morning verie earlie twelue more were serued by the Arche Bs. almoner about nine of the clocke a hundred poore men called Prebens on whome two monkes of the conuent attended The Bisshop hauing discharged his parte reposed a litle to refresh his senses bestowed all the time he could steale from his rest without great disparagement of his health in prayinge weeping and holie meditation When he was to celebrate the most dreadfull oblation then he did seeme to poure out his hart with teares and sighes and sobbes that cames as often as his words He was somewhat speedie in discharginge this office fearinge distractions yett all wayes attent recollected without vaine addinge of more then the churche appointed performing the communion with suche deuotion and teares as yf he did visibly behold the wounds of our sauiour IESVS CHRIST Not only his owne but also the hands of all his household were so free from receauing bribes that an Abbot comminge to his courte with important busines and desiring to winne his officers good will with gold and not findinge anie that would receaue it he himselfe notwithstanding receauing great satisfaction in his suite cryed oute at his departure I haue founde a court more golden then euer I could haue belieued or imagined for not onlie it walketh not after gold but also scorneth despiseth flyeth from gold Semblable to these were all his other vertues so vpright a Iudge that no might nor meanes could with-drawe him right so good a father to the poore that none departed from him without reliefe soe bountifull in giuinge almes that he twice doubled the vsuall allowance giuen to the poore by all his Predecessoures so zealous a prelate that no vice especially no schisme or errour could take roote with in his Iurisdiction so addicted to learninge that his conuersation at table vpon the way was allway of learning so prouident in giuing orders that he neuer impossed his hands vpon anie without mature and diligent examine whither he had sufficiencie enough in meanes in learninge and vertue least anie of these three being wanting priesthood should turne into scandall derision and beggerie so greate a fauourer and Patron of learned men that his moste especially be friended followers were the most especiall learned men of those dayes of English men Ioannes Salesberiensis afterward B. of Carnotum Robert Foliot afterward B. of Hereford William Glauile aftewards B. of Rochester Gerard Mayde afterwards B. of Couentrie of stranger Hughe Dantinant a Norman Archedeacon of Oxeford afterwars B. of Couentrie Herbert of Woscham afterwards Cardinall of Rome Arche B. of Beneuentum Humbert of Lumbardie afterwards Arche B. of Milan his natiue countrie and lastly Pope of Rome by name of Vrbanus tertius these were his followers of greatest name besides manie others of a lower ranke in dignitie though inferioure to none in learning and vertue Finallie his watching in meditation his teares in praying his puritie of life his modestie in speeche his vprighteousnes in his workes his trueth in his word his compassion of the poore care of the commons goode and welfare did spread his fame so wyde that it made the Kinges Maiestie hartilie to reioyce for the good election he made of so holy a prelate More ouer he was renowned in forraine countries where coÌ„ming to the Councell of â—owers in Fraunce he was so ioyfully receaued by Pope Alexander 3. all the Cardinalls and Prelates that all of them sauing the Pope and two Cardinalls who stayed to accompanie his Holines went oute of the towne to meete and well-come the Arche Bishop Hitherto he might seeme to haue had a prosperous course and nauegacion but God would haue him also tryed in aduersitie and therefore suffered a storme of persecution to be raised against him First certaine men of greate account oute of whose hands he had wrested churche-liuings which they had wrongfully vsurped began to calumniate him with his Maty alleaging that his royall fauoure emboldned the Arche B. to such attempts and wrongs which he had and did offer vnto manie yet they could not impaire the good opinion which the kinge entertained of the Arche B. Then followed his renouncing the office of Chanceloure which somewhat exasperated the Kinge next some resistance in a matter belonging to the Exchequer But lastly that which enkindled his Matys indignation was in this manner The friends of a certaine man that was slaine accused a priest for coÌ„mitting the murder he being apprehended and brought before his Bisshop so denied the facte that his aduersaries could not sufficiently conuince him by reason they re information was weake neyther he Canonically cleare himselfe He therefore remaining thus infamous and branded with suspicion his cause was referred to the Arche B who depriued him of all Ecclesiasticall benefice and shut him vp in a Monasterie commaunding that he should be perpetually recluded and made doe hard penance all dayes of his lyfe About the same time one Philip de Lidrois a Canon had contumeliously abused one of the Kings Iustices of peace the complaint being brought to the Archebishop he commaunded the Canon should be publiquely whipped for certaine yeares depriued of all Ecclesiasticall benefice and office These punishments esteemed rigorous enough could not quyet the rage of some of the laitie for laying some few mens faults vpon all the cleargie and pleading that priests and clearks presuming on their priuiledges that they were not put to death committed manie outrages offences and vilainies they made a great vproare and commotion in all the countrie The Kings Majestie as zealous of the peace and quyet of the commonwealth as the Archebishop of the Churches liberties and being informed by some of the cleargies enemies how their manifold offences daylie encreased presuming vpon their priuiledges he made an assembly of all the Bishops of the Realme and cleargie of London demaunding that all such Priestes as committed anie offence should enioy no priuiledge