S. Thomæ de Villanova Episcopi et Confessoris.

Factum est autem, cum descénderet montem, circa ortum diéi, occurrérunt ei exploratóres Assyriórum et tenuérunt eam, dicéntes: Unde venis? aut quo vadis? Quæ respóndit: Fília sum Hebræórum, ídeo ego fugi a fácie eórum, quóniam futúrum agnóvi, quod dentur vobis in deprædatiónem, pro eo quod contemnéntes vos, noluérunt ultro trádere seípsos ut invenírent misericórdiam in conspéctu vestro.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And it came to pass, when she went down the hill, about break of day, that the watchmen of the Assyrians met her and stopped her, saying: Whence comest thou? or whither goest thou? And she answered: I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I am fled from them, because I knew they would be made a prey to you, because they despised you, and would not of their own accord yield themselves, that they might find mercy in your sight.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Duxerúntque illam ad tabernáculum Holoférnis, annuntiántes eam. Cumque intrásset ante fáciem ejus, statim captus est in suis óculis Holoférnes. Dixerúntque ad eum satéllites ejus: Quis contémnat pópulum Hebræórum, qui tam decóras mulíeres habent, ut non pro his mérito pugnáre contra eos debeámus? Videns ítaque Judith Holoférnem sedéntem in conopéo, quod erat ex púrpura, et auro, et smarágdo, et lapídibus pretiósis intéxtum: et cum in fáciem ejus intendísset, adorávit eum, prostérnens se super terram.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And they brought her to the tent of Holofernes, telling him of her. And when she was come into his presence, forthwith Holofernes was caught by his eyes. And his officers said to him: Who can despise the people of the Hebrews who have such beautiful women, that we should not think it worth our while for their sakes to fight against them? And Judith seeing Holofernes sitting under a canopy, which was woven of purple and gold, with emeralds and precious stones: After she had looked on his face bowed down to him, prostrating herself to the ground.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Religiónem proféssus, ómnibus religiósi hóminis virtútibus et ornaméntis excélluit, humilitáte, patiéntia, continéntia, sed ardentíssima caritáte summe conspícuus: inter vários et assíduos labóres oratióni rerúmque divinárum meditatióni invícto spíritu semper inténtus. Prædicándi onus, útpote sanctimónia et doctrína præstans, subíre jussus, cœlésti aspiránte grátia, innumerábiles e vitiórum cœno in viam salútis edúxit. Regéndis deínde frátribus admótus, prudéntiam, æquitátem et mansuetúdinem pari sedulitáte ac severitáte conjúnxit: ádeo ut priscam sui órdinis disciplínam multis in locis vel firmáverit, vel restitúerit.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

In the Order wherein he had professed, he was marked for all that maketh a good and edifying Friar, for lowliness, for long-suffering, for cleanness-of-heart, but, above all, for the warmth of his charity. Amid diverse and hard works, he let his spirit never faint from prayer and study of the things of God. On account of his holiness and learning he was bidden to undertake the work of preaching, and, by the help of God's grace, was the means of drawing countless souls out of the slough of sin into the way that leadeth unto life. Being raised to rule over his brethren, he so joined wisdom, justice, and gentleness with watchfulness and firmness, that he either established or restored in many places the original discipline of his Order.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Granaténsis archiepíscopus designátus, mira humilitáte et constántia insígne munus rejécit. Verum non multo post Valentínam ecclésiam, superiórum auctoritáte coáctus, gubernándam suscépit: quam annis ferme úndecim ita rexit, ut sanctíssimi et vigilantíssimi pastóris partes expléverit. Céterum consuéta vivéndi ratióne nihil ádmodum immutáta, inexplébili caritáti multo magis indúlsit, cum amplos ecclésiæ réditus in egénos dispérsit, ne léctulo quidem sibi relícto: nam eum, in quo decumbébat, cum in cœlum evocarétur, ab eódem commodátum hábuit, cui paulo ante eleemósynæ loco donáverat. Obdormívit in Dómino sexto Idus Septémbris, annos natus octo et sexagínta. Servi sui sanctitátem adhuc vivéntis, et exínde post mortem, miráculis Deus testátam vóluit, præsértim, cum hórreum, fruménto paupéribus distribúto, pénitus vácuum, repénte plenum invéntum est, et cum ad ejus sepúlchrum puer mórtuus revíxit. Quibus aliísque non paucis fulgéntem signis Alexánder séptimus Póntifex Máximus sanctórum número adscrípsit, atque ejus memóriam quarto décimo Kaléndas Octóbris celebrári mandávit.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

