body which by meanes of the bodye it had often tymes before sene to the end that we should thereby vnderstanne whether his soule mighte spiritually be carried And in that he saide he was to goe into Sicily what els can be ment therebye but that there be in the Ilandes of that countrye more then in any place els certayne gaping gulphes of tormentes castinge out fire continually And as they say that knowe them dailye do they wax greater and enlarge them selues so that the worlde drawinge to an ende and so consequently more comming thither to be burnt in those flaminge dungeons so much the more do those places of tormentes open and become wider Which strange thing almighty God for the terror and amendement of the liuing wolde haue extant in this world that infidels which beleeue not the vnspeakable paines of hell may with their eies see the places of tormentes which they list not to credit when it is told them And that both the elect and reprobat whose life and conuersation hath bene alike shal after death be carried to like places the sayinge of our Sauiour doth teach vs thoughe we had no examples to proue the same for of the elect him selfe saith in the Gospell In the house of my father Ioan. 14. Inequality of rewardes in heauen there be many mansions For yf there were not inequalitye of rewardes in the euerlasting felicitye of heauen then were there not many mansions but rather one wherfore there be many mansions in which diuers orders and degrees of Gods sainctes be distinguished who in common do all reioice of the society and fellowship of theire merites and yet all they that labored receiue one penny thoughe they remayne in distinct mansions because the felicitye and ioye which there they possesse is one and the rewarde which by diuers and vnequall good Worckes they receiue is not one but diuers which to be true our Sauiour assureth vs when talkinge of his comminge to iudgement he saith Then I wil say to the Math. 13. reapers Gather vp the cockle and binde it into bundels to burne For the Angels wâ—ich be the reapers do then binde vp in bundles the cockle to burne when like with like are putt together in tormentes as the proude to burne in hell with the proude carnall with the carnall couetous with the couetous deceiptfull with the deceiptfull inuious with the inuious and infidels with insidels when therfore those that were like in sinfull life be condemned to like tormentes then be they as it were cockle bounde together in bundels to be burnte Peter You haue giuen a sufficient reason for satisfaction to my demande yet I beseech you to informe me further what the cause is that some be called out of this vvorlde as it vvere throughe error vvho aftervvarde returne againe to life saying that they hearde hovv they vvere not the men vvhich vvere sent for out of this life OF THOSE SOVLES VVHICH seme as it were throughe error to be taken out of theire bodies and of the deathe and reuiuinge of a monke called Peter of the death likewise and raising vp againe of one Steuen and of the strange vision of a certaine soldiar CHAPTER XXXVI Gregory VVHen this happeneth Peter it is not yf it be vvell considered any error but an admonition For God of his great and bountifull mercy so disposeth that some after theire death do straighte-vvaies returne againe to life that hauing seene the tormentes of hell vvhich before vvhen they hearde they vvolde not beleeue they may novv at least treble at after they haue vvith theire eyes beheld them For a certaine Sclauonian vvho vvas a monke and hued vvith me here in this city in my Monasterye vsed to tell me that at such tyme as he dvvelt in the vvildernes that he knevve one Peter a monke borne in Spaine vvho liued vvith him in the vast desert called Euasa vvhich Peter Eremites as he saide tolde him how before he came to dwell in that place by a certaine sicknes he died and was straightwaies restored to life againe affirming that he had sene the tormentes and innumerable places of hell and diuers who were mighty men in this vvorlde hanging in those flames and that as him selfe was caried to be throwne also into the same fire suddainly an Angel in a be wtifull attire appeared who wolde not suffre him to be cast into those tormentes but spake vnto him in this manner Go thy way backe againe and hereafter carefully looke vnto thy selfe how thow leadest thy life after which wordes his body by little and little became warme and him selfe waking out of the slepe of euerlasting death reported all such thinges as happened about him after which tyme he bounde him selfe to such fasting and watchinge that thoughe he had saide nothing yet his very life and conuersation did speake vvhat tormentes he had sene and was affraide of and so Gods mercifull prouidence wroughte in his temporall death that he died not euerlastinglye But because mans harte is passing obdurat and harde hereof it commeth that thoughe others haue the like vision and see the same paines yet do they not alwaies reape the like profit For the honorable man Steuen whom you knevve very vvell tolde me of him selfe that at such tyme as he vvas vpon busines resident in the city of Gonstantinople that he fell sicke and died and vvhen they sought for a surgeon to bovvell him and to embalme his bodye and coulde not get any he laye vnburied all the nighte follovving in vvhich space his soule vvas carried to the dungeon of hell vvhere he savve many thinges vvhich before when he heard he little beleeued But vvhen he vvas broughte before the iudge that satt there he vvolde not admitt him to his presence sayinge I commanded not this man to be broughte but Steuen the smith vpon which wordes he was straighte-way restored to life and Steuen the smith that dwelled harde by at that very houre departed this life whose death did showe that the wordes which he heard were most true But thoughe the foresaide Steuen escaped death in this manner at that tyme yet three yeares since in that mortalitye vvhich lamentably vvasted this citye and in vvhich as you knovve men vvith theire corporall eies did behold arrovves that came from heauen vvhich did strike diuers the same man ended his daies at vvhich tyme a certaine soldiar being also broughte to the pointe of death his soule vvas in such sort caried cut of his bodye that he lay voide of all sence and feelinge but comminge quickely againe to him selfe he tolde then that vvere present vvhat present vvhat strange thâ—nges he had sene For he saide as many report that knowe it very well that he sawe a bridge vnder which a blacke and smoakye riuer did runne that had a filthy and intollerable smell but vpon the further side thereof there were pleasant grene medowes full of swete flowers in which also there were diuers companies of men
end of all fleshe is come which worâ—es after he had repeated thus three tymes he vanisshed out of his sight Then the man of God rose vp and fell to his pâ—aiers with many teares And straight after those fearefull sightes in heauen followed to wit firy lances and armies appearing from the north Straight after likewise the barbarous and cruell nation of the Lombardes drawne as a sworde out of a sheath left theire owne countrye and inuaded ours by reason whereof the people which before for the huge multitude were like to thicke corne fieldes remayne nowe withered and ouerthrowne for cities be wasted townes and villages spoiled churches burnte monasteries of men and wâ—men destroied farmes left desolate the countrye remayneth solitarye and voide of men to till the grounde and destitute of all inhabitantes beastes possessinge those places where before great plenty of men did dwell And howe it goeth in other partes of the worlde I knowe not but here in this place where we liue the worlde doth not foretel any end but rather sheweth that which is present and already come Wherfore so much the more zealouslye ought we to seeke after eternal thinges by how much we finde all temporall so quicklye to be fled and gone Suerlye this worlde were to be contemned althoughe it did flatter vs and with pleasant prosperitye contented our minde but now seing it is fraught with so many miseries and diuers afflictions and that our sorrowes and crosses do daily encrease and be doubled what doth it els but crye vnto vs that we sholde not loue it Maâ—y more thinges yet remaine of the worthy actes of Gods seruauntes but because I haue resolued vpon an other course I wil passe ouer with silence Peter For as much as I perceiue that many Christians doe doubt of the immortality of the soule after the dissolution of the bodye I beseech you for the spirituall goode of manye to sett downe some reasoÌ„s for proffe thereof or the examples of some soules which haue testified the same yf you remember any to the end that those which be troubled with any such tentations may learne that the soule doth not dy together with the bodie Gregory This is a worke of great labour especially for one that is busied with other affaires and hath other thinges to attende vnto yet yf any profit by my meanes may redound to others willingly doe I prefer that before myne owne will and pleasure and therfore Gods grace assisting me in this fourth booke followinge I will clerely shewe that the soule doth liue after the death of the body The end of the third booke THE CHAPTERS OF THE FOVRTH BOOKE 1. THat carnal men doe the lesse belieue eternal and spiritual thinges because those of which they heare they knowe not by experience 2. That an infidel liueth not without faith 3. That there were three vital spirittes created 4. Of that question of Salomon wherein it is said That the death of a man and beastes is all one 5. Of that question concerninge the soule which goeth inuisiblye out of the bodye to witt whether there be any such thinge when as it can not be seene 6. That as the life of the soule whiles it remaineth in the body is knowne by the motions of the members so the life of the soule asâ—er it is out of the bodye in Sainctes is gathered by the vertue of miracles 7. Of the departures of soules 8. Of the departure of the soule of a monke called Specioâ—us 9. Of the soule of an Anchoret 10. Of the departure of the soule of an Abbot called Hope 11. Of the departure of the soule of a Priest caled Vrâ—inus 12. Of the soule of Probus Bisshop of the citye of Reati 13. Of the departure of a Nunne called Galla. 14. Of the departure of Seruulus sicke of the Palsye 15. Of the departure of a Nunne called Romula 16. Of the departure of the virgin Tarsilla 17. Of the departure of a yong maide called Musa 18. How certaine yong children come not to heauen throughe the fault of theire parentes because they bring them vp wickedly as is shewed and afterward declared by the example of a blaspheâ—â—ous yonge boye 19. Of the departure of one Steuen the seruant of God 20. That sometyme the merit of the soule is not sene at the departure but is after deathe more truly declared 21. Of the two monkes of Abbot Valentius 22. Of the departure of Abbot Soranus 23. Of the departure of the Deacon of the Churche of Marsi 24. Of the death of the man of God that was sent to Bethel 25. VVhether the soules of iust men be receiued into heauen before the resurrection of the body 26. By what meanes some that are a dying doe prophecy Of the death of a certaine Aduocat Of the reuelation of the two monkes Gerontius and Mellirus Of the death of a boy called Armentarius and of the diuersitye of tongues 27. Of the death of the Earle Theophanius 28. That as the soules of iust men be in heauen so we ought to belieue that after the death of the bodies the soules of wicked men are in hell 29. VVhat reason we haue to belieue that corporal fire can hold spirittes they being without bodyes 30. Of the death of the Arrian kinge Theodoricus 31. Of the death of Reparatus 32. Of the death of a courtier whose graue burnt with fire 33. VVhether the goode knowe the goode in heauen and the bad those that be bad in hell 34. Of a certaine religious man who at his death saw the Prophetes 35. How sometime soules ready to departe this worlde that knowe not one an other doe knowe for all that what torments for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode deedes they shal receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius SteueÌ„ 36. Of those soules which throughe error seme to be carried out of theire bodies Of the vocation and reuocation of Peter the monke and of the death and resusciâ—ation of Steuen Of the vision of a certaine soldiar and of Deusdedit whose house was sene to be built vpon the sabboth daye and of the punnishement of the men of Sodome 37. That the soules of certaine men whiles they be yet in theire bodies do see some spiritual punnishment and of the boy Theodorus 38. Of the death of Chrisorius and of a certaine monke of Iconia 39. VVhether there be any fire of purgaâ—orye after death 40. Of the soule of Paschasius the Deacon 41. VVhy in latter times so many thinges come to lighte concerning mens soules which before were not knowne 42. In what place we ought to beleue that hel is 43. VVhether the fire of hel be one or manye 44. VVhether they alwaies burne that lye in hell 45. How the soule is saide to be immortal if it be punnished with the sentence of death 46. Of a certaine holy man who was affraide at the tyme of his death 47. That some are by reuelation strengthned not to
