THE FIRST CHAPTER.

GREGORY Lopes was borne at Madrid, in the yeare of our Lord 1542. on the fourth of Iulie vpon which day was cele­brated at that time the feast of S. Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop of Neocaesarea in Pontus but since is transferred to the 17. of No­uember. He was baptized in the Parish of S. Giles and was named Gregory by his Parents, because he was borne vpon that day.

This is all that is knowne and cā be auerred of his linage, house, and name, for those that were [Page 4]most inward with him, were of opinion that Lopes was not his owne, but rather that the holy man had assumed it the better to conceale his noble family. For there appeared in his behauiour, a certaine generosity vnder that humble grauity, and that free­dome of spirite and resolurion: in what busines soeuer, a respect, and courtesy so accōmodated to euery ones quality, as all were persua­ded, that he was descended of a noble house.

None could euer heare from his owne mouth, what he was, for being asked by some graue perso­nages, and such as were most fa­miliar with him, who he was, and of what country, he answered: what auaileth that? Father Fran­cis Losa a great seruant of God, who had, bin Curate of the Ca­thedrall of Mexico, and left all to accompany and conuerse with holy Gregory, and to cherish and tende him (as he did vntill his [Page 5]death) treating of the same thing in the booke which he did write of his life, and how he had earnestly intreated him some few daies be­fore his death, that he would tell him who were his Parents, he affirmeth, that he made answer only in these wordes. since I came into the field to lead a solitary life I haue held only God for my Fa­ther; my brethren by this time are dead, of whom I was they oūgest. Such was his silēce in this, though remarkeable in all things.

It is probable that he had his calling euen from his childhood, because Father Losa askeing him vpon an occasion if God began to dispose him for his seruice, as soone as he had the vse of reason, he said he knew not certainely whether it was then or a little after, but that he was certaine that our Lord had called him very soone, and that he neuer was a chid in his man­ners, and so he was wont to say, as one that had found it by expe­rience [Page 6]in himself, that which the holy Ghost said by Hieremy, that the man was happy that caried the yoake of our Lord from his youth.

In his childhood he did learne to reade, and write, wherein he became so excellent, as that some things which he hath left writen with his owne hands seeme to be printed, he did neuer study Latine, nor any science, so that whosoeuer did heare him treate of many ve­rities both naturall and diuine, so clearely and distinctly as he did, might easily gather that without doubt he had no other Master but God.

He had a desire euen almost from his infanty, to liue à solitary life far from his parents, and ther­fore being very young, he went to Burgos, and from thence to Nauarre; and liued six yeares vpon a mountaine in the company of an hermire, in great pouerty obe­dience and humility, till at lenth, God so permitting, his Father wēt [Page 7]to seeke him, and finding him out, brought him to Valladolid where at that time was the court of Spaine, and there placed him with a Gentleman of good account, to serue as his page, much against Gregory his will: but neither the braueries nor fassions of the court could make him forgett God, and his inward recollection, where vn­to he perceiued his calling was, and he was wont to say that whi­lest he serued in that place, and was sent vpon errandes, his chie­fest care was to goe talkeing men­tally with God.

Lastly groweing in yeares and haueing attained the twentieth yeare of his age or ther abouts: and (as much as may be gathered) his father and Mother being now dead, he resolued vpon that which he had allwaies determined and purposed in his mind, and taking with him some little things which were necessary for such a long voiage, he tooke his iourney to­wards [Page 8]Siuill, with intent to take ship for the indies, visiting some holy places which are in the way in Castile, and Andalutia; he pas­sed by Toledo, where whilest he praied in the great Church and vi­sited many Reliques, and pictures that are there, he confessed that one day amongst the rest God did him, in that place, such a speciall fauour and grace as he had neuer receaued the like till that time, but he would neuer tell what ir was.

From thence he went to our La­dyes of Guadalupe, where he spent some daies in watching, and con­tinuall prayer, beseeching that glorious Virgin the guid of the exi­led, that she woud obtaine of her blessed sonne to enlighten him in his iourney which he purposed: ād it is certainely thought, as much as could be gathered by that little which he declared (for he did not reueale his thoughts to any body) that the Mother of God at Gua­dalupe [Page 9]commanded him by a par­ticular reuelation, to goe to new Spaine, which iourney he tooke in hand and performed very ioyfully.

THE SECOND CHAPTER. How he arriued in new Spaine and of the exercises wherein he there employed himself.

AFter he was embarked, the fleet wherein the went, en­dured some tempests, which see­med vnusualle to the Mariners in those parts, but it seemes that all these were slights of the deuill who as soone as he getteth know­ledge of any soule that is to warre against him, he presently begins to trouble her, and desireth to hin­der her from going forward, either couertly with the colour of goodnes, or opēly by opposing her. but all these tempests passed ouer and he arriued safe at the post of S. Iuan de Lua: there he gaue thākes [Page 10]vnto God for his good successe, and went to the City of Veracruz where he did declare somwhat of his mind and purpose in coming to the Indies, because most Men goe thither to increase their fortunes, and he, it seemes, had read that which S. Augustine saith in one of his Epistles: if you would be a good Marchant, and heape vp store of wealth, giue that which you can­not keep, and you shall receiue in exchange, that which you cannot loose, giue a little and you shall receaue a great deale, because for these temporall goods, which you distribute, there shall be giuen you an eternall inheritāce: so he being furnished with cloaths, mony, and some other little things to the va­lue of eightscore pound starling, he gaue away ād distributed it all, for the loue of God keeping no­thing for himself but what was necessary to couer his body, which was a sute of ordinary cloath of rash, with which he went from [Page 11]the City of Veractuz to Mexico, trauailing, those 240. miles with many incommodities in his suste­nance, because he neuer asked any thing of any body, neither for Gods sake, nor for any other respect.

As soone as he came to Mexico, being, as is said, before excellent in the art of writing: least he should giue himself any occasion to be withdrawne, frō his purpose neuer so little, he did flie idlenes (because as the poet Lucan saith, that is the effect of idlenes) and he setled himself to write first with a Scriuener by name San Roman and afterwards with the Secreta­ry Turcius; it was Lent at that time he was in Mexico and he fasted it all with bread and water, and with the greatest abstinence, silence, and austerities as was euer seeene in any secular Man: And this is manifest by à letter which Leues Zapata writ vnto him about 29. or 30. yeares afterwards, which came to be in the yeare of our [Page 12]Lord 1591. It is dated from the Mines of Iaxio and writen vnto Gregory Lopes who was then in Santafe in great esteeme for his sanctitie as shall be sayd hereafter. The tenour of the letter is this.

About 29. or 30. yeares agoe whilest that I dwelt in the street of Tabusa in Mexico, there came out of Spaine, and lodged in my house a Gentleman cloathed in rash, and amongst other tokens, he fasted that Lent with bread, and water, he was called Grego­ry Lopes: they say that you are called soe, I pray doe me the fa­uour to write if you be he, and to cōmēd me to God in your prayres.

And that he was, the same, it is manifest by his answer, which he sent back in the same paper in these onely words: I am he that you speake of, I will doe as you request me. A sentence worthy of so great a personage; a wise les­son and of great moment, to teach the profane custome of this pre­sent [Page 13]age, to spare their wordes and paper.

Gregory Lopes staid in Mexico, onely till he could gett by his wri­ting, where withall to passe to Za­catrias whether he had a mind to goe; as soone as he came to those mines, and saw, the confusion and couetousnes, those wranglings, oaths, and periuries, the suites in law, quarrells and misfortunes of those Men so drowned in auarice, by reason of that Minerall, he was much discontented, and great was the dislike that he had whilest he was there, especially when one day he saw with his owne eyes, that, at such time, as the Cartes went away with the siluer to Me­xico, two men,, which seemed to be discreet, fell out about a cer­taine interest, and killed one ano­ther at the same time without re­gard to giue account, either of the goods to the owners, their soules to God, which was the greater losse.

[Page 14]This troubled Gregory very much, being sory for the losse of those two soules ād being inward­ly stricken he trembled with feare to see how much God was offēded in that place, and how easily Men went to hell. From that time, he begane to make more hast, to put that in practise, which he had de­termined in his mind, namely to goe and liue in the wildernes soli­tary, fearing, least delay might be hurtfull, since that the staying of Esau in hunting made him loose his fathers blessing: and it is the opinion of wise Men, that in war and in the way of vertue, delay is for the most part hurtfull with this resolution, he changed those cloaths he wore, which were rea­sonable good, for a sack cloth, and went 24. mile farther into the Country, to the Valley of Amvac, amongst the Chichimecos, whose crueltic was in those time much feared by the Spaniards, because they did eate Mans fleshe, and [Page 15]committed many other cruelties: but he hauing God in his heart, feared no man, and so it came to passe that these Men, or beasts (for soe they shewed themselues to others) were so courteous to him as that they helped him to make è little cottage after the manner of an Hermitage, which we may well say, was the first that euer, was in new Spaine with that name.

THE THIRD CHAPTER. Of the solitary life which he began to lead in the Valley of Amayac amongst the Chichimecos.

GRegory Lopes began his soli­tary life as he was entring in­to the one and twentieth yeare of his age, which is a matter of great importance, to wit, to begin euen from ones youth those exercises, which are to continue all ones life, and S. Ambrose said, that this was the honour of young Men, to [Page 16]learne the feare of God from their tender years. Therfore the first thing, that Gregory did, for the better performance of this his so­litary life, was to make the two first steps, the one with the feare, the other, with the loue of God, offering himself vp ito his hands, and putting himself vnder the shadow of his most assured pro­tection, with these wordes. Lord here I goe forth onely to serue thee, and not for any interest of mine owne; if I doe perisheth, on thy account be it. By Gods fault no Man perisheth, because he giueth euery one, that, which is sufficient, if he will make his benefit of it for his saluation. And our ruine all­waies proceedeth, and is caused by ourselues as all the holy Fa­thers doe vnderstand and as may be gathered by many places of the holy Scripture, especially by the wordes of the Prophet Isaie in the 13. Chapter. Thy perdition O Israell is thy owne worke, from me only [Page 17]thou hadst help that thou mightst not haue bin destroied, if thou wouldst haue helped thy self with it. So Gregory by those wordes did not meane, that his soule might be lost for want of Gods assistāce, he himself doing, what lay in him because that cannot be imagined of a Man endued naturally, with such an vnderstanding, and super­naturally with so much light, but, by this manner of speech, he in­tended to declare his affection: and truely wordes comming from hearts enkindled with loue are alwaies to be piously interpreted, conformably to the affection which doth then rule in them.

Here by we might gather the nature of this act of Gregory, which pro­ceeded from two apprehensions which he might haue had of God at that time. The first was, of a holy feare of the combates which offer themselues in the desert; the which proceeded out of a perfect knowledge, which God had giuen, [Page 18]him, of his owne weaknes. The second, of a great confidence, which he put with all in the goodnes and metcy of God; for the iust man by trusting in God, looseth not, his feare, and by the feare of himself, casteth not away his confidence in God. Then if we refer it to the affection of con­fidence, his act is to be declared thus: Lord here I goe forth only to serue thee, and not for any in­terest of mine, if I perish, vpon thy account be it; as if he should say; I am sure that by thy fault I shall not perish; but I am rather of opinion that this proceeded from a holy feare, and that which he could haue said, was: Lord here I goe forth not for my owne interest but only to serue thee, if I doe ruine my self it will not be by obeying thee in this vocation which thou giuest me, but be­cause thou hast determined for mine owne vnworthines, to suf­fer me, to perish in that estate thou [Page 19]hast put me in, as Saul did loose himself in that course, wherein thou didst put him, not by thy fault but his owne.

From the very instant that Gre­gory Lopes made this act, he found the fauour of God in him­self very efficacious, and began with great courage to walke in the narrow path of perfection; in the which he neuer retired back one foote, or staid, nor euer lost sight of that light, with which God did direct him in this way. He ar­med himself with continuall ab­stinences. He vsed himself to eate but once à day allthough his meate was but short, and of little nourishement; for the most part of his time it was only Maiz or In­dian wheate tosted which the In­dians call Cacalote, and he obser­ued this custome so strictly euen till his death, that vpon no occa­sion, yea though he were grieuous­ly sick, he would euer breake it. He did neuer eate flesh; yet [Page 20]if any sent him some slices of beefe in almes he receiued them thāke­fully concealing his abstinence, but he did neuer eate them. Rolles of Indian wheate were his ordina­ry bread, and those but sparingly, and lesse then sufficient sustinance to liue vpon, if God had not sent him such fauour as might well seeme his, in so much that his mā ­ner of life, ād nourishemēt seemed rather miraculous then naturall.

THE IIII. CHAPTER. How the retyring of Gregory, see­med to some excessiue, and his manner of life suspicious, and the reproches which he thervpon endured, and of a notable miracle which our Lord wrought by him.

ALthough the life of Gregory in the wildernes, was so ex­traordinary, and so retired from the conuersation of Men, yet there were some that did carp at that [Page 21]estranging of himself, especially, because they did not throughly pe­netrate that inward practise of his soule: and the exteriour, which they saw, was different from that, which is commonly seene in such like Men, that are giuen to spiri­tuall exercises; because they saw that vpon many holydaies he did not goe to Masse, and that he had no spirituall bookes; those slāderers of his blamelesse life, not consi­dering that the way, which Gre­gory tooke, and wherin God had enlienghted him; was so inward, so secret, and so solitary, that euen his soule it self, as he often said, did stand in feare, and suspected her owne body. And thus much touching the slāder, for not vsesing bookes of deuotion, and vocall prayer: as for his hearing of Masse vpon daies of obligation, this might excuse him, that the nee­rest place to his Cottage or habi­tation was 24. or 30. mile off; yet vpon great daies he alwaies went [Page 22]to heare it, and afterwardes re­turned back to his widernes. But it is no new thing that the iust and freinds of God, suffer such like persecutions, for as S. Austin saith very well: persecution is that which disposeth the seruant of God, for the glorious crowne, which is ready for him in heauen; and Lactantius saith, that an Em­perour or Prince could not know the valour of his Nobility, if he had not enemies for their exer­cices and triall. Besides this, some imputed it to great folly in Grego­ry Lopes, seeing him choose that wildernes before any other, for his aboade in which, those Chi­chimecos, a rude Nation, did euery day kill and eate such Spaniardes as they could get in their handes, as if there had not bin thousands of Angells garding and watching the nakednesse and solitarines of Gre­gory, in regard of that Lord, whom he serued, no man daring to touch him; yea not to looke on him [Page 23]without respect, because, that were to touch God in the apples of his eies, as he himself saith, by the Prophet Zachary, of those who trouble and disquiet his faith­full seruants. But many of the soul­diours, who passed that way, being ignorant of such deep philosophy, called him foole and mad Man, and said vnto him: friend you smell of the graue, but the soul­diour of Christ did little regard, these feares, for God had infused such a loue and reuerence towards him, in the mindes of that barba­rous people, that allthough they killed the other Spaniardes with their accustomed cruelty round about him, yet when they came to the place, where Gregory was, they reuerenced him and saluted himwithsuch courtesyas they were capable of: and not only they but also other Indiās, that were more ciuilised, and vnderstood our lan­guage, seing him apparelled in that manner, like an hospitall [Page 24]brother, and thinking him rather an Ecclesiasticall person then se­cular by his garments, insteed of saying Deogratias vnto him, they said Teogratias; and such was their courtesy ād kindnes towards him, as that they offered, him some conies ād tunas; a fruit much esteemed in those coūtries, shew­ing themselues in all things so loueing and ready to assist him as if he had him their Countriman, kinsman, or brother; and by this may bee seene the loue, and res­pect which they bore him, that seing him build that cottà or hermitage, the Indian Chichime­cos themselues did help him to fi­nish it, bringing boughes and stones, and making morter, such is the force of good example and humble life, as it is able to tame and soften the heartes euen of wild beasts. And so said the Emperour Adrian, as Dion rela­teth, that armes and Maiesty had giuen him the Empire, because, [Page 25]they made him dreadfull, and that courteousnes and clemency did maintaine it, because clemency begetteth loue. But nothing doth so much declare and set forth the great force of meeknes, sweetnes in wordes, lowlines in cariage, cheerfullnes of counte­nance, as that manner of extol­ling which Dauid vseth in the 44. Psalme, where speaking euen li­terally of Christ, he saith, that, one thing for which the eternall Father did blesse him, was for the comelines and grace, which was spread in his lips.

But all that which we haue said hitherto, is little in comparison of that which now we will say. Oh sweetnes of behauiour! oh good example in life and manners! how powerfull are you not only on earth, but euen in heauen? The holy Man Gregory haueing finis­hed his little cottage, thought good to make himself a little gar­der after the manner of the anciēt [Page 26]hermits and Fathers in the desert, but he went on but slowly in his worke being very weake both by reason of continuall contempla­tion, frequent extasies, as also by reason of the austerities, and mor­tifications he vsed, standing all­waies on his feet with his head bare both in the sun and wind; eating only now and then a few hearbes and morcells of Maiz which the Indians did throw vnto him; being besides of a weake constitution, as may be seen by his physiognomy his picture (who­soeuer either for curiosity or deuo­tion desireth to see it) is very well drawne in the Imperiall house of the Society of Iesus at Madrid (which is in Toledo street) in the Church vpon the side altar on the left hand going vp to the high altar in the picture of S. Ihon Euangelist in the Ile of Pathmos. A certaine Spaniard by name An­drew Moteno had à farme neere vnto that place; he came some­times [Page 27]to help the holy Man to worke in his garden, and to make a ditch and a banke, which he did round about to conuey away the water, and that it might serue insteed of an hedge or inclosure; and as he came one day amongst the rest to see him and help him, from the top of an high hill which did looke into his garden, he saw a thing very strange and worth the relating. Gregory was digging in his garden, and round about him were many Angells of rare beauty richly attired and in diuers colours. Some of them did dig o­thers caried earth out of the ditch, and others helped Gregory to lift vp his armes. The man was asto­nished and stood in amazement aboue two howres; he told it to his wife, who was called Donni­a Maria de Mercado, and, at her intreaty he returned to see the same vision and miracle many o­ther mornings, till he was assured, that it was no dreame nor imagi­nation, [Page 28]but a reall and true vision seen with his corporall eies, and a manifest miracle, which, it was the will of God, should be publis­hed and made knowne.

The V. CHAPTER. Of the remedies, with which God did furnish him against the com­bats, which he did sustaine at those times.

Great was the austerity, which he vsed in mortifying his bo­dy, not sparing himself one instāt, nor affording himself any ease: and not only this, but also want of ne­cessaries gaue him abundant oc­casion to merit. But all this was sweet in comparison of that inte­rour exercise, to the practise of which, God did continually stirre him vp. And though in particular it be not knowne, in what kind, this exercise was, yet he told me often times, that such was the ve­hemencie [Page 29]of his combate, that he maruailed how he could hold out and that his haire did stand an end when he remembred those times. This he said, being now an old beaten souldiour and much prac­ctised in the like combates. Vpon an occasion that offered it self, he did with great modesty tell one, that was well affected vnto him, that he had had a combate and spirituall wrastling with the deuill which was so violent, that bloud burst out at his eares and nostrills. The remedie he vsed in these oc­casions was prayer, wherein he continued day and night, and he was faine to vse all his strength in this combate, least he should yeeld. But amongst the affections which God did giue him in his prayer for hisstrēgthēing ād cōfortt, ther was one a very singular one in vsing those wordes, Fiat voluntas tua, si­cut in caelo & in terra, Amen Iesus; the which he said continually, in [Page 30]so much as for the space of three yeares, he said them mentally as often as he drew breath, without ceasing or once forgetting: neither did his eating or drinking or tal­king with any Man, make him in­termitt this exercise: and I once asking him, if it were possible to remēber himself of those wordes, as soone as he awaked, he answe­red yes: and in such manner, as that finding himself awake, he did not breath the second time, vn­till he had said them. A rare thing yet not impossible for Gregory, being it was agreeable to the great vigilance and perseuerance that God had giuen him; in whatsoeuer he imagined to be the will of God or profitable for his soule. At three yeares end, where in he had prac­tised himself in meditating vpon those wordes, and profited much by them resigning himself wholy to the will of God in whatsoeuer he would dispose of him, it plea­sed God to put him in another [Page 31]exercises not so much of wordes, as of deedes; that was an ardent loue of God, and his neighbour, in the which that religious soule setled her self as in the most he­roicall vertue, and most pleasing vnto God. Thus with so firme and sure à foundation, he went alwaies increasing and ascending from one vertue to another, neuer slak­ting that amarous effect of Chari­ty in which the diuine goodnes had grounded him, as shall be said hereafter.

THE VI. CHAPTER Gregory Lopes goeth to the planta­tion of Alonso de Aualos and de­termineth to returne to Mexico by the persuasion of Father Do­minick de Salazar.

GRegory liked well of his ha­ [...]itation in the towne of A­myac because he did there enioy freely his solitarines, and had oc­casion [Page 32]enough to exercise his po­uerty and patience, in wanting commodities for his life and con­uenient sustenance; and therfore he would not haue changed his habitation, but that the loue of his neighbour (whom he desired to loue as himself) did seeme vnto him to require it; because his mā ­ner of liueing in the desert, being so new ad vnusuall in those partes, some rude. and ignorant people, did meruaile that he did not heare Masse vpon Sundayes, and holy­dayes, especially haueing no oc­casions nor labours in the coun­try to excuse him from the precept of the Church, it seeming vnto them, that only temporall neces­sity was sufficient to dispense with him, and not the particular cal­ling of God, and instinct of the holy Ghost, who did bring vnto the deserts of Nitria in Aegypt, and to many other parts, great numbers of Men, who did leade a Monasticall or Heremiticall life [Page 33]not haueing opportunitie in one yeare, no nor in many, to fullfill that precept, or others such like from the which in the iudgement of all learned and vertuous men they were lawfully excused; and Gregory himself knew that very well, yet neuertheles he yeelded to the frailty and ignorance of those people, and to auoyd all scandall, he went to Alonso de Aualos his plantation, where he had commodity of hearing Masse, Alonso de Aualos receaued him with much loue and courtesy, and offerred him a house and garden of a very good aire, and vnder­standing that he did not eate flesh commanded his steward to em­ploy an Indian to catch fish for him, Gregory accepted of the gar­den, but would not consent by any meanes, that any Man should be set on worke for him and so for the space of two yeares which he spent in that place he liued onely vpon milke, and curdes, this time [Page 34]expired (vnderstanding that it was the will of God) he determined to returne to Zacatecas, and the night before his departure, as he was expecting day light to take his iourney, the terrible earthquake began, which was in that Coun­try in the yeare 1576. and as Gre­gory was going to open his win­dow, the beames of his chamber fell without doing him any harme. In this iourney he came to a man­nour of Sebastian Mexia, who gaue him good entertainment, which he required with his ver­tuous example and good aduise, the which made such impressiō in his host that presently laying aside his rich apparell he cloathed himself in sack cloth like Gregory Lopes, to whom he bore such an affectiō and respect, that he deter­mined to put both soule and goods in his hand to manage and dis­pose of them according to the great prudence, which he vn­derstood that God bestowed vpon [Page 35]him. But he suspecting it, and knowing that Sebastian Mexia was shortly to dy, thought it was not for his purpose, to take vpon him the charge of other mens goods, who to serue god more freely, had discharged himself of his owne: and to the great griefe of thē all, he cōtinued his iourney.

At that time Father Dominick de Salazar, an eminent Man of the order order of the Dominicans, wēt about preaching amōgst the mines and villages adioyning vpon Za­catecas. This man through the great familìarily he had with Gre­gory, was so taken with his good spirit, and manner of life, as that he did earnestly intreat him, to goe to the conuent of S. Domi­nick in Mexico promising to pro­cure him both lodging and diet, where he might liue more quietly and securely exercising apart his prayer and other exercises of his calling, and yet not want the cō ­modities and profit, which a life [Page 36]in community, especially, of rel­gious Men, bringeth with it. Gre­gory beleeuing that this course would be no hindrance to those exercises of prayer and contem­plation, which God had put him into, determined to follow the counsaile of so learned a Man, and so great a seruant of God as was Father Dominick, and ac­cepting of the opportunity and almes he returned to Mexico, ha­ [...]ing bin in the said Villages of Amayac Aualos and Mexias man­ [...]our allmost seauen yeares, and [...]wo Months, wherein he serued a certaine mā vpō an occasiō, which I will relate. He cloathed himself as is said before, with a course sack cloath, and hauing with time worne out his cloathes, he thought good to earne where­with to couer his nakednes, seek­ing in that place a seruice. He came to a rich farmer, who recei­ued him willingly, and gaue him in charge to looke to his hous [...] [Page 37]hold, and see them do that which belonged to their office. Gregory did that with such care on the one side, and on the other with such loue and humility, as that he filled all with the admiration of his ver­tue, loue of his good carriage and desire of his cōpany; but he haue­ing got enough in two months space to put himself in cloaths, tooke his leaue of them leauing them sory for his departure, which they could not remedy neither with intreaties, nor teares, nor mony which they offerred him.

Whilst Gregory Lopes walked in the wildernes, great were the terrours, with which the deuill endeauoured to affright him, make him turne backe and leaue off his holy purpose; sometimes with the roarings and the howlings of the wild beasts, other times with the cruell deaths, that the In­dian Chichimecos put the Spa­niards vnto euery day in that place, othertimes he assailed him [Page 38]with diuerse in ward temptations, and therfore the more crafty, and deeeitfull, but he had presently re­course to his prayres and such weapons as God had giuen him for his defence, which was a to­tall resignation wherwith he put himself, and his affaires in the hands of God. He did repeato those wordes, wherin he had foūd such light and erudition, fiat vo­luntastua, &c. and prestrate on the ground in the sight of God he said: oh Lord thou art a Father and all things are done in thy pre­sence, and with thy will. With this he got new strength to goe on in his way.

He liued in great pouerty, as is said, yet he neuer as ked almes, nei­ther in this time, nor euer after in his life, but trusting wholly to the diuine Prouidence, he did eate that which Men gaue him of their owne accord without asking, and when that failed, he did earne it with his labour. He passed many [Page 39]daies, only with Indian wheate tosted, and some lents only with purslane, whereby he came to haue a great weaknes in his sto­mack, which gaue him occasion to merit all his life time. Somtimes he vsed to exercise his body in his little garden, and he did seldome or neuer eate of the hearbes, which he planted and cultiuated, but very charitably gaue them to those that passed that way. He did spend euery day some time in the holy Scripture, and some times his lecture was in the Epistles of S. Paul in Spanish, before they were forbidden, of which we shall speake more at large in an­other place.

THE VII. CHAPTER. He returnes to Mexico, and hauing bin at the conuent of S. Domi­nick, he goeth to Guasteca, to continue his solitary life.

AS soone as he came to Mexi­co, he went straight to the conuent of the Dominicans to meet with Father Dominick Sala­zar, who was to procure him a Cell in that place according to his promise: but vnderstanding, that he was not in the city at that pre­sent, he declared his busines to some graue and learned Fathers of that order; who answered him, that they could not possibily giue him a cell vnlesse he did take the habit which they offered him very willingly: but he haueing staid there some daies expecting his patron, in whose word and fa­uour he put much confidence, at length they assuring him that he [Page 41]would not returne very soone, and that when he was come, he could not obtaine his desire, and with­all perswading himself with this, that his vocation was not to liue in community but solitary, he tooke his leaue of that holy con­uent with much griefe both to the Fathers and also to himself, being to leaue such holy company; but he esteemed it his more assured course to continue in his first vo­cation and way which our Lord had shewed him, and wherin he had profited so much allready, and for that purpose he determined to goe to Guasteca, because he was told that it was a wast and vnpeo­pled Country, but very fertill of wild fruites, on which he might liue. Gregory made choice of this seate to liue solitary in, and though he might haue had cause to feare his infirmiries and weaknes of body, yet he was more afraid of being troublesome to those that gaue him entertainment, a thing [Page 42]wherin he was alwaies very wary and discreet, Therefore relying wholy vpon the diuine Prouiden­ce, he setled himself in that place vntill God did ordaine otherwise; the fruites hearbs, and rootes of the field were his food, he fought valiantly the battels of our Lord, continuing the exercise of the loue of Godād his neighbour, wherein, as is said before, the diuine goodnes had grounded him and giuen him increase.

