which meanes the two holy martirs rendered vp their soules vnto their Creator Their bodies being taken away were buried by some Christians But Dioclesian vnderstanding that the Christians came secretly to make their praiers at the place where the holy martirs were buried caused their bodies to be taken out of their graues and to be thrown into the sea At such time as Dioclesian commaunded it he said Let them be cast into a place where they may be no more seen least they be accounted for gods by the Christians who are so ignorant that they do think it better to adore them that haue been our seruants then those whom we adore for our gods God Almighty did not permit those blessed Relikes to ly hidden but rather his pleasure was to cause the sea to do them honour and to bring them vnto the shore When the Christians sawe them they tooke them vp with reuerence and buried them in a place vnknowen vnto the pagans Afterward in processe of time the body of S. Gorgonius was caried vnto Rome and was buried in the way called Lauicana betwen the two bay trees The Spanish book saith Via Latina After this Pope Gregory 4. caused it to be translated into the church of S. Peter The church celebrateth their feast on the day of their Martirdome which was on the 9. day of September in the yeare of out Lord 280. in the time of the afore named Emperour Dioclesian The life of S. Nicholas of Tolentine THE Apostle S. Iames in his canonicall epistle Iac. 5. admonisheth vs to pray vnto God one for an other because the cōtinuall praier of a iust man is of greate force But if it be so as it is indeed and that the praiers of the iust men that be here vpon the earth do help much notwithstanding that they be subiect yea rather falling as IESVS CHRIST saith seuen times a day Prou. 24. though they be slight faults howe much more may we beleeue the praiers of them who do alredy enioy the vision of God and the diuine Essence and be confirmed in grace and be certein and assured neuer to loose it nor neuer to sinne do help and do vs good The holy saints gaue vp their lifes for Gods sake some in effect as the martires and others by the way of goodwill as the Confessors and to be brief they all offered it vp readily in the seruice of God endeuoring all they might not to offend him by any meanes Such like as these without doubt be hard of God when they ask any fauour of him But omitting the examples and testimonies of the holy scriptures which make this thing an Article of faith we haue most euident examples in many holy saints vnto whom God graunted many fauors and graces which they requested of him not only in their life time in this world but also after their passing into heauen to possesse the euerlasting glorie One of these was S. Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor by whose praiers God graunted vnto a man and his wife a sonne who was also called Nicholas and was a holy man by whose merits God graunted many fauors and graces vnto them that deuoutly recommend themselfs vnto him His life was written by S. Antoninus Archibishop of Florence and by a relligious man of his order in this maner SAINT Nicholas was borne in the Marcha d' Ancona in a village called S. Angelo in the territorie of Fermo His father was called Compagnone and his mother Amata These two were borne of noble bloud rich they were and good Christians but they liued in some discontent for that hauing bene married together a good space they had yet no children They had a particuler deuotion vnto S. Nicholas the Bishop and Confessor and him they besought continually that he would of God obteine that fauor for them that they might haue a fruit of benediction With this entent they went to visite his church in the city of Bari in Puglia In that place the holy saint appeared vnto them and did assure them that they should haue a sonne whom thy should name Nicholas after him and also that he should be a blessed seruant of God Euery thing fell out iust as the Saint said for the being returned home Amata conceiued and at her due time brought forth a sonne whom they called Nicholas and as he tooke his name of S. Nicholas Bishop and Confessor by whose intercession he was obteined euen so he was like vnto him in many things From a child he was inclined to serue God he frequented the Church he hard masse and praied with greate deuotion moreouer he fasted gaue almes and followed his study so that as he encreased in age euen so he did in vertue learning and science and to be short he determined to be a man of the Church He was already made a chanon of the church of S. Sauiour in the place where he dwelt and it happened that a worthy and renowned father of the order of S. Augustine came thither to preach One day among others Nicholas was at the sermon in the which the preacher expounded these wordes of S. Iohn 2. Iohn Do not you loue the world nor the things that be therin The preacher spoke such good matter vpon that text that Nicholas resolued to abandon the world and to take the habite of S. Augustine in that same cōuent where the said preacher dwelt with whom he had bene acquainted before that time When he entended to execute in deed the resolution he had made before time he asked leaue of his father and mother who though they were aggriued to want the sight of their sonne yet did they giue him licence Nicholas went vnto the conuent of Tolentinum to craue the habite of S. Augustine which was giuen him readily for they had before then notice of his good life Hauing receiued the habite he proceeded from vertue to vertue labouring to atteine vnto perfection So that being a relligious man he was a mirrour for other relligious men and being a priest he was a looking glasse for other priests and when he was a preacher a spectacle for other preachers to behold their duety and function In this holy saint among other vertues his abstinence shined most clearly for in 30. years space that he continewed in the conuent of Tolentinum he did neuer eat flesh eggs fish milk nor any thing made with milk He fell one time into a greuous infirmity which brought him vnto deaths dore wherupon the phisitions told him that if he would recouer his health he must eat flesh wherunto he answered that in so doing he should by desiring to auoid one danger fall into another and that in flieng the infirmity of the body he should incurre the malady of his soule by giuing liberty vnto his sensuallity and appetite The prior of the conuent seeing the phisitions to affirme that it was necessary for the blessed man Nicholas to eate flesh commaunded him in the vertue of
which was written by Nicetas a philosopher and recounted by Simeon Metaphrastes and their martir dome was written by Ado Archbishop of Triers SAINT Cosmus and S. Damianus were brethren and phisitions and were borne in Egea a city of Arabya in Asia Their father and mother were Christians and Catholiques Their father died when they were yet litly children wherfore their mother Theodora brought them vp with great care and dilligence And being a woman of good behauior and chiefly because shee was a good Christian shee would not permit them to comit any fault or offence but endeuored to enstruct and direct them in vertue and godlines So that they became good children like to their good mother and good schollers like vnto their good mistris Amongst the other good qualities of these two breathren the profession of the Catholique faith shined most in them for which cause they despised and contemned Idolatry and other wicked superstition They were chast and honest in life and fled from all sensuall delight and tamed their flesh with austere sackcloth disciplines and fastings which be the most certein remedies to ouercome that enemy euen as they ouercame it by the grace of God Also couetousnes that abhominable vice neuer entred into their hart but rather bicause they made small account of mony and liued in poore and meane estate they were called Anargeni which is to say Men without monie and in this sort obseruing the Ghospell they liued an Angelicall life And to auoid Idlenes which is the mother of vices and stepmother vnto vertue they vsed the science of phisicke euen from theire childhood became skilfull and expert phisitions They gaue and ministred phisicke vnto the sick without any expectation of temporall gaine but only for the loue of God When the infirmity was perillous and not to be cured by art they resorted vnto God by praier and making the signe of the Crosse they healed and cured them and heerein they followed the steps of the Apostles They imitated the Patriarcks in being benigne piâ—tifull charitable in liuing a life in simplicity without doublenes or hypocrisy They imitated the Prophets in that they were zelous of Gods honor in reproouing them that were stubborn and obstinate in euill deeds They imitated the martirs in the valiancy of their minds shewed against the common enemies of mankind the world the flesh and the deuill They imitated the preists in their religious life chastity and grauity offering their body and soule for an acceptable sacrifice vnto God to serue him withall humility and obediencence to obserue and keepe his holy commaundements They imitated the monks in obedience concinency and pouerty in silence and repose of soule And at one word they imitated all the saints as much as lay in their power Thus they ranne their race making the world to wonder at their sincerity so that the report of them was spred very farre The rumor of them being dispersed came to the eares of Dioclesian and Maximian those noted persecutors of the Christians who had decreed that all the Iudges gouernours lieutenants and other officers of the prouinces subiect to them should put to death all that denied to sacrifice vnto the Idols Lisias the gouernor in the city of Egeas hauing notice of the blessed phisitions Cosmus and Damianus caused them to be brought before him and demaunded of what countrey they were and their names They answered that they were Arabians and borne in the city of Egea and that their names were Cosmus and Damian and that they were both Christians The gouernour persuaded them to sacrifice vnto the Idols but seeing them coÌ„stantly to refuse it he commaunded them to be tied hand and foot and to be cruelly beaten and after he had giuen them other torments he caused them to be throwne into the maine sea bound as they were They were no sooner cast into the water but an Angell came to their aide who vntyeng all their hands brought them aliue and vntied vnto the shore The gouernor was certified of that wonder wherfore he caused them ageine to be brought before him and requested them to teach him their Art magicke and inchauntments wherby they were deliuered from the sea and then he promised to be their good friend They answered We be Christians and haue no skill in Art magike but were deliuered our of the sea by the power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST The gouernor caused them againe to be put in prison and the next day a great fire to be kindled then he threw the blessed martirs into the same but the flame was deuided into two parts and the holy saints remained in the midst at their praiers The gouernor was astonied to see such a wonder yet he did not repent of his wickednes but caused them to be hoised aloft and to be beaten againe with wands and stones and beholding the holy saints cheerefull in countenaunce and to contemne the torments he caused them to be lifted vpon two Crosses and there to be stoned to death The officers threw the stones and though they cast them with all their might yet came none of the stones so farre as the holy martirs but fell vpon them that stood by to see the spectacle and wounded many of them but especially them tha threw them The gouernour seeing this an beleeuing assuredly that it was done by inchauntment enraged with fury and indignation commaunded them to be shot to death with Arrowes and the same happened to the Arrowes as did before vnto the stones for they did light on them that shot them and none touched the bodies of the martires At last he commaunded they should be both beheaded and in this sort the holy martirs finished their lifes and obteined the crowne of Martirdome Their bodies were buried by some vertuous people with out the walles of the city Egea It is said that ioyntly with these holy martirs SS Cosmus and Damian three other holy martirs were beheaded whose names were Antimus Leontinus and Euprepius and were their brethren as some Authors write There is a booke of the miracles that God showed by the merits of SS Cosmus and Damian wherof this is one A clowne sleeping in the field a serpent crept into his mouth and so further into his body wherby the poore man was in great danger of death He with great deuotion craued the help of the holy martirs and they were seene visibly by his side and commaunded the serpent to come out of his body and so it did These holy saints also gaue him phisike which cured him and then they vanished away the second Nicen Councell in the third action maketh mention of the booke of the myracles of SS Cosmus and Damian The Church celebrateth their martirdome on the 27 day of September which was in the yeare of our Lord 301 and in the time of Dioclesian and Maximian The bodies of these holy saints be in Rome in a Church dedicated to their name The venetians say not
