PHilip Nerius was born at Florence in the Year of our Lord 1515. On the Vigill of the B. Mary Magdalen after midnight , Leo the Xth . then Pope : and at his Baptism in the Church of S. John Baptist , was after the name of his Grandfather called Philip. His Father Francis Nerius was a man of good repute with all , and of great integrity in his pleadings in the Law . His mother Lucretia Soldia a Noble and Religious Matron , whose Ancestors had formerly managed the prime offices in that Common-wealth .

Francis had by Lucretia four Children ; two Daughters Katharine and Elisabeth , and two Sons , Anthony , that dyed an infant , and Philip ; who was of a pregnant wit , an affable disposition , handsome features of body and and a strange sweetness of behaviour ; furnished with all the excellencies wherewith those , who from Heaven are designed unto the good of Souls , are usually beautified .

His vertuous Parents vertuously educated him whilst yet a child : first entring him timely What is Writ concerning his Childhood is from the relation of his Sister , of his own mouth , of Ludovico Parigi his most ancient and familiar freind . into Grammar , wherein he not only outwent , but became also admired by his School-fellows . He studied Rethorick too under an able Master , through whose discipline he proved a good proficient .

Among other essays of his after-piety , which at times from his very infancy he discovered to the world , a marvellous inclination to things divine , a rare modesty , and very great reverence to his Superiours were remarkable in him . He was so dutifull to his Father , that , but once in all his life , was he known to move him ( in the least ) to anger ; viz. when he very lightly strook his Sister Katharine , as shee disturbed him at his prayers : which fault ( if at those years it may be termed a fault ) being reproved for by him , he a long while after bewailed .

His Mothers commands he was so carefull of , that being at any time bid to stay any where , he would not stir from the place without her leave . She dying , and his Father marrying anew , his Step-Mother , out of a reverence to his Sanctity , loved him entirely , as her own ; and when he afterward left Florence , wept sore to part with him . Yea in her last most desperate Sickness , being at the point of Death , she oft redoubled his name , ever and anon calling him thereby , as if the very mentioning of it were a kinde of ease to her .

Nor only was he thus respective to his Parents and betters ; even his equals and inferiours found him so pleasant , as if he had no mixture of Choller in him at all : so that for his excellent temper , and innocent carriage he was ( by contraction of his name ) styled Pippus bon●s , Pippus the Good .

By which amiableness both of Nature , and manners , he not only deserved the love of men , but was protected by God , even to a miracle : For being some eight or nine years old , and ( as boys are ) eager of riding , he got up on an asse that was in an outer court ; and on a sudden together with the asse fell down a pair of stairs into a cellar , where a woman presently running took him up sound ▪ and well , whom she supposed to have been bruised to pieces .

These rare accomplishments of the minde were attended with a speciall care of religion , and the service of God : and his devotions argued in him a strange maturity , and carried with them much of authority . For they consisted not in erecting li●tle Altars , as is usuall for children at that age ; but in sending up prayers , reciting Psalms , and devout attention to the word of God : concealing still in his talk his intention to become a Priest , or betake himself to a Cloyster ; and even in his childhood growing reserved in his designes ; as perfectly detesting all manner of ostentation .

Such a forwardness in vertue , and so childlike innocency procured him already that favour with God that whatever he requested of our Lord , he instantly obtained : So that it oft hapned , when he had lost any thing upon recourse to his prayers he presently found it .

He drew his first breathings of the Spirit from the Fryers predicant , whose Church dedicated to S. Mark , he much frequented , insomuch as living afterward in Rome , when any of the Fathers of that Order visited him , he would usually say ; Whatever good I have by Gods blessing received from my Infancy : I owe it all to the Fathers of your Society ; principally to Zenobius de Medices , and Servantius Minius : of whom he was wont to relate this passage .

These two had agreed together , every night , before they went to Mattens , to confesse their sins to one another , but the enemy of mankind envying them so great a good , knocks at Zenobius's chamber one night , two hours before ordinary , and cries , O ho , rise , 't is high time : whereat he awaks , and leaping out of bed hies him to Church , where he finds the counterfeit Servantius walking hard by the seat of Confession . Zenobius taking him for Servantius indeed devoutly kneels to make his confession , the devill sits by , takes it , and at any fault the Penitent confest , answered , Pish , this is nothing , no fault , this : then discovering some worse offence , still he replyed , These are but trifles . Zenobius hearing that , mistrusting the devils wiles , crossing himself thus bespake the Father of lies ; Art not thou that fiend infernall ? at which he vanisht away , both disappointed of his hope , and confounded with shame .

