for the vse of the aforesaid monasteries but also ranne vnto the bottome of the mounteine and endured a longe time Though this miracle was done by S. Benedict yet Placidus was a party therein for that he went with him and praied with him was a testimony therof Vertue is alwaies enuyed and maligned and the good doe ordinarily suffer persecutions So one Florentius spiting S. Benedict his neighbor resolued for to persecute him He did it first presenting to him by a messenger bred impoisoned but the holy man knowing what was with in it gaue it to a crowe coÌ„manding him to cary it and leaue it in the desert where it should hurt no man The wicked man seeing he could not accomplish his intent by this deuise agreed with a woman to enter all naked into the garden of the monastery and by dishonest behauiour tempt the moÌ„kes to lewdnes This villanous trick against his monks displeased greatly S. Benedict especially fearing lest Maurus and Placidus being yong youths might thereby susteine some wrong be annoied but God spake to him in his sleep with sweet amiable words bidding him depart out of that country and go and build a monastery in Monte Cassinâ— The holy man obeied and in his iourney visited the holy places and monasteries he had built in that countrey in that seasoÌ„ the house fell vpon Florentius that wicked persecutor and killed him which thing Maurus wrote vnto his father seeming to be glad that their order was freed froÌ„ that persecutor but he reproued him sharply for the same Hauing then set all his conuents in good order in the yere of our Lords 529 he with his two disciples Placidus and Maurus iourneied toward Mont Cassino and as they passed by a village called Aureola nere the city Hercularia it was reuealed vnto him that in thaâ— place was to be builded a famous monastery of his order for which cause he commaunded his two disciples to stay there certain daies to lay the fouÌ„dations that being done to go on to Monte Cassino where he would be They obeied the glorious father S. Benedict proceeded on his iourney and came to Monte Cassino where for the space of 40. daies he continued in praier not farre from a temple of Apollo after which time inspired and fauored of God he destroied the Idoll threw downe the Altar and defaced the foundation and all signes of Idolatry which he could finde Then came his two disciples and began to founde the monastery which was after the head of all his order and built a Church vnto S. Martin in the place where the Idoll before had bin He made an altar to S. Iohn Euangelist and this being done he also preached vnto the people of that countrey and conuerted theÌ„ vnto the faith of CHRIST These doings of the holy man enraged the deuill wherfore he persecuted him all that he might appeared to him ougly in dreadfull shapes Placidus Maurus heard the roaring and howling that he made all though thy did not see his shape He did them also all the harme he could by endeuoring to disturbe the work and the building of the monastery makiÌ„g the stones verie weighty casting downe the walles raising fantisticall fires but by the praiers of S. Benedict they were deliuered from all these mischiefs Monte Cassino all the territorie had bin the possession of Terâ—ullus father vnto Placidus who vnderstanding how S. Benedict built there a monastery reioiced much therat and went thither to visite him accompanied with many other noble Romans as Boetius Simmachus Vitalianus Gordianus and Equitius When the blessed man vnderstood of their comming he went with Placidus to the doore of the monastery to receaue theÌ„ Terâ—ullus seing S. Benedict whose body was feeble and withered with great fasting alighted froÌ„ his horse and decked with riche and gay apparrell as he was fell on the ground to kisse his feete The holy patriarch lifted him vp and embraced him both of them weeping for tendernes of heart The whole company went into the Church of S. Martin in the which were many relligious men Tertullius did embrace them all and incontinent in the presence of those noblemen Consuls and Senators which came with him offred to God and to S. Benedict the monte Cassino with all the lands and villages thereunto apperteyning and because it was his patrimony which he enherited from his father he made a publick writing therof after the Romaine vse and maner In like maner he made a deed of guift of other posessions villages and castles and of a house in the which his sonne Placidus was borne being within Rome vpon the mounte Celius in which place was after made a Church called S. Erasmus And Equitius the Senator made a donation vnto the Abbot in the name of him self and of his sonne Maurus of some of his lands and posessions lyeng in Naples Gordianus in the name of himself and of his wife Siluia offered some villages and arrable grounds vnto the blessed Abbot theÌ„ they returned back to Rome The posessions that Tertullius the father of Placidus gaue to S. Benedict were 18. villages in Sicilie with hauens woods ryuers and parks When it was know in the Is'land that Tertullius had giuen those things vnto the monks diuers persons iniuriously inâ—â—uded themselfs into theÌ„ and kept theÌ„ by force The ouer seers and bailiues of them certefied S. Benedict therof who assembled his monks to treate of a meanes to remedy the same it was determined that Placidus should go thither who should be respected as being sonne to Tertulius and that he with his discretion would bring all things to good passe He as an obedient sonne was content to go thither and accompanied with two of his houshold friends Gordianus and Donaâ—â—s departed from Monte Cassino on the 20 day of May in the yeare of our Lord 536 and came vnto Capua where Germanus B. of that citie receaued them courteously At that time Zoffa chief secretary to the Church of Capua was grieuously troubled with the headache and hearing of coÌ„ming of Placidus disciple of S. Benedict whose miracles were renowned in all places came vnto him and said I beseech thee ô Placidus seruant of God by the name of thy maister Benedict which is worthy of all reuerence to lay thy hand vpon my head for I stedfastly belieue that if thou doest I shall be healed Placidus was aggrieued that he made such a request desired him to depart in peace for it was not fitt to request such things of him but of his Mr S. Benedict or of such other holy meÌ„ for he was a greeuous sinner needed the praiers of good men himself The B. Germanus hearing his wordes esteemed him to be very humble and besought him to performe the request of the sick man Placidus thought not good to gainsay the request of so holy and famous a prelate and so he laid his hand vpon the sick man and
who being offended with mankind for the first man many damosells were sought who were kept inclosed in the Temple of Ierusalem to the end his iust indignation might be mitigated and asswaged In that place were the damosells furnished of all things necessarie to make their soules faire and beautifull by adorning them with vertue and perfuming them with the holie excercises of prayers and meditations Thither was brought the most faire and prudent Esther to witt the soueraigne Quene of the Angells Mary the virgin who was elected to be the mother of God and who pacified and appeased the wrath of the heauenly father This is the solemnitie which is this day celebrated in the Church that is to say when the most blessed virgin was presented in the Temple There she remained for a tyme vntill she was presented to the heauenly Father who was pleased with her fauour and beautie and crowned her Queene of heauen and earth The eternall Father elected her for his daughter the Sonne for his mother and the holie Ghost for his spouse This historie is recountéd by Simeon Metaphrastes German Archbishop of Constantinople George Archbishop of Nicomedia and the Bishop Lippoman reherseth it in this manner THE most blessed virgin being come vnto the age of three yeares her father Ioachim conducted her vnto the Temple of Ierusalem and there offred her vnto God leauing her in a colledge of damosells where they being most of theÌ„ of noble blood were brought vp and especiallie the first borne daughters of the royall tribe of Iuda and of the priests tribe of Leuy and there they stayed vntill they came vnto the age to be marryed In this meane space they were continually imployed in holie excercises as prayer and working spending the time in all vertuous occupation and to that purpose they had many mistresses who taught and instructed them without intermission We may very well beleeue that Anna the propheâ—esse of whom S. Luke the Euangelist maketh mention that she spake of our Sauiour IESVS the same day that he was presented in the Temple we may beleeue I say that she had friendship and familiarâ—tie with the B. virgin they liuing both together in the Temple in that vertuous manner As also that her loue was exceeding much towards her as expecting that God should work the great misterie and benefitt of our redemption by her When the glorious virgin was brought vnto the Temple shee was placed on the first ascending step of the fifteene while the offring was prepared that was to be offred with her The Priests went to meet her and the B. infant leauing the hands of them that brought her thither and without the help of any person only fauoured and susteined by the grace of the holie Ghost began to climb the steppes and went euen to the Altar without other help as if she had beene of perfect age so that the priests of the Temple and they that were with her wondred but yet they reioyced much thereat hauing knowledg thereby that God began to shew maruaillse in the childhood of her that should be his mother The litle holie virgin remained in the Temple because her capacitie vnderstanding were excellent she profitted exceedinglie in such things as the damosells learned in that place which was to read write sowe weaue sing the Himâ—es of Dauid and to pray at certaine times and houres The blessed virgin surpassed all others in these excercises and in all vertue In her shone cleerly Charitie deuotion and all other vertues which made her beloued of euerie one This B virgin remaining there made a vowe to obserue virginitie yet some doctors say that her vowe was conditionall and not absolute so that we may pyously beleeue that she kneeling on her knees with her hands eyes and hart lifted vp vnto heauen might say these or the like words Oâ—ny God maker of heauen and earth who of thy only goodnes and bountie hast created my soule and body I promise withall integritie asmuch as is expected of me and as shall please thy maiestie to serue thee with them both to obserue virginitie and neuer to know man carnallie but to applly my self whollie in thy seruice This we may beleeue to be the vowe the holie virgin made When by the prouidence of God she was espoused vnto the patriarch Ioseph she gaue him notice of the vowe she had made and that â—â—er desire was to obserue it He reioyced and was well content there with for that as it is thought he also had made the like vowe though conditionate in such sort that both of them by inspiration of the holie Ghost had made a like vowe of virginitie This noble guiâ—t virginity was alwaies highlie esteemed both of God and men both of beleeuers and vnbeleeuers All the time Eue stayed in paradise she was a virgin but assoone as she went out she lost her virginity The high priest of the Hebrewes could not marry one that was not a virgin The Gentiles did nor permitt any woman that was not a virgin to inhabite in the Temple of the Goddesse Vesta If woemen desire to keep this pretious treasure it is requisite that they liue apart from the world and retyred Dyna the daughter of Iacob by her walking abroad to see the country whereunto she was new come with her father and brethren and to see the woemeÌ„ of that country lost both her virginitie and honour and was also the cause that all the men of that place lost their liues If the mother of God contynued withdrawen and shutt close vp let not yong damosells be grieued to be kept in and to liue retyred For if they remaine retyred and shut in they shall be out of daunger in security but if they will walk abroad gadding and gasing they shall incurâ—e great perill and danger and oftentimes come to reproach as some find by experience who to late perceaue their error when there is no remedy For as S. Ierome saith the losse of virginity cannot be recouered and being once lost it is without remedy Concerning the feature and corporall disposition of the B. virgin I will say that which S. Epiphanius said as Nicephorus Callisthus reherseth it which doth also agree with the Image S. Luke painted who sawe her and drew her picture whilest she lyued The virgin Mary was of a middle stature her collour was of the wheat her face was some what long her eyes great and of a good collour the eyeliddes black her mouth little lippes of a liuely collour her teeth white and little her haire yellow her hands and fingers long all her other lyneaments well proportioned She was surpassing faire and gratious of countenance her look was very graue and her speach delectable Shee neuer wore any cloth that had bene died She couered her forhead somewhat with her mantle Pope Pius 2. who sate in S. Peters chayre in the yeare of our Lord 1461. gaue lycence that the feast of the presentation of the glorious
brightnes in maner of a loÌ„g vesture euen to the ground so that the paynims could not see her The holy saint was let thorough all the city and brought back vnto the gouernour who seeing her constancy gaue sentence that shee should be beheaded The cursed father of the blessed damosell who had bene present at this dollorous spectacle and was not any thing mollified but rather more incrudelized desired the gouernour to shew him the fauour to execute the sentence pronounced by him against his daughter which request was easily graunted The glorious saint was led out of the city vnto a hâ—lâ—e where was the ordinary place of execution and there kneeling on her knees shee made a deuout prayer vnto God rendering him thankes for bringing her to that passage Then bowed shee her head before her father who voide of pitty lifted vp the sword and cut of her head Then returned the cursed wretch vnto the city vaunting he had done a memorable act for the seruice of his Gods saying he deserued to be honored by th'emperour and to haue his name eternized But God almighty was not pleased with his boasting of so inhumane an act for vnexpectedly it thundered and therwith a thunderbolt fell which strook and killed him out of hand So that at one time the daughter ascended to heauen where shee was receued with ioy and triumph of the heauenly citisens and of the celestiall king and the father descended into hell where he is and shall be perpetually tormented by the deuills The body of this glorious damosell and martir S. Barbara was buryed by a holy and religious man called Valentinian with musique songs to the praise laude of God of S. Barbara his spouse The martirdome of this blessed damosell was on the. 4. day of December in the year of our Lord. 288. in the time of Diocleâ—ian and Maximian This holy saint is a speciall aduocate against tempests thunder and thunderbolts Petrus Galesinus the Apostolique protonotary wrote the life of S. Babara and saith that he collected it out of S Iohn Damascen out of Arsenius and out of other Grecians and it is conformable to that which is here written The life of S. Sabba Abbot SAINT Theodoret writeth in his relligious history that holy Abbot called Publius congregated together many hermus and builded a conuent On a day conferring with them among other things he said That as one going to the high stret or market place to prouide things necessary for his house and at one shop buieth cloth at another shoes out of this is furnished with bread out of another is prouided of wine euen so the relligious man in the conuent is from one man to lern patience from another humility from an other chastity and he like of other vertues For this cause in ancient timme some seruants of God although it was pleasing and to yous for them to like in the desert and wildernes yet did they gather many disciples together and make conuents to the end that some being instructers of others and some lerning of their superiors or betters all might be saued One of these was S. Sabba the Abbot whose life collected out of Cyrill the monck and some Authors of martirologes was in this manner SAINT Sabba was borne in the prouince of Cappadocia in a city called Mutalasium his fathers name was Iohn and the name of his mother was Sophia and it was in the time of Theodosius 2. th'emperour of Rome It fell out that the father of S. Sabba went to serue in the warre that was then in Alexandria and recommended his sonne vnto his brother called Ieremy whose wife hated the child and could not abide to see him but vsed him hardly This was in part the cause that S. Sabba went vnto a monastery in the which Gregory a holy man was Abbot He receaued Sabba into the monastery and gaue him the relligious habite where he liued a holy life exercising himself alwayes in vertue but his abstinence was most remarkable and his mortification was admirable and so was his humility and patience wherfore God shewed by him some myracles and one in especiall which befell in that monastery and this it was The baker had one day put his cloths into the ouen which was somewhat hotte to dry and forgetting them put in fire which already flaming thorough all the ouen he remembred the cloths but could not gett them out by any meanes The poore man made moane for his mis-happe and by chance Sabba was there present who made the signe of the Crosse in the ouen and then he went into the ouen flamyng as it did and took out the cloths whole and without any hurt Then he asked leaue of his superiour to depart from that monastery and to go into a desert where he liued a solitary life certaine yeares and endured many terrible tentations of the deuills He went also vnto Ierusalem to visite the holy places where the misteryes of our redemptioÌ„ were wrought And being one day in that city neere vnto the Church of S. Iohn Baptist he healed a woman that had a bloudy flixe he cured another that was cruelly tormented by the deuill Whiels S. Sabba was in Ierusalem there was exceeding scarcity of water and there was not any to be found not to be had to drink in such sort that the people were ready to dye for thirst The good father Sabba fell to praier prostrated on the earth with his body but his soule being lifted and fixed in heauen in that manner he continued in praier all night the teares which bathed the place on earth where the holie saint was gaue testimonie with what efficacie he had requested God to succour and relieue his people in their necessitie It pleased God to shew fauour vnto his seruant for there fell a verie great shower of raine that filled the cisternes and satisfied the people euerie one yielding infinite thanks vnto God that had showen compassion vnto them though many of them did not know who had been the meanes to obtaine so notable a fauour Then did this good father collect and assemble toger her many disciples and founded some monasteries and liued a holie relligious life and finallie died in Ierusalem in the yeare of our Lord. 424. being 94 yeares old His body was buried between two Churches was afterward caried vnto Venice where at this present he â—eth in the Church of S. Antoninus The life of S. Nicholas Bishop and Confessor WE read in the book of kings that God talking of the noble king Dauid 2. Reg. â—3 said of him that he had found a man according to his owne hart and herefore made him captaine and ruler ouer his people These words though at the first said of Dauid may be very well applied vnto the glorious S. Nicholas for he was a man according to Gods owne hart They were verified of Dauid because he was pitifull and myld and the same may be said of S. Nicholas
THE LIVES OF SAINTS Written in Spanish by the learned and Reuerend Father ALFONSO VILLEGAS Diuine and Preacher Translated out of Italian into English and conferred with the Spanish BY W. E. K. B. Rom. 8. v. 17. Sitamen compatimur vt conglorificemur Yet if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him Printed at DOWAY By the Widow of LAVRENCE KELLAM at the signe of the holy Lambe M.DC.XIV To the Reader WE present the now at length deere Chriâ—tian Reader with the foure last moneths of â—heyre glorious liues whose names as renowned Sainctes of God are in the Roman Calender This debt I must confess hath bin due this long time but could not be discharged vntill this present wherein the grace of God hath freed our passage through a maine sea of difficulties For such is the nature of all Catholique writings in oure distressed countrie what through penurie pressure and long imprisonment of they re authors at home ignorance neglect carelesnes of suche as are put in trust abroade wee must wynde oure selues out of a laberynth of crosses before wee can bring to light oure laboures And euen then must they runne so manie hard fortunes and haue suche bad well come and entertainment that only this were able to check all endeuoures not strengthned by the hand of God And yett could I neuer finde anie reason why this worke of oures should not be wellcome to people of all sorts and conditions For yf the liues of those auncyent worthies whose highest ayme was a fayned shadowed transitorie glorie or els the loue and renowne of they re natiue countrie be so gratefull to most men principally suche as follow they re steppes they who taking vp they re crosse and following CHRISTE did beate the narrow path that leadeth to saluation they whose ayme was euerlasting glorie whose loue Hierusalem they re mother citty in heauen they whose valour and violence did winne the Kingdome purchased for them with the bloud of CHRISTE why should not theyr liues be acceptable to all whose name doth wittness theyr profession to be nothing els but a following of CHRISTE Or why should wee gleane with a hungrie delight greedie appetite some few barren eares of morall vertues scattered in the liues of Heathnish authors care not for the chiefe croppe and principall haruest of all naturall supernaturall vertues which are to be found in that hundreth-yielding field of the Churche of CHRISTE Especially seing that what is most emineÌ„t in suche as only walked by light of reason may no wayes compare with the verie beginnings of those sainctes that were guided by the light of faith These God therefore hath placed in the churches firmament to serue vs as light to guide oure steps these he did leaue vs as patternes and myrrhoures wherein wee might behold oure offences to shunne them they re vertues to embrace them In them all callings professions shall finde how to rule and square they re actions to the honoure of God and profiâ—t of they re soules They will teache vs how to wage warre with oure enemies VVorld Flesh Deuill how to preuent they re wiles trappes when they goe about to win vs with coloure of sanctity how to arme order ward oure selues when they assaile vs with open force and hostility There wee shall see howe to behaue oure selues in the boysterous stormes of aduersitie how in the deceytfull calme of prosperitie Finally they re liues will be oure card compasse teaching vs how to direct oure course that without suffering shipwracked of oure soules wee may arriue at the hauen of health saluatioÌ„ VVherefore deere Christian Reader doubt not to wellcome entertain that ghuest whose presence with pleasure will affoord thee such profitt And when thou doest finde some few suche things as are more to be admired then imitated past not thy iudgement vpon theÌ„ with passion measure not the vertues of God his Sainctes by thy owne feeblenes goe not about to weaken or discredit the promisses of CHRISTE nor confine the omnipoteÌ„t hand of God within the narrow bounds of humaine reason for the holie Ghost hath all ready fore told vs that God is admirable in his sainctes and CHRISTE did promise that his disciples should worke greater wonders then they re maisters SEPTEMBER The life of S. Giles Abbot WE READE in the beginning of Genesis that when our Lord God would forme man Gen. I. he said these wordes Let vs make man vnto our image similitude who shal rule ouer the fishes of the sea the foules of the ayre and beastes of the earth The holy Doctors say that if the first man had perseuered in the state of innocency and had conserued original iustice in the which God created him all the creatures had acknowledged him for their Lord and had bene obedient vnto him but for that he was disobedient vnto God all creatures were disobedient and became foes vnto him The same thing happened vnto man which befalleth vnto a hunter who going out to hunt all the dogges leap about him and fawne and lick him but if he should put on a visard it is likly inough they would not acknowledg him but would look angerly grin and swarle at him Euen so befell it vnto our first father Adam after that he put the visard of disobedience on his face Before that all creatures esteemed and serued him and acknowledged him for the superiour but afterward they all rebelled making warre against him as against their common enemy Neuertheles God being merciful to the end that some signe of that happy estate might be seene permitted that there should be some so holie and faithfull that vnto them many creatures should serue and be obedient As we haue an example of S. Giles VVho was cherished by a hinde a while and mainteined by her milk the time he remained in a caue of a soltary and craggy mountaine The life of this holy Abbot and Confessor was written by Gilbertus B. of Carnotum and other Authors in this manner SAINT Giles was borne in Athens of the Royall bloude His father was called Theodorus and his mother Pelagia From his childhood he was instructed in the studies of humanity and diuinity also and in the same age he gaue himself vnto the seruice of God exercising himself in good workes He was of singular charity and gaue much almose He went one day vnto the church sawe a poore sick man in the street who asked an almes of him and he taking the garment he wore gaue it to the poore man who took it and put it on and forthwith he became perfectly whole Not long after this his father died and he distributed al his patrimony which was very great amongst the needy God shewed many miracles by the meanes of this holy Saint one was when he healed a man that was bitten by a venemous serpent so that he was at the point of death Another was he being one sonday
borne of whom would be borne IESVS that is called CHRIST By the things before rehersed you may know how reasonable it is to celebrate the Natiuitie of this Virgin for that her desarts and graces be so great as is aboue mentioned The Church in auncient time did not solemnize this feast which is proued by the words of S. Augustine Aug de sanct ser 11 tâ—m 10. who saith in one sermon that the Natiuity of IESVS CHRIST and S. Iohn Baptist be only celebrated By this you may vnderstand that this feast was not kept through the vniuersall Church at that time though it be thought that from the time of the Apostles it was celebrated in some particular Churches In the time of Pope Innocent 4. it was ordeined that this solemnitie should be celebrated vniuersally by all the faithfull in the Catholike Church about the yeare of our Lord. 1250. The occasion to celebrate this feast was in one yeare and 8. moneths space no Pope was chosen after the death of Pope Celestine 4. which was the cause of infinite scandals through all Christendome but especiallie in Italy for that the Emperor Frederick who rebelled against the Church euerie day vsurped and got some of the lands belonging vnto the Church The Cardinals who were in the Conclaue desired to make the election but they could not agree At last they treated among them selfs it being propounded by some deuout person vnto our Lady to make a vowe that if any of them were made Pope in a short space for a remedy of those great damages and losses of the Church he should ordeine the celebration of the Natiuitie of our Ladie and should make it a feast with octaues through al Christendome The vowe being made forthwith ensued the election of Cardinall Sinibaldus who was called Innocent 4. who ordeined the Natiuity of our Lady to be kept on the. 8. day of September through all Christendome This election reioyced the wholle world that had longed for a pope and for that the cause of this was ascribed vnto the newe feast of the most B. virgin he ordeined that in the office they should sing this Antheme which beginneth Natiuitas tua dei genitrix virgo gaudium annunciauit vniuerso mundo c That is to say Thy birth ô virgin Mary mother of God brought ioye to the wholl world Some Authors seeme to say Vine in spec l. 7. c. 119. that a relligious man liuing in contemplation hard euery yere on the. 8. day of September the Angels to make melody and triumph and demaunding of one of them what was the cause of such ioy in heauen he was answered that on that day was celebrated the Natiuity of the mother of God and that then vpon the credit of that relligious man this feast began to be celebrated It may be true that this relligious man had that before remembred vision but the occasion to promulgate the solemnity of this feast is that which I rehersed first And to the end some thing may be spoken concerning the history collecting it out of that which S. Ierome S. Iohn Damascen Gregory of Nissen and Simeon Metaphrastes write therof I say that the father of the Virgin Marie was called Ioachim and her mother Anna Thy were both of the tribe of Iuda and of the house and family of Dauid and this is to be holden as an Article of faith for there be many prophecies in the holy writ which say that the MESSIAS should be borne of the tribe of Iuda and of the house and family of Dauid And he being to be borne of glorious virgin it followeth that the father and mother of her were to be of that tribe Hier. de ort B. Vir. Luc. 3. and of that family S. Ierome nameth some patriarches which must of necessity be the same which S. Luke nameth in his Gospell He saith then that Iannes begot Melchi and Melchi begot Leui See Iohn lucid l. 2. de temp hebr and Leui begot Mathan and Mathan begot Heli who is also called Ioachim who as he saith was naturall father vnto the Virgin Marie and legall father vnto Ioseph Ioachim took Anna vnto wife and both of them dwelt in Nazareth a citty of Galilee They were very rich and bestowed part of their goods vpon the poore and other pious vses S. Ierome saith also that they continued together 20. years and neuer had children for which Issachar the priest not only would not receue the offering of Ioachim in the temple of Ierusalem vpon a feast which was kept there and was called Encenia but bad him to depart out of the temple for that assuredly he had some secret sinne for the which God punished him and did not graunt him the fruit of benediction So that Ioachim all afflicted and ashamed departed from the temple Gregory Nizen and Simeon Metaphrastes say that S. Anna vpon the like solemnity came from Nazareth vnto Ierusalem 1. Reg. 1. and like the other Anna the mother of Samuel lamented wept and sighed in the Temple desiring God to graunt her children and euen as Anna the mother of Samuel did shee vowed to offer in the temple vnto the seruice of God the sonne or daughter that God would be pleased to giue her They say also that afer shee had made the vowe shee lay with her husband Ioachim and conceiued and was deliuered of the Queene of Angells the Virgin Mary our aduocate And though vsually when daughters are borne the father and mother do not reioyce so much as if it were a sonne for that the daughters are troblesome to bring vp and to mainteine more chargeable to set forth in marriage yet when the B. virgin was borne the father and mother felt and tasted infinite ioy as of a thing they had long desired They also reioyced for that they had some kinde of knowledg that this their daughter should not be any charge to them for a dowry in mariage but also by her meanes God would showe many fauors and blessings vpon all the world S. Bernard made this speech vnto the B. virgin in these wordes Happy art thou O Virgin Marie more then any other creature since of thee in thee and by thee God hath recreated the wholle world which he hath created In that we haue said before we haue in part seen the great worth of the Queen newly borne the order of her birth her coming into the world Now it remaineth as the vsage is to gratulate reioice with her father and mother saying vnto them O Holy and happy Patriark Ioachim and Anna happy may the birth of your daughter be wee pray God yee may see her brought vp and well married without doubt it shal be so for God will giue vnto her for spouse Ioseph one of the holiest men that shall be in the world He shal be her guard and help he shall not take of her the pledge dewe vnto spouses but rather by thes espousalls shee shall remaine
