I will make you Fishers of men at this they left their bark and netts and followed him and from that houre they kept him company and he made them his Apostles S. Iohn maketh mention of S. Andrew in the recouÌ„ting the myracle our Sauiour did on the mouÌ„t when he would seed 5000. persons that followed him and asked S. Philippe where he might buy asmuch bread as would suffice all those people and he made an answer shewing little faith S. Andrew shewed a little more faith then he sayeng there was a boy that had fiue loaues two fishes though he doubted some what sayeng it was too litle for so many The same S. Iohn saith also of S. Andrew that some Gentills desired to see IESVS CHRIST vpoÌ„ the â—ame that was of him spoake to S. Philip to being theÌ„ to see him he spoke to S. Andrew both of theÌ„ told IESVS how some desired to see him There is no other particuler thing written in the Ghospell of S. Andrew though it be very certain that he was present in those things where it is said that all the Apostles of CHRIST were there as being one of them He was present at the resurrectioÌ„ of Lazarus he was at the entrie in to IerusaleÌ„ on Palme-sonday He was at the Supper where he was made priest and Bishop communicated Then with the rest he abandoned our Lord flyeng as the others did hee sawe our Sauiour raised to life and also ascend into heauen and receaued the holy Ghost and his gifts also He preached in Scithia Europea which fell to his lotte He passed into Thracia Epyrus in all which countryes he preached did myracles and conuerted much people to the faith of CHRIST Finally he came to the city of Patras in Achaia and there he staied and made it his place of abode and residence preaching and gainyng many soules by conuerting them to the faith not only in that prouince and city but also in the countreys adiacent in a small space there was not staÌ„ding one temple of the Idolls for that they were all turned into Chappell 's or into oratoryes where the Apostle said masse as occasioÌ„ serued He ordered deacons other ministers to help him in this holy misterie Euery one loued reuerenced him for that they knew our good God had bestowed many benefits on theÌ„ by his meanes His life was an example to them all with his words he coÌ„forted euery one his deeds were very gracyous vnto them for that he healed the sick and cast out the deuills To euery one he did good and did not permitt any to do euill There came into this city as Proconsull Egeas sent by the Romaines to gouern that prouince He seing how matters went began to persecute the Christians compelling them to sacrifice vnto the Idolls S. Andrew came sayd vnto him It is good reasoÌ„ that thou who art a Iudg ouer men shouldst acknowledge thy Iudg which is in heauen and honour him for the true God as he is indeed and leaue the honouring of them who be no Gods Egeas said perhaps thou art that Andrew who did destroy the temples of the Idolls and persuade men to receaue the superstityous sect of the Christians which the Romaines haue apointed to be persecuted and to be rooted out S. Andrew replied The Romaines haue not yet vnderstood how the sonne of God is come from heauen vnto earth for the saluation of mankind who hath taught that these Idolls be deuills and deceiuers who bring men from the true seruice of God that they may depart out of this life replenished with synne and be punished in the life to come with eternall torments Egeas said these be the things your CHRIST preached to the Iewes for the which they crucified him you say true said the holy Apostle that IESVS CHRIST died on the Crosse but that was done by his owne proper will Howe by his will said Egeas Is it not knowen that one of his disciples sold and deliuered him into the hands of the Iewes who presented him before their gouernour and he caused him to be crucified All these things shew that he dyed not of his owne will S. Andrew replyed I was and am still his disciple and I auow that he died by his owne will for that he knew and said these things before viz that he should be taken crucified and rise againe the third day yea and I tell there more that my brother Peeter would haue hindered him to the end he should not haue permitted such thing to be done and was called Satan for the same in which he shewed that the hinderance of his death was vnto him displeasing And wheÌ„ he said that one of vs that were with him at the table should betray sell him his best beloued disciple called Iohn asked him who it was that should be so treacherous he answered that it was he vnto whom he gaue a soppe dipped in the platter at which word he gaue it to Iudas who was the man that sold him and had already bargeined to betray him by this you may know that my maister who knew all things might haue preuented it and if he did it not you are compelled to confesse that he dyed by his owne will Egeas said were it of his owne will were it by force I reckon not but I meruell at thee that thou wilt worshippe for God a man crucified S. Andrew said very great was the mystery of the Crosse and I will declare it vnto thee if thou wilt heare me with patience Egeas said I will hear thee patiently but after that if thou doest not harken and obay me I will make thee to feele the mistery of the Crosse vpon thy shoulders Menace not me said S. Andrew for that if I feared it I would not preach the glory therof The first man hauing incurred the punishment of death for eating the fruit of the forbidden tree it