Monarches and Princes the sacking of cities the slaugther of men the triumphes of conquerors this describing the spirituall battles of the soule the voluntary forsaking of all temporal prefermeÌ„t riches and earthly pleasures the vertuous liues and happy endes of holy men and the triuÌ„phant crownes of martirs who sacrificed their bodies for the name of Christ and washed Apocal. 9 v. 14. theire robes and made them white in the bloude of the lambe that out of sundry prudeÌ„t obseruations giuing vs occasioÌ„ togather many politick notes moral lessons for the ordering of our life in this vale of misery this with diuine documents and examples of Gods seruants informing vs how to arriue to the toppe of all perfection and as it were with the arcke of Noe to escape the vast deluge of sinne which ouerfloweth the worlde and safely to arriue at the mountaynes of the heauenly Armenia Genes â— v. 4. These being the pleasant fruits and swete flowers which the caelestiall gardin of Saintâ— liues doth yeld in vaine I think it goode Reader further to commende this booke of S. Gregories Dialogues which now in our english tongue I present to thy viewe thy soule haply desiring as much to enioy the conuersation thereof as euer did the olde Patriarch Iacob Genes cap. 45. v. 28. 2. Reg. 14 cap. 14. v. 32. 2. Paralip cap. 9. v. 23. to see his sonne Ioseph Absalon to come vnto the presence of his father Dauid or the kinges of the earth to behould the face oâ— Salomon yet for thy better instruction and more to inflame thee I can not but add a worde or two Thou shalt therfore vnderstand that this booke hath in auncient tynâ—es bene so highly esteemed and thought so necessary that great Prelats and Princes though otherwise charged with the waight of their gouernment and occupied with the continuall flowe of newe busines yet were they so inamored with this pretious pearle and so much desired that the light thereof might be sett vpon a candle-sticke for the profitte of others that they found spare time to translate it into the language of their owne country Pope Zachary a Graecian Genebrard in his Chronicle borne who liued about an hundred and fourty yeares after that blessed Doctor for the benefit of the East church did turne it into the greke tongue And here in our country king Alfrede seauen hundred yeares agoe either traÌ„slated it him selfe or els as Ingulphus writeth caused In his history it by the holy Bishope of Worcester Werfredus to be translated into the Saxon tongue so highly was this worcke esteemed in former ages and thought so necessary for the goode of Christian people VVherefore seing continuance of time hath not abased the dignity thereof but rather made it more venerable and of greater authority no lesse reason nay sar more haue we to embrace it then our forefathers had and that not only inrespect of vertuous life none as I thinke making any doubt but that we are many degrees inferiour to them synne neuer so tyrannizing as in these vnhappy dayes of ours but especiallie in respect of faith and true religion whereof they had none or litle nede and we most of all seing we be fallen into the latter dayes in which as our Sauiour saith many false prophets Math. 24. v. 12. shall rise and â—seduce many and as the Apostle foretolde men will not beare sound religion but according to their owne desires heape to them selues masters and as experience teacheth newe religions dayly spring vp and multiply and therfore great reason we haue carefully to looke vnto our selues that we suffer not sâ—ipwrake about the faith and perish vpon the mutable sandes of late inuenâ—ions For auoyding of which perill what pilot more cunning can we desire in the tempesÌ„tuous sea and surging waues of these diuerse opinions to conduct vs to the secure harbour of the auncient catholicke and Apostolick church then blessed S. Gregory For if we wish an indifferent iudge and one that was longe before we fell at variance he is so auncient that he liued a thousand yeares agoe and so by common computation within the compasse of the primatiue church Yf we seeke for vertue he was therein so rare that both in his life tyme he was had in great reuerence and after his death honoured for a Saint Yf we desire learning he is so excellent that he is reputed for one of the fower princicipall doctors of the church and worthily surnamed the Greate and generally so famous that with his praise the earth is full ana his glory aboue the heauens S. Iohn Damascene a doctor of the greke church who liued not long after his time giueth him this commendation Prodeat in Orat. de defunctis medâ—um Gregorius Dialogus c. Let Gregory quoth he that wrote the booke of Dialogues Bishop of the elder Rome be brought forth a man as all knowe that was notable and renowned both for holinesse of life and learning who had as men report when he was at the holy mysteries an heauenly and diuine Angell present with him in that sacred action Isodorus also Bishop of Seuill in Spaine prosecuteth De scriptorib ecclesiasticis cap. 27. his praises in this manner Gregorius Papa Romanus c. Gregory