most pure and chast as she was before and euer shall be Shee shall haue another spouse in heauen which shal be God himself to wit The Holy Ghost the third person of the holy Trinity He shall be her spouse and by him shee shall conceiue without losse or dammage vnto her virginity and hauing conceiued shall bring forth into the world our Sauior and Redeemer After we haue thus reioiced with Ioachim and Anna for that thy haue such a daughter borne vnto them we may also reioice with their other kinsfolke for that they haue gotten nowe such a kinswoman Let vs reioice also with the sinners for that nowe this day is borne their aduocate Let vs reioice with the Angels since that on this day is borne their Queene let vs reioice with God since on this day is borne his mother daughter and spouse And at the last let vs reioice with the virgin her selfe since God hath elected her to such gretnes and dignity And the occasion of this being for that we be sinners for if sinne had not bin God had not bin made man and if he had not bin made man shee had not bin his mother Therfore without doute shee being aduaunced to this gretnes by our occasion will remember vs and obteine for vs of the same God who is her sonne pardon and mercy for our sinnes transgressions and also his heauenly grace that we may be partakers of his glory The life of S. Adrian Martir THE worthy king Dauid speaking with God in one Psalme said Ps 118 I haue inclined my hart to do iust and good workes for retribution sake that is hauing regard vnto the reward which ariseth in doing them It is not euill to exercise and do good and holy workes in hauing regard vnto that which is gained therby in doing them The reason hereof is that the guerdon or reward which is expected is God himselfe In such sort that he who for that respect doth good workes doth them for the loue of God In the number of those may the glorious martir S. Adrian be accounted who by hearing of the greate guerdon the martirs expected did voluntarilie offer himselfe vnto martirdome His life was written by Ado. B. of Triers and it was in this manner THE Emperour Maximian commaunded that the Christians that were in the citie of Nicomedia a city of Bithinia should be diligently sought out Many were apprehended and after that the Emperour had admonished and willed them to adore the Idoll and sawe them constant and firme in the profession of the faith of IESVS CHRIST he bad them all to be chained vnto wodden postes and to be beaten with the rawe sinewes of beastes and when he heard them in they re tormentes to praise the name of IESVS CHRIST he caused their tounges to be cut out and theire mouthes to be beaten with greate stones The number of these martirs was 23. Adrian was present there as an officer to attend and see that the commaundement of the Emperour should be executed He was an Idolater and a man of good account with Maximian And when he sawe howe patiently the holy martirs tollerated those terrible tormentes wondering therat he said vnto them I coniure you by the God which you adore and for whom you suffer these torments to tell me truly what guerdon or reward you expect for I suppose it to be very greate The holy martirs though they had no tonges by the permission of God answered him thus The reward we expect is such so greate that eyes neuer sawe it nor eares haue hard it nor the hart of man cānot conceiue it for it is an vnspeakable good which God hath prepared for his frends Adrian hearing this desired not to heare any more but being inspired by God and shewing himselfe desirous to be partaker of so greate good entred into the midst of the martirs and said to the Register before whom the matter was handled write also my name with these soulders of CHRIST for I will be a Christian also as they be The Emperour was certified hereof and when the name of Adrian was read vnto him among the other Christians which were prisoners he caused him to be called said vnto him O Adrian what art thou become foolish that thou seekest to lose thy life wretchedly Adrian aunswered I haue been but nowe I am not a foole for that I am a Christian and no more an Idolater as I haue bene before time The'mperour being desirous to make him alter his purpose discoursed and conferred long with him but seeing his words did not preuaile in rage and fury he caused him to be chained and fettered and put in prison Adrian was about 28. yeares old had to wife a woman called Natalia who was a Christian When shee heard what had befallen vnto her husband shee went with greate ioy vnto the prison and fell at his feet and kissing his fetters wherewith he was gyued said vnto him Blessed art thou ô Adrian my husband and my Lord nowe thou hast found the riches which thy father left not vnto thee Passe securely vnto IESVS CHRIST in whom thou hast reposed thy treasure which thou shalt find herafter in the time of necessity when no man shall be able to deliuer from punishment the wretch which shal be condemned The father shall not be able to deliuer the sonne nor the mother the daughter nor the transitorie riches of the world nor the ambition to haue many seruants and a great patrimony the freind shall not be of ability to help the freind only the deedes which a man hath done shall do a man good and pleasure Thou my Lord hast IESVS CHRIST in thy company in whom thou hast deposed and laid vp thy treasures walk in the way thou hast begon be not wery therof to the end thou maiest enioy the promises Take heede let not the remembrance of earthly and momentary things moue thee to turne backward from thy way begon nether let thy kinsfolks nor the wailings of thy father and mother nor the flattery of thy freinds nor the menaces of thy enemies moue thee Let not the torments of the tirant put thee in feare but fixe thy eyes vpon the constancie patience of these holie martirs which be with thee Imitate them in life and thou shalt be rewarded with them in death The blessed woman hauing said these words went vnto the holy martirs one by one and kissed their gyues and fetters saieng I beseech you ô seruants of IESVS CHRIST to animate and encourage my husband gaine you his soule Be vnto him a father that by your meanes he may be regenerated vnto euerlasting life Adrian said vnto his wife Goe home from hence my deare and chast sister for when the time shall come that we shal be examined and iudged I will bring thee notice therof that thou maiest be present and see the end of this work Certein daies after S. Adrian vnderstood that they resolued to
and scourgeth vs thus seuerely what will he doe in the time of Iustice All these things S. Frauncis did learne by that sicknesse wherewith God did visit him Where fore being restored againe to health he arose from his bed with great feruoure and purpose to profit in the way of oure Lord. Forthwith an occasion was offered him for a poore man in euill state ragged cloathes asked him an almes as he was going out of doores S. Frauncis looking on him knew him well for he was a gentlemā fallen to decay such compassion came into his mind regarding him as if JESVS CHRIST were in the likenes of that poore man that turning aside he pulled his new garment of his back coped with the poore man his ragged clothes The night ensuing as Francis slept he thought he was in a faire roome where in lay many rich pearles and Iewells of inestimable price there he also did see our Lord IESVS CHRIST for whose sake he had giuen the garment to the poore man and he hard him say I keep these rich Iewells for my souldiers who take vp my Crosse on their shoulders and followe me S. Francis arose with an ardent desire to gett part of those riches and studied as he went howe he might obtaine them Then thought he perhapps it is the will of God I should be a souldier in the warre against the Infidells in the holy land wherin the Christians did were a Crosse on their armor to gaine the Indulgences giuen by the Pope to them that took the Crosse S. Frauncis therfore entended to haue taken that Crosse and to that end bought him horse and Armour but it was reuealed vnto him from Heauen that Gods holie will was he should be a souldier in an other manner This caused S. Francis to be very carefull to know what was the will of God Sometines he would go into secret places and there pray and shed so many tears that his eyes did verily seeme two fontaines those teares proceeded from the remembrance of his life past of the leud spending of his time He oftentimes said Ah wretched sinner that I am how heynous an offender am I Oh what an euill reckning can I yeld to God of the flower of my years howe blind was I to cōmit so many sinnes against my God who is so gracyous so mighty and who hath shewed me so many fauours and benefits I am now handled euen as I deserue at this present he is deaff to me and will not declare in what sort his pleasure is I serue him for that I haue bene deaff to him who gaue me so many good inspiration Thus he praied incessantly desiring God to disclose and declare his will vnto him and what he should do the better to serue him S. Francis doing thus one day he came into the Church of S. Damyan neere to the city of Assisiū and kneeling before the Roode instantly desired IESVS CHRIST to deliuer him from this anxiety and doubt and also to declare his will vnto him and with that he heard a voyce say vnto him Frauncis Repair my Church which is ready to fall He was somewhat afraid whē he heard the voice but was forth with comforted imagining that God did bid him repaire that Church wherin he praied Wherupon he diligently went to put it in effect and getting good store of merchaundise together and hauing sold them he brought the mony and gaue it vnto the priest of the Church but the priest would not take it for feare of S. Francis his father who as he knew right well would storme and chafe therat S. Francis seing the priest refuse the mony put it all in a purse and threwe it to him and told him what he should do therewith The father fo S. Francis hearing that his sonne sold his wares for ready money vnder theire value and the true worth and imagining what the matter was went to seek him with a heauy hart hearing he was gone to the Church of S. Damian thither he went to follow and find him S. Francis sawe him comming a farre of and to auoid his fury hid himself in a vault His father in a rage came to the Church and not finding his sonne there began to quarell with the priest who being afrighted with his threats said to him your sonne was heere and would haue giuen me this mony and I would not take it wherupon he threw it on the ground went away saying that I should repair ther with this Church that needed repaire His father tooke the mony and said the mony is myne and his choler now being some what alayed he returned home longing to find his sonne that he might giue him some reproach full punishment for that he vsed in this manner to spend his goods S. Paul saith 1. Tim 6. that Auarice is the roote of all euill and his father being couetous it is no merueill though in him were many euills and that he did so like vnto the deuill as he did in this It is the vse of the deuill not to persecute them that be his prisoners but them that escape out of his hands as Laban did who persecuted not Iacob as long as he remayned in his house Gen 3 but pursued him when he departed So doth the deuill also for when one flyeth from him he pursueth him with a 1000. tentations So did the father of S. Francis also for as long as he gaue himself to a lewd and wicked life he neuer examined nor reprooued him but when he was desirous and began to be vertuous and to be good he pursued him euen almost to death S. Francis lay close in the vault many daies continually and deuoutly and with teares praieng vnto God to let him knowe his will At last he came out of the vault and went into the city with a firme resolution patiently to suffer all that might happen Assoone as the people sawe him altred pale and leane and going dully as if he had bene out of his witts in ragged and torne clothes they cried after him in the street as if he had bene a foole His father being told of him came out of his house into the street like a lyon and led him away reuiling and misnaming him He kept him in a house very hardly and to disburden his furyous rage the more vpon him he lockt him vp in a roome and bound him to a post These things S. Francis abode and endured patiently After certin dayes his father had occasion to ryde out of towne vpon some busines wherupon his mother a good Christian and pitifull hauing compassion on her sonne and fearing her husband would do some futher outrage went to Francis weeping as shee satte by him shee desired him to shewe a will to serue God to for sake the world not to spend his fathers goods lewdly to his great and iust displeasure and not to behaue himself so as to be accounted a foole wherby he
contrariewise the humillity vertue of Placidus fauored by the praier of S. Benedict was the cause that he safe aliue came out of a riuer wherinto he fell was in iminiment daÌ„ger of drowning His good successe was very profitable beneficiall for all Christians to whoÌ„ his good example was a light direction in the way of vertue God did shew them many fauors by his praiers merites His life was written by Iordano a houshold dweller with the same saint and at the commaundent of the Emperor Iustinian Laurence Surius rehearseth it in this maner THE Gothes hauing conquered made them selues Lords of Italy Theoderik the secoÌ„d being their kinge Iohn sitting in the chaire of S. Peter and Iustinian being Emperour in Constantinople there came to Rome an honorable man of the order of Senators called Tertullius surpassing all others in posessions and allied to the Emperour in bloud Moreouer he was a iust man and vertuous which made euery one to loue him and manie call him father of the countrie He had a wife of an equall degree vnto him and by her three sonnes and one daughter The eldest sonne was called Placidus the second Eutichius the third Victorinus the name of his Daughter was Flauia they were all holy people for so good a tree did bring forth good fruite From their child hoode their father and mother instructed them to serue God to loue patience humility temperance and charity And though Tertullius was continually emploied in the affaires of the Emperour yet omitted he not to spend much time in visiting Churches and monasteries seeking in what he might the good of his soule and the seruice of God At that time the most blessed father S. Benedict liued in Sublak shining with sanctitie and miraculous deedes Much people resorted vnto him from all parts with a desire to saue their soules to be of his holie religious order so he builded 12. monasteries placed in euerie one of them people of a pure holy and vertuous life who should instruct in the seruice of God those that came newlie to his order yet some of those nouices he kept with himself to be their teacher All these things related in the presence of Tertulius the Senator in Rome moued him to go and visite the saint being nobly accompanied as his state required appareled with scarlet gold and precious stones Assone as he sawe the holy maÌ„ he fell downe with greate reuernce and humility at his feete and with sobbes and teares requested him to pray vnto God for remission of his sinnes S. Benedict beholding the great humillity of this noble Senator raised him vp and conferred long with him about things apperteining to the good of his soule the obtaining of eternall life aduising him to regard thes aboue all thigs At this Tertulius tooke great consolation and left his sonne Placidus being vij yeares old with s Benedict which happened in the yere of our Lord 522. he recomeÌ„ded the charge of the child vnto him and besought him to bring him vp and teache him in his rule so crauing the blessing of the holy man he returned to Rome Placidus staied with his Mr S. Benedicte profitted so in the way of vertue and gaue so good hope what he would be therafter that the holy Patriarch shewed him especiall fauor very carefully instructed him how to a void be freed from tentations and howe to vse them to his profitt Placidus loued abstinence kept his vigills fastings and austeritie and with great care was attent to all things belonging to the seruice of God were it day night or any time whatsoeuer And all though he endeuored to adorne his soule with many vertues yet was he so compleat in obedience that the father S. Benedict wondered therat considering how to shewe himself obedient he did those things that were vnseemely for one of his birth of his linage As he was obedient so he was humble for these two vertues goe alweis together without humlity obedience is rather forced then voluntarie On a day there wanted water in the cell and Placidus went to dippe a paile in the riuer the vessell fell out of his hand into the water as he dipped it and as he would haue reached it he fell in allso and was in daunger to be drowned but in the instant that he fell in God reuealed it to S. Benedict who said to his disciple Maurus that was neere him Sonne Maurus runne speedily for the â—â—hld Placidus is fallen into the water he gaue him iointly his benediction S. Maurus ran apace and behoulding a far of the child ready to sink not thinking whither it was land or water but transported with charity and obedience ran vpon the water and tooke him fast by the heare of his head came out with the same speed he went in Being come to the bank he was astonied to see he had walked vpon the water as if it had bene vpon dry land neuer sinking nor being as much as wette Hauing returned he told hather Benedict the case and the blessed Patriarch said I cannot attribute it to my merit but to thy prompt obedience And Maurus he said that it be fell so for that he had commaunded him that for his part he had no interest in this miracle as done with out foresight delay or reflection Of this same holy and humble contention Placidus was the iudge and said when I came out of the water I sawe ouer my head the habite of the Abbot wich you father do nowe were and so you be the man that hath deliuered me from this great dauÌ„ger and this was a signe of the great vertue and merite of Placidus since he merited to see that which Maurus could not Of the aforesaid 12. monasteries built by S. Benedict in Sublake some were set on the toppe of the hill and therefore the monks were much troubled to fetch water for their necessary vses for they were forced to goâ— farre for the same They requested S. Benedict to remoue theÌ„ to some other place auoid this trouble He coÌ„forted theÌ„ saieng thaâ— yâ— they would returne to their monasteries God would prouide no doubt water for them On the next night the blessed father accompanied with Placidus only went vp to the hill and remained there all night in praier and laid three stones one vpon another and returned to his Cell The day ensuing the monks came to him for water the holy Abbot said vnto theÌ„ Goe to the toppe of the mounteine and digge where ye find three stones lieng one vpon another for God is able to furnish yee in that place with water to ease you of your trauell They did so and went to the toppe of the hill and found as he said In that place they digged making a piâ—t or well deepe and wide like a litle bath which was filled with water and rose in such quantity that it was not only sufficient
after this manner iomtlie martired and buried Manie Christians had gathered themselues once together in a caue to celebrate the feast of these holie martirs Numerianus the Emperour vnderstanding this sent a companie of souldioures commaundinge them to stop vp the mouth of the caue and let not one escape with life There was amonghst them a priest whose name was Diodorus he said mass and gaue them all the B. sacrament encouraging them to suffer that death with ioy and constancie for the loue of CHRIST they did according as he did exhorte them and ended theire lifes gloriouslie in that place The Churche doth celebrate the feast of SS Chrisantus and Daria the 25 of October and theire death was in the yeare of oure Lord God 284. in the raigne of Numerianus Emperoure The martir dome of these saints was written by Verinus and Armenius priests of saint Steuen Pope and martir Metaphrastes enlarged it some what more S. Damasus made certain eloquent verses in praise of these saintes In annot and 2. to annal de glor mart â— 38. and set them on they re tombe There is mention of them allso in the Romaine Martirologe and in that of Vsuardus as allso in the 5 tome of Surius in Cardinall Baronius and Gregorius Turonensis The life of S. Euaristus Pope and Martir OVR Sauior saith in S. Mathew Mat 7 that none can gather grapes of thornes nor figgs of thistles This cometh to passe because a mans power is bounded and limitted but the power of God is infinite without bounds or measure he can therefore if he please gather figgs of thistles and grapes of thornes as it appeareth he did by S. Euaristus Pope who was made a sweet and delicious fruite being in his life holy and in his death a martir God gathered this grape from a thorne viz from a Iew that was his father The life of this holy saint collected by Damasus and out of an epistle decretall of the same Euaristus and out of other Authors was this EVARISTVS was sonne to a Iewe called Iudas and was borne in Bethlehem and when then holy Poper Anacletus was dead he was chosen to succeede in his place He was a verie learned and holie man and the first that diuided the parishes of Rome into sundrie titles among sundrie priests which were after-ward called Cardinalls The same Euaristus ordained that seuen deacons should accompany the Bishop where soeuer he went and should stand by his side whensoeuer he preached to the end his ministery should be honoured his doctrine wittnessed and also that he might shew some kind of autority be defended if any Gentill made shewe of violence against him He also prouided that matrimony should be publikly solemnized and not in secret and that the spouses should go vnto the Church to haue the nuptiall benediction Tertull lib 2. ad vxor Ca siour vir 7. q. 1. 2. q. 7. si quâ— sunt though as Tertulian saith the espousalls and marriage were made in the Church euen from the time of the Apostles Moreouer he commaunded that Bishops should not leaue of forsake their Churches to go vnto others which thing is agreeable with the condition of maried folks who may not abandon their own wifes for other women He also ordeined that the accusations of the people should not be receued against their owne Bishops if they had not notice before or els some pregnant suspition of fault in him It is not knowen how S. Euaristus died but that the Catholik Church hath doth account him in the nomber of the Popes which were martirs In such sort that hauing holden the Papacy 9. years 10. months and 2. daies and hauing giuen holy orders three times in the moneth of December and at them ordered 5. bishops 6. priests and 2. deacons he exchanged this temporall life for the eternall and was buried in the Vatican nere vnto the supulcher of S. Peter chief of the Apostles on the 26 day of October and on that day the Church doth celebrate his feast The death of this holy saint was in the yeare of our Lord 120. in the time of the Emperour Traiane The life of SS Symon and Iude Apostles HOLY writ in the first booke of Machabees speaketh of Mattathias who hauing done noble acts in the defence of the people of Israel and finding himselfe now tired old and neere his death called to him his sonnes kinsfolke and freinds and the chief of them that had serued vnder his standard When they were all come he made vnto them a large speech exhorting them earnestly to perseruer in the seruice of God and in his holy faith for that he was able to deliuer them though all the world was against them as he had done in former times when they put their trust in him He to this purpose recounted vnto them the examples of Abraham Phynees Dauid Daniel and his three freinds After this he concluded his speech with these words Behold Symeon your brother is a man of wisedome giue eare to him as to your father Iudas Machabeus also is valiant and corragious euen from his child bode let him be the captein of your hoast This history agreeth much for the B. Apostles Symon and Iude for that Mattathias is the figure of IESVS CHRIST our Lord who hath done worthy acts in the world for the defence of all Christians which haue serued vnder his banner and speaketh thus to them Behold you Christians Symon my Apostle is your brother and a man of wisdome listen to him and esteeme him as your father and imitate him in his holy and vertuous life Iudas also his companion in martir dome is valiant euen from his youth let him be your captein in the battle take him for your Aduocate and commend your self to him for that will help you much to obtein the victory The life 's of these two Apostles taken out of that which is written of them in the holy Scriptures and out of diuers Authors was in this manner SAINT Symon and S. Iude were the sonnes of Alpheus and Mary Cleophae and brethren to S. Iames the lesse and Ioseph the iust Symon was called Cananeus for that he was borne in Cana of Galyly and S. Luke calleth him Zelotes in the Greeke toung for that Cana by interpretation is zelous He was thus surnamed to be knowne from S. Peter who is also called Symon as Iudas was surnamed Thaddeus to distinguish him from Iudas Iscariot It is not written when or howe they were called to the Apostle ship but there is mention made of them in the Ghospell when the names of the twelue Apostles are reconed As also when IESVS CHRIST in the sermon of the supper Ioan. 14. said He that loueth me shal be loued of my Father and I will loue him and manifest my self to him Iudas answered him How is this to be done that hout wilt manifest thy self to vs and not to the world CHRIST spake of his death and of
Surius we read Iacob phil in sumpt vinâ— in spec historlib 25.106 that a religious man returning from the visitation of the holie sepulchre in Ierusalem and other places of the holie land the ship where in he sailed was driven forceably vpon certaine vninhabited I'lands which were full of rocks and craggie hilles neere vnto Thessalonica be called the Iles of Vulcan The religious man took land in the I le and found in an obscure and secret place an hermite vnto whom he went and among their conferences the religious man told him that he was of the prouince of Aquitaine in France The hermite hearing that was very glad as appeared by his countenance and asked him if he knew the monasterie of Cluny and Odilo the Abbot thereof The religious man said yes and desired to know the reason why he demaunded that question The hermite answered know you that in this Iland be hollow places full of wind and fire which some call the mouth of Vulcan by the which are seene divells to enter in and to go out ordinarilie in diuers and sundrie shapes and formes Sometimes by their externall looks they seeme to be cheerfull and iocund and at other times they see me to be pensiue and sadde I being desirous to know the causes of this different behauiour adiured and charged them in the name of Almightie God to tell me the true cause and they said vnto me that they make show of ioye and gladnes when the soule of any person that hath liued well in the world whom they could neuer induce to committ mortall sinne is brought vnto purgatorie for some veniall sinnes and the diuells seing them to suffer in the flames are satisfied therewith and shew their gladnes by externall signes But if there be giuen any almes any masses said or any good workes done by good people as fasting and prayer whereby the soule departeth sooner out of that place and flyeth vnto heauen this causeth the diuells to be afflicted They complayne especiallie of the monkes of Cluny where continuall prayers are made for the soules of the dead that they may be deliuered out of that paine Therefore I praie thee said the sollitarie hermite and I coniure thee in the name of God Almightie to request the Abbot Odylo and the other to say masse and prayers without ceasing for the soules in purgatorie since so much good aryseth thereof The religious man wondred at his wordes and promised him faithfully to deliuer the message So being returned into France he visited that monasterie and recyted vnto the Abbot and his monkes all that which befell in those caues and mouth of Vulcan The holie Abbot Odylo vnderstanding the same ordeined and commaunded that in all his monasteries they should haue the soules in recomendation Then he made a generall constitution throught all his order that euerie yeare on the next daie after the feast of all saints they should make a generall Aniuersary for the soules of the faithfull deceased The Bishop of Rome who was at that time Iohn the 16. hauing notice hereof examining well the deed and seeing it to be holie and repleat with vertuous compassion not only approoued it but also comaunded the same to be done through the vniuersall Church This Catholique article that there is a Purgatorie being certain and also explaned ye must vnderstand that the proper place is one of the partes of hell of which there be foure One is of the damned the other of the children that dye without Baptisme before they haue the vse of reason the other is Purgatorie and the fourth is Limbus Patrum or the place of the holie fathers where the holie soules remayned before CHRIST dyed and were then deliuered out of the same place which now at this present is vacant It is also very certaine that by especiall order and decree of Almightie God some soules haue their Purgatorie in places particuler to them selues diolo lib. 4. cap. 40. 55. as S. Gregorie saith of one that had his Purgatorie in a Bayne for his faultes committed therein and it being manifested vnto a priest and that he should celebrate Masse for him he was quitte and freed and went vnto heauen Concerning the paines of Purgatorie you must vnderstand that it is fire and as S. Augustine saith it is the same that the fire off hell is and is yet discreet and different For as the naturall fire consumeth the straw and puryfieth the gold so this fire consumeth eternally the soule in hell after the manner of straw and the soules in purgatorie which be like gold it burneth and purifieth It hath also another propertie that it tormenteth not all men equally and therefore it is called discreet fire for it maketh one to feele more paines another lesse according to the faultes and sinnes they haue committed It is vsually said thereof and it is most true that the stoning of S. Stephen the grydiron of S. Laurence the arrowes of S. Sebastian the Iron combes of S. Vincent and all the martirdomes the saints endured do not come neere the paines of them that suffer in purgatorie And there is as great difference betweene the one paine and the other as betweene the soule that suffreth in purgatorie and the bodie that suffreth heere in this world There is adioyned vnto the paine of feeling a greeuous longing and desire the soules haue to see God which is so great that in some sort it doth surmount the paine of feeling which is the fire They see themselues there without remedy for any thing they can do of themselues they know they must paye the vttermost farthing if they in the world do not help them In that place doth afflict them the negligence and carelesnes of their kinsfolk and friends they sorrow also for the ingratitude of their heires and slownes of their excecutors in acomplishment of their willes They say many times with the holie man Iob Haue mercy and compassion of vs you at the least who in the world are said to be our friends for the hand of our Lord hath touched vs. we be in those paines Iob 3. out of which we cannot deliver our selues you may well do it but why then do you not you may help vs why be you then so forgetfull you may ridde vs from and out of these sharp and byting torments why be you then so negliâ—gent or rather cruell as to let vs lye still therein The father coÌ„plaineth of his soÌ„ne the wife of the husband the sister of the brother and the friend of his friend Sometimes God permitteth those that haue not remembred their friends deceased to he forgotten themselues and to suffer that which they haue permitted other men to suffer and to be tormented by the torments from which they would not help to deliuer others Lastlie you must vnderstand that to do good vnto the soules in Purgatorie is not only profitable vnto them but also vnto those that do it sins it is a
