I Stand in doubt to write what will seeme strange to many, and my Relation be taxed as too short, by those which saw it acted, and by others, which saw it not, too affec­tionate: but the synceritie of my intent is grounded on the meane, taken from a particular Confession which discouereth the greatnesse of the Action, and rarenesse of the Case. Don Rodrigo Calderon, late Marques of seuen Churches, Earle of Oliua, Cap­tayne of the German Guard, a Knight of the Order of Saint Iames, and Comendador of Ocana, being impri­soned in his owne house with a strong Guard, hauing but the vse of one onely Chamber with little light; af­ter his Cause had beene in discussing two yeeres and a halfe, had sentence of death giuen against him, by the Lords of the Assembly, Don Francisco de Contreras (now most worthy President of Castile) Luis de Salze­do, and Don Diego del Corral. He had notice thereof by Lazaro de los Rios, a Register of the Processe, the fourteenth of Iuly 1621. To which he made answer, that he heard it. Then turning to a Crucifixe, he said; God be blessed, whose will be in me fulfilled: which was like some other of his actions, both before and after (which, to be short, I let passe in silence) grounded on a vertuous Spirit, wholly exercised in spirituall books of deuotion, and full of Religion and Christian cou­rage. From that time, vntill his death, which was three moneths after, hee neuer was vnclothed, nor came in bed. There was a Pallet by his bed side, with [Page] a leather couerlet, on which in the night hee rested a little, spending the most part of it in mentall Prayer, wherein he much profited by reading a Booke of the holy Mother Teresa of IESVS, to which hee was much affected, so that hee could repeate by memorie whole Pages thereof: as also out of a Booke of Pray­ers, composed by Father Molina; and in spirituall Conferences had with the Religious, he cited to them these Books, or others such like. Hee daily read the liues of Saints in Flos Sanctorum, perswaded there­vnto by Mother Teresa and Father Molina, of whom (as he said) he learned it. He made a generall Confes­sion with Humilitie and Contrition, accompanied with many teares of tendernesse, witnessing the good preparation of his mind, for what was to come; but to declare particulars, would make rather a Booke then a briefe Relation.

And I heard Friar Gabriel his Confessor say, who is Procurator Generall of the discalced Carmelites (a religious person of venerable fame) that during thir­tie yeeres space, wherein he had beene a Physician for Soules, hee neuer experienced the like: for neither when the sentence of death was notified vnto him, or vpon any discomfort did he change countenance, or shed teare; but when he remembred his sinnes, they fell like showres. O force of diuine loue! which doth soften hearts not shaken with aduersitie, from whence proceedeth their Fortitude and Humilitie. Hee had conference with diuers Religious, and particularly with Friar Gregorie de Pedros, a Preacher to his Maie­stie, whose great parts of learning and eloquence are alreadie blazond by fame, and need no report of mine. To him and his Confessor hee vnfolded his Consci­ence [Page] with Securitie and Satisfaction, not regarding Honour, or any other pretext, hauing so resigned vp his will to God, and his obedience to his Confessor. That humane feares wrought litle in him, without re­soluing speedily what difficulties they proposed. How excellent hee was in this, his death will beare witnesse. He petitioned an appeale from his Iudgement, accor­ding as his Counsell aduised him: but his diligence in procuring his defence, neuer diuerted his minde from the consideration of his death, nor made him omit the exercises of a vertuous life. The Iudges did not admit his Appeale, but insisted on the execution of the sen­tence: whereof he hauing notice the first of October, answered; I heare it, and turning to a Crucifixe, said: God be blessed, whose will be in me fulfilled. No impa­tient word was euer heard fall from him, for as his Soule grew daily nearer Heauen, so shewed hee most courage in most discomfort, not being sensible of earthly losses, but falling out of loue with them, the ioy of his Spirit flew a higher pitch, then the discon­tents of this World did reach vnto, so that on the day of his death (had not his Confessor hindred it) hee would haue proclaymed his sinnes in the street, as hee oft sought to doe in