of them were conuerted since their heroycall vertues and famous deeds did couer and hide yea rather did wholly cancell and blot out their former defects So in like maner it is no reproch vnto S. Cyprian to say what he was before his conuersioÌ„ for though he had many faults yet did he deface and abolish them all with the holy life he led after it There was in the city of Antioche a yong damosell noble of bloud and faire of face who was a Christian and much addcted to vertue and deuotion There dwelt in the same city one Cypâ—ian yong in years a great Philosopher but a greater magitian who was ennamored on her At the first Cyprian sollicited her with messages letters presents and promised but the holy damosell resisted thes assaults with a mind determinat making small account of his profers and least of all of him Cyprian perceuing this way would not preuaile thought to obtein his purpose by the help of his magike So he coniured vp the deuills and made sacrifice vnto them promising to be perpetuall frend vnto them and that he would not worship any other God but them if they put him in posession of that damosell The deuills his familiers hauing gotten this promise of him went to Iustina and put into her mind filthy thoughts and dishonest imaginations which they nourished in her hart Euery one of the fiends did what they could to bend and bowe the hart of Iustina to the loue of Cyprian They represented vnto her cogitations a yong man faire rich of courtly behauior and deeply ingaged in her loue They recalled also many times vnto her mynd the pleasaunt and amorous words which he had spoken vnto her of the which she had before made small reconing The holy damosell perceued the storme that was raised against her and resorted vnto God for succour and kneeling in her closet made a deuout praier beseeching his heauenly maiesty that as he had deliuered Susanna from the accurse Elders Dan. 13. and S. Tecla from her importunate spouse and other holy saints both men and women from other and the like perils so it would please him to deliuer her from that daunger wher in she was at that present She also besought most humbly the glorious Virgin Marie that she would help her in that manifest perill Vnto her continuall praiers she added and adioined fastings hair-cloths and sleeping on the ground and in the end by these means she ouercame the temptation she remained victour and the deuill vanquished The fiend repleat with confusion returned vnto Cyprian confessed that he had not the power to do any thing against Iustina the virgin he told him also that the cause therof was because she was a Christian and that the deuills haue not any power ouer any of them if they them selues do not giue it vnto them When Cyprian heard this the griefe of his hart cannot be expressed but that was not so much for the loue of Iustina because in such like cases to despaire wholly of good successe sometimes proueth a manifest help and remedy but because he perceaued his error in that he had worshipped the deuils who had so small power force Studieng on this he determined to abandon and to forsake for euer the deuils together with their cursed art and to receaue the Christian faith He conferred his determination with a Bishop who was in that city called Antimus who instructed him to the full in the Christian faith and Baptised him but first and before all this he made him to burne all the books of Magick that had Being Baptised he made it knowen vnto Iustina telling her that vnto her he was much bound for that by her means he came to the knowledge of the truth and of the faith of IESVS CHRIST When Iustina heard this strange alteration she reioiced excedingly and would confer some times with him in the which coÌ„ference they comforted the one the other to perseuer in the seruice of God and many by their means were conuerted to the faith and were Baptised At that time Claudius 2 was Emperour of Rome who had sent a certein Count called Aurelius Spa Dioclesian or Eutelmius as venerable Bede calleth him as lieutenant into the Orient He persecuting the Christians as Themperour had apointed had notice that Cyprian and Iustina were Christians and that many others had receued Baptisme by their inducement wherefore he caused them both to be apprehended When he had examined Cyprian and found him constant and firme in the faith he caused him to be stripped naked and his body to be rent torn with rakes and hooks of Iron he caused Iustina to be buffetted on the face and then scourged with the rawe sinews of beasts After he had put them vnto these seuerall torments he laid them both in prison where they continued certein daies when he sawe them to perseuer stedfast in the profession of their faith he caused them to be taken from thence and cast into a huge big cauldron seething with pitch tallowe and such other matter Iustina was some what troubled when they went about to put her into the Cauldron but S. Cyprian comforted and animated her and so they were both put into the Cauldron and by the fauor of God they felt therin no paine at all for the which they rendered him infinite thanks Being taken out they were led backe vnto the prison and Aurelius hauing occasion to go vnto Nicomedia tooke order that the holy martirs should be brought thither in which place afflicting them with sondry torments he lastly caused them to be beheaded Their bodies remained sixe daies vnburied because none was so hardy as to take them away but then certaine Christians conuaied them away in the night and put them into a bark and brought them to Rome where at the first they were buried in a farme place belonging to a noble lady called Rufina and in after times they were translated into the city and buried in the Cathedrall Church of Constantiniana nere vnto the Fontestone It is said that at this present their bodies be in Placencia a city of Lombardy The Church doth celebrate the feast of these holy saints on the day of their martirdome which was on the 26 day of September in the yeare of our Lord 272 the abouenamed Claudius 2 being emperour Spa saith Dioclesian about the yeare 300. The life of SS Cosmas and Damianus martirs SALOMON saith in Ecclesiasticus that the phisition deserueth to be honored Cap. 38. Psa 138. Dauid saith also in a psalme that the freinds of God deserue to be and are much honored S. Cosmus and S. Damianus were phisitions and great frends of God since for to be such they gaue their life and therefore they deserue to be honored euen as the Catholique Church in generall and many faithfull people in particuler honor them and haue deuotion vnto them Such men desire to know their lifes and martirdome which they suffered
