OVR LADIE HATH A NEW SONNE APOCALIP 3. I will write my new name on him which shall ouercome PRINTED AT DOWAIE CVM PREVILEGIO 1595. TO THE RIGHT VERtuous as Honourable Ladie the Ladie M. C. A. health and encrease of Honour RAchell a. Gen. 30.35 the wife of Israell had two sonnes Ioseph and Beniamin b. Iohn 19. Mary the spouse not of Israell that is of one which see God but of God himselfe had likewise two Sons Iesus and Iohn the Mother of the first was a figure of the last Mother and their Children not vnfitly to bee compared together Rachell signifieth a sheepe and Marie c. Iohn 1. broght a Lamb into the world a Lambe which tooke away the sinnes of the world Ioseph the first begotten of Rachell because of his dreames which signified a superiority hee should haue ouer all his bretheren grew so odious vnto them that they sought opportunitie to kill him and in the end was sold to the Egiptians for thirty pence by Iudas Iesus the first begotten of Mary because the Iewes feared hee should be King ouer them being mightie not in dreames a. Luk. 24 but in worke and worde became so much hated amongst them although he were a Iew borne one of their brethren that they thought it long vntil they crucified him but he was first sold b. Mat. 26 by a Iudas also for 30 pence yet did they no more preuaile in preuēting what they feared in him thē did Ioseph his brethren c. Gen. 44. who afterward were forced to bow vnto him for hee had as glorious a name did more worthely deserue it than did Ioseph d. Gen. 41 who was accounted and so called by the Egiptians The Sauiour of the world a. Gen. 35. Beniamin the sccond sonne of Rachell when his Mother was to be deliuered of him came with such defficulty into the world that it was thought neyther shee coulde haue liued to haue beene disburdned nor hee likelier to bee borne to breath than to bee buried in so much that beeing in the middest of her panges of death shee called his name Benoin which is as much to say as the son of my sorrow But with what great sorow our b. Mark 1. bless Lady trauailed whē she was to be deliuered of Ioh. it shall appeare in the discourse following where the danger was not onely of the life of the mother a sonne but of life it selfe which liuing as gratiously gaue euery one their life as dying redemed gloriously each one from death that had not Iohn been verie filty named before his birth his Mother might haue rightly called him Benoin and vppon greater cause then Rachell called hers His name was Iohn and so it remaineth still Iohn that is to say to whom is giuen nothing named what is giuen we are to vnderstande some excellent gift the like whereof was neither before nor since giuen to any man a. Iohn 19. God gaue himselfe to our blessed Lady and then gaue her to Iohn and by this gift of her to him him againe to her by the sonne of God is he borne a new into this world and made our Lady her sonne This birth of Saint Iohn together with his breeding I present vnto you and rather this than anie other thing of his life because it seemeth a matter touching most his honour and a dignitie much passing all his titles to bee the sonne of her who only was thought meete and was the Mother of God His conception I suppose was at his mariage in Cana of Galile Iohn 2 and a. Iohn 19 his birth at Christ his Passion vppon the mount Caluarie the best of both which places were an homely presence for any Honourable personage but since that GOD himselfe made his choice of b. Luk. 1. a Carpenters spouse to set vp the frame of his owne most blessed body right well may it beseeme one of what dignitie soeuer to bee present at the labour of a poore Carpenter Presuming therefore of your vsuall fauoring good endeuours whose outward actions as well as inward intentions neuer sauored any other I will vse no further perswations to forward a gratious acceptance of a slender trauaile in so worthy a labor and forbeare to hold you with anie longer preface TO THE READER IF that may worthelie be iudged true which is not onely discouered by common practise but also disfigured by holy Scripture that where a mans treasure doth lie Luke 12. there his heart doth liue this treatise it selfe will dispose the vertuous to a fauorable censure and a friendly construction of whatsoeuer shall eyther sound harsh in the eare or seeme hard in the History But bycause that some tooched with a superfluous deuotion do seeme to doubt and other troubled with a spirit of contradiction doe sloutlie denay that in the mariage mentioned in the Gospell a. Iohn 2 the Euangelist himselfe was the bridegroome I haue made choice of a late writer but very learned who is no lesse pregnant in giuing antiquities then curious in recording them one aduersarie so mightie as hee hauing the mate all the rest may rest mute Caesar Baronius the light of this Lib. 1. pag. 121. and life of former ages in his Eeclesiasticall Historie is of opinion that in that famous mariage in Cana of Galile Saint Iohn the Euangelist was not the bridegroome which first confirmeth with the authoritie of a. Epist ad