of Stephen For he propounded his reasons with such a spirit and wisedome and resolued their arguments so cleerlie that they remained ashamed and vtterly confounded Where they should haue taken profit by the same they contratiewise tooke such indignation against him that they hyred certaine false witnesses to accuse him vnto the high priest Hereupon S. Stephen was taken and the witnesses accused him that they heard him speake blasphemie against God the Lawe and the Temple And they added also that he said that IESVS of Nazareth should destroy that sacred place and change the traditions and ordinances giuen by Moyses This was an apparant slaunder for this last they had not heard S. Stephen say but the priests said to themselues that it must be so since IESVS CHRIST had said so yet they wrong vnderstood him when he said vnto them Iohn 2. Pull downe this Temple and in three daies I will build it vp againe In these words our Sauiour spoke of the Temple of his body as the Euangelist saith that they should put him to death and on the third day he would rise againe Whereupon the false witnesses inâ—yted thereunto by the Scribes and Pharisies the enemies of S. Stephen deposed that he affirmed the ruine of the Temple and the change of the Traditions and ordinances giuen by Moyses This accusation being layd all they that sate in Counsell looked stedfastly vpon S. Stephen and they saw his face Cap 6. v. 15. as the face of an Angell glistering out of measure The high priest demaunded if this were true which they affirmed to him The glorious saint hauing craued audience reduced to their memories all the accidents that had happened to that people and the graces and fauours that they had receiued from God beginning at Abraham euen vntill that present time He made relation how Iacob going into Egipt with all his sonnes in the time of Ioseph flying from the great dearth which was in the land of Canaan remained there and inhabited in that countrie And how Ioseph being the dead the Egiptians dealt euill with them Cap. 7. wherefore God sent Moises to bring them out of that countrie to deliuer them from the hands of Pharao that kept them as slaues and made them to passe the red sea on the drie land hauing drowned all their enemies therein He told them also how God gaue them the law by the hand of Moyses who prophesied and said that God would raise a prophet of the people of the Iewes and that they should and must heare and obey him euen as they had done Moyses He also charged them with their vnthankfullnes toward God they hauing receaued of him so many great benefits and graces how they left to worship him and fell to adore Idols made with their owne hands how they had persecuted the prophets and killed many of them and finally he said vnto them You indeed do shew your selues to be their children for they were obstinate and stifnecked a-against the commaundements of Gods lawe and you be also like them resisting the Holie Ghost They persecuted the prophets that spoke of the comming of that iust and Holie Prophet of whom Moyses spoke likewise but you haue imprisoned that same iust and holie Prophet who was the true Messias and the CHRIST promised in the lawe and you neuer ceased persecuting him vntill you had put him vno the death of the crosse The scribes and Pharisies which sat in Counsell were so mooued that they gnashed their teeth against him shewing thereby their indignation and offâ—ing withall to lay violent hands vpon him S. Stephen lifting vp his eyes to heauen saw the glorie of God and IESVS CHRIST standing at his right hand as it were to shew him his power and fauour to helpe him in this sharpe conflict which he vndertooke for his sake The glorious saint could not conceale nor hyde it but certified them of the great glorie cap. 7. V. 55. saying Behold I see the heauens open and the sonne of man at the right hand of God When these diuelish and hard-harted people who awaited to find any occasion against the holie man that they might wreake and discharge all their mallice and rage conceiued against him had heard him speake these words they esteeming it to be blasphemie lifted vp their voices and said Let the blasphemer dye let vs put him to death and herein they fained to shew their zeale vnto the lawe and shut their eares as if they had heard some absurd speech against God or his honour But this was not all For as thought S. Stephen had beene indeed a blasphemer who the lawe commaunded to be led out of the cittie and there to be stoned they laid violent hands on that holie Deacon and with a furious vproare and noise they led him out of the cittie where the witnesses that had giuen in euidence against him gaue their garments to be kept by a â—ong man called Saul who seemed to be verie ioyfull that S. Stephen was put to death and then they began to stone him with stones The holie saint seing that his death approached lifted vp his eyes vnto heauen and said My Lord IESVS receiue my spirite Cap. 7. V. 59 60. This prayer he made for himselfe standing on his feet but when he whould pray for his enemies to the end they might see he prayed for them from his hart he kneeled on the ground and with a loud voice said O Lord pardon them this sinne for they know not what they doe Little did this his pious act mollifie the obstinate and hard harts of his aduersaries yea they rather threw downe stones vpon him like a shower of haile Some missed him some hitte him some hurt him others returned back and some stuck fast in his sacred head In this torment the blessed Martir ended his life His â—olie bodie was buried by some vertuous people shedding ouer him many sorrowfull teares Of this holie Martyr are read great matters in particuler treatises which S. Augustine S. Gregorie Nissen S. Fulgentius S. Peter Crisologus Eusebius Emissenus Nycetas and many other authors write of him All this and much more S. Stephen meriteth aswell for his many vertues as for the great zeale wherewith he preached IESVS CHRIST and his honour and also in the great charitie he shewed in praying vnto God for them that tooke away his life Hereof it came that his prayer was heard and was so acceptable to God for as S. Augustine and S. Iohn Chrisostome affirme the Catholique church doth at this day by him enioy S. Paul who was one of the furtherers of his death It is trulie said that S. Stephen was a deacon ordained together with sixe others by the Apostles when they gaue them the charge of the ordinarie seruices that dailie occurâ—ed among the disciples Moreouer S. Augustine writeth many miracles which God did by the merits of S Stephen but for that the greater part happened at such time as
that their bodies should be burned and whilest the officers hauing already gotten all their bodies together prepared to performe it and had laid wood on the top of them and put fire vnto them behold on a sodeine the sky was couered with dark and black cloudes and dredfull thunders were hard and thunderboltes killed some of the Pagans who were busied in burning the bodies of the holy martyrs and the other fled away to saue their lifes wherat the Christians took hart and gathered together the reliques of the holy Martirs taking them out of the fire which was alredy quenched and putting them into a bark sailed with them vnto Bizantium and there they buried them very honorably After a few daies the couragious matrone Natalia desirous to remaine in the same place where the holy reliques were passed from Nicomedia vnto Bizantium where shee made a blessed end in our Lord and was buried at the side of S. Adrian her husband whose body was in processe of time caried vnto Rome and buried in a Church builded to his name The death of S. Adrian was on the. 8. day of September and the death of Natalia his wife was on the first day of December in the yeare of our Lord. 306. vpon a munday as the spanish saith Dioclesian raigning iointly with Maximian on the earth and IESVS CHRIST with the father and holy Ghost in perfect Trinity reigning in heauen to whome be all praise and glory for euer Amen * ⎠* The life of S. Gorgonius Martir IESVS CHRIST speaking of his comming into the world Math. 10. saith as S. Mathew writeth in his ghospell Doe not you think that I am come to make peace in the earth for I am come to set warre therin Although that the Angels sang when I was borne Glory be vnto God in the heauens and in earth peace vnto men of good will Although I am become man to treate and conclude peace betwene mine eternall father and men and though my salutations when I rose from death were nothing but peace because I desire that euerie man should haue it neuertheles let not any man be deceaued for I am come to make controuersie and variance betwene the wicked and the good I am come to make a diuision betwene the father and the sonne the mother the daughter the stepmother and the daughter in lawe and I am come to make the houshold seruants and familier freinds enemies vnto the master of the house This is euident and apparant to be so for when the father and the sonne the mother and the daughter the stepmother and the daughter in lawe the master of the house and his houshold people and familiar freinds be wicked and vicious if God touch the hart of any of them and they be conuerted vnto him and the other continue in their wickednes forthwith discord and dissension ariseth among them and they make war one against another but this do the wicked against the good by persecuting them euen to the taking away of their lifes because they forsake and abandon their conuersation Of this we haue an example in S. Gorgonius the martir who was chamberlain vnto the Emperour Diocleasian who as long as Gorgonius was a Gentill and worshipped the Idols liued quietly with him and he shewed much kindnes vnto him but when he vnderstood that Gorgonius was a Christian forthwith he fell out with him and vsed him with great tiranny and lastly with greate cruelty put him to death l. 8. c. 9. Howe it came to passe Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea reherseth after this maner SAINT Gorgonius was borne in the city of Nicomedia and was chamberlein vnto themperour Deoclesian This man hauing receiued the faith of CHRIST IESVS by the meanes of Dorotheus his fellowe companion in the same office These two conferred what they might do to get others of the Emperours chamber to be made Christians It fell out that one day one Petrus that had receaued also the christian faith who was a man noble in bloud of high esteeme in themperours Court hauīg an honorable office in the same sawe in the city of Nicomedia in the high street and edict or proclamation set vp which was made against the Christians threatning death and torments to them that should be discouered This man vpon a greate zeale of our faith took downe the edict and in the sight of all the people rent it in pieces when this happened Dioclesian and Maximian whom the former had chosen to be his colleague and companion in the Empire and had giuen vnto him the title of Cesar were both together in Nicomedia and vnto them it was tould what Petrus had done wherat both enraged and mad with fury commanded he should be brought before theire presence When he was brought and the other two also being there present he reproched and reuiled Peter out of measure and gaue strict commaundment he should not be fauored in his torments which although they were excessiue yet did he neuer showe in his countenaunce any signe but of ioy and neuer spoke word but it declared a vallerous and inuincible mind Gorgonius was present at this spectacle for he and Dorotheus had bene instructors of Peter in the faith of CHRIST These two seeing the cōstancy of the B. martir there grewe in them also a desire to die for the loue of IESVS CHRIST this his example working much in them and by accord betwene them they spoke vnto the Emperour in this maner what meanest thou o Emperour that thou tormentest Peter only for that thing in which if it be in him any fault we also are culpable if thou puttest him to the endurance of these torments because he professeth the faith of IESVS CHRIST the same faith we confesse also The same intention he hath we haue also therfore reason willeth that thou puttest vs vnto the same torments which thou hast made him to suffer when Dioclesian heard them say this he grewe into gret choller The loue he bore towards them before was not so greate and the desire to do them good as was nowe the indignation he cōceiued against them and the determination he had to handle them euill and in his fury and rage he said vnto them Since you seek the way like fooles as this man is to be tormented you shall haue your minds satisfied Then he commaunded they should be scourged without pitty which was performed forthwith so that their flesh was rent and torne in diuers places Then the tirant commaunded the officers to lay salt and power vineger into their wounds and lay them on the gridiron and vnder it a fire to be made but not a greate one to put them to the more torment Peter was nowe dead by this martirdome and bicause Gorgonius and Dorotheus semed yet to liue and the tirant was wearied to see their torment vpon the gridiron he made them to be taken from it and with a rope tied aboute their necks to be hanged by
countrey to conquer it why dost thou giue such forces to our aduersaries This shal be an occasion that others shall take courage and it shal be a hard thing to subiect them God answered Iosua that this happened through the fault of the people them selues hauing broken his precept in reseruing some things in the destruction of the city Therefore seeke out the culpable and offender and let him be chastised and my iust indignation shall cease Assone as Iosua had by enquiry found him out he caused him to be punished and the people did after that preuaile against their enemies By this you may see that when Catholiques are ouercome and vanquished it happeneth bicause God is offended with them for their sinnes we ought there fore haue this regard euer when warre is made against infidells if we intend and desire to haue victory that wee be in good estate and accord with God by confessing our sinnes doing penance and receiuing the B. Sacrament of the Aultar and without doubt then a fewe Christians wil be able to resist many Infidels As it befell to Pope Leo. 4. in the yeare of our Lord. 854. who being certified that there was disembarqued or landed at Ostia a great nomber of Infidels and that no captein durst affront them The glorious Pope assembled people and said he himselfe would be generall of the Army And that he might set on and encounter with his enemies more securely he enioyned all the souldiers to confesse their sinnes and to receiue the B. sacrament he also comaunded eache one in the one hand to cary their weapons for the warre and in the other hand the Rosary to say their praiers in the way Arriuing after this manner in the sight of the enemy notwithstanding the huge number of the Infidels and the small host of the Christians he discomfited them and droue them out of Italy to the great honoure of the valiant Bishop and good and benefitt of all Christendome All this may be fitly applied vnto that which befell in the time of themperour Heraclius for that the sinnes of the Cristians were many and heinous Phocas ruling the Gretian empire who was a vitious man and so he died for Heraclius depriued him of thempire of his life also God permitted a tirant called Cosdroes king of Persia as a greuous scourge to rise against them He being not content to haue taken by force of armes the holly city of Ierusalem and to haue sacked it caried away the holy crosse on the which IESVS CHRIST died which had bin there from the time of Helena the mother of Constantine who found it into Persia and put it in the temple of one of his Idols and againe he inuaded the lands of the Christians with a new army were he vsed horrible cruelties With fury he passed into Egipt wonne the city of Alexandria in which place he stayed certein daies for that he vnder stood Heraclianus father to themperour Heraclius came against him with a huge host but by the secrete iudgment of God Heraclianus died of sicknes and his army was vtterly defeated The proud Cosdroes proceeded and in fewe daies made him self lord of all the dominons themperour had in Africa he sacchegged Thunis and hauing vsed horrible massacres of Christians he returned into his kingdome of Persia The Emperour Heraclius all this wile remained in Constantinople spendnig the time in iollity and pleasures hauing taken to wife a beautifull lady called Martina who was his cosin but when he sawe things go a way to his greate reproch and discredit and fearing greater losse might ensue in th' empire first he tried to obteine a peace by lowly and humble embassages and vpon conditions no lesse reprochfull then disauantageous for his estate but the arrogant infidell proud of his victories would giue no eare to his peticions but sent a messenger to say that he would make no accord with him except he would deny the faith of IESVS CHRIST and become an Idolater as he him self was This proud answer and blasphemy did so exasperate the Christian Emperour that he became another man was altered from a negligent and careles person to a couragious and enkindled with a godly zeale And being desirous to take on him the defence of Gods honour he behaued himself as a valiant prince a Catholique and good Christian First he assembled his forces very diligently that he might come to try it with that proud pagan by dint of word and also amassed greate store of men engines and other prouisions for the warre and commaunded that in all the empire processions and praiers should be made to beseech God to take the defence of his church and to punish the proud blasphemy of the presumptuous tirant against his heauenly maiesty Heraclius departed from Constantinople toward this pious and holy interprise carying alwais in his right hand the Image of IESVS CHRIST our Lord and of his glorious mother as his Captein and the report was the the same Image was brought from heauen and passing from thence the sea with a goodly company he entred into Asia to affront the proud enemy who when he vnderstood that themperour with a mighty army came to seeke him was aduised to haue regard of his person so he retired to a strong and secure place and left his army guided by valorous generals to defend the countreis he had conquered and his owne also There happened in this warre which lasted litle lesse then sixe yeares many greate and notable feats of armes The summe of all was that they fought in three set battailes The first was in the passage of the mount Taurus and the ryuer Saron and in this Heraclius discomfited and put to flight Saluarus one of the chiefest capteines of Cosdroes The second pitcht field was in the next yeare with Satinus who was another valiant captaine the encounter was very terrible for the Persians fought stoutly to recouer the honour they had lost in the former battaile so that Heraclius was in great daunger The Christians were resolued to leaue the field and to fly when it pleased God to heare the praier of his champion Heraclius for vnlooked for there fell from heauen a greate shower of raine with a storme which driuen with a strong wind carried the raine into the face of the pagans and depriued them of their sight in such sort that they not being able to fight began to fly which the Imperials seeing tooke hart beholding God apparantly to fight on their side and thus they obteined the second victory which was more greate then the first Lastly in the yere following Heraclius returned into the field to encounter with Razatanes the most valiant captain Cosdroes had and therin themperour behaued himselfe so valiantly that he vtterly defeated and daunted the pride of the arrogant and cruell king Cosdroes who was enforced by these ouerthrows to retire himself vnto the most strong and secure places of his kingdome of Persia This his
conception The holie Virgin as S. Augustine affirmeth had not that delight in the conception of the redeemer of the world and therefore she had not sorrow and paines Moreouer it was not fitting that shee should suffer paine that brought forth the ioy and comfort both of heauen and earth The sacred Virgin was aduised of that houre by new ioy which she felt in her soule euen as her virginitie and puritie deserued and it being now midnight all creatures after their trauaile were at their rest and vsuall repose The Moone shewed clearlie the Sunne enuying her himselfe being absent and she attended on that misterie with her bright beames The starres that straved in the midest of heauen desired to stay to see that great and new maruaile Those starres that were passed desired to turne back againe and those that were behind desired to hasten their iourney to be present at this happie and fortunate houre All things created yea nature it selfe stood astonied and amased beholding this strange manner of deliuerie The happie houre being come the blessed Virgin lifted vp her hands and eyes vnto heauen and said Behold O father eternall the time is come that thy only begotten Sonne is borne the pretious treasure is giuen vnto the world to pay the debt it oweth thee I offer vnto thee that art the giuer of all good things this fruit of life gathered out of the tree of my bowels I offer also vnto thee this pretious pledge which thou gauest me and which vntill this time I haue faithfully kept The blessed Virgin speaking these or the like words she felt in her soule an vnspeakable content and casting downe her eyes she saw the Sonne of God and her Sonne also newly borne Forthwith she kneeled downe before him and shedding teares for tendernes and ioy adored him and rendered thankes to him that he was made man and that he had elected her to be his mother yet kept her a most pure Virgin as she was before her deliuerie Then tooke she him in her armes and said vnto him Oh the most tender and deare Sonne of my bowels how can I now cherish thee With what shall I couer thee to keep thee from cold which is thy first torment Thou didst determine to be made man wherefore didst thou choose so poore a mother Were there not in the world many great Ladyes and Queenes that could better haue bene able to haue clothed thee in silke and gold as thou doest deserue being God as thou art I can giue thee but meane and course clothes But since it was thy pleasure to choose so poore a mother why wouldest thou be borne in so base abiect a place If thou haddst bene borne in Nazareth where thou wast conceiued I could yet something better haue attended and serued thee in my poore house but what can I do heere my dearest Sonne Thou my God hast deliuered me from the panges and throwes that other mothers endure in childbirth why wouldest thou permit me to feele now this torment I meane to see this heauenlie visage on which the Angels and all the Court of heauen desire to gaze as in a mirrour to looke sorrowfully with the cold Oh my Son how is the ioy that I haue to haue brought thee forth and to see my selfe thy mother mingled with griefe that I haue not where withall to attend and cherish thee as I would If not as thou deseruest yet at least as thou hast need I beseech thee therefore my deere Sonne that since it is thy will to choose me for thy mother that thou wilt supplie our wants so that to my will which to thee is best knowne and manifest there may be no want which my be for thy seruice We may imagine the blessed Virgin said such like words either outward and openlie or at least inwardly in her soule Then againe adored she the infant as her God and kissing his face as of her sonne and his feet as of the creator lapped him in those clothes which she had Although the Euangelist had not said as he did yet we might well beleeue that the holie Virgin was prouided according to her abillitie and was not negligent in that case especially she knowing the time of her deliuerie to be at hand Hauing then wrapped and swathed him she laid him vpon a little haye in a manger as the Euangelist saith in these words She brought forth her first begotten Sonne Luk. 2. v. 7. and wrapped him in clothes and laid him in a maâ—ger for there was no other place for him in the Iâ—ne And if when the Sonne of God was borne there was not present any humaine creature but the B. Virgin and her beloued Ioseph yea some are of opinion that he was gone to prouide victuals for himselfe and the B. Virgin there wanted not thousands of Angels who discended from heauen apparailed in the liuerie of their king that is in the shape of men and began to make triumph with musicke singing with sweet delectable and true Angellicall voyces Very fit it was that those blessed spirits should accomodate and applie themselues vnto the vsage of the world wherein at the rising of the morning Sunne the little birds sing sweetlie as it were saluting it and reioysing for the comming of the same So also when the Sunne of Iustice was borne in the world it was fit that the birds of heauen which be the Angels should shew their ioy by their sweet singing Some Authors say that the song of the Angels was begun by the blessed Virgin and that thereof began the vsage that at Masse the priest that celebrateth beginneth the Gloria in excelsis and the Quier followeth So the glorious Virgin hauing laid her Sonne in the Manger and againe adored him began to say with a loud voyce Glorie be to God in the hyest v. 14. The Angels forthwith answered And in earth peace vnto men of good will with the rest which followeth And that which was song in that stall the Angels song likewise throughout the places where they carried tydings of the birth of IESVS CHRIST The Euangelist S. Luke saith ver 8. At that time there were sheapheards watching keeping their flocks vnto whom according to the opinion of diuers Authors the Angell Gabriell appeared accompanied with many other Angels and vnto them hee told the newes of the birth of the Sauiour of the world S. Iohn Chrisostome saith he went not vnto Ierusalem to tell the Scribes and Pharisies Hom. de nat dom â—om 2. much lesse vnto king Herod because they were proud and drowned in vices deserued not that God should do them that fauour but he went vnto the sheapheards which were meane and humble And allthough at the first they were afraid yet the Angell secured them and told them the Messias was born And to the end that they desiring to go and adore him might find him he gaue vnto them sure tokens saying you shall find the infant wrapped
his blessed bodie was found I refer you vnto the feast of his Inuention which the holie Church keepeth on the third of August in which place you may read some more of them At this time we will speake only this That seing this saint made prayer for them that stoned him we which desire to honour him in celebrating his feast may hope that he will be a good meanes to obtaine mercy for vs of the heauenlie Maiestie and that by his especiall fauour we may haue the guift of perseuerance in his seruice vnto our death that afterward we may be worthy to see him in his glorie Amen Eusebius saith the death of S. Stephen was in the yeare of CHRIST 34. in the raigne of Tiberius Caesar Durandus in his rationall saith that the death of S. Stephen was on the third of August when his Inuention is celebrated which as he saith in the same booke was on the 26. of December being the day whereon his principall feast is kept The Chruch changeth it as the same Guilielmus saith to haue the Martyrdome more festiual adioining that rather then the Inuention vnto the birth of Christ The life of S. Iohn the Euangelist THE holy and valiant man Mardocheus the faithfull Chronicler of the King Assuerus and Esther recounteth that he being aduised and attent and hauing continuall regard to the health and welfare of his King and Lord heard one day that some seruants of the King had made a conspiracy to kill him and resolued to put it speedily to effect Mardocheus noted the words and taking knowledge of the men made a memoriall wherein he wrote all their conspiracy and wrought so that it came to the Kings hands who caused the affendors to be imprisoned and after they had confessed their offence to be punished according to their deserts There was no reward giuen to Mardocheus for discouering this treason but there was made only a noâ—e in the Annales of the Kings of Persia Some dayes after it happened that the King commaunded that booke to be read vnto him that he might reward the seruices done vnto him whereof in that booke the memory was conserued and when he came to that place where mention was made of Mardocay the King perceuing that he had bene the cause of a great and manâ—â—est deliuery from a danger of his life studied what reward to bestowe on him At last he determined that Mardocay should be arrâ—ied gorgeously and led thâ—rough the Citty vpon a goodly Horse and that before him should go trumpets sounding and declare that iâ— was the Kings will and pleasure that Mordecay should be hounoured and euery man was charged to do him honour This history agreeth and fitteth well S. Iohn Euangelist figured in Mordâ—cay For as he was Croniâ—lâ—r to the King of Persia so S. Iohn was a faithfull Cronicler of IESVS CHRIST The one was holy the other most holy Mardocay discouered the conspiracy made against the King whereby he auoided a greiuous hurt S. Iohn hauing notice also of another conspiracy that the Ebyoniâ—es heretâ—kes plotted against IESVS CHRIST denying that he was God wrote his Ghospell against them whereby their iniquity was disclosed the damage preuented and they confounded This writing was written in the memoriall of God and then came the day wherein the memorials are read and seing what S. Iohn had done for IESVS CHRISTS sake not only for this seruice but for diuers others worthy of rewarde it pleased his Lord to honour him euen as it happened to Mardocay To this end was giuen vnto him a gorgeous and rich vesture the like whereof is hardly to be found for the tittles that do agree vnto this holy saint do not ordinarily concurre in any other at one time He was set vpon a horse which was the speciall fauour bestowed on him by God The horse was that which Dauid meaneth in a Psalme saying O Lord thou shalt saue both men beasts In some sence you may vnderstand by beasts the bodies as by the names of men we may vnderstand the soules as if he had said that at the day of iudgement the holy saints shall goe to heauen both in body and soule Vpon this Horse viz. his owne body it pleased God that S. Iohn Euangelist not staying for the day of iudgement should rise againe assoone as he dyed and go vp into heauen as many great authors hold who yeeld many strong arguments to proue that S. Iohn Euangelist is in heauen both in body and souâ—e whereunto be entred like another Mordecay triumphantly with trumpeâ—ters before him who proclaime all his heroicall acts and declaring that God will so honour him and that he would haue him honored of all The life of this holy Apostle and Euangelist ensuyng is collected parâ—ly out of the Gospell and in part out of diuers good and graue Authors SAINT Iohn the Euangelist was the sonne of Zebedee brother of S. laâ—es the greater who was beheaded by Herode S. Iohn after Onuphrius was borne in the third yeare of CHRIST Lib. 1 â—a 28 He was of a noble house as Nicâ—phorus and S. Ierome say And they be of that opinion for that S. Iohn was familier in the house of the high priest as appeareth in the night that CHRIST was taken for S. Peter was suffered to come in by meanes of S. Iohn as one whom they respected Though he was a gentleman yet for to auoid idlenes the nurse of many vices he vsed the trade of fishing ioyntly with his father and brothers and the rather because their house was nere the sea of Galily This sheweth they were not so poore as some make them in that they had a barke of their owne wherewith they fished They being then one time busy at their fishing CHRIST called them and bad them follow him and be his disciples They knowing him to be their kinsman and reputing it happy that he would accept them into his schoole forsooke their father the barks and the nets and went to IESVS CHRIST S. Iohn was now abouâ— 28 yeares old and a virgin as he was all his life of a good nature beautifull in countenance very amiable and wise Whervpon the sonne of God tooke vnto him an especiall affection and made him his fauorite among all the Apostles This same Euangelist esteemed this prerogatiue so highly that when he recounteth any thing in the Ghospell where he is to name himselfe in steed thereof he vseth this phrase The disciple whom Iesus loued IESVS CHRIST shewed often to him particuler kindnes of the which one was that when he was to be transfigured vpon mount Thabor in the presence of three Apostles one of them was S. Iohn he was one of them that was present when our Sauiour raised the daughter of the prince of the Synagogue in the presence of two other Apostles he being the third S. Iohn gaue notice to his mother of the great affection CHRIST bore to him who guided by motherly affection or
