not by reason of suche thunder and lighteninge and greate abundance of raine returne backe to his Abbey began to be heauye and to complaine of his sister sayinge God forgiue you what haue you done to whom she answered I desired you to staye and you wolde not heare me I haue desired our goode Lorde and he hath vouchsafed to graunt my petition wherfor yf you can now departe a Gods name returne to your monasterye and leaue me here alone But the goode father being not able to goe for the taried there against his will where willinglye before he wolde not staye And so by that means they watched all nighte and with spirituall and heauenly talke did mutuallye comfort one an other and therfore by this we see as I saide before that he wolde haue had that thinge which yet he could not for yf we respecte the venerable mans minde no question but he wolde haue had the same faire weather to haue continewed as it was when he sett forth but he found that a miracle did preuent his desire which by the power of almighty God a womans praiers had wrought And it is not a thinge to be maruailed at that a woman which of longe tyme had not sene her brother mighte doe more at that tyme theÌ„ he could seeing accordinge to the sayinge of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 4. God is charity and therfore of righte she did more which loued more Peter I confesse that I am wonderfully pleased with that which you tell me HOVV BENNET SAVVE THE soule of his sister ascend into heauen CHAPTER XXXIIII Gregory THe next daye the venerable woman returned to her Nonnerye and the man of God to his Abbey who three daies after standinge in his cell and liftinge vp his eyes to heauen behelde the soule of his sister which was departed from her bodye in the likenes of a doue to ascend into heauen who reioysinge muche to see her great glorye vvith hymnes and laudes gaue thanckes to almighty God and did imparte the newes of this her death to his monkes whom also he sent presentlye to bringe her corps to his Abbey to haue it buried in that graue which he had prouided for him selfe by meanes whereof it fell out that as theire soules were alwaies one in God whiles they liued so theire bodies coÌ„tinued together after theire deathe HOVV HE SAVVE THE VVHOLE worlde represented before his eies and also the soule of Germanus Bishop of Capua ascending to heauen CHAPTER XXXV AT an other tyme Seruandus the Deacon and Abbot of that monasterye which in tymes past was founded by the noble man Liberius in the countrye of Campania vsed ordinarily to come and visit the man of God and the reason why he came so often was because him selfe also was a man full of heauenly doctrine and so thy two had often together spâ—rituall conference to the end that albe it they could not perfectly feede vpon the celestiall foode of heauen yet by means of such swete discourses they might at least with longing and feruent desire taste of those â—oyes and diuine delightes When it was tyme to goe to rest the venerable father Bennet reposed him selfe in the topp of a tower at the foote whereof Seruandus the Deacon was lodged so that one paier of staiers went to them bothe before the â—ower there was a certaine large roome in which bothe theire disciples did lye The man of God Bennet being diligent in watching rose early vp before the tyme of mattins his monkes being yet at rest and came to the windowe of his chamber where he offered vp his praiers to almighty God Standinge there all on a suddaine in the deade of the nighte as he looked forth he sawe a lighte which bannished away the darckenes of the nighte and glittered with suche brighenes that the lighte which did shine in the middest of darckenes was far more clere them the lighte of the daye Vpon this fighte a maruailous strange thinge followed for as him selfe did afterwarde reporte the whole worlde gathered as it were together vnder one beame of the sunne was presented before his eies and whiles the venerable father stoode attentiuely beholdinge the brightenes of that glitteringe lighte he sawe the soule of Germanies Bishop of Capita in a fierye globe to be carried vp by Angels into heauen Then desirous to haue some witnes of this so notable a miracle he called with a very loude voice Seruandus the Deacon twise or thrise by his name who troubled at such an vnvsuall cryinge out of the man of God went vp in all hast and looking for the sawe not any thinge els but a little remnant of the light but wondring at so great a miracle the man of God tolde him all in order what he had sene and sendinge by and by to the towne of Cassino he commanded the religious man Theoprobus to dispatche one that nighte to the citye of Capua to learne what was become of Germanus thiere Bishop which beinge done the messeÌ„ger founde that reuerend Prelat departed this life and enquiringe curiously the tyme he vnderstoode that he died at that very instant in which the man of God behelde him ascending vâ— to heauen Peter A straunge thinge and verye muche to be admired But whereas you saye that the whole worlde as it were vnder one sunne beame was presented before his eies as I must nedes confesse that in my selfe I neuer had experience of any suche thinge so neither can I conceiue by what meanes the whole worlde can be sene of any one man Gregory Assure your selfe Peter of that which I speake to witt that all creatures be as it were nothinge to that soule which beholdeth the creator for thoughe it see but a glympse of that lighte which is in the creator yet verye small do all thinges seme that be created for by meanes of that supernaturall light the capacity of the inwarde soule is inlarged and is in God so extended that it is far aboue the worlde yea and the soule of him that seeth in this manner is also aboue it selfe for being rapt vp in the lighte of God it is inwardly in it selfe inlarged aboue it selfe and when it is so exalted and looketh downeward then doth it comprehend how little all that is which before in former basenes it could not comprehende The man of God therfore who sawe the fiery globe and the Angels returninge to heauen out of all doubte coulde not see these thinges but in the lighte of God what maruaile then is it yf he sawe the worlde gathered together before him who rapâ— vp in the light of his soule was at that tyme out of the worlde But albeit we say that the worlde was gathered together besoore his eies yet were not heauen and earth drawne into any lesser roome then they be of them selues but the soule of the beholder was more inlarged which rapt in God might without difficultye see that which is vnder God and therfore in
is the reason that in these latter daies so many thinges come to lighte which in tymes past were not knowne in such sort that by open reuelations and manifest signes the ende of the worlde semeth not to be far of VVHY IN LATTER TYMES so many thinges be knowne concerning mens soules VVhich in former ages were not heard of CHAPTER XLI Gregory So it is for the nerer that this preseÌ„â— world draweth to wards an end so muche the more the worlde to come is at hande and sheweth it selfe by more plaine and euident tokens For seing in this worlde we knowe not one an others cogitations and in the next mens hartes be knowne to all what fitter name can we giue to this worlde then to terme it nighte and what better to the next then to call it daye But as when the nighte is almost spent and the daye beginneth to breake darkenes and lighte be in a certaine manner ioyned together vntil the lighte of the day followinge doth perfectly bannishe away the darke remnantes of the former nighte euen so the ende of this world is as it were mingled together with the beginninge of the next and with the darckenes of this some lighte of such spirituall thinges as be in that doth appeare and so we see many thinges which belonge to that vvorlde yet for all this perfect knovvledge vve haue not anye but as it vvere in the tvvilighte of our soule beholde them before the risinge of that sonne of knowledge vvhich then abundantly vvill cast his beames ouer all Peter I like very well of your speeche yet in so worthy a man as Paschasius was this doubt doth trouble me howe he was after his death caried to any place of punnishement seing the touching of his garment vpon the biere did dispossesse a vvicked spirit Gregory Herein appeareth the great and manifolde prouidence of almightye God by whose iust iudgement it fell out that Paschasius for sometyme entertayned inwardly synne in his soule and yet in the sighte of the worlde wroughte miracles by his body after his death who in his life tyme did as they knowe many goode worckes to the end that those which had sene his vertuous life shoulde not be deceiued concerning the opinion of his great almes and yet him selfe should not without punnishement haue remission of his synne which whiles he liued he thoughte to be no synne and therfore did not by teares washe it awaye Peter I vnderstande very well what you say but by this reason I am driuen â—nto such straightes that I must stand in feare both of those synnes which I knowe and also of those which I know not But because a little before you discoursed of the places of tormentes in what part of the worlde I beseech you are vve to beleue that hel is vvhether aboue the earth or beneath the same IN VVHAT PLACE OF THE worlde we oughte to beleue that hell is CHAPTER XLII Gregory TOuchinge this pointe I dare not rashelye desine any thinge for some haue bene of opinion that hell vvas in some place vpon the earth and The latin â—ord for â—el signiâ—eth a â—ace beâ—eath others thincke that it is vnder the earth but then this doubt ariseth for yf it be therfore called hell or an infernall place because it is belovve then as the earth is distant from heauen so likevvise shold hel be distant from the earth for which cause perhappes the Prophet saith Thow hast deliuered Psal 8 my soule from the lower hel so that the higher hell may seme to be vpon the earth and the lower vnder the earth and vvith this opinion that sentence of Iohne agreeth who when he had saide that he sawe a booke sealed with Apocal. seauen seales and that non was found worthy neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth to open the booke and loose the seales thereof he added forthwith and I wept much which booke notwithstanding afterwarde he saith was opened by a lion of the tribe of Iuda By which booke what els can be ment but the holy scripture which our Sauiour alone did open for being made man by his death resurrection and ascension he did reueale and make manifest all those mysteries which in that booke were closed shutt vppe And none in heauen because not any Angell none vpon earth because not man liuinge in body not any vnder the earth was founde worthy because neither the soules departed from theire bodies could opeÌ„ vnto vs beside our Lord him selfe the secretes of that sacred booke Seing then none vnder the earth is said to be founde worthy to open that booke I see not what doth lett but that we sholde beleeue that hell is in the lower partes vnder the earthe Peter I beseech you Is there one fire in hell or accordinge to the diuersitye of sinners be there so many sortes of fires prepared in that place VVHETHER THERE IS ONE fire in hel or many CHAPTER XLIII Gregory THe fire of hell is but one yet doth it not in one manner torment all synners For euerye one there according to the quantitâ—e of his synne hath the measure of his paine For as in this world many liue vnder one and the same sunne and yet do not alike feele the heate thereof for some be burnt more and some lesse so in that one sire diuers manners of burninge be founde for that which in this worlde diuersity of bodies doth that in the next doth diuersitye of synnes so that althoughe the fire be there all alike yet doth it not in one manner and alike burne and torment them that be damned Peter Shall those I pray you which be condemned to that place burne alwaies and neuer haue anye ende of theire tormentes VVHETHER THOSE THAT be in hel shal burne there sor euer CHAPTER XLIIII Gregory CErtaine it is and without all doubt most true that as the goode shall haue no ende of theire ioyes so the wicked neuer any release of theire tormentes for our Sauiour him selfe saith The wicked shal goe into euerlasting Math. 2 punnishment and the iust into euerlasting life seing then true it is that which he hath promised to his friendes out of al question false it can not be that which he hath threatned to his enemies Whar yf it be saide that he did threaten eternall paine to wicked liuers that he might thereby restrayne them from committing of synnes Gregory Yf that which he did threaten be false because his intent was by that meanes to keepe men from wicked life then likewise must we say that those thinges are false which he did promise and that this minde was therebye to prouoke vs to vertue But what man though madd dare presume so to saye For yf he threatned that which he ment not to put in execution whiles we are desirous to make him mercifull inforced we are likewise which is horrible to speake to affirme him to be deceiptfull Peter Willinge I am to knowe howe that
