familiar and pleasing manner no griefe interposing it selfe except it be that which is to be wished of true contrition for sinne or els that which other busines bringeth by drawing vs from so sweete conuersation or lastly to see that the golden streame of so diuine a discourse runneth not still forwarde in an endlesse channell As your royal dispositioÌ„ to vertue hath iustly deserued the dedicatioÌ„ of this booke so the loue of the author himselfe blessed S. Gregory not only to our couÌ„try in general but to your most excelleÌ„t persoÌ„ in particular perswadeth the same For if the purple gluttoÌ„ buried in hell had care Luc. 16. v. 27. of his brethren and praied for theÌ„ moued thereuÌ„to of mere natural coÌ„passioÌ„ how much more doth his soule raigning in heaueÌ„ inflamed with supernatural charity teÌ„der the good of theÌ„ whoÌ„ whiles he liued he loued so deerely Being vpon earth such was his affectioÌ„ to our natioÌ„ that by his pastorall care it was turned 1. Thessal 1. v. 9. to God from idols to serue the liuing and true God and being yet mortall he wrotte to Aldiberga Lib. 9. epist 59. cap. 69. Queene of England most kinde letters encouraging hir by the example of Saint Helena the glory of great Britayne to labour the conuersion of the kinge and his people and therfore no question but liuing now in heauen his charity to God being greater his loue towarde vs is not lesse and consequently no doubt can be made but with farre more burning zeale he doth sollicitte in that celestiall court the cause of our country and enioying him selfe immortall felicity both desireth and also laboureth the temporall and eternall happines of Queene Anne our most gratious Princes To these former reasons which especiallye gaue support to my fearefull harte this also was adioyned as no small inducement to thincke that I was the first that offered his labours to your most excellent Maiesty for whereas diuers of diuers professions haue directed theire workes to our most dread Soueraigne and one also to our younge Prince your deere sonne and the orient obiect of our countries ioye so none at all for ought that I can learne much lesse that professeth the religion os S. Gregorie hath hitherto presented any booke to your Princely person Together with this alluring motiue concurred also the very tyme it selfe of the newe yeare dedicated by longe and laudable custome descending to vs from our forefathers to the giving and receiuing of divers giftes and presents Voulsafe therefore most noble Queene gratiously to accept among so many Princely giftes this small present of Saintes liues written a thowsande yeares since by the glorious Apostle of Englande blessed Sainte Gregorie inferior no question to any for temporal value but yelding to none at all as I verily suppose in spiritual and true estimation to grace with the benigne beames of your roiall countenance these my poore labours published to the worldes viewe vnder the patronage of your gratious Highnes which your renoumed inclination to vertue and pious affection to spirituall bookes hath deserued the loue of S. Gregorie to our countrie and the Queenes of England hath allotted you my happy fortune to be the first in this kinde with the very consideration of the tyme it selfe hath iustlie consecrated to your most excellent and worthie person and to cast a fauorable eye vpon the first fruites of my syncere and seruiceable affection which is such that shoulde I mention worthily might I be suspected and yet verily hope were it knowne that it woulde neuer by Princely bountie be reiected The newe borne Sauiour of the worlde Christ Iesus send you in earthly courte both this and many happy newe yeares and eternity of yeares in the celestiall court of heauene The first of Ianuarie 1608. Your Maiesties most deuoted seruant and daily orator P. VV. TO THE COVRTEOVS AND VERTVOVS CHRISTIAN READER DESIROVS OF THAT KNOWLEDGE which bringeth pleasure and leadeth to true religion piety and deuotion THERE is no kinde of study yood Christian reader that either generally so contenteth all humors and fitteth all affections or which bringeth such honest pleasure to the soule and with so exquisite knowledge and necessary documents for the direction of a manâ—manâ—life furnisheth our vnderstanding or so forcibly and sweetlye inclineth our wills to the puâ—suite of vertue as doth the reading of a learned and holy history Some there be that delight in the speculation of the Mathematicks others otherwise addicted principally price poetrye and the study of humanity some take no pleasure but in the secrets of philosophy and Aphorismes of Galen and others whose harts Gods grace hath more touched rapt as it were with S. Paul contemne 2 Corint 12. all earthly thinges and bestowe them selues wholy in diuinitye and the most pleasant contemplation of heauenly mysteries Yet this variety of natures and diuersity of desires is euer accompained with this vnity thar all with common consâ—nt commend the reading of histories and in them finde singular recreation none almost being so simple that can for any difficulty reiect them the subiect being so easy and familiar nor any so curious thar can contemne them plenty of diuerse matrers drawing still forewarde and with wonderfull pleasure rauishing the soule of man This is that study which in prosperity delighteth in aduersity bringeth comfort when we are solitarye it is our companion when in company it ministreth matter of talke and excellent discourses This presenteth before our eyes the factes of former ages and deliuereth the sundry accidents of our time to succeding posterity This by the fall of many teacheth vs what to feare by the aduancement of others for worthy deedes what to followe This by the euents of other mens actions quickneth the witt ripeneth the iudgement so purchaseth true wisdome for the carriage of our life managing all worldly affaires This intertayneth all wits sitteth all fancies and pleaseth all persons with this exercise many weare out sundry troubles deceaue many melancholy passions and the mighty Monarch of the world Assuerus passed Esther cap. 6. ouer the tedious night which gaue no sleepe to his heauy eyes as holy scripture reporteth Ys this great commodity and pleasure be reaped by the Dccades of Titus Liuius the paralelled liues of Plutarch or the Chronicles of our owne country what treasure of true delight and what singular profitt shall an Ecclesiastical history especially intreating of the liues of holy men and Saints of Gods church bringe to a true christian harte that loueth God and preferreth the goode of his owne soule before all the vaine pleasure and transitory pelfe of this flattering false worlde For who can doubt but that so far as heauen is distant from earth the immortall soule excelleth the corruptible body so great difference there is betwixt a prophane and a sacred history that intreating of thinges belonginge to this life this haÌ„dlinge those which auaile to life euerlasting that describing the teÌ„porall warres of
reprochefull wordes they â—ntreated him where vpon he sent them by and by this message sayinge Amende your tongues otherwise I do excommunicat you which sentence of excommunication notwithstandinge he did not then presentlye pronounce against them but only threatened yf they amended not them selues But they for all this chaÌ„ged thiere conditions nothing at all both which not longe after departed this life and were buried in the churche and vvhen Solemne mass solemne masse was celebrated in the same churche and the Deacon accordinge to custome saide with lowde voice yf any there be that do not communicate let them departe the nurse which vsed to giue vnto our Lorde an Offring for the dead offringe for them behelde them at that tyme to rise out of thiere graues to depart the churche Hauing often tymes at those vvordes of the Deacon sene them leaue the churche and that they could not tarry within she remeÌ„bred what message the man of God sent them whâ—les they were yet aliue For he tolde them that he did depriue them of the communion vnlesse they did amende theire tongues and conditions Then with great sorrowe the whole matter was signified to the maÌ„ of God who straight-waies with his owne handes gaue an oblation saying Go your waies and cause this to be offered Oblation for the deade vnto our Lorde for them and they shall not remayne any longer excommunicat which oblation beinge offered for them the Deacon as he vsed crying out that such as did not communicate shold departe they were not sene any more to go out of the churche whereby it was certaine that seeinge they did not departe with theÌ„ which did not communicate that they had receiued the communion of our Lorde by the handes of his seruant Peter It is very straunge that you report for howe coulde he thoughe a venerable and most holy man yet liuinge in mortall body loose those soules which stoode nowe before the inuisible iudgement of God Gregory Was he not yet Peter mortall that hearde from our Sauiour whatsoeuer Math. 16 thowe shall binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the heauens whatsoeuer thowe shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heaueÌ„s whose place of bindinge and loosinge those haue at this tyme which by faith and vertuous life possesse the place of holy gouernement and to be stowe such power vpoÌ„ earthly men the creator of heauen and earth desconded from heauen to earthe and that fleshe mighte iudge of spirituall thinges God who for mans sake was made fleshe vouchesafed to bestowe vpon him for from thence our weaknes did rise vp aboue it selfe from wheÌ„ce the strength of God was weakened vnder it selfe Peter For the vertue of his miracles your wordes do yelde a very goode reason OF A BOYE THAT AFTER HIS buriall was cast out of his graue CHAPTER XXIIII Gregory VPon a certayne daye a younge boye that was a monke louinge his parentes more then reason wolde went from the Abbey to thiere house not crauinge the fathers blessinge before hand and the same daye that he came home vnto them he departed this life And beinge buried his bodye the next daye after was founde cast out of the graue which they caused againe to be put in and againe the daye following they founde it as before Then in great hast they went to the man of God sell downe at his feete with many teares beseeched him that he wolde vouchsafe him that was deade of his fauour To whom the man of God with his owne handes deliuered the holy communion of our Lordes body sayinge Goe and lay with great The Sacrament was not buried with him but only laid vpon his brest and taken of againe reuerence this our Lordes body vpon his breast and so burye him which when they had done the deade corps after that remayned quietly in the graue By which you perceiue Peter of what merit he was with our Lorde Iesus Christ seeinge the earth wolde not giue entertainement to his bodye who departed this worlde out of Bennets fauour Peter I perceiue it very well and do wonderfully admire it HOVV A MONKE FORESAKING the Abbey mett with a dragon in the way CHAPTER XXV Gregory A Certaine monke there was so inconstant and fickle of mynde that he wolde needes giue ouer the Abbey for which fault of his the man of God dâ—d daily rebuke him and often tymes giue him goode admonitions but yet for all this by no means wolde he tary amongest them and therfore continuall sute he made that he mighte be discharged The venerable man vpon a tyme wearied with his importunitye in anger bad him departe who was no soner out of the Abbey gate but he founde a dragon in the waye expecting him with open mouth which being about to deuoure him he began in great feare and tremblinge to cry out aloude sayinge Helpe helpe for this dragon will eate me vp At which noise the monkes running out dragon they sawe non but finding him there shaking treÌ„bling they broughte him backe againe to the Abbey who forth with promised that he wolde neuer more forsake the monasterye and so euer after he continued in his profession for by the praiers of the holy man he sawe the dragon comminge against him whom before when he savve not he did willingly followe HOVV HOLY BENNET CVRED a boye of the leprosy CHAPTER XXVI BVt I must not here passe ouer with silence that which I had by relation of the honourable man Anthonye who saide that his fathers boye was so pitifully punnished with a leprosy that all his heare fell of his body swelled and filthy corruption did openly come forthe Who beinge sent by his father to the man of God he was by him quickly restored to his former healthe HOVV BENNET FOVND MONEY miraculously to relieue a poore man CHAPTER XXVIII NEither is that to be ommitted which one of his disciples called Peregrinus vsed to tell for he saide that vpon a certaine daye an honest man who was in debt founde no other meanes to helpe him selfe but thought it his best waye to acquaint the man of God with his necessitye wherevpon he came to the Abbey and findinge the seruant of almighty God gaue him to vnderstande howe he was troubled by his creditor fortwelue shillinges which he did owe him To whom the venerable man saide that him selfe had not so muche money yet giuinge him comfortable wordes he saide Go your wayes and after two dayes come to me againe for I can not preseÌ„tly helpe you in which two daies after his manner he bestowed him selfe in praier when vpon the thirde daye the poore man came backe there were founde suddainly vpon the chest of the Abbey which was full of corne thirtene shillinges which the man of God caused to be giuen to him that required but twelue both to discharge his debte and also to defraye his owne charges But nowe will I returne to speake of such
is the reason that in these latter daies so many thinges come to lighte which in tymes past were not knowne in such sort that by open reuelations and manifest signes the ende of the worlde semeth not to be far of VVHY IN LATTER TYMES so many thinges be knowne concerning mens soules VVhich in former ages were not heard of CHAPTER XLI Gregory So it is for the nerer that this preseÌ„â— world draweth to wards an end so muche the more the worlde to come is at hande and sheweth it selfe by more plaine and euident tokens For seing in this worlde we knowe not one an others cogitations and in the next mens hartes be knowne to all what fitter name can we giue to this worlde then to terme it nighte and what better to the next then to call it daye But as when the nighte is almost spent and the daye beginneth to breake darkenes and lighte be in a certaine manner ioyned together vntil the lighte of the day followinge doth perfectly bannishe away the darke remnantes of the former nighte euen so the ende of this world is as it were mingled together with the beginninge of the next and with the darckenes of this some lighte of such spirituall thinges as be in that doth appeare and so we see many thinges which belonge to that vvorlde yet for all this perfect knovvledge vve haue not anye but as it vvere in the tvvilighte of our soule beholde them before the risinge of that sonne of knowledge vvhich then abundantly vvill cast his beames ouer all Peter I like very well of your speeche yet in so worthy a man as Paschasius was this doubt doth trouble me howe he was after his death caried to any place of punnishement seing the touching of his garment vpon the biere did dispossesse a vvicked spirit Gregory Herein appeareth the great and manifolde prouidence of almightye God by whose iust iudgement it fell out that Paschasius for sometyme entertayned inwardly synne in his soule and yet in the sighte of the worlde wroughte miracles by his body after his death who in his life tyme did as they knowe many goode worckes to the end that those which had sene his vertuous life shoulde not be deceiued concerning the opinion of his great almes and yet him selfe should not without punnishement haue remission of his synne which whiles he liued he thoughte to be no synne and therfore did not by teares washe it awaye Peter I vnderstande very well what you say but by this reason I am driuen â—nto such straightes that I must stand in feare both of those synnes which I knowe and also of those which I know not But because a little before you discoursed of the places of tormentes in what part of the worlde I beseech you are vve to beleue that hel is vvhether aboue the earth or beneath the same IN VVHAT PLACE OF THE worlde we oughte to beleue that hell is CHAPTER XLII Gregory TOuchinge this pointe I dare not rashelye desine any thinge for some haue bene of opinion that hell vvas in some place vpon the earth and The latin â—ord for â—el signiâ—eth a â—ace beâ—eath others thincke that it is vnder the earth but then this doubt ariseth for yf it be therfore called hell or an infernall place because it is belovve then as the earth is distant from heauen so likevvise shold hel be distant from the earth for which cause perhappes the Prophet saith Thow hast deliuered Psal 8 my soule from the lower hel so that the higher hell may seme to be vpon the earth and the lower vnder the earth and vvith this opinion that sentence of Iohne agreeth who when he had saide that he sawe a booke sealed with Apocal. seauen seales and that non was found worthy neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth to open the booke and loose the seales thereof he added forthwith and I wept much which booke notwithstanding afterwarde he saith was opened by a lion of the tribe of Iuda By which booke what els can be ment but the holy scripture which our Sauiour alone did open for being made man by his death resurrection and ascension he did reueale and make manifest all those mysteries which in that booke were closed shutt vppe And none in heauen because not any Angell none vpon earth because not man liuinge in body not any vnder the earth was founde worthy because neither the soules departed from theire bodies could opeÌ„ vnto vs beside our Lord him selfe the secretes of that sacred booke Seing then none vnder the earth is said to be founde worthy to open that booke I see not what doth lett but that we sholde beleeue that hell is in the lower partes vnder the earthe Peter I beseech you Is there one fire in hell or accordinge to the diuersitye of sinners be there so many sortes of fires prepared in that place VVHETHER THERE IS ONE fire in hel or many CHAPTER XLIII Gregory THe fire of hell is but one yet doth it not in one manner torment all synners For euerye one there according to the quantitâ—e of his synne hath the measure of his paine For as in this world many liue vnder one and the same sunne and yet do not alike feele the heate thereof for some be burnt more and some lesse so in that one sire diuers manners of burninge be founde for that which in this worlde diuersity of bodies doth that in the next doth diuersitye of synnes so that althoughe the fire be there all alike yet doth it not in one manner and alike burne and torment them that be damned Peter Shall those I pray you which be condemned to that place burne alwaies and neuer haue anye ende of theire tormentes VVHETHER THOSE THAT be in hel shal burne there sor euer CHAPTER XLIIII Gregory CErtaine it is and without all doubt most true that as the goode shall haue no ende of theire ioyes so the wicked neuer any release of theire tormentes for our Sauiour him selfe saith The wicked shal goe into euerlasting Math. 2 punnishment and the iust into euerlasting life seing then true it is that which he hath promised to his friendes out of al question false it can not be that which he hath threatned to his enemies Whar yf it be saide that he did threaten eternall paine to wicked liuers that he might thereby restrayne them from committing of synnes Gregory Yf that which he did threaten be false because his intent was by that meanes to keepe men from wicked life then likewise must we say that those thinges are false which he did promise and that this minde was therebye to prouoke vs to vertue But what man though madd dare presume so to saye For yf he threatned that which he ment not to put in execution whiles we are desirous to make him mercifull inforced we are likewise which is horrible to speake to affirme him to be deceiptfull Peter Willinge I am to knowe howe that
and mad sounde by S. Bennet 2. How he ouercame a great carnâ—l tentation 3. How he brake a glas with the signe of the crosse 4. How he cured a moncke that had an idle and wandring minde 5. How by praier he mad water to springe out of a rocke in the topp of a mountaine 6. How he caused an yron bill to come againe into the handle from the bottom of the water 7. How his scholler Maurus walked vpon the water 8. How he mad a crowe to carye a loafe far of that was poisoned 9. How he remoued an huge stone by his praiers 10. Of the fantastical fire of the kâ—tchin 11. How a little boye a moncke was slaine with the ruine of a wall restored to life 12. Of certaine monckes that eate meate contrarye to thiere rule 13. How the hoâ—ye man knewe by reuelation that the brother of ValeÌ„tinian the moÌ„ke had eaten in his iornye 14. How the couÌ„ter faitinge of kinge Totilas was discouered 15. How the holy man did prophecye to the same kinge 16. How he dispossessed a clergye man of a deuil 17. How he did prophecye of the destruction of his owne Abbey 18. How by reuelation he vnderstode of the stolne slaggon of wine 19. How by reuelation he knewe that a monke had receiued certaine napkins 20. How he likewise knewe the proude thoughte of one of his owne monkes 21. How in the tyme of a dearthe two hundred busshels of meale was founde before his cell 22. How by vision he gaue order for the buildinge of the Abbey of Terracina 23. How certaine Nunnes were absolued after thiere death 24. How a certaine monke was cast out of his graue 25. How a monke forsakinge his Abbey was encountred by a dragon 26. How he cured one of a leprosye 27. How miraculously he prouided money for one that was in debte 28. How a cruet of glasse was throwne vpon the stones and not broken 29. How an emptye barrel was miraculouslye filled with oile 30. How a monke was dispossessed of a deuil 31. How a countrye man pinioned was by his only sighte loosed 32. How a deade man was restored to life 33. Of a miracle wroughte by his sister Scolastica 34. How and in what manner he sawe his sisters soule goinge out of her bodye 35. How in vision he sawe the world represented before his eies and of the soule of Germanus Bishope of Capua 36. How he wrot the rule of his order 37. How he fortolde the tyme of his deathe 38. How a mad woman lyinge in his caue was cured THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF S. Bennet THERE was a man of Benedictus signifieth Blessed venerable life blessed by grace and blessed in name for he was called Benedictus or Bennet who from his yonger yeres carried alwaies the mynde of an olde man for his age was inferior to his vertue all vaine pleasure he contemned and thoughe he were in the worlde and mighte freelye haue enioyed such commodities as it yeldeth yet did he nothinge esteme it nor the vanities thereof He was borne in the prouince of Nursia of Honorable Parentage and broughte vp at Rome in the study of humanitye But for as much as he sawe many by reason of such learninge to fall to dissolut and and leude life he drewe backe his foote which he had as it were nowe set forth into the worlde least entring to far in acquaintance therewith he likewise mighte haue fallen into that daungerous and godlesse gulphe wherfore giuinge ouer his booke and forsakinge his fathers house welth with a resolute minde only to serue God he soughte for some place where he mighte attaine to the desire of his holy purpose and in this sorte he departed instructed with learned ignorance and furnished with vnlearned wisdom All the notable thinges and actes of his life I could not learne but those fewe which I mynde nowe to reporte I had by the relation of fower of his disciples to witt of Constantinus a most rare and reuerent man who was next Abbot after him Of Valentinianus who many yeres had the charge of the Lateran Abbey Of Simplicius who was the thirde Generall of his order and lastly of Honoratus who is nowe Abbote of that monastery in which he first began his holy life HOVV HE MADE A BROKEN suâ—ue hole and founde CHAPTER I. BEnnet hauinge nowe giuen ouer the schole with a resolute minde to leade his life in the wildernes his nurse alone which did tenderly loue him woloe not by any meanes giue him ouer CoÌ„myng therfore to a place called Enside and remayning there in the churche of S. Peter in the companye of other vertuous men which for charity â—iued in that place it fell so out that his nurse borrowed of the neighbours a sieue to make cleane wheate which being left negligently vpon the table by chaunce it was broken in two pieces wherevpon she fell pitifully a weepinge because she had borrowed it The deuout and religious youth Bennet seeing his nurse so lamenting moued vvith compassion tooke avvay vvith him both the pieces of the sieue and vvith tears fell to his praiers and after he had done rising vp he founde it so vvhole that the place coulde not be seene vvhere before it was broken and comminge straight to his nurse and comforting her vvith goode wordes he deliuered her the sieue safe and sounde which miracle was knowne to all the inhabitantes thereabout and so much admired that the townese-men for a perpetuall memorye did hange it vp at the churche dore to the ende that not only meÌ„ then liuinge but also thiere posteritye mighte vnderstaÌ„de how greatly â—ods grace did worck with him vpoÌ„ his first renouncinge of the worlde The sâ—eue coÌ„tinewed there many yeres after eueÌ„ to these verye troubles of the Lombardes where it did hange ouer the churche dore But Bennet desiringe rather the miseries of the worlde then the praises of men rather to be wearied with labour for Gods sake then to be exalted with transitorye commendation fled priuily from his nurse and went into a deserte place called Sublacum distant almost fourtye miles from Rome in which there was a fountaine springinge forth coole and clere water the abundaÌ„ce whereof doth first in a broade place make a lake and afterwarde runninge forwarde commeth to be a riuer As he was trauailinge to this place a certaine monke called Romanus met him and demanded whether he went and vnderstandinge his purpose Habit of monkes he both kept it close furthered him what he mighte vested him with the habit of holy conuersation and as he coulde did minister and serue him The man of God Bennet comminge to this foresaide place lined there in a An Hermiteslife straighte caue where he continewed three yeres vnknowne to all men except to Romanus who liued not far of vnder the rule of Abbot Theodacus and very vertuouslye did steale certaine houres and likewise sometyme a loafe giuen for his owne prouision
which he didcarry to BeÌ„net And because from Romanus cell to that caue there was not any waye by reason of an highe rocke which did hange ouer it Romanus from the top thereof vpon a longe rope did let downe the loase vpon which also with a band he tied a little bell that by the ringinge thereof the man of God mighte knowe when he came with his breade and so be readye to take it But the olde enemy of mankinde enuying at the charity of the one and the refection of the other seeing a loafe vpon a certaine day let dovvne threvve a stone and brake the bell but yet for all that Romanus gaue not ouer to serue him by all the possible meanes he coulde At length vvhen almighty God vvas determined to ease Romanus of his paines and to haue Bennets life for an example knovvne to the vvorlde that such a candle set vpon a candlesticke mighte shine and giue lighte to the church of God our Lorde voutsafed to appeare vnto a certaine Priest dvvelling a goode vvay of vvho had made readye his dinner for Easter daye and spake thus vnto him Thou hast prouided goode chere for thy selfe and my seruant in suche a place is afflicted vvith hunger vvho hearing this forth vvith rose vp vpon Easter daye it selfe vvith such meate as he had prepared vvent to the place vvhere he soughte for the man of God amongest the steepe hils the lovve valleis and hollovve pittes and at length founde him in his caue vvhere after they had praied togither and sittinge dovyne had giuen God thanckes and had much spirituall talke then the Priest saide vnto him Rise vp brother and let vs dine because to day is the feast of Easter To vvhom the man of God ansvvered saide I knovve that it is Easter vvith me and a great feast hauing founde so muche fauox at Gods handes as this day to enioye your companye for by reason of his longe absence from men he knevve not that it vvas greate solemnitye of Easter But the reuerent Priest againe did assure him sayinge Verily to day is the feast of our Lordes resurrection and therfore meete it is not that you sholde keepe abstinence and besides I am sent to that ende that vve mighte eate togither of such prouision as Gods goodenes hathe sent vs vvherevpon they saide grace fell to thiere meate and after they had dined and bestovved some tyme in talkinge the Priest returned to his churche About the same tyme likevvise certaine sheepheardes founde him in that same caue and at the first vvhen they espied him throughe the bushes sawe his apparrell made of skinnes they verily thoughte that it had bene some beast but after they were acquainted with the seruante of God many of them were by his meanes conuerted from thiere beastlye life to grace piety and deuotion And thus his name in the country there about became famous and many after this went to visit him and for corporall meate which they broughte him they carried away spiritual foode for thiere soules HOVV HE OVERCAME A GREAT tentation of the fleshe CHAPTER II. VPon a certaine daye being alone the temptor was at hande for a little blacke birde commonly called a mearle or an owzell began to flye aboute his face and that so nere as the holy man yf he wolde mighte haue taken it with his hande but after he had blest him selfe with the signe of the crosse the birde flowe awaye Blessing with the signe of the â—rosse and forthwith the holy man was assalted with such a terrible tentation of the fleshe as he neuer felt the like in all his life A certaine woman there was which some tyme he had seene the memorye of which the wicked spirit put into his minde and by the representation of her did so mightily inflame with concupiscens the soule of Gods seruaunt which did so encrease that almost ouercomc with pleasure he was of minde to haue forsaken the wildernes But suddainly asisted with Gods grace he came to him selfe and seeinge many thicke briers and netâ—le bushes to growe harde by of he cast his apparrell and threwe him selfe into the middest of them and there wallovved so longe that vvhen he rose vp all his fleshe vvas pitâ—fully torne and so by the vvoundes of his bodye he cured the vvounde of his soule in that he turned pleasure into paine and by the outvvarde burninge of extreme smarte quenched that fire vvhich being nourished before vvith the fewell of carnall cogitations did inwardly burne in his soule and by this meanes he ouercame the synne because he made a change of the fire From vvhich tyme forvvarde as him selfe did aftervvarde reporte vnto his disciples he founde all tentation of pleasure so subdued that he neuer felt any suche thinge Many after this began to abandon the vvorlde and to become his schollers For beinge nowe freed from the malady of tentation vvorthily and vvith greate reason is he made a master of vertue for which cause in Exodus commandement is giuen by Moyses that the Leuites from fiue and tvventy yeres and vpvvard sholde serue but after they came to fiftye that thy sholde be ordained keepers of the holy vessell Peter Somwhat I vnderstand of this testimony alleaged but yet I beseeche you to tell me the meaninge thereof more fullye Gregory It is plaine Peter that in youth the tentation of the fleshe is hote but after fifty yeres the heate of the body waxeth colde and the soules of faithefull people become holy vessels Wherefore necessary it is that Gods elect seruantes whiles they are yet in the heate of tentation sholde liue in obedience serue and be wearied with labour paines But when by reason of age the heate of tentation is past they become keepers of holy vessel because they then are made the doctors of mens soules Peter I can not deny but that your wordes haue giuen me full satisfaction wherfore seeinge you haue nowe expounded the meaninge of the former texte alleaged prosecute I pray as you haue begon the rest of the holie mans life HOVV BENNET BY THE signe of the holy crosse brake a drinckinge glasse in pieces CHAPTER III. Gregory VVHen this great tentation was thus ouercome the man of God like vnto a piece of grouÌ„de well tilled and weeded of the sede of vertue brought forth plentifull store of fruite and by reason of the great reporte of his wonderfull holy life his name became verye famous Not far from the place where he remayned there was a monasterye the Abbot whereof was deade wherevpon the whole Conuent came vnto the venerable man Bennet intreatinge him very earnestly that he wolde vouchesafe to take vpon him the charge and gouernemeÌ„t of thiere Abbey longe tyme he denied theÌ„ sayinge that thiere manners were diuers from his and therfor that they sholde neuer agree togither yet at lengthe ouercome vvith thiere intreatye he gaue his consent Hauinge novve takeÌ„ vpon him the charge of the Abbey he
the quires of Angels and yet contemned not to thincke and dispose of the factes of carnall men That he reioysed in his infirmities and tooke pleasure in his reproaches That for him to liue is Christ and gaine to dye That althoughe he liued in fleshe yet was he wholy out of the fleshe Beholde howe this blessed Apostle liued who from hell returned in his soule to the life of vertue wherfore lesse it is for one to be raised vp in bodye excepte perchance by the reuiuinge thereof he be also broughte to the life of his soule and that the outward miracle do serue for the giuing of life to the inwarde spirit Peter I thoughte that far inferior which I perceiue nowe to be incomparably superior but prosecute I beseech you your former discourse that we spend no tyme without some spiritual profit to our soules OF BENNET THE monke CHAPTER XVIII Gregory A Certaine monke liued with me in myne Abbey passinge cunninge in holy scripture who was elder then I and of whom I learned many thinges which before I knewe not By his reporte I vnderstode that there was in Campania some fourty miles from Rome a man called Bennet yonge in yeares but olde for grauity one that obserued the rule of holy conuersation verie strictlye When the Gothes in the tyme of kinge Totilas founde him they went about to burne him together with his cell and fire for that end was putt too which cōsumed all thinges rounde about but no holde wolde the fire take vpon his cell which when the Gothes sawe they became more mad and with greate crueltie drewe him out of that place and espyinge not far of an ouen made hote to bake bread into those flames they threwe him and so stopped the mouthe But the next day he was founde so free from all harme that not only his fleshe but his very apparrell also was not by the fire any thinge touched at all Peter I heare nowe the olde miracle of the three childrē which were throwne into the fire and yet were preserued Daniel 3. from those furious flames Gregory That miracle in myne opinion was in some thinge vnlike to this for then the three children were bounde hande and foote and so throwne into the fire for whom the Kinge lookinge the next daye founde them walkinge in the furnace theire garmentes being nothinge hurt by those flames whereby we gather that the fire into which they were cast and touched not theire apparrel did yet consume theire bandes so that at one and the same tyme for the seruice of the iust the fire had force to bringe them comforte and yet had none to procure them torment OF THE CHVRCHE OF Blessed Zeno the martir in which the water ascended higher then the dore and thoughe it were open yet entred not in CHAPTER XIX Gregory LIke vnto this auncient miracle we had in our daies another but yet in a diuers element for not longe since Iohne the Tribune tolde me that when the Earle Pronulphus was there and him selfe also with Antharicus the kinge how there happened at that tyme a straunge miracle and he affirmeth that him selfe doth knowe it to be true For he saide that almost fiue years since when the riuer of Tiber became so great that it ranne ouer the walles of Rome and ouerflowed many countries at the same tyme in the citye of Verona the riuer Athesis did so swell that it came to the verye church of the holy martir and Bishop Zeno thoughe the church dores were opē yet did it not enter in At last it grew so highe that it came to the church windowes not far from the very roofe it selfe and the water standinge in that manner did close vp the entrance into the churche yet without running in as thoughe that thinne liquid element had bene turned into a sounde wall And it fell so out that many at that tyme were surprised in the churche who not findinge any way howe to escape out and fearinge least they mighte perishe for want of meate and drincke at length they came to the churche dore and tooke of the water to quenche theire thirst which as I saide came vp to the windowes and yet entred not in and so for theire necessitye they tooke water which yet accordinge to the nature of water ran not in and in that manner it stoode there before the dore being water to them for theire comfort and yet not water to inuade the place all this to declare the great merit of Christs martir Which miracle Merit of martirs I saide truely that it was not vnlike to that auncient one of the fire which burnt the three childrens bandes and yet touched not theire garments Peter Maruailous straunge are these actes of Gods sainctes which you tell and muche to be admired of vs weake men that liue in these daies But because I vnderstand now by your relation what a number of excellent and vertuous men haue bene in Italy desirous I am to knowe whether they endured any assaultes of the deiull did thereby more profit in the seruice of God Gregory Without labour and fightinge none can obtayne the crowne of victory whence then come so many conquerors but from this that they foughte valiantly and resisted the assaultes of the old enemye For the wicked spirit doth continuallye watch our thoughtes wordes and worckes to finde something whereof to accuse vs before the eternall iudge For proffe whereof I will now let you vnderstand how ready he is alwaies to intrapp and deceiue vs. OF A PRIEST CALLED Steuen in the prouince of Valeria whose stockinges the deuil wold haue drawne of CHAPTER XX. SOme that are yet liuinge with me affirme this to be true which I wil nowe speake of A man of holy life there was called Steuene who was a Priest in the prouince of Valeria nighe of kinred to my Deacon Bonifacius who comminge home vpon a tyme from trauaile spake somewhat negligently to his seruant sayinge Come Sir deuill and pull of my hoofe at which wordes straighte-waies his garters began to loose in great hast so that he plainely perceiued that the deuill indeed whom he named was pulling of his stockinge whereat beeing muche terrified he cried out aloude and saide Away wretched caitiffe awaye I spake not to the but to my seruant Then the deuill gaue ouer leauing his garters almost quite of By which we may learne that yf the deuill be so officious in thinges concerning our bodye how ready and dililigent he is to obserue and note the cogitations of our soule Peter A verye painefull thinge it is and terrible alwaies to striue against the tentations of the deiull and as it were to stand continually armed ready to fighte Gregory Not painefull at all yf we attribute our preseruation not to our selues but to Gods grace yet so notwithstandinge that we be carefull what we may for our partes and alwaies vigilant vnder Gods protection And it falleth out sometyme by Gods goodnes
