they came to the sea shore where they were for to loose their heads Placidus made his prayer in that place and lifted vp his eyes and sayd My lord IESVS CHRIST sonne of the liuing God which didst descend from heauen vnto earth for our saluation didst abyde death vpon the Crosse haue mercy on vs ô lord and by thy merits and intercession of Benedict thy seruant our maister wee beseech thee to giue vnto vs the vertue of constancy to the end that passing this cruell passage of death without any impediment or stay layd in our way by our enemy the deuill we may come to enioy the eternall felicitie of thy heauenly kingdome let thy holy Angell S. Michaell receaue oure soules in peace and present them before thy heauenly tribunall This we request and beseeche of thee who art our God blessed and gloryous for euer Placidus hauing said these words all the other auÌ„swered Amen And as they kneeled they were beheaded forthwith in Sicilia in the hauen of Messina and their bodies remayned foure dayes vnburyed The Barbaryans not content herewith destroyed the monastery so that they left not one stone vpon another and though the Church of S. Iohn Euangelist stood very neere it whether it was for deuotion for the moores do reuerence him highly or whether for Gods pleasure it was not touched nor defaced And for that the stormes and roughnes of the sea was now ceased Mamucha comaunded euery one to be embarked to goe vnto Reggio in Calabria As they were passing the Faro there rose such a tempest that they could not goe forward nor returne back and by the iust iudgment of God they were drowned and sunke all of them being 100. vessells and 16800. men The bodyes of the holy martyr Placidus and of his brethren were buryed in the Church of S. Iohn Baptist by Gordianus his familier freind who came with him froÌ„ Monte Cassino The same man buryed the other 33. martirs in the same place where they were beheaded And in the one place and the other God did for them many myracles many sicke men recoueryng from all diseases by theyr intercession S. Placidus at his death was 26. yeares old for when he was 7. years old the blessed father S. Benedict receaued him into his company he remayned in Sublacque 5. yeares and vpon Monte Cassino 9 years in building the monastery he spent foure and there he was Abbot one year All which make the somme of 26. years He was borne in the yeare of our lord 515. and he was martyred in the yeare 541. on the first day of October being saterday The life of S. Marke Pope and Confessor BY the death of that holy Pope Siluester was chosen to succeede in his place in the chaire of S. Peter Marke a cittizen of Rome sonne of one Priscus endued with rare and excelent vertues The churche of God enioyed in his dayes great peace outward tranquillitie being fauoured freed by Christian Princes from all forreine enemies Yet inwaâ—dly the Arian hereticks infested the same as spitefullie as they could They had wonne them selues fauoure and wrought an entraunce in to the Emperours house and familie and inueagling one of his verie sonnes drawen him into the snares of they re heresies which was after a cause of great persecution in the churche of God and manie afflictions layed vpon Catholiks The old Emperour continued sound and allwayes a good Catholique and accordinglie affected and fauourâ—d S. Marke asmuch as he had before honoured S. Syluestre Wherefore this holie Pope furthered and cherished with the Emperours countenance employed his care and best endeuoures in resisting these Arrian hereticks and setling and ordaining such good orders as for the gouernement of the Churche were adiudged necessarie Amonghst which one was to prescribe that on Sundayes and chiâ—fe festiuall dayes the Creed or beliefe should be said in the masse to the end that the hearers might the better learne it and be more strengthned in they re fayth by this publique profession made thereof He moreouer builded two churches one in the way to Ardea three miles from Rome the other in the cittie called by the name of him that built it both which churches Constantine endowed with great reuenues and possessions and adorned with vessells of gold and syluer He graunted the Bisshop of Ostia leaue to vse the Pallium by reason it was his auncient priuiledge to consecrate the Pope of Rome He gaue holie orders twice in the moneth of December wherein he ordered 8. Bisshops 25. Priests and 6. Deacons And hauing liued 2. yeares 8. moneths 20. dayes in the chayre of Peeter he dyed the 7. day of october on which the churche doth celebrate his feast and in the yeare of oure lord 340 and was buried in the churchyard of Balbina in the same churche he made in the way to Ardea Spa S. Ierome saith he dyed in the yeare 334 Onuphrius 336. * ⎠* The life of SS Sergius Bacchus Marcellus and Apuleius Martyrs THE holy martyrs Sergius and Bacchus liued in the time of the Emperoure MaximiaÌ„ serued him in an honorable office the one being Primicerius the other Secundicerius that is Sergius principall and Bacchus second secretarie of staâ—e both for their vertues especiallie beloued and honoured by the Emperoure ignorant as yett that they were Christians Being in the cittie of Augusta in the prouince of Eufratesia he came to haue some knowledge heereof by reason of certaine accusations layd against them And desiring to be further certefyed he called them to waite vpon him to Churche wither he was going to sacrifize vnto his Idolls The holie Saincts accompanied him and gaue they re attendance yett in such sort that hauing brought him to the churche doore they stayed without when the Emperours went in When the time came to offer sacrifice Maximian looked about for them and not seeing them commaunded others to looke where they were The messengers found those holie Saincts at the gates of the temple making they re prayer vnto God who vnderstanding the Emperouâ— did send for them came to his presence He shewing himfelfe displeased dimaunded of them why they came not in whith him and offered sacrifice to the great Iupiter They answeared boldly bicause thei were Christians and thought that sacrifice was due to none but onlie him who was the true God that made heauen and earth The Emperour all in a rage coÌ„maunded to plucke of they re golden chaynes from they re neckes and strippe them out of they re rich apparail the tokens of rheyre nobilitie then to cloathe them in woemens garments lade them with yrons with gyues and fetters leade them with open reproache and ignominie through out all the cittie and soe cast them in prison And hauing tryed that all his cruelltie and craft could not make those noble spiritts relent nor swarue in in the least thing from they re Religion he sent them to Antiochus gouernour of the East a fierce cruell
him to say masse in her house The holy man being gone thither in the company of his sister there was brought to him a woman sicke of the palsy in a chaire and shee besought the holy saint to pray for her which when he had done the sicke woman kissed his priestly garment and was healed After this S. Ambrose returned vnto Millan where the Empresse Iustina persecuted him greeuously vsing also both requests and threats Then with rewards she laboured to draw the chiefe men of the Citty yea and the cleargie also as well as lay men vnto her opinion and partiality against S. Ambrose entending to send him into exile Matters were so prepared and wrought that a rich man and mighty called Eutimius but much more wicked had prepared a chariot in the which he purposed to set S. Ambrose by faire or by foule meanes and then to carry him vnto banishment This wicked man had so purposed but God disposed it otherwise for as Aman had made a gibbet whereon to hang Mardochey and was hanged on it himselfe so Eutimius was banished caried away in the same waggon he had made for S. Ambrose This holy saint found the bodies of some Martirs which were laid in places vncomely and vndecent therefore he translated them into other places where they were laid with more reuerence as the bodies of S. Geruasius and Protasius and of S. Nabor and Faelix In the translations of these saints were may miracles done and many sicke men healed The Arrian heretiks calumniated the miracles and moreouer said that Ambrose had hired persons to faine themselues blind or lame and that when they came neere to the bodies of the saints they fained to be healed It came to passe that one of the most malitious cauillers thereat was in the sight of them all posessed by the deuill who being within him by the iudgement of God caused him to confesse the truth which he denied when he was in health aswell in the miracles of the saints as also in the mistery of the B. Trinity the wretch yelling aloud and saying That which Ambrose preacheth is true and that which the Arrians teach is false and vntrue Then many of the Arrians who by reason should haue giuen credit to that apparant testimony came vnto him and adding euill to euill threw him into a pond of water wherein the man was drowned An other obstinate heretik which was one of the most principall was conuerted vnto the true faith And when he was demaunded why hee changed his faith so suddainly he answered he had seene an Angell speake in the eare of S. Ambrose when he preached and tell him what to say At that same time was discouered in France a tyrant called Maximus who by a stratagem murdered Gratian who gouerned Fraunce and Spaine all the life of Valentinian his father And not resting content therewith he marched against his brother called Valentinian sonne vnto Iustina who then ruled Italy The young man not daring to oppose himselfe in the field fled with his mother Iustina the mortall persecutor of S. Ambrose and came to Constantinople to demaund succour and ayde of the Emperour Theodosius S. Ambrose went vnto Maximus who tooke vpon him the name of Emperour and requested the dead body of Gratiane to be bestowed vpon him Strange it was that although the holy bishop went to talke with him that was a tyrant and also went for to obtaine a fauour of him when it seemeth he should haue vsed louely words yet did he with his accustomed and Christian boldnes reprooue him for his tiranny and for the vniust murdering of his Lord. He also bad him to do penance for his sinnes and because he would not obey he excommunicated him and gaue order in all places of his Archbishoprique where the Tyrant passed that he should not be admitted to heare the diuine office and commaunded all his priests vnder great paines none should be so bold to celebrate Masse before him nor to conuerse with him But aboue all he fore-told him saying that God would chastice him for his rebellion as afterward it befell for when Theodosius came against him he was slaine by his owne souldiours After the death of Maximus Theodosius went vnto Millan and there the Iewes complained of S. Ambrose vnto the Emperour for burning their Synagogue The Emperour thought S. Ambrose had done them great wrong and bad him to reedify it at his owne cost and charge After this S. Ambrose preached before the Emperour and reduced to his remembrance all his former life and told him he ought to remember how from a poore captaine who fled thorough Africa for feare to be slaine which was presently after the death of Valens the Emperour God had aduanced him to be Emperour and bestowed on him many victories and therefore he had reason to behold and marke well the reward he should render vnto God in restoring the Synagogue and causing it to be builded for the Iewes which were enemies vnto God and all Christians When the sermon was ended the Emperour said vnto him Art thou this day mounted into the pulpit to preach speake euill of me in mine owne presence Yea said S. Ambrose I haue done it but we will say well of thee in thy absence to the end that none doe murmure of thee for that thou wilt be partiall fauourable vnto the Iewes and build a Synagogue for them Thus S. Ambrose delt with the Emperour and it was so effectuall that he forbad the reedifying of the Synagogue It was a notable case and example worthy to be marked haâ— S. Ambrose did vnto the same Emperour Theodosius because of the cruelty coÌ„mitted in Thessalonica There was at that time a great Citty in Macedâ—ry inhabited by Christians called Thessalonica the vsage was in all Greece to haue pastimes and pâ—â—â—es called Câ—â—censes in which â—aâ—ne horses in â—ace some alone and some in wagons and great care men had to gett the prise which was giuen to the Victors because those playes were very delightful they which were skilfull in guiding the horses wagons were highly esteemed regarded The time of these pastimes being at hand it fell out that one of the waggoners which was to runne for the wager and was famous for his skill and beloued of all the people was imprisoned by Bulericus the gouernor of Thessalonica vnder Theodosius the cause was this the waggoner was accused to haue offended carnally with the gouernours page The Emperour was comming in person to be present at the pastimes which were to be made All the people thought the triumphes would be disgraced if the waggoner thus imprisoned were not deliuered Therefore with one voice they besought the gouernour that he would vpon their intreaty deliuer him He answering them arrogantly and vsing some opprobrious words vnto them with the which the people thought themselues wronged the raised a commotion and in a fury tooke armes and killed the Gouernour and some of the
at a Church there came in a man posessed with the diuell and made such a noise that the deuine office could not be heard The holy man praied for him and not only obteined that the deuill in him did hold peace but also did depart out of him left him free Through all Greece the fame of S. Giles was spred wherupon he fearing to be honoured and reputed for a holy man tooke sea intending to go into some country where he should not be knowen The bark was not far from the shore but a huge tempest arose so that euery one made accoūt to perish in the sea S. Giles praied and the storme ceased by which all the mariners and passengers wel perceiued that the storme ceased by his praiers and they yelded vnto him many thankes for the same After a fewe daies the barck arriued at a hauen in France where S. Giles took land and went to the city of Arlez where a holy man called Cesarius was Bishop The holy Saint staied in his company two yeares to the great content of them both for that all their conference and conuersation was of heauenly matters In that place S. Giles by his praiers healed a man which had bene sick of a feuer three yeares And because that deed and the comendations of Cesarius caused him to be had in great reuerence and that euery one called him the holy man he resolued to depart and to fly from the reputation and honor of the world though the conuersation and company of Cesarius pleased him much So he passed ouer the riuer of Rhosne which is wel knowen in that realme he founde on the bank therof a holly hermit called Veredemius liuing a solitary life with whom he staied and continued certaine daies And wheras the countrey naturally was barren it became fertile and fruitfull by the praiers of S. Giles It happened that on a time a sick man was carried vnto the cell of Veredemius to be healed by him but it falling out that he was not at home at that time S. Giles praied for him and healed him There was neuer man that auoided to be contemned and despised as S. Giles laboured to shunne and to repell the estimation honor of the world and therfore he departed from that place went vnto an other which was more solitary and fuller of woode toward the mouth of the Riuer In that place he found a cane among certein thornes and other wild plantes nere vnto which sprang a cleare and pure fountaine In it he also sawe a hind which made signes to be content that he should lodge with her so the holy man resolued to make his abode in that place His food was the rootes of herbes and running water and sometimes the hind permitted him to milk her and in that sort he spent part of his life passing the time in praier and meditation It befell afterward that the king who then reigned in France being a Christian went one day on hunting and his houndes found the hind of S. Giles and pursued her hard to kill her Shee with a swift course ranne back vnto the caue where the holy man remained and lay at his feet as it were to demaund succor and help at his handes in that danger when the hind came into the caue S. Giles was at his praiers on his knees though he sawe his hostesse that gaue him lodging in manifest daunger he did not therfore arise from his exercise but he besought God to defend and deliuer her The praier of the holy Confessor was hearde for by the power of God the dogges could not enter into the caue but stood a good way of and barked At this noise the king the other hunters came in but they being not able to enter the caue one that caried a crosbowe put a quarell therin which he shot of toward the caue determinating to make triall what was within and the quarell or arrowe be what it was lighted vpon the holy Saint and wounded him who patiently tollerated the wound which was made The hunters passed through the thornes and braunches determining to see what was in the caue and at the last they came to the place where S. Giles was It seemed vnto euery one of them a strange spectacle to see him at the mouth of the caue on his knees with a graue and venerable aspect and nothing troubled looking with his face and eyes and likewise his handes lifted toward heauen The wound had made him all bloudie and the hind lay close by his side These thinges put the King and all his people in great dread wherfore he went vnto him and reputing him a holy man made obeysaunce and craued pardon of him because his bowe-bearer had wounded him gaue order that prouision should be made for his cure though the holy Saint made therunto deniall wishing that the wound and the sore might continew all his life that it might be an occasion wherby he might haue more merite The king offered vnto him great sommes of mony to the end he should pray vnto God for him but the holy Saint would not accept any guiftes but perswaded him to lay out that which he desired to bestow on him in building of a monastery in which religious men might dwell that should pray vnto God for him and for his kingdome The king was well pleased therewith caused a monastery to be builded of the which the holy man was compelled by the importunity of the king to take on him the gouernment with the title of Abbot S. Giles liued in this monastery certain yeares and all that time he spent in praiers and fastinges endeuouring that euery one should fly from sinne and attend to the seruice of God This may euidently appere by the same king who was obstinate in a certaine sinne he had committed and therof had small remorse and greefe and lesse wil to confesse it yet so much the praier of S. Giles preuailed that the king confessed it with great sorrowe of mind and repentance for his trespasse and all other offences committed in his life It is said that the holy Saint went vnto Rome and at his returne brought many indulgences and pardons graunted vnto him by the Popes for his monasteries aswell for them that dwelt therin and wore his habite as also for them that visited it S. Giles hauing gouerned his monastery no lesse religiously then holylie certain yeares the time of his death approched which was agreable vnto his good and vertuous life leauing behind him a holy enuy vnto all them that were present at that time for it was apparant and euident that he went to possesse the kingdome of heauen where was for him prepared a most honourable place His glorious death was on the first day of September and theron the Church celebrateth his feast In the history of the life of this holy Saint it is written that S. Giles liued sometime with Cesarius Bishop of Arlez
of defamation were present there also and said vnto them I am defamed and euill spoken of for that I conuerse with Publicans and sinners and because I eate and drink with them but I will tell you the truth which none of you can deny Luc. 5. Marc. 2. to wit that they who are whole haue no need of the phisition but the sick only This sentence of our Sauiour may haue two sences One sence is that he spake by the figure Ironia and said See that I come not into your company for you be all holy men and need not me but I conuerse with Publicans and sinners who haue need of me The other sence is that IESVS CHRIST spake plainely and cleerly that as the hole man hath no need of the phisition but the sick man hath so IESVS did conuerse with Publicans which were sick in their soules to restore them vnto their health for we may piously beleeue that he conuerted many of them that were at the feast that S. Matthew made in his house There is no more particular mention in the ghospell of S. Matthew but we are to beleeue that he was present in all those things where the twelue Apostles are said to be present as when our sauior sent thē to preach vnto the Samaritans S. Mathew went thither also when there was strife among the Apostles who should be greatest he was there also and it may be he alleaged his reasons and said that he ought to haue the preheminence for that he had left more possessions and goods them any other of them He was present at the resuscitation of Lazarus he was with CHRIST when he made his entry into Ierusalem on Palme sonday He was one of them that eate the paschall lambe our Lord washed his feet and communicated him and made him priest and consecrated him Bishop as he did his other Apostles He was with the other Apostles when our Lord appeared after his Resurrection when he ascended into heauen and at the coming of the Holy Ghost He preached eight years among the Hebrews after the which he wrote his Gospell in the hebrew toungue as he had preached being then to depart and to preach among the heathenish paynims S. Ierome saith S. Mathew preched in Egipt conuerted many to the faith therin and from thence he went into Ethiopia where he preached also and gained many soules to CHRIST The Bishop Lippoman saith it is not knowen certainly what happened to S. Mathew in those parts Simeon metaphrastes also in two treatises he made of this holy saint passeth this matter ouer succinctly and sleightly This Author saith that the Apostles went alone poore afflicted passing from one countrey to another publishing the name and faith of IESVS CHRIST before the kings and princes of the world and that therfore fewe could set downe their acts in particuler But for what which is knowne although it be very litle we ought to render thanks to God who would not permit all their actions to be drowned in obliuion and vtterly forgotten Nicephorus maketh a different report of the martirdome of this Apostle from that which is ordinarilie said of it and from that which S. Antoninus Archbishop of Florence writeth in his life Ioachim Perionius and the author called Abdias Babilonicus saith thus as a thing certain and the Romaine Breuiarie of Pius 5. receiueth it also that S. Matthew hauing preached among the Hebrewes and in Egipt and hauing written his ghospell in the Hebrewe toung a coppy wherof S. Barnabas the Apostle caried with him when he preached vnto the Gentills and layeng it sometime on a sick person it restored him to perfect health passed on to preach in Ethiope And that coming into the city called Nadauer he found there two magitians the one called Zaroes the other Arphaxat These two wicked fellowes kept all the people in awe for with their inchantments and Legier-de-main they did great hurt vnto many depriuing some of the vse of their limmes weakening other They bewitched the armes of some made other lame of their legges and others blind The apostle seing the euill and wickednes they did and that there was no remedy for none could barre them of their willes but to their losse damage opposed himself against them and healed all them whom they had made sick There was in that city Act. 8. an Eunuck who had bene Baptished by S. Philip the deacon when he departed from Ierusalem and was seruant to Candaces Queene of Ethiope as being her Steward and hauing all her riches vnder his gouernemenr he lodged S. Matthew in his house and by his meanes many receued the faith of CHRIST for he brought many of the people to heare S. Matthew preach who were conuerted to Christianity by hearing his admirable doctrine The two magitians perceuing S. Mathew to be so contrary vnto their proceedings by their diuelish art made two dragons to appeare not only to affright S. Matthew but also to do him some scath The holy Apostle made the signe of the Crosse against the two dragons who as if they had bene two sheepe returned quietly vnto the desert The people beheld this strange wonder wherfore euery one besought the Apostle earnestly to set them free from those two sorcerers for their pride and malignity was come to that height that they would be adored for godds by the people and they for dread and feare were in mind to do the same The Apostle made aunswer To so many as would be Baptised and acknowledg IESVS CHRIST for the true God it would be very easie to be ridd and freed from those two villaines or any other such who soeuer would do them any harme Them he preached vnto them the mistry of the Incarnation of the sonne of God and of the glory and beatitude of the holy saints and it befell whilest he preached a great vproare and tumult arose among the people for the death of the kinges sonne Then it came to their eares that he had bene sick some time before and the two magitians had bene called to help him and he died between their hands and the wicked villaines to hide and couer their falshood said that the godds desired to haue his company and that therefore it was meet there were a Temple builded vnto him wherein he might be adored as a God The Eunuke brought S. Matthew before the king and he by his praiers raised the deceased yong man vnto life againe to the great astonishment of them all The king was called Egippus and had susteined vnspeakable sorrow for the death of his sonne but seing him aliue againe and in health he was glad and reioiced out of measure He shewed many curtesies vnto the Apostle and sent postes into all parts of his kingdome to diuulge this miracle and to say Come and see a God in the shape of a man who hath raised a dead man and restored him to life S. Isidore in his Breviary maketh
our peregrination by all the Churches S. Matthew being among the Hebrews had written his Gospell in the Hebrew toung and S. Mark remaining in Rome among the Romaines in Latin S. Luke wrote his in Greek because he preached among the Greeks It is said that at all times that S. Paule saith in his epistles After my Gospell Ierom. de scri eccles he meaneth of the Gospell of S Luke for that he wrot it being in his company S. Dorotheus B. of Tyrus saith that S. Luke wrot his Ghospell by the apointment of S. Peter not of S. Paule because he saith in the beginning therof that he wrot it by the relation of them who sawe it from the beginning S. Paule did not so This holy man wrot also another treatise which is called the Acts of the Apostles In the beginning of which he speaketh of the Ascension of CHRIST into heauen and of the coming of the holy Ghost Then speaketh he of the miracles and preachâ—â—g of the Apostles of their persecutions the death of S. Stephen the conuersion of S. Paule the death of S. Iames the Great and the imprisonment and escape of S. Peter After this he goeth on with 〈◊〉 peregrinations of S. Paule his persecutions and trauells of all which he himself bore no litle part and goeth on till he leaueth S. Paule in Rome Then S. Luke departing from thence returned into the Orient traueled ouer a great part of Asia arriued in Egipt He visited Thebais the higher the lower in all places preaching the faith of CHRIST sand conuerâ—ing soules in euery place where soeuer he went At the end of his peregrination he came to the great city of Thehais and was the prelate and pastor therof and as such a one laboured to destroy the Idolls and to build Churchs Which he might the better doe by reason of the great multitude that receued the faith of CHRIST and were Baptised by hearing his exhortations S. Luke remained there many years ordered bishops and priests whom he sent into diuers countreis to preache In such sort that this prouince brought forth many good plants worthy of the eternall life This holy Euangelist catied alwais with him two Images he had made himself the one of our B. Sauiour and the other of his B. mother which were good means to conuert the Painims for that not only he did miracles with them but all they that sawe them were moued to great deuotion These two Images were so like the one to the other that he which did not know whose pictures they were might yet easily know that there was some neere kindred between the two persoÌ„s represented by them To conclude the holy Euangelist being 84. years old passed froÌ„ this mortall vnto the eternall life Nicephorus Callistus in his ecclesiasticall history saith that S. Luke died a martir in Grecia and that he was hanged on a Oliue true lib 2. Cap. 43. but it is commonly holden that he died a naturall death The same Author and others with him say that Constantin the sonne of Constantin the Great by the meanes of one Artemius who whas after ward a glorious martir brought to Constantinople the bodies of S. Andrew from Patrasso a city of Achaia though at this time the body be at Amalphi a city of the kingdome of Naples in Italy of S. Timotheus from Ephesus in Asia and S. Luke from Thebes where it remained and that he builded a sumptuous Church to lay in all the said blessed bodies Nowe the citisens of Padoa say that they haue the body of S. Luke the Euangelist in their city in the Church of S. Iustina The Church celebrateth the feast of S. Luke on the day wheron he died which was on the. 18. day of October in the yeare of our Lord. 90. and in the raigne of Domitian as Canisius accounteth * ⎠* The life of S. Hilarion the Abbot THE Apostle S. Peter Cap. 4. in his fiirst Canonicall epistle hath one sentence fear full for the good and dreadfull to the euill viz If the iust shall scant be saued what shall become of the sinner If he that hath serued God all his life doth tremble at the hower of death what shall he do who hath bin a wicked man and is a sinner at that dreadfull hower This was verified in S. Hilarion the Abbot who being at the point of death felt a great fear in his â—oule but he incouraging it said Depart my soule out of my body of what art thou afraid thou hast serued CHRIST 70. years and dost thou nowe fear to dy The life of this holy Abbot was written by S. Ierome in this sort SAINT Hilarion was borne in Tabata fiue miles from the city of Gaza in Palestina His father and mother were both Idollaters so that he grewe as a rose among thornes Being a litle child he was sent to study in Alexandria in which place he made demonstration of his rare towardlines and inclination vnto goodnes rare witt morall vertues which caused all men that knew him to loue him But he was much more beloued of God for in that place he atteined vnto the knowledge of the Christian faith which he receiued and was Baptised So that he who before was only accounted a vertuous man was now such a one in verity and in deed and delighted in nothing but in vertuous actions and the seruice of God spending the greater part of his life in the Church and in the company of godly priests and by meanes of them he came to the knoweledg of S. Antony who dwelt in the desert and amazed all worldly men to see and heare of his strict life and his sanctity in confounding the deuills in which he reioiced the heauenly court Hilarion had a great desire to see him in the desert which when he had done he chaunged his ordinary clothes and put on such weedes as the moÌ„ks that were in the company of S. Antony wore with whom he also staied two months In this time he marked the order of his life his grauity in behauior his incessant praier his humility in the entertainment of straingers his seuerity in correcting offenders the austerity he vsed toward his body in diet apparell and sleeping he sawe the multitudes of people which came from all costs vnto him to obtein remedy and help for all maner of necessities by his intercession and praiers Hillarion thought that this was the beginning of the reward of the long endured trauels of Anthony and that he should do well to follow his steppes This being determined he returned into his country where the found his father and mother deceased wherfore he diuided his patrimony and bestowed part on his brethren and part on the poore hauing in mind these words of CHRIST He that doth not renounce all that he posesseth cannot be my disciple At that time Hillarion was 15. years old and by this means being poore yet accompanied by CHRIST he went vnto