THE VIII. CHAPTER. Of a grieuous sicknes which he had and of an ill opinion, which some had conceiued of him about that time.

GRegory Lopes would haue spent the rest of his life in that wildernes of Guasteca, if he had perceiued that it was the will of God who shewed that it was otherwise, by meanes of a vehe­ment [Page 43]fit of the bloudy flix which he sent him, in which he conti­nued many daies all alone, with the discommodities that may be imagined, in great want of all things necessary for his cure, and euen for his ordinary sustenance, till it pleased God, that a priest of a very exemplar life, by name I hon de Mesa who instructed those people wihout any stipend, spending his meanes freely among the poore and needy, sending pre­sently for the sick man cherish­ed him in his owne house with all diligence and attendance. He was brought very low with this sicknes, vntill that being very much weakned, by reason that he had not eaten anything in many daies before, he fell a sleep, but wakned againe vntimely, with a little strength and stomack to his meate, and in a short time he perfectly recouered. Neuertheles his good host would not suffer him to returne to the wildernes [Page 44]againe, but keept him in his house almost foure yeares with great edification both to himself and his neighbours round about, who moued with the report of his good carriage, came to see him, although he neuer reuealed to any what he was, what his vocation, nor the mentall exercises which he vsed, only his outward beha­uiour was that, which made ma­ny both admire and loue him; yet there wanted not some, that did behold him with a quite different eie, and so framed different con­ceits of his manner of life; for hauing no office nor exercise, as they thought, to employ himself in, they deemed him to be an idle fellow, and one of no worth; yea their suspicion passed farther, for some thought him an heretick, al­though they saw him come to heare Masse, and comply with the other outward obligations of a Christian, as well as the rest.

And because vpon this occasion, [Page 45]I got the first knowledge of his manner of life, I will here set downe the relation, which they gaue me of him. About that time, there came a priest from those parts, to the city of Mexico, and amongst other businesses, which he came to treate of, one was that their liued in that place, a man, who he feared very much, was a Lutherane heretick, because he did not cary any beades about him, nor shewed any other such signes, with which good Christias shew­ed their deuotion, and vprightnes of heart. I asked him, whether he spoke well in things touching our faith; he answered, that he see­med to be well grounded in the Catholick doctrine, that he knew all the bible by heart, that in his behauiour he was blameles, and that he was allmost allwaies alone, as if he had great busi­nesses though he did not impart them to any. He staies à great while in the Church, and we can­not [Page 46]not get out of him, of what coun­try he is, who were his parents, or kinsfolke, and liueing in the world he doth not meddle with any thing of this world, as if he did not liue in it. I replyed familiarly, that I would not haue that priest be like vnto Hely, who thought, that the changes which Anna made in her countenance, at such time as she praied earnestly in the presencee of God, were caused by drunkennes, if you should see a theefe without his beades, you would not therefore account him an heretick; how much lesse a man of so good a life, so conuer­sant in the holy Scripture; and whose eonuersation seemeth only ton be with God. The priest con­uiced with this reason, answered, that he liked well of that which I told him, and that it was likely, that he was à very good man, and said moreouer: I will cary him a hat for he weareth none (perhapes because he hath none) and I will [Page 47]not informe the Inquisition of him as I thought to haue done. This passed betwixt the priest and me concerning Gregory Lopes, whom I knew not of till then; neither did I then know his name allthough by the said relation, I conceiued a good opinion of his manner of life, God beginning then, though I knew no­thing, to shew his great fauours and mercies, which he was to doe me by meanes of this his ser­uant, as shall be said hereafter.

THE IX CHAPTER. His aboade in Atrisco, his returne to Mexico, and the examina­tion which the Metrapolitane made of his spirit, and manner of life.

THe desire which Gregory Lopes had to liue vnknowne, and the great care, which he vsed to conceale his spirit and heroick [Page 48]vertues, made him often change his dwelling, imitating herein the ancient hermits who fearing least they should be knowne and ho­noured by Men, did trauell conti­nually from one place to another: so he, hauing bin, about foure yeares in Guasteca, seing himself knowne and much esteemed both by Spaniards and Indians; by the instinct of the holy Ghost (for it is to be thought that he neuer chaged his habitation without it) he departed towards Atrisco, and being within a league of the towne, God brought him vnto a man of good esteeme, by name Ihon Perez Romero who gaue him lodging and all things neces­sary for his maintenauce in his mannour. Gregory was there well treated, because his hosts were good Christians, and benefited themselues with the good coun­failes and examples which he gaue them (for that was the gratifying and recompence, which Gregory [Page 49]left to them, that entertained him, and wheresoeuer he came) the temper of the country was very a­greable vnto him, and the riuers, brookes and pleasantnes of the fieldes did further him much in his deuotion and recollection. But it was not the will of God, that he should stay in that place aboue two yeares, because the sower of coccle, the enemy of our good is wont to hide the vertue, and dar­ken the light, which shineth and enlightneth, that others might not profit themselues, nor goe forward in the seruice of God, as did those hosts of Gregory, and many of their neighbours round about. Therefore the cōmon ene­my vsed for his instruments, cer­tain religious men, that liued in that place, none of the learnedst, but it is likely their intention and zeale was good, though not se­cundum scientiam, who seing such great mortification, and so com­posed a behauiour in such a young [Page 50]Mā, such an admirable wisedome, vertue, and spirite in one that had neither studied, nor euer wore any religious habit, wherein he might haue got such good parts, they were much scandalised, and did feare where there was nothing to be feared, and sorgetting that saving, that, the hood maketh not the Monke, and that which the Prophet saith: Happy is he O Lord whom thou instructeth and teachest thy holy law. They did so much aggrauate the matter before him that was then Archbishop of Mexico, that he thought it neces­sary, to make very exact inquiries, to learne the truth; which being performed according [...]o the order of law, he declare [...]y decree and publick sentence, the great vertue and innocence of Gregory: who, hauing got by this a greater name and opinion of fanctitie amongst all men, tooke his leaue of Iohn Perez Romero, and leaning him and all his family sad for the losse [Page 51]of such holy company by which they were so much edified, he tooke his iourney towards Mexi­co, and from a place neere Tescu­ro, lifting vp his eies, he espied the house and sanctuary of our Lady of Remedies on the other side of the city; and thinking that there might be there, some habitation, wherein he might continue his solitary life, he trauailed straight towards that place, without en­tring into Mexico, and seeing that it was a place dedicated to the Mother of God, he reioyced exceedingly, and purposed to re­maine in that place in seruice of the Queene of heauen: God dispo­sed all this for the good of many soules in that place, who profited much in vertue by the conuersa­tion and company of Gregory. At his first comeing, and for some months after, none knew what he was, and there were scarce any that made any esteeme of him be­cause he was very wary in make­ing [Page 52]any outward shew of the fa­uours, which God did vnto him, but seemed outwardly a simple Man, of few wordes and of a shal­low vnderstanding; none did re­sort vnto him, none did light vpon that treasure, which God had in secret in that wildernes. By reason of this he was in great necessity, ād want of sustenance, in so much that I haue knowne him passe ma­ny daies, only with wild quinces; but, time running on, men began to take more notice of him, some deuout persons, who did there keepe their nouendialls inuiting him now and then to dinner, and they did behold with care and at­tention, their guests new attire, and manner of life; some were edi­fied by his conuersation, others did beware of him, holding it a sus­picious matter to stray from the common course, others lesse adui­sed, iudged him to be a Man of ill life and a dissembling heretick, and therefore did abhorre and fly [Page 53]his company, and he in that kind suffered much with wōderfull pa­tience, allthough I could not hi­therto learne any notable thing, that hapned vnto him in that place. This came to the eares of the Archbishop Don Pedro Moya de contreras of good memory who like a vigilant and carefull Prelate, thought good to informe himself of the life and behauiour of Gre­gory Lopes, and the spirit, by which he was directed. I went about that time to our Lady of Remedies to see him, and by the conferences which I had with him, I remained well sa­tisfied touching his spirit, and iudged him, to be a man of solid and well grounded vertue. I gaue this relation to the said Archbis­hop, and told him that was my opinion; he for his more satisfac­tion, and better performance of his office, would haue this busines examined more exactly, and gaue in charge to Father Alonso San­ches, [Page 54]of the society of Iesus, a man of great zeale and learning, ād much addicted to spirituall life, and well experienced in it, to exa­mine Gregory Lopes with all care and diligence; making (as they vse to say) an anatomy of him, and to acquaint himself with his emploi­ments, exercises, and manner of proceeding. The said Father went with this commission to our La­dies of Remedies where he spent much time with Gregory, propoū ­ding vnto him very precise que­stions concerning the Catholicke faith, his customes, and spirit, to all which he answered with such breuity, and humility, that he left him alwaies more in doubt, so as his desire of getting out the plaine truth clearely, was increa­sed in him. Therefore thinking, that to vse any other meanes, was but to goe about the bush, he de­termined to speake to him plainly, and so with a graue and seure countenance, said these wordes [Page 55]will declare my self vnto you: my Lord Archbshop sendeth me to haue knowledge of his sheep; therefore, answer me clearely, and plainly; to this Gregory made ans­wer: it is uery [...]itting, that I should obey my Father and Prelate, and you in his name; this being pre­mised, Father Alonso Sanches be­gan a fresh to sift him ouer and ouer, asking him many very sub­tile questions in matter of faith, and Christiā doctrine; to all which he answered clearely and distinc­ly, grounding his answers vpon the holy Scripture, and relating the heresies which had bin raised against the Catholicke verity, mē ­tioning the times and the chiefest of the Archheretickes, together with the holy writers and Doc­tours, who did impugne and write against them: this he did with such waighty sentences and graue wordes, that the father remai­ned astonied, but much much more he wondred at the good satisfac­tion, [Page 56]which he gaue to all the doubts and obiections he put vnto him, touching his spirit, and man­ner of life, and found that he was endued with much prudence both diuine and humane. Hence it came to passe, that the said father re­mained not only well satisfied touching the spirit of Gregory, but also his great friend and deuote. He gaue an account of all this, to the Archbishop who was exceed­ing glad, that a Man of such ver­tue had ioyned himself to his flock, and from that time forward gaue command that he should be cherished, and often visited, I be­ing alwaies the messenger. The first time, that I spoke with the Archbishop, after that Father Alonso Sanches had giuen accoūt of his commission; he told me, that among other things which the Fa­ther had told him in praise and fa­uour of Gregory, he said these wordes, Truely my Lord, in com­parison of this man I haue not yet [Page 57]begun my spirituall A. B. C.

THE X. CHAPTER. Of his going to the Hospitall of Guasteca, and the exteriour and interiour exercises, wherin he emploied himself in that place.

GRegory Lopes had liued two yeares in the house of our La­dy of Remedies when he found himself very weake, and tormen­ted with a paine in the stomach, and the collick; and by reason of these indispositions, those cold, ād blustering winds, which doe ordi­narily blow in those high Coun­tries, were very hurtfull to him, and therefore it was necessary in regard of his health, to goe to the Hospitall of Guasteca which is seated in the Marquesate of Valle 36. miles of Mexico. As soone as the Archbishop vnderstood his re­solution, he sent him an horse of his owne stable, and some dainties [Page 58]by a seruant who was to accom­pany him ād serue him in his iour­ney. Gregory Lopes, the Archbis­hops seruant and I departed from our Lady of Remedies, in the yeare 1580. towards Guasteca, and so great was the esteeme of those, who had conuersed with him in that place, that at his de­parture, all made meanes to get some part of his poore houshold-stuffe, which was at that time two or three sheepskins, which serued insteed of a bed, and a little pit­cher to keep water in. And all­though I endeauoured allso to get one of those sheepskins, I could neuer obtaine it, though I was Curate of the Cathedrall, and so well knowne by all: such was the affection, and deuotion, with which the good people did aske them. I left Gregory in his way to Guasteca, least I should be wan­ting to my office in Mexico. Gre­gory therefore in the company of the Archbishops seruant, arriued at [Page 59]Guasteca, where he was recea­ued by brother Stephen de Herre­ra, allthough the commodity was but small, by reason of the great pouerty which the hospitall did suffer in its beginning. He lodged him in his owne chamber, hauing order to giue him that which was necessary for his sustenance, and not to employ him in any thing. The brother vsed him with all loue and kindnes, as he did vse to doe all, that repaired thither; who though they were many in number, by reason of the pleasant temperature and wholsomenes of that aire, and the Hospitall poore at that time; hauing neither rents to maintenance the poore, nor houseroome to lodge them, nor any thing wherewith to build, yet it neuer was wanting to their cure and reliefe: a thing truly, which if we did consider it only humanly, would seeme impossible and far from the truth: but such was the courage of Bernardin Al­uares [Page 60]the founder, not only of that Hospitall, but allso of that of the Conualescents in Mexico, and of many others which are spread ouer all new Spaine, that he de­serued his most prosperours suc­cesses, for the reliefe, and help of many. I remember that when I asked of this great seruant of God, his good will, that Gregory Lopes might be receiued in that Hospi­tall, he answered me: would to God, Father Losa, that I could bring all the poore Men in the world to my hospitall, I trust in Ie­sus Christ, that he would main­taine them all: be it with all my hart as you desire: and well may it bee seene, that this hospitall was gouerned by Gods prouidence, for within two yeares after it was founded, there was in that house of Guasteca, allowance for 72. persons, and from that time forward it hath increased so much, that now, God hath pro­uided a table in that desert for all [Page 61]sorts of poore and needy people both men and weomen, spaniar­des, and Indians, that come to the hospitall to be healed not only out of new Spaine, but allso from Guatimala, and Peru, for the good entertainment which they find there, and abundance of all things necessary for their health and re­liefe, and the great care and cha­rity with which they are looked vnto, so as allmost all that goe thither, with allmost incurable di­seases, in a little time recouer their perfect health; and thus much in briefe of this famous hospitall, be­cause I thimke that Gregory Lo­pes his being there at the begin­ning of it, was no smale cause of of its increase. In this place there­fore Gregory had his maintenance sure, vnder the title of voluntary pouerty, and laying aside care of all things (allthough the care of temporall things did neuer molest him) he gaue himself wholly to contemplation and mentall exer­cises, [Page 62]practising himself in the loue of God and his Neighbour, in which he had laboured many yeares. But all though the exercise was allwaies the same, yet the in­creases euery day were new, he was all the day retired in a cham­ber by himself, he went out onely to heare Masse vpon Sundaies, and holidaies, and some of the weeke daies, and then also only to the hospitall chappell, and if at any time he failed there, he went to the Monastery of S. Dominick to heare it there; and though that place was very pleasant by reason of the many good springs, fields, and groues of trees, and prospects, yet he seldome or neuer went out to see them, for being of a weake and tender constitution, the ill smell of the contagious diseases, which are there cured, did much annoy him: for this cause some of those that assisted in the hospitall did murmur against him (for it is no new thing for Martha to com­plaine [Page 63]of Mary) as an vnprofitable impertinent and idle Man. But those that did attentiuely consider the actions of Gregory, did esteeme of him otherwise; for they found in themselues the fauour and aide, which God gaue them by meanes of his prayres, and that by them was increased their bodily strēgth to assiste the sick both day and night They allso perceiued the gift of counsailing which God had giuen him, wherewith he did comfort those, that repaired vnto him in their afflictions and paines. He had an especiall faculty in pa­cifying many of the diseased, who either through their ill conditiōs, or violen [...]es of their diseases, were so testy and froward, that the infirmarians could not brooke them, so that these things consi­dered, he was no small help to the hospitall, especially being a man, that had no office or obligation to meddle with any of these things, for he was neuer one of those bro­thers [Page 64]that looke to the Conuales­cents, and Bernardin Aluares had as is said before, giuen expresse command, that he should not be employed in any thing. I haue ob­serued (not without profit of my soule) that the diuell our enemie, hauing got the worst, and being ouercome before in any kind of combate returneth to the fight afresh, in such manner lifteth vp his head, and with that fiercenes assaileth againe, as if he had gon away before with the victory: so he did againe encounter this man, as if he had had only to deale with our weaknes, and as if there were not with vs, and within vs, the fa­uour of Almighty God, and the aide of Christ the strong armed, as often as we aske it with faith, and hope. Gregory knowing well this defence as an old souldiour vnder our captaine Iesus Christ; when I did tell him of any of my combates either interiour, or ex­teriour, he answered with the holy [Page 65]Ghost: he that is not tempted, what doth he knowe, as if he should say, he knoweth nothing. In those daies that admirable Mā, Father Peter de Prauia, a Domini­can, a mirrour and patterne of wisedome humility and religion (who had renoūced a Bishoprick, being then first reader of diuinity, and Vicar Generall of the Arch­bishoprick of Mexico (his soule I hope is endued with much glory in heauen, with his holy Father S. Dominick) went very secretly to to Guasteca, to be assured of the life and conuersation of Gregory Lopes; and it is likely that such a personage, so free from passion, was moued with sufficient cause, to goe for that purpose in person: in fine he made particular enquiry of his manner of life, and was so well satisfied of him, that from that time forward, he bore him more loue, and respect, and I no­ted this, allthough the said father, allbeit he imparted to me other [Page 66]things of more importance and secrecy, yet he neuer made me ac­quainted with his intention in going thither.

I haue allso vnderstood, that the Bishop of Guadalaiara with all care and diligence, made in­quiry of the life of Gregory in those seauen yeares, which, as we said, he liued in his Diocese, and when Satan had vsed all his power to darken the life and fame of this great seruant of God, he allwaies came forth more pure and bright, like gold out of the furnace.

Gregory did another worke of great profit in that hospitall, for he writ a booke of Physick, partly out of Sundry experiences, and partly by the great knowledge of the properties, and naturall ver­tues of the hearbes, wher with he was endued. The hospitall bro­thers made great vse of this booke, both for the curing of their sick, and when they went about all the country toaske almes. And [Page 67]such was the good successe of those remedies and medicines, which they did apply to sundry di­seases by the prescription of that booke, as if the authour therof had spent many yeares in the stu­dy of physick. He spent some time in making and mending his poore clothes, for he had a particular fa­culty euen in that, and he did both cut-out and make vp all his owne clothes (euen to his gray gaber­dine with which he couered him­self) excepting a hatt, which he neuer vsed, vnlesse he trauailed much in the Sun. He did not make himself any new shooes, but he mended them so well, as that one paire would last three yeares.

THE XI. CHAPTER By reason of a grieuous sicknes he returnes to Mexico, and from thence to San [...]afe.

IT pleased God, to remoue that lampe to another place, there to shine and giue light for a while, and therefore he sent this his ser­uant a feauer, allthough at first it was not knowne to be so; he with great courage, mortification and patience kept himself on foot for three daies space as well as he could, vntill the vehemence of the disease made him ly downe, and be let bloud fourteen times, which in such a weake body, would haue bin enough to haue taken away his life; but God pre­serued him to be an instrument of his greater glory and the profit of many, so that, allthough he came allmost to the last gaspe, yet he re­couered againe, but so, that there [Page 69]were left after his sicknes, some very troublesome remnants, as was a great inflamatiō of the liuer, and a little lingering ague, which was not quite rooted out. For this rea­son he was forced to remoue to a cold habitation, to witt to a towne three leagues from Mexico called S. Augustine, he lodged in [...]he house of Iohn Escouar, who had intreated him in Gu [...]steca to come to his ho [...]se; from thence he writ to me giuing me notice of his arriuall. I receiued his letter ha­uing my foot in the stirrup to goe to see him in Guasteca. I went to S. Augustins, where I found him very weake and ill accommoda­ted for want of attendance, and not thinking it conuenient for iust reason; that he should r [...]maine in that place, I brought him with me to Mexico, and kept him in my house some months, whilest he was mending; during which time, he assisted many deuout soules, who came to visit him, and con­fer [Page 70]with him about their affaires, and such was the good that he did in this kind, that it might easily be perceiued, that God had brought him for that purpose to this city, allthough he neuer stirred out of my house all the time that he liued here (but only to heare Masse in the Colledge of the Society of Ie­sus) euen not to see the Lady Mar­quesse of Villamanrique the vice­roies wife, who had a great desire to see him and had requested me thrice to bring him to the Pallace, but he excused himself to me say­ing, that he had no need of the La­dy Marquesse, nor she of him. and in this act he shewed no small cou­rage, especially the Marquis being at that time in great esteeme and his lady obeyed and respected by all Neuertheles some yeares after, Gregory vnderstanding, that the Marquis was much troubled with a visite, that came to him out of spaine, said vnto me: now I would visite the Lady Marquesse if she [Page 71]would send for me, and the Mar­quis were at that time in Tescuco, and Gregory in Santafe; where by may be seene how far he was out of the ordinary straine of human courtesy, since that in time of pros­perity he denied the visit, which he could easily haue made, and in time of aduersity he offer­red himself to doe it, being then aboue 4. miles going and comming.

He was not as yet perfectly re­couered in Mexico, and his lin­gering ague did not forfake him, he was very weake and had but little stomack to his meate; on the other side he longed for his de­sired solitarines, and allthough he had strictly obserued it within my house at Mexico, yet he made more account of the commo­diousnes of the Coūtry; and there­fore I went about carefully, to seeke out some seate neere the Ci­ty, where he might enioy his so­litarines, and I might often see [Page 72]him, and in some manner relieue his sicknes and pouerty. Whilest we were in these thoughts, it fell out one day, God so disposing, that we went out both together, to see a little village called Sātafe; six mile of from Mexico, the ad­ministration whereof belongeth to the Deane and Chapter of the Church of Mechoachan: it see­med vnto vs very fit for our pur­pose, by reason of its good [...]emper and wholesomenes of the aire, and the pleasantnes of the trees and springs, which are wont to make a solitary life more pleasing, all­though Gregory did not much re­gard those recreations, all his con­uersation being interiour, as shall be said in another place. I dealt with Doctour Hernando ortis de Ino [...]osa first reader of diuinity and Canon of the Cathedrall of Mexi­co and at that time gouernour of Santafe, who like a vertuous Man and willing to further all that was good, very freely gaue Gregory [Page 73]leaue, to dwell in a house some­what distant frō the viliage which stood neere the water that runs to Mexico. He gaue order allso that the Indians should bring him all things that were necessary for his sustenance, at the cost of the hos­pitall which is founded there, and belongeth allso to the Church of Mechoacan. Gregory Lopes haue­ing obtained this licence of Doc­tour Ortis went to that solitary dwelling the 22. of May 1589. being whit-munday where he cō ­tinued his exercises of prayer and contemplation vntill his death, as shall be said by and by.

THE XII. CHAPTER. Of the life which Gregory Lopes did lead in Santafe, and of his dai­ly exercises.

THis aboade was new vnto Gregory, yet very fit for his spirituall exercises, the which were not new vnto him, but alwaies the same, that God had taught him from the beginning, though allwaies with greater progresse. He was in that little house all a­lone, allmost seauen months without conuersing with any man. I visited him as often as I could, and sometimes, as I thinke, some other deuout persons that liued ther abouts, who by seeing him at the Parish Church vpon holidaies at Masse, were much edified, and by this occasion came to visit him. By these my often visits, I disco­uered euery day, more and more of his great riches in ve [...] and [Page 75]spirit; wherby I be came very de­sirous to liue in his company. I de­sired of God both by meanes of other deuout persons prayers and allso my owne, that he would let me vnderstand his holy will, be­cause in some mens opinion, the emploiment, which I had in Me­xico, was much to Gods seruice; for I had bin aboue twenty yeares Curate of the great Church, and had the charge of such poore people as were ashamed to beg, whom I did prouide of such things as were necessary, with the almes which I did continually aske for that purpose, for ten yeares and more; for which reason my Superiours doubted very much, whether it was conuenient to giue me leaue or no to retire my self to a solitary life. At length it pleased God so to dispose this matter, as that I resolued that this course was couenient, and my superiours con­descended vnto it, and gaue me li­cence which till then was denied [Page 76]me; so I came to dwell in Santafe, about Christmasse of the same yeare 1489. where I attended vpon Gregory vntill his death obseruing diligētly all his wordes and deeds, both day and night, to see, if by familiarity and common conuer­sation, I could discouer any thing, that was contrary to the good esteeme, which I had of his ex­traordinary vertue; but it was so much increased in me, that euery day his spirit seemed more admi­rable, his vertues more heroicall and his conuersation more celes­tiall. In this time I heard from his owne mouth most of that, which is here related, though he did ne­uer speake purposely of those thinges that had hapned vnto him, but only vpon diuers occasions, when it seemed necessary for my profit, or the good of other de­nout persons; and all this hape­ning so seldome and so vnawares, that I did not take sufficiēt notice of it, to cary it away; neither did I [Page 77]thinke I should out-liue him so much, as to be able to write of him, and this which is writen of him is very little in respect of that which is wanting. Those admi­rable thinges, which I marked in him, would be very hard to be re­lated historically, only I will note, that his life was vniforme, so as that which he did one day, he did another, and with this rule he pas­sed months and yeares. Therefore I will briefly set downe how he spent the day and night, that hereby we may gather some little part of the great vertue, which was in him.

At breake of day he did open his chamber window that he might begin to dispose and order his daies worke; and washing his face and hands, as soone as it was day light he read in the bible à little more then a quarter of an hower, and then shut his booke againe. His end in reading that booke, was only because it was [Page 78]the holy Scripture, and because God had giuen it him to reade; and allso, that if he did not vnderstand some thing the first time, he might vnderstand it the second: especial­ly, because he did beare such a res­pect and reuerence to the holy writ, that vpon the reading of it, he grounded that which he had to doe in the day time, and that so constantly and duely, as that some few daies before his death he said; I haue not read in the bible these ten daies, I doe nor remember that I haue omitted it so long a time before, since I began to liue solitary. After he had read the Scripture; he betooke himself to his other exercise, which was so inward and secret, as that by no outward signes, it could be per­ceiued of what kind it was, whe­ther prayer, meditation, or con­templation, if it was of sad thinges, or ioyfull, whether he was in ac­tion or passion, whether he spoke with God, or God with him, on­ly [Page 79]it might be gathered by his great modesty and grauity of cou­tenance, that he was continually in the presence of God, neuer loosing sight of him; allthough he neuer imparted these thinges to others, yet he told me those thinges, which I haue writ of him, and shall write hereafter. He did allso vpon an occasion which I will here relate, declare some thing to Don Fray Domin­go de Salazar then Bishop of the Philippines, who returning from thence to Mexico, to goe to Spaine, passed by Santafe on pur­pose to visit Gregory Lopes, with whom he had had great familiari­ty, as is said before in the fourth Chapter. This prelate, among o­ther thinges desired him to tell him, what exercise he vsed and wherin God, had employed him? to which he answered plainly that his exercise was to loue God and his neighbour. The Bishop replied: you told me these same [Page 80]words in Amayca fiue and twenty yeares a goe, how is this? haue you bin allwaies doing the same? Gregory answered: I haue allwaies done this, though there be diffe­rence betwixt that times worke and this. Wherby it is euident, that the presence of God, which Gre­gory practised, was not meerely that only, but was accompanied with à feruent loue of God and his neighbour which is the end of all the diuine precepts, ād the highest degree of perfection, that can be attained in this life. This he gaue himself to both morning and euē ­ing and the most part of the night. These were his prayers, these his meditations, this was the daily bread, wheron that religious soule did feed. And though he gaue him­self to this all the day, yet I did marke, that in the morning chie­fly, he was with this exercise, as it were, transported. He had no certaine place nor posture of body which he did ordinarily vse in it; [Page 81]most commonly he did stand, or sitt, or walke in his Chamber; sometimes he went out into a gal­lery, which was neare his cham­ber, to enioy the sun a while. In his latter yeares he could not kneele, by reason of his weaknes of body. At eleauen we did dine both toge­ther, with another guest if there were any, for Gregory did not estrange himself from any, espe­cially not from deuout or religious persons. In dinner time our dis­course was of God, or of some na­turall thinges, out of which he did draw some Spirituall conside­ration, grounding very profund doctrine vpon them. After dinner he spent sometime in these kinds of discourses. When there was any religious person present, that made vp the third, he did harken very attentiuely vnto him, but would neuer begin any discourse himself, vnlesse he were asked, or the pre­sent occasion did so require. At other times, I did reade vnto him [Page 82]some saincts liues out of Villegas his Flos Sanctorum; S. Francis his Chronicles, the booke, called the spirituall meadow, and other such bookes, and this exercise lasted two yeares and more. His time of recreation being ended, he re­tired vnto his chamber, still con­tinuing in his vnion with God. which he did neuer interrupt, nei­ther with eating, or talking, or any other outward occupation: he did neuer sleep in the day time, so that he had the more time to conuerse with God. If towardes euening (for it seldome hapned in the mornings) there came to vi­sit him, any body that de­sired to talke with him in priuate about busines, he denied entrance to none, he gaue counsaile and comfort to all, and offered to all his assistance in his prayers vnto God without exception of persons or times, so that in these last yeares he was much visited, not only by [Page 83]the common sort, but much more by religious Men and Cleargy men, and men of great learning and authority. There were many gentlemen and great Ladies that had recourse vnto him, sometimes in person, othertimes by letters, making him acquainted with af­faires, and desiring his counsaile, and prayers also for their good successe. But amongst others, Don Luys de Velasco, Marquis of Sa­linas (who was President of the Councell, and had bin twice Vice­roy of new Spaine, and once of Peru) came some times to visit Gregory Lopes, for the great af­fection and respect which he did beare vnto him, and staied with him sometimes two or three howres together; and he found in him sufficient vnderstanding to treate, not only of his priuate af­faires belonging to his soule, but allso of the publick belonging to the gouernement of the king­dome.

