Monarch of that ample state as he was renowned for his prouesse and absolute authority thereby gayned and purchased vpon that Realme so was he most conspicuous in the eyes of men for gouerning that kingdome with such equity iustice and religion as though his life otherwise were full of many noble archieuments in warrs yet his wisdome and prudence in gouernement being the essentiall part of his royall dignity immortalized him more then his martiall exploits which for personall performance he recommēded to his Captaynes Commanders and Generalls in the field willing rather to put his victorious sword into their hands who knew how to brandish it abroad then to bee wanting to his scepter at home which none could wield or manadge like himself But that which made him more happy then the rest was the worthy Choyce he made of a deare Consort and indiuiduall companion of either fortunes such as that noble Princesse was the Lady Gertrude daughter of the Duke of Carinthia who being admired for her rare beauty and Princely parentage was yet more amiable to the world for her sage prudence and fayre demeanures for which she was more esteemed then for the Lyllyes and Roses of her Cheeks and greater iustre of her family As wel appeared as often as occasion serued when her deare Lord was forced to absent himself from his royall seate she fayne to supply his roome which she did full loath and most vnwillingly and yet so wisely that one could hardly tell which most excelled a princely Modesty or Prudēce in her So discreete and practicall she was in gouernement as if made for Scepters while she sate vpon the Throne and yet so ignorāt againe of such matters sitting in her Chamber with her Ladyes while her Husband swayd the scepter in his person as she seemed to know no more then her needle and how to sett forth her works in silkes which she did most curiously indeede In fine they were both most happy hee in her and she in him and it were hard to say which the more since the world afforded not a better pay Yea happy Hungary the while where raigned such a Sunne and Moone by turnes in the Hemispheare of that florishing region But yet more happy farr and more illustrious they shine in the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy for bringing forth into the world such a Starr as S. Elizabeth was Thus far hath shee been borrowing Light lustre from them but now like a Hesperus shee begins to arise and appeare her self in this firmament of ours to glad both the heauens earth with her presence with such faire preparatiōs as these making her royall entry into the world And that with reason since in triūphes the wayes where Princes are to passe in their first entrances are strewen with flowers adorned with tapestryes what better flowers can we strew before our S. then the vertues of her Stem whence shee is deriued what fayrer Tapestries then the noble portraits of her most renowned Parēts to precede as it were the procession of her life When Gertrude Queene of Hungary was found to be with child you may imagine what ioy and iubily there was Who ioyes not at the chaunting of the Cock as being the signe albeit remote of the gladsome day at hand but when as day begins to breake and the Aurora appeares Men do begin to open their eyes to entertayne the wished starre of the day by the Aurora wil the wiser of them ghesse at the future day The Aurora now was come while Gertrude in the howers of expectation approached to her child-birth When Elinsor a famous Astrologer of those dayes deuoted to the princely Couple desirous eyther to satisfy his owne curiosity or to comply with that of others gazing on the starres and obseruing their constellations did calculate the Natiuity of the new borne childe And found after he had turned ouer the whole Ephemerides that a Damsell was then to be borne of that royall lynage whose name should be Elizabeth foretelling her good inclinations vertues and miracles how shee was to be maried and what the name of her Spouse should bee that al should hold her for the ioy and delight of the Church and shee proue very singular in graces and spiritual endowments through the course of her whole life These were the sage prognosticates of that Astrologer by the helpe of his Art If art may be sayd to go so farr as to deriue vpon the operations of the mind which I list not here to examine It sufficeth his coniecture at least was not amisse and his creditt with men authority so great as to breede an extraordinary expectation in them of some rare creature to be shorly borne and come into the world And now behold the tyme was come and Gertrude happily deliuered of a daughter and such a one as bredd an vniuersall ioy in Court and Citty no place that was not filled with signes of triumph especially at her entrāce into the Church by the lauer of Baptisme when she put on the cādid robe of innocēcy washed with the blood of the immaculate Lamb whereof she was neuer dispoyled to her dying day A great confusion doubtlesse to vs Mortalls who not contented to breake our first faith in stayning this robe but after so many wholsome baths of Penance returne to contaminate the same againe and againe and I would to God no more againe Elizabeth for soe now she is enrolled in the booke of life to be cancelled neuer as yet hanging on her Mothers breast for she committs not that treasure to the trust of any that she might truly bee a Mother wholely and not to halues Herman Lantgraue