taking away any obligatiō which consisteth not in our owne powers doth by no meanes impaire the assurednesse certainty of an Estate For it is inough that it is firme and immutable on our part And the reason is because he is sufficiently sayd to be in an Estate who maketh choice of a certaine kinde of life and settleth himself firmely therein so that he cannot take any other vpon him differēt vnto this but must continue therein euen vnto death But he who imbraceth single life and byndeth himselfe by vow vnto it chooseth to himselfe a certaine kind of life so establisheth himselfe therein as he cannot passe out of it vnto the contrary Therefore he is in an Estate You will aske perhaps Whether this Estate may be called an Estate of Perfection I answere that it is not a complete Estate of Perfectiō but only in part because it is a notable part of the Estate of perfectiō for some Estates include more others lesse An Estate of Perfection which is entire and complete includeth also the vow of Pouerty and Obedience both which a Virgin vowing Chastity in the world may also after her manner imitate and supply before God FINIS THE WIDDOWES GLASSE ABRIDGED Out of the Reuerend Father Fuluius Androtius of the Society of Iesus and others ANNO M.DC.XXI THE PREFACE TO ALL deuout Widdowes BECAVSE thou hast loued Chastity remained a Widow after thy husbād therfore the hand of our Lord hath strengthned thee thou shalt be blessed for euer These wordes were spoken to the holy vertuous and renowned Widdow Iudith who for her chast Widdowhood deserued to be so strengthened of our Lord that she ouercame and killed the great and cruel Holofernes deliuered the people of Israell from tribulation and death and reduced them to their former peace and tranquillity And for this cause did she also deserue to be exalted to the Heauens by Ioachim the high Priest who withall the people blessed her sayd Thou art the glory of Hierusalē thou the ioy of Israel thou the honour of our people because thou hast done manfully and thy hart was strēgthned from aboue c. And besides all this for her chast Widdowhood did she merit an euerlasting blessing from our Lord to wit aboundance of all graces in this world and perfect felicity in heauen In like manner all vertuous Widdows following these her traces and footsteps shall deserue to be cōforted by our Lord with spirituall graces vertues and gifts of the holy Ghost in such sort that they shal be euer blessed and happy if deuoutly they perseuere in their chast Widowhood shal also deserue to ouercome trample the diuell vnder foot signifyed by the aforesayd proud and cruell Captaine Holofernes And to the end that they may thus constantly and deuoutly perseuere in the holy Estate of Continēcy in their widdowhood we will with the help of the holy Ghost say something to this purpose as as wel out the holy Scriptures as ancient Fathers and Historyes THE WIDDOWES GLASSE CHAP. I. VVho are to be accounted truely VViddowes THERE are sayd to be three kindes of Chastity to wit that of Marriage that of Widdowes that of Virgins al three signifyed by the good groūd mentioned in the Holy Ghospell wheron the seed fell The first wherof yielded fruit thirthy fould the second sixty fould and the last an hundred But they who cannot yeild the hundred-fould fruit let them at least offer vp sixty to shew themseues more liberall towards our Sauiour And for as much as all perfection of man consisteth in abandoning and forsaking carnal and worldly things drawing neer and ioyning himselfe vnto God his Creatour louing him fearing him seeking him thinking on him contemplating and honouring him in euery thing and action this can hardly be affected in the state of Marriage especially by womē who hunting after dayly following the delightes and pleasures of the world are hindred thereby for the most part from treading the true path which leadeth directly thereunto But Widdowes who are free from such cares and troubles and haue a true desire may with great case and facility performe the same to their great comfort Now there be diuers sorts of Widdowes Some as soone as their husbands be dead purpose so marry againe for some temporall comfort and consolation not hauing any diuine Inspiration to serue God Almighty in that Estate and are in danger to offend him Of this sort of widdowes S. Paul speaketh when he saith I will that the yong widdowes do marry againe become mothers of families not to giue occasion to the Diuell to tempt them And this is not ill but approued of all But when a widdow will marry againe for any disordinate appetit or because she is very rich or faire or soght after by some one that is placed in a high degree of Honour or State or for any other vicious occasion or ill end without doubt this her desire is naught nor is she to be reckoned