Then turninge back to Galla that came raginge after he saide This is father Bennet of whom I tolde you who lookinge vpoÌ„ him in a great fury thinckinge to deale as terribly with him as he had with others cried out aloude to him sayinge Rise vp sirrha rise vp and deliuer me quickelye suche wealth as thowe hast of this mans in keepinge The man of God hearinge such a noise straighte-waies lifte vp his eies from readinge and behelde both him and the countrye fellowe and turninge his eies to his bandes verye straungelye they fell from his armes and that so quickelye as no man with any hast could haue vndone them Galla seeinge him so wonderfullye and quickely loosed fell straighte a trembling and prostratinge him selfe vpon the earth boowed downe his cruell and stiffe necke to the holy mans feete and with humilitye did commende him selfe to his praiers But the venerable man for all this rose not vp from his readinge but callinge for some of his monkes commanded them to haue him in and to giue him some meate And when he was broughte backe againe he gaue him a goode lesson admonishing him not to vse any more suche rigour and cruell dealinge His proude minde thus taken downe away he went but durst not demande after that any thinge of the countrye fellowe whom the man of God not with handes but only with his eies had loosed from his bandes And this is that Peter which I tolde you that those which in a more familiar sorte serue God doe sometyme by a certaine power and authority bestowed vpon them worcke miracles For he that sittinge still did appease the furye of that cruell Gothe and vnloose with his eies those knottes and cordes which did pinion the inocent mans armes did plainelye shewe by the quickenes of the miracle that he had receiued power to worcke all that which he did And nowe will I likewise tell you of an other miracle which by praier he obtayned at Gods handes HOVV BY PRAIER VENERABLE Bennet raised vp a deade childe CHAPTER XXXII BEinge vpon a daye gone out with his monkes to worke in the fielde a country man carrying the corps of his deade sonne came to the gate of the Abbey lamentinge the losse of his childe and inquiringe for holy Bennet they tolde him that he was abroad with his monkes in the fielde Downe at the gate he layd the deade bodye and with great sorrowe of soule ranne in hast to seeke out the venerable father At the same tyme the man of God was returninge home ward from worcke with his monkes whom so sone as he sawe he began to crye out giue me my sonne giue me my sonne The man of God amazed at these wordes stoode still saide what haue I taken awaye your sonne No no quoth the sorrowfull father but he is deade come for Christ Iesus sake and restore him to life The seruaunt of God hearing him speake in that manner seeinge his monkes vpon compassion to sollicit the poore mans sute with great sorrowe of minde he saide Away my goode brethren awaye Suche miracles are not for vs to worcke but for the blessed Apostles why will you lay suche a burthen vpon me as my weakenes can not beare But the poore man whom excessiue griefe enforced wolde not giue ouer his petition but swore that he wolde neuer departe excepte he did raise vp his sonne Where is he then quoth Gods seruaunte he answered that his body lay at the gate of the Abbey to which place when the man of God came with his monkes he kneeled downe and lay vpon the bodye of the little childe and rising he helde vp his handes towardes heauen and saide Beholde not o Lorde my synnes but the faithe of this man than desireth to haue his sonne raised to life and restore that soule to the body which thowe hast taken away He had scarse spoken these wordes and beholde the soule returned backe againe and there with the childes bodye began to tremble in such sort that all which were present did beholde it in straunge manner to pant and shake Then he tooke it by the hande gaue it to his father but aliue in healthe Certaine it is Peter that this miracle was not in his owne power for which prostrat vpon the grounde he praied so earnestly Peter All is most true that before you saide for what you affirmed in wordes you haue nowe verified by examples and worckes But tell me I beseche you whether holy men can do all suche thinges as they please and obtaine at Gods handes whatsoeuer they desire OF A MIRACLE VVROVGHTE by his sister Scholastica CHAPTER XXXIII Gregory VVHat man is there Peter in this worlde that is in greater fauour with God then S. Paul was who yet three tymes desired our Lord ro be deliuered from the pricke of the fleshe and obtained not his petition Concerninge which pointe also I 2. Cor. 12. must nedes tell you howe there was one thinge which the venerable father Bennet wolde haue done and yet he could not For his filter called Scholastica YouÌ„g children dedicated to a religious life dedicated from her infancy to our Lord vsed once a yere to come and visit her brother To whom the man of God went not far from the gate to a place that did belonge to the Abbey there to giue her intertainement And she comming thither on a tyme accordinge to her custome her venerable brother with his monkes went to meete her where they spent the whole daye in the praises of God and spirituall talke and when it was almost nighte they supped together as they were yet sitting at the â—able talkinge of deuoin matters and darcknes came on the-holy NuÌ„ne his sister entreated him to stay there all nighte that they mighte spende it in discoursinge of the ioyes of heauen But by no perswasion wolde he agree vnto that sayinge that he mighte not by any meanes tarry all nighte out of his Abbey At that tyme the skye was so clere that no cloude was to be sene The Nunne receiuinge this deniall of her brother ioyning her handes together laide them vpon the table and so bowing downe her heade vpon them she made her praiers to almighty God and liftinge her heade from the table there fell suddainlye such a tempest of lightninge and thundringe and such abundance of raine that neither venerable Bennet nor his monkes that were with him coulde put theire heade out of dore for the holy Nunne restinge her heade vpon her handes poured forth such a flod of teares vpon the table that she drewe the clere aier to a watrye skye so that after the end of her deuotions that storme of rayne followed and her prayer and the rayne did so meete together that as she lifted vp her heade from the table the thunder beganne so that in one and the verye same instant she lifted vp her head and broughte downe the rayne The man of God seeinge that he could
men doth worke miracles by such as they most contemne that truthe proceedinge from the mouth of his humble seruauntes may subdue those which of pridâ— do extoll and aduaunce them selues against the doctrine of truthe OF HERCVLANVS BISSHOP of Perusium CHAPTER XIII NOt longe since the vertuous Bishop Floridus tolde me a notable miracle which was this The greate holy man quoth he Herculanus who broughte me vp was Bishop of Perusium exalted to that dignity from the state of a monke in whose tyme the perfidious kinge Totilas besieged it for seuene yers together and the famin within was so great that many of the townesemen forsooke the place and before the seuenth yere was ended the armye of the Gothes tooke the citye The commander of his campe dispatched messengers to Totilas to know his pleasure what he should doe with the Bishoppe and the rest of the citizens to whom he returned answer that he shold from the top of the Bishoppes heade to his verye foote cutt of a thonge of his skinne and that done to strike of his heade and as for the rest of the people to putt them all to the sworde When he had receiued this order he commanded the reuerent Bishop Herculanus to be carried to the walles and there to haue his heade strooken of and when he was deade that his skin shoulde be cut from the verye crowne downe to the verye foote as thoughe in dede a thonge had bene taken from his bodye after which barbarous facte theye threwe his dead coâ—ps ouer the wall Then some vpon pitty ioyninge the heade to the bodye did bury him together with an infant that was there founde deade Fourtye daies after Totilas makinge proclamation that the inhabitants which were gone shoulde without all feare come backe againe those which vpon extremity of hunger departed returned home to their houses and callinge to mynde the holy life of theire Bishoppe they soughte for his body that it mighte as he deserued be buried in the churche of S. Peter And when they came to the place where it lay they digged and founde the bodye of the infant that was buried together with him putrified and full of wormes but the Bishoppes body was so sounde as thoughe it had bene newly put into the earth and that which is more to be admired and deserueth greater reuerence his heade was so fast ioyned to his bodye as thoughe it had neuer bene cutt of neither did any signe of his beheading appeare at all Then they viewed likewise his backe whether that were also whole and sounde and they founde it so perfect and well as thoughe neuer any knife had touched the same Peter Who wolde not wonder at such miracles of them that be deade wroughte no question for the spirituall goode of the liuinge OF THE SERVANT OF God Isaac CHAPTER XIIII Gregory AT suche tyme as the Gothes first inuaded Italye there was nere to the citye of Spoleto a vertuous and holy man called Isaac who liued almost to the last daies of the Gothes whom many did knowe and especially the holy virgin Gregoria which nowe dwelleth in this citye hard by the churche of the blessed and perpetuall virgin Marie which woman in her yonger yeares desiring to liue a Nunnes life fled to the churche from marriag already agreed vpon by her freindes and was by this man defended and so through Gods prouidence obtayned Nunnes ware a peculiar habit and liued vnmarried to haue that habitt which so much she desired and so leauing her spouse vpon earth she merited a