make a serious and important testimony before you, not committed to the
memory of letters, not written, neither on a tablet nor on parchment, but
given by my living voice, that it may have more authority. Listen, I pray
you, while your little Pope Nicholas, in the very instant of dying, makes
his last will before you. In the first place I render thanks to the
Highest God for the measureless benefits which, beginning from the day of
my birth until the present day, I have received of his infinite mercy.
And now I recommend to you this beautiful Spouse of Christ, whom, so
far as I was able, I have exalted and magnified, as each of you is well
aware; knowing this to be the honor of God, for the great dignity that is
in her, and the great privileges that she possesses, and so worthy, and
formed by so worthy an Author, who is the Creator of the universe. Being
of sane mind and intellect, and having done that which every Christian is
called to do, and specially the Pastor of the Church, I have received the
most sacred body of Christ with penitence, taking it from his table with
my two hands, and praying the Omnipotent God that he would pardon my
sins. Having had these sacraments I have also received the extreme
unction, which is the last sacrament for the redeeming of my soul.
Again I recommend to you, as long as I am able, the Roman Church,
notwithstanding that I have already done so; for this is the most
important duty you have to fufil in the sight of God and men. This is the
true Spouse of Christ which he bought with his blood. This is the robe
without seam, which the impious Jews would have torn, but could not. This
is that ship of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, agitated and tossed
by varied fortunes of the winds, but sustained by the Omnipotent God, so
that she could never be submerged or shipwrecked. With all the strength
of your souls sustain her and rule her: she has need of your good works,
and you should show a good example by your lives. If you with all your
strength care for her and love her, God will reward you, both in this
present life and in the future with life eternal; and to do this with all