so he will depart from you very well contented But they seeing no oile to runne forth and hearinge him yet for all that so earnest to haue his bottle filled fell into a greate rage and railed mightely vpon him Then the man of God seeinge that no oile came from the presse called for vvater vvhich he blessed before them all and vvith his owne handes cast it vpon the prâ—sse A miracle wrought by holie water and forthwith by vertue of that benediction such plentye of oile ranne forthe that the Lombardes who before had longe laboured in vaine did not only fill theire owne vessels but also his bottle giuing him thanckes for that comminge to begge oile by his blessinge he bestowed that vpon them which him selfe had demanded At an other tyme when a great dearth was in the countrye the man of God being desirous to repaire the church of S. Laurence burnt before by Churches dedicated to sainctes the Lombardes he hired for that ende many cunning workemen and diuers other labourers who of necessity were daily to be maynetained but so greate was the scarsitye that he wanted breade to relieue them where vpon his worckmen cryed out for meate because they were fainte and could not labour The man of God hearing this gaue them comfortable wordes promisinge to supplye theire want yet inwardlye verye muche was he grieued beinge not able to performe what he had saide Goinge therfore vp and downe in great anxietie he came to an ouen wherein the neighbours that dwelt by had the daye before baked breade and stooping downe he looked in to see whether they had by chance lefte any breade behinde them where he founde a loase both greater and whiter then commonly they vsed which he tooke awaye but yet wolde he not by and by giue it to his vvorckemen least perhappes it belonged to some other body and so mighte as it vvere of compassion to other haue committed a synne him selfe and therfore he did first shevve it to all the vvemen there about inquiringe vvhether it vvere any of theirs but all denied it sayinge that they had all receiued theire iust number of â—oaues Then the man of God in great ioy vvent vvith that one â—oafe to many vvorckemen vvishinge them to giue thanckes to almighty God tellinge them hovve his goodenes had prouided them of necessarye foode and forthvvith he sett that loafe before them vvhereof vvhen they had satisfied them selues he gathered vp more pieces of breade vvhich remayned then the vvhole loafe it selfe vvas before in quantitye The daye follovvinge againe he sett it before them and againe the pieces remayninge vvere far more them the former fragmentes so for the space of tenne daies together all those artiâ—icers and vvorckemen liued vpon that one loafe and vvere very vvell satisfied some thinge remayninge euerye daye for the next as thoughe the fragmentes had by eatinge encreased Peter A strange thinge and not vnlike to that notable miracle of our Sauiour and therfore vvorthye to be admired of all Gregory Our Sauiour at this tyme Peter voutsafed by his seruaunt to feede manye vvith one loafe vvho in tymes past by him selfe feed fiue thousande Ioan. 〈◊〉 vvith fiue loaues and doth daily of a fevve graines of corne produce innumerable eares of vvheate vvho also out of the earth brought forth those very graynes and more then all this created all thinges of nothinge But to the end you shoulde not maruaile any longer vvhat by Gods assistance the venerable man Sanctulus vvrought outvvardlye I vvill novv tell you vvhat by our Lordes grace he vvas invvardlye in his soule Vpon a certaine daye the Lombardes had taken a Deacon vvhom they kept in prison vvith a purpose to put him to death When eueninge vvas come the man of God Sanctulus intreaâ—ed them to set him at liberty and to graunt him his life but vvhen he savve that he coulde not obtayne that â—auor at theire handes but that they vverefully resolued to haue his life then he beseeched them that they wolde at least committ him to his keeping vvherewith they were content but with this condition that yf he scaped away that then him selfe should dy for him The man of God was very well content and so he receiued the deacon into his owne charge and custodye The midnighte followinge when he sawe all the Lombardes fast a slepe he called vp the Deacon willing him quickly to rise vp and to runne away as fast as he coulde and almighty God quoth he deliuer the out of theire handes To whom the Deacon knowing what he had promised saide Father I can not runne away for yf I do out of all doubt they will putt you to death yet for all this Sanctulus enforced him to be gone with all spede saying vp and awaye and God of his goodenes defende and protect you for I am in his handes and they can do no more vnto me then his diuine Maâ—estye shall giue them leaue Vpon these wordes awaye went the Deacon and he that had vndertaken his safe-keepinge as one that had bene deceiued remayned behinde In the morning the Lombardes demanded of Sanctulus for theire prisoner who tolde them that he was runne awaye Then quoth they you best knowe what is conuenient for you to haue yea marye that do I answered the seruant of God with great constancye well quoth they thou art a goode man and therfore we will not by diuers tormentes take avvay thy life but make câ—oise of what death thou vvilt to vvhom the man of God ansvvered in this manner Here I am at Gods disposition and pleasure kill me in such sort as he shall vouchsafe to giue you leaue Then all the Lombardes that were present agreed to haue him beheaded to the end an easy and quick death mighte sone dispatche him When it was giuen out abroade that Sanctulus vvas to dye whom for his vertue and holines they greatly honoured all the Lombardes that were in those partes repaired thither being glad such cruell mindes they haue to beholde him putt to death and when all the a â—mye was gathered together they brought him forth to execution and the strongest man amongest them was chosen out to cutt of his head at one blowe The venerable man besett with armed soldiars betooke him selfe to his vsuall weapons for he desired them to giue him a little leaue to praye which when he had obtained he cast him selse prostrat vpon the earth and fell to his deuotions in which after he had continewed for a goode space the executioner spurned him vp with his foote bidding him rise kneele downe and to prepare him selfe for death The man of God rose vp bowed downe his knee and helde forth his heade and beholding the drawne sworde readye to dispatch him these only wordes they saide that he spake aloude O Sainct Iohne holde that sworde Then Praier to Saint Iohne the foresaide executioner hauing the naked weapon in his hand did with all his force lifte vp his
arme to strike of his head but by no meanes coulde he bring it downe againe for it became suddainly so stiffe that it remained still aboue the man being not able once to bende it downewarde Then all the Lombardes who came to feede theire eies with the lamentable sighte of his death began with admiration to praise Gods name and with feare to reuerence the man of God for they now sawe apparantlye of what great holines he was that did so miraculouslye staye the arme of his executioner aboue in the ayre Then they desired him to rise vp which he did but when they required him to restore his executioners arme to his former state he vtterly refused sayinge By no meanes will I once pray for him vnlesse before hande he sweare vnto me that he will neuer vvith that arme offer to kill any christian more The poore Lombarde vvho as vve may truly saye had stretched out his arme against God enforced vvith this necessitye tooke an oath neuer more to putt any Christian to death Then the man of God commanded him to putt downe his arme which forthwith he did he commanded him also to putt vp his sworde which in like manner he performed All the Lombardes by this perceiuing him to be a man of rare vertue began in all hast to present him with the giftes of such oxen and other cattle as before they had taken from others but the man of God vtterly refused all such kinde of presentes desiringe them rather yf they ment to bestowe any thinge vpon him worth the giuinge that they wolde deliuer vnto him all such prisoners as they had in theire keeping that he mighte haue some cause in his praiers to commend them to almighty God To which request of his they condescended and so all the poore captiues were discharged and thus by Gods sweete prouidence one offering him selfe to dy for an other manye were deliuered from death Peter A strange thinge it was and althoughe I haue hearde the same story by the relation of others yet I can not denye but so often as I heare it repeated it seemeth still vnto me as thoughe it were freshe newes Gregory There is no cause why you sholde admire Sanctulus for this thing but ponder with your selfe if you can what manner of spirit that was which possessed his simple soule and did aduaunce it to so highe a perfection of vertue For where was his minde when he offered him selfe with such constancye to dy for his neighbour and to saue the temporall life of his brother contemned his owne and put his heade vnder the executioners sworde what force of true loue did then harbor in that hart when he nothinge feared death to preserue the life of an other Ignorant I am not that this venerable man Sanctulus could scant reade well and that he knewe not the preceptes of the lawe yet because charitye is the fulfilling of the lawe by louing God and his neighbour he kept the whole lawe and that which outwardlye lacked in knowledge did in wardlie by charity liue in his soule And he perhappes who neuer read that which S. Iohne the Apostle saide of our Sauiour to witt that as he Ioan. 13. v. 16. yeelded his life for vs so we likewise shold yeeld our liues for our brethren yet that great highe precept of the Apostle he knewe more by action then by speculation Let vs here yf you please compare his learned ignorance with our vnlearned knowledge Where our kinde of 〈…〉 inge is nothing worth his is of 〈…〉 t price and estimation we destit◠〈…〉 vertue doe speake thereof and as 〈…〉 vere in the middes of plentifull 〈…〉 s smell of the fruite but do not 〈…〉 e thereof He knewe full well 〈…〉 we to gather and tast of the fruite 〈…〉 elfe althoughe he lacked the smell 〈…〉 wordes and vaine speeche Peter What I pray doe you thincke is the 〈…〉 ause that goode men are still taken 〈…〉 vvaye and such as for the benefit and 〈…〉 dification of many might liue still in this vvorlde either are not to be founde at all or at least verye fevve can be hearde of Gregory The malice and vvickednes of them that remayne behinde in the vvorlde deserueth that those shoulde quickly be taken avvaye vvho by theire life mighte much helpe vs and for as much as the vvorlde dravveth tovvardes an end Gods chosen seruantes are taken out of it that they fall not into more vvicked tymes and therfore from hence it commeth that the prophet saith The iust man doth perish and there is Esay 5. none that doth ponder it in his hart and men of mercye are gathered together because there is none that hath vnderstandinge And from hence also it proceedeth that the scripture saith Open ye that they may goe forth Ierem. 50. which doe tread it vnder foote Hence likewise it is that Salomon saith There is a Eccles 3. time of casting stones abroad and a tyme of gathering them together And therfore the nerer that the worlde draweth to an end so much the more necessary it is that the liuing stones shold be gathered together for the heauenly building that our celestiall Ierusalem may arriue to the full measure of his whole perfection And yet doe I not thincke that all Gods elect seruaÌ„tes are so taken out of the worlde that none but the wicked remayne behinde for synners wolde neuer be conuerted to the sorrowe of true penance yf they had not the examples of some goode people to prouoke them forwarde Peter Without cause doe I complaine of the death oâ—goode men wheÌ„ as daily I see them also that be wicked in great numbers to depart this life OF THE VISION OF REdemptus Bisshop of the city of Ferenti CHAPTER XXXVIII Gregory VVOnder nothing at this Peter for you knevve very vvell Redemptus Bishop of the city of Ferenti a man of venerable life vvho died almost seuen yeares since vvith vvhom I had familiar acquaintance by reason that he dvvelt not far from the Abbey in vvhich I liued This man vvhen I asked him for the matter vvas very vvell knovvne far and nere tolde me that vvhich by diuine reuelation he had learned concerning the ende of the vvorlde in the tyme of Ioâ—â—e the yonger vvho vvas my prededecessor For he saide that vpon a certaine daye as he vvas according to his manner visiting of his Diocesse he came to the Church of the blessed martir Euthicius and vvhen it vvas nigh the vvolde nedes be lodged nighe to the sepulchre of the martir vvhere after his trauail he â—eposed him selfe About midnighte being as he saide him selfe neither perfectly waking nor yet sleeping but rather heauy of sleepe he felt his waking soule oppressed with great sorrowe and being in that case he sawe the same blessed martir Euthicius standing before him who spake thus Art thou waking Redemptus to whom he answered that he was Then the martir saide The end of all fleshe is come the
end of all fleshe is come which worâ—es after he had repeated thus three tymes he vanisshed out of his sight Then the man of God rose vp and fell to his pâ—aiers with many teares And straight after those fearefull sightes in heauen followed to wit firy lances and armies appearing from the north Straight after likewise the barbarous and cruell nation of the Lombardes drawne as a sworde out of a sheath left theire owne countrye and inuaded ours by reason whereof the people which before for the huge multitude were like to thicke corne fieldes remayne nowe withered and ouerthrowne for cities be wasted townes and villages spoiled churches burnte monasteries of men and wâ—men destroied farmes left desolate the countrye remayneth solitarye and voide of men to till the grounde and destitute of all inhabitantes beastes possessinge those places where before great plenty of men did dwell And howe it goeth in other partes of the worlde I knowe not but here in this place where we liue the worlde doth not foretel any end but rather sheweth that which is present and already come Wherfore so much the more zealouslye ought we to seeke after eternal thinges by how much we finde all temporall so quicklye to be fled and gone Suerlye this worlde were to be contemned althoughe it did flatter vs and with pleasant prosperitye contented our minde but now seing it is fraught with so many miseries and diuers afflictions and that our sorrowes and crosses do daily encrease and be doubled what doth it els but crye vnto vs that we sholde not loue it Maâ—y more thinges yet remaine of the worthy actes of Gods seruauntes but because I haue resolued vpon an other course I wil passe ouer with silence Peter For as much as I perceiue that many Christians doe doubt of the immortality of the soule after the dissolution of the bodye I beseech you for the spirituall goode of manye to sett downe some reasoÌ„s for proffe thereof or the examples of some soules which haue testified the same yf you remember any to the end that those which be troubled with any such tentations may learne that the soule doth not dy together with the bodie Gregory This is a worke of great labour especially for one that is busied with other affaires and hath other thinges to attende vnto yet yf any profit by my meanes may redound to others willingly doe I prefer that before myne owne will and pleasure and therfore Gods grace assisting me in this fourth booke followinge I will clerely shewe that the soule doth liue after the death of the body The end of the third booke THE CHAPTERS OF THE FOVRTH BOOKE 1. THat carnal men doe the lesse belieue eternal and spiritual thinges because those of which they heare they knowe not by experience 2. That an infidel liueth not without faith 3. That there were three vital spirittes created 4. Of that question of Salomon wherein it is said That the death of a man and beastes is all one 5. Of that question concerninge the soule which goeth inuisiblye out of the bodye to witt whether there be any such thinge when as it can not be seene 6. That as the life of the soule whiles it remaineth in the body is knowne by the motions of the members so the life of the soule asâ—er it is out of the bodye in Sainctes is gathered by the vertue of miracles 7. Of the departures of soules 8. Of the departure of the soule of a monke called Specioâ—us 9. Of the soule of an Anchoret 10. Of the departure of the soule of an Abbot called Hope 11. Of the departure of the soule of a Priest caled Vrâ—inus 12. Of the soule of Probus Bisshop of the citye of Reati 13. Of the departure of a Nunne called Galla. 