Philan. S. Ignatius b. lib. 1. aduer Ioui S. Hierome c. tract vlt. in Ioa. S. Augustine d. in vita 5 Ioa. Abdias and e. Heres 58 Epiphanius Secondly with this reason that doubtlesse neyther Iouinian would haue forgotten that S. Iohn was maried nor the Manichees conceale that Christ called him frō mariage who vrged the example of S. Paul and Tecla eyther of them hauing by this somewhat to say for themselues the one against Virginitie the other against the Sacrament of mariage But vnder correction of so worthie an Antiquarie neither doth S. Ignatius say otherwise then that S. Iohn a. Non de dit operam nuptiis did not giue himselfe to mariage as S. Peter did which no man affirmeth nor S. Hierome then that it cannot bee prooued out of the Scriptures that any of the Apostles were maried but Peter which no man denyeth nor saint August then that others thought that saint Iohn was neuer maried which he saith cannot be proued out of the Scripture although it may be somewhat confirmed by this congruence that by him that life is signified where shal be no mariage but if we shall say Apocalip 19.21 that the Scriptures doe mention a mariage of the Lambe and how that euery blessed soule shal be espoused vnto Christ that life may much better bee perfigured in Iohn beeing maried and remaining chast then if hee were not maried As for Abdias if his authoritie be to be reckoned of
their mallice so extreame great against God that they cared not what losse they shoulde sustaine afterward of men so that thereby they might put GOD to a most cruell and a painefull death He a. Iohn 19. see him come in attired like a King but vsed like a vassall hee see him weare a crowne vpon his heade but to his paine hee see him haue a purple garment on his backe but wherein to bee laughed at b. Mat. 27. he see him haue a Scepter in his hande but for his head to beare a stroke therewith hee see him honoured with bowing of their knees but all in scoffing wise for by and by they vse him as before and that which most afflicted Iohn c. Iohn 19. no satisfaction woulde bee taken where no offence was giuen but a most shamefull death O cruell minded men saith hee is it so little yee haue done that yee will neuer cease and whereas now ye seeme by death to giue an end to all his paine it is too much against your wills your intention was murder and yee thinke it no murder vnlesse yee doo some act which of it selfe is murder He liueth yet but as one dying and because he could sustaine no more and liue vnmercifull pitty moued you to end his tormentes by a more cruell torture Die ye saw he would and die yee shall yee all conclude but with more paine if too much paine before did not preuent all future paine Ye scorne that which all the Court of heauen doth reuerence yee take disdalne where Angells take delight a. Mark 14. yee hide that face which all the heauenly spirits desire to see b. Mat. 27. ye strike that head where is the Fountaine of all wisedome c. Iohn 19. yee bruse those cheekes which neuer any worthely did kisse d. Math. 27 yee defile that sauour which is the beauty both of heauen and earth yee gaue him a reede in his hand whom all your stormie blastes could neuer moue yee crowne him with thornes vvho crowneth all vvith glorie yee cloath him in mockery and strippe your selues of all humanitie ye binde him straight with cordes who giueth to all their liberty not discerning a king from a vassall a sonne from a seruant a freeman from a slaue God himselfe from a pure and impure creature and which I tremble to thinke on yee call for his blood vpon you and on your Children Math. 27. Yee haue had already more than ye can wel avouch the shedding thereof and yet yee are not satisfied Could euer any Tyger be more fierce or Lyon greedier of his pray O men no men but farre exceeding what euill could euer be deuised But beare with them a little O Iohn they vnderstand perchance with what crueltie they haue erred they weigh the debt into which they haue wilfullie runne by their wickednes they feare the slauerye to which by their follie they haue made themselues subiect and knowing that their error cannot otherwise bee discerned their debt no way else discharged their libertie and their Childrens by no other meanes procured but by the lightning of his most precious blood vpon them and theirs they call and cry out Math. 27. His blood be on vs and on our children Expect a while if peraduenture vpon the taking of so precious a receit they will all cry out In very deede this man was iust and returne knocking their brests sorrowing for their offence committed against him and make him some satisfaction for what they haue done before vnto him Heard they not the high Priest say Iohn 11. It is expedient that one should die that all the people perish not and nowe they perceiue there is no other way but death they wish they may bee washed with his blood and thereby reconciled againe vnto him and be saued and for this cause they all cry out His blood bee on vs and on our children A grieuous leprosie hath ouergrowne their soules that they can no