[Page 84]In this manner Gregory spent the euenings, before sunset he re­tired himself to his chamber, and did not come fourth againe till the morning. He neuer vsed cadle light, from the time that he went into the wildernes, which made some aske me out of curiosity, what he did all the night in the darke, not considering, that his exercise, being interiour, did not depend of this materiall light, but of the spirituall, which neither day nor night was wāting. He did neuer eate supper as is said, and so was all alone in the darke, vntill mine and a halfe, or ten, and then he laied himself downe vpon his little couch, couered only with a meane couerlet; and this was the softest bed, that euer he had, for at first the bare groūd was his bed, afterwardes some sheepskins, and some few yeares before his death he accepted at my earnest in trea­ty, a little thin mattresse, and the couerlet I spoke of. In this manner [Page 85]he did sleep, to my thinking, not aboue two or three howers in all the night; for he did spend the rest awake in contemplation till day light, when, as is said, he ope­ned his window. He vsed all the daies of his life, the self same exer­cises as is said, and in this manner he passed ouer the time that he li­ued in Santafe, vntil it pleased God to take him away to enioy euer­lasting rest.

THE XIII. CHAPTER. Of the death of Gregory, and of the most remarkable and admi­rable thinges, which then happened.

ANd now it seemed, the time approched, wherein Grego­ry was to passe, from this momen­tary life, to an euerlasting, there [...]o receiue the rewarde, which God hath prepared for his faith­full seruāts, for in the Mōth of May [Page 86]1596. he was stricken with an aire, which did so distemper him, as that he neuer found himself so weake and ill disposed and pre­sently he lost his stomack alltoge­ther, in so much as that he could not swallow downe any thing but liquid thinges, and them allso with much difficulty. Few daies after he fell into the flux (a di­sease troublesome, nnd dangerous in such a weake body) yet he would not suffer, that a Physitian should be sent for, partly, because of the experience which he had in the cure of that disease, and partly, be­cause he knew, that the strong medicines, which the Physitians vse to apply, would in lesse time wast the little strength, which he found in himself, and seeing me solicitous by reason of his disease, and that I desired much, that some remedies should be applied, he said vnto me: now, Father Losa, let vs walke Gods pace, as if he should say, that conformity and resigna­tion [Page 87]of mind was for those times, and not to be talked of, when there is nothing that troubleth vs, but all goeth well with vs: so he was vsed to say commonly, that re­signation is alltogether deedes, and hath no wordes. He spēt some daies after this manner, with that patience and courage as he was vsed to suffer his other sicknesses. vntill vpon the day of S. Iohn Bap­tist the 24. of Iune, I thought it fitting to giue him the blessed Sa­crament, and askeing him whe­ther he thought it good to receiue it then, he answered yes, and that he reioyced much, that it was vpon the day of S. Iohn Baptist his especiall patron. I gaue him the blessed Sacrament, and fearing that his death did draw neere I had some holy oile in readines a­gainst it was needfull: for besides his great weaknes and illstomach, he had got a hicket that was very painefull vnto him, and his pulse did beate with intermissions: not­withstanding [Page 88]all this, such was his courage, that the very same day that he receiued his Viaticum, and all the daies following he rise out of his bed, and made it himself; he made himself readie, and allwaies, euen to his death, he did rise to the stoole, and though commodi­ty was offered him, yet he would mortify himself in not vsing it. He grew weaker euery day, not being able to eate any thing at all, he only sustained himself with strong waters, which were sent him in great quantity from Mexico, by persons of quality; which when he receiued, admiring at the pro­uidence of God, he said, with great feeling: [...]hou art wonderfull, o Lord, for that a Man who in all the world doth not possesse a pin of his owne, should haue need to liue vpon waters of kings and princes, and should find those, that would giue him them without seeking for. Now the day of the glorious Apostles S. Peeter and Paul [Page 89]was come, and I doubting that my sick man would not out-liue that day, thought it most secure to giue him Extreme Vnction. He was very glad that this Sacrament was to be administred vnto him vpon that day of the Princes of the Church to whom he was much deuored, and had allwaies a desire to serue. The time being come, wherin I was to giue him absolution in vertue of his Bulla Cruzada, I bad him call to mind some sin, though of the yeares past, that I might absolue him, and apply vnto him the Indul­gences of the See Apostolick; whereunto, he answered, that by the mercy of God he did not feele any thing trouble his conscience; the which was to be vnderstood of mor [...]all sins: whence may be gathered that h [...] neuer commit­ted any in his life: because he was not ignorant, that none euer liued without veniall sin, [...]xc [...]pting our Lady: though, it might be allso, [Page 90]he said that he did not remember any veniall sin, not because he had neuer committed any, but because he had not committed them wit­tingly, and being asked sodainly, it might very well be, that he re­membred none. With that I gaue him the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction; afterwardes importu­ning him, that he would suffer sheetes to be brought him, to ease him somewhat of his paines, he answered: now that I am anoi­led I may receiue them, and, thin­king that his death drew neare, I said vnto him: will you dy now? then speaking to himself, he said: now nature wilt thou dy? shewing by this, the pity and compassion, which the spirit had of the body, or the higher part of his soule of the lower ond sensitiue: for Gre­gory vnderstood very well, this di­uision and anatomy of the inward Man and the outward, and the parts of both, and he was vsed to discourse very elegantly of it. So [Page 91]vehement were the paines, which he endured in his body, as that I once asking him, how he did, and where was his paine? he said, that from the sole of his feet to the crowne of his head there was no part free from paine; ad besides this, our Lord on the other side did afflict him in the most inte­riour and sensible part of his soule, so that both inwardly and out­wardly he might haue abundant occasion of merit. In this kind I will tell one thing that was gene­rally knowne in Mexico, though perhaps all doe not relate it so precisely as it hapned, and there­fore it is not amisse to set downe the truth. I will conceale the per­sons names because those that knowe them will easily guesse the right, and those that doe not knowe them, there is no reason why they should.

Amongst those persons of qua­lity that came from Mexico to vi­sit Gregory in this his last sicknes, [Page 92]there was a great Lady, who was wife to a noble man, that serued the king in an honourable office. She did not giue such Good exāple in the city as she might haue done, both in matter of brauery and excessiue expences, as also in playing at crades, wherin she lost much time and mony allso, drawing after her some other noble weomen, who, vnder her wing, did dare to giue scope to that vice, their husbands not being able to hinder them. This La­dy came to Santafe the third of Iu­ly seauenteen daies before Grego­ryes death, to visit him, and che­rish him, for allthough in the thinges aforesaid she was some­what faulty, yet for workes of merey, and compassion towardes the poore and afflicted, she was much to be commended. As soone as I vnderstood of her comming, I sent word vnto her, that she should not come into the house; hauing made such little vse of his [Page 93]prayers and labours for that ha­uing bin here before, she had not left off playing art cardes, and ta­ken away the scandall which she did giue therby, being a purgato­ry to so noble a gentleman as her husband was; therefore she might returne to Mexico, for there was no meanes to see the sick man, neither would her almes be well­come vnto him. She made diuerse replies, and in messages back­wardes and forwardes, were spēt three or foure howers, I still deny­ing her leaue to come and visit him. Whilest therfore this Lady expected the last resolution and answer, that deuote of ours, whom I spoke of, and others allso certified me, that she came with a great desire to amend, and leaue of her idle life, and gaming, and that therfore it would much auaile for her entire amendment, to comfort her, and yeeld to that which she did so much desire, wherwith I was satisfied, and of [Page 94]opinion that she should see him. As she came in at the doore, a far of he said vnto her: Father Lo­sa had promised, that you should not come in at this doore; to which she answered: he hath rea­son, but I will amend. As soone as she saw Gregory she tooke much compassion of his infirmity, and began presently to serue him with her owne handes sitting on her knees at his bedd side, ād to dresse his meate, for in that she had a speciall faculty, though she had a greater in commending herself earnestly to his prayers, and ma­king vse of that good occasion in time before it slipt away; for whi­lest she was here, she was euery day both morning and euening with the sickman a great while, beseeching him vpon her knees, and with teares, in her eies, that he would pray for her, and take her soule into his charge. Heer­with she began to feele a great al­teration in her mind; for now she [Page 95]did take content in treating of hea­uenly matters, and of amēding her life; and there in my presence she did burne a paire of cardes, which she had brought with her in her sleeue, to passe the time withall ād came to me to confession, and af­ter that time I perceiued a change in her soule. In fine some few daies before she was to returne to Me­xico, hauing bin one morning, as she was wont to doe, intreating the sick man to assist her with his prayers to our Lord, she turned to me very ioyfull, and said: Father Losa beare me witnes, that Father Gregory Lopes hath promised me, that when I dye, he will come for my soule to cary it to heauen, be­cause I doe not knowe the way And to Gregory Lopes she asked him: doe you make me this pro­mise? to which he answered: yes, I promisse you. After this discourse ensued two things very remar­kable; one was, that the paines and torments of Gregory did in­crease [Page 96]very much, the other was, that this Lady fell into the same di­sease, whereof Gregory died: yet notwithstanding, she staied two daies in this village serueing him as much as her sicknes would giue her leaue, and powring out, being vpon her knees before him, abun­dant teares of repentance. With this assurance she returned to Me­xico, because her sicknes increa­sed, and at her taking leaue Gre­gory said vnto her: fare well, for we shall not see one another againe by reason of our weaknes of body. As soone as she came to her house, she did write vnto me some good sayings wherby she did shew, that her soule was toucht by the powerfull hand of God, and among other things she said vnto me, that the Physitians of her body did apply to her disease many good medicines, but that she did most desire, that the Phy­sitians of her soule would remem­ber her often in their prayers to [Page 97]God. Her infirmity waxed grea­ter, together with confusion and sorrow for her sinnes, and signes of true repentance. At the same time I did also perceiue that Gre­gory his paines were increased; for that Lady being allmost at the point of death, there came hither Martin Lopes de Guana a publik Notary, to visit our sick man, as he did vse to doe at other times, with a message from the said La­dy, who desired him to be mind­full of her, and he requested the same in the name of all his house and his owne; whereunto Gregory replied, as one that had a great weight vpon him: so I doe, I feele her ly very heauy vpon me. This seemed strange vnto me, for I ne­uer perceiued any thing in him that did molest him, or that he complained of but only in this oc­casion To conclude the Lady died, leauing behind her great tokens of her saluation, and shewing, at the hower of her death, such [Page 98]signes of true repentance, and sorrow for the ill example, wher­with she had withdrawne other persons after her, as that this so­daine alteration was of no lesse edification, then the disorders and loosenes of her life past, had bin of scandall; and within few how­ers the newes of her death co­ming to vs, I told it vnto Grego­ty, and he with a joyfull counte­nance said only these wordes: God is powerfull. I asked of a brother of the Conualescents who neuer went out of Gregory his sight, whether at that time and hower when the Lady died as they told vs, he had perceiued any vnusuall thing; and he told me, yes, for he saw him besides himself and, as it were in an extasie at the same time; wherby I did gather, that it had pleased God, to accomplish Gregory his promisse, and that he had bin present in spirit at the death of his deuote, and carried her to Purgatory that afterwarde [Page 99]he might cary her with him to heauen, when he departed out of this life. Of this I haue no certain­ty, but it may be piously beleeued according to that which is here related. I haue here told this hi­story, to declare somwhat of the zeale which Gregory had of the saluation of soules, and to shew that the loue of God ād his neigh­bour, which he did continually exercise was not a meere specula­tion and built only in the aire, but that the losse of soules spiritually went euen to his heart, and that with all his strength he did seeke their recouery, though at his owne cost, and by enduring the pu­nishements due to another sins, as it seemes in this occasion he suffe­red those which the other should haue done; for besides the grie­uous paines of his body, which he did suffer from his head to his feet, his inward torment was very ve­hement, which he did vndergoe from the time that he tooke that [Page 100]soule into his charge, in so much as that he did wonder at himself, and he that neuer complained of any thing, in this time did say with great feeling: Iesus, God help me, what a Purgatory is this? and once, as I was about to leaue him vpon some busines he stayed me; saying: keep me company. Truly the say­ing of Iesus Christ to his Apostles keep me company, had in it a great mistery; shewing by this, that he found himself in his soule destitute of that ioy, wherwith our Lord was vsed to comfort him in such occasions at other times; but the strength with which he did suffer this, the integrity of his faith, and the confidence which he did put in God, was that which I did most admire at in him: and because his ordinary exercise after he went out to liue solitary, was to reuiue that faith, and make a more straight vnion of his soule with God, therfore his heroicall ver­tue in this kind, appeared clearly [Page 101]when occasion was. I was wont to aske him in this his last sicknes, how he went on in the exercise of his continuall act of the loue of God, and he allwaies, euen till his death, answered, that very well; and, to make this more euident, I will here put downe in particular some questiōs which I asked him when I saw him most troubled ād the answers which he gaue me. I once asked him, whether so great paines did not separate him some what from God? he answered: not a iot; another time seeing him much afflicted, I said vnto him, now is your mind vpon God? he said and where should it be else? his death being neerer, whilest he was in his agony, I asked him; now are you well fixed vpon God? he said, I am not ill, vpon an other occasion, haueing bin much re­collected, he turned vnto me and said: Perseuerāce with peace auai­leth much; and as I cōforted him, saying, that our Lord did lead him [Page 102]through crosses, as his beloued sō: I am glad, said he, I am glad that his will is fulfilled in me. Lastly when I thought it was time to giue him the holy candle, I saide these wordes vnto him: now it is time to goe, and see the secret, will you haue the candle (alluding to the history which he did know, of king Alonso the wise, who being in the like passage, said, giue me that candle, let vs goe see that se­cret) wherunto Gregory made answer with a wonderfull confi­dence; there is no secret, all is cleare, it is noone day with me. This is not to be vnderstood so, as that Gregory should say, that at that instant he did see God cleere­ly: for that kind of cleare vision hath seldome hapned in this life; the clearnes, which here he did speake of, is that of contemplation, which holy men doe call a cleare knowledge, because this light of contemplation ioyned with the generall light of faith, causeth [Page 103]such a security, and a speciall kind of certainty of the diuine Mi­steries, as that in comparison of the orainary knowledge of the faithfull, it is called a cleare know­ledge, though in respect of the cleare sight of God, it be but ob­scure. Gregory spoke of this clearnes whē h [...] said, all is cleare, and, to say, that it was noone day with him, was no great exaggera­tion, because the light of contem­plation goeth far beyond the light of noone day: With this inu [...]ncible courage and valour, full of faith, hope and char [...]ty, tak [...]ng a little while after, the candle in his hand, he yeelded vp his soule to his Crea­tour, to continue for all eternity (being swallowed vp and ouer­whelmed in that infinite se [...] of the loue of God) that excellent act of loue wherin (as much as in possible for human frailty in this place of exile) he had allwaies endeauou­red to exercise himself and excell. He died on saturday at noone, on [Page 104]the 20. of Iuly of the yeare 1596. vpon which day the Order of the Carmelites doth solemnise the feast of Elias the first Father and Founder of the solitary life, which Gregory Lopes had so perfectly obserued. He liued 54. yeares, and 33. of them in solitude, His body remained as if he had bin aliue, and, as we that were present did conceit, with a certaine brightnes. At the same time wee felt a very pleasing smell, which came from his body, and remained in the chamber wherin he died: and (which is more to be admired) his winding sheet kept the same smell, and his cloaths doe retaine it till this day. It is allso worthy of no­ting, that there being present at his death the Canon Nicolas Mar­tinez Rectour of this place, and my self, who had bin 20. yeares a Curate, and three other deuout lay men, none of vs, did thinke of saying for him a Responsory of the dead, such was the ioy that we [Page 105]did feele by seeing him, and was caused by his happy passage. His body was laied in the Church of this village, by order, of the Do­ctour Iohn de Ceruātes Vicar Ge­nerall of the Archbisoprick, and now Bishop of Guaxica, who vn­derstanding of Gregory his sicknes whose sanctity was well knowne vnto him, came to visit him some daies before his death, and to de­sire him that he would cause him­self, to be buried where it should please the Archbishop of Mexico, or his Vicar Generall. He spoke first with me about this matter, be­fore he talked with him, and I answered him that at that time Gregory did not take any care for his buriall, that all was at my dis­posing, desiring indeed that his bo­dy should remaine in the Church of Santafe; but I would not de­termine vntill I had spoke with him; and telling Gregory what the Vicar Generall did require, he said these wordes: let the Vicar Gene­rall [Page 106]his will be done, for that is the will of God: and so this being takē vnder witnes before a Notary the Vicar Generall commanded that it should be buried in this Church, yet so, as that it should be lawfull to translate it to the Cathedrall of Mexico when it pleased the Arch­bishop, prouiding hereby with much prudence and mature iud­gement, that if in processe of time it should please God to declare by miracles, how much he hath bin pleased by this his seruant, the ci­ty of Mexico might be honoured with the treasure of his holy bo­dy. There were present at his fu­neralles many deuout persons, and of good account who had flocked thither from Mexico and other parts only for that purpose, and brought with them torches and whatsoeuer else was necessary for the better solēnising of the office, which was performed by Don Alonso de Motay Escouar Deane of the Church of Mexico, who was [Page 107]then Bishop elect of Guadalaiara and now is of Tlaxcalla. His body was enterred neare the high aultar on the ghospell side, and many persons that touched him 24. howers after his death found his limmes so flexible as if he had bin aliue, though commonly dead bo­dies, as soone as they become cold, vse to grow stiffe so as their ioyntes cannot be bended. Some say that God is wont to bestow this gift and particular priuiledge vpon virgins bodies, as it is likely that he was. At his buriall allso the foresaid smell was felt, wher­with the peoples deuotion was so increased, that they cutt off pieces of his garment very greedily, thin­king thēselues happy if they could but get any thing that was his. They solemnised his funeralls vpō S. Annes day, and Doctour Her­nando Ortis de Hinoiofa Ca­non of Mexico, who died being chosen Bishop of Gautimala, made a sermon at them,

[Page 108]This was the maruailous end of this seruant of God whose me­mory deserueth to be kept and re­uerenced by all, not only the citi­sens of Mexico, but also of Madrid his country, for besides the obli­gation which all the faithfull haue to worship ād honour the reliques, and memories of saints, these haue a particular, the Prouince of Me­xico by enioying these pretious re­liques, and the most famous towne of Madrid the court of the Catho­lick king, because it is now eui­dent that he was borne there, and Christned in the Parishe of S. Giles which is that we spoke of before and is the Church of the Franciscans discalceate, and the Parish is at this day incorporated with S. Iohns.

THE FIRST CHAPTER. Wherin are treated many notable things by which it hath pleased God to manifest the sanctity of Gregory Lopes.

GOd is a faithfull freind of his seruants, as saith the Spouse in the Can­ticles, and it is seene by this, that one of the properties of true freinds is to procure by all meanes possible, when it is ne­cessary [Page 110]or conuenient, to make knowne and lay open those good partes which ly hidden and concealed in those whom they desire to honour and reward. And this is the Title which Nabu­chodonosor gaue vnto the God of Israell, after that Daniell had in­terpreted his dreames vnto him, saying: Truely your God is God of Gods, Lord of Kings, reuealer of secrets, and interpreter of great, and hidden misteries.

Gregory died to the eies of the world (I meane of Men addicted to the word and forgetfull of their saluation) but he liued in the me­mory of the faithfull, and of the true Christians, to whom God be­gan, to reueale in the death of his seruant, how acceptable his life had bin vnto him, of this we haue infinite testimonies and be this the first.

At the same hower that Grego­ry died a certain religious woman much exercised in vertue and in­teriour [Page 111]conuersation (with whom this holy Man was vsed to haue communication in the vnion of spirituall life) being at her prayers rapt in spirit, she saw him come towardes her, saying these wordes: sister I am going to heauen, you are not to goe so soone, because your presence is necessary for the seruice of God, and the comfort of this monastery; this said, he presently vanished away; leauing her soule much edified ād resigned to the will of God, though her de­sire was to be freed from that mor­tall body, and be with Christ. And before the newes of Gregory his death came to Mexico, she told this reuelation to her ghostly fa­ther, who being certified of the truth aduised her not to diuulge that which had bin reuealed vnto her, vntill it pleased God to de­clare what was to be done: he did allso counsaile her to pray more earnestly vnto God to assure her whether this was a visiō from him [Page 112]or illusion of the diuell, and twelue daies after she told her ghostly fa­ther, that it was the will of God that this should be reuealed vnto me, because I had inquired of what had past; and moreouer, that these wordes were spokē vn­to her, by the mouth of her hea­uenly spouse Iesus Christ. Where­fore, thinkest thou, Gregory is placed neare me? because he left all temporall things for my sake, and liued with inward recollec­tion and silence.

I haue bin told of a religious woman whose vertue and spirit is well knowne vnto me, how that fiue yeares before Gregory his death, laying herself downe vpon her bed after Prime, because at that time she was sick, God shew­ed her in her sleep, the heauens open and all the religious Orders, and Martirs going out in pro­cession: and more ouer our Lady with many of the weomen saints, and our Sauiour Iesus Christ with [Page 113]Apostles, and she being amaysed at this vision, it was told her that they went to visit holy Gregory who was sick. Afterwardes she vnderstood that he was like to dy, and that he had not earen any thing in fiue daies.

A certaine person whose wis­dome vertue and humility is well knowne to all, moued with an affectiō of deuotiō and loue which he did beare towardes this holy man, did desire him, some daies before his death, to remember him, and he promised him to doe so, and the first saturday night af­ter Gregory his death, this man saw in his sleep a vision wherwith he waked; and that which he saw was the likenes of holy Gregory, whose blessed soule did, as it were, vnite it self vnto the others body, and made him praise God in his [...]aints, especially in the holy con­ [...]esiour Gregory with great Iubily: and this past for a while; and he remaining very ioyfull and much [Page 114]comforted, he began againe to feele himself touched ouer all the body, and awaking therwith now the secōd time, that shape of Gre­gory did enter into him moouing him after an extraordinary man­ner and making him praise God, in such sort as it was not in his power to cease one instant, and withall made him vnderstand, and acknowledge, how vnworthy he was of that fauour, and how much he was obliged to serue God, and be gratefull for that visite of his faithfull freind.

A seruant of God of approued vertue (whom our Lord teacheth and incourageth by many extasies and rapts) being one day, ten yeares, before Gregory his death sore afflicted and full of paine, he began to consider with himself the excellence of Gregory his spirit, and being in this consideration rapt in spirit, there was set before the eies of his vnderstanding an image so cleare and transparant as [Page 115]that he could see through it, and it was told him: such is the soule of Gregory Lopes; where at he did both wonder and reioyee very much, and told it vnto Gregory who answered not a word.

A religious Man that led a spiri­tuall life, much addicted to prayer, whilest he was praying in the quire; had such a cleare knowledge of his being nothing, giuen him by God at the intercession of Gre­gory, as that it much edifieth all that treate with him, and withall such a great loue of God, and vniō with his diuine maiesty, that two months being past since he recei­ued that fauour, he hath neuer dis­continued that vnion, but allwaies perseuered in one continuall act.

There was a certaine Priest, that was much affected to the vertue and spirit of Gregory, and had great hope to find fauour in the [...]ight of God by meanes of his [...]rayers; he considering sometimes with himself (a little while after [Page 116]Gregory his death) how happy he was and gracious in the sight of God, once in his sleep he seemed to heare a voice which said Aske; and in confirmation of this word he asked some thing of God which till that time he could neuer ob­taine, and it was granted him pre­sently the same day; and by the same meanes he obtained other things, not only for himself but allso for others.

To another deuout man, that came to aske counsaile of Gregory being now dead, as he was vsed to doe whilest he liued, it was said: iudge not thy neighbours, and be more temperate, wherwith, he told me, that he had reaped much profit in his soule.

Many other things like vnto these haue bin wrought by our Lord, whereby appeares the great glory, wherwith the diuine goodnes hath honoured Gregory aft [...]r his happy passage, and made knowne his great sanctity by a number of miracles.

THE SECOND CHAPTER. Of some Miracles which God hath wrought by the reliques of Gre­gory Lopes.

GOd is wōt to exalt his freinds, not only in their heauenly country where they liue for euer, but allso in this place of exile where they dy, and to honour those at their death, who honou­red him in their life, working mi­racles by the iust man to the end that his good workes may be knowne, the power of God ho­nouring him with miracles who had serued and honoured God with his vertues. And because the sanctitie and vertue of Gregory haue bin so excellent, therfore the diuine goodnes hath done, and doth still euery day, so many mi­racles by this his seruant, as that if any curiosity and diligence had bin vsed in gathering them toge­ther [Page 118]and approuing them by this time we night haue made a good large relation of them, and I hope in God that he will yet worke more for his greater glory, the ho­nour of this holy man, and our profit and edification; I will here only relate some of the most cer­taine and approued.

The same day that he was bu­ried, and Indian woman of good account, wife to the gouernour of this towne, being lame of one arme and in great paine, at the same instant, as she tooke Gre­gory his hand in hers, to kisse it, she found herself perfectly sound and free from all paine, giueing God thankes for the mercy he had shewed her by this his seruants meanes.

A little girle of fiue or six yeares of age, was sore tormented with a disease (which she fell into by eating of earth) very dangerous by reason of great obstructions and swelling in her belly, together [Page 119]with a vehement ague, and bea­tings in her head and heart; and foure daies after Gregory his death being much afflicted she said vnto her Mistresse, who was a Lady noble by bloud but more for her Christian like behauiour, and re­collection which she made choice of, and obserueth in the Mona­stery of the Conception at Mexi­co: Mother, least that God should take me away apply vnto me that little welt of Gregory Lopes, which was giuen you, for he will cure me; she did so leauing the child at night with a great feauer, and when she rise to Mattins, as she was wont to doe, in passing by she went in to see how the child did, whom she found a sleep and rid of her ague, and awaking her; asked her how she did, she answered; well, for the saint hath taken away my paine. The said la­dy rendred many thankes to God for this so great a miracle.

Another great woman in Me­xico, [Page 120]was tormented with a head­ache, in such manner, as that she was like to loose her senses, and finding no help in any remedies whatsoeuer; she laid vpon her head a sl [...]eue of Gregory his dou­blet, which to her great happines was kept there in great deuotion and reuerence, and she did present­ly take her rest, free from all paine.

