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Chapter VIII

Of Miracles Performed By Catharine By Delivering Such As Were Possessed By The Devil.

Our divine Lord continually exhibited exteriorly the graces with which he interiorly adorned his Spouse. Fire cannot remain concealed, and a tree planted by the water courses, always bears its fruit in due season. The virtue of Jesus Christ, or rather Jesus Christ himself, dwelt in Catherine's heart, and displayed its presence there more and more each successive day, not only by obtaining for sinners the conversion of their souls, and for the sick health and corporal restoration, but in commanding evil spirits, and chasing them from those whom they possessed; and thus for the Name of Our Lord residing in her, every thing in heaven, on earth, and in hell bent the knee before her.

There was in Sienna, a man named Ser. Michel de Monaldo, a very skillful notary, whom I have seen a hundred times, and from whom I received the following facts. Being advanced in years, he took the resolution with his wife's consent, to consecrate himself wholly to the service of God and to offer to him the virginity of his two daughters. He made application to a monastery established in the city, under the invocation of St. John the Baptist; he confided his daughters to the religious Sisters who resided there, gave them his fortune, and lodged with his wife outside of the enclosure, and there directed the temporal affairs of the convent.