departed from the port of Tanais in a shippe to go vnto Myrrea to visite the sepulcher of the holy sait When they wâ—re embarked that deuill who had dwelt in the temple of Diana which S. Nicholas had demolished being wroth that he was expulsed out of his habitation laboured all that he might that the holy saints should not be honoured nor visited by the pilgrimes This cursed fiend tooke on him the shape of a woman caryeng a great vessel of oyle and comyng to the passengers said vnto them I knowe you go to visite the body of S. Nicholas I desire also to go in this voiage but now I caÌ„not conueniently I pray you therfore carry this vessell of oyle to burne in the lampes vpon his sepulcher They imagyning the deuill to be a deuout woman took at her hands the oyle and sailed with a prosperous wind one day on the second day there rose a great storme in such sort that they all feared they should be drowned and when they were out of hope they sawe a venerable old man came close to the shippe in a litle bark who said vnto them The feare and danger you abide in this storme is for your faults Throwe into the sea that vessell of oyle that the woman gaue you and you shal be delyuered for it was the deuill Assoone as the oyle was cast out into the sea in the place where the oyle fell was kindled a fâ—er which made a great noyse and a filthy stink that they might easily perceue it came from hell The auncyent old man told them he was S. Nicholas and then vanished out of their sight Memorable is the history of a child sonne vnto Ceâ—rone and Euphrosina two deuout persons vnto S. Nicholas who celebrated his feast euery year This their sonne was stolen away by the Agarens people wholy giuen to robbing and spolying who carryed him prisoner to Babylon where he was giuen vnto the king on whose table the child attended On an euening the child remembred that it was the day of S. Nicholas on which day his father and mother made great feast and then he began to weep The king demaunded of him why he wept he told him the reason The king vnderstanding the cause of his plaint said vnto him in scoffing maner If this Nicholas be so mighty bid him carry thee away out of thy captiuity The child had in his haÌ„d the kings cuppe wherin he vsed to drink and behold in an instant one took him by the hayre of his head and lifted him and he vanished quite from the sight of the king and of all the rest and within a litle time after he was found in the Church of S. Nicholas where his father celebrated the feast of the holy saint also that year with sighes and sobbes for the losse of their sonne but when they sawe him sett free they renewed their ioy and deuotion toward the holy saint The same Authors that write the life of this holy saint Nicholas write this story that ensueth An army of pagans being vandalls passing from Africa into Calabria made great spoile in the counâ—trey and carryed away a great pray and booty An Image of S. Nicholas among other things fell to the share of one of them and when he came into his countrey he asked of certein Christian slaues what that picture represented They told him that it was the picture of a holy saint called Nicholas who though he was dead did many miracles and holpe them that were deuoute vnto him This paynime was a vsurer who had taken a good some of mony out of his chests and hasty and important busines calling him suddâ—inly away he had not time to put it vp in the places apointed for the saffekeeping therof wherefore he said vnto the Image of S. Nicholas in this maner Nicholas be carefull looke well to the mony that lyeth here When the paynime was gone forth certein thiefs got into the roome and stole away the mony when the vsurer was returned and sawe his mony stollen he said vnto the Image of S. Nicholas Thou hast kept my mony well indeed Nicholas look to it and see my mony be gotten againe or I shall cast thee into the site and burne thee The thiess were gone into a secret place to part the mony they had gotten among themselfs S. Nicholas appeared vnto them and threatned to punishe them except they did restore the mony vnto the true owner againe which they fearing to be discouered and punished did euen to the value of a peny When the pagan sawe this myracle he was conuerted to the Christian faith and diuulged this wonderfull work abroad and herupon all the Christiansin Africa took great deuotion vnto this gloryous saint To this end did God permit the pagan to do such a thing which if it had bene done by another he had bene punished by God for his foole hardynes for the saints are to be intreated not with brauing words and menasses but with teares and submission knowing that for the one we may be chastised and for the other we may obteine mercy as God vseth to do by their meanes The Venetyans say that they haue the body of S. Nicholas in their city and recount a long history how it came thither if it be so they haue good reason to esteeme highly the grace and fauour of God shewed vnto them in grannting vnto them the posession of such a rich treasure It is said that the translation of S. Nicholas was in the yeare of our Lord God 1086. The life of S. Ambrose doctor of the Church SAMSON that valiant captain departing from his home vnto the countrey of his wife who dwelt among the Gentills being gone a litle out of the highe way found a dead lyon which he himself had killed a fewe dayes before and the scripture saith he found bees had made hony within him Samson approached thervnto and toke some of the hony combe and eate the hony and carryed part to his spouse This lyon signifieth S. Ambrose of whom it is said that when being a child he lay in the cradâ—ll there came aswarme of beeâ— and entred and came out of his mouth as though they would haue builded there It is said the lyon was dead for that when this happened Ambrose was not yet Baptised for he was not Baptised vntill his consistent age The hony of his mouth signifieth his doctrine which was assuredly sweet and mellifluous which IESVS CHRIST signifyed by Samson gaue vnto his spouse the holy Church appointing him one of her doctors The lyon of Samson remayned always dead but it happened not so vnto S. Ambrose for when time came he roared like a lyon in taking the defence of God and his Church not only against the Aâ—ryan heretiks her deadly enemyes but also against th'emperour Theodosius who was Catholike whom he excommunicated and cast out of the Church because he committed a cruelty would not suffer him to enter into