He was named to the Archbishopric of Granada, but, with excellent lowliness and firmness, he refused to take so high a place. However, not long after, he was forced by the commands of his superiors to accept the government of the Church of Valencia, which he discharged for nearly eleven years with the reputation of a most holy and watchful shepherd of souls. His elevation changed nowise his way of life, except to give greater scope to his wonderful charity by placing the revenues of a wealthy Church at his disposal to distribute to the poor. He did not leave himself even a bed that on which he was lying when he was called to heaven, he had only on loan from a person to whom he had shortly before given it as an alms. He fell asleep in the Lord upon the 8th day of September, in the 69th year of his own age, (and of our Lord 1555.) God was pleased to approve the holiness of His servant by miracles, both during his life and after his death, whereof are specially remarked that when he had utterly emptied his barn by giving away all his corn to the poor, it was suddenly found full again, and that a dead boy was raised to life at his grave. Finding him famous for these signs, and not a few others, Pope Alexander VII. enrolled him in the list of the Saints, and ordered that his memory should be held in remembrance upon the 18th day of September.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Quis ítaque iste homo est, qui péregre proficíscitur, nisi Redémptor noster, qui in ea carne quam assúmpserat, ábiit in cœlum? Carnis enim locus próprius terra est; quæ quasi ad peregrína dúcitur, dum per Redemptórem nostrum in cœlo collocátur. Sed homo iste péregre proficíscens, servis suis bona sua trádidit, quia fidélibus suis spirituália dona concéssit. Et uni quidem quinque talénta, álii duo, álii vero commísit unum. Quinque étenim sunt córporis sensus, vidélicet: visus, audítus, gustus, odorátus, et tactus. Quinque ergo taléntis, donum quinque sénsuum, id est, exteriórum sciéntia exprímitur. Duóbus vero, intelléctus et operátio designátur. Uníus autem talénti nómine, intelléctus tantúmmodo designátur. ¶ Sed is, qui quinque talénta accéperat, ália quinque lucrátus est: quia sunt nonnúlli, qui etsi intérna ac mýstica penetráre nésciunt, pro intentióne tamen supérnæ pátriæ docent recta quos possunt, de ipsis exterióribus, quæ accepérunt, duplum taléntum portant: dumque se a carnis petulántia, et a terrenárum rerum ámbitu, atque a visibílium voluptáte custódiunt, ab his étiam álios admonéndo compéscunt. Et sunt nonnúlli, qui quasi duóbus taléntis ditáti, intelléctum atque operatiónem percípiunt, subtília de intérnis intélligunt, mira in exterióribus operántur. Cumque et intelligéndo et operándo áliis prǽdicant, quasi duplicátum de negótio lucrum repórtant.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

What other, then, is that man travelling into a far country but our Redeemer, Who is gone up from us into heaven in that Flesh Which He had taken into Himself? For the earth is the home of the Flesh, Which travelleth into a far country - when our Redeemer giveth It a place in heaven. But that man travelling into a far country delivered unto his servants his goods; and so doth our Redeemer give spiritual gifts unto His faithful people. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one. There are five bodily senses; that is, sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. By the five talents therefore are signified the five senses, that is, outward knowledge. By the two, wit and work. And by the figure of the one talent, understanding, which is alone. ¶ And so he that had received five talents, gained other five talents - for some there be who, while yet they are not able to go on unto things inward and mystic, do yet so desire our Fatherland which is above, that they teach well all whom they can, and of those very outward things which they have received make gain double. These are they which keep themselves clean from the unruly motions of the flesh, and from the lust of the world, and from the delight of things which are seen, and, by their preaching, keep other men also clean from all these things. And some there are who receive, as their two talents, the power to think and the power to work. These are they which inwardly understand dark things, and outwardly work wonders. And these, since they preach unto others, both through their understanding and their works, gain, as it were, double, for the talents which they have received.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Cum Maximiánus imperátor, ducto in Gálliam exércitu, in fínibus Sedunórum sacrifícii causa constitísset, Thebæórum légio, ne se impiórum sacrórum societáte contamináret, a réliquis cópiis discéssit. Quare imperátor misit ad eos mílites, qui suo nómine nuntiárent, ut, si salvi esse vellent, in castra ad sacrifícia redírent. Qui se christiána religióne impedíri respondérunt. Quorum respónsum ille indigníssime ferens, majóri iracúndia, quam ántea, exársit. Itaque immíssa parte exércitus in Thebǽos, décimum quemque eórum primum occídi jussit: quod martýrium sua sponte, maximéque hortatóre Maurítio, ferre maluérunt quam imperáta fácere nefárii imperatóris: ac deínde réliquos omnes, constantíssime Christum prædicántes, décimo Kaléndas Octóbris ab univérso exércitu trucidári ímperat.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

When the Emperor Maximian led his army into Gaul, he stopped at the frontiers of the Seduni to offer a sacrifice. The Theban legion, that they might not be defiled by any share in the unhallowed rites, withdrew themselves from the rest of his army. Therefore the Emperor sent soldiers unto them to bid them in his name, if they valued their lives, come back into the camp to the sacrifice. They answered that the Christian religion did not allow them. This answer enkindled in him greater wrath than before. He therefore despatched a part of his army to the Thebans. with orders to begin by killing one man in every ten of them. By their own will, and at the urgent exhortation of Maurice, they chose rather to endure this martyrdom than to do the commandment of the unrighteous Emperor. At the last, the Emperor, upon the 22nd day of September, bade his whole army fall upon them and slay them all. They confessed Christ bravely even to the end.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.