for the which it is fit those saints should be nominated and none other And it seemeth to be the ordinance of God that in some particuler citties and prouinces the feasts of sundrie saints should be celebrated As through all Spâ—ine the feasts of S. Isâ—â—dore and Ildephonse are celebrated At Toledo is kept the feast of S. Eugenius and at Alcala the feast of the two saints Iustus and Pastor The Popes do also obserue the same order in Canonization of saints concerning the saying of their office and solemnising of their feast For although he that is canonised is to be holden and reputed a saint of all Christians vnto all whom it is comaunded that they honour him as a sainte yet for the celebration of his feast a place is set downe and assigned or els a particuler congregation As to S. Francis of Paula founder of the order of the Minimes his feast is kept in all the places of his religion and in some citties as in Towers in France where he died Of S. Catherine of Siena also who is canonised and her feast is kept through all the order of preachers and in the cittie of Syena in Italy Of S. Romualdus founder of the Calmaldoly whose feast is sollemnised in all the monasteries of his religion and in the cittie of Rauenna where he was borne and in the towne of Fabriano where his body lieth yea not long agoe Pope Gregorie 13 hath granted a plenarie Indulgence to all Christians both men and women vpon the feast day of the said Romualdus which is on the 19 of Iune that shall visite the Churches of the monasteries of the Calmaldoly aswell of monkes as of nonnes And the like is also of many other saints Notwithstanding all this dilligence of the Catholique Church there remaine many thousands of saints of whom is kept no feast nor comemoration neither in generall nor in particuler yea of many there is no memory nor knowledge Of these then which be an infinite number is celebrated the feast of all saints Which is a reason of great consolation for afflicted and tormented mindes for though when the sacred scripture maketh mention of those which be saued it is done with such restriction and limitation that it maketh the most valiant to tremble and desmaieth the faint and weake harted As it is said of them that departed out of Egipt that of so many thousands two only entred into the land of promise and also when CHRIST saith that the gate of heauen is narrow and the way by which we go thither straite As also when he speaketh of rich men and saith that it is more easie for a Camell to passe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into heauen As also the parable of the ten Virgins of which sine were excluded out of the gate Yet this I say is matter of great consolation Tho vvald de Sacram tit 16. Gab de canon misse Pighius Coent Vers 13. Eck enchir Cap. 15. Castiâ— lib 13. cont heres to see that the holie saints be so many that there cannot be feasts performed vnto them all through the whole yeare and that they must haue a particuler daie allotted for them all in which the Church singeth for the Epistle a lecture of the Apocalips of S. Iohn where it is said that euerie tribe had so many thousands of saints in heauen The third reason why the feast of all saints is kept is for that we be much bound vnto theÌ„ for many graces and fauours which we continually receaue of them and by their meanes for that cause it is conuenient that in their memory we make some feast reioice for the ioie which they haue by posessing the presence of God in heauen This obligement and bond is so great that before this sollemnitie was instituted by Gregorie or Boniface some Catholiques and deuout Christians were in particuler perswaded to celebrate such a feast of which number S. Angustine was one who saith in a sermon my deare and louing brethren we celebrate the feast of all saints vnder one sollemnitie of whose company heauen reioiceth Serm. 27. tom 10. and the earth is made happy by their aide and the Church renowned by their triumphes That the obligation and bond which we haue to the saints is great we may see by this that not speaking of the fauours and graces which we all receaue of God by their merits and intercession there is not a man in this world if he look into his life but he shall find himself obliged to some particuler saint it being certaine that God for his sake hath done him some good Moreouer it is a cleare case that we be bound vnto the saints hearing CHRIST say of them Luk 15. that they feele an accidentall ioy euery time that a sinner doth repent By which we may gather that if they feele such ioy to see a sinner bewaile his sinues with teares to knock his breast to sigh and lifte vp his voice to heauen if this musick please them so much that for the same they make publike ioy and sollemnise his conuersion what Iubiley triumph and sollemnity make they when such a sinner is freed clearly from his sinnes and from the prison of the body and entreth into heauen If the saints reioice so much at our good it is very fit that we reioice by celebrating their feastes The fourth and last reason why we celebrate the feastes of all the saints is because we should imitate them When the poore man seeth the treasors of the rich his pouerty is more apparent and manifest and the sinner seeth his defects better when the vertues of the saints are represented vnto him The Catholike Church celebrating the feasts of the saints Greg naz orat in Athanas S. E pihhere 26. Basil hom in 40 m art doth not only intend to honor them and God in them but also would lay them before vs for a patterne and example to the end we should imitate them if we would go whither they be gone and be saued as they are saued and posesse Gods glory as they possesse it Assueredly we may say that many that are called the disciples of CHRIST indeed be ChristiaÌ„s for that they be Baptised haue faith in workes are Pagans disciples of the diuell blinded and deceiued and that their consciences be harquebuze proofe as may be seene by that which followeth In this feast of the sollemnitie of all saints the Church readeth a Ghospell which was the first that IESVS CHRIST preached in the world conteineth the despising of all temporall things and as S. Augustine saith compriseth the somme of all that which is necessarie for the perfection of a Christian He staieth not on that point but beginning to preach his new law and Gospell teacheth vs all to make small account of things present and to make most reconing of things to come to extirpate the loue of terrene goode
