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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05371	The treasure of vowed chastity in secular persons. Also the widdowes glasse. VVritten by the RR. Fathers Leonard Lessius, and Fuluius Androtius, both of the Society of Iesus. Translated into English by I.W. P.	Lessius, Leonardus, 1554-1623.; Androzzi, Fulvio, 1523-1575. aut; Wilson, John, ca. 1575-ca. 1645?	1621 (1621)	STC 15524; ESTC S108506	57,293	362

to be the first widdow who should imbrace and receaue the Sauiour of the world in her armes and thereby made partaker of diuers diuine secrets Let her consider that her soule is the daughter of God therfore she ought not to vse any strang or fantastical ornaments to adorn her body but let all her study and care be to adorne her soule as it becommeth the daughter of God She must not content her selfe to haue begon any thing well but she must study how to end it well although S. Paul began to do euill and ended with good and Iudas contrariwise began to do well but ended in euill To what purpose should there be colours vernice vsed to paint the face of a Christian Such an ornament of the body becommeth not one that serueth Christ but rather one who serueth Antichrist And if any looke towardes heauen with such a face Christ wil not know them since they haue changed that shape which he gaue them Why do we promise one thing and do another And why doth the tongue prayse Chastity the body exercise Impurity It is a very great vertue worthy to be sought after with great diligence care and watchfullnes to wit to be born in the flesh not to liue according to the flesh If S. Paul feared saying I doe not the good that I would and therefore I do bring my body into ser●itude Which of vs is there who can be assured in this case If Dauid and Salomon the familiar friendes of God haue beene ouercome by the temptations of their flesh who is he that will not feare to fall walking vpon so slippery an yce Let a widdow continually thinke of doing seriously the will of God that she may be worthy often to heare that saying of our Sauiour in the Ghospell Not those who say lord lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but those who shall doe the will of my Father which is in heauen And that also which he sayd in another place VVhy do yee cal me Lord and Maister and do not the thinges I command you to do And againe He that doth the will of my Father is my brother my sister and my Mother Moreouer God sayth by his Prophet The Sonne honours the Father and the seruant the Maister But I am your Father and where is my honour I am your Maister and where is my seruice Wherby it is manifest that whosoeuer doth not the will of God nor loues him as a Father nor serues and feares him as a Lord and Maister is as holy Dauid sayth for that he is a sinner hath done euil Labour that thou mayst be rich but so as the poore may gaine thereby And it wil be most pleasing to God if thou giue what thou canst possibly spare to the poore VVhensoeuer a widdow takes her repast let her thinke on the poore if she be of ability at least let her giue what she can according to her riches or pouerty And let her also think at this tyme that by and by after she must fall to her prayers or read some good spirituall lesson or exercise her selfe about some other deuout and pious worke VVhilest a Widdow hath meanes let her make vnto her selfe friendes by Almes that when the same is wanting and all spent they may receaue her into the euerlasting tabernacles Giue vnto all those that shall demand of you if you be able and specially to those who be good Cloath the naked feed the hungry and visite the sicke Euery tyme that you stretch forth your hand to giue to the poore remember that it is Iesus Christ to whome you giue and behold how your sweet lord and Sauiour beggeth to lay vp riches for you against you haue need Think often that within a short tyme you are to dye and leaue this world and so you shall haue little list to thinke of a second worldly marriage Carry your selfe so in the gouernement of your house and family that all may acknowledge you for their Mistresse and also reuerence you for your holy and vertuous life Fly all sorts of persons that haue any suspitiō of an euil name it is not inough to say My Conscience is cleer I care not what others say of me but take you away all occasion from others of thinking ill wherby God may be in any sort offended Seeke first of all the kingdome of heauē purely and all other thinges necessary shall be giuen vnto you aboundantly A VViddow ought to flye all inordinate delights of the sense of Tasting and for this cause God would not haue hony to be burnt in his honor in the church but oyle which comes from the bitter Oliue-tree and is of an vnpleasant tast S. Paul did chastise and afflict his body diuersly that he might not become reprobate And who will warrant a young widdow for her Chastity if she continually fill her belly with variety of delicate viands It is not possible that any one now adayes should be exempted frō the obliquy of mens tongnes since it is become as it were a kind of pastime among the bad to speake euill of the good but a false bruite is soone past and this present life of ours doth giue vs witnesse of our life past If any speake ill of thee amend thy fault and the rumour will quickly cease