reprochefull wordes they â—ntreated him where vpon he sent them by and by this message sayinge Amende your tongues otherwise I do excommunicat you which sentence of excommunication notwithstandinge he did not then presentlye pronounce against them but only threatened yf they amended not them selues But they for all this chaÌ„ged thiere conditions nothing at all both which not longe after departed this life and were buried in the churche and vvhen Solemne mass solemne masse was celebrated in the same churche and the Deacon accordinge to custome saide with lowde voice yf any there be that do not communicate let them departe the nurse which vsed to giue vnto our Lorde an Offring for the dead offringe for them behelde them at that tyme to rise out of thiere graues to depart the churche Hauing often tymes at those vvordes of the Deacon sene them leaue the churche and that they could not tarry within she remeÌ„bred what message the man of God sent them whâ—les they were yet aliue For he tolde them that he did depriue them of the communion vnlesse they did amende theire tongues and conditions Then with great sorrowe the whole matter was signified to the maÌ„ of God who straight-waies with his owne handes gaue an oblation saying Go your waies and cause this to be offered Oblation for the deade vnto our Lorde for them and they shall not remayne any longer excommunicat which oblation beinge offered for them the Deacon as he vsed crying out that such as did not communicate shold departe they were not sene any more to go out of the churche whereby it was certaine that seeinge they did not departe with theÌ„ which did not communicate that they had receiued the communion of our Lorde by the handes of his seruant Peter It is very straunge that you report for howe coulde he thoughe a venerable and most holy man yet liuinge in mortall body loose those soules which stoode nowe before the inuisible iudgement of God Gregory Was he not yet Peter mortall that hearde from our Sauiour whatsoeuer Math. 16 thowe shall binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the heauens whatsoeuer thowe shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heaueÌ„s whose place of bindinge and loosinge those haue at this tyme which by faith and vertuous life possesse the place of holy gouernement and to be stowe such power vpoÌ„ earthly men the creator of heauen and earth desconded from heauen to earthe and that fleshe mighte iudge of spirituall thinges God who for mans sake was made fleshe vouchesafed to bestowe vpon him for from thence our weaknes did rise vp aboue it selfe from wheÌ„ce the strength of God was weakened vnder it selfe Peter For the vertue of his miracles your wordes do yelde a very goode reason OF A BOYE THAT AFTER HIS buriall was cast out of his graue CHAPTER XXIIII Gregory VPon a certayne daye a younge boye that was a monke louinge his parentes more then reason wolde went from the Abbey to thiere house not crauinge the fathers blessinge before hand and the same daye that he came home vnto them he departed this life And beinge buried his bodye the next daye after was founde cast out of the graue which they caused againe to be put in and againe the daye following they founde it as before Then in great hast they went to the man of God sell downe at his feete with many teares beseeched him that he wolde vouchsafe him that was deade of his fauour To whom the man of God with his owne handes deliuered the holy communion of our Lordes body sayinge Goe and lay with great The Sacrament was not buried with him but only laid vpon his brest and taken of againe reuerence this our Lordes body vpon his breast and so burye him which when they had done the deade corps after that remayned quietly in the graue By which you perceiue Peter of what merit he was with our Lorde Iesus Christ seeinge the earth wolde not giue entertainement to his bodye who departed this worlde out of Bennets fauour Peter I perceiue it very well and do wonderfully admire it HOVV A MONKE FORESAKING the Abbey mett with a dragon in the way CHAPTER XXV Gregory A Certaine monke there was so inconstant and fickle of mynde that he wolde needes giue ouer the Abbey for which fault of his the man of God dâ—d daily rebuke him and often tymes giue him goode admonitions but yet for all this by no means wolde he tary amongest them and therfore continuall sute he made that he mighte be discharged The venerable man vpon a tyme wearied with his importunitye in anger bad him departe who was no soner out of the Abbey gate but he founde a dragon in the waye expecting him with open mouth which being about to deuoure him he began in great feare and tremblinge to cry out aloude sayinge Helpe helpe for this dragon will eate me vp At which noise the monkes running out dragon they sawe non but finding him there shaking treÌ„bling they broughte him backe againe to the Abbey who forth with promised that he wolde neuer more forsake the monasterye and so euer after he continued in his profession for by the praiers of the holy man he sawe the dragon comminge against him whom before when he savve not he did willingly followe HOVV HOLY BENNET CVRED a boye of the leprosy CHAPTER XXVI BVt I must not here passe ouer with silence that which I had by relation of the honourable man Anthonye who saide that his fathers boye was so pitifully punnished with a leprosy that all his heare fell of his body swelled and filthy corruption did openly come forthe Who beinge sent by his father to the man of God he was by him quickly restored to his former healthe HOVV BENNET FOVND MONEY miraculously to relieue a poore man CHAPTER XXVIII NEither is that to be ommitted which one of his disciples called Peregrinus vsed to tell for he saide that vpon a certaine daye an honest man who was in debt founde no other meanes to helpe him selfe but thought it his best waye to acquaint the man of God with his necessitye wherevpon he came to the Abbey and findinge the seruant of almighty God gaue him to vnderstande howe he was troubled by his creditor fortwelue shillinges which he did owe him To whom the venerable man saide that him selfe had not so muche money yet giuinge him comfortable wordes he saide Go your wayes and after two dayes come to me againe for I can not preseÌ„tly helpe you in which two daies after his manner he bestowed him selfe in praier when vpon the thirde daye the poore man came backe there were founde suddainly vpon the chest of the Abbey which was full of corne thirtene shillinges which the man of God caused to be giuen to him that required but twelue both to discharge his debte and also to defraye his owne charges But nowe will I returne to speake of such
Then turninge back to Galla that came raginge after he saide This is father Bennet of whom I tolde you who lookinge vpoÌ„ him in a great fury thinckinge to deale as terribly with him as he had with others cried out aloude to him sayinge Rise vp sirrha rise vp and deliuer me quickelye suche wealth as thowe hast of this mans in keepinge The man of God hearinge such a noise straighte-waies lifte vp his eies from readinge and behelde both him and the countrye fellowe and turninge his eies to his bandes verye straungelye they fell from his armes and that so quickelye as no man with any hast could haue vndone them Galla seeinge him so wonderfullye and quickely loosed fell straighte a trembling and prostratinge him selfe vpon the earth boowed downe his cruell and stiffe necke to the holy mans feete and with humilitye did commende him selfe to his praiers But the venerable man for all this rose not vp from his readinge but callinge for some of his monkes commanded them to haue him in and to giue him some meate And when he was broughte backe againe he gaue him a goode lesson admonishing him not to vse any more suche rigour and cruell dealinge His proude minde thus taken downe away he went but durst not demande after that any thinge of the countrye fellowe whom the man of God not with handes but only with his eies had loosed from his bandes And this is that Peter which I tolde you that those which in a more familiar sorte serue God doe sometyme by a certaine power and authority bestowed vpon them worcke miracles For he that sittinge still did appease the furye of that cruell Gothe and vnloose with his eies those knottes and cordes which did pinion the inocent mans armes did plainelye shewe by the quickenes of the miracle that he had receiued power to worcke all that which he did And nowe will I likewise tell you of an other miracle which by praier he obtayned at Gods handes HOVV BY PRAIER VENERABLE Bennet raised vp a deade childe CHAPTER XXXII BEinge vpon a daye gone out with his monkes to worke in the fielde a country man carrying the corps of his deade sonne came to the gate of the Abbey lamentinge the losse of his childe and inquiringe for holy Bennet they tolde him that he was abroad with his monkes in the fielde Downe at the gate he layd the deade bodye and with great sorrowe of soule ranne in hast to seeke out the venerable father At the same tyme the man of God was returninge home ward from worcke with his monkes whom so sone as he sawe he began to crye out giue me my sonne giue me my sonne The man of God amazed at these wordes stoode still saide what haue I taken awaye your sonne No no quoth the sorrowfull father but he is deade come for Christ Iesus sake and restore him to life The seruaunt of God hearing him speake in that manner seeinge his monkes vpon compassion to sollicit the poore mans sute with great sorrowe of minde he saide Away my goode brethren awaye Suche miracles are not for vs to worcke but for the blessed Apostles why will you lay suche a burthen vpon me as my weakenes can not beare But the poore man whom excessiue griefe enforced wolde not giue ouer his petition but swore that he wolde neuer departe excepte he did raise vp his sonne Where is he then quoth Gods seruaunte he answered that his body lay at the gate of the Abbey to which place when the man of God came with his monkes he kneeled downe and lay vpon the bodye of the little childe and rising he helde vp his handes towardes heauen and saide Beholde not o Lorde my synnes but the faithe of this man than desireth to haue his sonne raised to life and restore that soule to the body which thowe hast taken away He had scarse spoken these wordes and beholde the soule returned backe againe and there with the childes bodye began to tremble in such sort that all which were present did beholde it in straunge manner to pant and shake Then he tooke it by the hande gaue it to his father but aliue in healthe Certaine it is Peter that this miracle was not in his owne power for which prostrat vpon the grounde he praied so earnestly Peter All is most true that before you saide for what you affirmed in wordes you haue nowe verified by examples and worckes But tell me I beseche you whether holy men can do all suche thinges as they please and obtaine at Gods handes whatsoeuer they desire OF A MIRACLE VVROVGHTE by his sister Scholastica CHAPTER XXXIII Gregory VVHat man is there Peter in this worlde that is in greater fauour with God then S. Paul was who yet three tymes desired our Lord ro be deliuered from the pricke of the fleshe and obtained not his petition Concerninge which pointe also I 2. Cor. 12. must nedes tell you howe there was one thinge which the venerable father Bennet wolde haue done and yet he could not For his filter called Scholastica YouÌ„g children dedicated to a religious life dedicated from her infancy to our Lord vsed once a yere to come and visit her brother To whom the man of God went not far from the gate to a place that did belonge to the Abbey there to giue her intertainement And she comming thither on a tyme accordinge to her custome her venerable brother with his monkes went to meete her where they spent the whole daye in the praises of God and spirituall talke and when it was almost nighte they supped together as they were yet sitting at the â—able talkinge of deuoin matters and darcknes came on the-holy NuÌ„ne his sister entreated him to stay there all nighte that they mighte spende it in discoursinge of the ioyes of heauen But by no perswasion wolde he agree vnto that sayinge that he mighte not by any meanes tarry all nighte out of his Abbey At that tyme the skye was so clere that no cloude was to be sene The Nunne receiuinge this deniall of her brother ioyning her handes together laide them vpon the table and so bowing downe her heade vpon them she made her praiers to almighty God and liftinge her heade from the table there fell suddainlye such a tempest of lightninge and thundringe and such abundance of raine that neither venerable Bennet nor his monkes that were with him coulde put theire heade out of dore for the holy Nunne restinge her heade vpon her handes poured forth such a flod of teares vpon the table that she drewe the clere aier to a watrye skye so that after the end of her deuotions that storme of rayne followed and her prayer and the rayne did so meete together that as she lifted vp her heade from the table the thunder beganne so that in one and the verye same instant she lifted vp her head and broughte downe the rayne The man of God seeinge that he could