of Thuringia hauing at that time likewise a Sonne newly borne called Lewes and hearing of the vniuersall acclamation made at the double Birth of this rare a Phoenix partly through the good Omen he conceiued thereof and partly to match in soe royall a Family dispatches Embassadours with good expedition to Andrew King of Hungary to demaund Elizabeth for Spouse for his said Lewes Such it seemes was the tenour of those dayes and is yet in practize now and then among greatest Princes for reason of State to vnite their kingdomes stronger to each other still leauing the parties to their full choyce when they come to the yeares of Election No maruell then if Andrew with his dearest Gertrude after the matter had been throughly debated by his prudēt Coūcel gaue so free easy cōsent thereto for he sent away the Embassadors wel satisfyed with his royall promise But the Lantgraue now at last the Infants being growen to be three or foure yeares of age desirous to haue such a iewel in his house sent his Embassadors a new to fetch that precious treasure into his State seeing no reason that since shee was to be inserted into the house of Thuringia and was to flourish in that garden but shee should take her greener sap from that soyle and beginne so yong to
aromatical spices of vertues which sent forth such an odour of example on earth and such a perfume of sanctity to the Citizens of heauen Now by this tyme being the fourth day after when the rites of the Church were ended with great solemnity pomp and magnificence according to her dignity in the presence of many worthy religious Fathers with an incredible multitude of al sorts of people as wel of the Clergy as Laity the precious body was honourably interred in a certain Chappel belonging and adioyning to her Hospital to the great resentment of al who would willingly haue enioyed her stil had it been conuenient THE CANONIZATION of Saint Elizabeth the Translation of her Body and the beginning of the relation of her myracles CHAP. VIII SOe precious is the death of Saints in the sight of God that as Saint Basil testifyes as heretofore who touched but the bones of a dead body ws held contaminated So now on the contrary who toucheth the bones or other Reliques of some Saint may receiue some operatiue vertue from them and 〈◊〉 our Lord would haue such bones remoued diuided into sundry places that they might be as a fortresse or Citadel against our enemyes and an honour to the faithful themselues If you demand of mee saith S. Ambrose what I worship in the bones and reliques of these Saints I answere in the body of each Saint I reuerence the wounds which he hath receiued for Christ I worship his memory who led his life alwayes embracing vertue I venerate the ashes consecrated through the confession of his Lord and euen in the ashes themselues I worship the seede of eternity I worship the body who hath instructed mee to loue God to please him and not to feare death And why should not the faithful honour the body which euen the Diuils themselues do tremble at For whom aliue they afflicted with Crosses they owe loue and reuerence in the Sepulcre Lastly I worship that body which our Lord Christ hath honoured in this world and whose soule is now raigning with 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 uen Now these titles motiues and benefits proceeding from the veneration and worship of the Reliques of Saincts is the cause why noe sooner any dyes with the opinion of a Saint especially auerred so by authentical approbation of his Holynes through that illustrious ceremony of Canonization vsed in the Church but that generally the faithful do throng to his Shrine or Hearse to obteyne some Relique of his be it the very hayre of his head or the least peece of his garment which hauing gotten they piously make reckoning they haue gayned a most precious and inestimable jewel Noe maruaile theh that our glorious Elizabeth being so illustrious through the most holy life shee had led on earth and the vndoubted opinion shee had purchased of a Saint euen during life but that the people should flock so vnto her as they daylie did as to a mercyful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Court of Requests to receiue the humble petitions of al that come where hardly shee sent any empty away contristat and not satisfyed some way or other So as it is commonly reported that shee raised some sixteen at'least from death to life cleansed the leaprous gaue hearing to the deafe speach to the dumb 〈◊〉 to the lame eyes to the blind and comfort to the miserable and afflicted and curing al manner of diseases els whatsoeuer without number All which miracles Siffrid Bishop of Mogunce caused to be authentically proued and sent them to Gregory the Ninth then Pope who after diligent debate of so weighty a cause with the Colledge of Cardinals in the presence of the Patriarks of Hierusalem and Antioch and sundry Bishops and after a solemne and magnificent Procession had on the 27. of May being then the Feast of Pentecost canonized Elizabeth at a high Masse in al his Pontificalibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 red as a Saint in the vniuersal Church in the fourth yeare after her happy decease in the howse of the Fryars Dominicans in the Citty of Perugia where he dedicated an Aultar which he erected to her honour enriched with ornaments endowing it with priuiledges conuenient as Popes are accustomed to do in like cases