louely and sweet but well weighed reasons and gentle termes endeuoring to persuade him to forsake and abandon that faith of CHRISTE and marrie with her But oure Sauioure was on Chrisantus his side to stay him from gliding into sinne he gaue his words such a heauenlie grace and printed in his minde such forcible reasons that with them he conquered Daria and made her fall into the selfe same snare wherein she laboured to entrappe Chrisantus For moued by his reasons and powerfully drawen by the grace of God she resolued to be a Christian They accorded to keepe they re virginitie vnspotted and yet giue it out and so possess others with a conceite that they were married by which meanes Chrisantus was freed out of prison and from the keepers hsi father had placed about him Daria was baptized and both of them did liue together as brother and sister keeping theire puritie vndefiled Now as it is the propertie of goodness freelie to impart it selfe to others and of vertuous people to desire and endeuoure that others be partakers of that precious iewell which themselues enioie eache of them counsailed all suche persons with whom they conuersed to receaue the faith of Christe oure sauioure and leade a chaste and vertuous life and manie were persuaded to embrace such good counsaile the woe men by Daria the men by Chrisantus This was speedilie knowen ouer all Rome and notice thereof came to Celerinus prefect of the cittie who forthwith comaūded thē to be apprehended and brought before Claudius the Tribune apointing him to heare and examine theire cause and finding them guiltie to punish them The Tribune comaunded Chrisantus should be led to the temple of Iupiter where because he refused to adore the Idoll he caused him to be most cruellie beaten The executioners performed the Tribunes comaund with so litle remorse cōpassion that his bones and bowells might be seene through his wounds They caried him back again to prison cast him into a loathsome darck dungeon loaded him with giues and fetters and cast vpon the ground manie filthie and stinking things But in the sight of the cruell officers his yrons were turned into dust and in steede of the stinking noy some smell there was a most sweete and fragrant sent Then a Bulls hide was flaied and taken of and Chrisantus naked was put thereinto wherein he remained a whole day exposed to the scorching beames of the Sunne though he receaued thereby no harme at all They cast him once againe in prison loden with yrons which were streight waies consumed and turned to pouder and manie lights appeared which made the dark dungeon bright like noone day They tied him vnto a post meaning to beate him with rodds of yron which whē the officers tooke vp in theire hands they became verie soft and no man could strike with them anie one stroake to anie purpose At length the Tribune Claudius conuinced that so great wonders as these were not done by art Magick but by the hand and power of God the beames of whose grace did now beginne to enlighten his hart falling downe at the feete of S. Chrisantus and crauing perdon for the harme which he had done him he desired him to pray to the God he adored and by whom he was assisted in so manie and so cruell torments to graunt him pardon for his sinnes and knowledge of him selfe The like did all his souldioures whom the martin embraced most louinglie and there were baptized all at one time Claudius with Iason and Maurus his sonnes and Hilaria his wife all his whole familie and the souldioures of his charge with manie other people The Emperoure Numerian assoone as he came to the knowledge of so great an alteration commaunded that all should be put to death Claudius was cast into the riuer Tiber with a great stone about his necke and drowned the rest were beheaded Hilaria some daies after being at her praiers in a caue where the bodies of the martirs were buried was taken by the painims and as they were about to carrie her before the Emperoure she craued some respitt to make het praier wherein she requested allmightie God to take her into the companie of her husband and sonnes His Maiestie vouchasafed to heare her praier and she rendered her soule into his hands and her bodie remained with the other holie saincts The Emperour gaue order that Chrisantus should be brought to a prison called Tullianum and Daria to the common stewes amongst nanghtie woemen where by the presence of that holie virgen so ignominious and reproachefull a place was turned with her praiers into a chappell For God did send in her defence a lion who slipping of his chaines and breaking loose out of his den laied himselfe at the feete of Daria with signes and tokens that he would defend her Not long after came in a bold impudent youth with intention to defloure the B. virgen But the lion encounterd him cast him to the ground held him downe with his pawes and looked vpon her as one demaunding how he should vse that wretched yong man She commaunded that he should doe him no harme and taking occasion from the lions obedience towards God she spake vnto the man and reduced him to the faith of CHRIST He seing in what perill of his life he had bin and how once he was rather dead then aliue seing himselfe againe free from all danger by the commaundment of the holie virgen went preaching aloude throught all Rome There was no other God but IESVS CHRIST whom the Christians adored The keepers of the lion came to haue him back but he fell vpon thē and cast them to the ground and staid expecting the will and pleasure of the saint she with so good an occasion did likewise acquaint them with the power and strength of the faith of CHRIST and they were conuerted thereunto and became the publishers and preachers of the glorie and Maiestie of oure Lord. Celerinus the Prefecte informed of all this caused a fier to be kindled about the lodging to burne and consume the virgen and the lion together but by the will of allmightie God to whose power nothing is impossible in whose sight his martirs are renowmed glorious the lion hauing receaued the Virgens blessing bowing downe his head went through the flame with out burning and through the whole citty without doing or receauing anie hurt or damage After all this Chrisantus was put vpon a torment called Armentarium but the post brake in sunder his bands were vnloosed and the torches which were lighted to burne him on the sides were quenched Those allso which would haue tormented Daria had the sinewes of theire handes contracted with such excessiue paine that they were constrained to let it alone Finallie they led them out of the cittie into the way called Salaria where hauinge digged a great ditche or pit both the saincts were put aliue into the same and then couered and ouerwhelmed with earth and stones and
relligious men sawe it they gaue vnto God infinite thanks and the yong man that had tasted of death was baptised and liued many yeares after S. Martin raised to life another dead man who had hanged himself as it was thought vpon a melancholick humor predominant in him depriuing him of his vnderstanding but by the praier of S. Martin he recouered and was restored to his life and health also The fame of this holy saint was spread very farre wherwith the citizens of Towers being moued sought meanes to haue him to their Bishop but it was a hard matter to get him out of his monastery They that went for him vsed this wile to get him away Aman that loued the monastery told him his wife was sicke in Poiters and desired him to goe thither to visite and heale her S. Martin vpon this occasion departed from the monastery and the messagers of the city of Towers carried him away by force before the monks who had laboured to hinder his departure perceiued it S. Martin was receiued in Towers with great ioy by all the common people who said all with one voice They were now happie since they had to their father and pastour so holy and humble a man After he was made Bishop though he changed his estate yet he altred not his life for he was as lowely and was appareilled as meanely as he was before time He discharged his office and duety to the full for he was very diligent in procuring the good of his flock and in repelling all euill from them He reproued vice commended vertue he preached he punished he rewarded and did not omitt any thing that was couenient and fit to be done so that thereby he discharged fully his duety toward his neighboure To discharge his duety toward God he caused a monastery to be built vpon a craggy mounteine two miles from the city to which place were assembled many relligious men and there he had a cell into which he withdrew himself oftentimes to pray and to liue in contemplation The relligious men who arose in short space to the nomber of 80. moued by the example of S. Martin liued a holy life in chastity pouerty obedience and continuall fasting and prayer and their habites were made of camells hayre Their diet was very temperate none dronk wyne except he was sick and they went very seldome out of their cells S. Martin had some of these monks always in his company and when he stayed any time in the monastery and returned into the city they that were posessed of the deuill gaue notice therof by the feare and dread they shewed and by the paine they suffered before he entred the towne and this befell into what city so euer he came This holy prelate vsed great dilligence in the extirpation of Idollatry out of his diocesse and trauelled into many places throwing to the ground the Idolls of the Gentills cutting downe and burnyng the groues and trees wherin the deuills gaue oracles and aunswers for which cause he was oftentimes in daunger to be murdered by the common people but his deportment and cariage was so discreet in all his affaires accompanied with some myracle in the sight of them that were agreued at his doings that sometimes whole compaines fell at his feet and besought him they might be made Christians It would be a long story to recount how many sicke he healed by his prayers but among others one was Paulinus ouer whose eyes was growne such a webbe that it made him blind and also put him to much paine The holy saint did clense them one time with a napkin and he was made whole his sight restored and his grief ceased After this S. Martin being Bishop raised to life the sonne of a distressed poore mother whofinding him in the city of Chaâ—tres in the company of many Idollaters layd before him her dead sonne and requested him very earnestly to raise him vnto life The holy saint made his prayer for him and he reuiued This myracle caused many of those pagans to come to the faith of CHRIST S. Martin after he was Bishop raised to life none but this child and bycause he had raised vnto life two before that he vsed to say vnto his disciples and friends that he was better by two parts before he was Bishop then after and that his high dignity had diminished his vertue It is apparant the holy man said these words for lowlines and humility for it is well known that after he was Bishop he did many admirable and vertuous deeds which he had not done in the former time But this declareth and sheweth his charity and humility He was Bishop when he came into Paris and sawe at the gate a leprous man soe full of soies and blaines that the only sight of him was greeuous and importable to many the good prelate came close to him and embraced him and layd his face on the face of the leper he kissed him very charitably there with cuted him and made him whole This leper whom the whole city had seene came the day following to the Church and gaue thanks publiquely vnto God for the recouery of his health He was Bishop when Sulpitius who wrote his life visited him whoÌ„ he receiued most kindly and gaue him harty thankes that he was come from Tolose to Towers only to see him The blessed man himself washed his feet made him sitt at his table at the which he filled more his soule then his body hearing his words enkindled with the fier of celestiall loue and the grauity of his reasons This Autor said I neuer sawe nor conuersed with any mortall man furnished with such science witte and eloquence such aboundance of pure chast words as I found in Martin it made me more to marueile for that I know he was vnlettered The somme of his speaches were of the contempt of the world to auoid vice to loue vertue and that which he said he performed also in deed Noe tounge is able to expresse that which I noted to be in this holy saint in the time I liued in his company I neuer sawe him angry I neuer sawe him displeased or discontent much lesse to laugh after a dissolute maner and this was because that what so euer befell he receiued it as sent from God The austerityes of his fastings watching continuall wearing of sackcloth were things rather to be admyred then imitated He slept continually on the ground he vsed to eate and sleep so litle that it seemed impossible he could liue with it He was neuer idle when he had dispatched the affaires and busines of his Church he spent the rest of his time in reading the holy scripture mixing it with praier Herin he did as the smithes doe striking vpon the hotte iron who that they may continue the better giue now and then an idle blow euen so did S. Martin as for a recreation praying one while and reading another O blessed man in
God S. Gregorie obeying forthwith went on his iourney with his familiers and friends that were in his companie As they trauailed they neere benighted were vnto a Temple of Apollo not farre distant from the cittie into the which S. Gregorie and his friends entring he made the signe of the Crosse in the ayre and forthwith flew away a huge companie of diuells which inhabited there and gaue oracles answeres vnto such persons as came to make sacrifice vnto them S. Gregorie spent the greatest part of the night in praiers and singing Himnes and Psalmes so that the place that was before the habitation of diuells became now the house of God In the morning S. Gregorie departing to go on his iourney the ministers of the Idolls who had the charge of the Temple entred therein to and making their acustomed salutations and sacrifices vnto the Idoll in stead of answere there was heard yellings and howlings out of the Temple and the diuells said that they could not enter againe into that house because Gregorie had bene within it Notwithstanding the ministers made sacrifice vnto them and vsed certaine ceremonies to induce them to returne into the Temple but they bad thoÌ„ not to wearie themselfs nor to loose their time for they could not returne into that place by any meanes The ministers were also informed that it was Gregorie and where they should find him Hauing learned this they determined to follow him and found him and his companie as they walked toward the cittie The ministers of the Idolls began to threaten him that they woâ—ld complaine to the maiestrates of the cittie for that he being a Christian had entered into a Temple of their Gods and driuen them from their habitation so making their Oracles to cease S. Gregorie with great mildnes and modesty said Be not offended hereat for I serue such a Lord as I can in his name cast out diuells from any place and make them to returne whither I please They maruailing hereat said vnto him Then make them returne into the Temple where they were before S. Gregorie rent a leafe out of a paper book he had and wrote thereon these wordes Gregorie to Satanas ENTER This note he gaue vnto the minister who laid it vpon the Altar and offred sacrifice and the diuells gaue answeres as beforetime The minister pondered vpon this and considered that when Gregorie commaunded their Gods they obeyed him and that he did it by his seruice vnto one God Hereupon he resolued that this God was very potent and mighty since his seruants could do such great things After this resolution made he departed from the Temple to seek out Gregorie who by Gods prouidence had done these things expecting the fruite to come thereof and found him He told him what had happened and besought him instantly to instruct him what his God was so great and potent for he would serue him and forsake these other Gods so weak and feeble S. Gregorie preached vnto him IESVS CRHâ—T and hauing giuen him notice of the principall misteries of our faith said we do not prooue these things by reasons because they surmount reason and naturall vnderstanding but we confirme them by miracles The minister of the Idolls said do a miracle in my sight that I may beleeue what you haue said and Baptise me What miracle would you haue me do said S. Gregerie The minister beholding a huge great stone like a mountaine said vnto him make this huge stone to raise it self from this place and to go into another S Gregorie doubted not to do it and as if the stone had bene a reasonable creature he commaunded it to go vnto the place the minister had apointed His words being ended the effect followed The minister remained so satisfied herewith that he his wife and children seruants and friends vnto whom he related the matter performed by the saint were all Baptised S. Gregorie came into the cittie and lodged in the house of a great man called Musonius To this house resorted many vnto whom the holy saint preached with such feruour that in a short space there were thousands of Christians in that cittie In this discourses he gaue content and delight to all To the discomforted he vsed such wordes that they took consolation He perswaded the yong men to chastity the old men vnto patience He exhorted seruants to be obedient to their masters aduised masters to be mild and courteous to their seruants He said rich men ought to be stewards and not masters of their goodes To women children and all other that came to heare him he spake that which was conuenient and fitting for their estates reaping daily proffit by his preaching There was in that citty many Temples of the Idolls whereupon the holie saint thought fitt that there should be one at least built to the honour of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST wherein he might be adored and serued The charge hereof he gaue vnto the chiefest of them that were Baptised and himself in person laid the first stone in the foundation Eusebius Caesariensis saith li 7. c. 25. that this holie saint by his praiers made a hill to remooue from one place vnto another because it hindered the building of the Church Gregorie of Nissen doth not saie thus much but he saith that in his time there was a great earthquake in that cittie which threw downe the greater part thereof but that the Church founded by Gregorie Thaumaâ—urgus stood firme stirred not Great were the miracles that God wrought by the meanes of this blessed saint by his preaching the Gospell many people were daily conuerted vnto the faith Among many other wonders this of the two brethren is notable They two deuiding the many posessions and land left vnto them by their father fell at variance about a water which controuersie was caused by a great lake in which much fishe was taken and each of them desired to haue that water for their part This matter came to that height that they had assembled many people and intended to end their quarrelly by the sword The holie saint came betweene them as vmprie but seing no meanes to bring them to atonemeÌ„t they being euen ready to come to handy strokes hard by the lake and it was feared much blood would he shed This glorious saint fell vnto praier and continewed therein so long till the water in the lake was dried vp and the ground thereof was equall with the banckes so that there remained no signe either of water or lake When the morning came the two enraged brethren seing now no cause wondering at this great miracle that God had done by the meanes and prayer of his seruant Gregorie After this miracle ensued another The people dwelling by the bancks of the riuer Lyous which descendeth from the mountaines of Armenia and sometimes encreaseth so much that it ouerfloweth and spoileth the fieldes and villages of the country neere adiacent hauing knowledg giuen them of S. Gregorie
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
things go in this manner in a great rage commaunded the Empresse should be put to death And for that Purphirius the captaine spoke in her behalf and the Emperour vnderstood he was a Christian and 200. of his souldiers also he gaue charge they should be all put to death fullfilling herein that which this holie saint had said before namelie that many should be saued by her meanes As the Empresse was led vnto her death she met S. Catherine on the waies and they embraced affectionatly requesting eache other to praie vnto God which they both promised hoping they should shortlie meet together in heauen The Empresse was beheaded on the 23 of Nouember and so was Porphirius and his souldiers The Emperour being in a manner beside himself to see the constancie of Catherine and not knowing what to do more commaunded to behead her also The holâ—e virgin was led to the place of excecutioÌ„ where was a great concourse of people as well men as women many of the companie weeping for compassion Before she was beheaded she prayed vnto God and yeelded him thancks for many graces that she had receiued at his hands but especiallie for this which she was at this instant to receiue to wit the loosing of her life for his sake which she took for the greatest signe of his loue toward her could be She besought him also that after her death he would not permitt her bodie to come into the hands of the perfidious Infidells least they might reproach or abuse it Moreouer she besought him that those that in their necessitie remembred her might be deliuered from their afflictions so farre forth as was conuenient for them This praier being finished one of the souldiers cut of her head and out of the wound came milk in stead of bloud Then were Angells seene to lift vp her bodie from the earth who caried it in the ayre vnto the mount Synay and there the same Angells buried it The Emperour Iustinian in processe of time caused a sumptuous Church to be built in the same place and a monasterie also in which the holie saint is honored and reuerenced Her death was on the 25. of Nouember and on the same daie the Catholique Church celebrateth her feast with great sollemnitie which is done with good reason for God hath three crownes with which he croweeth some of the faintes in heaven One is of red coullor which is for the holie martyrs The second is of skie-coullor wherewith the preachers be crowned and the third is white which is agreable vnto the virgins It seemeth all these crownes were due vnto S. Catherine For she was a Martyr and both before and at the time of her martyrdome she conuerted many person vnto the faith of CHRIST and she was a virgin also And for that she hath such rare prerogatiues beside as she said of her self that she was the especiall spouse of CHRIST with great reason deserueth shee to be honored and reuerenced of all Christians especially of students who by her meanes do receaue as we maie beleeue many graces and wisedome also infused by God This blessed martyr and virgin S. Catherine suffred martyrdome about the yeare of our Lord 310. in the raigne of Maxentius and Maximianus SPanish The ordinarie painting her with a sword in her hand and setting her foot vpon the head of an Emperour deuoteth that she conquered victoriously the tyrant that martyred her * ⎠* The life of S. Peter of Alexandria Bishop and Martyr THe prophet Zacharie sawe in a vision IESVS the high priest sore beaten and wounded his handes were all bruised and pierced through being demaunded who had vsed him so he made answere I haue receiued these stripes and woundes in the house of them that loued me This is spaken figuratiuely by IESVS CHRIST who being of his heauenly father loued infinitely yet he willed him or permitted him to dye This may also very well be sayd of them that haue receiued greater fauours and benefitts of Almightie God hauing higher and more eminent dignities and functions as he hath done vnto priests And if they offend or transgresse his lawes he is more displeased at their offences then he is at the faultes of others And through he be highly displeased with sinners yet he complayneth of them more then of all others This very same befell to S. Peter of Alexandria who sawe IESVS CHRIST with a coate rent and torne to pieces He demaunding who had vsed him in that manner answere was made Arrius the heretick The sonne of God shewed himself much displeased that that accursed man had set his toung against his honor in deprauing and touching him in his deitie it being his dutie to defend the same more then others for that he was a priest The life of this holie Bishop and martyr Peter collected out of Eusebius of Cesaria venerable Bede and other authors of Martyrologes is in this manner SAINT Peter of Alexandria was borne in the same cittie of Alexandria and thereof he took his surname For his great vertue and wisedome he was elected Bishop after the death of a holie man called Theonas And as some authors say he was the 16. prelate of that cittie after S. Mark the Euangelist In the persecution of Maximinus the Emperour great were the troubles he suffred in so much as many seing and beholding his patience and perseverance were stirred vp to imitat him neither did they quaile in the confession of theyr faith but perseuered in the same euen to the losse of their temporall liues Although the cruelty and tyrany of the ministers in the persecution encreased daily against the Christians yet the hoâ—ie Bishop left not of to look about and to prouide for the good and vtillitie of his Church And whereas the accursed heretick Arrius continued in the sowing of his cockle and infernall heresie he not only resisted him but excomunicate separated him from the congregation and comunion of the faithfull Hauing done this he was by the commaundement of the Emperour apprehended and put in prison And assoone as he knew that he was taken he sent a comaund vnto the officers to cut of his head This sentence being diuulged through the cittie it was a thing very remarkable to see all the people runne to the prison to defend him from death asmuch as lay in their power so great was their loue vnto their Pastor The accursed Arrius hauing a desire to be Bishop after Peter if he happened as he hoped to be put to death laboured guilefully and dâ—câ—â—tfully to be reconciâ—ed vnto Peter To that effect he spake to many Catholiques desired them to entreat him in the peoples name to absolue him and to signify vnto him that he was willing ready to submitt himself to his will and correction There were chosen two priests the one called Alexander the other Achillas to go on that Embassade or message who comming to the prison where Peter was propounded vnto him the cause
they came vnto Constantinople they found no diminution of their measure they had laden theother was that the wheat which the owners gaue vnto S. Nicholas although it was but a small quantity yet was it so multiplied that it sufficed all the people vntill haruest came These things brought S. Nicholas to that credit and auctority that the clergâ— and the laâ—tie of his city had a great respect vnto him and obeyed him as if he had bene the true owner of all their goods It befell also that the gouernour of the city called Eustathius being corrupted with mony gaue an vniust iudgment against three yong knights in sentencing them to death S Nicholas was at that time out of the city for he was gone to pacify the inhabitants on the sea cost which were vp in armes against certein bands of souldyers which were to passe into Africa by the coÌ„maundement of th'eÌ„perour Constantin These souldyers aggreued the people as souldyers vse to doe as they passe on their voyage and they were ready to fight it out S Nicholas went thither in person and all of them gaue vnto him great respect He talked with the three captaines whose names were Nepotian Vâ—rsus and Herpilion and brought the matter to a good passe and ended the quarell In that place he was certified of the vniust senteÌ„ce giuen by Eustathius wherfore he forthwith sped him home and came vnto the city at such time as the three wrongfully coÌ„demned persons had their eyes couered and awayted when the executioner would giue them the mortall blowe S. Nicholas being come vnto the executyon passed through the throng of the people and comyng to the executyoner pulled the sword out of his hand and then vntyed the three yong men and taking one of them by the hand lead them all three away none of the officers being so bold as to resist him Eustathius being ascerteined therof and hauing a remorce in his conscience went vnto S. Nicholas and kneeling before him asked him forgiuenes for that he said he perceued S. Nicholas knew certeinly that his sentence was vniust since he was so hardy as to take and rescue the prisoners and also for that he had at other times biddeÌ„ him do iustice and to chastice theÌ„ that deserued punishment S. Nicolas reproued him throughly for this faulte and menaced to certify all things vnto the emperour if he euer committed the like faulte againe At this the three captains of Constantin were present who being returned from Africa hauing archieued th'entreprise for which thy weâ—e sent were accused of some offence at their commyng home to Constantinople the issue was Th'emperour gaue iudgment they should be beheaded according to their deserts for their offences euidently proued against them though the matter was falsely contriued by a Iustice of the city who was bribed by the aduersaries to bring them to their end were it right or wrong When the three Capteins were certefied that on the next day they should dy they called to remembrance that S. Nicholas had freed and delyuered three innocent kinghts from death in the city of Myrea So they remayned all the night in prayer desiring God to be mercyfull vnto thé and beseeching S. Nicholas to help them in that daunger it pleased God to heare them and to honour the blessed man for S. Nicholas appeared vnto th'emperour in his sleepe and with a venerable aspect saluted him first and then with a sterne and grâ—m countenance sayd vnto him Aryse vp thou Emperour and delyuer out of prison Nepotian Versus and Herpilion for they be wrongfully accused and be cleare and innocent of those faults which be imposed vpon them If thou doest not so as I tell thee I denounce against thee as a messenger from God most deadly warre in which shal be destroyed thy nation and thou thy state and family shall come to vtter ruyne Th'emperour was woÌ„derfully afeard therat and said who art thou that doest menace me thus The holy saint aunswered I am Nicholas Bishop of Myrrea and withall vanished away and went vnto the Iustice called Ablanius and threatned him after the same manner On the morrowe th'emperour and the Iustice mett and conferred of their visions and causing the three capteines which were prisoners to be brought before them th'emperour said vnto them Tell me haue you any skill in art magick and they aunswered no and wondering at the questyon they demaunded of th'emperour why he asked such a question of them Th'emperour replyed Bycause this last night one Nicholas I knowe not what he is menaced me greuously if I do not ley you go and discharge you The captaines hearing this kneeled downe and kissed the ground and yielded infinite thanks vnto God and wept for ioy Th'emperour commaunded them to declare this secret and they told him to wit howe Nicholas saued the lifes of the three yong knights at Myrrea and how they had recommended themselfs vnto him and therefore he was come to help them Then they declared to feature of the holy saint and th'emperour perceiued that he was the same man that he had seen in his sleep These things moued th'emperour to reuiew their cause more dilligently and hauing found theÌ„ innocent he caused them which had accused them falsely to be punished and delyuered them out of prison and he gaue them a book of the Gospells written with letters of Gold and a thurible or senser of Gold and said vnto them Carry these things vnto Nicholas desire him not to threaten me but to pray vnto God for me and my empire The three capteins went vnto the holy saint when they came vnto him they fell at his feet and publiquely told the former history and delyuered vnto him the present which the Emperour had sent vnto him The holy saint was ashamed and blushed to haue these things told vnto him publikely wherefore he said my sonnes render thanks vnto God and not vnto me for I am a synner TheÌ„ he called vnto him aside the three capteins and told them that they fell into those perills daungers for certein secret synnes they had exhorted them to amend them lest God punished them with some more greuous punishment The end of this holy saints life drew neere and he fell into a greuous infirmity and being at the point of death he lifted his eyes toward heauen and he saw many Angells to discend vnto the place where he was wherefore he began to say this psalme In te domine speraui and when he came vnto that verse In manus tuaâ— domine commendo spiritum meum he passed from this mortall life vnto the eternall on the sixth day of December in the year of our Lord 343. His body was buryed by his citisens with great pompe and with no lesse sorowe for that they were deptiued of such a pastor and father Asso one as he was dead the Christians began to visite his sepulcher with great deuotion And it happened that certein Christians