the auncyent souldyers should be enrolled and serue in person in the warres By this occasion the father of Martin who disliked the holie desires of his sonne caused him to be enrolled and sent him vnto the warres being then 15. yeares old and in those warres of Constantius the sonne of Constantine the great and Iulian he serued He was in the ordinary garrison of Pauia a city of Italy and with him he had a seruant vnto whom many times he gaue attendance such was his humility They eate at one table and sometimes Martin pulled of his bootes and made them cleane yea it is said that once hauing a seruant of a good nature he dismissed him looked for another that should be stark naught that he might haue occasion to merite more He serued in the warres 3. yeres before he was Baptised yet he eschued the vices which be ordinary and vsuall amongst souldiers He was affable curteous and charitable to his equalles lowely among his companions he was sober and temperate in the cherishing of himself in such sort that he seemed rather a relligious man then a souldier and before he was baptised he did all that a good Christian should doe He took that wages which was giuen him and reserued no more therof for his owne vse then that which was necessary for the mayntenance of his person the rest he gaue vnto the poore for those vertues and charitable acts which were in him he was beloued of all men On a time as he entred the city of Amiens which is in Gallia Belgica he saw a poore man naked that craued almes of them that passed by It was winter and extreame cold S. Martin was at that time armed and had no other garment but his souldiers coate The holy saint seeing no man to bestowe any thing on the poore man cut his cote in two parts with his sword and gaue one halfe therof to the poore man and the other part he reserued for himself Many saw this deed and some laughed to see him with half a garment and others were ashamed to consider they had not done the like charitable deed in all their life and better might they haue done it since they might haue clothed the poore man and not haue vnclothed themselfs The next night S. Martin being in a sound sleep he saw in a vision CHRIST couered with the piece of the garment he had giuen vnto the poore man and drawing nere vnto him asked if he knew that garment Then he heard CHRIST say to his Angells Martin being yet a Catechumen hath couered me with this garment By this doth euidently appeare that which IESVS CHRIST said in the ghospell That which is done vnto the poore is done vnto me S. Martin was not proud of this but yelded thanks vnto CHRIST for it and was very earnest and diligent to obteine Baptisme and desired to leaue the seruice of the warres but at the entreaty and importunacy of his Coronell he staied vntill his time was expired He was Baptised at the age of 18. yeares and remained still a souldier for the space of two years after which time he lefte the warres by reason of a peace ensuing which seemed to be miraculous and was thus The armies being ready to ioine battell a peace was made vpon very honorable condicions for the side wheron S. Martin was yea it is thought that almightie God made it for his holy saints sake who being abused in words by his captaine who called him coward and base fellow saying also that he desired to leaue the souldiers life that he might not be indangered in that battell S. Martin offered to passe through the enemies squadrons with out any armor for which cause God to preserue him from that iminent daunger procured an honorable peace to be made for his side Then went S. Martin to S. Hillary Bishop of Poiters with whom he remained some certeine dayes enioying his holy company and was edified by his vertuous behauior Then desirous to returne into his owne countrey he tooke leaue of S. Hillary both of them weeping aboundantly at their departure at which time S. Hillary gaue vnto S. Martin the order of Acolite besought him to retorne back vnto him speedely S. Martin trauelling on the way was like to haue bene murdered for certain thieues lying in waite for him one of them striking a full blow with his sword to wound him and another bearing it of with his weapon S. Martin shewed no feare at all And being demaunded the cause he made aunswere I neuer had lesse feare in my life for that I serue a Lord who I am assuered will not abandon me in a greater daunger then this is Herof the holy saint tooke occasion to preach vnto them IESVS CHRIST and one of those thiefs was conuerted and entred into relligion and died a blessed man At last he came to his owne countrey and preached the faith of CHRIST vnto his father and mother His mother was conuerted but his father continued still in his Idollatry and after that many other persons were conuerted to the faith by his meanes At that time the Arrian heresy was spred very much in the countrey where S. Martin preached and because he only publikely resisted them the heretiks did persecute him with all extremity and on a time they imprisoned him and scourged him publikely so shamelesse they were and not content herewith they sent him into exile S. Martin departing from his natiue countrey returned into Fraunce and there he vnderstood that S. Hillary was also banished by the Arrians wherfore he passed into Italy and builded a monastery nere vnto Millan where some Catholiques assembling together liued iointly with him a monasticall life But he was there also greuously persecuted by a principall Arrian heretique called Auxentius who after he had done him many wrongs and abuses neuer ceased vntill he had driuen him from thence also S. Martin yealding to the time took sea and came to an Island called Gallinaria in the cōpany of a holy priest where they two remained a good space susteining themselfs with the rootes of herbes only Then newes came vnto him that S. Hillary was returned vnto his Bishoprique wherefore he determined to find him out and when he came thither the holy father receiued him very louingly S. Martin dwelling there built another monastery nere vnto Poiters vnto which place came a Catechumen to be instructed in the faith and holy behauior It happened that S. Martin being absent the yong man fell sicke and died and whilest the other relligious men prepared to bury him the holy saint came and made great shew of sorowe for the death of that his disciple and coming into the roome where the dead body lay he bad all the other depart out then he shutt the dore and remained there two houres in praiers and he that was dead began then by litle and litle to recouer his sences and returned to life and perfect health When theother
write a letter vnto Chrisogonus after this manner Vnto the holie confessor of IESVS CHRIST Chrisogonus Anastasia sendeth greeting Although my father which begot we was an Idollater yet my mother that bore me who was called Fausta was a Christian and a vertuous chaste woman She instructed me in the Christian faith euer from my childhood and after her death I was maryed vnto a sacrilegious and cruell man whose bed and companie I haue oftentimes refused excusing it with infirmities which I desired God to send me for that purpose I spent the night and the day in prayer desyring my sweet Sauiour that I might imitate his blessed example This most cruell man after he bath consumed my patrymonie amongst wicked and lewd company like vnto himself hath imprisoned me as if I were a malefactor or a detestable offender and forbiddeth any sustenance to be guieÌ„ vnto me that I may perish and dye for want of food Although I shal be glad to loose my life for CHRIST his sake neuerthelesse I find great grief that my goods be wasted in such lasciuious sort in such lewd company and in the seruice of the false Gods Therefore I beseech thee thou seruant of IESVS CHRIST to pray vnto God Almightie for me and that the either alter the mind of this my husband that he may be conuerted or els if he continew and perseuâ—r in his hardnes of hart and obstinacy that he take him out of this world And better it shal be for him to be taken out of this life then to adde daily sinne to sinne which will put him to double torments in hell I promise and vowe vnto Almightie God and to thee his seruant â—hat if euer I get cleere and freed from this affliction to spend all my time in the seruice of my Blessed Sauiour IESVS as my vse and custome was and in helping and prouiding fot thy necessities and to releeue the wants of all other holie confessors Our Lord keep thee euer thou B seruant of God Remember me and praie for me S. Chrisogonus hauing receiued this letter made his prayers and oraysons for Anastasia and then together with other confessors that were in the same prison he answered her in this manner Among the tempestuous stormes of this world in which at this present thou art enwrapped be assured that thou shalt be relieued by IESVS CHRIST who will easilie cast headlong into the bottomeles pitte the diuell that doth assaâ—le and torment thee Haue patience in the middest of thy troubles and put thy trust in him for he wild deliuer thee Cry out aloud vnto him Exalt thy voyce with the prophet and say why art thou so sad o my soule and why art thou so disquieted with in me Trust in God still for I will euer confesse that he is my saluation and my God Thinck Lady that it is his will to bestowe on thee the riches and treasures of heauen since he taketh away and depriueth thee of wordly comforts Be not too much troubled nor afflicted for that crosses and tribulation lighteth vpon thee that liuest vertuously God doth try vs but doth not deceaue vs. To trust in man is vayne and deceitfull an he that putteth his hope or confidence in him is accursed and euer deceiued but blessed is he that putteth his trust and affiance in God who neuer deceaued any Continewe in thy vertuous excercises and hope for rest and quietnes only in God whose comaundemers thou keepest when it shall best please him and thou thinkest least he will send thee traÌ„quillitie a calme tyme. The darknes shall flie away and the light shall appeere The frost and pinching cold of the winter shall passe and the ioyfull sweetenes of the spring shall succeed A quiet and comfortable tyme shall come that thou maiest cherish and relieue those againe that suffer persecution for the loue and profession of CHRIST God giuing thee heere meanes that thou mayst help other with temporall necessities and receiue thy self of him euerlasting rewards Our Lord be with thee good lady and pray for me With this Epistle S. Anastasia receiued great consolation endeavoring to equall if not to surpasse thereby the many complaâ—nts she had made of her hardharted and cruell husband Her persecutions encreased still he giuing to her now but the fourth part or one quater of a a smalle oridinary loaffe And she thincking verily that her death approached wrote another letter to S. Chrisogonus after this tenor and to this effect To the blessed martyr and Confessor of CHRIST Chrisogonus Anastasia sendeth greeting The end of my life draweth neere vouchsaffe to remember me and to pray vnto God to receaue my soule when it departeth from my body since for his loue and the profession of his holie name I suffer all this torment The holie man returned this answere Chrisogonus to Anastasia As darknes precedeth and goeth before light so after infirmitie ensueth health and life cometh after death Prosperities and aduersities haue the like and the same endes therefore let not the heauy and sorrowfull fall into desperation nor the happy and fortunate be proude or too much puffed vp Be of good comfort ô handmaid of CHRIST for thy peregrination which hath beene repleat with tempestuous stormes shal be finished with a prosperous and happy conclusion thereby desires shal be acomplished enjoying CHRIST by the palme of Martyrdome The further course and processe of her greeuous persecutions may be seene in her life on the 25. day of December Of S. Chrisogonus you are to vnderstand that the Emperour Dioclesian being in the cittie of Aquileya martyrising the Christians he sent to Rome to haue Chrisogonus brough thither to him who being come the Emperour said to him I will bestowe on thee high dignities I will make thee Prefect of the cittie that thou maiest so arise to be Consull And indeed such places and preferments are fittest for men of noble linage and such worthie partes as thy self hath but vpon this condition that thou wilt worship our Gods S. Chrisogonus answered I adore one onely God With my soule and hart I reuerence him and with all externall signes and tokens I confesse IESVS CHRIST to be the true God And as for thy Idolles which be habitacles of diuells and fiendes I detest and accurse them Dioclesian comaunded that he should be beheadded and that his body should be cast into the sea and so it was done A priest called zoilus found his bodie afterward and buried it honorablie His martyrdome was on the day whereon the Church celebrateth his memorie which was on the 24. of Nouember on a Tuesdaie in the yeare of our Lord. 302. Dioclesian being Emperour His name is in the Canon of the masse Of this holie saint wrote Suidas Ando venerable Bede Vsuardus and the Romane martyrologe The life of S. Catherine of Alexandria IN the Book of kings it is said of king Salomon that he had many wines It was the will of God that the Hebrewes should
the hangman began to vntie him he lyfted vp his voice to IESVS CHRIST and said Lord I beseech thee for thy holie names sake permitt me not to be taken from the Crosse aliue Receaue me my master whom I haue loued whom I haue confessed whom I haue preached and of whom I hope to be rewarded Oh good IESVS receaue my spirit in peace for now is it time to come to thee whom I haue so much desired Whilest the Apostle said these wordes there discended from heauen a great brightnes in manner of a beame of the sunne which euerie one saw and couered the bodie of the Apostle that for half an houres space it could not be seene at which time it vanished awaye and then they perceiued that the was dead One Maximilla a deuout woman a disciple of the Apostle being of that cittie and verie rich went to the Crosse with some of her seruants and took the bodie of the saint and buried it anointing it first with pretious ointments When Egeas vnderstood what Maximilla had done he ment to complaine vnto the Emperour both of her and of many other that asisted her Whilest he was in the publique hall taking informations thereof tâ—e diuell entred into him making him to roare and crie out as a beast and tormenting him in the sight of the people made him to yield his soule to be tormented in hell This iudgment of God caused many to be conuerted to the faith of CHRIST The martirdome of S. Andrew was on the 30. of Nouember and on the same daie the Church celebrateth his feast His death was in the yeere of our Lord. 62. as Canisius saith in the raigne of Nero. In the time of the Emperour Constantine the bodie of S. Andrew was translated to Constantinople and from thence to diuers other places till lastlie it was carried into Italie to the cittie of Amalfy in the kingdome of Naples where it is at this present And it is said that out of this blessed bodie cometh a most pretious liquor that cureth and healeth diuers infirmities When Pius the second was Pope his head was brought to Rome and set in a tabernacle made for that purpose in the Church of S. Peter S. Gregorie of Toures recounteth many miracles done by the intercession of S. Andrew namelie the curing of diuers and sundrie infirmities He saith also that in the time of Clodoueus king of France in a warre he made in Burgundie and in the sacking of a countrie fire was set on the Church of a holie martir called Saturninus within the which were some reliques of S. Andrew The fire enereased and the people were much agreeued that the reliques of the holie Apostle should be so consumed There was a souldier borne at Toures who perceiuing the sorrow of the people entred resolutlie into the middest of the fire and went vnto the place where the reliques of the holie Apostle were and brought them awaie safe without hurt And God was pleased to shew how acceptable this pious deed was to him preseruing the souldier from the fire that it hurt him not at all We read also of other miracles of S. Andrew as of a Bishop whom the diuell in forme of a damosell would haue deceiued and the holie Apostle went to his house in the shape of a pilgrime and told him of the deceit but for that I haue not read it in any approoued author I do not auerre it yet God can and vseth to do those or the like things by the intercession of his holie saints And we ought not to doubt but he hath done many miracles by the intercession of S. Andrew who followed and loued him so that at last he died on the Crosse for his loue as himself had done It is iust therefore that we be deuout to this holie saint that by his prayers and meritts we maie obtaine of God eternall glorie Amen DECEMBER The life of S. Bibiana virgin and Martir MANY were the vexations and great were the tribulations the holy man Dauid suffered at the haÌ„ds of sondry persons who without any cause giuen on his part endeuored to do him all the mischief they could as amoÌ„g others his father in lawe Saul did yet he supported all these troubles with patience and myldnes but the insurrection of his sonne Absalon nipped him to the hart and mollested him aboue all the rest wherefore he said in one psalme If myne enemy had said euill of me and had persecuted me Ps. 54 I would haue supported it bycause that of an enemy no friendly kindnes is expected but I am aggreiued that this my sonne he who satt at my table and eate with me in the same dish should be the maÌ„ that should persecute me Oh how worthy was he and such as he was to descend aliue into hell Many were the tyrants that persecuted the Church and many more were they that put the Christians to death but S. Bibiana had reason to complaine of none more then of Iulyan the Apostata because the others were her professed enemyes in that they were Idollaters But this wicked and damnable man was a Christian and within holy orders who put her to very great sorrow and moued her to desire God to chastise him as indeed he did by depriuing him in a short time both of his empire and life it being not knowen by whom nor in what maner This is only certain that the lewd and wicked man being in the middest of his army was wounded with a speare wherof he dyed blasphemyng and reuiling at IESVS CHRIST his cursed soule falling as a pray into the diuells hands S. Bibiana was martyred in the time of this wicked emperour Venerable Bede and other Authors of martyrologes write her martyrdome in this maner SAINT Bibiana was borne in Rome and was daughter vnto Faustus and Drafosa who were both Christians and holy matâ—yrs S. Bibiana being very yong did exercise her self in holy and vertuous woorks Shee was taken in the time of th'emperour Iulian the Apostata a cruell foe vnto Christians and deliuered to the custody of Faustus the gouernour who was apointed to heare and determyne her cause He persuaded her to sacrifice vnto the Idols the souer to drawe her to the same he threatned to put her vnto grieuous torments if shee refused it But the holy saint answered with such godly reasoÌ„s that shee persuaded the Gouernour himself to forsake and relinquish the Idolls and to be made a Christian and consequently to endure torments and death couragiously for the same The holy damsell Bibiana was very ioyous that shee had made that gaine as to gaine a soule to her spouse IESVS CHRIST Then was shee led before the Emperour who exhorted her to sacrifice vnto the Idolls and shee aunswered him that the God creator and gouernour of heauen and earth was only worthy to be adored Th'emperour hearing this answer commaunded Bibiana to be beaten with cudgells which was done with such cruelty that shee
yielded vp her spirit vnto God in that torment on the second day of December on the which day the Church celebrateth her feast This befell in the year of our Lord. 364. in the time of Iulyan the Apostata The body of S. Bibiana was buryed by a priest called Iohn in the city of Rome in a place neere vnto the palace of Licinius The life of S. Barbara virgin and Martyr THE prophet Ezechiel recounteth a vision Cap. 40 saying that he sawe a man who measured the temple and the house of God who had in his hand a rod wand to measure which was sixe cubites long and one handfull The Gyant Golyas with whom Dauid sought and cut of his head was also sixe cubites 1. Râ—g 17 and one handfull hiâ— It is not without mistery that these two measures are alike It may be by the man whom Ezechiell sawe to measure the temple is signified our Lord God And by the Gyant Golyas is ment the deuill In that he was of the same measure that the rod of the other was sheweth that the deuill to the vttermost striueth to be likened vnto God And omitting many other examples I will speak of one seruing our purpose God commaunded Abraham to sacrifice his own sonne Gen. 22 who incontinent prepared himself to doâ—yt and had performed the same if God who bad him had not hindered and let him by an Angell Out of this act of Abraham redounded very much honor vnto God it being thereby seene hat he had such a faithfull seruant that to do him seruice he was willing to kill his owne sonne The deuill to be like vnto God in this persuaded one of his seruants called Dioscorus to kill his only daughter who was called Barbara a blessed damosell to do seruice to the same deuill The life of this holy saint was written in this maÌ„ner by Symeon Metaphrastes and Ado. Arch. B. of Treuers IN the time of Th'emperour Maximian there was in the city of Nicomedia a man very rich in worldly posessions and of a noble family but in relligion he was an Idollater and was called Dioscorus This man had one only daughter who was to be his heyre whom he loued dearely This damosell was very beautifull and witty and in religion which is the thing most to be regarded shee was a Christian and very vertuous though her father was ignorant that shee was Baptised Dioscorus doubted lest the yong woman lyuing alone in the house and being so faire should be sued vnto in some inconuenient manner by one or other which to preuent and auoid he inclosed her in a tower of his pallace It was no grief vnto the holy damosell to be so shut and mewed vp there since shee might bestowe her self wholy by this meanes in the seruyce of God as she did spending her time in prayers and meditations the inspirations of the holy Ghost recreating her soule There was in that same tower a faire hall and many chambers furnished shee might also goe downe from the tower into a garden for her recreation her father for her better contentment made therin a bayne or bathing house with two wyndowes to giue it light The work was not yet finished when Dioscorus was occasioned to go on a long iourney wherefore he gaue directions vnto the master work men and departed By happe Barbara went one day to see the labourers as they were working on the two wyndows and bad them make three The men sayd they durst not do so for Dioscorus had commaunded them to make but two Barbara said I would haue you make three in any case and if my father be offended therewith tell him that I bad you and I will yield him a reason why three be made So the workmen made three wyndowes as shee bad them The work being furnished Barbara weÌ„t vnto the Baine and in seeing the three wyndowes shee contemplated the mistery of the B. Trinity It befell one day shee meditating the misteryes of the passion and death of IESVS CHRIST and shedding teares from her beutifull eyes which like pretious perles drapped into the fountein and were mingled with the pure and christalline water shee came vnto a piller of marble out of which the water issued and on the same with her finger shee made the signe of the Crosse A merueillous thing to recount the marke made in the marble with the finger of the virgin continued as if it had bene imprinted by some seale into waxe The signe remayned there and after that the holy saint was martyred many came into the baine and looking on it deuoutly calling on the name of the holy Saint were deliuered from many infirmityes When the holy damosell had made the Crosse shee kissed it deuoutly many times casting aside her eyes shee sawe some statues of the Idolls her father adored which he had caused to be set there for the more ornament of the place It grieued her very sore and caused her to sigh and lament for compassion of them that adored such Gods and moued with indignation against them shee spit in their faces sayeng Let all them that adore you and seek for help at your hands be like vnto yow hauing done this shee returned vnto her tower and spent her life in fasting and prayer her mynd being always fixed vpon God Her father came home and went to visite his daughter and also to see his newe baine hauing the master workmen with him When he sawe they had made three wyndows and he had apointed them to make but two he asked them the cause therof and they told him again that his daughter charged them to do as they had done So he sayd no more at that time Afterward being alone with Barbara he said vnto her daughter what was thy meanyng to cause them to make three wyndows when I apointed theÌ„ to make but two The holy damosell without any feare answered father I caused them to make three because it was more conuenient and agreable to reason How so said Dioscorus Barbara replied for that three lights do illuminate euery man that cometh into this world The good virgin spake this with an intention to signify the high mistery of the B. Trynity Her father was somewhat troubled at her words and sayd Explaine these your speeches a litle better What is the meanyng that three wyndowes illumynate euery man that cometh into this world Then Barbara said Come with me and you shall vnderstand my meanyng They went to the Bayne and being neere the piller the holy damosell shewed him the signe of the Crosse which shee had made therin with her finger and sayd vnto him My father the thâ—re wyndowes signify the three persons viz the father the sonne and the holy Ghost by this light euery creature is illuminated to the end the high and souereigne mistery of the holy Crosse vpon which IESVS CHRIST dyed may be beleeued There was neuer bull bayted by dogges or wounded shewed such rage
for he was mercifull and myld also and endued with other good qualities and verâ—ues â—â—r which cause God elected him to be the captaine and pastor of his people in the city of Myrrea The life of this glorious saint was written by the Patriarch Methodius Symeon Metaphrastes and other Greeke authors our of whom Iohn the Deacon and Leonard Iustinian made a collection Out of these two was this sumarie taken and is in this manner SAINT Nicholas was borne in Patarae a city in the prouince of Licia His father and mother were Christians noble by birth and deuote seruants of God To this good couple God graunted a sonne in reward of their many teares praiers and continuall almes deeds desiring him to send vnto them an heire who should vse their goods in his seruice God heard the prayers of his dâ—uouâ—e seruants and comforted them by gyuing vnto them their sonne Nicholas Of him it is thought that he had the spirite of God euen from his infancie for that assoone as he was borne he began to serue him Assoone as he knewe what it was to eate he knew also what it was to fast for he would not take the brest to sucke but one time only in a day especially twâ—se a weeke to wit on the wednesday and the Friday and this fast he obserued all the dayes of his life Being somewhat growen in years he shewed signes of great vertue which increased in him as his yeares did His father sent him to schoole to learne to read and also other sciences where Nicholas made proofe of his delicate wytt because in very short time he profitted very much He would not keepe company with other yong men of his yeares who suffred themselfs to be transported into all vices and wantonnes but his conuersation was only with the most vertuous and honest people He avoyded also not only the conuersation of women but abhorred them euen as a deadly poyson for youth And to eseape the warre which is made by wicked thoughts and carnall cogitations against youth he tamed his flesh with watchings fastings hayrecloths and such like exercises He frequented the Churches and oratories of the Christians for he desired to be as the Temple of the Holy Ghost These holy exercises and other vertues in which Nicholas was employed did so shine in him that he was praysed and commended of euery one For as to see old men behaue themselues like yong men see meth a monstrous thing so on the other side to see a yong man to haue the deportment and cariage of old men is a thing very commendable and laudable S. Nicholas had an vncle who was Bishop of the city where he was borne a learned and a holy man He persuaded the father and mother of Nicholas to dedicate their sonne vnto God in the seruice of his Church and to be a priest It was an easy matter to obteine it of them for they remembred God had graunted that sonne vnto them through their many praiers therfore they willingly rendred him vnto God againe with right good will that he might alwaies be employed in his seruice The father and mother of S. Nicholas hauing made this grauÌ„â— his vncle made him priest whilest he gaue him orders he sayd these words vnto them that stood by Brethren I see a newe sonne arise in the earth who shal be a great consolation and repose for the world Happy is the pasture and happy be the sheepe that shall deserue to haue such a sheapherd The day shall come also when you shall see him reduce many straying sheepe vnto the flock of CHRIST you shall see him to be the consolation of the coÌ„fortles health of the sick and rest for them that be in tribulation All that which this good Bishop said was afterward found in S. Nicholas When S. Nicholas sawe he was a priest he thought it conuenient that with his newe dignity he should encrease his austerity and strict life imitating heerin the trees and plants which the more they spred their braunches the larger their roots grow also vnder the ground So the holy saint stroâ—e to be more sober and temperate more continenâ— more rygorous toward his owne body chastising the same with more seuerity not to make it dye but to make it more subiect vnto the spirite He depriued it of the ordinary sleepe of eating and of apparell although he did not like to go in stayned or spotted apparell as some hypocrits do but such as was comely and fitting for one of his dignity of function He frequented the Church more â—hâ—n he had vsed he was more earnest at his prayer then before time he would neuer read any book nor take it in his hand but the booke of the holy scripture or els some holy lecture treating of some ghostly matter He showed more modesty in his countenance more grauity in his speech so that it seemed although he were in mortall flesh that he led the life of a man imortall There befell in the country of Lycia and in all the East a great contagious pestilence which killed very many and among others within the space of three dayes died both the father and mother of S. Nicholas and he remayned sole inheritor to all their goods The yong man being already dedicated to God regarded not to be the heite but rather desired to be the dispenser of his fathers goods giuing out of them continually many almes deeds And because among many other he did one rare deed of charity it shall not be amisse to make a recitall therof by particulers There was in the city of Patara a gentleman of a good house who had bene before time very rich and nowe was become poore This man had three daughters which were of good yeares and maâ—igeable but because he had not wherewith to maynteine endowe theÌ„ with portions he vrged and sollycited them to get their liuyng and his also by dishonest life The poore father though he was ashamed so to doe spake to them to that purpose the distressed maydes shed teares incessantly considering to what a miserable estate their fathers pouerty had brought them S. Nicholas had an inkeling hereof and thought he could not bestow his almes better then with the same to delyuer their bodies from shame and their soules from synne He took a good some of mony all in gold and lapped it in a napkin and departing from home by night he went to the house of the poore decayed gentleman The holy man looked about to put in the mony in some place where the distressed man might light vpon it taking care that he should not know who bestowed in vpoÌ„ him whilest he studyed therof hesa wâ—y Mâ—nâ—light the casement of the chamber windowe where the poore man lay not fully open S Nicolas cast the gold wrapped in the cloute in at the wyndowe and went downe The pooâ—e man rising vp and finding there the mony the benediction of God he was in