and afterwarde that which was weâ— beneath Peter Yoâ—r discourse pleaseth me very well but seinge you haue nowe â—olde me of that reuerent man Eleutherius and his great grace of compunction desirous I am to knowe whether there be now any such men liuinge in the worlde OF AMANTIVS A PRIEST in â—he prouince of Tuscania CHAPTER XXXV Gregory FLoridus Bishoppe of Tiuolye a man as your selâ—â— knoweth very well of holy life worthy to be credited tolde me that he had dwellinge with him a certaine Priest called Amantius of maruailous simplicitye who like vnto the Apostles had such a grace giuen him of God that laying his hand vpon them that were sicke he restored them to theire former healthe and although the disease were verye great and daungerous yet vpon his touchinge did it forthwith departe Moreouer he saide that he had also this miraculous giâ—te that wheresoeuer he founde any serpeÌ„tes or snakes though neuer so cruel yet did he with the signe of the crosse dispatch and kill them for by vertue Miracles wrougâ—te by the signe of the crossâ—â— of the crosse which the man of God made with his haÌ„de theire bowels did breake and they suddainly dye and yf by chaunce the snake gaâ—t into any hole then did he with the sâ—gnâ— of the crosse blesse the mouthe thereof and it wroughte the same effecte for any mighte straighte-waies finde it there deade My selfe hauing vnderstandinge of this great grace bestowed vpon him was desirous to see him and when he was broughte vnto me I caused him to be lodged in a chamber amongest the sicke men thereby to trye what his gifte was in curing of diseases At that tyme there was one amongest them beside him selfe being fallen into a phrensy who one nighte did so crye out like a mad man that with his noise he disquâ—eted all the rest that were sicke so that they coulde not sleepe or take any rest and so it feâ—l out verye straungely that one being yll all the rest fared the worse But as I had before learned of the reuerent Bishop Floridus who was at that tyme there present with the saide Priest and afterward also plainly vnderstoode of him that attended that nighte vpon the sicke persons the foresaide venerable Priest risinge out of his bedd went softlye to the place where the mad man lay and there praied layinge his handes vpon him wherevpon the man became somewhat better Then he carried him awaye vnto the higher part of the house into the oratorye where more plentifully he praied vnto God for his recouerye and straight after he broughte him backe againe to his owne bed safe and sounde so that he cried out no more neither troubled any of the other sicke persons By which one facte of his I had sufficient reason to giue credit to all the rest that before had bene told me Peter A great edification it is to see men worckinge such notable miracles and to beholde as it were vpon earth heauenly Ierusalem in her citizens OF MAXâ—MIANVS BISHOP of Syracusis CHAPTER XXXVI Gregory NEither â—s that miracle to be passed ouer with silenâ—e which almighty God vouchsaâ—ed to worcke by his seruant Maximianus now Bishop of Syracusis but then the father and gouernor nor of myne abbey For at such tyme as I was vpon the commandement of my Bishop sent to Constantinople to the Emperour about affaires of the churches the same reuerent man Maximianus vpon charitye with other of his monkes came thither vnto me who in his returne homewarde to Rome fel into a great tempest vpon the Adriake sEa in which both him selfe and all those that were in his companye after a most straunge and miraculous manner tasted both of the indignation and fauour of alighty God For the sea did so rage with the furye of the windes that they had speÌ„t theire â—â—ast the sailes floated vpon the waues and the ship beaten and torne with boisterous billowes did leake water so fast that it was nowe come to the vpper decke in such sorte that the shippe seemed not so muche to be in the waters as the waters in the shippe The mariners and passengers trobled with the feare of death not as a thinge far of but euen present before theire eies voide of all hoope of this life prepared them selues for the Roseruâ—tion of the B. Sacrament next and so mutuall giuing the pax or kisse of peace one to an other they receiued the body and bloude of our Sauiour commendinge them selues to almighty God that he wolde vouchsafe mercifully to receiue theire soules who had deliuered theire bodies to so fearefull a deathe but God who had wonderfully terified theire mindes did more wonderfully preserue theire liues For the same shippe althoughe full of water yet did it holde on her course for eighte daies together and vpon the ninthe it arriued at the porte of Cothronum and when all the rest were safely gone out then last of all the reuerent man Maximianus went also forth and no soner was he vpon lande then the shippe suncke in the hauene as thoughe by theire departure it had wanted that which did preserue it and whereas before being at sea it was full of men and carried also abundance of water and yet sailed onwarde now when Maximianus with his monkes were landed it coulde not in the hauen carrye the waters alone whereby God gaue them to vnderstande that when it was laden him selfe with his diuine hande did gouerne and preserue it seing when it was empty it could not for a small tyme contynue aboue the water OF SANCTVLVS A PRIEST IN the Prouince of Nursia CHAPTER XXXVII ABout fourty daies since you saw with me one called Sanctulus a reuerent Priest who euerye yere came vnto me out of Nursia but three daies agoe a certaine monke comminge from those partes broughe me very heauye newes of his deathe The holy life and vertue of which man was such that althoughe I can not but fetche sweete sighes when I remember it yet now I may without all feare reporte and publishe to the world such miracles as I haue learned by the relation of very vertuous holy Priestes that were his neighbours and and amongest dare friendes familiaritye causeth one to presume muche in charitye oftentymes my selfe did so courteouslye vrge him that he was inforced to tell me some small miracles which him selfe had done Certaine Lombardes beinge vpon a tyme pressinge of oliues to make oile Sanctulus as he was both mery in countenance and harte came vnto them and saluted them pleasantlye and shewinge them his bottle which he broughte rather vvilled then desired them to fill it with oile But they being infidels and hauinge laboured al daye in vaine and not pressed out any oile at all tooke his wordes in yll parte and gaue him very bad speche but the man of God notwithstandinge this spake vnto them yet with a more mery to do me a goode turne you will fill this bottle for Sanctulus and
end of all fleshe is come which worâ—es after he had repeated thus three tymes he vanisshed out of his sight Then the man of God rose vp and fell to his pâ—aiers with many teares And straight after those fearefull sightes in heauen followed to wit firy lances and armies appearing from the north Straight after likewise the barbarous and cruell nation of the Lombardes drawne as a sworde out of a sheath left theire owne countrye and inuaded ours by reason whereof the people which before for the huge multitude were like to thicke corne fieldes remayne nowe withered and ouerthrowne for cities be wasted townes and villages spoiled churches burnte monasteries of men and wâ—men destroied farmes left desolate the countrye remayneth solitarye and voide of men to till the grounde and destitute of all inhabitantes beastes possessinge those places where before great plenty of men did dwell And howe it goeth in other partes of the worlde I knowe not but here in this place where we liue the worlde doth not foretel any end but rather sheweth that which is present and already come Wherfore so much the more zealouslye ought we to seeke after eternal thinges by how much we finde all temporall so quicklye to be fled and gone Suerlye this worlde were to be contemned althoughe it did flatter vs and with pleasant prosperitye contented our minde but now seing it is fraught with so many miseries and diuers afflictions and that our sorrowes and crosses do daily encrease and be doubled what doth it els but crye vnto vs that we sholde not loue it Maâ—y more thinges yet remaine of the worthy actes of Gods seruauntes but because I haue resolued vpon an other course I wil passe ouer with silence Peter For as much as I perceiue that many Christians doe doubt of the immortality of the soule after the dissolution of the bodye I beseech you for the spirituall goode of manye to sett downe some reasoÌ„s for proffe thereof or the examples of some soules which haue testified the same yf you remember any to the end that those which be troubled with any such tentations may learne that the soule doth not dy together with the bodie Gregory This is a worke of great labour especially for one that is busied with other affaires and hath other thinges to attende vnto yet yf any profit by my meanes may redound to others willingly doe I prefer that before myne owne will and pleasure and therfore Gods grace assisting me in this fourth booke followinge I will clerely shewe that the soule doth liue after the death of the body The end of the third booke THE CHAPTERS OF THE FOVRTH BOOKE 1. THat carnal men doe the lesse belieue eternal and spiritual thinges because those of which they heare they knowe not by experience 2. That an infidel liueth not without faith 3. That there were three vital spirittes created 4. Of that question of Salomon wherein it is said That the death of a man and beastes is all one 5. Of that question concerninge the soule which goeth inuisiblye out of the bodye to witt whether there be any such thinge when as it can not be seene 6. That as the life of the soule whiles it remaineth in the body is knowne by the motions of the members so the life of the soule asâ—er it is out of the bodye in Sainctes is gathered by the vertue of miracles 7. Of the departures of soules 8. Of the departure of the soule of a monke called Specioâ—us 9. Of the soule of an Anchoret 10. Of the departure of the soule of an Abbot called Hope 11. Of the departure of the soule of a Priest caled Vrâ—inus 12. Of the soule of Probus Bisshop of the citye of Reati 13. Of the departure of a Nunne called Galla. 14. Of the departure of Seruulus sicke of the Palsye 15. Of the departure of a Nunne called Romula 16. Of the departure of the virgin Tarsilla 17. Of the departure of a yong maide called Musa 18. How certaine yong children come not to heauen throughe the fault of theire parentes because they bring them vp wickedly as is shewed and afterward declared by the example of a blaspheâ—â—ous yonge boye 19. Of the departure of one Steuen the seruant of God 20. That sometyme the merit of the soule is not sene at the departure but is after deathe more truly declared 21. Of the two monkes of Abbot Valentius 22. Of the departure of Abbot Soranus 23. Of the departure of the Deacon of the Churche of Marsi 24. Of the death of the man of God that was sent to Bethel 25. VVhether the soules of iust men be receiued into heauen before the resurrection of the body 26. By what meanes some that are a dying doe prophecy Of the death of a certaine Aduocat Of the reuelation of the two monkes Gerontius and Mellirus Of the death of a boy called Armentarius and of the diuersitye of tongues 27. Of the death of the Earle Theophanius 28. That as the soules of iust men be in heauen so we ought to belieue that after the death of the bodies the soules of wicked men are in hell 29. VVhat reason we haue to belieue that corporal fire can hold spirittes they being without bodyes 30. Of the death of the Arrian kinge Theodoricus 31. Of the death of Reparatus 32. Of the death of a courtier whose graue burnt with fire 33. VVhether the goode knowe the goode in heauen and the bad those that be bad in hell 34. Of a certaine religious man who at his death saw the Prophetes 35. How sometime soules ready to departe this worlde that knowe not one an other doe knowe for all that what torments for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode deedes they shal receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius SteueÌ„ 36. Of those soules which throughe error seme to be carried out of theire bodies Of the vocation and reuocation of Peter the monke and of the death and resusciâ—ation of Steuen Of the vision of a certaine soldiar and of Deusdedit whose house was sene to be built vpon the sabboth daye and of the punnishement of the men of Sodome 37. That the soules of certaine men whiles they be yet in theire bodies do see some spiritual punnishment and of the boy Theodorus 38. Of the death of Chrisorius and of a certaine monke of Iconia 39. VVhether there be any fire of purgaâ—orye after death 40. Of the soule of Paschasius the Deacon 41. VVhy in latter times so many thinges come to lighte concerning mens soules which before were not knowne 42. In what place we ought to beleue that hel is 43. VVhether the fire of hel be one or manye 44. VVhether they alwaies burne that lye in hell 45. How the soule is saide to be immortal if it be punnished with the sentence of death 46. Of a certaine holy man who was affraide at the tyme of his death 47. That some are by reuelation strengthned not to
be affraide when they dye and of the monkes called Anthony Merulus and Iohne 48. VVhether we oughte to obserue dreames and how many sortes of dreames there be 49. Os a certaine man who in his dreame had longe life promised and yet died shortly after 50. VVhether the soules receiue any commoditye by the buriall of theire bodies in the church 51. Of a certaine Nunne that was buried in the church of S. Laurence which appeared half burnt 52. Os the burial of the noble man Valerianus 53. Of the body of Valentinus which was throwne out of the churche after it was buried 54. Of the body of a dier buried in the churche which afterwarde could not be founde 55. VVhat thinge that is which after death hath force to helppe mens soules and of a Priest of Centumcellis who was by the soule of a certaine man desired that he mighte after his death be holpen by the holy sacrifice And of the soule of a monke called Iustus 56. Of the lise and death of Bisshoppe Cassius 57. Of one that was taken by his enemies whose irons at the tyme of the sacrifice were loosed and of the mariner called Caraca saued by the sacred host from being drowned in the sea 58. Of the vertue and mystery of the healthful sacrifice 59. How we oughte to procure contrition of harte at the tyme of the holy mysteries and of the custodye of our soule after we haue bene sorrowfull sor our sinnes 60. How we oughte to forgiue the sinnes of others that we may obtayne forgiuenes of our owne THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF S. GREGORIES DIALOGVES HOVV CARNAL MEN GIVE the lesse credit to those thinges which be eternal and spiritual because they know not by experience what they heare others to speake of CHAPTER I. AFTER that the first parēt of mankinde was for his synne bannished from the ioyes of Paradise he fell into the miserye of this ignorance and bannishment which to this yerie daye we doe all indure for his synne was the cause that he coulde not any longer see those ioyes of heauen which before by contemplation he possessed for during the tyme of his residence in Paradise he vsually hearde God talking with him and by purity of harte and heauenly vision was present with the quires of the blessed Angels But after his fall he lost that lighte of soule which before abundantly he enioyed From whom we beeing by carnall propagation deriued that liue now in this darcke ignorance of bannishmēt do heare indede of an heauenly countrye and howe it is inhabited by the Angels of God and that the soules of iust and perfect men do there keepe them companye But yet such as be carnall because they can not by experience knowe those inuisible creatures doubt whether there be any such seing with theire corporall eies they can not behold them from which doubt our first Parent was altogether free for althoughe he was exiled from the ioyes of Paradise yet did he still kepe in memorye what he had lost because he had before behelde the same but these men can not by any meanes call to minde such thinges as they heare others speake of because they neuer had of them any former experiēce as our first father Adam had For it is in this case as yf a woman bigge with childe sholde be putt in prison and be there deliuered of a sonne which neuer went forth but were there continually broughte vp for yf his mother sholde tell him of the sunne mone starres mountaines and speake of the fieldes the flying of birdes and running of horses her childe that had continually bene broughte vp in the prison and acquainted with nothing els but blacke darckenes might well heare what she saide but with a doubt whether it were true or no because experience taught him not any such thinge Euene so men that are borne in this darcke worlde the place of theire bannishmēt do heare that there be wonderfull strange and inuisible thinges but because they are not acquainted with any els but terrestriall creatures which only be visible they doubt whether there be any such inuisible thinges as are reported of or no for which cause the creator him selfe of all thinges both visible and inuisible and the only begotten sonne of the eternall father came into this worlde for the redemption of mankinde and sent the holy Ghost vnto our hartes that quickened by him and his grace we shoulde belieue those thinges which as yet by sence or experience we can not possibly vnderstande and therfore so many of vs as haue receiued this spirit the heauenly pledge of our inheritance make no doubte of Gods inuisible and immortall creatures and who so euer as yet is not setled in this beliefe out of all question he oughte of reason to giue credit to the wordes of them that be more learned and holy and belieue them that throughe the grace of Gods holy spirit haue experience of those thinges that be inuisible for he were a very foolishe childe that thoughte his mother lied when she spake of lighte in other places because him selfe where he was beheld nothing els but the darckenes of the prison Peter That you say doth wonderfully content me yet he who beleueth not that there be any inuisible thinges out of question in myne opinion is an infidell and he that is an infidell in that thinge whereof he doubteth seeketh not for faith but for reason THAT AN INFIDEL LIVETH not without faith CHAPTER II. Gregory I Speake boldlye yet trulye that an infidell liueth not without faith for yf I demaunde of him who is his father or mother straight-waies he will tell me such a man and such a woman and yf I presse him further whether he doth remember the tyme when he was first conceiued or the houre when he was borne into this worlde he wil answer me that he neuer knewe or sawe any such thinge and yet for all this doth he beleue that which he neuer behelde seing he beleueth without all doubt that such a man was his father and such a woman his mother Peter I must nedes confesse that I neuer knewe before this tyme that an infidell had any faith Gregory Infidels haue faith but not in God sor then they were not infidels but worthly are they by the former reason to be blamed and thereby also to be prouoked to imbrace true faith for yf concerning theire visible bodye they beleeue that which they neuer sawe why do they not also beleeue some thinges which with theire corporall eyes they can not beholde THAT GOD CREATED THREE kindes of spirites with life CHAPTER III. FOr that our soule doth liue after the death of the bodye reason doth teach vs assisted and holpen with faith for almightye God created three kindes of spirites hauing life One altogether spirituall without bodye an other with a bodye but yet which dieth not with the bodye the thirde that which is both ioyned with the body and also together with the body
nor wisdom how then is the death of man and beastes all one and howe is theire condition and state alike or how hath not a man more then beastes when as they after death liue not and the soules of men after the death of there bodies be for there wicked deedes caried to hell and do not dye when they depart this life But in both these sayinges which seeme contrary each to other it is made manifest that the Preacher speaketh the truth vttering the one of carnall tentation and yet afterwarde vpon deliberation and according to truth resolutely setteth downe and defineth the contrarye Peter Glad I am that ignorant I was of that question which I demanded seing I haue by meanes thereof come to so exact an vnderstanding of that which before I knewe not But I beseeche you to take it patiently yf I also like to this our Preacher take vpon me the person of weake and fraile men that I may the better as it were by theire demanding of questions be profitable to them in theire weakenes and infirmities Gregory Why sholde I not beare with you condescending to the infirmities of your neighbours when as Paul saith 1. Corint â— To al men I became al thinges that I might * By this we see that men may in a goode soÌ„ce be called Sauiours without any iniury to our Sauiour Christ saue al and surely you are the more to be reuerenced for condescending to theire weakenes vpon charity therein do you imitate the steppes of an excellent preacher OF A QVESTION CONCERNING the soule which goeth inuisibly out of the bodye to witt whether there be any such thinge seing it can not be seene CHAPTER V. Peter IT chaunced so that I was present when one departed this life Who suddainlye as he was a speakinge gaue vp the ghost and whom before I heard talking with me in an instant I sawe deade but whether his soule went out of the body or no that I did not see and it seemeth verye harde to beleeue that thinge which no man can behould Gregory What maruaile is it Peter that you sawe not the soule departing out of the bodye seing you behould it not when it remayneth in the bodye what do you beleeue me to haue no soule because whiles you nowe talke with me you can not see it The nature of the soule is inuisible and therfore inuisibly doth it depart out of the body as it doth inuisibly remayne in the body Peter That the soule hath life so long as it remaineth in the bodye easily do I perceiue by the motion thereof for yf the body were destitute of the soule the members coulde not possibly moue at all but that the soule liueth when it is out of the body by what motions or actions I sholde gather desirous I am to be informed by you to the end that by such thinges as I do see I may knowe that thinge which I can not see Gregory Thoughe not with any great â—ubtility of discourse yet confidentlye do I affirme it to be most true that as the power of the soule doth quicken and moue the bodye so the power of God doth fill all thinges which he hath created and to some thinges doth he giue life by breathing it into them to other thinges he vouchsafeth life in an other manner and vpon some other thinges he bestoweth only a being without any life at all Seing therfore you doubt not but that God is the creator and preseruer of all thinges that he doth fill and imbrace all thinges that he doth excell all thinges and also mainetayneth them that he is incircumscriptible and inuisible so neither ought you to doubt but that he is serued with inuisible creatures seing they that serue oughte to be somewhat like vnto him vpon whom they attende and so consequently that we ought not to doubte but for as much as he is inuisible in him selfe that they also be of the same nature and what creatures can these be els but his holy Angels and the soules of iust men wherfore as you knowe when you see the bodye moue that the soule remaineth in the body and you gather this from the bodie which is lowest so oughte you to thincke of the life of the soule that departeth from the bodye deducing a reason from God who is the highest to witt that the soule liueth inuisibly seing it is to remayne in the seruice of the inuisible creator Peter All this is verye well saide yet our minde can hardelye be broughte to beleeue that which with our corporal eies we can not beholde Gregory Seing S. Paul saith that faith is the Hebr. 11. substance of thinges to be hoped for the argument of thinges not appearing truly are we saide to beleeue that which can not be seene and by no meanes to beleeue that which with out eies we doe behold yet in fewe wordes to bring you home againe to your selfe I saye that no visible thinges be seene but by the means of inuisible for althoughe your bodily ey beholdeth all sensible creatures yet coulde it not beholde any such thinge did it not receiue force from that which is inuisible for take awaye the soule which none doth see and in vaine be the eies opened to loke vpon any thinge Take away the soule from the body and the eies out of all question may remaine still open as before Yf then our eies did â—ee of them selues howe commeth it to passe that nowe the soule is gone they see nothinge at all Learne then by this that visible thinges them selues are not sene but by meanes of them that be inuisible Let vs also imagin that we sawe before vs the building of houses huge timber and stones to be lifted vp great pillers to hang vpon engines what I pray you effecteth all this the visible bodye that with handes draweth and moueth those huge and massy thinges or the inuisible soule that giueth life to the bodye for take awaye that which is not seene in the bodye and straightwaies all those thinges which before did moue will temayne without any motion at all By which we may easily gather that nothing can be disposed of in this visible worlde but by an other creature which is inuisible for as almightye God either by inspiration or by replenishing those creatures which haue reason doth both quicken and moue those thinges which be inuisible so in like manner those thinges which be inuisible doe giue motion and sence to carnall bodies which are visible Peter Willingly ouercome with these reasons alleaged I confesse that I am enforced almost to thincke that these visible thinges are nothing whereas before taking vpon me the person of weake and vnlerned men I doubted whether there were any inuisible creatures or no wherfore your whole discourse doth very well please me yet as I am assured of the life of the soule by the motion of the bodye so desirous I am to knowe by some sure and certaine demonstrations
that the soule doth also liue after it is departed from the body THAT AS THE LIFE OF THE soule remaining in the bodye is gathered by the motion of the members so the life of the soule after death in holy men is to be found out by the vertue of miracles CHAPTER VI. Gregory HErein most readye I am to satisfye your request and for proffe of this pointe no difficultye do I finde for thincke you that the holy Apostles and martirs of Christ wolde haue contemned this present life and offered theire bodies to death had they not knowne that theire soules did most assuredly liue for euer You confesse that you knovve the life of the soule remayninge in the body by the motion thereof beholde then howe these that lost theire liues for Christ and beleeued that soules liued after death be renoumed for theire daily miracles For sicke persons come vnto Pilgrinage to Sainctes bodies theire deade bodies and be curied periured persons repaire thither and be possessed with deuiles possessed with deuiles visit them and are deliuered Lepers come and be clensed deade folke are broughte and they be raised vp againe Consider then in what sort theire soules do liue in those places where they liue whose deade bodies liue also in this worlde by so many miracles yf then you gather the life of Miracles wroughe by relickes the soule remayninge in the body by the motion of the members why do you not likewise by the deade bones which work miracles inferre that the soule doth liue after the death of the body Peter No solution as I thincke can ouerthrowe the force of this reason alleaged by which we are constrained through visible thinges to beleeue those which we see not and be inuisible OF THE DEPARTVRE OF menes soules CHAPTER VII Gregory A Little before you complained for that you coulde not see the soule of one when it departed out of his bodye but that was your fault who desired with corporall eies to beholde an inuisible thinge for many of vs that by sincere faith and plentifull praier haue had the eye of our soule purified haue often seene soules going out of theire bodies and therfore nowe I thincke it necessarye to sett downe both howe and in what sort menes soules departing out of theire bodies haue bene seene and also what wonderfull thinges haue bene reuealed vnto them at the tyme of theire departure that by this meanes examples may satisfye our wauering and doubtfull mindes which reason can not so full ye perswade Wherfore to begin I remember that in the second booke of this worcke I tolde you howe venerable Bennet as by relation of his owne monkes I learned beeing far distant from the city of Capua behelde the soule of Germanus Bishop of the same place at midnighte to be carried to heauen in a fiery globe who seeing the soule as it was ascending vppe behelde also in the largenes of his owne soule within the compasse of one sunne beame the whole world as it were gathered together OF THE DEPARTVRE OF the soule of Speciosus a monke CHAPTER VIII BY the relation also of the same monkes his disciples I vnderstoode howe two noble men that were brethren and very well learned in humanity the one called Speciosus the other Gregory entred into religion there to liue vertuously vnder the direction of his rule whom the venerable father placed in a Monastery of his harde by the city of Teracina These men whiles they remained in the worlde were verye riche but for the redemption of theire owne soules they Voluntarye pouertye had giuene all to the poore and ledd theire life in the same Monasterye One of these twaine to witt Speciosus being sent vpon busines of the Monasterye to the Capua his naturall brother Gregory in the meane tyme sitting at table at dinner amongest the other monkes rapt in spirit behelde his brothers soule thoughe so far distant departing out of his bodye which forthwith he tolde vnto the other monkes and straighte after in all hast tooke his iornye to Capua wher he founde his brother newlye buried and there vnderstoode how he died at that very houre in which he sawe his soule going out of his bodye OF THE SOVLE OF A certaine Anchoret CHAPTER IX A Certaine religious man and one of great credit at such tyme as I liued in the Monastery tolde me that certaine sailing from Sicilye to Rome as they were in the the middest of the sea behelde the soule of a certaine seruant of God caried to heauen who had bene an Anchoret in the Iland of Samnium Landing afterward in the same place Anchoretes and making enquiry of that thinge they vnderstoode that holy man to haue departed this life vpon that very day in which they saw his soule ascending to heauen OF THE DEPARTVRE OF Abbot Hopes soule CHAPTER X. VVHiles I liued as yet in my Monasterye I vnderstode by the relation of a verye reuerent man a certaine thinge which I will now tell you A venerable father there was called Hope who had built an Abbey in a place called Cample distant almost six miles from the old oâ—tye of Nursia This man almightye and mercifull God by temporall affliction preserued from euerlasting miserye and gaue him great grace and quiet of mynde for how deerely he loued him yea at that very tyme when he sent him affliction was afterwarde made apparant to the worlde when he vouchsafed perfectly to restore him to his former health This man therfore was for the space of fourty yeres punnished with such a continuall blindenes of his eies that he coulde not so much as beholde any lighte at all But because none in aduersitye can without the helpe of Goddes grace stande and vnlesse the same mercifull father who sendeth punnishement giueth also patience straighte-waies his chastising of our synnes doth by impatience more increase them and so it pitifully falleth out that our synne is by that very thinge made greater by which an end of all synne mighte very well haue bene expected God therfor seeing our infirmitye together with affliction by his swete prouidence keepeth and preserueth vs and is in his correction which he sendeth his chosen children in this worlde so iust with mercy that they maye become such to whom afterwarde he may iustly shewe mercie and therfore thoughe he did laye his crosse of blindenes vpon this venerable man yet did he not leaue him destitute of inwarde lighte for as his bodye was weried with paine so by the prouidence of Gods holy spirit his soule was refreshed with heauenly comfort At length when he had continewed fourty years in this kinde of blindenes our good Lorde restored him to his former sighte giuinge him also to vnderstande that he was shortly to leaue this worlde and therfore admonished him to preache the worde of lyfe vnto all such Abbeies as were about him and that for as much as him selfe had receiued the light of his body he wold goe and