sent vnto he Iudgment seat of the great God For in it in very deed is the ladder of â—acob Gen. 28. whereby the Angells go vp and come downe They go vp with the praiers and petitions of the faithfull and present them vnto God and then come downe with their dispatch for the good and profitt of the faithfull beleeuers In the Church is preached the Gospell the obseruation of the commaundments of God is taught vertue is comended and vices be reprooued So that in it some are stroke with feare some haue compunction these weepe others reioice some are comforted and others are inflamed with the loue of God In the Church the faithfull soule talketh with God there he is praied vnto and in that place he is honored In the Church the Angells are present because there is the heauenly court yea the very same God is there really and personally and hath promised to be there vntill the end of the world In all these things you may see how much our Churches be more worthy then the Temple of Salomon So then if that Temple be so much magnifyed by men and God also it is conuenient and most iust seing that our Churches be in so high manner honored with the presence of God himself that they be also honored and reuerenced by vs and that therein nothing may be said or done vnseemely or vnfitting of so worthie a place Let presumptuous people and the prophaners of Churches feare the like seuere punishment as God gaue to that wretched king Antiochus who prophaned the Temple of Ierusalem 2. Macha 9. God striking him with a most terrible and horrible infirmitie This wretched caitife knew that this euill happened vnto him for prophaning the Temple of God in Ierusalem and therefore he bewayled his sinne exceedinglie He prayed vnto God and craued pardon of him but the text vttereth there a terrible and dreadfull sentence viz. The wretch prayed vnto God of whom he could not obtaine mercy The sorrow of this man was like the sorrow and repentance of Esau Cain and Iudas Heb 12. Gen 3. Math 27. P. Orosius that is to say defectiue and vnprofitable and therefore he was condempned as they were also We read in auncient histories that Pompey the Great was victorious in all his enterprises and affaires before he did prophane the Temple of Ierusalem but after that time he was vnfortunate in all his businesses and finally he was vanquished in battaile by Iulius Caesar and escaping by flight repaired for aide to the king of Egipt as to his friend but in steed of help he found his death the king cutting of his head and sending it vnto Caesar the conquerour as a present For prophaners of Churches and holie places these two examples are sufficient and for those that vse small or no reuerence to Churches this one is inough That our Lord and Sauiour himself chastised them with rigour which caryed not due respect vnto the Temple of Salomon For he himself in person when as man he conuersed with men did driue the people our of the same Temple with whippes and scourges because they vsed to and in the same smalle or no reuerence Let them who prophane our Churches being of farre more excellency then that was imagine yea assure themselues that they shal be chastised with much more rigour Surelie we ought to beare great respect and reuerence to our Churches and to behaue our selues in them as Dauid counselleth in a psalme where he saith In the Temple of God let euery one speak of his glorie All that which is to be spoken of in the Church ought to be to the glorie of God and if it be to his glorie it will redound and arise to our profitt since in that place he will make vs partakers of his mercyes which shal be the beginning of our Beatitude God grant vs all to find in his Church mercy for his deare sonnes sake our Blessed Sauiour Amen The life of S. Theodore Martyr IT is written in the book of Iudges how Sampson that renowned souldier of God at his death pulled downe a temple of the Gentiles whereby manie of them were killed and the temple falling to the ground was vtterly destroyed Herein Sampson did worthy seruice vnto Almightie God who had determined by this meanes to chastice that treacherous and vnbeleeuing nation The verie like befell vnto another valiant souldier of CHRIST called Theodore who set fire to a temple of the Gentiles for which cause he was afterward martyred And in the one and the other of the these things there was done vnto our Lord God great and good seruice The life of this glorious martyr is taken out of an homilie or sermoÌ„ made by S. Gregorie Nissen which he preached on the daie of his martyrdome in the same Church where he was buried He reherseth it in this wise THE cause good Christian people why you be here assembled from diuers partes with trauaile and toile of your persons by reason of the sharpnes of the winter is onlie to celebrate the feast of the glorious martyr S. Theodore This is a thing iust and reasonable since we be all obliged vnto him for the great and many benefitts which we haue receaued by his intercession One of these is well knowne vnto all namely how the Barbarous Scithians this last yeere threatening to kill vs and hauing drawne their swordes to bathe them in our blood returned back vnto their countries in manner of flight not for feare of our corporall armes but being terrified with the Crosse of CHRIST with which this glorious saint our patrone chased the away I desire you all to be attentiue and I will reherse in what manner this holie martyr came to giue his life for CHRIST whilest he liued in this world for I do not know in perticuler the reward he hath in heauen And when we know this we ought to take profitt by endeauouring to imitate him I saie then that we haue his blessed body in this Church and although it be of the same matter and nature that other dead bodies be yet it is not to be likened vnto them for if you open any of their sepulchers the bodies appeere lothesome to the sight and be displeasing to the smell so that we turne our face from them considering the miserie of our nature and the frailtie of mankind But vnto this glorious martyr it falleth out otherwise For assoone as we enter into the Church where his blessed bodie is as all we haue done this daye the sight is pleased seing the sumptuous and cunning built Church where it seemeth the caruer and the painter contended to excell each other the one in the building of the same aswell in the pauement as pillers of the finest marble in which be engrauen sondrie pictures of lyuing creatures as in the rooffe and couering of tymber which is curiouslie wrought and cunningly ioyned The painter was not inferioure in his art setting forth liuely
would not adore IESVS CHRIST for he thought he lost much of his reputation if he that was an Angell had abased himself to adore IESVS CHRIST a man though he was God also It is the common opinion of the doctors founded vpon holy writte that the sinne of Lucifer was pride and disobedience S. Paul seemeth to say so writing to the Hebrewes where he saith Let all the Angels of God adore him S. Iohn Chrisostome saith that this was a precept giuen vnto the Angels Hereof riseth the great malice and enuy of Lucifer against IESVS CHRIST for that he was cast out of heauen for his sake Ad hebr cap. 1. and because the cursed wretch cannot reuenge himself against him there fore he laboureth to wreak his malice against men wherupon S. Basill saith D. Bas 1. tom hom in lai that Lucifer doth after the manner of a bull who seeing a man to cast a snare or cord about his hornes is chafed and enraged against him and whilest he is in his greatest fury they vse to set before him the shape of a man against which he vttereth all his rage though it put not the cord aboute him In like sort Lucifer doth who because he cannot be reuenged on IESVS CHRIST who tied him and was the cause he was throwne out of heauen and also of his torment he hath in hell striueth to reuenge himself on men who are made to the image and similitude of god On the contrary the Angels do loue men entirely bicause they see CHRIST who is both God and man for whose cause they enioy the heuenly glory and also because they behould the deuils to persecute and make cruell warre against them Hereof it commeth that God commaunding them to be the keepers and guardians of men and to be their guides they do not scorne