14. Of the departure of Seruulus sicke of the Palsye 15. Of the departure of a Nunne called Romula 16. Of the departure of the virgin Tarsilla 17. Of the departure of a yong maide called Musa 18. How certaine yong children come not to heauen throughe the fault of theire parentes because they bring them vp wickedly as is shewed and afterward declared by the example of a blaspheâ—â—ous yonge boye 19. Of the departure of one Steuen the seruant of God 20. That sometyme the merit of the soule is not sene at the departure but is after deathe more truly declared 21. Of the two monkes of Abbot Valentius 22. Of the departure of Abbot Soranus 23. Of the departure of the Deacon of the Churche of Marsi 24. Of the death of the man of God that was sent to Bethel 25. VVhether the soules of iust men be receiued into heauen before the resurrection of the body 26. By what meanes some that are a dying doe prophecy Of the death of a certaine Aduocat Of the reuelation of the two monkes Gerontius and Mellirus Of the death of a boy called Armentarius and of the diuersitye of tongues 27. Of the death of the Earle Theophanius 28. That as the soules of iust men be in heauen so we ought to belieue that after the death of the bodies the soules of wicked men are in hell 29. VVhat reason we haue to belieue that corporal fire can hold spirittes they being without bodyes 30. Of the death of the Arrian kinge Theodoricus 31. Of the death of Reparatus 32. Of the death of a courtier whose graue burnt with fire 33. VVhether the goode knowe the goode in heauen and the bad those that be bad in hell 34. Of a certaine religious man who at his death saw the Prophetes 35. How sometime soules ready to departe this worlde that knowe not one an other doe knowe for all that what torments for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode deedes they shal receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius SteueÌ„ 36. Of those soules which throughe error seme to be carried out of theire bodies Of the vocation and reuocation of Peter the monke and of the death and resusciâ—ation of Steuen Of the vision of a certaine soldiar and of Deusdedit whose house was sene to be built vpon the sabboth daye and of the punnishement of the men of Sodome 37. That the soules of certaine men whiles they be yet in theire bodies do see some spiritual punnishment and of the boy Theodorus 38. Of the death of Chrisorius and of a certaine monke of Iconia 39. VVhether there be any fire of purgaâ—orye after death 40. Of the soule of Paschasius the Deacon 41. VVhy in latter times so many thinges come to lighte concerning mens soules which before were not knowne 42. In what place we ought to beleue that hel is 43. VVhether the fire of hel be one or manye 44. VVhether they alwaies burne that lye in hell 45. How the soule is saide to be immortal if it be punnished with the sentence of death 46. Of a certaine holy man who was affraide at the tyme of his death 47. That some are by reuelation strengthned not to
and the badd haue knowledge of the badd For yf Abraham had not knowne Lazarus neuer wolde he haue spoken to the riche man being in tormentes and made mention of his affliction and misery past sayinge that he had receiued euil thinges in his life And yf the badd did not know the badde neuer wolde the rich man in tormentes haue remembred his brethren that were absent for shall we thincke that he knewe not them that were present with him who was so carefull to praye for them that were absent By which we learne also the answer to an other question which you demanded not and that is that the goode do knowe the badde and the badde the goode For Abraham knewe the rich man to whom he saide Thow hast receiued goode thinges in thy life and Lazarus Gods elect seruant vvas also knovvne to the rich reprobat vvhom by name he desired that he mighte be sent vnto him saying Send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into water and coolemy tongue by vvhich mutuall knovvledg on both sides the revvarde like wise to both partes encreaseth for the goode do more reioice when they beholde them also in felicitye whom before they loued and the wicked seeing them whom in this worlde not respecting God they did loue to be now punnished in theire coÌ„panye tormented they are not only with theire owne paines but also with the paines of theire frendes Beside all this a more wonderful grace is bestowed vpon the saintes in heaueÌ„ for they knowe not only them with whom they were acquainted in this worlde but also those whom before they neuer sawe and conuerse with them in such familiar sort as thoughe in â—ymes past they had sene and knowne one an other and therfore when they shall see the auncient fathers in that place of perpetual blisse they shall then knowe them by sighte whom alwaies they knewe in theire liues and conuersation For seing they doe in that place with vnspeakeable brightenes common to all beholde God what is there that they knowe not that knowe him who knoweth all thinges OF A CERTAINE RELIGIOVS man that at his death sawe the Prophetes CHAPTER XXXIIII FOr a certaine religious man of my Monasterye that liued a vertuous life dying some fower yeres since sawe at the very tyme of his departure as other religious men do report that were present the Prophet Ionas Ezechiell and Daniell and by there names called them his Lordes saying that they were come vnto him and as he was bowing his heade downewarde to them for reuerence he gaue vp the ghost whereby we perceiue what perfect knowledge shall be in that immortall life vvhen as this man beinge yet in corruptâ—ble fleshe knewe the Prophetes whom he neuer sawe HOVV SOMETIME SOVLES READY to depart this worlde that know not one an other know yet what tormentes for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode dedes they shall receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius and Steuen CHAPTER XXXV ANd sometyme it falleth out that the soule before it departeth knoweth them with whom by reason of equalitye of synnes or rewardes it shall in the next worlde remayne in one place For old Eleutherius a man of holy life of whom in the former booke I spake muche saith that he had a naturall brother of his called Iohne who liued together with him in his Monasterye who fourtene daies before hande tolde the monkes when he was to dye and three daies before he departed this life he fell into an agewe when his time was come he receiued the mysterye of our Lordes body and bloude and calling for the monkes about him he willed them to singe in his presence prescribing them a certaine antheme concerning him selfe sayinge Open vnto me the gates of iustice Psal 17. v. 19. and being gone into them I will confesse vnto our Lorde this is the gate of our Lorde iuste men shall enter in by it and whiles the monkes about him were singinge this antheme suddainlye with a loude and longe voice he cried out saying Come awaye Vrsus straighte after which wordes his soule departed this mortall life The monkes maruailed because theye knewe not the meaning of that which at his death he so cried for and therfore after his departure all the Monastery was in sorrow and affliction Fower daies after necessary busines they had to send some of theire brethren to an other Monastery far distant to which place when they came they founde all the monkes in great heauines and demanding the reason they tolde them that they did lament the desolation of theire house for fower daies since quoth they one of our monkes died whose life kept vs all in this place and when they inquired his name they vnderstoode that it was Vrsus asking also at what houre he left this woâ—lde they found that it was as that very instant when he was called by Iohne who died with them Out of which we may learne that the merites of either were alike and that in the next worlde they liued familiarly together in one mansion who at one tyme like fellowes departed this life Here also will I tell you what I hearde from the mouthes of my neighbours at such tyme as I was yet a lay man and dwelled in my fathers house which descended to me by inheritance A certain widow there was not far from me called Galla which had a younge man to her sonne whose name was Eumorphius not far from whom dwelt one Steuen called also Optio This Eumorphius lying sicke at the pointe of death called for his man commanding him in all hast to goe vnto Steuen Optio and to desire him without all delaye to come vnto him because there was a ship ready to carry them both into Sicily But because his man refused to goe supposing that through extremitye of sicknes he knewe not what he spake his master very earnestlye vrged him forwarde sayinge Goe thy may and tell him what I saye for I am not mad as thow thinckest Here-vpon away he went towardes Steuen but as he was in the middest of his iornye he met one that asked him whether he was goinge and when he tolde him that he was by his master sent to Steuen Optio You lose your labour quoth the other for I come nowe from thence and he died this verye houre Backe againe vpon this newes he returned to his master Eumorphius but before he coulde get home he founde him deade And so by conferring theire meeting together and the length of the waye apparaunt it was that both of them at one and the selfe same instant departed this mortall life Peter Very terrible it is that you saye but what I praye yow is the reason that he sawe a shipp at his departure or why did he sayo that he was to goe into Sicily Gregory The soule needeth not any thing to cary it yet no wonder it is yf that appeared to the soule being yet in the
contemplation of heauenly mysteryes Peter Is there any text of holy scripture to proue that carnall sinnes be punnished vvith stincking and bad sauours OF THE PVNNISHEMENT of the men of Sodom Gregory THere is for in Genesis vve reade Genes 19. that our Lorde rained fire and brimstone vpon the city of Sodom that both fire mighte burne them and the stenche of brimstone smother and kill them for seing they burnt vvith the vnlawfull loue of corruptible fleshe by Gods iust iudgement they perished both by fire and an vnsauory smell to the end they mighte knovve that they had by the pleasure of theire stiâ—cking life incurred the sorrovves of eternall death Peter Concerning those thinges vvhich before I doubted of I finde my selfe novv so fullye satisfied that I haue not any further question to moue HOVV THE SOVLES OF SOM men being yet in their bodies do see some spiritual punnishement And of that which happened to the boye Theodorus CHAPTER XXXVII Gregory VVE haue also to knowe that sometyme the soules whiles they are in theire bodies do beholde some spirituall punnishement which yet happeneth to some for theire owne goode and to others for the edification of them that heare thereof For there was one Theodorus which storye I remember that in myne homiles to the people I haue also spoken of who was a verye vnrulye ladde and more vpon necessiâ—ye then of his owne good will in the companye of his brother entred into my monasterye and so sittle pleasure he toke in spirituall talke that it was death to him to heare any thinge tending to the goode of his owne soule for he was so far from doing any goode worcke that he could not endure to heare thereof and he wolde openly protest sometymes by swearing sometymes in anger and sometymes in scoffing sorte that he neuer ment to take vpon him the habit of a religious life This vntoward â—he haâ—it of reâ—igious â—en boye in the late mortalitye which consumed the greatest parte of this citye was grieuously strooken whereof he lay sore sicke and being at last come to the pointe of death all the monkes repaired to his chamber to praye for the happy departure of his soule which semed not to be far of for the one halfe of his bodye was already deade and only in his brest a little life remayned and therfore the nerer they sawe him to his ende the more feruentlye did they commend him to Gods mercye Whiles they were thus busied suddainlye he cried out to them and with great clamor went about to interrupt theire deuotions sayinge Depart and away for beholde I am deliuered ouer to a dragon to be deuoured and your presence doth let him that he can not dispatch me My heade he hath alreadye swallowed vp in his mouthe and therfore go your waies that my tormentes be not the longer and that he may effect that which he is about to do for yf I be giuen him to deuoure why do you keepe me here in longer paine At these fearfull wordes the monkes saide vnto him why do you speake thus good brother blesse your selfe with the signe The sig of the hâ—ly crosse vsed against the deuâ— of the holy crosse to whom he answered willinglye I wolde but I can not I am so loaden with this dragons scales Vpon these wordes the monkes fell prostrat vpon the earth and in great zeale with teares they prayed to God for his deliuerye out of the enemies handes who mercifully hearde them for vpon a suddaine the sicke person began to cry out and saye God be thancked beholde the dragon that had me to deuoure is fled awaye and ouercome with your praiers here he could not tarry Now I besech you make intercession for my synnes for I am ready to turne vnto God and wholy to renounce all kinde of secular life and thus he that was halfe deade as before was saide reserued now to a longer life turned to God with his whole harte and so after he had put on a newe minde and was a longe tyme punnished with affliction then his soule departed from the miserieâ— of this mortall life OF THE DEATH OF CHRIsorius and of a certaine monke of Iconia CHAPTER XXXVIII BVt Crisorius on the contrarye as his kinseman Probus of whom I made mention before tolde me was a substantiall man in this worlde but as full of synne as of wealth for he was passing proude giuen to the pleasures of the fleshe couetous and wholy set vpon scraping of riches together But when God determined to make an ende of so many synnes he sent him a greatsickenes and when his last tyme drewe nere in that very houre in which his soule was to leaue the bodye lying with his eies open he sawe certaine cruell men and blacke spirites stande before him pressing vpon him to carrye him awaye to the pitt of hell at which fearfull sighte he began to tremble to wax pale to sweate and with pitifull outcries to craue for truce and often with faltring tongue to call for his sonne Maximus whom when I was a monke I knewe also to professe the same kinde of life saying Come away Maximus with all speede Neuer in my life did I any harme to thee receiue me nowe in thy faith His sonne greatly moued at these outcries came vnto him in all hast and his whole familye lamentinge and crying out repaired also to his chamber none of all which behelde those wicked spirites which did so vrge and vexe him but by his trouble of minde by his palenes and tremblinge they made no doubt of theire presence for he was so affrighted with theire terrible lookes that he turned him selfe euery way in his bed Lying vpon his lefte side he coulde not indure theire sighte and turning to the wall there also he founde them at last being very much beset and dispairing of all meanes to escape theire handes he cried out with a lowde voice saying O truce till to morrow ô truce till to morrow and crying out in this sort he gaue vp the ghost This being the manner of his death certaine it is that he sawe this feareful sight not for him selfe but for vs that his vision mighte do vs goode vvhom Gods patience doth yet vvith fatherly longe sufferance expect to amendment For vvhat prosit reaped he by seeing those fowle spirites before his death and by crauing for that truce which he coulde not obtaine There is also nowe dwelling amongest vs a Priest of Isauria called Athanasius who telleth a very fearefull storye which in his tyme happened as he saith at Iconium For there was in that place as he reporteth a Monasterye called Thongolaton in which there liued a monke that was had in great accounte for he was of goode conuersation and in his life verye orderlye but as the ende declared he was far otherwise then he outwardlye appeared for thoughe he did seme to fast with the rest of the monkes yet did he secretlye take his meate which vice of