Which solemnity being stately and very honourably performed and the fame thereof vniuersally spread through al the parts of Germany the aforesaid Bishop Siffrid to the great ioy and iubiley of al the people of what condition soeuer assigned a certaine day for the solemne Translation of the blessed bones into the Citty of Marpurg where he assembled al the States spiritual and temporal of both the dominions of Thuringia and Hassia and the principal Pastours of many other Churches besides At the day appointed to such as weigh not the deuotion of the people to this admirable Saint it may seeme incredible to estimate the number of men and women of all estates and callings who repayred to Marpurg where the Shrine was opened and the sacred bones discouered in the presence of Frederick the Emperour offering a crowne of gold to the Reliques attended by a most honorable company of Princes Lords and Gentry besides the Bishops of Mentz Cullen and Breame and many other remarkeable Prelates of other Churches and Heads of Religious howses Neyther was there as I said before also in the Translation any manner of il sauour at al as in other dead bodyes is vsually had but as it had been a chest of balme and most precious perfumes it breathed forth a most pleasing and delicious odour to the great astonishment and vnspeakable content of al who approached to participat thereof Then were the Reliques safely enclosed againe in a leaden Coffer and the same very softly included in a precious casket of most curious workmanship besides the stuffe which I could not learne by reason the enamel had so disguised the same being carefully sealed vp with the signet of the Bishop himself and carryed in solemne pomp through the middest of the multitude of the people there greedily wayting for them with incredible affection and deuotion There you might see the windowes hung with Tapistryes al replenished with Ladyes and Gentlewomen exceedingly moued with veneration at the sight of the sacred Pledge as it passed along the rest being fayne to stay beneath or get such standings as they could on tops of howses towers and steeples euery where where likewise you might discouer the Ecclesiastical ensignes carryed along in that Procession the Canons in their Copes and Quiristers and the rest of the Chaunters in their câ—…ates singing Alleluya like so many Angels come from heauen to conuerse with men and to grace the present solemnity Finally and which was strange in such a world of people you might there obserue a deep silence more like to the solitude of a desart then so great an assembly of so populous a Citty and Country round about al whist for the tyme so attentiue they were to their sacred sight or spectacle of their dearest
Gualter and the Gentlemen of his priuy Chamber lay neere vnto him caused them to arise and remoue her thence and to dispatch her away with some money supposing belike the coueteousnes thereof had brought her into so strange and exorbitant a practize afterwards speaking of the matter he protested before God that howbeit he had no auersiō or detestation from the sinne of Adultery at al as offensiue to God yet for the respect he bare to Elizabeth his wife he would by no meanes haue giuen way to so notable an iniury to his deerest Spouse whom he honoured so much Behold an other of the like kind A certaine principal Captayne and Commander of his on a tyme hauing occasion vpon publique affayres to treate with the Lantgraue the busynes dispatched fel by chaunce into discourse of his owne particulars complayning how vnfortunate hee was that whereas God had blessed him with a competent estate a beautyful wife he should bee so vnhappy through sterility to leaue no heyres behind him to enherit his substance and the honours he had purchased in the feild and therefore if it pleased his Highnes hee might vse his wife to raise him seede to his howse and hee would willingly embrace them as his owne Whereat the Prince was abashed and pausing with himself shaped him so wise and discreete an answere as hee let him see the folly of his desire in his owne respect in seeking to purchase him an heyre in that sort and for himself discouered in his countenance a high disdayne and deepe indignation against him for making the motion and framing so fowle a suggestion against the honour of both their Bedds and cheifely in contempt of a principal commandment of God and so an open practize of Rebellion against his diuine Maiesty The Captayne admired the wisedome and Loyaltie of the Prince and crauing pardon of him protested he was extreamely edifyed with his speaches instructed with his vertuous example aduowing hee had made him a Penitent and Conuertite being so conuinced through the potency of his reasons so humbly tooke his leaue with the fauour after al to kisse his hand in token of his infallible reconciliation after so insolent and rash attempt So great was the modesty of this Prince so singular the gift of Sobriety Continence in him as there was none of his family or any of his most familiar freinds how confident soeuer ◅hat at any tyme durst opē their mouths in his presence to let fal the least word of impudicity were it neuer so seasoned with witt or innocently intended for mirth or relaxation much lesse any rudenes in that kind or grosse obsceanes so delicate and chast were his eares And whensoeuer any one was so bold to vse any least dishonest gesture or vtter any wanton word in his