pope of Rome Bishop of the Apostolicke sea full of compunction of the feare of God and for humility most admirable and so endewed through the grace of the holy Ghost with the light of knowledge that neither in our dayes nor in former tymes there was euer any doctor his equall And the Councell of Toletan 8. can 2. Toledo in this manner extolleth him Blessed Pope Gregory honorable both for merit of life and worthily almost to be preferred before all for his morall discourses To conclude such as desire more herein I referre them to our dere country man venerable Bede that liued within lesse then one hundred yeares after him as is euident out of the two last chapters of his history translated into our english tongue who in that saide story of our countries conuersion maketh Lib. 2. cap. 1. a briefe rehersall of his learned works among which this of his Dialogues is also mentioned There also he calleth him holy Pope Gregory and the Apostle of our country and recounteth many of his notable acts of piety and religion and diuerse zealous labours emploied for Christ and his church which for breuity sake I willingly passe ouer with silence Neither haue only Catholicke fathers and councels had this reuerent opinion of blessed Pope Gregory but Protestants also iudge him worthy of honour and commendation Among many to name two or three Master Iewell sometime of Salisbury thinketh him so sound for religion that for credit of his cause he thus cryeth out O Gregory ô In his challenging sermon Leo ô Austen c. Yf we be deceiued you haue deceiued vs. Thomas Bell also so magnisieth this father that he vouchsafeth him of this honorable title Saint Gregory Suruey pag. 187. quoth he
familiar and pleasing manner no griefe interposing it selfe except it be that which is to be wished of true contrition for sinne or els that which other busines bringeth by drawing vs from so sweete conuersation or lastly to see that the golden streame of so diuine a discourse runneth not still forwarde in an endlesse channell As your royal dispositioÌ„ to vertue hath iustly deserued the dedicatioÌ„ of this booke so the loue of the author himselfe blessed S. Gregory not only to our couÌ„try in general but to your most excelleÌ„t persoÌ„ in particular perswadeth the same For if the purple gluttoÌ„ buried in hell had care Luc. 16. v. 27. of his brethren and praied for theÌ„ moued thereuÌ„to of mere natural coÌ„passioÌ„ how much more doth his soule raigning in heaueÌ„ inflamed with supernatural charity teÌ„der the good of theÌ„ whoÌ„ whiles he liued he loued so deerely Being vpon earth such was his affectioÌ„ to our natioÌ„ that by his pastorall care it was turned 1. Thessal 1. v. 9. to God from idols to serue the liuing and true God and being yet mortall he wrotte to Aldiberga Lib. 9. epist 59. cap. 69. Queene of England most kinde letters encouraging hir by the example of Saint Helena the glory of great Britayne to labour the conuersion of the kinge and his people and therfore no question but liuing now in heauen his charity to God being greater his loue towarde vs is not lesse and consequently no doubt can be made but with farre more burning zeale he doth sollicitte in that celestiall court the cause of our country and enioying him selfe immortall felicity both desireth and also laboureth the temporall and eternall happines of Queene Anne our most gratious Princes To these former reasons which especiallye gaue support to my fearefull harte this also was adioyned as no small inducement to thincke that I was the first that offered his labours to your most excellent Maiesty for whereas diuers of diuers professions haue directed theire workes to our most dread Soueraigne and one also to our younge Prince your deere sonne and the orient obiect of our countries ioye so none at all for ought that I can learne much lesse that professeth the religion os S. Gregorie hath hitherto presented any booke to your Princely person Together with this alluring motiue concurred also the very tyme it selfe of the newe yeare dedicated by longe and laudable custome descending to vs from our forefathers to the giving and receiuing of divers giftes and presents Voulsafe therefore most noble Queene gratiously to accept among so many Princely giftes this small present of Saintes liues written a thowsande yeares since by the glorious Apostle of Englande blessed Sainte Gregorie inferior no question to any for temporal value but yelding to none at all as I verily suppose in spiritual and true estimation to grace with the benigne beames of your roiall countenance these my poore labours published to the worldes viewe vnder the patronage of your gratious Highnes which your renoumed inclination to vertue and pious affection to spirituall bookes hath deserued the loue of S. Gregorie to our countrie and the Queenes of England hath allotted you my happy fortune to be the first in this kinde with the very consideration of the tyme it selfe hath iustlie consecrated to your most excellent and worthie person and to cast a fauorable eye vpon the first fruites of my syncere and seruiceable