A child of three months old, the first and only son of his parēts (who were of the best ranke of Mexico) was sick of a feauer not being able either to sucke or sleep: whilest all those of the house, and of the kindred allso were troubled hereat, one of the maides re [...]em­bred herself of a certaine relique of Gregory which was in the house, which being laid vpon the childs head, he presently fell asleep, some howers after awaked, tooke the teate and was well; his parentes, and those that were present, gaue many thankes vnto God and his [Page 121]saint for this miracle.

In the same city there was a Priest who was so troubled with the toothache, as that for three daies and three nights he could not haue one instant of rest, and by reason of its vehemence his face was much swelled; his mother gaue him a piece of Gregory his garment, and he with faith and deuotion applying it to his cheeke, presently fell a sleep and slept from nine of the clock at night vntill the next morning, and then awaking he found the swelling of of his face asswaged, and himself without any paine, attributing this sodaine recouery to the interces­sion of this saint and giueing God thankes for it,

In the house of a Gentleman of Mexico, a man well knowne in this kingdome, there befell vnto a slaue of his such a sodaine accident and great misfortune, as that all held him for dead of a vehement fit which he had; a gentle woman [Page 122]that was present calling to mind that she had in her keeping a piece of the shirt in which Gregory dyed (which I had giuen her) she cau­sed a little cofer to be brought her, and taking out the said relique, she laid it vpō the sick mans fore­head, and presently he came to himself againe whole and sound, though with much a doe: and be­ing asked what he had felt, he answered; nothing. All that saw this accident, with its circum­stances could not but attribute this cure to a miracle which our Lord wrought by his seruant Gre­gory Lopes.

In the city de los Angelos an honourable Lady was brought to the poinct of death by a violent feauer, which she fell into being great with child and neare her time; but the infant dead in her wombe her husband seing her in this danger, intreated a brother of the Conualescents by name Iohn Valleio to visit her; he went and [Page 123]carried with him a little piece of Gregory his garment, and apply­ing it to the sick womans neck said vnto her: put your hope in God and reuerence this relique of Gre­gory Lopes, for by his interces­sion you shall be restored to your health: it seemes she did so, for being deliuered of that creature, she remained sound.

The said brother applied the same Relique to a sick woman in the same towne, who had such a grieuous headache, as that for a long time she cried out continual­ly both day and night: he wished her to put all her confidence in God, and firmely to beleeue that he would giue her her health, by the merits of Gregory Lopes. She presently recouered rendring ma­ny thankes vnto God, and remai­ning deuout vnto him who by his intercession had freed her from so great paine.

In the city of Taxca a young man was infected with a pittifull [Page 124]leprosi, and after he had tried ma­ny medicines, and spent much in the curing of it, and all in vaine, a brother of the Conualencēts gaue him a little piece of Gregory his garment, bidding him apply it to his neck, and take this seruant of God for his Patron with an assu­red hope to be healed; and it came to passo, that within eight daies he found himself cleare of the le­prosy, and diuulged this miracle, publishing euery wherewith much gratitude, the wonderfull workes of God and the praises of Gre­gory.

In a village of this kingdome, called, Higualapa, a gentleman had bin, for the space of 16. months, troubled with a grieuous paine of the collik, not haucing in all that time scarce a day nor hower free, especially the last twenty daies, in which his paine did not diminish a whit nor giue him one minute of rest As it hap­ned there was present a gentle­woman [Page 125]wife to the chiefe Iustice of that prouince, who told him, that many miracles had bin wrought through the deuotion, which those of her house, did beare vnto Gregory Lopes, and that if he, with the like faith, would make him his mediatour to the di­uine goodnes, he might assure himself of his health. The sick man hearing this tooke a piece of Gregory his shirt, and applied it to the place where he felt his grea­test paine, and holding it there a little while, he presently voided a stone of the bignes of a pine ker­nell. Herwith he recouered and neuer after felt that paine, and held it for certaine, that this hap­pines, and safety did befall him by the merits and intercession of Gre­gory Lopes, to whom he was euer after very deuout.

A brother of the Conualescents, named Alonso de la Fuente was six yeares in the hospitall of Gua­steca, allmost allwaies siek, full [Page 126]of emplasters and both legs full of holes and corruption. The chiefe brother seing him so incurable, ād that besides these and other sores and paines, there was gowne in his forehead a swelling as bigge as an egge, and another, not much lesse in his anckle, both very painefull, he remoued him to the hospitall in the Ilande, of S. Iohn de Vlua, thinking that he would recouer in that place be­cause it was of a hotter temper. But it fell out quite contrary, for he grew much worse by reason of the moistnes of the sea ād the cold north windes. This brother being one day sad and troubled in mind recommended himself to God and all the saints, and earnestly be­sought Gregory Lopes to obtaine him his health; and remembring himself of some reliques of his which were giuen him at Guaste­ca, he applied them to his head with a night cap and to his leg with bandes, throwing the em­plasters [Page 127]and patches, which he wore, into the sea, and in three or foure daies after he had applied the said reliques he found himself perfectly cured of all his diseases, swellings and sores without any other medicine, and he was ne­uer troubled with thē afterwards, wherby he plainly perceiued the force and efficacy of Gregory his intercession.

THE THIRD CHAPTER. Of the knowledge in the holy Scrip­ture, which God infused into Gregory Lopes.

ALlthough Gregory Lopes neuer studied any kind of learning, not so much as Gram­mer, or euen Latine, yet he vn­derstood the holy Sctipture, and turned it into spanish (in the opi­nion of some learned men) with such propriety and iudgement, as if [Page 128]he had spent all his life in the stu­dy of the Latine tongue and Diui­nity, so as many that saw him turne ouer the bible, and read it with such strange readines, in diuers oc­casions that were offered h [...]m, would haue rather thought he had red thinges writen in his owne Mothers tongue; then translated them out of another. He had by heart all the historicall part of the Scripture, of the Ghospell of S. Matthew and S. Iohn word by word, and those things which were said by the other two Euan­gelists more then was by these; the Epistles allso of S. Paul and the Apocalips. To conclude he had such a perfect knowledge of all the holy Scripture, that being asked of any place or sentence whatsoeuer, he answered with incredible rea­dines and certainty.

Father Peter de Prauia, being Vicar Generall of this Archbiso­prick came to visit Gregory whi­lest he was in my house at Mexico [Page 129]recouering his health, and he chā ­ced to aske him about a place in the Scripture, which after long studying he could not find either in the Bible, or the Concordances, Gregory hearing it said this place is not in all the Bible but there is another like it and it is this; open­ing the Bible he presently shew­ed it to the Vicar Generall, and it was the same that he sought for.

Three Doctours of Diuinity of the vniuersity of Mexico confer­ring with Gregory in this village of Santafe, about some hard place of the Scripture, intreated him withall to tell them if there was any place in Scripture, that trea­ted of a certaine matter which they mentioned vnto him. To the [...]eard places he answered very [...]learely, and gaue them one very [...]roper for their purpose, which [...]hey had not found, though they [...]ad studied that matter very dili­gently: wherat being much asto­nied, [Page 130]they said in my presence: here is a learned man indeed, what is our knowledge in respect of his. Beatus homo quem tu erudieris Do­mine, Psal. 39.

Certaine religious Men very learned, being in Santafe spoke a sentence as out of Scripture, in his presence and he said: that is not Scripture; they much wondering hereat looked into the bible, and found that he had said true. It was a thing worth admiration how certainly he knew in how many places of the holy Scripture, this thing, or that thing was said? or whether it was in it or no? to this purpose a religious man a publick reader of the Scripture, and one that had conuersed with him, said vnto me (as one that knew him) these wordes: I doe not talke with any man about the holy Scripture with such warines, as I doe with Gregory Lopes.

Certaine prebends being in cō ­pany with him, told of another [Page 131]that was present, how that he knew all the Psalter by heart: he answered; that which is to be esteemed is, if he can make vse of it when it is requisite; for in this he was singular, that he could call to mind both the thinges which he knew and their places when it was needfull.

Ther were some Preachers, who haueing occasion to retire them­selues to Santafe, when they were to make a sermon, were vsed to say, that they needed not their Concordances where Gregory was.

Don Pedro Moya de Contreras visiting his Archbishoprick, came to Guasteca where Gregory did liue at that time, and sent vnto him by me to aske a doubt, wherunto he answered so profundly as that I did not dare to bring him the answer, but re [...]ning with the message, I said vnto him; I had ra­ther that you would heare Grego­ry his reasons from his owne [Page 132]mouth then from mine, and so he will answer you when you goe to see him. When the Archbishop had bin with him, and heard him, he remained well satisfied and much amased, and said vnto me: I ne­uer thought that he knew so much.

Father Dominick de Salazar, who died being first Archbishop of the Philippines, spoke in this manner of Gregory twenty yeares before his death, in the presence of three graue and learned reli­gious men of the order of S. Do­minick: how is this Fathers, that we, with all that we haue got by studying in all our life, know not half so much as this young man doth?

Many learned persons, that came to aske him doubts out of the holy Scripture, returned well sa­tisfied, and amased at the great knowledge, which it had peased God to bestow vpon this his seruāt [...] amongst others came a Doctour of [Page 133]Diuinity who some daies before had bin present at some conclu­siōs out of the holy Scipture which had bin defended in the schooles of the society of Iesus at Mexico vpon that place Malach. 3. Ecce ego mittam Angelum meum, &c. and asking Gregory what was the meaning of that place, he brought so many exquisite things vpon it, that he Doctour affirmed, that there was no more, nor euen so much said in all the Conclusions.

THE IIII. CHAPTER. How Gregory Lopes was directed by the holy Ghost, in the spirituall manner of life.

GOd did not onely teach this his beloued scholler the holy Scripture; as is said, but also, and in a more excellent degree, he in­structed him in a spirituall course. which he was to follow in a most eminent manner, and was allso to [Page 134]be a guide and Master to others. For this holy man by the light of his vnderstanding, knew his owne person, and, as far as I could vn­derstand, he did see as distinctly his owne spirit with the eies of his vnderstanding, as he did his body with those of his body, and he did clearely discerne those two springs, of his body, and his soule, which rise vp so mingled the one with the other, restrayning the current of the body, and enlar­ging that of the spirit, which is very rare; for it is a very hard thing, and such as few attaine vn­to, to distinguish in ones self, the workes that proceed from grace, from those that proceed from na­ture, because oftentimes the one are masked with the liknes of the others; Gregory discerned these very well, both in himself, and o­thers that asked him counsaile in the like doubts.

It once so fell out with me, that haueing bin, for some months [Page 135]space, only exercised in mentall prayer, wherin I found great dif­ficulty and trouble, I had after­wardes occasion to goe about a certaine worke of charity, and by the way I felt such an inward ioy and tranquillity of mind, that in those daies me thought I was in heauen. Afterwardes returning to Santafe and giueing him account of what had past, I told him that my spirit had dilated it self very much; he answered me: Father Lo­sa it was your nature that dilated it self: I did beleeue him, though at that time I did not vnderstand it; but assisted through the mercy of God by his prayers, soone after I attained to this verity: for I was wont to doe outward workes of charity, which though in them­selues they be vertuous and meri­torious, yet haue this property, that they recreate and dilate na­ture, and sometimes self loue creeps in; but in that recollection I did only vse mentall prayer, du­ring [Page 136]the which, nature was as it were in a continuall torment and rack, because she was withheld from those exercises, wherin she was vsed to find content and de­light, though holy and good; of which kind are these; to relieue the necessities, and seeke the good of ones neighbour, to heare and speake of heauenly things (for these haue bin my employments by the grace of God, for some yeares) but when I left of this re­collection, to doe that worke of charity which I spoke of, and re­created my self with the sight of the fieldes and hills, nature did re­turne to her former case and quietnes, so as she made no war against the spirit, wherwith I re­receiued much content, thinking that now I was at peace with my self; but afterwardes, when I de­sired to returne to my sole men­tall exercises. I found that nature had got more strength then euer to war against the spirit, and percei­uing [Page 137]by this manifestly, that this my peace was not: so much of the spirit as of nature, I came to see by euident consequence, that Gre­gory knew my spirit better then I my self did.

Certaine religious men talking in his presence, of things which did help ones spirit and deuotion, one of them said, that musick did much auaile, for he, by heareing once euēsong in the great Church at Mexico found his spirit so reui­ued, as that he had neuer said his prayers before with such peace and quietnes. Another said, that it auailed much to pray in company with others because the difficulty, which he found in praying in his Cell, was diminished, and taken away by the presēce and example of those, that did pray with him. Gregory let thē goe away without speaking a word vnto them about that matter. I did perceiue that he could easily haue freed them from their errour, and shewed them that [Page 138]it is nature that is helpt and recrea­ted, by those meanes, and not the spirit, as might be seene by the suc­cesse which I had; and because the reason, why some in prayer doe help themselues with the company of others, is because our nature is quickned, and taketh delight, that her good workes are seen, as may be seen in those, who take a disci­pline and giue almes in publick; therfore such as those following the content of nature, pray better in company then alone. I asked him what was the reason, that he did not aduise and instruct those religious men in this, he answered me; because that were to hinder their iourney, for with that staffe they goe on a little, and without it they would sit downe.

Our Lord had giuen him a great quicknes of iudgment in distin­guishing thōghts or words which, was idle, and which not; and in speaking of God he could very well discerne, when it proceeded [Page 139]from nature; and when from God: to this purpose he was vsed to say: many mē doe speake of God more through loue of themselues then of God, sometimes allso he said: the loue of God is all in workes, it hath but few wordes, and oftentimes it is dumbe. From this knowledge proceeded that rare moderation of his tongue, as shall be said in its, proper place.

From hence allso it came to passe that he neuer had any scruples, but an admirable quietnes of mind; ād no lesse certainty in matters of faith, wherin he neuer had any doubts, notwithstanding his great temptations, and this is that which he meant at the hower of his death, when being asked whether he would haue the holy candle, to goe and see the secret, he answe­red with great courage, as is said before, all is cleare, there is nothing secret, it is noone day with me; wherin his meaning was not that his faith had no obscurity in it, but [Page 140]that he had no doubt in matetrs belonging vnto it; for our faith is obscure, yet so, as it is allso most certaine, and the certainty of it ta­keth not away its obscurity, wher­in our Lord will haue vs walke in this life, captiuating our vnder­standing in his seruice, as saith the Apostle.

I haue thought conuenient to put downe some examples, wher­by the greatnes of the light which Gregory had, might be gathered, since that with it he knew, not on­ly himself and his owne spirit, but allso other mens. I had great signes and coniectures (by those things which had hapned vnto me) to perswad my self, that he did see other mens soules: being of this o­pinion, I asked him one day about fiue yeares or more before his death, if it were true, that he did see them, he answered, no; with this so plain an answer I beleeued him, and rested satisfied, but I ob­serued that frō that day forwardes, [Page 141]he grew euery day more wary, therfore I spoke no more vnto him of that matter, but since, I haue had, and now haue so many wit­nesses, so worthy of credit, and such as none can except against, that I thinke I should doe ill in not affirming it for certaine; and if he said that he did not see them, that is to be attributed to his great humility and wisedome which made him seeke to conceale that gift of God, as he did many others: neither is it to be thought, that a mā so true and perfect did tell a ly, for his denying of it in this case, might be saued from a ly by many waies. First it might be that at that time, God had not as yet done him that fauour, but that he did it him afterwardes towardes the end of his life. It might be allso that at that instant, whē I askt him that question, he did not see the soules, but that God gaue him light, to see them at other times, when it was necessary, for the light of contem­plation [Page 142]of spirituall things is not habituall and permanent, but on­ly actuall, such as is that of prophe­cy which God giueth and taketh away as he pleaseth. And so at that time, when Gregory said that he did not see them (though he did see them in other occasiōs) it is to be vnderstood that he did not see them, because God had ta­ken away that light from him at that present.

A certaine person of quality told Gregory, that he had had great temptations, but he hoped in God he had not committed any sinne in them, and therfore that he had not reuealed them in confession. Gre­gory replied: not so stoutly, for truely you haue bin but a weake souldiour; then the other said: then doe you thinke it good I should confesse them? Gregory answered, he did not thinke that he had cō ­mitted any great fault in doing as he did, but to haue made an entire resistance he should haue done [Page 143]such and such things; hereby the other, not only gathered that he had seen his spirit, but allso learnt the māner of resisting better, after­wardes.

A godly Priest came frō a place far distant vnto Gregory to be re­solued of some doubts concerning his soule; and he answered him, so to his purpose as the Priest said: you haue told me that which I thought to haue askt you, and which I had great need to be told of; Gregory replied: God seing your necessity moued my tongue to speake that which you heard.

There came to visit Gregory a lawyer, who then was maried and now is a religious man, but was allwaies a vertuous man, and by the way he talked with his com­panion about certaine thinges tou­ching his soule, which neither Gregory nor any other man did know, or could know by any na­turall meanes, and as soone as they came vnto him before they asked [Page 144]him of any of those things, of which they intended to talk with him he answered them so directly to all thinges, as that they remai­ned satisfied and amaysed, ād loo­king one vpon the other, rendred thankes vnto God, seing him ans­wer them so directly, as if he had bin asked, whervpon the lawyer tooke occasion to examine his cō ­science as often as he went to vi­sit Gregory, thinking that he saw the most secret thoughts of his heart; and after the same manner going at other times to aske his counsaile, he answered him so di­rectly before he spoke euer a word, as that he was confirmed in the opinion, which he had of him:

A religious man of a very spiri­tuall life and very familiar with Gregory; went one euening to aske him some doubts about his spirit, and because it was allmost night, and he had not the time, which he desired, to treate of that [Page 145]busines, he bid him goe take his rest, and that the next morning they would talke of it. The reli­gious man being that night in his chamber which was vnder the ho­ly man his lodging, receiued in­wardly an answer from God of that which he intended to aske, and a check for comming to aske counsaile of a creature, when he might haue it from the Creatour, for that he that had giuen Grego­ry such store, would allso giue vn­to him, if he would dispose him­self for it, and put his confidence in God; as soone as it was morning, he went vnto Gregory his cham­ber, who smiled as soone as he saw him, and the religious man be­gan to tell him how that God that night had answered his doubts: Gregory helpt him out to tell it, ād preuenting him, for as yet he had not told of the reprehension, he said these wordes vnto him: and had you not a good reprehension for seeking counsaile of a creature, [Page 146]he answered, yes, father, I had a reprehension allso. At all this he maruailed very much, and assured himself that the holy man had seen in God all that had past with him.

Another Priest very carefull in things concerning his spirit, came to see Gregory Lopes, and obser­uing him diligently, perceiued that this seruant of God spoke to him of all that was in his heart, which though Gregory himself did neue [...] insinuat, yet the priest assured him­self that it was so, for that his soule somewhat inordinately af­fecting the great fauours which he had receiued, and which he did hope to receiue from the hand of God; Gregory among other things said vnto him: wee looke for great matters, but truly either here, or there we must pay for our small humility.

A cortaine person deuout vnto our Lady was vsed to say his beades, and by that meanes so effi­cacious [Page 147]for all good and happie progresse; had receiued such fa­uours from God as that for some yeares space he was allmost in cō ­tinuall prayer. Therfore seing him­self so well profited in mentall prayer, he asked Gregory whether it were not best to leaue off the ro­sary, that he might giue himself the more to the other? he answe­red no, (knowing that the wor­shipping of our Lady, to whom he was very deuout; doth not only help beginners, but is allso cause of a happy progresse in the spirituall life, [...]uē to those that haue attained to perfectiō, and a meane to perse­uer in it) wherfore he perseuered a yeare in that deuotion of the rosa­ry, ād perceiuing that those heauē ­ly fauours still continued in his soule, as one now alltogether spiri­tuall, he determined to leaue of the rosary without acquainting Gre­gory with it; but within few daies after he left it off, he began to feele many troubles and drouths, and al­most [Page 148]no prayer (for to these dāgers he exposeth himself, who thinketh to make a prosperous nauigatiō in the spirituall life, without Mary the starre of the sea) he told this vnto the holy man without telling him the reason, which was his leauing off of the rosary; wherat Gregory smiling said vnto him: fall to your beades againe; he did so, and it suc­ceeded so well with him, as that in a short time he came to haue the same spirit and deuotiō, as he was wont to haue; whervpon he was euer after very deuout vnto our La­dy, ād wōdered much, that Gregory did knowe the cause of his drouth, though he had concealed it.

It once hapned that there met at Santafe six spirituall men or more at the same time, who came from diuers parts to confer with Grego­ry of matters concerning their soule, and sometimes he answered thē all in publick, and that so sub­stantially as that they were satis­fied in their doubts, and instructed [Page 149]in what they were ignorant of; but that which I most admired at, was to see in how few wordes he ans­wered, for he did resolue great diffi­culties in two or three wordes, and me thought those wordes were as lawes in the mindes of the heares, and sparcles deriued frō a burning charity; so as they went away not only illuminated, but allso with their hearts inflamed ād stirred vp to embrace whatsoeuer was good.

There came vnto Gregory one exceedingly troubled in mind and told him all his troubles; he answe­red him only these wordes: this is a purgatory wherin God detaineth you, and these were of force to cō ­fort him, and giue him great quietnes of mind.

He comforted another Priest much afflicted, only by saying vn­to him that of the Apocalips: I counsaile thee to buy of me tried and burning gold, wherwith thou maist be rich.

Another found comfort amongst [Page 150]his tribulations and temptations, by hearing him say: the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the valiant doe win it.

To knights and great persons that desiring to liue well in their state, did aske him what they should doe, he said: That which you doe for the loue of G [...]d, and that is enough.

To lawyers, indges, and men of emploiment, he was vsed to say change your intention and you will doe much.

With these kinds of speeches he did awake some that were a sleep who by hearing him came to the selues and profited very much of this efficacy and good effects of his wordes (which I did allwaies, attribute to his prayers) we shall speake some thing in the 19. and 20. Chapters, besides that which is spoke of in diuerse places of this booke and might be spoken of more at large.

Haueing by long obseruation [Page 151]perceiued, that Gregory did vnder­stand spiritually, whatsoeuer he spoke or heard I once said vnto him: whatsoeuer you speake or heare, you vnderstand it spiritual­ly, and he answered me, that it was true; wherby spirituall men may see the perseuerance and con­stancy of his spirit, and those that are not, will perceiue it by these examples following.

If any Man did say that the bread of Santafe was good, he answered, yes, meaning the blessed Sacra­ment, which is true bread of our holy faith. When they did cōmend the beauty, good smell and excel­lence of the flowers of Santafe he applied it to the saints, whose san­ctity had its beginning from faith because without it, it is imposs [...]ble to please God: if any one, beholding the springs and streames of wa­ters which run from hence to Me­xico, did say: the water of Santafe is better in its spring then at Me­xico, Gregory yielded it was, mea­ning [Page 152]by the spring of Santafe, God, in whom the waters of true wis­dome are best, and he that recei­ueth thē immediatly ftō him hath them more pure and wholsome, then he that receiueth them after they haue passed through human vnderstandings; when he heard men say; such an one is of a noble house, he presently considered that true nobility was to be a son of God in spirit; if any one said that such a Lord or such a Lord was grandy of Spaine, he presently con­sidered that the chiefe greatnes was to be a freind of God, a heater of his diuine wordes, and to per­forme heroicall deedes in his ser­uice. Perceiuing this his wonder­full quicknes ād readines in draw­ing of things to a spirituall ād pro­fitable sense, I was wōt sometimes (when there was occasion of tal­king of any thing, which was hard to be vnderstood spiritually) to aske him the spirituall sense, as once, a little dust arising in Sātafe, which [Page 153]hapneth but seldome, those that were present, said: there is dust all­so in Santafe, I asked him: how can it be said that there is dust in Santafe? he said: because there are saints that liue in Santafe, who are not come to foure and twentie degrees of perfection, and therfore haue some dust of the earth stic­king vpon them, for a man perfec­tly spirituall is all spirit.

THE V. CHAPTER. Of his great knowledge in Ecclesia­sticall and secular histories.

MAny would haue contented and esteemed thēselues hap­py, if they could haue attained to that knowledge which is alreadie said that Gregory came vnto, but as God is the giuer, and Man a sub­iect soe capable, it pleaseth God to set before our eies for examples, some men to whom he hath giuen much, by their industry to con­found [Page 154]and cōdemne the carlesnes of those, that doe not prepare themselues. This holy Man dispo­sed himself so well, as that he is one of those, who by their owne deedes giue a sufficient and ampble testimony of this verity whilest he was in Guasteca, there came to vi­sit him Father Iohn de los Cobos, a Dominican, an excellēt Diuine, who had bin a reader in spaine be­fore he came into these parts, and haueing conferred with him for a good while very seriously he after­wardes said: that the fame of his wisdome was great, but the truth far greater. Haueing heard from him very rare things out of the Apocalips he desired him to make a comment vpon it, which he did in eight daies, and sent it vnto him to Mexico, without either writing it ouer twice or so much as blot­ting out a word. He receiuing it admired very much, both at the speed, as allso the wit, learning, and spirit, which he shewed.

[Page 155]There went allso to Guasteca to talke with him Father Michael Talauera Prouinciall of the discalced Franciscans, whose humili­ty, wisdome and sanctity, were most renowned in this kingdome. He conuersed with him very fa­miliarly, and afterwardes ceased not to admire at his great light ād wisdome, praising and thankeing God for it; in so much as that at his returne from thence to Zaca­tecas, where Gregory had liued so­litary, he did very much extoll his knowledge, and sanctity in a lear­ned sermon which he made there, and among other things he said this: in this field here hath bin bred such a young man, as that I had rather be he, then a king, Empe­rour or Pope; and he added: in de­parting from him, I felt my soule possessed with the grace which I had found in him.

Father Manuell de Reinoso, a holy man, and very great Preacher of the order of S. Francis admiring [Page 156]at the vnderstanding and know­ledge of Gregory, held it to be su­pernaturall; for I (said he) haue asked him of diuerse places in the Scripture, and there was none to which he gaue not a very good answer; once I asked him nine of the hardest places which I haue seene in all the bible, and he ex­pounded them to me in a few wordes and with such propriety, as that he seemed a S. Hierome. Ano­ther religious mā hearing him say so went vnto Gregory with other places of great difficulty, and found by experience, that, what had bin said of him, was true. He knew (with as much euidence as can be gathered out of the holy Scripture ād other histories) what­soeuer past, since the creation of the world to Noe, telling the ge­nerations of the sons of God, and of our first fathers so distinctly, as that without looking in the booke he would rehearse all those li­nages, their degrees and affinities, [Page 157]and the differences of the times and ages, allthough it be a thing so obscure euen to the most lear­ned; neither was he ignorant of things that past the sons of men at that time, whose customes and in­uentions he did relate very parti­cularly. The like he knew from Noe till the comeing of Christ, and he spoke of those times and persons, as if he had liued in them. Hauing spoke of this family of God, he discoursed of the borde­ring nations, putting all into one history, and accommodating these histories to the times and suc­cesses of the said family; and he did not only know the warres and other thinges that hapned in the family of God, but allso those of the Gentills vntill the comeing of our Redeemer, and in my opinion he knew all this as exactly as any other man of his time: He had by heart the Prophecies of all the Sy­billes, he would tell many parti­culars of the birth, infancy, child. [Page 158]hood, youth of our sauiour Christ; and allso of his preaching, death, and the other mysteries, and how much the law of grace excelleth the law of nature and the law written. He had in a manner be­fore his eies the life and preaching of the holy Apostles, and their Dis­ciples. He related in particular the liues and Martyrdomes of the Popes and other famous martyrs from S. Peeter to S. Syluester, and the most remarkable liues and deeds of the Confessours of most note from S. Syluester to Clement the eighth, in whose time he died. He told the names, time and con­uersation of the founders of reli­gious orders, and of solitary life, and of the Archereticks, condem­ning their errours and alledging the Councells, wherin they were condemued, setting downe allso the time, wherin such and such heresies began and ended.