prison, if he had beene permitted. His Appeale being not admitted, and the Iudgement confirmed; on Tuesday at midnight, Friar Pedro de la Concepcion, went to him with this newes, in place of his Confessor, who then was not well, who told him hee was to receiue his Viaticum on Wednesday. Hee found him quiet at his prayers, which hee vsed much, and receiued in them particular fauours from God. He demanded of him wherefore he came: hee answered, to spend the night with you. Falling to discourse of [Page] the miseries of this life, and of the happinesse of the o­ther that is without end, hauing fit time, hee said to him: Who would not with a good will, exchange a life temporall for an eternall? To which he answered. Alas, Father, would I had not this one, but a thou­sand liues to lose for Gods sake: then (replied the Friar) hee will come to you to morrow, and giue you the Pledge of his Grace, to receiue hereafter the Crowne of his Glorie. He then presently conceiuing wherefore he said so; kneeled downe before a Cruci­fixe, and with great zeale of deuotion, said thrice: Thy will be done, O Lord (vsing this resignation of mind in all his tribulations.) Then rising vp, hee said, I haue something to doe; and going behind the bed, he put on a shirt of haire, and a crosse with sharpe pricks of steele, which he ware about his necke, hauing (for o­bedience to his Confessor) put them off the day be­fore, to mitigate his continuall penance, making his vertues more secure, by the secrecie wherewith hee practized them. This hee did on dayes of fasting, which was weekly, Wednesday, Friday, and Sater­day, and in those of abstinence, not tasting any thing that might please him, yet so warily that those which attended him obserued it not. The rest of the night, he spent in spirituall Exercises. And when the Friar propounded to him, how God rewarded those that take benefit by afflictions, offering them in imitation of his most painefull Passion: hee answered. I pray God, Father, my sinnes cause mee not to lose so great Happinesse; although, I assure you, I feele such com­fort now, that if it would not seeme lightnesse in mee, I could laugh. Neither was his feare vnlike his hope; [Page] affections which tyed him alike to God; humilitie and acknowledgement of his owne miserie, accompanied the one; and trust in Gods Mercy and Power, the other. On Wednesday morning, he disposed the af­faires of his Soule by direction of his Confessor, and of Friar Gregorie de Pedrosa, whose assistance was of great comfort and profit to him. Then he went into the Chappell, wearing the white mantle of his Order, where his Confessor said Masse, and he Receiued, with great Faith and Loue of God: at which time, with a Spirit full of zeale, he said: O Lord, since thou commest to me to day, let me come to thee to morrow; and com­ming to those wordes of consolation: In manus tuas Domine commendo Spiritum meum: hee added, Vitam & honorem meum. The Masse being ended where he Rcceiued, hee heard other foure, with such tranquili­tie and deuotion, that he neuer sighed nor lamented, being thereat out of modestie ashamed, lest his deuo­tion should bee therefore accounted rather vaine-glo­rious, then vertuous: in this hee excelled, as his priuate Almes, giuen in the time of his better for­tune, beare witnesse; and the Religious, by whose hands they passed, can affirme. The Chappell, in which lyeth the body of the holy Mother Teresa of IESVS, in the Church of the Discalced Carmelites at Madrid, was part of his Almes, which hee desi­red to make more sumptuous, if his Order had per­mitted. Hee also built the Heremitage in the De­sert de Batuccas, and caused two Masses to bee daily said in that which is neare to Pestrana. Hee said the Office of our Lady, and for the Soules departed, hauing continued it many yeeres. He was Confessed, [Page] and receiued in the Pascall Feasts, our Ladies, and the Apostles, and examined daily his conscience: which he vsed for these foure or fiue yeeres last past, to doe twice a day. Hee had thrice made his generall Con­fession before this last, which he ended on Saint Mat­thewes Eue, and Receiued the next day. In the prison he was confessed twice or thrice a weeke, after he might with leaue doe it. Hee passed the euening with his Confessor, and with Friar Gregorie de Pedrosa, in spi­rituall questions, so high, that it appeared, God was his Tutor, and the Schoole the Prison, as he said. In