affection which is such that shoulde I mention worthily might I be suspected and yet verily hope were it knowne that it woulde neuer by Princely bountie be reiected The newe borne Sauiour of the worlde Christ Iesus send you in earthly courte both this and many happy newe yeares and eternity of yeares in the celestiall court of heauene The first of Ianuarie 1608. Your Maiesties most deuoted seruant and daily orator P. VV. TO THE COVRTEOVS AND VERTVOVS CHRISTIAN READER DESIROVS OF THAT KNOWLEDGE which bringeth pleasure and leadeth to true religion piety and deuotion THERE is no kinde of study yood Christian reader that either generally so contenteth all humors and fitteth all affections or which bringeth such honest pleasure to the soule and with so exquisite knowledge and necessary documents for the direction of a manâ—life furnisheth our vnderstanding or so forcibly and sweetlye inclineth our wills to the puâ—suite of vertue as doth the reading of a learned and holy history Some there be that delight in the speculation of the Mathematicks others otherwise addicted principally price poetrye and the study of humanity some take no pleasure but in the secrets of philosophy and Aphorismes of Galen and others whose harts Gods grace hath more touched rapt as it were with S. Paul contemne 2 Corint 12. all earthly thinges and bestowe them selues wholy in diuinitye and the most pleasant contemplation of heauenly mysteries Yet this variety of natures and diuersity of desires is euer accompained with this vnity thar all with common consâ—nt commend the reading of histories and in them finde singular recreation none almost being so simple that can for any difficulty reiect them the subiect being so easy and familiar nor any so curious thar can contemne them plenty of diuerse matrers drawing still forewarde and with wonderfull pleasure rauishing the soule of man This is that study which in prosperity delighteth in aduersity bringeth comfort when we are solitarye it is our companion when in company it ministreth matter of talke and excellent discourses This presenteth before our eyes the factes of former ages and deliuereth the sundry accidents of our time to succeding posterity This by the fall of many teacheth vs what to feare by the aduancement of others for worthy deedes what to followe This by the euents of other mens actions quickneth the witt ripeneth the iudgement so purchaseth true wisdome for the carriage of our life managing all worldly affaires This intertayneth all wits sitteth all fancies and pleaseth all persons with this exercise many weare out sundry troubles deceaue many melancholy passions and the mighty Monarch of the world Assuerus passed Esther cap. 6. ouer the tedious night which gaue no sleepe to his heauy eyes as holy scripture reporteth Ys this great commodity and pleasure be reaped by the Dccades of Titus Liuius the paralelled liues of Plutarch or the Chronicles of our owne country what treasure of true delight and what singular profitt shall an Ecclesiastical history especially intreating of the liues of holy men and Saints of Gods church bringe to a true christian harte that loueth God and preferreth the goode of his owne soule before all the vaine pleasure and transitory pelfe of this flattering false worlde For who can doubt but that so far as heauen is distant from earth the immortall soule excelleth the corruptible body so great difference there is betwixt a prophane and a sacred history that intreating of thinges belonginge to this life this haÌ„dlinge those which auaile to life euerlasting that describing the teÌ„porall warres of
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
THE DIALOGVES OF S. GREGORIE SVRNAMED THE GREATE POPE OF ROME AND THE FIRST OF THAT NAME DIVIDED INTO fower Bookes WHEREIN He intreateth of the liues and miracles of the Saintes in Italie and of the eternitie of mens soules WITH A shorte treatise of sundry miracles wrought at the shrines of martyrs taken out of S. Augustin Together with a notable miracle wrought by S. Bernard in confirmation of diuers articles of religion Translated into our English tongue By P. W. Ecclesiastic cap. 1. v. 1. 2. A wise man will searche out the wisdome of all the auncient and keepe the sayinges of famous men Printed at Paris 1608. In earth longe life with happie state Queene Anne Christ Iesus sende In heauen that blisse amongst his Saintes Which neuer shal haue ende TO THE HIGHE AND EXCELLENT PRINCES ANNE BY GODS SINGVLAR prouidence Quene of greate Britâ—aine Fraunce and Irelande HAD the consideratioÌ„ of highe dignity most gratious Quone suggesting retiring thoughts more preuailed then the reports of your vertuous inclination inciting for warde neuer should I have presumed to make so meane a person knowne to so great Maiesty But the constant fame of your Princely partes and a soule not stouping to transitory toyes emboldened my feareful hart hoping that with gratious countenance you will beholde the poore and rich present of your deuoted seruant poore in respect of that which my small ability affordeth but most