it vntill he did penance therefore The life of this gloryous doctor collected of Paulinus the preist Symeon Metaphrastes Paulus Diaconus The tripartite hisstory Nicephorus Callistus and out of his owne writing is in this manner SAINT Ambrose was the sonne of an honorable Romaine who was also called Ambrose and vnto him being gouernour of Fraunce with the title of Prefect was borne this sonne On a day the infant Ambrose being in the cradle there came on him sudainly a swarme of Bees many of the which entred his mouth and others went out The nurse would haue chased them away but the father of the child forbad her for he was much amased to see it and stayed to see the end thereof the Bees rose then and flew so high that they were out of sight The father being astonied said God will do some strange thing by this child if he liue to it This was a foretoken of his admirable eloquence and doctrine It happened that the father of S. Ambrose dyed and his mother being widdow brought him to Rome ioyntlie with his sister who had vowed virginity and perpetuall chastity There was another damosell with her that made the same vow who as Paulinus who wrote his life saith was in his time an olde woman and liuing in Carthage Ambrose being very young seing on a day that his sister kissed the hands of the Bishops and Priests when they were at their house as it were in iest he reached out his hand to the women and said kisse yee my hand also for I shall be a priest and a Bishop also The women reproued him but they excused him as a child yet the end proued that he said true Ambrose being come vnto the yeares of discretion employed his time in sundry studies in the which he made demonstrance of his sharpe and quicke witte for he became famous in Retorique and other sciences He had a great liking to exercise the office of an Aduocate which at that time was the office of Rhetoâ—itions and he pleaded the causes in the which he was retained with such eloquence that a great Nobleman called Probus who was gouernour of Rome made him one of his counsell and bestowed vpon him other honorable offices in the Ciâ—ty in which he behaued himselfe so well that the Emperour Valentinian made him Gouernour of Millan and Genoua Citties subiect vnto the Empire of Rome It is a thing considerable that when Probus in the Emperours name gaue him his dispatch he said vnto him Ambrose take on thee this charge which Valentinian hath bestowed on thee and exercise it not as a Iudge but as a Bishop The meaning of Probus in these words was that in the administration of his office the should not be extreame and rigorous but to vse mildnes like a pastour or a Prelate The words of Probus were not in vaine for Ambrose vsed that office with such prudence and disretion that euery one were very well pleased with his gouernement and he was also esteemed and beloued of all men It happened that S. Ambrose residing in Millan Auxentius an Arryan heretike and Archbishop of that citty died and because there was a commotion of the people about the election of a new Bishop the Catholikes desiring to haue a Catholike Bishop and the heretikes labouring to haue an Arrian Ambrose went thither to quiet the people as a thing belonging to his office and spake to them bidding them to choose them a Prelate not with vprores and outcries but with regated to the qualitive of the person and to the conditions fit for such a dignity Whilest Ambrose talked thus a yong child said with a loud voice Ambrose the Archbishop The people hearing this voice esteeming it as the voice of God was quieted and euery one as well the Catholikes as the heretikes said the same The minde of Ambrose was not to take this charge on him and therefore he departed away to his lodging in the manner of a flight And to remoue the good opinion of the people from him and to make them dislike he began to execute instice with more rigour then he used in former times and contrary to his milde nature also and because that would not serue Paulinus saith he made defamed harlots to come vnto his house not to doe euill but because he desired to diminish his credit with the people and to giue them occasion not to elect him to their Bishop Neuertheles because euery one knew him to be right honest of his body and also because it was knowen to what end he did it they were more instant with him to be their Prelate crying all with one voice Thy sinne fall vpon vâ— Ambrose seing that the former dillingences were to small purpose found out another deuise which was he depatted out of the citty seretly to goe vnto Pauia and though he trauelled all the night yet loosing his way he found himselfe hard by the walles of Milan The people vnderstanding the same tooke him in a manner by violence conducted him vnto his house where they set a watch vpon him that he should not fly Then sent they vnto the Emperour Valentinian to request that he would confirme the election of Ambrose The Emperour receiued the embassage with great ioy for it pleased him much to see that the iudges which he sent to gouerne the people were such that they deserued to be Bishops wherupon forthwith he confirmed the election and gaue order to effect the same Whilest the people vsed this dilligence S. Ambrose was stolne secretly gaine out of the citty and lay hidden at the farme of one Leontius his assured friend and a man of great autority in Millan When the Embassadors returned from the Emperor with his consent and Ambrose was missed a great forfaiture and penalty was imported by proclamation on them that did not bring him out if they knew where he was so that Leontius to auoid the forfaiture told them where Ambrose was The people ranne in hast to the farme and brought him vnto Millan and then Ambrose thinking it to be Gods will agreed vnto the election S. Ambrose was at that time a Catechumen only and necessary it was he should be Baptised and for that the desired a Catholike Priest this was the first thing that made the Arâ—iaÌ„s to dislikehim After hee was Baptised he passed by degrees according to the orders of the Church and on the eight day which was on the seuenth day of December he was consecrated Bishop and on that same day he was enstalled The life of this saint was full of good examples He was very abstinent he fasted euery day except the saterday and Sunday and when the feast of any Martir was celebrated he was very watchfull and spent the greatest part of the night in prayer he also appointed certaine houres in the day to that vse he would also be present at the diuine seruice in his Church and at the same he was very deuout and curious adding
