be affraide when they dye and of the monkes called Anthony Merulus and Iohne 48. VVhether we oughte to obserue dreames and how many sortes of dreames there be 49. Os a certaine man who in his dreame had longe life promised and yet died shortly after 50. VVhether the soules receiue any commoditye by the buriall of theire bodies in the church 51. Of a certaine Nunne that was buried in the church of S. Laurence which appeared half burnt 52. Os the burial of the noble man Valerianus 53. Of the body of Valentinus which was throwne out of the churche after it was buried 54. Of the body of a dier buried in the churche which afterwarde could not be founde 55. VVhat thinge that is which after death hath force to helppe mens soules and of a Priest of Centumcellis who was by the soule of a certaine man desired that he mighte after his death be holpen by the holy sacrifice And of the soule of a monke called Iustus 56. Of the lise and death of Bisshoppe Cassius 57. Of one that was taken by his enemies whose irons at the tyme of the sacrifice were loosed and of the mariner called Caraca saued by the sacred host from being drowned in the sea 58. Of the vertue and mystery of the healthful sacrifice 59. How we oughte to procure contrition of harte at the tyme of the holy mysteries and of the custodye of our soule after we haue bene sorrowfull sor our sinnes 60. How we oughte to forgiue the sinnes of others that we may obtayne forgiuenes of our owne THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF S. GREGORIES DIALOGVES HOVV CARNAL MEN GIVE the lesse credit to those thinges which be eternal and spiritual because they know not by experience what they heare others to speake of CHAPTER I. AFTER that the first parēt of mankinde was for his synne bannished from the ioyes of Paradise he fell into the miserye of this ignorance and bannishment which to this yerie daye we doe all indure for his synne was the cause that he coulde not any longer see those ioyes of heauen which before by contemplation he possessed for during the tyme of his residence in Paradise he vsually hearde God talking with him and by purity of harte and heauenly vision was present with the quires of the blessed Angels But after his fall he lost that lighte of soule which before abundantly he enioyed From whom we beeing by carnall propagation deriued that liue now in this darcke ignorance of bannishmēt do heare indede of an heauenly countrye and howe it is inhabited by the Angels of God and that the soules of iust and perfect men do there keepe them companye But yet such as be carnall because they can not by experience knowe those inuisible creatures doubt whether there be any such seing with theire corporall eies they can not behold them from which doubt our first Parent was altogether free for althoughe he was exiled from the ioyes of Paradise yet did he still kepe in memorye what he had lost because he had before behelde the same but these men can not by any meanes call to minde such thinges as they heare others speake of because they neuer had of them any former experiēce as our first father Adam had For it is in this case as yf a woman bigge with childe sholde be putt in prison and be there deliuered of a sonne which neuer went forth but were there continually broughte vp for yf his mother sholde tell him of the sunne mone starres mountaines and speake of the fieldes the flying of birdes and running of horses her childe that had continually bene broughte vp in the prison and acquainted with nothing els but blacke darckenes might well heare what she saide but with a doubt whether it were true or no because experience taught him not any such thinge Euene so men that are borne in this darcke worlde the place of theire bannishmēt do heare that there be wonderfull strange and inuisible thinges but because they are not acquainted with any els but terrestriall creatures which only be visible they doubt whether there be any such inuisible thinges as are reported of or no for which cause the creator him selfe of all thinges both visible and inuisible and the only begotten sonne of the eternall father came into this worlde for the redemption of mankinde and sent the holy Ghost vnto our hartes that quickened by him and his grace we shoulde belieue those thinges which as yet by sence or experience we can not possibly vnderstande and therfore so many of vs as haue receiued this spirit the heauenly pledge of our inheritance make no doubte of Gods inuisible and immortall creatures and who so euer as yet is not setled in this beliefe out of all question he oughte of reason to giue credit to the wordes of them that be more learned and holy and belieue them that throughe the grace of Gods holy spirit haue experience of those thinges that be inuisible for he were a very foolishe childe that thoughte his mother lied when she spake of lighte in other places because him selfe where he was beheld nothing els but the darckenes of the prison Peter That you say doth wonderfully content me yet he who beleueth not that there be any inuisible thinges out of question in myne opinion is an infidell and he that is an infidell in that thinge whereof he doubteth seeketh not for faith but for reason THAT AN INFIDEL LIVETH not without faith CHAPTER II. Gregory I Speake boldlye yet trulye that an infidell liueth not without faith for yf I demaunde of him who is his father or mother straight-waies he will tell me such a man and such a woman and yf I presse him further whether he doth remember the tyme when he was first conceiued or the houre when he was borne into this worlde he wil answer me that he neuer knewe or sawe any such thinge and yet for all this doth he beleue that which he neuer behelde seing he beleueth without all doubt that such a man was his father and such a woman his mother Peter I must nedes confesse that I neuer knewe before this tyme that an infidell had any faith Gregory Infidels haue faith but not in God sor then they were not infidels but worthly are they by the former reason to be blamed and thereby also to be prouoked to imbrace true faith for yf concerning theire visible bodye they beleeue that which they neuer sawe why do they not also beleeue some thinges which with theire corporall eyes they can not beholde THAT GOD CREATED THREE kindes of spirites with life CHAPTER III. FOr that our soule doth liue after the death of the bodye reason doth teach vs assisted and holpen with faith for almightye God created three kindes of spirites hauing life One altogether spirituall without bodye an other with a bodye but yet which dieth not with the bodye the thirde that which is both ioyned with the body and also together with the body