is the reason that in these latter daies so many thinges come to lighte which in tymes past were not knowne in such sort that by open reuelations and manifest signes the ende of the worlde semeth not to be far of VVHY IN LATTER TYMES so many thinges be knowne concerning mens soules VVhich in former ages were not heard of CHAPTER XLI Gregory So it is for the nerer that this preseÌ„â— world draweth to wards an end so muche the more the worlde to come is at hande and sheweth it selfe by more plaine and euident tokens For seing in this worlde we knowe not one an others cogitations and in the next mens hartes be knowne to all what fitter name can we giue to this worlde then to terme it nighte and what better to the next then to call it daye But as when the nighte is almost spent and the daye beginneth to breake darkenes and lighte be in a certaine manner ioyned together vntil the lighte of the day followinge doth perfectly bannishe away the darke remnantes of the former nighte euen so the ende of this world is as it were mingled together with the beginninge of the next and with the darckenes of this some lighte of such spirituall thinges as be in that doth appeare and so we see many thinges which belonge to that vvorlde yet for all this perfect knovvledge vve haue not anye but as it vvere in the tvvilighte of our soule beholde them before the risinge of that sonne of knowledge vvhich then abundantly vvill cast his beames ouer all Peter I like very well of your speeche yet in so worthy a man as Paschasius was this doubt doth trouble me howe he was after his death caried to any place of punnishement seing the touching of his garment vpon the biere did dispossesse a vvicked spirit Gregory Herein appeareth the great and manifolde prouidence of almightye God by whose iust iudgement it fell out that Paschasius for sometyme entertayned inwardly synne in his soule and yet in the sighte of the worlde wroughte miracles by his body after his death who in his life tyme did as they knowe many goode worckes to the end that those which had sene his vertuous life shoulde not be deceiued concerning the opinion of his great almes and yet him selfe should not without punnishement haue remission of his synne which whiles he liued he thoughte to be no synne and therfore did not by teares washe it awaye Peter I vnderstande very well what you say but by this reason I am driuen â—nto such straightes that I must stand in feare both of those synnes which I knowe and also of those which I know not But because a little before you discoursed of the places of tormentes in what part of the worlde I beseech you are vve to beleue that hel is vvhether aboue the earth or beneath the same IN VVHAT PLACE OF THE worlde we oughte to beleue that hell is CHAPTER XLII Gregory TOuchinge this pointe I dare not rashelye desine any thinge for some haue bene of opinion that hell vvas in some place vpon the earth and The latin â—ord for â—el signiâ—eth a â—ace beâ—eath others thincke that it is vnder the earth but then this doubt ariseth for yf it be therfore called hell or an infernall place because it is belovve then as the earth is distant from heauen so likevvise shold hel be distant from the earth for which cause perhappes the Prophet saith Thow hast deliuered Psal 8 my soule from the lower hel so that the higher hell may seme to be vpon the earth and the lower vnder the earth and vvith this opinion that sentence of Iohne agreeth who when he had saide that he sawe a booke sealed with Apocal. seauen seales and that non was found worthy neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth to open the booke and loose the seales thereof he added forthwith and I wept much which booke notwithstanding afterwarde he saith was opened by a lion of the tribe of Iuda By which booke what els can be ment but the holy scripture which our Sauiour alone did open for being made man by his death resurrection and ascension he did reueale and make manifest all those mysteries which in that booke were closed shutt vppe And none in heauen because not any Angell none vpon earth because not man liuinge in body not any vnder the earth was founde worthy because neither the soules departed from theire bodies could opeÌ„ vnto vs beside our Lord him selfe the secretes of that sacred booke Seing then none vnder the earth is said to be founde worthy to open that booke I see not what doth lett but that we sholde beleeue that hell is in the lower partes vnder the earthe Peter I beseech you Is there one fire in hell or accordinge to the diuersitye of sinners be there so many sortes of fires prepared in that place VVHETHER THERE IS ONE fire in hel or many CHAPTER XLIII Gregory THe fire of hell is but one yet doth it not in one manner torment all synners For euerye one there according to the quantitâ—e of his synne hath the measure of his paine For as in this world many liue vnder one and the same sunne and yet do not alike feele the heate thereof for some be burnt more and some lesse so in that one sire diuers manners of burninge be founde for that which in this worlde diuersity of bodies doth that in the next doth diuersitye of synnes so that althoughe the fire be there all alike yet doth it not in one manner and alike burne and torment them that be damned Peter Shall those I pray you which be condemned to that place burne alwaies and neuer haue anye ende of theire tormentes VVHETHER THOSE THAT be in hel shal burne there sor euer CHAPTER XLIIII Gregory CErtaine it is and without all doubt most true that as the goode shall haue no ende of theire ioyes so the wicked neuer any release of theire tormentes for our Sauiour him selfe saith The wicked shal goe into euerlasting Math. 2 punnishment and the iust into euerlasting life seing then true it is that which he hath promised to his friendes out of al question false it can not be that which he hath threatned to his enemies Whar yf it be saide that he did threaten eternall paine to wicked liuers that he might thereby restrayne them from committing of synnes Gregory Yf that which he did threaten be false because his intent was by that meanes to keepe men from wicked life then likewise must we say that those thinges are false which he did promise and that this minde was therebye to prouoke vs to vertue But what man though madd dare presume so to saye For yf he threatned that which he ment not to put in execution whiles we are desirous to make him mercifull inforced we are likewise which is horrible to speake to affirme him to be deceiptfull Peter Willinge I am to knowe howe that
open vnto them the spirituall lighte of the soule who forthwith obeying Gods commandement visited the foresaide Albeies and preached vnto them such preceptes of goode life as him selfe before had in conuersation practised Returning after fiftene daies to his owne Abbeye he called his monkes together and in theire presence receiued the Sacrament of the body and bloude of our Lorde and straighte-waies began together with them the mysticall hymnes of the Psalmes afterwarde falling with attention to his praiers whiles they continued on theire singing he gaue vp the ghost at which very tyme all the monkes sawe a doue comminge out of his mouth which in theire sighte flying forth throughe the topp of the oratory being then opened ascended vp into heauen And surely it is to be thoughte that his soule by diuine prouidence did in that manner appeare in the likenes of a doue that almighty God mighte thereby shewe with what a true and simple heart that holy man had alwaies serued him OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a Priestes soule called Vrsinus CHAPTER XI NEither must I forget that which the reuerent Abbot Steuen who not long since died in this city and whom you kne we very well tolde me to haue happened in the same Prouince of Nursia For he saide that a Priest dwelled in that countrye who in the feare of God gouerned the Church committed to his charge and althoughe after he had taken orders he did still loue his old wife as his enemy and neuer wolde he permit her to come neare him vpon any occasion Priestes after holy orders bounde to abstayne from the carnal company of theire former wiues abstayning wholy from all intercourse of familiarity For this is a thinge proper to holy men often tymes to depriue them selues of those thinges which be lawful to the end they may remaine the more free from such as be vnlawfull and therfore this man not to fal into any synne vtterly refused al necessary and requisit seruice at her handes When this reuerent man had long liued in this worlde the fourtith yeare after he was made Priest by a great and vehement agewe was broughte to the last cast his olde wife beholding him so far spent and to ly as thoughe he had bene deade putt her heade neare vnto him to see whether he did breath or no which he perceiuing hauing yet a little life lefte enforced him selfe to speake as well as he coulde and in greatferuor of spirit brake out into these wordes Gett the awaye woman a little fire is yet lefte away with the strawe after she was gone his strength some-what increasing he began with greatioy to cry out welcome my Lordes welcome my Lordes why haâ—e you vouchsafed to visit me your vnworthy seruant I come I come I thancke you I thancke you and when he did often repeate these and the like wordes his friendes that were present asked him to whom hespake to whom with a kinde of admiration he answered what do you not here beholde the holy Apostles Do you not see the chiefe of them S. Peter and S. Paul and so turning him selfe againe towardes them he saide Beholde I come beholde I come and in speaking those wordes he gaue vp his happy ghost And that he did indede verily beholde the holy Apostles he testified by that his departure with them And thus it doth often fall out by the sweete prouidence of God that goode men at theire death do beholde his Sainctes going before them and leading as it were the waye to the end they sholde not be affraide at the panges thereof and that whiles theire soules do see the Sainctes in heauen they maye be discharged from the prison of this bodye without all feare and griefe OF THE SOVLE OF PROBVS Bisshop of the city of Reati CHAPTER XII COncerning which thing I must also tel you that which the seruaÌ„t of God Probus who now in this city liueth in an Abbey gaue me to vnderstande of an vncle of his called also Probus who was Bishop of the citye of Reati For he saide that being grieuously sick in great extremity of death his father whose name was Maximus caused many Phisitions to be sent for to see whether by theire skill he could any waies be holpen who all vpon the feeling of his pulse gaue sentence of speedy death When dinner tyme was come and the day some what far spent the venerable Bishop more carefull of theire health then of his owne desired them that they woulde goe vp with his old father into the higher part of his pallace and after theire great paynes to refresh them selues with a poore dinner Wherevpon all went vp and none remayned with him but a little yonge boy who as Probus saith is yet liuing The little boye standing by his beddes side suddainly sawe certaine men comming into the man of God apparrelled in white stoales whose faces were far more bewtifull and brighte then the whitenes of theire garmentes whereat being amazed and affraide he began to crye out and aske who they were at which noise the Bishop also loking vp behelde them comming in and knewe them and therevpon comforted the little boye bidding him not to crye or be affraide saying that they were the holy martirs S. Iuuenall and S. Eleutherius that came to visit him but he not acquainted with any such strange visions ran out at the dores as fast as he coulde carying newes hereof both to his father the phisitions who going downe in all hast found the Bishop departed for those Sainctes whose sighte the childe coulde not endure had carried his soule away in theire company OF THE DEATH OF A Nunne called Galla. CHAPTER XIII NEither will I conceale that which I receiued by the relation of those that are graue and of goode credit In the tyme of the Gothes an honorable yonge maide called Galla daughter to Simmachus the Consull was bestowed in marriag whose husbande before the yere came about departed this life and thoughe both plentye of wealth and her yonge yeres were great allurementes to a seconde marriag yet she made choise rather to be married spiritually to God in which after mourninge euerlasting ioy doth followe then to become againe subiect to carnall matrirnonye which alwaies begineth with ioye and in conclusion endeth with sorrowe But because she had a passing highe colour the Phisitions tolde her that vnlesse Nunnes maye not marrye she did marrye againe that she wolde throughe abundance of heate contrary to nature haue a bearde like vnto men which afterwarde fell so out indede but the holy woman little regarded outwarde deformitye which in wardly in her soule was inamored with the bewtye of the heauenly spouse and feared not yf that in her became foule which she knewe that her caelestial spouse did nothing loue Wherfore straight vpon the death of her husbande casting of her secular Nunnes weare no secular habitâ— habit and attire she rendred her selfe for the seruice of God to that Nunnery