of the Church but deliuered ouer to the secular Iustice be punished with corporall paiue the only meanes as he said to stop the course of their wickednesse who building to much vpon their order stained shamefully debased the renoumne and glorie of their order For the higher one is seated in dignity the fouler is his crime and more exhorbitant the more scandalous his example and of greater consequence to draw meaner people into sinne and therefore such deliquentes ought to feele the smart of more heauie punishments To this demaund the holie Prelate mildly and constantly replied That sacred Canons and Generall Councels and holie Popes and glorious Kings Emperours had so ordained that cleargie men should be iudged and chastized by none but only their owne superiours and Prelates That when crimes were such as deserued death the Church did not winke at her ministers faults nor foster enormous offences with priuiledges but first degrading them from their order abandone and forsake them as none of hers and then turne them ouer
to the secular power and Magistrates to giue their wickednesse it 's due reuenge and recompence That seeing this had beene the auncient practize of the primitiue Church in her glorious dayes and now wee had no new Christ nor new Church he besought the royall clemencie of his Maiestie not to bring in this new manner of proceeding so contrarie to the statutes of all Antiquitie neither so to be lead with a zeale of Iustice as to raze the verie foundations of Iustice which could not stand firme without conseruing the bounds and limits prescribed vnto each power and authoritie But the King esteeming this so round resolute an answer to be a disloyaltie in his Bishops and open-withstanding his soueraigne authoritie did presse them further to make him a promise of keeping his ancient prerogatiues and royall customes The Archbishop with the assent of his brethren answered they would so farre forth as they were not contrarie to the priuiledges and prerogatiues of the Church soe firmely established Now amonghst those royall prerogatiues these sixe were included amonghst many others 1. That vpon no cause whatsoeuer any appeale should be made to the Sea Apostolique without hauing obtained licence of his Maiestie 2. That it should neuer be lawfull for any Bishop or Archbishoppe to depart out of the kingdome or come at the commaund of the Pope without licence of the King 3. That it should not be lawfull for any Bishop to excommunicate any person that holdeth in Capite of the King without licence of the King nor graunt any interdict against his lands nor the lands of any his officers 4. That it should not be lawfull for any Bishoppe to punish Periâ—rers nor False witnesses 5. That Cleargie men should be bound to answer haue their tryall and punishment in secular Tribunals 6. That the King and his secular Iustices and other officers should bee Iudges in matters of Tithes and other like causes Ecclesiastical These were contained amongst many other articles drawn by his Maiesties officers as auncient prerogatiues of the Crowne and notwithstanding they were so contrarie and preiudiciall to the practize of the Primitiue Church and priuiledges of great Kings Monarches yet his Maiestie thereunto moued by his officers and esteeming it a great disparagement of his Princely autoritie to be subiect to the Church and want of Iustice not to chastize the offences of cleargie-men most earnestly insisted to haue all the Bishops promise without any restriction or limitation to keep the aforesaid prerogatiues contained as he said in their temporall allegiance And not hauing obtained his desire hee was greatly incensed against the Bishops and rising in a great wroth and indignation went forth of the place wherein was the assembly and next day very earely without giuing audience to any of the cleargie out of London All the courte was in a tumult and vproare and now of the Bishops some began to shrinke and seeke by all meanes though with shipwracke of their conscience to recouer the fauour of their Prince and remaine assured of their temporall goods though with euident hazard of loosing those which are euerlasting Amonghst the Prelates some that should haue aduaunced the vnitie of the Church gaue the King counsaile to set the Prelates at variance amonghst themselues Others laboured to make the Archbishop more plyant to his Maiesties will with promises with menaces wiâ—h rehearsing benefits receaued daungers iminent to the whole cleargie the fruites of peace the bad sequeles of disunion betwixt Prince and cleargie That rigour was not fit for all times that somtimes yeelding though with some inconuenience did afterwards draw on many greater commodities that troubles and vexation now threatning the Church were matters of more weight then some liberties of the Church that his Maiestie protested his desire neuer was to preiudice the Church but only to be honoured before the Peeres of his Realme and that a bare promise and consent would giue him satisfaction Wherefore oppressed with the weight of manie Noblemen and Prelates persuasions and with the teares of many that bitterly wept the vtter ruine and distruction of the cleargie he yeelded to the will and pleasure of his Maiestie and in a Generall Parlament holden at Claringdon promised in the word of Trueth and without any restriction or limitation to keepe the aforenamed Prerogatiues and so did likewise all the other Bishops The King was not yet contented heerewith but hauing drawne a writing of those prerogatiues would for the greater euidence and strength thereof haue it signed with all the Prelates seales The Archbishop crauing some little respitte to consider of so weighty a matter tooke one coppie of the writing with himselfe and gaue one to the Archbishop of Yorke leauing the third in his Maiesties hand and so being licensed by the King departed from the Courte and went towards Winton And now being retired and alone by himselfe and reflecting vpon