Chancello'rs neck But afterwards both the ceremonyes of enstallment and his court of Chancery was augmented three seales one of gold two of syluer a great one and a lesser and for the Lawyers abuses and quirkes in the Common law the Chancello'rs court or Chancery erected to moderate all as Vmpire meerly out of equity and justice independent of sophisticall tricks and verball cauills This was the office of the Lord Chancellor of England synce the Norman conquest for the most part with some ceremoniall changes rather accidentall then in substance as the Kings who raignd thought fitt In the administration of this office as our Saint shewd great wisdome so did he also great integrity and these two compleated his justice so that the former securd him against mistakes and ignorance the latter against bribes and extorsions neyther of which eyther was or euer could be justly layd to his charge Nay he was so scrupulously nice in the latter that he would not haue so much as the shadow of it to approach him It is recorded particularly that certaine Religious men who had a suite depending at Law applyd themselues to him for his fauour and furtherance in the dispatch of the same and therto presented him with a jewell of value which he rejected not without indignation asking them whether they thought him to be wonn with guifts Nor was his courage inferiour eyther to his wisdome or integrity vpon which account when reason and equity dictated that such a thing was to be done he was vndaunted as to the execution euen though the king himselfe stood in the way yett none more obseruant of his Majesty then he This may be confirmd by what happend at the councill table and was driuen on by many great ones who perswaded the king to conferr an office vpon a new conuerted Iew wherby he was impowerd ouer the liues and persons of such subjects as were found to be coyners of false money He opposd it with much earnestnes saying it was too unlimited a power ouer Christians to be committed to a new conuerted Iew who might easily be tempted according to his former ill habitts to abuse it and therfore besought his Majesty with teares eyther to reuoke it or giue him leaue to absent himselfe for he could not approue it The king mou'd with his teares and candour as well as the force of his reasons bidding him sit still changd ther vpon his determination I shall say more relating to this in the last Chapter Now how satisfactory his mannagement of affayres in this ticklish charge was both to Prince and people is euidenc'd by this that the King vpon urgent occasions being calld into France left to him during his absence the trust and charge of the whole kingdome IX CHAPTER King Henry dyes his Sonn succeeds S. Thomas with License giues vpp his Seale and retyres IN this equall track of justice declining neyther to the right hand nor the left did our Saint walk all the respitt of King Henry's life Full often during this space of time did he sigh after his former Retyrement and ceasd not vpon fitt occasions to importune the same but the good King who had found his assistance and dexterity so seruiceable in the dispatch of affayres would by noe meanes harken to that request giuing him leaue to groane vnder his burden and he in complyance with his will submitted to it making the best of the worst and a vertue of necessity At last hauing finishd the course of nature as well as of a vertuous life he payd the common tribute of mortality to death and Edward his eldest Sonn calld the first of that name immediately succeded in the throne of whome it will not be amiss to giue some short account as also how things went in the course of affayres This Edward was not onely a warr-like but wise Prince and as he had receiud both Crowne and life from his father so he restord both againe by cutting off with his owne hand the last and most dangerous Rebellion of all This was raisd by Simon Montfort a great souldier and of a high Spiritt otherwise a pious and gracious person to most men by reason of his forward zeale to engage in what he conceiud did concerne the common good which cost him first expulsion out of France and after his being receiud in England and made Earle of Lecester noe less then his life This great Warriour obseruing the march and approach of Prince Edward to giue him battaile turnd to his Commanders and thus aduisd them let vs commend our soules to God for our bodyes are theyrs as it fell out and he dy'd with the rest The same great Prince Edward the first after he had brought the kingdome of Scotland to the vtmost extremity but preuented by death could not compleat the full conquest he chargd his Sonn Edward the 2. or of Caernaruan calld so from his birth in that castle not to enterre his body till he finishd the work begunn by him of which little remayn'd to be atchieu'd But those court Parasites the young Kings fauorites hating as death the life of a Souldier drew him of from that noble designe to court againe to the shame and infamy of the English Nation and wretched end of that vnfortunate Prince A sad example of disobedience to the last words of a dying father and such a father as England had scarse his like for valour conduct and wisdome In the very beginning of whose Raigne and first stepp into the throne S. THOMAS as his place and office requird brought him the great Seale of England with most humble acknowledgment of his obligation to his Majesty's father for honouring him aboue all desert with that eminent charge which he resignd into his Majestyes hands with this humble petition that with his Majestyes approbation and leaue he may retyre to that knowne mother of learning and wisdome Oxford where he may more enable himselfe for the seruice of God and of his Majesty and the assistance of his country To which the King answerd first with thanks as the manner is for the great seruice done to the King and kingdome and for his petition that he assented to it and for the present gaue him full liberty to dispose of himselfe as he thought fitting This was it which our Saint much more addicted to the Schooles then the court so earnestly breathd after and as cheerfully hastend to them as a stone to its Center or fyre to its element „ trahit sua quemque voluptas And heer I cannot but pawse a while vpon this noble and heroicall act of S. THOMAS which if we measure by a humane ell and mans naturall inclination to greatnes was perchance one of the noblest of his life For where in the world shall one find euen vertuous and holy men who make not preferrments a part of theyr ayme and reward of theyr studyes much less who will diuest themselues willingly of it especially the highest when they
endeauour and he endeauourd it by employing to that purpose the 3. powers of his soule memory vnderstanding and will in a perpetuall presence of him His memory by recounting his great and dayly benefitts in a thankfullnes of hart his vnderstanding by meditating his diuine truthes perfections and attributes his will by louing him in all and conforming his to the diuine and this is the noblest employment of a rationall soule and an imitation of what the Saints doe in heauen The more straitly he vnited himselfe to God the more he did partake of his bountyes who scornes to be out-vy'd by any body in this kind and this participation increasd the flame of his charity which dilated it selfe both towards God and his Neighbour louing God for himselfe and his neighbour in and for God and as himselfe and this is the fullnes of the Law and Prophetts Hence he became soo Zealous both of the honour and House of God which is his Church and so sensible of the concerns of his neighbour both spirituall and temporall that he seemd to be borne for theyr reliefe and especially of the poore and needy of both which parts of charity we shall treat more amply in the ensuing Chapters and first XIII CHAPTER Of his Loue to the Poore TO think that one so groundedly maximd in perfection and the practise of all solid vertue as he was would rather impayre then improue by his Exaltation is a paradoxe Qui Apoc. 22. 11. sanctus est sanctificetur adhuc who is holy let him aduance in holynes sayd S. John and so sayes euery truly vertuous soule whose glory is to be allwayes mounting with the sunn to the topp of his Meridian All our Saints ambition and satisfaction was in a happy progress towards perfection knowing that as to its pursuit we are as it were in a streame where there is no standing still for the Rower not to ascend is to descend and to goe backward not to goe forward Euen while he was yett a Churchman or Canon he was very much deuoted to almes deeds and the reliefe of the poore how much was this pious practise aduancd when by the imposition of hands he had receiu'd the H. Ghost who is Father of the Veni Pater patiperum poore and made him such but whether before or after matters not the vertue being equally commendable in both states and we wil speak promiscuously of it in both Though good words giue but barren comfort to an empty stomack yett still it is true that out of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaks and then they are onely expressions of a willing mind and howeuer euen a Compassionate answer is in some sort satisfactory The poore were sure at least of that from him if nothing else though he seldome stinted his charity there and as he esteemd them the Patrimony of Christ so he spoke with all humility and respect to them as he would to Christ himselfe knowing that to be done to him which was done to the least of his members Vpon this account the esteem he had of them was such that he commonly calld them his Breethren a name of greatest loue and with his good will would haue had all his domestiques to haue calld them so too and chidd them that they did not Whence it is recorded that being sett at table with halfe a dozen such guests and finding yet place for more he sent one of the waiters to the Pallace gate te see whether any of his Breethren were there or no if there were that he should bring a couple of them along with him He returning told his Lord there were no Brothers of any Order what soeuer No sayd the Bishop not of this that sitts heer by me poynting to the beggars yes my Lord replyd he there are at least a dozen such goe then sayd he and bring 5. of the number along with you which was forth with done impletae sunt Matt. 22. 10. Nuptiae discumbentium But words be they neuer so good are still inferiour to deeds these latter being a better proof of charity as costing more and aftording more reliefe This was the substantiall part of his loue to the poore and he was not sparing of it he had to witt learnd the great lesson of his Lord and Master beatius est Act. 20. 35. magis dare quam accipere it is a more blessed thing to giue then to take and he was resolu'd to practise it in this behalfe The recommendation of his owne meritts and noble discent had furnishd him with a large proportion of Church Reuenues euen before the accesse of his Bishoprick which besydes a competency of maintenance beseeming his quality and the discharge of other incumbencyes he knew not how to bestow better then on the poore He knew that the goods of the Church are the Patrimony of Christ and where could he spend them better then on the liuing members of Christ eyther to his owne content of mind or satisfaction of conscience This is the way to grow rich in heauen and make friends of the Mammon of iniquity Luc. 16. 9. that when other meanes fayle these may receiue vs into the eternall tabernacles nay euen procure vs temporall Commodityes synce almes deeds layd vpp in the bosome of the poore this is the best way of honouring our Lord by Prou. 2. 10. them fill both the press with wine and barnes with Corne and the almes-giuer with other blessings He in deed had no great sinns of his owne to redeem by them as hauing probably neuer lost his baptismall innocence but he aymd at a treasure of meritts due to such works of Corporall mercy and was to be layd vpp in heanen against his reception there out of the reach of rust or moth Hence he took this vertue so to hart that it was very resplendent in his practise and the poore resorted to him as to a common parent from whome they neuer departed empty handed He found it no bad medium to work by the body vpon the Soule and true that to gaine this charity must be shewd to that an indisposd body is like an indisposd mind hard to be wrought vpon while necessitous fill the hand and you gaine the hart now flexible to any good impressions Our corrupt nature is more sensible of hungar then of deuotion and ressents want of sustenance more then want of vertue or grace It is as hard to hammer it to good as a piece of iron to a good shape vnles it be first made supple by the fire of a subuentiue charity this done you may forme it as you please Works of Corporall mercy must dispose for the spirituall Therfore his custome was to seek admittance to the mind by relieuing the body and made it a part of his care to order things so that while he refreshd this that should not also want its food partly by pious discourses and godly instructions partly by causing some good book