his Spirituall conference, these words escaped him: I wish I could giue a thousand liues for mine Enemies. His Confessor checked him for calling them Enemies; whereat recalling himselfe, hee humbly demanded how hee should name them? His Confessor told him, hee should make that Recognition for those which sought to hurt him, if any such were. He much estee­med this aduise, and fulfilled it. This night, Father Iohn de la Madre de Dios, companion to his Confes­sor, brought him a Memoriall of Bequests from the Religious of his Order, which were Prayers and Fa­stings. Hee was greatly comforted therewith, and humbly answered, that he hoped to see himselfe with God, and to beseech his diuine Maiestie to reward their great charitie. Giuing discreet satisfaction vnto all, and not leauing any thing by his neare approach to death vnperformed, that belonged to curtesie and vrbanitie, or vertuous policy. So that when some came to demand of him debts, no iust cause moouing them: he answered, If his estate were in himselfe, hee could dispose thereof as hee liked; but being now in [Page] his Maiestie, he stood obliged to defend it, and make no declaration in preiudice of the true Owner, for those that vniustly sought to haue it. Talking with Father Iohn de la Madre de Dios, he said: My Father, Wife, Children, Estate and Honour, is taken from me, as to morrow shall bee my Life; but that which onely grieueth mee, is, that I haue no more to lose for Gods sake; the memory of the losse of these things did not trouble him, but the desire that his death might giue example to others so to liue, as to saue their Soules. O generous condition of a zealous Soule! All loue seemed too little, compared with the greatnesse of the Obiect; and light encreasing accor­ding to loue, discerned more clearely the vnlimited distance betweene humane power, and diuine Omni­potency. Being late in the night, hee was importu­ned by the Religious there present, to lye downe on his Pallet, which he did, holding a Crucifixe, and by him the Picture of the holy Mother Teresa of IESVS; there he reposed a while, ouercome rather with con­templation then sleepe. Hee demanded of Friar Pe­dro de la Concepcion, if hee should receiue Extreame Vnction: who answered, That the Church vsed not to giue it to those that dyed so. Them (said he) since I cannot receiue this Sacrament, doe me the curtesie, to teach mee the Ceremonies thereof, to know them before I dye. The Friar tooke a Manual, and said the Prayers, Letanies, and Ceremonies, omitting the substance of the Sacrament. He gaue eare to all with humble attention and deuotion, not shunning, but seeking earnestly to prepare himselfe to dye, in the well performing whereof, he placed his greatest hap­pinesse. [Page] Then hee continued in mentall Prayer, from fiue a clocke vntill sixe in the morning, with admi­rable recollection, for the which, afterward hee infi­nitely thanked God. Here let Contemplatiues, prac­tized in prayer, consider the diuine Fauours shewed by this Repose, to a man that had the sword laid to his throat, whose threed of Life was euen spunne, the representation of Death securing the attention of his Spirit, who being vnloaded from the weight of this mortality, was vnited to its euerlasting Begin­ning: a thing so desired by those that treate with God, and onely effected by Death, and wished of him, as the meane to obtayne so glorious an End. That mor­ning hee put off his haire shirt before his Confessor, modestly preuenting the publique inconuenience which might ensue, by what hee desired to haue se­cret. Then kneeling downe before diuers graue Re­ligious persons, he read a protestation of Faith, which himselfe had made. In it was contayned, a quintes­sence of inward zeale, vttered in wordes, so feeling and significant, that it caused both admiration and confusion. Don Pedro Fernandez de Mansilla, an Al­cayde of the Court, came to take his leaue of him, whom he met halfe way, with a behauiour and coun­tenance of such serenitie, that it paralleld not with his present estate. Don Pedro desired him to commaund him some seruice, to which hee answered, That since hee gaue him leaue so to doe, hee besought him for a quick dispatch in his Wife and Childrens businesse (which was a s [...]te for Land with his Maiestie, that depended before Don Pedro de Mansilla) to this hee gaue him a courteous answere. Those that then were [Page] present, began to shead