longer bee accepted for Citizens of Heauen The water of Iordan cannot purge it and although they haue often striken the Rocke yeeldeth he no water to cleanse it vntill his side bee pierced and therefore are they forced and constrained to vse a bath of Innocents blood which forceth them to cry out His blood bee on vs and on our children Iohn 6. They haue heard him also say himselfe that there is no way but death for such as eate not of his fleshe and drinke not of his blood and although at that time hauing a most carnall and brutish conceit they abhorred so vnusuall a feeding yet beeing now brought to this exigent that they know in crueltie they haue exceeded the nature of men and thinke the sore cannot bee salued but by his precious blood albeit such potions seeme vnto them contrary to the same nature they wil apply their sences vnto them and master their former conceits and therefore all cry out His blood bee on vs and on our Children Remembrest thou not a. Mat. 11 how that many blinde receaued their sight by his laying his hands vpon them Luke 7. call to minde howe for a most great debt Mary Magdalen her bond was cancelled when she only touched his holie feet Forgettest thou how many by his word onely hee set at libertie Math. 8. which were possessed by diuells and blamest thou them whose blindnes is so grieuous that it can not otherwise bee cured whose debt is so great that it cannot otherwise bee discharged whose thraldome is so villanous that they cannot otherwise bee freed if with vehemency they call and cry out His blood be vppon vs on our Children But alas these surmises doe rather increase griefe then ease it what is it to me saith Iohn if they remaine still blinde What concerneth it mee if their debts bee not paide What toucheth it me if they still continue in bondage What profits it mee that all the world doe the better if I fare the worse Cannot their eyes be opened vnles mine bee put out Cannot their debts be paide vnlesse I bee impouerished Cannot they be at libertie vnles I liue in miserie Cannot the sunne shine clearelie to them vnles it bee eclipsed to me Cannot they bee enriched vnles I be robbed Cannot they ioy in freedome vnles I grieue in thraldome or is there no other waye to worke this their weale my woe but by procuring hys bloud vpon thē on their Childrē If one offence pardoned by the committing of an other is an euill enterprise remitted by a cruell prosecuting of the same is it a satisfaction for the shedding of blood to cry for more No no murder it is which they intend and for naught els then to glut themselues therewith they all cry out Mat. 27. His blood be on vs and on our Children The Iewes sometime the glory of the world are now become opprobrious to all people that whereas heretofore all such as vsed crueltie
the third day arise Peter tooke thee vnto him and rebuking thee said Lord be it far from thee this shall not be vnto thee wherefore he deserued to heare go after me Sathan thou art a scandall vnto me because thou sauourest not the thinges which are of God but the things which are of mē Iohn remembring these words thought hee could not without offending thee either wishe or worke thy safetie and therefore chose to leese thee rather than thy fauour and to breath without his life then bereaue himselfe of thy loue He knew right wel more than twelue Legions of Angels ready at thy call Math. 26. both where and when thou wouldest haue vsed them it booted not to striue against the streame he was too weake it was in vaine to offer himself to death his time was not yet come although that present death had bin but one for all and now escaping this he dyed many deaths by liuing one loathsome life Had his heart beene as hard as stone it had been riuen in a thousand peeces but beeing soft it did relent at euery stroake that still he seemed dying and yet hee liued still suffering the more because hee could and died not rather as hee desired for nothing coulde haue bin a greater ease to him thā that which should haue beene an end of all his griefe And whilst he waded more more into a sea of sorrow he see a heauie Crosse laide on his Masters shoulders Iohn 19. and the souldiers some drawing some driuing him vnto the Mount Caluarie to bee crucified among the theeues Here might ye see infinite multitudes of people flocking to this spectacle the like whereof could neuer be seene againe Among the rest he espied the blessed Virgin but sorrowfull Mother whome after he had saluted in as dutifull maner as he might what sighes what sorrows what complaints were made by one to the other the mother for her only dearely beloued sonne the Disciple for his intirely louing Master both of them for their only comfort their harts ioy their souls delight Neyther of them were able to containe themselues from teares especially our blessed Lady who had a warrant from her sonne to ease her hart somewhat that way when hee bad the women which followed him to weepe vppon themselues and on their children Luke 23. They passe on together with now and then halfe a worde sorrow deuiding