ears OF TVVO HVNDRED BVSSHELS of meale found before the man of Gods cell CHAPTER XXI AT an other tyme there was a great dearche in the same countrye of Campania so that all kinde of people tasted of the miserye and all the wheat of Bennets monasterye was spent and likewise all the breade so that there remayned no more then fiue loaues for dinner The venerable man beholdinge the monkes sad both rebuked theÌ„ modestly for thiere pusillanimitye and againe did comforte them with this promise why quoth he are you so grieued in your mindes for lack of breade Indede too day some want there is but to morrowe yowe shall haue plentye and so it fell out for the next day two huÌ„dred busshells of meale was founde in sackes before his cell dore which almighty God sent them but by whom or what meanes that is vnknowne to this verye daye which miracle when the monkes sawe they gaue God thanckes and by this learned in want not to make any doubte of plenty Peter Tell me I praye you whether this seruaunt of God had alwaies the spirit of prophecye when him selfe pleased or only at certaine tymes Gregory The spirit of prophecy doth not alwaies illuminate the mindes of the prophetes because as it is written of the holy Ghoste that he breatheth where Ioh. 3. he will so we are also to knowe that he doth breathe likewise for what cause and when he pleaseth And hereof it commeth that when kinge Dauid demanded of Nathan whether he mighte 1. Paralip 17. builde a teÌ„ple for the honoure of God the prophet Nathan gaue his consent and yet afterwarde vtterly for bad it From hence likewise it procedeth that when Helizeus sawe the woman weeping and knewe not the cause he saide to his seruauÌ„t that did trouble her Let 4. Reg. 4. her alone for her soule is in griefe and God hath concealed it from me and hath not tolde me Which thinge almightye God of great pietye so disposeth for giuinge at some tymes the spirit of prophecye and at other tymes withdrawinge it he doth both lifte vp the prophetes mindes on highe and yet doth preserue them in humilitye that by the gifte of the spirit they may knowe what they are by Gods grace and at other tymes destitute of the same spirit may vnderstande what they are of them selues Peter There is very great reason for that you saye But I pray you let me heare more of the venerable man Bennet yf there be any thinge els that cometh to your remembrance HOVV BY VISION VENERABLE Bennet disposed the buildinge of the Abbey of Taracina CHAPTER XXII Gregory AT an other tyme he was desired by a certaâ—ne vertuous man to bulide an Abbeye for his monkes vpon his grounde not far from the citye of Taracina The holy man was content and appointed an abbot Prior with diuers monkes vnder them and when they were departinge he promised that vpon suche a day he wolde come and shewe them in what place the oratory sholde be made and vvhere the refectorye sholde stande and all the other necessary roomes and so they takinge his blessinge went there waye and against the day appointed which they greatlye expected they made all such thinges readye as were necessary to entertaine him and those that sholde come in his companye But the verye nighte before the man of God in sleepe appeared to the Abbot and the Prior and particularly described vnto them where eache place and office was to be builded And when they were both risen they conferred together what either of them had seene in thiere sleep but yet not giuing full credit to that vision they expected the man of God him selfe in person accordinge to his promise But when they savve that he came not they returned backe vnto him verye sorovvfullye sayinge vve expected father that you sholde haue come accordinge to promise and tolde vs vvhere eache place sholde haue bene built vvhich yet you did not To vvhom he ansvvered vvhy say you so goode brethren Did not I come as I promised you and vvhen they asked at vvhat tyme it vvas vvhy quoth he did not I appeare to either of you in your sleepe and appointed hovv and vvhere euerye place vvas to be builded Go your vvaye and accordinge to that plat-forme which you then â—awe builde vp the Abbey At which wordes they muche maruailed and returninge backe they caused it to bâ— builded in such sorte as they had bene taught of him by reuelation Peter Gladly wolde I learne by what means that could be done to witt that he sholde goe so far to tell thèm that thinge in thiere sleepe which they sholde both heare and knowe by vision Gregory Why do you Peter seeke out and doubte in what manner this thinge was done For certaine it is that the soule is of a more noble nature then the bodye And by authority of scripture we knowe that the prophet Abacuck was carried from Iudea with that dinner whiche he had and was suddainlye sett in Chaldea by which meate the prophet Daniel was relieued presentlye Daniel cap. 14. after was broughte backe againe to Iudea Yf then Abacuck coulde in a moment with his bodye go so far and carrye prouision for an other mans