work of great charitie acceptable vnto God profitable to keep a man out of sinne and is also good for the health of the body The holy Ghost entendeth so much in these wordes saying 2. Macha 12. V. 46 To pray and to do good for the dead is a holie and a healthfull work and is also very profitable for the soules their paines being diminished and they deliuered the sooner The workes that help them are foure viz Almes fasting discipline with other penall works an the fourth is the holie sacrifice of the Masse said for them You must also vnderstand that there is difference betweene these workes for that three of them if they shall do the soule good must be done in the grace of God and if they be done other wise they do not help them except they be done by the apointment of another And if that he that commaundeth the good work to be done as to giue almes or such like be then in the state of grace in this case the work is good and auaileable and helpeth the soule though the person that did that good work were not in that good estate himself Concerning the masse and these other workes as I haue insinuated before there is a difference For that helpeth alwaies not with standing that he that said it was not at that time in the fauour of God for that he who offreth it doth it in the person of the Church who is alwaies in the fauour of God and therefore it helpeth those soules alwaies for whom it is especially said and celebrated So that we may truly saie that this is the best and most secure work that can be done for the soules in purgatorie If this which we haue said be the truth as vndoubtedly it is viz that the paines in purgatorie be so great and excessiue and that also being true which S. Augustine saith as it is for certaine to wit that to see God one houre only is of more worth then all the treasures of the world And sithens with all them he cannot do that which one may do with the good workes he doth for a soule in purgatorie that is to deliuer it out of payne and that it may see God before the time it should otherwise see him How greatlie and vnspeakablie shall that soule be obliged and bound vnto the person that shall so help to deliuer it without doubt more then can easilie be said And that soule being so much bound vnto any partie after it is heauen and enioyeth the glorie of God shal be his perpetuall aduocate to beseech the diuine maiestie to be gratious vnto him that hath beene so good vnto it by procuring it to be freed from the fault land deliuered from paine purchasing heauen by enioying it before the deserued time Which happie felicitie in his kingdome God graunt vnto vs all for his heauenly bounty and infinite mercy Amen The life 's of SS Vitalis and Agricola Martyrs THE Apostle S. Paule in his epistle to the Galathians Galat. 3. speaking of them that are baptized haue put on IESVS CHRIST by receauing his faith saith that in the sight of God there is neither seruauÌ„t nor freeman but all are equall His meaninge is not that among Christians there should not be maisters and seruaunts some to commaund and some to obey for this would be contrarie to all good gouernment and to the common course and vniuersall order of the world wherein the Starres the Riuers the Trees the Beastes the Byrdes the Fishes are euidentlie distinguished not onlie by theire vertues but also by theire greatnesse and lessenes and by a certaine preeminence and subordination besides that if there were equallitie in all men none would vndergoe painfull and meaner offices in the common wealth none would laboure and toyle none plowe nor sowe and euerie one rulinge and none obeyinge all would runne streight waies to ruine and destruction So that S. Paules meaninge is not that Christians should be all equall in this but rather as S. Ierome and S. Augustine say that in the eyes and sight of God the seruant is no lesse worthie nor lesse esteemed then the master if both of them be Christians and bothe do the workes of Christians Of this we haue an example in the two holie martyrs SS Vitalis and Agricola Agricola being the master Vitalis the seruant They were both Christians and martyrs and equally esteemed and regarded by IESVS CHRIST and the holie Church doth celebrate the feast of them both equally Their life written by S. Ambrose was in this manner IN the persecution of Dioclesian and Maximian there dwelt in the citty of Bologna in Italy a noble citisen called Agricola who had a seruant named Vitalis They were both Christians and for that cause were apprehended by the ministers of these two cruell Emperours These holy Saints being in the presence of the Preâ—ident the seruant to wit Vitalis was first put to torments thereby the more to terrify the master And because seruaÌ„ts be ordinarily scourged for their chastisment and do tremble and quake to see the whippes it was the Iudges will that the first torment of Vitalis should be scourging and so he caused him to be beaten rigorously After that he put him vnto other manner of torments and herein the Iudg was so cruell and the officers so mercylesse that the bodie of the holie martyr was whollie couered with blowes and woundes So that search neuer so narrowly you could not see any thing but woundes and gashes There was not any blood left in his vaines but all was shed and the scourges and wandes of Iron where with they stroke him hit not ne touched not the whole skin any more but the rawe flesh and the bare bones so that his very bowells were seene The glorious martyr lifted vp his eyes vnto heauen and made a deuout prayer saying O my Lord LESVS CHRIST my God and Sauiour I humblie beseech thee that it would please thee to receaue my soule for I desire much to enjoye the crowne which thy holie Angell hath shewed vnto me His prayer being ended he yealded vp his soule vnto God Agricola was present at this spectacle who being a man of good nature pleasing behauiour friend to all affable doing good and hurting none was generally beloued of all And therefore the executioners yea and the Iudg himself also being desirous to haue him change his mind and to sacrifice vnto the Idolles wherby he might be deliuered from death made him to be present at the martyr dome of his seruant Vitalis to the end he might learne as is said before to beware by another mans cost and affliction But he that had seene the successe of his seruant was more desirous to gaine a crowne as he had done rather then to be terrifyed with the torments and so he remayned firme and constant in his first good purpose The Iudge and the officers were wroth and enraged against him and the more for that they
clear that he who is to he head of others must haue both hony and gall for he must at one time be affable myld toward the lowly and humble and must shew himself sterne and rigorous to the prowd and hauty S Peter had these conditions he was not altogether mylde for when occasion serued he knew to fight with his sword and to wound men but S. Iohn he was peaceable myld at all times Moreouer S. Iohn was the kinsman of CHRIST after the flesh â—f he had giuen him the Papacy it would haue bene thought and he should haue giuen occasion to think so that such a dignity might haue bene bestowed vpoÌ„ their friends and kinne He gaue it then to S. Peter with whom he had no kindred S. Thomas saith also that our Lord gaue the Papacy to S. Peter for that he loued him more Iohn 21. then any other as it is collected out of the same Ghospell and therefore it was good reason he should be preferred vnto that high dignity Christ hauing giueÌ„ that function vnto S. Peter said to him obscurely that he should dye on the Crosse as he did S. Peter who loued S. Iohn dearly asked our Lord. what should become of him as if he had said Shall Iohn also dy on the Crosse the sonne of God answered him what if it please me that Iohn stay till I come to iudge both the quick the dead to the o Peter what importeth it to know it the same S. Iohn also recounteth that the brethreÌ„ talked amongst themselfs that he disciple should not dy but they marked not that CHRIST said not that he should not dy but if it pleased him that he should liue vntill his second comming what had S. Peter to do to know it This speech S. Iohn made