Besides these he resorted to an eminent Preacher of the Order of the Humiliati , called Baldoline , whom he greatly delighted to hear ; of whose Sanct●ty , he gave a very fair Character , affirming that Florence was saved by this mans prayers ; in the Year 1527. What time the Duke of Bourbon passing with his army through Italy , assaulted Rome .

The Holy Youth thus taken up with Spirituall imployments , this divine priviledge was granted him , that burning with the love of all vertues he even flamed with a Zeal of suffering for Christ . He was then about fifteen years of age , when he fell into a burning fever , which he endured with that patience and resolution , that though his body lay under the strokes of the disease , his Spirit seemed in a sort above it : therefore secretly hiding the matter , his chief care was to conceal from the family his being Sick .

No less bravery of minde did he express , when his Fathers house being on fire , he bare with such moderation the loss of no small quantity of goods ; that he thereby raised in all a very great opinion of his future piety .

THere was an Vncle of Philips named Romulus , a man very industrious , who going from Florence into Campania , and living a Merchant at S. Germans had there got an estate to the value of 22000 Crowns , and more : to him therefore was Philip at eighteen years old , by his Father dispatched , with designe , that applying himself to Merchandise , he might make him his heir , especially having none nearer a kin to him then he . So coming to S. Germans , he was by his Vncle kindly received , towards whom he so demeaned himself , that observing his ingenuity and maners , he purposed to make him his heir ; but that God who had destined him to nobler ends , defeated the contrivances of his Vncle : and Philip within a while perceiving himself called forth to a far better course of life , began to consult of altering his condition : to the perfecting which project of his , that which now comes to be related did conduce .

At the Port of Caieta , not far off S. Germans , there riseth a Mountai● , fam'd by report for one of those that ren● asunder at the Passion of our Saviour . This mountain parts it self into three huge clefes from top to bottom , of which the midlemost is much the widest ; where on a high and stately Rock stands a Chappel remarked for an ancient Crucifix in it , wh●ch , as they passe by , the Seamen are wont to salute with volleys of Shot .

Hither ofttimes Philip retires , the better to contemplate on the mysteries of the Passion : where loathing daily more and more the varnished follies , and gilded roctenness of this world , he resolved , quitting his Merchants affairs , to make choice of a life , wherein he might freely serve God , with a minde disinteressed from worldly cares . His Vncle soon discovers his drift , and labours might and main to alter his Resolutions : First promiseth to leave him sole Heir to his whole estate ; then mindes him of the Nerian Family , like to fail utterly in him ; which he should do well to think of ; and neither hastily nor unadvisedly determin a matter of that consequence ; Lastly tells him , he had not deserved so ill at his hands , as not to obtain one favour from him , in lieu of so many bestowed . Philip as was fit , modestly replyed ; He should never be unmindful of his favours indeed ; but as to the rest , he rather commended his affection , then approved his counsel .

ANd the better to attain the perfection of divine knowledge , and contemplate on heavenly things , he annexeth to the exercises of Piety , the studies of Philosophy and Divinity . And applying himself first to Philosophy , he therein so acquitted him , that not without cause he was ranked amongst the learned'st Scholars , eminent in those dayes in the Colledge at Rome . His Praeceptors were the chief in all the City , Alphonso Ferrio , and Caesar Jacobellius , afterwards Bishop .

He studied Divinity among the Augustine Friers ; wherein he made such a progress , that he gained enough to serve him for his whole life : insomuch that when he was old , he would answer the deepest questions in Theologie as readily , as if he had come from his studies but the other day : sometimes discussing such points with his Sons , who were vers'd in them ; both to endear them the more to him , and by these allectives , further and promote them in Christian Devotion . At other times ( but that seldom ) he would discourse thereof with the most judicious Divines of that Age ; of whom were Ambrosius de Balneolo , afterward made Bishop of Nardo by Pius the V. and Paulus Bernardinus of Luca of the Order of S. Dominic , famous for Wisdom and Learning , with whom he was very intimate . To others he carried himself with such Modesty , as though he had scarce been in the Confines of Learning . Whereupon a wise Prelate visiting him , and conferring at large with him , said at his parting : I took this for an ignorant and unletter'd man , but in truth I finde him excellently qualified for vertue and profound knowledge : the like befell Alexander Saulius , Bishop , first of Aleria , then of Pavie , famous for holiness and learning , who propounding some Theological questions to him , wondred at his sharp understanding , and gave him the like testimony .

