To the greater honour and glory of God, the sacred Virgin, St. Joseph, and St. Xaverius. With you, my God, I can do all things, and without you nothing! In this confidence in you, and distrust of myself, I begin this relation in obedience to my director, though my repugnance is very great and more than I will say.

God did me the favour to be born of virtuous and pious parents. My mother died when I was eight years of age. She left eight children behind her. I was the youngest but three. My father took care to have us brought up to virtue and kept to our prayers morning and evening, besides the time in which the family met at litanies, which were never omitted. To encourage us the more, he promised money to those who best learnt their catechism. I generally carried it, and was more pleased with the credit I gained than any other prize. In my tender years God was pleased to prevent me with His grace and to give me a sensible devotion in my vocal prayers; yet I loved my play, and remember once I had a great conflict in myself, when being at my prayers I heard my playfellows were come, yet God moved me forcibly to stay and put an end to them. I think they were some Paters and Aves in honour of the Blessed Trinity.