or worthily called a widdow as long as she remaynes with this desyre although she do not actually marry againe There is another sort of widdowes who though they do not purpose to marry againe at all eyther for that they haue no dowry or for feare least they happen vpon an ill husband or for some other secret or manifest respect yet is their manner of life and conuersation not like indeed vnto widdowes for that they will allwayes be gadding abroad tatling gossipping euen with those who be not reputed of the best edification And these forsooth will be finely apparelled and though they haue veyles yet will they scarsely couer their heades with them their eyes must be rolling vp and downe they must go to banquets weddings and playes they must tell tales heare tell newes carry themselues euen as meere secular ordinary and the worst sort of people These are to be auoyded and shunned by all true widdowes and these be those of whome S. Paul speaketh in another place saying Take heed of such yonge widdowes for after that they haue liued riotously and licentiously in Christ they will marry carrying with them their damnation for that they haue broken and made voyd their first faith c. And for these it were better that they did marry againe then liue as they do Another sort there is who neuer intend nor do indeed marry againe but liue chastely vertuously both in act and desyre But yet they do it not for the loue of God but rather for some humaine respect as for the loue of their childrē their goods or the like And although according to the esteeme of the world they liue honestly and are reputed for Venerable Mothers and Matrones yet are they wholy dedicated to the seruice of the world haue little feeling or gust of spirituall things and do but seldome frequent the Sacraments or sermons fast only but when the church commandeth them or doe imploy themselues in
of being Religious and to be shut vp in Monasteryes is not agreeable with the complexion of euery one yea a great many either are not apt for this state by reason of the weakenes of their body or for other causes or oftentymes their mindes are not easely wonne to it and that most commonly for diuers sufficient reasons which it is not necessary to reueale and who now should cōstraine such to marry or to enter into Monasteryes Why should it not be lawfull for them to keepe their virginity in the world to vow themselues vnto it Is it either because they wil not nor cannot ascend to the highest degree that they must be therfore constrayned to stay in the lowest may not keep a meane betwixt both No man will thinke so except he be indued with the spirit of Iouiuian The counsells and aduices of our Sauiour Christ are not so necessarely vnited one to the other but that one may be followed without another and by themselues in diuers degrees Wherfore as those who desire to obserue the state of Pouerty are not bound vnto Chastity so also those which imbrace Chastity must not therfore of necessity keep Pouerty or Obedience or shut themselues vp in Monasteryes CHAP. V. The same is proued out of the commodities which this state of life being prosessed both in the world and in Religion doth bring with it THe Cause why this state of life is so commended by holy Fathers as well in the one as the other are the manifold cōmodities which it bringeth therwith For in both it is an imitation of Angelicall life in both it is the making of our body as it were a burnt-offering to Almighty God in both it is a spirituall Marriage in which Christ is the spouse in both it freeth from the irksome slauery of Marriage and from the troubles which belonge vnto it in both it deliuereth the minde from infinite cares troubles finally in both it maketh it free and at liberty to apply it selfe vnto God and to dwel as it were mentally and spiritually with the Blessed in community of heauenly things First it is an imitation of Angelicall life as holy Fathers euery where do deliuer out of the opinion of our Lord Matt. 22. Because as Angells marry not nor are troubled with carnall concupiscence but are euer attent to diuine matters entertaine themselues alwayes in them so in like manner Virgins are sayd to anticipate the glory of the Resurrection because marriage after the Resurrection shall cease Virginity is a burnt-offering for as in a burnt offring the thing sacrificed is killed and afterward all of it consumed in the honour of God that no part therof remaines for humaine vse so likewise a Virgin must first kill all carnall affectiōs in her selfe afterwardes offer vp her body mortified after this sort by the fire of Charity to Almighty God and reserue no part thereof to any humaine or carnall vse She is a spirituall marriage because by vow she is bound vnto God as to her husband for as the band of carnall marriage