knew not whither to goe for releife or whither to fly for comfort in distresse The buryall of this sacred body was diferred vntill the fourth day after by reason of the incredible concourse of deuout people who flocked thither from all parts Nor moued it any horrour awhit to see her face head and hands bare it being the custome there to bury in their habits since besides the palenes they had there was nothing ghastly or hideous in them the same softnes and tendernes of flesh remayning still which was before yeilding to the least touch of the fingar There might you haue seene euery one to striue what possibly they might to get something of hers to keep as a Relique and which is more to cut off any thing whatsoeuer they could light on some a lock or tresse of the hayre of her head and some one thing some an other and many the skirts of the course homely habit shee ware which they highly prized as excellent peeces of inestimable worth and after many deuout kisses layd them vp with great reuerence There was besides a wonderfull sweete and odoriferous sauour which filled euery one with great deuotion as likely such fragrant smells in those occasions vse to doe Neither was there any at that tyme that could complayne of any noysome or ill sent but was as if a box of precious oyntments and perfumes had beene spilt in the place and not a human corps exposed to view And no maruaile the body should send forth such an odour of perfumes whose soule during her life perfumed so the world with the odour of her Vertues and now much more the heauens with the sauour of her sanctity Whom I may say Almighty God was pleased on earth to set vp as an Aultar of Thymiama framing a balle of aromaticall spices of all the most excellent vertues that were as enkindled in the Thurible of her hart to breath the ayre of a more then ordinary sanctity from her Which Iosephus saith in those dayes was wont to be made of thirteene species of the fragrant and odoriferous things fetcht from diuerse parts of the world And so wee may imagine in the Aultar of the memory of this Saint this mixture and composition to bee of no lesse then thirteene speciall vertues which shined in this Seruant of God in diuers occasions and passages of her life As first a Charity and Lone of God and the Neighbour for his sake which shee had so vehemently enflamed in her as shee seemed to be quite exhaled being allwayes so employed in the acts of his Loue as shee had continually a burning furnace of the Loue of God in her breast And for the Loue of the Neighbour it was so great as none could euer find in her but bowells fraught with a tender loue and feelings of their case The second Spice a most profound Humility in her which was so great as before her Superiour especially her Master shee was as an Infant For with how much Humility would shee heare others speake of spiritual matters yea euen her Mayds to whom otherwise shee was a Mistresse and they her scholers And for her exercise of abiect things as appeares in her life shee was wholy in them The third aromatique Spice was a rare Obedience in her whereof though I might alleadge many examples that of conquering her self in so difficult a point as wee haue written may stand for many where shee resigned her self and refreyned from certaine pious things forbidden by her Maister The Fourth was a high and most sublime Prayer wherein through the Gift of God shee proceeded so farre as would require a speciall treatise to set it downe This only that dwelling first as it were in Foraminibus Petrae and alwayes digging in the wounds of her Sauiour in his Passion shee attayned at last the highest points of Contemplation and was frequently rapt in spirit as wee haue saied where shee saw such things as were not to bee told The Fift was a continual interiour and exteriour Mortification of her Sences and passions For immediatly in her actions would appeare how present shee was to her self And what a martyrdome there was in her proper wil which God alone could throughly know The Sixt was her Purity and Chastity which was so great that with her only aspect composition of the eyes modesty of her countenance and her whole motions and gestures shee seemed to excite efficatious desires of that Vertue in others The Seauenth was her extrame Pouerty while no curious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hardly necessary were to be found in her Chamber For how litle curiosity had shee in her habits and apparell neate indeed and wel put on but homely course and poore and very rarely or neuer would shee put on any thing which was new but ordinarily what others had vsed before The Eight was her singular Patience For shee had suffred very great and greeuous pressures and afflictions both interiour and exteriour in the whole course of her life in all which her countenance was euer serene and shee without any murmures and complayntes holding it still for a singular grace and fauour from God to suffer for innocency sake The Ninth an extraordinary Temperance in speach and conuersation with others whereby shee would neuer contradict any either with or against reason were they Superiour equall or inferiour conforming her self alwayes to the iudgment of an other if it were not sinne Nor would euer excuse her self though with reason shee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shee were not bound thereunto The Tenth a notable Contempt of her self whereby shee desired to be held ignorant of al that shee might bee wise in the sight of God and this in what shee might without the hurt of the Neighbour or offence of God that so contemning those terrene things shee might gayne the celestial and eternal The Eleauenth an ardent desire of greater perfection For shee supposed the going not forward in the way of vertue was no lesse then turning back And therefore shee endeauoured with might and mayne to aduance forward remitting neuer any good deuotion shee once vndertooke with good deliberation The Twelfth an amourous affection to the Crosse of Christ which she would alwayes be taking vp with foure armes or braunches to it The first 〈◊〉 perfect mortification of all vices Secondly a renouncing of all temporal goods Thirdly a neglect of carnal affections as of freinds parents and countrey And lastly an vtter contempt of the world in all things els The thirteenth and last aromatical Spice was a diffidence of her self imagining stil that howbeit shee might seeme to haue done many notable things to the honour and glory of God and the great benefit of the poore which was singular and most extraordinary in her yet held shee her self as vnprofitable meerly and good for naught and verily beleiued they were al better then shee and none so wicked as her self considering the fauours which God continually had shewed her And these were her thirteene
agreed with her From myne infancy pitty and compassion hath been bred in mee and from the womb of my Mother it grew vp with mee And to the end this vertue of Compassion might not be fruitles and barren in her a singular Liberality was annexed to it to which the Princes free disposition concurring made her works to the Neighbour vrey admirable as shal appeare in the ensuing narration throughout Of which kind for the present wee wil intimate two only examples of especial regard It chanced then that this pittiful and merciful Woman came to the knowledge of a poore and miserable wretch exceedingly affected with a certaine loathsome disease of lice in his head which is called Phthiriasis in such aboundance indeed togeather with the head-ach as it was no smal torment and confusion to him and with al the meanes he made he could neuer be rid of them when lo the blessed Elizabeth desirous to dresse him her self to cure the same though shee might haue commended the matter to some other yet by no meanes would shee giue consent to haue any Riuall or companion with her in that act being so faire an occasion offered as shee thought to ouercome her self for the loue of IESVS And therefore for the more priuacy thereof and not to be depriued of so great a merit vnknowne to any so much as to her most intimate seruant Isentrude shee found the way to cōueigh the Wretch aside in al secrecy into her priuate Orchard wherein many high trees were growing for within doores it was not possible to be done without some notice taken at least that shee might not be hindered in her pious endeauour Where notwithstanding the auersion and loathing shee might easely haue had thereat shee kembed his head and cut his hayre al clotted with filth and till then vnkembed for many dayes and killed the lice and willed him confidently to lay it in her lap which he did for a pretty space til shee had wel scoured and washed the same When her mayds coming in by chance and fynding their lady employed in so abiect a worke and so vnseemely for her admiring it as not beleiuing at first it should be shee roundly rebuked her for it that shee being a lady of such degree and royal descent would defile her fingars with so loathsome a disease in pouling and washing the head of so miserable a creature exaggerating withal the arguments that might bee how il it became her to do it which they for their parts would not do for any thing in the world Inferring besides that doubtles her Lord the Lantgraue would be much offended if he chanced to come to the knowledge thereof When behold the good Lady somwhat blanck thereat to be taken so suddenly in the manner beyond expectation not so much for the shame shee had of the seruile work as for that thé secrecy thereof was broken which shee intended and offered to the sight of God and not to the eyes of Mortalls or human censures but smiling shee handsomely seemed to put off the discourse to some other matter vpon a good occasion offered as not willing to iustify the same too much for feare of vaine glory or to heare them inveigh so bitterly against a thing which shee held as pious at least not worthy of so bitter reprehensions though otherwise glad and wel satisfied to haue done that and a great deale more for whose sake shee did it making accompt that what shee did was meerely done for the loue of God and not for human respects and therefore shee ought not to regard it And that to Loue God it was necessary further to put away al respects of any creature soeuer and to purge it from all terrene and carnal ends and to loue and regard none but God who is highly indeede and aboue al to be regarded and if shee chanced to loue or esteeme ought els it should bee for God in somuch indeede as shee loued not God for her self nor her self for her self nor her neighbour for himself but rather God for God and her self for God and her Neighbours for the same God since the loue of God can not brooke the company of any other loue or respect then of God This surely was a worthy example of perfect Charity to her Neighbour being so meerely done for the diuine Loue. For shee wel considered with her self what shee was of her self in her first beginning As for the Body shee considered the same to be a vile and base thing like other creatures a little blood and a piece of flesh skynned ouer with a parchment as it were somewhat finer then ordinary yea lesse then it euen earth and clay And for the Soule how it was meerely as nothing since God created it in her Mothers womb of nothing For the present shee likewise considered how miserable shee was in the same body how ful of defects of miseryes and infirmityes euery way for the Soule how poore shee was of vnderstanding and iudgment how little shee knew or could reach into how ful of ignorance and errours But that which touched her most was a true and liuely consideration of what shee was like to come vnto in respect of the Body How shee was to be afflicted with some greeuous malady or other that should vsher her to death and death deliuer her ouer to the tomb where shee should make a feast or banquet for the wormes and lasty be reduced into a litle earth and brought into perpetual obliuion And therefore why should shee euer be proud a whit or regard what her mayds sayd to her in that kind For thou earth ashes would shee say vnto her self what shouls'd thou bee proud of To day a woman tomorrow perhaps a lump of earth And if I should value my self as they say for my gentry linage and nobility whence I descend from royal and honorable Parents Alas how poore a thing it is while truly it affords mee nothing nor putts any thing into mee being only a meere estimation of men and nothing in substance Since there is no difference a whit that I can find among vs al eyther in the entry into the world or the going forth be wee rich or poore noble or ignoble This iudgment now and esteeme which shee framed of her self concerning her owne nature and person being more her owne and intrinsecal to her then the goods of fortune which but only accompanied her without and attend more extrinsecally on her it cannot be imagined how great was the contempt shee had in her hart against al these temporal riches which the world prize's and valu'es so much From vhence proceeded the second example I promised aboue which was this On a certaine Festiual day the yong Prince was disposed to inuite the Peeres and Nobles of his land to a solemne dinner which being now in order and the Guesse come and nothing wanting that could be desired in so honorable an assembly but the presence of the
