A TRUE RELATION OF THE LAST SICKNESS AND DEATH OF CARDINAL BELLARMINE. Who died in Rome the seaventeenth day of September 1621. And of such things as have happened in, or since his Burial. By C. E. of the Society of jesus.   printer's device of the English College at Saint-Omer, featuring the seal of the Jesuites or Society of Jesus, a sunburst containing a cross over the letters IHS over three nails 
Dilectus Deo & hominibus Moses [Bellarminus,] cuius memoria in benedictione est: similem illum fecit in gloria Sanctorum.  Ecclesiast. 45. 
Moses (Bellarmine) was beloved of God and men, whose remembrance is blessed: God made him in glory like unto the Saints.  Permissu Superiorum, 
M. DC. XXII.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, THE L. M. M.  
RIGHT HONOURABLE,  
To dye is the course of Nature, to dye well, of Christian Art: that is common to men with beasts; this proper unto God's servants alone: Omnes 
2. Reg. 14.  morimur (said the woman of Thecua unto David) & quasi aqua in terram dilabimur: we all do dye, and like water fall upon the earth: few die well, and therefore make a further fall. The Philosopher will have Science to stand in speculation, Art in work; the one in knowledge, the other in practice: and the more exquisite the Art is, and hath the more noble object, by so much the greater labour and industry is required: the Art we speak of hath a most eminent end, and of such difficulty, as it requireth for labour, our uttermost endeavour, for time our whole life. Art either 
Arist. ●. Physi. tex. 79.  perfits nature, or doth imitate it. This for imitation hath nothing, because death is nothing but the corruption of Nature, the defect and privation of life, the divorce and dissolution of our essential parts; and the death of the wicked is termed by S. 
Bern. serm. 26. in Cantica.  Bernard, the mother of sorrow, the enemy of glory, the gate of hell, the entrance to perdition: none will imitate, which most abhor. Art therefore must perfect this deformity more truly in the mask wherewith it comes covered them in the thing itself which is without horror, unless it be of such as ourselves cast upon it. This art of perfiting nature all should learn, but most neglect; many precepts are delivered, but all included in one, to wit, a constant good life, which makes this rough passage plain, this dissolution easy, this deformity amiable, this divorce most delightful: non habemus (saith Saint Ambrose) quoth in 
Ambros. de bono mortis cap. 8.  morte metuamus, si nihil quod timendum ●it vita commisit; there is nothing that we need fear in death, if our life have committed nothing that is to be feared.  
Of this argument all spituall books do treat, and in particular that which purposely was written of this art by Cardinal Bellarmyne, & was the last that ever he written: but for that words where works are wanting do blush, as Tertullian saith, and 
Tertul. lib. de Patient. Leo serm. 1. de San. Laurent.  Saint Leo validiora sunt exempla quaàm verba, & plenius est opere docere, quàm voce: Examples are of more force to move then words, and more effectual it is to teach with real actions then verbal discourse; therefore unto the doctrine of the Cardinal in this behalf I will adjoin his Example, that the one may confirm the other. And although, omitting his life, (which others are now in hand to write) I relate only his last sickness and death; yet from the one we may conclude of the other, because as S. Ambrose testifieth, Mors 
Ambros. ibidem.  vitae est testimonium, death is the testimony of our life: and selcome we see a saintlike death to follow after a sinful life; the privilege is rare, the examples few; the common style as Saint Augustine noteth is otherwise, to wit, that Mors 
Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 13. cap: 2. in fine.  bonis bona, malis mala; a good death befalls to the good, & an ill to the wicked: wherefore the death of this Cardinal being so notable as it was, will not only confirm what he written in his book of this art, but also testify for his former life, and show that what he there said, came not so much out of his great learning and reading, wherein he was singular, as it did ex abundantia 
Matth. 12. Luc. 6.  cordis, out of the inward habitual virtue wherewith he was endued.  
And for that his doctrine and example do show & confirm one and the self same thing, I mean the great sanctity of the man, they shall not be separated in the dedication that in the argument do agree. Whereas therefore his Doctrine in our tongue came forth in your Name, his Example may not pass in any other; in which alone you may as in a glass behold how lively the Child represents the Father, the work the workman; so far truly, as the Art he wrote may seem to have been nothing else, but an artificial description of his own death that was to ensue. Some will take upon them to teach others to dye, who when they come to it themselves are to seek a master; and such a one may truly say, that which Saint Gregory, 
Greg. in Pastor. ca ultimo.  out of mere humility, said of himself, when he had in his book called Pastorale, described an excellent Pastor: Pulchrum depinxi Pastorem Pictor foedus: I have painted a fair Pastor, being myself a foul Painter: I have taken upon me to teach that which I never learned to do, and therefore all his teaching as Saint chrysostom well noteth, 
Chrysost. hom. 16. in Matth.  serveth to no other end then to condemn the teacher: but contrariwise unto the renowned Cardinal we may very fitly apply the words of our 
Matth. 5.  Saviour; Qui fecerit & docuerit, hic magnus vocabitur in Regno caelorum; He that shall do & teach, shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven: his doctrine you have already seen in his book; the ensuing narration which I now present you will particularly declare how in his last sickness & death he did correspond threunto: to which further I add his funerals, burial, and some other remarkable events, few in number out of many, but so warranted for truth, as greater, in things of this nature, cannot be required.  
And here I do sincerely affirm, that in this Relation I follow no uncertain rumours, no doubtful assertions, no flying reports without ground or subsistence of truth; much less am I moved by any partial affection to exaggerate or extenuate any thing: but faithfully put down what I saw myself, or what other eye-wittnesses have seen, what upon their own knowledge and conscience they have affirmed; many, yea most things I have taken from an Italian letter of this subject written by Father james Minutoli, a grave, learned, & virtuous man, to Cardinal Farnesius; and I use the more willingly his testimony, both for that I know his integrity, and for that by the appointment of the General he continually remained with Bellarmyne, from the beginning of his sickness till the last gasp, and set down no more than what he saw in any particular: others sometimes I allege, but of such singular credit as they are beyond exception, or else I would not have so much relied on their words. Who they are, for the most part I name, when I set down any thing of moment upon their attestation. But least this Epistle seem to long for so short a Relation, I will here conclude it with my prayer, that the death of this famous man may serve to put you in mind, with the beginning of the new year, not to forget the end of your own life. This last of December 1621.  
Your dutiful poor servant C. E.   

A TRUE RELATION OF THE DEATH OF Cardinal Bellarmine, of the Society of JESUS.  
ALTHOUGH this renowned Cardinal neither while he lived in Capua, of which he was Archbishop, nor yet in the Court of Rome to which he was after called, ever pretermitted his ordinary devotion, every day making an hour of meditation, saying his Mass, the offices of the Breviary and our B. Lady, the litanies to his family & other prayers: yet had he obtained of the late Pope Paulus V some years before his death, to retire himself for a whole month together, every year in the novitiate of the Society of jesus in Rom. And this he did always in September, in which month only, the high Priest of the old law did enter into Sancta Sanctorum; 
His preparation for death long before it happened.  and this high Priest prepared his entrance into that Holy of Holies (whereof the other was a figure) & not prepared himself only, but entered also in this month as we may well think into the same. In this time secluding all other affairs, he made the spiritual Exercises, bestowing four hours daily in meditation; and in the time between, of which his Mass, matin's, beads, and other prayers did take up no small part, he wrote the golden books that after he set forth of spiritual matters, printing every year one, of all which the last (as if he had presaged what was next to follow) was the Art of dying well, whereof in his best health he was never unmindful. And this last year of 1621. as if he had received responsum mortis, a month sooner than ordinary, to wit, in the beginning of August, he began to think, not of a retirement only for one month, but of a perpetual sequestration from all ordinary employments, to attend to that one thing which the Psalmist no less thirsted after them the heart the water, saying, 
Psalm. 26.  Vnampetij à Domino, hanc requiram, ut inhabitem in domo Domini omnibus diebus vitae meae: One thing have I desired of our Lord, that will I seek for, that I may dwell in the house of our Lord all the days of my life.  
And to compass the better this his desire, he made great suit unto this present Pope Gregory the fifteenth, to be delivered from the Court, from all consistories, 
He retireth from the Court.  and Congregations, and what other Office soever, that he might bestow the small residue of his life on God alone, alleging many reasons for this his resolution, to wit, his great Age, and that which follows thereof, his weakness of body, decay of sight, hearing, & memory; his aversion from these toils to heavy for so weak shoulders; and finally his fervent desire of returning again to the quiet haven of Religion, out of which he was taken and advanced to be Cardinal, and in which before his advancement as the mirror, & splendour of that Order he had lived 38. years together, in the continual practice of Religious discipline, and all Christian perfection. Wherefore having been more tossed in the waves of worldly affairs by reason of his dignity, than he would, he now desired to strike sail and in that place to yield his own spirit to God, where first God had so bountifully imparted his holy spirit unto him: there he began his religious life, there he would end it.  
Pope Gregory albeit he were loath to lose the comfort and counsel of so worthy a man, whom the better to enjoy he had before called to dwell with him in his palace; yet seeing him so earnest in his demand, & the demand in itself so reasonable, at length yielded thereunto; and forthwith the Cardinal left the Court, returned to the novitiate of the Society, & dismissed the greatest part of his family, but yet so as they might remain still in the palace and in the same state they were before under him, and at his charge, until they could place themselves in some other service. Which tidings although it grieved them all, both for that they saw the loss they were like to find in the exchange, and for the great love and most dear respect which they bore unto his person, from whom nothing but his command, or their own death could have drawn them: yet seeing the constant & resolute mind of their Lord, every one bare the Cross as he could, more applauding his virtue then their own fortune in this divorce; which the more grieved them in that they judged him to have less need of any other preparation to dye well, who even from his infancy had still exercised himself in that Art, which by practice he had observed more than threescore years, before ever he left any thing written of that subject in his printed book.  
Being now arrived at the harbour of his so long, and much desired repose on the 25. of August last, when the feast of S. Bartholomew is kept in Rome, one 
He falleth sick.  business of moment yet remained in the Congregation of the Indice, which much required his presence for dispatch, and the Cardinals being now assembled on the 28. day, thither also he repaired, and after that it was ended, he took his leave and farefull of them all. All seemed to be sorry thereat: some would have persuaded him to continue, but as the Evangelist saith of our Saviour, Ipse faciem suam firmavit, ut iret in Jerusalem, he steadfastly 
Luc. 9  bend his face to go to Jerusalem, his mind was on heaven, he would not look back or be withdrawn from his journey, which indeed was shorter than any one (or perhaps himself) did imagine: for that very night being the feast of S. Augustine (to which holy Doctor he was very specially devoted, as all his works do testify) he fell sick and was taken with a very sharp and violent fever, that bereft him of his senses for the tyme. Which rough entrance of the disease in one of his years made all afraid, and most of all his Physicians (for there came four every day unto him) who apprehended evident danger, and much grieved at this mischance; but their grief was not greater than his joy, who desired nothing more than to leave the world, as presently after appeared.  
For when this fit was past, with great alacrity of mind he began to discourse of the great gladness and comfort he had, for that he was so near his home, or as he did always in this sickness call it, a 
Heaven Bellarmine's house.  Casa mia, to my house: and worthily did he call it his house, for as S. Augustine saith of the militant Church on earth: non magis est domus tua, quàm domus uhi habes 
Aug. tract. 10. in joannem.  salutem aeternam: There is no house more thine, than that house where thou hast everlasting salvation: so might he no less fitly say of the triumphant house, Kingdom, and inheritance of all God's servants on earth, which he with so long and infatigable labour had purchased, that it was his house, for there had he fixed his hopes, there had he heaped up all his wealth, there was his heart, his treasure, all his desired good: to this world he was not so much a stranger as an enemy. And although that even here Honour did follow his noble labours as the shadow the body; yet did none more fly from it, none more contemn and condemn it, than he. The Cardinal proceeding in his discourse said and often repeated these words: satis di● vixi, I have lived long enough, it is time to departed hence and rest with God in everlasting peace. What I have to do more in this world? I am now feeble and fit for nothing; I am only a mere burden & trouble to myself & others. And then further declared, how he did loath and abhor, and had still loathed & abhorred the course of this world, that men were so deeply plunged in the desire of temporal and transitory things; grieving at their preposterous proceed, that their endeavours were not directed to their right end, and that God was not sought for, known, nor glorified as he ought to be: and this point piercing indeed his heart, he concluded with saying, that God had showed him now a spiritual savour to call him away, because it was bitter and distasteful unto him to stay any longer here etc. Thus with more to this effect did he then speak, and of these things only was his continual speech.  
The Physicians expecting the issue of the disease, and nature thereof, found it to be a continual fever per subintrantiam, with proportion of a double Tertian, the one more excessive than the other: the former bereft him of his senses, the other was much more moderate. And truly it seems this bereavement to have been sent him for the greater manifestation of his virtue, for therein he no less edified others that saw 
His extremity of sickness, & singular patience.  him, than he did in the other, but rather much more; for according to the rule of the Philosopher In repentinis cognoscitur habitus, our disposition is best known by sudden events: so the violent and sudden pulls did show the habits of his Saintlike mind, having no other effect therein then to make him recurre to his prayers, which he did as soon as they began, and say them as fare as he was able. When this vehemency was a little relented he would make the sign of the Cross, and begin another prayer; never so much as once in all these extreme fits speaking any idle word, or showing the least sign of any impatience. In so much as myself in company of others often visiting him, and that at such times as he was in this fever, I do sincerely protest, that I never saw man in his best health, repose more quietly, or make less show of feeling the force of any disease, than always I saw him in this. For the most part his arms were decently laid a Cross on his breast, he never moving (unless he were willed) any part of his body, never sighing, never complaining, no though his tongue were scorched with the raging heat of the ague, did he ever so much as call for drink, or once offered to refresh his mouth; so as the beholders could make no other judgement of him, but that which the disciples made of Lazarus: si dormit saluus erit, if he sleep he will recover; 
joan. 11.  for his magnanimity was such he rather seemed to sleep then to be sick and thereby gave greater signs of life then death.  
But notwithstanding this his great courage & patience, the disease still increased, and the increase caused the Physicians according to their wont to warn 
His will & testament.  him to make his last will & testament, to the end he might be the more free in thinking on the life to come, towards which he did now draw on apace. To this suggestion he made no other answer, but that all was dispatched, his testament was made, his goods disposed, every thing determined many years ago; adding withal that he had given to every one of his servants somewhat according to their degree and place which they had in his service, and according to that small ability he had to gratify them withal. For other things, although he once intended to make no will, as mindful of that poverty which he had vowed in Religion; yet afterward lest such small things as he left, should come unto other hands then of poor men, he made a short Will agreeable to his little wealth, which I shall after set down, leaving his Order (the Society of jesus I mean) heir not to his wealth which was none at all, but as he said unto them in his sickness, propensae voluntatis ac paupertatis meae, of my affection and poverty: & he might well say of his poverty, for besides that which he had left for his own diet (which was always very mean) and the wages of his servants, he had already bestowed the rest on the poor, in so much as he had not enough left him for his burial and exequys, in case the Pope had not favoured him, as after shallbe showed: and the Will itself was such as might beseem Bellarmine, but to others will seem perhaps as strange as any that hath been made for many years by a Cardinal.  
Now though this mention of making his last Will gave him to understand the danger of his disease, yet he much desired to be more particularly informed thereof, and to that end requested all the Physicians to tell him plainly in what state he was, assuring them all that he feared not death but desired it: and so far (quoth he) I am from all fear as that I find a special comfort to think thereon; yea life itself would be more grievous unto me then death. Wherefore I pray you advertise me betimes, that I may receive the holy Sacraments ere I depart. Upon these words the fourth day of his sickness it was consulted amongst the Doctors whether it were not expedient that he should receive the B. Sacrament of the Altar per modum viatici; and they judged it not expedient to give it him in that manner, but only by way of ordinary communicating, and their reason was because he might yet continue for many days, and in case some sodden accident should befall him, this receiving might suffice for the other.  
Upon this warning given, he prepared himself to Confession, & in such 
He devoutly receiveth the B. Sacrament.  manner as if that Confession were to be the last that ever he should make in this life; and such was the innocency of the man, that albeit he were in his perfect sense, yet could he hardly find what to confess; in so much as his Ghostly Father was in some perplexity as wanting matter of Absolution, till by recourse to his life passed he found some small defects of which he absolved him: and when the B. Sacrament was brought he would needs rise to receive it, as he did, and prostrated himself on the ground with singular devotion and humility, to the great edification and amazement of all the beholders. And this his piety upon every occasion did manifest itself in all his sickness, in so much as he desired the Physicians leave to say the Office of his Breviary, and that so earnestly, as the Doctors, though they denied that (as a work to great for his weakness,) yet to satisfy his importunity they granted that in lieu thereof he might say his Beads, but with some pause between every decade, lest his too serious application might hurt his head. And seeing that no more would be granted him, he said to those about him: methinks I am become a mere Secular man, and am no more Religious, for I neither say Office, nor Mass, I make no prayers, I do no good at all; and this seemed to afflict him more than his sickness, which yet was most violent and mortal.  
After meat all his recreation was to hear the lives of Saints read unto 
He causeth the lives of Saints to be read unto him.  him, especially of Bishops, and above all of S. Francis, and in the hearing their rare and eminent virtues, he would always weep and sigh after that perfection of life to which they had so happily arrived, and from which (such was his humility) he thought himself to be much further of them he was; for he could not but be near them whom for so many years he had most diligently followed. Besides this grief conceived for himself & his own unworthiness, another thing also seemed to afflict him, to wit, the continual watch in the night with him, for he would ordinarily demand of such as he saw about him in the mourning, whether they had watched with him all that night; & if they said yea, then would he reply; so much trouble, and of so many, for my sake! For me, I say, that am but a worm, a poor wretch and fit for nothing! and if he saw more together with him, he would say, one is sufficient to watch, let the rest sleep, and let another watch whiles he doth sleep, the trouble of so many is a trouble unto me who deserve not so much attendance. Likewise when 
His charity & continual remembrance of the poor.  he saw any extraordinary thing brought him to eat, as chickens or the like, he would say, that such expense was ill bestowed upon him, and would be better on the poor, whom he so loved, and was so bountiful unto them, as he left himself so little, as could hardly maintain him and satisfy his family: & for that on his deathbed he was so careful of them, it will not be amiss to put down some example of his life in this kind, & it shallbe the first he did after his promotion, by which some conjecture may be made of the rest which I leave in silence.  