in castinge out of deuils in so muche that sometyme he did cast out of possessed bodies whole legions and by the continuall exercise of praier he ouercam all thiere tentations Iulianus who had an office here in our church and not long since died in this city was familiarly acquainted with him by whose relation I learned that which I will nowe tell you for by reason of his great and in ward familiarity often was he present at such miracles as he wroughte and did diuers tymes talke of him to our instruction and his owne comforte A certaine noble matrone there was dwellinge in the hither partes of Tuscania that had a daughter in lawe which not longe after the marriage of her sonne was togither with heâ— mother in lawe inuited to the dedication of the oratory of the blessed martir S. Sebastian and the nighte before this Dedication of churches solemnitye ouercome with carnall pleasure she coulde not abstaine from her husbande and thoughe in the morninge her former delighte trobled her conscience yet shame draue her ProcessioÌ„ forth to the procession beinge more ashamed of men then fearinge the iudgement of God and therfor thither she went togither with her mother in lawe And beholde straighte vpon the bringing of the reliques of S. Sebastian Translation of â—eliâ—es the martir into the oratorye a wicked spirit possessed the foresaide matrons dawghter in lawe and pitifully tormented her before all the people The Priest of the oratory beholdinge her so terribly vexed and lifted vp toke a white lynninge cloth and cast vpon her and forth withe the deuill also entred into him and bycause he presumed aboue his strengthe enforced also he was by his owne vexation to knowe what him selfe was Those that were present tooke vp the yonge getle woman in thiere handes and carried her home to her owne house And for as muche as she was by the enemye continually and cruelly tormented her kinsfolke that carnally loued her with thiere loue did persecut her caused her caused her to be caried for helpe to certaine witches so vtterlye to cast awaye her soule whose body they went about by sorcerye for a tyme to relieue Comming into thiere handes she was by them broughte to a riuer and there washed in the water the sorcerers laboring a longe tyme by theire inchantementes to cast out the deuill that had possessed her bodye but by the wonderfull iudgement of almightye God it fell ouâ— that whiles one by vnlawfull arte was expelled suddainly a whole legion did enter in And from that tyme forwarde she began to be tossed with so many varieties of motions to shrike out in so many sundry tunes as there were deuils in her bodye Then her parentes consultinge togither and confessing thiere owne wickednes caried her to the venerable Bishop Fortunatus and with him they left her who hauinge taken her to his charge fel to his praiers many daies and nightes and he prayed so muche the more earnestly because â—he had against him in one body an whole army of deuils and many daies passed not before he made her so safe and â—ounde as thoughe the deuill had neuer had any power or interest in her bodye At an other tyme the fame seruant of almighty God cast forth a deuil out of one that was possessed which wicked spirit when it was no we nighte and sawe fewe men stirring in the stretes takinge vpon him the shape of a stranger began to go vp and downe the citye crying out O holy Bishop Fortunatus beholde what he hath done he hath turned a stranger out of his lodginge and nowe I seeke for a place to rest in and in his whole citye can finde none A certaine man sittinge in his house by the fire with his wife and his little sonne hearing one to crye out in that manner went forth and enquired what the Bishop had done and withall inuited him to his house where he caused him to sett with them by the fire and as they were amonge them selues discoursinge of diuers matters the same wicked spirit on a sudcâ—ain entred into his little childe cast him into the fire and forth with killed him then the wretched father by the losse of his sonne in this manner knewe full well whom he had entertained and the Bishopp turned out of his lodginge Peter What was the cause that the olde enemye presumed to kill his sonne in his owne house who thinckinge him to be a stranger voursafed him of lodging and entertaynement Gregory Many thinges Peter seme to be goode and yet ar not because they be not done with a goode mynde and intention and therfor our Sauiour saith in the gospell Yf they eye be naughte al thy Math. 6. bodye shal be darcke for when the intention is wicked all the worcke that followeth is naughte althoughe it seme to be neuer so goode and therfore this man who lost his childe thoughe he semed to giue hospitalitye yet I thincke that he toke not any pleasure in that worcke of mercye but rather in the detraction and infamy of the Bishoppe for the punnishemeÌ„t which followed did declare that his entertainement goinge before was not voide of