God because they haue most cleare knowledge of him Other authors saie that in these three Masses are represented three states By that which is said at midnight is vnderstood the darksome state full of obscuritie and confusion of those that be in hell By the other that is said at the break of daie when the light beginne to be seene are vnderstood those that liue in the world who be in the middle betweene the light and darknes and do not know what shal be their end By the third which is said at cleare daie is vnderstood the state of the happie which be in eternall clearenes and posesse the ioyfull and blessed vision of God This is the signification of the three Masses which are comonlie said on Christmas daie as the doctors generallie say The occasion that mooued Pope Telesphorus to make this ordinance was The first Masse is called ad Galli cantum which is at midnight or a litle after because at that houre IESVS CHRIST was borne The second is called at the daie-break because at that houre he was visited and adored by the sheapheards The third is said at the ordinarie houre as on other daies and is called the high Masse The spanish saith Of these three Masses wâ—iteth Innocent 3. in the third sermon of the birth of CHRIST Galfridus lib de reb Eccles cap. 21. Albinus de diuin offic cap. 1. Sicardus Cremonens and others The life of S. Stephen the first Martyr ROBOAM the king of Israell 3. Reg. 12. suceeding his â—ather Salomon in the kongdome made some lawes and ordinances to be obserued of his suâ—iects who esteemed them to be too rigorous â—here caâ—â—â—d them to assemble together with intent to rebell against the king Roboam saying and professing openâ—â— that they would not obey him nor acknowledg him for king Those which did thus rebell were ten tribes of the twelue into which all the hebrewes were diuided The king being certifyed of this commotion called oâ—e Aduram his faithfull seruant and one of great account in his court commaunding him to go speak peaciblie to these rebellious people therby to quiet and appease them Aduram caused the ten tribes to be warned to appeare choosing out the most principall of them he shâ—wed him some reasons whereby he might reduce them to the seruice of the king but they hearing him named with great indignation took vp stones and stoned Aduram to death Roboam in asmuch as he is king of Israell is a figure of IESVS CHRIST vnto whom the father eternall gaue the lordship and power ouer all flesh and especially ouer that people vnto whom he was sent for guide and captaine and for king also as the Prophet Zacharie calleth him This king made his ordinances Cap 9. when ascending gloriously into heauen he commaunded his holie Apostles and disciples to publish the Euangelicall lawe and make knowne vnto all men that the old law was abrogated Many of the Iewes thought this to be verie strange and rigorous and therefore they took counsell together and determined that they would not acknowledg IESVS CHRIST nor receaue his Ghospell and doctrine He vnderstanding their consultation and entent sent a principall man of his court vnto them which was S. Stephen figured by Aduram whilest he talked to the principall of them to perswade them to acknowledge CHRIST for the Messias and that they would obey him and receaue his doctrine they on the contrarie part being obstinate and rebelliously bent took vp stones against S. Stephen and with extreame furie led him forth of the citty and there stoned him to death the martyr remaining victorious being crowned in his owne bloud The life of this glorious martyr written by S. Luke the Euangelist in the Acts of the Apostles and other good approoued authors is in this manner THE Apostles preaching and doing many miracles in Ierusalem the people of the cittie and the countries there abouts came and brought their sick in great aboundance and they were all healed This was the cause that the number of the disciples encreased daily Caiâ—t vpon this place for all those that were Baptised were called by that name It befell that amongst them arose a little controuersie mooued by the Greeks against the Hebrewes They were all Hebrews cap. 6. V. 1. but some of them were borne in Greece and others in Palestine and these were called Hebrews and the other Grecians These Grecians seemed agreeued that their widowes were not admitted into the publike ministerie and affaires because in those times they that were conuerted brought all their goods vnto the Apostles cap. 4. V. 37. and they prouided for them their diet apparrell and all other things necessarie And to the end that all things might be done in order they appointed to euerie one a particuler office and to the widowes that were honest and deuout women they gaue in chatge to dresse the meat and to attend the table The Grecians requested that the widowes of thir nation might be admitted vnto that seruice for euerie one desired to be employed in some office and to do the best seruice they could The Apostles assembled together to staye this matter least it might grow to discord And hauing called all the disciples said vnto them It is not fit that we should be busied in matters of such small importance therefore let vs find out and make choise of some good quiet men of honest fame who may haue authoritie to prouide persons which shall haue care of the prouision of dyet without aggrieuance of any nation one or other and out of both nations may be chosen widowes dilligent and apt to dresse meat for the multitude And when in this matter there may happen any occasion of disagreement they may resort to those that be elected who may quiet all dissentions if any arise and that we may attend to preaching and prayer This resolution pleased them all and out of the disciples were chosen seuen and as the head and chiefe of others Stephen a faithfull man and full of the holie Ghost was chosen S. Augustine out of this gathereth that S. Stephen was a man of great continencie and gouernement since vnto him was giuen an office in which he should haue so great dealings amongst women The Holie Ghost saith also of him that he was replenished with grace and fortitude and that he did â—ignes and many miracles He shewed himselfe to be very valiant and couragious preaching IESVS CHRIT to the Hebrewes perswading them to forsake the law of Moyses which now was of no force and that they should receaue the Ghospell and be Baptised The matter was brought to that passe that S. Stephen was more famous then any other of the disciples because he disputed face to face with the maisters of the Sinagogues in which were congregated the Grecians of sundrie Prouinces as of Cyrene of Alexandria of Cilicia and of Asia the lesse who altogether could not make resistance vnto the words
that their bodies should be burned and whilest the officers hauing already gotten all their bodies together prepared to performe it and had laid wood on the top of them and put fire vnto them behold on a sodeine the sky was couered with dark and black cloudes and dredfull thunders were hard and thunderboltes killed some of the Pagans who were busied in burning the bodies of the holy martyrs and the other fled away to saue their lifes wherat the Christians took hart and gathered together the reliques of the holy Martirs taking them out of the fire which was alredy quenched and putting them into a bark sailed with them vnto Bizantium and there they buried them very honorably After a few daies the couragious matrone Natalia desirous to remaine in the same place where the holy reliques were passed from Nicomedia vnto Bizantium where shee made a blessed end in our Lord and was buried at the side of S. Adrian her husband whose body was in processe of time caried vnto Rome and buried in a Church builded to his name The death of S. Adrian was on the. 8. day of September and the death of Natalia his wife was on the first day of December in the yeare of our Lord. 306. vpon a munday as the spanish saith Dioclesian raigning iointly with Maximian on the earth and IESVS CHRIST with the father and holy Ghost in perfect Trinity reigning in heauen to whome be all praise and glory for euer Amen * ⎠* The life of S. Gorgonius Martir IESVS CHRIST speaking of his comming into the world Math. 10. saith as S. Mathew writeth in his ghospell Doe not you think that I am come to make peace in the earth for I am come to set warre therin Although that the Angels sang when I was borne Glory be vnto God in the heauens and in earth peace vnto men of good will Although I am become man to treate and conclude peace betwene mine eternall father and men and though my salutations when I rose from death were nothing but peace because I desire that euerie man should haue it neuertheles let not any man be deceaued for I am come to make controuersie and variance betwene the wicked and the good I am come to make a diuision betwene the father and the sonne the mother the daughter the stepmother and the daughter in lawe and I am come to make the houshold seruants and familier freinds enemies vnto the master of the house This is euident and apparant to be so for when the father and the sonne the mother and the daughter the stepmother and the daughter in lawe the master of the house and his houshold people and familiar freinds be wicked and vicious if God touch the hart of any of them and they be conuerted vnto him and the other continue in their wickednes forthwith discord and dissension ariseth among them and they make war one against another but this do the wicked against the good by persecuting them euen to the taking away of their lifes because they forsake and abandon their conuersation Of this we haue an example in S. Gorgonius the martir who was chamberlain vnto the Emperour Diocleasian who as long as Gorgonius was a Gentill and worshipped the Idols liued quietly with him and he shewed much kindnes vnto him but when he vnderstood that Gorgonius was a Christian forthwith he fell out with him and vsed him with great tiranny and lastly with greate cruelty put him to death l. 8. c. 9. Howe it came to passe Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea reherseth after this maner SAINT Gorgonius was borne in the city of Nicomedia and was chamberlein vnto themperour Deoclesian This man hauing receiued the faith of CHRIST IESVS by the meanes of Dorotheus his fellowe companion in the same office These two conferred what they might do to get others of the Emperours chamber to be made Christians It fell out that one day one Petrus that had receaued also the christian faith who was a man noble in bloud of high esteeme in themperours Court hauīg an honorable office in the same sawe in the city of Nicomedia in the high street and edict or proclamation set vp which was made against the Christians threatning death and torments to them that should be discouered This man vpon a greate zeale of our faith took downe the edict and in the sight of all the people rent it in pieces when this happened Dioclesian and Maximian whom the former had chosen to be his colleague and companion in the Empire and had giuen vnto him the title of Cesar were both together in Nicomedia and vnto them it was tould what Petrus had done wherat both enraged and mad with fury commanded he should be brought before theire presence When he was brought and the other two also being there present he reproched and reuiled Peter out of measure and gaue strict commaundment he should not be fauored in his torments which although they were excessiue yet did he neuer showe in his countenaunce any signe but of ioy and neuer spoke word but it declared a vallerous and inuincible mind Gorgonius was present at this spectacle for he and Dorotheus had bene instructors of Peter in the faith of CHRIST These two seeing the cōstancy of the B. martir there grewe in them also a desire to die for the loue of IESVS CHRIST this his example working much in them and by accord betwene them they spoke vnto the Emperour in this maner what meanest thou o Emperour that thou tormentest Peter only for that thing in which if it be in him any fault we also are culpable if thou puttest him to the endurance of these torments because he professeth the faith of IESVS CHRIST the same faith we confesse also The same intention he hath we haue also therfore reason willeth that thou puttest vs vnto the same torments which thou hast made him to suffer when Dioclesian heard them say this he grewe into gret choller The loue he bore towards them before was not so greate and the desire to do them good as was nowe the indignation he cōceiued against them and the determination he had to handle them euill and in his fury and rage he said vnto them Since you seek the way like fooles as this man is to be tormented you shall haue your minds satisfied Then he commaunded they should be scourged without pitty which was performed forthwith so that their flesh was rent and torne in diuers places Then the tirant commaunded the officers to lay salt and power vineger into their wounds and lay them on the gridiron and vnder it a fire to be made but not a greate one to put them to the more torment Peter was nowe dead by this martirdome and bicause Gorgonius and Dorotheus semed yet to liue and the tirant was wearied to see their torment vpon the gridiron he made them to be taken from it and with a rope tied aboute their necks to be hanged by
fearefull retreate caused his vtter ruine For thinking he had left sufficient forces on the frontiers of his realme to keepe his enemies from entrance he made Medarses his yonger sonne his heire and successor in his kingdome and put him in possession therof and assigned him to stay on the frontiers for the more sure garde and defence therof and to keep the Imperialls from entring therin Cosdroes had another sonne elder then Medarses called Siricheus o Sirus as some call him who expected to succeede his father in the kingdome as his right and prowesse also deserued who took such indignation at his fathers doing that he diuised to depriue him of his crowne that he might with more facility bring his purposes to passe he determined to make a secret accord with Heraclius which was concluded vpon these articles That he should deliuer vnto themperour Heraclius his father and brethren either aliue or deade and also the Crosse of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and set free out of prison Zacharias the patriarch of Ierusalem That he should restore all that which Cosdroes had taken from thence And that he should haue the realme of Persia for himself and that he should keepe perpetuall peace with the Christians All these couenants were performed For by the aide of them of his faction and the aide Heraclius sent he was made king and put his father and brethen to death he restored the holy Crosse set the patriarch free and performed all the couenants comprised in the peace Th' emperor Heraclius desirous to render thanks vnto God for the benefits receaued and also to restore the Holy Crosse vnto the place where it ought to stand went on procession In the which Heraclius was clothed in most gorgeous apparell and with shoes embrodered with perles and pretious stones and in this manner he carried the holy Crosse as in imitation of IESVS CHRIST It happened that when he should enter the gate of the city to go vnto Mount Caluary I say enter Brocard de terra sancta p. 1. c. 7. §. 43. for that before the destruction of Ierusalem Mount Caluary was out of the city when it was reedified newely Mount Caluary was comprised with in the city gate where by he was to enter he stayed with the Crosse on his shoulder and could not sturre by any meanes He and all the rest of the people which were present were amased at the miracle not knowing what the cause might be The patriark Zacharias came neere vnto th'emperour and said I am in douâ—e that thou thy self giuest cause why thou canst not sturre and I will tell thee what it is Thou nowe dost carry the Crosse vpon thy shoulders as in imitation of IESVS CHRIST who bore the same this way But if thou mark it well thou doest imitate him but litle for thou doest not carey it as he did nor as it should be carried Thou art apparelled in most costly garments and he was clothed most meanely Thou hast on thy head an emperiall crowne and he wore one of pricking thorns he went with his feet bare and full of dust and thy feet are adorned with purple embrodered with Iewells and precious stones The words of the patriark seemed to th'emperour to be reasonable and true wherupon he caused a meane course garment to be brought vnto him He tooke the crowne of from his head and put of his hose and shooes and thus being barefoot and meanely apparelled he followed the procession vntill he set the holy Crosse in the former place froÌ„ whence Cosdroes had taken it foureten yeres before For this respect the Catholike church ordeined that euery yere the feast of the exaltation of the holy Crosse should be celebrated on the same day it was placed againe by Heraclius in the very same place it was set when IESVS CHRIST should dy theron This mistery befell on the day that the Church celebrateth it that is on the 14. day of September S. Aug. ser 17. de imoli Isac D. Amb. lib. 5. epist Epiph. in sine pana in the yeare of our Lord. 624. in the raigne of the abouenamed Heraclius S. Augustine S. Ambrose and S. Epiphanius say that in the place where the Crosse of CHRIST was sett Adam was buried and the dead nans scull which ordinarily is painted at the foote of the Crosse denoteth and signifieth the same The life of S. Nicomedes Priest and Martir RIGHT happy are they saith IESVS CHRIST Math. 5. which suffer for the loue of iustice This is not to be vnderstood of them that are punished by course of lawe for their trespasses All they who are whipped sent to the gallies and condemned to die are not happy but many of them may more iustly be called vnfortunate in that they know not how to reap profit by this chasticement which their offences deserueth but beare it impatiently and dye desperatly but right happy are those that hauing done any iust holy or meritorious act affiction cometh vpon them as it befell vnto S. Nicomedes the priest who lost his life for that he had buried a holy damosell martired by the pagans as may be seene in this story written by Marcelus the disciple of S. Peter the Apostle in this maner SAINT Petronilla the daughter of S. Peter being in Rome was seene by the gouernour of the city who was enamored of her And though that he was a man in chief autority yet went he vnto the house of the holy saint with a great troope of gentlemen and gaue her to vnderstand that he loued her and desired to marry her and make her his wife Petronilla seing Flaccus for that was his name to be a man of great power douted he would vse violence and therefore shaped him this answere me thinke it is not a thing conuenient to come and speak vnto a damosell liuing alone as I do with such a crewe especially in such a matter as of loue as though thou wouldst obteine me more by constraint then by loue I should be thought a foole and vnwise if I would forsak such an honorable person as thy self that sueth to mary me and take any other to my husband wherfore my Lord I beseech thee to send vnto me some matrone or damsells to stay remaine three daies with me after which time I will come vnto thy house and the wedding shall be made as thou desirest This her request contented the gouernour fully and so he departed with intent to performe her desire Petronilla had a maid seruant called Felicula who was a Christian and very vertuous and vnto her Petronilla vttered her mind in gret familiarity and besought her to assist her in her praiers vnto God that with in three daies God would be pleased to take her out of this life Felicula at the request of her mistris was content to do it So they two fasted and prayed all those three daies and did other works acceptable vnto God On the third day there
denied it with a valiant courage for which cause he put her into a more lothsome prison and after a fewe daies brought her to a publike hearing and then seeing her to be constant and resolute he commaunded her to be tortured The torments were such that they would haue bereaued the stoutest and lustiest man of his life and much more such a tender damosell as Euphemia was At the first they did beat her with wands of Iron then they put her on the torture called Eculeus which disiointed all her tender limmes Then an engin was made with a wheele full of kniues which being turned round about came to strike alwais in that same place where the holy saint was to be tied The wheele was in order and Euphemia was tied but bicause the torment was so dreadfull the holy saint made her oraisons vnto God and behold there descended from heauen an Angell who broke it to shiuers The maker of that engine died in that place with many other persons wherupon the kinsfolke and frends of the slaine men kindled a great fire to haue burned the holy virgin therin as though shee had bene the cause of their deaths but by the grace fauour of God she was freed from those fiery flames with out receauing any harme at all Lastly the proconsull commaunded shee should be giuen as a pray vnto the cruelty of sauage beasts She being already wearied of enduring so great torments besought God that this might be the last and so it was for there were let out vpon her two fierce Lyons which killed her but they did not eate her flesh at all and in this maner was finished the glorious conflict of S. Euphemia Of SS Lucy and Geminian Martirs SAINCT Lucy was a Romain matrone who had bin maried and her husband deceasing of infirmity shee continued widow from the age of 36 years vntill the age of 85. years Shee was a Christian and spent her time in pious vertuous actioÌ„s had a sonne called Eutropius who was fully as wicked as his mother was good And bicause his mother reproued him for his misdeeds shee grewe odious vnto him and he vsed a most enormous villany that so he might liue as he listed and liked and this it was At that time the persecution which Dioclesian and Maximian vsed against the Christians was terrible and executed with all rigoure the accursed sonne went to one of them accused his mother Lucy to be a Christian Themperour forth with commanded her to be apprehended so shee was And when Lucy continewed firme and constant in her faith he coÌ„maunded shee should be put into a great Cauldron full of pitch and molted lead but the holy saint was taken out this torment not doing her any harme Then the tirant commaunded that shee should be put to open shame and reproch causing her to be led gyued and fettered thorough the city which was not only a reproch vnto the holy saint but also a greeuous paine with the gret weight she carried and it was augmented in that she was so aged and moreouer the officers forced her to make hast to giue vnto her the more annoy S. Lucy being in this maÌ„ner euill entreated came nere vnto the house of a noble citisen called Geminian who kept certein Idolls in a priuate roome all which did fall vnto the ground when S. Lucy passed by This was the cause that Geminian with others that imitated him were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST Geminian ranne vnto the place where S. Lucy was and kneeling on his knees before her said that he desired to be a Christian and requested her to pray vnto God for him that since God had giuen him that good desire that he would also giue him ability to performe and to accomplishe it The officers hearing this laid hold on him and led him vnto Dioclesian who commaunded that both Lucy and he should be beheaded and so they were The martirdome of these three saints Eufemia Lucy and Geminian was on the same day that the Church maketh coÌ„memoration of them to wit on the. 16. day of September about the year of our Lord 290. Zon in vita Copronimi the aforenamed Dioclesian and Maximian being Emperours Metaphrastes Zonaras an Euagrius make mention of S. Eufemia The life of S. Ianuarius and others AMONG other the great miracles which are read in holy writ wrought by our Lord God in his seruants in mine opinion that in the 3. cap. 〈◊〉 â—he prophet Daniell is the most principall and the cheefest The proud king Nabuchodonosor desirous to be accounted a God on the earth caused to be made that huge and most prodigious statua representing his person He iointly sent forth a publick proclamation that all and euery one of his subiects none exempted should adore it on their knees at the sound of sondry Instruments the three yong Hebrue gentlemen called Ananias Azarias and Misael otherwise Sidrac Misac and Abdenago being requested so to doe denied it they remained faithfull vnto God to whom principally and only apperteineth diuine worship not respecting the great fauours they had receued of the king not regarding his large promisses and offers of great welth not caring for his threats nor esteeming the losse of their owne lifes The king who more rightly might be called a tirant in a rage and fury caused a great ouen to be beat seuen times more then it vsed to be and those blessed yong men clothed as they were to be cast into the same but they by the merite of their faith and relligion toward God were not touched nor hurt by the fyer in their garments or bodies but walking securely in the midst of the fornace as if it had bene a hall or faire street did sing praises and lauded God merily ioyfully And that which more increased the wonder there discended an Angell downe from heauen who cast the burning flame violently out of the ouen which burned and consumed the Chaldeans and officers of the king that were nere vnto the mouth of the fornace It pleased our Lord to do the like thing in commendation and for the merit of the true faith and holines of S. Ianuarius the Bishop He for that he refused to worship the Idolls and to wrong the maiesty of God regarded not the threats of torments nor was moued by the flattering promise of temporall goods was after many torments endured by the commaundement of a president vnder Dioclesian that cruell tirant and other his diuellish ministers cast into a burning fornace made as hote as it could be and yet the blessed man remained without any hurt at all and he together with the Angels song praises and rendered thanks vnto our Lord and the wicked officers were all consumed and brent miraculously with the flame of the fire which came out of the fornace The life and death of this holy Bishop and his fellowe martirs as it is gathered out of the catalogue of saints the Romain
breuiary and martirologe is as followeth SAINT Ianuarius and his coÌ„panions that is to say Festus Sosius and Proculus Deacons Desiderius the lector Acatius and Eutiches were martired nere vnto the city of Pozzuole vnder the persecution of Themperour Dioclesian Tymotheus gouerning that prouince for him This gouernor being sent by Themperour vnto Nola in Campania with commission to root out the Christians apprehended and improsoned Sosius Deacon of the church of Messina and Proculus deacon of the church of Pozzuolo and Acatius and Eutiches cittizens of Nola and laymen But he commaunded Ianuarius the B. of Beneuentum accused a fore that time to be a Christian to be layd hold on and brought before him And when he nether for much entreaty nor for sharp threats would be drawen to the sacrifice of the Idolls the gouernour apointed a fornace to be heated three daies together with continuall fire and that then Ianuarius who in the meane space was kept in prison vnder a sure gard should be cast therinto in the midst of the burning flames with out any release or fauour to be shewed He entred the same hauing with gret humility made his praiers vnto God where singing together with the Angels he went vp and downe without any hurt at all vnto his body The souldiers made relation of this miracle vnto the gouernour who bad them open the mouth of the ouen wider that it might be seen more apparantly if it was so as they said which when they did the flame broke and rushed out violently and consumed a huge number of the pagans that stood about it But Ianuarius came forth of the ouen so that there was no shewe or apperaunce that any thing was burned no not so much as the heare of his head or his garment he had on The gouernour attributed impiously this thing vnto sorcery and comitted him againe into fast prison but on the next day he called him to appeare before him and in a raging fury made the officers to scourge him which they did vntill the sinewes were separated from his body and then he returned him back to the prison in which time he deuised and inuented new punishments and torments for his further affliction Vpon this Festus the Deacon and Desiderius the Lector of the city of Beneuentum went vnto the gouernour and complained vnto him of the great torturs the holy prelat had endured but the tirant not disgesting their words and reprofes they were by his commaundement staied and laid in Irons in the same place where Ianuarius was This being done Timotheus the gouernour determining to go vnto the city of Pozzuolo commaunded all the aboue named martirs to be driuen before his chariot in fetters to the terrour and example of other and that they should be put into the Amphitheater of that citie where the Beares should be put out against them But the sauage beasts forgetting their naturall fiercenes laid aside all their cruelty and became mild tractable like lambs lying downe at the feet of the martirs The Gouernour not knowing what to do more vnto them at the sight herof gaue sentence that they should be beheaded The which sentence being read forthwith and the holy Saints being led to the execution therof the gouernour miraculously became blind of both his eyes Wherfore he instantly sent back for Ianuarius and besought him to make his praiers vnto his God for him that he might be deliuered from this miserable darknes which Ianuarius doing his fight was restored incontinently The pagans seeing this euident miracle 5000. of them were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST but the gouernour was no lesse vnthankfull for the benefit receaued then obstinate in his euill purpose but was more enraged for the conuersion of so many people and sent back Ianuarius and the others also to be put to death according to the sentence A certein old man requested Ianuarius to leaue some thing of his vnto them that should be a witnes or remembrance of his martirdome and of his death avowed that he would keep it as a Iewell vnto whom the Bishop promised to giue his napkin after his death To conclude the holy martirs were beheaded to wit Ianuarius Bishop Festus and Proculus Deacons Desiderius lector Acatius and Eutiches afterward Sosius who among the rest shewed himselfe most couragious and prompt to dy though kept in prison some fewe daies before he died S. Ianuarius did appeare vnto that same old man after his martirdome and according to the promise he made vnto him in his life he gaue vnto him his napkin or scarfe wetted in his bloud wherwith he had couered his face when he was beheaded The same scarâ—e or napkin the good old man shewed vnto the officers that came back from the execution And at the same houre the holy martirs were put to death the gouernour was haled by the deuill and by him long vexed and in that misery died The mother of S. Ianuarius being then in Beneuento where her dwelling was sawe in her sleep her sonne in the sky vp toward heauen and shee noting the hour the day of the vision so I call it rather then a dreame found that at the same time he had receiued the crowne of martirdome There also befell in this his martirdome another considerable accident which was when the martir of God Ianuarius was beheaded and that the napkin or scarfe was bound ouer his eys there fell vnto the earth together with his head one of the fingers of his hands also And whilest the Christians attended and waited oportunity to burie his bodie by night as also the bodies of the other martirs Ianuarius appeared vnto them willed them to search for his finger to bury it with his head that was cut of which they diligently and speedely did and buried all these blessed bodies nere vnto the citie with great honour religion and deuotion Then did euery one of the cities there about of a good pious desire elect and choose some one of these glorious martirs to their protectors and patrons The Neapolitans caried away the body of S. Ianuarius which had bin first at Pozzuolo and after at Beneuento and then came to the goodly monasterie of Monte Virgine and lastly in the time of Alexander 6. Pope it was translated vnto Naples and entombed very honorably in the Cathedrall Church In which place may be continuallie scene very great miracles And this also shal be worthy of eternall memorie that when there came from the hill Vesuuius nowe called Mount de Somma balles of fire and ashes in such aboundance that not only the inhabitants dwelling nere thereunto but also they which dwelt further of were in great dread and feare that all the country there about would be consumed and destroyed by the fire the same was wholly and vtterlie extinct quenched by the merits and patronage of this blessed Saint Wherfore the Grecians haue put him in their Kallender and do likewise euerie yeare make an