He discoursed very particularly of the history of that beast, which [Page 159]S. Iohn speakeh of in the Apoca­lips, which was the city of Rome, and of the ten hornes, which were the ten Emperours, who did most of all persecute the Church, and he did bring downe this history of the Emperours to Phillip the se­cond, in whose time he died.

He did speake very distinctly of the beginnings and increases of the sect of the false Prophet Ma­homet, of the many countries which were ouerrun, by the Ma­hometans, Turks, Ottomans, by nation Scythians and off spring of Magog, and the Slaughters which they haue made of Christians. I haue heard him say that this per­uerse sect did possesse allmost three thousand leagues of land reaching from Europe to China.

He was allso very conuersant in the histories of the heathens both anchient and moderne, and had knowledge of those famous men whom the gētills esteemed, Gods, as Ianus Hercules and the rest.

[Page 160]He related the conuersions of all nations and countries to our holy faith; and those that preached the ghospell vnto them, and allso the memorable thinges that hap­ned, and that with such certainty, as if he had seen them or read them.

Of all this he hath made à Chro­nology or successiō of times from the creation of the world to Cle­ment the eighth very short yet exact, setting downe the mos [...] memorable both in the Ecclesia­sticall and secular affaires; so as many learned men doe earnestly intreat me to lend thē that booke to copy out.

He had gathered allso out of the said histories the choicest and best thinges that concerned our faith, law and customes, and had redu­ced them to a kalendar of the daies, which he did sometime tell me, by way of recreation, to my great content and admiration.

THE VI. CHAPTER. Of the knowledge in other sciences, which God gaue vnto this his scholler.

GRegory did not only know, both the holy scripture, and morall, and spirituall things, as we haue said, but he was allso an Astro­nomer, Cosmographer and Geo­grapher. He had a globe and a map made with his owne handes very truly and exactly, for I haue heard skillfull men, that haue seen it praise it as such; but that which I most wondred at, is, that osten­times, when there was occasion, I askeing him about diuers parts of the earth, euen of the Antipo­des, he answered me presently, without studying or thinkeing upon it.

He did vnderstand well the Ana­ [...]omy of mans body, and someti­ [...]es he told very curious thinges [Page 162]of it declaring how admirable the diuine wisdome shewed it felf in man.

He was allso very skillfull in Physick, of which he writ a very elegant booke, wherin were many experiences which were easy to be made by poore men and labou­rers, and sundry properties of s [...]m­ples and compounds. The greatest delight which he tooke in this art was to make receits, which he gaue to the poore and needy, writ­ten in his owne hand, with the best remedies, which the desire that he had of his neighbours health, did make him inuent and compose, for he was very compas­sionate; and thefore God gaue vnto him wonderfull successe.

He was likewisse very skillfull in husbandry, and was allso an herbalist, for he did not only know the properties and vertue of hearbs but allso how to make them better, with sundry liquors which he made, and gaue to the [Page 163]he [...]bes as it were to drinke. I haue seen and earten of them so changed by his hand, as that they seemed of another kind; and he told me that if he did know of any man that were curious, and a good Christian (least that, if he wanted the feare of God, he should make them worse and poison them by this art) he would teath him this art, for the profit of his neight­bours.

He was a very good penman, and did write many kindes off hands singular well, at this day there are some things in this kind, of his making, very admitable, especially the map we spoke of before, the which being of late much augmented, excelleth all that haue come out in print, and is so curiously made as that it see­ [...]eth printed; and therfore a graue [...]octour to whose lot it fell, estee­ [...]eeth it very much

He had skill euen in the tailours [...]ade, and could make his owne [Page 164]cloaths, which though but meane, yet to be accommodated to his weakenes and sicknes, did requite a particular fashion and making; and so he was wont to say, that none hit so right in the making of them as himselfe. He did not make himself shooes, but he men­ded them so well, that they serued him three yeares ād more neither did he make himself a hat, for h [...] neuer wore any since he went out into the wildernes; and it is no [...] knowne that he euer had more th [...] one, and that remayned as good as new.

This multiplicity of thinges in [...] contemplatiue mā, will not seem [...] excessi [...]e (though ōly one be nece­sary, and many doe rather hinder then otherwise) if we consider, the sublimity of his spirit, to which the great number was no hindrance from the following of that which was the principall, and necessary and I to be resolued of that doub [...] did once aske him, if any of those [Page 165]little things did wholy possesse him, and he answered me: I find God as much in the least of these things as in the greatest, and the reason of this seemes to be be­cause his chief [...]st end and scope was his creatour, so as hauing his eies allwaies fixed vpon the foun­taine, all was but the same water vnto him.

I will relate his manner of rea­ding bookes, as a thing more then naturall; it fell out some times that in ten howers space he would haue read ouer a booke, which others reading neuer so sast would scarce haue ended in a month and because some will say, that he did that by his great memory, and apprehending of things only by seeing the title of the chapter; I will bring an example in a matter well knowne: for that answer might haue place in bookes, of common reading, but not of spi­rituall things, such as is that of the holy Mother Teresa de Iesus, [Page 166]which as I thinke he read ouer in twenty howers, and yet knew so well all that was contained in it, as there was scarce any man that knew more of it, then Gregory did; and I haue often made triall of this; for I haue sometimes told him of very small and particular thinges out of that booke, and he hath continued on in the bookes discourse, as if he had bin reading it: when he did read to others, his celerity, clearnes of pronoūcia­tion and grace in reading was very notable.

Our Lord endued Gregory with an exceeding great vnderstanding, quick apprehension, and such a sharp memory, as that I haue of­ten heard him say, that he neuer forgot any thing which he deter­mined to keep in mind, and with soe perfect a will that it is very credible, that his continuall exer­cise, was to be allwaies in an act of the loue of God.

As for his stature we may ac­count [Page 167]him of the highest, well proportioned, without any defect, he was not strong, but rather of a tender constitution; so as in his latter yeares he was allmost no­thing but skin and bone. The haire of his head, beard, and eie­browes of hazellnut colour, his forehead somewhat large, and hanging out, his eiebrowes full and arched, and without any space betwixt them, his eares little, yet it is strange, how well he did heare, his eies black somewhat in­clining to green, he had allwaies a very quicke sight, so as he could reade the least print without spec­tacles, though after that ague we spoke of, he sometimes put them on to see a far off; his nose rather little then great, his lips thin and equall, but that his vnder-lip did a little hāg out; his teeth very white and euen; his beard well compo­sed, not bushey nor great; his face long, somwhat pale and wan, so [Page 168]were his hands allso by reason of his abstinence, prayer, and conti­nuall mortification. This good na­turall disposition and well propor­tioned feature of body with his rare modesty, was a pourtraiture and representation of the great beauty of his soule.

This man whom we haue her [...] painted (or rather whom God hath painted out) being about nineteen or twenty yeares of age, left his parents, brethren, kindred, the court of king Philip, all his hopes and fled to the Indies, a iourney of two thousand leagues and more, and finding them in their greatest prosperity, renoun­ced all those riches and delights, and hid himself amongst the ru­dest and most barbarous men that were, only the better to serue and be more pleasing to his Creatour, and many hauing marked him ve­ry attentiuely, could neuer per­ceiue any imperfection either in gestures wordes or deedes.

THE VII. CHAPTER. How well this seruant of God could bridle his tongue.

IF the holy Ghost approueth him for a perfect man that doth not offend in wordes, worthily may I commend Gregory for his perfec­tion, since that in eighteen yeares wherin I conuersed familiarly with him, I neuer heard hin speake one worde amisse. Herof I can giue euident testimony, for since that I made choice of him euen from the beginning, for a Master and companion for the rest of my life, and that only for his vertue, without any hope of tem­porall gaine or interest, it is mani­fest that I had reason to be carefull that he whom I chose for a pat­terne of vertue, were free from all spot of vice. Besides, I was war­ned by wise and graue men to be wary, and liue very circumspect, [Page 170]hereunto allso I was moued by the desire of Gods honour and Gregory his good motiues of themselues sufficient to be carefull, because the diuine maiesty com­mandeth vs all, to haue as much care as we can of our neighbours good: yet notwithstanding all this care and diligence that such mo­tiues require, I neuer heard him speake a word worthy of repre­hension against any man neither heathen nor heretick; for he con­demned the sect or heresi with ma­ny grounds out of Scripture, and reprehended their vices and sins wherwith they had so blinded themselues as not to returne to the bosome of the Catholick Church, from which they had se­parated themselues, but he cōcea­led the parties names.

When he was told of any that spoke ill of him, he heard it very peaceably and midly; and the first thing that he answered was; as for the first, it is certaine that this [Page 171]party hath a good intention, after­wardes he excused him as well as he could; and he did not only ex­cuse the party himself, but allso his fact without excusing himself at all.

A graue personage perswaded one of the Bishops that liue in Me­xico, to goe and see Gregory by the way, as he went about the Marquesate of Valle, where Gre­gory did liue, assuring him, that he would be very glad to haue seen a man so admirable for his sanctity and wisdome. Herevpon the Bis­hop resolued with himself, and went to see him; Gregory came out with much courtesy, respect ād humility to receiue the Bishop, and after they were both sate downe, and those allso that came in his company, diuerse things were talked of, but Gregory was not asked any thing, and therfore he spoke not a word; so when the Bishop had bin there about a quarter of an hower, being told it [Page 172]was dinner time, he went away. Some daies after, the same man going to giue the Bishop the well­come at his returne to his Bisho­Prick, and asking him what he thought of Gregory he answered that he seemed to him a sensles foole, maruailing at this answer he asked him if he had talked with him of spirituall thinges? the Bis­hop answered no, then he, I mer­uaile not, said he that not being asked he did not speake, and not speaking did not show what he had in him. He shewed it ve­ry well afterwardes, when the same man telling him that the Bis­hop had accounted him a foole, he reioyced and said: I should haue thought so too iff I had seē a man of my fashion, and this was not much for Gregory, because God hadgiuē him a most feruēt loue of his neighbour, the which he was vsed to say, consisteth not in wor­des, nor in saying, I wish my neighbour well, but in doing him [Page 173]good turnes.

I neuer heard him speake an idle word, neither in seing the heauens cleare and beset with starres, nor in seing the fiedls green, or bedec­ked with flowers, or the chrystall waters, neither in the visits of any whatsoeuer, nor at the table, or afterwardes; and I doe not call an idle worde that which the com­mon sort meaneth, that is, some­thing vnseemly or tending to scur­rillity, for such as these were not to be spoke, nor thought off in such a life as Gregory did leade; here I call an idle word, as diui­nes and spirituall men meane, a needlesse one, and such an one was neuer heard from his mouth for he did so square and measure his discourses as that words nei­ther wanted, nor were super­fluous.

I will note here an other thing for the learned, it hapned someti­mes that there were in his compa­ny some learned men talking of [Page 174]sciences wherin he was most eminent, yet he held his peace, as if he had bin a clowne and ignorant, vnlesse he were asked, or in other respects which I will speak off by and by. This was ge­nerally knowne and Dom Fray Pedro de Agurto Bishop of Cibu in the Philippines a man knowne in this kingdome, not only for his dignity but allso for his great wi­sedome, religion and sanctity, affir­med it in a letter of his in these wordes. I loued very much, my good and holy Gregory, and if I left of conuersing with him, the reason was, because he not being vsed to speake vnlesse he were aske, and I haueing the title of a Master though standing in need of that which I might learne from so good and so well practised a soule, it might be that my que­stions and conuersation might be thought impertinent, though it could not be imagined by such an one as he.

[Page 175]That which I did most admire at in Gregory, is that all though it be so commendable a thing to speake of God and that many dis­creet and vertuous persous came from countries far distant to con­ [...]erre with him, yet he neuer tal­ked to them of God, nor of spirit, or morality, vnlesse he were as­ked, and when he did answer, though his answers were profund and admirable, yet he spoke with­out any exaggeration in a very plaine stile, and cut off his dis­course, as soone as he had satisfied the questions and necessitie of his neighbour, and as it happened often that to the question which he did answer there did belong foure or fiue more, which the standers by would aske of him, he answered euery one so prosōudly, and withall so briefely, as that he went not an inch farther then he thought was necessary.

It is a thing truly worthy of much consideration, that he be­ing [Page 176]so eminent in the knowledg [...] of the holy scripture, so we grounded in morall and spiri­tuall doctrine, so conuersant i [...] histories, hauing such knowledg [...] of saints liues, of the rites and cu­stomes of forraine nations, and of other thinges which we spoke o [...] before, and on the other sid haue­ing such an excellent memory, a to call to mind what thing, an whensoeuer he would, yet wash sparing of his talke, as that he ne­uer spoke vnles he were asked, [...] without manifest necessity. Me­thinkes if Eliphas that harsh fried of Iob had conuersed with Gre­gory as much as I did, he would not haue said: Conceptum serm [...] ­nem quis retinere poterit? who can keep in a speech once conceiued? but to make this his warines, more plainly appeare, I will here relate a reprehension that once he gaue me.

A little after that I came to liue at Santase with Gregory, he told [Page 177]me vpon an occasion, that there was an Emperour, who being in the midle of the sea would be ser­ [...]ed with fresh meate, and in the [...]idle of the land would haue fish brought aliue vnto him, whervn­to I said: that was Heliogabalus: the holy man answered: since we haue condemned the fact it had bin sitting to haue concealed the person.

Another time standing at the window, and seing it raine apace I said: it raines apace; and at the same instant a flash of lightning sell vpon my hand, as I held it out of the window, I told it vnto Gre­gory, and of the paine that I felt; he answered: you are well serued, since that you speake wordes that are not necessary, for I see that it raines apace.

Haueing one day told me a thing wherwith I was very much edi­fied, I asked him why he did not tell it me before if he knew it, he answered: I doe not tell that [Page 178]which I know, but that which is necessary: and vpon another occa­sion he said for two yeares space I shut my lips without speaking more th̄e to salute my host, whom I saw onely once in foure and twenty howers.

He did not only keep silence in speaking, but, also in writing, for he neuer writ of any busines him­self, neither did he returne an an­swer vnles charity or necessity did require it, and then he did only vse those wordes which were ne­cessary for the busines. I haue ma­ny of his letters in my hands of fiue or six lines, and some shorter, as that which is in the I. chapter of this booke. He wrote some to Don Luys de Velasco the Viceroy in answer of others, and he did no more but answer at the end of the Viceroies letter: I will doe that, which in this you command me, which was for the most part to recommend some businesses to God. And though worldly men [Page 179]account this manner of answer­ing, especially to princes, rude and vnmannerly; yet in one that was so far from compliments and so wary in his speech as Gregory was, it was great prudence and heauenly wisdome.

He did only speake without being asked, when he vndertooke the defence of the honour of God or of his neighbour, or of the truth of the holy scripture and our holy Catholick faith; and this too when no body else present vnder­tooke the busines. For example: if any one was afflicted with tem­ptations or sicknes; by reason of which he did seeme in some sort to murmure at God, one would not thinke with what pious and graue speeches, he would indeauour to bring him into knowledge of his owne errour, ignorance, and of the bottomles Ocean of the diui­ne wisdome and mercy which was hidde vnder those tribula­tions, and how much he was [Page 180]bound vnto God; and to put him­self in his more then fatherly hands. He did allso defend his neighbour with very prudent reasons as shall be seen in the next Chapter.

That wherin he shewed most spirit and vigour was in expoun­ding some places of the holy Scri­ptures, vpon which misunderstood the heretickes had grounded their errours, and in such occasions he did not cōtent himself with bring­ing some few authorities and reasons, but he dilated himself as much as he could, and alleaged the best senses that he could of the holy scripture; and in those pla­ces, which the heretickes said contradicted one another, Grego­ry vsed the same vigour and Chri­stian liberty, yet withall mode­sty, sor he did esteeme it as his owne Mother, hauing bin brought vp so many yeares att her breasts.

THE VIII. CHAPTER. Of the wisedome which he shewed in his answers, sayings and deeds.

HE did heare very peaceably and midly, and with great at­tention whatsoeuer was asked of him, and with the same mildnes let it passe, or answered it accor­ding as he thought conuenient or necessary.

There came to this village to visit Gregory, a religious man Doctour off Diuinitie, and intrea­ted me to get him to speake some thing of God: I did so, and the Doctour, to giue him play began to treate of that matter with a great number of reasons and wor­des; and the holy man being a great while silent, I intreated him by signes to talke some thing of God wherunto he answered softly so as the Doctour did not heare, [Page 182]because he was somewhat deafe: silence edifieth him more then speaking; and allthourgh he staied there two daies and one night yet Gregory did not speake vnto him one word of God. As the Doc­tour was going away, I asked him, what, he thought of Grego­ry; he said: his silence pleaseth me very much and Gregory himself said vnto me afterwardes: Father Losa, I see that many can speake well, lett vs doe well. If any one by way of disputation, or to try him, did aske him something, which he had premeditated, and studied before hand, putting vnto him his doubt in Latine, he would say. I praytell it me in Spanish: that being done, the holy man an­swered: this is that which you say; giueing him to vnderstand that ther was no need of an an­swer. He was also wont to aske of learned men, the signification of the holy scripture in Spanish, one­ly to humble himself vnto them.

[Page 183]To those that asked him coun­saile about going to spaine, mar­rying, or such like thinges, he gaue no answer for the time pre­sent, but said that he would re­commend it vnto God; wherin he shewed great wisdome; for he knew that in such businesses it was conuenient, that God should dis­pose the meanes, and moue the willes, to that which was for his greater glory, and the good of men, and this was the reason why he would not answer, without first treating with God of those thinges: besides he thought it not à matter of any great importance, whether men did mary or goe for spaine, but he kept vnto himself, out of his humility and mortifica­tion, these and other good reasons, that moued him to giue no an­swer. But when any asked him whether they should be priests, or enter into religion, if he did find they had parts requisite for such [...]n estate, he did further them in [Page 184]their resolution of embracing that principall good, but when he per­ceiued that they wanted those parts, he answered as is said; I will recommend it vnto God.

He would speake very much in behalf of the religious orders, and of the Prelates and Superiours of them in presence of their infe­riours, and those of their charge and house declaring vnto them how great a good it was to obey and obserue their rules and Con­stitutions.

Vnto lay-men, when occasion was offered, he gaue to vnderstād the eminence of a religious mans estate aboue theirs, and the great spirit wherwith the religious or­ders were founded; he said that Gods best souldiours were in them; and to this purpose he was wont to say that a tree in a plaine field needeth take good roote, but that it is more safe from the violence of the winds in a woody mountaine.

[Page 185]He did all waies defend Princes, Gouernours, Iudges, as well Ec­clesiasticall as Secular, with great courage and humility withall, in presence of their subiects: and when they did murmure at the gouernment, he said: if you were in the place, it may be you would not doe so well as he that is in gouernment; and if they stood in it saying, that that which the Princes did, diserued to be amen­ded, he replied: you should tell them so, for what good doth it here? to some that esteemed them­selues spirituall men, and yet did murmure, he said: I doe not ac­count him spirituall, no nor ver­tuous, that iudgeth and murmu­reth at his neiggbour. Most com­monly he was vsed to say in such occasions: this thing cannot be re­medied here, let vs not talke of it; and with his grauity he gaue such life and authority to his wordes, as that a man of great account who talked of the kings gouermēt, was [Page 186]put much out of countenāce, only by hearing Gregory say vnto him the king hath as sharp an vnder­standing as any man in spaine, and will you reprehend him? and the same man doth yet admire at the great change which those wordes caused in him.

He made another allso who spoke ill of the gouernment of a Lord, change his opinion, only by saying vnto him: you dare not say so in his presence.

He was very considerate and ad­uised in speaking to euery one in his proper kind, to the husband man, souldier, gentelman and the rest, without taking any man out of his profession; and to this pur­pose he commended very much S. Iohn Baptists wisdome in the coū ­saile that he gaue to the souldier, to be content with his pay, and doe no man any wrong.

Treating with spirituall men, least they should iudge those that lead a manner of life different frō [Page 187]theirs, as sometimes it vseth to fall out, he was wont to say, that he was much delighted with the variety of mens spirits, because that with them God did beautify his heauenly Hierusalem, that in the spirituall course God was the Master, and therfore no man ought to make himself a Master to another, iudging him and desi­ring to leade him the same way as he himself is led by God, because that way also is good wherin God directeth others.

To those that asked him coun­saile what they should doe, he answered, they should loue God and their neighbours, because that was the high way for all frō the least to the greatest, and that herein one could not doe amisse, because it is our law wherin con­sisteth all perfection.

He was allso wont to say, that to be allwaies talking of spirit was milke and the temptation of be­ginners, and that allthough one [Page 188]had an vnderstanding like a Sera­phim, yet he ought nor desire to make it knowne without neces­sity.

He esteemed it better to recom­mend his neighbour vnto God then to speake of God, vnles there were some speciall need. To those that had allready prosited in spiri­tuall life, he said: it is better to speake with God then of God.

To one that esteemed himself a spirituall man, he said: it would be a great shame vnto you, if it were knowne that you desired to liue in this world; and for this pur­pose he alledged S. Paul, who said: we haue nor here any permanent city, but we seeke after that wher­in we are to continue; and he perswaded himself that he that li­ued after this manner might be numbred amongst the spirituall men.

When he heard some great and miraculous thinges reported he was vsed to say: I had rather haue [Page 189]one degree of the pure loue of God then all this noise.

He was once asked, whether those that were perfect had any recreations, he answered, yes, be­cause when one goeth a iourney he loues to see his horse eate (for so he called his body) but he said; the perfect mā, euen in his recrea­tion, carieth a hand ouer his body quite contrary to the vnperfect, who doe not vse this mediocrity, for they suffer their mind some­time to be ouer much vexed and troubled, at other times to be led with, the delight of their nature.

ALlthovgh in conuersation it be an vsuall thing for men to laughe at the carelesnes, ouersights, or rash words of another, or when one is vexed, or his foot slippeth, or he getteth a fall, or cometh in with some notable blemish or mis­chance, yet he was neuer seen to laugh in such occasions, but rather seemed to pitty them a new.

When any afflicted person came [Page 190]vnto him, he shewed great feeling of his griefe, accommodated him­self to him, and dismissed him ex­ceedingly comforted.

There came vnto this village a noble and vertuous Lady much af­flicted, I wēt to visit her, ād though I staied a great while with her to comfort her, yet I could not pre­uaile at all. Afterwardes she her­self spoke with Gregory, who had so great prudence or rather hea­uenly spirit in comforting her, as that she went our saying: I goe away satisfied.

When his aduise was asked in things that were doubtfull and hart to be resolued, he answered: to morrow will come and we shall be wiser, giueing to vnder­stand that a doubtfull thing was not to be resolned, without trea­ting first with God of it, not that he was o [...]be vnderstood soe that by meanes of his prayer he should presently know and resolue it, for that cannot be imagined of such [Page 191]an humble man. By this say­ing allso (to morrow will come, and we shall be wiser) he did meane the hower of our death; for then the morning will come for [...]he knowing of doubts.

The heauenly wisedome, which he did shew in his deedes was ad­mirable; he did heare Masse with such silence, attention, and res­pect, and receiued the blessed Sa­crament with such profound re­uerence, as that he stirred vp all men to deuotion. He would neuer speake to any body in the Church, but if he had vrgent busines with any one, he went out and speedily dispatched it.

THE IX. CHAPTER. Of the fortitude and valour of Gregory Lopes.

IN the iudgement of the world it would seeme impertinent, to commend such a solitary, recol­lected, [Page 192]silent, poore and humble man for couragious and valiant [...] but if we consider it with the eies of our vnderstanding and reason, each of those things aboue men­tioned doth not only shew great valour and courage, but allso very plainly discouereth the mighty hand of God. Who would not esteeme it valour, that a young man of ninteen yeares of age, en­dued with such parts and natural gifts as we haue seen, should for­sake parents, kindred, house, coun­try and the kings court. which he had begun to follow, and with it such great hopes of preferment, and goe two thousand leagues and more into exile, to liue in a de­sert so full of perills, amongst the most sauage, and barbarous men of new spaine. It seemes very eui­dent, that this strength was gi­uen him by God, for in my opi­nion it is exceeding great courage in such a young man, to recollect himself, and in such manner to [Page 193]conforme himself to the will of God, as neuer to goe or say any thing that might be displeasing vnto him, and to endeauour with all his strength, to blott out all things out of his mind, so as nei­ther to desire nor remember any thing besides God or that which was manifestly his pleasure and glory. Who could giue such vertue besides that most mighty hand? since that this is a thing of such difficulty as that to recollect ones self inwardly for a little while, euē to a vertuous man, it seemeth as if he were to goe vp a steep hill or scale an impregnable wall. And it were so indeed if Gregory had not vndertaken this enterprise with great courage and cōfidence in God; saying with Dauid: in my God I will passe ouer the wall what strength was requisit for so many yeares recollection, with such strickt silence, discommodity and pouerty? Walking so long a time in the narrow path of vertue, [Page 194]and neuer knowne to goe back one step? but this strength will be better knowne by him, that shall weigh well, and consider the dif­ficulties of this iourney, the ene­mies that are in it, the combates that offer themselues and the field wherin they are to be fought.

The enemies are the diuells, so much stronger then we by nature, as the naturall power of an An­gell exceedeth that of men, a [...] therfore our nature, as inferiou [...] doth tremble in the presence o [...] any of those spirits. Moreouer, he that walketh in the way of vertue, hath for enemies and aduersaries, sinfull men, because he is contra­ry to them [...]n his workes, and of­tentimes God sufferreth the iust to be persecuted by the iust, and ho­ly men opposed by holy men, and this is a grieuous persecution; but the most grieuous and tedious is that which a vertuous man, cau­seth to himself, when by light frō aboue he knoweth, that all this [Page 195]cometh vnto him from the hand of God, who plainely sheweth him that all those enimies and aduersaries are as it were officers of the diuine iustice, who come vnto him with the power which God giueth them; the heauens be­come vnto him as hard as brasse, his soule he findeth in an abysse of tribulation, and as it were quite abandoned of great valour and courage.

The combates are as great, as is the number ād subtilty of the eni­mies, for they are neuer wont to make truce nor be weary of figh­ting, and out vices neuer cease to persecute vs.

Neither is the field, wherin these combates are sought a [...]sse [...]gne of valour, for it is our inward part, wherin the spirit fighteth with [...]he flesh, and the flesh with the [...]pirit: and this is a very painefull warre, because he that giueth the wounds, feeleth them as much as [...]e that receiueth them and, the re­sistance [Page 196]of the flesh cannot be brought vnder without great la­bour of the spirit, because the sub­tilties and stratagemes of the inui­sible enemies doe there enter in, so come the blowes and woundes.

Whosoeuer should know the la­bours that Gregory did herin vn­dergoe, and the great progesses that he made in such occasions (as may be seen throughout this history) he would easily see how valiant and couragious he was, es­pecially two things considered. The first is, that since that heli­ued so inflamed with charity to wardes his neighbours, he was partaker of all their afflictions and griefes, and made them partakers of his paines in praying for them He was tempted with all of them because he had as much feeling [...]f their temptations, as if they had bin his owne. The second is, that Gregory did eate this bread of sorrow very dry for though the di­uine goodnes be wont to giue spi­rituall [Page 197]delights to those that walke in the spirituall way for the easing of their troubles, yet this valiant souldier would neuer receaue thē, beseeching God to take thē away from him, because he would serue his king for his Maiesties owne sake, and not vpon hope of recei­ [...]ing those spirituall cōtentments, in part of paiment of his good will and loue; for at the begining God had bestowed on him the gift of teares, but he besought him to take it away for the said reason.

He had allso a most ardent de­sire to see the Humanity of our Sa­uiour Christ in this life; but per­ceiuing that this desire did keep him back, ād in a manner diminish his resignation, he did presently endeauour to mitigate it, conten­ting himself with this, that God [...]ould shew it him when it was [...]is holy will. Gregory put away [...]rom himself all those comforts, [...]ecause he desired to serue God [...]ithout pay or any charges borne [Page 198]in this life, and therfore he died so well content that God led him by the way of the Crosse. For all the many murmurings which he heard against himself, some iud­ging him an heretick, others a foole, others a vagabound he ne­uer excused nor answered for him­self, but defended and excused those that spoke ill of him.

