punishment him selfe best pleaseth At an other tyme the foresaide Priest Constantius his nephew had solde his horse for twelue crounes which money he laid vp in his chest and being abroad about other busynes it so happened that certain poore people pititully begged of the holy Bishopp that he would vouchsafe to bestowe some thinge vpon them for the reâ—iefe of theire necessity The man of God not hauinge any thinge to giue them was muche grieued to sende them away emptye whiles he was thus trobled suddainly it came to his minde howe his nephew had solde his horse and that the mony was in his chest wherevpon in his absence by vertuous violence he brake open the locke toke awaye the twelue crownes and bestowed them as best pleased him selfe vpon the poore people Constantius returninge home and findinge his chest open looked for his mony and findinge it not he began to exclaime and with great noyse and furye to cry out against his vncle sayinge All other can liue here in quiet onlye I can not The Bishop hearinge him crying out in that manner came vnto him as also the rest of his family and when he began with swete speche to mitigat his furye in great anger he replied sayinge All other can liue with you only I can not be suffered to be in quiet giue me my money vvhich you haue takeÌ„ out of my chest The Bishop moued at his vvordes departed Churches dedicated to our Ladieâ— avvay and vvent into the churche of the blessed virgin Mary vvhere liftinge vp his handes vvith his vestiment vpon them he began standinge Praier to our Ladyeâ— to praye that she vvolde helpe him to so muche money that he mighte quiet the furye of the mad Prieste castinge suddainly his eies vpon the garmeÌ„t that lay betwene his armes stretched out he founde tvvelue crovvnes lyinge there so faire and brighte as thoughe they had then nevvly come from the mint vvho forth vvith goinge out of the churche cast them to the raginge Priest vvith these vvordes Loe there is your money vvhich you haue kept such a stirr for but knovve you that after my deathe you shall neuer be Bishopp of this place and that for your couetous minde By vvhich true ceÌ„sure of his vve gather that the priest prouided that money for the gettinge of the Bishopricke But the wordes of the maÌ„ of God did preuaile for the same Constantius ended his life vvithout any further promotion then to the dignity of Priesthoode At an other tyme tvvo Gothes cam vnto him for hospitalitye sayinge that they were trauailinge to Rauenna vnto whom he gaue with his owne handes a little wodden bottle full of wine ynoughe haply for theire dinner of which notwithstandinge they drancke vntill they caÌ„ to Rauenna thoughe they staide Iorne daies in that citye yet had they no other wine then that which the holy man bestowed vpon them and so likewise they continued vntill they returned backe againe to the same venerable Bishop drincking dailye of the same and yet neuer lackinge wine to serue theire necessity as thoughe in that wodden bottell which he gaue them wine had growne and not there increased Not longe siâ—hence there came from the same countrye a certaine olde man that is a clercke who reporteth diuers notable thinges of him which must not be past ouer with silence For he saithe that goinge vpon a daye into his gardin he founde it all full of caterpillers and seinge all his vvortes spoiled turninge him selfe to them he spake thus I adiure you in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ to departe from hence and not to eate any more of these wortes after which wordes those wormes did forthwith so vanish awaye that there was not one to be founde in all the whole gardin But what great maruaile is it to heare such thinges reported of him that was now a Bishopp being then both by reason of his orders and also holy conuersation of life growen into fauour with almighty God seinge those are more to be admired which this olde clergy man saide that he did being yet but a little boy For he affirmeth that at suche tyme as Bonifacius dwelt vvith his mother and went abroade that somtyme he cam home without his shirte and oftentymes vvithout his coate for no soner did he see a naked man but he gaue away his clothes and put them vpon him to th ende that him selfe mighte be clothed with a rewarde in the sighte of God his mother rebuked him often for doing so and tolde him that it was no reason that being poore him selfe he sholde giue away his apparrel to other Vpon an other daye goinge into the barne she founde almost all her wheate which she had prouided for the whole yeare giuene away by her sonne to the poore as she was for very griefe thereof beatinge and tearinge of her selfe the childe of God Bonifacius came and with the best vvordes he coulde began to comforte his afflicted mother but vvhen by no means she wold be quieted he entreated her to go out of the barne vvhere the little vvheat that remayned vvas vvhen she vvas departed the vertuous youth fell straighte vvaie to his praiers and after a little vvhile goinge out he broughte his mother backe againe vvhere she found it as full of wheate as before it was at the sighte of which miracle she being touched in soule exhorted him to giue as he pleased seinge he coulde so sone obtayne at Gods handes what he asked His mother also kept hennes before her dore which a fox that had his berye not far of vsed to carye awaye and vpon a certaine daye as the youth Bonifacius was standinge in the entrye the fox after his old maner came and toke away one of the hennes wherevpon in all hast he ran to the churche and prostrat there in praier with loude voice he spake thus Is it thy pleasure o Lorde that I shal not eate of my mothers hennes for beholde the fox doth deuoure them vp and rising from his praiers he went out of the churche and straighte waies the fox came backe againe with the henne in his mouth leauing it where he found it and forthwith fel downe deade in the presence of Bonifacius Peter It semeth strange vnto me that God vouchsafeth in such small thinges to heare the praiers of them that put theire trust in him Gregory This falleth out Peter by the great prouidence of our creator to th ende that by little thinges which we receiue at his handes we sholde hoope for greater for the holy and simple ladd was heard in prayinge for small matters that by theÌ„ he sholde learne hovve muche he oughte to trust in God when he praied for thinges of greater importance Peter What you saye pleaseth me verye well OF FORTVNATVS BISHOPPE of the citye of Tuderti CHAPTER X. Gregory AN other man also there was in the same partes called Fortunatus Bishopp of Tuderti who had a most singular grace
reprochefull wordes they â—ntreated him where vpon he sent them by and by this message sayinge Amende your tongues otherwise I do excommunicat you which sentence of excommunication notwithstandinge he did not then presentlye pronounce against them but only threatened yf they amended not them selues But they for all this chaÌ„ged thiere conditions nothing at all both which not longe after departed this life and were buried in the churche and vvhen Solemne mass solemne masse was celebrated in the same churche and the Deacon accordinge to custome saide with lowde voice yf any there be that do not communicate let them departe the nurse which vsed to giue vnto our Lorde an Offring for the dead offringe for them behelde them at that tyme to rise out of thiere graues to depart the churche Hauing often tymes at those vvordes of the Deacon sene them leaue the churche and that they could not tarry within she remeÌ„bred what message the man of God sent them whâ—les they were yet aliue For he tolde them that he did depriue them of the communion vnlesse they did amende theire tongues and conditions Then with great sorrowe the whole matter was signified to the maÌ„ of God who straight-waies with his owne handes gaue an oblation saying Go your waies and cause this to be offered Oblation for the deade vnto our Lorde for them and they shall not remayne any longer excommunicat which oblation beinge offered for them the Deacon as he vsed crying out that such as did not communicate shold departe they were not sene any more to go out of the churche whereby it was certaine that seeinge they did not departe with theÌ„ which did not communicate that they had receiued the communion of our Lorde by the handes of his seruant Peter It is very straunge that you report for howe coulde he thoughe a venerable and most holy man yet liuinge in mortall body loose those soules which stoode nowe before the inuisible iudgement of God Gregory Was he not yet Peter mortall that hearde from our Sauiour whatsoeuer Math. 16 thowe shall binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the heauens whatsoeuer thowe shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heaueÌ„s whose place of bindinge and loosinge those haue at this tyme which by faith and vertuous life possesse the place of holy gouernement and to be stowe such power vpoÌ„ earthly men the creator of heauen and earth desconded from heauen to earthe and that fleshe mighte iudge of spirituall thinges God