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
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
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
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
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
surnamed the great the holy and learned Bishope of Rome And master Coper not long since of Winchester In his Chronicle in the yeare of our Lorde 599 See also his Dictionarij in the worde Augustinus in his Chronicle intreating of the conuersion of our country from Idolatry and paganisme to the faith of Christ writteth thus Gregory sent Austen Melitus and Iohn with other godly and well learned men to preach the christian faith to the Angles which were first receiued of Ethelbert king of kent whom they conuerted to the faith with diuers of his people Finally his memory is continued in the church of England and him selfe enrold in the callendar for a Saint in heauen and I verily thinke fewe Protestants yet so far waded in malice that they dare condemne him of false doctrine and heresy or without blushing affirme him for infidelity to be damned in hell This being so what better vmpiere in this cause can be had then he what arbiter more indifferent to tell vs what religion florished not only in his time but also in the agesprecedent and so consequently which is the true faith of Iesus Christ For by common confession what religion was in those pure times by holy men taught beleued and practised is that which the only bogotteÌ„ Sonne brought from the bosome of his Father that which the Apostles planted in the world and registred in the writinges of the newe testament and that which euery one that desireth to come to heauen ought with his hart firmely to embrace and in his life sincerely and constantly to followe and professe Reade then and peruse ouer these his Dialogues and yf thou findest in them the platforme of that faith which the Protestants preach confidently in Gods name followe it for it can not be false which the holy Fathers in the pure time of the primitiue church taught nor disagreing with sacred scriptures which verneralle antiquity practised But yf on the contrary plaine euidence shall conuince that Pag. 11. 116. 358. Abbies and Nuneries were then vsual that the solitary life of Pag. 390 426. 445. Eremits and Anchorets was knowne to Christians that Pag. 28. 238. 385. 330. religious men were a differeÌ„t habit from seculare people that Pag 135. 18. young children were admitted into Abbeius and trained vp for a religious life that Pag. 500 religious men obserued monasticall pouerty according to their rule that it was Pag. 239 278. 291. 385. dâ—mnuable for virgins consecreated to God to marry that Pag 220 379. Eccleâ—â—asticall persons dedicated them selues to chasâ—ity and after holy orders were bounde to forsake the carnall company of their former wiâ—es that the Pag. 197 Saints in heauen knowe our praiers that Pag. 43. 68. 288. 338. inuocation of Saints Pag. 44. 86. 145. 266. 371. Pilgrimage and visiting of holy places Pag. 74. 300. 307. reuerent reseruing and translation of relickes were then in practise Pag. 197. 258. 264. 280. that they also wroughte miracles Pag. 300 that churches were then hallowed that they were also Pag. 744. 131. 328. dedicated to the honour of Saints and that Pag. 6â— holy dayes were likewise instituted for their memory and due veneration that the Pag. 11. 79. 109. 218. 2â—0 222. 321. 459. signe of the holy crosse hath sorce to driue away deuils and worke miracles that Pag. 83. 328. holy water was had in deuotion that Pag. 465 490. all sinnes were not mortall and damnable but some small and veniall that the Pag. 464. 503. fire of Purgatory was then taught and beleued that the Pag. 65. 213. 301. 432. 505. sacrifice of the holy masse was highly estemed that it was Pag. 165 499. 506. 509. auailable for faithfull soules departed yea that Pag 503 trentalles of Masses were not then strange or vnkneâ—â—ne to Christian people That the Pag. 213 510. reall presence was confessed that the Pag. 325 Sacrament was reserued that Pag. 286 298. burning lampes for reuerence were kept in the church that Pag. 92. 266. S. Peter was reputed Prince of the Apostles and his successour the Bishope of Rome pag. 467 superior ouer other Bishiops that Christs seruants might Pag. 274 402. meritt vpon earth and that according to the variety of goode work in this life pag. 443 diuersity of rewardes was founde in the next Yf thou doest finde I say as thou shalt finde these and such like articles so much detested of ProtestaÌ„ts so highly ebraced of all Catholicks to haue bene curreÌ„t in these goldeÌ„ ages beleeued of S. Gregory his predecessors then what doubt can be made which religioÌ„ is most true and of euery good Christian to be followed Here it may be that some to the discredit of antiquity and disgreace of S. Gregory will say that the stories reported in his looke be incredible and many miracles seme vtterly voide of all truth But answere is some returned that the authority of him that uâ—rote them and the testimonies before alleadged of Catholicks and Protestants in commendation of the author be of far more waight to iustify his relation then the light and vaine suspition of any to call the booke in question To this may be added that seing S. Gregory was a man of great learning and had by reason of his high place the best kinde of intelligence easily coulde he not be deceaued and being besides of great vertue and holines neuer