Hence it was his custome , that if any of His had in his hearing delivered any thing , either unwarily or obscurely , in their ordinary Sermons , ( of which course more hereafter ) he would presently up into the Pulpit , and explain it with such weight of reasons and significancy of terms , you would have said , his Doctrine was rather inspired by God , then acquired from Art .

In Theologie he mostwhat inclined to the judgement of S. Thomas , whose Summ he had still by him : nor was he less a proficient in the H. Scriptures ; by continual reading whereof , and daily meditation , he was able to interweave the sacred Oracles with his discourse , to the great advantage of his hearers .

Nor in his younger time did he neglect Poetry , as well Latine as Italian , in which he grew so dextrous , that on a sudden he would compose excellent verses at pleasure . Yet while he thus intended his studies , he did not for this omit the exercises of Religion and Charity ; but resorted to the Infirmaries of the City , carefully tended the sick , taught in the Cathedrals the principles of Faith , and the like ; in brief , refused nothing that any way conduced to the good of Souls . Yea , for the time he studied Divinity , whensoever he fixed his eyes on the Crucifix which hung up in the Schools , he was not able to forbear sighs and tears . So that , as at Florence he was sirnamed Pippus bonus , so at Rome he gained the title of Philippus bonus , Philip the vertuous .

AS soon as he had gathered from Sciences , and reading Holy Books what he thought might suffice to the promoting his own and others Salvation , taking S. Pauls advice ; Non plus Sapere , quam oportet sapere ; That none presume to understand , above what is meet to understand ; all business set aside , he determined to know nothing but Christ and him Crucified . Hereupon he sold all the Books he had , and bestowed the Money on the Poor : which act of Charity performed , he betook him to his Prayers with more fervent devotion ; even to the spending dayes and nights therein , and continuing sometimes in it full forty houres .

And for his better progress , he began more severely to afflict his body , sleeping on the ground anights , beating himself every day with small Iron Chaines , declining the Company of men , daily frequenting the seven Churches of the Citty , especially the Caemitery of Callistus ; where carrying with him only one loaf for his provision , he would many times pass whole nights in supplications : which strange course of life he led for ten years together . Which Francis Cardonius , a Dominican ( who then in Rome had charge of the Novices in the Monastery of S. Maria supra Minervam : ) observing , to encourage others to the practises of stricter holiness , would frequently tell them ; Phil●p Neri indeed was a right holy person ; who , besides many wonderfull things done by him ; lived ten whole years in S. Sebastians Grots .

If he chanced at any time to finde the Church-doors shut , when he repaired to those holy places , he was won● to stand in the Porch ; and there imploy himself in meditation on heavenly things ; oftimes in reading some pious book by Moon-light . Here was he enriched with such celestial treasures , here was he so ravished with delights , that when he could no longer sustain those overcomming pleasures , he would cry out ; It is enough , good God , it is enough , withhold I entreat thee , withhold the excesses of thy Grace , for I cannot ●ear them : and falling flat upon the earth , he was fa●n to roll himself too and fro . No wonder therefore , if being big with him , who fills heaven , and earth , he did divers times affirme , that nothing was more irksome , more a burden to him that truely loved God , than life : oft using that memorable and common saying , That Holy Men endured life , desired death .

Yet God not only thus feasted his Champion with Spirituall Dainties , but on the other side exercised him with the encounters of divels that assaulted him . He went once to the Lateran Church , and passing the Amphitheater of Vespasian , an evill spirit in the likeness of a naked person comes out and meets him , suggesting filthy and impure thoughts to him : but the chast youth knowing the wily artifices of that old Serpent betakes him to his wonted artillery of Prayer , with which he shamefully worsted the fiend .