who for mans sake was made fleshe vouchesafed to bestowe vpon him for from thence our weaknes did rise vp aboue it selfe from wheÌ„ce the strength of God was weakened vnder it selfe Peter For the vertue of his miracles your wordes do yelde a very goode reason OF A BOYE THAT AFTER HIS buriall was cast out of his graue CHAPTER XXIIII Gregory VPon a certayne daye a younge boye that was a monke louinge his parentes more then reason wolde went from the Abbey to thiere house not crauinge the fathers blessinge before hand and the same daye that he came home vnto them he departed this life And beinge buried his bodye the next daye after was founde cast out of the graue which they caused againe to be put in and againe the daye following they founde it as before Then in great hast they went to the man of God sell downe at his feete with many teares beseeched him that he wolde vouchsafe him that was deade of his fauour To whom the man of God with his owne handes deliuered the holy communion of our Lordes body sayinge Goe and lay with great The Sacrament was not buried with him but only laid vpon his brest and taken of againe reuerence this our Lordes body vpon his breast and so burye him which when they had done the deade corps after that remayned quietly in the graue By which you perceiue Peter of what merit he was with our Lorde Iesus Christ seeinge the earth wolde not giue entertainement to his bodye who departed this worlde out of Bennets fauour Peter I perceiue it very well and do wonderfully admire it HOVV A MONKE FORESAKING the Abbey mett with a dragon in the way CHAPTER XXV Gregory A Certaine monke there was so inconstant and fickle of mynde that he wolde needes giue ouer the Abbey for which fault of his the man of God dâ—d daily rebuke him and often tymes giue him goode admonitions but yet for all this by no means wolde he tary amongest them and therfore continuall sute he made that he mighte be discharged The venerable man vpon a tyme wearied with his importunitye in anger bad him departe who was no soner out of the Abbey gate but he founde a dragon in the waye expecting him with open mouth which being about to deuoure him he began in great feare and tremblinge to cry out aloude sayinge Helpe helpe for this dragon will eate me vp At which noise the monkes running out dragon they sawe non but finding him there shaking treÌ„bling they broughte him backe againe to the Abbey who forth with promised that he wolde neuer more forsake the monasterye and so euer after he continued in his profession for by the praiers of the holy man he sawe the dragon comminge against him whom before when he savve not he did willingly followe HOVV HOLY BENNET CVRED a boye of the leprosy CHAPTER XXVI BVt I must not here passe ouer with silence that which I had by relation of the honourable man Anthonye who saide that his fathers boye was so pitifully punnished with a leprosy that all his heare fell of his body swelled and filthy corruption did openly come forthe Who beinge sent by his father to the man of God he was by him quickly restored to his former healthe HOVV BENNET FOVND MONEY miraculously to relieue a poore man CHAPTER XXVIII NEither is that to be ommitted which one of his disciples called Peregrinus vsed to tell for he saide that vpon a certaine daye an honest man who was in debt founde no other meanes to helpe him selfe but thought it his best waye to acquaint the man of God with his necessitye wherevpon he came to the Abbey and findinge the seruant of almighty God gaue him to vnderstande howe he was troubled by his creditor fortwelue shillinges which he did owe him To whom the venerable man saide that him selfe had not so muche money yet giuinge him comfortable wordes he saide Go your wayes and after two dayes come to me againe for I can not preseÌ„tly helpe you in which two daies after his manner he bestowed him selfe in praier when vpon the thirde daye the poore man came backe there were founde suddainly vpon the chest of the Abbey which was full of corne thirtene shillinges which the man of God caused to be giuen to him that required but twelue both to discharge his debte and also to defraye his owne charges But nowe will I returne to speake of such
which he didcarry to BeÌ„net And because from Romanus cell to that caue there was not any waye by reason of an highe rocke which did hange ouer it Romanus from the top thereof vpon a longe rope did let downe the loase vpon which also with a band he tied a little bell that by the ringinge thereof the man of God mighte knowe when he came with his breade and so be readye to take it But the olde enemy of mankinde enuying at the charity of the one and the refection of the other seeing a loafe vpon a certaine day let dovvne threvve a stone and brake the bell but yet for all that Romanus gaue not ouer to serue him by all the possible meanes he coulde At length vvhen almighty God vvas determined to ease Romanus of his paines and to haue Bennets life for an example knovvne to the vvorlde that such a candle set vpon a candlesticke mighte shine and giue lighte to the church of God our Lorde voutsafed to appeare vnto a certaine Priest dvvelling a goode vvay of vvho had made readye his dinner for Easter daye and spake thus vnto him Thou hast prouided goode chere for thy selfe and my seruant in suche a place is afflicted vvith hunger vvho hearing this forth vvith rose vp vpon Easter daye it selfe vvith such meate as he had prepared vvent to the place vvhere he soughte for the man of God amongest the steepe hils the lovve valleis and hollovve pittes and at length founde him in his caue vvhere after they had praied togither and sittinge dovyne had giuen God thanckes and had much spirituall talke then the Priest saide vnto him Rise vp brother and let vs dine because to day is the feast of Easter To vvhom the man of God ansvvered saide I knovve that it is Easter vvith me and a great feast hauing founde so muche fauox at Gods handes as this day to enioye your companye for by reason of his longe absence from men he knevve not that it vvas greate solemnitye of Easter But the reuerent Priest againe did assure him sayinge Verily to day is the feast of our Lordes resurrection and therfore meete it is not that you sholde keepe abstinence and besides I am sent to that ende that vve mighte eate togither of such prouision as Gods goodenes hathe sent vs vvherevpon they saide grace fell to thiere meate and after they had dined and bestovved some tyme in talkinge the Priest returned to his churche About the same tyme likevvise certaine sheepheardes founde him in that same caue and at the first vvhen they espied him throughe the bushes sawe his apparrell made of skinnes they verily thoughte that it had bene some beast but after they were acquainted with the seruante of God many of them were by his meanes conuerted from thiere beastlye life to grace piety and deuotion And thus his name in the country there about became famous and many after this went to visit him and for corporall meate which they broughte him they carried away spiritual foode for thiere soules HOVV HE OVERCAME A GREAT tentation of the fleshe CHAPTER II. VPon a certaine daye being alone the temptor was at hande for a little blacke birde commonly called a mearle or an owzell began to flye aboute his face and that so nere as the holy man yf he wolde mighte haue taken it with his hande but after he had blest him selfe with the signe of the crosse the birde flowe awaye Blessing with the signe of the â—rosse and forthwith the holy man was assalted with such a terrible tentation of the fleshe as he neuer felt the like in all his life A certaine woman there was which some tyme he had seene the memorye of which the wicked spirit put into his minde and by the representation of her did so mightily inflame with concupiscens the soule of Gods seruaunt which did so encrease that almost ouercomc with pleasure he was of minde to haue forsaken the wildernes But suddainly asisted with Gods grace he came to him selfe and seeinge many thicke briers and netâ—le bushes to growe harde by of he cast his apparrell and threwe him selfe into the middest of them and there wallovved so longe that vvhen he rose vp all his fleshe vvas pitâ—fully torne and so by the vvoundes of his bodye he cured the vvounde of his soule in that he turned pleasure into paine and by the outvvarde burninge of extreme smarte quenched that fire vvhich being nourished before vvith the fewell of carnall cogitations did inwardly burne in his soule and by this meanes he ouercame the synne because he made a change of the fire From vvhich tyme forvvarde as him selfe did aftervvarde reporte vnto his disciples he founde all tentation of pleasure so subdued that he neuer felt any suche thinge Many after this began to abandon the vvorlde and to become his schollers For beinge nowe freed from the malady of tentation vvorthily and vvith greate reason is he made a master of vertue for which cause in Exodus commandement is giuen by Moyses that the Leuites from fiue and tvventy yeres and vpvvard sholde serue but after they came to fiftye that thy sholde be