himself is not sufficient but that some make a doubt for there the many that say that he liueth yet is to come and preach against Antechrist in the company of Enoch and Eâ—â—as whom God keepeth aliue for that entent and that S. Iohn is to be martired with theÌ„ Some agâ—ine be of a contrary opinion and say that the same S. Iohn who treateth of the commyng of Enoch Elias in the Apocalipse Cap. 11 saith thy shal be two so that if he should haue him ioyned vnto them he would not haue concealed it And to the end it may appear which of these two opinions is of greatest autority I will in this place name them that be of those opinieus this I say if it be lawfull to put this matter in opinion for that considering the words of S. Iohn of himself against the other Apostles that douted of his death it seemeth not secure to say that the Apostle did not dy They that affirme that he dyed not be Abbot Ioachin and George of Trapeunt a grammaryan who made a treatise of this matter and Francis Mairon red this treatise and saith also that S. Iohn is yet aliue He was a franciscan fryer and was the first that determinately saith Mai. 4. dis 49. that the mother of God was conceiued without originall synne for thought that Scotus who was a fryer mynour also moued the questioÌ„ yet he did not resolue the matter clearly though he seemeth to be of that opinion as Mairon is who affirmeth and determyneth it to be so These three Authours I haue seene and I know not if any other be of that opinion for that Theophilactus and Euthimius who be graue and ancient autors if you mark their words well say only that in their time it was the opinion of some that S. Iohn was not dead and the same saith Symeon Metaphraster also But other holy doctors be of a coÌ„trary oppinion S. Ierome saith plainely in many places In mat 20. that S. Iohn dyed the same in auouched by S. Iohn Chrisostome Tertullian who wrot the martirdome of S. Iohn Hâ— 26 in epis ad hâ— lib de In â—â— 21. Lib. 3. c. 3. Lib. 1.35.4 d. 43 art 3. when he was put into the boyling oyle saith that then he was deliuered from death but he afterward dyed and the same saith venerable Bede Eusebius of Cesarea in his ecclesiasticall history Polyerates B. of Ephesus said that S. Iohn dyed Nicephorus Callistus not only saith that he dyed but also that he rose againe incontinent and that he went into heauen in body and soule and S. Thomas Aquinas is of that opinion also S. Ierome and venerable Bede seeme to infer that S. Iohn is in heauen both in body and soule for they say that he dyed without griefe and that his body was not turned into dust So that the Authors who say S. Iohn did not dy be not of any great account and against them is the opinion of many and auncient doctors Iudge then whom we shall beleeue But in my opinion there is no dout but that S. Iohn did by After that IESVS CHRIST ascended into heauen and after the commyng of the Holy Ghost at the which S. Iohn was present with the other Apostles and disciples S. Luke recounteth in the Acts of the Apostles Act. â— that S. Peter and S. Iohn going into the temple to pray at the nynth houre healed a lame man to the great wonder of all the people Whereupon the two holy Apostles were led into the consistory of the Iewews where they constantly professed the faith of IESVS CHRIST They were also put in prison and beaten whereof they much reioyced thought they had receued a singular benefite in that they had suffered persecution for the name of IESVS CHRIST In this consistory was present Gamaliel a disciple of CHRIST who laboured to set the Apostles free without punishment but he could not effect it S. Iohn remained in Ierusalem certaine yeares and that was as some thinke as long as the B. Virgin liued after the Ascension of our Sauiour into heauen He had a great regard and care of herâ— he stayed ordinarily in her company He said masse vnto her and she did often times receaue the B. Sacrament at his hand as S. Bonauenture saith The communication that these two blessed creatures had together was questionles euen â—eraphicall being both of them so inflamed with the loue of God as they were After the death of the B. Virgin S. Iohn went to preach in Asia which country fell vnto his lotte in the diuision of prouinces This glorious Apostle preached with great zeale and founded seuen Churches in seuen principall Citties viz Ephesus Smirna Pergâ—mo Thyatira Philadelphia Sardis and Laodicea In all thâ—se places he ordained priests to administer the sacraments to the Christians that were many in euery one of these Citties It befell that Domitian a most cruell tyrant was made Emperour of Rome who persecuted the Christians in all the lands subiect to the Empire In this persecution S. Iohn was taken in Ephesus and brought to Rome and was there put into a vessel of boyling oyle
considering this to auoide so euill am vse and custome among Christians ordained by a decree That lawfull othes as those that be made by order and before superiors and by the lawe should be taken fasting as a holie thing where of we should aduise vs well He would for the reuerence of the oath that they which should sweare should be fasting to the end they should doâ— it with more aduise and regard The life of this pope written by Damasus and other authors was in this manner SIXE daies after S. Fabianus the pope was martired Cornelius a man no lesse learned then holy was placed in the chaire of S. Peter who receaued that dignity agaist his will S. Ciprian saith he was a Romaine Lib 4. epist and sonne vnto Castinus When he was chosen pope the Church was in great troubles for beside the temporall sword where with the Christians were sharply afflicted they were encombred also with the treacherous heresie of Nouatus which they could not wholly root out yet this blessed pope Cornelius endeauoured with all dilligence to confound them by preaching and doctrine by which he reduced many of those hereticks to the vnion of the Catholique faith After this the pope being aided by Lucina a noble Romane matron determined to take the bodies of SS Peter and Paul out of the Catatumbae where they then were and to put them in a more comely and eminent place The bodie of S. Paul was caried vnto the posession of the aforenamed Lucina in the Via Ostiensis not far from the place where he was beheaded and there was built a sumptuous and magnificent church to his honour The reliques of S. Peter were caried into the Vatican where in like manner was built a church neere to the place where he was crucified For these good workes and many other which he did as also for that many pagans were conuerted vnto the faith by his meanes Decius the Emperour banished him from Rome and sent him to Centum-Celle S. Cornelius remaining there wrote oftentimes vnto S. Cyprian bishop of Carihage a holy man and very eloquent who in like manner returned him answeres and at this daie many of those Epistles be extant in his workes Decius being certified of the neere and priuate friendship of these two holy men took great indignation thereat and comâ—unded that Cornelius should be led vnto Rome and brought before his iudgment seate which being done Decius said vnto the blessed pope in great coller Thinkest thou Cornelius that thou doest well and that which thou oughtest to doe in doing no reuerence to our Gods nor obeying our Imperial comaundements