all his former actions duely poising the sequele of all this businesse how preiudicious it would be to all the Church of God what a breache and confusion of Ecclesiasticall libertie how great a slauerie to men that were the particular lot of IESVS CHRIST and how bad a precedent to all the world and scandall to all other Princes and Prelates sorrow griefe teares sighes and sobbes proceeding from a repentant heart did make him consume and melt away Neither was he content to doe rigorous penance in fasting and sack-cloth but he also suspended himselfe from the Altar and from the communion of the bodie and bloud of our Sauiour CHRIST vntill he was restored thereunto by the absolution and spirituall consolation of the Bishoppe of Rome The King vnderstood of the Archbishops change and alteration and all his proceedings were aggrauated and misconstered by his calumniators aduersaries His austeritie of life was superstition his zeale of Iustice nothing but crueltie the care of his Churches reuenues was attributed vnto couetuousnesse his contempt of wordly fauours was desire of vaine glorie following the will of God a proud conceite of himselfe insisting in his Auncestours steppes in defending right and a little more care thereof then some of his later slacke temporizing Predecessoures rashnesse and ouermuch wilfulnesse finally some made no scruple to say that if the Archbishops power went on in that manner the Kings Maiesties royall dignitie would quite decay and Princes should heere after reigne such and so long and with only that power and autoritie as the Archbishoppe with his cleargie would Heereupon the Archbishop was cited to appeare before his Maiestie at North-Hampton First he was iudged both by Nobleman and Prelates to haue all his moueables confiscated for not appearing personally vpon a citation of the King and yet his answer to their obiection was verie sufficient Now in the verie first entrance and beginning heere were two strange things as the Archbishop pleaded and neuer heard of before in the world An Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of England spirituall
Nicholas beholde the man elected by God they ranne all thither and liking his graue countenance tolde the people of that had passed and consecrated him Bishop euery man reioycing thereof so that he knew not how to resist them thinking it to be the will of God though it was much displesant vnto him as he declared in his oration wherein he manifested his great humility and sanctity Assoone as Nicholas saw himself a Bishop he reasoned thus to himselfe saying Nicholas this dignity requireth another manner of life Vntill this time thou hast liued vnto thyself now thou must liue for the good of other men The example of life that thou must giue vnto euerie one must be such that thou need not by talk to persuade thy people to be good This the saint said and if vntill this time he vsed in his life great mortification and austeritie he afterward much augmented the same His appatell was more course he eate but once euerie day but neuer any flesh he would haue something of holie writte read at his table he spent the greatest part of the night in praier and meditation and the small time he slept he lay on the bare grouÌ„d he arose before day and called vp his priests to sing hymnes psalmes in the praise our Lord IESVS CHRIST When the sonne arose he went vnto the Church there he heard diuine seruice the rest the day he bestowed in the affaires of his Church He was carefull that in the Churches of his Dyoces there should be curats borne in the same village or parishe and that they were also learned and vertuous in their lifes These he assembled once euerie yeare in the moneth of September and kept a Synode with them making those ordinances that were coÌ„uenient for the good profit of his flock and tooke information of the publick sinnes that befell within their charges and also of all needy persons and then for the one and for the other he prouided remedy in the best manner he could For the relief and helpe of the poore and needy he would resort vnto knowen rich frindes which he had and they gaue almes largely and bountifully for that the good father in his house was verie poore after he was Bishop he had not any thing to sell nor to lay vnto pledge the books he had were borrowed for he would not haue any thing of his owne For the necessitie of soules he had the iudges magistrats on his side who hauing notice of anie publick crime remedied the same This good prelate desired to do the will of God in euerie thing Although he was expert skilfull in the dispatch of affaires yet he trusted not to himself but tooke vnto his counsellers two meÌ„ well learned graue the one was called Paulus Rhodius and the other Theodorus Ascalonâ—a by the aduise and approbation of these two men he did all things At that time the two most cruell tyrants and enemies of the name of CHRIST Maximian and Dioclesian were emperours of Rome persecuting the Christians withall extremity either by themselues or by their Iudges This persecutioÌ„ arriued at the last at Mirrea where S. Nicholas was Bishop First they imprisoned the Christians whom the holie prelate zelouslie moued with the honour of God exhorted and animated and shewed himfelf a defender of the Christians his subiects and others vnder his charge both in publique and in priuate reprouing the tiranny and crueltie of the iudges whereupon they imprisoned him but they were not so hardy as to put him to death douting least the people would make an insurrection wherefore they onlie banished him S. Nicholas being sent into exile he found many Christians who tooke verie great consolation at his presence The holy Bishop was not idle in that place yea he serued God in the best manner he could no we comforting one then an other and exhorting them to support patientlie the persecution hold them in their necessities to his power but because God assisted him in his actions some helpe and reliefe he gaue