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
is to be noted that S. Leo the Pope in his 8. sermon which he made of the feast of the tenth month speaking of the foure times of Ember saith It was a comaundement deriued from the Holy Ghost Gemb SuÌ„ma Comit. The Councell of Magunce held about the yeare of our Lord 813. in the 34. chapter speaking likewise of the foure Ember daies saith it was the institution of the Romaine Church and nameth not Callistus But the one and the other of these authorities is not against that which is here written for if S. Leo say that this fast was deriued from the holy Ghost we may say it is true and yet the introducing thereof into the Church was by the meanes of this good Pope Callistus And where the Councell saith it was instituted by the Romaine Church the meaning is that some Pope brought it in vse which of necessity must be a holy man and of a very auncient time The life of S. Luke the Euangelist THE Apostle S. Paule writing to the Romaines Rom. 1. saith of himself I am debter to the wise and to the foolish to the prudent and to the ignorant to the leâ—ned and to the vnlerned Into this debt fall all the preachers and masters that teach and preach IESVS CHRIST They be bound to satisfy the wise and the ignorant giuing to euery one of them meate agreable to their necessity that they may profit all by applieng themselfs to euery one in the matters they treat of in the busines they haue in hand S. Luke the Euangelist discharged very well this duety for he instructed the wise and the ignorant giuing to euery one books out of which to learn their dueâ—y The vse of Images in the Church is approoued by the Church as holy and profitable Among other the vtilities therof this is one that Images are the books of the ignorant and vnlettered for in them they see that painted which other men read in books So S. Luke writing the Ghospell did satisfy the learned wise and being a conning painter he painted some Images wherwith he satisfied the simple and the vnlettered By these two meanes he that before was a phisition and cured corporall infirmities did afterward cure and heale the maladies of the mind of many who were saued being turned to Christianity and the seruice of God by his meanes The life of this holy Euangelist was written by some graue Authors among others Simeon Metaphrastes whom I principally followe THe city of Antioch hath alwaies bene renoumed among the faithfull for that they took the name of Christians in that place whereas before they which professed the Ghospell and faith of IESVS CHRIST were called disciples In this city was S. Luke borne of noble parents Form his childhood he was inclined vnto vertue he loued chastity right wel for he obserued it all his life He was such an enemy vnto Idlenes that euen in his childhood because he would not be idle he gaue himself to study the Greek toung Then he passed to the study of philosophy and phisick and when he found himself dulled with study he vsed for his recreation to paint And though any of these studies require a mans whole atteÌ„tion yet had wit that he proued a good philsopher an excellent physition and a famous painter The report of the miracles of CHRIST coÌ„ming to Antioch S. Luke thought that if the fame was true he deserued that people should go and see him from the vt most parts of the earth but he especially being a phisition hearing it reported that IESVS healed the sick so easily peraduenture had a greater desire to see him then others and in case it was done by art and might be learned to be tought by him He went to Ierusalem and heard some of his sermons which made such impression in his mind that although he was very rich in posessions and worldly goods and that he sawe them that followid him forsook all and that other wise they were not admitted into his schoole desiring yet to be his disciple and to keep in his company he left and abandoned all his worldly goods and posessions as easily as one would haue shaken the dust from his feet when they are to be washed So he came into his B. company and IESVs receaued him to be his disciple and so he remained and was partaker of many misteries which our Lord wrought in the world He was sent to preach when the other disciples were sent by two and two into sondry costs He was in Ierusalem at such time as our B. sauior died And for that he had heard him say that he would rise againe the third day he staied till then on which day he according to the opinion of some Authors being accompanied with another disciple called Cleophas determined to iourney from Ierusalem vnto the castell of Emaus being 60. furlongs from thence Brocard in descrip tenae sancth Cap. 7.5 5. Which they did to secure themselfs of the inminent daunger and also to be informed by passengers of some euents They went in this iourney discontent talking together of the things which had befallen in Ierusalem and whilest they talked IESVS appeared to them in the shape of a traueller and kept them company In their communication and conference he reproued them for their litle faith and instructed theÌ„ in many things and reduced to their memory many sayengs of the prophets which showed that CHRIST must suffer and dy and then rise againe finally being come neere the castell he made as though he would go further but at their request he staied still with them And being set at the table they knew by breaking of bread that he was IESVS who was risen againe They returned speedily to Ierusalem to bring this good newes vnto the Apostles and there and in their company they sawe him ageine S. Luke was present likewise when our Lord ascended into heauen and at the comming of the holy Ghost After this he stayed in Ierusalem certein yeares with S. Iohn the Euangelist in the company of the mother of God vntill S. Paule was conuerted and came to Ierusalem S. Luke grew into great friendship is thought because they were both learned though they studied different faculties as likewise the cause of the frendship of S. Barnabas with the same S. Paule was because both of them had studied together in Ierusalem and had bene schollers vnto Gamaliel S. Luke being then in the company of S. Paule went with him in his long peregrinations and was partaker of his trauells Of S. Luke S. Paule maketh mention in his epistles to Tymothee Tym. 4. sayeng Luke only is with me and to the Colossians he saith Coloss 4.2 Cor. 9. Luke my dearly beloued saluteth you And to the Corinthians he saith I send to you Titus and a brother meaning S. Luke whose praise is in the Ghospell in the Churches not that only but he is deputed as a companion of
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
base because the too much or excesse was a thing reprouable for his person the too litle was not fit nor conuenient in respect of his function He was very merciful toward the poore and gaue them much almose of the mony which many rich men gaue vnto him very largely By these pious deeds Ciprian became in few daies so famous that among the heathen also he was renoumed and no lesse hated as one by whose meanes many left their paganisme and were made Christians For which cause they conferred among themselues howe they might take his life away and to haue a commaundement for it from Themperours Valerian and Gallien who at that time persecuted the Church most cruelly and put many Christians to death euery day God did not permit that this their purpose should come to passe as yet Because a man of such holy life and excellent learning as Cyprian was for some short time necessary to be in the church to the end he might with this holy sermons and admonitions draw many soules out of the bandes of sinne bring them vnto pennance and to the end he might exhort many to forsake the world and enter into relligion and that many damosells liuing in monasteries might keep perpetuall chastity This excellent doctor was also necessary for no preach the truch vnto the heretiks the vnion vnto the schismatiks and peace vnto the children of God He was asso necessary for the incouragement of the martirs to persuade them with a willing mind to suffer torments and death for the sake of IESVS CHRIST with hope to acquire the crowne of glorie in heauen He was likewise necessary to the end that they which only lost their goods in the persecution should be by him comforted in making them assured that they should haue them doubled in heauen This persecution being runne through diuers provinces and cities came also vnto Carthage and was put in execution with such rage and fury that it was worthy of note to see the miserable Christians to goe one this way another that way all of them in feare and dread labouring one while to saue their goods another while to preserue their liues In a short time the prisons were replenished with Christians not with thiefs or malefactors There was no offence punished but that which seemed most heinous vnto the painimes to be a Christian After certein daies expired the ChristiaÌ„s which were imprisoned were taken forth and executed in the high streets with diuersity of tormeÌ„ts Theire dead bodies lay in heapes and no man was so hardy as to touch or bury them What did the holly Bishop S. Ciprian in this time of great calamity and misery He called the Christians to him some times one and sometimes another and led them into certeine secret places where he preached vnto them telling them that the time was euen nowe coÌ„me in which it was to be clearly seen who was in deed the frend of God by perseuering in the confession of the faith by not fearing the tirants that had power to do harme only vnto their bodies and not vnto their soules but rather the more the bodies were abused the more glory should redound vnto their soules that therefore they should not hate the tirants which persecuted them but rather loue and pray vnto God for them knowing that IESVS CHRIST hath said that the difference between the Christian and the pagan is that the Christian doth loue his frends and foes also whereas the pagan loueth none but his frends He made vnto them demonstration of this verity by the example of CHRIST who praied for them that Crucified him and that therefore if they would be his true children they ought to imitate him in works Many other things said the good prelate vnto theÌ„ which if the tirants had heared they might haue bene conuerted by these words Yet they brought forth very gret fruite in the harts of the catholikes because they did much animate them not to fear the rigour to the persecution Ciprian also ordeined many things to preuent and auoid many incoueniences which happened euery day As to apoint stout and lusty fellowes who in the night at certein howers of security took away the bodies of the Martirs which lay in the streets and buried them to others he gaue in charge that the Christians which came out of prison with life yet very euill entreated with torments should be led by them vnto their houses there they should see them haue phisik with all speed He ordeined others to helpe the Christians which were designed to be taken and fled hither and thither and to prouide them sustenaunce and clothing These and such others the like prouisioÌ„s did the Blessed Bishop make in that time full of calamity and he had such a notable gift in commaunding things to be done that euery one obeied him And though they put them selues in manifest daunger yet did they performe all his commaundements The Proconsull who had the charge in Carthage to persecute the Christiants was aduertiezed of the good deeds that Cyprian did wherupon he would be informed who he was and when he heard that the people loued him and that he was of great autority with euery one he durst not arrest him to put him to death but caused his commaundement to be declared vnto him which was that he should depart from Carthage and go vnto a city called Corubitana In that place he staied about a yeare but the Proconsull deceasing he retruned vnto a place neere vnto Carthage and staied in certein gardeins which had bene sometimes parcell of his owne patrimony and which he had sold to be spent in almose But he which had purchased them had giuen restored them agein vnto him freely without any recompence And if the persecution had ceased S. Cyprian had sould them ageine and had giuen the price coming of them agein vnto the poore Remaining certein daies in these gardeins accompanied with manie priests and deacons and other friendes among whom was Pontius who wrote his life many of the city of Carthage and of other places also came to visite S. Cyprian and to confer with him of heauenly matters and at all times they found him affable and curteous Euery one was by him comforted euery one holpen and he persuaded and exhorted them all to serue God Some of his frends besought him to depart from thence and to remaine a litell further of from the Proconsul who being newly come might seek to get him into his handes and put him to death therefore staying there he was in great daunger But he who had receued a reuelation that about one yeres end after his banishment he should obtein the crown of martirdome had not the power to depart out of that place for he had a gret desire to die for the faith of CHRIST The Proconâ—ull had notice where Cyprian dwelt and howe much people came thither to visite him wherefore he sent officers to attach him
honorable memorie of him in celebrating the feastiuall day of his martirdome Yet most stupendious is the miracle straunge the wonder that to this day is seen in the same city of Naples which is this His bloud which is kept is in a violl of glasse congealed and hardened very much yet let it be put right before and against the head of S. Ianuarius and it doth melt and dissolue in such sort that if seemeth to boile or seeth as if it were liuely and did issue and spring euen then out of the veines The passion of all these blessed Saints was on the 19. day of September vnder Dioclesian and Maximian Romain Emperours in the yeare of our Lord. 305. Our holie father Pope Sixtus 5. in the first yeare of his papacy by a Bull commaunded that the said blessed Saints should be put in the Calendar and their office and masse should be celebrated by all faithfull Christians on the day of their Martirdome * ⎠* The life of S. Eustachius and others WE READ in the book of Numbers Ca. 22. that Balac king of Moab douting the Israelits would come and make warre vpon him in his realme sent messengers for Balaam the prophet that he might curse them imagining by that meanes to haue the victory against them The prophet went at his request which displeased God and rode on an asse It fell out that the Asse after a litle trauell staied and would not go forward The prophet rated and bet her and stroke her without discretion or iust cause and as the scripture said God opened the mouth of the beast who also speak vnto him Then did an Angell also speak in the defence of the Asse vnto the prophet and moreouer tole him what he should do This history may be fitly applied vnto S. Eustachius who wandering in the paths of Idollatry and heathenishe errors a thing abhominable in the sight of God was admonished of his errors by a wonderfull meanes God vsed toward him to wit he made a hart of stag to speak vnto him and to instruct him what he ought to do The life of this glorius saint and of his fellowe martirs was written by Symeon Metaphrastes and by S. Antoninus Bishop of Florence in this manner IN the time of Traiane Themperour there was in Rome an honorable and noble Lord called Placidus who was Generall of the horse And though he was a paynim yet did he works in them selues good He was charitable pitifull iust and faith full vnto his Lord. On day as Placidus went on hunting he spyed a goodly harte and pricked his horse with the spurres in pursuite therof The â—art or stag made a stand on a high eminent place and when Placidus approched nere it seemed vnto him that the hart had the signe of one crucified betwen his hornes and withall he heard a voice which said why doest thou persecute me Incontinent he alighted from his horse and kneeling on the ground said who art thou Lord that speakest vnto me The voice replied I am IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God who discended from heaven vnto earth and was crucified for the saluation of mankind and rose ageine to life on the third day Placidus replied againe Lord what is thy pleasure I shall do In what sort wilt thou haue me to serue thee It was answered vnto him My will is that thou thy wife and all thy family be Baptised and so thou shalt find the true way to go vnto heauen and when thou art Baptised my will is that thou be patienâ— and tollerat willingly the afflictions that shall be fall vnto thee and this do for my sake This being said the hart ran swiftly away and departed out of his sight Placidus wondered excedingly and at that instant God touched his hart and so enlightened him that he beheld the blindnes and misery in which he then was by giuyng diuine worship to stocks and stones He went home without delay and conferred and shewed his intent vnto some Christians and to conclude he was Baptised wherin he chaunged his name from Placidus and took the name of Eustachius his wife called Theopista and his two soÌ„nes Agapitus Theopistus were Baptised also After a few dayes Eustachius being well instructed in the Christian faith the deuill began God permitting it to persecute him Iob. c. 1. as he did Iob. The first thing was he slewe all his beasts and cattail wherof he had great store then did all his slaues and bondmen dye and briefely he lost all his goods became so poore and was so abandoned of the world that he was forced to depart out of Rome and lead a priuate life in a poore village In that place the fiend did also persecute him for he incited some wicked persons to take his wife from him and he had not power to resist and withstand them but God did always so preserue her that shee was neuer dishonored He lost also his two sonnes and he remained alone in so great necessity that he was faine to dwell with a rich citizen who made him his baily and ouerseer ouer one of his farmes in the countrey Although the good Eustachius sawe himself brought into this great misery yet euidently appeared in him a generous mind and Christian resolution to tollerat euery thing with patience God proued him like another Iob but when he was in this hard case he thought of him and restored him vnto his former estate For the Emperour Traian hauing designed to make a warre of much import and considering that to bring it to the wished end he must haue an expert generall he called Placidus to his remembrance whom he iudged a man fit for that charge After diligent enquiry he was found and madegenerall of the forces which charge he hauing receaued as he was carefull in mustering men for this gret seruice he came to the knowledg of his two sonnes Agapistus and Theopistus who were among the other souldiors of the army He also found again his wife who in poore and mean array was a seruant to an Inholder The ioy Eustachius had and the infinite thanks he yelded vnto God to see him self deliuered and freed from his former miseries and to haue found again his wife and two sonnes cannot with words be expressed After he had accomplished his entreprise committed vnto him he retorned vnto Rome with great honor and found Traian dead and Adrian installed in the empire Eustachius was receued into Rome with gret pompe and triumph aswell by the Emperour as by the wholl senate And because the custome of the Romain Capteins was that when they entred Rome with Victory they went vnto the temple of Iupiter there they sacrificed Eustachius excused himself saieng he could not do it bicause he was a Christian Themperour the Senate and all the people thought that if the accustomed sacrifice was not done they should neuer after haue any victory for which cause thy were very earnest that Eustachius should sacrifice Eustachius
