20. Of the money paid for her brother and multiplied in her purse

After this, in the year of the Lord 1423, the brother of this virgin, William Peters, died, and he left after him certain debts which his children could not pay. When the most compassionate virgin learnt this, having sold the jewelry left her by her mother's legacy, she amassed a sum of eight Holland ST. LYDWINE of SCHIEDAM pounds, which she had changed into pieces of one coin which she knew better, and placed in a purse by her side. One day, therefore, towards evening she called Nicholas her kins man who was dwelling* with her, and sent by his hand to pay her brother's debts to all his creditors, where she knew that they lived. Having there fore paid all the debts which she knew were due, she told Nicholas to look into the purse, if anything had remained in it. Who answered, that most certainly much money was left in it. At once she bade him count the same. And when he had counted, he said that he found the first eight pounds, and that there was something over. Then she forbade him count more, and giving thanks to God for His wonderful gift, she declared that that purse should henceforth be called the purse of Jesus, and that from it what was needful should be given to the poor. From this therefore she distributed freely to the needy, when she had not other money. But if sometimes she had some money either her own or received in alms, she would first give this, but when she had not any other, ST. LYDWINE of SCHIEDAM she gave so generously from this purse of Jesus, that little remained in it. But the mercy of God Almighty pro vided, that always for the use of the poor all sufficiency abounded therein, as at the word of Elias the cruse of oil failed not in the widow's house. Sometimes also she handed this money to one of her special friends to be counted, and when he had counted it a second or a third time, he always found that it had increased by three, or four, or five pieces. Having there fore paid her brother's debts from this purse, she distributed more than forty pounds from the same, as she revealed to some of her very familiar friends. And by this miracle God made evidently known, that [even] an accountant might have strong faith in the gifts of God which were wrought in her.