synne for some there be which are carefull to do goode worckes to th ende they may obscure the vertue of an other mans life neither take they pleasure in the good thinge which they doe but in the conceipt of that hurte which thereby they imagin reclouÌ„deth to others and therfore I verilye suppose that this man which gaue entertainment to the deuill was more desirous to seme to do a goode worcke then to do it in dede to th ende that he mighteseme more charitable then the Bishop in that he entertained him whom the man of God Fortunarus had thrust out of his house Peter It is verilye so as you saye for the ende of the worcke declared that the intente of the doer was not good Gregory At an other tyme likewise one that had lost his eysighte was brought vnto him who craued his intercession and obtayned it for so sone as rhe man of God had praied for him and made A miracle of the signe of the crosse the signe of the crosse vpon his eies straighte waies he receiued his sighte Beside this a certaine soldiars horse became so mad that he colde scant be holden by many and so cruel he was that he rent and tare the flesh of all such as he coulde reach with his tethe at lengthe as well as they coulde they tied him with roopes and so brought him to the man of God who puttinge An other miracle of the signe of the crosse forth his hande made vpon his heade the signe of the crosse forth with all his madnes departed in such sort that he became more gentle then euer he was before Then the soldiar seing his horse so miraculously cured determined to bestowe him vpon the Bishop which because he refused and yet the other instantly entreated
Monarches and Princes the sacking of cities the slaugther of men the triumphes of conquerors this describing the spirituall battles of the soule the voluntary forsaking of all temporal prefermeÌ„t riches and earthly pleasures the vertuous liues and happy endes of holy men and the triuÌ„phant crownes of martirs who sacrificed their bodies for the name of Christ and washed Apocal. 9 v. 14. theire robes and made them white in the bloude of the lambe that out of sundry prudeÌ„t obseruations giuing vs occasioÌ„ togather many politick notes moral lessons for the ordering of our life in this vale of misery this with diuine documents and examples of Gods seruants informing vs how to arriue to the toppe of all perfection and as it were with the arcke of Noe to escape the vast deluge of sinne which ouerfloweth the worlde and safely to arriue at the mountaynes of the heauenly Armenia Genes â— v. 4. These being the pleasant fruits and swete flowers which the caelestiall gardin of Saintâ— liues doth yeld in vaine I think it goode Reader further to commende this booke of S. Gregories Dialogues which now in our english tongue I present to thy viewe thy soule haply desiring as much to enioy the conuersation thereof as euer did the olde Patriarch Iacob Genes cap. 45. v. 28. 2. Reg. 14 cap. 14. v. 32. 2. Paralip cap. 9. v. 23. to see his sonne Ioseph Absalon to come vnto the presence of his father Dauid or the kinges of the earth to behould the face oâ— Salomon yet for thy better instruction and more to inflame thee I can not but add a worde or two Thou shalt therfore vnderstand that this booke hath in auncient tynâ—es bene so highly esteemed and thought so necessary that great Prelats and Princes though otherwise charged with the waight of their gouernment and occupied with the continuall flowe of newe busines yet were they so inamored with this pretious pearle and so much desired that the light thereof might be sett vpon a candle-sticke for the profitte of others that they found spare time to translate it into the language of their owne country Pope Zachary a Graecian Genebrard in his Chronicle borne who liued about an hundred and fourty yeares after that blessed Doctor for the benefit of the East church did turne it into the greke tongue And here in our country king Alfrede seauen hundred yeares agoe either traÌ„slated it him selfe or els as Ingulphus writeth caused In his history it by the holy Bishope of Worcester Werfredus to be translated into the Saxon tongue so highly was this worcke esteemed in former ages and thought so necessary for the goode of Christian people VVherefore seing continuance of time hath not abased the dignity thereof but rather made it more venerable and of greater authority no lesse reason nay sar more haue we to embrace it then our forefathers had and that not only inrespect of vertuous life none as I thinke making any doubt but that we are many degrees inferiour to them synne neuer so tyrannizing as in these vnhappy dayes of ours but especiallie in respect of faith and true religion whereof they had none or litle nede and we most of all seing we be fallen into the latter dayes in which as our Sauiour saith many false prophets Math. 24. v. 12. shall rise and â—seduce many and as the Apostle foretolde men will not beare sound religion but according to their owne desires heape to them selues masters and as experience teacheth newe religions dayly spring vp and multiply and therfore great reason we haue carefully to looke vnto our selues that we suffer not sâ—ipwrake about the faith and perish vpon the mutable sandes of late inuenâ—ions For auoyding of which perill what pilot more cunning can we desire in the tempesÌ„tuous sea and surging waues of these diuerse opinions to conduct vs to the secure harbour of the auncient catholicke and Apostolick church then blessed S. Gregory For if we wish an indifferent iudge and one that was longe before we fell at variance he is so auncient that he liued a thousand yeares agoe and so by common computation within the compasse of the primatiue church Yf we seeke for vertue he was therein so rare that both in his life tyme he was had in great reuerence and after