerius He was sore pained with streynyng and vomiting and withal with a passing great head ach The which thing when it was signified to the holie maid by the rest of the house who were all verie sorie for him she went foorthwith to his beds side where he laie and asked him how he did and felt his pulses Whereby she perceiued well that he had a verie sharpe feuer Then she spake to him with great feruour of spirite and said these wordes I commaund thee in the vertue of holie obedience that thou be no more sicke of this ague She had no sooner spoken those wordes but that Steuen was fully and perfectly deliuered of his ague and sate vp and made merrie with the rest of his companie and they all together praised the goodnes of God that had geuen such power to the holie maid At what tyme the holie maid was in the citie of Florence about a treatie of peace betweene Pope Gregorie the eleuenth and the Florentines there was such a broile stirred in the citie by certaine euel disposed and
suspected that the holie maid should be departed out of this life though she knewe well that she was verie sicke bicause she had seene by experience that the holie maid had often tymes recouered and escaped out of sickenesses that seemed verie grieuous and past all hope of recouerie VVherefore she rather thought that for so long tyme as she had ben occupied about this vision the holie maid had ben after her accustomed maner in some singular traunse or abstractioÌ„ in the which our Lord had shewed vnto her some great and notable reuelations But bicause the mornyng was so farre spent that she stood in doubt of finding anie Masse that daie she supposed that all this vision was none other thing but only some suttle illusion of the deuel to make her to transgresse the commaundement of our holie mother the Church in not hearing Masse on the sondaie Wherefore she hasted her selfe vp and set her pot ouer the fyer and ranne towardes the parish Church saying thus in her hart If I leese Masse this daie I will take all this to be the worke of the ghostlie enemie But if I come in good tyme to heare Masse then will I thinke that our Lord hath shewed these thinges vnto me for my good mother Catherines sake When she came to the Church she found that the gospel was done and the offertorie song Wherof she was verie sorie and said Out vpoÌ„ me wretch the wicked feend hath deceiued me With that she made hast homwardes againe to set her thinges in the kitchen a litle foreward that she migh goe to some other Church and find a whole Masse While she was at home thus occupied she heard a bell ring to Masse in a monasterie of Nunnes not farre from her house which made her a glad woman And so she set her selfe in order againe to goe to Church and for hast lefte her colewortes which stood by her readie piked and wasshed euen as they were and put them not into the pot as she had thought to doe VVhen she came to the Church she found them at the verie begynnyng of Masse wherof she was verie glad and said to her selfe Surely now I see that the deuel hath not deceiued me as I thought he had done But she had great care of the displeasure of her sonnes which were now of good yeares bicause she knewe their dyner was nor readie nor could not be made readie in anie conuenient tyme. Houbeit she committed all to God that she might heare Masse deuoutly beseeching him notwithstanding that if that vision were of him he would so prouide that there might no displeasure or cause of offence rise of the same betwene her her children And with that she set her selfe downe and heard out the whole Masse to the end wheÌ„ Masse was done as she was going homeward her sonnes met with her in the streete said Mother it is very late I praie you let vs goe to diner Tarrie a litle good children said she you shal dyne in good tyme. She went home a pace and found the doore fast locked and the keie within euen as she had lefte it So soone as she was within the house she weÌ„t streight to the kitchin thought to haue gone foreward with the dressing of dyner But when she came in she sawe that all was done to her hand her colewoortes and flesh thoroughly soddeÌ„ al other thinges in such readines that they might goe to the table when they would VVherat she was much astoined and said to her selfe Surely now I see our Lord hath heard my praier And she determined to goe after dyner to the holie maides house whome she thought to be yet aliue in the wordle and to tell her of all the thinges that had chaunced that daie Her sonnes that were not farre from the house she called home and set them to dyner And while they were eating her mynd ranne still vpon the strange vision that she had seene in the mornyng and vpon these wonders that had ensued vpon the same Her sonnes also that knewe nothing of the matter began to commend their meate and said that it was passing well seasoned and had a farre better tast then it was wont to haue Which wordes she put vp in her hart and said to her selfe as she declared afterwardes to Doctour Raimundus O my good mother Catherine it is thou that hast come this mornyng into my house to supplie my rome and office in the kitchen Now I knowe in deed that thou