vnto them for the which he was beloued of all them with whom he conuersed The furie of that persecution passed away and the golden age of th'emperour Constantin succeded and then S. Nicholas returned to his Church all the people reioycing for the same and because Constantin had made an edict by which he commaunded the temples of the Idolls to be throwen to the ground in Mirrea was a most goodly temple dedicated to the goddesse Diana which stood still because of the conning workmanshippe therof lest the people should raise a commocion none durst lay on hands to demolish the same S. Nicholas moued with zeale and without respect of any got together many lusty and strong yong fellowes and he as their captein guided them vnto the temple and cast it downe euen vnto the foundations Whiles they ruynated the walles the deuills were heard to howle and rore for that they were expelled out of their auncient habitation After this arose a newe trouble against the Catholike Church by the Arryans for remedy wherof a generall Councell was assembled in Nice by the commanndement of pope Syluester then Bishop of Rome and by the good dilligence of themperour Constantyn In this assembly among the 318. Bishops that were there S. Nicholas was one who by the meanes of the disputations he had with the heretiks and by the vertue of his continuall prayer wherin he desired the good of the Church was a great cause that Catholiks preuailed and obteined victory against the heretiks and that it was declared by the Councell That the sonne one of the three persons is of the same substance with the father and is God as he is for that is the state of the questyon which was disputed betwene the Catholikes and the heretiks When the Councell was ended S. Nicholas returned vnto his Church and then befell a great dearth At that time a merchaunt had laden ships with wheat in Sicilia intending to transport it into Spaine S. Nicholas appeared vnto him in his sleepe and requested him to bring it into Lycia and agreed with him for the price and in wytnes of the truth gaue him three pieces of gold in earnest The merchaunt awoke and finding the three pieces of gold in his hand determyned to go into that couÌ„trey so he did and sold the wheat according to the bargaine made with the saint and so the dearth of corne was remedyed At another time there was a great scarcity of bred in that countrey and certein shippes laden with wheat passed by trauelling toward Constantinople S. Nicholas requested the owners of the shippes to giue vnto him a 100. measures of wheat out of euery one promising them that when they came vnto the vnloding at Constantinople they should not want any thing of their measure The patrones and owners gaue credit vnto the saint and gaue the wheat vnto him wherupon two myracles ensued One was when
departed from the port of Tanais in a shippe to go vnto Myrrea to visite the sepulcher of the holy sait When they wâ—re embarked that deuill who had dwelt in the temple of Diana which S. Nicholas had demolished being wroth that he was expulsed out of his habitation laboured all that he might that the holy saints should not be honoured nor visited by the pilgrimes This cursed fiend tooke on him the shape of a woman caryeng a great vessel of oyle and comyng to the passengers said vnto them I knowe you go to visite the body of S. Nicholas I desire also to go in this voiage but now I caÌ„not conueniently I pray you therfore carry this vessell of oyle to burne in the lampes vpon his sepulcher They imagyning the deuill to be a deuout woman took at her hands the oyle and sailed with a prosperous wind one day on the second day there rose a great storme in such sort that they all feared they should be drowned and when they were out of hope they sawe a venerable old man came close to the shippe in a litle bark who said vnto them The feare and danger you abide in this storme is for your faults Throwe into the sea that vessell of oyle that the woman gaue you and you shal be delyuered for it was the deuill Assoone as the oyle was cast out into the sea in the place where the oyle fell was kindled a fâ—er which made a great noyse and a filthy stink that they might easily perceue it came from hell The auncyent old man told them he was S. Nicholas and then vanished out of their sight Memorable is the history of a child sonne vnto Ceâ—rone and Euphrosina two deuout persons vnto S. Nicholas who celebrated his feast euery year This their sonne was stolen away by the Agarens people wholy giuen to robbing and spolying who carryed him prisoner to Babylon where he was giuen vnto the king on whose table the child attended On an euening the child remembred that it was the day of S. Nicholas on which day his father and mother made great feast and then he began to weep The king demaunded of him why he wept he told him the reason The king vnderstanding the cause of his plaint said vnto him in scoffing maner If this Nicholas be so mighty bid him carry thee away out of thy captiuity The child had in his haÌ„d the kings cuppe wherin he vsed to drink and behold in an instant one took him by the hayre of his head and lifted him and he vanished quite from the sight of the king and of all the rest and within a litle time after he was found in the Church of S. Nicholas where his father celebrated the feast of the holy saint also that year with sighes and sobbes for the losse of their sonne but when they sawe him sett free they renewed their ioy and deuotion toward the holy saint The same Authors that write the life of this holy saint Nicholas write this story that ensueth An army of pagans being vandalls passing from Africa into Calabria made great spoile in the counâ—trey and carryed away a great pray and booty An Image of S. Nicholas among other things fell to the share of one of them and when he came into his countrey he asked of certein Christian slaues what that picture represented They told him that it was the picture of a holy saint called Nicholas