dinner what maruaile is it yf the holy father Bennet obtayned grace to goe in spirit and to informe the soules of his brethren that were a sleepe coÌ„cerninge suche thinges as were necessarye and that as Abacuck about corporall meate went corporally so Bennet sholde go spiritually about the dispatche of spirituall busines Peter I confesse that your wordes haue satisfied my doubtfull minde But I wolde knowe what maner of man he was in his ordinary talke and conuersation OF CERTAINE NVNNES absolued after thiere deathe CHAPTER XXIII HIs common talke Peter was vsuallye full of vertue for his harte conuersed so aboue in heauen that no vvordes coulde in vayne procede from his mouthe And yf at any tyme he spake oughte yet not as one that determined vvhat vvas best to be done but onlye in a threatnnige manner his speeche in that case vvas so effectuall and forcible as though he had not doubtfully or vncertainly but assuredly pronounced and giuen sentenceâ— For not far from his Abbey there liued two Nunnes in a place by them selues borne of vvorshipfull parentage vvhom a religious good man did serue for the dispatche of thiere outvvarde busines But as nobility of family doth in some breede ignobility of minde and makâ—th them in conuersation to shevve lesse humilitye because they remember still what superiority they had aboue others euen so was it with these Nunnes for they had not yet learned to temper thiere tongues and kepe them vnder with The habit of Nunnes the bridle of thiere habit for often did they by thiere indiscret speech prouoke the foresaide religious maÌ„ to anger who hauinge borne with them a longe tyme at lengthe he complained to the man of God and tolde him with what
nighte by reuelation was admonished in this manner Make your selfe readye because our Lorde hath giuen commandement for your departure and when he answered that he had not wherewith to defraye the charges of that iorny straighte-waies he hearde these comfortable wordes Yf you take care for your synnes they be forgiuen you which thinge thoughe he had hearde once and yet for all that was in great feare an other nighte he had againe the same vision and so after fiue daies he fell sicke of an agewe and as the other monkes were in praying and weeping about him he departed this life An other monke there was in the same Monasterye called Merulus who was wonderfullye giuen to â—eares and bestowing of almes and no tyme almost passed him except it were when he was at meate or a slepe in which he did not sing psalmes This man by vision in the nighte sawe a crowne made of white flowers to descende vpon his heade and straighte after falling sicke he died with great quiet and ioye of minde Fouretene yeares after when Peter who nowe hath the gouernment of my Monasterye went about to make a graue for him selfe harde by Merulus sepulchre such a fragrant and pleasaunt smell as he saith came out of it as thoughe it had bene a storehouse of all manner of swete flowers By which it appeared plainlye that it was verye true which before he had sene by vision in the nighte Likewise in the same Monasterye there was an other called Iohn who was a yonge man of great towardnes and one that ledd his life with greate circumspection humility swetenes and grauitye This man falling sore sicke sawe in his great extremitye by vision in the nighte an olde man to come vnto him who touched him with a wande sayinge Rise vpe for you shall not dye of this sickenes but make your selfe readye for you haue not any longe tyme to staye in this worlde and forthvvith thoughe the phisitions dispaired of his health yet he recouered and became perfectlye well The vision which he sawe he told to others and for two yeares followinge as I saide he serued God in such sort that his great deuotion surpassed his yonge yeares Three yeares since an other monke died who was buried in the churche-yarde of the same Monasterye and when we had ended all his â—uneralles and were departed this Iolme as him selfe with pale face and great trembling tolde vs remayned there still where he hearde that monke which was buried to call him out of the graue that it was so indeede the end following did shewe for ten daies after he fell sicke of an agewe and so departed this life Peter Willingly wolde I learne whether we ought to obserue such visioÌ„s as be reuealed to vs by nighte in our slepe VVHETHER DREAMES ARE TO be beleeued and how many kinde of dreames there be CHAPTER XLVIII Gregory COncerninge this pointe Peter you must vnderstande that there are six kinde of dreames For sometyme they procede of too much fulnes or emptines of the stomacke sometyme by illusion sometyme both by thought and illusion sometyme by reuelation and sometyme both by thoughte and reuelation The two first all by experience knowe to be true and the fower latter we finde mentioned in holy scripture For yf dreames did not sometyme procede by illusion from our secret enemye neuer wolde the wise man haue saide Dreames haue made