Nobility Beauty yong Age and Riches make widdowes amiable vnto euery one And how many more enemyes they haue to fight against for the conseruation of their Chastity so much more great shall be their reward and recompence if they māfully resist and ouercome Fly the company of those widdowes who are widdowes not in will but of a kind of necessity as also those who liue in such sort that they may seeme not to haue lost their husbands God did not send a widdow riches to be idle or to spend the same vnthriftily but rather to the end she might labour the more especially with her owne hands and to haue dayly somthing to giue therof to the poore Haue continually before your eyes and in your memory this sentence That which you would haue to be done vnto your selues do you the same vnto another Do not easily beleeue euill of another for this is the property of a light giddy mind which for this reason is seldome in quiet Do not regard that which another prayseth in thee but weigh and ponder the same well with thy selfe in thy owne conscience Speake little and not without necessity thou shalt auoyde a number of sinnes and imperfections Esteeme nothing more amiable or precious then Humility which is the keeper guardian of all other vertues And know that ther is nothing which makes thee more regarded of God and men then Humility our sweet Sauiour saying In whome shall I repose or rest but in the humble This Humility must not be exteriourly faygned nor in wordes only but truly perfect and in the hart for the Pride which is turned into

Apostle sayth That couetousnes is the roote of all euil Our Sauiour also in the Ghospell telleth vs. How hard a thing it is for those that be rich to enter into the kingdome of heauen And that a Camell shall ēter more easily through a needle then a richman into the Kingdom of heauen By riches are vnderstood all earthly things and goods disordinatly affected or sought after When a widdow hath done her deuotions let her neuer be idle let her take in her hand either wooll or flaxe let her card let her spinne let her wind the yarn that others haue spon let her twist it let her see there be no fault in the worke and if there be any let her mend it do what is necessary Being thus continually occupyed the longest dayes will seem very short pleasant For the soule that is idle is full of bad desires as the holy Scripture insinuateth And nothing can be so pretious in the sight of God as to giue to the poore the labour of her owne handes Let a VViddow take heed of adorning or attyring her head with pearles Iewells or pretious carcanets nor vse frizeled hayre for these be the true signs of hell-fire but let her seeke another sorte of pretious stones and weare them to wit Humility Feare of God and other vertues to the end she may buy therwith that inestimable pearle margarite Christ Iesus the spouse of the soule Finally let a Widdow vse discretion maturity prudence in all her actions let her consider who she is who he is to whome she hath consecrated her Widdowhood to the end she may obtaine his earthly benediction for her selfe and her children in this world life eternall in the next CHAP. VII Diuers memorable Examples of true VViddowhood VVE haue spoken already of the Famous and glorious Widdowes Iudith and Anne the Prophetesse before the cōming of Christ. Let vs now set downe some other examples And first of all occurs that most noble and illustrious Roman Widdow Paula of whom S. Hierome writeh That so soone as her husband was dead contemning the pompes pleasurs of the world euen in the middest of so great wealth and aboundance of riches chose the state of perpetuall Continency in widowhood Blesilla likewise renowned for her beauty wealth and honour her husband desceasing she being left a young and noble Lady chose the holy State of widowhood by which she became renowned to al posterity Melania was no lesse prayse-worthy who when her husband being dead not as yet buryed she caused the bodyes of two of her sonnes of very great hope and expectation a little before also desceased to be brought vnto her husbands body where after extreme weeping sighing drowninge of her selfe almost in teares and euen loathing as it were marriage for the cares troubles torments that it bringes without any longer deliberation consecrated her selfe vnto God by vowing perpetuall Widdowhood Eufrasia likewise a Roman Lady is not inferiour to the aboue named whose husband dying she being in her young flourishing age fayre noble rich contemned a second marriage wherūto she was as sollicited by the Emperour himselfe And so dimissing her seruants and retinew retyred her selfe into Thebais where she liued most Saintly in perpetuall widdowhood The same did Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary who being depriued of her Lord and Husband presently contemned the pleasures of the Court and vanityes of the world giuing her selfe wholy to the seruice of poore sicke needy people not enduring that any man besides Iesus Christ should be called her Spouse which she truly acknowledged in the poor The noble and most worthy example of Constantia daughter to Cōstantine the Great Emperour is admirable who whilest her husband was yet liuing deserued to receaue the crowne and merit of Continency For that her Father the Emperour marrying her to Halicarnus Captaine of the Roman Army