the venerable and B. Prelat S. Dionise bad the headsman to do his office And he being ready began with him and then went to Rusticus and lastly to Eleutherius and cut of all their three heads in that order Although God permitted these his seruants to be put to death as is aboue said yet was not he forget full of them yea because he would the more glorify them and not suffer their bodies to be dishonored his will was to worke a wonderfull miracle in that place The headles body of S. Dionise arose on his feet and tooke vp in his hand his owne head and went as it were in maner of triumph untill it mett a vertuous woman coming out of her own house not farre distant from the place where the holy saints were martired The body of S. Dionise being come vnto that place where the woman was deliuered his head vnto her as a pretious treasure and shee also receued it as a most goodly Iewell The bodies of SS Rusticus and Eleutherius continued still in the place of execution and the headsman and the other officers talked and deuised to cast them into the riuer to be deuoured by the fihses and with all to bereaue the Christians of them who as they knew well would reuerence and esteem them very much A woman called Caâ—ulla who had bin a defender and helper of S. Dionise and his companions in this persecution heard of their wycked designe intention and inuited the headsman and the officers vnto her house to make good cheare and accordingly did sett meat and drink before them In the meane space shee sent for certain Christians secretly who conuayed away and hid the bodies of the holy martirs When the officers and headsman had eateÌ„ their fill they went out to looke for the bodies of the blessed saints to haue put in practise their lewd designe and not finding them they streightwaies made a tumult and threatned exceedingly such as had stollen them away but the discreet woman appeased them with gifts and with fair words and so they departed quietly away The Christians laid the bodies of the holy saints in a priuate house without the walls of Paris and after certein years there was builded for them a goodly sumptuous and stately Church where they now do rest They who do visite their holy relicks do obteine many graces by the intercession of these holly martirs The death of these holy saints fell on the same day that the Church celebrateth the same viz on the 9. of October in the year of our Lord. 96. in the time of Domitian or Traian as others say S. Dionise was 90. years old when he was martired as Trithemius saith He wrote certein books replenished with merueillous and profound doctrine viz De Ecclesiastica Caelesti hierarchia De mistica Theologia De diuinis moninibus and others out of which the faithfull beleeâ—ers reap no les fruit of his doctrine them the former had gathered by the good example of his holy life as the third Countell of ConstaÌ„tinople affirmeth in which place 6. Sinod CoÌ„staÌ„tinop they were acknowledged for his books and were highly esteemed The life of S. Callistus Pope and martir SALOMON saith in Ecclesiasticus cap. 37. The abstineÌ„â— man encreaseth the daies of his life This sentence is verified in Gallen the prince of phisike and medicine who liuing 140. yeares and being asked howe and by what meanes he liued so long answered I neuer rose from the table satiate and full More are they that dy by furfet and to much then by abstinence and too litle This being considered by the B. Pope Callistus he ordeined the fast called the Ember by commaunding the faithfull that in the foure times of the year viz the Spring Sommer Autumne and Winter they should fast three daies in one week in euery one of these quarters and likewise in those daies pray vnto God that he would giue and conserue the fruits of the earth and also that prayer maie be made vnto God for them that take holy orders at those times Also as the church saith in a praier fasting was instituted for the good of body and soule being vnto them bothe a holesome medicine oration Quadrag The life of this holy Pope was written by Damasus and other Authors in this maner BY the death of S. Zepherinus Pope and martir Callistus the first of that name was placed in the Chair of S. Peter He was borne in Rome and was the sonne of Domitius He builded a Church in the honor of the glorious virgin which is called Santa Maria trans Tiberim though as Plaâ—â—na saith it cannot be that which is so called at this present bicause at that time the Christians had not such large liberty as to build sumptuous Churches yea those which they had were litle meane and priuat as this was then because of the persecutions but Gregory the 3. enlarged it and before him Pope Siluester the first that builded publik Churches Pope Callistus at this owne cost caused to be made a Churcheyard in the way called Appia which is called the Churchyard of Callistus where many martirs are buried In this Churchyard was afterward built the Church of S. Sebastian therein are conserued many relicks and many alters and litle chapples are vnder the ground where masses were said in great secrecy for feare of the Pagans This same Pope as is afore said ordeined the feast of the Quaâ—uor tempora or Ember daies And bicause the giuing of holy orders was vsed to be done but once in the yeare which then was not sufficient for that the number of the faithfull was very much augmented it was also necessary to encrease the number of priests and Deacons and so it was permitted to giue holy orders at those foure times of fasting Callistus for bad all faithfull beleeuers to participate or conuerse with persons excommunicate and also commaunded that no excommunicate person should be absolued Cap. Consang 3 q. 4. except the cause was first heard and the party satisfied He also was the first who prohibited matrimony betwene kinsfolks and apointed the same consanguinity vntill the seuenth degree though it after was limited to the fourth degree as it is at this present This good Pope gouerned the Church of God vertuously 6. years 2. months and 10. daies in the which he gaue holy orders fiue times in the moneth of December and ordered 8. Bishops 16. priests and foure deacons and then was martired Vsuardus recounteth his martirdome in this ensuing maner saâ—eng That the Emperour AlexaÌ„der Seuerus hauing kept him long in prison caused many bastanadoes to be giuen him allowing him with all verie litle sustenaunce and lastly he caused him to be thrown out of a window of the prison and in that sort he yielded vp his soule vnto God The Church celebrateth his feast on the. 14. day of October which was the same day he was martired in the year of our Lord. 224. It
passed into Africk and from thence into Cycile where he made his stay vpon a cragey mountein In the day he made a bundle of wood and laid it on the back of one of this disciples to cary vnto the next towne to be sold and with the mony arising therof they bought bread with the which those few that were with him liued and sustenied their lifes He could not liue vnknown in that place nether for a man posessed with euill spirite in Rome cried out and faid Hilarion the seruant of God is in Cycilc So that many diseased people came thither to recouer their health by his meanes By cause he perceiued himself honoured in that place also he departed and went into Dalmatia where was a dragon that destroied all the countrey deuoured the oxen and other beasts and killed the husband men and the shepheres The blessed man hauing compassion on the people caused a great stack and pile of wood to be made and when he had praied he commeunded the dragon to go vpon the stack of wood and when he was on it he bad the people set fire ther vnto and thus the dreadfull dragon was brent and consumed with fire in the sight of all the people Then he determined to depart from that place also for which cause he was embarked and being on the sea he was assailed by pirats His disciples with the others that were in the shippe doubted they should be slaine but the good man reprooued them for distrusting in God And Then standing on the deck he praied and stretchinh out his hard against the pyrats said Come no further this way O straunge and wonderfull thing at the saieng of these words they turned aside and returned back as swiftly as though a strong gale of wind had caried them away The sea was also obedient vnto him for at such time as he was at Ragusium the sea swelled and rose out of measure and so much that the people of the country feared all of them should be ouerflown and drowned The blessed old man took land made the signe of the Crosse in the sand and held vp his armes against the storme and the sea was asswaged and ceased incontinent to the great admiration of all the country who kept this deed in memory and the fathers vsed to tell the same vnto their children Another time as he sailed and not hauing any thing to pay for the fraight he would haue giuen vnto the owner of the bark a book in the which he had written the foure Ghospells with his owne hand which he alwais carried about him because he had cured before time the sonne of the master of the bark he would not receiue the book of him but he gaue him his fare and rendered vnto him infinite thanks for his former benefit Finally this blessed old man remaining in Cypres and hauing sent Isichius his disciple to visit the ashes ruines of his distroied monastery and to salute the monks remaining in that prouince staid in the city of Papho vnto which place many sick men and men possessed came out of all parts of the Island and the holy saint by praier healed them Isichius being returned from Siria the reuerend father conferred with him of his departure from thence which he did not vpon inconstancy but only to fly from credit and honour which was bestowed vpon him in that place So hauing found out a place not far distant from the city which stood out of the way and was vnhabitable for the craggines knowing that the going vp vnto it was very difficult for they must go vp creeping with their hands and that at the toppe therof was a plesante and delightfull place furnished with many trees and cleare founteins and that as the fame went many euill spirits haunted and vsed in that place and therefore none was so hardy as to dwell there the holy man resolued to make the same his habitation There were some that came to visite him yea many diseased persons and among others one sick of the palsy who was the owner of the place Great were the conflicts and encounters the seruant of God endured in that place by the deuills who did incessantly disquiet him because he was come to thrust them out of their long continewed habitation The blessed man took thereat great consolation for that he had there some enemy with whom to contend and striue S. Hilarion being nowe come to the age of 80. years Isichius his disciple being absent fell sick and perceuing that the hower of his death drew nere he wrote a schedule or note of his hand in which he left by his testament Isichius his disciple to inherite all his treasures the book of the Gospells written with his owne hand his long relligious weede the sackcloth or hoode with which it was couered When it was known in the country that the holy saint was sick some came to visite him and he charged them deeply that assoone as he was dead they should bury him in the same place where he dwelt and that they should not keep him aboue ground the moment of an hower When the pangues of death came all things failing but his sences which were perfect looking with his eyes open he spake to his soule and said Depart forth nowe depart feare not thou hast serued CHRIST 70. years and doest thou nowe feare death In speaking these words he ended his life His body was buried incontinently as he had apointed so that his death and buriall was reported in the city both at one time His disciple Isichius being certefied of his death returned into Cypres and faining that he desired to dwell in the same place where is master did dwell and was buried after ten moneths passed he stole away the blessed body of his master venturing his life for the same for if the Cypriots had knowne it he had bene slaine by them and caried it into Siria and buried it in his auncient monastery an infinite company resorting thither to see it The blessed body was found hole perfect and entier and so were all his cloths and garments euen as he and they were when he was aliue casting a very sweet pleasant smell S. Ierome saith that vntill his time there had ben variance and controuersy for the Syrians say they haue his body as they haue indeed and the Cypriots say they haue his spirite but aswell in the one as in the other place are seen many miracles done by the intercession and merits of this glorious saint but much more in the place of Cypres for in that place the blessed father took great delight The death of S. Hillarion the Abbot was on the 21. of October and on the same day the Church celebrateth his feast It was also in the yeare of our Lord 379 Valentinian being the Romain emperour Nicephorus Callistus wrote of this holy saint in the 11. book cap 14. The life of S. Vrsula and the eleuen thousands Virgins ON the selâ—e
after this manner iomtlie martired and buried Manie Christians had gathered themselues once together in a caue to celebrate the feast of these holie martirs Numerianus the Emperour vnderstanding this sent a companie of souldioures commaundinge them to stop vp the mouth of the caue and let not one escape with life There was amonghst them a priest whose name was Diodorus he said mass and gaue them all the B. sacrament encouraging them to suffer that death with ioy and constancie for the loue of CHRIST they did according as he did exhorte them and ended theire lifes gloriouslie in that place The Churche doth celebrate the feast of SS Chrisantus and Daria the 25 of October and theire death was in the yeare of oure Lord God 284. in the raigne of Numerianus Emperoure The martir dome of these saints was written by Verinus and Armenius priests of saint Steuen Pope and martir Metaphrastes enlarged it some what more S. Damasus made certain eloquent verses in praise of these saintes In annot and 2. to annal de glor mart â— 38. and set them on they re tombe There is mention of them allso in the Romaine Martirologe and in that of Vsuardus as allso in the 5 tome of Surius in Cardinall Baronius and Gregorius Turonensis The life of S. Euaristus Pope and Martir OVR Sauior saith in S. Mathew Mat 7 that none can gather grapes of thornes nor figgs of thistles This cometh to passe because a mans power is bounded and limitted but the power of God is infinite without bounds or measure he can therefore if he please gather figgs of thistles and grapes of thornes as it appeareth he did by S. Euaristus Pope who was made a sweet and delicious fruite being in his life holy and in his death a martir God gathered this grape from a thorne viz from a Iew that was his father The life of this holy saint collected by Damasus and out of an epistle decretall of the same Euaristus and out of other Authors was this EVARISTVS was sonne to a Iewe called Iudas and was borne in Bethlehem and when then holy Poper Anacletus was dead he was chosen to succeede in his place He was a verie learned and holie man and the first that diuided the parishes of Rome into sundrie titles among sundrie priests which were after-ward called Cardinalls The same Euaristus ordained that seuen deacons should accompany the Bishop where soeuer he went and should stand by his side whensoeuer he preached to the end his ministery should be honoured his doctrine wittnessed and also that he might shew some kind of autority be defended if any Gentill made shewe of violence against him He also prouided that matrimony should be publikly solemnized and not in secret and that the spouses should go vnto the Church to haue the nuptiall benediction Tertull lib 2. ad vxor Ca siour vir 7. q. 1. 2. q. 7. si quâ— sunt though as Tertulian saith the espousalls and marriage were made in the Church euen from the time of the Apostles Moreouer he commaunded that Bishops should not leaue of forsake their Churches to go vnto others which thing is agreeable with the condition of maried folks who may not abandon their own wifes for other women He also ordeined that the accusations of the people should not be receued against their owne Bishops if they had not notice before or els some pregnant suspition of fault in him It is not knowen how S. Euaristus died but that the Catholik Church hath doth account him in the nomber of the Popes which were martirs In such sort that hauing holden the Papacy 9. years 10. months and 2. daies and hauing giuen holy orders three times in the moneth of December and at them ordered 5. bishops 6. priests and 2. deacons he exchanged this temporall life for the eternall and was buried in the Vatican nere vnto the supulcher of S. Peter chief of the Apostles on the 26 day of October and on that day the Church doth celebrate his feast The death of this holy saint was in the yeare of our Lord 120. in the time of the Emperour Traiane The life of SS Symon and Iude Apostles HOLY writ in the first booke of Machabees speaketh of Mattathias who hauing done noble acts in the defence of the people of Israel and finding himselfe now tired old and neere his death called to him his sonnes kinsfolke and freinds and the chief of them that had serued vnder his standard When they were all come he made vnto them a large speech exhorting them earnestly to perseruer in the seruice of God and in his holy faith for that he was able to deliuer them though all the world was against them as he had done in former times when they put their trust in him He to this purpose recounted vnto them the examples of Abraham Phynees Dauid Daniel and his three freinds After this he concluded his speech with these words Behold Symeon your brother is a man of wisedome giue eare to him as to your father Iudas Machabeus also is valiant and corragious euen from his child bode let him be the captein of your hoast This history agreeth much for the B. Apostles Symon and Iude for that Mattathias is the figure of IESVS CHRIST our Lord who hath done worthy acts in the world for the defence of all Christians which haue serued vnder his banner and speaketh thus to them Behold you Christians Symon my Apostle is your brother and a man of wisdome listen to him and esteeme him as your father and imitate him in his holy and vertuous life Iudas also his companion in martir dome is valiant euen from his youth let him be your captein in the battle take him for your Aduocate and commend your self to him for that will help you much to obtein the victory The life 's of these two Apostles taken out of that which is written of them in the holy Scriptures and out of diuers Authors was in this manner SAINT Symon and S. Iude were the sonnes of Alpheus and Mary Cleophae and brethren to S. Iames the lesse and Ioseph the iust Symon was called Cananeus for that he was borne in Cana of Galyly and S. Luke calleth him Zelotes in the Greeke toung for that Cana by interpretation is zelous He was thus surnamed to be knowne from S. Peter who is also called Symon as Iudas was surnamed Thaddeus to distinguish him from Iudas Iscariot It is not written when or howe they were called to the Apostle ship but there is mention made of them in the Ghospell when the names of the twelue Apostles are reconed As also when IESVS CHRIST in the sermon of the supper Ioan. 14. said He that loueth me shal be loued of my Father and I will loue him and manifest my self to him Iudas answered him How is this to be done that hout wilt manifest thy self to vs and not to the world CHRIST spake of his death and of