is not to be loosed neither also is that of spirituall yea that of spirituall Marriage is much more indissoluble for it cannot be loosed by death it selfe but continueth in all eternity Againe as carnall marriage is effected for the mutuall enioying and comfort of both persons and the bringing forth of children so this Marriage is made that the soule may please God the better and receaue help comfort backe againe from him and that it may conuerse more familiarly and with the greater delight with Almighty God as with its Spouse And finally to the end that hauing receaued seed of diuine grace from him an immortall and glorious issue may be begotten to inherit in the world to come wherein spiritual Marriage is farre more happy then carnall for the later is to the end that of impure and corruptible seede another man may be begotten and that but to enioy a mortall life and thereby subiect to infinite miseryes but the other is to the end that out of diuin seed a mortall man should beget not another mortall man but himselfe to an immortall and happy life Therefore he perswadeth himselfe first vnto this marriage and afterward by word example profiteth others To this may be likwise added that as in carnall marriage titles and dignityes and all the goods of either is communicated to both so likewise in spirituall the goods and dignityes of the espoused belongeth also to the Spouse The desire of a wife is that she may haue a husband who is faire noble rich powerfull and courteous and if it happen that she get such a one she thinketh her selfe happy But how much more happy is a Virgin whose husband is the most fayrest most noble most rich most powerfull most gentle and immortal Lord of heauen and earth of Angells also and of men See more of this in S. Ambrose in his first booke of Virgins For as much as belongs to the benefits and commodityes of holy Virginity they are generally three The first is that it freeth the mind from innumerable troubles and afflictions vnto which the state of matrimony either by meanes of the wife or by meanes of the childrē is subiect vnto which the Apostle insinuateth 1. Cor. 1. when he speaketh in this manner of those which are marryed Tribulationem carnis habebunt huiusmodi such shal haue the tribulation of the flesh And first of all is the seruitude of the wife by reason that she hath not power of her owne body is made subiect in all thinges to her husband must endure his frowardnes his insolencies his banquetting drūkenes iealousy suspicion incontinency adultery taunts blowes Also she must follow him sticke alwayes to him obey him and serue him as his slaue so that many slaues in the world haue a more tollerable bōdage then some wiues vnhappily marryed whilst he spends her wealth and substance at dice at play in drinking banquetting prodigall giuing improfitable bargaines improuident cōtentions and diuers other wayes which his wife is not able to remedy Moreouer he leaueth the charge of prouiding for the whole house-hould to her and yet alloweth not wher withall sufficiently to do it and bringeth her oftentymes euen into that extremity that she groweth halfe desperate In the mean tyme being oppressed and ouercome with too much impatience she often curseth her husband and wisheth al il hap to befal him and desireth nothing more then his death Neither are these thinges rare and seldome but the whole world is full of them Now if we should add vnto all this the troubles that come continually by meanes of children there would arise euen a whole world of miseryes afflictions And although in the carnall Act of marriage there seemeth to be now then a little pleasure yet of it owne nature it is both vncleane as a thing wherin we differ not frō a beast and also full of
shame and immodesty in a moment it is past and afterward rewarded with innumerable discommodityes For presently after Conception there followeth a kind of irkesomnes idle dreames giddines vnsetlednes of the head melancoly conuulsions of the hart-stringes absurd longings after meates and a generall perturbation of nature Then follow the paines of child-bearing which are both violent to the sense oftentymes endure long and to many bring death also and then the Child being borne with what great care and solicitude must it be brought vp vntill it come to be of some strength and perfection of nature How many tymes a day must it be made cleane fed made vp apparrelled laid to sleepe rockt in the cradell taken out againe to giue it suck and be held out How many times must it be flattered and intreated with faire speaches with a thousand pretty hypocrisies and flatterings to make it leaue crying or to sleepe These are the contynuall exercises of such as be Mothers and in such they are imployed not on ly all day long but also most part of the night