manye Eccles 34. to err and hooping in them haue they bene deceiued and againe You shall not be sothsaiers nor obserue dreames by which wordes we see howe they are to be detested that are compared with soothsayinges Againe yf dreames did not sometyme procede both of thoughte together with illusion the wise man vvoulde not haue saide Dreames follow cclâ—s 5. many cares And yf sometyme also they did not come by mysticall reuelation Ioseph had neuer knovvne by dreame â—enes 37. that he sholde haue bene exalted aboue his brethren neither the Angell vvolde Aath. 2. euer in a dreame haue admonished the spouse of our Ladye to flye avvaye vvith the childe into Egipt Againe yf sometyme they did not also procede both from thoughtes and diuine reuelation neuer vvolde the prophet Daniell disputing of Nabuchod mosors dreame haue begun from the roote of his former thoughtes saying Thow Daniel 2. ô king diddest beginne to thincke in thy â—edd what should happen in tymes to come and he that reuealeth mysteries did shewe the what thinges should come and a little after Thow diddest see and behold as it were a great statua that great statua and highe of stature did stand against the c. Wherfore seing Daniell doth with reuerence insinâ—ate that the dreame shoulde come to passe and also declareth from what cogitation it did springe plainlye do we learne that dreames sometymes do come both of thought and reuelation together But seing dreames do growe from such diueâ—s rootes with so much the more difficultye oughte we to beleeue them because it doth not easily appeare vnto vs from what cause they do proceede Holy men indeed by a certaine in warde spirituall tast doe discerne betwixt illusions and true reuelatioÌ„s by the very voices or representations of the visions them selues so that they knowe what they receiue from the goode spirit and what they suffer by illusion from the wicked and therfore yf our mynde be not herein verye attentiue and vigilant it falleth into many vanityes throughe the deceipt of the wicked spirit who sometyme vseth to foretell many true thinges that in the ende he may by some falshoode insnare our soule OF ONE VVHO IN HIS DREAME had longe lise promised him and yet died shortly after CHAPTER XLIX AS not longe since it is most certaine that it befell to one that liued amongest vs who being much giuen to obserue dreames had one nighte in a dreame longe life promised him and when as he had made prouision of great store of money for the maintenance of his manye daies he was so suddainlye taken out of this life that he lefte it all behinde him without euer hauing any vse thereof and caried not with him any good worckes to the next worlde Peter I remember verye well who it was but let vs I praye you prosecute such questions as we began to intreat of Doth any profit thincke you redounde to mens soules yf theire bodies be buried in the churche VVHETHER THE SOVLES receiue any commoditye if theire bodies he buried in the churche CHAPTER L. Gregory SVch as dye not in mortall synne ne si nmorand ne not receiue this benefit by hauing theire bodies buried in the churche for when their friendes come thither and beholde their sepulchres then do they remember them and pray vnto God for theire soulesâ— but those that depart Praier for the deade this life in the state of deadly synne receiue not any absolution from theire synnes but rather be more punnished in hell for hauing theire bodies buried in the
of thine Riggo hearinge this fell straighte waies downe to the grounde and was very muche affraide for presuminge to go aboute to mocke so vvorthye a man and all his attendantes and seruitours fell dovvne likevvise to the earthe and after they vvere vp againe they durst not approche any nerer to his presence but returned backe to thiere kinge rellinge him vvith feare hovve quickely they vvere discouered HOVV VENERABLE BENNET prophecied to kinge Totilas and also to the Bisshop of Camisina such thinges as were afterward to fall out CHAPTER XV. THen Totilas him selfe in person vvent vnto the man of God and seeinge him sitting a far of he durst not come nere but fell dovvne to the grounde vvhom the holy man speaking to him tvvise or thrise desired to rise vp and at length came vnto him and vvith his ovvne handes lifte him vp from the earth vvhere he lay prostrat and then entring into talke he reprehended him for his vvicked deedes and in fewe vvordes tolde him all that vvhich sholde befall him sayinge Muche vvickednes doe you daily committe and many great sinnes haue you done nowe at length giue ouer your sinfull life In to the citye of Rome shall you enter and ouer the sea shall you passe nine yeres shall you raigne and in the tenth shall you leaue this mortall life The kinge hearinge these thinges was wonderfully affraâ—de and desiring the holy man to commend him to God in his praiers he de parted and from that tyme forwarde he was nothing so cruell as before he had bene Not long after he went to Rome sailed ouer