at a Church there came in a man posessed with the diuell and made such a noise that the deuine office could not be heard The holy man praied for him and not only obteined that the deuill in him did hold peace but also did depart out of him left him free Through all Greece the fame of S. Giles was spred wherupon he fearing to be honoured and reputed for a holy man tooke sea intending to go into some country where he should not be knowen The bark was not far from the shore but a huge tempest arose so that euery one made accoūt to perish in the sea S. Giles praied and the storme ceased by which all the mariners and passengers wel perceiued that the storme ceased by his praiers and they yelded vnto him many thankes for the same After a fewe daies the barck arriued at a hauen in France where S. Giles took land and went to the city of Arlez where a holy man called Cesarius was Bishop The holy Saint staied in his company two yeares to the great content of them both for that all their conference and conuersation was of heauenly matters In that place S. Giles by his praiers healed a man which had bene sick of a feuer three yeares And because that deed and the comendations of Cesarius caused him to be had in great reuerence and that euery one called him the holy man he resolued to depart and to fly from the reputation and honor of the world though the conuersation and company of Cesarius pleased him much So he passed ouer the riuer of Rhosne which is wel knowen in that realme he founde on the bank therof a holly hermit called Veredemius liuing a solitary life with whom he staied and continued certaine daies And wheras the countrey naturally was barren it became fertile and fruitfull by the praiers of S. Giles It happened that on a time a sick man was carried vnto the cell of Veredemius to be healed by him but it falling out that he was not at home at that time S. Giles praied for him and healed him There was neuer man that auoided to be contemned and despised as S. Giles laboured to shunne and to repell the estimation honor of the world and therfore he departed from that place went vnto an other which was more solitary and fuller of woode toward the mouth of the Riuer In that place he found a cane among certein thornes and other wild plantes nere vnto which sprang a cleare and pure fountaine In it he also sawe a hind which made signes to be content that he should lodge with her so the holy man resolued to make his abode in that place His food was the rootes of herbes and running water and sometimes the hind permitted him to milk her and in that sort he spent part of his life passing the time in praier and meditation It befell afterward that the king who then reigned in France being a Christian went one day on hunting and his houndes found the hind of S. Giles and pursued her hard to kill her Shee with a swift course ranne back vnto the caue where the holy man remained and lay at his feet as it were to demaund succor and help at his handes in that danger when the hind came into the caue S. Giles was at his praiers on his knees though he sawe his hostesse that gaue him lodging in manifest daunger he did not therfore arise from his exercise but he besought God to defend and deliuer her The praier of the holy Confessor was hearde for by the power of God the dogges could not enter into the caue but stood a good way of and barked At this noise the king the other hunters came in but they being not able to enter the caue one that caried a crosbowe put a quarell therin which he shot of toward the caue determinating to make triall what was within and the quarell or arrowe be what it was lighted vpon the holy Saint and wounded him who patiently tollerated the wound which was made The hunters passed through the thornes and braunches determining to see what was in the caue and at the last they came to the place where S. Giles was It seemed vnto euery one of them a strange spectacle to see him at the mouth of the caue on his knees with a graue and venerable aspect and nothing troubled looking with his face and eyes and likewise his handes lifted toward heauen The wound had made him all bloudie and the hind lay close by his side These thinges put the King and all his people in great dread wherfore he went vnto him and reputing him a holy man made obeysaunce and craued pardon of him because his bowe-bearer had wounded him gaue order that prouision should be made for his cure though the holy Saint made therunto deniall wishing that the wound and the sore might continew all his life that it might be an occasion wherby he might haue more merite The king offered vnto him great sommes of mony to the end he should pray vnto God for him but the holy Saint would not accept any guiftes but perswaded him to lay out that which he desired to bestow on him in building of a monastery in which religious men might dwell that should pray vnto God for him and for his kingdome The king was well pleased therewith caused a monastery to be builded of the which the holy man was compelled by the importunity of the king to take on him the gouernment with the title of Abbot S. Giles liued in this monastery certain yeares and all that time he spent in praiers and fastinges endeuouring that euery one should fly from sinne and attend to the seruice of God This may euidently appere by the same king who was obstinate in a certaine sinne he had committed and therof had small remorse and greefe and lesse wil to confesse it yet so much the praier of S. Giles preuailed that the king confessed it with great sorrowe of mind and repentance for his trespasse and all other offences committed in his life It is said that the holy Saint went vnto Rome and at his returne brought many indulgences and pardons graunted vnto him by the Popes for his monasteries aswell for them that dwelt therin and wore his habite as also for them that visited it S. Giles hauing gouerned his monastery no lesse religiously then holylie certain yeares the time of his death approched which was agreable vnto his good and vertuous life leauing behind him a holy enuy vnto all them that were present at that time for it was apparant and euident that he went to possesse the kingdome of heauen where was for him prepared a most honourable place His glorious death was on the first day of September and theron the Church celebrateth his feast In the history of the life of this holy Saint it is written that S. Giles liued sometime with Cesarius Bishop of Arlez
as I haue said before who after Trithemius liued in the yeare of our Lord. 660. and adding the time this holy Saint liued after his death he died in the yeare of our Lord. 700. or there aboutes The Spanish originall saith 720. vpon a Sunday The tvvelue brethren Martyrs ON THE same day that the Church celebrateth the feast of S. Giles it also maketh a commemoration of the twelue brethren martirs The martirdome of these twelue holy men was written in heroicall verse by Alfan monke of Monte Cassin◠who liued in the yeare of our Lord. 1108. That which we can extract out of this Author and out of other martyrologes concerning the life of these holy Saints is That they were martirized in Beneuento in the time of Valerian Emperour of Rome in the yeare of our Lord. 258. The names of the holy martires were thes Donatus Faelix Acontius Honoratus Fortunatus Sabinianus Soptimius Ianuarius Faelix Secundus Vitalis Satyrus and REPOSITVS They were in bloud noble and all of them had bene well instructed in humanity diuinity They all preached the Ghospell of IESVS CHRIST and many were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST by their doctrine They were all layed in most dark prisons Then were they taken foorth and brought into the high street where they thrust their handes hard into certain pieces of wood and afterward made fier vnderneth them Then in the presence of the same Valerian they bound them vnto certain cordes and ropes which ranne in polleis and so hoised them alofe into the aire then they let them falle on a soodaine and gaue them the most cruell strappado This sufficed not but they also scourged them and then tore and rent their flesh with hookes of Iron to the execessiue paine torment of the holy martires the officers herin displaying their cruell mindes Then they put them to the fier again and set the kindled torches to their bare sides but the holy Saints endured and abode all very constantly which the tyrant seing and awearied in putting them vnto so many torments did lastly cause all of them to be beheaded and by this martirdome their mortall liues ended and their soules went to the ioyes of heauen * ⎠* The Natiuitie of our B. Ladie THE sacred scripture in the booke of Exodus recounteth that Moyses Cap 2. being borne his father and mother knewe not howe to deliuer him from death for that king Pharao had made a decree that all the male children that were borne of the Hebrewes should be put to death The resolution of his parents was this They made a baskett of Rushes and dawbed it ouer with claye wherein they put Moyses and laying him thus in the Ryuer Nylus they let him go to take his aduenture By this inuention he escaped death for the daughter of Pharao seing him caused him to be taken out and to he brought vp as if he had bene her owne sonne After this he came to be the captaine of the Hebrewes Moyses was a figure of IESVS CHRIST who for that he was to be cast into the water of this world which is full of stormes there was made a litle basket wherein he was put which signifieth the blessed virgin his mother who is a basket annoynted ouer on the outside The holie virgin is like vnto the rushes for she had no bark of Actuall sinne nor no knott of Originall sinne She remained neere vnto the torrent of waters for that she enioyed those goodes that spring from that liuelye fountaine of God in great aboundancy for that she is neere conioyned vnto his maiestie This litle basket hath the claie without which was the grace wherwith God preserued and defended her that her soule could receaue no damage neither after she was borne into the world nor in the wombe of her mother Anna. God was put in this basket being made man in her sacred and holie wombe and for that respect that she was to be his mother God bestowed graces and fauours vpon her aboundantly And that we may see for what reason the church celebrateth the feast of the natiuity of this glorious virgin before that we recount the history therof it shal be well done for vs to consider the dignity for the which shee was borne the worthy and eminent estate shee ought to haue and her great familiarity with God I SAY then that though this virgin had diuers names and titles all maiesticall and stately yet are none to be equalized to the name of the Mother of God for this cause alweis when the euangelists name her in the discourse of the ghospell they call her the mother of God Math. 1. The Euangelist S. Matthew fetching the pettigree of her most noble linage from Abraham when he cometh to name her and her spouse Ioseph forthwith he addeth of whom Iesus that is called Christ was borne When he writeth of the commyng of the three kings or sages to adore Iesus Christ Math. 2. he saith they found him with Mary his mother S. Luke also writing howe the B. Virgin went to visitte S. Elizabeth her cosin Luc. 1. saith the good old woman resaluted her with thes words Howe haue I deserued this that the mother of my Lord cometh to visite me The same S. Luke saith that when Iesus was 12. Luc. 2. yeres old and staied behind her at Ierusalem and was found after three daies his mother said vnto him Sonne why hast thou done this vnto me Ion. 3. S. Iohn speaking of the wedding in Cana of Galilee where Iesus Christ and the glorious virgin were present he repeateth twise the name of the mother of Iesus The same Euangelist writing also of the mystery of the passion saith Ioan. 19. that Iesus Christ being on the Crosse there was his mother present in such sort that in this and the other places of the ghospel the Euangelist always giue vnto her this most noble name of the mother of God The same Christ our Lord as often as he nameth himself is called the sonne of man which words meane after the opinion of many holy doctors the sonne of the virgin The holy church hath alwaies had such care of that name that in the Ephesine councell which was one and the third of the same generall counceles which was celebrated in the time of Pope Celestinus and of thempeior Theodosius where Cyril the great was present and. 200. Bishops were assembled the principall thing that was determined therin and for which thy were assembled was that it should be helden for a Catholike verity and an article of faith that the glorious virgin Mary was Cyrill in tract pecul Dam. l. 4. c. 15. de side orthod Aug. in c. 2. Ioan. D. Tho 3. p. q. 31. ar 4. and is the very true mother of God as truly and verytably as other mothers are to their true and naturall children The same was confirmed in the time of Pope Leo the first Martian themperor
which meanes the two holy martirs rendered vp their soules vnto their Creator Their bodies being taken away were buried by some Christians But Dioclesian vnderstanding that the Christians came secretly to make their praiers at the place where the holy martirs were buried caused their bodies to be taken out of their graues and to be thrown into the sea At such time as Dioclesian commaunded it he said Let them be cast into a place where they may be no more seen least they be accounted for gods by the Christians who are so ignorant that they do think it better to adore them that haue been our seruants then those whom we adore for our gods God Almighty did not permit those blessed Relikes to ly hidden but rather his pleasure was to cause the sea to do them honour and to bring them vnto the shore When the Christians sawe them they tooke them vp with reuerence and buried them in a place vnknowen vnto the pagans Afterward in processe of time the body of S. Gorgonius was caried vnto Rome and was buried in the way called Lauicana betwen the two bay trees The Spanish book saith Via Latina After this Pope Gregory 4. caused it to be translated into the church of S. Peter The church celebrateth their feast on the day of their Martirdome which was on the 9. day of September in the yeare of out Lord 280. in the time of the afore named Emperour Dioclesian The life of S. Nicholas of Tolentine THE Apostle S. Iames in his canonicall epistle Iac. 5. admonisheth vs to pray vnto God one for an other because the cōtinuall praier of a iust man is of greate force But if it be so as it is indeed and that the praiers of the iust men that be here vpon the earth do help much notwithstanding that they be subiect yea rather falling as IESVS CHRIST saith seuen times a day Prou. 24. though they be slight faults howe much more may we beleeue the praiers of them who do alredy enioy the vision of God and the diuine Essence and be confirmed in grace and be certein and assured neuer to loose it nor neuer to sinne do help and do vs good The holy saints gaue vp their lifes for Gods sake some in effect as the martires and others by the way of goodwill as the Confessors and to be brief they all offered it vp readily in the seruice of God endeuoring all they might not to offend him by any meanes Such like as these without doubt be hard of God when they ask any fauour of him But omitting the examples and testimonies of the holy scriptures which make this thing an Article of faith we haue most euident examples in many holy saints vnto whom God graunted many fauors and graces which they requested of him not only in their life time in this world but also after their passing into heauen to possesse the euerlasting glorie One of these was S. Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor by whose praiers God graunted vnto a man and his wife a sonne who was also called Nicholas and was a holy man by whose merits God graunted many fauors and graces vnto them that deuoutly recommend themselfs vnto him His life was written by S. Antoninus Archibishop of Florence and by a relligious man of his order in this maner SAINT Nicholas was borne in the Marcha d' Ancona in a village called S. Angelo in the territorie of Fermo His father was called Compagnone and his mother Amata These two were borne of noble bloud rich they were and good Christians but they liued in some discontent for that hauing bene married together a good space they had yet no children They had a particuler deuotion vnto S. Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor and him they besought continually that he would of God obteine that fauor for them that they might haue a fruit of benediction With this entent they went to visite his church in the city of Bari in Puglia In that place the holy saint appeared vnto them and did assure them that they should haue a sonne whom thy should name Nicholas after him and also that he should be a blessed seruant of God Euery thing fell out iust as the Saint said for the being returned home Amata conceiued and at her due time brought forth a sonne whom they called Nicholas and as he tooke his name of S. Nicholas Bishop and Confessor by whose intercession he was obteined euen so he was like vnto him in many things From a child he was inclined to serue God he frequented the Church he hard masse and praied with greate deuotion moreouer he fasted gaue almes and followed his study so that as he encreased in age euen so he did in vertue learning and science and to be short he determined to be a man of the Church He was already made a chanon of the church of S. Sauiour in the place where he dwelt and it happened that a worthy and renowned father of the order of S. Augustine came thither to preach One day among others Nicholas was at the sermon in the which the preacher expounded these wordes of S. Iohn 2. Iohn Do not you loue the world nor the things that be therin The preacher spoke such good matter vpon that text that Nicholas resolued to abandon the world and to take the habite of S. Augustine in that same cōuent where the said preacher dwelt with whom he had bene acquainted before that time When he entended to execute in deed the resolution he had made before time he asked leaue of his father and mother who though they were aggriued to want the sight of their sonne yet did they giue him licence Nicholas went vnto the conuent of Tolentinum to craue the habite of S. Augustine which was giuen him readily for they had before then notice of his good life Hauing receiued the habite he proceeded from vertue to vertue labouring to atteine vnto perfection So that being a relligious man he was a mirrour for other relligious men and being a priest he was a looking glasse for other priests and when he was a preacher a spectacle for other preachers to behold their duety and function In this holy saint among other vertues his abstinence shined most clearly for in 30. years space that he continewed in the conuent of Tolentinum he did neuer eat flesh eggs fish milk nor any thing made with milk He fell one time into a greuous infirmity which brought him vnto deaths dore wherupon the phisitions told him that if he would recouer his health he must eat flesh wherunto he answered that in so doing he should by desiring to auoid one danger fall into another and that in flieng the infirmity of the body he should incurre the malady of his soule by giuing liberty vnto his sensuallity and appetite The prior of the conuent seeing the phisitions to affirme that it was necessary for the blessed man Nicholas to eate flesh commaunded him in the vertue of
denied it with a valiant courage for which cause he put her into a more lothsome prison and after a fewe daies brought her to a publike hearing and then seeing her to be constant and resolute he commaunded her to be tortured The torments were such that they would haue bereaued the stoutest and lustiest man of his life and much more such a tender damosell as Euphemia was At the first they did beat her with wands of Iron then they put her on the torture called Eculeus which disiointed all her tender limmes Then an engin was made with a wheele full of kniues which being turned round about came to strike alwais in that same place where the holy saint was to be tied The wheele was in order and Euphemia was tied but bicause the torment was so dreadfull the holy saint made her oraisons vnto God and behold there descended from heauen an Angell who broke it to shiuers The maker of that engine died in that place with many other persons wherupon the kinsfolke and frends of the slaine men kindled a great fire to haue burned the holy virgin therin as though shee had bene the cause of their deaths but by the grace fauour of God she was freed from those fiery flames with out receauing any harme at all Lastly the proconsull commaunded shee should be giuen as a pray vnto the cruelty of sauage beasts She being already wearied of enduring so great torments besought God that this might be the last and so it was for there were let out vpon her two fierce Lyons which killed her but they did not eate her flesh at all and in this maner was finished the glorious conflict of S. Euphemia Of SS Lucy and Geminian Martirs SAINCT Lucy was a Romain matrone who had bin maried and her husband deceasing of infirmity shee continued widow from the age of 36 years vntill the age of 85. years Shee was a Christian and spent her time in pious vertuous actioÌ„s had a sonne called Eutropius who was fully as wicked as his mother was good And bicause his mother reproued him for his misdeeds shee grewe odious vnto him and he vsed a most enormous villany that so he might liue as he listed and liked and this it was At that time the persecution which Dioclesian and Maximian vsed against the Christians was terrible and executed with all rigoure the accursed sonne went to one of them accused his mother Lucy to be a Christian Themperour forth with commanded her to be apprehended so shee was And when Lucy continewed firme and constant in her faith he coÌ„maunded shee should be put into a great Cauldron full of pitch and molted lead but the holy saint was taken out this torment not doing her any harme Then the tirant commaunded that shee should be put to open shame and reproch causing her to be led gyued and fettered thorough the city which was not only a reproch vnto the holy saint but also a greeuous paine with the gret weight she carried and it was augmented in that she was so aged and moreouer the officers forced her to make hast to giue vnto her the more annoy S. Lucy being in this maÌ„ner euill entreated came nere vnto the house of a noble citisen called Geminian who kept certein Idolls in a priuate roome all which did fall vnto the ground when S. Lucy passed by This was the cause that Geminian with others that imitated him were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST Geminian ranne vnto the place where S. Lucy was and kneeling on his knees before her said that he desired to be a Christian and requested her to pray vnto God for him that since God had giuen him that good desire that he would also giue him ability to performe and to accomplishe it The officers hearing this laid hold on him and led him vnto Dioclesian who commaunded that both Lucy and he should be beheaded and so they were The martirdome of these three saints Eufemia Lucy and Geminian was on the same day that the Church maketh coÌ„memoration of them to wit on the. 16. day of September about the year of our Lord 290. Zon in vita Copronimi the aforenamed Dioclesian and Maximian being Emperours Metaphrastes Zonaras an Euagrius make mention of S. Eufemia The life of S. Ianuarius and others AMONG other the great miracles which are read in holy writ wrought by our Lord God in his seruants in mine opinion that in the 3. cap. 〈◊〉 â—he prophet Daniell is the most principall and the cheefest The proud king Nabuchodonosor desirous to be accounted a God on the earth caused to be made that huge and most prodigious statua representing his person He iointly sent forth a publick proclamation that all and euery one of his subiects none exempted should adore it on their knees at the sound of sondry Instruments the three yong Hebrue gentlemen called Ananias Azarias and Misael otherwise Sidrac Misac and Abdenago being requested so to doe denied it they remained faithfull vnto God to whom principally and only apperteineth diuine worship not respecting the great fauours they had receued of the king not regarding his large promisses and offers of great welth not caring for his threats nor esteeming the losse of their owne lifes The king who more rightly might be called a tirant in a rage and fury caused a great ouen to be beat seuen times more then it vsed to be and those blessed yong men clothed as they were to be cast into the same but they by the merite of their faith and relligion toward God were not touched nor hurt by the fyer in their garments or bodies but walking securely in the midst of the fornace as if it had bene a hall or faire street did sing praises and lauded God merily ioyfully And that which more increased the wonder there discended an Angell downe from heauen who cast the burning flame violently out of the ouen which burned and consumed the Chaldeans and officers of the king that were nere vnto the mouth of the fornace It pleased our Lord to do the like thing in commendation and for the merit of the true faith and holines of S. Ianuarius the Bishop He for that he refused to worship the Idolls and to wrong the maiesty of God regarded not the threats of torments nor was moued by the flattering promise of temporall goods was after many torments endured by the commaundement of a president vnder Dioclesian that cruell tirant and other his diuellish ministers cast into a burning fornace made as hote as it could be and yet the blessed man remained without any hurt at all and he together with the Angels song praises and rendered thanks vnto our Lord and the wicked officers were all consumed and brent miraculously with the flame of the fire which came out of the fornace The life and death of this holy Bishop and his fellowe martirs as it is gathered out of the catalogue of saints the Romain