which was written by Nicetas a philosopher and recounted by Simeon Metaphrastes and their martir dome was written by Ado Archbishop of Triers SAINT Cosmus and S. Damianus were brethren and phisitions and were borne in Egea a city of Arabya in Asia Their father and mother were Christians and Catholiques Their father died when they were yet litly children wherfore their mother Theodora brought them vp with great care and dilligence And being a woman of good behauior and chiefly because shee was a good Christian shee would not permit them to comit any fault or offence but endeuored to enstruct and direct them in vertue and godlines So that they became good children like to their good mother and good schollers like vnto their good mistris Amongst the other good qualities of these two breathren the profession of the Catholique faith shined most in them for which cause they despised and contemned Idolatry and other wicked superstition They were chast and honest in life and fled from all sensuall delight and tamed their flesh with austere sackcloth disciplines and fastings which be the most certein remedies to ouercome that enemy euen as they ouercame it by the grace of God Also couetousnes that abhominable vice neuer entred into their hart but rather bicause they made small account of mony and liued in poore and meane estate they were called Anargeni which is to say Men without monie and in this sort obseruing the Ghospell they liued an Angelicall life And to auoid Idlenes which is the mother of vices and stepmother vnto vertue they vsed the science of phisicke euen from theire childhood became skilfull and expert phisitions They gaue and ministred phisicke vnto the sick without any expectation of temporall gaine but only for the loue of God When the infirmity was perillous and not to be cured by art they resorted vnto God by praier and making the signe of the Crosse they healed and cured them and heerein they followed the steps of the Apostles They imitated the Patriarcks in being benigne piâ—tifull charitable in liuing a life in simplicity without doublenes or hypocrisy They imitated the Prophets in that they were zelous of Gods honor in reproouing them that were stubborn and obstinate in euill deeds They imitated the martirs in the valiancy of their minds shewed against the common enemies of mankind the world the flesh and the deuill They imitated the preists in their religious life chastity and grauity offering their body and soule for an acceptable sacrifice vnto God to serue him withall humility and obediencence to obserue and keepe his holy commaundements They imitated the monks in obedience concinency and pouerty in silence and repose of soule And at one word they imitated all the saints as much as lay in their power Thus they ranne their race making the world to wonder at their sincerity so that the report of them was spred very farre The rumor of them being dispersed came to the eares of Dioclesian and Maximian those noted persecutors of the Christians who had decreed that all the Iudges gouernours lieutenants and other officers of the prouinces subiect to them should put to death all that denied to sacrifice vnto the Idols Lisias the gouernor in the city of Egeas hauing notice of the blessed phisitions Cosmus and Damianus caused them to be brought before him and demaunded of what countrey they were and their names They answered that they were Arabians and borne in the city of Egea and that their names were Cosmus and Damian and that they were both Christians The gouernour persuaded them to sacrifice vnto the Idols but seeing them coÌ„stantly to refuse it he commaunded them to be tied hand and foot and to be cruelly beaten and after he had giuen them other torments he caused them to be throwne into the maine sea bound as they were They were no sooner cast into the water but an Angell came to their aide who vntyeng all their hands brought them aliue and vntied vnto the shore The gouernor was certified of that wonder wherfore he caused them ageine to be brought before him and requested them to teach him their Art magicke and inchauntments wherby they were deliuered from the sea and then he promised to be their good friend They answered We be Christians and haue no skill in Art magike but were deliuered our of the sea by the power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST The gouernor caused them againe to be put in prison and the next day a great fire to be kindled then he threw the blessed martirs into the same but the flame was deuided into two parts and the holy saints remained in the midst at their praiers The gouernor was astonied to see such a wonder yet he did not repent of his wickednes but caused them to be hoised aloft and to be beaten againe with wands and stones and beholding the holy saints cheerefull in countenaunce and to contemne the torments he caused them to be lifted vpon two Crosses and there to be stoned to death The officers threw the stones and though they cast them with all their might yet came none of the stones so farre as the holy martirs but fell vpon them that stood by to see the spectacle and wounded many of them but especially them tha threw them The gouernour seeing this an beleeuing assuredly that it was done by inchauntment enraged with fury and indignation commaunded them to be shot to death with Arrowes and the same happened to the Arrowes as did before vnto the stones for they did light on them that shot them and none touched the bodies of the martires At last he commaunded they should be both beheaded and in this sort the holy martirs finished their lifes and obteined the crowne of Martirdome Their bodies were buried by some vertuous people with out the walles of the city Egea It is said that ioyntly with these holy martirs SS Cosmus and Damian three other holy martirs were beheaded whose names were Antimus Leontinus and Euprepius and were their brethren as some Authors write There is a booke of the miracles that God showed by the merits of SS Cosmus and Damian wherof this is one A clowne sleeping in the field a serpent crept into his mouth and so further into his body wherby the poore man was in great danger of death He with great deuotion craued the help of the holy martirs and they were seene visibly by his side and commaunded the serpent to come out of his body and so it did These holy saints also gaue him phisike which cured him and then they vanished away the second Nicen Councell in the third action maketh mention of the booke of the myracles of SS Cosmus and Damian The Church celebrateth their martirdome on the 27 day of September which was in the yeare of our Lord 301 and in the time of Dioclesian and Maximian The bodies of these holy saints be in Rome in a Church dedicated to their name The venetians say not