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
rehearse this story of my temptations yea I lament that I am not nowe as I was them I do remember that I haue sometime spent the night in praier calling on my LORD IESVS CHRIST neither did I cease to knock my breast vntill that my hart was at rest from those vnquiet thoughts IESVS CHRIST is my witnes that after all these trobles I felt great consolation and content teares as sweet as hony with such enkindled and louely desires of heauen that me thought I was transported beyond my self and that I was aboue the Quiers of Angells If the flesh make such warre against thē that afflict and torment it what will it do to him that liueth in pleasure delights It may be he shall not haue such terrible temptations But in that case I thinke there is no greater temptation then not to be tempted This same holy Doctour writing to Pammachius saith I exalt virginity but not for that I do enioy it but for that I highly esteeme them that do obserue it Out of these words of S. Ierome some take occasion to say that in his youth he liued lasciuiously but in this they are deceued for holy men vse this maner of speech to shew their humility and yet they did not ly as S. Paule saith of himself 1 Cor 15. eph Cassiā epist 22. that he was the least of the Apostles and the greatest sinner it semed to him it was so as he said hauing consideration vnto his humble mind S. Basile also saith of himself I neuer knewe any woman carnally yet do I not therefore account any self a virgin So speaketh S. Ierome with lowelines and humility reputing himself a sinner Yet as it appeareth by an epistle vnto Eustochium he neuer did actually commit and dishonesty and these be his words we do not only praise and commend virginity but do also preserue and keep the same Spa at the least after his Baptisme as sait Marianus Victorius After that S. Ierome had bene foure years in the afore-named desert in vit eius he thought he might nowe yea that he ought to go out preache vnto the people yet for all he did not vtterly renounce and forsake the desert but retired into the company of relligious men to liue among them It was not fitt such a light should be hid any longer but should be knowen for the relligious men with whom he conuersed and enioied his blessed company perceued the great treasure that God had safly kept vnder that course clothing in the brest of Ierome repleat with science and doctrine He had before that time written some works and published them These books were well liked of the readers who bare good affection also to the Author for the same and by this meanes S. Ierome came to be knowen in many places There liued at that time Epiphanius B of Salamina in Cipres and Paulinus B of Antioche These two prelats were at controuersy and to be agreed they were to go to Rome vnto the Pope Ep 16. in ep i. taph mar celle v. ep 27 in epitap paule In this their iourney they took S. Ierome with them in their company for the good opinion they had of him This was the occasion of his third comming to Rome At that time Damasus was Pope who knowing the worthines and sufficiency of Ierome aswell for his vertue and behauiour as for his wisedome and learning would needs reteine him stil in his company And because he was alredy made priest in Antioche by Bishop Paulinus Ep 65. ad pam D Aug ad fratr in Ere ser 24. the pope gaue vnto him the title of a church in Rome called Laurence which is the same as it is nowe to be a Cardinall though they did not then vse the apparell and the red hatte which pope Innocent 4. about the year of our Lord 1250. gaue vnto them So that to paint S. Ierome in the habite of a Cardinall hath this foundation that indeed he was a Cardinall in that he was a priest and Curate of a parish in Rome The glorious S. Ierome exercized this charge carefully and diligently and laboured to roote out publique offendors out of his parish and reprooued them sharply though they were of the Cleargy which caused him to be persecuted and hated for it is an ordinary matter for the wicked to abhorre and detest the good and the vertuous euen as the dogge doth hate the staffe that beateth him So those that in their lifes were like beasts and in their deeds were disordered and vnruly people hated S. Ierome for he was the staff and the scourge that whipped them Whervpon they awaited to espy out some occasiō to slaunder him and to driue him out of Rome as they did indeed at last Their meanes was this S. Ierome vsed when he preached thē to forsake vices to loue vertues to despise the world and to make none account of the pompe and vaine glory therof Alitle before this time were fled vnto Rome from the fury of the Arryans some Catholique priests of Egipt as S. Athanasius and others who told how in those countreis S. Antony other holy hermits had made monasteries aswell of men as women who serued God by liuing in obedience pouerty and chastity Some Romaine Ladies hearing this had a desire to do the same and because the priests who should haue animated them therin were gon back vnto their owne country for that thy heard the persecution was ceased they were hindered from building the monastery as they desired to haue done and finding S. Ierome to fauor their intent as a thing agreable to that which he preached and taught and also proffer to defend them from all that did depraue or backbite the act for they feared him much as also to speak in their behalf to pope Damasus who loued him dearely they builded vp the monastery they desired The ladies that began this laudable work were Sophronia Marcella Melania Paula and Eustochium and many others followed imitated them S. Ierome instructed them all in the way of perfection he willed them to read spirituall books to pray often to be humble charitable and chast but especially to frequent often the sacraments of Confession and of the Eucharist These and such like were the persuasions S. Ierome vsed to these deuout womē because he desired their encrease in holy life And though this caused in Rome some murmuring as being a thing vnusuall yet then seeing how these relligious women profitted in vertue and how some that were before gadders abroad delighting in gay and rich appareill in nouelties and vanities and idle talking were now quite changed from these thinge and seemed to be the blessed handmaids of God the murmure ceased yea S. Ierome was extolled and highly commended as the diuiser of this holy work When he passed by the streets the people kissed his garments and said openly that when Damasus died he should be his successor This was the
our lord and Sauyor IESVS CHRIST was borne therin when he came to liue in this world and also but in farre lower degree for the S. Ierome dyed there to liue in heauen But aboue all other prouinces Spaine oweth an especiall duety vnto S. Ierome for the many epistles he wrote to particular persons therin as also for that after many hundreth years that he dyed in Bethlehem it seemed he was raised to life in Spaine not he in person but his name and religion for in the time of Pope Gregory II. the king Don Alonso the. II. raigning in Spaine there came out of Italy two holy hermites into the kingdome of Toledo in Spaine and by their good example of life and holy admonitions others were conuerted vnto that holy religious order Don alonse Peccia Bishop of Iaen and Petro fernandez Peccia his brother and Hernando Laguez chief chaplen of the kings Chappel Chanon of Toledo who being elected Arch-Bishop therof refused that dignity beside these many other noble men of marke and quality Many of the before named chose that life for that they had conceyued a great dread and fear of the king Don Pedro who at that time reigned in Castile after the death of the king Don Alonso his father because he had a delight to shed mans bloud so much that if the offence or fault were neuer so small he caused very rigorous punishment to be inflicted vpon the delinquents which seuere kind of Iustice was not vsed to be excuted in Spaine Wherefore the king gained thereby the surname of Cruell to this day I cannot tell if the doing of his Chronicler who did smally befrend him as it seemeth for some priuat respect did not help forward to settle confirme that odious name of Cruell vnto him from that time vnto this All these liued together certein years in the desert then they besought Pope Gregory to giue them a habite and a rule vnder the name of the hermitts of S. Ierome but the Pope gaue vnto them the rule of S. Augustine the name and habite they haue at this daie This order was confirmed in the third yeare of the Popedome of S. Gregorie on S. Lukes daie in the yeare of our Lord 1373. The order which is called in Spaine of the Isidori which is also of S. Ierome was instituted in the time of Pope Martin the 5. by frier Lopes de Ouiedo professor of the monasterie of Guada Lupe who out of S. Ieromes workes tooke a rule which is printed with his other workes and with the helpe of some that desired to followe it and with licence from the sea Apastolike he founded certaine monasteries in Italy which are called Isidori or the congregation of frier Lopes Of the first named relligious men of the order of S. Ierome there be in Spaine many worthie monasteries but in especiall fifteene which are called Royall because alwaies they haue bin fauoured by the kings They were especially fauoured by the Catholique king don Phillip the second of that name who built them a monastery an college in the Escuriall vnder the title of S. Laurence the Royall and the rule institution of the glorious S. Ierome In which place be many rare singular reliques of saints many pictures Images the workes of famous painters and caruers manie bookes of great vale we much riche stuffe for the church Challices Crosses and other things for the seruice of the Altar and there also is buried the corps of the mightie Emperour Charles the fifte of that name and other of the blood Royall By these and other the great and costlie things in this Royall house euidentlie appeareth the deuotion of the said king Don Phillip toward the glorious Doctors S. Ierome and his blessed religious order wherefore we maie hope that the same saint wil be his good aduocate vnto God that his Royall person and also his Realme shall encreasein temporall and wordlie goods and also that he shall inioye the celestiall kingdome of heauen by the intercession of this blessed saint To the wich God bring vs also of his infinite mercy Amen The end of the month of September OCTOBER The life of S. Remigius THERE shall spring a fountaine saith the prophet Ioel Cap. 3 and come from out of the house of God and passe by water the brooke of thornes in which words the prophet doth fortell us what shall happen after the latter iudgemeÌ„t The bodie of a mortall man is fitlie resembled in a brooke for it runneth swiftlie to death and perdition nay further it is a brooke of thornes for that of it selfe it produceth nothing but euill desires and worser deedes shat wound and pierce the soule like thornes But a fountaine after the latter day shall spring from out of the house of God and water these thornes whereby are deciphered those streames of glory which shall ouerflow the bodies of the elect and adorne them together with they re soules The Gloss saith this text may be well applyed to the primitiue Churche when the Apostles and preachers of the Ghospell did in the manner of a fountain spring from out of the house of God from the Catholicke Churche to water wich they re heauenlie doctrine the thornie brooke of Paganisme In this sence it fitteth that glorious Archb. of Rhemes S. Remigius who was indeede a fountaine of lyfe that springing from out of the house of God with the sweete and pleasant streames of his lyfe and doctrine watered that riuer of thornes Clodoueus who being a king and worshipper of Idolls was conuerted to the faith by S. Remigius and with him all his court and armie of men The lyfe of this glorious Saint was written by Hinc marus Archbishop of Rhemes in this manner following VVHEN the hand of our Lord did chastize the Frenchmen for they re sinnes with along bloudie warre which the Vandalls a fierce and cruell nation did wage against them there dwelled in the desert a holy Monk called Montanus who had lost his sight by continuall bewailing the sinnes of his nation For knowing that all they re afflictions and scourges were caused by they re many fold offences he coÌ„tinually prayed and with teares beseeched allmightie God to redress all they re miseries and graunt them pardon for all they re sinnes and be coÌ„tented with that punishment he had allreadie inflicted vpon them God vouchsafed at length to heare his prayers and graunt his request where fore he did reueale vnto him that shortlie there should be borne a child whose name should be Remigius that comming to be Bishop should with his preaching and good example with draw men from vices conuert them to God appease his wrath and stay his punishment He reuealed allso to this holie man the parents of this Childe Emilius and Ciliâ—ia people of great religion and charitie of noble bloud and great reuenews liuing in the tertitory of Laudum Montanus went and acquainted them whith his reuelation whereof both
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
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
