immediately began, and my words flowed so rapidly that I had no need to study how I should write. What happened to me then, happens to me now; I always take up my pen with extreme reluctance, but immediately things present themselves to me with greater rapidity than I can express them. When I received the command, I assuredly did not foresee the consequences; and yet I refused to obey, as if I had known it would turn to my detriment. Listen to what God seemed to say to me: "I foresee that the vase of thy soul will contract stains, and such stains that it will be no longer worthy to contain the balm of My interior sorrows. It is, therefore, necessary that thou shouldest pour it into others; besides, it can no longer be useful to thee, because of thy infection." Oh how I fear that what I am writing now. will produce in me a similar result. I seem to hear the voice of God saying: "Vomit from thy mouth all the benefits I have filled thee with, because I am ready to vomit thee from Mine." Deliver me from this terrible sentence, O my God!

In the month of August following I found myself engaged in a serious combat, which at first gave me no fear, because I enjoyed profound interior peace, and was totally ignorant of the snares of the demon, so that I suspected no danger. My blindness was even so profound that I saw nothing but good in his machinations. This lasted for two months; when at length, on the octave of S. Francis, God opened my eyes a little, and I saw myself, as it were, in the midst of a vast plain, delivered up to a terrible combat, and surrounded by mighty enemies, out of whose hands God alone could rescue me. Overwhelmed with hopeless sorrow, and not knowing what to do, I passed the

octave day of S. Francis fasting on bread and water, and ceasing not to implore the help of the Most High, and conjuring this great saint to grant me his powerful protection. The following night, instead of my deliverance, God showed me in a dream all the labours. and afflictions which awaited me. This was the signal for my greatest trial. Then the pit of the abyss, which had been shut for ten years, was opened, and the dragon came forth, roaring against me, and assailing me with such fury that it seemed as if he would devour me alive; but the powerful Hand of God, which never abandons a soul that trusts in Him, drew me unhurt from the jaws of this monster. You already know the circumstances, my father, but I repeat it, that the glory may be given to God alone, to whose goodness it was owing, and not to any virtue or prudence in me. Nevertheless, this cruel enemy despoiled me of my precious garments; he took from me the light which enlightened my eyes, and cut off the hair of my spiritual strength, and "having wounded me went away, leaving me half dead."

I remained two years in this state of affliction, and during those two wretched years I was deprived of all help and consolation, with the exception of speaking three times to Brother Peter Moliano, my holy and glorious father. It was at this time that he became. vicar, which gave me much joy; for I said to myself, "Provided I can consult with him, the demon will be defeated in his enterprise, for he will give me the means to come out victorious from this sad combat." O my holy father, after the journey which obtained for me these visits from you, you returned again to these parts, but your beloved daughter could not converse with you, for death snatched you from her. Oh!

how bitter for me was this death! I lost all courage at seeing myself deprived of your help, and in my despair I made a firm resolution to speak of my pain to none, at least till God obliged me to give my confidence to a new father, by His grace showing him to me as an instrument of His choosing. O my good father, I did not then comprehend the good you were to do me, I was ignorant that you left me an orphan, only because it was expedient for my salvation; but I was not long in receiving the proof of it. Immediately on your death, you took from my enemies all their power, and brought me back again into the path of truth. This was not the only service which you rendered me; for I cannot doubt that your charity obtained for me the inspiration to give my confidence to the father who directs me, and to disclose to him all my tribulation. This inspiration was anything but agreeable to me at first. I experienced extreme repugnance to manifest to a new director that which passed within me, but God made me see that this openness was necessary to my salvation, and nothing could be more true, as you, my father, to whom I write, well know. Whence, then, came this repugnance to open my heart? Doubtless from the demon; for since I have frankly told you everything, I find in myself such consolation and peace, that I cease not to bless heaven for having inspired me with confidence in your fatherly care, and I say with truth and without flattery, I would not have taken any other than you to be the confidant of my sorrows.

CHAPTER VI.

BATTISTA ADDRESSES ΤΟ HER SPIRITUAL

FATHER

PARTICULARS SUPPLEMENTARY TO THE HISTORY OF HER LIFE.

It was on the 3rd of March, in the year 1491, that the Blessed Battista finished the writing we have just given to the reader. It ended thus: After having faithfully retraced all my spiritual life, in obedience to the divine inspiration, I finish my work to the praise of my glorious Saviour Jesus Christ. I will now write, according to the order in which I have received them, the lights He gave me on His interior When you read what follows, my father, you will perceive that I attribute the revelations to a sister of the convent of Urbino, to prevent their being supposed to be mine. If, then, I speak in the third person, it is to avoid the honour which might accrue to me, and when I speak of this soul as holy and blessed, it is only the better to conceal myself.

sorrows.

[It appears that the Blessed Battista wrote the foregoing important treatise in a separate packet, which she kept beside her in order to show it to her spiritual father, when he came to Camerino. While she was waiting for him, she wrote three other letters in obedience to the inspiration given her. This is one of them :]

My Reverend and much-loved Father,-After the hard battle which I had sustained for two years, I had hoped to obtain peace, or at least a truce, but this hope, which seems to me so legitimate, is vain..

Scarcely had you quitted Camerino, when I had to endure still more horrible temptations than before. I revolted, to a certain degree, against God, imputing to Him my faults, my sins, my errors. I dared to call Him to account for His conduct; I accused Him of falsehood in several things He said in the Scriptures; accusations which rendered me guilty of heinous sin.

[The reader will see in this but a new proof of her humility, for it is certain that these horrible thoughts were entirely involuntary.]

I did other things besides, which I pass over in silence. I am sure, my father, that in reading this sad story, you will think that my poor soul lived in hell, during the six months you have been absent from her; and certainly you are right, for to speak the truth, it seems to me that I have become altogether infernal and devilish; but what renders my torment more insupportable, and almost breaks my heart, is that I have no person to whom I can communicate my pain, and that I cannot receive the slightest consolation in my pressing necessity. Into what country of the world have you fled, my father? I have been so unhappy, and your absence leaves me without counsel and without support. Oh how cruel has this privation seemed to me, and how long I can do nothing but groan in penning this dolorous history, and repeat the sad lamentation: O all ye who pass by the way of divine love, attend and see if there be any sorrow like to mine. If I had a voice sufficiently strong to reach to the ends of the world, I would cry aloud and say, "Servants of God, who aspire to the perfection of love, humble yourselves, and let my example be a