ordained keepers of the holy vessell Peter Somwhat I vnderstand of this testimony alleaged but yet I beseeche you to tell me the meaninge thereof more fullye Gregory It is plaine Peter that in youth the tentation of the fleshe is hote but after fifty yeres the heate of the body waxeth colde and the soules of faithefull people become holy vessels Wherefore necessary it is that Gods elect seruantes whiles they are yet in the heate of tentation sholde liue in obedience serue and be wearied with labour paines But when by reason of age the heate of tentation is past they become keepers of holy vessel because they then are made the doctors of mens soules Peter I can not deny but that your wordes haue giuen me full satisfaction wherfore seeinge you haue nowe expounded the meaninge of the former texte alleaged prosecute I pray as you haue begon the rest of the holie mans life HOVV BENNET BY THE signe of the holy crosse brake a drinckinge glasse in pieces CHAPTER III. Gregory VVHen this great tentation was thus ouercome the man of God like vnto a piece of grouÌ„de well tilled and weeded of the sede of vertue brought forth plentifull store of fruite and by reason of the great reporte of his wonderfull holy life his name became verye famous Not far from the place where he remayned there was a monasterye the Abbot whereof was deade wherevpon the whole Conuent came vnto the venerable man Bennet intreatinge him very earnestly that he wolde vouchesafe to take vpon him the charge and gouernemeÌ„t of thiere Abbey longe tyme he denied theÌ„ sayinge that thiere manners were diuers from his and therfor that they sholde neuer agree togither yet at lengthe ouercome vvith thiere intreatye he gaue his consent Hauinge novve takeÌ„ vpon him the charge of the Abbey he
that he wolde not reiect his poore gifte the holy man toke the middle waye and yelded so to the soldiars request that yet he wolde not take any rewarde for the doinge of that miracle for he gaue him first so muche money as the horse was worth and then receiued him for perceiuing that the soldiar wolde haue bene grieued yf he had refused his courteous offer vpon charity he boughte that whereof he had then no nede Neither must I passe ouer with silence that which I hearde almost twelue daies since for a certaine poore olde man was broughte vnto me because I loued alwaies to talke with such kinde of men of whom I inquired his countrye and vnderstandinge that he was of the citye of Tuderti I asked him whether he knewe the good olde father Bishoppe Fortunatus to which he answered that he knewe him and that very well Then I beseche you quoth I tell me whether you knowe of any miracles which he did and because I am very desirous let me vnderstande what manner of man he was This man quoth he vvas far different from all those vvhich liue in our daies for he obtayned at Gods handes vvhatsoeuer he requested One of his miracles vvhich commeth to my minde I vvill novve tell you Certaine Gothes vpon a daye trauailing not far from the citye of Tuderti as they vvere in thiere iorny to Rauenna carried avvay vvith them tvvo little boies from a place vvhich belonged to the saide citye Nevves hereof being broughte to the holy Bishop Fortunatus he sent straight vvaies desiryng those Gothes to com vnto him to vvhom he spake very courteouslye being vvilling by faire speche to pacifye thâ—ere fierce cruel natures and aftervvarde tolde them that they sholde haue vvhat money they desired so they vvolde make restitution of the children and therfore I beseche you quoth he gratifye my request in this thinge Then he vvhich semed to be the chiefe of theÌ„ tvvo told him that vvhatsoeuer els he commanded they vvere readye to performe but as for the boies by no means they wolde let them goe To whom the venerable man threatninge in sweete sort spake vnto him in this manner You grieue me good sonne to see that you will not be ruled by your father but giue me not any such cause of griefe for it is not good that you do But for all this the Gothe continewing still harde harted denied his request and so went his waye yet comminge againe the next day the holy man renued his former sute concerninge the children but when he sawe that by no means he colde perswade him in sorrowfull manner he spake thus well I knowe that it is not goode for you to depart in this manner and leaue me thus afflicted But the Goth not esteming his wordes returned to his inne sett those children on horsebacke and sent them before with his seruantes and straighte wayes him selfe tooke horse and followed after and as he was ridinge in the same citye by the churche of S. Peter the Apostle DedicatioÌ„ of churches to Sainctes his horse stumbling fell downe and brake his thighe in suche sorte that the bone was quite a sunder vp was he taken and carried backe againe to his Inne who in all hast sent after his seruantes and caused the boies to be broughte backe againe Then he sent one to venerable Fortunatus with this message I beseche you father to sende vnto me your deacon who when he was come vnto him lying in his bedde he made those boies which before vpon no entreaty he wolde restore to be broughte forth and deliuered them to him sayinge Go and tell my Lord the Bishop Beholde you haue cursed me I am punnished but I haue nowe sent you those children which before you required take them and I beseche you to pray for me The deacon receiued the children and carried them to the Bishop wherevpon the holy manforth with gaue his deacon some holy water sayinge Goe quickelye and cast it vpon him where he lieth who went his waye and comminge to the Goth he sprinckled all his bodye with holy water and o A miracle wroughte by holy water strange and admirable thinge the holy water no soner touched his thighe but all the rupture was so healed and him selfe so perfectly restored to his former helthe that he forsook his bed that verye houre tooke his horse vvent on his iornye as thoughe he had neuer bene hurte at all and thus it fell out that he vvhich refused for money and vpon obedience to restore the children was by punnishemeÌ„t enforced to do it for nothinge When the olde man had tolde me this strange storye ready he vvas to procede vnto other but because I vvas at that tyme to make an exhortation to somâ— that expected me and the day vvas vvell speÌ„te I coulde not at that tyme heare any more of the notable actes of venerable Fortunatus and yet yf I might neuer vvolde I do any thing els then giue eare to such excellent stories The next day the same olde man reported a thinge far more wonderfull for he saide that in the same citye of Tuderti there dwelt a good vertuous man called Marcellus togither with two of his sisters who fallinge sicke somwhat late vpon Easter euen departed this life and because he was to be caried far of he coulde not be buried that daye His sisters hauinge now longer respit for his buriall with heauie hartes ranne weeping vnto the Bishop where they began to cry out aloud in this manner we knowe that thow leadest an Apostolicall life that thou doest heale leapers restore sighte to the blinde come therfore we beseche you and raise vp our deade brother The venerable man hearinge of theire brothers deathe began him selfe likewise to weepe desired them to departe and not to make any suche petition vnto him for it is our Lordes pleasure quoth he vvhich no man can resist vvhen they vvere gone the Bishoppe continued still sad and sorovvfull for the goode mans deathe and the next day being the solemne â—east of Easter verye earlye in the morninge he went with two of his deacons to Marcellus house and comminge to the place where his deade bodye laye he fell to his praiers and when he had made an ende he rose vp and satt dovvne by the corps and with a lovve voice called the dead man by his name sayinge Brother Marcellus whereat as thoughe he had bene lightely a slepe and awaked with that voice he rose vp opened his eies and lokinge vpon the Bishop saide O what haue you done o what haue you done to whom the Bishop answered sayinge what haue I done Marye quoth he Yesterdaye there came two vnto me discharged my soule out of my body and carried me awaye to a goode place and this day one was sent who bad them carry me backe againe bycause Bishop Fortunatus was gone to myne house And vvhen he had spoken these wordes straighte waies he recouered of his sicknes