spouse in heauen Many thinges also I had by the relation of the reuerent man Eleutherius who was familiarly acquainted with him and his vertuous life doth giue credit to his wordes This holy man Isaac was not borne in Italye and therfore I wil only speake of suche miracles as he did liuinge here in our countrye At his first comminge out of Syria to the city of Spoleto he went to the churche and desired the keepers that he mighte haue free leaue to praye there and not to be enforced to departe when nighte came And so he began his deuotions and spent all that daye in praier and likewise the nighte followinge The seconde daye and nighte he bestowed in the same manner and remayned there also the thirde daye which when one of the keepers of the church perceiued who was a man of a proud spirit he tooke scandall by that whereof he ought to haue reaped great profitt For he began to say that he was an hyppocrite and cousining companion who in the sighte of the worlde remayned at his praiers three dayes and three nightes together forth with running vpon the man of God he strook him to make him by that meanes with shame to departe the churche as an hyppocryte and one that desired to be reputed an holy man But to reuenge this iniurye a wicked spirit did presently possesse his body who cast him downe at the feete of the man of God and began by his mouth to crye out Isaac doth cast me forth Isaac doth cast me forth For what name the straunge man had none at that tyme did knowe but the wicked spirit told it when he cried out that he had power to cast him out Straighte-waies the man of God laide him selfe vpon his bodye and the cursed deuill that was entred in departed in all hast newes of this was by and by blowne ouer the whole city and men and wemen riche and poore came runnynge euery one striuinge to bringe him home to theire owne house Some for the buildinge of an Abbey did humbly offer him landes other money and some such other helpes as they coulde But the seruaunt of almighty God refusyng to accept any of theire offers departed out of the citye and not farr of he founde a desert place where he builte a little cotage for him selfe To whom many repayringe began by his example to be inflamed with the loue of euerlastinge life and so vnder his discipline and gouernment gaue them selues to the seruice of almighty God And when his disciples wolde often humbly insinuate that it were goode for the necessity of the Abbey to take such liuinges as were offred he very carefull to keepe pouertye tolde them constantly sayinge A monke that seeketh for liuinges vpon earthe is no monke for so fearefull he was to loose the secure state of his pouertye as couetous riche men are carefull to preserue theire corruptible wealthe In that place therfore he became famous for the spirit of prophecye and his life was renoumed far and nere for the notable miracles which he wroughte For vpon a day towardes eueninge he caused his monkes to lay a certaine number of spades in the gardin The nighte followinge when accordinge Mattens to custome they rose vp to theire praiers he commanded them sayinge Go your waies and make potage for our worckemen that it may be readye very earely in the morninge And when it was day he bad them
the moÌ„kes made choâ—e of Euthicius to take the charge thereof who condescendinge to theire petition gouerned the Abbey many yeares And not to haue his former oratory vtterly destitute he lefte the reuerent man Florentius to keepe the same who dwelt there all alone and vpon a daye beeinge at his praiers heâ— besoughte almightye God to vouchsafe him of some comforte in that place and hauinge ended his deuotions he went forthe where he founde a beare standinge before the dore which by the bowing downe of his heade to the grounde and shewing in the gesture of his bodie no signe of crueltie gaue the man of God to vnderstande that he was come thither to do him seruice and him selfe likewise did forth with perceiue it And because he had in the house fower or fiue sheepe which had no keeper he commanded the beare to take charge of them sayinge Goe and leade these sheepe to the fielde and at twelue of the clocke come backe againe which charge he tooke vpon him and did dailye come home at that howre and so he performed the office of a goode shepheard and those shepe which before tyme he vsed to deuoure nowe fastinge him selfe he tooke care to haue them safely kepte And when Gods seruaunt determined to fast vntil three of the clocke then he commanded the beare to returne with his shepe at the same houre but when he wolde not fast so longe to come at twelue And whatsoeuer he commanded his beare that he did so that bidden to returne at three of the clocke he wolde not come at twelue and commanded to returne at twelue he wolde not tarry till three And when this had continewed a goode while he began to be famous far and nere for his vertue and holy life But the olde enemy of mankinde by that meanes which he seeth the goode to come vnto glorye by the same doth he drawe the wicked throughe hatred to procure theire owne miserie for fower of Euthicius monkes swellinge with enuye that theire master wroughte not any miracles and that he who was left alone by him was famous for so notable a one vpon very spighte went and killed his beare And therfore when the poore beast came not at his appointed howre Florentius began to suspecte the matter but expectinge yet vntill the eueninge verye muche grieued he was that the beare whom in great simplicitye he called his brother came not home The nexte daye he went to the fielde to seeke for his shepe and his shepheard whom he founde there slayne and making diligeÌ„t inquisition he learned quickely who they were that had committed that vncharitable fact Then was he verye sorye bewailing yet more the malice of the monkes then the deathe of his beare whom the reuerent man Euthicius sent for and did comforte him what he mighte but the holy man Florentius wonderfully grieued in mynde did in his presence curse them sayinge I must in almighty God that they shall in this life in the sighte of the worlde receiue the rewarde of theire malice that haue thus killed my beare which did them no harme whose wordes Gods vengeance did straighte followe for the fower monkes that killed the poore beast were straighte so strooken with a leprosye that theire limmes did rott away and so they died miserably whereat the man of God Florentius was greatly affraide and muche grieued that he had so cursed the monkes and all his life after he wept for that his praier was hearde crying out that him selfe was cruell and that he had murdered those men Which thinge I suppose almighty God did to the end that he shold not beeinge a man of great simplicity vpon any griefe whatsoeuer afterwarde presume to curse anye Peter What is it any great synne yf in our anger we curse others Gregory Why doe you aske me whether it be a great synne when as S. Paul saith Neither 1. Corint 5. cursers shal posses the kingdome of God Thincke then how great the synne is which doth exclude a man out of heauen Peter What yf a man haply not of malice but of negligence in keepinge his tongue doth curse his neighbour Gregory Yf before the seuere iudge idle speche is reprehended howe much more that which is hurtefull Consider then howe damnable those wordes be which proceede of malice when that talke shall be punnished which proceedeth only from idlenes Peter I graunt it to be most true Gregory The same man of God did an other thinge which I must not forget For the reporte of his vertue reachinge far and nere a certaine Deacon that dwelt many miles of trauailed vnto him to commend him selfe to his praiers And comminge to his cell he found it rounde about full of innumerable snakes at which sighte beeinge wonderfully affraide he cried out desiringe Florentius to praye who came forth the skye beeinge then verye clere and lifted vp his eies and his handes to heauen desiringe God to take them awaye in such sort as he best knewe Vpon whose praiers suddainly it thundred and that thunder killed all those snakes Florentius seeing them all deade saide vnto God Beholde ô Lorde thowe hast destroied them all but who shall now carry them awaye and straighte as he had thus spoken so many birdes came as there were snakes killed which tooke them al vp and carried them far of discharginge his habitation from those venemous creatures Peter Certainly he was a man of great vertue and merit whose praiers God did so quickly heare Gregory Puritye of harte and simplicity Peter is of great force with almighty God who is in purity most singular and of nature most simple For those seruauntes of his which doe retire them selues from worldly affaires auoid idle wordes labor not to lose theire deuotion nor to defile theire soule with talkinge doe especially obtaine to be hearde of him to whom after a certaine manner and as they maye they be like in purity and simplicitye of harte But we that liue in the worlde and speake oftentymes idle wordes and that which is worse sometyme those that be hurtefull our wordes and praiers are so muche the farther of from God as they be nere vnto the worlde for we are drawne too much downe towardes the carthe by continuall talkinge of secular busines which thinge the prophet Esaye did verye well reprehend in him selfe after he had beheld the kinge and Lorde of armyes and was penitent cryinge out woe be to me for beeing silent Esai 6. because I am a man that haue defiled lippes and he sheweth straighte after the reason why his lippes were defiled when he saithe I dweâ— in the middest of a people that hath defiled lippes For sorye he was that his lippes were defiled yet concealeth not from whence he had them when he saith that he dwelt in the middest of a people that had defiled lippes For verye harde it is that the tongues of secular men shoulde not defile theire soules with whom they talke for when we doe