it a sunder but being both of one minde and grieuing for the selfe same losse the signes they made were easily vnderstood How often did they wish that heauy crosse vppon some other shoulders and then contrould themselues they see him faint and woulde most faine hee shoulde haue had some ease they knewe againe that by that meanes hee shoulde bee sooner gone and therefore knewe not what to wish yet at the length seeing no hope of life and waying the crueltie of the Iewes they reioysed not a little to see an other take the crosse Mat. 27. wishing earnestly their paines might haue procured that rest And nowe that this grieuous labour groweth to an ende and much sorrow beginneth euen in thinges insensible howe much more was our blessed Ladie afflicted seeing her sonne so cruellie handled and with sorrowfull sighes began to bewaile her selfe somtime to him other times to S. Iohn sometimes to the Iewes who seeing her excessiue griefe coulde not but take compassion vpon her Who will giue water vnto my head saith she and a Fountaine of teares vnto mine eyes to bewaile both day night the murther not of any other then mine owne and onlie sonne My daies of ioy are turned into griefe and my song notes into sighes of sorrow Bewaile me ye hils and mountaines lament me yee flouds and Fountaines since that of a Mother of peace ioy I am become the Daughter of teares and sorrow Mourne yee beasts of the earth weepe yee foules of the ayre euery thing which liueth grieue since that life it selfe by whom ye all haue life leaueth to liue any longer among you O who of you all once his chosen people now his chiefest enemies can accuse him of the least sin that ye cause him to die with great shame his pittifull cries do so pierce the heauens as they are ashamed of this your cruell fact and seeke to couer it with a wofull darkenes and ye alone of all creatures are so hard harted as ye discouer nothing to be in you but a wilfull deafenes Had not hee himselfe come vnto you and done those thinges which neuer any did and done them to testefie that hee was Gods sonne yee might haue had some excuse for this sinne but hauing done so many good deedes among you as yee all haue iust cause to loue him for which of them all doo you kill him a. Iohn 18 it is not lawfull for you yee say to kill any man and is it lawfull for you to put Gods sonne and mine to death yee gaue not the sentence of death against him but why then were all other iudgments vtterly condemned by you did yee not bewray howe much yee desired that he shuld die this death when as vpon euery light motiō or opportunity offered to speake no other eccho rebounded in all the Pallace a. Mat. 27 then Let him be crucified without any remorce either for his daylie good desertes or the Iudge his own decree Too cruell were yee all but much more friendly cruell was Pilate than were ye because he vsed that cruelty to procure his liberty hoping that after this my son had abiddē al maner of abuses euen vntil the souldiers were tired with euill vsing him his affliction wold haue mooued ye to some compassion therefore he brought forth vnto you so lamētable a spectacle Iohn 19. as no hart but yours would not but melt with griefe to behold him yee continued still your former notes crying out vntill yee were hoarse with crying crucifie him Iohn 19. crucifie him what said ye why so because ye wil haue no other king but Caesar Alas he neuer labored to make himselfe a king although no man had more right to be your king than he a. Iohn 6. but rather fled whē it was vrged vpon him b. Mat. 17 and was willing to pay all duties as a subiect euen from the time that hee was eight daies old O how well haue ye tried well alas not well that he seeketh not that which is his own our selues only excepted when as wrangling with him for his cloake c. Iohn 9 he deliuored also vnto you his coate and bore all your whippes vpon his bare back True it is that Pilate gaue the sentence of death not because hee iudged him worthy of death for after diuers examinations hee openlie protested that d. Luk. 23 he found no cause of death in him but because he feared that ye would falsly and slanderously informe Caesar against him if he should
Godheade Thence his inuinsible courage which could neyther with any promised honour nor present horrour be vanquished Thence his vnspeakable charitie which was so hote and burning within him that hee felt not the scalding oyle The loue which lay within his breast was so potent that fire it selfe in respect of it was cold or at the least had no force in working comparable vnto it for neyther did he desire a tabernacle in mount a. Math. 17 Tabor with Peter nor couet a crowne or b. Mat. 20 next sitting to Christ in heauen with Iames without a firme purpose and a resolute minde to disburse what should be thought conuenient for so great a purchase which fullie and truely he paid vpon his birth day Other Martirs haue their Martirdome and they suffer in it S. Ioh. had his at his masters his Passion but he suffered not in it and therefore hee suffered the more for