and liued longe after And yet for all this we must not thincke that he lost that place which he had bycause there is no doubt but that he mighte by the praiers of his inâ—ercessor liue yet more vertuouslie after his death who had a care before he died to please almightye God But whye do I spende so many wordes in discoursinge of his wonderfull life when as we haue so many miracles Visitation of relickes or Pilgrimagâ— euen at these daies wroughte at his bodye for as he was wont to do when he liued vpon earth so doth he nowe continually at his deade bones disposess deuils and heale suche as be sicke so often as men praye for such graces with faith and deuotion But I meane nowe to returne to the prouince of Valeria of which I haue hearde most notable miracles from the mouthe of Venerable Fortunatus of whom longe before I haue made mention who comminge often to visit me whiles he teporteth oldeâ—stories continually he bringeth me newe delighte OF MARTIRIVS A MONCKE in the prouince of Valeria CHAPTER XI A Certaine man liued in that prouince called Martirius who was a verye deuout seruaunt of almightye God and gaue this testimony of his vertuous life For vpon a certaine daye the other monkes his brethren made an harth-cake forgettinge to make vpon it the signe of the crosse for in The signe of the cross that country they vse to make a crosse vpon theire loaues diuidinge them so into fovver partes vvhen the seruaunt of God came they toldâ— him that it vvas not marked vvho seinge it couered vvith ashes and coales asked vvhy they did not signe it speaking so he made the signe of the crosse vvith his hande against the coales vvhich thinge vvhiles he vvas in doing the cake gaue a great cracke as thoughe the panne had bene broken with the fire after it vvas baked and taken out they founde it marked with the signe of the crosse vvhich yet not any corporall touchinge but the faithe of Martirius had imprinted OF SEVERVS A PRIESTE in the same Prouince CHAPTER XII IN the same countrye there is a valley vvhich is called of the plaine people Interocrina in vvhich there liued a certaine man of a rare life called Seuerus who was a Parishe priest of the churche of our blessed Ladâ—e the mother of God and perpetual virgin One that lay at the pointe of death sent for him in great hast desiringe him to come with all spede and by his praiers to make intercession for him that doing penance for his wickednes and loosed from his sinnes he mighte departe this life So it chaunced that the Priest at that tyme was busye in pruninge of his vines and therfore he bad them that came for him to go on before and I will quoth he come after by and by for seing he had but a little to do he staied a prety while to make an ende of that and when it was dispatched awaye he vvent to visit the sicke man but as he was goinge the former messengers mett with him sayinge Father why haue you staiede so longe Goe not nowe any further for the man is deade at which newes the goode man fell a tremblinge and cried out aloude that he had killed him wherevpon he fell a weeping and in that manner came to the deade corps where before the bedel he fell prostrat vpon the earth powringe out of teares Lyinge there weepinge very pitifully beatinge his heade against the grounde and crying out that he was guiltye of his deathe suddainly the dead man returned to life which many that were present beholdinge cried out and began to wepe more plentifully for ioye demandinge of him where he had bene and by what meanes he came backe againe to whom he saide Certaine cruel men quoth he did cary me away out of whose mouth nosetrills fire came forth which I coulde not endure and as they vvere leadinge me throughe darcke places suddainly a bevvtifull yonge man vvith others mett vs vvho saide vnto them that vvere dravvinge me forvvarde Cary him backe againe for Seuerus the priest lamenteth his deathe and our Lord for his teares hathe giuen him longer life Then Seuerus rose vp from the earthe and by his intercession did assist him in doinge of penance And vvhen the sicke man that reuiued had done penance for his synnes by the space of seuen daies vpon the eighte vvith a cherefull countenance he departed this life Consider Peter I praye you hovve derelie our lorde loued this Seuerus that vvolde not suffer him to be grieued for a little tyme. Peter They be maruailous strange thinges vvhich you reporte and which before this tyme I neuer hearde of but what is the reason that in these daies there be not any suche men nowe liuinge Gregory I make no doubt Peter but that there be many suche holy men now liuinge for thoughe they worcke not the like miracles yet for all that may they be as vertuous and as holye For true iudgement of ones life is to be taken from his vertuous conuersation and not from the worckinge of miracles for many there be who althoughe they do not any any suche strange thinges yet are they not in vertue inferior to them that do them Peter Howe I beseche you can it be maintayned for true that there be some that worcke not any miracles and yet be as vertuous as they which worcke them Gregory Suer I am that you knowe verye Peter chiefe of the Apostles wel that the Apostle S. Paul is brother to S. Peter chiefe of the Apostles in Apostolical principality Peter I knowe that in dede for no doubte can be made thereof for thoughe he were the least of the Apostles yet did he labour more then all they Gregory Peter as you well remember walked with his feete vpon the sea Paul in the sea suffred shipwracke And in one and the same element where Paul coulde not passe with a shipp Peter went vpon his feete by which apparaÌ„t it is that thoughe thiere vertue in worckinge of miracles was not alike yet thiere merit is alike in the kingdome of heauen Peter I confesse that I am well pleased with that you saye for I knowe most assuredlye that the life and not the miracles are to be considered but yet seinge such miracles as be wroughte do giue testimony of a goode life I beseche you yf any more be yet remayninge that you wolde with the examples and vertuous liues of holy men fcede myne hungrye soule Gregory Desirous I am to the honor of our blessed Sauiour to tell you some thinges now concerninge the miracles of the man of God venerable S. Bennet but to doe it as it oughte this daye is not sufficient wherfore we will here make a pause and to handle this matter more plentifully take an other beginninge The ende of the first booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE LIFE AND MIRACLES of S. Bennet THE CHAPTERS 1. HOw a ceue was broken
worcke on and be sadd no more HOVV MAVRVS VVALKED vpon the water CHAPTER VII ON a certaine daye as venerable Bennet was in his cell the foresaid yong Placidus the holy mās monke went out to take vp water at the lake and putting downe his paile careleslye fell in him selfe after it whom the water forth with caried awaye from the lande so far as one maye shote an arrowe The man of God being in his cell by and by knewe this and called in hast for Maurus sayinge Brother Maurus runne as fast as you can for Placidus that went to the lake to fetche water is fallen in and is carried a good waye of A strange thinge and since the tyme of Peter the Apostle neuer hearde of Maurus crauing his fathers blessinge and departing in all hast at his commandement ran to that place vpon the water to which the yong lad was carried by force thereof thinckinge that he had all that while gone vpon the land and takinge fast hold of him by the heare of his heade in all hast he returned backe againe and so sone as he was at lande comminge to him selfe he looked behinde him and then knewe very well that he had before runne vpon the water and that vvhich before he durst not haue presumed being novve done and past he both maruailed and vvas afraide at that vvhich he had done Comminge backe to the father and telling him vvhat had happened the venerable man did not attribut this to his ovvne merites but to the obedience of Maurus but Maurus on the contrarye saide that it vvas clone only vpon his commandement and that he had nothing to do in that miracle not knovving at that tyme vvhat hat he did But the friēdly contention procedinge of mutuall humility the yong youth him selfe that vvas saued from drovvninge did determyne for he saide that he sawe when he was drawne out of the water the Abbotes garmēt vpon his heade affirming that it was he that had deliuered him from that great danger Peter Certainly they be wonderfull thinges which you report and such as may serue for the edification of many for myne owne parte the more that I heare of his miracles the more do I still desire HOVV A LOAFE VVAS POIsoned and caried far of by a crowe CHAPTER VIII VVHen as the foresaide monasteries were zealous in the loue of our Lorde Iesus Christ and thiere fame dispersed far and nere and many gaue ouer the secular life and subdued the passions of thiere soule vnder the lighte yoke of our Sauiour then as the manner of wicked people is to enuye at that vertue which them selues desire not to follovve one Florentius Priest of a churche harde by and grandfather to Florentius our subdeacon possessed with diabolicall malice began to enuye the holy mans vertues to backebite his manner of liuing and to withdraw as many as he coulde from going to visit him and when he sawe that he coulde not hinder his vertuous procedinges but that on the contrarye the fame of his holy life increased and many dailye vpon the verye reporte of his sanctitye did betake them selues to a better state of life burning more and more with the coles of enuye he became far worse and thoughe he desired not to imitate his commendable life yet faine he wolde haue had the reputation of his vertuous conuersation In conclusion so much did malitious enuie blinde him and so far did he wade in that synne that he poisoned a loafe and sent