nor fearing our threats yea thou writest vnto our enemies of the estate of the weale-publike both in disgrace of it and to the preiudice of the same To this S. Cornelius answered the letters that I haue receiued meddle not at all with the comonwelth neither treat of anything appertaining to the same but they be wholy written in the laud and honor of IESVS CHRIST and of matters only appartaining to the saluation of soules Decius was much more moued to indignation then before at this bold answere and commaunded that the blessed pope should be beaten in his sight After that he apointed that he should be led vnto the Temple of Mars and if he refused to sacrifice that he should be beheaded The holy Pope went with determination to suffer not one but a 1000. deathes rather then he would deny his faith his God By the way he met with Stephen his Archdeacon vnto whom he gaue in charge to distribute the Treasures of the church vnto the poore and he gaue vnto him also some records appertaining to the gouernment of the Church When the officers perceiued that there was no way nor meanes to drawe S. Cornelius to sacrifise vnto the Idolls they led him into via Appia neere vnto the Churchyard of Callistus and in that place they cut of his head After his death certaine priestes in the companie of Lucina took vp his bodie and buried it in a possession in the San-field The martirdome of this holy Pope was on the 14. daie of September about the yeare of our Lord 253. the aboue named Decius being Emperour He held the seat of S. Peter 2. yeares 2. monthes and 3. daies He gaue holy orders twise in the month of December and therein ordered 4. Priests 4. Deacons and 7. Bishops There bee in the decrees certaine Canons of this holy Pope as the afore said that he who is by lawfull order and authoritie to take an othe should do it fasting Also 22. q. 5. cap. honest that Priests be not enforced to sweare Also that he that is vnder the age of 14. yeeres should not be compelled to take an othe Some hold this holy Saint for an especiall aduocate against the falling sicknes but the occasion thereof is not knowen It sufficeth that the praiers of the saints are of great force and valewe with the maiestie of God for all humaine infirmities aswell spirituall as corporall We maie well think him an aduocate for the palsey for as they led him vnto martirdome he healed a woman that had the palsey which woman was called Salustia who with her husband Cereall was also martired the same daie This holy S. Cornelius is one of the fiue Popes of whom mention is made in the Canon of the masse The life of S. Cyprian Bishop and Martir THE Apostle S. Paul lothing the world Ca. 1. and all the things therin desired much to go vnto heauen to enioy IESVS CHRIST and to that purpose in the epistle vnto the Philippeans he saith I desire to be freed vnloosed from the bondes of this flesh and to be with CHRIST The notice he had that to come to enioy his desire must be by beheading did not hinder this his longing The glorious martir S. Cyprian seemed to haue the same desire who when the iudge pronounced the sentence of death vpon him aunswered ioyfullie Deo gratias as if he would say that he did not appeale from this sentence but gaue God thanks that it pleased him to call him by that meanes When he came vnto the place of execution to shew that he was beholding to the officer for the good turne in taking away his life he requested some of his freinds who were present there to giue him some mony which he bestowed vpon the headsman as a recompence of his labour Pontius his Deacon wrote the life of this holy Saint faithfully and in an eloquent stile Of Pontius this testimony is giuen by S. Ierome in his book of ecclesiasticall writers Pontius Deacon vnto Cyprian wrote a worthy booke of his life vntill the day of his martirdome for he was familier with him and also his companion in banishment For which testimony of S. Ierome which giueth him auctority I thinke best to followe Pontius and to leaue other authors that wrote that life of this holy Sainâ— THOVGH the memory
base because the too much or excesse was a thing reprouable for his person the too litle was not fit nor conuenient in respect of his function He was very merciful toward the poore and gaue them much almose of the mony which many rich men gaue vnto him very largely By these pious deeds Ciprian became in few daies so famous that among the heathen also he was renoumed and no lesse hated as one by whose meanes many left their paganisme and were made Christians For which cause they conferred among themselues howe they might take his life away and to haue a commaundement for it from Themperours Valerian and Gallien who at that time persecuted the Church most cruelly and put many Christians to death euery day God did not permit that this their purpose should come to passe as yet Because a man of such holy life and excellent learning as Cyprian was for some short time necessary to be in the church to the end he might with this holy sermons and admonitions draw many soules out of the bandes of sinne bring them vnto pennance and to the end he might exhort many to forsake the world and enter into relligion and that many damosells liuing in monasteries might keep perpetuall chastity This excellent doctor was also necessary for no preach the truch vnto the heretiks the vnion vnto the schismatiks and peace vnto the children of God He was asso necessary for the incouragement of the martirs to persuade them with a willing mind to suffer torments and death for the sake of IESVS CHRIST with hope to acquire the crowne of glorie in heauen He was likewise necessary to the end that they which only lost their goods in the persecution should be by him comforted in making them assured that they should haue them doubled in heauen This persecution being runne through diuers provinces and cities came also vnto Carthage and was put in execution with such rage and fury that it was worthy of note to see the miserable Christians to goe one this way another that way all of them in feare and dread labouring one while to saue their goods another while to preserue their liues In a short time the prisons were replenished with Christians not with thiefs or malefactors There was no offence punished but that which seemed most heinous vnto the painimes to be a Christian After certein daies expired the ChristiaÌ„s which were imprisoned were taken forth and executed in the high streets with diuersity of tormeÌ„ts Theire dead bodies lay in heapes and no man was so hardy as to touch or bury them What did the holly Bishop S. Ciprian in this time of great calamity and misery He called the Christians to him some times one and sometimes another and led them into certeine secret places where he preached vnto them telling them that the time was euen nowe coÌ„me in which it was to be clearly seen who was in deed the frend of God by perseuering in the confession of the faith by not fearing the tirants that had power to do harme only vnto their bodies and not vnto their soules but rather the more the bodies were abused the more glory should redound vnto their soules that therefore they should not hate the tirants which persecuted them but rather loue and pray vnto God for them knowing that IESVS CHRIST hath said that the difference between the Christian and the pagan is that