was borne in the cittie of Neocaesaria of honorable parents and euen from his childhood he spent his youth in all vertuous exercises When he grew to more yeares he gaue himself vnto the studie of philosophie by which he came vnto the knowledg that the adoration vsed by the pagans was a vaine thing and without foundation and that there neither was nor could be any more then one God only This was the cause that he listened willinglie vnto the Ghospell and to the faith of CHRIST for that he perceiued that the same acknowledged one God only He saw also that the thing which the Christian beleeueth although it surpasse naturall reason since a philosopher cannot attaine by naturall reason some things yet nothing is quite contrarie vnto the same reason which hapeneth not in any other sects Lastly being ayded by God he determined to be a Christian and came vnto Baptisme without those things which others receaning the same at his age do bring with them And if vntill that time he had loued the morall vertues now he exercised himself much more in them and namely his great chastitie which made other yong men of his yeeres to be ashamed of their lewdnes and wantōnes His humillitie reprooued their pride his mildnes patience their intemperance so that they enuyed him and charged him with crymes falsly and slanderously to the end he should not be accounted better and more vertuous then they And vpon this they made an accord with a lewd woman perswading her that at such time as Gregorie was in the company of other philosophers and wisemen she should complaine of him and say that he had the vse of her bodie promising her a certaine some of mony but afterward that he deceiued her and gaue her nothing S. Gregorie was on a time in company with many persons who gaue willing eare vnto him disputing of certaine subtile questions with admirable grace and eloquence his apparell being comely but meane such as he vsed euery daie The lewd woman came in and made her dishonest and vntrue complaint and partly threatned according to the apointment giuen her They which were present hearing this turned from the woman and fixed their eyes on S. Gregorie Yet knowing right well that he was cleere from such a matter and that it was a suborned accusation they turned back vnto the woman minding to thrust her headlong out of dores But the blessed man without changing his countenance or forswering the act calling one of his seruāts said vnto him Giue vnto that woman what she demandeth least she hinder our discourses The seruant asked the woman what his master ought her and she telling him he paid it to her But God would not permitte the chastitie of this holie man to be thus stayned and the woman to escape without due punishment for she had no sooner receaued the mony but the diuell entred and took posession of her tormenting her in such sort that euery one perceiued her wickednes Yet the holie man was mooued vnto compassion and prayed so long and feruently for her that the diuell departed and left her free The woman being recouered published openly her owne iniquitie and told how she was hyred by those vngracious andenuious yong men to do and say that which she had said and done Neuerthelesse S. Gregorie was better content to be accounted bad then to be so indeed He hauing now proffited sufficiently in humanity and philosophie grew to the study of the holie scripture hauing for his master Origen a man conformable to his desire most renowned through Christendome in those daies as well in diuinity as in good and vertuous life S. Gregorie went to find him out and became his disciple remaining in his companie so long as was sufficient by reason of his aptnes and quick witt Then returned he vnto his natiue country where euery one expected that he would discouer and lay open the treasures which he had gotten in his studies that he might reap some fruite with fame and honor for his long trauells But he to auoide worldlie glorie taking some of his familier friends in his company went into a desert liuing solitarily with them in continuall penitence spending the greatest part of his time in prayer and reading the holie scripture There was at that time a holie man called Fedimus Bishop of Amasia who was not only a great scholler but also very vertuous He much desired that in the cittie of Neocaesarea the natiue place of Gregorie there should be a Bishop that Idollatry which was strong in that place might be ouerquelled and that Christianine might be augmented for it was openly said that in all that cittie there were but 17. persons that professed the faith of CHRIST This good pastor thought Gregorie would be a fit man for that place the fame and report of his learning and life being so diuulged into diuers partes He went into the desert to find him with entent to giue him the order of priesthood and make him Bishop of that cittie S. Gregorie being certified thereof left his habitation shifting from one place to another Fedimus laboured to find him so that the one sought him to make him Bishop and the other fled from that high dignitie At last Fedimus being wearie with seeking him and they being three daies iourney one from the other Fedimus lifted vp his face toward heauen and said O Lord thou seest right well both me and Gregorie I desired to haue him present that I might haue layd my hands vpon him and haue consecrated him but let my wordes work the same effect I consecrate and offer him vnto thee ô Lord and vnto him I giue the charge of the cittie of Neocaesarea that he may spread the Ghospell therein and in the territorie thereof that thy faith and seruants may increase and multiplie to the honor and glorie of thy most holie name These words said Fedimus S. Gregorie hearing and vnderstanding these words yealded and would not resist any longer supposing that if he had done so he should haue resisted the will of God Thē he came vnto Fedimus of himself and by his presence was performed all the ceremonies which in such a case are accustomed to be done for the making of a priest and Bishop S. Gregorie required respite for a time whererein he might studie how he might best exercise his office which being granted he spent certaine daies in praiers desiring God to instruct and shew him how he should performe his dutie Whilest he was in his deuout praiers and contemplation there apeared vnto him the mother of God and S. Iohn the Euangelist his especiall aduocats And by the apointment of the B. virgin S. Iohn gaue him instructions in what manner he should gouerne and of the misterie of the holie Trinitie teaching him what he should saie and what definitions and words he should vse They commaunded him to go forthwith into the cittie and to begin to preach and conuert soules vnto
perished God suffered this to shew and manifest the new friendship he had made with theÌ„ This strange accident caused many pagans to be conuerted to the faith The Emperour was sollicitous what he should do with Catherine and it came into his head to deale mildlie and louinglie with her He made her great offers and promises and said vnto her yong and tender damosell be content at least to do sacrifice vnto Mercurius father of the Muses of whom thou hast receaued thy great wisedome and vnto whom thou art much bound If thou do but this thou shalt remaine in my pallace I will haue the same care of thee as I haue of myne owne daughter The blessed virgin answered him loose not time in vsing such flattering and deceitfull words those cannot perswade me for I had rather lose a 1000. liues then to forsake the profession of IESVS CHRIST my God whose pleasure is without any desert of myne to take me for his spouse and to giue me those Iewells which he giueth to his best beloued and I hope he will giue me the garment of Martyrdome which I more esteeme then all the purple and princelie roabes that be Aduise thy self said the Emperour or I will cloth thee with the purple roabe thou speakest of and I will cause thee though against my will to be put to most cruell torments S. Catherine answered do what pleaseth thee for thy torments be they neuer so cruell will quicklie end but the reward that I shall enioye shall endure for euer I hope IESVS CHRIST my spouse will giue me grâ—ce that by my meanes many of thy house and familie shall obtaine eternall life and be saued It pleased Almightie God to confirme in heauen the words his holie seruant spoke vpon earth The Emperour beginning now to shew rigor and seueritie against her caused her to be stripped naked which was no smalle affliction vnto the modest virgin being so honest and shamefast as to be seene naked in the sight of so many people After she was stripped the Emperour commaunded she should be beaten with all cruellty and the officers for two houres together whipped that yong and tender virgin Her bodie and flesh which before was as white as snow was altred in coullor being black and blew all bathed in her owne bloud This did so pittie the standers by that many of them wept aboundaÌ„tly The holie damosell endured this torment so couragiously as though her body had bene made of stone and not of flesh yet no man could imagine it seing the bloud run downe in streames ouer all her bodie Then the holie sainte was taken from the torment and put into a dark dongeon a watch being set that none should dresse her wounds nor giue her any comfort yea he forbad also to giue her any meat The mallice of man is of no force against the power of God as apeareth by this God prouiding all necessarie things for his spouse by the ministerie of his faithfull seruants the Angells who not only comforted her but also cured her and brought her victualls And for twelue daies that she remained in prison a doue prouided her things necessarie S. Catherine remaining thus in prison the Empresse Faustina desired to visite her which at the last she did by the meanes of a great captaine of the Emperours called Porphirius The Empresse had heard much of Catherine and had affection vnto her in her absence but when she had seene her and heard her profound speaches and enioyed her delightfull conuersation it came to passe that she Porphirius and 200. souldiers of the Emperours guard receiued the faith of CHRITS and were made Christians with a firme purpose to laie downe their liues for the profession of his name when occasion serued The twelue daies being expired the Emperour caused her to be taken out of prison for he vndersterstood she was yet aliue which made him to wonder both for that she had bene so long without meaâ— as also for that her bodie was in so pittifull estate as the whipping had brought it vnto He was much astonied to see her more cherfull then before for that in stead of beatings imprisonment famine and other afflictions it seemed she had bene in continuall comforts and cherishings Vpon which occasion the Emperour with a dissembling and fained smile said vnto her Trulie thou deseruest to be an Empresse for thy excellent parts and rate beautie The virgin said It is to no purpose to esteeme or regard temporall beautie which is soone lost the estimation and account must be made of the beautie that lasteth for euer which the saints in heauen enjoy With this there came vnto the Emperour a gouernour being a conning enginer but of cruell disposition and said vnto him My Lord if you be pleased I will inuent and make an engine wherewith this rebellious damosell shall either do that which you commaund or els she shall be torne in pieces vnto death This engine shal be made with foure wheeles in the which shal be sawes of Iron sharp nalles and sharp knifes the wheeles shal be turned one against another and the sawes the knifes and the naiâ—es shall meete and when they be mooued they shall make such a noise as when she seeth them she shall fall downe with feare and so she shal be brought to do your will but if she be still stubbeâ—ne in her opinion she shall be put betweene the wheeles and shall dye a most cruell death This wretched inuention pleased the Emperour well and he commaunded the engine to be made vp within three daies In that time he laboured to perswade the holie virgin to leaue her stubbernesse and not to be so obstinate but seing that he laboured in vaine that the engine was now readie he brought the holie saint thither and caused the wheeles to be turned in her sight She showing no signe of feare he commaunded to tye her to one of the wheeles to the end that the other being turned the contrarie waie might rent her bodie in diuers places with the sharp instruments S. Catherine was tyed to a wheele and they laid their hands on the other wheele to turne it about but it fell our farre otherwise then was expected by the cursed wretches for an Angell of God descended from heauen who brake the bands where with the virgin was tyed and she fell to the ground without any hurt Then the same Angell strook the wheeles which fell among the pagans and killed many of them Those which escaped the daunger by running awaie cryed out with a loud voice Great is the God of the Christians This altred not the wicked Emperour from his cursed purpose but he studying to dâ—uise new torments for S. Catherine the Empresse his wife came vnto him and sharplie reprooued him for his crueltie vsed against that holie damosell and the other Christians and told him plainlie that she also was a Christian The Emperor astonied and almost madde with anger to see
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
Iohn the young man began by a little little to fall vnto lewdnes and at the last to be a Captaine of robbers and murderers by the high way S. Iohn being returned and vnderstanding what was become of the young man was aggrieued for the same and went vnto the desert where the young man kept and haunted in fine he met him He at the sight of the Apostle began to fly and S. Iohn followed him saying My sonne why doest thou flye behold I am weary and euen tyred in coÌ„ming to seeke thee in this desert and vnhabited place doest not thou perceiue that it is euill done of thee a young man to flye from me an old man If thou doest it for feare of the account thou hast to render vnto God for thy sinnes I offer my selfe to answer for thee at the day of iudgement The hart of the young man relented at the words of S. Iohn and at the teares he saw to fall on his white beard so he fell at his feere bewayling his sinnes S. Iohn tooke him home and the young man amended his life and serued God with great feruour after that time Sometime this seruant of God shewed indignation against them whom he knew would not amend their faults S. Policarpe his disciple writeth of him that being one time in a bayn Cerinthus the heretike came in and then he made hast to get out saying with indignation Let vs get hence quickly lest the filthy and corrupt water of Cerinthus infect vs meaning by the water the false doctrine of the heretike His disciples importunated him to write that which he preached that they might haue it in continuall remembrance The Apostle condiscended to their request and commaunded a generall fast and continuall prayers to be kept by all the people Then went the vpon a mountaine and tooke only with him his disciple Procurus Metaphrases saith they heard thunders and thunderclaps with whirlewinds which put Procurus in great feare and dread but these tempests being aleyed S. Iohn began to say In principio erat verbum and so Procurns wrot and continued the Gospell after his enditing wherein he laboureth to destroy the errour of the heretiks called Ebionits who held that CHRIST was not God and the principall entent of S. Iohn was to shew and proue that CHRIST is true God And because he flew so high the figure of an Eagle which is a foule that soareth aloft is attributed vnto him The holy Euangelist was now farre in yeares and when he talked with his disciples he had allwayes in his mouth these words My sonnes loue one another and they said Maister let vs heare some other words for we haue heard this very often And he answered them I say this thing vnto you for that this is sufficient and he that doth this doth all Hauing then had reuelation of his death being 99. yeares ald he assembled all his disciples and led them vpon a high mountaine where a Church stood In that place he caused his sepulcher to be opened and stripped himselfe of part of his cloths and put off his shoes and so aliue he went into his sepulcher his disciples making great lamentation and then there came from heauen a cleare brightnes vpon that place enuironing the body and the holy place And they that were present remained in a traunce as it seemed for great dread and being come to themselues they saw S. Iohn no more but the graue couered with earth which seemed to boyle vp a pretious liquor that cured many infirmities This was the passage of S. Iohn and as S. Ierome and venerable Bede affirme his death was without any griefe and his body neuer felt corruption Of which words S. Thomas Nicephorus Callistus and many other Authors take occasion to say that S. Iohn was raised againe and ascended into heauen both in body and soule where he hath an eminent place since the titles he had in the world were so honourable He had the title of Virgin Apostle of Euangelist and of martir at lest in will and desire yea S Augustine S. Iohn Chrisostome and Ruffinus call him martir for when he was put into the vessell of oyle he should haue dyed if God had not myraculously deliuered him and his will was always prompt and ready to dye for the loue of IESVS CHRIST Beside the said titles he had another rare and singular name of the Disciple beloued of CHRIST of his brother and sonnes of the same mother by the will and appointment of the same God This glorious Apostle did spend 70. yeares in preaching and conuerting of soules all which time he continued busy in the seruice of God alwayes louing him and alwayes perswading others to serue him But all this which we haue said is but little to equalize the great glory that he enioyeth in heauen although that which he hath and what place he possesseth there God and he best knoweth Let it suffice vs to recommend vs to him by taking him to our Aduocate and imitating his life asmuch as lyeth in vs And so ayded by him we may be rewarded by God and see S. Iohn in heauen yea God himselfe enioying him in his glory for euer Amen The Catholike Church celebrateth the feast of S. Iohn Euangelist on the. 27. day of December And his death was in the yeare of our Lord. 100. or there about in the time of Traian the Emperour The feast of the holie Innocents THERE is mention made in the booke of Kings of a most cruell woman 4. Lib. Cap 11. called Athalia who was the mother of kâ—â—g Ochozias This woman her sonne being dead vpon ambition and desire to raigne got into her hands the children which were of the bloud royall and put them all to death One only escaped heâ— hands who wâ—s called Ioas. This child was saued by the care and diligence of the nurse that brought him vp and of Ioiada the high priest who hid him so that Athalia could not get him into her possession and power and in processe of time Ioas was king of Israell This crâ—ell Arhalia was a figure of Herod who holding the kingdome of Israell by violence for that he was a forrainer and of a strange countrie to assure himselfe of that kingdome he killed many innocent children as Athalia had done before out of whose hands escaped Ioas by the industrie of his nurse and of Ioiada which kept him secret So IESVS CHRIST figured in Ioas fled from Herod by the care and industrie of his most B. mother and of S. Ioseph who deliuered and kept him free out of Herods furie when they carried him into Egipt Ioas was afterward king of Israell IESVS CHRIST was and is King of heauen and earth and the vniuersall redeemer of all mankind The historie of these holie Innocent infants was written by S. Mathew the Euangelist in this manner AFTER the birth of the sonne of God into the world Luk. 2. and after his circumcision on