so that they can scarce take any rest but with often interruption I omit the sluttishnes the ill sauour the weeping crying brauling which they are constreyned dayly to suffer I omit allso the cares and troubles which they haue when their children begin to grow big to be exposed to diuers chaÌ„ces of the world What great greefe they haue if it chaunce they should miscarry and dye if by euil company they should be allured to villany and dishonesty if they should proue stubborne and disobedient against their Parents if they should spend wast their Parents goodes at play drinking or at any other vnlawful game if without their Parents consent they should marry To these afflictions the whole life of all such as are mothers is always subiect for albeit the Parents be very deuout and religious yet it happens oftentymes that the children be wicked and lewd and with their misdemeanours and ill liuing torment their PareÌ„ts as wee haue examples in Adam and Cain in Noë and Cham in Abraham and Ismael in Isaac and Esau in Iacob and many of his sonnes in Dauid Amon and Absolom with infinite others therfore since sacred virginity deliuers from all this it is deseruedly to be numbred amongst the greatest benefitts that are Another commodity of virginity and single life is that it freeth the minde froÌ„ all cares of gouerning a family of increasing the stocke and wealth of their estate of marrying their children of leauing them ample Patrimonyes for of these foure things all Parents are for the most part most careful sollicitous yea commoÌ„ly their minds are so wholly addicted and giuen to such businesses as they can scarce euer thinke seriously on God or things belonging to the good of their soule These things they keep alwayes in minde in these things they spend all their thoughts and affections these things so waste and weare out all the ability powers of their mindes as they haue no strength left to consider or thinke vpon things that are eternall Greatly therfore is the misery of this estate to be pittyed for the bondage of the mynd is more hurtfull a great deale then that of the body and the losse of good thoughts is a greater domage then the losse of money The third coÌ„modity of virginity and single life is that it maketh the minde being freed from the cares and troubles of Marriage more fit prepared to serue Almighty God and procure its owne safety and this is the greatest good of this life For which cause it is commended specially by the Apostle the 1. Cor. 7. where he saith Mulier innupta c. A womaÌ„ vnmarryed and a Virgin thinketh on what belongeth vnto God that she may be holy both in body and minde There is nothing better nor more healthfull vnto our soule theÌ„ to serue God and to endeauour the obteyning of our soules wellfare To this purpose were we made adorned with these noble faculties of our soule Vnderstanding Memory and Will Wee haue not receiued these to imploy them about transitory and seruile matters without any fruit at al but to addresse them to eternall and celestiall things for our great benifit and aduantage All earthly things are to base coÌ„temptible for our minds which is aboue all visible things to fixe and exercise it selfe there about The shortnes it selfe of our life togeather with the vncertinty necessity of dying might iustly recall vs from the care of temporall matters addresse our thoghts to the solicitude of thinges eternall Whereupon the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. sayth TeÌ„pus breue est c. Time is short it remaines that such as haue wiues be as those who haue them not and those who mourne like those who mourne not those who reioyce like those who reioyce not and those who buy like those who possesse not and those who vse this world like those who vse it not for the fashion of this world passeth away c. By which wordes he teacheth vs that we should be no more affected and addicted to transitory things then as if they did not belong vnto vs. We ought to haue care of nothing so much as to auoyd eternall punishment and attaine to euerlasting ioyes for in comparison of these all the good or ill of this world ought to be of no acâ—ount So that if there were nothing but madnes practised in the world this would be the greatest to neglect the highest and euerlasting thinges to follow that which is base and transitory with so great hazard of eternall damnation Therfore as that manner of life is miserable and to be auoyded by all wise men which intangleth the mind with care of base earthly thinges howsoeuer glorious and honourable they seeme So on the contrary is that state happy most desirously to be imbraced which freeth the mind from all these cares troubles and affoardeth it commodity to meditate on heauenly things and to apply it selfe to the obtayning of its own welfare