teares, and sigh, seeing a cou­rage so vndaunted, and a presence so venerable. Hee seeing himselfe to bee the Cause of their woe, comfor­ted them, saying: Sirs, it is no time to lament, but to reioyce, since I am going to doe the Will of God. These wordes gaue cause of comfort to pious minds, by dis­couering the good estate of his Soule and great Chri­stianitie. Then he went into the Chappell in a Cloke, and vpon it the habite of Saint Iames, where he heard many Masses. He intreated the Carmelite that said it, to put his Soule together with the Host into the Chal­lice. This was to follow the example of the holy Mo­ther Teresa of IESVS, who on a Palme Sunday said the like. This wrought so good effect, that hee was comforted both in Soule and Body, and incouraged to suffer. He gaue his Rosarie to a religious man of the Order of Saint Hierome, for accounting himselfe as dead, he prepared for his owne Dirge. Thus hee con­tinued, performing many acts of Contrition, in fer­uent prayer, vntill the time of execution. At eleuen, Friar Gregorie de Pedrosa came vnto him, and said: Sir, now let vs goe, for God calleth vs. He presently an­swered; Let vs goe. When they put off the Cloke of his Order, there came one and put a Hood ouer his short Coate, from which and from his doublet he had the night before, cut the necke, and the strings from his band, in place whereof he had put a button, to come more ready to his last End, knowing hee was made a sacrifice to God, who disposed the meanes to make his death more easie, which hee receiued rather with Loue then Feare. When hee went out of the Chappell, he told his Confessor, he felt himselfe very [Page] weake both in Soule and Body: who answered him; Trust in God, and pray to him for strength, and hee will not deny it you at this time. Comming to the stayres, God gaue him courage, that it now seemed not difficult to him to go in the streets, as it was wont; so other things, which in his imagination appeared vnpossible, comming to act them, by Gods assistance, were become very fezible. Comming downe the stayres, and seeing a Mule ready for him, hee said: What, a Mule? Nay, I ought rather to be dragged in a basket; practizing still more pure Acts of Humilitie and contempt of the World, and desiring the most dis­gracefull death. He rode on the Mule without feare, squaring all his actions to the rules of Modesty, and necessity without ostentation. Then he toeke a Cru­cifixe which he imbraced so affectuously, that it made great impression in the beholders. Going on, the people cryed: God pardon, and giue you strength: to whom he answered, Amen; God reward you. Com­ming to the Market place of Saint Dominick, and hea­ring the Prayers and Cryes of the people, he lifted vp his eyes, and said: Lord, since they all aske my Pardon, Pardon me, I beseech thee. When he came to the Smiths little street, he said to his Confessor: Father, this is rather a triumph, then a carrying the Crosse of Christ, who was blasphemed, and I am prayed for. Pray, Father, that the ioy I now feele, bee not a reward for that little I haue suffered for his sake. I dare not weigh these wordes in the ballance of my Reason. Let vs leaue something in silence, since his valour and since­rity, will sooner be searched into by a zealous affecti­on, then vttered by an eloquent tongue. He fixed his [Page] eyes, with a graue aspect vpon a Crucifixe there pre­sent, testifying therby the recollection of his thoughts. In his contemplation he remembered the spirituall in­couragement, giuen him by the Religious which ac­companied him, diuinely discoursing on the Happi­nesse to come. Being come to the place of Execution, with a constant Countenance, hee alighted from his Mule, and without any helpe, went vp the Scaffold. He beheld without feare the Sword and Blocke. Set his Hood right, and said to the Religious: Let me rest here awhile. His Confessor, and Friar Gregorie de Pe­drosa, sate downe about him, with the rest of the Reli­gious, in number twelue, no person, but what was needfull, being suffered to enter. They kneeled downe to pray for his Soule. He read diuers Iaculatory pray­ers, with such resignation and attention, that his In­structors stood astonished. After a good while he rose, and told his Confessor, he felt himselfe comforted, to see that God wrought in him his will, saying, it was fit to thanke him therefore, and bee confessed before death, and absolued by the Bull