help of his doctrine and good example praiers and meritts Especiallie those who take him for their Aduocate and recommend themselues vnto him The sea which runneth betweene is the sacred scripture with is a deepe sea that hath no ende 〈…〉 yet in the red sea there was some end In this sea be drowned many heretiks euery day we see one or other drowned for that they will not take such holy doctours for their guide as S. Ierome and others Of him it may be said truly that as Moyses taking his wand did deuide the sea so this glorious saint with the wand of the feare of God opened the deep sea of the sacred scripture This is certaine that as vnto S. Gregory is attributed the principall guift in reproouing of euill behauior and disorderly liuing and vnto S. Augustine in assotling scholasticall doubts so vnto S. Ierome is assigned the praise for the interpretation and expounding the holy scriptures So that we may say that he deuided this sea and showed away for others that will follow him and all they that passe therin shall passe dry foote and the same scripture shal be vnto them a wall and defence against the Egiptians that is to say the deuills and his members which be the heretiks our mortall enemies The life of this glorious Doctor taken out of his owne writings and out of other good Authors was this SAINT Ierome was borne in the time of Constantine sonne vnto Constantine the Great in a place vpon the borders of Dalmacy and Hongary called Strâ—do which city was in a maner wholly destroied by the Gothes in his life time as he himself saith and hereupon the memory therof is vtterly lost * The Spanish saith it is at this preseÌ„t a pretty village vnder the Venetians and is called Sdrinea that therin is conserued the memory of S. Ierome His fathers name was Eusebius and he had a brother called Paulinus he had also a sister whose name is not knowen and the name of his mother is vnknowen also The brother and sister of S. Ierome entred into religion and in the same ended their lifes in blessed maner He came of noble bloud yet he doth not speak therof in all his writings though other writers report so He had also aboundance of worldly possessions and goods which he sold when he caused the Abbey to be builded at Bethlem as he saith himself And by cause his parents were Christians epist 66. ad Ruffin epist 26 ad pamach Epist 51. ad Dom. onem he was instructed euen from a child in the Christian faith and relligion At that time flourished in Rome the schoole of the liberall sciences wherfore he went thither with intention to study He first studied the Latine and Greek toungs and Donatus was his schoolemaister in grammer Then went he vnto the study of philosophy and other liberall arts and in them he profited much as appeareth by his writings In Rome he receiued the vesture of IESVS CHRIST as Pope Damasus writeth that is to say Ep. 57. 58. ad Dam. he was Baptised It was the vsage of that time to be Baptised when they were of years of discretion and they that were baptized for certaine daies did weare a white vesture in place whereof when infants are now Baptised they put on their head a white cloth Ep 41. ad Ruf. lib 2. cont Iouin and that is called the vesture of IESVS CHRIST S. Ierome departed then from Rome with a desire to learn deeper studies he went into Gallia or Fraunce traueiling diuers waies seeking after wise and discreet men or lerned and good books and where he found any of these things there he staid some time The books he found if he liked them he endeuoured to buy or els he took paine to coppy theÌ„ out or to translate them Writing to Florentius he saith that he coopied out with his owne hands Ep. 6. in the city of Triers a great volume in which were written certaine Sinods collected by S. Hillary he found a man of good life he conuersed with him and lerned of him all the good he could and the same he did when he mett with any rare or singular lerned man by this meanes he was enriched not in temporall possessions but in vertue science After some time thus spent he returned vnto his countrey and from thence vnto Rome He thought he was not secure in Rome and the staieng also in his owne countrey pleased him not for there he had manie kinsfolk of whom he could receaue no help neither could he satisfy their desires And in Rome he thought would be too many occasions of pleasures and delights dangerous for yong men as he was at that time He determined therfore to passe the sea and to go into Greece where he entended to study and to conuerse with wise and learned men of whom there was store in that countrey at that time Knowing that Gregorie Nazianzen was Patriarch of Constantinople who for his excellency was surnamed the Deuine he went thither and though he might well be a maister instructor vnto others for his learning yet would he be disciple to that learned and holy Bishop that he might say and vaunt he had learned Diuinity of Gregorie Nazianzen Then visited he the holy land and trauelled through all the places therof which moued him to great deuotion and was a great content vnto his mind There was not a thing in all Pallestina whereof meÌ„tion is made in the holy scripture but he sawe it with his owne eyes which help him much as he saith himself to vnderstand the same There had he also maisters In coment Esay 6. Item â—ep 99 ad as sellam in ep 2. ad nepotiaÌ„ who taught him the Hebrew toung and likewise the Chaldean which he vnderstood best though he could not speake it The other he spake aswell as he vnderstood it He also conuersed with the people of Siria by that meanes learned many things of their language and speech and though he trauelled thus to get sondry languages yet he did not pretermit his first study of the Latine toung yea he so much delighted therin that becaused he would not omit the reading of Cicero and other eloquent authors therof he spent therin that litle time he might haue spent in more profitable studies so that I wonder that any man will make doubt that he was chastised of God for it Isid in quodaÌ„ himno Brevi ipsius since he writeth in himself S. Isidorus reciteth the same words who perhaps might feare to haue the like chas tisement since he likewise spent his time in the same study S. Ierome writing to Eustochium in that epistle which beginneth Audi filia saith these words I wretched sinner tooke paines in reading of Tullyes works and his eloquence was very delightfull vnto me and if then I took into my hands a book of any of the Prophets and read it their