woulde he willingly deceiue others Nay to free vs from all feare of any suspition him selfe was so carefull of truth that being about to write this booke of the miraculous lines and deathes of Italian Saints inuited thereunto by the vertuous importunity of his familiar friends he directed his letters to others for certaine information therein as namely to Maximinianus Bishope of Syracusis in Sicilie to whom he wrotte touching this matter in these very wordes My Lib. 2. epist 50. cap. 89. indict 11. brethren that liue familiarly with me do enforce me by all meanes briefly to commit vnto writing some miracles of those fathers which we haue heard done in Italy For the effecting wherof I stande in very great nede of your charitable assistance to witt that you woulde signify vnto me such things as come to your memory or it hath bene your chance to knowe For I remember See lib. 1. cap 7. well that you tolde me some thinges concerning Abbot Nonnosus who liued nere vnto Anastasius of Pentumis which I haue quite forgotten Wherefore I desire you to write vnto me both that and whatsoeuer els you knowe of like quality and spedily to sende them vnlesse you determine to be here shortly your selfe in person This was the great care and singular circumspection which he vsed in this heauenly busines by reason whereof he was the better able to performe that thinge which abundantly he hath done and that is diligently to sett downe howe and by what meanes he came to the particularities of whatsoeuer in his Dialogues he reporteth a greater thinge then which to giue credit to his writinges
and a very fit plot of grounde left to make them a gardin At an other tyme the same holye man beinge washinge of lamppes made of glasse one of them by chaunce fell out of his handes and brake into manye peeces who fearinge the great furye of the Abbot did forthwiâ—h gathere vp al the fragmentes laide them before the altar and there with great sithinge fell to his praiers and afterwarde liftinge vp his heade he founde the lampe entire whole And thus in these two mâ—racles did he imitat two notable fathers to wit Gregory and Donatus the first of which remoued a mountaine and the other madâ— a broken chalice safe and sounde Peter We haue as I perceiue now miracles after the imitation of old sainctes Gregory Howe say yowe ar you content also in the conuersation of Nonnosus to heare howe he did imitat the facte of the prophet Ileliseus Peter Content I am and most earnestly desire it Gregory Vpon a certaine daye when the old oile was spent and the tyme to gather oliues was nowe at hande the Abbot bycause there owne trees toke not thoughte it best to sende the monckes abroade to helpe straÌ„gers in the gatheringe of theires that for the recompeÌ„se of theire labor they might bringe home some oile for the necessities of theire owne house This determinatioÌ„ the man of God Nonnosus in great humility did hinder least the monckes goinge abroade from theire cloister to gett oile mighte lose somwhat in the deuotion of theire soules And therfore bycause he savve that theire owne trees had yet a fevve oliues he willed those to be gathered and put into the presse and that oile which came forth to be broughte vnto him thoughe it were neuer so little which being done he sett the little vessell before the aultar and after theire departure he offered his praiers to God which being ended he called for the monckes commandinge them to take awaye the oile which they brought to powre a little thereof into all the vessels which they had that each of them mighte haue some of the benedictioÌ„ of that oile which beinge done he caused the vessels empty as they were to be close stopped and the next day they founde them al full Peter We finde daily the wordes of our Sauiour to be verified who saith My father euen to this tyme doth worcke and I do Ioan. 5. worcke OF ANASTASIVS ABBOT OF the Monastery called Suppentonia CHAPTER VIII Gregory AT the same tyme the reuerent man Anastasius of whom I spake before vvas notarye to the churche of Rome whereof by Gods prouidence I haue nowe the charge who desirous only to serue God gaue ouer his office and made choise of a monasticall life and in that Abbeye which is called Suppentonia he liued many years vertuously and gouerned that place with great care and diligence Ouer the Abbey there hangeth an huge rocke and beneath it there is a stiepe downefall Vpon a certaine nighte when God had determined to rewarde the labours of venerable Anastasius a voice was hearde from the topp or that rocke which very leisurely did cry out Come away Anastasius who being so called straighte after seuen other monkes were seuerally called by theire names And then the voice staied for a little tyme and then called againe the eighte moncke Which strange voice the ConueÌ„t hearinge very plainelye made no doubte but that the death of them that were so called was not farr of wherfore not many daies after before the rest Anastasius him selfe and then the others in order departed this mortal life as they were before called from the topp of the rocke And that moncke who was called after som pausing did a little while suruiue the rest and then he also ended his life whereby it was plaine that the stayinge of the voice did signify that he sholde liue a little longer then the other But a strange thinge happened for when holy Anastasius lay vpon his death bed a certaine monke there was in the Abbey that wolde needes dye with him and therfore fel downe at his feere