'50                                     HER SICKNESS

watch'd with her observ'd that though shee could not take
any rest before, presently after shee receiv'd, shee rested
without any motion for the space of an hour, in a natural
or supernatural (God only knows) contemplation or sleep.

Shee used when shee communicated to commend these
intentions in her holy thoughts; the Catholick Church,
her spirituall directors alive and dead, her children, serv¬
ants, benefactors, friends, and enemies of which I never
knew her have any but those that held opposition to the
orthodoxall faith.

On Palm Sunday on the night, which that year fell upon
the Anuntiation of our Blessed Lady, the messenger ox
death deliverd his final summons, with such strong pas¬
sions as if her spouse had prepared a new combat, I rais'd
the house, and shee was so far from dying suddenly, that
God hearing her former prayers (to witt, that her ghostly
father might be present at her death) preserv'd her life till
twelve at noon, her children, servants, friends, and an other
priest beside myself kneeling, with dewy eyes at her bed¬
side, knowing her perfection and holiness above the
ordinary strain compos'd a peculiar directory for her com¬
fort, involving all in the ordinary with divine additions.
Oh how many strange things acted shee yet before her de¬
parture. The feeble hand which could not lift for some
daj s before a spoonfiill of broth, held a crucifix for the
space of four hours without interruption, and lifted it up
without help at least forty times to her mouth, as if either
there had been some abstruse virtue in the crucifix, to
elevate it to her mouth; or virtue more than magneticall
in her mouth of heavenly fire to attract the crucifix. Shee
wish'd the remainder of her sufferings might be as absyn-
thious and full of acrimony as any martyrdom, not out of
hope or fear of retribution or punishment, but a more noble
motive, and as gallant as ever shee had to resemble and
represent Christ when (he) overbought the redemption of
mankind. Now shee said, shee assuredly believed (though
in health somewhat scrupulous in that particular) the con¬
fessions of her life were valid, shee perceiv'd her soul re-