CHAP. XI. He appears to Persons far remote from him.
THis favour also was by the Divine Donor con∣ferred on the H. man, that, whilst he lived hereupon Earth, he appeared in severall places to them that were absent, and remote.
A certain P••est of the Congregation, that dwelt at Vallicella was affraid of incurring the hazard of a sin, in some kind of employment enjoyned him by Philip, then * living at S▪ Hieroms. And being one night much troubled at it, on a sudden he heard his Cham∣ber-door open, which was bolted on the in-side, and presently beheld the B. Father, who asked him, How he did? not well, quoth he. Philip, laying his hand on his Brest and crossing him, said, as his manner was; Doubt not, and so departed. The Priest immediately took courage at it, and be∣came cheerfull, ever after unmolested in that mat∣ter; and in the Morning, when he rose found his Chamber-door fast shut, as if none at all had ever come in.
One of his Sons being in suspence, whether he had best pass over to Naples or no, consulted with the Father, who wishing him, by no means to go for he would be in danger either of being taken Prisoner by the Turks, or drowned. But the young man slighting the Old mans advice shipped himself: by and by the Turkes board the Vessell in which he was bound, and divers of the Passengers, for their own safety, threw themselves into the Sea; he fol∣lowing Page 266 their example did so too. When being not able to swim, and seeing himself in apparent danger of death, he remembred what Philip had for ewarn∣ed him of: and cries out, beseeching him to deli∣ver him from that so imminent perill, and anon the B. man appears to him on the waters, and cal∣ling him, bid him, Doubt not, so taking him by the hair of the head, brought him safe a shoare.
An old man, one of his Scholars, was coming out of Egypt into Italy, and as he crossed the Sea, two Tur∣kish Gallies surprized the ship he was in, and bound him in chains; who betaking him to his Prayers, with a holy affiance besought God, for the merits of his Confessor, Father Philip, that he would be pleas∣ed to deliver him from those Pirates. And the same instant he thought he saw the H. man say∣ing after his usuall manner; Doubt not, you shall cer∣tainly be loosed of your Bonds. He had no sooner done praying, but some of them told the Master of the Gally, they thought it better to release the old in∣firm man, than detain him almost dead already. The Master pitying the poor creature freed him straight: who coming to Rome was informed, that at the same time when he was taken Prisoner at Sea, and in Prayer, the H. man said; Let us pray for N. who is now in great perill of Slavery.
A Noble Roman Lady, being very angry with her Husband, in somuch as she would not speak to him, and for the same reason abstained from the Sacrament of Penance; * about three days after toward Morning felt a blow given her, be∣tween sleeping and waking, at which starting she hears Philip saying to her; Ho you? how long shall anger possess you? Whereat she Page 267 trembled, and forthwith rising and acknowledging her fault, goes to S. Hieroms Church, where she re∣lates the whole proceeding to the B. man, who dis∣sembling the matter gave her never a word.
Once he enjoyned Lucretia, Wife of Joh. Ani∣muccius, a Woman of singular Piety, to rise at a certain hour of the night to Meditation, who ever and anon favouring her self slept out her Prayer∣time, hereupon he chid her, saying, Ʋnless you amend this fault, I will raise you a nights her after to your Prayers. And so it came to pass; for whenso∣ever she overslept her time, she heard the B. Father calling her; Lucretia rise. Yea many times when she came to Confession, he would ask her; Was not I fain to waken you to your prayers to night, as I pro∣mised you?
When Caesar Baronius lived at S. John's of the Florentines, he fell so desperately ill, that being void of sence, they procured him to be anointed with the H. Oile; when falling into a sweet sleep, he sees Philip standing by him, who then dwelt at S. Hieroms, and praying for his health to Jesus Christ, at whose right hand stood the Virgin of Virgins, shadowed with a pure white Veil, and saying; Save Caesar; give me Caesar; restore me Caesar; I must needs have him well again. When the Good man had prayed awhile in this manner, he perceived Our B. Lord to turn away his face from Philips prayers. Whereupon Philip addressing himself to the Virgin humbly requests her, that what of himself he could not procure from Our Lord, by Her intercession he might obtain; she piously enclining to his Petitions never left intreating her Son, till Philip having his wish granted him, left praying. Meanwhile Baronius waking found himself secure from all fear∣of Page 268 death, and in short time recovered; which being not unmindfull of, he gratefully acknowledgeth in many leaves of his Book, that both his life and learn∣ing were all owing to the Prayers of Philip.
Matthias Maffe•s Priest lay sick, and the Physicians being hopeless of him, Philip comes to see him, bringing along with him two little Boxes of Reliques, and, as his custom was, bad him; Doubt not, you shall recover: then laying his hand on his heart, pressed it hard, and giving him his Blessing went away. The Patient herewith greatly cheared falls asleep, and hears Philip in his sleep call him thrice; Mat∣thias rise. The Voice was so strong, that it some∣what affrighted him, and as soon as he was fully a∣wake he found his Fever quite gone, and two days after got up, and was very well.
Cardinall Frederic Borromeo relates how one had a Vision in this wise.
A certain Abbot, whom Philip entirely loved, re∣tired from the City to a place belonging to his Ab∣by, where for two years together he was so troubled with a flegmatique humor, that his Limbs becom∣ing useless to him, he was fain to keep divers Ser∣vants to help him. His disease was by Physicians held Page 269 incurable, yet were there almost infinite applicati∣ons made to him by Physick, which proving ineffectu∣all, by direction of the same Physicians he was in a Litter carried to Rome, where he was so impaired by sickness, swooning, and fainting away oftimes, that he seemed to suffer many deaths in a day. In this plight he earnestly prayed to God, that, if he saw it good, he would now let his Servant depart in peace: mean while one of the Oratory comes to see him, tell∣ing him, Philip would visit him toward Evening, and afford him present ease and refreshment. After he had supped, his wonted pains coming upon him with extream violence, about Midnight falling into a quiet slumber, he sees Philip putting his hand on his face as he lay, standing by silent. At that the Abbot wakes; and struck with affrightment and ter∣rour, could not speak a word; but was the more affraid for that he observed, he came into his Cham∣ber, the door being shut. Philip asks him, How he did? the Abbot made him answer, taking notice of the H. man, withall desiring him, if it were expedient for him to live, he would pray for his restorement. Then Philip taking his hands in his own, placed them a∣cross: the Clinick, not knowing what it meant, a∣waited the success, when at last he heard the Ser∣vant of Christ cry out aloud; Rise. At which he, sitting up in his Bed, which for divers moneths be∣fore he could not do, presently thrusts his feet out of the Bed to rise? Philip asks him; Do not you see now that you are restored to health? look you revealy it to none and vanished away. Upon this apparition the Abbot grew so in health, as that Week he went abroad.
Joh. Animuccius. of whome before, travelling to Prato in Tuscany, visited Katherina Riccia a Floren∣tine, Page 270 one of the Nuns of S. Dominic's Order, com∣monly called S. Katherine de Prato, whose life is written by Seraphinus Razzius, one of the same Or∣der: and in discourse asked her, If ever she knew Philip Neri? She answered, by bearsay she had, but by face never; yet she desired both to see, and speak with him. The next year Animuccius came to Ka∣therine again, who confidently averr'd, she had both seen and spoken with him; though neither she had been from Prato; nor Philip from Rome in all that time. Which likewise Philip affirmed to be true, at A•imuccius comming back to Rome. yea and af∣ter her death, some talking of her Excellencies, and Vertues, in the Chamber of the B. Father, he exact∣ly described to them her Physiognomy and features: and yet, as was said, neither had he been at Prato, nor she at Rome.
