Letter 9011: I received your letter, rich with the wealth of many joys, and I give thanks for the grace God has shown in...

I received your letter, rich with the dowry of manifold joys and announcing that grace of God towards you which I already knew. Immediately, with the witnesses of our Christ, amid tears that gladness prompted, I disclosed what had been indicated, and reporting what had been obtained through those same witnesses, I affirmed it as though I were a ninth reporter. Truly, Lord Faustus, in this matter it has been openly shown what merit, what power in prayers that holy soul who went before us possessed: for even though our hope is still blind, clothed in the light of this world, yet what she knew to be fitting she obtained without the labor of our own action. When she divided from us the things placed in our hands, she offered those that were far distant, more happily bestowing what was necessary than what was desired. Therefore this world does hold something of truth: or if it does not, what is seized is not quickly taken from its dominion. Those men have lied who swore they would receive benefits if they had given them: even by heavenly dispensation they are joined to us from whom we have received no blandishments nor given any — a confidence certain from desperation, and a cloudy settlement from a publicized promise. Truly I would say, if this severance caused pain, that not even Liguria, which you call the nurse of falsehood, could have produced such people. What shall I charge them with first? The obscenities of their deceit or their folly? They have lost two people who are joined to one another by the intercession of the saints, through whom the spark of a family long prostrate and driven into shadow might have been restored. You remember that Lord Avienus said to you in the church that he did not pray to God specifically about that girl. See offspring proceeding to the enjoyment of life from holy parents. He understood that he would achieve more by his parents' tears than by his own action. Thanks to you, almighty God, thanks, ruler of the faithful, who looking upon the vows of your handmaid fulfilled in her the promises of the prophecy that says: "His soul shall dwell in good things, and his seed shall inherit the land." Complete, O merciful judge, what remains, and breathe favorably upon the union of your other servant. If illness, which has already seized my vital substance, does not leave me to see these things, let their father see good things from them, and let grandfather and great-grandfather receive his name before his own passing. Yet heavenly grace does not yet abandon even me, sinner though I am, who anticipate admonition with caution. For my desires that I should not receive the title of provincial legate, I have — though with pain — suspended. I feared lest either the lord of affairs, with you making the arrangements, would believe that things were being demanded of him which necessity compels to be requested, or that I would be rendered burdensome in duties and unfruitful in actions, although I could neither carry them out nor prove equal to what was enjoined. I beg you to pray to God that he preserve me at least until the time of our common vows in the uncertainty of this world.

XI. FAVSTO ENNODIVS. Suscepi litteras multiplici gaudiorum dote locupletes et gratiam circa uos dei quam noueram nuntiantes. protinus testibus Christi nostri cum lacrimis, quas suggerebat hilaritas, indicata patefeci et quod per ipsos inpetratum fuerat gratias 1 relinquid L fedis B intelligat B 2 benefitia B desinet B debeo] deo B 3 tranl B preuenisti B 4 lucem B 7 cupilia B dilegibus B 8 rimatus est] rimator B, rimatur fort . alciori B 9 maerores scripsi, matores B, maiores LTVb accenderes Tl et Schottus, adcenderis B, accenderis PT2Vb, accederis L cuoetibus (e in ras.) B 10 dibuisti , B mediolansibus L, mediolaninsibus B1 11 te ex ti L tenebre L possiderunt B 12 anplexibus B inbare B 14 praefanatus B memor d. donationem om. L in mg. add . m. ant . 15 haec L1 repotans B 17 disperationis BLV XI. 20 suscipi B locupletes Pb, locupletis B, locupletas L TV 21 graciam B nunciantea B 22 sugerebat B 23 imperatum T referens quasi nonus relator adserui. uere; domne Fauste, simpliciter in hac causa uulgatum est, quid haberet meriti, quid uirium in precibus illa sancte anima quae praecessit: nam etsi sit spes nostra adhuc caeca mundi luce uestita, sed quod conueniens esse nouerat sine nostrae actionis labore promeruit: cum a nobis diuideret res in manibus conlocatas, obtulit longa statione distantes, felicius tribuens necessaria quam cupita. ergo mundus iste ueri aliquid habet: aut si non habet, non de eius dicione mox: rapitur. mentiti sunt homines qui se iurabant accipere beneficia, si dedissent: etiam superna dispensatione coniuncti sunt a quibus nec accepimus blandimenta nec dedimus: certa de desperatione confidentia et nebulosum de publicata promissione constitutum. uere dicerem, si doleret ista discissio, quod tales homines nec illa, quam dicitis nutricem mendacium esse, Liguria potuisset emittere. quid arguam prius in illis? fallaciae aut fatuitatis obscena? perdiderunt duos, qui inter se sanctorum impetratione sociantur, per quos potuisset diu iacentis et in umbram coactae familiae scintilla reparari. memores estis domnum Auienum uobis in ecclesia dixisse, deum se de illa puella specialiter non rogare. uide progeniem sanctis creatoribus ad usuram uitae procedentem. intellegebat plus se parentum fletibus quam actione promoturum. gratias tibi, omnipotens deus, gratias, rector fidelium, qui ancillae tuae uota respiciens prophetiae in ea pollicitationes inplesti dicentis: anima eius in bonis 25 Ps. 24, 13 1 nouos B 4 etsi om. B ceca B uestitas| et B 5 sinae B nostre B 6 dioiderit B 7 optulit LTV felici∗us B 8 si non] sisi B, si T 9 ditione BT, dictione L 10 benefitia B 11 accepimus Tab, accipimus BLPTlV 12 didimuB B disperatione B 18 pullicata B 14 disIII|cissio B dicetis B 15 neutricem T mendaciorum coni. Schottus mittere Sirrn . 16 falatiae B 18 iacentes B 19 scentilla B, scintille L reparari T 20 acclesia B illas B 21 progenies L saotia B procidentem B 22 intellegebant F, intellebat B 23 promuturum B 24 profitaei ne a B 25 inplisti B dicentes B demorabitur, et semen eius hereditabit terram. perfice, pie arbiter, quod remansit, et m alterius serui tui copula. serenus adspira. mihi si haec uidenda morbus, qui iam uitalem praeoccupanit substantiam, non relinquit, uideat de illis bona pater et aui proauique ante transitum suum nomen accipiat. me tamen quamuis peccatorem adhuc gratia superna non deserit, qui admonitionem cautione praeuenio. nam desideria mea, ne legati prouincialis nomen acciperem, licet cum dolore suspendi. timui, ne aut rerum dominus uobis disponentibus haec a se exigi crederet, quae cogit necessitas postulari, aut ego redderer officiis onerosus et actionibus infecundus, quamuis nec exsequi nec iniunctis par esse sufficerem. rogo ut supplicetis deo, ut me uel usque ad uotorum communium tempora. in mundi istius seruet incerto.