for their Abbot Who was vnwilling to take the charge on her but the entreaty of the monks who were much pleased with hir holy life preuailed There was in Alexandria a matrone called Melantia who had bin cured and healed of a great infirmitie by the praiers of Eugenius who adiudged her to be a man Eugenius went oft vnto her house at her importunate inuitations The matrone was indeed ennamoured of her and they two being alone without any regard of her estate or credit laid open her loue imagining her to be a man Eugenius sharply reproued her and so departed and left hir alone Melantia seing her self contemned and refused like the mistris of Ioseph shricked out and said Gen. 39. that the Abbot Eugenius would haue forced her And not content with that did also accuse her falsely vnto the Gouernor who was the father of Eugenia The Regent hauing heard the accusation of Melania commanded the Abbot Eugenius to be brought in before him When the blessed Saint vnderstood the cause wherefore shee was called she tooke thhe Eunuchs Protus and Iacinctus in the habite of religious men with her being come before Philip her father he vsed rough words and asked them if CHRIST their God counselled them to force honorable Ladies The virgin with a modest and cherefull face said There is time to be silent and a time to speak Eccle. 3. If Melantia saith that I would vse force it is not true and thou ô Philip peraduenture doest but iest with me in asking if the God that I adore doth will me to do such things Now thou shalt see the verity of this womans acusation Hauing saith this she rent her habite before her breast and opened it that euery one might see by her breastes that she was a woman Then she proceeded and told him that she was Eugenia his daughter and moreouer she spake so well vnto hir father that he was conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST and so was Claudia his wife and all the rest of his family Philip gaue vp his office and place and not long after was chosen Bishop and afterward in the persecution raised by the Emperours Valerian and Gallyen he was martired Claudia Eugenia Prothus and Iacinctus returned vnto Rome where by the labour of the holy damosell Eugenia and of the two holy Eunuches Protus Iacinctus many were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST Gallien being certified herof caused Eugenia to be apprehended after the indurance of many torments to be beheadded Then he caused the two Eunuchs Prothus and Iacinctus to be taken and hauing vsed sundry enducements to moue them to sacrifice vnto the Idolls which they refused to do shewing themselues very couragious and constant in the faith of CHRIST the tirant caused them to be cruelly scourged and after many other torments giuen vnto them he caused them in like maner to be beheaded Their martirdome and death was on the 11. day of September and on that day the Church celebrateth their feast It was in the yeare of our Lord. 263. in the reigne of the aforesaid Gallyen The exaltation of the holy Crosse ALMIGHTY God glorieth by the mouth of the prophet Ezechiel to haue done a famous work Ezech. 17. and indeed worthy of himselfe as he showeth by the maner of rehersing the saue saieng I the Lord haue humiliated and abased the lofty and stately wood haue enhaunced the lowly and humble wood S. Ierome saith that this humble wood is IESVS CHRIST and he saith very well for he being so humbled that at the last he died on the Crosse God for that cause did exalt him as S. Paule saith to such height that the Angells in heauen Phil. 2. the men on earth and vnder the earth in purgatory do bowe their knees at his name and do him reuerence And IESVS CHRIST was not exalted only to that height for that he was humiliated but the wood also which was the instrument of his humiliation was exalted and honored by God since as S. Augustine saith the Crosse which was alwaies before reprochefull bicause thieues and other malefactors were put to death on the same now Emperours and kings beare it on their heads for that IESVS CHRIST died vpon the same Themperour Heraclius honored and respected it especially wresting it out of the hands of Cosdroes king of Persia who had taken it from Ierusalem and carried it into his kingdome and putting it in the former place Nowe let vs see howe it passed framing a history therof out of a sermon that Andreas B. of Candia made of the Exaltation of the holie Crosse rehersed by Lippomanus and the lections of the Romaine Breuiary and diuers martirologes and historiographers yet first we will propound an important doctrine which is this OVR Lord God desiring to be serued and not to be offended by men seing their condition and seuerall estates and that some be noble and to be dealt with all mildly and that others be rude and are to be handled roughly he gaue premonitions vnto them to the end they should not lament nor complaine of him as if they had not ben warned He talking with the Hebrewes as we reade in Leuiticus said to them Leuit. 26. If you obserue my commaundements among other good and profit you shall reap therby one shal be this that if you haue enemies that molest and make warre on you five of you shall put a. 100. of them to flight and a. 100. of you shall put to flight 10000. of them But if on the other side you shal be disobedienr to me a fewe of your enemies shall make many of you to fly and that in dread and feare though none pursue you This which God said then vnto the people was apparant and seen as we read in the booke of Iosua where it is said Ios 7. that the Hebrues hauing beseiged Iericho certein daies finally they took it without drawing their sword bicause the walles fell downe and they which were within made no resistance all was put to the fire and sword not sparing any thing for so God had comaunded bicause his indignation was kindled against that nation as also to terrify his other enemies It came to passe in the pilling therof that there came to the hands of a souldier called Achan a scarlet robe some mony and a wand or rod of gold which things he kept against the commaundement of God And to be more secure he hid them all in the ground This being done part of the army dislodged and went to fight against Hay the citisens wherof issued out and encountred with them and preuailed killing many Israelites and fewe returned with this dolefull newes Iosua generall of the host seing the same fell on the ground and weeping said vnto God Howe happeneth it o Lord be these thy promises Doth it seeme to thee a iust thing to haue thy people so euil entreated by thine enemies Assoone as we be entred into this
mention of this miracle of raising the kings sonne from death to life by S. Matthew and also of the two dragons and of other miracles and admirable acts the Apostle did in Ethiope although he do not particularize the same he saith also that much people came vnto the place where S. Matthew lodged and would haue done sacrifice to him as if he had bene a God and presented many gifts vnto him and that the Apostle said vnto them I am not a God but a mortall man and the seruant of IESVS CHRIST who is the true God Then he requested them to bestow those presents and gifts which they would haue giuen him vpon the building of a temple to the same IESVS CHRIST for he whom he preached and by whose power he did those miracles was the true liuing God exhorting them to be Baptised in his name for that was the true waye and meanes to obteine euerlasting life To conclude the Apostle said such words and confirmed them so with miracles that the king with all his court and a great number of other people were Baptised The king had a daughter called Iphigenia who was very beautifull but much more commended for her wisedome who hauing heard S. Matthew oftentimes in his sermons to commend and extoll virginity conceiued a good liking of him and vsing his aduise was closed in a monastery with 200. other damosells desiring to do the same S. Matthew staid in Etiope 23. years continually conuerting soules to our Lord IESVS building Churches ordering priests consecrating Bishops gaining many soules and augmenting the faith of CHRIST and that which he preached with the mouth he performed also in deeds to the edification of others lib. 2. pedagog his life being holy and exemplary Clement of Alexandria saith that S. Matthew neuer eate flesh and that he liued only with herbes King Egippus afterward deceasing his brother Hyrtacus succeeded in the kingdome This newe king to establish himself more suerly in the kingdome and also moued with the rare beauty of Iphigenia intended to marry her To bring this his purpose to effect he acquainted the Apostle with his intent thinking it a good meanes to drawe the mind of the yong woman to his will The Apostle aunswered the king that he would giue notice vnto Iphigenia of the good that ariseth of matrimony and howe it is a holy thing and that then he might come and talk with her himself The king thought this would be a very good course and for that the Apostle said he would declare this matter in a sermon the king said that he would also be present therat Sonday came and the Apostle in the presence of Iphigenia and the other relligious women the king being there also and all the cheifest Lords of his court began to discourse of matrimony and to shewe howe necessary it was for the conseruation of mankind and gaue it other commendations He also said that matrimony was ordeined and instituted by God and howe good it was to haue children All this pleased Hirtacus very well and he awayted to hear the Apostle say that Iphigenia might forsake and leaue the estate of a relligious woman and take a husband and be made Queene of Ethiope But the conclusion of Apostle was farre otherwise then Hirtacus exspected for then he fell in hand to treate of the grieyous punishment that adulteres deserued out of which he seemed to inferre that if the seruant of any king was so bold as to take away his wife from him he did not merite only to be put out of fauour and to be disgraced but also he deserued to dy an euill death though he did not effect but only attempte it Therefore ô king I giue thee to vnderstand said Apostle looking vpon him that Iphigenia is the spouse of IESVS CHRIST the king of heauen and if thou seek to take her away from him thou shalt fall into his heauy displeasure When Hirtacus perceaued the conclusion of the Apostles words and wherunto they tended he was moued to great indignation which he vttered in his countenance and so threatning him he departed out of the Church Iphigenia was heereat surprised with great feare and with the other relligious women kneeled at the feet of the Apostle and asked his aduise what shee and they should do to be quit of the persecution and assault the king had begon against her virginity The Apostle incouraged them all with good words and put a veile vpon euery one of their heads making them hereby and by their vowing the three vowes of Pouertie Chastity and Obedience true Nonnes and these were the first Nonnes the were among the Christians This being done the Apostle said Masse and hauing ended the same there came thither a cruell fellow sent by Hirtacus who gaue the Apostle many wounds with a speare so that the Altar was all stained with bloud and his body lay dead in the place The grief and compassion of the people for the death of S. Mathew was so great that they made a commotion and rose in armes entending to kill the tyraunt and had effected it if some priests had not intromitted themselues and said them sayeng that God would not be pleased there with and that therefore he commanded Peter to put vp his sword into the sheath Then Hyrtacus laboured by the meanes of some ladies to persuade Iphigania to be his wife but seeing that this way would not remoue the holy virgin from her good purpose in a diabolicall rage he caused the monastery to be fired but S. Mathew was seene in the aire to quench it The sacrilegious tyraunt escaped not this deserued punishment for God strook him with the leprosy which was so sore that he killed himself for paine and the kingdome came to the brother of Iphigenia sonne to Egippus who was a Christian ruled that prouince many years to the honour and glory of God which was spred through all Ethiope where the body of S. Matthew was kept and holden in great veneration and reuerence vntill the time of pope Gregory 7. when it was translated ro the city of Salerno in Italy where it is holden in great veneration to this day by all good Christians Great reason there is to doe so for that this glorious Apostle hath three honorable titles for euery of which he meriteth to be honored The first is of Apostle the second of Euangelist the third of martir His death was on the 21 day of September and on that day the Church celebrateth his feast and in the year of our Lord. 90. in the raigne of Domiâ—ian after Canisius It is not with out mistery that among all the other Euangelists whom the Church vseth in her seruice S. Matthew holdeth the first place as likewise doe S. Paule and Dauid of the one of which almost euery day the epistles be red of the other the psalmes be song The mistery may be for that all three were great sinners to giue hope to all
this he was driuen and banished out of the citty After this S. Telcla was taken and hauing beene examined and her intention found that she desired to be a Christian and determined to conserue her virginity she was condemned to be consumed with fire The fire was kindled and a huge multitude of people were assembled to behold that most beautifull yong damosell that would willingly go to dy such a cruell death The blessed damosell was set in the midst of the fire which did not any hurt at all vnto her persons And on the sodaine fell from heauen such a storme with thunderclapps with such aboundance of raine that it put out the fire and afrighted all them that were present in such sort that euery one departed and the holy virgin was left at liberty whereby she might go free And so she went to the house of Onesiphorus where she found S. Paul with some other Christians who had continually for sixe daies made their praiers for her and they were all exceeding glad of her comming The Apostle did Baptise her and instructed her fully in the faith but because they were assured that the Proconsull would send againe for her the Apostle departed from that house and citty also recomending much the virgin Tecla vnto all the Christians that were in that place Though all dilligence that might be was vsed to keep her secret yet within a fewe dayes Alexander a lewd person apprehended her and brought her before the Proconsull who seing her to preseuer constantly in that she would not marry her spouse but continue a Christian gaue sentence that she should be deuoured of wilde beastes in the citty of Antioch whether the Proconsull was to go An especiall daye was apointed for this spectacle and in the meane space S. Tecla was deliuered vnto the custody of a matrone called Triphona When the apointed daie was come S. Tecla was brought into the Theater and a fierce Lionesse was let out against her which drawing neere vnto the holy saint lay downe quietly at her feete without doing her any harme S. Ambrose wondring much at that which the wild beasted did to the holy virgin said these wordes The firstly onesse which was let out against the blessed virgin was mild lay downe at her feete and hurt her not and also gaue example vnto the other lyons Beares and fierce Bulles who hauing bin let loose against her stood round about her peaceably and licked her feete The people were seuere cruel and the sauage and wild beastes were tame and pittifull though they were kept hungry and almost famished that they might haue their fill and make their praie vpon the holy damosell And though they were prouoked and pricked forward by their keepers that they might deuoure the holy saint yet could they not make them to hurt or harme her in the least degree The Iudge seing that the wild beastes spared her she being taken out of the Theater cōmaunded she should be cast into a ditch wherein were many dreadfull and venimous serpents when S. Tecla was put into that deep ditch there discended from heauen a fierie cloud that slewe all the serpents and by this meanes S. Tecla remained free from this third torment euen as God had deliuered her from the other two to wit from the fire and the wild beastes The people seing such great maruailes and especially