who though he was dead did many miracles and holpe them that were deuoute vnto him This paynime was a vsurer who had taken a good some of mony out of his chests and hasty and important busines calling him suddâ—inly away he had not time to put it vp in the places apointed for the saffekeeping therof wherefore he said vnto the Image of S. Nicholas in this maner Nicholas be carefull looke well to the mony that lyeth here When the paynime was gone forth certein thiefs got into the roome and stole away the mony when the vsurer was returned and sawe his mony stollen he said vnto the Image of S. Nicholas Thou hast kept my mony well indeed Nicholas look to it and see my mony be gotten againe or I shall cast thee into the site and burne thee The thiess were gone into a secret place to part the mony they had gotten among themselfs S. Nicholas appeared vnto them and threatned to punishe them except they did restore the mony vnto the true owner againe which they fearing to be discouered and punished did euen to the value of a peny When the pagan sawe this myracle he was conuerted to the Christian faith and diuulged this wonderfull work abroad and herupon all the Christiansin Africa took great deuotion vnto this gloryous saint To this end did God permit the pagan to do such a thing which if it had bene done by another he had bene punished by God for his foole hardynes for the saints are to be intreated not with brauing words and menasses but with teares and submission knowing that for the one we may be chastised and for the other we may obteine mercy as God vseth to do by their meanes The Venetyans say that they haue the body of S. Nicholas in their city and recount a long history how it came thither if it be so they haue good reason to esteeme highly the grace and fauour of God shewed vnto them in grannting vnto them the posession of such a rich treasure It is said that the translation of S. Nicholas was in the yeare of our Lord God 1086. The life of S. Ambrose doctor of the Church SAMSON that valiant captain departing from his home vnto the countrey of his wife who dwelt among the Gentills being gone a litle out of the highe way found a dead lyon which he himself had killed a fewe dayes before and the scripture saith he found bees had made hony within him Samson approached thervnto and toke some of the hony combe and eate the hony and carryed part to his spouse This lyon signifieth S. Ambrose of whom it is said that when being a child he lay in the cradâ—ll there came aswarme of beeâ— and entred and came out of his mouth as though they would haue builded there It is said the lyon was dead for that when this happened Ambrose was not yet Baptised for he was not Baptised vntill his consistent age The hony of his mouth signifieth his doctrine which was assuredly sweet and mellifluous which IESVS CHRIST signifyed by Samson gaue vnto his spouse the holy Church appointing him one of her doctors The lyon of Samson remayned always dead but it happened not so vnto S. Ambrose for when time came he roared like a lyon in taking the defence of God and his Church not only against the Aâ—ryan heretiks her deadly enemyes but also against th'emperour Theodosius who was Catholike whom he excommunicated and cast out of the Church because he committed a cruelty would not suffer him to enter into
neuer arose because she neuer fell The other reason is the holy Catholicke Church celebrateth the feast of the Conception of the B. Virgin not with the title and name of sanctification but of Conception which was on the 8. day of December And this is not instituted for particuler Churches to celebrate but it is instituted to be kept generally in all Christendome since the breuiary of Pius 5. which is receiued by all the Church Finally I conclude that among all the feasts solemnised of the B. Virgin none is so solemnely celebrated by the faithfull as this is and that is done to shew her vertue nobilitie the more thereby and in respect of the great good which beginneth this day for vs all Let vs also consider what a great mayne we should haue had to haue wanted the glorie that we shall receiue by her company in heauen And though that the essentiall glory of the saints proceed from God yet receiue they also a very great accidentall glory from the company of the B. Virgin for though the estate of the kingdome dependeth of the King yet alwayes or for the most part particuler feasts and triumphes as iusts torneys daunces maskes and other pleasant shewes are made for the honour of the Queene and of her Ladies and damosels So also is it in heauen but in another manner it is cleare that there is accidentall glory with ioyes and triumphes continually made for the mother of God But we wretches heere in the world what should we doe without the glorious Virgin to whom should we haue recourse in our troubles and necessities Who should comfort vs who should giue vs helpe who will shew themselues so pittifull and mercifull as this glorious Virgin when we call vpon her deuoutely how great our lost and dammage should be without this gratious mother may be known by the great ioy we ought to make this day of her conception in the which she began to haue her beginning in this world Let vs then reioyce and solemnize this day confessing our selues deuout to this B. mother and her pure Conception that as many haue beene fauoured by her that haue done so some being deliuered from most dangerous perills and others hauing obtained particuler fauours So wee also being deliuered by her meanes from our offences faults may merit to obtaine euerlasting life Amen Spa Cesar Baronius saith in his martyrologe that this feast was first celebrated in England and after at Lyons and then in other countries The life of S. Melchiades Pope and Martir WE read in Leuiticus that God commaunded that salt should be put in all their sacrifices if that any offred sacrifice and did not put salt therin it was not gratefull vnto him neither did he accept in In ihis our