LETTERS

 TO MONNA ALESSA DEI SARACINI

 TO BENINCASA HER BROTHER WHEN HE WAS IN FLORENCE

 TO THE VENERABLE RELIGIOUS, BROTHER ANTONIO OF NIZZA, OF THE ORDER OF THE HERMIT BROTHERS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AT THE WOOD OF THE LAKE

 TO MONNA AGNESE WHO WAS THE WIFE OF MESSER ORSO MALAVOLTI

 TO SISTER EUGENIA, HER NIECE AT THE CONVENT OF SAINT AGNES OF MONTEPULCIANO

 TO NANNA, DAUGHTER OF BENINCASA A LITTLE MAID, HER NIECE, IN FLORENCE

 TO BROTHER WILLIAM OF ENGLAND OF THE HERMIT BROTHERS OF ST. AUGUSTINE

 TO DANIELLA OF ORVIETO CLOTHED WITH THE HABIT OF ST. DOMINIC

 TO MONNA AGNESE WIFE OF FRANCESCO, A TAILOR OF FLORENCE

 LETTERS IN RESPONSE TO CERTAIN CRITICISMS

 TO A RELIGIOUS MAN IN FLORENCE WHO WAS SHOCKED AT HER ASCETIC PRACTICES

 TO BROTHER BARTOLOMEO DOMINICI OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS WHEN HE WAS BIBLE READER AT FLORENCE

 TO BROTHER MATTEO DI FRANCESCO TOLOMEI OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS

 TO A MANTELLATA OF SAINT DOMINIC CALLED CATARINA DI SCETTO

 LETTERS TO NERI DI LANDOCCIO DEI PAGLIARESI

 TO MONNA GIOVANNA AND HER OTHER DAUGHTERS IN SIENA

 TO MESSER JOHN THE SOLDIER OF FORTUNE AND HEAD OF THE COMPANY THAT CAME IN THE TIME OF FAMINE

 TO MONNA COLOMBA IN LUCCA

 TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS

 TO GREGORY XI

 TO GREGORY XI

 TO GREGORY XI

 TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA AT AVIGNON

 TO CATARINA OF THE HOSPITAL AND GIOVANNA DI CAPO

 TO SISTER DANIELLA OF ORVIETO CLOTHED WITH THE HABIT OF SAINT DOMINIC WHO NOT BEING ABLE TO CARRY OUT HER GREAT PENANCES HAD FALLEN INTO DEEP AFFLICTI

 TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS

 AND TO MASTER JOHN III. OF THE ORDER OF THE HERMIT BROTHERS OF ST. AUGUSTINE

 AND TO ALL THEIR COMPANIONS WHEN THEY WERE AT AVIGNON

 TO SISTER BARTOLOMEA DELLA SETA NUN IN THE CONVENT OF SANTO STEFANO AT PISA

 TO GREGORY XI

 TO THE KING OF FRANCE

 LETTERS TO FLORENCE

 TO THE EIGHT OF WAR CHOSEN BY THE COMMUNE OF FLORENCE, AT WHOSE INSTANCE THE SAINT WENT TO POPE GREGORY XI

 TO BUONACCORSO DI LAPO IN FLORENCE WRITTEN WHEN THE SAINT WAS AT AVIGNON

 TO GREGORY XI

 TO MONNA LAPA HER MOTHER BEFORE SHE RETURNED FROM AVIGNON

 TO MONNA GIOVANNA DI CORRADO MACONI

 TO MESSER RISTORO CANIGIANI

 TO THE ANZIANI AND CONSULS AND GONFALONIERI OF BOLOGNA

 TO NICHOLAS OF OSIMO

 TO MISSER LORENZO DEL PINO OF BOLOGNA, DOCTOR IN DECRETALS (WRITTEN IN TRANCE)