his death honoured for a Saint Yf we desire learning he is so excellent that he is reputed for one of the fower princicipall doctors of the church and worthily surnamed the Greate and generally so famous that with his praise the earth is full ana his glory aboue the heauens S. Iohn Damascene a doctor of the greke church who liued not long after his time giueth him this commendation Prodeat in Orat. de defunctis medâ—um Gregorius Dialogus c. Let Gregory quoth he that wrote the booke of Dialogues Bishop of the elder Rome be brought forth a man as all knowe that was notable and renowned both for holinesse of life and learning who had as men report when he was at the holy mysteries an heauenly and diuine Angell present with him in that sacred action Isodorus also Bishop of Seuill in Spaine prosecuteth De scriptorib ecclesiasticis cap. 27. his praises in this manner Gregorius Papa Romanus c. Gregory pope of Rome Bishop of the Apostolicke sea full of compunction of the feare of God and for humility most admirable and so endewed through the grace of the holy Ghost with the light of knowledge that neither in our dayes nor in former tymes there was euer any doctor his equall And the Councell of Toletan 8. can 2. Toledo in this manner extolleth him Blessed Pope Gregory honorable both for merit of life and worthily almost to be preferred before all for his morall discourses To conclude such as desire more herein I referre them to our dere country man venerable Bede that liued within lesse then one hundred yeares after him as is euident out of the two last chapters of his history translated into our english tongue who in that saide story of our countries conuersion maketh Lib. 2. cap. 1. a briefe rehersall of his learned works among which this of his Dialogues is also mentioned There also he calleth him holy Pope Gregory and the Apostle of our country and recounteth many of his notable acts of piety and religion and diuerse zealous labours emploied for Christ and his church which for breuity sake I willingly passe ouer with silence Neither haue only Catholicke fathers and councels had this reuerent opinion of blessed Pope Gregory but Protestants also iudge him worthy of honour and commendation Among many to name two or three Master Iewell sometime of Salisbury thinketh him so sound for religion that for credit of his cause he thus cryeth out O Gregory ô In his challenging sermon Leo ô Austen c. Yf we be deceiued you haue deceiued vs. Thomas Bell also so magnisieth this father that he vouchsafeth him of this honorable title Saint Gregory Suruey pag. 187. quoth he
that he wolde not reiect his poore gifte the holy man toke the middle waye and yelded so to the soldiars request that yet he wolde not take any rewarde for the doinge of that miracle for he gaue him first so muche money as the horse was worth and then receiued him for perceiuing that the soldiar wolde haue bene grieued yf he had refused his courteous offer vpon charity he boughte that whereof he had then no nede Neither must I passe ouer with silence that which I hearde almost twelue daies since for a certaine poore olde man was broughte vnto me because I loued alwaies to talke with such kinde of men of whom I inquired his countrye and vnderstandinge that he was of the citye of Tuderti I asked him whether he knewe the good olde father Bishoppe Fortunatus to which he answered that he knewe him and that very well Then I beseche you quoth I tell me whether you knowe of any miracles which he did and because I am very desirous let me vnderstande what manner of man he was This man quoth he vvas far different from all those vvhich liue in our daies for he obtayned at Gods handes vvhatsoeuer he requested One of his miracles vvhich commeth to my minde I vvill novve tell you Certaine Gothes vpon a daye trauailing not far from the citye of Tuderti as they vvere in thiere iorny to Rauenna carried avvay vvith them tvvo little boies from a place vvhich belonged to the saide citye Nevves hereof being broughte to the holy Bishop Fortunatus he sent straight vvaies desiryng those Gothes to com vnto him to vvhom he spake very courteouslye being vvilling by faire speche to pacifye thâ—ere fierce cruel natures and aftervvarde tolde them that they sholde haue vvhat money they desired so they vvolde make restitution of the children and therfore I beseche you quoth he gratifye my request in this thinge Then he vvhich semed to be the chiefe of theÌ„ tvvo told him that vvhatsoeuer els he commanded they vvere readye to performe but as for the boies by no means they wolde let them goe To whom the venerable man threatninge in sweete sort spake vnto him in this manner You grieue me good sonne to see that you will not be ruled by your father but giue me not any such cause of griefe for it is not good that you do But for all this the Gothe continewing still harde harted denied his request and so went his waye yet comminge againe the next day the holy man renued his former sute concerninge the children but when he sawe that by no means he colde perswade him in sorrowfull manner he spake thus well I knowe that it is not goode for you to depart in this manner and leaue me thus afflicted But the Goth not esteming his wordes returned to his inne sett those children on horsebacke and sent them before with his seruantes and straighte wayes him selfe tooke horse and followed after and as he was ridinge in the same citye by the churche of S. Peter the Apostle DedicatioÌ„ of churches to Sainctes his horse stumbling fell downe and brake his thighe in suche sorte that the bone was quite a sunder vp was he taken and carried backe againe to his Inne who in all hast sent after his seruantes and caused the boies to be broughte backe againe Then he sent one to venerable Fortunatus with this message I beseche you father to