it was death for him to liue and to die for Christ his gaine But O most mercifull Lorde why didst thou afflict this thy beloued Disciple in this sorte Thou a. Mat. 20 gauest him a promise that he should drinke of thy cup and he expecting a death for thy sake cannot haue it did pittie mooue thee beeing thy darling that thou couldest not see him murdered as thy other Apostles were and whom thou louedst most entirelye and therefore wouldest hee should drinke of no other Cuppe than thine and so to haue him as thy Mother and his a Martyr in life in minde in will but not in death that thou mightest haue to Crowne at once the Mother and the Sonne with the same Crownes of glory Impossible it was O Mary that thou shouldest bee like vnto thy son in al things wherefore in asmuch as it is possible thy Sonne hath made one like vnto thee where also thou shalt not leese the name of a mother beholde then Saint Iohn thy sonne a most pure virgin a most learned Docter a most constant Martir Nowe is it performed which was so long before promised a Isai 56. I will giue vnto mine Euenuches a worthie place in my house within my walkes and a name better than the name of sonnes daughters of Israell I will giue them an eternall name which shall neuer faile VVoman behold thy sonne What name vnder Heauen is comparable vnto this name What name shall endure after this name the Sonne of Marie It. b. Iohn 8. was an honor to be accounted the son of Abraham the son of Israell and happie was hee which coulde bee numbered among them But this name the sonne of Mary none was worthie of but God himselfe the second person in the Trinitie a. Iohn 19 and nowe it is giuen to Iohn by Christ hanging vpon the Crosse for his inheritance whē looking vppon his mother and making signe toward Iohn hee said vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne A name which as it had no greater vnder heauen so did it neuer perish for as Christ dying vpon the Crosse so lest a Sonne with his mother as he himself did not leaue to be her sonne so also shee dying did so ioyne her selfe to her son in heauen as shee left not to be a Mother also vnto him which was in earth that this name might very well bee called a eternall name for whether she were in earth or in heauen aliue or dead her sonne had so prouided it there should bee Maries sonne O blessed Virgin when thou diddest conceaue Saint Iohn a. Iohn 2 thou diddest conceaue him in mirth b. Iohn 19. but thou wert deliuered of him when he was deliuered vnto thee in great sorrow heauines Hee was the first for whose cause at thy request thy Sonne did manifest himselfe vnto the worlde by shewing his power in working miracles and now he is the last the only man committed vnto thee when thy Sonne passeth out of the world by suffering with patience what malice could work against him so that the measure of thy Son his life in this worlde was no more than the time in which thou diddest breed Saint Iohn for when the time was come that Iohn became thy Sonne thou lost thyne other Sonne Nowe that thou shouldest be a comfort vnto others thou hast experience what that saying meaneth a. Gen. 3. thou shalt bring forth in griefe for the ease thou hadst when Christ was borne is with vsurie recompenced at thy deliuerie of Iohn whom with excessiue sorrowe thou broughtest forth thy sonne b. Iohn 16 A woman when she is in trauaile hath sorow because her houre is come but when she hath brought foorth the childe now shee remembreth not the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world But thou most blessed Virgin as thou wert priuiledged in this aboue all other women that thou wert deliuered of thy first begotten without any paine so now hast thou this singular aboue any other woman that at thy second trauaile thou feelest as great panges after it as before it Shee ioyeth because a man is borne into the world and thou haste cause to grieue because a man is gone out of the worlde shee is glad because shee hath a sonne and thou haste cause to mourne because thou haste lost a sonne and so much is thy sorrowe more than theyrioy may be as thy sonne exceedeth all other womens sons for although thou wert deliuered of a sonne yet wert thou spoiled of an other such was thy trauaile and with such condition that the birth of thy second son supposed the death of thy first begotten a. Luk. 1 When thou gauest consent vnto the wordes of the Angell God spake the worde and the worde was incarnate the same word vouchsafing to speake vnto thee not by the mouth of an Angell but by himselfe hath said the word and thou haste not only conceaued thy second son but art also deliuered of him VVoman behold thy sonne Behold thy Mother Thus hauing eyther of them charge of other glad they were that neither was willing to depart Saint Iohn feared not hee shuld be forced to leaue his Master in following his charge whē she should goe away neither did our blessed Lady doubt what she might doe if Iohn should parte from thence their life was nayled on the Crosse that they could not stirre from it rather had they stay