gotten with child and the author of that wickednes was not knowen She being vpon the time of her deliuery her father and mother vrged her to tell the man that had dishonored her that they might inflict vpon him some punishment agreable to his desert Shee to free her self from further reproache for that he was of so base a coÌ„dition and estate that she was ashamed to say who it was laid the blame vpon a deacon of the Apostles saing that he committed that villany The deacon was forth with taken and led before the king The Apostles vnderstanding therof and knowing he was innocent went to the court and requested the king that the parties and the child that was new borne might be brought before him and so it was done The Apostle asked when the child was borne and they said that the same day then they looked on the child and said vnto him we commaund thee in the name of IESVS CHRIST to tell vs if this deacon hath committed the offence that thy mother chargeth him withall The infant aunswered This deacon is good and chast and neuer in his life committed any carnall sinne and he is not my father His ennemies vrged the Apostles instantly to ask of the child who it was that had committed the offence they aunswered It is lawfull for vs to cleare the innocent but it is not fit for vs to disclose them that are faulty And at this the wholle company remained astonied and amazed The faith being well planted in that place they departed from Babilon went preaching through many prouinces of that kingdome and at last they came to a very rich city called Suamir in which place Zaroes and Arphaxat the two magitians told the ministers of the Idolls that the Apostles were in the city Wherfore many of them assembled and took the Apostles and imprisoned them and led Simon to the temple of the Sonne and Thadeus to the temple of the Moone for to adore them but at the praiers of the Apostles the Idolls and their statues fell in pieces and to dust and out of them went two deuills in the shape of Negroes with horrible roaring and houling The painims were moued therat with such indignatioÌ„ that in a rage and with infernall fury they ranne vpon the Apostles and cut them in pieces At that time the heauens and skie was cleare and calme and one a sodein it was couered with black clouds which powred downe a dredfull tempest and withall fell many thunderbolts which beat downe to the ground the temples of the Idolls nere vnto them and slew many of the Painims among whom were the two Magitians whose bodies were afterwards found beaten to ashes The king of Babilon who was a Christian was much grieued for the death of the Apostles and sent men to fetch their bodies vnto Babilon where he caused a Church to be builded vnto them in which place they remained for a while They were after ward caried to Rome and laid in the Church of S. Peter The martirdome of these holy saints was on the 28. day of October and on the same day the Church celebrateth their feast The Apostle Iude Thaddeus wrote one epistle which is numbered in the canonicall scripture God graunt we may be all written in the book of life Amen The martirdome of these two holy saints was in the yeare of our Lord 64. in the time of Nero the Emperour after the opinion of Onuphrius and Canisius * ⎠* The end of the month of October NOVEMBER The feast of all Saincts THe sacred scripture in the booke of Hester recounteth Cap. 1 that king Assuetus to shew the greatnes and majesty of his Empire in the third yeare of his raigne made a most solemne feast to the Lordes and Princes of his court and to all other the subjects of his kingdomes This feast lasted manie daies the tables were allwaies couered and richly furnished with most costlie meat and delicious wines and euerie other thing was in great aboundance No man was forbidden but euery man might eare when and of what it best pleased him Yet that in which the greatnes and maiestie of the king was showed was as said the text that there was great store of wine and that most excellent and such was giuen to euery one as pleased him best When the king made this feast Queene Vasti his wife made also another vnto her Ladies and the damosells of the court in which likewise her magnificence and bountie wasshewed being serued also at her tables with sundrie different dishes of most delicate viandes This feast is a figure and representation of that which passeth in the triumphant and millitant Church The great king Assuerus representeth our Lord God who to shew the glory and maiestie of his Empire in the third yeere of his kingdome made a most solemne feast unto the Princes and Lords of his court and all other of his kingdomes These three yeeres signifie the three estates and ages of the world to witt of the law of nature of the law written and of the law of grace That king Assuerus made this feast in the third yeare signifieth that in the third age and state of the world to witt in the time of the law of grace our Lord God opened heauen for before in the time of the law of nature and law written heauen was shut vp from men and they could not enter thereinto but in the time of the law of grace God opened his royall pallace and inuited all the great Lords of his court to participate and enioy the rich treasors he had therein as the Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Virgins do who sit continually at his celestiall tables and eate that which is most to their content For the viands or meaâ—es being variable to witt the delights and contents in heauen being sundrie euery one taketh and reacheth that which sauoureth best to him But aboue all the wine for that it is most excellent maketh the feast better and sheweth the greatnes thereof This wine signifieth the taste and suauity of the Holie Ghost which is bestowed among them in great aboundance the blessed being as it were inebriated of God are made partakers thereof and haue no mind ner thought of any thing that may bring discontent or anney but all things causeth vnto them vnspeakable ioye and delight This is the feast which the king made It is said also that the Queene made a feast to the Ladies and damosells of the court By the Queene is vnderstood the Catholique Church who maketh a feast vnto her women and damosells that is the soules trauayling in her affaires It is not altogether from the purpose if it be said that they that be in the millitant Church be called woemen and they that be in the triumphant be called men because as man is the more perfect creature then woman so there is found more perfection in them that be in heauen then in them that be on the
Martyrs GREAT was the pride of that hauty king Pharao in persecuting the people of Israell Exod 1. seeking all meanes he could to hinder them from increasing But the blessed God of heauen ordained that the more dilligent the wicked king was against them so much the more he should remaine defeated in his enterprise and disgraced all things falling out contrary to his designes and entent for the people multiplyed and encreased the more The same befell vnto the diuell for in the first growing and spreading of Christianity he desired to root out the Christians and to that intent he stirred vp the tyrants to put them to death martyr them as indeed innumerable of them were But the more he laboured herein the more the number of the Christians encreased This may be seene by the example of three holie martyrs to witt SS Tripho Respicius and Nimpha The diuell began with one of them thinking to end with him but the two others seing his martyrdome offered themselues voluntarily and without compulsion vnto martyrdome and to dye in company with him for the loue of CHRIST their Lord. The manner hereof as it is extant in diners martyrologes was in this sort SAINT Trypho was borne in Rome in a street called Saxea He being verie yong exercised himself in good and holie works and God by his meanes did some miracles by healing persons posessed with the diuell and grieued with other infirmities In that sharp persecution of Decius this holie saint showed himself zealous of the honor of God by preaching IESVS CHRIST publiklie without fearing the Edicts of the Emperour or the cruelty that his officers vsed against the Christians He encouraged the feeble and animated the faintharted not to dread the torments which should quickly end and were meanes to attaine perpetuall ioye in heauen A gouernour called Quilinus being certified hereof and finding it to be very true for that S. Trypho himself confessed the same he commaunded he should be tormented The first was the ordinary torment that was to tye him vnto the Equuleus where his bodie being racked it was rent and torne with hooks of Iron Then set they burning torches vnto his sides and gaue him many blowes with knoâ—ted staues and lastlie his feet were burned through with hot burning nayles S. Trypho tollerated all this with a couragious mind and a cheerefull countenance so that a Tribune called Respicius seing it considered thus That a man of flesh and blood could not haue such strength nor tollerate so great and so many torments if he were not asisted and holpen by God And if God did help him it was certaine that he was very high in his fauour Whereupon it might be truly gathered that the God whom this holie man confessed and for whose sake he endured so many torments and by whom he was so much holpen was the true God and that all the other were false Gods In the time that Respicius stood in these considerations there came to him a gracious dewe from heauen vnto which he made no resistance but openly confessed that he was a Christian When the officers that tormented S. Trypho heard this they layd hands on him and began to torment them both together Then did they lead them into the Temple vnto the statue of Iupiter and S. Trypho kneeled downe not to adore it but to make the statue fall in pieces to the ground as appeared euidently by that which followed There was present hereat a damsell called Nimpha who seing this miracle said with a loud voice IESVS CHRIST is the true God and those which the Gentiles adore be false Gods and of no force seing the prayers of the Christians make them fall to pieces By occasion of these words Nimpha was likewise tormented with SS Tripho and Respicius The officers beat them with certaine whips which had pluÌ„mets of lead tyed to the end of euery cord This was giuen vnto them with such cruelty that they all three yealded their soules vnto God in that torment Which was on the 10. of Nouember in the yeare of our Lord. 251. In the raigne of the aforenamed Decius And on the same daie the Church celebrateth their feast The life of S. Martin Bishop and Confessor WE read in the first book of kings of that valyant and couragious yong man Dauid Cap. 17. that when he returned with victory from the battaile with that fierce gyant Golyas he made all them that came to see him to wonder He was yong well proportioned and talle of body as Caietan noteth well vpon this place and giueth this reason saying that Saul put his armor on him when he would haue sent him against the gyant and that Dauid refused them which was not for that they were to bigge but for that he was not vsed to beare armor Of Saul we know by the Scripture that he was very tall and then Dauid necessarilie must be so also 1. Reg. 9. He was beutifull and well sett and had also a comely countenance and went in leather like a sheapheared he carryed in the one hand the great head of the Gyant and in the other the blouly sword which had cut it of The sterne and grimme sight of the Gyants head made the beauty and comelynes of Dauid to seeme more The people came wondring and euers one was delighted with the sight of him In this maner came he before Saul with whom was Ionathas his sonne the heire of the kingdome who seeing the behauiour of Dauid as the text saith took such affection vnto him that euen there in the sight of them all he took of part of his garments and put them vpon Dauid Thus much of this figure serueth for our propose that Ionathas did shew his great loue vnto Dauid in bestowing his garments on him The same did the glorious S. Martin with IESVS CHRIST for with him he deuided his garmets wherein he shewed that he loued him much as is euident in the discourse of his life written by Seuerus Sulpitius which we haue abridged in this maner SAINT Martin was borne in Sabaria a towne of Hongarye His parents were of noble bloud but they were Gentills his father had bene Coronell of the horse in the army of the Romains and was retired to his house to rest and repose himself Martin being ten yeres old went to the Church against his fathers mynd and requested to be made a Catechumen which was to write his name in the rolle of them that desired to be Christians for after they were well instructed in the faith they were to be Baptised He spent his time in seruing of God and entended no other thing but to please him conuersing always with his seruaÌ„ts in the Church There he was enstructed in learnyng and good behauiour He had a great desire to goe and liue a solitary life in the desert if his tender age had not hindred him and also an edict that came from Rome which commaunded that the sonnes of