Lord would giue vs to vnderstand that in all our works though they be good in themselfs yet must they be done with prudence for if they be done otherwise in steed of seruing him they shall offend him Almese is a good thing yet of one giue almose vnto a strager and let necessaryes in his owne house and for his children be wanting this pleaseth not God Good and holy is prayer but if one kneele on the ground to say his prayer and shall leaue vndone something vnto which he is bound this his work shall not be altogether good One cannot deny but the Communyon is a very holy thing neuertheles if one that is wycked hath a conscience clogged and burdened with mortall synne will â—et comnunicate he doth loose more thereby then he gayneth Fasting is a good thing but he thaâ— will fâ—st as do the Iewes and the moores in stâ—ed of doing the action of a Christian he shall giue a signe to be a painime And therefore we should do well to put the salt of prudence in all our works The holy pope and martir Melchiades considering this made a decree by which he commaunded that the faithfull should not fast vpon the sonday and thursday for that on one of those dayâ—s the Iewes fasted and the moores on the other and a Christian ought not only auoid to be a moore or a Iewe but also to make any shew to be such a one The not fasting the sunday remaineth in generall vse but that of Thursday is growne out of vse The Christian wâ—eÌ„ he fasteth ought to haue the intention pure not to do inwardly as the Iewes and moores do though be doth the same thing outwardly that they do The life of this holy saint was written in this maner by Damasus and other Authors Melchiades the pope was an African and succeceeded Eusebius in the papacy From the time of S. Peter vnto his popedome there had bene 20. popes which had bene martired for the faith of IESVS CHRIST There is extant an epistle of Melchiades written vnto the Bishops of Spaine in the which he sheweth himself to be a godly and lerned man In that epistle he saith that all the Apostles acknowledged S. Peter to be their superior And by cause those Bishops bad moued a question which was the greater sacrament Baptisme or CoÌ„firmation he answered sayeng that Baptisme is of greater necessity for that without it none can be saued but that confirmation was of greater dignity for that none giue it but a Bishop And then he reciteth vnto them the effects of the one and the other sacrament Moreouer he treateth of the great profit the Apostles receaued by the comming of the holy Ghost and how great the goods be Christians attaine by receauing the holy Ghost in Baptisme and then in Confirmation In the same epistle he ordeined that which is already aforesaid viz that Christians should not fast on the sunday and thursday to avoid the imitation of the Iewes and the paynims Melchiades found in Rome many heretiks of the Manichees against whoÌ„ he ordeined many things apperteinyng to the offerings and other dueties to be done in Church Some Authors say that in the time of this pope was celebrated the prouinciall councell of Neocesarea which is at this day called Trapezunda in which be ordeined some things perteyning vnto the state of the Church conformable vnto that time Lastly Melchiades hauing gouerned the Church as Damasus saith 3. yeares 7. months and 8. dayes hauing giuen holy orders one time in the month of December and ordered 6. priests 5. deacons and 11. Bishops was martyred in the tyme of the emperor Maxentius about the year of our Lord 304. Some say that Maximinus did put him to death but in my opinion they are deceiued for that Maximinus persecuted the Christians in Alexandria and Egipt and not in Rome for there Maxentius always remayned and vsed intollerable cruelty vntill the time that Constantine depriued him of his Empire and of his life also The Church celebrateth the feast of this pope on the 10. day of December and his body was buryed in the Churchyard of Callistus in the Via Appia The life of S. Damasus
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
father both of Prince an People iudged by the Peeres that were his children and Suffragans pronouncing sentence of condemnation against their Metropolitan ouer whom they had no iurisdiction He was further call'd in question about 500li. receaued of the King during the time of his Chanceloureship He acknowledged the receite but pleaded 't was a guift and yet was the money adiudged to the King and he straight wayes enforced to giue securitie for the payment thereof or in plaine tearmes commaunded to his face to remaine there as prisoner When some perceauing the Archbishop quite forsaken of his bretheren and in daunger of shipwrack offered themselues of their owne accord to enter band for the payment of the monie and so this daunger was eschewed Many other controuersies of old forgotteÌ„ Excheq matters were maliciously enforced against him by his Aduersaries only of purpose as men talked then to ouerwhelm the Bishop But Henrie Bishop of Winchester a man renowned for nobilitie of birth and a sanctlike life found a way to free him from all further troubles in this kinde by auouching That when being Archdeacon and Chanceloure he was chosen for to be Archbishop he was by the Kings authoritie freed and acquitted of all debts and obligations of Courte and Exchequer and so deliuered ouer to the Church of England Which testimonie being so euidently true none could withstand Now remained the last and the fiercest assault concerning those royall Prerogatiues The Archbishop hoping thereby to moue his Maiestie the sooner to compassion and clemencie towards the Church resolued the last day to goe to Court in his sacred roabes and bare footed with his crosse in his hand and kneeling on his knees entreate his Maiestie for peace Heerein also his aduersaries depraued his good intention and informed the King that he was come all armed to courte His Maiestie hearing the bruite of armes and not informed nor reflecting of what sort