monkes who they were that should shortly dy out of the Monasterye adding also that him selfe was to followe them The next day the foresaide monkes fell more dangerously sicke and so died all in that verye order which they were named in the bill Last of all him selfe also departed this life who hade foretold the departure of thee other monkes before him Likewise in that mortalitye which three years since lamentablye afflicted this towne there was in the Monasterye of the citye of Portua a yonge monke called Mellitus a man of wonderfull simplicitye and humilitye whose last daye being come he fell desperatlye sicke of the common disease which when venerable Felix Bishop of the same place vnderstoode by whose relation my selfe haue learned this storye verye carefull he was to visit him and with sweete wordes to comfort him against death adding not-withstandinge that by Gods grace he mighte liue longe in this worlde To whom the sicke man answered that his tyme was at hande saying that there came vnto him a yonge man with letters willing him to open and reade them which when he had done he saide that he founde both his owne name and all the rest of them which the Easter before had bene baptized by that Bishop written in letters of golde and first of all he saide that he founde his owne name and afterwarde the rest of them that were christned at that tyme by which he made no doubt but that both him selfe and the rest shoulde shortly depart this life and so it fell out for he died that very daye and after him followed all those which had before benebaptised so that within the space of a fewe daies no one of them was left aliue Of whom no question can be made but that the reason why the foresaide seruaunt of God saw them written in gold was because theire names were written in heauen in the euer lasting sighte of God And as these men by diuine reuelation knewe and foretolde such thinges as were to come so sometymes soules before theire departure not in a dreame but waking may haue some taste of heauenly mysteries For you were well acquainted with Ammonius a monke of my Monasterye who whiles he liued in a secular vveede and vvas Secular weede◠married to the daughter of Valerianus a lavvyer in this citye continuallye and vvith all diligence he follovved his busines by reason vvhereof he knevve vvhatsoeuer vvas done in his father in lawes house This man tolde me hovv in that great mortalitye vvhich happened in this citye in the tyme of that noble man Narsus there vvas a boye in the house of the foresaide Valerianus called Armentarius vvho vvas verye simple and passing humble when therfore that mortall disease entred that lawyers house the foresaide boy fell sicke thereof and was brought to the pointe of death who suddainly falling into a traunce and afterward comming to him selfe againe caused his master to be sent for to whom he told that he had bene in heauen and did knowe who they were that should dy out of his house Such and such quoth he shall dye but as for your selfe feare nothinge for at this tyme dy you shall not And that you may be assured that I haue verily bene in heauen beholde I haue there receiued the gift to speake with all tongues you knowe well ynoughe that ignorant I am of the greke tongue and yet will I speake greeke that you may see whether it be true that I saye or no. Then his master spake greke and he so answered him in that tongue that all which were present did much maruaile In the same house there was a Vulga◠seruant to the foresaide Narsus who in all hast being brought to the sicke person spake vnto him in the Vulgarian tongue and the boye that was borne and broughte vp in Italye answered him so in that barbarous language as thoughe he had bene borne and bredd in that countrye All that hearde him thus talking wondred much and by experience of two tongues which they knewe very well that before he knewe not they made no doubt of the rest thoughe they could make no trial thereof After this he liued tvvo daies and vpon the thirde by vvhat secret iudgement of God none can tell he tare and rent vvith his teth his ovvne handes and armes and so departed this life When he was deade all those whom before he mentioned did quicklye follow after and besides them none in that house died at that tyme. Peter A verye terrible thinge it is that he which merited so great a grace should be punnished with so pitifull a death Gregory Who is able to enter into the secret iudgements of God Wherfore those thinges which in diuine examination we can not comprehend we ought rather to feare then curiouslye to discusse OF THE DEATH OF THE Earle Theophanius CHAPTER XXVII ANd to prosecute what we haue already begun concerning the propheticall knowledge of those that dye I will nowe tell you that which when I was in the citye of Centumcellis I vnderstoode by the relatiō of many touching Theophanius Earle of that place For he was a man of great mercye and compassion and one that did many goode worckes but especiallye he was giuen to goode house-keeping and hospitalitye True it is that following the affaires of his Earldom he spent much tyme about earthly and worldlye busines but that rather of necessitye and duty then according to his owne minde and desire as his vertuous ende afterwarde declared For when the tyme of his death was come there arose a great tempest which was likelye to hinder the funeralles where at his wife pitifullye weeping asked him in this manner what shall I do or how shall we carye you to be buried seing the tempest is so terrible that none can stir out of doores To whom he answered thus weepe not good wife for so sone as I am deade you shall haue faire wether and when he had so saide he gaue vp the ghost and straighte-waies the aier became clere and the tempest ceased after this miracle one or tvvo more follovved For vvhereas his handes and feete vvere vvith the goute before svvolne and festered and by reason of much corrupt matter did sauour and smell yet vvhen he vvas dead and his body after the manner came to be vvashed they founde his handes and feete so sounde and vvhole as though they had neuer bene trobled vvith any such sores at all Fovver daies after his burial his vvife vvas desirous to haue the marble stone that lay vpon him changed vvhich being done such a fragrant and pleasant smell came from his bodye as thoughe in steade of wormes spices had sprunge out of that corrupt carcasse of which strange thinge when I did in my Homelies make publicke mention and certaine incredulous persons doubted thereof vpon a daye as I was sitting in the companye of diuers noble men those very vvorkmen which had changed the tombe stone came vnto me about busines of
body which by meanes of the bodye it had often tymes before sene to the end that we should thereby vnderstanne whether his soule mighte spiritually be carried And in that he saide he was to goe into Sicily what els can be ment therebye but that there be in the Ilandes of that countrye more then in any place els certayne gaping gulphes of tormentes castinge out fire continually And as they say that knowe them dailye do they wax greater and enlarge them selues so that the worlde drawinge to an ende and so consequently more comming thither to be burnt in those flaminge dungeons so much the more do those places of tormentes open and become wider Which strange thing almighty God for the terror and amendement of the liuing wolde haue extant in this world that infidels which beleeue not the vnspeakable paines of hell may with their eies see the places of tormentes which they list not to credit when it is told them And that both the elect and reprobat whose life and conuersation hath bene alike shal after death be carried to like places the sayinge of our Sauiour doth teach vs thoughe we had no examples to proue the same for of the elect him selfe saith in the Gospell In the house of my father Ioan. 14. Inequality of rewardes in heauen there be many mansions For yf there were not inequalitye of rewardes in the euerlasting felicitye of heauen then were there not many mansions but rather one wherfore there be many mansions in which diuers orders and degrees of Gods sainctes be distinguished who in common do all reioice of the society and fellowship of theire merites and yet all they that labored receiue one penny thoughe they remayne in distinct mansions because the felicitye and ioye which there they possesse is one and the rewarde which by diuers and vnequall good Worckes they receiue is not one but diuers which to be true our Sauiour assureth vs when talkinge of his comminge to iudgement he saith Then I wil say to the Math. 13. reapers Gather vp the cockle and binde it into bundels to burne For the Angels wâ—ich be the reapers do then binde vp in bundles the cockle to burne when like with like are putt together in tormentes as the proude to burne in hell with the proude carnall with the carnall couetous with the couetous deceiptfull with the deceiptfull inuious with the inuious and infidels with insidels when therfore those that were like in sinfull life be condemned to like tormentes then be they as it were cockle bounde together in bundels to be burnte Peter You haue giuen a sufficient reason for satisfaction to my demande yet I beseech you to informe me further what the cause is that some be called out of this vvorlde as it vvere throughe error vvho aftervvarde returne againe to life saying that they hearde hovv they vvere not the men vvhich vvere sent for out of this life OF THOSE SOVLES VVHICH seme as it were throughe error to be taken out of theire bodies and of the deathe and reuiuinge of a monke called Peter of the death likewise and raising vp againe of one Steuen and of the strange vision of a certaine soldiar CHAPTER XXXVI Gregory VVHen this happeneth Peter it is not yf it be vvell considered any error but an admonition For God of his great and bountifull mercy so disposeth that some after theire death do straighte-vvaies returne againe to life that hauing seene the tormentes of hell vvhich before vvhen they hearde they vvolde not beleeue they may novv at least treble at after they haue vvith theire eyes beheld them For a certaine Sclauonian vvho vvas a monke and hued vvith me here in this city in my Monasterye vsed to tell me that at such tyme as he dvvelt in the vvildernes that he knevve one Peter a monke borne in Spaine vvho liued vvith him in the vast desert called Euasa vvhich Peter Eremites as he saide tolde him how before he came to dwell in that place by a certaine sicknes he died and was straightwaies restored to life againe affirming that he had sene the tormentes and innumerable places of hell and diuers who were mighty men in this vvorlde hanging in those flames and that as him selfe was caried to be throwne also into the same fire suddainly an Angel in a be wtifull attire appeared who wolde not suffre him to be cast into those tormentes but spake vnto him in this manner Go thy way backe againe and hereafter carefully looke vnto thy selfe how thow leadest thy life after which wordes his body by little and little became warme and him selfe waking out of the slepe of euerlasting death reported all such thinges as happened about him after which tyme he bounde him selfe to such fasting and watchinge that thoughe he had saide nothing yet his very life and conuersation did speake vvhat tormentes he had sene and was affraide of and so Gods mercifull prouidence wroughte in his temporall death that he died not euerlastinglye But because mans harte is passing obdurat and harde hereof it commeth that thoughe others haue the like vision and see the same paines yet do they not alwaies reape the like profit For the honorable man Steuen whom you knevve very vvell tolde me of him selfe that at such tyme as he vvas vpon busines resident in the city of Gonstantinople that he fell sicke and died and vvhen they sought for a surgeon to bovvell him and to embalme his bodye and coulde not get any he laye vnburied all the nighte follovving in vvhich space his soule vvas carried to the dungeon of hell vvhere he savve many thinges vvhich before when he heard he little beleeued But vvhen he vvas broughte before the iudge that satt there he vvolde not admitt him to his presence sayinge I commanded not this man to be broughte but Steuen the smith vpon which wordes he was straighte-way restored to life and Steuen the smith that dwelled harde by at that very houre departed this life whose death did showe that the wordes which he heard were most true But thoughe the foresaide Steuen escaped death in this manner at that tyme yet three yeares since in that mortalitye vvhich lamentably vvasted this citye and in vvhich as you knovve men vvith theire corporall eies did behold arrovves that came from heauen vvhich did strike diuers the same man ended his daies at vvhich tyme a certaine soldiar being also broughte to the pointe of death his soule vvas in such sort caried cut of his bodye that he lay voide of all sence and feelinge but comminge quickely againe to him selfe he tolde then that vvere present vvhat present vvhat strange thâ—nges he had sene For he saide as many report that knowe it very well that he sawe a bridge vnder which a blacke and smoakye riuer did runne that had a filthy and intollerable smell but vpon the further side thereof there were pleasant grene medowes full of swete flowers in which also there were diuers companies of men
synne can iustlye be punnished without ende which had an end when it was committed Gregory This which you saye mighte haue some reason yf the iust iudge did only consider the synnes committed and not the mindes vvith which they were committed for the reason why wicked men made an end of synninge was because they also made an end of their life for willingly they wolde had it bene it theire power haue liued without ende that they mighte in like manner haue sinned without ende For they doe playnely declare that they desired alwaies to liue in sunne who neuer so longe as they were in this world gaue ouer theire wicked life and therfore it belongeth to the great iustice of the supreme iudge that they sholde neuer want tormentes and punnishement in the next worlde who in this wolde neuer giue ouer theire vvicked and sinfull life Peter But no iudge that loueth iustice taketh pleasure in crueltye and the ende vvhy the iustmaster commandeth his vvicked seruaunt to be punnished is that he may giue ouer his levvd life Yf then the vvicked that are tormented in hell fire neuer come to amend them selues to vvhat ende shall they alvvaies burne in those flames Gregory Almightye God because he is mercifull and full of pitty taketh no pleasure in the tormentes of wretched men but because he is also iust therfore doth he neuer giue ouer to punnishe the wicked All which being condemned to perpetuall paines punnished they are for theire owne wickednes and yet shall they alwaies there burne in fire for some ende and that is that all those which be iust and Gods seruantes may in God beholde the ioyes which they possesse and in them see the tormentes which they haue escaped to the end that they may thereby alwaies acknowledge them selues gratefull to God for his grace in that they perceiue throughe his diuine assistaunce what synnes they haue ouercome which they beholde in others to be punnished euerlastinglye Peter And how I praye you can they be holy and sainctes yf they pray not for theire enemies whom they see to ly in such tormentes when it is saide to them Pray for your enemies Math. 5 v. 44. Gregory They praye for theire enemies at such tyme as theire hartes may be turned to fruitfull penance and so besaued for to what purpose els do we praye for our enemies but as the Apostle saith that God may giue them repentance 2. Timoth 2. v. 25. to knowe the truthe and recouer them selues from the deuil of whom they are held captiue at his will Peter I like very well of your sayinge for howe shall they pray for them who by no meanes can be conuerted from theire wickeones and broughte to do the worckes of iustice Gregory You see then that the reason is all one why in the next life none shall praye for men condemned for euer to hell fire that there is nowe of not praying for the deuill and his angels sentenced to euerlasting tormentes and this also is the very reason why holy men do not nowe pray for them that dye in theire infidelitye and knovvne vvicked life for seing certaine it is that they be condemned to endlesse paines to vvhat purpose should they pray for them vvhen they knovve that no petition vvill be admitted of God theire iust iudge And therfore yf novve holy men liuing vpon earth take no compassion of those that be dead and damned for theire synnes vvhen as yet they knovve that them selues doe some thinge throughe the frailty