meritts we may deserue to be associated to the quires of Angells and the first lesson of the same Office calls him Angelicus homo an Angelicall man And the loue and esteem he had for this vertue was not onely verball or from the teeth outwards but he made good in deed what he professd in word and Alm. God was pleasd to permitt Certamen forte dedit ei ut vinceret Sap. â—0 12. some trialls in this kind and to giue him a strong Combatt for the greater glory of his victory While he liu'd at Paris he like another chast Joseph was assaulted in the same as dangerously as impudently and he like him forc'd to flye and leaue his cloak behind him nor can that flight by deemd disgracefull when by it we gett the victory He gott it and in this was more happy then Joseph that he wonn not onely the Combatt but also the Tempter into the bargaine reclayming her to a chast life from her impudent lubricity and so deseru'd a double reward Such a chast body was fitt to be the consort of so pure a soule to make vpp an Angelicall Compound and it s but meet that such a jewell of purity should be keept in a suitable Cabinett that both parts might beare proportion and mutually correspond A Christian ought to trayne vpp his body to immortality and labour to leaue it such in life and death as he desyres to find it in the Resurrection such that it may be acknowledgd and ownd for a Member of Chtist as indeed it is and what a shame then is it as the Apostle argues to make it the member of a harlott Our B. Saint vnderstood this right well both as to proportion decency and other aduantages which thence accru'd and therfore he made it allwayes his busynes to procure and maintaine a good Correspondence betwixt both Now he that was so industrious in the Cultiuating and preseruation of his body what would he be for his soule and Conscience the other 's but the seruant this the Mistress that but the Shell this the Pearle and he knew very well how to giue euery one its due All he was to doe in this kind was to keep it to Christian duty according to his state to cultiuate it in piety and the seruice of God sowing in it the seeds of all vertues and how he did this euen in his youth and in what a nice and delicate temper he keept it maybe knowne by what we related in the end of the 5. Chapter of the vine-propp taken out of anothers vineyard and the 7. yeares pennance he did for the same Whence we may gather how Angelically pure that delicate soule was which checkd so feelingly at so small a matter and how farr it was from harbouring any great offence which deemd the least to be so great Nor yett was it one of those which flea a gnatt and swallow a Camell according to the expression of our B. Sauiour or stumbles at a straw and leaps ouer a block but pure illuminated soules in theyr quick-sightednes can espye a blemmish where a dimm eye of a grosser Complexion makes no discouery at all This was the Constitution of his mind and tenour of proceeding when he was now in the flower of his youth and nature pronest to lubricity where nothing but the speciall grace of God in an eminent sanctity could work such effects so opposite to nature and aboue it And as he went allwayes aduancing to Sanctity euen till death so did he also in purity sanctity as S. Anselme defines out of S. Denys being a most perfect and vnspotted purity free and entyre from all blemmish and to what a pitch of eminency must he needs arriue I shall conclude all in this that he liu'd and dy'd a pure Virgin both in body and mind XXV and last CHAPTER Of his Justice and Prudence BOth these are Cardinall Vertues and when I haue shewd with what a rich stock our Saint traded in them I shall haue made him Conspicuous in in all fower As for his temperance and fortitude I haue already giuen a character of them the former while I treated of his abstinence the latter of his courage and magnanimity in defence of his Church As to what we treat of at present he had great practise of the former to witt Iustice in both his Chancellorships and dischargd his trust with such integrity that all partyes concernd were abundantly satisfyd And he took the true way to doe it for he sought it not himselfe and made its advance his end not his owne nor the enrichment of his estate while others peruersly inuert true order by taking the quite contrary course The ordering of this depends much vpon the well or ill ordering of theyr owne Conscience which must be the beame of the ballance and to be right stand allwayes perpendicular inclining neyther to one syde or other but as the scales sway it in the one wheroff must be justice in the other the thing controuerted to the end an eeuen and vnpartiall hand may be keept It were much to be wishd that all distributers of justice did this more indeed to be wishd then hopd for while so many make a trade of selling what they ought to giue and gratis theyr honesty becoming venall to auarice and them selues imitatours of Iudas who as he sold his Master so they theyr Mistress for what are all in office but her Seruants and Ministers that which Captiuated the other Captiuates them peruerts theyr sense and misleads them from the paths of equity This proceeds from being not so well principled in poynt of Conscience and justice which goe allwayes hand in hand togeather and are attended by vprightnes and syncerity and thus our B. Saint walkd in them with the Common approbation of all guided not by the dictamens of this world but Diuine Wisdome by whose Prou. 8. 15 direction all both Lawgiuers and Administers of justice decree and execute just things Thus he purchasd that vogue of integrity which euery where accompany'd his proceedings growing vpp with him euen from his youth and so habitually rooted and relucent in all his carriage that it is noted as the prime Motiue why he was chosen first to the Chancelorship of the Vniuersity and then of the whole Kingdome And Certainly such an integrity of justice is an excellent Cemmendatory to preferment as giuing great aduantages to a full discharge of trust and strange it is that men do not take this way to Compass it when they seek so greedily after it If naturall abilityes be so much regarded how much more in all reason ought supernaturall if witt how much more vertue Witt without vertue and grace degenerates for the most part into Craft and turnes publique justice into priuate ends and selfseeking Euen those that are not vertuous are great admirers of it in others as being praise worthy in a very enemy and synce no body but loues to haue theyr things well done and
the place besydes 14. Earles and Barons and 400. knights with theyr seruanâ—s horse and foot taken presoners This victory cutt the sinewes of the Barons confederacy and blew off all forraigne stormes from our English Coast the french Prince thinking fitt at last to look back vpon a safe retreat and to quitt anothers right not to lose his owne In fine our young king was so settled heerby in his throne that from this day no rebellion durst presume vpon the minority of his yeares nor attempt his Fortune And for the space of 34. yeares as long as William Lord Cantilupe S. THOMAS his father liu'd no man had the power or Courage to make head against him These happy tidings well-comd S. THOMAS into the world or rather he brought them with him these Laurells of victory crownd the Cradle of our holy Infant or rather he was giuen from heauen as a Crowne of his fathers loyalty and as a pledge of the diuine protection ouer the little king who though a child was better read then most men in that maxime of wisdome that crownes and kingdomes are disposd and swayd by the hand of God Prou. 8 19. And therfore seeing himselfe at the first stepp into his throne so strongly opposd or rather thrust out by the violence of a forraigne Aduersary and faction of his natiue people Could think of no other refuge but God And Henr. Kâ—ighten de euenâ—ib Anglia as an Authour of creditt writing of those times recounts he betook himselfe to little Iesus in his Virgin Mothers lapp and with as innocent as sweet a confidence presents his Petition in these words Rogo te puerum Regem vt me Regem puerum de caetero regas defendas I beseech thee who art a king and child gouerne and defend me henceforth who am a king and Child That this petition was not in vayne is sufficiently manifest by the euent and strange ouerthrow of such powerfull designes which could be onely contrould by the hand of God Neyther did the diuine mercy make a stopp heer but gaue a further assurance of his holy protection by the happy birth of S. THOMAS Cantilupe who was not onely a presage of better times but in a particular manner designd for a maine support and strength both to king and kingdome in the highest seat of gouerment and to be a mirrour of iustice in both Tribunalls of church and state II. CHAPTER Of the Parents and descent of S. THOMAS NObility hough in the most ciuilizd Nations it hath euer had a speciall prerogatiue in the generall conceyt of men yett with this abatement and restriction that the wiser sort neuer lookd vpon it otherwise then an extrinsecall and boriowd light shining more by the reflexion of others deserts then any worth in it selfe Which well interprets that ancient custome of the Romane Nobility who wore the sigure of a Moone vpon theyr shoe as a distinctiue mark of theyr rank and quality Neyther had that golden Grass-hopper any other meaning which the Gentlemen of Athens wore vpon theyr garments as a badg of honour but to admonish them that Nobility though it seemd a specious and glittering thing yett was but a meer ayry and idle fancy if like the silly grasshopper they contented themselfes to sing and chant theyr Ancestres renowne and greatnes and would not take the paynes to lay vpp store and make themselues a stock of true worth and honour by theyr owne industrious and noble actions Vertue like the sunn shines with its owne light and needs no supply from any other it liues not with the breath of other fame nor rakes vpp honour out of dead mens ashes It may seem therfore a very vnnecessary if not preposterous diligence to be inquisitiue of the pedigrees of Saints whose purity and holynes of life hath raisd them aboue all the hight of flesh and blood and by a strange adoption made them brothers and sisters and mothers of God himselfe Neuertheless if the wisdome of God allowes of a mutuall reference and Communication between the Parent and the child so as the shame and honour of the one reflects vpon the other if the eternall Prouidence hath a speciall and Mysterious designe euen in that lineall succession of nature as it appeares by the stile of holy scripture and remarkably in the Genealogy of the Word Incarnate where the fingar of God poynts out all particulars with such exactnes name by name both good and bad Infine if the excellency of vertue doth not seldome more appeare by a parallel of former times eyther in similitude and imitation of worthy actions or a generous renouncing and detestation of the contrary it cannot but conduce to the better knowledg and esteem of Saints to be informd of what stock and coÌ„dition they are If noble and of high extraction like a diamond bred in a mine of gold worthy to be obserued that by theyr owne vertue they surpass the glory of theyr birth and Ancestres and not by idolizing and adoring but treading vpon worldly greatnes they make it an ascent to raise themselues from earth to heauen If of a meane and low degree like an orientall pearle in a course and rugged shell the workmanship of diuine grace is the more to be admir'd that can raise children of Abraham from stones and frame such pretious rarityes of gross materialls As the happynes and glory of the Saints themselues is likewise more remarkable being they owe nothing of theyr greatnes to earth but receiue all from heauen In a word it cannot be deny'd but that nobility and renowne of Ancestres as an impartiall wittnes well expressd it is a visible light which Marâ— us in Salust makes the actions of posterity more Conspicuous be they good or bad Hauing vpon this occasion digressd thus farr giue me leaue to add one word more and let our nobility know that this busynes of descent be it neuer so noble is a meer ayry thing unles it be supported and illustrated with uertue and piety When it is thus mated it both giues and receiues great aduantages and the one sets off the other extreamly True it is that euery-wher euen alone it ought to haue its due respect and none that I know denys it besydes the Quaker but when any bragg of it they boast of what 's not theyr owne and shew therby rather theyr owne emptynes then its worth and themselues to haue more of the man then Christian For Christian Nobility deriues not its pedegree from flesh and blood but grace and sanctity according to the saying of S. Ambrose the linage of a just man is vertue and perfection for by it soules are ennobled and dignify'd as familyes are by antiquity of blood nor onely ennobled but deify'd to a participation of the diuine nature This is true nobility indeed and worth standing on and adds great lustre to the other as the mixture of a nobler mettall doth to another of an inferiour allay yett still