mention of this miracle of raising the kings sonne from death to life by S. Matthew and also of the two dragons and of other miracles and admirable acts the Apostle did in Ethiope although he do not particularize the same he saith also that much people came vnto the place where S. Matthew lodged and would haue done sacrifice to him as if he had bene a God and presented many gifts vnto him and that the Apostle said vnto them I am not a God but a mortall man and the seruant of IESVS CHRIST who is the true God Then he requested them to bestow those presents and gifts which they would haue giuen him vpon the building of a temple to the same IESVS CHRIST for he whom he preached and by whose power he did those miracles was the true liuing God exhorting them to be Baptised in his name for that was the true waye and meanes to obteine euerlasting life To conclude the Apostle said such words and confirmed them so with miracles that the king with all his court and a great number of other people were Baptised The king had a daughter called Iphigenia who was very beautifull but much more commended for her wisedome who hauing heard S. Matthew oftentimes in his sermons to commend and extoll virginity conceiued a good liking of him and vsing his aduise was closed in a monastery with 200. other damosells desiring to do the same S. Matthew staid in Etiope 23. years continually conuerting soules to our Lord IESVS building Churches ordering priests consecrating Bishops gaining many soules and augmenting the faith of CHRIST and that which he preached with the mouth he performed also in deeds to the edification of others lib. 2. pedagog his life being holy and exemplary Clement of Alexandria saith that S. Matthew neuer eate flesh and that he liued only with herbes King Egippus afterward deceasing his brother Hyrtacus succeeded in the kingdome This newe king to establish himself more suerly in the kingdome and also moued with the rare beauty of Iphigenia intended to marry her To bring this his purpose to effect he acquainted the Apostle with his intent thinking it a good meanes to drawe the mind of the yong woman to his will The Apostle aunswered the king that he would giue notice vnto Iphigenia of the good that ariseth of matrimony and howe it is a holy thing and that then he might come and talk with her himself The king thought this would be a very good course and for that the Apostle said he would declare this matter in a sermon the king said that he would also be present therat Sonday came and the Apostle in the presence of Iphigenia and the other relligious women the king being there also and all the cheifest Lords of his court began to discourse of matrimony and to shewe howe necessary it was for the conseruation of mankind and gaue it other commendations He also said that matrimony was ordeined and instituted by God and howe good it was to haue children All this pleased Hirtacus very well and he awayted to hear the Apostle say that Iphigenia might forsake and leaue the estate of a relligious woman and take a husband and be made Queene of Ethiope But the conclusion of Apostle was farre otherwise then Hirtacus exspected for then he fell in hand to treate of the grieyous punishment that adulteres deserued out of which he seemed to inferre that if the seruant of any king was so bold as to take away his wife from him he did not merite only to be put out of fauour and to be disgraced but also he deserued to dy an euill death though he did not effect but only attempte it Therefore ô king I giue thee to vnderstand said Apostle looking vpon him that Iphigenia is the spouse of IESVS CHRIST the king of heauen and if thou seek to take her away from him thou shalt fall into his heauy displeasure When Hirtacus perceaued the conclusion of the Apostles words and wherunto they tended he was moued to great indignation which he vttered in his countenance and so threatning him he departed out of the Church Iphigenia was heereat surprised with great feare and with the other relligious women kneeled at the feet of the Apostle and asked his aduise what shee and they should do to be quit of the persecution and assault the king had begon against her virginity The Apostle incouraged them all with good words and put a veile vpon euery one of their heads making them hereby and by their vowing the three vowes of Pouertie Chastity and Obedience true Nonnes and these were the first Nonnes the were among the Christians This being done the Apostle said Masse and hauing ended the same there came thither a cruell fellow sent by Hirtacus who gaue the Apostle many wounds with a speare so that the Altar was all stained with bloud and his body lay dead in the place The grief and compassion of the people for the death of S. Mathew was so great that they made a commotion and rose in armes entending to kill the tyraunt and had effected it if some priests had not intromitted themselues and said them sayeng that God would not be pleased there with and that therefore he commanded Peter to put vp his sword into the sheath Then Hyrtacus laboured by the meanes of some ladies to persuade Iphigania to be his wife but seeing that this way would not remoue the holy virgin from her good purpose in a diabolicall rage he caused the monastery to be fired but S. Mathew was seene in the aire to quench it The sacrilegious tyraunt escaped not this deserued punishment for God strook him with the leprosy which was so sore that he killed himself for paine and the kingdome came to the brother of Iphigenia sonne to Egippus who was a Christian ruled that prouince many years to the honour and glory of God which was spred through all Ethiope where the body of S. Matthew was kept and holden in great veneration and reuerence vntill the time of pope Gregory 7. when it was translated ro the city of Salerno in Italy where it is holden in great veneration to this day by all good Christians Great reason there is to doe so for that this glorious Apostle hath three honorable titles for euery of which he meriteth to be honored The first is of Apostle the second of Euangelist the third of martir His death was on the 21 day of September and on that day the Church celebrateth his feast and in the year of our Lord. 90. in the raigne of Domiâ—ian after Canisius It is not with out mistery that among all the other Euangelists whom the Church vseth in her seruice S. Matthew holdeth the first place as likewise doe S. Paule and Dauid of the one of which almost euery day the epistles be red of the other the psalmes be song The mistery may be for that all three were great sinners to giue hope to all
family to the Mauri Being fully 20. yeeres old he was sent by his father to Rome to study where he remained in the house of Quintus Fabius his fathers friend vntill S. Peter the Apostle came to Rome to preach the Gospell Then this S. Linus was of his first disciples who followed him asisting him alwaies in his preaching and in the administration of the hely Sacramēts S. Peter seing in him many good partes as his holines learning and curteous affability he made him his coadiutor in the dignity to the which he was also elected after the death of the Apostle So that first he was coadiutor then Pope and head of the Church for the which with great care and prudence he prouided all thinges necessarie for the good gouernement thereof He comaunded in particuler that women hould not enter into the Church with their haire loose and vntied but bound vp and couered as S. Peter had comaunded and S. Paul had left written He gaue holy orders twise in the month of December and at them he consecrated 15. Bishops and ordered 18 Priests with some Deacons In the primitiue Church there was great care had in giuing holy orders and in receiuing any to the office of a priest or the other orders and therefore they kept a reconing and conserued the memory of the times when holy orders were giuen and how many were ordered Those ancient fathers did this for that this office was so reuerend holy and so hard to discharge that many deputed and apointed to take orders refused it yea some there were that cut of some member or other as their finger eare nose or the like to make themselues incapable to receiue an office so great and waighty as Priesthood is Moreouer the Christians at that time were fewe in number so that there was not such need of so many Pastors If the same were done at this present it would surely be a notable benefit aswell for the one part as for the other if that prelates were not so liberall and ready in giuing holy orders nor secular Christians so bold and hasty in procuring to receaue the same the Priests should not be so litle esteemed nor the seculars haue such occasion to murmure of the Ecclesiasticall state S. Linus wrote the deeds and doctrine of S. Peter the Apostle his maister and especialy his martirdome S. Linus being a most holy man cast out diuells and raised the dead to life He deliuered from the diuell a yong woman daughter to the Consul Saturninus who in recompence of that receaued benefitt by the handes of the good Pope comaunded he should be put to death and so he was made the martir of IESVS CHRIST It is no smal honour to S. Linus that the Catholike Church hath put his name in the Canon of the masse among other holy martirs there mētioned The feast of S. Linus is celebrated on the daie of his martirdom which was one the 23 of September in the yeare of our Lord 81. in the time of Vespasian the Emperour This holy Martir held the Papacy 11. yeeres 3. monthes and 12 daies was buried neere vnto the body of S. Peter the Apostle Shortly after his holy reliques were translated vnto the citty of Ostia and laid comely in the Church of S. Lawrence by Gregorie Bishop of that citty S. Paul maketh mention of Pope Linus in the second Epistle he wrote vnto Timothie his disciple in the 4. chapter The life of S. Tecla virgin THE Apostle S. Paule writing vnto the Corinthians saith 1. Cor. 7. that the virgin sinneth not in taking a husband but doth a good work though it should be better not to take a husband but to remaine a virgin I may be that the Apostle preached this doctrin in a sermon and that a yong woman named Tecla who had determined to take a hushand was present therat Who vnderstanding that it was better to conserue her virginity left and forsooke her earthly spouse taking IESVS CHRIST to her heauenly spouse for whose loue she tollerated very great afflictions and torments which were procured vnto her by him that thought to be her husband The life of this glorious saint gathered out of the writings of S. Ambrose Ado Arch of Triers and out of other graue authors was as followeth ON a time S. Paule departing from Antioch went vnto a city called Iconium in the prouince of Cilicia There had bene there before that time Titus his disciple and had giuen notice and signes of him vnto Onesiphorus who was a very vertuous man and dwelt in that city He had related allso vnto him the doctrine which he preached his life and behauior and informed him of the quality of his personage to wit that he was a man litle of body and that he had a hooked nose and faire in the face like an Angell When the Apostle came vnto the city Onesiphorus knew him by the signes before told him wherefore he led him to his house where some people of good intention and desirous to finde the true way to eternall life and happines were assembled The Apostle preached vnto them to the great profit of them that gaue due attention vnto him In the next house to the place where the Apostle preached there dwelt a damosell very beautifull but much more vertuous called Tecla This damosell had a mother liuing who had made a match and apointed to marry her to a yongman called Tamirus It hapened on a time that Tecla standing in a windowe of her house heard from thence the preaching wordes of S. Paul which made very great impressiō in the mind of the yong damosell She being not content to haue heard him this one time endeauored and made meanes to heare him sondry other times and so long that her mother came to the knowledge thereof how the wordes of the Apostle had made her daughter to alter her intent and purpose to marry Yea the virgin Tecla her self who was a pagan before said now boldly that she was a Christian and she that before was resolued to take an husband said now that she desired rather to loose her life then her virginity The mother made report of these things vnto the spouse of her daughter who finding the same to be very true because Tecla her self told him her mind freely and what she entended to do which was that she would not marry but remaine a virgin went vnto the Proconsull of the citty and gaue him notice that there was a forreiner come into the towne who took wiues from their husbands and brought in new and strange Gods to the notable preiudice and damage of them all as being contrary to that their fore fathers had beleeued This information was the cause that the Apostle was apprehended cruelly scourged and put in danger of his life had he not made it knowne vnto them that he had the priuiledge of a citisen of Rome by being borne in Tarsus a citty of Cicilia yet for all
this he was driuen and banished out of the citty After this S. Telcla was taken and hauing beene examined and her intention found that she desired to be a Christian and determined to conserue her virginity she was condemned to be consumed with fire The fire was kindled and a huge multitude of people were assembled to behold that most beautifull yong damosell that would willingly go to dy such a cruell death The blessed damosell was set in the midst of the fire which did not any hurt at all vnto her persons And on the sodaine fell from heauen such a storme with thunderclapps with such aboundance of raine that it put out the fire and afrighted all them that were present in such sort that euery one departed and the holy virgin was left at liberty whereby she might go free And so she went to the house of Onesiphorus where she found S. Paul with some other Christians who had continually for sixe daies made their praiers for her and they were all exceeding glad of her comming The Apostle did Baptise her and instructed her fully in the faith but because they were assured that the Proconsull would send againe for her the Apostle departed from that house and citty also recomending much the virgin Tecla vnto all the Christians that were in that place Though all dilligence that might be was vsed to keep her secret yet within a fewe dayes Alexander a lewd person apprehended her and brought her before the Proconsull who seing her to preseuer constantly in that she would not marry her spouse but continue a Christian gaue sentence that she should be deuoured of wilde beastes in the citty of Antioch whether the Proconsull was to go An especiall daye was apointed for this spectacle and in the meane space S. Tecla was deliuered vnto the custody of a matrone called Triphona When the apointed daie was come S. Tecla was brought into the Theater and a fierce Lionesse was let out against her which drawing neere vnto the holy saint lay downe quietly at her feete without doing her any harme S. Ambrose wondring much at that which the wild beasted did to the holy virgin said these wordes The firstly onesse which was let out against the blessed virgin was mild lay downe at her feete and hurt her not and also gaue example vnto the other lyons Beares and fierce Bulles who hauing bin let loose against her stood round about her peaceably and licked her feete The people were seuere cruel and the sauage and wild beastes were tame and pittifull though they were kept hungry and almost famished that they might haue their fill and make their praie vpon the holy damosell And though they were prouoked and pricked forward by their keepers that they might deuoure the holy saint yet could they not make them to hurt or harme her in the least degree The Iudge seing that the wild beastes spared her she being taken out of the Theater cōmaunded she should be cast into a ditch wherein were many dreadfull and venimous serpents when S. Tecla was put into that deep ditch there discended from heauen a fierie cloud that slewe all the serpents and by this meanes S. Tecla remained free from this third torment euen as God had deliuered her from the other two to wit from the fire and the wild beastes The people seing such great maruailes and especially the matrone Triphona who had her in keeping and in that time had conceiued great good affection vnto her she beginning and the cōmon people following her cried out iointly together That the God of Tecla was most potent and most worthy to be adored that had deliuered her from such and so great dangers The Iudge fearing some cōmotion of the people set S. Tecla free and Triphona led her vnto her house adopted her to be her daughter The holy virgin Tecla departed from that citty and went to make her abode in Seleucia In which place many by her meanes receaued the faith of CHRIST Spanish addeth being 90 yeeres old and there she ended her daies blessedly There is extant a history of S. Tecla in the which be many fabulous and vncertaine things As that she clothed her self in mans apparell and would haue gone so in the compaine of S. Paul and that he would not permitt it but willed her to go in her ordinary and vsuall attire of a woman moreouer it saith that a great Lord in the citty of Antioche would haue giuen vnto S. Paul a great summe of mony if he would haue giuen that yong damosell vnto him to be his paramour and that S. Paul would not do it These and other such like things are read in the abouenamed legend but Pope Gelasius commanded that those stories should not be credited and put them among the writings apocriphall and of none auctority but that which I haue written of this saint is auowed by graue authors and is authorised and of credit the Church also giueth credit thereto who in the praiers which are said in the commendations of soules saith these words O Lord deliuer this soule euen as thou didst deliuer S. Tecla from three most cruell torments The Catholik Church maketh commemoration of S. Tecla on the day of her death which was on the. 23. day of September in the year of our Lord 90. as Canisius saith in the time of Themperour Domitian It is said that the body of this holy saint is in Spaine in the city of Tarragona in the prouince of Catalonia spanish addeth In the Cathedrall church of that citty dedicated to her name The life of SS Cyprian and Iustinia Martirs SAINT Paul to confound the wise men of this world writing to the Corinthians saith God hath chosen the foolishnes of this world This was especially said vnto the Apostles who being people vnlettred and by consequens were holden as folish in that intending them selues to teach a new doctrine would preach vnto people learned and full of knowledg and yet their preaching was the cause that many were conuerted vnto God and receued glaldy the Ghospell This same is verefied by S. Iustina a damosell vnlettered in humain Wisdome yet God made chose her for an instrument to cōuert a Pagan who was very lerned not only in Philosophy but also in magike and sorcery and had dealing and practise with the diuell and though he was such a one yet was he conuerted vnto the faith of IESVS CHRISTE by the meanes of S. Iustina was martired with her The life history of theise two holy saints was written by S. Gregory Nazianzen though he was deceiued in that he thought he had bin Bishop of Carthage well he venerable Bede and other Authors wrote of these holy saints in this maner EVEN as it is no reproch vnto S. Paul to say of him that he had bene a persecutor of the Church of God nor any infamy vnto S. Matthew to say of him that he had bene a customer or vsurer before that either
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
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
had some doubt by reason that both were stricken in yeares but especiallie Cilinia could not be induced to belieue it Be thou assured quoth Montanus thou shalt be a mother giue suck vnto thy sonne with thy owne milke wash mine eyes therewith and I shall thereby recouer my sight All things happened euen as the holie monke had said for Cilinia conceaued and brought forth a sonne that was called Remigius she gaue him sucke with her owne brests and washed the eyes of Montanus with her milk and he therewith recouered his sight as he had foretold The vertue of this sainct did shine so cleerely in his childhood that euen in the day break of his life he plainelie declared how great would be the day-light of his perfect age He was sent to schoole where in a short space he did not onlie profitte much in knowledge and learning but allso in holie and vertuous life making learning to serue as a light to guide him in the path of vertue vertue by alaying the stormes of passions further him in the course of learning when he came vnto the age of 22. years Bennadius the Archbishop of the city deceasing the people assembled for the election of another pastour and fixing their eyes on that holie Saint there present sayed there was not any more fitte them Remigius to succeed in that dignity The holy yong man being there was troubled much in mind made many excuses saieng that soe eminent a degree was full vnseemely for one of his age and conuersation that the vsage was not to elect beardles youths to an office conuenient only for men well stricken in years or of a consistent age Vnto these allegations they made aunswere that his vertues supplied the defects of his age and therefore they had determined that he should be their Pastour and prelate Whilst the people and Remigius were thus at variance there descēded on a sodein a great light from heauen like vnto a beame which rested on the head of S. Remigius The wonderfull maruaill of the celestiall election and confirmation of S. Rimigius in the prelacy proceeded further for beside the light his head was found to be washed with a heauenly dewe or liqour and all they which were present felt the most fragrant and sweet smell that might be comming from the same All the people beholding this wonder with one voice praised God and gaue him thanks that he had vouchsaued to shew plannely that the election they had made was acceptable to him S. Remigius durst not make any further resistance least it should seeme that he withstood and gaine said the will of God So he was made priest and consecrated Bishop by the other Bishops that dwellt there about Assoone as he had accepted this high function he made euident demōstration that he was of sufficient ability to exercise the same he shewed him self to be an almose giuer vigilant deuout curteous perfect in doctrine and charity his conuersation was celestiall his words were all kindled with the fier or Gods loue He was affable and alwais pleasant in countenance but with grauity his preaching was of that which was necessary for saluation of soules what he preached in words he practised in works He moued them that looked on his face earnestly to deuotion for in him did shine clearly the liuely portraiture of santity His sight was dreafull and awfull vnto the presumptuous and proud but very mild and gratious vnto the lowly and humble Toward goodmen his aspect was louing and pleasing as S. Peters was but to the wicked his countenannce was grimme and stern like vnto S. Paules The riches of his soule were so great that notwistanding they could not be seen with corporall eies nor expressed in words yet were they manifested by his externall works He fled Idlenes and worldly pleasures were to him displesant on the other side trauaile was to him best pleasing and he had a delight to be contemned In his sermons he did especially reprehend the vice of carnallity and willed his hearers not to account their owne wifes foule or to think the wife of another man faire or beautifull He was in diet temperate and he sometimes because he would not seeme hautey or proud called some of his poor kindred and freinds to his table Sometimes the litle birds were seen to flye in at the windoes and to sit on the tables side or on the platter and he gaue them some what to eate and when some flewe away others came back At this S. Remigius took occasion to giue spirituall refection vnto the guests that sate at his table saieng See these bitle birds do not sowe nor reape nor haue no granaries wherin to conserue their goods and yet God doth not abandon them but prouideth for them day by day how much more will he prouide for man for whose sake he shed his precious bloud and lost his life ought not man therefore endeuor to do the will of God and be vnto him obedient as these litle birds be He said also This meat was not dressed and ordained for these litle birds euen so the goods which our fore fathers haue left vs or that we haue gotten by our labour and traueill we ought to bestowe part thereof cheerefully among poor men to the end God may make vs partakers of his glory in his kingdome out of the which the deuills were cast for their offence This good Prelate visited oftentimes his Bishoprik in person and committed not the same vnto any other It happened that on a time he came vnto a place called Calmaciacum there was a man possessed of an euill spirit which made him also blind from the time of the first entrance into him S. Remigius praied for him and the foule fiend departed the man recouered his sight and was free from all euill for which cause he gaue vnto God infinite thanks Another time the good Bishop being in the city of Rheimes lodged in the house of the Church of S. Nicasius martir sometime B. of that city there befell a great fier which burned a great part therof Notice herof came to S. Remigius who first praied and then went unto the place where the fire was raging and burning with such fury that all thought it would haue consumed the wholl citty The Blessed man made the signe of the Crosse against the fire which approched toward him and it fled from him and he followed it so long vntill it came to be like a great boule drew back to one of the gates of the city and issued out of the same to the great amazement of all the beholders In the Church of S. Iohn Baptist in the same city he cast a deuill out of a damosell which at his departure did so afflict her that he left her for dead S. Remigius made his oraisons for her restored her vnto life At that time Fraunce had suffered many afflictions by diuers tirants that made warre vpon it one of
them was Clodoueus sonne to Childericus who was possessed of the greatest and best part of that Realme This Clodoueus was a Painim Idollater but had to his wife Clotidis a holy vertuous Christian woman of the house of Burgundy Shee had many times persuaded the king to be Baptised and to be come a Christian and he excused himself alleaging that the souldiers of his army would kill him if he did so On a time being in warre against the Allemans and Sueuians and fighting with them he fell into great danger not only to be discomfited but also to be slaine in the field Clodoueus had in his company a Christian the duke of Orleance who aduised the king to make a vowe vnto God to be made a Christian assuring him thereby the victory ouer his foes Clodoueus made the vowe euery thing succeeded according to his desire for he not only was victorius in that encounter but he also made that prouince subiect vnto his crowne Then he returned with victory vnto Paris his place of residence and made relation vnto the queen Clotildis of the vowe he had made who being ioifull of it sent messengers for S. Remigius to come and confer with the king The holy Bishop came and spake with the king and shewed to him such pregnant reasons that he was fully resolued to be Baptised The thing that staied him was the fear that his subiects would rebell against him To put that doubt out of the kings mind S. Remigius talked priuatly with â—he principall men of the kings host and some times he preached to them in publik These priuate and publik speeches of S. Remigius were of such force that all said they would be Baptised if the king was The day wherin the king should be Baptised was apointed and much people were assembled and all the chiefe men were in the Church where the blessed Sacrament was to be celebrated The king being vpon the fonte the priests by Gods permission had forgot to bring thither the holy oile and when the king should haue bene aniointed there with S. Remigius perceaued the want therof The throng of the people was so great that it was impossible to haue it brought so soon as was fit so that the holy saint was much perplexed but he had in his hart recourse vnto the father of mercies beseeching him to help him in this necessity lest ther should arise any offence among the people and behold a Doue carrieng in her bill a violl with holy oile therin was seene euidently to come and put it into the hands of S. Remigius and then to fly away againe The holy sainct after he had giuen thanks vnto God for this fauor receiued anointed the king with that oile after the accustomed vsage The sweet odour of that oile was so great that the king and others who had seene the miracle were astonied therat and rendered vnto God infinit thanks for the same Clodoueus was then named Lodouicus and vnto S. Remigius aswell the king as the other noblemen that were Baptised that day shewed many fauors and gaue him many possessions and other reuenews which he distributed among the Churches of his Diocess S. Remigius in his old age knew by reuelation from heauen that there would ensue a great dearth and scarcety of corne in all Fraunce and therefore he like another Ioseph gathered good store therof against that time of necessity and heaped and staked it vp in a village called Celtum This being done certein countrie clownes vpon a festiuall day hauing litle to do talked together of the great store of graine he had collected And one of them said This Lazie old man for so they called him for his great age will I think by his ingrossing become a merchant of corne Another instigated by the deuill said let vs set it on fier burne it and so he shall not gaine by his merchandize The others assented and so in an instant they sett fire to the stacks and burned much As it happened S. Remigius was not farre of and being told of this accident he speedilie got to his horse and went to see if he could remedy it but when he came he found it past recouery It was in a cold euening in the winter which also was a vexation to the holy man by reason of his age and so he alighted from his nagge and came neere to the fire to warme himself with out any alteration of his countenance and said God will not forget to punish him that hath done this euill losse vnto poore men and so it came to passe for the pesants that set fier to the corne became crook backt and al their children that came of them were so also The Author that wrote this life saith he hath sene some of their race crook backt To end the time long desired by S. Remigius the day of his death aproached by which he hoped to haue the rewarde of his trauell tollerated for the loue of his Church in gouerning the same by the space of 74 years for so long he had bin Bishop In all which time he neuer did thing that was not fit or conuenient neither did he omitt to do that which he ought to do Vnderstanding that the hower of his death approached first he set in order the affairs of his Church then he pâ—ouided to haue long oraisons made for him and desired to receaue the holy Sacrament and so finally he yielded vp his soule vnto his redeemer who had bought it with his pretious bloud being then 96 years old in the year of our Lord 545 on the 13. day of Ianuary But because the holy Church on that day solemniseth the octaues of the Epiphanie the feast of S. Remigius is put ouer vnto the 1. day of October because on that day his body was translated He was first buried in a Church of S. Christopher in the same city of Rheimes but bicause the Church was litle and the concourse of people which came to visite his sepulcher great it was made bigger and larger and of more curious and costly workmanship in especiall there was made a most beautifull sepulcher for the body of the holy sainct but when they would haue caried it thither they fouÌ„d it so weighty so heauy that no humain force and strength was able to moue it in such sort that all the clergy and people which were assembled to make that translation were pensiue and sorowfull yet staied in the Church singing himnes and spirituall songs Staieng in this maÌ„ner they fell in a fast sleep and when they awaked they found the blessed body caried into the new sepulcher by the hands of Angells wherupon it was ordeined in regard of this miracle that the feast of S. Remigius should be celebrated on that day which was the. 1. of October as nowe it is The life of the Seraphicall Father S. Frauncis WE READ of king Dauid that when he was persecuted by Saul 1. Reg 27.