of their coming The holie Bishop fetching a great sigh made them this answere Arrius is already dead in the sight of God for that he hath so grieuously blasphemed against the diuine essence denying that there is one naturality of all the three persons Peter then took the two priests aside and said to them in secret Although I be a grieuous sinner God out of his mercy hath called me to martyrdome and I will shew you part of mistery reueiled vnto me and I do it the rather for that you two are to succeed me in this dignitie wherein I now am the one after the other first Achillas and then Alexander I was at my prayers with great attention as my custome is and on a so daine IESVS CHRIST my Lord and God appeared to me in the likenes of a little infant The glorie of his face could not be seene so great was the splendour and brightnes that did proceed from it He was apparailed with a long harment which reached downe to the ground but it was rent from the toppe to the bottome and with his two hands he pulled it together to couer the nakednâ—s of his breast which when I saw I was in a great feare but after being somewhat reuyued I asked him Omy Lord IESV what is this that I see how petifully is this your garment torne And he answered me Thou talkest often hereof but doest not endeuour to know it But know thou that Arrius hath done this evill vnto me who seeketh to get away may people from me which be my heritaâ—ge and which I haue purchased with the shedding of my very deerest blood This which thou hast seene I wishe thee to shew to Aquila and Alexander which are to succeed the that they may as thou hast done Anathematize and excomunicate him that his soule may he saued This being saied and charging and enioyning them so to do it being the will of God he dissimissed them and sent them away in peace And it happened that people perseuering and awayting at the dore of the prison for the defence of the life of their Pastor to auoyd a tumult and the effusion of blood the tirannous ministers of the Emperour gaue direction and order that in the nigh at the officers should make a breach through the back side of the prison and take out of the same the holie Bissop Peter and to lead him to the place where S. mark had before time beene martyred and euen thus the cruell officers did and there beheadded him His body wad buryed in the same cittie of Alexandria by the Christians This was on a wedensday being the 26. of Nouember on which day the Church celebrateth his feast And it was in the yeare of our Lord 312. Maximinus being Emperour Of this holie saint maketh mention the Councell of Ephesus and the seuenth generall Synode S. Gregorie Nazianzene Eusebius in his 8 book 14. Chapter and 9. book 6. chapt Nicephorus The Tripartite historie Vsuardus Venerable Bede and Ado. The life of S. Saturnine Martyr OVR first father Adam hauing offended Almightie God in breaking his comandement God â—â—ioyned him in penance for his sinne to digge and till the ground Hereof it cometh that all men being partakers of his sinne for as S. Paul saith all sinned in him we be also partakers of his penance and punishment So it befell to S. Saturnine that glorious martyr who being old was condemned by the Emperour Maximian to labour about the building of certaine Thermi or hote bathes by carying sand morter and stones from one place to another though the cause why he suffred this slauery and drudgery was not for any sinne he had comitted but only for that he was a Christiane which this tyrant hold and accounted to be the most heynous offence of all other and therefore he layd on him these grieuous afflictions The life of this holie martyr with the life of S. Marcellus the Pope was written by the notaries of the Romaine Church and is rehersed by Laurence Surius in this manner The Emperour Maximian returning from Africa to Rome and being desirous to please Dioclesian that had aduanced him to high estate and made him his partner in the Empire and knowing that Dioclesian had comaunded certaine artificiall hote Bathes to be made was very dilligent to further and hasten the workes for which cause he comaunded all them that were conuicted of any grieuous or heynous oftences among which he held and accounted the Christians not to be the least to worâ—k and labour about that building vnder a saffe guard and watch hauing many ouerseers and masters ouer them Among other that were condemned to this slauery an honorable old man called Saturnine was one His work was to digge sand and to carry it from one place to another and for that through his weakenes and debillitie of age he fainted and tyred oftentimes and was not able to doe his taske as the ouerseers of the work required they often rated and reuiled him But he was holpen out very charitably by other Christian that were yonger and especially by one Sisinnius who carried those burdens that were apointed for himself and most of those that belonged to Saturnine and that so cheerefully that they went singing Hâ—mnes and psalmes in the praise of IESVS CHRISTE The surueiors of the work wondering at the same acquainted a Tribune called Spuriuâ— there with and he certyfied the Emperour Maximian thereof who comaunded they should be brought to his presence They being before him he said to Sisinnius what is your name Sisinnius answered I am a sinner and a seruant of the seruants of IESVS CHRIST and I am called Sisinnius The Emperour said vnto him what verses be those that you sing as you work Sisinnius answered If thou diddst vnderstand them or haddst notice of theÌ„ thou shouldest also know thy ceator who is the Creator said Maximian but the inuincible Hercules To vs Christians said Sisinnius it is a thing abhominable and detestable to speak such a word or to name him in such sort Choose one of these two things said the Emperour eyther sacrifice to our God Hercules or els assure thy self thou shalt be put to a terrible death Sisinnius answered I haue alwaies desired to dye in that manner and to be worthie to obtaine the crowne of Martiredome for the profession and loue of my Lord IESVS CHRIST Maximian chasing at these wordes deliuered him to Laodicio a prefect charging him either to compell Sisinnius and Saturnine to sacrifice to their Gods or els to put them to a cruell death He put them into prison where they remained a while and there they conuerted many Pagans to the faith of CHRIST Then were they taken out from thence loaden with giues and fetters bare foote and barelegged and so lâ—d into a Temple to do sacrifice when they were brought before the Idoll Saturnine lifted vp his voyce and sayd O lord confound the Idolls of the Gentilles At these wordes the
Iohn the young man began by a little little to fall vnto lewdnes and at the last to be a Captaine of robbers and murderers by the high way S. Iohn being returned and vnderstanding what was become of the young man was aggrieued for the same and went vnto the desert where the young man kept and haunted in fine he met him He at the sight of the Apostle began to fly and S. Iohn followed him saying My sonne why doest thou flye behold I am weary and euen tyred in coÌ„ming to seeke thee in this desert and vnhabited place doest not thou perceiue that it is euill done of thee a young man to flye from me an old man If thou doest it for feare of the account thou hast to render vnto God for thy sinnes I offer my selfe to answer for thee at the day of iudgement The hart of the young man relented at the words of S. Iohn and at the teares he saw to fall on his white beard so he fell at his feere bewayling his sinnes S. Iohn tooke him home and the young man amended his life and serued God with great feruour after that time Sometime this seruant of God shewed indignation against them whom he knew would not amend their faults S. Policarpe his disciple writeth of him that being one time in a bayn Cerinthus the heretike came in and then he made hast to get out saying with indignation Let vs get hence quickly lest the filthy and corrupt water of Cerinthus infect vs meaning by the water the false doctrine of the heretike His disciples importunated him to write that which he preached that they might haue it in continuall remembrance The Apostle condiscended to their request and commaunded a generall fast and continuall prayers to be kept by all the people Then went the vpon a mountaine and tooke only with him his disciple Procurus Metaphrases saith they heard thunders and thunderclaps with whirlewinds which put Procurus in great feare and dread but these tempests being aleyed S. Iohn began to say In principio erat verbum and so Procurns wrot and continued the Gospell after his enditing wherein he laboureth to destroy the errour of the heretiks called Ebionits who held that CHRIST was not God and the principall entent of S. Iohn was to shew and proue that CHRIST is true God And because he flew so high the figure of an Eagle which is a foule that soareth aloft is attributed vnto him The holy Euangelist was now farre in yeares and when he talked with his disciples he had allwayes in his mouth these words My sonnes loue one another and they said Maister let vs heare some other words for we haue heard this very often And he answered them I say this thing vnto you for that this is sufficient and he that doth this doth all Hauing then had reuelation of his death being 99. yeares ald he assembled all his disciples and led them vpon a high mountaine where a Church stood In that place he caused his sepulcher to be opened and stripped himselfe of part of his cloths and put off his shoes and so aliue he went into his sepulcher his disciples making great lamentation and then there came from heauen a cleare brightnes vpon that place enuironing the body and the holy place And they that were present remained in a traunce as it seemed for great dread and being come to themselues they saw S. Iohn no more but the graue couered with earth which seemed to boyle vp a pretious liquor that cured many infirmities This was the passage of S. Iohn and as S. Ierome and venerable Bede affirme his death was without any griefe and his body neuer felt corruption Of which words S. Thomas Nicephorus Callistus and many other Authors take occasion to say that S. Iohn was raised againe and ascended into heauen both in body and soule where he hath an eminent place since the titles he had in the world were so honourable He had the title of Virgin Apostle of Euangelist and of martir at lest in will and desire yea S Augustine S. Iohn Chrisostome and Ruffinus call him martir for when he was put into the vessell of oyle he should haue dyed if God had not myraculously deliuered him and his will was always prompt and ready to dye for the loue of IESVS CHRIST Beside the said titles he had another rare and singular name of the Disciple beloued of CHRIST of his brother and sonnes of the same mother by the will and appointment of the same God This glorious Apostle did spend 70. yeares in preaching and conuerting of soules all which time he continued busy in the seruice of God alwayes louing him and alwayes perswading others to serue him But all this which we haue said is but little to equalize the great glory that he enioyeth in heauen although that which he hath and what place he possesseth there God and he best knoweth Let it suffice vs to recommend vs to him by taking him to our Aduocate and imitating his life asmuch as lyeth in vs And so ayded by him we may be rewarded by God and see S. Iohn in heauen yea God himselfe enioying him in his glory for euer Amen The Catholike Church celebrateth the feast of S. Iohn Euangelist on the. 27. day of December And his death was in the yeare of our Lord. 100. or there about in the time of Traian the Emperour The feast of the holie Innocents THERE is mention made in the booke of Kings of a most cruell woman 4. Lib. Cap 11. called Athalia who was the mother of kâ—â—g Ochozias This woman her sonne being dead vpon ambition and desire to raigne got into her hands the children which were of the bloud royall and put them all to death One only escaped heâ— hands who wâ—s called Ioas. This child was saued by the care and diligence of the nurse that brought him vp and of Ioiada the high priest who hid him so that Athalia could not get him into her possession and power and in processe of time Ioas was king of Israell This crâ—ell Arhalia was a figure of Herod who holding the kingdome of Israell by violence for that he was a forrainer and of a strange countrie to assure himselfe of that kingdome he killed many innocent children as Athalia had done before out of whose hands escaped Ioas by the industrie of his nurse and of Ioiada which kept him secret So IESVS CHRIST figured in Ioas fled from Herod by the care and industrie of his most B. mother and of S. Ioseph who deliuered and kept him free out of Herods furie when they carried him into Egipt Ioas was afterward king of Israell IESVS CHRIST was and is King of heauen and earth and the vniuersall redeemer of all mankind The historie of these holie Innocent infants was written by S. Mathew the Euangelist in this manner AFTER the birth of the sonne of God into the world Luk. 2. and after his circumcision on
When it was diuâ—lged bruited in that countrey that Ierome had chosen his habitation in that place it cannot be expressed how people resorted thither from all parts especially from Rome The holy woman Paula with other deuour women went thither though the other returned and shee only staied there vntill her death Paula sold her lands and possessions in Rome and with the money comyng therof builded foure monasteries in Bethlehem three for women and one for men It may be that shee caused the monastery which S Ierome had built before to be enlarged and made bigger S. Ierome was the superior and gouerned the monastery of men and Paula gouerned the other three made for the women being so discreet and holy that she ruled those three in good sort dwelling now in the one and then in another There S. Ierome ended the writing of his admirables works which the church keepeth and esteemeth at this day He translated the Bible viz the old testament out of the Hebrew into latine thee newe testament out of Greek into latine and wrote commentaries out of Greek into latine and wrote commentaries on the greatest part there of and expounded it excellently His books being spread through the world beside the many epistles which he wrote almost with out intermission vnto sondy persons caused euery one to find and knowe his sanctity and profound doctrine and to accept and account him for a very good and sound Catholike for some had at the first doubt therof by cause of that which Ruffinus his aduersary wrote against him One of these was S. Augustine who at the first had a distrust in him but afterward he bare vnto him such loue and affection that being Bishop of Hippo he sent one of his trusty friends called Alipius and other of his priests to visite him on his behalf and to be instructed by him reputing it for a great honour and credit knowing as he knewe to be the disciple of the disciples of S. Ierome There went persons of great account from all countreys to visite him as Paulus Orosius did who was also sent by S. Augustine Seuerus Sulpitius Apodemius and other rare and renoumed men And though the voyage was long and the daunger great yet all that seemed a small thing to see thee venerable old man S. Ierome replenished with sanctity and learning This holy doctor wrote incessantly against heceticks and persecuted them with out any intermission and they were afrayd and trembled to heare him named Origen had written many books before the time of S. Ierome all which he read taking great delight in his delicate and fine witt and for affection called him his teacher but for all that he did not pardon nor spare the errors he found in his books yea he impugned them to the vttermost of his ability S. Ierome was subiect to many infirmities caused by continuall study and the hard austerity he had vsed to ward his body so that some times he remayned whole years bedrid yet ceased he not but endited to others that wrote so that he composed many books being occupied in that exercize 30. years as he writeth himself The countrey of Greece did much honour this glorious doctor by translating the works he wrote in latine into the Greek toung It is said by S. Ierome that as he red one day vnto his disciples wherof he had many