Sacri et Militaris Ordinis B.M. de Mercede, per Bern. de
Vargas, ej. Ord. 2 vol. in fol. Panormi, 1622, and by John de Latomis in
12mo. in 1621, and especially the Spanish history of the same by Alonso
Roman, 2 vol. fol. at Madrid, in 1618, and the life of the saint
compiled in Italian by F. Francis Olihano, in 4to. 1668. See also
Baillet, and Hist. des Ordres Relig. par Helyot, and Hist de l'Ordre de
Notre Dame de la Merci, par les RR. Peres de la Merci, de la
Congregation de Paris, fol. printed at Amiens, in 1685.

A.D. 1258.

PETER, of the noble family of Nolasco, in Languedoc, was born in the
diocese of St. Papoul, about the year 1189. His parents were very rich,
but far more illustrious for their virtue. Peter, while an infant, cried
at the sight of a poor man, till something was given him to bestow on
the object of his compassion. In his childhood he gave to the poor
whatever he received for his own use. He was exceeding comely and
beautiful; but innocence and virtue were his greatest ornaments. It was
his pious custom to give a very large alms to the first poor man he met
every morning, without being asked. He rose at midnight, and assisted at
matins in the church, as then the more devout part of the laity used to
do, together with all the clergy. At the age of fifteen he lost his
father, who left him heir to a great estate: and he remained at home
under the government of his pious mother, who brought him up in
extraordinary sentiments and practices of virtue. Being solicited to
marry, he betook himself to the serious consideration of the vanity of
all earthly things; and rising one night full of those thoughts,
prostrated himself in fervent prayer, which he continued till morning,
most ardently devoting himself to God in the state of celibacy, and
dedicating his whole patrimony to the promoting of his divine honor. He
followed Simon of Montfort, general of the holy war against the
Albigenses, an heretical sect, which had filled Languedoc with great
cruelties, and over spread it with universal desolation. That count
vanquished them, and in the battle of Muret defeated and killed Peter,
king of Aragon, and took his son James prisoner, a child of six years
old. The conqueror having the most tender regard and compassion for the
prince his prisoner, appointed Peter Nolasco, then twenty-five years
old, his tutor, and sent them both together into Spain. Peter, in the
midst of the court of the king at Barcelona,[1] whe