prayers with weeping till falling as it weere into a sweet sleepe he was rapt in an extasie in which he vnderstood by reuelation that his prayer was heard but that he should noe more presume to make the like petition for anie that died without Baptisme he deserued to be punished Vppon which matteÌ„r curious witts that haue perfect fayth may moue some questions and more such as beleeue the truth faythfully related those things which among men are or seeme to be impossible are easie with allmightie God and profitable to be declared Yet in this act the safest way for all is to reuerence the secret iudgment of the diuine power and pietie and noe man to discusse and examine the same XVIII To conclude after his death it hath been faythfully related vnto vs by Peter Deacon a vertuous and religious man and Peter Deacon seeth the holy Ghost in forme of a Doue ouâ—r S. Gregorie for the deserued worth of his religion and seruice very familiar with this our most holy father that when the neuer enough named vessell of election and house of the holy ghost GREGORY did interprete the last vision of the Prophet Ezechiel the curtaine being spread betweene him and the same Peter who writt as he did dictate the holy Doctour being silent at times his seruant bored a little hole in the curtaine and spying through it by chance he saw a doue whiter then anie snow sitting on his head that held her beake along time close to his mouth and when she withdrew it thence the holy Pope began to speake and his scribe to write what he sayd But when that Sacred organ of the holy ghost was silent againe his seruant Peter layd his eye to the hole and he beheld him his hands and eyes lifted vp to heauen as at his prayers receauing the beake of the white doue into his mouth as before Which the holy man at length vnderstanding by the reuelation of the same B. spiritt he became wonderfully sad seuerely threatning and forbidding him by Apostolicque authoritie euer to reueale to anie man what he had seene during his life Which commaund he faythfully obserued till after the death of the Blessed Pope being compelled thereunto by the enuie of some wicked persons who did condemne the holy man of pride and presumption for speaking such and soe great matters touching the misteries of heauenly secrets he faythfully reuealed that he had seene all these things which are here related After the holy Popes A famine in Rome death when a migthie famine raged too too much not only in the cittie of Rome it self but in all the adiacent countreies there abouts and the Pope his successour opened the barnes of the Church to those that would buy corne and shutt them to those whom B. GREGORY had ordered to be maintayned with Church-stipends in the monasteries Deanries and hospitals in and about the Cittie they began compelled with extremitie want to crie out vnto the Pope My Lord let not your holines suffer those to perish with hunger whom our holy father your predecessour S. GREGORIE endeauoured hitherunto to nourish He grieuing at their lamentations answeared that albeit GREGORY to the renowne of his prayse was carefull to maintaine all the poeple yet we are not able soe to doe and soe he lett them depart voyd of comfort Which answeare hauing bene often times repeated to those that cried vnto him B GREGORY appeared thrise in a vision vnto him and S. Gregory appeareth to the Pope rebuked him with a mild chiding for detracting of him and his owne niggardlines warning him withall of the extreme want of those poore poeple But he was nether mooued therewith to fullfill his commaunds nor refrained his tongue from those ill reports nor yet opened his hands to the exercise of bountie towards the needie Whereuppon S. GREGORY appearing the fourth time vnto him gaue him a horrible check and threatningly struck him a blow on the head with the grief whereof he died not long after XIX THVS much briefly of the life and deeds of S. GREGORY But as long as the sphere of this world shall hould its course his memorable name shall allwaies receaue increase For doubtlesse it is ascribed to his glorie that the English Church becomes allwaies fruictfuller with a new ofspring of sainctitie and allsoe that by his diuine learning manie throughout the world forsaking their offences are conuerted to the mercie of CHRIST and others incensed with his pious admonitions more earnestly labour to attaine to the Kingdom of heauen Which most Blessed Pope when he had gloriously gouerned the sea of the Apostolicque Roman Church thirteene yeares six moueths and ten dayes being taken out of this mortall light he was translated to the indeficient glorie of the Kingdome of heaueÌ„ His body was buried in the Church of S. PETER the Apostle before the Sacristie the thirteenth day of March to rise hereafter in glorie with the others Pastours of the holy Church On his tombe was written an Epitaph which bicause it comes short of the worth of soe great a Sainct we omitt AND This is the life of S. GREGORY as it was briefly written The Authours of his life by Paul Warenfrid commonly called Paul Deacon much more might be sayd of this glorious Pope and much more is sayd of him by manie graue authours of his life Onuphrius Panuinus in his Epitome of the Roman Bishops S. ILDEPHONSE a Benedictin monk Arch-Bishop of Toledo in his booke of the writings of famous men Photius Patriark of Constantinople and more amply then all John Deacon a Benedictin Monk hath written fower bookes of his life in a word the world is full of graue authours and learned men which endeauour to speake his prayses but in the end all confesse their pennes farre too weake and vnable worthyly to write what he soe excellently was able to doe He is stiled by them to be A man of wonderfull A worthie commendation of S. Gregory learning Prince of the Diuines light of the Philosophers splendour of the Orators Mirrour of Sainctity and Organ of the holy Ghost But out of a large Catalogue of other famous writers the trumpets of his glorie I will only recite some few words which Sainct ILDEPHONSE before named sayth of him Sainct GREGORY full of a seeling of the feare of God and exceeding in humility was through the grace of the holy Ghost endowed with soe great a light of science that not onely these present times but nether could the time past euer shew his equall For soe highly he excelled in the perfection of all deserts that setting aside all comparisons of famous men antiquitie can shew vs nothing to paralell him For he ouercame ANTHONIE in sainctity CIPRIAN in eloquence and AVSTIN in science c. And saint ISIDORE writeth that not anie doctour of his time nor of the auncients nether was comparable to him And as it is in the 8. Councell of Toledo that saint GREGORIE
