The first word that Mary uttered was Jesus, after which she did not speak again
for several months.
In the tenth year of her age, Mary was urged by her parents to marry a young man
by the name of Redshaw, who was distinguished both by his riches and his noble birth.
She prayed fervently to God, imploring Him to prevent this marriage, if it were
not to His glory and for the good of her soul. Her prayer was heard.
In the tenth year of her age, Mary had such a serious fall that she lost the power
of speech. She thought within herself: Oh, how gladly would I die if only I could
once say the saving Name of Jesus. As she pronounced it, she became quite well again
and her heart was filled with such sweetness and love of God, that to the end of
her life she never forgot it.
In the year 1595, when Mary was in her eleventh year, on the feast of the Annunciation,
a great fire broke out at her father's mansion at Mulwith. She was not alarmed,
but remained in a room, saying the rosary with her sisters until their father came
to fetch them.
When Mary was in her twelfth year, she was again urged by her parents to accept
a very suitable offer of marriage, from a gentleman but the name of Shafto. She
insisted on refusing this proposal, esteeming that God alone was worthy of her love.
When Mary was thirteen, the devil came to her under the appearance of Francis Carle,
her father's manservant. He was on horseback and read out a letter to her, supposed
to be from her father and containing strict orders that she was to put off first
communion until she received further instructions.
In her thirteenth year, after overcoming many obstacles, Mary prepared with great
zeal and devotion for her first communion, on which occasion she received much light
and knowledge from God.
When Mary was in her thirteenth year, on account of the war threatening to break
out, she was sent to stay with a relative. She was frequently urged to consent to
a betrothal with a young gentleman named Eldrington, of distinguished birth and
other eminent qualities. But her heart was so caught up in diving love that she
could not consent to any earthly love. She was so afflicted at being pressed to
marry that she fell dangerously ill and her father was obliged to fetch her home.
One day, when Mary was fifteen, she sat sewing with her cousin Barbara Babthorpe,
while a devout workman, named Margaret Garrett, told them of the severe punishment
inflicted on a religious whose conduct had given scandal. On hearing this story,
Mary received so much light from God on the excellency of the religious life that
she decided to embrace this state of perfection.
When Mary was sixteen and read the lives of the holy martyrs, she was seized with
such a burning desire to follow their example that she felt only martyrdom itself
could satisfy her longing, until our Saviour revealed to her interiorly that what
He required of her was spiritual rather than bodily martyrdom.
As Mary feared that her desire for martyrdom was somewhat diminishing, she betook
herself to prayer lest any want of cooperation on her part should have caused this.
Then God revealed to her that the martyrdom He expected of her was to consist in
the perfect observance of the three evangelical counsels in the religious state.
When Mary was twenty, all her friends, both secular and religious, tried to disuade
her from entering religion. So she devoted herself almost day and night to prayer
and penance, imploring God to accomplish His holy Will in her. At last Christ's
words, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" came to her mind, and she felt sure of
God's assistance. She received such enlightenment that it gave her courage, not
only then, but also subsequently to face seemingly unsurmountable difficulties.