end of all fleshe is come which worâ—es after he had repeated thus three tymes he vanisshed out of his sight Then the man of God rose vp and fell to his pâ—aiers with many teares And straight after those fearefull sightes in heauen followed to wit firy lances and armies appearing from the north Straight after likewise the barbarous and cruell nation of the Lombardes drawne as a sworde out of a sheath left theire owne countrye and inuaded ours by reason whereof the people which before for the huge multitude were like to thicke corne fieldes remayne nowe withered and ouerthrowne for cities be wasted townes and villages spoiled churches burnte monasteries of men and wâ—men destroied farmes left desolate the countrye remayneth solitarye and voide of men to till the grounde and destitute of all inhabitantes beastes possessinge those places where before great plenty of men did dwell And howe it goeth in other partes of the worlde I knowe not but here in this place where we liue the worlde doth not foretel any end but rather sheweth that which is present and already come Wherfore so much the more zealouslye ought we to seeke after eternal thinges by how much we finde all temporall so quicklye to be fled and gone Suerlye this worlde were to be contemned althoughe it did flatter vs and with pleasant prosperitye contented our minde but now seing it is fraught with so many miseries and diuers afflictions and that our sorrowes and crosses do daily encrease and be doubled what doth it els but crye vnto vs that we sholde not loue it Maâ—y more thinges yet remaine of the worthy actes of Gods seruauntes but because I haue resolued vpon an other course I wil passe ouer with silence Peter For as much as I perceiue that many Christians doe doubt of the immortality of the soule after the dissolution of the bodye I beseech you for the spirituall goode of manye to sett downe some reasoÌ„s for proffe thereof or the examples of some soules which haue testified the same yf you remember any to the end that those which be troubled with any such tentations may learne that the soule doth not dy together with the bodie Gregory This is a worke of great labour especially for one that is busied with other affaires and hath other thinges to attende vnto yet yf any profit by my meanes may redound to others willingly doe I prefer that before myne owne will and pleasure and therfore Gods grace assisting me in this fourth booke followinge I will clerely shewe that the soule doth liue after the death of the body The end of the third booke THE CHAPTERS OF THE FOVRTH BOOKE 1. THat carnal men doe the lesse belieue eternal and spiritual thinges because those of which they heare they knowe not by experience 2. That an infidel liueth not without faith 3. That there were three vital spirittes created 4. Of that question of Salomon wherein it is said That the death of a man and beastes is all one 5. Of that question concerninge the soule which goeth inuisiblye out of the bodye to witt whether there be any such thinge when as it can not be seene 6. That as the life of the soule whiles it remaineth in the body is knowne by the motions of the members so the life of the soule asâ—er it is out of the bodye in Sainctes is gathered by the vertue of miracles 7. Of the departures of soules 8. Of the departure of the soule of a monke called Specioâ—us 9. Of the soule of an Anchoret 10. Of the departure of the soule of an Abbot called Hope 11. Of the departure of the soule of a Priest caled Vrâ—inus 12. Of the soule of Probus Bisshop of the citye of Reati 13. Of the departure of a Nunne called Galla. 14. Of the departure of Seruulus sicke of the Palsye 15. Of the departure of a Nunne called Romula 16. Of the departure of the virgin Tarsilla 17. Of the departure of a yong maide called Musa 18. How certaine yong children come not to heauen throughe the fault of theire parentes because they bring them vp wickedly as is shewed and afterward declared by the example of a blaspheâ—â—ous yonge boye 19. Of the departure of one Steuen the seruant of God 20. That sometyme the merit of the soule is not sene at the departure but is after deathe more truly declared 21. Of the two monkes of Abbot Valentius 22. Of the departure of Abbot Soranus 23. Of the departure of the Deacon of the Churche of Marsi 24. Of the death of the man of God that was sent to Bethel 25. VVhether the soules of iust men be receiued into heauen before the resurrection of the body 26. By what meanes some that are a dying doe prophecy Of the death of a certaine Aduocat Of the reuelation of the two monkes Gerontius and Mellirus Of the death of a boy called Armentarius and of the diuersitye of tongues 27. Of the death of the Earle Theophanius 28. That as the soules of iust men be in heauen so we ought to belieue that after the death of the bodies the soules of wicked men are in hell 29. VVhat reason we haue to belieue that corporal fire can hold spirittes they being without bodyes 30. Of the death of the Arrian kinge Theodoricus 31. Of the death of Reparatus 32. Of the death of a courtier whose graue burnt with fire 33. VVhether the goode knowe the goode in heauen and the bad those that be bad in hell 34. Of a certaine religious man who at his death saw the Prophetes 35. How sometime soules ready to departe this worlde that knowe not one an other doe knowe for all that what torments for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode deedes they shal receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius SteueÌ„ 36. Of those soules which throughe error seme to be carried out of theire bodies Of the vocation and reuocation of Peter the monke and of the death and resusciâ—ation of Steuen Of the vision of a certaine soldiar and of Deusdedit whose house was sene to be built vpon the sabboth daye and of the punnishement of the men of Sodome 37. That the soules of certaine men whiles they be yet in theire bodies do see some spiritual punnishment and of the boy Theodorus 38. Of the death of Chrisorius and of a certaine monke of Iconia 39. VVhether there be any fire of purgaâ—orye after death 40. Of the soule of Paschasius the Deacon 41. VVhy in latter times so many thinges come to lighte concerning mens soules which before were not knowne 42. In what place we ought to beleue that hel is 43. VVhether the fire of hel be one or manye 44. VVhether they alwaies burne that lye in hell 45. How the soule is saide to be immortal if it be punnished with the sentence of death 46. Of a certaine holy man who was affraide at the tyme of his death 47. That some are by reuelation strengthned not to
they heard a noise as it were of many that came in and the cell dore shaken and thrust open as thoughe there had bene a greate presse of people and as they saide they heard a greate company come in yet they saw no body and that by reason of great feare and much lighte for both feare did make them to hold theire eies downe-warde and the brightenes of such plentye of lighte did so dazell them that they coulde not beholde any thinge Straighte after that lighte followed a wonderfull pleasaunt smell which did greatly comfort theire fearefull heartes Romula perceiuing that they coulde not endure that abundance of lighte with sweete wordes comforted Redempta that stoode trembling by her beds side saying Be not affearde mother for I shall not dy at this tyme and when she had often repeated those wordes by little and little the lighte vanished awaye but yet the sweete smell remayned still and so continued both the next and the thirde day after Vpon the fourth nighte againe she called for that her mother and when she was come she desired to receiue the Sacrament and so she did and beholde before Redempta or her other disciple departed from her beddes side suddainlye they hearde two quires singing before the dore without and as they saide they perceiued by theire voices that the one was of men that began the psalmes and the other of wemen that answered and whiles these heauenly funerals were in celebratinge before the cell dore that holy soule departed this life and was caried in that manner vp into heauen and the higher those two quires did ascende the lesse did they heare that celestiall musick vntill at length they heard no more and beside that sweet and odoriferous smell which before they felt vanished quite awaye OF THE DEPARTVRE OF the holy Virgin Tarsilla CHAPTER XVI SOmetyme also for the comfort of the soule that departeth there appeareth vnto it the author him selfe of life and rewarder of all vertue for proffe whereof I will here report that which I remember also to haue spoken of in myne Homelies concerninge myne aunt Tarsilla who in the company of two others of her sisters had for continuance in praier grauitye of life singularity in abstinence arriued to the topp of perfection To this woman Felix my great grand-father sometyme Bishop of this sea of Rome appeared in vision and shewed her the habitation of euerlasting lighte speaking thus Come with me and I will entertaine you in this dwelling place of lighte Shortly after taken with an agew she was broughte to the last cast and as when noble men and wemen ly a dyinge manye do visit them for the comfort of theire friendes so diuers both men and wemen at the tyme of her departure were come which stoode round about her bedde at what tyme she suddainlye casting her eies vpwarde behelde our Sauiour comminge wherevpon looking earnestly vpon him she cried out to them that were present Away awaye my Sauiour Iesus is come and so fixinge her eies vpon him whom she behelde her holy soule departed this life and such a wonderfull fragrant smell ensued that the sweetnes thereof gaue euident testimony that the author of all sweetnes was there present Afterwarde when her deade bodye according to the manner was made ready to be washed they founde that vvith long custome of praier the skin of her armes and knees vvas like a camels become harde and so her deade bodye gaue sufficient testimonye vvhat her liuing spirit had continually practised OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a yonge maide called Musa CHAPTER XVII NEither must that be forgotten vvhich the seruant of God before mentioned called Probus vsed to tell of a little sister vvhich he had called Musa for he saide that one nighte our blessed Lady appeared vnto her in vision shewing her sundrye yonge maides of her owne yeares doathed all in vvhite vvhose company she much desiring but yet not presuminge to go amongest them the Blessed Virgin asked her whether she had any â—ninde to remaine with them and to liue in her seruice to whom she ansvvered that willingly she wolde Then our blessed Lady gaue her in charge not to behaue her selfe lightely nor â—o liue any more like a girle to abstaine also from laughinge and pastime telling her that after thirty daies she sholde amongest those virgins which she then sawe be admitted to her seruice After this vision the yonge maide forsooke all her former behauior and with greate grauitye reformed the leuitye of her childish yeares which thinge her parentes porceiuing and demanding from whence that change proceded she tolde them what the blessed mother of God had giuen her in commandement and vpon what daye the was to go vnto her seruice Fiue and twenty daies after she fell sicke of an agewe and vpon the thirtith daye when the houre of her departure was come she behelde our blessed Lady accompanied vvith those Virgins vvhich before in vision she savve to come vnto her and being called to come avvaye she ansvvered vvith her eies modestlye cast do vvnevvarde and very distinctlye spake in this manner Beholde blessed Lady I come beholde blessed Lady I come in speaking of vvhich vvordes she gaue vp the ghost and her soule departed her virgins bodye to dvvell for euer vvith the holy virgins in heauen Peter Seing mankinde is subiect to many and innumerable vices I thincke that the greatest parte of heauen is replenished vvith little children and infantes HOVV CERTAINE YONGE CHILdren are hindred from heauen by theire parentes wicked education as is shewed by the example of a blasphemous yonge boye CHAPTER XVIII ALthoughe we oughte not to doubt but beleeue that all infantes which be baptized and dye in theire infancye goe to heauen yet no pointe of our beleefe it is that all little ones vvhich can speake do come vnto that holy place because some little children are kept from heauen by theire parentes which bring them vp wickedly and in lewde life For a certaine man in this city well knowne to all some three yeres since had a childe as I thinck fiue yeres olde which vpon too much carnal affection he brought vp very carelesly in such sort that the little one a lamentable case to speake of so sone as any thinge went contrary to his â—â—inde straighte-waies vsed to blaspheâ—â—e the name of God This childe in that great mortality which happened three yeres since fell sicke and came to the pointe of death and his father holding him at that tyme in his armes the childe as they saye which were then present behelde with trembling eies certaine wicked spirites comminge towardes him at which sight he began to crye out in this manner Kepe them away father kepe them awaye and crying so out he turned a waye his face wolde haue hidd him selfe in his fathers bosome who demaundinge why he was so affraide and what he savve O father quoth he there be black a mores come to carry me awaye after which wordes
discontentement and dislike coÌ„cerninge suche secular affaires mighte plainely shewe them selues and all thinges that vsually bringe griefe mustered togither mighte frelye be presented before myne eies in whiche place after that I had satt a longe while in much silence and great sorrowe of soule at lengthe Peter my deere sonne and deacon came vnto me a man whom from his yonger yeres I had alwaies loued most intierelye and vsed him for my companion in the studye of sacred scripture who seing me drowned in such a dompe of sorrowe spake vnto me in this manner what is the matter or what bad newes haue you heard for certaine I am that some extraordinarye sadnes doth nowe afflicte your mynde To whom I returned this answere ô Peter the griefe wich continually I endure is vnto me both olde and newe olde throughe common vse and newe by daily encreasinge For myne vnhappye soule wounded with worldly busines doth nowe call to mynde in what state it was when I liued in myne Abbeye howe then it was superior to all earthly matters far aboue all transitory and corruptible pelfe howe it did vsuallye thincke vpon nothinge but heauenlie thinges and thoughe is was enclosed in mortal bodye yet did it by contemplation passe far beyonde earthly boundes and penetrat to the very height of heauene and as for death the memorye wherof is almost to all men grieuous that it did loue and desire as the ende of all miserye the rewarde of her labors and the very entraunce to an euerlastinge and blessed life But nowe by reason of my pastoral charge my poresoule is enforced to endure the burden of secular mens busines after so excellent and swete a kinde of rest defiled it is with the dust of worldlye conuersation and when it doth at the request of others attende to outwarde affaires no question but it returneth backe far lesse fitt to thincke vpon those that be inward spiritual and heauenly Wherfor at this present do I meditat what I suffer and consider what my soule hath lost and the memorye of my former losse doth make that more grieuous which I do nowe eÌ„dure For do you not be holde at this present howe I am tossed with the waues of this wicked world and see the shipp of my soule beaten with the storms of a terrible tempest and therfor wheÌ„ I remeÌ„ber my former state of life I caÌ„ not but sighe to looke backe cast myneâ—eies vpon the forshaken shore And that which doth yet greiue me more is bycause I see my selfe so carried awaye amayne with the boisterous blastes of this troublesom worlde that I can not nowe scarse beholde the porte from whence I did first hoise