in the Councell of Chalcedon Some holy doctors as S. Cyrill S. Iohn Damascen S. Augustine and S. Thomas declare the maner therof The substance of that which they say is this that the blessed virgin hauing conceiued IESVS CHRIST our Lord shee was his mother for that her most chast pure and more then illustrious bloud serued for matter of which the holy Ghost by his deuine vertue formed the body of IESVS CHRIST for which cause shee became a true and veritable mother as any other mothers be Hauyng layd this foundation of truth I say that to be the mother of God argueth the great noblenes and worthynes of this holy damosell This is proued by a principle the phylosophers hold to wyt that there is not only a proportion betweene the cause and the effect but also if the cause be not empeached or hindered it produceth a like effect to it selfe euen to the Indiuiduum and the accidents as a lyon that hath spots produceth not only another lyon but also with the same spots This being graunted I say that if the naturall guifts of the wyt complexion and proportion of members naturall condition of CHRIST were transcendent and excellent in the hiest degree as it is apparant by the sacred scripture also said by the holy doctors we are by great reason to find all the same in the B. virgin as in his true and veritable mother to witt that shee was of an excellent wyt an amyable complection of an admyrable beauty absolute proportion of limmes and most goodly naturall condition So that saying that IESVS CHRIST was the fairest of all men Psal 44. v. 3. the same may be affirmed of the B virgin wherfore we may well say thus O lady vnto whom shall we liken thee what goodlines shal be like vnto thyne who is so beutifull as thou art The sonne compared vnto thee is foul and vgly the moone is dark and obscure and the starres are as clouds The Angels are far inferior and the Seraphins come not nere vnto thee vnto whom shall we liken thee but euen vnto IESVS CHRIST thy sonne will you haue saith S. Gregory a liuely pattern of the glorious virgin fixe your eys and behold IESVS CHRIST Behold the sonne in him you shall see a picture of the mother note you that there is litle difference between the mother and the sonne Such a sonne and of such and so great perfections was fit for such a mother and such a mother endued with so many graces was fit for such a sonne yee ought also to consider a heuenly workmanship betwene the B. Virgin her sonne for she gaue him one thing which was the humain nature he gaue vnto her another to wit the fulnes of grace The mother gaue vnto him that which she had to wit the humanity and CHRIST being God and fountein of grace gaue it vnto his mother Of this groweth two admirable things The one is that as the glorious virgin for his nature is his mother so is shee his daughter in respect of grace so that the mother is daughter and the sonne is father and that which other mothers say in sport to their sonnes calling them my king my prince my father and my treasor the glorious virgin might say it in truth and verity This also ariseth betwene the mother and the sonne That as the sonne for his humaine nature is made like vnto his mother so the mother in respect of grace is like vnto the sonne Shee was humble in proportion not in equality as he charitable as he obedyent as he and in her proportion full of grace as he so the Angell called her Aâ—haile full of grace The consideration of this mother and sonne Luc. 1. goeth further The virgin in his conception bestowed the bloud of her vaines of which to forme his body and in the nyne moneths that she caryed him in her wombe ouer beside the giuing vnto him her most chast bowells for his rich pallace and the couerings and pannycles of her hart to be the tapissery of his chamber shee also gaue him the very same meate shee took her self so that like a blissed doue with her bill shee put the nutriment in the mouth of her sonne After he was borne the armes of his mother was his cradell holding him vnto her brest she warmed him better then Abysac warmed Dauid IESVS being growen vp his mother gaue him her handes her care and diligence to the end all things shee had might serue him After he was dead taken from the crosse shee took him also in her armes and embraced him with tender affection All this gaue the mother vnto the sonne The sonne gaue vnto the mother grace in her conception in preseuring her from sinne he gaue vnto her the vse of reason before the ordinary time and at three yeres old he conducted her as his owne vnto the Temple Then he aduaunced her higher vntill he made her his mother most fit for such a sonne in such maner that shee is no reproch vnto CHRIST before his eternall father the Angels and all men Yea he glorieth and ioyeth to haue such a mother as Mary is IESVS CHRIST and his mother were in this as other things most faithfull louers for the presents and gifts the one had from the other liked them so well that they neuer left them IESVS had his humanity of his mother and he so firmely embraced it that as the deuines say that which he once vnited to himself he neuer last He lost his life in his passion and in the three dayes he lay in the sepulcher the humane nature was not there for his parts to wit the body and the soule were seperated asunder but the parts were neuer seperated from the diuine Suppositum It is also very cleare that the iewels with which this infant was borne and were bestowed on her in her conception were neuer lost for shee neuer commytted any mortall sinne Let vs then conclude this first tretise to wit of the nobility which accrewed and arose vnto the virgin in being the mother of God with the words of S. Augustine to wyt That to be the mother of God is so great a dignity that by it shee surpasseth not only all mankind but also all the Angels Asmuch as it is more to be the mother rather then the seruant so much is the dignity greater to be the mother of the prince then to be his seruant This reason also conuinceth it for that so much the more is a thing aduanced in perfection the more or nerer it is vnited to God who is the hiest perfection This is the daughter that is borne this day the infant whose feast the Catholike Church celebrateth a litle infant but a great Lady An infant whose graces cannot be expressed but by him that created her THis is a day of great desart a day whose memorie reioyceth both heauen and earth This is the day in which shee is
that their bodies should be burned and whilest the officers hauing already gotten all their bodies together prepared to performe it and had laid wood on the top of them and put fire vnto them behold on a sodeine the sky was couered with dark and black cloudes and dredfull thunders were hard and thunderboltes killed some of the Pagans who were busied in burning the bodies of the holy martyrs and the other fled away to saue their lifes wherat the Christians took hart and gathered together the reliques of the holy Martirs taking them out of the fire which was alredy quenched and putting them into a bark sailed with them vnto Bizantium and there they buried them very honorably After a few daies the couragious matrone Natalia desirous to remaine in the same place where the holy reliques were passed from Nicomedia vnto Bizantium where shee made a blessed end in our Lord and was buried at the side of S. Adrian her husband whose body was in processe of time caried vnto Rome and buried in a Church builded to his name The death of S. Adrian was on the. 8. day of September and the death of Natalia his wife was on the first day of December in the yeare of our Lord. 306. vpon a munday as the spanish saith Dioclesian raigning iointly with Maximian on the earth and IESVS CHRIST with the father and holy Ghost in perfect Trinity reigning in heauen to whome be all praise and glory for euer Amen * ⎠* The life of S. Gorgonius Martir IESVS CHRIST speaking of his comming into the world Math. 10. saith as S. Mathew writeth in his ghospell Doe not you think that I am come to make peace in the earth for I am come to set warre therin Although that the Angels sang when I was borne Glory be vnto God in the heauens and in earth peace vnto men of good will Although I am become man to treate and conclude peace betwene mine eternall father and men and though my salutations when I rose from death were nothing but peace because I desire that euerie man should haue it neuertheles let not any man be deceaued for I am come to make controuersie and variance betwene the wicked and the good I am come to make a diuision betwene the father and the sonne the mother the daughter the stepmother and the daughter in lawe and I am come to make the houshold seruants and familier freinds enemies vnto the master of the house This is euident and apparant to be so for when the father and the sonne the mother and the daughter the stepmother and the daughter in lawe the master of the house and his houshold people and familiar freinds be wicked and vicious if God touch the hart of any of them and they be conuerted vnto him and the other continue in their wickednes forthwith discord and dissension ariseth among them and they make war one against another but this do the wicked against the good by persecuting them euen to the taking away of their lifes because they forsake and abandon their conuersation Of this we haue an example in S. Gorgonius the martir who was chamberlain vnto the Emperour Diocleasian who as long as Gorgonius was a Gentill and worshipped the Idols liued quietly with him and he shewed much kindnes vnto him but when he vnderstood that Gorgonius was a Christian forthwith he fell out with him and vsed him with great tiranny and lastly with greate cruelty put him to death l. 8. c. 9. Howe it came to passe Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea reherseth after this maner SAINT Gorgonius was borne in the city of Nicomedia and was chamberlein vnto themperour Deoclesian This man hauing receiued the faith of CHRIST IESVS by the meanes of Dorotheus his fellowe companion in the same office These two conferred what they might do to get others of the Emperours chamber to be made Christians It fell out that one day one Petrus that had receaued also the christian faith who was a man noble in bloud of high esteeme in themperours Court hauīg an honorable office in the same sawe in the city of Nicomedia in the high street and edict or proclamation set vp which was made against the Christians threatning death and torments to them that should be discouered This man vpon a greate zeale of our faith took downe the edict and in the sight of all the people rent it in pieces when this happened Dioclesian and Maximian whom the former had chosen to be his colleague and companion in the Empire and had giuen vnto him the title of Cesar were both together in Nicomedia and vnto them it was tould what Petrus had done wherat both enraged and mad with fury commanded he should be brought before theire presence When he was brought and the other two also being there present he reproched and reuiled Peter out of measure and gaue strict commaundment he should not be fauored in his torments which although they were excessiue yet did he neuer showe in his countenaunce any signe but of ioy and neuer spoke word but it declared a vallerous and inuincible mind Gorgonius was present at this spectacle for he and Dorotheus had bene instructors of Peter in the faith of CHRIST These two seeing the cōstancy of the B. martir there grewe in them also a desire to die for the loue of IESVS CHRIST this his example working much in them and by accord betwene them they spoke vnto the Emperour in this maner what meanest thou o Emperour that thou tormentest Peter only for that thing in which if it be in him any fault we also are culpable if thou puttest him to the endurance of these torments because he professeth the faith of IESVS CHRIST the same faith we confesse also The same intention he hath we haue also therfore reason willeth that thou puttest vs vnto the same torments which thou hast made him to suffer when Dioclesian heard them say this he grewe into gret choller The loue he bore towards them before was not so greate and the desire to do them good as was nowe the indignation he cōceiued against them and the determination he had to handle them euill and in his fury and rage he said vnto them Since you seek the way like fooles as this man is to be tormented you shall haue your minds satisfied Then he commaunded they should be scourged without pitty which was performed forthwith so that their flesh was rent and torne in diuers places Then the tirant commaunded the officers to lay salt and power vineger into their wounds and lay them on the gridiron and vnder it a fire to be made but not a greate one to put them to the more torment Peter was nowe dead by this martirdome and bicause Gorgonius and Dorotheus semed yet to liue and the tirant was wearied to see their torment vpon the gridiron he made them to be taken from it and with a rope tied aboute their necks to be hanged by
which meanes the two holy martirs rendered vp their soules vnto their Creator Their bodies being taken away were buried by some Christians But Dioclesian vnderstanding that the Christians came secretly to make their praiers at the place where the holy martirs were buried caused their bodies to be taken out of their graues and to be thrown into the sea At such time as Dioclesian commaunded it he said Let them be cast into a place where they may be no more seen least they be accounted for gods by the Christians who are so ignorant that they do think it better to adore them that haue been our seruants then those whom we adore for our gods God Almighty did not permit those blessed Relikes to ly hidden but rather his pleasure was to cause the sea to do them honour and to bring them vnto the shore When the Christians sawe them they tooke them vp with reuerence and buried them in a place vnknowen vnto the pagans Afterward in processe of time the body of S. Gorgonius was caried vnto Rome and was buried in the way called Lauicana betwen the two bay trees The Spanish book saith Via Latina After this Pope Gregory 4. caused it to be translated into the church of S. Peter The church celebrateth their feast on the day of their Martirdome which was on the 9. day of September in the yeare of out Lord 280. in the time of the afore named Emperour Dioclesian The life of S. Nicholas of Tolentine THE Apostle S. Iames in his canonicall epistle Iac. 5. admonisheth vs to pray vnto God one for an other because the cōtinuall praier of a iust man is of greate force But if it be so as it is indeed and that the praiers of the iust men that be here vpon the earth do help much notwithstanding that they be subiect yea rather falling as IESVS CHRIST saith seuen times a day Prou. 24. though they be slight faults howe much more may we beleeue the praiers of them who do alredy enioy the vision of God and the diuine Essence and be confirmed in grace and be certein and assured neuer to loose it nor neuer to sinne do help and do vs good The holy saints gaue vp their lifes for Gods sake some in effect as the martires and others by the way of goodwill as the Confessors and to be brief they all offered it vp readily in the seruice of God endeuoring all they might not to offend him by any meanes Such like as these without doubt be hard of God when they ask any fauour of him But omitting the examples and testimonies of the holy scriptures which make this thing an Article of faith we haue most euident examples in many holy saints vnto whom God graunted many fauors and graces which they requested of him not only in their life time in this world but also after their passing into heauen to possesse the euerlasting glorie One of these was S. Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor by whose praiers God graunted vnto a man and his wife a sonne who was also called Nicholas and was a holy man by whose merits God graunted many fauors and graces vnto them that deuoutly recommend themselfs vnto him His life was written by S. Antoninus Archibishop of Florence and by a relligious man of his order in this maner SAINT Nicholas was borne in the Marcha d' Ancona in a village called S. Angelo in the territorie of Fermo His father was called Compagnone and his mother Amata These two were borne of noble bloud rich they were and good Christians but they liued in some discontent for that hauing bene married together a good space they had yet no children They had a particuler deuotion vnto S. Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor and him they besought continually that he would of God obteine that fauor for them that they might haue a fruit of benediction With this entent they went to visite his church in the city of Bari in Puglia In that place the holy saint appeared vnto them and did assure them that they should haue a sonne whom thy should name Nicholas after him and also that he should be a blessed seruant of God Euery thing fell out iust as the Saint said for the being returned home Amata conceiued and at her due time brought forth a sonne whom they called Nicholas and as he tooke his name of S. Nicholas Bishop and Confessor by whose intercession he was obteined euen so he was like vnto him in many things From a child he was inclined to serue God he frequented the Church he hard masse and praied with greate deuotion moreouer he fasted gaue almes and followed his study so that as he encreased in age euen so he did in vertue learning and science and to be short he determined to be a man of the Church He was already made a chanon of the church of S. Sauiour in the place where he dwelt and it happened that a worthy and renowned father of the order of S. Augustine came thither to preach One day among others Nicholas was at the sermon in the which the preacher expounded these wordes of S. Iohn 2. Iohn Do not you loue the world nor the things that be therin The preacher spoke such good matter vpon that text that Nicholas resolued to abandon the world and to take the habite of S. Augustine in that same cōuent where the said preacher dwelt with whom he had bene acquainted before that time When he entended to execute in deed the resolution he had made before time he asked leaue of his father and mother who though they were aggriued to want the sight of their sonne yet did they giue him licence Nicholas went vnto the conuent of Tolentinum to craue the habite of S. Augustine which was giuen him readily for they had before then notice of his good life Hauing receiued the habite he proceeded from vertue to vertue labouring to atteine vnto perfection So that being a relligious man he was a mirrour for other relligious men and being a priest he was a looking glasse for other priests and when he was a preacher a spectacle for other preachers to behold their duety and function In this holy saint among other vertues his abstinence shined most clearly for in 30. years space that he continewed in the conuent of Tolentinum he did neuer eat flesh eggs fish milk nor any thing made with milk He fell one time into a greuous infirmity which brought him vnto deaths dore wherupon the phisitions told him that if he would recouer his health he must eat flesh wherunto he answered that in so doing he should by desiring to auoid one danger fall into another and that in flieng the infirmity of the body he should incurre the malady of his soule by giuing liberty vnto his sensuallity and appetite The prior of the conuent seeing the phisitions to affirme that it was necessary for the blessed man Nicholas to eate flesh commaunded him in the vertue of
holy obedience to eate some He without any reply bad the meat which he should eate to be brought vnto him There was brought vnto him as it is said a boiled chicken or some other foule whatsoeuer it was and the blessed man hauing it before him besought our lord to do him that fauour that he might not eat of that foule and yet not to runne into the sinne of disobedience wherupon the foule returned vnto life and flewe away out of the platter leauing all them that were present astonished and the holy saint iocund and glad On the next night the B. Virgin Mary accompanied with S. Augustine visited him and the glorious virgin bad him to send for a loafe of bread into the market place and to put it in water and to eate therof in the name of IESVS CHRIST and he should be cured of that infirmity Herof cometh the vsage that the bread which is called the breade of S. Nicholas of Tolentino is blessed on that day in the conuents of S. Augustine that his feast is solemnised and this breade helpeth and cureth many infirmities as is to this day seene by experience especially the feuer tercian which was his infirmitie as is thought S. Nicholas being healed and cured of the aforesaid infirmity returned vnto his accustomed penance and austerity of life he vsed to fast three daies in the week which he had obserued from the age of seuen years He whipped himselfe in the night many times and his discipline or whippe was certein chaines of Iron his bed was made with a litle hay and his habite was of course cloth full of pieces he vsed to pray very much for he continued in his oraisons from the houre of the Complin vntill it was farre in the night and from the houre of mattins vntill masse was celebrated and from the houre of None vntill the euensong The blessed man spending his time in these and other like good exercises was much vexed and mollested by the diuell who endeuored to drawe him from these his holy imploymentes by scoffs and deceits and sometimes by the permission of God by tormenting and beating him in such sort that the friers hearing the noise came forthwith to defend him and they found him laid at length vpon the ground like a dead man and so they caried him back vnto his couch of hay and yet he for al this omitted not his prayers He visited sick men with great charity and endeuored to help and cherish them as much as he was able He had greate compassion vpon some sinners which had made their confession vnto him and for them he praied fasted and said masse with greate deuotion The like he did for the soules in purgatory vnto the which he had greate deuotion which was increased much more in him by a reuelation he had of the great paines they suffered in that place when there came any frier as a stranger vnto his conuent he shewed him all the kindnes he could possibly neither did he forget the state of prisoners but rather in his sermons and priuate communications which he had with rich men and men in autority he persuaded them to the works of mercy as a thing very acceptable vnto our lord This blessed Saint comforted the afflicted gaue consolation vnto men in tribulation set atonement betwene men that were at variance He was a refuge for them that were in affliction a helper vnto the needy and the raunsomer of them that were slaues and in bondage God shewed many miracles by the meanes of this glorious saint aswell in his life time as also after his death which be fell him in the afore said conuent of Tolentine and when he was now at the last gasp he called the friers and desired them all to forgiue him if he had offended them in any thing and after he had receiued the most holy sacraments he caused a crucifix to be set before him and in speaking vnto CHRIST his B. Mother and his holy father S. Augustine he yelded vp his soule vnto God on the. 10. day of September in the yeare of our Lord. 1307. Afterward Pope Eugenius the. 4. hauing made due diligence and hauing receued full information of his life and miracles put his name in the catalogue of the holy Confessors in the yeare of our saluation 1446. The life of SS Protus and Iacinctus Martirs THE Apostle S. Paule saith Rom. 1. that by the meanes of visible things we come vnto the knowledg of the inuisible things of God His meaning is that by the knowledg of the creatures we come vnto the knowledg of the creator Even so it happened vnto the glorious martirs SS Protus Iacinctus by the means of a holy damosell called Eugenia They studied philosophy and other humaine sciences and by that study they came to the knowledg that the Gods which the Gentils adore were false and that there was but one God onely After this by conuersing with some Christians they vnderstood that IESVS CHRIST is the true God and they were conuerted vnto his faith In collecting their life out of that which S. Isidore and Simeon Metaphrastes write in the life of S. Eugenia I say That SAINT Protus and S. Iacinctus were eunuches and attended vpon a noble Lady called Eugenia daughter vnto Philip a Roman senator who being elected Regent of Alexandria by the senate went thither with Claudia his wife Eugenia his daughter and all his family There went thither also with Eugenia Protus Iacinctus the two Eunuches And because in that city there was a study of diuers sciences Eugenia the two Eunuchs be stowed their time in study and they all three profited much therin Philosophy was their chiefest study and by speculation in the same thy came to knowe that it was a foolish and vaine thing to adore many Gods for reason did make demonstration that such wicked and lewd men as were Iupiter Apollo Mars and all the other which the heathens adored for Gods were not only vnworthy of the name of God but also of men since their deeds and actions were bestiall and abhominable After this beginning to frequent the company of christians they had vnderstanding of the misteries of our faith and so desired to be baptized To performe this the better Eugenia determined to put her self in mans apparell and in that sort to depart from her fathers house taking with her Prothus and Iacinthus the Eunuches to seek out a holy Abbot called Helenus to be by him Baptised and receiued into his society This Abbot gouerned a monastery of relligious men and had a reuelation that Eugenius so called was a woeman yet because he knew it to be the wil of God that things should proceed in that maner he kept it from her He Baptised them and gaue vnto them all three his religious habitt and they liued therin a godly vertuous life Afterward Helenus the Abbot deceasing the monks who thought Eugenius had bene a man chose hir
of Cyprian Bishop and martir of IESVS CHRIST shall endure whilest the world lasteth for that he wrote so many eloquent and learned works yet requisite it is that beside this he should be registred for his famous and renoumed deeds and for his most holy life for the good of them that shall liue herafter And because many haue a care to describe the martirdomes that holy men haue suffered for CHRISTES sake making therby their name immortall it is very iust that the martirdome of S. Cyprian be also written that his eternall memorie may be conserued since he excelled in his life euen from the time of his conuersion lastly in his martirdome Wee need not to make any relation of his life before his conuersion because it was of no regard or estimation in the sight of God Cyprian was altogether giuen vnto worldly matters he studied humain letters in the which he came to be very learned He was a good retoritian and redd that science publikely in Carthage which was his natiue countrey but after he was conuerted vnto God and of an Idollater was made a beleeuer and of a painim a christian he gaue himself vnto the study of diuinity and thervnto he adioyned good works which be very acceptable vnto God He especially resolued to obserue chastity he sold his patrimony and distributed the mony arising therof vnto the poore and by this he obteined two things First he auoided therby worldly ambition vnto which worldly riches do drawe men that be welthy and secondly he was made perfect in vertue assoone as he had knowledg therof and knew what it was For our Lord IESVS CHRIST gaue this counsell vnto a yong man that in all his life had kept the commaundements of God and told him that if he would be perfect he must sell all that he had and giue the price vnto the poore S. Ciprian beginning to be good desired also to be perfectly good for as I haue said he sold all that he had and gaue the mony vnto the poore This was in him considerable and also stupendious because he that soweth gathereth not the fruit forthwith He that planteth a vineyard doth not forthwith gather grapes he that planteth a melon or a peare doth not by and by gather a peare or a melon This wonder was remarkable in Cyprian for he had not scarce thrown the seed out of his hand but he began to reap the corne the vineyard was vnneth planted and yet he gathered grapes of it So assone as the tree of the word of God and of faith was planted in his soule so soone were seen in him the fruits of holy and vertuous works And though that the Apostle aduiseth vs 1 Tim. 3. that the Neophite should not be made a Bishop to wit one that is newely conuerted from any sect what soeuer vnto true Christianity saying it is not fit to bestowe on him so soone a dignity of such account as it is to be a Bishop lest there should be any nouelty introduced by him into the Church of God which might smell or sauour of Paganisme yet this rule was not obserued in the election of Ciprian for that which is wrought in other men by time that did his great liuely faith operate in him presently and therefore he was made priest incontinent This function he exercised in all sanctity neither did the memory of the forsaking of his goods and to see him self poore any whit dismay or hinder him The flattering and guilefull words of his wife which he had when he was a heathen did not hinder him nor the preferments and reputation he had in the world no not his kinsfolks nor friends were any impediment or obstacle vnto him His vertue continued firme with him being in this state because it was well founded In such sort Iob. 2. that no temptation preuailed against him any whit yea rather like another Iob he blessed and praised God in the depth of his tribulations Being priest he dwelt apart from others in a house which was alway open for and to the needy Litle he could do because he was poore but for the litle that he could there neuer came widow orphan wounded or discomforted person that departed from him without help succour or good aduise He was a gret frend of a priest called Cecilius who was the man that with his liuely reasons and holy admonitions had wonne him from infidelity and had Baptised him and this is the cause why he called himselfe Cecilius Ciprianus allwaies esteeming this priest as his father Vnto this Cecilius S. Ciprian gaue and vsed meanes wherwith to sustein and maintain his wife which he had before his conuersion as also his children which he had by her that is to say one halfe of his patrimony for the rest he had bestowed vpon the poore Cecilius took this charge vpon him to the end Ciprian might better attend vnto the seruice of God and pious deeds for the which he grew so renoumed famous that shortly after he had bin made priest he was chosen Bishop by all the people of Carthage which dignity he refused as much as might be alleaging that in Carthage were many priests more auncient well lettred and of good life also which deserued the dignity much more then he who had bene an Idollater But the more he refused it the more earnest the People were in their opinion and said that Ciprian and none other should be Bishop and prelate of that city S. Ciprian seeing their resolution withdrew himself vnto his house and caused the gates to be fast locked All the People ranne thither in plumpes and enuironed the house in that maner that he repented that he had shut himself therin and then he wished he might get downe away from them as S. Paul did but it was impossible for all the waies were forelaid with multitudes of people There were some who seeing how vnwilling Ciprian was to accept the dignity grudged at them which in a manner forced him to accept it reciting some of his imperfections and saying also that it was not fit that one who was so lately an Idollater should be elected a Bishop so soone But S. Ciprian being Bishop vsed those persons that depraued him with gret loue and kindnes to the wonder of all men that knew it When he had accepted the charge and office of a Bishop he shewed that in such and like occasions the voice of the people is the voice of God No humaine toung can expresse with what sanctity and prudence he exercised himself in that office He was compassionate toward the brethren and the humble but toward the vaine glorious and hauty he was rigorous and austere He alwaies looked with a cheerefull countenaunce but yet with grauity in such maner that one could not know whether he was more to be loued or feared although he deserued both the one and the other His apparell was not very costly nor yet altogether course and
and being aprehended he remained one night in the house of one of them that had taken him To that place resorted much people euery one desiring to see their prelate aliue for they were assured that right soone they should see him dead Thither came also many deuout women but he caused them to depart to auoid occasion of offence On the next morning the holy Bishop was brought before the Proconsull Galerius Maximus apparellend in pontificall vestures which made a goodly maiestical shewe when the Proconsull sawe him he said Art thou that Cyprian that hast the title of Pope or gret Bishop I am Cyprian said the good Bishop Tell me said the Proconâ—ull if thou knowe what our Emperours haue commaunded which is that thou must either sacrifice vnto the Gods or els thou must loose thy life Cyprian answered I am a Christian and I cannot nor may not sacrifice vnto your Gods wherefore do whatsoeuer hath bin coÌ„manded vnto thee The proconfull waxing wroth said Thou hast liued sacrilegiously and hast drawen many vnto thy deuotions you all haue made a confederacie against the Gods whom the Romain Emperous adore thou wouldest neuer obey their decrees But because thou art the author of this euill my will is that thy doctrine be writteÌ„ with thy bloud to the end thy adherents may take example by thee and be aduised by thy death Hauing said thus he pronounced the sentence that Cyprian should be beheaded The blessed Bishop said then I render infinite thanks vnto God who is pleased to deliuer me from the prison of this body The officers of Iustice inconâ—inent led him to be executed according to the sentence Much People followed him euery one lamenting and all of them saieng with a loud voice Cut of all our heads together with his When they came to the place of martirdome the B. Bishop put of his pontificall attire and wrapped and foulded vp the same agein and gaue it vnto his deacons and remained only in his last linnen garment He then requested one of his frends to giue him some mony who gaue him 20. pieces of gold all which he gaue vnto the headsman in recompence of the seruice he expected to receaue of him His frinds and the cleargy that were in the place lamented bitterly and laid their garments on the ground that his blessed bloud might fall on the same He himself put the napkin ouer his eies and being on his knees the headsman performed his office Assone as S. Ciprian was beheaded the priests that were in that place very reuerently took vp his body and caried it vnto the graue But they fearing lest the pagans would take it out of that publike place and vnbury it and pull and dismember it in pieces the same priests by night took it out of that place and caried it vnto the field of Macrobius Candidus S. Cyprian was the first prelat that was martirized in Africa Of him his life and death much mention is made by many holy men and graue Authors As S. Augustine S. Ierome S. Gregory Nazianzen Prudentius Maximus B. of Turine Paulus Diaconus Lactantius Firmianus and Eusebius Cesariensis You must note that S. Gregory Nazianzen saith that S. Ciprian was a magitian or inchaunter who tried by his art to gett the loue of a yong woman called Iustina and that hauing sent the euill spirits to bring her vnto him they could not bring her no not come neere her And this he saith was the occasion of his conuersion and that the yong maid Iustina was martired with him Marcus Marulus saith the same They the others that say thus ar deceued for they make but one Ciprian of two that were Ciprian B. of Carthage a most holy doctor and martir was one and Ciprian the sorcerer or coniurer was another The times wherin thes two Ciprians liued were diuers and the Church celebrateth their feasts on seuerall daies The feast of S. Cyprian B. of Carthage whose life we haue written at this time is celebrated on the same day that the feast of S. Cornelius the pope is vnto whom he was a great frend and many letters were written from the one vnto the other and they were martired on the same day but in sundry places and not in the same yeare as S. Ierome and Ado of Vienna say The day of the martirdome of S. Cyprian was on the. 14. day of September in the yeare of our Lord 259. But the Church translateth his feast vnto the 16. day of the same moneth because that on the 14. day is celebrated the feast of the Exaltation of the holy Crosse and on the 15. day is celebrated the octaue of the natiuity of our Lady The Spanish Dioclesian about 300. The feast of S. Cyprian the sorcerer who was martired with Iustina the virgin is celebrated on the. 26. day of September This S. Cyprian liued in the time of the Emperour Claudius 2. And S. Cyprian B. of Carthage was in the time of Valerian and Galien One was borne in Carthage and the-other in Antioche God some times permitteth the saints to erre in some matter for if they should not erre in some one thing they might be thought to be more then men The which be fell vnto S. Cyprian whose life we haue written for he was in an opinion that those which had bene Baptised by heretiks although they had obserued the forme which the Church obserueth in Baptisme should and ought neuertheles to be rebaptised and herein he erred but as S. Augustin saith the spot of this error was washed away with the bloud which he shed in his martirdome Venerable Bede saith that the reliques of S. Cyprian were brought from Africa into Fraunce and that they be in Lyons The life of S. Euphemia Virgin and of SS Lucy and Geminian Martirs IESVS CHRIST speaking vnto his Apostles of the persecutions that thy were to suffer for his sake as allso others Math. 10. which should come after them said thes words The sonnes shall arise against their owne fathers and shall procure their death by accusing them vnto tirants This was accomplished acording to the letter in a Romain matrone called Lucy who was accused by her owne sonne before a tirant that shee was a Christian for the which shee was allso put to death The church celebrateth her feast together with that of SS Geminian and Euphemia for that thy were martired all three on one day by the ordinance of one and the same tirant though in sundry places Their martirdome was written by venerable Bede Vsuardus wrote the same and like wise Ado Archbishop of Triers in this maner IN the time of the Emperour Dyocletian there was in the citty of Chalcedon a Senator called Philophronius he had only one daughter named Euphemia that being a Christian was as much ennobled for her vertue as for her bloud Shee was put into prison by a Proconsull called Priscus who commanded her to sacrifise vnto his gods The holy virgin