Pope Clement the 8. soon after he had given him his Cardinal's Hat, made him also Archbishop of Capua: forthwith he left Rome, and like a true Pastor repaired to his flock there to reside, & discharge all the duties of his function. And first of all finding the revenues of 
A liberal allowance.  that Church to amount to three thousand pounds sterling, he presently gave unto the poor, two thousand, maintaining himself and his family with the rest, which for one of that rank was very little, but he would no more; and when after the death of the said Clement with other Cardinals he was to repair to Rome, for the election of the new Pope, the poor came flocking about him, crying, and saying, that his departute would be their undoing. Not so (quoth the Cardinal) for my going to Rome will not I hope take away my rents, and if they remain to me, they shall rest where they are with you. They all replied with tears that they thought he should return no more (as indeed he did not) and then that the rents should be neither his nor theirs. And myself have seen often in Rome when the Cardinal went abroad, at his return all the lower entry of his house full of poor people, on whom he bestowed his ordinary alms. And in particular, which I may not omit, one shrovetide an English man half distracted of his 
He gives half of his dinner unto a poor Englishman.  senses came boldly to the Cardinal (for neither his doors, ears, or purse were shut from the poor) and demanded some relief, having as he said nothing to eat: the good Cardinal without any further deliberation caused his own dinner to be divided in two, & gave the one half thereof unto the said Englishman, and dined himself on the other: and myself coming that very day to the Cardinal, was advertised thereof. But examples hereof are so many, as would make a volume, and I mean not to digress any further from his death.  
Many other virtues were noted in him at this time, and so many as that this sickness may seem to have been the abridgement of all which he had exercised in his life before. For besides the above mentioned courtesy in this extremity 
His great courtesy & respect unto all.  to all that did visit him, his resignation of mind was admirable. And for the first he never respected his own inconvenience, pain or trouble, in so much as not only to Cardinals and Prelates, but to any other that came to see him (and there came many) he would take off his nightcap, lift himself up in his bed, speak unto every one more or less as the quality of the person, or matter that he spoke of did require; & would never endure that any should stand bare headed in his presence, and this even until the two last days of his life, when nature being far spent, the fever with the decay of his strength still increasing, he either attended not to such as came, but unto his prayers, or else his eyes and ears failing, he neither saw nor heard them, unless they spoke somewhat loud: and even to his own servants he bore that respect, as he would endure much rather than put them to any trouble. And when F. Minutoli once told him, ●hat no man held it for a trouble to serve him, and such as there attended were his own servants; he answered only to these last words, & said they are not my servants but my brethren, brethren they are, and for such I esteem them.  
And that indeed he esteemed them more like his brethren then servants many ways appeared, especially if any of his house fell sick as there did two, immediately before he ●ell sick himself: ●or then his custom wa● to go to their chambers, to sit and talk with them, to comfort them, & every way to assist & help them. And touching these two, the last of which Matthaeus Tortus was one, the other an attendant of his chamber, this memorable thing is recorded; that whereas Tortus was exceeding sick, and held to be in great danger of death, and the other but in the entrance of his disease which he seemed not much to regard, yet the Cardinal having seen them both said, that Tortus should recover and the other die, which as it seemed strange to all that heard it, who saw great signs of death in the one, & scarce the appearance of any sickness in the other; so the event proved to be true: for the later within few days departted this life, and Tortus is yet living, and in perfect health.  
His resignation and indifferency of 
His resignation & indifferency.  of mind was very exact, without all contradiction or reply: whatsoever happened, whatsoever was determined, nothing troubled his mind, no exception was made, one thing only excepted (if yet that thing be subject to exception) for thus it happened. He having from the beginning of his sickness prepared himself to dye, it fell out that the seaventh day held by the Physicians for Critical, he begun to be somewhat better: much joy was conceived thereat, & the same signified unto the Cardinal, who weighing the matter in another balance, was somewhat troubled with this sudden resolution, and said mildly unto the Doctors: I had thought at this time to have gone to my house and home, and now I see that you will hinder me: I pray you let me go. Their answer was, that it belonged unto their office to preserve his life as long as they could, and was pleasing unto God, and he also was bound therein to concur with them, to do as they should ordain, and be contented to stay in this world until that God should otherwise dispose. Well then (quoth the Cardinal) his will be done: but if the choice were in my hands, I should rather dye then live; wherefore do as you will, I shall follow your direction. And when the Physicians were gone, he seemed so much to be discomforted, that his Attendants were all moved to comfort him, and that no less then ordinarily men use to comfort others that are to dye, & would longer live.  
Again, at another time when three of his four Physicians had consulted and determined to make trial of a new remedy, he said unto them: Will you not yet let me go? Ah let me alone now it is high time. Fa. Minutoli answered and said, the Rule of our Society doth bind us in sickness to obey the Physicians; he had no sooner named the Rule, but the other recalling his former words said: you say well, there is a Rule, let them appoint what they will, I will do whatsoever they will have me: so punctual he was in observing the Rules of the Society in all things, either for life or death, with, or against his own inclination. Some near perhaps will say, that notwithstanding he loathed this life, thirsted after heaven, and would gladly be with God, yet he was not to wish for his own death. To which idle fancy I answer with S. Augustine▪ 
Aug. lib. 2. in Gaudient. cap. ●●. in fine.  Non est iniustum homimi iusto optare mortem, quando amarissima est vi●a: sed si Deus optatam non dederit, non erit iustum nisi tolerare eam amarissiman vitam: it is lawful for a good man to wish for death when as life itself is very bitter unto him: but if God yield not unto his desire, he cannot lawfully refuse to endure his bitter life. So he. And so the Cardinal although he wished for death was yet resigned unto Almighty God, to undergo the longer endurance of a bitter life.  
But leaving his virtues for a while which every where occur to be recounted, let us a little behold what other things happened in the whole course and success of his sickness, in the beginning whereof it was thought good for avoiding of recourse to speak little thereof, & to extenuate the same as not mortal, but rather some casual indisposition; and this persuasion continued for three or four days till the Pope truly 
Pope Gregory visiteth him on his deathbed.  informed by his own Physician who repaired daily unto the Cardinal, & by the General of the Society in what state he was, came in person to visit him the fifth day of his disease, for then all apprehended the matter as it was, & made no other account but to lose him. When the Cardinal saw his Holiness enter into his chamber, he said with the good Centurion, Non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum 
Luc. 7.  meum, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; with other words of great dutifulness and humility: & when the Pope shown the grief of mind he conceived for his sickness, and how much he esteemed his loss; the other answered as he had always done, that he had lived long enough, and therefore desired no longer respite on earth, & I will pray God (quoth he) to grant 
The humility of Pope Gregory.  your Holiness as long life (for he is ten years younger than Bellarmyne was) as he hath unto me. The Pope replied (but not in so loud a voice as the Cardinal could hear him) I have more need of Bellarmine's merits, then of his years. Many words passed between them of great affection in the one, and submissive humility in the other. The Pope after that he had twice most lovingly embraced him, being to departed, said that he would pray to God that he might recover: not (quoth the Cardinal) that I may recover being now fit for nothing, but that Gods will and pleasure may be done either for life or death. After that the Pope was gone, he seemed to be much more cheerful than he was before, the cause whereof he disclosed unto F. Minutoli saying: Now truly do I well hope that I shall dye, for the Popes are never known to have visited Cardinals but when they were in danger of death, or rather past all hope of life, to which effect he alleged diverse examples.  
Remaining therefore in this joyful hope, when diverse of the Society came to him and offered to say mass and pray for him, he would very lovingly thank them all, but still accepted their courtesy with this Caveat, that they should not pray for his longer life, but contrariwise 
His desire to leave the world.  that he might soon make an exchange thereof for a better, that his passage might be safe and soon. The cause of this his desire he alleged to be, for that now he had prepared himselve, and knew not for the time to come what in the rest of his life, if it were prolonged, might befall him: for, said he, I have known diverse, who if at some time when they were well disposed had departed this life, had been in very happy state, who recovering their health, fell after very far from that fervour, and died so desperately as in humane judgement they may be rather thought the children of perdition than life: Now therefore (quoth he) seeing I am ready, why should I live longer and expose myself to such an hazard? Now nothing troubles my conscience, for God (his goodness be still thanked therefore) hath so preserved me hitherto, as that I do not remember in the whole course of my live ever to have committed any scandalous action, which perhaps if I should life longer, may befall me, for weakness of body draws oftentimes with it weakness of mind, by which good men have been seen to have relented from their former vigour and virtue. This with more to this effect did he speak to express the cause why he desired the dissolution of his earthly tabernacle, which was no other, but that least through the frailty of body & mind he should hereafter offend God, whom hitherto, in sanctitate & iustitia omnibus diebus 
Luc. 1.  vitae suae, in holiness and virtue all the days of his lyre, he had so carefully, so continually served, and whom now he had rather dye then displease.  
This his fervent desire grounded on the foresaid motive was so imprinted in his heart, and fixed therein so deeply, as 
His disease is found to be mortal.  even then when his violent ague bereft him of his senses he was often heard to say: Signore, vorrei andare a casa mia: quando sarà quel giorno che io venga all vostr● Regno etc. O Lord I would gladly go to my house; when will that day be when I may come to thy Kingdom? And the eleventh day after his sickness he said unto all his Physicians: When shall I hear from you that happy news that I must departed to another life? when shall I be delivered from this body of death? They answered as before, not so long as they could keep him alive. Well (quoth he) God sees my desire, and how willing I am to come unto him. And indeed non est fraudatus desiderio suo, God heard his prayer, and that very night he was seen to yex or sob in such manner, as a learned Physician watching with him held it for mortal, and forthwith advertised the General (for so had the Cardinal before willed them, when they should perceive him in evident danger) who came early the next morning, and seeing how matters went, thought it best, plainly to acquaint him with the truth, and said unto him: My Lord, I think that the end of this sickness will be the end your life, and by all likelihood you cannot escape long, for the Physicians now give a very ill censure of your disease, upon some signs they have seen, and more and more discern in you: so as it seems Almighty God will call you unto him, and you shall do well to make yourself ready, and dispose of what you have, the time is short, and delays are dangerous.  
At this unexpected, but much desired message, the good Cardinal replenished 
His great joy at the news of his death.  with inward joy, presently with cheerful countenance, and undaunted courage broke forth into these words: Buona nuova, buona nuova, o che buona nuova è questa! that is, good news, good news, o● what good news are these! Lo the security of an innocent mind, of a sincere servant, and Apostolical man, who joyed in death, whereat others do tremble; and made that his gain which worldly men esteem their greatest loss: but these graces are not bestowed, but upon such only as have wholly bestowed themselves upon God, for such alone, as S. Gregory saith (contemplatione quadam retributionis 
Gregor. 24. in job. cap. 7. prope finem.  inter●ae, etiam priusquam carne expoliantur, hilarescunt; & dum vetustatis debitum soluunt, novi iam muneris laetitia perfruuntur) by the contemplation of that which their soul receives within, do, before they leave their bodies, become cheerful; & even then whiles they are yielding to the dissolution of their old nature, do enjoy the comfort of their new reward. So he of the virtuous in general, which in this worthy man we see so particularly accomplished, who still prayed with the Apostle and said, Cupio dissolui, & esse cum 
Philip. 5.  Christo: I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.  
After this joyful exclamation, turrning his speech unto F. General, as answering unto that which he had suggested, he said: For disposing of my things I have nothing left to dispose, & it grieveth me that I have nothing to bestow upon the Society, for I fear much that in making you mine heirs, as if I 
The poverty of the Cardinal.  had something to leave you, I shall but charge you with new debts, which for my sake you will be forced to discharge. The General replied, that therein he should not trouble himself, he had left the Society so much, and so much honoured it with his name and immortal labours, as it esteemed that treasure more than all the riches of the world. Well then said the Cardinal, I came hither to bestow one whole year in preparing myself to dye, but if it please not God that I bestow any more time heerin, neither truly shall it please me; and therefore your message of death is most grateful etc. After this he caused one to read unto him the death of S. Charles Borromaeus, as 
S. Charles Borromaeus.  desirous in his own to imitate it; which being ended he desired to receive the Sacraments of holy Church, & that as soon as might be, lest after he should be less able for indisposition both of body and mind to receive them, and to prevent also any sudden accident that might in this weakness take him away, ere he had armed himself with this so necessary and sovereign defence. 
He receiveth the ●. Sacrament with great denotion.   
Forth with all things were made ready for receiving of the B. Sacrament of the Altar for his Viaticum, which was ministered unto him by the hands of the General, and received with exceeding devotion of the Cardinal: for notwithstanding his extreme weakness of body, he would needs again, as he had done before, rise out of his bed, and kneel on the ground to receive it; and so earnest he was to receive it in this reverend manner, as it was not possible, without his great grief and distaste, to hinder him. The General perceauing his will so fervently bend on that devotion, would not withstand him therein, lest the inward grief might more afflict his mind then that exterior action endamage his body: wherefore he received it kneeling on the ground, with singular humility; & after some collection made according to his wont which endured for some while, he began to talk with the General about his burial, and the manner of his funerals, which he did with so great peace of mind, & so familiarly, as if in his health he had spoken of going to dinner, or some other light and ordinary matter.  
Much he desired to be buried like a Religious man; & all his discourse tended 
A true religious Spirit.  thereunto. For first he requested to be buried in the common vault under the ground (for so in Italy they use to bury) where others of that Order are ordinarily laid; then that his funerals might be plain, & in such manner as i● he had died in the Society; and had never been advanced, being very earnest that no pomp or splendour accustomed for other Cardinals might be made for him; that they would not open and embalm his body, but bury it entiere as they do others; and finally that his dead body presently after his death might be conveied secretly to the Father's Church called the Casa professa, & there be interred, none intermeddling with the Exequys but the said Fathers, as they use to do for their own in such cases. The General not to trouble him, being in those terms, made no semblance of any mislike, howsoever he thought it not convenient that all should pass in that order. Wherefore conferring with the Pope therein some things were reversed, for his Holiness would have him buried like a Cardinal, but with meaner pomp; he would have him embalmed, & would have the other Cardinals to be present, sending also his own Choristers thither; in the rest he condescended to what he had determined, as after shallbe showed.  
The same day some six or seven hours after his receiving, he demanded 
He is anneyled.  the other; and last Sacrament of the sick, Extreme Unction I mean, which he requested the sooner to receive, because he would be sure, he said, not to be deprived of it, or to take it when he should not know well what he did take; he was now in his perfect senses, and therefore might receive it with devotion; as he did, and answered Amen, with great compunction of heart at each several unction; and now with greater serenity of mind then before he expected his last call, and coming of our Lord to take him out of this vale of misery and bring him where he might see, Bona Domini in terra 
Psal. 370  viventium, the joy of our Lord in the land of the living.  
And for that some Sectaries of these days had bruited abroad that he had favoured their cause (of which he was the 
He maketh a Protestation of hi● Faith.  destruction) or had recalled some of his opinions; he entreated Fa. Andraeas Eudaemon-Ioannes then present, that he would testify in some written record, that whatsoever he (to wit the Cardinal) had written or printed concerning matters of Faith against the Heretics and heresies of these times, that now on his deathbed, he did most resolutely avouch again, ratify, and confirm the same, & caused this his attestation to be written, and subscribed by diverse that were present, as by his two Synagogues, certain Fathers of the Society, & some of his own servants; and I doubt not but the said Father out of the great love and dutiful respect which he always bare the Cardinal, will very willingly discharge this debt in some work that he shall shortly set forth, if his health do not hinder him, as it hath done many others of his most commendable, & profitable endeavours.  
Being thus armed for his last encounter, and in great tranquillity and peace of mind, he began again to cast back his eyes on his life past to see what therein might trouble his conscience, or breed any fear in him at that straight account before God, which now hourly he did expect to be called unto: and after 
See the tender conscience of this most holy and innocent Cardinal.  all his discussion & search he said unto Father Minutoli, that no one thing so much troubled him of all that he had done in his life past, as that he had left his Church & bishopric of Capua, where by his continual residence he might have done more good to the honour and glory of God, and good of those souls committed unto his charge, then in any other place; & that here in Rome it seemed that he had lost his time, and had done nothing of any weight or moment: whereas yet he was well known to lose no time that he could well spare, & was employed in all matters of most importance which concerned the whole Church, the proper office of a Cardinal, as the said Father told him, which is not so much to attend to a particular member, as to the common profit of the whole body: for as Saint Leo 
Leo. epist.  will noteth: publica praeferenda sunt proprijs, & ibi intelligenda est ra●io utiliatis, ubi vigilat cura communis. Moreover, said the Father, you can have no scruple in this matter which you did by command of the Pope, whom you were bound by your rule to obey, & consequently your abode not being of your seeking but his enforcing, it cannot be imputed to you as a fault; but contrariwise is commendable, as proceeding from exact Obedience which you could not refuse.  