And such is single life as it hath byn shewed Neither in women only but also in men single life hath all these effectes for most of those thinges which we haue sayd before of women haue place also in men yet men in Marriage are most commonly exposed to more discommodityes and inconueniences then women because the whole care of maintayning the houshould and of the greatest busines lyeth vpon him and infinite disdaines of the wife offences iealosies suspicions coÌ„plaints and frowardnes are to be endured as S. Hierome prosecuteth it very elegantly out of Theophrastus the Philosopher in his first booke against Iouinianus whose words it seemeth heer good to set downe Fertur inquit Aureolus c. Heer is brought quoth he a little goulden booke of Theophrastus written concerning marriage in which he asketh this question Whether a wise man should marry a wife or no And
Apostle sayth That couetousnes is the roote of all euil Our Sauiour also in the Ghospell telleth vs. How hard a thing it is for those that be rich to enter into the kingdome of heauen And that a Camell shall ēter more easily through a needle then a richman into the Kingdom of heauen By riches are vnderstood all earthly things and goods disordinatly affected or sought after When a widdow hath done her deuotions let her neuer be idle let her take in her hand either wooll or flaxe let her card let her spinne let her wind the yarn that others haue spon let her twist it let her see there be no fault in the worke and if there be any let her mend it do what is necessary Being thus continually occupyed the longest dayes will seem very short pleasant For the soule that is idle is full of bad desires as the holy Scripture insinuateth And nothing can be so pretious in the sight of God as to giue to the poore the labour of her owne handes Let a VViddow take heed of adorning or attyring her head with pearles Iewells or pretious carcanets nor vse frizeled hayre for these be the true signs of hell-fire but let her seeke another sorte of pretious stones and weare them to wit Humility Feare of God and other vertues to the end she may buy therwith that inestimable pearle margarite Christ Iesus the spouse of the soule Finally let a Widdow vse discretion maturity prudence in all her actions let her consider who she is who he is to whome she hath consecrated her Widdowhood to the end she may obtaine his earthly benediction for her selfe and her children in this world life eternall in the next CHAP. VII Diuers memorable Examples of true VViddowhood VVE haue spoken already of the Famous and glorious Widdowes Iudith and Anne the Prophetesse before the cōming of Christ. Let vs now set downe some other examples And first of all occurs that most noble and illustrious Roman Widdow Paula of whom S. Hierome writeh That so soone as her husband was dead contemning the pompes pleasurs of the world euen in the middest of so great wealth and aboundance of riches chose the state of perpetuall Continency in widowhood Blesilla likewise renowned for her beauty wealth and honour her husband desceasing she being left a young and noble Lady chose the holy State of widowhood by which she became renowned to al posterity Melania was no lesse prayse-worthy who when her husband being dead not as yet buryed she caused the bodyes of two of her sonnes of very great hope and expectation a little before also desceased to be brought vnto her husbands body where after extreme weeping sighing drowninge of her selfe almost in teares and euen loathing as it were marriage for the cares troubles torments that it bringes without any longer deliberation consecrated her selfe vnto God by vowing perpetuall Widdowhood Eufrasia likewise a Roman Lady is not inferiour to the aboue named whose husband dying she being in her young flourishing age fayre noble rich contemned a second marriage wherūto she was as sollicited by the Emperour himselfe And so dimissing her seruants and retinew retyred her selfe into Thebais where she liued most Saintly in perpetuall widdowhood The same did Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary who being depriued of her Lord and Husband presently contemned the pleasures of the Court and vanityes of the world giuing her selfe wholy to the seruice of poore sicke needy people not enduring that any man besides Iesus Christ should be called her Spouse which she truly acknowledged in the poor The noble and most worthy example of Constantia daughter to Cōstantine the Great Emperour is admirable who whilest her husband was yet liuing deserued to receaue the crowne and merit of Continency For that her Father the Emperour marrying her to Halicarnus Captaine of the Roman Army she first perswaded him to be a Christian afterward to giue ouer the warres to lay aside his purple and finally for the loue of