breuiary and martirologe is as followeth SAINT Ianuarius and his coÌ„panions that is to say Festus Sosius and Proculus Deacons Desiderius the lector Acatius and Eutiches were martired nere vnto the city of Pozzuole vnder the persecution of Themperour Dioclesian Tymotheus gouerning that prouince for him This gouernor being sent by Themperour vnto Nola in Campania with commission to root out the Christians apprehended and improsoned Sosius Deacon of the church of Messina and Proculus deacon of the church of Pozzuolo and Acatius and Eutiches cittizens of Nola and laymen But he commaunded Ianuarius the B. of Beneuentum accused a fore that time to be a Christian to be layd hold on and brought before him And when he nether for much entreaty nor for sharp threats would be drawen to the sacrifice of the Idolls the gouernour apointed a fornace to be heated three daies together with continuall fire and that then Ianuarius who in the meane space was kept in prison vnder a sure gard should be cast therinto in the midst of the burning flames with out any release or fauour to be shewed He entred the same hauing with gret humility made his praiers vnto God where singing together with the Angels he went vp and downe without any hurt at all vnto his body The souldiers made relation of this miracle vnto the gouernour who bad them open the mouth of the ouen wider that it might be seen more apparantly if it was so as they said which when they did the flame broke and rushed out violently and consumed a huge number of the pagans that stood about it But Ianuarius came forth of the ouen so that there was no shewe or apperaunce that any thing was burned no not so much as the heare of his head or his garment he had on The gouernour attributed impiously this thing vnto sorcery and comitted him againe into fast prison but on the next day he called him to appeare before him and in a raging fury made the officers to scourge him which they did vntill the sinewes were separated from his body and then he returned him back to the prison in which time he deuised and inuented new punishments and torments for his further affliction Vpon this Festus the Deacon and Desiderius the Lector of the city of Beneuentum went vnto the gouernour and complained vnto him of the great torturs the holy prelat had endured but the tirant not disgesting their words and reprofes they were by his commaundement staied and laid in Irons in the same place where Ianuarius was This being done Timotheus the gouernour determining to go vnto the city of Pozzuolo commaunded all the aboue named martirs to be driuen before his chariot in fetters to the terrour and example of other and that they should be put into the Amphitheater of that citie where the Beares should be put out against them But the sauage beasts forgetting their naturall fiercenes laid aside all their cruelty and became mild tractable like lambs lying downe at the feet of the martirs The Gouernour not knowing what to do more vnto them at the sight herof gaue sentence that they should be beheaded The which sentence being read forthwith and the holy Saints being led to the execution therof the gouernour miraculously became blind of both his eyes Wherfore he instantly sent back for Ianuarius and besought him to make his praiers vnto his God for him that he might be deliuered from this miserable darknes which Ianuarius doing his fight was restored incontinently The pagans seeing this euident miracle 5000. of them were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST but the gouernour was no lesse vnthankfull for the benefit receaued then obstinate in his euill purpose but was more enraged for the conuersion of so many people and sent back Ianuarius and the others also to be put to death according to the sentence A certein old man requested Ianuarius to leaue some thing of his vnto them that should be a witnes or remembrance of his martirdome and of his death avowed that he would keep it as a Iewell vnto whom the Bishop promised to giue his napkin after his death To conclude the holy martirs were beheaded to wit Ianuarius Bishop Festus and Proculus Deacons Desiderius lector Acatius and Eutiches afterward Sosius who among the rest shewed himselfe most couragious and prompt to dy though kept in prison some fewe daies before he died S. Ianuarius did appeare vnto that same old man after his martirdome and according to the promise he made vnto him in his life he gaue vnto him his napkin or scarfe wetted in his bloud wherwith he had couered his face when he was beheaded The same scarâ—e or napkin the good old man shewed vnto the officers that came back from the execution And at the same houre the holy martirs were put to death the gouernour was haled by the deuill and by him long vexed and in that misery died The mother of S. Ianuarius being then in Beneuento where her dwelling was sawe in her sleep her sonne in the sky vp toward heauen and shee noting the hour the day of the vision so I call it rather then a dreame found that at the same time he had receiued the crowne of martirdome There also befell in this his martirdome another considerable accident which was when the martir of God Ianuarius was beheaded and that the napkin or scarfe was bound ouer his eys there fell vnto the earth together with his head one of the fingers of his hands also And whilest the Christians attended and waited oportunity to burie his bodie by night as also the bodies of the other martirs Ianuarius appeared vnto them willed them to search for his finger to bury it with his head that was cut of which they diligently and speedely did and buried all these blessed bodies nere vnto the citie with great honour religion and deuotion Then did euery one of the cities there about of a good pious desire elect and choose some one of these glorious martirs to their protectors and patrons The Neapolitans caried away the body of S. Ianuarius which had bin first at Pozzuolo and after at Beneuento and then came to the goodly monasterie of Monte Virgine and lastly in the time of Alexander 6. Pope it was translated vnto Naples and entombed very honorably in the Cathedrall Church In which place may be continuallie scene very great miracles And this also shal be worthy of eternall memorie that when there came from the hill Vesuuius nowe called Mount de Somma balles of fire and ashes in such aboundance that not only the inhabitants dwelling nere thereunto but also they which dwelt further of were in great dread and feare that all the country there about would be consumed and destroyed by the fire the same was wholly and vtterlie extinct quenched by the merits and patronage of this blessed Saint Wherfore the Grecians haue put him in their Kallender and do likewise euerie yeare make an
in the Spanish that the bodies of the aforenamed holy saints were brought vnto their city in the yeare of our Lord. 1154. The spanish saith That Procopius in the first book saith that these holy saints healed the Emperour Instinian recomending himself vnto them of a greenous infirmity and that in gratification thereof he built a sumptuous temple vnto their name The Dedication of S. Michael the Archangell THE sacred scripture reciteth in the first booke of thing that the reputation and credit of king Saul was in great perill when that proud Philistean called Golias defied him and all his army It was not fit the king should accept the battaile and yet there was not any found in his court whose hart did serue him to encounter that proud giant who was reputed valiant and strong and aunswer the challeng King Saul studied and devised howe to be freed from this dishonour and daunger At last he made a proclamation that if any man ouercame the Phylistean he should be made a noble man and be exempt from all tribute and that he would giue him an honorable office in the court and also his daughter vnto wife These promises of the king were very great yet there was not a man in all the army that was so hardy as to behold the face of the giant only the lowly litle shepherd Dauid zelous of the kings honour and of the peoples also tooke on him the enterprise to combat with the Philistean which he did and shewed such valour that with a stone which he threw he hitte him on the forhead and felled him to the ground then he ranne speedily vnto him and out of his head and returned with the same euery one making triumph for his victory but especially the damsels declared his prowesse in a song After this king Saul obserued his promise he made him a noble man and a great officer in his court and gaue vnto him his daughter Michol vnto his wife This is a perfect portraict of the battell which was in heauen between the Angels of which it is good the memory be celebrated as often as their feast is solemnished for that which they did was a famous and rare work The Philistean Golias is a figure of Lucifer who was the highest Angell and seing himself endowed with grace and guifts aboue other Angel was puffed in pride and came into the field against God pretending to be like and equall to him in some things It was not fit God should come into the field against him for then the victory would haue bene of farre lesse estimation but S. Michaell figured by the lowely shepherd Dauid tooke on him this entreprise and entred boldy into the field against Lucifer in the defence of Gods honor and behaued himself so well that with one stone which was his profound humility saieng who is as God he cast the giant to the earth that is threw Lucyfer into hell Lucifer being ouercome with all his followers S. Michaell returned victoriously from the conflict euery one making ioy and triumph for it but especially the damsels who sang of his prowesse which happeneth euery time this feast of him and the Angels is celebrated for that many blessed soules singing the victory of S. Michaell do reioice at his honorable enterprise God also performed his promise vnto him he made him a noble man and gaue him an honorable office making him Chief Iustice in his kingdome for which cause he beareth the Ballaunce and the sword in his hand when he is painted and gaue vnto him an honorable companion which was his diuine grace confirming him in the same and all the other blessed spirits also EVERY time the Catholike Church celebrateth the feast of the Angels there is red in the office of the masse a ghospell which treateth howe controuersy arising amongst the Apostles which of them should be the greatest the sonne of God called a litle child and set him in the midst of them and said If you be not humbled as this child you shall not be great in the kingdome of heauen but more then that You shall neuer come thither The vse of the Catholike Church guided by the holy Ghost is to reade this Ghospell in such like solemnities because there is mention made of the Angels for in the end therof it is said That None should contemne the lowely and humble as children be bicause their Angels see alwaies in heauen the face of God Some Authors though not in the literall sence will drawe this history to the Angels saieng that assoone as God created them he gaue theÌ„ notice of the mistery of the Incarnation and set before their eies that B. child IESVS who should giue remedy vnto the world and then said vnto them uerily I tel you if you be not humble lowely as this child and imitate him therin if in this small space in which you be viatores or trauellors and haue time to merite or demerite yee do not imitate him and be likened to this child If you do not honor and adore him you shall not be confirmed in grace you shall not enter into my glory But Lucifer seeing him felf so faire beutifull and honoured iudged it would be an abacement and vility to imitate a man and much more to adore him And labouring to drawe the Angels vnto his opinion said vnto them it would be a great basenes and shame vnto them to be humbled to adore a man and with these speechs drew the third part vnto his opinion S. Michael together with all the other holy Angels obeied God and adored the litle child IESVS and tooke vpon him the defence of Gods honor against Lucifer and the Angels that followed him The fierce warre betweene them was not of materiall weapons but of different willes and S. Michael and his company were so potent that they cast Lucifer and all his followers out of heauen Assoone as Lucifer was cast out of heauen fallen into the world there was heard a great voice which said wo vnto the world because Lucifer is fallen into it and will giue occasion of offence but more wo vnto him by whom such scandals shall come it were better for such a one to haue a millstone tied vnto his necke and that he were throwen into the sea This befell vnto the deuill because there was tied vnto the neck of his will a greate stone which was their obstinacy with which they were drowned in the bottomles pitt Then said God take heed that none make small account of these humble Angels Spa as lactan l 2. c. 9. D. Berâ—â— ser 17. super mis est Alex. 3. p. q. 74. memb 8. Nacl deoper sex dier which remaine in heauen but honor and reuerence them for I tell you true they alwais see the face of the father eternall This is that which some doctors say and I had not rehersed it here if it had not a good ground that the sinne of Lucifer was for that he
would not adore IESVS CHRIST for he thought he lost much of his reputation if he that was an Angell had abased himself to adore IESVS CHRIST a man though he was God also It is the common opinion of the doctors founded vpon holy writte that the sinne of Lucifer was pride and disobedience S. Paul seemeth to say so writing to the Hebrewes where he saith Let all the Angels of God adore him S. Iohn Chrisostome saith that this was a precept giuen vnto the Angels Hereof riseth the great malice and enuy of Lucifer against IESVS CHRIST for that he was cast out of heauen for his sake Ad hebr cap. 1. and because the cursed wretch cannot reuenge himself against him there fore he laboureth to wreak his malice against men wherupon S. Basill saith D. Bas 1. tom hom in lai that Lucifer doth after the manner of a bull who seeing a man to cast a snare or cord about his hornes is chafed and enraged against him and whilest he is in his greatest fury they vse to set before him the shape of a man against which he vttereth all his rage though it put not the cord aboute him In like sort Lucifer doth who because he cannot be reuenged on IESVS CHRIST who tied him and was the cause he was throwne out of heauen and also of his torment he hath in hell striueth to reuenge himself on men who are made to the image and similitude of god On the contrary the Angels do loue men entirely bicause they see CHRIST who is both God and man for whose cause they enioy the heuenly glory and also because they behould the deuils to persecute and make cruell warre against them Hereof it commeth that God commaunding them to be the keepers and guardians of men and to be their guides they do not scorne it yea they esteeme it honorable and take great content therat Therfore in this warre which the deuill maketh against men assisted by two lusty fellowes his seruants the world and the flesh the Angells hold on our sides helping and ayding vs As it it happened to Iudas Machabeus 2. Mach. 11. who being ready to incounter with a great army of his enemies two Angels went by his side and aided him and caused him to obteine a famous victory These holy Angels deliuer vs from many daungers into which we fall oftentimes as it befell to Loth when the Angels pulled him almost by force out of Sodome Gen 19. that he should not be consumed with fier among the other people of Sodome These Angels hold vs back and with drawe vs if we go sometimes headlong into sinne as happened to the prophet Balaam who being on the way entending to curse the people of God Nū 22. an Angell met him on the high way with a naked sword in his hand and though the prophet did not see him yet the Asse on which he rode such was the pleasure of God sawe him and afterward the Angell told him what to do and spake vnto him These holy Angels comfort vs in our troubles as befell to IESVS CHRIST in that great agony Luc. 22. which he had in the gardē when he sweate bloud CHRIST had no Angell guardyan for that he needed none yet an Angell descended from heauen which comforted him reducing vnto his mind the great good proffit that would arise of his death These B. Angells keepe vs company in all our voyages and iourneis Tobia 3. as it befell to yong Tobyas who was accompanied by an Angell in a long iourney and receued by him many graces and fauours They do defend vs and stand on our side daunting our enemies as happened to the prophet Heliseus 4. Reg 6. when the Assirians besieged him in mont Carmelo when many Angels enuironed him round in his defence These Angels guide vs in the way we are to walk as befell to the Hebrewes when they departed out of Egipt Exod. 14. for an Angell went before them as a cloud and guided them in the day and in the night directed them in the forme of a piller of fire These B. 3. Reg. 19. spirites comfort vs and prouide vs sustentation as befell vnto the prophet Elias for an Angell brought him sustenance before he went a long iourney These Angells present our praiers our sobbes and teares before God as befell vnto the beutifull Sara Toby 3. the daughter of Raguel who was widowe seauen times the diuell killing her husbands an Angell presented her praiers and teares before the face of God and shee was deliuered from that affliction These Angells finally when the soules are seperated from the bodies if they go vnto purgatorie keep them companie and comfort them with their often visitations if they go vnto heauen they go before them making triumph and ioy For which cause it is fit and iust that men who receaue these great benefits by the Angells should make great estimation of them and also honour them and be prompt and ready to do them seruice Pope Boniface the 4. who sate in the chaire of S. Peter about the yeare of our Lord 614. cōsidering seeing that in Rome there were many Churches dedicated to diuers Saints caused a Church to be builded in the honor of S. Michaell the Archangell the which was builded in Rome in a place called Circus Maximus which building was fully ended and finished on the 29. day of September And in remembrance of the building of the Church the Pope willed the feast of S. Michaell the Archangell and of all the other Angells to be celebrated through all parts of Christendome It is our duety to reioice on this day especially with them shewing our selfes to be gladsome of that they enioy the eternall felicity in heauen of which God make vs partakers for his mercies sake Amen The life of S. Hierome WE READ of the great friend of God Moises guide and captaine to the children of Israell that when he took the same people from the hands of Pharao and conducted them out of the land of Egipt the Red sea stopped him but when he stroke it with his wand it deuided into two partes so that all the people passed through drie foot the water seruing them for a wall and a defence against the Egiptians their enemies that pursued them Moyses is not only a figure of IESVS CHRIST our Lord the guide and captaine of the Christians whome he deliuered from the hand of Pharao to witte the deuill opening the way by the sea of his death passion with the wand or wood of the Crosse but also representeth the holie Doctors though not so properlie who in some sort are guides and captaines vnto the Christians Amonghst other Doctors figured in Moyses one is glorious S. Hierome for that this Doctor like vnto another Moises is the guide and meanes whereby many that were slaues and subiect to vices haue freed themselues from their miserable bondage by the
and scourgeth vs thus seuerely what will he doe in the time of Iustice All these things S. Frauncis did learne by that sicknesse wherewith God did visit him Where fore being restored againe to health he arose from his bed with great feruoure and purpose to profit in the way of oure Lord. Forthwith an occasion was offered him for a poore man in euill state ragged cloathes asked him an almes as he was going out of doores S. Frauncis looking on him knew him well for he was a gentlemā fallen to decay such compassion came into his mind regarding him as if JESVS CHRIST were in the likenes of that poore man that turning aside he pulled his new garment of his back coped with the poore man his ragged clothes The night ensuing as Francis slept he thought he was in a faire roome where in lay many rich pearles and Iewells of inestimable price there he also did see our Lord IESVS CHRIST for whose sake he had giuen the garment to the poore man and he hard him say I keep these rich Iewells for my souldiers who take vp my Crosse on their shoulders and followe me S. Francis arose with an ardent desire to gett part of those riches and studied as he went howe he might obtaine them Then thought he perhapps it is the will of God I should be a souldier in the warre against the Infidells in the holy land wherin the Christians did were a Crosse on their armor to gaine the Indulgences giuen by the Pope to them that took the Crosse S. Frauncis therfore entended to haue taken that Crosse and to that end bought him horse and Armour but it was reuealed vnto him from Heauen that Gods holie will was he should be a souldier in an other manner This caused S. Francis to be very carefull to know what was the will of God Sometines he would go into secret places and there pray and shed so many tears that his eyes did verily seeme two fontaines those teares proceeded from the remembrance of his life past of the leud spending of his time He oftentimes said Ah wretched sinner that I am how heynous an offender am I Oh what an euill reckning can I yeld to God of the flower of my years howe blind was I to cōmit so many sinnes against my God who is so gracyous so mighty and who hath shewed me so many fauours and benefits I am now handled euen as I deserue at this present he is deaff to me and will not declare in what sort his pleasure is I serue him for that I haue bene deaff to him who gaue me so many good inspiration Thus he praied incessantly desiring God to disclose and declare his will vnto him and what he should do the better to serue him S. Francis doing thus one day he came into the Church of S. Damyan neere to the city of Assisiū and kneeling before the Roode instantly desired IESVS CHRIST to deliuer him from this anxiety and doubt and also to declare his will vnto him and with that he heard a voyce say vnto him Frauncis Repair my Church which is ready to fall He was somewhat afraid whē he heard the voice but was forth with comforted imagining that God did bid him repaire that Church wherin he praied Wherupon he diligently went to put it in effect and getting good store of merchaundise together and hauing sold them he brought the mony and gaue it vnto the priest of the Church but the priest would not take it for feare of S. Francis his father who as he knew right well would storme and chafe therat S. Francis seing the priest refuse the mony put it all in a purse and threwe it to him and told him what he should do therewith The father fo S. Francis hearing that his sonne sold his wares for ready money vnder theire value and the true worth and imagining what the matter was went to seek him with a heauy hart hearing he was gone to the Church of S. Damian thither he went to follow and find him S. Francis sawe him comming a farre of and to auoid his fury hid himself in a vault His father in a rage came to the Church and not finding his sonne there began to quarell with the priest who being afrighted with his threats said to him your sonne was heere and would haue giuen me this mony and I would not take it wherupon he threw it on the ground went away saying that I should repair ther with this Church that needed repaire His father tooke the mony and said the mony is myne and his choler now being some what alayed he returned home longing to find his sonne that he might giue him some reproach full punishment for that he vsed in this manner to spend his goods S. Paul saith 1. Tim 6. that Auarice is the roote of all euill and his father being couetous it is no merueill though in him were many euills and that he did so like vnto the deuill as he did in this It is the vse of the deuill not to persecute them that be his prisoners but them that escape out of his hands as Laban did who persecuted not Iacob as long as he remayned in his house Gen 3 but pursued him when he departed So doth the deuill also for when one flyeth from him he pursueth him with a 1000. tentations So did the father of S. Francis also for as long as he gaue himself to a lewd and wicked life he neuer examined nor reprooued him but when he was desirous and began to be vertuous and to be good he pursued him euen almost to death S. Francis lay close in the vault many daies continually and deuoutly and with teares praieng vnto God to let him knowe his will At last he came out of the vault and went into the city with a firme resolution patiently to suffer all that might happen Assoone as the people sawe him altred pale and leane and going dully as if he had bene out of his witts in ragged and torne clothes they cried after him in the street as if he had bene a foole His father being told of him came out of his house into the street like a lyon and led him away reuiling and misnaming him He kept him in a house very hardly and to disburden his furyous rage the more vpon him he lockt him vp in a roome and bound him to a post These things S. Francis abode and endured patiently After certin dayes his father had occasion to ryde out of towne vpon some busines wherupon his mother a good Christian and pitifull hauing compassion on her sonne and fearing her husband would do some futher outrage went to Francis weeping as shee satte by him shee desired him to shewe a will to serue God to for sake the world not to spend his fathers goods lewdly to his great and iust displeasure and not to behaue himself so as to be accounted a foole wherby he
Such being his life and deeds not only men and they which embraced his Rule imitated him but also women as S. Clara a maide of a worshipfull family in Assisium who went to the conuent of S. Francis accompanied with the people of her fathers house although shee had not said any thing to them of her intention and the glorious father S. Francis receaued her and gaue vnto her a Rule wherby to liue in a monastery And within few daies many other well disposed damosells came to her who all liued vnder the Rule that S. Francis gaue her which is called the order of S. Clara. So that this blessed father hauing also founded another order there were three Rules ordeined by him all which were confirmed by the popes The first was of the friers minors whose end is to exercise themselues in contemplations and in the actiue life by the exercise of preaching The second Rule was of Nonnes of the order of S. Clara who be of two sorts some haue reuenews and lands and liue in common Some other haue no reuenews and these are called of the first Rule and liue of almose The third is of the Penitents which are called of the third Rule and these also be of two sorts some haue reuenews and liue in colledges and in common and these be properly called relligious persons and the vowe they make is solemne be they men or women The women of this Rule do differ from the Nonnes of S. Clara in this that they were no veiles and be not bound but only to the obseruance of the three essentiall vowes vnder paine of mortall sinne as Pope Leo 10. declared The other of this third Rule liue in their owne house and haue reuenews and their vowe is not sollemne and these by consequence are not properly relligious persons but persons of honest behauiour and are called vsually in Italy Pizzoâ—cheri The seraphicall father S. Francis was not satissied with sending some of his relligious men into sondy countreis to preach the Gospell to coÌ„uert soules vnto God but he himself in person trauelled into diuers kingdomes and realmes as into a great part of France and then into Spaine and especially to the church of S. Iames in Galizia Then he imbarked and passed into Egipt and preached in Siria and in the countreis of the Souldan with whom the holy man talked and persuaded him to receaue the faith of CHRIST and ha gaue him leaue to preach vnto his moores but for that he gathered no fruit in that country he returned into Italy and went to Rome where Honorius 3. was pope after Innocent 3. in the year of our Lord 1216. There he found the glorious father S. Dominick who came too haue his Rule and order confirmed Whilest S. Dominick treated therof he had one night a reuelation in the which IESVS CHRIST displeased for the many sinnes of the world seemed to be redy to ruinate destroy it Then sawe he our blessed lady to kneele before him and intreate him to spare it And to moue him to mercy shee presented vnto him the same S. Dominick and S. Francis saieng to him by the meanes of those two his seruants there should be great reformation of life in the world At this our Lord was appeased In the said vision S. Dominick sawe S. Francis and when thy mett in Rome he knew him and embraced him very kindly and tenderly and conferred with him of the seruice of God and the profit of their religious orders and told him also of the vision he had seene This B. father being in Rome was presented to the pope Honorius 3. and talked with him of many things And the pope with the consent of the cardinalls confirmed his Rule and they all receaued sperituall ioy in hearing his diuine discourses For though his speech was lowely and familiar yet did it leaue such an impression in their minds that it made them euen melt and relent and though it made them lament their sinnes yet were they not therefore weary of his company but desired it the more His profound humility made euery one â—o wonder for though his life was so holy yet reputed he himself to be the vilest sinner in the world And if any said to him say not so for it is not true he would aunswer in this maner If God had shewed such fauors and mercies vnto any man as he hath to me how wicked and lewd so euer he had bin he would haue rendered greater thanks and haue kept his commaundements better then I haue done And if my sweet Lord should abandon and leaue me I should commit more euills then all the men in the world do good and therefore I am a greater and more vnthankfull sinner them they The holy saint bare a most reuerent respect to all priests and vsed to say that if he mett a priest and a saint of heauen he would giue the greater reuerence to the priest and that he would first kisse the hands of the priest and then he would do reuerence to the saint for wee are to giue most reuerence to him at whose hands we receiue the blessed body of our Lord. A great volume might be written of the particuler accidents that befell to him aswell with his relligious as with other seculer men he shewed in them his vertue and the great fauors and mercies God bestowed on his blessed soule and they be briefly written in the chronicle made of him for say or write neuer so much of him yet much more shall remaine to be said or writen I will speak only of the speciall mistery that God wrought in him when he imprinted his blessed wounds in his body a thing most certein For not only many relligious men who conuersed with him and among others S Clara who sawe them with her eies and touched them with her hands giue testimony of the truth therof but also Gregory 9. who canonised him affirmeth that he himself sawe them It fell out in this maÌ„ner The holy Patriarch being retired and with drawen into a solitarie place to fast his Lent of S. Michaell in the mouÌ„teines of Aluerne two yeares before his death one morning very earely about the feast of the Exaltation of the holy Crosse in SepteÌ„ber he sawe the likenese of a sixe winged seraphin burning with fire and casting beames glittering exceedingly which descended with great swiftnes and drewe nere to the place where S. Francis was betwene the said wings appeered the figure of a man crucified The vpper most wings he held aboue his head the two in the middle with which he flâ—we were spread abroade in the manner of a Crosse and the two other were gathered vp together couering all the body from the head to the foot The holy saint maruelling at the presence of this glorious vision felt in his hart an excessiue ioy mixt with liuely coÌ„passion caused by the signe of his deerely beloued CHRIST IESVS crucified He streight wayes fell into an