course of life he would chuse what pleasd him best The child freely answerd him that he would be a Souldier Well sayd sweet hart quoth the Bishop thou shalt be a souldier to serue the highest of Kings and figh vnder the colours of his glorious Martyr S. THOMAS These words prou'd not onely propheticall by the euent but also had such efficacy that the Parents as in obedience to a diuine decree directed the whole education of the child to piety and learning And the Child himselfe as if he had learn'd a new lesson from heauen thought no more of those glorious fancyes to which his owne generous nature carry'd him and the examples of his illustrious progenitours incited him but with the same courage betook himselfe wholly to his book and with the little Salomon preferrd it before thrones and kingdomes This resolution was truly to be admird in the child and no less in his parents considering not onely the vehement inclination of men to liue after death in theyr image by posterity but much more the hight of theyr fortune with so rich a stock of antiquity and honour preserud and amplifyd for soe many descents wheras if he took a course of retyremēt from a worldly life and not compatible with succession as his education seemd to dispose him all must dye with him and lye buryed in the same graue None of these respects could euer perswade the Parents of our Saint to let him runn the common race of the world in liberty in plenty in wantonnes in excess of vanity and pleasure without restraint of any thing that flatters the sensuall appetite foments self loue and reiects all command of reason These generally being esteemd in the deprau'd iudgmēt of men as propper attributes of greatnes and on the contrary discipline learning and piety laughd at as a debasement of noble spiritts and meer precisianisme But these pious prudent Parents weigh'd things in another ballance they were fully satisfy'd of this truth that nothing suites better with honour then uertue and that nobility cannot liue in a more immortall Monument upon earth thē in the shrine of sanctity They knew that the nobler the mind the more need of cultiuating otherwise like a rich soyle more subiect to grow wild and degenerate They were not so sollicitous to propagate as to illustrate theyr family the happiness wherof they plac'd not in long continuance but a good conclusion And since familyes are mortall and haue theyr tearme of life as well as each particular man they cannot come to a better end then to dye in the bed of honour with integrity of fame and vertue IV. CHAPTER His first Studyes in Oxford OUr little S. THOMAS hauing now receiud the first tincture elements of learning at home both the autority of his Parents and his owne propension ledd him to a place of higher improuement the vniuersity of Oxford which was at that time in the primitiue vigour and esteemd by all as great a schoole of uertue as learning and therfore the common Nursery of our chiefe nobility of Engeland a thing continu'd euen to our dayes though with different success as but too true experience teaches vs. It was hard to say whether Oxford in that age though it euer bore the preeminence of antiquity or Paris had the greater repute and fame of learning Yet this noble strife bred nothing of that malignity to which the emulous nature of man is but too prone yea rather maintaynd a friendly Commerce and as it were free trade beweene these two great Marts of wisdome and sanctity And as those times were fertill of great persons in all perfections neyther of these two renownd Academyes did ingross any aduantage to themselues nor enuye the others benefitt but mutually imparted to each other what was rare and eminent The two glorious lights of the Catholique Church S. Dominick and S. Frācis his Orders illustrated the world at that time with theyr primitiue splēdour and reuiu'd Christianity with new vigour of learning and piety S. THOMAS of Aquine S. Bone S. Bonauenture Doctour of Doctours Alexander of Hales borne in Glocestershyre master of both these Saints with many others of the foresayd holy Institutes were the Oracles of that age and particularly enrich'd and cultiuated the French and English Vniuersities with theyr admirable doctrine Among the rest that famous learned Prelate Robert Kilwarby was highly eminent who bred and borne in England was one of the first of that nation who Consecrated him selfe to God in the holy habit of S. Dominick But his great abilityes and learning gaue him not leaue to enioy the sweet retyrement of a Religious life He was first calld by the Sea Apostolique to the Primacy of England in which charge he gaue such testimonyes of his incomparable worth that Nicolas the 3. who then sate in S. PETERS Chayre a great admirer of learning and vertue which he onely regarded in all preferments to haue his neerer assistance in the generall gouerment of the whole Church thought fitt to create him Cardinall and Bishop of Porto neer Rome which is the second dignity among those Princes of the Church The holy Prelat hauing receiud this new addition of honour was so farr from that Common disease and dropsy of Soules who the more they haue of greatnes the more they thirst that the first thing he did was to disburden himselfe of his Metropolitan charge of Canterbury not without resentment and repugnance of the king and all the nobility of England who extremely affected and reuerened him for his great learning and holynes of life He left behind him a perpetuall Monument of his piety and loue to his Order which is yett ex ant though applyd to a different vse Commonly knowne by the name of Black-Fryars in London This place when he was Arch Bishop of Canterbury he purchasd and built both Church and Conuent for his Religious whome he transferrd thither from a less Conuenient Residence in the suburbs The modesty and humble Carriage of this great Prelat was no less admird in the Court of Rome then his eminent parts and excelling knowledg He would not chāge his poore Religious habitt for the purple of Princes and was the first Cardinall that retaynd his habitt in that dignity as euer synce his example was followd by those who were promoted to that degree of honour from Religious Orders of Monastique discipline He neuer appeard in publick but on foot and neuer had other trayne but two of his owne Religious to accompany him and two other attendants in the nature of seruants In fine though he was admird and honourd as the Oracle of those times and mouth of the See Apostolique as appeard in that famous treaty and letters written by him in the Popes name to the king of Tartary about the Conuersion of that nation to the Christian fayth yett nothing could euer lift him the least thought aboue himselfe out of the profound humility and pouerty of
youth the vniuersity of Oxford But before he leaue Paris and we conclude this Chapter it will not be impertinent to our purpose to shew what a lilly he was at that time amidst those thrones of Philosophy able enough to choake all spiritt and sentiments of piety and deuotion if great care be not taken that is how pure and nice a conscience he keept how sensible of the least blemmish of imperfection and this will appeare by an example which stands on record and happend in this interim While he study'd his Philosophy at Paris the window of his closett was a little at fault and to sett it right without trouble or the help of a workman he serud himselfe of a stick or propp of a vine out of the next vineyard The matter God wott so very inconsiderable to an ordinary conscience would not haue created any scruple at all yett he though otherwise not scrupulous in his tendernes apprehended the transgression so deeply that euen then for its expiation he enioynd him selfe a 7. yeares pennance and each of them with great remorse confessd the same From whence we may gather how Angelically pure that blessed soule was which checkd so ressentiuely at so minute a thing and how farr it was from harbouring any great offense which deemd the least to be so heynous A tender conscience is like a tender eye which the least moat disturbs and annoyes making it water to wash of the stayne and express regrett that euer it came there VI. CHAPTER His study of the Canon-law at Oxford THe resolution which S. THOMAS took after he had ended his Philosophy with such success and applause sufficiently declares that his intention was not to make vse of those studyes as an additionall ornament of his other eminent parts and quality that as his birth and fortune raisd him aboue the vulgar sort so he might also excell them in perfection of mind and knowledg Which could not but be esteemd a motiue worthy of a generous Spiritt in setting so true a value vpon the better part of man and not suffering the flower and vigour of his age to vannish and wither away without fruit In prosecution of such happy beginnings to carry all on before him and perfect him selfe in each kind and for all Callings he resolud for his next task to apply his thoughts to the Ciuill law which though a hard and knotty knowledg yett he hopd to draw some honey out of these flints for his improuement He took it as the Israelites did the spoyles of the Aegyptians to apply it to the seruice of the true God and hearing that there was a famous Professour at Orleans who read that lecture with much applause he betook himself thither and frequented his Schoole with such esteem of progress that he farr outstript his fellow students being iudgd not onely fitt but fittest to supply the chayr in his Masters absence This knowledg enabled him much as to the mannagement of secular busynes which though it were not the thing he aymd at yett did good seruice therby and especially in the discharge of his double Chancelour-ship Having possessd himselfe of this study he vndertook another of some affinity but more sacred with the former and that was the Canon-law This suited more with his inclination and intentions besydes the speciall prouidence of God which ledd this Saint by the hand from his first infancy and guided him stepp by stepp to that hight of greatnes to which he had designd him both in Spirituall and temporall gouerment for it seems euident that our Saint had euen then deuoted himselfe entyrely to the seruice of the Church and a Clergy life otherwise what pretension could a person of his condition haue to apply himselfe to that sad and laborious study of Canon-law as voyd of pleasure as profitt or any other ambitious interest for his particular being nature and fortune had raysd him to such a pitch that he had little need of skill and industry to aduance him further The motiue then of lodging his thoughts vpon this serious and learned study was to enable himselfe for that holy function to which God had calld him from his very Childhood He knew that a Clergy life ought to be a shining light not onely in it selfe but to illustrate others as well by doctrine as example He was assurd that ignorance in such a state was blindnes in the eye deaffnes in the eare a palsey in the limms and a whole priuation of life and vigour through all the body That it was to play the Pilot without Card or Compass to Command in warr without practise of armes or Discipline to undertake the cure of others without knowledg eyiher of the euills or remedyes Neyther was the circumstance of time unseasonable to undertake that Study in the prime and vigour of his Yeares when he had improu'd himselfe in the perfect knowledg of Philosophy which quickens the mind with a new life teaches men to speak and call things by theyr true names giues them eyes to see what is invisible and makes the senses owne what they neuer knew upon the word of reason Much about this time while he was delibirating to leaue Paris a Generall Councell indicted at Lions in the same kingdome by Innocent the 4. was to take its beginning on the ensuing feast of S. John Baptist it being summond not onely upon the score of the holy land but also for redress of other Eccleasticall abuses The emulous Spiritt of our Saint desyrous to benefitt himselfe in each degree repayrd thither togeather with his younger brother Hugh knowing well that such Assemblyes summon as to a generall Muster what is valiant so to this what is wise learned and in vertue eminent He knew that a generall Councell is like a Constellation where many propitious lights Combine in one to the illuminating of the Christian world as the great interpreters of Gods will as an Oracle giuing to know undoubtedly what we are to belieue and doe in the great practises of Christianity and whither can one recurr with more aduantage and satisfaction then hither in doubtes of this nature These two lesser lights euen then darted forth such conspicuous beames that notice being taken of them they were both made Chaplans of the sayd Pope and the rather for that besydes theyr owne Meritts the presence of theyr father sent thiter by the King of England Contributed not a little to this dignity The Councell ended our B. Saint return'd full fraught with what he had heard and seen and taking Paris in his way hasten'd ouer to his Mother Uniuersity of Oxford towards the accomplishment of his fore mentiond task of canon-law designing when he had Maisterd it to proceed forth with to his diuinity But we may say that in this he reckond without his host and while we propose God disposes much otherwise for about 14. yeares interuen'd eer he could beginn the latter and in the interim he was to undergoe a