in ordinary from many parts there entred into his schoole or place of lecture a lyon halting All the schollers ranne away but the holy doctor receued him without dread when the lyon came neere he lifted vp and shewed one of his forefeet wounded with a thorne which was runne into his foot and the holy man dressed it and when it was hole the lyon would not depart but attended in the monastery as if he had bene tame and domesticall This story I tell because he is painted with a lyon by him It is also said that S. Ierome apointed thereto by Damasus the pope set in order the office of the Church diuiding the psalmes for euery day of the week and apointing that euery one should end with this versicle Gloria Patri c. Sicut erat c. He apointed also the Epistles and Ghospells for all the yeare with the lectures and prophecies that are red in the office of the masse S. Ierome being employed in these holy exercises and such like in aunswering and assoiling douts which Bishops and other relligious persons sent vnto him from all parts of Christendome and also in giuing aduise to people that were in necessity he came vnto such perfectioÌ„ that he was rapt and translated some times in spirite among the Quiers of Angells and began in this life to tast the reward of his paine and traueill though there remained some other afflictions for his old age which was a feeblenes that he could not rise from his bed and as Sigibertus saith he had a corde tied to a piece of wood ouer his bed and he held by that when he desired to turne from one side vnto the other His infirmity encreasing and he knowing the hower of his death approched commaunded the B. Sacrament to be brought vnto him and then communicated with great deuotion which when he had done he yielded vp his spirite vnto God on the 30. day of September about the year of our Lord 422. Honorius and Theodosius the second being Emperours Marianus victorius in the life of S. Ierome saith that this holy Doctor dyed at the age of 99. years as some Authors hold for some others say otherwise It is most true and assured that he liued till his decrepit age as S. Augustine saith in the first book against Iulianus His blessed body was buryed in Bethleham and after ward in processe of time it was brought to Rome and laid in the Chuch of S. Maria ad presepe which at this day is called S. Maria Maior God shewed many miracles by meanes of this holy saint aswell in his life as after his death The Church accounteth him for one of the foure Doctors and maketh a great feast of him and especially in Rome for that there he studied there he was Baptised and there resteth his blessed body It is also very fit that fraunce should keep it festiuall for there he was a good space and sawe the principall places of that king dome Germany is also obliged in like maner vnto S. Ierome for that he wrote a book of it and made the countrey famous Greece is in the same debt for the commodity they reape by the books of this holy doctor which are traÌ„slated into their language Egipt is also deeply in his debt for that it enioyed a long time his company and blessed conuersation The deserts of Siria are in the same debt for the austere penance S. Ierome did there doth nobilitate and make them famous Bethlehem shal be reconed in this account yea and we may call it happy for two respects first and principally because
In prol in Ioh. De pres cript as Tertullian S. Ierome say out of the which he came without any hurt and then he was banished into an Isle called Pathmos which is one of the Islands called Cyclades and is not farre from Rhodes There the Apostle stayd a whole yeare and on a Sunday he had a vision and a reuelation in the which was discouered the successes of the Catholike Church that should happen vntill the day of the generall iudgement and all that he wrot in a booke which he called the Apocalipse or Reuelation Apo◠2. Whilest that S. Iohn remained in that Island he conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST almost all the inhabitants thereof and such was their loue toward him that as Symeon Metaphrases saith When he was to depart from the backe vnto Ephesus they were like to dye with sorrow Procrus Cap. 49. He was released from the exile after the death of Domitian and succession of Nerua who did by the aduise of the Senate reuoque and abrogate all the lawes his predecessor had made The Islanders vnderstanding that S. Iohn would depart from the went all vnto him lamenting and wailing some called him father others Lord and all said with one voyce he was theire ioy and comfort They besought him with great affection saying Oh Iohn thou holy and admirable man wherefore camest thou into this Island if thou art to depart hence so soone Why was the knowledge of thee bestowed on vs if we were to loose thy company so soone Whither wilt thou go to be beloued as thou art of vs Where shall thou be obeyed as thou art heere Where shall thy words be so esteemed since we listen to them as if they came from God and do beleeue that God speaketh in thee Then ô father haue pitty on vs thy children behold that without thee we are left in danger and perill to loose our selues Oh Emperour Domitian thou hast done to none such euill as thou hast done good vnto vs thou hast sent hither the elect disciple of God whom we haue knowen and receiued Baptisme by his meanes Thou hast done right well but for that to do good was far from thee of this good ariseth this present euill that now we must loose him whom before thou mad'st vs to know They all came to the holy Euangelist and kneeled at his feere tooke his garments in their hands kissed his hands with great humblenesse and reuerent behauiour for that they thought to make him stay there more by prayers and entreaties then by force or violence They holy Euangelist sawe the griefe of this Islanders for his departure but hee promising not to forget them and to send them some that should take charge of them they remained somewhat pleased and satisfied And so he embarked and returned to Ephesus where he was receiued with great and incredible ioy As the holy saint was to enter the Citty they carried out to buryall a noble Matrone called Drusiana who had loued S. Iohn very dearely He vnderstanding the same by many persons that followed the corps lamenting and mourning for the losse of so vertuous a woman that was charitable and had done many good workes of piety toward all kind of persons and he remembring the same prayed for her and God at his request raised againe the dead woman to life and the holy Apostle went to lodge at her house Then he began to gouerne that prouince again and he vnderstood that two young men in a Citty had distributed much riches vnto the poore desiring to serue God in pouerty which life S. Iohn had commended and praised much in his sermons but after perceiuing themselues in great want of necessary things they repented of what they had done S. Iohn talked with them and badde them bring him two great branches of trees from a Hill he named and some stones and the young men did so Then the Apostle by the power of God turned the stones into most pretious Iewels and the branches into Gold and said to the two young men Behold now see you may be as rich as you were before but consider well that the riches of the world doe puffe men vp and doe not satisfy them Thinke also that there is but one paradise and he that will haue it in this life and enioy and posesse worldly riches delights and pleasures cannot haue it also in the other world The Apostle did also in their sight raist to life a young man sonne to a poore widow who with many teares besought him to haue compassion on her as he had on Drusiana The two young men hauing seene this strange miracles determined to continue still in poore life and besought the Apostle to pray vnto God for them and gaue him backe his Iewels and Gold and he threw it vpon the ground and they returned to their former nature and he prayed vnto God for them and they led a holy life euer after S. Iohn had a great controuersy and variance with a priest of the Goddesse Dyana called Aristodemus who said that the miracles the Apostle did were not by the power of God but of the deuill and if he would haue him to beleeue it was by the worke of God let him drinke a cuppe of poyson that he would temper for him without any nocument or hurt to his life or health The malicious villaine thought by this meanes to take away the Apostles life and to repaire the losse his false gods sustained thereby S. Iohn accepted of the match and tooke the impoysonned cup in his hand and made thereon the signe of the Crosse and drunke it of without receuing any hurt Some Authors say for this cause S. Iohn is painted with a cuppe in his hand out of which commeth a serpent and he seemeth to blesse it which signifieth that he destroyed the force of the venime Others say this is not the cause but that he is painted so vpon the words CHRIST said to him when his mother requested that hee and his brother might haue the next place vnto him the one on the right hand and the other on the left and the words of CHRIST were these Can you drinke the cup which I must drinke and they answered I and our Sauiour replyed I say vnto you in verity that you shall drinke my cup This cuppe as some say is signified by the cuppe which is painted in the hand of S. Iohn and it may be it is painted there for both the causes S. Clement of Alexandria S. Iohn Chrisostome and other Authors recount also a story which befell betweene S. Iohn and a disciple of his being a beautifull young man And it was this S. Iohn kept the young man very strait and would haue brought him to strict and a mortified life And hauing on a time occasion to visite one of his Churches commended him vnto the care and gouernement of a Bishop desiring him to haue good regard of him In the absence of S.
is to be noted that S. Leo the Pope in his 8. sermon which he made of the feast of the tenth month speaking of the foure times of Ember saith It was a comaundement deriued from the Holy Ghost Gemb SuÌ„ma Comit. The Councell of Magunce held about the yeare of our Lord 813. in the 34. chapter speaking likewise of the foure Ember daies saith it was the institution of the Romaine Church and nameth not Callistus But the one and the other of these authorities is not against that which is here written for if S. Leo say that this fast was deriued from the holy Ghost we may say it is true and yet the introducing thereof into the Church was by the meanes of this good Pope Callistus And where the Councell saith it was instituted by the Romaine Church the meaning is that some Pope brought it in vse which of necessity must be a holy man and of a very auncient time The life of S. Luke the Euangelist THE Apostle S. Paule writing to the Romaines Rom. 1. saith of himself I am debter to the wise and to the foolish to the prudent and to the ignorant to the leâ—ned and to the vnlerned Into this debt fall all the preachers and masters that teach and preach IESVS CHRIST They be bound to satisfy the wise and the ignorant giuing to euery one of them meate agreable to their necessity that they may profit all by applieng themselfs to euery one in the matters they treat of in the busines they haue in hand S. Luke the Euangelist discharged very well this duety for he instructed the wise and the ignorant giuing to euery one books out of which to learn their dueâ—y The vse of Images in the Church is approoued by the Church as holy and profitable Among other the vtilities therof this is one that Images are the books of the ignorant and vnlettered for in them they see that painted which other men read in books So S. Luke writing the Ghospell did satisfy the learned wise and being a conning painter he painted some Images wherwith he satisfied the simple and the vnlettered By these two meanes he that before was a phisition and cured corporall infirmities did afterward cure and heale the maladies of the mind of many who were saued being turned to Christianity and the seruice of God by his meanes The life of this holy Euangelist was written by some graue Authors among others Simeon Metaphrastes whom I principally followe THe city of Antioch hath alwaies bene renoumed among the faithfull for that they took the name of Christians in that place whereas before they which professed the Ghospell and faith of IESVS CHRIST were called disciples In this city was S. Luke borne of noble parents Form his childhood he was inclined vnto vertue he loued chastity right wel for he obserued it all his life He was such an enemy vnto Idlenes that euen in his childhood because he would not be idle he gaue himself to study the Greek toung Then he passed to the study of philosophy and phisick and when he found himself dulled with study he vsed for his recreation to paint And though any of these studies require a mans whole atteÌ„tion yet had wit that he proued a good philsopher an excellent physition and a famous painter The report of the miracles of CHRIST coÌ„ming to Antioch S. Luke thought that if the fame was true he deserued that people should go and see him from the vt most parts of the earth but he especially being a phisition hearing it reported that IESVS healed the sick so easily peraduenture had a greater desire to see him then others and in case it was done by art and might be learned to be tought by him He went to Ierusalem and heard some of his sermons which made such impression in his mind that although he was very rich in posessions and worldly goods and that he sawe them that followid him forsook all and that other wise they were not admitted into his schoole desiring yet to be his disciple and to keep in his company he left and abandoned all his worldly goods and posessions as easily as one would haue shaken the dust from his feet when they are to be washed So he came into his B. company and IESVs receaued him to be his disciple and so he remained and was partaker of many misteries which our Lord wrought in the world He was sent to preach when the other disciples were sent by two and two into sondry costs He was in Ierusalem at such time as our B. sauior died And for that he had heard him say that he would rise againe the third day he staied till then on which day he according to the opinion of some Authors being accompanied with another disciple called Cleophas determined to iourney from Ierusalem vnto the castell of Emaus being 60. furlongs from thence Brocard in descrip tenae sancth Cap. 7.5 5. Which they did to secure themselfs of the inminent daunger and also to be informed by passengers of some euents They went in this iourney discontent talking together of the things which had befallen in Ierusalem and whilest they talked IESVS appeared to them in the shape of a traueller and kept them company In their communication and conference he reproued them for their litle faith and instructed theÌ„ in many things and reduced to their memory many sayengs of the prophets which showed that CHRIST must suffer and dy and then rise againe finally being come neere the castell he made as though he would go further but at their request he staied still with them And being set at the table they knew by breaking of bread that he was IESVS who was risen againe They returned speedily to Ierusalem to bring this good newes vnto the Apostles and there and in their company they sawe him ageine S. Luke was present likewise when our Lord ascended into heauen and at the comming of the holy Ghost After this he stayed in Ierusalem certein yeares with S. Iohn the Euangelist in the company of the mother of God vntill S. Paule was conuerted and came to Ierusalem S. Luke grew into great friendship is thought because they were both learned though they studied different faculties as likewise the cause of the frendship of S. Barnabas with the same S. Paule was because both of them had studied together in Ierusalem and had bene schollers vnto Gamaliel S. Luke being then in the company of S. Paule went with him in his long peregrinations and was partaker of his trauells Of S. Luke S. Paule maketh mention in his epistles to Tymothee Tym. 4. sayeng Luke only is with me and to the Colossians he saith Coloss 4.2 Cor. 9. Luke my dearly beloued saluteth you And to the Corinthians he saith I send to you Titus and a brother meaning S. Luke whose praise is in the Ghospell in the Churches not that only but he is deputed as a companion of
