most pure and chast as she was before and euer shall be Shee shall haue another spouse in heauen which shal be God himself to wit The Holy Ghost the third person of the holy Trinity He shall be her spouse and by him shee shall conceiue without losse or dammage vnto her virginity and hauing conceiued shall bring forth into the world our Sauior and Redeemer After we haue thus reioiced with Ioachim and Anna for that thy haue such a daughter borne vnto them we may also reioice with their other kinsfolke for that they haue gotten nowe such a kinswoman Let vs reioice also with the sinners for that nowe this day is borne their aduocate Let vs reioice with the Angels since that on this day is borne their Queene let vs reioice with God since on this day is borne his mother daughter and spouse And at the last let vs reioice with the virgin her selfe since God hath elected her to such gretnes and dignity And the occasion of this being for that we be sinners for if sinne had not bin God had not bin made man and if he had not bin made man shee had not bin his mother Therfore without doute shee being aduaunced to this gretnes by our occasion will remember vs and obteine for vs of the same God who is her sonne pardon and mercy for our sinnes transgressions and also his heauenly grace that we may be partakers of his glory The life of S. Adrian Martir THE worthy king Dauid speaking with God in one Psalme said Ps 118 I haue inclined my hart to do iust and good workes for retribution sake that is hauing regard vnto the reward which ariseth in doing them It is not euill to exercise and do good and holy workes in hauing regard vnto that which is gained therby in doing them The reason hereof is that the guerdon or reward which is expected is God himselfe In such sort that he who for that respect doth good workes doth them for the loue of God In the number of those may the glorious martir S. Adrian be accounted who by hearing of the greate guerdon the martirs expected did voluntarilie offer himselfe vnto martirdome His life was written by Ado. B. of Triers and it was in this manner THE Emperour Maximian commaunded that the Christians that were in the citie of Nicomedia a city of Bithinia should be diligently sought out Many were apprehended and after that the Emperour had admonished and willed them to adore the Idoll and sawe them constant and firme in the profession of the faith of IESVS CHRIST he bad them all to be chained vnto wodden postes and to be beaten with the rawe sinewes of beastes and when he heard them in they re tormentes to praise the name of IESVS CHRIST he caused their tounges to be cut out and theire mouthes to be beaten with greate stones The number of these martirs was 23. Adrian was present there as an officer to attend and see that the commaundement of the Emperour should be executed He was an Idolater and a man of good account with Maximian And when he sawe howe patiently the holy martirs tollerated those terrible tormentes wondering therat he said vnto them I coniure you by the God which you adore and for whom you suffer these torments to tell me truly what guerdon or reward you expect for I suppose it to be very greate The holy martirs though they had no tonges by the permission of God answered him thus The reward we expect is such so greate that eyes neuer sawe it nor eares haue hard it nor the hart of man cānot conceiue it for it is an vnspeakable good which God hath prepared for his frends Adrian hearing this desired not to heare any more but being inspired by God and shewing himselfe desirous to be partaker of so greate good entred into the midst of the martirs and said to the Register before whom the matter was handled write also my name with these soulders of CHRIST for I will be a Christian also as they be The Emperour was certified hereof and when the name of Adrian was read vnto him among the other Christians which were prisoners he caused him to be called said vnto him O Adrian what art thou become foolish that thou seekest to lose thy life wretchedly Adrian aunswered I haue been but nowe I am not a foole for that I am a Christian and no more an Idolater as I haue bene before time The'mperour being desirous to make him alter his purpose discoursed and conferred long with him but seeing his words did not preuaile in rage and fury he caused him to be chained and fettered and put in prison Adrian was about 28. yeares old had to wife a woman called Natalia who was a Christian When shee heard what had befallen vnto her husband shee went with greate ioy vnto the prison and fell at his feet and kissing his fetters wherewith he was gyued said vnto him Blessed art thou ô Adrian my husband and my Lord nowe thou hast found the riches which