saile for such be the downe falles of our soule that first it loseth that goodnes and vertue which before it possessed yet so that it doth still remember what it hath lost but afterwarde carried awaye more and more and strayinge further from the pathe of vertue it coÌ„meth at lenghte to that passe that it doth not so muche as keepe in mynde what before it did daily practise so in conclusion it falleth out as I said before that saylinge further on we go at length so far that we do not so muche as once beholde the swete harbor of quiet peace from whence we first sett forth Sometyme also my sorrowe is encreased by remembringe the liues of certain notable meÌ„ who with theire whole soule did vtterlye forsake and abaÌ„done this wicked worlde whose highe perfectioÌ„ when I beholde I can not also but see myne owne infirmities and imperfection verye many of whom did in a contemplatiue retired kinde of life much please God and least by dealing with transitory busines they mighte haue decaied in vertue Gods goodenes voutsafed to fre theÌ„ from the trobles affaires of this wretched worlde But that which I haue nowe saide will be far more plaine and the better perceiued yf the residue of my speche be dialogue wise distinguished by setting downe eache of our names you askinge what you shal thincke conuenient I byanswere giuing satisfaction to such questioÌ„s as you shall demande at my handes Peter I do not remember any in Italye that haue bene verye famous for vertue and therfor ignorant I am who they be that comparinge your life to theres yowe shoulde be so muche inflamed to imitate theire steppes for althoughe I make no doubte but that there haue bene many goode men yet do I verily thincke that none of theÌ„ wroughte any miracles or at least they haue bene hitherto so buryed in silence that whether any suche thing hath bene done or no not any one man can tell Gregorye Yf I sholde Peter but report onlye those thinges wich my self alone haue vnderstoode by the relation of vertuous and credible persons or els learned by my selfe concerninge the life and miracles of perfect and holy men I sholde soner in myne opinion lacke daye to talke in then matter to speake of Peter Desirous I am that yowe wolde vouchsafe to make me partaker of some of them and not to thincke much yf vpon so goode an occasion you interrupt your other studie of inter pretinge the scripture because no lesse edification doth growe by the relation of miracles For as by the exposition of that we learne howe vertue is to be founde and kepte so by recountinge the miracles of holy meÌ„ we knowe how that wich is founde out and possessed is declared and made manifest to the worlde And some there are that be soner moued to the loue of God by vertuous The profit of sainctes liuâ—s examples then by godly sermons and ofâ—eÌ„tymes by the liues of holy fathers the heart doth reape a doble commoditye for yf by comparing of his owne life with theirs he findeth him selfe inflamed with the loue of heauen althoughe before he had haply a goode opinion of him selfe yet seing novve hovve far others do excell him he becommeth also more humble and is broughte to haue a more lowly conceipte of his owne actions and vertue Gregory Such thinges as venerable and holy men haue tolde me I will now without any further delay make you partaker of and that following the example of sacred scripture for sure I am that S. Luke and S. Marcke learned that gospel which they wrot not by sighte but by the relation of others yet lest any in reading sholde haue occasioÌ„ to doubte whether such thinges as I write be true or no I will sett dovvne by vvhat meanes and of vvhom I haue learned them yet in some of them yow haue to knovv that I remember not all the particulars but only the matter in other some both the matter and also the vvordes And besides yf I sholde haue bene so curious as to haue kept in mynde each mans particular vvordes many vttered after the countrye manner vvolde haue made the stile of my discourse nothinge handsome nor semelye That story vvhich I meane first to begin vvith I had by
in that they are laden with the burthen of thiere corruptible fleshe theye be not with God and so in that they be ioyned with him they knowe the secret iudgements of God and in that they be separated from God they knowe them not for seeing they do not as yet perfectly penetrate his secret mysteries they giue testimony that his iudgements be incomprehensible But those that do vvith thiere soule adhere vnto him and cleauing vnto the sayinges of the holy scripture or to secret reuelations acknovvledge vvhat they receiue such persons both knovve these thinges and do vtter them for those iudgemētes vvhich God doth conceale they knovve not and those vvhich he doth vtter they knovve therfore the prophet Dauid vvhen he had saide I haue with my lippes vttered all the iudgements he addeth immediatly of thy mouthe as thoughe he sholde plainely saye Those iudgemēts Psal 118. I maye both knovve and vtter vvhich I knevve thovve diddest speake for those thinges vvhich thovve doest not speake vvithout all questiō thovv doest conceale from our knovvledge Wherfor the sayinge of Dauid and S. Paul agree together for the iudgemēts of God are incomprehensible and yet those vvhiche him selfe vvith his ovvne mouthe vouchesafeth to speake are vttered vvith mens tongues because men maye come to the knovvledg of them beinge reuealed they may be vttered and by no meanes can be kept secret Gregory Novve I see the ansvvere to my question But I praye you to procede yf any thinge yet remaineth to be tolde of his vertue and miracles HOVV THE MAN OF GOD BENnet did foretell the suppression of one of his owne Abbeyes CHAPTER XVII Gregory A Certaine noble man called Theoprobus vvas by the goode counsell of holy Bennet conuerted vvho for his vertue and merit of life vvas verie intrinsecall and familiar vvith him This man vpon a daye comminge into his cell founde him vveepinge verye bitterlye And hauinge expected a good vvhile and yet not seeing him to make an ende for the man of God vsed not in his praiers to vveepe but rather to be sadd he demanded the cause of that his so great heauines to vvhom he ansvvered straightevvaye sayinge Al this Abbey which I haue builte and all suche thinges as I haue made ready for my brethren are by the iudgement of almighty God deliuered to the gentils to be spoiled and ouerthrowne and scarse coulde I obtaine of God to haue thiere liues spared that shold then liue in it His wordes Theoprobus then heard but we see them to be proued most true who knowe that very Abbey to be nowe suppressed by the Lombardes For not longe since in the nighte tyme when the monkes were a sleepe they entred in and spoiled al thinges but yet not one mā coulde they retaine there and so almighty God fulfilled what he promised to his faithfull seruant for thoughe he gaue them the house and all the goods yet did he preserue thiere liues In which thinge I see that Bennet imitated Act. 21. S. Paul whose shipp thoughe it lost all the goodes yet for his comforte he had the liues of all that were in his company bestowed vpon him so that no one man was cast awaye HOVV BLESSED BENNET knewe the hidinge awaye of a flag on of wine CHAPTER XVIII VPon a certaine tyme Exhilaratus our monke a lay brother whom you knowe was sent by his master to the monastery of the man of God to carry him two wooden bottles commonly called flagons full of wine who in the waye as he was goinge hidd one of them in a bushe for him selfe and presented the other to venerable Bennet who tooke it very thāckefullye and when the man was going awaye he gaue him this warninge Take hede my sonne quoth he that thowe drinckest not of that flagon which thow hast hidden in the bushe but first be careful to boowe it downe and thowe shalt finde what is with in it the poore man thus pitifully confounded by the man of God went his waye and comminge backe to the place where the flagon was hidden and desirous to try the truthe of that vvas told him as he vvas boovvinge it dovvne a snake straighte wayes leaped forth Then Exhilaratus perceiuinge vvhat vvas gotten into the vvyne began to be affraide of that vvickednes which he had committed HOVV THE MAN OF GOD knewe that one of his monkes had receiued certaine handkerchefs CHAPTER XIX NOt far from his Abbey there vvas a village in vvhich very many men had by the sermons of Bennet bene conuerted from idolatrye to the true faithe of Christe Certaine Nunnes also there were in the same towne to whom he did often sende some of his monkes to preache vnto them for the goode of thiere soules Vpon a daye one that was sent after he had made an ende of his exhortation by the entreaty of the Nunnes tooke certaine small napkins and hid them for his owne vse in his bosome whom vpon his returne to the Abbey the man of God verye sharpely rebuked sayinge Howe commeth it to passe brother that synne is entred into your bosome At which wordes the monke was much amazed for he had quite forgotten what he had putt there and therfore knevve not any cause why he sholde deserue that reprehension wherevpon the holy man spake to him in playne termes and saide was not I present when you tooke the hand-kercheffes of the Nunnes and put them vp in your bosome for your ovvne priuat vse The monke hearing this fell dovvne at his feete and vvas sory that he had behaued him selfe so indiscretly forth he drevve those napkins from his bosome and thre vve them all avvaye HOVV HOLY BENNET KNEVVE the proude thoughte of one of his monkes CHAPTER XX. VPon a tyme vvhiles the venerable Father vvas at supper one of his monke vvho vvas the sonne of a greate man helde the candle and as he vvas standing there and the other at his meate he began to entertayne a proude cogitation in his minde and to speake thus within him selfe who is he that I thus waite vpon at supper and holde him the candle and who am I that I shold do him any such seruice Vpon which thoughte straighte wayes the holy man turned him selfe and with seuere reprehension spake thus vnto him Signe your harte brother for what is it that you say signe your harte and forthwith he called an other of the monkes and bad him take the candle out of his handes and commanded him to giue ouer his waitinge and to repose him selfe who being demanded of the monkes what it was that he thoughte tolde them how in Yf Saintes in mortal flesh may knowe the thoughtes of our harte much more the immortal Saintes in heauen wardelye he swelled with pride and what he spake against the man of God secretlye in his owne harte Then they all sawe verye well that nothinge coulde be hidden from venerable Bēnet seeinge the verye sounde of mens inwarde thoughtes came vnto his
that lighte which appeared to his outwarde eies the inward lighte which was in his soule rauished the minde of the beholder to supernall thinges and shewed him howe small all earthly thinges were Peter I perceiue nowe that it was to my more profitt that I vnderstoode you not before seeinge by reason of my slowe capacitye you haue deliuered so notable an exposition But nowe because you haue made me througlye to vnderstand these thinges I beseeche you to continewe on your former narration HOVV HOLY BENNET VVROT a rule for his monkes CHAPTER XXXVI DEsirous I am Peter to tell you many thinges of this venerable father but some of purpose I set passe because I make hast to entreat also of the actes of other holy men yet I wolde not haue you to be ignorant but that the man of God amongest so many miracles for which he was so famous in the worlde was also sufficiently learned in diuinitye for he wrot a rule for his monkes both excellent for discretion and also eloquent for the stile Of whose life and conuersation yf any be curious to knowe further he may in the institution of that rule vnderstand al his manner of life and discipline for the holy man coulde not otherwise teache then him selfe liued HOVV VENERABLE BENNET did prophecye to his monkes the tyme of his owne deathe CHAPTER XXXVII THe same yeare in which he departed this life he tolde the daye of his holy death to his monkes some of which did liue daily with him and some dwelt far of willinge those that were present to keepe it secret and tellinge them that were absent by what token they sholde knowe that he was deade Six daies before he lefte this worlde he gaue order to haue his sepulchre opened and forthwith fallinge into an agewe he began with burninge heate to wax fainte and when as the sicknes daily increased vpon the sixt day he commanded his monkes to carry him into the oratory where he did arme him selfe with receiuinge the body and bloode of our Sauiour Christ and hauing his weake body holden vp betwixte the handes of his disciples he stoode with his owne lifte vp to heauen and as he was in that manner praying he gaue vp the Ghost Vpon which daye two monkes one being in his cell and the other far distant had concerninge him one and the selfe same vision for thy sawe all the waye from the holie mans cell towardes the east euene vp to heauene hunge and adorned with tapestry and shininge with an infinite number of lampes at the topp whereof a man reuerently attired stoode and demanded yf they knewe who passed that way to whom they answered saying that they knewe not Then he spake thus vnto them This is the waye quoth he by which the beloued seruaunt of God Bennet is ascended vp to heauen And by this means as his monkes that were present knewe of the deathe of the holy man so likewise they which were absent by the token which he foretold them had intelligence of the same thinge Buried he was in the oratory of S. Iohne Baptist which him selfe built when he ouerthrewe the altar of Apollo who also in that caue in which he first dwelled euene to his verie tyme worketh miracles yf the faithe of them that pray requireth the same HOVV A MAD VVOMAN VVAS cured in his caue CHAPTER XXXVIII FOr the thinge which I meane nowe to rehearse fel out lately A certaine woman fallinge madde lost the vse of reason so far that she walked vp and downe day and nighte in mountains and valle is in woodes and fieldes and rested only in that place