An abridgement of the life of S. Francis Xaverius of the Society of Iesus, new apostle of India and Japony together with some few of the innumerable authentical miracles wrought by him of late years / by W.B.

A Miraculous cure of Lamenes obtained vpon the Seuenth of April 1662. through the interces∣sion of S. Francis Xauerius; approued by the most Illustrious Ambrosius Capello Bishop of Anwerp, the 23. of Nouember 1663.

FR: Ambrosius Capello by the Grace of God, and of the Holy Apostolick seat of Rome, Bishop of Anwerp, to all the faithful Christians of this Bishoprick, Health in our Lord.

The constant Deuotion of the people of Anwerp to S. Francis Xauerius, in his Holy Re∣licks, kept in the Church of the Professed House there of the Society of JESƲS, excites the merciful God, who is alwaies wonderful

in his Saints, now and then, by certain super∣••atural fauors to signify, how pleasing vnto him the honor is, which we, here vpon earth, shew to his friends in heauen; letting as it were descend certain rayes of that glory, which they there eternally poss••ss, to the increasing of that honor and temporal glory, which he does also euen here vpon earth to those his same friends: and so it has appeared to vs now the third time, in the Person of Margarit Crick a deuout woman, of about eight and thirty years of age, born at Aelost of Peter Crick a merchant there in his life time, and Susan Ʋander Straten. This woman in the year of our Lord 1656. hauing falne into a grieuous sick∣nes, and palsy in the right side of her body, although she in some measure recouered of it, yet notwithstanding she retained, in all her right side, such a weaknes, that she was euer after miserable, and wholly vnfit for any work which required any force and strength, and she got moreouer such a sudden contraction of the nerues or sinews, that her right legg became remarkably shorter then her left: in such sort that she was forced, to make one of her shooes, at least about half a thumb higher then the other, and besides, was necessitated, by reason of her great weaknes, to make vse of a Crutch to go with all.

This lamenes in the maner related, together with a general weaknes of the right side of her body, stuck by her the space of six years. During the first two years, to wit from the year 1656. to the year 1658. she applied diuers

oyntments to her lame legg, but finding not the least benefit or betternes by them, for the future she layd ••hem all aside, and past ouer the four next-following years [the three last wherof she liued at Anwerp] without vsing any human remedies, medecins, or oyntings; bearing with patience this litle cross, which God had sent her. Vntil at last vpon the thir∣tith day of March 1662. she made her address to S. Francis Xauerius, with a strong confidence of obtaining of God, through his merits & intercession, her perfect health, and strength. To which end she resolued with herself, the nine daies following, to go to visit his Re∣licks, in the Church of the Professed House of the Society of IESƲS, there to do her De∣uotions, & earnestly to beseech the same Saint, if it were the will of God, and would tend to her souls health, that he would vouchsafe to be her Aduocate, and obtain for her, perfect health of the Diuine mercy. And it seems the Saint stood ready to answer her request, for immediatly from the very beginning, & dayly forwards, during her nine-days Deuotion she felt herself remarkably better as to her infir∣mity, together with a like encrease of her confidence in the merits of the Saint; so that vpon the seuenth day of April, being Good-Friday for the year last past 1662. & the last day of the Nouena, hauing ended her Deuo∣tions before the Altar and Relicks of the fore∣said Saint▪ finding her self comforted with an interior, sensible sweetnes, and strongly con∣fiding that she was cured through the interces∣sion