the matrone Triphona who had her in keeping and in that time had conceiued great good affection vnto her she beginning and the cōmon people following her cried out iointly together That the God of Tecla was most potent and most worthy to be adored that had deliuered her from such and so great dangers The Iudge fearing some cōmotion of the people set S. Tecla free and Triphona led her vnto her house adopted her to be her daughter The holy virgin Tecla departed from that citty and went to make her abode in Seleucia In which place many by her meanes receaued the faith of CHRIST Spanish addeth being 90 yeeres old and there she ended her daies blessedly There is extant a history of S. Tecla in the which be many fabulous and vncertaine things As that she clothed her self in mans apparell and would haue gone so in the compaine of S. Paul and that he would not permitt it but willed her to go in her ordinary and vsuall attire of a woman moreouer it saith that a great Lord in the citty of Antioche would haue giuen vnto S. Paul a great summe of mony if he would haue giuen that yong damosell vnto him to be his paramour and that S. Paul would not do it These and other such like things are read in the abouenamed legend but Pope Gelasius commanded that those stories should not be credited and put them among the writings apocriphall and of none auctority but that which I haue written of this saint is auowed by graue authors and is authorised and of credit the Church also giueth credit thereto who in the praiers which are said in the commendations of soules saith these words O Lord deliuer this soule euen as thou didst deliuer S. Tecla from three most cruell torments The Catholik Church maketh commemoration of S. Tecla on the day of her death which was on the. 23. day of September in the year of our Lord 90. as Canisius saith in the time of Themperour Domitian It is said that the body of this holy saint is in Spaine in the city of Tarragona in the prouince of Catalonia spanish addeth In the Cathedrall church of that citty dedicated to her name The life of SS Cyprian and Iustinia Martirs SAINT Paul to confound the wise men of this world writing to the Corinthians saith God hath chosen the foolishnes of this world This was especially said vnto the Apostles who being people vnlettred and by consequens were holden as folish in that intending them selues to teach a new doctrine would preach vnto people learned and full of knowledg and yet their preaching was the cause that many were conuerted vnto God and receued glaldy the Ghospell This same is verefied by S. Iustina a damosell vnlettered in humain Wisdome yet God made chose her for an instrument to cōuert a Pagan who was very lerned not only in Philosophy but also in magike and sorcery and had dealing and practise with the diuell and though he was such a one yet was he conuerted vnto the faith of IESVS CHRISTE by the meanes of S. Iustina was martired with her The life history of theise two holy saints was written by S. Gregory Nazianzen though he was deceiued in that he thought he had bin Bishop of Carthage well he venerable Bede and other Authors wrote of these holy saints in this maner EVEN as it is no reproch vnto S. Paul to say of him that he had bene a persecutor of the Church of God nor any infamy vnto S. Matthew to say of him that he had bene a customer or vsurer before that either
was a shame reproach to all his kindred Hauing put this into his head shee vnloosed his bandes and set him at liberty and away went he from his fathers house who shortly after coming home finding Francis gone was wrothe therat and went to seek him At last he found him and to end all controuersies between them they agreed to go before the Bishop of Assisium that there Francis should renounce his right and heritage due to him and that his other brethen should haue it among them lest he should spend it prodigally S. Francis the true perfect louer of pouerty was content herewith and when they came before the Bishop he not only fulfilled his fathers request but also stripped himself of all his clothes euen to his shirt and gaue them to his father sayeng vntill this time I haue called thee father but from hensceforth I will acknowledge no other father but oure father in heauen The Bishop seeing this feruent act and wondering therat stood vp and embraced him weeping for tendernes couered him with his cloake and commaunded his seruants to bring him some cloths to put on They brought him a verie poore and course suite and the holy man receued it cheerfully Taking leaue and blessing of the Bishop he departed from Assisium and went to a hospitall of lepers and there remained certaine daies attending on the sick very charitably He washed their sores he clensed their filth and did eate that meat which they did leaue This mortification of the holy man was great for before his conuersion it was death for him to see a leper yea he would stoppe his nose and be ready to vomit but when he began a new life he was of a contrary mind for if he sawe a leaper he thought he sawe and Angell and his soares seemed to be pretious stones In the time of this exercise he vsed vncessant praier One day the B. man being at his praiers he heard a voice which said to him FRANCIS Change sweet into sower and despise thy self yf thou wilt please me The holy man iudged by this voice that God required of him some further seruice then to stay in that hospitall wherfore he departed entending to go vnto Gubbio As he went by the way singing in the Frenche toung thieues mett asked him who he was he aunswered I am trompetter to the great king The thieues beign wroth at this his aunswer and seing they could make no booty of him being meanely arraied they buffetted kicked him and then threw him into a ditch full of snowe Poore Francis got out of the ditch and the snowe with much a do but iocond he was and began a fresh to sing spirituall songs When he came to Gubbio an old friend who knew him and wondered to see him in that weede led him home and gaue him very good cloths of his owne to weare The study and care of this seruant of God was how he might best please almightie God wherfore vnderstaÌ„ding how the relligious men of S. Augustines order liued in pouerty obedience chastity and holy life he had a desire to try if that manner of liuing liked him wherfore he went to one of their monasteries and desired them to receue him into their house Those relligious men receued him and gaue him as Antoninus and Sabellicus say a habite of black say and a lether girdle which he wore but a while neither did he perseuere in this auncient order for that God had apointed Frauncis to institute a new relligious order One day being in in the Church and hearing in the Ghospell that IESVS CHRIST sent his disciples to preach and commaunded them to cary neither gold nor siluer nor any thing to eate nor staf nor shoos nor two garments with them he felt in his hart a sodaine and vnwonted ioy thinking these words were spoken to him and that all which he had searched to know to wit â—n what course he might serue God best was in these words declared vnto him that he must expect no other aunswer This coÌ„ceit was so imprinted in the mind of Francis that he thought it no time to stay any logner but forthwith he put of his black habite of S. Augustine and left of also the leather girdle and put about him a poore and bare garmeÌ„t of course cloth guirded himself with a cord He pluckt of his shoos and went barefoot and thus hauing property in nothing he began to lead a true penitent and Apostolicall life He went from place to place from one city to another and preached euery where as God inspired him his words were lowely simple and cleare yet so efficatious that many which hard him were moued to compunction and amended their lifes and some despising wholie the world clothed themselues in sack cloth or other course habites as S. Francis did and went and followed him So that he had II. disciples of which some were well studied in diuinity and humanity all which desired to serue God The blessed man acquainted them all with his mind which was to go and preach penannce in diuers places diuiding themselues and so they did After a while they mett againe all at the place where S. Francis was euery one giuing account of what he had done And beholding the great profit of soules arising thereby he had a greater desire to continew this exercize in regard the verie seeing of men ragged barefoot with such palefaces together with the consideraton of their profound humility renouncing all property to any thing yea although they should not speake was a preaching of Penannce and did much good But when they adioined words agreable therunto the more plaine and the more simple they were the more did they kindle the loue of God and were imprinted in the harts of the people to their great good S. Francis considering well all this to the end that the institution might haue a firme foundation and go well forward and encrease he thought it meet to acquaint the Apostolik sea there with and to desire the Pope to confirme it for which purpose he and his disciples went to Rome and caryed the Rule with them in writing to be showen vnto the Pope Inocent 3. There arose some difficultie when they treated of the obseruation of the Rule for the Pope many Cardinalls were of opinion that no newe relligious order should be instituted and that if any had an intention to serue God in relligion he might enter into some relligious order alredy approued as into the order of S. Augustine or S. Benedict It came to passe that the Pope went to bed toiled with affaires of the Church and falling a sleep dreamed that the Church of S. Iohn Lateran was ready to fall and that he sawe a poore bare and abiect man vnder propping it with his shoulders susteining and keeping it from falling Assoone as the Pope did behold S. Francis he knew straight that he was that poore maÌ„ who
of Heliopolis in companie of one Appollophanes an Athenian and a famous sophister he did behold that strange Eclypse which happened at the death of oure Sauioure when viewing the creator of al things the author of lyfe and fountaine of all light so darkned soe ecclypsed so ignominiously suffering death the Sunne as one ashamed to behold that spectacle did hide an whollie loose his beames in the midst of the day S. Dionyse as a man that was skillfull in learning did quicklie perceaue this Ecclypse was against the course of nature by reason it lasted aboue the naturall periode but much more bicause the Moone was at the full and whollie opposite to the sunne so that supernaturallie running a violent course she alltogether couered the sunne and keeping him so for the space of three houres returned againe to her former place of opposition He wondered at so rare a miracle that neither was heard nor seene before and being amazed said to Appollophanes and others Either the God of nature doth suffer or els the wholle frame of the world doth perish and is dissolued He noted the yeare the day and the houre in which this strange noueltie and wonder succceded which was so deepelie imprinted in his minde that he neuer forgot it all his life He returned to Athens and liued in his owne cōmon wealth with great moderation and reputation the Athenienses honouring him as a most wise Philosopher and vprighte Iudge They made him president or chiefe of the highest courte of Iustice that was in all Athens This courte was called of the Areopagites who tooke theire name from a place where the court was kepte which was in a streete or litle hill called in Greeke Pagus dedicated to Ares that is to say Mars and the Iudges of this court were so graue vpright that in ancient times to call a Iudge vnspotted seuere vncorrupted vnflexible either for loue or feare or flatterie or briberie they would call him an Areopagite It came to passe that about this time S. Paule did preache the Ghospell in Athens He disputed sundrie times with the Epicurean Pithagorean Academicall Stoicall Peripateticall philosphers and laboured to reduce them to the faith of IESVS CHRIST and draw them from theire Idolatrie He told them of an other life of resurrectiō of the bodies of a generall Iudgement of a supernaturall reward or punishment according to eache mans good or bad works These Philosophers hearing a matter of such consequence and fearing the daunger of new religions and thinking it a thinge of greatest importance brought him before the chiefe court of Areopagites and theire supreme Iudge Dionisius For allthough the Romaines were in actuall posession of the wholl world in a maner and Lords of all Greece yet the Lacedemonians and the Atheniens were permitted to liue in their auncient liberty gouerned by theire owne Lawes officers magistrats freely elected by themselfs When S. Paule was brought before Dionyse the other magistrats in the presence of the philosophers who had before giuen informatiō of him he with a Retorique more diuine then humain meaning not to exasperat so wise and learned a nation by telling them he was come to teach them a thing wherin thy were ignorant and to giue them notice of gods that they knewe not of all which they would hardly haue disgested or els taken in euill part said thus vnto them You men of Athens I haue sene by experience that you be a very superstitious people more addicted to your gods then the other Greeks for you labour to haue more honoure them more then all the rest as you haue more knowledg and be more learned thē the rest Now I walking through your city and beholding the many temples which be therin I sawe one vpon whose altar there was this Inscriptiō To the vnknowen god That same God whom you doe honor vnknowen is he whom I doe preach vnto you and wish you to honor carefully He is not for from you nor from any mortall man since as one of your owne poets said very well we liue in him by him we moue and remain in him of him we gaue oure being oure motiō lyfe Then speaking against the multiplicitie of God he tould them at last of the day of iudgement and of the resurrection of the dead The answere they gaue him was this that they would giue him audience some other day and so dismissed him These fewe words of the Apostle were so full of misteryes that they put all these wise lerned mē to silence yea and astonied and amased them The Apostle departed but not empty handed for he caught in his net the chief magistrat Dionise with whom he had conferēce in priuate and in the end the Apostle gaue him prefect and full notice of our faith He preached vnto him IESVS CHRIST God and man his death passion resurrection and ascēsion vnto heauen And bycause the Apostle made particuler mention of the eclipse which happened at the time of our Sauiours death S. Dionise was desirous to know that wonder assone as it was laid open vnto him he yielded forthwith and said he would be a Christian It might seeme a lightness in S. Dionise to giue creditt so soone vnto a strāger in a matter of suche importāce as it is to renoūce the gods so lōg time adored by his forefathers and to receue a newe God that was crucified and the more for that he was so lerned and was therefore more obliged to consider very well thereof before he altered his opinion in a matter of such cōsequence Vnto this I aunswere by the same reason S. Dionise because he was wise and learned resolued vpon an honorable and worthy matter so soone For euen as he and all other wisemen of the Paynims were reprouable to adore them for gods whom thy knew had bene infamous wycked men so they desired to find some that should giue them knowledge of another God more worthy to be worshipped then they were They knew likewise by the light of nature that there ought not to be many gods but one God only So that Dionise hauing this desire and S. Paule coming to incounter him he fled not from the combat but did rather holpen by God follow the Apostle with out resistaunce and by Baptisme was made a Christian There were others also conuerted but S. Dionise did surpasse them all in vertuous and holy works for which cause the Apostle made him priest and also Bishop of that city S. Dionise was the first Bishop that Athens had and that was great glory vnto the city bycause it had brought vp and giuen learnyng vnto her first pastour This holy saint had priuate frendship and conuersed a long time with the Deuine Hierotheus a Spaniard borne after the opinion of many Autors who was instructed in like maner by S. Peter in deuine letters and ther vpon he was called Diuine S. Dionise confesseth that he was his instructor and that of