serued him both for meat and drink This thing may cause men rather to wonder then to put any in hope to be able to imitate him because the grace of God strengthened him and the long vse of therof and abstinence in his youth from all carnality which debilitateth the body made it to him more easy and more able to liue such an austere life wherin he merited much and perhaps an other man should offend God by shortening his daies in doing the same S. Hillarion liuing now in his cabbin the thieues had notice and came to him but seeing the estate he was in they said vnto him scoffingly What wouldest thou do to see they self assailed by thieues He aunswered The poore and naked man feareth not the thief They replied At left thou maist lose they life And he said It is true they may depriue me therof but I care not a beane if they do so at this present The thieues were astonied and amased to heare his words and to see his constancy which might haue bene a motiue for them to amend their life spent in wickednes seing a man that had chosen rather to lead such a streight life then to fall into any offence toward God Hilarion liued in this maner 22. years and was knowne in all the Land of Palestina Vpon a day a woman came vnawares vnto him and fell at his feet shee perceiuing that he seemed to be displeased to see her in that place and to make signes to haue her depart she shed many rears and said vnto him Oh Seruant of God pardon my presumtion and boldnes for my great afflictions enforce me so to do Do not shunne me turne thy eies of pitty toward me behold me not as a woman but as a person afflicted Remember that a woman was mother vnto our B. Sauiour They that be hole haue no need of the phisition but they that be sick At the words S. Hilarion staied and asked of her the cause of her coming thither and why shee wept The woman made aunswer That this 15. years she had bene maried and neuer had child for which cause her husbande determined to depart from her and leaue her desolate The holy saint lifted vp his eies vnto heauin and praied for her and so dismissed her After a yeare that same woman retorned to visiâ—e him with her sonne in her armes which God had giuen her at the praiers of S. Hilarion and this was the first miracle that God shewed by him After this fellowed another mroe wonderfull viz A noble lady returned home from visiting S. Antony with her three litle sonnes and being come vnto Gaza all three fell sick there and died whether it was by the chaunge of the aire or whether God would haue it for the honor of S. Hilarion The disconforted mother seing such a desolation in her house was in maner out of her witts and called vnto mind one whiles one sonne another time the other sonne and knew not which of them to bewaile first And hearing that in the desert nere vnto the city Hilarion did Dwell came vnto him accompanied with two hand maies and said vnto him with vnspeakable grief I besech thee o holy man by IESVS CHRIST by his sacred bloud to come with me vnto the city of Gaza and raise my three sonnes lying dead in that place which thing wil be for the glory of God and the confusion of the Idollaters S. Hilâ—rion refused to do it saieng it was not his vsage to go into the city no not out of his Cell but the woman weeping bitterly said o Seruant of God giue me thy three sonnes whom Antony hath seen aliue in Egipt cause that I and thou may see theÌ„ aliue also in Siria The people present heating the womans words wept aboundantly and so did S. Hilarion who vanquished with the tears of the woman went into the city of Gaza at sonne sett and called one the name of IESVS vpon the dead chileren who arose incontinent and gaue thanks vnto the holy saint and all the company rendered infinite praised vnto God This miracle was diuulged in many places wherfore much people resorted only to see the holy man And many that were heathens and pagans by the only sight of him receued the Christian faith and took the order of monasticall life and staie with him There had not bene before his time any monks in Siria so that S. Hilarion was the first bringer of that holy institution and to liue in monasteries in to thos parts There was brought to him a woman who had bene blind ten years and had spent all her goods in phisike which when S. Hillarion vnderstood he said vnto her It would haue done thee more good to haue giuen all thy possessions vnto the poore bicause IESVS CHRIST would haue cured thee When he had said this he laid a litle of his spittle vpon her eies and incontinent shee recouered her fight perfectly There was in Gaza a Chariott man posessed with the deuill who had left nothing free in him but his toung This poore man was brought to S. Hillarion who said vnto him Beleeue in IESVS CHRIST and vse this trade no more which is perilous for thee thou being of an impatient nature And he promised so to do and instantly he was hole and sound both in body and mind Another man called Marsitas was able and did cary on his back 15. bushells of corne and was in great estimation for it for there was neuer an asse in all Siria that was able to carry such a load Into this man the deuill entred and made him so fierce that he did much harme and it was in vaine to bind him with cords or chaines for he brake them all in sonder One while he assailed this man another time that man and with his teeth did bite of the nose of some and the eares of others He was led vnto S. Hillarion in such sort as men vse to lead a bull when he goeth to be baited When the monks sawe him they were all afraid because he was a man of a great stature of a terrible aspect and of a grimme countenance S. Hillarion commaunded them to vnlose all his bands and to take of all his fetters he wore When he was vntied he said vnto him Come hither vnto me Marsitas trembled and held downe his head fell at his feet and licked them with his â—oung all his former fiercenes being vanished away The Blessed man kept him seuen daies in his company and made continuall praiers vnto God for him and to conclude perfectly cured him There was brought also vnto him another man posessed with the deuill whose name was Orion a very rich man who had a legion of Deuills in him S. Hillarion expounding a passage of holy writte vnto his monks the roan posessed came on a soodein and flipping out of the hands of them that led him ranne toward the holy saint and took him vp in his armes and hoised