thy father left not vnto thee Passe securely vnto IESVS CHRIST in whom thou hast reposed thy treasure which thou shalt find herafter in the time of necessity when no man shall be able to deliuer from punishment the wretch which shal be condemned The father shall not be able to deliuer the sonne nor the mother the daughter nor the transitorie riches of the world nor the ambition to haue many seruants and a great patrimony the freind shall not be of ability to help the freind only the deedes which a man hath done shall do a man good and pleasure Thou my Lord hast IESVS CHRIST in thy company in whom thou hast deposed and laid vp thy treasures walk in the way thou hast begon be not wery therof to the end thou maiest enioy the promises Take heede let not the remembrance of earthly and momentary things moue thee to turne backward from thy way begon nether let thy kinsfolks nor the wailings of thy father and mother nor the flattery of thy freinds nor the menaces of thy enemies moue thee Let not the torments of the tirant put thee in feare but fixe thy eyes vpon the constancie patience of these holie martirs which be with thee Imitate them in life and thou shalt be rewarded with them in death The blessed woman hauing said these words went vnto the holy martirs one by one and kissed their gyues and fetters saieng I beseech you ô seruants of IESVS CHRIST to animate and encourage my husband gaine you his soule Be vnto him a father that by your meanes he may be regenerated vnto euerlasting life Adrian said vnto his wife Goe home from hence my deare and chast sister for when the time shall come that we shal be examined and iudged I will bring thee notice therof that thou maiest be present and see the end of this work Certein daies after S. Adrian vnderstood that they resolued to
our lord and Sauyor IESVS CHRIST was borne therin when he came to liue in this world and also but in farre lower degree for the S. Ierome dyed there to liue in heauen But aboue all other prouinces Spaine oweth an especiall duety vnto S. Ierome for the many epistles he wrote to particular persons therin as also for that after many hundreth years that he dyed in Bethlehem it seemed he was raised to life in Spaine not he in person but his name and religion for in the time of Pope Gregory II. the king Don Alonso the. II. raigning in Spaine there came out of Italy two holy hermites into the kingdome of Toledo in Spaine and by their good example of life and holy admonitions others were conuerted vnto that holy religious order Don alonse Peccia Bishop of Iaen and Petro fernandez Peccia his brother and Hernando Laguez chief chaplen of the kings Chappel Chanon of Toledo who being elected Arch-Bishop therof refused that dignity beside these many other noble men of marke and quality Many of the before named chose that life for that they had conceyued a great dread and fear of the king Don Pedro who at that time reigned in Castile after the death of the king Don Alonso his father because he had a delight to shed mans bloud so much that if the offence or fault were neuer so small he caused very rigorous punishment to be inflicted vpon the delinquents which seuere kind of Iustice was not vsed to be excuted in Spaine Wherefore the king gained thereby the surname of Cruell to this day I cannot tell if the doing of his Chronicler who did smally befrend him as it seemeth for some priuat respect did not help forward to settle confirme that odious name of Cruell vnto him from that time vnto this All these liued together certein years in the desert then they besought Pope Gregory to giue them a habite and a rule vnder the name of the hermitts of S. Ierome but the Pope gaue vnto them the rule of S. Augustine the name and habite they haue at this daie This order was confirmed in the third yeare of the Popedome of S. Gregorie on S. Lukes daie in the yeare of our Lord 1373. The order which is called in Spaine of the Isidori which is also of S. Ierome was instituted in the time of Pope Martin the 5. by frier Lopes de Ouiedo professor of the monasterie of Guada Lupe who out of S. Ieromes workes tooke a rule which is printed with his other workes and with the helpe of some that desired to followe it and with licence from the sea Apastolike he founded certaine monasteries in Italy which are called Isidori or the congregation of frier Lopes Of the first named relligious men of the order of S. Ierome there be in Spaine many worthie monasteries but in especiall fifteene which are called Royall because alwaies they haue bin fauoured by the kings They were especially fauoured by the Catholique king don Phillip the second of that name who built them a monastery an college in the Escuriall vnder the title of