haue it in possession Honour is calld the Nurse of Arts and suites much with the propension of man who naturally loues precedency and preeminency as the milk he suckd from his Mother Eue and few part withâ—â— but against theyr wills It is moâ—â—â—hen probable for diuers reasons that S. THOMAS might haue continu'd his Office had he not sollicited a release from the same and such a sollicitation vpon the prudentiall motiues of a vertuous humility argues a profound sanctity and contempt both of himselfe and worldly things Had he continued in his charge the ordinary course of such proceedings would haue enstalld him in the Sea of somegreat Prelacy of which if he had bin more ambitious then of a priuate Retyrement he would haue made it his busynes as he did this But Saints see with other eyes then these of nature they are guided by better lights which partake more of truth and less of uanity they see honour to be nothing else but a buble and a burden and on both scores worthy of despisement synce the formerâ— as empty as the latter troublesome 〈◊〉 say no worse Honour sayth the Philosoper is in him that conferrs it the burden onely passes to the Receiuer or honored what is burdensom ought to be reiected To discouer the emptynes of honour is a poynt of wisdome to contemne that which all doâ—â— on a poynt of sanctity true wisdome makes them know it is but a shadow and that they ought not to content themselues with shadowes but solid substances nor play the dog in the fable who while he more greedily then prudently s'natchd at the shadow lost the bone True sanctity tells them that the truest honour is to contemme all honour besydes the honour of God which while they labour to aduance they honour both him and themselues not with an empty ayry honour but permanent and eternall whose shadow the other is Such good solid principles made our Saint doe what he did that is pray the Saint that is despise and trample vpon that Idol of the world for the loue of heauen and a vertuous life But though the King lisenc'd him at his request from the Chancellorship yett he still retaynd him during life of his Priuy Councill as I find vpon Record in the Process of his Canonization where his aduise prou'd many times aduantageous aboue others as I shall heer after haue occasion to relate and things were so orderd at present that no lett or stopp was putt to the actuall designe of prosecuting his studyes X. CHAPTER S. Thomas returns to Oxford proceeds Doctour of Diuinity the testimony giuen of him OUr Saint as we sayd being with licence and approbation of the King free from Court and Chancellors office so much admir'd and wishd for by the rest of the world sung with the Royall Prophet laqueus contritus est Psal 123. â— 7. nos liberati sumus the snare is broken and wee sett at liberty and like a doue or pigeon with eyes seald to the lower world soares vpwards as farr as his wings can beare him to enioy God and what leads neerest to him that is true knowledg of him which from the things it treats of as propperly as Commonly is calld Diuinity In which study hauing exercisd himselfe with his wonted application free from all other distraction and adhesion to terrene things he made such progress that by the votes of all in due time he proceeded Doctour of that highest of sciences which as the Angelicall S. THOMAS explicates it out of the Prouerbs chap. 9. v. 3. sitts like a Queen in Court and all other intellectuall Arts serue her as hand mayds And what wonder if his flight were so soaring synce he had the wings of a doue I may say of an Angell or bird of Paradise by reason of his purest soule cleanest hart and Angelicall conuersation and as the cleane of hart see God best and he so attractiuely amiable why should they not make great aduance towards him As wisdome doth not enter into a maleuolous soule nor dwell in a body subject to sinn so when it finds one symbolizing with its humour in poynt of sanctity and Capacitated therto it Communicates light as plentifully as the Sunn his beames to the Chrystall How Ioyfully he was receiud in that Uniuersity and what wellcomes he had from all the degrees of the same as a thing of course is needles heer to be expressd He Coming now in the quality not of a publick person but priuate Student to gaine more time and sett closer to his task wau'd what he could all such diuersions his entertainment was among his books and his content in his deuotions and there he neuer found himselfe less alone then when most He knew what a pretious treasure time is and esteeming it as such was loath to loose the least parcell therof this he did both for his owne benefitt and the example of others to make them less wastfull of what the most part are lauish To this good mannagement of time and his other deuotions he ioynd works of mercy and especially relief to poore schollars to many wherof he gaue a dayly maintinance enabling them therby to goe through with theyr studyes and to this kind of charity he was much addicted as we shall further shew in the 13. Chapter His thoughts thus diuided betwixt his studyes and deuotions gaue him the fruits of the formers industry and the blessings of the latters light Amidst these he prepar'd himselfe for his great Act or Commencement at which his ancient friend and Master in spiritt who had taught him many a good lesson in that kind would be present I meane Robert Kilwarby who though at the time of his Presentment he were Doctour of the Chayre yett before the time he was to stand in the Act his great knowledg and eminent vertue had receiud a condigne reward of both from the hands of Pope and Prince the See of Canterburry This made the new Prelate not stand vpon his poynts but as the truly humble the more they are exalted the humbler they are so this preferrment rather furtherd then retarded him in the respect and honour he intended his friend Friendship is neuer better grounded or supported then with piety none knowing the lawes of that better then this or keeping them more inuiolably as least swayd by interest Though the meritts of our Saint were such that they needed no commendatoryes yett to obserue forme and the vsuall custome after his examen he is bid to withdraw that done the Arch-Bishop who came downe purposely to performe the Ceremonyes of his Creation gaue an ample testimony of him and that upon oath to the present Auditory at what time the saint was no less then 54. jeares of age He commended him first from the 4. Cardinall vertues and his eminent perfection in each next from his singular purity both of body and mind as pure as to both as he was the firstday he came into the world
he did Those great talents and abilityes which renderd him so recommendable to this did the same to Ecclesiasticall promotions It is a prerogratiue which God hath annexd to vertue that it meets though not allwayes with many euen temporall rewards when it looks the least after them and indeed who deserues them better or when they haue them can vse them with more integrity His nobility also and great allyance gaue no small furtherance whence it was that he enioyd at the same time by dispensation many and fatt benifices all which according to the Collatours intention he turnd not so much to his owne interest as to the maintaining and recouering of theyr rights vpholding priuiledges conseruing buildings and relieuing the poore of the respectiue neighbourhood He was at the same time Canon and Chanter of York Archdeacon and Canon of lichfield Archdeacon of Stafford Canon of London and Hereford all which I rehearse not as soe many Certificates of his Sanctity but as rewards of his meritts and pledges of respect and honour from such Chapters ambitious to haue him a member of the same and it were to be wishd that such were allwayes in theyr hands who would vse them to theyr improuement While things were in this course John de Breton a worthey Prelate grouernd the See of Hereford one well seen both into the Canon and Common-Law of the Land which latter he illustrated with his writings This man dying in this interim left his chayre vacant to a successour and the care of prouiding a fitt one to the vigi lancy of the Chapter the carriage of things as to the Election as we find recorded in the Process of his Canonization was after this tenour It chanc'd while the Chapter was deliberating about that poynt S. THOMAS a canon of the same though his ordinary Residence were at Londen was accidentally calld downe thither vpon the score of other affayres The day prefixd for the election before his coming happend while he was there and he as a member theroff and of great regard both for his vertue learning and nobility was desyrd to preach before the Chapter and so giue a happy entrance to the work All proceeded Canonically according to method but yett the result of the votes was not so cleare and absolute that day as to decide the question and tell them positiuely this is the man The next meeting did it and all the Chapter by ioynt decree sayth the Process did conclude first that the party to be elected should be a THOMAS and next that the ambiguity of that name should be resolu'd to the indiuiduall THOMAS Cantelupe whence follow'd an vnanimous acclamation of all desyring and accepting and voycing him theyr Bishop Hence he was carry'd to the high Aultar and a TE DEUM solemnly enton'd by way of thanksgiuing with the Uniuersall applause and good liking of all besydes himselfe For he like one surprizd at vnawares and expecting nothing less then what happend broke forth into teares bemoand his condition deprecated the burden alledg'd his owne insufficiency and usd all the arguments he could diuise to reuerse the Election He did as Saints vse to doe who measuring themselues by the ell of theyr owne mean-conceytednes and poyzing the burden which such a charge drawes after it the eyes of theyr humility makes them deem themselues weaklings and the burden like an Aetna insupportable well knowing what it is to be accountable for so many soules He did like an humble Saint and they like a wise and and Sage Chapter who knowes those to be fittest for Prelacy that are least ambitious of it and them ablest to answere for others who are most carefull ouer themselues for he that is knowne to neglect his owne soule how can it be presumd that he will be vigilant ouer those of others synce charity beginns at home Farr was our Saint from those ambitious motiues of preferrment which possess euen good soules and though Tim. C. 3â— the Apostle sayes he that desyres a Bishoprick desyres a good work yett great Saints find good reasons why to waue yea suppress such desyres especially when they find them to arise more from selfseeking then Gods honour or the good of soules No body ought Hebr. 5. 4. to emulate this honour but he that is calld by God as Aaron it is want of interiour light that makes many more forward then considerate in this kind who seeing onely by the glimmerings of selfloue a false light issuing from an ignis fatuus think that often gay which has nothing suchbut what it borrowes from false reflexions Wher as Saints who are of a more refind sight as seeing things by true lights and measuring them accordingly by the Weights of the Sanctuary make a farr different estimate and proceed quite contrary As we ought not to censure the former vnles theyr Sinister intention and self endednes condemne them first for Mercenaryes so we cannot but admire those others who preferr an humble security before a splendid danger and dread the honour by reason of the burden As the H. Ghost the great President of the Church and its affayres presides influentially in all its Canonicall Elections so we cannot doubt but that Fingar digitus pat dextera of the Fathers right hand did heer as it is his office inspiringly poynt out this Sheapard whome he designd to gouerne that flock and sett vpp as a light in the Candlestick of the Church of Hereford to shine to all in learning and vertue That this was an assured Decree of heauen not onely as all Canonicall Elections are but also peculiarly preordaynd by a speciall prouidence may be shewd both by the whole steerage of his life whose actions and behauiour seemd to be squard and moulded for such a course as also by seuerall predictions and prognosticons which intimated the same The saying of Walter Cantilupe Bishop of Worcester and his kinsman vtterd in our Saints childhood concerning his future state of life cited in the 3. Chapter seemes by the euent to haue bin Prophetique and as such was receuid by his Parents who ther vpon directed the whole education of theyr child to a perpetuall aduance in knowledg and piety the two ornaments and supports of Prelacy It was no less remarkable what passd while he study'd the Law at Orleans and for his excellency in that science supplyd the absence of his Professor When the night before he was to read one of his fellow Students beheld him by way of dreame not onely in the Chayre or Pulpitt but also Carrying a Bishops Mytre on his head the circumference or border wherof was full of Crosses as ominating that he was to walk by the way of the Cross full of hardship and contradiction We may add to these a third prediction of his immediate Predecessour who two yeares before his owne death and the others election fore-told he should succeed him in his charge The choyse being made and ratify'd to the satisfaction of