was conuenient that with the fruit of the tree of the Crosse should be cancelled the death of the world and remedy giuen to the losse of mankind And as the first man was formed of the virgen earth and the ruyne of the world was caused by him so it was fitt that CHRIST should be borne of the imaculate virgin Mary true God and true man that he should be the cause of the redemption of the world Adam stretched out his armes to gather the fruit of the forbidden tree and CHRIST stretched his out because they should be nayled to it Adam tasted the fruit and CHRIST tasted gall To conclude I tell thee that my Lord was clothed with mortall flesh and would dye vpon the Crosse that he might cloth vs with immortality and giue vs eternall life Egeas hauing giuen care to the Apostle a while said Tell these thy tales to them that will beleeue thee and beleeue thou me that if thou doest not sacrifice to our Gods I will put thee on the Crosse thou
as I haue said before who after Trithemius liued in the yeare of our Lord. 660. and adding the time this holy Saint liued after his death he died in the yeare of our Lord. 700. or there aboutes The Spanish originall saith 720. vpon a Sunday The tvvelue brethren Martyrs ON THE same day that the Church celebrateth the feast of S. Giles it also maketh a commemoration of the twelue brethren martirs The martirdome of these twelue holy men was written in heroicall verse by Alfan monke of Monte Cassin◠who liued in the yeare of our Lord. 1108. That which we can extract out of this Author and out of other martyrologes concerning the life of these holy Saints is That they were martirized in Beneuento in the time of Valerian Emperour of Rome in the yeare of our Lord. 258. The names of the holy martires were thes Donatus Faelix Acontius Honoratus Fortunatus Sabinianus Soptimius Ianuarius Faelix Secundus Vitalis Satyrus and REPOSITVS They were in bloud noble and all of them had bene well instructed in humanity diuinity They all preached the Ghospell of IESVS CHRIST and many were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST by their doctrine They were all layed in most dark prisons Then were they taken foorth and brought into the high street where they thrust their handes hard into certain pieces of wood and afterward made fier vnderneth them Then in the presence of the same Valerian they bound them vnto certain cordes and ropes which ranne in polleis and so hoised them alofe into the aire then they let them falle on a soodaine and gaue them the most cruell strappado This sufficed not but they also scourged them and then tore and rent their flesh with hookes of Iron to the execessiue paine torment of the holy martires the officers herin displaying their cruell mindes Then they put them to the fier again and set the kindled torches to their bare sides but the holy Saints endured and abode all very constantly which the tyrant seing and awearied in putting them vnto so many torments did lastly cause all of them to be beheaded and by this martirdome their mortall liues ended and their soules went to the ioyes of heauen * ⎠* The Natiuitie of our B. Ladie THE sacred scripture in the booke of Exodus recounteth that Moyses Cap 2. being borne his father and mother knewe not howe to deliuer him from death for that king Pharao had made a decree that all the male children that were borne of the Hebrewes should be put to death The resolution of his parents was this They made a baskett of Rushes and dawbed it ouer with claye wherein they put Moyses and laying him thus in the Ryuer Nylus they let him go to take his aduenture By this inuention he escaped death for the daughter of Pharao seing him caused him to be taken out and to he brought vp as if he had bene her owne sonne After this he came to be the captaine of the Hebrewes Moyses was a figure of IESVS CHRIST who for that he was to be cast into the water of this world which is full of stormes there was made a litle basket wherein he was put which signifieth the blessed virgin his mother who is a basket annoynted ouer on the outside The holie virgin is like vnto the rushes for she had no bark of Actuall sinne nor no knott of Originall sinne She remained neere vnto the torrent of waters for that she enioyed those goodes that spring from that liuelye fountaine of God in great aboundancy for that she is neere conioyned vnto his maiestie This litle basket hath the claie without which was the grace wherwith God preserued and defended her that her soule could receaue no damage neither after she was borne into the world nor in the wombe of her mother Anna. God was put in this basket being made man in her sacred and holie wombe and for that respect that she was to be his mother God bestowed graces and fauours vpon her aboundantly And that we may see for what reason the church celebrateth the feast of the natiuity of this glorious virgin before that we recount the history therof it shal be well done for vs to consider the dignity for the which shee was borne the worthy and eminent estate shee ought to haue and her great familiarity with God I SAY then that though this virgin had diuers names and titles all maiesticall and stately yet are none to be equalized to the name of the Mother of God for this cause alweis when the euangelists name her in the discourse of the ghospell they call her the mother of God Math. 1. The Euangelist S. Matthew fetching the pettigree of her most noble linage from Abraham when he cometh to name