S. Laurence the Royall and the rule institution of the glorious S. Ierome In which place be many rare singular reliques of saints many pictures Images the workes of famous painters and caruers manie bookes of great vale we much riche stuffe for the church Challices Crosses and other things for the seruice of the Altar and there also is buried the corps of the mightie Emperour Charles the fifte of that name and other of the blood Royall By these and other the great and costlie things in this Royall house euidentlie appeareth the deuotion of the said king Don Phillip toward the glorious Doctors S. Ierome and his blessed religious order wherefore we maie hope that the same saint wil be his good aduocate vnto God that his Royall person and also his Realme shall encreasein temporall and wordlie goods and also that he shall inioye the celestiall kingdome of heauen by the intercession of this blessed saint To the wich God bring vs also of his infinite mercy Amen The end of the month of September OCTOBER The life of S. Remigius THERE shall spring a fountaine saith the prophet Ioel Cap. 3 and come from out of the house of God and passe by water the brooke of thornes in which words the prophet doth fortell us what shall happen after the latter iudgemeÌ„t The bodie of a mortall man is fitlie resembled in a brooke for it runneth swiftlie to death and perdition nay further it is a brooke of thornes for that of it selfe it produceth nothing but euill desires and worser deedes shat wound and pierce the soule like thornes But a fountaine after the latter day shall spring from out of the house of God and water these thornes whereby are deciphered those streames of glory which shall ouerflow the bodies of the elect and adorne them together with they re soules The Gloss saith this text may be well applyed to the primitiue Churche when the Apostles and preachers of the Ghospell did in the manner of a fountain spring from out of the house of God from the Catholicke Churche to water wich they re heauenlie doctrine the thornie brooke of Paganisme In this sence it fitteth that glorious Archb. of Rhemes S. Remigius who was indeede a fountaine of lyfe that springing from out of the house of God with the sweete and pleasant streames of his lyfe and doctrine watered that riuer of thornes Clodoueus who being a king and worshipper of Idolls was conuerted to the faith by S. Remigius and with him all his court and armie of men The lyfe of this glorious Saint was written by Hinc marus Archbishop of Rhemes in this manner following VVHEN the hand of our Lord did chastize the Frenchmen for they re sinnes with along bloudie warre which the Vandalls a fierce and cruell nation did wage against them there dwelled in the desert a holy Monk called Montanus who had lost his sight by continuall bewailing the sinnes of his nation For knowing that all they re afflictions and scourges were caused by they re many fold offences he coÌ„tinually prayed and with teares beseeched allmightie God to redress all they re miseries and graunt them pardon for all they re sinnes and be coÌ„tented with that punishment he had allreadie inflicted vpon them God vouchsafed at length to heare his prayers and graunt his request where fore he did reueale vnto him that shortlie there should be borne a child whose name should be Remigius that comming to be Bishop should with his preaching and good example with draw men from vices conuert them to God appease his wrath and stay his punishment He reuealed allso to this holie man the parents of this Childe Emilius and Ciliâ—ia people of great religion and charitie of noble bloud and great reuenews liuing in the tertitory of Laudum Montanus went and acquainted them whith his reuelation whereof both
work of great charitie acceptable vnto God profitable to keep a man out of sinne and is also good for the health of the body The holy Ghost entendeth so much in these wordes saying 2. Macha 12. V. 46 To pray and to do good for the dead is a holie and a healthfull work and is also very profitable for the soules their paines being diminished and they deliuered the sooner The workes that help them are foure viz Almes fasting discipline with other penall works an the fourth is the holie sacrifice of the Masse said for them You must also vnderstand that there is difference betweene these workes for that three of them if they shall do the soule good must be done in the grace of God and if they be done other wise they do not help them except they be done by the apointment of another And if that he that commaundeth the good work to be done as to giue almes or such like be then in the state of grace in this case the work is good and auaileable and helpeth the soule though the person