they came to the sea shore where they were for to loose their heads Placidus made his prayer in that place and lifted vp his eyes and sayd My lord IESVS CHRIST sonne of the liuing God which didst descend from heauen vnto earth for our saluation didst abyde death vpon the Crosse haue mercy on vs ô lord and by thy merits and intercession of Benedict thy seruant our maister wee beseech thee to giue vnto vs the vertue of constancy to the end that passing this cruell passage of death without any impediment or stay layd in our way by our enemy the deuill we may come to enioy the eternall felicitie of thy heauenly kingdome let thy holy Angell S. Michaell receaue oure soules in peace and present them before thy heauenly tribunall This we request and beseeche of thee who art our God blessed and gloryous for euer Placidus hauing said these words all the other auÌ„swered Amen And as they kneeled they were beheaded forthwith in Sicilia in the hauen of Messina and their bodies remayned foure dayes vnburyed The Barbaryans not content herewith destroyed the monastery so that they left not one stone vpon another and though the Church of S. Iohn Euangelist stood very neere it whether it was for deuotion for the moores do reuerence him highly or whether for Gods pleasure it was not touched nor defaced And for that the stormes and roughnes of the sea was now ceased Mamucha comaunded euery one to be embarked to goe vnto Reggio in Calabria As they were passing the Faro there rose such a tempest that they could not goe forward nor returne back and by the iust iudgment of God they were drowned and sunke all of them being 100. vessells and 16800. men The bodyes of the holy martyr Placidus and of his brethren were buryed in the Church of S. Iohn Baptist by Gordianus his familier freind who came with him froÌ„ Monte Cassino The same man buryed the other 33. martirs in the same place where they were beheaded And in the one place and the other God did for them many myracles many sicke men recoueryng from all diseases by theyr intercession S. Placidus at his death was 26. yeares old for when he was 7. years old the blessed father S. Benedict receaued him into his company he remayned in Sublacque 5. yeares and vpon Monte Cassino 9 years in building the monastery he spent foure and there he was Abbot one year All which make the somme of 26. years He was borne in the yeare of our lord 515. and he was martyred in the yeare 541. on the first day of October being saterday The life of S. Marke Pope and Confessor BY the death of that holy Pope Siluester was chosen to succeede in his place in the chaire of S. Peter Marke a cittizen of Rome sonne of one Priscus endued with rare and excelent vertues The churche of God enioyed in his dayes great peace outward tranquillitie being fauoured freed by Christian Princes from all forreine enemies Yet inwaâ—dly the Arian hereticks infested the same as spitefullie as they could They had wonne them selues fauoure and wrought an entraunce in to the Emperours house and familie and inueagling one of his verie sonnes drawen him into the snares of they re heresies which was after a cause of great persecution in the churche of God and manie afflictions layed vpon Catholiks The old Emperour continued sound and allwayes a good Catholique and accordinglie affected and fauourâ—d S. Marke asmuch as he had before honoured S. Syluestre Wherefore this holie Pope furthered and cherished with the Emperours countenance employed his care and best endeuoures in resisting these Arrian hereticks and setling and ordaining such good orders as for the gouernement of the Churche were adiudged necessarie Amonghst which one was to prescribe that on Sundayes and chiâ—fe festiuall dayes the Creed or beliefe should be said in the masse to the end that the hearers might the better learne it and be more strengthned in they re fayth by this publique profession made thereof He moreouer builded two churches one in the way to Ardea three miles from Rome the other in the cittie called by the name of him that built it both which churches Constantine endowed with great reuenues and possessions and adorned with vessells of gold and syluer He graunted the Bisshop of Ostia leaue to vse the Pallium by reason it was his auncient priuiledge to consecrate the Pope of Rome He gaue holie orders twice in the moneth of December wherein he ordered 8. Bisshops 25. Priests and 6. Deacons And hauing liued 2. yeares 8. moneths 20. dayes in the chayre of Peeter he dyed the 7. day of october on which the churche doth celebrate his feast and in the yeare of oure lord 340 and was buried in the churchyard of Balbina in the same churche he made in the way to Ardea Spa S. Ierome saith he dyed in the yeare 334 Onuphrius 336. * ⎠* The life of SS Sergius Bacchus Marcellus and Apuleius Martyrs THE holy martyrs Sergius and Bacchus liued in the time of the Emperoure MaximiaÌ„ serued him in an honorable office the one being Primicerius the other Secundicerius that is Sergius principall and Bacchus second secretarie of staâ—e both for their vertues especiallie beloued and honoured by the Emperoure ignorant as yett that they were Christians Being in the cittie of Augusta in the prouince of Eufratesia he came to haue some knowledge heereof by reason of certaine accusations layd against them And desiring to be further certefyed he called them to waite vpon him to Churche wither he was going to sacrifize vnto his Idolls The holie Saincts accompanied him and gaue they re attendance yett in such sort that hauing brought him to the churche doore they stayed without when the Emperours went in When the time came to offer sacrifice Maximian looked about for them and not seeing them commaunded others to looke where they were The messengers found those holie Saincts at the gates of the temple making they re prayer vnto God who vnderstanding the Emperouâ— did send for them came to his presence He shewing himfelfe displeased dimaunded of them why they came not in whith him and offered sacrifice to the great Iupiter They answeared boldly bicause thei were Christians and thought that sacrifice was due to none but onlie him who was the true God that made heauen and earth The Emperour all in a rage coÌ„maunded to plucke of they re golden chaynes from they re neckes and strippe them out of they re rich apparail the tokens of rheyre nobilitie then to cloathe them in woemens garments lade them with yrons with gyues and fetters leade them with open reproache and ignominie through out all the cittie and soe cast them in prison And hauing tryed that all his cruelltie and craft could not make those noble spiritts relent nor swarue in in the least thing from they re Religion he sent them to Antiochus gouernour of the East a fierce cruell
our peregrination by all the Churches S. Matthew being among the Hebrews had written his Gospell in the Hebrew toung and S. Mark remaining in Rome among the Romaines in Latin S. Luke wrote his in Greek because he preached among the Greeks It is said that at all times that S. Paule saith in his epistles After my Gospell Ierom. de scri eccles he meaneth of the Gospell of S Luke for that he wrot it being in his company S. Dorotheus B. of Tyrus saith that S. Luke wrot his Ghospell by the apointment of S. Peter not of S. Paule because he saith in the beginning therof that he wrot it by the relation of them who sawe it from the beginning S. Paule did not so This holy man wrot also another treatise which is called the Acts of the Apostles In the beginning of which he speaketh of the Ascension of CHRIST into heauen and of the coming of the holy Ghost Then speaketh he of the miracles and preachâ—â—g of the Apostles of their persecutions the death of S. Stephen the conuersion of S. Paule the death of S. Iames the Great and the imprisonment and escape of S. Peter After this he goeth on with 〈◊〉 peregrinations of S. Paule his persecutions and trauells of all which he himself bore no litle part and goeth on till he leaueth S. Paule in Rome Then S. Luke departing from thence returned into the Orient traueled ouer a great part of Asia arriued in Egipt He visited Thebais the higher the lower in all places preaching the faith of CHRIST sand conuerâ—ing soules in euery place where soeuer he went At the end of his peregrination he came to the great city of Thehais and was the prelate and pastor therof and as such a one laboured to destroy the Idolls and to build Churchs Which he might the better doe by reason of the great multitude that receued the faith of CHRIST and were Baptised by hearing his exhortations S. Luke remained there many years ordered bishops and priests whom he sent into diuers countreis to preache In such sort that this prouince brought forth many good plants worthy of the eternall life This holy Euangelist catied alwais with him two Images he had made himself the one of our B. Sauiour and the other of his B. mother which were good means to conuert the Painims for that not only he did miracles with them but all they that sawe them were moued to great deuotion These two Images were so like the one to the other that he which did not know whose pictures they were might yet easily know that there was some neere kindred between the two persoÌ„s represented by them To conclude the holy Euangelist being 84. years old passed froÌ„ this mortall vnto the eternall life Nicephorus Callistus in his ecclesiasticall history saith that S. Luke died a martir in Grecia and that he was hanged on a Oliue true lib 2. Cap. 43. but it is commonly holden that he died a naturall death The same Author and others with him say that Constantin the sonne of Constantin the Great by the meanes of one Artemius who whas after ward a glorious martir brought to Constantinople the bodies of S. Andrew from Patrasso a city of Achaia though at this time the body be at Amalphi a city of the kingdome of Naples in Italy of S. Timotheus from Ephesus in Asia and S. Luke from Thebes where it remained and that he builded a sumptuous Church to lay in all the said blessed bodies Nowe the citisens of Padoa say that they haue the body of S. Luke the Euangelist in their city in the Church of S. Iustina The Church celebrateth the feast of S. Luke on the day wheron he died which was on the. 18. day of October in the yeare of our Lord. 90. and in the raigne of Domitian as Canisius accounteth * ⎠* The life of S. Hilarion the Abbot THE Apostle S. Peter Cap. 4. in his fiirst Canonicall epistle hath one sentence fear full for the good and dreadfull to the euill viz If the iust shall scant be saued what shall become of the sinner If he that hath serued God all his life doth tremble at the hower of death what shall he do who hath bin a wicked man and is a sinner at that dreadfull hower This was verified in S. Hilarion the Abbot who being at the point of death felt a great fear in his â—oule but he incouraging it said Depart my soule out of my body of what art thou afraid thou hast serued CHRIST 70. years and dost thou nowe fear to dy The life of this holy Abbot was written by S. Ierome in this sort SAINT Hilarion was borne in Tabata fiue miles from the city of Gaza in Palestina His father and mother were both Idollaters so that he grewe as a rose among thornes Being a litle child he was sent to study in Alexandria in which place he made demonstration of his rare towardlines and inclination vnto goodnes rare witt morall vertues which caused all men that knew him to loue him But he was much more beloued of God for in that place he atteined vnto the knowledge of the Christian faith which he receiued and was Baptised So that he who before was only accounted a vertuous man was now such a one in verity and in deed and delighted in nothing but in vertuous actions and the seruice of God spending the greater part of his life in the Church and in the company of godly priests and by meanes of them he came to the knoweledg of S. Antony who dwelt in the desert and amazed all worldly men to see and heare of his strict life and his sanctity in confounding the deuills in which he reioiced the heauenly court Hilarion had a great desire to see him in the desert which when he had done he chaunged his ordinary clothes and put on such weedes as the moÌ„ks that were in the company of S. Antony wore with whom he also staied two months In this time he marked the order of his life his grauity in behauior his incessant praier his humility in the entertainment of straingers his seuerity in correcting offenders the austerity he vsed toward his body in diet apparell and sleeping he sawe the multitudes of people which came from all costs vnto him to obtein remedy and help for all maner of necessities by his intercession and praiers Hillarion thought that this was the beginning of the reward of the long endured trauels of Anthony and that he should do well to follow his steppes This being determined he returned into his country where the found his father and mother deceased wherfore he diuided his patrimony and bestowed part on his brethren and part on the poore hauing in mind these words of CHRIST He that doth not renounce all that he posesseth cannot be my disciple At that time Hillarion was 15. years old and by this means being poore yet accompanied by CHRIST he went vnto
him aloft in the aire All that were present cried out fearing he would cast the holy man downe hedlong being weak and feeble with continuall fasting but Hillarion with a cheerefull countenaunce said Let me deale alone with this lusty wrastler and turning vp his hand took him by the heare of the head and threw him vnto the ground and then sett his feet on him yea he trode and spurned him with his feet saieng Here yee shal be tormented yee accursed dinells the poore man yelling and houling and turning his face toward the ground And S. HillarioÌ„ said vnto God Ah my Lord deliuer this wretch vnloose this man that is bound it is as easy for thee to vanquish and ouercome many as one In this space were hard to come out of the mouth of this wretch sundry and diuers voices like a confused shout or noise of people but lastly he was made hole and â—ound and within a few dayes after he came vnto the monastery with his wise and children and brought presents vnto the man of God who said vnto him hast not thou read what befell vnto Giezi 4. Reg. 5. Act. 4. and vnto Simon magus the one sold the grace and gift of the holy ghost and the other desired to buy it and both of them were punished seuerely for their sinne If thou knowest so much retorne vnto thy house with thy gifts for I will not take them Oryon wept and said father receue them and giue them vnto the poore S. Hilarion replied Thou maist do that better then I for thou dwellest in the city and knowest them that be needy I haue forsaken all myne owne goods vnto what end should I take care or charg of other mens I know that vnto many the name of a poore man is an occasion of avarice there is none that giueth better vnto the poore then he that reserueth nothing for himself Oryon was much discomforted at his words and lay prostrat on the grount before him wherefore the blessed Abbot said vnto him My sonne be not aggreiued or afflicted at it for that which I do for my self I do also for thy good If I should receiue thy gifts I should offend God and the legion of deuills should returne into thee againe In the city of Gaza there was a yong maid of good life on whom a yong man was enammored This man endeuouring by all meanes possible to drawe her to his will and nothing preuailing went vnto Memphis and made his mind knowen vnto the inchaunters and sorceres of the temple of Esculapius They gaue him a plate of brasse wherin were grauen dredfull figures and bad him lay it vnter the threshold of the damosells dore and to couer it with earth and then to say certein words which they taught him Vpon this the damosell took such affection vnto him and was so fonde that it was rather madnes then loue for she called fot him with aloude voice she scratched her face rent her heare and did other follish and rauing tricks The father of the damosell brought her to be holpen vnto S. Hilarion and the deuill who tormented here howled and said I haue ben enforced to come hither I was well in Memphis Alas howe great be the torments I endure thou doest commaund me to come forth and to depart and I am bound vnder the threshold of the dore in a plate of brasse I cannot depart from hence vntill the yong man who hath set me here do vnloose me S. Hillarion said vnto him Is thy force then such that a plate of brasse doth keep thee in bondag Tell me nowe why art thou so bold as to enter into this handmaid of our Lord The deuill aunswered I came in to preserue her virginity Ah villanie said the holly saint wouldest thou that art the enemy of chastity preserue her virginity Why didst not thou take possession of him who sent thee hither The deuill replied why should I do so for he is a frend to the deuill my companion To conclud S. Hilarion deliuered and set free the damosell and would not haue the impediment the deuill named to be taken away to shew that nether magick nor inchanntment are of power to or withstand the will of God Then he reproued the damosell for some light and wanton behauior shee had vsed for punishment whereof God had permitted the deuill to torment her S. Antony wrote some letters vnto this holy saint and reioiced to haue aunswer from him againe And if at any time there came any sick men to him from Siria he said vnto them Why do you fetch such long iourneis hither to me and haue my sonne Hillarion in your owne countrey There were nowe many Monasteries founded and the holy man visited them at vsuall times and as he went to visite them one time in this maner he came by the way vnto a territory called Elusan and found them celebrating the feast of their Goddesse Venus in her temple When the people though they were Idollaters went out to meet and receue him for they had bene much obliged vnto him for doing good vnto many of them The holy saint enterteined them louingly wept for tendernes of hart looking stedfastly toward heauen besought them rather to adore IESVS CHRIST then those stockes and stones and if they would do so he promised he would come and visite them oftentimes These simple words void of retorike were so forcible with that rude nation that before he departed thence he set downe a plott and the forme for the building of a Church and they moued him to make the heathenish priest which made sacrifice vnto the goddesse a Christian which thing they obteined The holy saint visiting the monasteries builded by his disciples came vnto one whose gouernor was a couetous man at the importunity of them that went in his company Nowe hard by the monastery there was a vineiard and they perceued that with in it there were many watchmen to kepe out those that came with the holy man from entring the same lest thy should meddle with the grapes that were ripe hauing â—lings with which they threw stones against his company S. Hillarion smiling therat went vnto another monastery of a good man who besought yea importunated him to eate a few grapes to refresh himself being faint with his long iourney The holy old man said Accursed is the man that seeketh the refreshing of his body before that of his soule Let vs first make our praiers and pay our det we own vnto God after that yee may go vnto vineiard When God was serued S. Hillarion went vnto a high place and blessed the vineiard then he bad his flock to go and feed therin The number of them that went was litle lesse then 3000. for so many he had in his company This vineiard did vsually euery year yeald 100. measurs of wine and. 20. daies ofter the people had eaten the grapes the vintage was made and it yelded that year 300. measures
earth though they be all holie persons the reason is this they which be in heauen cannot fall any more but they that be holie on earth may fall againe and so do many and often tymes Before Queene Vasty kept this feast she gaue vnto her damosells to eate sometimes of one kind of meat sometimes of an other yet moderately and in measure but on the festiuall daye she gaue them all kind of delicacies most freely So also the Catholique Church maketh ready her table daily for all faithfull beleevers yet diuersly some dayes with one ind of meat somedaies with another Sometimes she maketh a feast and giueth meat to all them that haue been good all the time of their liues and this she doth in celebrating the feast of S. Iohn Baptist Another day she dres seth a dinner for great sinners presenting vnto them a Mathew a Marie Magdalene which for a season offended God by their wicked liues She also maketh a feast for religious men on the day of S. Benedict S. Dominik S. Francis and such others as they be She maketh a feast to the religious recluses on the day of S. Clare of S. Catherine of Siena and such others To the maried people when she celebrateth the feast of S. Ioseph Vnto Kings and great Lords on the daie of the Epiphanie when the feast of the three kings is celebrated vnto Bishops and Prelates on the daie of S. Ambrose S. Martin S. Nicholas of such like Vnto virgins and damosells on the day of S. Agnes S. Lucy and many others But the day of all Saints signifieth the day that Queene Vasty made the feast and prepared the royall banquet vnto all her ladies damosells because on this day the Catholique Church doth prepare and dresse meat for all manner of people when she celebrateth the feast-day of all the saints in heauen who be a patterne and example for all men in the world that by imitating them they may reforme their liues and amend all loose and lewd behauiour DIVERS and sundrie reasons haue been diuersly alleadged why the Church of God doth celebrate a feast of all the saints together One reason is the dedication of a temple which was consecrated in Rome in the name of all the Saints Ado Bishop of Vienna and those authors that write the liues of the popes and Emperours relate it in this manner In chro aetat 6 ano 604. About the yeare of our Lord 608. Boniface the 4. being pope there raigned in Constantinople Phocas the Emperour who though he be noted to be couetous and cruell yet was he a Catholique prince very affectionate to the Church of Rome and a priuate friend vnto Pope Boniface There had been built in Rome a most sumptuous temple in honour of Cybele that false goddesse mother of all the Gods and in the name of all the other Gods also This was built by Marcus Agrippa a noble man of Rome who called it by a greek name Pantheon that is to say the habitation of all the Gods The temple is round and hath no other windowe but one great hole in the top thereof which giueth light to all the temple It is said Agrippa caused it to be built in that fashion for that he would not shew himself partiall toward the Gods in setting one in a more honorable place then another but to make them all equall and by the iudgment of those that haue skill in Architecture it is held the most artificiall building that is in our knowne world Of this temple with the consent of the Emperour Phocas because he had iurisdiction and comaunded in Rome and a great part of Italy Boniface made a Church consecrated it to the mother of God and of all saints His reason was that euen as the pagans in this temple had adored the diuells and all the crew of their heathenish Gods with Cibele their mother so from thence forth there should be honored in the same place the Blessed mother of the true sonne of God and all the whole court of heauen with the holie martirs also For at that time they did not so ordinarilie celebrate in the Church the festiuall daies of the Confessors The Pope called this feast S. Mariaad Martires and willed it should be kept on the ninth day of May. Afterward Pope Gregorie the 4. who liued in the yeare of our Lord 827. after the opinion of Onuphrius Panuinius translated the feast vnto the first of Nouember because of the infinite number of people that resorted to Rome to sollemnise that feast Wherefore he thought it more conuenient to transferre it vnto a season wherein the fruits of the earth were inned and brought into the barnes that there might be sufficient store therof and no scarcity for the pilgrimes and strangers as there was wont to be and is ordinarilie in the month of May. At this present that Church is called S. Maria Rotunda the daie is called the daie of all saints On the first of Nouember it is celebrated with great sollemnitie and marueilous concurse of people to the honour of the B. virgin Mary and all saints And this may be one of the reasons why the Catholique Church celebrateth this sollemnity Another reason is for that the Church endeuoureth to satisfie in honoring all saints in common since it is not possible so to do in particuler feastes The holie Ghost by whom the Church is ruled and gouerned apointeth some feast daies of saints to be kept festiuall besides those daies which are kept holie in the honour of CHRIST his B. mother and the Apostles The reason why feast day of one faint is celebrated more then another may be because they were martired in Rome which is the head of the world and the perpetuall sea of the vicar of CHRIST as long as the world endureth as S. Laurence S. Agnes and others Or for that their bodies haue been translated thither from other countries as S. Anastasius and S. Gorgonius Or else for that they haue been renowned martirs as S. Vincent of Valentia the Spaniard and S. Catherine of Alexandria or it may be for some other such like cause The reasons of them all are not knowne but secret As of the saints which the same Church putteth into the Canon of the masse Sup Canon Leâ—â— 32. lit K. for though they imiâ—ate liuely as Gabriell saith the passion of CHRIST yet it seemeth there be saints of more fame which might haue beene set in that most rare singuler place as well as other that be there as S. Sebastian S. Georg many others Yea as the same Gabriell saith it hat beene knowne that some men in particuler Churches haue taken some saints out of the Canon put others in their place it hath beene found that they that haue beene blotted out haue beene put in againe and they that were newlie written were cancelled and blotted out So that it seemeth there is in it some misterie
our of our hearts and to direct our loue vnto celestiall things This is quite contrary vnto that which the world teacheth for CHRIST saith Blessed be the poore and the world replieth Blessed be the rich CHRIST saith Blessed be they that weepe and the world saith Blessed be they that laugh Our souiour saith Blessed be they that suffer hunger the world saith Blessed are they that are allwaies full Hereby we may see of whose schoole euery one is and whose disciple he is Some are troubled vexed and tired neuer taking repose nor rest to get ritches together to vse delights and pleasures of the world which are hurtfull vnto their soules and yet they seeke after them so earnestly that they could not vse more dilligence if they should haue heard CHRIST say They that seeke riches delights and pleasures of the world be happie and blessed What folly and blindnes is this to professe thy self a Christiane and to liue like a Pagan Either liue as thou beleeuest or beleeue as thou liuest In times past there were in Athens many schooles of Philosophers different one from another as the Stoicks Academicks Peripateticks Pythagoreans Epicureans and Cynicks euery one liued conformeable vnto the opinion of his sect You needed not aske of them whose disciples they were for by their habite and behauiour it was forth with knowne vnto what schoole they belonged You should see in a stoick a graue maiestie an honest behauiour quietnes temperance constancy in one state and stabillitie like a rock in aduersitie In a Cynick an Epicurean yee might haue seene the inconstancy and vanitie of a dissolute person a scoffer pratler and taunter so that euerie one showed in deed what doctrine he professed It were well if euerie Christiā would do so also to witt that euery one in his countenance his words and workes would shew himselfe to be a Christian and the disciple of CHRIST That great Philosopher Picus Mirandula saith very well Not to beleeue the faith of CHRIST IESVS and his doctrine preached so plainly and confirmed with so many miracles is great obstinacy Then to haue receiue and to beleeue the same and to liue contrary to that which it teacheth is folly in the highest degree Is it not extreame folly as that excellent and famous preacher Thomas de villa noua saith in a sermon for vs that fight as we Christians do vnder the banner and standerd of CHRIST Crucified to labour and striue for riches for delights and pleasures of the world CHRIST our captaine is nailed on the Crosse naked poore shamed and reproached and we that be his souldiers will forsooth be rich well apparelled honored and enioye all contentments and pleasures we can procure Is it not a very folly for vs that haue alwaies enioyed in the world consolations recreations and all kind of temporall delights and yet make account to be receiued into the societie of the Apostles and company of the Martyrs S. Paul speaking aloud to all men saith 1. Cor 1 If we suffer as the Saints haue done if we imitate them and their liues we shall raigne with them Which is as if he had said If we do not imitate them we may be well assured we shall not haue their company S. Iohn Euangelist saw a great company of the Saints in heauen and wondering much to see them so bright and beautifull demaunded of an Angell who they were The Angell aunswered Apoc 7. These be they which be come out of tribulation and haue endured in the world many troubles persecutions and death it self How can they that be nice delicate drowned in worldly pleasures come into their cōpany The Saints sit at the table of CHRIST and they all weare the signes and tokens of their torments as CHRIST himself carieth the signalls of his woundes Some carie those markes they receiued in the world hauing beene beheaded stoned boyled or flaied Others how they were broiled killed with clubbes or the like How can those people that were euer rich and laboured to be tenderly cherished honored whollie posessed of worldly delights appeere among them that were flaied boiled to death killed with clubbes stoned or beheaded The same IESVS CHRIST which said Mat. 8. Blessed be the poore Blessed be those that waile Blessed be they that be hungrie Blessed be they that be persecuted saith presently after that Wo to you that be rich Wo to you that haue your content in this world Here you haue it and in the next you shall faile of it As if he had said Remember that there be not two paradises There were two before time but because man was rebellious against God he lost the terrestriall Paradise and was cast out of the same to the end he should not thinck of it nor labour to obtaine it againe And if he should striue to obtaine the same he should be assuered neuer to haue the celestiall paradise for he that hath his paradise heere let him not look to haue the other hereafter So was it said to the vnfortunate rich man who being in the flames of hell lifted vp his eies and seing Abraham and Lazarus asked for one drop of water to coole his tong in that flame but he was answered Remember thou hast had prosperitie therefore look not to haue it any more All these things we are taught by the feast of all Saints and the Catholique Church doth celebrate it to the end we should imitate them If we cannot imitate the Apostles let vs follow the examples of the Martirs If not the martirs yet of the Confessors And if not of the Confessors let vs be ashamed at least that eleuen thousand weak and tender damsells hauing giuen their liues to enioy that which the holie saints in heauen enioy any man should be such a coward or recreant as not to do that which feeble woemen virgins haue endured This is the last reason why the feasts of all saints is celebrated to wiit because we should imitate and follow their steppes both in life and death For all these reasons before mentioned it is iust and reasonable that on this daie we should do honour vnto them all And as S. Iohn Damascene saith Lib 4. de side or-th o◠cap. 6. we are to honour the most B. virgin for that she is the mother of God And we ought to honour S. Iohn Baptist for that he was a prophet the precursor a Martir We should honour the Apostles as the brethren of IESVS CHRIST and witnesses of his life death We are to giue honour to the Martirs as to the souldiers and partakers of the cup of CHRIST We must give reuerence of the Confessors for the conflicts they had within themselues liuing in continuall penance and mortification We must beare reuerence vnto the virgins as vnto the spouses of CHRIST and vnto the other holie saints and all the Angells of the Hierarchies as citisens of heauen enioyeng the presence of God And