and there began with teares to begg of him in this manner For his loue to whom you are nowe goinge I beseche and adsure you that I may not remayne in this worlde seuen daies after your departure and indede it so fel out that before the seuenth day was come that he lefte this mortall life and yet was not he that nighte named by that voice amongest the rest so that it appeareth plainelye that it vvas only the intercession of Anastasius vhich obtayned that his departure Peter Seinge that monke vvas not called amongest the other and yet by the intercession of that holy man vvas taken out of this life vvhat other thinge can vve gather hereof but that suche as be of great merit and in fauor vvith God can somtyme obtayne those thinges vvhich be not predestinate Gregory Such thinges as be not predestinat by God caÌ„ not by any meanes be obtained at his handes but those thinges which holy men do by theire praiers effect were from all eternitye predestinat to be obtained by praiers For very predestination it selfe to life euerlastinge is so by almighty God disposed that Gods elect seruantes doe throughe theire labor come vnto it in that by theire praiers they do merit to receiue that which almighty God determined before all worldes to bestowe vpon them Peter Desirous I am to haue this pointe more plainly proued to wit that predestination may by praiers be holpen Gregory That which I inferred Peter may quickly be proued for ignorant you are not that our Lorde saide to Abraham In Isaac shal sede be called to the to whom also he saide I haue appointed thee to be a father of many nations and againe he Gen 21. Gen. 27. Gen. 22. 26. promised him sayinge I wil blessâ—hee and multiplye thy sede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand of the sea Out of which places it is plaine that almighty God had predestinat to multiply the seede of Abraham by Isaac and yet the scripture Gen. 25. saith Isaac did praye vnto our Lorde for his wise bycause she was barren who did heare him and Rebecca conceiued Yf then the increase of Abrahams posteritye was predestinat by Isaac how came it to passe that his wife was barren by which most certaine it is that predestination is fulfilled by praiers when as we see that he by whom God had predestinaâ— to increase Abrahams seed obtained by praier to haue children Peter Seing reason hath made that plaine which before I knewe not I haue not herein any further doubte Gregory Shall I now tell you somewhat of such holy men as haue bene in Tuscania that you may be informed what notable persons haue florished in those partes and how greatly they were in the fauor of almighty God Peter Willing I am to giue you the hearinge and therfor beseche you to procede forvvarde OF BONIFACIVS BISHOPPE OF
of the spirit of all goode men Gregory The man of God Bennet had the spirit of the one true God who by the grace of our redemption hathe filled the hartes of his elect seruauntes of whom S. Iohne saith He was the true Ioh. 1. lighte which doth lighten euery man comming into this worlde Of whom agayne we Ibidem finde it written Of his fulnes we haue all receiued For Gods holy seruantes mighte receiue vertues of our Lorde but to bestovve them vpon others they coulde not therfore it was he that gaue the signes of miracles to his seruauntes who promised to giue the signe of Ionas to his enemies so that he Math. 12. v. 40. vouchsafed to dye in the sighte of the proude and to rise againe before the eies of the humble to the end that they mighte behoulde what they contemned and those see that which they oughte to worshipp and loue by reason of vvhich misterye iâ— commeth to passe that vvhereas the proude cast thiere eies vpon the contempt of his death the humble contrarivvise against death lay holde of the glorye of his povver and mighte Peter To vvhat places I pray you after this did the holy man goe and vvhether did he aftervvarde in them vvorcke any miracles or no Gregory The holy man changinge his place did not for all that chaunge his enemye For aftervvarde he endured so much the more grieuous battles by hovve muche he had novv the master of all vvickednes fightinge openlye against him For the tovvne vvhich is called Cassino standeth vpon the side of an highe mountayne vvhich contayneth as it vvere in the lapp thereof the foresaide tovvne and aftervvard so riseth in height the space of three miles that the toppe thereof seemeth to touch the very heauens in this place there vvas an auncient chappell in which the â—olishe and simple countrye people accordinge to the custome of the olde gentils worshipped the God Apollo Rounde about it likewise vpon all sides there were woodes for the seruice of the deuils in which euene to that verye tyme the mad multitude of infidels did offer most wicked sacrifice The man of God comminge thither beat in pieces the idol ouerthrewe the altar set fire on the woodes and in the temple of Apollo he built Dedication of oratories to Sainctes the oratory of S. Martin and where the aultar of the same Apollo was he made an oratory of S. Iohns and by his continuall preaching he broughte the people dwelling in those partes to embrace the faithe of Christe The olde enemy of mankinde not takinge this in good part did not nowe priuily or in a dreame but in open sighte present him selfe to the eies of that holy father and with great outcries complained that he had offered him violence The noise which he made the monkes did heare but him selfe they coulde not see but as the venerable