then the manner was that diuers Ladyes and personages of good sort some for deuotion and some for curiosity and some no doubt to carpe at the manner of her life came to visit her such was the fame and opinion they had of her she being so rare a patterne of Contempt of the world and especially of voluntary Pouerty Among which one day came a certaine Lady of her acquaintance with a good intention to keepe her company being vshered by a sonne of hers a proper and goodly Gentleman and who exceedingly set forth himself being extraordinary braue and gallant in apparel and extreamely in the fashion so as easily appeared no litle paynes and care had been taken by him in al his habit wel perfumed to exhibit 〈◊〉 a perfect and compleat Courtier in a word in his garb and whole comportemeÌ„t he seemed a true Courtier to comply with ladyes in their element The salutations betweene theÌ„ were hardly passed wheÌ„ Elizabeth not much accustomed with those sights fouÌ„d her self to be touched with a double zeale the one of the honor glory of God seeing his Image to be so â—…owlely polluted with secular vanityes for so she esteemed those trickings and deckings of the body the other for the soule of that poore yong man so vainely giuen and carryed away with the gentle streame and slyding vogue of the world And therefore knowing him wel to bee a youth of a good disposition and perhaps made acquainted heeretofore with some other better inclinations and intentioÌ„s of his could She not choose but ingenuously say to him Good Sir how happens you are now so braue at this tyme growne such a Gallant I haue knowne when it hath been farre otherwise with you Are al those goodly designes of yours now come to this thus vanished into a smoak of so much vanityes what trick you vpp so trow you but a masse of flesh a truâ—…se of hay and no more to day very goodly as you seeme to your glasse to morrow a fee for the wormes Goe to my Child away with these toyes and reare your mind to higher things that soule of yours is too precious to be drowned so in these transitory waues of these secular pomps Looke back againe into those former reflections of yours you were wont to make when your iudgment was better then now it is and make now at last a firme resolution to breake with al these transitory things Thus shee To whom the Gentleman replyed True it is Deare Madam your Ladyshipp is in the right and I must confesse I haue been too much to blame to frustrate the good inspirations which God hath sent mee and whereto for a tyme I lent my eares but now Lady through my owne ingratitude I know not how I am fallen into so strange a tepidity in such matters if not stupidity as I cannot thinke thereof without a great aridity of mynd so as I feel my self now wholely possessed with a dullnes and lethargy as it were of al good things that they take vp entirely al the facultyes of my soule This only remedy remaines for me Madam that your Ladyship would be pleased to implore and beseech our Lord in my behalf to take mee forth of this dangerous state wherein I am and to giue mee his grace I may breake insunder these chaynes that entangle mee and so inueagle mee in the snares of secular appetites and desires and make me vnapt for al goodnes To which shee replyed And do you wish mee indeede to pray for you as you say and are you in earnest Madam sayd he it is my desire and the height of my ambition Marry then sayed shee you must ioyne with me and vnite your vowes with mine second my prayers with yours Which when hee had yeilded to Shee crauing pardon and licence of his Mother tooke him into a priuate Oratory hard by where they prayed together a prety space and it was not long ere the young Gentleman began to cal vpon her saying Cease now your praâ—…ers Madam and giue ouer for I find my self so enkindled with their feruour that I can not endure their heate any longer When shee prayed more hartily and more earnestly then before and wiâ—…h greater vehemency then euer stil called vpon God he would please to looke downe vpon that Wretch enthralled in the snares of this world and cal him efficaciously into some family of his whereby wholely to bid adiew to the vanityes of the world But hee feeling his body and especially his hart to be more and more enflamed within him and his strength by litle and litle to fayle him quite being al ouer in a sweat sometymes hot sometimes cold panting and striuing for breath as it were called out more lowd then before and casting out his armes for wearines yeilding a puffe withal as the last of his breath cryed out amaine saying interruptedly as wel as he could Cease cease ô my deare Lady for al my entrailes and bowells and euen the very marrow of my bones are exhausted quite and nigh consumed with extreame feruour of your prayers When two of the Mayds together with the venerable Matron his Mother coming in al hast with hearing the cryes hee made who were hardly able to hold him vp by the wast from sinking to the ground or to stay so that hee might not take any harme by a fal through weakenes or that in aswoune he might passe away and return no more vnto himself His body the while was so hot as they could hardly endure to touch his flesh being bathed al ouer with the sweat that started forth of the pores of his body a liquor expelled put forth through excesse of heate within him At length while she stil perseuered in prayers the young man now able hardly to fetch his breath stil called vpon her with a voyce as lowde as hee could saying with al submission and greatest importunity he could O Madam I pray giue ouer your prayers for the loue of IESVS Christ that I may not vntimely thus end my dayes whom you haue so designed to a better life Whereupon Elizabeth making an end the young man beganne presently to come to himself and to coole in his body the heate ceasing and he coming at last to a more natural temper promised the Lady out of hand to receiue the habit of Saint FraÌ„â—…is of Assisium which shortly after he performed to his vnspeakeable comfort and ioy of his Mother who loued him truely as Mothers ought to loue their children not barring him through carnal affection from his spiritual preferrements where hee continued to his dying day stil magnifying Elizabeth as the Authour next vnto God of his chiefest happynesse and greatest felicity Besides which act of hers it is commonly reported this blessed Matron procured the saluation of many by the efficacy of her prayer THE GREAT LIBERALITY and mercy of Elizabeth shewed after she had recouered her portion into her hands CHAP. III. AS in al species
other or els Madam I must tel you plainely and ingenuously and confesse vnto you I am not my self Which answeare while there was no remedy she was fayne to take for payment The reason why she so diuided her self bet◅ween her Spouses was because by experience shee found that the sweet conuersation of the one diminished not the others for likely with her Lord she would haue no other talke nor he to giue her satisfaction would discourse of nothing els but of pious things as of some prety new deuotion or o◅her somtymes she would aske some cases of cons◅ience of him and he would answear probably what he thought so beguile the time with one an other It was an admirable thing how from her hushand she could presently cōpose her self to prayer frō her prayer how amiable and gracious shee would be to her husband But alas this Noone of her age lasted not long The Sunne being got to the top of the Zodiaque in a moment as it were is in the decline and what is a yeare some two or three or three or foure but a momēt once compared with eternity The Noone then of her Coniugal state being ended with the vnlooked-for vntimely death of her earthly Spouse her Vidual began which lasted til the euening of her owne Where do we meete with a passage worth the note Who would haue thought measuring the loue shee bare to her deceased Lord but one Tomb might haue held them both whose harts during life seemed all as one since the hart goes likly where the body is Shee was so wholy to her husband while he liued as shee had been a stranger meerly to all things els Who being dead shee seemed as he had neuer been not that shee could forget him but as if the loue shee bare him only had been lent and borrowed for a tyme being now restored againe to the owner of her whole loue her heauenly Spouse as holding her self heerby to be entirely acquit of the debt shee was now more free for her only Spouse But lo the state of her Widow hood wanted not difficultyes enough the medal of her Noone where the Sunne of her good fortune was in the highest pitch was of a suddaine in decline and changed into a bitter Afternoone her Roses all were turned to Thornes For now new batteryes were bent on euery side against the Citadel of her hart to render it to a second earthly Spouse Al fayrest meanes were vsed to work their ends no stone was left vnremoued to effect what what they desired Her neerest freinds she lost in that same quarrel Her Aunt her Vncle yea her Father were denyed admittance to a parley in any equal termes shee stop her eares against thē al as at the bewitchings of a Sirens song Shee was a Rock immoueable that dashed the forces of their arguments to nought like billowes vanishing to froth I speak of her wordly Crosses when shee was thrust out of doores stript of al shee had was forced with her children to beg frō doore to doore for these were roses not thornes to her These were the fauours which he◅ heauenly Spouse vpon her late entire conuersion to him did present her with For lo the thornes I speake of were not thorns indeed they were rather flowers vnto her to weaue her garlands to make her self more grateful to him Open affrōts were crownes vpon her front nor euer Queene or Empresse in the world seemed more to tickle for ioy on the triumphal day of their coronations then Elizabeth did when she found her self so iniuriously confronted by that monster of ingratitude and throwne into the mire and dirt when she was fayne to sit vpon a sunny bank to dry her self and with a knife to scrape away the mire from her course homely garments imagining the while she cleāsed her soule withal from the ordure and contagion of the sinnes of vanity she feared she had contracted in her life in a word she seemed in that same plight to haue bin a Iob vpon his dunghil and yet as rieh as Cressus with al his gold which she held no more then earth and yellow clay and really is noe more indeed but Earth saue that esteeme doth giue it worth and price which she could doe and truely did But the great Crosse she apprehended al the tyme were the bounds and limits which her Maister put vpon her pious inclinations of releiuing the poore touching the Leapers handling their soares and this indeed did try her to the quick That same of leauing so her Maydes was no litle Crosse vnto her but nothing like to this yet did she swallow vp both pills with inuincible fortitude and so refined shee came at last to that as shee knew not her owne til shee were assured of her Maisters mind Neuer was Afternoone more piously better spent she being wholy seene and employd in works of mercy For who euer asked an almes that was refused She clothed the naked fed the hungry for the cold made fires for them shee cherished Orphans releiued Widowes comforted the distressed dressed the most noysome and loathsome soares with her our hands buryed the dead in a word what did she not that any other Saint had euer done that came within her way or reach It is true indeed that Ss. are not to be compared togeather in a factious sort N◅r Peter Paul and Apollo in contentious wise to be made the heads of other priuate spirits but al are to be reuerēced as one in God God in al. Yet howsoeuer though they may not be t◅us paralelled yet may they wel be resembled in their similitudes wherein they agree without any breach of Charity in vs or them I hope then it shal not be il taken if I say our Saint was not a Prophet meerly or an Apostle or a Mart◅r or a Doctor of the Church for these in verity shee could not be yet as Elizeus is said to haue the spirit of Elias and which is more a double spirit too so may wee say she had the spirit of Prophecy in her when shee foresaw the future vocation of that Virgin whose haire shee cut off An Apostolical spirit when shee laboured so in the conuersion of Infidels and baptizing Infants the spirit of Martyrdome whose feruent desires shee had so boyling in her breast whose life otherwise was a perpetual martyrdome in the cruel macerations of her body The spirit of the Doctors shee had in that shee laboured to catechize the Children and the ignorant and was a light of instruction to her mayds Shee was an Hermitesse in spirit in so affecting the solitude of her closet as shee did whereby shee was a true Confessour in fasting prayer and almes doing all to confesse the holy name of IESVS in her works And for ◅he rest as we haue sayd s◅ee had truely been a Virgin Wife and Widow and though shee dyed not in the first yet had shee the affect therof
noble Princesse now begins to mount the mysticall Ladder of Iacob that is to enter into the true Exercize of Piety consisting of ten seuerall Stepps still ascending higher The first a recesse from the Earth or affect of Secular or terrene things with a firme decree of the mind to follow Christ. This stepp shee hath climed already so as with the Apostles in affect at least shee might well vsurp that saying of theirs Behold wee haue left all things The second an Obliuion of worldly things Whereto the amourous celestial Louer exhorts his Spouse O harken Daughter forget thy people The third an hatred and contempt thereof as appeares in her who esteemes the same as dung to purchasse Christ. The fourth a dispoyling and Euangelical hatred of al superfluous and profane Loue of Friends citizens and Parents The fift a hatred of her self for Christ which she truly did as shal appeare The sixt an abnegation of her self and proper Loue. The seauenth a daylie carrying of the Crosse or mortification of inordinat concupiscences The eight the Imitation or Following of Christ inconstantly pursuing his vertues and especially these Meeknes and Humility The Ninth a loue of the Neigbour yea of the Enemies themselues through his example on the Crosse when he prayed for his Persecutours The tenth last An intimous vnion with God that the mind do wholely adhere to God and as it were bee made one spirit with him and may truely say as she might wel that same of S. Paul I liue not I now but rather Christ in mee For loe a faire occasion now begins to present it self to her of arising vnto higher degrees of this exercise of Piety or Patience I may say Since hauing such a Mother in law as Sophia such a Sister as her daughter Agnes by the death of her tender and deare father in law now growne in great authority in Court her Spouse as yet but yong What can wee looke for but stormes and tragedyes at their hands Sophia indeed was a Woman faire enough and gracious to behold but of a violent and impetuous nature and as she was her self so bred she vp her child as likly they are Birds of a feather The Mother though she were not yong yet was not ancient and if those yeares she had could haue borne her out her mind would haue ranked her with the youthfullest of her Dames what became not her self to do she would be doing in others by setting thē on in fashions attires in dancing gaming and the like She would be known to be Dutchesse of Thuringia haue her dues in points of honour punctually obserued obsequiously attended at Table and abroad by her Pages and neuer without a Beuy of Courtly Ladyes about her Her apparel not so rich as fashionable relying more on the splendour of her iewells to make her appeare who she was then the Gorgeousnes of attyres otherwayes therein giuing scope to her Ladyes and Maids of honour to vye with one an other wherein taking a complacence she seemed to exceede in them so being guilty her self of their excesse And yet whatsoeuer her deuotion was inwardly she would hold stil a faire Decorum in her Chappel in the Pomp thereof retayning stil a stately Maiesty in the exteriour ceremonyes With this satisfying her self that she complyed sufficiently with her obligations and her secular state being the absolute Princesse and Dowager of that land Her daughter Agnes seemed to be according to her hart faire and bewtyful indeed and as made for Courts of a nature good enough and free of disposition and might no doubt haue beene more Religious and retyred had the Mother with studious education trayned her in it as she left her too much to her owne inclinations a fault too frequent euery where in the breeding vp of Damselles though here