for the which it is fit those saints should be nominated and none other And it seemeth to be the ordinance of God that in some particuler citties and prouinces the feasts of sundrie saints should be celebrated As through all Spâ—ine the feasts of S. Isâ—â—dore and Ildephonse are celebrated At Toledo is kept the feast of S. Eugenius and at Alcala the feast of the two saints Iustus and Pastor The Popes do also obserue the same order in Canonization of saints concerning the saying of their office and solemnising of their feast For although he that is canonised is to be holden and reputed a saint of all Christians vnto all whom it is comaunded that they honour him as a sainte yet for the celebration of his feast a place is set downe and assigned or els a particuler congregation As to S. Francis of Paula founder of the order of the Minimes his feast is kept in all the places of his religion and in some citties as in Towers in France where he died Of S. Catherine of Siena also who is canonised and her feast is kept through all the order of preachers and in the cittie of Syena in Italy Of S. Romualdus founder of the Calmaldoly whose feast is sollemnised in all the monasteries of his religion and in the cittie of Rauenna where he was borne and in the towne of Fabriano where his body lieth yea not long agoe Pope Gregorie 13 hath granted a plenarie Indulgence to all Christians both men and women vpon the feast day of the said Romualdus which is on the 19 of Iune that shall visite the Churches of the monasteries of the Calmaldoly aswell of monkes as of nonnes And the like is also of many other saints Notwithstanding all this dilligence of the Catholique Church there remaine many thousands of saints of whom is kept no feast nor comemoration neither in generall nor in particuler yea of many there is no memory nor knowledge Of these then which be an infinite number is celebrated the feast of all saints Which is a reason of great consolation for afflicted and tormented mindes for though when the sacred scripture maketh mention of those which be saued it is done with such restriction and limitation that it maketh the most valiant to tremble and desmaieth the faint and weake harted As it is said of them that departed out of Egipt that of so many thousands two only entred into the land of promise and also when CHRIST saith that the gate of heauen is narrow and the way by which we go thither straite As also when he speaketh of rich men and saith that it is more easie for a Camell to passe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into heauen As also the parable of the ten Virgins of which sine were excluded out of the gate Yet this I say is matter of great consolation Tho vvald de Sacram tit 16. Gab de canon misse Pighius Coent Vers 13. Eck enchir Cap. 15. Castiâ— lib 13. cont heres to see that the holie saints be so many that there cannot be feasts performed vnto them all through the whole yeare and that they must haue a particuler daie allotted for them all in which the Church singeth for the Epistle a lecture of the Apocalips of S. Iohn where it is said that euerie tribe had so many thousands of saints in heauen The third reason why the feast of all saints is kept is for that we be much bound vnto theÌ„ for many graces and fauours which we continually receaue of them and by their meanes for that cause it is conuenient that in their memory we make some feast reioice for the ioie which they haue by posessing the presence of God in heauen This obligement and bond is so great that before this sollemnitie was instituted by Gregorie or Boniface some Catholiques and deuout Christians were in particuler perswaded to celebrate such a feast of which number S. Angustine was one who saith in a sermon my deare and louing brethren we celebrate the feast of all saints vnder one sollemnitie of whose company heauen reioiceth Serm. 27. tom 10. and the earth is made happy by their aide and the Church renowned by their triumphes That the obligation and bond which we haue to the saints is great we may see by this that not speaking of the fauours and graces which we all receaue of God by their merits and intercession there is not a man in this world if he look into his life but he shall find himself obliged to some particuler saint it being certaine that God for his sake hath done him some good Moreouer it is a cleare case that we be bound vnto the saints hearing CHRIST say of them Luk 15. that they feele an accidentall ioy euery time that a sinner doth repent By which we may gather that if they feele such ioy to see a sinner bewaile his sinues with teares to knock his breast to sigh and lifte vp his voice to heauen if this musick please them so much that for the same they make publike ioy and sollemnise his conuersion what Iubiley triumph and sollemnity make they when such a sinner is freed clearly from his sinnes and from the prison of the body and entreth into heauen If the saints reioice so much at our good it is very fit that we reioice by celebrating their feastes The fourth and last reason why we celebrate the feastes of all the saints is because we should imitate them When the poore man seeth the treasors of the rich his pouerty is more apparent and manifest and the sinner seeth his defects better when the vertues of the saints are represented vnto him The Catholike Church celebrating the feasts of the saints Greg naz orat in Athanas S. E pihhere 26. Basil hom in 40 m art doth not only intend to honor them and God in them but also would lay them before vs for a patterne and example to the end we should imitate them if we would go whither they be gone and be saued as they are saued and posesse Gods glory as they possesse it Assueredly we may say that many that are called the disciples of CHRIST indeed be ChristiaÌ„s for that they be Baptised haue faith in workes are Pagans disciples of the diuell blinded and deceiued and that their consciences be harquebuze proofe as may be seene by that which followeth In this feast of the sollemnitie of all saints the Church readeth a Ghospell which was the first that IESVS CHRIST preached in the world conteineth the despising of all temporall things and as S. Augustine saith compriseth the somme of all that which is necessarie for the perfection of a Christian He staieth not on that point but beginning to preach his new law and Gospell teacheth vs all to make small account of things present and to make most reconing of things to come to extirpate the loue of terrene goode
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
of his determination in the time that was giuen him for aduise Great was the vproare and tumult that the pagans made searching for the kindler of the fire entending to punish him with the greatest torments that might be imagined There was no great difficulty in finding him for S. Theodore himself confessed that he had done it and in his words and countenance he shewed himself to be well pleased with the act and the rather for that an Idoll of the same Goddesse had bene burned therein This on the other side was as dispeasing to the pagās who held that Idoll in high estimation They took S. Theodore and haled him vnto iudgment howling and yelling generally as if they had bene beastes or out of their wittes The iudges demaunded of them if he had kindled that fire The holie saint forthwith confessed that he had done it and willed them to make readie torments for he was prepared to endure them The desire and willingnes which the iudges beheld in S. Theodore to suffer torments made them haue the lesse will to torture him wishing to themselues the like couragious stomake as the yongman had Wherevpon without regard of the complaints exclamations of the common people who fearing their Gods would chastice them all for this trespasse that Theodore had committed against them besought them with great instancy to put him to death In this rage and furie of the people the iudges said to S. Theodore notwith standing thou hast deserued death yet we will pardon thee and make thee high priest of the Idolls if thou wilt sacrifise vnto them and leaue and relinquish the name of a Christian The blessed youngmā deriding them said In deed you promise me great preferment and that which may mooue a man to follow your counsell For the priestes of your Idolls I hold them to be accursed wretches and if I be made chief of them I shal be made the most accursed wretch of them all Long since haue I laughed at this folly and madnes of many great men that sometimes the Consulls yea the Emperours of Rome themselues would take the office of the high priest which you promise vnto me vnder a shew of religion and they which were first clothed in purple were clad after in the habite of fooles or madmen And many times they cut in pieces liuing beastes for their sacrifice putting some part thereof to seethe and some to be consumed with fire Such a blindnes is not committed but by them that be blind as they bee since by leauing the adoration of the God of heauen they adore Gods made of wood stones and mettall The Iudges hearing the reasons perceiued they lost their time and could not preuaile with Theodore wherefore they called him a sacrilegious blasphemous and wicked villaine and commaunded he should be tormented They bound him vnto a post and whipped him then rent they his flesh with crooks of Iron and put burning torches vnto his sides The more dilligēt the execucioners were to torture him so much the more cheerfully the blessed martyr as if he had bene in a pleasant garden song this verse of Dauid I will alwaies blesse our Lord his praises shall euer be in my mouth When the cruell officers were tyred they took him from the post and cast him into a dark dongeon in the which were heard all that night voyces which song sweetly and the roome was filled with an admirable brightnes and those that were without were partakers hereof When the keeper of the prison perceiued it he called some companie vnto him and went into the place where S. Theodore was finding no more persons there but the holie saint the rest that were prisoners as he was who were all a sleep The next daie they tormented him againe and seing him firme and constant in his faith they gaue sentence that he should be burned and the iudgment was put in execution As the holie saint stood in the fire praising and glorifying God the fire indeed took his life away but spared his bodie for it did not consume nor scorch one haire of his head Wherefore a religious woman called Eusebia wrapped it in a cleane sheet and enterred it that we might enioy this pretious treasure which hath caused this assembly of people to honor him and celebrate this daie of his tryumph where euery one is holpen for his sake Out of this man he casteth diuells another he deliuereth from infirmities vnto others he releeueth the infirmities of the bodie vnto others the necessities of the soule There those that be tossed with the tempests of the world find a safe port secure hauen There the Orphants find a father the pilgrins an Inne the afflicted a comforter and help for them that are in necessitie O thou holie saint and glorious martyr Theodore that art among the quiers of Angells vouchsafe to go vnto the presence of God and praie before the throne of his maiestie for vs that be in this place assembled to celebrate the tryumph of thy blessed martyrdome Encline to vs that call vpon thee honor thee and be present at the sollemnity of thy feast And though our corporall eyes cannot see thee yet cast downe thine eyes vnto our sacrifises and bowe thine eares vnto our prayers make present hereof we beseech thee vnto the maiestie of God desiring him to harken vnto vs and to heare thee that vnto him may be recommended thy country which is also ours thy brethren kinsfolk friends and they that vnto thee be religiously minded who be here present and that he would defend vs from all our enemies in generall and in especiall from these barbarous Scithians Thou as a valiant souldier fight for vs as a holie martyr praie for vs. Obtaine for vs a perpetuall peace that we may imploy our selues in the seruice of him whom thou seruest And if perhaps there needeth greater help speak vnto thy brethren to acompany thee Call vnto Peter head of the Church speak vnto Paul doctor of the Gentiles and vnto Iohn the beloued and famous diuine that the Churches which these men haue founded and the soules whom they haue conuerted may remaine constant in the holie and Catholike faith which they once receiued That they may be also freed from heretiks and heresies from tyrants and their tyrany and by confessing IESVS CHRIST boldly and faithfully seruing him they may afterwards posesse and enioye him eternally being partakers of his grace in this world and of his glorie in the kingdome of heauen The holie Church maketh commemoration of S. Theodore on the daie of his martyrdome which was on the 9. of Nouember about the yeare of our Lord 300. Diocletian and Maximian being Emperours The body of S. Theodore is in the Church of S. Sauiour in Venice whether it was brought from Constantinople And it is certainly belueeued that it is he whose life we haue heere written though there were more martyrs of this name The life of SS Trypho Respicius and Nimpha
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
the Ensigne and left the warre Then said Pirrhus vnto him Tell me Art thou a soudier as this man saith S. Menna answered It is true I was a souldier but when the wicked Edict of your Emperours was proclaimed I left the army and departed from the warre What mooued thee said Pirrhus to leaue the warfare Art thou a Grecian or a Christian S. Menna answered I haue bene I am and I desire to be euer a Christian I left the host because I would not be partaker of your impieties So Pirrhus comitted him to close prison On the next daie giuing audience he comaunded that Menna should be brought before him and then he said vnto him Come hither thou presumptuous fellowe what mooued thee to come into the Theater and to hinder our festiuall daies which are celebrated in the honor of our Gods Whence art thou why diddest thou leaue the armie S. Menna answered I am of Egipt and because I desire to fight vnder the banner of IESVS CHRIST I forsook your armies which be but seeble and weak And where hast thou bene said Pirrhus all this time Menna answered I had rather liue a sollitarie life for the loue of my God in the companie of sauage and wild beastes then contine we with you that know not the true God and loose my soule for it is written Lord do not destroy my soule with the sinners nor my life with the bloodthirstie men Softe not so many words said Pirrhus Offer sacrifice vnto the Gods and they will restore vnto thee the honorable offices thou haddst in the host and augment the same also Menna said I only desire to please the eternall king and of him to receaue the crowne of imortallity Loose not time in threatning mee for I regard not thy torments at all but desire rather to suffer for the loue of Iesvs CHRIST my Lord and my God The Iudg comaunded that Menna should be laid flat on the ground and then to be beaten with rawe sinewes of beastes vntill he obeied the commaundment of the Emperours The executioners began to beat him rigorouslv and during the torment a minister of the Idolls laboured by perswasion to bring him to sacrifice to their Gods The blessed Mâ—itir said to him Why doest thou perswade me thus thou counsellor of darknes and captaine of iniquitie If I would not do it at the commandment of the Iudg doest thou think that I will do it at thy perswasion I giue thee to vnderstand that I haue by my side IESVS CHRIST who for this which I suffer and endure for his sake will giue vnto me an eternall reward and vnto you and your Emperours he will giue perpetuall torments not only for your owne sinnes Idollatrie but also because you do your endeauour that he should not be loued not serued by his owne faithfull seruants goe to said Pirhus make ready the other torments to tame the stub brone hart of this fellowe Forth with was prepared for him the torture with the cord in the which the holie saint hanging on high the Iudg said vnto him Menna doest thou yet remeÌ„ber thy self wilt thou yield or shall we prouide greater torments The blessed martir answered very litle is that I haue yet suffred to that which my Lord and king deserueth I should suffer for his sake because he keepeth about me many Angells that asist and help me encouraging me not to shrink at thy torments Pirrhus said Scourge this villaine and rebell yet more seuerely who having a king alreadie faith he hath another which is not knowne Then said the saint Thou indeed doest not know him for if thou diddst to haue his loue thou wouldest forsake thine Emperours since he can better reward thee then they can And who is this great and potent king said Pirrhus S. Menna answered This is IESVS CHRIST the sonne of the liuing God creator of all things vnto whom all that is in heauen and earth is subiect Then said Pirrhus Doest thou not know Menna that to be the only cause why our Emperours haue commaunded you Christians to be tormented namely that you should neither professe IESVS CHRIST for God nor adore and worship him Menna answered what is that to me If that be their intention their power and torments are of no auaile Rom. 8. to make me forsake my dearest Lord God It is said Who shal be able to seperate vs from the lone of CHRIST or from his seruice not tribulation nor affiction nor famine nor persecutson nor dangers much lesse the world Be assured that what soeuer persecution is raised against vs shall not make vs alter our mindes The Iudg commaunded his gashed and wounded body should be rubbed ouer with rough sharp clothes which paine he tollerated very patiently Pirrhus remained astonished hereat and said vnto him verely Menna it seemeth thy bodie which is thus tormented is not thine owne but borrowed of some other The martir answered him I feele not thy torments because I haue my God by me who doth helpe defend me vnto those that haue him with them all things succeed prosperously Then said Pirrhus set other burning torches vnto his sides that we may ouercome this his obstinacy The fire was brought applied and although they burned his sides two whole houres together yet the martir spake not one word Where vpon Pirrhus said Doest thou not feele the fire that burneth thee S. Menna answered I feele it not for CHRIST giueth me strength who hath said to me in his holie writt Esay 43. That if we passe by the fire the flame shall not burnevs He saith also in another place Mat 10. that we must not feare them that kill the bodie and cannot kill the soule but him we must feare that can send both bodie and soule into euerlasting fire Then said Pirrhus How canst thou alleadg these testimonies out of the bookes of thy God being a souldier when hadest thou time to read and study them Then said the blessed martir The same IESVS CHRIST our God said vnto vs That when we should be brought before kings nad Iudges for the profession of his name we should not care what to speak for that he would direct vs what we should answere Pirrhus said Tell me Menna whether your CHRIST did foretell you that you should suffer those torments yet surely said Menna for that he being God knew right well all that was to happen in after times Well well said Pirrhus leaue this vaine talk made and diuised of thine owne head and sacrifice vnto the Gods or I will condemne thee to be consumed with fire Do thy will said Menna for as I haue told thee already although thou hast power to torment my bodie yet hast thou none ouer my soule The Iudg said wilt thou haue daies of respitte to consider of this matter that thou maist free thy self from this thy blindnes and error The blessed martir made answere Long since haue I determined and resolued