sent vnto he Iudgment seat of the great God For in it in very deed is the ladder of â—acob Gen. 28. whereby the Angells go vp and come downe They go vp with the praiers and petitions of the faithfull and present them vnto God and then come downe with their dispatch for the good and profitt of the faithfull beleeuers In the Church is preached the Gospell the obseruation of the commaundments of God is taught vertue is comended and vices be reprooued So that in it some are stroke with feare some haue compunction these weepe others reioice some are comforted and others are inflamed with the loue of God In the Church the faithfull soule talketh with God there he is praied vnto and in that place he is honored In the Church the Angells are present because there is the heauenly court yea the very same God is there really and personally and hath promised to be there vntill the end of the world In all these things you may see how much our Churches be more worthy then the Temple of Salomon So then if that Temple be so much magnifyed by men and God also it is conuenient and most iust seing that our Churches be in so high manner honored with the presence of God himself that they be also honored and reuerenced by vs and that therein nothing may be said or done vnseemely or vnfitting of so worthie a place Let presumptuous people and the prophaners of Churches feare the like seuere punishment as God gaue to that wretched king Antiochus who prophaned the Temple of Ierusalem 2. Macha 9. God striking him with a most terrible and horrible infirmitie This wretched caitife knew that this euill happened vnto him for prophaning the Temple of God in Ierusalem and therefore he bewayled his sinne exceedinglie He prayed vnto God and craued pardon of him but the text vttereth there a terrible and dreadfull sentence viz. The wretch prayed vnto God of whom he could not obtaine mercy The sorrow of this man was like the sorrow and repentance of Esau Cain and Iudas Heb 12. Gen 3. Math 27. P. Orosius that is to say defectiue and vnprofitable and therefore he was condempned as they were also We read in auncient histories that Pompey the Great was victorious in all his enterprises and affaires before he did prophane the Temple of Ierusalem but after that time he was vnfortunate in all his businesses and finally he was vanquished in battaile by Iulius Caesar and escaping by flight repaired for aide to the king of Egipt as to his friend but in steed of help he found his death the king cutting of his head and sending it vnto Caesar the conquerour as a present For prophaners of Churches and holie places these two examples are sufficient and for those that vse small or no reuerence to Churches this one is inough That our Lord and Sauiour himself chastised them with rigour which caryed not due respect vnto the Temple of Salomon For he himself in person when as man he conuersed with men did driue the people our of the same Temple with whippes and scourges because they vsed to and in the same smalle or no reuerence Let them who prophane our Churches being of farre more excellency then that was imagine yea assure themselues that they shal be chastised with much more rigour Surelie we ought to beare great respect and reuerence to our Churches and to behaue our selues in them as Dauid counselleth in a psalme where he saith In the Temple of God let euery one speak of his glorie All that which is to be spoken of in the Church ought to be to the glorie of God and if it be to his glorie it will redound and arise to our profitt since in that place he will make vs partakers of his mercyes which shal be the beginning of our Beatitude God grant vs all to find in his Church mercy for his deare sonnes sake our Blessed Sauiour Amen The life of S. Theodore Martyr IT is written in the book of Iudges how Sampson that renowned souldier of God at his death pulled downe a temple of the Gentiles whereby manie of them were killed and the temple falling to the ground was vtterly destroyed Herein Sampson did worthy seruice vnto Almightie God who had determined by this meanes to chastice that treacherous and vnbeleeuing nation The verie like befell vnto another valiant souldier of CHRIST called Theodore who set fire to a temple of the Gentiles for which cause he was afterward martyred And in the one and the other of the these things there was done vnto our Lord God great and good seruice The life of this glorious martyr is taken out of an homilie or sermoÌ„ made by S. Gregorie Nissen which he preached on the daie of his martyrdome in the same Church where he was buried He reherseth it in this wise THE cause good Christian people why you be here assembled from diuers partes with trauaile and toile of your persons by reason of the sharpnes of the winter is onlie to celebrate the feast of the glorious martyr S. Theodore This is a thing iust and reasonable since we be all obliged vnto him for the great and many benefitts which we haue receaued by his intercession One of these is well knowne vnto all namely how the Barbarous Scithians this last yeere threatening to kill vs and hauing drawne their swordes to bathe them in our blood returned back vnto their countries in manner of flight not for feare of our corporall armes but being terrified with the Crosse of CHRIST with which this glorious saint our patrone chased the away I desire you all to be attentiue and I will reherse in what manner this holie martyr came to giue his life for CHRIST whilest he liued in this world for I do not know in perticuler the reward he hath in heauen And when we know this we ought to take profitt by endeauouring to imitate him I saie then that we haue his blessed body in this Church and although it be of the same matter and nature that other dead bodies be yet it is not to be likened vnto them for if you open any of their sepulchers the bodies appeere lothesome to the sight and be displeasing to the smell so that we turne our face from them considering the miserie of our nature and the frailtie of mankind But vnto this glorious martyr it falleth out otherwise For assoone as we enter into the Church where his blessed bodie is as all we haue done this daye the sight is pleased seing the sumptuous and cunning built Church where it seemeth the caruer and the painter contended to excell each other the one in the building of the same aswell in the pauement as pillers of the finest marble in which be engrauen sondrie pictures of lyuing creatures as in the rooffe and couering of tymber which is curiouslie wrought and cunningly ioyned The painter was not inferioure in his art setting forth liuely
Martyrs GREAT was the pride of that hauty king Pharao in persecuting the people of Israell Exod 1. seeking all meanes he could to hinder them from increasing But the blessed God of heauen ordained that the more dilligent the wicked king was against them so much the more he should remaine defeated in his enterprise and disgraced all things falling out contrary to his designes and entent for the people multiplyed and encreased the more The same befell vnto the diuell for in the first growing and spreading of Christianity he desired to root out the Christians and to that intent he stirred vp the tyrants to put them to death martyr them as indeed innumerable of them were But the more he laboured herein the more the number of the Christians encreased This may be seene by the example of three holie martyrs to witt SS Tripho Respicius and Nimpha The diuell began with one of them thinking to end with him but the two others seing his martyrdome offered themselues voluntarily and without compulsion vnto martyrdome and to dye in company with him for the loue of CHRIST their Lord. The manner hereof as it is extant in diners martyrologes was in this sort SAINT Trypho was borne in Rome in a street called Saxea He being verie yong exercised himself in good and holie works and God by his meanes did some miracles by healing persons posessed with the diuell and grieued with other infirmities In that sharp persecution of Decius this holie saint showed himself zealous of the honor of God by preaching IESVS CHRIST publiklie without fearing the Edicts of the Emperour or the cruelty that his officers vsed against the Christians He encouraged the feeble and animated the faintharted not to dread the torments which should quickly end and were meanes to attaine perpetuall ioye in heauen A gouernour called Quilinus being certified hereof and finding it to be very true for that S. Trypho himself confessed the same he commaunded he should be tormented The first was the ordinary torment that was to tye him vnto the Equuleus where his bodie being racked it was rent and torne with hooks of Iron Then set they burning torches vnto his sides and gaue him many blowes with knoâ—ted staues and lastlie his feet were burned through with hot burning nayles S. Trypho tollerated all this with a couragious mind and a cheerefull countenance so that a Tribune called Respicius seing it considered thus That a man of flesh and blood could not haue such strength nor tollerate so great and so many torments if he were not asisted and holpen by God And if God did help him it was certaine that he was very high in his fauour Whereupon it might be truly gathered that the God whom this holie man confessed and for whose sake he endured so many torments and by whom he was so much holpen was the true God and that all the other were false Gods In the time that Respicius stood in these considerations there came to him a gracious dewe from heauen vnto which he made no resistance but openly confessed that he was a Christian When the officers that tormented S. Trypho heard this they layd hands on him and began to torment them both together Then did they lead them into the Temple vnto the statue of Iupiter and S. Trypho kneeled downe not to adore it but to make the statue fall in pieces to the ground as appeared euidently by that which followed There was present hereat a damsell called Nimpha who seing this miracle said with a loud voice IESVS CHRIST is the true God and those which the Gentiles adore be false Gods and of no force seing the prayers of the Christians make them fall to pieces By occasion of these words Nimpha was likewise tormented with SS Tripho and Respicius The officers beat them with certaine whips which had pluÌ„mets of lead tyed to the end of euery cord This was giuen vnto them with such cruelty that they all three yealded their soules vnto God in that torment Which was on the 10. of Nouember in the yeare of our Lord. 251. In the raigne of the aforenamed Decius And on the same daie the Church celebrateth their feast The life of S. Martin Bishop and Confessor WE read in the first book of kings of that valyant and couragious yong man Dauid Cap. 17. that when he returned with victory from the battaile with that fierce gyant Golyas he made all them that came to see him to wonder He was yong well proportioned and talle of body as Caietan noteth well vpon this place and giueth this reason saying that Saul put his armor on him when he would haue sent him against the gyant and that Dauid refused them which was not for that they were to bigge but for that he was not vsed to beare armor Of Saul we know by the Scripture that he was very tall and then Dauid necessarilie must be so also 1. Reg. 9. He was beutifull and well sett and had also a comely countenance and went in leather like a sheapheared he carryed in the one hand the great head of the Gyant and in the other the blouly sword which had cut it of The sterne and grimme sight of the Gyants head made the beauty and comelynes of Dauid to seeme more The people came wondring and euers one was delighted with the sight of him In this maner came he before Saul with whom was Ionathas his sonne the heire of the kingdome who seeing the behauiour of Dauid as the text saith took such affection vnto him that euen there in the sight of them all he took of part of his garments and put them vpon Dauid Thus much of this figure serueth for our propose that Ionathas did shew his great loue vnto Dauid in bestowing his garments on him The same did the glorious S. Martin with IESVS CHRIST for with him he deuided his garmets wherein he shewed that he loued him much as is euident in the discourse of his life written by Seuerus Sulpitius which we haue abridged in this maner SAINT Martin was borne in Sabaria a towne of Hongarye His parents were of noble bloud but they were Gentills his father had bene Coronell of the horse in the army of the Romains and was retired to his house to rest and repose himself Martin being ten yeres old went to the Church against his fathers mynd and requested to be made a Catechumen which was to write his name in the rolle of them that desired to be Christians for after they were well instructed in the faith they were to be Baptised He spent his time in seruing of God and entended no other thing but to please him conuersing always with his seruaÌ„ts in the Church There he was enstructed in learnyng and good behauiour He had a great desire to goe and liue a solitary life in the desert if his tender age had not hindred him and also an edict that came from Rome which commaunded that the sonnes of
vpward being so painfull and he said Let me look vp toward heauen since that very shortly my spirit is to go that way which I behold When the agony of death came he saw the deuill the ennemy of mankind and said vnâ—o him what doest thou heere thou cruell beaâ— Thou shalt find in me nothing for which I shall eâ—damned and hauing said thus he rendered his spirit to our Lord being 81. yeares old His blessed soule was borne into heauen accompanyed with many Angells who made much ioy and song melodiously This musique was heard by sundry persons that were in places farre distant as of seuerinus Arch B. of Collein and by S. Ambrose Arch Bishop of Millan Who sayeng of masse fell a sleep from the which he awaked after three howers and then said to the standers by know you that my brother Martin B. of Towers is departed out of this life and I haue bene present there to bury his body S. Martin liued on the earth poore and humble and intred into heauen rich and with great maiesty His death was on the. 11. day of Nouember and on the same day the Church celebrateth his feast and it was in the year of our Lord. 399. in the time of the Emperour Honorius This holy saint did many myracles in his life time and also after his death Whilest he liued he was the meanes that many were conuerted vnto God by his good example and excellent doctrine and after his death many were holpen by his merites and in tercession God of his great bountie and infinit mercie graunt that we may be in the number of the chosen to the end we may enioy his glory in the company of S. Martin Amen Many Authors write of S. Martin beside Seuerus Sulpitius as S. Paulinus Bishop of Nola Fortunaus the priest Gregory of Towers Odo the first Abbot of Cluny Hebernus Bishop of Turen and many others The life of S. Menna Martir OVR sauiour CHRIST saith vnto his seruants in S. Mathew Ca. 30 WheÌ„ you shal be brought before kings Iudges take no thought what you shall speak for at that time you shal be tought howe to answere This sentence is verefied in a holie souldier called Menna who haning spent his time in the warre among swords and lauâ—ces being brought before a tirani that did examine him of the faith of CHRIST which he professed made some answeres as if he had bene exercised in the studie of the holie scriptures all the daies of his life Of this holie saint Metaphrastes writeth as ensueth IN the second yeare of Caius Valerius Dioclesianus and in the first yeare of Caius Valerius Maximianus after the death of Numerianus who had gouerned the Empire before them there was raised a sore persecution against the Christians through all the lands subiect to the Empire Into which were sent publike proclamations conteining the will of the Emperours and the punishment that should be inflicted vpon those that disobeied the same There was in the cittie of Cottieum which is in the prouince of Phrigia or in Asia minor a president calsed Pirrhus Arginiscus who had the gouernement of that prouince had also authority ouer the men of warre which were resident in the same as a garrison for defence therof Notwithstanding they had a generall captaine ouer them called Firmilianus Among the souldiers there was one in the regiment of Rutilus called Menna by nation an Aegiptian and by profession a Christian whose vertue shone among the rest as the sunne doth aboue the starres The Emperours edict came vnto this cittie the tenor whereof was this Dioclesian and Maximian Emperours to all their subiects seÌ„deth greeting Forasmuch as we acknow ledg to haue receaued many fauours and graces of of the soueraigne Gods for which we thinck our selues obliged and bound to procure all honour and seruice to be done vnto them and their Temples We therefore coÌ„maund all magistrates and captaines of our Empire that assoone as they haue notice of this our Edict that they endeauour with all dilligence as a thing that concerneth the saffetie of our estate the honor of the Gods our benefactors that all our subiects aswell men as women of what estate or condition soeuer they bee do worship and adore them and do offer sacrifice in visiring often their temples And those that be disobedient and rebellious against our comaundements that they be tormented in the most cruell forte that may be inuented This was the tenor of the Edict Assoone as the president receaued it he caused it to be proclaimed through all the cittie other places of his prouince CoÌ„maunding withall that presently after the proclamation all men and women should go vnto the Temples to the end the disobedient persons might be knowne In most places where the proclamation was made there were great murmurings amongst the people for that it was thought both vniust and cruell yet the greatest part of people went of force vnto the Temples to obey the Edict When the valiant souldier so Menna vnderstood hereof he was not able to endure so vniust and vnrighteous proceedings as to haue the veneration and worship of the true GOD IESVS CHRIST to be abolished and that in stead thereof reuerence should be done vnto the fiends Because he would be free and not be partaker of this wicked transgression nor so much as see it he departed from the armie and withdrew himself into a desert where he remained fiue yeares leading a sollitarie life in continuall fasting and works of penance which was as an exercise and an entrance into the warre and battaile which he expected shortly to make At the last inspired by God he returned into the cittie vpon a day which was kept very sollemne as the birthdaie of one of their Godds The people of the cittie were generally assembled into a Theatre expecting certaine martiall exercises as Iusts and turneis And there was also the president Pirrhus for the same purpose S. Menna entred into the middest of the show and with a loud and cleere voice he rehersed a text out of the Pophet Esay Ca. 65. which saith I haue bene found of them that sought me not and manifested to them that asked not after me At these words all the standers by fixed their eies vpon him and seing him to be a rude plaine man meanely apparelled they know not what to make of his words nor what he ment by them The president Pirrhus causing him to be brought neerer vnto him demaunded of him who he was He aunswered I am Menna the seruant of IESVS CHRIST who is Emperour of heauen and earth The president enquired further Art thou a stranger or a citisen that thou seekest to disturb our feastiuall showes in this manner what is thy meaning herein One of them which stood by said vnto Pirrhus I know the man well He is a souldier of the regiment called Rutilica whose Coronell is Firmilianus and it is about fiue yeeres since he abandoned
rather to die then to deny my Lord CHRIST I am a Christian and therefore expect not that I will sacrifice vnto the diuells The Iudg was so wroth with this answere that he caused calthropes to be set thick on the ground the blessed martir to be dragged and haled ouer them In this torment the holie saint said Seek out other tortures for these be of too smalle force to make me worship thy diuells Pirrhus being now more enraged said Beat him with cudgells and knotted thongs of leather and buffet him on the face till he cease to call our Gods by the names of diuells But all these things preuailed not to make the valiant souldier of CHRIST shew any signe of feare or yeelding There was present a noble man of the court called Eliodorus who said vnto Pirrhus my Lord these Christians be a people which regard no torments yea death is more welcome vnto them then life Do not vexe nor trouble thy self any more with this man but giue iudgment of death vpon him as he hath well deserued for that he hath abandoned his captaine and refused to serue in the warres Thâ—n Pirrhus said vnto Menna If thou wilt resolue to sacrifice vnto the Gods I will cause thy captaine to pardon thy former offence and to giue thee more honorable office and degrees Menna said God forbid that I should desire such offices and honors I desire to haue them in heauen where true honor is to be had not those of the world which be vaine and transitorie The president seing the constancy of the blessed martir by the aduise of the other courtiers coÌ„demned him to die with these words Because Menna the souldier doth not obey the proclamation of the Emperours and because he followeth the religion of the Christians and will not sacrifice vnto our Gods we comaund that he be beheaded that others by his example may feare to comitt the like trespasses The blessed martir was led by the officers vnto a place called Potemia vnto which all the cittie was assembled The holie saint with a cheerefull countenance though meanely apparelled as making smalle account of any worldly thing went comunicating with some of his acquaintance as if he had not bene going vnto death Recomending them vnto God and taking leaue of them he lifted his eies toward heauen saying I blesse and praise thee o father eternall for that thou hast hitherto kept me and hast not turned thy face from me Thou hast giuen me strength that I should not loose my soule with this treacherous and faithles people but that I might confesse constantly thy blessed name and thy holie lawe I beseech thee through IESVS CHRIST thy sonne that thou wilt help me at this houre of death and deliuer my soule in granting it victorie in this last assault that it may appeere free before thy iudgment seat and there worship thee Saying this he came to the place of execution where falling on his knees and looking toward heauen the hangman cut of his head Then they cast his bodie into a great fire but the fire consumed it not so that some deuout persons took it and buried it in a place conuenient whither many Christians resorted crauing mercy at Gods hands by the praiers and merits of this his faithfull seruant Menna Who was of Egipt honorablie borne iust faithfull mild and vertuous and replenished with the grace of the Holie Ghost He was martired in the cittie of Cottieum in the prouince of Phrigia on the. 11. of Nouember in the yeere of our Lord 301. Spa saith 296. And on the same daie the Church maketh of him a commemoration The bodie of this holie saint was after ward translated vnto Constantinople The life of S. Martin Pope and Martyr THE noble king Dauid would not giue leaue 2. Râ—g 2 nor permit one of his souldiers to kill his father in lawe Saul when he might easily haue done it and theother well deserued it coming to pursue and search him out with an army and a full intention to kill him if he could haue gotten him within his daunger And though Dauid found him fast a sleep in his pauilion and in like maner all his guard who should haue watched in his defence yet would he not once touch him The reason which Dauid alleaged was because Saul was the anointed of the Lord. It happened farre otherwise vnto the glorious S. Martin Pope and martir who being annointed and consecrated and moreouer the vicar and lieutenant of CHRIST in earth yet some Christians in name but in their deeds worse then Pagans were so bold as to take him and vse him villanously as may appeare by his life collected out of the book of Poper lifes called Pontificall and out of other good Authors SAINT Martin the first Pope of that name was the sonne of one Fabritius and borne in Todi a city in Tuscane a very holy man and vertuous Assoone as he was elected to the gouernment of the Church he emploied all his vttermost dilligence endeuor to extirpat roote out some heresies about the person of IESVS CHRIST already condemned in former Councells The man who did bring them againe out of hell where they had bene a good space buried into the world was a Patriarch of Constantinople called Paulus who had some other prelaâ—s that abbetted him and were wrapped in the same error These wonne th'emperour Constans the second of that name to be of their sect and opinion such sleights and deuises they wrought with him The legats of the Pope who resided there certefied him of the proceedings of Paulus the Patriarch The Pope incontinent apointed by his letters what order should be taken therin and wrot vnto the same Paulus louing letters beseeching him not to be so determinately stubborne in ruynating the peace of the Church and in patronizing of his errors so many times condemned by the holy prelats ingreat assembles and generall Councells Paulus being by nature proud and obstinate to shew what small accouÌ„t he made of the Popes aduertisements caused an Aultar which the legats had set vp in the Church founded by Placida vpon which they said masse after the Roman vse to be cast to the ground and defaced The malice of Paulus was so much augmented that because the legats on the Popes behalf required him when they sawe his obstinacy to amend his fault and reforme his errors or els they would proceed against him as a contumacious person by the censures of the Church he made meanes to th'emperour to cause the legats to be restrained of their liberty and euill entreated and afterward he sent them into banishment into sondry parts of Christendome which was as if he had sent trompets to sound and publish the malignity of the Patriarch the tiranny of th'emperour and the misbelief of them both being obstinate in the error condemned by all the Catholike Church when Pope Martin had vnderstanding thereof he had recourse vnto the ordinary remedies in the
