22                                    HER CHILDREN.

T(except the heire, in whom was deservedly planted the
' hope of perpetuating that ancient stock, and two daugh¬
ters, one by sickness, the other impedited by immaturity
of age), each to colledges and religious houses, appointed
for men and women, with sufficient maintenance, accord¬
ing to their several vocations. Nor will it either seem in¬
credible or not meriting belief, that she bestow'd them on
God with that facility, if we seriously ponder the exam -
plar devotion shee constantly used in bringing them into
the world ; for whereas mothers att that time, according
to the byas of nature, are most sensible and fond of in¬
fants, shee, eyeing more her spirituall good than her sen-
suall content, bequeath'd every one to a particular saint,
to protect, as patron, from all mishap of infortune, and
tender as a sacrifice to his majesty in her name. Verily
I never heard (and perchance, I have been over inquisi¬
tive in this point), shee ever express'd more passion in
parting with so many children, whom she jewell'd and
prosecuted with as much dearness as those that cannot
endure them from their sight, than by shedding one crys-
tall tear, which in sending one of her twins to Gant, I
observed to glide from her right eye jj^and by the happy
progress of that dame, may be compar'd to the celestiall
dew that fell on Aron's rod, and in a night brought it to
the perfection of a leaf-bearing tree. Some, perhaps, will
object, this does not so much magnify the eminency and
unspotted integrity of her charity ; because it may seem
tincted with a mixture of self-love, by a naturall extent
to her children's good, who are but parts of herself;
and true charity, as the sun shines indifferently uppon all.
Whereunto I answer, shee is more obliged to her ad¬
versaries for this objection, than to my dullness, who owe
her most; for, whereas I demonstrate this virtue singly,
they make a connection or chain of virtues—to witt, piety
and love to her children, in educating them liberally, in
proceeding [qu. providing] so bounteously for them; mor¬
tification or forsaking of her self in leaving them; and
which St.   Denis  teaches to   be   the  hight of love, for