it yea they esteeme it honorable and take great content therat Therfore in this warre which the deuill maketh against men assisted by two lusty fellowes his seruants the world and the flesh the Angells hold on our sides helping and ayding vs As it it happened to Iudas Machabeus 2. Mach. 11. who being ready to incounter with a great army of his enemies two Angels went by his side and aided him and caused him to obteine a famous victory These holy Angels deliuer vs from many daungers into which we fall oftentimes as it befell to Loth when the Angels pulled him almost by force out of Sodome Gen 19. that he should not be consumed with fier among the other people of Sodome These Angels hold vs back and with drawe vs if we go sometimes headlong into sinne as happened to the prophet Balaam who being on the way entending to curse the people of God Nū 22. an Angell met him on the high way with a naked sword in his hand and though the prophet did not see him yet the Asse on which he rode such was the pleasure of God sawe him and afterward the Angell told him what to do and spake vnto him These holy Angels comfort vs in our troubles as befell to IESVS CHRIST in that great agony Luc. 22. which he had in the gardē when he sweate bloud CHRIST had no Angell guardyan for that he needed none yet an Angell descended from heauen which comforted him reducing vnto his mind the great good proffit that would arise of his death These B. Angells keepe vs company in all our voyages and iourneis Tobia 3. as it befell to yong Tobyas who was accompanied by an Angell in a long iourney and receued by him many graces and fauours They do defend vs and stand on our side daunting our enemies as happened to the prophet Heliseus 4. Reg 6. when the Assirians besieged him in mont Carmelo when many Angels enuironed him round in his defence These Angels guide vs in the way we are to walk as befell to the Hebrewes when they departed out of Egipt Exod. 14. for an Angell went before them as a cloud and guided them in the day and in the night directed them in the forme of a piller of fire These B. 3. Reg. 19. spirites comfort vs and prouide vs sustentation as befell vnto the prophet Elias for an Angell brought him sustenance before he went a long iourney These Angells present our praiers our sobbes and teares before God as befell vnto the beutifull Sara Toby 3. the daughter of Raguel who was widowe seauen times the diuell killing her husbands an Angell presented her praiers and teares before the face of God and shee was deliuered from that affliction These Angells finally when the soules are seperated from the bodies if they go vnto purgatorie keep them companie and comfort them with their often visitations if they go vnto heauen they go before them making triumph and ioy For which cause it is fit and iust that men who receaue these great benefits by the Angells should make great estimation of them and also honour them and be prompt and ready to do them seruice Pope Boniface the 4. who sate in the chaire of S. Peter about the yeare of our Lord 614. cōsidering seeing that in Rome there were many Churches dedicated to diuers Saints caused a Church to be builded in the honor of S. Michaell the Archangell the which was builded in Rome in a place called Circus Maximus which building was fully ended and finished on the 29. day of September And in remembrance of the building of the Church the Pope willed the feast of S. Michaell the Archangell and of all the other Angells to be celebrated through all parts of Christendome It is our duety to reioice on this day especially with them shewing our selfes to be gladsome of that they enioy the eternall felicity in heauen of which God make vs partakers for his mercies sake Amen The life of S. Hierome WE READ of the great friend of God Moises guide and captaine to the children of Israell that when he took the same people from the hands of Pharao and conducted them out of the land of Egipt the Red sea stopped him but when he stroke it with his wand it deuided into two partes so that all the people passed through drie foot the water seruing them for a wall and a defence against the Egiptians their enemies that pursued them Moyses is not only a figure of IESVS CHRIST our Lord the guide and captaine of the Christians whome he deliuered from the hand of Pharao to witte the deuill opening the way by the sea of his death passion with the wand or wood of the Crosse but also representeth the holie Doctors though not so properlie who in some sort are guides and captaines vnto the Christians Amonghst other Doctors figured in Moyses one is glorious S. Hierome for that this Doctor like vnto another Moises is the guide and meanes whereby many that were slaues and subiect to vices haue freed themselues from their miserable bondage by the
our lord and Sauyor IESVS CHRIST was borne therin when he came to liue in this world and also but in farre lower degree for the S. Ierome dyed there to liue in heauen But aboue all other prouinces Spaine oweth an especiall duety vnto S. Ierome for the many epistles he wrote to particular persons therin as also for that after many hundreth years that he dyed in Bethlehem it seemed he was raised to life in Spaine not he in person but his name and religion for in the time of Pope Gregory II. the king Don Alonso the. II. raigning in Spaine there came out of Italy two holy hermites into the kingdome of Toledo in Spaine and by their good example of life and holy admonitions others were conuerted vnto that holy religious order Don alonse Peccia Bishop of Iaen and Petro fernandez Peccia his brother and Hernando Laguez chief chaplen of the kings Chappel Chanon of Toledo who being elected Arch-Bishop therof refused that dignity beside these many other noble men of marke and quality Many of the before named chose that life for that they had conceyued a great dread and fear of the king Don Pedro who at that time reigned in Castile after the death of the king Don Alonso his father because he had a delight to shed mans bloud so much that if the offence or fault were neuer so small he caused very rigorous punishment to be inflicted vpon the delinquents which seuere kind of Iustice was not vsed to be excuted in Spaine Wherefore the king gained thereby the surname of Cruell to this day I cannot tell if the doing of his Chronicler who did smally befrend him as it seemeth for some priuat respect did not help forward to settle confirme that odious name of Cruell vnto him from that time vnto this All these liued together certein years in the desert then they besought Pope Gregory to giue them a habite and a rule vnder the name of the hermitts of S. Ierome but the Pope gaue vnto them the rule of S. Augustine the name and habite they haue at this daie This order was confirmed in the third yeare of the Popedome of S. Gregorie on S. Lukes daie in the yeare of our Lord 1373. The order which is called in Spaine of the Isidori which is also of S. Ierome was instituted in the time of Pope Martin the 5. by frier Lopes de Ouiedo professor of the monasterie of Guada Lupe who out of S. Ieromes workes tooke a rule which is printed with his other workes and with the helpe of some that desired to followe it and with licence from the sea Apastolike he founded certaine monasteries in Italy which are called Isidori or the congregation of frier Lopes Of the first named relligious men of the order of S. Ierome there be in Spaine many worthie monasteries but in especiall fifteene