THE FLOWERS OF THE LIVES OF OVR ENGLISH SAINCTS Lady of Paradise I bring these flow'rs Pluckt from this litle Paradise of ours Thy prayers and thy blessiÌ„ng made them grow To thee then next to God we doe them owe. THE FLOWERS OF THE LIVES OF THE MOST RENOWNED SAINCTS OF THE THREE KINGDOMS ENGLAND SCOTLAND AND IRELAND Written and collected out of the best authours and manuscripts of our nation and distributed according to their feasts in the Calendar BY THE R. FATHER HIEROME PORTER Priest and monke of the holy order of Sainct Benedict of the Congregation of England THE FIRST TOME Printed at DOWAY with licence and approbation of the Ordinary M. DC XXXII TO THE READER IT may pleasethee good reader before thou takest in hand to peruse this booke to looke ouer the contents of the Preface both for thy owne satisfaction and mine Farewell TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS LORD VVINDESOR RIGHT NOBLE AND RIGHT VERTVOVS FOR these two titles due vnto your HONOVR one from your Ancestours the other from your owne worth and endeauours blessed by grace from heauen these glorious Saincts of our natioÌ„ doe willingly present their liues vnto your eyes to suruey them and their prayers for your soule to profitt by them The poore Historian who making the first triall of his penne hath out of diuers auncient monuments gathered their faithfull Legends with as great diligence and true simplicitie as he could perswaded himself that then your HONOVR no man could challenge more right in the dedication of these first fruits of his labours and that the Saincts them selues would haue no other Patrone of their holy stories then You who loue to reade them to serue them to imitate them And he him self and all of his coate and familie acknowledging You their noble fauourer iudged it a plaine obligation to protest by this publick profession the high eslceme they haue of your honourable loue vnto them and the loyall endeauours they will all waies employ to pray for your HONOVR'S eternall happines and dayly encrease in prosperitie and heauenly blessings It may please your HONOVR to pardon this bouldnes and esteeme of them as yours truely deuoted and of me the vnworthiest amoÌ„gst them as oâ—e who thinketh it the greatest honour to be thought Your HONOVRS Poore seruant and Beads man Br. HIEROME PORTER THE PREFACE TO THE READER OF all the instructions and disciplines which are found to be profitable for mans vse Historie by the iudgement of prudent men is iudged not to be the last or lest Tullie the Prince of the Roman Eloquence calls it The witnes of the times the Light of truth the Life of memorie the Mistresse of life the Reporter of antiquitie Which being generally spoken as it doeth agree allso with Histories Profane soe by farre greater reason it may be applied to the Ecclesiasticall which by soe much more exceedeth in worth the other as things diuine doe excell the human But no part of Ecclesiasticall Historie is more profitable to faythfull Christians or more healthfull for their soules then that which treates of the holy liues and vertuous actions of the SAINCTS and proposeth them as paternes of perfectioÌ„ to be imitated in Gods Church Whence it is that both in the old and new Testament are mentioned the examples of holy men that well and truly serued pleased God in this lise What else doeth Jesus the sonne of Syrach in his booke intituled Ecclesiasticus from the fortith chapter to the one and fiftith but rehearse the prayses of his worthie fore fathers and propose their deeds to be imitated by posteritie Doeth not the Doctour of the Gentils S. PAVL by à long rehearsall â—â—eb 〈◊〉 of a list of Patriarches Prophets and Fathers exhort the Hebrewes to beleeue in CHRIST Allso in the beginning of the primitiue Church Pope Clement the first diuided the seauen regions or First writâ—◠〈◊〉 saincts liues parts of the cittie to seauen Notaries that each of them in his precinct might write the passions and famous deeds of the Martirs to be reserued for the knowledge of posteritie and vnto these Pope Fabian added seauen Deacons and as manie Subdeacons that the acts of the SAINCTS might be searched into and described with greater faith and diligence These manie holie Doctours and learned writers followed as S. HIEROME who with wonderfull great care and eloquence sett forth the liues of the auncient Hermites and Fathers of Egypt and that Organ of the holy Ghost our sainct GREGORIE the Great who in the fower bookes of his dialogues comprehendeth the liues of manie holy men of Italie and amongst the rest filleth one whole booke with à large historie of our holy Father S. BENEDICT The good 〈◊〉 the st 〈…〉 es of Lords doe 〈◊〉 For these and manie other holy Doctours Authours of SAINCTS Liues vnderstood well that this manner of writing was both profitable to all good Christians and the whole Church of God But one and not the lest of the causes which should moue vs to write and read the Liues of SAINCTS is the encrease of His honour and glory that made them SAINCTS by adorning and enriching them with singular guifts and graces For it is a thing most reasonable that we honour and serue them who knew soe well how to honour and serue our Lord and that we endeauour to augment their accidentall glory for the essentiall we cannot who aspired to nothing more then to amplifie and dilate the glorie of God And since that Io. 12. God him self as our Sauiour saith honoureth those that honour him by good reason men ought to honour them that God honours The royall Prophett Dauid considering the lawfulnes of this debt exhorteth vs to praise God in his Saincts Allso it is a thing iust Psal 15â— and profitable to implore the fauour and ayde of our brethren who are allreadie in possession of an assured victorie to the end that by their prayers intercessioÌ„s we may arriue at the quiet hauen where they haue landed and be made partakers of their heauenly crownes and triumphes Moreouer it is a great glorie for our Mother the Catholique Church to know the braue deeds of the illustrious children which she hath begotten It is allso a strong bucklar and bullwarke against Saincts liues a buck lar against Heretiques the infidels that impugne Her and a scourge to the heretiques fallen from her whose erroneous follies can not be better conuinced then by the pious examples of the SAINCTS for it is a farre more excellent way to teach by workes then by words and all the workes of the SAINCTS are holy and all in all contrary to the fantasticall imagination of Heretiques For what can more confound their Faith which alone they would haut sufficient for saluation then the good workes of the SAINCTS their peanance their fasting their abstinence their pilgrimages their rigid and seuere mortifications of their bodies to bring them subiect to the mind all which the
learned men that zealed the Truth and good of the Benedictine Order to make a most exquisite and strict search into the monuments and bowells of antiquitie and finding that the opinion of Baronius was but a child that could by no meanes pretend anie title or right of descent from Authours of former ages they soe learnedly solidly and manifestly made the contrarie assertion appeare to the world to witt that sainct GREGORY was indeed a monk of sainct BENEDICT that that which before lay as it were buried in antiquitie and not thought on receaued for a truth but not talked on knowne of all but commended but off a few became more conspicuous to the world more glorious to the Benedictine Order and more famously treated off throughout the whole Church soe that the new opinion of Baronius serued but as a foyle more cleerly to sett forth the veritie of sainct GREGORIES being a Benedictine Monke and to make the world take better and more particular notice that soe great an Ornament of the vniuersall Church had been brought vp in the schoole of sainct BENEDICT But that we may take away all further difficultie in this matter let great sainct GREGORIE him self tell vs what Order he professed for surely no man can say but he is a iudge without exception and one whose authoritie is able to weigh downe more then I will name of such as write against vs. In his commentarie on the bocke of Kings writing to his Monkes and Nouices he vseth in manie places the expresse words of sainct BENEDICTS Rule and applies them to expound the holy text or rather makes vse of the text it self to coÌ„firme the precepts of the Benedictine