the Christian doth loue his frends and foes also whereas the pagan loueth none but his frends He made vnto them demonstration of this verity by the example of CHRIST who praied for them that Crucified him and that therefore if they would be his true children they ought to imitate him in works Many other things said the good prelate vnto theÌ„ which if the tirants had heared they might haue bene conuerted by these words Yet they brought forth very gret fruite in the harts of the catholikes because they did much animate them not to fear the rigour to the persecution Ciprian also ordeined many things to preuent and auoid many incoueniences which happened euery day As to apoint stout and lusty fellowes who in the night at certein howers of security took away the bodies of the Martirs which lay in the streets and buried them to others he gaue in charge that the Christians which came out of prison with life yet very euill entreated with torments should be led by them vnto their houses there they should see them haue phisik with all speed He ordeined others to helpe the Christians which were designed to be taken and fled hither and thither and to prouide them sustenaunce and clothing These and such others the like prouisioÌ„s did the Blessed Bishop make in that time full of calamity and he had such a notable gift in commaunding things to be done that euery one obeied him And though they put them selues in manifest daunger yet did they performe all his commaundements The Proconsull who had the charge in Carthage to persecute the Christiants was aduertiezed of the good deeds that Cyprian did wherupon he would be informed who he was and when he heard that the people loued him and that he was of great autority with euery one he durst not arrest him to put him to death but caused his commaundement to be declared vnto him which was that he should depart from Carthage and go vnto a city called Corubitana In that place he staied about a yeare but the Proconsull deceasing he retruned vnto a place neere vnto Carthage and staied in certein gardeins which had bene sometimes parcell of his owne patrimony and which he had sold to be spent in almose But he which had purchased them had giuen restored them agein vnto him freely without any recompence And if the persecution had ceased S. Cyprian had sould them ageine and had giuen the price coming of them agein vnto the poore Remaining certein daies in these gardeins accompanied with manie priests and deacons and other friendes among whom was Pontius who wrote his life many of the city of Carthage and of other places also came to visite S. Cyprian and to confer with him of heauenly matters and at all times they found him affable and curteous Euery one was by him comforted euery one holpen and he persuaded and exhorted them all to serue God Some of his frends besought him to depart from thence and to remaine a litell further of from the Proconsul who being newly come might seek to get him into his handes and put him to death therefore staying there he was in great daunger But he who had receued a reuelation that about one yeres end after his banishment he should obtein the crown of martirdome had not the power to depart out of that place for he had a gret desire to die for the faith of CHRIST The Proconâ—ull had notice where Cyprian dwelt and howe much people came thither to visite him wherefore he sent officers to attach him
the venerable and B. Prelat S. Dionise bad the headsman to do his office And he being ready began with him and then went to Rusticus and lastly to Eleutherius and cut of all their three heads in that order Although God permitted these his seruants to be put to death as is aboue said yet was not he forget full of them yea because he would the more glorify them and not suffer their bodies to be dishonored his will was to worke a wonderfull miracle in that place The headles body of S. Dionise arose on his feet and tooke vp in his hand his owne head and went as it were in maner of triumph untill it mett a vertuous woman coming out of her own house not farre distant from the place where the holy saints were martired The body of S. Dionise being come vnto that place where the woman was deliuered his head vnto her as a pretious treasure and shee also receued it as a most goodly Iewell The bodies of SS Rusticus and Eleutherius continued still in the place of execution and the headsman and the other officers talked and deuised to cast them into the riuer to be deuoured by the fihses and with all to bereaue the Christians of them who as they knew well would reuerence and esteem them very much A woman called Caâ—ulla who had bin a defender and helper of S. Dionise and his companions in this persecution heard of their wycked designe intention and inuited the headsman and the officers vnto her house to make good cheare and accordingly did sett meat and drink before them In the meane space shee sent for certain Christians secretly who conuayed away and hid the bodies of the holy martirs When the officers and headsman had eateÌ„ their fill they went out to looke for the bodies of the blessed saints to haue put in practise their lewd designe and not finding them they streightwaies made a tumult and threatned exceedingly such as had stollen them away but the discreet woman appeased them with gifts and with fair words and so they departed quietly away The Christians laid the bodies of the holy saints in a priuate house without the walls of Paris and after certein years there was builded for them a goodly sumptuous and stately Church where they now do rest They who do visite their holy relicks do obteine many graces by the intercession of these holly martirs The death of these holy saints fell on the same day that the Church celebrateth the same viz on the 9. of October in the year of our Lord. 96. in the time of Domitian or Traian as others say S. Dionise was 90. years old when he was martired as Trithemius saith He wrote certein books replenished with merueillous and profound doctrine viz De Ecclesiastica Caelesti hierarchia De mistica Theologia De diuinis moninibus and others out of which the faithfull beleeâ—ers reap no les fruit of his doctrine them the former had gathered by the good example of his holy life as the third Countell of ConstaÌ„tinople affirmeth in which place 6. Sinod CoÌ„staÌ„tinop they were acknowledged for his books and were highly esteemed The life of S. Callistus Pope and martir SALOMON saith in Ecclesiasticus cap. 37. The abstineÌ„â— man encreaseth the daies of his life This sentence is verified in Gallen the prince of phisike and medicine who liuing 140. yeares and being asked howe and by what meanes he liued so long answered I neuer rose from the table satiate and full More are they that dy by furfet and to much then by abstinence and too litle This being considered by the B. Pope Callistus he ordeined the fast called the Ember by commaunding the faithfull that in the foure times of the year viz the Spring Sommer Autumne and Winter they should fast three daies in one week in euery one of these quarters and likewise in those daies pray vnto God that he would giue and conserue the fruits of the earth and also that prayer maie be made vnto God for them that take holy orders at those times Also as the church saith in a praier fasting was instituted for the good of body