honorable memorie of him in celebrating the feastiuall day of his martirdome Yet most stupendious is the miracle straunge the wonder that to this day is seen in the same city of Naples which is this His bloud which is kept is in a violl of glasse congealed and hardened very much yet let it be put right before and against the head of S. Ianuarius and it doth melt and dissolue in such sort that if seemeth to boile or seeth as if it were liuely and did issue and spring euen then out of the veines The passion of all these blessed Saints was on the 19. day of September vnder Dioclesian and Maximian Romain Emperours in the yeare of our Lord. 305. Our holie father Pope Sixtus 5. in the first yeare of his papacy by a Bull commaunded that the said blessed Saints should be put in the Calendar and their office and masse should be celebrated by all faithfull Christians on the day of their Martirdome * ⎠* The life of S. Eustachius and others WE READ in the book of Numbers Ca. 22. that Balac king of Moab douting the Israelits would come and make warre vpon him in his realme sent messengers for Balaam the prophet that he might curse them imagining by that meanes to haue the victory against them The prophet went at his request which displeased God and rode on an asse It fell out that the Asse after a litle trauell staied and would not go forward The prophet rated and bet her and stroke her without discretion or iust cause and as the scripture said God opened the mouth of the beast who also speak vnto him Then did an Angell also speak in the defence of the Asse vnto the prophet and moreouer tole him what he should do This history may be fitly applied vnto S. Eustachius who wandering in the paths of Idollatry and heathenishe errors a thing abhominable in the sight of God was admonished of his errors by a wonderfull meanes God vsed toward him to wit he made a hart of stag to speak vnto him and to instruct him what he ought to do The life of this glorius saint and of his fellowe martirs was written by Symeon Metaphrastes and by S. Antoninus Bishop of Florence in this manner IN the time of Traiane Themperour there was in Rome an honorable and noble Lord called Placidus who was Generall of the horse And though he was a paynim yet did he works in them selues good He was charitable pitifull iust and faith full vnto his Lord. On day as Placidus went on hunting he spyed a goodly harte and pricked his horse with the spurres in pursuite therof The â—art or stag made a stand on a high eminent place and when Placidus approched nere it seemed vnto him that the hart had the signe of one crucified betwen his hornes and withall he heard a voice which said why doest thou persecute me Incontinent he alighted from his horse and kneeling on the ground said who art thou Lord that speakest vnto me The voice replied I am IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God who discended from heaven vnto earth and was crucified for the saluation of mankind and rose ageine to life on the third day Placidus replied againe Lord what is thy pleasure I shall do In what sort wilt thou haue me to serue thee It was answered vnto him My will is that thou thy wife and all thy family be Baptised and so thou shalt find the true way to go vnto heauen and when thou art Baptised my will is that thou be patienâ— and tollerat willingly the afflictions that shall be fall vnto thee and this do for my sake This being said the hart ran swiftly away and departed out of his sight Placidus wondered excedingly and at that instant God touched his hart and so enlightened him that he beheld the blindnes and misery in which he then was by giuyng diuine worship to stocks and stones He went home without delay and conferred and shewed his intent vnto some Christians and to conclude he was Baptised wherin he chaunged his name from Placidus and took the name of Eustachius his wife called Theopista and his two soÌ„nes Agapitus Theopistus were Baptised also After a few dayes Eustachius being well instructed in the Christian faith the deuill began God permitting it to persecute him Iob. c. 1. as he did Iob. The first thing was he slewe all his beasts and cattail wherof he had great store then did all his slaues and bondmen dye and briefely he lost all his goods became so poore and was so abandoned of the world that he was forced to depart out of Rome and lead a priuate life in a poore village In that place the fiend did also persecute him for he incited some wicked persons to take his wife from him and he had not power to resist and withstand them but God did always so preserue her that shee was neuer dishonored He lost also his two sonnes and he remained alone in so great necessity that he was faine to dwell with a rich citizen who made him his baily and ouerseer ouer one of his farmes in the countrey Although the good Eustachius sawe himself brought into this great misery yet euidently appeared in him a generous mind and Christian resolution to tollerat euery thing with patience God proued him like another Iob but when he was in this hard case he thought of him and restored him vnto his former estate For the Emperour Traian hauing designed to make a warre of much import and considering that to bring it to the wished end he must haue an expert generall he called Placidus to his remembrance whom he iudged a man fit for that charge After diligent enquiry he was found and madegenerall of the forces which charge he hauing receaued as he was carefull in mustering men for this gret seruice he came to the knowledg of his two sonnes Agapistus and Theopistus who were among the other souldiors of the army He also found again his wife who in poore and mean array was a seruant to an Inholder The ioy Eustachius had and the infinite thanks he yelded vnto God to see him self deliuered and freed from his former miseries and to haue found again his wife and two sonnes cannot with words be expressed After he had accomplished his entreprise committed vnto him he retorned vnto Rome with great honor and found Traian dead and Adrian installed in the empire Eustachius was receued into Rome with gret pompe and triumph aswell by the Emperour as by the wholl senate And because the custome of the Romain Capteins was that when they entred Rome with Victory they went vnto the temple of Iupiter there they sacrificed Eustachius excused himself saieng he could not do it bicause he was a Christian Themperour the Senate and all the people thought that if the accustomed sacrifice was not done they should neuer after haue any victory for which cause thy were very earnest that Eustachius should sacrifice Eustachius
family to the Mauri Being fully 20. yeeres old he was sent by his father to Rome to study where he remained in the house of Quintus Fabius his fathers friend vntill S. Peter the Apostle came to Rome to preach the Gospell Then this S. Linus was of his first disciples who followed him asisting him alwaies in his preaching and in the administration of the hely Sacramēts S. Peter seing in him many good partes as his holines learning and curteous affability he made him his coadiutor in the dignity to the which he was also elected after the death of the Apostle So that first he was coadiutor then Pope and head of the Church for the which with great care and prudence he prouided all thinges necessarie for the good gouernement thereof He comaunded in particuler that women hould not enter into the Church with their haire loose and vntied but bound vp and couered as S. Peter had comaunded and S. Paul had left written He gaue holy orders twise in the month of December and at them he consecrated 15. Bishops and ordered 18 Priests with some Deacons In the primitiue Church there was great care had in giuing holy orders and in receiuing any to the office of a priest or the other orders and therefore they kept a reconing and conserued the memory of the times when holy orders were giuen and how many were ordered Those ancient fathers did this for that this office was so reuerend holy and so hard to discharge that many deputed and apointed to take orders refused it yea some there were that cut of some member or other as their finger eare nose or the like to make themselues incapable to receiue an office so great and waighty as Priesthood is Moreouer the Christians at that time were fewe in number so that there was not such need of so many Pastors If the same were done at this present it would surely be a notable benefit aswell for the one part as for the other if that prelates were not so liberall and ready in giuing holy orders nor secular Christians so bold and hasty in procuring to receaue the same the Priests should not be so litle esteemed nor the seculars haue such occasion to murmure of the Ecclesiasticall state S. Linus wrote the deeds and doctrine of S. Peter the Apostle his maister and especialy his martirdome S. Linus being a most holy man cast out diuells and raised the dead to life He deliuered from the diuell a yong woman daughter to the Consul Saturninus who in recompence of that receaued benefitt by the handes of the good Pope comaunded he should be put to death and so he was made the martir of IESVS CHRIST It is no smal honour to S. Linus that the Catholike Church hath put his name in the Canon of the masse among other holy martirs there mētioned The feast of S. Linus is celebrated on the daie of his martirdom which was one the 23 of September in the yeare of our Lord 81. in the time of Vespasian the Emperour This holy Martir held the Papacy 11. yeeres 3. monthes and 12 daies was buried neere vnto the body of S. Peter the Apostle Shortly after his holy reliques were translated vnto the citty of Ostia and laid comely in the Church of S. Lawrence by Gregorie Bishop of that citty S. Paul maketh mention of Pope Linus in the second Epistle he wrote vnto Timothie his disciple in the 4. chapter The life of S. Tecla virgin THE Apostle S. Paule writing vnto the Corinthians saith 1. Cor. 7. that the virgin sinneth not in taking a husband but doth a good work though it should be better not to take a husband but to remaine a virgin I may be that the Apostle preached this doctrin in a sermon and that a yong woman named Tecla who had determined to take a hushand was present therat Who vnderstanding that it was better to conserue her virginity left and forsooke her earthly spouse taking IESVS CHRIST to her heauenly spouse for whose loue she tollerated very great afflictions and torments which were procured vnto her by him that thought to be her husband The life of this glorious saint gathered out of the writings of S. Ambrose Ado Arch of Triers and out of other graue authors was as followeth ON a time S. Paule departing from Antioch went vnto a city called Iconium in the prouince of Cilicia There had bene there before that time Titus his disciple and had giuen notice and signes of him vnto Onesiphorus who was a very vertuous man and dwelt in that city He had related allso vnto him the doctrine which he preached his life and behauior and informed him of the quality of his personage to wit that he was a man litle of body and that he had a hooked nose and faire in the face like an Angell When the Apostle came vnto the city Onesiphorus knew him by the signes before told him wherefore he led him to his house where some people of good intention and desirous to finde the true way to eternall life and happines were assembled The Apostle preached vnto them to the great profit of them that gaue due attention vnto him In the next house to the place where the Apostle preached there dwelt a damosell very beautifull but much more vertuous called Tecla This damosell had a mother liuing who had made a match and apointed to marry her to a yongman called Tamirus It hapened on a time that Tecla standing in a windowe of her house heard from thence the preaching wordes of S. Paul which made very great impressiō in the mind of the yong damosell She being not content to haue heard him this one time endeauored and made meanes to heare him sondry other times and so long that her mother came to the knowledge thereof how the wordes of the Apostle had made her daughter to alter her intent and purpose to marry Yea the virgin Tecla her self who was a pagan before said now boldly that she was a Christian and she that before was resolued to take an husband said now that she desired rather to loose her life then her virginity The mother made report of these things vnto the spouse of her daughter who finding the same to be very true because Tecla her self told him her mind freely and what she entended to do which was that she would not marry but remaine a virgin went vnto the Proconsull of the citty and gaue him notice that there was a forreiner come into the towne who took wiues from their husbands and brought in new and strange Gods to the notable preiudice and damage of them all as being contrary to that their fore fathers had beleeued This information was the cause that the Apostle was apprehended cruelly scourged and put in danger of his life had he not made it knowne vnto them that he had the priuiledge of a citisen of Rome by being borne in Tarsus a citty of Cicilia yet for all
them was Clodoueus sonne to Childericus who was possessed of the greatest and best part of that Realme This Clodoueus was a Painim Idollater but had to his wife Clotidis a holy vertuous Christian woman of the house of Burgundy Shee had many times persuaded the king to be Baptised and to be come a Christian and he excused himself alleaging that the souldiers of his army would kill him if he did so On a time being in warre against the Allemans and Sueuians and fighting with them he fell into great danger not only to be discomfited but also to be slaine in the field Clodoueus had in his company a Christian the duke of Orleance who aduised the king to make a vowe vnto God to be made a Christian assuring him thereby the victory ouer his foes Clodoueus made the vowe euery thing succeeded according to his desire for he not only was victorius in that encounter but he also made that prouince subiect vnto his crowne Then he returned with victory vnto Paris his place of residence and made relation vnto the queen Clotildis of the vowe he had made who being ioifull of it sent messengers for S. Remigius to come and confer with the king The holy Bishop came and spake with the king and shewed to him such pregnant reasons that he was fully resolued to be Baptised The thing that staied him was the fear that his subiects would rebell against him To put that doubt out of the kings mind S. Remigius talked priuatly with â—he principall men of the kings host and some times he preached to them in publik These priuate and publik speeches of S. Remigius were of such force that all said they would be Baptised if the king was The day wherin the king should be Baptised was apointed and much people were assembled and all the chiefe men were in the Church where the blessed Sacrament was to be celebrated The king being vpon the fonte the priests by Gods permission had forgot to bring thither the holy oile and when the king should haue bene aniointed there with S. Remigius perceaued the want therof The throng of the people was so great that it was impossible to haue it brought so soon as was fit so that the holy saint was much perplexed but he had in his hart recourse vnto the father of mercies beseeching him to help him in this necessity lest ther should arise any offence among the people and behold a Doue carrieng in her bill a violl with holy oile therin was seene euidently to come and put it into the hands of S. Remigius and then to fly away againe The holy sainct after he had giuen thanks vnto God for this fauor receiued anointed the king with that oile after the accustomed vsage The sweet odour of that oile was so great that the king and others who had seene the miracle were astonied therat and rendered vnto God infinit thanks for the same Clodoueus was then named Lodouicus and vnto S. Remigius aswell the king as the other noblemen that were Baptised that day shewed many fauors and gaue him many possessions and other reuenews which he distributed among the Churches of his Diocess S. Remigius in his old age knew by reuelation from heauen that there would ensue a great dearth and scarcety of corne in all Fraunce and therefore he like another Ioseph gathered good store therof against that time of necessity and heaped and staked it vp in a village called Celtum This being done certein countrie clownes vpon a festiuall day hauing litle to do talked together of the great store of graine he had collected And one of them said This Lazie old man for so they called him for his great age will I think by his ingrossing become a merchant of corne Another instigated by the deuill said let vs set it on fier burne it and so he shall not gaine by his merchandize The others assented and so in an instant they sett fire to the stacks and burned much As it happened S. Remigius was not farre of and being told of this accident he speedilie got to his horse and went to see if he could remedy it but when he came he found it past recouery It was in a cold euening in the winter which also was a vexation to the holy man by reason of his age and so he alighted from his nagge and came neere to the fire to warme himself with out any alteration of his countenance and said God will not forget to punish him that hath done this euill losse vnto poore men and so it came to passe for the pesants that set fier to the corne became crook backt and al their children that came of them were so also The Author that wrote this life saith he hath sene some of their race crook backt To end the time long desired by S. Remigius the day of his death aproached by which he hoped to haue the rewarde of his trauell tollerated for the loue of his Church in gouerning the same by the space of 74 years for so long he had bin Bishop In all which time he neuer did thing that was not fit or conuenient neither did he omitt to do that which he ought to do Vnderstanding that the hower of his death approached first he set in order the affairs of his Church then he pâ—ouided to haue long oraisons made for him and desired to receaue the holy Sacrament and so finally he yielded vp his soule vnto his redeemer who had bought it with his pretious bloud being then 96 years old in the year of our Lord 545 on the 13. day of Ianuary But because the holy Church on that day solemniseth the octaues of the Epiphanie the feast of S. Remigius is put ouer vnto the 1. day of October because on that day his body was translated He was first buried in a Church of S. Christopher in the same city of Rheimes but bicause the Church was litle and the concourse of people which came to visite his sepulcher great it was made bigger and larger and of more curious and costly workmanship in especiall there was made a most beautifull sepulcher for the body of the holy sainct but when they would haue caried it thither they fouÌ„d it so weighty so heauy that no humain force and strength was able to moue it in such sort that all the clergy and people which were assembled to make that translation were pensiue and sorowfull yet staied in the Church singing himnes and spirituall songs Staieng in this maÌ„ner they fell in a fast sleep and when they awaked they found the blessed body caried into the new sepulcher by the hands of Angells wherupon it was ordeined in regard of this miracle that the feast of S. Remigius should be celebrated on that day which was the. 1. of October as nowe it is The life of the Seraphicall Father S. Frauncis WE READ of king Dauid that when he was persecuted by Saul 1. Reg 27.
he neuer staid long but continuallie trauailed from one place to another to escape his handes Once he came to the court of Achis king Geth who was a Phillistin being knowen of the courtiers he was led vnto the king that he might also see and knew him that had killed in the field the most valiant Champion of all the Philistians Golias the Giant Dauid feared that comming before the king he might incurre danger of his life wherefore to free himself of that perill he vsed a kind of pollicy in which he shewed himself as wise as he had before time valerous His craft was to faine himself foolish mad make faces and diffigure his countenance in diuers strange fashions to pulle at one and after at another and yf any catched at him againe to slip away from them as allso to let spiâ—tle fall on his beard and such like frantick toyes The king seing and thincking this to be done for nought but meere foolishnes scoffed at him and said to his courtiers To what end haue you brought this fellow hither want I fooles in my house take him away By this deuise Dauid was deliuered from the danger of death and out of the hands of the Phillistims O blessed Patriarch and Seraphicall Father holie S. Frauncis howe well and how perfectly wast thou pictured in this patterne Thou like a newe Dauid being yet verie yong wast persecuted not by Saule but by the deuill that endeuoured and laboured to depriue thee of the life not only of bodie but allso of soule Achis the king of Geth is this world in whose court thou wast and continuedst for a time in companie of other worldly men These made thee knowen to the world and the world did fixe his eyes vpon thee But thou fearing dauÌ„gers which hong ouer thy head to deliuer thy life out of his handes didst like a wise man faine thy selfe a foole Thou didst alter thy countenance when forsaking all that the world esteemeth thou didst embrace that which he most dispiseth When flying from all pleasures and delights thou didst make choice of contempt and afflictions Thou sometimes didst cherish one sometime another therby seeming to catche hold of them but if anie beganne to lay hold on thee to make the liue in sinne as others thou didst auoide and flye away from them Thou diddest many other things as a foole according to the iudgment of the world as in louing and seeking pouertie in appareilling and vsing of thy body not only meanely but also rigourously whereby the world reputed thee a foole and a verie dizard But thou like Dauid by this dilligence wast deliuered from out of the hands of Philisteans the hands of this world that so thou mightest fight and make fierce and cruell warre against him not only by thy owne person but also by thy sonnes and by thy daughters the religious people of thy holie order who continually waging warre against this enemie obteine many glorious spoiles and victories I haue taken the life of this blessed Saint out of the writings of S. Bonauenture S. Antoninus of Florence and others SAINT Frauncis was borne at Assisium a city in the valley of Spoleto in Italy in the yeare of our Lord 1182 and his father was a marchaunt called Peter Bernardo At his Christning he was named Iohn which name was after at his Confirmation chaunged into Francis for so was the will and pleasure of his father He was brought vp well and had good education as being the eldest sonne of his father who set him to learne both Latine and French intending to make him his factoure in marchandise whereunto the knowledge of many languages was as he knew well verie necessary S. Frauncis being come to years of discretion began to help his father in his trafficque aswell within as without the cittie And for that by this meanes he was as chiefe master and much money was returned thorough his hands a thing most perillous and pernitious for yong men he spent verie prodigally in what he liked This wrought many yong men of his years and of euil behauior into his company whoe moued him to liue as they did drowned in lasciuiousnes in ryot and youthfull vanities Thus he gaue himself wholly to delights to feastings and vaine company and yet alwaies in this euill behauioure he shewed some tokens of what he should then and what he woud be after ward On the one side he omitted not to commit all sinnes with out any feare yett on the other side he did some good deeds as giuing of almose in liberall sort for naturally he was very compassionat to the poore One day it fell out that a poore man asked an almose of him and he because he was verie busy gaue him none The poore man departed assoone as Francys perceued it he reproued himself and ruÌ„ning after him found him out and not only gaue him almose but also very lowely craued pardon of him and forthwith he also made a vowe that from theÌ„ceforth he neuer would deny to giue any thing that was demaunded of him for Gods sake if it lay in his power And perseuering in the obseruation of so worthy a vowe euen vntill his death he receaued manie especial great fauours of God one was that as often as euer he heard these words for Gods sake so often he felt a great tendernes of hart the cause of great consolation In regard of the Almose and other good deeds S. Frauncis did God sent him many good inspirations which serued as meanes to pull him out of that euill course of life in which he liued One of these meanes and motions was a whole yeares imprissonment in the city of Perugia among other citisens of AssisiuÌ„ caused by a controuersie between these two cities Francis in this prison shewed himself a man of great courage in aduersity as being always mery and comforting other his fellow prisoners that were pensiue and sad Peace was concluded between these citties the prisoners were discharged and Francis fell againe to his former courses prodigally spending his fathers goods among his companions in feasting gaming and carnallity and this life he led vntill he was 25. years old Comming to that age God did call him againe by a long and grieuous infirmitie the booke wherein man learnes manie good lessons First he learneth a liuelie and feeling knowledge of this trueth that he is mortall and that his health is not of himselfe He learneth moreouer to know his sinnes seing that sicknes is often times caused by them He learneth allso to feare hell fire as more neerely threatning deserued punishment which feare doth more earnestly stirre him vp to desire and thirst after eternall ioyes He learneth to despise all worldly riches as things that cannot restore him to health He lerneth to prepare himselfe to dye seinge infirmitie the harbinger of death in his lodginge He learneth to feare the iust iudgements of God making this discourse if in time of Mercie he chastizeth
vpheld the Church of S. Iohn Lateran with his shoulders And considering the purity and sincerity of his hart howe he despised the world and loued pouerty his constancy in this purpose of following that Euangelicall life written in his Rule according to which he desired to liue and regarding also his great zeale for the saluation of soules his feruent desire to imitate IESVS CHRIST he said without doubt this same is the man I sawe in my sleep I suppose that this man with his good example of life and doctrine will help to susteine and vphold the Church of God and with all he graunted vnto S. Francis his request and desire and confirmed his Rule Viuae vocis oraculo viz by word of mouth Then the holy man made a solemne profession in the hands of the Pope so did all his company promising to liue after that Euangelicall Rule when this was done the Pope ordeinted S. Francis Generall of all the order These things happened in the year of our Lord 1209. But because there was no Bull made therof at this time therefore the confirmation of this order of Friers Minors is not accounted but from the time of Honorius the Pope who 15. years after this confirmed the same by a particuler Bull and other Popes since haue confirmed and illustrated the same with speciall graces and priuiledges S. Francis returned to Assisium and with his brethren withdrew him selfe into a litle house nâ—ere to the city and there continued in praier and meditation From this house they went to a litle Church or chappell belonging to the Benedictine monks who bestowed it freely vpon S. Francis This chappell was called S. Maria de Angelis or by another name S. Maria de Portiuncula This was the first house or formed monastery of al the order The first time S. Francis came thither he seemed to be very ioifull and said to his Friers that this place should be the head of all his order S. Francis then departed from thence and so did all his brethren and went preaching not only in the city of Assisium neere vnto them but also in other places especially the Seraphicall father becoÌ„ming an Euangelicall troÌ„pet passed thorough cities castles and townes preaching the word of God not with eloquent words or worldly wisedome but with feruour and power and spirit of the liuing God The people who sawe and heard him speak thought him to be a man of a higher and another world for his hart and visage was euer â—rected toward heauen and he laboured to direct euerie one in his company to think of the world to come many were conuerted by his wordes and many did keepe him company who for the desire they had to imitate IESVS CHRIST followed the footsteps of the holy saint whom they took for their guide despising all kind of worldly goods and embracing holy pouerty It would be tedious to recount all the things this holy father did as his godly exercises and the holy life he led when he began to found his relligious order First he was most abstinent in eating and drinking his ordinary diet was bread and water with some pulse and sodden herbs If at any time he was forced by sicknes to eat flesh when he was recouered he would for a requitall repaire the abstinence brokeÌ„ with double austerity on his body He so diuided the yeare into lents that he fasted almost all of it eating but only once a day His first lent began at th end of twelftyde vntill Easter Another he kept after Easter for the coÌ„ming of the Holy Ghost Another for the Apostles S. Peter and Paul Another against the Assumption of our Lady and when that feast was gone he fasted tille the feast of S. Michaell tharchangell and then at the blessed feast of All Saints he began his Aduent vntill Christmas The bare earth was the ordinary bed for his weak and feeble body and for a pillowe he laid a stone vnder his head He slâ—pt very litle but watched almost all night in praier His apparaill was one gowne with a hood and a rope was his girdle he went some times vnto the desert places and mountains to pray the more quietly It happened on a time that S. Francis being in the night in the desert Sacianum in a litle caue the deuill called him by his name and the blessed man answered him not knowing who it was that called him The fiend said to him There is not so great a sinner in the world but God will pardon him if he be conuerted but they that will shorten their daies with rigorous penances shall find no mercy before the heauenly maiesty The seruant of God hearing these words was astonied and studied whither he did well or no in doing such and so austere penance But that he might know who it was that talked with him by the permission of our good God he was surprised with a greuous temptation of carnallity assoone as he perceaued it he threw of his cloths and gaue him self a very sore discipline and bicause it did not repell the assault he hasted out of the caue naked as he was and tumbled vp and downe in the snowe of which there was much in that desert When he had so done he made seuen heapes of snow in a round compasse and coming into the middest of them said to himself Thou my body yonder great one thou seest is thy wife these four be thy children two boies and two girles the other two be thy seruants nowe thou must take paines to maintein them and prouide cloths for them all least they dye for cold But if thou thinkest it chargeable endeuor thy self to liue chast and to serue God only which is a great deale better and more easye In this sort the holy saint ouer came the tentation and the deuill with shame departed away The glorious father aduised his friers to be abstinent and to auoid Idlenes if they would be freed from such tentations The great loue S. Francis bare to CHRIST may be knowen by this that there was neuer any so much desired to liue as he did to dye for CHRIST his sake this moued him to go into Siria among the Infidells that he might obtein the crowne of martirdome but he returned for that he could not obtaine his desire Also the glorious father bare great loue vnto his neighbour helping euery one in their necessities aswell of the body as of the soule It was his ordinary vsage if he sawe any poore man with ragged clothes to exchange with him he vsed to all of them great respect and reuerence for he thought he sawe CHRIST in euery one of them The wonderfull miracles he did worke as casting out of deuills healing of the sick and raising of the dead be so many that only of them a iust volume might be made many of them are mencioned in the Bull of his Canonisation which is a sufficient proofe that they be of good credit and Authenticall
