I NEVER made any solicitation either for Father La Combe or myself, though charged with that among other things. Willing to owe every thing to GOD, I have no dependence on any creature. I would not have it said that any but GOD had made Abraham rich. Gen. xiv. 23. To lose all for him is my best gain: And to gain all without him would be my worst loss. Though at this time so general an outcry was raised against me, God did not fail to make use of me to gain many souls to himself. The more persecution raged against me the more children were given me, on whom the LORD conferred great favours through his poor handmaid.

ONE must not judge of the servants of GoD by what their enemies say of them, nor by their being oppressed under calumnies without any resource. JESUS CHRIST expired under pangs. GOD uses the like conduct towards his dearest ser vants, to render them conformable to his son, in whom he is always well pleased. But few place that conformity where it ought to be. It is not in voluntary pains or austerities, but in those which are suffered in a submission ever equal to the will of GOD, in a renunciation of our whole selves, to the end that God may be our all in all, conducting us according to his views, and not our own, which are generally opposite to his. In fine, all perfection consists in this entire conformity with JESUS CHRIST, not in shining things which men esteem and cry up. It will only be seen in eternity who are the true friends of GOD. Nothing pleases him but JESUS CHRIST, and that which bears his mark or character.

THEY were continually pressing me to flee, though the Archbishop had spoken to myself,

and

and bidden me not to leave Paris. But they wanted to render both me and Father La Combe criminal by my flight. They knew not how to make me fall into the hands of the Official: For if they accused me of crimes, it must be before other judges: And any other judge would have seen my innocence; and the false witnesses would have run the risque of suffering for it. They continually spread the outcry of horrible crimes; the Official assured me that he had heard no mention of any; for he was afraid lest I should retire out of his jurisdiction. They then made the King believe that I was an heretic; that I "carried on a literary correspondence with Mo"linos (I, who never knew there was a Molinos "in the world, till the Gazette had told me it) "that I had wrote a dangerous book; and that "C on those accounts it would be necessary to is"sue forth an order to put me in a convent, that "they might examine me; that, as I was a dan

gerous person, it would be proper for me to "be locked up, to be allowed no commerce with "any one; that I held assemblies," which was very false. To support this calumny my handwriting was counterfeited, and a letter forged as from me, importing, that I had "great designs, "but feared that they would prove abortive, by "the imprisonment of Father La Combe, for "which reason I had left off holding assemblies "at my house, being too closely watched; but

that I would hold them at the houses of such "and such persons, in such and such streets;" who are people that I do not know, nor ever before had heard named. This forged letter they, shewed the King, and upon it an order was given for my imprisonment.

CHAP.

TH

CHAP. IV.

HIS order would have been put in execution two months sooner than it was, had I not fallen very sick. I had inconceiveable pains and a fever. Some thought that I had an imposthume in my head. The pangs I had for five weeks made me delirious. I had also a pain in my breast and a violent cough. Twice I received, as I was thought near expiring, the holy Sacrament. One of my friends had acquainted Father La Mothe, (not knowing him to have had any hand in F. La Combe's imprisonment) that she had sent me a certificate from the inquisition in said Father La Combe's favour, having heard that his own was lost. This was a very good piece: For they made the King believe that he had run away from the inquisition; and this shewed the contrary.

66

FATHER La Mothe then came to me, when I was under excessive pains, counterfeiting all the affection and tenderness in his power, and telling me" that the affair of Father La Combe was going on very well, that he was just ready to come out of prison with honour, that he was very glad of it; that if he had only this certificate, " he would be delivered presently. Give me it "then, said he, and it will be done." At first I made a difficulty of doing it. "What! said he, "will you be the cause of ruining poor Father "La Combe, having it in your power to save him, "and cause us that affliction, for want of what

66

you have in your hands." I yielded, ordering it to be brought and given him. He suppressed it, and gave out that it was lost. It never could could be got from him again. The Ambassador from the Court of Turin sent a page to me for

this certificate, designing the proper use of it to serve Father La Combe. I referred him to Father La Mothe. The Page went to him and asked him for it. He denied I had given him it; saying, "Her brain is disordered which makes her "imagine it." The Page came back to me and told me his answer: The persons in my chamber bore witness that I had given it to him. Yet all signified nothing: It could not be got out of his hands; but on the contrary he insulted me, and set others also to do it, though I was so weak that I seemed to be at the very gates of death.

THEY told me they only waited for my recove ry to clap me in prison. He made his brethren believe that I had treated him ill. They writ to me; one," that it was for my crimes that I suf "fered; and that I should put myself under the

conduct of Father La Mothe or otherwise I "should repent it;" another, that "I was frantic "and ought to be bound; lethargic, and to be "awakened; a monster of pride since I would not "suffer myself to be cleansed and conducted by "Father La Mothe." Such was my daily feast in the extremity of my pains; deserted of my friends, and opprest of my enemies; the former being ashamed of me, through the calumnies which were forged and industriously spread; the latter let loose to persecute me; under all which I kept silence, leaving myself to the LORD. To Father La Mothe's insults I returned mildness, and made him presents.

me.

THERE was not any kind of infamy, error, sorcery, or sacrilege, of which they did not accuse As soon as I was able to be carried to the Church in a chair, I was told I must speak to the Prebend. (It was a snare concerted between FaDdd

ther

ther La Mothe and the Canon at whose house L lodged) I spoke to him with much simplicity, and he approved of what I said. Yet two days after they gave out that I had uttered many things, and accused many persons; and from hence they procured the banishment of sundry persons with whom they were displeased, persons whom I had never seen or heard of. They were men of honour. One of them was banished, because he said, "my little book is a good one." It is remarkable that they say nothing to those who prefixed their approbations, and that, far from condemning the book, it has been reprinted since I have been in prison, and advertisements of it posted up at the Archbishop's palace, and all over Paris. In regard to others, when they find faults in their books, they condemn the books and leave the person at liberty: But as for me, my book is approved, sold and spread, while I am kept a prisoner for it.

THE same day that those gentlemen were banished I received a lettre de cachet, or sealed order and addressed to me, to repair to the Convent of the Visitation of St. Mary's in the suburb of St. Antoine. I received it with a tranquillity which surprized the bearer exceedingly. He could not forbear expressing it, having seen the extreme sorrow of those who were only banished. He was so touched with it as to shed tears. And though his order was to carry me off directly, he was not afraid to trust me, but left me all the day, desiring me to repair to St. Mary's in the evening. On that day many of my friends came to see me and found me very chearful, which surprized such of them as knew my case. I could not stand, I was so weak, having the fever every night, it being only a fortnight since I was thought to be ex