and soule being vnto them bothe a holesome medicine oration Quadrag The life of this holy Pope was written by Damasus and other Authors in this maner BY the death of S. Zepherinus Pope and martir Callistus the first of that name was placed in the Chair of S. Peter He was borne in Rome and was the sonne of Domitius He builded a Church in the honor of the glorious virgin which is called Santa Maria trans Tiberim though as Plaâ—â—na saith it cannot be that which is so called at this present bicause at that time the Christians had not such large liberty as to build sumptuous Churches yea those which they had were litle meane and priuat as this was then because of the persecutions but Gregory the 3. enlarged it and before him Pope Siluester the first that builded publik Churches Pope Callistus at this owne cost caused to be made a Churcheyard in the way called Appia which is called the Churchyard of Callistus where many martirs are buried In this Churchyard was afterward built the Church of S. Sebastian therein are conserued many relicks and many alters and litle chapples are vnder the ground where masses were said in great secrecy for feare of the Pagans This same Pope as is afore said ordeined the feast of the Quaâ—uor tempora or Ember daies And bicause the giuing of holy orders was vsed to be done but once in the yeare which then was not sufficient for that the number of the faithfull was very much augmented it was also necessary to encrease the number of priests and Deacons and so it was permitted to giue holy orders at those foure times of fasting Callistus for bad all faithfull beleeuers to participate or conuerse with persons excommunicate and also commaunded that no excommunicate person should be absolued Cap. Consang 3 q. 4. except the cause was first heard and the party satisfied He also was the first who prohibited matrimony betwene kinsfolks and apointed the same consanguinity vntill the seuenth degree though it after was limited to the fourth degree as it is at this present This good Pope gouerned the Church of God vertuously 6. years 2. months and 10. daies in the which he gaue holy orders fiue times in the moneth of December and ordered 8. Bishops 16. priests and foure deacons and then was martired Vsuardus recounteth his martirdome in this ensuing maner saâ—eng That the Emperour AlexaÌ„der Seuerus hauing kept him long in prison caused many bastanadoes to be giuen him allowing him with all verie litle sustenaunce and lastly he caused him to be thrown out of a window of the prison and in that sort he yielded vp his soule vnto God The Church celebrateth his feast on the. 14. day of October which was the same day he was martired in the year of our Lord. 224. It
to celebrate the feast of the dedication of Churches as namely in Rome is celebrated the dedication of the Church of S. Saluator The historie thereof taken out of the life of S. Siluester the pope was this EVEN from the time of the Apostles there was alwaies amongst the Christians some especiall places dedicated vnto God which of some were called Oratories and by others Churches Thither came the Christians and met together especiallie vpon the Sundaies to heare the word of God to be present at the diuine seruice to pray to heare masse and to receiue the body of our Lord IESVS CHRIST in that most holie Sacrament But after that the Emperour Constantine was Baptised by S. Siluester and was healed by the meanes of his Baptisme not only in his soule of his sinnes but also in his body of his leprosie he as a person thanckfull to the deuine maiestie of whom he confessed to haue receiued this grace and benefitt made a lawe and published a decree through all the lands subiect to the Empire of Rome that euerie one might build Churches where it best pleased him And that by his example he might encourage others thereunto in the yeare of our Lord 325. he caused a Church to be builded in the honor of IESVS CHRIST Sauiour of the world in his owne palace of Lateranum adorning it with many rich Iewells and vessells of Gold and Siluer but aboue all he beautifyed it with an Image representing our Blessed Sauiour himself very liuelie and this place was deuoutlie visited by the faithfull beleeuers S. Siluester the pope consecrated that Church which was the first that had bene publiklie consecrated among the Christians for the celebration of the diuine offices In that place the same Bishop set the Altar vpon which S. Peter celebrated the holie masse and it was of wood like vnto an emptie chest The Apostle vsed this manner of Altar euen as the other popes his successors did compelled by the necessitie of the time For the persecution being very sharp the afflicted Christians flying from one place vnto another carried with them this portable Altar to celebrate thereon sometimes in the caues vnder the ground sometimes in the Churchyards where the bodies of martyrs were buryed and sometimes in the priuate houses of Catholiques The mind of S. Siluester was that this Altar should remaine for a memorie in the first Church of the Christians and comaunded that none but the Bishops of Rome should celebrate vpon it And that all other priests should celebrate not vpon an Altare of wood but vpon an Altare of consecrated stone And to the end the memory hereof should continew and be perpetuall he ordained that euerie yeare the dedication of this Church should be celebrated And this is the feast which is sollemnised on the 9. day of Nouember It is a thing very necessarie and conuenient that among Christians there should be some places dedicated vnto God as Churches and Oratories bee to the end they might resort thither to pray demaund help of God in their needes and troubles For if in citties and other townes be diuers shoppes for perticuler thinges and if in the house be seuerall roomes for sundrie offices it is also necessarie that among the multitude of Christians there should be some places where they may treat and speak with God And these being dedicated to such a worthie work it is also conuenient that they should be consecrated and also that all due respect and reuerence be giuen vnto them All this our Lord would giue vs to vnderstand by the example of the Temple of Salomon the workmanship whereof was of exceeding great Maiestie as may be seene in two things especially which the holie scripture reciteth to witt That in the Temple there was not a thing but it was of Gold or ingraued or set in Gold The other was that the fabrick or workmanship being so magnificent and stately yet in all the time of the building thereof there was not heard the noise of hammer or any other toole therein Some expound these words thus saing that this was a kind of speech commonly vsed when they would shew what speed a thing hath beene done withall as when it is said such a thing was done before it was seene or heard So although the work of the Temple lasted many yeares yet in respect of the hugenes and magnificence thereof it may be said that therein was not seene nor heard the stroke of an hammer Others say that euery thing was brought thither ready wrought from other parts and that they did nothing but lay and couch things in their due place And so this Temple was a figure of the B. Martirs who are hewed and squared in the Quarries of this world suffring heere diuers troubles and afflictions but then in heauen