that did that good work were not in that good estate himself Concerning the masse and these other workes as I haue insinuated before there is a difference For that helpeth alwaies not with standing that he that said it was not at that time in the fauour of God for that he who offreth it doth it in the person of the Church who is alwaies in the fauour of God and therefore it helpeth those soules alwaies for whom it is especially said and celebrated So that we may truly saie that this is the best and most secure work that can be done for the soules in purgatorie If this which we haue said be the truth as vndoubtedly it is viz that the paines in purgatorie be so great and excessiue and that also being true which S. Augustine saith as it is for certaine to wit that to see God one houre only is of more worth then all the treasures of the world And sithens with all them he cannot do that which one may do with the good workes he doth for a soule in purgatorie that is to deliuer it out of payne and that it may see God before the time it should otherwise see him How greatlie and vnspeakablie shall that soule be obliged and bound vnto the person that shall so help to deliuer it without doubt more then can easilie be said And that soule being so much bound vnto any partie after it is heauen and enioyeth the glorie of God shal be his perpetuall aduocate to beseech the diuine maiestie to be gratious vnto him that hath beene so good vnto it by procuring it to be freed from the fault land deliuered from paine purchasing heauen by enioying it before the deserued time Which happie felicitie in his kingdome God graunt vnto vs all for his heauenly bounty and infinite mercy Amen The life 's of SS Vitalis and Agricola Martyrs THE Apostle S. Paule in his epistle to the Galathians Galat. 3. speaking of them that are baptized haue put on IESVS CHRIST by receauing his faith saith that in the sight of God there is neither seruauÌ„t nor freeman but all are equall His meaninge is not that among Christians there should not be maisters and seruaunts some to commaund and some to obey for this would be contrarie to all good gouernment and to the common course and vniuersall order of the world wherein the Starres the Riuers the Trees the Beastes the Byrdes the Fishes are euidentlie distinguished not onlie by theire vertues but also by theire greatnesse and lessenes and by a certaine preeminence and subordination besides that if there were equallitie in all men none would vndergoe painfull and meaner offices in the common wealth none would laboure and toyle none plowe nor sowe and euerie one rulinge and none obeyinge all would runne streight waies to ruine and destruction So that S. Paules meaninge is not that Christians should be all equall in this but rather as S. Ierome and S. Augustine say that in the eyes and sight of God the seruant is no lesse worthie nor lesse esteemed then the master if both of them be Christians and bothe do the workes of Christians Of this we haue an example in the two holie martyrs SS Vitalis and Agricola Agricola being the master Vitalis the seruant They were both Christians and martyrs and equally esteemed and regarded by IESVS CHRIST and the holie Church doth celebrate the feast of them both equally Their life written by S. Ambrose was in this manner IN the persecution of Dioclesian and Maximian there dwelt in the citty of Bologna in Italy a noble citisen called Agricola who had a seruant named Vitalis They were both Christians and for that cause were apprehended by the ministers of these two cruell Emperours These holy Saints being in the presence of the Preâ—ident the seruant to wit Vitalis was first put to torments thereby the more to terrify the master And because seruaÌ„ts be ordinarily scourged for their chastisment and do tremble and quake to see the whippes it was the Iudges will that the first torment of Vitalis should be scourging and so he caused him to be beaten rigorously After that he put him vnto other manner of torments and herein the Iudg was so cruell and the officers so mercylesse that the bodie of the holie martyr was whollie couered with blowes and woundes So that search neuer so narrowly you could not see any thing but woundes and gashes There was not any blood left in his vaines but all was shed and the scourges and wandes of Iron where with they stroke him hit not ne touched not the whole skin any more but the rawe flesh and the bare bones so that his very bowells were seene The glorious martyr lifted vp his eyes vnto heauen and made a deuout prayer saying O my Lord LESVS CHRIST my God and Sauiour I humblie beseech thee that it would please thee to receaue my soule for I desire much to enjoye the crowne which thy holie