into Sicily and in the tenthe yere of his raigne he lost his kingdome together with his life The Bishop also of Camisina vsed to visit the seruaunt of God whom the holy man derely loued for his vertuous life The Bishop therfore talkinge with him of kinge Totilas of his takinge of Rome and the destruction of that citye saide This citye wiâ—l be so spoiled and ruyned by him that it will neuer be more in habited To whom the man of God answered Rome quoth he shall not be vtterly destroied by strangers but shall be so shaken with teÌ„pestes lightninges whirlwindes earth quakes that it will fall to decay He semeth to speake of the inuasion of the Lombardes se the third booke cha xxxviij of it selfe The mysteries of which prophecy we nowe beholde as clere as the daye for we see before our eyes in this verye citye by a strange whirlwinde the world shaken houses ruined and churches ouerthrowne and buildinges rotten with old age we beholde daily to fall downe True it is that Honoratus by whose relation I had this saith not that he receiued it from his owne mouthe but that he had it of other monkes which did heare it them selues OF A CERTAINE CLERGY man whom venerable Bennet for a tyme deliuered from a deuil CHAPTER XVI AT the same tyme a certaine clergye man that serued in the churche Pilgrimage to the tombes of martirs Martirs often help suche as be deuout vnto them of Aquinum was possessed whom the venerable man Constantius Bishope of the same citye sent vnto many places of holy martirs for helpe but Gods holy martirs wolde not deliuer him to the end that the worlde mighte knowe what great grace was in the seruante of God Bennet wherfore at lengthe he was broughte vnto him who prayinge for helpe to Iesus Christ our Lorde did forthwith cast the olde enemye out of the possessed mans bodye giuing him this charge Go your way and hereafter abstaine from eating AbstineÌ„ce from slesh of flesh and presume not to enter into holy orders for when soeuer you shall attempt any such thinge the deuil againe will haue power ouer you The man departed safe and sounde and because punnishement freshe in memorye vseth to terrifye the mynde he obserued for a tyme what the man of God had giuen him in commandement But after many yeres when all his seniors were deade and he sawe his iuniors preferred before him to holy orders he neglected the wordes of the man of God as thoughe forgotten through lengthe of tyme and tooke vpon him holy orders wherevpon straightewaies the deuill that before had lefte him entred againe and neuer gaue ouer to torment him vntill he had seperated his soule from his bodye Peter This holy man as I perceiue did knowe the secret counsell of God for he sawe that this clergye man was deliuered to the power of the deuill to the end he should not presume to enter into holy orders Gregory Why sholde he not knowe the secretes of God who kept the commandements of God when as the scripture saithe He that cleaueth vnto our Lorde is one 1. Corint 6. spirit with him Peter Yf he that cleaueth vnto our Lorde be one spirit with our Lorde what is the meaninge of that vvhich the Apostle saithe VVho knoweth the sence of Rom. 11. our Lorde or who hath bene his counsellor for it semeth very inconuenient to be ignorant of his sence to vvhom being so vnited he is made one thinge Gregory Holy men in that they be one with our Lord are not ignoraÌ„t of his sence for the same Apostle saithe for what 1. Cor. 2. man knoweth those thinges which belonge to man but the spirit of man which is in him Euen so the thinges which belonge to God no man knoweth but the spirit of God and to showe also that he knewe such thinges as belonge to God he addeth straighte after But we Ibidem haue not receiued the spirit of this worlde but the spirit which is of God And for this cause againe he saithe that eye hath not sene Ibidem nor eare hearde nor it hath ascended into the harte of man those thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him but God hathe reuealed to vs by his spirit Peter Yf then the mysteries of God were reuealed to the same Apostle by the spirit of God why did he then entreatinge of this question set downe these wordes before hande sayinge O the depthe of the riches of the wisdom and Rom. 11. knowledge of God how incomprehensible be his iudgements and his waies inuestigable And againe whiles I am thus speaking of this matter an other question commeth to my minde for the prophet Dauid saith to our Lorde with my lippes Psal 118. haue I vttered all the iudgementes of thy mouth Wherfore seeinge it is lesse to knowe then to vtter what is the reason that S. Paul affirmeth the iudgements of God to be incomprehensible and yet Dauid saith that he did not only knowe them but also with his lippes pronounce them Gregory To both these questions I haue already briefely answered when I saide that holy men in that they be one with our Lorde are not ignorant of the sence of our Lorde For all suche as do deuoutly followe our Lorde be also by deuotion one with our Lorde and yet sor all this