open vnto them the spirituall lighte of the soule who forthwith obeying Gods commandement visited the foresaide Albeies and preached vnto them such preceptes of goode life as him selfe before had in conuersation practised Returning after fiftene daies to his owne Abbeye he called his monkes together and in theire presence receiued the Sacrament of the body and bloude of our Lorde and straighte-waies began together with them the mysticall hymnes of the Psalmes afterwarde falling with attention to his praiers whiles they continued on theire singing he gaue vp the ghost at which very tyme all the monkes sawe a doue comminge out of his mouth which in theire sighte flying forth throughe the topp of the oratory being then opened ascended vp into heauen And surely it is to be thoughte that his soule by diuine prouidence did in that manner appeare in the likenes of a doue that almighty God mighte thereby shewe with what a true and simple heart that holy man had alwaies serued him OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a Priestes soule called Vrsinus CHAPTER XI NEither must I forget that which the reuerent Abbot Steuen who not long since died in this city and whom you kne we very well tolde me to haue happened in the same Prouince of Nursia For he saide that a Priest dwelled in that countrye who in the feare of God gouerned the Church committed to his charge and althoughe after he had taken orders he did still loue his old wife as his enemy and neuer wolde he permit her to come neare him vpon any occasion Priestes after holy orders bounde to abstayne from the carnal company of theire former wiues abstayning wholy from all intercourse of familiarity For this is a thinge proper to holy men often tymes to depriue them selues of those thinges which be lawful to the end they may remaine the more free from such as be vnlawfull and therfore this man not to fal into any synne vtterly refused al necessary and requisit seruice at her handes When this reuerent man had long liued in this worlde the fourtith yeare after he was made Priest by a great and vehement agewe was broughte to the last cast his olde wife beholding him so far spent and to ly as thoughe he had bene deade putt her heade neare vnto him to see whether he did breath or no which he perceiuing hauing yet a little life lefte enforced him selfe to speake as well as he coulde and in greatferuor of spirit brake out into these wordes Gett the awaye woman a little fire is yet lefte away with the strawe after she was gone his strength some-what increasing he began with greatioy to cry out welcome my Lordes welcome my Lordes why haâ—e you vouchsafed to visit me your vnworthy seruant I come I come I thancke you I thancke you and when he did often repeate these and the like wordes his friendes that were present asked him to whom hespake to whom with a kinde of admiration he answered what do you not here beholde the holy Apostles Do you not see the chiefe of them S. Peter and S. Paul and so turning him selfe againe towardes them he saide Beholde I come beholde I come and in speaking those wordes he gaue vp his happy ghost And that he did indede verily beholde the holy Apostles he testified by that his departure with them And thus it doth often fall out by the sweete prouidence of God that goode men at theire death do beholde his Sainctes going before them and leading as it were the waye to the end they sholde not be affraide at the panges thereof and that whiles theire soules do see the Sainctes in heauen they maye be discharged from the prison of this bodye without all feare and griefe OF THE SOVLE OF PROBVS Bisshop of the city of Reati CHAPTER XII COncerning which thing I must also tel you that which the seruaÌ„t of God Probus who now in this city liueth in an Abbey gaue me to vnderstande of an vncle of his called also Probus who was Bishop of the citye of Reati For he saide that being grieuously sick in great extremity of death his father whose name was Maximus caused many Phisitions to be sent for to see whether by theire skill he could any waies be holpen who all vpon the feeling of his pulse gaue sentence of speedy death When dinner tyme was come and the day some what far spent the venerable Bishop more carefull of theire health then of his owne desired them that they woulde goe vp with his old father into the higher part of his pallace and after theire great paynes to refresh them selues with a poore dinner Wherevpon all went vp and none remayned with him but a little yonge boy who as Probus saith is yet liuing The little boye standing by his beddes side suddainly sawe certaine men comming into the man of God apparrelled in white stoales whose faces were far more bewtifull and brighte then the whitenes of theire garmentes whereat being amazed and affraide he began to crye out and aske who they were at which noise the Bishop also loking vp behelde them comming in and knewe them and therevpon comforted the little boye bidding him not to crye or be affraide saying that they were the holy martirs S. Iuuenall and S. Eleutherius that came to visit him but he not acquainted with any such strange visions ran out at the dores as fast as he coulde carying newes hereof both to his father the phisitions who going downe in all hast found the Bishop departed for those Sainctes whose sighte the childe coulde not endure had carried his soule away in theire company OF THE DEATH OF A Nunne called Galla. CHAPTER XIII NEither will I conceale that which I receiued by the relation of those that are graue and of goode credit In the tyme of the Gothes an honorable yonge maide called Galla daughter to Simmachus the Consull was bestowed in marriag whose husbande before the yere came about departed this life and thoughe both plentye of wealth and her yonge yeres were great allurementes to a seconde marriag yet she made choise rather to be married spiritually to God in which after mourninge euerlasting ioy doth followe then to become againe subiect to carnall matrirnonye which alwaies begineth with ioye and in conclusion endeth with sorrowe But because she had a passing highe colour the Phisitions tolde her that vnlesse Nunnes maye not marrye she did marrye againe that she wolde throughe abundance of heate contrary to nature haue a bearde like vnto men which afterwarde fell so out indede but the holy woman little regarded outwarde deformitye which in wardly in her soule was inamored with the bewtye of the heauenly spouse and feared not yf that in her became foule which she knewe that her caelestial spouse did nothing loue Wherfore straight vpon the death of her husbande casting of her secular Nunnes weare no secular habitâ— habit and attire she rendred her selfe for the seruice of God to that Nunnery
which is by the church of the blessed Apostle S. Peter where she liued for the space of many yeares in praier and simplicitye of harte and bestowed almes plentifullye vpon needy and poore people At lengthe when almightye God determined to bestowe vpon her an euerlasting rewarde he sent her a canker in one of her brestes Two candles she had vsually in the nighte tyme burninge before her bed for louing lighte she did not only hate spirituall darckenes but also corporall One nighte lying sore afflicted with this her in firmitye she sawe S. Peter standing before her bed betwixt the two candlestickes and being nothing affraide but glad loue giuing her courage thus she â—pake vnto him How is it my Lorde what are my sinnes forgiuen me to whom as he hath a most gratious countenaÌ„ce he bowed downe a little his heade and saide Thy sinnes are forgiuen the come and sollowe me but because there was an other Nunne in the Monasterye which Galla loued more then the rest she straight-waies beseeched him that sister Benedicta might goe with her to whom he answered that she could not then come but an other sholde and as for her quoth he whom you now request thirtye daies hence shall she follow you and when he had thus saide he vanished out of her sighte After whose departure she straighte-wayes called for the mother of the Conuent and tolde her what she had sene and hearde and the thirde daye following both she and the other before mentioned departed this life and she also whose company Galla desired the thirtith daye after dâ—d follow them The memory of which thinge continueth still fresh in that Monasterye so that the Nunnes which novve liue there receiuing it by tradition from theire predecessors can tell euerye little pointe thereof as thoughe they had bene present at that tyme when the miracle happened OF THE DEPARTVRE OF A poore man sicke of the palsey called Seruulus CHAPTER XIIII HEre also we haue to knowe that often tymes at the death of Gods seruauntes heauenly musicke is hearde to the end that whiles they giue willing eare to that melodye the soule may haue no leysure to feele when it departeth from the bodye For I remember that in my Homelies Homelia 15. vpon the Gospell I tolde howe in that porche which is in the waye to S. Clements Churche there laye a certaine man called Seruulus whom I doubt not but you also do remember who as he was poore in welth so riche in merites This man had longe Merâ—â— tyme bene aâ—â—cted with sickenes for from the first tyme that I knew him to the very last hour oâ— his 〈◊〉 neuer can I remember but that he was sicke of the palsey and that so pitifully that he could not stande nor sitt vp iâ— his bedd neither was he euer able to putt his hande vnto his mouth or to turne from one side to the other His mother and brethren did serue and attende him and what he gott in almes that by theire handes he bestowed vpon other poore people Reade he coulde not yet did he buye the holy scriptures which verye carefull ye he caused such religious men as he entertained to read vnto him by meanes whereof according to his capacitie thoughe as I saide he knewe not a letter of the booke yet did he fullye learne the holy scripture Very carefull he was in his sicknes alwaies to giue God thanckes and day and nighte to praise his holy name When the tyme was come in which God determined to rewarde this his great patience the paine of his bodye strooke inwardlye to his harte which he feeling and knowing that his last houre was not far of called for all such strangers as lodged in his house desiring them to sing hymnes with him for his last far well and departure out of this life and as he was him selfe singing with them all on a suddaine he cried out a loude and bad them be silent sayinge do ye not heare the great and wonderfull musicke which is in heauen and so whiles he lay giuing of care within him selfe to that diuine harmonye his holy soule departed this mortall life at which tyme all that were there present felt a most pleasaunt and fragrant smell whereby they perceiued howe true it was that Seruulus saide A monke of myne who yet liueth was then present and with many teares vseth to tel vs that the sweetnes of that smell neuer went awaye but that they felt it continually vntill the tyme of his buriall OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a Nunne called Romula CHAPTER XV. IN the same Homilyes I remember likewise howe I tolde a certayne thinge which Speciosus my fellowe Priest doth also verify to be most true At such tyme as I entred into religion there dwelt in this city neare to the church of our blessed Lady a certaine old woman called Redempta liuinge in the habit of a Nunne Habit of Nunne a disciple of that Hirundina which was famous for vertue and lead an eremiticall life as they saye in the mouutaines Eremites and oremitical life by the city of Preneste This foresaide Redempta had two scollers which ware the same habit that she did the one called Romula and the name of the other vvhich yet liueth I can nortel thoughe by sighte I knovve her very vvell These three together in one little house liued a poore life yet riche for pietye and vertue and of these tvvaine Romula far excelled the other in meritt of life for she vvas a vvoman of maruailous patience passing obedient a great obseruer of silence and one that vvith greate zeale bestovved her tyme in continuall praier But because it often falleth out that they vvhom the vvorlde thincke to be perfect haue yet in the eies of almighty God some imperfection as many tymes vnskillfull men do commende seales of armes as excellently vvell engrauen vvhich yet the cunninge vvorckeman doth better consider and laboureth to make more perfect this foresaide Romula fell into such a pitifull palsye that she was faine to keepe her bedd where she laye depriued almost of all the vse of her members which great crosse notwithstanding drewe her not to any impatience but rather the sicknes of her bodye was the health of her soule and the cause of her greater increase in vertue for the lesse she could doe in other thinges the more she did in praier and deuotion Vpon a certaine nighte she called for Redempta who as I sayde brought them both vp as her daughters saying Come mother come mother who straighte-waies with her other disciple rose vp and as my selfe and many more haue heard it from theire owne mouthes when they were about midnighte by her beddes side suddainlye there came a lighte from heauen which filled all that cell and such a brightenes there appeared that it put them both into a vvonderfull feare and as them selues did aftervvarde report all theire bodye became colde in such sorte that there they stoode amazed for
it sholde be purged And here of it commeth that reprobates receiue superioritye and power ouer others who at theire death be so much the more punnished for that they vsed theire cruell authoritye against Gods seruantes as the foresaide wicked and wretched man whom God suffred not to triumphe ouer that venerable Deacon thoughe he permitted him to kill his bodye which thinge to be true we learne also out of holy scriptures For that man of God which was sent against Samaria because contrarye to 3. Reg. 19. Gods commandement he did eate in in his iorny was slayne by a lion and yet in the same place we reade that the lion stoode by the mans asse and did not touche his dead bodye By which we perceiue that his synne of disobedience was by that his death pardoned because the same lion that feared not to kill him presumed not yet to touch his dead carcasse for licence he had for the one but no leaue was graunted for the other because he that was culpable in his life hauing his synne of disobedience now punnished was iust by his death and therfore the lion that before slewe the body of a synner preserued afterward the corps of a iust man Peter Your discourse pleaseth me very well yet willing I am to knowe whether before the resurrection the soules of iust men do enter into the kingdome of heauen VVHETHER THE SOVLES OF iust men be receiued into heauen before the general resurrection of our bodies CHAPTER XXV Gregory THis thinge speaking generallye Al iust men go not straighte to heauen of all iust men can neither be affirmed nor denied for the soules of some iust men remayninge as yet in certaine mansions be differâ—ed from heauen by which staye of theirs what els do we learne but that they lacked some-what of perfect iustice And yet is it more clere then daye that the soules of them that be perfect do straighte after death possesse the ioyes of heauen the truthe where of Christ him selfe assureth vs when he saith VVheresoeuer the body shal be thither will the Luc. 17. eagles be gathered together for where our Sauiour is present in bodye thither without all question doe the soules o â— iust men assemble them selues and S. Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to â— Philip. 1. with Christ He therfore thaâ— doubteth not Christ to be in heauen how can he doubt that S. Paules soule is in the same place which Apostle speaketh also of the dissolution of his body and his dwelling in heauen in these wordes VVe knowe that if our terestrial house of 2 Corint 5. this habitation be dissolued that we haue a buildinge of God and house not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen Peter If iust mens soules be already in heaueÌ„ what then shall they receiue for a rewarde of theire vertuous and iust life at the daye of iudgement Gregory Whereas nowe theire soules be only in heauen at the day of iudgement this further increase of ioye shall they haue that theire bodies also shall be partakers of eternall blisse and they shall in theire fleshe receiue ioye in which for Christes sake they suffred griefe and toâ—mentes In respect of this there douole glorye the scripture saith In theire land they shal possesse double Esay 61. thinges and it is written of the soules of the iust that before the day of resurrection To euery one of them white stoales Apocalip 6. were giuen and it was saide to them that they should rest yet a little tyme vntill the number of theire fellow-seruantes and brethren were complete They therfore that now receiue but one stoale in the daye of iudgement shall euery one haue two because nowe they reioyce only for the felicitye of theire soules but then shall they enioye the endlesse glorye of bodye and soule together Peter I graunt it to be as you saye but what I beseech you is the reason that ostentymes those which ly a dyinge do prophecye and tell of many thinges to come BY VV HAT MEANES IT FALLETH out that those which ly a dying do prophecye of thinges to come and of the death of a certaine aduocat os that also which was reuealed to the monkes Gerontius and Mellitus of the death of a boye called Armentarius and of the diuersitye of tongues CHAPTER XXVI Gregory SOmetyme the soule it selfe by reason of the spirituall nature vvhich it hath doth foresee some thing which will so fall out and sometyme soules before theire departure come to the knowledge of future thinges by reuelation sometyme also when they are straight-waies to leaue the body by heauenly inspiration they penetrate with theire spirituall eies the secrets of heauen For that the soule by reason of the spirituall nature which it hath doth knowe thinges to come certaine it is by that which happened to a certaine aduocate in this citye who died two daies agoe of a paine in his side For a little before his death he called for his boye to giue him his apparrel that he mighte rise vp and walke who supposinge him not to knowe what he saide refused to do what he willed him Where vpon herose vp put on his clothes and saide that he wolde go to the churche of S. Sixtus which is in the waye called Appia and when not longe after his sicknes increasing lie departed this life determined it was that his bodâ—e sholde be buried in the churche of S. Ianuarius the martir which standeth vpon the way called Prenestina But because they which had the care of his buriall thoughte iâ— too far of suddainlye they resolued vpon a newe course and so going forth with his corps by the waye called Appia not knowinge what he had saide they buried him in that church which before he mentioned and seing it is well knowne that he was a man giuen to the worlde and one that soughte after earthly gaine how coulde he know that which fell out but that the force and spirituall nature of his soule did foresee what shoulde become of his bodye That those also which lye a dyinge do oftentymes by diuine reuelation foretell what shall happen afterwarde we may learne by such thinges as haue fallen out amongest vs in diuers Abbeyes For ten yeares since there was a monke in my Monasterye called Gerontius who lying sore sicke sawe by vision in the nighte tyme certaine white men bewtifully apparrelled to descende from aboue into the Monasterye and standing by his beddes side one of them saide The cause of our comminge hither is to choose out certaine of Gregories monkes to sende them abroade vnto the warres and forthwith he commanded an other to write in a bill the names of Marcellus Valentinian Agnellus and diuers others whose names I haue nowe forgotten that being done he saide further Putt downe also the name of him that nowe beholdeth vs. By which vision he being assured of that which would come to passe the next morning he tolde the
theire owne whom in the presence of the clergye nobilitve and common people I examined touching that miracle and they all affirmed it to be most true sayinge that they were in a strange manner replenished with that swete smell and they added also certaine other thinges concerninge his sepulchre that made the miracle greater which not to be ouer longe I meane to passe ouer with silence Peter I perceiue nowe that my former question is sufficientlye satisfied yet an other remaineth which troubleth my minde and that is seinge you affirmed before that holy mens soules which departe this life be nowe in heauen it followeth consequentlye that the soules of the wicked be also in hell and yet ignorant I am whether it be so or no for mans ymagination can not conceiue howe the soules of synners can be tormeâ—ted before the daye of iudgement THAT AS VVE BELEVE THE SOVles of iust and perfect men to be in heauen so we ought also to beleue that the soules of the wicked after theire departure from the body be in hell CHAPTER XXVIII Gregory YF by the testimonye of holy scripture you beleeue that the soules of holy and perfect men be in heauen by the same reason ought you also to beleeue that the soules of the wicked be in hell for as iust men do reioice and be glad at the retribution of eternal iustice so necessary it is that the wicked at the same iustice sholde be grieued and tormentedâ— for as heauenly felicitye doth glad the elect so vve oughte to beleeue that from the daye of theire departure fire doth afflict and burne the reprobat Peter With vvhat reason can vve beleeue that corporall fire can holde and torment an incorporall thinge THE REASON VVHY VVE ought to beleeue that corporal fire can hold and torment the spirites that be without bodies CHAPTER XXIX Gregory YF a spirit vvithout a body can be holden and kept in the bodye of a liuing man vvhy like vvise after death maye not an incorporal spirit be holden and kept in corporall fire Peter The reason vvhy an incorporal spirit in euerye liuing man is kept in the bodye is because it doth quicken and giue life to the bodye Gregory Yf an incorporall spirit Peter may be kept in that to vvhich it giueth life vvhy also for punnishement may it not be kept there where it continually dieth And we saye that a spirit is holden by fire to the end that in the torment thereof it maye both by seeing and feeling be punnished for the soule by seeing of the fire is afflicted burned it is in that it seeth it selfe to be burned and so it falleth out that a corporall thinge may burne that vvhich hath no bodye whiles that an inuisible burninge and sorrowe is drawne from visible fire and the incorporall soule by meanes of corporall fire maye be tormented with a spirituall and incorporall flame although out of the Gospell we also learne that the soule is not only tormented by seeing the fire but also by the feeling thereof for the riche glutton as our Sauiour saith was buried in hell And he giueth vs to vnderstande that his soule was kept in fire in that he telleth vs how he did beseech Abraham speaking to him in this manner Send Lazarus Luc. 16. that he may dipp the topp of his finger into the water and may refrethe my tongue because I am tormented in this flame Seing then truth it selfe assureth vs that the sinfull rich man was condemned into fire what wise man can deny that the soules of the reprobat be detained in fire Peter Both reason and testimonye of scripture draweth my minde to beleue what your saye but yet when I thinke not of them it returneth againe to his former opinion for I neither see nor can perceiue how a corporall thinge can holde and torment that which is incorporall and without bodye Gregory Tell me I praye you whether do you thincke that those Angels which fell from heauen haue bodies or no Peter What man that hath his wittes vvill say that they haue any bodies Gregory And whether do you thincke that the fire of hel is corporal or spirituall Peter I make no doubt but that it is corporall seinge most certaine it is that bodies be burned therewith Gregory And as certaine it is that at the daye of iudgement our Sauiour shall saye to the reprobate Go into euerlasting Math. 25. fire which is prepared for the deuil and his angels Yf then the deuill and his angels thoughe without bodies shall be tormented with corporall fire what maruail is it that the soules after theire departure and before they be vnited againe to theire bodies may in like manner suffer corporal tormentes Peter The reason you giue is very plaine and therfor now there is not any further doubte touchinge this question that doth troublemy minde OF THE DEATH OF KINGE Theodoricus who was an Arrian heretike CHAPTER XXX Gregory SEing with such difficulty you are broughte to beleeue I thincke it worth my labour to let you vnderstad such thinges concerning this very pointe as I haue receaued from them that be of goode credit Iulian who died almost seuen yeres since had a worshipfull office in this church of Rome in which nowe by Gods prouicence I serue vsed often to visit me liuing as yet in my Monastery and to talke with me of spirituall thinges for the goode of both out soules This man vpon a daye tolde me this storye In the tyme of kinge Theodoricus quoth he my wiues father being theâ— in Sicilye was to returne into Italy The shipp in which he came arriued at the Ilande of Liparis where he vnderstood Solitary men and Anchoretes that there dwelt a certaine solitary man of great vertue whom he thoughte goode whiles the mariners were occupied about mendinge of theire shipp and tacklinge to visit to talke with him and to commende him selfe to his praiers and so he did in the company of others When they were come to the man of God amongest other talke which they had he asked them this question Do you quoth he heare that kinge Theodoricus is deade to whom they quickly answered God forbidd we lefte him aliue at our departure from Rome and before this present we neuer hearde of any such thinge Then the seruaunt of God told them that certainly he was deade for yesterdaye quoth he at nine of the clocke he was without shoes and girdle and his handes fast bounde broughte betwixt Iohne the Pope and Symmachus the Senator and throwne into * A rupture of the earth that casteth forth fire Vulcanes gulph which is not far from this place When they hearde this nevves carefullye they vvrot dovvne the tyme and at theire returne into Italy they vnderstood that kinge Theodoricus died vpon that verye daye in vvhich his vnhappy passage out of this worlde punnishement vvas reuealed to the seruant of God And for as much as he had by miserable
contemplation of heauenly mysteryes Peter Is there any text of holy scripture to proue that carnall sinnes be punnished vvith stincking and bad sauours OF THE PVNNISHEMENT of the men of Sodom Gregory THere is for in Genesis vve reade Genes 19. that our Lorde rained fire and brimstone vpon the city of Sodom that both fire mighte burne them and the stenche of brimstone smother and kill them for seing they burnt vvith the vnlawfull loue of corruptible fleshe by Gods iust iudgement they perished both by fire and an vnsauory smell to the end they mighte knovve that they had by the pleasure of theire stiâ—cking life incurred the sorrovves of eternall death Peter Concerning those thinges vvhich before I doubted of I finde my selfe novv so fullye satisfied that I haue not any further question to moue HOVV THE SOVLES OF SOM men being yet in their bodies do see some spiritual punnishement And of that which happened to the boye Theodorus CHAPTER XXXVII Gregory VVE haue also to knowe that sometyme the soules whiles they are in theire bodies do beholde some spirituall punnishement which yet happeneth to some for theire owne goode and to others for the edification of them that heare thereof For there was one Theodorus which storye I remember that in myne homiles to the people I haue also spoken of who was a verye vnrulye ladde and more vpon necessiâ—ye then of his owne good will in the companye of his brother entred into my monasterye and so sittle pleasure he toke in spirituall talke that it was death to him to heare any thinge tending to the goode of his owne soule for he was so far from doing any goode worcke that he could not endure to heare thereof and he wolde openly protest sometymes by swearing sometymes in anger and sometymes in scoffing sorte that he neuer ment to take vpon him the habit of a religious life This vntoward â—he haâ—it of reâ—igious â—en boye in the late mortalitye which consumed the greatest parte of this citye was grieuously strooken whereof he lay sore sicke and being at last come to the pointe of death all the monkes repaired to his chamber to praye for the happy departure of his soule which semed not to be far of for the one halfe of his bodye was already deade and only in his brest a little life remayned and therfore the nerer they sawe him to his ende the more feruentlye did they commend him to Gods mercye Whiles they were thus busied suddainlye he cried out to them and with great clamor went about to interrupt theire deuotions sayinge Depart and away for beholde I am deliuered ouer to a dragon to be deuoured and your presence doth let him that he can not dispatch me My heade he hath alreadye swallowed vp in his mouthe and therfore go your waies that my tormentes be not the longer and that he may effect that which he is about to do for yf I be giuen him to deuoure why do you keepe me here in longer paine At these fearfull wordes the monkes saide vnto him why do you speake thus good brother blesse your selfe with the signe The sig of the hâ—ly crosse vsed against the deuâ— of the holy crosse to whom he answered willinglye I wolde but I can not I am so loaden with this dragons scales Vpon these wordes the monkes fell prostrat vpon the earth and in great zeale with teares they prayed to God for his deliuerye out of the enemies handes who mercifully hearde them for vpon a suddaine the sicke person began to cry out and saye God be thancked beholde the dragon that had me to deuoure is fled awaye and ouercome with your praiers here he could not tarry Now I besech you make intercession for my synnes for I am ready to turne vnto God and wholy to renounce all kinde of secular life and thus he that was halfe deade as before was saide reserued now to a longer life turned to God with his whole harte and so after he had put on a newe minde and was a longe tyme punnished with affliction then his soule departed from the miserieâ— of this mortall life OF THE DEATH OF CHRIsorius and of a certaine monke of Iconia CHAPTER XXXVIII BVt Crisorius on the contrarye as his kinseman Probus of whom I made mention before tolde me was a substantiall man in this worlde but as full of synne as of wealth for he was passing proude giuen to the pleasures of the fleshe couetous and wholy set vpon scraping of riches together But when God determined to make an ende of so many synnes he sent him a greatsickenes and when his last tyme drewe nere in that very houre in which his soule was to leaue the bodye lying with his eies open he sawe certaine cruell men and blacke spirites stande before him pressing vpon him to carrye him awaye to the pitt of hell at which fearfull sighte he began to tremble to wax pale to sweate and with pitifull outcries to craue for truce and often with faltring tongue to call for his sonne Maximus whom when I was a monke I knewe also to professe the same kinde of life saying Come away Maximus with all speede Neuer in my life did I any harme to thee receiue me nowe in thy faith His sonne greatly moued at these outcries came vnto him in all hast and his whole familye lamentinge and crying out repaired also to his chamber none of all which behelde those wicked spirites which did so vrge and vexe him but by his trouble of minde by his palenes and tremblinge they made no doubt of theire presence for he was so affrighted with theire terrible lookes that he turned him selfe euery way in his bed Lying vpon his lefte side he coulde not indure theire sighte and turning to the wall there also he founde them at last being very much beset and dispairing of all meanes to escape theire handes he cried out with a lowde voice saying O truce till to morrow ô truce till to morrow and crying out in this sort he gaue vp the ghost This being the manner of his death certaine it is that he sawe this feareful sight not for him selfe but for vs that his vision mighte do vs goode vvhom Gods patience doth yet vvith fatherly longe sufferance expect to amendment For vvhat prosit reaped he by seeing those fowle spirites before his death and by crauing for that truce which he coulde not obtaine There is also nowe dwelling amongest vs a Priest of Isauria called Athanasius who telleth a very fearefull storye which in his tyme happened as he saith at Iconium For there was in that place as he reporteth a Monasterye called Thongolaton in which there liued a monke that was had in great accounte for he was of goode conuersation and in his life verye orderlye but as the ende declared he was far otherwise then he outwardlye appeared for thoughe he did seme to fast with the rest of the monkes yet did he secretlye take his meate which vice of
nighte by reuelation was admonished in this manner Make your selfe readye because our Lorde hath giuen commandement for your departure and when he answered that he had not wherewith to defraye the charges of that iorny straighte-waies he hearde these comfortable wordes Yf you take care for your synnes they be forgiuen you which thinge thoughe he had hearde once and yet for all that was in great feare an other nighte he had againe the same vision and so after fiue daies he fell sicke of an agewe and as the other monkes were in praying and weeping about him he departed this life An other monke there was in the same Monasterye called Merulus who was wonderfullye giuen to â—eares and bestowing of almes and no tyme almost passed him except it were when he was at meate or a slepe in which he did not sing psalmes This man by vision in the nighte sawe a crowne made of white flowers to descende vpon his heade and straighte after falling sicke he died with great quiet and ioye of minde Fouretene yeares after when Peter who nowe hath the gouernment of my Monasterye went about to make a graue for him selfe harde by Merulus sepulchre such a fragrant and pleasaunt smell as he saith came out of it as thoughe it had bene a storehouse of all manner of swete flowers By which it appeared plainlye that it was verye true which before he had sene by vision in the nighte Likewise in the same Monasterye there was an other called Iohn who was a yonge man of great towardnes and one that ledd his life with greate circumspection humility swetenes and grauitye This man falling sore sicke sawe in his great extremitye by vision in the nighte an olde man to come vnto him who touched him with a wande sayinge Rise vpe for you shall not dye of this sickenes but make your selfe readye for you haue not any longe tyme to staye in this worlde and forthvvith thoughe the phisitions dispaired of his health yet he recouered and became perfectlye well The vision which he sawe he told to others and for two yeares followinge as I saide he serued God in such sort that his great deuotion surpassed his yonge yeares Three yeares since an other monke died who was buried in the churche-yarde of the same Monasterye and when we had ended all his â—uneralles and were departed this Iolme as him selfe with pale face and great trembling tolde vs remayned there still where he hearde that monke which was buried to call him out of the graue that it was so indeede the end following did shewe for ten daies after he fell sicke of an agewe and so departed this life Peter Willingly wolde I learne whether we ought to obserue such visioÌ„s as be reuealed to vs by nighte in our slepe VVHETHER DREAMES ARE TO be beleeued and how many kinde of dreames there be CHAPTER XLVIII Gregory COncerninge this pointe Peter you must vnderstande that there are six kinde of dreames For sometyme they procede of too much fulnes or emptines of the stomacke sometyme by illusion sometyme both by thought and illusion sometyme by reuelation and sometyme both by thoughte and reuelation The two first all by experience knowe to be true and the fower latter we finde mentioned in holy scripture For yf dreames did not sometyme procede by illusion from our secret enemye neuer wolde the wise man haue saide Dreames haue made manye Eccles 34. to err and hooping in them haue they bene deceiued and againe You shall not be sothsaiers nor obserue dreames by which wordes we see howe they are to be detested that are compared with soothsayinges Againe yf dreames did not sometyme procede both of thoughte together with illusion the wise man vvoulde not haue saide Dreames follow cclâ—s 5. many cares And yf sometyme also they did not come by mysticall reuelation Ioseph had neuer knovvne by dreame â—enes 37. that he sholde haue bene exalted aboue his brethren neither the Angell vvolde Aath. 2. euer in a dreame haue admonished the spouse of our Ladye to flye avvaye vvith the childe into Egipt Againe yf sometyme they did not also procede both from thoughtes and diuine reuelation neuer vvolde the prophet Daniell disputing of Nabuchod mosors dreame haue begun from the roote of his former thoughtes saying Thow Daniel 2. ô king diddest beginne to thincke in thy â—edd what should happen in tymes to come and he that reuealeth mysteries did shewe the what thinges should come and a little after Thow diddest see and behold as it were a great statua that great statua and highe of stature did stand against the c. Wherfore seing Daniell doth with reuerence insinâ—ate that the dreame shoulde come to passe and also declareth from what cogitation it did springe plainlye do we learne that dreames sometymes do come both of thought and reuelation together But seing dreames do growe from such diueâ—s rootes with so much the more difficultye oughte we to beleeue them because it doth not easily appeare vnto vs from what cause they do proceede Holy men indeed by a certaine in warde spirituall tast doe discerne betwixt illusions and true reuelatioÌ„s by the very voices or representations of the visions them selues so that they knowe what they receiue from the goode spirit and what they suffer by illusion from the wicked and therfore yf our mynde be not herein verye attentiue and vigilant it falleth into many vanityes throughe the deceipt of the wicked spirit who sometyme vseth to foretell many true thinges that in the ende he may by some falshoode insnare our soule OF ONE VVHO IN HIS DREAME had longe lise promised him and yet died shortly after CHAPTER XLIX AS not longe since it is most certaine that it befell to one that liued amongest vs who being much giuen to obserue dreames had one nighte in a dreame longe life promised him and when as he had made prouision of great store of money for the maintenance of his manye daies he was so suddainlye taken out of this life that he lefte it all behinde him without euer hauing any vse thereof and caried not with him any good worckes to the next worlde Peter I remember verye well who it was but let vs I praye you prosecute such questions as we began to intreat of Doth any profit thincke you redounde to mens soules yf theire bodies be buried in the churche VVHETHER THE SOVLES receiue any commoditye if theire bodies he buried in the churche CHAPTER L. Gregory SVch as dye not in mortall synne ne si nmorand ne not receiue this benefit by hauing theire bodies buried in the churche for when their friendes come thither and beholde their sepulchres then do they remember them and pray vnto God for theire soulesâ— but those that depart Praier for the deade this life in the state of deadly synne receiue not any absolution from theire synnes but rather be more punnished in hell for hauing theire bodies buried in the
