and exemption then the dead The enterprise was not in vaine though otherwise perhaps more worthy of applause then imitation and practise The officers being moued at the maiesty of the Prelate making some protestations only for feare of the King left the guilty wholy free and infinitly obliged to him who beyond all hope had giuen him his life Of this so great a hart and couragious constancy of S. Hugh if one seeke into the causes besides the vnction of the holy Ghost there may many be brought And among these the naturall generosity of the man inflamed also from tyme to tyme with the instigations of his old Father by vs named aboue and the two naturall brothers of his braue Souldiours and valiant Champions of the Catholike Church These men would come sometymes to visit him at Lincolne and by letters as occasion serued would exhort him allwayes to stand firme in his purpose and not to yield awhit eyther to the headlong multitude or furious Tyrants And gaue him moreouer to vnderstand they had rather see him dead then for any terrour to commit any thing vnworthy the Episcopall degree and honour of his family Besides which S. Hugh helped himselfe much with his frequent reading the liues of the glorious Martyrs and Confessours of Christ especially of such as for defence of the diuine worship of the sacred Constitutions haue promptly exposed themselues to all punishments And then from his dayly sacrifices the while what comfort he felt is a thing not easily to told in which mistery he was so diligent as he preferred it before all other thinges whatsoeuer and was so grounded in that verity as it seemed in some manner he had some cleare euidence therof as appeared in a case which followes in a village of those parts Where a certaine Preist of very dissolute manners hauing no feare at all to celebrate that diuine Sacrament and to handle with his impure handes the dreadfull King of Maiesty as he came to the breaking of the consecrated Hoast saw manifestly the most holy bloud to proceed and fall from thence at which sight being affrighted contrite he tooke dexterously the precious liquour in the Chalice and changing his manners gaue himselfe to sharp penance in so much as euery one was astonished By this occasion the miracle came to be diuulged the Preist himselfe to giue God the glory gaue publique account thereof in shewing also the bloud it selfe to euery one that was desirous to be better satisfyed in the matter It happened that the Bishop of Lincolne for certaine affaires of his was to passe that way and with that occasion it pleased him to vnderstand and confer some spirituall thinges with the Priest the fame of whose strange mutation and singular austerity of life ran euery where falling then into diuers discourses with him among the rest the good man gaue account and information to the Bishop of the beginning of his conuersion intreating him withall he would be pleased to contemplate with his eyes that venerable relique it selfe which S. Hugh not only refused to do alleadging the certainty therof had need of no such probation but euen reprehended such of his family accepting the inuitation of little fayth too much curiosity And it is a thing well knowne that in recompence as it were of so great a stedfastnes the Sauiour himselfe in the sight of some Religious men appeared many tymes in the Hoast informe of a most beautifull child vnto S. Hugh himselfe while he celebrated the Masse Besides this the Blessed Man tooke great spirituall forces from the liuely and more then human conceits of the holy Psalter wherein what gust he receaued and how obseruant he was of the tymes and determinate houres of the diuine Office may in part be gathered at least by that which we shall speake in the next Chapter The good successe S. Hugh had through his deuotion to the Canonicall Hâ—…res and how dreadfull his Ecclesiasticall Censures were Chap. 8. VVHile S. Hugh was trauayling on the way vpon publike affayres with some Prelates and other Ecclesiasticall persons he chaunced to arriue vnlooked for at a certaine place much infested with men distracted of their witts His companions being aduertised of the daunger full of dread consulted with themselues what to doe and resolued at last to passe those wayes by darke with all the secrecy that might be With this resolution remayning in the Iune about midnight they rise and their horses being made ready in hast they go to the Bishop of Lincolnes chamber who was now euen ready to say his Mattyns and with much instance they sollicite him to prouide for his safety by the opportunity of the darkenes And he answered What should I goe hence without saying of my Mattins Then they replyed there would be tyme inough for that afterwards since the present necessity affoarded no delay and they had need to go away suddenly if they would not be taken by those Beadlams Then S. Hugh with his Breuiary in hand Stay they that will stay and feare that list to feare sayd he for my part I am determined not to go forth till first I haue payd this duty And so performed it saying his Office with ease and attention And after that with his family getting commodiously on horsebacke he met with no misaduenture at all whereas those wary and cautious people in taxing him for superstitious and improuident so preferring human respects before the diuine glory fell as it often falls out into the same net they so carefully shunned