which are called Royall because alwaies they haue bin fauoured by the kings They were especially fauoured by the Catholique king don Phillip the second of that name who built them a monastery an college in the Escuriall vnder the title of S. Laurence the Royall and the rule institution of the glorious S. Ierome In which place be many rare singular reliques of saints many pictures Images the workes of famous painters and caruers manie bookes of great vale we much riche stuffe for the church Challices Crosses and other things for the seruice of the Altar and there also is buried the corps of the mightie Emperour Charles the fifte of that name and other of the blood Royall By these and other the great and costlie things in this Royall house euidentlie appeareth the deuotion of the said king Don Phillip toward the glorious Doctors S. Ierome and his blessed religious order wherefore we maie hope that the same saint wil be his good aduocate vnto God that his Royall person and also his Realme shall encreasein temporall and wordlie goods and also that he shall inioye the celestiall kingdome of heauen by the intercession of this blessed saint To the wich God bring vs also of his infinite mercy Amen The end of the month of September OCTOBER The life of S. Remigius THERE shall spring a fountaine saith the prophet Ioel Cap. 3 and come from out of the house of God and passe by water the brooke of thornes in which words the prophet doth fortell us what shall happen after the latter iudgemeÌ„t The bodie of a mortall man is fitlie resembled in a brooke for it runneth swiftlie to death and perdition nay further it is a brooke of thornes for that of it selfe it produceth nothing but euill desires and worser deedes shat wound and pierce the soule like thornes But a fountaine after the latter day shall spring from out of the house of God and water these thornes whereby are deciphered those streames of glory which shall ouerflow the bodies of the elect and adorne them together with they re soules The Gloss saith this text may be well applyed to the primitiue Churche when the Apostles and preachers of the Ghospell did in the manner of a fountain spring from out of the house of God from the Catholicke Churche to water wich they re heauenlie doctrine the thornie brooke of Paganisme In this sence it fitteth that glorious Archb. of Rhemes S. Remigius who was indeede a fountaine of lyfe that springing from out of the house of God with the sweete and pleasant streames of his lyfe and doctrine watered that riuer of thornes Clodoueus who being a king and worshipper of Idolls was conuerted to the faith by S. Remigius and with him all his court and armie of men The lyfe of this glorious Saint was written by Hinc marus Archbishop of Rhemes in this manner following VVHEN the hand of our Lord did chastize the Frenchmen for they re sinnes with along bloudie warre which the Vandalls a fierce and cruell nation did wage against them there dwelled in the desert a holy Monk called Montanus who had lost his sight by continuall bewailing the sinnes of his nation For knowing that all they re afflictions and scourges were caused by they re many fold offences he coÌ„tinually prayed and with teares beseeched allmightie God to redress all they re miseries and graunt them pardon for all they re sinnes and be coÌ„tented with that punishment he had allreadie inflicted vpon them God vouchsafed at length to heare his prayers and graunt his request where fore he did reueale vnto him that shortlie there should be borne a child whose name should be Remigius that comming to be Bishop should with his preaching and good example with draw men from vices conuert them to God appease his wrath and stay his punishment He reuealed allso to this holie man the parents of this Childe Emilius and Ciliâ—ia people of great religion and charitie of noble bloud and great reuenews liuing in the tertitory of Laudum Montanus went and acquainted them whith his reuelation whereof both
had vsed him courteously and he had despised and contemned them in which rage the Iudge commaunded he should be put on the Crosse The executioners were not slowe to execute the cōmandement of the ludge Forthwith the Crosse was brought and Agricola was stripped naked Then layd they him at length vpon the same piercing his handes and feete with sharp nayles they crucifyed him lifting him vp a loft In that place was to be seene a wonderfull and liuely representation of the Lord in his seruant that is to say of CHRIST in Agricola The holie martyr being thus raised on high shewed that he made smalle account of earthlie thinges but desired heauenlie He hauing bene on the Crosse a good space on the same daie that his seruant Vitalis yealded vp his soule vnto God by scourging he rendred vp also his spirit on the Crosse And so the maister and the seruant were equall in theire martyrdome and in theire reward Their bodies were buried in a Churchyard where the Iewes were buried and in that place they remayned as Roses among thornes and light in darknes vntill the time of S. Ambrose as he saith himself writing the story of their martyrdome But he hauing notice of the place where they were at the request of a holie widowe called Iuliana who had particuler and speciall deuotion to these holie saintes took them out of that place and translated them into a Church which the same Iuliana had builded vnto them where their bodies take their repose and rest and their soules expect to be reunited vnto them at the last daye of Iudgment The martyrdome of these holie saintes was on the 4. of Nouember and vpon that daie the Church maketh of them a commemoration This befell in the yeare of our Lord. 298. in the raigne of the Emperour Diocletian Spanish saith The bodies of these holie saintes are said to be in the Roiall monasterie of S. Maria Naxara in Spaine The foure Crovvned THe Apostle S◠Paul writing vnto Timothie his disciple saith None shal be crowned but he which fighteth lawfully which is asmuch as if he had said He that fighteth acording vnto the apointement of his captaine such a one moriteth the crowne and to triumph Amongst the Romaines in their warres some did worthy and very notable exploites but because some were against the apointement of the captaine they did not only depriue them of the crowne of victorie but chasticed them seuerely Some fathers there were which put their owne sonnes vnto death for that they went out to answere a challenger on the contrary part in single combate although he returned with victory and slew his aduersarie honorablie And this because he had bene forbiden Vpon paine of death not to issue out to any such incounter without speciall license Hereby wee se that that souldier only deserued to haue the crowne of triumph which fought and got the victory by the apointement of his Captaine It is conuenient that we imitate IESVS CHRIST euen as these holy martirs imitated him which are called the foure crowned because their names were not knowen These verily did merite the crowne for that they imitated IESVS CHRIST and as he gaue his life for their snakes in like manner did they giue their lifes for his sake The life of these holy martirs and of other fire whose bodies are buried in one and the same Church within the citty of Rome was this taken out of the Martirologes of Venerable Bede and Ado Archbishop of Treuers THe vnsatiable hunger of Dioclesian and Maximian those two great and professed enemies of IESVS CHRIST and his holy saints was