met him a comely graue and venerable old man and exceedingly wel spoken who asked him whither he was going to whom he answered he intended to go to Marpurg there to visit S. Elizabeths Shryne whereupon he wished God to blesse him and bad him goe on a Gods name assuring him he should infallibly obtayne his suite and receiue his health by putting but his hand into her Sepulchre And further willed him euer after to honour and beare deuotion also to Saint Nicolas Adding that such were ill aduised and most vnwise who seeking help at the Reliques of Saints according to the laudable custome of good Christians and hauing performed their vowes in part depart presently discouraged and dishartned when they find not such speedy remedy as they desire Since perseuerance in prayer and faith is that which God and his Saints exact in such occasions And when he had sayd this he vanished away and the other as he was wished when he arriued at the Shrine thrusting his hand in the Monument was presently cured This man no doubt was S. Nicolas himself by which wee may learne what Charity and faire correspondencyes there is among the Saints in heauen and thereby take example to haue the like also among our selues on earth Besides the former two exaples of the benignity of this Saint I find a third noe lesse miraculous which shewes her excellent Charity now in heauen her great longanimity in coÌ„descending so sweetely to our infirmityes for who would expect for murmures vttered such fauours should come and descend from heauen and for words little lesse then blasphemyes at least the affect of extraordinary impatience so great a miracle should ensue It happened then in the Territory of Mentz that one Beatrice a young Girle was soarely vexed with many infirmityes at once wherewith shee had a loÌ„g tyme of that little she had liued most piteously been tormented so as at last hauing a terrible swelling in her throate growing out before her and a huge bunch which much deformed her on her back behind thus molested with a double malady and impediment shee was fayne to creepe with her head euen bowed to the ground and her hand fast joyned to her knees mouing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…arts of al that beheld so miserable a spectacle What then was to be done the Mother hereupon causing her to be carryed in a great basket on the shoulders of some Potter hired for the purpose and conuayed her to the Tomb of S. Elizabeth where shee remayned for ten dayes space without any succour at al. Which the Mother tooke most sensibly to the hart falling into great intemperance of speach seasoned with much impatieÌ„ce as wel in gestures as in words saying thus foolishly among the rest What meane you S. Elizabeth to bestow your Charity vpon euery one and to leaue mee only of al other most disconsolate deuoyd of comfort who am thus visited with so miserable a crosse without remedy and therewithal in a great chafe went her wayes home againe threatning shee would hinder al shee could from making any prayers or petitioÌ„s to her When the night following a comely Matron appeared to the Child and stroaking very gently her throate together with her back 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk who presently being thus restored to her health told her Mother next morning what she had seene in her sleepe which caused them both to returne to the Shrine againe to yeild her there immortal thanks for so great a miracle which hauing rendered she gaue laudes and infinite prayses vnto God and leauing their basket behind them as a testimony of the wonder they returned very ioyfully home againe I may not here let passe some breife touches at least of diuers other myracles besides which happened at the Shrine of this glorious Saint As first of a cetâ—…aine Mayd in the Diocesse of Mentz possessed with an euil spirit who with only eating a little holy bread at her Shrine and drinking a little holy water was dispossessed Secondly of an other in the Diocesse of Cullen who being condemned to death and calling earnestly vpon the blessed S. Elizabeth after he was hanged so long as he might wel haue dyed was found to be aliue to the great astoâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly of a Scholer in the Diocesse of Mentz who being drowned by chaunce as he was a fishing was by the instance of some freinds of his there present crauing the help of S. Elizabeth restored to life agayne Fourthly of an other child of foure yeares 〈◊〉 in the same Diocesse who after vndoubted signes of death was by the prayers of his Mother to Saint Elizabeth restored to life againe Fifâ—…ly of an other child of the same age who falling into a deepe pit and killed was restored to life againe by one who passing by most affectuously prayed to S Elizabeth for him Sixtly in the same Diocesse of Mentz one Frederick in swimming in a Riuer being drowned was by a vow to S. Elizabeth made by his freinds restored to life againe Seauenthly one Iohn in the same Diocesse of Mentz being wrongfully condemned to death and recoÌ„mending himself with the rope about his neck to the glorious S. Elizabeth and hearing a voyce at that tyme which sayed Trust to S. Elizabeth and thou shalt bee deliuered being turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was saued by the breaking of the haulter without any harme at al saying Most mercyful Lady S. Elizabeth â—…hou hast deliuered mee and by consent