Rule and there in citing the words of the same Rule he stileth our holy Father Lâ—b 4. comm in 1. Pâ—g c. 4 sainct BENEDICT with the title of Arctissimae vitae Magister optimus summae veritatis discipulus eruditus The best Master of the most strict life and a learned Disciple of the highest veritie Whereby it is manifest that sainct GREGORIE in proposing here the Rule and masthership of sainct BENEDICT vnto his Monkes for a patterne of their life and gouernment doeth acknowledge him self and them to be children of the same sainct BENEDICT whom he calleth his and their Best Master of strict regular life For yf he and his monkes were Basilians or Equitians or of anie other Order why doeth he not rather propose vnto them their Rules and call S. BASILL and Equitius their Best Master Were it not a thing strainge and against all rule for a Superiour of Franciscans or Dominicans to propose in a speech to his subiects the obseruance of the Rule of saint IGNATIVS and call him the Best Master of their Religion and profession omitting to make anie mention of his owne Patrones sainct FRANCIS or sainct DOMINICK Surely yf sainct GREGORY had been a disciple vnto Equitius as Baronius faynes he could not haue beene soe vnmindfull of the Father of his monasticall religion as to preferre sainct BENEDICT before him with the title of the Best Master of regular discipline and to propose his Rule to be obserued by his Monkes and not once in all his workes to make the lest mention of the Rule of sainct Equitius But how could he when neuer anie such rule hath euer yet appeared vnto the world But of his Best Master sainct BENEDICT he maketh such honourable and large mention that hauing dispatched the life of saint Equitius in one short chapter of his Dialogues he filleth a whole booke with the life vertues and miracles of our glorious Father sainct BENEDICT whose Rule he confirmed preferred before all others to shew the abundance of loue which he bore vnto him whom he stileth the Best Master of his monasticall life It would be too long to sett downe here all the places of our holy Father's saint BENEDICTS Rule which this great Doctour of the Church S. GREGORIE expoundeth to his Monkes in the aboue cited CoÌ„mentarie on the booke of Kings It sufficeth for our purpose that he acknowledgeth S. BENEDICT for his Best Master and proposeth his Rule to be obserued by the Monkes of his Monasterie For what more manifest proofe can there be to shew that both he and the Monkes his subiects were all children of the Benedictine Order and that sainct AVGVTINE our Apostle and his fellow-monkes preachers were professouâ—s of the same Rule and Religion Thus much good Reader I haue thought good to insorme thee in this poynt not because the truth of the cause I defend did want anie such proofes but because there are some soe willfully blind in the opinion of Baronius that they doe yet striue against the whole streame of antiquitie and ancient Authours and seeke to maintaine his noueltie Against whom If thou chaÌ„ce to encounter anie such thou art here sufficiently instructed to be able to speake some thing for the truth in this matter And doe not thinke that in disputing this poynt against a man soe worthyly deseruing of the Church as the most illustrious Cardinall Baronius we doe it with intent to lay an aspersion of disgrace on his glorie God forbid for the defence of the truth can disgrace noe man and especially him who in sayling through soe huge an Ocean as his Annalls are could not chose but erre in some things lest the world should haue taken him for some thing aboue the common sort of mortall men To conclude we see that the greatest part of our English SAINCTS are knowne allsoe to haue been of the holy Order of S. BENEDICT as it appeares in the ensuing treatise of their liues For the Catholick religion being first planted in England by the labours of S. AVGVSTINE his fellow-Monkes who were all Benedictines that holy Order was allsoe soe happyly rooted in the whole countrey and soe manie learned and holy men were bred and brought vp in the same that the whole English Church was gouerned by the Professours thereof and replenished with great store of SAINCTS of both sexes of the Benedictine familie there being noe other Rule of regular life but S. BENEDICTS on foote in England for the space of aboue seauen hundred yeares after the coÌ„uersion of it to the Christian fayth Noe wonder then that the Benedictine Religion in England was the mother of soe manie and soe great SAINCTS Their liues and of all others I haue endeauoured to sett forth briefly with as great care as I could desiring thee for whose comfort I haue taken this paynes to weigh the faults yf anie thou chaunce to find in the ballance of good will and soe thou shalt not only encourage me to goe forward in this and a greater worke then this but allsoe oblige me to remayne thy friend desiring no other reward for my labours but thy prayers vnto these glorious SAINCTS that I may in the end be made participant of their heauenly companie In the meane time wishing thee the like happines I
perceaued his good Master earnestly requested allmighty God to giue him the grace of perseuerance Soone after the same Brother desiring to returne into the world opened the thoughts of his heart vnto his Master saying that his weaknes was not able to endure the hardnes of the order that all things therein were contrarie to his nature that he could not vndegoe their dayly paines and exercises that he was grieuously vexed and tortured with their long watching that he often fainted vnder his manuall and dayly labours that the roughnes and rudnes of his cloathes did pierce his tender skinne and that indeed his will was rather inclined to follow secular delights and worldly lusts and pleasures then to breake his back with such austeritie And I replied his Master will prepare thee daintier meates and gentler cloathing and in all things else belonging to thy profession I will be more indulgent vnto thee I will not stay sayd he allthough it were to be master of all the wealth in the house Neyther will I tast anie foode replied ALVRED vntill God all mightie bring thee back againe eyther willing or nilling The one runnes to the gate to be gone the other enters into his chamber to pray that he should not goe The holy man laments the losse of his sonne and with the deepe sighs of a sorrowfull heart bewayling his great temeritie refuseth to receaue anie consolation The fugitiue coming to the gate which to his sight A notable miracle was wide open found it eyther not to be soe indeed or else some thing else stronger then a gate to be shutt against him for hauing often times striuen with all his force to goe â—orth he fayled of his purpose and was not able to passe ouer that place where the gate was wont to stand being shutt Being strucken with admiration hereat he returned to his master before whom with great signes of repentance he humbly demaunded pardon of his follie promising to remayne constant and stedfast in his vocation euer after His Master with teares of ioy entertayned him giuing humble thankes to allmightie God for his goodnes III. S. ALYRED was second to none in those daies in all manner of learning both diuine and humane and his knowledge being ennobled with the rich ornaments of vertue and religion moued his brethren by common consent to elect him for their Abbot of Rhieuall In which dignitie as if all his former life had bin but a He is chosen Abbot of Rhieuall shadow or figure of true religion he beganne as it were to reforme and wind him self vp