so honoring them and imitating their vertues we shall receiue help and benefit by their asistance and prayers in this world and be receiued into the glorie which they posesse in the eternall beatitude Vnto the which God bring vs for his great mercy sake Amen The commemoration of the faithfull deceased THE prophet Daniell being in Babylon discouered a fraud and deceyt which the ministers of a temple vsed in making men to beleeue that their I doll called Bell did cate vp those meates that were offred vnto it when as they themselues indeed did eate it vp Darius the king punished these men with death where vpon the people raised an vproare and commotion against the prophet and the king not being able to restraine their furie they threw him into a denne among Lions to be by them rent and torne in pieces In this wofull state the holie man remained sixe daies being grieuous aswell for the continuall sight of the lions as for that the place was filthie and stincking and beside all this honger afflicted him exceedinglie It fell out at that season that the prophet Abacuc being in Palestina and carying victualls to his sheapheards an Angell told him that God comaunded he should carry that Victuall vnto Daniell who was in the Lions denne in Babilon Abacuc excused himself saing that he knew not where Babilon was neither did he know Daniell The Angell said I will shew thee and with that he took him by the haire of the head and in a moment set him in Babilon in the Lyons den and shewed him Daniell readie to die with hunger Abacuc said vnto him Daniell eate of this meat that is sent thee by God Daniell did eate thereof and was some what refreshed and enabled thereby to support and beare the affliction of that place of punishment vntill at last he was taken out by the kings comaundement By this figure is represented liuely vnto vs the commemoration the Catholique Church maketh for the dead on the next day after the feast of all saints Daniell in the lions denne representeth the soules that be in the paines of purgatory It agreeth also verie fitlie that the lions did not rent nor teare Daniell in pieces also that the sight of them was grieuous in that place of paine and also hunger afflicted him very much So the soules that be in the paines of purgatorie be not tormented by the diuells which is very iust as not firt that they should chastice those that they could not ouercome The place it self which is allotted vnto them is painfull and grieuous for it is full of fire which is the same with the fire of hell as S. Augustine affirmeth Honger doth afflict them also which is the great desire and longing they haue to see God For though they be secure to see him at length yet it is a great grief vnto them that the time is prolonged The prophet Abacuc who caried meat vnto his sheepheards is a figure of euerie good and faithfull Christian which doth good vnto the soules in purgatorie For in the carying of meat vnto his sheapheards viz vnto his Curate or any other priest in bringing bread and wyne vnto the Church and the other almes which are done for the soules such as praiers and sacrifises bee an Angell cometh and bringeth it vnto Daniell in the denne And in deed it is an article of the Catholique faith that all those things that be offred for the soules in purgatorie by persons that be in the state of grace or else if the work it self doth merit and deserue it as the holie sacrifise of the masse both comforteth and helpeth the soules that be in purgatorie exceedingly THE vndoubted veritie that there is a purgatorie is an Article of the Catholique faith and he that denieth it shall thereby prooue himself an heretique This truth is prooued by the testimonies of the scripture as that excellent learned man frier Alfonce de Castro saith in his book he made against hereticks Esay saith Our Lord shall wash the vncleanes of the daughters of Syon and the bloud of Ierusalem in the spirit of Iudgment in the spirit of heat The prophet Malachy also threatning sinners with the coming of Almightie God to chastice them saith of him that he is a fire in which the siluer is molten and purified These two places are alledged by S. Augustine to prooue that there is a purgatorie after this life IESVS CHRISTOUR our sauiour saith the same viz that he that shall speak wordes against the Holie Ghost shall not be pardoned neither in this World nor in the World to come S. Gregorie vseth this sentence and so doth S. Bernard also as an effectuall proof of this veritie For they say if sinnes be not remitted in the other world this sentence shall not be remitted in the other world should not haue beene written And the truth beinge that in all holie writt there is not any superfluous word fot to say there were any as S. Basile saith in his Exameron were blasphemie it followeth then that there is a purgatorie for it is a cleare case that no sinne is pardoned in hell S. Paul also writing to the Corinthians saith 1. Cor 3. that the workes euery one hath done be they gold siluer or stones wood haie or strawe the fire shall try them And then he saith imediatly that he whose workes shall haue need of this tryall shall suffer detriment so that such shall not be saued but by fire hom 6 sup exod â— Origen alleadgeth this sentence to prooue this veritie There is another verie forceable reason for this point S. Iohn saying in the Apocalips speaking of the holie heauenly cittie of Ierusalem that none shall enter thereinto with any spot or staine of sinnes Cap. 21. yet manie meÌ„ dye with veniall sinnes others that haue mortall sinnes are coÌ„fessed haue not time to do their enioined penance Of these who are pardoned and absolued of their faults it is cleare that they shall do penance in purgatorie before they enter into heauen for thither they cannot come with any spot Therefore we must needs confesse that there is a Purgatory where the soules shal be purified refined from all their filth defects with which they depart out of their bodies before they enter into heauen Moreouer many holy persons of vertuous life who are worthy of credit herein haue had reuelations of this truth as S. Gregorie writeth in his dialogues But beside all these reasons alleadged I wil relate one which is of great authoritie and was as it is said the first cause and beginning that mooued the Catholique Church to ordaine Gui lâ—el in rationall ib 7. cap. 25. and institute the Commemoration of the faithful departed on the next day after the feast of all saints and this it is In the life of the holie Abbot Odilâ— written first by Peter Damian Cardinall of the Church of Rome and related by frier Laurence
sent vnto he Iudgment seat of the great God For in it in very deed is the ladder of â—acob Gen. 28. whereby the Angells go vp and come downe They go vp with the praiers and petitions of the faithfull and present them vnto God and then come downe with their dispatch for the good and profitt of the faithfull beleeuers In the Church is preached the Gospell the obseruation of the commaundments of God is taught vertue is comended and vices be reprooued So that in it some are stroke with feare some haue compunction these weepe others reioice some are comforted and others are inflamed with the loue of God In the Church the faithfull soule talketh with God there he is praied vnto and in that place he is honored In the Church the Angells are present because there is the heauenly court yea the very same God is there really and personally and hath promised to be there vntill the end of the world In all these things you may see how much our Churches be more worthy then the Temple of Salomon So then if that Temple be so much magnifyed by men and God also it is conuenient and most iust seing that our Churches be in so high manner honored with the presence of God himself that they be also honored and reuerenced by vs and that therein nothing may be said or done vnseemely or vnfitting of so worthie a place Let presumptuous people and the prophaners of Churches feare the like seuere punishment as God gaue to that wretched king Antiochus who prophaned the Temple of Ierusalem 2. Macha 9. God striking him with a most terrible and horrible infirmitie This wretched caitife knew that this euill happened vnto him for prophaning the Temple of God in Ierusalem and therefore he bewayled his sinne exceedinglie He prayed vnto God and craued pardon of him but the text vttereth there a terrible and dreadfull sentence viz. The wretch prayed vnto God of whom he could not obtaine mercy The sorrow of this man was like the sorrow and repentance of Esau Cain and Iudas Heb 12. Gen 3. Math 27. P. Orosius that is to say defectiue and vnprofitable and therefore he was condempned as they were also We read in auncient histories that Pompey the Great was victorious in all his enterprises and affaires before he did prophane the Temple of Ierusalem but after that time he was vnfortunate in all his businesses and finally he was vanquished in battaile by Iulius Caesar and escaping by flight repaired for aide to the king of Egipt as to his friend but in steed of help he found his death the king cutting of his head and sending it vnto Caesar the conquerour as a present For prophaners of Churches and holie places these two examples are sufficient and for those that vse small or no reuerence to Churches this one is inough That our Lord and Sauiour himself chastised them with rigour which caryed not due respect vnto the Temple of Salomon For he himself in person when as man he conuersed with men did driue the people our of the same Temple with whippes and scourges because they vsed to and in the same smalle or no reuerence Let them who prophane our Churches being of farre more excellency then that was imagine yea assure themselues that they shal be chastised with much more rigour Surelie we ought to beare great respect and reuerence to our Churches and to behaue our selues in them as Dauid counselleth in a psalme where he saith In the Temple of God let euery one speak of his glorie All that which is to be spoken of in the Church ought to be to the glorie of God and if it be to his glorie it will redound and arise to our profitt since in that place he will make vs partakers of his mercyes which shal be the beginning of our Beatitude God grant vs all to find in his Church mercy for his deare sonnes sake our Blessed Sauiour Amen The life of S. Theodore Martyr IT is written in the book of Iudges how Sampson that renowned souldier of God at his death pulled downe a temple of the Gentiles whereby manie of them were killed and the temple falling to the ground was vtterly destroyed Herein Sampson did worthy seruice vnto Almightie God who had determined by this meanes to chastice that treacherous and vnbeleeuing nation The verie like befell vnto another valiant souldier of CHRIST called Theodore who set fire to a temple of the Gentiles for which cause he was afterward martyred And in the one and the other of the these things there was done vnto our Lord God great and good seruice The life of this glorious martyr is taken out of an homilie or sermoÌ„ made by S. Gregorie Nissen which he preached on the daie of his martyrdome in the same Church where he was buried He reherseth it in this wise THE cause good Christian people why you be here assembled from diuers partes with trauaile and toile of your persons by reason of the sharpnes of the winter is onlie to celebrate the feast of the glorious martyr S. Theodore This is a thing iust and reasonable since we be all obliged vnto him for the great and many benefitts which we haue receaued by his intercession One of these is well knowne vnto all namely how the Barbarous Scithians this last yeere threatening to kill vs and hauing drawne their swordes to bathe them in our blood returned back vnto their countries in manner of flight not for feare of our corporall armes but being terrified with the Crosse of CHRIST with which this glorious saint our patrone chased the away I desire you all to be attentiue and I will reherse in what manner this holie martyr came to giue his life for CHRIST whilest he liued in this world for I do not know in perticuler the reward he hath in heauen And when we know this we ought to take profitt by endeauouring to imitate him I saie then that we haue his blessed body in this Church and although it be of the same matter and nature that other dead bodies be yet it is not to be likened vnto them for if you open any of their sepulchers the bodies appeere lothesome to the sight and be displeasing to the smell so that we turne our face from them considering the miserie of our nature and the frailtie of mankind But vnto this glorious martyr it falleth out otherwise For assoone as we enter into the Church where his blessed bodie is as all we haue done this daye the sight is pleased seing the sumptuous and cunning built Church where it seemeth the caruer and the painter contended to excell each other the one in the building of the same aswell in the pauement as pillers of the finest marble in which be engrauen sondrie pictures of lyuing creatures as in the rooffe and couering of tymber which is curiouslie wrought and cunningly ioyned The painter was not inferioure in his art setting forth liuely
