Quotations

Gravelines PoorClares Register

(12) Item the same Day and Year made also her holy Profession Sister Elizabeth Tildesly now Call'd Sister Clare Mary Ann: being aged of 24 years.

In the year of our Lord 1654 the 17th of February in our afflicted Convent of the English Poor Clares of Graveline is happily deceased this Life, strengthened with the Rights of our Holy Mother the Church, our Venerable and most dear Mother Abbess, Sister Clare Marie Ann alias Tildesly the 68th year of her Age and 44 of her holy Profession, being one of the first that received the holly Habit in this Convent, which she has governed in quality of Abbess the Space of 39 years very Laudably and peaceably,

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haveing ever given a very rare Example of all sorts of Vertues and Sanctity, namely of an admirable prudence, Humility, Charity and tender Compassion towards all. She was endued with a Singular Fortitude & Constancy of Mind, with a perseverant Confidence in the Divine Providence amidst many Afflictions and heavy Crosses, which she sustained during the term of so long a Government, being Mother of all Cloisters of our holy Order, as well Irish as English, haveing received more than a Hundred to the holy Profession. She was endued with great Piety & Devotion, with Guifts of Tears, and Suffred many long & painfull Sicknesses & Infirmaty with Singular Patience and Conformity, to the Divine Will (13) particularly her last, which was very Violent, and wherein she rendered her Soul most sweetly into the hands of her Creatour amongst the Prayers & tears of all her afflicted Children, left Orphelines by the deprivation of so worthy a Mother, whose happy Soul we recommend most

instantly unto your holy Prayers and Charitable Suffrages.

Requiescat in Pace.