of the fleshe vvhich is also to be iudged hovv much more straightly and seuerelye doe they beholde the tormentes of the damned vvhen they be them selues deliuered from all vice of corruption and be more nerelye vnited to true iustice it selfe for the force of iustice doth so possesse theire soules in that they be so intrinsecall vvith the most iust iudge that they list not by any meanes to do that vvhich theye knovve is not conformable to his diuine pleasure Peter The reason you bringe is so clere that I can not gaine say it but novv an other question commeth to my minde and that is how the soule can truly be called immortall seing certaine it is that it doth dye in that perpetuall fire HOVV THE SOVLE IS SAID to be immortall and neuer to dye if it be punnished with the sentence of deathe CHAPTER XLV Gregory BEcause there be two manner of liues consequently also there be two manner of deathes For one kinde of life there is by which we liue in God another which we receiued by our creation orgeneration and therfore one thinge it is to liue blessedlye and an other thinge to liue naturallye The soule therfore is both mortall and immortall mortall because it looseth the felicitye of an happy life and immortall in that it alwaies keepeth his naturall life which can neuer be loste no not when it is sentenced to perpetuall death for in that state thoughe it hath not a blessed life yet it doth retaine still the former being and naturall life by reason whereof it is inforced to suffer death without death defect without defect and end without end seing the death which it indudureth is immortall the desect wâ—ich it suffereth neuer faileth and the end which it hath is infinite and without ende Peter What man is he thoughe neuer so holy that comming to leaue this mortall life hath not iust cause to feaâ—e the vnspeakeable senâ—â—nâ—e of damnation for althoughe he knoweth what he hath done yet ignorant he is not howe straightlye his worckes shall be examined and iudged OF A CERTAINE HOLY MAN that was assraide when he came to dye CHAPTER XLXVI Gregory IT is euen so Peter as you saye And yet sometyme the only feare of death doth purge the soules of iust men from theire smaller synnes as you and I haue often hearde of a certaine holy man that was very much affraide when he came to dye and yet after he was deade appeared to his disciples in a white stoale reporting to them in what excellent manner he was receiued when he departed out of this worlde HOVV SOME BY DIVINE reuelation are discharged from feare at theire death And of the manner how the monkes Anthony Merulus and Iohn departed this life CHAPTER XLVII SOmetyme also almightye God doth by diuine reuelation strengthen the mindes of them that be fearefull to the end that they should not be affraide of death For a certaine monke there vvas called Anthonye that liued together with me in my Monasterye who by daily teares laboured to come to the ioyes of heauen and when as he did verye carefullye and with great zeale of soule meditate vpon the sacred scriptures he soughte not so muche for cunninge and knowledge as for teares and contrition of hart that by meanes thereof his soule mighte be stirred vp and inflamed and that by contemninge all earthly thinges he mighte with the winges of contemplation flye vnto the kingdome of heauen This man vpon a
that he wolde not reiect his poore gifte the holy man toke the middle waye and yelded so to the soldiars request that yet he wolde not take any rewarde for the doinge of that miracle for he gaue him first so muche money as the horse was worth and then receiued him for perceiuing that the soldiar wolde haue bene grieued yf he had refused his courteous offer vpon charity he boughte that whereof he had then no nede Neither must I passe ouer with silence that which I hearde almost twelue daies since for a certaine poore olde man was broughte vnto me because I loued alwaies to talke with such kinde of men of whom I inquired his countrye and vnderstandinge that he was of the citye of Tuderti I asked him whether he knewe the good olde father Bishoppe Fortunatus to which he answered that he knewe him and that very well Then I beseche you quoth I tell me whether you knowe of any miracles which he did and because I am very desirous let me vnderstande what manner of man he was This man quoth he vvas far different from all those vvhich liue in our daies for he obtayned at Gods handes vvhatsoeuer he requested One of his miracles vvhich commeth to my minde I vvill novve tell you Certaine Gothes vpon a daye trauailing not far from the citye of Tuderti as they vvere in thiere iorny to Rauenna carried avvay vvith them tvvo little boies from a place vvhich belonged to the saide citye Nevves hereof being broughte to the holy Bishop Fortunatus he sent straight vvaies desiryng those Gothes to com vnto him to vvhom he spake very courteouslye being vvilling by faire speche to pacifye thâ—ere fierce cruel natures and aftervvarde tolde them that they sholde haue vvhat money they desired so they vvolde make restitution of the children and therfore I beseche you quoth he gratifye my request in this thinge Then he vvhich semed to be the chiefe of theÌ„ tvvo told him that vvhatsoeuer els he commanded they vvere readye to performe but as for the boies by no means they wolde let them goe To whom the venerable man threatninge in sweete sort spake vnto him in this manner You grieue me good sonne to see that you will not be ruled by your father but giue me not any such cause of griefe for it is not good that you do But for all this the Gothe continewing still harde harted denied his request and so went his waye yet comminge againe the next day the holy man renued his former sute concerninge the children but when he sawe that by no means he colde perswade him in sorrowfull manner he spake thus well I knowe that it is not goode for you to depart in this manner and leaue me thus afflicted But the Goth not esteming his wordes returned to his inne sett those children on horsebacke and sent them before with his seruantes and straighte wayes him selfe tooke horse and followed after and as he was ridinge in the same citye by the churche of S. Peter the Apostle DedicatioÌ„ of churches to Sainctes his horse stumbling fell downe and brake his thighe in suche sorte that the bone was quite a sunder vp was he taken and carried backe againe to his Inne who in all hast sent after his seruantes and caused the boies to be broughte backe againe Then he sent one to venerable Fortunatus with this message I beseche you father to sende vnto me your deacon who when he was come vnto him lying in his bedde he made those boies which before vpon no entreaty he wolde restore to be broughte forth and deliuered them to him sayinge Go and tell my Lord the Bishop Beholde you haue cursed me I am punnished but I haue nowe sent you those children which before you required take them and I beseche you to pray for me The deacon receiued the children and carried them to the Bishop wherevpon the holy manforth with gaue his deacon some holy water sayinge Goe quickelye and cast it vpon him where he lieth who went his waye and comminge to the Goth he sprinckled all his bodye with holy water and o A miracle wroughte by holy water strange and admirable thinge the holy water no soner touched his thighe but all the rupture was so healed and him selfe so perfectly restored to his former helthe that he forsook his bed that verye houre tooke his horse vvent on his iornye as thoughe he had neuer bene hurte at all and thus it fell out that he vvhich refused for money and vpon obedience to restore the children was by punnishemeÌ„t enforced to do it for nothinge When the olde man had tolde me this strange storye ready he vvas to procede vnto other but because I vvas at that tyme to make an exhortation to somâ— that expected me and the day vvas vvell speÌ„te I coulde not at that tyme heare any more of the notable actes of venerable Fortunatus and yet yf I might neuer vvolde I do any thing els then giue eare to such excellent stories The next day the same olde man reported a thinge far more wonderfull for he saide that in the same citye of Tuderti there dwelt a good vertuous man called Marcellus togither with two of his sisters who fallinge sicke somwhat late vpon Easter euen departed this life and because he was to be caried far of he coulde not be buried that daye His sisters hauinge now longer respit for his buriall with heauie hartes ranne weeping vnto the Bishop where they began to cry out aloud in this manner we knowe that thow leadest an Apostolicall life that thou doest heale leapers restore sighte to the blinde come therfore we beseche you and raise vp our deade brother The venerable man hearinge of theire brothers deathe began him selfe likewise to weepe desired them to departe and not to make any suche petition vnto him for it is our Lordes pleasure quoth he vvhich no man can resist vvhen they vvere gone the Bishoppe continued still sad and sorovvfull for the goode mans deathe and the next day being the solemne â—east of Easter verye earlye in the morninge he went with two of his deacons to Marcellus house and comminge to the place where his deade bodye laye he fell to his praiers and when he had made an ende he rose vp and satt dovvne by the corps and with a lovve voice called the dead man by his name sayinge Brother Marcellus whereat as thoughe he had bene lightely a slepe and awaked with that voice he rose vp opened his eies and lokinge vpon the Bishop saide O what haue you done o what haue you done to whom the Bishop answered sayinge what haue I done Marye quoth he Yesterdaye there came two vnto me discharged my soule out of my body and carried me awaye to a goode place and this day one was sent who bad them carry me backe againe bycause Bishop Fortunatus was gone to myne house And vvhen he had spoken these wordes straighte waies he recouered of his sicknes
worcke on and be sadd no more HOVV MAVRVS VVALKED vpon the water CHAPTER VII ON a certaine daye as venerable Bennet was in his cell the foresaid yong Placidus the holy mās monke went out to take vp water at the lake and putting downe his paile careleslye fell in him selfe after it whom the water forth with caried awaye from the lande so far as one maye shote an arrowe The man of God being in his cell by and by knewe this and called in hast for Maurus sayinge Brother Maurus runne as fast as you can for Placidus that went to the lake to fetche water is fallen in and is carried a good waye of A strange thinge and since the tyme of Peter the Apostle neuer hearde of Maurus crauing his fathers blessinge and departing in all hast at his commandement ran to that place vpon the water to which the yong lad was carried by force thereof thinckinge that he had all that while gone vpon the land and takinge fast hold of him by the heare of his heade in all hast he returned backe againe and so sone as he was at lande comminge to him selfe he looked behinde him and then knewe very well that he had before runne vpon the water and that vvhich before he durst not haue presumed being novve done and past he both maruailed and vvas afraide at that vvhich he had done Comminge backe to the father and telling him vvhat had happened the venerable man did not attribut this to his ovvne merites but to the obedience of Maurus but Maurus on the contrarye saide that it vvas clone only vpon his commandement and that he had nothing to do in that miracle not knovving at that tyme vvhat hat he did But the friēdly contention procedinge of mutuall humility the yong youth him selfe that vvas saued from drovvninge did determyne for he saide that he sawe when he was drawne out of the water the Abbotes garmēt vpon his heade affirming that it was he that had deliuered him from that great danger Peter Certainly they be wonderfull thinges which you report and such as may serue for the edification of many for myne owne parte the more that I heare of his miracles the more do I still desire HOVV A LOAFE VVAS POIsoned and caried far of by a crowe CHAPTER VIII VVHen as the foresaide monasteries were zealous in the loue of our Lorde Iesus Christ and thiere fame dispersed far and nere and many gaue ouer the secular life and subdued the passions of thiere soule vnder the lighte yoke of our Sauiour then as the manner of wicked people is to enuye at that vertue which them selues desire not to follovve one Florentius Priest of a churche harde by and grandfather to Florentius our subdeacon possessed with diabolicall malice began to enuye the holy mans vertues to backebite his manner of liuing and to withdraw as many as he coulde from going to visit him and when he sawe that he coulde not hinder his vertuous procedinges but that on the contrarye the fame of his holy life increased and many dailye vpon the verye reporte of his sanctitye did betake them selues to a better state of life burning more and more with the coles of enuye he became far worse and thoughe he desired not to imitate his commendable life yet faine he wolde haue had the reputation of his vertuous conuersation In conclusion so much did malitious enuie blinde him and so far did he wade in that synne that he poisoned a loafe and sent it to the seruaunt of almightye God as it were for an holy present The man of God receiued it with great thanckes yet not ignorant of that which was hidden within At diner tyme a crow daily vsed to come vnto him from the next woode which tooke bread at his handes comming that day after his manner the man of God threwe him the loafe which the Priest had sent him giuinge him this charge In the name of Iesus Christ our Lorde take vp that loafe and leaue it in some suche place where no man may finde it Then the crowe openinge his mouthe and lifting vp his winges began to hopp vp and downe about the loafe and after his manner to crye out as thoughe he wolde haue saide that he was willing to obeye and yet coulde not do what he was commanded The man of God againe and againe bad him sayinge Take it vp without feare and throwe it where no man may finde it At length with much adoo the crowe tooke it vp and flewe awaye and after three howres hauinge dispatched the loafe he returned backe againe and receiued his vsuall allowance from the man of God But the venerable father perceiuinge the Priest so wickedly bent against his life was far more sory for him then grieued for him selfe And Florentius seeing that he coulde not kill the body of the master laboureth nowe vvhat he can to destroye the soules of of his disciples and for that purpose he sent into the yarde of the Abbey before thiere eies seuene naked yonge vvemen vvhich did there take handes togither play and dance a longe tyme before them to the end that by this meanes they mighte inflame thiere mindes to sinfull lust vvhich damnable sighte the holy man beholdinge out of his cell and fearinge the danger which thereby mighte enseewe to his yonger monkes and consideringe that all this was done only for the persecutiuge of him selfe he gaue place to enuye and therfore after he had for those Abbeyes and oratories which he had there built appointed gouernors and left some vnder thiere charge him selfe in the company of a fevve monckes remoued to an other place And thus the man of God vpon humility gaue place to the others malice but yet almighty God of iustice did seuerely punnishe his vvickednes For vvhen the foresaide Priest beinge in his chāber vnderstoode of the departure of holy Bennet and vvas very glad of that newes beholde the whole house besides continewing safe and sounde that chamber alone in which he was fell downe and so killed him which strange accident the holy mans disciple Maurus vnderstādinge straighte-wayes sent him worde he being as yet scarse ten miles of desitinge him to returne againe because the Priest that did persecut him was slayne which thinge when Bennet hearde he was passing sorrowfull and lamented muche both because his enemye died in such sorte and also for that one of his monkes reioiced thereat and therfore he gaue him penance for that sending suche newes he presumed to reioice at his enemies death Peter The thinges you reporte be strange and muche to be wondered at for in making the rocke to yelde forth water I see Moises and in the yron which came from the bottom of the lake I beholde Heliseus in the walkinge of Maurus vpon the water I perceiue Peter in the obedience of the crowe I contemplat Helias and in lamenting the deathe of his enemy I acknowledg Dauid and therfore in myne opinion this one man was full