it to the seruaunt of almightye God as it were for an holy present The man of God receiued it with great thanckes yet not ignorant of that which was hidden within At diner tyme a crow daily vsed to come vnto him from the next woode which tooke bread at his handes comming that day after his manner the man of God threwe him the loafe which the Priest had sent him giuinge him this charge In the name of Iesus Christ our Lorde take vp that loafe and leaue it in some suche place where no man may finde it Then the crowe openinge his mouthe and lifting vp his winges began to hopp vp and downe about the loafe and after his manner to crye out as thoughe he wolde haue saide that he was willing to obeye and yet coulde not do what he was commanded The man of God againe and againe bad him sayinge Take it vp without feare and throwe it where no man may finde it At length with much adoo the crowe tooke it vp and flewe awaye and after three howres hauinge dispatched the loafe he returned backe againe and receiued his vsuall allowance from the man of God But the venerable father perceiuinge the Priest so wickedly bent against his life was far more sory for him then grieued for him selfe And Florentius seeing that he coulde not kill the body of the master laboureth nowe vvhat he can to destroye the soules of of his disciples and for that purpose he sent into the yarde of the Abbey before thiere eies seuene naked yonge vvemen vvhich did there take handes togither play and dance a longe tyme before them to the end that by this meanes they mighte inflame thiere mindes to sinfull lust vvhich damnable sighte the holy man beholdinge out of his cell and fearinge the danger which thereby mighte enseewe to his yonger monkes and consideringe that all this was done only for the persecutiuge of him selfe he gaue place to enuye and therfore after he had for those Abbeyes and oratories which he had there built appointed gouernors and left some vnder thiere charge him selfe in the company of a fevve monckes remoued to an other place And thus the man of God vpon humility gaue place to the others malice but yet almighty God of iustice did seuerely punnishe his vvickednes For vvhen the foresaide Priest beinge in his chāber vnderstoode of the departure of holy Bennet and vvas very glad of that newes beholde the whole house besides continewing safe and sounde that chamber alone in which he was fell downe and so killed him which strange accident the holy mans disciple Maurus vnderstādinge straighte-wayes sent him worde he being as yet scarse ten miles of desitinge him to returne againe because the Priest that did persecut him was slayne which thinge when Bennet hearde he was passing sorrowfull and lamented muche both because his enemye died in such sorte and also for that one of his monkes reioiced thereat and therfore he gaue him penance for that sending suche newes he presumed to reioice at his enemies death Peter The thinges you reporte be strange and muche to be wondered at for in making the rocke to yelde forth water I see Moises and in the yron which came from the bottom of the lake I beholde Heliseus in the walkinge of Maurus vpon the water I perceiue Peter in the obedience of the crowe I contemplat Helias and in lamenting the deathe of his enemy I acknowledg Dauid and therfore in myne opinion this one man was full
of thine Riggo hearinge this fell straighte waies downe to the grounde and was very muche affraide for presuminge to go aboute to mocke so vvorthye a man and all his attendantes and seruitours fell dovvne likevvise to the earthe and after they vvere vp againe they durst not approche any nerer to his presence but returned backe to thiere kinge rellinge him vvith feare hovve quickely they vvere discouered HOVV VENERABLE BENNET prophecied to kinge Totilas and also to the Bisshop of Camisina such thinges as were afterward to fall out CHAPTER XV. THen Totilas him selfe in person vvent vnto the man of God and seeinge him sitting a far of he durst not come nere but fell dovvne to the grounde vvhom the holy man speaking to him tvvise or thrise desired to rise vp and at length came vnto him and vvith his ovvne handes lifte him vp from the earth vvhere he lay prostrat and then entring into talke he reprehended him for his vvicked deedes and in fewe vvordes tolde him all that vvhich sholde befall him sayinge Muche vvickednes doe you daily committe and many great sinnes haue you done nowe at length giue ouer your sinfull life In to the citye of Rome shall you enter and ouer the sea shall you passe nine yeres shall you raigne and in the tenth shall you leaue this mortall life The kinge hearinge these thinges was wonderfully affraâ—de and desiring the holy man to commend him to God in his praiers he de parted and from that tyme forwarde he was nothing so cruell as before he had bene Not long after he went to Rome sailed ouer into Sicily and in the tenthe yere of his raigne he lost his kingdome together with his life The Bishop also of Camisina vsed to visit the seruaunt of God whom the holy man derely loued for his vertuous life The Bishop therfore talkinge with him of kinge Totilas of his takinge of Rome and the destruction of that citye saide This citye wiâ—l be so spoiled and ruyned by him that it will neuer be more in habited To whom the man of God answered Rome quoth he shall not be vtterly destroied by strangers but shall be so shaken with teÌ„pestes lightninges whirlwindes earth quakes that it will fall to decay He semeth to speake of the inuasion of the Lombardes se the third booke cha xxxviij of it selfe The mysteries of which prophecy we nowe beholde as clere as the daye for we see before our eyes in this verye citye by a strange whirlwinde the world shaken houses ruined and churches ouerthrowne and buildinges rotten with old age we beholde daily to fall downe True it is that Honoratus by whose relation I had this saith not that he receiued it from his owne mouthe but that he had it of other monkes which did heare it them selues OF A CERTAINE CLERGY man whom venerable Bennet for a tyme deliuered from a deuil CHAPTER XVI AT the same tyme a certaine clergye man that serued in the churche Pilgrimage to the tombes of martirs Martirs often help suche as be deuout vnto them of Aquinum was possessed whom the venerable man Constantius Bishope of the same citye sent vnto many places of holy martirs for helpe but Gods holy martirs wolde not deliuer him to the end that the worlde mighte knowe what great grace was in the seruante of God Bennet wherfore at lengthe he was broughte vnto him who prayinge for helpe to Iesus Christ our Lorde did forthwith cast the olde enemye out of the possessed mans bodye giuing him this charge Go your way and hereafter abstaine from eating AbstineÌ„ce from slesh of flesh and presume not to enter into holy orders for when soeuer you shall attempt any such thinge the deuil againe will haue power ouer you The man departed safe and sounde and because punnishement freshe in memorye vseth to terrifye the mynde he obserued for a tyme what the man of God had giuen him in commandement But after many yeres when all his seniors were deade and he sawe his iuniors preferred before him to holy orders he neglected the wordes of the man of God as thoughe forgotten through lengthe of tyme and tooke vpon him holy orders wherevpon straightewaies the deuill that before had lefte him entred againe and neuer gaue ouer to torment him vntill he had seperated his soule from his bodye Peter This holy man as I perceiue did knowe the secret counsell of God for he sawe that this clergye man was deliuered to the power of the deuill to the end he should not presume to enter into holy orders Gregory Why sholde he not knowe the secretes of God who kept the commandements of God when as the scripture saithe He that cleaueth vnto our Lorde is one 1. Corint 6. spirit with him Peter Yf he that cleaueth vnto our Lorde be one spirit with our Lorde what is the meaninge of that vvhich the Apostle saithe VVho knoweth the sence of Rom. 11. our Lorde or who hath bene his counsellor for it semeth very inconuenient to be ignorant of his sence to vvhom being so vnited he is made one thinge Gregory Holy men in that they be one with our Lord are not ignoraÌ„t of his sence for the same Apostle saithe for what 1. Cor. 2. man knoweth those thinges which belonge to man but the spirit of man which is in him Euen so the thinges which belonge to God no man knoweth but the spirit of God and to showe also that he knewe such thinges as belonge to God he addeth straighte after But we Ibidem haue not receiued the spirit of this worlde but the spirit which is of God And for this cause againe he saithe that eye hath not sene Ibidem nor eare hearde nor it hath ascended into the harte of man those thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him but God hathe reuealed to vs by his spirit Peter Yf then the mysteries of God were reuealed to the same Apostle by the spirit of God why did he then entreatinge of this question set downe these wordes before hande sayinge O the depthe of the riches of the wisdom and Rom. 11. knowledge of God how incomprehensible be his iudgements and his waies inuestigable And againe whiles I am thus speaking of this matter an other question commeth to my minde for the prophet Dauid saith to our Lorde with my lippes Psal 118. haue I vttered all the iudgementes of thy mouth Wherfore seeinge it is lesse to knowe then to vtter what is the reason that S. Paul affirmeth the iudgements of God to be incomprehensible and yet Dauid saith that he did not only knowe them but also with his lippes pronounce them Gregory To both these questions I haue already briefely answered when I saide that holy men in that they be one with our Lorde are not ignorant of the sence of our Lorde For all suche as do deuoutly followe our Lorde be also by deuotion one with our Lorde and yet sor all this