art a holie virgin the true haÌ„d maid of Christ And yet for all this she suspected nothing of the holie maides departure out of this life but so soone as her sonnes had dined she went forthwith to her house as she was wont to doe at other tymes and knocked at the doore but no bodie giue her answere The neighbours told her that of likelihood she was gone out as her maner was to visite some holie place and that there was no bodie at home Which she supposed to be true therfore went her waie Now the truth was that all those that vvere vvithin vvere in great heauines for the losse of their good mother vvhich vvas departed from them and had lefte them as motherles children in this wicked worlde And they did what they could to conceale her death from the people both for the auoiding of that great presse and tumulte which they knewe would be made if her death were once noised and also that they might with the more quietnes conferre with discreete persones concernyng the maner and order of her funerals But howsoeuer they laboured to keepe the matter secret the next daie when her bodie should be caried to the Church of the Fryers preachers commonly called Our ladie ouer Minerua it was knowen all ouer the citie And there was such a concourse of people runnyng and pressing towardes the place where she laie to touch some part either of her bodie or of her garmentes that those of her familie retinue that were there attending vpon the corps were in great feare and danger to haue had both their garmentes torne from their backes and their bodies sore hurt with the violent presse crowd of the vnrulie multitude In so much that they were constreined to remoue the beere from the place where it stood and to set it in S. Dominickes chappel which was well defended with a strong grate of yron While these thinges were in doing Semia came thither by chaunce and seeing such a great concourse of people asked what it meaned They made her answere and said that Catherine of Siena was dead and that her bodie was there caried to the Church to be buried VVhen she heard that she sâ—right pitifully and ranne towardes the place where her corps laie VVhen she came thither and sawe certaine women and sisters of the holie maides familie standing about her bodie she cried out and said O most cruel women whie haue you kept the departure of
to leese no more tyme about her she turned her selfe to God who only is the phisitiō in such desperate cases besought him most instantly that he would take mercie on her sister molifie her hart This praier was made with such feruour vehemēcie of spirite that it perced the heauens and sownded into the eares of almighty God who to cure that froward womā finally of her synful disease of mynd smote her mercifully with a certaine grieuous infirmity of bodie Whē the holy maid heard tell that Palmerina was so dāgerously sicke she was a heauie womā for her For she sawe that if she should depart the worlde in that state her soule was lost euerlastingly Which consideratiō wrought so in her that she determined to leaue nothing vndone that might possibly be done for the recouerie of that sowle And so she went to her and with verie sweet and louelie wordes offred both her selfe all that she had to be at her deuotion and seruice But the churlish woman was so maliciously bent against her that she not only refused al this courtesie but also reuiled her vsing most vnseemelie and reprochful lāguage against her and in the end bad her goe out of her chāber with great threates thundering wordes All which vilanie the holy maid bare with great meekenes patiēce and continuyng her wonted charitie and cōpassion towardes that furious womā turned her selfe to God againe in praier In this meane tyme that wretched womans sickenes by the diuine prouidence and disposition of God increased so vehemently vpon her that without making anie reconciliation with God or the wordle she drewe on verie fast to death both of bodie soule The which thing when the holie maid vnderstood her hart being thoroughly perced with the dartes of compassion she shut her selfe vp in her Cell and there casting her selfe downe prostrate vpon the grownd with much sobbing weeping and lamentation she made her praier vnto God after this maner O Lord my God Maker maie it be that I wretched creature shold be borne into the worlde to this end that sowles which thou hast created to thine owne ymage likenes should by anie occasion of me be condemned to euerlasting paines Canst thou my good Lord and deere spowse suffer that I which ought to be to my sister an instrument of euerlasting saluation should now become an occasion of her euerlasting woe and calamitie Turne awaie that dreadful iudgement O Lord I beseech thee for thy mercies sake It had ben better for me that I had neuer ben borne then that the sowles which thou hast redeemed with the price of thy most precious blood should through me be brought againe into that miserable captiuitie of our auncient enemie the Deuel O Lord are these the promises which thou madest vnto me when thou diddest saie that I should be an instrument and meane to wynne manie sowles to thee Are these the fruites of life which