Indeed, said the Cardinal, so the 
Bellarmin would not leave his Church and keep the rents.  matter passed, and I plainly signified unto Paul the fifth, that I could not in conscience, not residing in the place, keep the bishopric in my hands, & therefore desired him in case he would have me to remain in Rome, that I might altogether renounce the bishopric, that men might not justly charge me, and with reason say: He hath forsaken his wife, and yet keeps her dowry: and therefore leaving the one, I renounced the other, and yielded up all entirely as well charge as profit into the Pope's hands, without ever making any mention of allowance for myself to be deducted from thence. So he. And yet he might have substituted a Suffragan, and kept at least two parts of three, had he been so disposed; but he renounced all freely, and wholly, and after the renuntiation made suit to the Pope to allow him somewhat for his maintenance, having now only left him the title of a Bishop without a Church, the dignity of a Cardinal without any living, and charge of servants without having so much rend as to pay his Cook; the Pope allowed him, as he had in Capua allowed himself, four thousand crowns, and for that one part of this sum was levied by way of pension on the rents of the Church of Capua, though it were done much against his will, he never ceased till his death, yearly out of his small allowance to bestow something on the poor Monasteryes of that City; so as all this matter passed with singular commendations of heroical magnanimity on his behalf, and in most honourable manner. But for that he had learned of his dear Master B. Fa. Ignatius, not only to seek the glory of God, but maiorem Dei gloriam, the greater glory of God in all things; & because he thought that he might have done more good in Capua then in Rome, therefore did he sorrow, & had this remorse. O noble Bishop, O zealous mind, O rare example worthy of the name, renown and eminent virtue of Bellarmyne! How holy was his life not stained with mortal sin? How secure a conscience, that had at his death no scruple, but for the exchange of one good work for another, and that imposed upon him by an inevitable command? What shall I here say, but that fecit mirabilia in vita sua, he hath, even 
Eccles. 31.  in this mortal life, done wonderful things.  
This scruple being removed, and 
Scipio Card. Cobellutiu●.  his mind quieted, there remained one difficulty touching his temporal estate, to wit for repayment of his Cardinal's Ring; for effecting of which he used the help of the Cardinal of S. Susanna to his Holiness, alleging this reason, that non erat soluendo, for he had not where withal to bury him, much less to pay that debt; adding further that the same grace had been before granted unto Cardinal Baronius, and another Cardinal. Unto which request the Pope most willingly yielded; and further at the request of the General, for the Cardinal sought it not, the Pope also condescended to give a pension of three hundred crowns between his two nephews, & had doubtless granted more, if more had been demanded; but the Cardinal little minded his nephews or earthly preferments, having his thoughts on heaven, which he always called his Home; there was his reward laid up: Et merces eius magna nimis.  
When it was known in the City that the Pope had been with the Cardinal, that he had taken his Viaticum, that he was anneyled, and that there 
means to see the ●●eke Cardinal.  was no hope left of longer life, wonderful it was, not to only hear the honourable reports which all made of him, but to see the means and inventions used, & that by men of Quality, to come unto him. Some sued unto the Cardinals and great Personages; some entreated the Fathers; some used the help of his servants, and others made other devices, and this not only to see him, but to kiss his hands, his head, or some other thing about him; & when therein they had satisfied their devotion, they would touch his body with their books, their beads, handkerchieffs, Crosses, Medalles and other the like things, and that very reverently on their knees: and in this kind none were more forward than the Cardinals themselves; who by reason of their more frequent conversation did best know him, and some of them mentioned his Canonization: & when once they knew of his sickness they came very often unto him, and ten of them sometimes in one day, who all desired his blessing, but he constantly refused to give it; and one of them taking him by the hand kissed the same, & then touched his eyes and head therewith, at which Bellarmine marveling when the other was gone asked those about him, what kind of courtesy this was, and how long it had been in use amongst the Cardinals?  
Another time the Cardinals that came would needs before they departed kiss his hands, at which he was much 
Great reverence done him by Cardinals and Prelates.  grieved, and would have withdrawn them back, but was not able to resist their importunity, and therefore only said, non sum dignus, I am not worthy of this honour especially from you my Lords, & he offered to have kissed theirs again one by one, but they would not yield, & he was to weak to force them; & some Cardinals again together with other Prelates would needs have his benediction, which he utterly refused to give; & they continuing to ask it, he craved theirs, so as the contention grew who should bless each other; which a Cardinal perceauing decided the matter by taking Bellarmynes right hand, and blessing himself there with perforce, at which sight the others not willing to use that violence, desired again so earnestly his blessing on their knees, as he to avoid so importunate molestation give it, but said withal after he had given it: what will the blessing of a poor miserable wretch as I am avalye you? why do you trouble me so much for it? And so in his death & life the honours which with their sweet stings do deadly wound others, he always turned to his greater humiliation.  
Two Cardinals above the rest seemed 
Cardinal Hippolytus Aldobrandinus.  to be more solicitous of him, Aldobrandino & Farnesius; the first was then in Rome, the other absent; the first came very often to the novitiate to inquire how he did, & out of courtesy forbore to visit him as not willing to trouble him with his presence, yet at length he resolved to see him, although his sight cost him tears; when he saw him past all hope of recovery, and measuring Bellarmyne by other men, he demanded of F. Minutoli, whether the present apprehension of death did not affright him? Nothing less, quoth the Father, of which your Honour shall now see the experience, and then asked the sick Cardinal, whether he would not gladly departed to another life. I would to God said Bellarmyne that I might, and that very soon, I wish that I were already gone, for what should I stay any longer in this world? with other like words which shown not a desire only, but a delight also that he had to think on death; in so much as when any would comfort him in his sickness, they would mention the same as a discourse most pleasing unto him.  
divers ways did this foresaid the Cardinal manifest his affection unto Bellarmyne which I here forbear; and when he with others, requested that when he came to heaven, he would remember 
Bellarmine notwithstanding his singular confidence in God had great distrust of himself.  them, and pray for them; although the virtuous Cardinal always shown a great hope and confidence in God's mercy; yet was this conjoined with no less distrust of himself, for he would earnestly crave every man's prayers, and to this petition of the Cardinals he answered more than once saying: To go to heaven so soon is a great matter, & to great for me; men use not to come thither in such haste, and for myself, I shall think it no small favour to be sure of Purgatory, and there to remain a good while in those flames, that must purge and cleanse the spots of my offences, & satisfy the just wrath & justice of almighty God. But when I am come Home, quoth he, I will not fail to pray for you all; and this he promised to do not only for these Cardinals, but for all his benefactors & servants, unto whom, & to all those in the novitiate he gave (being thereunto much urged) very often his blessing.  
Cardinal Farnesius was at this time 
Cardinal Farnesius his ●udgement and esteem of Bellarmyne.  at his house of Caprarola thirty miles from Rome, who hearing of the sickness of Bellarmine wrote many letters to Father Minutoli, desiring to be informed from time to time of the progress of his sickness, and, when it should happen, to have the whole narration of his sickness and death together; moreover that Bellarmine by him might be advertised of the singular affection which he bore him, or as it pleased him to term it, dutiful respect: 
6. Septemb.  adding withal: Mà quando piacesse à Dio, di voler questo Signore per ●l Ci●lo etc. but in case it should please God to call this Cardinal to heaven, I desire your Fatherhood to procure me of F. General some pair of beads of the Cardinals, or else his Breviary, and I will make that account of it, as the great opinion I have of his singular sanctity doth require that I should▪ The same again he solicited in another letter written four days after, at the end of which he added with his own hand these words: Vivo con pena di questa imminente perdita, mà insieme 
10. Sept.  godo dell'opinione che gia si comi●cia scoprire della santità di questo Signore. That is, I live in pain of this loss so near at hand, but withal I am glad for the opinion which already gins to manifest itself of the Sanctity of this honourable person. And in another which was written after his death he saith, that he will put 
●9. Sept.  Bellarmine before his eyes, come un essemplare degnissimo d'imitatione etc. as an example most worthy of imitation: and I hope (saith he) not a little to be helped by the intercession of that holy soul, that I may a far of follow his steps, who hath so much honoured the whole Church & sacred College of Cardinals, & that no less with his virtue then learning. So Farnesius, with more to the same effect.  
This Cardinal in respect of the great obligation the whole Society hath ever had to that name, which his own 
Bellarmin did greatly esteem F●rnesius.  merits have much more increased, and for the particular affection he bore unto Bellarmine, was of him also had in special regard, & as often as Farnesius his letters, still full of love, were read unto him, he would in very effectual words make remonstrance how far he was endeared unto him, & how little able to discharge that duty which he did owe him, of which in his health he was never unmindful, and had determined to dedicate a great work unto him which he had began upon S. Paul's Epistles, containing a literal, moral, and dogmatic explication of all the Apostles words; a work worthy of Bellarmyne, necessary for these times, much urged and desired by many; but having finished some Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans, considering with himself the length and difficulty of the thing, his small helps, with other great employments, his weak body, the short and uncertain time of his life, he left off that enterprise, & wrote his other little books, as he insinuateth in an epistle, to the Cardinal himself prefixed before his book of The eternal felicity of Saints. Longitudo Operis (saith he) & breve spatium quod mihi superest vitae, & quotidianae occupationes quae parùm omnino ad scribendum mihi otij relinqunt, effecerunt, ut de Opere illo perficiendo planè desperarem: the length of the work, the short space that remains of my life, and my daily business which leaves me very little leisure to write, made me despair of ever finishing that work. So he: and for that it pleased Cardinal Bellarmine to show such singular gratitude to this his friend on his deathbed; & on the other side, for that Farnesiu● is further resolved to erect some honourable monument of him in the place where he is buried, I could not let him pass unnamed in this narration.  
And for the other Cardinals, they 
Bellarmin much honoured & loved of all the cardinals.  did also so tenderly affect him, as few or none of all those which came to visit him, could forbear weeping: and one of them a very grave man said unto F. Minutol●, that he did greatly glory to have been made Cardinal by that Pope which had made Bellarmyne Cardinal; and that in toto genere (I use his own words) the world hath not had any of so singular learning accompanied with so great humility and Religious maturity as he, for many ages, & perhaps may expect long ere it have another. And he did well to specify his humility, for though he were equal to any, yet he so still demeaned himself as though he had been servant to all, and this even until death; for to all that came unto him in his sickness, although he did speak with all respect and duty unto them, yet at their departure he would crave pardon of them, and say; My Lords I pray pardon me, if I do not as I would, or as I am bound, for I am not mine own man, I want strength of body, I can do no more: and indeed he did more than was convenient for one in his case to do, though much less than he desired to have done to them, whom so heartily he did honour.  
In fine, when the danger of his disease was once diuulged over all the City, not only Cardinals, but many Bishops, Prelates, and other of special 
Note the common opinion that all had of his sanctity.  note repaired unto him, especially the three last days before his death, when being sometimes sleepy, sometimes with his eyes closed in prayer and meditation, he neither marked who they were that came, nor heeded much what they did: in which time the foresaid Cardinals, Bishops, Prelates and others sent many little caps of silk, such as they use to were under their square caps; and others sent white nightcaps which they desired might be put on his head as they were, and with them they sent also little Crosses of gold and silver, Reliquiaries, prayerbooks, and other things to touch him, and that in such multitudes, as there were more than a hundred and fifty red, white, and other caps put on, and taken from his head during this time, and since his death that number hath been much increased: many things were taken away by such as came to visit him, and those also by great personages; many more were begged and sought for from many places, as after in part I shall show or rather touch only, for the particulars of this alone would much exceed the length of this Relation.  
Honourable is virtue, and the root of all true honour, in regard whereof the ancient Romans built the Temples of Virtue and Honour together, because the one must necessarily depend of the other, as we see to have happened in this Cardinal whose virtues were conspicuous in the eyes and judgement of all, as not only the good did dearly prise them and him for them, but also the bad did reverence and honour them; in so much as hitherto I have not heard of one in Rome that did not, and doth not honour him; yea the wicked Iewes enemies 
Even the jews did honour Bellarmine's virtues.  of all goodness have confessed them, and (were their words of any weight) have spoken of him in most honourable manner; in so much as a Prelate of great name said, that Bellarmyne had overcome all envy and won the hearts of all. And for that the jews since his death have so much extolled his virtues, I think it not amiss to let the Reader understand, what is now very opportunely come to my hands touching this point, out of Polonia, in a little book written by a learned man of the Society of jesus under this title: Vindiciae doctrinae Societatis jesu, à calumnijs Patroni Turonensium Anonymi. Auctore Georgio Tiszkiewic, who relateth a notable accident to this purpose which fell out upon this occasion.  
There was set forth in print in the year 1614 a most infamous Libel, composed (as is thought) by some Sacramentary Heretic in Dutch of the the death 
A notable testimony given of Bellarmin by a jew in Polo●ia.  of Cardinal Bellarmyne, which related most strange & prodigious things of his life & death: for afric is not more full of monsters than these men are of most monstrous inventions; amongst other things it was reported that he died in the year 1613. when he was then alive, & wrote after that time all his spiritual books now in print. Besides this, the whole Libel was so full of villainy, as that many more moderate and modest Protestants disclaimed in print from it, and none more vehemently than he who was reported to have been the printer, Lewis Coing dwelling in Basil, a City of the Swissers, who wrote a sharp letter against the writer thereof, denying that ever he printed any book, kept any press, or had any thing to do in setting forth of that Pamphlet; nevertheless the Caluinists in Dantz (a town in Germany) reprinted the same again, and urged it, as a great argument for the truth of their Gospel, seeing that God had punished the chief defendor of the Catholic Faith of our Age with such a disastrous and dreadful death; and had he indeed been dead, the lie though never so loud had found credit amongst the Brethren; but his life for so many years after quailed this fable; though yet some Merchants of more faith than wit (for besides their justifying Faith, they have also an Historical) did constantly affirm and believe it to be true; wherupon that fell out which the Author above named doth report in these words.  
Olivae nonnulli Gedanensium Senatorum inter alia quae ante annum unum miscebant cum admodum Reverendo Patre Philippo Adlero dignissimo Oliuensis Monasterij Ordinis Sancti Bernardi Priore colloquia etc. At Olive amongst other Conferences had between the chief Citizens of Dantz, with the Reverend Fa. Philip Adler Prior of the order of S. Bernard, they of Dantz related in one of them all those things which the nameless Author of the foresaid Libel doth impudently report, or rather with which he doth most falsely calumniate the Cardinal. The Prior denied all, affirming that they were impossible, & out of the great good will and affection he bears thereunto, did much commend the Society of jesus: on the other side they accused all, and above all Bellarmyne. Whiles they were in this debate, a jew newly come out of Italy arrived thither, of which when the Prior was advertised, he called for him to come before them, and being come the Prior spoke to him in this manner: hast thou any news from Rome to tell us? what is become of Cardinal Bellarmyne? Is he alive or dead? how, and in what manner doth he live? Hear our Dantz Senators stand attended, & expect very greedily the answer, which they thought would second their lewd reports; but contrariwise the jew affirmed that Bellarmyne was alive, that he was in health, that his life for all virtue, gravity, and other deportment was most exemplar; that finally if the jews could see all Catholics, or the greater part, to live as Bellarmyne doth, they would all of them presently become Christians. With this narration and their own shame, the men of Dantz were not a little confounded. And this have I heard from a most Religious and sincere man, a Prior also of the same Order, called Andrew Clewsky, who was both an ear, and eye witness of this matter. Hitherto that Author. So as now of Bellarmine's sanctity etiam inimici nostri sint judices, the jews themselves may be judges, who in this show themselves to have much more conscience, than the forenamed Heretics.  
The devotion of others unto the Cardinal hath made me make the longer digression from his own person: but now leaving them a little (to whom eftsoons I shall return again) let us a while contemplate, and cast our eyes back on the sick man, who perceauing in himself so great decay of strength, and his vital spirits to be so much exhaust, prayed more instantly to be delivered from this body of corruption, & 
His great desire to be with God.  said: Filthy flesh only fit for worms to feed on, why dost thou keep me from God? and taking the flesh of one of his arms in his hand, he said in Italian: Carnaccia traditora, perch non si stacchi? sarria pur tempo: che indugi? che stai à fare? Treacherous base flesh, why dost thou not dissolve and sever thyself from the soul? it is high time: why dost thou delay? why dost thou not dispatch and make an end? And then turning himself unto God, and wholly relying on his merciful disposition, he said: non mea voluntas, sed tua, fiat: not my will but thine be done. And now drawing on apace to the last period of his life, he found more and more difficulty to take any meat, or keep what he had taken: and he had not only a great repugnance and aversion from eating, but a great loathing and horror to see any thing brought him. Hear what should his attendants do? to force him, seemed to violent for one so weak, so meek, and of that rank and dignity: to persuade him, was but lost labour, for such difficultyes are hardly overcome by persuasion: nothing remained but to urge him the Physician's command, and that he was bound under Obedience to 
His exact obedience in things most repugnant to his nature.  eat.  
Hereat presently he would rise, take and eat whatsoever they brought him, and that very readily though it were never so much against his stomach, & though he did presently cast it up again, never looking or respecting what was given him: and which is more strange, even when he was beside himself in the extremity of his bad fit, the very name of Obedience would have made him taken whatsoever they had brought him: so accustomed and affectioned he was to that Virtue, as nothing seemed hard unto him, that came under that title, imitating therein his dear master our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, who as S. Bernard witnesseth: Ne perderet obedientiam, perdidit vitam, lost his life that he might not lose his obedience: conform to that of the Apostle S. Paul: factus 
Philip. 3.  obediens usque ad mortem, he was obedient even until death. So Christ, so his disciple, & I doubt not but that those who shall write his life (if more than one undertake it) will find many notable examples of this virtue in the course thereof.  
This here I will aver upon certain knowledge, that after his promotion, he put himself under the Obedience of the General of his Order, and bound himself to obey him no less than before in all things of any moment. And because the Rules of the Society do by●d all in the time of their sickness, not 
When he was Cardinal he was obedient to the General of the Society, yea even to his own servants.  only to obey the Physicians, but all such as have any care of them; the Cardinal having one of his chamber a most diligent and faithful servant to attend him in this sickness, him he also obeyed in whatsoever he bid him do; and he knowing well his Lord's pleasure, when any thing was to be done, would not say as other servants use to do, If it please your Honour to do this, or take that, and the like, but in resolute terms: My Lord, lift up yourself, Take this, Do that etc. and presently without any reply he would do it, never saying more, but, As you will, As it pleaseth you. Neither did this custom begin between them on his deathbed, but had still been in use and practice before, and that with all humility and alacrity, for he regarded not whom he did obey, but for whose sake he did it, and that made him even in his servant's person to reverence our Saviour. And so much for his Obedience.  