Monarches and Princes the sacking of cities the slaugther of men the triumphes of conquerors this describing the spirituall battles of the soule the voluntary forsaking of all temporal prefermeÌ„t riches and earthly pleasures the vertuous liues and happy endes of holy men and the triuÌ„phant crownes of martirs who sacrificed their bodies for the name of Christ and washed Apocal. 9 v. 14. theire robes and made them white in the bloude of the lambe that out of sundry prudeÌ„t obseruations giuing vs occasioÌ„ togather many politick notes moral lessons for the ordering of our life in this vale of misery this with diuine documents and examples of Gods seruants informing vs how to arriue to the toppe of all perfection and as it were with the arcke of Noe to escape the vast deluge of sinne which ouerfloweth the worlde and safely to arriue at the mountaynes of the heauenly Armenia Genes â— v. 4. These being the pleasant fruits and swete flowers which the caelestiall gardin of Saintâ— liues doth yeld in vaine I think it goode Reader further to commende this booke of S. Gregories Dialogues which now in our english tongue I present to thy viewe thy soule haply desiring as much to enioy the conuersation thereof as euer did the olde Patriarch Iacob Genes cap. 45. v. 28. 2. Reg. 14 cap. 14. v. 32. 2. Paralip cap. 9. v. 23. to see his sonne Ioseph Absalon to come vnto the presence of his father Dauid or the kinges of the earth to behould the face oâ— Salomon yet for thy better instruction and more to inflame thee I can not but add a worde or two Thou shalt therfore vnderstand that this booke hath in auncient tynâ—es bene so highly esteemed and thought so necessary that great Prelats and Princes though otherwise charged with the waight of their gouernment and occupied with the continuall flowe of newe busines yet were they so inamored with this pretious pearle and so much desired that the light thereof might be sett vpon a candle-sticke for the profitte of others that they found spare time to translate it into the language of their owne country Pope Zachary a Graecian Genebrard in his Chronicle borne who liued about an hundred and fourty yeares after that blessed Doctor for the benefit of the East church did turne it into the greke tongue And here in our country king Alfrede seauen hundred yeares agoe either traÌ„slated it him selfe or els as Ingulphus writeth caused In his history it by the holy Bishope of Worcester Werfredus to be translated into the Saxon tongue so highly was this worcke esteemed in former ages and thought so necessary for the goode of Christian people VVherefore seing continuance of time hath not abased the dignity thereof but rather made it more venerable and of greater authority no lesse reason nay sar more haue we to embrace it then our forefathers had and that not only inrespect of vertuous life none as I thinke making any doubt but that we are many degrees inferiour to them synne neuer so tyrannizing as in these vnhappy dayes of ours but especiallie in respect of faith and true religion whereof they had none or litle nede and we most of all seing we be fallen into the latter dayes in which as our Sauiour saith many false prophets Math. 24. v. 12. shall rise and â—seduce many and as the Apostle foretolde men will not beare sound religion but according to their owne desires heape to them selues masters and as experience teacheth newe religions dayly spring vp and multiply and therfore great reason we haue carefully to looke vnto our selues that we suffer not sâ—ipwrake about the faith and perish vpon the mutable sandes of late inuenâ—ions For auoyding of which perill what pilot more cunning can we desire in the tempesÌ„tuous sea and surging waues of these diuerse opinions to conduct vs to the secure harbour of the auncient catholicke and Apostolick church then blessed S. Gregory For if we wish an indifferent iudge and one that was longe before we fell at variance he is so auncient that he liued a thousand yeares agoe and so by common computation within the compasse of the primatiue church Yf we seeke for vertue he was therein so rare that both in his life tyme he was had in great reuerence and after his death honoured for a Saint Yf we desire learning he is so excellent that he is reputed for one of the fower princicipall doctors of the church and worthily surnamed the Greate and generally so famous that with his praise the earth is full ana his glory aboue the heauens S. Iohn Damascene a doctor of the greke church who liued not long after his time giueth him this commendation Prodeat in Orat. de defunctis medâ—um Gregorius Dialogus c. Let Gregory quoth he that wrote the booke of Dialogues Bishop of the elder Rome be brought forth a man as all knowe that was notable and renowned both for holinesse of life and learning who had as men report when he was at the holy mysteries an heauenly and diuine Angell present with him in that sacred action Isodorus also Bishop of Seuill in Spaine prosecuteth De scriptorib ecclesiasticis cap. 27. his praises in this manner Gregorius Papa Romanus c. Gregory pope of Rome Bishop of the Apostolicke sea full of compunction of the feare of God and for humility most admirable and so endewed through the grace of the holy Ghost with the light of knowledge that neither in our dayes nor in former tymes there was euer any doctor his equall And the Councell of Toletan 8. can 2. Toledo in this manner extolleth him Blessed Pope Gregory honorable both for merit of life and worthily almost to be preferred before all for his morall discourses To conclude such as desire more herein I referre them to our dere country man venerable Bede that liued within lesse then one hundred yeares after him as is euident out of the two last chapters of his history translated into our english tongue who in that saide story of our countries conuersion maketh Lib. 2. cap. 1. a briefe rehersall of his learned works among which this of his Dialogues is also mentioned There also he calleth him holy Pope Gregory and the Apostle of our country and recounteth many of his notable acts of piety and religion and diuerse zealous labours emploied for Christ and his church which for breuity sake I willingly passe ouer with silence Neither haue only Catholicke fathers and councels had this reuerent opinion of blessed Pope Gregory but Protestants also iudge him worthy of honour and commendation Among many to name two or three Master Iewell sometime of Salisbury thinketh him so sound for religion that for credit of his cause he thus cryeth out O Gregory ô In his challenging sermon Leo ô Austen c. Yf we be deceiued you haue deceiued vs. Thomas Bell also so magnisieth this father that he vouchsafeth him of this honorable title Saint Gregory Suruey pag. 187. quoth he
discontentement and dislike coÌ„cerninge suche secular affaires mighte plainely shewe them selues and all thinges that vsually bringe griefe mustered togither mighte frelye be presented before myne eies in whiche place after that I had satt a longe while in much silence and great sorrowe of soule at lengthe Peter my deere sonne and deacon came vnto me a man whom from his yonger yeres I had alwaies loued most intierelye and vsed him for my companion in the studye of sacred scripture who seing me drowned in such a dompe of sorrowe spake vnto me in this manner what is the matter or what bad newes haue you heard for certaine I am that some extraordinarye sadnes doth nowe afflicte your mynde To whom I returned this answere ô Peter the griefe wich continually I endure is vnto me both olde and newe olde throughe common vse and newe by daily encreasinge For myne vnhappye soule wounded with worldly busines doth nowe call to mynde in what state it was when I liued in myne Abbeye howe then it was superior to all earthly matters far aboue all transitory and corruptible pelfe howe it did vsuallye thincke vpon nothinge but heauenlie thinges and thoughe is was enclosed in mortal bodye yet did it by contemplation passe far beyonde earthly boundes and penetrat to the very height of heauene and as for death the memorye wherof is almost to all men grieuous that it did loue and desire as the ende of all miserye the rewarde of her labors and the very entraunce to an euerlastinge and blessed life But nowe by reason of my pastoral charge my poresoule is enforced to endure the burden of secular mens busines after so excellent and swete a kinde of rest defiled it is with the dust of worldlye conuersation and when it doth at the request of others attende to outwarde affaires no question but it returneth backe far lesse fitt to thincke vpon those that be inward spiritual and heauenly Wherfor at this present do I meditat what I suffer and consider what my soule hath lost and the memorye of my former losse doth make that more grieuous which I do nowe eÌ„dure For do you not be holde at this present howe I am tossed with the waues of this wicked world and see the shipp of my soule beaten with the storms of a terrible tempest and therfor wheÌ„ I remeÌ„ber my former state of life I caÌ„ not but sighe to looke backe cast myneâ—eies vpon the forshaken shore And that which doth yet greiue me more is bycause I see my selfe so carried awaye amayne with the boisterous blastes of this troublesom worlde that I can not nowe scarse beholde the porte from whence I did first hoise saile for such be the downe falles of our soule that first it loseth that goodnes and vertue which before it possessed yet so that it doth still remember what it hath lost but afterwarde carried awaye more and more and strayinge further from the pathe of vertue it coÌ„meth at lenghte to that passe that it doth not so muche as keepe in mynde what before it did daily practise so in conclusion it falleth out as I said before that saylinge further on we go at length so far that we do not so muche as once beholde the swete harbor of quiet peace from whence we first sett forth Sometyme also my sorrowe is encreased by remembringe the liues of certain notable meÌ„ who with theire whole soule did vtterlye forsake and abaÌ„done this wicked worlde whose highe perfectioÌ„ when I beholde I can not also but see myne owne infirmities and imperfection verye many of whom did in a contemplatiue retired kinde of life much please God and least by dealing with transitory busines they mighte haue decaied in vertue Gods goodenes voutsafed to fre theÌ„ from the trobles affaires of this wretched worlde But that which I haue nowe saide will be far more plaine and the better perceiued yf the residue of my speche be dialogue wise distinguished by setting downe eache of our names you askinge what you shal thincke conuenient I byanswere giuing satisfaction to such questioÌ„s as you shall demande at my handes Peter I do not remember any in Italye that haue bene verye famous for vertue and therfor ignorant I am who they be that comparinge your life to theres yowe shoulde be so muche inflamed to imitate theire steppes for althoughe I make no doubte but that there haue bene many goode men yet do I verily thincke that none of theÌ„ wroughte any miracles or at least they haue bene hitherto so buryed in silence that whether any suche thing hath bene done or no not any one man can tell Gregorye Yf I sholde Peter but report onlye those thinges wich my self alone haue vnderstoode by the relation of vertuous and credible persons or els learned by my selfe concerninge the life and miracles of perfect and holy men I sholde soner in myne opinion lacke daye to talke in then matter to speake of Peter Desirous I am that yowe wolde vouchsafe to make me partaker of some of them and not to thincke much yf vpon so goode an occasion you interrupt your other studie of inter pretinge the scripture because no lesse edification doth growe by the relation of miracles For as by the exposition of that we learne howe vertue is to be founde and kepte so by recountinge the miracles of holy meÌ„ we knowe how that wich is founde out and possessed is declared and made manifest to the worlde And some there are that be soner moued to the loue of God by vertuous The profit of sainctes liuâ—s examples then by godly sermons and ofâ—eÌ„tymes by the liues of holy fathers the heart doth reape a doble commoditye for yf by comparing of his owne life with theirs he findeth him selfe inflamed with the loue of heauen althoughe before he had haply a goode opinion of him selfe yet seing novve hovve far others do excell him he becommeth also more humble and is broughte to haue a more lowly conceipte of his owne actions and vertue Gregory Such thinges as venerable and holy men haue tolde me I will now without any further delay make you partaker of and that following the example of sacred scripture for sure I am that S. Luke and S. Marcke learned that gospel which they wrot not by sighte but by the relation of others yet lest any in reading sholde haue occasioÌ„ to doubte whether such thinges as I write be true or no I will sett dovvne by vvhat meanes and of vvhom I haue learned them yet in some of them yow haue to knovv that I remember not all the particulars but only the matter in other some both the matter and also the vvordes And besides yf I sholde haue bene so curious as to haue kept in mynde each mans particular vvordes many vttered after the countrye manner vvolde haue made the stile of my discourse nothinge handsome nor semelye That story vvhich I meane first to begin vvith I had by
being one that vtterly dispised all vvordly things and with the whole povver of his soule thirsted after the ioyes of heauene Vpon a certaine daye it fell s out that there vvanted oile in the churche by reason vvhereof the foresaid seruaunt of God had not vvherwith to lighte the lampes vvhere vpon he filled them all vvith vvater as the manner is put a pece of paper in the middest then sett thim on fire the vvater did so burne in the lampes as though Burning lamppos in the church it had bene very oile by vvhich you may gather Peter of vvhat merit this man vvas vvho enforced by necessity did chaunge the nature of the element Peter Very strange it is that yovv saye but desirous I am to knovve vvhat humility he had invvardlye in his soule who outwardly was so wonderfull in the eies of the worlde Gregory Amonge miracles very fitly do yow enquire the inwarde state of the minde for it is almost incredible howe miracles wroughâ—te in the sighte of men do with theire tentation inwardly assalt the soule But after yow haue hearde onlye one thinge vvhich this venerable CoÌ„stantâ—us did yovv vvil quickly perceiue vvhat an humble man he vvas Peter Hauing novve tolde me one of his miracles it remayneth that yovve do edifye me also vvith the humilytie of his soule Gregory Because the reporte of his holy life vvas verye muche spread abroade many from diuers countries trauailed to Ancona beinge verye desirous to see him and amongest others a certain countrye fellovve vvas come far of for that very purpose at vvhich tyme it so chaunced that the holy man vvas standinge vpon a paier of vvodden staiers busying him selfe there in mending of lamppes A verie little person he vvas of stature vvith a thinne face and to the outvvard vievv contemptible This fellovv that cam to see him inquired earnestly vvhich vvas the man for vvhose sake he had trauailed so longe a iornye Those that knevv him forth vvith tolde him pointing to Constantius But as folishe soules do measure the merites of men by the qualitye of theire bodies so he beholdinge him so little and coÌ„temptible by no means coulde be persvvaded that they told him truth for in the countrye fellovves minde there fell out as it vvere a great conteÌ„tion betvvixt that which he had heard that which he sawe and he verily perswaded him selfe that he coulde not be so little in his eies vvho vvas so great in his former conceipte and therfor vvhen very many did constantly affirme that he was the man the simple soule despised him and in scoffing manner said I verily belieued that he had bene a goodly great man but this fellovve hath not any thing at all in him that is like a man vvhich vvordes of his the seruant of God Constantius hearing forthvvith left his lampes vvhich he vvas in hande vvith and in great hast cam merily dovvne the staiers imbraced the countrye clowne and of exceding loue helde him fast in his armes kissed him gaue him great thanckes for hauinge that opinion and spake thus vnto him Thovv only quoth he haâ—t thyne eies open and doest truly beholde vvhat I am By vvhich facte vve may easily gather vvhat an humble man he vvas that loued the countrie fellovve the more for contemninge him for iniurious vvords and contumelious vsage trie vvhat a man is invvardly in his soule for as proude men are glad of honor so those that be humble for the most parte reioyce in contempte and disgrace when they beholde them selues to be of no account in the opinion of others glad they are bycause they see that to be confirmed by the iudgement of others which inwardly in theire owne soules they had of them selues Peter This man as I perceiue was outwardly great in miracles but yet greater by his inwarde humility of soule OF MARCELLINVS BISSHOPPE of Ancona CHAPTER VI. Gregory MArcellinus also a man of holye life was Bishopp of the same citye of Ancona who was so sore trobled with the gowte that being not able to goe his seruauntes were enforced to carry him in theire handes Vpon a daye by negligence the city was set on fire and thoughe many labored by throwinge on of water to quenche it yet did it so increase and go forwarde that the whole city was in great danger for it had laid holde of all the houses that were next it and consumed alreadye a great parte of the towne none beinge able to helpe or withstande it In so pitifull a necessity and great danger the Bishopp carried by his seruantes came thither and commanded him selfe to be sett downe righte against those furious flames and in that very place whether the force of the fier did seeme most to beÌ„de which being done the fire maruailous strangelye turned backe into it selfe and as it were cryed out that it coulde not passe the Bishopp and by this meanes was it stopped from goinge forwarde went out of it selfe not beinge able to touche any other buildinges By which Peter yovve see what an argument of great holines it was for a sicke man to sit still by his praiers to quench those raging flames Peter I do both see it and much wonder at so notable a miracle OF NONNOSVS PRIOR OF the Abbey in mounte Soracte CHAPTER VII Gregory NOwe I intende to let yovv vnderstande somewhat of a place not far distaÌ„t which I hearde of the reuerent Bishop Maximianus and of the olde moncke Laurio one whom you knowe both which are yet liuinge as for Laurio he was broughte vp vnder that holy man Anastasius in the Abbeye whiche is harde by the citye of Nepye and Anastasius both by reason of the nerenes of the place equall loue of vertue and like profession of life was dailye in the companye of holy Nonnosus Prior of the Abbey which is in mount Soracte This Nonnosus had for his Abbot a very sharpe man whose roughe conditions notwithstandinge he did alwaies beare with wonderfull patience and did in such swete sort gouerne the monckes that oftentymes by his humility he appeased the Abbotes anger The Abbey standinge in the topp of an hill had neuer an euene and playne place fitt for a gardin one only little plott of grounde there was in the side of the mountayne but that was takeÌ„ vp of a great stone which did naturally growe there so that by no meanes it coulde serue for a gardin yet venerable Nonnosus vpon a daye began to thinâ—ke with him selfe that at least that pece of ground wolde serue verye well to sett wortes yf by any meanes that huge stone coulde be taken awaye but then he likewise thought that fiue hundred yoke of oxeÌ„ wold not be able to stirr it wherevpoÌ„ despairinge of all humane helpe he betokehim selfe to Gods goodnes and in that very place gaue him selfe to prayer in the quiettyme of the nighte beholde on the morninge when the monkes came thither they founde that huge stone remoued far of
expected and therfore the valiāt soldiar of Christ wolde not be kept within wals but soughte for a larger fielde where he mighte more freely labour for his master And so in like manner you shall quickly perceiue yf you marcke well that venerable Bēnet forsooke not so many in one place that were vnwilling to be taughte as he did in sundry other places raise vp from the death of soule many more that were willing to be instructed Peter It is so as you say and plaine reason teacheth it and the example of S. Paul alleaged doth confirme it But I beseeche you to returne vnto your former purpose and to prosecut the life of the holy man Gregory When as Gods seruant dayly encreased in vertue and became continually more famous for miracles many were by him in the same place drawne to the seruice of almighty God so that by Christes assistance he built there twelue Abbeis ouer which Building of Abbeis he appointed gouernors and in eache of them placed twelue monkes and a fewe he kept with him selfe namely such as he thoughte wolde more profitt and◠be better instructed by his owne presence At that tyme also many noble and religious men of Rome Yong children brought vp in a monastical life came vnto him and committed thiere children to be btoughte vp vnder him for the seruice of God Then also Euicius deliuered him Maurus and Tertullius the Senator broughte Placidus beinge thiere sonnes of great hoope towardnes of which two Maurus grovvinge to great vertue began to be his masters coadiutor but Placidus as yet was but a boy of tender yeres HOVV BENNET REFORMED A monke that wold not stay at his praiers CHAPTER IIII. IN one of the monasteries which he had built in those partes a monke there was which coulde not cōtinewe at prayers for when the other monkes kneeled downe to serue God his manner was to go forth and there with wandring minde to busy him selfe about some earthly and transitorye thinges And when he had bene often by his Abbot admonished of this fault without any amendment at length he was sent to the mā of God who did likewise very muche rebuke him for his folly yet notwithstanding returning backe agayne he did scarse two daies followe the holy mans admonitiō for vpon the thirde day he fel againe to his old custome wolde not abide within at the tyme of praier worde whereof being once more sent to the mā of God by the father of the Abbey whō he had there appointed he returned him answer that he wold come him selfe reforme what was amisse which he did accordingly it fell so out that when the singinge of psalmes was ended and the howre come in which the monkes betooke them selues to praier the holy man perceiued that the monke which vsed at that tyme to goe forth was by a little blacke boye drawne out by the skirte of his garment vpon which sighte he spake secretly to Pompeianus father of the Abbey and also to Maurus saying Do you not see who it is that draweth this monke from his praiers and they answered him that they did not Then let vs pray quoth he vnto God that you also may beholde whom this monke doth follovve and after tvvo daies Maurus did see him but Pompeianus could not Vpon an other day vvhen the man of God had ended his deuotions he vvent out of the oratorye vvhere he founde the foresaide monke standinge idle vvhom for the blindenes of his hart he strooke with a little vvand and from that day forvvarde he vvas so freed from all allurement of the little blacke boye that he remayned quietly at his praiers as other of the monkes did for the olde enemye was so terrified that he durst not any more suggest any such cogitations as though by that blowe not the monke but him selfe had bene strooken OF A FOVNTAINE THAT sprunge forth in the topp of a mountaine by the praiers of the man of God CHAPTER V. AMongest the monasteries which he had built in those partes three of them were situated vpon the rockes of a mountaine so that verye painfull it was for the monkes to go downe and fetche water especially because the side of the hill was so steepe that there was great feare of danger and therefore the monkes of those Abbeis with one consent came vnto the seruant of God Bennet giuinge him to vnderstande how laborious it was for them daily to go downe vnto the lake for water therfore they added that it was very necessarye to haue them remoued to some other places The man of God comfortinge them with swete wordes caused them to returne backe againe and the next nighte hauing with him only the little boy Placidus of whom we spake before he ascended vp to the rocke of that mountaine and continewed there a longe tyme in praier and when he had done he toke three stones laide them in the same place for a marcke so none of them being priuy to that he had done he returned backe to his owne Abbey And the next daye when the foresaide monkes came againe about thiere former busines he saide thus vnto them Go your vvaye to the rocke and in the place where you finde three stones laide one vpon an other digge a little hole for almighty God is able to bringe forth vvater in the topp of that mountaine and so to ease you of that great labour vvhich you take in fetching it so farr avvay they vvent and came to the rocke of the mountaine according to his direction vvhich they founde as i◠vvere svveating droppes of vvater and after they had vvith a spade made an hollovve place it vvas straighte vvaies filled and vvater flovved out so abundantly that it doth plentifully euen to this day springe out and runne downe from the topp to the verye bottom of that hill HOVV THE YRON HEADE OF a bill from the bottom of the water returned to the handle againe CHAPTER VI. AT an other tyme a certaine Goth poore of spirit that gaue ouer the worlde was receiued by the man of God whom on a day he commanded to take a bill and to clense a certaine plott of grounde from briers for the makinge of a gardin which grounde was by the side of a lake The Goth as he was there labouringe by chance the heade of the bill slipt of and fell into the water which was so depe that there was no hope euer to get it againe The poore Gothe in great feare ran vnto Maurus and told him what he had lost confessing his owne fault and negligence Maurus forth with went to the seruaunt of God giuing him to vnderstande thereof who came straighte waies to the lake and toke the handle out of the Gothes hande and putt it into the water and the yron heade by and by ascended from the bottom and entred againe into the handle of the bill which he deliuered to the Gothe sayinge Beholde here is thy bill againe
worcke on and be sadd no more HOVV MAVRVS VVALKED vpon the water CHAPTER VII ON a certaine daye as venerable Bennet was in his cell the foresaid yong Placidus the holy mās monke went out to take vp water at the lake and putting downe his paile careleslye fell in him selfe after it whom the water forth with caried awaye from the lande so far as one maye shote an arrowe The man of God being in his cell by and by knewe this and called in hast for Maurus sayinge Brother Maurus runne as fast as you can for Placidus that went to the lake to fetche water is fallen in and is carried a good waye of A strange thinge and since the tyme of Peter the Apostle neuer hearde of Maurus crauing his fathers blessinge and departing in all hast at his commandement ran to that place vpon the water to which the yong lad was carried by force thereof thinckinge that he had all that while gone vpon the land and takinge fast hold of him by the heare of his heade in all hast he returned backe againe and so sone as he was at lande comminge to him selfe he looked behinde him and then knewe very well that he had before runne vpon the water and that vvhich before he durst not haue presumed being novve done and past he both maruailed and vvas afraide at that vvhich he had done Comminge backe to the father and telling him vvhat had happened the venerable man did not attribut this to his ovvne merites but to the obedience of Maurus but Maurus on the contrarye saide that it vvas clone only vpon his commandement and that he had nothing to do in that miracle not knovving at that tyme vvhat hat he did But the friēdly contention procedinge of mutuall humility the yong youth him selfe that vvas saued from drovvninge did determyne for he saide that he sawe when he was drawne out of the water the Abbotes garmēt vpon his heade affirming that it was he that had deliuered him from that great danger Peter Certainly they be wonderfull thinges which you report and such as may serue for the edification of many for myne owne parte the more that I heare of his miracles the more do I still desire HOVV A LOAFE VVAS POIsoned and caried far of by a crowe CHAPTER VIII VVHen as the foresaide monasteries were zealous in the loue of our Lorde Iesus Christ and thiere fame dispersed far and nere and many gaue ouer the secular life and subdued the passions of thiere soule vnder the lighte yoke of our Sauiour then as the manner of wicked people is to enuye at that vertue which them selues desire not to follovve one Florentius Priest of a churche harde by and grandfather to Florentius our subdeacon possessed with diabolicall malice began to enuye the holy mans vertues to backebite his manner of liuing and to withdraw as many as he coulde from going to visit him and when he sawe that he coulde not hinder his vertuous procedinges but that on the contrarye the fame of his holy life increased and many dailye vpon the verye reporte of his sanctitye did betake them selues to a better state of life burning more and more with the coles of enuye he became far worse and thoughe he desired not to imitate his commendable life yet faine he wolde haue had the reputation of his vertuous conuersation In conclusion so much did malitious enuie blinde him and so far did he wade in that synne that he poisoned a loafe and sent it to the seruaunt of almightye God as it were for an holy present The man of God receiued it with great thanckes yet not ignorant of that which was hidden within At diner tyme a crow daily vsed to come vnto him from the next woode which tooke bread at his handes comming that day after his manner the man of God threwe him the loafe which the Priest had sent him giuinge him this charge In the name of Iesus Christ our Lorde take vp that loafe and leaue it in some suche place where no man may finde it Then the crowe openinge his mouthe and lifting vp his winges began to hopp vp and downe about the loafe and after his manner to crye out as thoughe he wolde haue saide that he was willing to obeye and yet coulde not do what he was commanded The man of God againe and againe bad him sayinge Take it vp without feare and throwe it where no man may finde it At length with much adoo the crowe tooke it vp and flewe awaye and after three howres hauinge dispatched the loafe he returned backe againe and receiued his vsuall allowance from the man of God But the venerable father perceiuinge the Priest so wickedly bent against his life was far more sory for him then grieued for him selfe And Florentius seeing that he coulde not kill the body of the master laboureth nowe vvhat he can to destroye the soules of of his disciples and for that purpose he sent into the yarde of the Abbey before thiere eies seuene naked yonge vvemen vvhich did there take handes togither play and dance a longe tyme before them to the end that by this meanes they mighte inflame thiere mindes to sinfull lust vvhich damnable sighte the holy man beholdinge out of his cell and fearinge the danger which thereby mighte enseewe to his yonger monkes and consideringe that all this was done only for the persecutiuge of him selfe he gaue place to enuye and therfore after he had for those Abbeyes and oratories which he had there built appointed gouernors and left some vnder thiere charge him selfe in the company of a fevve monckes remoued to an other place And thus the man of God vpon humility gaue place to the others malice but yet almighty God of iustice did seuerely punnishe his vvickednes For vvhen the foresaide Priest beinge in his chāber vnderstoode of the departure of holy Bennet and vvas very glad of that newes beholde the whole house besides continewing safe and sounde that chamber alone in which he was fell downe and so killed him which strange accident the holy mans disciple Maurus vnderstādinge straighte-wayes sent him worde he being as yet scarse ten miles of desitinge him to returne againe because the Priest that did persecut him was slayne which thinge when Bennet hearde he was passing sorrowfull and lamented muche both because his enemye died in such sorte and also for that one of his monkes reioiced thereat and therfore he gaue him penance for that sending suche newes he presumed to reioice at his enemies death Peter The thinges you reporte be strange and muche to be wondered at for in making the rocke to yelde forth water I see Moises and in the yron which came from the bottom of the lake I beholde Heliseus in the walkinge of Maurus vpon the water I perceiue Peter in the obedience of the crowe I contemplat Helias and in lamenting the deathe of his enemy I acknowledg Dauid and therfore in myne opinion this one man was full
