Chapter IX
Of St. Catherine'S Gift Of Prophecy, And In What Manner She Delivered Several Persons From Danger Which Threatened Their Souls And Bodies
What I am about to offer may appear incredible; but the infallible Truth is my witness, that such has been my experience, that there is nothing of all that has ever occurred to me, of which I am so certain. Catharine possessed a prophetical spirit so perfect and so constant, that nothing could escape her; she knew whatever referred to herself or to those who approached her, or who sought her counsels for the benefit of their souls; it was impossible for us to do anything good or ill in her absence, without her having at the very instant a knowledge of it; we experienced it, so to speak, at each moment; and what is more admirable, she often told us our inmost thoughts, as if they had been hers. I know that for myself, and I confess it before the whole church militant, she rebuked me for certain thoughts which were troubling me in the very moment, and that I was obstinately concealing from her. I am not ashamed to declare it for her glory. " Why hide from me," said she to me, " what I see more clearly than you think." And she directly gave me wholesome advice on that subject. This happened to me very often. He who knows all things is my witness. But let us enter into some details; and for the sake of order, let us commence with things spiritual.
There was in Sienna a knight, who to nobility of birth