not satisfied although by their order and apointement and of others which were their Iudges and presidents there was shed much Christian blood daily through most partes of the world but the more they put to death the more their cruellty encreased It was told vnto Dioclesian that there were in Rome foure citisens Christians whose names were Seuerus Seuerianus Carpoforus and Victorinus The Emperour commaunded that they should be forth with apprehended and led vnto the Idoll of Esculapius and if they refused to worship it that they should be scourged to death and acording to his apointement it was done They were led and conducted vnto that diuell and they made account of him as he was refusing to adore him wherevpon they began to torment them They pulled of their clothes and bound them vnto seuerall pillers The scourging which was giuen them was such and so great that in that torment they yealded vp their soules vnto God The tirant commaunded that their bodies should be cast into the street that the dogges might dououre them and although they remained there fiue daies yet they were not touched by any beast whereby it euidently apeared that men were more cruell and bloody then the very beastes The Christians took vp their bodies and buried them in the Arenarium three miles out of Rome in the Via Lauicana It is said that pope Melchiades who liued shortly after their martirdome put them into the Catalogue of holy martirs and because their names were not knowne he called them The foure Crowned But afterwardes it was reuealed to a holy man that their names as is said before were Seuerus Seuerianus Carpoforus and Victorinus Of the fiue Martirs SS Claudius Nicostratus Simphorianus Castorius and Simplicius NEERE vnto the place where the foure martirs last spoken of were buried there had bene laid two yeares before but on the same daie the bodies of fiue other holie saints who in like manner had bene put to death for the faith of CHRIST by comandement of the same Emperour Dioclesian Pope Melchiades who ordeined the feast of the foure crowned to be celebrated entended that together with them there should be a commemoration of these fiue martirs which were called Claudius Nicostratus Simphorianus Castorius and Simplicius These holy saintes were caruers and remained in Hungarie by the apointment of the Emperour and wrought together with many other of their trade in the quarries of marble which the Emperour vsed in his buildings in diuers places of the world Foure of these blessed men were Christians and Simplicius was an Idolater As the wrought together the Chizells and other tooles of Simplicius were oftentimes broken and the tooles of the others did neuer break Simplicius being much amased hereat demanded of Simphorianus how it fell so out and he made answere my tooles break not for that euery time I take any of them into my hand to work I call vpon IESVS CHRIST my God vpon this occasion Simphorianus vsed such perswasions vnto Simplicius that by the help of God he was conuerted vnto the Christian faith and was Baptised It fell out afterward that Dioclesian gaue the charge vnto these fiue blessed saintes of a building in which they should set the statues of diuers liuing beastes and in the midest of them an Idoll of one of his heathenish Gods The holie saintes made vp
Emperours Court also in their rage It happeneth many times that the good subiection and obedience of subiects is turned into fury and vproare when some small matter which they earnestly request is to them denyed as in this present example These doings displeased the Emperour exceedingly as reason was it should but for that he had in his company some Prelates and S. Ambrose also as some say that besought him to pardon the multitude he made promise by word that he would pardon them yet afterwards being instigated by some courtiers who sometimes vse to insence princes to wrath when they ought rather to appease their anger he altered his minde and determined to punish the people for the example of others without course of law or order of Iustice And so when the people was in the citty busy and occupied to see the triumphes of that day the armed souldiers appointed by the Emperour assaulted and set vpon them and neither regarding age nor sexe massacred all that they met olde and young little and great innocent or culpable Cittyzens or strangers so that there were 7000. slaine although it be said that the Emperour commaunded there should be but 2000. slaine The miserable citty remained moistened with the bloud and all the Empire of Rome was filled with the report of the cruelty The first time the Emperour went vnto Millan S. Ambrose vnto whom this cruelty was much displeasant for the offence committed thereby against God was desirous to giue remedy to the soule of the Emperour but yet he doubted there might follow some scandall in reprouing him on a sudaine therefore he iudged it were good to dissemble a while and withall he would not see nor conuerse with him so that when the Emperour approached neere vnto Millan he departed from thence The prudence S. Ambrose vsed in this case may be an example for other Prelates how to behaue themselues with great Princes And the desire of a good Pastor much moued the mind of S. Ambrose to reduce home this wandering and straying sheepe yet considering that the Emperour was not of his dyocesse so none of his particuler flock and douting a greater scandall might arise determyned as is said aboue and departed out of the city by which he stayed himself and refrayned his Christian earnestnes Th'emperour being come vnto Millan and not finding the good prelate there shewed himself to be displeased The holy saint wrote vnto him an epistle in the beginning wherof he vsed mild words and very lowly but afterwards he told him in plaine termes that he was departed because he would not speake with him for if he should speake that which was fytt and conuenient he should be thought to passe the bounds of modesty and if he should be sylent not reproue him he might be noted for a man that wynked at notoryous faults sought not to giue due and fit remedy vnto them In the rest of his epistle he called to his mynd the cruell massacre committed at Thessalonica and willed him to do penance and withall gaue him many good admonitions and rehersed vnto him many examples At the end he said plainly that he durst not say masse in his Church if he were present and that he had a particuler coÌ„maundement from God thus to doe Then concluded he the epistle with these words my Lord if thou beleeue me behaue thy self as I aduise thee and if thou do not beleeue me pardon this that I haue done in departing from the city for I did therin make more account of God then of thy displeasure When S. Ambrose had written this letter to the Emperour â—e thought that when he had red it it would haue moued him to penance and therefore he returned to Millan but yet he would not visite th'emperour accounting him as an excoÌ„municate person The more the holy saint estranged himself froÌ„ his sight the more th'mperour thought himself bound to seek vnto him Things standing in this state it happened that one day S. Ambrose was reuested to say masse in his Church and it was told him that th'emperour was commyng to Church The good Bishop went to meet him out of the dore and in the middest of all that proud and stately company took him by the purple robe with the same liberty that he wrote he said to him in this maner Stay my