To all these so efficacious and potent helpes he added another surely of an excellent vertue He retired himselfe at least once a yeare to the Cloyster of his beloued VVhittam there vnder the common Rule without any other difference but only the sacred ring on his fingar he attended all the vacant tyme he had as from a high tower to suruay the vanities of human thinges the shortnes of life and immense greatnes of eternall Beatitude And casting his eyes withall vpon the infinite difficulties of spirituall gouernement and the horrible precipice wheron all Prelacyes stand and as at the beginning he had auoyded with all his power the Episcopal dignity so many tymes afterwards he sent letters and agents to his Holynes beseeching him with much importunity to be disburdened of the administration and restored to his Order from whence he was taken against his will But since his supplications were not only not heard but euen the Sollicitours themselues came backe sometymes very shrewdly checkt from the Vicar of Christ rather other cares for the vniuersall good imposed vpon him S. Hugh being enforced to obey prepared himselfe for new labours and new battells nourishing still with the foresayd meanes in his breast a burning desire of satisfying the highest in all things Whereby in difficult enterprizes were equally matched in him a security of mind and such a confidence as that amidst the greatest difficultyes of all yea
blacke Bird being called a Moore-hen which for a good space did neuer giue ouer from flying in his face with such importunity and so neare withall as he might easely haue taken her in his hand if he had listed But he chose rather to defend himselfe with the signe of the holy crosse Wherupon the bird flew away leauing notwithstanding a cruell temptation with an intolerable passion enkindled in the members of the yong man In such wise as the souldiour of Christ stood now vpon staggering deliberating as it were to returne back into the world agayne when being sudenly fortifyed with diuine Grace he reentred into himself agayne and beholding a bush of sharpe thornes and stinging netâ—…les at hand with a generous force pulling off his clothes on a sudden casts he himselfe therinto so long rouled his naked body theron as that being full of wounds and bloud all ouer with the external heate he extinguished the internall and through such a noble act remayned so victorious ouer the rebellions flesh as that from thence forth as himselfe reported to his Disciples he neuer felt any more trouble therof After this it pleased God that diuers persons of sundry places should repayre to S. Benet desirous not only of saluation but euen likewise of perfection And it was but iust that he now possessing so peacefully the kingdome of his proper mynd should be applyed to the care gouerment of others For that we see also in the wriâ—…ten Law how the Leuits in the seruour of their youth were tyed to labour to serue in the Temple nor before they were â—…ull 50. yeares old at which tyme it is supposed their passions are in quiet and the heart at rest were they made the Guardians and Sacristans of the holy Vessels which are interpreted the reasonable soules But among others who approched to S. Benet the seruant of God for his help were some religious of a neighbour Monastery thereby who in those dayes being destitute of an Abbot besought him to take the charge vpon him These men were accustomed to a large and more liberall life and litle disposed to conforme themselues with the manners of 〈◊〉 Benet And he being aware thereof for a while made a strong resistance to their request But being constrayned through the prayeâ—… and coniurations of the whole Family he accepted the gouerment at last and first with example and after with words endeauoured he to take away the abuses and then to bring in a forme of liuing worthy of the profession they made But soone it appeared how the good inspirations and desires they had had taken but litle roote in their soules because that shortly they were all aggrieued with the Rule and reformation made and the diabolicall instigations had gotten such power in some as that not being able to endure in their sight such a liuely and continuall example of extreme abstinence perfect manners they determined to take him away out of hand with poyson But the diuine iustice suffered not their wicked designe to take affect because that at the tyme of the refection while one of them was presenting the holy Father with a cup of poysoned wine it pleased God with the signe of the Crosse which S. Benet according to custome vsed to make thereupon the glasse as with the blow of a stone fell suddenly into peeces and the wine from the brothers hand dropt downe to the ground Whence the Man of God knew presently that drinke without doubt to be the potion of Death which could not enduâ—… the signe of life And thereupon with a mind composed and a faâ—… serene turning himselfe to the Monkes God forgiue you sayd he what a plot was this amongst you Did I not tell you at first my manners would neuer seeme to agree with yours Then rest you in peace and seeke you out some other that may gouerne you better And heerwith leauing them quite confounded and astonished he retired to his desired Caue agayne and there attended seriously to himselfe How two principall Senatours of Rome offer vp and dedicate their children to S. Benet and how a Monke was