sende vnto me your deacon who when he was come vnto him lying in his bedde he made those boies which before vpon no entreaty he wolde restore to be broughte forth and deliuered them to him sayinge Go and tell my Lord the Bishop Beholde you haue cursed me I am punnished but I haue nowe sent you those children which before you required take them and I beseche you to pray for me The deacon receiued the children and carried them to the Bishop wherevpon the holy manforth with gaue his deacon some holy water sayinge Goe quickelye and cast it vpon him where he lieth who went his waye and comminge to the Goth he sprinckled all his bodye with holy water and o A miracle wroughte by holy water strange and admirable thinge the holy water no soner touched his thighe but all the rupture was so healed and him selfe so perfectly restored to his former helthe that he forsook his bed that verye houre tooke his horse vvent on his iornye as thoughe he had neuer bene hurte at all and thus it fell out that he vvhich refused for money and vpon obedience to restore the children was by punnishemeÌ„t enforced to do it for nothinge When the olde man had tolde me this strange storye ready he vvas to procede vnto other but because I vvas at that tyme to make an exhortation to somâ— that expected me and the day vvas vvell speÌ„te I coulde not at that tyme heare any more of the notable actes of venerable Fortunatus and yet yf I might neuer vvolde I do any thing els then giue eare to such excellent stories The next day the same olde man reported a thinge far more wonderfull for he saide that in the same citye of Tuderti there dwelt a good vertuous man called Marcellus togither with two of his sisters who fallinge sicke somwhat late vpon Easter euen departed this life and because he was to be caried far of he coulde not be buried that daye His sisters hauinge now longer respit for his buriall with heauie hartes ranne weeping vnto the Bishop where they began to cry out aloud in this manner we knowe that thow leadest an Apostolicall life that thou doest heale leapers restore sighte to the blinde come therfore we beseche you and raise vp our deade brother The venerable man hearinge of theire brothers deathe began him selfe likewise to weepe desired them to departe and not to make any suche petition vnto him for it is our Lordes pleasure quoth he vvhich no man can resist vvhen they vvere gone the Bishoppe continued still sad and sorovvfull for the goode mans deathe and the next day being the solemne â—east of Easter verye earlye in the morninge he went with two of his deacons to Marcellus house and comminge to the place where his deade bodye laye he fell to his praiers and when he had made an ende he rose vp and satt dovvne by the corps and with a lovve voice called the dead man by his name sayinge Brother Marcellus whereat as thoughe he had bene lightely a slepe and awaked with that voice he rose vp opened his eies and lokinge vpon the Bishop saide O what haue you done o what haue you done to whom the Bishop answered sayinge what haue I done Marye quoth he Yesterdaye there came two vnto me discharged my soule out of my body and carried me awaye to a goode place and this day one was sent who bad them carry me backe againe bycause Bishop Fortunatus was gone to myne house And vvhen he had spoken these wordes straighte waies he recouered of his sicknes
thinges as I had from the mouthe of his owne scollers mentioned before in the beginninge of this booke A certaine man there was who had an enemie that did notably spite and maligne him whose damnable hatred proceded so far that he poisoned his drincke which althoughe it killed him not yet did it chaunge his skinne in such sort that it was of many colours as thoughe he had bene infected with a leprosy but the maÌ„ of God restored him to his former helthe for so sone as he touched him forthwith all that varietye of colours departed from his bodye HOVV A CRVET OF GLAS was throwne vpon the stones and not broken CHAPTER XXVIII AT suche tyme as there was a great dearthe in Campania the man of God had giuen away all the wealth of the Abbey to poore people so that in the celler there was no thinge lefte but a little oile in a glasse A certaine subdeacon called Agapitus came vnto him instantly crauinge that he wolde bestowe a little oile vpon him Our Lordes seruaunt that was resolued to giue away all vpon earth that he mighte finde all in heauen commanded that oile to be giuen him but the monke that kepâ—e the celler hearde what the father commaunded yet did he not performe itâ— Who inquiringe not longe after whether he had giuen that which he willed the monke tolde him that he had not adding that yf he had giuen it away that there was not any lefte for the Conuerâ—t Then in an anger he comaunded others to take that glasse with the oile and to throwe it out at the windovve to the end that nothinge mighte remayne in the Abbey contrary to obedience The monkes did so and threwe it out at a windowe vnder which there was an huge downefall full of roughe and craggye stones vpon which the glasse did lighte but yet continewed for all that so sounde as thoughe it had neuer bene throwne out at all for neither the glasse was broken nor any of the oile shedde Then the man of God did commande it to be taken vp againe and whole as it was to be giuen vnto him that desired it and in the presence of the other brethren he reprehended the disobedient monke both for his infidelity and also for his proud mynde HOVV AN EMPTYE BARRELL was filled with oile CHAPTER XXIX AFter which reprehension with the rest of his brethren he sell to prayinge and in the place where they were there stoode an empty barrell with a couer vpon it and as the holy man continewed in his praiers the oile within did so increase that the couer began to be lifted vp and at