Lord for vnto a man spotted and stained with such inhumaine cruelty and that hath shed so much innocent bloud it is not lawfull to enter into a house consecrated vnto God and lesse deserueth he to be partaker of his mysteries except he do penaÌ„ce first I am of opinion that thou takest no knowledg of the sinne thou hast committed and though the fury which drew thee headlong into it be past thou hast not yet entred into consideration therof with the light of thy vnderstanding to see what a great offence thou hast committed I suppose thy Royall estate and thy Imperiall maiesty do hinder thee and suffer thee not to see and to take notice of thy heynous fault but look down with thy eies and consider that thou art a mortall man Take heed lest thy royall vesture thou wearest do dasell thy sight that thou cannot see within thy self the fragility of thy flesh of which thou art formed as other men are if thou consider rightly of thy frailty think also how great and mighty God is that is the vniuersall Lord of all Feare him then for thou art his subiect craue pardon of him for thou hast offended him and vntill thou doest this be not so bold as to enter into his Church nor appear in his deuine presence lest thou double thy sinnes and prouoke him to more wrath against thee This say I on his behalf and so I commaund thee laying on thee this lawfull punishment by which the Church doth separate all them which do not make satisfaction with due penance Th'emperour gaue eare attentiuely vnto the words of the holy saint and with himself considering the maner he had vsed toward him in telling and reprouing him and taking it in the best part iudged that he had done with him as a good prelat should do and returned to his pallace pensiue and sad as they be which begin a newe to feele the sorowe which is caused by the remembrance of their offences when they be represented vnto a repenting soule Theodosius remained thus certein months and neuer entred into the Church sighing secretly and lamenting for his offence The feast of the Natiuity of our Lord approached and the generall of his forces called Ruffinus seeing his Lord pensiue asked him what made him so discontent Th'emperour fetched a deep sigh and shedding teares said Ruffinus the cause of my grief is this I see other men yea slaues and bondmen enter freely into the Church and house of God and whensoeuer they come thither they find the dore open and the entrance is denyed only to me vnto me only is the Church doore shut and
you look for one alone why murder you so many Oh come now Sauiour of the world let these souldiers see thee without any perill ar danger vnto thee since the power to liue and dye is at thy pleasure so shalt thou deliuer vs from this great sorrow and our children from death S. Gregorie Nissen saith It was pittifull to see the mothers of the inocents how they imbraced their litle infants and bathed them in teares awaiting to haue them shortlie bathed in their owne blood The cruell edict of Herod hauing bene brought to Bethleem and the cruell souldiers being come they assailed the litle infants so furiosly that they wounded the mothers also and mingled the blood of the mother and the infant together Some mothers sawe the sword to come and pierce the bodie of her infant as she gaue it suck so that at one time the mother gaue milk vnto the child and the child restored asmuch blood vnto the mother There was one sorrowfull mother that had two sonnes at one birth She saw the sword drawen against them both and she knew not which to defend first from the blowe she looked on the one and held it fast to her brest and left the other further from her Then seing the blow come she pulled it close to her and thrust out the other The poore distressed mother had not much time to deliberate which of their liues she should longest saue for no sooner was the one wounded to death but the sword was thrust quite through the other and this was the case of many wofull mothers that had two children in their armes It happened also in this massacre that two butcherly villaines came vnto a mother that had two sonnes they seuered themselues to kill them and withall seuered the hart of the afflicted mother The one infant wailed and the other cryed also The wofull mother knew not which to answere first with the like musick Lastly she could but lament and sodeinlie she saw them dead at her feet S. Basill Bishop of Seleucia cited before saith that in all the cittie of Bethleem nothing could be heard for the confused noise which endured as long as the slaughter of the innocents continewed because the Infants that were killed cryed pittifully the elder brothers and sisters lamented and so did the fathers but the outcries of the mothers exceeded all the rest The oldmen said that there was neuer committed such a cruelltie in any place no not in a long susteined warre for though all were put to the sword yet infants were spared Complaints were generallie made yea of the sunne it self that stayed so long to keep back the darknes of the night whereby the furie of these enraged people might cease When these ruffian 's found no more infants in the cittie to murther they departed into the villages thereabout to do as they had done in Bethleem Then the lamentable outcries of the woefull mothers was renewed when they went to seek out the bodies of their dead infants Some that found them cut in pieces laid their seuered members together vsing pittifull and compassionat complaints Some kneeling downe to their slaughtered prettie babe said vnto him A wake now my sonne thou hast slept inough shake of this heauie drowsines which the cruelltie of Herod hath caused Come come arise my sweet babe take thy mothers breast which thou hast so often tasted Ah wilt thou not speak doest thou slumber still Alas alas too long lasteth this heauie sleep that thus oppresseth thee would to God it were possible for thee to enter againe into my womb that thy prettie members thus mangled might be reioyned and returne vnto life These and such like words said the mothers of the Innocents When Herod vnderstood that his commaundement was performed he made shew of great ioye and adorned himself with a crowne of victorie as if he triumphed ouer some dangerous enemie Neither did the cruell tyrant care though his owne child that was nursed in a place neere Bethleem was murthered among the residue Macrobius reporteth Lib 2. Satur. Cap 4. that this came vnto the eare of Octauius Augustus and that he said that it were better to be a hogge in the house of Herod then his sonne By which speach he ment that Herod being a Iew the hogge had bene secure for he would not haue killed it nor haue eaten thereof but his sonne was not so safe for he was killed amongst the other children Herod could not haue deuised a better meanes then this to diuulge and spread abroad the birth of CHRIST For hereby it came to the knowledg of all that a child was borne who was a king and had bene adored of the kings and of whom he was afeard that his kingdome should be taken from him But he stayed not so long for before CHRIST was of age Herod was depriued of his kingdome by loosing of his life killing himself with those hands with which he had persecuted our Sauiour CHRIST It is often seene that God doth punish and chastice men by the same thing and meanes wherewith they taken occasion and whereby they offend him Saul desired to kill Dauid with his owne hands 1. Reg 31. Mat. 27. and with the same he killed himself