see how thowe art become like vnto hogges and rattes thowe that woldest needes vnworthilye be like vnto God beholde how thowe doest nowe according to thy desertes imitate brute beastes At these wordes the wicked serpent was as I may well terme it ashamed that he was so disgratiously and baselye put downe for wel maye I saye that he was ashamed who neuer after troubled that house with any such terrible and monstrous shapes as before he did for euer after that tyme Christian men did inhabit the same for so sone as one man that was a true and faithful christian tooke possession thereof the lyinge and faith lesse spirit straight-waies did forsake it But I will nowe surcease from speaking of thinges done in former tymes and come to suche miracles as haue happened in our owne daies OF SABINVS BISSHOP OF Camisina CHAPTER V. CErtaine religious men well knowne in the prouince of Apulia do reporte that which many both far and nere knowe to be most true and that is of Sabinus Bishoppe of Camisina who by reason of his great age was become so blinde that he sawe nothinge at all And for as much as Totilas King of the Gothes hearinge that he had the gifte of prophecye and wolde not beleue it but was desirous to proue whether it were so or no it fel so out that comminge into those partes the man of God did inuite him to dinner And when the meate was broughte in the Kinge wolde not sitt at the table but satt beside at the righte hande of venerable Sabinus and when the Bisshoppes man broughte him as he vsed to doe a cupp of wine the Kinge softlye putt forthe his hande tooke the cupp and gaue it him selfe to the Bisshop to trye whether he coulde tell who he was that gaue him the wyne Then the man of God taking the cupp but not seeing him that did deliuer it saide Blessed be that hande At which wordes the Kinge very merily blushed because albeit he was taken yet did he finde that gifte in the man of God which before he desired to knowe The same reuerent man to giue goode example of life to others liued vntill he was passinge olde which nothinge pleased his archdeacon that desired his Bishopricke and therfore vpon ambition he soughte how to dispatche him with poison and for that purpose corrupted his cup bearer who ouercome with money offered the Bisshop at dinner that poison in his wine which he had receiued of the Archdeacon The holye man knowinge what he broughte willed him selfe to drincke that which he offered him The wretche trembled at those wordes and perceiuing his villany to be derected thoughte better to drincke it and so quickly dispatch him selfe then with shame to suffer tormentes for the sinne of so horrible a murder but as he was puttinge the cuppe to his mouth the man of God hindred him sayinge Do not take it but giue it me and I will drincke it my selfe but go thy way and tell him that gaue it the that I will drinck the poison but yet shall he neuer liue to be Bisshopp And so blessinge the Blessing with the signe of the crosse cuppe with the signe of the crosse he drunke it without any harme at all at which very tyme the Archdeacon being in an other place departed this life as thoughe that poison had by the Bishoppes mouth passed to his Archdeacons bowels for althoughe he had no corporall poison to kill him yet the venim of his owne malice did destroye him in the sighte of the euerlastinge iudge Peter These be straunge thinges and muche in our dayes to be wondred at yet the life of the man is suche that he which knoweth his holye conuersation hath no such cause to maruaile at the miracle OF CASSIVS BISSHOP OF Narny CHAPTER VI. Gregory NEither can I Peter passe ouer with silence that thing which many of the city of Narny which be here present affirme to be most true For in the tyme of the same Gothes the foresaide Kinge Totilas comminge to Narnie Cassius a man of venerable life Bishop of the same city weÌ„t forth to meete him whom the king vtterly contemned because his face was highe coloured thinking that it proceded not from any other cause then drinking But almighty God to shewe howe worthy a man was despised permitted a wicked spirit before his whole armye in the fieldes of Narnie where the Kinge also him selfe was to possesse one of his garde and cruellye to torment him Straight-waies was he broughte to the venerable man Cassius in the presence of the Kinge who praying to God for him and making the signe of the crosse forth with he The vertue of the signe of the crosse cast out the deuill so that neuer after he durst presume any more to enter into his bodye And by this meanes it fell out that the barbarous Kinge from that daye forwarde did with his hart much reuerence the seruant of God whom before by his face he iudged to be a man of no account for seeing him now to be one of such power and vertue he gaue ouer those proude thoughtes which before he had conceiued OF ANDREVVE BISSHOP of Funda CHAPTER VII BVt as I am thus busied in tellinge the