lengthe fell downe and the oile that was nowe higher then the mouthe of the barrell began to runne ouer vpon the pauiment which so sone as the seruauÌ„t of God Bennet behelde forth with he gaue ouer his praiers and the oile likewise ceased to ouerflow the barrel Then did he more at large admonish that mistrustinge and disobedient monke that he wolde learne to haue faithe and humilitye who vpon so holsome an admonition was ashamed because the venerable father had by miracle showne the power of almighty God as before he tolde him when he did first rebuke him and so no cause there was why any sholde afterward doubt of his promise seeinge at one and the same tyme for a small glasse almost emptye which he gaue awaye he bestowed vpon them an whole barrell full of oile HOVV BENNET DELIVERED a monke from a deuill CHAPTER XXX VPon a certaine tyme as he was goinge to the oratory of S. Iohne which is in the topp of the mountaine the olde enemy of mankinde vpon a mule like a phisition met him caryinge in his hand an horne and a morter And when he demanded whether he was goinge To your monkes quoth he to giue them a drench The venerable father went forwarde to his praiers and when he had done he returned in all hast but the wicked spirit founde an olde monke drawinge of water in to whom he entred and straight-waies cast him vpon the ground and grieuously tormented him The man of God comminge from his praiers and seeinge him in such pitifull case gaue him only a little blowe with his hande and at the same instant he cast out that cruell deuill so that he durst not any more presume to enter in Peter I wolde gladly knowe whether he obtained alwaies by praier to worcke suche notable miracles or els sometymes did them only at his will and pleasure Gregory Suche as be the deuoute seruaâ—ntes of God when necessity requireâ—â— vse to worcke miracles both manner of wayes so that sometyme they estecte wonderfull thinges by theire praiers and sometyme only by theire power and authoritye for S. Iohne saithe So Iohn 1. many as receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God They then that by power be the sonnes of God what maruaile is it yf by power they be able to doe wonderfull thinges And that both waies they worcke miracles Act. 9. Act. 5. we learne of S. Peter who by his praiers did raise vp Tabitha and by his sharpe reprehension did sentence Ananias and Saphira to death for theire â—yinge For we reade not that in the death of them he praied at all but only rebuked them for that synne which they had committed Certaine therfore it is that sometymes they do these thinges by power and sometymes by praier for Ananias and Saphira by a seuere rebuke S. Peter depriued of life and by praier restored Tabitha to life And for prooffe of this I will now tell you of two miracles which the faithfull seruaunt of God Bennet did in which it shall appeare most plainlye that he wroughte the one by that power which God gaue him and obtained the other by vertue of his praiers OF A COVNTRY FELLOVVE that with the only sighte of the man of God was loosed from his bandes CHAPTER XXXI A Certaine Goth there was called Galla an Arrian he retike who in the tyme of kinge Totilas did with suche monstrous crueltye persecute religious men of the Catholike church that what Priest or monke soeuer came in his presence he neuer departed aliue This man on a certaine daye sett vpon rapin and pillage pitifully tormented a poore countrye man to make him confesse where his money and wealthe was who ouercome with extremitye of paine saide that he had committed all his substance to the custodye of Bennet the seruaunt of God and this he did to the end that his tormenter giuinge credit to his wordes mighte at least for a while surcease from his horrible crueltye Galla hearinge this tormented him no longer but binding his armes fast with stronge cordes draue him before his horse to bring him vnto this BeÌ„net who as he saide had his wealth in keepinge The country fellowe thus pinyoned and runninge before him carried him to the holy mans Abbey where he founde him sittinge before the gate readinge vpon a booke
that when the deiull is expelled from our soule that he is so little of vs to be feared that contrariwise he is rather terrrified by the vertuous and deuout life of goode people OF A NVNNE THAT BY HER only commandement dispossessed a deuil CHAPTER XXI FOr the holy man olde father Eleutherius of whom I spake before tolde me that which I will nowe tell you and he was him selfe a witnes of the truthe thereof this it was In the citye of Spoleto there was a certaine worshipful mans daughter for yeres mariagable which had a great desire to leade an other kinde of life whose purpose her father endeuored to â—inder but she not respectinge her fathers Habit of Nuns pleasure tooke vpon her the habit of holy conuersation for which cause her father did disinherit her and lefte her nothinge els but six little peeces of grouude By her example manye Nunnes dedicated theire virginitye to God noble yonge maides began vnder her to be conuerted to dedicat theire virginitye to almightye God and to serue him Vpon a tyme the vertuous Abbot Eleutherius went to bestowe vpon her some goode exhortation and as he was sittinge with her discoursinge of spirituall matters a countrye man came from that peece of grouÌ„d which her father had lefte her bringinge a certaine present and as he was standinge before them suddainly a wicked spirit possessed his bodye so that straight-waies he fell downe before them and began pitifullie to crye and roare out At this the Nunne rose vp and with angrye countenance and loude voice commanded him to goe forth saying departe from him thowe vilde wretche departe yf I departe quoth the deuill speaking by the mouthe of the possessed man into whom shall I go By chance there