she first perswaded him to be a Christian afterward to giue ouer the warres to lay aside his purple and finally for the loue of Iesus Christ to vow perpetuall Chastity The same did Chunegundis wife to Henry the Emperour who perswaded him also to liue in perpetuall Chastity as she had vowed to do whereby they both became Saintes of Gods Church renowned to all posterity Neither must we passe ouer in silence the most worthy and noble example of Galla daughter to Simmachus a Consul of Rome whose husband deceasing and she left a yong and beautifull widdow was so assayled with infirmityes that her body became ful of botches and soares She consulted with her Doctours who all agreed that if she would be cured she must marry againe Whose counsell she so much disliked that she sayd She would rather endure the same all the dayes of her life yea death it self then marry againe which purpose she truly obserued most Saintly in holy Widdowhood to her dying-day Ania also another Roman Lady and widdow of great worth and nobility yong fayre her husband being dead which he had enioyed but a small while was earnestly sollicited by her friends to a second marriage which she vterly refused Being by them demaunded the cause why she said If quoth she I should marry again find a good hubād like to my former I should liue continually in feare to loose him by death and least I should chāce to light vpon a bad husband I will not aduenture vpon such a disgrace An act and purpose surely wise and graue worthy to be considered attentiuely by widdowes that desyre to liue out of danger As nobly and prudently did Olimpia of Constantinople disciple of S. Iohn Chrysostome and the widdow of Nebridius Prefect of the Army a man of most noble Renowne who hauing byn married but twenty moneths only was exhorted by Theodosius the Emperour to marry againe since she was both yong fayre noble rich learned and held of euer one for a virgin She made this Answere If my Lord the Emperour quoth she would haue me to marry againe why did he so soone depriue me of my husband for he was slayne in the Emperours warres who was so agreable to my nature and myne to his But because his Highnesse knows me to be vnfit for a marryed Estate it seemes he hath quickly deliuered me from that seruitude and made me print in my hart the delight of Continency in widdowhood And let no man meruaile that the continency of widdowhood is so much recōmended to Christian women seing that among the Gentills specially the old Romans the same was so greatly honoured that when a widdow died her head was adorned with a Crowne of Continency and to caryed in solemne triumph to her graue The said Romans did also attribute another honour to the Continency of Widdowhood which was That on the wedding day there were no women suffered to come neere much lesse to touch the Bride but only such as had beene the wiues of one husband to wit such as had beene

the condition of man linked vnto a wife to wit that it is lawfull to haue but one neither to be so separated from that one that whiles she liues he may take another it is better not to marry incurre such a seruitude To whom our Lord replyed approuing that which they had sayd Non omnes capiunt c. al apprehēd not this speach but only such to whome it is giuen for there be those who haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdom of heauen c. He who can vnderstand this let him vnderstand it Heere our Lord spake of single life in generall commending the same also in those who liue in the world first when approuing the answere of his aforesayd Apostles who then thought not of liuing in Monasteryes or being Religious he sayd Non omnes capiunt c. All apprehend not this word as though he should haue sayd you rightly infer that it is not conuenient to marry but few there be who vnderstand a thing of so great high a Mystery Secondly when distinguishing three sorts of Eunuches he sheweth that those do greatly please him who haue made themselues Eunuches that is to say who haue exempted themselues from Marriage for the Kingdome of heauen To wit that being thereby made more free from the burthen of such a clogge they may runne the faster vnto it and enioy it more safely and aboundantly Thirdly when he saith He that can vnderstād this mystery let him vnderstād it as if he should haue said I cōstraine no man but exhort al for it is a great benefit to abstaine from mariage for the kingdome of God Therefore he who hath so great a courage that he hopeth he shal be able to aprehend imbrace so great a good let him not neglect it Wherefore since our Lord did not only cōmend this state in generall but also in particuler according to which the apostles vnderstood him which might haue been practized at that tyme it followeth manifestly that the same is commendable and most acceptable vnto God being practised also by those that liue in the world Neither can it be said that our Lord spake not of the vow of Chastity but onely of the simple purpose and vse therof for to be made an Eunuch is not only to abstaine from Mariage but also to bereaue ones selfe of al ability therof and of all other carnall pleasure which is done in effect also by the vow of Chastity For euen as the corporall making one an Eunuch cuts off all sufficiency of carnall act or delight So likewise the spirituall making one an Eunuch which is