into a farre higher degree of austeritie and deuotion and when as now he might assume more libertie he contrarie to custom did quite abridge him self of all such things as might giue his bodie content in his diet soe sparing that his extreme abstinence made him seeme to beare the shape rather of a spiritt then of a man He encreased the number of his Monks to one hundred and fiftie and fiue hundred brethren For the space of tenne yeares before his death being cruelly vexed with the stone-collick and the gowt he made vse thereof for the better triall of his humilitie and patience in which vertues he was excellent not ceasing neuerthelesse to write spirituall bookes and homelies vppon the Ghospell to preach often vnto his brethren allwaies conforming his owne life to whatsoeuer proceeded eyther from his penne or tongue In his writings sayings doeings and all his manner of life he was a most diligent imitatour of the great father of his Order S. BERNARD Allwaies meeke humble patient and one that both in him self and with others and amongst all men was soe peaceable that it farre exceeds the force of this penne to expresse or anie heart to thinke how entierely and sincerely he did embrace purchase and nourish true peace and concorde IV. AS ONCE he sate before the fier being soe cruelly tormented with the collick that through the sharp conuulsions of his griefe he was forced to sitt double with his head bent downe betweene his knees there comes into the roome one of the brethren that long before hated him for his goodnes and now spieing this opportunitie to be aduantageous for his reuenge stole behind him sitting in that manner and with all his force thrust him violently into the fier crieing out aloud Now thou art iustly punished'for thy hypocrisie and falsehood Herevppon some of the Monks coming to the noyse gott vpp the holy Abbot out of the fier and out of a zealous anger beganne to lay violent hands vppon the authour of this mischief But the blessed Sainct forgetting his infirmitie His wonderfull patience and still mindfull of charitie strictly forbadd them from that enterprise Cease cease sayd he my deare children and doe not robb your wretched father of his garment of patience Alas I am not angrie I am not hurt I am not troubled at this my child it was that cast me into the fier and hereby he hath not vrged me my death but purged my imperfections He is my child allbeit weake and imperfect And indeed I am not sound in bodie my self but his weakenes hath cured the imperfection of my soule And here withall embracing him about the neck he gaue him the louing salutatioÌ„ of peace and as though he had endured no wrong at all he studied with all gentlenes to mitigate the furie of his heart which without cause was enraged against him V. FOWER yeares before his death he had his bodie perfectly exempted dischardged from all pleasure of enioying this life for he brought it soe leane and bare with continuall fasting watching sicknes and other voluntarie austerities that nothing but the skinne was left to couer the naked bone And in all his infirmities he would not heare of a phisitian but contemning for the loue of God all remedies of the bodie he only busied him self about that one thing which is necessarie to prouide for the health of his soule He read such bookes as would moue his heart to melt into teares of sorrow and compunction and instruct him in the way of good life and manners and amongst manie others he vsed verie much to reade S. AVGVSTINS confessions He was often wont to sitt in a hollow place made in the floore of his Oratorie piously ruminating with him self that from earth he came and into earth she should returne In a word liuing on earth his conuer sation was in heauen for often times he enioyed the viâ—ion of the blessed Angels with whom he conuersed as familiarly as with his owne brethren Manie other miracles are reported to haue bin wrought by this holy Sainct which we omitt VI. A YEARE before his death vnto his other infirmities was added the crueltie of a drie cough which finding a bodie allreadie weakened brought him to such extremitie that often times hauing sayd Masse he was compelled to lie downe on his bed for the space of an hower being neyther able to moue nor
his feete humbly desiring his prayers for the remission of his sinnes The Sainct lifting him vp encouraged him with a familiar exhortation to the conteÌ„pt He connetteth a King to good life of the world the diuine loue of heaueÌ„ with such a liuely moouing discourse that the king receaued wonderfull great cofort thereat and returning againe to his pallace reformed his bad life euer after Manie other miracles are reported to haue been wrought by the meritts of this blessed sainct which exceede our breuitie to relate our discourse hasteneth now towards his death which as it could not come vnto soe holie man in an ill season soe it could not befall him in a better time then it did For the night before his departure hauing had a reuelation of that happie hower he made it knowne vnto the rest of his brethren who with bitter teares witnessed the sorrow they conceaued for the losse of soe good a father and entreated him to appoint one to succeed him in the gouernmeÌ„t of the Monasterie whereunto he willingly consented And on the morrow hauing celebrated The mannâ—r of his death the holy Sacrifice of Masse and receaued the sacred bodie bloud of our lord standing yet at the aultar he sweetly rendred vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deare redeemer without anie apparance of sensuall paine at all After which quiet separation his bodie by the hands of his brethren was reuerently committed to a poore house of clay in the earth and his vnspotted soule freed from her terrene habitation was coÌ„ueyed into the heauenly court of allmightie God by a Sacred Conuoy of celestiall spiritts He florished about the yeare of our lord 459. and died the third day of March in the first weeke of Lent His holy reliques were translated afterwards to S. PETERS Abbey of Benedictin Monks in the cittie of Gaunt in Flanders The memorie of which translation is celebrated the first day of August His life is found written by Joannes Anglicus JOHN Capgraue and other auncient manuscripts sort downe by SVRIVS on t of which me haue gathered it VSVARD MOLANVS doe make mention of him The life of Sainct OWEN Confessor and Monk of the holy Order of S. Benedict MAR. 4. Out of venerable Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT OWEN being chief steward of the royall familie of S. ETHELDRED wife to Egfrid King of the Northumbers encreased so excellently in the feruour of vertue that forsaking that princely seruice and all the pleasures and riches he enioyed in the world he putt on poore apparell and went to the monasterie of Lesting where the holy Bishop S. CHAD then liued He brought nothing with him but an axe in his hand to shew that he came not to the monasterie He forsaketh the world to liue idlely as manie doe but to gett his liuing by the labour of his hands which afterwards by his great industrie he prooued for hauing receaued the habitt of a Benedictin monk in the same place by how much his want of learning did disfurnish him of abilitie to meditate on the misteries of the holy scriptures by soe much the more he employed and applied his whole endeauours to serue the monasterie with the labour of his hands But when the holy Bishop S. CHAD remooued his seate to Lichfield he tooke this holy monk along with him and iudged him worthie to be one of those eight whom as we haue sayd in his life he