THIS Ecclesiastic, began to talk privately of me with much contempt. I knew it, but took no notice. There came a certain Friar to see him, who mortally hated Father La Combe, on account of his regularity. These combined together to force me to quit the house, and to become masters of it themselves. All the means they could devise they studied for that purpose.

My manner of life was such, that in the house I did not meddle in affairs at all, leaving the sisters to dispose of the temporals as they pleased. Soon after my entrance into it I received eighteen hundred livres, which a lady, a friend of mine, Jent me to complete our furniture, which I had repaid her at my late giving up of my estate. This sum they received, as well as what I had before given them.-I sometimes spoke a little to those who retired thither to become Catholicks, and our Lord favoured with so much benediction what I said to them, that some, whom they knew not before what to make of, became sensible solid women, and exemplary in piety.

I SAW crosses in abundance likely to fall to my lot. At the same time these words came into my mind, "Who for the joy that was set be"fore him endured the cross." Heb. xii. 2. I prostrated myself for a long time with my face on the ground, earnestly desiring to receive all thy strokes, Oh thou who spared not thy own son! Thou couldst find none but him worthy of thee, and thou still findest in him hearts proper for thee.

A FEW days after my arrival at Gex, I saw in a sacred and mysterious dream (for as such I very well distinguished it) Father La Combe fastened

up

up to an enormous cross stripped, in like manner as they paint our Saviour. I saw round it a frightful crowd, which covered me with confusion, and threw back on me the ignominy of his punishment. He seemed to have most pain, but I more reproaches than he. I have since beheld this fully accomplished.

THE aforesaid Ecclesiastic won over to his party one of our sisters who was the house-steward, and soon after the prioress. I was of a very delicate frame, but the good inclination which I had did not give strength to my body. I had two maids of my own with me to serve me: Yet as the community had need of one of them for their cook, and the other to attend the door and other occasions, I gave them up, not thinking but they would allow them to serve me sometimes, and assist me in things I was not able to do myself; for besides this, I let them still receive all my income they having had already my first half of this year's annuity: And yet they would not permit either of my maid-servants to do any thing for me. By my office of sacristan I was obliged to sweep the church which was large, and they would not let any one help me in it. I have several times fainted away over the broom, and have been forced to rest myself in little corners quite spent. This obliged me to beg them, that they would suffer it sometimes to be swept by some of the lusty country girls which were there, new catholicks, which at last they had the charity to consent to. But what most embarrassed me was that I never had washed, and was now obliged to wash all the vestry linen. I took one of my maids to help me because in attempting it by myself, I had done up the linen most awkwardly. But these sisters

pulled

pulled her by the arms out of my chamber, telling her she should do her own business. I let it quietly pass, without making any objection to it. The other good sister, that girl I just mentioned, grew more and more fervent, by the practice of prayer in her dedication of herself to the LORD, more and more tender in her sympathy with me, which irritated this ecclesiastic; insomuch that, after all his impotent attempts here, he went off to Annecy, in order to sow discord, and to effect more mischief to Father La Combe.

H

CHAP. VI.

E went directly to the Bishop of Geneva, who till then, had manifested much esteem and kindness for me, and persuaded him, “that it "would be proper to secure me to that house,

to oblige me to give up to it the annual income "I had reserved to myself; and to engage me "thereto, by making me prioress." He had gained such an ascendant over the Bishop, that the people in the country called him the little Bishop. Wherefore he drew him to enter heartily, and with zeal into this proposition, and to resolve to bring it about whatever it should cost him.

THE Ecclesiastic, having so far carried his point, and being swelled with his success in this first essay, no longer kept any measures in regard to me. He began with causing all the letters which I sent, and those which were directed to me, to be stopt; in order to have it in his power to make what impressions he pleased on the minds of others, and that I should neither be able to

know

know it, nor defend myself, nor to give or send to my friends any account of the manner in which I was treated. One of the maids I had brought wanted to return, as she could have no rest in this place, and the other that remained was infirm, and too much taken up by others to help me in any thing. As Father La Combe was to come, I thought he would soften the violent spirit of this man, and that he would give me proper advice.

In the mean time they proposed to me the engagement, and the post of prioress. I answered," that as to the engagement it was impos "sible for me, since my vocation was else"where. And I could not regularly be the

prioress, till after passing through the novi"ciate, in which they had all served two years "before their being engaged; that when I should

have done as much I should see how Gon "would inspire me." The prioress replied pretty tartly, "that if I would ever leave them it were

best for me to do it immediately." Yet I did not offer to retire, but continued still to act as usual. However I saw the sky gradually thickening, and storms gathering on every side. The prioress then affected a milder air. She assured me," that she had a desire, as well as I, to go "to Geneva; that I should not engage, but on

ly promise her to take her with me, if I went "thither." She pretended to place a great confidence in me, and professed a high esteem for me. As I am very free, and have nothing but uprightness, I let her know" that I had no at"traction for the manner of life of the new ca"tholicks, by reason of the intrigues from "without. Several things did not please me,

because

* because I wanted them to be upright in every "thing." She signified, "that she did not con"sent to such things, but because that Eccle❝siastic told her, they were necessary to give

the house a credit in distant parts, and to "draw charities from Paris." I answered, "that "if we walked uprightly GOD would never fail He would sooner do miracles for us." I remarked to her," that when, instead of sincerity, they had recourse to artifice, charity grew cold, and kept herself shut up. It is "GOD alone who inspires charity: How then is "it to be drawn by disguises?"

SOON after Father La Combe came about the retreats. (This was the third and last time that he came to Gex.) The prioress, after she had been tampering a good deal with me hereupon, having wrote him a long letter before his coming, and received his answer, which she shewed me, now went to ask him whether she would one day be united to me at Geneva. He answered with his usual uprightness, "Our Lord has made "it known to me that you shall never be esta"blished at Geneva." And soon after she died. When he had uttered this declaration, she appeared enraged against both him and me, after a surprizing manner. She went directly to that Ecclesiastic, who was in a chamber with the house-steward; and they took their measures together, to oblige me either to engage or retire. They thought that I would sooner engage than retire, and they narrowly watched my letters.

HE requested Father La Combe, which was only with a design to lay snares for him, to preach; which he did on this text, "The King's daughter

I i

"is