A golden treatise of mentall praier with diuerse spirituall rules and directions, no lesse profitable then necessarie for all sortes of people. First composed by the venerable and blessed father, Fr. Peter de Alcantara, of the Seraphicall Order of S. Francis. Beatified the 18. of Aprill. 1622. Translated into English by G.VV. To vvhich is prefixed a breife relation of the life, and death of the same father vvritten by G.VV. of the same order and obseruance.

CHAP. IX. Of his pouertie. (Book 9)

HE vvas a rigid obseruer of ho∣ly pouertie, vvhich in immita∣tion of his patron(a) 1.1 S. FRAN∣CIS, he not only loued, but honoured so farr that he vvas vvont to call it the Euangelicall pearle, vvhervvith he en∣riched his nevve erected prouince, in that lustre as the obseruance vvas in the infancie of our Seraphicall Order, from vvhich time, and by vvhose example, most prouinces through the Christian vvorld haue excelled in this particu∣lare point, as much as in their former splendour. He permitted his brethe∣ren to haue nothinge in their cells but of mere necessitie, and to the preachers he permitted them no more but tvvo or three bookes, vvith the Bible and a crucifix.

He vvas vpon a time asked by S. THERESIA vvhither or no she should found her Monasteries vvith rentes and yearely reuenues, to vvhich

diuerse persons of qualitie had aduised her. He ansvvered, that it vvas an in∣iurie to God the authour of Euangeli∣call counsells, to aske the aduise of men touchinge the obseruance of them, or to doubt vvhither or no they vvere ob∣seruable. And vvith all encouraged her to be constant in that feruant desire, she had begun in embracinge holy pouer∣tie. To vvhose counsell she vvillingly obeyed. And after our Lord appeared to her in prayer, and declared, that it vvas his vvill that her Monasteries should be founded in holy pouerty. His letter to her I thinke it not amissse to set dovvne at large, vvhich follovveth.

A letter of the blessed Father FR. PETER DE AL∣CANTARA, to the holy Mother THERESA OF IESVS, who demanded his counsell, whither she should founde her Monasteries with rents or no.

THE holy Ghost giue you his grace and loue, &c. I receiued yours, deliuered me by DON GONZALES D'ARANDA. And am amazed, consideringe your zeale, and pietie: in committinge to the direction of learned lavvyers, that vvhich is no vvayes their profession, or belonginge vnto them: you should doe vvell to take their aduice concerninge the deci∣dinge of a process or of sutes in lavv, and tēporall affaires, but in that vvhich concerns perfection of life, vve ought to treate only vvith those vvho practise the same. For such as the conscience of euerie one is, such are his exercises and

vvorkes. Concerninge the Euangelicall counsells, may I demand vvhither they be obseruable or noe? For that the coū∣sells of God cannot be but good, nei∣ther can the obseruance therof seeme difficult, vnless to those, vvho gouerne themselues accordinge to humane pru∣dence, hauinge less confidence in God then they ought. For he, vvho hath giuen the counsell, vvill consequently giue force and meanes to accomplish the same. And if your zeale and feruour dravve you to embrace the counsells of CHRIST IESVS, obserue them vvith the greatest integritie, and perfe∣ction that possible you can: seeinge they were equally giuen to both sexes. It can not be, but the same meritt and reward will be rendered vnto you, as to others that haue truly obserued them. And if there be seene any want or necessitie in the Monasteries of poore Religious Women, it is because they are poore against their wills, and not through faulte of their vowe of pouertie, or fol∣lowinge of the Euangelicall counsells. For I accoumpt not much of their sim∣ple pouertie, but of their patient suffe∣rance of the same for the loue of God. But I more esteeme of that pouertie

which is desired, procured, and embra∣ced for the same loue. And if I should thinke or otherwise determinatly be∣leeue, I should not hould my selfe a good Catholique. I beleeue in this, and in all other thinges taught by our bles∣sed Sauiour, and that his counsells are good and profitable, as proceedinge frō God, and though they oblige not to sinne, they binde neuertheless that man to be more perfect that followeth thē, then if he had not vndertaken them at all. I hold them poore in spirit, which are poore in will, as our Sauiour hath saied, and my selfe proued; how be it I beleeue more from God thē of myne owne experience, that those, who by the grace of God, are with all their hearts poore, leade a life most happie as confidinge and hoping in him alone. His diuine Maiestie giue you light to vnderstand this truth, and to practise the same. Beleeue not those that shall tell you the contrarie, for want of light and vnderstandinge, or for not hauinge tasted, how sweet our Lord is to those, that feare and loue him, renouncinge for his sake all vnnecessarie thinges of this world, for they are enemies of the Crosse of CHRIST, not beleeuinge

the glorie which accōpanieth the same. I also pray our Lord to giue you this light, that you be not wantinge in the beleife of this truth, so much manife∣sted. And that you take not counsell, but of the followers of CHRIST IESVS. Although others thinke it sufficient if they obserue the thinges they are bound vnto, yet they haue not alwayes greater vertue and perfection by their worke. And though the coun∣sell bee good, yet that of our blessed Sauiour is much better. Who knowes what he counselleth and giueth 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 Auila this 14. of April 1562.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  S. Fran∣ciscus non so∣lùm pauper∣tatis commo∣dis libentissi∣me fruebatur, sed etiam it a honorabat & colebat, quasi rem eximiam & cui nulla humana di∣gnitas posset cōparari▪ Ita{que} vt D. Bonau. scribit, eam in omni sermone modò Matrē, modò Sponsā, modò Domi∣nam appella∣bat, saepe etiā Reginam, pro∣ptereà quod in rege regum eiusque geui∣trice, adeo in∣signiter efful∣sisset. Hieron: Platus de bo∣no stat. relig. lib. 2. cap. 3.