ABSTRACT
St Xaverius appeared to me as I was in our cell at work, and bid me write my life, and the favours God had done me, giving me to understand that by doing this I should much advance the honour and glory of God, and that this would be the best return of gratitude, which I could make; I cannot express the peace and joy I found
171 For a printed text, see Thomas Hunter (1876), An English Carmelite: The Life of Catherine Burton, ed. H. J. C., London: Bums and Oates. The text is also included in Nicola Hallett's forthcoming Lives of Spirit: An Edition of English Carmelite Auto/biographies of the Early Modem Period, Aldershot: Ashgate. Dr Hallett is also preparing a related monograph, 'Paradise upon Earth': The Lives and (Self) Construction of Early Modem Nuns, Aldershot: Ashgate. ('Mrs', i.e. 'mistress', in the title of the manuscript did not signify that Burton was married.)
286PersonalDisclosures
inmysoul;Iremainedanhourinarapt;yetIfoundgreatrepugnanceindoing whatthesaintrequiredofme,havingnotalentinwriting,nortimeforit...so...I concludedImustbeyearsaboutit,andeventhenbeunabletobringittoanything withoutsupernaturalhelp....[Sheaskedifshecoulddeferthewritingforten years.StXaveriussaidshehadtobeginimmediately.]Thesainttoldmehewould helpme,thathewouldindite172itforme,andthatthereshouldbenothinginitbut whatwastrue;.IwasinfearhavingabadmemorythatIshouldwritesomethings notsoexactlyasIcouldwish.