a. Iohn 19 see him wounded a dolefull sight then not see him at all wherefore neuer satisfied with looking vp vppon him they tarried vntill hee was taken downe whome when his Mother receaued in her Armes sorrow and ioy fought so doubtfull a Combat that it was not to bee iudged which of them was the stronger She had lost him and now she hath founde him againe great cause she hath to ioy he was her hope her help her life She had lost him and now she hath founde him againe great cause she hath to mourne hee is past hope past help and past out of his life What ioy was comparable to that he had when she might speake vnto him embrace him and kisse him as shee was wont to doe But alas what griefe was like to that shee had when hee did neyther answere by worde or behauiour as hee was wont to doe Noe ioy to that shee hadde when shee behelde him againe a. Psal 44. for hee was the moste fayre and beautefull of all the Sonnes of men Noe greefe to that shee had when shee behelde him againe and found that b. Isal 53. neyther any fauour nor comelynesse was in him Shee see his heade swollen with the Crowne of Thornes shee see his face blacke and blew with the buffettes of their fistes shee see his bodye torne from toppe to the toe with whippes or to say more true she neyther see heade face nor any part of his bodie but a masse only of congealed blood which couered all his body beeing most grieuously wounded and in so many places that they altogether seemed one on lie wounde which reached from the crowne of his head vnto the soles of his seete So sate she at the foote of the Crosse with the dead bodie in her lap offering it all bloodie to Almightie God Gen. 37. demaunding of him whether that were not his sonne his coate shewing it also vnto the Angels and asking of them whether that were not their Master his Garment Her self was not able to discerne perfectly whether it were any part of her or no it was so dissigured but that with sorrowe shee had brought her selfe so out of sauor that euerye one which see her might easily iudge hee was her sonne and shee his mother Shee hath founde him againe but because whatsoeuer shee founde shee must forgoe except sorrow sorrow got the victorie in which shee did so much abound as her sonne his sorrowe beeing at an end there was now no sorrowe like vnto hers no comfort would shee admit because he was not They sought no water to wash his blessed body fountains there were enough of hoate and scalding teares wherein they bathed him first then buried him against their willes wishing that either they themselues were his sepulcher or his were theirs When thy dayes were come O full of sorow that thou shuldest be deliuered thou broughtest forth thy first begotten Son thou swadlest him in cloutes Luk. 2. laidst him downe in a maunger because there was no place for thee in the Inne and nowe thy daies were fully come that thou shouldest bee deliuered againe thou broughtest foorth thy second sonne Iohn 19. and in steed of swadling him in cloutes and ioyfull laying him downe and tending him thou art constrained to swaddle thy first begotten Sonne againe and with sorrow to lay him downe in a Monument because no other place but that woulde hee make choice of to lie in The Funeralles beeing ended Saint Iohn doth take possession he leadeth home his sorrowfull Mother giuing her what comfort hee could beeing nowe almost spent with griefe with whome hee continued yeelding vnto her that dutie which became him Iohn 19. For from that houre hee tooke her for his owne FINIS
haue shewed but the least fauor in this cause ye vsing this his feare for the finishing of this blody tragedie vrged him too often that if b. Iohn 19. hee did acquite hee was not Caesars friend although the tryalls of iustice betweene a Prince and his subiects should no other wise bee esteemed of them as quarrels O heauenly father Caesar is more regarded than thy sonne and more are men afraide not to be ouer officious to Caesar than to be too much offensiue to thee and thy sonne and therefore is thy sonne at this time called from the earth O vngratefull creatures not because they iudged the earth vnworthie to beare him but because in their corrupted conceits they thought him vnworthie to liue any longer vpon the earth and hangeth in the ayre fast nayled to a Crosse O happie Crosse O Holy nailes O sweete instrumentes of a sorrowfull death worthie for this so neare touche of so sacred a body to bee had herafter in perpetual reuerence ye were not painefull vnto him but they which caused you to enter his hands and feete but neither deserue ye any blame if yee desierd to sticke so close vnto him O my sweete sonne bee not hard to me who haste beene so bountifull to all but graunt mee this my last request Take thy Mother vnto thee on the Crosse that dying with thee I may also liue with thee after death for nothing can be more sweet vnto me than hauing embraced thee to die with thee and nothing more loathsome than to liue without thee after that thou art dead O true sonne of God thou wert a father vnto me thou wert a