the mountaine not touching Marcius caue did skipp cleane ouer and auoidinge as it were to hurt Gods seruaunt it fell far of which thinge no man can doubte but that it was done by the handes of Angels at the commandement of almighty God At such tyme as this holy man came first to inhabit that mountaine and had not yet made any dore for his caue he fastned the one ende of an yron chaine to the stony wall and the other he tied to his legge to the end he mighte goe no further then the length of that chaine did giue him leaue which thinge the reuerent man Bennet hearinge of sent him this worde by one of his monkes yf thowe be Gods seruant let the chaine of Christ not any chaine of yron holde the vpon this message Marcius forthwith loosed his chaine yet did he keepe still the same compasse and goe no further then he did before Liuinge afterwarde in the same caue he began to entertaine certaine disciples which dwelt apart from his cell who hauing no other water but that which with a rope and a bucket they drewe out of a well great trouble they had because theire rope did often breake and therfore they came vnto him crauinge that chaine which he had loosed from his legge that they mighte tye the rope to that and fasten the bucket vpon it and from that tyme forwarde thoughe the rope was daily wett with Vertue of relickes water yet did it breake no more for hauing touched the holy mans chaine it became stronge like vnto yron so that the water did not weare it nor do it any harme Peter These worthy actes of his doe please me seinge they are straunge that very much because they were so lately done and be yet freshe in memorye HOVV A MONKE OF MOVNTE Argentario raised vp a deade man CHAPTER XVII Gregory NOt longe since in our tyme a certain man called Quadragessimus was Subdeacoâ— in the churche of Buxentin who in tymes past kept a flocke of sheepe in the same countrye of Aurelia by whose faithfull reporte I vnderstoode a maruailous strange thinge which is this At such tyme as he lead a sheapherdes life there was an holy maÌ„ that dwelt in the mountaine of Argentario whose religious conuersation and inward vertue was answerable to Habit of monkes the habit of a moÌ„ke which outwardly he did weare Euerye yeare he trauailed Pilgrimage from his mountaine to the churche of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and S. Peter Prince of the Apostles in the waye tooke this Quadragessimus house for his lodginge as him selfe did tell me Comminge vpon a daye to his house which was harde by the churche a poore womans husbande died not far of whom when they had as the manner is washed put on his garmentes and made him ready to be buried The manner of burieng in Italye yet it was so late that it could not be done that daye wherfore the desolat widowe satt by the deade corps weepinge all nighte longe and to sasatisfye her griefe she did continually lament and crye out The man of God seeinge her so pitifully to weepe and neuer to giue ouer was nuche grieued and saide to Quadragesimus the Subdeacon my soule taketh compassion of this womans sorrowe arise I beseche you and let vs praye and therevpon they went to the churche which as I said was harde by and fel to theire deuotions And when thy had praied a good while the seruaunt of God desired Quadragessimus to conclude theire praier which beeinge done he tooke a little dust from the side of the altar and so came with Quadragessimus to the dead bodye and there he began againe to praye and when he continewed so a longe tyme he desirede him not as he did before to conclude theire praiers but him selfe gaue the blessing and so rose vp and because he had the dust in his righte hande with his left he tooke awaye the cloth that couered the deade mans face which the woman seeing earnestlie withstoode him and maruailed much what he ment to do when the cloth was gone he rubbed the deade mans face a goode while withe the dust which he had taken vp and at length he that was deade receiued his soule againe began to open his mouth and his eies and to sitt vp and as thoughe he had awaked from a deepe sleepe maruailed what they did about him which when the woman that had weried her selfe with cryinge behelde she began then a freshe to weepe for ioye and crye out far louder then she did before but the man of God modestlye forbad her sayinge Peace goode woman and say nothinge and yf any demaunde howe this happened say only that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath vouchsafed to worcke his pleasure Thus he spake and forthwith he departed from Quadragessimus and neuer came to his house againe For desirous to auoide all temporall honour he so handled the matter that they which sawe him worcke that miracle did neuer see him more so longe as he liued Peter What other thincke I knowe not but myne oplnion is that it is a miracle aboue all miracles to raise vp deade men and secretlye to call backe theire soules to giue life vnto theire bodies againe Gregory Yf we respecte outwarde and visible thinges of necessitye we must so beleeue but yf we turne our eies to inuisible thinges then certaine it is that it is a greater miracle by preaching of the worde vertue of praier to conuert a sinner then to raise vp a deade man for in the one that fleshe is raised vp which againe shall dye but in the other he is broughte from death which shall liue for euer For I will name you two and tell me in which of them as you thincke the greater miracle was wroughte The first is Lazarê° a true beleeuer whom our Lorde raised vp in fleshe the other is Saul whom our Lorde raised in soule For of Lazarus vertues after his resurrection we reade nothinge but after the raisinge vp of the others soule we are not able to conceiue what wonderful thinges be in holy scripture spoken of his vertues as that his most cruell thoughtes and designements were turned to the bowels of piety and compassion that he desired to dy for his brethen in whose death before he tooke muche pleasure That knowinge the holy scriptures perfectly yet professed that he knew nothinge els but Iesus Christ and him crucified That he did willingly endure the bearing of roddes for Christ whom before with sworde he did persecute That he was exalted to the dignitye of an Apostle yet willingly became a little one in the middest of other disciples That he was rapte to the secretes of the thirde heauen and yet did turne his eye of compassion to dispose of the dutye of married folkes sayinge Let the husband Corint render debt to the wife and the wife likewise to the husbande That he was busied in contemplatinge
the quires of Angels and yet contemned not to thincke and dispose of the factes of carnall men That he reioysed in his infirmities and tooke pleasure in his reproaches That for him to liue is Christ and gaine to dye That althoughe he liued in fleshe yet was he wholy out of the fleshe Beholde howe this blessed Apostle liued who from hell returned in his soule to the life of vertue wherfore lesse it is for one to be raised vp in bodye excepte perchance by the reuiuinge thereof he be also broughte to the life of his soule and that the outward miracle do serue for the giuing of life to the inwarde spirit Peter I thoughte that far inferior which I perceiue nowe to be incomparably superior but prosecute I beseech you your former discourse that we spend no tyme without some spiritual profit to our soules OF BENNET THE monke CHAPTER XVIII Gregory A Certaine monke liued with me in myne Abbey passinge cunninge in holy scripture who was elder then I and of whom I learned many thinges which before I knewe not By his reporte I vnderstode that there was in Campania some fourty miles from Rome a man called Bennet yonge in yeares but olde for grauity one that obserued the rule of holy conuersation verie strictlye When the Gothes in the tyme of kinge Totilas founde him they went about to burne him together with his cell and fire for that end was putt too which cōsumed all thinges rounde about but no holde wolde the fire take vpon his cell which when the Gothes sawe they became more mad and with greate crueltie drewe him out of that place and espyinge not far of an ouen made hote to bake bread into those flames they threwe him and so stopped the mouthe But the next day he was founde so free from all harme that not only his fleshe but his very apparrell also was not by the fire any thinge touched at all Peter I heare nowe the olde miracle of the three childrē which were throwne into the fire and yet were preserued Daniel 3. from those furious flames Gregory That miracle in myne opinion was in some thinge vnlike to this for then the three children were bounde hande and foote and so throwne into the fire for whom the Kinge lookinge the next daye founde them walkinge in the furnace theire garmentes being nothinge hurt by those flames whereby we gather that the fire into which they were cast and touched not theire apparrel did yet consume theire bandes so that at one and the same tyme for the seruice of the iust the fire had force to bringe them comforte and yet had none to procure them torment OF THE CHVRCHE OF Blessed Zeno the martir in which the water ascended higher then the dore and thoughe it were open yet entred not in CHAPTER XIX Gregory LIke vnto this auncient miracle we had in our daies another but yet in a diuers element for not longe since Iohne the Tribune tolde me that when the Earle Pronulphus was there and him selfe also with Antharicus the kinge how there happened at that tyme a straunge miracle and he affirmeth that him selfe doth knowe it to be true For he saide that almost fiue years since when the riuer of Tiber became so great that it ranne ouer the walles of Rome and ouerflowed many countries at the same tyme in the citye of Verona the riuer Athesis did so swell that it came to the verye church of the holy martir and Bishop Zeno thoughe the church dores were opē yet did it not enter in At last it grew so highe that it came to the church windowes not far from the very roofe it selfe and the water standinge in that manner did close vp the entrance into the churche yet without running in as thoughe that thinne liquid element had bene turned into a sounde wall And it fell so out that many at that tyme were surprised in the churche who not findinge any way howe to escape out and fearinge least they mighte perishe for want of meate and drincke at length they came to the churche dore and tooke of the water to quenche theire thirst which as I saide came vp to the windowes and yet entred not in and so for theire necessitye they tooke water which yet accordinge to the nature of water ran not in and in that manner it stoode there before the dore being water to them for theire comfort and yet not water to inuade the place all this to declare the great merit of Christs martir Which miracle Merit of martirs I saide truely that it was not vnlike to that auncient one of the fire which burnt the three childrens bandes and yet touched not theire garments Peter Maruailous straunge are these actes of Gods sainctes which you tell and muche to be admired of vs weake men that liue in these daies But because I vnderstand now by your relation what a number of excellent and vertuous men haue bene in Italy desirous I am to knowe whether they endured any assaultes of the deiull did thereby more profit in the seruice of God Gregory Without labour and fightinge none can obtayne the crowne of victory whence then come so many conquerors but from this that they foughte valiantly and resisted the assaultes of the old enemye For the wicked spirit doth continuallye watch our thoughtes wordes and worckes to finde something whereof to accuse vs before the eternall iudge For proffe whereof I will now let you vnderstand how ready he is alwaies to intrapp and deceiue vs. OF A PRIEST CALLED Steuen in the prouince of Valeria whose stockinges the deuil wold haue drawne of CHAPTER XX. SOme that are yet liuinge with me affirme this to be true which I wil nowe speake of A man of holy life there was called Steuene who was a Priest in the prouince of Valeria nighe of kinred to my Deacon Bonifacius who comminge home vpon a tyme from trauaile spake somewhat negligently to his seruant sayinge Come Sir deuill and pull of my hoofe at which wordes straighte-waies his garters began to loose in great hast so that he plainely perceiued that the deuill indeed whom he named was pulling of his stockinge whereat beeing muche terrified he cried out aloude and saide Away wretched caitiffe awaye I spake not to the but to my seruant Then the deuill gaue ouer leauing his garters almost quite of By which we may learne that yf the deuill be so officious in thinges concerning our bodye how ready and dililigent he is to obserue and note the cogitations of our soule Peter A verye painefull thinge it is and terrible alwaies to striue against the tentations of the deiull and as it were to stand continually armed ready to fighte Gregory Not painefull at all yf we attribute our preseruation not to our selues but to Gods grace yet so notwithstandinge that we be carefull what we may for our partes and alwaies vigilant vnder Gods protection And it falleth out sometyme by Gods goodnes