The nynteenth day of his sickness, being the beginning of the new moon, his pulse which hitherto had been strong begins much to fail, and many other ill signs appeared which did evidently prognosticate his departure to be very near at hand. The Cardinal still continuing as he could in his accustomed devotions, in making devout Colloquies, and iaculatory prayers unto God, when any thing was suggested unto him fit for that time and present occasion, he would thank the suggestours, and give them to knew 
Pope Gregory granted him a pardon.  that he took great comfort thereof, which was in manner redoubled when he understood that the Pope had sent him a Plenary Indulgence, for the better gaining of which spiritual grace he said his Confiteor, with his diverse other prayers: & the last night of his life which was the 23. of his sickness, the former signs still continuing, and increasing brought him into a certain dulness or insensibility, especially some five or six hours before his death, which made all who were about him to think, that now every hour might be his last: yet even in this state he made them all see, that he was present to himself, knew his own danger, understood what was said unto him, and answered directly to whatsoever was proposed: in so much as Father Minutoli speaking unto him of the confidence he was now to have in God, and recourse unto his divine mercy, by imploring his help in this passage, for pardon of his sins, & defence against all assaults of the enemy now most vigilant; he answered very devoutly & directly unto him in a low voice, that so he did, and that in the best manner he could, & to manifest the same unto them, to the end they might both see, that he understood their words, and his own case, he shown this exterior act of Christian piety.  
Having a little Cross of silver in his hand, he kissed it very often, and 
His great devotion to the Cross.  blessed himself diverse times wherewith, saying some prayers by himself, some together with them that were with him, and kneeled at his bed side: afterwards taking into his hand a greater Cross that stood by which had the picture of our Saviors' body fixed thereon, he did oftentimes very devoutly kiss the the same; a little after he laid it on his eyes, and taking it from thence he laid it on his left shoulder, embracing it very hard between both his arms being put a cross one over the other, and so continued a good while, till removing it a little towards his breast he lifted his hand up to his head to take off his nightcap, but could not do it, and such as kneeled by him knew not what he meant, till at last by conjecture Father Minutoli gathered that he meant to do some act of devotion, and therefore took off his cap for him: then the Cardinal took the Cross, with both his hands, & so much forced himself, as he placed it on his bare head, and all this he did for the love he bore to the death and passion of our Saviour, whereof this Cross is a lively representation. Moreover to show the 
Holy Images.  reverence he bore unto holy Images, for which point of Christian belief more martyrs have lost their lives by the hands of the bloody & barbarous Iconoclasts, than perhaps they have done for any other article whatsoever.  
Lastly, I doubt not but that he shown this zeal to the holy Crucifix, to show his zeal against the Heretics of these times, the true children of these parents and lively brood of these progenitors; that the world might see how exact he was in adhering unto that Faith in all and every branch and member which in his works he had so learnedly defended, and procured in this his last sickness as before I said, to have left registered in print after his departure: These reasons I say, made him so often & so earnestly to exercise these acts of Veneration to the holy Cross; which finally he laid on his breast under the coverlet where it remained till he was dead: so as he seemed unwilling to see, think or desire any thing but Christ, and him crucified, and to testify to the world the interior love he bore in his heart to Christ, by the exterior reverence which he did show to his picture, the true character of a Catholic Christian man.  
Now was he come to the last hour of his life, and though his pains were 
The manner of his death.  greater, yet his courage, his patience, his quiet & peaceable repose the same. The holy man began his prayers, said the Pater noster, and Aue Maria, & began again the Pater noster, which being ended he said distinctly the Psalm Miserere, to the end: and being warned to say also the Creed, in protestation of his belief, and that he died a member of the Catholic, Apostolic & Roman Church, presently he began the same, and said it all through, and (which was much noted) with the end of the Creed he ended his speech, these being the last words that ever he spoke clearly and distinctly 
Vitam aeternam, Amen.  in this life: Et vitam aeternam, Amen: & life life everlasting, Amen. After which his voice so failed, that they could scant with all diligence used, hear him, yet he said very softly to himself in such manner as he was able jesus, jesus, jesus, and continued still in the same till the last gasp, which of such as beheld him was in a manner insensible, without any violent motion of his body or contracting of his countenance, any writ●ing of his mouth, any pangs or gasps, in so still, quiet, and peaceable fashion as it seemed a sleep rather than death, rather a mild and voluntary passage, than a matter of horror or dread, rather a Saintlike repose then a final departure out of this life. He left this world the seventeenth day of September, between six and seven of the clock in the morning▪ wanting not three weeks of threescore and nineteen years, for he was borne on the fourth of October being S. Francis day, and died on the feast of the same Saint, dedicated to his sacred wounds, which miraculously he had received; the solemnity of which feast the Cardinal much laboured with Paul the fifth, to have granted to the Religious of that Order, with a special Office for that day.  
His body soon after his departure by a secret way, for avoiding the resort of people, was conveyed in coach to the Church of the Fathers, where he was to 
The devotion & reverence showed to hi● body.  be buried: & because as yet nothing was prepared for his exposing, it was carried into a private chamber of the house with express order of debarring as yet all access unto it: but there came so many to see and kiss the same, and so great personages, as the prohibition was soon recalled, and leave granted unto most to come. All kneeled thereat as to the body of a Saint, and with great devotion kissed the same: some commended his learning, some his virtue, all his mild, loving, and most affable behaviour: amongst the rest a great Prelate on his knees kissed the thumb and two forefingers of his right hand, which had written so much to the glory of God, good of his Church, and comfort of many, no less than fifty times: and another not inferior to the former, did the same after him; which devotion of people and Prelates continued until it was an hour within night, and had done much longer, but that the Pope's Physician, together with his brother a Surgeon, came to open and embalm the body, who earnestly requested this office as a favour at the Father's hands, saying that they should both of them grieve much in case any other should do it.  
As soon as they began the same, many were present with to wells, handkerchiefs, 
He is embalmed & his blood saved & kept for relics.  sponges, and other linen to save the blood & preserve it for Relics, and so Religiously industrious and diligent they were, as nothing thereof was lost: the Physician himself in lieu of reward, cut away a little piece of the hinder part of his which he esteemeth as a peerless jewel and inestimable treasure: the other three Physicians were already provided: for whereas in the beginning of his sickness they prescribed that he should be let blood, & another time to have horseleeches applied to draw more; at both of these times they came with clean handkerchiefs, and dipped, or rather died them in the blood, which by them and others was so greedily taken, as that no drop remained; & the Physicians were hereunto the more moved, for that besides the common report and opinion of his virtue, they saw in this sickness such lively proof thereof, as none of them had ever seen the like in any before, which they never cease to admire and commend whensoever any mention is made, or occasion given them to speak of his sickness.  
The next morning the Nobility & Gentry of the Congregation of our B. Lady got his body into their Oratory, or Chapel, where being all assembled they said the Office of the dead for him, two Gentlemen always standing at his head to keep the multitude from kissing his bear face, permitting them only his hands and feet. He lay on a fair hears●, vested like an Archbishop, with his mitre and pall, in so gracious manner as I never saw a fairer corpse, and the same was said by very many that saw him. The Office being ended, the narrownes of this place was not capable of so great concourse, & to avoid the inconvenience of such press of people, the more haste was made to carry him into the Church, where being laid on a bed 
The wonderful devotion of the people to his body, when it was exposed in the Church.  prepared for the same, there came to behold it, or rather to reverence and worship it, as though, not the dead body of Cardinal Bellarmyne newly departed, but either the body of S. Augustine, or S. Ambrose, or S. Athanasius, or some ancient Doctor, Bishop, or Patriarch had been exposed and laid open to be honoured: and I know not what more devotion the people could have used unto their sacred relics, than now they did unto the body of this Cardinal.  
For they came not as ordinarily on such occasions they use to do, to gaze, & see the pomp of the funerals (which here was very little) not to pray for the party deceased, not to inquire of his heirs, his testament, his wealth, his burial, or the like more curious than necessary matters; but to see as they called him, the Saint, to pray unto him, to reverence his body, and that in such sort, as if already he had been canonised: & for that it was now placed higher than they were able to reach, and compassed by some of the Pope's Guard, and Mace-bearers of the Cardinals that came to be present at the Dirige, they wearied them all with giving their beads unto them, which the one on the top of their truncheons, the other of their Masses, lifted up to touch his bare face; and so many beads being given to touch, and that so continually without any intermission, all looked or rather feared that his face would have been disfigured therewith, for it was touched, as most conjecture by more than twenty thousand pair of beads; and there had been no end of touching it, had not the Fathers with help of the Pope's Guard after more than three hours within night carried it away perforce, as presently shall be said: and notwithstanding that the body lay aloft, was well guarded with troncheous and halberds, yet were there of these pious thiefs so cunning, as that some of them cut away pieces of his mitre 
Great industry used to get relics of the Cardinal.  that he wore, others the tassels and knots of his Cardinal's hat, others the skirts of his vestments, others other things; & what each could get with great devotion he kissed the same, lapping it up in clean linen, silk etc. and two Prelates brought each a short staff under his garment, and when they came over against one the other at the lower end of the hearse, where the hat lay at the Cardinal's feet, they cast it off from thence very dexterously with their staffs into the bosom of one of their servants ready at hand to receive it, who had conveyed it clean away, had not one of the Fathers by chance espied him, who by help of the Pops Guard recovered it out of his hands, and carried it into the Vestry. In fine had not his body been well guarded, I think that neither hat, or mitre, or vestment, or any thing else had been left, and perhaps the very body itself had been taken away & deviuided for pious spoil.  
And although his body were thus exposed in more plain and positive manner, with less splendour and majesty than is accustomed for Cardinals: 
Great concourse of Cardinals to his burial.  yet were his Exequys in other respects very honourable. For contrary to that which both in his will he had designed, & desired of the General on his deathbed to have no Cardinals present there at, there came so many as more have not been seen at any burial: for excepting two or three for exceeding great age, sickness, or some other business absent, all the rest were there, and stayed until the very end of the office, which was performed by the General in his Cope, and the Fathers of the Society: and further there was such resort as none living ever saw more, or perhaps so many at once in that Church. When the Office was done, to satisfy the importunate request of so many as desired it, the body was taken down, laid on a Bear covered with black velvet, and carried to the Chapel of our Blessed Lady in the same Church, not without a strong Guard, where such as entered at one door passing out at an other gave way for more to satisfy their desires; but it was not possible to satisfy all; for though it remained there until after three hours in the night (as I said) yet were the Fathers forced to send away many that were still flocking thither much against their will, and not without main force of the Guard and others, that commanded & compelled them out of the Church, and shut the doors, to their no small regreet.  
The multitude being excluded, the body was put into a plain coffin of wood, and laid in the ordinary vault 
He is buried in a common vault.  where others of the Society are wont to be buried: therein condescending to the Cardinal's desire, who would needs lie with them in grave, with whom he had lived, whom he had loved, and to whom for many years before his death he would have returned, and led again a Religious life, under the common Rule, with the resignation of his Cardinal's Hat and dignity, if it might have been permitted him, as I have been informed by one to whom he imparted his mind, and would have used in the same; and myself have heard him very heartily to wish it. But howsoever for some small time (for long as I hear it shall not remain in that place) his body rest in a poor vault, yet his soul yet were his other noble virtues so shrouded under the mantle of Humility; as they could not be seen in their perfect nature; and such as best knew them, had lest list to speak them, lest them words might disclose what the Cardinal would have to be secret: but now hath that Glory overtaken him which he did still eschew, & beat back with contempt of himself; now he who seemed amongst the Cardinals to be inferior to all, is more honoured then any: now that the earthen pot of his mortal body is broken, the shining lamp of his virtues accompanied with the trump and triumph of fame, yield their light to the world, & confound all malicious inventions of the Mad●anites. Now is the candle no more laid 
jud. 7.  under a bushel, but set on a Candlestick for all to behold: now is the mouth of detractors stopped that would with their lies have blemished his life, and disgraced his death many years ere it happened: now (will they, nill they) truth shall trample falsehood underfoot, and the clear beams of Bellarmine's virtue overbear all slanderous reports of malignant sacramentaries. Let them forge infamous fictions, let them print as they have done most exorbitantlyes, let malice maucht with learning, arm their pens to write reproach, yet shall all their force and fury fall to the ground, & his name be renowned for ever. The warrant is sure that is signed with his promise, who said by the Psalmist: In memoria ●ter●a erit iustus, ab auditionemal● non 
Psal. 111.  timebit: the memory of the just shall remain for ever, he shall not fear any ill report: and not only his life and death, but as the Prophet foretold of Christ, Erit sepulerum eius gloriosum, even his sepulchre shall be glorious; for thither now 
Isa. 11.  come many to pray, thereon daily they cast fresh flowers, thereof they speak, that specially they respect: it was common before to many, but is now made famous by him alone.  
The Habit, as the Philosopher saith, is best known by his Privation; the dark night makes us more to esteem and value the clear day, and liberty is always most grateful after a long restraint: so Bellarmine's absence hath made his virtues more prized, and the sense & feeling which now all find in his want, makes them with grief to recall to mind, what a treasure they had whiles they did enjoy him alive. The Cardinals have lost the prime flower & brightest star of their College, the Bishops a lively pattern of a true Pastor; the Religious a perfect example of imitation; the learned a renowned Doctor; the poor a Father; the afflicted a comforter; the whole Church an ornament; and to renew still his happy memory in their never dying affection, many Cardinals, Prelates and others of great Nobility have carefully sought, and always do seek for something of his; and so much is already gotten, as besides his body little or nothing else is left. One Cardinal got his bed, another his Missal, another his Diurnal, Farnesius his Breviary. What others got either during his sickness or since his death were to long to write; they got his doublet, hose, stockings, caps, linen, , writings, pictures, shirts, handkerchiefs; and what else they could procure, leaving him so destitute of all things, as that the Fathers of the Society were forced after his death to  him of their own, and to borrow a square cap of an other Cardinal to put on his head (whiles his body for a day and night lay in a lower chamber at the Casa Prosessa) his clothes and caps being either all taken or given away before.  
And not in▪ Rome only, but from other 
His Relics much desired by many.  places abroad many letters have been sent, and means used to get something that had been his, which I let pass, setting down only the clause of one letter written by a very worshipful Gentleman of our own Nation, residing in Naples, which came to my hands as I was writing this Relation. The party wrote it in Italian, that the General (to whom he is well known) might see it, & in this manner. Son stato agravato & questo con grandissima instanza della Sig ●. Duchessa di Santo Elia molto mia Signora, & Patrona, di sarli havere qualche cosa che sauce della felice memoria dell▪ Illustrissimo Sig ●. Cardinale Bellarmino; come a dire, qualche berettino di tela che ildetto haues●e portato, o qualche parte di vua sua camisia, e questo per la gran divotione, che la detta Signora porta al morto: & essendo bisogno, pregarà N. N. in nome mio di cooperare quanto sia possibile, di trouar qualche cosa per consolare la divotione di questa Signora. That is: I have been urged, & that with exceeding importunity by the Duchess of S. Elias, my very good Lady and Patroness, to procure hersom what of Cardinal Bellarmyne of happy memory; that is to say, some linen nightcap which he hath worn, or some piece of his shirt, and this for the great devotion the said Lady bears towards the dead Cardinal. And if need be, you may entreat N. N. in my name to help as much as is possible to find out something to comfort the devotion of this Lady. So he. And although that this letter came soon after his death, yet were all these things either given, or taken, or stolen away ere it came, & her request satisfied another way. 
Bellarmine's behaviour and carriage.   
In fine, no man in Rome of his rank in the memory of any man living hath died with so general good opinion of all; no funerals have been celebrated with so great concourse and honour; no sepulchre so much frequented▪ Two and twenty years he lived Cardinal; forty a Religious man; he began betyme to bear the yoke of Christ; was never wearied; never sainted till the end. A man of such lenity and meekness, as he would offend none; of such candour and sincerity, as he could not dissemble with any; of such kindness & courtesy, as he was benevolous unto all. Of temporal emoluments he was never moved with loss, or delighted with increase; his wealth was the poor man's gain, not his own profit; his loss their hindrance, not his hurt; to men of our Island as well English and Scottish he always shown himself a worthy friend and special benefactor; never denying them any thing that conveniently he could grant; never sparing his labour, his pen, or purse to pleasure them as far forth as he was able; of which I could allege very many examples, were not that field to large, and this no place to recount them. Of all which, and whatsoever else he did, we may now say, Laudant 
Prou. 31.  ●um in portis opera eius, his works praise him in the gates; that is, at the tribunal and judgement seat of God, where their worth is valued, and their valour rewarded, and he in his everlasting rewards glorious for all eternity.  