of al was hanged no more Eightly in the Territory of the said Mentz was one Voliner a religious man who being â—…ame of a bruized arme and commenâ—…ing himself to S. Elizabeth was by her â—…n the night with a soft and gentle touch in the il affected place perfectly â—…ured of the hurt Ninthly in the same Territory was a child of foure yeares old through the prayers of his Mother being brought to the tomb of S Elizabeth cured of his blindnes with a little of the earth thereof applyed â—…hereunto Tenthly in the same Territory was Gertrude a very Criple of both her leggs who being aduised to â—…oe to Saint Nicolas found ease of the â—…ne but not a perfect cure of both til â—…he touched S. Elizabeths toÌ„b they both â—…iuiding as it were the cure betweene â—…heÌ„ The Eleauenth miracle was shewâ—…d vpon an other Gertrude in the same 〈◊〉 who being blind was restored 〈◊〉 her light by her intercession made â—…o the same S. Elizabeth The Twelfth appeared in one Henry of the said Diocesse who by visiting Saint Elizabeths Tomb was first cured of his blindnes and then after of a desperate disease by taking in his drink the dust only of the said Tomb. The Thirteenth myracle was of one Mechildis a girle of the Territory of Treuers both blind deafe dumb and lame who after her Parents had made a vow to visit Saint Elizabeths Reliques was perfectly restored to health Al which is most true and authentically registred in writing The fourteenth was a woman in the
robustious his actiuity others and dexterity in the manage of his horse When hee was practising though young with the rest of his Nobles and pages of his Court a man would haue thought him as only made for martial exploits and feats of Chiualry But then in court to haue seen his faire behauiour his sweete disposition and affability to al you would say that Mars had no part in him but that hee had beene made for carpetts only to comply with Ladyes so ingenious and gratious he was in his discourse But after that againe to haue seen him in the C appel had been able to moue deuotion in the beholders so deuout he would be at the solemne offices so as then they would iudge him truly in his Element And as hee was so pious and vertuous in himself hee was highly beloued of al good and vertuous men and a bridle to the vicious to restrayne their exorbitances through his rare exaÌ„ple of modesty TeÌ„peraÌ„ce Meeknes Courtesy Sobriety hence it was he was so taken enamoured with his chast Spouse his incoÌ„parable Elizabeth WhoÌ„ hee noted to be so eminently vertuous as hee could not choose but effect highly regard her though he were otherwise so teÌ„perat discrete in his cariage towards her as not a person in the world nor yet the Spouse her self could ghesse so much Which was the cause such diuers censures ran vpon the nullity of the Espousalls made betweene them in their Infancyes For seeing such temperance in the youthful Prince so actiue otherwise and ful of life they iudged he had no liking to her and that therefore hee would sure refuse her when he came to mature age Especially since Elizabeth his Espouse was so aliened her self from that estate as the company and society of men seemed to be irkesome to her much lesse that she would euer admit the maryed state so as now in a manner she was held a Religious woman And these discourses euery where made the pious discret Prince the sooner to declare and expresse himself to the vertuous Elizabeth as wel to giue satisfaction to the world in that point and stopp the diuers rumours and iudgments of men as to satify his owne affection towards her and to be secured of hers to him which could not be without some manner of expression and which now at last he did discreetly chastly opportunely to the great contentment and ful satisfaction of each other For lo this match of theirs so made no doubt in heauen receiued no lesse the fulnes of benediction from thence So as though she seemed otherwise in her life and example to haue beene vowed already to an other Spouse in heauen yet was it so as not in compatible with an earthly Spouse whose wil some way or other was knowne to her to be it should be so and that he was content with conditions happyly agreed betweene them to haue a Riual for a tyme. How oft alas had the chast Elizabeth in the closet of her hart put forth that Theame to be disputed of how oft had she concluded now for the one side and then agayne for the other now it must be thus now thus now this now that Til at last knowing euidently as it were the wil of God which was the mayne argument of her assent to that estate after she had resolued with her self to harken to the Prince she would further satisfy her self with these morral reasons of inducements First that Mariage was honorable as auncient as the world itself raigned in the Law of Nature the written Law and now a holie Sacrament in the Law of grace and a great mysterie betweene Christ and his Church Secondly that this Sacrament is the roote of the faithful people the Nursery of Christianity the soyle that brings forth Creatures able to repayre the empty seate of the preuaricating Angels The series of the lyuing stones wherewith the walls of Ierusalem are 〈◊〉 The very trunck whence yssued forth al the braunches flowers and fruits of the heauenly Paradice The Spring whence al the brooks do flow that water the Hierarchy of the Church Then what an honour it was for Parents to bee cooperatours with God