was at that tyme a little hogge hard by into which she gaue him leaue to enter which he did so killing it went his waye Peter I wolde gladly be informed whether she mighte bestowe so muche as that hogge vpon the deuill Gregory The actions of our Sauiour be a rule for vs accordinge to which we may directe our life and we reade in the scripture how the legion of deuils that possessed a man saide vnto our Sauiour Yf thow doest cast vs forthe sende vs Math. 8. into the hearde of swine Who cast them out and permitted them to enter in as they desired and to drowne that hearde in the sea By which facte of our Sauiour we learne also this lesson that except almighty God giueth leaue the deuill can not haue any power against man seeing he can not so muche as enter into hogges without our Sauiours permission Wherfore necessary it is that we be obedient to him vnto whom all our enemies be subiecte that we may so muche the more be stronger then our enemies by howe muche throughe humilitye we become one with the author of all thinges And what maruaile is it yf Gods chosen seruantes liuinge yet vpon earthe can doe many straunge thinges when as theire very bones after they be dead doe often-tymes Relickes worcke miracles worcke miracles OF A PRIEST IN THE PROuince of Valeria who detained a thiefe an his graue CHAPTER XXII FOr in the prouince of Valeria this straunge miracle happened which I had from the mouth of Valentius myne Abbot who was a blessed man In that countrye there was a Priest who in the company of diuers other clerkes serued God and lead a vertuous and holy life who when his tyme was come departed this life and was buried before the churche Not far of there belonged to the churche certaine shepe-coates and the place where he laye buried was the way to goe vnto the sheepe Vpon a nighte as the Priestes were singinge within the churche a thiefe came to the saide place tooke vp a weather and so departed in all hast but as he passed where the man of God was buried there he staied and coulde goe no further Then he tooke the weather from his sholders and â—olde faine haue let it goe but by no meanes coulde he open his hande and therfore poore wretch there he stoode fast bounde with his praye before him willingly wolde he haue let the weather go and coulde not willinglye also haue carried it awaye and was not able And so verye straungely the thiefe that was affraide to be espied of liuing men was helde there against his will by one that was deade for his handes and feete were bounde in such sorte that awaye he coulde not goe When morning Singing of Mattens was come and the Priestes had ended theire seruice out they came where they founde a straunger with a weather in his hande And at the first they were in doubt whether he had taken away one of theires or els came to giue them one of his owne but he that was guilty of the thefte tolde them in what manner he was punnished Whereat they all wondred to see a thiefe with his praye before him to stande there bounde by the merites of the man of God And straighte-wayes they offered theire praiers for his deliuery and scarse coulde they obtaine that he which came to steale awaye theire goodes mighte atleast finde so muche fauor as to departe emptie as he came yet in conclusion the thiefe that had longe stoode there with his stolne weather was suffred to goe away free leauinge his cariage behinde him Peter By such factes almighty God doth declare in what swete manner he doth tender vs when he voutsafeth to worcke such pleasaunt miracles OF THE ABBOT OF MOVNT Preneste and his Priest CHAPTER XXIII Gregory ABoue the citye of Preneste there is a mountaine vpon which standeth an Abbeye of the blessed Apostle S. Peter of the monkes of which place whiles I liued man Abbey my selfe I hearde this miracle which those religious men saide they knewe to be verye true In that monastery they had an Abbot of holy life who broughte vp a certaine monke that became very vertuous whom he perceiuinge to increase in the feare of God he caused him in the same monasterie to be made Prieste who after his taking of orders vnderstoode by reuelation that his deathe was not far of and therfore desired leaue of the Abbot to make readye his sepulchre who tolde him that him selfe sholde dy before him but yet for all that quoth he go your waye and make your graue at your pleasure Away he went and did so Not many daies after the olde Abbot fell sicke of an age we and drawinge nere to his ende he bad the foresaide Priest that stoode by him to bury his body in that graue which he had made for him selfe and when the other tolde him that he was shortlie to followe after and that the graue was not bygge ynoughe for bothe the Abbot answered him in this wise do as I haue saide for that one graue shall contayne bothe our bodies So he died and accordinge to his desire was buried in that graue which the Priest had prouided
Ghost sang the psalme Te Deum answering mutually one the other After in prayer writinge preachinge he so much profited the Church that his name is worthyly had in reuerence of all men and generally all Protestants so esteeme him as of no one Doctor more To this holy and learned Father we appeale for tryall of our cause They denye prayer and inuocation of Saintes as iniurious to Christ and sauoringe of idolatrye we defend it as Catholicke and Apostolicall They condemne pilgrimage and visitinge of Martyrs tombes for superstitious and abhominable VVe teach it to be goode and lawfull They detest shrininge of Saintes bones the reuerent touchinge and carrying their relicks in procession VVe imbrace it as highly redoundinge to the honour of God from whose diuine fountayne all their grace did flow and by such signes do praise God in his Saints and know their death to be precious in his sight Now whether in these pointes