presence they were sure to haue a sharpe rebuke at least if not a more seuere punishment Such was his deuotion to the holy Sacrifice of the Masse as hee would dayly heare it reuerently assist therrat and cause it often to bee solemnized celebrated with great pompe of Musiques and his Chappel to bee adorned with tapestryes the best and richest the Countrey afforded In al his words and deeds he was true and constant keeping alwayes a stedfast euen tenour not to day one thing to morrow an other as you left him so should your find him stil the same His wit and memory was so pregnant as hee needed no Memorialls vnlesse very breife to put him in mynd in the least or weightiest affayres a word was enough His behauiour was gracious and debonaire and yet not ef◅eminate or dissolute but demure and modest especially amongst women so as his presence was enough to compose the freer dispositions and to giue a checke to the liberty of those tymes His pitty and compassion to the poore was such as noe bountyes and liberalityes towards them besides the particular and extraordinary almes he gaue himselfe or caused to be distributed amongst them through his assent hee became a Riual with his Wife also in those heauenly bootyes which she sent before into heauen In a word hee was a good Man and an notable Regent which do not allwayes meete while his deuotions and priuate spiritual gusts hindered not the progresse of publique affayres his euen and iust distributions of tymes so tempered ordered al things as hee seemed perpetual in those occasions and yet equally found in Closet and priuate retirements Hee gaue audience and executed Iustice himself with such equallity patience and longanimity as hee not only by his example led the way to other Princes but seemed to bee a lampe before them He knew how to shew Mercy in its tyme and to bend the brow when occasion serued as also to contract or dilate the palme Finally to maintayne Peace in such sort as hee neuer was seen to breake it with his neighbour Princes THE SECOND BOOKE THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE LIFE OF S. ELIZABETH The publishing of the Croysado and the manner how it first beganne CHAP. I. THE people of God now for the space of 480. yeares had patiently endured a most intollerable and cruel seruitude not ceasing continually to cry vnto God for mercy and compassion vpon their deplorable state with vnspeakeable teares deepe groanes incredible sighs perpetual prayers and oraisons beseeching him through his diuine goodnes and clemency to haue pitty on his afflicted people and pardoning their offences to turne away the rod of his indignations and displeasure against them Til at last being now falne into the depth of al miseryes inuoking te Abisse of mercy they were heard by him who is the God of al consolation The forme or model whereof or rather the first occasion taken of their redemption I wil here declare in breife The holy Citty of God Hierusalem sometimes most deare vnto him being thus in a miserable bondage subiect to infinite oppression vnder the tyranny of the Infidels and Saracyns among those who of deuotion went thither to visit the venerable places of our Redemption being led with the same feruour came likewise a very notable man of the Church called Peter the Hermit by name borne in the diocesse of Amiens in France He was a person but litle of stature and for the exteriour carying no great part with him but of a great viuacity of spirit and fit for high atcheiuements being interiourly accomplished otherwise with singular vertue and prudence as one that could wel explicate and deliuer himself and his affayres This Pilgrime entring into the Citty with the rest and noting the wretched calamiteous state of the faithful people liuing therein thither repayring for deuotiō sake resenting the matter and taking it vnto the hart found the meanes to acquaint himself with Symeon the Bishop thereof a very good man of a tender conscience and fearing God to confer with him thereof and to consult vpon some remedy When Peter vnderstanding from him the lamentable state of
which was our noble LaÌ„tgraue the forwardest of al to promote the enterprise so as hee was held the fittest of any to haue the cheife CoÌ„maund if any such thing were resolued vpon which were the occasions of those former seruices and atteÌ„dances on Frederick the Emperour in Apulia wee mentioned aboue HOVV THE CROYSADC being published anew the Lantgraue secretly receiued the Crosse and went to meete with the Emperour in Sicily CHAP. II. THe holy Citty of HierusaleÌ„ hauing been 〈◊〉 subdued subiected to the power of the enemyes of the Christian faith for our demerits endured the yoke of an intollerable and calamitous seruitude about some 490. yeares at least vnder diuers reuolutions and mutations of states In which tyme as often as things had their seueral vicissitudes following the diuerse alterations and variety of the tymes so often had this Citty changed their Lords According to whose gouernment and disposition it receiued sometymes ioyful and somtymes sad alterations of fortunes not vnlike to the accesses of a burning feauer in a sick man without euer being able wholy to recouer it self and a perfect state of health vntil the first publication of the Croysado aforesaid when through the instigation of Peter the Hermite and the glorious atcheiuements of Godfrey of Bulloigne It was conquered and recouered from them though relapsed