they suffer no more strokes nor feele more troubles but haue their reward for that which they haue borne and supported in the world In these things then is shewed the statelines and magnificene of this Temple In the which although it was the Temple of God yet was there only in it the Ark of the Testament and that not alwaies neither for at the time of the captiuitie of Babilon the Prophet Ieremy hid it in a hill and then they put into it another made like it and yet for all that it was greatly honoured not only by men but euen by God himself Then by greater reason ought we to reuerence and honour our Churches in the which resideth IESVS CHRIST true God and true man and that really in the B. sacrament of the Altare There are not sacrificed Bulles and weathers but the vnbloodie sacrifice of IESVS CHRIST vpon the Altar of the Crosse is there represented where he is offred in a liuely sacrifice to his eternall father for the saluation of mankind and the same doth the Priest daily in his name in the holie sacrifice of the Masse In our Churches be also the sacraments by which are healed and cured sundrie infirmities Some be weak to encounter and fight against the Diuell the world and the flesh and to make such men able and strong the sacrament of Confirmation is giuen vnto them To others for the same puâ—pose and to make them rich in vertue there is giuen the sacrament of the holie Eucharist And to the end others should be continent the sacrament of Matrimonie is giuen vnto them For others that be wounded hurt and ready to die of sundrie infirmities and they whose soules are already and whollie dead in mortall sinne are prouided the sacraments of penance and extreame vnction So that the Church is as an Apothecaries shop stored with spirituall medicines for all the infirmities and maladies of the soule and body also Besides these in the Catholike Church be the treasoâ—s of God For therein are pardoned sinnes in it are giuen the giftes of the holy Ghost in it the praiers of the faithfull are more meritorious and be sooner addressed and
Martyrs GREAT was the pride of that hauty king Pharao in persecuting the people of Israell Exod 1. seeking all meanes he could to hinder them from increasing But the blessed God of heauen ordained that the more dilligent the wicked king was against them so much the more he should remaine defeated in his enterprise and disgraced all things falling out contrary to his designes and entent for the people multiplyed and encreased the more The same befell vnto the diuell for in the first growing and spreading of Christianity he desired to root out the Christians and to that intent he stirred vp the tyrants to put them to death martyr them as indeed innumerable of them were But the more he laboured herein the more the number of the Christians encreased This may be seene by the example of three holie martyrs to witt SS Tripho Respicius and Nimpha The diuell began with one of them thinking to end with him but the two others seing his martyrdome offered themselues voluntarily and without compulsion vnto martyrdome and to dye in company with him for the loue of CHRIST their Lord. The manner hereof as it is extant in diners martyrologes was in this sort SAINT Trypho was borne in Rome in a street called Saxea He being verie yong exercised himself in good and holie works and God by his meanes did some miracles by healing persons posessed with the diuell and grieued with other infirmities In that sharp persecution of Decius this holie saint showed himself zealous of the honor of God by preaching IESVS CHRIST publiklie without fearing the Edicts of the Emperour or the cruelty that his officers vsed against the Christians He encouraged the feeble and animated the faintharted not to dread the torments which should quickly end and were meanes to attaine perpetuall ioye in heauen A gouernour called Quilinus being certified hereof and finding it to be very true for that S. Trypho himself confessed the same he commaunded he should be tormented The first was the ordinary torment that was to tye him vnto the Equuleus where his bodie being racked it was rent and torne with hooks of Iron Then set they burning torches vnto his sides and gaue him many blowes with knoâ—ted staues and lastlie his feet were burned through with hot burning nayles S. Trypho tollerated all this with a couragious mind and a cheerefull countenance so that a Tribune called Respicius seing it considered thus That a man of flesh and blood could not haue such strength nor tollerate so great and so many torments if he were not asisted and holpen by God And if God did help him it was certaine that he was very high in his fauour Whereupon it might be truly gathered that the God whom this holie man confessed and for whose sake he endured so many torments and by whom he was so much holpen was the true God and that all the other were false Gods In the time that Respicius stood in these considerations there came to him a gracious dewe from heauen vnto which he made no resistance but openly confessed that he was a Christian When the officers that tormented S. Trypho heard this they layd hands on him and began to torment them both together Then did they lead them into the Temple vnto the statue of Iupiter and S. Trypho kneeled downe not to adore it but to make the statue fall in pieces to the ground as appeared euidently by that which followed There was present hereat a damsell called Nimpha who seing this miracle said with a loud voice IESVS CHRIST is the true God and those which the Gentiles adore be false Gods and of no force seing the prayers of the Christians make them fall to pieces By occasion of these words Nimpha was likewise tormented with SS Tripho and Respicius The officers beat them with certaine whips which had pluÌ„mets of lead tyed to the end of euery cord This was giuen vnto them with such cruelty that they all three yealded their soules vnto God in that torment Which was on the 10. of Nouember in the yeare of our Lord. 251. In the raigne of the aforenamed Decius And on the same daie the Church celebrateth their feast The life of S. Martin Bishop and Confessor WE read in the first book of kings of that valyant and couragious yong man Dauid Cap. 17. that when he returned with victory from the battaile with that fierce gyant Golyas he made all them that came to see him to wonder He was yong well proportioned and talle of body as Caietan noteth well vpon this place and giueth this reason saying that Saul put his armor on him when he would haue sent him against the gyant and that Dauid refused them which was not for that they were to bigge but for that he was not vsed to beare armor Of Saul we know by the Scripture that he was very tall and then Dauid necessarilie must be so also 1. Reg. 9. He was beutifull and well sett and had also a comely countenance and went in leather like a sheapheared he carryed in the one hand the great head of the Gyant and in the other the blouly sword which had cut it of The sterne and grimme sight of the Gyants head made the beauty and comelynes of Dauid to seeme more The people came wondring and euers one was delighted with the sight of him In this maner came he before Saul with whom was Ionathas his sonne the heire of the kingdome who seeing the behauiour of Dauid as the text saith took such affection vnto him that euen