Iudas sinned by selling IESVS CHRIST and the wretch hanged himself with his owne hands Some thinck that the number of the slaine children was the same which S. Iohn nameth in the Apocalipse Cap 14. v. 1. when he saith that 144000. follow the lamb but this is not certaine It seemeth rather a thing impossible that in the towne and territorie of Bethleem should be so many children of two yeeres old and downwards The Euangelist S. Mathew saith that thē was fullfilled the words of the prophet Ieremie A loud voice was heard weeping and lamentation Math 2. v. 18. Rachell weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not In this place Bethleem is called Rachell because the faire Rachell who was wife to the patriarch Iacob was buried neere to the cittie of Bethleem The holie Innocents were the first martyrs that dyed for CHRIST and he being come into the world offred them to his eternall father as the first fruites of the garden of his Church He did them also an especiall fauour for that they were all saued Their patents also had no cause to be aggrieued for if they were depriued of their liues which he had before giuen vnto them for his sake we may also belieue that he bestowed others on them in their place Iob 42. as it happened to Iob who being depriued of seuen sonnes and two daughters God gaue vnto him as many more when he returned vnto his former prosperitie Lastly we may know as by the euent hereof that when the people of Israell departed from Egipt one may well say that God departed out of that countrie in the company of his people and that the Egiptians remained in lamentation For one and the last
be increased therefore it was tollerated at that time for a man to haue more wiues then one Salomon took benefit of this leaue that was giuen desiring in this also to shew his magnificence and state and therefore he took more wiues then Dauid his father euer had or any of the Patriarchs before him some of which had more wiues then one at once as Abraham and Iacob vnto whom it was lawfull in like manner for the reasons which the doctors alleadge But for that those reasons haue no vse for our times it is not lawfull for any now to haue any more then one wife The wiues which these auncient fathers had either in the law written or in the law of nature were of 〈◊〉 sortes Some were called wiues or Queenes if their husbands were kings and the other were called Concubines and though they were called so yet were they as true and lawfull wiues as the others and their matrimonie aâ— trew and lawfull The difference betweene the one and the other was this first in name For some of them were as mistresses and comaunded in the house the other which were called Concubines did giue attendance and had lesse authoritie and reputation Salomon had 300. Concubines and 700. Queenes or wifes call them which you will Among these he had one whom he regarded and esteemed more then all the rest and that was the daughter of king Pharao who as she passed all the other in nobillitie so she was of more excellent beautie and of more discretion then the rest and therefore for her only Salomon built a house and seuered her from the others It maie be he did so in respect that she was a gentile and an Idollaeter and all the other were of his owne religion It is most assured that of her he made great account as appeareth by the sumptuous house he built for her and by the seruants and attendants he apointed for her And this is the cause that she is absolutlie called Queene and wife of Salomon This historie fitteth and agreeth very well to the glorious virgin and martyr S. Catherine of Alexandria For as Salomon was the figure of CHRIST so also he had many holie damosells his spouses some of which be of lesse name and these be they which remaine in this world in his grace and fauour doing him seruice Others be of greater name which be they which already raigne in heauen Therefore the figure of this historie toucheth both the one and the other Among all the wiues of Salomon the most fauoured was the daughter of Pharao king of Egipt who is a figure of S. Catherine For as the other was so she was also of the bloud royall of Alexandria a cittie of Egipt She was aduised and discreet of excellent beautie and to conclude she was such a one as maie absolutlie be called the spouse of CHRIST We read of her that before she was Baptised she had a reuelation in a dreame in which she saw the most blessed virgin Mary with her child IESVS in her armes as a most beautifull infant S. Catherine seing this was enamored on him Blessed IESVS hid his face and she desirous to behold it went to and fro but the infant made signes as being displeased that she should looke on him The glorious virgin his mother said vnto him my sonne seest thou â—ot bow this yong girle is enamoured of thee why wilt thou not see her behold how faire wise and discreet she is The blessed infant replyed you know right well how many damosells I haue in my pallace more faire and more wise then she is nay she seemeth to me verie disgraâ—ious for that she is not Baptised IESVS saying this Catherine arose conceiuing the cause of her vnworthines to behold the face of CHRIST to be for that she beleeued not therefore she determined to be Baptised When she was a Christian the same IESVS apeared vnto her in the former manner without any signe of discontent in that she beheld him but he shewed himself and looked vpon her with a gratious countenance And before his blessed mother the Angells saints and all the court of heauen he espoused her and gaue her a ring as vnto his true spouse when Catherine awaked she found the same ring on her finger These things we maie piously beleeue of this blessed saint coming in this sort to be fullie the figure of the daughter of Pharao and to be the Queene among the other wiues of Salomon and to haue a house seuered from others So also IESVS our blessed sauiour gaue vnto her a perticuler house bestowing on her many doctors and learned men who by her meanes were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST and passed before her vnto heauen by the crowne of martyrdome to make ready a lodging for her The life of this glorious saint was written by Simeon Metaphrastes who saith that Maxentius the Emperour put her to death and the same saie all those that make mention of her martyrdome But herehence riseth a doubt for Eusebius Caesariensis which was in that time saith that Maxentius all the time that he raigned contynued in Rome vsing great cruellties vntill the Emperour Constantine came against him who was called in by the Romans being not able to support the same Maxentius any longer He standing to defend himself was drowned in Tyber as he went ouer a bridge of boates which he had made neere vnto Rome and it is not said of him that he was euer at Alexandria where S. Catherine was martyred Some dilligent and curious authors haue noted this and Iudged that the name should be altred and that he that martyred S. Catherine should be Maximinus and not Maxentius This maie easilie happen in writing of latine for when they would write the proper names they vsed in auncient times to set the first letter or beginning of their names And Maxentius and Maximinus hauing the same letters at the beginning it might well come to passe that the name was changed And so much the more likelie for that at that time that Maxentius was in Rome Maximinus resided in Alexandria and other citties of the East shewing great cruelties against the Christians This is sufficient by waie of aduise but I will call the tyrant that martyred her Maxentius as the Author that I follow doth He recounteth her life in this sort AT such time as the Emperour Maxentius was monarch of the Romane Empire being on a time in Alexandria he set out a publick edict in fauour of his false Gods and to the greatest damage he could of the faith and profession of CHRIST For therein he commaunded that euerie one should sacrifice to them and those that disobeyed or denied should be put to death people flocked in great numbers to Alexandria from all parts to obey the Emperous comaundement euerie one bringing one beast or other acording to their abillitie for the sacrifice The beastes were of such great number that the Altars smoaked continuallie