actes of holy men there commeth to my minde what God of his great mercy did for Andrewe Bishop of the citye of Funda which no table storye I wish all so to reade that they which haue dedicated them selues to Bishopes dedicated to continencye continencye presume not in any wise to dwell amongst wemen least in tyme of tentation theire soule perâ—she the soner by hauinge that at hand which is vnlawfullye desired Neither is the story which I reporte either doubtfull or vncertaine for so many witnesses to iustifye the truthe thereof may be produced as there be almost inhabitants in that citye When therfore this venerable man Andrewe liued vertuouslye with diligent care answerable to his priestlie functioÌ„ lead a continent and chast life he kept in his house a certaine Nunne which also had remained with him befor he was preferred to that dignitye for assuringe him selfe of his owne continencye and nothing doubtinge of hers content he was to let her remaine stil in his house which thinge the deuil tooke as an occasion to assalte him with tentation and so he began to present before the eies of his minde the forme of that woman that by suche allurements he mighte haue his harte wholy possessed with vngodly thoughtes In the meane tyme it fell so out that a Iewe was trauailinge from Campania to Rome who drawinge nighe to the city of Funda was so ouertaken with nighte that he knewe not where to Iodge and therfore not findge any better commoditye he retired him selfe into a temple of the God Apollo which was not far of meaninge there to repose him selfe but muche affraide he was to The signe of the crosse vsed in old tyme. ly in so a wicked and
sacrilegious a place for which cause thoughe he beleued not what we teache of the crosse yet he thoughe goode to arme him selfe with that signe About midnighte as he lay wakinge for verye feare of that forlorne and desert temple and looked suddainlie about him he espied a troupe of wicked spirites walkinge before an other of greater authority who comminge in tooke vp his place and satt downe in the body of the temple where he began diligeÌ„tlye to inquire of those his seruaÌ„tes how they had bestowed theire tyme and what villanye they had done in the worlde And when eache one told what he had done against Gods seruantes out stepped a companion and made solemne relation what a notable tentation of carnalitye he had put into the minde of Bishop Andrewe concerninge that Nunne which he kepte in his pallace where vnto whiles the master deuill gaue attentiue eare consideringe with him selfe what a notable gaine it wolde be to vndoe the soule of so holy a man the former deuill went on with his tale and saide that the verye eueninge before he assalted him so mightelye that he drewe him so far forth that he did merily strike the saide Nunne vpon the backe The wicked serpent and olde enemie of mankinde hearinge this ioyfull newes exhorted his agent with verye faire wordes diligently to labour about the effecting of that thinge which he had already so well begun that for so notable a pece of seruice as the contriuing the spirituall ruyne of that vertuous Prelat he mighte haue a singular reward aboue all his fellowes The Iewe who al this while lay wakinge and hearde all that which they saide was wonderfully affraide at length the master deuill sent some of his followers to see who he was and howe he durst presume to lodge in theire temple when they were come and had narrowlye viewed him they founde that he was marked with the mystical signe of the crosse whereat they maruailed and saide Alas alas here is an empty vessel but The signe of the crosse protected a Iowe yet it is signed which newes the resâ— of those helhoundes hearinge suddainly vanished awaye The Iewe who had seene all that which then passed among them presently rose vp and in all hast sped him selfe to the Bishop whom he founde in the churche and taking him a side he demanded with what tentation he was trobled but shame so preuailed that by no meanes he wolde confesse the truthe Then the Iewe replied and tolde him that he had cast his eies wickedly vpon such a one of Gods seruantes But the Bishop wolde not acknowledge that there was anye such thinge Why do you deny it quoth the Iewe for is it not so true that yesternighte you were broughte so far by sinfull tentation that you did strike her on the backe When the Bishop by these particularities perceiued that the matter was broken forth he humbly confessed what before he obstinately denied Then the Iewe moued with compassion to his soule and tenderinge his credit tolde him by what means he came to the knowledge thereof and what he hearde of him in that assemblye of wicked spirites The Bishop hearinge this fell prostrat vpon the earth and betooke him selfe to his praiers and straight after he discharged out of his house not only that Nunne but all other wâ—men that attended vpon her And not longe after he conuerted the temple of Apollo into an oratory of the blessed