he neuer staid long but continuallie trauailed from one place to another to escape his handes Once he came to the court of Achis king Geth who was a Phillistin being knowen of the courtiers he was led vnto the king that he might also see and knew him that had killed in the field the most valiant Champion of all the Philistians Golias the Giant Dauid feared that comming before the king he might incurre danger of his life wherefore to free himself of that perill he vsed a kind of pollicy in which he shewed himself as wise as he had before time valerous His craft was to faine himself foolish mad make faces and diffigure his countenance in diuers strange fashions to pulle at one and after at another and yf any catched at him againe to slip away from them as allso to let spiâ—tle fall on his beard and such like frantick toyes The king seing and thincking this to be done for nought but meere foolishnes scoffed at him and said to his courtiers To what end haue you brought this fellow hither want I fooles in my house take him away By this deuise Dauid was deliuered from the danger of death and out of the hands of the Phillistims O blessed Patriarch and Seraphicall Father holie S. Frauncis howe well and how perfectly wast thou pictured in this patterne Thou like a newe Dauid being yet verie yong wast persecuted not by Saule but by the deuill that endeuoured and laboured to depriue thee of the life not only of bodie but allso of soule Achis the king of Geth is this world in whose court thou wast and continuedst for a time in companie of other worldly men These made thee knowen to the world and the world did fixe his eyes vpon thee But thou fearing dauÌ„gers which hong ouer thy head to deliuer thy life out of his handes didst like a wise man faine thy selfe a foole Thou didst alter thy countenance when forsaking all that the world esteemeth thou didst embrace that which he most dispiseth When flying from all pleasures and delights thou didst make choice of contempt and afflictions Thou sometimes didst cherish one sometime another therby seeming to catche hold of them but if anie beganne to lay hold on thee to make the liue in sinne as others thou didst auoide and flye away from them Thou diddest many other things as a foole according to the iudgment of the world as in louing and seeking pouertie in appareilling and vsing of thy body not only meanely but also rigourously whereby the world reputed thee a foole and a verie dizard But thou like Dauid by this dilligence wast deliuered from out of the hands of Philisteans the hands of this world that so thou mightest fight and make fierce and cruell warre against him not only by thy owne person but also by thy sonnes and by thy daughters the religious people of thy holie order who continually waging warre against this enemie obteine many glorious spoiles and victories I haue taken the life of this blessed Saint out of the writings of S. Bonauenture S. Antoninus of Florence and others SAINT Frauncis was borne at Assisium a city in the valley of Spoleto in Italy in the yeare of our Lord 1182 and his father was a marchaunt called Peter Bernardo At his Christning he was named Iohn which name was after at his Confirmation chaunged into Francis for so was the will and pleasure of his father He was brought vp well and had good education as being the eldest sonne of his father who set him to learne both Latine and French intending to make him his factoure in marchandise whereunto the knowledge of many languages was as he knew well verie necessary S. Frauncis being come to years of discretion began to help his father in his trafficque aswell within as without the cittie And for that by this meanes he was as chiefe master and much money was returned thorough his hands a thing most perillous and pernitious for yong men he spent verie prodigally in what he liked This wrought many yong men of his years and of euil behauior into his company whoe moued him to liue as they did drowned in lasciuiousnes in ryot and youthfull vanities Thus he gaue himself wholly to delights to feastings and vaine company and yet alwaies in this euill behauioure he shewed some tokens of what he should then and what he woud be after ward On the one side he omitted not to commit all sinnes with out any feare yett on the other side he did some good deeds as giuing of almose in liberall sort for naturally he was very compassionat to the poore One day it fell out that a poore man asked an almose of him and he because he was verie busy gaue him none The poore man departed assoone as Francys perceued it he reproued himself and ruÌ„ning after him found him out and not only gaue him almose but also very lowely craued pardon of him and forthwith he also made a vowe that from theÌ„ceforth he neuer would deny to giue any thing that was demaunded of him for Gods sake if it lay in his power And perseuering in the obseruation of so worthy a vowe euen vntill his death he receaued manie especial great fauours of God one was that as often as euer he heard these words for Gods sake so often he felt a great tendernes of hart the cause of great consolation In regard of the Almose and other good deeds S. Frauncis did God sent him many good inspirations which serued as meanes to pull him out of that euill course of life in which he liued One of these meanes and motions was a whole yeares imprissonment in the city of Perugia among other citisens of AssisiuÌ„ caused by a controuersie between these two cities Francis in this prison shewed himself a man of great courage in aduersity as being always mery and comforting other his fellow prisoners that were pensiue and sad Peace was concluded between these citties the prisoners were discharged and Francis fell againe to his former courses prodigally spending his fathers goods among his companions in feasting gaming and carnallity and this life he led vntill he was 25. years old Comming to that age God did call him againe by a long and grieuous infirmitie the booke wherein man learnes manie good lessons First he learneth a liuelie and feeling knowledge of this trueth that he is mortall and that his health is not of himselfe He learneth moreouer to know his sinnes seing that sicknes is often times caused by them He learneth allso to feare hell fire as more neerely threatning deserued punishment which feare doth more earnestly stirre him vp to desire and thirst after eternall ioyes He learneth to despise all worldly riches as things that cannot restore him to health He lerneth to prepare himselfe to dye seinge infirmitie the harbinger of death in his lodginge He learneth to feare the iust iudgements of God making this discourse if in time of Mercie he chastizeth
praied deuoutely and ended his praier thus God restore thee to thy former health and all they that were present said Amen And at that instant the headache which had vexed him many yeres departed and he praised allmightie God for the same In that verie city he healed a blind man by making the signe of the Crosse vpon his eies The fame and report of these miracles caused sickmen to come from all parts and though he was displeased therat yet moued with charity he praied for theÌ„ and healed theÌ„ and among other manie were these that followe A child that was yielding vp the ghost one that had the palsey one that had a quartain one that could sturre nothing but his eies in all the rest was like to a dead body one that had the goute a maid blind deaf doÌ„b she was brought to hiÌ„ he called vpon the name of the holy Trinity and forth with she was deliuered froÌ„ three infirmities Wheresoeuer he went he healed sick meÌ„ there was no infirmity nor malady so great but he cured theÌ„ where soeuer he came he could not liue secret for men posessed by the deuill howled and manifested his comming whom he cured and cast the deuill out of them Placidus staied a time in some cities of Italy as in Cairosa which is Puglia a prouince of the kingdome of Naples in Reggio which is in the prouince of Calabria and continually he healed the sick and did many strange miracles At the last he embarked and passed into Sicilia and came vnto the City of Messina and before he went therinto he sent to one Messalino a noble citizen and his fathers great frend to come vnto him which he did and had him home vnto his house All the citty gaue him great honour for that he was the disciple of S. Benedict as also for the miracles and marueillous things they vnderstood he had done in Italy But Messalino for the loue he bare to Tertullius his father and his auncient frend knewe not how to shew him kindnes enough he kept him his companions all that day in his house on the next day Placidus said vnto him Sr. it is not fitting for monkes to lodge in the house of seculer men for that their manner of life is different and therefore I entend to goe vnto my fathers land and posessions where I may build a monastery They went away in the morning and nâ—ere vnto the hauen they found a place fitt for that same purpose Placidus with a staff which he caried drewe out the plott where to the honoure of S. Iohn Baptist the Churche should be built and all the cellâ—s and chambers of the conuent Forthwith he sett theÌ„ to building of it and followed it dilligently and carefully and in that space he restored his sight to one that had bin blind 18. yeres and cast out the deuill from an other wherby the fame of him was spred ouer all the Is'land it passed ouer into Africa so that froÌ„ those costs sick men were brought to be healed by him and by his praiers they were cured For these deeds Placidus was extolled vnto heauen by the mouthes of euery one and the more he was praised and exalted the more he humbled and meeked him self He was mercifull good and gracious vnto all he was euen consolation it self vnto all those that were in distresse comfort to the afflicted health to the diseased helpe and releif to the needy a father to the poore and a teacher to the rich he did good to euerie one and all receaued benefit at his hand He had often conference and communication with the bailies and ouerseers of his fathers land and posessions that were informer times though now belonging to his order about diuers things and left them all well pleased and willed them to administer that which euery one had vnder his charge with all fidelity that making to them selfs some reasonable gaine his religious order might susteine no damage nor haue anie euill report spread of it In the fourth yeare after he came into Sycilia the building of the monasterie with the Church of S. Iohn Euangelist which was coÌ„secrated by the B. of Messina was finished Placidus with his companions led a life of great example whereby manie were moued to abbandon the world and came vnto him so that in a short space there was thirty of them The life of Placidus was wonderfull his words sauoured of celestiall feruour with which he comforted and taught them to despize and contemne the world to hate Lordships dignities delights and noysome pleasures that they might more freely serue IESVS CHRIST to which end he alleaged manie reasons full of autority modesty part of the day he spent in praier and mediation wherin it was strange to see how manie teares he shed to heare the sobbes which came from his brest as he lifted vp his spirite to God In lent he fasted the sonday the tuesay and thursday with bread and water only the other dayes he eate not any thing and in all the yeare he drank no wine and besides he wore a haire cloth next his skinne When he was ouer wearied with praying and kneeling he slept a litle rather sitting then lyeng For any accideÌ„t that befell he was neuer angry but alwais graue mild and benigne He neuer spake but vpon constraint or necessity to giue the monks or the poore consolation or els for affaires belonging to the monastery and notwithstanding all his affaires he had alwaies his spirit eleuated to God When it was made knowen once in Rome that Placidus was in Sicilia and that he had made there a monastery in the whith were already 30. monks what a blessed life he led what great miracles God shewed by him Eutichius and Victorinus his brother and Flauia his sister desirous to see him hauing obtained leaue of their father passed by sea into Sicilia being disembarqued they weÌ„t to the monastery of S. Iohn where they sawe Placidus their brother but knewe him not either for the long time he had bin absent S. Benedict receauing him at the age of 7 yeares or els for that he was so leane and diffigured through his exceding abstinence But vnderstanding he was the man they all embraced him weeping amaine They visited the monastery and staied with him certein daies It befell at that time that a great host of Moores sent by Abdalla a mighty tirant of Africa and guided by Mamucha came into Sicilia with intent to do all possible hurt and damage in the countrey of Christians as it had done alredy in sondry places and because the monastery of S. Iohn was nere the sea they went thither forthwith and brake downe the gates tooke all that they found but Gordianus who came with him from Monte Cassino being a yong man and finding a back gate escaped away Donatus who was an old man and came from Monte Cassino also was beheaded Placidus with his brethen Euâ—chius
barbarous natured man to the end that he should draw them to offerre vp sacrifice or put them to most grieuous torments Besides that in this he also had another respecte to haue Sergius the more auiled and disgraced by hauing appointed for his judge Antiochus aman that in former times was one of his followers and had bin preferred to the dignitie of Gouernor of Prefect of the East by the meanes of Sergius The holie Saincts were brought before him and he committed them first to prison where they spent they re time in prayer and deuotion beseeching oure Lord to graunt them strength and affoord them succoure in they re battaile Afterwards Antiochus fending for them vsed all meanes to winne they re willes to offer vp sacrifice to his Idolls But they answearing that his Idolls were diuells and no Gods he commaunded foure lustie and merciless fellowes to whip and scourge Bacchus with the toughest and hardest finewes of Oxen. This torment was so terrible and the lashes so cruell tearing his fleshe and wounding him so deepely that heerewith the martyr ended his lyfe and yielded vp his spiritt to God He afterward appeered vnto Sergius shining with glorie ad heauenly brightnesse he declared vnto him the endless reward which he had receaued for those short torments and encouraged him to vndergoe what paine soeuer was prepared for him to the end that as in they re punishment they might be partners in they re victorie and triumph Antiochus earnestlie to make Sergius more plyant and reduce him to his opinion but seing all he could doe was in vaine led by his fierce and cruell nature and desirous to satisfie the Emperoure he commaunded a paire of shoes all bestudded and thick sett with points of sharp nailes to be putt on his feete so to runne before his chariott and after this manner he did driue him nine miles to the excessiue paine of the holie martyr our of whose feet ranne streames of bloud But the night next ensuing an Angell did come and cherish him and so healed his feet as yf he had suffered nothing at all The iudge attributed to Magicke this fauoure of God and being therewith more enhardened did commaund him to endure againe the same torment Then seeing nothinge would auaile nor worke the martyr to his will he commaunded that his head should be stroken of Sergius kneeled downe vpon his knees and made his prayer to allmightie God beseeching him to accept the loss of his lyfe as a sacrifice to pardon those that did persecute him and graunt them knowledge of his light and his trueth He heard a voyce which inuited him to the kingdome of heauē did congratulate his victorie wherefore stretching forth his necke he was streightwaie beheaded the 7 of october in the yeare of oure Lord 306. God did honoure Sergius from Heauen with miracles and on earth he was honoured with great gyfts of Princes For Cosroes king of Persia though a pagan and Infidell did send to his temple a most riche Cross of gold with other precious gyftes in token of preat fauours receaued at his hands as childen by his wyfe queene Sira and safetie in manie great daungers and perilles Iustinian the emperour built two fayre churches in his name one at Constantinople the other at Ptolemaida At Rome a churche with the title of a Deacon Cardinall is dedicated vnto them And the verie citie wherein S. Sergius was put to death was called by his name Sergiopolis Of these two Saincts there is mention made in the second Nicene councell actione 5. in the Roman martyrologe and manie famous authors The life of SS Marcellus and Apuleius martyrs ON this self same dai the 7. of Octob. the Churche doth make a commemoration of Marcellus Apuleius martyrs They had bin disciples of Simon Magus but seeing by his disputations with S. Peeter that he was nothing but a false deceaver they forsooke and left him astonied at the wondrous works miracles of the glorious Apostle receaued his doctrine were made Christiās followed him all the dai of his life After his death thei liued according to his heauenlie doctrine vntill they came to be so happie as to shed they re bloud for that Faith and religion which they had learned of so good a maister They were putt to death and martyred by the commaundement of a Consull called Aurelian in the raigne of Domitian and in the yeare of our lord 93. the 7. of October and were buried without Rome neere the walles of the cittie The life of S. Dionise Areopagite and others SALOMON in the booke of wisdome saith that God disposeth all things sweetlie ordaining most conuenient meanes to obtaine such ends as he intendeth This was the reason why in his birth he vsed a starre to guide the three Eastern Kinges to adore him For they being Magi that is men skillfull in Astrologie by seing a starre of so new a fashion so different in place in course and motion from all other starres would be the more easilie wonne and allured to seeke the author and cause of that starre as they did effectuallie finding and adoringe IESVS CHRIST To conuert S. Dionise the Areopagite a great Philosopher and Astrologer God vsed the like propertionable meanes and it was that rare and singular Ecclips which at the time of oure sauioures death happened beyond the course of nature For Dionise marking the strangeness there of and maruailing at such a neuer seene wonder noted the yeare the day and houre and after vnderstanding by S. Paule the true cause and misterie of that Ecclipse he was conuerted to embrace that religion which was established by his death who was principall author and only motiue of that wonder which surpassed nature The life of this Sainct with Rusticus and Elutherius his fellow martirs collected out of Michaël Singelus priest of Hierusalem out of Suidas and Simeon Metaphrastes is as followeth THE cittie of Athens was famous in all Greece for that it was the chief place of learning the wellspring of knowledge and mother of Wisemen Dionise the Areopagite was borne therein of a riche and honourable familie and of parents morallie iust and courteous louelie to strangers and liberall in his youth he gaue himselfe to learning wherein he became so eminent that aswell for his knowledge as for his Nobilitie he had the chiefe place amonghst the Magistrates which gouerned the cittie He was most eloquent in the Attick tongue a most skillfull Rhetorician a rare man in the doctrine of Stoicks Epicureans and other Philosophers But aboue all he was accounted a iust man and vertuous in exercising his office not fauouring the riche nor oppressing the poore not cōdemning the innocent nor leauing the culpable without due chastizement He went into Egypt to studie the better vnderstand the course of the heauē the force influence of the starres and all that knowledge of Astrologie Being about the age of fiue and twentie and residing in the cittie
of Heliopolis in companie of one Appollophanes an Athenian and a famous sophister he did behold that strange Eclypse which happened at the death of oure Sauioure when viewing the creator of al things the author of lyfe and fountaine of all light so darkned soe ecclypsed so ignominiously suffering death the Sunne as one ashamed to behold that spectacle did hide an whollie loose his beames in the midst of the day S. Dionyse as a man that was skillfull in learning did quicklie perceaue this Ecclypse was against the course of nature by reason it lasted aboue the naturall periode but much more bicause the Moone was at the full and whollie opposite to the sunne so that supernaturallie running a violent course she alltogether couered the sunne and keeping him so for the space of three houres returned againe to her former place of opposition He wondered at so rare a miracle that neither was heard nor seene before and being amazed said to Appollophanes and others Either the God of nature doth suffer or els the wholle frame of the world doth perish and is dissolued He noted the yeare the day and the houre in which this strange noueltie and wonder succceded which was so deepelie imprinted in his minde that he neuer forgot it all his life He returned to Athens and liued in his owne cōmon wealth with great moderation and reputation the Athenienses honouring him as a most wise Philosopher and vprighte Iudge They made him president or chiefe of the highest courte of Iustice that was in all Athens This courte was called of the Areopagites who tooke theire name from a place where the court was kepte which was in a streete or litle hill called in Greeke Pagus dedicated to Ares that is to say Mars and the Iudges of this court were so graue vpright that in ancient times to call a Iudge vnspotted seuere vncorrupted vnflexible either for loue or feare or flatterie or briberie they would call him an Areopagite It came to passe that about this time S. Paule did preache the Ghospell in Athens He disputed sundrie times with the Epicurean Pithagorean Academicall Stoicall Peripateticall philosphers and laboured to reduce them to the faith of IESVS CHRIST and draw them from theire Idolatrie He told them of an other life of resurrectiō of the bodies of a generall Iudgement of a supernaturall reward or punishment according to eache mans good or bad works These Philosophers hearing a matter of such consequence and fearing the daunger of new religions and thinking it a thinge of greatest importance brought him before the chiefe court of Areopagites and theire supreme Iudge Dionisius For allthough the Romaines were in actuall posession of the wholl world in a maner and Lords of all Greece yet the Lacedemonians and the Atheniens were permitted to liue in their auncient liberty gouerned by theire owne Lawes officers magistrats freely elected by themselfs When S. Paule was brought before Dionyse the other magistrats in the presence of the philosophers who had before giuen informatiō of him he with a Retorique more diuine then humain meaning not to exasperat so wise and learned a nation by telling them he was come to teach them a thing wherin thy were ignorant and to giue them notice of gods that they knewe not of all which they would hardly haue disgested or els taken in euill part said thus vnto them You men of Athens I haue sene by experience that you be a very superstitious people more addicted to your gods then the other Greeks for you labour to haue more honoure them more then all the rest as you haue more knowledg and be more learned thē the rest Now I walking through your city and beholding the many temples which be therin I sawe one vpon whose altar there was this Inscriptiō To the vnknowen god That same God whom you doe honor vnknowen is he whom I doe preach vnto you and wish you to honor carefully He is not for from you nor from any mortall man since as one of your owne poets said very well we liue in him by him we moue and remain in him of him we gaue oure being oure motiō lyfe Then speaking against the multiplicitie of God he tould them at last of the day of iudgement and of the resurrection of the dead The answere they gaue him was this that they would giue him audience some other day and so dismissed him These fewe words of the Apostle were so full of misteryes that they put all these wise lerned mē to silence yea and astonied and amased them The Apostle departed but not empty handed for he caught in his net the chief magistrat Dionise with whom he had conferēce in priuate and in the end the Apostle gaue him prefect and full notice of our faith He preached vnto him IESVS CHRIST God and man his death passion resurrection and ascēsion vnto heauen And bycause the Apostle made particuler mention of the eclipse which happened at the time of our Sauiours death S. Dionise was desirous to know that wonder assone as it was laid open vnto him he yielded forthwith and said he would be a Christian It might seeme a lightness in S. Dionise to giue creditt so soone vnto a strāger in a matter of suche importāce as it is to renoūce the gods so lōg time adored by his forefathers and to receue a newe God that was crucified and the more for that he was so lerned and was therefore more obliged to consider very well thereof before he altered his opinion in a matter of such cōsequence Vnto this I aunswere by the same reason S. Dionise because he was wise and learned resolued vpon an honorable and worthy matter so soone For euen as he and all other wisemen of the Paynims were reprouable to adore them for gods whom thy knew had bene infamous wycked men so they desired to find some that should giue them knowledge of another God more worthy to be worshipped then they were They knew likewise by the light of nature that there ought not to be many gods but one God only So that Dionise hauing this desire and S. Paule coming to incounter him he fled not from the combat but did rather holpen by God follow the Apostle with out resistaunce and by Baptisme was made a Christian There were others also conuerted but S. Dionise did surpasse them all in vertuous and holy works for which cause the Apostle made him priest and also Bishop of that city S. Dionise was the first Bishop that Athens had and that was great glory vnto the city bycause it had brought vp and giuen learnyng vnto her first pastour This holy saint had priuate frendship and conuersed a long time with the Deuine Hierotheus a Spaniard borne after the opinion of many Autors who was instructed in like maner by S. Peter in deuine letters and ther vpon he was called Diuine S. Dionise confesseth that he was his instructor and that of