rich in regarde of the thing it selfe being a rare iewell worthy of any Christian Prince and of none more then your most excellent person For to whom coulde so heauenly a pearle more iustly be presented then to your royall Highnes whose hart Gods grace so touched that wheÌ„ the glorious beames of an earthly paradise new kingdome first saluted it mounting aboue all corruptible creature and not complying in complements with this false flattering worlde thought rather vpon the perpetuall pleasure of the heauenly paradise and that kingdome which crowneth Queenes with the diuine diademe of eternall glory For I haue bene credibly enformed how at that very tyme in the middest of those meeting ioyes and the very thronge of those terrestriall pleasures you sent for out of England such principall bookes of piety and deuotion as were there to be founde A zeale verily commendable in the person of a meaner fortune admirable in the highnes of Princes whose eyes vsually the vanishing vapors of earthly coÌ„tent doe with false reflexion dazell deceiue but surpassing all common conceipt in such a spring-tide of the worlds flowing felicity God the inspirer of such heauenly cogitations contine we them with the fire of his diuine grace to the inflaming of your soule with his loue that you may with encrease of spirit walke for warde in that heauenly path and goe sal 83. from vertue to vertue vntill the God of gods be seene in Sion Many alas be the allurements which carry many a mayne from the following of vertue to the embracing of vice from the sweete seruice of Christ to the sowre seruitude of Belial yet none are in such daunger as Potentates and Princes whose florishing fortunes and transcendent soueraigntye commonly so bewitch the powers of the soule that present pleasure profered on all handes is prosecuted with full saile and future endlesse payne the dreadfull dregges of delights enchaunting cupp is not thought vpon or els spedily banished not to disturbe the tiranny of false felicity And that which is lamentable and deserueth an ocean of teares whereas priuate persons finde either friends that of charity doe or enemies that of malice will put them in minde of their errors and imperfections only the eminent dignity of Princes are exempted who meete with fewe friendes so faithfull that in any spirituall necâ—ssity whatsoeuer list to apply any such charitable corsiue not to incurre displeasure and fawning foes to many that with the pleasing venim of flattery will be ready to christen any vice by the name of vertue to gayne royall grace and fauour Holy Dauid though a man according to Gods hart yet was his court haunted with such vermin and his eares acquainted with the musicke of such Sirenes songs The wicked saith he haue Psal 118. v. 85. told me fables but not as thy lawe S. Iohn Baptist is not fouÌ„d in kinges houses and the text of Potent persons shall suffre potent Sapient 6. v. 7. paynes seldome soundeth in the Pallaces of Princes This being the dangerous estate of the worlds dearlings especially of Kinges Queenes passing necessary it is yf they desire froÌ„ the short variable pleasure of corruptible crownes to passe vnto the endlesse and immutable glory of an euerlasting kingdome that they should principally procure such faithful vertuous teachers to instruct theÌ„ in the way of truth and piety of whoÌ„ no suspition can be had that either priuate interest causeth theÌ„ to speake to please or any feare conceiued that they vse silence not to offende such as be the spirituall bookes of auncieÌ„t and learned fathers whose liues for holy conuersatioÌ„ were gratious in the eyes of men and their deathes for the sweete smell of vertue pretious in the sight of God For these be they which far vnlike to many courting Chaplins that chaunt litle other euensonge then in the pleasing tune of placebo teach the way of truth without respect of persons giuing the same documents to great and sinall and without all distinction of dignity powre wine and oile into the woundes of our soules launcing the festered vlcers of obdurate and seared consciences and applying comfortable lenitiues and sweete salues to them that be of contrite harts of tender and timorous disposition For as much therefore as diuine grace that inspired into your soule that heavenly resolution as to seeke for such spirituall masters as may without all feare of erronious direction guide you in the sea of this worlde where not only the surging waues of aduersity but much more the swete gale of delighting prosperity is dangerous to the barbour of true repose and happy tranquillity to whom more worthily coulde I present this rare ie well of glorious Saint Gregories Dialogues entreating of the miraculous liues of diuers renowned Saints then to the Princely person of your Maiesty wherein you may beholde the faith of the Primitiue Church to which by him our couÌ„try was first couÌ„erted and in which so many Kinges and Queenes your predecessours through the current of diuers happy ages gloriously ended their dayes where in also you may finde so many heauenly lessons very delightfull to reade and passing profitable to practise viewe great numbers of familiar examples of diuers holy persons and see the comfortable endes sweete deathes and soueraigne rewardes of Gods seruantes rauishing our soules with the loue of vertue and drawing our thoughts from the shorte vncertayne and false ioyes of this worlde to the serious cogitation of the eternall permanent and true delight of the worlde to come and that in a most