not by reason of suche thunder and lighteninge and greate abundance of raine returne backe to his Abbey began to be heauye and to complaine of his sister sayinge God forgiue you what haue you done to whom she answered I desired you to staye and you wolde not heare me I haue desired our goode Lorde and he hath vouchsafed to graunt my petition wherfor yf you can now departe a Gods name returne to your monasterye and leaue me here alone But the goode father being not able to goe for the taried there against his will where willinglye before he wolde not staye And so by that means they watched all nighte and with spirituall and heauenly talke did mutuallye comfort one an other and therfore by this we see as I saide before that he wolde haue had that thinge which yet he could not for yf we respecte the venerable mans minde no question but he wolde haue had the same faire weather to haue continewed as it was when he sett forth but he found that a miracle did preuent his desire which by the power of almighty God a womans praiers had wrought And it is not a thinge to be maruailed at that a woman which of longe tyme had not sene her brother mighte doe more at that tyme theÌ„ he could seeing accordinge to the sayinge of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 4. God is charity and therfore of righte she did more which loued more Peter I confesse that I am wonderfully pleased with that which you tell me HOVV BENNET SAVVE THE soule of his sister ascend into heauen CHAPTER XXXIIII Gregory THe next daye the venerable woman returned to her Nonnerye and the man of God to his Abbey who three daies after standinge in his cell and liftinge vp his eyes to heauen behelde the soule of his sister which was departed from her bodye in the likenes of a doue to ascend into heauen who reioysinge muche to see her great glorye vvith hymnes and laudes gaue thanckes to almighty God and did imparte the newes of this her death to his monkes whom also he sent presentlye to bringe her corps to his Abbey to haue it buried in that graue which he had prouided for him selfe by meanes whereof it fell out that as theire soules were alwaies one in God whiles they liued so theire bodies coÌ„tinued together after theire deathe HOVV HE SAVVE THE VVHOLE worlde represented before his eies and also the soule of Germanus Bishop of Capua ascending to heauen CHAPTER XXXV AT an other tyme Seruandus the Deacon and Abbot of that monasterye which in tymes past was founded by the noble man Liberius in the countrye of Campania vsed ordinarily to come and visit the man of God and the reason why he came so often was because him selfe also was a man full of heauenly doctrine and so thy two had often together spâ—rituall conference to the end that albe it they could not perfectly feede vpon the celestiall foode of heauen yet by means of such swete discourses they might at least with longing and feruent desire taste of those â—oyes and diuine delightes When it was tyme to goe to rest the venerable father Bennet reposed him selfe in the topp of a tower at the foote whereof Seruandus the Deacon was lodged so that one paier of staiers went to them bothe before the â—ower there was a certaine large roome in which bothe theire disciples did lye The man of God Bennet being diligent in watching rose early vp before the tyme of mattins his monkes being yet at rest and came to the windowe of his chamber where he offered vp his praiers to almighty God Standinge there all on a suddaine in the deade of the nighte as he looked forth he sawe a lighte which bannished away the darckenes of the nighte and glittered with suche brighenes that the lighte which did shine in the middest of darckenes was far more clere them the lighte of the daye Vpon this fighte a maruailous strange thinge followed for as him selfe did afterwarde reporte the whole worlde gathered as it were together vnder one beame of the sunne was presented before his eies and whiles the venerable father stoode attentiuely beholdinge the brightenes of that glitteringe lighte he sawe the soule of Germanies Bishop of Capita in a fierye globe to be carried vp by Angels into heauen Then desirous to haue some witnes of this so notable a miracle he called with a very loude voice Seruandus the Deacon twise or thrise by his name who troubled at such an vnvsuall cryinge out of the man of God went vp in all hast and looking for the sawe not any thinge els but a little remnant of the light but wondring at so great a miracle the man of God tolde him all in order what he had sene and sendinge by and by to the towne of Cassino he commanded the religious man Theoprobus to dispatche one that nighte to the citye of Capua to learne what was become of Germanus thiere Bishop which beinge done the messeÌ„ger founde that reuerend Prelat departed this life and enquiringe curiously the tyme he vnderstoode that he died at that very instant in which the man of God behelde him ascending vâ— to heauen Peter A straunge thinge and verye muche to be admired But whereas you saye that the whole worlde as it were vnder one sunne beame was presented before his eies as I must nedes confesse that in my selfe I neuer had experience of any suche thinge so neither can I conceiue by what meanes the whole worlde can be sene of any one man Gregory Assure your selfe Peter of that which I speake to witt that all creatures be as it were nothinge to that soule which beholdeth the creator for thoughe it see but a glympse of that lighte which is in the creator yet verye small do all thinges seme that be created for by meanes of that supernaturall light the capacity of the inwarde soule is inlarged and is in God so extended that it is far aboue the worlde yea and the soule of him that seeth in this manner is also aboue it selfe for being rapt vp in the lighte of God it is inwardly in it selfe inlarged aboue it selfe and when it is so exalted and looketh downeward then doth it comprehend how little all that is which before in former basenes it could not comprehende The man of God therfore who sawe the fiery globe and the Angels returninge to heauen out of all doubte coulde not see these thinges but in the lighte of God what maruaile then is it yf he sawe the worlde gathered together before him who rapâ— vp in the light of his soule was at that tyme out of the worlde But albeit we say that the worlde was gathered together besoore his eies yet were not heauen and earth drawne into any lesser roome then they be of them selues but the soule of the beholder was more inlarged which rapt in God might without difficultye see that which is vnder God and therfore in
because theire hartes could not endure to beholde any such misery The olde man yelded to theire request and so caried away the boy home to his owne monastery where he remayned longe tyme safe and sound the deuill not presuminge to touche him Wherevpon the olde man seeinge him to continew so wel was immoderatly glad thereof therfore in the presence of the monkes he spake thus The deuill did dally with those sisters but nowe he hathe to doe with the seruauntes of God he dare not come nere this boye He had scarse vttered these wordes when as in that verye instant the poore childe was in the presence of them all possessed anâ— pitifully tormented which the olde man beholdinge straighte-waies lamented and fell a weepinge and perseueringe so a longe tyme the monkes came to comfort him but he answered them sayinge Beleue me quoth he none of you shall this daye eate any breade vnlesse this boye be dispossessed Then with the rest of the brethren he fell prostrat to his praiers and there they continewed so longe vntill the boye was deliuered from his former tormentes and besides so perfectly cured that the wicked spirit neuer after presumed to molest him any more Peter I verily suppose that he synned a little in vaine glorye and that Gods pleasure was that the other monkes shoulde cooperate to the dispossessinge of the deuill Gregory It is euen so as you saye for seing he could not alone beare the burthen of that miracle it was deuided amongest the rest of his brethren Of what force and efficacye this mans praiers were I haue founde by experience in my selfe for being vpon a tyme when I liued in the Abbey so sicke that I ofteÌ„ sounded and was by meanes thereof with often panges continually at deathes dore and in such case that vnlesse I did continually eate some thinge my vitall spirit was goinge awaye Easter daye was at hande and therfore when I sawe that vpon so sacred a vigill I coulde not refraine from often eating Prescript daies of fasting in which not only olde persones but euene children vse to fast I was more afflicted with griefe then grieued with myne infirmitye yet at length my sorrowfull soule quickly founde out a deuise and that was to carrye the man of God secretly into the oratorye and there to intreat him that he wold by his praier obtainâ— for me of God so muche strength and abilitye as to fast that day which fell out accordinglye for so sone as we came into the oratorye with humilitye and teares he fell to his praiers and after a while hauinge made an ende he came forthe and vpon the wordes of his blessed praiers my stomacke grewe so stronge that I did not so much as thincke of any meate nor feele any griefe at all Then I began to marâ—aile at my selfe and to thincke in whaâ— case I was before and how I felt my selfe nowe and when I thoughte vpon my former sickenes I founde none of those panges with which before I was trobled and when my minde was busied about the affaires of the Abbey my sycknes was quite out of my memory yea as I saide yf I did thâ—ncke thereof yet feelinge myselfe so well and stronge I began to doubte whether I had eaten or no. When euening was come I founde my selfe so lustye that I coulde very well haue fasted vntill the next daye And by this means hauinge experience of his praiers in my selfe I made no doubt but those thinges also were true which in other places he did thoughe my selfe was not then present Peter Seinge you tolde me that he was a man of great compunction desirous I am to be better informed touchinge the efficacye of compunction and teares and therefore I praye you let me vnderstande howe manye kindes of compunction there be OF THE DIVERS KINDES of compunction CHAPTER XXXIIII Gregory COmpunction is deuided into many kindeâ— to witt when euery synne is of penitent men in particular bewaileâ— whereof the prophet Ieremye in the person of penitent synners speaketh thus Myne eye hath Thren 3. brought forth diâ—isions of waters But speaking more properlye there be especiallie two kindes of compunction for the soule that thirsteth after God is first sorrowfull in harte for feare and afterwarde vpon loue For first it is grieued and weepeth because callinge to minde former synnes committed it feareth to endure for punnishment of them euerlastinge â—ormentes but when longe anxiety and sorrowe hath bannished awaye that feare then a certaine securitye of the hope of pardon doth followe and so the soule is inflamed with the â—oue of heauenly delightes and whereas before it did weepe for feare of eternall payne afterward it powreth out teares that it is kept from euerlastinge ioyes For the soule doth then conâ—emplat those glitteringe quires of Angels that heauenly companye of those blessed spirites that great maiesty of the eternall beholdinge the face of God and doth lament so muche more now because it wanteth that euerlasting felicitye then it wept before at the feare of eternall punnishement Which thinge in scripture is mystically sett downe in an holy and true historye for there we reade howe Axa the daughter of Caleb riding vpon an asse did sighe when her father demaÌ„ded what the matter was she ansvvered him thus Giue me your blessinge a southern Iosue 15. and dry lande you haâ—e giuen me ioyne also a wattery and he gaue her a watterie grounde aboue and beneath For Axa then rideth vpon the asse when our soule doth subdue and gouerne the sensuall motions of the fleshe which sighinge doth craue wett grounde of her father when it doth with contrition and sorrowe of harte desire of our creator the grace of teares weeping For some there be vpon whom God hath bestowed such a gifte that they will speake freely in defence of iustice helpe them that be oppressed giue almes to the poore and be zealous in religion but yet haue they not obtained the grace of teares these be they that haue grouÌ„de towardes the South and that which is drye but yet do they want that which is moist and wett because albeit they be diligent and feruent in goode worckes yet requisit it is that they sholde also either for feare of hell or the loue of heauen bewaile the sinnes of theire life past But because as I saide there be two kindes of compunction therfore her father gaue her that which was wettaboue and also wett beneathe for our soule doth then receiue that which is wett aboue when it is grieued and doth weepe for the desire of heauen and it doth then possesse that which is â—â—ett beneath when it is affraide and poureth forth teares for the feaâ—e of hell fire and albeit that which is â—â—ett beneathe is bestowed vpon our sâ—ule before that which is weet aboue yet because the compunction of loue is the more excellent conuenient it was that the grounde which was wett aboue shâ—ulde be first named