I thyne vnworthie hand-maid should bring foorth to the behoofe of others There is no doubt O Lord but that my synne is the cawse of all this out of the which I can not looke to receiue anie better fruite then this is But yet O Lord I am right well assured that the botomles sea of thy mercies can not be drayned or in anie part diminished and therefore I set my selfe here before thee with a great affiance and humbly beseech thee that thou wilt vowchsafe to cast downe the eyes of thy clemencie vpon this wretched creature thy seruant my sister This I most instantly craue of thee o most sweet comforter of all afflicted hartes not trusting in anie worke or merite of myne owne but only in thy wonted mercie and goodnes These and other the like wordes did the holie virgin vse in her praier as she declared afterwardes to her ghostly Father which she powred out before God rather with feruour of desire and inward affection then with outward noyse and sownd of voice And our Lord to moue her to further compassion and to make her yet more earnest in praier gaue her to vnderstand and see the euident and imminent peril that her wretched sister was in and she heard it pronownced in plaine termes that the iustice of God could not beare but that such an obstinate malice and hardnes of hart must needes be punished The which horible sentence geuen vpon her sister Palmerina whose sowles health she tendred exceedingly strooke her to the verie hart so mightily that she fell downe to the grownd againe and there lying prostrate groned vnto almightie God after a most lamentable sort saying O Lord God almightie Father of mercies and onlie helper in all extremities I am right well contented yea I most humbly craue it at thy hand that thou wilt vowchsafe to laie all the paine dwe to this wretched womans synnes vpon my backe punish me for them for I am the cause of them and not she Wherefore I most instantly beseeche thee beate me but spare her And with that she raised vp her hart to God with a greater affiance and said furthermore O merciful Lord I will neuer rise out of this place vntill thou shewe mercie to my sister Wherefore I here groane and crie vnto thee O lord euen from the verie botome of myne hart beseeching thee by thyne vnspeakable goodnes by thine infinite mercie and by the price of thy most precious blood shed for the redēption of mankind that thou wilt not suffer my sisters soule to depart out of her bodie vntill the tyme that thou haue graunted her the grace of due penance and contrition for all her synnes Thus did the holie maid make intercession to almighty God for the recouery of her sisters soule her praier was as the euent shewed of meruelous great force vertu For the sicke womā laie in extremes three daies and three nightes drawing on continually in such sort that as manie as were presēt looked euerie hower whē she should passe out of this wordle for they all saw that she was staied in that paineful state of life not by any strength of nature but by some secret extraordinarie power All the which tyme the deuout virgin cōtinued in most earnest feruēt praiers for her and neuer gaue ouer vntil she had with her teares and humilitie as it were wrested the sword of Gods iustice out of his almightie hand and obteined for that wretched woman so much mercie grace that she might first see the deformitie of her synnes then vnderstand the dreadful decree of Gods iustice against her for the same last of all be hartily sorie repentant for her life past with a sure hope of forgiuenes by the mercy of God through the merites of the most precious blood death of our Sauiour Christ This blessed alteratiō was reuealed by God to the holie maid also who vpon the vnderstanding of the same went foorthwith to her sicke sisters chamber to comfort her Whether when
my sweet mother secret from me wherefore would yee not call me to be present with others at her passage out of the worlde They excused them selues alleaging certaine reasonable cawses which did in some degree satisfie her mynd VVell then said she I praie you tell me what tyme she departed Yester daie said they about eight of the clocke she gaue vp the ghost VVith that she rent her owne face with her nailes and cried out ruthfully I sawe her I sawe my sweet mother euen when she departed out of her bodie I sawe her caried vp into heauen by the ministerie of Angels crowned with three precious crownes clad solomnely with statelie robes of shynyng white Now I knowe that it was our Lord that sent his Angel to shewe me the departure of my good mother It was he that prouided for me that I should heare Masse so late And which is more I see now that it was our Lord him selfe that supplied my charge miraculously in the dressing of my childrens dyner O mother O deere mother O sweete mother whie wouldest thou not geue me to vnderstand that it was thou that diddest depart out of this life VVhen she had thus eased her hart somewhat with weeping and speaking she declared to those religious sisters and to the rest that stoode there about the beere what a goodlie vision our Lord had shewed her at that verie tyme whē the holie maid passed out of this world with all such other