Some of his freinds vpon a cer­tain occasion told him of a great stirre that was raised against him, he answered them: God forbid that I should trouble and distract my mind with thinking on it, and therwith continued still as quiet as he was before they told him of it.

A certaine man of great account desired me to informe him of the estate of the Hospitall of Guasteca, and after I had giuen him account of all things, I told him that there was a man there called Gregory Lopes, of such and such vertues, spirit; and prayer; and what doth [Page 196]this man, said he, in the Hospitall? I answered, that he was there all­waies in a chamber at his prayers, and neuer went forth; then he said: to this man could I willingly giue two hundred stripes; and when we told this story afterwardes to Gregory, he smiling excused him, saying: he saith well for an idle fellow doth well deserue two hun­dred stripes, and gentlemen that are full of busines, cannot easily vnderstand what inward exercises are.

It was neuer perceiued, that he had any desire to be esteemed or knowne, and he hath often repre­hended me for praysing him, he neuer cared for the visits of the Viceroies, Prelates, and nobility, but rather shewed, when occa­sion was, withall modesty and good respect, that he did not take any content in those visites when they did not concerne the glory of God or his neighbour his good; and though the holy man did [Page 200]much esteeme the great piety and wisedome of Don Luys de Velas­ [...]o the Viceroy, yet he intreated him to excuse his visits, alleadging good reasons for his request. In those visites, that great persons made vnto him he did allwaies shew an humble grauity, and as­sured token of his great mind.

The Inquisitours gaue order that his booke, which he made vpon the Apocalips, should be seen and perused by Don Fray Pedro de Augusto Bishop of Cibu, who gaue in approbation, that he had neuer seen a better exposition of those diuine reuelations; that he admired how he could say so much, with such certainty and shortnes; that he did beleeue he had supernaturall light giuen him for the writing of that booke: and whē the Inquisition medled with that busines, Gregory did not shew (nor doe we think he had) any trouble of mind nether would he keepe a copy of it nor speake a [Page 201]word of it, euen as if it had bin none of his worke.

Such was his greatnes of mind, as that he neuer acquainted any man with his griefes and afflic­tions, nor sought comfort from any creature, yet he was wont to tell, for the good of his neighbour, things that had hapned vnto him in times past.

Many times in they eare, he did en­dure great paines of the stomack and of the collick, yet he neuer complayned, nor changed counte­nance, nor the good posture, that he was vsed to keep, when he was in best health, so as I did not know his infirmities, but only by his great weaknes, ād extraordinary ill stomack. One time seing him much falne away, I asked him: what aile you that you are so weake? He replyed 15. daies together I haue bin troubled with à fit of the collick; and by these meanes I came to know his diseases which were so great, as that they made [Page 202]me pitty him and wonder how he could exercise such constancy and austerity of life with them.

He was ordinarily sick of a fea­uer, which he cured by diet, en­during hanger, if need were, for three, or foure, or fiue naturall daies, he neuer vsed bed euen in his great sicknesses.

whilst he was in Santafe, he had the toothache for a yeare toge­ther, and I had neuer knowne it, but that he went twice into the field for hearbes, that he knew were good to cure him; and some­times he could not eate for paine. Hauing once hurt one of his great teeth, he would not let me send for a barber to pull it out, but pul­led it out himself by a very paine­full meanes; such was the desire that he allwaies had of finding some occasion to suffer; for men that are vnited to God, vse to find as much content in suffering, as others find commonly in their ioy and ease.

[Page 203]This valiant man told me, that the diuell did once assaile him in a visible shape; and I askeing him how he did defend himself, he an­swered me in these wordes: I thought that I could not doe a better thing then that which I did, so I continued it with all my strength, and he vanished away and neuer tempted me visiblily againe.

We neuer heard him speake any good sentence, which he did not put in practice when need was; and he was wont to say to this purpose: misery it self is not to be, desired, but a will to endure it with moderatiō of mind; and so he endured all these that hapened vnto him with such an inuinci­ble and constant mind, as that he did not seeme subiect to change; therfore from the first day that I saw him (which is 18. yeares agoe) I presently perceiued in him a certaine excellence which I had not seene in any other man. This [Page 204]opinion increased in me euen till his death, and allso since his death it increaseth with the wonders, which God doth daiely worke by him.

But to returne to the intent of this Chapter, what courage and valour might a souldier haue, who from a poore country fellow should come by feates of armes to be a Grandy of the king his court? but how much greater valour is necessary for a spirituall souldier, of himself poore and abiect, a son of Adam, to become great in the court, of God, and since that Gre­gory is come to that height of honour as to be great in the court of heauen, it is fitting that his va­lour and courage should be knowne, that so we may glorify God in this Sainte, gathering by that little which is written here, the great aboundance that God hath bestowed on him, in comparison of which this that is written is nothing; partly by rea­son [Page 205]of the care which he vsed in concealing his vertues, partly for feare least I should exceed the breuity which I had intended in this relation, telling only those that were so open to the view, as that they could not but be seene.

I asked him one day how he could so much conceale his ver­tues, it seeming vnto me an heroi­call and hard thing to doe, he an­swered me that sentence worthy of eternall memory: To conceale ones vertues is not a thing hard vnto him that hath a liuely faith, for if a man doe certainly beleeue, that all his vertues shall be seen in the court of heauen, what will he care, whether they be knowne or no in the village of this world.

THE X. CHAPTER. Of the humility, and inward po­uerty of Gregory Lopes.

I should haue bene very happy, if God had giuen me any part of the great inward pouerty, which he bestowed on this ser­uant, the which consisteth in ha­uing the heart free from all loue of creatures, and giuing himself wholy to the loue of his Creatour, for it may be sayd of this holy ver­tue peculiarly, that those that prac­tise it can speake better of it then those that study it, and cōsequent­ly I should better declare Gregory his vertues if I had some of it. What an excellent patterne of it this Sainct hath bin may partly be vnderstood by that which I saw with my owne eies, and by what I gathered by the auswers he gaue to many men in diuerse occa­sions.

[Page 207]The sons of Adam, haue for the most part ingrafted in them a de­sire to be esteemed more excellent thētheir neighbours. Gregory was so free from this that he allwaies preferred others before himself, and to that purpose I haue often heard him say: since I begun to liue solitary I neuer iudged any body, I esteemed all men better and wiser then myself, and ther­fore vnlesse I were asked, I neuer gaue counsaile to any man, nor made myself a teather of others. Of this all that cōuersed with him are witnesses, and we haue seene by experience, that because he would not make himself a Master to any, God hath ordained that he should be vnto many. From hence proceeded the great care that he allwaies had to excuse those that did iudge him; and as I told him one day that there were many that slaundered him, he an­swered: I haue allwaies excused them not only in wordes, but allso [Page 208]with all my heart in deedes. From hence allso it came to passe, that he did not desire his speeches should be valued, and therfore he neuer went about to premeditate and compose the wordes, that he was to speake, before hand; and he told me to this purpose, that once (it was before he began his solitary life) he spent some time before hand in thinking of the discourse that he was to make, and that afterwardes he had no occasion to speake it, wherby he was aduertised not to loose time in composeing his wordes, trusting in God that he would giue him those that were conuenient when need was, and for this cause God gaue him the grace neuer to com­mit any errour in his speech, for all the wordes that he spoke see­med full of diuine wisedome; the Lord of heauen and earth reuea­ling vnto this humble seruāt those thinges, which he hath hidden [Page 209]from the prudent and wise of the world.

Eight daies before his death there came to visite him a reli­gious man very wise and vertuous, and his great freind, and among other thinges that he talked of, seing his life in danger he asked him very familiarly: must we goe now to enioy God? thinking that he would tell him of the hower of his death; but this humble seruant of God answered him with great admiration: Doth your reuerence aske me this? it shall be as plea­seth God; as if he should say: you that are wise, doe you thinke that I know the hower of my death? I doe not deserue so much; wher­with the religious man was much edified.

Three or foure daies before his death, there came in to see him an Indian woman of this village, and as I was speaking to her in her owne tongue, because he did not vnderstand it, he said vnto me, [Page 210]note well what she saith, perad­uenture she will giue me some good aduice; wherin I noted his great humility, since that he thought himself of lesse worth then an Indian woman, and that she could tell him what was con­uenient for him now in the end of his life.

More ouer men are wont to haue another affection, that is, to thinke of what is to befall them, from which Gregory was very free, for he that desireth purely to serue God, esteemeth all such cares as lets and hindrances; and therfore he neuer thought of courses of changing his life what should be­come of him whether he should dy of hunger or cold; or should be bedrid, whether he should liuelōg or a little while, whether he should doe such or such thinges for the seruice of God or his neigbours good; because he knew there was wont to be in thes and the like thoughts, if one were caried away [Page 211]with them, some secret tempta­tion of the enemie, or at the least losse of time, and for this reason, like a wary and humble man, vpon occasion of such thoughts he allwaies said; I am nothing, I am good for nothing; contenting himself with doing that which God in his holy law commandeth him, and not iudging himself wor­thy of other thinges in times to come, though he was alwaies pre­pared in mind to doe whatsoeuer the diuine Maiestie, did ordaine.

One time, as some were talking in his presence of the sumptuous tombes that some men build, and of their competences about places and chappells, he said: when I dy let them bury my body where they will, so it be in holy ground, but if they doe not, it will so an­noy them as that it will make them quickly enterre it.

He was so far from taking care and prouiding for himself for the time to come, as that he would [Page 212]not suffer that any body else should take care for him; for when I went about to looke for another place to liue in, because the aire of this village of Santafe was not very commodious for his weaknes and sicknes, he allwaies said vnto me: let no man be soli­citous for me, for God will haue a care to prouide as shall please him.

He had his heart allso free from all curious affection, both tem­porall and spirituall, into which some contemplatiues vse to fall, so he told me sometimes, that since his choice of solitary life he had neuer desired to see any thing of the world, euen not his parents, country, or friends, &c. Neither did he desire to see the Angells, nor haue extasies, nor reuelations, for he said that he only desired to see God, yet allwaies with this resignation, that it should be when and how it pleased God; and that the rapts, and extasies [Page 213]that he desired in this life, was to conforme himself euery day more and more with the will of God, and fullfill it in all occasions with all certainty and truth.

We perceiued in this holy man a thing worthy of consideration, which was, that he neuer reioy­ced for any temporall thing, nor gaue it entrance into his mind. His ioye was God, and his delight and glory was to doe his holy will, and benefit his neighbour. Vpon a certaine occasion I told him that I did greatly esteeme that vertue; he said vnto me: it is a shame for vs that liue in the law of grace, and haue wholy re­noūced the world to esteeme this, since Queene Ester being wife to a great Monarch, said: Thou knowest well my Lord and God, that since I was brought to this pallace, vntill this present day, thy handmaid hath not ioyed but only in thee.

From the first time that I visited [Page 214]him at our Ladies of remedies, i [...] pleased God out of his mercy to giue me such a care of Gregory, [...]hat if it was necessary to doe so­mething for him, neuer so hard, I should not haue stuck vpon it. So I assisted him in whatsoeuer he had need of, visiting him whe­resoeuer he was, and because he was in Guasteca, I asked almes three yeares together for the poore of that hospitall, a thing which was to me in those times, more then any one can imma­gine: and to say all in a word, from the time that I knew him, vntill he died in my company, which were eighteen yeares, methought I could haue bin content to haue bin his slaue, and he knew it very well and shewed himself very gratefull; yet I dare affirme, that neuer any one saw him rely or put the least hope in that which I did or could doe, nor that he set his affection vpon me in any excessiue manner for all whatsoeuer I did. [Page 215]For in all the good turnes that he receiued, he allwaies beheld God as the authour of them, and the creature as the meanes, wherby the diuine godnes and prouidence did send them: so as his gratitude towardes his benefactours was in God not in himself, beseeching earnestly his diuine Maiesty to re­quite that good worke, that was done vnto him, since that he mo­ued their wills to doe it.

In like manner he endeauoured that for any good worke of his towards his neighbour, the thākes should not be giuen to him, but only to God, as we did often see, that when some went to aske him doubts, he did not answer them but praied vnto God to tell it im­mediately to themselues, that the thankes for that knowledge might be giuen vnto God, and not vnto him, neither whole nor in part.

THE XI. CHAPTER. Of the outward pouerty of Gre­gory Lopes.

SInce the time that he went in­to the wildernes, and offered himself vp wholly vnto God, he neuer possessed any thing of his owne. To this purpose he was wont to say, that when one ta­keth delight in outward pouerty, it is a signe that he is inwardly rich.

This great loue of pouerty made him deuise sundry and admirable meanes, wherby to excell in it. Wherfore as for the first, he would not vse any certaine kind of attire; but in diuers times he wore suchap­parell as God did send him; for in the first eleuē yeares it was course sack cloath, afterwardes in Atrisco his host gaue him some gray cloath to couer himself and that was the best garment he wore in [Page 217]all his life.

The bare ground was his bed whilest he could passe with it without endamaging his health; afterwardes he did ly vpon some shepskins, vntill his great fee­blenes and diseases forced him to take a little quilt very thin and a couerlet: this was his best bed, and he accepted of it at my impor­tunity, as is allready said.

His chamber was very poore; for he would neuer accept of han­gings, or other furniture were it neuer so meane, euen when he was very weake and sickly.

He washed his cloaths himself, partly because he was very cleane­ly, as allso because of his indispo­sitions; at some times in the yeare he washed his feet, and he himself warmed the water in the sunne, he neuer let any body wash them for him, neither doe I know that euer anie one saw his bare skin.

He was so temperate in his diet, that he neuer did himself harme [Page 218]by eating, either fruit, though he loued it very well, or any other meate, but onely once by eating of greene hearbes and wild quinces. To this purpose he was wont to say that poore men ought to looke well to their health, and not to ex­ceed in eating or drinking, least they should be burthensome to their neighbours.

In the beginning of his solitary life he eate no flesh, afterwardes when he conuersed more with men, he eate of that which was set before him, but he neuer eate but one meale a day.

His moueables were only a bible, a map and a globe, which, as is said, he made with his owne handes, and two other bookes that he had wriren.

Notwithstanding his pouerty, it was the will of God that he should neuer aske any almes, nei­ther by wordes, deedes, nor signes, nor euen by making shew of a good life, the which is wont [Page 219]without wordes to moue men to giue almes; because the diuine Maiesty would haue him liue in this māner to let vs see by assisting him so punctually in all his neces­sities, that his diuine Prouidence neuer faileth; and if for some time he did permit him to endure want of necessaries, it was to the end that his merits increasing his rewardes allso might increase. How often in trauailing hath he come weary to his lodging? and staied there without eating any thing? at night laid himself downe vpon the bare ground, and be­times in the morning trauailed some leagues on foot? for so he was vsed to doe, there being no body that tooke any care to supply his want and pouerty; and I doe not meruaile much, for Gregory by his countenance seemed rather a Lord then a poore man, though oftentimes he endured extreame hūger, thirst, wearines, toile ād la­bour into which God brought him [Page 220]in diuerse occasions. I know well that this is much, but yet his strength and valour was such, as that allthough God had brought him into more and far greater wants, he would not haue shrunke from his purpose of obseruing po­uerty, for he had purposed not to aske any thing, hoping that God would relieue him as he allwaies did.

Perceiuing how much sometimes he was in commodated whilest he was in my house, by not asking any thing, one day I said vnto him: if I saw my self in necessity, I would aske almes to shame and humble my self, he answered me: But not I. Then I replied: me­thinkes I should doe ill in not as­king that which I had need of; to this he said: for you, you say well, and this is a good course, but not for me; for God directeth euery one in his proper way.

In his latter yeares he was vsed to drinke a little wine in the mor­ning, [Page 221]for if he did not take it, he was much tormented with the paine of the collick, and the sto­mack; and though I had allwaies a care to giue it him, yet I could not allwaies come to know when he had spent it. One day seing him very weake and pale, I asked him what he ailed? he answered: I haue not taken a draught of wine this morning, and therfore I haue bin in great paine. I began to be troubled, because I had no wine in the house to giue him; but God as­sisted him very punctually, for euen at that instant there came a friend of mine, and brought vs a little good wine.

He was so constant in not as­king any thing, as that once I foūd him making a web of threed of a little clout, and asking him what he made that for, he told me that it was to sow with, and though he knew that I had thread, he did not aske any.

Seauenteen yeares and more be­fore [Page 222]his death, I had a desire to giue him all that he had need of, assuring my self that it was the will of God that I should doe so: and though I had made knowne vnto him this my desire, he neuer as­ked any thing of me; at length perceiuing by so many experiences the way wherin God did direct him, I did vse from time to time to lay before him some thinges, that I thought he might haue vse of, and he did take what he had need of.

There was another thing in his pouerty very admirable, that is, it seemes that God would haue this his seruant eate of other mens lea­uings, like a true poore man, for I haue often obserued, that what­soeuer was dressed purposely for him, did him harme. Of this I haue lōg experience, for seing him so weake and feeble, I caused some dainties to be made for him, and as soone as he eate them they did him harme, and he himself intrea­ted [Page 223]me to make nothing for his owne person, but I, imputing this to his desire of not being trouble­some, and allso of liuing like a poore man, did againe cause some­thing to be made ready of purpose for him, and it so fell out, that by the harme he felt in eating of those thinges, he came to know that they had bin made for him, and then he declared himself, tel­ling me plainely that he would not haue any thing made peculiar­ly for him.

And so I haue perceiued that if cloath, or linnen, or any other thing was bought for him it did him harme, though on the other side our Lord did bring him into such necessity, by infirmities, and weaknes, as that it seemed a thing impossible to be able to endure that which he did, and when in this last sicknes there was need of particular things, he forbad me to cause them to be made for him: but if any sent them out of chari­ty, [Page 224]I should take them, in good time; yea perhapes his death was hastned by some thinges that were made ready for him, which some learned and very vertuous m [...] thought necessary, for which cause the holy man held his peace at that time, and receiued them with patience.

It seemes that God was his stew­ard, and would not let him in this life spend any thing of his heauen­ly patrimony, and seing that Go [...] kept him so short I said once vnto him: it will not be said of you: bona terrae comedetis; he answered: it is true, and as God doth it, sol desire it should be; and truely for such occasions as these, is the re­signement and conformity of man with God, when on the one side God bringeth him to such a neare pinch, and one the other, man en­dureth that want valiantly with ioy and contentment.

THE XII. CHAPTER. Of the mortifications and sufferings of Gregory Lopes.

THe mortification of this most patient man (being in so high a degree, as that it cannot be dis­cerned by those who with their carnall eies behold spirituall thinges and iudge of others by themselues, was the most rare and admirable that hath bin seen: as soone as he went into the desert, he kneeled downe vpō the groūd, and taking his discipline in his hand he began like a valiant soul­dier of Iesus Christ to chastice his body and vse it hardly. But his Captaine and most wise Master would not leaue a busines of such importance in his owne handes, [...]t said vnto him: Alius cinget te [...] ducet quo tu non vis: as if he [...]ould say: I will haue a care to p [...]ch you, for thou must walke af­ter [Page 226]my pace not I after thine; the which God did performe, giuing him matter of merit by whole handfulls, not only outwardly in his body, by the continuall sick­nesses that he sent him, and the discommodities and labours tha [...] he inspired him to vndertake and suffer with more then manly cou­rage, hut allso inwardly in his soule with other paines far grea­ter, wherwith he tried him.

He began to exercise him in wardly in such grieuous ād paine­full thinges, as that the great pa­tience that our Sauiour had giue [...] him, stood him in very good steed, and though he engaged all his strength, yet God brought him so to the vtmost in this exercise, as that he was so far from going far­ther with a greater burthen, as that he thought it impossible to cary that which he did allready beare. He told me that his nature did trēble whē he thought of that exercise, and that therfore he [Page 227]would not make a particular rela­tion of it to any one; but although we doe not know in particular those thinges that he did inward­ly suffer, at least by the answers that he gaue to those that came to tell him their inward afflictions, some of those wherin God had exercised him may be gathered [...] for he did answer with so many particularities that all men did ea­sily perceiue; that he was a Mas­ter in such troubles, and did com­fort themselues to see him in such a sure harbour after so many tem­pests, and when I talked with him about those troubles, saying that they were very painefull, he ans­wered me: Father Losa there are Men that beare burthens thirty times greater then this; wherby may be gathered that in matter of such like troubles, he did suffer more then he did teach.

For he that had an earnest de­ [...]re to keep his soule vndefiled, [...]nd did all waies employ himself in [Page 228]chast and feruent prayer, how much would he be troubled and afflicted with a floud of carnall temptations, imaginations and re­presentations of dishonest thinges which the diuell represented vnto him very liuely, and with a worse and more alluring impression then the reall thinges themselues could make, and though God gaue him the grace to tread all this vnder foote, yet he could not but feele great paine and sorrow, seing him­self hanging only by the slender haire of his owne will, wherwith he was in danger to consent, and especially, because at that time God openeth the eies of those that are to thriue spiritually and ma­keth them see the danger they are in, to the end that they might walke with more heed and wa­rines in the narrow path of vertue.

What paines might Gregory suf­fer in thes [...] occasions and dangers? since that his enemies were not tired either day or night with figh­thing, [Page 229]nor fled were they found resistance, nor were ashamed where they found vertue? espe­cially, since that they not onely en­uironed him without, but were allso within him, prouoking him to euill, and opposing him in goodnes. Neuerthelesse these paines so great and so dreadfull were delights and contentments vnto Gregory, who endured them for the glory of his God. In like manner he behaued himself in en­during the battery of reasons which the enemy brought against our holy Catholick faith; the im­possibilities, snares, intanglings, doubts, which vpon this suhiect he did raise; for faith being the ground of spirituall life, the temp­tation against it is a torment in­flicted by the diuell himself. Gre­gory suffered this constantly, con­tinuing strong in his faith, and with his profound humility made his aduersaries instantly wanish away.

[Page 230]The souldiers of our Lord are allso wont in the like recollection to be tempted with the spirit of blasphemie, yet he that knoweth how to fly spiritually, and hath found delight in the loue ād praises of God, with such excellence as Gregory did, returneth allwaies conquerour from this fight, and getteth life by the hand of his enemy.

In the spirituall life, men are not a little nor seldome mortified and afflicted with a kind of swouning, wherby the diuell seeketh to stop their way; for the soule desiring to please God and walke in his waies, findeth sometimes in her­self such a kind of remissenes and weakennes, as that it seemeth vn­to her a thing impossible to goe a step farther, and knowing, that if she doth not goe forwardes, she displeaseth God; and that to please him she must goe on merrily, great is the paine she feeleth in percei­uing herself so vnable to follow [Page 231]that which God would haue her. God gaue vnto this his seruant the valour and courage that is requi­sire for the suffering of these thinges with patience and profit, and for the gaining of the victory, strengthening him in these occa­sions with humility and knowledg of himself by which he might at­tribute all the good that he; should doe afterwardes, to the diuine goodnes as the fountaine of all good.

Perfect men suffer allso other kindes of paines wherwith they are much molested and afflicted; for haueing allready attained to an excellent degree of charity, they grieue at oth [...]r mens euills as if they were their owne: it cannot be expressed in few wordes in what continuall griefe and affliction our Gregory did liue, seing the blindnes of sinners, the obstinacy of here­tickes, the many soules that euery day are damned, for this is that wherof we ought truely to haue a [Page 232]feeling, though he did allso feele the sicknesses, hunger, iniuries, warres, and the other grieuances of his neighbours, as if he had suf­fered them himself.

Another combate of the diuell is, to represent vnto those that aspire to perfection, especially at the be­ginning, how that all the world will rise against them, as it hath ri­sen vp against all the followers of vertue, and how they shall be per­secuted by false witnesses in infa­mous crimes, and such, as they doe most abhorre; and that if they had profited any thing by their good life and example, all this would turne to scandall and a stumbling block for other; and though vnto some these burthens seeme but light, yet the truth is, that when God giueth our aduersary leaue to straighten these cordes, he maketh the seruants of God sweate for a long time; for this is a farre more hard and austere penance thē that of the body, though they seeme to [Page 233]vs to sit like idle and loitering mē. The truth hereof God hath she­wed, plainly in Gregory Lopes, not only in his moderation of mind and patience which he was plea­sed to giue him in such cumbates and aduersities, but allso by the wonders that he hath wrought by him, and in him.

I will here note one thing, which for its rarity did much edi­fy me. I obserued diligently for many yeares, that this admirable man neuer made a stand in his spi­rituall course: and though I some­times considered that his being continually in the loue of God caused in him that great perseue­rance, yet I neuer rested alltoge­ther satisfied, vntill that as I was thinking of it, it pleased God to open my eies, and let me know that this his constancy did pro­ceed frō the cōtinuall loue of God, and his neighbour for God his sake: therupon I said once vnto [Page 234]him: cannot you take any rest in the spirituall course? he answe­red me with a peaceable and chee­refull countenance: I neither doe nor can take any rest, as long as my brethren are amongst so many dangers and troubles: for it is not fitting that I should retire my self, where I may be safe, leauing them on the bulls hornes; I will not doe such an vnworthy thing, if I know of one only that is in dan­ger, I will not take any rest all my life time. That which I more admire at, is that he neuer looked vpon those contentments, which God is wont liberally, to bestow in the spirituall life, in considera­tion of the progresse which men had made, nor that he neuer re­created himself with the memory of his dangers ād troubles past, nor wiht the vertues which by Gods help he had purchased; for vertues after they are gotten cause ioyand peace. The reason why he did not ioyin this, was because, he alwaies [Page 235]fixed his eies, not vpon that which he had but that which he wan­ted, neither would he stay by the wayes to rest himself, for God would haue him allwaies make more progresses, and afcend very craggy hills, for he told me once that in those three first yeares in which he exereised himself in the resignation aboue mentioned, God had made him climbe vp great hills.

He endured another painefull and troublesome mortification in two, as I may call them, Purga­tories which God gaue him in this life. The one was of loue, the which as I perceiued, he had, when he did liue at Guasteca.

The paine that it bringeth with it, those that haue made triall know to be most grieuous, and those that haue not come so far, will not beleeue it. For by the light which God infuseth into the higher part of the soule, the heart is so wounded with loue, as the [Page 236]sweetnes is vnspeakable, and the griefe such, as cannot be expres­sed, the soule fainteth, because she cannot obtaine that which aboue all other she desireth; There gro­weth in her an ardent, but pro­fitable impatience, dureing which it hath no quietnes, rest, nor ease. In this estate God doth sometimes inspire admirable wordes, particu­lar meanes and documents of true wisedome the soule indureth an incredible paine, both in passing through the tourments which she doth suffer, and the ioyes and inspirations which God impart­eth vnto her: and so I did per­ceiue in this holy man a most ex­ceeding mortification, for he did endure this purgatory of loue with such silence as if he had suf­fered a spirituall wearines.

The second Pargatory is desire: here with the soule is tormented, when she seeth that she cannot in this life attaine to her chiefest good, wherof she hath know­ledge; [Page 237]this brought vnto Grego­ry much griefe and trouble, for as he with his quick vnderstanding, liuely faith, and purity of spirit meditated and contemplated the greatnes of God, he became en­dued with so great and amarous a knowledge of that same great­nes, that, he had a most ardent desire to goe and possesse it; and as he did perceiue that in this life, in running after the odour of those diuine ointments, he could neuer obtaine the good he so much desired, he rested wounded and grieued, like the Hart that thirsteth for the springs of rūning water to quench his thirst, and cannot come to them; but of this, because it belongeth to few, we haue said enough.