where extreame wearines enforced her to staye Vpon a day it fell so out that albeit she wandred at randon yet she missed not the righte waye for she came to the caue of the blessed man Bennet and not knowinge any thing in she went reposed her self there that nighte and rising vp in the morning she departed as sound in sence well in her wittes as though she had neuer bene distracted in her whole life and so continewed alwaies after euen to her dyinge daye Peter What is the reason that in the patronage of martirs we often tymes finde that they do not afforde so great benefits by theire bodies as they do by Sainctes relickes worcke miracles other of theire reliques and doe there worke greater miracles where them selues be not present Gregory Where the holy martirs lye in theire bodies there is no doubt Peter but that they are able to worke many miracles yea and also do worke infinite to such as seek them with a pure minde But for as much as simple people Sainctes in heauen heare our praiers Praier to Sainctes mighte haue some doubte whether they be present and doe in those places heare theire praiers where theire bodies be not necessarye it is that they sholde in those places shewe greater miracles where weake soules may most doubte of theire presence But he whose minde is fixed in God hath so muche the greater merit of his faith in that he both knoweth that they rest not there in bodye and yet be there present to heare our praiers And therfore our Sauiour him selfe to increase the faithe of his disciples saide If I do not departe Ioh. 16. the comforter will not come vnto you for seeinge certaine it is that the comfortinge spirit doth alwaies procede from the father and the sonne why doth the sonne saye that he will departe that the comforter may come who neuer is absent from the sonne But because the disciples beholdinge our Lorde in flesh did alwaies desire to see him with theire corporall eies very well did he saye vnto them vnles I do go awaye the comforter will not come as thoughe he had plainly tolde them Yf I do not with drawe my bodye I can not let you vnderstande what the loue of the spiritis except you giue ouer to loue my carnall presence neuer will you learne to affect me with true spirituall loue Peter That you saye pleaseth me verye well Gregory Let vs now for a while giue ouer our discourse to the end that yf we meane to prosecute the miracles of other Sainctes we may throughe silence be the more able to performe it The ende of the second booke THE CHAPTERS OF THE THIRDE BOOKE 1. OF Paulinus Bisshoppe of the city of Nola. 2. of Pope Iohn 3. Of Pope Agapitus 4. Of Datius Bisshoppe of Millan 5. Of Sabinus Bisshoppe of Camisina 6. Of Cassius Bisshoppe of Narni 7. Of Andrewe Bisshoppe of Funda 8. Of Constantius Bisshop of Aquinunt 9. Of Frigidianus Bisshop of Luna 10. Of Sabinus Bisshop of Placentia who by his letters made the riuer of Poe to retire into his channel 11. Of Cerbonius Bisshop of Populonium 12. Of Fulgentius Bisshop of Otricoly 13. Of Herculanus Bisshop of Perusium 14. Of the seruaunt of God Isaac 15. Of the seruantes of God Euthitius and Florentius 16. Of Martius the
the moÌ„kes made choâ—e of Euthicius to take the charge thereof who condescendinge to theire petition gouerned the Abbey many yeares And not to haue his former oratory vtterly destitute he lefte the reuerent man Florentius to keepe the same who dwelt there all alone and vpon a daye beeinge at his praiers heâ— besoughte almightye God to vouchsafe him of some comforte in that place and hauinge ended his deuotions he went forthe where he founde a beare standinge before the dore which by the bowing downe of his heade to the grounde and shewing in the gesture of his bodie no signe of crueltie gaue the man of God to vnderstande that he was come thither to do him seruice and him selfe likewise did forth with perceiue it And because he had in the house fower or fiue sheepe which had no keeper he commanded the beare to take charge of them sayinge Goe and leade these sheepe to the fielde and at twelue of the clocke come backe againe which charge he tooke vpon him and did dailye come home at that howre and so he performed the office of a goode shepheard and those shepe which before tyme he vsed to deuoure nowe fastinge him selfe he tooke care to haue them safely kepte And when Gods seruaunt determined to fast vntil three of the clocke then he commanded the beare to returne with his shepe at the same houre but when he wolde not fast so longe to come at twelue And whatsoeuer he commanded his beare that he did so that bidden to returne at three of the clocke he wolde not come at twelue and commanded to returne at twelue he wolde not tarry till three And when this had continewed a goode while he began to be famous far and nere for his vertue and holy life But the olde enemy of mankinde by that meanes which he seeth the goode to come vnto glorye by the same doth he drawe the wicked throughe hatred to procure theire owne miserie for fower of Euthicius monkes swellinge with enuye that theire master wroughte not any miracles and that he who was left alone by him was famous for so notable a one vpon very spighte went and killed his beare And therfore when the poore beast came not at his appointed howre Florentius began to suspecte the matter but expectinge yet vntill the eueninge verye muche grieued he was that the beare whom in great simplicitye he called his brother came not home The nexte daye he went to the fielde to seeke for his shepe and his shepheard whom he founde there slayne and making diligeÌ„t inquisition he learned quickely who they were that had committed that vncharitable fact Then was he verye sorye bewailing yet more the malice of the monkes then the deathe of his beare whom the reuerent man Euthicius sent for and did comforte him what he mighte but the holy man Florentius wonderfully grieued in mynde did in his presence curse them sayinge I must in almighty God that they shall in this life in the sighte of the worlde receiue the rewarde of theire malice that haue thus killed my beare which did them no harme whose wordes Gods vengeance did straighte followe for the fower monkes that killed the poore beast were straighte so strooken with a leprosye that theire limmes did rott away and so they died miserably whereat the man of God Florentius was greatly affraide and muche grieued that he had so cursed the monkes and all his life after he wept for that his praier was hearde crying out that him selfe was cruell and that he had murdered those men Which thinge I suppose almighty God did to the end that he shold not beeinge a man of great simplicity vpon any griefe whatsoeuer afterwarde presume to curse anye Peter What is it any great synne yf in our anger we curse others Gregory Why doe you aske me whether it be a great synne when as S. Paul saith Neither 1. Corint 5. cursers shal posses the kingdome of God Thincke then how great the synne is which doth exclude a man out of heauen Peter What yf a man haply not of malice but of negligence in keepinge his tongue doth curse his neighbour Gregory Yf before the seuere iudge idle speche is reprehended howe much more that which is hurtefull Consider then howe damnable those wordes be which proceede of malice when that talke shall be punnished which proceedeth only from idlenes Peter I graunt it to be most true Gregory The same man of God did an other thinge which I must not forget For the reporte of his vertue reachinge far and nere a certaine Deacon that dwelt many miles of trauailed vnto him to commend him selfe to his praiers And comminge to his cell he found it rounde about full of innumerable snakes at which sighte beeinge wonderfully affraide he cried out desiringe Florentius to praye who came forth the skye beeinge then verye clere and lifted vp his eies and his handes to heauen desiringe God to take them awaye in such sort as he best knewe Vpon whose praiers suddainly it thundred and that thunder killed all those snakes Florentius seeing them all deade saide vnto God Beholde ô Lorde thowe hast destroied them all but who shall now carry them awaye and straighte as he had thus spoken so many birdes came as there were snakes killed which tooke them al vp and carried them far of discharginge his habitation from those venemous creatures Peter Certainly he was a man of great vertue and merit whose praiers God did so quickly heare Gregory Puritye of harte and simplicity Peter is of great force with almighty God who is in purity most singular and of nature most simple For those seruauntes of his which doe retire them selues from worldly affaires auoid idle wordes labor not to lose theire deuotion nor to defile theire soule with talkinge doe especially obtaine to be hearde of him to whom after a certaine manner and as they maye they be like in purity and simplicitye of harte But we that liue in the worlde and speake oftentymes idle wordes and that which is worse sometyme those that be hurtefull our wordes and praiers are so muche the farther of from God as they be nere vnto the worlde for we are drawne too much downe towardes the carthe by continuall talkinge of secular busines which thinge the prophet Esaye did verye well reprehend in him selfe after he had beheld the kinge and Lorde of armyes and was penitent cryinge out woe be to me for beeing silent Esai 6. because I am a man that haue defiled lippes and he sheweth straighte after the reason why his lippes were defiled when he saithe I dweâ— in the middest of a people that hath defiled lippes For sorye he was that his lippes were defiled yet concealeth not from whence he had them when he saith that he dwelt in the middest of a people that had defiled lippes For verye harde it is that the tongues of secular men shoulde not defile theire soules with whom they talke for when we doe
forthwith he sent his officers of execution to putt to death that most constant confessor in the verye prison where he lay which vnnaturall and blody commandement was performed accordingly for so sone as they came into the prison they claue his braynes with an hatchet and so bereaued him of mortall life hauinge only power to take that from him which the holy martir made small account of Afterwarde for the publishinge of his true glorye to the worlde there wanted not miracles from heauen for in the nighte tyme singinge was hearde at his bodye some also reporte that in the nighte burninge lampes were sene in that place by reason whereof his bodye as of him Worshippinge of martirs bodyes that was a martir was worthily worshipped of all christian people But the wicked father and murtherer of his owne sonne albeit he was sory that he had put him to deathe yet was not his griefe of that qualitye that it brought him to the state of saluation For althoughe he knewe verye well that the catholicke faithe was the truth yet for feare of his people he neuer deserued to be a professor thereof At length falling sicke a little before his deathe he commended his sonue Recharedus who was to succede him in the kingdome and was yet an hereticke vnto Bishop Leander whom before he had greatly persecuted that by his counsell and exhortation he mighte likewise make him a member of the catholicke churche as he had before made his brother Hermigildus and when he had thus done he departed this life After whose death Recharedus the kinge not followinge the steppes of his wicked father but his brother the martir vtterly renounced Arrianisme and laboured so earnestlye for the restoring of religion that he broughte the whole nation of the Visegothes to the true faithe of Christe and wolde not suffer any that was an hereticke in his country to beare armes and serue in the warres And it is not to be admired that he became thus to be a preacher of the true faith seing he was the brother of a martir whose Merit of martirs merites did helpe him to bringe so manye into the lapp of Gods churche wherein we haue to consider thaâ— he coulde neuer haue effected all this yf kinge Hermigildus had not died for the testimony of true religion for as it is written â—â—les the graine of wheat fallinge Iohan. 12. 