the good wheat and spoyle the haruest To recommend this vertue rhe high Priest in the old law carryd an Amythist enchac'd in his Rationall as a symbol of watchfullnes the nature of that precious stone disposing much therto and nature inculcates the necessity of it both by the lions sleeping with open eyes and the crane with a stone in her talon not to ouer sleep themselues as the foolish virgins did but be ready for the least alarme which lesson is taught vs by the spouse and may serue for a Motto to all Ego dormio cormeum Cant. 5. 2. vigilat Vpon the same score he considerd himselfe not onely as the Master of a great family which he was to feed with the bread of the word of God and keep in good order as beseemd the House of God but also which touchd him neerer to the hart a Common farher of so many children whome as such he was to embrace with the armes of a fatherly charity and tender theyr Spirituall wellfare as much as any parent for each one wheroff he was to be accountable to him who entrusted them in his hands This made him putt on the bowells of Colos 3. 12. mercy benignity humility modesty patience and beare with the faults and frailtyes of others becoming all to all that he might winn all to Christ This humble condescendence gaue him a powerfull ascendant vpon the harts of the good to incline them much towards vertue and piety and gaind him so much esteem in theyr affections that his words were tanquam potestatem Matt. 7. habentis as of one that spoke with an awefull autority Yett he lou'd them as his Children and was so belou'd by them and feard accordingly for that feare is best and most effectuall to good which is grounded on and arises from loue when it is otherwise it is not so much filiall as seruile that is propper to seruants rather then children This Retyrement as it sequesterd his hart and thoughts from the world and its affayres so it gaue him a fayrer prospect of vertue and its anduantages to Christian perfection and the necessity therof towards the due ordering both of body and soule To haue all well there must be a right vnderstanding and subordination betwixt these two the soule must be Mistress and good reason why the body handmayd and subseruient Reason must command sense obey this will not be done but by a true subjection of the inferiour man to the Superiour nor that but by frequent pennance and mortification interiour and exteriour both in macerating the flesh and subduing our passions and appetites To effect this the seruants of God make warr vpon them 1 Cor. 9. 17. selues by chastizing theyr bodyes least while they preach to others themselues become reprobate and to this purpose embrace the hardshipps of fasting watching hayr cloath and the like to further and compleat the conquest of themselues And this was the practise of our H. Saint as the Recorders of his life and gests doe testify and had also bin through his former age wearing a rough hayr cloath next his body for many yeares togeather pennancing his innocent flesh with frequent fasts and watchings But now he frequented all these in so much greater perfection as he conceiu'd the need he had of theyr present support to be more pressing though not to suppress any rebellious mutinyes yett to obtaine greater supplyes of grace Yea euen in the houre of his death and amidst the incumbrances of a long and tedious iourny he was found shrowded in one of these as in a coat of male against the stings of death as if he intended according to the Prouerbe „ clavum clauo pellere to driue out one nayle with another or make a cordiall for his sicknes of that which seemd as ill as the sicknes it selfe But Saints esteem those cordialls which we doe Corrosiues And his feruour in this kind was such that by these and other the like austerityes he incurrd great infirmityes of body and was much pesterd with most sharp fitts of the cholique and paynes of the Stomack which with other sicknesses gaue him a full exercise of his patience for many yeares with no small increase of meritt But the vigour of his mind Masterd all these which seru'd onely to render his body or inferiour part more pliant and supple in a due subjection wher by his Soule perfect Mistress of the family yealded a rationall obsequiousnes to God its Creatour by dilating it selfe in prayer and meditating the diuine perfections with the repose of so much deuotion and sweetnes that he seemd to be there as in his Center And it is recorded of him peculiarly that his exteriour Capgraue Composure and recollection in the same was such that the very sight of him was sufficient to stirr vpp both fayth and feruour in the beholders as also that in celebrating the H. Sacrifice of Masse his hart and eyes were so dissolu'd into teares as if he had actually beheld the bloody Mystery of the Cross represented to them so liuely was his fayth so ardent his deuotion He carry'd a great loue to this exercise of prayer and deseruedly for by it all spirituall enterprizes are atchieu'd that being the Source from whence we deriue both light to discouer and strength to act and courage to attaque and perseuerance to Crowne our vndertakings By this a soule conuerseth with God and he with it Conuersation we know breeds familiarity and this friendship or vnion of harts and when one is arriu'd to that „ amicorum omnia Communia what needs he more by way of supply then the store-house of God himselfe Vnion is the result of loue that making the louer and beloued one and loue consists in a matuall Communication of goods and talents if we giue we need not doubt but we shall receiue his very essence being goodnes and bounty All these are the effects of Prayer and chiefly this vnion which who soeuer has attaynd what wants he of perfection Perfection consist's in charity which is consummated in vnity for then euery thing is deemd perfect when it attaynes its end and unites it selfe to that which is its vltimate Consummation the Consummation of a rationall Creature is God and God is in vs and wee in him by charity Being thus vnited to God by charity or as S. Bernard calls it marry'd to his Word Charitas maritat animam Verbo the sequele is that as two Spouses are two in one flesh by Corporall Espousalls so God and a soule become two in one Spiritt by a spirituall and all the consequences aduantages participations of honours riches ennoblement allyance c. which are Communicated by the other are after a much more diuine manner participated by this What wonder then if our B. Saint endeauourd so earnestly an vnion with God and took prayer so much to hart as the begetter of this vnion To maintaine and highten the same was all his
to be read suitable to the present exigence To this so laudable and holy practise of his former life he seems to haue superadded this Circumstance after his Episcopall installment that what he did before in this kind by others he would now doe by himselfe and with his owne hands This is particularly recorded of him and deseruedly worth noting as a great super additionall to the former vertue for how could he employ his hands now Consecrated to God more piously then by consecrating them to such an exercise of charity What is laudably done by another is more laudably by our selues God does Psal 144. 16. it by himselfe as the Psalmist tells vs aperis tu manum tuam imples omne animal benedictione thou opens they hand and fills each Creature with benedictions the sunn sends not a seruant nor the heauens also to diuide theyr influences to this sublunary world besydes that thus not onely an act of charity but also of humility and no meane one is exercisd It s good to giue almes by others but much better to doe it by himselfe as more meritorious one has the meritt both of the almes and of the manner of giuing it and the manner in some respect euen doubles it for who thinks not himselfe more grac'd by receiuing a gratuity immediately from the Prince's owne hand then from his seruant the more immediate the influence the more it is prizd For these reasons it is accounted a praise worthy practise in parents when they doe it not themselues to inure theyr children a part of themselues to be the Conueyers of theyr almes vnles other motiues impede it has not onely a more Comfortable acceptance both from God and man but also it habituates or rather seasons these new vessells capable as yett of any tincture with such a flauour of charity that many times it sticks by them theyr whole life long And perchance our B. Saint took his from such a ryse of deuotion or document of his pious Parents and grew vpp with him so palpably that of him it might be-sayd without rashnes ab infantiâ crevit Job 31. 18. mecum miseratio How euer certain enough it is that the practise is very Christian and much to be recommended due circumstances being obseru'd and euen while I am reuiewing these papers a fresh example for its Confirmation comes from the Emperours Court at Vienna with the acclamation approbation and also edification of all that heare it The little daughter of the present Emperour Leopold piety being allwayes hereditary to that Imperiall family which God long preserue feasted a competent number of poore children of her owne age and sexe nor content with this to compleat the charity would serue them with her owne hands To witt she and her noble Parents deemd it nothing vnworthy eyther of themselues or her to serue God in his meanest members as being ascertaind of the truth of these words Matt. 25. what you doe to one of these little ones you doe to mee This I alledg to shew that parents need not be shye or nice in poynt of apprehending it a disparagement synce they see it practisd by one of the most illustrious of the world But it suffices to haue hynted this While he was in the Uniuersityes and in them he spent the greatest part of his yeares his charity vented it selfe in a particular manner vpon the reliefe of poore Students therby to enable them to a prosecution of theyr Studyes This was seen chiefly in relieuing the hungry cloathing the naked and prouiding necessaryes for those in distress who must otherwise haue interrupted theyr course both to theyr owne and the vndoeing of many It s most charity to help them who probably are like to be most beneficiall to the publique good and consequently greatest promoters of charity who hauing bin sustaynd by it haue learnd by experience and theyr owne wants what it is to be charitable to others non aliena mali miseris succurrere disco And what fayrer way towards this enablement then a good foundation of learning vpon which the superstructures of preferrment may be built both in Church and Common-welth by employments Spirituall and temporall whence he might say I by my charityes haue enabled so many and putt them in a Capacity to doe the same to others and I think euery one will applaude his placing them so well Vpon this score of loue to the poore he was more ready at all times to heare theyr Confessions then those of the better sort who could neuer want Ghostly Fathers and those that would be forward to assist them while those of a meaner condition were easily putt by though not by him who equally beheld Christ in all and knew not what acception of persons signify'd This was so remarkable in him that a person of quality who measurd all by a worldly ell objected it as a discredit to his byrth and calling but receiu'd no other answere then this I must be accountable to Alm. God the great Judge as well for the poore as the rich ignoble as noble To this he added another but in another kind yett still to the poore and with as much or more demonstration of loue and deuotion as the former For who more poore then those who are deeply in distress and cannot help themselues in the very least those whome the H. Ghost calls by the Psalmist Psal 40 2. antonomastically THE POORE and needy and giues not one but many blessings to those that are sensible of theyr necessitous condition I meane the soules in Purgatory who are a great object of charity and begg compassion with a „ miseremini mei „ and they must be hard harted that are not mou'd synce it will be one day theyrowne case It is recorded of him that euen while Bishop if in trauelling he mett with a coarse he presently lighted from his horse and togeather with all his trayne sayd on his knees a „ de profundis „ for the soule departed So true it is that he was a louer of the poore both liuing and dead XIV CHAPTER His Charity to all and Detestation of Detraction THe former Chapter gaue vs a scantling of his loue and Charity to the Poore this indifferently to all Vertues as well as causes the more Uniuersall they are also the more perfect as most resembling those of the Saints in heauen Charity is a fyre whose actiuity is still dilating it selfe where it finds fuell to feed on it knowes no bound but discretion and many times scarse that though it ought allwayes to be orderly but it uses as little to keep a meane as it is of its owne nature much Communicatiue S. THOMAS his hart was a heauen and the Sunn of this heauen was charity as influentiall as any heauen and as pure and simple as free from all self ended composition like the Sunn it regarded all equally without acception of persons hauing latitude of hart to embrace all and each one