effected by the vow of chastity disinables al morall faculty so farre that we may not vse any such delight lawfully making it morally impossible as it is incompatible with Iustice to do it For what we cannot lawfully do may be absolutely said that we cannot do and is said to be iustly impossible From whence it is that holy Fathers vsually out of this place of Scripture proue the vow of Chastity because a spirituall making one an Eunuch cannot be otherwise effected then by vow See S. Augustine in his booke of holy Virginity cap. 30. S. Hierom in his book against Iouinian and vpon this place of S. Matthew cap. 19. The same is cleerly proued out of the Apostle 1. Corinth 7. where he greatly prayseth singlenes of life professed in diuers manners of estate and obserued also in the world and in priuat howses for as then Monasteryes were not yet begun Dico innuptis c. I speak both to the vnmaried to Widdowes that it is good for thē to remain in that estate as I haue also done And againe I would haue al be as I my selfe that is I desire that all should be continēt as it wil appeare out of that which follows De Virginibus c. As for those that are virgins I haue no expresse commission to them from our Lord but I giue them Counsell to wit that they remain in their Virginity as hauing obteyned mercy of Almighty God to be faithfull c. And againe Si nupserit virgo c If a virgin marry she sinneth not but such notwithstanding shal haue the tribulation of the flesh that is to say many troubls cares and afflictions c. Againe Igitur qui c. Therfore he which giueth a virgin in mariage doth well but he which doth it not doth better Also Beatior erit c. she shal be more happy if she remaine so still to wit vnmarried according vnto my aduice for I think that euen I my selfe haue the spirit of God In al these places the Apostle comends the loue of Chastity and Virginity euē in the world and in priuate howses as it was obserued at that tyme. For in Ancient tymes when the faithfull were most deuout many followed the aduice of our Sauiour in such manner as they had then oportunity to do it as is manifest out of the Acts of the Apostles where many hauing sould their goods bestowed the money in common imbraced pouerty It is very probable therfore that there were a greater nūber of those who imbraced Chastity then others both because that vertue was more noble and profitable and also because there might be many poore folks which had not goods and possessions to sell or if they had yet perhaps could not sell them all which notwithstanding might professe Chastity Neither is it to be doubted but that many obliged themselues by vow thereunto since they imbraced it out of a desire of perfection and zeale to please Almighty God And it is more perfect a great deale to keep it with an entire resolutiō then only with an vncertaine and mutable purpose Finally also because they imbraced it out of the motiue of our Sauiours owne aduise and commendation therof and that which our Sauiour cōmended was the voluntary making of themselues Eunuches which is effected by vow as hath bin said before The same is collected also out of the Apostle 1. Tim. 5. Adolescentiores viduas c. Take none of the younger sort of widowes c. which is meant that they should not be admitted into the function or ministery of diaconisses or into the number of the Alumnae or Pupills of the Church Cùm enim c. for that saith S. Paul after they haue liued licentiously in Christ at last also they will not sticke to marry frustrating their former Faith that is they will breake the vow of Chastity which they had made before for the word Fayth is taken in this place for Promise or obligation dew by promise as for example to give ones Faith is to giue ones promise to keepe fayth is to keepe promise to frustrate sayth giuen before is to breake promise and a promise made to God is a vow From hence it is manifest that it was a custom in the primitiue Church for Widdowes also to vow Chastity so that without a mortall sin being guilty

taking away any obligatiō which consisteth not in our owne powers doth by no meanes impaire the assurednesse certainty of an Estate For it is inough that it is firme and immutable on our part And the reason is because he is sufficiently sayd to be in an Estate who maketh choice of a certaine kinde of life and settleth himself firmely therein so that he cannot take any other vpon him differēt vnto this but must continue therein euen vnto death But he who imbraceth single life and byndeth himselfe by vow vnto it chooseth to himselfe a certaine kind of life so establisheth himselfe therein as he cannot passe out of it vnto the contrary Therefore he is in an Estate You will aske perhaps Whether this Estate may be called an Estate of Perfection I answere that it is not a complete Estate of Perfectiō but only in part because it is a notable part of the Estate of perfectiō for some Estates include more others lesse An Estate of Perfection which is entire and complete includeth also the vow of Pouerty and Obedience both which a Virgin vowing Chastity in the world may also after her manner imitate and supply before God FINIS THE WIDDOWES GLASSE ABRIDGED Out of the Reuerend Father Fuluius Androtius of the Society of Iesus and others ANNO M.DC.XXI THE PREFACE TO ALL deuout Widdowes BECAVSE thou hast loued Chastity remained