〈◊〉 24. into the earthe doth dy it selfe remayneth alone but if it dy it bringeth forth muche fruite This we see to proue true in the members which before was verified in the heade for one died amongest the Visegothes that many mighte liue and of one graine that was sowne for the faithe a great croppe of faithefull people sprunge vp Peter A wonderfull thinge and much to be admired in these our daies OF CERTAINE BISHOPPES OF Africk who had theire tongues cut out by the Vandals that were Arrian heretickes for the defence of the catholike faithe and yet spake â—til as perfeâ—tlye as they did before CHAPTER XXXII Gregory LIkewise in the tyme of Iustinian the Emperâ—r when as the Vandals that were Arrian heretickes did grieuously perâ—ecute the catholicke faithe certaine Bishoppes continewing constant were opeâ—lye examined whom when the kinge of the Vandals sawe that he coulde neither by any wordes or rewardes drawe to imbrace his hereticall religion yet he thoughte that by tormentes he mighte doe it and therfore when he commanded them not to speake in defence of truthe and they refused to obey his precept least by silence they mighte seme to giue consent vnto wicked heresieâ— in a greate fury he commanded theire tongues to be cut out by the rootes A miraculous thinge and yet knowne to manye olde men they did as perfectlye afterwarde speake in defence of true religion as they did before when they had theire tongues safe and sounde Peter You tell me of a maruailous â—â—range thinge and greatly to be admired Gregory It is written Peter of the only sonne of the eternall father In the beginninge Ioh. 1. was the worde and the worde was with God Of whose vertue power it straighte waies followeth All thinges were made by him Why then shoulde we maruaile yf that eternall worde coulde â—â—eake without a tongue which made the tongue Peter What you say pleaseth me very well Gregory These Bishopes therfore flyinge at that tyme from the persecution came vnto the citye of Constantinople and at suche tyme as my selfe about the affaires of the churche was sent thither vnto the Emperor I founde there a Bishop of goode yeares who tolde me that he sawe them him selfe speake without tongues for they opened theire mouthes and saide Beholde and see howe we haue no tongues and yet doe speake for as he saide theire tongues being cutt of by â—he rootes there seemed as it were a deep hole in theire throate and yet thoughe theire mouthes were empâ—ye they pronounced theire wordes very plaine and distinctlye One of which falling afterwarde in that place into carnall synne was forthwith depriued of that supernaturall gifte and that by the iust iudgement of almighty God seing reason requireth that he which was carelesse to preserue the continencye of his body which he had shoulde not any longer vtter the wordes of truth without the tongue of his body which he had not But because I haue now spoken sufficient for the condemnation of Arrianisme therfore I will returne to entreate of such other miracles as haue lately fallen out here in Italy OF THE SERVANTE OF GOD Eleutherius CHAPTER XXXIII ELeutherius of whom I made mention before father of the abbey of the Euangelist S. Marcke which is in the suburbes of the citye of Spoleto liued longe tyme together with me in this city in my monasterye and there ended his daies Of whom his monkes doe reporte that by his teares he raised vpp one that was deade for he raised vpp one that was deade for he was a man of such simplicitye and compunction that no doubt but those teares comminge from his humble and simple soule were of force to obtaine many thinges of almighty God One miracle of his I will nowe tell you which him â—elfe beinge demanded by me did with great simplicity confesse As he was trauailinge vpon a certaine daye and not findinge at mighte any other place to lodge in he went to a Nunnery wherein there was a little boye which the wicked spirit did vsually euery nighte torment The Nunnes giuinge entertainement to the man of God desired him that the saide little boye mighte remaine with him all nighte where-with he was well content In the morninge the Nunnes diligently enquired of the father yf the childe had not bene sore troubled and tormented that nighte who maruailinge why they asked that question answered that he perceiued not any such thinge Then they tolde him howe a wicked spirit did euerye nighte pitifully afflict the childe and earnestly desireâ— him that he wolde take him home to his owne Abbey
that the soule doth also liue after it is departed from the body THAT AS THE LIFE OF THE soule remaining in the bodye is gathered by the motion of the members so the life of the soule after death in holy men is to be found out by the vertue of miracles CHAPTER VI. Gregory HErein most readye I am to satisfye your request and for proffe of this pointe no difficultye do I finde for thincke you that the holy Apostles and martirs of Christ wolde haue contemned this present life and offered theire bodies to death had they not knowne that theire soules did most assuredly liue for euer You confesse that you knovve the life of the soule remayninge in the body by the motion thereof beholde then howe these that lost theire liues for Christ and beleeued that soules liued after death be renoumed for theire daily miracles For sicke persons come vnto Pilgrinage to Sainctes bodies theire deade bodies and be curied periured persons repaire thither and be possessed with deuiles possessed with deuiles visit them and are deliuered Lepers come and be clensed deade folke are broughte and they be raised vp againe Consider then in what sort theire soules do liue in those places where they liue whose deade bodies liue also in this worlde by so many miracles yf then you gather the life of Miracles wroughe by relickes the soule remayninge in the body by the motion of the members why do you not likewise by the deade bones which work miracles inferre that the soule doth liue after the death of the body Peter No solution as I thincke can ouerthrowe the force of this reason alleaged by which we are constrained through visible thinges to beleeue those which we see not and be inuisible OF THE DEPARTVRE OF menes soules CHAPTER VII Gregory A Little before you complained for that you coulde not see the soule of one when it departed out of his bodye but that was your fault who desired with corporall eies to beholde an inuisible thinge for many of vs that by sincere faith and plentifull praier haue had the eye of our soule purified haue often seene soules going out of theire bodies and therfore nowe I thincke it necessarye to sett downe both howe and in what sort menes soules departing out of theire bodies haue bene seene and also what wonderfull thinges haue bene reuealed vnto them at the tyme of theire departure that by this meanes examples may satisfye our wauering and doubtfull mindes which reason can not so full ye perswade Wherfore to begin I remember that in the second booke of this worcke I tolde you howe venerable Bennet as by relation of his owne monkes I learned beeing far distant from the city of Capua behelde the soule of Germanus Bishop of the same place at midnighte to be carried to heauen in a fiery globe who seeing the soule as it was ascending vppe behelde also in the largenes of his owne soule within the compasse of one sunne beame the whole world as it were gathered together OF THE DEPARTVRE OF the soule of Speciosus a monke CHAPTER VIII BY the relation also of the same monkes his disciples I vnderstoode howe two noble men that were brethren and very well learned in humanity the one called Speciosus the other Gregory entred into religion there to liue vertuously vnder the direction of his rule whom the venerable father placed in a Monastery of his harde by the city of Teracina These men whiles they remained in the worlde were verye riche but for the redemption of theire owne soules they Voluntarye pouertye had giuene all to the poore and ledd theire life in the same Monasterye One of these twaine to witt Speciosus being sent vpon busines of the Monasterye to the Capua his naturall brother Gregory in the meane tyme sitting at table at dinner amongest the other monkes rapt in spirit behelde his brothers soule thoughe so far distant departing out of his bodye which forthwith he tolde vnto the other monkes and straighte after in all hast tooke his iornye to Capua wher he founde his brother newlye buried and there vnderstoode how he died at that very houre in which he sawe his soule going out of his bodye OF THE SOVLE OF A certaine Anchoret CHAPTER IX A Certaine religious man and one of great credit at such tyme as I liued in the Monastery tolde me that certaine sailing from Sicilye to Rome as they were in the the middest of the sea behelde the soule of a certaine seruant of God caried to heauen who had bene an Anchoret in the Iland of Samnium Landing afterward in the same place Anchoretes and making enquiry of that thinge they vnderstoode that holy man to haue departed this life vpon that very day in which they saw his soule ascending to heauen OF THE DEPARTVRE OF Abbot Hopes soule CHAPTER X. VVHiles I liued as yet in my Monasterye I vnderstode by the relation of a verye reuerent man a certaine thinge which I will now tell you A venerable father there was called Hope who had built an Abbey in a place called Cample distant almost six miles from the old oâ—tye of Nursia This man almightye and mercifull God by temporall affliction preserued from euerlasting miserye and gaue him great grace and quiet of mynde for how deerely he loued him yea at that very tyme when he sent him affliction was afterwarde made apparant to the worlde when he vouchsafed perfectly to restore him to his former health This man therfore was for the space of fourty yeres punnished with such a continuall blindenes of his eies that he coulde not so much as beholde any lighte at all But because none in aduersitye can without the helpe of Goddes grace stande and vnlesse the same mercifull father who sendeth punnishement giueth also patience straighte-waies his chastising of our synnes doth by impatience more increase them and so it pitifully falleth out that our synne is by that very thinge made greater by which an end of all synne mighte very well haue bene expected God therfor seeing our infirmitye together with affliction by his swete prouidence keepeth and preserueth vs and is in his correction which he sendeth his chosen children in this worlde so iust with mercy that they maye become such to whom afterwarde he may iustly shewe mercie and therfore thoughe he did laye his crosse of blindenes vpon this venerable man yet did he not leaue him destitute of inwarde lighte for as his bodye was weried with paine so by the prouidence of Gods holy spirit his soule was refreshed with heauenly comfort At length when he had continewed fourty years in this kinde of blindenes our good Lorde restored him to his former sighte giuinge him also to vnderstande that he was shortly to leaue this worlde and therfore admonished him to preache the worde of lyfe vnto all such Abbeies as were about him and that for as much as him selfe had receiued the light of his body he wold goe and
it sholde be purged And here of it commeth that reprobates receiue superioritye and power ouer others who at theire death be so much the more punnished for that they vsed theire cruell authoritye against Gods seruantes as the foresaide wicked and wretched man whom God suffred not to triumphe ouer that venerable Deacon thoughe he permitted him to kill his bodye which thinge to be true we learne also out of holy scriptures For that man of God which was sent against Samaria because contrarye to 3. Reg. 19. Gods commandement he did eate in in his iorny was slayne by a lion and yet in the same place we reade that the lion stoode by the mans asse and did not touche his dead bodye By which we perceiue that his synne of disobedience was by that his death pardoned because the same lion that feared not to kill him presumed not yet to touch his dead carcasse for licence he had for the one but no leaue was graunted for the other because he that was culpable in his life hauing his synne of disobedience now punnished was iust by his death and therfore the lion that before slewe the body of a synner preserued afterward the corps of a iust man Peter Your discourse pleaseth me very well yet willing I am to knowe whether before the resurrection the soules of iust men do enter into the kingdome of heauen VVHETHER THE SOVLES OF iust men be receiued into heauen before the general resurrection of our bodies CHAPTER XXV Gregory THis thinge speaking generallye Al iust men go not straighte to heauen of all iust men can neither be affirmed nor denied for the soules of some iust men remayninge as yet in certaine mansions be differâ—ed from heauen by which staye of theirs what els do we learne but that they lacked some-what of perfect iustice And yet is it more clere then daye that the soules of them that be perfect do straighte after death possesse the ioyes of heauen the truthe where of Christ him selfe assureth vs when he saith VVheresoeuer the body shal be thither will the Luc. 17. eagles be gathered together for where our Sauiour is present in bodye thither without all question doe the soules o â— iust men assemble them selues and S. Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to â— Philip. 1. with Christ He therfore thaâ— doubteth not Christ to be in heauen how can he doubt that S. Paules soule is in the same place which Apostle speaketh also of the dissolution of his body and his dwelling in heauen in these wordes VVe knowe that if our terestrial house of 2 Corint 5. this habitation be dissolued that we haue a buildinge of God and house not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen Peter If iust mens soules be already in heaueÌ„ what then shall they receiue for a rewarde of theire vertuous and iust life at the daye of iudgement Gregory Whereas nowe theire soules be only in heauen at the day of iudgement this further increase of ioye shall they haue that theire bodies also shall be partakers of eternall blisse and they shall in theire fleshe receiue ioye in which for Christes sake they suffred griefe and toâ—mentes In respect of this there douole glorye the scripture saith In theire land they shal possesse double Esay 61. thinges and it is written of the soules of the iust that before the day of resurrection To euery one of them white stoales Apocalip 6. were giuen and it was saide to them that they should rest yet a little tyme vntill the number of theire fellow-seruantes and brethren were complete They therfore that now receiue but one stoale in the daye of iudgement shall euery one haue two because nowe they reioyce only for the felicitye of theire soules but then shall they enioye the endlesse glorye of bodye and soule together Peter I graunt it to be as you saye but what I beseech you is the reason that ostentymes those which ly a dyinge do prophecye and tell of many thinges to come BY VV HAT MEANES IT FALLETH out that those which ly a dying do prophecye of thinges to come and of the death of a certaine aduocat os that also which was reuealed to the monkes Gerontius and Mellitus of the death of a boye called Armentarius and of the diuersitye of tongues CHAPTER XXVI Gregory SOmetyme the soule it selfe by reason of the spirituall nature vvhich it hath doth foresee some thing which will so fall out and sometyme soules before theire departure come to the knowledge of future thinges by reuelation sometyme also when they are straight-waies to leaue the body by heauenly inspiration they penetrate with theire spirituall eies the secrets of heauen For that the soule by reason of the spirituall nature which it hath doth knowe thinges to come certaine it is by that which happened to a certaine aduocate in this citye who died two daies agoe of a paine in his side For a little before his death he called for his boye to giue him his apparrel that he mighte rise vp and walke who supposinge him not to knowe what he saide refused to do what he willed him Where vpon herose vp put on his clothes and saide that he wolde go to the churche of S. Sixtus which is in the waye called Appia and when not longe after his sicknes increasing lie departed this life determined it was that his bodâ—e sholde be buried in the churche of S. Ianuarius the martir which standeth vpon the way called Prenestina But because they which had the care of his buriall thoughte iâ— too far of suddainlye they resolued vpon a newe course and so going forth with his corps by the waye called Appia not knowinge what he had saide they buried him in that church which before he mentioned and seing it is well knowne that he was a man giuen to the worlde and one that soughte after earthly gaine how coulde he know that which fell out but that the force and spirituall nature of his soule did foresee what shoulde become of his bodye That those also which lye a dyinge do oftentymes by diuine reuelation foretell what shall happen afterwarde we may learne by such thinges as haue fallen out amongest vs in diuers Abbeyes For ten yeares since there was a monke in my Monasterye called Gerontius who lying sore sicke sawe by vision in the nighte tyme certaine white men bewtifully apparrelled to descende from aboue into the Monasterye and standing by his beddes side one of them saide The cause of our comminge hither is to choose out certaine of Gregories monkes to sende them abroade vnto the warres and forthwith he commanded an other to write in a bill the names of Marcellus Valentinian Agnellus and diuers others whose names I haue nowe forgotten that being done he saide further Putt downe also the name of him that nowe beholdeth vs. By which vision he being assured of that which would come to passe the next morning he tolde the