that the soule doth also liue after it is departed from the body THAT AS THE LIFE OF THE soule remaining in the bodye is gathered by the motion of the members so the life of the soule after death in holy men is to be found out by the vertue of miracles CHAPTER VI. Gregory HErein most readye I am to satisfye your request and for proffe of this pointe no difficultye do I finde for thincke you that the holy Apostles and martirs of Christ wolde haue contemned this present life and offered theire bodies to death had they not knowne that theire soules did most assuredly liue for euer You confesse that you knovve the life of the soule remayninge in the body by the motion thereof beholde then howe these that lost theire liues for Christ and beleeued that soules liued after death be renoumed for theire daily miracles For sicke persons come vnto Pilgrinage to Sainctes bodies theire deade bodies and be curied periured persons repaire thither and be possessed with deuiles possessed with deuiles visit them and are deliuered Lepers come and be clensed deade folke are broughte and they be raised vp againe Consider then in what sort theire soules do liue in those places where they liue whose deade bodies liue also in this worlde by so many miracles yf then you gather the life of Miracles wroughe by relickes the soule remayninge in the body by the motion of the members why do you not likewise by the deade bones which work miracles inferre that the soule doth liue after the death of the body Peter No solution as I thincke can ouerthrowe the force of this reason alleaged by which we are constrained through visible thinges to beleeue those which we see not and be inuisible OF THE DEPARTVRE OF menes soules CHAPTER VII Gregory A Little before you complained for that you coulde not see the soule of one when it departed out of his bodye but that was your fault who desired with corporall eies to beholde an inuisible thinge for many of vs that by sincere faith and plentifull praier haue had the eye of our soule purified haue often seene soules going out of theire bodies and therfore nowe I thincke it necessarye to sett downe both howe and in what sort menes soules departing out of theire bodies haue bene seene and also what wonderfull thinges haue bene reuealed vnto them at the tyme of theire departure that by this meanes examples may satisfye our wauering and doubtfull mindes which reason can not so full ye perswade Wherfore to begin I remember that in the second booke of this worcke I tolde you howe venerable Bennet as by relation of his owne monkes I learned beeing far distant from the city of Capua behelde the soule of Germanus Bishop of the same place at midnighte to be carried to heauen in a fiery globe who seeing the soule as it was ascending vppe behelde also in the largenes of his owne soule within the compasse of one sunne beame the whole world as it were gathered together OF THE DEPARTVRE OF the soule of Speciosus a monke CHAPTER VIII BY the relation also of the same monkes his disciples I vnderstoode howe two noble men that were brethren and very well learned in humanity the one called Speciosus the other Gregory entred into religion there to liue vertuously vnder the direction of his rule whom the venerable father placed in a Monastery of his harde by the city of Teracina These men whiles they remained in the worlde were verye riche but for the redemption of theire owne soules they Voluntarye pouertye had giuene all to the poore and ledd theire life in the same Monasterye One of these twaine to witt Speciosus being sent vpon busines of the Monasterye to the Capua his naturall brother Gregory in the meane tyme sitting at table at dinner amongest the other monkes rapt in spirit behelde his brothers soule thoughe so far distant departing out of his bodye which forthwith he tolde vnto the other monkes and straighte after in all hast tooke his iornye to Capua wher he founde his brother newlye buried and there vnderstoode how he died at that very houre in which he sawe his soule going out of his bodye OF THE SOVLE OF A certaine Anchoret CHAPTER IX A Certaine religious man and one of great credit at such tyme as I liued in the Monastery tolde me that certaine sailing from Sicilye to Rome as they were in the the middest of the sea behelde the soule of a certaine seruant of God caried to heauen who had bene an Anchoret in the Iland of Samnium Landing afterward in the same place Anchoretes and making enquiry of that thinge they vnderstoode that holy man to haue departed this life vpon that very day in which they saw his soule ascending to heauen OF THE DEPARTVRE OF Abbot Hopes soule CHAPTER X. VVHiles I liued as yet in my Monasterye I vnderstode by the relation of a verye reuerent man a certaine thinge which I will now tell you A venerable father there was called Hope who had built an Abbey in a place called Cample distant almost six miles from the old oâ—tye of Nursia This man almightye and mercifull God by temporall affliction preserued from euerlasting miserye and gaue him great grace and quiet of mynde for how deerely he loued him yea at that very tyme when he sent him affliction was afterwarde made apparant to the worlde when he vouchsafed perfectly to restore him to his former health This man therfore was for the space of fourty yeres punnished with such a continuall blindenes of his eies that he coulde not so much as beholde any lighte at all But because none in aduersitye can without the helpe of Goddes grace stande and vnlesse the same mercifull father who sendeth punnishement giueth also patience straighte-waies his chastising of our synnes doth by impatience more increase them and so it pitifully falleth out that our synne is by that very thinge made greater by which an end of all synne mighte very well haue bene expected God therfor seeing our infirmitye together with affliction by his swete prouidence keepeth and preserueth vs and is in his correction which he sendeth his chosen children in this worlde so iust with mercy that they maye become such to whom afterwarde he may iustly shewe mercie and therfore thoughe he did laye his crosse of blindenes vpon this venerable man yet did he not leaue him destitute of inwarde lighte for as his bodye was weried with paine so by the prouidence of Gods holy spirit his soule was refreshed with heauenly comfort At length when he had continewed fourty years in this kinde of blindenes our good Lorde restored him to his former sighte giuinge him also to vnderstande that he was shortly to leaue this worlde and therfore admonished him to preache the worde of lyfe vnto all such Abbeies as were about him and that for as much as him selfe had receiued the light of his body he wold goe and
theire owne whom in the presence of the clergye nobilitve and common people I examined touching that miracle and they all affirmed it to be most true sayinge that they were in a strange manner replenished with that swete smell and they added also certaine other thinges concerninge his sepulchre that made the miracle greater which not to be ouer longe I meane to passe ouer with silence Peter I perceiue nowe that my former question is sufficientlye satisfied yet an other remaineth which troubleth my minde and that is seinge you affirmed before that holy mens soules which departe this life be nowe in heauen it followeth consequentlye that the soules of the wicked be also in hell and yet ignorant I am whether it be so or no for mans ymagination can not conceiue howe the soules of synners can be tormeâ—ted before the daye of iudgement THAT AS VVE BELEVE THE SOVles of iust and perfect men to be in heauen so we ought also to beleue that the soules of the wicked after theire departure from the body be in hell CHAPTER XXVIII Gregory YF by the testimonye of holy scripture you beleeue that the soules of holy and perfect men be in heauen by the same reason ought you also to beleeue that the soules of the wicked be in hell for as iust men do reioice and be glad at the retribution of eternal iustice so necessary it is that the wicked at the same iustice sholde be grieued and tormentedâ— for as heauenly felicitye doth glad the elect so vve oughte to beleeue that from the daye of theire departure fire doth afflict and burne the reprobat Peter With vvhat reason can vve beleeue that corporall fire can holde and torment an incorporall thinge THE REASON VVHY VVE ought to beleeue that corporal fire can hold and torment the spirites that be without bodies CHAPTER XXIX Gregory YF a spirit vvithout a body can be holden and kept in the bodye of a liuing man vvhy like vvise after death maye not an incorporal spirit be holden and kept in corporall fire Peter The reason vvhy an incorporal spirit in euerye liuing man is kept in the bodye is because it doth quicken and giue life to the bodye Gregory Yf an incorporall spirit Peter may be kept in that to vvhich it giueth life vvhy also for punnishement may it not be kept there where it continually dieth And we saye that a spirit is holden by fire to the end that in the torment thereof it maye both by seeing and feeling be punnished for the soule by seeing of the fire is afflicted burned it is in that it seeth it selfe to be burned and so it falleth out that a corporall thinge may burne that vvhich hath no bodye whiles that an inuisible burninge and sorrowe is drawne from visible fire and the incorporall soule by meanes of corporall fire maye be tormented with a spirituall and incorporall flame although out of the Gospell we also learne that the soule is not only tormented by seeing the fire but also by the feeling thereof for the riche glutton as our Sauiour saith was buried in hell And he giueth vs to vnderstande that his soule was kept in fire in that he telleth vs how he did beseech Abraham speaking to him in this manner Send Lazarus Luc. 16. that he may dipp the topp of his finger into the water and may refrethe my tongue because I am tormented in this flame Seing then truth it selfe assureth vs that the sinfull rich man was condemned into fire what wise man can deny that the soules of the reprobat be detained in fire Peter Both reason and testimonye of scripture draweth my minde to beleue what your saye but yet when I thinke not of them it returneth againe to his former opinion for I neither see nor can perceiue how a corporall thinge can holde and torment that which is incorporall and without bodye Gregory Tell me I praye you whether do you thincke that those Angels which fell from heauen haue bodies or no Peter What man that hath his wittes vvill say that they haue any bodies Gregory And whether do you thincke that the fire of hel is corporal or spirituall Peter I make no doubt but that it is corporall seinge most certaine it is that bodies be burned therewith Gregory And as certaine it is that at the daye of iudgement our Sauiour shall saye to the reprobate Go into euerlasting Math. 25. fire which is prepared for the deuil and his angels Yf then the deuill and his angels thoughe without bodies shall be tormented with corporall fire what maruail is it that the soules after theire departure and before they be vnited againe to theire bodies may in like manner suffer corporal tormentes Peter The reason you giue is very plaine and therfor now there is not any further doubte touchinge this question that doth troublemy minde OF THE DEATH OF KINGE Theodoricus who was an Arrian heretike CHAPTER XXX Gregory SEing with such difficulty you are broughte to beleeue I thincke it worth my labour to let you vnderstad such thinges concerning this very pointe as I haue receaued from them that be of goode credit Iulian who died almost seuen yeres since had a worshipfull office in this church of Rome in which nowe by Gods prouicence I serue vsed often to visit me liuing as yet in my Monastery and to talke with me of spirituall thinges for the goode of both out soules This man vpon a daye tolde me this storye In the tyme of kinge Theodoricus quoth he my wiues father being theâ— in Sicilye was to returne into Italy The shipp in which he came arriued at the Ilande of Liparis where he vnderstood Solitary men and Anchoretes that there dwelt a certaine solitary man of great vertue whom he thoughte goode whiles the mariners were occupied about mendinge of theire shipp and tacklinge to visit to talke with him and to commende him selfe to his praiers and so he did in the company of others When they were come to the man of God amongest other talke which they had he asked them this question Do you quoth he heare that kinge Theodoricus is deade to whom they quickly answered God forbidd we lefte him aliue at our departure from Rome and before this present we neuer hearde of any such thinge Then the seruaunt of God told them that certainly he was deade for yesterdaye quoth he at nine of the clocke he was without shoes and girdle and his handes fast bounde broughte betwixt Iohne the Pope and Symmachus the Senator and throwne into * A rupture of the earth that casteth forth fire Vulcanes gulph which is not far from this place When they hearde this nevves carefullye they vvrot dovvne the tyme and at theire returne into Italy they vnderstood that kinge Theodoricus died vpon that verye daye in vvhich his vnhappy passage out of this worlde punnishement vvas reuealed to the seruant of God And for as much as he had by miserable
the dead report vve haue for confirmation of the same thinge the factes of the liuinge For Cassius Bishop of Narnye a man of holy life vvho did vsually euery daye offer sacrifice vnto God and vvhiles he vvas at the mysteries of those sacrifices did also immolat him self in teares receiued from our Lorde this message by one of his Priestes Doe that thow doest worcke that thow worckest let not thy foote cease let not thy hand cease vpon the natiuitye of the Apostles thow shalt come vnto me and I vvill giue the thy reward And so seaueÌ„ years after vpon that very daye of the Apostles after Cassius offered sacrifice and saide masse he had ended the solemnity of Masse and receiued the mysteries of the sacred communion he departed this life OF ONE THAT VVAS TAKEN BY his enemies and put in prison whose irons fell of at the tyme of the sacrifice and of one Baraca a mariner that was by the holy sacrifice deliuered from drowninge CHAITER LVII THat also which I haue hearde is knowne to manye to witt how one was by his enemies taken and putt in prison with irons vpon him for Oblation of sacrifice whom his wife caused vpon certaine daies sacrifice to be offered who longe tyme after returning home to his wife By this appeareth how auailable the holy sacrifice is tolde her vpon what daies his boltes vsed to fall of by whose relation she founde that it was vpon those very daies in which sacrifice had bin offered for him By an other thinge like wise which happened seaueÌ„ years since the verye same truthe is confirmed For when Agathus Bishop of Palermo as many faithfull and religious men both haue and still do tell me was in the tyme of my predecessor of blessed memory commanded to come to Rome The Bisshop of Rome coÌ„manded Bisshoppes of other countries and in his iornye fell into such a tempest at sea that he despaired of euer comming to lande The mariner of the shippe called Baraca who nowe is one of the clergy and serueth in the same churche gouerned an other small vessell tied to the poupe of the former shipp the roope whereof breaking in peeces awaye it went with man and all and amongest the huge mountaines of waters quickly vanished out of sighte The shipp in which the Bishop was after many great danugers at length arriued all weather beaten at the Ilande of Ostica and when three daies were past and the Bishop coulde heare no newes of the foresaide mariner that was so violently caried awaye with the storme nor see him in any part of the sea very sory he was and verily beleeued that he had bene drowned and so vpon great charity bestowed one thing vpon him being yet aliue which was not due vnto him vntill he was deade for he willed Sacrifice offered for the soules departed that the sacrifice of the healthfull oblation shoulde be offred vnto almighty God for the absolution of his soule which being done accordinglye and the shipp newe rigged awaye he departed for Italy where arriuing at Portua he founde the mariner aliue whom he verilye supposed to haue bene drowned vpon which goode chauÌ„ce altogether vnlooked for very glad he was and demanded of him how it was possible that he coulde escape so many daies in so great a daunger and so terrible a teÌ„pest who told him how in that storme he was tossed with that little shippe which he gouerned and how he did swimme with it being full of water and so often as it was turned vpside downe how he gat vpon the keele and helde fast there adding also that by striuing and laboring thus continuallye daye and nighte at lengthe with watchinge hunger his strengthe began to faile him and then he tolde how by the singular prouidence and mercye of God he was preserued from drowninge for as euen to this verye day he still affirmeth so then did he verifye the same to the Bishoppe telling him in this manner As I was quoth he striuing and labouring in the sea and my strengthe began to faile me suddainlye I became so heauy of minde that me thoughte I was neither waking nor yet a slepe and being in that case in the middest of the sea I sawe one come who broughte me breade to refreshe my tired bodye which so sone as I had eaten I recouered my strengthe againe and