Angell hath shewed vnto me His prayer being ended he yealded vp his soule vnto God Agricola was present at this spectacle who being a man of good nature pleasing behauiour friend to all affable doing good and hurting none was generally beloued of all And therefore the executioners yea and the Iudg himself also being desirous to haue him change his mind and to sacrifice vnto the Idolles wherby he might be deliuered from death made him to be present at the martyr dome of his seruant Vitalis to the end he might learne as is said before to beware by another mans cost and affliction But he that had seene the successe of his seruant was more desirous to gaine a crowne as he had done rather then to be terrifyed with the torments and so he remayned firme and constant in his first good purpose The Iudge and the officers were wroth and enraged against him and the more for that they
vpward being so painfull and he said Let me look vp toward heauen since that very shortly my spirit is to go that way which I behold When the agony of death came he saw the deuill the ennemy of mankind and said vnâ—o him what doest thou heere thou cruell beaâ— Thou shalt find in me nothing for which I shall eâ—damned and hauing said thus he rendered his spirit to our Lord being 81. yeares old His blessed soule was borne into heauen accompanyed with many Angells who made much ioy and song melodiously This musique was heard by sundry persons that were in places farre distant as of seuerinus Arch B. of Collein and by S. Ambrose Arch Bishop of Millan Who sayeng of masse fell a sleep from the which he awaked after three howers and then said to the standers by know you that my brother Martin B. of Towers is departed out of this life and I haue bene present there to bury his body S. Martin liued on the earth poore and humble and intred into heauen rich and with great maiesty His death was on the. 11. day of Nouember and on the same day the Church celebrateth his feast and it was in the year of our Lord. 399. in the time of the Emperour Honorius This holy saint did many myracles in his life time and also after his death Whilest he liued he was the meanes that many were conuerted vnto God by his good example and excellent doctrine and after his death many were holpen by his merites and in tercession God of his great bountie and infinit mercie graunt that we may be in the number of the chosen to the end we may enioy his glory in the company of S. Martin Amen Many Authors write of S. Martin beside Seuerus Sulpitius as S. Paulinus Bishop of Nola Fortunaus the priest Gregory of Towers Odo the first Abbot of Cluny Hebernus Bishop of Turen and many others The life of S. Menna Martir OVR sauiour CHRIST saith vnto his seruants in S. Mathew Ca. 30 WheÌ„ you shal be brought before kings Iudges take no thought what you shall speak for at that time you shal be tought howe to answere This sentence is verefied in a holie souldier called Menna who haning spent his time in the warre among swords and lauâ—ces being brought before a tirani that did examine him of the faith of CHRIST which he professed made some answeres as if he had bene exercised in the studie of the holie scriptures all the daies of his life Of this holie saint Metaphrastes writeth as ensueth IN the second yeare of Caius Valerius Dioclesianus and in the first yeare of Caius Valerius Maximianus after the death of Numerianus who had gouerned the Empire before them there was raised a sore persecution against the Christians through all the lands subiect to the Empire Into which were sent publike proclamations conteining the will of the Emperours and the punishment that should be inflicted vpon those that disobeied the same There was in the cittie of Cottieum which is in the prouince of Phrigia or in Asia minor a president calsed Pirrhus Arginiscus who had the gouernement of that prouince had also authority ouer the men of warre which were resident in the same as a garrison for defence therof Notwithstanding they had a generall captaine ouer them called Firmilianus Among the souldiers there was one in the regiment of Rutilus called Menna by nation an Aegiptian and by profession a Christian whose vertue shone among the rest as the sunne doth aboue the starres The Emperours edict came vnto this cittie the tenor whereof was this Dioclesian and Maximian Emperours to all their subiects seÌ„deth greeting Forasmuch as we acknow ledg to haue receaued many fauours and graces of of the soueraigne Gods for which we thinck our selues obliged and bound to procure all honour and seruice to be done vnto them and their Temples We therefore coÌ„maund all magistrates and captaines of our Empire that assoone as they haue notice of this our Edict that