him he learned the knowledge of holy writ This holy saint vnderstanding that the Blessed Virgin was yet aliue in Ierusalem had a great desire to see her and so he went thither and sawe her Hubertinus recounteth of him that seeing the great brightnes of her face her heauenly beauty her celestiall words and the great company of Angells that attended vpon her he said of himself that he had adored her for God if by faith he had not knowen there could be none but only one God The same S. Dionise relateth how he was present at her glorious passage out of this to euerlasting lyfe and reckoneth the names of the Apostles there present also He returned to Athens where he continued exercising his office of pastour and in conuerting soules vnto God vntill the last year of the raign of Nero in the which he went to Rome to see his maister S. Paul at whose martirdome he was present as he saith in an epistle of his to S. Timothee who was also the disciple of S. Paul Then he returned vnto Athens where he staied vntill S. Clement the disciple of S. Peter came to be Pope who beholding in S. Dionise good qualities enioyned him to go and preach the faith of CHRIST in Gallia nowe called Fraunce and adioined vnto him a priest called Rusticus and Eleutherius a deacon S. Dionise thus accompanied went into Gallia and came vnto Lutetia now called Paris which city he found to be great and rich populous and furnished abundantly both from Heauen and earth the climat very temperate producing noble and haughty minds the earth very fertill bringing forth all things necessary for the body S. Dionise reputed it euen another Athens as Diuining it should be both in literature and study such as it after wards came to be He resolued to make his abode it that place and began to open his heauenly brest and show the riches inclosed therin by preaching the Gospell He added to his words many great miracles and wonders as restoring theire sight vnto the blind hearing to the deafe and speache to the domb curing many also of sondry other infirmities Wherfore in a short space such was his fame he grafted in that place most fertill plants and there made a garden which brought forth quicklie abundaunce of fruit He not only preached IESVS CHRIST in that city but also blessed and sent his disciples to preach in sondry costs of the world He sent S. Eugenius the first prelate of Toledo a great city of Spaine into that countrie where he preached the Ghospell and conuerted many vnto the Christian faith Some others were sent into Germany who likewise gained many soules unto God yea not only many men were conuerted and made Christians but also the temples of the Idolls were razed to the gorund and moreouer many Churches built where the name of IESVS CHRIST was lauded and praised This was a grat tormēt to the deuill the deadly foe of mankind wherfore he incensed diuers to persecute S. Dionise imagining that with takinge away his life all this would fade and vanishe like smoake and the adoration of Idolls would returne to its former estate and credit So some of his ministers instigated by him went to Rome to certefy themperor Traian therof as Suidas and other Authors affirme though Metaphrastes saith it was vnto Domitian who in his deeds was a deuill incarnate it may be these complaints were addressed vnto Domitian and that he ment to send Fessenius Sisinius the gouernor of that prouince to apprehēd S. Dionise or put him to death and that Domitian deceasing in the meane space and the Senate reuoking and repealing all the decrees of that bloudy tirant the execution of this decree was staied vntill the time of Traian vnto whom new complaints of Dionise being come he reuiued the decree made by Domitian vpon which Fessenius caused the B. Bishop to be apprehended S. Dionise was 90. years of age when he with Rusticus and Eleutherius were taken The gouernor discoursed a long time with them accusing S. Dionise very much for preaching of new gods against the edict of themperour and Senate of Rome and for labouring to extinguish the adoration of the auncient Gods so much renowned in the world gods which had bin so fauourable to the Romain empire as to extend and enlarge their dominion ouer all the world Haue compassion ô Dionise said the gouernor of this they old age And make some recompense for the harme thou hast done Confesse they errors and recant thy opinions which be vaine and with out all foundation persuade the people to abandon these new fangles and returne to their former vsages S. Dionise hearing this repleat with the zeale of Gods honor answered that he had persuaded many to leaue the adoration of the Gods knowwing it to be a vaine and foelish thing to account those for gods who were vnworthy to be called men their wickednes and infamy was such when they liued that it was a great blindnes to adore stocks stones pieces of wood that what he had preached was verie true concerning IESVS CHRIST his being true God and that neither fear nor threats nor torments should moue him or stur his fellows from their faith The gouernor was angrie at this aunswer and arose on a rage out of his chaire and said The Gods be despised the Emperour disobeied his subiects and people seduced by your forceries in doing false and counterfeit myracles These your transgressions deserue a rrigorous punishment wherfore I giue sentence that you be forth with put to death SS Dionise Rusticus and Euleutherius not shewing anie the least signe or token of feare or basenes of mind said with a cheerfull countenaunce Let them that adore your Gods be like vnto them we only adore the God of heauen and by his power and not by sorcery we haue restored sight to the blind speeche to the dōb health vnto the sick and freed many that were posessed with the deuill Let the ministers of the Idolls do such things if they can to conserue their credit estimation but they are farre from working such wonders whose Idolls haue mouths yet cannot speake haue eies and see not they haue eares and heare not They doe only kindle and nourish the fire wherin they themselfs burne and they that serue them shal be partakers therof with them These words put the gouernor into a further chafe so that he confirmed the sentence of death and committed them to the hands of the executioners So the glorious martirs were led forth of the city to the toppe of a high hill where they were to be executed Then S. Dionise kneeled downe lifting vp his eies and hands vnto heauen said O Lord God omnipotent IESVS CHRIST sonne of God Holy Ghost the comforter holy and vndeuided Trinity receaue in peace the soules of thy seruants who for thy sake do loose our lifes Rusticus and Eleutherius aunswered with a loud voice Amen After this
But the couetous churle who would not suffer any to enter within his vineiard had much lesse then he vsed to haue and that litle which he had became sower and then he repented but to late that he had ben so churlish and discourteous toward the holy saint This blessed old man had a guift of God by the smell of bodies of garments and things which any man touched to know the vices they had and to what euill spirit they were subiect and with what vertues they were adorned Being now fully 6 years ole and seing the multitud of relligious men that were vnder his obedience and the great concourse of people that came to him dailie to haue remedy of their afflictions he was much discontent there at lamented for the same His religious men askindg him the cause he aunswered them It seemeth to me being esteemed holy by men that God hath rewarded me in this life for the small seruice I haue done vnto him It seemeth to me also that I retorne vnto the world sins vnder the colour of susteining and mainteining the relligious men there are presented vnto me many occasions of sinne His disciples hearing thes words did watch him dilligently especially Isichius for the great loue and affection he bore vnto him fearing he would strale away from thence One a time a venerable matrone came to visite him with intention to go further and visite S. Antony also He vnderstanding her intention wept and said vnto her I was also of that mind if the gouernement of this monastery had not said and with hed me but nowe it is to late for two dais since the worle is depriued of that worthy father This matrone credited his words and went no further and within a few daies after came vnto their eares the newes of S. Antonies death It were a wonderfull thing to consider the graces and gifes of this saint his miracles his abstinence and his profound humility S. Ierome saith of him I am amazed and astonied to consider the great enmity Hillarion had with worlely pompe and glory and with the estimation of men This blessed old man was visited by priests by relligious men by clerks by all maner of people and he to fly from honour which was dome vnto him by euery one determined to depart and trauell into some other country When this was knowen he was beset and enuirouned with more then 10000. persons who besought him not to leaue them but he striking the earth With his walking staffe said I cannot abide that my God should be accounted a deceuier or a lyer I cannot endure to see the Churchs demolished theâ— Altars troden vnder feet and my children slaine with the sword By thes words he said many gathered that God had reuealed vnto-him some great euill and persecution that should ensew vnto his brethren as it came to pase after in the time of Iulian the Apostata To conclude the blessed man would not stay with them any longer and told the people he would neuer eate bit of sustenannee if they did not permit him to go quietly and they hindring him be would not eate any thinge for seanen daies to geathey They seing his resolution to be such permitted him to depart in peace thought it was much against their willes and because the good old man was so feeble that he could not trauell on foote he rode and choose for to keep him company 40. monks whom he iudged to be most abstinent and most prepared to abide trauell and paine Passing with them through many countreis he at the last arriued at the Cell of S. Antony There he talked with the disciples left by that blessed man and conforted them being sadde for the death of the death of their master He recreated himself a while with them in visiting diuers places which they showed vnto him In this place said they S. Antony vsed to pray here he exercised himself in digging the earth These trees were planted with his hands here he made the founâ—ein handsome for their vse with his owne hands Then they shewed him his Cell the length wherof was fit to receue a man lieng out in length They also rehersed vnto him some of his miracles S. Hillarion demaunded of two of those monks for the place of S. Antony his buriall they only knowing it It is not knowen if they did shew it vnto him or no bicause S. Antony had commanded them and bound them by othe not to disclose it vnto any and he did it lest any man should honor or reuerence his body After the death of S. Anthony for three years space it had not rained in all that prouince wherefore the common people said it was bicause the clements lamented for the death of that blessed man They besought S. Hilarion to pray for them which he did and then it rayned Wherfore he was for that benefit highly esteemed among the people of that country they sayeng that God had sent him vnto them in the steed of S. Anthony He departed from thence and went to visite two holy Bishops Dracontius and Philo who were banished from their churchs by themperor Constantius for that they would not follow the heresy of Arrius These holy bishops were comforted much to see S. Hilarion who departed from them and went to Alexandria and was lodged by certein relligious men neere vnto the city When night came he saddled his litle beast meaning to depart and when they asked of him why he would go a way thus sodenly he aunsweted lest my stay be the cause of some great trouble On the next day it proued euen so as he had said for thither came officers of themperour Iulian the Apostata guided by some of the citisens of Gaza to apprehend him by order from that tirant but when they found him not they wondred saieng nowe we find it true that hath bene said vnto vs of this man viz that he is a coniurer and a sorcerer knowing things to come Behold howe he is escaped out of our hands The B. Abbot went like a pilgrime in diuers countreis but he was easilie knowen where soeuer he came for men posessed with the deuill discouered him He knew that Iulian the renegat had made a search for him and his disciple Isichius with an intention to put them to death if he had taken them In which because he missed he set their monastery on fire and persecured the monks with extreme rigour But within a while after the wicked emperour being dead and also Iouinian who liued a very short time Valentinian succeded in the Empire S. Hilarion was entreated to returne and gather his monks together and to reedify his monastery which he would not do but rather be took sea to go and dwell in some Islands vnhabited that the sea might keep that secret which the land did diuulge and publish but he could not be hid for the people came likewise vnto him in that place also So he departed from that Island and
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
vpward being so painfull and he said Let me look vp toward heauen since that very shortly my spirit is to go that way which I behold When the agony of death came he saw the deuill the ennemy of mankind and said vnâ—o him what doest thou heere thou cruell beaâ— Thou shalt find in me nothing for which I shall eâ—damned and hauing said thus he rendered his spirit to our Lord being 81. yeares old His blessed soule was borne into heauen accompanyed with many Angells who made much ioy and song melodiously This musique was heard by sundry persons that were in places farre distant as of seuerinus Arch B. of Collein and by S. Ambrose Arch Bishop of Millan Who sayeng of masse fell a sleep from the which he awaked after three howers and then said to the standers by know you that my brother Martin B. of Towers is departed out of this life and I haue bene present there to bury his body S. Martin liued on the earth poore and humble and intred into heauen rich and with great maiesty His death was on the. 11. day of Nouember and on the same day the Church celebrateth his feast and it was in the year of our Lord. 399. in the time of the Emperour Honorius This holy saint did many myracles in his life time and also after his death Whilest he liued he was the meanes that many were conuerted vnto God by his good example and excellent doctrine and after his death many were holpen by his merites and in tercession God of his great bountie and infinit mercie graunt that we may be in the number of the chosen to the end we may enioy his glory in the company of S. Martin Amen Many Authors write of S. Martin beside Seuerus Sulpitius as S. Paulinus Bishop of Nola Fortunaus the priest Gregory of Towers Odo the first Abbot of Cluny Hebernus Bishop of Turen and many others The life of S. Menna Martir OVR sauiour CHRIST saith vnto his seruants in S. Mathew Ca. 30 WheÌ„ you shal be brought before kings Iudges take no thought what you shall speak for at that time you shal be tought howe to answere This sentence is verefied in a holie souldier called Menna who haning spent his time in the warre among swords and lauâ—ces being brought before a tirani that did examine him of the faith of CHRIST which he professed made some answeres as if he had bene exercised in the studie of the holie scriptures all the daies of his life Of this holie saint Metaphrastes writeth as ensueth IN the second yeare of Caius Valerius Dioclesianus and in the first yeare of Caius Valerius Maximianus after the death of Numerianus who had gouerned the Empire before them there was raised a sore persecution against the Christians through all the lands subiect to the Empire Into which were sent publike proclamations conteining the will of the Emperours and the punishment that should be inflicted vpon those that disobeied the same There was in the cittie of Cottieum which is in the prouince of Phrigia or in Asia minor a president calsed Pirrhus Arginiscus who had the gouernement of that prouince had also authority ouer the men of warre which were resident in the same as a garrison for defence therof Notwithstanding they had a generall captaine ouer them called Firmilianus Among the souldiers there was one in the regiment of Rutilus called Menna by nation an Aegiptian and by profession a Christian whose vertue shone among the rest as the sunne doth aboue the starres The Emperours edict came vnto this cittie the tenor whereof was this Dioclesian and Maximian Emperours to all their subiects seÌ„deth greeting Forasmuch as we acknow ledg to haue receaued many fauours and graces of of the soueraigne Gods for which we thinck our selues obliged and bound to procure all honour and seruice to be done vnto them and their Temples We therefore coÌ„maund all magistrates and captaines of our Empire that assoone as they haue notice of this our Edict that they endeauour with all dilligence as a thing that concerneth the saffetie of our estate the honor of the Gods our benefactors that all our subiects aswell men as women of what estate or condition soeuer they bee do worship and adore them and do offer sacrifice in visiring often their temples And those that be disobedient and rebellious against our comaundements that they be tormented in the most cruell forte that may be inuented This was the tenor of the Edict Assoone as the president receaued it he caused it to be proclaimed through all the cittie other places of his prouince CoÌ„maunding withall that presently after the proclamation all men and women should go vnto the Temples to the end the disobedient persons might be knowne In most places where the proclamation was made there were great murmurings amongst the people for that it was thought both vniust and cruell yet the greatest part of people went of force vnto the Temples to obey the Edict When the valiant souldier so Menna vnderstood hereof he was not able to endure so vniust and vnrighteous proceedings as to haue the veneration and worship of the true GOD IESVS CHRIST to be abolished and that in stead thereof reuerence should be done vnto the fiends Because he would be free and not be partaker of this wicked transgression nor so much as see it he departed from the armie and withdrew himself into a desert where he remained fiue yeares leading a sollitarie life in continuall fasting and works of penance which was as an exercise and an entrance into the warre and battaile which he expected shortly to make At the last inspired by God he returned into the cittie vpon a day which was kept very sollemne as the birthdaie of one of their Godds The people of the cittie were generally assembled into a Theatre expecting certaine martiall exercises as Iusts and turneis And there was also the president Pirrhus for the same purpose S. Menna entred into the middest of the show and with a loud and cleere voice he rehersed a text out of the Pophet Esay Ca. 65. which saith I haue bene found of them that sought me not and manifested to them that asked not after me At these words all the standers by fixed their eies vpon him and seing him to be a rude plaine man meanely apparelled they know not what to make of his words nor what he ment by them The president Pirrhus causing him to be brought neerer vnto him demaunded of him who he was He aunswered I am Menna the seruant of IESVS CHRIST who is Emperour of heauen and earth The president enquired further Art thou a stranger or a citisen that thou seekest to disturb our feastiuall showes in this manner what is thy meaning herein One of them which stood by said vnto Pirrhus I know the man well He is a souldier of the regiment called Rutilica whose Coronell is Firmilianus and it is about fiue yeeres since he abandoned
sent messengers requesting him to vouchsaffe to come giue remedie hereunto for they were not able by mans wit or any strength to restraine it The holie prelate went thither and veiwed well the place and considering withall that it would be inconuenient for them to remooue their dwellings hauing their houses ready built and their ground about them He took his staffe which he vsually carried in his hand and planted it a prettie distance from the Riueâ— on that side from whence the ouerflowing came and where the plaine fields were and many houses of the inhabitants This holie saint hauing planted his staffe went vnto praier and not long after the staffe waxed greene grew and became a verie great tree Then S. Gregorie said this shal be the boundes of this floud and the water shall not passe this marke This blessed man returned into the cittie and it was after seene by experience that when the riuer rose to the hghiest assoone as the waters came vnto that tree they returned back and ran downe the channell againe not ouerflowing as they had done before-time By these and such like workes that S. Gregorie did both in the cittie and in the countrie abroad the number of the faithfull encreased continually all sortes of people making great account of him being aduised and directed by his counsell in all their important and waightie affaires The citisens of a cittie thereby sent vnto S. Gregorie beseeching him to come and apoint ouer them a prelate S. Gregorie comming thither and examining some of those that stood for that dignitie was neither satisfied nor liked not at all of them The people with one voyce said as it were in scorne If Gregorie like none of these let him take Alexander the collier S. Gregorie hearing these wordes demanded what that Alexander was and apointed them to bring him to his lodging This Alexander was a man of middle age meanlie apparrelled his handes and face being black with coales Those that brought him laughed and so did they that were with S. Gregorie and the collier himself laughed seing them to laugh at him being well pleased to be contemned and scoffed at by them S. Gregorie beheld him not as others did but thought that vnder that contemptible shewe lay hid things of greater valew He called him aside and charged him deeplie to tell him sincerely who he was The collier opened trulie his whole life vnto him to witt that he was a philosopher and that to auoid the vaine-glorie of the world he had taken this course of life and had made himself a collier not for necessitie to get his liuing but for the desire he had to liue chast for liuing thus saith he I haue no mind of any dishonestie nor any woman will tempt me vnto lewdnes seing me so black and vnlouelie moreouer this good collier said that the greater part of the gaines of his coales he gaue vnto the poore fullfilling the counsell of the Gospell S. Gregorie caused him to be stripped out of his clothes his hands and face to be washed and then to be apparelled with the like garments as he wore himself Then assembling the people together he told them he had now found out and made choise of such a Bishop as was fitt for place They with great attention expecting the person elected by so wise and holie a man behold Alexander the collier came out apparailed after the same manner that S. Gregorie was and accompanied by the same familiers and friends Those that were present knew not whether they should laugh or take it in euill part that such a one should be giuen them for their Bishop S. Gregorie made aspeech vnto them aduertising them what a man Alexander was whom he comaunded to preach in their hearing The new Bishop obeyed and preached in such sort that they all remayned no lesse astonied then satisfied Thus they being all pleased to haue him for their prelate Gregorie consecrated him Bishop of that cittie and he discharged his office with great comendation After this the holie man returning vnto his cittie was met by two Iewes in the high way who knowing him accorded together to deceaue him The one of them lay flat on the ground faining himself to be dead and the other wailed and made great lamentation The holie saint coming by demanded of him the cause of his sorrow The Iew answered O seruant of God vouchsaffe to help comfort me look with pittie vpon the miserie of this my compagnion who is fallen dead on a sodaine and I haue not any thing to wrap him in before he be buried The good man being mooued to coÌ„passion put of one of his garments as we may saie his rochett and laying it on the counterfaite dead man went on his â—ourney leauing the Iewes alone The man that had vsed this deceit toward the holie saint and had told him that his fellow was dead came merrilie to his companion and said Come fellow rise vp now we haue gotten a good prise see we haue gained this good garment and deceiued this man whom the Christians hold to be so wise But the Iew which lay on the ground answered not nor sturred any whit at all The other spoke louder and said O how cuninglie thou canst counter faite but I praie thee rise now for heere is not any bodie neere vs. Yet for all this the Iew laie still and stirred not For assoone as the garment of S. Gregorie laie vpon him and touched him he was depriued of his life And so the iest and scoffe returned and light vpon himself in good earnest In those times there was raised a most grieuous persecution against the Christians and the Edicts of the Emperours of Rome were proclaimed wherein they comaunded that the Christians should either sacrifise vnto the Idolls or else that they should be put vnto most cruell death These proclamations came vnto Neocesaria and S. Gregorie being certified thereof admonished publiklie and aduised the Catholiques to giue place vnto this furie by departing from the cittie vntill this tempestuous storme were passed ouer And himself also by diuine inspiration as afterward appeared went with one of his disciples who had bene minister of the Idolls and was conuerted and made deacon by him vnto a mountaine and there lay close certaine daies Other Christians dispersed themselues into diuers partes It was a lamentable thing and would haue mooued a stony hart vnto compassion to see the crueltie that was vsed in Neocesaria and the persecution by the pagans who continuallie prepared chaines gallowses swordes sauage beastes and an infinite number of other tortures and all to torment the Christians You should haue seene the fathers to persecute their sonnes and the sonnes to persecute their owne fathers The brother procured the death of the brother and one friend sought the death of another friend Some did this vnder shew of relligion others for mallice and most to make themselues rich with the goods of Christians For these causes
Idolls fell downe on the ground and broke to pieces Two souldiers the one called Papias and the other Maurus seing this cryed out and sayd Assuredly IESVS CHRIST whom Saturnine and Sisinnius do adore is the true God The prefect being in a great rage comaunded his officers to torment them they put them on the torment or Rack called Equuleus and hoysing them vp they scourged them very grieuously and rent and tore their bodies with yron bookes and scorpions They being in those torments song Himnes and said Glory be to thee O Lord IESVS CHRIST for that we are found worthie to be partakers of afflictions with thy seruans The tWo souldiers Papias and Maurus which were conuerted when the Idoll fell to the ground as is afore said were present and neere the holie martir These men being stiered vp with a desire of the crowne of martyâ—dome and repleat with holie anger against the excecutioners that tormented them with such rigor and cruelltie said to them with a loud voice How great is the diuell with you that he maketh you so cruell against the seruants of the liuing God When the Prefect Laodicio heard their wordes he was enraged against them and comaunded the officers to strike them on the mouth with stones and to carry them to prison from whence they were after taken and maâ—tyred After this he comaunded the officers to set burning torches to the sides of Saturninus and Sisinnius And when he saw all this would not make them yeeld and that they showed no signe of griefe or sorrow by their countenance he caused them to be taken from that torment and to be led two miles out of Rome into the way toward Numenium and there they were beheadded Their bodies were buried by a deuout man called Thraso in one of his posessions This was on the 29. day of Nouember and on the same day the holie Catholike Church maketh a commemoration of S. Saturninus His death was about the yeare of our Lord. 307. In the raigne of Maximian and Dioclesian Of S. Saturninus wryteth Ado venerable Bede Vsuardus and the Romain martyrologe The life of S. Andrevv Apostle THE sacred scripture saith of that proud captain Holophernes Iudith that as he went with his army and banners displayed against the city of Bethulia there happened a thing which did before neuer befall vnto him for the Hebrews shut the gates against him and fortified the city for their defence Holophernes wondered therat not litle wherfore he assembled all his captains to councell and said that the desired to know the cause why the people of that city did stand more to their defence then all the other thy had ouerpassed and desirous to know wherin they trusted he willed them to certify him what any of them knew TheÌ„ arose vp a captein of the Ammonites called Achior who said vnto him know you most poteÌ„â— Lord that in this city dwelleth a nation called Iewes who haue a God so mighty that if they haue his fauour and freindship neither the mighty army vnder thy conduct nor all the world if they should assault them can ouercome them But if perhaps they haue offended him as they do oftentimes it shal be very easy to vanquish them and to take this city let them fortify it as much as they can So that my councell is first to informe thy self whither they be in the fauour of their God and according to that relation if they be in his fauour to stay but if he be displeased with them to assault them Holophernes took great indignation against Achior for his words for he thought no force was able to resist his puissant army Vpon this he commaunded some of his souldiers to lead him vnto the city of Bethulia to the end that when he had taken the city by force of armes Achior should with his bloud and life pay the penalty of his rash vnaduisednes in taking vpon him the defence of the Hebrews The souldiers led Achior vp on the mountein neere vnto the city and there they left him tied vnto a tree The Iewes issued out found him and led him into the city where Achior in the presence of Ozias the high priest of all the people recouÌ„ted what had happened vnto him They heard his speech with great admiration and then feasted and enterteined him kindly because they thought he had defended the honour of God euery one embraced him and sheaâ—ed to him great tokens of loue But aboue all Ozias took him to his house and made vnto him a solemne banquet This figure agreeth very fitly to the gloryous Apostle S. Andrew who being figured in Achior defended the honouâ— of God as he did preaching the Ghospell among the infidells where Egeas the tirant figured in Holâ—phernes took him and deliuered him vnto his officers who led him vp on a mountein and bound him to a crosse where he remained a while vntil the Angells citisens of heauen vnbound him viz when his blessed â—oule departed from his body and leâ— him to the supreme city of God and there in the presence of the high priest IESVS CHRIST diuulging how he took the defence of his honour all the blessed spirits that illustrious and honored nation made him cheare and enterteyned him kindly embracing him as their brother And the priest IESVS CHRIST made him a feast apointing him a speciall seat in his celestiall beatitude The life of this gloryous Apostle collected out of the ghospell and the writings of his disciples who were present at his martirdome was in this maner SAINT Andrew the Apostle was borne in Behsayda a twon in the prouince of Galily and was the elder brother vnto S. Peter the Apostle and also disciple vnto S. Iohn Baptist With whom being one day he saw him when he pointed his finger at IESVS sayeng This is the lamb of God Andrew staid not a whit but ioyntly with another disciple left S. Iohn Baptist and followed IESVS CHRIST who turnyng his celestiall face and seeing asked them what they sought They answered that they desired to speak with him in his house Our Lord lâ—d them with him and kept hem one day in his company in which time thy talked together and they knew him to be the Messias Andrew departed then from our Sauiour and mett Symon his brother and said vnto him with great ioy O brother Symon that thou haddest seen that which I haue seene Knowe thou that the Messy as so much desired and so long expected by the Iewes is come My master Iohn Baptist shewed him vnto vs and I haue bene with him and I tell thee that his words and deeds confirme that he is that same Come thou and see him So the two brethren came together vnto IESVS who said Thou art SymoÌ„ the sonne of Iohn but thou shalt be called Caeâ—has that is Peter Another time those two brethren being a fishing in their barck IESVS CHRIST passed by the bank and called them saâ—eng follow me and