of th'emperour Traian The life of S. Felicitas Martyr ONe of the affections which parents ought to conquer and bring to a meane is the ouer-great fondness of loue to they re children For though nature hath engrafted a loue vnto them and reason teacheth that loue is due to them yett is it due with such proportion and measure that the loue of they re children depriue them not of the loue of God which ought to be prized and preferred aboue all other Moreouer they ought to marke well and regard wherein consisteth the true loue of they re children For manie times parents desire and procure for they re children the false fayned fading goods of this world with such painfull endeuoure such vnquencheable thirst that euerie thing seemeth to meane and to little in repect of that which most they wish them and faine would haue for them And herein they bound the limitts of they re loue this they prefixe as they re only marke not regarding how to enrich they re children with vertues nor make them worthie of those verie goods which they painfully scrape and carefully heape vp together for them litle mindfull of instructing them how to purchase those euerlastinge vnspeakeble treasures of glorie in whose comparison all the good and riches of earth are only shadowed conterfayted goods To teache and instruct parents in this trueth and set before they re eyes a rule and patterne of they re duety the holie Churche makes this day a commemoracion of Holie S. Felicitas She was a most honourable Matrone of Rome where being lefte a widow with seauen sonnes she liued without blame or reprehension bending her greatest care and endeuoure to serue her selfe and make her children serue allmightie God And so much preuailed her good example and holie education that Gods loue was so deepelie rooted in they re harte as to make them holie martyrs of his in the time of the Emperoure Antoninus when before the eyes of they re blessed mother with cruell torments and sundrie kinds of death they bought one euerlasting lyfe as hath bin said in the month of Iulie But after those glorious Knights of CRHIST IESVS the sonnes of blessed Felicitas had manfully fought and wonne the victorie all the rage and furie of the Emperour was turned againste that holie mother whose woords had encouraged and giuen her sonnes weapons to fight the battaile The Tyraunt therefore commaunded that she should be cast into a loth some prison to the end that sparing for some time her lyfe he might make her grieue daylie more and more for her childrens death For though she reioyced as knowing that now they were cittizens of heauen yett could she not as a mother but feele some sorrow they being lost to her allthough she had gained them to God There he kept her foure months in prison to afflict her and molest her the more and at the length seing that still she perseuered constant in the faith of IESVS CHRIST he commaunded her to be beheaded Of this blessed mother the patterne of all christian mothers of this martyr or as S. Gregorie saith more then martyr for she was eight tymes martyred seauen in her children and once in her selfe the same S. Gregorie hath these words Let vs behold my brethren consider this woeman and be ashamed to see her so much surpasse vs. Often times one only word said against vs doth trouble and vexe and make vs breake all oure good purposes whereas neyther torments nor death it selfe was able to conquer blessed Felicitas nor make her yield or giue backe one foote Wee with a blast of contradiction are streight waies dismayed and shamefully fall she wrought a way thorough steele and flint to obtaine and euerlasting crowne We giue not the least part of oure goods to the poore for the loue of CHRISTE she offered him her flesh in sacrifize Wee when God calleth backe for oure children which he had giuen vs in loane waile euerlastingly without comfort she be-wayled her children vntill they died for CHRISTE and reioyced when she did behold them dead And Peeter Archeb of Rauenna saith B holde a woman whose children liuing were cause of her care dead of her securitie Most happie she that now hath as manie faire shining lights in heauen as heretofore she had sonnes on earth Happie in bringing them into this world most happie in sending them vp into heauen She was farre more diligent and industrious when the tyraunt commaunded them to be slaine and when she walked amonghst they re dead bodies then when she did rocke them in the cradle and gaue them milke with her owne brests she viewed full well with the eyes of her soule that as manie wounds as they receaued so manie should be the pretious jewells of they re victorie how manie they re torments so manie they re rewards the crueller they re combats the more glorious they re crowns what shall I say of this valerous woman only this that she 's no true mother that loues not her children as this loued hers Hitherto are the words of S. Peeter of Rauenna The martyrdome of S. Felicitas was on the 23 day of Nouember the yeare of oure Lord 175. There is mention made of her in the Roman and other Martyrologes * ⎠* The life of S. Chrisogonus Martyr GREAT was the ioje and content the holy man Ioseph conceiued when he was taken out of prison in which he had remayned a long tyme suffring therein many troubles â—fflictions especially being vpon his deliuery ouâ— made gouernour ouer all ihe land of Egipt No lesse was the content and spirituall ioye S. Chrisogonus had when he departed out of prison where he had continued two yeares and had endured the ordinary molestations incident to prisons though he was not taken out to be a prince on the earth but to be a glorious and happie Saint in heauen whether his soule presently ascended by meanes of his martyrdome The life of this holie Sainct was written by Venerable Bede and by Ado Archbishop of Treuers in this manner SAâ—NT Chrisogonus was borne in Rome of a noble and honorable family and was in all his cariage and behauiour no lesse worthie and gracious with all men He was apprehended by the comaund and apoyntment of Dioclesian the Emperour and was kept in prison two yeeres contynually being there releeued with all things necessary by a vertous woman his disciple called Anastasia wife vnto Publius a man great and potent in the cittie but an Idollater This Phlius hauing knowledg of that which this wife Anastasia did shutte her vp and locked her stronglie in a chamber of his pallace setting a guard and watch ouer her to the end she should not send any help or relief vnto Chrisogonus as also that the should not haue any sustenance for here self determining that both the one and the other of them might dye by famine Notwithstanding the blessed woman was shut vp in this sort yet she found meanes to