monke of mount Marsico 17. Of a monk dwelling in the mountaine called ArgeÌ„tario who raised vp a deade man 18. Of Bennet the monke 19. Of the churche of S. Zeno the martir into which the swellinge waters came not any further then to the dore 20. Of SteueÌ„ a Priest in the ProuiÌ„ce of Valeria 21. Of a Nunne that with her only authority dispossessed a deuil 22. Of a Priest in the prouince of Valeria that held a thiese at his sepulchre 23. Of the Abbot of mount Preneste and his Prieste 24. Of Theodorus clarke of S. Peters churche in Rome 25. Of Abundius clarcke of the same churche 26. Of a solitarye moncke 27. Of fourtye couÌ„trye men that were martired because they wolde not eate fleshe sacrificed to Idols 28. Of a great multitude of captiues that were slaine because they wold not adore a goates heade 29. Of an Arrian Bisshop strooken blinde 30. Of a churche of the Arrians consecrated catholicklye in the city of Rome 31. Of Ermigildus the sonne of Liuigildus kinge of the Visegothes put to death by his father for the catholike faithe 32. Of certaine Bisshops of Africk that had for defence of the catholik faithe theire tongues cut out by the Arrians and yet spake as perfectly as they did before 33. Of the seruant of God Eleutherius 34. How many kinde of compunctions there be 35. Of Amantius a Priest in the countrye of Tuscania 36. Of Maximianus Bisshop of Siracusa 37. Of Sanctulus a Priest in the prouince of Nursia 38. Of a vision which appeared to Redemptus Bisshop of Ferenti THE THIRDE BOOKE OF S. GREGORIES DIALOGVES BEING carefull to intreat of such fathers as liued not longe since I passed ouer the worthy actes of those that were in former tymes so that I had almost forgot the miracle of Paulinus Bishop of Nolas who both for tyme was more auncient and for vertue more notable then many of those which I haue spoken of wherfor I will nowe spenke of him but as briefely as I can For as the life and actions of goode men are soonest knowne to suche as be like them so the famous name of Venerable Paulinus became knowne to myne holy elders and his admirable facte serued for theire instruction Who for theire grauity and old yeres are as well to be credited as yf that which they reported they had seene with theire owne eies OF S. PAVLINVS BISSHOP of the city of Nola. CHAPTER I. VVHen as in the tyme of the cruell Vandals that parte of Italy which is called Campania was ouerrunne and sacked and many were from thence carried captiue into Affricke then the seruaunt of God Paulinus bestowed all the wealthe of his Bishopricke vpon prisoners and poore people And not hauinge nowe any thinge more lefte a certaine widowe came vnto him lamentinge howe her sonne was taken prisonner by one that was sonne in lawe to the kinge of the Vandals and by him carried away to be his slaue and therfore she besoughte him that he wolde vouchsafe to helpe her with a ransome for the redeeming of her sonne But the man of God seeking what he had to giue the poore woman founde nothinge left but him selfe alone and therfore he answered her in this manner Good woman nothing haue I to helpe the withal but my selfe and therfore take me a Gods name say that I am your seruant and see whether he will receiue me for his slaue and so sett your sonne at libertye which wordes she hearinge from the mouthe of so notable a man tooke them rather for a mocke then to proceede indeed from true compassion But as he was an eloquent man and passinge well learned in humanitye so did he quickly perswade the doubtefull woman to giue credit to his wordes and not to be affraide to offer a Bishoppe for the ransome of her sonne wherevpon awaye they trauiled both into Asfricke And when the kinges sonne in lawe caâ—e abroade the widowe putt vp her petition concerninge her sonne humbly beseeching him that he wolde vouchesafe to sett him nowe at liberty and bestowe him vpon his mother But the barbarous man swellinge with pride and puffed vp with the ioye of transitorye prosperitye refused not only to doe it but disdayned also to giue any eare to her petition This waye therfore taking no successe the desolat widowe tried the next and saide vnto him Beholde I giue you here this man in steade of him onlye take compassion on me and restore me myne only sonne At which wordes he castinge his eies vpon Paulinus and seeinge him to haue an honest and goode face asked him of what occupation he was to whom the man of God answered Trade or occupation I can none but some skill I haue in keepinge of a gardin This pleased the Pagan verye well wherevpon he admitted him for his seruaunt and restored the widowe her sonne with whom she departed out of Affricke and Paulinus tooke charge of the gardin The kinges sonne in lawe comminge often into the gardin demanded certayne questions of his newe man and perceiuing him to be very wise and of goode iudgement he began to giue ouer the company of his old familiar friendes and conuersed much with his gardiner taking greate pleasure in his talke Euery day Paulinus brought him to his table diuers sortes of grene herbes and after dinner returned to his gardin After he had vsed this a longe tyme vpon a day as his master and he were in secret talke together Paulinus spake vnto him in this manner Consider my Lord what is your best course and howe the kingdome of the Vandals shall be disposed of for the kinge is to dye shortly which newes because he was in speciall grace with the kinge he gaue him to vnderstande addinge that his gardiner who was a passinge wise man had told him so much The kinge hearinge this was desirous to see the man he spake of Your Maiestie quoth he shall see him for his manner is to bring me in daily fresh herbes for my dinner and I will giue order that he shall do it in your presence which direction being giuen as the kinge satt at dinner Paulinus came in bringing with him diuers sallettes fresh herbes whom so soone as the king beheld he fell a trembling and sending for Paulinus master who by the marriage of his daughter was so nere allied vnto him acquainted him with that secret which before he had concealed saying It is verie true that which you haue hearde for the last nighte in a dreame I sawe certaine iudges in theire seates sittinge vpon me amongest whom this man also sat for one and by theire sentence that whipp was taken from me vvhich for the punnishment of others some tyme I had But inquire I praye you vvhat he is for I do not thincke one of so great merit to be an ordinary man as he outvvardly seemeth Then the kinges sonne in lavve tooke Paulinus in secret and asked him vvhat he vvas to vvhom the
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
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
and the badd haue knowledge of the badd For yf Abraham had not knowne Lazarus neuer wolde he haue spoken to the riche man being in tormentes and made mention of his affliction and misery past sayinge that he had receiued euil thinges in his life And yf the badd did not know the badde neuer wolde the rich man in tormentes haue remembred his brethren that were absent for shall we thincke that he knewe not them that were present with him who was so carefull to praye for them that were absent By which we learne also the answer to an other question which you demanded not and that is that the goode do knowe the badde and the badde the goode For Abraham knewe the rich man to whom he saide Thow hast receiued goode thinges in thy life and Lazarus Gods elect seruant vvas also knovvne to the rich reprobat vvhom by name he desired that he mighte be sent vnto him saying Send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into water and coolemy tongue by vvhich mutuall knovvledg on both sides the revvarde like wise to both partes encreaseth for the goode do more reioice when they beholde them also in felicitye whom before they loued and the wicked seeing them whom in this worlde not respecting God they did loue to be now punnished in theire coÌ„panye tormented they are not only with theire owne paines but also with the paines of theire frendes Beside all this a more wonderful grace is bestowed vpon the saintes in heaueÌ„ for they knowe not only them with whom they were acquainted in this worlde but also those whom before they neuer sawe and conuerse with them in such familiar sort as thoughe in â—ymes past they