a mase fearing it had bene a craft and deceyt of the deuill or pollycie of some of his ennemyes At the end seeing it to be good Gold he sett feare aside and for that he knew not his benefactor he rendered vnto God infinite thanks and sayd O Lord I know that thou art indeed very mercyfull since thou vsest such curtesy and benignity towards me I studyed to offend thee and thou hast holpen me and the help hath bin such that I am thereby obliged rather to lose my life then once thinke to offend thee I am hartily sorry for my former determynation and I ask pardon most humbly of thee This poore man thought he could with this Gold prouide for one of his daughters and so he did for he maâ—ryed lier according to his estate When S. Nicholas heard thereof he was very glad and purposed in his mynd to giue the man meanes to marry his other two daughters this his determynation he put in effect gyuing him as much Gold as he did before and with that the poore man bestowed his second daughrer in marriage This poore man desirous to knowe his benefactor vnto whom he was so much obliged watched almost continually to see if he returned any more since one of his daughters was not yet sett out this was not in vaine for the holy man returned and cast asmuch Gold in at the wyndow as at the first The poore man who stood close ranne after Nicholas and calling vnto him fell at his fâ—et and kissed them sayeng Oh Nicholas why didst thou hide thee from me wherefore wouldest thou not let me know him vnto whom I was so much obliged Thou hast holpen me in my necessity thou hast deliuered my soule from hell and the bodyes of my daughters from infamy if God had not moued thy hart to do that which thou hast done I and my daughters had liuâ—d in necessity in infamy and shame and afterward in the next world we should haue been cast into perpetuall torment and damnation in hell fire By thy meanes God hath raised the poore out of the myre and the needy from the dunghill All the while the poore man talked thus he kissed the feete of S. Nicholas and shed reares in great aboundance S. Nicholas was much displeased that the thing he handled so couertly was made manifest for he desired to haue had it secret and therefore he asked in way of guerdon of the poore man to keepe the pleasure he had done him secret but his request was in vaine for as long as the poore man liued wheresoeuer he went he published openly this act of the holy saint and other such good deeds done by him to other although this only be recounted in this place The Bishop of the city who was vncle vnto S. Nicholas was exercised alâ—o in vertuous works and among other things hauing founded a monastery of religious men thought Nicholas a fitt man to be their superiour He moued it vnto him and with great difficulty he got him to yield he was so humble and so vnwilling to take any charge vpoÌ„ him wherein he was to haue authority or coÌ„maundement yet coÌ„tinued he in that office certain years then being desirous of greater perfection he determined to goe into a desert but first he had a desire to visite the holy land To this end he was embarked and hauing entred the voyage the sky being cleare and the sea quiet he told the maryners that shortly there would be a hydeous storme for he had seene the deuill enter in the shippe with a naked sword in his hand menassing to kill all the men in the same Shortly after came the storme S. Nicholas had foretold wherefore the Maryners reputed him for a holy man and being out of hope to escape they resorted vnto him requesting him to pray for them So he prayed vnto God and the storme was asswaged It befell in the same voiage that a maryner mending or dressing the sailes fell downe froÌ„ aloft into the shippe dyed with the fall All the maryners were sorowfull for it S. Nicholas prayed for him and he rose on his feet without any hurt He arryued in Palestina and visited the place where CHRIST our Lord was Crucified his sepulcher and the other holy places and being desirous to liue retired in the deserts of Syria he had a reuelation from God commaunding him to returne into his owne country for he would not haue his seruice in the desert but in some other place S. Nicholas to obey this reuelatioÌ„ was embarked in another shippe the maryners deceitfully carried him toward Alexandria but wheÌ„ he came neere theruÌ„to the wynd chaÌ„ged and against their wills the shippe came into a hauen of Lycia his natiue countrey vnto which place they had agreed to carry him When the mariners perceued this maruellous accident they were amased and in great dread and craued pardon of the saint who returned vnto his monastery wherein he was receaued by the monks with great ioy for they were grieued much with the former absence of their good father and pastor S. Nicholas staied with them a good space but for that they honored him much and also because he knew that God would dispose of him otherwise he determyned to go vnto the city of Mirrea which was the head city of that prouince being also very populous and S. Nicholas thought he might haue liued there vnknowne It came to passe that when as Nicholas came into the Citty therein were assembled some Bishops of the Citties adiacent with the cleargie of that citty to choose a Bishop for the same wherefore euery one made their prayers vnto God to giue them grace to make a good election and it was reuealed vnto one of the Bishops that was an anciant man and of good life that Gods will was that he who entred first the church on the next day whose name was Nicholas should be elected by them to be Bishop of the citty The good olde Bishoppe tolde his vision to the other prelates and the rest of the cleargie This caused them to remaine all night in the Church awaiting in the next morning to see him whoÌ„ God had elected vnto that dâ—gnitie They were all in prayer and the olde Bishoppe stoode at the Church dooâ—e to see who came first into the Church S. Nicholas had bene at his prayers in his lodging from midnight as his custome was and when day was come he went vnto the Church and as he came to the doore the olde Bishop came vnto him and asked who he was and what was his name the holy Saint answered with great humility and said he was a poore sinner and that his name was Nicholas The Bishop looking in his face thought him to be a person worthy of great reuerence he respected also his name which was correspondent vnto the reuelation he had and said with a ioyfull and chearefull voice My bretheren come you hither here is the Bishop beholde you this
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
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
heauen gate also You may go all to the Church to celebrate the feast of the natiuity of our Lord and I wretch being debarred will remaine here and lament and weep alone Ruffinus vnderstanding the cause of th'emperours sorowe sayd My Lord if it shall please you I will talke with Ambrose and entreat him to permit you to enter into the Church for the sorowe you haue had the teares you haue shed for the euill of which he reproued you is sufficient Theodosius aunswered Thy words will do no good for I know very well his constancy in vertue he is not a man will omit any matters belonging vnto God for feare or dread of emperiall maiesty or might Notwithstanding these words Ruffinus assayed how it would proue And when he treated with S. Ambrose he found him so constant and resolute yea so ready and prepared to dye if violence were offred for the defence of the autority of the church that he forthwith sent word vnto th'emperour to stay but he trusting vpon the former words of Ruffinus was comyng toward the Church When Theodosius heard this message he stayed not but went forward saying I will goe vnto the Church and there the Bishop shall tell me my fault and enioine me penance if he will as I deserue S. Ambrose stayed for him without the Church and when the Emperour came he besought S. Ambrose in most lowly wise to absolue him alleadging the example of Dauid who sinned and yet God pardoned him S. Ambrose replied If thou settest Dauid that sinned for an example consider also that he lamented and did penance for his sinne The Emperour said againe I haue sorrowed very much for the same The said S. Ambrose This is not ynough for thou hast committed a publique offence and thou must also doe publique penance The Emperour said I will so that shall suffice S. Ambrose said I would haue thee doe another thing which shal be a remedy for thy wrath and indignation for the time to come viz. That thou make a law that when thou or any other Emperour commaund any offendor to be put to death forthwith that the execution be staid vntill thirty dayes be expired Theodosius was content to doe all as the holy Bishop willed and did the penance with great sorrow and humility and also made the law which is extant to this day in the Codex Iustiniani when this was done he went to the Church I haue stayed some what long in recounting this accident aswell for that it appertaineth vnto the story of S. Ambrose as also for that Theodosius was a Spaniard and it is fit that the Spaniards should haue knowledge of a man that was so worthy to be Emperour as Theodosius was who though hee sinned did receiue with such lowelines the correction and penance imposed vpon him by a particuler Bishop Another notable thing happened vnto S. Ambrose with Stilico Gouernour of Millan for the Emperour The case was this Certaine publique baiting of beasts being made in the high streetes the Gouernour thought the time fit to apprehend one Cresconius who was fled vnto the Church for he much desired to punish him for certaine faultes he had committed To effect it he sent his officers who came into the Church and tooke out Cresconius pulling him by force from the Altar to which place he was fled for succour S. Ambrose saw it but could not help it for he had but a few Priests with him at that time wherefore he fell on his knees and wept bitterly for the violence offered to the Church not being able to remedy the same The officers led the man away and hauing put him safe in prison came to see the sports where they found Stillico and certified him of that they had done They had not yet told all their tale when two Leopards set vpon them and for all the rescue and defence that could be made to saue them they tore them to pieces and put the Gouernor to great feare who incontinent commaunded the prisoner to be restored vnto the Church and to be set free and he made satisfaction for the violence committed Many other things God did by this glorious saint for with his prayers he healed many sicke men deliuered many men that were posessed many were by him conuerted to the faith and attained vnto saluation The fame of this holy saint was spred ouer all the world and people resorted from farre distant places to see him as did Fridigildis Queene of the Morauians who was a paynime and hauing heard marueillous things spoken of S. Ambrose and desirous to be a Christian went to visite him and to craue of him a rule which she ought to beliue and how also she ought to liue The holy saint conuerted her and satisfied her in euery point and especially he appointed her to procure that her husband should keep peace and be in league with the Romans And so she departed after she was Baptised into her countrey very well pleased The end of the life of S. Ambrose approched whereof he had a reuelation long before so he had found that he should dye about Easter Being sicke in his bed Stillico the Gouernour of Millan said that the death of this man menaced the ruine and destruction of all Italy then called he some of the chiefe men of the Citty and bad them to speak vnto S. Ambrose and to exhort him to pray vnto God for the prolonging of his life for the great good they receiued by him The Cittizens went vnto the holy saint and did their message and hee answered I haue not liued so among you that I should be ashamed to liue and I haue not serued such a Lord that I should be a feard to dye and therefore I put my selfe wholly into his handes His holy will be done S. Ambrose was now at the point of death and two deacons that were in the same chamber although a good way from him talked to themselues in a low voice who should be Bishop after him One of them said Simplician should be Bishop for that he was a man of very good behauiour and an Abbot of a monastery vnto whom S. Augustine was a verie deare friend Whilest they talked S. Ambrose said aloud He is old but very good The deacons were much astonied seing him to heare their speeches and after his death by the relation the two Deacons made of those his words Symplician was elected Bishop When the holy saint was at the last point of death there was in another roume Honoratus Bishop of Vercellae who heard himselfe called by one that said to him Runne for it is time now He hearing these words went to the place where the holy saint was and gaue vnto him the B. Sacrament which he receiued with very great deuotion Then laid he is armes acrosse and said his prayers and in saying of them he rendered vp his soule vnto God on the fourth day of Aprill about the yeare of our Lord
verses at the sepulcher of the Apostles SS Peter and Paule and another work in the which he wrot the lifes of the Popes who were his predecessors He also ordeined that the psaâ—mes of Dauid should be song one part of the quier sayeng one verse and the other part another verse which is obserued vnto our time through all the vniuersall Church though it was vsed before in some particuler Churches by the notice of S. Ignatius vnto whom it was reueiled that the Angells in heauen song in this maner as he sawe it himself being in a traunce Also Damasus Councelled thereto by S. Ierome commaunded there should be said at the end of euery psalme Gloria patri filio spiritui sancto sicut erat in principio nunc semper in secula seculorum Amen He ordeined also that the priest before he began masse should say the generall confession He also gaue authority approbation to the translation of the holy Bible made by S. Ierome for before the translation of the 72. interpreters was commonly vsed This good Pope ended this life on the 11. day of December in the year of our Lord 380. in the time of Theodosius being 80. years old of which he was Pope 18. years 3. months 11. dayes He gaue holy orders 5. times in the month of December and ordered 32. priests 11 deacons and 62. Bishops His body was buryed in the Church of the Apostles which he had buâ—â—ded in the same where his mother and sister were buried He was afterward translated vnto another Church which he had builded called S. Laurence in Damaso The life of S. Lucy virgin and Martir AT such time as Gedeon was captaine of the people of God Iudiâ— 7. they were in great danger and feare because their enemies were neere them and verie potent and strong themselues being but fewe in number and weak God commaunded Gedeon to do some enterprise and the people trusting in God hoped to atchieue victorie yet they conceiued not any meanes how it should come to passe For to fight hand to hand they might seeme rash and foolish to run headlong on their owne deaths The people remaining thus in doubt God spake vnto Gedeon and bad him to diuide his people which were 300. into three parts and when night came euerie souldier should haue in one hand a Trompet and in the other hand a vessell of earth and within it a burning light In this manner they should assault their enemies on three sides and when they came neere them they should sound the trompetâ—s and break the vessells of earth knocking one against the other that the burning lampes might be seene on a sodeine and then all of them should make a great shoute As God apointed so it was done The souldiers sounded the Trompets which awaked the Madianits who seing on a sodeine so many lights and hearing such a noise remained astonied and full of dread and knew not how to defend themselues or to offend their enemies but in steed of striking the Hebrewes they wounded one another By this straâ—ageme the madianites were ouerthrewne and quite discomfited and the Hebrewes obtained a notable victorie By this figure we learne that when the vessels of earth are broken the lights are discouered and the enemy ouerthrowne which thing noteth that in the warâ—e which IESVS CHRIST figured in Gedeon maketh against the Madianites which are the diuells vessells of earth are vsed hauing within them burning lampes that shine most clearlie when the vessells of earth be broken These earthen vessells signifie the holeâ— martyrs for their bodies were of earth which being broken when they were diuersly tormented their burning and liuelie faith did shine more gloriously It is seene by experience that holy men are most knowne and reputed the light of the world by the meanes of their death Then is laid open their constancie fortitude and patience their liuely faith and other vertues where with they were adorned whilest they liued their vertues were couered as the torch is in the earthen vessell but when the vessell is broken that is to saie when the holie person dyeth the light is discouered and their death weakneth the diuell vtterlie Though this figure maie be apropriated to all the martyrs yet in perticuler it agreeth verie fulie vnto S. Lucy who by her death showed the light and discouered the brightnes of her liuelie faith and other vertues which were in her soule Moreouer she is the aduocate for the sight the obiect of which is the light Yet we will not saie that she had her name Luce of the light The life of this glorious saint was written by venerable Bâ—dâ— Ado Archbishop of Treuers and other approoued author SAINT Lucy was borne in the Cittie of Syracusa in the is'le of Sicilia of honorable parents and of a great familie She was a Christian from her infancie and so instructed in the faith that shee perswaded her owne mother to exercise her selfe in all vertuous workes and especiallie in giuing large almose and relieuing the necessities of their neighbours The holie damosell finding a fit opportunitie distributed to the poore all her patrimonie which was verie great to set her selfe free from a rich Nobleman who by the consent of her mother and kinsfolke should haue beene her husband though she neuer consented to it An occasion fell out in this sort The mother of S. Lucy called Eutitia had bene sick foure yeares of the bloodie flixe no worldly helpe could be had to cure her At that time the report of S. Agatha was spread ouer all Sicilie who a little before had beene martired her bodie being in the Cittie of Catanea where many miracles were done and many sicke persons of sundrie infirmities were cured by visiting her sepulchre S. Lucy perswaded her mother that they might goe together and visite the reliques of the holie saint not doubting but that by her meanes she might be deliuered from her infirmitie Eutitia was content and went with her daughter vnto Catanea attended in such manner as was fit for their degree and estate When they came vnto the sepulchre of S. Agathata Lucy fell to prayer requesting the glorious Martir to obtaine of God by her intercession health for her mother Lucy being thus in prayer S. Agatha accompanied with many Angels appeared vnto her and with a familier pleasing countenance said vnto her Sister Lucy wherefore doest thou demaund that of me which thou thy selfe maiest giue vnto thy mother Aske thou this fauour of God for if he loue me he loueth thee also and if he will heare my prayers he wil also heare thine and where I haue giuen my life for his sake so shalt thou also giue thy life for his loue And if I be the cause that the cittie of Catanea be famous and and renowned for that it is washed and bathed in my bloud and posesseth my bodie so shall the citty of Syracusa by the same meanes be famous and
renowned for thee and thy sake After this S. Lucy returning came to her selfe for the vision had caused her to be in manner of a traunce or extasie and found her mother exceeding ioyfull for that she felt her selfe cured so both of them rendred thankes vnto God and to the glorious S. Agatha Then returned they home and Lucy desired her mother to permit her to bestowe the dowrie she would giue her to her mariage on the poore Her mother answered Good daughter first close vp mine eyes and then do euen as thou wilt The holy damosell replyed most deare mother I hartilie wish and desire that the almose to be giuen be not only profitable to me but to you also and that of the benefit comming thereby you may haue chiefe part thereof If almose be giuen after your death and onlie by my consent it will not doe you so much good If a man trauell by night in places where he may stumble and dangerously fall he sheweth great indiscretion if he carrie a light behind him when he may carrie it before him if he will this world is like a darke night in which we all doe trauell and wherein be many places whereat wee may stumble The good workes we may do and especiallie almesdeedes be like burning torches which enlighten vs to walke securelie without danger or stumbling wee ought therefore to carrie the light burning before vs for though it be good to leaue almose for the poore after ones death yet it is much better to giue it them in our life time By these and other like reasons S. Lucy obtained leaue of her mother to bestowe her whole portion and dowrie on the poore When he that should haue maried her vnderstood this he was displeased that he had missed so great store of riches And remembring being himselfe a Pagan or Infidell that Lucy did these good deedes as a Christian he accused her vnto the Gouernour of the Cittie called Paschasius who causing her to be brought before him vsed all milde perswasions he could to draw her to sacrifice vnto the Gods But S. Lucy answered To relieue the poore in their necessities is a sacrifice very acceptable vnto God and this sacrifice I haue alreadie offred vnto him now not hauing any more goods to bestowe I do heare offer vp my selfe and my life also vnto him being all that I haue to giue Then said the Gouernour Perhaps the God whom thou speakest of is CHRIST who was crucified by the Iewes in Ierusalem That same is he indeed said the holie saint The Gouernour said How standeth this together that he being God should dye such an opprobrious death The blessed Virgin answered It is not meete that your Iupiter Apollo Venus or the rest should be called Gods neither is it lawfull for any man to adore them for they were of lewd and wicked life some of them being Adulterers manquâ—llours and most cruell tyrants These qualities beseeme not a God but to dye as IESVS CHRIST did whom I confesse to be the true God doth not gaine say that he is God since he was made man that he might dye and by his death it pleased him to bestowe life vpon men Thou talkest too much said Paschasius and art too saucy being so young who taught thee to prattle in this manner The holie damosell said The seruants of CHRIST shall neuer want answeres when they be brought before Iudges and Maiestrates for so much he promised vnto them saying you shall not speake but the Holie-Ghost that dwelleth in you The gouernour said Then thou hast the Holie Ghost S. Lucy answered They that liue in chastitie and puritie be the Temple of the Holie Ghost If it be so said the Iudge I will driue out the Holie Ghost thou speakest of out of thee For I will haue thee led vnto the stewes where when thou hast lost thy chastitie thou shalt also loose the Holie-Ghost thou esteemest so much Then said the holie Virgin O wretched man thou are much deceiued for if thou make me loose my chastitie by force I shall gaine two crownes in heauen the one of a chast woman and the other because I haue beene forced and for defending my chastitie Then the Iudge said leaue your words for we will come to deedes and then instigated by the diuell he commaunded that she should be led vnto the brothel-house Many people flocked thither Some intending to satisfie their lust laid violent hands vpon her to draw her by force vnto their pleasures But God did helpe his handmaid by making her to be immoueable And though many endeauoured to pull her with their hands yea some with ropes and lastlie with many yoake of Oxen yet could they not draw her one foote out of the place wherefore the Iudge said Be these thy witchcraftes that being as thou art a sorrie girle many men nor many yoake of Oxen cannot stuâ—re thee Assuredlie the diuell thy familier helpeth thee that thou mayest scoffe and delude vs. The young damosell answered this is no witchcraft nor inchantment much lesse is it the diuell that maketh me stand immoueable the diuell rather desiâ—eth that I had beene led to the place by thee appointed that there I might haue lost my chastity but it is the spirit of God who being omnipotent and dwelling in my soule is able and doth giue me such constancie that all the world shall not be able to moue me from this place Then the iudge commaunded officers to bring store of wood and to place it about the holie damosell and that they should powre thereon Oyle Pitch and Rosin and then set fire thereto that she might be consumed to ashes The flame did her no hurt and in the midest of the fire she said My most louing and gratious Lord hath granted me a little space in my martyrdome that the faithfull beleeuers may be incouraged and not to feare torments which be not indeed so rigorous as they seeme to be and that Idollaters may be confounded when they see how little they can doe against the seruants of the most high God The Gouernour not knowing what to do more caused asword to be thrust through her throat which wounded her mortallie but before she died she spoke to certaine Christians present who lamented to see her so wounded and said vnto them Be of good comfort bretheren for the Church of God shal haue peace ere long the emperours that haue done such damage thereto shal shortlie loose the rule and dominion that they haue We read also that the Blessed Sacrament was brought thither secretlie by a priest and that when she had receaued the same she ended her life in peace Her bodie was buried in the same cittie of Syracusa where it remained many yeares god shewing diuers fauours and graces to his faithfull seruants by the merits and intercession of the blessed virgen In processe of time her bodie was caried vnto Constantinople and from thence vnto Venice in great regard and estimation as