Hear if any out of a curious mind, should expect to hear somewhat spoken of some miraculous event which hath 
When the sanctity is singular there needeth no miracles to confirm it.  happened in, or since his death, for further confirmation of his sincerity: I answer hereunto, that as the sanctity of S. john Baptist did sufficiently warrant itself without any miracle at all, besides his miraculous virtues: so the happy life and death of this Cardinal being such as they were, need no other miracles than themselues for their proof. And to speak only of his death, what was his invincible patience without the least sign of sorrow, or syllable of complaint? what his security of mind overbearing all tentations? what his purity of conscience without all mortal remorse? what his exact Obedience without reply? what his reverend receiving of the Blessed Sacrament, his constancy in faith, his devout death, but a miracle, or rather many miracles in one? Who can esteem otherwise of his courage against death now looking him in the face, when he desired it to draw nearer, to take him away, then that it was miraculous? Unless he will contradict the judgement of S. Bernard, who writing of his brother G 〈…〉ds 
Bernard. 〈◊〉 ●6. in Cant.  death, hath these words: Acci●●s sum ad id miraculi, videre exult ant●m●n mor●e 〈…〉 nem, insultantem morti. I was called to that miracle, to see a man reioying in death triumphing over death. Truly this holy Cardinal, as you have heard, so much rejoiced in death, as he had no other sorrow in his sickness, then to think that it was further from him, than indeed it was, or greater joy, then when he was to shake hands with it; the true effect of a well prepared mind, for as Seneca saith: mortem venientem nemo hilarius 
Epist. 30.  excipit nisi qui se ad illam diu compos●er●t: no man cheerfully embraceth death, but he that hath long before prepared himself for it.  
These things, I say, need no other miracle than themselves to confirm them. For at S. Aug. saith of such a one as would four hundred years after Christ see some 
Aug. l. 22. de Ciui●t. Dei cap. 8. initio.  miracle that he might believe: Magnum ipse prodigi●m est, qui mundo credeme prodigia adhuc inquiri● ut credat: he is himself prodigious, who seeing the world to believe in Christ, doth yet seek for some miraculous wonder to believe: So in 
The sanctity of Bellarmin very eminent and acknowledged by all that known him.  this case, seeing the former miracles, seeing the common opinion that all have of his Holiness, seeing all that ever knew him, to have canonised him with devotion to his body, or constant report of his integrity; seeing all his writings to have been to confound heresy, to erect the banner of truth, to comfort the faithful, to teach the ignorant, to advance virtue; seeing all his actions to have been signed with innocency, to have proceeded from charity, and by pure intention to have been directed to God's glory or good of his neighbour, without touch, spot, or reprehension in the whole course of his life; he may indeed be thought prodigious that would further seek any other confirmation, any other miracle, or miraculous proof; which I do not say to condemn or any way extenuate the force of other miracles, God forbidden, for sometimes they are necessary, & here they are not wanting: but only to show that eminent sanctity may prove itself by the clear beams of her own beauty, without any any borrowed light derived from supernatural power, as it did in S. john Baptist above mentioned, and many other Saints.  
YET for further confirmation of this 
The time of Bellarmine's death revealed & foretold to Pope Gregory the xv.  particular, there are somethings reported, & not reported only but manifestly proved to be miraculous. Or which that first occurreth to be remembered, that the General, after the death and funerals of the Cardinal repairing for audience to this present Pope, Gregory the fifteenth, was willed by the said Pope to read a letter which he took from of a little table and gave him, in reading whereof, he found these words: Between the sixtenth and seavententh of September, Cardinal Bellarmyne shall go to heaven, and as his Holiness testified the writer of that letter, could not then when he wrote it, so much as have heard of the Cardinal's sickness: and indeed about midnight of the sixteenth day he fell into his agony, and died the next morning. Although out of humility the Writer desired to have his name concealed; yet doth the thing itself speak both Bellarmine's sanctity, and thrice happy end, and the singular virtue of the said party, and great union with God: for he could not have known this but by revelation, no natural causes to one so far absent, being able to yield so exact & punctual assurance in so uncertain a casuality as is the life of man, which dependeth on so many, and those so indeterminate circumstances, as are the means by which it may be either contracted and cut off, or else drawn on to a greater length. This knowledge alone appertaineth unto him, from whom nothing can lie hid, & in whose hands alone are all our lives, all moments, all times, which by us can be no more or less known, than it shall please his merciful Goodness to open and disclose unto us.  
The same morning that the Cardinal departed this life, his voice was 
He revealeth his own happiness.  heard to speak unto some in the City (of the number I am uncertain) and to say unto them, Adio, adesso me ne vado in Paradiso: farewell, for even now I go to heaven: which voice amongst others was heard of the Duchess of Sforza, a very virtuous Lady now living in Rome: and one of the other who heard the like voice did not at that time know that the Cardinal was in any danger of death at all. The Virtue, Nobility, multitude of these personages, together with the uniform report, is a sufficient warrant of their words. And even now (though somewhat late) is come to my hands a brief Relation of a miraculous cure done by a Relic of his, upon a Religious woman of the order of S. Bennet, called Paula Landi, in the Monastery of our B. Ladies in Campo Martio of Rome. Thus the thing fell out.  
The said Paula the sixth day of October 
A strange and miraculous cure done by a Relic o● the Cardinal.  by a fall broke one of her rib-bones in such sort, as that one part thereof did stand out, and the other was turned inward towards her breast; the pain she felt was excessive, and withal her weakness was such, as she could not vest herself, eat, or use her arm. The Surgeon in setting the bone right, increased her pain; and besides the extremity of her bodily grief, she was inwardly also very much afflicted in mind with the fear either of a continual lament if she did recover, or with the long endurance of that insupportable torment which would have no other end, than the end of her life. Whiles she remained in the perplexity of these afflicting thoughts, there was brought to the Monastery a piece of linen, that had touched the Cardinal's body, which she desired to have, & when she had it, did apply the same to the wound much swollen with the concourse of humours: then betaking herself to prayer, heartily craved the intercession of the holy Cardinal; & lo in the space of one hour she was delivered from all pain, could vest herself, walk, and do any thing as before, in so much as on the Sunday following (for this happened on friday) she served the rest at table, and at this present is as well able to do any thing as ever she was before. And this the party hath testified to myself, who purposely got leave to speak with her about this matter; and not only the said Paula, but others of her Order, who were present when I speak unto her, did testify th● same, adding further that all of the said Monastery would do the like; & Paula herself wrote as much as here I report, subscribed the same with her own hand, and sent it to the Fathers of the Society of the Casa Professa, where the Cardirall is buried.  
Since the former cure there hath happened another, & that upon an Honourable personage, to wit, the Lord Riviullo Bishop of Bel-Castro. This man being much afflicted with a pain in his sides, that wonderfully molested him, before he would apply any medicine thereunto, called for a little red cap of silk, which Bellarmyne did wear under his square cap, and confiding much in his merits and intercession, touched those parts that grieved him therewith, and incontinently he was cured, and fully delivered from all pain, as the said Honourable Personage hath testified and confirmed by his Oath, Hand, and Seal. More in this kind I might write; but for that I have not such means to search out their truth, as I think is requisite, ere they be thus diuulged, I leave them to others to relate, who do better know them: and in the history of his life which already is thought upon they will I doubt not be most faithfully recorded, to the Glory of God, Honour of his Servant, and Comfort of others. These things thus testified, I thought good to set down, which have so soon happened after his death, because in part they confirm what before I wrote of his holy life and saintlike departure. God grant us his Grace so to imitate his Virtues, as we may shut up this our mortal and frail life, with so happy an end. Amen.   

Cardinal Bellarmyne was borne in the year 1542. the fourth day of October being the feast of S. Francis. He entered into the Society of jesus at Rome the 20. day of September 1560. He was made Cardinal the third day of March 1599 he died in the novitiate of Rome the 17. of September 1621. being friday, and the festival day of the holy wounds miraculously imprinted in the hands, feet, and side of Saint Francis, 24. days after he had left the Court, wanting but sixteen days of threescore and nineteen years of age. He lived in the Society before his promotion 38. years, five months, and thirteen days; in his Cardinalate two and twenty years, six months, and fourteen days: Cuius memoria in benedictionibus dulcedinis.   


Exemplar Testamenti Illustrissimi Carainalis Bellarmini.  
IN nomine Domini jesu Christi. Ego Robertus Bellarminus Tit. Sanctae Mariae in Via P●esbyter Cardinalis ex Societate jesu assumptus, petij à Sanctae memoriae Clemenre Viij. facultatem condendi Testamentum ad pias causas tantùm, ut certus essem ea quae mihi decedenti bona temporalia superessent, quaeue dum viverem dispensari Pauperibus, vel Ecclesi●s non potuerant, utpote meae sustentationi necessaria, ad Pauperes, & Ecclesias redirent; concessit Pontifex indultum Testandi general●us quàm voluissem, ●ed non acceptavi, nisi ad pias causas, ut petieram. Habetur hoc indultum inter alias Bullas mihi concessas, in mag no folio pergameno cum plumbo, datum anno Domini 1603. sex to Idus Aprilis, Pontificatus Sanctissimi Papae Clementis Viij. anno 12. Ergo hoc indulto prae●upposito Testamentum condi●i Capuae cùm essem Achiepiscopus eius Civitatis deinde ●o abrogato aliud condidi Romae, sed propter circumstantias mutatas, hoc secundo etiam abrogato, nunc iterum Testamentum condere statui, cum sim annorum soxaginta novem, & proximus ultimae diei, ut opinor, sed ment●, & corpore per Dei gratiam bene valens. Primùm igitur spiritum meum in manus Dei commendatum toto corde exopto, cui ab Adolescentia seruire desideravi, & precor, ut me inter Sanctos & Electos suos non aestimator meriti, sed veniae largitor admittat. Corpus meum, non apertum, nocturno tempore sine ulla pompa ad Ecclesiam Societatis Ies●, vel Collegij Romani, vel Domus Professae deferri volo. Et exequiae fiant per solos Patres & Fratres Societatis, sine interuentu sacri Collegij, sine lecto sublimi, sine insignijs, vel flabellis, eademque simplicitate, quae ceteris de Societate fieri ●olent. Et hac de re, quàm maxime possum sanctissimum Dominum nostrum humiliter rogo, ut desiderio meo satisfaciat. Quod attinet ad locum sepulturae, libenter iacere corpus meum voluissem ad pedes B. Aloysij Gonzagae, mei quondam spiritualis filij, sed tamen Superiores Societatis ubi voluerint, corpus meum ponant. De rebus temporalibus mihi à Sede Apostolica concessis, vel undecumque acquisitis ita dispono. Haeredem universalem nomino, & instituo Domum professam Romanam Societatis jesu, in qua religione nomen dedi. Volo au●em ut primò soluantur debita si quae fuerint, & iura ijs quibus debentur. Deinde dentur familiae ad quadraginta dies more solito, quae ad victum pertinent, id est quod illis taxatum est in pecunia propane, vi●o, & companatico. Neque aliud ●is relinquere possum, cùm ad solas pias causas Testamentum faciendi facultatem petierim: & eadem causa singulis stipendium sive provisionem aliquam dederim, praeter victum. Fratri meo secundum carne●, vel eius Haeredibus, restituatur Imago, seu quadrum Clementis viii. Pontificis maximi. Nepoti ●eo Angelo, detur Imago, seu quadrum Roberti Card. de Nobilibus, & unum ex duobus quadris S. Caroli Borromaei, & una ex paruis Crucibus quas ad pectus gero cum reliquijs inclusis. Collegio Romano restituamtur Annalium Card. Baronij tomi sex, quos mihi accommodavit, ut eidem dentur alij sex mei, nam cùm hac conditione accepi à Coll. sex primos tomos qui me● nomine dati fuerunt Collegio eidem ab eodem Auctore, ut post obitum relinquerem integrum opus. Eidem Coll▪ relinquo unam ex tribus Planetis pretiosis cum stol● & manipulo, quam vol●erit, & omnia scripta mea, & totum Bibliothecam, nisi Reverendissimo Patri Generali videatur Bibliothecam alicui alteri loco Societatis magis egenti applicare. Sanctae Mariae in Via, qui titul●s meus est, relinquo unam ex tribus Planetis pretiosis, quam haeres meus dare voluerit. Aliud titulo meo non relinquo, quoniam satis multùm expendi in fabrica Ecclesiae, ut Fratres sciunt, qui hoc ipsum petierunt loco paramentorum, quae illis emere constitueram. Reliqua omnia bona quae quocumque modo ad me pertinent, seu pertinebunt, sive immobilia, sive mobilia, sive se moventia, sive iura, sive credita, sive sacra ad Cappellam sive profana ad vestiarium, vel cellas varias pertinentia, sive pecunias numeratas, sive quaecumque alia, integra ad haeredem, id est ad Domum Professam Romanam Societatis jesu ut dictum est pertineant, volo; & in illis omnibus, & singulis ipsam haeredem instituo, & nomino. Pro auxilio Animae meae nihil relinquo, vel prescribo, quia parùm admodum erit, quod ad Haeredem meum perveniet ut existimo, cùm ego cumulandis pecunijs, vel rebus pretiosis acquirendis numquam ope●am dederim; tum quia confido, imo certò scio non defuturam huic officio piam charitatem Matris meae, Religionis videlicet Societa●is jesu, ut pro alijs filijs suis numqu● deest, & quemadmodum ego non des●u toto vitae meae tempore pro defunctis Societatis sacrificia, & orationes Deo osser●e. Executorem hu●s meae voluntatis nomino honoris causa Illustrissimum & Reverendissimum Dominum meum Cardinalem Aldobrandinum: labor enim, ut existimo, nullus erit in executione Testamenti huius. Relinquo autem ei●em Illustrissimo Domino meo id quod pretiosius nihil habeo, videlicet Cr●cem ligneam reliquijs pretiosissimis refertam, quarum catalogus in scriniolo cooperto holoserico rubro invenietur.  
Hoc Testamentum valere volo prioribus abrogatis, quae in omnibus & per omnia revoco, casso, & annullo, etiamsi hoc forte non fuerit cum debi tissolemnitatibus factum. id enim apertè concedit Bulla Summi Pontificis Clementis viii. in qua mihi data est facultas testandi, etiam per simplicem epistolam, vel scedulam manu mea subscriptam.  
Ego Robertus Cardinalis Bellarminus ut supra dispono, instituo, lego, & restor, non solùm praefato, sed omni meliori modo. Die 23. Ian●arij 1611.   

A Copy of the last Will and Testament of Cardinal Bellarmyne, made in the year 1611.  
IN the name of our Lord jesus Christ. I Robert Bellarmyne Cardinal of the title of our Blessed Lady's Church called 
* This title was changed a year before his death, and he made titular of S P●●xedes.  in Via, being promoted thereunto out of the Society of jesus, desired leave of Clement the 8. of holy memory, to make my will that my goods might be applied to pious uses, that I might be sure that such temporal things as should remain after my death, & such as while I lived, could neither be bestowed on the poor or on Churches, as being necessary for mine own maintenance, might return unto the said poor and Churches.  
The Pope gave me a more general grant than I desired, which I did not accept, but only for bestowing them on good uses as I had desired. This Indult or grant is amongst other Bulls granted me, in a great leaf of Parchment sealed with lead, dated in the year 1603. the 8. day of April▪ and 12. year of the Ponficate of the said Pope Clement.  
This grant presupposed, I made my will at Capua whiles I was Archbishop of that City: afterwards that will being annulled I made another in Rome▪ but the circumstances of things being altered, and that second also abrogated, I determined now again to make my will, being of the age of threescore and nine, and very nee●e as I imagine to my last day, but yet by the grace of God in perfect health of body & mind.  
First therefore I desire with all my heart, to have my soul commended into the hands of God, whom from my youth I have desired to serve; and I beseech him, not as the valewer of merit, but as a giver of pardon, to admit me amongst his Saints and Elect.  
I will have my body, not being opened, to be carried without any pomp to the Church of the Society, either of the Roman College, or of the professed Fathers: and let the exequys be made by the Fathers and brothers alone of the Society, without concourse of the holy College (to wit of the Cardinals) without any bed made aloft, without arms or scutcheons, with the same plainness a● is accustomed for others of the Society: and in this I do as earnestly as I can humbly entreat his Holiness that he will satisfy my desire,  
As for the place of my burial, I would gladly have had my body lain at the feet of Blessed Aloysius Gonzaga once my ghostly child, but notwithstanding this, let the Superiors of the Society bury it where they list.  
Of the temporal things granted me by the Sea Apostolic, or gotten any 
To the professed Fathers.  other way, I dispose in this manner. I nominate and make my general Heir the house of the Professed Fathers in Rome of the Society of jesus, of which Order I was; but first of all I will that my debts be paid if there be any, and all duties discharged to whom they are due: then for forty days (as is the fashion) let there be given to my family such things as appertain unto their diet, that is to say, so much as is allotted them in money for their bread, wine, and victuals. I am able to leave them nothing else, because I desired this leave of making my will, to bestow all I had on pious uses (as Churches and poor people) and for that cause gave every one of them wages, or some allowance besides their die●.  
Let there be restored unto mine 
To his brother & Kinsman.  own brother, or to his heirs, an Image in a frame, of Pope Clement the 8. Let there be given to my nephew Angelo also a little picture, in a frame, of Robert Cardinal de Nobilibus, and one of the two, in frames, of S. Charles Borromaeus. and one of the little Crosses which I wear about my neck with the relics that are in it. 
To the Roman College.   
Let there be restored to the Roman College six tomes of the Annals of Baronius which it lent me, that other six of mine might be given to the same: for on this condition I received of the College the first six tomes which were given thereunto in my name by the Author himself, that after my death I should leave them all his works entiere.  
To the same College I leave one of my three best vestments with the stole and manuple, which it pleaseth, also all my writings, & my whole library, unless it shall please our most Reverend Father General to bestow the library on some other House of the Society, that is more in need.  
To our Blessed Lady's Church in 
To his first Titular Church▪  Via, which is my titular, I leave another of my three best vestments, such as it shall please mine Heir to give. I leave no more to that Church, because as the Friars know I have been at great charge in building of the same; and they requested that of me in lieu of other Ornaments which I had determined to have bought them.  
Whatsoever else doth belong unto me, or shall belong, whether immovables, movables, living things, whether duties or debts owing me, whether sacred belonging to my Chapel, or profane belonging to my wardrobe, or to my cellars, or other places, whether ready money or whatsoever else, I will as is said, that all entiere appertain unto the heir, that is to House of the Professed Fathers in Rome: and I appoint and nominate the same for heir in all & every of these things.  