had sene and knowne one an other and therfore when they shall see the auncient fathers in that place of perpetual blisse they shall then knowe them by sighte whom alwaies they knewe in theire liues and conuersation For seing they doe in that place with vnspeakeable brightenes common to all beholde God what is there that they knowe not that knowe him who knoweth all thinges OF A CERTAINE RELIGIOVS man that at his death sawe the Prophetes CHAPTER XXXIIII FOr a certaine religious man of my Monasterye that liued a vertuous life dying some fower yeres since sawe at the very tyme of his departure as other religious men do report that were present the Prophet Ionas Ezechiell and Daniell and by there names called them his Lordes saying that they were come vnto him and as he was bowing his heade downewarde to them for reuerence he gaue vp the ghost whereby we perceiue what perfect knowledge shall be in that immortall life vvhen as this man beinge yet in corruptâ—ble fleshe knewe the Prophetes whom he neuer sawe HOVV SOMETIME SOVLES READY to depart this worlde that know not one an other know yet what tormentes for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode dedes they shall receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius and Steuen CHAPTER XXXV ANd sometyme it falleth out that the soule before it departeth knoweth them with whom by reason of equalitye of synnes or rewardes it shall in the next worlde remayne in one place For old Eleutherius a man of holy life of whom in the former booke I spake muche saith that he had a naturall brother of his called Iohne who liued together with him in his Monasterye who fourtene daies before hande tolde the monkes when he was to dye and three daies before he departed this life he fell into an agewe when his time was come he receiued the mysterye of our Lordes body and bloude and calling for the monkes about him he willed them to singe in his presence prescribing them a certaine antheme concerning him selfe sayinge Open vnto me the gates of iustice Psal 17. v. 19. and being gone into them I will confesse vnto our Lorde this is the gate of our Lorde iuste men shall enter in by it and whiles the monkes about him were singinge this antheme suddainlye with a loude and longe voice he cried out saying Come awaye Vrsus straighte after which wordes his soule departed this mortall life The monkes maruailed because theye knewe not the meaning of that which at his death he so cried for and therfore after his departure all the Monastery was in sorrow and affliction Fower daies after necessary busines they had to send some of theire brethren to an other Monastery far distant to which place when they came they founde all the monkes in great heauines and demanding the reason they tolde them that they did lament the desolation of theire house for fower daies since quoth they one of our monkes died whose life kept vs all in this place and when they inquired his name they vnderstoode that it was Vrsus asking also at what houre he left this woâ—lde they found that it was as that very instant when he was called by Iohne who died with them Out of which we may learne that the merites of either were alike and that in the next worlde they liued familiarly together in one mansion who at one tyme like fellowes departed this life Here also will I tell you what I hearde from the mouthes of my neighbours at such tyme as I was yet a lay man and dwelled in my fathers house which descended to me by inheritance A certain widow there was not far from me called Galla which had a younge man to her sonne whose name was Eumorphius not far from whom dwelt one Steuen called also Optio This Eumorphius lying sicke at the pointe of death called for his man commanding him in all hast to goe vnto Steuen Optio and to desire him without all delaye to come vnto him because there was a ship ready to carry them both into Sicily But because his man refused to goe supposing that through extremitye of sicknes he knewe not what he spake his master very earnestlye vrged him forwarde sayinge Goe thy may and tell him what I saye for I am not mad as thow thinckest Here-vpon away he went towardes Steuen but as he was in the middest of his iornye he met one that asked him whether he was goinge and when he tolde him that he was by his master sent to Steuen Optio You lose your labour quoth the other for I come nowe from thence and he died this verye houre Backe againe vpon this newes he returned to his master Eumorphius but before he coulde get home he founde him deade And so by conferring theire meeting together and the length of the waye apparaunt it was that both of them at one and the selfe same instant departed this mortall life Peter Very terrible it is that you saye but what I praye yow is the reason that he sawe a shipp at his departure or why did he sayo that he was to goe into Sicily Gregory The soule needeth not any thing to cary it yet no wonder it is yf that appeared to the soule being yet in the
his none of the other monkes euer vnderstoode But at lengthe it came forth by this meanes for falling grieuously sicke so that no hope of life remayned he caused all the monkes of the Conuent to be called together who all willingly came verily thincking that at the departure of so notable a man they shoulde haue hearde some sweete and goode exhortation but it fell out farr otherwise for with great trouble of minde and tremblinge of bodye he was inforced to tell them that he died in a damnable state saying when you thoughte that I fasted with you then had I my meate in secret corners and beholde nowe I am deliuered to a dragon to be deuoured who with his taile hath in wrapped fast my handes and feete and his heade he hath thrust into my mouth and so he lieth sucking and drawing out of my breath and speaking these wordes he departed this life and had not any tyme giuen to deliuer him selfe by penance from that dragon with he sawe By which we learne that he had this vision only for the commoditye of them that hearde it seing him selfe could not escape from the enemy which he behelde and into whose handes he was giuen to be deuoured Peter Desirous I am to be informed whether we ought to beleeue that after death there is any fire of Purgatorye VVHETHER THERE BE ANY FIRE of purgatorye in the next worlde CHAPTER XXXIX Gregory OVr Lorde saith in the Gospell VValke whiles you haue the lighte Ioan. 12. and by his Prophet he saith In tyme accepted haue I hearde the and in the day of saluation haue I holpen the Esai 49. which the Apostle S. Paul expounding saith Beholde nowe 2. Corint 6. is the tyme acceptable beholde nowe the the daye os saluation Salomon likewise saith whatsoeuer thy hand is able to doe Ecclesiastes 9. v. 10. worcke it instantlye for neither worcke nor reason nor knowledge nor wisdome shal be in hel whether thow doest hasten Dauid also saith Because his mercy is for euer By Psal 117. which sayings it is plaine that in such state as a man departeth out of this life in the same he is presented in iudgement before God But yet we Purga ry fire the â—â—â— life foâ— smal si nes Math. must beleeue that before the daye of iudgement there is a Purgatorye fire for certaine small synnes because our Sauiour saithe that he which speaketh blasphemye against the holy Ghost that it shal not be sorgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come Out of which sentence we learne that some synnes are forgiuen in this worlde and some other may be pardoned in the next sor that which is denied concerninge one synne is consequentlye vnderstoode to be graunted touching some other But yet ths as I saide we haue not to beleeue but only concerninge little and very smal synnes as for example daily idle talke immoderate laughter negligence in the care of our family which kinde of offences scarce can they auoide that knowe in what sorte sinne is to be shunned ignoraÌ„terror in matters of no great waighte all which synnes be punnished after death yf men procured not pardon remissioÌ„ for them in their life tyme for wheÌ„ S. Paul saith that Christ is the fouÌ„datioÌ„ 1. Corin 3. and by by addeth And if any man build vpon this soundation gold siluer pretious stones woode hay stubble the worcke of euery one of what kinde it is the fire shal trye if any mans worcke abide which he built therevpon he shal receiue rewarde if any mans worcke burne he shal suffre detriment but him selfe shal be saued yet so as by fire For althoughe these wordes may be vnderstood of the fire of tribulation which men suffre in this worlde yet yf any wil interpret them of the fire of purgatorye which shall be in the next life then must he carefully consider that the Apostle saide not that he may be saued by fire that buildeth vpon this foundation â—ron brasse or lead that is the greater sort of synnes and therfore more harde and consequently not remissible in that place but woode haye stubble that is little and very lighte synnes Litile and light synnes which the fire doth easilye consume Yet we haue here further to consider that none can be there purged no not for the least synnes that be vnlesse in his life