suppose is intended whatsoever respects corporal Ceremonies under any Affinity with Judaism As the choice of Meats appointed Garments Fasts Sacrifices Resting upon Holy Days and the saying over Prayers as a boy says his Lesson These things as they are not to be neglected in their due season so if a man relies too much upon these Observances and sees his Brother in Distress without Relieving him these bare Formalities are very unpleasing to God. It has some appearance of Holiness to have nothing to do with wicked men But this Caution ceases wheresoever there is place for the exercise of our Charity It is a point of just Obedience to rest on Holy Days but it were most Impious to make such a Conscience of the Day as not to make a greater of saving his Brother upon that Day if he were in Danger Wherefore to keep the Lords day is a kind of Sacrifice but to be Reconcil'd to my Brother is a Poynt of Mercy And then for the Iudgment of things though the Weak are commonly opprest by the more Powerful who are to pass the Sentence yet it seems to me reasonable enough that the Poor Man should mind him of that in Hosea and the Knowledge of God more than Burnt-Offerings No Man can be said to keep the Law but he that observes the Will in it of the Law Maker The Jews coâ—ld take up an Ass upon their Sabbath that was fallen into a Pit and yet they calumniated our Saviour for preserving a Man upon that day This was a preposterous Iudgment and not according to the Knowledg of God for they never consider'd that these provisions were made for Man and not Man for them But I should think my self Impudent in saying thus much if you had not commanded it and I had rather learn of others Eu. This Discourse is so far from Impudent that it looks rather like an Inspiration But while we are feeding of our Souls we must not forget our Companions Th. Who are those Eu. Our Bodies and I had rather call them Companions then Instruments Habitations or Sepulchers Ti. This is a sure way of Satisfaction when the whole man 's relieved Eu. We are long a coming to 't methinks wherefore if you please wee 'l call for a roasted Bit without staying any longer for a little And now ye see your Ordinary Here 's a good shoulder of Mutton a Capon and two brace of Patridges These Patridges came from the Market and I 'm beholden to my Farm for the rest Ti. Here 's a Dinner for a Prince Eu. For a Carmelite you would say but such as it is you 're welcome to 't and that must supply your Entertainment Ti. This is the talkingst place that ever I set my Foot in Not only the Walls but the very Cup speaks Eu. And what does it say Ti. No man is hurt but by himself Eu. The Cup pleads for the Wine for if a man get a Feaver or a pain in the Head with over-drinking we are subject to curse the wine when we should rather impute it to our selves for the Excess Soph. Mine speaks Greek here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Wine there 's Truth Eu. This gives to understand that 't is not safe for Priests or Courtiers to drink deep for fear of throwing their hearts out at their mouths Soph. The Egyptians would not allow their Priests to Drink any Wine at all and yet in those Days there was no Auricular Confession 'T is become lawful now for all people to drink Wine how convenient I know not What Book is that Eulalius you take out of your Pocket It must needs be a good one sure there 's so much cost bestow'd upon it Eula. It has a Glorious outside I must confess and yet 't is infinitely more precious within Here are the Epistles of St. Paul which I still carry about me as my beloved Entertainment and I take 'em out now upon something you said that minds me of a place which I have beat my head about a long time and I am not yet resolved in It is in the 6th Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians All things are Lawful unto me but all things are not Expedient all things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the Power of any First if we may trust the Stoiques Nothing can be profitable to us which is not Honest. Therefore how comes St. Paul to distinguish betwixt Lawful and Expedient It is not Lawful sure to Whore or to drink drunk How is it said then that All things are Lawful But if St. Paul speaks of some particular things only which he would have to be Lawful how shall I divine from the Tenour of the place which those particular things are From that which follows it may be gathered that he there speaks of the Choice of Meats For some abstain from things offer'd to Idols others from Meats that were forbidden by Moses's Law. In the Eighth Chapter he Treats of the former and then in the Tenth unfolds the Intention of this place saying All things are Lawful for me but all things are not expedient All things are Lawful for me but all things Edify not Let no man seek his own but every Man anothers Wealth Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles Eat And that which St. Paul subjoyns agrees with what he said before Meat for the Belly and the Belly for Meats God shall destroy both It and Them Now that this was spoken of the Iudaical choice of Meats appears by the close of the Tenth Chapter Give none Offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God even as I please all Men in all Things not seeking my own Profit but the Profit of many that they may be saved Where he speaks of the Gentiles he seems to reflect upon things offer'd to Idols and in naming the Iews he refers to the Choice of Meats Under the Church of God comprehending the weak that are collected out of