no further hurt ensued then certeine antipathyes in her with our Princely Virgin to exercise her vertues with These two then being equalls euery way in that Court for yeares and respects by the ordinance of the Mother were suted both alike adorned alike with glittering coronets of gold and pretious iewels on their heads with bracelets eare-rings and carkanets the same in a word exteriourly in the habit no difference to be seene saue only in the inward habit of the mind in the sight of God and Angels For they going once into the Temple on a solemne festiual day as their custome was so crowned and richly attired and passing immediatly before Sophia the lady Mother Elizabeth presently at her entering into the church layd off her Coronet of gold nor would she put it on againe til the Sacrifice was ended and al that tyme most humbly and deuoutly demeaned her self as she truly tooke it in the presence of her Sauiour vntil at last she was admonished to go home This fact of hers now much displeased Sophia as an act at least of indiscretion or at the best vnaduisedly donne Whereupon in tyme and place conuenient she tooke her aside and peaceably and fairly demaunded of her why she did so saying Daughter what meant you the other day entering into the church to lay aside the Coronet you ware was it a handsome sight trow you in such a presence of the Estates Counts and Barons of our land to vndresse you in that manner in the view of al the people To whom Elizabeth humbly made answeare Madam God forbid I should be so irrreligious if not impious being such a wretch as I am to haue my head adorned with the splendour of a Crowne and to appeare in so proud and haughty an equipage euen in the tyme and place where my Sauiours head is so cruelly tormented and crowned with thornes At which words was Sophias mouth immediatly stopt what with the goodly reason she saw she had to checke her so but happily carryed it in mind til an other tyme. By which appeared what impression euen in her tender yeares the Thornes of her Sauiours crowne did make in her hart deepely wounding her mayden breast through meditation of his Passion represented in the Sacrifice of the Masse This compassion is an affect of the Soule which she had wherwith shee ioyntly suffered with him who suffered so and transferred his dolours to her self and to this end shee helped her self with these two things first considering the quality of the person who endured and secondly the greeuousnes of the paynes endured which shee did pondering how Christ our Lord suffered them without any succour of the Eternal Father or his Disciples considering also the delicacy of the cōplexion of his body and how the interiour paynes of his soule were yet more greeuous then those of his sacred body and these were the thoughts that tooke vp her mind during the Sacrifice of the Masse while Sophia perhapps through disdayne was biting the lipp and other Courteours whispering with themselues as censuring hardly thereof and murmuring against her For that indeed as Enuy is the handmayd of vertue and
robustious his actiuity others and dexterity in the manage of his horse When hee was practising though young with the rest of his Nobles and pages of his Court a man would haue thought him as only made for martial exploits and feats of Chiualry But then in court to haue seen his faire behauiour his sweete disposition and affability to al you would say that Mars had no part in him but that hee had beene made for carpetts only to comply with Ladyes so ingenious and gratious he was in his discourse But after that againe to haue seen him in the C appel had been able to moue deuotion in the beholders so deuout he would be at the solemne offices so as then they would iudge him truly in his Element And as hee was so pious and vertuous in himself hee was highly beloued of al good and vertuous men and a bridle to the vicious to restrayne their exorbitances through his rare exaÌ„ple of modesty TeÌ„peraÌ„ce Meeknes Courtesy Sobriety hence it was he was so taken enamoured with his chast Spouse his incoÌ„parable Elizabeth WhoÌ„ hee noted to be so eminently vertuous as hee could not choose but effect highly regard her though he were otherwise so teÌ„perat discrete in his cariage towards her as not a person in the world nor yet the Spouse her self could ghesse so much Which was the cause such diuers censures ran vpon the nullity of the Espousalls made betweene them in their Infancyes For seeing such temperance in the youthful Prince so actiue otherwise and ful of life they iudged he had no liking to her and that therefore hee would sure refuse her when he came to mature age Especially since Elizabeth his Espouse was so aliened her self from that estate as the company and society of men seemed to be irkesome to her much lesse that she would euer admit the maryed state so as now in a manner she was held a Religious woman And these discourses euery where made the pious discret Prince the sooner to declare and expresse himself to the vertuous Elizabeth as wel to giue satisfaction to the world in that point and stopp the diuers rumours and iudgments of men as to satify his owne affection towards her and to be secured of hers to him which could not be without some manner of expression and which now at last he did discreetly chastly opportunely to the great contentment and ful satisfaction of each other For lo this match of theirs so made no doubt in heauen receiued no lesse the fulnes of benediction from thence So as though she seemed otherwise in her life and example to haue beene vowed already to an other Spouse in heauen yet was it so as not in compatible with an earthly Spouse whose wil some way or other was knowne to her to be it should be so and that he was content with conditions happyly agreed betweene them to haue a Riual for a tyme. How oft alas had the chast Elizabeth in the closet of her hart put forth that Theame to be disputed of how oft had she concluded now for the one side and then agayne for the other now it must be thus now thus now this now that Til at last knowing euidently as it were the wil of God which was the mayne argument of her assent to that estate after she had resolued with her self to harken to the Prince she would further satisfy her self with these morral reasons of inducements First that Mariage was honorable as auncient as the world itself raigned in the Law of Nature the written Law and now a holie Sacrament in the Law of grace and a great mysterie betweene Christ and his Church Secondly that this Sacrament is the roote of the faithful people the Nursery of Christianity the soyle that brings forth Creatures able to repayre the empty seate of the preuaricating Angels The series of the lyuing stones wherewith the walls of Ierusalem are 〈◊〉 The very trunck whence yssued forth al the braunches flowers and fruits of the heauenly Paradice The Spring whence al the brooks do flow that water the Hierarchy of the Church Then what an honour it was for Parents to bee cooperatours with God in the most excellent workmanshipp of the world and cheife Maister-peece of the Vniuerse which is mans body the perfect and best organized of al bodyes whereinto being once formed God infuseth the soule as a Margarit into the Mother pearle which hee creates and sends thereinto a soule immortal spiritual and capable to know him loue and adore him Then for the place of the Institution of Marriage she found it to haue a singular prerogatiue when she considered the same to haue beene established in the terrestrial Paradise the most delicious place of the world a place most happy and regarded with the most fauourable influences of heauen which in the estate of Innocency was a happy and angelical state if our first Parents had constantly perseuered therein and not lent their eares to the suggestions of Sathan And though commonly it bee sayd that Chastity replenisheth heauen and Marriage the earth Which she easily graunted since she held for certaine that without a chast and pure soule none can see the face of God yet she knew wel euen in those tender yeares of hers to distinguish rightly of the triple chastity Virginal Coniugal and vidual She knew it to be most true that chast continence replenisheth not the earth but heauen but yet withal considered how the Coniugal by the earth replenisheth heauen and with yts fruits replenisheth and furnisheth both heauen and earth For it furnisheth the terrestrial Ierusalem with soldiours and the celestial with most noble and victorious Triumphers Now in regard these passages between the yong Prince and Princesse Elizabeth as yet appeared not to the world by any outward signe the Nobles and Courteours taking encouragment from the cariages and deportmens of Sophia and Agnes who neuer left flerting and prouoking the innocent Damosel with taunts and quips to her face but especially with bitter nips behind her back among themselues the matter grew now to be common in meÌ„s mouths that the Lady Elizabeth should be sent into her Countrey againe the yong Prince was now to thinke of an other Spouse more competent for him and deseruing his Princely Highnes In regard her Portion as they said was too smal â—…nd the Virgin her self affected him not That doubtles she was not for the world that the Prince would sureâ—…y neuer match with such an one as â—…ad no application to the world much â—…sse to the person of the Prince Thus â—…uerie one passed his censure on the â—…atter as it seemel most likley to him â—…nd indeed according to his perticular â—…ffection Whereas besides there was â—…o want of those who framed farr â—…igher conceipts of the ancient Espouâ—…lls solemly made in the face of â—…e world in their tender infancyes â—…ith so general applause of either â—…eople at the intreaty of
amendement of them in a manner becomes impossible What necessity each one hath to bee assisted in this point we may imagine For if the sicke and infirme for the great desire they haue to be cured bee content to submitt themselues to the bitter Pills and Receipts of the Phisitian and oftentymes to the launcings and incisions of the sharpe knife for a present ease or at most for a momentary life what should we do in the matter of Saluation and eternal life But seeke a Reuerend learned and a pious Phisitian of our soule to deale with when especially eternall happynes or euerlasting misery depends thereon Not only to lay open the soares of our conscience to him in matter of sinnes and temptations but euen also of penances mortifications deuotions in all other things wherein a man may easely digresse step asi le from the right path not only of sanctity and perfection but euen of necessary saluation it self Wereby we walking more securely in the way of God may be apter to receiue the diuine graces since with this resignation and act of Humility and this holy hatred of our selues besides the keeping and preseruing the soule for eternal life God is exceedingly pleased therewith and by meanes of such spiritual Phisitians and faithful Interpreters of his wil the more cleerely he manifests to vs what we ought to do Such a Guide now had Elizabeth great neede of to gouerne her amid such new deuotions and feruours euery day so taken vp by her least that which was intended for her greater good and aduancement in spirit for want of such a Guide or Directour might redound to the greater dammage or at least degenerate in spiritual gluttony And this is that which the Prince seemed to intimate to her while he admonished her to moderate her feruours When loe much about that tyme came thither a Priest as dropt from heauen called Conrad of Marpurge a most worthy and famous personage both in his exemplar manner of life and eminent Learning being sent by his Holynes at that tyme to preach the word of God throughout the Prouinces of Germany Who preuayled so much through the singular gift hee had in preaching and the Authority he purchased by it that he no lesse repressed rebellious minds with a strickter hand held vpon them a grauity of aspect and powerful presence then he attracted and comforted the obedient with his lenity and sweete proceedings with euery one His life was fully answerable to the doctrine hee preached and his works to the words he vttered His eloquence or grace in speaking was such as was not easy to bee iudged which the greater his learning or feruour in the pulpit which the more or whether he were more happy in priuate discourses to winne allure the hard vnto him or more successefull in preuayling with them through force of the eminent tallents he had especially in guiding and gouerning soules Hee wholely contemned wealth and honours riches and dignityes and had an extraordinary zeale of christian Religion Hee was besides a fatall Enemy and a mayne impugner of Heretiques nor was he euer noted ambitiously to seeke for Ecclesiasticall lyuings or the spirituall goods of the Church for his owne vse or vse of his Nephewes or Kindred or so much as to accept of what was freely offered him in that or any of the like kind His apparrel was sutable agreeable with the decenter sort of the Clergy in those tymes nor exceeded the coÌ„moner sort of the grauer of them His table frugal the difcipline of his house hold very Regular good in a word a very absolute compleat Ecclesiastique worthy to haue sit in the highest chayrs of Pontifical dignity which surely he had if his disposition of shuning Prelacyes had not been too wel known to the world To this worthy man and eminent Starre of the Church the noble and vertuous Lewes vpon knowledge of his so rare worths being now growne into some familiarity with him and hee againe very grateful to both the yong Princes and the whole Court of Thuringia gaue leaue to bestow at his pleasure and his owne discretion the whole gouernement and superintendency of all the Churches and Aduowsons of Benefices which in his State were remayning in his hands And whereas the Lady Elizabeth her self with consent of the Prince requested the venerable Father with much instance to receiue her into his charge he graunted it so shee promised such obedience to him as might stand with her Mariage estate which shee vowed deuoutly and performed exactly indeed not only for the few yeares the Prince liued with her but euen after his decease likewise and then much more readily punctually and absolutely then euer Now then after this reuerend Priest had taken her to his charge to guide and gouerne her in the way of spirit and that shee had deliuered vp herself wholy into his hands to be directed by him the good Father perceiuing her good desires and noting how prosperously shee had succeeded hitherto through the especial assistance of the Holy 〈◊〉 began to conceiue very highly of his new charge imagining with himself much fruite might be wrought with such a subiect therefore determined to vse al diligence hee was able to aduance to some degree of perfection noting such singular and most eminent seeds of grace to be sowne already in the fertil soyle of her prompt and ready soule And shee of the other side hauing thus made a surrender of herself wholy and entirely vnto him to be ruled and gouerned by him disposed her self to be most punctuall in obseruing his behests and to regard him as an Angell sent from heauen to guide her in the path way of perfection How after many other practises of lesse moment vsed by the good Father in dealing with this soule wherein hee found her stil to come with great facility in the exercise of all ordinary vertues he began to proceed more stricktly imperiously with her to put her to the touch and triall of her true vertue and sanctity in deede When behold a conuenient occasion thereof represented it self to him and this it was The good Father on a tyme was to preach as he was ordinarily wont of heauenly things when especially hee coÌ„manded this Seruant of Christ not to fayle to be present thereat whether it were that he knew before the necessary occasioÌ„ she had to be absent or no can no mantel this only appeares that shee by accident fayling to be present at that tyme through the vnexpected arriuall of her husbands Sister in great displeasure as it were he sent her a sharpe rebuke and as to one disobedient sent her word he would neuer command her any thing more who for so slight an occasion had broken her promise of obedience to him and now shee might vse â—…er owne liberty againe as shee would her self signifying withal he could by no meanes take it wel at her hands to bee so