endured great and extream thirst for that they were to bring their water from a place distant farre from them This blessed and holy saint strook the earth in a place where our sauiour in the figure of a lamb appeared vnto him and there sprang vp a plentifull fountein of water pure and cleare with the which all the distressed Christians were recreated and conforted The life of this holy Pope was written by Damasus Simeon Metaphrastes and other graue Authors in this maner SAINT Clement was the sonne of Faustinus and borne in Rome in the region called Caeli-montana Where at this present is the Church of S. Iohn La eran This holy saint did helpe the Apostle S Paul in his preaching as he writeth thus philip 4. that thou help the persons that trauell with me in the Ghospell with Clement and my other coadiutors whose names are written in the book of life Yet S. Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus saith that Clement of whom S. Paul speaketh was Bishop of Caria and was disciple vnto the same S. Paul and that he was one of the first that receiued the faith by his preaching among the Greeks The most common receaued opinion is that this Clement of whom we now treat was the Pope and went with S. Paul for a time neuerthelesse he was after the disciple of S. Peter S. Clement was not only a man of very holy life but also verie learned wrot many things which haue bene lost by antiquity of time There are extant yet his fiue epistles the first of which is most elegant being al repleat with learning and a true Apostolicall spirite which some of the Popes his successors do alleage in many places He wrot likewise the CanoÌ„s of the Apostles the eight books called Apostolique Constitutions which ordeine that in the seuen regions of Rome should be seuen Notaries to write the deeds and martirdome of the Christians He commaunded also that vnto them that were Baptised should be giuen the Sacrament of Confirmation assoone as they had learned the principles of the Christian faith He also ordeined that the Bishops Chaire should stand in a publique and eminent place This holy saint preached thee word of God with such feruour and so great courage that manie Gentills pagans were conuerted vnto the faith and many that were already conuerted not content with the obseruation of the precepts of the Ghospell did keep also and obserue the counsells thereof As a holy damosell did called Domitilla who was niece vnto the Emperour Domitian as daughter to one of his sisters and to Flauius Clemens the Consull which holy virgin was by this Pope consecrated and veyled for a Nunne He also conuerted vnto the faith Theodora the wife of Sisinius a man great and potent in Rome This man desirous to see what the Christians did in their oratories where they vsed to pray and whither his wife vsed to go went thither one time very secretly but by the permission of God he was strook blind This blindnes of his body was an occasion vnto him that he recouered the sight of his soule for the prayer of S. Clement caused the recouery of his corporall sight his holy words and admonitions were the cause that he was Baptised and recouered there with the sight of his soule Sisinius being Baptised many noble men of Rome moued by his example receued the faith So that for this and manie other miracles the holy Pope did he was much malliced by the ministers of the Idolls and other lewd people whom the diuill vsed as instruments and meanes to disturbe the increase of Christianity and to dispatch out of the way Clement who did him much scath and harme These moued a mutiney and vproare against him though there were some that took his part and defence Some accused him at the iudgment seat of Mamorâ—inus gouernour of the city and others defended him saieng that Clement did not any euill or hurt to any person but did rather good vnto them in curing the sick reliuing the necessity of the poore that he quieted controuersies and made atonement betwene many men They that accused him said he brought in a strange relligion and persuaded men to adore for God a man that had bene crucified and did what he could to annihilate the adoration of the auncient Gods that he caused many maides that they maried not to them vnto whom they were espoused making the title of relligion an excuse and collour for the same The Gouernor of the city hearing all this caused Clement to be brought before him vnto whom he said I vnderstand that thou art borne of an honorable family in this city and that thou art of the Roiall bloud therefore thou art more obliged not to transgresse the customes and lawes of thy forefathers Tell me I praie thee what strange relligion is this thou preachest and what is that crucified man whom thou wouldest haue adored for God to the notable despite and disgrace of the knowâ—n Gods adored by out elders S. Clement made this aunswer Most prudent Iudge I desire thee not to be ouer-ruled by the speechs of the vulgar people who are ignorant and malicious but to giue eare vnto me and if of that wherof I am accused I do not with iust reasons defend my self then condemne me without any fauour Mamertinus said I will present thy cause before th'emperour Traiane where thou maiest if thou canst excuse thy self and iustify thy cause for I will neither condemne thee nor absolue thee When the Gouernouâ— sawe time conuenient he made relation of the mutiney raised against S. Clement and what was the cause also vnto th'emperour to the end he might sett downe what should be done therin the person accused desiring to make proofe of his Inocency in showing that the faults imposed vpon him had no sufficient ground Traian decreed that Clement should sacrifice vnto the Gods or els be banished into Chersona Mamertinus hauing this direction laboured all that he could to bring Clement to sacrifice vnto the Idolls and he on the other part endeuored to drawe him to be a Christian to let him knowe that the banishment which he was to suffer for professing CHRIST should be vnto him pleasaunt and acceptable It pleased God to giue such efficacy and grace vnto the words of the holy saint that Mamertinus yelded and shedding many teares for compassion of Clement and his vexations said vnto him The God whom thou adorest help thee in this tribulation which thou art to suffer for his loue Then he prouided him a bark and of things necessary for the voyage and sent him into exile There went many voluntarily in the company of the blessed Pope who being arriued and come in saffly vnto the Island found there more then 2000 Christians who by the sentence of th'emperour had bene condemned to digge stones out of the quarries These holy confessors of CHRIST among their other mollestations had one which vexed them much in that
Idolls fell downe on the ground and broke to pieces Two souldiers the one called Papias and the other Maurus seing this cryed out and sayd Assuredly IESVS CHRIST whom Saturnine and Sisinnius do adore is the true God The prefect being in a great rage comaunded his officers to torment them they put them on the torment or Rack called Equuleus and hoysing them vp they scourged them very grieuously and rent and tore their bodies with yron bookes and scorpions They being in those torments song Himnes and said Glory be to thee O Lord IESVS CHRIST for that we are found worthie to be partakers of afflictions with thy seruans The tWo souldiers Papias and Maurus which were conuerted when the Idoll fell to the ground as is afore said were present and neere the holie martir These men being stiered vp with a desire of the crowne of martyâ—dome and repleat with holie anger against the excecutioners that tormented them with such rigor and cruelltie said to them with a loud voice How great is the diuell with you that he maketh you so cruell against the seruants of the liuing God When the Prefect Laodicio heard their wordes he was enraged against them and comaunded the officers to strike them on the mouth with stones and to carry them to prison from whence they were after taken and maâ—tyred After this he comaunded the officers to set burning torches to the sides of Saturninus and Sisinnius And when he saw all this would not make them yeeld and that they showed no signe of griefe or sorrow by their countenance he caused them to be taken from that torment and to be led two miles out of Rome into the way toward Numenium and there they were beheadded Their bodies were buried by a deuout man called Thraso in one of his posessions This was on the 29. day of Nouember and on the same day the holie Catholike Church maketh a commemoration of S. Saturninus His death was about the yeare of our Lord. 307. In the raigne of Maximian and Dioclesian Of S. Saturninus wryteth Ado venerable Bede Vsuardus and the Romain martyrologe The life of S. Andrevv Apostle THE sacred scripture saith of that proud captain Holophernes Iudith that as he went with his army and banners displayed against the city of Bethulia there happened a thing which did before neuer befall vnto him for the Hebrews shut the gates against him and fortified the city for their defence Holophernes wondered therat not litle wherfore he assembled all his captains to councell and said that the desired to know the cause why the people of that city did stand more to their defence then all the other thy had ouerpassed and desirous to know wherin they trusted he willed them to certify him what any of them knew TheÌ„ arose vp a captein of the Ammonites called Achior who said vnto him know you most poteÌ„â— Lord that in this city dwelleth a nation called Iewes who haue a God so mighty that if they haue his fauour and freindship neither the mighty army vnder thy conduct nor all the world if they should assault them can ouercome them But if perhaps they haue offended him as they do oftentimes it shal be very easy to vanquish them and to take this city let them fortify it as much as they can So that my councell is first to informe thy self whither they be in the fauour of their God and according to that relation if they be in his fauour to stay but if he be displeased with them to assault them Holophernes took great indignation against Achior for his words for he thought no force was able to resist his puissant army Vpon this he commaunded some of his souldiers to lead him vnto the city of Bethulia to the end that when he had taken the city by force of armes Achior should with his bloud and life pay the penalty of his rash vnaduisednes in taking vpon him the defence of the Hebrews The souldiers led Achior vp on the mountein neere vnto the city and there they left him tied vnto a tree The Iewes issued out found him and led him into the city where Achior in the presence of Ozias the high priest of all the people recouÌ„ted what had happened vnto him They heard his speech with great admiration and then feasted and enterteined him kindly because they thought he had defended the honour of God euery one embraced him and sheaâ—ed to him great tokens of loue But aboue all Ozias took him to his house and made vnto him a solemne banquet This figure agreeth very fitly to the gloryous Apostle S. Andrew who being figured in Achior defended the honouâ— of God as he did preaching the Ghospell among the infidells where Egeas the tirant figured in Holâ—phernes took him and deliuered him vnto his officers who led him vp on a mountein and bound him to a crosse where he remained a while vntil the Angells citisens of heauen vnbound him viz when his blessed â—oule departed from his body and leâ— him to the supreme city of God and there in the presence of the high priest IESVS CHRIST diuulging how he took the defence of his honour all the blessed spirits that illustrious and honored nation made him cheare and enterteyned him kindly embracing him as their brother And the priest IESVS CHRIST made him a feast apointing him a speciall seat in his celestiall beatitude The life of this gloryous Apostle collected out of the ghospell and the writings of his disciples who were present at his martirdome was in this maner SAINT Andrew the Apostle was borne in Behsayda a twon in the prouince of Galily and was the elder brother vnto S. Peter the Apostle and also disciple vnto S. Iohn Baptist With whom being one day he saw him when he pointed his finger at IESVS sayeng This is the lamb of God Andrew staid not a whit but ioyntly with another disciple left S. Iohn Baptist and followed IESVS CHRIST who turnyng his celestiall face and seeing asked them what they sought They answered that they desired to speak with him in his house Our Lord lâ—d them with him and kept hem one day in his company in which time thy talked together and they knew him to be the Messias Andrew departed then from our Sauiour and mett Symon his brother and said vnto him with great ioy O brother Symon that thou haddest seen that which I haue seene Knowe thou that the Messy as so much desired and so long expected by the Iewes is come My master Iohn Baptist shewed him vnto vs and I haue bene with him and I tell thee that his words and deeds confirme that he is that same Come thou and see him So the two brethren came together vnto IESVS who said Thou art SymoÌ„ the sonne of Iohn but thou shalt be called Caeâ—has that is Peter Another time those two brethren being a fishing in their barck IESVS CHRIST passed by the bank and called them saâ—eng follow me and
brightnes in maner of a loÌ„g vesture euen to the ground so that the paynims could not see her The holy saint was let thorough all the city and brought back vnto the gouernour who seeing her constancy gaue sentence that shee should be beheaded The cursed father of the blessed damosell who had bene present at this dollorous spectacle and was not any thing mollified but rather more incrudelized desired the gouernour to shew him the fauour to execute the sentence pronounced by him against his daughter which request was easily graunted The glorious saint was led out of the city vnto a hâ—lâ—e where was the ordinary place of execution and there kneeling on her knees shee made a deuout prayer vnto God rendering him thankes for bringing her to that passage Then bowed shee her head before her father who voide of pitty lifted vp the sword and cut of her head Then returned the cursed wretch vnto the city vaunting he had done a memorable act for the seruice of his Gods saying he deserued to be honored by th'emperour and to haue his name eternized But God almighty was not pleased with his boasting of so inhumane an act for vnexpectedly it thundered and therwith a thunderbolt fell which strook and killed him out of hand So that at one time the daughter ascended to heauen where shee was receued with ioy and triumph of the heauenly citisens and of the celestiall king and the father descended into hell where he is and shall be perpetually tormented by the deuills The body of this glorious damosell and martir S. Barbara was buryed by a holy and religious man called Valentinian with musique songs to the praise laude of God of S. Barbara his spouse The martirdome of this blessed damosell was on the. 4. day of December in the year of our Lord. 288. in the time of Diocleâ—ian and Maximian This holy saint is a speciall aduocate against tempests thunder and thunderbolts Petrus Galesinus the Apostolique protonotary wrote the life of S. Babara and saith that he collected it out of S Iohn Damascen out of Arsenius and out of other Grecians and it is conformable to that which is here written The life of S. Sabba Abbot SAINT Theodoret writeth in his relligious history that holy Abbot called Publius congregated together many hermus and builded a conuent On a day conferring with them among other things he said That as one going to the high stret or market place to prouide things necessary for his house and at one shop buieth cloth at another shoes out of this is furnished with bread out of another is prouided of wine euen so the relligious man in the conuent is from one man to lern patience from another humility from an other chastity and he like of other vertues For this cause in ancient timme some seruants of God although it was pleasing and to yous for them to like in the desert and wildernes yet did they gather many disciples together and make conuents to the end that some being instructers of others and some lerning of their superiors or betters all might be saued One of these was S. Sabba the Abbot whose life collected out of Cyrill the monck and some Authors of martirologes was in this manner SAINT Sabba was borne in the prouince of Cappadocia in a city called Mutalasium his fathers name was Iohn and the name of his mother was Sophia and it was in the time of Theodosius 2. th'emperour of Rome It fell out that the father of S. Sabba went to serue in the warre that was then in Alexandria and recommended his sonne vnto his brother called Ieremy whose wife hated the child and could not abide to see him but vsed him hardly This was in part the cause that S. Sabba went vnto a monastery in the which Gregory a holy man was Abbot He receaued Sabba into the monastery and gaue him the relligious habite where he liued a holy life exercising himself alwayes in vertue but his abstinence was most remarkable and his mortification was admirable and so was his humility and patience wherfore God shewed by him some myracles and one in especiall which befell in that monastery and this it was The baker had one