of Faith in Baptisme, with a protestation thereof. Hee did the like at the time of his confes­sion. Hee was confessed, and receiuing absolution, he fell on the ground and kissed the feete of his Confessor. Being commanded to rise, hee went to his Chaire, not to dye, but to triumph, with such courage, humilitie, and magnanimitie, that all were filled with pietie and admiration. A part of his Hood he cast behind the chaire, and prayed whilst the Executioner made all things readie. Then he calld him, imbraced him, and spake to him most louingly. Hee proceeded so farre in acts of pure Loue and Ioy, that when Friar Gregorie de Pedrosa said, Now is the [Page] time to shew courage, hee answered: I neuer felt such content. When his feet were tyed, hee said, What doe you? The Religious told him, it was the Order. Then tye mee, said hee. Comming to tye his armes, hee put them out, saying: Hold, tye them. Then he called the Minister of death (let decency excuse me for vsing this terme) and said: Come hither, Brother, let me embrace thee once more, and bowing toward him with his bo­dy, his armes being tyed, gaue him the humble kisse of Peace. This Act of heroick humilitie, done with desire of greater demonstration, drew downe many teares, either of ioy or sorrow in the Spectators. When they tyed him in the Chaire, his Confessor told him, That Christ was also tyed; at which time hee remembred the Passion with affections burned in the fire of diuine Loue. His eyes were couered with a blacke taffata, which himselfe had brought for that purpose. He lifted vp his head, ready with ioy to per­forme what before hee had so often thought of in pri­son, and said, Take it, O Lord; Take it, O Lord. When the Executioner held the taffata with his left hand, to giue the stroke with his right hand: he forbid him, saying: I will sit still, with a voyce and heart so strong, that were it lawfull, I would say, Naturre had priui­ledged him from feare. Then receiued hee the stroke, and repeating the sweet Name of IESVS, gaue vp his Soule. The Lookers on, though bathed in teares, beheld a spectacle, not horrible, but pleasing, caused by a happy death. A death that hath eclipsed the greatest examples, and limited the highest prayses, whose duration will out-last the World. For were he not in Nobilitie so ancient, hee might hereby lay a [Page] foundation for a glorious Family; since Nobilitie is but a vertue of the mind, practized either in vnder­going dangers in Warre, or in giuing good examples in peace, both which were seene in him; and if accor­ding to the end, the vertue of the mind is to bee mea­sured; here onely was the loue of God, where no re­spect was had to the World or to Fame, which in the end will become dumbe. This example of his death hath wrought much, being in Madrid, the Court of Don Philip the Fourth, King of Spaine, where is a ge­nerall concourse of Strangers, magnifying with re­spect the Spanish name (beside the deserued credit of their ancient valour) seeing a man paralleld with any whom the Roman cloquence did extoll, for although Sceuola, Regulus, Horatius, and many others, suffered much honour; yet here morally speaking, it was without it. And if any were present at this death, either without Religion, or of a contrarie (which God forbid) what inward remorse, vnquietnesse of mind, and accusation of conscience must they needs haue, seeing such strange acts of Faith and Loue to God, wrought with such fortitude, that it onely may teach vs the force of Truth, and Light of Catho­lique Religion. In this Glasse they may see their er­rours.

Thus farre my loue hath carryed mee, although my Relation bee but as a shaddow of this wonder: which such as saw not, may not hope to know as it was, because those which were present, want ca­pacitie to declare it.

As to the substance, I had particular information from those which conuersed with him in prison and abroad; all Persons of Vertue and Religion; and although I heard of much more, yet would I not insert here but what was certayne; for a matter of it selfe so admi­rable, needeth not borrow ornament or addition else­where.

His Body lyeth buried in our Ladies Church, of the Discalced Carmelites in Madrid, in the Deane and Chapters Chappell. These Religious, out of loue to him, buried him there, in a Tombe couered with a blacke cloth, and on it the Insigne of his Order. Re­quiescant in pace. This Epitaph is written vpon his Sepulchre.