This library is built in the open.
If you spot an error, have a suggestion, or just want to say hello — we’d love to hear from you.

page number 1
more. Concerning the manner / however / in which the matter is presented / it is made almost in the same style as the Holy Scripture / upright and simple / plain and right / but full of wisdom and of the Holy Spirit. Spiritus ubi vult, spirat The Spirit blows where it wills original: "Spiritus ubi vult, spirat (Jo. 3. v. 8.)". The Spirit of God blows where he wills / and how he wills. I wanted to add this for the reason / that right at the beginning of this work one might have some simple information and knowledge of Saint Birgitta's Revelations.
For the rest / we all collectively and urgently pray to the Most High God / that he may graciously grant to Your Majesty / through the merits and intercession of his great friend Saint Birgitta / what I have heartily wished for the same in the opening of this dedication / and still wish / namely: Eternal Blessing / Fortune / Salvation / Victory / and a long life: but especially / that he may powerfully bless Your Majesty's weapons of war with his strong arm against the hereditary enemy of all Christendom. And therewith I wished to most humbly commend the Order of Saint Birgitta to Your Majesty's Imperial grace. Cologne, in the Sion Monastery, the last day of March / 1664.
A decorative horizontal border with floral and geometric patterns divides the sections.
A decorative drop cap 'W' begins the text.
We, Joannes, by the mercy of God / Priest Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church of the Title of Saint Maria beyond the Tiber / formerly of Saint Sixtus / wish to each and every one / who professes the faith of Christ / salvation in the Lord / who is the true salvation and life for all men. Whereas we have been kindly and urgently requested by the venerable and spiritual brothers Magnus Dunonis, Master of Liberal Arts / Bachelor of Holy Scripture / and General Confessor of the Monastery of the Holy Virgin Mary and Birgitta at Vadstena of the Order of Saint Augustine / called Saint Savior / in the Diocese of Linköping in the Kingdom of Sweden / and Olavus Petri, a conventual brother of the aforementioned monastery / on behalf of the said monastery and Order to give testimony of the truth / namely that we should certify / that we have issued the following interpretation and explanations concerning several articles / taken and drawn from the books of the Revelations of the Blessed Birgitta / some of which certain persons at the Council of Basel presumed to reject as erroneous. Since / as Augustine says / both are guilty or punishable / he who hides the truth / as well as he who speaks lies: for the former will not be of use / and the latter desires to do harm / we have therefore wished to comply with the reasonable request of the aforementioned fathers / and we say and testify herewith / that / before we were elevated to the dignity of the Cardinalate / while still present at the Council of Basel / namely in the year of the Lord 1435 / being Master of the Holy Apostolic Palace / and one of the teachers of Holy Scripture appointed by the said Council to examine the aforementioned articles / and to see if anything were contained in the books of the Revelations of the aforementioned Lady Saint Birgitta / which was against the Holy Scripture and the teaching of the holy teachers / or against good morals / and which might in some way be misread or give offense / as was being spread by many enviers. Therefore we / inflamed by zeal for the truth / and for the honor of Saint Birgitta / and trusting in the goodness of Almighty God / have read through all the books of the aforementioned Revelations diligently and carefully / and according to the grace given to us from above / and