who besydes other great parts wher with Nature had endowd him was so farr fauourd by grace as to be eminent in sanctity of life in attestation wheroff after death his sepulcher was gracd with many Miracles the blind lame and dumb finding there a present cure Now what wonder if one Saint giue another an honorable reception this is no more then to giue vertue its due and from whome may that be more justly expected then from Saints The legality of Appeales to Rome in Church affayres when a decision cannot be had in an inferiour court is ratifyd by the custome and practise of all nations and ages to her all fly as to a common and disinteressd Mother who holds the weights of the Sanctuary and without byass and partiality diuides a distributiue justice according to equity This is no more then to appeale from an inferiour court to a superiour which the course of justice deemes lawfull nor indeed in our present controuersy which was betwixt a Bishop and his Primate could any other court giue a finall verdict To it therfore our Saint appeald and in prosecution of it made his long journey and as he was allwayes happy in this that he undertook nothing but vpon mature aduise and circumspection grounded on the sound judgment of wise Councellors so he seldome or neuer miscarry'd in any cause but all being well digested the very laying it open prou'd its decision Yett a legall course of law was to be obseru'd and things by degrees brought to an issue and his was such as he desyrd that is an enioyment of the rights he was inuested in by the decrees of former Popes without suffering any infringment therin by his Metropolitane who had not power to explicate Papall Constitutions as our Saint objected to him in the fore mentiond Councell of Redding and vpon his owne explication to lay a clayme Where all proceeds according to rigour of justice fauour pretends no place nor did it heer further then to obtaine a quick dispatch and remouall of those delayes which render law-suites both costly and tedious This was all the fauour that was or could be shewd him and he took it for no meane one longing as he did after a speedy returne his hart being at home where was also the chiefest of his concerns while the rest of his body was at Rome He did t is true by an interiour vnion of mind enioy God euery where hauing long habituated himselfe in the same but yett his content was in Recollection he lou'd not the Ceremonious visitts of courts nor the loss of time that 's made in them they being toylsomly fruitles and fruitlesly toylsome while he was Lord Chancellor he felt the smart of that and the surfeyt causd then made him less able to disgest them all his life after Yett to omitt them would haue bin deemd a solecisme against ciuility and argu'd at the best a stoicall sanctity therfore who can blame a seruant of God if he indeauour to withdraw himselfe out of the concourse of such courtshipps He that touches pitch shall be defild by it XVII CHAPTER Of his Returne homewards and death on the Way HAuing thus obtaynd a fauorable dispatch and taken leaue of that great court he putt himselfe with ioy vpon the way as to himselfe though he left it in a kind of regrett for his departure and the priuation of the sweet odour of his sanctity causd therby What is admird as present is regretted as absent nor doe we ordinarily know the worth of things better then by theyr priuation It cannot be prudently doubted but that according to his settled practise of piety during the space of his abode there he left many monuments both of his Wisdome and Sanctity most richly worth recounting had they come to our knowledg But synce they doe not we must rather content our selues with a patient silence then discourse vpon less groundles conjectures contenting our selues that all is registerd in the book of life or Annalls of heauen to be publishd at the day of judgment Nor can I doubt but according to the vsuall strayne of sanctity which has for its motto „ ama nesciri loue Concealment he playd the silent Eagle not the talkatiue parrot and that the course of his vertuous actions the more profound they were the more silent like deep riuers and with less noyse did they imperceptibly flow and therfore no wonder if they escapd the record Hauing putt himselfe on his journey as soon as the heats would permitt all his endeauours now after Alm. God were to render it as speedy as he could much reioycing in the success of his negotiation and longing earnestly to make the concernd neighbouring Churches at home as well as his owne partake of the same Thus doe the Wisest many times project according to humane reasons and motiues while reckning as I may say without theyr host they propose and God disposes Little did he dreame that his journey was destin'd to a better home and himselfe design'd not for new labours but a fruition of the past the euening being at hand when the Master of the Vineyard was to call his Workman to receyue his hyre and inuite him into the ioyes of our Lord a thing if not sought for yett alwayes wellcome as being the much better home He was resignd for life and death putting both in the hands of God and hauing learnd to possess his soule in patience he was not sollicitous to dye soon or liue long but to liue and dye well which latter can be done but once and giues the vpshott to all He was now in the Clymactericall yeare of his age 63. and his crazy body was worne out with former labours and not onely what he now did but what he had done these diuers yeares was more by the vigour of his spiritt then Corporall strength This is a thing propper to holy soules who measuring theyr ability as indeed they ought rather by the former then the latter make this against its will keep pace with that as hath bin obseru'd in S. Basil S. Gregory and others and eyther by Communicating a new force or reiecting the sleeules excuses of self loue or by a speciall blessing of God they doe wonders in this kind This vigorous resolution had now brought him as farr as the state of Florence and in it to a place knowne by the name of Monte Fiascone but its stock or viaticum being spent could carry him no further Heer his debility destitute of vitalls for a reinforcement causd a distemper that was hightned to a feauer this in its accesses as a certaine fore runner of death by its symptomes told him that the dayes and wayes of his pilgrimage would shortly be ended and so they were in not very many houres Compass all its periods concluding in one poynt to witt Alm. God in whose sight the death of Saints is pretious Now we must look on him a while as deaths victime and learne of
him how to dye well which is one of the most important arts in the world for what auailes it if we gaine the whole uniuerse and suffer shipwrack of our owne Soules This maxime was the study of his whole life and on it all his principles were grounded and so well that he was not a frayd to look death in the face he regarding it no otherwise then as a passage to a better life and therfore amidst all its appalements he sate vpon its Couch as the Phenix on her pile of spices expecting that the same flames which consumd his body should renew his soule to a better and immortall life Of this his passage I shall say no more then I find vpon authentique Record the Process of his Canonization reflecting on two things first his preparation to it secondly the sequels of it And as to the former when he perceiu'd that the euening of life was in a great decline and its sunn neer vpon setting though his whole life had bin nothing else but a preparation to death or disposition to the sleep of Saints by which they rest in our Lord yett the neerer it approachd the more it awakd him to a discharge of his last dutyes And therfore with hart and eyes fixd on heauen the first of his desyres according to the Rytes of H. Church were the last Sacraments or Viaticum of that great journey doing himselfe as he had taught others to doe in that passage These are Confession Communion and Extreme Unction which as no good Christian doth omitt so no good seruant of God but has them in esteem and veneration and the greater the better insight they haue into the Concerns of theyr soule and its happy passage Hauing thus prouided for the substantiall part all the rest of his minutes were lett out at the highest exchange and he vnmindfull of all worldly things inuokd the Spiritt both of life and light by a „ Veni Creator Spiritus to be assistant to him in this last conflict against the Spiritts of Darknes when both life and light lye at the Stake This done he armd himselfe with the signe of the crosse or ensigne of Christianity as formidable to the infernall powers as confortable to a parting soule who whilst he consignd himselfe by it ouer to Alm. God he added these deuout expressions taught him probably in his child hood „ Per signum Crucis de inimicis nostris libera nos Deus noster and againe Per Crucis hoc signum fugiat procul omne malignum and lastly „ Per idem signum saluetur omne benignum All these are put downe verbatim in the record and teach vs how to arme our selues in our last Conflict towards a victory ouer our enemyes This done he calld his retinue about him and imparting to each fayth the lessons of his office the kiss of peace togeather with wholsome instructions for a pious life amidst these embracements he took and gaue the last adieu And now by this time the stock of life being quite spent the pangs of death came stronger vpon him and these increasing he betook himselfe more earnestly to his refuge of prayer making vse of that verse of the Psalmist propper in such a passage in manus tuas Domine commendo Spiritum meum Domine Deus veritatis Commendo Spiritum meum which words whilst he repeated thrice with his hands eleuated towards heaven he renderd his sweet Soule most acceptable to heauen to be receiud according to its meritts into the eternall tabernacles This was the setting of this sweet Sunn shewing much not onely of the Christian but of the Saint and verifying the old saying „ vt vixit sic morixit teaching vs that generall rule without exception he that liues well dyes well Which Sunn though he went downe in a strange horizon yett found a wellcome in the Ocean of bliss or a blessed eternity the true Christian deemes that his Hemisphere where God places him we being all Cittizens of the world and like beggars neuer out of our way while we are tending to Paradise Happy they that can make a happy Conclusion of so important an affayre which when thus concluded our work is done and if not happily all 's vndone and that without redress that is a moment of greatest moment wheron depends eternity Though his festiuity were keept on the 2. of October yett the day of his death happend on the 25. of August or the morrow to the Apostle S. Bartholomew And synce all Authours that I can find vnanimously agree as to the place to witt that it was neer Monte fiascone one would wonder why Bp. God win in contradiction heer of without alledging any ground for his assertion should maintaine that he dy'd at Ciuita Vecchi and in his way to Rome wheras there are vndenyable prooffs both of his arriuall there and obtayning his pretentions returne by land and holy death at the place aforesayd To say the least this cannot but argue a spiritt of contradiction propper to one of his coat and little beseeming the name of a Bishop nor had he more besydes the reuenues Onely it is a knowne trick of such I can call it no better to render the clearest truths disputable and thence doubtfull and so by degrees eneruate all fayth both humane and diuine by vndermining the autority which is theyr basis It happend the night after his decease that one of his officers whome he had left behind him in England his name was Robert of Glocester then his Secretary afterwards Chancellor of Hereford being at that time at London and Lodging in the Bishops owne Chamber had this dreame or vision call it as you please He thought himselfe to be at Lions in France where in the great street of that Citty which leads to the Cathedrall he seemd to behold his Lord and Master going towards that Church whither himselfe was also bound Both being enterd his Lord he thought went into the Sacristy where putting of the vpper garment which he wore he vested himselfe with white Pontificall Robes and those most rich and carrying in his hand the Body of our Lord or most B. Sacrament in forme of a Consecrated Host he appeard suddainly in the midst of a most solemne and stately Procession both of Clergy and religious and those likewise cladd all in white The Procession seemd to moue towards the Cloyster of the Cathedrall while others of that quire enton'd and prosecuted with delicate Musique that part of the Capitulum propper to the Office of S. Peter ad Vincula Occidit autem Jacobum fratrem Joannis gladio But before all were enterd the gate which led into the sayd Cloyster it on a suddain was shutt and Robert who with many others desyrd also to enter were excluded to theyr no small defeatment and left to consider the dreame of which he as the ignorant of the Saints death could look vpon no otherwise then a dreame But when immediately after certaine tydings both of