Iesus Christ to vow perpetuall Chastity The same did Chunegundis wife to Henry the Emperour who perswaded him also to liue in perpetuall Chastity as she had vowed to do whereby they both became Saintes of Gods Church renowned to all posterity Neither must we passe ouer in silence the most worthy and noble example of Galla daughter to Simmachus a Consul of Rome whose husband deceasing and she left a yong and beautifull widdow was so assayled with infirmityes that her body became ful of botches and soares She consulted with her Doctours who all agreed that if she would be cured she must marry againe Whose counsell she so much disliked that she sayd She would rather endure the same all the dayes of her life yea death it self then marry againe which purpose she truly obserued most Saintly in holy Widdowhood to her dying-day Ania also another Roman Lady and widdow of great worth and nobility yong fayre her husband being dead which he had enioyed but a small while was earnestly sollicited by her friends to a second marriage which she vterly refused Being by them demaunded the cause why she said If quoth she I should marry again find a good hubād like to my former I should liue continually in feare to loose him by death and least I should chāce to light vpon a bad husband I will not aduenture vpon such a disgrace An act and purpose surely wise and graue worthy to be considered attentiuely by widdowes that desyre to liue out of danger As nobly and prudently did Olimpia of Constantinople disciple of S. Iohn Chrysostome and the widdow of Nebridius Prefect of the Army a man of most noble Renowne who hauing byn married but twenty moneths only was exhorted by Theodosius the Emperour to marry againe since she was both yong fayre noble rich learned and held of euer one for a virgin She made this Answere If my Lord the Emperour quoth she would haue me to marry againe why did he so soone depriue me of my husband for he was slayne in the Emperours warres who was so agreable to my nature and myne to his But because his Highnesse knows me to be vnfit for a marryed Estate it seemes he hath quickly deliuered me from that seruitude and made me print in my hart the delight of Continency in widdowhood And let no man meruaile that the continency of widdowhood is so much recōmended to Christian women seing that among the Gentills specially the old Romans the same was so greatly honoured that when a widdow died her head was adorned with a Crowne of Continency and to caryed in solemne triumph to her graue The said Romans did also attribute another honour to the Continency of Widdowhood which was That on the wedding day there were no women suffered to come neere much lesse to touch the Bride but only such as had beene the wiues of one husband to wit such as had beene
but once marryed cōmanding all that had beene twice marryed yea though they were Widdowes to keep aloofe of as prophane impure and fortelling of an euill fortune to the happynes of marriage They did moreouer accompt it a signe of great intemperance in any woman to marry more then once And for this cause one Portia a Noble Lady being in cōpany of other Matrons and Dames vpon a tyme vnderstanding that one of thē had beene twice marryed sayd vnto her Madame The happy and chast woman neuer marryes but once A saying worthy of a most prudent and wise Lady And conforme to this was that most laudable fact of Cornelia daughter to Africanus wife to Tyberius Gracchus who when her husband was desseased refused a second Marriage with King Ptolomey accompting it an act of too great Intemperance so to do And of no lesse praise commendation was Continency in Widdow-hood held amongst the ancient Iewes in the old Testamēt wherof before we haue set downe the Examples of Iudith Anne the Prophetesse and so needlesse to be heere againe repeated The chast Continency also of that holy and vertuous Widdow of Sarepta is not vnknowne to whome Meale Oyle neuer wanted during the tyme of that great famine till by gods commandement it rayned againe vpon the dry and withered earth wherby the same became so moist and fertile as it filled the Countreys round about with all aboundance CHAP. VIII Of the works of Mercy Deuotion Courage and Constancy of widdowes And of the Mantle and the Ring AMONGST many this is not the least nor last pious Consideration that in all Countreyes of Christendome the noble workes and monumēts of widdowes are yet extāt Nor shall we need at this tyme to trauaile out of our owne Iland of England to view the same For it is well knowne that ther is scarse any Citty Towne yea or Borrough thoughout all England without some monument or other of pious widdowes For how many goodly Hospitalls Almes-houses Free-schooles yea some famous Churches also haue you seene built and endowed with sufficient rents