be affraide when they dye and of the monkes called Anthony Merulus and Iohne 48. VVhether we oughte to obserue dreames and how many sortes of dreames there be 49. Os a certaine man who in his dreame had longe life promised and yet died shortly after 50. VVhether the soules receiue any commoditye by the buriall of theire bodies in the church 51. Of a certaine Nunne that was buried in the church of S. Laurence which appeared half burnt 52. Os the burial of the noble man Valerianus 53. Of the body of Valentinus which was throwne out of the churche after it was buried 54. Of the body of a dier buried in the churche which afterwarde could not be founde 55. VVhat thinge that is which after death hath force to helppe mens soules and of a Priest of Centumcellis who was by the soule of a certaine man desired that he mighte after his death be holpen by the holy sacrifice And of the soule of a monke called Iustus 56. Of the lise and death of Bisshoppe Cassius 57. Of one that was taken by his enemies whose irons at the tyme of the sacrifice were loosed and of the mariner called Caraca saued by the sacred host from being drowned in the sea 58. Of the vertue and mystery of the healthful sacrifice 59. How we oughte to procure contrition of harte at the tyme of the holy mysteries and of the custodye of our soule after we haue bene sorrowfull sor our sinnes 60. How we oughte to forgiue the sinnes of others that we may obtayne forgiuenes of our owne THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF S. GREGORIES DIALOGVES HOVV CARNAL MEN GIVE the lesse credit to those thinges which be eternal and spiritual because they know not by experience what they heare others to speake of CHAPTER I. AFTER that the first parēt of mankinde was for his synne bannished from the ioyes of Paradise he fell into the miserye of this ignorance and bannishment which to this yerie daye we doe all indure for his synne was the cause that he coulde not any longer see those ioyes of heauen which before by contemplation he possessed for during the tyme of his residence in Paradise he vsually hearde God talking with him and by purity of harte and heauenly vision was present with the quires of the blessed Angels But after his fall he lost that lighte of soule which before abundantly he enioyed From whom we beeing by carnall propagation deriued that liue now in this darcke ignorance of bannishmēt do heare indede of an heauenly countrye and howe it is inhabited by the Angels of God and that the soules of iust and perfect men do there keepe them companye But yet such as be carnall because they can not by experience knowe those inuisible creatures doubt whether there be any such seing with theire corporall eies they can not behold them from which doubt our first Parent was altogether free for althoughe he was exiled from the ioyes of Paradise yet did he still kepe in memorye what he had lost because he had before behelde the same but these men can not by any meanes call to minde such thinges as they heare others speake of because they neuer had of them any former experiēce as our first father Adam had For it is in this case as yf a woman bigge with childe sholde be putt in prison and be there deliuered of a sonne which neuer went forth but were there continually broughte vp for yf his mother sholde tell him of the sunne mone starres mountaines and speake of the fieldes the flying of birdes and running of horses her childe that had continually bene broughte vp in the prison and acquainted with nothing els but blacke darckenes might well heare what she saide but with a doubt whether it were true or no because experience taught him not any such thinge Euene so men that are borne in this darcke worlde the place of theire bannishmēt do heare that there be wonderfull strange and inuisible thinges but because they are not acquainted with any els but terrestriall creatures which only be visible they doubt whether there be any such inuisible thinges as are reported of or no for which cause the creator him selfe of all thinges both visible and inuisible and the only begotten sonne of the eternall father came into this worlde for the redemption of mankinde and sent the holy Ghost vnto our hartes that quickened by him and his grace we shoulde belieue those thinges which as yet by sence or experience we can not possibly vnderstande and therfore so many of vs as haue receiued this spirit the heauenly pledge of our inheritance make no doubte of Gods inuisible and immortall creatures and who so euer as yet is not setled in this beliefe out of all question he oughte of reason to giue credit to the wordes of them that be more learned and holy and belieue them that throughe the grace of Gods holy spirit haue experience of those thinges that be inuisible for he were a very foolishe childe that thoughte his mother lied when she spake of lighte in other places because him selfe where he was beheld nothing els but the darckenes of the prison Peter That you say doth wonderfully content me yet he who beleueth not that there be any inuisible thinges out of question in myne opinion is an infidell and he that is an infidell in that thinge whereof he doubteth seeketh not for faith but for reason THAT AN INFIDEL LIVETH not without faith CHAPTER II. Gregory I Speake boldlye yet trulye that an infidell liueth not without faith for yf I demaunde of him who is his father or mother straight-waies he will tell me such a man and such a woman and yf I presse him further whether he doth remember the tyme when he was first conceiued or the houre when he was borne into this worlde he wil answer me that he neuer knewe or sawe any such thinge and yet for all this doth he beleue that which he neuer behelde seing he beleueth without all doubt that such a man was his father and such a woman his mother Peter I must nedes confesse that I neuer knewe before this tyme that an infidell had any faith Gregory Infidels haue faith but not in God sor then they were not infidels but worthly are they by the former reason to be blamed and thereby also to be prouoked to imbrace true faith for yf concerning theire visible bodye they beleeue that which they neuer sawe why do they not also beleeue some thinges which with theire corporall eyes they can not beholde THAT GOD CREATED THREE kindes of spirites with life CHAPTER III. FOr that our soule doth liue after the death of the bodye reason doth teach vs assisted and holpen with faith for almightye God created three kindes of spirites hauing life One altogether spirituall without bodye an other with a bodye but yet which dieth not with the bodye the thirde that which is both ioyned with the body and also together with the body
doth dye The spirites that haue no bodyes be the Angels they that haue bodies but dy not with them be the soules of men those that haue bodies and by together with them be the soules of cattail and brute beastes Man therfore as he is created in the middle state inferior to Angels and superior to beastes so doth he participate of both hauing immortalitie of soule with the Angels and mortalitie of bodye with beastes vntill the daye of dome for then the glorye of the resurrection shall take away and consume the mortalitye of the bodye for being then reunited to the soule it shall be preserued for euer as the soule ioyned to the body is preserued for God Neither shall the bodyes of the damned lying in tormentes euer perfectly perish for thoughe they alwaies decaye yet for euer shall they continewe and as they synned both with soule and bodye so liuing alwaies in bodye and soule they shall alwaies dy without ende Peter All your discourse is consonant to that reason which Christian religion teacheth but I beseech you yf there be so great difference betwixt the soules of men and beastes as you affirme why doth Salomon speake in this manner I haue said in myne hart of the sonnes Ecclesias cap. 3. of men that God wold proue them and shew them to be like vnto beastes therfore here is one death of men and beastes and theire state is both alike and prosecutinge afterward more exactlye that opinion of his thus he writeth As a man dieth so do beastes dye Al thinges breath alike and man hath nothinge more then beastes After which wordes he addeth also this generall conclusion Al thinges are subiect to vanity all thinges goe to one place of the earth they were made and into the earth they returne againe OF SALOMONS QVESTION to witt The deathe of men and beastes is all one CHAPTER IIII. Gregory SAlomons booke in which these sayinges are founde is called Ecclesiastes as much to say properly as The preacher And in a sermon the manner is to haue an opinion sett downe by means whereof the tumultuous sedition of common people may be appeased and whereas diuers haue diuers opinions yet are they all by the Preachers argumentes and reasons broughte to vnity and agreement and therfore this booke is called The preacher because in it Salomon doth as it were take vpon him the person and wordes of the vnrulye vulgar sort and by way of inquisition speaketh those thinges which haply ignorant men thoroughe tentation doe verily thincke and therfore so many questions as he doth by waye of inquirye propounde so many diuers persons doth he in a manner take vpon him selfeâ— but the true Preacher doth as it were with his hande compounde all theâ—re doubtes and disagrementes and bring them all to concorde and vnitye of opinion when as in the ende of his booke he saith Let vs all Eccles cap. 12 together heare an end of speaking Feare God keepe his commandementes for this is euery man For yf in that booke he had not by his discourse taken vpon him the person of diuers why did he admonish all to make an ende of speaking together with him and to heare He therfore that in the conclusion of the booke saith Let vs altogether heare doth giue euident testimony of him selfe that he tooke many persons vpon him and that he spake not all as of him selfe and therfore some thinges there be in that booke which are moued by waye of disputation and other some which by reason giue satisfaction some thinges which he vttereth in the person of one that is tempted and who as yet followeth the pleasures of the worlde and some other thinges in which he disputeth them according to the rule of reason and to drawe the minde from vaine pleasure and delighte for as there he saith This therfore seemeth vnto me goode that a Eccles 5. man sholde eate and drincke and takeioye of his labour so afterwarde he addeth It is better to goe vnto the house of mourning then to the house of feasting For yf it be good to eate and drincke it semeth better to goe vnto the house of feasting then to the house of mourning and therfore by this it is euident that he vttered that former saying in the person of fraile men and pronounced this latter according to the rule of reason and therfore doth he straighte-waies sett downe the groundes of his reason and sheweth what commodity is gotten by going to the house of mourning saying thus for in that we are put in minde Eccles 11. of the end of all men and the liuing man thincketh what he shall be Againe there we finde it written O yong man reioice in thy youth and yet a little after is added for youth and pleasure be vaine thinges Seing therfore he doth afterward reproue that for vaine which before he seemed to allowe plainely doth he declare that he spake those wordes as it were of carnall concupiscens and the other of a righte and true iudgement Therfore as he doth in the first place expresse the delighte of carnall thinges and pronounceth it to be goode to cast awaye all care and to eate and drincke so afterwarde with reason and iudgement doth he reprouâ— that when he saith that it is better to goe vnto the house of mourninge then to the house of feasting and thoughe hee saith that a yonge man oughte to reioice in his youthe yet doth he vtter that as proceeding from the resolution of a carnall minde seing afterwarde by definitiue sentence he reproueth both youth and pleasure as vaine thinges Euen so and in like manner doth our Preacher sett downe the opinion of mans suspicion as it were in the person of those that be weake and subiect to tentation when he saith The death of man and beastes is one and theire condition both a like As man dieth so they also dy Al thinges doe breath alike and a man hath not any more then beastes who notwithstanding afterwarde putteth downe his owne opinion proceeding from iudgement and reason in these wordes VVhat hath a wise man more then Eccles 6. a foole and what a poore man but that he may goe thither where life is He therfore that saide A man hath no more then beastes saide also with mature deliberation that a wise man hath not only more then a beast but also more then a foolishe man to witt that he goeth to that place where life is in which wordes he doth also teache vs that mans life is not in this worlde seing he affirmeth it to be els where wherefore man hath this more then beastes because they after death doe not liue but he doth then begin trulye to liue when by mortall death he maketh an end of this transitorye life and therfore longe after he saith VVhat soeuer they hand can doe instantly worcke because with them in hâ—l whether thou goest there shal be neither worâ—ke nor reason nor knowledge