importance for both the States and that now they were neere at hand Which tydings when the Prince had heard he went immediately to his Elizabeth said vnto her not without some anxiety and perplexity of mynd Haue you heard Sister the newes And what newes I pray deare Brother replyed shee then with a chearful countenance Behold Embassadours are neere at hand from our royal Father of Hungary If that be al deare Brother said shee they are hartily welcome Why then replyed he anâ—…n and is that al thinke you and know you not how il you are furnished with apparel and decent ornaments befitting your state and calling to receiue and encertaine them with and to yeild them satisfaction as I desire for my honours sake and which is worse there is now no tyme to furnish you better Alas good Brother replyed shee then there is no cause why this my attire should so trouble you Since you know wel enough how litle I haue alwayes regarded such things For my part I haue but litle desire to please men and to be gracious in their sight with the hazard of loosing the grace and fauour of my heauenly Spouse But what trow you wil they signify to your royal Father at their returne Good Brother said shee dispose you of the rest for their better entertaynement and take you no care for mee I trust our Lord wil prouide for both our honours And not long after the Embassadours came to the Court and were very Princely and honorably enterteyned by the Lantgraue and the Nobles When after they had deliuered the letters of credence and the effect of their Embassage with a gratious audience on the part of the Lantgraue The Princesse Elizabeth her self was sent for to come into the presence at the earnest suite of the Embassadours themselues who had an earnest desire to behold her now a woman growne whom long since they had seene to be a hopeful Infant and whom fame had spread to be a Paragon of the world both for beauty personage and much more for her singular vertues and eminent sanctity of life When behold shee came in like a Heâ—…ter before Assuerus for loe the Author of al beauty and exteriour grace no lesse then interiour had so adorned her with comelynes and especial outward graces withal besides the inward of the soule and mynd as shee seemed to be an Angel apparelled in flesh and adorned with purple beset with the richest stones to the great astonishmeÌ„t of al the beholders and especially the Prince himself who was priuy to her great defects of such ornameÌ„ts iewels attires hee hauing before distributed them to the poore had no tyme to be furnished anew When secretly demaunding of her how it came to passe Elizabeth made answere smiling My Lord and Master can when he list prepare such ornaments for mee Nor was the same obserued by the Pâ—…ince himself only but diuerse others especially by her Mayds about her who now regarded her as a great Saint and fauorite of God THE DEVOVT AND pious exercises of Elizabeth at the Sacrifice of the Masse CHAP. X. OVR Sauiour Christ as wee read in the Ghospel one day found a great noyse and tumult in the Gallery of the Temple by such as bartered therein and bought and sold and therefore being enflamed with the zeale of Gods honour with certaine cords and whipps which he tooke vp from the ground as one in choller draue them forth of the Temple and as S. Mark saith ouerthrew al their ware But now alas were hee to come into our Temples what abuses doubtles might he there find to reforme amongst vs what noyses what gigling what chatting whaâ—… conuersations and perhaps lasciuious glaunces But this lady Elizabeth here of the contrary was exceeding deuout as wel at her entrance into the howse of God as during the whole tyme shee was there present Knowing wel that one of the greatest deuotions a Christian could vse was to heare Masse euery day or as often as he could First because the excellence and dignity of the Masse is infinite as being a Sacrifice wherein Christ is offered to God who offered vp himself once on the Crosse with all his trauells and merits and is the most perfect act of Religion wherein wee giue God the greatest honor wee can giue him and secondly is the most excellent act of prayer wee can possibly make Wherfore from her infancy and tender age til her dying day shee was wont alwayes to be present at this venerable and dreadful Sacrifice and very often was there her self before any other when shee would keep her mind as free from distractions as shee could and if shee ware any ornament which with conuenient decency might wel bee spared shee would either put it off quite or handsomely conceale it some way or other vntil the Offices and Ceremonyes of so admirable a Sacrifice were ended But especially shee vsed a singuler reuerence as wel while the Ghospel was reading as the body of our Lord IESVS Christ was handling applying no doubt her whole attention thereto and preparing the mouth of her Soule for the worthy receiuing thereof Her manner of hearing Masse was comonly in this sort Most deuoutly on her knees with great silence and deepe and profound reuerence and attention without speaking with any or turning her head on the one side or other but fixing her eyes on the Altar and Preist who represents Christ obseruing the actioÌ„s he vsed for al is a liuely representation of that which the Redeemer of life did suffered in his most holy life passion When the Preist at the beginning said the General Confession shee silently said it with the Minister also being contrite for her sinnes and crauing pardon for the same After which shee attended to the wordes of the Priest because they are sacred it is fiâ—… to heare them though they be not vnderstood The Ghospel and 〈◊〉 being ended shee sayed inwardly in herself making liuely acts of faith I confesse to thee Lord al these verityes whatsoeuer are contayned in the Creed and the whole diuine Scripture And through thy diuine fauour am ready to yeild my life for them Do thou my God giue mee grace that with my life and holy works I may confesse teach preach them to al vnto thy glory At the Offertory shee made an oblation of her self and deuoutly presented her self and her occasions and affayres to God that with the purest and most holy offering of his most blessed Sonne they might fairely ascend into his diuine presence in an odour of sweetenes At the SaÌ„ctus she would conuert her self to the most holy Trinity the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost true God in the company of al the Angells and of al the Blessed Spirits wishing that al creatures and al men whosoeuer would know prayse serue the same and shee especially aboue the rest might loue and honour it with al her forces and al the powers
of her soule While the Preist was reciting the Secrets and Cannon of the Masse she meditated vpon some point of the Passion of our Sauiour Christ with an admirable feruour as her deuotion serued and if not shee recited some vocal prayers At the Memento shee would call her proper necessityes to mynd and those of others and propose them sweetly to her Lord with enflamed affects At the Eleuation of the sacred Hoast shee would most deuoutly and reuerently adore the most sacred body of our Lord IESVS Christ which for her and al the world was exalted and extended on the tree of the Crosse. At the Eleuation of the Chalice shee would likewise adore with vnspeakable inward affects and aspirations the most precious Blood of her Redeemer which was shed for her and all the world beseeching her Sauiour through the same to make her pertaker of the fruits of the Tree of Life which hee was himself And since he dyed for her sinnes she might dye to them and liue to him and that her hart might bee the rock whereon his Crosse might fix it self and be the Vessel whereinto his most pretious blood might be receiued a liquor of infinite valew and price and therewith bee washed and cleansed from al her sinneful spotts At the Second Memento she called to mynd very seriously the Soules of the faithful deceased and prayed for those whom shee thought best of and were dearest to her most hartily crauing to make them pertakers of that dreadful Sacrifice and speedily to enter into the ioyes of Paradice where they might liue and raigne with him for euer At the Agnus Dei shee demaunded an ample pardon and remission of her sinnes imploring his fauour and graces that shee might receiue him if not sacramentally at least spiritually and that by meanes of the diuine Sacrament so receiued shee might be vnited with his infinite goodnes And thus shee vsed to communicate at least spiritually euery day which surely was a singular benefit for her spiritual profit and which aduanced her to so eminent a degree of sanctity She was wont to burne with a vehement affection to the blessed Sacrament admiring much how so admirable a Sacrament should bee afforded bestowed vpon mortal creatures and deepely considering pondering the omnipotence and infinite wisedome of God in preparing such remedy against the rancour and poyson of sinne and his infinite bounty in the free and liberal distribution thereof And when shee communicated sacramentally shee was often heard to break forth into these aspirations Burne then ô fire and consume whatsoeuer thou seest vnworthy in mee oâ—… thy presence which may put any obstacle to thy grace O Bread of Angells nourish my soule and may it loose al tast of whatsoeuer is displeasing to thee Most sweete IESVS O say that same to mee which thou saidst to Zacheus heretofore to wit Saluation is fullfilled in thy hewse God of my hart let mee bee wholy thine and let none but thou haue possession of my soule After which for a quarter of an hower shee seemed to enioy the presence of the Sacred Hoast within her and then to breake forth againe into these acts of admiration Who am I and who art thou my God that I should be so visited by thee O eternal God what is man whom so vnworthy thou settest thy hart vpon Nay what is the Sonne of man since thou lodgest they flesh thy blood thy soule thy Diuinity within him as in a most delicious bower She further admired how the Lord of Maiesty and King of glory not contenting himself to become man for the health and saluation of men but that hee would needes abase and humble himself so low as to remayne with vs in this Sacrament and to leaue vs on earth such a visible throne as it were of his mercy more excellent without comparison then the Arke of Alliance to haue our recourse thereto in all our necessityes In these cogitations the dignity of mans nature especially of the soule would glide into her mynd for that God so created it meerely and wholy for himself The heauens he afforded to the Angels the ayre to the birds the Sea to the fishes and the earth to plants and Man to whom but to himself Man therefore was created for God only O then may he be shee would say entirely possest by God alone Shee would further imagine how the Angels were of a nature more noble and sublime then Man yet God hath so much valued this his creature as hee hath in a sort subiected these noble spirits to his seruice according to the Prophett Hee hath commaunded the Angels to gard man in all his wayes and to foresee and preuent the occasions of his fales And how not contented herewith hee made such reckoning of him as that notwithstanding his vtter ruine he redeemed him with the precious redemption of his owne blood and after nourished him being redeemed with the holsome foode of his owne flesh affording his reall presence and assistance thereto Then shee would inwardly grieue at the ingratitude of men for all these graces and fauours so vainely bestowed on millions of them most highly extolling the goodnes of God for all Now this so vehement feruour of hers being such through these and a thousand such ardent meditations pious exercises and occupations of the mynd amidst her holy Communions which shee often frequented it could not easily be concealed but that some enflamed affects of so great a fyre and ardour within must needes breake forth at last For so it happened on a tyme while shee was in these serious and deepe contemplations immediatly after the Consecration of the blessed Host that shee was enuironed with a great light which gaue forth such a flash and splendour as a certaine Priest thereby who for his vertuous life deserued the sight could not as after he confessed behold her face such a beame of glory proceeded from thence When returning into her self againe and casting the eyes of her body and soule vpon the Crucifix on the Altar hanging most piteously wounded on the Crosse and all empurpled with his most sacred and precious blood shee said vnto him by way of Apostrophe Tell mee I prethee how much is this blood of thine worth Tenne thousand worlds here beneath shee replyed her self and as many of those aboue by a thousand degrees cannot once approach to the worth value thereof And yet hath the same been giuen afforded mee O wretch as I am to serue for my redemption Then doe thou value thy worth ô soule of mine and make an entire resolutioÌ„ from henceforth to serue him better then hitherto thou hast done who hath so much honoured and cherished thee O my Lord Iesus thy loue hath caused thee to suffer as much for mee alone as for all the men and women created Then giue mee grace froÌ„ this tyme forwards in consideration of this my true nobility to acknowledge in some manner this infinite loue of