virgine Mary might be kept on the 21. Nouember The life of S. Cecilie ONE of the vertuous excercises that the holie matrone Iudith vsed in the seruice of God and to please him was that she wore a course haire-cloth by which she tamed her flesh and brought it in subiestion This was the cause that she had the victorie ouer her flesh and that she liued many yeares a continent and chast life and was freed from all danger and brought home an honorable victorie at such time as she was in the handes of Holofernes We maie saie the same of the glorious virgin and martyr S. Cecilie who amongst many other her pious and vertuous excercises wore continually a haire-cloth and she was deliuered from a danger like vnto that of Iudith for she was preserued a virgin though she were espoused and brought her husband to be a Christian and to keep perpetuall chastitie with her which both of them obserued during their liues The life of this holie saint was written by Symeon Metaphrastes after this manner MANY and great were the graces and fauours that IESVS CHRIST bestowed vpon men discending from heauen vnto earth and deliuering them with his owne death from eternall death ouercoming thereby him that had power in the world and then guiding them by his doctrine vnto heauen Many men acknowledging this good done vnto them by our blesses Sauiour followed him The first were the Apostles then the martyrs Confessors priests virgins wydowes and maried people and those that excercise themselues in all vertuous workes To conclude his diuine maiestie calleth euerie one by the meanes of his euangelists saying Come vnto me all you that be wearied and afflicted and I will refresh you I will lighten the waight that lyeth so heauen vpon you This comfortable saying was heard by S. Cecilie a virgin of Rome who was beautifull of bodie noble of bloud and ritch in posessions Shee beleeuing the Gospell caried it alwaies about her reading often thereon and praying vnto God continually Her father had espoused her to a verie goodlie gentleman of Rome called Valerian who being inflamed with the loue of Cecilie desired much the wedding daie At last the daie came and the glotious virgin though she were in rich apparrell of silk and gold conformeable to her owne birth and the estate of her husband yet vnder her said apparrell next to her skinne she wore a course haircloth Three daies before the apointed tâ—me of the wedding she fasted wept and prayed continuallie desiring God to preserue her virginitie for that this mariage was not by her desired neither should it be by her will since she had giuen herself whollie to IESVS CHRIST and offred to him her virginitie And that her praier might the rather be heard she desired the Angells Apostles martyrs virgins and all the court of heauen to make intercession for her The time at last being come that she and Valerian were to be priuate in their chamber alone she spake to him after this manner My honorable Lord and deare loue I will discouer vnto you a waighty matter if you will promise to keep it secret Valerian forth with promised and then Cecilie said vnto him The secret is this I haue an Angell of God in my companie who is iealous of me and guardeth my bodie verie dilligentlie If he see thee so hardie as to come neere or touch me with carnall or lasciuious loue he will chastice thee rigorously but if he see that thou loue me with pure and chast loue he will loue thee as he loueth meâ— and will bestowe the like pretious fauours as he bestoweth on me Valerian hearing thâ—se words was some what troubled and fearefully said If thou my dearest Cecilie desire that I beleeue thy wordes let me see the Angell If I see him not I shall thinck it is some person that thou louest in dishonest sort which is a wrong to me that am thy husband And if I find it so I wil not faile to kill you both To this S. Cicilie answered If you desire to see the Angell you must be Baptised beleeue in one God eternall and Omnipotent Creator of heauen and earth The conclusion of their long speech was they agreed that on the next daie Valerian should talk with the blessed Bishop Vrban who at that tyme sat in the Chaire of S. Peter and by him Valerian being first instructed in the faith was Baptised Then returning home and coming into the chamber where Cecilie was he found her at prayer and an Angell by her in the shape of a beautifull yongman from whose face came a glorious brightnes The yong man had two garlands in his hand made of Lillies and fresh odoriferous Roses The one he gaue vnto S. Cecilie and the other vnto Vallerian When he deliuered them he said I haue brought these garlands for you wrought with flowres gathered in paradise and in signe I saie true they will continew allwaies fresh and smell verie sweet and maie not be seene but of them that endeauour to liue chast as you do And because thou Valerian hast giuen credit vnto thy spouse and hast receaued the faith of CHRIST the same IESVS hath apointed me to tell thee from him that demaund what thou wilt and he will grant it vnto thee When Valerian heard this he kneeled on the ground and rendred thanckes vnto God for the great benefitt bestowed on him and said I desire this fauour that my brother Tiburtius whom I loue most hartelie maie be conuerted vnto the faith I shall not shew the loue that I beare him if I being now deliuered from the blindnes of Idollatrie wherein I liued do not help to deliuer him also out of it if it be in my power To this the Angell answered with a cheerful countenance Since thou hast demaunded so iust a thing God doth grant it vnto thee And as Cecilie thy spouse hath bene the meanes of thy saluation so shall she also be a meanes for thy brother Tiburtius All came to passe as the Angell said for Tiburtius coÌ„ming by hap into the chamber and feeling a sweet smell of lillies and roses and seing none demaunded of them whence the fragrant smell came that he felt Valerian told him that it came from two garlands which he and Cecilie had on their heads and had bene brought vnto them from heauen Valerian took occasion hereupon to giue him knowledg of IESVS CHRIST and told him also that he himself was Baptised Then leading his brother Tiburtius to Vrban the pope he instructed him in the faith and Baptised him also It befell afterward that the two brethren excercising themselues in good works and especiallie in burieng the Christians that were martyred information was giuen of them to a gouernor called Almachius who imprisoning them and tormenting them in diuers manners as is written in their liues on the 14 of Aprill they were beheaded for the profession of the faith of CHRIST and S. Cecilie buried their bodies
be increased therefore it was tollerated at that time for a man to haue more wiues then one Salomon took benefit of this leaue that was giuen desiring in this also to shew his magnificence and state and therefore he took more wiues then Dauid his father euer had or any of the Patriarchs before him some of which had more wiues then one at once as Abraham and Iacob vnto whom it was lawfull in like manner for the reasons which the doctors alleadge But for that those reasons haue no vse for our times it is not lawfull for any now to haue any more then one wife The wiues which these auncient fathers had either in the law written or in the law of nature were of 〈◊〉 sortes Some were called wiues or Queenes if their husbands were kings and the other were called Concubines and though they were called so yet were they as true and lawfull wiues as the others and their matrimonie aâ— trew and lawfull The difference betweene the one and the other was this first in name For some of them were as mistresses and comaunded in the house the other which were called Concubines did giue attendance and had lesse authoritie and reputation Salomon had 300. Concubines and 700. Queenes or wifes call them which you will Among these he had one whom he regarded and esteemed more then all the rest and that was the daughter of king Pharao who as she passed all the other in nobillitie so she was of more excellent beautie and of more discretion then the rest and therefore for her only Salomon built a house and seuered her from the others It maie be he did so in respect that she was a gentile and an Idollaeter and all the other were of his owne religion It is most assured that of her he made great account as appeareth by the sumptuous house he built for her and by the seruants and attendants he apointed for her And this is the cause that she is absolutlie called Queene and wife of Salomon This historie fitteth and agreeth very well to the glorious virgin and martyr S. Catherine of Alexandria For as Salomon was the figure of CHRIST so also he had many holie damosells his spouses some of which be of lesse name and these be they which remaine in this world in his grace and fauour doing him seruice Others be of greater name which be they which already raigne in heauen Therefore the figure of this historie toucheth both the one and the other Among all the wiues of Salomon the most fauoured was the daughter of Pharao king of Egipt who is a figure of S. Catherine For as the other was so she was also of the bloud royall of Alexandria a cittie of Egipt She was aduised and discreet of excellent beautie and to conclude she was such a one as maie absolutlie be called the spouse of CHRIST We read of her that before she was Baptised she had a reuelation in a dreame in which she saw the most blessed virgin Mary with her child IESVS in her armes as a most beautifull infant S. Catherine seing this was enamored on him Blessed IESVS hid his face and she desirous to behold it went to and fro but the infant made signes as being displeased that she should looke on him The glorious virgin his mother said vnto him my sonne seest thou â—ot bow this yong girle is enamoured of thee why wilt thou not see her behold how faire wise and discreet she is The blessed infant replyed you know right well how many damosells I haue in my pallace more faire and more wise then she is nay she seemeth to me verie disgraâ—ious for that she is not Baptised IESVS saying this Catherine arose conceiuing the cause of her vnworthines to behold the face of CHRIST to be for that she beleeued not therefore she determined to be Baptised When she was a Christian the same IESVS apeared vnto her in the former manner without any signe of discontent in that she beheld him but he shewed himself and looked vpon her with a gratious countenance And before his blessed mother the Angells saints and all the court of heauen he espoused her and gaue her a ring as vnto his true spouse when Catherine awaked she found the same ring on her finger These things we maie piously beleeue of this blessed saint coming in this sort to be fullie the figure of the daughter of Pharao and to be the Queene among the other wiues of Salomon and to haue a house seuered from others So also IESVS our blessed sauiour gaue vnto her a perticuler house bestowing on her many doctors and learned men who by her meanes were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST and passed before her vnto heauen by the crowne of martyrdome to make ready a lodging for her The life of this glorious saint was written by Simeon Metaphrastes who saith that Maxentius the Emperour put her to death and the same saie all those that make mention of her martyrdome But herehence riseth a doubt for Eusebius Caesariensis which was in that time saith that Maxentius all the time that he raigned contynued in Rome vsing great cruellties vntill the Emperour Constantine came against him who was called in by the Romans being not able to support the same Maxentius any longer He standing to defend himself was drowned in Tyber as he went ouer a bridge of boates which he had made neere vnto Rome and it is not said of him that he was euer at Alexandria where S. Catherine was martyred Some dilligent and curious authors haue noted this and Iudged that the name should be altred and that he that martyred S. Catherine should be Maximinus and not Maxentius This maie easilie happen in writing of latine for when they would write the proper names they vsed in auncient times to set the first letter or beginning of their names And Maxentius and Maximinus hauing the same letters at the beginning it might well come to passe that the name was changed And so much the more likelie for that at that time that Maxentius was in Rome Maximinus resided in Alexandria and other citties of the East shewing great cruelties against the Christians This is sufficient by waie of aduise but I will call the tyrant that martyred her Maxentius as the Author that I follow doth He recounteth her life in this sort AT such time as the Emperour Maxentius was monarch of the Romane Empire being on a time in Alexandria he set out a publick edict in fauour of his false Gods and to the greatest damage he could of the faith and profession of CHRIST For therein he commaunded that euerie one should sacrifice to them and those that disobeyed or denied should be put to death people flocked in great numbers to Alexandria from all parts to obey the Emperous comaundement euerie one bringing one beast or other acording to their abillitie for the sacrifice The beastes were of such great number that the Altars smoaked continuallie
them though they shall suffer before thee thou shalt be crowned with the crowne of martyrdome With this the Angell vanished awaie and Catherine was led before the Emperour the great and famous philosophers of the gentiles being on the other side against her There resorted vnto this great meeting an infinite companie of noblemen and gentlemen The philosopher that was accounted more learned theÌ„ the rest turning toward Catherine and as it were in scoffing manner said disdainfully vnto her Art thou shee that with saucy and malapert words hast so wronged our Gods yea said Catherine I am euen shee yet I do it not with saucie and malapâ—rt words as thou saiest but with true and certeine arguments The philosopher replied If thou hast read the famous poets thou shouldest also haue noted the statelie and magnificent names that they attribute vnto them farre different and more honorable then those that thou giuest them S. Catherine answered what be those ports and what be the names they giue vnto thy Gods The philosopher said Homer is one of them who calleth Iupiter the most glorious and greatest Orpheus also a famous poet speaking of Apollo the sonne of Latona calleth him potent that seeth and comaundeth mortall men These by them honored and highlie esteemed and called Gods you cannot shew me that any of them said that a crucified man was a God To this S. Catherine answered It is true the poets that thou hast named giue vnto thy Gods names of excellencie yet with all thou canst not deny but many times they lay vpon them most hainous crymes and abhominable deedes Mark what Homer chieif of the poets saith of Iupiter Sometimes he calleth him a lyer and peruerse then a deceiuer and that the other Gods haue coÌ„spired to chaine him with fetters that if he had not bene certified thereof he had come into manifest daunger Orpheus also who is the other poet thou hast named saith of thy Gods that they know not the troubles and afflictions of men and when they do know them they cannot deliuer them out of them Sophocles also affirmeth that those that adore and do reuerence to the statues and Idolls of many Gods do euill and offend greeuously for saith hee there is but one true God which is none of these who created heauen and earth and all that is therein Where you saie that IESVS CHRIST crucified whom I adore is not famous nor knowne of the poets and ancient wise men this sheweth plainlie your small reading Know therefore that the Sibills were renowned for their excellent skill in poetrie being illuminated by the holie Ghost One of the Siâ—ills wrot long before it came to passe that IESVS CHRIST should be taken by enuy and slaine by his owne people That he should rise againe and ascend into heauen and that he should come at the last daie to Iudge the quick and the dead Another Sibill said IESVS CHRIST being God is made man conuerseth with men and doth great marueiles and miracles both on the sea and land But let vs leaue the Sibills The same Apollo not vsing his accustomed dark manner of speeche said in plaine words long before it came to passe He that is the light and splendor of heauen he that is God and man hath suffred not in the diuinitie but in his bodie he hath suffred reproaches and was buried he hath shed many teares form his eyes he fed 5000. men in the wildernes with bread by the power of God â—he was crucified and dyed on the Crosse was buried and after ascended into heauen These be the words of Apollo thy God and by his oppinion thou oughtest not to adore him but him whom he calleth God These and the like were the words of S. Catherine alleadging the sayings and sentences of the philosophers and wisemen who contemned the Gods of the Gentiles proouing how coÌ„trarie it was to good philosophie to saie there should be many Gods But yet if it were possible that there should be many Iupiter Saturne Mars the others which the pagans adored were not nor could not be Gods for certaine it is that they were men And if they had bene good for any respect or had done any notable proffit vnto the people by their industrie or new inuâ—ntion as of plowing and reaping graine of making armour of defence or offence and such like yet in some respects they were most bad and vitious The holie virgin prosecuted her speach and declated what IESVS CHRIST preached of his life his deeds his miracles and shewed how they were all conformable to the nature of God This holie sainte spake these things so discreetlie and eloquentlie and with such feruencie of spirite that is was most euident and apparant that it was the work of God and that within her was somewhat more then humane wisedome And in such sort that the philosopher which began the disputation was not only conuinced but also turned to her side whereof he gaue plaine proof by his words The Emperour perswaded the other philosophers to take the defence of the matter which the chief had giuen ouer as being ouercome and to dispute with the damsell but they answered that it was to no purpose For now their chief man being vanquished they were also ouercome And they confessed withall that the damosell had said truth and that themselues till that time had benâ— blind worshippers of those for Gods which were not so indeed and that there was but one God to wit IESVS CHRIST whom Catherine confessed and adored It cannot be expressed how these words caused the Emperour to storme and rage which he shewed by this for without staie or obseruing any order of law or course of Iustice or without any examination he commaunded there should be kindled a huge fire to burne them all to ashes The fire being kindled forth with the wisemen fell at the feet of S. Catherine and weeping besought her to praie vnto God for them that he would pardon the sinnes they had committed against him through ignorance and they said they were prepared and desirous to receaue the sacrament of Baptisme The glorious saint reioycing in spirite as we maie well think to haue gained so good a praie animated them saying Assure your selues that God will pardon you since that for his sake you leaue the earthlie king and loose your owne liues The fire which is prepared shal be in steed of Baptisme vnto you and shall cleanse your soules that they maie be forth with presented vnto God who will bestow vpon you a reward for the seruice you now do vnto him These words confirmed the wisemen exceedinglie and they often making the signe of the Crosse and naming IESVS CHRIST were in this manner cast into the fire where they yealded their soules vnto God on the 17. daie of Nouember Some Christians came in the euening to gather together the reliques of the saints and they found their bodies entire and whole and not a haire of their heads
things go in this manner in a great rage commaunded the Empresse should be put to death And for that Purphirius the captaine spoke in her behalf and the Emperour vnderstood he was a Christian and 200. of his souldiers also he gaue charge they should be all put to death fullfilling herein that which this holie saint had said before namelie that many should be saued by her meanes As the Empresse was led vnto her death she met S. Catherine on the waies and they embraced affectionatly requesting eache other to praie vnto God which they both promised hoping they should shortlie meet together in heauen The Empresse was beheaded on the 23 of Nouember and so was Porphirius and his souldiers The Emperour being in a manner beside himself to see the constancie of Catherine and not knowing what to do more commaunded to behead her also The holâ—e virgin was led to the place of excecutioÌ„ where was a great concourse of people as well men as women many of the companie weeping for compassion Before she was beheaded she prayed vnto God and yeelded him thancks for many graces that she had receiued at his hands but especiallie for this which she was at this instant to receiue to wit the loosing of her life for his sake which she took for the greatest signe of his loue toward her could be She besought him also that after her death he would not permitt her bodie to come into the hands of the perfidious Infidells least they might reproach or abuse it Moreouer she besought him that those that in their necessitie remembred her might be deliuered from their afflictions so farre forth as was conuenient for them This praier being finished one of the souldiers cut of her head and out of the wound came milk in stead of bloud Then were Angells seene to lift vp her bodie from the earth who caried it in the ayre vnto the mount Synay and there the same Angells buried it The Emperour Iustinian in processe of time caused a sumptuous Church to be built in the same place and a monasterie also in which the holie saint is honored and reuerenced Her death was on the 25. of Nouember and on the same daie the Catholique Church celebrateth her feast with great sollemnitie which is done with good reason for God hath three crownes with which he croweeth some of the faintes in heaven One is of red coullor which is for the holie martyrs The second is of skie-coullor wherewith the preachers be crowned and the third is white which is agreable vnto the virgins It seemeth all these crownes were due vnto S. Catherine For she was a Martyr and both before and at the time of her martyrdome she conuerted many person vnto the faith of CHRIST and she was a virgin also And for that she hath such rare prerogatiues beside as she said of her self that she was the especiall spouse of CHRIST with great reason deserueth shee to be honored and reuerenced of all Christians especially of students who by her meanes do receaue as we maie beleeue many graces and wisedome also infused by God This blessed martyr and virgin S. Catherine suffred martyrdome about the yeare of our Lord 310. in the raigne of Maxentius and Maximianus SPanish The ordinarie painting her with a sword in her hand and setting her foot vpon the head of an Emperour deuoteth that she conquered victoriously the tyrant that martyred her * ⎠* The life of S. Peter of Alexandria Bishop and Martyr THe prophet Zacharie sawe in a vision IESVS the high priest sore beaten and wounded his handes were all bruised and pierced through being demaunded who had vsed him so he made answere I haue receiued these stripes and woundes in the house of them that loued me This is spaken figuratiuely by IESVS CHRIST who being of his heauenly father loued infinitely yet he willed him or permitted him to dye This may also very well be sayd of them that haue receiued greater fauours and benefitts of Almightie God hauing higher and more eminent dignities and functions as he hath done vnto priests And if they offend or transgresse his lawes he is more displeased at their offences then he is at the faultes of others And through he be highly displeased with sinners yet he complayneth of them more then of all others This very same befell to S. Peter of Alexandria who sawe IESVS CHRIST with a coate rent and torne to pieces He demaunding who had vsed him in that manner answere was made Arrius the heretick The sonne of God shewed himself much displeased that that accursed man had set his toung against his honor in deprauing and touching him in his deitie it being his dutie to defend the same more then others for that he was a priest The life of this holie Bishop and martyr Peter collected out of Eusebius of Cesaria venerable Bede and other authors of Martyrologes is in this manner SAINT Peter of Alexandria was borne in the same cittie of Alexandria and thereof he took his surname For his great vertue and wisedome he was elected Bishop after the death of a holie man called Theonas And as some authors say he was the 16. prelate of that cittie after S. Mark the Euangelist In the persecution of Maximinus the Emperour great were the troubles he suffred in so much as many seing and beholding his patience and perseverance were stirred vp to imitat him neither did they quaile in the confession of theyr faith but perseuered in the same euen to the losse of their temporall liues Although the cruelty and tyrany of the ministers in the persecution encreased daily against the Christians yet the hoâ—ie Bishop left not of to look about and to prouide for the good and vtillitie of his Church And whereas the accursed heretick Arrius continued in the sowing of his cockle and infernall heresie he not only resisted him but excomunicate separated him from the congregation and comunion of the faithfull Hauing done this he was by the commaundement of the Emperour apprehended and put in prison And assoone as he knew that he was taken he sent a comaund vnto the officers to cut of his head This sentence being diuulged through the cittie it was a thing very remarkable to see all the people runne to the prison to defend him from death asmuch as lay in their power so great was their loue vnto their Pastor The accursed Arrius hauing a desire to be Bishop after Peter if he happened as he hoped to be put to death laboured guilefully and dâ—câ—â—tfully to be reconciâ—ed vnto Peter To that effect he spake to many Catholiques desired them to entreat him in the peoples name to absolue him and to signify vnto him that he was willing ready to submitt himself to his will and correction There were chosen two priests the one called Alexander the other Achillas to go on that Embassade or message who comming to the prison where Peter was propounded vnto him the cause
Idolls fell downe on the ground and broke to pieces Two souldiers the one called Papias and the other Maurus seing this cryed out and sayd Assuredly IESVS CHRIST whom Saturnine and Sisinnius do adore is the true God The prefect being in a great rage comaunded his officers to torment them they put them on the torment or Rack called Equuleus and hoysing them vp they scourged them very grieuously and rent and tore their bodies with yron bookes and scorpions They being in those torments song Himnes and said Glory be to thee O Lord IESVS CHRIST for that we are found worthie to be partakers of afflictions with thy seruans The tWo souldiers Papias and Maurus which were conuerted when the Idoll fell to the ground as is afore said were present and neere the holie martir These men being stiered vp with a desire of the crowne of martyâ—dome and repleat with holie anger against the excecutioners that tormented them with such rigor and cruelltie said to them with a loud voice How great is the diuell with you that he maketh you so cruell against the seruants of the liuing God When the Prefect Laodicio heard their wordes he was enraged against them and comaunded the officers to strike them on the mouth with stones and to carry them to prison from whence they were after taken and maâ—tyred After this he comaunded the officers to set burning torches to the sides of Saturninus and Sisinnius And when he saw all this would not make them yeeld and that they showed no signe of griefe or sorrow by their countenance he caused them to be taken from that torment and to be led two miles out of Rome into the way toward Numenium and there they were beheadded Their bodies were buried by a deuout man called Thraso in one of his posessions This was on the 29. day of Nouember and on the same day the holie Catholike Church maketh a commemoration of S. Saturninus His death was about the yeare of our Lord. 307. In the raigne of Maximian and Dioclesian Of S. Saturninus wryteth Ado venerable Bede Vsuardus and the Romain martyrologe The life of S. Andrevv Apostle THE sacred scripture saith of that proud captain Holophernes Iudith that as he went with his army and banners displayed against the city of Bethulia there happened a thing which did before neuer befall vnto him for the Hebrews shut the gates against him and fortified the city for their defence Holophernes wondered therat not litle wherfore he assembled all his captains to councell and said that the desired to know the cause why the people of that city did stand more to their defence then all the other thy had ouerpassed and desirous to know wherin they trusted he willed them to certify him what any of them knew TheÌ„ arose vp a captein of the Ammonites called Achior who said vnto him know you most poteÌ„â— Lord that in this city dwelleth a nation called Iewes who haue a God so mighty that if they haue his fauour and freindship neither the mighty army vnder thy conduct nor all the world if they should assault them can ouercome them But if perhaps they haue offended him as they do oftentimes it shal be very easy to vanquish them and to take this city let them fortify it as much as they can So that my councell is first to informe thy self whither they be in the fauour of their God and according to that relation if they be in his fauour to stay but if he be displeased with them to assault them Holophernes took great indignation against Achior for his words for he thought no force was able to resist his puissant army Vpon this he commaunded some of his souldiers to lead him vnto the city of Bethulia to the end that when he had taken the city by force of armes Achior should with his bloud and life pay the penalty of his rash vnaduisednes in taking vpon him the defence of the Hebrews The souldiers led Achior vp on the mountein neere vnto the city and there they left him tied vnto a tree The Iewes issued out found him and led him into the city where Achior in the presence of Ozias the high priest of all the people recouÌ„ted what had happened vnto him They heard his speech with great admiration and then feasted and enterteined him kindly because they thought he had defended the honour of God euery one embraced him and sheaâ—ed to him great tokens of loue But aboue all Ozias took him to his house and made vnto him a solemne banquet This figure agreeth very fitly to the gloryous Apostle S. Andrew who being figured in Achior defended the honouâ— of God as he did preaching the Ghospell among the infidells where Egeas the tirant figured in Holâ—phernes took him and deliuered him vnto his officers who led him vp on a mountein and bound him to a crosse where he remained a while vntil the Angells citisens of heauen vnbound him viz when his blessed â—oule departed from his body and leâ— him to the supreme city of God and there in the presence of the high priest IESVS CHRIST diuulging how he took the defence of his honour all the blessed spirits that illustrious and honored nation made him cheare and enterteyned him kindly embracing him as their brother And the priest IESVS CHRIST made him a feast apointing him a speciall seat in his celestiall beatitude The life of this gloryous Apostle collected out of the ghospell and the writings of his disciples who were present at his martirdome was in this maner SAINT Andrew the Apostle was borne in Behsayda a twon in the prouince of Galily and was the elder brother vnto S. Peter the Apostle and also disciple vnto S. Iohn Baptist With whom being one day he saw him when he pointed his finger at IESVS sayeng This is the lamb of God Andrew staid not a whit but ioyntly with another disciple left S. Iohn Baptist and followed IESVS CHRIST who turnyng his celestiall face and seeing asked them what they sought They answered that they desired to speak with him in his house Our Lord lâ—d them with him and kept hem one day in his company in which time thy talked together and they knew him to be the Messias Andrew departed then from our Sauiour and mett Symon his brother and said vnto him with great ioy O brother Symon that thou haddest seen that which I haue seene Knowe thou that the Messy as so much desired and so long expected by the Iewes is come My master Iohn Baptist shewed him vnto vs and I haue bene with him and I tell thee that his words and deeds confirme that he is that same Come thou and see him So the two brethren came together vnto IESVS who said Thou art SymoÌ„ the sonne of Iohn but thou shalt be called Caeâ—has that is Peter Another time those two brethren being a fishing in their barck IESVS CHRIST passed by the bank and called them saâ—eng follow me and
