The life of the Lady VVarner of Parham in Suffolk, in religion call'd Sister Clare of Jesus written by a Catholic gentleman.

CHAP. II.

What Effects this Ceremony wrought upon her self, and those that were present at it. The great Victory she had obtain'd over her passions, manifested by her unconcernedness in this, and two other very moving occasions.

Having ended the Ceremony of her Profes∣sion, I hope the taking notice of some moving Circumstances in it, and of the effects it wrought, both upon the Bride, and those that were present; will prove as grateful to the Reader, as I believe the foregoing Relation has been.

The Ceremony was so moving, as that there was scarce a Religious or Secular Person present, (who were as many as the Doxal could hold) that was able to refrain from Tears; Nay, the Governor himself, the Marquiss of Flavecoeur, a Person not at all subject to this passion; de∣clar'd that he could not refrain from weeping, at the sight of it, no more then the rest; and that he had never felt such a tenderness of heart in all his Life. She her self, who was the Actor, was the only person that seem'd unmov'd in this action, appearing all the while with a chearful, yet so recollected a Countenance, as if she had been totally absorpt in God, whose Sacrifice she fell that Day. Her little ones stood by her, all the time she perform'd the Ceremony; which was enough to have mov'd any heart but hers. For they being of an Age, not sensible of their loss, seem'd as little concern'd as their Mo∣ther; and were very much pleas'd at what they understood not; being very busie in as∣sisting at the Ceremony: The one put on her Veil, the other her Crown; at which Sister Clare smiling, told her, in a low Voice, she wore that, for her Fathers sake.

The Solemnity being over, one askt her how it was possible, that beholding the great Com∣motion, and Tears of so many about her; she could remain so chearful and unconcern'd, as she seem'd to be during the whole Ceremony? She Answer'd with a Spirit, as full of Ingenuity as Humility, That this constancy and chearfulness took their

rise from no other source, than the Divine Goodness; which during the whole Ceremony had fil'd her heart with so great an Interior peace and comfort, as she had never felt before in all her Life. Which was a due reward for that generous oblation, she had that Day made of her self to Almighty God. Had the Person who askt her this Question, propos'd the same to any one of the Religious, they would have given an An∣swer quite different from hers, which her Humility would not permit her to give. The Religious had seen with how much Industry, even from her first entrance into Religion, she had made it her chief endeavour to suppress and overcome, the Sallies and Efforts of Nature, and had beheld her com∣portment in several other occasions, and seen with how great a Courage, she had behav'd he self in other tryals, which God thought fit to send her during her Noviship, to dispose her to a due per∣formance of this great act of Love; and therefore, they were not so surpriz'd, as those were who had only seen that one action of hers, they having been Eye Witnesses of divers eviden∣ces she had given, of her perfect and intire re∣signation to Gods Holy Will, even in the great∣est afflictions, and most sensible tryals, that could have happen'd to her. Now the Reader that may the better perceive how she carry'd her self in them, I will here set down a Relation of her behaviour and perfect Conformity to Gods Will, at the Death of two of her dearest friends.

The first tryal of her Conformity was given her by the Death of Reverend Mother Luisa Taylor,

Abbess of the Monastry. The History of whose Life deserves a Volum, being a person of an ab∣solute and consummated Vertue. This Holy Abbess being suddenly seiz'd, with violent sym∣toms of Death; was piously expecting her last happy moment, and all the Religious were sent for, and came without the least delay, except Sister Clare; who being advertis'd by one of the Religious, that came in great hast to her Cell, that Reverend Mother Abbess was a dying, and that if she did not come quickly, she would never see her alive: Sister Clare joyning her hands, without the least surprize, made a bow to her, ex∣pressing thereby her gratitude for the Message she brought her (it being their Custom never to speak in their Cells) and without making any such hast, as might occasion the omission even of the least, or most inconsiderable Ceremony of Religion; she first put on her great Veil, then kist the ground, and afterwards with a modest and graceful gate, follow'd the Religious to the Infir∣mary, where Mother Abbess lay a dying; as if this sad News had not at all come unexpected, or given her the least affliction. She came into the Chamber, where her dear Friend, and tender Mother lay ready to expire, and where she found all the Religious bath'd in Tears, like so many tender hearted Children, bemoaning the loss of their dying Mother; yet she who was like to sustain as great a loss as any (having had a great dependance upon her, and receiv'd great com∣fort from her Counsels) beheld her ready to