But that wherin Gregory mor­tified himself all the time of his life, and wherin he suffered most, was as he told me, in following allwaies, as he did, the grace of God; for it is certaine that one [Page 238]cannot follow grace, vnlesse he fly from nature: what paine then and mortification would it be to a seruant of God to goe on all­waies flying from, and denying himself? for many times grace re­quireth of vs that which is con­trary to natures desire, and ther­fore it is necessary that one dye, that the other may liue. Therfore, that grace might liue, Gregory endeauoured to be dead to all creatures; because it is the proper­ty of nature to liue to them, and because she desireth esteeme and honour for her good workes and not to be despised of any, therfore he sought to hide his good deedes and vertues, and to be despised by the world, as our Sauour was, and following grace, studied how to lay aside all care of temporall af­faires, and bent himself only to seeke out and serue God, since nature inclineth to the contrary; and because she is puffed vp with prosperity and deiected with ad­uersity, [Page 239]Gregory by grace was dis­posed to receiue with moderation of mind, and constancy, what suc­cesses soeuer, without seekeing the interiour content of those or other vertues for himself, but only reioycing for the glory that ther­by redoundeth vnto God. Nature as it were forgetting this, doth in all thinges seeke her owne contēt, and desireth all the good for her­self, all her language is, I, and, for me she hateth her euemy, reioy­ceth at another mans harme and repineth at his good. Whosoeuer shall haue read this booke, or cou­uersed with this Saint, will easily know what vse he made of grace in wishing well to those, who either through malice or igno­rance were his aduersaries, grie­uing at their misfortunes and de­siring all good to them for God his sake, so as ouercoming himself more and more euery day, and growing in petfection, he did so hunger and thirst after God, as [Page 240]that nothing could satisfie hi [...] He did allwaies endeauour to [...] for the obtaining of that chief [...] good, rowing with all his strēg [...] against the streame of naturall [...] light, and swinning allwaies ab [...] water, he endeauoured to doc [...] pleasure and will of God. Such [...] this is the true spirit of mor [...] cation: the which he exercised [...] a most eminent height of perf [...] ­tion at Santafe, as is euident to [...] by many tokens.

Hauing for many, daies spa [...] ­perceiued that Gregory grew ve [...] sick in this village, because I sa [...] him very weake apud pale, [...] thought good to visit him of [...] and to be longer at times in hi [...] company, to see if I could giue him any comfort.

I did aske him what paines he felt, and he would not tell me then: at length after many daies, he told me the great paines that he endu­red in his teeth and grinders, and other diseases which he had; but I [Page 241]rested not satisfied here with, b [...]ng perswaded thad the holy [...]n suffered other paines greater [...]n these, therfor I importuned him very much to tell me them; afterwardes he did that which he is not knowne euer to haue done before or since; which was to [...]er some what of that which did inwardly passe betwixt God and him, saying these very wor­des: Thou knowest well, o Lord, that I haue no creature within my soule, nor suffer any to be there, for thy sake alone, and why dost thou after this manner hide thy self frō me? how canst thou endure to see me with so many infirmities, and being able to heale me, dost not? but willest haue me seeke the hearbes that the beasts feed vpon, and being able to heale me with a [...], yet wilt not? and though I am [...]e he said not these wordes, so [...]ch for his owne comfort, as for [...] instruction and profitt, yet I re­ [...]ined so amaysed to heare him [Page 242]vtter some thing that passed in­wardly, betwixt God and him, a [...] that presently I writ downe these wordes which he had said, being the 23. of March in the yeare 159 [...].

THE XIII. CHAPTER. Of his mortifying of his senses.

IT is no meruaile, if he, that vs [...] such care and exquisite meane to mortify his interiour, was all [...] eminēt in the mortification of h [...] senses: It is certaniely though [...] that he neuer went one step [...] feed his eies with the sight of any of those thinges that vse to [...] pleasing to that sense; and so, what he wēt once, being at Guasteca, [...] see the fountaines, he told me, [...] did it only at my request, and [...] giue me content. Being some months in Mexico, he neuer went out of doore, but only straight to the next Church, neither could he be perswaded to goe to any mo [...] ­st [...]ry [Page 243]of Nunnes, allthough by some he was earnestly intreated. When he came to Santafe, he wēt out of Mexico before day, without euer looking vpon the streets or buildings. Whilest he was in this village, he was importuned to goe downe and see a garden belonging to the same house that he dwelt in, where was good store of water, green grasse, and flowers, yet he neuer did in six yeares time, onely one yeare he went downe for a little water to drinke. He did looke vpon mens bodies with an honest freedome ād free honesty, as if they had bin soules without bodies, or bodies without life and soule.

Though it be a thing so naturall, especially to men of a good vnder­standing, to be delighted with mu­sick, yet in all the time that I knew him, I neuer saw him goe to heare any, though sometimes it hapned to be neare the place where he [...]s, and oftentimes he told me, that if the musick of the great [Page 244]Church of Toledo or all that is in the world, were but one pace off of him, he would not goe to heare it, but if perchance he were present where it was, he did heare it quiet­ly and got spirit out of it.

All ill smells were very offensiue vnto him, yet he would neuer vse any sweet smells; many nosegaies were offered him, but he for the most part refused them, some he did take, least by doing otherwise, he should discontent him that brought them. Sometimes, though but seldome, he would take a white lilly or red rose, because, as he said, the smell of those flowers is very chast.

As soone as he went into the de­sert, he made a purpose neuer to eate with intent to please his pa­late, but only to sustaine his life, the which he obserued all his life, in so much as that when I perswa­ded him to tast of a Melon, grapes, or figgs (for those fruits are here in great request and esteeme) he [Page 245]would only smell to the Melon; saying: it is enough this yeare to haue smelt this Melō; of the grapes he only tooke one, saying present­ly, it is enough for this yeare; of figgs he only tooke half an one and said the same.

Allthough he loued fruit very well and desired to liue vpon it, be­cause as he said, it was the proper food of man: for in Paradise man should only haue liued vpon it God had created so many sorts of it only for mā [...] vse, yet as we haue allready said, he told me that fruit neuer did him harme, and I won­dring therat, he gaue the reason, for, said he, I did allwaies eate of it moderately.

That which he did eate of with a good appetite, was bread the suste­nance of the poore, but it seemeth, he obtained of God to find, euen in that, such mortification and dif­ficulty, as that some yeares before his death, he could not eate one [...]orcell of bread vnles it were [Page 246]first steeped in broth without salt, fat, or spices in it, and that was his diet at this time, making way for the bread with some light meate. Sometimes he chanced to keep his bread in his mouth a good while, and I bidding him remember to swallow it, he said: I cannot, and that one of the painfullest thinges to him was to eate; neuertheles he made much account of his s [...]nses, knowing of what profit they are to a spitituall man, if he keep them well mortified.

After a burning feauer which he had, there remained a lingering ague, which held him allmost a yeare, and in this necessity I often importuned him to vse some shee­tes, but I could neuer perswade him to it.

I neither can nor ought to passe ouer in silence, a very subtile mor­tificatiō which I perceiued in Gre­gory: for the vnderstanding wher­of it is to be noted, that one of the thinges wherwith nature is most [Page 247]mortified, is, that the spirit doth not cherish her nor giue her any part of that which passeth in its self, debarring her of the part she was to haue in the spirituall worke. This premised: I haue obserued for many yeares (which we haue spēt both together, liuing in the same house, eating at the same table, and sleeping in the same chamber) that he did neuer weep, nor sigh, nor lif­ted vp his handes, nor shrunke vp his soulders, nor spoke any word aloud with God nor to himself, by which one might come to know his inward affections, a thing which in a man of so great affec­tion and spirit would amayse any one that knew what belonged to prayer and contemplation. I admi­ring much here at said one day vn­to him: you being thus allwaies vnited vnto God, and in the pre­sence of such a Lord, doe neither sigh, nor speake, but are alltoge­ther rapt in extasy with the diuine goodnes; wherunto he answered: [Page 248]That is not the reason, Father Lo­sa, for truly I doe sigh and grone allmost a thousād times in the day, and am allmost allwaies talking with God though only mentally: I haue vsed this manner now thirty yeares, and I endeauour not to giue nature any of these feelings (which is to her no small mortification) because I haue found her false and treatcherous.

I became not so perfect in this lesson; but that sometimes going into the garden to prayer and con­templation, I should forget my self, knocking sometimes my brest or sighing, and Gregory hearing me would in a pleasant māner say vnto me: Father Losa, giue Nature now and then a bit, least she dy for hunger: but he did not giue such counsailes to other men, but rather aduised them to help themselues with those outward signes, for without them they did not any thing. I am verily perswaded, that he that shall read with a fauou­rable [Page 249]eie the pennance and mor­tifications which are here related, will rest fully satisfied that this heroicall man went not into the wildernes to sleep and be idle, but to doe and suffer. I am allso cer­taine, that if he would haue [...]old other greater mortificatiōs which he endured, a course of such diffi­culty and vertue would haue cau­sed in vs great admiratiō, it would haue allso bin much better, if those thinges had bin better expounded, that they might be better knowne, for I confesse that I haue left out many thinges, because I could not explicate them and make them vnderstood, yet by those that we haue set downe, one may perceiue that his life was all mortification, penance and crosses.

Now it remaineth for vs to see the profits, that Gregory reaped by this vertue. First such strēgth that, as he was wont [...]o tell me; he now ouercame with Gods grace all temptations with a blast; Second­ly [Page 250]such a dexterity in sighting, as that his enimies as puissant as they were, could neuer make him giue back one step, but that he went allwaies getting ground, and put­ting such a firme confidence in God, as that if he had a whole squadron of temptations against him, he should ouercome and put them all to flight; and so, though ueuer so many bid him battell, he neuer left of the exercise that God had giuen him; but euen in the middest of them walked on in the loue of God and his neighbour. Thirdly such a peace and domi­nion of himself in his manner of combate, as that neuer any could perceiue, whether he was inward­ly in combate, or at peace.

He was allwaies the same with­out any change, and in him was verified that sentence: the wise mā is stable like the sun, but the foole hath his changes like the moone; and he was vsed sometimes to re­peate it. Fourthly by this his mor­tification, [Page 251]he obtained of God, as one allready well exercised, to be made the elder brother, being now able to haue a care of his brethren and neighbours, to fight for them: and that his combates, which he fought for his neighbours sake, should be accepred of as if they had fought themselues, as I percei­ued it often hapned, as shall be said in the 19. Chapter of the effects of his prayers. All this his strength proceeded from the liuely faith which he had in God, wherby he vnderstood clearely and distinctly, the greatnes of the diuine goodnes and mercy, which sufferreth not any to be tēpted aboue his strēgth, therfore he fought his combates with delight, saying with spirituall contentment, that this was neuer wanting vnto him; and he was wont to say that whosoeuer had receiued that delight from God was allready, as is said out of his swadling clouts.

THE XIV. CHAPTER. Of Gregory his prayer, when it be­gan, and with what exercises.

I haue many reasons to thinke that he began to vse prayer as soone as he had the vse of reason; this I could gather, by some dis­courses that passed betwixt vs touching this matter, and by other coniectures which seeme almost certaine, as was his cu­stome of saying vnto me, that God had called him very soone, that he had neuer bin a child, that he had neuer retired back one step; wherby, because of his mo­deration in speaking of himselfe, and his nicenes in letting others know his good deedes, it may ea­sily be vnderstood as a thing out of doubt, that he allwaies vsed prayer. He told me that when he was a little page in the court, he vsed mentall prayer, and went [Page 253]vpon errands with as much quiet­nes of mind, as he had six yeares before his death; and that he did not loose this quietnes, though there passed by Dukes and Earles, and other thinges hapned that vse to be in the court, and that he perseuered in his prayer amongst those noises as well, as if he had bin alone in a mountaine, though afterwardes he went on, allwaies by exercise perfecting both his prayer and quietnes. If therfore at twelue yeares of age he had attained to such peace and quiet­nes in prayer, it is to be thought that he began to pray, some yea­res before he came to this degree and perfection; and if thes yeares from the time that he had the vse of reason, vntill he went into the wildernes were but few, we may well thinke that he spent them in the exercise of prayer, especially of it be true, as we vnderstand it is, that before he came to the court to be a page, he was in Nauarre [Page 254]six yeares with an hermit, as is said in the beginning of this booke.

The same might be gathered by the courage which God gaue him whilest he was in the court, for allthough he was two or three yeares in that place, in which are so many hindrances for those that walke in the paths of God, he had strength enough to passe through them all without altering his good purpose, but such valour and courage is sel­dome got without long exercise in conuersation with God. Besides he was but twenty yeares old when he came to new spaine, and yet he came so well profited in mentall prayer, that he not only endeauoured to vse it much at a time but did allwaies continue in it, whether he were trauailing, writing or talking; and he told me that for his better attaining vnto it, as soone as he came to Mexico, he fasted a whole lent with bread [Page 255]and water in the house of Luys Zapata, with intention to beg of God his fauour and assistance, and to employ him in some place, where he might best serue him, and giue himself vp wholly to his diuine Maiesty. It is cleare that such progresse in vertue is not or­dinarily got so sodainly, but with long practise of prayer. More ouer Gregory was not stirred vp to such workes by remorse of con­science, or feare of hell, for God allwaies guided him by way of loue: and what greater signe can there be of his long and setled vertue, and firme loue, then to come to the Indies, and goe through the places of greatest ri­ches which were Mexico and Za­catecas, the country being in the greatest prosperity for riches and [...]onour that euer it was, and he [...]auing in him such parts, as is said, wherby he might haue come to [...]nioy the glory of this world: not­withstanding all this, in the [Page 256]flower of his youth, renouncing all these vanities, to cloath him­self in sackcloath, and retire into a wildernes, that God might there giue spirituall increases in his soule as he had done till that time, as he told me? the which there is no doubt but they were very great, especially in prayer: and since that the diuine Maiesty, the very first day that he led him into the desert, laid vpon his shoulders one of the heauiest burthens and hardest exercises, that are in the spirituall life, as shall be said in the Chapter following, the weight of this wit­nesseth this young mans vertue (since that God laieth on burthens proportionable to ones strength) the which being ordinarily wont to be gotten by successe of time and holy exercises, we may easily vnderstand that he had spēt those twelue yeares wherin he had en­ioyed the vse of reason in obtain­ing vertue by meanes of prayer and conuersation with God, that after­wardes [Page 257]all might succeed well with him, according to that bles­sing of the holy Ghost, which was ofte in his mouth: It will goe well with that man that shall cary the yoake of God from his youth.

He did not tell me in particular, the exercises of prayer which he vsed in his first yeares, for, as we said, he neuer told thinges concer­ning himself vnles there were pro­bable occasion of profiting his neighbour; but as for my self, I haue allwaies beleeued that the ground and beginning of this his course was our Sauiour Christ, for he outght to be the entrance of those that begin well, and we haue heard from him such good medi­tations vpon our holy faith, and vpon the life, and death of our Re­deemer especially of his infancy and childhood, with such deuo­tion and spirit as shewed plainly his long vse and practise in that kind of meditation: in his first yeare at Guasteca he shewed me [Page 258]admirable ones of the same mat­ter, and especially of the sacred Virgin Mary, and he counsailed those that desired to profit in the spirituall way to say their beades ouer with deuotion, to her honour, as being the refuge and safegard of sinners, and to perseuer in that holy exercise, and esteeme it as their honour, to be denout Disci­ples to that great Mistresse of sanctity.

THE XV. CHAPTER. What were the prayers and exercises which God in spired him to vse, and the profit which he reaped therby.

GRegory went out into the field, as he was vsed to call it, of the wildernes, being one or two months vnder one and twen­ty yeares of age, as far as I could gather. As concerning his man­ner of praying, I can tell some [Page 259]thing certainely, for he could not conceale all from me, for the space of eighteen yeares which I I spent in his company.

The first prayer which he vsed there, were those famous wordes, O Lord, be hold I goe forth only to serue thee not for any interest of mine in the manner as is aboue said and declared, for he would not spend wordes, but offered him­self wholly to the Eternall Father in those few, makeing himself his slaue, so as that all his labours and gaines should be for his Lord, and this he meant by (not for any in­terest of mine) for he desired in all his workes, to seeke only the glo­ry of God. The Allmighty accep­ted his offering made with such a willing mind, and the diuine wise­dome vndertooke the charge to be Gregory his Master, teaching him that which was conuenient. Fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo & in terra Amen Iesus; teaching him the same prayer that he had taught [Page 260]his Apostles and in this prayer he gaue him for his exercise, one of the most excellent workes, and hardest to be done, because it cō ­prehendeth all the doctrine of the conformity of our will with that of God, which spirituall men call resignation, and that not in any degree whatsoeuer, but in the per­fection which those wordes re­quire, namely that there be such conformity vpon earth with the will of God, as is talked of and practised in heauen.

It is much to be noted, that the diuine goodnes would haue Gre­gory practise himself so long in this exercise, as our Sauiour Christ was in preaching his ghospell, to giue vs therby to vnderstand, that all the perfection of his holy doc­trine consisteth in the perfect exe­cution of those wordes.

The carefull and studious schol­ler embraced this diuine prayer and lesson with such good will and resolution, as that for 3. yeares [Page 261]together, a wonderfull thing: without ceasing or euer omitting, he said it mentally as often as he did draw breath when he was awake, and considering the little time that he slept, and the great vigilance which he allwaies vsed, it is allmost impossible to tell how often he said those wordes: Fiat voluntas tuasicut in caelo & in ter­ra Amen Iesus; and he told me that after a yeares space he did no more trouble himself to call them to mind thereby to make his acts more intense, amorous and fer­uent. I heard him allso tell once vpon a certaine occasion of spiri­tuall discourse, that if he did not make those acts with great d [...]u [...] ­tion (allthough at other times he did) the diuell at the very instant did assaile h [...]m with a multitude of temptations, so that, as he told me, in those times, by reason of the many temptations that came vpon him, he could not possible take any booke in hand, and that [Page 262]those only wordes serued him in­steed of bookes and study, and with them, as with armour of proofe, he defended himself from all his enemies and ouercame them; and because he had found by experience the great force and vertue of those wordes, he coun­failed many persons to repeate them often with deuotion.

During those breathings, his operations were so vehement as that he was allmost allwaies ele­uated and thought of nothing of this world, and such was the in­tensiuenes, wherwith he employ­ed his memory, vnderstanding, and will in this diuine exercise, that allthough, while he was in it, he was assailed with many grieuous temptations, yet as soone as they were past, he did not remember them. From this exercise of resi­gnation, as from a solid roote grew out all his wisedome and spirit.

When he had exercised himself [Page 263]for the space of three yeares in this spirit of resignation, it pleased his heauenly Master to aduance him to another degree of perfec­tion, instructing him inwardly that the height of perfection in this life was in the practise of these wordes: Thou shalt loue God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thy self; and that he was allwaies to practise this, vsing all his forces in it, louing God and his neighbour with one act of loue, imitaring herein God himself; therfore af­terwardes he did not repeate so often as before, that act of resi­gnation, wherin he said Fiat vo­luntas tua sicut in coelo & in ter­re. Amen Iesus; because this often making of acts would rather hin­der then further the continuall act of loue wherin his soule now was, as he himself said. For the same reason he left of other medi­tations [Page 264]and exercises which he vsed before, because they should not diuert him from his cōtinuall act of loue. Gregory endeauou­red to follow this exercise with the same fortitude as he had prac­tised that of resignation, yea and with greater, for row his strength was increased; So in few yeares he became so expert a louer, as that he told me that it seemed vnto him a very hard thing to leaue off that diuine exercise of loue euen for a short time, and that ther­fore without breaking it off he did eate and talke, and performe all other operations both of body and mind.

Together with this heauenly em­ployment, he began to reade the bible, and most of all at this time, for it hapned sometimes, that he spent three or foure howers in the day in reading of it, and by this great loue towardes God he at­tained to the vnderstanding of the Scripture. Hereby he got that [Page 265]great poise and measure in his wordes, the greate prudence and wisedome he shewed in his an­swers and counsails, and the equa­lity in louing his neighbour and himself wherin he did much ex­cell, for in all his good workes, he esteemed himself as one of the rest of the world, and desired as much to obtaine mercy for them as for himself. From hence allso proceeded his purity of mind in prayer freedome and Dominion against his enemies, and the se­uere mortification of his senses. Now in praying he did not vse such violence and force as he did before, but a more refined and de­delicate act, lesse sensible, but more prefect. In this manner he went on euery day increasing in perfection and that after such a manner as that many spirituall men were deceiued, seing him so conuersant in other arts and sciēces, it seeming vnto them, that this would diuert him from pray­ing; [Page 266]but he was so far from that as that in his last yeares he attai­ned to such high degree, that as he hath often told me his inte­riour man did worke without im­parting any thing to the exte­riour, and that he did not reduce the conference that he had with God into mentall wordes but to another language which should seeme to haue excellent effects. To conclude, by meanes of this exer­cise he attained vnto that excellēt vnion with God, which he all­waies endeauoured to practise, and his heroicall vertues, and to say all in a word; together with this, there came to him all that is good.

THE XVI. CHAPTER. The spirit of Gregory is made more manifest by the answers which he gaue to certaine questions

I haue thought conuenient here to set downe some answers which Gregory Lopes gaue vpon certaine occasions to the end that by them his spirit might some­what more appeare, which since that it was so interiour, may be the better knowne out of these.

A certaine religious man both spirituall and learned (one whom Gregory well esteemed and con­uersed with more then with any other) asked him, if he had any particular times and howres of the day, or night appointed to make his act of loue more intēse, if peraduenture it grew slack or cold whilest he was at table, or otherwise emploied in offices of [Page 268]charity towardes his neighbour, or for the comfort of those that conferred with him? he answe­red that he had no set times, nei­ther that he had need of any, be­cause there was not any created thing that did hinder him, or make him grow remisse, that his inward operation was allwaies in the same estate, that it was all­most become naturall, that he had neuer gone back in the perfection of the vnion which God had gi­uen him, but that he allwaies went forwardes, and that by meanes of this vnion he had got whatsoe­uer he knew, because God had all­waies bin his Master, not bookes, though, it was a great comfort to him, to see those thinges writen by Tauler and Rusbroque which God had imparted to him, and he neuer ceased to praise and extoll the spirite of the holy Mother Terresa de Iesus.

At another time being asked by the same religious man: sir if you [Page 269]were a Priest what would you doe? he made answer: as I doe now; he replied: how would you haue prepared, you self to say Mas­se? he said, as I prepare myself now; he asked him further: and how would you haue made your Me­mentos, he answered him; after the same māner as I doe allwaies; and he added moreouer saying: if I were certaine to dy within these few howers, I should not doe any thing more then I doe, for I am now actually giuing vnto God all that I haue, and I cannot giue him more, vnles he out of his mercy giue it me.

But because it often falleth out, that as the soule is louing God, with all her strength in great quietnes, our Lord sodainly raiseth her vp for a short time to the height of vnion, drawing as it were the curtaine which is be­tweene God and her, God him­self dilating her, and making her capable of such thinges as she can [Page 270]neither expresse nor conceiue, and when she desireth to thinke and stay vpō that which God wrought in her, she findeth that those fa­uours are now past, the affections of them only remaining behind; the said religious man asked him againe, whether hauing receiued such fauours, he remembred them afterwardes, and whether his soule did allwaies remaine in that height, to which God is wont to raise others for a little time, as is said? he answered him; that as it is not in mans power to obtaine such singular fauours of God, so neither is it in his power to re­member or continue them for a long time, and that he doubted whether there euer had bin any pure creature, except the B. Virgin, that did allwaies perseuer in such an excellent vnion which God is wont to giue, though in the ordi­nary kind of vnion (such as God had giuen vnto him) one might allwaies continue and profit.

[Page 271]And prosecuting this matter he said further, that vnions, reuela­tions, extasies, and rapts were not the top of perfection, nor that it did not consist in them, though God is often wont to giue them, because he worketh with euery soule according to her capacity, necessity, ād dispositiō, they that are perfect and well exercised in the act of loue, doe not require that the senses should be suspended from their operation, to the end that they may be more vnited vn­to God because the senses are no hindrance to them in their enioy­ing God, for he had neuer had any extasy, reuelation, or rapt that de­prined him of his senses, the which had neuer hindred him.

At another time the same man talked with him of some soules which attained to great peace and [...]hward quietnes together with a [...]assiue vnion, and, as it were, en­ioying loue, which God gaue vnto them; Gregory answered him that [Page 272]such as those were good soules and were in a good way, but that perfection and merit is not so much in those workes of enioy­ing as in that the soule of her part endeauoureth with all her might to loue God with the perfectest manner and act that she can; for this is rather to doe then to enioy, and the other is rather enioying, then working, because the soule that loueth God perfectly, cannot giue him more then she doth giue him, neither doth God require any thing else of her, for hereof de­pendeth all our law and Pro­phets.

I was once talking with him how gratious in the sight of God certaine persons were who doe allwaies employ themselues in praying for the whole Church with a great zeale of Gods ho­nour and desire of the saluation of soules; he said that this was a great perfection but such as few had attained vnto, and that he had [Page 273]vnderstood that Mother Isabell de la Natiuidad, a nunne of the Mo­nastery of the Conception in Me­xico, now deceased, had obtained it, who as I thinke for certaine knew by reuelation from God, that Gregory Lopes allso was wholly giuen to this exercise; for in a letter which she writ, she said these wordes: I am cōtinually in the office which God hath put me in of praying for the whole Church, as my brother allso doth; she said this by Gregory, and she was one free from all falshood and euen from suspicion. Thinges haue bin said in this Chapter, which in the opinion of those that treat of prayer and spirit, are for confirmation and testimony of great sanctity, more then miracles; because they are more infaillible signes of it then miracles.

THE XVII. CHAPTER. Of some other manners of prayer which he vsed.

NO lesse wonderfull height of perfection and sanctity is proued by other kindes of prayer, wherin this admirable man (though his continuall emploi­ment was to exercise that act of lone towardes God and his neigh­bour, and in this worke he vsed all his strength) employed him­self, without diuerting his mind but rather allwaies increasing the vnion we spoke of.

When any inward combates presented themselues, he was very willing to fight them, for the loue of God; and after he had ouer­come, he offerred him in sacrifice the victory and all the spoiles of of that war, and therfore by rea­son that he was wont often to ouercome, and through the great [Page 275]confidence which he had in God, he reioiced when he saw whole troupes of temptatiōs come against him, as huntsmen doe when they see their pray that they may see it on their Masters table, and he did not only offer vp in sacrifice vnto God, the victories and the spoiles of his combates, but also the gifts and strength wherwith God did enrich and adorne him, mak­ing an offering of them vnto his God and giuer with a very hum­ble prayer and, acknowledgment, wherin he confessed him to be the chiefe good and source of all good, and therfore most worthy, to whom all thinges which we haue receiued should be offered, so that Gregory as soone as he re­ceiued any fauour or gift, presently with a more cleare knowledge and feruent charity directed it to his Lord, without staying on it himself, because he desired all whatsoeuer he receiued, should be his. Such was his fidelity and loue [Page 276]towardes God; and in these times he was vsed to repeate that sen­tence of the wise man: you shall find many mercifull but a faith, full man who will find?

He was allso wont to offer vp vnto the Eternall Father the life, Passion and death of Iesus Christ, his son and our Redeemer. This offering, sometimes he made for the whole world, othertimes for particular persons, or intentions, according as he vnderstood that it was the will of God; he made such account of this Sacrifice or spirituall Masse, that one day tal­king with me about it, he told me that God had thousands of priests in the world, who made this of­fering spiritually many times in the day and that he did frequent two kinds of spirituall commu­nions both consisting in ardent desires, the one of receiuing Sa­cramentally our Sauiour Christ, the other, of receiuing within himself the Father, the son and [Page 277]and holy Ghost, making himself a liuing and pure temple of the Bles­sed Trinity, and giuing it actually entertainment in his heart, where it might come and allwaies re­maine.

I asked him one day how he did exercise the loue of God and his neighbour; he answered me, that he onely repeated some versi­cles of Dauid, such as these: Praise yee our lord all nations, praise yee him all people; All the workes of our lord, blesse yee our lord, praise yee him and glorify yee him for euer. Let all the earth o Lord adore thee and blesse thee. Wher­with I remained not onely satis­fied, but allso well affected to that manner of praving which con­taineth so much in it.