extasi as vsuallie he accustomed in the meditation of the passion of CHRIST to the which he was deuoted more then can be expressed And at this time he was transformed into the similitude of CHRIST crucified the figure of his blessed wounds remaining imprinted in this flesh his hands were pierced through the middest with nailes of flesh the heads of which nailes appearing in the palmes of his hands were round and black and the points long and crooked the like appeared in his feet and vpon his right side he had a wound as if it had bene with a speare the wound being both red wide S. Bonuaenture affirmeth that he heard them say so that had seen them with their eies and touched them with their hands When Ionathas desired to shewe kindnes to Dauid 4. Reg 4. he gaue him his garments and when IESVS CHRIST would shew his fauour to S. Francis he bestowed on him his wounds 1. Reg 18. when Eliseus would resuscitate the dead infant he lay ouer the child and it may be he said to God Lord ioine these my eies to him that they may see in him and these my hands that they may haue feeling in him so CHRIST lay ouer S. Francis and gaue his wounds to him CHRIST visibly ascended in to heauen and for that his will was to haue in his Church a perfect pourtraiture of him for a small time he made S. Francis one for considering his holy life streight after his conuersion it seemeth that S. Francis did set down his foot in the steppe from whence CHRIST took vp his foot And to the end he should be likened vnto him in euery thing he imprinted his wounds also in his body Sometimes one that is vitious or one that is good is bidden to imitate God and if perhapps he thinketh he can not do it God giueth him a patterne or a modell which he may imitate when he will S. Francis preached the despising and contempt of the world and it seemeth that many men did not giue credit vnto him Wherfore to the end he should be credited CHRIST gaue him his wounds like an instrument which is written sealed for that is should be of sufficient creditt S. Francis is like the keeper of the common standard of measure vnto which all the other keepers of measure resort CHRIST on the Crosse got many children some were martirs some Confessors and some were virgins The children are likened vnto the father some had his similitude in their patience others in their humility and others in other vertues but for that none had the similitude of him in the wounds God elected S. Francis for that purpose and gaue them vnto him imprinted in his flesh The courtiers that be fauored of the king are apparailled in his liuery and because S. Francis was highly fauored of IESVS CHRIST he was therfore cloathed in the liuery of his wounds Iacob wrastled with God and remained lame S. Francis wrastled with God and he was made lame also for the wounds of his feet suffered him not to trauell but he was compelled to ride on a litle Asse The death of this glorious patriarch drawing nighe he was much diseased with a grief in his stomack and in his eies as also with the paines of his wounds sixe moneths before his death he fell sick of the dropsy which thinge persuaded him he had not long to liue The citizens of Assisium doubting that if he died in any other place they should loose the pretious treazure of the holy maÌ„s body sent for him to Sienna where he remained and conducted him to their city and lodged him in the Bishops house The holy saint being there and knowing that the hower of his death approached commaunded them to cary him to the Church of Sancta Maria de portinncula other wise called dy Angeli Being come thâ—ther he made his testament in which he left his friers heires of his holly pouerty which he much recommended vnto them to keep and obserue ioyntly with charity and obedience and gaue vnto them his benediction On a saterday in the euening on the. 4. day of October in the time of pope Honorius 3. and of Fredericque 2. themperour in the year of our Lord. 1226 twenty years after his conuersion and in the. 45. year of his age this holy father heard the voice of God who called him out of this life vnto him And because he would make a true demonstration that he had not any thing common with the world not the world any thing with him The holy father with feruor of spirite did arise stark naked out of his bed and lay on the ground He had before receued the sacraments of Confession Eucharist and extreame vnction and hauing at the reasembly of his friers who wept and lamented pitifully remenbred them and ageine commaunthem to loue pouertie and to be subiect and obedient to the Church of Rome He gaue them his finall benediction aswell to the absent as to the present saieng to them My children remaine in peace and feare of our Lord and continew alwais in the same for I depart hence to God vnto whom I commend you all Then he willed them to read vnto him the passion according to S. Iohn After which the holy saint said the psalme of Dauid which beginneth thus Voce mea ad dominum clamaui and went vnto the last verse which is Educ de custodia animam meam ad confitendum nomini tuo me expectant iusti donc retribuas mihi and with those words his blessed soule vnloosed from the bands of the flesh and went out to enioy the euerlasting felicity His body continued so beutifull that only to behold it would moue a man to celestiall desires There resorted to his buriall innumerable people He was caried to the city of Assisium by the way the laid it in the Church of Damian at the instancy and petition of S. Clara for there was her monastery to the end shee and the other Nonnes her daughters might see him The sight of him caused them to shed aboundance of deuout teares especially when they sawe the wounds of his hands feet and side which might be seene of euery man From thence he was caried into the city and buried in the Church of S. George vntill that foure years after A sumptuous Church was builded for him into which he was translated and therin buryed Pope Gregory 9. hauing first vsed the accustomed diligences canonized him vpon a sonday one yeare mine months and a half after his glorious death Spa Marius Antonius Sabelliâ—â—s saith that in this time which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1494 there were Franciscan friers to the number of 60000. in forty prouinces The life of S. Placidus and others THE hautie pride and boldnes of Pharao with the help of the praier of Moises was the cause that he was drowned in the red sea the people of God escaped out of his cruell handes But
our peregrination by all the Churches S. Matthew being among the Hebrews had written his Gospell in the Hebrew toung and S. Mark remaining in Rome among the Romaines in Latin S. Luke wrote his in Greek because he preached among the Greeks It is said that at all times that S. Paule saith in his epistles After my Gospell Ierom. de scri eccles he meaneth of the Gospell of S Luke for that he wrot it being in his company S. Dorotheus B. of Tyrus saith that S. Luke wrot his Ghospell by the apointment of S. Peter not of S. Paule because he saith in the beginning therof that he wrot it by the relation of them who sawe it from the beginning S. Paule did not so This holy man wrot also another treatise which is called the Acts of the Apostles In the beginning of which he speaketh of the Ascension of CHRIST into heauen and of the coming of the holy Ghost Then speaketh he of the miracles and preachâ—â—g of the Apostles of their persecutions the death of S. Stephen the conuersion of S. Paule the death of S. Iames the Great and the imprisonment and escape of S. Peter After this he goeth on with 〈◊〉 peregrinations of S. Paule his persecutions and trauells of all which he himself bore no litle part and goeth on till he leaueth S. Paule in Rome Then S. Luke departing from thence returned into the Orient traueled ouer a great part of Asia arriued in Egipt He visited Thebais the higher the lower in all places preaching the faith of CHRIST sand conuerâ—ing soules in euery place where soeuer he went At the end of his peregrination he came to the great city of Thehais and was the prelate and pastor therof and as such a one laboured to destroy the Idolls and to build Churchs Which he might the better doe by reason of the great multitude that receued the faith of CHRIST and were Baptised by hearing his exhortations S. Luke remained there many years ordered bishops and priests whom he sent into diuers countreis to preache In such sort that this prouince brought forth many good plants worthy of the eternall life This holy Euangelist catied alwais with him two Images he had made himself the one of our B. Sauiour and the other of his B. mother which were good means to conuert the Painims for that not only he did miracles with them but all they that sawe them were moued to great deuotion These two Images were so like the one to the other that he which did not know whose pictures they were might yet easily know that there was some neere kindred between the two persoÌ„s represented by them To conclude the holy Euangelist being 84. years old passed froÌ„ this mortall vnto the eternall life Nicephorus Callistus in his ecclesiasticall history saith that S. Luke died a martir in Grecia and that he was hanged on a Oliue true lib 2. Cap. 43. but it is commonly holden that he died a naturall death The same Author and others with him say that Constantin the sonne of Constantin the Great by the meanes of one Artemius who whas after ward a glorious martir brought to Constantinople the bodies of S. Andrew from Patrasso a city of Achaia though at this time the body be at Amalphi a city of the kingdome of Naples in Italy of S. Timotheus from Ephesus in Asia and S. Luke from Thebes where it remained and that he builded a sumptuous Church to lay in all the said blessed bodies Nowe the citisens of Padoa say that they haue the body of S. Luke the Euangelist in their city in the Church of S. Iustina The Church celebrateth the feast of S. Luke on the day wheron he died which was on the. 18. day of October in the yeare of our Lord. 90. and in the raigne of Domitian as Canisius accounteth * ⎠* The life of S. Hilarion the Abbot THE Apostle S. Peter Cap. 4. in his fiirst Canonicall epistle hath one sentence fear full for the good and dreadfull to the euill viz If the iust shall scant be saued what shall become of the sinner If he that hath serued God all his life doth tremble at the hower of death what shall he do who hath bin a wicked man and is a sinner at that dreadfull hower This was verified in S. Hilarion the Abbot who being at the point of death felt a great fear in his â—oule but he incouraging it said Depart my soule out of my body of what art thou afraid thou hast serued CHRIST 70. years and dost thou nowe fear to dy The life of this holy Abbot was written by S. Ierome in this sort SAINT Hilarion was borne in Tabata fiue miles from the city of Gaza in Palestina His father and mother were both Idollaters so that he grewe as a rose among thornes Being a litle child he was sent to study in Alexandria in which place he made demonstration of his rare towardlines and inclination vnto goodnes rare witt morall vertues which caused all men that knew him to loue him But he was much more beloued of God for in that place he atteined vnto the knowledge of the Christian faith which he receiued and was Baptised So that he who before was only accounted a vertuous man was now such a one in verity and in deed and delighted in nothing but in vertuous actions and the seruice of God spending the greater part of his life in the Church and in the company of godly priests and by meanes of them he came to the knoweledg of S. Antony who dwelt in the desert and amazed all worldly men to see and heare of his strict life and his sanctity in confounding the deuills in which he reioiced the heauenly court Hilarion had a great desire to see him in the desert which when he had done he chaunged his ordinary clothes and put on such weedes as the moÌ„ks that were in the company of S. Antony wore with whom he also staied two months In this time he marked the order of his life his grauity in behauior his incessant praier his humility in the entertainment of straingers his seuerity in correcting offenders the austerity he vsed toward his body in diet apparell and sleeping he sawe the multitudes of people which came from all costs vnto him to obtein remedy and help for all maner of necessities by his intercession and praiers Hillarion thought that this was the beginning of the reward of the long endured trauels of Anthony and that he should do well to follow his steppes This being determined he returned into his country where the found his father and mother deceased wherfore he diuided his patrimony and bestowed part on his brethren and part on the poore hauing in mind these words of CHRIST He that doth not renounce all that he posesseth cannot be my disciple At that time Hillarion was 15. years old and by this means being poore yet accompanied by CHRIST he went vnto
him aloft in the aire All that were present cried out fearing he would cast the holy man downe hedlong being weak and feeble with continuall fasting but Hillarion with a cheerefull countenaunce said Let me deale alone with this lusty wrastler and turning vp his hand took him by the heare of the head and threw him vnto the ground and then sett his feet on him yea he trode and spurned him with his feet saieng Here yee shal be tormented yee accursed dinells the poore man yelling and houling and turning his face toward the ground And S. HillarioÌ„ said vnto God Ah my Lord deliuer this wretch vnloose this man that is bound it is as easy for thee to vanquish and ouercome many as one In this space were hard to come out of the mouth of this wretch sundry and diuers voices like a confused shout or noise of people but lastly he was made hole and â—ound and within a few dayes after he came vnto the monastery with his wise and children and brought presents vnto the man of God who said vnto him hast not thou read what befell vnto Giezi 4. Reg. 5. Act. 4. and vnto Simon magus the one sold the grace and gift of the holy ghost and the other desired to buy it and both of them were punished seuerely for their sinne If thou knowest so much retorne vnto thy house with thy gifts for I will not take them Oryon wept and said father receue them and giue them vnto the poore S. Hilarion replied Thou maist do that better then I for thou dwellest in the city and knowest them that be needy I haue forsaken all myne owne goods vnto what end should I take care or charg of other mens I know that vnto many the name of a poore man is an occasion of avarice there is none that giueth better vnto the poore then he that reserueth nothing for himself Oryon was much discomforted at his words and lay prostrat on the grount before him wherefore the blessed Abbot said vnto him My sonne be not aggreiued or afflicted at it for that which I do for my self I do also for thy good If I should receiue thy gifts I should offend God and the legion of deuills should returne into thee againe In the city of Gaza there was a yong maid of good life on whom a yong man was enammored This man endeuouring by all meanes possible to drawe her to his will and nothing preuailing went vnto Memphis and made his mind knowen vnto the inchaunters and sorceres of the temple of Esculapius They gaue him a plate of brasse wherin were grauen dredfull figures and bad him lay it vnter the threshold of the damosells dore and to couer it with earth and then to say certein words which they taught him Vpon this the damosell took such affection vnto him and was so fonde that it was rather madnes then loue for she called fot him with aloude voice she scratched her face rent her heare and did other follish and rauing tricks The father of the damosell brought her to be holpen vnto S. Hilarion and the deuill who tormented here howled and said I haue ben enforced to come hither I was well in Memphis Alas howe great be the torments I endure thou doest commaund me to come forth and to depart and I am bound vnder the threshold of the dore in a plate of brasse I cannot depart from hence vntill the yong man who hath set me here do vnloose me S. Hillarion said vnto him Is thy force then such that a plate of brasse doth keep thee in bondag Tell me nowe why art thou so bold as to enter into this handmaid of our Lord The deuill aunswered I came in to preserue her virginity Ah villanie said the holly saint wouldest thou that art the enemy of chastity preserue her virginity Why didst not thou take possession of him who sent thee hither The deuill replied why should I do so for he is a frend to the deuill my companion To conclud S. Hilarion deliuered and set free the damosell and would not haue the impediment the deuill named to be taken away to shew that nether magick nor inchanntment are of power to or withstand the will of God Then he reproued the damosell for some light and wanton behauior shee had vsed for punishment whereof God had permitted the deuill to torment her S. Antony wrote some letters vnto this holy saint and reioiced to haue aunswer from him againe And if at any time there came any sick men to him from Siria he said vnto them Why do you fetch such long iourneis hither to me and haue my sonne Hillarion in your owne countrey There were nowe many Monasteries founded and the holy man visited them at vsuall times and as he went to visite them one time in this maner he came by the way vnto a territory called Elusan and found them celebrating the feast of their Goddesse Venus in her temple When the people though they were Idollaters went out to meet and receue him for they had bene much obliged vnto him for doing good vnto many of them The holy saint enterteined them louingly wept for tendernes of hart looking stedfastly toward heauen besought them rather to adore IESVS CHRIST then those stockes and stones and if they would do so he promised he would come and visite them oftentimes These simple words void of retorike were so forcible with that rude nation that before he departed thence he set downe a plott and the forme for the building of a Church and they moued him to make the heathenish priest which made sacrifice vnto the goddesse a Christian which thing they obteined The holy saint visiting the monasteries builded by his disciples came vnto one whose gouernor was a couetous man at the importunity of them that went in his company Nowe hard by the monastery there was a vineiard and they perceued that with in it there were many watchmen to kepe out those that came with the holy man from entring the same lest thy should meddle with the grapes that were ripe hauing â—lings with which they threw stones against his company S. Hillarion smiling therat went vnto another monastery of a good man who besought yea importunated him to eate a few grapes to refresh himself being faint with his long iourney The holy old man said Accursed is the man that seeketh the refreshing of his body before that of his soule Let vs first make our praiers and pay our det we own vnto God after that yee may go vnto vineiard When God was serued S. Hillarion went vnto a high place and blessed the vineiard then he bad his flock to go and feed therin The number of them that went was litle lesse then 3000. for so many he had in his company This vineiard did vsually euery year yeald 100. measurs of wine and. 20. daies ofter the people had eaten the grapes the vintage was made and it yelded that year 300. measures
passed into Africk and from thence into Cycile where he made his stay vpon a cragey mountein In the day he made a bundle of wood and laid it on the back of one of this disciples to cary vnto the next towne to be sold and with the mony arising therof they bought bread with the which those few that were with him liued and sustenied their lifes He could not liue vnknown in that place nether for a man posessed with euill spirite in Rome cried out and faid Hilarion the seruant of God is in Cycilc So that many diseased people came thither to recouer their health by his meanes By cause he perceiued himself honoured in that place also he departed and went into Dalmatia where was a dragon that destroied all the countrey deuoured the oxen and other beasts and killed the husband men and the shepheres The blessed man hauing compassion on the people caused a great stack and pile of wood to be made and when he had praied he commeunded the dragon to go vpon the stack of wood and when he was on it he bad the people set fire ther vnto and thus the dreadfull dragon was brent and consumed with fire in the sight of all the people Then he determined to depart from that place also for which cause he was embarked and being on the sea he was assailed by pirats His disciples with the others that were in the shippe doubted they should be slaine but the good man reprooued them for distrusting in God And Then standing on the deck he praied and stretchinh out his hard against the pyrats said Come no further this way O straunge and wonderfull thing at the saieng of these words they turned aside and returned back as swiftly as though a strong gale of wind had caried them away The sea was also obedient vnto him for at such time as he was at Ragusium the sea swelled and rose out of measure and so much that the people of the country feared all of them should be ouerflown and drowned The blessed old man took land made the signe of the Crosse in the sand and held vp his armes against the storme and the sea was asswaged and ceased incontinent to the great admiration of all the country who kept this deed in memory and the fathers vsed to tell the same vnto their children Another time as he sailed and not hauing any thing to pay for the fraight he would haue giuen vnto the owner of the bark a book in the which he had written the foure Ghospells with his owne hand which he alwais carried about him because he had cured before time the sonne of the master of the bark he would not receiue the book of him but he gaue him his fare and rendered vnto him infinite thanks for his former benefit Finally this blessed old man remaining in Cypres and hauing sent Isichius his disciple to visit the ashes ruines of his distroied monastery and to salute the monks remaining in that prouince staid in the city of Papho vnto which place many sick men and men possessed came out of all parts of the Island and the holy saint by praier healed them Isichius being returned from Siria the reuerend father conferred with him of his departure from thence which he did not vpon inconstancy but only to fly from credit and honour which was bestowed vpon him in that place So hauing found out a place not far distant from the city which stood out of the way and was vnhabitable for the craggines knowing that the going vp vnto it was very difficult for they must go vp creeping with their hands and that at the toppe therof was a plesante and delightfull place furnished with many trees and cleare founteins and that as the fame went many euill spirits haunted and vsed in that place and therefore none was so hardy as to dwell there the holy man resolued to make the same his habitation There were some that came to visite him yea many diseased persons and among others one sick of the palsy who was the owner of the place Great were the conflicts and encounters the seruant of God endured in that place by the deuills who did incessantly disquiet him because he was come to thrust them out of their long continewed habitation The blessed man took thereat great consolation for that he had there some enemy with whom to contend and striue S. Hilarion being nowe come to the age of 80. years Isichius his disciple being absent fell sick and perceuing that the hower of his death drew nere he wrote a schedule or note of his hand in which he left by his testament Isichius his disciple to inherite all his treasures the book of the Gospells written with his owne hand his long relligious weede the sackcloth or hoode with which it was couered When it was known in the country that the holy saint was sick some came to visite him and he charged them deeply that assoone as he was dead they should bury him in the same place where he dwelt and that they should not keep him aboue ground the moment of an hower When the pangues of death came all things failing but his sences which were perfect looking with his eyes open he spake to his soule and said Depart forth nowe depart feare not thou hast serued CHRIST 70. years and doest thou nowe feare death In speaking these words he ended his life His body was buried incontinently as he had apointed so that his death and buriall was reported in the city both at one time His disciple Isichius being certefied of his death returned into Cypres and faining that he desired to dwell in the same place where is master did dwell and was buried after ten moneths passed he stole away the blessed body of his master venturing his life for the same for if the Cypriots had knowne it he had bene slaine by them and caried it into Siria and buried it in his auncient monastery an infinite company resorting thither to see it The blessed body was found hole perfect and entier and so were all his cloths and garments euen as he and they were when he was aliue casting a very sweet pleasant smell S. Ierome saith that vntill his time there had ben variance and controuersy for the Syrians say they haue his body as they haue indeed and the Cypriots say they haue his spirite but aswell in the one as in the other place are seen many miracles done by the intercession and merits of this glorious saint but much more in the place of Cypres for in that place the blessed father took great delight The death of S. Hillarion the Abbot was on the 21. of October and on the same day the Church celebrateth his feast It was also in the yeare of our Lord 379 Valentinian being the Romain emperour Nicephorus Callistus wrote of this holy saint in the 11. book cap 14. The life of S. Vrsula and the eleuen thousands Virgins ON the selâ—e
had vsed him courteously and he had despised and contemned them in which rage the Iudge commaunded he should be put on the Crosse The executioners were not slowe to execute the cōmandement of the ludge Forthwith the Crosse was brought and Agricola was stripped naked Then layd they him at length vpon the same piercing his handes and feete with sharp nayles they crucifyed him lifting him vp a loft In that place was to be seene a wonderfull and liuely representation of the Lord in his seruant that is to say of CHRIST in Agricola The holie martyr being thus raised on high shewed that he made smalle account of earthlie thinges but desired heauenlie He hauing bene on the Crosse a good space on the same daie that his seruant Vitalis yealded vp his soule vnto God by scourging he rendred vp also his spirit on the Crosse And so the maister and the seruant were equall in theire martyrdome and in theire reward Their bodies were buried in a Churchyard where the Iewes were buried and in that place they remayned as Roses among thornes and light in darknes vntill the time of S. Ambrose as he saith himself writing the story of their martyrdome But he hauing notice of the place where they were at the request of a holie widowe called Iuliana who had particuler and speciall deuotion to these holie saintes took them out of that place and translated them into a Church which the same Iuliana had builded vnto them where their bodies take their repose and rest and their soules expect to be reunited vnto them at the last daye of Iudgment The martyrdome of these holie saintes was on the 4. of Nouember and vpon that daie the Church maketh of them a commemoration This befell in the yeare of our Lord. 298. in the raigne of the Emperour Diocletian Spanish saith The bodies of these holie saintes are said to be in the Roiall monasterie of S. Maria Naxara in Spaine The foure Crovvned THe Apostle S◠Paul writing vnto Timothie his disciple saith None shal be crowned but he which fighteth lawfully which is asmuch as if he had said He that fighteth acording vnto the apointement of his captaine such a one moriteth the crowne and to triumph Amongst the Romaines in their warres some did worthy and very notable exploites but because some were against the apointement of the captaine they did not only depriue them of the crowne of victorie but chasticed them seuerely Some fathers there were which put their owne sonnes vnto death for that they went out to answere a challenger on the contrary part in single combate although he returned with victory and slew his aduersarie honorablie And this because he had bene forbiden Vpon paine of death not to issue out to any such incounter without speciall license Hereby wee se that that souldier only deserued to haue the crowne of triumph which fought and got the victory by the apointement of his Captaine It is conuenient that we imitate IESVS CHRIST euen as these holy martirs imitated him which are called the foure crowned because their names were not knowen These verily did merite the crowne for that they imitated IESVS CHRIST and as he gaue his life for their snakes in like manner did they giue their lifes for his sake The life of these holy martirs and of other fire whose bodies are buried in one and the same Church within the citty of Rome was this taken out of the Martirologes of Venerable Bede and Ado Archbishop of Treuers THe vnsatiable hunger of Dioclesian and Maximian those two great and professed enemies of IESVS CHRIST and his holy saints was not satisfied although by their order and apointement and of others which were their Iudges and presidents there was shed much Christian blood daily through most partes of the world but the more they put to death the more their cruellty encreased It was told vnto Dioclesian that there were in Rome foure citisens Christians whose names were Seuerus Seuerianus Carpoforus and Victorinus The Emperour commaunded that they should be forth with apprehended and led vnto the Idoll of Esculapius and if they refused to worship it that they should be scourged to death and acording to his apointement it was done They were led and conducted vnto that diuell and they made account of him as he was refusing to adore him wherevpon they began to torment them They pulled of their clothes and bound them vnto seuerall pillers The scourging which was giuen them was such and so great that in that torment they yealded vp their soules vnto God The tirant commaunded that their bodies should be cast into the street that the dogges might dououre them and although they remained there fiue daies yet they were not touched by any beast whereby it euidently apeared that men were more cruell and bloody then the very beastes The Christians took vp their bodies and buried them in the Arenarium three miles out of Rome in the Via Lauicana It is said that pope Melchiades who liued shortly after their martirdome put them into the Catalogue of holy martirs and because their names were not knowne he called them The foure Crowned But afterwardes it was reuealed to a holy man that their names as is said before were Seuerus Seuerianus Carpoforus and Victorinus Of the fiue Martirs SS Claudius Nicostratus Simphorianus Castorius and Simplicius NEERE vnto the place where the foure martirs last spoken of were buried there had bene laid two yeares before but on the same daie the bodies of fiue other holie saints who in like manner had bene put to death for the faith of CHRIST by comandement of the same Emperour Dioclesian Pope Melchiades who ordeined the feast of the foure crowned to be celebrated entended that together with them there should be a commemoration of these fiue martirs which were called Claudius Nicostratus Simphorianus Castorius and Simplicius These holy saintes were caruers and remained in Hungarie by the apointment of the Emperour and wrought together with many other of their trade in the quarries of marble which the Emperour vsed in his buildings in diuers places of the world Foure of these blessed men were Christians and Simplicius was an Idolater As the wrought together the Chizells and other tooles of Simplicius were oftentimes broken and the tooles of the others did neuer break Simplicius being much amased hereat demanded of Simphorianus how it fell so out and he made answere my tooles break not for that euery time I take any of them into my hand to work I call vpon IESVS CHRIST my God vpon this occasion Simphorianus vsed such perswasions vnto Simplicius that by the help of God he was conuerted vnto the Christian faith and was Baptised It fell out afterward that Dioclesian gaue the charge vnto these fiue blessed saintes of a building in which they should set the statues of diuers liuing beastes and in the midest of them an Idoll of one of his heathenish Gods The holie saintes made vp