the hangman began to vntie him he lyfted vp his voice to IESVS CHRIST and said Lord I beseech thee for thy holie names sake permitt me not to be taken from the Crosse aliue Receaue me my master whom I haue loued whom I haue confessed whom I haue preached and of whom I hope to be rewarded Oh good IESVS receaue my spirit in peace for now is it time to come to thee whom I haue so much desired Whilest the Apostle said these wordes there discended from heauen a great brightnes in manner of a beame of the sunne which euerie one saw and couered the bodie of the Apostle that for half an houres space it could not be seene at which time it vanished awaye and then they perceiued that the was dead One Maximilla a deuout woman a disciple of the Apostle being of that cittie and verie rich went to the Crosse with some of her seruants and took the bodie of the saint and buried it anointing it first with pretious ointments When Egeas vnderstood what Maximilla had done he ment to complaine vnto the Emperour both of her and of many other that asisted her Whilest he was in the publique hall taking informations thereof tâ—e diuell entred into him making him to roare and crie out as a beast and tormenting him in the sight of the people made him to yield his soule to be tormented in hell This iudgment of God caused many to be conuerted to the faith of CHRIST The martirdome of S. Andrew was on the 30. of Nouember and on the same daie the Church celebrateth his feast His death was in the yeere of our Lord. 62. as Canisius saith in the raigne of Nero. In the time of the Emperour Constantine the bodie of S. Andrew was translated to Constantinople and from thence to diuers other places till lastlie it was carried into Italie to the cittie of Amalfy in the kingdome of Naples where it is at this present And it is said that out of this blessed bodie cometh a most pretious liquor that cureth and healeth diuers infirmities When Pius the second was Pope his head was brought to Rome and set in a tabernacle made for that purpose in the Church of S. Peter S. Gregorie of Toures recounteth many miracles done by the intercession of S. Andrew namelie the curing of diuers and sundrie infirmities He saith also that in the time of Clodoueus king of France in a warre he made in Burgundie and in the sacking of a countrie fire was set on the Church of a holie martir called Saturninus within the which were some reliques of S. Andrew The fire enereased and the people were much agreeued that the reliques of the holie Apostle should be so consumed There was a souldier borne at Toures who perceiuing the sorrow of the people entred resolutlie into the middest of the fire and went vnto the place where the reliques of the holie Apostle were and brought them awaie safe without hurt And God was pleased to shew how acceptable this pious deed was to him preseruing the souldier from the fire that it hurt him not at all We read also of other miracles of S. Andrew as of a Bishop whom the diuell in forme of a damosell would haue deceiued and the holie Apostle went to his house in the shape of a pilgrime and told him of the deceit but for that I haue not read it in any approoued author I do not auerre it yet God can and vseth to do those or the like things by the intercession of his holie saints And we ought not to doubt but he hath done many miracles by the intercession of S. Andrew who followed and loued him so that at last he died on the Crosse for his loue as himself had done It is iust therefore that we be deuout to this holie saint that by his prayers and meritts we maie obtaine of God eternall glorie Amen DECEMBER The life of S. Bibiana virgin and Martir MANY were the vexations and great were the tribulations the holy man Dauid suffered at the haÌ„ds of sondry persons who without any cause giuen on his part endeuored to do him all the mischief they could as amoÌ„g others his father in lawe Saul did yet he supported all these troubles with patience and myldnes but the insurrection of his sonne Absalon nipped him to the hart and mollested him aboue all the rest wherefore he said in one psalme If myne enemy had said euill of me and had persecuted me Ps. 54 I would haue supported it bycause that of an enemy no friendly kindnes is expected but I am aggreiued that this my sonne he who satt at my table and eate with me in the same dish should be the maÌ„ that should persecute me Oh how worthy was he and such as he was to descend aliue into hell Many were the tyrants that persecuted the Church and many more were they that put the Christians to death but S. Bibiana had reason to complaine of none more then of Iulyan the Apostata because the others were her professed enemyes in that they were Idollaters But this wicked and damnable man was a Christian and within holy orders who put her to very great sorrow and moued her to desire God to chastise him as indeed he did by depriuing him in a short time both of his empire and life it being not knowen by whom nor in what maner This is only certain that the lewd and wicked man being in the middest of his army was wounded with a speare wherof he dyed blasphemyng and reuiling at IESVS CHRIST his cursed soule falling as a pray into the diuells hands S. Bibiana was martyred in the time of this wicked emperour Venerable Bede and other Authors of martyrologes write her martyrdome in this maner SAINT Bibiana was borne in Rome and was daughter vnto Faustus and Drafosa who were both Christians and holy matâ—yrs S. Bibiana being very yong did exercise her self in holy and vertuous woorks Shee was taken in the time of th'emperour Iulian the Apostata a cruell foe vnto Christians and deliuered to the custody of Faustus the gouernour who was apointed to heare and determyne her cause He persuaded her to sacrifice vnto the Idols the souer to drawe her to the same he threatned to put her vnto grieuous torments if shee refused it But the holy saint answered with such godly reasoÌ„s that shee persuaded the Gouernour himself to forsake and relinquish the Idolls and to be made a Christian and consequently to endure torments and death couragiously for the same The holy damsell Bibiana was very ioyous that shee had made that gaine as to gaine a soule to her spouse IESVS CHRIST Then was shee led before the Emperour who exhorted her to sacrifice vnto the Idolls and shee aunswered him that the God creator and gouernour of heauen and earth was only worthy to be adored Th'emperour hearing this answer commaunded Bibiana to be beaten with cudgells which was done with such cruelty that shee
and fury as Dioscorus did at the hearing of these words and he was repleat with indignation and choller and as a man posessed to see his daughter so much contrary vnto him in relligion Then he called to remembraÌ„ce that many times when he talked with her concernyng marriage shee had wished him not to take care for her for she had no thought of any husband wherupon he perceued that shee answered him so for that shee was a Christian and he knew that among them many obserued chastity It came into his head that th'emperour Maximian persecuted the Christians and that in the city was a gouernour that tormented and put many of them to death All these things together caused Dioscorus to be so much distracted that being ouercome with passion and forgetting that he was her father and taking on him the person of a tyrant and parricide he layd hands on his sword with a full intentioÌ„ therwith to runne through the breast of his owne daughter The holy damosell that shee might be reserued to a more glorious triumph departed away and fled from her fathers sight By this meanes Dioscorus had space to be aduised that by killing his daughter he might fall into some trouble and could not justify it if he did not declare and publish the cause and reason of his doing he staied not so much for any piety as to haue an occasion and meanes to be more reuenged on her and to shewe vnto the other Idollaters how great his zeale was to the honour of his Gods Wherfore he took order that his daughter Barbara should be brought before the gouernor Martianus whom he informed that she was a Christian and moreouer he humbly besought him to proceed against her according to the late decrees of th'emperour The gouernour much wondered at Dioscorus seeing him so cruelly bent against his owne daughter but he was much more astonied to see her Angel-like beauty which was so goodly that it seemed to him though she had done the greatest offence in the world the sight of her only would haue obteined her pardon And yet her owne father was the only man whâ— without any wrong offered on her part laboured all he might to procure her death The iudge spake vnto her mildly sayeng Babara I see thou art a tender delicate virgin and very beautifull therefore haue compassion on thy self sacrifice vnto our Gods for I cannot be rigorous against so beautifull a damosell The blessed maid answered I offer sacrifice vnto my God who created heauen and earth but of those whom thou callest Gods heare what a holy king and prophet called Dauid saith The Gods of the Gentills be gold and siluer the work of mens hands Psal. 130.113 and they who are represented by them be deuills but the true God made heauen and earth I say and confesse the same and therefore trouble not thy self to persuade me to adore them The gouernour was so vexed with this speeche that taking no pitty of this beautyfull damosell he caused her to be stripped and to be beaten without mercy with the sinewes of oxen and when all her body was wounded and made sore he commauÌ„ded the officers to rubbe her with a course heare-cloth which put her to a greuous paine and the bloud ranne aboundantly from her body vnto the ground then he caused her to be led back into prison that he might haue time to deuise some more greeuous torments for her On that same night there was a great brightnes in the prison where Barbara lay in the midst wherof appeared IESVS CHRIST who comforted and encouraged his handmaide and told her that he would alwais assist her and keep her in his custody and that the inuentions of cruell tyrants should not preuaile any thing against her These words were scant ended when the blessed damosell perceued her body to be healed of all her hurts and wounds which thing did excedingly reioyce her in spirite and for the same shee rendered infinite thanks vnto the highest God for that he vouchsafed to visite her as also for that he had healed her in this maner On the next day the holy virgin came againe before the iudge he seeing her hole sound was amazed therat and so were many other who had seene her the day before when she was led vnto prison brused and wounded The gouernor said vnto her See Barbara howe the Gods haue had compassion of thee and haue healed againe thy wounds they be so desirous to reduce thee vnto their seruice by mildnes Be not thou vnto them vnthankfull nor obstinate in thy errour lest thy do hereafter vse rigour and seuerity against thee To this the holy damosell answered They who be blinde as thou art think as thou doest but I will tel thee the truth how I was healed if thou desire to know it It was IESVS CHRIST the sonne of the liuing God whom thou canst not see thy soule being blinded and drowned in the profound darknes of iniquity The gouernour seeing he preuailed not with this â—light commaunded two lusty fellowes to take the sides and brest of the damosell with iron combes and then burning torches to be sett to her sides and many strokes to be also giuen her on the head with a hammer The holy damosell Barbara in the midst of these torments lifted vp her eyes vnto IESVS CHRIST sayeng Thou o Lord who seest the secrets of harts behold like wise I haue put all my trust in thee I beseech thee Lord not to abandon me but susteine me with thy pityfull hand for as without thee I cannot do any thing euen so with thee I can do all things The tirant not content with this cruelty but proceeding further bad them to cut of the nipples of her breasts which put her to much paine but much more was the loue that shee bore vnto IESVS CHRIST which caused her with patience to suffer the paine for all which respect shee said with the prophet Dauid Psal 50. O Lord my God turne not thy face from me and do not take a way thy holy spirite from my hart The very sight of her body so misused and bruised put men in feare wherfore the tyrant to do her the more shame and for to terryfie the Christians the more by her example coÌ„maunded her to be led through the high streets naked all the whiles to be beaten with staues When the holy damsell vnderstood the sentence of the tyrant perceuing they ment to put it in execution shee lifted vp her eyes vnto heauen and said O soueraigne king and my sweet Lord thou couerest the sky with the thick clouds and the earth with darknes of the night may it please thee to couer my naked body so that it be not seene of the vnbeleuers who if they see me will blaspheme thy holy name Our pityfull Lord who giueth care vnto his seruants who resort for his help in their tribulations heard her prayer and couered her boâ—y with a
they came vnto Constantinople they found no diminution of their measure they had laden theother was that the wheat which the owners gaue vnto S. Nicholas although it was but a small quantity yet was it so multiplied that it sufficed all the people vntill haruest came These things brought S. Nicholas to that credit and auctority that the clergâ— and the laâ—tie of his city had a great respect vnto him and obeyed him as if he had bene the true owner of all their goods It befell also that the gouernour of the city called Eustathius being corrupted with mony gaue an vniust iudgment against three yong knights in sentencing them to death S Nicholas was at that time out of the city for he was gone to pacify the inhabitants on the sea cost which were vp in armes against certein bands of souldyers which were to passe into Africa by the coÌ„maundement of th'eÌ„perour Constantin These souldyers aggreued the people as souldyers vse to doe as they passe on their voyage and they were ready to fight it out S Nicholas went thither in person and all of them gaue vnto him great respect He talked with the three captaines whose names were Nepotian Vâ—rsus and Herpilion and brought the matter to a good passe and ended the quarell In that place he was certified of the vniust senteÌ„ce giuen by Eustathius wherfore he forthwith sped him home and came vnto the city at such time as the three wrongfully coÌ„demned persons had their eyes couered and awayted when the executioner would giue them the mortall blowe S. Nicholas being come vnto the executyon passed through the throng of the people and comyng to the executyoner pulled the sword out of his hand and then vntyed the three yong men and taking one of them by the hand lead them all three away none of the officers being so bold as to resist him Eustathius being ascerteined therof and hauing a remorce in his conscience went vnto S. Nicholas and kneeling before him asked him forgiuenes for that he said he perceued S. Nicholas knew certeinly that his sentence was vniust since he was so hardy as to take and rescue the prisoners and also for that he had at other times biddeÌ„ him do iustice and to chastice theÌ„ that deserued punishment S. Nicolas reproued him throughly for this faulte and menaced to certify all things vnto the emperour if he euer committed the like faulte againe At this the three captains of Constantin were present who being returned from Africa hauing archieued th'entreprise for which thy weâ—e sent were accused of some offence at their commyng home to Constantinople the issue was Th'emperour gaue iudgment they should be beheaded according to their deserts for their offences euidently proued against them though the matter was falsely contriued by a Iustice of the city who was bribed by the aduersaries to bring them to their end were it right or wrong When the three Capteins were certefied that on the next day they should dy they called to remembrance that S. Nicholas had freed and delyuered three innocent kinghts from death in the city of Myrea So they remayned all the night in prayer desiring God to be mercyfull vnto thé and beseeching S. Nicholas to help them in that daunger it pleased God to heare them and to honour the blessed man for S. Nicholas appeared vnto th'emperour in his sleepe and with a venerable aspect saluted him first and then with a sterne and grâ—m countenance sayd vnto him Aryse vp thou Emperour and delyuer out of prison Nepotian Versus and Herpilion for they be wrongfully accused and be cleare and innocent of those faults which be imposed vpon them If thou doest not so as I tell thee I denounce against thee as a messenger from God most deadly warre in which shal be destroyed thy nation and thou thy state and family shall come to vtter ruyne Th'emperour was woÌ„derfully afeard therat and said who art thou that doest menace me thus The holy saint aunswered I am Nicholas Bishop of Myrrea and withall vanished away and went vnto the Iustice called Ablanius and threatned him after the same manner On the morrowe th'emperour and the Iustice mett and conferred of their visions and causing the three capteines which were prisoners to be brought before them th'emperour said vnto them Tell me haue you any skill in art magick and they aunswered no and wondering at the questyon they demaunded of th'emperour why he asked such a question of them Th'emperour replyed Bycause this last night one Nicholas I knowe not what he is menaced me greuously if I do not ley you go and discharge you The captaines hearing this kneeled downe and kissed the ground and yielded infinite thanks vnto God and wept for ioy Th'emperour commaunded them to declare this secret and they told him to wit howe Nicholas saued the lifes of the three yong knights at Myrrea and how they had recommended themselfs vnto him and therefore he was come to help them Then they declared to feature of the holy saint and th'emperour perceiued that he was the same man that he had seen in his sleep These things moued th'emperour to reuiew their cause more dilligently and hauing found theÌ„ innocent he caused them which had accused them falsely to be punished and delyuered them out of prison and he gaue them a book of the Gospells written with letters of Gold and a thurible or senser of Gold and said vnto them Carry these things vnto Nicholas desire him not to threaten me but to pray vnto God for me and my empire The three capteins went vnto the holy saint when they came vnto him they fell at his feet and publiquely told the former history and delyuered vnto him the present which the Emperour had sent vnto him The holy saint was ashamed and blushed to haue these things told vnto him publikely wherefore he said my sonnes render thanks vnto God and not vnto me for I am a synner TheÌ„ he called vnto him aside the three capteins and told them that they fell into those perills daungers for certein secret synnes they had exhorted them to amend them lest God punished them with some more greuous punishment The end of this holy saints life drew neere and he fell into a greuous infirmity and being at the point of death he lifted his eyes toward heauen and he saw many Angells to discend vnto the place where he was wherefore he began to say this psalme In te domine speraui and when he came vnto that verse In manus tuaâ— domine commendo spiritum meum he passed from this mortall life vnto the eternall on the sixth day of December in the year of our Lord 343. His body was buryed by his citisens with great pompe and with no lesse sorowe for that they were deptiued of such a pastor and father Asso one as he was dead the Christians began to visite his sepulcher with great deuotion And it happened that certein Christians
renowned for thee and thy sake After this S. Lucy returning came to her selfe for the vision had caused her to be in manner of a traunce or extasie and found her mother exceeding ioyfull for that she felt her selfe cured so both of them rendred thankes vnto God and to the glorious S. Agatha Then returned they home and Lucy desired her mother to permit her to bestowe the dowrie she would giue her to her mariage on the poore Her mother answered Good daughter first close vp mine eyes and then do euen as thou wilt The holy damosell replyed most deare mother I hartilie wish and desire that the almose to be giuen be not only profitable to me but to you also and that of the benefit comming thereby you may haue chiefe part thereof If almose be giuen after your death and onlie by my consent it will not doe you so much good If a man trauell by night in places where he may stumble and dangerously fall he sheweth great indiscretion if he carrie a light behind him when he may carrie it before him if he will this world is like a darke night in which we all doe trauell and wherein be many places whereat wee may stumble The good workes we may do and especiallie almesdeedes be like burning torches which enlighten vs to walke securelie without danger or stumbling wee ought therefore to carrie the light burning before vs for though it be good to leaue almose for the poore after ones death yet it is much better to giue it them in our life time By these and other like reasons S. Lucy obtained leaue of her mother to bestowe her whole portion and dowrie on the poore When he that should haue maried her vnderstood this he was displeased that he had missed so great store of riches And remembring being himselfe a Pagan or Infidell that Lucy did these good deedes as a Christian he accused her vnto the Gouernour of the Cittie called Paschasius who causing her to be brought before him vsed all milde perswasions he could to draw her to sacrifice vnto the Gods But S. Lucy answered To relieue the poore in their necessities is a sacrifice very acceptable vnto God and this sacrifice I haue alreadie offred vnto him now not hauing any more goods to bestowe I do heare offer vp my selfe and my life also vnto him being all that I haue to giue Then said the Gouernour Perhaps the God whom thou speakest of is CHRIST who was crucified by the Iewes in Ierusalem That same is he indeed said the holie saint The Gouernour said How standeth this together that he being God should dye such an opprobrious death The blessed Virgin answered It is not meete that your Iupiter Apollo Venus or the rest should be called Gods neither is it lawfull for any man to adore them for they were of lewd and wicked life some of them being Adulterers manquâ—llours and most cruell tyrants These qualities beseeme not a God but to dye as IESVS CHRIST did whom I confesse to be the true God doth not gaine say that he is God since he was made man that he might dye and by his death it pleased him to bestowe life vpon men Thou talkest too much said Paschasius and art too saucy being so young who taught thee to prattle in this manner The holie damosell said The seruants of CHRIST shall neuer want answeres when they be brought before Iudges and Maiestrates for so much he promised vnto them saying you shall not speake but the Holie-Ghost that dwelleth in you The gouernour said Then thou hast the Holie Ghost S. Lucy answered They that liue in chastitie and puritie be the Temple of the Holie Ghost If it be so said the Iudge I will driue out the Holie Ghost thou speakest of out of thee For I will haue thee led vnto the stewes where when thou hast lost thy chastitie thou shalt also loose the Holie-Ghost thou esteemest so much Then said the holie Virgin O wretched man thou are much deceiued for if thou make me loose my chastitie by force I shall gaine two crownes in heauen the one of a chast woman and the other because I haue beene forced and for defending my chastitie Then the Iudge said leaue your words for we will come to deedes and then instigated by the diuell he commaunded that she should be led vnto the brothel-house Many people flocked thither Some intending to satisfie their lust laid violent hands vpon her to draw her by force vnto their pleasures But God did helpe his handmaid by making her to be immoueable And though many endeauoured to pull her with their hands yea some with ropes and lastlie with many yoake of Oxen yet could they not draw her one foote out of the place wherefore the Iudge said Be these thy witchcraftes that being as thou art a sorrie girle many men nor many yoake of Oxen cannot stuâ—re thee Assuredlie the diuell thy familier helpeth thee that thou mayest scoffe and delude vs. The young damosell answered this is no witchcraft nor inchantment much lesse is it the diuell that maketh me stand immoueable the diuell rather desiâ—eth that I had beene led to the place by thee appointed that there I might haue lost my chastity but it is the spirit of God who being omnipotent and dwelling in my soule is able and doth giue me such constancie that all the world shall not be able to moue me from this place Then the iudge commaunded officers to bring store of wood and to place it about the holie damosell and that they should powre thereon Oyle Pitch and Rosin and then set fire thereto that she might be consumed to ashes The flame did her no hurt and in the midest of the fire she said My most louing and gratious Lord hath granted me a little space in my martyrdome that the faithfull beleeuers may be incouraged and not to feare torments which be not indeed so rigorous as they seeme to be and that Idollaters may be confounded when they see how little they can doe against the seruants of the most high God The Gouernour not knowing what to do more caused asword to be thrust through her throat which wounded her mortallie but before she died she spoke to certaine Christians present who lamented to see her so wounded and said vnto them Be of good comfort bretheren for the Church of God shal haue peace ere long the emperours that haue done such damage thereto shal shortlie loose the rule and dominion that they haue We read also that the Blessed Sacrament was brought thither secretlie by a priest and that when she had receaued the same she ended her life in peace Her bodie was buried in the same cittie of Syracusa where it remained many yeares god shewing diuers fauours and graces to his faithfull seruants by the merits and intercession of the blessed virgen In processe of time her bodie was caried vnto Constantinople and from thence vnto Venice in great regard and estimation as