both sorts It was Lawful it seems to eat of all Meats whatsoever and all things are clean to the clean But the remaining question is whether or no it be Expedient The Liberty of the Gospel makes all things Lawful But for the avoiding of scandal Charity has a regard to the Conscience of my Neighbour Upon that score I would forbear even things the most Lawful rather choosing to gratifie the scruples of Another than to insist upon the Exercise of my own freedom But now here arises a double difficulty First That there 's nothing in the Context to warrant this Construction either before or after For his charge against the Corinthians was that they were Seditious Fornicators Adulterous Incestuous and given to Contention before Wicked Iudges Now what coherence is there after all this to say all things are Lawful for me but all things are not expedient After this Passage he returns to the point of Incontinence which he had also repeated before only leaving
upon and handle without any danger Ti. Here 's a Scorpion they are common in Italy and very mischievous but rarely seen here Has the Painter given it the true Colour Eu. Why do ye ask Ti. This is too pale methinks for those in Italy are blacker Eu. Do you know the Plant it 's falln upon Ti. Not very well Eu. That 's no wonder for we have none of it in these Parts They call it Woolfs bane so dealy a Poyson that upon the very touch of it a Scorpion presently turns pale is stupified and overcome But then when he is wounded with one Poyson he finds his remedy in another and if he can but get to the White Helebore he recovers Those Plants there are the two sorts of Helebore Ti. This Scorpion is undone then for he is never like to remove from the place where he is But do your Scorpions speak here Eu. Yes and they speak Greek too Ti. What does he say Eu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath found out the Guilty Now here in the Grass you have all kinds of Serpents Here 's the Basilisk that 's not only terrible for his poyson but the very Flash of his Eye is Mortal Ti. And does not he say somthing too Eu. Yes and his word is Oderint dum Metuant Let them hate me so they fear me Ti. Spoken like an Emperor Eu. Like a Tyrant you mean. Now for a Combat betwixt a Lizard and a Viper and there again lies a Snake the Dipsas upon the Catch under an Estrich Egg-shell You come now to the whole Polity of the Ants that industrious Creature which we are call'd upon to imitate by Authors both Sacred and Prophane And here are your Indian Ants that both Carry Gold and Hoard it up Ti. Good God how is 't possible for any man to be weary of this Entertainment Eu. And yet some other time you shall see I 'le give you your Belly full on 't Now before ye at a good distance there 's a third wall where you have Lakes Seas Rivers and all sorts of choice Fishes Here 's the Nile and a Dolphin grapling with a Croeadile The natural Friend of Mankind with our greatest Enemy Upon the Banks and Shores ye see several Amphibia as Crabs Seals Beavers Here 's a Polypus catcht in an Oyster Ti. And what is 't that he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Taker taken Ti. This water is rarely done Eu. If it were not we should have needed other Eyes Look ye there 's another Polypus see how he cuts it away above water like a wherry and there lyes a Torpedo upon the sand both of a colour you may touch 'em here without any sort of danger But let 's to something else for this feeds the Eye but not the Belly Ti. Is there any more to be seen then Eu. Wee 'l look into the Backside by and by Here 's an indifferent fair Garden cut into two The one 's for the Kitchin and that 's my Wives the other is a Phisique Garden Upon the left hand you have an open Grean Meadow enclosed with a Quickset Hedg There do I take the Air sometimes and divert my self with good Company Upon the Right-hand there 's a Nursery of Forreign Plants which I have brought by degrees to endure this Climate But these things you shall see at better leisure Ti. The King himself has nothing like ye Eu. At the end of the upper Walk there 's an Aviary which I 'le shew you after Dinner And among the Birds you 'le see as great a Diversity of Humors as of Plumes and Notes For they have their Kindnesses and their Feuds as well as we And then they 're so tame and familiar that when I 'm at Supper they 'll come flying in at the Window to me at the very Table and eat for Company When they see me there upon the Draw-bridge talking perhaps with a Friend or so they 'll sit some of them observing and hearkning others fluttering about me and lighting upon my Head or my Shoulders without any sort of Fear for they find that no body hurts ' em At the further end of the Orchard I have my Bees which is a Sight worth your Curiosity But I 'll keep that in reserve for ye till by and by Servant My Mistriss bids me tell you Sir that Dinner will be spoil'd Eu. A little Patience tell her and we come Let 's wash first my Masters that we may bring clean hands to the Table as well as clean Hearts the very Pagans us'd a kind of Reverence in this Case how much more then should Christians do it if it were but in Imitation of that sacred Solemnity of our Saviour with his Disciples at his last Supper The washing of the Hands is but an Emblem of purging the Mind And so long as there is any Uncleanness in the one or any Envy or Ranâ—our in the other we ought not to usurp upon the Blessings of the Table The very Body is the sounder the Meet the wholsomer for a purified Mind Ti. Most undoubtedly Eu. It is