her and her spouse Ioseph forthwith he addeth of whom Iesus that is called Christ was borne When he writeth of the commyng of the three kings or sages to adore Iesus Christ Math. 2. he saith they found him with Mary his mother S. Luke also writing howe the B. Virgin went to visitte S. Elizabeth her cosin Luc. 1. saith the good old woman resaluted her with thes words Howe haue I deserued this that the mother of my Lord cometh to visite me The same S. Luke saith that when Iesus was 12. Luc. 2. yeres old and staied behind her at Ierusalem and was found after three daies his mother said vnto him Sonne why hast thou done this vnto me Ion. 3. S. Iohn speaking of the wedding in Cana of Galilee where Iesus Christ and the glorious virgin were present he repeateth twise the name of the mother of Iesus The same Euangelist writing also of the mystery of the passion saith Ioan. 19. that Iesus Christ being on the Crosse there was his mother present in such sort that in this and the other places of the ghospel the Euangelist always giue vnto her this most noble name of the mother of God The same Christ our Lord as often as he nameth himself is called the sonne of man which words meane after the opinion of many holy doctors the sonne of the virgin The holy church hath alwaies had such care of that name that in the Ephesine councell which was one and the third of the same generall counceles which was celebrated in the time of Pope Celestinus and of thempeior Theodosius where Cyril the great was present and. 200. Bishops were assembled the principall thing that was determined therin and for which thy were assembled was that it should be helden for a Catholike verity and an article of faith that the glorious virgin Mary was Cyrill in tract pecul Dam. l. 4. c. 15. de side orthod Aug. in c. 2. Ioan. D. Tho 3. p. q. 31. ar 4. and is the very true mother of God as truly and verytably as other mothers are to their true and naturall children The same was confirmed in the time of Pope Leo the first Martian themperor
which others would haue raken as a reproach th'emperour and all they that were at the table commended Th'emperour Valentinian the second being restored vnto th' empire after the death of Maximus who put him to flight did not behaue himself so for 5. Martin commyng one day to visite th'emperour who had a wife infected with the heresy of Arrius and therfore an ennemy vnto S. Martin shee requested th'emperour not to doe him any honour and he yeelded ro her desire The blesled prelate came into the roome where th'emperour was who stirred not from his seat The holy saint came neerer vnto him yet th'emperour stirred not nor made any signe of kindnes or curtesy It was surely the will of God that the seat where th'emperour sat fell a fier of it self and burned and flamed out When Valentinian felt the fier he rose in hast and stumbled hauing already burned his clothes and scorched his skinne and considering what the cause was he went toward S. Martin and did vnto him very great reuerence and before the holy saint sayd any thing graunted vnto him what soeuer he came to demaunde Another time S. Martin went to visit a holy damosell and it is good to make memory of her for the example of others to the end the may be aduised that if they shutt their gates against apparant wicked men they should not always open their dores vnto them that seme to be good There was in a litle village a damosell who hued secret and priuat whose good report was diuulged thorough the chiefest cities of Fraunce aswell for her beauty as for her verruous liuers so that their house seemed to be a monastery S. Martin being told of her was desirous to see if the report made was true and though he was estranged from the conuersation and visiting of women yet one day passing neere vnto the village he desired to see that yong woman All the people as the vse was in all places where the holy man went came out to meet him as if he had bene one of the Apostles so much they reioiced to see him The holy saint turned out of the way to go to the house of that vertuous damosell who being certified that S. Martin came to visit her and being fully resolued not to alter her determination she sent one of those women who kept her company vnto s. Martin to excuse her and to alleadg a reason why shee came not out to meet him The blessed man accepted it for very good as well done and praised exceedingly the yong woman and said that her vertue surpassed the report that went of her S. Martin being gone vnto anot her towne the damosell sent vnto him a present which the holy saint receiued with a cheareful countenáce though it be not knowne that euer he receiued any guift of any woman but that in all his life and when he receiued it he said it is not fit a priest should refuse the present sent by a damosell that was more vertuous in her life then many priests This good pastour went sometimes to visite his diocesse and at one time among others he came vnto a samll village Because it was wynter they prepared his lodging in the vestry of the Church in which place they made him abed and a fire also They holy saint went to rest yet because he was not vsed to lye but on the ground the bed was trouble some vnto him And being desirous to throw the couerlet of him by chaunce he cast it on the fire and perciued it not at last he fell on sleep and the couerlet began to burne and set fire on the roome The flame being now gotten to the toppe of the house S. Martin