they endeauour with all dilligence as a thing that concerneth the saffetie of our estate the honor of the Gods our benefactors that all our subiects aswell men as women of what estate or condition soeuer they bee do worship and adore them and do offer sacrifice in visiring often their temples And those that be disobedient and rebellious against our comaundements that they be tormented in the most cruell forte that may be inuented This was the tenor of the Edict Assoone as the president receaued it he caused it to be proclaimed through all the cittie other places of his prouince CoÌ„maunding withall that presently after the proclamation all men and women should go vnto the Temples to the end the disobedient persons might be knowne In most places where the proclamation was made there were great murmurings amongst the people for that it was thought both vniust and cruell yet the greatest part of people went of force vnto the Temples to obey the Edict When the valiant souldier so Menna vnderstood hereof he was not able to endure so vniust and vnrighteous proceedings as to haue the veneration and worship of the true GOD IESVS CHRIST to be abolished and that in stead thereof reuerence should be done vnto the fiends Because he would be free and not be partaker of this wicked transgression nor so much as see it he departed from the armie and withdrew himself into a desert where he remained fiue yeares leading a sollitarie life in continuall fasting and works of penance which was as an exercise and an entrance into the warre and battaile which he expected shortly to make At the last inspired by God he returned into the cittie vpon a day which was kept very sollemne as the birthdaie of one of their Godds The people of the cittie were generally assembled into a Theatre expecting certaine martiall exercises as Iusts and turneis And there was also the president Pirrhus for the same purpose S. Menna entred into the middest of the show and with a loud and cleere voice he rehersed a text out of the Pophet Esay Ca. 65. which saith I haue bene found of them that sought me not and manifested to them that asked not after me At these words all the standers by fixed their eies vpon him and seing him to be a rude plaine man meanely apparelled they know not what to make of his words nor what he ment by them The president Pirrhus causing him to be brought neerer vnto him demaunded of him who he was He aunswered I am Menna the seruant of IESVS CHRIST who is Emperour of heauen and earth The president enquired further Art thou a stranger or a citisen that thou seekest to disturb our feastiuall showes in this manner what is thy meaning herein One of them which stood by said vnto Pirrhus I know the man well He is a souldier of the regiment called Rutilica whose Coronell is Firmilianus and it is about fiue yeeres since he abandoned
his blessed bodie was found I refer you vnto the feast of his Inuention which the holie Church keepeth on the third of August in which place you may read some more of them At this time we will speake only this That seing this saint made prayer for them that stoned him we which desire to honour him in celebrating his feast may hope that he will be a good meanes to obtaine mercy for vs of the heauenlie Maiestie and that by his especiall fauour we may haue the guift of perseuerance in his seruice vnto our death that afterward we may be worthy to see him in his glorie Amen Eusebius saith the death of S. Stephen was in the yeare of CHRIST 34. in the raigne of Tiberius Caesar Durandus in his rationall saith that the death of S. Stephen was on the third of August when his Inuention is celebrated which as he saith in the same booke was on the 26. of December being the day whereon his principall feast is kept The Chruch changeth it as the same Guilielmus saith to haue the Martyrdome more festiual adioining that rather then the Inuention vnto the birth of Christ The life of S. Iohn the Euangelist THE holy and valiant man Mardocheus the faithfull Chronicler of the King Assuerus and Esther recounteth that he being aduised and attent and hauing continuall regard to the health and welfare of his King and Lord heard one day that some seruants of the King had made a conspiracy to kill him and resolued to put it speedily to effect Mardocheus noted the words and taking knowledge of the men made a memoriall wherein he wrote all their conspiracy and wrought so that it came to the Kings hands who caused the affendors to be imprisoned and after they had confessed their offence to be punished according to their deserts There was no reward giuen to Mardocheus for discouering this treason but there was made only a noâ—e in the Annales of the Kings of Persia Some dayes