made his more familiar companion in that little retiring place of his deuotions which he built neere adioyning vnto the Church for his more priuate exercise of pietie There S. OWEN being for reuerence and respect of his deuotion numbred a mongst the other brethren when the rest were earnestly busied at their prayers and meditations he laboured abrode in making prouision of such things as were necessarie He was a man of verie great meritts and one who had left the world with a pure intention sincere desire of the eternall reward promised to such as follow the footstepps of CHRIST and his Apostles And therefore he His guift of reuelation was esteemed of allmightie God to be in all things most worthie to whom he might more peculiarly reueale his heauenly secrets being for his sinceritie most worthie to be beleeued in his relations For this cause the glorious vision of the Angelicall troupes which came from heauen with their melodious tunes to bring newes of the neere-approching death of S. CHAD was shewed vnto this holy Monke as he laboured without when the holy Bishop was at his prayers within This you may reade in the life of S. CHAD the second of March And this only testimonie of alimightie Gods particular fauour vnto this holy sainct may serue for a sufficient proofe of his great vertue and sainctitie who after the death of the holy Bishop hauing long exercised him self in the execution of his His happie death pious vocation left the world the second time to receaue an euerlasting reward in heauen for hauing renounced it at first and yielded vp his pure soule into the hands of his most deare redeemer Thus much of him we haue gathered chiefly out of S. BEDES-historie of England Trithemius in his third booke and 118. Chapter of the illustrious men of S. BENEDICTS order and Arnold Wion in his Appendix to his Martirologe doe both make worthy mention of him What day he died it is not knowne The life of Sainct PIRAN Bishop and Confessor MAR. 5. Written by Joannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue SAINCT PIRAN borne in Jreland of a noble race for the loue of God contemned the riches of the world and became an Hermite in the same countrey leading the space of manie yeares a very strict and rigid manner of life by which and his concontinuall preaching and working of manie miracles he drew diuers out of the blindnes of Idolatrie to the true fayth of CHRIST He was His vertuous life wonderfull sparing in his diet continuall in watching and prayer and from his very childhood to the hower of his death allwaies employed in reading teaching practising the workes of charitie humilitie coÌ„tinencie all other vertues Being made Priest he omitted noe dutie belonging to that dignitie feeding the hungry cloathing the naked instructing the ignorant restrayning froÌ„ vice moouing to vertue At length he departed out of Jreland came into that part of England called Cornwall where with some others in a poore little habitation he prepared himself for death the hower whereof being The manner of his death partly by a grieuious sicknes of which neuer in his life he had tasted before and partly by a diuine inspiration made knowne vnto him he caused his graue to be opened and entring him self into it yielded vp his blessed soule out of that house of clay to be carried vpp to the neuer dying ioyes of heauen in the glorie of a great light and splendour that appeared at the same
cittie vntill as soe sacred an order required all the diuine rites and ceremonies might duely and gloriously be accomplished towards him But he found meanes to be secretly He is miraculously betrayed by a pillar of fier conueyed out of towne by the helpe of certaine merchants and soe hidd him self in vncouth places for the space of three daies vntill the poeple of Rome with fasting and prayer obtayned the discouerie of that lost treasure by a bright pillar of fier sent from aboue which glittering a good part of the night in a direct line from the heaueÌ„s ouer his head reuealed their wished desire to those that sought him And at the same time there appeared to a certaine Anachorite liuing neere the cittie angels descending and ascending by the same fiery pillar vppon him Hence the Anachoret taking a sacred and happy signification of that ladder which holy Iacob saw in his sleepe cried out that there was the house of our Lord and that he shoud be the ruler of Gods house which is the Church yea the temple of God sayd he lies hidden there At length the elect and beloued seruant of God was found apprehended and brought to the Church of Blessed PETER the Apostle where he was consecrated in the Office of Episcopall autoritie and made Pope of Rome IX AT THIS time being reprehended by Iohn Bishop of Rauenna that he soe fitt a man by concealing him self would seeke to His writings auoyd that Pastoral charge he tooke this occasion to write that excellent booke called the Pastoral care wherein he made it manifestly appeare what manner of men ought to be chosen for the gouernment of the Church how the rulers them selues should gouerne their owne liues with what discretion they were to instruct their subiects of all kinds and with how great consideration they were bound dayly to reflect vppon their owne frailtie He writt allsoe the fower bookes of Dialogues at the request of Peter his Decon in which for an example to posteritie he collected the vertues of the Saincts of Italie which he eyther knew or could heare to be the most famous and as in the bookes of his homelies and expositions he taught what vertues are to be practised soe in his writings of the Saincts and their miracles he would demonstrate how great the excellencie of the same vertues is Allsoe in twentie and two homelies he expounded the first and last part of the Prophet Ezechiel which seemed to containe greatest obscuritie declared how great light lay hid therein Moreouer he writt vppon the Prouerbs and the Canticles of the Prophets of the bookes of Kings of the bookes of Moyses and manie others with verie manie Epistles which for breuities sake I omitt to cite in particular And that which most of all I wonder at is that he could compile soe manie and soe great volumes when allmost all the time of his His manie afflictions with sicknes youth that I may vse his owne phrase he was tormented with such cruell gripings and paines of his entrailles that euerie hower and moment the vertue and strength of his stomake being ouerthrowne the fainted He gasped allsoe with the paines of feauers which albeit they were but slack yet were they continuall and oftentimes he was vehemently tormented with the goute X. BVT IN the meane time while he carefully considered that as the scripture witnesseth euery child that is receaued in scourged by how much the more he was more rudely depressed with present euills soe much the surer he presumed of his eternall reward Moreouer he was tired with a continuall care in ordayned a watch His great care of the Church ouer the cittie to garde it from enemies Allsoe he bore a mind full of feare dayly by reason of the dangers he often heard his ghostly children and subiects were in But being besett on all sides with such and soe manie encumbrances yet he was neuer idle or at rest but ether did somwhat for the encrease and furtherance of his subiects and spirituall children or writt something worthy the Church or els laboured by the grace of diuine contemplation to make him self familiar with the secrets of heauen In summe when very manie allmost out of all parts of Italie fearing the sword of the Longobards flocked on all sides to the Cittie of Rome he His great pietie and charitie most diligently cared for them all and feeding their soules with his diuine sermons he prouided them allsoe with sufficient succour and nourishment for the bodie For his soule was soe coÌ„quered with the loue of pittie that he did not only giue comfort and succour to those that were present with him but to such as liued farre off he would likewise impart the pious workes of his bountie in soe much that he sent helpes to some seruants of God that liued in the Mount Sinai For indeed other Bishops bent their endeauours chiefly in building and adorning Churches with gould and siluer but this allbeit he was not wanting herein yet did he in a manner omitt those good works that he might wholly entirely applie him self to the gayning of soules and what soeuer money he could gett he was carefull to distribute and giue it to the poore that his righteousnes Psal 3. v. 8 Job 29. 