reuenews by widdowes How many High-wayes Bridges Wels Crosses haue byn made and exected by pious Widdowes for the increase of deuotion in the people and for the good of their owne soules What Prayers I pray you what Mortifications Tēperance Night-watchinges giuing of almes haue the deuout Widdowes of our Countrey in former tymes and now a dayes very many also but yet not comparable to the former exercised for the loue of God taking a true delight therin in their most Chast Widdow-hood to serue their spouse Christ Iesus whome they had chosen insteed of their deceased husbands How many of prime Nobility haue we had in our Countrey that haue contemned second marriages And if we should recount all we should perhaps surpasse the greatest part of Christendome basides in that kind some entring into Religion and becomming Nunnes yea great Saints also others exercising workes of mercy at home among the poore to the great comfort of the distressed And to begin with Queenes how many I pray you haue we had in our little Iland that after the death of their Lords haue set aside all pompe and vanity of the world vtterly refusing a second marriage and haue either voluntarily shut themselues vp in Cloisters there to spend their dayes in prayer and contemplation with God or els haue retyred to some priuate place continually exercising themselues in deuotion and meditation of heauenly thinges Before the Conquest our Iland was more fertile in this kind as being neerer to their primitiue feruour that in few ages thē it hath byn euer since For within the compasse of 500. yeares there haue byn aboue thirty Queenes that our Histories do make mention of to haue made themselues eyther Nuns in Monasteries as is aboue said or els haue liued priuatly at home continuinge in their Chaste widdowhood to their dying day Of the bloud Royall and other Noble familyes the number is far greater neyther will it be to our purpose in this place to recount them all Only this I note that the greatest part of the forsaid Queens besides others of noble families were many ages ago accoūted Saints for such acknowledged throughout Christendome and many Churches Altars and Monuments of sanctity erected in their honour and their very Names famous to all Posterity For to omit S. Helen the Empresse a Brittish Widdow and Mother to Constantine the great the first Christian Emperour we haue S. Ermenild S. Ermenburge Queenes of Mercia or middle Englishmē S. Algiue mother and S. VVilfride wife to king Edgar the first Monarch of England S. Edilburge S. Ethelwide Queenes of the VVestsaxons S. Eadgith S. Ethelburge S. Chineburge S. Ealflede S. Audry Queenes of Northumberland S. Osith Queene of the Eastsaxons S. Sexburg Queen of Kent S. Hereswide Q. of the Eastangles S. Agatha widdow of Prince Edward surnamed the Outlaw S. Margaret Queene of Scolland Maude the Empresse c. All these and very many others were most eniment in piety deuotion both in their widdowhood and continēcy yea some of thē vowed chastity their Lords and Husbands yet liuing as S. Edilburge Queen of the VVestsaxons S. Audry Queen of Northunberland at whose bodyes and reliques it hath pleased God to shew wonderous signes and worke many Miracles to testify the same wherby they haue byn euer since and still are honoured for Saints thoroughout the world It was an ancient custome in our Iland and the same continueth in some parts of Germany vntill this day that in tyme of warre plagues famyne or of any publicke necessity there were in many Citties and Townes a certaine number of widdowes ordayned to watch pray continually night and day in the Churches by their turnes or courses one or more togeather because it was held that their prayers were of more efficacy and power with Almighty God to asswage his wrath then the prayers of other common people as persons dedicated wholy to his seruice by the obseruation of Continency in their Chaste and Holy widdowhood Neyther is the true Valour and Constancy of deuout Widdowes in our Countrey lesse to be praised and admired since in that kind also we haue gone beyond many other Nations especialy in these later days when as their noble and heriocall Examples heerof haue made them famous to posterity whether we respect their courage constācy in suffering both losse of goods imprisonment for their faith and religion as glorious Confessours or els the sheeding of their bloud in testimony of the same as triūphant Martyrs For vpon some of these widdowes hath God bestowed an inuincible courage and fortitude ioyned with an admirable patiēce in suffering for the Catholike Cause not only imprisonmēt of their bodyes but losse also of goodes and fortunes to their wholy vndoing in their temporall estates in this world that they might receaue a more plentifull reward and merit in the world to