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fame to shine in the world, to the astonishment of all. For he was a man whom God had chosen according to his own heart, by whose industry, and from whose spiritual loins did spring many servants of Jesus Christ, and many renowned martyrs of our holy order.
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CHAPTER VI.
OF HIS FERVENT PRAYERS AND RAPTURES, AND OF
HIS SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.
Almighty God was always present with him, and he with God. His soul was like a fiery furnace, made hot with the fuel of the cross of Christ. It was not in his own power to contain himself, but what thing soever he either saw, or heard, which might delight his beloved Jesus, though it were but afar off, his heart-strings would begin to tremble, and his vital spirits leave him, and frequently fall into extacy. He was accustomed for a whole hour together, to say his prayers with his arms stretched out in the manner of a cross, sighing and weeping, till at last he would be beside himself, elevated from the ground, and united only to his God. He was oftentimes in this manner rapt, when he was in the choir at matins. But his devotion was much more augmented at the altar, when he celebrated the dreadful sacrifice, then would rivers of tears gush in abundance from his venerable eyes, that would move the most stony and obdurate heart of any of the standers by unto compunction. After mass he would withdraw himself into his cell, where he hath been often
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heard to have had grievous conflicts 'with devils; who oftentimes appearing in a visible shape, would follow him up and down with terrible fury.
In talking of Almighty God his soul would be presently inebriated with divine sweetness, and ascending by degrees from one word to another, as, what ! was God incarnated for me? was God made man for me ? was God vested with human flesh for me ? and the like. He would forthwith break into exclamations, and hurrying himself into his cell, would for the space of above three hours together, lose the use of his senses.* One day, a brother that was newly made Priest, practicing in the garden to sing mass, when he heard him sing these words of St. John's gospel, (Et verbum caro factum est,) he became enraptured, and remained for a long time in ecstacy.
This, therefore, was ordinary to the friend of God, that when he heard any thing of the humanity of our blessed Saviour, or any devout word of the holy Scripture, it would cause him raptures. Neither could he help them, though he did strive much against them, especially in the presence of others, but his heart would become like melting wax in the midst of his bowels. He was often, in seeing the crucifix, moved with such compassion, that his arms
* Marianus in vita B. Alcant. cap. 10.
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would be rapt across, with little clouds glittering about his head.
He would sometimes prophesy, to some the loss of honors, to others sudden death, to others purgatory; which would fall out the very day and hour he told them.
The first time he saw St. Theresa, he told her what contradictions, and afflictions, she suffered from her ghostly fathers, and other spiritual persons, who would needs persuade her, that she was seduced ; and, moreover, that she was to suffer much more in the same kind. He likewise foretold what should be the success in the Indies.
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CHAPTER VII.
OF HIS PATIENCE.
He traced the steps of our blessed Saviour, and all his glorious saints,* all which did never merit their crowns without carrying of the cross of Christ.
He was another patient Job, in suffering the temptations, and afflictions, the infirmity of man is subject unto, he was in a particular manner loaded with the heavy burden of them, notwithstanding his fervent spirit, patiently supported, and victoriously triumphed over all his difficulties, maugre all the force of Satan. His frequent combats, his persecutions, his sickness, his long and tedious travels, the difficulties he did undergo in erecting his province, would take up too much time to relate. He was so greedy of suffering, that he esteemed himself happy, to bear afflictions for the name of Jesus, saying, that there was no way so sure and easy to attain unto perfection, as the carrying of the cross of Christ. He would, therefore, beg of Almighty God, that he might
* Quis Sanctorum sine patientia coronatiis? solus in deliciis Solomon fuit, etideo foitasecorruit. Div. Hieron.
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never be without some affliction. Thus did our courageous champion trample upon his enemies. Thou shall walk upon the Asp and the Basilisk; and thou shall trample under foot the Lion and the Dragon.* Whilst he vanquished all his foes, not so much by resisting, as by suffering.
* Psal. 90,
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CHAPTER VIII.
OF HIS CHARITY TOWARDS HIS NEIGHBOR.
His charity towards his neighbor was unspeakable; for this cause he often visited hospitals to serve the sick, assisting them both spiritually and corporally, and oftentimes miraculously restoring them to their former health. After he had made an end of his devotion, the residue of his time he spent in comforting the afflicted, in cherishing the feeble, and, finally, in anything he could imagine might comfort his neighbor, either corporally or spiritually; so that innumerable people of all conditions and sexes, continually flocked unto him for his charitable assistance.
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CHAPTER IX.
OF HIS POVERTY.
He was a rigid observer of holy poverty, which in imitation of his patron,* St. Francis, he not only loved, but honored so far that he was wont to call it the Evangelical pearl, wherewith he enriched his new province, in that lustre as the observance was in the infancy of our Seraphical Order, from which 'time, and by whose example, most provinces through the Christian world have excelled in this particular point, as much as in their former splendor. He permitted his brethren to have nothing in their cells of mere necessity, and to the preachers he permitted them no more than two or three books, with the Bible and a crucifix.
He was upon a time asked by St. Theresa, whether or no she should found her monasteries
*St. Franciscus non solum paupertatis commodis libentissime fruebatur, sed etiam itahonorabatet cole- bat, qusesirem eximiam et eni nulla huraana dignitas posset comparari. Itaque ut D. Bonav. scribit, earn in omni sermone mode Matrem, modo Sponsam, modo Dominam appellabat, ssepe etiam Reginam, propterea quod in rege regum ejusque genitrice, adeo insigniter effulfisset. Hieron. Platus de bono stat. relig. lib. 2. cap. 3.
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with rents and yearly revenues, to which diverse persons of quality had advised her. He answered, that it was an injury to God the author of Evangelical counsels, to ask the advice of men touching the observance of them, or to doubt whether or no they were observable. And with all encouraged her to be constant in that fervent desire, she had begun in embracing holy poverty. To whose counsel she wil- lingly obeyed. And after, our Lord appeared to her in prayer, and declared, that it was his will that her monasteries should be founded in holy poverty. His letter to her, I think it not amiss, to set down at large, which followeth.
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A LETTER
OF THE BLESSED FATHER FR. PETER DE ALCANTARA, TO THE HOLY MOTHER THERESA OF JESUS, WHO DEMANDED HIS COUNSEL, WHETHER SHE SHOULD FOUND MONASTERIES WITH RENTS OR NOT.
The Holy Ghost give you his grace and love, &c. I received yours, delivered me by Don Gonzales d'Aranda, and am amazed considering your zeal and piety: in committing to the direction of learned lawyers, that, which is noways their profession, or belonging unto them: you should