led away by a Deuill which S. Benet discouers and remedies Chap. 3. TRue it is that S. Benet was not suffered to enioy that estate any tyme because that the odour of such a sanctity continually spreading it selfe more and more there repayred to him a new coÌ„curse of people much touched with the holy Ghost and cloyed with the world With which multitude after a sufficient instruction had he founded in those countryes about a dozen Monasteryes appointing Lawes offices and an Abbot to ech So as diuers personages and Senatours of Rome began now to hold it a great felicity to haue any Children at such a tyme to send to S. Benet and to dedicate theÌ„ vnder the care of such a Father to the seruice of the diuine Maiesty Among which were two principall Eutitius and Tertullus Wherof one offered Maurus a yong man of so rare a wit and of such a spirit withall as in short tyme he became an assistant of the Maister himselfe The other greatly addicted to the same discipline with much veneration offered in person his eldest sonne Placidus to him yet a Child then after made likewise a free donation of a great masse of riches farmes manners and Castles to the Saint with cittyes both maritime and in land wherof the Catalogue would be heere too long surely to the great confusion of our tymes in which as the entring into Religion is ordinarily held desperatioÌ„ shame madnes so the taking away of subiects reputation and goods froÌ„ them is reputed and that euen of those who call themselues Christians to be good prudence valour and Iustice. But to returne to S. Benet vnto whome as well in the beginning as in the progresse of his administration there happened many notable things The vigilant Pastour with the greatest sollicitude that might be was wont to apply his subiects to the study of prayer as knowing well how necessary the succour of Heauen must needs be for the cutting off of disordinate affects and repressing of passions withall which euen from the mould whereof we are framed do continually spring For which cause besids the particular deuotions of ech one at certayne houres he would assemble them all togeather in a certayne place deputed for holy exercises Now it happened that in one of those assemblies while diuine office being ended the Monks were meditating conuersing with God one of them being vanquished with rediousnes weâ—… forth of the Quire and partly went idly vp and downe heere and there and partly busyed himselfe in some temporall matter of litle moment Which being known to his Abbot Pompeanus after he had admonished him thereof diuers tymes but all in vayne he brought him at last to S. Benet himselfe who with a good reprehension sent him backe againe But yet this auayled not much because after two dayes the Monke returned
already and how they ought not to thinke of any other then of him Which the humble Seruant of Christ perceiuing immediately departed from thence nor could he be induced by the prayers or intreaties of any so much as to celebrate there on the Feast thē approching of the Natiuity of the most blessed Virgin From hence according to the necessity of the Churches and the request of the Peeres he refused not to go to the Court where met with much reuerence by all the Barons the King himselfe likewise with cheerfull countenance came to receiue him euen to the gate of the Pallace and after most deere kisses and louing imbraces taking him by the right hand he conducted him into a roome thereby Where sitting downe and some words of courtesy passing betweene them S. Anselme shewed his desire to haue priuate audience with him so as the standers by went immediatly forth when he without touching awhit the matters appertayning to his Monastery for which it was thought he had principally come to Court with Christian liberty be gan to discouer to the King the sinister fame that went of him nor stuck he to specify vnto him many particulars that he might the more easily come to amend them The discourse being ended he went his wayes to seeke out the Earle of Chester was enforced to remayne there for some dayes In the meane while the King fell grieuously sicke fearing death was put in mynd by his followers assoone as possible to prouide for the principall Church of the Kingdome being then without a Pastour which was that of the aforesaid Canterbury And now this counsayle seeming good to the King he nominated the Abbot Anselm and no other for the same administration The which declaration was with admirable applause receyued of all The Abbot only at the newes thereof was strooke euen dead as it were but then gathering his forces to him agayne he endeauours by all meanes possible to resist but not being able to preuayle agaynst the deliberate consent of the King and of the whole Clergy and people he was snatched vp and carryed into the Cathedrall Church and placed in the Throne with much solémnity From thence he was straight conducted to Winchester and lodged in the suburbs of the Citty there where while he remaynes in the company of Gondolfus Bishop of Rochester and of a certayne principall Monke by name Baldwin behold one night was a great fire enkindled in the neighbour-houses which with fury went consuming whatsoeuer it met with in the way It now approched to the house very neere vnto S. Anselmes Iune when some familiar friends of the Hostesse or Mistres of the house seeing so litle remedy agaynst the fire began to carry