 TO MONNA LAPA HER MOTHER AND TO MONNA CECCA IN THE MONASTERY OF SAINT AGNES AT MONTEPULCIANO, WHEN SHE WAS AT ROCCA

 TO MONNA CATARINA OF THE HOSPITAL AND TO GIOVANNA DI CAPO IN SIENA

 TO MONNA ALESSA CLOTHED WITH THE HABIT OF SAINT DOMINIC, WHEN SHE WAS AT ROCCA

 TO GREGORY XI

 TO RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS

 TO URBAN VI

 TO HER SPIRITUAL CHILDREN IN SIENA

 TO BROTHER WILLIAM AND TO MESSER MATTEO OF THE MISERICORDIA

 AND TO BROTHER SANTI AND TO HER OTHER SONS

 TO SANO DI MACO AND ALL HER OTHER SONS IN SIENA

 TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS

 TO URBAN VI

 TO DON GIOVANNI OF THE CELLS OF VALLOMBROSA

 TO MONNA ALESSA WHEN THE SAINT WAS AT FLORENCE

 TO SANO DI MACO AND TO THE OTHER SONS IN CHRIST WHILE SHE WAS IN FLORENCE

 TO THREE ITALIAN CARDINALS

 TO GIOVANNA QUEEN OF NAPLES

 TO SISTER DANIELLA OF ORVIETO

 TO STEFANO MACONI

 TO CERTAIN HOLY HERMITS WHO HAD BEEN INVITED TO ROME BY THE POPE

 TO BROTHER WILLIAM OF ENGLAND AND BROTHER ANTONIO OF NIZZA AT LECCETO

 TO BROTHER ANDREA OF LUCCA TO BROTHER BALDO AND TO BROTHER LANDO SERVANTS OF GOD IN SPOLETO, WHEN THEY WERE SUMMONED BY THE HOLY FATHER

 TO BROTHER ANTONIO OF NIZZA OF THE HERMIT BROTHERS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AT THE CONVENT OF LECCETO NEAR SIENA

 TO QUEEN GIOVANNA OF NAPLES (WRITTEN IN TRANCE)

 TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF THE PREACHING ORDER WHEN HE WAS IN GENOA

 TO URBAN VI

 TO MASTER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA

 TO MASTER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS

TO GREGORY XI

Catherine, sent by the Florentines as their representative to the Pope, has reached Avignon and seen the Holy Father. Far from being overawed in his presence, she has evidently felt toward him a mingling of sympathy and tenderness not untouched by compassion. She is impressed by the sensitiveness of the man--by the strength of the adverse influences continually playing upon him from his own household; above all, by his extreme timidity. The gentle, reassuring tone of this letter is almost like that of a mother encouraging a dear but weak-spirited child to make his own decisions and to abide by them. Catherine's sweetness of nature preserves her from viewing Gregory with any tinge of contempt; but we cannot help feeling the contrast between this frail woman of heroic soul and the hesitating figure of the Pope.

In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of sweet Mary:

Most holy and blessed father in Christ sweet Jesus: your poor unworthy little daughter Catherine comforts you in His precious Blood, with desire to see you free from any servile fear. For I consider that a timorous man cuts short the vigour of holy resolves and good desire, and so I have prayed, and shall pray, sweet and good Jesus that He free you from all servile fear, and that holy fear alone remain. May ardour of charity be in you, in such wise as shall prevent you from hearing the voice of incarnate demons, and heeding the counsel of perverse counsellors, settled in self- love, who, as I understand, want to alarm you, so as to prevent your return, saying, "You will die." And I tell you on behalf of Christ crucified, most sweet and holy father, not to fear for any reason whatsoever. Come in security: trust you in Christ sweet Jesus: for, doing what you ought, God will be above you, and there will be no one who shall be against you. Up, father, like a man! For I tell you that you have no need to fear. You ought to come; come, then. Come gently, without any fear. And if any at home wish to hinder you, say to them bravely, as Christ said when St. Peter, through tenderness, wished to draw Him back from going to His passion; Christ turned to him, saying, "Get thee behind Me, Satan; thou art an offence to Me, seeking the things which are of men, and not those which are of God. Wilt thou not that I fulfil the will of My Father?" Do you likewise, sweetest father, following Him as His vicar, deliberating and deciding by yourself, and saying to those who would hinder you, "If my life should be spent a thousand times, I wish to fulfil the will of my Father." Although bodily life be laid down for it, yet seize on the life of grace and the means of winning it for ever. Now comfort you and fear not, for you have no need. Put on the armour of the most holy Cross, which is the safety and the life of Christians. Let talk who will, and hold you firm in your holy resolution. My father, Fra Raimondo, said to me on your behalf that I was to pray God to see whether you were to meet with an obstacle, and I had already prayed about it, before and after Holy Communion, and I saw neither death nor any peril. Those perils are invented by the men who counsel you. Believe, and trust you in Christ sweet Jesus. I hope that God will not despise so many prayers, made with so ardent desire, and with many tears and sweats. I say no more. Remain in the holy and sweet grace of God. Pardon me, pardon me. Jesus Christ crucified be with you. Sweet Jesus, Jesus Love.