tyme he deserued by vertuous worckes to finde such faâ—or in that place OF THE SOVLE OF PASchasius the Deacon CHAPTER XL. FOr when I was yet in my yonger yeares and liued a secular life I hearde from the mouth of myne elders who knewe it to be true how that Paschasius a Deacon of this Romane churche whose sounde and eloquent bookes of the holy Ghost be extant amongest vs was a man of a wonderfull holy life a maruailous giuer of almes a louer of the poore and one that contemned him selfe This man in that conteÌ„tion which through the exceding hote emulation of the clergye fellout betwixt Symmachus and Laurence made choise of Laurence to be Bishop of Rome and thoughe he was afterwarde by common consent ouercome yet did he continewe in his former opinion vntil his dying daye louinge and preferring him whom the The Biâ—shop oâ—Rome â—uernor the church Churche by the iudgement of Bishoppes refused for her gouernor This Deacon ending his life in the tyme of Symmachus Bishoppe of the Apostolike sea a man possessed with a deuill came â—elickes â—isposses â—euiles 4 dalma â—icke or â—unicle is â—hat veâ—timent â—vhich the Deaâ—on vseth â—â—t the tyme of Masse and touched his dalmatike as it laye vpon the biere and was forthwith deliuered from that vexation Longe tyme after Germanus Bishop of Capua before mentioned by the counsell of Phisitions for the recouerye of his health went to the bathes into which after he was entred he founde there standinge in those â—ote waters the foresaide Paschasius ready to doe him seruice At which sighte being much affraide he demanded what so worthy a man as he was did in that place to whom Paschasius returned this answere For no other cause quoth he am I appointed to this place of punnishement but for that I tooke parte with Laurence against Symmachus and therfore I beseche you to pray vnto our Lorde for me and by this token shall you knowe that your Praier for soules deâ—parted praiers be hearde yf at your comminge againe you finde me not here Vpon this the holy man Germanus betooke him selfe to his deuotions and after a fewe daies he went againe to the same bathes but founde not Paschasius there for seing his fault proceded not of malice but of ignorance he mighte after death be purged from that synne And yet we must with all thincke that the plentifull almes which he bestowed in this life obtained fauour at Gods handes that he mighte then deserue pardon when he could worcke nothing at all for him selfe Peter What I praye you
the dead report vve haue for confirmation of the same thinge the factes of the liuinge For Cassius Bishop of Narnye a man of holy life vvho did vsually euery daye offer sacrifice vnto God and vvhiles he vvas at the mysteries of those sacrifices did also immolat him self in teares receiued from our Lorde this message by one of his Priestes Doe that thow doest worcke that thow worckest let not thy foote cease let not thy hand cease vpon the natiuitye of the Apostles thow shalt come vnto me and I vvill giue the thy reward And so seaueÌ„ years after vpon that very daye of the Apostles after Cassius offered sacrifice and saide masse he had ended the solemnity of Masse and receiued the mysteries of the sacred communion he departed this life OF ONE THAT VVAS TAKEN BY his enemies and put in prison whose irons fell of at the tyme of the sacrifice and of one Baraca a mariner that was by the holy sacrifice deliuered from drowninge CHAITER LVII THat also which I haue hearde is knowne to manye to witt how one was by his enemies taken and putt in prison with irons vpon him for Oblation of sacrifice whom his wife caused vpon certaine daies sacrifice to be offered who longe tyme after returning home to his wife By this appeareth how auailable the holy sacrifice is tolde her vpon what daies his boltes vsed to fall of by whose relation she founde that it was vpon those very daies in which sacrifice had bin offered for him By an other thinge like wise which happened seaueÌ„ years since the verye same truthe is confirmed For when Agathus Bishop of Palermo as many faithfull and religious men both haue and still do tell me was in the tyme of my predecessor of blessed memory commanded to come to Rome The Bisshop of Rome coÌ„manded Bisshoppes of other countries and in his iornye fell into such a tempest at sea that he despaired of euer comming to lande The mariner of the shippe called Baraca who nowe is one of the clergy and serueth in the same churche gouerned an other small vessell tied to the poupe of the former shipp the roope whereof breaking in peeces awaye it went with man and all and amongest the huge mountaines of waters quickly vanished out of sighte The shipp in which the Bishop was after many great danugers at length arriued all weather beaten at the Ilande of Ostica and when three daies were past and the Bishop coulde heare no newes of the foresaide mariner that was so violently caried awaye with the storme nor see him in any part of the sea very sory he was and verily beleeued that he had bene drowned and so vpon great charity bestowed one thing vpon him being yet aliue which was not due vnto him vntill he was deade for he willed Sacrifice offered for the soules departed that the sacrifice of the healthfull oblation shoulde be offred vnto almighty God for the absolution of his soule which being done accordinglye and the shipp newe rigged awaye he departed for Italy where arriuing at Portua he founde the mariner aliue whom he verilye supposed to haue bene drowned vpon which goode chauÌ„ce altogether vnlooked for very glad he was and demanded of him how it was possible that he coulde escape so many daies in so great a daunger and so terrible a teÌ„pest who told him how in that storme he was tossed with that little shippe which he gouerned and how he did swimme with it being full of water and so often as it was turned vpside downe how he gat vpon the keele and helde fast there adding also that by striuing and laboring thus continuallye daye and nighte at lengthe with watchinge hunger his strengthe began to faile him and then he tolde how by the singular prouidence and mercye of God he was preserued from drowninge for as euen to this verye day he still affirmeth so then did he verifye the same to the Bishoppe telling him in this manner As I was quoth he striuing and labouring in the sea and my strengthe began to faile me suddainlye I became so heauy of minde that me thoughte I was neither waking nor yet a slepe and being in that case in the middest of the sea I sawe one come who broughte me breade to refreshe my tired bodye which so sone as I had eaten I recouered my strengthe againe and not longe after a shipp passing by toke me in and so was I deliuered from that danger of death and set safe a lande The Bishoppe hearing this inquired vpon what day this strange thing happened and he founde by his relation that it was that verye daye in which the Note how auailable the holy sacrifice is Priest in the Ilande of Ostica did sacrifice for him vnto God the hoast of the holy oblation Peter That which you report my selfe also hearde at my being in Sicily Gregory I for my part doe verily beleue that the reason why by Gods prouidence this thinge salâ—eth out thus apparantlye to them that be liuing and thincke nothing thereof is that al may knowe Some sinnes pardonable after death The holy sacrifice profiteth some after theire death how yf theire synnes be not irremissible that they may after death obtayne pardon and absolution for them by the oblation of the holy sacrifice But yet we haue here to note that the holy sacrifice doth profit those kinde of persons after theire death who in their life tyme obtayned that such goode workes as wereby their friendes done for theÌ„ might be auailable to their soules after they were out of this worlde OF THE VERTVE AND MYSTERYE of the holy sacrifice CHAPTER LVIII ANd here also we haue diligently to consider that it is far more secure and safe that euery man sâ—ould doe that for him selfe whiles he is yet aliue which he desireth that others should doe for him after his death For far more blessed it is to depart free out of this worlde then being in prison to seeke for release and therfore reason teacheth vs that we shoulde with our whole soule contemne this present worlde at least because we see that it is nowe gone and past and to offer vnto God the daily sacrifice of teares Note what was the daily sacrifice in the primatiue churche the dailye sacrifice of his bodye and blood For this sacrifice doth eâ—pe cially saue our soules from euerlasting damnation which in mystery doth renewe vnto vs the death of the sonne of God who althoughe being risen from death doth not nowe dy any more nor death shall not any further preuaile against him yet liuing in him selfe immortallie and without all corruption he is againe sacrificed for vs in this mysterye of the holy oblation for there his body is receiued there his fleshe The real â—presence is distributed for the saluation of the people there his bloode is not nowe shed betwixt the handes of infideâ—s but poured into the mouthes of the faithfull Wherefore