away from thence the houshold-stuffe into some safer place But the woman being full of fayth forbad the same very confidently affirming there was no such cause of feare while she had the Archbishop S. Anselme in her house At which so generous words of hers Baldwin being moued intreated the holy Father not to deny his succour to the deuout Matron but he with accustomed modesty humility answered what should I helpe her wherein I pray Go you but forth then the other replyed and make the signe of the holy Crosse agaynst the fire and who knowes whether the diuine Clemency may not happily extinguish it by that meanes When S. Anselme replyed agayne What say you by my meanes You know not what you say And yet neuertheles for feare of the imminent danger he went forth with the others and in the sight of those furious flames was constrayned by the Bishop of Rochester and Baldwin to oppose the holsome signe of the Crosse there to A strange thing he had no sooner lifted vp his hand but as likewise it is read of S. Martin that flaming and impetuous floud of fire retiring into it selfe made a stop in its course and the flames being extinguished on a sudden left the buildings halfe burnt so farre as it had gone S. Anselme endeauours to put off the charge imposed vpon him but in vayne He after falls in disgrace with the King and is banished the Court. With a miracle that happened Chap. 14. AFter all these things S. Anselme did seeke very dexterously to put off from his shoulders that new burthen of the Archbishoprique and to that end had differred till then the acceptation thereof and his full consent thereunto But so great were the motiues and coniurations made of persons of ech quality togeather with the scruple of Obedience thereunto added which was imposed vpon him heertofore by the Archbishop of Roan as that in fine a cōsent was violently extorted from him And so was the blessed Man with great ioy and solemnity consecrated by all the Bishops of England in the Metropolis of Canterbury This consecration of his was celebrated vpon the 4. of December on the feast of the glorious S. Barbara when loe the Natiuity of our Sauiour comming shortly after S. Anselme went his wayes to the King to giue him the accustomed salutation of the good New yeare of whome he was first well intreated but afterwards partly out of malice and the meere instability of the Kings owne disposition and partly by the worke and instigation of wicked Courtiers and flatterers the state of masters was quite changed and the Kings mynd began with a sudden mutation to shew it selfe much aliened from the Archbishop while to the foresayd occasions was likewise added another of no small moment which was that K. William hoping for some great present from him at his first entrance found himselfe to be quite deceiued of his expectation since S. Anselme was not willing at all to aggrieue his subiects with any exactions loanes to satisfy the disordinate appetites of the King So that perceyuing him now to be angry with him he departed from Court and retyred himselfe to a certayne Village of his called Bregge to finish and dedicate there a Church for that parish which by the death of S. Lanfranke his Predecessour was yet imperfect In which ceremony succeeded a notable accident which was that a certayne Clerke but ill disposed comming from London vnder shew of assisting at the sacred office had thrust himsele into that troupe where casting his eye on the vessell of holy Oyle but ill lookt to as it seemed he began to lay his sacrilegious hāds theron and so with silence went secretly his wayes towards his home agayne He was now gone a pretty way as he thought when cōtrary to his opinion he found himselfe still in the same assembly in the selfe same place from whence he had fled whereat wondering not a litle he puts himselfe on the way againe behold with in a while finds himselfe still in the Church of Bregge and so went turning his backe to it agayne and agayne vntill such tyme as the people being aware of those erring and wandering steps of his cast their eyes on the Clerke
learning and singular vertue amongst them Now S. Thomas hauing friendship with one of these namely with Iohn of S. Iulian began ingenuously to conferre with him of his studyes and labours Whereupon being often present at his disputes discourses and of others of the same Family he came by little and little to affectionate himselfe to their Institu◅e while it seemed to him he could no wayes better imploy the talents he had from God then in the company of men wholy giuen to the extirpation of Heresies and defence and exaltation of the Catholike Fayth But perhapps the better to examine his spirit or not to trust to much too himselfe he differred as the vse is his resolution yet longer When Iohn easily perceiuing what the noble youth reuolued in mind he determined to spurre him on with good opportunity sayd to him one day It seemes to me Thomas when I cast myne eyes vpon thee and thy labours and trauayles thou aspirest to no vayne or transitory rewards but if thou wilt attayne thy purpose Know assuredly my Sonne that perfect wisdome and true felicity is not got amidst the distractions intrications labyrinths of the world The recollection of the soule and the repose and solitude which are found in Religious is the next disposition to apprehend the truth with and to receiue continually new rayes and influences