started vp and ran to the doore but he was so troubled that he could not open it His priests and monks were without in great care and grief for that they knew not how to help him or saue the house At last the holy saint determyned to fall to his prayer as the generall remedy in all his daungers and so he did wherby it came to passe that the fier was extinguished and he was deliuered from all daunger in a moment He was often in daungers by sondry persecuitions of the Arryans who neuer permitted him to be attepose or quiet as appeared in many Councells in which the holy saint was present wherein they outfaced menaced adn vsed reprochfull and opprobrious words of him yet the holy man preuailed and continued a constant and valyant defender of the Catholique Romane Church vnto which he was always subiect as an obedyent sonne ought This good prelat bare such a reuerence in the Church that he was neuer seene to sit therein but either did kneele or stand on his feet and being asked the cause he said know you not that God is present in this place Finally being nowe old and tired with these conflicts with the deuill and his mynisters the fiend oftentimes appearing vnto him and sometimes by threats and other whiles by craft and surrlery seeking to do him harme and the time of his death approaching which he knowing by reuelation being at Candacense a place in his dyoces he asembled his disciples together and certefied them that the hower of his death drew neere This newes putting them in great sorrowe and grief they said vnto him deare father why wilt thou leaue vs vnto whom doest thou recommend vs behold the hungry wolfs will assaile thy flocke and there wil be no meanes to repaire the losse when then shepheard is gone we knowe thou defirest to be with CHRIST and we know also that thy reward remayneth sure and certein in he auen and that it is not lessened though thou stay with vs a litle space Haue pitty on vs that shall be left alone and abandoned S. Martin heating these words was moued to pitty and compassion and shedding teares his eyes fixed also toward heauen said Lord if thy people haue yet need of me I refufe not the paine and the trauell but thy will be done Thus this glorious father was distracted bettewne loue and hope and knew not which to elect It greued him to leaue his disciples and he was not willing to stay any longer from enioying the presence of God vnto whom he remitted all O man rightly to be called valliant who was not ouercome by trauell and paine much lesse by death he feared not death and refused not to liue His feuer encreased and his disciples seing his end to approach and that he lay on the earth and ashes which was his vsuall bed requested him then to permit cherishing and comfort to be done to him And he aunswered A Christian should not dye but on haire cloth and ashes then it is more fit that I doe so who am your master and prelate and am therefore obliged and bound to giue you good example Then they requested him to turne his head a litle on the one side and not to hold it always vpright to looke
Pope and Confessor THE prophet Malachy said Cap 2. The lippes of the priests ought to keep wisedome and the lawe must be learned from their mouths for he is the Angell of the Lord God of Hosts These be the properties of a good priest And for that S. Damasus was really good this sentence fitteth and agreeth vnto him For the prophet saying that the lippes of the priests ought to keep wisedome he would inferre that they should be wise and so was S. Damasus That the lawe must be learned from his mouth this also agreeth â—ohâ—m for that he expounded many important things of the faith there being celebrated in his time diuers councels in which many things apperteinyng to the faith were determined which he approued That the priest is the Angell of our Lord agreeth most fitly vnto S. Damasus for that his life was Angelicall Chast and honest The which taken out of the â—ontificale and other graue authors is as followeth POPE Damasus was a Spayniard borne the Sonne of one Antonius It is hard to say for certein of what prouince therof he was Doctor Beuther in the history of Spaine saith he was of Taragona Maâ—yneus saith he was of Madrill and that in the Church of S. Saluator of that citty there is some letters that say so Vaseus saith he was a Portughez and borne in Guimaranes a place in the countrey called Beyond Duero and Minio three leagues from Braga There is no particuler knowledg of his life and for what cause he came to Rome and what he did there vntill he was Pope onely it is said that Liberius his Predecessor being banished from Rome he neuer abandoned him and he took such kindnes at his charity and consolation at his words that he told him he should be his successor in the chaire of S. Peter after his death And that which the good Pope Liberius said came afterward to passe Assoone as Damasus was elected Pope there fell great contention betweene those his electors and the friends of Vrsicinus the deacon They fell from words to blowes in the cathedrall Church of Licinius so that many were wounded and some slaine on both parts The which as we may well beleeue happened against the will of Damasus When th' emperor Valentinian was certified of this vprore and tumult he took order to displace Vrsicinus wherupon Damasus was coÌ„firmed peaceably in the Apostolik dignity Of this schisme of this broile mention is made by S. Ierome Ammianus Marcellinus Ruffinus Theodoretus