thee with all my soule let mee loue thee with all my memory let mee loue thee with all my power and forces with a most streight feruent and soueraigne loue with a loue not familiar to all I will not rest most blessed Diuinity and one most louing God and surely I shall neuer rest till I loue thee with a most burning Loue. O let mee enioy thee Let me enioy thee O most blessed Trinity one God let mee enioy thee Hauing sayed all this within her self because she was in the open Church mouing but her lipps only as Anna did when she begged Samuel at the hands of God which proued a Prophet consequently Seeing God as all Prophets are said to doe she obteyned very speciall graces and the vision of strang and mysterious things For lo she was suddainely rapt into an extasy eleuating and raysing her soule and vnderstanding soe vp to heauen as she seemed to be kneeling fixed in the place without iudgment or operation of the senses with eyes notwithstanding as glued to the Aultar Till at last returning to her self againe Isentrude her dearest and most faythfull seruant being confident of her loue and respect towards her presumed soe farre as to presse her much after many refusalls to declare vnto her what she had seene while she was soe rapt and alienated in her senses with her eyes fastened on the Aultar To whom at last she answeared and said O daughter I may not make any mortall wight priuy to those heauenly secrets which I saw But this I tel thee since thou vrgest mee and coniurest mee of al loues that I was replenished with wonderful and vnspeakeable ioy beholding with the eyes of my mind such heauenly mysteries and this is al good Isentrude I can say vnto thee in this matter Isentrude was forced to rest satisfied with this answeare though her much curiosity could hardly brooke the denial so curious are mortals of immortal secrets But resolued if euer the like happened agayne she would be so refused no more From thence then they returned to their poore and most pityful lodging againe Where the holy and blessed Elizabeth was faine to restore nature with such poore pitance as she had after soe strange an extasy and alienation of mind Which though it wrought on the soule yet was it doubtles laborious and toyle some to the body to bee so long suspended from the functions and operations of the powers thereof they being so deare and indiuidual companions during life But being of a weake constitution a litle sufficed her then after refection she desired to be priuate as willing to rest and repose her self in her Chamber with Isentrude alone And being as I said extreame weary with the former excesses of the mynd she layd downe her head on Isentrudes lapp and soe began to fall asleep and soone after to weepe as she slept and then againe to smile of a suddaine shewing a chearefull and serene countenance withal as she had receiued extraordinary contentment at somewhat or other Anone she would weepe againe and then smile welnigh as soone and those alterations and strange viciscitudes of diuers and opposit feelings went and came all that day vntill the euening yet seemed she oftner to smile then weepe and then at last she vttered these words Yea truely my Lord soe it please thee to remaine with mee I will neuer depart from thee but still perseuere to abide with thee for euer When she had once expressed these words which Isentrude directly heard and punctually obserued she awaked nor can it be imagined how great was the desire which Isentrude had to heare the mysterie and therefore laid soe strange a battery of importunityes against her Ladyes humble resolution as she was forced to yeild to her and to reueale the whole passage as it was saying in this manner I saw the Heauens to open and our Sauiour Iesus Christ to appeare vnto mee and to comfort mee for my trauayles and tribulations past in whose presence as I stood I was extraordinary chearefull and glad but as sad and full of heauynes againe when hee offered to depart and goe away from mee whereon taking presently compassion hee immediatly returned againe and at last after many alterations in this kind hee said to mee Tell mee Elizabeth wilt thou remayne with mee as I will doe with thee Whereto I answeared these wotds you heard mee vtter euen now ELIZABET VISITSH her Aunt an Abbesse and then her Vncle the Bishop of Bamberg who plotted to haue her marryed but in vayne CHAP. VI. THe fame of the calamitous state of the Princesse Elizabeth who as before was famous for Sanctity now as remarkable for misery conteyned not yt self within the bounds of the Territoryes neare at hand or the borders of Thuringia it self but had dilated yt self to forrayne and remote places Soe as indeede there was nothing more in euery ones mouth then the hard disasters of so noble a Lady some blaming her fortune and some were caryed so farr into passione as nigh to murmure at the Ordinance of God to see soe innocent a Lady without al desert of hers to fal so suddainely into so great an abysse of miseryes calamities afflictiōs And others the while for so diuers are the humours of men spared not to traduce the innocence and religious simplicity of the admirable Lady with the impious aspersion of foolish stupidity For els they say how should it bee that she being the Widow of soe great a Prince and daughter of soe puissant a king should be soe iniuriously entreated by Prince Henry and the Nobles of the land were she not altogether forlorne and destitute of freinds to right her cause she being so innocēt and her wrong so patent to al. Thus diuerse according to their fancyes shot their bolts but few so wise and versed in spiritual things as to hit a right or to measure the drift or scope of the eternal Ordination herein to dispose al to his glory and her greater crowne through the exercize of so Heroical a vertue as her inuincible Patience was in al these things Saue only an Aunt she had being Sister to her Mother and Lady Abbesse of a famous Monastery in those parts who hearing of the sauage vsages and proceedings with her Neece framing a farr higher conceipt of her deserts then the ordinary sort could diue into Partly moued with the respect of blood partly out of charity and partly also for the rumour of her sanctity which amidd all her aduersityes and contradictions more and more dilated it self in the opinion of the best iudgments and all such indeed as were not caryed away with ignorance or sinister passions This Aunt of hers tooke such order what with her louing inuitements and what with the meanes she contriued to bring her to her which wanted no difficultyes by reason of her great necessityes that she and all her Mayds hauing taken in the meane tyme the best order for the children
Madam from your self wil effect more then al the reasons I am able to alleadge against the same To which Elizabeth with a cheareful and serene countenance smiling sayd Take you no care my daughters nor trouble your selues any more about this matter I trust in the diuine protection for my part that looke what I promised in the life of my honoured Lord I shal performe and accomplish punctually euē after his death likewise to the end of my life And though it should fal out that I were prest by any authority or commaund whatsoeuer or otherwise were menaced by power or were allured with al the flatteryes of freindship whatsoeuer I shal neuer suffer my self to be drawne from that man whom not for man I took but for the holy Sacrament of Matrimony Nor do I feare a whit what force can do against mee since let them vse what violence they can yet still I shal reteyne entire the liberty of my free will and shall shew my self to bee such a Mistresse of my self as I shall neuer yeild consent thereto but sooner disfigure my selfe for a last refuge With these her resolute and heroicall words her Mayds were well satisfied and comforted And the Venerable Bishop who as yet had done nothing in the matter but only reuolued the thing in mynd hauing religiously commended the affayre to God being moued and touched by the diuine spirit let fall his designes and desisted of himselfe from the enterprise without hauing euer made the least intimation thereof to any Giuing order that Elizabeth might stay there where she was as long as she would and be left free to dispose of her self or goe whersoeuer she pleased HOW THE BODY OF Prince Lewys was brought out of Sicily into Germany to bee buryed CHAP. VII IT hath beene euer the manner of great Princes dying forth of their Count◅yes to haue their bodyes transported to some honourable place or other to rest with their Auncestors in peace and besides to be caryed with great pomp in their funerall solemnityes especially men of more eminent note Hence it was that the hopefull Prince Lewys dying in forrayne parts and in soe Noble an Assembly of Princes and Lords in company of the Emperour himselfe gathered together from all parts of Christendome I may say indeed the flower of Europe at that tyme Yet the desolate Freinds of the deceased Prince would by no meanes yeild his corps should remayne behinde and that his owne natiue Country and naturall Citizens should be depriued of his bones whose life they had lent for the Christian Cause and where they could not haue him aliue should likewise bee dispoyled of so deare a pledge and precious depositum being dead Wherefore the deuotions and grateful offices of al being now satisfyed those noble Gentlemen of the Prince his Family who had accompanyed him thither and who in this had accomplished their promise to the letter in following him to death and who moreouer were better then their words in not leauing him after death disposed themselues to order the conueying of his hearse into their owne Country in the best equipage they could The body then being taken out of the tomb wherein it lay and the flesh consumed by such artificious meanes as they vsed by the diligence of the most expert therein they tooke the bones and enclosed them charily in a certaine Chest or pretious Casket and being attended for a good space by a world of Princes Dukes and Marquesses and of Counts Barons and Knights without number in marshal order they went with Ensignes folded vp together with a doleful and dismal sound of drumms al clothed in black and other warlike instruments in like sort Thus went they on in goodly order to a certayne place appointed where they were solemnely met with by other Princes and Gentlemen of the Countryes they passed thorough where the Marshal troups tooke their leaues in warlike wise And soe went on through Villages and townes and wheresoeuer they came were freshly encountred with new companyes succeeding by turnes and all with lamentable expressions of dolour for the losse of soe Noble a Prince their sorrowes being renewed afresh with the presence of the Corps Thus euery day they carryed the body going in manner of Procession deposing it in some Church at night or els in a Monastery causing Masses Dirges and other suffrages to be saied for his soule offering vp many Gifts and donaryes to euery Church where the Offices and Rites were performed as Tapers Herse-cloths and Blacks In this goodly order they marched into Franconia and when they arriued at Bamberg the Bishop of that Church came forth in Procession to me◅te the Body hauing giue◅ order before that all the Nobility Knights and Gentlemen there should accompany the woefull Elizabeth with her desolate and truly disconsolate Trayne giuing in charge especially that some few of the choycer sort should bee allwayes at hand with the sorowfull Widow to comfort and sustayne her as neede should require which they did At last the Seruant of God came forth with her Mayds in mourning weedes with minds more sable and mourning farre then that coulour could expresse yet she bare her self most discreetly in that assembly in bridling soe the current of her teares for the present as euery one iudged measuring the cause the great and absolute commaund she had ouer her passions and what she powerfully restreined in her self they as prodigally showred forth for her sake soe as hardly besides her owne were seene any cheekes vnwatered and some with the eyes in teares to the brimme But then entering with the Corps into the Church especially when the Hearse was vncouered and the Casket of the bones set open to satisfie her request the Ca◅aracts of her eyes soe violently kept in and restrayned before burst forth against her will who ◅ayne would haue moderated the same but the great excesse of her affection to the Prince at that tyme got the vpper hand and cruelly tirannized her poore hart Which the people seeing excusing her blamed the indiscretiōs of those about her in giuing such way to the opening of the shrine but in truth her former demeanour and temper she shewed was cause of the scope and liberty they gaue her at her request Which she perceiuing and shewing the soueraignety she had of her passions as before giuing a check as it were to her naturall propension was presently composed and serene as if noe such matter had been And changing the key of her former dolourous expressions into a more greatefull and pleasing note She rendred thanks to the heauenly Father that since it had pleased his diuine Maiesty to dispose soe of her honourable husband to take him thus into his heauenly Tabernacles soe seasonably for himself being ready for him though most importunely for her and the whole world and that she could not any longer enioy him aliue he had vouchsafed thus to doe her the fauour before her death to afford her