nor wisdom how then is the death of man and beastes all one and howe is theire condition and state alike or how hath not a man more then beastes when as they after death liue not and the soules of men after the death of there bodies be for there wicked deedes caried to hell and do not dye when they depart this life But in both these sayinges which seeme contrary each to other it is made manifest that the Preacher speaketh the truth vttering the one of carnall tentation and yet afterwarde vpon deliberation and according to truth resolutely setteth downe and defineth the contrarye Peter Glad I am that ignorant I was of that question which I demanded seing I haue by meanes thereof come to so exact an vnderstanding of that which before I knewe not But I beseeche you to take it patiently yf I also like to this our Preacher take vpon me the person of weake and fraile men that I may the better as it were by theire demanding of questions be profitable to them in theire weakenes and infirmities Gregory Why sholde I not beare with you condescending to the infirmities of your neighbours when as Paul saith 1. Corint â— To al men I became al thinges that I might * By this we see that men may in a goode soÌ„ce be called Sauiours without any iniury to our Sauiour Christ saue al and surely you are the more to be reuerenced for condescending to theire weakenes vpon charity therein do you imitate the steppes of an excellent preacher OF A QVESTION CONCERNING the soule which goeth inuisibly out of the bodye to witt whether there be any such thinge seing it can not be seene CHAPTER V. Peter IT chaunced so that I was present when one departed this life Who suddainlye as he was a speakinge gaue vp the ghost and whom before I heard talking with me in an instant I sawe deade but whether his soule went out of the body or no that I did not see and it seemeth verye harde to beleeue that thinge which no man can behould Gregory What maruaile is it Peter that you sawe not the soule departing out of the bodye seing you behould it not when it remayneth in the bodye what do you beleeue me to haue no soule because whiles you nowe talke with me you can not see it The nature of the soule is inuisible and therfore inuisibly doth it depart out of the body as it doth inuisibly remayne in the body Peter That the soule hath life so long as it remaineth in the bodye easily do I perceiue by the motion thereof for yf the body were destitute of the soule the members coulde not possibly moue at all but that the soule liueth when it is out of the body by what motions or actions I sholde gather desirous I am to be informed by you to the end that by such thinges as I do see I may knowe that thinge which I can not see Gregory Thoughe not with any great â—ubtility of discourse yet confidentlye do I affirme it to be most true that as the power of the soule doth quicken and moue the bodye so the power of God doth fill all thinges which he hath created and to some thinges doth he giue life by breathing it into them to other thinges he vouchsafeth life in an other manner and vpon some other thinges he bestoweth only a being without any life at all Seing therfore you doubt not but that God is the creator and preseruer of all thinges that he doth fill and imbrace all thinges that he doth excell all thinges and also mainetayneth them that he is incircumscriptible and inuisible so neither ought you to doubt but that he is serued with inuisible creatures seing they that serue oughte to be somewhat like vnto him vpon whom they attende and so consequently that we ought not to doubte but for as much as he is inuisible in him selfe that they also be of the same nature and what creatures can these be els but his holy Angels and the soules of iust men wherfore as you knowe when you see the bodye moue that the soule remaineth in the body and you gather this from the bodie which is lowest so oughte you to thincke of the life of the soule that departeth from the bodye deducing a reason from God who is the highest to witt that the soule liueth inuisibly seing it is to remayne in the seruice of the inuisible creator Peter All this is verye well saide yet our minde can hardelye be broughte to beleeue that which with our corporal eies we can not beholde Gregory Seing S. Paul saith that faith is the Hebr. 11. substance of thinges to be hoped for the argument of thinges not appearing truly are we saide to beleeue that which can not be seene and by no meanes to beleeue that which with out eies we doe behold yet in fewe wordes to bring you home againe to your selfe I saye that no visible thinges be seene but by the means of inuisible for althoughe your bodily ey beholdeth all sensible creatures yet coulde it not beholde any such thinge did it not receiue force from that which is inuisible for take awaye the soule which none doth see and in vaine be the eies opened to loke vpon any thinge Take away the soule from the body and the eies out of all question may remaine still open as before Yf then our eies did â—ee of them selues howe commeth it to passe that nowe the soule is gone they see nothinge at all Learne then by this that visible thinges them selues are not sene but by meanes of them that be inuisible Let vs also imagin that we sawe before vs the building of houses huge timber and stones to be lifted vp great pillers to hang vpon engines what I pray you effecteth all this the visible bodye that with handes draweth and moueth those huge and massy thinges or the inuisible soule that giueth life to the bodye for take awaye that which is not seene in the bodye and straightwaies all those thinges which before did moue will temayne without any motion at all By which we may easily gather that nothing can be disposed of in this visible worlde but by an other creature which is inuisible for as almightye God either by inspiration or by replenishing those creatures which haue reason doth both quicken and moue those thinges which be inuisible so in like manner those thinges which be inuisible doe giue motion and sence to carnall bodies which are visible Peter Willingly ouercome with these reasons alleaged I confesse that I am enforced almost to thincke that these visible thinges are nothing whereas before taking vpon me the person of weake and vnlerned men I doubted whether there were any inuisible creatures or no wherfore your whole discourse doth very well please me yet as I am assured of the life of the soule by the motion of the bodye so desirous I am to knowe by some sure and certaine demonstrations
open vnto them the spirituall lighte of the soule who forthwith obeying Gods commandement visited the foresaide Albeies and preached vnto them such preceptes of goode life as him selfe before had in conuersation practised Returning after fiftene daies to his owne Abbeye he called his monkes together and in theire presence receiued the Sacrament of the body and bloude of our Lorde and straighte-waies began together with them the mysticall hymnes of the Psalmes afterwarde falling with attention to his praiers whiles they continued on theire singing he gaue vp the ghost at which very tyme all the monkes sawe a doue comminge out of his mouth which in theire sighte flying forth throughe the topp of the oratory being then opened ascended vp into heauen And surely it is to be thoughte that his soule by diuine prouidence did in that manner appeare in the likenes of a doue that almighty God mighte thereby shewe with what a true and simple heart that holy man had alwaies serued him OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a Priestes soule called Vrsinus CHAPTER XI NEither must I forget that which the reuerent Abbot Steuen who not long since died in this city and whom you kne we very well tolde me to haue happened in the same Prouince of Nursia For he saide that a Priest dwelled in that countrye who in the feare of God gouerned the Church committed to his charge and althoughe after he had taken orders he did still loue his old wife as his enemy and neuer wolde he permit her to come neare him vpon any occasion Priestes after holy orders bounde to abstayne from the carnal company of theire former wiues abstayning wholy from all intercourse of familiarity For this is a thinge proper to holy men often tymes to depriue them selues of those thinges which be lawful to the end they may remaine the more free from such as be vnlawfull and therfore this man not to fal into any synne vtterly refused al necessary and requisit seruice at her handes When this reuerent man had long liued in this worlde the fourtith yeare after he was made Priest by a great and vehement agewe was broughte to the last cast his olde wife beholding him so far spent and to ly as thoughe he had bene deade putt her heade neare vnto him to see whether he did breath or no which he perceiuing hauing yet a little life lefte enforced him selfe to speake as well as he coulde and in greatferuor of spirit brake out into these wordes Gett the awaye woman a little fire is yet lefte away with the strawe after she was gone his strength some-what increasing he began with greatioy to cry out welcome my Lordes welcome my Lordes why haâ—e you vouchsafed to visit me your vnworthy seruant I come I come I thancke you I thancke you and when he did often repeate these and the like wordes his friendes that were present asked him to whom hespake to whom with a kinde of admiration he answered what do you not here beholde the holy Apostles Do you not see the chiefe of them S. Peter and S. Paul and so turning him selfe againe towardes them he saide Beholde I come beholde I come and in speaking those wordes he gaue vp his happy ghost And that he did indede verily beholde the holy Apostles he testified by that his departure with them And thus it doth often fall out by the sweete prouidence of God that goode men at theire death do beholde his Sainctes going before them and leading as it were the waye to the end they sholde not be affraide at the panges thereof and that whiles theire soules do see the Sainctes in heauen they maye be discharged from the prison of this bodye without all feare and griefe OF THE SOVLE OF PROBVS Bisshop of the city of Reati CHAPTER XII COncerning