day put his cloths into the ouen which was somewhat hotte to dry and forgetting them put in fire which already flaming thorough all the ouen he remembred the cloths but could not gett them out by any meanes The poore man made moane for his mis-happe and by chance Sabba was there present who made the signe of the Crosse in the ouen and then he went into the ouen flamyng as it did and took out the cloths whole and without any hurt Then he asked leaue of his superiour to depart from that monastery and to go into a desert where he liued a solitary life certaine yeares and endured many terrible tentations of the deuills He went also vnto Ierusalem to visite the holy places where the misteryes of our redemptioÌ„ were wrought And being one day in that city neere vnto the Church of S. Iohn Baptist he healed a woman that had a bloudy flixe he cured another that was cruelly tormented by the deuill Whiels S. Sabba was in Ierusalem there was exceeding scarcity of water and there was not any to be found not to be had to drink in such sort that the people were ready to dye for thirst The good father Sabba fell to praier prostrated on the earth with his body but his soule being lifted and fixed in heauen in that manner he continued in praier all night the teares which bathed the place on earth where the holie saint was gaue testimonie with what efficacie he had requested God to succour and relieue his people in their necessitie It pleased God to shew fauour vnto his seruant for there fell a verie great shower of raine that filled the cisternes and satisfied the people euerie one yielding infinite thanks vnto God that had showen compassion vnto them though many of them did not know who had been the meanes to obtaine so notable a fauour Then did this good father collect and assemble toger her many disciples and founded some monasteries and liued a holie relligious life and finallie died in Ierusalem in the yeare of our Lord. 424. being 94 yeares old His body was buried between two Churches was afterward caried vnto Venice where at this present he â—eth in the Church of S. Antoninus The life of S. Nicholas Bishop and Confessor WE read in the book of kings that God talking of the noble king Dauid 2. Reg. â—3 said of him that he had found a man according to his owne hart and herefore made him captaine and ruler ouer his people These words though at the first said of Dauid may be very well applied vnto the glorious S. Nicholas for he was a man according to Gods owne hart They were verified of Dauid because he was pitifull and myld and the same may be said of S. Nicholas
for he was mercifull and myld also and endued with other good qualities and verâ—ues â—â—r which cause God elected him to be the captaine and pastor of his people in the city of Myrrea The life of this glorious saint was written by the Patriarch Methodius Symeon Metaphrastes and other Greeke authors our of whom Iohn the Deacon and Leonard Iustinian made a collection Out of these two was this sumarie taken and is in this manner SAINT Nicholas was borne in Patarae a city in the prouince of Licia His father and mother were Christians noble by birth and deuote seruants of God To this good couple God graunted a sonne in reward of their many teares praiers and continuall almes deeds desiring him to send vnto them an heire who should vse their goods in his seruice God heard the prayers of his dâ—uouâ—e seruants and comforted them by gyuing vnto them their sonne Nicholas Of him it is thought that he had the spirite of God euen from his infancie for that assoone as he was borne he began to serue him Assoone as he knewe what it was to eate he knew also what it was to fast for he would not take the brest to sucke but one time only in a day especially twâ—se a weeke to wit on the wednesday and the Friday and this fast he obserued all the dayes of his life Being somewhat growen in years he shewed signes of great vertue which increased in him as his yeares did His father sent him to schoole to learne to read and also other sciences where Nicholas made proofe of his delicate wytt because in very short time he profitted very much He would not keepe company with other yong men of his yeares who suffred themselfs to be transported into all vices and wantonnes but his conuersation was only with the most vertuous and honest people He avoyded also not only the conuersation of women but abhorred them euen as a deadly poyson for youth And to eseape the warre which is made by wicked thoughts and carnall cogitations against youth he tamed his flesh with watchings fastings hayrecloths and such like exercises He frequented the Churches and oratories of the Christians for he desired to be as the Temple of the Holy Ghost These holy exercises and other vertues in which Nicholas was employed did so shine in him that he was praysed and commended of euery one For as to see old men behaue themselues like yong men see meth a monstrous thing so on the other side to see a yong man to haue the deportment and cariage of old men is a thing very commendable and laudable S. Nicholas had an vncle who was Bishop of the city where he was borne a learned and a holy man He persuaded the father and mother of Nicholas to dedicate their sonne vnto God in the seruice of his Church and to be a priest It was an easy matter to obteine it of them for they remembred God had graunted that sonne vnto them through their many praiers therfore they willingly rendred him vnto God againe with right good will that he might alwaies be employed in his seruice The father and mother of S. Nicholas hauing made this grauÌ„â— his vncle made him priest whilest he gaue him orders he sayd these words vnto them that stood by Brethren I see a newe sonne arise in the earth who shal be a great consolation and repose for the world Happy is the pasture and happy be the sheepe that shall deserue to haue such a sheapherd The day shall come also when you shall see him reduce many straying sheepe vnto the flock of CHRIST you shall see him to be the consolation of the coÌ„fortles health of the sick and rest for them that be in tribulation All that which this good Bishop said was afterward found in S. Nicholas When S. Nicholas sawe he was a priest he thought it conuenient that with his newe dignity he should encrease his austerity and strict life imitating heerin the trees and plants which the more they spred their braunches the larger their roots grow also vnder the ground So the holy saint stroâ—e to be more sober and temperate more continenâ— more rygorous toward his owne body chastising the same with more seuerity not to make it dye but to make it more subiect vnto the spirite He depriued it of the ordinary sleepe of eating and of apparell although he did not like to go in stayned or spotted apparell as some hypocrits do but such as was comely and fitting for one of his dignity of function He frequented the Church more â—hâ—n he had vsed he was more earnest at his prayer then before time he would neuer read any book nor take it in his hand but the booke of the holy scripture or els some holy lecture treating of some ghostly matter He showed more modesty in his countenance more grauity in his speech so that it seemed although he were in mortall flesh that he led the life of a man imortall There befell in the country of Lycia and in all the East a great contagious pestilence which killed very many and among others within the space of three dayes died both the father and mother of S. Nicholas and he remayned sole inheritor to all their goods The yong man being already dedicated to God regarded not to be the heite but rather desired to be the dispenser of his fathers goods giuing out of them continually many almes deeds And because among many other he did one rare deed of charity it shall not be amisse to make a recitall therof by particulers There was in the city of Patara a gentleman of a good house who had bene before time very rich and nowe was become poore This man had three daughters which were of good yeares and maâ—igeable but because he had not wherewith to maynteine endowe theÌ„ with portions he vrged and sollycited them to get their liuyng and his also by dishonest life The poore father though he was ashamed so to doe spake to them to that purpose the distressed maydes shed teares incessantly considering to what a miserable estate their fathers pouerty had brought them S. Nicholas had an inkeling hereof and thought he could not bestow his almes better then with the same to delyuer their bodies from shame and their soules from synne He took a good some of mony all in gold and lapped it in a napkin and departing from home by night he went to the house of the poore decayed gentleman The holy man looked about to put in the mony in some place where the distressed man might light vpon it taking care that he should not know who bestowed in vpoÌ„ him whilest he studyed therof hesa wâ—y Mâ—nâ—light the casement of the chamber windowe where the poore man lay not fully open S Nicolas cast the gold wrapped in the cloute in at the wyndowe and went downe The pooâ—e man rising vp and finding there the mony the benediction of God he was in
in the Spanish that the bodies of the aforenamed holy saints were brought vnto their city in the yeare of our Lord. 1154. The spanish saith That Procopius in the first book saith that these holy saints healed the Emperour Instinian recomending himself vnto them of a greenous infirmity and that in gratification thereof he built a sumptuous temple vnto their name The Dedication of S. Michael the Archangell THE sacred scripture reciteth in the first booke of thing that the reputation and credit of king Saul was in great perill when that proud Philistean called Golias defied him and all his army It was not fit the king should accept the battaile and yet there was not any found in his court whose hart did serue him to encounter that proud giant who was reputed valiant and strong and aunswer the challeng King Saul studied and devised howe to be freed from this dishonour and daunger At last he made a proclamation that if any man ouercame the Phylistean he should be made a noble man and be exempt from all tribute and that he would giue him an honorable office in the court and also his daughter vnto wife These promises of the king were very great yet there was not a man in all the army that was so hardy as to behold the face of the giant only the lowly litle shepherd Dauid zelous of the kings honour and of the peoples also tooke on him the enterprise to combat with the Philistean which he did and shewed such valour that with a stone which he threw he hitte him on the forhead and felled him to the ground then he ranne speedily vnto him and out of his head and returned with the same euery one making triumph for his victory but especially the damsels declared his prowesse in a song After this king Saul obserued his promise he made him a noble man and a great officer in his court and gaue vnto him his daughter Michol vnto his wife This is a perfect portraict of the battell which was in heauen between the Angels of which it is good the memory be celebrated as often as their feast is solemnished for that which they did was a famous and rare work The Philistean Golias is a figure of Lucifer who was the highest Angell and seing himself endowed with grace and guifts aboue other Angel was puffed in pride and came into the field against God pretending to be like and equall to him in some things It was not fit God should come into the field against him for then the victory would haue bene of farre lesse estimation but S. Michaell figured by the lowely shepherd Dauid tooke on him this entreprise and entred boldy into the field against Lucifer in the defence of Gods honor and behaued himself so well that with one stone which was his profound humility saieng who is as God he cast the giant to the earth that is threw Lucyfer into hell Lucifer being ouercome with all his followers S. Michaell returned victoriously from the conflict euery one making ioy and triumph for it but especially the damsels who sang of his prowesse which happeneth euery time this feast of him and the Angels is celebrated for that many blessed soules singing the victory of S. Michaell do reioice at his honorable enterprise God also performed his promise vnto him he made him a noble man and gaue him an honorable office making him Chief Iustice in his kingdome for which cause he beareth the Ballaunce and the sword in his hand when he is painted and gaue vnto him an honorable companion which was his diuine grace confirming him in the same and all the other blessed spirits also EVERY time the Catholike Church celebrateth the feast of the Angels there is red in the office of the masse a ghospell which treateth howe controuersy arising amongst the Apostles which of them should be the greatest the sonne of God called a litle child and set him in the midst of them and said If you be not humbled as this child you shall not be great in the kingdome of heauen but more then that You shall neuer come thither The vse of the Catholike Church guided by the holy Ghost is to reade this Ghospell in such like solemnities because there is mention made of the Angels for in the end therof it is said That None should contemne the lowely and humble as children be bicause their Angels see alwaies in heauen the face of God Some Authors though not in the literall sence will drawe this history to the Angels saieng that assoone as God created them he gaue theÌ„ notice of the mistery of the Incarnation and set before their eies that B. child IESVS who should giue remedy vnto the world and then said vnto them uerily I tel you if you be not humble lowely as this child and imitate him therin if in this small space in which you be viatores or trauellors and haue time to merite or demerite yee do not imitate him and be likened to this child If you do not honor and adore him you shall not be confirmed in grace you shall not enter into my glory But Lucifer seeing him felf so faire beutifull and honoured iudged it would be an abacement and vility to imitate a man and much more to adore him And labouring to drawe the Angels vnto his opinion said vnto them it would be a great basenes and shame vnto them to be humbled to adore a man and with these speechs drew the third part vnto his opinion S. Michael together with all the other holy Angels obeied God and adored the litle child IESVS and tooke vpon him the defence of Gods honor against Lucifer and the Angels that followed him The fierce warre betweene them was not of materiall weapons but of different willes and S. Michael and his company were so potent that they cast Lucifer and all his followers out of heauen Assoone as Lucifer was cast out of heauen fallen into the world there was heard a great voice which said wo vnto the world because Lucifer is fallen into it and will giue occasion of offence but more wo vnto him by whom such scandals shall come it were better for such a one to haue a millstone tied vnto his necke and that he were throwen into the sea This befell vnto the deuill because there was tied vnto the neck of his will a greate stone which was their obstinacy with which they were drowned in the bottomles pitt Then said God take heed that none make small account of these humble Angels Spa as lactan l 2. c. 9. D. Berâ—â— ser 17. super mis est Alex. 3. p. q. 74. memb 8. Nacl deoper sex dier which remaine in heauen but honor and reuerence them for I tell you true they alwais see the face of the father eternall This is that which some doctors say and I had not rehersed it here if it had not a good ground that the sinne of Lucifer was for that he