ouer the soules of their Children being immediately created of God and infused into the organized body they take vpon them I know not how and vsurpe a kind of tyrānical power ouer them diuerting them too oft from vertuous courses when they are wel giuen and religiously disposed Pressing them ouer hardly with the fourth precept of the decalogue of honouring Parents For euery one is free in what concernes the choyse of a state of life nor may the Parents force the Sonne or Daughter to match against their likings nor doth Parental power extend so far And though wee Owe vnto Parents much for giuing vs these bodyes which wee take from them Yet wee owe more vnto God who hath giuen vs also these very bodyes in a higher nature and for our soules himself hath giuen them vs alone God is Father of Body and Spirit both they Parents of the Body only God for our owne profit and saluation becomes our Father and they for their honours sake their inheritances and perpetuityes on earth to lead vs often into hel with them Wherefore in the affayre of our saluation there is no duty neyther with Father or Mother nor other Parents while Christ sayeth wee are to reiect and refuse them al in this case Hence it was that Elizabeth being wel instructed in eyther dutyes could answeare wel to a certaine Count who in behalf of her Father came from Hungary to visit her where she remayned in Hass◅a Who fynding her in that state wee mentioned aboue and half besides himself to behold such a spectacle could hardly beleiue it was she but being strooke with astonishment endeauoured with al the rhetorique he had to diswade from those courses so vnfit as he sayed and misbeseeming her state and dignity as the Widow of such a Prince as Lewys was and Daughter of so great a Monarke as his Master Telling her that hee was sent a purpose to bring her into Hungary where she should liue according to her dignity not bee forced to liue in obscurity in that vile and abiect māner assuring her besides that her tender Father now hold no longer hearing in what extreamity she was and therefore by al meanes she was to resolue vpon the matter and to prepare for the iourney since hee was sent to her a purpose to bring her to him Whereto she answeared her state and manner of life she hoped did noe wayes derogate from a Christian Woman and so long One had not degenerated awhit or wrōged her Family frō whēce she came and therefore she entreated him he would bee pleased to satisfy her Father that though otherwise she were the wredchedst sinner on earth yet for her duety towards him she found not her conscience touched with the least remorse for any disparagement of his howse or family that she had incurred in hearkning to the vocatiō of her heauēly Father who had called her to that state and māner of life The Count replyed the state and Nobility of Princes was different frō that of others how it was each thing should be rankt in its order according to the dignity thereof and where the harmony of Order was once broken there could be no lesse then a meere confusion in things That those courser habits which she wore became her il that so much maceration of her body had greatly decayed her goodly complexion which she was bound to cherish to the honour of the Creatour and not so iniuriously to deface the workmanship of his hands with such excesses as she vsed Hee sayed besides that if the state of the Continent be holy the marryed state is likewise to such as holily embrace it And that S. Anthony frō the desert S. Francis frō his Cel was conueyed to heauen so likewise with the cares of royaltie S. Lewis most gloriously mounted thither And if the affaires and traffiques of the world bee so great an impediment to attayne to heauen What hindered S. Maurice in the libertynes and negotiations of warre and SS Cosmas and Damianus in their practizes of Phisique and a number of other holy soules in other professions you wil thinke very ful of distractions but indeede most neerely conioyned with God in that state and why might not she returning to her Father in Hungary and restored to her former dignityes betake her self to a second match such as hee shal easily find out for her and lyue as happily and securely in that state as she had done in her husbands life through her great liberality to the poore perseuering in such workes as she formerly had practized during his life and gaine as great a place in heauen Alleaging also the knowne example of the Abbot Paphnutius Who hauing once demaunded of God whom he resembled neerest in this lyfe learned diuers tymes from the mouth of an Angel that a certaine Player of the flute and a Marchant of Alexandrie were his equal in merits So that if they in these exercizes which are accompanied with so many disstractions haue been able to attaine to such a degree of perfectiō What great disturbance is it trow you should she find in such a state as would better agree with her calling and condition then that which now she had vndertaken Thus spent this faithful Embassadour his breath in vayne preuailing no more with this constant hart then the winds and waues of the impe tuous seas are able to moue a huge rock therefore was dispatched by her ful of wonder and astomishmēt to heare her admirable wisedome to note her discretion in giuing answear to al this which she did so iudicially piously to euerie poynt as he now began to thinke she had great reason of her side and that his agreements on the cōtrary were but friuolous and to no purpose as he affirmed at his returne perswading not only her Royal Father but al the Court of Hungary to cōceiue most highly of her courses so as her Father began now to promise to his howse more honour to redound to it by such a Daughter then heretofore he had euer surmized dishonour In the meane while Elizabeth now deliuered of the earnest importunityes of the solicitous Embassadour considering with what industry diligence those of the world endeauour to go forward aduance themselues more and more to make themselues more excellent in any manner of profession as of Learning Armes or the like and how a rich man the more he hath the more he couets to haue and labours more to make his gaine and all for fraile and transitory goods she bethought her self how much rather she should addict her self to the purchase of celestiall and eternall goods And therefore knowing of what auayle the Workes of Charity were especially of Humility She now applyed her self to acts of humiliation more then euer And her singular humility familiarity was such with her Maydes at home as she made her selfe their equal at least if not inferiour so as to lay aside
to wield it self and did it with such willingnes and alacrity as astonished such as were witnesses thereof and to shew that she did it very freely and willingly indeed when as after notwithstanding the care she had the Child dyed as if she had lost some notable benefit by its death she was not quiet til she had priuily taken to her charge to tend a certayne Mayd wholy destitute and forlorne and sorely infected with a greiuous leaprosy whom she serued with such Charity as she not only dressed her meate made her bed and fetched her water to wash her hands but being so great a personage disdayned not to abase her self euen to the ground to pul off her hose and shooes and the like Which when the venerable Conrad vnderstood considering the loathsommes of that disease and the daintynes of her complexion he gaue on the suddaine expresse order the leaprous Mayd should be remoued thence and the Lady debarred from comming at her prouiding otherwise for the party Though Elizabeth by some might wel be thought to be throughly mortified herein to be so peremptorily barred of her wil as they might imagine in so pious a thing she hauing as it appeared so seriously set her mynd thereon yet in truth it troubled not her awhit for weighing with herself that charitable acts how great soeuer do loose their vertue and efficacy if they be not discreete withal she was satisfyed with the wil of her Superiour whom God had appointed ouer her For she considered indeede that true Charity principally required two things First not to content our selues with the only shadow of Charity which is sweete and tender feeling towards the Neighbour but such an effect alsoe as properly bereaues a man of al self-loue as not to seeke nor mind any thing but the glory of God and to ful-fil his blessed wil And whatsoeuer any wayes befalls him eyther interiourly or exteriourly to accept from the hand of God in doing al to his greater glory and not to seeke what is pleasing to himself but what is most agreeable to the wil of God The second is that howbeyt the Loue of God can not be so great but that stil he is worthy of much greater yet are the exteriour works and practizes thereof to be measured with a certaine moderation of discretion least being neglected they hurt either our owne health or hinder the edification of our neighbour And therefore she wisely considered there was no greater security herein then wholy to stand to the iudgmens of her lawfull Superiour Who if he grant and afford vs to do lesse then wee willingly would do yet shal a supple and plyable mynd herein relinquishing its proper wil bee a great deale more grateful to God then the hardest and most difficult thing that may be enterprized without the same refignation Yet could not Elizabeth forbeare such was her Charity to receiue a Boy into her charge whose head was al become bald by reason of the Sâ—…uruy or Scurfe which had ouergrowne yt whom she out of hand what with washing anoynting and the attendance she gaue him cured or rather with the feruour of her faiâ—…n procured his recouery from the hands of God 〈◊〉 she had none yet wrought she maâ—…y cures no doubt vnder the colour of some manner of skil at least through her charitable diligence doing therewith many admirable things And lastly this excellent Charity of hers was euer accompanied with humility as Sisters hand in hand For besides her ordinary employments in the exercize of al vertues she would often wash the dishes euen out of her tuâ—…n with the pâ—…ts and other vessells belonging to the kitchin sending away her Mayds many tymes about other busines that she might more freely attend to her owne humiliatioÌ„ so as often they found her busyed eyther in wiping them vp or but newly making an end to their singular edification in beholding the humility of the Seruant of God HOw ELIZABETH DEliuers the soule of the Queene her Mother from Purgatory with her prayers only and likwise procured the vocation of a certaine libertine vnto Religion CHAP. II. AS it is noe ordinary thing but wholy miraculous for soules being departed this life to returne to this world from whence they passed so it cannot be denyed but that sometymes they appeare vnto vs where when and how through diuine dispensation the same is permitted vnto them Now for their owne commodity because thereby they are the more succoured by the lyuing when they are suffered to appeare to them and somtymes for our instruction and profit because that in hearing or in seeing them wee are not only the more confirmed in the faith of the immortallity and resurrection of the dead but do likewise receiue many other benefits withal likely allwayes they giue vs a faithful testimony of the prouideÌ„ce which our Lord hath as wel ouer the lyuing as the dead And howbeit al soules which haue left the body haue proper power of their owne nature to moue themselues from one place to an other yet haue not al the licence or liberty to vse the same some for being perpetually condemned to prison in Hel it self others in Purgatory for a tyme in punishmeÌ„t for sinne though not against their wil which is wholely conformable to God nor can the one or other come from thence without expresse order from the supreame Iudge of the lyuing and Dead Now then it happened in these dayes in the night tyme while Elizabeth was setled to sleepe that the Soule of one of a suddaine appeared to her in her dreame Which vision how beyt in her sleepe yet appeared it as sensible vnto her imagination as shee had been perfectly awake at noone day and had seene an obiect indeede very subiect to the senses appearing at first in a mourneful guise and not manifesting as yet who it was and after the inuocation of the most holy Trinity with the signe of the holy Crosâ—…e shee demaunding who it was The Spirit seemed to answeare in her sleepe she was the Queene of Hungary her Mother and falling on her knees besought her most earnestly to haue pitty and compassion on her as soone as might bee Whereupon awaking she immediately offered vp to God her deuout ' prayers not without many teares in behalf of her Mother and so layed her downe to sleepe a second tyme and againe the same very soule appeared to her in a glorious manner and gaue her infinit thanks for her suddaine and speedy deliuerance assuring her besides that her prayers had so great an energy with them in the ears of the diuine Maiesty and were so gratiously efficacious in his sight as they were auaileable as wel for the lyuing as for the dead which shortly she found to bee true by her owne experience For hauing now already shewed how forâ—…ible efficacious the prayers of Elizabeth haue been for soules departed Let vs see heer how effectual they are in behoofe of the liuing It happened as
a perfect state of health togeather with her husband with one consent ran quite away from her leauing their litle daughter behind them to the mercy of the charitable Matron taking some part of the furniture with them that was but lent them for the tyme only Whereof when the Seruant of God had notice giuen her by her Mayd whom shee had sent vnto her with a good dish of meate shee presently commaunded the child to be brought to her and put it forth to be nursed by a souldiours wife a neighbour by When sending immediatly to the Gouernour of the Citty hee caused a diligent search and pursuit to bee made for those wretched vagabonds But when they could not be found the holy woman betooke her self to her prayers and so caused them shortly to returne against their wills and to begge pardon very humbly on their knees for their great ingratitude and prodigious impiety affirming they had been very miserably punished already in that through the iust iudgment of God they were not able to passe any further but were constreyned in spite of their harts to returne againe The fault was soone pardoned by the blessed woman with condition to take their child againe and so they were both restored to her fauour But yet in some manner of penance for their heynous delict shee tooke away from her a cloake which shee had giuen her before saying that an iniury was so to be pardoned as the same might not come to bee offered any more Which cloake shee presently bestowed on a poore Mayd at hand who through the merits of the Saint was so i'lumined thereby with the grace of God as shee vowed immediatly thereupon perpetual Virginity and obserued the same to her dying day leading a most vertuous life THE CHARITY OF Elizabeth to the Neighbour in spiritual mercyes and particularly of her singular gift of Prayer CHAP. V. IT is not enough to haue these temporal mercyes in behoofe of the poore if wee haue not the spiritual works of mercy withal There are some very apt to put their hands very readily in their purse to releiue the necessityes of the poore Many who can prodigally enough lay out very largely vpon building of pious howses And many likewise wil spare for no cost to endow them with Rents very amply so they may haue but the name of Founders only and haue theyr armes aduanced in the Frontispices thereof But to put the hand to the hart to raze out rancour by the rootes to pardon an iniury receiued to loue ones enemy to do good for il to direct the ignorant and tepid in the way of saluation being sinners to reconcile them to God and remayning in grace to harten them on to perseuerance and to help them to the vse of the Sacraments and a thousand more of the like kind and al this for the true Loue and Charity of God How few there are God wot Alas kow few in regard of those who do wholely neglect such things But Elizabeth as shee was pittyful in all external things belonging to the body so must you imagin her zeale to bee much more in the spiritual necessityes of the soule Hence it was tâ—…at shee would earnestly exhort aâ—… Mothers after their children were borne not to differre baptisme For the sick now lying in extreames at the mercy of God shee would carefully perswade and procure them to cleanse their consciences by confession and to receiue their Viatique with the rest of the rights of the Church And once her zeale carryed her so farre as shee that otherwise was so meeke as to submit her self to any correction for the least transgression in the