evident from several Instances in the Scriptures that it was the Practice of our Saviour to bless the Table both before and after Meat Wherefore if you please I 'le say you a Grace that St. Chrysostome in one of his Homilies commends to the Skies and he himself was the Interpreter of it Ti. Pray'e do Blessed be thou O God who hast sustained us from our Youth and providest Food for all Flesh Fill our Hearts with Ioy and Comfort that partaking abundantly of thy Bounties we may likewise abound in all good Works through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be Glory Honour and Power World without end Ti. Amen Eu. Sit down now and let every man take his Friend next him The first Place is yours Timothy in the Right of your Grey Hairs Ti. The only thing in the World that gives me a Title to 't Eu. We can judge but of what we see and must leave the rest to God. Sophronius keep you close to your Principal There 's the right side of the Table for Theophilus and Eulalius and the left for Chrysoglottus and Theodidactus Euranius and Nephalius must make a shift with what 's left and I 'le stick here to my old Corner Ti. This must not be the Master of the House sure shall take the first place Eu. The House is as much yours as mine Gentlemen or however if I may govern within my own Jurisdiction I 'le sit where I please and I have made my Choice Now Christ be with us and among us without whom there can be no true Ioy and Comâ—ort Ti. Amen But where shall He sit for the places are all taken up Eu. I would have him in every Drop and Morsel that we Eat or Drink but principally in our minds And the better to fit us for the reception of so Divine a Guest if you please wee 'l have
and get their livings with their fingers that they may have wherewithal to relieve others in necessity Are not these holy and warrantable Labours by which a Husband provides for his Wife and Children Ti. This is a question which in my opinion may be resolv'd several ways First This Text had a particular regard to those times when the Apostles being dispersed far and wide for the Promulgation of the Gospel they were to cast themselves upon Providence for their support without being sollicitous for it themselves having neither leisure to get their living by their labour nor any thing to trust to for it beside Fishing But the World is now at another pass and we are all for Ease Another way of expounding it may be this Christ has not forbid Industry but Anxiety of thought such as commonly possesses those men that are hard put to 't for a Livelihood and set all other things apart only to attend this This is intimated by our Saviour himself when he says that one man cannot serve two Masters For he that wholly delivers himself up to any thing is a Servant to 't Now tho' the Propagation of the Gospel ought to be our Chief yet it is not our only Care. For he says First not Only seek the Kingdom of Heaven and these things shall be added unto you The word To morrow I take to be Hyperbolical and to signifie a time to come Uncertain it being the Custom of the World to be scraping and sollicitous for Posterity Eu. Your Interpretation we allow of But what is his meaning when he says Nè solliciti sitis Animae vestrae quid Edalis The Body is Cloath'd but the Soul does not Eat Ti. By Anima is meant Life which cannot subsist without Meat This does not hold in our Garments which are more for Modesty than Necessity For a Body may live without Cloaths but without Meat it is certain Death Eu. I do not well understand how to reconcile this Passage with that which follows Is not the Life more then Meat and the Body more then Raiment For if Life be so precious we should take the more Care of it Ti. This Argument does rather encrease our trouble then lessen it Eu. But this is none of our Saviours meaning Who by this Argument creates in us a stronger Confidence in the Father for if a bountiful Father hath given us gratis that which is more valuable he will by a stronger reason confer upon us that which is Cheaper He that has give us Life will certainly give us Food He that has given us Bodies will not deny us Cloaths So that upon the experience of his Divine Bounty there is no reason why we should afflict our selves with any Anxiety of Thought for things below What remains then but that using this World as if we used it not we transfer our whole study and application to the love of Heavenly things and rejecting the World and the Devil with all their Vanities and Impostures we chearfully serve God alone who will never forsake his Children But here 's no body takes any Fruit 'T is a Scripture Dinner you have had for there was little care beforehand to provide it Ti. We have sufficiently pamper'd our Carcasses Eu. I should be glad that ye had satisfi'd your Souls Ti. That 's done I assure ye in a larger measure Eu. Take away Boy and bring some Water Now if you please we 'll wash and conclude with a Hymn out of Chrysostome And Pray'e let me be your Chaplain Glory be to thee O God O Holy O King as thou hast given us Meat for our Bodies so replenish our Souls with Ioy and Gladness in thy Holy Spirit that we may be found acceptable in thy sight and not be confounded when thou shalt come to render unto every man according to his Works Boy Amen Ti. A Pious and a most pertinenent Hymn Eu. Of St. Chrysostoms Translation too Ti. Where is it to be found Eu. In his Fifty sixth Homily upon St. Matthew Ti. God willing I 'll read it before I sleep But tell me one thing why these three Atributes of Lord Holy and King Eu. Because all honour is due to our Master and principally in these three respects We call him Lord as the Redeemer of us from the Tyranny of the Devil with his Holy Blood and taking us to himself We stile him Holy as the Sanctifier of all men and not only forgiving us all our sins gratis but by the Holy Spirit cloathing us with his Righteousness that we might follow Holiness And then King as heirs to a Heavenly Kingdom from him who sits and reigns himself at the Right hand of God the Father And all this we owe to his gratuitous Bounty that we have Iesus Christ for our Lord and not Satan that we have Innocence and Sanctity instead of the Filth and Uncleanness of our Sins and for the Torments of Hell the Joys of Life everlasting Ti. 