Sozomenus the other authors of the ecclesiasticall historyes After a few dayes the faction of Vrsicinus seing they could not preuaile against Damasus this way suborned two lewd men that were deacons the one was called Concordius the other Callistus who accused the holy Pope of Adultery He was enforced to defend his cause publikly which moued him to call a councell of 40. Bishops to be kept at Rome who treating of his cause found him innocent and without fault and condemned his accusers cast them out of the bosome of the Church In the same Councell with consent of the fathers that were present therin it was ordeined that the punishement duâ— vnto the accused if he were not found guilty should be inflicted vpon the accuser if he failed in his proofe S. Damasus was a famous Pope and did many things in the defence of the faith in the gouernment of the Church for the which he is comended diuersly by all the writers of that time Theodoretus saith that Damasus was an admirable man and worthy of souerein praise and adorned with the splendour of many vertues S. Ierome writing vnto Pammachius among other praises of Damasus saith he was a virgin as a true Pope of the Church pure without spot S. Ambrose saith that Damasus was chosen to the papacy by the ordinance of God The fathers of the sixth Constantinopolitan CouÌ„cell call him the Adamant of the faith for his firme constancy against diuers heresyes In the time of S. Damasus was celebrated one of the foure Generall Councells of the which S. Gregory saith that he reuerenced them as the foure Ghospells and this was the first Councell of Constantinople in thâ— which were assembled 150. prelats in the time of th'emperour Theodosius and they all with one consent confessed the faith of the Nicens Councell and condemned Macedonius and other heretiks and Damasus confirmed all the decrees of that Councell In his time was celebrated another Councell at Aquilegia also This good pastor laboured not only to destroy the heretiques and heresies but also to take away the abuses which had crept into the Chuch this was one From the time of the primitiue Church there was a kind of priests who serued in the place where was fewe people as in the villages These kept company with the Bishops and were called Chorepiscopi and at that time they were thought to be conuenient and fit to be there for a principall charge of the Bishops was to prouide things necessary for the poore and to distribute among them the goods of the Church in helping the sick and needy And bycause the Bishop alone could not performe all things with his owne person he had need of some others to help him These Chorepiscopi though they had not a greater function or degree thâ—n other priests yet they began to intrude themselfs vpon pâ—ide into some things apperteining only to the office of a Bishop as to consecrat deacons subdeacons nonnes Churches Crisme wherfore it was fit to remedy and take away the abuse And so the Church by a publick decree ordeined that the Chorepiscopi should be taken away considering that our Lord IESVS had only Apostles whom the Bishops represented and disciples represented by the priests And that there was neuer any such order in the Church different from others wherfore the holy Pope Damasus in one epistle among many which he wrote saith that in the Catholik Church there neither be nor ought to be any Chorepiscopi as needfull yea rather the contrary is true and the holy Canons are expressely against them By this diligence of the holy Pope grewe in the Church of God a vniuersall peace and repose th'emperour Theodosius helping thereto who was in like maner a Spainiard borne in Italica a city not far from Ciuill This quiet repose of the Church gaue time and meanes to the good Pope Damasus to build some Churches in Rome As he builded one to the most blessed martir S. Laurence with a goodly pallace which vntill our time serueth for the Popes Chauncery and is called S Laurence in Damaso he builded another out of Rome in the way to Ardea at the Catacumbe where he consecrated Platonia which was the sepulcher of S. Peter the Apostle and there he offered many vessells of siluer and brasse Also he beautified another Church of S. LaureÌ„ce with rich guifts S. Damasus wrote some works of which are extant 5. decretall epistles and a work in
fullfilled yet Do not you remember the three kings that came from the East who plainlie reported that this king was borne and that they came to worship him and to giue him obedience If these kings so farre distant stood in awe of him much more cause haue I to feare that am so neere vnto him I appointed these kings that they should giue me notice when they found him because I would haue gone to see him and then I would haue beene freed from this danger But they I know not for what cause haue mocked me and be returned into their countries and kingdomes by another waie and haue giuen me no notice I feare I doubt I faint and consume with sorrow when I studie on the successe of this busines I haue no remedie and I know not vnto whom to resort but vnto you My will therefore is this I would haue you go vnto Bethleem Math. 2. v. 16. and into all the territorie thereof and the countrie thereabout and with your naked weapons rushe into the houses pardon the old men touch not the young men spare the women only kill all the children all of them from two yeeres old vnto a daie old My will is that you kill them all spare none of them for if one of them