with such excesse of payne that it made him seek all humane redress though in vayne and try the skill of Chirurgery which not withstanding he remaynd 3. yeares stark blind faine to be ledd whither euer he went and he dayly did to S. Paules Church to heare Mass Much discomforted with this accident he calld to mind his old Patron and great well wisher S. THOMAS now Canonizd a Saint and working Miracles He recommends himselfe most earnestly to him and our B. Lady beseeching her by the deuotion he had to her to obtayne of Alm. God a cure of his misery and restorement of sight that he might againe to his comfort behold her Sonn in the Consecrated Host while it is eleuated for all to adore For this end he causd himselfe to be measurd according to custome to S. THOMAS and sent the measure and two Eyes of waxe with it to Hambleden in lincoln shyre the place where our Saint was borne and Christend Two dayes after he found some glimmerings of light so as to distinguish imperfectly motion and colour and ther vpon causd himselfe to be measurd the second time and that measure he sent to Hereford to the Saints Shryne and ther vpon found such help that with in 8. dayes space he could walk any whither without a leader and could discerne as he desyrd the eleuated Host at a Competent distance The cure he ascribd to the Saint as also in this respect the cause of his blindnes for that he in his youth when he seru'd S. THOMAS being of a loose life and wanton behauiour and chid therfore frequently by him for his amendment the Saint obtaynd of Alm. God this temporall affliction it many times giues vnsterstanding and such blindnes light to see our selues towards an amendment of his spirituall and he acknowledgd that he had reahd great benefitt therby and hartely thankd Alm. God and the Saint for the same It were as easy for mee to cite some hundreds as these few were it any part of my designe to swell this little Summary into a great volume It doth not ayme at a Rehearsall of his miracles but of his vertues which are the noblest kind of miracles for in this corrupt nature of ours so prone to vice I esteem euery soule eminent in sanctity so many miracles of Gods grace working in it And these miracles are more for our purpose that is for our imitation to which purpose if we do not apply them we swarue from the purpose the greatest honour and deuotion we can shew towards a Saint being to imitate his vertues as also the most beneficiall to vs. Miracles are good wittnesses of Sanctity ascertaning vs how high the Saint stands in the fauour of God and they stirr vs vpp also to a due recourse towards him in our necessityes but to profitt otherwise then by theyr imitation we cannot pretend synce being aboue the course of nature they are objects rather to be admird then imitated sett your selfe to a generous imitation of theyr vertues and you may probably work miracles your selfe XXI CHAPTER His Canonization and generall deuotion of all vnto him both Prince and people till this vnhappy breach THe multitude of extraordinary graces and fauours which Alm. God imparted to all sorts of people by the meritts of his glorious Seruant an Bishop S. THOMAS was the reason why the whole Kingdome sollicited the then Pope for his Canonization Now 25. yeares or ther abouts were elapsd synce the Translation of his Sacred Bones into his new Sepulcher synce which time the current of miracles neuer ceasd and the dayly Monuments theroff hanging at the same were so many Remembrancers minding them as much to glorify him as he was beneficiall toward them One good turne requires another if Saints obtayne vs temporall blessings let vs giue them the glory theroff glory is a celebrious knowledg with praise nor can this be better had in this world then from the mouth of the Church whose words in this matter are Oracles and her publique declaration in poynt of Sanctity a Canonization Hence it was that Prince and people Clergy Religious Secular all intereâ—sd alike in his fauours yett aboue others the Bishopp and Chapter of Hereford became joynt Sollicitours that as heauen had ownd his piety by so many prodigyes the Church would authentically declare it autorizing them to honour him as a Saint who had exhibited so many vndenyable prooffs of Sanctity The generalitty of the Bishops of our Nation Concurrd to this and I find a Transscript in the Processe it selfe exhibited by the Procuratour of the Chapter of Hereford to the LL. Commissioners which Transcript was subscribd by the LL. Bishops John Arch-Bishop of York Antony of Durham Godfrey of Worcester John of Landaff Iohn of Winchester Raph of Norwich Walter of Bath Aluian of Bangor Iohn of Carlile Thomas of Excester and was directed by them to his Holynes contayning theyr esteem and sentiment both of his life and vertues and the wonders dayly wrought at his Shryne Vpon this and other such Sollicitations it was that a publique Process of the Saints life and Miracles was instituted and Commissaryes Apostolicall deputed therto the two Bishopps and Arch Deacon specifyd in the precedent Chapter Procuratour for the Chapter of Hereford was one Henricus a Schorna and Bishop Richard who best knew the Saint liuing and dying as one that was bred vnder him Conscious to all his secretts was the first and chiefe Deponent The Commission took date the 13. of Iuly 1307. and was to continue but 4. months which limitation of time and multiplicity both of Wittnesses and Miracles was the reason why they could not insist vpon or pass through all but as many as were examind by them eyther in order to his vertues or miracles all Depositions passd vnder oath the H. Ghospells lying open before them and they swearing to speak nothing but truth Which depositions were duely Registerd by appoynted Notaryes reuiewd by the Commissioners and by them Consignd vpp to his Holynes and keept to posterity in the Vatican Library the perusall of an authenticall Coppy wheroff by the fauour of a speciall friend and diligent Searcher into the gests and Legends of Saints was Communicated to mee and therfore I can auerr much for the vndoubted truth of what I say The information being taken as aboue and a due returne made to the Congregation of Rites whome such matters concerne all being adjusted according to forme HIS HOLYNES Iohn the 22. at the instance of our King and Prelates proceeded to a Canonization which was solemnizd both at Rome with vsuall festiualls and to the vniuersall ioy of the whole Kingdome much more in England and chiefly in the Church of Hereford Though the day of its solemnization be not specifyd yett we may credibly think it was on the 2. of October on which day the Church celebrates his yearly memory though it be otherwise certainly knowne as we sayd aboue that the day of his
made him waue all humane respects when he was about it not admitting any interruption whatsoeuer not euen from the King himselfe though otherwise most obseruant and submissiue to his Commands It happend once that while he was ready to vest a Messinger came in all hast from the King to call him to Councell without delay vpon matters of great importance and it was his office to attend he being of the Priuy Councell What must he doe after a short pause he calls the Messinger who was a Priest wishing him to tell his Majesty if he pleasd in these tearmes That he was now engagd in the seruice of one greater then himselfe who requird his present attendance but when I haue sayd he dischargd my duty to him I will not fayle to wayt on his Majesty After all done and his deuotions ended he repayrd immediately to Court then keept at the Pallace at Westminster and receiuing a gentle rebuke for his delay the matter was proposd and discus'd in the handling wheroff he deliuerd his aduise so pertinently and suggested beyond the rest such expedients so patt and fecible that all without reply embracd them as sent from heauen And the King ouer-ioyd heer with is sayd to haue spoken to him in these words Many blessings my Lord light vpon you and euer praysd and magnifyd be that highest master whome you serue and long may you serue both him and vs. So true it is that if we seek in the first place the Kingdome of heauen and its justice not fayling of our duty in that all these secondaryes will be cast into the bargaine I will conclude the loue he shewd to God by the religious performance of these his Spirituall obligations with the deuotion he carry'd to his Saints and chiefly to the Queen of Saints the Virgin Mother The Prouerb sayth loue me and loue my friend and God sayth loue me and loue my Saints my dearest friends and deseruedly for how can they be sayd to loue him who loue not those that are one with him In his loue to our B. Lady I will comprize all the rest and although this were notedly great that is so great that he was publiquely noted for it yett we haue not much left vpon Record wherby to illustrate and amplify it This not withstanding if we may measure the Lion by his Clawe and guess at Hercules by his foot we haue sufficient hynts or grounds both to informe and inflame vs to his imitation in this particular I haue shewd aboue out of authentique Records that in his younger dayes he was wont to fast the Vigills of her feasts with bread and water which custome he continu'd till want of health disabled him therto and what greater expression of a tender deuotion could he exhibite The expression is as extraordinary as is the fast and the fast speakes as much deuotion as a fast can doe and ranks it with the tenderest He chuse her Natiuity as I noted aboue for his Episcopall Consecration receiuing that sacred Character vnder her patronage and diuers apparitions of her with him after death in a ioynt Concurrence of both to the cure of many shew how deare he was to her during life And I find that abroad he carry'd the Common esteem of one singularly deuoted to her and was poynted at as her particular client and this perswasion wrought so farr with some that they vsd it for motiue of mediation to obtayne what they desyrd beseeching him for the loue and deuotion he bore her to grant theyr request And to this purpose it is recounted of one who before had bin of his houshold and falling into a great fitt of sicknes for ten weeks space 3. wheroff he passd sleeples turning himselfe to the Saint he earnestly besought him for the loue he bore to the Mother of God that he would obtaine for him the benifitt of sleeping This sayd he fell into a slumber and in it thought he saw two men bring into his Chamber a very fine bed in which being layd by them he sleept soundly and quiettly till the morning when being awakd and missing the bed though he was more then a little concernd that it should be carryd away yett neuer the less he found himselfe quite Cur'd of his infirmity and vpon the score of the Saints deuotion to our B. Lady As for his loue towards his Neighbour I had rather waue then mention it as not able to treat of it in that due manner I ought and it deserues not but that it was mainly great in it selfe but time and records haue bin so injurious as not to conuey the particulars to our knowledg and in these things we must not goe by guess but certaine relation Who can rationally doubt but that he who was a flaming furnace of loue towards God was enkindled with the same towards his Neighbour for loue of God Or he that playd the good Sheapard for 7. yeares to geather in feeding his flock had not a tender loue for the same flock without which he had prou'd himselfe rather a Mercenary hyreling then good Sheapard Or if he were so zealously couragious for the maintenance and Recouery of his Church Lands and Libertyes would he not be much more sollicitous for her childrens soules and saluation If he took her dead Concerns so much to hart how much more would he her liuing if he were so charitably charitable after death in the cure of theyr bodyes how much more while he hu'd in curing theyr soules We know that he was assiduous in preaching and teaching in reconciling enmityes in hindering debates in administring justice in promoting piety in depressing vice in redressing abuses in administring the Sacraments c. but what 's all this to his boundles zeale which not contenting it selfe with obligatoryes would branch into supererogatoryes and none of these latter are come to our knowledg besydes what is already specifyd I cannot satisfy my selfe as to what I would and ought to say on this poynt and therfore I pass to the next XXIV CHAPTER Of his Purity of body and mind AMong all the vertues which like so many Starrs embellishd our Saint 3. seem Conspicuously eminent aboue the rest and as I may say of the first magnitude One was his zeale and courage in the vindication and maintenance of his Churches Libertyes and of this we haue treated in the 15. Chapter The second his parsimony and sobriety of dyett to such a degree of Sparenes and mortification of his appetite that he might be sayd as we mentiond a little before to haue obseru'd for many yeares of his life a strict Ecclesiasticall fast and of this in the 22. The third was a wonderfull innocency of life by which he is thought to haue preseru'd the baptismall garment of his soule pure and vnspotted all his life long at least from any mortall stayne a priuiledg granted not to many and this I call his Purity of body and mind and shall be the subjectt of