mother to mee thou wert my sonne thou wert my spouse thou wert my soul now am I become an orphant without Father or Mother a spouse without a mate a Mother without a sonne a body without sence and soule and in conclusiō when thou art gone all that I haue and all that I am is gone Tell mee my most louing son tell me who wert mine only ioy Why sufferest thou mee to languish and pine awaye with griefe Why hast thou seperated thy selfe so far from me shall thy sorrowfull mother when shee most needeth receiue least cōfort of thee where she least suspected shall she there bee most neglected O how long dost thou hāg with thine armes abroad none will come to be embraced How louingly dost thou stretch them out to an incredulous and contradictious people and none do take any compassion vppon thee How largely doest thou bestowe thy most deare and precious blood vpon this prodigall Natiō and none there are which treade it not vnder their feete O had I bin thy Crosse no other nayles should haue fastned thee vnto me then a motherly affection no other witnesses shuld haue bin called of our sweet embracings then thy Father and his Angels Lesse paine I am well assured it should haue bin vnto thee but knowing that neyther this nor any thing els can be done without thy priuity I cānot say how much more pleasing at this time it wold haue bin vnto thee but howsoeuer it is or might be not seeing any likelyhood of thy longer life I cānot but grieue as mothers vse to grieue at the death of their first begottē But he being no les carefull of her now at his death then hee was obedient vnto her in his life mooued with these inward speeches and wofull lamentations looking downe vpon her said vnto her Iohn 19. VVoman behold thy sonne O moste mercifull Lorde what doubtfull wordes are these VVoman behold thy sonne thou knowest right well that shee hath sorrowed so much for thee that all her sences faile her her vnderstanding also is quite dulled shee standeth still like one without her life looking vpp to thee and no where els and sayest thou vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne O most sweete Lord whome doth shee behold when shee beholdeth thee on whome dooth shee looke when she looketh on thee where is her eye when it is fixed on thee yet as though she had not regarded thee but minded somwhat els beside thee thou sayest vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne What ioy would it bee to her to behold thee if shee could help thee but being that she cannot why to increase her griefe doest thou say vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne and the more sorrow conceaueth she by these thy wordes that thou sayest vnto hir VVoman as though shee could and did not discharge the part of a Mother as thou hadst done the dutie of a Sonne But if nowe at thy departure from her thou art to deliuer her vp a Mother to another therefore saiest vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne consider her case consider thine owne sorrowe hath taken away her sence from her and too much paine thy life from thee both which concurring what wonder if she stand amazed not knowing what thou meanest for although shee might aime at thine intention yet vvas her attention so great to euerie last word which she herd of thee being now almost breathles that nothing els seemed to sounde in her eares and therfore she could not but behold thee still Beside this if it had beene so that thou hadst quickned her wits that she had vnderstood thy meaning that by vertue of thy word Saint Iohn should become her sonne yet since that this worde sonne hath such relation to Iohn that it hath a more proper to thee No woonder sweet Lord if she still stand beholding thee since that without naming which thou sayest vnto her woman behold thy sonne Our blessed Lady beeing now wounded to the death hearing her sonne with a hoarse fainting voice vtter these wordes was not able to make him any answere but beeing in a more grieuous trauaile than euer was any woman shee cryed for help shee knewe not whence a. Mat. 27. God had denayed it her for hee had forsaken his son the Angels neclected her b. Luk. 22 for they knewe their Lord to be in this agonie would not defende him c. Mat. 27 hys friendes stood looking on aloofe of her paines grew vpon her her panges increased double and treble about her there was not any of her dearest could comfort her But her sonne seeing her thus perplexed knowing that he was the cause of al hir griefe although void of all comfort also himselfe hastned what he could to cōfort her by giuing her to vnderstand that hee came into this world to this end and no other that by this way he should redeeme the world and since that it pleased his father it shuld be so he would not it shoulde displease his Mother also that by this Passion hee was to enter into his glory neuerthelesse that hee would not leaue her although for a time he must be absent from her During which season in his place shee should take her cosen account him as her sonne who should be a most faithfull comforter vnto her