afterwarde for the sinnes of the people into the state as before And this was that which moued the Vicar of Christ and Pastour of the vniuersal Church at this tyme considering the chosen people of God to bee now come Slaues to the Turkish yâ—…ake the royal Preisthood and the holy Citty of God the Princesse of Prouinces to be subiect to those seruile tributes to promulgate a third tyme the said Croysado for the redemption of that Citty and to vindicate the sacred pledge of the Sepulchre of Christ from the Infidel power For what Christian hart could endure the holy places whereon the feete of our Sauiour Iesus Christ so familiarly had trod which haue so plentifully been dyed with his pretious bloud should so impiously bee prophaned and polluted by those miscreants that tyrannically held them by strong hand Who is he that coÌ„sidering these things would not melt into teares Who is hee that considering these things would not melt into teares Who is hee whose hart would not pine and languish quite reducing these things to memory Who is hee that would not bee moued to hazard his life to enfranchize his brethren enthralled in so cruel a captiuity Whereupon it being now three yeares since the Prince returned from Apulia by the Popes decree the Crosse began to bee preached againe throughout al Christendome against the professed enemyes of Christ and the Christian name who hâ—…ld the captiue Hierusalem in their possession with al the Countryes adioyning thereto commonly called the Holy Land This same besides other summons vsed and confederations laboured with the greater Lords both Princes and Bishops allured the noble Lantgraue and Prince of Thuringia as I said to prepare himself for this expedition of the Holy Land and to shew himself as forward as any to receiue the Crosse from the Bishop Heldesam which hee fixed on his habit The only care hee had was to conceale it from his Wife for a tyme that hee might not greeue her too suddenly or make her laÌ„guish for sorrow any time before his voyage being priuy to the great affection she bare vnto him But alas the Crosse thus coÌ„cealed notwithstanding all the diligences vsed that possibly could bee to keepe the secret from her Elizabeth ere long came priuily to the knowledge thereof while according to custome shee searched the Princes purse to find some money to giue vnto the poore presuming on the general leaue and liberty afforded her in al such occasions Whereupon though shee loued the Crosse very wel yet was shee neuer so troubled at the sight thereof as shee was at this tyme. For being quick of apprehension vnderstanding of the publishing of the foresaid Croysado with the knowne zeale and valour of her Hushand shee soone concluded against her self When you might haue seene a notable conflict of sundry passions now of loue now of feare by enterchanges of white and red to appeare in her countenance One while the absence of his dearest personage seemed to wound her hart encreased with the feare of seeing him no more Oh what a knife was this to her gentle breast Then againe she would cal to mynd the noblenes of the enterprise it self the honour that would redound to God thereby and profit to the Church Considering which at last she yeilded for what was she whose priuate interests should poyse withal these high and honourable respects and especially with the greater glory and seruice of God With this she stood as it were like a Satue when behold the Prince suspecting nothing and entring in as he was wont perceiued how the matter went and not being able to hold any longer most louing and cheerfully spake thus vnto her taking her by the hand How fares it with my Sister now What a la mort And is it euen so You were not wont to looke so sadly those clouds vsed not to shadow the serenity of your face Something deare Sister is amisse Oh what disastre I pray hath obscured the cheerfulnes of that brow wont to entertayne mee with a gratious smile at my entering Oh speake deare Sister and put mee out of paine Whereto Elizabeth answeared You must pardon mee Deare Lord and my louing Brother if I bee not now as yesterday or as I haue formerly beene since I am of flesh and blood and subiect to the sense and passions thereof Whereas were I otherwise or wholy spirituall you might well expert so euen a tenour of mynd and countenance as you speake of Alas good Brother how should I bee otherwise when I am to loose the staffe of my estate the comfort of my hart the apple of myne eye the moytie of my self euen my second self How can I choose but bee heauy at all these disasters surprizing mee at once how can I choose but bee sensible of the Crosse which you haue taken on your shoulders Whereto the Prince replyed the truth is deare Sister I haue taken vp the Crosse you speake of which our Redeemer hath layed vpon mee Would you not haue mee to correspond with his seruice The Temple of our Lord God from whence Iesus Christ being iealous of his honour and moued with diuine zeale draue away the prophane Marchants not suffering the howse of his Father to become a denne of Beasts or retraite of Theeues is now vnfortunatly made a hell of infernall inhabitants The Citty of the king of kings which to others hath giuen rules of true faith is now at this present extreamity outraged and constrained to serue the superstitions of the Gentils And would you not haue mee set my hand to the redemption of these places I know you would your zeale to