from heauen This way as you well know haue the greatest lights of Christendome held who sequestring themselues from busynesses and po◅rbātions cares haue attended to Philosophize in good earnest nor haue reguarded any more the peoples ta◅ngs then the bawling of so many Curres Wherefore do thou also with like examples not fayle to disentangle thy selfe This habit heere now expects thee a good while and if thou resoluest but to accept the same my mind giues me nor am I a whit deceiued that by thy meanes our Lord will worke some notable exployt Such was the first assault and battery which Iohn gaue him and not in vayne Since that finding now at first the walls to be shaken with this discourse he proceeded on to leuell them with the earth and to take all obstacles quite away and S. Thomas easily conuinced gaue vp the hold saying Father I would not haue you thinke me to be so cold and so poore a louer of the chiefest good as that the peoples talke or any other respect whatsoeuer should put me off from following it with all my forces Your exhortation hath not found me alienated a whit from such manner of designes since now already I haue thought with my selfe long since to retire me And now only to resolue of the place I had need of some louing direction and prudent counsayle To which office of charity since it hath pleased our Lord to make vse of your person assure your selfe I receiue your words as come from the Holy Ghost Whence I pray let there be no delay made Doe you deale with the Superiours for I will not depart hence til the busynes be concluded Iohn could haue wished for no better newes Soone shall you be satisfyed replyed he then and going in hast to the Priour without any difficulty but rather with a great deale of ioy of the whole Conuent he brought the busynes begun to a very good passe and Thomas was put into the habit with the due ceremonyes being then of seauenteene yeares of age Now seeing himselfe to be thus shut vp in the Monastery esteeming himselfe to be sufficiently fenced against the clamours of his freinds and Citty considering the state he had entered into he began to frame his life according to the obligement of his vocation holding it a great scorne if after the leauing of such hopes in the world he should not so carry himselfe in Religion as euery one should not rest satisfyed of the course he had vndertaken Then partly through the internall motiues which he felt in his breast partly the exteriour examples aduices of the Fathers with whom he liued he went on more encouraged euery day not to forflow any thing that might any wayes promote him to the top of perfection which he had proposed to himselfe And howbeyt in ech vertue through diuine grace and with the continual vse of prayer he laboured to become excellent yet with particuler application he endeuoured to goe forward in holy humility as well for acknowledging it to be the Mother of all good as also in seeing an extraordinary necessity imposed vpon him to shew forth himselfe more meeke and humble to all by how much the ornaments and habilityes he had receiued from God were more apt to moue enuy and to make him more haughty and proud And forasmuch as he well knew there was no more direct and speedy way for the aforesaid vertue then the perpetuall subiection and mortification of the proper will iudgment he gaue himselfe to obserue obedience aboue all things and euen from the first beginning so ordered he composed the mind as that neither in words nor deeds would he once digresse from the Superiours dictamens nor from the orders and rules of his Religion and therefore he attended to read them as he might euery moment without difficulty be putting them in practise Besides which knowing how important sobriety and abstinence were to restrayne passions and to conserue the vnderstanding cleere and quick-sighted he determined to giue no place to superfluous nourishment sleep whence eyther the flesh might kick through too much pampering or the mind be ouercast with fumes and vapours Finally he euer abhorred all idlenes not suffering any houre vnfruitfully to passe away and leauing withall as litle place as might be to the temptations and subtilityes of the ancient Enemy Theodora the Mother heares of S. Thomas his entry into Religion labour◅ to draw him from it by all meanes possible Chap. 3. IN the meane tyme Count Landolph dyed after he had suffered many troubles and losses for defence of the Sea Apostolike by Frederick the Emperour who being now with his army in Tuscany vnderstanding of the death of the Count sent for his two eldest sonnes the one called Arnold the other by the name of his Father Landolph and vnder the shew of honourable seruice in warre kept them for hostages that in defending the cause and part of the Pope they might not follow their Fathers steps The widdow Theodor◅ being now in these tearmes in the Citty of Aquinas had newes of the election of life which her sonne Thomas had made in Naples and remembring withal the prophesy of the good Hermit she endeuoured to satisfy her selfe with what the diuine prouidence had ordayned yea she began to render thanks to God for it as became a Christian and vertuous woman but was enflamed notwithstanding with such a burning desire to behold and imbrace her desired sonne as without delay she trauailed to Naples with the mind as the writers say to examine the counsails of the young man and that