this Chapter This purity is that cleanes of hart to which our B. Sauiour affixd a beatitude and in its beames our B. Saint saw God so present in all his actions that he was ashamd as well as reuerentially afrayd to offend him whence it made him sollicitous to walk like a child of light and the Apostle tells vs that theyr Eph. 5. 9. journey and progress is in all goodnes and justice and truth Whence it was that the Royall Prophett desyrd so Psal 50. 62. much to haue a cleane hart created in him for such as is the hart such is the whole man and God who so earnestly Couetts our hart will eyther haue a pure one or none This is the eye of man which if it be simple the whole body will be lightsome if troubled and obscure darksome and if the light that 's in vs sayth our Sauiour be darknes Matt. 6. 23. how great and lamentable must that needs be This is the reason why the Wiseman aduises vs to guard our hart with all diligence because it is the Originall house of life as well Spirituall as Corporall the chiefe seat of life and the H. Ghost whose throne it is What is engenderd heer must be like that of pearles by the pure dew of heauen without speck or blemmish one dropp of salt water causes a miscarriage and as the Spouse feeds and lyes not but among lillyes so if we couett his Company at bed and bord this must be his entertainment euen a discomposd cast of an eye will make him quitt the Company for Diuine Wisdome will Sap. 1. 4. not enter into a maleuolous soule nor dwell in a body subject to Sinn To this due preseruation of the hart and maintenance of purity there must be a joynt Concurrence of both the parts of man body and soule nor will the one be able to effect it whithout the other it being a result of both One flaw spoyles the worth of a iewell one distorted limb or wenn a beautifull body perfection Consists in an integrity of the parts and whole and this was the care and sollicitude of our Saint to combyne both his in this respect into a Common interest nor did he endeauour it by fitts and spurts but was the constant practise of his life and who euer aymes at it his solid resolution must be like that of the Ermin Malo mori quam faedari rather dye then suffer a blemmish To effect this was the grand work of our B. Saint as it is of all those who intend to serue God in syncerity and purity and to Compass it the better he keept a strict eye vpon both and theyr proceedings by a due inquiry into them and sett for that end watch and ward vpon all the auenues which lead therto securing himselfe thus against all surprizes by a due intelligence of all that pasd admitting the good rejecting the bad By this diligence he enioyd a perfect peace both at home and abroad nor in his interiour did he find eyther mutiny or insurrection and whoeuer will imitate this his mannagement of such affayres shall experience the same By this wary watchfullnes and the assistance of a good Spirituall Directour in his beginnings or younger dayes he preseru'd himselfe so vnderild both in body and soule the grace of Alm. God Cooperating that he deseru'd from the same his Directour in his now declining age that publique Elogium of his integrity which I mentiond in the 10. Chapter which by aduancing from vertue to vertue he was still Consummating euen till death This was one reason why he treated his crazy body so seuerely both by abstinence and other chastisements knowing right well that to haue it a dutifull seruant it must be keept vnder and at task least through idlenes getting head it become vnruly and play the wanton debauching the soule to its licentiousnes to which our corrupt nature too much inclines it This flesh of ours is the worst naturd creature vpon earth a meer diuell to our and its owne vndoing it cares for no body but it selfe and that 's the propperty of self loue neuer regarding what woe it work the soule so it can Compass its desyres and please its appetites it is little concernd eyther for heauen or hell creditt or discreditt friend or foe and what doe we in pampering such a one but make much of a churlish curr which will one day doe his best to pull out our throat that is vndoe vs the way to cast out this Diuell is that which our Sauiour prescribes „ in jejunio oratione „ Matt. 17. 20. in fasting and prayer He added to this by way of preuention a shunning of conuersation with woemen occasion they say makes a thiefe and he that touches pitch shall be defil'd by it euen his owne Sisters as much as could stand with Common ciuility not permitting them to lodge aboue one night in his pallace and then his custome was to leaue it himselfe and diuert to some of his maunour houses He had a horrour of all speeches glauncing at leuity nor durst any in his presence scatter such smutty jeasts much less vtter broad ribaldry without the penalty of a sound check a language much vnbeseeming Christian Conuersation as made vpp onely of the dreggs of witt fitt onely indeed for the mouth of a bargman though not a little in vogue among many world lings The loue of this vertue made him conceiue a perfect hatred and horrour of the contrary vice and as both the impious and his impiety is abominable to God so had he not onely a loathing of the latter but also an auersion from the former and those he knew to be giuen to the same nor could he affect them further then Christian charity commanded though otherwise his neerest allyes This he made euident by his Carriage towards a nephew of his one for whome he had a great kindnes so long as he did well maintaining him in the Uniuersity making him his Confident and would certainly haue done very much for him But vnderstanding that he was become loose of behauiour and not so chast in his wayes he totally withdrew his affection and though much pressd to take him along in his journey to Rome no perswasion could preuaile on which subject he expressd himselfe to this effect These young men sayd he are not now adayes so bashfull and modest as heertofore for when I was such a one if a handsome woman had lookd me in the face I should presently haue bin putt to the blush turnd my eyes from her they are words of the Record or pulld my hatt ouer them that eyther I should not haue seen her or shee mee but now things goe farr otherwise nor could he euer be induc'd to receiue him into fauour or familiarity This vertue of Angelicall purity was so conspicuous in him that the Prayer vsd in the office of his feast petitions by it graces from God and that by its
superiour as brass or syluer with gold Whence I conclude that the greatest Saints are fittest to make the gratest Statesmen not onely because they are freeest from Corruption and least swayd with passion and interest two great blinders of judgment but also for the singular aduantage theyr naturall abilityes receiue from the light and assistance of diuine grace Whence it is obseruable in our Historyes that in Catholique times Learned Bishops and vertuous Prelates were employd ordinarily both at home and abroad in the mannagement of weightyest affayres and who I pray more knowing then they or ought to be of greater integrity As a generall opinion acquird by his just and vpright Carriage preferrd him to the Chancellorship of the Vniuersity so his prudent demeanment in the same made King Harry the 3. preferr him to that of the Kingdome And though vpon that good Kings death at his owne earnest request he were licenc'd by his Sonn Edward to relinquish it yett he keept him still of his Priuy Councell and how much he esteemd his aduise is seen by what we recounted in the 23. Chapter He that could wade through the deep affayres of two Chancellorships and a Bishoprick and keep still aboue the waters of any dislike or dissatisfaction where so many sinke must needs haue bin supported with a great prudence The meanes he vsd for this support was to haue knowing and conscientious men about him who vnderstood both what in prudence was to be done and would execute it honestly and when all Circumstances duely weighd he found that according to the Dictates of prudence and Conscience this was to be effected or that omitted he stuck so close to his principles that neyther feare nor respect could moue him in the least and this we confirm'd with an example in the 8. Chapter We must also Consider the times in which hee bore the aforesayd Offices most vnquiett and turbulent and to keep sure footing on such slippery ground argues a great prudence and wisdome it argues that he could Master both the times and himselfe not they him And now hauing giuen as good á Character of this vertue in our Saint as my breuity and informations will allow it is time to make an end and though I haue sayd little in regard of what might be sayd yett I think I say much to its and his Commendation when I shew that by it he orderd both his Spirituall and temporall Concerns so as to proue himselfe a great Saint in the former and a great Statesman in the latter In his declining age especially after he was made Bishop he withdrew himselfe as much as he could from all worldly employments the more to apply himselfe to heauenly and that was the greatest poynt of prudence which euer he exercisd teaching him that the Kingdome of heauen was to be sought in the first place and aboue all For what will it auaile one to gaine the whole world if he loose heauen and his owne soule or with what exchange will he be able to redeem that loss What matters it if one enioy all the pleasures of the world all the treasures of the world and all its highest preferrments if he haue not heauen at the end of them that is to say what matters it to enioy heer a seeming momentary happynes and be most vnhappy heerafter for all eternity To be truly prudent is to be prudent to eternity and so was our Saint and who euer is not thus prudent proues himselfe a very foole True prudence guides to true happynes as there is no true happynes but eternall so neyther true prudence but which leads to this eternity This is true prudence indeed its great Act and Master piece at which all our practicall prudence in this great mannagement must leuell as at its finall scope and the purchase of all our endeauours in this lifes Commerce As nothing less then eternity will doe our work that is make vs eternally happy so must we acquiesce in no other none but that being truly satiatiue and all the rest an empty shadow The prudence of the flesh sayth the Apostle is death Rom. 8. 6. and operates it the wisdome of this world sayth the same is folly with God that Cannot be a guide of our 1. Cor. 3. 19. proceedings Ours must be refin'd aboue the world and death the issue of diuine Wisdome and therfore is calld by it the Science of Saints Scientia Prou. 10. Sanctorum prudentia This Science our B. Saint study'd all his life long and learnd more true knowledg out of it then he did out of all the Philosophy of Aristotle or Idaeas of Plato He learnd to be vertuous to keep a good Conscience his duty towards God his Neighbour and himselfe to subdue sense to reason and the whole man to the Obedience of the Diuine Law He learnd to preferr a solid happynes before a seeming one eternity before time the soule before the body and God and his Seruice aboue all Christ our B. Sauiour Matt. 10. 16. sends vs to the Serpent to learne this prudence and it teaches vs a twofold to expose the whole body to saue the head the seat of life and so must wee all our externall goods body and all for the preseruation of our fayth and safety of our Soules The Serpent say Naturalists stopps one eare with its tayle the other it clapps close to the ground so to become deafe to charmes and enchantments and prudence bidds vs imitate this amidst the enchantments of Sinnfull pleasures according to that of the 57. Psalme to which our Corrupt nature inclines Common errours lead the way Custome like a torrent carry's vs head long and engulfs vs in a sea of Spirituall Miseryes To these two we may add a third and it is that the Serpent by forcing her passage through a narrow Cranny stripps her selfe of her old coat and togeather of her old age and so becomes young Wee by endeauouring as our Sauiour aduises to Luc. 13. 24. enter by the narrow gate may effect the same and stripping our selues of inueterate habitts putt on a newnes of life Let vs learne at least to auoyd gross mistakes against prudence if we cannot all Euen Common prudence bidds vs secure the mayne Concern when we cannot all particulars it being accounted no indiscretion to hazard something to saue the whole What is our main Concern but our Soule if we loose that we loose all to venture a limb to saue our life is a dictate of nature and to exspose both body and estate to saue our Soule is a Certain Maxime of grace If we must quitt eyther a lease for life or an inhereritance it would be deemd madnes to part with the latter to secure the former this being as much in its Kind as to exchange pearles for peebles and gold for Clinquant and is the same when euer Soule and body time and eternity heauen and this world come into Competency To make heer a right Election is the part of prudence and our glorious S. THOMAS both did it and teaches vs to doe it and of all the vertuous lessons of his whole life none then this is more important none more prudent God in his grace and light giue vs strength to make the same resolues and execute them with an equall fidelity Amen FINIS APPROBATIO LIbellum cui titulus The Life and Gests of Saint Thomas Cantilupe Bishop of Hereford Anglicè conscriptum à Theologo mihi noto lectum praelo dignum censeo Actum Gandavi 27. Augusti Anno 1674. H. HESIUS Libr. Censor ERRATA Fol. Lin.   17 12 glorions glorious 19 20 theyr they 23 11 hough though 31 29 inlustrious illustrious 33 5 chidhood childhood 45 9 figh fight 57 15 particulari particular 69 4 thiter thither 73 18 buh but 106 19 bee hee 117 20 reccuid receiu'd 135 11 aftording affording 160 3 oue one 175 4 fitting sitting 186 20 the hee 256 18 reahd reapd 270 7 many may 310 13 by bee