13. might remayne euer and his authoritie be exalted in glory Soe that he might truely say that of holy Iob The Benediction of one in distresse came vpon me and I comsorted the heart of the widdowe I am cloathed with iustice and I haue cloathed my self with my owne iudgement as with a garment a diadem J was an eye to the blind and a foote to the lame J was a father of the poore most diligently J searched out a cause which J knew not And a little after See yf I haue eaten my morsell of bread alone and the orphan hath not Ibid. c. 31. 18. eaten of it bâ—cause from my infancie pittie grew togeather with me and came with me out of my mothers wombe XI ON AND not the lest of his workes of pietie and zeale was the deliuering of the English Nation by his preachers thither sent out of the seruitude of the auncient enemie to be made participant of the euerlasting freedom For whosoeuer faythfully adhereth vnto our Lord shall of his bountifull reward haue aduancemeÌ„t dayly to higher matters Therefore while this holy man laboured with ardent desire to gather togeather by parcels an haruest of faythfull soules our pious Lord gaue him the great grace to conuert the whole nation of the English Of which coÌ„uersion performed without question by the speciall prouidence of allmightie God this was the occasion As vpoÌ„ a time some marchants came to Rome with diuers kinds of marchandise to be sould and that manie poeple flocked to the Market place some to buy others to see it happened that GREGORY before he He findeth English-men to be fould in Rome was adorned with the Papall
encreased dayly with his age carrying him self with great humilitie and submission towards all And whatsoeuer honour dutie or curtesie was shewed vnto him He taketh the minor orders he wholly ascribed to the grace of the doers and not to anie merits or deserts of his being most readie to serue others and most vnwilling to accept others seruice towards him self In the meane time he is persuaded by his friends to range him self into the seruice of the Church and take vppon him the Lesser Orders Which willingly he did thereby to be able more freely to frequent the Church to light the candles to serue the Priest at Masse to reade and sing in the office and doe other inferior duties belonging to the diuine seruice All which with great deuotion he performed allwaies despising the vaine pleasures of the world He escheweth worldly vanities auoyding the toying sports of yong men delighting in the discourses of his elders carefully nourishing the poore and most diligently busying him self in the workes of pietie and vertue And when at anie time he was inuited by his fellowes in yeares to recreate with them in worldly vanities he was wont to excuse him self with his employment about such and such Church-affaires and that he must necessaryly looke before hand ouer these and these Anthimes and Lessons that were to be sung or sayd in the diuine seruice Thus this yong seruant of God did both keepe him self pure from the contagion of the world and by propounding a reasonable excuse gaue scandall to none nor suggested anie cause His pious exercises wherein they might offend God His only chiefe studie and labour was in prayer meditation in reading holy bookes to adhere allwaies to Allmightie God to carrie him euer in his mind reloycing to find out anie thing that was pleasing to his diuine goodnes Whence it came to passe that he obtayned the grace both to search out diuine things and trusting in the dayly consideration of God auoyded all spott of sinne Soe that being become neere and familiar with God he became allsoe most deare and acceptable to all that liued deuoutly in God IV IN the meane time hearing the fame of the venerable Athelme He goeth to the Archbishop of Canturbury Archbishop of Canturbury who was vncle and seeing the manie allurements of the world to be dangerous blocks in a yongmans way that was desirous to walke in the hard pathes of vertue hauing obtayned the good leaue of his parents he went to Canturbury and setled him self vnder the conduct of that vertuous Prelate Athelme percauing the rich mine of vertues that lay hid in the mind of his godly Nephew recommended him to King He liâ—eth piously in the kings court Ethelstane to be by his royall authoritie and fauour protected froÌ„ the aduersities of the world and aduanced in the pious way of vertue The king receiued him very curteously and held him in greater esteeme then manie of his courtiers desired for Enuie is the ordinarie fruit that growes at Court. Then DVNSTAN allbeit he were conuersant in the pallace of a terrene King yet did he nothing swerue from his exercise and resolution of true religion and vertue but by how much he preceaued him self to walke more dangerously amongst the occasions of vice by soe much he endeauoured more strongly and carefully to keepe him self vp from falling And knowing idlenes to be sworne enemie to the soule he applied him His practicall exercises self to diuers honest practicall labours the exercise where of might keepe him doing and the diuersitie auoyde teadious loathing For in the art of writing painting engrauing in wood or bone and working in gould siluer or iron he soe excelled that he was an admiration to manie Moreouer by his skill on musicall instruments he wonne not only him self but the minds of manie others from the turbulent affayres of the world to the meditaâ—ion of the heauenly harmony And for these faculties he was frequented of manie vnto whom his charitie was such that he would denie nothing that was demaunded But labouring once in these mechanicque arts for a deuout Matrone that had sett him on worke Note a strange thing his violl that hung by him on the wall of its owne accord without anie mans helpe distinctly sounded this Anthime GandeÌ„t in Câ—lis anime sanctorum qui Christi vestigia sunt secuti quia pro eius amore sanguinem sâ—â—m fuderant ideo cum Christo gandent in eternum Whereat all the companie being much astonished turned their eyes from behoulding him working to looke on that strange accident Amongst whom only DVNSTAN vnderstood the sound of those words and what they intended which was that yf he desired to liue for euer with CHRIST he ought not feare when necessitie vrged to shed his bloud for his sake and that his soule should not attaine to the ioies of heauen vnlesse he followed the footstepps of CHRIST our Sauiour Therefore he tooke this as a sensible lesson sent from God to teach him what he was to doe hereafter V. NOT long after manie of the Court that hitherunto had borne a kind of fayned frieÌ„dship towards him began now greatly He suffers in the