which thing I must also tel you that which the seruaÌ„t of God Probus who now in this city liueth in an Abbey gaue me to vnderstande of an vncle of his called also Probus who was Bishop of the citye of Reati For he saide that being grieuously sick in great extremity of death his father whose name was Maximus caused many Phisitions to be sent for to see whether by theire skill he could any waies be holpen who all vpon the feeling of his pulse gaue sentence of speedy death When dinner tyme was come and the day some what far spent the venerable Bishop more carefull of theire health then of his owne desired them that they woulde goe vp with his old father into the higher part of his pallace and after theire great paynes to refresh them selues with a poore dinner Wherevpon all went vp and none remayned with him but a little yonge boy who as Probus saith is yet liuing The little boye standing by his beddes side suddainly sawe certaine men comming into the man of God apparrelled in white stoales whose faces were far more bewtifull and brighte then the whitenes of theire garmentes whereat being amazed and affraide he began to crye out and aske who they were at which noise the Bishop also loking vp behelde them comming in and knewe them and therevpon comforted the little boye bidding him not to crye or be affraide saying that they were the holy martirs S. Iuuenall and S. Eleutherius that came to visit him but he not acquainted with any such strange visions ran out at the dores as fast as he coulde carying newes hereof both to his father the phisitions who going downe in all hast found the Bishop departed for those Sainctes whose sighte the childe coulde not endure had carried his soule away in theire company OF THE DEATH OF A Nunne called Galla. CHAPTER XIII NEither will I conceale that which I receiued by the relation of those that are graue and of goode credit In the tyme of the Gothes an honorable yonge maide called Galla daughter to Simmachus the Consull was bestowed in marriag whose husbande before the yere came about departed this life and thoughe both plentye of wealth and her yonge yeres were great allurementes to a seconde marriag yet she made choise rather to be married spiritually to God in which after mourninge euerlasting ioy doth followe then to become againe subiect to carnall matrirnonye which alwaies begineth with ioye and in conclusion endeth with sorrowe But because she had a passing highe colour the Phisitions tolde her that vnlesse Nunnes maye not marrye she did marrye againe that she wolde throughe abundance of heate contrary to nature haue a bearde like vnto men which afterwarde fell so out indede but the holy woman little regarded outwarde deformitye which in wardly in her soule was inamored with the bewtye of the heauenly spouse and feared not yf that in her became foule which she knewe that her caelestial spouse did nothing loue Wherfore straight vpon the death of her husbande casting of her secular Nunnes weare no secular habitâ— habit and attire she rendred her selfe for the seruice of God to that Nunnery
inprisonment bene the death of Pope Iohne and also killed Symnachus iustlye did he appeare to be throwne of them into fire whom before in this life he had vniustly condemned OF THE DEATH OF Reparatus CHAPTER XXXI AT the same tyme when I first desired to leade a solitary life a certaine old man called Deusdedit passing well beloued of the whole citye and one also that was my friende and familiar acquaintance tolde me that in the tyme of the Gothes a certaine worshipfull man called Repararus came to dye who lying a longe while with his countenance changed and his body stiffe many thoughte in verye deede that he had bene deadeâ— and when diuers of his friendes and familye wept for his departure all on a suddaine he came to him felfe to the great admiration of his mourning house-holde Being returned thus to life he bad them in all hast to send a boye to the church of S. Laurence in Damafo so called of him that built it and quicklye to bringe worde what was become of Tiburtius the Prlest This Tiburtius as the speeche went was much giuen to a dissolute and wanton life and Florentius who at that tyme was a Priest in the same church remembreth full well his conuersation and manner of life When the messenger was gone Reparatus that was returned to life tolde them that in the place where he was he sawe a great woode-pile made readye and Tiburtius broughte forthe and laide vpon it and there to haue bene burnt with fire Then an other fire quoth he was prepared which was so highe that it reached from earth to heauen but althoughe they demanded for whom it was yet did he not tell them for when he had spoken these wordes straight-waies he died and the boy vvhich vvas sent to see vvhat vvas became of Tiburtius returned vvith newes that he found him a little before his comming departed this life By vvhich vve may learne that seing this Reparatus vvas caried to the places of tormentes to see them returned after vvarde to life to tell vvhat he had there behelde and straighte after left this vvorlde that he savve not all these thinges for him selfe but for vs that yet liue and haue tyme graunted to amende our vvicked liues And the reason vvhy Reparatus savve that great vvoode-pile burning vvas not that vve sholde thincke that the fire of hell is nourished with any woode but because he vvas to make relation of these thinges to them that remayned still in this vvorlde he savve that fire prepared for the vvicked to be made of the same matter of vvhich our fire is to the ende that by those thinges vvhich vve knovve and be acquainted vvith vve should learne to be affraide of those vvhich yet vve haue not sene nor haue any experience OF THE DEATH OF A COVRtier whose graue burned with fire CHAPTER XXXII MAximianus Bishop of Siracusis a man of holy life who for a longe tyme in this citye had the gouernment of my Monasterye often tolde me a terrible storye which fell out in the Prouince of Valeria A certaine courtier vpon Easter euen was Godfather to a yonge maide who after the fast was ended returned home to his house where drinckinge more wine then ynoughe he desired that his God daughter might tarry with him whom that nighte which is horrible to speake of he did vtterlye vndoe In the morning vpp he rose and with guilty conscience thought goode to go vnto the bathe as thoughe the water of that place coulde haue washed awaye the filthines of his synne yet he went and washed him selfe Then he began to doubt whether it vvere best to goe vnto the church or no fearing on the one side vvhat men wolde say yf he vvent not vpon that so great a festiual day and on the other yf he did go he trembled to thincke of Gods iudgement In conclusion shame of the worlde ouercame him and therfore to the churche he went where yet he remained with great feare and horror loking euery instant that he should haue bene deliuered to the deuile and tormented before all the people At that solemne masse Solemne masse though he did wonderfully shake for feare yet he scaped free from all punishement and so he departed very ioyfully from churche and the next day after came thither without any feare at all and so merilie and securely he continewed for six daies together thincking with him self that either God savve not that his abhominable sinne or els that mercifully he had pardoned the same Vpon the seuenth daye by suddaine death he was taken out of this vvorlde And being buried for a longe time after in the sighte of the whole to vvne a flame of fire came out of his graue vvhich burnt his bones so longe vntill it consumed the very graue it selfe in such sorâ—e that the earth vvhich was raised vp with a little bancke appeared lower then the rest of the grounde By which fact almightye God declared vvhat his soule suffred in the other vvorlde vvhose dead body flaminge fire consumed in this To vs also he hath lefte a fearefull example that vve may there-by learne vvhat the liuing and sensible soule suffreth for synne committed vvhen as the sensible bones by such a punnishement of fire vvere burnt to nothinge Peter Desirous I am to knovve vvhether in heauen the goode knovve the goode and the vvicked in hell knovve one an other THAT IN HEAVEN THE GOODE knowe the goode and in hel the wicked haue knowledge of the wicked CHAPTER XXXIII Gregory THe truthe of this question vve finde most clerelye resolued in those vvordes of our Sauiour before alleaged in vvhich vvhen it is saide that There was a certaine rich man and he Luc. 16. was clad with purple and silke and he fared euery day magnificallye and there was a certaine begger called Lazarus that lay at his gate ful of sores desiring to be filled of the crommes that fel from the rich mans table and none did giue him but the dogges also came and licked his sores straighte vvaies it is there also saide that Lazarus died and was carried of the Angels into Abrahames bosome and the rich man also died and was buried in hell who lifting vp his eies being in tormentes sawe Abraham a far of and Lazarus in his bosome and he cried saying father Abraham haue mercye on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into water for to coole my tongue because I am tormented in this flame To vvhom Abraham an â—vvered Sonne remeÌ„ber that thowe diddesâ— receiue goode thinges in thy life tyme and Lazarus likewise euil By vvwhich wordes the rich man hauing no hoope of saluation for him selfe beginneth to make sute for his friendes saying Father I beseeche the that thow woldest send him vnto my fathers house for I haue fiue brethren for to testify vnto them least they also come into this place of tormentes In which wordes we see plainlye that the good do knowe the goode
reioysed at that which had happened Word of this miracle was brought vnto me where I was sitting ready to come into the Church one posting after an other the latter euer bringing that for newes which others had told before him As I was glad and secretly in myne heart gaue God thankes in cometh the man himselfe with a great troupe following him whome falling downe at my fecte I embraced and lifted vp againe Forth we came to the people where we found the Church sounding with ioy each man on all sides crying out God be thanked and his name be blessed for euer I saluted the people and sorth with out they cried againe repeating but far more feruently the same very words At lenght when silence was made the sacred scriptures were solemnely read when my time of preaching was come a few words I spake meete for that time and answearable to that great mirth and ioy The man went home with me to dinner where very diligently he told me the whole history of the calamitie of his mother and brethren The next morning after the sermon was ended I promised the people that the particularities of the matter should in writing be readde vnto them the day following which was accordingly performed and whils it was in reading I caused both him and his sister to be sett vpon an highe place not far from the pulpitt where all the people men and wemen might see them both standinge the one safe and sound the other pittifully shaking in all partes oâ— her body and they which before had not sene him in his misery beheld in his sister what God had mercifully done for him and in him they did see for what to thanke God and in her for what to pray vnto Christ When there bill was readde I willed them both to departe and then I began somewhat more exactly to entreat of the matter but whils I was thus busied all on a suddaine we heard new showtinge and crying out at the shrine of the martyr wherwith my auditors began to looke that way