of S. Xauerius, and should hereafter be able to go without a crutch, she offered vp her crutch, and there left it: then rising vp from her praying place, she went strait out of the Church without any difficulty: being come in to the street, finding herself stronger and stronger, she went to the Church of S. Iames, and thence to the Church of S. George, and so to her own dwelling, which was there abouts; with an vnspeakable joy, and a heart full of thanksgiuing to her curer and restorer S. Francis Xauerius, and was beheld with like admiration, first by her own hous-hold and neighbors, who saw her come home, and af∣terwards by innumerable multitudes of people, who had before seen & known the said Mar∣garit Crick, lame and miserable, going with a crutch, and high shoos, and all notwitstanding yet falling on one-side in her gate, whom they now saw without crutch or prop, to go nim∣bly, and right vpon her limbs, without being able to perceiue any defect in her gate. And this strength and soundnes of her body, did so encrease, that shortly after [to wit in the sommer of the same year 1662. and again in the sommer of the present year 1663.] she went on foot from Baestroo to Aelost, of about nine miles distance, without any help of stick, or crutch, or any thing els: yea without euen feeling any greater wearynes in one legg, then in the other, to the great admiration of her friends and kinsfolks, and others of the town of Aelost, who had before known, or seen her lame, and miserable. In this perfect health &

strength of limbs, does she continue to this very day, for the space of seuenteen Months, alwaies going vpright, without the least lim∣ping on one side or the other, without feeling any pain or contraction of Nerues, or any other incommodity.

All which being so represented vnto vs, as it has been related, we haue thought good to examin the same more narrowly, according to the duty of our Episcopal function, & the zeal we haue to promote the honor of God, and of his Saints.

First then, hauing gotten full information, of the sicknes and condition, in the which Margaret Crick was, before she came to An∣werp; [the same information being taken at Aelost, vpon the Tenth of October 1663. by Right Reuerend Mr. Iohn Fernand. Garrido Dean of the Collegial Church there, and the Reue∣rend Mr. Marius Canon of the same Church, therevnto especially commissioned in the name of the most illustrious the Archbishop of Me∣chlin.] we haue also in like manner to the more strict examen of the sicknes, and what has hap∣pened to the foresaid Margaret Crick for the time she has liued here at Anwerp, and also to whatsoeuer might be required in this matter & its circumstances, commissioned the very Re∣uerend Mr Henricus van Halmale Licentiate in both Laws, & Dean of our Cathedral Church of our Blessed Lady; and besides him, the Re∣uerend Canons Mr. Antonius van Berchem Li∣centiate in both Laws, Protonotary Aposto∣lick, and Archpreist; and Mr. Aubertus van

den Eede, Licentiate in both Laws, Protono∣tary Apostolick and Canon Graduate of the same our Cathedral Church, who vnder so∣lemn oath made in their hands, heard the re∣lation as well from the foresaid Margaret Crick, as also from diuers other persons, who knew the foresaid Margaret, from those with whom she had dwelt & from some who saw her come home vpon the day of her cure: afterwards, they asked the judgement of three famous Doctors of Physick of this City, who hauing well and maturely considered all the foresaid points and informations, in like manner vnder solemn oath they vnanimously judged, and at∣tested, that the aboue mentioned sudden cure of the foresaid Margaret, was aboue all natu∣ral power and means: and must necessarily be attributed to God alone, and to S. Francis Xauerius, whom God would hereby honor.

Wherefore report hauing been made to vs, of all that has been said, by the aboue mentio∣ned Commissioners, and we hauing been per∣fectly informed of all the particulars, and ha∣uing also heard the opinion of our Doctors in Diuinity, do declare the aboue related sud∣den cure of the foresaid Margaret Crick, to be miraculous, and supernatural, and that it ought to be held by euery one for a true miracle: exciting all vnanimously to praise and thank God, who has giuen vs within the town of Anwerp, as well for our corporal, as for our spiritual necessities, so powerful an Aduocate, and who is pleased amongst vs, by remarka∣ble signes to exalt his great instrument and A∣postle

S. Francis Xauerius, who carried and pro∣pagated Gods true faith, honor, and glory to the vtmost bounds of India and Iapony.

In testimony of the truth whereof we haue signed these presents, and confirmed them with our own Seal, at Anwerp in our Episcopal pal∣lace the 23. of Nouemb. in the year 1663.

Was subscribed F. AMBROS. CAPELLO Bishop of Anwerp.

At the side was put the Episcopal Seal. Vnderneath was written. By order of the most Il∣lustrious before-named. And yet lower.

D. vanden Br••l Secretarius.