rather to die then to deny my Lord CHRIST I am a Christian and therefore expect not that I will sacrifice vnto the diuells The Iudg was so wroth with this answere that he caused calthropes to be set thick on the ground the blessed martir to be dragged and haled ouer them In this torment the holie saint said Seek out other tortures for these be of too smalle force to make me worship thy diuells Pirrhus being now more enraged said Beat him with cudgells and knotted thongs of leather and buffet him on the face till he cease to call our Gods by the names of diuells But all these things preuailed not to make the valiant souldier of CHRIST shew any signe of feare or yeelding There was present a noble man of the court called Eliodorus who said vnto Pirrhus my Lord these Christians be a people which regard no torments yea death is more welcome vnto them then life Do not vexe nor trouble thy self any more with this man but giue iudgment of death vpon him as he hath well deserued for that he hath abandoned his captaine and refused to serue in the warres Thâ—n Pirrhus said vnto Menna If thou wilt resolue to sacrifice vnto the Gods I will cause thy captaine to pardon thy former offence and to giue thee more honorable office and degrees Menna said God forbid that I should desire such offices and honors I desire to haue them in heauen where true honor is to be had not those of the world which be vaine and transitorie The president seing the constancy of the blessed martir by the aduise of the other courtiers coÌ„demned him to die with these words Because Menna the souldier doth not obey the proclamation of the Emperours and because he followeth the religion of the Christians and will not sacrifice vnto our Gods we comaund that he be beheaded that others by his example may feare to comitt the like trespasses The blessed martir was led by the officers vnto a place called Potemia vnto which all the cittie was assembled The holie saint with a cheerefull countenance though meanely apparelled as making smalle account of any worldly thing went comunicating with some of his acquaintance as if he had not bene going vnto death Recomending them vnto God and taking leaue of them he lifted his eies toward heauen saying I blesse and praise thee o father eternall for that thou hast hitherto kept me and hast not turned thy face from me Thou hast giuen me strength that I should not loose my soule with this treacherous and faithles people but that I might confesse constantly thy blessed name and thy holie lawe I beseech thee through IESVS CHRIST thy sonne that thou wilt help me at this houre of death and deliuer my soule in granting it victorie in this last assault that it may appeere free before thy iudgment seat and there worship thee Saying this he came to the place of execution where falling on his knees and looking toward heauen the hangman cut of his head Then they cast his bodie into a great fire but the fire consumed it not so that some deuout persons took it and buried it in a place conuenient whither many Christians resorted crauing mercy at Gods hands by the praiers and merits of this his faithfull seruant Menna Who was of Egipt honorablie borne iust faithfull mild and vertuous and replenished with the grace of the Holie Ghost He was martired in the cittie of Cottieum in the prouince of Phrigia on the. 11. of Nouember in the yeere of our Lord 301. Spa saith 296. And on the same daie the Church maketh of him a commemoration The bodie of this holie saint was after ward translated vnto Constantinople The life of S. Martin Pope and Martyr THE noble king Dauid would not giue leaue 2. Râ—g 2 nor permit one of his souldiers to kill his father in lawe Saul when he might easily haue done it and theother well deserued it coming to pursue and search him out with an army and a full intention to kill him if he could haue gotten him within his daunger And though Dauid found him fast a sleep in his pauilion and in like maner all his guard who should haue watched in his defence yet would he not once touch him The reason which Dauid alleaged was because Saul was the anointed of the Lord. It happened farre otherwise vnto the glorious S. Martin Pope and martir who being annointed and consecrated and moreouer the vicar and lieutenant of CHRIST in earth yet some Christians in name but in their deeds worse then Pagans were so bold as to take him and vse him villanously as may appeare by his life collected out of the book of Poper lifes called Pontificall and out of other good Authors SAINT Martin the first Pope of that name was the sonne of one Fabritius and borne in Todi a city in Tuscane a very holy man and vertuous Assoone as he was elected to the gouernment of the Church he emploied all his vttermost dilligence endeuor to extirpat roote out some heresies about the person of IESVS CHRIST already condemned in former Councells The man who did bring them againe out of hell where they had bene a good space buried into the world was a Patriarch of Constantinople called Paulus who had some other prelaâ—s that abbetted him and were wrapped in the same error These wonne th'emperour Constans the second of that name to be of their sect and opinion such sleights and deuises they wrought with him The legats of the Pope who resided there certefied him of the proceedings of Paulus the Patriarch The Pope incontinent apointed by his letters what order should be taken therin and wrot vnto the same Paulus louing letters beseeching him not to be so determinately stubborne in ruynating the peace of the Church and in patronizing of his errors so many times condemned by the holy prelats ingreat assembles and generall Councells Paulus being by nature proud and obstinate to shew what small accouÌ„t he made of the Popes aduertisements caused an Aultar which the legats had set vp in the Church founded by Placida vpon which they said masse after the Roman vse to be cast to the ground and defaced The malice of Paulus was so much augmented that because the legats on the Popes behalf required him when they sawe his obstinacy to amend his fault and reforme his errors or els they would proceed against him as a contumacious person by the censures of the Church he made meanes to th'emperour to cause the legats to be restrained of their liberty and euill entreated and afterward he sent them into banishment into sondry parts of Christendome which was as if he had sent trompets to sound and publish the malignity of the Patriarch the tiranny of th'emperour and the misbelief of them both being obstinate in the error condemned by all the Catholike Church when Pope Martin had vnderstanding thereof he had recourse vnto the ordinary remedies in the
sent messengers requesting him to vouchsaffe to come giue remedie hereunto for they were not able by mans wit or any strength to restraine it The holie prelate went thither and veiwed well the place and considering withall that it would be inconuenient for them to remooue their dwellings hauing their houses ready built and their ground about them He took his staffe which he vsually carried in his hand and planted it a prettie distance from the Riueâ— on that side from whence the ouerflowing came and where the plaine fields were and many houses of the inhabitants This holie saint hauing planted his staffe went vnto praier and not long after the staffe waxed greene grew and became a verie great tree Then S. Gregorie said this shal be the boundes of this floud and the water shall not passe this marke This blessed man returned into the cittie and it was after seene by experience that when the riuer rose to the hghiest assoone as the waters came vnto that tree they returned back and ran downe the channell againe not ouerflowing as they had done before-time By these and such like workes that S. Gregorie did both in the cittie and in the countrie abroad the number of the faithfull encreased continually all sortes of people making great account of him being aduised and directed by his counsell in all their important and waightie affaires The citisens of a cittie thereby sent vnto S. Gregorie beseeching him to come and apoint ouer them a prelate S. Gregorie comming thither and examining some of those that stood for that dignitie was neither satisfied nor liked not at all of them The people with one voyce said as it were in scorne If Gregorie like none of these let him take Alexander the collier S. Gregorie hearing these wordes demanded what that Alexander was and apointed them to bring him to his lodging This Alexander was a man of middle age meanlie apparrelled his handes and face being black with coales Those that brought him laughed and so did they that were with S. Gregorie and the collier himself laughed seing them to laugh at him being well pleased to be contemned and scoffed at by them S. Gregorie beheld him not as others did but thought that vnder that contemptible shewe lay hid things of greater valew He called him aside and charged him deeplie to tell him sincerely who he was The collier opened trulie his whole life vnto him to witt that he was a philosopher and that to auoid the vaine-glorie of the world he had taken this course of life and had made himself a collier not for necessitie to get his liuing but for the desire he had to liue chast for liuing thus saith he I haue no mind of any dishonestie nor any woman will tempt me vnto lewdnes seing me so black and vnlouelie moreouer this good collier said that the greater part of the gaines of his coales he gaue vnto the poore fullfilling the counsell of the Gospell S. Gregorie caused him to be stripped out of his clothes his hands and face to be washed and then to be apparelled with the like garments as he wore himself Then assembling the people together he told them he had now found out and made choise of such a Bishop as was fitt for place They with great attention expecting the person elected by so wise and holie a man behold Alexander the collier came out apparailed after the same manner that S. Gregorie was and accompanied by the same familiers and friends Those that were present knew not whether they should laugh or take it in euill part that such a one should be giuen them for their Bishop S. Gregorie made aspeech vnto them aduertising them what a man Alexander was whom he comaunded to preach in their hearing The new Bishop obeyed and preached in such sort that they all remayned no lesse astonied then satisfied Thus they being all pleased to haue him for their prelate Gregorie consecrated him Bishop of that cittie and he discharged his office with great comendation After this the holie man returning vnto his cittie was met by two Iewes in the high way who knowing him accorded together to deceaue him The one of them lay flat on the ground faining himself to be dead and the other wailed and made great lamentation The holie saint coming by demanded of him the cause of his sorrow The Iew answered O seruant of God vouchsaffe to help comfort me look with pittie vpon the miserie of this my compagnion who is fallen dead on a sodaine and I haue not any thing to wrap him in before he be buried The good man being mooued to coÌ„passion put of one of his garments as we may saie his rochett and laying it on the counterfaite dead man went on his â—ourney leauing the Iewes alone The man that had vsed this deceit toward the holie saint and had told him that his fellow was dead came merrilie to his companion and said Come fellow rise vp now we haue gotten a good prise see we haue gained this good garment and deceiued this man whom the Christians hold to be so wise But the Iew which lay on the ground answered not nor sturred any whit at all The other spoke louder and said O how cuninglie thou canst counter faite but I praie thee rise now for heere is not any bodie neere vs. Yet for all this the Iew laie still and stirred not For assoone as the garment of S. Gregorie laie vpon him and touched him he was depriued of his life And so the iest and scoffe returned and light vpon himself in good earnest In those times there was raised a most grieuous persecution against the Christians and the Edicts of the Emperours of Rome were proclaimed wherein they comaunded that the Christians should either sacrifise vnto the Idolls or else that they should be put vnto most cruell death These proclamations came vnto Neocesaria and S. Gregorie being certified thereof admonished publiklie and aduised the Catholiques to giue place vnto this furie by departing from the cittie vntill this tempestuous storme were passed ouer And himself also by diuine inspiration as afterward appeared went with one of his disciples who had bene minister of the Idolls and was conuerted and made deacon by him vnto a mountaine and there lay close certaine daies Other Christians dispersed themselues into diuers partes It was a lamentable thing and would haue mooued a stony hart vnto compassion to see the crueltie that was vsed in Neocesaria and the persecution by the pagans who continuallie prepared chaines gallowses swordes sauage beastes and an infinite number of other tortures and all to torment the Christians You should haue seene the fathers to persecute their sonnes and the sonnes to persecute their owne fathers The brother procured the death of the brother and one friend sought the death of another friend Some did this vnder shew of relligion others for mallice and most to make themselues rich with the goods of Christians For these causes
of their coming The holie Bishop fetching a great sigh made them this answere Arrius is already dead in the sight of God for that he hath so grieuously blasphemed against the diuine essence denying that there is one naturality of all the three persons Peter then took the two priests aside and said to them in secret Although I be a grieuous sinner God out of his mercy hath called me to martyrdome and I will shew you part of mistery reueiled vnto me and I do it the rather for that you two are to succeed me in this dignitie wherein I now am the one after the other first Achillas and then Alexander I was at my prayers with great attention as my custome is and on a so daine IESVS CHRIST my Lord and God appeared to me in the likenes of a little infant The glorie of his face could not be seene so great was the splendour and brightnes that did proceed from it He was apparailed with a long harment which reached downe to the ground but it was rent from the toppe to the bottome and with his two hands he pulled it together to couer the nakednâ—s of his breast which when I saw I was in a great feare but after being somewhat reuyued I asked him Omy Lord IESV what is this that I see how petifully is this your garment torne And he answered me Thou talkest often hereof but doest not endeuour to know it But know thou that Arrius hath done this evill vnto me who seeketh to get away may people from me which be my heritaâ—ge and which I haue purchased with the shedding of my very deerest blood This which thou hast seene I wishe thee to shew to Aquila and Alexander which are to succeed the that they may as thou hast done Anathematize and excomunicate him that his soule may he saued This being saied and charging and enioyning them so to do it being the will of God he dissimissed them and sent them away in peace And it happened that people perseuering and awayting at the dore of the prison for the defence of the life of their Pastor to auoyd a tumult and the effusion of blood the tirannous ministers of the Emperour gaue direction and order that in the nigh at the officers should make a breach through the back side of the prison and take out of the same the holie Bissop Peter and to lead him to the place where S. mark had before time beene martyred and euen thus the cruell officers did and there beheadded him His body wad buryed in the same cittie of Alexandria by the Christians This was on a wedensday being the 26. of Nouember on which day the Church celebrateth his feast And it was in the yeare of our Lord 312. Maximinus being Emperour Of this holie saint maketh mention the Councell of Ephesus and the seuenth generall Synode S. Gregorie Nazianzene Eusebius in his 8 book 14. Chapter and 9. book 6. chapt Nicephorus The Tripartite historie Vsuardus Venerable Bede and Ado. The life of S. Saturnine Martyr OVR first father Adam hauing offended Almightie God in breaking his comandement God â—â—ioyned him in penance for his sinne to digge and till the ground Hereof it cometh that all men being partakers of his sinne for as S. Paul saith all sinned in him we be also partakers of his penance and punishment So it befell to S. Saturnine that glorious martyr who being old was condemned by the Emperour Maximian to labour about the building of certaine Thermi or hote bathes by carying sand morter and stones from one place to another though the cause why he suffred this slauery and drudgery was not for any sinne he had comitted but only for that he was a Christiane which this tyrant hold and accounted to be the most heynous offence of all other and therefore he layd on him these grieuous afflictions The life of this holie martyr with the life of S. Marcellus the Pope was written by the notaries of the Romaine Church and is rehersed by Laurence Surius in this manner The Emperour Maximian returning from Africa to Rome and being desirous to please Dioclesian that had aduanced him to high estate and made him his partner in the Empire and knowing that Dioclesian had comaunded certaine artificiall hote Bathes to be made was very dilligent to further and hasten the workes for which cause he comaunded all them that were conuicted of any grieuous or heynous oftences among which he held and accounted the Christians not to be the least to worâ—k and labour about that building vnder a saffe guard and watch hauing many ouerseers and masters ouer them Among other that were condemned to this slauery an honorable old man called Saturnine was one His work was to digge sand and to carry it from one place to another and for that through his weakenes and debillitie of age he fainted and tyred oftentimes and was not able to doe his taske as the ouerseers of the work required they often rated and reuiled him But he was holpen out very charitably by other Christian that were yonger and especially by one Sisinnius who carried those burdens that were apointed for himself and most of those that belonged to Saturnine and that so cheerefully that they went singing Hâ—mnes and psalmes in the praise of IESVS CHRISTE The surueiors of the work wondering at the same acquainted a Tribune called Spuriuâ— there with and he certyfied the Emperour Maximian thereof who comaunded they should be brought to his presence They being before him he said to Sisinnius what is your name Sisinnius answered I am a sinner and a seruant of the seruants of IESVS CHRIST and I am called Sisinnius The Emperour said vnto him what verses be those that you sing as you work Sisinnius answered If thou diddst vnderstand them or haddst notice of theÌ„ thou shouldest also know thy ceator who is the Creator said Maximian but the inuincible Hercules To vs Christians said Sisinnius it is a thing abhominable and detestable to speak such a word or to name him in such sort Choose one of these two things said the Emperour eyther sacrifice to our God Hercules or els assure thy self thou shalt be put to a terrible death Sisinnius answered I haue alwaies desired to dye in that manner and to be worthie to obtaine the crowne of Martiredome for the profession and loue of my Lord IESVS CHRIST Maximian chasing at these wordes deliuered him to Laodicio a prefect charging him either to compell Sisinnius and Saturnine to sacrifice to their Gods or els to put them to a cruell death He put them into prison where they remained a while and there they conuerted many Pagans to the faith of CHRIST Then were they taken out from thence loaden with giues and fetters bare foote and barelegged and so lâ—d into a Temple to do sacrifice when they were brought before the Idoll Saturnine lifted vp his voyce and sayd O lord confound the Idolls of the Gentilles At these wordes the
and fury as Dioscorus did at the hearing of these words and he was repleat with indignation and choller and as a man posessed to see his daughter so much contrary vnto him in relligion Then he called to remembraÌ„ce that many times when he talked with her concernyng marriage shee had wished him not to take care for her for she had no thought of any husband wherupon he perceued that shee answered him so for that shee was a Christian and he knew that among them many obserued chastity It came into his head that th'emperour Maximian persecuted the Christians and that in the city was a gouernour that tormented and put many of them to death All these things together caused Dioscorus to be so much distracted that being ouercome with passion and forgetting that he was her father and taking on him the person of a tyrant and parricide he layd hands on his sword with a full intentioÌ„ therwith to runne through the breast of his owne daughter The holy damosell that shee might be reserued to a more glorious triumph departed away and fled from her fathers sight By this meanes Dioscorus had space to be aduised that by killing his daughter he might fall into some trouble and could not justify it if he did not declare and publish the cause and reason of his doing he staied not so much for any piety as to haue an occasion and meanes to be more reuenged on her and to shewe vnto the other Idollaters how great his zeale was to the honour of his Gods Wherfore he took order that his daughter Barbara should be brought before the gouernor Martianus whom he informed that she was a Christian and moreouer he humbly besought him to proceed against her according to the late decrees of th'emperour The gouernour much wondered at Dioscorus seeing him so cruelly bent against his owne daughter but he was much more astonied to see her Angel-like beauty which was so goodly that it seemed to him though she had done the greatest offence in the world the sight of her only would haue obteined her pardon And yet her owne father was the only man whâ— without any wrong offered on her part laboured all he might to procure her death The iudge spake vnto her mildly sayeng Babara I see thou art a tender delicate virgin and very beautifull therefore haue compassion on thy self sacrifice vnto our Gods for I cannot be rigorous against so beautifull a damosell The blessed maid answered I offer sacrifice vnto my God who created heauen and earth but of those whom thou callest Gods heare what a holy king and prophet called Dauid saith The Gods of the Gentills be gold and siluer the work of mens hands Psal. 130.113 and they who are represented by them be deuills but the true God made heauen and earth I say and confesse the same and therefore trouble not thy self to persuade me to adore them The gouernour was so vexed with this speeche that taking no pitty of this beautyfull damosell he caused her to be stripped and to be beaten without mercy with the sinewes of oxen and when all her body was wounded and made sore he commauÌ„ded the officers to rubbe her with a course heare-cloth which put her to a greuous paine and the bloud ranne aboundantly from her body vnto the ground then he caused her to be led back into prison that he might haue time to deuise some more greeuous torments for her On that same night there was a great brightnes in the prison where Barbara lay in the midst wherof appeared IESVS CHRIST who comforted and encouraged his handmaide and told her that he would alwais assist her and keep her in his custody and that the inuentions of cruell tyrants should not preuaile any thing against her These words were scant ended when the blessed damosell perceued her body to be healed of all her hurts and wounds which thing did excedingly reioyce her in spirite and for the same shee rendered infinite thanks vnto the highest God for that he vouchsafed to visite her as also for that he had healed her in this maner On the next day the holy virgin came againe before the iudge he seeing her hole sound was amazed therat and so were many other who had seene her the day before when she was led vnto prison brused and wounded The gouernor said vnto her See Barbara howe the Gods haue had compassion of thee and haue healed againe thy wounds they be so desirous to reduce thee vnto their seruice by mildnes Be not thou vnto them vnthankfull nor obstinate in thy errour lest thy do hereafter vse rigour and seuerity against thee To this the holy damosell answered They who be blinde as thou art think as thou doest but I will tel thee the truth how I was healed if thou desire to know it It was IESVS CHRIST the sonne of the liuing God whom thou canst not see thy soule being blinded and drowned in the profound darknes of iniquity The gouernour seeing he preuailed not with this â—light commaunded two lusty fellowes to take the sides and brest of the damosell with iron combes and then burning torches to be sett to her sides and many strokes to be also giuen her on the head with a hammer The holy damosell Barbara in the midst of these torments lifted vp her eyes vnto IESVS CHRIST sayeng Thou o Lord who seest the secrets of harts behold like wise I haue put all my trust in thee I beseech thee Lord not to abandon me but susteine me with thy pityfull hand for as without thee I cannot do any thing euen so with thee I can do all things The tirant not content with this cruelty but proceeding further bad them to cut of the nipples of her breasts which put her to much paine but much more was the loue that shee bore vnto IESVS CHRIST which caused her with patience to suffer the paine for all which respect shee said with the prophet Dauid Psal 50. O Lord my God turne not thy face from me and do not take a way thy holy spirite from my hart The very sight of her body so misused and bruised put men in feare wherfore the tyrant to do her the more shame and for to terryfie the Christians the more by her example coÌ„maunded her to be led through the high streets naked all the whiles to be beaten with staues When the holy damsell vnderstood the sentence of the tyrant perceuing they ment to put it in execution shee lifted vp her eyes vnto heauen and said O soueraigne king and my sweet Lord thou couerest the sky with the thick clouds and the earth with darknes of the night may it please thee to couer my naked body so that it be not seene of the vnbeleuers who if they see me will blaspheme thy holy name Our pityfull Lord who giueth care vnto his seruants who resort for his help in their tribulations heard her prayer and couered her boâ—y with a
departed from the port of Tanais in a shippe to go vnto Myrrea to visite the sepulcher of the holy sait When they wâ—re embarked that deuill who had dwelt in the temple of Diana which S. Nicholas had demolished being wroth that he was expulsed out of his habitation laboured all that he might that the holy saints should not be honoured nor visited by the pilgrimes This cursed fiend tooke on him the shape of a woman caryeng a great vessel of oyle and comyng to the passengers said vnto them I knowe you go to visite the body of S. Nicholas I desire also to go in this voiage but now I caÌ„not conueniently I pray you therfore carry this vessell of oyle to burne in the lampes vpon his sepulcher They imagyning the deuill to be a deuout woman took at her hands the oyle and sailed with a prosperous wind one day on the second day there rose a great storme in such sort that they all feared they should be drowned and when they were out of hope they sawe a venerable old man came close to the shippe in a litle bark who said vnto them The feare and danger you abide in this storme is for your faults Throwe into the sea that vessell of oyle that the woman gaue you and you shal be delyuered for it was the deuill Assoone as the oyle was cast out into the sea in the place where the oyle fell was kindled a fâ—er which made a great noyse and a filthy stink that they might easily perceue it came from hell The auncyent old man told them he was S. Nicholas and then vanished out of their sight Memorable is the history of a child sonne vnto Ceâ—rone and Euphrosina two deuout persons vnto S. Nicholas who celebrated his feast euery year This their sonne was stolen away by the Agarens people wholy giuen to robbing and spolying who carryed him prisoner to Babylon where he was giuen vnto the king on whose table the child attended On an euening the child remembred that it was the day of S. Nicholas on which day his father and mother made great feast and then he began to weep The king demaunded of him why he wept he told him the reason The king vnderstanding the cause of his plaint said vnto him in scoffing maner If this Nicholas be so mighty bid him carry thee away out of thy captiuity The child had in his haÌ„d the kings cuppe wherin he vsed to drink and behold in an instant one took him by the hayre of his head and lifted him and he vanished quite from the sight of the king and of all the rest and within a litle time after he was found in the Church of S. Nicholas where his father celebrated the feast of the holy saint also that year with sighes and sobbes for the losse of their sonne but when they sawe him sett free they renewed their ioy and deuotion toward the holy saint The same Authors that write the life of this holy saint Nicholas write this story that ensueth An army of pagans being vandalls passing from Africa into Calabria made great spoile in the counâ—trey and carryed away a great pray and booty An Image of S. Nicholas among other things fell to the share of one of them and when he came into his countrey he asked of certein Christian slaues what that picture represented They told him that it was the picture of a holy saint called Nicholas who though he was dead did many miracles and holpe them that were deuoute vnto him This paynime was a vsurer who had taken a good some of mony out of his chests and hasty and important busines calling him suddâ—inly away he had not time to put it vp in the places apointed for the saffekeeping therof wherefore he said vnto the Image of S. Nicholas in this maner Nicholas be carefull looke well to the mony that lyeth here When the paynime was gone forth certein thiefs got into the roome and stole away the mony when the vsurer was returned and sawe his mony stollen he said vnto the Image of S. Nicholas Thou hast kept my mony well indeed Nicholas look to it and see my mony be gotten againe or I shall cast thee into the site and burne thee The thiess were gone into a secret place to part the mony they had gotten among themselfs S. Nicholas appeared vnto them and threatned to punishe them except they did restore the mony vnto the true owner againe which they fearing to be discouered and punished did euen to the value of a peny When the pagan sawe this myracle he was conuerted to the Christian faith and diuulged this wonderfull work abroad and herupon all the Christiansin Africa took great deuotion vnto this gloryous saint To this end did God permit the pagan to do such a thing which if it had bene done by another he had bene punished by God for his foole hardynes for the saints are to be intreated not with brauing words and menasses but with teares and submission knowing that for the one we may be chastised and for the other we may obteine mercy as God vseth to do by their meanes The Venetyans say that they haue the body of S. Nicholas in their city and recount a long history how it came thither if it be so they haue good reason to esteeme highly the grace and fauour of God shewed vnto them in grannting vnto them the posession of such a rich treasure It is said that the translation of S. Nicholas was in the yeare of our Lord God 1086. The life of S. Ambrose doctor of the Church SAMSON that valiant captain departing from his home vnto the countrey of his wife who dwelt among the Gentills being gone a litle out of the highe way found a dead lyon which he himself had killed a fewe dayes before and the scripture saith he found bees had made hony within him Samson approached thervnto and toke some of the hony combe and eate the hony and carryed part to his spouse This lyon signifieth S. Ambrose of whom it is said that when being a child he lay in the cradâ—ll there came aswarme of beeâ— and entred and came out of his mouth as though they would haue builded there It is said the lyon was dead for that when this happened Ambrose was not yet Baptised for he was not Baptised vntill his consistent age The hony of his mouth signifieth his doctrine which was assuredly sweet and mellifluous which IESVS CHRIST signifyed by Samson gaue vnto his spouse the holy Church appointing him one of her doctors The lyon of Samson remayned always dead but it happened not so vnto S. Ambrose for when time came he roared like a lyon in taking the defence of God and his Church not only against the Aâ—ryan heretiks her deadly enemyes but also against th'emperour Theodosius who was Catholike whom he excommunicated and cast out of the Church because he committed a cruelty would not suffer him to enter into