in the most excellent workmanshipp of the world and cheife Maister-peece of the Vniuerse which is mans body the perfect and best organized of al bodyes whereinto being once formed God infuseth the soule as a Margarit into the Mother pearle which hee creates and sends thereinto a soule immortal spiritual and capable to know him loue and adore him Then for the place of the Institution of Marriage she found it to haue a singular prerogatiue when she considered the same to haue beene established in the terrestrial Paradise the most delicious place of the world a place most happy and regarded with the most fauourable influences of heauen which in the estate of Innocency was a happy and angelical state if our first Parents had constantly perseuered therein and not lent their eares to the suggestions of Sathan And though commonly it bee sayd that Chastity replenisheth heauen and Marriage the earth Which she easily graunted since she held for certaine that without a chast and pure soule none can see the face of God yet she knew wel euen in those tender yeares of hers to distinguish rightly of the triple chastity Virginal Coniugal and vidual She knew it to be most true that chast continence replenisheth not the earth but heauen but yet withal considered how the Coniugal by the earth replenisheth heauen and with yts fruits replenisheth and furnisheth both heauen and earth For it furnisheth the terrestrial Ierusalem with soldiours and the celestial with most noble and victorious Triumphers Now in regard these passages between the yong Prince and Princesse Elizabeth as yet appeared not to the world by any outward signe the Nobles and Courteours taking encouragment from the cariages and deportmens of Sophia and Agnes who neuer left flerting and prouoking the innocent Damosel with taunts and quips to her face but especially with bitter nips behind her back among themselues the matter grew now to be common in meÌ„s mouths that the Lady Elizabeth should be sent into her Countrey againe the yong Prince was now to thinke of an other Spouse more competent for him and deseruing his Princely Highnes In regard her Portion as they said was too smal â—…nd the Virgin her self affected him not That doubtles she was not for the world that the Prince would sureâ—…y neuer match with such an one as â—…ad no application to the world much â—…sse to the person of the Prince Thus â—…uerie one passed his censure on the â—…atter as it seemel most likley to him â—…nd indeed according to his perticular â—…ffection Whereas besides there was â—…o want of those who framed farr â—…igher conceipts of the ancient Espouâ—…lls solemly made in the face of â—…e world in their tender infancyes â—…ith so general applause of either â—…eople at the intreaty of
certaine dayes most incommodiously and in great misery partly through the straightnes of the place for her whole family and partly also through the great penury of al things there for the susteynance of man After that she remoued her self into greater and more ample roomes to bee able to accommodate her children and family the better But there she remayned not long but soone she found out that one commodity of a larger roome did bring a thousand discommodityes with it for the Owner of the howse and the inhabitants there were so crosse and peeuish to her as she could find no rest amongst them but infinite vexations of euery side Wherefore hauing no other helps in that place but what the bare walles were able to afford her departing thēce and bidding them farewel which had somewhat defended her and hers from the asperityes of the Winter for it was at that tyme vsing these speaches to the bare walles I thanke you Walles most hartily for the harbour you haue giuen mee this while and would haue binne glad to haue yeilded as much to the Inhabitants had they been as ciuil And so not able to find any other lodging in the whole Towne she betooke her self to her former cottage or litle ease Thus this great Lady and Princesse Elizabeth in a moment as it were cast downe from the throne of eminent dignity into the Abysse of temporal miseries and she who the other day harboured thousands of poore now poore her self could find no entertaynement or harbour any where She that cherished Infants and Orphans was glad her self to begge for hers and to craue an Almes from doore to doore and seeke to her Enemyes themselues Oh instability of human things and which is yet more admirable who could discerne in al this while any least signe of pusillanimity in her any least wonder or murmure against God or his holie Ordination to proceede but rather perpetual blessings and benedictions to flow from her saying euer Blessed bee the Name of God and with holie Iob Our Lord hath giuen and our Lord hath taken away and a thousand other iaculatoryes besides which she how rely sent vp to heauen While Elizabeth was yet in this distresse there happened a thing to her which I may not let passe She going one day alone by her self vpō some occasion or other and being by the way to crosse ouer a certaine durty or myery Lane where was no passage but vpon stumps and stones placed for steps here and there for the purpose and the good Lady standing with her self in a study how she should do to passe ouer hauing no staffe to sustaine her self withal in case her hart should fayle in the way nor practized in this kind hauing euer beene caryed til then in coaches and litters