remaine aliue that same one shall depriue me of my kingdome Take no regard nor pittie not the teaâ—es of the mothers yea in their armes I would haue you search our mine enemies And if any woman will defend her child kill her also with him Feare not to be accused for this fact for it is by my commaund that you do it Go into the cittie like Lyons search it through diligentlie least any remaine hidden and perchance it maie be that child that the kings came to adore The captaines vnderstanding the kings mind and intention gathered all the armie recyting vnto them the same reasons that the king had alleadged before They all accorded and agreed to performe this mischeiuous act and so to Bethleem they went and he seemed the best and worthiest fellowe that trauelled thither with most speed So comming to Bethleem they began the massacre the cruell butchers slaughtering the quiet lambes All the houses were repleat with the outcries of the afflicted mothers the waies streamed with riuers of blood and the streets were filled with bodyes of the hoie Innocents Herod desired to slay IESVS CHRIST in the person of euerie one of them and so euerie of them dyed for CHRIST who being in Egipt had yet compassion on them seing they dyed for his sake Trulie Herod did vnto them herein more good then harme and more proffit then damage since they be all saued If these children had not bene put to death at that age and by such occasion it might haue come to passe that many of them might haue beene damned But IESVS CHRIST our blessed sauiour and of all mankind would not that nay of them that were borne in that prouince and at the time that he was borne should be condemned The slaughter and butcherie continewed the waies were all stayned with blood and the number of dead bodies increased but the rage and cruell furie of these barbarous ruffians was no whit diminished The most secret roomes could not defend the holie infants from the slaughter neither was the Temple where God was honored a sufficient refuge or safftie for their liues In that their Temple they assembled to make their prayers but they offred no sacrifice therein for that was to be done only in the Temple of Ierusalem They began now to make sactifices in the Temple of Bethleem not of brute beasts but of innocent children Euerie thing was stayned with blood graues and diâ—ches were filled with children and their dead bodies were lying in euerie place And if perhaps any mother did hide her sonne from the souldiers the child manifested himself seeming with his crying to call those butchers to kill him because he would not be depriued of so happie and blessed death Some mothers that were more bold thrust forward on the executioners desirous rather to receaue the blow themselues then it should light on their children but his was to no purpose for themselues were wounded and their children slaine Some other mothers held them so hard in their armes that they could not get them from them then would they cut and deuide them in the middle so that one part of the child remained in the hands of the mother and the other in hand of the souldier Some women ran to and froe with their children in their armes to get out of the place where the slaughter was and stumbling on the dead bodies killed their owne children themselues Some other turning vnto these bloodie fellowes said vnto them How is it that you become so senceles and voyd of pittie Haue none of you a mother haue you not wiues and children Do none of you know how great the loue of pareÌ„ts is toward their children How sauage and beastlie is this your cruelltie If in this cittie hath bene comÌ„mitted any offence these whoÌ„ you kill haue not done it Slaievs that deserue death the rather for that we haue liued in coÌ„panie with such men as you bee brought theÌ„ children The souldiers hearing these words were mooued vnto compassion and shed teares but remembring the commaundement of king Herod they became more fierce and enraged then before killing a fresh the children in their mothers armes S. Augustine who also wrote hereof faith in a sermon when our Lord was borne ser de sanct 1. huius fest there was heard many plaints not in heauen but in earth The Angells in heauen reioyced and the mothers which were in earth lamented God was borne a litle child and his will was that vnto him should be offred a sacrifice of children He that was to be sacrificed like a lambe on the Altar of the Crosse would haue the Innocent children sacrificed vnto him It was a lamentable spectacle to see souldiers with naked swords in their hands to kill so many litle infants and not to know the cause seing none of them could committ such an offence as might merit so vntimelie a death It was euident therefore that enuy was the only cause Theire poore mothers tore their haire stroke their breasts and made pittiful outcries their eyes running like fountaines of water The more they laboured to hyde their litle infants the sooner they were discouered they not hauing the skill to hold their peace for they had not learned to feare such butcherly ruffians The mother and the souldier strugled together the one to deliuer her sonne the other to take him awaie The mother said why will you pull froÌ„ me him that was borne of me Ah my prettie tender infant I haue not brought thee so carefully vp that thou shouldest be thus rudelie handled If any fault or offence hath bene committed I haue done it let this babe liue and kill me Others said If