world did beate a woman somewhat handsomely with a wand in her hand for differring her Confession too long whereby with stripes shee expelled the spirit of slouthfulnes and tepidity from her And for her piety and deuotion to holy things though shee honoured the Reliques of Saints with tapers incense according to the custome of good Christians piously offering besides the money shee had earned her self with her handy works most reuerently on the Aultar Yet shee seemed to mislike those sumptuous Images And therefore entering once into a Church of Fryars professing Pouerty shee rebuked them for their excesse therein beholding such curious and exquisit peeces of workmanship there saying These had been better bestowed vpon the mayntenance of the poore the lyuing images of their Creatour and that the memory of the Saints were rather and better to be honoured with a religions mynd then with all such externall ornaments to insist so much vpon them and neglect the other And to the end â—…t may appeare with what spirit shee spake it that which shee sayd vpon some other occasion is worth the noting which was this To one who had exceedingly commended an Image there present both for the excellency of the workemanship and the rarenes and preciousnes of the stuffe it was made of Shee answeared how all that which he praysed soe much in the image shee possessed in her hart and had it there more liuely imprinted and charactered Thus this great Seruant of God being endowed with soe rare and excellent vertues faithfully executed the office of Martha Yet soe you may imagin as shee omitted not the while the Contemplatiue and quiet life of Mary For when shee was not busyed about the externall workes of Charity and the care of her house she ordinarily repayred to a certaine solitary place where falling with her knees on the ground and lifting vp her eyes hands and hart to heauen shee would pray prolixly for diuers howers togeather with extraordinary deuotion and feeling and not without great plenty of teares wherein shee had a 〈◊〉 singular gift from God For as shee wept shee disfigured not her face a whitt as others are wont through excesse of dolour but with a chearefull and pleasant countenance testifyed and expressed comforts and great consolations the while And the teares shee let fal in her latter tymes were accompanyed rather with smiles then sighes or groanes soe as shee seemed to weepe rather then to greiue and lament And no marueile for her countenance vpon no occasion of mis-fortune would euer change or alter a whitt but alwayes keepe the same tenour of chearefullnes and serenity with it Nor may wee imagin shee arriued to this soe high perfection of Prayer at once but ascended thereto by certaine degrees For first shee only began to haue a liuely desire of perfection and Loue of God Secondly shee stirred vp and excited her self to attaine this perfection with acts of desire and Loue and from sighs euen fetcht from the inward of the hart still crauing of our Lord this perfection and loue Thirdly shee had a continuall watch vpon all her thoughts words and works not to offend and displease God in whatsoeuer being still present to her self in all affayres not suffering her hart to bee carryed and distracted with them Fourthly shee would deale very
really indeede to obteyne Vertues practizing and exercizing some acts of them in particular things nor euer ceased till shee had gotten a facility and habit in them Fiftly shee would take her sustenance and corporall foode very sparingly no more then would serue to maintayne life to comply with her necessary obligations but herein shee would not bee too extreame but ruled and guided by her Maisters direction especially after shee had once submitted her self to his Obedience Sixtly shee attended with great care to the mortification of her disordinate affections and in particular to the abnegation of her self and her Wil and inclinations good or ill wherein as I haue saied aboue shee found any difficulty as in the points of dealing almes more profusely then shee ought and doing some speciall mortifications shee affected most to wit with medling with leapers to the hazard of her health and the like Seauenthly shee had her interiour exteriour powers exceedingly recollected and especially her fiue senses that they might not bee scattered and dispersed on creatures And for her thoughts and memory likely shee would busy and imploy them in the Meditation of the Last things and of the iudgments of God Lastly shee would put before her eyes the imitation of the Life of our Sauiour Christ and his Saints conforming her life as much as shee could with their liues in doing sharp penances as they discouering her soule entirely to her Maister or spirituall Guide not concealing any thing either good or bad which shee did not manifest to him that shee might be the more secure from all illusions and deceites of the common enemy Shee held with herself a certaine normâ—… rectitude and equallity in her life and actions and the same shee would keepe with others Her thoughts were alwayes of the shortnes of this life and how the same continually went drawing to its end for which cause it behoued her to goe with a continuall watch and examen vpon all her life and actions walking euer in perpetuall prayer in the presence of God all which proceeded from her much retirement as from a riuer and fountaine And this prayer shee would vsually make of the mysteries of the Life Passion and Death of our Redeemer whence her soule would receiue particular light of the verities and mysteries of our holy Faith illustratioÌ„s and soueraigne feelings which shee concealed and discouered not to any but her Maister By which prayer likewise her soule came to haue a chast feare of God not to offend him in ought whatsoeuer and a great obliuion neglect and contempt of her self attributing neuer any thing to her self but wholy to God By these degrees as so many steps as it were Elizabeth mounted to the height of perfection and manie tymes shee was in rapts being rauished in spirit for certaine howers and taken with an extasy wherein shee enioyed the company of Angels many times beheld and heard euen IESVS himself the soueraigne comfort and amiable delight of all men enuironed round with millions of Saints When returning to her sences againe shee would plainely declare what coÌ„forts shee had receiued what delights shee enioyed and what vertues shee procured Besides that her face as wee read of Moyses would shine very bright by reason of the rayes which commonly were directed towards her and had soe thoroughly illumined her hart as the aboundant Charity being not able to contayne it self within those bounds euen shined through her countenance it self as if it had been the window of the hart These things when they happened to her as often they did being so glutted as shee was with spirituall delights made her to refrayne a long tyme from all manner of food or els â—…o vse the same very sparingly and neuer but when meere necessity required HOVV ELIS ABETH FELL sick the manner of her sicknes and of the happy end which shee made CHAP. VI. BLessed are the Dead who dye in our Lord As it was heard by a voyce that came from heauen because what works they wrought in this life shall accompany them in their death And to a good life is properly due a good death Besides it is an euident rule in Philosophy how in all both naturall and supernaturall things beginning medium and end haue a great conformity with them And so surely was it in the life and Death of this great Seruant of Christ. For you shall vnderstand how this his blessed Seruant hauing spent manie yeares in that maÌ„ner we haue related the tyme of her departure forth of this Vale of teares now drawing neare her dearest Spouse Christ in a comfortable manner appeared to her in a gracious glorious sort with a sweete and amiable countenance saying vnto her Come my sweete Spouse whom I haue chosen and possesse the heauenly Bride-chamber which I haue ordayned and appointed for thee before the creation of the world Whereat Elizabeth being replenished with vnspeakable ioy not able hardly to contayne her self with the sight of this so comfortable a Vision according to her custome in such cases for shee was frequently fauoured with such like Visits and graces from heauen went presently to visit her Maister to giue him accompt of what had happened vnto her who at the tyme as it chaunced lay very sick in his bed and when after some discourses betweene them of mortallity and the manyfold casualtyes of this life of the vanity of the world of the vncertainety of Death and yet the most certaine infallibility thereof discoursing somewhat of the occasion of his infirmity as vsually they are wont and of the excesses and remissions he had of his whole sicknes not without some doubt of his recouery againe hee fell at last vpon the point what course shee would take if God as he feared not a litle should call him thence and take him away out of this world To whom the reuerend Matron answered God Master I trust for all this your Reuerence is like to liue many dayes yet longer for the comfort of others to whom your life noe doubt is necessary for the glory of God But as for mee deare Master I haue no feare but your life will be sufficient for my beâ—…oofe and soe particularly gaue him a faithfull relation of what had happened to her in all points After which the good Father recouered speedily and shee within foure dayes after began to complayne somewhat of an indisposition of body and the malady preuayling by litle and litle shee was forced to yeild to keepe her bed reteyning her hart stil fixed in heauenly things and alwayes enflamed with the Loue of God While one of her Mayds sate on a tyme by her bed side where shee lay behold quite contrary to the manner of the sick shee did heare her sing mâ—…st sweetely and tune her notes most artificiously according to the rules of Musique the Mayd was attentiue to all not imaâ—…ining her Lady had beene so 〈◊〉 a Musitian to descant so curiously as shee did
not remembring shee had euer heard her sing any other then the Hymnes and Canticles of the Church as there they are toned or els some other spirituall songs in time of her spinning and such likâ—… works though sweet and tunable yet paine void of art being in this thought her Lady called vpon her and saied to her Where art thou Daughter when her Mayd answering heere Lady presently added saying Good Madam how your Ladyship delighted mine eares with your musique and ditty you sang euen now To whom Elizabeth Heard you me sing then Yea truely Madam replyed the Mayd I heard it to my great comfort When by and by the Saint declared vnto her how a certaine litle Bird sent from heauen sate betweene her and the wal and with sundry streynes of most sweete musique made her such heauenly melody that howbeit her body were so weake as shee saw shee could not refrayne from singing as wel as shee might The bird now it seemed the Mayd heard not but only the voyce of her sick Lady by which shee concluded it must needes bee the musique of some Angell from heauen come thither to solace her languishing spirits through force of the malady and that they had held as a Quire betweene them of two seuerall sides though shee heard but one The third day before her death desiring to be solitary shee willed that as many as came to visit her might be excused their labour and such as were present to voyd the Chamber and none sâ—…ffered to enter into the roome The cause being required of the nearest about her shee answered My desire is to be rid of the tumults and noyses of this world because I would giue my self to remember my Iudge and the dreadfull accompt I am shortly to make Shee was obeyed and euen the very day before her departure shee made to her Master a generall confession of her whole life And by her last Wil made Christ in the Poore her sole â—…eyre reseruing only â—…o her self a certaine old gowne wherein shee wished to be buryed not taking any other care for the solemnity of her funeralls Shortly after shee receiued the blessed Sacrament and Extreame Vnction and the rest of the day and night shee spent in such feruours of spirit as wel shewed the Ghest shee had receiued into her saving Dismisse now thy handmayd O Lord according to thy word in peace Now doe I hâ—…ld thee sweete Loue and I wil hold thee still and now most freely I bid adieu to the world and all earthly things Now ioyfull doe I come to thee my God Nor shall any thing henceforth O my good IEVS seuer mee from thee for I am ioyned to thee ô Christ I will liue in thee and dye in thee and â—…ll remayne in thee if thou wilt eternally When shee had made this prayer shee concluded and fell vpon a large discourse how Christ went to visit Mary and Martha in their mourning for their Brothers death how he sweetely comforted them how he reared their hopes with his firme promise how they went altogeather to the monument and finally how he shed teares in testimony of his inward and tender compassion And here now entring vpon this passage into a deepe and profound discourse of so worthy a subiect to the great astonishment and admiration of all there present her affects of the teares of Christ were so effectuall so vrgent so enflamed and so piercing euen to the bottome of their harts as made them all to weepe most tenderly being strucken to the hart and greiued that shee was to leaue them and they to bee depriued of so holy and so gracious a Mother To whom Elizabeth turning her self said Good Christians weepe not for mee but rather for your selues And more shee vttered not but they heard a most sweete and delicious harmony without any motion of her lips and yet as a voyce proceeding from her And when the company enquired what that singing was shee answeared It was I who sung as well as I could to those who first did sing to mee and seeme to inuite mee to it whom I wonder you heard not likewise as well as I. By which they gathered al as wel they might how the 〈◊〉 a â—…ayting for her soule now neere tâ—…e solution from the prison of her body sung vnto her with such heauenly melody and prouoked her so to sing with them Anon after about midnight looking towards them who sate round about her What shoud we doe said shee if the Enemy of Mankind should appeare vnto vs and presently cryed out with a confidence as if now shee beheld him and would driue him away thence appearing in some horrible shape or other saying alowd Auant thou miserable Wretch hence I say thou accursed Caytife And so it vanished whatsoeuer it was for shee spake no more of it Being soone after at the point of death shee saied This is the tyme of the Virgins Deliuery and of the immaculat fruite of the Virginal wombe which puts vs in mind to speake some what of the litle sweete Babe Igsus how he was borne in the Winter in the night in an other mans howse swathed in Clouts and layd in a Crib how he was found by the Sheaphards manifested by a starre lastly how hee was worshipped and adored by the Chaldeys For these are the mysteries of our Redemption these the worthy gifts and ornaments of our riches In these consists our hope in these our Faith encreaseth and our Charity is enflamed I pray you then my freinds let vs conferre of these matters and freely talke thereof one with an other to our great consolation And so the blessed Seruant of God in speaking those words layd softly her head downe as if shee would sleepe and quietly rendred vp her soule and departed this life THE FVNERALL OFFICES of the glorious Elizabeth are piously performed With a touch onely of her singular vertues CHAP. VII THE piety of the Lyuing towards the dead in the care they haue generally of their funeralls and buryall according to the vse and custome of the Church is laudable much commended in Sacred Writ as One of the Works of mercy and so pleasing to God that he not only rewards the pious affect wherewith they commit them to the common Mother the Earth but euen rigorously punisheth those who presume to violate the corps of the buryed or disturbe their Sepulchers When the departure of Elizabeth then was knowne and voyced abroad it was a wonder streight to behold how many Religious Monks and Preists and poore people had recourse to her funerall seruice Where the poore so filled the eyes and eares of all there present with mourning gestures and clamorous outcryes as made all the rest to weepe who saw them affirming all with one accord they had lost a mercyfull Mother in their great extreamity their onely freind and surest refuge on earth that now they had noe more helpe or succour left them since they