ears OF TVVO HVNDRED BVSSHELS of meale found before the man of Gods cell CHAPTER XXI AT an other tyme there was a great dearche in the same countrye of Campania so that all kinde of people tasted of the miserye and all the wheat of Bennets monasterye was spent and likewise all the breade so that there remayned no more then fiue loaues for dinner The venerable man beholdinge the monkes sad both rebuked theÌ„ modestly for thiere pusillanimitye and againe did comforte them with this promise why quoth he are you so grieued in your mindes for lack of breade Indede too day some want there is but to morrowe yowe shall haue plentye and so it fell out for the next day two huÌ„dred busshells of meale was founde in sackes before his cell dore which almighty God sent them but by whom or what meanes that is vnknowne to this verye daye which miracle when the monkes sawe they gaue God thanckes and by this learned in want not to make any doubte of plenty Peter Tell me I praye you whether this seruaunt of God had alwaies the spirit of prophecye when him selfe pleased or only at certaine tymes Gregory The spirit of prophecy doth not alwaies illuminate the mindes of the prophetes because as it is written of the holy Ghoste that he breatheth where Ioh. 3. he will so we are also to knowe that he doth breathe likewise for what cause and when he pleaseth And hereof it commeth that when kinge Dauid demanded of Nathan whether he mighte 1. Paralip 17. builde a teÌ„ple for the honoure of God the prophet Nathan gaue his consent and yet afterwarde vtterly for bad it From hence likewise it procedeth that when Helizeus sawe the woman weeping and knewe not the cause he saide to his seruauÌ„t that did trouble her Let 4. Reg. 4. her alone for her soule is in griefe and God hath concealed it from me and hath not tolde me Which thinge almightye God of great pietye so disposeth for giuinge at some tymes the spirit of prophecye and at other tymes withdrawinge it he doth both lifte vp the prophetes mindes on highe and yet doth preserue them in humilitye that by the gifte of the spirit they may knowe what they are by Gods grace and at other tymes destitute of the same spirit may vnderstande what they are of them selues Peter There is very great reason for that you saye But I pray you let me heare more of the venerable man Bennet yf there be any thinge els that cometh to your remembrance HOVV BY VISION VENERABLE Bennet disposed the buildinge of the Abbey of Taracina CHAPTER XXII Gregory AT an other tyme he was desired by a certaâ—ne vertuous man to bulide an Abbeye for his monkes vpon his grounde not far from the citye of Taracina The holy man was content and appointed an abbot Prior with diuers monkes vnder them and when they were departinge he promised that vpon suche a day he wolde come and shewe them in what place the oratory sholde be made and vvhere the refectorye sholde stande and all the other necessary roomes and so they takinge his blessinge went there waye and against the day appointed which they greatlye expected they made all such thinges readye as were necessary to entertaine him and those that sholde come in his companye But the verye nighte before the man of God in sleepe appeared to the Abbot and the Prior and particularly described vnto them where eache place and office was to be builded And when they were both risen they conferred together what either of them had seene in thiere sleep but yet not giuing full credit to that vision they expected the man of God him selfe in person accordinge to his promise But when they savve that he came not they returned backe vnto him verye sorovvfullye sayinge vve expected father that you sholde haue come accordinge to promise and tolde vs vvhere eache place sholde haue bene built vvhich yet you did not To vvhom he ansvvered vvhy say you so goode brethren Did not I come as I promised you and vvhen they asked at vvhat tyme it vvas vvhy quoth he did not I appeare to either of you in your sleepe and appointed hovv and vvhere euerye place vvas to be builded Go your vvaye and accordinge to that plat-forme which you then â—awe builde vp the Abbey At which wordes they muche maruailed and returninge backe they caused it to bâ— builded in such sorte as they had bene taught of him by reuelation Peter Gladly wolde I learne by what means that could be done to witt that he sholde goe so far to tell thèm that thinge in thiere sleepe which they sholde both heare and knowe by vision Gregory Why do you Peter seeke out and doubte in what manner this thinge was done For certaine it is that the soule is of a more noble nature then the bodye And by authority of scripture we knowe that the prophet Abacuck was carried from Iudea with that dinner whiche he had and was suddainlye sett in Chaldea by which meate the prophet Daniel was relieued presentlye Daniel cap. 14. after was broughte backe againe to Iudea Yf then Abacuck coulde in a moment with his bodye go so far and carrye prouision for an other mans dinner what maruaile is it yf the holy father Bennet obtayned grace to goe in spirit and to informe the soules of his brethren that were a sleepe coÌ„cerninge suche thinges as were necessarye and that as Abacuck about corporall meate went corporally so Bennet sholde go spiritually about the dispatche of spirituall busines Peter I confesse that your wordes haue satisfied my doubtfull minde But I wolde knowe what maner of man he was in his ordinary talke and conuersation OF CERTAINE NVNNES absolued after thiere deathe CHAPTER XXIII HIs common talke Peter was vsuallye full of vertue for his harte conuersed so aboue in heauen that no vvordes coulde in vayne procede from his mouthe And yf at any tyme he spake oughte yet not as one that determined vvhat vvas best to be done but onlye in a threatnnige manner his speeche in that case vvas so effectuall and forcible as though he had not doubtfully or vncertainly but assuredly pronounced and giuen sentenceâ— For not far from his Abbey there liued two Nunnes in a place by them selues borne of vvorshipfull parentage vvhom a religious good man did serue for the dispatche of thiere outvvarde busines But as nobility of family doth in some breede ignobility of minde and makâ—th them in conuersation to shevve lesse humilitye because they remember still what superiority they had aboue others euen so was it with these Nunnes for they had not yet learned to temper thiere tongues and kepe them vnder with The habit of Nunnes the bridle of thiere habit for often did they by thiere indiscret speech prouoke the foresaide religious maÌ„ to anger who hauinge borne with them a longe tyme at lengthe he complained to the man of God and tolde him with what
Then turninge back to Galla that came raginge after he saide This is father Bennet of whom I tolde you who lookinge vpoÌ„ him in a great fury thinckinge to deale as terribly with him as he had with others cried out aloude to him sayinge Rise vp sirrha rise vp and deliuer me quickelye suche wealth as thowe hast of this mans in keepinge The man of God hearinge such a noise straighte-waies lifte vp his eies from readinge and behelde both him and the countrye fellowe and turninge his eies to his bandes verye straungelye they fell from his armes and that so quickelye as no man with any hast could haue vndone them Galla seeinge him so wonderfullye and quickely loosed fell straighte a trembling and prostratinge him selfe vpon the earth boowed downe his cruell and stiffe necke to the holy mans feete and with humilitye did commende him selfe to his praiers But the venerable man for all this rose not vp from his readinge but callinge for some of his monkes commanded them to haue him in and to giue him some meate And when he was broughte backe againe he gaue him a goode lesson admonishing him not to vse any more suche rigour and cruell dealinge His proude minde thus taken downe away he went but durst not demande after that any thinge of the countrye fellowe whom the man of God not with handes but only with his eies had loosed from his bandes And this is that Peter which I tolde you that those which in a more familiar sorte serue God doe sometyme by a certaine power and authority bestowed vpon them worcke miracles For he that sittinge still did appease the furye of that cruell Gothe and vnloose with his eies those knottes and cordes which did pinion the inocent mans armes did plainelye shewe by the quickenes of the miracle that he had receiued power to worcke all that which he did And nowe will I likewise tell you of an other miracle which by praier he obtayned at Gods handes HOVV BY PRAIER VENERABLE Bennet raised vp a deade childe CHAPTER XXXII BEinge vpon a daye gone out with his monkes to worke in the fielde a country man carrying the corps of his deade sonne came to the gate of the Abbey lamentinge the losse of his childe and inquiringe for holy Bennet they tolde him that he was abroad with his monkes in the fielde Downe at the gate he layd the deade bodye and with great sorrowe of soule ranne in hast to seeke out the venerable father At the same tyme the man of God was returninge home ward from worcke with his monkes whom so sone as he sawe he began to crye out giue me my sonne giue me my sonne The man of God amazed at these wordes stoode still saide what haue I taken awaye your sonne No no quoth the sorrowfull father but he is deade come for Christ Iesus sake and restore him to life The seruaunt of God hearing him speake in that manner seeinge his monkes vpon compassion to sollicit the poore mans sute with great sorrowe of minde he saide Away my goode brethren awaye Suche miracles are not for vs to worcke but for the blessed Apostles why will you lay suche a burthen vpon me as my weakenes can not beare But the poore man whom excessiue griefe enforced wolde not giue ouer his petition but swore that he wolde neuer departe excepte he did raise vp his sonne Where is he then quoth Gods seruaunte he answered that his body lay at the gate of the Abbey to which place when the man of God came with his monkes he kneeled downe and lay vpon the bodye of the little childe and rising he helde vp his handes towardes heauen and saide Beholde not o Lorde my synnes but the faithe of this man than desireth to haue his sonne raised to life and restore that soule to the body which thowe hast taken away He had scarse spoken these wordes and beholde the soule returned backe againe and there with the childes bodye began to tremble in such sort that all which were present did beholde it in straunge manner to pant and shake Then he tooke it by the hande gaue it to his father but aliue in healthe Certaine it is Peter that this miracle was not in his owne power for which prostrat vpon the grounde he praied so earnestly Peter All is most true that before you saide for what you affirmed in wordes you haue nowe verified by examples and worckes But tell me I beseche you whether holy men can do all suche thinges as they please and obtaine at Gods handes whatsoeuer they desire OF A MIRACLE VVROVGHTE by his sister Scholastica CHAPTER XXXIII Gregory VVHat man is there Peter in this worlde that is in greater fauour with God then S. Paul was who yet three tymes desired our Lord ro be deliuered from the pricke of the fleshe and obtained not his petition Concerninge which pointe also I 2. Cor. 12. must nedes tell you howe there was one thinge which the venerable father Bennet wolde haue done and yet he could not For his filter called Scholastica YouÌ„g children dedicated to a religious life dedicated from her infancy to our Lord vsed once a yere to come and visit her brother To whom the man of God went not far from the gate to a place that did belonge to the Abbey there to giue her intertainement And she comming thither on a tyme accordinge to her custome her venerable brother with his monkes went to meete her where they spent the whole daye in the praises of God and spirituall talke and when it was almost nighte they supped together as they were yet sitting at the â—able talkinge of deuoin matters and darcknes came on the-holy NuÌ„ne his sister entreated him to stay there all nighte that they mighte spende it in discoursinge of the ioyes of heauen But by no perswasion wolde he agree vnto that sayinge that he mighte not by any meanes tarry all nighte out of his Abbey At that tyme the skye was so clere that no cloude was to be sene The Nunne receiuinge this deniall of her brother ioyning her handes together laide them vpon the table and so bowing downe her heade vpon them she made her praiers to almighty God and liftinge her heade from the table there fell suddainlye such a tempest of lightninge and thundringe and such abundance of raine that neither venerable Bennet nor his monkes that were with him coulde put theire heade out of dore for the holy Nunne restinge her heade vpon her handes poured forth such a flod of teares vpon the table that she drewe the clere aier to a watrye skye so that after the end of her deuotions that storme of rayne followed and her prayer and the rayne did so meete together that as she lifted vp her heade from the table the thunder beganne so that in one and the verye same instant she lifted vp her head and broughte downe the rayne The man of God seeinge that he could
not by reason of suche thunder and lighteninge and greate abundance of raine returne backe to his Abbey began to be heauye and to complaine of his sister sayinge God forgiue you what haue you done to whom she answered I desired you to staye and you wolde not heare me I haue desired our goode Lorde and he hath vouchsafed to graunt my petition wherfor yf you can now departe a Gods name returne to your monasterye and leaue me here alone But the goode father being not able to goe for the taried there against his will where willinglye before he wolde not staye And so by that means they watched all nighte and with spirituall and heauenly talke did mutuallye comfort one an other and therfore by this we see as I saide before that he wolde haue had that thinge which yet he could not for yf we respecte the venerable mans minde no question but he wolde haue had the same faire weather to haue continewed as it was when he sett forth but he found that a miracle did preuent his desire which by the power of almighty God a womans praiers had wrought And it is not a thinge to be maruailed at that a woman which of longe tyme had not sene her brother mighte doe more at that tyme theÌ„ he could seeing accordinge to the sayinge of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 4. God is charity and therfore of righte she did more which loued more Peter I confesse that I am wonderfully pleased with that which you tell me HOVV BENNET SAVVE THE soule of his sister ascend into heauen CHAPTER XXXIIII Gregory THe next daye the venerable woman returned to her Nonnerye and the man of God to his Abbey who three daies after standinge in his cell and liftinge vp his eyes to heauen behelde the soule of his sister which was departed from her bodye in the likenes of a doue to ascend into heauen who reioysinge muche to see her great glorye vvith hymnes and laudes gaue thanckes to almighty God and did imparte the newes of this her death to his monkes whom also he sent presentlye to bringe her corps to his Abbey to haue it buried in that graue which he had prouided for him selfe by meanes whereof it fell out that as theire soules were alwaies one in God whiles they liued so theire bodies coÌ„tinued together after theire deathe HOVV HE SAVVE THE VVHOLE worlde represented before his eies and also the soule of Germanus Bishop of Capua ascending to heauen CHAPTER XXXV AT an other tyme Seruandus the Deacon and Abbot of that monasterye which in tymes past was founded by the noble man Liberius in the countrye of Campania vsed ordinarily to come and visit the man of God and the reason why he came so often was because him selfe also was a man full of heauenly doctrine and so thy two had often together spâ—rituall conference to the end that albe it they could not perfectly feede vpon the celestiall foode of heauen yet by means of such swete discourses they might at least with longing and feruent desire taste of those â—oyes and diuine delightes When it was tyme to goe to rest the venerable father Bennet reposed him selfe in the topp of a tower at the foote whereof Seruandus the Deacon was lodged so that one paier of staiers went to them bothe before the â—ower there was a certaine large roome in which bothe theire disciples did lye The man of God Bennet being diligent in watching rose early vp before the tyme of mattins his monkes being yet at rest and came to the windowe of his chamber where he offered vp his praiers to almighty God Standinge there all on a suddaine in the deade of the nighte as he looked forth he sawe a lighte which bannished away the darckenes of the nighte and glittered with suche brighenes that the lighte which did shine in the middest of darckenes was far more clere them the lighte of the daye Vpon this fighte a maruailous strange thinge followed for as him selfe did afterwarde reporte the whole worlde gathered as it were together vnder one beame of the sunne was presented before his eies and whiles the venerable father stoode attentiuely beholdinge the brightenes of that glitteringe lighte he sawe the soule of Germanies Bishop of Capita in a fierye globe to be carried vp by Angels into heauen Then desirous to haue some witnes of this so notable a miracle he called with a very loude voice Seruandus the Deacon twise or thrise by his name who troubled at such an vnvsuall cryinge out of the man of God went vp in all hast and looking for the sawe not any thinge els but a little remnant of the light but wondring at so great a miracle the man of God tolde him all in order what he had sene and sendinge by and by to the towne of Cassino he commanded the religious man Theoprobus to dispatche one that nighte to the citye of Capua to learne what was become of Germanus thiere Bishop which beinge done the messeÌ„ger founde that reuerend Prelat departed this life and enquiringe curiously the tyme he vnderstoode that he died at that very instant in which the man of God behelde him ascending vâ— to heauen Peter A straunge thinge and verye muche to be admired But whereas you saye that the whole worlde as it were vnder one sunne beame was presented before his eies as I must nedes confesse that in my selfe I neuer had experience of any suche thinge so neither can I conceiue by what meanes the whole worlde can be sene of any one man Gregory Assure your selfe Peter of that which I speake to witt that all creatures be as it were nothinge to that soule which beholdeth the creator for thoughe it see but a glympse of that lighte which is in the creator yet verye small do all thinges seme that be created for by meanes of that supernaturall light the capacity of the inwarde soule is inlarged and is in God so extended that it is far aboue the worlde yea and the soule of him that seeth in this manner is also aboue it selfe for being rapt vp in the lighte of God it is inwardly in it selfe inlarged aboue it selfe and when it is so exalted and looketh downeward then doth it comprehend how little all that is which before in former basenes it could not comprehende The man of God therfore who sawe the fiery globe and the Angels returninge to heauen out of all doubte coulde not see these thinges but in the lighte of God what maruaile then is it yf he sawe the worlde gathered together before him who rapâ— vp in the light of his soule was at that tyme out of the worlde But albeit we say that the worlde was gathered together besoore his eies yet were not heauen and earth drawne into any lesser roome then they be of them selues but the soule of the beholder was more inlarged which rapt in God might without difficultye see that which is vnder God and therfore in
that lighte which appeared to his outwarde eies the inward lighte which was in his soule rauished the minde of the beholder to supernall thinges and shewed him howe small all earthly thinges were Peter I perceiue nowe that it was to my more profitt that I vnderstoode you not before seeinge by reason of my slowe capacitye you haue deliuered so notable an exposition But nowe because you haue made me througlye to vnderstand these thinges I beseeche you to continewe on your former narration HOVV HOLY BENNET VVROT a rule for his monkes CHAPTER XXXVI DEsirous I am Peter to tell you many thinges of this venerable father but some of purpose I set passe because I make hast to entreat also of the actes of other holy men yet I wolde not haue you to be ignorant but that the man of God amongest so many miracles for which he was so famous in the worlde was also sufficiently learned in diuinitye for he wrot a rule for his monkes both excellent for discretion and also eloquent for the stile Of whose life and conuersation yf any be curious to knowe further he may in the institution of that rule vnderstand al his manner of life and discipline for the holy man coulde not otherwise teache then him selfe liued HOVV VENERABLE BENNET did prophecye to his monkes the tyme of his owne deathe CHAPTER XXXVII THe same yeare in which he departed this life he tolde the daye of his holy death to his monkes some of which did liue daily with him and some dwelt far of willinge those that were present to keepe it secret and tellinge them that were absent by what token they sholde knowe that he was deade Six daies before he lefte this worlde he gaue order to haue his sepulchre opened and forthwith fallinge into an agewe he began with burninge heate to wax fainte and when as the sicknes daily increased vpon the sixt day he commanded his monkes to carry him into the oratory where he did arme him selfe with receiuinge the body and bloode of our Sauiour Christ and hauing his weake body holden vp betwixte the handes of his disciples he stoode with his owne lifte vp to heauen and as he was in that manner praying he gaue vp the Ghost Vpon which daye two monkes one being in his cell and the other far distant had concerninge him one and the selfe same vision for thy sawe all the waye from the holie mans cell towardes the east euene vp to heauene hunge and adorned with tapestry and shininge with an infinite number of lampes at the topp whereof a man reuerently attired stoode and demanded yf they knewe who passed that way to whom they answered saying that they knewe not Then he spake thus vnto them This is the waye quoth he by which the beloued seruaunt of God Bennet is ascended vp to heauen And by this means as his monkes that were present knewe of the deathe of the holy man so likewise they which were absent by the token which he foretold them had intelligence of the same thinge Buried he was in the oratory of S. Iohne Baptist which him selfe built when he ouerthrewe the altar of Apollo who also in that caue in which he first dwelled euene to his verie tyme worketh miracles yf the faithe of them that pray requireth the same HOVV A MAD VVOMAN VVAS cured in his caue CHAPTER XXXVIII FOr the thinge which I meane nowe to rehearse fel out lately A certaine woman fallinge madde lost the vse of reason so far that she walked vp and downe day and nighte in mountains and valle is in woodes and fieldes and rested only in that place where extreame wearines enforced her to staye Vpon a day it fell so out that albeit she wandred at randon yet she missed not the righte waye for she came to the caue of the blessed man Bennet and not knowinge any thing in she went reposed her self there that nighte and rising vp in the morning she departed as sound in sence well in her wittes as though she had neuer bene distracted in her whole life and so continewed alwaies after euen to her dyinge daye Peter What is the reason that in the patronage of martirs we often tymes finde that they do not afforde so great benefits by theire bodies as they do by Sainctes relickes worcke miracles other of theire reliques and doe there worke greater miracles where them selues be not present Gregory Where the holy martirs lye in theire bodies there is no doubt Peter but that they are able to worke many miracles yea and also do worke infinite to such as seek them with a pure minde But for as much as simple people Sainctes in heauen heare our praiers Praier to Sainctes mighte haue some doubte whether they be present and doe in those places heare theire praiers where theire bodies be not necessarye it is that they sholde in those places shewe greater miracles where weake soules may most doubte of theire presence But he whose minde is fixed in God hath so muche the greater merit of his faith in that he both knoweth that they rest not there in bodye and yet be there present to heare our praiers And therfore our Sauiour him selfe to increase the faithe of his disciples saide If I do not departe Ioh. 16. the comforter will not come vnto you for seeinge certaine it is that the comfortinge spirit doth alwaies procede from the father and the sonne why doth the sonne saye that he will departe that the comforter may come who neuer is absent from the sonne But because the disciples beholdinge our Lorde in flesh did alwaies desire to see him with theire corporall eies very well did he saye vnto them vnles I do go awaye the comforter will not come as thoughe he had plainly tolde them Yf I do not with drawe my bodye I can not let you vnderstande what the loue of the spiritis except you giue ouer to loue my carnall presence neuer will you learne to affect me with true spirituall loue Peter That you saye pleaseth me verye well Gregory Let vs now for a while giue ouer our discourse to the end that yf we meane to prosecute the miracles of other Sainctes we may throughe silence be the more able to performe it The ende of the second booke THE CHAPTERS OF THE THIRDE BOOKE 1. OF Paulinus Bisshoppe of the city of Nola. 2. of Pope Iohn 3. Of Pope Agapitus 4. Of Datius Bisshoppe of Millan 5. Of Sabinus Bisshoppe of Camisina 6. Of Cassius Bisshoppe of Narni 7. Of Andrewe Bisshoppe of Funda 8. Of Constantius Bisshop of Aquinunt 9. Of Frigidianus Bisshop of Luna 10. Of Sabinus Bisshop of Placentia who by his letters made the riuer of Poe to retire into his channel 11. Of Cerbonius Bisshop of Populonium 12. Of Fulgentius Bisshop of Otricoly 13. Of Herculanus Bisshop of Perusium 14. Of the seruaunt of God Isaac 15. Of the seruantes of God Euthitius and Florentius 16. Of Martius the
man of God ansvvered your seruaunt I am quoth he vvhom you tooke for the ransome of the vvidovves sonne but vvhen he vvolde not be satisfied vvith that ansvvere but did instantly presse him to tell not vvhat he vvas novve but vvhat he had bene in his ovvne countrye and did vrge him very often to ansvvere to this pointe the man of God adiuered so strictlye not beeâ—nge able any longer to deny his request tolde him that he vvas a Bishop vvhich his master and Lorde hearinge became vvonderfully affraide and humbly offered him sayinge demaunde vvhat you vvill that you may be well rewardred of me and so returne home to your countrye To whom the man of God Paulinus saide One thinge there is where in you may muche pleasure me and that is to sett at libertye all those that be of my citye which fute he obtained for straighte waies throughout Affricke all were soughte out theire shippes laden with wheate and to giue venerable Paulinus satisfaction they were all discharged and in his company sent home and not long after the king of the Vandals died and so he lost that whipp and seuere gouernemeÌ„t which to his owne destruction and the punnishement of Christians by Gods prouidence he had before receiued And thus it came to passe that Paulinus the seruant of almightye God told truthe and he that voluntarilye alone made him selfe a bondman returned not back alone but with many from captiuity imitatinge him who tooke vpon him the forme of a seruaunt that we sholde not bee seruauntes to synne for Paulinus followinge his example became him selfe for a tyme a seruant alone that afterwarde he mighte be made free with many Peter When I heare that which I can not imitate I desire rather to weepe then to saye any thinge Gregory Concerninge this holy mans death it remayneth yet in the records of his owne church how that he was with a paine of his side broughte to the last cast and that whiles all the rest of the house stoode sounde the chamber only in which he lay sicke was shaken with an earth quake and so his soule was loosed from his bodye and by this meanes it fell out that they were all strookeÌ„ with a great feare that mighte haue sene Paulinus departing this life But because his vertue by that which I spoke of before is sufficiently handled nowe yf you please we will come to other miracles which are both knowne to many and which I haue hearde by the relation of such persons that I can make no doubt but that they be most true OF SAINCTE IOHN THE Pope CHAPTER II. IN the tyme of the Gothes when the most blessed man Iohn Bishoppe of this churche of Rome trauailed to the Emperour IustiniaÌ„ thelder he came into the countrye of Corinth where he lacked an horse to ride vpon which a certaine noble man vnderstandinge lent him that horse which because he was gentle his wife vsed for her owne saddle with order that when he came where he coulde prouide him selfe of an other his wiues horse shold be sent backe againe And so the Bishop rodd vpon him vntill he came to a certaine place where he got an other and then he returned that which he had borrowed But afterwarde when his wife came to take his backe as before she vsed by no meanes could she do it because the horse hauing caried so greate a Bishoppe woulde not suffre a woman to come any more vpon his back therfore he began with monstrous snorting neying and continuall stirringe as it were in scorne to shewe that he coulde not beare any woman vpon whom the Pope him selfe had ridden which thinge her husbande wisely consideringe straight wayes sent him againe to the holy man beseechiÌ„g him to accept of that horse which by riding he had dedicated to his owne seruice Of the same man an other miracle is also reported by our auncetors to witt that in Constantinople when he came to the gate called Aurea where he was mett with great numbers of people in the presence of them all he restored sight to a blinde man that did instantly craue it for laying his hande vpon him he bannished awaye that darcknes which possessed his eies OF S. AGAPITVS THE Pope CHAPTER III. NOt longe after about busines concerninge the Gothes the most blessed man Agapitus Bishop of this holy churche of Rome in which by Gods prouidence I do now serue went to the Emperor Iustinian And as he was trauailinge throughe Grece a dumbe and lame man was brought vnto him for helpe The holy man carefully demanded of his kinsfolke that brought him thither and stoode there weepinge whether they did beleue that it was in his power to cure him who answered that they did firmely hope that he mighte helpe him in the vertue of God by the authoritye of S. Peter vpon which wordes forthwith the venerable man fell to his praiers and beginninge solemne The sacrifice of the masse masse he offered sacrifice in the sighte of almighty God which beinge ended he came from the aultar toke the lame man by the hande and straightwaies in the presence and fighte of all the people he restored him to the vse of his legges and after he had put our Lordes bodye into his mouthe The real presence that tongue which longe tyme before had not spoken was loosed At which miracle all did wonder and began to weepe for ioye and forthwith both feare and reuerence possessed theire mindes beholding what Agapitus coulde do in the power of our Lorde by the helpe of S. Peter OF DATIVS BISHOPPE OF Millan CHAPTER IIII. IN the tyme of the same Emperour Datius Bishopp of Millan about matters of religion trauailed to Constantinople And comminge to Câ—rinthe he soughte for a large house to receiue him and his company and coulde scarse finde anye at length he sawe a far of a faire greate house which he commanded to be prouided for him and when the inhabitants of that place tolde him that it was for many yeares haunted by the deuil and therfor stoode emptye so much the sooner quothe the venerable man oughte we to lodge in it yf the wicked spirit hath taken possession thereof and will nor suffer men to dwell in it Wherevpon he gaue order to haue it made readye which being done he went without al feare to combat with the olde enemye In the deade of the nighte when the man of God was a slepe the deuill began with an huge noise and great outâ—ry to imitate the roaringe of lyoÌ„s the bleatinge of sheepe the brayinge of asses the hissinge of serpentes the gruntinge of hogges and the skreaking of rattes Darius suddainly awaked with the noise of so many beastes rose vp and in great anger spake aloude to the olde serpent and saide Thowe art serued well thowe wretched creature thowe art he that diddest saye I will Isai 14. place my seate in the northe and I will be like to the highest now throughe thy pride
bringe the potage which they had prouided and goinge with his monkes into the gardin he founde there so many men workinge as he had commanded them to lay spades for it fell so out that certaine thieues were entred in to spoile and robb it but God chaunginge theire mindes they tooke the spades which they founde there and so wrought from the tyme of theire first entrance vntil the man of God came vnto them and all such partes of the grounde as before were not manured they had digged vpp and made readie When the man of God was com he saluted them in this wise God saue you goode brethren you haue laboured longe wherfore now rest your selues then he caused such prouision as he had broughte to be sett before them so after theire labour and paines refreshed them When they had eaten that was sufficient he spake thus vnto them Doe not hereafter any more harme but when you desire any thinge that is in the gardin come to the gate quietlye aske it and take it a Gods blessinge but steale no more and so bestowing vpon them good store of wortes he sent them awaye And by this meanes it fell out that they which came into the gardin to doe harme departed thence not doing any damage at all and besides had the rewarde of theire paines and somewhat also of charitye bestowed vpon them At an other tyme there came vnto him certaine straunge men a begginge so torne and tattred that they had scant any ragges to couer them humbly beseechinge him to helpe them with some cloathes The man of God hearinge theire demande gaue them no answere but secretly callinge for one of his monkes bad him goe into suche a woode and in such a place of the woode to seeke for an hollow tree and to bringe vnto him that apparrel which he founde there The monke went his way and broughte closely to his master that which he had founde Then the man of God called for those poore naked men and gaue them that apparrell saying Put on these cloathes to couer your naked bodies withall They seeing theire owne garmentes were wonderfully confounded for thincking by cunning to haue gotten other mens apparrell with shame they receiued only theire owne Againe at another tyme one there was that commended him selfe to his prayers and sent him by his seruaunt two basketes full of meate one of the which as he was in his iornye he tooke away and hidd in a bushe till his returne backe againe and the other he presented to the man of God telling him how his master had sent him that hartily commendinge him selfe to his praiers The holy mā tooke that which was sent verie kindelye giuing the messenger this goode lesson I pray the my freinde to thancke they master and take heede howe thowe doest lay hande vpon the basket for a snake is crept in therfore be carefull least otherwise it doth stinge the. At these wordes the messenger was pitifullye confounded and though glad he was that by this means he escaped death yet some what grieued that he was put to that shame Comminge backe to the basket very diligent carefull he was in touching it◠for as the man of God had told him a snake in verie dede was gott in This holy man therfore albeit he were incōparably adorned with the vertue of abstinence contempt of worldly welthe the spirit of prophecye and perseuerance in praier yet one thing there was in him which seemed reprehensible to witt that some tyme he wolde so exceede in mirthe that yf men had not knowne him to haue bene so full of vertue none wolde euer haue thought it Peter What I beseche you shall we say to that for did he willingly giue him selfe sometyme to such recreation or els excelling in vertue was he contrary to his owne minde drawne sometyme to present mirthe Gregory Gods prouidence Peter in bestowinge of his giftes is wonderful for often it falleth out that vpon whom he vouchsafeth the greater he giueth not the lesse to the end that alwaies they may haue somewhat to mislike in them selues so that desiringe to arriue vnto perfection and yet can not and labour inge about that which they haue not obtayned and can not preuaile by this meanes they become not proud of those giftes which they haue receiued but doe thereby learne that they haue not those greater graces of them selues who of them selues can not ouercome small faultes And this was the cause that when God had broughte his people into the lande of promise and destroied all theire mightye potent enemies yet did he longe tyme after reserue the Philisteans and Chananites that as it is written he mighte Iudie 3. in them trye Israel For sometyme as hath bene saide vpon whom he bestoweth great giftes he leaueth some small thinges that be blameworthy that alwaies they may haue somewhat to fighte against and not to be proude thoughe theire great enemies be vanquished seeing other aduersaries in very small thinges do putt them to great trouble therfore it falleth out strangelye that one and the selfe same man is excellent for vertue and yet of infirmitye sometyme do the offende so that he may beholde him selfe on the one side stronge and well furnished and on an other open and not defended that by the goode thinge which he seeketh for and is not able to procure he may with humility preserue that vertue which alreadye he hath in possession But what wonder is it that we speake this concerning man when as heauen it selfe lost some of his citizens and other some conteynewed sounde in Gods grace that the electe Angels of God seeinge others throughe pride to fall from heauen mighte stande so muche the more stedfast by howe much with humilitye they preserued Gods grace receiued They therfore tooke profitt by that losse which heauen then had and were thereby made to perseuere more constantly in Gods seruice for all eternitie In like manner it fareth with each mans soule which sometyme for preseruinge of humilitye by a little losse it attaineth to great spirituall perfection Peter I am verye well pleased with that you saye OF THE SERVANTES OF God Euthicius and Florentius CHAPTER XV. Gregory NEither will passe ouer that with silence which I hearde from the mouthe of that reuerent Priest Sanctulus one of the same countrye and of whose report I am sure you make no doubte for you knowe very well his life and fidelitye At the same tyme in the prouince of Nursia there dwelt two men obseruinge the life and habit of holy Distinct habit of monkes conuersation the one was called Euthicius the other Florentius of which Euthicius bestowed his tyme in spirituall zeale and feruor of vertue and laboured muche by his exhortations to gayne soules to God but Florentius lead his life in simplicitye deuotion Not far from the place where they remayned there was an Abbey the gouernor whereof was dead therfore