'T is a very Godly discourse Eu. This is your first Visit Gentlemen and I must not dismiss ye without Presents but plain ones and suitable to your Entertainment Bring 'em out here Boy These are all of a Price that is to say they are of no value 'T is all one to me now whether you will draw Lots or chuse You will not find it Heliogabulus's Lottery for one to draw 100 Horses and another as many Flies Here are four little Books two Clocks a Lamp and a Standish which I suppose you will like better then either Balsoms Dentifrices or Looking-glasses Ti. They are all so good that there 's no place for a Preference but rather distribute them your self They 'll come the welcomer where they fall Eu. In this little Book are the Proverbs of Solomon in Parchment It teaches Wisdom and the Gilding is a Symbold of it This must be yours Timotheus that according to the Doctrine of the Gospel to him that has Wisdom shall Wisdom be given Ti. I will make it my study to stand in less need of it Eu. This Clock must be yours Sophronius for I know you count your hours and husband your time It came out of the farther part of Dalmatia and that 's all the Commendation I 'll give it Soph. 'T is a good way of advising a Sluggard to be diligent Eu. You have in this Book the Gospel of St. Matthew I would recommend it to be set with Diamonds if a sincere and candid Breast were not more precious Lay it up there Theophilus and be still more and more suitable to your name Th. I will endeavour to make such use of it that you may not think it ill bestow'd Eu. St. Paul's Epistles your constant Companions Eulalius are in this Book You have them often in your mouth which would not be if they were not also in your heart Hereafter keep 'em in your hand and in your eye Eu. This is a Gift with good Counsel over and above which is of all Gifts the most
that you your self are safe hereafter hearken to good Advice Ca. So I will. The burnt Child dreads the Fire THE RICH BEGGERS COL IX A Pleasant and Profitable Colloquy betwixt a German Host and Two Franciscans The true Character of an Ignorant Country-Pastor with an Excellent Discourse concerning Religious Habits The Original the Intent and Use of them CONRADUS BERNARDINUS PASTOR PANDOCHEUS UXOR Co. BUT still I say a Pastor should be Hospitable Pas. I am a Pastor of Sheep not of Wolves Co. And yet though you hate a Wolfe 't is possible you may love a Wench they begin with a Letter pas Pastor sum Ovium Non amo * Lupos Co. At non perindè fotassis odisti * Lupos But why so cross if a body may ask ye as not to admit a poor Franciscan so much as under your Roof and we shall not trouble you neither for a Supper Pas. Because I 'll have no Spies upon me for if you see but a Hen or a Chick stirring in a bodies House you know my meaning the whole Town is sure to hear on 't to morrow in the Pulpit Co. We are not all such Blabs Pas. Be what you will if St. Peter himself should come to me in that Habit I would not believe him Co. If that be your Resolution do but tell us where we may be else Pas. There 's a Publique Inn here in the Town Co. What 's the Sign Pas. The Dogs-head in the Porridge-pot You 'll see 't to the life in the Kitchin and a Wolf at the Bar. Co. 'T is an Ill-boding Sign Pas. You may e'en make your best on 't Be. If we were at this Pastor's allowance he would starve us Co. If he feeds his Sheep no better he 'll have but hungry Mutton Be. Well we must make the best of a bad Game What shall 's do Co. What should we do set a good face on 't Be. There 's little to be gotten by modesty in a case of Necessity Co. Very right Come we have St. Francis to befriend us Be. Let 's take our Fortune then Co. And never stay for Mine Host's Answer at the door but press directly into the Stove and when we are once in let him get us out again if he can Be. Would you have us so Impudent Co. 'T is better however then to lie abroad and freeze in the Street In the Interim put your Scruple in your Pocket to day and tak 't out again to morrow Be. In truth the Case requires it Pan. What Animals have we here Co. We are the Servants of the Lord my good Friend and the Sons of St. Francis. Pan. I don't know what delight the Lord may take in such Servants but I should take none I assure ye in having any of them about Me Be. What 's your Reason for 't Pan. Because your are such Termagants at eating and drinking but when you should do any work you can find neither hands nor feet Hear me a word you Sons of St Francis. You use to tell us in the Pulpit that St Francis was a Virgin How comes he by so many Children then Co. We are the Children of his Spirit not of his Flesh. Pan. He 's a very unlucky Father then for your Minds are e'en the worst part of ye and to say the truth on 't your Bodies are better then is convenient especially for us that have Wives and