Churches dedicated to Sainctes Apostle S. Andrewe and neuer after was he trobled with that carnall tentation and the Iewe by whose means he was so mercifully preserued he broughte to euerlasting saluation for he baptized him and made him a member of holy churche And thus by Gods prouidence the Iewe hauinge care of the spirituall health of an other attained also him selfe the singular benefit of the same and almightye God by the same means brought one to imbrace piety and vertue by which he preserued an other in an holy and godly life Peter This historye which I haue hearde worketh in me feare and yet withal giueth me cause of hoope Gregory That is not amisse Peter for necessary it is that we shoulde both trust vpon the mercye of God and yet consideringe our owne frailtye be affraide for we haue nowe heard howe one of the cedars of Paradise was shaken and yet not blowne downe to the end that knowing our owne infirmitye we sholde both tremble at his shakinge and yet conceiue hoope in that he was not ouerthrowne but kept his standinge still OF CONSTANTIVS BISSHOP of Aquinum CHAPTER VIII COnstantius likewise a man of holy life was Bishop of Aquinum who not longe since died in the tyme of Pope Iohne of blessed memorye my predecessor many that knewe him familiarly saye that he had the gifte of prophecy And amongest diuers other thinges which he did religious and honest men then present reporte that lyinge vpon his death bed the citizens that stoode about him wept bitterly asked him with teares who sholde be theire father and Bishop after him To whom by the spirit of prophecy he answered sayinge After Constantius you shall haue a muletour and after a muletour a fuller of cloth and these men quoth he be now in the city of Aquinum and hauing spoken these propheticall wordes he gaue vp the Ghost After whose departure one Andrewe his Deacon was made Bishop who in tymes past had kept mules and post horses And when he died one Iouinus was preferred to that dignitye who in former tymes had bene a fuller in the same citye in whose daies all the citizens were so wasted some by the sworde of barbarous people and some by a terrible plague that after his death neither could any be founde to be made Bishop nor yet any people for whose sake he sholde be created And so the saying of the man of God was fulfilled in that his churche after the death of two that followed him had no Bishopp at all OF FRIGIDIANVS BISSHOP of Luca. CHAPTER IX BVt I must not forget to tell you what I hearde of the reuerent man Venantius Bishop of Luna some two daies agoe who saide that there was nighe vnto him a man of rare vertue called Frigidianus Bishopp of Luca who wroughte a strange miracle which as he saith all the inhabitantes of that place do speake of and it was this Hard by the walles of the city there runneth a riuer called Anser which diuers tymes doth so swell and ouerflowe the bankes that it drowneth many acres of grounde spoileth muche corne and fruite The inhabitants inforced by necessity seeinge that this did often happen went about by all means possible to turne the streame an other waye but when they had bestowed much labour yet coulde they not cause it to leaue the olde channell Wherevpon the man of God Frigidianus made a little rake and came to the riuer where all alone he bestowed some tyme in praier and then he commaunded the riuer to followe him
arme to strike of his head but by no meanes coulde he bring it downe againe for it became suddainly so stiffe that it remained still aboue the man being not able once to bende it downewarde Then all the Lombardes who came to feede theire eies with the lamentable sighte of his death began with admiration to praise Gods name and with feare to reuerence the man of God for they now sawe apparantlye of what great holines he was that did so miraculouslye staye the arme of his executioner aboue in the ayre Then they desired him to rise vp which he did but when they required him to restore his executioners arme to his former state he vtterly refused sayinge By no meanes will I once pray for him vnlesse before hande he sweare vnto me that he will neuer vvith that arme offer to kill any christian more The poore Lombarde vvho as vve may truly saye had stretched out his arme against God enforced vvith this necessitye tooke an oath neuer more to putt any Christian to death Then the man of God commanded him to putt downe his arme which forthwith he did he commanded him also to putt vp his sworde which in like manner he performed All the Lombardes by this perceiuing him to be a man of rare vertue began in all hast to present him with the giftes of such oxen and other cattle as before they had taken from others but the man of God vtterly refused all such kinde of presentes desiringe them rather yf they ment to bestowe any thinge vpon him worth the giuinge that they wolde deliuer vnto him all such prisoners as they had in theire keeping that he mighte haue some cause in his praiers to commend