thinges as haue ben recited here to fore Wherof they all glorified God and tooke no small comfort How the holie maides bodie laie three daies three nightes aboue the ground vnburied and of a nomber of miracles which it pleased our Lord to work in that meane time C. 10. WHile the holie maides bodie laie thus within the chappel of S. Dominicke the people came in so fast frō all partes of the citie to kisse her handes and feete to touch some part of her garmentes to commend thē selues to her praiers that they were cōstreined for satisfying the peoples deuotion to keepe her aboue the ground vnburied for the space of three daies three nightes In the which tyme very manie came thither brought with them a nōber of weake impotent creatures hoping that they should obtein their recouerie and health at Gods hād through the holy praiers merites of the B. virgin And they wer not deceiued in their hope expectatiō There was dwelling in the citie of Rome at that tyme a sister of the third order of S. Francis called Dominica borne in Bergamo a citie of Lombardie which had one of her armes benommed and as it were withered and dried vp in such sort that for the space of six monethes before the departure of the holie maid she had no vse of it This Dominica came to the Church and to the chappel where the holie corps laie But bicause being a weake woman she could not come her selfe to touch anie part of her bodie or garmentes by reason of the great presse and crowd of the people she praied some one that stood there neere to the beere that he would be so good as to take a vele of hers and put it to some part of the bodie and so deliuer it vnto her aganie When she had receiued her vele againe she put it to her armes and foorthwith her arme was perfectly healed and in as good state as euer it was before The which when she perceiued she cried out for ioye and declared to all the people that were there present what a wonderfull worke our Lord had wrought vpon her Whervpon they brought in manie other weake and feeble creatures hoping thad if they might come to touch but only the hemme of her garmentes they should be made whole Emong others they brought in a child of fower yeares old whose sinowes in his necke were shronken that he held his head euermore vpon his shoulder and could not lifte it vp When this child was brought thither they held him downe to the beere that the holie maides hand might touch that part that was so shronken and they tooke the vele that was ouer the holie maides head and put it about the childes necke And foorthwith the child began to amend and in the presence of all that people within a verie litle tyme lifte vp his head and was fully and perfectly healed After this an honest citizen of Rome called Lucius Cauarulis which was so grieuously pained with an incurable disease in his hippe and legge that he could scantly endure to goe a verie litle waie with the helpe of a staffe or crooch hearing the fame of the great miracles that were wrought by almightie God in the honour of the holie maid came with passing great paine and trauaile to the Church of the Friers preachers And when he was come thither he found the meanes by the helpe of others to be caried to the place where her bodie laie And there with great deuotion he tooke her hand and laid it vpon the partes diseased to witt vpon his thigh and legge He had no sooner done so but that he felt immediatly a present ease and helpe And before he departed from thence was perfectly cured of his disease and maine to the great wonder and astonishment of all the people In like maner a yong maid called Ritozola vpon whome a verie lothsome and stincking leprie was so farre growen that her nose and vpper lippe were foulie disfigured with the same hearing in the citie the brute and talke of these strange miracles came to the Church and pressed to approch neere to the holie corps but was diuerse tymes repelled by them that stood there about the beere Al the which not withstanding she assaied againe and againe and at the length with much a doe gate in When she was entred she went foorthwith and put her nose and lippe that were so pitifully disfigured not only to the feete and handes of the holie maid as others did but also to her face VVhereby she was so fully cured of her foule disease that there remained not so much as anie litle signe or token of the leprie in her face A certaine Romaine called Typreus had a daughter which in her tender age fel into a verie grieuous infirmitie called the ptisicke of the which she could not be cured by anie medicine This Typreus and his wife whose name was Lella hearing the fame of these great miracles that were wrought by the holie maid commended their daughter with great deuotion vnto her and caused their daughter to touch a certaine kerchiefe and beades that had touched the holie maides bodie A wonderful thing The yong maid that was before despaired of phisicions and other foorthwith vpon the touching of these thinges without any longer time or helpe of medicine found her selfe to be in as good state of bodie as euer she was in her life before and so continued In this tyme likewise while the bodie of the holie