He was allso very carefull to pray for our holy Mother the Church, for her increase, and for the exaltation of our holy Catho­lick faith throughout all kindo­ [...]es. He did pray very carnestly [Page 278]for those that were in sin, and he said that this prayer was very pleasing vnto God, relating vpon this occasion that which had pas­sed betwixt our Sauiour and saint Catherine of Siena, who pray­ing vnto him instantly for those that are in mortall sin, heard from his diuine mouth: I intreat thee to pray vnto me for them; and he was wont to repeate those wordes with much tendernes and commi­seration, when there was occa­sion to talke of those that are in sin.

To the same purpose he related an exemple, which saint Denys the Areopagite in his eighth Epistle to Demophilus affirmeth that he had heard from the mouth of saint Carpus the Bishop, to whom by reason of his cleanenes and since­rity of heart God reuealed many thinges; and it was this: the said saint Carpus vnderstanding for certaine that an idolater had per­uerted a Christian and made him [Page 279]forsake his faith, was so incensed against both, as that he instantly besought God to take them away from the face of the earth, not being able to endure that such wicked men should liue vpon it, since that they peruerted the way of God; and looking vp towardes heauen he saw therin Iesus Christ sitting enuironned with innume­rable Angells and saints, then looking downe into the earth as it were by the mouth of a well, he saw hell and its tourments, and in the very brinke of the well were those two wicked men, whom he had cursed, staggering and ready to fall, and trembling in pitti­full manner, because those hel­lish serpents sought to catch hold and pull them in. Carpus was told, that he would doe well to pray for them, that they might be freed from those grie­uous paines, but he would not, yea he prayed vnto God to let them fall into that well, and lifting vp [Page 280]his eies againe towardes heauen, he saw the most mer [...]ifull Iesus, who moued with compassion rose vp and offered them his hand that they migh [...] es [...]hape, sent his An­gells allso to help them, and tru­ning to Carpus said vnto him: oh Carpus I am ready to suffer againe for mens sake; see whether it would like you to be for euer in this hell and liue amongst those serpents, depriued of the sight of God and the company of his An­gells and saints. He made vse of such examples to practise himself and teach others the spirit of Iesus Christ.

He did amorously and earnestly importune God in his prayers to draw vnto him all countries and nations, couerting them, and mak­ing them enter into the lap of the Church, and to reduce the Iewes and heretikes to the holy Catho­like faith. This he did without eue [...] desisting from that act of loueing God which we spoke of.

[Page 281]The chiefe scope of his prayer for his neighbours, was that the will of God might be fullfilled in them on earth as it is in heauen, and he tooke occasion from all thinges to make that prayer. If he heard men say how the king for his great power and iustice was feared and reuerenced, and that he enioyed his kingdome in peace, he presently turned to God and said: thou art allmighty ād iust ô Lord, let all feare thee, and reuerence thee; and possesse ô Lord all this thy kingdome in peace.

When he heard that a father for his goodnes was loued by his sons, he presently said vnto God: ô Fa­ther and fountaine of all good, let all thy sons loue thee. When he vn­derstood how a gardiner endea­uoured to make all his trees yeeld fruit, he presently turned to the Creatour of all, saying: let none of thy creatures be lost, oh Lord, let them yeeld their fruit in their pro­per season. When he heard of great [Page 282]warres and shedding of bloud, he lifted vp his heart vnto God, say­ing: your sons and my brethren, whom you command me so much to loue, behold ô Father how they behaue themselues; and to say in briefe, all the goods and euills of the world were vnto him motiues of prayer.

Sometimes he told me that he saw in God all whatsoeuet was in the world, as it were, gathered in­to one point, without any dis­course; the which it might be was by some great light of contempla­tion, which he receiued in certaine occasions, wherby we may gather something of the excellence of his prayer, and how eleuated his soule was and like vnto God, since that he had the whole world abridged in his vnderstanding, and with such particular light reduced to an vnity, that he might offer it vnto God.

He desired much that his neigh­bours should neuer cease to pray [Page 283]vnto God euen in their exteriour workes; because, as one well ex­perienced, he knew the great good that it containes, and he was wont to praise the Machabes for that vertue, who in their greatest bat­tailes, as is related in their history, did at the same time fight with their handes, and pray in their hearts.

He vsed another manner of praying worthy the learning and imitating, for whensoeuer he was to speake answer or aske any thing; he first fixed his mind on God by mentall prayer, imploring his diuine assistance. To this pur­pose he was wōt to tell that which befell Nehemias with Artaxerzes, as is written in the second Chap­ter of the second of Esdras; for this great Monarch asking of Nehe­mias his cup bearer, what it was that he desired, the text saith; that before he began to speake he made his prayer vnto the God of heauen, wherby he obtained of the king [Page 284]all whatsoeuer he asked.

He was much deuoted to the Pater noster because it was taught him by our Sauiour, and he rea­ped much profit by it: in most of the Petitiōs he put in those wordes. As in heauen so vpon earth; as when he said: Hallowed be thy name, he added: as in heauen, so on earth; for hereby he shewed the desire that he had of Gods glo­ry; and all though many seruants of God, to induce men to good, and draw them to the seruice of God, doe write letters and take in hand great iourneyes, and doe other thinges, yet Gregory insteed of these, when he desired to help his neighbours and relieue their ne­cessities, had presently recourse vn­to God by his prayers, knowing that all good was to proceed from him; and by this meanes he wrought admirable effects; and vpon this occasion he would some­times tell merit is far better nego­tiating with God then with Men. [Page 285]But to those that asked him coun­saile by word or writing, he gaue answer according as he thought was necessary for their good and God his honour, to whom he gaue thankes, because he had personages in his Church that did allso assist their neighbours by such outward meanes.

THE XVIII. CHAPTER. Of his habitation or mansion in God.

I Haue differred as much as I could possible, to write the mā ­ner how Gregory did liue in God, because I was allwaies in hope of a greater light from his diuine spi­rit, that I might be better able to declare a thing of such importāce. This manner was not by extasies or rapts, because his vnion seemed allwaies vnto me, immediate since that his will free form all other af­fections tended very strongly one­ly [Page 286]vnto God; and this manner of vnion might be seen by its great fruits that allwaies remained in him.

This mansion, I thinke cannot be otherwise tearmed better then a trāsformation into God, because the soule in this estate is wholly besides herself, and wholly in God, according to that of the Apostle, I liue, but now not I, because Christ liueth in me. And thus the matter is, for vnto vs that haue looked into his life and conuersa­tion, he allwaies seemed a pour-trait of Christ, and therfore we called him, a man truely crucified into the world, for he onely re­garded the spirituall life, of which when spirituall persons did talke with him, he inuited them to this transformation saying vnto them those wordes of S. Iohn: God gaue them power to be made sons of God to those that beleeue in his name, who now are not borne of flesh and bloud nor of the will of [Page 287]man; but God himself; and I am certaine that this transformation of Gregory into God, was well li­ked of by all the spirituall men that conuersed with him.

In this transformation, which I call immediate vnion, there vseth to be a great spirituall ioy which is called fruition; because those that are so transformed, for a long time are rather in ioy then paine, be­cause they are caried by God, without any labour of theirs, to that most happy state; and this is that which is called the spirituall oile; there they are with God as it were onely passiuely, ād I call it so because, allthough it be true that the soule in that vnion be allwaies in actiō yet not so much inseeking after as in possessing, for she rather exerciseth the act of possessing and enioying, then the act of desi­ring.

I doe not know whether Grego­ry had this as it were passiue vniō, from the time that he went into [Page 288]the desert, for God did in such manner communicate himself vn­to him, as that he euery day desi­red more, and therfore did not so much entertaine himself in enioy­ing that which was giuen him, as with new desires to see himself euery day approch nearer vnto God.

S. Denys the Areopagite saith, that Hierotheus his Master had the state of spirituall rest and frui­tion which we haue spoken of and he putteth it downe for the high­est perfection that is in this life, and all the contemplatiues are of the same opinion, and this is the only reason, why the surname of Diuine was giuen to Hierotheus▪ for this vnion maketh the soule to be the same▪ with God and very like the diuine nature, the which doth not exercise its operations with paine and toile but ioy. I haue told vpon diuerse occasions this so common opinion vnto Gregory, fifteen yeares before his death; [Page 289]and though he yeelded allso to it (for he knew it very well) yet he esteemed it was better for himself to be in action, and allwaies louing God and his neighbour, labouring therein both day and night. And therfore he embraced this estate the more willingly, for he said that God had giuen him that exercise as being the best, and that he was to endeauour with all his strength, not to leaue it off for any ioy or fruition whatsoeuer; for he could not conceiue, how in this life that should be most perfect, which had least merit [...]ād that enioying is not of so much merit as taking of paines is: but I will leaue this doc­trine for wise men to determine, and will prosecute my intent.

Gregory his transformation into Christ, which I perceiued in him, was an ardent loue and desire to [...]ollow him in his life and imitate his labours and Crosse, for it is ma­nifest that the most holy life of our Sauiour Iesus Christ was a [Page 290]liuely patterne for vs all to imitate, in fullfilling the will of his eternall father, and so he saith: I came not to doe my will, but my fathers: and in another place: it be hooueth me to doe the worke of him that sent me, while it is day.

It is allso well knowne, that the life of our Sauiour Christ from his birth till his death was a cōtinuall bearing of the crosse of our sinnes, working therby our redemption so as all his life was a suffering of troubles; in these therfore Gre­gory desired, and allso did imitate Christ; wherfore in his life there was but little fruition and ioy, and much care and trouble, so as it seemes that this want of sensible ioyes may be esteemed a priuiledge and particular guift of God, since that without these fauours, his di­uine Maiestie bestowed vpon him that which he is wont to giue to others that haue them, as may be seen in the knowledge, wisedome fortitude, perseueance, and all the [Page 291]other diuine gifts wher with he was endued. Hereby allso it is ma­nifest, that God directed him in waies proper to men; for his di­uine Maiesty doth for the most part giue those ioyes to his friends in the beginning of their conuer­sion, when they begin to dy to the world and liue in God, then he bringeth them into his cellar, to giue them a tast: then he giueth them some light and ioy as a pledge, or earnest of that which is in heauen, to make them walke on with strength and perseuerāce; but after they haue profited and are growne strong, he inuiteth them to the highest degree of charity, which is to suffer and dy for their beloued; we haue examples of both in the holy Apostles: and whosoeuer shall haue read with attention that which is aboue written, will allso come to see, that this exercise of greatest charity, which maketh one suffer and dy for his beloued, was the whole life [Page 292]of this holy man, for it was a thing well knowne to vs all that did conuerse with him, that this so ve­hement an exercise of louing God with all his strength, was the cause of all his weaknesses, paines and sicknesses, and he perceiuing this, went on pining away ioyfully for his beloued. Vpon this ocea­sion, relating sometimes vnto me the great paines which he had en­dured, he said vnto me: the ma­teriall martirdome of whipps, hookes of iron, fire and sword be it neuer so great, dureth but for a short time: but besides these, God hath in heauen spirituall mar­tirs in a very high degree. He did tell the liues of many saints wor­thy of great honour, that confirme this verity; amongst others he told of Paph [...]utius the hermit, that as he was led in chaines for being a Christian, and those that led him, threatned him with great tormēts vnles he would forsake the faith o [...] Christ, he laughing at his tormē ­tours [Page 293]said vnto them: we hermits vse to endure these torments in the desert. But because it is a thing most certain both to me and to others that knew Gregory, that he did excell in spirituall martir­dome, I will not speake more hereof considering the ioy wher­with he receiued his death, when without any feare he beheld it neare at hand, yea with far more contentment then wordly men feele in the middest of their plea­sures, honours and pastimes, saying with the Apostle, to mee Christ is life and death againe.

Gregory his delight therfore was to suffer for Christ, and his cōtent and glory was in the crosse, saying with S. Paul: Far be it from me to glory in any thing but in the crosse of my Sauiour. Iesus Christ; and with the Prophet Da­vid who seing himself so enriched with the benefits and fauours which God had bestowed vpon him in his last daies, he began to [Page 294]consider it and to say: what re­compence shall I make vnto God for all the fauours that he hath done me? and fixing his eies vpon all whatsoeuer he had, he found no other recompence but only to say: I will take his cup and call vpon his name, as if he should say: I wil desire inwardly to drinke of the cup of his Passion, the which I see and know well by the spirit of Prophesy. This therfore was the spirit of Gregory, in this way God did guide him, this is the doctrine which was taught him by our Sa­uiour Christ, in whose paines and death he found such spirituall de­light, that he neuer desired any o­ther, as is said; and he was wont to say, that perfect spirituall men are displeased with those delights which beginners doe willingly embrace, for a man taketh as a re­proach to be offered a bunch of grapes or an apple wherwith the child is much taken; he added mo­reouer, that this present life is no [...] [Page 295]for ioy and rest, but sorrow and trouble.

Finally this his refusing, euen of spirituall delights, proceeded from a perfect pouerty of spirit which was giuen him by God, wherunto appertaineth, to desire nothing but God for his owne sake, wher­in consisteth true charity, and the top of Christian perfection; so as he that loueth God most, is most perfect, be it with those delights or no, for if the cobler mending his shooes should loue God more then a contemplatiue man, he would be more perfect in Chri­stian life then he, notwithstan­ding the fruition that he hath at­tained.

With this spirit, did Gregory chieflly attend to the increase and purity of charity, desiring allwaies, in his life and labours to imitate our Sauiour Christ, whom he all­waies looked vpon as on a good paterne, by which he might learne how he ought to labour, saying [Page 296]with Dauid: my eies are allwaies vpon our lord: and to this pur­pose he was wont wisely to vse that sentence: the wise mans eies are in his head, meaning that the wise man hath his eies allwaies vpon Christ who is his head; for said he the soule touched with the loue of God, is like the mari­ners needle, which by reason that it is touched with a loade-stone, allwaies inclineth to the north; and that spirituall men ought to haue this maruailous property, as in what place or busines soeuer they are, to be allwaies inclined, and desire to haue their eies all­waies fixed on our Sauiour Christ.

He tooke great contentment to see men doe so; for once four men, very spirituall, and great ser­uants of God; being come to visit him and sitting with him at the table, it so fell out, that they wer [...] all bareheaded: he looked ioy­fully on them and said: God b [...] praised; for that all we that sit a [Page 297]this table, haue our head bare. He spoke spiritually, and his meaning was, that they were all spiritually looking vpon Christ, who is our head, and at that time was bare vnto them all: and by reason of the tokens that we saw, I hold for certaine, that he saw the hearts of those that were present, for, as is said, God hath oftentimes done him that fauour, and considering the vertue and good spirit of those his guests, it may be thought that they were in that disposition, as to haue their eies vpon God. This holy man, as I was allwaies of opinion, neuer lost sight of God, and therfore God neuer went out of sight from him, according to to that of Iob: God will neuer haue his eies off of the iust man, and by meanes of this sight, God allwaies preserued him in such manner from falling into all the nets and snares whatsoeuer the enemy laied for him, as that he passed through them freely and safely, as is shewed.

THE XIX. CHAPTER. Of the effects of his prayer.

I haue allwaies thought, that God hath wrought stranges effects through his prayers; and though he out of his humility neuer re­uealed any of those great effects for he neuer told me any in that kind though I was so familiary with him, yet I am certaine; that he knew of wonderfull thinges which God had done by his prayers, of the which I will here relate for the greater glory of God, some, which I came to know by other meanes,

In the yeare 1579. being at our Ladies of Remedies he was visi­ted by a priest, who was much troubled in mind, because he did not perseuer in the seruice of God, but fell into great in conueniences through such occasions as offered themselues. Therfore he instantly [Page 299]besought him to pray for him, and to aduise him what he should doe, for assuredly he would doe it whatsoeuer it were, though it were to goe vnto a montaine and be an hermite, since that his saluation was not a busines of small impor­tance. Hereunto Gregory answe­red only these wordes: you shall be an hermite in Mexico for this yeare. He vnderstanding it as it ought to be vnderstood, endea­uoured to change his life, and li­ued with much profit of his soule. This priest therfore walking through he streetes of Mexico (for he emploied himself in wor­kes of charity towardes his neigh­hour) had an inward calling, with­out reflecting at that time on that which the holy man had said vnto him, yet his calling was confor­mable thereunto, which was that he should obserue inward recol­lection, and at the same instant there was giuen him, through the diuine mercy, such courage and [Page 300]strength, as that he walked through all the streetes and pu­blick places, inwardly recollec­ted and praying, in such sort, as that no busines, hinderance or noise was of force to diuert him from that exercise, as if he had bin fifty yeares exercised in prayer. He became a new Man, and so different from what he was, as that at that very instant, he rai­sed his thoughts from the earth, and fixed them on heauen. He left off all complements and visits (for this it was that did enda­mage him) and all his conuersa­tion and delight was to be recol­lected in mind, and treating with God of his saluation. Then he be­gan to walke solitary, if charity did not otherwise require; the people were no more hindrance to him, then if they had bin tres, or craggs of a montaine; he began to vse fastings, disciplines, haire-shirts and God exercised him with greater temptations, then euer he [Page 301]had in all his life time before, some of them were inward, others out­ward, and withall he gaue him strength to defend himself, as if he had bin an old beaten souldier or ancient hermite. He began all­so to liue in pouerty, and, through Gregory his prayers, God framed in him the heremiticall life so en­tirely and perfectly, as if he had spent many yeares in the desert; and least there should be wanting vnto him any of those thinges that are wont to happen vnto her­mites, he was allmost all that yeare tempted visibly by the di­uells. The yeare exprired, he went to talke with Gregory who was then in Guasteca; he gaue him an account of his life, as he had done at other times at our Ladies of Remedies, and haueing bin eight daies in his company, he sayd vnto him; now the yeare is past wherin I was to be an her­mite, what must I doe from hence forwards, he answered only these [Page 302]wordes: Loue God and your neighbour, and herewith they parted. The priest therfore taking his iourney towardes Mexico and being come to an vnhabited place which is in the way, began to thinke vpon those wordes, and because he had studied the tract of Charity, he thought he knew that allready, and herewith he went on with little mind to that exercise to which new as counsai­led, but, then remembring himself, how much good Gregory his for­mer aduise had done him, he he­gan to humble himself, and ima­gine that those wordes might haue some deeper misterie then that which he vnderstood; he deter­mined to pray for the vnderstan­ding of them, and to beseech God to shew vnto him that which lay hidden vnder those wordes, and not to haue regard to his arro­gance and pride; and presently he heard God speake inwardly vnto him very distinctly, saying: [Page 303]if thou desirest to loue God, thou must strip thy self out of thy self and all whatsoeuer thou hast, and be dead to all worldly thinges. He offered himself with all his heart herunto, that he might receiue that fauour from the Diuine Ma­iesty; presently found in himself, that nakednes, which God did require, and withall was cloa­thed and bathed in the ointment of the loue of God, which was so great that neither his vnderstan­ding was able to comprehend it, nor his heart to receiue it, so as he did euen melt away into this great gift. Hereby the priest vn­derstood the depth and perfection of Gregory his counsaile, and the efficacy of his prayer. He endea­uoured to cleanse his heart, that he might receiue that fauour, and made firme purposes to follow the hand and will of God which way soeuer he was pleased to lead him. This act of loue dured for the space of seauen howers, God [Page 304]shewed him the vertues and their beauty, and made him haue a triall of them, as it were euen touching and possessing them. There re­mained with him, after this fa­uour, a great affection, which was such as that for six yeares space, he continued in this same loue, being allmost allwaies in actuall exercise of it, and practi­sing those vertues which God had taught him; and euen till this day, which is now more then thirty yeares, it hath bin his prop and staffe in all his tribulations and troubles, perseuering couragiously in the way of God. And he hath receiued many other fauours, which I will not here relate, be­cause this alone is sufficient to shew, how pleasing this holy man his prayers were in the sight of God, euen whilest he liued in this exile.

A certaine person intreating Gregory very earnestly to vnder­take to direct him in the spirituall way, [Page 305]he answered him: goe brother for Iesus Christ is your Master, and he presently found the truth hereof in his soule, and perceiued it in his workes, for he began to proceed with such difference in his spirit, as there is, betwixt seing, and being blind; afterwardes God gaue him the knowledge of his owne being nothing, and of Iesus Christ his truth so clearely, that he be­came another man, acknowledg­ing that this great good had be­ [...]alne him through Gregory his prayers. Since that time he hath had many extasies and rapts, wherby his soule hath got much humility and strength.

A religious woman of great ver­tue and spirit, receiued an inward warning that a great misfortune would befall her. She was much troubled hereat for the space of eight months, fearing least that this misfortune were some of­fence of God, and therfore she recommended herself to the [Page 306]prayers of all the seruants of God. This religious woman hauing communicated vpon the feast of our Ladies Natiuity, had a parti­cular inspiration whilest she was at her prayers, to intreat Gregory Lopes, who was then in Santafe, to pray for her. She intreated a gentleman, that came to visit her, and now is a religious Man, to goe and desire him to recommend her vnto God. The holy man re­ceiuing the message, answered him: I will doe so, let her trust in God and feare nothing, for she shall not offend him. Herewith she became as quiet in mind, as if she had bin told so by an Angell from heauen; and so it fell out as Gregory had said, but this gent­leman, going to Santafe to carry the message, by the way went into the Conuent of saint Dominick of Mexico, to intreat a certaine reli­gious man of great sanctity to pray for this religious woman his ghostly child. The day following [Page 307]the said religious man being at his prayers, was rapt in spirit, and saw holy Gregory kneeling in the presence of God and praying for her, and that his diuine Maiesty accepted his prayers with much content; and told him that his seruant Gregory was very mind­full of her in his prayers. The re­ligious man told this with great feeling and many teares; and said, that in that vision he came to know Gregory, for that before he did not know him; the religious woman became thenceforward much deuoted to this holy man, who, at the day of his death, re­requited her: for she, not know­ing of it, had for the space of foure daies together, a very speciall ap­prehension of God his goodnes, and of how much she was bound vnto him, and withall a discoue­ry of the worlds deceit; and she held as vndoubted, that she had receiued that fauour from God by Gregory his meanes, for th [...]n [Page 308]he was in heauen enioying the sight of God.

There was a priest that was much addicted to this holy man, and followed alltogether his counsaile and doctrine in his man­ner of praying. He hauing allrea­dy receiued some fauours of God tooke such content in them as only to enioye them, he did not take any care to walke any far­ther in the spirituall way; Gregory, seing his manner of proceeding: recited that sentence of Isaias, thou hast found life in thy hands, therfore thou hast not asked. Herewith God did much illumi­nate him, that so he might walke with more pouerty of spirit, and cast himself into that infinite depth of God, without relying vpon his owne waies, nor euen vpon those fauours, wherwith at other times God had drawe [...] him on; for he endeauoured to strip himself wholly, that he might be in more readines, vpon [Page 309]all occasions, to accomplish the will of God and not to make any stop in the spirituall way, pro­fiting herewith both himself and others.

A young man very vertuous, and desirous, to doe well, went about very much disquieted in mind, for the space of foure or fiue months, and the greatest cause of his an­guish was, because he did not know, what state of life to make choice of for his owne saluation. He acquainted herewith certain holy and deuout persons, desiring them to pray for him, and percei­uing that none of these meanes was sufficient to rid him of that vnquietnes, he remembred himself of Gregory Lopes, and went to Santafe to visit him, and though he was a young man otherwise bold enough, yet at the very sight of Gregory, his heart was to sea­led with feare and reuerence, as that, allthough Gregory was of an humble demeanour ād in poore [Page 310]attire, he said that he had neuer seen in his life a man, that had stroken into him such a reuerence, both inwardly and outwardly, and that it seemed vnto him, that he saw in him the coūtenance of one more then a man. He intreated him to beseech his diuine Maiesty to giue him light, that he might choose the estate, wherin he should doe him most seruice; and Gregory only saying vnto him: trouble not your self, for I will re­commend you vnto God, his spi­rit was quieted, and the said trouble neuer came to him againe, the which he attributed to the ho­ly Man his prayer, and chose the estate of Priesthood, and died with an esteeme of vertue and sanctity; he affirmed with an oath, that at other times he acquainted Grego­ry with sundry temptations that he had, and allwaies returned with great satisfaction and comfort.

Another person very deuout vn­to Gregory, went vnto the place [Page 311]where he was, and the first night sustained many very grieuous tēp­tations, of which he told him the next morning; and he answered: I did forget my self last night, it shall not be so hereafter, and the nights following he found himself more at ease and with more deuo­tion: the which he did hold for certaine, befell him through Gre­gory his prayers.

THE XX. CHAPTER. Of the respect which he stroke into those that did looke vpon him.

IT is a thing worthy of obserua­tion, that a poore man solitary and vnknowne, cloathed only in grey sack cloth, allwaies barehea­ded, and in a manner an out-cast should stricke such a respect and reuerence into those that looked vpon him, that allthough they were men vsed to wordly conuer­sation, [Page 312]yet some should not be able to speake a word vnto him: truely vertue and sanctity ought to be, ho­noured and reuerenced, euen by those that doe not follow it, be­cause that which is good doth all waies seeme well, and since that through our sinnes it is so rare in the world, no maruaile if it cause admiration and feare.

A certaine Man of good account and very vertuous, came with a great desire to see the holy man, and to talke with him about a bu­sines of importance, which did trouble his mind, and made him allwaies Melancholly; and as soone as he came into his pre­sence, he was so troubled and tongue-tied, that he could not speake a word; being in this trouble, and Gregory allwaies ex­pecting when he would declare his necessity vnto him, he stood a long time silent, at length the holy man lifted vp his eies, and for a while looked vpon him (peraduenture he [Page 313]was praying for him) and after­wardes he freed him from that trouble, answering his doubts and satisfying him in all that he would haue asked, if he had not become dumbe; wherat he became more confounded and amased, percei­uing that he had vnderstood his mind and thoughts by the light of prayer, and going forth he told this accident to another vertuous mā that came with him, and being asked what was the cause of that his trouble, he answered, it was the beholding of such a venerable countenance, so great mortifica­tion, and so holy a recollection of mind, and that he departed as­tonied because he had giuen such a particular answer to all that he had in his mind, he not propoun­ding his busines,

There came to see him a young man that was a student [...], and be­fore the holy man spoke euer a word vnto him, his mind was pos­sessed with such a feare and ama­sement, [Page 314]as that he presently pur­posed to change his life, and was afterwardes a priest of a very re­tired and exemplar life, and came often to confer with Gregory, in those fiue yeares that he liued.

A certaine gentlemans mā came vnto him with a message, from his Master; and as soone as he came into his presence, he was sur­prised with such a feare and trouble, as that he could not speake; and going forth he said: It is one thing to speake vnto these men of God, and another to speake with men of the world; I did not thinke that the sight of any man could haue troubled me. Some daies after, comming againe with the like message, and haue­ing deliuered it vnto me, I asked him, if he would goe in and deli­uer it himself vnto Gregory; he answered me: no sir, I pray doe you tell him, for I dare not.

Another person came from far to visit him in this village of San­tafe, [Page 315]and hearing much commen­dations of his sanctity, he was a­fraid to come in his presence; but being come to see him, he felt such inward ioy, as that not being able to cōceale it, he told the holy man what had hapned vnto him, wher­unto he answered: giue God than­kes for it. This ioy lasted two daies to the great profit of his soule, he said that to him it seemed that he, had seen an Apostle, and that, in that occasion God had giuen him such a feeling, as that he could not possibly expresse it; and he affirmed, that the second time that he saw him, he found him­self inwardly satisfied of his doubts, onely by looking vpon him without asking him any thing, for, as is said, God had be­stowed this fauour vpon Grego­ry.

What I haue here related is not the most admirable that is knowne of his workes and mira­culous life; for it Vere to vnder­take [Page 316]a thing far aboue the or­dinary reach of mans wit, to thinke of finding the height of the gifts, fauours, and riches which God bestowed vpon this his seruant, whose life might vnto vs be insteed of a light and paterne to imitate, that so, if it be the will of God, we might at length find out that place of euer­lasting peace and quietnes, which we seeke after

Amen.