Behould who should she see on the other side but a certaine old woman whom she knew very wel being one whom shee had in her better fortunes exceedingly fauoured with many extraordinary benefits this womā likewise as she imagined stood stil on the other side as pausing with her self what to do Wherefore they both stood awhile immoueable as pinching courtesie who should first passe ouer The Lady thought for respect sake she had forborne or through gratitude for former courtesies but she like a Monster in nature purposed a worse matter For the Lady not to stand ouer long vpon such ceremonyes aduenturing first being now in the midst of the steps trembling as she went for feare of falling the other more practized in such wayes susteyning her self with a staf in her hand met her in the midst and thrust her downe into the dirt and hauing so donne went her wayes ieering and laughing at her Ah monstrous impiety to deale so with an innocent Lady in the extremity of her miseryes The holy Elizabeth came forth of the dirt in so fowle a plight as you may ghesse and hauing wiped her self as wel as she might went on her wayes and tooke the iniury so patiently as she returned not the least word of discontent thereat but inwardly smiled with the excessiue ioy she felt to see her self soe basely affronted without cause which she offered vp in vnion with al the indignityes her Sauiour suffred at the hands of the Romans Iewes in the howse of Annas Cayphas Pilat and Herod and for this act she receiued of her Spouse incredible fauours as shal immediatly appeare THE ESPECIALL FAVOVRS and sweete consolations from God which Elizabeth had in hearing of Masse and otherwise CHAP. V. THe more Elizabeth suffered the bitter stormes of the Sea of this world the greater were the fauours she interiourly receiued from God It happened then that Elizabeth in the holy tyme of Lent according to her ordinary deuotion hearing Masse religiously on her knees considering the inestimable price of that most dreadfull and heauenly Sacrifice and feeling her hart by little little enflamed with feruent meditations on that subiect fell into this prolixe Colloquy as followeth O then let mee loue thee my deare Spouse may I couet thee desire thee thirst and hunga◅ after thee may I tast eate and drinke thee Osweetenes of loue O loue of sweetenes let my soule feede vpon thee and my bowells be replenished with the sweete liquor of thy loue that my hart may bee inebriated therewith Oh Charity my God sweete hony most sweete milke most delicious food Oh sweetenes and suauity of my will my Loue and the desire of my hart Why am I not wholy enflamed wholy burned with the fire of thy Loue Why am I not all and wholy transformed into thee through Loue Soe as in mee there may bee nothing els but Loue O diuine fire O heate O fire Why am I not wholy conuerted into thy Loue Why is there ought els in mee then Loue Why am I not wholy enthraled with Loue Let thy charity burne in my hart let thy Loue kindle and flame in my soule Heere now with a smiling countenance she cryes out O ioy O pleasure O solace Oh my comfort O my Iubiley enlarge mee in thy Loue that I may learne in all my interiour affayres to tast how sweete a thing it is to loue to liquify and swimme in thy Loue. Let mee sing to thee the Canticles of Loue O good loue that louest most perfectly O increated Loue O diuine Loue O diuine charity O embowel'd dilection O wholy amiable O wholy desirable O most blessed light fill the most intimous part of my soule and enkindle the fire of thy consuming Loue in mee that in me may nothing remayne but thee With that she pawses awhile and then breaks forth agayne as followeth Ah Ah Ah my Lord God Bee thou to mee and I to thee Oh what is this my Lord God my loue my Sainct Thou all myne and I all thine Lett mee loue thee my God and my Lord aboue all things and more then my self and let mee not loue my self but for thee and all in thee Let mee loue
aromatical spices of vertues which sent forth such an odour of example on earth and such a perfume of sanctity to the Citizens of heauen Now by this tyme being the fourth day after when the rites of the Church were ended with great solemnity pomp and magnificence according to her dignity in the presence of many worthy religious Fathers with an incredible multitude of al sorts of people as wel of the Clergy as Laity the precious body was honourably interred in a certain Chappel belonging and adioyning to her Hospital to the great resentment of al who would willingly haue enioyed her stil had it been conuenient THE CANONIZATION of Saint Elizabeth the Translation of her Body and the beginning of the relation of her myracles CHAP. VIII SOe precious is the death of Saints in the sight of God that as Saint Basil testifyes as heretofore who touched but the bones of a dead body ws held contaminated So now on the contrary who toucheth the bones or other Reliques of some Saint may receiue some operatiue vertue from them and 〈◊〉 our Lord would haue such bones remoued diuided into sundry places that they might be as a fortresse or Citadel against our enemyes and an honour to the faithful themselues If you demand of mee saith S. Ambrose what I worship in the bones and reliques of these Saints I answere in the body of each Saint I reuerence the wounds which he hath receiued for Christ I worship his memory who led his life alwayes embracing vertue I venerate the ashes consecrated