Children Co. You may suspect us perhaps to be of those that degenerate from their Founders Institutions but we on the contrary are strict observers of them Pan. And I 'll observe you too for fear of the worst for it is a mortal Aversion I have for that sort of Cattle Co. What 's your quarrel to us Pan. Because you 're sure to carry your Teeth in your Heads and the Devil a Penny of Mony in your Pockets Oh! how I abominate such Guests Co. But still we take pains for you Pan. Shall I shew ye now the pains ye take Co. Do so Pan. See the hithermost Picture there on your left Hand There 's a Fox preaching and a Goose behind him with his neck under a Cowl and there again there 's a Wolf giving absolution with a piece of a Sheeps skin hanging out under his Gown And once again there 's an Ape in a Franciscans habit ministring to a Sick man with the Cross in one hand and his Patients Purse in the Other Co. We cannot deny but that sometimes Wolves Foxes and Apes nay Hogs Dogs Horses Lions and Bafilisks may lurk under a Franciscans Garment and you cannot deny neither but that it covers many a Good man. A Gown neither makes a man better nor worse nor is it reasonable to judge of a man by his Cloaths for by that rule a body might pick a quarrel with the Coat you sometimes wear because it covers Thieves Murthâ—rers Conjurers and Whoremasters Pan. If you 'ld but pay your Reckonings I could dispence with your Habits Co. We 'll pray for you Pan. And so will I for you and there 's one for t'other Co. But there are some people that you must not take Mony of Pan. How comes it that you make a Conscience of touching any Co. Because it does not stand with our Profession Pan. And it stands as little with mine to give you your Dinner for Nothing Co. But we are ty'd up by a Rule Pan. So am I by the clean contrary Co. Where shall a Body find your Rule Pan. In these two Verses Hospes in hac Mensâ fuerint cum Viscera Tensa Surgere ne properes ni prius annumeres 'T is the Rule of this Table Eat as long as y' are able But then pay your Score There 's no stirring before Co. We 'll be no charge to you Pan. Then you 'll be no profit neither Co. Your Charity upon Earth will be rewarded in Heaven Pan. Those words Butter no Parsnips Co. Any Corner of your Stove will content us and we 'll trouble no body Pan. My Stove will hold no such company Co. Must we be thrown out thus What if we should be worried this night by Wolves Pan. Neither Wolves nor Dogs prey upon their own kind Co. This were barbarous even to Turks Consider us as you please we are still Men. Pan. I have lost my hearing Co. You can indulge your self and go from your Stove to a warm Bed how can you have the heart to expose us to be kill'd with Cold even if the Beasts should spare us Pan. Did not Adam live so in Paradice Co. He did so but Innocent Pan. And so am I Innocent Co. Within a Syllable of it But have a Care you be not excluded a better place hereafter for shutting us out here Pan. Good words I beseech ye Vx. Prethee my dear make 'em some amends for thy severity and let 'em stay here to night they are Good men and thou 'lt thrive the better for 't Pan. Here 's your Reconciler I 'm afraid you 're
are not far from the Marque Th. If there be any thing that 's Good let your Friend take part with ye Ans. And welcome too for I have been wishing a good while for some Body that would be Merry with me for Company Th. Let 's have it then Ans. I was told e'en now the pleasantest Story and if I did not know the Place the Persons and every Circumstance as well as I know you I shall Swear 't were a Sham Th. You have set me a longing to hear it Ans. Do not you know Pool Fawn's Son-in-Law Th. Perfectly well Ans. He 's both the Contriver of it and the Chief Actor in the Play. Th. I am apt enough to believe that for he 's a Man to do any Part to the Life Ans. 'T is Right Do you not know a Farm that he has a little way from London Th. Oh! Very well He and I have crackt many a Bottle together there Ans. There 's a way you know betwixt two streight Rows of Trees Th. A matter of Two Flight shot from the House upon the left Hand Ans. That 's it One side of the way has a dry Ditch that 's over-grown with Brambles and then there 's a little Bridge that leads into an open Field Th. I remember it Ans. There went a Report among the Country People of a Spirit that walkt there and of hideous Howlings that were heard about that Bridge which made them conclude it to be the Soul of some Body that was miserably Termented Th. Who was 't that rais'd this Report Ans. Who but Pool that made this the Prologue to his Comedy Th. What put it in his Head I wonder to invent such a Flam Ans. I know nothing more than the Humour of the Man for he loves to make himself Sport with silly People I 'll tell you a late Whimsy of his of the same kind We were a good many of us Riding to Richmond and some in the Company that you would allow to be no Fools The Day was so Clear that there was not a Cloud to be seen Pool looking wishly up into the Air fell on the sudden to Crossing of himself and with a strange Amazement in his Countenance Lord says he to himself what do I see They that rod next him asking him what it was that he 〈◊〉 he Cross'd himself more and more In Mercy says he deliver us from this Prodigy They still pressing him more earnestly to say what was the matter Then Pool fixing his Eyes and pointing toward such a Quarter of the Heaven That Monstrous Dragon says he with Fiery Horns Don't you see him and look how his Tail is turn'd up into a kind of a Circle Upon