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
thinges as I had from the mouthe of his owne scollers mentioned before in the beginninge of this booke A certaine man there was who had an enemie that did notably spite and maligne him whose damnable hatred proceded so far that he poisoned his drincke which althoughe it killed him not yet did it chaunge his skinne in such sort that it was of many colours as thoughe he had bene infected with a leprosy but the maÌ„ of God restored him to his former helthe for so sone as he touched him forthwith all that varietye of colours departed from his bodye HOVV A CRVET OF GLAS was throwne vpon the stones and not broken CHAPTER XXVIII AT suche tyme as there was a great dearthe in Campania the man of God had giuen away all the wealth of the Abbey to poore people so that in the celler there was no thinge lefte but a little oile in a glasse A certaine subdeacon called Agapitus came vnto him instantly crauinge that he wolde bestowe a little oile vpon him Our Lordes seruaunt that was resolued to giue away all vpon earth that he mighte finde all in heauen commanded that oile to be giuen him but the monke that kepâ—e the celler hearde what the father commaunded yet did he not performe itâ— Who inquiringe not longe after whether he had giuen that which he willed the monke tolde him that he had not adding that yf he had giuen it away that there was not any lefte for the Conuerâ—t Then in an anger he comaunded others to take that glasse with the oile and to throwe it out at the windovve to the end that nothinge mighte remayne in the Abbey contrary to obedience The monkes did so and threwe it out at a windowe vnder which there was an huge downefall full of roughe and craggye stones vpon which the glasse did lighte but yet continewed for all that so sounde as thoughe it had neuer bene throwne out at all for neither the glasse was broken nor any of the oile shedde Then the man of God did commande it to be taken vp againe and whole as it was to be giuen vnto him that desired it and in the presence of the other brethren he reprehended the disobedient monke both for his infidelity and also for his proud mynde HOVV AN EMPTYE BARRELL was filled with oile CHAPTER XXIX AFter which reprehension with the rest of his brethren he sell to prayinge and in the place where they were there stoode an empty barrell with a couer vpon it and as the holy man continewed in his praiers the oile within did so increase that the couer began to be lifted vp and at lengthe fell downe and the oile that was nowe higher then the mouthe of the barrell began to runne ouer vpon the pauiment which so sone as the seruauÌ„t of God Bennet behelde forth with he gaue ouer his praiers and the oile likewise ceased to ouerflow the barrel Then did he more at large admonish that mistrustinge and disobedient monke that he wolde learne to haue faithe and humilitye who vpon so holsome an admonition was ashamed because the venerable father had by miracle showne the power of almighty God as before he tolde him when he did first rebuke him and so no cause there was why any sholde afterward doubt of his promise seeinge at one and the same tyme for a small glasse almost emptye which he gaue awaye he bestowed vpon them an whole barrell full of oile HOVV BENNET DELIVERED a monke from a deuill CHAPTER XXX VPon a certaine tyme as he was goinge to the oratory of S. Iohne which is in the topp of the mountaine the olde enemy of mankinde vpon a mule like a phisition met him caryinge in his hand an horne and a morter And when he demanded whether he was goinge To your monkes quoth he to giue them a drench The venerable father went forwarde to his praiers and when he had done he returned in all hast but the wicked spirit founde an olde monke drawinge of water in to whom he entred and straight-waies cast him vpon the ground and grieuously tormented him The man of God comminge from his praiers and seeinge him in such pitifull case gaue him only a little blowe with his hande and at the same instant he cast out that cruell deuill so that he durst not any more presume to enter in Peter I wolde gladly knowe whether he obtained alwaies by praier to worcke suche notable miracles or els sometymes did them only at his will and pleasure Gregory Suche as be the deuoute seruaâ—ntes of God when necessity requireâ—â— vse to worcke miracles both manner of wayes so that sometyme they estecte wonderfull thinges by theire praiers and sometyme only by theire power and authoritye for S. Iohne saithe So Iohn 1. many as receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God They then that by power be the sonnes of