monkes who they were that should shortly dy out of the Monasterye adding also that him selfe was to followe them The next day the foresaide monkes fell more dangerously sicke and so died all in that verye order which they were named in the bill Last of all him selfe also departed this life who hade foretold the departure of thee other monkes before him Likewise in that mortalitye which three years since lamentablye afflicted this towne there was in the Monasterye of the citye of Portua a yonge monke called Mellitus a man of wonderfull simplicitye and humilitye whose last daye being come he fell desperatlye sicke of the common disease which when venerable Felix Bishop of the same place vnderstoode by whose relation my selfe haue learned this storye verye carefull he was to visit him and with sweete wordes to comfort him against death adding not-withstandinge that by Gods grace he mighte liue longe in this worlde To whom the sicke man answered that his tyme was at hande saying that there came vnto him a yonge man with letters willing him to open and reade them which when he had done he saide that he founde both his owne name and all the rest of them which the Easter before had bene baptized by that Bishop written in letters of golde and first of all he saide that he founde his owne name and afterwarde the rest of them that were christned at that tyme by which he made no doubt but that both him selfe and the rest shoulde shortly depart this life and so it fell out for he died that very daye and after him followed all those which had before benebaptised so that within the space of a fewe daies no one of them was left aliue Of whom no question can be made but that the reason why the foresaide seruaunt of God saw them written in gold was because theire names were written in heauen in the euer lasting sighte of God And as these men by diuine reuelation knewe and foretolde such thinges as were to come so sometymes soules before theire departure not in a dreame but waking may haue some taste of heauenly mysteries For you were well acquainted with Ammonius a monke of my Monasterye who whiles he liued in a secular vveede and vvas Secular weede◠married to the daughter of Valerianus a lavvyer in this citye continuallye and vvith all diligence he follovved his busines by reason vvhereof he knevve vvhatsoeuer vvas done in his father in lawes house This man tolde me hovv in that great mortalitye vvhich happened in this citye in the tyme of that noble man Narsus there vvas a boye in the house of the foresaide Valerianus called Armentarius vvho vvas verye simple and passing humble when therfore that mortall disease entred that lawyers house the foresaide boy fell sicke thereof and was brought to the pointe of death who suddainly falling into a traunce and afterward comming to him selfe againe caused his master to be sent for to whom he told that he had bene in heauen and did knowe who they were that should dy out of his house Such and such quoth he shall dye but as for your selfe feare nothinge for at this tyme dy you shall not And that you may be assured that I haue verily bene in heauen beholde I haue there receiued the gift to speake with all tongues you knowe well ynoughe that ignorant I am of the greke tongue and yet will I speake greeke that you may see whether it be true that I saye or no. Then his master spake greke and he so answered him in that tongue that all which were present did much maruaile In the same house there was a Vulga◠seruant to the foresaide Narsus who in all hast being brought to the sicke person spake vnto him in the Vulgarian tongue and the boye that was borne and broughte vp in Italye answered him so in that barbarous language as thoughe he had bene borne and bredd in that countrye All that hearde him thus talking wondred much and by experience of two tongues which they knewe very well that before he knewe not they made no doubt of the rest thoughe they could make no trial thereof After this he liued tvvo daies and vpon the thirde by vvhat secret iudgement of God none can tell he tare and rent vvith his teth his ovvne handes and armes and so departed this life When he was deade all those whom before he mentioned did quicklye follow after and besides them none in that house died at that tyme. Peter A verye terrible thinge it is that he which merited so great a grace should be punnished with so pitifull a death Gregory Who is able to enter into the secret iudgements of God Wherfore those thinges which in diuine examination we can not comprehend we ought rather to feare then curiouslye to discusse OF THE DEATH OF THE Earle Theophanius CHAPTER XXVII ANd to prosecute what we haue already begun concerning the propheticall knowledge of those that dye I will nowe tell you that which when I was in the citye of Centumcellis I vnderstoode by the relatiō of many touching Theophanius Earle of that place For he was a man of great mercye and compassion and one that did many goode worckes but especiallye he was giuen to goode house-keeping and hospitalitye True it is that following the affaires of his Earldom he spent much tyme about earthly and worldlye busines but that rather of necessitye and duty then according to his owne minde and desire as his vertuous ende afterwarde declared For when the tyme of his death was come there arose a great tempest which was likelye to hinder the funeralles where at his wife pitifullye weeping asked him in this manner what shall I do or how shall we carye you to be buried seing the tempest is so terrible that none can stir out of doores To whom he answered thus weepe not good wife for so sone as I am deade you shall haue faire wether and when he had so saide he gaue vp the ghost and straighte-waies the aier became clere and the tempest ceased after this miracle one or tvvo more follovved For vvhereas his handes and feete vvere vvith the goute before svvolne and festered and by reason of much corrupt matter did sauour and smell yet vvhen he vvas dead and his body after the manner came to be vvashed they founde his handes and feete so sounde and vvhole as though they had neuer bene trobled vvith any such sores at all Fovver daies after his burial his vvife vvas desirous to haue the marble stone that lay vpon him changed vvhich being done such a fragrant and pleasant smell came from his bodye as thoughe in steade of wormes spices had sprunge out of that corrupt carcasse of which strange thinge when I did in my Homelies make publicke mention and certaine incredulous persons doubted thereof vpon a daye as I was sitting in the companye of diuers noble men those very vvorkmen which had changed the tombe stone came vnto me about busines of
theire owne whom in the presence of the clergye nobilitve and common people I examined touching that miracle and they all affirmed it to be most true sayinge that they were in a strange manner replenished with that swete smell and they added also certaine other thinges concerninge his sepulchre that made the miracle greater which not to be ouer longe I meane to passe ouer with silence Peter I perceiue nowe that my former question is sufficientlye satisfied yet an other remaineth which troubleth my minde and that is seinge you affirmed before that holy mens soules which departe this life be nowe in heauen it followeth consequentlye that the soules of the wicked be also in hell and yet ignorant I am whether it be so or no for mans ymagination can not conceiue howe the soules of synners can be tormeâ—ted before the daye of iudgement THAT AS VVE BELEVE THE SOVles of iust and perfect men to be in heauen so we ought also to beleue that the soules of the wicked after theire departure from the body be in hell CHAPTER XXVIII Gregory YF by the testimonye of holy scripture you beleeue that the soules of holy and perfect men be in heauen by the same reason ought you also to beleeue that the soules of the wicked be in hell for as iust men do reioice and be glad at the retribution of eternal iustice so necessary it is that the wicked at the same iustice sholde be grieued and tormentedâ— for as heauenly felicitye doth glad the elect so vve oughte to beleeue that from the daye of theire departure fire doth afflict and burne the reprobat Peter With vvhat reason can vve beleeue that corporall fire can holde and torment an incorporall thinge THE REASON VVHY VVE ought to beleeue that corporal fire can hold and torment the spirites that be without bodies CHAPTER XXIX Gregory YF a spirit vvithout a body can be holden and kept in the bodye of a liuing man vvhy like vvise after death maye not an incorporal spirit be holden and kept in corporall fire Peter The reason vvhy an incorporal spirit in euerye liuing man is kept in the bodye is because it doth quicken and giue life to the bodye Gregory Yf an incorporall spirit Peter may be kept in that to vvhich it giueth life vvhy also for punnishement may it not be kept there where it continually dieth And we saye that a spirit is holden by fire to the end that in the torment thereof it maye both by seeing and feeling be punnished for the soule by seeing of the fire is afflicted burned it is in that it seeth it selfe to be burned and so it falleth out that a corporall thinge may burne that vvhich hath no bodye whiles that an inuisible burninge and sorrowe is drawne from visible fire and the incorporall soule by meanes of corporall fire maye be tormented with a spirituall and incorporall flame although out of the Gospell we also learne that the soule is not only tormented by seeing the fire but also by the feeling thereof for the riche glutton as our Sauiour saith was buried in hell And he giueth vs to vnderstande that his soule was kept in fire in that he telleth vs how he did beseech Abraham speaking to him in this manner Send Lazarus Luc. 16. that he may dipp the topp of his finger into the water and may refrethe my tongue because I am tormented in this flame Seing then truth it selfe assureth vs that the sinfull rich man was condemned into fire what wise man can deny that the soules of the reprobat be detained in fire Peter Both reason and testimonye of scripture draweth my minde to beleue what your saye but yet when I thinke not of them it returneth againe to his former opinion for I neither see nor can perceiue how a corporall thinge can holde and torment that which is incorporall and without bodye Gregory Tell me I praye you whether do you thincke that those Angels which fell from heauen haue bodies or no Peter What man that hath his wittes vvill say that they haue any bodies Gregory And whether do you thincke that the fire of hel is corporal or spirituall Peter I make no doubt but that it is corporall seinge most certaine it is that bodies be burned therewith Gregory And as certaine it is that at the daye of iudgement our Sauiour shall saye to the reprobate Go into euerlasting Math. 25. fire which is prepared for the deuil and his angels Yf then the deuill and his angels thoughe without bodies shall be tormented with corporall fire what maruail is it that the soules after theire departure and before they be vnited againe to theire bodies may in like manner suffer corporal tormentes Peter The reason you giue is very plaine and therfor now there is not any further doubte touchinge this question that doth troublemy minde OF THE DEATH OF KINGE Theodoricus who was an Arrian heretike CHAPTER XXX Gregory SEing with such difficulty you are broughte to beleeue I thincke it worth my labour to let you vnderstad such thinges concerning this very pointe as I haue receaued from them that be of goode credit Iulian who died almost seuen yeres since had a worshipfull office in this church of Rome in which nowe by Gods prouicence I serue vsed often to visit me liuing as yet in my Monastery and to talke with me of spirituall thinges for the goode of both out soules This man vpon a daye tolde me this storye In the tyme of kinge Theodoricus quoth he my wiues father being theâ— in Sicilye was to returne into Italy The shipp in which he came arriued at the Ilande of Liparis where he vnderstood Solitary men and Anchoretes that there dwelt a certaine solitary man of great vertue whom he thoughte goode whiles the mariners were occupied about mendinge of theire shipp and tacklinge to visit to talke with him and to commende him selfe to his praiers and so he did in the company of others When they were come to the man of God amongest other talke which they had he asked them this question Do you quoth he heare that kinge Theodoricus is deade to whom they quickly answered God forbidd we lefte him aliue at our departure from Rome and before this present we neuer hearde of any such thinge Then the seruaunt of God told them that certainly he was deade for yesterdaye quoth he at nine of the clocke he was without shoes and girdle and his handes fast bounde broughte betwixt Iohne the Pope and Symmachus the Senator and throwne into * A rupture of the earth that casteth forth fire Vulcanes gulph which is not far from this place When they hearde this nevves carefullye they vvrot dovvne the tyme and at theire returne into Italy they vnderstood that kinge Theodoricus died vpon that verye daye in vvhich his vnhappy passage out of this worlde punnishement vvas reuealed to the seruant of God And for as much as he had by miserable