their denial that they saw any thing and his urging them to look steadily just where he pointed one of them at last for the Credit of his Eyes yielded that he saw it too and so one after another they all saw it for they were asham'd not to see any thing that was so plain to be seen In short the Rumour of this Portentous Apparition was in three days all over England and it is wonderful how they had amplifi'd the Story and some were making Expositions upon the meaning of this horrid Portent But in the mean time the Inventor of it had the Satisfaction of seeing the Success of his Project Th. I know the humour of the Man to a hair But to the Ghost again Ans. While that Story was a foot there comes very opportunely to Pool one Fawn a Priest one of those which they call in Latin Regulars a Parish-Priest of a Village there in the Neighbourhood This Man took upon him to understand more than his Fellows in Holy Matters Th. Oh! I guess where abouts ye are Pool has found out one now to bear a part in the Play. Ans. They were a Talking at Supper of this Report of the Spectrum at the Table and when Pool found that Fawn had not only heard of it but believed it he fell to entreating the Man that as he was a Holy and a Learned Person he would do his best toward the Relieving of a poor Soul out of that terrible Affliction And if you make any doubt of the Truth on 't says he sift out the Matter and do but walk about Ten a Clock towards that little Bridge and there you shall hear such Cries and Groanings as would grieve your Heart but I would advise ye however for your own Security to take some Company that you like along with you Th. Well and what then Ans. After Supper out goes Pool a Hunting or about his usual Sports and when it grew Duskish out went Fawn and was at last a Witness of those grievous Lamentations Pool had hid himself thereabouts in a Bramble-Bush and perform'd his part incomparably well His Instrument was an Earthen Pot that through the Hollow of it gave a most mournful Sound Th. This Story for ought I see out-does Menanders Phasma Ans. You 'll say more when you have heard it out Away goes Fawn home in great Impatience to tell what he heard while Pool by a shorter Cut gets home before him There does Fawn tell Pool all that past with something of his own too to make the matter more wonderful Th. Well but could Pool hold his Countenance all this while Ans. He hold his Countenance Why he carries his Heart in his Hand and you would have sworn that the whole Action had been in earnest In the End Fawn upon the pressing Importunity of Pool resolv'd to venture upon an Exorcism and Slept not one wink that Night his Thoughts were so taken up with the Consideration of his own Safety for he was most wretchedly afraid In the first place he got together the most powerful Exorcisms that he could find to which he added some new ones as by the Bowels of such a Saint the Bones of St. Winnifrede and after this he makes choice of a Place in the Fieâ—d near the Thicket of Bushes whence the Noise came He draws ye a Circle a very large one with several Crosses in it and a phantastical Variety of Characters and all this was perform'd in a set Form of Words He had there also a great Vessel full of Holy Water and the Holy Stole as they call it about his Neck upon which hung the beginning of the Gospel of St. Iohn He had in his Pockets a little Piece of Wax which the Bishop of Rome us'd to Consecrate once a Year commonly call'd an Agnus Die. With these Arms in time past they defended themselves against Evil Spirits till the Cowl of St. Francis was found to be more Formidable All these things were provided for fear the Fiend should fall foul upon the Exorcist And all this was not enough neither to make him trust himself alone in the Circle but he concluded to take some other Priest along with him to keep him Company This gave Pool an Apprehension that by the joyning of some Cunning Fellow
Franciscans Habit his Head Shaven his Ash-colour'd Cowl and Gown his Knotted Hempen Girdle and his Franciscan Shoes all put on Ph. As departing this Life Th. Even so and with a Dying Voice declaring that if it should please God to restore him to the Health that his Physicians despair'd of he would serve under Christ according to the Rule of St. Francis and there were several Holy Men call'd in to bear witness to his Profession In this Habit dy'd this Famous Man at the very point of time that had been foretold by his Physicians There came abundance of the Fraternity to assist at his Funeral Solemnity Ph. I would I had been one of the Number my self Th. It would have gone to the Heart of ye to see with what Tenderness the Seraphique Sodality washt the Body fitted the Holy Habit to him laid his Arms one over another in the form of a Cross uncover'd and kiss'd his Naked Feet and according to the Precept of the Gospel chear'd up his Countenance with Oyntment Ph. What a Prodigious Humility was this for the Seraphique Brethren to take upon them the Parish Offices of Bearers and Washers Th. After this they laid the Body upon the Biere and according to the direction of St. Paul bear ye one anothers Burthen Gal. 6. The Brethren took their Brother upon their Shoulders and carry'd him along the Highway to the Monastery where they Interr'd him with the Usual Songs and Ceremonies As this Venerable Pomp was passing upon the way I Observ'd a great many People that could not forbear Weeping to see a Man that us'd to go in his Silk and Scarlet wrapt now in a Fraâ—â—â—iscan's Habit girt with a Ropes End and the whole