For the help of my Soul, I leave or prescribe nothing, because very 
For the benefit of his soul.  little will come unto my Heir, as I suppose, seeing I never took care to heap up money or to gather wealth: as also for that I trust, or rather know, the pious charity of my Mother, to wit the Society of jesus, will not be wanting to help me, as it is never wanting to other of her Children, and as myself have never been wanting all my life time, to offer Sacrifices and prayers for such as were departed of the same.  
I nominate, for honour's sake my most Illustrious and Reverend Lord, Cardinal 
The Executor of his will, and what he left him.  Aldobrandino, for the Executor of this my will. I hope there will need no labour in the execution thereof: and I leave unto the same most Illustrious Lord (than which I have nothing more dear) a wooden Cross filled with most precious relics, the names of which he shall find in a little desk, covered with red silk.  
This Will and Testament I will have to stand in force, the former two being annulled, which in all things, and for all, I revoke, make void, and annullate, notwithstanding that this Will hath not perhaps been made with wont solemnities (as the Law requireth) for the Bull of Clement the 8. in which leave is given me to make my will, doth expressly grant me this liberty, and further to make it by simple letter, or any other writing subscribed with mine own hand.  
I Robert Bellarmyne do dispose, ordain, bequeath, and appoint by Testament as above, not only in the foresaid, but in any other better form whatsoever. The 23. day of january 1611.    

IN FUNERE ROBERTI CARD. BELLARMINI ORATIO TARQVINII GALLUTII SABINI è Societate jesu. Habita Romae, in Templo Domus Professae eiusdem Societatis, Idib. Octob. Anno. M. DC. XXI. Illustrissimo Principi ODOARDO CARD. FARNESIO, Angliae Protectori etc. dica●a.   printer's device of the English College at Saint-Omer, featuring the seal of the Jesuites or Society of Jesus, a sunburst containing a cross over the letters IHS over three nails 
juxta Exemplar impressum Romae, apud Alexandrum Zannettum, 1621.  SUPERIORUM PERMISSV.  

Imprimatur, si videbitur  
Reverendiss. P. Mag. Sacr. Palat. Apost. P. Episcopus de Curte Vicesg.   

Imprimatur,  
F. Greg. Donatus Magist. & Soc. Reu. P. Fr. Hyacinthi Petronij Magist. Sacr. Palat. Apost. Ord. Praedic.   

ILLmo. PRINCIPI, ODOARDO FARNESIO S. R. E. CARD. AMPLISS. Angliae Protectori etc. Tarqvinius Gallutius F.  
QVAS in privato Funere haud multis antè diebus ROBERTI BELLARMINI Cardinalis exposui laudes, eas, Illustrissime Princeps, in tuo splendore proponam, ac producam in publicum. Hanc opinor audaciae meae facilè veniam dabis: quam, ut coniecturis assequor, ipse mihi●è beatorum domicilio tribuit Bellarminus. Respuisset ille quidem vivens hoc laudum suarum acroama, quod alioqui mortalibus est ita iucundum: sed nunc, cùm tam pium prohibere non potest officium, si consuli posset mortuus, responderet haud dubiè, placere sibi virtutum suarum ornamenta tibi potissimùm offerri, ac dedicari; Cui praecipuum ipse semper honorem habuit; Cui libellum de caelesti felicitate pulcherrimun inscripsit; Cui etiam paulo ante obitum se debere professus est plurimùm. Hauserat hanc ille à maioribus suis haereditariam obseruantiam erga Nomen istud, Domumue Farnesiam, egregiorum altricem hominum, virtutique bonorum apertam semper, & ●ospitalem ex ea quippe cum alijs longè plurimis, qui vel sacram Se●atus augustissimi Purpuram, vel summum Christianae re● Principatum adepti sunt, ille quoque Marcellus olim prodijt, que Bellarminus & awnculum habuit à genere, & virtutum suarum idoneum, quod imitaretur, Exemplar est nactus. Hunc, inquam, adversus Farnesiam gentem acceperat à suis quasi translatitium amorem, ac reverentiam: sed nominatim erga promeritum, ac virtutem tuam sic erat effectus, ut qui faceret omnia temperatè, in te uno diligendo, obseruandoue modum habere non videretur. Et recepit quidem à te parem benevolentiae significatiovem, ac gratiam; cùm Tu praeter ceteros insignem hominis doctrinam, & sanctimoniam admiratus, non modo verbis amplissimis eum semper ornaveris, sed eiusdem quoque in actu vitae postremo res gestas singulas, ac pronunciata designari, notarique scripto volueris, quae tibi proponeres ad imitandum. Quin id quoque merito gloriaris, quòd tu, supremo loco ab eodem consecratus Episcopus, eorum clauseris agmen & numerum, qui tantam in eo genere sunt adepti felicitatem. Est enim animo periucundum, à sanctissimis, ac celebratissimis viris eiusmodi munus accipere, quod sacrum nihilominus esset ac sanctum, quamquam nohis à gregarijs, & communi sanctitudine praeditis hominibus impartiretur. utinam pateretur iustae modus or ationis, hic à me percenser● omnia, quae de Bellarmini sanctitate spectabili cupis agnsocere simul enim obsequerer animo tuo, simul satisfacerem votis orbis terrarum, qui praeclarum hoc virtutum omnium speculum vehementer exposcit. Sed explebunt hoc manus alij, qui vitam bominis enucleatè perscrutabuntur omnem, quaeque sapienter ab eo, acrectè facta sunt opera, diligenter, accurateue persequentur. Interim, Illustrissime Princeps, haec pauca deliba, & à me, atque à tota Sodalitate nostra, quam impendiò foves, vale plurimum, ac salue: ●eque Christianae Reipublicae ornamento & commodo diuturuum atque incolumem praesta.   

ORATIO.  
MAGNUM è Collegio Purpuratorum superioribus hisce diebus extulimus hominem: magnum sanè parentem, ac patronum amisimus: magnum ipsa Religio Custodem luget, ac Defensorem: magnum, ut semel dicam, mihi video propositum argumentum, ROBERTUM BELLARMINUM Cardinalem, Tutorem, Praesidem, Consiliarium, Senatorem Christianae Republicae magnum. Mentiuntur haud dubiè, ac saepe mortalibus imponunt Mathematici quidam dolosa Chaldaeorum instituti disciplina, qui divinare se putant, ac futura praedicere: nec quisquam paulò sapientior est, qui genus hoc hominum, ut dixit ille, consulentitibus infidum, sperantibus fallax, qui malitiosam hanc artem commentis, & mendacijs illaqueantem plurimos, vetari legibus semper, semperue retineri non conqueratur, Mirantur tamen aliqui, cur ex fallaci doctrina, responsa quaedam fortuita sanè, atque inconstantia, sed eventum interdum habentia, vulgoue probata proficiscantur; tum praesertim, cùm totius anni futuras belli, pacisue vicissitudines, aêris salubritatem aut luem, annonae pretium, pecudum vale●udinem aut morbos, hominum in●eritus & ●unera, ex astroium notatione generatim, vniuerseue significant. Q●am profectò non nullis admirationem in hunc Bellarmini decessum curiosiùs, quam par esset, intuentibus, movit nuper lustorum aliquis, qui p●onunciare non dubitaverat, hoc anno vertente magnum é vivis esse demigraturum Antistitem. Excita●at adeo plurimorum expectationem illa praedictio, perquirentium, Ecquis ea Magni nominis appellatione designaretur ad obitum? Sed confestim ambigua suspicione liberavit eorum animos exemptus è mortalium numero Bellarminus: cuius tanta magnitudo nominis est, ut hunc demum es●e putaverint, cuius exitus è vita fortuitò fuis●et, & casu denuncia●us. Mihi quidem neque praedicttum harioli, neque vulgi simplex ista probatur, & credula natio: ve●umtamen ex illa interpretatione prorsus, id omnes existimasse, idue me posse, probantibus universis, ac iure contendere, Magni cognomentum multò sane magis in purpuratum hunc Antistitem cadere debere, quàm in eos, qui olim à magnitudine rerum gestarum illum sibi titulum invenerunt. Eum enim verè magnum dici posse, atque hoc nomen in eo tantum modo poni debere crediderim, in quo virtus illa deprehendatur, quae quoniam humano fastigio superior esse videtur, ac maior; ab officiorum praeceptoribus appellatur Heroica. haec autem non una est militaris illa fortitudo, quam poëtae immanibus etiam, & truculentis hominibus interdum attribuunt; sed ipsius quoque temperantiae, mansuetudinis, ac modestiae, singularum denique virtutum apex, & extremitas ultima praeclaro illo nomine cohonestatur. Nullis adeo virtutis Heroicae legibus inhibemur, quó minùs hunc sacri Senatus moderatissimum, ac modestissimum Patrem dicere Magnum excellenti nomine debeamus; cùm ipsis quoque lenioribus congruere virtutibus Nomen illud Heroicum possit, si eum gradum eminentem, supremamue determinationem attingant, quae non tam in homines convenire videatur, quàm in aliquos omni humano captu, atque ingenio celsiores. Quamquam ne illius quidem fortitudinis, cui solùm Heroicum nomen imperitia poëtarum impartit, si minùs expressam vim, certe similitudinem aliquam in hoc homine prorsus, omninoue considerabimus, si eius intueri scripta illa volue●imus, quorum impressione bellum Christianae Reipublicae perduellibus acerrimum fecit, facietue quoad litterae loquentur, & monumenta stabunt, quoad erit humanum genus, quoad ipsa rerum universitas communi populorum omnium rogo, ac tumulo conflagrabit. Statuarum se poëta Pindarus esse gloriatur, & dicit artificem: non tamen ea signa caelare, ac facere, quae vel temporum, hominúmue iniuriae sint obnoxia, vel motu careant, ac vita, vel sua semper in basi, & loculamento consistant; sed carmina condere statuis meliora, quae terras, ac maria pervagentur, quae victorum coronas toto terrarum orbe circumferant, quae nullis sint, aut bellorum, aut temporum, aut aliarum calamitatum procellis, ac tempestatibus opportuna. ●lorietur hic etiam noster, ea se composuisse, ac reliquisse posteritati armamenta doctrinae, quorum beneficio, ac vi, non in una, vel altera terrarum ora, non uno, vel altero tempore, sed ubique ac continenter implacabile bellum cum deser●ortibus olim gesserit, geretque semper in posterum, vita quidem functus, ac spiritu cassus, at in monumentis illis aeternùm spirans, atque ob rem pro Christiana Religione felicissimè gestam, ipsa nominis immortalitate superstes. Sed ut planius, explicatiusue propositum attingam, ac ea, quae de doctrina dicenda esse arbitror, in loco dicam, ac separatim, ita statuo: in Bellarmino, quem iure Magnum appellari debere contendimus Antistitem, magnam oppidò fuisse sapientiam, magnam religionem, ac pietatem, magnam rerum humanarum contemptionem, temperantiam, mansuetudinem, modestiam, ac moderationem, ceteras denique virtutes huiusmodi faciliores etiam magnas; hoc est ●as, quae communibus egressae finibus, humanum vicisse modum, mensuramue mortalitatis omnem superasse videantur. Et quoniam doctrinae splendor eximius in hoc primo vestibulo confestim occurrit, huius ego ductum adversitoris ultrò, ac libentissimè sequar, qui & clarissimam praeferet ceteris virtutibus in itinere facem, & Heroicam in hoc homine laudem esse multo facillimè demonstrabit.  
Ex honestis, bonisue Maioribus in urbe Politiana, quod norunt universi, Bellarminus est natus; quibus ut ipse continuò moribus ac pietate respondere studuerit singulis, multò se tamen similiorem exhibuit awnculo suo Marcello Ceruino Pontifici Maximo, religiosissimo, doctissimo, ac prudentissimo Viro, quem Christianus orbis tamquam è coelo per machinam in hoc Theatrum extemplo demissum effuse gratulatus est, ex ●odem repente subductum vehementer indoluit. Anno aetatis 16. nondum exacto, humanarum pertaesus, atque affectus fastidio rerum, Sodalitatem hanc nostram infantem adhuc, & prope crescentem in cunis precibus expe●ijt infimis: sed cum à patre ad explorandam animi constantiam in quodam vico Ceruinorum attineretur, praeterquam quod, operi futuro praeludens, ad paganos de Deo, deque Christiani hominis officio concionabatur assiduè, in consanguineorum etiam aequalium Academia, ubi alium alij scriptorem explicabant, orationem ipse pro Milone Ciceronis egregiam, atque ut antiquorum aliqui loquuntur, orationum Reginam ausus est illa aetate puer interpretari. quo tempore, ut eius quoque facultatis, in qua mirabili modo iwentutis prodere se solet ingenium, & amoenitas animi, specimen aliquod daret, carmen fundere coepit, & bonum, & multiplex. nam cùm alia multa latina, populariue lingua poëmata fecit, tum unum, quod primum fuit, de virginitate praeclarum, & eclogam, elegiamue de Rober●i Nobi●ij Cardinalis obitu longè pulcherrimas; quae in hominum honesta corona pronunciatae, non modò cum acclamatione sunt exceptae, verum etiam auditae cum lacrimis. Cum hac indole post aliquod tempus hanc Sodalitatem ingressus, illico coepit inter excellentia ingeniorum lumina, quibus etiam tum efflorescebat hic coetus, ita praefulgere, ut Philolosophicis tantùm imbutus artibus, necdum sacris initiatus, simul ad domesticos de virtutum cultu statis ex more diebus verba faceret, simul humaniores in Gymnasio doceret litteras, simul sacras explicaret in templo, tanta cum approbatione, quantam ne ipsi quidem veterani promerebantur. In quo munere cum Monti-Regali Cispadanorum Vrbi praeclaram initio navasset operam, Florentiae deinde, ac Patavij, tum denique Veneijs, in Vrbe Domina, prima nostrorum hominum iam inde ab initio Societatis altrice summam consecutus est laudem: ubi eum nobilissimi, disertissimiue Senatores, quorum illa Respublica florentissima, & singulari sapientia regitur, & abundat numero, non cum admiratione solùm audiverunt è loco superiore dicentem, verùm etiam ad extremum opera perfunctum sua, & discendentem exosculari cum pietate voluerunt. Paucissimi quidem fuere, tamen fuerunt aliqui ad militaria studia sic facti, ut exercitus antè duxerint, & copias, quàm aut in tirocinio fuerint, aut inter gregarios stipendia fecerint: id quod nominatim contigisse Lucullo ferunt; qui propter incredibilem ingenij magnitudinem subito ingressus est imperator in Asiam, cum fuisset rei bellicae rudis ex Vrbe profectus. Sed quod in re militari tam rarum exemplum est, id ego video in omni doctrinae laudae Bellarmino adolescenti singulariter esse concessum. ut enim Augustinus omnium illa genera rerum, obscurissimo ab Aristotele stylo descripta, nullo magistro praeeunte percepit; sic ipse difficillimas quasdam, gravissimasue docere aggressus artes, optimus repente magister apparuit earum rerum, quarum aut nunquam, aut certè vix fuisset ante discipulus. Missus in Belgium est necdum Theologiae cognitione penitus institutus in schola, nec ullis instructus Ordinibus ex ijs, qui Sacerdotio praeparant viam; ita prorsus, ut necesse habuerit Leodij minores omnes, & è maioribus, ac sacris unum accipere, reliquis autem Gandavi à Cornelio illo jansenio, cuius in Euangelio laus, & perfecta lucubratio est, aliquando fuerit insignitus. Et tamen illa aetate iwenis, ac ty●● sacrarum interea monumenta literarum latina concione Lovanij sic interpretabatur in templis, in exedra Theologiam, excellentem illam, divinanue scientiam ita docebat, ut clamoribus undique factis, ad eum audiendum utriusque re● causa ab innumerabili multitudine cum pugillaribus, & palimpsestis ex tota provincia concurreretur. Hic videlicet, ubi novitius praeceptor inter imperatoria munera tam egregia rudimenta ponebat, meditari coepit bellum, quod postea, & indixit animose, & suscepit ardenter, & promovit constanter, & bona demum ex parte profligavit adversus Ecclesiae transfugas, quibus in toto terrarum orbe vix habet alios hostes Christiana religio capitaliores. Vagabantur multis sanè locis, & Christi fundum, regnumue vastabant haec monstra, ferocitate formidolosa, veneno pestifera, numero infinita. Repebant humi quaedam, mordebantue praetereuntes, quasi dracones, & colubri per insidias: alia voluntabantur in coeno, nec extra popinas, & ganeas egrediebantur: alia velut Harpyiae quaedam Angelorum illum panem, & Regum delicias conabantur inficere: alia tamquam tauri cornibus, pedibusue aras, ac Caelitum imagines evertebant: alia Regibus, ac Dynastis infensa sanguine respergebant urbes, templa, fora, loca omnia vulneribus, ac caede cruentabant. Singula denique separatim ipsa per se monstra erant immania, communiter, & coniunctim Hydram componere videantur, cuius vulnera periculosiora essent, & foecundiora, quàm sanitas. Non tamen est tanto labore, periculoue deterritus hic Imperator: sed comparata sibi disciplinarum, litterarum, linguarunque omnium copia tanta▪ quantam ne multi quidem simul homines assequi possent, classicum cecinit illud, quo tamquam ●eonis rugitu perterrefactae minores belluae, ad meditandum effugium intra latibula se condiderunt. Bezae quippe co●yphaei, atque antesignani repentino veluti sulmine percussi è Genevae gurgustio demum audita vox est, vi quadam divina, & quasi machina veritatis extorta; cùm primò illo controversiarum inspecto volumine, ubi de Pontificis auctoritate disseritur, exclamare coactus est, Hic liber enimuerò nos perdidit. Eosdem alij quoque clamores emiserunt, ac lacrymas, impendioque cogitare coeperunt, qua ratione ruinae possent occurrere, quam suis imminere ceruicibus intuebantur. Confestim in Britamnia certum excitavere suggestum, sedemue constituerunt à ceteris seiunctam, & propriam, ex qua refelleretur accuratè, ac sedulò Bellarminus. hoc enim confutato, putabant arcem omnem Catholicae religionis amoliri se posse; quemadmodum eorum unus scriptis ad Virum primarium hisce litteris haud dubie significavit: Gaudere se, quòd Bellarmini vulgata essent opera, quorum lectione planissimè demum, certissimèque posset intelligi, quid in unaquaque de religione controversia Romanae vindices Ecclesiae censerent, quaeue medulla esset Pontificij dogmatis intima, quae non magis in ipso Pontifice, quam in jesuitis (sic enim ipse loquitur) esse crederetur. Infelicem, & eum, quem omnino merebatur exitum nacta est tam insolens, ac putida diligentia: cum ex ea schola permulti de suo iam dubitantes errore, plurimi quoque mutato planè consilio, atque ad veritatem conversi quotidie digrederentur. Intellexerunt adeo, frustra se demum conari clavam illam infringere, quam Hercules haberet in manu: & iam tota Britannia in eos, qui curiosè obseruateue meditabundi cernuntur in via, commune quasi proverbium dicitur, De Bellarmino refellendo, tamquam de Althantico mari per cetylani exorbendo cogitare. Quin ita sibi persuaserant omnes; Bellarminum statura procera, humanunue supra modum eminenti praeditum fuisse natura; nec ijs habebant fidem, qui testabantur hominem se Romae, alibiue vidisse non ita magnum, ac paruo potius instructum corporis habitu, quàm excelso. Neque enim fieri posse putabant, ut praegrandi quoque statura, & corpore non esset ille, qui animo, ac doctrina fuisset contra Gigantes istos, Titanasue Centimanus. In summa, veritatis ineluctabilis est vis, frustraue testes adornantur adversus conscientiae iudicium, quod corrumpi, depravariue non potest. Nam cùm omni lapide commoto, efficere se non posse cernerent, ut vel captionibus, ac praestigijs, vel fictis etiam fabulis huius hominis elevarent existimationem, imminuerent famam; coeperunt eundem ipsi quoque mirificè praedicare, verbisue ac re illum plurimi pendere, quem aspernari sine sua vituperatione non possent. Batavi quippe, sicuti nuper accepimus, in sua ipsorum publica bibliotheca Bellarminum vel primum esse volunt, vel collocant inter primos: & alij, qui adversus eum scribere tamen aliquid audent, communem reveriti populorum opinionem, eumdem commendant, ut nos ad hominem exornandum Oratores haud alios, quàm vituperatores istos quaerere debeamus. Placet istorum verba, quoniam hostium testimonia sunt, de scripto pene, ac volumine recitare▪ Magnum, inquit eorum aliquis (Caecilium illum alloquens Angliae Quaestorem) magnum nomen Bellarminus: de quo homine cùm meam opinionem qu●reres, respondi ut sensi, me illum iudicare virum sanè doctum, ingenio felici, iudicio subtili, lectione multiplici praeditum; qui soleret etiam apertius, ac simplicius agere, quàm ceteri, argumentum pressius urgere, atque ad causam arctius adhaerescere: cumue legisset omnes argumentationes, responsio nesue, selegit quas iudicaret esse neruosiore●. Arduum sane opus, exclamat alius, Bellarmini quaestiones illas infinitas in certa volumina relatas, admirans, arduum opus, quod exigit scienentiam prope infinitam, non modo variarum disciplinarum, & linguarum, sed etiam totius antiquitatis, omnium historiarum, ac temporum. multa isto in opere, atque instituto peluti pila●as actes agmine facto oportet homini ●ccur●sse, cùm in tantis rebus, argumentisue scientiam adeo multiplicem desiderari putaverit, ut haereticos non vni●s generis, sed varia variorum examina una acie prosterneret. Auditis elogium inimico profectum ex ore, ac veritatem apertissima confessione de mendacio triumphantem? eversos se, prostratosque profitentur. sed ne solidum victori concedere gaudium videantur, & se pythones isti, cōminuto iam capite, cauda tamen, ac reliquo corpore commoveant, in huius partem laudis, ac gloriae collegas etiam vocant, quorum auxilio Bellarminus illa tam ardua monumenta perfecerit. non enim inducere possunt animum, opus ita spissum, tantisue difficultatibus impeditum unius labore hominis, ac studio confici, expediriue potuisse. Scio equidem hoc commentum iugulatum esse nuperrimè, viri doctissimi oratione, ac stylo, qui & codices ex Romani Collegij bibliotheca produxit autographos Bellarmini manu perscriptos, & verè, sanctèque testa●us est, hominem se vidisse cùm quaestiones illas exararet, non modo nullis adhibitis eius laboris, operaeue consortibus, sed ne amanuensibus quidem, aut exceptoribus accersitis, addam tamen etiam ego symbolam meam, & istos, qui suo iudicio errare, ac decipi volunt, invitos sanè, repugnantesue omni prorsus errore liberabo.  