sometyme condescende to speake with them of certaine thinges by little and little we get such a custome that we heare that spoken with pleasure which is not meete to be hearde at all so that afterwarde we are loth to giue that ouer to which at the first to gratify others we were broughte against our wills And by this meanes we fall from idle wordes to hurtefull speches and from talke of small moment to wordes of great importance and so it commeth to passe that our tongue is so muche the lesse respected of God when we pray by howe muche we are more defiled with folishe speche because as it is written He that turneth away his eare Prouerb 28. that he heare not the lawe his praier shal be execrable what maruaile then is it yf when we praye God doth slowely heare vs when as we heare Gods commandemeuts either slowly or not at all And what maruaile yf Florentius when he praied was quickely hearde who obeied God in obseruinge his commandements Peter The reason alleaged is so plaine that nothinge with reason can be saide against it But Euthicius who was companion to Florentius in seruing of God was famous also for miracles after his deathe For the inhabitantes of that citye do speake of manye but the principall is that which euen to these tymes of the Lombardes almighty God hath voutsafed to worcke by his coate for when they had any great drouth the citizens gatheringe them selues together did carry that and together with theire praiers offer it in the sighte of our Lorde And when they went with The vertue of relickes that throughe he fieldes praying to God forth with they had such plentye of raine as the drynes of the grounde required wherbye it was apparaunt what vertue and merites were in his soule whose garment shewed outwardlye did pacifye the anger of almighty God OF MARCIVS THE MONKE of mount Marsico CHAPTER XVI NOt longe since there was a reuerent man in Campania called Marcius who liued a solitary life in the mountaine of Marsico and many yeres together did he contine we in a narrowe and straighte caue whom many of our acquaintance knewe very well and were present at such miracles as he did and many thinges concerning him haue I hearde from the mouthe of Pope Pelagius of blessed memorye my predecessor and also of others who be very religious men His first miracle was that so sone as he made choise of that caue for his habitation there sprunge water out of the hollowe rocke which was neither more nor lesse then serued for his necessity By which almighty God did shewe what great care he had of his seruaunt seeinge miraculously as in auncient tyme he had before done to the children of Israel he caused the harde rocke to yelde forth water But the olde enemy of mankinde inuyinge at his vertues went about by his auncient slight to driue him from that place for he entred into a serpent his olde friende and so thoughte to haue terrified him from thence For the serpent alone wold come into the caue where he liued also alone and when he was at his praiers it wold cast it selfe before him when he tooke his rest it woldly downe by his side The holy mā was nothinge at all dismaide at this for sometyme he wolde put his hand or legge to his mouth sayinge Yf thowe hast leaue to stinge me I hinder the not and when he had liued thus continually the space of three yeres vpon a daye the olde enemy ouercome with his heauenly courage made a great hissinge and tumblinge him selfe downe by the side of the mountaine he consumed all the bushes and shrubbes with fire in which fact by the power of God he was enforced to shewe of what force he was that departed with losse of the victorye Consider I pray you then in the top of what mountaine this man of God stoode that continewed three yers together with a serpent without taking any harme at all Peter I doe consider it and do tremble at the very hearinge of the storye Gregory This reuerent man when he first shutt him selfe vp was determined neuer to beholde wemen any more not because he contemned them but for that he feared least theire sighte mighte be the occasion of sinfull tentation which resolution of his a certaine woman vnderstandinge vp she went boldly to the mountaine and forgettinge all modesty impudentlye approched to his caue He seeinge her a goode way of and perceiuinge by the apparrell that it was a woman he fell straighte to his praiers with his face vpon the earthe and there he laye prostrat vntill the shamelesse creature wearied with staying at his windowe departed and that very daye after she was descended the mountaine she ended her life to giue all the worlde to vnderstāde howe highely she displeased almighty God in offendinge his seruant with that her bold enterprise At an other tyme many of deuotion goinge to visit him a yonge boye taking little heede to his feete by reason the path◠was so straighte vpon the side of the mountaine fell downe and tumbled vntill he came to the bottome of the valley which was verye depe for the mountaine is so highe that huge trees growing beneathe seeme to them that be aboue nothinge els but little shrubbes The people present were at this chaunce muche dismaide and verye diligentlye did they seeke to see where they coulde finde his deade bodye for who wolde haue thoughte any otherwise but that he was slayne or once imagined that his bodye coulde euer haue come safe to the groūde so many rockes beeing in the waye to reare it in peces yet for al this he was foūde in the valley not only aliue but also without any harme at all Then they perceiued verye well that the reason why he was not hurte was because Marcius praiers did preserue him in his fallinge Ouer his caue there was a great rocke which seemed to hange but by a little pece vnto the mountaine and therfore dailye was it feared that it wolde fall and so kill the seruaunt of God For preuentinge of which mischief the honorable man Mascarus nephewe to Armentarius came thither with a great number of countrye people desiringe him to leaue his caue so longe vntill they had remoued that rocke to the end he mighte afterward continewe there without any danger but the man of God coulde not by any meanes be perswaded to come forthe bidding them notwithstanding doe what they thoughte conuenient only he retired him selfe to the furthest parte of his cell yet none made any doubt but that yf so huge a rocke as that was did fall but that it wolde both spoile his caue and kill him selfe wherfore they laboured what they mighte to see yf they coulde remoue that mighty stone without any danger to the man of God and forthwith in the sighte of them all a straunge thinge happened for that rocke seuered by theire labour from the rest of
the mountaine not touching Marcius caue did skipp cleane ouer and auoidinge as it were to hurt Gods seruaunt it fell far of which thinge no man can doubte but that it was done by the handes of Angels at the commandement of almighty God At such tyme as this holy man came first to inhabit that mountaine and had not yet made any dore for his caue he fastned the one ende of an yron chaine to the stony wall and the other he tied to his legge to the end he mighte goe no further then the length of that chaine did giue him leaue which thinge the reuerent man Bennet hearinge of sent him this worde by one of his monkes yf thowe be Gods seruant let the chaine of Christ not any chaine of yron holde the vpon this message Marcius forthwith loosed his chaine yet did he keepe still the same compasse and goe no further then he did before Liuinge afterwarde in the same caue he began to entertaine certaine disciples which dwelt apart from his cell who hauing no other water but that which with a rope and a bucket they drewe out of a well great trouble they had because theire rope did often breake and therfore they came vnto him crauinge that chaine which he had loosed from his legge that they mighte tye the rope to that and fasten the bucket vpon it and from that tyme forwarde thoughe the rope was daily wett with Vertue of relickes water yet did it breake no more for hauing touched the holy mans chaine it became stronge like vnto yron so that the water did not weare it nor do it any harme Peter These worthy actes of his doe please me seinge they are straunge that very much because they were so lately done and be yet freshe in memorye HOVV A MONKE OF MOVNTE Argentario raised vp a deade man CHAPTER XVII Gregory NOt longe since in our tyme a certain man called Quadragessimus was Subdeacoâ— in the churche of Buxentin who in tymes past kept a flocke of sheepe in the same countrye of Aurelia by whose faithfull reporte I vnderstoode a maruailous strange thinge which is this At such tyme as he lead a sheapherdes life there was an holy maÌ„ that dwelt in the mountaine of Argentario whose religious conuersation and inward vertue was answerable to Habit of monkes the habit of a moÌ„ke which outwardly he did weare Euerye yeare he trauailed Pilgrimage from his mountaine to the churche of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and S. Peter Prince of the Apostles in the waye tooke this Quadragessimus house for his lodginge as him selfe did tell me Comminge vpon a daye to his house which was harde by the churche a poore womans husbande died not far of whom when they had as the manner is washed put on his garmentes and made him ready to be buried The manner of burieng in Italye yet it was so late that it could not be done that daye wherfore the desolat widowe satt by the deade corps weepinge all nighte longe and to sasatisfye her griefe she did continually lament and crye out The man of God seeinge her so pitifully to weepe and neuer to giue ouer was nuche grieued and saide to Quadragesimus the Subdeacon my soule taketh compassion of this womans sorrowe arise I beseche you and let vs praye and therevpon they went to the churche which as I said was harde by and fel to theire deuotions And when thy had praied a good while the seruaunt of God desired Quadragessimus to conclude theire praier which beeinge done he tooke a little dust from the side of the altar and so came with Quadragessimus to the dead bodye and there he began againe to praye and when he continewed so a longe tyme he desirede him not as he did before to conclude theire praiers but him selfe gaue the blessing and so rose vp and because he had the dust in his righte hande with his left he tooke awaye the cloth that couered the deade mans face which the woman seeing earnestlie withstoode him and maruailed much what he ment to do when the cloth was gone he rubbed the deade mans face a goode while withe the dust which he had taken vp and at length he that was deade receiued his soule againe began to open his mouth and his eies and to sitt vp and as thoughe he had awaked from a deepe sleepe maruailed what they did about him which when the woman that had weried her selfe with cryinge behelde she began then a freshe to weepe for ioye and crye out far louder then she did before but the man of God modestlye forbad her sayinge Peace goode woman and say nothinge and yf any demaunde howe this happened say only that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath vouchsafed to worcke his pleasure Thus he spake and forthwith he departed from Quadragessimus and neuer came to his house againe For desirous to auoide all temporall honour he so handled the matter that they which sawe him worcke that miracle did neuer see him more so longe as he liued Peter What other thincke I knowe not but myne oplnion is that it is a miracle aboue all miracles to raise vp deade men and secretlye to call backe theire soules to giue life vnto theire bodies againe Gregory Yf we respecte outwarde and visible thinges of necessitye we must so beleeue but yf we turne our eies to inuisible thinges then certaine it is that it is a greater miracle by preaching of the worde vertue of praier to conuert a sinner then to raise vp a deade man for in the one that fleshe is raised vp which againe shall dye but in the other he is broughte from death which shall liue for euer For I will name you two and tell me in which of them as you thincke the greater miracle was wroughte The first is Lazarê° a true beleeuer whom our Lorde raised vp in fleshe the other is Saul whom our Lorde raised in soule For of Lazarus vertues after his resurrection we reade nothinge but after the raisinge vp of the others soule we are not able to conceiue what wonderful thinges be in holy scripture spoken of his vertues as that his most cruell thoughtes and designements were turned to the bowels of piety and compassion that he desired to dy for his brethen in whose death before he tooke muche pleasure That knowinge the holy scriptures perfectly yet professed that he knew nothinge els but Iesus Christ and him crucified That he did willingly endure the bearing of roddes for Christ whom before with sworde he did persecute That he was exalted to the dignitye of an Apostle yet willingly became a little one in the middest of other disciples That he was rapte to the secretes of the thirde heauen and yet did turne his eye of compassion to dispose of the dutye of married folkes sayinge Let the husband Corint render debt to the wife and the wife likewise to the husbande That he was busied in contemplatinge
that when the deiull is expelled from our soule that he is so little of vs to be feared that contrariwise he is rather terrrified by the vertuous and deuout life of goode people OF A NVNNE THAT BY HER only commandement dispossessed a deuil CHAPTER XXI FOr the holy man olde father Eleutherius of whom I spake before tolde me that which I will nowe tell you and he was him selfe a witnes of the truthe thereof this it was In the citye of Spoleto there was a certaine worshipful mans daughter for yeres mariagable which had a great desire to leade an other kinde of life whose purpose her father endeuored to â—inder but she not respectinge her fathers Habit of Nuns pleasure tooke vpon her the habit of holy conuersation for which cause her father did disinherit her and lefte her nothinge els but six little peeces of grouude By her example manye Nunnes dedicated theire virginitye to God noble yonge maides began vnder her to be conuerted to dedicat theire virginitye to almightye God and to serue him Vpon a tyme the vertuous Abbot Eleutherius went to bestowe vpon her some goode exhortation and as he was sittinge with her discoursinge of spirituall matters a countrye man came from that peece of grouÌ„d which her father had lefte her bringinge a certaine present and as he was standinge before them suddainly a wicked spirit possessed his bodye so that straight-waies he fell downe before them and began pitifullie to crye and roare out At this the Nunne rose vp and with angrye countenance and loude voice commanded him to goe forth saying departe from him thowe vilde wretche departe yf I departe quoth the deuill speaking by the mouthe of the possessed man into whom shall I go By chance there was at that tyme a little hogge hard by into which she gaue him leaue to enter which he did so killing it went his waye Peter I wolde gladly be informed whether she mighte bestowe so muche as that hogge vpon the deuill Gregory The actions of our Sauiour be a rule for vs accordinge to which we may directe our life and we reade in the scripture how the legion of deuils that possessed a man saide vnto our Sauiour Yf thow doest cast vs forthe sende vs Math. 8. into the hearde of swine Who cast them out and permitted them to enter in as they desired and to drowne that hearde in the sea By which facte of our Sauiour we learne also this lesson that except almighty God giueth leaue the deuill can not haue any power against man seeing he can not so muche as enter into hogges without our Sauiours permission Wherfore necessary it is that we be obedient to him vnto whom all our enemies be subiecte that we may so muche the more be stronger then our enemies by howe muche throughe humilitye we become one with the author of all thinges And what maruaile is it yf Gods chosen seruantes liuinge yet vpon earthe can doe many straunge thinges when as theire very bones after they be dead doe often-tymes Relickes worcke miracles worcke miracles OF A PRIEST IN THE PROuince of Valeria who detained a thiefe an his graue CHAPTER XXII FOr in the prouince of Valeria this straunge miracle happened which I had from the mouth of Valentius myne Abbot who was a blessed man In that countrye there was a Priest who in the company of diuers other clerkes serued God and lead a vertuous and holy life who when his tyme was come departed this life and was buried before the churche Not far of there belonged to the churche certaine shepe-coates and the place where he laye buried was the way to goe vnto the sheepe Vpon a nighte as the Priestes were singinge within the churche a thiefe came to the saide place tooke vp a weather and so departed in all hast but as he passed where the man of God was buried there he staied and coulde goe no further Then he tooke the weather from his sholders and â—olde faine haue let it goe but by no meanes coulde he open his hande and therfore poore wretch there he stoode fast bounde with his praye before him willingly wolde he haue let the weather go and coulde not willinglye also haue carried it awaye and was not able And so verye straungely the thiefe that was affraide to be espied of liuing men was helde there against his will by one that was deade for his handes and feete were bounde in such sorte that awaye he coulde not goe When morning Singing of Mattens was come and the Priestes had ended theire seruice out they came where they founde a straunger with a weather in his hande And at the first they were in doubt whether he had taken away one of theires or els came to giue them one of his owne but he that was guilty of the thefte tolde them in what manner he was punnished Whereat they all wondred to see a thiefe with his praye before him to stande there bounde by the merites of the man of God And straighte-wayes they offered theire praiers for his deliuery and scarse coulde they obtaine that he which came to steale awaye theire goodes mighte atleast finde so muche fauor as to departe emptie as he came yet in conclusion the thiefe that had longe stoode there with his stolne weather was suffred to goe away free leauinge his cariage behinde him Peter By such factes almighty God doth declare in what swete manner he doth tender vs when he voutsafeth to worcke such pleasaunt miracles OF THE ABBOT OF MOVNT Preneste and his Priest CHAPTER XXIII Gregory ABoue the citye of Preneste there is a mountaine vpon which standeth an Abbeye of the blessed Apostle S. Peter of the monkes of which place whiles I liued man Abbey my selfe I hearde this miracle which those religious men saide they knewe to be verye true In that monastery they had an Abbot of holy life who broughte vp a certaine monke that became very vertuous whom he perceiuinge to increase in the feare of God he caused him in the same monasterie to be made Prieste who after his taking of orders vnderstoode by reuelation that his deathe was not far of and therfore desired leaue of the Abbot to make readye his sepulchre who tolde him that him selfe sholde dy before him but yet for all that quoth he go your waye and make your graue at your pleasure Away he went and did so Not many daies after the olde Abbot fell sicke of an age we and drawinge nere to his ende he bad the foresaide Priest that stoode by him to bury his body in that graue which he had made for him selfe and when the other tolde him that he was shortlie to followe after and that the graue was not bygge ynoughe for bothe the Abbot answered him in this wise do as I haue saide for that one graue shall contayne bothe our bodies So he died and accordinge to his desire was buried in that graue which the Priest had prouided
so he will depart from you very well contented But they seeing no oile to runne forth and hearinge him yet for all that so earnest to haue his bottle filled fell into a greate rage and railed mightely vpon him Then the man of God seeinge that no oile came from the presse called for vvater vvhich he blessed before them all and vvith his owne handes cast it vpon the prâ—sse A miracle wrought by holie water and forthwith by vertue of that benediction such plentye of oile ranne forthe that the Lombardes who before had longe laboured in vaine did not only fill theire owne vessels but also his bottle giuing him thanckes for that comminge to begge oile by his blessinge he bestowed that vpon them which him selfe had demanded At an other tyme when a great dearth was in the countrye the man of God being desirous to repaire the church of S. Laurence burnt before by Churches dedicated to sainctes the Lombardes he hired for that ende many cunning workemen and diuers other labourers who of necessity were daily to be maynetained but so greate was the scarsitye that he wanted breade to relieue them where vpon his worckmen cryed out for meate because they were fainte and could not labour The man of God hearing this gaue them comfortable wordes promisinge to supplye theire want yet inwardlye verye muche was he grieued beinge not able to performe what he had saide Goinge therfore vp and downe in great anxietie he came to an ouen wherein the neighbours that dwelt by had the daye before baked breade and stooping downe he looked in to see whether they had by chance lefte any breade behinde them where he founde a loase both greater and whiter then commonly they vsed which he tooke awaye but yet wolde he not by and by giue it to his vvorckemen least perhappes it belonged to some other body and so mighte as it vvere of compassion to other haue committed a synne him selfe and therfore he did first shevve it to all the vvemen there about inquiringe vvhether it vvere any of theirs but all denied it sayinge that they had all receiued theire iust number of â—oaues Then the man of God in great ioy vvent vvith that one â—oafe to many vvorckemen vvishinge them to giue thanckes to almighty God tellinge them hovve his goodenes had prouided them of necessarye foode and forthvvith he sett that loafe before them vvhereof vvhen they had satisfied them selues he gathered vp more pieces of breade vvhich remayned then the vvhole loafe it selfe vvas before in quantitye The daye follovvinge againe he sett it before them and againe the pieces remayninge vvere far more them the former fragmentes so for the space of tenne daies together all those artiâ—icers and vvorckemen liued vpon that one loafe and vvere very vvell satisfied some thinge remayninge euerye daye for the next as thoughe the fragmentes had by eatinge encreased Peter A strange thinge and not vnlike to that notable miracle of our Sauiour and therfore vvorthye to be admired of all Gregory Our Sauiour at this tyme Peter voutsafed by his seruaunt to feede manye vvith one loafe vvho in tymes past by him selfe feed fiue thousande Ioan. 〈◊〉 vvith fiue loaues and doth daily of a fevve graines of corne produce innumerable eares of vvheate vvho also out of the earth brought forth those very graynes and more then all this created all thinges of nothinge But to the end you shoulde not maruaile any longer vvhat by Gods assistance the venerable man Sanctulus vvrought outvvardlye I vvill novv tell you vvhat by our Lordes grace he vvas invvardlye in his soule Vpon a certaine daye the Lombardes had taken a Deacon vvhom they kept in prison vvith a purpose to put him to death When eueninge vvas come the man of God Sanctulus intreaâ—ed them to set him at liberty and to graunt him his life but vvhen he savve that he coulde not obtayne that â—auor at theire handes but that they vverefully resolued to haue his life then he beseeched them that they wolde at least committ him to his keeping vvherewith they were content but with this condition that yf he scaped away that then him selfe should dy for him The man of God was very well content and so he receiued the deacon into his owne charge and custodye The midnighte followinge when he sawe all the Lombardes fast a slepe he called vp the Deacon willing him quickly to rise vp and to runne away as fast as he coulde and almighty God quoth he deliuer the out of theire handes To whom the Deacon knowing what he had promised saide Father I can not runne away for yf I do out of all doubt they will putt you to death yet for all this Sanctulus enforced him to be gone with all spede saying vp and awaye and God of his goodenes defende and protect you for I am in his handes and they can do no more vnto me then his diuine Maâ—estye shall giue them leaue Vpon these wordes awaye went the Deacon and he that had vndertaken his safe-keepinge as one that had bene deceiued remayned behinde In the morning the Lombardes demanded of Sanctulus for theire prisoner who tolde them that he was runne awaye Then quoth they you best knowe what is conuenient for you to haue yea marye that do I answered the seruant of God with great constancye well quoth they thou art a goode man and therfore we will not by diuers tormentes take avvay thy life but make câ—oise of what death thou vvilt to vvhom the man of God ansvvered in this manner Here I am at Gods disposition and pleasure kill me in such sort as he shall vouchsafe to giue you leaue Then all the Lombardes that were present agreed to haue him beheaded to the end an easy and quick death mighte sone dispatche him When it was giuen out abroade that Sanctulus vvas to dye whom for his vertue and holines they greatly honoured all the Lombardes that were in those partes repaired thither being glad such cruell mindes they haue to beholde him putt to death and when all the a â—mye was gathered together they brought him forth to execution and the strongest man amongest them was chosen out to cutt of his head at one blowe The venerable man besett with armed soldiars betooke him selfe to his vsuall weapons for he desired them to giue him a little leaue to praye which when he had obtained he cast him selse prostrat vpon the earth and fell to his deuotions in which after he had continewed for a goode space the executioner spurned him vp with his foote bidding him rise kneele downe and to prepare him selfe for death The man of God rose vp bowed downe his knee and helde forth his heade and beholding the drawne sworde readye to dispatch him these only wordes they saide that he spake aloude O Sainct Iohne holde that sworde Then Praier to Saint Iohne the foresaide executioner hauing the naked weapon in his hand did with all his force lifte vp his
arme to strike of his head but by no meanes coulde he bring it downe againe for it became suddainly so stiffe that it remained still aboue the man being not able once to bende it downewarde Then all the Lombardes who came to feede theire eies with the lamentable sighte of his death began with admiration to praise Gods name and with feare to reuerence the man of God for they now sawe apparantlye of what great holines he was that did so miraculouslye staye the arme of his executioner aboue in the ayre Then they desired him to rise vp which he did but when they required him to restore his executioners arme to his former state he vtterly refused sayinge By no meanes will I once pray for him vnlesse before hande he sweare vnto me that he will neuer vvith that arme offer to kill any christian more The poore Lombarde vvho as vve may truly saye had stretched out his arme against God enforced vvith this necessitye tooke an oath neuer more to putt any Christian to death Then the man of God commanded him to putt downe his arme which forthwith he did he commanded him also to putt vp his sworde which in like manner he performed All the Lombardes by this perceiuing him to be a man of rare vertue began in all hast to present him with the giftes of such oxen and other cattle as before they had taken from others but the man of God vtterly refused all such kinde of presentes desiringe them rather yf they ment to bestowe any thinge vpon him worth the giuinge that they wolde deliuer vnto him all such prisoners as they had in theire keeping that he mighte haue some cause in his praiers to commend them to almighty God To which request of his they condescended and so all the poore captiues were discharged and thus by Gods sweete prouidence one offering him selfe to dy for an other manye were deliuered from death Peter A strange thinge it was and althoughe I haue hearde the same story by the relation of others yet I can not denye but so often as I heare it repeated it seemeth still vnto me as thoughe it were freshe newes Gregory There is no cause why you sholde admire Sanctulus for this thing but ponder with your selfe if you can what manner of spirit that was which possessed his simple soule and did aduaunce it to so highe a perfection of vertue For where was his minde when he offered him selfe with such constancye to dy for his neighbour and to saue the temporall life of his brother contemned his owne and put his heade vnder the executioners sworde what force of true loue did then harbor in that hart when he nothinge feared death to preserue the life of an other Ignorant I am not that this venerable man Sanctulus could scant reade well and that he knewe not the preceptes of the lawe yet because charitye is the fulfilling of the lawe by louing God and his neighbour he kept the whole lawe and that which outwardlye lacked in knowledge did in wardlie by charity liue in his soule And he perhappes who neuer read that which S. Iohne the Apostle saide of our Sauiour to witt that as he Ioan. 13. v. 16. yeelded his life for vs so we likewise shold yeeld our liues for our brethren yet that great highe precept of the Apostle he knewe more by action then by speculation Let vs here yf you please compare his learned ignorance with our vnlearned knowledge Where our kinde of 〈…〉 inge is nothing worth his is of 〈…〉 t price and estimation we destit◠〈…〉 vertue doe speake thereof and as 〈…〉 vere in the middes of plentifull 〈…〉 s smell of the fruite but do not 〈…〉 e thereof He knewe full well 〈…〉 we to gather and tast of the fruite 〈…〉 elfe althoughe he lacked the smell 〈…〉 wordes and vaine speeche Peter What I pray doe you thincke is the 〈…〉 ause that goode men are still taken 〈…〉 vvaye and such as for the benefit and 〈…〉 dification of many might liue still in this vvorlde either are not to be founde at all or at least verye fevve can be hearde of Gregory The malice and vvickednes of them that remayne behinde in the vvorlde deserueth that those shoulde quickly be taken avvaye vvho by theire life mighte much helpe vs and for as much as the vvorlde dravveth tovvardes an end Gods chosen seruantes are taken out of it that they fall not into more vvicked tymes and therfore from hence it commeth that the prophet saith The iust man doth perish and there is Esay 5. none that doth ponder it in his hart and men of mercye are gathered together because there is none that hath vnderstandinge And from hence also it proceedeth that the scripture saith Open ye that they may goe forth Ierem. 50. which doe tread it vnder foote Hence likewise it is that Salomon saith There is a Eccles 3. time of casting stones abroad and a tyme of gathering them together And therfore the nerer that the worlde draweth to an end so much the more necessary it is that the liuing stones shold be gathered together for the heauenly building that our celestiall Ierusalem may arriue to the full measure of his whole perfection And yet doe I not thincke that all Gods elect seruaÌ„tes are so taken out of the worlde that none but the wicked remayne behinde for synners wolde neuer be conuerted to the sorrowe of true penance yf they had not the examples of some goode people to prouoke them forwarde Peter Without cause doe I complaine of the death oâ—goode men wheÌ„ as daily I see them also that be wicked in great numbers to depart this life OF THE VISION OF REdemptus Bisshop of the city of Ferenti CHAPTER XXXVIII Gregory VVOnder nothing at this Peter for you knevve very vvell Redemptus Bishop of the city of Ferenti a man of venerable life vvho died almost seuen yeares since vvith vvhom I had familiar acquaintance by reason that he dvvelt not far from the Abbey in vvhich I liued This man vvhen I asked him for the matter vvas very vvell knovvne far and nere tolde me that vvhich by diuine reuelation he had learned concerning the ende of the vvorlde in the tyme of Ioâ—â—e the yonger vvho vvas my prededecessor For he saide that vpon a certaine daye as he vvas according to his manner visiting of his Diocesse he came to the Church of the blessed martir Euthicius and vvhen it vvas nigh the vvolde nedes be lodged nighe to the sepulchre of the martir vvhere after his trauail he â—eposed him selfe About midnighte being as he saide him selfe neither perfectly waking nor yet sleeping but rather heauy of sleepe he felt his waking soule oppressed with great sorrowe and being in that case he sawe the same blessed martir Euthicius standing before him who spake thus Art thou waking Redemptus to whom he answered that he was Then the martir saide The end of all fleshe is come the
doth dye The spirites that haue no bodyes be the Angels they that haue bodies but dy not with them be the soules of men those that haue bodies and by together with them be the soules of cattail and brute beastes Man therfore as he is created in the middle state inferior to Angels and superior to beastes so doth he participate of both hauing immortalitie of soule with the Angels and mortalitie of bodye with beastes vntill the daye of dome for then the glorye of the resurrection shall take away and consume the mortalitye of the bodye for being then reunited to the soule it shall be preserued for euer as the soule ioyned to the body is preserued for God Neither shall the bodyes of the damned lying in tormentes euer perfectly perish for thoughe they alwaies decaye yet for euer shall they continewe and as they synned both with soule and bodye so liuing alwaies in bodye and soule they shall alwaies dy without ende Peter All your discourse is consonant to that reason which Christian religion teacheth but I beseech you yf there be so great difference betwixt the soules of men and beastes as you affirme why doth Salomon speake in this manner I haue said in myne hart of the sonnes Ecclesias cap. 3. of men that God wold proue them and shew them to be like vnto beastes therfore here is one death of men and beastes and theire state is both alike and prosecutinge afterward more exactlye that opinion of his thus he writeth As a man dieth so do beastes dye Al thinges breath alike and man hath nothinge more then beastes After which wordes he addeth also this generall conclusion Al thinges are subiect to vanity all thinges goe to one place of the earth they were made and into the earth they returne againe OF SALOMONS QVESTION to witt The deathe of men and beastes is all one CHAPTER IIII. Gregory SAlomons booke in which these sayinges are founde is called Ecclesiastes as much to say properly as The preacher And in a sermon the manner is to haue an opinion sett downe by means whereof the tumultuous sedition of common people may be appeased and whereas diuers haue diuers opinions yet are they all by the Preachers argumentes and reasons broughte to vnity and agreement and therfore this booke is called The preacher because in it Salomon doth as it were take vpon him the person and wordes of the vnrulye vulgar sort and by way of inquisition speaketh those thinges which haply ignorant men thoroughe tentation doe verily thincke and therfore so many questions as he doth by waye of inquirye propounde so many diuers persons doth he in a manner take vpon him selfeâ— but the true Preacher doth as it were with his hande compounde all theâ—re doubtes and disagrementes and bring them all to concorde and vnitye of opinion when as in the ende of his booke he saith Let vs all Eccles cap. 12 together heare an end of speaking Feare God keepe his commandementes for this is euery man For yf in that booke he had not by his discourse taken vpon him the person of diuers why did he admonish all to make an ende of speaking together with him and to heare He therfore that in the conclusion of the booke saith Let vs altogether heare doth giue euident testimony of him selfe that he tooke many persons vpon him and that he spake not all as of him selfe and therfore some thinges there be in that booke which are moued by waye of disputation and other some which by reason giue satisfaction some thinges which he vttereth in the person of one that is tempted and who as yet followeth the pleasures of the worlde and some other thinges in which he disputeth them according to the rule of reason and to drawe the minde from vaine pleasure and delighte for as there he saith This therfore seemeth vnto me goode that a Eccles 5. man sholde eate and drincke and takeioye of his labour so afterwarde he addeth It is better to goe vnto the house of mourning then to the house of feasting For yf it be good to eate and drincke it semeth better to goe vnto the house of feasting then to the house of mourning and therfore by this it is euident that he vttered that former saying in the person of fraile men and pronounced this latter according to the rule of reason and therfore doth he straighte-waies sett downe the groundes of his reason and sheweth what commodity is gotten by going to the house of mourning saying thus for in that we are put in minde Eccles 11. of the end of all men and the liuing man thincketh what he shall be Againe there we finde it written O yong man reioice in thy youth and yet a little after is added for youth and pleasure be vaine thinges Seing therfore he doth afterward reproue that for vaine which before he seemed to allowe plainely doth he declare that he spake those wordes as it were of carnall concupiscens and the other of a righte and true iudgement Therfore as he doth in the first place expresse the delighte of carnall thinges and pronounceth it to be goode to cast awaye all care and to eate and drincke so afterwarde with reason and iudgement doth he reprouâ— that when he saith that it is better to goe vnto the house of mourninge then to the house of feasting and thoughe hee saith that a yonge man oughte to reioice in his youthe yet doth he vtter that as proceeding from the resolution of a carnall minde seing afterwarde by definitiue sentence he reproueth both youth and pleasure as vaine thinges Euen so and in like manner doth our Preacher sett downe the opinion of mans suspicion as it were in the person of those that be weake and subiect to tentation when he saith The death of man and beastes is one and theire condition both a like As man dieth so they also dy Al thinges doe breath alike and a man hath not any more then beastes who notwithstanding afterwarde putteth downe his owne opinion proceeding from iudgement and reason in these wordes VVhat hath a wise man more then Eccles 6. a foole and what a poore man but that he may goe thither where life is He therfore that saide A man hath no more then beastes saide also with mature deliberation that a wise man hath not only more then a beast but also more then a foolishe man to witt that he goeth to that place where life is in which wordes he doth also teache vs that mans life is not in this worlde seing he affirmeth it to be els where wherefore man hath this more then beastes because they after death doe not liue but he doth then begin trulye to liue when by mortall death he maketh an end of this transitorye life and therfore longe after he saith VVhat soeuer they hand can doe instantly worcke because with them in hâ—l whether thou goest there shal be neither worâ—ke nor reason nor knowledge
