_Of his birth, marriage, and general way of life._
1. MR. _De Renty_ descended from one of the most noble houses of _Artois_. He was the only son of _Charles De Renty_, and was born in the year 1611, at _Beny_ in _Low Normandy_. There he was brought up till six or seven years of age, and then by his mother carried to _Paris_, where he lived with her about two years, till he was put into the college of _Navarre_; whence he was sent to _Caen_, till at seventeen he was removed to an academy, or school of genteel exercises at _Paris_. He was soon accomplished in all the exercises there taught: But what then pleased him most was, the mathematics. For these he slighted all sorts of diversions, till he understood them perfectly, and composed some books therein.
2. About this time a stationer whom he used, presented him with _Kempis of the imitation of_ Christ; and some time after pressed him to read it, which he had no sooner done, than he felt new thoughts and affections, and resolved seriously to pursue the one thing needful, the working out his salvation. And ever after he so esteemed that book, that he always carried it about him, and made use of it on all occasions.
3. At the age of twenty-two, he married _Elizabeth de Balsac_, daughter of the Count of _Graville_, by whom he had five children, four of which (two sons and two daughters) survived him.
4. Having lived to the age of twenty-seven years, it pleased God to touch his heart more closely; and this time he marked as the beginning of his entire change, and perfect consecration to God’s service: in order whereto, he was well convinced of the necessity of a good guide; and God provided him one, such as his need required, a person of deep learning, of great piety, and well-experienced in the directions of souls, who had the conduct of him for twelve years. By his advice he withdrew altogether from court, he renounced all visits of pure compliment, and all unnecessary employments to give himself up to those which might glorify God, and help his neighbour.
5. Every day before dinner, and again in the evening, he made an exact search into his smallest faults. He communicated three or four times a week, having ever an incredible esteem of the holy Eucharist, blessing and praising God for its institution, and exciting all men to do the same. He was used to say, “That the great design of God in the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of his Son, was to convey to us his Spirit, to be unto us life eternal. And in order to cause us to die to ourselves, and live thereby, he gave him to us in this holy sacrament, and with him all the blessings of grace, to dispose us for those of glory.”
6. One day in a week he visited the poor sick people of the great hospital _de Dieu_: another those of his own parish; a third the prisoners; and in the rest he used to meet at assemblies of piety. He assembled his own family every evening to prayers, and discoursed to them every _Saturday_ on the gospel for the next day. And of his children he took more special care, to engrave deeply in them the fear of God, and to convince them that the customs and maxims of the world were utterly irreconcilable to the gospel of Christ.
7. The order he kept in his journies was this: in the morning, before setting out, they joined in prayer; after setting out, the first thing done was, the saying the _itinerarium_; next was, the ♦singing the _litanies of our Lord_; then followed some meditation, and after that a part of the _divine office_. This being done he entertained the company with some good discourse. Beholding the spacious extent of the country, he would speak of the immensity of God. Upon the presenting of any beautiful object, he would discourse of the beauty of God, and in so lively a manner as to touch the very heart. Approaching near the place where they were to dine, he began his self-examination: and being come thither, as soon as out of his coach, he went to the church, and next, if there were any in the place, to the hospital. Being at his inn, the first thing he did in his chamber was, to cast himself on his knees, and to pray with great affection for all persons that entered that place, and for pardon of all disorders that had been there committed. If he saw any thing offensive written on the walls or chimneys, he defaced it, and in the place wrote something of instruction. And always before his departure he endeavoured to give some good advice to the servants of the house, or to such poor as he could meet with, that so he might not pass through any place without doing some good there. After dinner, when in his coach again, he took a little time for recollection, then sung the _Vespers_; which done, he wished the company to use some useful conversation. About four they sung the evening psalms; afterward he applied himself to mental prayer; and being come to his inn, his exercises were the same with those of the morning.
♦ “signing” replaced with “singing”