ying
perfect freedom.
Many persons of rank were anxious to help him, but he did not wish to
avail himself of their offers. One person especially, Lady Teresa de
Cardena, sent frequently, offering to deliver him from prison. He
replied in these words, "He, for whose love I am imprisoned, will free
me when it may be His good pleasure."
He passed seventeen days in prison,--yet was totally ignorant of the
cause,--when Figueroa came to question him. Among other things, he
asked whether he commanded the observance of the Sabbath.
Among those who had frequently come to see Ignatius were two persons,
a mother and daughter, the latter of whom was young and beautiful.
These, especially the daughter, had made great progress in the
spiritual life, and although ladies of rank, had determined to make a
pilgrimage alone and on foot, and beg their way to the shrine of
Veronica, in the city of Jaen.
This occasioned so great a sensation throughout the city of Alcala
that Dr. Giruellus, who was the guardian of the two women, thinking
that Ignatius was the cause of their action, ordered him to be cast
into prison.
As the Vicar was willing to be fully informed, Ignatius said: "These
women made known to me their desire of going about from place to place
to assist the poor they found in the different hospitals. I, however,
disapproved of their design, on account of the daughter, who was quite
young and beautiful, representing to them at the same time that if
they felt strongly urged to assist the poor, Alcala presented a broad
enough field for their labors, and they could satisfy their devotion
by accompanying the Blessed Sacrament as it was being carried to the
sick." When Ignatius had finished his account, Figueroa and the notary
departed, after writing down what had taken place.
Calisto, a companion of Ignatius, and who on recovering from a severe
illness had heard of the imprisonment of Ignatius, hastened from
Segovia, where he was staying, and came to Alcala, that he, too, might
be cast into prison.
Ignatius advised him to go to the Vicar, who received him kindly, and
promised to send him to prison. It was necessary, he said, for him to
be detained until the return of the women. It could then be seen
whether or not their account agreed with what he and Ignatius had
stated.
As the confinement was undermining Calisto's health, Ignatius, through
the intervention of a professor who was a friend of his, obtained his
libera
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