father tolde them he appeared visibly vnto him most fell and cruel and as thoughe with his firy mouth and flaminge eies he wolde haue â—orne him in pieces what the deuil saide vnto him all the monkes did heare for first he wold call him by his name and because the man of God voutsafed him not any answere then wolde he fall a reuilinge and railinge at him for when he cried out calling him Blessed Bennet and yet sound that he gaue him no answere straighte-waies he wolde turne his tune and say Cursed Bennet Maledicte non Benedicte and not blessed what hast thowe to do with me and why doest thowe thus persecut me wherfore new battles of the olde enemy against the seruaunt of God are to be looked for against whoÌ„ willingly did he make warr but agianst his will did he giue him occasion of manye notable victories HOVV VENERABLE BENNET by his prayer remoued an huge stone CHAPTER IX VPon a certaine daye when the monkes â—ere buildinge vp the ceâ—les of the 〈…〉 bey there lave a stone which they ment to employe about that busines and when two or three were not able to remoue it they called for more company but all in vaine for it remained so immoueable as thoughe it had growne to the verye earthe whereby they plainely perceiued that the deuill him selfe did sit vpon it seeing so many mens handes coulde not so muche as once moue it wherefore finding that thiere own labours could do nothinge they sent for the man of God to helpe them with his praiers against the deuill who hindred the remouinge of that stone The holy man came and after some praying he gaue it his blessinge and then they carried it away so quickely as thoughe it had bene of no waighte at all OF THE FANTASTICALL fire which burnte the kitchin CHAPTER X. THen the maÌ„ of God thought good that they sholde presently before his departure digge vp the grounde in the same place which being done and a depe hole made the monkes â—ounde there an idoll of brasse which beinge for a little while by chance cast into the kitchin they behelde fire suâ—dainly to come from it which to all thiere sight seemed to sett the whole kitchin on fire for the quenching whereof the monkes by casting on of water made suâ—â— a noise that the man of God hearinge it came to see what the matter was and him selfe beholdinge not any fire at all which they saide that they did he boowed downe his head forthwith to his praiers and then he perceiued that they were deluded with fantasticall fire and therfore bad them blesse thiere eies that they mighte beholde the kitchin safe and sounde not those fantasticall flames which the deuill had falsely deuised HOVV VENERABLE BENNET reuiued a boy crusshed to death with the ruin of a wall CHAPTER XI A Gaine as the monkes were making of a certaine wallsom what higher because that was requisit the man of God in the meane tyme was in his cell at his praiers To whom the olde enemy appeared in an insulting manner tellinge him that he was now goinge to his monkes that were a worckinge whereof the man of God in all hast gaue them warninge wishing them to looke vnto them selues because the deuill was at that tyme comminge amongest them The message was scarse deliuered when as the wicked spirit ouerthrewe the newe wal which they were a buildinge and with the fall slewe a little yong childe Children receiued into religion a monke who was the sonne of a certaine courtier At which pitifull chaunce all were passinge sory and exceedingly grieued not so much for the losse of the wall as for the death of thiere btother and in all hast they sent this heauy newes to the venerable man Bennet who commanded them to bringe vnto him the yong boye mangled and maymed as he was which they did but yet they could not carry him any otherwise then in a sacke for the stones of the wall had not only broken his lymmes but also his very bones being in that manner brought vnto the
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
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
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
within The next morninge verye earelye the Arrian Bishop came thither with many in his company meaninge by force to breake open the dores But suddainlye by miracle the lockes were cast far of and the dores of them selues making a great noise flewe open and all the lampes before putt out were lightened againe by fire descendinge from heauen and the Arrian Bishop that came to enter the churche by violence was suddainly strooken blinde so that other men were faine to leade him backe againe to his owne lodginge Which strange accident when the Lombardes there about vnderstoode they durst not any more presume to violate catholique places and so it fell out wonderfully by Goddes prouidence that for as muche as the lampes in S. Paules churche were by reason of him put out that at one and the selfe same tyme bothe he lost the lighte of his eies and the churche receiued her former lighte againe HOVV A CHVRCHE OF THE Arrians in Rome was hallowed according to the catholick manner CHAPTER XXX NEither is that to be passed ouer in silence which God of his mercye vouchsafed two yers since to shewe in this citye to the great condemnation of the Arrian heresye for parte of that which I intende nowe to speake of many of the people knowe to be true parte the Priest and keepers of the churche affirme that they sawe and hearde A churche of the Arrians in that parte of the city which is called Subura remayned vntil two years since with the dores shut vp at which tyme