S. Austen doth fauor vs or helpe them that I leaue to the iudgment of all Protestants thoughe neuer so partiall in their owne cause aster they haue readd ouer this smal treatise for our cause is so clere and the auncient father so close on our side that most assured I am were his name suppressed and a title prefixed accordingly which spirituall stratagem with such as allowe the authoritye of this Father any that please may sone put in practise they would rather scoffe and deride them for phantastical newes sent out of the new world by the Iesuits and trim tales meete for dotinge old wemen to solace them selues then once imagin that such doctrine was current in the slourishinge time of the primatiue Church or so much as dreame that such grosse stuffe in their concept could come from the penn of that learned Clerck and worthy Father S. Austen VVhat salue then for this sore can be deuised will they haply say that the booke from whence this doctrine is fetched is some bastarde lipp and falsely fathered vpon that holy Doctor This shiste can not serue there being not so much as any colour to countenance such a cauill for all learned men confesse it not only to be his but also one os the most notable monuments that euer he published being made in his â—iper age against insultinge Pagans and infidels in defence of Christian religion and about which he laboured many yeares besore he brought it to perfection all which circumstances maturely considered make his authoritie in the foresayd articles far more great and wayghtye VVill they tell vs that he wrot a booke of Retractations and so not vnlikely that these opinions of his be there recalled willingly should I graunt it yf any such thinge were there extant but seinge no cunninge in searchinge can finde that out which is not there to be found they must needes graunt that this answeare bringeth rather corsiue then comfort to their cause sor yf in his latter times he perused ouer all his workes and yet neuer reuoked any one article of the Catholike faith then can not his booke of Retractations any wayes preiudice but rather giue them more creditt and make his authoritye more to presse them And what man of common sense that readeth his owne woordes will euer thinke that he could retract what he there writeth concerning prayer to Saints visitation of relicks and the like seinge they were not any priuate opinions of his owne but the common beleefe and practise of Gods Church as is euident out of the treatise followinge Smaller matters God knoweth they be which he speaketh os in his Retractations and two only things he retracteth in his booke of the City of God from whence these stories are taken The first is that he thought it a miracle that fire from heauen did runne betwene Abrahams sacrifice It should not quoth he haue bene put downe for a miracle Lib. 10. because this was showne him in vision The second is where he sayth that Samuel was not the sonne of Aaron I should rather quoth he haue sayd that he was not the sonne of a Priest because Samuels father is fouÌ„d amongst the sonnes of Aaron but a Preist he was not c. Such priuate opinions as these of smal importance as each one seeth he retracteth in that booke other mayne and many articles of diuinitye in controuersie betwixt them and vs he doth not retract which argueth playnly that they are sound and Catholike and were the beleefe of that time And this the Protestants that be learned be not ignorant of sor which cause when we obiect that S. Austen prayed sor his mothers soule Lib. 9. coÌ„fes cap. 11. 12. 13. Epist 99. ad EuodiuÌ„ 20. de ciuit cap. 15. Tract 118 in Ioan. Haeres 82. that he beleeued Christ to haue descended into that part of hell called Limbus patrum or Abrahams bosome and deliuered Adam from thence and the rest os the holy fathers that he thought it necessary to vse the signe of the Crosse that it was heresy to teach that virginity and marriage were os like merit and such like points in controuersie they neuer tell vs that he retracted these opinions knowing full wel that no such thing is there to be found and therfore though this deuise runneth vp and downe in corners helpeth sometimes amongest ignorant people and giueth a prety grace when his booke is not present yet most sure I am that not any of our learned aduersaries would be willinge to ioyne with vs vpon that yssue being not ignoraÌ„t that this answeare rather desireth darknes then loueth light which is the reason as I suppose that it coÌ„meth seldome in print sor except it were once yf once neuer did I se any such thinge though in common conserence it be the common refuge and sanctury The Protestantes of Magde burge destitute of a better answer help out the matter with flatte lying making S. Augustin to reprehende that which he doth Centur. cap. 6. co 699. highely commende Augustin say they in his 22. booke of the citie of God the 8. chapter concerning the relicks of Steuene writeth that a superstitious and greate coÌ„curse of multitudes was made vnto them euene into Affricke the people being become mad with certaine illusions which were reputed for miracles But this ouer-reaching libertie argueth their cause to be desperate and that no sounde answere can be found to auoide so irrefragable a testimonie they greatly iniurie that worthy father he neither calleth those miracles illusions nor censureth the people for superstitious or madde those termes be slippes of their owne planting nay what doth he els in that whole chapter but proue that the catholicke faith wanteth not miracles can any then beleeue that he would call them illusions by which he affirmeth our faith be proued Peruse goode reader the treatise followinge and I leaue it to thy iudgement whether they had the feare of God before theire eyes that entertayned so grosse and gracelesse an inuention