brightnes in maner of a loÌ„g vesture euen to the ground so that the paynims could not see her The holy saint was let thorough all the city and brought back vnto the gouernour who seeing her constancy gaue sentence that shee should be beheaded The cursed father of the blessed damosell who had bene present at this dollorous spectacle and was not any thing mollified but rather more incrudelized desired the gouernour to shew him the fauour to execute the sentence pronounced by him against his daughter which request was easily graunted The glorious saint was led out of the city vnto a hâ—lâ—e where was the ordinary place of execution and there kneeling on her knees shee made a deuout prayer vnto God rendering him thankes for bringing her to that passage Then bowed shee her head before her father who voide of pitty lifted vp the sword and cut of her head Then returned the cursed wretch vnto the city vaunting he had done a memorable act for the seruice of his Gods saying he deserued to be honored by th'emperour and to haue his name eternized But God almighty was not pleased with his boasting of so inhumane an act for vnexpectedly it thundered and therwith a thunderbolt fell which strook and killed him out of hand So that at one time the daughter ascended to heauen where shee was receued with ioy and triumph of the heauenly citisens and of the celestiall king and the father descended into hell where he is and shall be perpetually tormented by the deuills The body of this glorious damosell and martir S. Barbara was buryed by a holy and religious man called Valentinian with musique songs to the praise laude of God of S. Barbara his spouse The martirdome of this blessed damosell was on the. 4. day of December in the year of our Lord. 288. in the time of Diocleâ—ian and Maximian This holy saint is a speciall aduocate against tempests thunder and thunderbolts Petrus Galesinus the Apostolique protonotary wrote the life of S. Babara and saith that he collected it out of S Iohn Damascen out of Arsenius and out of other Grecians and it is conformable to that which is here written The life of S. Sabba Abbot SAINT Theodoret writeth in his relligious history that holy Abbot called Publius congregated together many hermus and builded a conuent On a day conferring with them among other things he said That as one going to the high stret or market place to prouide things necessary for his house and at one shop buieth cloth at another shoes out of this is furnished with bread out of another is prouided of wine euen so the relligious man in the conuent is from one man to lern patience from another humility from an other chastity and he like of other vertues For this cause in ancient timme some seruants of God although it was pleasing and to yous for them to like in the desert and wildernes yet did they gather many disciples together and make conuents to the end that some being instructers of others and some lerning of their superiors or betters all might be saued One of these was S. Sabba the Abbot whose life collected out of Cyrill the monck and some Authors of martirologes was in this manner SAINT Sabba was borne in the prouince of Cappadocia in a city called Mutalasium his fathers name was Iohn and the name of his mother was Sophia and it was in the time of Theodosius 2. th'emperour of Rome It fell out that the father of S. Sabba went to serue in the warre that was then in Alexandria and recommended his sonne vnto his brother called Ieremy whose wife hated the child and could not abide to see him but vsed him hardly This was in part the cause that S. Sabba went vnto a monastery in the which Gregory a holy man was Abbot He receaued Sabba into the monastery and gaue him the relligious habite where he liued a holy life exercising himself alwayes in vertue but his abstinence was most remarkable and his mortification was admirable and so was his humility and patience wherfore God shewed by him some myracles and one in especiall which befell in that monastery and this it was The baker had one day put his cloths into the ouen which was somewhat hotte to dry and forgetting them put in fire which already flaming thorough all the ouen he remembred the cloths but could not gett them out by any meanes The poore man made moane for his mis-happe and by chance Sabba was there present who made the signe of the Crosse in the ouen and then he went into the ouen flamyng as it did and took out the cloths whole and without any hurt Then he asked leaue of his superiour to depart from that monastery and to go into a desert where he liued a solitary life certaine yeares and endured many terrible tentations of the deuills He went also vnto Ierusalem to visite the holy places where the misteryes of our redemptioÌ„ were wrought And being one day in that city neere vnto the Church of S. Iohn Baptist he healed a woman that had a bloudy flixe he cured another that was cruelly tormented by the deuill Whiels S. Sabba was in Ierusalem there was exceeding scarcity of water and there was not any to be found not to be had to drink in such sort that the people were ready to dye for thirst The good father Sabba fell to praier prostrated on the earth with his body but his soule being lifted and fixed in heauen in that manner he continued in praier all night the teares which bathed the place on earth where the holie saint was gaue testimonie with what efficacie he had requested God to succour and relieue his people in their necessitie It pleased God to shew fauour vnto his seruant for there fell a verie great shower of raine that filled the cisternes and satisfied the people euerie one yielding infinite thanks vnto God that had showen compassion vnto them though many of them did not know who had been the meanes to obtaine so notable a fauour Then did this good father collect and assemble toger her many disciples and founded some monasteries and liued a holie relligious life and finallie died in Ierusalem in the yeare of our Lord. 424. being 94 yeares old His body was buried between two Churches was afterward caried vnto Venice where at this present he â—eth in the Church of S. Antoninus The life of S. Nicholas Bishop and Confessor WE read in the book of kings that God talking of the noble king Dauid 2. Reg. â—3 said of him that he had found a man according to his owne hart and herefore made him captaine and ruler ouer his people These words though at the first said of Dauid may be very well applied vnto the glorious S. Nicholas for he was a man according to Gods owne hart They were verified of Dauid because he was pitifull and myld and the same may be said of S. Nicholas