of the Church Afterwards kneeling vpoÌ„ his knees continuing his prayers his enemies crying out kill him kill him his head was clouen with many woundes all lighting in one place his braines were scattered about the ground his bodie did fall close besides the Aultar before which he had offered himselfe to God as a sacrifize The Monkes and cleargie men fearing to leese that precious treasure of their Prelats bodie assembling together did strippe him of his cloathes found all his bodie from the neck to the knees couered with a rough haire shirt and his breeches also made of hairecloth With this token of his santity the remeÌ„brance of his vertues they did shed many teares saying one vnto another how farre was he from affecting the Crowne and seeking after earthly honour that did so despise and chastize his owne flesh as if it had bin his mortall enemies They apparailed him in his Pontificall roabes and buried him before the aultar of S. Iohn Baptist and of S. Augustine first Bishop of that citty God that is wonderful in his sainctes working manie miracles to witnesse his santity and glorie This renowned champion of IESVS CHRIST Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of England Legate of the Sea Apostolique and glorious martyr suffered in the yeare of our Lord 1171. in the 53 yeare of his age scarce a moneth after his exile after he had bin Prelate 12. yeares 5. whereof he liued peacebly in his chaire and 7. in banishment Of him Petrus Blesensis a Frenchman by birth a great fauourite of Henry the 2. King of England and a graue writer of those dayes hath these words Thomas was the publisher of Gods word trumpet of the Ghospell friend of the spouse pillar of the cleargie sight of the blinde tonguÌ„e of the dumbe foote of the lame salt of the earth ornament of his countrie minister of the highest Vicar of CHRIST the annoynted of our Lord. All his conuersation was a schoole of vertue the rule of good manners a patterne of saluation He was vpright in iudging industrious in executing discreet in commaunding modest in speaking circumspect in his counsaile most sparing in his dyet most liberall in giuing peaceable in wrath in flesh an Angell meeke in iniuries fearefull in prosperitie well-assured in aduersity allmost lauish in almes giuing and euen altogether mercie the glorie of religious men and the loue and greatest delight of the people with many other prayses to the same purpose Neither is it only hee but all the most famous men of those dayes who extoll S. Thomas as the only patterne and myrrhoure of good Prelats King Henry himselfe did plainely declare how much he did lament his death For he not only swoare that he neuer so much lamented the death of father nor mother nor would haue bin so sorrowfull for the death of his owne childe but he also of his owne accord caâ—â— vnto Canterbury and going barefooted from S. Dunstans Church presented himselfe before the shrine of S. Thomas and bathing the ground with his teares stripped himselfe out of his Princely roabes and vpon his naked backe receaued â— stripes of euerie Bishop and 3. of euerie monke that was present and afterwards fasted all that day and night with great deuotion A rare example of pietie humilitie and deuotion in a Christian Prince such as scarce hath his match and paragon in all Ecclesiasticall Histories And surely God did manifestly declare how acceptable this penance of the King was in his sight For the selfe same day he by his Captaines obtained a glorious victorie wherein the King of Scottes was taken prisoner And manie other prosperous successes ensued this act of humiliation the holy Saint euidently ayding him from Heauen that humbled himselfe so much vpon earth and helping him that subdued and conquered thus himselfe to conquer subdue and gloriously triumph ouer all his enemies Moreouer his murderers notwithstanding they were men of knowen nobilitie and great possessions and in high estimation for their valoure and cheualrie yet forsooke they all riches and voluntarily crossed all the hopes of their preferments going in pilgrimage to Hierusalem where they did publique penance All of them dyed within three yeares after the facte committed verie penitent for their offence calling vpon the sainct desiring his patronage and intercession whose death they acknowledged to haue bin wickedly contriued and executed by themselues yet pretious in the sight of God and glorious in the eye of all the world That time which they liued was alwayes with a perpetuall trembling of bodie and soule like men astonied and distracted hauing euermore winde and weather against them acknowledging all to be the iust Iudgement of Almightie God for their heynous offence But especially he that gaue the saincte his first wound dyed with a consumption and rotte of all his limmes he himselfe casting away the flesh which rotted off from the very boanes and calling vpon the most glorious martyr for pardon and forgiuenesse God of his mercie and by the intercession of this holie Prelate graunt vs pardon and grace to follow his steppes The life of S. Siluester Pope and Confessor SAINT Paule writing vnto Tymotheus his disciple said a Bishop ought to liue sincerely and it is fit that in him be not any thing to be iustly reprooued And for to showe what ought to be in him he setteth downe some properties that a good Bishop ought to haue among other things he saith that he ought to giue good example to them that be without the Church which be the Pagans left he fall into reproach and into the snare of the deuill S. Iohn Chrisostome saith that one of the things wherewith the Apostles spred their doctrine through all the world and the Ghospell was receiued of all men was because they liued without reprehension and gaue good example to euery one and submitted themselues to great paines and desired no reward at all They fled from honours riches pleasures and embraced troubles tribulations and afflictions They did not complaine nor sought reuenge but pardoned and did good to them that did them euill wherefore the pagans said it was not possible for the man that liued so to be in any errour for that God as they said would not haue suffered it and so thereby they iudged the doctrine they preached to be true and veritable and so holpen by god they receued it On the other side those who by their office and function they haue are bound to giue good example and liue euill do very much hurt by their wicked life And these as S. Paule saith Fall into reproach and snares of the deuill for with their euill and wicked life they giue others occasion to do euill and chiefly vnto the painimes who as S. Iohn Chrisostome saith seing the Christians to steale murder commit fornication and other sinnes say that their God cannot chastise them or els that he is like vnto them And so by their fault the holy name of God is
borne of whom would be borne IESVS that is called CHRIST By the things before rehersed you may know how reasonable it is to celebrate the Natiuitie of this Virgin for that her desarts and graces be so great as is aboue mentioned The Church in auncient time did not solemnize this feast which is proued by the words of S. Augustine Aug de sanct ser 11 tâ—m 10. who saith in one sermon that the Natiuity of IESVS CHRIST and S. Iohn Baptist be only celebrated By this you may vnderstand that this feast was not kept through the vniuersall Church at that time though it be thought that from the time of the Apostles it was celebrated in some particular Churches In the time of Pope Innocent 4. it was ordeined that this solemnitie should be celebrated vniuersally by all the faithfull in the Catholike Church about the yeare of our Lord. 1250. The occasion to celebrate this feast was in one yeare and 8. moneths space no Pope was chosen after the death of Pope Celestine 4. which was the cause of infinite scandals through all Christendome but especiallie in Italy for that the Emperor Frederick who rebelled against the Church euerie day vsurped and got some of the lands belonging vnto the Church The Cardinals who were in the Conclaue desired to make the election but they could not agree At last they treated among them selfs it being propounded by some deuout person vnto our Lady to make a vowe that if any of them were made Pope in a short space for a remedy of those great damages and losses of the Church he should ordeine the celebration of the Natiuitie of our Ladie and should make it a feast with octaues through al Christendome The vowe being made forthwith ensued the election of Cardinall Sinibaldus who was called Innocent 4. who ordeined the Natiuity of our Lady to be kept on the. 8. day of September through all Christendome This election reioyced the wholle world that had longed for a pope and for that the cause of this was ascribed vnto the newe feast of the most B. virgin he ordeined that in the office they should sing this Antheme which beginneth Natiuitas tua dei genitrix virgo gaudium annunciauit vniuerso mundo c That is to say Thy birth ô virgin Mary mother of God brought ioye to the wholl world Some Authors seeme to say Vine in spec l. 7. c. 119. that a relligious man liuing in contemplation hard euery yere on the. 8. day of September the Angels to make melody and triumph and demaunding of one of them what was the cause of such ioy in heauen he was answered that on that day was celebrated the Natiuity of the mother of God and that then vpon the credit of that relligious man this feast began to be celebrated It may be true that this relligious man had that before remembred vision but the occasion to promulgate the solemnity of this feast is that which I rehersed first And to the end some thing may be spoken concerning the history collecting it out of that which S. Ierome S. Iohn Damascen Gregory of Nissen and Simeon Metaphrastes write therof I say that the father of the Virgin Marie was called Ioachim and her mother Anna Thy were both of the tribe of Iuda and of the house and family of Dauid and this is to be holden as an Article of faith for there be many prophecies in the holy writ which say that the MESSIAS should be borne of the tribe of Iuda and of the house and family of Dauid And he being to be borne of glorious virgin it followeth that the father and mother of her were to be of that tribe Hier. de ort B. Vir. Luc. 3. and of that family S. Ierome nameth some patriarches which must of necessity be the same which S. Luke nameth in his Gospell He saith then that Iannes begot Melchi and Melchi begot Leui See Iohn lucid l. 2. de temp hebr and Leui begot Mathan and Mathan begot Heli who is also called Ioachim who as he saith was naturall father vnto the Virgin Marie and legall father vnto Ioseph Ioachim took Anna vnto wife and both of them dwelt in Nazareth a citty of Galilee They were very rich and bestowed part of their goods vpon the poore and other pious vses S. Ierome saith also that they continued together 20. years and neuer had children for which Issachar the priest not only would not receue the offering of Ioachim in the temple of Ierusalem vpon a feast which was kept there and was called Encenia but bad him to depart out of the temple for that assuredly he had some secret sinne for the which God punished him and did not graunt him the fruit of benediction So that Ioachim all afflicted and ashamed departed from the temple Gregory Nizen and Simeon Metaphrastes say that S. Anna vpon the like solemnity came from Nazareth vnto Ierusalem 1. Reg. 1. and like the other Anna the mother of Samuel lamented wept and sighed in the Temple desiring God to graunt her children and euen as Anna the mother of Samuel did shee vowed to offer in the temple vnto the seruice of God the sonne or daughter that God would be pleased to giue her They say also that afer shee had made the vowe shee lay with her husband Ioachim and conceiued and was deliuered of the Queene of Angells the Virgin Mary our aduocate And though vsually when daughters are borne the father and mother do not reioyce so much as if it were a sonne for that the daughters are troblesome to bring vp and to mainteine more chargeable to set forth in marriage yet when the B. virgin was borne the father and mother felt and tasted infinite ioy as of a thing they had long desired They also reioyced for that they had some kinde of knowledg that this their daughter should not be any charge to them for a dowry in mariage but also by her meanes God would showe many fauors and blessings vpon all the world S. Bernard made this speech vnto the B. virgin in these wordes Happy art thou O Virgin Marie more then any other creature since of thee in thee and by thee God hath recreated the wholle world which he hath created In that we haue said before we haue in part seen the great worth of the Queen newly borne the order of her birth her coming into the world Now it remaineth as the vsage is to gratulate reioice with her father and mother saying vnto them O Holy and happy Patriark Ioachim and Anna happy may the birth of your daughter be wee pray God yee may see her brought vp and well married without doubt it shal be so for God will giue vnto her for spouse Ioseph one of the holiest men that shall be in the world He shal be her guard and help he shall not take of her the pledge dewe vnto spouses but rather by thes espousalls shee shall remaine
most pure and chast as she was before and euer shall be Shee shall haue another spouse in heauen which shal be God himself to wit The Holy Ghost the third person of the holy Trinity He shall be her spouse and by him shee shall conceiue without losse or dammage vnto her virginity and hauing conceiued shall bring forth into the world our Sauior and Redeemer After we haue thus reioiced with Ioachim and Anna for that thy haue such a daughter borne vnto them we may also reioice with their other kinsfolke for that they haue gotten nowe such a kinswoman Let vs reioice also with the sinners for that nowe this day is borne their aduocate Let vs reioice with the Angels since that on this day is borne their Queene let vs reioice with God since on this day is borne his mother daughter and spouse And at the last let vs reioice with the virgin her selfe since God hath elected her to such gretnes and dignity And the occasion of this being for that we be sinners for if sinne had not bin God had not bin made man and if he had not bin made man shee had not bin his mother Therfore without doute shee being aduaunced to this gretnes by our occasion will remember vs and obteine for vs of the same God who is her sonne pardon and mercy for our sinnes transgressions and also his heauenly grace that we may be partakers of his glory The life of S. Adrian Martir THE worthy king Dauid speaking with God in one Psalme said Ps 118 I haue inclined my hart to do iust and good workes for retribution sake that is hauing regard vnto the reward which ariseth in doing them It is not euill to exercise and do good and holy workes in hauing regard vnto that which is gained therby in doing them The reason hereof is that the guerdon or reward which is expected is God himselfe In such sort that he who for that respect doth good workes doth them for the loue of God In the number of those may the glorious martir S. Adrian be accounted who by hearing of the greate guerdon the martirs expected did voluntarilie offer himselfe vnto martirdome His life was written by Ado. B. of Triers and it was in this manner THE Emperour Maximian commaunded that the Christians that were in the citie of Nicomedia a city of Bithinia should be diligently sought out Many were apprehended and after that the Emperour had admonished and willed them to adore the Idoll and sawe them constant and firme in the profession of the faith of IESVS CHRIST he bad them all to be chained vnto wodden postes and to be beaten with the rawe sinewes of beastes and when he heard them in they re tormentes to praise the name of IESVS CHRIST he caused their tounges to be cut out and theire mouthes to be beaten with greate stones The number of these martirs was 23. Adrian was present there as an officer to attend and see that the commaundement of the Emperour should be executed He was an Idolater and a man of good account with Maximian And when he sawe howe patiently the holy martirs tollerated those terrible tormentes wondering therat he said vnto them I coniure you by the God which you adore and for whom you suffer these torments to tell me truly what guerdon or reward you expect for I suppose it to be very greate The holy martirs though they had no tonges by the permission of God answered him thus The reward we expect is such so greate that eyes neuer sawe it nor eares haue hard it nor the hart of man cānot conceiue it for it is an vnspeakable good which God hath prepared for his frends Adrian hearing this desired not to heare any more but being inspired by God and shewing himselfe desirous to be partaker of so greate good entred into the midst of the martirs and said to the Register before whom the matter was handled write also my name with these soulders of CHRIST for I will be a Christian also as they be The Emperour was certified hereof and when the name of Adrian was read vnto him among the other Christians which were prisoners he caused him to be called said vnto him O Adrian what art thou become foolish that thou seekest to lose thy life wretchedly Adrian aunswered I haue been but nowe I am not a foole for that I am a Christian and no more an Idolater as I haue bene before time The'mperour being desirous to make him alter his purpose discoursed and conferred long with him but seeing his words did not preuaile in rage and fury he caused him to be chained and fettered and put in prison Adrian was about 28. yeares old had to wife a woman called Natalia who was a Christian When shee heard what had befallen vnto her husband shee went with greate ioy vnto the prison and fell at his feet and kissing his fetters wherewith he was gyued said vnto him Blessed art thou ô Adrian my husband and my Lord nowe thou hast found the riches which thy father left not vnto thee Passe securely vnto IESVS CHRIST in whom thou hast reposed thy treasure which thou shalt find herafter in the time of necessity when no man shall be able to deliuer from punishment the wretch which shal be condemned The father shall not be able to deliuer the sonne nor the mother the daughter nor the transitorie riches of the world nor the ambition to haue many seruants and a great patrimony the freind shall not be of ability to help the freind only the deedes which a man hath done shall do a man good and pleasure Thou my Lord hast IESVS CHRIST in thy company in whom thou hast deposed and laid vp thy treasures walk in the way thou hast begon be not wery therof to the end thou maiest enioy the promises Take heede let not the remembrance of earthly and momentary things moue thee to turne backward from thy way begon nether let thy kinsfolks nor the wailings of thy father and mother nor the flattery of thy freinds nor the menaces of thy enemies moue thee Let not the torments of the tirant put thee in feare but fixe thy eyes vpon the constancie patience of these holie martirs which be with thee Imitate them in life and thou shalt be rewarded with them in death The blessed woman hauing said these words went vnto the holy martirs one by one and kissed their gyues and fetters saieng I beseech you ô seruants of IESVS CHRIST to animate and encourage my husband gaine you his soule Be vnto him a father that by your meanes he may be regenerated vnto euerlasting life Adrian said vnto his wife Goe home from hence my deare and chast sister for when the time shall come that we shal be examined and iudged I will bring thee notice therof that thou maiest be present and see the end of this work Certein daies after S. Adrian vnderstood that they resolued to
Victorinus and Flauia with Faustus and Firmatus deacons and 30. monks was bound in chaines and presented to Mamucha who with a sterne look asked Placidus who he was he aunswered a Christian. The Captain replied deny CHRIST thy God blaspheme him and adore God in that maner our mighty kinge Abdala adoreth and I will sett thee at liberty Placidus said I will neuer deny IESVS CHRIST my Lord I rather desire to die for him The tirant was wroth and said to Eutichius and the other 30. monks What say all the rest of yow Obey our king Abdalla deny your CHRIST and adore oure God The holy meÌ„ with one consent as if they had had but one toung aunswered Our will and our desire is all one our faith is one our maner of life is one that which one hath said think thaâ— euery one hath said For CHRISTS sake we are prepared to loose our liues The tirant was verie wroth at their aunswer made theÌ„ all be stripped and cruelly beaten saieng let words giue place to deedes and your presumptuous aunswers to the cudgell The holy martirs reioiced that they were worthy to suffer beatings and torments for CHRIST his sake The tirant on the one side and the executioners on the other side moued them to deny CHRIST but the holy men perseuered in confessing him whom they requsted to giue them strength to susteine the tormeÌ„ts which hourely encreased at the hands of the bloody butchers But finding the constancy of the martirs they were tired to torment them and so was the tirant to see them tormented and left them bound comaunding them to be kept Now because the sea was rough which hindered their nauigation toward Italy where they had a mind to do all the hurt they could they put it first in practise in that Is'land ouerrunning all sauing such strong cities as defended themselfs with robbing adulteriâ—s spoiling of Churches and ruinating them to the verie ground Placidus with his brethren and the other monks remayned certein daies in prison hauing no vitailes giuen them yet the barbarians ceased not to tormeÌ„t theÌ„ with scourging and bastonadoes and when they sawe these things could nowaies make theÌ„ alter their minds by the apointmeÌ„t of the Captaine they tied theÌ„ aloft by the feete making a smoke vnder their heads and beating them again very cruelly When they were taken from this torment the tirant commanded to giue them a litle rawe barley and water to keepe them in life that they might be able to endure their tormentes He made them fayre promisses in the behalfe of his king Abdala if they would once deny their faith but these holy men contemned his promisses and also his torments That night came to them secretly Cordianus who escaped out of the monastery and craued pardon of Placidus and desired to be tormented but Placidus commaunded him to take care to note that which he and others that were with him did suffer that he might certify in particuler the blessed father S. Benedict and the monks of his relligion of all that did happen So he did writing euery particular accident in the martirdome of these blessed saints which endured many daâ—es the tiraÌ„t Mamucha dragging them vnto his sight and tormenting them from the head to the foote with blowes and with renting and scorching they re flesh with fire the blessed damosell Flauia susteined a good part therof she being naked and hoised vp a loft before many people the tirant asked her how being a Romaine of noble parentage she could endure such a shamefull reproach She aunswered That she not only was ready to suffer to be depriued of her cloths and her honour for CHRIST sake but also of her life by sword or fier or any other torment that he could imagine The hellish man seing torments preuailed not sbught to ouer come her by another way And so he caused fiue lusty shameles villanes of the Moores to come and abuse her The good damosell had excessiue griefe to heare this and turned to God allmightie with teares beseech him to help her he heard her praier and made such as came neere and touched her with their lothsome hands to become lame and maimed wherby they let her alone in quyet and shee was freed from that reproache Great was the cruelty these ministers of the deuill exercised in all the Is'land in afflicting the Christians they bound them hand and foote and put in their mouths staues to hold them open and then cast in durt and filth into some and into others salt water of the sea and vineger wherewith they did choake them They caused others to walk barefooted vpon piks of iron seâ— in the grod they dragged others by the leggs vntill they were torne and rent asonder they burned the skinnes of others with plates of iron made red hotte others they rosted others they sawed and cut in pieces of others they bored the brest bones and vntill they came euen to their bowels they dragged others at theire horse tailes and spared not the infants but dashed out their braines against the walles They vsed as litle mercy toward the feeble women some of them they hanged by the heare others by one foote and tied a great stone at the other They rubbed the shoulders and brests of others with plates of iron made red hoate and great was the number of them that died euery day The tyrant Mamucha was not slowe to torment Placidus and his companyons They were brought euery day before him and he persuaded them first to deny CHRIST seeing that to be all in vaine he ageine would cause them to be whipped and because he sawe Placidus praysed God and was confortable in the midst of his torment he made the executioners to stryke his mouth with a greaâ— stone which filled all his mouth full of bloud yet ceased he not to payse allmightie God wherat the tyrant raging more made them cut out his toung which being cut out yet he praised God more more giuing him thanks for that he suffered for his sake The tyrant found out a new torment for them he put vpon theyr thighes glowing hoate the crooked heads of IroÌ„ anchors fastened like boots hanging on their feete In which torment they contyneued a wholl night and Placidus songe himnes and his companions praysed God When the day came and they still remained constant in the confession of their faith he gaue sentence of death against them in this maner For that Placidus Eutichius Victorinus with Flaâ—ia the damosell and Faustus and Firmatus with the other Christians dispise the commandement of our mighty king Abdalla and adore CHRIST for God who was crucified of the Iewes and hated of the God whom we adore our will is that they be beheaded and their bodyes left vnburied to be foode for the beasts of the field and birds of the ayre The ministers of the enraged Mamucha hearing the sentence led the holy saints away scourginge them till
yielded vp her spirit vnto God in that torment on the second day of December on the which day the Church celebrateth her feast This befell in the year of our Lord. 364. in the time of Iulyan the Apostata The body of S. Bibiana was buryed by a priest called Iohn in the city of Rome in a place neere vnto the palace of Licinius The life of S. Barbara virgin and Martyr THE prophet Ezechiel recounteth a vision Cap. 40 saying that he sawe a man who measured the temple and the house of God who had in his hand a rod wand to measure which was sixe cubites long and one handfull The Gyant Golyas with whom Dauid sought and cut of his head was also sixe cubites 1. Râ—g 17 and one handfull hiâ— It is not without mistery that these two measures are alike It may be by the man whom Ezechiell sawe to measure the temple is signified our Lord God And by the Gyant Golyas is ment the deuill In that he was of the same measure that the rod of the other was sheweth that the deuill to the vttermost striueth to be likened vnto God And omitting many other examples I will speak of one seruing our purpose God commaunded Abraham to sacrifice his own sonne Gen. 22 who incontinent prepared himself to doâ—yt and had performed the same if God who bad him had not hindered and let him by an Angell Out of this act of Abraham redounded very much honor vnto God it being thereby seene hat he had such a faithfull seruant that to do him seruice he was willing to kill his owne sonne The deuill to be like vnto God in this persuaded one of his seruants called Dioscorus to kill his only daughter who was called Barbara a blessed damosell to do seruice to the same deuill The life of this holy saint was written in this maÌ„ner by Symeon Metaphrastes and Ado. Arch. B. of Treuers IN the time of Th'emperour Maximian there was in the city of Nicomedia a man very rich in worldly posessions and of a noble family but in relligion he was an Idollater and was called Dioscorus This man had one only daughter who was to be his heyre whom he loued dearely This damosell was very beautifull and witty and in religion which is the thing most to be regarded shee was a Christian and very vertuous though her father was ignorant that shee was Baptised Dioscorus doubted lest the yong woman lyuing alone in the house and being so faire should be sued vnto in some inconuenient manner by one or other which to preuent and auoid he inclosed her in a tower of his pallace It was no grief vnto the holy damosell to be so shut and mewed vp there since shee might bestowe her self wholy by this meanes in the seruyce of God as she did spending her time in prayers and meditations the inspirations of the holy Ghost recreating her soule There was in that same tower a faire hall and many chambers furnished shee might also goe downe from the tower into a garden for her recreation her father for her better contentment made therin a bayne or bathing house with two wyndowes to giue it light The work was not yet finished when Dioscorus was occasioned to go on a long iourney wherefore he gaue directions vnto the master work men and departed By happe Barbara went one day to see the labourers as they were working on the two wyndows and bad them make three The men sayd they durst not do so for Dioscorus had commaunded them to make but two Barbara said I would haue you make three in any case and if my father be offended therewith tell him that I bad you and I will yield him a reason why three be made So the workmen made three wyndowes as shee bad them The work being furnished Barbara weÌ„t vnto the Baine and in seeing the three wyndowes shee contemplated the mistery of the B. Trinity It befell one day shee meditating the misteryes of the passion and death of IESVS CHRIST and shedding teares from her beutifull eyes which like pretious perles drapped into the fountein and were mingled with the pure and christalline water shee came vnto a piller of marble out of which the water issued and on the same with her finger shee made the signe of the Crosse A merueillous thing to recount the marke made in the marble with the finger of the virgin continued as if it had bene imprinted by some seale into waxe The signe remayned there and after that the holy saint was martyred many came into the baine and looking on it deuoutly calling on the name of the holy Saint were deliuered from many infirmityes When the holy damosell had made the Crosse shee kissed it deuoutly many times casting aside her eyes shee sawe some statues of the Idolls her father adored which he had caused to be set there for the more ornament of the place It grieued her very sore and caused her to sigh and lament for compassion of them that adored such Gods and moued with indignation against them shee spit in their faces sayeng Let all them that adore you and seek for help at your hands be like vnto yow hauing done this shee returned vnto her tower and spent her life in fasting and prayer her mynd being always fixed vpon God Her father came home and went to visite his daughter and also to see his newe baine hauing the master workmen with him When he sawe they had made three wyndows and he had apointed them to make but two he asked them the cause therof and they told him again that his daughter charged them to do as they had done So he sayd no more at that time Afterward being alone with Barbara he said vnto her daughter what was thy meanyng to cause them to make three wyndows when I apointed theÌ„ to make but two The holy damosell without any feare answered father I caused them to make three because it was more conuenient and agreable to reason How so said Dioscorus Barbara replied for that three lights do illuminate euery man that cometh into this world The good virgin spake this with an intention to signify the high mistery of the B. Trynity Her father was somewhat troubled at her words and sayd Explaine these your speeches a litle better What is the meanyng that three wyndowes illumynate euery man that cometh into this world Then Barbara said Come with me and you shall vnderstand my meanyng They went to the Bayne and being neere the piller the holy damosell shewed him the signe of the Crosse which shee had made therin with her finger and sayd vnto him My father the thâ—re wyndowes signify the three persons viz the father the sonne and the holy Ghost by this light euery creature is illuminated to the end the high and souereigne mistery of the holy Crosse vpon which IESVS CHRIST dyed may be beleeued There was neuer bull bayted by dogges or wounded shewed such rage