Body dispos'd in such a posture as could not chuse but move Devotion For his Head as I said was laid upon his Shoulder his Arms a Cross and every thing else too carry'd a wonderful appearance of Holiness But then the March of the Seraphique Troop it self Hanging down their Heads with their Eyes fixt upon the Earth and their mournful Dirges so mournful that in Hell it self there can be nothing beyond it All this I say drew Sighs and Tears in abundance from the Beholders Ph. But had he the five wounds too of St. Francis Th. I dare not affirm that for a Certain but I saw some Blewish Scars on his Hands and Feet and he had a hole in his left side of his Gown but I durst not look too narrowly for many People have been undone they say by being too curious into these Matters Ph. But did ye not take notice of some that laught too Th. Yes I did observe it But they were Heretiques I suppose there are e'en too many of them in the World. Ph. To Deal honestly with thee in my Conscience if I had been there my self I should have laught too for Company Th. I pray God thou hast not a spice of the same Leaven Ph. There 's no danger of That Good Theotimus For I have had a Veneration for St. Francis even from a Child He was one that was much more acceptable both to God and Man for the strict Mortification of his Affections than for any Worldly Learning or Wisdom and those are His True Disciples that so live in the Flesh as if they were Dead to it and Liv'd only in Christ But for the Habit it self I value it not and I would fain know what is a Dead Man the Better for a Garment Ph. It is the Lord's Precept ye know not to give Holy things to Dogs or to cast Pearls before Swine And beside if ye ask Quesâ—â—ons to make your self Merry with them I 'le tell ye nothing at all But if ye have an honest desire to be inform'd I am content to tell ye as much as I know Ph. My Bus'ness is to learn and you shall find me a diligent a Docile and a Thankful Disciple Th. You know first that some People are so possess'd with Pride and Vanity that their Ambition accompanies them to the very Grave and they are not content unless they be Bury'd with as much Pomp as they Liv'd It is not that the Dead feel any thing but yet by the force of Imagination they take some Pleasure in their Lives to think of the Solemnity and Magnificence of their Funerals Now ye will not deny it I suppose to be some degree of Piety to renounce this weakness Ph. I 'le confess it if there be no other way to avoid the Vanity of This Expence But I should think it much more Humane and Modest even for a Prince to recommend his Body to a Course Winding Sheet and to be laid in the Common Burying-place by the Ordinary Bearers For to be carry'd to the Grave as Eusebius was is rather the Change of a Vanity than the Avoidance of it Th. It is the Intention that God accepts and it is God alone that can judge of the Heart But This that I have told ye is a small matter there are greater things behind Ph. What are They Th. They profess themselves of the Order of St. Francis upon the point of Death Ph. And he is to be their Protector in the Elysian Fieâ—ds Th. No but in This world if they happen to recover and it pleases God many times that when the Physicians have given a man for Lost so soon as ever he has put on This Holy Robe he Recovers Th. And so he would have done whether he had put it on or no. Th. We should walk with Simplicity in the Faith but if there were not somewhat Extraordinary in the Case why should so many Eminent and Learned men especially among the Italians make such a bus'ness to be bury'd in This holy habit But these you 'l say are Strangers to ye What do you think then of the famous Rodolphus Agricoba one that I 'm sure you have an Esteem for and then of Christopher Longolius who were Both bury'd so Ph. I give no heed to what men do when they are under the Amusements of Death Pray'e tell me now what does it signifie to a man the Professing or the Clothing of him when he comes to be assaulted with the Terrors and distractions of his approaching Fate Vows should be made in sound sense and sobriety they are frivolous else there should be mature Deliberation without either Force Fear or Guile Nay they are Void even without all this before the Year of Probation be out at which time and not before they are commanded to wear the Coat and Hood for so say the Seraphiques so that if they recover they are at Liberty in two respects For neither does That Vow bind that is made by a man under an Astonishment betwixt the Hope of Life and the Fear of Death nor does the Profession oblige any man before the wearing of the Hood Th. Whether it be an Obligation or not 't is enough that They think it one and God Almighty accepts of the Good will and This is