and condition they were withdrew himselfe into an inner roome there calling vnto him the Noblemen and Bishops made a grieuous complaint and narration how the Archbishop was come not as into the Courte and Pallace of a King but the house of a Traitour in so odious and despitefull a manner as neuer was heard of before in the courte of any Christian King There wanted not others that seconded amplified his Maiesties speeche alleadging that his pride had now drawne him so farre as to make him fall into open Treason and Periurie himselfe and with his manner of proceeding cast vpon the King and all his kingdome an aspersion and infamous note of Treason All the chamber rebounded with Periurie Treason and the officers of the Courte came forth and with enraged lookes pointed at the Bishoppe that was left all alone with his crosse in his handes the banner vnder which he was to fight the portraiture of him that he was to follow only some few of his Chaptaine about him and euen those were not permitted by the officers to speake vnto him Proclamations were made that none should declare himselfe of the Archbishops side vnder paine of being accounted an enemie to the state The Bishops they appealed against their Primate as one that was periured not obseruing the allegiance he had sworne to his Maiestie The Earles and Barons were now come forth to giue iudgement against him To whome all but especially to the Earle of Leister that had spoken in the behalfe of the rest the Archbishop made this answer Iudgement against me my Lord and my Sonne neither law nor reason doth permit that children should iudge and condemne their Father My ordinarie Iudge is the Bishop of Rome to him I appeale from your Iudgement And likewise I summon these my brethren to appeare and decide all matters and controuersies in his Tribunall Hauing said these words and fearing with his stay to giue them occasion of heynous sacriledge hee forthwith departed from the Courte many of his aduersaries and some others of the Courtiers following after and reuiling and calling him a haughtie proud and periured Traitoure All his traine and followers were fledde and only some cleargie men attended on him with a great number of sicke folkes and poore men that hartily reioyced and praised God who had deliuered his seruaunt from the hands of his enemies How glorious a procession quoth the Bishoppe doth accompanie oure returne from the face of tribulation Sithence they haue shared in oure affliction let them all come in that wee may all feast together in our Lord. After prayer some mention was made of the bitternesse and dreadfulnesse of that day Vnspeakeably more bitter quoth the Bishop and more dreadfull will the latter day be And I charge you all that each man demeane himselfe modestly quietly patiently and that none be so bold as to vtter any rough or distastfull words In such traunces as these a patient milde suffering is most gratefull to God and most auaileable to worke good in all men whether inferiours or superiours In the dead of the night two Noblemen of great renowne in the kingdome and his faithfull friends came vnto him and with ruefull lookes and teares in their eyes and knocking their breast protested by the dreadfull iudgement of God almightie how they certainly knew that some debauched and wicked people had conspired together with mutuall oathes bound themselues to kill him Wherefore greatly fearing least the cause of the Church which was not fully made knowen to the world should be not only endamaged but vtterly ouerthrowen with his death he resolued to depart out of the kingdome He desguised himselfe trauailed by night went strange and vncouth wayes lay secret and hidden euen in his owne Lordships hearing seruice from out of a little hoale finally apparailed in a white monkes weede and going barefooted and calling himselfe brother Christian got safely in a little boate out of the Realme and with great labour penurie affliction difficulties and daunger sometimes trauailing twelue leagues in a winters day barefooted arriued at last at Sens in Fraunce where Alexander 3 Pope driuen out of Italie by a schisme resided The King had sent before his comming thither an honorable Embassage by the Archbishop Of Yorke and 4. other Bishops the Earle of Arundell and other Noblemen to certifie the Pope and complaine against the Archbishop and obtaine that he might be sent backe into England with a â—egat which they call a latere to haue his cause decided there And although they obtained not their suite by reason of the Archbishops absence who according to law should first be heard in his appeale before any course were taken against him yet so had they alienated the affections of the Cardinals from him that verily esteeming him a rash presumptuous stiffe-necked man and one that for matters of no importance had made an vproare in the kingdome and broaken that vnitie and bond of peace which before was betweene the king and the cleargie none of them would shew him
any countenance The day next ensuing wherein the Archbishop in the presence of Pope and Cardinals was to deliuer the state of all the controuersie hauing first related the glorie wherin he liued before the exceeding great fauours which his Maiestie had shewed him the respect which all the kingdome did beare vnto him how all thinges flowed euen according to his will vntill the time of his Maiesties indignation hauing furthermore declared how easily he could yet be reconciled and winne the Prince his fauour againe and be admitted into as great grace as euer before and that without any bodies mediation in case he would swarue from his constant resolution and subscribe to that which the king demaunded Hauing also shewed how although he abounded not in witte yet he was not so destitute of common sence as to leese matters of such weight for only trifles Lastly hauing told them how that for the same cause for which he had lost all other temporall goods he would most willingly sacrifice the