they heard a noise as it were of many that came in and the cell dore shaken and thrust open as thoughe there had bene a greate presse of people and as they saide they heard a greate company come in yet they saw no body and that by reason of great feare and much lighte for both feare did make them to hold theire eies downe-warde and the brightenes of such plentye of lighte did so dazell them that they coulde not beholde any thinge Straighte after that lighte followed a wonderfull pleasaunt smell which did greatly comfort theire fearefull heartes Romula perceiuing that they coulde not endure that abundance of lighte with sweete wordes comforted Redempta that stoode trembling by her beds side saying Be not affearde mother for I shall not dy at this tyme and when she had often repeated those wordes by little and little the lighte vanished awaye but yet the sweete smell remayned still and so continued both the next and the thirde day after Vpon the fourth nighte againe she called for that her mother and when she was come she desired to receiue the Sacrament and so she did and beholde before Redempta or her other disciple departed from her beddes side suddainlye they hearde two quires singing before the dore without and as they saide they perceiued by theire voices that the one was of men that began the psalmes and the other of wemen that answered and whiles these heauenly funerals were in celebratinge before the cell dore that holy soule departed this life and was caried in that manner vp into heauen and the higher those two quires did ascende the lesse did they heare that celestiall musick vntill at length they heard no more and beside that sweet and odoriferous smell which before they felt vanished quite awaye OF THE DEPARTVRE OF the holy Virgin Tarsilla CHAPTER XVI SOmetyme also for the comfort of the soule that departeth there appeareth vnto it the author him selfe of life and rewarder of all vertue for proffe whereof I will here report that which I remember also to haue spoken of in myne Homelies concerninge myne aunt Tarsilla who in the company of two others of her sisters had for continuance in praier grauitye of life singularity in abstinence arriued to the topp of perfection To this woman Felix my great grand-father sometyme Bishop of this sea of Rome appeared in vision and shewed her the habitation of euerlasting lighte speaking thus Come with me and I will entertaine you in this dwelling place of lighte Shortly after taken with an agew she was broughte to the last cast and as when noble men and wemen ly a dyinge manye do visit them for the comfort of theire friendes so diuers both men and wemen at the tyme of her departure were come which stoode round about her bedde at what tyme she suddainlye casting her eies vpwarde behelde our Sauiour comminge wherevpon looking earnestly vpon him she cried out to them that were present Away awaye my Sauiour Iesus is come and so fixinge her eies vpon him whom she behelde her holy soule departed this life and such a wonderfull fragrant smell ensued that the sweetnes thereof gaue euident testimony that the author of all sweetnes was there present Afterwarde when her deade bodye according to the manner was made ready to be washed they founde that vvith long custome of praier the skin of her armes and knees vvas like a camels become harde and so her deade bodye gaue sufficient testimonye vvhat her liuing spirit had continually practised OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a yonge maide called Musa CHAPTER XVII NEither must that be forgotten vvhich the seruant of God before mentioned called Probus vsed to tell of a little sister vvhich he had called Musa for he saide that one nighte our blessed Lady appeared vnto her in vision shewing her sundrye yonge maides of her owne yeares doathed all in vvhite vvhose company she much desiring but yet not presuminge to go amongest them the Blessed Virgin asked her whether she had any â—ninde to remaine with them and to liue in her seruice to whom she ansvvered that willingly she wolde Then our blessed Lady gaue her in charge not to behaue her selfe lightely nor â—o liue any more like a girle to abstaine also from laughinge and pastime telling her that after thirty daies she sholde amongest those virgins which she then sawe be admitted to her seruice After this vision the yonge maide forsooke all her former behauior and with greate grauitye reformed the leuitye of her childish yeares which thinge her parentes porceiuing and demanding from whence that change proceded she tolde them what the blessed mother of God had giuen her in commandement and vpon what daye the was to go vnto her seruice Fiue and twenty daies after she fell sicke of an agewe and vpon the thirtith daye when the houre of her departure was come she behelde our blessed Lady accompanied vvith those Virgins vvhich before in vision she savve to come vnto her and being called to come avvaye she ansvvered vvith her eies modestlye cast do vvnevvarde and very distinctlye spake in this manner Beholde blessed Lady I come beholde blessed Lady I come in speaking of vvhich vvordes she gaue vp the ghost and her soule departed her virgins bodye to dvvell for euer vvith the holy virgins in heauen Peter Seing mankinde is subiect to many and innumerable vices I thincke that the greatest parte of heauen is replenished vvith little children and infantes HOVV CERTAINE YONGE CHILdren are hindred from heauen by theire parentes wicked education as is shewed by the example of a blasphemous yonge boye CHAPTER XVIII ALthoughe we oughte not to doubt but beleeue that all infantes which be baptized and dye in theire infancye goe to heauen yet no pointe of our beleefe it is that all little ones vvhich can speake do come vnto that holy place because some little children are kept from heauen by theire parentes which bring them vp wickedly and in lewde life For a certaine man in this city well knowne to all some three yeres since had a childe as I thinck fiue yeres olde which vpon too much carnal affection he brought vp very carelesly in such sort that the little one a lamentable case to speake of so sone as any thinge went contrary to his â—â—inde straighte-waies vsed to blaspheâ—â—e the name of God This childe in that great mortality which happened three yeres since fell sicke and came to the pointe of death and his father holding him at that tyme in his armes the childe as they saye which were then present behelde with trembling eies certaine wicked spirites comminge towardes him at which sight he began to crye out in this manner Kepe them away father kepe them awaye and crying so out he turned a waye his face wolde haue hidd him selfe in his fathers bosome who demaundinge why he was so affraide and what he savve O father quoth he there be black a mores come to carry me awaye after which wordes
straighte-waies he blasphemed God and so gaue vp the ghost For to the end God mighte make it knowen to the worlde for what synne he was deliuered to such terrible executioners he permitted him at his very death to iterat that synne for which his father whiles he liued wolde not correct him so that he which throughe Gods patience had longe liued a blasphemer did at length by his iust iudgement blaspheminge ende his life that the father mighte both knowe his owne synne and also how by neglectinge the soule of his little sonne he nourished and brought vp not a little synner for hell fire But nowe to surcease from further speeche of this sadd and melancholy matter let vs prosecute as we haue begunne our former ioyfull narration OF THE DEPARTVRE OF the man of God called Steuene CHAPTER XIX BY the relation of the same Probus and other religious men I came to the knowledge of such thinges as in my Homelies I told to myne aucitors concerning the venerable father Steuen For he was a man as Probus and many more affirme who had no welth in this worlde nor cared for any louing only pouerty for Gods sake in aduersity alwaies did he kepe patience secular mens companye did he auoid and his desire was alwaies to praye and serue God of whom I wiâ—l here report one excellent vertuous act that by one many other which he likewise did each man may ponder with him selfe This man therfore hauing vpon a tyme caried his corne which he reaped with his owne handes into the barne being the only substance vpon which he and his disciples were to liue al the yeare a certaine wicked wretch pricked forwarde by the deuill sett it all on fire which an other perceiuing ran in all hast and tolde it to the seruaunt of God and after he had done his message he added these wordes saying Alas and woe father Steuen what in yll chaunce hath befallen you To whom straight-waies with a pleasaunt countenance and quiet minde he answered nay what an yll chaunce and misery is befallen him that hath done this for to me what hath happened By which wordes of his it appeareth to what great perfection he was arriued that tooke so quietlye the losse of all his worldly wealth and was more sorye for the others synne then grieued for his ovvne losse and more thoughte vvhat his neighbour had inwardly lost in his soule then vvhat him selfe had outvvardly lost in his substance When this man lay a dying manye came to visit him and to commend theire soules to his that vvas novve leauing this vvorlde and standing about his bedd some of them behelde Angels comming in but yet vvere not able to tell it vnto others then present others there were that sawe nothing but yet such a great feare fell vpon them all that none coulde indure to remayne in that place when his soule departed the bodye and therfore all of them terrified and wholy possessed with feare fled awaye by which they perceiued of what power he was that receiued his soule going out of this worlde seing at that tyme no mortall creature coulde endure to be there present HOVV SOMETYME THE MERIT of the soule is uot so trulye declared at the tyme of the departure as afterwarde CHAPTER XX. BVt here we haue to vnderstande Merit that sometyme the merit of the soule is not so truly knowne at the tyme of the departure as it is afterward and therfore diuers holy martirs haue suffred many great tormentes at the handes of insidels who afterwardes at theire deade bones were famous for signes Miracles wrought by the relickes of martirs and miracles as before hath bene noted OF THE TVVO MONKES of Abbot Valentinus CHAPTER XXI For the vertuous man Valentinus who afterward as you knowe was in this citye Abbot of my Mona terye hauing had before in the prouâ—nce of Valeria the gouerment of an other Abbey into which as he tolde me the cruell Lombardes entred in and hunge vp two of his monkes vpon a tree who in that manner ended theire life When euening was come both theire soules began in that place to singe so plainely and distinctlye that they also who had killed them hearing that kinde of musick became wonderfullye affraide All the prisoners likewise that were there present hearde it and afterwarde witnessed the same which strange melodye Gods prouidence wolde haue knowne to the ende that mortall men liuinge yet vpon earthe mighte thereby learne how that yf theye serue him truly in this worlde that they shall after death verily liue with him in the worlde to come OF THE DEPARTVRE OF Abbot Suranus CHAPTER XXII AT such tyme as I yet liued in the Monasterye I vnderstode by the relation of certaine religious men that in the tyme of the Lombardes in this very Prouince called Sura and not far of there was an holy Abbot called Suranus who bestowed vpon certaine prisoners which had escaped there handes all such thinges as he had in his Monasterye and when he had giuen avvaye in asmes all his ovvne apparrell and vvhatsoeuer he coulde finde either in the monkes celles or in the yardes and nothing vvas lefte suddainlye the Lombardes came thither tooke him prisoner and demanded vvhere his golde vvas and vvhen he tolde them that he had nothing they carried him to an hill hard by vvhere there vvas a mightye great vvode in vvhich a certaine prisoner that ran avvay from them had hidd him selfe in an hollovve tree There one of the Lombardes dravvinge out his svvorde slevve the foresaide venerable Abbot vvhose bodye as it fell to the ground suddainly al the hill together with the woode did shake as thoughe the earth by that tremblinge had saide that it coulde not beare the waighte of his holines and vertue OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a Deacon belonging to the churche of the Marsori CHAPTER XXIII AN other Deacon also there was in the Prouince of the Marsori a man of holy life whom the Lombardes had taken and one with his sworde had cutt of his heade But as his body fell to the grounde he that slewe him was possessed by a deuill and so he fell downe at the holy mans feete shewing thereby that he was deliuered to the enemy of God because he had so cruellye slaine the friende of God Peter What is the reason I beseeche you that almightye God suffreth them to be put to death whom afterwarde he doth make knowne to the worlde that they were holy men and his dere seruauntes OF THE DEATH OF THE man of God that was sent to Bethel CHAPTER XXIIII Gregory SEinge we finde it writter that what death so euer the iust man dieth that his iustice shall not be taken from him what hurt commeth to Gods elect seruates vvalking no question the way to euerlasting life yf for a little while they haue some pitifull end and perhappes it procedeth from some small synne of theires which by such kinde of death Gods pleasure is that
inprisonment bene the death of Pope Iohne and also killed Symnachus iustlye did he appeare to be throwne of them into fire whom before in this life he had vniustly condemned OF THE DEATH OF Reparatus CHAPTER XXXI AT the same tyme when I first desired to leade a solitary life a certaine old man called Deusdedit passing well beloued of the whole citye and one also that was my friende and familiar acquaintance tolde me that in the tyme of the Gothes a certaine worshipfull man called Repararus came to dye who lying a longe while with his countenance changed and his body stiffe many thoughte in verye deede that he had bene deadeâ— and when diuers of his friendes and familye wept for his departure all on a suddaine he came to him felfe to the great admiration of his mourning house-holde Being returned thus to life he bad them in all hast to send a boye to the church of S. Laurence in Damafo so called of him that built it and quicklye to bringe worde what was become of Tiburtius the Prlest This Tiburtius as the speeche went was much giuen to a dissolute and wanton life and Florentius who at that tyme was a Priest in the same church remembreth full well his conuersation and manner of life When the messenger was gone Reparatus that was returned to life tolde them that in the place where he was he sawe a great woode-pile made readye and Tiburtius broughte forthe and laide vpon it and there to haue bene burnt with fire Then an other fire quoth he was prepared which was so highe that it reached from earth to heauen but althoughe they demanded for whom it was yet did he not tell them for when he had spoken these wordes straight-waies he died and the boy vvhich vvas sent to see vvhat vvas became of Tiburtius returned vvith newes that he found him a little before his comming departed this life By vvhich vve may learne that seing this Reparatus vvas caried to the places of tormentes to see them returned after vvarde to life to tell vvhat he had there behelde and straighte after left this vvorlde that he savve not all these thinges for him selfe but for vs that yet liue and haue tyme graunted to amende our vvicked liues And the reason vvhy Reparatus savve that great vvoode-pile burning vvas not that vve sholde thincke that the fire of hell is nourished with any woode but because he vvas to make relation of these thinges to them that remayned still in this vvorlde he savve that fire prepared for the vvicked to be made of the same matter of vvhich our fire is to the ende that by those thinges vvhich vve knovve and be acquainted vvith vve should learne to be affraide of those vvhich yet vve haue not sene nor haue any experience OF THE DEATH OF A COVRtier whose graue burned with fire CHAPTER XXXII MAximianus Bishop of Siracusis a man of holy life who for a longe tyme in this citye had the gouernment of my Monasterye often tolde me a terrible storye which fell out in the Prouince of Valeria A certaine courtier vpon Easter euen was Godfather to a yonge maide who after the fast was ended returned home to his house where drinckinge more wine then ynoughe he desired that his God daughter might tarry with him whom that nighte which is horrible to speake of he did vtterlye vndoe In the morning vpp he rose and with guilty conscience thought goode to go vnto the bathe as thoughe the water of that place coulde haue washed awaye the filthines of his synne yet he went and washed him selfe Then he began to doubt whether it vvere best to goe vnto the church or no fearing on the one side vvhat men wolde say yf he vvent not vpon that so great a festiual day and on the other yf he did go he trembled to thincke of Gods iudgement In conclusion shame of the worlde ouercame him and therfore to the churche he went where yet he remained with great feare and horror loking euery instant that he should haue bene deliuered to the deuile and tormented before all the people At that solemne masse Solemne masse though he did wonderfully shake for feare yet he scaped free from all punishement and so he departed very ioyfully from churche and the next day after came thither without any feare at all and so merilie and securely he continewed for six daies together thincking with him self that either God savve not that his abhominable sinne or els that mercifully he had pardoned the same Vpon the seuenth daye by suddaine death he was taken out of this vvorlde And being buried for a longe time after in the sighte of the whole to vvne a flame of fire came out of his graue vvhich burnt his bones so longe vntill it consumed the very graue it selfe in such sorâ—e that the earth vvhich was raised vp with a little bancke appeared lower then the rest of the grounde By which fact almightye God declared vvhat his soule suffred in the other vvorlde vvhose dead body flaminge fire consumed in this To vs also he hath lefte a fearefull example that vve may there-by learne vvhat the liuing and sensible soule suffreth for synne committed vvhen as the sensible bones by such a punnishement of fire vvere burnt to nothinge Peter Desirous I am to knovve vvhether in heauen the goode knovve the goode and the vvicked in hell knovve one an other THAT IN HEAVEN THE GOODE knowe the goode and in hel the wicked haue knowledge of the wicked CHAPTER XXXIII Gregory THe truthe of this question vve finde most clerelye resolued in those vvordes of our Sauiour before alleaged in vvhich vvhen it is saide that There was a certaine rich man and he Luc. 16. was clad with purple and silke and he fared euery day magnificallye and there was a certaine begger called Lazarus that lay at his gate ful of sores desiring to be filled of the crommes that fel from the rich mans table and none did giue him but the dogges also came and licked his sores straighte vvaies it is there also saide that Lazarus died and was carried of the Angels into Abrahames bosome and the rich man also died and was buried in hell who lifting vp his eies being in tormentes sawe Abraham a far of and Lazarus in his bosome and he cried saying father Abraham haue mercye on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into water for to coole my tongue because I am tormented in this flame To vvhom Abraham an â—vvered Sonne remeÌ„ber that thowe diddesâ— receiue goode thinges in thy life tyme and Lazarus likewise euil By vvwhich wordes the rich man hauing no hoope of saluation for him selfe beginneth to make sute for his friendes saying Father I beseeche the that thow woldest send him vnto my fathers house for I haue fiue brethren for to testify vnto them least they also come into this place of tormentes In which wordes we see plainlye that the good do knowe the goode
and the badd haue knowledge of the badd For yf Abraham had not knowne Lazarus neuer wolde he haue spoken to the riche man being in tormentes and made mention of his affliction and misery past sayinge that he had receiued euil thinges in his life And yf the badd did not know the badde neuer wolde the rich man in tormentes haue remembred his brethren that were absent for shall we thincke that he knewe not them that were present with him who was so carefull to praye for them that were absent By which we learne also the answer to an other question which you demanded not and that is that the goode do knowe the badde and the badde the goode For Abraham knewe the rich man to whom he saide Thow hast receiued goode thinges in thy life and Lazarus Gods elect seruant vvas also knovvne to the rich reprobat vvhom by name he desired that he mighte be sent vnto him saying Send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into water and coolemy tongue by vvhich mutuall knovvledg on both sides the revvarde like wise to both partes encreaseth for the goode do more reioice when they beholde them also in felicitye whom before they loued and the wicked seeing them whom in this worlde not respecting God they did loue to be now punnished in theire coÌ„panye tormented they are not only with theire owne paines but also with the paines of theire frendes Beside all this a more wonderful grace is bestowed vpon the saintes in heaueÌ„ for they knowe not only them with whom they were acquainted in this worlde but also those whom before they neuer sawe and conuerse with them in such familiar sort as thoughe in â—ymes past they had sene and knowne one an other and therfore when they shall see the auncient fathers in that place of perpetual blisse they shall then knowe them by sighte whom alwaies they knewe in theire liues and conuersation For seing they doe in that place with vnspeakeable brightenes common to all beholde God what is there that they knowe not that knowe him who knoweth all thinges OF A CERTAINE RELIGIOVS man that at his death sawe the Prophetes CHAPTER XXXIIII FOr a certaine religious man of my Monasterye that liued a vertuous life dying some fower yeres since sawe at the very tyme of his departure as other religious men do report that were present the Prophet Ionas Ezechiell and Daniell and by there names called them his Lordes saying that they were come vnto him and as he was bowing his heade downewarde to them for reuerence he gaue vp the ghost whereby we perceiue what perfect knowledge shall be in that immortall life vvhen as this man beinge yet in corruptâ—ble fleshe knewe the Prophetes whom he neuer sawe HOVV SOMETIME SOVLES READY to depart this worlde that know not one an other know yet what tormentes for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode dedes they shall receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius and Steuen CHAPTER XXXV ANd sometyme it falleth out that the soule before it departeth knoweth them with whom by reason of equalitye of synnes or rewardes it shall in the next worlde remayne in one place For old Eleutherius a man of holy life of whom in the former booke I spake muche saith that he had a naturall brother of his called Iohne who liued together with him in his Monasterye who fourtene daies before hande tolde the monkes when he was to dye and three daies before he departed this life he fell into an agewe when his time was come he receiued the mysterye of our Lordes body and bloude and calling for the monkes about him he willed them to singe in his presence prescribing them a certaine antheme concerning him selfe sayinge Open vnto me the gates of iustice Psal 17. v. 19. and being gone into them I will confesse vnto our Lorde this is the gate of our Lorde iuste men shall enter in by it and whiles the monkes about him were singinge this antheme suddainlye with a loude and longe voice he cried out saying Come awaye Vrsus straighte after which wordes his soule departed this mortall life The monkes maruailed because theye knewe not the meaning of that which at his death he so cried for and therfore after his departure all the Monastery was in sorrow and affliction Fower daies after necessary busines they had to send some of theire brethren to an other Monastery far distant to which place when they came they founde all the monkes in great heauines and demanding the reason they tolde them that they did lament the desolation of theire house for fower daies since quoth they one of our monkes died whose life kept vs all in this place and when they inquired his name they vnderstoode that it was Vrsus asking also at what houre he left this woâ—lde they found that it was as that very instant when he was called by Iohne who died with them Out of which we may learne that the merites of either were alike and that in the next worlde they liued familiarly together in one mansion who at one tyme like fellowes departed this life Here also will I tell you what I hearde from the mouthes of my neighbours at such tyme as I was yet a lay man and dwelled in my fathers house which descended to me by inheritance A certain widow there was not far from me called Galla which had a younge man to her sonne whose name was Eumorphius not far from whom dwelt one Steuen called also Optio This Eumorphius lying sicke at the pointe of death called for his man commanding him in all hast to goe vnto Steuen Optio and to desire him without all delaye to come vnto him because there was a ship ready to carry them both into Sicily But because his man refused to goe supposing that through extremitye of sicknes he knewe not what he spake his master very earnestlye vrged him forwarde sayinge Goe thy may and tell him what I saye for I am not mad as thow thinckest Here-vpon away he went towardes Steuen but as he was in the middest of his iornye he met one that asked him whether he was goinge and when he tolde him that he was by his master sent to Steuen Optio You lose your labour quoth the other for I come nowe from thence and he died this verye houre Backe againe vpon this newes he returned to his master Eumorphius but before he coulde get home he founde him deade And so by conferring theire meeting together and the length of the waye apparaunt it was that both of them at one and the selfe same instant departed this mortall life Peter Very terrible it is that you saye but what I praye yow is the reason that he sawe a shipp at his departure or why did he sayo that he was to goe into Sicily Gregory The soule needeth not any thing to cary it yet no wonder it is yf that appeared to the soule being yet in the
body which by meanes of the bodye it had often tymes before sene to the end that we should thereby vnderstanne whether his soule mighte spiritually be carried And in that he saide he was to goe into Sicily what els can be ment therebye but that there be in the Ilandes of that countrye more then in any place els certayne gaping gulphes of tormentes castinge out fire continually And as they say that knowe them dailye do they wax greater and enlarge them selues so that the worlde drawinge to an ende and so consequently more comming thither to be burnt in those flaminge dungeons so much the more do those places of tormentes open and become wider Which strange thing almighty God for the terror and amendement of the liuing wolde haue extant in this world that infidels which beleeue not the vnspeakable paines of hell may with their eies see the places of tormentes which they list not to credit when it is told them And that both the elect and reprobat whose life and conuersation hath bene alike shal after death be carried to like places the sayinge of our Sauiour doth teach vs thoughe we had no examples to proue the same for of the elect him selfe saith in the Gospell In the house of my father Ioan. 14. Inequality of rewardes in heauen there be many mansions For yf there were not inequalitye of rewardes in the euerlasting felicitye of heauen then were there not many mansions but rather one wherfore there be many mansions in which diuers orders and degrees of Gods sainctes be distinguished who in common do all reioice of the society and fellowship of theire merites and yet all they that labored receiue one penny thoughe they remayne in distinct mansions because the felicitye and ioye which there they possesse is one and the rewarde which by diuers and vnequall good Worckes they receiue is not one but diuers which to be true our Sauiour assureth vs when talkinge of his comminge to iudgement he saith Then I wil say to the Math. 13. reapers Gather vp the cockle and binde it into bundels to burne For the Angels wâ—ich be the reapers do then binde vp in bundles the cockle to burne when like with like are putt together in tormentes as the proude to burne in hell with the proude carnall with the carnall couetous with the couetous deceiptfull with the deceiptfull inuious with the inuious and infidels with insidels when therfore those that were like in sinfull life be condemned to like tormentes then be they as it were cockle bounde together in bundels to be burnte Peter You haue giuen a sufficient reason for satisfaction to my demande yet I beseech you to informe me further what the cause is that some be called out of this vvorlde as it vvere throughe error vvho aftervvarde returne againe to life saying that they hearde hovv they vvere not the men vvhich vvere sent for out of this life OF THOSE SOVLES VVHICH seme as it were throughe error to be taken out of theire bodies and of the deathe and reuiuinge of a monke called Peter of the death likewise and raising vp againe of one Steuen and of the strange vision of a certaine soldiar CHAPTER XXXVI Gregory VVHen this happeneth Peter it is not yf it be vvell considered any error but an admonition For God of his great and bountifull mercy so disposeth that some after theire death do straighte-vvaies returne againe to life that hauing seene the tormentes of hell vvhich before vvhen they hearde they vvolde not beleeue they may novv at least treble at after they haue vvith theire eyes beheld them For a certaine Sclauonian vvho vvas a monke and hued vvith me here in this city in my Monasterye vsed to tell me that at such tyme as he dvvelt in the vvildernes that he knevve one Peter a monke borne in Spaine vvho liued vvith him in the vast desert called Euasa vvhich Peter Eremites as he saide tolde him how before he came to dwell in that place by a certaine sicknes he died and was straightwaies restored to life againe affirming that he had sene the tormentes and innumerable places of hell and diuers who were mighty men in this vvorlde hanging in those flames and that as him selfe was caried to be throwne also into the same fire suddainly an Angel in a be wtifull attire appeared who wolde not suffre him to be cast into those tormentes but spake vnto him in this manner Go thy way backe againe and hereafter carefully looke vnto thy selfe how thow leadest thy life after which wordes his body by little and little became warme and him selfe waking out of the slepe of euerlasting death reported all such thinges as happened about him after which tyme he bounde him selfe to such fasting and watchinge that thoughe he had saide nothing yet his very life and conuersation did speake vvhat tormentes he had sene and was affraide of and so Gods mercifull prouidence wroughte in his temporall death that he died not euerlastinglye But because mans harte is passing obdurat and harde hereof it commeth that thoughe others haue the like vision and see the same paines yet do they not alwaies reape the like profit For the honorable man Steuen whom you knevve very vvell tolde me of him selfe that at such tyme as he vvas vpon busines resident in the city of Gonstantinople that he fell sicke and died and vvhen they sought for a surgeon to bovvell him and to embalme his bodye and coulde not get any he laye vnburied all the nighte follovving in vvhich space his soule vvas carried to the dungeon of hell vvhere he savve many thinges vvhich before when he heard he little beleeued But vvhen he vvas broughte before the iudge that satt there he vvolde not admitt him to his presence sayinge I commanded not this man to be broughte but Steuen the smith vpon which wordes he was straighte-way restored to life and Steuen the smith that dwelled harde by at that very houre departed this life whose death did showe that the wordes which he heard were most true But thoughe the foresaide Steuen escaped death in this manner at that tyme yet three yeares since in that mortalitye vvhich lamentably vvasted this citye and in vvhich as you knovve men vvith theire corporall eies did behold arrovves that came from heauen vvhich did strike diuers the same man ended his daies at vvhich tyme a certaine soldiar being also broughte to the pointe of death his soule vvas in such sort caried cut of his bodye that he lay voide of all sence and feelinge but comminge quickely againe to him selfe he tolde then that vvere present vvhat present vvhat strange thâ—nges he had sene For he saide as many report that knowe it very well that he sawe a bridge vnder which a blacke and smoakye riuer did runne that had a filthy and intollerable smell but vpon the further side thereof there were pleasant grene medowes full of swete flowers in which also there were diuers companies of men