a Widow after thy husbād therfore the hand of our Lord hath strengthned thee thou shalt be blessed for euer These wordes were spoken to the holy vertuous and renowned Widdow Iudith who for her chast Widdowhood deserued to be so strengthened of our Lord that she ouercame and killed the great and cruel Holofernes deliuered the people of Israell from tribulation and death and reduced them to their former peace and tranquillity And for this cause did she also deserue to be exalted to the Heauens by Ioachim the high Priest who withall the people blessed her sayd Thou art the glory of Hierusalē thou the ioy of Israel thou the honour of our people because thou hast done manfully and thy hart was strēgthned from aboue c. And besides all this for her chast Widdowhood did she merit an euerlasting blessing from our Lord to wit aboundance of all graces in this world and perfect felicity in heauen In like manner all vertuous Widdows following these her traces and footsteps shall deserue to be cōforted by our Lord with spirituall graces vertues and gifts of the holy Ghost in such sort that they shal be euer blessed and happy if deuoutly they perseuere in their chast Widowhood shal also deserue to ouercome trample the diuell vnder foot signifyed by the aforesayd proud and cruell Captaine Holofernes And to the end that they may thus constantly and deuoutly perseuere in the holy Estate of Continēcy in their widdowhood we will with the help of the holy Ghost say something to this purpose as as wel out the holy Scriptures as ancient Fathers and Historyes THE WIDDOWES GLASSE CHAP. I. VVho are to be accounted truely VViddowes THERE are sayd to be three kindes of Chastity to wit that of Marriage that of Widdowes that of Virgins al three signifyed by the good groūd mentioned in the Holy Ghospell wheron the seed fell The first wherof yielded fruit thirthy fould the second sixty fould and the last an hundred But they who cannot yeild the hundred-fould fruit let them at least offer vp sixty to shew themseues more liberall towards our Sauiour And for as much as all perfection of man consisteth in abandoning and forsaking carnal and worldly things drawing neer and ioyning himselfe vnto God his Creatour louing him fearing him seeking him thinking on him contemplating and honouring him in euery thing and action this can hardly be affected in the state of Marriage especially by womē who hunting after dayly following the delightes and pleasures of the world are hindred thereby for the most part from treading the true path which leadeth directly thereunto But Widdowes who are free from such cares and troubles and haue a true desire may with great case and facility performe the same to their great comfort Now there be diuers sorts of Widdowes Some as soone as their husbands be dead purpose so marry againe for some temporall comfort and consolation not hauing any diuine Inspiration to serue God Almighty in that Estate and are in danger to offend him Of this sort of widdowes S. Paul speaketh when he saith I will that the yong widdowes do marry againe become mothers of families not to giue occasion to the Diuell to tempt them And this is not ill but approued of all But when a widdow will marry againe for any disordinate appetit or because she is very rich or faire or soght after by some one that is placed in a high degree of Honour or State or for any other vicious occasion or ill end without doubt this her desire is naught nor is she to be reckoned or worthily called a widdow as long as she remaynes with this desyre although she do not actually marry againe There is another sort of widdowes who though they do not purpose to marry againe at all eyther for that they haue no dowry or for feare least they happen vpon an ill husband or for some other secret or manifest respect yet is their manner of life and conuersation not like indeed vnto widdowes for that they will allwayes be gadding abroad tatling gossipping euen with those who be not reputed of the best edification And these forsooth will be finely apparelled and though they haue veyles yet will they scarsely couer their heades with them their eyes must be rolling vp and downe they must go to banquets weddings and playes they must tell tales heare tell newes carry themselues euen as meere secular ordinary and the worst sort of people These are to be auoyded and shunned by all true widdowes and these be those of whome S. Paul speaketh in another place saying Take heed of such yonge widdowes for after that they haue liued riotously and licentiously in Christ they will marry carrying with them their damnation for that they haue broken and made voyd their first faith c. And for these it were better that they did marry againe then liue as they do Another sort there is who neuer intend nor do indeed marry againe but liue chastely vertuously both in act and desyre But yet they do it not for the loue of God but rather for some humaine respect as for the loue of their childrē their goods or the like And although according to the esteeme of the world they liue honestly and are reputed for Venerable Mothers and Matrones yet are they wholy dedicated to the seruice of the world haue little feeling or gust of spirituall things and do but seldome frequent the Sacraments or sermons fast only but when the church commandeth them or doe imploy themselues in