and to runne to see what the matter vvas For the poore wooman departing from the place where before she stoode wenâ— straight way to pray Prayer â—â— Saintes vnto the holy martyr and so sone as she touched the barres she fell downe as her brother had done before and after a litle sleepee she rose vp perfect and sound Demaunding therfore what had happened and what was the cause of that ioyfull crying out they brought her from the shrine of the martyr into the Church where we were wherevpon there was such a marueilous crying out of men and women and such weeping for ioy that one would haue thought it would neuer haue ended Backe agayne was she brought to the same place where a litle before she stoode trembling and shaking Reioysing there was that she was found like vnto her brother for whom a litle before sory they were that like she was not and although as yet they had not prayed for her yet by the sequell they perceiued that the desires of their harts were already heard Such reioysing and showtinge out ther was such lauding praysing God not in words but with such a wonderfull ioyfull noyse that myne eares could scarce indure it what was in the harts of that ioyfull people but the fayth of Christ for which blessed Steuen shed his bloud A NOTABLE MIRACLE VVROVGHT BY S. BERNARDE in confirmation of diuers articles of religion written by one william an Abbot in the thirde booke of the saide Saintes life Chap. 8. TO THE GOODE CHRISTIAN Reader THe miracle ensewing gentle Reader I haue thought verie expedient to adde in this place though far inserior to the former sor antiquity because it was wrought for the proose and confirmation of diuers articles denied by the Protestants and mayntained by the Catholike church and is of that qualitie that no shadowe of iust exception can be taken against it For it was written by a religious and vertuous maÌ„ that liued in S. Bernards time Se the Preface oâ— S. Bernardes life and was very well acquainted with his life and conuersation and he relateth it as done in the sight of the world with the particular circumstances of persons words and such like that no place is left for incredulous suspition or calumniation for he that will deny so manifest a story may with like reason deny any histories of former times what-soeuer To ascribe so powerable a signe to the operation of the common enemy is too iniurious to the renoumed sanctitie of that holy and great seruant of God whose memory is not only reuerenced of vs but also venerable to our aduersaries them selues and besides it is an olde deuise of wicked Porphirius and Eunomius as S. Hierom noteth CoÌ„tra Viâ—ilant descending to them by inheritance from the Pharisees who by like blasphemie laboured to obscure eneruate the miracles of Christ himselfe saying This fellow casteth not out deuils but in Beelzebub the Prince of the deuils To this may be added that if any Math. 12. v. â—â—4 miracles be of force to proue the truth of religion as none without note of infidelity can denie no questioÌ„ but they be especially those which haue bene wrought in defence and confirmation of faith and religion for in this case the prouidence of God who desireth the saluation of all and whose honour it principally concerneth neuer permitteth his holy name to be in that kinde abused or superstitious idolatrye or any damnable doctrine as it were by his owne seale to be confirmed and commended to the world neyther euer in former times can any such president be produced but many examples to the glory of Gods name and comfort of Catholiks may be alleaged to the contrary The idolatrous Priests of Baal iointly and ernestly with louâ— voyce and that a long time called vppon their God yea and launced them selues with kniues to the sheddinge of their bloud and all this that miraculous fire would descend from heauen for the consuminge of that sacrifice which they had prepared sor his honour and confirmation of that religion which they taught but as the scripture sayth no voyce was heard neyther was there any that gaue them 3. Reg. Epist â— Trallian Lib. 3. excidio Hierosol cap. 2. Amb. ad uersus gentes liâ— 2. Ciril catach â— Philastr de heres cap. 3. Aâ— gus herâ— 1. answeare Simon Magus whom S. Ignatius calleth the deuils eldest sonne attempted to rayse vp one that was dead as Egesippus reporteth but with vnfortunate successe The same arch heretike as both the foresayd author and many more report hauing by magicall enchantments mounted him selfe vp in the aire to ascend into heauen was ouerthrowne by the prayers of S. Peter and so disgratiously fell downe One * Vide aâ— synodi se tae act â— Gregor TuroÌ„ l 3. hist. Franco cap. 30. Polychronius a Monothelite heretike with great ostentation vndertooke to
rayse vp a dead man therby to proue his damnable doctrine but effected no such thinge The like disgrace befell Cirola a great Patriarch of the Arrians who vpon enuie to certaine catholike Bishoppes samous for miracles corrupted a certaine cast-away of his owne sect with gold to faine himselfe blinde that by restoring him his sight he might procure glory to him selfe and credit to his religion The wretched man accordinge to the lesson giuen him cryed out after Cirola Passinge by in the streetes adiuringe him by that power which he had to restore him his sight The hereticall bishoppe came and put his hand vppon his eies saying Accordinge to our fayth by which we beleeue God a right be thine eyes opened what sollowed Straight waies the miserable man became blinde in deede wherevpon he pittysully bewayled his wickednesse detected the damnable deuise and cried out to the bishoppe saying Behold thy golde restore me the light of mine eyes which through thy deceipt I haue lost The like prankes haue bene practised not only by diuers others but also by the new masters of our time which for breuitie sake I forbeare to prosecute But God is not mocked their designements by diuine prouidence were always defeated and shame to them selues and confusion to theire religion was the sinall rewarde of such gracelesse attempts This being so thoughe denied it cannot be but that many magicall miscreants by Gods permission haue done very strange things to the seducing of diuers as is euident in Simon Magus and that not only by the testimony of other authors but also of scripture it selfe yet Actor cap. 8. v. 10. 11. neuer did diuine prouidence suffer any such to be wrought sor confirmation of false doctâ—ine as the sore-alledged examples do abundantly testifie which is the reason why miracles especially in this kinde as being free from all cauilling exception proue infallibly that religion to be of God which is by such powerable signes first planted amonge Paganicall infidels or afterwards desended against the innouation of after-rising heretikes and thersore no Cont. epi. fundam cap. 4. maruaile though S. Augustin amongst diuers other things which he sayth kept him in the church as the very name Catholike the succession of the Bishopps of Rome numbreth also miracles And Richardus de S. Victore moued with such strange miracles as supernaturall grace had vouchsafed to worke for confirmation of the Catholike fayth with great zeale and confidence speaketh thus to God O Lord if it be error which we Lib. 1. de Trmit cap. 2. beleeue thou hast deceiued vs for these things haue bene confirmed in vs by those signes and woonders which could not be done but by the. Seing then S. Bernard wrought so notable and apparant a miracle to proue the necessity and grace of baptisme Prayer for the dead InuocatioÌ„ of Saintes Pilgrimage Festiuall dayes Conseâ—ration of chrisine c. VVhaâ— good Christian can doubt that these articles â—e any other then true sound and Apostolicall But let vs now heare the author him selfe whose words be these that fellow truly translateâ—t into our English tongue P. W. IN THE countrie of Tolosa one Henrie sometime a monke but then a vile Apostata of most wicked life taught pernicious doctrine and with plausible wordes had gotten the lighte hartes of the people in those partes and as the Apostle foretolde speaking 1. Timoth. 4. v. 2. â— Pet. 2. 1. 3. lies in hypocrisie with sained wordes made marchandise of them This man was an open enemie of the Churche speaking irreuerentlye boâ—â— against ecclesiasticall sacraments and also those that did minister them and he had greatly preuailed in that his leude course for the venerable father writinge of him to the Prince of Tolosa amongest other wordes saith thus Euerie where nowe churches were founde â—ithout people people without Priestes Priestes without due reuerence to concludâ— Christians without Christe The infantes of Christians were hindred from the life of Christe whiles the grace of Baptisme was denied Prayers and oblations sor the deade were derided inuocation of Saintes excommunication of Bishoppes Pilgrimage of faithfull people building of churches obseruation of festiuall daies hallowing of Chrisme and oile to be short all ecclesiasticall institutions were contemned In this necessitie the holy man trauailed into those partes hauing bene often before intreated by the church of that countrie and then finallie both perswaded and also coÌ„ducted thither by the most reuerend Prelat Albericus Bishoppe of Ostia and legate of the Apostolike sea Vpon his arriuall there he was receiued with wonderfull ioy by the people of that countrie as thoughe an Angell had come from heauene Long he coulde not stay amongst them because it was not possible to hinder the people from pressing vpon him so mighty a concurse there was of them that came vnto him day and night crauinge his blessing and earnestly desiring his helpe Yet did he preach for some daies in the citie of Tolosa and other places which that wretche had most frequented more daungerously infected instructing many that were simple in faith strengthningtheÌ„ that did wauer calling backe those that were gone a straye restoring the ouerthrowne pressing and beating downe with his authoritie the subuerters and obstinate in such sorte that they were so far from resisting him as they durst not so much as come in his presence And albeit that hereticke at that time fled awaye and lay close yet were his waies so stopped all passages so besett that afterwarde he coulde scarse remayne any where in saftye at length being taken and bounde he was deliuered ouer to the Bishoppe In that iorny also God was glorified in his seruaÌ„t by verie many miracles which he wrought recalling the soules of some from theire wicked errors and healing the bodies of others from diuers diseases There is a place in that countrie called Sarlatum where after he had made an end of his sermon they offered vnto the seruant of God as in all places they vsed to doe breade to be blessed which he lifting vppe his haÌ„de and making the signe of the crosse did blesse saying By this shall ye knowe that the doctrine which I preach is true and that false which hereticks do tell you yf those which be sicke amoÌ„gst you eating of of this breade do recouer their former health But the venerable Bishoppe of Chartiers that great Gaufridus being present and next vnto the man of God fearing the euent adioyned these wordes Yf they receiue it quoth he with a goode faith they shal be cured To whom the holy father nothing doubting of Gods power spake thus I saide not so but that those which eat thereof shall verilye be cured to the ende they may thereby knowe vs to be the true and faithfull messengers of God After which so greate a multitude of sicke persons that eate of that breade recouered and became well that the newes thereof ran through out all that countrie and the holy man in his