God what maruaile is it yf by power they be able to doe wonderfull thinges And that both waies they worcke miracles Act. 9. Act. 5. we learne of S. Peter who by his praiers did raise vp Tabitha and by his sharpe reprehension did sentence Ananias and Saphira to death for theire â—yinge For we reade not that in the death of them he praied at all but only rebuked them for that synne which they had committed Certaine therfore it is that sometymes they do these thinges by power and sometymes by praier for Ananias and Saphira by a seuere rebuke S. Peter depriued of life and by praier restored Tabitha to life And for prooffe of this I will now tell you of two miracles which the faithfull seruaunt of God Bennet did in which it shall appeare most plainlye that he wroughte the one by that power which God gaue him and obtained the other by vertue of his praiers OF A COVNTRY FELLOVVE that with the only sighte of the man of God was loosed from his bandes CHAPTER XXXI A Certaine Goth there was called Galla an Arrian he retike who in the tyme of kinge Totilas did with suche monstrous crueltye persecute religious men of the Catholike church that what Priest or monke soeuer came in his presence he neuer departed aliue This man on a certaine daye sett vpon rapin and pillage pitifully tormented a poore countrye man to make him confesse where his money and wealthe was who ouercome with extremitye of paine saide that he had committed all his substance to the custodye of Bennet the seruaunt of God and this he did to the end that his tormenter giuinge credit to his wordes mighte at least for a while surcease from his horrible crueltye Galla hearinge this tormented him no longer but binding his armes fast with stronge cordes draue him before his horse to bring him vnto this BeÌ„net who as he saide had his wealth in keepinge The country fellowe thus pinyoned and runninge before him carried him to the holy mans Abbey where he founde him sittinge before the gate readinge vpon a booke
men doth worke miracles by such as they most contemne that truthe proceedinge from the mouth of his humble seruauntes may subdue those which of pridâ— do extoll and aduaunce them selues against the doctrine of truthe OF HERCVLANVS BISSHOP of Perusium CHAPTER XIII NOt longe since the vertuous Bishop Floridus tolde me a notable miracle which was this The greate holy man quoth he Herculanus who broughte me vp was Bishop of Perusium exalted to that dignity from the state of a monke in whose tyme the perfidious kinge Totilas besieged it for seuene yers together and the famin within was so great that many of the townesemen forsooke the place and before the seuenth yere was ended the armye of the Gothes tooke the citye The commander of his campe dispatched messengers to Totilas to know his pleasure what he should doe with the Bishoppe and the rest of the citizens to whom he returned answer that he shold from the top of the Bishoppes heade to his verye foote cutt of a thonge of his skinne and that done to strike of his heade and as for the rest of the people to putt them all to the sworde When he had receiued this order he commanded the reuerent Bishop Herculanus to be carried to the walles and there to haue his heade strooken of and when he was deade that his skin shoulde be cut from the verye crowne downe to the verye foote as thoughe in dede a thonge had bene taken from his bodye after which barbarous facte theye threwe his dead coâ—ps ouer the wall Then some vpon pitty ioyninge the heade to the bodye did bury him together with an infant that was there founde deade Fourtye daies after Totilas makinge proclamation that the inhabitants which were gone shoulde without all feare come backe againe those which vpon extremity of hunger departed returned home to their houses and callinge to mynde the holy life of theire Bishoppe they soughte for his body that it mighte as he deserued be buried in the churche of S. Peter And when they came to the place where it lay they digged and founde the bodye of the infant that was buried together with him putrified and full of wormes but the Bishoppes body was so sounde as thoughe it had bene newly put into the earth and that which is more to be admired and deserueth greater reuerence his heade was so fast ioyned to his bodye as thoughe it had neuer bene cutt of neither did any signe of his beheading appeare at all Then they viewed likewise his backe whether that were also whole and sounde and they founde it so perfect and well as thoughe neuer any knife had touched the same Peter Who wolde not wonder at such miracles of them that be deade wroughte no question for the spirituall goode of the liuinge OF THE SERVANT OF God Isaac CHAPTER XIIII Gregory AT suche tyme as the Gothes first inuaded Italye there was nere to the citye of Spoleto a vertuous and holy man called Isaac who liued almost to the last daies of the Gothes whom many did knowe and especially the holy virgin Gregoria which nowe dwelleth in this citye hard by the churche of the blessed and perpetuall virgin Marie which woman in her yonger yeares desiring to liue