Est his, qui Bellarmini laborem, & gloriam cum alijs communicatam volunt, ingenium, ut credo, mediocre, memoria fortasse non mala, doctrina, quae supra litteraturam non attollatur, studium haud multum, comessationes, compotationesue creberrimae, impietas in Caelites, in homines arrogantia non ferenda: quibus cum moribus divina se conciliare sapientia non potest, quae modestis, ac bonis viris gratiam dare, ●uperbis elatisue se resistere profitetur. Bellarmino fuit ingenium singulare, ordine ●ucido perspicax, versatile, factum ad omnia; memoria, ut semel dicam, pene divina, quae quicquid ●egeret, scriberetue statim, ac subitò reciperet, quicquid recepisset, fidelissimè, constantissimeque retineret. Fuit studium ita pertinax, & tam insatiabile, ut, non dico diem sine linea, sed ne momentum quidem temporis elabisine operae pretio pateretur; temperantia verò incredibilis, vigiliae plurimae, pietas, animiue demissio disciplinarum studio maior. Vultis igitur acutissimi Silones ex me discere quid causae sit, cur ille adversum vos, hoc est adversus impietatem, sine socijs, auxilijsue scribere potuerit opus, quod tam multa librarijs aëra meretur, quod in sola Germania vigesimam habet editionem, quod immortalitatem sibi iure pollicetur, quod cùm fieret, multorum, ut dicitis, & creditis ipsi, defatigavit ingenium; vos autem collato studio, longoque post tempore librum proferatis in lucem, vel non magnum, vel quatunuis magnum, certe non bonum, & qui vix natus exarescat, Principum edicto proscriptus, atque obliteratus incendio? vultis inquam id ex me nosse? possum enim hoc vobis oraculum facilè reddere, totumue Sibyllae folium uno verbo recitare. Cúm vos in viola decumbebatis, & pluma, ille vigilans, ac pro religione velut excubias agens, in rerum divinarum, humanarumue contemplatione versabatur. Cùm vos in voluptatibus eratis, & procuratione corporis, ille temperantia, ieiunioue oblectans animum, vel in Patrum sanctissimorum legendis, evoluendisque monumentis erat totus, vel feriatus à studio cum superis colloquebatur & Deo▪ cùm vestris vos innixi viribus & ingenio, stylum in Ecclesiam, hoc est, in Christi corpus armabatis; ille sibi diffisus, ac doctrinae suae, tela preparabat quae regereret in adversarios, pia plus precatione, quàm lucubrationibus & vigilijs, plus modestia, quàm minis, plus commodorum omnium despicientia, quàm rerum copia communitus.  
Sed hae nimirum illae virtutes sunt, quas in Bellarmino fuisse summas huius orationis initio dixi. pergam igitur, atque à doctrina gradum faciam ad ea, quae cum illa singulari scientia vinculo prorsus admirabili, ac perdifficili copulatione coniunxit. Quàm enim arduum sit, leniores quasdam, mansuetioresue virtutes doctrinae praestabili, & rerum omnium cognitioni subnectere, scimus omnes, qui literarum aliquo colore leviter aspersi, necesse habemus assiduè spiritus, atque animos premere, hoc est cavere, ne nobis ipsis sapientes nos esse videamur ideo, quòd supra vulgares, atque imperitos homines plus aliquid intelligamus. Neque verò illam hic ego vitae partem attingendam puto, quae nondum iniecta purpura, sed ●uce tantummodo lucebat sua: cùm sit eius conditionis ita propria moderatio, & rerum humanarum contemptio, ut quamquam dicere singularia possum, nihil tamen● praeter modum adimrabile me dicturum esse confidam. Sin antem ex accessione purpurae. non modò nihil eum de modestia, deue animi demissione, nihil de felicitatis, ac rerum omnium despicientia remisisse, verum etiam eas virtutes auctiores longè fecisse, ac meliores ostendero, aliquid sine dubio proferam in medium ab ea vitae, fortunaeue mutatione vehementer abhorrens.  enim hic ordo Purpuratorum illustrissimus omnis planè moderationis, omniumue virtutum sua sanctitate sit custos; splendorem tamen haberet eiusmodi, qui perstringat interdum virorum quoque bonorum aciem, habet tantam supremo cum honore propinquitatem, ut animum alioqui firmum, ac stabilem possit aliquantulum eius cupiditate labefactare. Sed non labefactavit animum eius, qui purpuram illam, hoc est, honorem primo proximum tam ingratis accepit, quàm alij sitienter expectant, qui tacitum, & quietum plus amaret o●ium, quàm alij turbidam, inquietamue felicitatem, qui fastigium omne dignitatis, & culmen finitimum putaret esse ruinae locum. Erat iam Bellarminus, quamquam ipse frequentiam fugeret, hominumue notitiae subduceret se, nomine celebratissimus, & fama▪ fuerat iam olim à Cardinale Borromaeo Sanctissimo, quem nunc aris colimus, & sacris, expetitus ardenter, frustraue Mediolanum é Belgio, Provincialibus enixè repugnantibus, accersitus. fuerat à Sixto V. Pont. Max. cum Henrico Cardinale Caietano Legato difficili sane tempore missus in Galliam. fuerat ab alijs deinceps in dubijs de religione quaestio nibus saepe consultus. à Clement Octavo diligi, honorarique praeter ceteros, ac multo maxime videbatur. Animaduertebat ipsemet eius in se Pontificis illustria quaedam, & peculiaria benevolentiae signa: sed vir antiqui moris, ac probitatis suspicari serò coepit, ad Purpuratorum ordinem amplissimum se destinari. Pestem adeo sibi ratus imminere, admonet de suspicione sua communem familiae nostrae Praesidem, ac Rectorem in tempore, oratue ut tantum periculum à se, ac propter exemplum à tota quoque Sodalitate defendat. Dum sibi, dum publicae rei tanto cum studio, ac sollicitudine cavet, ecce tibi qui eum nunciarent Cardinalem esse iam factum, vetarentue domo pedem efferre, nisi ab eius voluntate discedere vellet, cuius imperio traheretur ad purpuram. Diceres afflatum sidere pestilenti, non ingrato nuncio verberatum. latebras meditabatur, & sugam, antiqua proculdubio renovaturus exempla, nisi fuisset aliorum iudicio, atque auctoritate prohibitus. Quippe animi dubius, inopsue consilij, sapientiores Patres, & doctiores, quorum ipse in Poenitentiario Diui Petri Collegio Praefectus erat, ac Moderator, in consultationem accitos anxiè percontatur, Ecquid sibi faciendum in illo temporis, ac rerum articulo censeant; remansionemne suadeant, an tacitam ad Pontificem abitionem, ut de suo eum dolore, deue Sacramento, quo eiusmodi vetabatur honorem capessere, faceret in privato colloquio certiorem. Respondent ad unum omnes, id integrum non videri, nec esse deliberationi locum, ubi praecepto tam amplo ad resistendum domi cogeretur. Abit è concilio tristis: & quoniam clausa videbat effugia, quaerere molimina coepit, certo ad Aldobrandinum Cardinalem homine dimisso, qui aditum ad Pontificem suo nomine postularet. Cum ne iacta quidem hac ancora solùm comprehenderetur, eundum fuit in coetum, ubi ceteri Collegae hominem operiebantur. Antequam de more tonderetur, antequam novi ordinis indueretur vestibus, diù, multumue laboratum est. Itum perfectis omnibus in coenationem ex more, ubi gratulationes erant, velut in natalitijs epulis, & laeta colloquia. solus ipse interea lugere, ac lacryman, solus angi, & fortunam complorare suam, tamquam in silicernio funestorum esset, non in convivio Purpuratorum. Ductus denique cum reliquis ad Pontificem, cum sui consilij rationem atque impedimentum, quo ab honore delato prohiberetur aggressus esset exponere, indicta contumaciae poena, nisi desisteret, ac silere continuò iussus, ceruicem aliquando supposuit iugo, quod citra lethiferi peccati culpam detrectare non poterat. Libenter haererem hoc loco, ubi magnanimae contemptionis offendimus exemplum ita rarum, ut gloriari pene possimus, hoc nostro saeculo natum esse. libenter, inquam, hic immorarer, nisi virtutes hominis antiquas in hoc honoris gradu retentas, amplificatasque, nisi novas etiam expositurus essem, quas in idonea proposuit scena, suoque velut in lumine collocavit.  
Principiò, quemadmodum in commentario legi, quem suo ipse chirographo consignatum reliquit, id apud se certissimo decreto sancitum voluit, ut pristini parsimoniam victus, piaeue consuetudinem precationis, ac ceteram vivendi rationem antiquam perpetuò retineret: deinde, ut nullos à Pontifice redditus, prouentúsue peteret annuos, nulla prorsus à Principibus acciperet munera, quibus occaecantur etiam lyncei: tum, ut nullas sibi pararet opes, quibus affines, & consanguinei redderentur opulentiones. Quae profectò quàm exaggeratè, cumulatè que praestiterit omnia, duorum & viginti decursus annorum, semper aequabilis, ac similis sui, sanctissima demum innocentis vitae conclusio declaravit. Quod enim attinet ad divinarum commentationem rerum, ac pias preces, numquam commisit, quin eius studij causa de nocte consurgeret, & ●ecit semper, ut ad veterem usum aliquid plus temporis, & vacationis accederet: quod ad cibi, vitaeque degendae modum; & cum priori temperantia ieiunia singulis hebdomadis ●erna coniunxit, & à generali Societatis nostrae Moderatore legem efflagitavit, qua s●pellectilem, familiam, instrumentum omne domesticum veluti certissima regula metire●ur. De proventibus autem quàm nihil omnino laboraret, aliàs quidem semper, sed tunc maxime demonstravit, cùm post accepti honoris initia, nullis ipse copijs instructus, debenti pensionem Episcopo non copioso remisit totam, condonavitue minimè rogatus in perpetuum, & Clementi Pontifici opulentum ei, quod primo quoque tempore suppeteret sacerdotium pollicenti constanter affirmatèque respondit●● quicquid hoc esset divitiarum, & opulentiae alijs se libenter, ultròque concedere, sibi sportulam, & cubiculum in ea Societate, cuius etiam tum pars esset aliqua, deesse non posse. Suscepit ille quidem aliquando Capuae Sacerdotium, & quoniam ita iubebatur, eius civitatis Antistitem se passus est fieri: sed utrum in eo quaestum pecuniae, an animarum facere compendium vellet, ab ijs intelligite, qui totam eius muneris ineundi, procurandiue rationem in hunc modum exposuerunt. Principem Vrbis aedem, ipsamue domum Archiepiscopi malè materiatas, & squalore obsitas haud mediocri sumptu primo loco refecit, nec festum ullum ire sinebat diem, quo non ipsemet in templo concionem haberet. Deinde numero familiarum descripto, quarum vel angusta res esset, vel gravis inopia, singulis mensibus certa pecuniae summa sublevabat singulas: denique ut ne ijs quidem deesset, qui vicatim, oppidatimue stipem emendicant, iussit in ipso domus atrio, vestibulòque diribitores esse, qui petentibus advenis quotidiè cibatum, ac nummos impertirentur. Atque hoc institutum in obeunda quoque provincia, & ditione, quam singulis omnino lustrabat annis, per pagos ubique concionabundus, accuratè retinuit; neminem umquam passus abire vacuum ex ijs, quos aliqua premi rerum egestate cognovisset. In quo genere quoniam unum videtur esse, quod exponi solitariè velit, ac separatim enarrari, non committam, ut temerè cum ceteris involuatur.  