Providence was This now for God would have had no Church else But proceed Th. It was Reveal'd in the Fourth place that no Lewd Liver could long persevere in that Order Ph. But is it not taken for a Defection from the Order if a Man live Wickedly Th. No no more than it is for Renouncing of Christ tho' in some Respect it may be so taken when a Man denies in his Actions what he professes in his Words But whosoever casts off this Holy Habit that Man is irrecoverably lost to the Society Ph. What shall we say then of so many Convents that hoard up Money Drink Play Whore keep their Concubines publick and more than I 'le speak of Th. Those People neither wear St. Francis's Gown nor his Girdle And when they come to knock at the Door the Answer will be I know ye not for ye have not on the Wedding-Garment Ph. Is there any more Th. Why ye have heard Nothing yet The Fifth Revelation was This That the Enemies of this Seraphique Order as they have but too many the more 's the Pity should never arrive at half the Age that God had otherwise appointed them without making away themselves but that they should all die miserable before their Times Ph. Oh! we have seen many Instances of This as in the Cardinal Matthaeus who had a very Ill Opinion of this Society and spake as hardly of them he was taken away as I remember before he was Fifty years of Age. Th. 'T is very true but then he was an Enemy to the Cherubique Order as well as to the Seraphique for he was the Cause they say of burning the four Dominicans at Berne when the matter might otherwise have been Compounded with the Pope for a Summ of Money Ph. But these Dominicans they say had set up most Horrible Opinions which they labour'd to support by False Visions and Miracles as that the Blessed Virgin was tainted with Original Sin nay that St. Francis's Prints of the Five Wounds were Counterfeited They gave out that St. Catharin's were more Authentique But the Perfectest of all they promised to a Layick Proselite they had got whom they made use of for this Action abusing the Lords Body in the Government of this Imposture even with Clubbs and with Poyson And they say further that this was not the Contrivance of one Monastery alone but of the Principals of the Whole Order Th. Let it be which way it will that divine Caution holds good However Touch not mine Anointed Ph. Is there any thing more to Come Th. Yes you shall have the Sixth Apocalyps wherein the Lord bound himself by an Oath to St. Francis that all the Favourers of This Seraphique Order let them live never so wickedly should find Mercy in the Conclusion and end their days in peace Ph. Why what if they should be taken away in the act of Adultery Th. That which the Lord hath promised he will Certainly make good Ph. But what must a man do to entitle himself to a Right of being call'd Their Friend Th. What Do ye question That He that presents them he that clothes them He that makes the Pot boyl That man gives Evidences of his Love. Ph. But does not he love that Teaches or Admonishes them Th. That 's water into the Sea they have a great deal of This at home And it is their Profession to bestow it upon Others not to receive it from them Ph. Our Saviour promised more I perceive to St. Francis's Disciples than ever he did to his Own. He takes That as done unto himself which for his sake one Christian does to Another But I do not find where he promises Eternal Salvation to Vnrepenting Sinners Th. That 's no wonder my Friend for the Transcendent Power of the Gospel is reserv'd to This Order But ye shall now hear the Seventh and Last Revelation Ph. Let 's have it then Th. Our Saviour sware further to St. Francis that no man should ever make an Ill end that dy'd in a Franciscan's habit Ph. But what is it that you call an Ill end Th. When the Soul goes directly out of the Body into Hell from whence there is no Redemption Ph. So that the Habit does not free a Man from Purgatory Th. No not unless he dies upon St. Francis's day But is it not a great matter do ye think to be secur'd from Hell Ph. The greatest of all no doubt But what becomes of Those that are put into the Habit when they are Dead already for They cannot be said to die in 't Th. If they desire it in their Life-time the Will is taken for the Deed. Ph. But I remember once in Antwerp I was in the Chamber with some Relations of a Woman that was just giving up the Ghost There was a Franciscan by a very Reverend man who observing the Woman to Yawn and just upon her last Stretch he put one of her Arms into his sleeve and so recover'd that Arm and part of the shoulder There was a dispute rais'd upon 't whether the whole Body should be safe for 't or only That part which he had touch'd Th. There is no doubt but the whole Woman was secur'd as the Water upon the Forehead of a Child makes the whole Child a Christian. Ph. 'T is a strange thing the dread that the Devils have of This Habit. Th. Oh! they dread it more than the sign of the Cross. When the Body of Eusebius was carry'd to the Grave there were Swarms of Black Devils in the Air as thick as Flies that would be buzzing about the Body and striking at it but yet durst not touch it I saw This my self and so did many others Ph. But methinks his face his hands and his Feet should have been in Danger because ye know They were Naked Th. A Snake will not come near the shadow of an Ash let it spread never so far Nor the Devil within smell of That Holy Garment 't is a kind of Poison to them Ph. But do not these Bodies putrifie For if they do the Worms have more Courage than the Devils Th. What you say is not improbable Ph. How happy is the very Lowse that takes up his abode in that Holy Garment But while the Robe is going to the Grave what is it that protects the Soul Th. The Soul carries away with it the Influence of the Garment which preserves it to such a degree that many People will not allow any of that Order to go so much as into Purgatory Ph. If this be true I would not give this part of the Revelation for the Apocalyps of St. Iohn For here 's an easie and a ready way cut out without Labour Trouble or Repentance to live Merrily in This world and secure our selves of Heaven Hereafter Th. And so it is Ph. So that My wonder is over at the great Esteem that is paid by the World to this Seraphique Order But I am in great Admiration on the Other side