through the confession of his Lord and euen in the ashes themselues I worship the seede of eternity I worship the body who hath instructed mee to loue God to please him and not to feare death And why should not the faithful honour the body which euen the Diuils themselues do tremble at For whom aliue they afflicted with Crosses they owe loue and reuerence in the Sepulcre Lastly I worship that body which our Lord Christ hath honoured in this world and whose soule is now raigning with 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 uen Now these titles motiues and benefits proceeding from the veneration and worship of the Reliques of Saincts is the cause why noe sooner any dyes with the opinion of a Saint especially auerred so by authentical approbation of his Holynes through that illustrious ceremony of Canonization vsed in the Church but that generally the faithful do throng to his Shrine or Hearse to obteyne some Relique of his be it the very hayre of his head or the least peece of his garment which hauing gotten they piously make reckoning they haue gayned a most precious and inestimable jewel Noe maruaile theh that our glorious Elizabeth being so illustrious through the most holy life shee had led on earth and the vndoubted opinion shee had purchased of a Saint euen during life but that the people should flock so vnto her as they daylie did as to a mercyful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Court of Requests to receiue the humble petitions of al that come where hardly shee sent any empty away contristat and not satisfyed some way or other So as it is commonly reported that shee raised some sixteen at'least from death to life cleansed the leaprous gaue hearing to the deafe speach to the dumb 〈◊〉 to the lame eyes to the blind and comfort to the miserable and afflicted and curing al manner of diseases els whatsoeuer without number All which miracles Siffrid Bishop of Mogunce caused to be authentically proued and sent them to Gregory the Ninth then Pope who after diligent debate of so weighty a cause with the Colledge of Cardinals in the presence of the Patriarks of Hierusalem and Antioch and sundry Bishops and after a solemne and magnificent Procession had on the 27. of May being then the Feast of Pentecost canonized Elizabeth at a high Masse in al his Pontificalibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 red as a Saint in the vniuersal Church in the fourth yeare after her happy decease in the howse of the Fryars Dominicans in the Citty of Perugia where he dedicated an Aultar which he erected to her honour enriched with ornaments endowing it with priuiledges conuenient as Popes are accustomed to do in like cases Which solemnity being stately and very honourably performed and the fame thereof vniuersally spread through al the parts of Germany the aforesaid Bishop Siffrid to the great ioy and iubiley of al the people of what condition soeuer assigned a certaine day for the solemne Translation of the blessed bones into the Citty of Marpurg where he assembled al the States spiritual and temporal of both the dominions of Thuringia and Hassia and the principal Pastours of many other Churches besides At the day appointed to such as weigh not the deuotion of the people to this admirable Saint it may seeme incredible to estimate the number of men and women of all estates and callings who repayred to Marpurg where the Shrine was opened and the sacred bones discouered in the presence of Frederick the Emperour offering a crowne of gold to the Reliques attended by a most honorable company of Princes Lords and Gentry besides the Bishops of Mentz Cullen and Breame and many other remarkeable Prelates of other Churches and Heads of Religious howses Neyther was there as I said before also in the Translation any manner of il sauour at al as in other dead bodyes is vsually had but as it had been a chest of balme and most precious perfumes it breathed forth a most pleasing and delicious odour to the great astonishment and vnspeakable content of al who approached to participat thereof Then were the Reliques safely enclosed againe in a leaden Coffer and the same very softly included in a precious casket of most curious workmanship besides the stuffe which I could not learne by reason the enamel had so disguised the same being carefully sealed vp with the signet of the Bishop himself and carryed in solemne pomp through the middest of the multitude of the people there greedily wayting for them with incredible affection and deuotion There you might see the windowes hung with Tapistryes al replenished with Ladyes and Gentlewomen exceedingly moued with veneration at the sight of the sacred Pledge as it passed along the rest being fayne to stay beneath or get such standings as they could on tops of howses towers and steeples euery where where likewise you might discouer the Ecclesiastical ensignes carryed along in that Procession the Canons in their Copes and Quiristers and the rest of the Chaunters in their câ—…ates singing Alleluya like so many Angels come from heauen to conuerse with men and to grace the present solemnity Finally and which was strange in such a world of people you might there obserue a deep silence more like to the solitude of a desart then so great an assembly of so populous a Citty and Country round about al whist for the tyme so attentiue they were to their sacred sight or spectacle of their dearest