not longe after a shipp passing by toke me in and so was I deliuered from that danger of death and set safe a lande The Bishoppe hearing this inquired vpon what day this strange thing happened and he founde by his relation that it was that verye daye in which the Note how auailable the holy sacrifice is Priest in the Ilande of Ostica did sacrifice for him vnto God the hoast of the holy oblation Peter That which you report my selfe also hearde at my being in Sicily Gregory I for my part doe verily beleue that the reason why by Gods prouidence this thinge salâ—eth out thus apparantlye to them that be liuing and thincke nothing thereof is that al may knowe Some sinnes pardonable after death The holy sacrifice profiteth some after theire death how yf theire synnes be not irremissible that they may after death obtayne pardon and absolution for them by the oblation of the holy sacrifice But yet we haue here to note that the holy sacrifice doth profit those kinde of persons after theire death who in their life tyme obtayned that such goode workes as wereby their friendes done for theÌ„ might be auailable to their soules after they were out of this worlde OF THE VERTVE AND MYSTERYE of the holy sacrifice CHAPTER LVIII ANd here also we haue diligently to consider that it is far more secure and safe that euery man sâ—ould doe that for him selfe whiles he is yet aliue which he desireth that others should doe for him after his death For far more blessed it is to depart free out of this worlde then being in prison to seeke for release and therfore reason teacheth vs that we shoulde with our whole soule contemne this present worlde at least because we see that it is nowe gone and past and to offer vnto God the daily sacrifice of teares Note what was the daily sacrifice in the primatiue churche the dailye sacrifice of his bodye and blood For this sacrifice doth eâ—pe cially saue our soules from euerlasting damnation which in mystery doth renewe vnto vs the death of the sonne of God who althoughe being risen from death doth not nowe dy any more nor death shall not any further preuaile against him yet liuing in him selfe immortallie and without all corruption he is againe sacrificed for vs in this mysterye of the holy oblation for there his body is receiued there his fleshe The real â—presence is distributed for the saluation of the people there his bloode is not nowe shed betwixt the handes of infideâ—s but poured into the mouthes of the faithfull Wherefore
Ghost sang the psalme Te Deum answering mutually one the other After in prayer writinge preachinge he so much profited the Church that his name is worthyly had in reuerence of all men and generally all Protestants so esteeme him as of no one Doctor more To this holy and learned Father we appeale for tryall of our cause They denye prayer and inuocation of Saintes as iniurious to Christ and sauoringe of idolatrye we defend it as Catholicke and Apostolicall They condemne pilgrimage and visitinge of Martyrs tombes for superstitious and abhominable VVe teach it to be goode and lawfull They detest shrininge of Saintes bones the reuerent touchinge and carrying their relicks in procession VVe imbrace it as highly redoundinge to the honour of God from whose diuine fountayne all their grace did flow and by such signes do praise God in his Saints and know their death to be precious in his sight Now whether in these pointes S. Austen doth fauor vs or helpe them that I leaue to the iudgment of all Protestants thoughe neuer so partiall in their owne cause aster they haue readd ouer this smal treatise for our cause is so clere and the auncient father so close on our side that most assured I am were his name suppressed and a title prefixed accordingly which spirituall stratagem with such as allowe the authoritye of this Father any that please may sone put in practise they would rather scoffe and deride them for phantastical newes sent out of the new world by the Iesuits and trim tales meete for dotinge old wemen to solace them selues then once imagin that such doctrine was current in the slourishinge time of the primatiue Church or so much as dreame that such grosse stuffe in their concept could come from the penn of that learned Clerck and worthy Father S. Austen VVhat salue then for this sore can be deuised will they haply say that the booke from whence this doctrine is fetched is some bastarde lipp and falsely fathered vpon that holy Doctor This shiste can not serue there being not so much as any colour to countenance such a cauill for all learned men confesse it not only to be his but also one os the most notable monuments that euer he published being made in his â—iper age against insultinge Pagans and infidels in defence of Christian religion and about which he laboured many yeares besore he brought it to perfection all which circumstances maturely considered make his authoritie in the foresayd articles far more great and wayghtye VVill they tell vs that he wrot a booke of Retractations and so not vnlikely that these opinions of his be there recalled willingly should I graunt it yf any such thinge were there extant but seinge no cunninge in searchinge can finde that out which is not there to be found they must needes graunt that this answeare bringeth rather corsiue then comfort to their cause sor yf in his latter times he perused ouer all his workes and yet neuer reuoked any one article of the Catholike faith then can not his booke of Retractations any wayes preiudice but rather giue them more creditt and make his authoritye more to presse them And what man of common sense that readeth his owne woordes will euer thinke that he could retract what he there writeth concerning prayer to Saints visitation of relicks and the like seinge they were not any priuate opinions of his owne but the common beleefe and practise of Gods Church as is euident out of the treatise followinge Smaller matters God knoweth they be which he speaketh os in his Retractations and two only things he retracteth in his booke of the City of God from whence these stories are taken The first is that he thought it a miracle that fire from heauen did runne betwene Abrahams sacrifice It should not quoth he haue bene put downe for a miracle Lib. 10. because this was showne him in vision The second is where he sayth that Samuel was not the sonne of Aaron I should rather quoth he haue sayd that he was not the sonne of a Priest because Samuels father is fouÌ„d amongst the sonnes of Aaron but a Preist he was not c. Such priuate opinions as these of smal importance as each one seeth he retracteth in that booke other mayne and many articles of diuinitye in controuersie betwixt them and vs he doth not retract which argueth playnly that they are sound and Catholike and were the beleefe of that time And this the Protestants that be learned be not ignorant of sor which cause when we obiect that S. Austen prayed sor his mothers soule Lib. 9. coÌ„fes cap. 11. 12. 13. Epist 99. ad EuodiuÌ„ 20. de ciuit cap. 15. Tract 118 in Ioan. Haeres 82. that he beleeued Christ to haue descended into that part of hell called Limbus patrum or Abrahams bosome and deliuered Adam from thence and the rest os the holy fathers that he thought it necessary to vse the signe of the Crosse that it was heresy to teach that virginity and marriage were os like merit and such like points in controuersie they neuer tell vs that he retracted these opinions knowing full wel that no such thing is there to be found and therfore though this deuise runneth vp and downe in corners helpeth sometimes amongest ignorant people and giueth a prety grace when his booke is not present yet most sure I am that not any of our learned aduersaries would be willinge to ioyne with vs vpon that yssue being not ignoraÌ„t that this answeare rather desireth darknes then loueth light which is the reason as I suppose that it coÌ„meth seldome in print sor except it were once yf once neuer did I se any such thinge though in common conserence it be the common refuge and sanctury The Protestantes of Magde burge destitute of a better answer help out the matter with flatte lying making S. Augustin to reprehende that which he doth Centur. cap. 6. co 699. highely commende Augustin say they in his 22. booke of the citie of God the 8. chapter concerning the relicks of Steuene writeth that a superstitious and greate coÌ„curse of multitudes was made vnto them euene into Affricke the people being become mad with certaine illusions which were reputed for miracles But this ouer-reaching libertie argueth their cause to be desperate and that no sounde answere can be found to auoide so irrefragable a testimonie they greatly iniurie that worthy father he neither calleth those miracles illusions nor censureth the people for superstitious or madde those termes be slippes of their owne planting nay what doth he els in that whole chapter but proue that the catholicke faith wanteth not miracles can any then beleeue that he would call them illusions by which he affirmeth our faith be proued Peruse goode reader the treatise followinge and I leaue it to thy iudgement whether they had the feare of God before theire eyes that entertayned so grosse and gracelesse an inuention
reade these here mentioned for that I haue passed ouer so many other with silence which they know no lesse then my selfe whome at this time I beseech to pardon me and to thinke with them selues what a labour it is to performe that which the necessity of the worke taken in hand compelleth me not to performe For if I should write only of the miraculous cures to omitt all other which haue bene wrought by this glorious martyr Steuen in the Colony of Chalama as also in oures it would require many bookes and yet all could not be gathered together but only those of which certificates haue bene giuen to the end they might be read to the people for we tooke order to haue it so done for as much as miracles also in our tymes like vnto those of former dayes haue bene wrought which vve thinke very conuenient that they should come to the knowledge of many And it is not two yeares since that this shrine began to be at Kings Hippo and many vvhich vve knovv most certaynly gaue no certificates in vvritinge of such miracles as happened and yet when I wrott this the number of them vvhich haue bene giuen came almost to seauenty But at Chalama vvhere his shrine vvas before and vvhere such billes or certificates be oftner deliuered in they be incomparably far more We knowe also that at Vzalis which is a colony not far from Vtica many notable things haue bene done by the same martyr S. Steuen vvhose shrine vvas there set vp by Bishop Euodius loÌ„g before it vvas here vvith vs but there they vse not to keepe a register of the miracles or rather in times past they did not but now they beginne to do it For at my being there vvihch vvas not long since both my selfe and the Bishoppe of the same place did persvvade the Lady Petronia a noble woman who was there miraculously cured of a great long disease about which many Phisitians had laboured in vaine that she would giue vp in writinge a publike testimonial of the miracle that it might be readde to the people which most obediently she performed wherin also she putt downe that which though I make hast forward yet I can not omitt She sayd therfore that she was perswaded by a certayn Iewe to put a ring on a girdle made of heare and to tye that about her next vnto her bare body and that vnder the gemme of the ring she should put a stone that was found in the reines of an oxe hauinge tyed this about her as a remedy for her disease forth she went to the shrine of the martyr and departing from Carthage she lodged all night at her owne mannor in the confines of the riuer Bagrada and rising vp in the morning to go forward on her iorney she espied the ring lying vpon the ground before her feete where at some-what amazed she felt vppon the girdle and finding that as it was before with all the knotts fast tyed she suspected that the ringe had bene broken and so slipped out but findinge that also safe and sound then she presumed that by so notable a miracle she had almost a pledg of her future recouery where vpoÌ„ she loosed that girdle together with the ring threw it into the riuer They will not beleeue this which beleeue And in this number be many Protestantes not that our Lord Iesus Christ was brought forth without any detrement to his mothers virginity and that he entred into his disciples the dores being shutt but let them enquire the truth of this relation and yf they finde it to be as I haue reported then let them beleeue those other things to be most true the woman is honorable of an honorable parentage and honorably maried She dwelt in Carthage which is a great city and she of great nobilitie Such things as these suffer not such a miracle as this to be vnknowne The martyr himselfe by whose intercession she was cured beleeued in the sonne of her that remayned a virgin beleeued in him who entred into his disciples the dores being shutt Finally which is the cause why I haue made rehear sale of all these things he beleeued in him who in that flesh ascended vp into heauen in which he rose from death and therfore by him so many miracles are wrought because for his faith he shedd his bloud One miracle there is which was done here amonge vs I say not greater then the former recited but so famous and well knovvne that I thinke there is none dwelling in Hippo but eyther did se it or at least hath heard there of neyther is it possible that any can euer forgett it Seuen brothers and three sisters there were all children of one man borne at Cesarea in the countrie of Cappadocia of a good family whom the mother straight vppon the death of their father did curse for a certayne iniury which they offered her and which she tooke passing heauylye Whervpon God punished them with such a pittifull palsye that they did most horribly shake vpon which lamentable chance being ashamed to remayne where they were knowne they departed for diuers countries waÌ„dring vp and downe throuhhout the whole Romaine Empire and at length two of them the brother and the sister called Paulus and Palladia came into this our countrie being before wel known to many other places for their markable miserye and they arriued here about fifteene dayes before Easter not ceasinge dayly to goe to the Church in which also they did frequent the shrine of the glorious martyr S. Steuen where they did earnestly pray that God would pardon their sinnes be reconciled to his wreâ—ched seruants and at length restore vnto them their former health And both there and wheresoeuer they went the people marueyled and gazed vpon them and such as before had sene them in other places and knew both them and the cause of their lamentable shakinge made the matter known to so many as they could When Easter day was come the young man early in the morninge went to the Chruch being already full of people and laying hold as he prayed vppon the barâ—es of that holy place where the shrine was suddenly he fell prostrate and lay as though he had bene a sleepe yet without any trembling or shaking at all which before he did also whâ—n he slept The people present some were amazed some afrayd some grieued and one amongst the rest being about to lift him vp others would not suffer him but thought it better to expect to see what would become of him and behould after he had remayned in that manner some litle time he rose vp without any shaking at all being now safe and sound stoode amongst them in perfect health behoulding them that marueiled at him Who was then present that looked vppon him and sawe what was done that did not magnifie and prayse Gods name And the Church on all sides did rebound with noyse the people cryed so out and