being desirous that it shoulde be hallowed in the catholique faithe we brought with vs thither the reliques of the blessed martirs S. Steuene and S. Reseruation translation and reuerence of relickes Agatha and so with great multitudes of people singing of praises to almighty God we entred the churche and when the solemnitye or masse was in celebratinge and the people by reason of the straighte place thruste one an other some of them that stoode without the chancell heard an hogge runninge vp and downe throughe theire legges and eache one perceiuinge it tolde it to his next fellowe but the hogge made towardes the churche dore to go forth striking all those into great admiration by whom he passed but thoughe they heard him yet none there was that sawe him which strange thinge God of pietye vouchsafed to shewe to the end we shoulde vnderstande how that the vncleane spirit which before possessed that place was nowe departed and gone when masse Masse was done we went awaye but the nighte followinge such a noise was hearde in the toppe of the churche as thoughe some body had there runne vp and downe and the next nighte after that a far greater and withall of a suddain such a terrible cracke there was as thoughe the whole church had bene quite fallling downe which forthwith vanished awaye and neuer after was the churche troubled any more by the olde enemye but by the great stirr which he kept before his departure he made it apparaunt that he went very vnwillinglye from that place which so longe tyme he had possessed Not manye daies after in a passinge faire and clere daye a cloude miraculouslye descended vpon the altar of the same churche couering it as it had bene with a canopye and filled the churche with suche a kinde of terror and sweetnes that thoughe the dores were wide open yet none durst presume to enter in The Priest also and the keepers of the churche and those which were come thither to saye masse Saying of mass behelde the selfe same thinge yet could they not goe in althoughe they felt the sweetenes of that straunge perfume Likewise vpon an other daye the lampes hanginge without lighte fire came from heauen and sett them a burninge and a fewe daies after when masse was ended and the keeper of the churche had putt out the lampes and was departed yet returninge backe againe he founde them burninge which before he had putt forth but thinckinge that he had done it negligently he did it nowe more carefully the second tyme and so departed the churche and shutt the dore but returninge three houres after he founde them againe burning as before to the ende that by the very light the worlde mighte manifestly knowe how that place was from darckenes translated to lighte Peter Althoughe we be in great miseryes and tribulations yet these straunge miracles which God vouchsafeth to worcke do plainly declare that he hath not vtterlye forsaken and giuen vs ouer Gregory Albeit I was determined to recount vnto you only such straunge thinges as were done in Italye are you for all that content to the further condemnation of the saide Arrian heresy that I turne a little my speeche to Spaine and so by Africk returne backe againe to Italye Peter Goe whether you will willingâ—ye will I trauaile with you and ioyfullye returne home againe OF KINGE HERMIGILDVS sonne to Leuigildus kinge of the Visegothes who was for the catholicke faithe put to deathe by his father CHAPTER XXXI Gregory NOt longe since as I haue learned of many which came from Spaine kinge Hermigildus sonne of Leuigildus kinge of the Visegothes was from Arrian heresye lately conuerted to the catholicke faithe by the most reuerent man Leander Bishoppe of Seuill with whom I was not longe since familiarly acquainted which yonge Prince vpon his conuersion his father beinge an Arrian laboured both by large promises and terrible threates to drawe againe to his former error but when most constantlye his sonne answered that he wolde neuer forsake the true faithe which he had once imbraced his father in great aÌ„ger tooke awaye his kingdom and beside depriued him of all wealth and riches and perceiuinge that with all this his minde was nothinge moued he committed him to straight prison laying irons both vpon his necke and handes Vpon this the yonge kinge Hermigildus began nowe to contemne his earthly kingdome and to seeke with great desire after the kingdome of heauen and VVearing of heare cloth lyinge in prison fast bounde he prayed to almighty God in heare cloth to sende him heauenly comforte and so muche the more did he despise the glorye of this transitory worlde by how muche he knewe him selfe in that case that he had now nothinge that coulde be taken from him When the solemne feast of Easter The feast of Easter was come his wicked father sent vnto him in the deade of the nighte an Arrian Bishop to giue him the communion of a sacrilegious consecration that he mighte thereby againe recouer his fathers grace and fauour but the man of God as he oughte sharpely reprehended that Arrian Bishop which came vnto him and giuing him such entertainement as his desertes required vtterly reiected him for albeit outwardly he laye there in bandes yet inwardly to him selfe he stoode secure in the height of his owne soule The father at the returne of the Arrian prelat vnderstandinge these newes fell into such a rage that
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
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
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