In prol in Ioh. De pres cript as Tertullian S. Ierome say out of the which he came without any hurt and then he was banished into an Isle called Pathmos which is one of the Islands called Cyclades and is not farre from Rhodes There the Apostle stayd a whole yeare and on a Sunday he had a vision and a reuelation in the which was discouered the successes of the Catholike Church that should happen vntill the day of the generall iudgement and all that he wrot in a booke which he called the Apocalipse or Reuelation Apo◠2. Whilest that S. Iohn remained in that Island he conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST almost all the inhabitants thereof and such was their loue toward him that as Symeon Metaphrases saith When he was to depart from the backe vnto Ephesus they were like to dye with sorrow Procrus Cap. 49. He was released from the exile after the death of Domitian and succession of Nerua who did by the aduise of the Senate reuoque and abrogate all the lawes his predecessor had made The Islanders vnderstanding that S. Iohn would depart from the went all vnto him lamenting and wailing some called him father others Lord and all said with one voyce he was theire ioy and comfort They besought him with great affection saying Oh Iohn thou holy and admirable man wherefore camest thou into this Island if thou art to depart hence so soone Why was the knowledge of thee bestowed on vs if we were to loose thy company so soone Whither wilt thou go to be beloued as thou art of vs Where shall thou be obeyed as thou art heere Where shall thy words be so esteemed since we listen to them as if they came from God and do beleeue that God speaketh in thee Then ô father haue pitty on vs thy children behold that without thee we are left in danger and perill to loose our selues Oh Emperour Domitian thou hast done to none such euill as thou hast done good vnto vs thou hast sent hither the elect disciple of God whom we haue knowen and receiued Baptisme by his meanes Thou hast done right well but for that to do good was far from thee of this good ariseth this present euill that now we must loose him whom before thou mad'st vs to know They all came to the holy Euangelist and kneeled at his feere tooke his garments in their hands kissed his hands with great humblenesse and reuerent behauiour for that they thought to make him stay there more by prayers and entreaties then by force or violence They holy Euangelist sawe the griefe of this Islanders for his departure but hee promising not to forget them and to send them some that should take charge of them they remained somewhat pleased and satisfied And so he embarked and returned to Ephesus where he was receiued with great and incredible ioy As the holy saint was to enter the Citty they carried out to buryall a noble Matrone called Drusiana who had loued S. Iohn very dearely He vnderstanding the same by many persons that followed the corps lamenting and mourning for the losse of so vertuous a woman that was charitable and had done many good workes of piety toward all kind of persons and he remembring the same prayed for her and God at his request raised againe the dead woman to life and the holy Apostle went to lodge at her house Then he began to gouerne that prouince again and he vnderstood that two young men in a Citty had distributed much riches vnto the poore desiring to serue God in pouerty which life S. Iohn had commended and praised much in his sermons but after perceiuing themselues in great want of necessary things they repented of what they had done S. Iohn talked with them and badde them bring him two great branches of trees from a Hill he named and some stones and the young men did so Then the Apostle by the power of God turned the stones into most pretious Iewels and the branches into Gold and said to the two young men Behold now see you may be as rich as you were before but consider well that the riches of the world doe puffe men vp and doe not satisfy them Thinke also that there is but one paradise and he that will haue it in this life and enioy and posesse worldly riches delights and pleasures cannot haue it also in the other world The Apostle did also in their sight raist to life a young man sonne to a poore widow who with many teares besought him to haue compassion on her as he had on Drusiana The two young men hauing seene this strange miracles determined to continue still in poore life and besought the Apostle to pray vnto God for them and gaue him backe his Iewels and Gold and he threw it vpon the ground and they returned to their former nature and he prayed vnto God for them and they led a holy life euer after S. Iohn had a great controuersy and variance with a priest of the Goddesse Dyana called Aristodemus who said that the miracles the Apostle did were not by the power of God but of the deuill and if he would haue him to beleeue it was by the worke of God let him drinke a cuppe of poyson that he would temper for him without any nocument or hurt to his life or health The malicious villaine thought by this meanes to take away the Apostles life and to repaire the losse his false gods sustained thereby S. Iohn accepted of the match and tooke the impoysonned cup in his hand and made thereon the signe of the Crosse and drunke it of without receuing any hurt Some Authors say for this cause S. Iohn is painted with a cuppe in his hand out of which commeth a serpent and he seemeth to blesse it which signifieth that he destroyed the force of the venime Others say this is not the cause but that he is painted so vpon the words CHRIST said to him when his mother requested that hee and his brother might haue the next place vnto him the one on the right hand and the other on the left and the words of CHRIST were these Can you drinke the cup which I must drinke and they answered I and our Sauiour replyed I say vnto you in verity that you shall drinke my cup This cuppe as some say is signified by the cuppe which is painted in the hand of S. Iohn and it may be it is painted there for both the causes S. Clement of Alexandria S. Iohn Chrisostome and other Authors recount also a story which befell betweene S. Iohn and a disciple of his being a beautifull young man And it was this S. Iohn kept the young man very strait and would haue brought him to strict and a mortified life And hauing on a time occasion to visite one of his Churches commended him vnto the care and gouernement of a Bishop desiring him to haue good regard of him In the absence of S.
of the plagues that he sent vpon them was when he slew all their first borne So also when IESVS CHRIST departed from Bethleem the Bethleemits remained also in lamentation For a sure thing it is that in the place froÌ„ whence God departeth there remaineth nothing but sorrow and wayling Let vs praie vnto his diuine majestie that he alwaies remaine in our compaine that we maie alwaies be glad and ioyfull in him and that our ioy may be true and perfect enjoying it in this world by grace after in heauen by glorie Amen The Catholique Church celebrateth the feast of the holie Innocents on the 28. of December and their Martyrdome was in the time of Octauian Augustus in the beginning of the second yeere of CHRISTE according to Ioannes Lucidus The life of S. Thomas Arche Bishop of Canterbury and Martyr THE lyfe of this holy Prelat and famous martyr collected out of foure Historiographers of his tyme Wilhelmus Cantuariensis Ioannes Carnotensis or Sarisbeâ—ens Alanus Abbot of Teukesbyrie Herbert of Hosâ—ham clerke Petrus Blessensis Archedeacon of Bathe and manie epistles of Popes kinges and Bisshops is in this manner SAINT Thomas vsually called of Canterbury B. and martyr was borne in London the head cittie and royall seate of great Britanie His father was one Gilbert surnamed Becket a man inferioure to none of his cittizens for kindred and riches and superioure to most for a singular good carriage and holie conuersation This Gilbert being in the flower of his youthe voluntariely receaued the holy cross an ensigne of suche as enrolled they re names to serue against Infidells and trauailed into the holie land where as he returned from visiting those sacred places of Hierusalem he together with others was taken by his enemies that lay in ambush made prisoner to an Admirall a Prince of great account amonghst the Infidells There he remained in captiuitie the space of one yeare and a halfe wherein the only daughter of the aforesaid Admirall was so wonne with the carriage and excellente good partes and qualities of Gilbert with his discreet and weighty reasoning of matters that concerned Christian Religion and also with his noble and stoute resolution to dye for Gods honoure that he afterwards by flight hauing obteined his libertie she wounded with his loue and led with desire of being a Christian forsooke all her wealth abandoned her fathers house her countrie followed him secretly into England There being first well instructed in Christian religion and baptized in the Churche of S. Paule by the Bisshop of London with greate solemnitie in the presence of sixe Prelats she was marryed to Gilbert all but especially the Bisshop of Cicester wondring at this heauenly vocation and admirable prouidence of God and prophecying that her wombe should beare a childe whose sanctitie and holie laboures would make Gods Churche renowned and glorious Not long after was Thomas borne and brought vp by his vertuous mother in all good manners and excercises But he learned of her especially the feare and loue of allmighty God with a greate deuocion to his B. virgen mother Marie next after Christe reposing in her his greatest confidence and making her Patron and Protectriss of all the wayes and steppes of his lyfe He was first brought vp in a religious howse of Merton after was instructed in liberall sciences then sent to studie in the vniuersitie of Paris from whence returninge home he discharged with honoure and great good satisfaction some publicke offices of the cittie of LondoÌ„ And hauinge now for the space of three yeares attended vnto temporall affayres and followed courte-businesses shewing himselfe therein quicke discreete and well aduised and thereby attained greate creditt and learned much prudence and experience hauing also been carryed with affection to youthfull sportes of hawking hunting yett euer without staining or blemishing his good name with anie vice or imperfection led by the instinct of the holie Ghost more then by anie friends persuasion he retired weaned himselfe from secular affaires and betooke himselfe to Theobald Arche B. of Canterburie where his industrie diligence and well aduised managinge of matters wonne him a chiefe place and greate reputation amongst the Arche Bâ— most familiar trustie friends After his admittance into the companie of Theobalds counseloures and chiefest followers he studied at Bolognia and at Alâ—isiodorum was greatly imployed in Church affaires of greatest importance oftentimes sent for decision of weightie controuersies to Rome from whence he euermore returned with good dispatche in his busines lastly he was made Archedeacon of Canterburie a place in those dayes of highest degree in the English cleargie next vnto Lord Abbots and Bissh Muche about that time Henry duke of Aquitaine and Normandie succeeded kinge Stephen in the crowne of England Theobald fearing least the kings good nature might be abused by some of his craftie counselours and by such as vnder the cloake and pretence of publicke autoritie thirsted after the Churches reuenues and the commons spoyle drawen to some ouer sharpe course and rough proceeding desirous also that the bond of loue and amitie might encrease betweene the Prince and his Prelats and the kings gracious fauoure shine vpon his cleargie a thing most necessarie for the good and well fare of all the kingdome and well assured of his Archeadeacons sufficiencie to doe all faithfull seruice to the kinge good offices to all manner of people brought him to the courte and wrought him into the fauoure of his Maiestie from whome he receaued the office of high Chanceloure of England It might seeme in outward shew and apparance that Thomas had now forgotten quite that euer he was an Archedeacon His retinue was greate his followers men of good account his housekeeping such as might compare with yf not surpasse the greatest Earles of the kingdome his stuffe verie costlie and full of brauerie so farre forth as bridles of beaten syluer his principall care to retaine his Princes fauoure and winne all mens good will which care did also compell him sometimes to shew himselfe plyant to this Maty in his fare his discourse in hauking in huntinge and sporting aswell as in his serious affaires A table that daylie and Honorably intertained Barons Earles a house that wellcomed all needie afflicted persons a hand that bountifully bestowed large gyfts in howsehold stuffe apparail prouision plate and coyne Finally fortune did seeme to haue made him her darling and all things so flowed according to his wish his desire that one would haue Iudged him to haue laide cleane aside the verie thought of a cleargie man But this was only the outside of Thomas for inwardly he was humble and abject in his owne eyes much addicted to praier and deuotion a greate tamer curber of his owne body in so muche that manie times he would chastize himselfe with a cruell discipline lashing himselfe vpon the bare backe his zeale was greate for the good of the churche and reliefe
condescended to the Kings request but that S. Thomas alwayes cryed out The Church of God ought not to be ruled and directed with hypocriticall dissembling and worldly crafte and pollicie but with Iustice and Trueth which freeth her followers from all dangers At length the King of Fraunce with entreaty and the Pope with the terroure of the Churches censures made a full attonement and reconciliation betweene his Maiestie of England and the Archbishop the King not only recalling him and all his friends from his banishment but also writing into England that peacebly well and honorably he his might be restored to all which they enioyed three moneths before his departure out of England He led him also aside and talked with him so long and so familiarly as if no disagreement had euer bin betweene them he gaue him leaue to proceede against such of his suffragans as had offended during his absence and at his departure willed him to forget all former hatred and restore vnto each other their auncient loue and affection and so the Archbishop humbling himselfe at his Maiesties feete tooke his leaue and departed towards England after seauen yeares of banishment And although he vnderstood by the Earle of Bullen and manie others comming out of England that no other preparation was made there to receaue him but of prisons and bonds and treacherous proceedings and thirsting after his bloud and his life yet would he not stay his iourney but answered Allthough I should be torne in pieces I wil not break of my intended iourney no feare no force no torment shall stay me any longer let it suffice that the flocke of CHRIST hath for seauen yeares space bewailed the absence of her shepheard At his returne into his Church he was receaued with great ioy and deuotion by the cleargie and all well affected people though some others guiltie of their owne wickednesse repined thereat and endeuoured to haue hindered his landing with armed men Wheresoeuer the Archbishop went there was exceeding great ioy and triumph eache Parish with their crosses and Parish priests wellcoming him with a solemne procession and ioyntly singing and weeping for ioy and praising God that had sent them home their Father againe Whithin some few dayes after at his comming to London there was the like publike ioy and triumphing For all the cleargie and poore-schollers of the cittie to the number of three thousand men went forth to meete him without the cittie So did likewise the flower of the cittie with an innumerable number of people and all-together singing Te Deum laudamus accompanied him vnto his lodging But this reioycing and gladnesse lasted not long for some Bishops and other men of great account that were excommunicated by the Pope resorted vnto the Archbishop and earnestly required to receaue their absolution at his hands He answered that notwithstanding their excommunication suspension was from the Pope yet he would presume so farre as to absolue them in case they would make him a Canonicall caution or assurance of standing to the Iudgement of the Church in those things for which they were excommunicated They esteeming it to much pride in the Archbishop to tye them to any such conditions went ouer to the King in Normandie and complained vnto him That Thâ—mas was rather more haughtie proud and imperious after his banishment then before that he went vp and down with great troupes of men both horse and foote that attended on him as vpon the Kings owne royall person that to be a King indeede he wanted but the name and setting the Crowne vpon his head and saying that he would be King That such as were most loyall to his Maiestie were most oppressed with frequent exactions and excommunications by the Archbishop and manie other aggreeuances and calumnations to the same purpose which so much enraged and enflamed the Kinges indignation that with anxietie of minde he burst forth into these impatient words And is it possible that I cannot peaceably enioy neither Kingdome dignitie nor life and all this for one only Priest Cursed be all such as eate my bread since none will reuenge me of this fellow Vpon these words some principall gentlemen of the Kings chamber conspired together and with oathes and protestations combined themselues to kill the Archbishop imagining it would be most gratefull seruice to the King For flatterie and desire to humoure Princes and execute not only what they commaund but what they incline or bend vnto is a passion that 's ouer-powerfull in Courtes and blindeth many men to worke their owne euerlasting perdition They embarked themselues they landed in England at a castell called Flatwide associated themselues with others of great ranke but little grace and with manie armed men came marching to Canterbury and went to the Archbishop and with discurteous and vnseemely speeches reuiled him for manie treasons coÌ„mitted against the Kings Maiestie The good Prelate answered to all their obiections and with humilitie and modestie and yet with valour and constancie defended him selfe against all accusations wherewith they did charge him alleadging that for some of those which they esteemed enormious crimes he had expresse leaue and licence from the King At this they began to crye aloud and say this was to touche the honour of the Kinge appeache his Maiestie of Treason and fearing the nuÌ„ber of the Archbishops seruauÌ„ts they went forth both to arme themselues call in other companie prepared to assist them in the meane time the B. went in to euening prayer At the noyse of armes and armed men all the churche was in a tumult some flying away some hiding themselues some shutting fast the doores of the Church Only the Archbishop did so behaue himselfe as one deuoyde of all dread and feare and comming to the doores did set them wide open saying that Churches ought not to be defended as castles besieged with enemies and that he should ouercome farre better with suffering then with fighting In came they rushing to the Church crying out aloude Where is that Beket the Archbishop Where is that Traytour to the King all his kingdome He without any trouble or alteration answered Heere I am no Traitoure to the King but a Priest and seruant of IESVS CHRIST readie to leese my life for my Lord and shed my bloud in defence of his Church I coÌ„maund yee in the name of God and vnder paine of excommunication that none of yee doe hurt any of these which are present if there be any fault it is wholly mine that haue raken vpon me to defend the cause of the Church for whome I embrace death most willingly hoping that by the effusion of my bloud she shall enioy libertie and peace And theÌ„ ioyning his hands lifting theÌ„ and eyes hart to Heauen setling himselfe to prayer he said these last words To God Ladie to all the sainctes Patrons of this Church and to the blessed martyr S. Dionyse I commend my selfe the cause
blasphemed Assuredly glorious saint Siluester the Pope was farre and free from giuing of scandall by his life for it was such and gaue such a glorious light in the 23. yeares that hee was Pope that innumerable people were conuerted vnto the faith of IESVS CHRIST and among others the Emperour Constantine the great We read that the life of this holy Pope was in the manner ensuing as Damasus and other substantiall Authors write of him SAINT Siluester was borne in Rome and was the sonne of Ruffinus Spa Cyrinus the priest was his master and he being 30. yeares old Pope Melchiades created him Deacō of Rome which was in dignity as a cardinall is nowe Before he was chosen to be Pope he was taken by a gouernour in the city for receiuing harboring some Christians that came from places farre distant as one of their relligyon moreouer the gouernor willed Siluester to delyuer into his hands the goods of certaine Christians that had bene martired and had bene as it was said left in his custody As they were leading S. Siluester toward the prison his friends lamented and made moane and he told them that his emprisonment should not be long and so it proued for on the next night the iudge who had committed him died and on the next day he was set at liberty Melchiades the Pope dying afterwards S. Siluester was set in the chayre of S. Peter The remnaunts of the persecutions of Dioclesian and Maximinian endured still in Egipt and though by the comming of Constantine afterward called the Great vnto the Empire the fury of the same was well assuaged yet Siluester after he was chosen to be Pope douting to be taken departed from Rome in secret manner and was hidden in a caue of the hill Soracte in the Phalisci not far from Rome which hill vpon this occasion is called Monte de San Siluestro There the holy Bishop staid a certaine time vntill that it pleased God that Constantine was healed of an incurable leprosy called Elephantia To remedy and cure himselfe he had bene counseilled by the priests of the Gentils to be washed in a baine of 3000. Infants bloud The good Emperour refused to commit that detestable cruelty but chose rather to dye of that infirmity then to be cured by so inhumaine remedy The children were brought to that purpose but he caused them to be restored vnto their motheres sending them backe with ioy to their homes and also bestowed many gifts on them That same night there appeared vnto him SS Peter and Paule the Apostles who commending him for his pitifull deed in sauing the life of the innocent children bad him send vnto Monte Soracte for the Bishop of the Christians who should shew him another baine and that should cure him of his leprosy The Emperour sent forthwith for S. Siluester who went to Rome as one douting he should be led vnto martirdome But when he came thither the Emperour told him his dreame whereat S. Siluester tooke hart and preached to him IESVS CHRIST perswading the Emperour to be Baptised which he did and was incontinent cured of his leprosy Helena mother vnto Constantine being at that time in Britaine was certified hereof and wrote to her sonne commending him for forsaking the Idols but she wished he had turned vnto the religion fo the Iewes and not vnto the faith of the Christians who adore one who as a mortall man was crucified and so dyed Constantine sent her word to come vnto Rome and to bring with her the most wise and learned Iewes she could find Helena did so and the Iewes disputed with S. Siluester two great philosophers called Cato and Zeno being as iudges S. Siluester answered so substantially vnto the arguments made by the Iewes against the articles of our faith that they were not only conuinced but also conuerted and Baptised and so was Helena the mother of Constantine also Whereupon the Emperour made a law and decree that IESVS CHRIST should be adored as God and that malefactors should not be crucified as the vse was then That none should blaspheme the name os IESVS CHRIST vpon paine of death that the Temples of the Pagans should be demolished and that Churches should be builded into the which if offendors came they should be secure from daunger and enioy the priuiledge of sanctuary The same Emperour caused many Churches to be builded aswell within as without Rome and turned his owne pallace into a Church which is called at this day S. Iohn Lateran or Basilica Constantiniana and adorned it with many Iewels of price inestimable It is holden for a thing certaine that Constantine gaue vnto Pope Siluester and to his successors the city of Rome and the Lordship or seigniory of Italy and it is likely to be so for that he translated the Emperiall seat to Constantinople Some Authors deny this to be so and our former report of his Baptisme and of his leprosy also but therin they shew rather their malice then a desire to say the truth since that many autenticall authors do auouch our former report of his Baptisme of his leprosy and of the donation he made to the Church also Constantine builded also beside that Church other two the one of S. Sauiour the other of S. Iohn Baptist which he builded in his pallace He also builded the Church of S. Paule in the way to Ostia S. Croce in the pallace Sēphorianum which is now called Holy crosse in Ierusalem one to S. Laurence in the way to Tibur and another to S. Agnes in the way to Lauicum betweene the two bay trees at the request of one of his daughters He builded another in the honor of S. Peter and Marcellin martyrs In the citty of Ostia he caused to be built the Church of S. Peter and of S. Paule and of S. Iohn Baptist and in Capua one to the same Apostles and one in Naples These and many other Churches the deuou◠Emperour caused to be builded at the instance of S. Siluester and adorned them with vessels of gold and siluer and with rich Iewels The persecution against the Church of God was ceased but there began another warre by the heretiks raised by one Arrius a priest of Alexandria This man was ambitious and because he would be famous in the world he published an impious blasphemy against these words of CHRIST I and my father are one This heresy was dispersed into sundry countries whereupon S. Siluester apointed a Counsell to be holden and the Emperour was at the charge thereof which was kept at Nice a citty of Bithinia where were present 318. Bishops among whom Osius B. of Cordoua in Spaine was famous and renowmed There was also present in person the Emperour Constantine who seing many of those prelates and religious men that were in the Counsell some to lacke an eye another a hand or such like which had happened to them for the loue of CHRIST in the passed persecutions the pittifull Emperour embraced