One night also , not far from S. Sebastians Church , on a suddain three devills with ugly and grim visages ( the more to fright him ) met him praying , and meditating as he walked , but he , as one disdaining them , discovering no sign of fear went on undauntedly , continuing in prayer with great tranquility : at which they fled , frustrate of their expectations . And with many other combats in this kinde did those wicked spirits assail him , over whom notwithstanding this valliant Souldier of Christ victoriously triumphed . Of which in their proper places .

HAving lived thus a long time , and now 29 years of age , among other priviledges wherewith God honoured him , the miraculous beating of his heart , the fracture of two of his ribs , so that they stuck out , were not the meanest : which befell him after this manner .

A little before Witsuntide , a festivity dedicated to the Holy Ghost , to whom Philip having long since piously surrendred up himself , now more intensely pray'd ; Lo ! on an instant he perceived himself seized with such a passionate fervour of Divine Love , that flinging himself on the earth , like one in a swoon gasping for air , he was forced immediately to bare his brest : when , the extream heat somewhat allayed , he rose , and transported with extraordinary joy , putting his right hand to his left side , found a kind of rising where the heart is & seated , swollen to the bigness of ones fist .

What the cause of this tumor was , plainly appeared when he was dead , in the view of divers : for as the Surgeon opened his Corpse before skilful Anatomists that were by ; they found two of the five lesser , which they call the short , ribs , broken clean asunder , and sticking forth like a bow , which for fifty years afterward that he lived , at no time ever closed again : and yet ( which seems incredible ) he never found from it , either then , or afterward , the least pain or trouble .

At the same time , though he were in very good temper of body , and perfectly free from any grief or passion , yet was he suddenly taken with a palpitation of the heart , that held him from that moment to his last breath : Yet it used to seize on him only when he was conversant in matters of Religion ; as when he said Mass , gave Absolution , ministred the Body of Christ , prayed , or performed the like offices ; at which his heart would so leap within him , as though it would have broke its prison , and have forced its way through him . Then should you have seen the stools , bed , and the chamber it self shaken and tossed , as with an earth-quake ; so once at the Cathedral of S. Peter when kneeling down upon a great and heavy board , his whole body did so quake and tremble , that the board he rested on moved up and down , like a thing of no weight at all . From that time was Philip so devoted unto the Holy Ghost , that after he was Priest , he would every day ( except the rites of the Church were against it ) use that prayer in the Sacrifice of the Mass ; Deus cui omne cor patet .

Hence it was likewise , that if any Penitent coming to Confession chanced to lean against his breast , he should ( even to admiration ) feel that throbbing of his heart , and , if his head touched him , sometimes perceive it recoil , as if struck with a hammer ; and he in the mean while freed of all Temptations . So that Tiberius Ricciardellus , Canon of the forenamed Church of S. Peter , who voluntarily served the H. Man four years together , left this upon record .

What time I served the B. man ( saith he ) I was surprized with a lewd and foul imagination , which so soon as I had disclosed unto him , he bade me come neerer , and joyn my breast to his ; I approached , did so , and was instantly rid of it , never after being molested with like impurities . Thus Tiberius . The same do Marcellus Vitellescus , Canon of S. Maria Major , one very gracious with Philip , and sundry others avouch .

Besides , that part of his breast burned with such extream heat , that it diffused it self over all his body ; and even when he grew in years , and was almost spent Many have seen this , and fourteen witnesses , persons of credit , have confirmed it by Oath . with incredible abstinence , yet in the depth of Winter , in the in the middle of the night was he forced to uncover his breast , open Windows , and by several wayes , ( as he could ) let in the cooler air . Which immoderate heat grew so great at some times , that not only his hands grew exceeding hot , but his throat was dried up and scorched , as it had been on fire : that in winter , when all things are chill , and stiff with frost and snow , you should have seen a man worn out with old age , walk open-breasted thorow the City .

But when the Physicians , in regard of the differing Symptoms , which he found from this panting , applyed several and contrary medecines ; he jestingly said , I would these men knew but the cause of my malady ▪ intimating that he was not distempered by any natural sickness , but wounded rather with Divine Love : and therefore used to say , Vulneratus sum Charitate ego , I am wounded with love . As likewise finding himself ensnared in the love of Christ , he would sing in Italian .