be without some affliction. Thus did our courageous champion trample upon his enemies. Thou shall walk upon the Asp and the Basilisk; and thou shall trample under foot the Lion and the Dragon.* Whilst he vanquished all his foes, not so much by resisting, as by suffering.
* Psal. 90,
BLESSED ALCANTARA.
CHAPTER VIII.
OF HIS CHARITY TOWARDS HIS NEIGHBOR.
His charity towards his neighbor was unspeakable; for this cause he often visited hospitals to serve the sick, assisting them both spiritually and corporally, and oftentimes miraculously restoring them to their former health. After he had made an end of his devotion, the residue of his time he spent in comforting the afflicted, in cherishing the feeble, and, finally, in anything he could imagine might comfort his neighbor, either corporally or spiritually; so that innumerable people of all conditions and sexes, continually flocked unto him for his charitable assistance.
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CHAPTER IX.
OF HIS POVERTY.
He was a rigid observer of holy poverty, which in imitation of his patron,* St. Francis, he not only loved, but honored so far that he was wont to call it the Evangelical pearl, wherewith he enriched his new province, in that lustre as the observance was in the infancy of our Seraphical Order, from which 'time, and by whose example, most provinces through the Christian world have excelled in this particular point, as much as in their former splendor. He permitted his brethren to have nothing in their cells of mere necessity, and to the preachers he permitted them no more than two or three books, with the Bible and a crucifix.
He was upon a time asked by St. Theresa, whether or no she should found her monasteries
*St. Franciscus non solum paupertatis commodis libentissime fruebatur, sed etiam itahonorabatet cole- bat, qusesirem eximiam et eni nulla huraana dignitas posset comparari. Itaque ut D. Bonav. scribit, earn in omni sermone mode Matrem, modo Sponsam, modo Dominam appellabat, ssepe etiam Reginam, propterea quod in rege regum ejusque genitrice, adeo insigniter effulfisset. Hieron. Platus de bono stat. relig. lib. 2. cap. 3.
BLESSED ALCANTARA.
with rents and yearly revenues, to which diverse persons of quality had advised her. He answered, that it was an injury to God the author of Evangelical counsels, to ask the advice of men touching the observance of them, or to doubt whether or no they were observable. And with all encouraged her to be constant in that fervent desire, she had begun in embracing holy poverty. To whose counsel she wil- lingly obeyed. And after, our Lord appeared to her in prayer, and declared, that it was his will that her monasteries should be founded in holy poverty. His letter to her, I think it not amiss, to set down at large, which followeth.
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A LETTER
OF THE BLESSED FATHER FR. PETER DE ALCANTARA, TO THE HOLY MOTHER THERESA OF JESUS, WHO DEMANDED HIS COUNSEL, WHETHER SHE SHOULD FOUND MONASTERIES WITH RENTS OR NOT.
The Holy Ghost give you his grace and love, &c. I received yours, delivered me by Don Gonzales d'Aranda, and am amazed considering your zeal and piety: in committing to the direction of learned lawyers, that, which is noways their profession, or belonging unto them: you should do well to take their advice concerning the deciding of a process, or of suits in law, and temporal affairs, but in that which concerns perfection of life, we ought to treat only with those who practise the same. For such as the conscience of every one is, such are his exercises and works. Concerning the Evangelical counsels, may I demand whether they be observable or no? For that the counsels of God cannot be but good, neither can the observance thereof seem difficult, unless to those who govern themselves according to human prudence, having less confidence in God than they ought. For he who hath given the counsel, will consequently give force
BLESSED ALCANTARA.
and means to accomplish the same. And if your zeal and fervor draw you to embrace the counsels of Jesus Christ, observe them with the greatest integrity and perfection that you possibly can, seeing they were equally given to both sexes. It cannot be, but the same merit and reward will be rendered unto you, as to others that have truly observed them. And if there be seen any want or necessity in the monasteries of poor religious women, it is because they are poor against their wills, and not through fault of their vow of poverty, or following of Evangelical counsels. For I ac- count not much of their simple poverty, but of their patient sufferance of the same for the love of God. But I more esteem that poverty which is desired, procured, and embraced for the same love. And, if I should think, or determinately believe otherwise, I should not hold myself a good Catholic. I believe in this, and in all other things taught by our blessed Saviour, and that his counsels are good and profitable, as proceeding from God, and though they oblige not to sin, they bind, nevertheless, that man to be more perfect that followeth them, than if he had not undertaken them at all. I hold them poor in spirit, who are poor in will, as our Saviour hath said, and myself proved; however, I believe more from God than of my own experience, that those, who by the grace of God are with all their hearts poor, lead a life most happy, as confiding, and
THE LIFE OF
hoping in him alone. His divine Majesty give you light to understand this truth, and to practise it. Believe not those that shall tell you the contrary, for want of light and understanding, or for not having tasted how sweet our Lord is to those that fear and love him, re- nouncing for his sake all unnecessary things of this world, for they are enemies of the cross of Christ, not believing the glory which accompanieth the same. I also pray our Lord to give you this light, that you be not wanting in the belief of this truth, so much manifested; and that you take not counsel, but of the followers of Jesus Christ; although others think it sufficient, if they observe the thing they are bound unto, yet they have not always greater virtue and perfection by their work. And though the counsel be good, yet that of our blessed Saviour is much better, who knows what he counsels, and gives grace to accomplish the same, and in the end reward to those who hope in him, and not in rents and goods of the earth.
From Avila, this 14th day of April, 1562.
BLESSED ALCANTARA.
CHAPTER X.
OF HIS CONFIDENCE IN ALMIGHTY GOD'S PROVI-DENCE.
His admirable confidence in the providence of Almighty God accompanied his rigid and Evangelical poverty, and it oftentimes miraculously appeared both at home and abroad.
He* lived sometimes in the convent of Sancta Maria de Rosario, which is situated in a woody place, by the river Tentairis, six Italian miles remote from any company ; at all times it was difficult to come to it, as the way was very steep and crooked, ✝ nevertheless it was a place of great devotion, whither the in- habitants of the country much resorted; but now, by reason of a great snow, the like of which was not seen in the memory of man, the monastery was so environed on every side, that the friars could not go out to get their victuals, neither could any come to them to bring provision. They cried to heaven to the Father of the poor, that being destitute of all
* Marianus in ejus vita cap. 6.
✝Ea est itineris ad eum ob loci solitudinem atque viarum anfractiis difficultas, ut vix accolis atque assuetis pateat. Gonzaga 3 parte Chron. ord. S. Franc, in prov. Sancti Josephi.
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