them to almighty God To which request of his they condescended and so all the poore captiues were discharged and thus by Gods sweete prouidence one offering him selfe to dy for an other manye were deliuered from death Peter A strange thinge it was and althoughe I haue hearde the same story by the relation of others yet I can not denye but so often as I heare it repeated it seemeth still vnto me as thoughe it were freshe newes Gregory There is no cause why you sholde admire Sanctulus for this thing but ponder with your selfe if you can what manner of spirit that was which possessed his simple soule and did aduaunce it to so highe a perfection of vertue For where was his minde when he offered him selfe with such constancye to dy for his neighbour and to saue the temporall life of his brother contemned his owne and put his heade vnder the executioners sworde what force of true loue did then harbor in that hart when he nothinge feared death to preserue the life of an other Ignorant I am not that this venerable man Sanctulus could scant reade well and that he knewe not the preceptes of the lawe yet because charitye is the fulfilling of the lawe by louing God and his neighbour he kept the whole lawe and that which outwardlye lacked in knowledge did in wardlie by charity liue in his soule And he perhappes who neuer read that which S. Iohne the Apostle saide of our Sauiour to witt that as he Ioan. 13. v. 16. yeelded his life for vs so we likewise shold yeeld our liues for our brethren yet that great highe precept of the Apostle he knewe more by action then by speculation Let vs here yf you please compare his learned ignorance with our vnlearned knowledge Where our kinde of 〈…〉 inge is nothing worth his is of 〈…〉 t price and estimation we destit◠〈…〉 vertue doe speake thereof and as 〈…〉 vere in the middes of plentifull 〈…〉 s smell of the fruite but do not 〈…〉 e thereof He knewe full well 〈…〉 we to gather and tast of the fruite 〈…〉 elfe althoughe he lacked the smell 〈…〉 wordes and vaine speeche Peter What I pray doe you thincke is the 〈…〉 ause that goode men are still taken 〈…〉 vvaye and such as for the benefit and 〈…〉 dification of many might liue still in this vvorlde either are not to be founde at all or at least verye fevve can be hearde of Gregory The malice and vvickednes of them that remayne behinde in the vvorlde deserueth that those shoulde quickly be taken avvaye vvho by theire life mighte much helpe vs and for as much as the vvorlde dravveth tovvardes an end Gods chosen seruantes are taken out of it that they fall not into more vvicked tymes and therfore from hence it commeth that the prophet saith The iust man doth perish and there is Esay 5. none that doth ponder it in his hart and men of mercye are gathered together because there is none that hath vnderstandinge And from hence also it proceedeth that the scripture saith Open ye that they may goe forth Ierem. 50. which doe tread it vnder foote Hence likewise it is that Salomon saith There is a Eccles 3. time of casting stones abroad and a tyme of gathering them together And therfore the nerer that the worlde draweth to an end so much the more necessary it is that the liuing stones shold be gathered together for the heauenly building that our celestiall Ierusalem may arriue to the full measure of his whole perfection And yet doe I not thincke that all Gods elect seruaÌ„tes are so taken out of the worlde that none but the wicked remayne behinde for synners wolde neuer be conuerted to the sorrowe of true penance yf they had not the examples of some goode people to prouoke them forwarde Peter Without cause doe I complaine of the death oâ—goode men wheÌ„ as daily I see them also that be wicked in great numbers to depart this life OF THE VISION OF REdemptus Bisshop of the city of Ferenti CHAPTER XXXVIII Gregory VVOnder nothing at this Peter for you knevve very vvell Redemptus Bishop of the city of Ferenti a man of venerable life vvho died almost seuen yeares since vvith vvhom I had familiar acquaintance by reason that he dvvelt not far from the Abbey in vvhich I liued This man vvhen I asked him for the matter vvas very vvell knovvne far and nere tolde me that vvhich by diuine reuelation he had learned concerning the ende of the vvorlde in the tyme of Ioâ—â—e the yonger vvho vvas my prededecessor For he saide that vpon a certaine daye as he vvas according to his manner visiting of his Diocesse he came to the Church of the blessed martir Euthicius and vvhen it vvas nigh the vvolde nedes be lodged nighe to the sepulchre of the martir vvhere after his trauail he â—eposed him selfe About midnighte being as he saide him selfe neither perfectly waking nor yet sleeping but rather heauy of sleepe he felt his waking soule oppressed with great sorrowe and being in that case he sawe the same blessed martir Euthicius standing before him who spake thus Art thou waking Redemptus to whom he answered that he was Then the martir saide The end of all fleshe is come the