enuie of detractors to enuie at his progresse and rising in goodnes vsing manie crooked back biting meanes to diffame his vertues with the black markes of Hipocrisie And the better to authorise their calumnie they brought in this that happened in the violl affirming it to haue been done by art magick What more this wicked rumour encreased dayly till the King and others of the Nobilitie taking hould thereof DVNSTAN grew odious in their sight Therefore he resolued to leaue the Court and goe to Elphegus surnamed the Bald then Bishop of Winchester who was his cozen Which his enemies vnderstanding they layd wayte for him in the way and hauing throwne him off his horse beate him and draged him in the durt The dogges defend him in most miserable manner meaning to haue slaine him had not a companie of mastiue-dogges that came vnlookt for vppon them defended and redeemed him from their crueltie When with sorow he was ashamed to see dogges more humane then they And giuing thankes to allmightie God he sensibly againe perceaued that the tunes of his violl had giuen him a warning of future accidents The neighbours running to the noyse tooke him out of the mire and brought him to a conuenient lodging VI. HENCE he went to the foresayd Bishop of Winchester who discoursing with him of the perfection of a Monasticall life easily perswaded DVNSTAN allreadie greatly inclined to a course He taketh the habit of S. Benedict of vertue and pietie to forsake the state of mariage which he intended and wholly to dedicate him self to an Ecclesiasticall course Therefore without delay he went to the famous Benedictiâ— Abbey of Glastenbury where he bid adiew to the world and putt on the holy habit of sainct BENEDICT And
the assistance of the Holy Ghost He neuer went to his studies but from his prayers and seldom to his prayers but from his studies For whatsoeuer time he had that was free from his dayly exercise of monasticall discipline and from the continuall care of watching singing and praying night and day in the Church he was wont wholly and most diligently to spend in the studie of good learning Whence it came to passe that with this diligence of a greedie witt he searched and pierced into the secrets of allmost all sciences For beginning His skiâ— in the liberall sciences from the first rudiments of learning he was most readie in the Greek and Latine tongues most elegant in Poetrie and Rhetorick most subtile in Logick and Metaphisick admirable in Astronomie and the Mathematicks most exact in Arithmetick and Church-accompts most conuersant in history and most excellent in all the liberall sciences Philosophie and Deuinitie In a word he exactly learned soundly vnderstood firmely retayned and cleerly taught all good arts and knowleges that I may boldly say that not only England but the whole Christian world in that age could find but few to him comparable and not one that went beyond him in learning This manie learned Historiographers doe testifie this his owne deeds and the bookes which he writt soe full of all good learning doe manifestly auouch III. To the age of thirtie yeares he liued vnder the tutorship and obedience of his masters the two forenamed Lights of Canturbury S. THEODORE and saint ADRIAN and S. IOHN surnamed of Beuerley bishop of Yorke all three bright ornaments of the Benedictine Order therefore the fitter vnder whom S. BEDE a Benedictine might suck the sweet milke of Religion and learning Afterwards being by the commaund of his Superiours made Priest he applied him self to teach and write And first at the intreatie of Acca Bishop and the desire of the Brethren of his Monastery he began to make commentaries vppon all the holy Scripture But let vs heare his owne most modest testimonie of him self and how sweetly the holy Ghost speakes in him let vs experience how finely his words come from him In the end of his Historie of England before the catalogue which he made of his owne workes he hath this ensuing epilogue which because it containes an abridgement of his whole life we doe more willingly sett downe Thus much sayth he I Bede the seruant of God and Priest of the S. Pedes testimony of â—â—mselâ— Monasterie of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul which is at Weremouth and Iarrow haue by the helpe of our Lord gathered of the Ecclesiasticall historic of the Britans and chiefely of the English nation according as I could learne it ether out of the writings of the Auncients or by the tradition of our Auncestors or out of mine owne knowledge Who being borne in the territorie of the same Monastery when J was seauen yeares old by the care of my friends and Kinsfolkes J was giuen to be brought vp to the most reuerend Abbot Bennet and afterwards to Ceolfrid and from that time spenaing my whole age in the same Monastery I applied all my endeauours to the studie of Scripture and betweene the obseruance of regular discipline and the dayly care of singing in the Church I was allwaies delighted ether in learning or teaching or writing But in the nineteenth yeare of my age I tooke deacons hip and the degree of Priesthood at the thirtith both by the ministerie of the most reuerend Bishop Iohn and the commaund of Ceolfrid Deacon at 〈…〉 teen Priest at thirue Abbot From which time of Priesthood receaued to the nine and fiftith yeare of my age I haue been carefull to make these brief annotations vppon the holy Scripture for the necessitie of me and my brethren out of the workes of the Venerable Fathers or to adde somewhat ouer and aboue to the forme of their sense and interpretation And hauing here sett downe the number of thirtie six volumes which he had written in seauentie eight bookes he addes these words And I beseech thee O good Iesus that on whoÌ„ thou hast mercifully bestowed to conceiue the words of thy wisedom and knowledge to him thou wouldest out of thy bountie allsoe graunt to come at length to the fountaine of all wisedom and for euer to appeare before thy face who liuest and raignest God world without end Amen Hereunto he addes an Epilogue to the Reader which worthyly setts forth his rare vertue of humilitie in these words I humbly entreate all of our nation to See his great humilitie whom the reading or hearing of this historie may arriue that they would often remember to make intercession to the supreme clemencie for my infirmities both of boâ—ie and soule c. Here our witt fayles vs and words are wanting not knowing whether to prayse first the great number of his bookes or the sweet modestie of his speeches that doubâ—lesse allmightie God had infused him with a large draught of his diuine wisedom to make him able to enrich the world with soe manie volumes in soe short a time a midst the continuall exercise of the monasticall rule and discipline of the monasterie IV. BVT now the fame of his learning was soe renowned and memorable that manie flocked vnto him as vnto an Oracle to learne Manie flock to his schoole the liberall sciences and to be instructed in the more difficult places of holy Scripture in soe much that the monasterie of Weremouth became an vniuersitie of learned Benedictine Monkes where all arts and sciences diuine and humane were taught And all by the meanes of saint BEDE in whom lay hid soe great a treasure of learning witt and wisedom that each one might take as much as he was able to comprehend and he remayne nothing poorer Others that could not in person consulted him by letters desiring the exposition of such hard questions of the Scripture as their owne vnderstanding could not reach to Nay soe famous and renowned was the The fame of his learning name of this holy Doctour that the Ocean was to weake a bound to contayne it it was blowne to the head of the world Rome whose loftie magnificence wanted the Counsell of our BEDE for the discussion of the more difficult points of religion But that he went euer to Rome I dare not auouch it is more probable that he did not but sure we are that he was sent for by Pope Sergius as this Epistle doeth testifie Sergius Bishop seruant of the seruants of God to the religious Abbot Pope Sergius his Epistle Ceolfrid health and Apostolicall benediction With what words or meanes can we prayse the clemencie and vnspeakable prouidencie of our God and giue him worthy thankes for his immense benefitts bestowed who bringeth vs that were seated in the darknes and shades of death to the diuine light of knowledge And a litle after Therefore because of some questions of