after it happened that the King commaunded that booke to be read vnto him that he might reward the seruices done vnto him whereof in that booke the memory was conserued and when he came to that place where mention was made of Mardocay the King perceuing that he had bene the cause of a great and manâ—â—est deliuery from a danger of his life studied what reward to bestowe on him At last he determined that Mardocay should be arrâ—ied gorgeously and led thâ—rough the Citty vpon a goodly Horse and that before him should go trumpets sounding and declare that iâ— was the Kings will and pleasure that Mordecay should be hounoured and euery man was charged to do him honour This history agreeth and fitteth well S. Iohn Euangelist figured in Mordâ—cay For as he was Croniâ—lâ—r to the King of Persia so S. Iohn was a faithfull Cronicler of IESVS CHRIST The one was holy the other most holy Mardocay discouered the conspiracy made against the King whereby he auoided a greiuous hurt S. Iohn hauing notice also of another conspiracy that the Ebyoniâ—es heretâ—kes plotted against IESVS CHRIST denying that he was God wrote his Ghospell against them whereby their iniquity was disclosed the damage preuented and they confounded This writing was written in the memoriall of God and then came the day wherein the memorials are read and seing what S. Iohn had done for IESVS CHRISTS sake not only for this seruice but for diuers others worthy of rewarde it pleased his Lord to honour him euen as it happened to Mardocay To this end was giuen vnto him a gorgeous and rich vesture the like whereof is hardly to be found for the tittles that do agree vnto this holy saint do not ordinarily concurre in any other at one time He was set vpon a horse which was the speciall fauour bestowed on him by God The horse was that which Dauid meaneth in a Psalme saying O Lord thou shalt saue both men beasts In some sence you may vnderstand by beasts the bodies as by the names of men we may vnderstand the soules as if he had said that at the day of iudgement the holy saints shall goe to heauen both in body and soule Vpon this Horse viz. his owne body it pleased God that S. Iohn Euangelist not staying for the day of iudgement should rise againe assoone as he dyed and go vp into heauen as many great authors hold who yeeld many strong arguments to proue that S. Iohn Euangelist is in heauen both in body and souâ—e whereunto be entred like another Mordecay triumphantly with trumpeâ—ters before him who proclaime all his heroicall acts and declaring that God will so honour him and that he would haue him honored of all The life of this holy Apostle and Euangelist ensuyng is collected parâ—ly out of the Gospell and in part out of diuers good and graue Authors SAINT Iohn the Euangelist was the sonne of Zebedee brother of S. laâ—es the greater who was beheaded by Herode S. Iohn after Onuphrius was borne in the third yeare of CHRIST Lib. 1 â—a 28 He was of a noble house as Nicâ—phorus and S. Ierome say And they be of that opinion for that S. Iohn was familier in the house of the high priest as appeareth in the night that CHRIST was taken for S. Peter was suffered to come in by meanes of S. Iohn as one whom they respected Though he was a gentleman yet for to auoid idlenes the nurse of many vices he vsed the trade of fishing ioyntly with his father and brothers and the rather because their house was nere the sea of Galily This sheweth they were not so poore as some make them in that they had a barke of their owne wherewith they fished They being then one time busy at their fishing CHRIST called them and bad them follow him and be his disciples They knowing him to be their kinsman and reputing it happy that he would accept them into his schoole forsooke their father the barks and the nets and went to IESVS CHRIST S. Iohn was now abouâ— 28 yeares old and a virgin as he was all his life of a good nature beautifull in countenance very amiable and wise Whervpon the sonne of God tooke vnto him an especiall affection and made him his fauorite among all the Apostles This same Euangelist esteemed this prerogatiue so highly that when he recounteth any thing in the Ghospell where he is to name himselfe in steed thereof he vseth this phrase The disciple whom Iesus loued IESVS CHRIST shewed often to him particuler kindnes of the which one was that when he was to be transfigured vpon mount Thabor in the presence of three Apostles one of them was S. Iohn he was one of them that was present when our Sauiour raised the daughter of the prince of the Synagogue in the presence of two other Apostles he being the third S. Iohn gaue notice to his mother of the great affection CHRIST bore to him who guided by motherly affection or