re the kings of
Aragon resided, led the life of a recluse, practising the austerities of
a cloister. He gave no part of his time to amusements, but spent all the
moments which the instruction of his pupil left free, in holy prayer,
meditation, and pious reading. The Moors at that time were possessed of
a considerable part of Spain, and great numbers of Christians groaned
under their tyranny in a miserable slavery both there and in Africa.
Compassion for the poor had always been the distinguishing virtue of
Peter. The sight of so many moving objects in captivity, and the
consideration of the spiritual dangers to which their faith and virtue
stood exposed under their Mahometan masters, touched his heart to the
quick, and he soon spent his whole estate in redeeming as many as he
could. Whenever he saw {315} any poor Christian slaves, he used to say:
"Behold eternal treasures which never fail." By his discourses he moved
others to contribute large alms towards this charity, and at last formed
a project for instituting a religious order for a constant supply of men
and means whereby to carry on so charitable an undertaking. This design
met with great obstacles in the execution, but the Blessed Virgin, the
true mother of mercy, appearing to St. Peter, the king, and St. Raymund
of Pennafort, in distinct visions the same night, encouraged them to
prosecute the holy scheme under the assurance of her patronage and
protection. St. Raymund was the spiritual director both of St. Peter and
of the king, and a zealous promoter of this charitable work. The king
declared himself the protector of the Order, and assigned them a large
quarter of his own palace for their abode. All things being settled for
laying the foundation of it, on the feast of St. Laurence, in the year
1223, the king and St. Raymund conducted St. Peter to the church and
presented him to Berengarius, the bishop of Barcelona, who received his
three solemn religious vows, to which the saint added a fourth, to
devote his whole substance and his very liberty, if necessary, to the
ransoming of slaves; the like vow he required of all his followers. St.
Raymund made an edifying discourse on the occasion, and declared from
the pulpit, in the presence of this august assembly, that it had pleased
Almighty God to reveal to the king, to Peter Nolasco, and to himself,
his will for the institution of an Order for the redemption of the
faithful, detained in bondage among the infidels.