fullfilled yet Do not you remember the three kings that came from the East who plainlie reported that this king was borne and that they came to worship him and to giue him obedience If these kings so farre distant stood in awe of him much more cause haue I to feare that am so neere vnto him I appointed these kings that they should giue me notice when they found him because I would haue gone to see him and then I would haue beene freed from this danger But they I know not for what cause haue mocked me and be returned into their countries and kingdomes by another waie and haue giuen me no notice I feare I doubt I faint and consume with sorrow when I studie on the successe of this busines I haue no remedie and I know not vnto whom to resort but vnto you My will therefore is this I would haue you go vnto Bethleem Math. 2. v. 16. and into all the territorie thereof and the countrie thereabout and with your naked weapons rushe into the houses pardon the old men touch not the young men spare the women only kill all the children all of them from two yeeres old vnto a daie old My will is that you kill them all spare none of them for if one of them remaine aliue that same one shall depriue me of my kingdome Take no regard nor pittie not the teaâ—es of the mothers yea in their armes I would haue you search our mine enemies And if any woman will defend her child kill her also with him Feare not to be accused for this fact for it is by my commaund that you do it Go into the cittie like Lyons search it through diligentlie least any remaine hidden and perchance it maie be that child that the kings came to adore The captaines vnderstanding the kings mind and intention gathered all the armie recyting vnto them the same reasons that the king had alleadged before They all accorded and agreed to performe this mischeiuous act and so to Bethleem they went and he seemed the best and worthiest fellowe that trauelled thither with most speed So comming to Bethleem they began the massacre the cruell butchers slaughtering the quiet lambes All the houses were repleat with the outcries of the afflicted mothers the waies streamed with riuers of blood and the streets were filled with bodyes of the hoie Innocents Herod desired to slay IESVS CHRIST in the person of euerie one of them and so euerie of them dyed for CHRIST who being in Egipt had yet compassion on them seing they dyed for his sake Trulie Herod did vnto them herein more good then harme and more proffit then damage since they be all saued If these children had not bene put to death at that age and by such occasion it might haue come to passe that many of them might haue beene damned But IESVS CHRIST our blessed sauiour and of all mankind would not that nay of them that were borne in that prouince and at the time that he was borne should be condemned The slaughter and butcherie continewed the waies were all stayned with blood and the number of dead bodies increased but the rage and cruell furie of these barbarous ruffians was no whit diminished The most secret roomes could not defend the holie infants from the slaughter neither was the Temple where God was honored a sufficient refuge or safftie for their liues In that their Temple they assembled to make their prayers but they offred no sacrifice therein for that was to be done only in the Temple of Ierusalem They began now to make sactifices in the Temple of Bethleem not of brute beasts but of innocent children Euerie thing was stayned with blood graues and diâ—ches were filled with children and their dead bodies were lying in euerie place And if perhaps any mother did hide her sonne from the souldiers the child manifested himself seeming with his crying to call those butchers to kill him because he would not be depriued of so happie and blessed death Some mothers that were more bold thrust forward on the executioners desirous rather to receaue the blow themselues then it should light on their children but his was to no purpose for themselues were wounded and their children slaine Some other mothers held them so hard in their armes that they could not get them from them then would they cut and deuide them in the middle so that one part of the child remained in the hands of the mother and the other in hand of the souldier Some women ran to and froe with their children in their armes to get out of the place where the slaughter was and stumbling on the dead bodies killed their owne children themselues Some other turning vnto these bloodie fellowes said vnto them How is it that you become so senceles and voyd of pittie Haue none of you a mother haue you not wiues and children Do none of you know how great the loue of pareÌ„ts is toward their children How sauage and beastlie is this your cruelltie If in this cittie hath bene comÌ„mitted any offence these whoÌ„ you kill haue not done it Slaievs that deserue death the rather for that we haue liued in coÌ„panie with such men as you bee brought theÌ„ children The souldiers hearing these words were mooued vnto compassion and shed teares but remembring the commaundement of king Herod they became more fierce and enraged then before killing a fresh the children in their mothers armes S. Augustine who also wrote hereof faith in a sermon when our Lord was borne ser de sanct 1. huius fest there was heard many plaints not in heauen but in earth The Angells in heauen reioyced and the mothers which were in earth lamented God was borne a litle child and his will was that vnto him should be offred a sacrifice of children He that was to be sacrificed like a lambe on the Altar of the Crosse would haue the Innocent children sacrificed vnto him It was a lamentable spectacle to see souldiers with naked swords in their hands to kill so many litle infants and not to know the cause seing none of them could committ such an offence as might merit so vntimelie a death It was euident therefore that enuy was the only cause Theire poore mothers tore their haire stroke their breasts and made pittiful outcries their eyes running like fountaines of water The more they laboured to hyde their litle infants the sooner they were discouered they not hauing the skill to hold their peace for they had not learned to feare such butcherly ruffians The mother and the souldier strugled together the one to deliuer her sonne the other to take him awaie The mother said why will you pull froÌ„ me him that was borne of me Ah my prettie tender infant I haue not brought thee so carefully vp that thou shouldest be thus rudelie handled If any fault or offence hath bene committed I haue done it let this babe liue and kill me Others said If