verie last drop of his bloud But whether quoth he rashly and vnaduisedly led by curiositie and ambition or discreetly and vertuously moued thereunto by a well grounded resolution let these serue for witnesse and euidence And with that he drew forth the originall coppie of those Articles which his Maiestie would haue established as auncient and royall Prerogatiues Which Articles being read not only the Pope but also those Cardinals who before were offended with the Archbishop did now with teares thanke almightie God for giuing him grace and constancie to withstand such pernicious constitutions so oftentimes reprooued condemned by Generall Councels and sacred Canons And all of them with one assent concluded that to helpe the Archbishop was in his person to succoure the vniuersall Church of God There Thomas would haue resigned his dignitie and drawing to that purpose his ring from his finger and offering it vp most humbly besought his holinesse to prouide a more fit and worthie Pastoure to rule his flocke It seemed not conuenient to the Pope to condescend vnto his requests nay rather he confirmed him in his dignitie to the end other Prelats should not in like cases slacken in their duetie and feare in future times to withstand Princes willes in matters that were damageable to the Catholique Church seing one that had so valiantly fought in her defence depriued of the dignitie of Archbishop And promising him to doe his best endeuoure to reconcile him vnto his king he commended him to an Abbot of a monasterie called Pontiniacum of the order called Cisterciensis which flourished with renoune of sanctitie There S. Thomas liued with an admirable peace and quietnesse of minde amidst all his troubles giuing himselfe wholely to reading to prayer and meditation chastizing his bodie with extraordinarie rigour and penance His dyet was certaine vnsauourie rootes and herbes other grosse meates which he himselfe eate though priuately bestowing all other daintyer dishes vpon the sicke the needy Next to his skinne he euermore did weare a long rough haireshirt that couered all his bodie from the necke to the knees His disciplines were vsuall and verie cruell and sometimes for a greater mortification he would standnaked in a cold ycie riuer vntill such time as he was almost frozen And accordingly to this his life did seeme a continuall death All which austerities though he did couragiously vndergoe them with a cheerefull countenance at length did cast him into such a sicknes that he was euen at the point of death But none of these things did afflict him at all in comparison of the griefe which he receaued by the banishment of his friends For the king first confiscating all the goods of the Archbishop proceeded in like manner against all his kindred and such as by familiaritie or any other title had dependance of him and afterwards neither sparing age nor sexe nor qualitie nor condition banished them from out of all his dominions compelling such as might for age to sweare they would goe vnto the Archbishoppe wheresoeuer he was and complaine of him as of the sole cause of their miserie losses ruine and destruction The calamitie of so manie innocent people banished for his sake yet without his fault did greatly grieue the good Archbishop he offered vp these troubles commended their cause to God and his friends who so bountifully prouided for the banished that in a short time none did feele any want and many found that plentie in forraine countries which they had lost for Gods sake in their owne The king moued thereunto by his officers did not desist to further molest the Archbishop For writing to the Generall chapter of the Cistercienses he threatned all their order with grieuous punishments if they kept his enemie any longer in their monasterie S. Thomas vnderstanding this lest those good religious men should suffer any damage for his sake departed from thence of his owne accord and with licence of Lewes king of Fraunce who appointed him a Princely allowance out of his owne Exchequer went to make his aboade in the cittie of Sens where hee was most ioyfully and honorably welcomed by Hughe Archbishop of that citty and all his cleargy The Kings Maiestie of England endeuoured also to cast him out of Fraunce and to that purpose did send an Embassage and write his letters complayning against Thomas sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury who like a Traitour had fled out of his cuntrey desiring King Lewes not to relieue him nor permit him to abide any longer in his countrey Thomas sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury quoth the King And who I pray you hath deposed him Certes I account my selfe as absolute a King with as full authority as the King of England yet neither may I nor can I depose the meanest priest of all my kingdome Tell your King that he will not suffer those which he calleth auncient prerogatiues to be abrogated nor any wayes impaired although as men say they be not so conformable to the law of God Much lesse reason theÌ„ haue I to ouerthrow this auncient custome hereditary to the crowne of Fraunce which euen from time out of memorie hath vsed to cherish relieue and defend all that are distressed and exiled especially for iustice Wherefore following herein my auncestoures most royall steppes and trusting to the protection of God I will not diminish one iotâ—e of this accustomed fauour to my Lord of Canterbury at the intreaty or suggestion of any person Many strange meanes were vsed also to withdraw the Popes affection from S. Thomas and winne his good will to fauoure the King against the Archbishop and with cunning dissimulation close vp the matter so that the King should admitte the Archbishop into his fauour and restore him peacebly to his Sea but with this addition sauing the dignitie of his kingdome and Thomas should promise to obserue the royall Prerogatiues without adding this clause Sauing the liberty of the Church And surely some of the Cardinals had