a Nunnes life fled to the churche from marriag already agreed vpon by her freindes and was by this man defended and so through Gods prouidence obtayned Nunnes ware a peculiar habit and liued vnmarried to haue that habitt which so much she desired and so leauing her spouse vpon earth she merited a spouse in heauen Many thinges also I had by the relation of the reuerent man Eleutherius who was familiarly acquainted with him and his vertuous life doth giue credit to his wordes This holy man Isaac was not borne in Italye and therfore I wil only speake of suche miracles as he did liuinge here in our countrye At his first comminge out of Syria to the city of Spoleto he went to the churche and desired the keepers that he mighte haue free leaue to praye there and not to be enforced to departe when nighte came And so he began his deuotions and spent all that daye in praier and likewise the nighte followinge The seconde daye and nighte he bestowed in the same manner and remayned there also the thirde daye which when one of the keepers of the church perceiued who was a man of a proud spirit he tooke scandall by that whereof he ought to haue reaped great profitt For he began to say that he was an hyppocrite and cousining companion who in the sighte of the worlde remayned at his praiers three dayes and three nightes together forth with running vpon the man of God he strook him to make him by that meanes with shame to departe the churche as an hyppocryte and one that desired to be reputed an holy man But to reuenge this iniurye a wicked spirit did presently possesse his body who cast him downe at the feete of the man of God and began by his mouth to crye out Isaac doth cast me forth Isaac doth cast me forth For what name the straunge man had none at that tyme did knowe but the wicked spirit told it when he cried out that he had power to cast him out Straighte-waies the man of God laide him selfe vpon his bodye and the cursed deuill that was entred in departed in all hast newes of this was by and by blowne ouer the whole city and men and wemen riche and poore came runnynge euery one striuinge to bringe him home to theire owne house Some for the buildinge of an Abbey did humbly offer him landes other money and some such other helpes as they coulde But the seruaunt of almighty God refusyng to accept any of theire offers departed out of the citye and not farr of he founde a desert place where he builte a little cotage for him selfe To whom many repayringe began by his example to be inflamed with the loue of euerlastinge life and so vnder his discipline and gouernment gaue them selues to the seruice of almighty God And when his disciples wolde often humbly insinuate that it were goode for the necessity of the Abbey to take such liuinges as were offred he very carefull to keepe pouertye tolde them constantly sayinge A monke that seeketh for liuinges vpon earthe is no monke for so fearefull he was to loose the secure state of his pouertye as couetous riche men are carefull to preserue theire corruptible wealthe In that place therfore he became famous for the spirit of prophecye and his life was renoumed far and nere for the notable miracles which he wroughte For vpon a day towardes eueninge he caused his monkes to lay a certaine number of spades in the gardin The nighte followinge when accordinge Mattens to custome they rose vp to theire praiers he commanded them sayinge Go your waies and make potage for our worckemen that it may be readye very earely in the morninge And when it was day he bad them
the mountaine not touching Marcius caue did skipp cleane ouer and auoidinge as it were to hurt Gods seruaunt it fell far of which thinge no man can doubte but that it was done by the handes of Angels at the commandement of almighty God At such tyme as this holy man came first to inhabit that mountaine and had not yet made any dore for his caue he fastned the one ende of an yron chaine to the stony wall and the other he tied to his legge to the end he mighte goe no further then the length of that chaine did giue him leaue which thinge the reuerent man Bennet hearinge of sent him this worde by one of his monkes yf thowe be Gods seruant let the chaine of Christ not any chaine of yron holde the vpon this message Marcius forthwith loosed his chaine yet did he keepe still the same compasse and goe no further then he did before Liuinge afterwarde in the same caue he began to entertaine certaine disciples which dwelt apart from his cell who hauing no other water but that which with a rope and a bucket they drewe out of a well great trouble they had because theire rope did often breake and therfore they came vnto him crauinge that chaine which he had loosed from his legge that they mighte tye the rope to that and fasten the bucket vpon it and from that tyme forwarde thoughe the rope was daily wett with Vertue of relickes water yet did it breake no more for hauing touched the holy mans chaine it became stronge like vnto yron so that the water did not weare it nor do it any harme Peter These worthy actes of his doe please me seinge