Nihil in tota sui muneris administratione prius habuit, aut antiquiùs, quàm ut corrigeret populorum capita sacerdotes: inter quos cum unum offendisset alea iam infamem, & talo, nec ullis aut verbis aut minis revocare posset ab angiportis in templum, rogavit hominem quid esset causae, cur tam impotenter ab aris, & sacrificio ad alueum raperetur, ac pyrgum. Responder, rem sibi domi curtam esse, nec facile, nisi per ludum consulere posse rationibus suis. Extemplò (videre mansuetudinem ne dicam, an liberalitatem Antistis?) extemplò numerata pecunia, omnem illi quaestum, ac lucrum aleae repraesentavit, imperavitue, ut quoties tantumdem, aut plus e●iam argenti vellet, toties ad accipiendum sine rubore, ac verecundia reverteretur. Emendatus ille confestim (quis autem ea charitate non emendaretur?) emendatus inquam, & redditus exaleatore sacerdos, toti civitati miraculum fuit. Ne aliud quidem huic omni ex parte persimile obtegi silentio, aut negligenter, & per incuriam praeteriri potest exemplum▪ est enim hoc etiam spectabile, non liberalitatis modò, sed etiam charitatis, ac mansuetudinis argumentum. Externus quidam, profugus, ac vagus ementito cum habitu, impuraue ad latus adiuncta pellice sacerdos, sive casu, sine consilio delatus est Capuam. ubi deprehensus, & patefactus, qui carceres, ac triremes expectare meritò poterat, abstractus à meretricula, poenitentia lustratus, toga demum indutus, ac pallio, reperit apud Bellarminum Antistitem eam animi salutem, ac vitae, quam ei diuturna illa, & erratica desperatio denegabat. Accipite verò nune, non dicam probabilis avaritiae, cuius ille vel vacuum nomen adversabatur, sed piae cuiusdam cupiditatis, & parsimoniae genus. Veniebat cum ceteris sacerdotibus in odaeum, canebatue quotidie, non ea tantùm gratia, ut alijs praeiret exemplo, verum etiam, ut quoniam Capuae Archiepiscopus ex instituto veteri Canonicus item est, sua ipse quoq, diurna stipendia, quae pauperibus elargiretur, excerperet. haec enim quia privato illo labore, tamue studioso parabat incommodo, dicebat verè, propriêque se dare desuo, cetera, que capiebantur ex sacerdotij fructibus, ex alieno se dare sibi videbatur. Non possum omnia persequi, nec una tantùm oratione complecti, quae per hoc benignitatis, ac misericoroiae studium edidit opera commemoratione, monumentisue dignissima sempiternis. De●ratiam omnis pecunia, exhaustus propè iam erat ipse liberalitatis ac beneficentiae fundus: non aerarium, quod ei nullum umquam fuerat, sed horrea, cellae, promptuaria vacua iam erant, & inanianeque enim ille cibaria, non vestem, non culcitram, non pallia superesse domi patiebatur. Reclamare omnes oeconomi, & rei familiaris administri monere serio, ne viatici quidem aliquid reliquum esse ad habendum in Vrbem iter, cuius, extincto Clemente Pontifice, propter futura comitia necessitas impendebat: cum ille interea id solùm ad ●a monita respondere satis haberet, aversari se superuacaneam secuturae diei providentiam, nec sibi quicquam odiosius esse, quàm quae veritatis oraculo damnaretur, de futuro, ac de crastino cogitationem. Et quoniam hoc Christi Seruatoris effatum firmissime consignaverat animo, eam perpetuô retinuit ad obitum usque consuetudinem, ac disciplinam, ut Calendis januarij, cùm accepti, datiue consuluisset ephemeridas, erogari continuò iuberet quicquid ex anno priori superesset. Neque enim eum annum auspicari se ritè credebat, qui domum suam omni spoliatam vivendi presidio non invenieret. Et dubitabimus, utrum illud quoque promissum exsoluerit, quod tertio loco tum fecit, cum statim inter Amplissimos Patres adlectus, secum ipse, ac Deo teste sibi proposuit, nullas se collecturum opes, quibus agnatos, ac posteros opimaret? O Testamentum illud tuum, Bellarmine, pulcherrimae testimonium temperantiae, ac paupertatis! Vultis hic ego resignem tabulas, quas decimo circiter ab hinc anno confecerat, & supremam hominis innocentissimi voluntatem, assenue pronunciem totum? Corpus meum, inquit, efferri iubeo sine designatoribus, & pompa; nec in edito lecto, sed in humili, vulgariue feretro collocar● volo, nullis ornatum insignibus, aut flabellis. Non potuit huic obtemperari mandato, quia Pontifici Maximo visum estaliter: sed profectò quemadmodum imperarat, faciendum necessario sic fuisset, nisi eius haeredes inopiae, qui domus huiusce fuerunt Patres, tum ad alia multa, tum ad haec etiam iusta peragenda nonnihil ex corrogata stipe contulissent. Ad expiationem animae meae nullam ego designo, legoue pecuniam, cui cogendae, cumulandaeúe nullis umquam temporibus operam dedi: sed spero, scioue mihi non defuturam Parentem, Altricemue meam Sodali●atem illam, cuius ego defunctis socijs pro mea virili parte non defui. Fratri meo, (erat enim tum superstes) huic autem fratri suo quid expectatis, aut opinamini relicturum esse? apud argentarios, & redemptores pecuniam? domi signa marmorea, vel auream vestem? foris oppida, vel latifundia? ò alienissima Bellarmini á communi mortalium cogitatione consilia! Fratri meo reddi volo pictam in tabula Octavi Clement is effigiem. haec est tota legati summa, ho● fraternae monumentum opulentiae, tam parui restitutio commodati. Angelo nepoti meo (vivebat hic etiam, cùm testamentum conderetur) dari iubeo pictas tabulas duas, alteram Roberti Cardinalis de Nobilibus, alteram Diui Caroli Borromaei, & argenteam crucem Sanctorum distinctam ornatamque reliquijs, quam e collo pensilem gerere mihi mos est. Ne huic quidem, aut ceteris aliquid amplius testamento relinquit. Supersunt enim alij ex paterno, maternoue genere probae indolis adolescentes, quos indonatos propter inopiam esse permittit, nec aliqua parte huius, quae nulla propemodum est, haereditatis aspergit. Sed ire sininite iwenes optimi, quae fortunae rapit iniquitas, & inconstantia. magna vobis à patruo, awnculoue vestro traditur, & legatur haereditas, qui tanta cum omnium in se benevolentia vixit, tanta cum gloria decessit è vivis. Vidistis quanto sensu diligeretur ab omnibus, quanta mortalium omnium commend atione celebraretur. vidistis in morbo supremo adeuntem ad illum singulari cum amoris significatione Pontificem. vidistis ad eius genua primarios accidentes viros, manum exosculantes, aliquid religionis causa deposcentes ex ijs, quae ille vel usu tractaret, vel gereret corpore. vidistis denique illo demortuo, totius in hoc templum Vrbis Romae concursum, undamue populi, militum perrumpentis custodiam, & corpus, aut lectum manu contingere gestientis. Huius vos amoris, & gloriae ab eo, si nescitis, absque testamento, & syngrapha scripti estis haeredes, in huius vos assis, & patronij partem venitis; quam, si sapitis, Attali conditionibus anteferre debetis. Quemadmodum enim improbi parentes nullam perniciem, pestemue creant maiorem liberis suis, quàm cum odium sibi conflant, & maleuolentiam popularem; sic innocentes, & boni maiores nullam tradunt posteris opulentiorem haereditatem, quàm cum Principum sibi demerentur amorem, & benevolentiam civium. Has videlicet opes ipsi vos ab illa pauperate decerpetis: demonstrabimini praete●euntium digito: relegetur in ore vestro Cardinalis optimi dignitas, & maiestas: diligetur in idole virtus, ac sanctitas; ipsa demum in vos, nisi degeneres esse volueritis, honoratissimi patrui promerita redundabunt.  
Ceterùm iniuria virtutum sit, in eo magnopere divitiarum, opumue contemptionem admirari, quem excellentiora bona quaedam, & potiora, hoc est summum honorem in terris, ac vitam ipsam scimus incredibili magnanimitate neglexisse. Dixi de hon●ris despicientia sanè multum, cùm demonstravi, quanto cum sensu, ac dolore se passus est inter Purpuratos adscribi; sed dicenda sunt ampliora. Neque enim ex eorum numero Bellarminus fuit, qui cùm honores ingratis acceperint, in acceptis deinde, quae humanae mentis est inconstantia, sibi placere paulatim incipiunt, & maiores vehementiùs expetere, quàm minores ante repudiassent. Non hanc ille morum dissimilitudinem, ac varietatem umquam ostendit: sed eodem vultu semper honorem intuitus, quo eum olim repugnanter accepisset, auditus est aliquando cum diceret, sibi videri flammas aspicere suo corpori circumfusas, cùm se mitra indutum, & purpura contemplaretur. Quin à probatissimis ego testibus accepi, atque abijs ipsis, quibus cum animi sui consilia communicavit, sedulò de se abdicando, deponendaue purpura deliberasle; nec ante destitisse, quam intelligeret, splendide sane, atque ad aucupandam sanctimoniae ●amam appositè, sed frustra, cassoue conatu id se petiturum, quod ne Petro quidem Damiani prorsus, omnique concessum fuisset ex parte. Tanta quippe dignitas, ac sanctitas huius purpurae putatur esse, ut inter res illas evanidas, ac fluxas, quibus ad severioris vitae rationem quaerendam remitti nuncius à pijs, ac religiosis hominibus solet, numerari non posse videatur. Quae profectò causa Cardinales olim impulit, ut cum Ardicinus secundus à Porta, ordine hoc amplissimo relicto, digressus esset ad Monachos, ab Innocentio Pont VIII. qui eam illi veniam invitus dederat, ut revocaretur in Collegium, quotidianis & precibus, & querimonijs efflagitarint.  
Vnus tamen est in hoc honorum curriculo scopulus, quem paucissimi praeternavigant; unum illicium est, quo etiam callidi capiuntur, ac boni; ultimus ille mimirum gradus, & suprema potestas, qua partibus explentur omnibus ipsa vota mortalium. quippe animus etiam moderatus, ac temperans causas sibi videtur habere probabiles, cur apicern illum exoptet, in quo gravissimi Patres, & prima illa sanctitatis antiquae lumina prolapsionem, casumue reformidarunt. Sed hic scopulus, & brevia, hae tam artificiosae periculi latentis illecebrae illum fallere non potuerunt, qui & curiosè discrimina perpenderet omnia, & nihil in humanis, nisi quod est humile, tutum putaret, & nominatim ab illo culmine sibi timeret tamquam à saxo naufragijs opportuno. Pronunciabat enim definiendo, idue crebris usurpare sermonibus solitus erat, Pontificium munus laborem periculosissimum, ac periculum laboriosissimun esse. Et quia circumspecti, ac suspiciosi gubernatoris est, etiam ea, quae non eveniunt, sed tamen accidere possunt, animo secum ante peragere, dixit aliquando, gaudere se, quòd qui ad purpurae dignitatem inevitabili praeceptione fuisset, ac necessitate compulsus, ad supremum Ecclesiae Sacerdotium adigi non posset imperio; cùm tantum praecipendi ius in interregno quemadmodum existimabat ipse, sit nemini. Sic enim paratus erat ad id quoque muneris, honorisue repudiandum, ut putaret, Cardinalium suffragatione omnium, ac volunate se cogi non posse; in ea tantum opinione decipi se passus, & monitorem, quem etiam audivit, hoc uno loco requirens, qui scriptis, ac doctrina totum terrarum orbem instituisset. Cum hac ergo praeparatione, munimentoue Conclaue primum ingressus, cùm officij causa Patres Amplissimos, ut occasio sese dabat alloqueretur, & salutaret aliquos, admonebat, ne sibi clawm Ecclesiae traderent, qui genus duceret à maioribus aetate longaevis, ac vivacissimis: periculum subesse, ne Pontificem viderent nonagenarium. Altius haec in aliquorum pectus descendere poterant, quàm quae facetè dicuntur, & commodè. tanta tum quippe res agitur, ut nulla prorsus urbanitas omni vacare periculo queat. Sed tamen ipse loquebatur ex animo, & per iocum illum à deliberatione, si qua foret, seriò Patres deterrere voluisset, quemadmodum dictis disertissimis, ac re postea significavit. Nam & precibus a Deo inter Comitia contendebat assiduis, ut se à tam edito fastigio procul averteret; & cùm Cardinalis quidam, gravitate, doctrina, religione spectatissimus ei diceret, in illo Conclavi, agi de ipso iam coeptum ad Pontificatum evehendo, suamue propterea in opus tam salutare diligentiam, studiumue deferret, non modo nullis hominem prosecutus est gratijs, verum etiam enixè rogavit, ne, si saluum se cuperet, quicquam eiusmodi, sed alia omnia moliretur. quin articulatim, ac distinctè subiunxit, se profectò Principatum illum abnuere, & sic esse paratum, ut ne stipulam quidem, quae tum forrè iacebat humi, ad eum consequendum honorem tollere loco vellet, aut commovere. Sed numquam in eo clarior apparuit huiusce neglectus Imperij, quàm cum suo quodam munere perfunctus, quod Praefectos aliquos offendisset Regios, & Potentes & Magnos; admonitusue à familiari per litteras, ut videret etiam, atque etiam, ne quid ageret suis aliquando rationibus obfuturum, habere se gratiam amico pro benevolentiae significatione respondit, verumtamen ipso Sacerdotij principatu, ad cuius adeptionem sui functionem muneris impedimento futuram intelligeret interpretando, nihil omnino se commoveri; immo disertè se Pontificem esse nolle. si quid gravius minis illis intentaretur, Marcelli Ceruini se nepotem esse minime degenerem, qui cùm Cardinalis esset, Tridentum à Romano Pontifice ad cogendum, regendumue Concilium allegatus, ne proposita quidem à Caesarianis acerbissima nece deterreri potuit, aut impediri, quo minùs officio satisfaceret suo, idque perficeret, quod ab omnium Imperatore Deo sibi demandatum esse intelligebat.  
Commodum in hoc exemplum incidimus, quod non honoris tantummodo contemptionem habet, sed etiam corporis, ac vitae. Demonstraturus enim extremo loco sum, ipsam quoque vitam à Bellarmino fuisse neglectam, ac pro nihilo ductam; ne quid restaret, quod ille infra se positum habere non videretur. Viro sapienti, ac bono dolorem condonat A●istoteles de vitae iactura, sensumue in ip●o periculo mortis accerbiorem: quia cum illi vita sit proba, cunctisue virtutibus instructa, omnium intelligit maximè cùm moritur, & quàm excellenti bono spolietur. Sed necesse non habuit istam ab Aristotele veniam accipere Bellarminus, qui maiori cupidate flagrabat interrumpendae vitae, quàm alij producendae. Intellectum id quidem semper est, sed tum praesertim, ac maximé, cùm in morbo, qui fuit illi postremus, sive caloris, aestusue viaquantulum aberraret interdum à ment, sive remittente flagrantia, sanitate uteretur integra, nullae ab eo voces emittebantur aliae, nisi quae vehementer è vitae statione deceslum efflagitarent▪ Nemini, qui suas ei preces apud Caelestes offerret, non respondit, aequi se boniue facere tam pium officium, sed tamen id unum excipere, ne sibi vitam à Deo poscerent, quam funditus ipse repudiaret, ac nollet. Quin ab ipso Pontifice Optimo, ac Maximo, suum ei studium inter aras, ac sacra pollicente, illa lege, consilioue tam amplum se munus accipere velle professus est, ut maturiùs, ac citius è corporis vinculis auolaret in caelum, non ut ex eo mortis periculo liberaretur. Fuit illequidem in tota valetudinis regendae ratione facillimus, nec umquam graviùs inter corporis acerbitates, ac dolores est questus. sed unus tamen eius aliquando gemitus exauditus est, & expostulatio non levis, cum septima post decubitum die habere se meliusculè intellexit ex medicis, qua die domum se suam (sic enim ipse caelum appellabat) commigraturum esse pro certo speraverat. Illuxit denique tempus exoptatum, cùm admonitus, exiguum sibi vitae spatium superesse, contineri non potuit, quin in summa illa confecti, afflictique corporis imbecillitate penè semiviws, atque intermortuus ter ingenti, claraue voce, O bonum nuncium exclamaret! Ne multa. commeatum, ac viaticum peregrinationi deposcit idoneum: quod cùm humi stratus, & sic in genua quemadmodum poterat innixus excepisset, iterum lecto compositus, inter iucundissimas de caelesti patria collocutiones, ac preces horam praestolabatur extremam. quae cùm aliquando tandem adfuisset, crucem extemplò complexus arctissimè, ac velut illa comite facturus iter humeris, colloue leniter acclinans, haud multò post sine laterum vexatione, sine spiritus angore, sine depravatione vultus, & corporis, mortalitatem explevit in terris, immortalitatem inter Caelites inchoavit. vir omnino dignus, qui octogesimo circiter aetatis anno decendens, tamquam acerbo praeriperetur obitu, sic omnium ordinum vocibus, & luctu comploraretur. Populare proverbium est, bovem vetulum non lugeri, in homines bene senes, & grandiores aetate conveniens; quorum excessus quia tempestiws esse videtur omnibus, amicorum luctu vacat, & comploratine domesticorum. sed hoc dictum alioqui verum, diuturno comprobatum experimento in Bellarmini funere deprehendimus falsum, qui & tam senex ploratus ab omnibus est, & si ad plures quoque provectus fuisset annos, semper existimatus fuisset immaturè decedere. Nimirum, ut vetus quidam poëta loquitur, Consules fiunt quotannis, & novi Proconsu●es. Sed (non dicam equidem quod apud eundem sequitur, Solus, aut Rex, aut Poëta non quotannis nascitur. Rex enim quotidie nascitur ex Regibus, & poëtarum natio plus etiam quàm vellemus, in Republica sobolesc●) sed dicam inquam id quod ipsa res est, nec in idonea laude verebor inuidiam. Solus Bella●mino similis ordinis amplissimi Senator, ita doctus, ac sapiens, ita modestus, ac moderatus, religiosus, ac pius, ita Reipublicae salutaris, non modo non quotannis nascitur, sed requiretur in annos plurimos, & longa post saecula desiderabitur. Non tamen eius à nobis umquam desideratur. Non tamen eius à nobis umquam desiderabitur auxilium, non fides, non Ecclesiae patrocinium, ac tutela; cuius militantis ipse, dum viveret, tam praeclara stipendia meruit, cuius ovantis, vita iam functus, & triumphum capit, & obtinet gloriam. Excurrit ille nunc inter ●elices animas, Ambrosios, Augustinos, aliosue mortis beneficio triumphantes, ac liberos: respicit è caelo relicta, videt nos alta nocte circumdatos, & divinis perfusam radijs aciem promittit in spatia ●am vasta terrarum. Suas adeo partes intelligit esse, pro Christiana Republica non iam amplius Columbae gemitum dare, quod scripto libello fecit in lugentium campis, sed per advocationem adesse, atque intercedere; quod & praestitit olim vivens in terris, & nunc praestare multò facillimè potest in triumphantium Concilio collocatus.  
FINIS.