with the sacrifices offred vpon them This was verie pleasing to the Emperour who yet to encourage others apointed a sollemne sacrifice of 100 Oxen to be made which being readie to be performed it happened That a yong damosell of Alexandria borne of the bloud royall learned in diuers sciences and also verie beautifull called Catherine who acknowledged no other God but IESVS CHRIST desirous to defend the lawe of her lord and sauiour and greeuing that so many people should be drowned in Idollatrie and especiallie for that the Emperour caused these people thus to offend determined to go speak to him and to reprooue him and to preuent if she could possiblie this mischeif that it might go no further Departing with this entention from her house well attended by her men-seruants and handmaides she came vnto the Temple and sent one to tell the Emperour that she desired to speak with him and he gaue her leaue to come in S. Catherine came into the Temple and at her entrance all the people present were amased at her wonderfull and Angelicall beautie as also for her modest and lowelie behauiour The Emperour wondred also to see a yong maid so gratious and desired to heare her speak that he might know the entent of her coming This render virgin verie modestlie yet with a Christian boldnes said vnto him O mightie Emperour it seemes to me that thou shouldest in thine owne discretion take notice of thine error and not to sacrifice in this sort vnto Idolls which represent vnto thee men subiect to many vices And if perhaps thou doest not know who they were that thou adorest enquire of those that can certifie thee who will tell thee that they were principall men in the world that for some benefits done in the countrie where they dwelt obtained of the people to haue statues erected vnto them that their memorie might be preserued and that others seing them might be incouraged to do the like deedes and thereby attaine such like honor and reputation But the rude and ignorant people began to call them Gods and to sacrifice vnto them as Gods not regarding that they had beene men And though in some respect they were rare and deserued honour and regard yet in many other things they deserued reproach and infamie for that they had bene vitious of life and wicked Thou ô Emperour oughtest to draw the people from this their error and blindnes and not to perswade them thus to runne further from the light to the preiudice of their soules Acknowledg the true God that created thee and hath giuen thee the Empire who being immortall was made man for our sake and of his owne will did subiect himself to dye that we might be deliuered from death which oure disobedience deserued This Lord will not know them that know not him nor suffer them to enter into his kingdome But those that acknowledg him he rewaâ—deth and giueth to them euerlasting life The Emperour hearing the bold speaches of the virgin stood still a while and could not speak a word for anger considering withall that vnto the reasons the damosell alleadged answere could hardlie be made yet he said vnto her yong girle we will first end our sacrifice and then we will make you an answere withall he commaunded she should be led vnto his pallace The sollemnitie of the sacrifices being ended the Emperour returned vnto his pallace and causing her to be brought before him he said vnto her Tell me yong damosell who thou art and of the words that thou hast spoken this daie Catherine answered It is well knowne in this cittie what bloud I am of my discent being both from Emperours and kings My name is Catherine and I haue spent my time in the studie of Rhetorique philosophie and other sciences but that which I most esteeme and regard is that I am come to the knowledg of IESVS CHRIST true God and true man whoÌ„ I haue taken to my spouse and he hath said I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and refuse the prudence of the prudent for all the wisdome and prudence of man compared to that which I haue learned is nothing worth and not to be regarded Whilest Catherine spoke the Emperour viewed her and wondered at her rare beautie her comelie feature and force of her reasons He thought her not a woman borne on the earth but did liken her to one of the goddesses which he and the other pagans adored The more he talked with the holie maid the more he was confounded for the more stronglie she prooued and concluded that his Gods were diuells and that IESVS CHRIST was more potent then they for that the signe of the Crosse made in the ayre did both feare them and driue them away wherefore he douting to be ouercome by her and put to reproach determined to send for wise and learned orators to dispute with Catherine and to conuince her by their reasons The Emperour himself told the saint hereof and in the meane space caused her to be kept in his pallace vnder a strong guard This being done he gathered famous men out of diuers countries and fiftie such were assembled at his pallace They vnderstanding the cause wherefore they were called the chief of them said vnto him Though there be found o mightie Emperour women of good intendment and sharp witt and though I think this woman maie be such a one yet vnto vs hast thou done apparant wrong since thou makest such account of her by equalling her vnto vs and by thinking that her wisedome and learning maie be compared with ours Some of our disciples maie dispute with her though that be also superfluous and more then needeth for that she hath not the methode to propound nor order to alleadg not to deny nor grant Yea if she speak with a philosopher that can dispute with her she shall not haue a word to saie but will presentlie shew her ignorance and yield The Emperour answered him I would not haue you deceiued I haue studied my self though not so much as you and as farre as I can gather I thinke her worthie to be compared to Plato or any other famous philosopher Be assured that if you ouercome her you shall haue victorie not of a woman but of another Plato On the contrarie part if you be ouercome by her remember you shal be vanquished of a woman If this happen you shal be put to great reproach but if you ouercome her you shal be highlie honored and bountifully rewarded by me The daie apointed for the disputation being come the holie damosell was called for that purpose but first she making her praier vnto IESVS CHRIST an Angell appeared who said vnto her Feare not thou spouse of CHRIST for vnto thy humane wisedome gotten by studie and paines shal be adioyned wisedome infused and supernaturall with which thou shalt ouercome those philosophers and shalt reduce them and many others to the faith of CHRIST the true God and ioyntlie with