aromatical spices of vertues which sent forth such an odour of example on earth and such a perfume of sanctity to the Citizens of heauen Now by this tyme being the fourth day after when the rites of the Church were ended with great solemnity pomp and magnificence according to her dignity in the presence of many worthy religious Fathers with an incredible multitude of al sorts of people as wel of the Clergy as Laity the precious body was honourably interred in a certain Chappel belonging and adioyning to her Hospital to the great resentment of al who would willingly haue enioyed her stil had it been conuenient THE CANONIZATION of Saint Elizabeth the Translation of her Body and the beginning of the relation of her myracles CHAP. VIII SOe precious is the death of Saints in the sight of God that as Saint Basil testifyes as heretofore who touched but the bones of a dead body ws held contaminated So now on the contrary who toucheth the bones or other Reliques of some Saint may receiue some operatiue vertue from them and 〈◊〉 our Lord would haue such bones remoued diuided into sundry places that they might be as a fortresse or Citadel against our enemyes and an honour to the faithful themselues If you demand of mee saith S. Ambrose what I worship in the bones and reliques of these Saints I answere in the body of each Saint I reuerence the wounds which he hath receiued for Christ I worship his memory who led his life alwayes embracing vertue I venerate the ashes consecrated through the confession of his Lord and euen in the ashes themselues I worship the seede of eternity I worship the body who hath instructed mee to loue God to please him and not to feare death And why should not the faithful honour the body which euen the Diuils themselues do tremble at For whom aliue they afflicted with Crosses they owe loue and reuerence in the Sepulcre Lastly I worship that body which our Lord Christ hath honoured in this world and whose soule is now raigning with 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 uen Now these titles motiues and benefits proceeding from the veneration and worship of the Reliques of Saincts is the cause why noe sooner any dyes with the opinion of a Saint especially auerred so by authentical approbation of his Holynes through that illustrious ceremony of Canonization vsed in the Church but that generally the faithful do throng to his Shrine or Hearse to obteyne some Relique of his be it the very hayre of his head or the least peece of his garment which hauing gotten they piously make reckoning they haue gayned a most precious and inestimable jewel Noe maruaile theh that our glorious Elizabeth being so illustrious through the most holy life shee had led on earth and the vndoubted opinion shee had purchased of a Saint euen during life but that the people should flock so vnto her as they daylie did as to a mercyful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Court of Requests to receiue the humble petitions of al that come where hardly shee sent any empty away contristat and not satisfyed some way or other So as it is commonly reported that shee raised some sixteen at'least from death to life cleansed the leaprous gaue hearing to the deafe speach to the dumb 〈◊〉 to the lame eyes to the blind and comfort to the miserable and afflicted and curing al manner of diseases els whatsoeuer without number All which miracles Siffrid Bishop of Mogunce caused to be authentically proued and sent them to Gregory the Ninth then Pope who after diligent debate of so weighty a cause with the Colledge of Cardinals in the presence of the Patriarks of Hierusalem and Antioch and sundry Bishops and after a solemne and magnificent Procession had on the 27. of May being then the Feast of Pentecost canonized Elizabeth at a high Masse in al his Pontificalibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 red as a Saint in the vniuersal Church in the fourth yeare after her happy decease in the howse of the Fryars Dominicans in the Citty of Perugia where he dedicated an Aultar which he erected to her honour enriched with ornaments endowing it with priuiledges conuenient as Popes are accustomed to do in like cases Which solemnity being stately and very honourably performed and the fame thereof vniuersally spread through al the parts of Germany the aforesaid Bishop Siffrid to the great ioy and iubiley of al the people of what condition soeuer assigned a certaine day for the solemne Translation of the blessed bones into the Citty of Marpurg where he assembled al the States spiritual and temporal of both the dominions of Thuringia and Hassia and the principal Pastours of many other Churches besides At the day appointed to such as weigh not the deuotion of the people to this admirable Saint it may seeme incredible to estimate the number of men and women of all estates and callings who repayred to Marpurg where the Shrine was opened and the sacred bones discouered in the presence of Frederick the Emperour offering a crowne of gold to the Reliques attended by a most honorable company of Princes Lords and Gentry besides the Bishops of Mentz Cullen and Breame and many other remarkeable Prelates of other Churches and Heads of Religious howses Neyther was there as I said before also in the Translation any manner of il sauour at al as in other dead bodyes is vsually had but as it had been a chest of balme and most precious perfumes it breathed forth a most pleasing and delicious odour to the great astonishment and vnspeakable content of al who approached to participat thereof Then were the Reliques safely enclosed againe in a leaden Coffer and the same very softly included in a precious casket of most curious workmanship besides the stuffe which I could not learne by reason the enamel had so disguised the same being carefully sealed vp with the signet of the Bishop himself and carryed in solemne pomp through the middest of the multitude of the people there greedily wayting for them with incredible affection and deuotion There you might see the windowes hung with Tapistryes al replenished with Ladyes and Gentlewomen exceedingly moued with veneration at the sight of the sacred Pledge as it passed along the rest being fayne to stay beneath or get such standings as they could on tops of howses towers and steeples euery where where likewise you might discouer the Ecclesiastical ensignes carryed along in that Procession the Canons in their Copes and Quiristers and the rest of the Chaunters in their câ—…ates singing Alleluya like so many Angels come from heauen to conuerse with men and to grace the present solemnity Finally and which was strange in such a world of people you might there obserue a deep silence more like to the solitude of a desart then so great an assembly of so populous a Citty and Country round about al whist for the tyme so attentiue they were to their sacred sight or spectacle of their dearest
from the eyes of mortalls with a silken veyle of chast retirement and fenced with the thornes of Vigilance as with a court of guard In her infancy nothing more innocent in her minority ful of sports witty and ingenious but tending all to piety and for the rest to the yeares of election of a constant state most stayd and prudent farre beyond her yeares Sophia her curst Mother in the tyme of her Espousals had cause to know it wel when shee a woman of so great a spirit and who had such a tongue as had been able Syren-like to haue enchaunted and be witched any tender Mayden to haue perswaded what shee listed was so put to silence with her prudent answeares as shee durst neuer prouoke such a piercing wit any more But thou Sophia wert deceiued the while it was not her wit so much as thou imagind'st which foyled thee so in thy proper element of a potent tongue but the sweet Vnction of the holy Ghost that gaue such a force and energy to her speach in defence of her self being pressed so hottly with such batteryes as thou laydst against her Which oyle of grace in her hart once taking fire within her mouth turned to such a flame of seeming Eloquence For if shee a Child had such a loathing and contempt of the vanityes of this world as tyres and dressings pearles and carkanets which the Daughters of the world affect so much and desperately dote vpon in that age Who doubts but the holy Ghost did dictate to her what shee spake in that occasion But leauing those passe wee vnto her pucellage the tyme being come shee should assent or disassent from the Spousalles made in her Infancy with Lâ—…wys the gallantest Prince and the most accomplished of al Europe No doubt but heere was a combate al the while in the breast of this noble Princesse and such a one as happily had shee not a sure rampart or bullwark to repaire vnto shee had questionlesse sunck down in the field and her tender breast had neuer beene able to haue endured the shocks and counterbuffs were giuen on either side The Prince for his person dignity piety qualityes of a Prince was voyd of aâ—…l exceptions what then and should shee giue her ful consent to ratify the espousalles made long since betweene them Should shee so easely giue ouer her former faire designes of abandoning the world the pompes and vanityes thereof should shee now leaue her heauenly Spouse for an earthly one And what comparison I pray would shee say within her self may be found betweene them He a noble Prince but yet a man subiect to death and al calamityes The other a Prince of Princes and which is more my God and though a man and mortall heretofore yet now immortall The Prince of Thâ—…ringia as yet seekes not to mee nor doe I know his mynd as yet But my other Spouse hath woed mee long and graced mee much Him if I eâ—…ioy and none but him In him haue I al that hart can possibly require And this when I shal haue though he were the Monark of the world yet should I waâ—…t these 〈◊〉 contents which he affords The sweet conuersation of one hâ—…wer with him to me is more then al the solaces the other can affoard in a whole age And if for his sake I shal leaue an earthly Spouse I shal oblige to me a heauenly one and looke what terren things I shal renounce for him I shal find to bee multiplyed a hundred fold Yet is this Prince I vnderstand a vertuous and religious Prince Why then may I not enioy him too in his degree an earthly Spouse and yet reteyne my heauenly and cheifest Spouse and yeild my body and my second faith to one and not infringe the loyaltie of my first to the other but keepe my soule inuiolably his And why may I not loue him with al the powers of my body and soule as my spiritual Spouse and yet loue my earthly Spouse with a loue subordinate to his and proper to it What here now should this poore Virgin doe in this doubtful dilemma what should shee choose Faire and goodly reasons seeme to inuite on either side She hath no way to cut this Gordian knot but with the sword of entire resignation in putting it freely into the hands of â—…er heauenly Spouse and make him the vmpire in his owne cause The history makes no mention of it but wee piously presume shee shut her self in her Closet hereupon where what passed betweene these amourous Spouses cannâ—…t be set downe because I neuer heard shâ—…e reuealed it to any This only do wâ—…e find in effect from that tyme forwards shee was wholy cleâ—…red of her doubt For thence shee resolued indeed to hear ken to the Prince for her part to yeild a ful consent vnto 〈◊〉 Spousalls Resâ—…luing so to entertayne the one as shee neuer meaâ—…ed to forgâ—…e the other And truely this we may boldly say if euer woman kept her self entire in these double Spousalls without exception of either part our S. Elizabeth hath had the happynes and prerogatiue aboue others With this began her Nâ—… one or Mid-day of her age wâ—…eÌ„ the heate of youth is apt to carry vs into youthful thoughts such as are sports and pastimes gallantry in apparel deintyes and delicacyes in dyet especially which Princes in the Court. And yet this Phâ—…nix among the Ladyes and Princesses of the earth lyuing in a vayne want on Court as it was wheÌ„ shee found it first took no more of those relishes then fishes are wont of the brackish seas Shee was a SalamaÌ„der amid the fires of earthly coÌ„cupiscences A Bird of Paradise which had no feeâ—…e to settle on terren things but allwayes houering in the ayre of heauenly and spiritual contemplation How often had the Musique playd in her presence when shee adueâ—…ted nothing and when her Sister Agnes had been dauncing among the Ladyes of the Court shee would be stealing to her Oratory to conuerse with her heauenly Spouse either in reading of some pious and deuout booke when shee would imagin her Spouse had spoken familiarly with her or in vocal or mental prayer making then accompt she treated with her Spouse thus shee would spend whole houers while Agnes and the rest would spend as many in their chatts and daliances with the youthful Lords How oft had Sophia fetch Elizabeth out of her Closet to consort with such as these saying they were company indeed fit for Ladyes like her self and for those retirements shee affected so they were for Anchoretts and not for wiues especially great Ladyes When shee for satisfaction sake would now and then come forth in person indeed and bodily but in soule left bâ—…hind Madam Mothers shee would say if I be not with my Lord and Spouse giue me leaue I beseech you to conuerse with my Lord God assuring you if I be not with the one of necessity I must be in company of the