they are straunge that very much because they were so lately done and be yet freshe in memorye HOVV A MONKE OF MOVNTE Argentario raised vp a deade man CHAPTER XVII Gregory NOt longe since in our tyme a certain man called Quadragessimus was Subdeacoâ— in the churche of Buxentin who in tymes past kept a flocke of sheepe in the same countrye of Aurelia by whose faithfull reporte I vnderstoode a maruailous strange thinge which is this At such tyme as he lead a sheapherdes life there was an holy maÌ„ that dwelt in the mountaine of Argentario whose religious conuersation and inward vertue was answerable to Habit of monkes the habit of a moÌ„ke which outwardly he did weare Euerye yeare he trauailed Pilgrimage from his mountaine to the churche of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and S. Peter Prince of the Apostles in the waye tooke this Quadragessimus house for his lodginge as him selfe did tell me Comminge vpon a daye to his house which was harde by the churche a poore womans husbande died not far of whom when they had as the manner is washed put on his garmentes and made him ready to be buried The manner of burieng in Italye yet it was so late that it could not be done that daye wherfore the desolat widowe satt by the deade corps weepinge all nighte longe and to sasatisfye her griefe she did continually lament and crye out The man of God seeinge her so pitifully to weepe and neuer to giue ouer was nuche grieued and saide to Quadragesimus the Subdeacon my soule taketh compassion of this womans sorrowe arise I beseche you and let vs praye and therevpon they went to the churche which as I said was harde by and fel to theire deuotions And when thy had praied a good while the seruaunt of God desired Quadragessimus to conclude theire praier which beeinge done he tooke a little dust from the side of the altar and so came with Quadragessimus to the dead bodye and there he began againe to praye and when he continewed so a longe tyme he desirede him not as he did before to conclude theire praiers but him selfe gaue the blessing and so rose vp and because he had the dust in his righte hande with his left he tooke awaye the cloth that couered the deade mans face which the woman seeing earnestlie withstoode him and maruailed much what he ment to do when the cloth was gone he rubbed the deade mans face a goode while withe the dust which he had taken vp and at length he that was deade receiued his soule againe began to open his mouth and his eies and to sitt vp and as thoughe he had awaked from a deepe sleepe maruailed what they did about him which when the woman that had weried her selfe with cryinge behelde she began then a freshe to weepe for ioye and crye out far louder then she did before but the man of God modestlye forbad her sayinge Peace goode woman and say nothinge and yf any demaunde howe this happened say only that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath vouchsafed to worcke his pleasure Thus he spake and forthwith he departed from Quadragessimus and neuer came to his house againe For desirous to auoide all temporall honour he so handled the matter that they which sawe him worcke that miracle did neuer see him more so longe as he liued Peter What other thincke I knowe not but myne oplnion is that it is a miracle aboue all miracles to raise vp deade men and secretlye to call backe theire soules to giue life vnto theire bodies againe Gregory Yf we respecte outwarde and visible thinges of necessitye we must so beleeue but yf we turne our eies to inuisible thinges then certaine it is that it is a greater miracle by preaching of the worde vertue of praier to conuert a sinner then to raise vp a deade man for in the one that fleshe is raised vp which againe shall dye but in the other he is broughte from death which shall liue for euer For I will name you two and tell me in which of them as you thincke the greater miracle was wroughte The first is Lazarê° a true beleeuer whom our Lorde raised vp in fleshe the other is Saul whom our Lorde raised in soule For of Lazarus vertues after his resurrection we reade nothinge but after the raisinge vp of the others soule we are not able to conceiue what wonderful thinges be in holy scripture spoken of his vertues as that his most cruell thoughtes and designements were turned to the bowels of piety and compassion that he desired to dy for his brethen in whose death before he tooke muche pleasure That knowinge the holy scriptures perfectly yet professed that he knew nothinge els but Iesus Christ and him crucified That he did willingly endure the bearing of roddes for Christ whom before with sworde he did persecute That he was exalted to the dignitye of an Apostle yet willingly became a little one in the middest of other disciples That he was rapte to the secretes of the thirde heauen and yet did turne his eye of compassion to dispose of the dutye of married folkes sayinge Let the husband Corint render debt to the wife and the wife likewise to the husbande That he was busied in contemplatinge
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