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
of th'emperour Traian The life of S. Felicitas Martyr ONe of the affections which parents ought to conquer and bring to a meane is the ouer-great fondness of loue to they re children For though nature hath engrafted a loue vnto them and reason teacheth that loue is due to them yett is it due with such proportion and measure that the loue of they re children depriue them not of the loue of God which ought to be prized and preferred aboue all other Moreouer they ought to marke well and regard wherein consisteth the true loue of they re children For manie times parents desire and procure for they re children the false fayned fading goods of this world with such painfull endeuoure such vnquencheable thirst that euerie thing seemeth to meane and to little in repect of that which most they wish them and faine would haue for them And herein they bound the limitts of they re loue this they prefixe as they re only marke not regarding how to enrich they re children with vertues nor make them worthie of those verie goods which they painfully scrape and carefully heape vp together for them litle mindfull of instructing them how to purchase those euerlastinge vnspeakeble treasures of glorie in whose comparison all the good and riches of earth are only shadowed conterfayted goods To teache and instruct parents in this trueth and set before they re eyes a rule and patterne of they re duety the holie Churche makes this day a commemoracion of Holie S. Felicitas She was a most honourable Matrone of Rome where being lefte a widow with seauen sonnes she liued without blame or reprehension bending her greatest care and endeuoure to serue her selfe and make her children serue allmightie God And so much preuailed her good example and holie education that Gods loue was so deepelie rooted in they re harte as to make them holie martyrs of his in the time of the Emperoure Antoninus when before the eyes of they re blessed mother with cruell torments and sundrie kinds of death they bought one euerlasting lyfe as hath bin said in the month of Iulie But after those glorious Knights of CRHIST IESVS the sonnes of blessed Felicitas had manfully fought and wonne the victorie all the rage and furie of the Emperour was turned againste that holie mother whose woords had encouraged and giuen her sonnes weapons to fight the battaile The Tyraunt therefore commaunded that she should be cast into a loth some prison to the end that sparing for some time her lyfe he might make her grieue daylie more and more for her childrens death For though she reioyced as knowing that now they were cittizens of heauen yett could she not as a mother but feele some sorrow they being lost to her allthough she had gained them to God There he kept her foure months in prison to afflict her and molest her the more and at the length seing that still she perseuered constant in the faith of IESVS CHRIST he commaunded her to be beheaded Of this blessed mother the patterne of all christian mothers of this martyr or as S. Gregorie saith more then martyr for she was eight tymes martyred seauen in her children and once in her selfe the same S. Gregorie hath these words Let vs behold my brethren consider this woeman and be ashamed to see her so much surpasse vs. Often times one only word said against vs doth trouble and vexe and make vs breake all oure good purposes whereas neyther torments nor death it selfe was able to conquer blessed Felicitas nor make her yield or giue backe one foote Wee with a blast of contradiction are streight waies dismayed and shamefully fall she wrought a way thorough steele and flint to obtaine and euerlasting crowne We giue not the least part of oure goods to the poore for the loue of CHRISTE she offered him her flesh in sacrifize Wee when God calleth backe for oure children which he had giuen vs in loane waile euerlastingly without comfort she be-wayled her children vntill they died for CHRISTE and reioyced when she did behold them dead And Peeter Archeb of Rauenna saith B holde a woman whose children liuing were cause of her care dead of her securitie Most happie she that now hath as manie faire shining lights in heauen as heretofore she had sonnes on earth Happie in bringing them into this world most happie in sending them vp into heauen She was farre more diligent and industrious when the tyraunt commaunded them to be slaine and when she walked amonghst they re dead bodies then when she did rocke them in the cradle and gaue them milke with her owne brests she viewed full well with the eyes of her soule that as manie wounds as they receaued so manie should be the pretious jewells of they re victorie how manie they re torments so manie they re rewards the crueller they re combats the more glorious they re crowns what shall I say of this valerous woman only this that she 's no true mother that loues not her children as this loued hers Hitherto are the words of S. Peeter of Rauenna The martyrdome of S. Felicitas was on the 23 day of Nouember the yeare of oure Lord 175. There is mention made of her in the Roman and other Martyrologes * ⎠* The life of S. Chrisogonus Martyr GREAT was the ioje and content the holy man Ioseph conceiued when he was taken out of prison in which he had remayned a long tyme suffring therein many troubles â—fflictions especially being vpon his deliuery ouâ— made gouernour ouer all ihe land of Egipt No lesse was the content and spirituall ioye S. Chrisogonus had when he departed out of prison where he had continued two yeares and had endured the ordinary molestations incident to prisons though he was not taken out to be a prince on the earth but to be a glorious and happie Saint in heauen whether his soule presently ascended by meanes of his martyrdome The life of this holie Sainct was written by Venerable Bede and by Ado Archbishop of Treuers in this manner SAâ—NT Chrisogonus was borne in Rome of a noble and honorable family and was in all his cariage and behauiour no lesse worthie and gracious with all men He was apprehended by the comaund and apoyntment of Dioclesian the Emperour and was kept in prison two yeeres contynually being there releeued with all things necessary by a vertous woman his disciple called Anastasia wife vnto Publius a man great and potent in the cittie but an Idollater This Phlius hauing knowledg of that which this wife Anastasia did shutte her vp and locked her stronglie in a chamber of his pallace setting a guard and watch ouer her to the end she should not send any help or relief vnto Chrisogonus as also that the should not haue any sustenance for here self determining that both the one and the other of them might dye by famine Notwithstanding the blessed woman was shut vp in this sort yet she found meanes to
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
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
verses at the sepulcher of the Apostles SS Peter and Paule and another work in the which he wrot the lifes of the Popes who were his predecessors He also ordeined that the psaâ—mes of Dauid should be song one part of the quier sayeng one verse and the other part another verse which is obserued vnto our time through all the vniuersall Church though it was vsed before in some particuler Churches by the notice of S. Ignatius vnto whom it was reueiled that the Angells in heauen song in this maner as he sawe it himself being in a traunce Also Damasus Councelled thereto by S. Ierome commaunded there should be said at the end of euery psalme Gloria patri filio spiritui sancto sicut erat in principio nunc semper in secula seculorum Amen He ordeined also that the priest before he began masse should say the generall confession He also gaue authority approbation to the translation of the holy Bible made by S. Ierome for before the translation of the 72. interpreters was commonly vsed This good Pope ended this life on the 11. day of December in the year of our Lord 380. in the time of Theodosius being 80. years old of which he was Pope 18. years 3. months 11. dayes He gaue holy orders 5. times in the month of December and ordered 32. priests 11 deacons and 62. Bishops His body was buryed in the Church of the Apostles which he had buâ—â—ded in the same where his mother and sister were buried He was afterward translated vnto another Church which he had builded called S. Laurence in Damaso The life of S. Lucy virgin and Martir AT such time as Gedeon was captaine of the people of God Iudiâ— 7. they were in great danger and feare because their enemies were neere them and verie potent and strong themselues being but fewe in number and weak God commaunded Gedeon to do some enterprise and the people trusting in God hoped to atchieue victorie yet they conceiued not any meanes how it should come to passe For to fight hand to hand they might seeme rash and foolish to run headlong on their owne deaths The people remaining thus in doubt God spake vnto Gedeon and bad him to diuide his people which were 300. into three parts and when night came euerie souldier should haue in one hand a Trompet and in the other hand a vessell of earth and within it a burning light In this manner they should assault their enemies on three sides and when they came neere them they should sound the trompetâ—s and break the vessells of earth knocking one against the other that the burning lampes might be seene on a sodeine and then all of them should make a great shoute As God apointed so it was done The souldiers sounded the Trompets which awaked the Madianits who seing on a sodeine so many lights and hearing such a noise remained astonied and full of dread and knew not how to defend themselues or to offend their enemies but in steed of striking the Hebrewes they wounded one another By this straâ—ageme the madianites were ouerthrewne and quite discomfited and the Hebrewes obtained a notable victorie By this figure we learne that when the vessels of earth are broken the lights are discouered and the enemy ouerthrowne which thing noteth that in the warâ—e which IESVS CHRIST figured in Gedeon maketh against the Madianites which are the diuells vessells of earth are vsed hauing within them burning lampes that shine most clearlie when the vessells of earth be broken These earthen vessells signifie the holeâ— martyrs for their bodies were of earth which being broken when they were diuersly tormented their burning and liuelie faith did shine more gloriously It is seene by experience that holy men are most knowne and reputed the light of the world by the meanes of their death Then is laid open their constancie fortitude and patience their liuely faith and other vertues where with they were adorned whilest they liued their vertues were couered as the torch is in the earthen vessell but when the vessell is broken that is to saie when the holie person dyeth the light is discouered and their death weakneth the diuell vtterlie Though this figure maie be apropriated to all the martyrs yet in perticuler it agreeth verie fulie vnto S. Lucy who by her death showed the light and discouered the brightnes of her liuelie faith and other vertues which were in her soule Moreouer she is the aduocate for the sight the obiect of which is the light Yet we will not saie that she had her name Luce of the light The life of this glorious saint was written by venerable Bâ—dâ— Ado Archbishop of Treuers and other approoued author SAINT Lucy was borne in the Cittie of Syracusa in the is'le of Sicilia of honorable parents and of a great familie She was a Christian from her infancie and so instructed in the faith that shee perswaded her owne mother to exercise her selfe in all vertuous workes and especiallie in giuing large almose and relieuing the necessities of their neighbours The holie damosell finding a fit opportunitie distributed to the poore all her patrimonie which was verie great to set her selfe free from a rich Nobleman who by the consent of her mother and kinsfolke should haue beene her husband though she neuer consented to it An occasion fell out in this sort The mother of S. Lucy called Eutitia had bene sick foure yeares of the bloodie flixe no worldly helpe could be had to cure her At that time the report of S. Agatha was spread ouer all Sicilie who a little before had beene martired her bodie being in the Cittie of Catanea where many miracles were done and many sicke persons of sundrie infirmities were cured by visiting her sepulchre S. Lucy perswaded her mother that they might goe together and visite the reliques of the holie saint not doubting but that by her meanes she might be deliuered from her infirmitie Eutitia was content and went with her daughter vnto Catanea attended in such manner as was fit for their degree and estate When they came vnto the sepulchre of S. Agathata Lucy fell to prayer requesting the glorious Martir to obtaine of God by her intercession health for her mother Lucy being thus in prayer S. Agatha accompanied with many Angels appeared vnto her and with a familier pleasing countenance said vnto her Sister Lucy wherefore doest thou demaund that of me which thou thy selfe maiest giue vnto thy mother Aske thou this fauour of God for if he loue me he loueth thee also and if he will heare my prayers he wil also heare thine and where I haue giuen my life for his sake so shalt thou also giue thy life for his loue And if I be the cause that the cittie of Catanea be famous and and renowned for that it is washed and bathed in my bloud and posesseth my bodie so shall the citty of Syracusa by the same meanes be famous and