inprisonment bene the death of Pope Iohne and also killed Symnachus iustlye did he appeare to be throwne of them into fire whom before in this life he had vniustly condemned OF THE DEATH OF Reparatus CHAPTER XXXI AT the same tyme when I first desired to leade a solitary life a certaine old man called Deusdedit passing well beloued of the whole citye and one also that was my friende and familiar acquaintance tolde me that in the tyme of the Gothes a certaine worshipfull man called Repararus came to dye who lying a longe while with his countenance changed and his body stiffe many thoughte in verye deede that he had bene deadeâ— and when diuers of his friendes and familye wept for his departure all on a suddaine he came to him felfe to the great admiration of his mourning house-holde Being returned thus to life he bad them in all hast to send a boye to the church of S. Laurence in Damafo so called of him that built it and quicklye to bringe worde what was become of Tiburtius the Prlest This Tiburtius as the speeche went was much giuen to a dissolute and wanton life and Florentius who at that tyme was a Priest in the same church remembreth full well his conuersation and manner of life When the messenger was gone Reparatus that was returned to life tolde them that in the place where he was he sawe a great woode-pile made readye and Tiburtius broughte forthe and laide vpon it and there to haue bene burnt with fire Then an other fire quoth he was prepared which was so highe that it reached from earth to heauen but althoughe they demanded for whom it was yet did he not tell them for when he had spoken these wordes straight-waies he died and the boy vvhich vvas sent to see vvhat vvas became of Tiburtius returned vvith newes that he found him a little before his comming departed this life By vvhich vve may learne that seing this Reparatus vvas caried to the places of tormentes to see them returned after vvarde to life to tell vvhat he had there behelde and straighte after left this vvorlde that he savve not all these thinges for him selfe but for vs that yet liue and haue tyme graunted to amende our vvicked liues And the reason vvhy Reparatus savve that great vvoode-pile burning vvas not that vve sholde thincke that the fire of hell is nourished with any woode but because he vvas to make relation of these thinges to them that remayned still in this vvorlde he savve that fire prepared for the vvicked to be made of the same matter of vvhich our fire is to the ende that by those thinges vvhich vve knovve and be acquainted vvith vve should learne to be affraide of those vvhich yet vve haue not sene nor haue any experience OF THE DEATH OF A COVRtier whose graue burned with fire CHAPTER XXXII MAximianus Bishop of Siracusis a man of holy life who for a longe tyme in this citye had the gouernment of my Monasterye often tolde me a terrible storye which fell out in the Prouince of Valeria A certaine courtier vpon Easter euen was Godfather to a yonge maide who after the fast was ended returned home to his house where drinckinge more wine then ynoughe he desired that his God daughter might tarry with him whom that nighte which is horrible to speake of he did vtterlye vndoe In the morning vpp he rose and with guilty conscience thought goode to go vnto the bathe as thoughe the water of that place coulde haue washed awaye the filthines of his synne yet he went and washed him selfe Then he began to doubt whether it vvere best to goe vnto the church or no fearing on the one side vvhat men wolde say yf he vvent not vpon that so great a festiual day and on the other yf he did go he trembled to thincke of Gods iudgement In conclusion shame of the worlde ouercame him and therfore to the churche he went where yet he remained with great feare and horror loking euery instant that he should haue bene deliuered to the deuile and tormented before all the people At that solemne masse Solemne masse though he did wonderfully shake for feare yet he scaped free from all punishement and so he departed very ioyfully from churche and the next day after came thither without any feare at all and so merilie and securely he continewed for six daies together thincking with him self that either God savve not that his abhominable sinne or els that mercifully he had pardoned the same Vpon the seuenth daye by suddaine death he was taken out of this vvorlde And being buried for a longe time after in the sighte of the whole to vvne a flame of fire came out of his graue vvhich burnt his bones so longe vntill it consumed the very graue it selfe in such sorâ—e that the earth vvhich was raised vp with a little bancke appeared lower then the rest of the grounde By which fact almightye God declared vvhat his soule suffred in the other vvorlde vvhose dead body flaminge fire consumed in this To vs also he hath lefte a fearefull example that vve may there-by learne vvhat the liuing and sensible soule suffreth for synne committed vvhen as the sensible bones by such a punnishement of fire vvere burnt to nothinge Peter Desirous I am to knovve vvhether in heauen the goode knovve the goode and the vvicked in hell knovve one an other THAT IN HEAVEN THE GOODE knowe the goode and in hel the wicked haue knowledge of the wicked CHAPTER XXXIII Gregory THe truthe of this question vve finde most clerelye resolued in those vvordes of our Sauiour before alleaged in vvhich vvhen it is saide that There was a certaine rich man and he Luc. 16. was clad with purple and silke and he fared euery day magnificallye and there was a certaine begger called Lazarus that lay at his gate ful of sores desiring to be filled of the crommes that fel from the rich mans table and none did giue him but the dogges also came and licked his sores straighte vvaies it is there also saide that Lazarus died and was carried of the Angels into Abrahames bosome and the rich man also died and was buried in hell who lifting vp his eies being in tormentes sawe Abraham a far of and Lazarus in his bosome and he cried saying father Abraham haue mercye on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into water for to coole my tongue because I am tormented in this flame To vvhom Abraham an â—vvered Sonne remeÌ„ber that thowe diddesâ— receiue goode thinges in thy life tyme and Lazarus likewise euil By vvwhich wordes the rich man hauing no hoope of saluation for him selfe beginneth to make sute for his friendes saying Father I beseeche the that thow woldest send him vnto my fathers house for I haue fiue brethren for to testify vnto them least they also come into this place of tormentes In which wordes we see plainlye that the good do knowe the goode
and the badd haue knowledge of the badd For yf Abraham had not knowne Lazarus neuer wolde he haue spoken to the riche man being in tormentes and made mention of his affliction and misery past sayinge that he had receiued euil thinges in his life And yf the badd did not know the badde neuer wolde the rich man in tormentes haue remembred his brethren that were absent for shall we thincke that he knewe not them that were present with him who was so carefull to praye for them that were absent By which we learne also the answer to an other question which you demanded not and that is that the goode do knowe the badde and the badde the goode For Abraham knewe the rich man to whom he saide Thow hast receiued goode thinges in thy life and Lazarus Gods elect seruant vvas also knovvne to the rich reprobat vvhom by name he desired that he mighte be sent vnto him saying Send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into water and coolemy tongue by vvhich mutuall knovvledg on both sides the revvarde like wise to both partes encreaseth for the goode do more reioice when they beholde them also in felicitye whom before they loued and the wicked seeing them whom in this worlde not respecting God they did loue to be now punnished in theire coÌ„panye tormented they are not only with theire owne paines but also with the paines of theire frendes Beside all this a more wonderful grace is bestowed vpon the saintes in heaueÌ„ for they knowe not only them with whom they were acquainted in this worlde but also those whom before they neuer sawe and conuerse with them in such familiar sort as thoughe in â—ymes past they had sene and knowne one an other and therfore when they shall see the auncient fathers in that place of perpetual blisse they shall then knowe them by sighte whom alwaies they knewe in theire liues and conuersation For seing they doe in that place with vnspeakeable brightenes common to all beholde God what is there that they knowe not that knowe him who knoweth all thinges OF A CERTAINE RELIGIOVS man that at his death sawe the Prophetes CHAPTER XXXIIII FOr a certaine religious man of my Monasterye that liued a vertuous life dying some fower yeres since sawe at the very tyme of his departure as other religious men do report that were present the Prophet Ionas Ezechiell and Daniell and by there names called them his Lordes saying that they were come vnto him and as he was bowing his heade downewarde to them for reuerence he gaue vp the ghost whereby we perceiue what perfect knowledge shall be in that immortall life vvhen as this man beinge yet in corruptâ—ble fleshe knewe the Prophetes whom he neuer sawe HOVV SOMETIME SOVLES READY to depart this worlde that know not one an other know yet what tormentes for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode dedes they shall receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius and Steuen CHAPTER XXXV ANd sometyme it falleth out that the soule before it departeth knoweth them with whom by reason of equalitye of synnes or rewardes it shall in the next worlde remayne in one place For old Eleutherius a man of holy life of whom in the former booke I spake muche saith that he had a naturall brother of his called Iohne who liued together with him in his Monasterye who fourtene daies before hande tolde the monkes when he was to dye and three daies before he departed this life he fell into an agewe when his time was come he receiued the mysterye of our Lordes body and bloude and calling for the monkes about him he willed them to singe in his presence prescribing them a certaine antheme concerning him selfe sayinge Open vnto me the gates of iustice Psal 17. v. 19. and being gone into them I will confesse vnto our Lorde this is the gate of our Lorde iuste men shall enter in by it and whiles the monkes about him were singinge this antheme suddainlye with a loude and longe voice he cried out saying Come awaye Vrsus straighte after which wordes his soule departed this mortall life The monkes maruailed because theye knewe not the meaning of that which at his death he so cried for and therfore after his departure all the Monastery was in sorrow and affliction Fower daies after necessary busines they had to send some of theire brethren to an other Monastery far distant to which place when they came they founde all the monkes in great heauines and demanding the reason they tolde them that they did lament the desolation of theire house for fower daies since quoth they one of our monkes died whose life kept vs all in this place and when they inquired his name they vnderstoode that it was Vrsus asking also at what houre he left this woâ—lde they found that it was as that very instant when he was called by Iohne who died with them Out of which we may learne that the merites of either were alike and that in the next worlde they liued familiarly together in one mansion who at one tyme like fellowes departed this life Here also will I tell you what I hearde from the mouthes of my neighbours at such tyme as I was yet a lay man and dwelled in my fathers house which descended to me by inheritance A certain widow there was not far from me called Galla which had a younge man to her sonne whose name was Eumorphius not far from whom dwelt one Steuen called also Optio This Eumorphius lying sicke at the pointe of death called for his man commanding him in all hast to goe vnto Steuen Optio and to desire him without all delaye to come vnto him because there was a ship ready to carry them both into Sicily But because his man refused to goe supposing that through extremitye of sicknes he knewe not what he spake his master very earnestlye vrged him forwarde sayinge Goe thy may and tell him what I saye for I am not mad as thow thinckest Here-vpon away he went towardes Steuen but as he was in the middest of his iornye he met one that asked him whether he was goinge and when he tolde him that he was by his master sent to Steuen Optio You lose your labour quoth the other for I come nowe from thence and he died this verye houre Backe againe vpon this newes he returned to his master Eumorphius but before he coulde get home he founde him deade And so by conferring theire meeting together and the length of the waye apparaunt it was that both of them at one and the selfe same instant departed this mortall life Peter Very terrible it is that you saye but what I praye yow is the reason that he sawe a shipp at his departure or why did he sayo that he was to goe into Sicily Gregory The soule needeth not any thing to cary it yet no wonder it is yf that appeared to the soule being yet in the