his none of the other monkes euer vnderstoode But at lengthe it came forth by this meanes for falling grieuously sicke so that no hope of life remayned he caused all the monkes of the Conuent to be called together who all willingly came verily thincking that at the departure of so notable a man they shoulde haue hearde some sweete and goode exhortation but it fell out farr otherwise for with great trouble of minde and tremblinge of bodye he was inforced to tell them that he died in a damnable state saying when you thoughte that I fasted with you then had I my meate in secret corners and beholde nowe I am deliuered to a dragon to be deuoured who with his taile hath in wrapped fast my handes and feete and his heade he hath thrust into my mouth and so he lieth sucking and drawing out of my breath and speaking these wordes he departed this life and had not any tyme giuen to deliuer him selfe by penance from that dragon with he sawe By which we learne that he had this vision only for the commoditye of them that hearde it seing him selfe could not escape from the enemy which he behelde and into whose handes he was giuen to be deuoured Peter Desirous I am to be informed whether we ought to beleeue that after death there is any fire of Purgatorye VVHETHER THERE BE ANY FIRE of purgatorye in the next worlde CHAPTER XXXIX Gregory OVr Lorde saith in the Gospell VValke whiles you haue the lighte Ioan. 12. and by his Prophet he saith In tyme accepted haue I hearde the and in the day of saluation haue I holpen the Esai 49. which the Apostle S. Paul expounding saith Beholde nowe 2. Corint 6. is the tyme acceptable beholde nowe the the daye os saluation Salomon likewise saith whatsoeuer thy hand is able to doe Ecclesiastes 9. v. 10. worcke it instantlye for neither worcke nor reason nor knowledge nor wisdome shal be in hel whether thow doest hasten Dauid also saith Because his mercy is for euer By Psal 117. which sayings it is plaine that in such state as a man departeth out of this life in the same he is presented in iudgement before God But yet we Purga ry fire the â—â—â— life foâ— smal si nes Math. must beleeue that before the daye of iudgement there is a Purgatorye fire for certaine small synnes because our Sauiour saithe that he which speaketh blasphemye against the holy Ghost that it shal not be sorgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come Out of which sentence we learne that some synnes are forgiuen in this worlde and some other may be pardoned in the next sor that which is denied concerninge one synne is consequentlye vnderstoode to be graunted touching some other But yet ths as I saide we haue not to beleeue but only concerninge little and very smal synnes as for example daily idle talke immoderate laughter negligence in the care of our family which kinde of offences scarce can they auoide that knowe in what sorte sinne is to be shunned ignoraÌ„terror in matters of no great waighte all which synnes be punnished after death yf men procured not pardon remissioÌ„ for them in their life tyme for wheÌ„ S. Paul saith that Christ is the fouÌ„datioÌ„ 1. Corin 3. and by by addeth And if any man build vpon this soundation gold siluer pretious stones woode hay stubble the worcke of euery one of what kinde it is the fire shal trye if any mans worcke abide which he built therevpon he shal receiue rewarde if any mans worcke burne he shal suffre detriment but him selfe shal be saued yet so as by fire For althoughe these wordes may be vnderstood of the fire of tribulation which men suffre in this worlde yet yf any wil interpret them of the fire of purgatorye which shall be in the next life then must he carefully consider that the Apostle saide not that he may be saued by fire that buildeth vpon this foundation â—ron brasse or lead that is the greater sort of synnes and therfore more harde and consequently not remissible in that place but woode haye stubble that is little and very lighte synnes Litile and light synnes which the fire doth easilye consume Yet we haue here further to consider that none can be there purged no not for the least synnes that be vnlesse in his life tyme he deserued by vertuous worckes to finde such faâ—or in that place OF THE SOVLE OF PASchasius the Deacon CHAPTER XL. FOr when I was yet in my yonger yeares and liued a secular life I hearde from the mouth of myne elders who knewe it to be true how that Paschasius a Deacon of this Romane churche whose sounde and eloquent bookes of the holy Ghost be extant amongest vs was a man of a wonderfull holy life a maruailous giuer of almes a louer of the poore and one that contemned him selfe This man in that conteÌ„tion which through the exceding hote emulation of the clergye fellout betwixt Symmachus and Laurence made choise of Laurence to be Bishop of Rome and thoughe he was afterwarde by common consent ouercome yet did he continewe in his former opinion vntil his dying daye louinge and preferring him whom the The Biâ—shop oâ—Rome â—uernor the church Churche by the iudgement of Bishoppes refused for her gouernor This Deacon ending his life in the tyme of Symmachus Bishoppe of the Apostolike sea a man possessed with a deuill came â—elickes â—isposses â—euiles 4 dalma â—icke or â—unicle is â—hat veâ—timent â—vhich the Deaâ—on vseth â—â—t the tyme of Masse and touched his dalmatike as it laye vpon the biere and was forthwith deliuered from that vexation Longe tyme after Germanus Bishop of Capua before mentioned by the counsell of Phisitions for the recouerye of his health went to the bathes into which after he was entred he founde there standinge in those â—ote waters the foresaide Paschasius ready to doe him seruice At which sighte being much affraide he demanded what so worthy a man as he was did in that place to whom Paschasius returned this answere For no other cause quoth he am I appointed to this place of punnishement but for that I tooke parte with Laurence against Symmachus and therfore I beseche you to pray vnto our Lorde for me and by this token shall you knowe that your Praier for soules deâ—parted praiers be hearde yf at your comminge againe you finde me not here Vpon this the holy man Germanus betooke him selfe to his deuotions and after a fewe daies he went againe to the same bathes but founde not Paschasius there for seing his fault proceded not of malice but of ignorance he mighte after death be purged from that synne And yet we must with all thincke that the plentifull almes which he bestowed in this life obtained fauour at Gods handes that he mighte then deserue pardon when he could worcke nothing at all for him selfe Peter What I praye you
synne can iustlye be punnished without ende which had an end when it was committed Gregory This which you saye mighte haue some reason yf the iust iudge did only consider the synnes committed and not the mindes vvith which they were committed for the reason why wicked men made an end of synninge was because they also made an end of their life for willingly they wolde had it bene it theire power haue liued without ende that they mighte in like manner haue sinned without ende For they doe playnely declare that they desired alwaies to liue in sunne who neuer so longe as they were in this world gaue ouer theire wicked life and therfore it belongeth to the great iustice of the supreme iudge that they sholde neuer want tormentes and punnishement in the next worlde who in this wolde neuer giue ouer theire vvicked and sinfull life Peter But no iudge that loueth iustice taketh pleasure in crueltye and the ende vvhy the iustmaster commandeth his vvicked seruaunt to be punnished is that he may giue ouer his levvd life Yf then the vvicked that are tormented in hell fire neuer come to amend them selues to vvhat ende shall they alvvaies burne in those flames Gregory Almightye God because he is mercifull and full of pitty taketh no pleasure in the tormentes of wretched men but because he is also iust therfore doth he neuer giue ouer to punnishe the wicked All which being condemned to perpetuall paines punnished they are for theire owne wickednes and yet shall they alwaies there burne in fire for some ende and that is that all those which be iust and Gods seruantes may in God beholde the ioyes which they possesse and in them see the tormentes which they haue escaped to the end that they may thereby alwaies acknowledge them selues gratefull to God for his grace in that they perceiue throughe his diuine assistaunce what synnes they haue ouercome which they beholde in others to be punnished euerlastinglye Peter And how I praye you can they be holy and sainctes yf they pray not for theire enemies whom they see to ly in such tormentes when it is saide to them Pray for your enemies Math. 5 v. 44. Gregory They praye for theire enemies at such tyme as theire hartes may be turned to fruitfull penance and so besaued for to what purpose els do we praye for our enemies but as the Apostle saith that God may giue them repentance 2. Timoth 2. v. 25. to knowe the truthe and recouer them selues from the deuil of whom they are held captiue at his will Peter I like very well of your sayinge for howe shall they pray for them who by no meanes can be conuerted from theire wickeones and broughte to do the worckes of iustice Gregory You see then that the reason is all one why in the next life none shall praye for men condemned for euer to hell fire that there is nowe of not praying for the deuill and his angels sentenced to euerlasting tormentes and this also is the very reason why holy men do not nowe pray for them that dye in theire infidelitye and knovvne vvicked life for seing certaine it is that they be condemned to endlesse paines to vvhat purpose should they pray for them vvhen they knovve that no petition vvill be admitted of God theire iust iudge And therfore yf novve holy men liuing vpon earth take no compassion of those that be dead and damned for theire synnes vvhen as yet they knovve that them selues doe some thinge throughe the frailty of the fleshe vvhich is also to be iudged hovv much more straightly and seuerelye doe they beholde the tormentes of the damned vvhen they be them selues deliuered from all vice of corruption and be more nerelye vnited to true iustice it selfe for the force of iustice doth so possesse theire soules in that they be so intrinsecall vvith the most iust iudge that they list not by any meanes to do that vvhich theye knovve is not conformable to his diuine pleasure Peter The reason you bringe is so clere that I can not gaine say it but novv an other question commeth to my minde and that is how the soule can truly be called immortall seing certaine it is that it doth dye in that perpetuall fire HOVV THE SOVLE IS SAID to be immortall and neuer to dye if it be punnished with the sentence of deathe CHAPTER XLV Gregory BEcause there be two manner of liues consequently also there be two manner of deathes For one kinde of life there is by which we liue in God another which we receiued by our creation orgeneration and therfore one thinge it is to liue blessedlye and an other thinge to liue naturallye The soule therfore is both mortall and immortall mortall because it looseth the felicitye of an happy life and immortall in that it alwaies keepeth his naturall life which can neuer be loste no not when it is sentenced to perpetuall death for in that state thoughe it hath not a blessed life yet it doth retaine still the former being and naturall life by reason whereof it is inforced to suffer death without death defect without defect and end without end seing the death which it indudureth is immortall the desect wâ—ich it suffereth neuer faileth and the end which it hath is infinite and without ende Peter What man is he thoughe neuer so holy that comming to leaue this mortall life hath not iust cause to feaâ—e the vnspeakeable senâ—â—nâ—e of damnation for althoughe he knoweth what he hath done yet ignorant he is not howe straightlye his worckes shall be examined and iudged OF A CERTAINE HOLY MAN that was assraide when he came to dye CHAPTER XLXVI Gregory IT is euen so Peter as you saye And yet sometyme the only feare of death doth purge the soules of iust men from theire smaller synnes as you and I haue often hearde of a certaine holy man that was very much affraide when he came to dye and yet after he was deade appeared to his disciples in a white stoale reporting to them in what excellent manner he was receiued when he departed out of this worlde HOVV SOME BY DIVINE reuelation are discharged from feare at theire death And of the manner how the monkes Anthony Merulus and Iohn departed this life CHAPTER XLVII SOmetyme also almightye God doth by diuine reuelation strengthen the mindes of them that be fearefull to the end that they should not be affraide of death For a certaine monke there vvas called Anthonye that liued together with me in my Monasterye who by daily teares laboured to come to the ioyes of heauen and when as he did verye carefullye and with great zeale of soule meditate vpon the sacred scriptures he soughte not so muche for cunninge and knowledge as for teares and contrition of hart that by meanes thereof his soule mighte be stirred vp and inflamed and that by contemninge all earthly thinges he mighte with the winges of contemplation flye vnto the kingdome of heauen This man vpon a
churche which thing shall be more plaine yf I do briefly tell you what concerninge this pointe hath chaunced in our tyme. OF A CERTAINE NVNNE that was buried in the churche which appeared with her body halse burnt CHAPTER LI. FElix Bishop of Portua a man of holy life vvho was borne and brought vp in the Prouince of Sabina saith that there liued in that place a certaine Nunne which thoughe she were chast of her bodye yet had she an vngratious and foolishe tongue which departing this life was buried in the church the keeper whereof the nighte following saw her by reuelation brought before the holy altar where she was cutt in two peeces and the one halfe was burnt in the fire and the other was not touched at all Rising vp in the morning he tolde vnto others what a strange vision he had sene and shewed them the very place in which she was burnt the marble whereof appeared with the verye marckes and signes of a fire vpon it as thoughe that woman had bene there burnt in very dede with corporall fire By which we may plainely see that such as haue not theire synnes pardoned can reape small benefit by hauing theire bodies after deathe buried in holy places OF THE BVRIALL OF Valerianus CHAPTER LII IOhn also an honorable man one of the gouernors of this citye and one that is of great grauity and credit as all knowe tolde me howe one Valerianus that was a gentleman of the city of Bressa departed this life whose bodye for money the Bishoppe was content sholde be buried in the churche This Valerianus euene to his verye old age led a lighte and wanton life refusing vtterlye to giue ouer synne and wickednes That verye nighte in which he was buried the blessed martir Faustinus in whose churche his bodye laye appeared to the keeper thereof sayinge Goe bid the Bishoppe cast out that stinckinge carcasse vvhich he hath here buried and he yf he vvill not do it tell him that thirty daies hence he shall dye him selfe This vision the poore man vvas affraide to report vnto the Bishoppe and thoughe he vvere admonished the second tyme to do it yet he refused and so vpon the thirtith day the Bishoppe goinge safe and sounde to bedd neuer fearing any such thinge suddainly departed this life OF THE BODYE OF VALENTINVS that was after his buriall cast out of the churche CHAPTER LIII THere be also at this tyme here in the city our venerable brother Venātius Bishop of Luna Liberius a noble man and one of very great credit both which do saye that them selues knowe it and that theire seruantes were present in the city of Genua when this strange thinge happened One Valentinius who had an office in the churche of Millan died there a man in his life tyme giuen to wantonnes all kinde of lightenes whose bodye was buried in the church of the blessed martir Sirus The midnighte followinge a great noise was hearde in that place as thoughe some bodye by force had bene drawne out from thence wherevpon the keepers ran thither to see what the matter was and when they vvere come they savve tvvo verye terrible deuiles that had tied a rope about his legges and vvere dravving him out of the churche him selfe in the meane tyme crying and roaring out at vvhich sighte they vvere so frighted that they returned home againe to theire beddes but vvhen the morning vvas come they opened the graue in vvhich Valentinus vvas buried but his body they coulde not finde therfore they sought vvithout the churche to see vvhere it vvas and so founde it throwne into an other place with the feete still bounde as it was drawne out of the churche Out of which Peter you may learne that such as dye in mortall synne and cause theire bodies to be buried in holy grounde are punnished also for that theire presumption the holy places not helping them but rather the synne of theire temeritye accusing them OF THE BODYE OF A DIER buried in the churche which afterwarde coulde not be founde CHAPTER LIIII FOr an other thinge also which happened in this citye the companye of diers dwelling here do testifye to be most true and it is concerning one that was the chiefe of theire profession who departed this life and was by his wife buried in the church of S. Ianuarius the martir neere to the gate of S. Laurence whose spirit the nighte followinge in the hearinge of the sextin cried out of his graue saying I burne I burne and when he continued a longe tyme crying so the sextin tolde it to the diers wife who therevpon sent certaine of his owne profession to the churche to see in what case his body was in the graue who so cried out in that pitifull manner and The manner of Italy is to bury men in theire garmentes when they had opened it there they founde his garmentes safe and sound which be still kept in the same churche for a perpetuall memorye of that which happened but his body by no meanes could they finde as thoughe it had neuer bene buried there by which we maye gather to what tormentes his soule was condemned whose bodye was in that sort turned out of the churche what profitt then doe holy places bring to them that be buried there when as those that be wicked vnworthy be by Gods appointement throwne out from those sacred places Peter What thinge is there then that can profit and relieue the soules of them that be departed VVHAT IS AVAILABLE FOR the soule after death and of a Priest of Centumcellis who was desired by a certaine mans spirit to be holpen after his death by the holy sacrifice and of the soule of a monke called Iustus CHAPTER LV. Gregory YF the synnes after death be pardonable Some sinnes pardonable after death then the sacred oblation of the holy host vseth to helpe mens soules for which cause the soules sometyme of them that be deade do desire the same for Bishoppe Felix whom we spake of before saith that a vertuous priest who died some two yeares since and dwelt in the diocesse of the citye of Centumcellis and was Pastor of the churche of S. Iohn in the place called Tauriana told him that him selfe did vse when he had neede to wash his bodye in a certaine place in which there were passing hote waters that going thither vpon a tyme he founde a certaine man whom he knewe not ready to do him seruice as to pull of his shoees take his clothes and to attend vpon him in all dutifull manner And when he had diuers tymes done thus the Priest minding vpon a day to go to the bathes began to thincke with him selfe that he would not be vngratefull to him that did him such seruice but cary him some-what for a rewarde and so he toke with him two synging breades and comming thither he founde the man there ready and vsed his helpe as he was wont to do and when he
had washed him selfe putt on his clothes and was readye to depart he offered him for an holy rewarde that which he had broughte desiringe him to take that courteously which for charity he did giue him Then with a sadd countenance in sorrowful manner he spake thus vnto him why do you giue me these father This is holy breade and I can not eate of it for I whom you see here was sometyme Lorde of these bathes and am now after my death appointed for my synnes to this place but yf you desire to pleasure me offer this breade vnto almighty God and be an intercessor for my sinnes and by this shall you knovve that your praiers be hearde yf at your next comming you finde me not here and as he vvas speaking these vvordes he vanished out of his sighte so that he vvhich before semed to be a man shevved by that maÌ„ner of departure that he vvas a spiritt The goode Sacrifices for the deade Priest all the vveeke follovvinge gaue him selfe to teares for him and dailye offered vp the holy sacrifice and aftervvarde returning to the bath founde him not there vvhereby it appeareth vvhat great profit the soules receiue Soules departed holpen by the holy sacrifice by the sacrifice of the holy oblation seing the spirites of them that be deade desire it of the liuing and giue certaine tokens to let vs vnderstande hovve that by meanes thereof they haue receiued absolution Here also I can not but tell you that vvhich happened three yeares since in myne ovvne Monasterye A certaine monke there vvas called Iustus one very cunninge in phisicke and vvhiles I remayned in the Abbey serued me very diligentlye attending vpon me in my often infirmities and sickenes This man him selfe at lengthe fell sore sicke so that in very dede he vvas broughte to the last cast A brother he had called Copiosus that had care of him who yet liueth Iustus perceiuing him self past all hoope of life tolde this brother of his where he had secretly laid vp three crownes of golde but yet they were not so closelye conuaied that they coulde be concealed from the monkes for they carefully seeking and tossing vpp all his medicines and boxes founde in one of them these three crownes hidden Which thing so sone as I vnderstoode very much grieued I was and could not quietly disgest so great a synne at his handes that liued with vs in communitye because the rule of my Monastery was that all the Monastical pouertye monkes thereof should so liue in common that none in particular mighte possesse any thinge proper to him selfe Being therfore much troubled and grieued at that which had happened I began to thincke with my selfe what was best to be done both for the soule of him that was now dying and also for the edification and example of those that were yet liuing At lengthe I sâ—nt for Pretiosus Prior of the Monasterye and gaue him this charge Se quoth I that none of our monkes do so muche as visit Iustus in this his extremitye neither let any giue him any comfort at all and when his last houre draweth nighe and he doth desire the presence of his spirituall brethren let his carnall brother tell him that they do all detest him for the three crownes which he had hidden that at least before his death sorrow may wounde his hart and purge it from the synne committed and when he is deade let not his body be buried amongest the rest of the monkes but make a graue for him in some one dunghill or other and there cast it in together with the three crownes which he left behinde him crying out all with iointe voice thy money be with the vnto perdition and so put earth vpon him In either of which thinges my minde and desire was both to helpe him that was leauing the worlde and also to edifye the monkes yet remayninge behinde that both griefe of death mighte make him pardonable for his sinne and such a seuere sentence against auarice might terrifye and preserue them from the like offence both which by Gods goodenes fell out accordinglye For when the foresaide monke came to dye and carefullye desired to be commended to the deuotions of his brethren and yet none of them did either visit him or so much as speake to him his brother Copiosus tolde him for what cause they had all giuen him ouer at which wordes he straightwaios sigh theâ— for his synne and in that sorrowe gaue vp the ghost And after his death he was buried in that manner as I had giuen in commandement by which fact all the monkes were so terrified that they began each one to seeke out the least and basest thinges in theire celles and which by the rule they might lawfully keepe and very much they feared least some thing they had for which they might be blamed Thirty daies after his departure I began to take compassion vpon him and with great griefe to thincke of his punnishement and what meanes there was to helpe him wherevpon I called againe for Preâ—iofus Prior of my Monasterye and vvith an heauy heart spake thus vnto him It is nowe a goode while since that our brother which is departed remayneth in the tormentes Purgatorye of fire and therfore we must shewe him some charity and labour what we maye to procure his deliuerye wherfore go your waye and see that for A Trenta of masses thirty daies following sacrifice be offred for him so that no one day passe in which for his absolution and discharge the healthfull sacrifice be not offred whoforth with departed and put my commandement in execution â—n the meane tyme my mynde being busied about other affaires so that I tooke no heede to the daies how they passed vpon a certaine night the same monke that was deade appeared to his brother Copiosus who seing him enquired of his staâ—e in this manner what is the matter brother and how is it with you to vvhom he ansvvered thus Hitherto haue I bene in badd case but novve I am vvell for this day haue I receiued the communion with which newes Copiosus straightwaies comming to the Monasterye tolde the monkes and they diligentlye counting the daies founde it to be that in which the thirtith sacrifice was offred for his soule and so thoughe neither Copiosus knewe what the monkes had done for him nor they what he had seene concerning the state of his brother yet at one and the same tyme both he knewe what they had done and they what he had seene and so the Soules deliuered out of Purgatory hy the holye sacrifice sacrifice and vision agreing together apparant it vvas that the deade monke vvas by the holy sacrifice deliuered from his paines Peter The thinges you report be passing strange and yet ful of ioy and comfort OF THE LIFE AND DEparture of Bisshop Cassius CHAPTER LVI Gregory ANd that we should not cal in question or doubte of that vvhich
the dead report vve haue for confirmation of the same thinge the factes of the liuinge For Cassius Bishop of Narnye a man of holy life vvho did vsually euery daye offer sacrifice vnto God and vvhiles he vvas at the mysteries of those sacrifices did also immolat him self in teares receiued from our Lorde this message by one of his Priestes Doe that thow doest worcke that thow worckest let not thy foote cease let not thy hand cease vpon the natiuitye of the Apostles thow shalt come vnto me and I vvill giue the thy reward And so seaueÌ„ years after vpon that very daye of the Apostles after Cassius offered sacrifice and saide masse he had ended the solemnity of Masse and receiued the mysteries of the sacred communion he departed this life OF ONE THAT VVAS TAKEN BY his enemies and put in prison whose irons fell of at the tyme of the sacrifice and of one Baraca a mariner that was by the holy sacrifice deliuered from drowninge CHAITER LVII THat also which I haue hearde is knowne to manye to witt how one was by his enemies taken and putt in prison with irons vpon him for Oblation of sacrifice whom his wife caused vpon certaine daies sacrifice to be offered who longe tyme after returning home to his wife By this appeareth how auailable the holy sacrifice is tolde her vpon what daies his boltes vsed to fall of by whose relation she founde that it was vpon those very daies in which sacrifice had bin offered for him By an other thinge like wise which happened seaueÌ„ years since the verye same truthe is confirmed For when Agathus Bishop of Palermo as many faithfull and religious men both haue and still do tell me was in the tyme of my predecessor of blessed memory commanded to come to Rome The Bisshop of Rome coÌ„manded Bisshoppes of other countries and in his iornye fell into such a tempest at sea that he despaired of euer comming to lande The mariner of the shippe called Baraca who nowe is one of the clergy and serueth in the same churche gouerned an other small vessell tied to the poupe of the former shipp the roope whereof breaking in peeces awaye it went with man and all and amongest the huge mountaines of waters quickly vanished out of sighte The shipp in which the Bishop was after many great danugers at length arriued all weather beaten at the Ilande of Ostica and when three daies were past and the Bishop coulde heare no newes of the foresaide mariner that was so violently caried awaye with the storme nor see him in any part of the sea very sory he was and verily beleeued that he had bene drowned and so vpon great charity bestowed one thing vpon him being yet aliue which was not due vnto him vntill he was deade for he willed Sacrifice offered for the soules departed that the sacrifice of the healthfull oblation shoulde be offred vnto almighty God for the absolution of his soule which being done accordinglye and the shipp newe rigged awaye he departed for Italy where arriuing at Portua he founde the mariner aliue whom he verilye supposed to haue bene drowned vpon which goode chauÌ„ce altogether vnlooked for very glad he was and demanded of him how it was possible that he coulde escape so many daies in so great a daunger and so terrible a teÌ„pest who told him how in that storme he was tossed with that little shippe which he gouerned and how he did swimme with it being full of water and so often as it was turned vpside downe how he gat vpon the keele and helde fast there adding also that by striuing and laboring thus continuallye daye and nighte at lengthe with watchinge hunger his strengthe began to faile him and then he tolde how by the singular prouidence and mercye of God he was preserued from drowninge for as euen to this verye day he still affirmeth so then did he verifye the same to the Bishoppe telling him in this manner As I was quoth he striuing and labouring in the sea and my strengthe began to faile me suddainlye I became so heauy of minde that me thoughte I was neither waking nor yet a slepe and being in that case in the middest of the sea I sawe one come who broughte me breade to refreshe my tired bodye which so sone as I had eaten I recouered my strengthe againe and not longe after a shipp passing by toke me in and so was I deliuered from that danger of death and set safe a lande The Bishoppe hearing this inquired vpon what day this strange thing happened and he founde by his relation that it was that verye daye in which the Note how auailable the holy sacrifice is Priest in the Ilande of Ostica did sacrifice for him vnto God the hoast of the holy oblation Peter That which you report my selfe also hearde at my being in Sicily Gregory I for my part doe verily beleue that the reason why by Gods prouidence this thinge salâ—eth out thus apparantlye to them that be liuing and thincke nothing thereof is that al may knowe Some sinnes pardonable after death The holy sacrifice profiteth some after theire death how yf theire synnes be not irremissible that they may after death obtayne pardon and absolution for them by the oblation of the holy sacrifice But yet we haue here to note that the holy sacrifice doth profit those kinde of persons after theire death who in their life tyme obtayned that such goode workes as wereby their friendes done for theÌ„ might be auailable to their soules after they were out of this worlde OF THE VERTVE AND MYSTERYE of the holy sacrifice CHAPTER LVIII ANd here also we haue diligently to consider that it is far more secure and safe that euery man sâ—ould doe that for him selfe whiles he is yet aliue which he desireth that others should doe for him after his death For far more blessed it is to depart free out of this worlde then being in prison to seeke for release and therfore reason teacheth vs that we shoulde with our whole soule contemne this present worlde at least because we see that it is nowe gone and past and to offer vnto God the daily sacrifice of teares Note what was the daily sacrifice in the primatiue churche the dailye sacrifice of his bodye and blood For this sacrifice doth eâ—pe cially saue our soules from euerlasting damnation which in mystery doth renewe vnto vs the death of the sonne of God who althoughe being risen from death doth not nowe dy any more nor death shall not any further preuaile against him yet liuing in him selfe immortallie and without all corruption he is againe sacrificed for vs in this mysterye of the holy oblation for there his body is receiued there his fleshe The real â—presence is distributed for the saluation of the people there his bloode is not nowe shed betwixt the handes of infideâ—s but poured into the mouthes of the faithfull Wherefore
though he had begged mony of the martyrs to buy him a new garment and in this manner they followed him out of the Church But the good man without saying any thing went forth where he espied vppon the sea side a great fish leaping and skippinge that was lately cast vp which by their help he gott and strayght after sould it to a certayne cooke called Carcoso for an hundred halfepence which cooke was an honest man and a good Christian telling him all the matter as it had happened purposing with the mony to buy some wool that his wife therof might prouide him more apparrell But when the cooke came to open the fish he found in the bowels a ringe of gould whervppon moued by and by with pitty terrified with religion he restored it to Florentius saying behould how liberally the tweÌ„ty marty â—s haue sent the apparrell At the Tibilitan waters at such time as Bishopp Proiectus carried thither the relickes of the most glorious martyr S. Steuen great multitudes of people came to his shrine amongst whom a blinde woman desired that she might be brought to the Bishoppe that carried those holy relickes and when she was come she gaue certaine flowers which she brought and receiuinge them agayne she put them to her eyes and strayght wayes she was restored to her former sight An other shrine there is like wise of Coloniâ— or colony is a place inhabited by people that cam from som other place the same martyr in Sinecen a towne not far from the Colonye of Hippo which Lucillus Bishopp of the same place carried in a procession and a fistula which long time had put him to much payne and which a Phisitian of his familiar acquaintance was to haue lanced by the bearing of that holy carriage was suddenly cured for neuer after could he finde it any more in his body Eucharius a Spanish Priest dwelling at Calama lay sicke of an old disease of the stone and was cured by the shrine of the foresayd martyr S. Sreuen which Bishopp Possidius brought to that place The very same man afterward by the extremity of an other sicknes lay so like a dead man that none makinge any doubt therof they bound his hands together but by help of the foresayd martyr one bringing the preists coate from his shrine and casting it vppon his body he was restored to life againe There dwelt in the same place a maÌ„ of his degree in very good accouÌ„t called Martialis vvel strooken in yeares but one that could not abide Christian religion yet his daughter and sonne in lawe were both Christians baptised that very yeare both Christians baptised that very yeare both which instantly besought their sicke father that he would likewise become a Christian but all in vayne for in no wise could they perswade him but in great anger he commanded them out of his sight His sonne in lawe in that necessity thought it best to visitte the shrine of S. Steuen and there with all his deuotion to make his prayers that God would giue him a good minde and inspire him quickly to become a Christian and to beleeue in Christ and so he did with great sighing many teares much sinceritye and a burninge affection of true pietie and vppon his de parture he carried with him from the altar some of the flowers which came next to hand and when it was night he layd them vnder his father in lawes head after which he fell a sleepe and behold before it was yet morning the old man cried out that thy would runne to the Bishop who by chance was then with me at Hippo but vnderstandinge that he was not at home he desired that some of his Priests would vouchsafe to come vnto him and when they were present he told them that he did now beleeue in Christ and so he was baptised to their great admiration and ioy And so long as he liued after he had these words continually in his mouth O Christ receiue my spirite him selfe being altogether ignorant that these were the very last words which S. Steuene spake when he was stoned of the Iewes which were also the last that euer he vttered for not long after he departed this life In the same place three others sicke of the goute wer cured by the same martyr Two of them were Cityzens and the third a Pilgrim and the CityzeÌ„s were straight healed with out any more adoe but the Pilgrim was instructed by reuelation what he should do when the payne came vppon him which so often as he did the griefe straight vanished away There is a peece of ground called Andurus where there is a Chnrch and in it a shrine of the martyr S. Steuen By chance certayne oxen running out of the vvay did vvith the vvheele of the cart crush a litle childe as he vvas playing in the yard and by and by after a fevv pangues it gaue vp the ghost The mother tooke it vp in her armes and carried it to the Church there layd it before the shrine of the martyr and it did not only returne to life but vvas also perfectly cured that no shew of any hurt at all remayned A certayne Nunne likewise dwellinge hard by the same Church in a place called Caspaliana was desperatly sicke whose gowne some of her friends carried to the same shrine and before it vvas brought backe agayne she vvas dead notvvith standinge at their returne they layed it vppon her dead corpes vvhervpon her soule returned into her body and she to life agayne At Hippo one Bassus borne in Siria did pray before the shrine of the same martyr for his daughter vvhich vvas dangerously sicke and carried with him thither her gowne and so it happened that whils he was there at his deuotions she departed this life His seruants in hast came from his house to let him vnderstand that dolefull newes but his freinds that mett them did vtterly forbidd them least he should before the people haue lamentably cryed out Returning home and finding the house full of weeping and wayling he layd vpon her dead corps the garment which he brought from the shrine of the martyr and forthwith she returned to life againe In the same place the sonne of one Ireneus a collector departed this life whose body likewise was layd forth and all things with much weepinge sorrow made ready for his buryall One comfortinge the father gaue him counsell to annoynt his sonnes body with the oyle of the same Maâ—tyr which being done the younge man reuiued Likewise Eleusinus the Tribune who dwelleth here amongst vs had a young sonne of his an infant which dyed whome he layd vpon the shrine of the Martyr which is in the subvrbes and after he had prayed there with teares he carryed him backe aliue What shall I doe my promise to finish this worke doth binde me that I can not here report all those miracles which I knowe and no question but many Christians will be sory when they