leave her, without shedding a Tear, whilst all the rest seem'd to be in a very great affliction, and general consternation; and so concern'd, as if all their happiness had depended on this Abbesses Life. Sister Clare knew her great Vertues and worth; and had no less respect and affection for her, than they, which the many Obligations she had receiv'd from her, justly deserv'd; yet for all this she shewed not the least outward sign of grief. And when one of the Religious exprest hers, by her many Tears for Reverend Mother Abbesses Death; she efficaciously stopt them by the following words, VVeep not so much, Dear Sister, 'tis the VVill of God, you love so well. Her bearing this cross with so admirable a Conformity, mov'd Almighty God to reward her, by sending another equally sensible; and at the same time, to give her his Divine Grace to bear it with no less constancy. It was the Death of her Mistress of Novices, Sister Mary Bonaventure Carleton; who thô she had had a long experience in training up the No∣vices in perfection; yet, us'd to say, She learnt more from this, than ever she had taught the rest; find∣ing her perfect, even before she enter'd into the way of perfection, which made her have a very great esteem of her, confidence in her, and affection for her; looking upon her as sent from Heaven, rather to perfect her, than be perfected by her. Sister Clare being of a grateful nature, was no ways backward in her returns; and looking upon her as the best of friends, and plac'd her confidence in her as in a Mother: But God, by her surprizing Death, almost as soon

snatcht away this comfort, as he had given it; which cross, Sister Clare supported with the like courage, as she did the former, even without the loss of a Tear. Insomuch, that being ask'd by a Person of Quality (Madam Flavecoeur the Gover∣nors Lady of Graveling) If she were not very much concern'd for the Death of her Mistress? She Answer'd, Yes Madam, I have a great feeling of it, and indeed more than I can well express. These words, and the man∣ner of delivering them, struck the Lady with ad∣miration, to see such a temper, as did not shed a Tear, when she had thus renewed the sorrowful thoughts of the loss of her Mistress; and mov'd her to urge the matter a little farther, and ask her, How it was possible, she could forbear weeping, at the Remembrance of the loss, of such a friend? The good Novice (for then she was not Profest) told her, after her sweet and affable way; Madam, nothing but God deserves our Tears, who is so good, as to hinder me from paying them, where they are not due. Such as knew not of how excellent and sweet a disposition Sister Clare was, might perhaps think so great an insensibility, as appear'd in such mo∣ving circumstances as I have related, effects of an ill, hard, and ungrateful nature; which was insensible of kindness, and knew not either what friendship was, how to value it, what gratitude it requires, or how much a Spiritual friendship exceeds that of Nature, ordinarily grounded up∣on Sympathy, Natural inclination or Interest; and therefore perhaps might not much wonder at her comportment in the occasions I have related.

But those who by Reading her Life, are made better acquainted with her humor, and have seen how solidly she grounded her friendship; how warily she engag'd her affection, and with what constancy and tenderness, upon all occasions she exprest it, to those she had made choice of for her Friends; especially, two such choice Friends as these; whose great Vertue mov'd her to a high esteem of them, their Station to a confidence in them, and their extraordinary Zeal for her Per∣fection, to a grateful affection for them; cannot but wonder to see her in so short a time, to have gain'd so strange a command over her pas∣sions, as not to shed a Tear at their Death, which is the more to be admir'd in her tender Sex; especially, since, as her Answer to the Governors Lady declares, she so sensibly felt this Tryal. But God by her faithful co-operation with his Grace, had so strengthen'd her to overcome these feelings of Nature, as not to give the least sign or expression of sorrow; whereby, she manifest∣ed, that thô she lov'd them well, yet she lov'd God better; whom also she lov'd in such a manner, as to desire rather, that he should please himself than her; nay, that even he should please him∣self in her affliction. Which shew'd, not only her sincere love to God, but also her dis-interessed love to her friends, prefering their happiness be∣fore her own; and therefore since their Death was a gain to them, she could not regret her own loss by it, nor permit her sorrow, to overcome the joy she ought to have, in thinking they were

happy. The will of God was what she endeavor'd most industriously to find out; and joyfully em∣brac'd in whatsoever terrifying manner it appear'd to her; as her words to that Pious Religious, who was lamenting the Abbesses Death declares. And therefore, what tryal soever of her Love, God thought fit to send her, by depriving her of those friends she lov'd best; she was re∣solv'd this tryal should not deprive her of the chief object of her Love, himself; who was the best of friends: And therefore was resolv'd to ex∣press her love in the best manner she was able, by preferring his Will and Pleasure, before her own in all things. Whereby she so surmounted all these sensible tryals, as to seem even insensible of them: And also dispos'd her self for the making her Profession, and for the loss of two such friends, with such a constancy and unconcernedness, as I have declar'd: And was also inabl'd quite to over∣come the tenderness of an affectionate Mother towards her Children; as in the following Chapter I shall relate.