entred in and shut the dore fast leauing it sealed with the virginall seale There that venerable prophet that Gyant that could not be comprehended neither in heauen nor on earth lay flat on the humanitie took it on him conioyning face vnto face hand on hand and feet with feet All this God did in conioyning vnto him humane nature in hipostaticall vnâ—on He cryed aloud seuen times when he infused in it the seuen giftes of the Holie Ghost Then mankind began to waxe warme to open the eyes and was restored to life and so holie Church remained glad and well content to see that she had so long praied for and desired The glorious virgin was replenished with great ioye seing her sonne and the sonne of God also in her armes as she sawe him this daie of his birth This historie is recounted by the Euangelist S. Luke in this manner THERE was a proclamation and decree made by the Emperour Caesar Augustus called Octauianus wherein was commaundement giuen that all the subiects of his empire should go vnto that cittie which was the head of the places where they dwelt and there they should register their names and pay a certaine piece of mony confessing thereby their subiection vnto the Romane empire This Octauianus being Lord of almost all the world he was thus cuâ—ious desiring to know exactly how many people were vnder his subiection peace being then generally â—uer all which lasted sixe yeares before the birth of CHRIST and sixe yeares after This decree was published in Nazareth where S. Ioseph with his blessed spouse the mother of God did then dwell and this happened in the last mouth of her being with child And for that Ioseph was of the house and familie of Dauid he was to goe to Bethleem both to pay the mony and to be inrolled to which place also all other of that linage went The deliuerie of the blessed Virgin being neere at hand although she was not bound to go thither for the decree did not oblige any but men yet would be haue with him God had giuen to him in charge that most pretious treasure and he thought it not fit to trust any other person with her nay loth he was to be depriued of so great a good as to be present at the birth of the Sonne of God not onlie to adore the Sonne but also to attend the mother All this came to passe by the apointment of God to the end IESVS CHRIST should be borne in Bethleem and so the prophesies of him be fulfilled If we consider this well we shall see that the birth of our blessed Sauiour in Bethleem came not so to passe because the Prophets had foretold it though it was coÌ„uenient their prophesies should be accomplished but rather they said so because God had determined he should be borne there This mooued almightie God to choose so poore and abiect a place for the birth of his sonne agreable to that he saith by the mouth of the Prophet Esay Cap. 55 My wayes be not as yours be my wayes be of one sort and yours be of another Men striue and desire to be honored and esteemed and they seeke all meanes that may bring them to estimation in the sight of men and auoid all things that may hinder them thereof To be borne of Noble bloud and a rich house pleaseth all and euerie one seeketh it but God doth the contrarie He came to manifest his glorie to the world and when he should be borne he chose not to that purpose the glorious Cittie of Rome much lesse the royall Cittie of Ierusalem but the little village of Bethleem He was not pleased to be borne in the house of men but in the stall of beasts And his birth being so honored by the Angels and his death so ignominious in the companie of theeues hee couered his honors in the cottage of Bethleem and published his reproaches in the Cittie of Ierusalem giuing vnto vs hereby a notable example of humillitie O happie Bethleem O fortunate stall that pleased the Lord of heauen more then the statelie Capitall of Rome or the rich pallaces of Ierusalem Thus we see how God chose Bethleem to giue vs an example of true humillitie and therefore the prophets wrot it and they hauing written it it was conuenient that it should be fulfilled Holie Ioseph as is said went vnto Bethleem and tooke with him the most blessed Virgin It cannot be expressed what troubles the holie damosell endured by the way not for her being with child which annoyed not her as it doth other women but because it was midwinter when there be snowes Ice winds and tempests If men in their houses doe often feele them much more must a young and tender Virgin trauailing at such a time and being but meanly appointed as may well be presumed her husband Ioseph and she being but poore If in their iourney on the way they had toile and trouble when they came vnto Bethleem they had little refreshing for the chambers were taken vp and filled with the great concourse of people that came vnto that towne for the same purpose The good Ioseph demaunding for a lodging was answered that they were all full so hee seeking and enquiring further the same answer was made him as before Hereupon the good old man with the holie Virgin seing they could haue no lodging got them vnder a shead or penthouse where also was a stall for beasts We may well thinke this good couple shed teares to see themselues in such a miserable straite plight Ioseph had with him two beasts as is gathered out of the prophet Abacuc Cap. 3. after the translation of the 72. interpretors which saith Our Lord shall appeare in the midest of two beasts Holie Church singeth the same in a Responsorie of this sollemnitie at Maâ—tins and of this the vsage is to paint the natiuitie of our Lord with an Asse and an Oxe by him Ioseph tooke the Oxe with him to sell aswell to pay the tribute as for the expences of the voyage and on the Asse was our B. Lady the mother of God to ryde At that time was the solstice of winter when the Sunne beginneth to rise vpon our hemispheare and maketh the day to increase And if at this time the solstice cometh before Christmas day it happeneth by reason of the day that is added in the leap yeare which yet lacketh 8. minutes being about the. 7. part of an houre and these be so increased that they haue made as many daies as be from the day of the solstice vnto Christmas day It was on the 25. of December on the saterday and in the night as Peter Comâ—stor the Maister of Histories prooueth by the computation of that yeare saying that then it was midnight the glorious Virgin knew that the houre of her deliuerie was at hand but not as other women doe who perceiue it by the afore-comming paines which be as reuengers of the delight in their lustfull
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
God because they haue most cleare knowledge of him Other authors saie that in these three Masses are represented three states By that which is said at midnight is vnderstood the darksome state full of obscuritie and confusion of those that be in hell By the other that is said at the break of daie when the light beginne to be seene are vnderstood those that liue in the world who be in the middle betweene the light and darknes and do not know what shal be their end By the third which is said at cleare daie is vnderstood the state of the happie which be in eternall clearenes and posesse the ioyfull and blessed vision of God This is the signification of the three Masses which are comonlie said on Christmas daie as the doctors generallie say The occasion that mooued Pope Telesphorus to make this ordinance was The first Masse is called ad Galli cantum which is at midnight or a litle after because at that houre IESVS CHRIST was borne The second is called at the daie-break because at that houre he was visited and adored by the sheapheards The third is said at the ordinarie houre as on other daies and is called the high Masse The spanish saith Of these three Masses wâ—iteth Innocent 3. in the third sermon of the birth of CHRIST Galfridus lib de reb Eccles cap. 21. Albinus de diuin offic cap. 1. Sicardus Cremonens and others The life of S. Stephen the first Martyr ROBOAM the king of Israell 3. Reg. 12. suceeding his â—ather Salomon in the kongdome made some lawes and ordinances to be obserued of his suâ—iects who esteemed them to be too rigorous â—here caâ—â—â—d them to assemble together with intent to rebell against the king Roboam saying and professing openâ—â— that they would not obey him nor acknowledg him for king Those which did thus rebell were ten tribes of the twelue into which all the hebrewes were diuided The king being certifyed of this commotion called oâ—e Aduram his faithfull seruant and one of great account in his court commaunding him to go speak peaciblie to these rebellious people therby to quiet and appease them Aduram caused the ten tribes to be warned to appeare choosing out the most principall of them he shâ—wed him some reasons whereby he might reduce them to the seruice of the king but they hearing him named with great indignation took vp stones and stoned Aduram to death Roboam in asmuch as he is king of Israell is a figure of IESVS CHRIST vnto whom the father eternall gaue the lordship and power ouer all flesh and especially ouer that people vnto whom he was sent for guide and captaine and for king also as the Prophet Zacharie calleth him This king made his ordinances Cap 9. when ascending gloriously into heauen he commaunded his holie Apostles and disciples to publish the Euangelicall lawe and make knowne vnto all men that the old law was abrogated Many of the Iewes thought this to be verie strange and rigorous and therefore they took counsell together and determined that they would not acknowledg IESVS CHRIST nor receaue his Ghospell and doctrine He vnderstanding their consultation and entent sent a principall man of his court vnto them which was S. Stephen figured by Aduram whilest he talked to the principall of them to perswade them to acknowledge CHRIST for the Messias and that they would obey him and receaue his doctrine they on the contrarie part being obstinate and rebelliously bent took vp stones against S. Stephen and with extreame furie led him forth of the citty and there stoned him to death the martyr remaining victorious being crowned in his owne bloud The life of this glorious martyr written by S. Luke the Euangelist in the Acts of the Apostles and other good approoued authors is in this manner THE Apostles preaching and doing many miracles in Ierusalem the people of the cittie and the countries there abouts came and brought their sick in great aboundance and they were all healed This was the cause that the number of the disciples encreased daily Caiâ—t vpon this place for all those that were Baptised were called by that name It befell that amongst them arose a little controuersie mooued by the Greeks against the Hebrewes They were all Hebrews cap. 6. V. 1. but some of them were borne in Greece and others in Palestine and these were called Hebrews and the other Grecians These Grecians seemed agreeued that their widowes were not admitted into the publike ministerie and affaires because in those times they that were conuerted brought all their goods vnto the Apostles cap. 4. V. 37. and they prouided for them their diet apparrell and all other things necessarie And to the end that all things might be done in order they appointed to euerie one a particuler office and to the widowes that were honest and deuout women they gaue in chatge to dresse the meat and to attend the table The Grecians requested that the widowes of thir nation might be admitted vnto that seruice for euerie one desired to be employed in some office and to do the best seruice they could The Apostles assembled together to staye this matter least it might grow to discord And hauing called all the disciples said vnto them It is not fit that we should be busied in matters of such small importance therefore let vs find out and make choise of some good quiet men of honest fame who may haue authoritie to prouide persons which shall haue care of the prouision of dyet without aggrieuance of any nation one or other and out of both nations may be chosen widowes dilligent and apt to dresse meat for the multitude And when in this matter there may happen any occasion of disagreement they may resort to those that be elected who may quiet all dissentions if any arise and that we may attend to preaching and prayer This resolution pleased them all and out of the disciples were chosen seuen and as the head and chiefe of others Stephen a faithfull man and full of the holie Ghost was chosen S. Augustine out of this gathereth that S. Stephen was a man of great continencie and gouernement since vnto him was giuen an office in which he should haue so great dealings amongst women The Holie Ghost saith also of him that he was replenished with grace and fortitude and that he did â—ignes and many miracles He shewed himselfe to be very valiant and couragious preaching IESVS CHRIT to the Hebrewes perswading them to forsake the law of Moyses which now was of no force and that they should receaue the Ghospell and be Baptised The matter was brought to that passe that S. Stephen was more famous then any other of the disciples because he disputed face to face with the maisters of the Sinagogues in which were congregated the Grecians of sundrie Prouinces as of Cyrene of Alexandria of Cilicia and of Asia the lesse who altogether could not make resistance vnto the words
clear that he who is to he head of others must haue both hony and gall for he must at one time be affable myld toward the lowly and humble and must shew himself sterne and rigorous to the prowd and hauty S Peter had these conditions he was not altogether mylde for when occasion serued he knew to fight with his sword and to wound men but S. Iohn he was peaceable myld at all times Moreouer S. Iohn was the kinsman of CHRIST after the flesh â—f he had giuen him the Papacy it would haue bene thought and he should haue giuen occasion to think so that such a dignity might haue bene bestowed vpoÌ„ their friends and kinne He gaue it then to S. Peter with whom he had no kindred S. Thomas saith also that our Lord gaue the Papacy to S. Peter for that he loued him more Iohn 21. then any other as it is collected out of the same Ghospell and therefore it was good reason he should be preferred vnto that high dignity Christ hauing giueÌ„ that function vnto S. Peter said to him obscurely that he should dye on the Crosse as he did S. Peter who loued S. Iohn dearly asked our Lord. what should become of him as if he had said Shall Iohn also dy on the Crosse the sonne of God answered him what if it please me that Iohn stay till I come to iudge both the quick the dead to the o Peter what importeth it to know it the same S. Iohn also recounteth that the brethreÌ„ talked amongst themselfs that he disciple should not dy but they marked not that CHRIST said not that he should not dy but if it pleased him that he should liue vntill his second comming what had S. Peter to do to know it This speech S. Iohn made himself is not sufficient but that some make a doubt for there the many that say that he liueth yet is to come and preach against Antechrist in the company of Enoch and Eâ—â—as whom God keepeth aliue for that entent and that S. Iohn is to be martired with theÌ„ Some agâ—ine be of a contrary opinion and say that the same S. Iohn who treateth of the commyng of Enoch Elias in the Apocalipse Cap. 11 saith thy shal be two so that if he should haue him ioyned vnto them he would not haue concealed it And to the end it may appear which of these two opinions is of greatest autority I will in this place name them that be of those opinieus this I say if it be lawfull to put this matter in opinion for that considering the words of S. Iohn of himself against the other Apostles that douted of his death it seemeth not secure to say that the Apostle did not dy They that affirme that he dyed not be Abbot Ioachin and George of Trapeunt a grammaryan who made a treatise of this matter and Francis Mairon red this treatise and saith also that S. Iohn is yet aliue He was a franciscan fryer and was the first that determinately saith Mai. 4. dis 49. that the mother of God was conceiued without originall synne for thought that Scotus who was a fryer mynour also moued the questioÌ„ yet he did not resolue the matter clearly though he seemeth to be of that opinion as Mairon is who affirmeth and determyneth it to be so These three Authours I haue seene and I know not if any other be of that opinion for that Theophilactus and Euthimius who be graue and ancient autors if you mark their words well say only that in their time it was the opinion of some that S. Iohn was not dead and the same saith Symeon Metaphraster also But other holy doctors be of a coÌ„trary oppinion S. Ierome saith plainely in many places In mat 20. that S. Iohn dyed the same in auouched by S. Iohn Chrisostome Tertullian who wrot the martirdome of S. Iohn Hâ— 26 in epis ad hâ— lib de In â—â— 21. Lib. 3. c. 3. Lib. 1.35.4 d. 43 art 3. when he was put into the boyling oyle saith that then he was deliuered from death but he afterward dyed and the same saith venerable Bede Eusebius of Cesarea in his ecclesiasticall history Polyerates B. of Ephesus said that S. Iohn dyed Nicephorus Callistus not only saith that he dyed but also that he rose againe incontinent and that he went into heauen in body and soule and S. Thomas Aquinas is of that opinion also S. Ierome and venerable Bede seeme to infer that S. Iohn is in heauen both in body and soule for they say that he dyed without griefe and that his body was not turned into dust So that the Authors who say S. Iohn did not dy be not of any great account and against them is the opinion of many and auncient doctors Iudge then whom we shall beleeue But in my opinion there is no dout but that S. Iohn did by After that IESVS CHRIST ascended into heauen and after the commyng of the Holy Ghost at the which S. Iohn was present with the other Apostles and disciples S. Luke recounteth in the Acts of the Apostles Act. â— that S. Peter and S. Iohn going into the temple to pray at the nynth houre healed a lame man to the great wonder of all the people Whereupon the two holy Apostles were led into the consistory of the Iewews where they constantly professed the faith of IESVS CHRIST They were also put in prison and beaten whereof they much reioyced thought they had receued a singular benefite in that they had suffered persecution for the name of IESVS CHRIST In this consistory was present Gamaliel a disciple of CHRIST who laboured to set the Apostles free without punishment but he could not effect it S. Iohn remained in Ierusalem certaine yeares and that was as some thinke as long as the B. Virgin liued after the Ascension of our Sauiour into heauen He had a great regard and care of herâ— he stayed ordinarily in her company He said masse vnto her and she did often times receaue the B. Sacrament at his hand as S. Bonauenture saith The communication that these two blessed creatures had together was questionles euen â—eraphicall being both of them so inflamed with the loue of God as they were After the death of the B. Virgin S. Iohn went to preach in Asia which country fell vnto his lotte in the diuision of prouinces This glorious Apostle preached with great zeale and founded seuen Churches in seuen principall Citties viz Ephesus Smirna Pergâ—mo Thyatira Philadelphia Sardis and Laodicea In all thâ—se places he ordained priests to administer the sacraments to the Christians that were many in euery one of these Citties It befell that Domitian a most cruell tyrant was made Emperour of Rome who persecuted the Christians in all the lands subiect to the Empire In this persecution S. Iohn was taken in Ephesus and brought to Rome and was there put into a vessel of boyling oyle