Ecclesiasticall causes risen which can no longer be left without examination we haue need of learned men to conserre with we exhort the godly and He is sent for to Rome beloued goodnes of thy pietie that as it becomes a deuout maintayner of our holy mother the vniuersall Church thou fayle not to leud obedient deuotion to this our desire but without anie delay send the religious seruant of God Bede the Venerable Priest of thy monastery to the shrines of the Princes of the Apostles Peter and Paul thy louers and protectours and to the sight of my meaunes and by the grace of God and thy holy prayers thou needest not mistrust but that he will returne safely againe vnto thee after the celebration of the foresayd articles by the helpe of God are finished For we hope it will be profitable to all vnder thy charge whatsoeuer by his worth shall be made famous and imparted to the whole Church V. BVT doeth not this greatly redound to the prayse and honour of our saint BEDE that the Roman greatnes should desire his counsell in matter of learning who lay hid in a poore cowle and cloister in the farthest corner of the world Surely William De gest Reg. Ang. l. 1. c. 3. Malmesbury iudged aright when he calls him A man whom one may with more ease admire then worthyly prayse who borne in the furthest corner of the world dazeled all countreies with the lightning of his learning Nay more his writings were of soe reuerend esteeme and authoritie in the Christian world that during his life time first by the ordonance of an English Synod and afterwards the whole Catholick and Apostolick Church approouing it they were read and sung publickly in the Ecclesiasticall office a thing which after the Apostles and their immediate disciples was neuer graunted to anie of the auncient Fathers or Doctours of Gods Church And hence it was to omitt other fabulous Why he is called Venerable stories hereof that both in his life time and after his death he was qualified with the title of VENERABLE BEDE For his homelies being to be read in the Church he yet liuing and a title of the Author to be prefixed before the lessons as the manner is because they could not stile him Sainct Ante obitum nemo Supremaque funera faelix They worthyly adorned him with the name of VENERABLE eyther by reason of the singular grauitie and modestie of his cariage or else because that Pope Sergius in the aboue cited epistle qualified him with that Epithete And the same title grew soe vniuersally then in vse that to this present day he is commonly called thereby and it remaynes still prefixed to all his Homelies which are read or sung in the Church VI. SVCH then was the incomparable learning of this our famous Doctour of England Sainct BEDE who liuing in a Benedictine Six hundred Benedictine Monks in his Monastery Abbey in which were at that time aboue six hundred monkes he not only excelled them all and became a Master to them all but an amazement to the whole Christian world besides But what was BEDE soe eagerly bent to the studies of learning during the time of his life that he neglected the studie of vertue and pietie It can not be sayd For as an auncient authour doeth testifie aâ— his very first entrance into the lists of the sciences togeather with his yeares the grace of spirituall guifts encreased in his soule that with the spirit of wisedom vnderstanding he might receaue allsoe the spirit of the feare of our Lord where with chastising his bodie and bringing it into obedience to his mind he learned to Malmesb de reg lib. 1. cap. 3. possesse the vessell of the flesh in sanctification and honour Furthermore all doubt of the holines of his life is banished from humane thoughts by this irrefragable sentence which the Maiestie of diuine wisedom left to the world In animam maleuolam non introibit sapientia nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis Wisedom will not enter into a malitious soule nor dwell in a bodie subiect to sinne Which is not spoken of worldly wisedom that entreth indifferently into the harts of all men and in which oftentimes wicked persons and those that to the last gaspe set noe limits to their wickednes are found to excell according to that of our Sauiour The children of this world are wiser then the children of light But that the Wiseman calls wisedom which auoydes the faynednes of good discipline and which separateth it self from thoughts that are without the true vnderstanding of well-liuing and well-saying Whence it is that Quintilian rightly defined a true Oratour when he sayd Orator est vir bonus dicendi peritus An Oratour is a good man skillfull in speaking Therefore this our Ecclesiasticall Oratour saint BEDE did first purifie his owne conscience that soe he might worthyly attayne to a diuine knowlege to discouer the vnderstanding of the misteries of holy scripture For how could that man be subiect to vice who tasted the most inward marrow of those diuine writings and employed all the thoughts powers of his soule in the continuall explication thereof This his owne words doe proue when he sayth that his expositions Lib. 3. sup Sam yf they brought noe other profitt to the readers at lest they were anayleable to him in this that whilst he applied his whole studie thereunto he sett aside and auoyded the lightnes of the world and all vaine cogitations Therefore this holy man being free from all vice displayed the vayle of the hidden misteries and with a modest and deuout eloquence layd open to the world those diuine secrets which he had learned VII HIS custom was to be by his reading greatly enkindled to Trithem de vir illust l. 3. c. 155. deuotion and compunction which he oftentimes witnessed with bitter teares that flowed from him at his booke And after his reading and studie our pious Doctour betooke him self to his prayers hauing learnt that the way to attayne the knowledge of holy Scripture lay more in the grace of God then his owne forces O man worthy to be honoured of all ages who enriched the treasure of his mind with vertue and prayer and adorned the Christian world with learning Noe man euer saw him idle soe vehemently he burned with the loue of sacred studie and deuotion He had manie famous schollers whom he not only taught by his owne studie and example the secrets of all humane and diuine learning but which is the chiefest made them excellently perfect in religion and holy life He was a man in all things most worthy of prayse and according to his title VENERABIE in learning and good manners In charitie towards God and his neighbour most excellent admirable in deuotion and glorious in chastitie of life Of a decent and comly stature graue in his gate of a high voyce an eloquent tongue and a goodly aspect or