him to say masse in her house The holy man being gone thither in the company of his sister there was brought to him a woman sicke of the palsy in a chaire and shee besought the holy saint to pray for her which when he had done the sicke woman kissed his priestly garment and was healed After this S. Ambrose returned vnto Millan where the Empresse Iustina persecuted him greeuously vsing also both requests and threats Then with rewards she laboured to draw the chiefe men of the Citty yea and the cleargie also as well as lay men vnto her opinion and partiality against S. Ambrose entending to send him into exile Matters were so prepared and wrought that a rich man and mighty called Eutimius but much more wicked had prepared a chariot in the which he purposed to set S. Ambrose by faire or by foule meanes and then to carry him vnto banishment This wicked man had so purposed but God disposed it otherwise for as Aman had made a gibbet whereon to hang Mardochey and was hanged on it himselfe so Eutimius was banished caried away in the same waggon he had made for S. Ambrose This holy saint found the bodies of some Martirs which were laid in places vncomely and vndecent therefore he translated them into other places where they were laid with more reuerence as the bodies of S. Geruasius and Protasius and of S. Nabor and Faelix In the translations of these saints were may miracles done and many sicke men healed The Arrian heretiks calumniated the miracles and moreouer said that Ambrose had hired persons to faine themselues blind or lame and that when they came neere to the bodies of the saints they fained to be healed It came to passe that one of the most malitious cauillers thereat was in the sight of them all posessed by the deuill who being within him by the iudgement of God caused him to confesse the truth which he denied when he was in health aswell in the miracles of the saints as also in the mistery of the B. Trinity the wretch yelling aloud and saying That which Ambrose preacheth is true and that which the Arrians teach is false and vntrue Then many of the Arrians who by reason should haue giuen credit to that apparant testimony came vnto him and adding euill to euill threw him into a pond of water wherein the man was drowned An other obstinate heretik which was one of the most principall was conuerted vnto the true faith And when he was demaunded why hee changed his faith so suddainly he answered he had seene an Angell speake in the eare of S. Ambrose when he preached and tell him what to say At that same time was discouered in France a tyrant called Maximus who by a stratagem murdered Gratian who gouerned Fraunce and Spaine all the life of Valentinian his father And not resting content therewith he marched against his brother called Valentinian sonne vnto Iustina who then ruled Italy The young man not daring to oppose himselfe in the field fled with his mother Iustina the mortall persecutor of S. Ambrose and came to Constantinople to demaund succour and ayde of the Emperour Theodosius S. Ambrose went vnto Maximus who tooke vpon him the name of Emperour and requested the dead body of Gratiane to be bestowed vpon him Strange it was that although the holy bishop went to talke with him that was a tyrant and also went for to obtaine a fauour of him when it seemeth he should haue vsed louely words yet did he with his accustomed and Christian boldnes reprooue him for his tiranny and for the vniust murdering of his Lord. He also bad him to do penance for his sinnes and because he would not obey he excommunicated him and gaue order in all places of his Archbishoprique where the Tyrant passed that he should not be admitted to heare the diuine office and commaunded all his priests vnder great paines none should be so bold to celebrate Masse before him nor to conuerse with him But aboue all he fore-told him saying that God would chastice him for his rebellion as afterward it befell for when Theodosius came against him he was slaine by his owne souldiours After the death of Maximus Theodosius went vnto Millan and there the Iewes complained of S. Ambrose vnto the Emperour for burning their Synagogue The Emperour thought S. Ambrose had done them great wrong and bad him to reedify it at his owne cost and charge After this S. Ambrose preached before the Emperour and reduced to his remembrance all his former life and told him he ought to remember how from a poore captaine who fled thorough Africa for feare to be slaine which was presently after the death of Valens the Emperour God had aduanced him to be Emperour and bestowed on him many victories and therefore he had reason to behold and marke well the reward he should render vnto God in restoring the Synagogue and causing it to be builded for the Iewes which were enemies vnto God and all Christians When the sermon was ended the Emperour said vnto him Art thou this day mounted into the pulpit to preach speake euill of me in mine owne presence Yea said S. Ambrose I haue done it but we will say well of thee in thy absence to the end that none doe murmure of thee for that thou wilt be partiall fauourable vnto the Iewes and build a Synagogue for them Thus S. Ambrose delt with the Emperour and it was so effectuall that he forbad the reedifying of the Synagogue It was a notable case and example worthy to be marked haâ— S. Ambrose did vnto the same Emperour Theodosius because of the cruelty coÌ„mitted in Thessalonica There was at that time a great Citty in Macedâ—ry inhabited by Christians called Thessalonica the vsage was in all Greece to haue pastimes and pâ—â—â—es called Câ—â—censes in which â—aâ—ne horses in â—ace some alone and some in wagons and great care men had to gett the prise which was giuen to the Victors because those playes were very delightful they which were skilfull in guiding the horses wagons were highly esteemed regarded The time of these pastimes being at hand it fell out that one of the waggoners which was to runne for the wager and was famous for his skill and beloued of all the people was imprisoned by Bulericus the gouernor of Thessalonica vnder Theodosius the cause was this the waggoner was accused to haue offended carnally with the gouernours page The Emperour was comming in person to be present at the pastimes which were to be made All the people thought the triumphes would be disgraced if the waggoner thus imprisoned were not deliuered Therefore with one voice they besought the gouernour that he would vpon their intreaty deliuer him He answering them arrogantly and vsing some opprobrious words vnto them with the which the people thought themselues wronged the raised a commotion and in a fury tooke armes and killed the Gouernour and some of the
the Virgin Mary Why then hauing bestowed so great a benefite on her should he deny her the grace of preseruation which was fitting and conuenient for her He exempted and priuiledged her from the paines of child-birth and from being turned vnto dust which be generall lawes was it not also reason that he should exempt and set her free from originall sinne Eua who was the cause occasion of all our euill as S. Anselme saith was created in grace is it meere then that Mary by whom we haue had so great good should be thought to be conceiued in sinne Moreouer they which be conceiued in originall sinne be called by the Apostle children of wrath and slaues to the deuill and to say so of the most B. virgin is a thing most inconuenient Further a good sonne ought to doe to his mother all the honour that he can and in not doing of it it seemeth he doth not intyrely fulfill the precept of God to honour his father and mother Our Lord IESVS is the true Sonne of the glorious Virgin and it is fit he should do that for his mother that any other good sonne would doe to his mother And though the B. Virgin was preserued from it therefore cannot we say that CHRIST was not her Redeemer for that in preseruing of her she was more deeply redeemed for there be two manners of redemptions one preseruatiue and the other subleuatiue or restoring The first is more excellent then the secoÌ„d for it is euident that one shall be more obliged and beholden to him that sustaineth him that he fall not into the durt and myre then vnto him that lifteth him vp out of it and then wipeth his cloths Likewise if God caused a Temple to be builded the most sumptuous and stately that euer any was in the world wherein to set the Arke of the testament which for that it was to conserue the Manna the table of the law and the wand wherewith Moyses did the miracles was to be couered with most fine Gold within without to be made of incorruptible wood more iust it was that God should giue rare and soueraigne perfections vnto the bowells and wombe wherein he would inclose his sonne and where his diuinity should inhabite in a manner ineffable If God commanded the children of Israel to be sanctified when they desired to come and talke with him it shall be then very iust that she who was to be the mother of God and cloth him with his humanity should be adorned with singuler purity God conserued the garments and shoes of the Hebrews in the desert for the space of 40. yeares so that they were neuer torne which thing he did for his honour much more fit was it he should preserue the soule of his mother to the end she should neuer fall out of his fauour or be without grace Ioseph made all the land of Egipt tributary vnto King Pharao except the land of the Priests signifying that our Lord redeemer ought to exempt from the tribute of originall sinne the B. virgin with whose flesh the true Priest after the order of Mâ—lchizedech should be clothed Our holy forefathers though they spoke many great commendations and praises of the B. Virgin yet said they not that she should not be conceiued in originall sinne neither hath any ancient Counsell made any decree or said their opinion in it This came to passe because God hath not declared all thing together at one time vnto his Church nor vnto the faithfull neither was it conuenient to be so Therefore he said vnto his Apostles after he had declared great matters vnto them at his last supper as S. Iohn writeth I haue many things to say but yet you are not capable of them your vnderstanding is not able to conceiue them the holy Ghost shall reueale them vnto you This was true for when the Holy Ghost came he declared all things that were fit for that time and continually doth declare and manifest things Those which are now laid open doe not contradict that which was discouered before yet are not all things which were before hidden and darkned with a cloud discouered and opened all together for some Counsels of our times doe declare some things belonging to faith which our forefathers did not And so the saying that the mother of God was conceiued without sinne was hidden and secret many yeares which was a thing not without cause The reason might be this That the common people was ordinarily so deuote to her that if it had bene published and affirmed in former times when things were not so well declared and when that they which had erred could not so well haue bene instructed and reformed as it is fit they should in such a case it might haue bene that the B. Virgin should haue bene adored for God To auoide this inconuenience it seemeth good reason this secret should be kept close At this present time the Church hath opened this secret in giuing leaue that we may hold and beleeue that the glorious Virgin was conceiued without sinne And when the Church graunteth this licence is it not necessary for vs which be so much obliged to her and trauell to serue her to seeke out such reasons and meanes how it should be And so much the more for that beside the former reasons alleaged there be many more which ought to enforce any curious person or man of an indifferent vnderstanding The first is that though the ancient fathers say not in plaine words that the B. Virgin was conceiued without sinne but rather seeme to infer the contrary for it was conformable to their time yet is it most sure that if they had written in our time they would haue said and written otherwise then that they now write for all that I say they all namely S. Bernard giue a note touching the Virgin saying that whatsoeuer is honorable and and can be said in praise of any saint ought to be attributed vnto her with surplusage and aduantage But being so as it is said that many saints after baptisme sinned not mortally as S. Nicholas S. Bernard S. Thomas Aquinas and others If it be said which is an Article of the Catholicke faith that S. Iohn Baptist and Ieremie were sanctified in their mothers womb it is apparant by the rule giuen that this and much more may be said and beleeued of the B. Virgin Then shee was not only sanctified in her mothers womb but also preserued from all sinne He spoke not much from the purpose that said That when IESVS CHRIST said by S. Iohn Baptist that among the sonnes of women there was not a greater arose then Iohn Baptist though the Greeke text saith no prophet yet the Latine text from which it is not lawfull to appele saith none borne of a woman theÌ„ the B. Virgin being greater and more holy then Iohn Baptist as all confesse and graunt when our Sauiour saith none arose she is excepted for she
conception The holie Virgin as S. Augustine affirmeth had not that delight in the conception of the redeemer of the world and therefore she had not sorrow and paines Moreouer it was not fitting that shee should suffer paine that brought forth the ioy and comfort both of heauen and earth The sacred Virgin was aduised of that houre by new ioy which she felt in her soule euen as her virginitie and puritie deserued and it being now midnight all creatures after their trauaile were at their rest and vsuall repose The Moone shewed clearlie the Sunne enuying her himselfe being absent and she attended on that misterie with her bright beames The starres that straved in the midest of heauen desired to stay to see that great and new maruaile Those starres that were passed desired to turne back againe and those that were behind desired to hasten their iourney to be present at this happie and fortunate houre All things created yea nature it selfe stood astonied and amased beholding this strange manner of deliuerie The happie houre being come the blessed Virgin lifted vp her hands and eyes vnto heauen and said Behold O father eternall the time is come that thy only begotten Sonne is borne the pretious treasure is giuen vnto the world to pay the debt it oweth thee I offer vnto thee that art the giuer of all good things this fruit of life gathered out of the tree of my bowels I offer also vnto thee this pretious pledge which thou gauest me and which vntill this time I haue faithfully kept The blessed Virgin speaking these or the like words she felt in her soule an vnspeakable content and casting downe her eyes she saw the Sonne of God and her Sonne also newly borne Forthwith she kneeled downe before him and shedding teares for tendernes and ioy adored him and rendered thankes to him that he was made man and that he had elected her to be his mother yet kept her a most pure Virgin as she was before her deliuerie Then tooke she him in her armes and said vnto him Oh the most tender and deare Sonne of my bowels how can I now cherish thee With what shall I couer thee to keep thee from cold which is thy first torment Thou didst determine to be made man wherefore didst thou choose so poore a mother Were there not in the world many great Ladyes and Queenes that could better haue bene able to haue clothed thee in silke and gold as thou doest deserue being God as thou art I can giue thee but meane and course clothes But since it was thy pleasure to choose so poore a mother why wouldest thou be borne in so base abiect a place If thou haddst bene borne in Nazareth where thou wast conceiued I could yet something better haue attended and serued thee in my poore house but what can I do heere my dearest Sonne Thou my God hast deliuered me from the panges and throwes that other mothers endure in childbirth why wouldest thou permit me to feele now this torment I meane to see this heauenlie visage on which the Angels and all the Court of heauen desire to gaze as in a mirrour to looke sorrowfully with the cold Oh my Son how is the ioy that I haue to haue brought thee forth and to see my selfe thy mother mingled with griefe that I haue not where withall to attend and cherish thee as I would If not as thou deseruest yet at least as thou hast need I beseech thee therefore my deere Sonne that since it is thy will to choose me for thy mother that thou wilt supplie our wants so that to my will which to thee is best knowne and manifest there may be no want which my be for thy seruice We may imagine the blessed Virgin said such like words either outward and openlie or at least inwardly in her soule Then againe adored she the infant as her God and kissing his face as of her sonne and his feet as of the creator lapped him in those clothes which she had Although the Euangelist had not said as he did yet we might well beleeue that the holie Virgin was prouided according to her abillitie and was not negligent in that case especially she knowing the time of her deliuerie to be at hand Hauing then wrapped and swathed him she laid him vpon a little haye in a manger as the Euangelist saith in these words She brought forth her first begotten Sonne Luk. 2. v. 7. and wrapped him in clothes and laid him in a maâ—ger for there was no other place for him in the Iâ—ne And if when the Sonne of God was borne there was not present any humaine creature but the B. Virgin and her beloued Ioseph yea some are of opinion that he was gone to prouide victuals for himselfe and the B. Virgin there wanted not thousands of Angels who discended from heauen apparailed in the liuerie of their king that is in the shape of men and began to make triumph with musicke singing with sweet delectable and true Angellicall voyces Very fit it was that those blessed spirits should accomodate and applie themselues vnto the vsage of the world wherein at the rising of the morning Sunne the little birds sing sweetlie as it were saluting it and reioysing for the comming of the same So also when the Sunne of Iustice was borne in the world it was fit that the birds of heauen which be the Angels should shew their ioy by their sweet singing Some Authors say that the song of the Angels was begun by the blessed Virgin and that thereof began the vsage that at Masse the priest that celebrateth beginneth the Gloria in excelsis and the Quier followeth So the glorious Virgin hauing laid her Sonne in the Manger and againe adored him began to say with a loud voyce Glorie be to God in the hyest v. 14. The Angels forthwith answered And in earth peace vnto men of good will with the rest which followeth And that which was song in that stall the Angels song likewise throughout the places where they carried tydings of the birth of IESVS CHRIST The Euangelist S. Luke saith ver 8. At that time there were sheapheards watching keeping their flocks vnto whom according to the opinion of diuers Authors the Angell Gabriell appeared accompanied with many other Angels and vnto them hee told the newes of the birth of the Sauiour of the world S. Iohn Chrisostome saith he went not vnto Ierusalem to tell the Scribes and Pharisies Hom. de nat dom â—om 2. much lesse vnto king Herod because they were proud and drowned in vices deserued not that God should do them that fauour but he went vnto the sheapheards which were meane and humble And allthough at the first they were afraid yet the Angell secured them and told them the Messias was born And to the end that they desiring to go and adore him might find him he gaue vnto them sure tokens saying you shall find the infant wrapped
his blessed bodie was found I refer you vnto the feast of his Inuention which the holie Church keepeth on the third of August in which place you may read some more of them At this time we will speake only this That seing this saint made prayer for them that stoned him we which desire to honour him in celebrating his feast may hope that he will be a good meanes to obtaine mercy for vs of the heauenlie Maiestie and that by his especiall fauour we may haue the guift of perseuerance in his seruice vnto our death that afterward we may be worthy to see him in his glorie Amen Eusebius saith the death of S. Stephen was in the yeare of CHRIST 34. in the raigne of Tiberius Caesar Durandus in his rationall saith that the death of S. Stephen was on the third of August when his Inuention is celebrated which as he saith in the same booke was on the 26. of December being the day whereon his principall feast is kept The Chruch changeth it as the same Guilielmus saith to haue the Martyrdome more festiual adioining that rather then the Inuention vnto the birth of Christ The life of S. Iohn the Euangelist THE holy and valiant man Mardocheus the faithfull Chronicler of the King Assuerus and Esther recounteth that he being aduised and attent and hauing continuall regard to the health and welfare of his King and Lord heard one day that some seruants of the King had made a conspiracy to kill him and resolued to put it speedily to effect Mardocheus noted the words and taking knowledge of the men made a memoriall wherein he wrote all their conspiracy and wrought so that it came to the Kings hands who caused the affendors to be imprisoned and after they had confessed their offence to be punished according to their deserts There was no reward giuen to Mardocheus for discouering this treason but there was made only a noâ—e in the Annales of the Kings of Persia Some dayes after it happened that the King commaunded that booke to be read vnto him that he might reward the seruices done vnto him whereof in that booke the memory was conserued and when he came to that place where mention was made of Mardocay the King perceuing that he had bene the cause of a great and manâ—â—est deliuery from a danger of his life studied what reward to bestowe on him At last he determined that Mardocay should be arrâ—ied gorgeously and led thâ—rough the Citty vpon a goodly Horse and that before him should go trumpets sounding and declare that iâ— was the Kings will and pleasure that Mordecay should be hounoured and euery man was charged to do him honour This history agreeth and fitteth well S. Iohn Euangelist figured in Mordâ—cay For as he was Croniâ—lâ—r to the King of Persia so S. Iohn was a faithfull Cronicler of IESVS CHRIST The one was holy the other most holy Mardocay discouered the conspiracy made against the King whereby he auoided a greiuous hurt S. Iohn hauing notice also of another conspiracy that the Ebyoniâ—es heretâ—kes plotted against IESVS CHRIST denying that he was God wrote his Ghospell against them whereby their iniquity was disclosed the damage preuented and they confounded This writing was written in the memoriall of God and then came the day wherein the memorials are read and seing what S. Iohn had done for IESVS CHRISTS sake not only for this seruice but for diuers others worthy of rewarde it pleased his Lord to honour him euen as it happened to Mardocay To this end was giuen vnto him a gorgeous and rich vesture the like whereof is hardly to be found for the tittles that do agree vnto this holy saint do not ordinarily concurre in any other at one time He was set vpon a horse which was the speciall fauour bestowed on him by God The horse was that which Dauid meaneth in a Psalme saying O Lord thou shalt saue both men beasts In some sence you may vnderstand by beasts the bodies as by the names of men we may vnderstand the soules as if he had said that at the day of iudgement the holy saints shall goe to heauen both in body and soule Vpon this Horse viz. his owne body it pleased God that S. Iohn Euangelist not staying for the day of iudgement should rise againe assoone as he dyed and go vp into heauen as many great authors hold who yeeld many strong arguments to proue that S. Iohn Euangelist is in heauen both in body and souâ—e whereunto be entred like another Mordecay triumphantly with trumpeâ—ters before him who proclaime all his heroicall acts and declaring that God will so honour him and that he would haue him honored of all The life of this holy Apostle and Euangelist ensuyng is collected parâ—ly out of the Gospell and in part out of diuers good and graue Authors SAINT Iohn the Euangelist was the sonne of Zebedee brother of S. laâ—es the greater who was beheaded by Herode S. Iohn after Onuphrius was borne in the third yeare of CHRIST Lib. 1 â—a 28 He was of a noble house as Nicâ—phorus and S. Ierome say And they be of that opinion for that S. Iohn was familier in the house of the high priest as appeareth in the night that CHRIST was taken for S. Peter was suffered to come in by meanes of S. Iohn as one whom they respected Though he was a gentleman yet for to auoid idlenes the nurse of many vices he vsed the trade of fishing ioyntly with his father and brothers and the rather because their house was nere the sea of Galily This sheweth they were not so poore as some make them in that they had a barke of their owne wherewith they fished They being then one time busy at their fishing CHRIST called them and bad them follow him and be his disciples They knowing him to be their kinsman and reputing it happy that he would accept them into his schoole forsooke their father the barks and the nets and went to IESVS CHRIST S. Iohn was now abouâ— 28 yeares old and a virgin as he was all his life of a good nature beautifull in countenance very amiable and wise Whervpon the sonne of God tooke vnto him an especiall affection and made him his fauorite among all the Apostles This same Euangelist esteemed this prerogatiue so highly that when he recounteth any thing in the Ghospell where he is to name himselfe in steed thereof he vseth this phrase The disciple whom Iesus loued IESVS CHRIST shewed often to him particuler kindnes of the which one was that when he was to be transfigured vpon mount Thabor in the presence of three Apostles one of them was S. Iohn he was one of them that was present when our Sauiour raised the daughter of the prince of the Synagogue in the presence of two other Apostles he being the third S. Iohn gaue notice to his mother of the great affection CHRIST bore to him who guided by motherly affection or
you look for one alone why murder you so many Oh come now Sauiour of the world let these souldiers see thee without any perill ar danger vnto thee since the power to liue and dye is at thy pleasure so shalt thou deliuer vs from this great sorrow and our children from death S. Gregorie Nissen saith It was pittifull to see the mothers of the inocents how they imbraced their litle infants and bathed them in teares awaiting to haue them shortlie bathed in their owne blood The cruell edict of Herod hauing bene brought to Bethleem and the cruell souldiers being come they assailed the litle infants so furiosly that they wounded the mothers also and mingled the blood of the mother and the infant together Some mothers sawe the sword to come and pierce the bodie of her infant as she gaue it suck so that at one time the mother gaue milk vnto the child and the child restored asmuch blood vnto the mother There was one sorrowfull mother that had two sonnes at one birth She saw the sword drawen against them both and she knew not which to defend first from the blowe she looked on the one and held it fast to her brest and left the other further from her Then seing the blow come she pulled it close to her and thrust out the other The poore distressed mother had not much time to deliberate which of their liues she should longest saue for no sooner was the one wounded to death but the sword was thrust quite through the other and this was the case of many wofull mothers that had two children in their armes It happened also in this massacre that two butcherly villaines came vnto a mother that had two sonnes they seuered themselues to kill them and withall seuered the hart of the afflicted mother The one infant wailed and the other cryed also The wofull mother knew not which to answere first with the like musick Lastly she could but lament and sodeinlie she saw them dead at her feet S. Basill Bishop of Seleucia cited before saith that in all the cittie of Bethleem nothing could be heard for the confused noise which endured as long as the slaughter of the innocents continewed because the Infants that were killed cryed pittifully the elder brothers and sisters lamented and so did the fathers but the outcries of the mothers exceeded all the rest The oldmen said that there was neuer committed such a cruelltie in any place no not in a long susteined warre for though all were put to the sword yet infants were spared Complaints were generallie made yea of the sunne it self that stayed so long to keep back the darknes of the night whereby the furie of these enraged people might cease When these ruffian 's found no more infants in the cittie to murther they departed into the villages thereabout to do as they had done in Bethleem Then the lamentable outcries of the woefull mothers was renewed when they went to seek out the bodies of their dead infants Some that found them cut in pieces laid their seuered members together vsing pittifull and compassionat complaints Some kneeling downe to their slaughtered prettie babe said vnto him A wake now my sonne thou hast slept inough shake of this heauie drowsines which the cruelltie of Herod hath caused Come come arise my sweet babe take thy mothers breast which thou hast so often tasted Ah wilt thou not speak doest thou slumber still Alas alas too long lasteth this heauie sleep that thus oppresseth thee would to God it were possible for thee to enter againe into my womb that thy prettie members thus mangled might be reioyned and returne vnto life These and such like words said the mothers of the Innocents When Herod vnderstood that his commaundement was performed he made shew of great ioye and adorned himself with a crowne of victorie as if he triumphed ouer some dangerous enemie Neither did the cruell tyrant care though his owne child that was nursed in a place neere Bethleem was murthered among the residue Macrobius reporteth Lib 2. Satur. Cap 4. that this came vnto the eare of Octauius Augustus and that he said that it were better to be a hogge in the house of Herod then his sonne By which speach he ment that Herod being a Iew the hogge had bene secure for he would not haue killed it nor haue eaten thereof but his sonne was not so safe for he was killed amongst the other children Herod could not haue deuised a better meanes then this to diuulge and spread abroad the birth of CHRIST For hereby it came to the knowledg of all that a child was borne who was a king and had bene adored of the kings and of whom he was afeard that his kingdome should be taken from him But he stayed not so long for before CHRIST was of age Herod was depriued of his kingdome by loosing of his life killing himself with those hands with which he had persecuted our Sauiour CHRIST It is often seene that God doth punish and chastice men by the same thing and meanes wherewith they taken occasion and whereby they offend him Saul desired to kill Dauid with his owne hands 1. Reg 31. Mat. 27. and with the same he killed himself Iudas sinned by selling IESVS CHRIST and the wretch hanged himself with his owne hands Some thinck that the number of the slaine children was the same which S. Iohn nameth in the Apocalipse Cap 14. v. 1. when he saith that 144000. follow the lamb but this is not certaine It seemeth rather a thing impossible that in the towne and territorie of Bethleem should be so many children of two yeeres old and downwards The Euangelist S. Mathew saith that thē was fullfilled the words of the prophet Ieremie A loud voice was heard weeping and lamentation Math 2. v. 18. Rachell weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not In this place Bethleem is called Rachell because the faire Rachell who was wife to the patriarch Iacob was buried neere to the cittie of Bethleem The holie Innocents were the first martyrs that dyed for CHRIST and he being come into the world offred them to his eternall father as the first fruites of the garden of his Church He did them also an especiall fauour for that they were all saued Their patents also had no cause to be aggrieued for if they were depriued of their liues which he had before giuen vnto them for his sake we may also belieue that he bestowed others on them in their place Iob 42. as it happened to Iob who being depriued of seuen sonnes and two daughters God gaue vnto him as many more when he returned vnto his former prosperitie Lastly we may know as by the euent hereof that when the people of Israell departed from Egipt one may well say that God departed out of that countrie in the company of his people and that the Egiptians remained in lamentation For one and the last