there in the sight of them all he took of part of his garments and put them vpon Dauid Thus much of this figure serueth for our propose that Ionathas did shew his great loue vnto Dauid in bestowing his garments on him The same did the glorious S. Martin with IESVS CHRIST for with him he deuided his garmets wherein he shewed that he loued him much as is euident in the discourse of his life written by Seuerus Sulpitius which we haue abridged in this maner SAINT Martin was borne in Sabaria a towne of Hongarye His parents were of noble bloud but they were Gentills his father had bene Coronell of the horse in the army of the Romains and was retired to his house to rest and repose himself Martin being ten yeres old went to the Church against his fathers mynd and requested to be made a Catechumen which was to write his name in the rolle of them that desired to be Christians for after they were well instructed in the faith they were to be Baptised He spent his time in seruing of God and entended no other thing but to please him conuersing always with his seruaÌ„ts in the Church There he was enstructed in learnyng and good behauiour He had a great desire to goe and liue a solitary life in the desert if his tender age had not hindred him and also an edict that came from Rome which commaunded that the sonnes of
they sought for them found them out aprehended them put them in prison and at the end vnto some cruell death Notice was giuen by some informers that Gregorie laie hidden in the mountaine whereupon officers were sent forth with to aprehend him for the iudges thought that if they put him to death being the cheif the inferior Christians would be discouraged to make such bold profession of their faith S. Gregorie being on the mountaine comaunded his deacon to make his oraisons So both of them kneeling with their hands lifted vp to heauen somewhat distant the one from the other they besought God if it were for his seruice that he would deliuer them from the persecution but if his will was that they should dye for his sake and loue of his holie Gospell they did like wise desire that his will might be done The souldiers arryuing at the mountaine went vp and downe all the hill searching for them and returned vnto the Iudge telling him that they had found noting but two trees somewhat distant the one from the other The Iudg knew for certaine that Gregorie was on the mountaine and therefore he went thither in person alone finding those that seemed to the souldiers to be trees to be Gregorie and his deacon at their praiers When the Iudg saw this wonder God so touched his hart that he went vnto S. Gregorie and fell at his feete confessing IESVS CHRIST to be the true God And he that before persecuted them from thenceforth was one of them that fled from the persecution Another time the holie saint being in praier and with him some of his disciples with his deacon he lifted vp his voice on a sodaine saying these words of Dauid Psa 123. Blessed be our Lord who hath not suffred vs to be taken in their teeth His disciples asked him why he said these wordes and he answered that in that very instant of time was finished in the citie the martyrdome of a Christian who had valiantlie ouercome his persecutors by cōtinuing firme and constant in the faith of CHRIST and said he was called Troadius The deacon asked leaue of the holie saint and went secretlie into the cittie finding all that the blessed man had said to be verie true The persecution then ceasing S. Gregorie returned vnto this Church and recollected together the faith full beleeuers that were dispersed by flight into sundrie partes setling himself againe vnto the preaching of the faith By which meanes some that shewed themselues weak in the time ef persecution were reduced againe to a good estate and many Gentiles were Baptised He vsed great dilligence to know them that had bene martyred and apointed that their feasts should be kept euery yeare on the same daie on which they had beene put to death The good father was now verie old and knowing that his death aproached he desired to be certifyed how many Idolaters and vnbeleeuers remained in that cittie It was told to him there was left but 17. that continewed obstinate in their Idollatrie I am much agreeued said the holie faint that these continew in such an error but yet I yeeld infinite thancks vnto God because I leaue behind me vnto my successor but so many vnbeleeuers in the Bishoprike as I found beleeuers when I was consecrated Bishop Then made he his praier for the Catholique Christians desiring God to giue them grace to continew in his seruice and he besought those that were present that they would bury him amongst others and not in any peculier graue of his owne For I would haue it said of me when I am gone that I had not in my life time an house of mine owne nor after my death a sepulcre This glorious saint rendred his soule vnto God on the 17. daie of Nouember and on the same daie the Catholique Church celebrateth his feast His body was buried as he had apointed all the people making great lamentation but especially his disciples and houshold seruants for loosing so louing a father and so good a master although they were comforted knowing for certaine that they had him for their patrone and aduocate in heauen His death was in the yeare of our Lord. 267. in the time of the Emperour Gallien Nicephorus Callistus writeth the life of this holie saint in the 6. book and 17. chapter The Dedication of the Church of SS Peter Paule THE wise king Salomon was not content to build a house and temple for the great God but hauing finished that work He entended to do another which was to build a lodging for his chiefest Queene among all his other wife 's who was the daughter of king Pharao In like sort also our Lord God would not only haue Churches builded by the Christians for himself to inhabite and dwell and therin to be honored reuerented but his pleasure was that there should be also others builded for his saints whose soules were his spouses by faith For this cause the holy Church of Rome celebrateth the feast of the building of the Church of our Sauiour and of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule The which I haue gathered out of the lessons of the mattins of this solemnity out of some particulers which are redd in the liues of the Popes and Emperours which was in this manner IT was a custome in the Primitiue Church for the Christians to assemble together in priuar and set places to celebrate the diuine office to hear masse to receue the B. sacrament to heare the word of God preached and to make praier They were assembled to do these things especially in the places where the martirs had bene buried and among other one part of the Vatican was highly regarded which they called the Confession of S. Peter for that his B. body had bene in that place enterred and thither resorted people from all parts of the world to giue honor and reuerence vnto it To that same place came th'emperour Constantin the Great 8. daies after he was Baptised where he made his praier and shed many tears Then he took a mattock and digged vp 12. baskets of earth which he himself caried away in honor of the. 12. Apostles in which place they should build a Church vnto S. Peter the head of them Hauing thus begon the work was continewed finished and S. Siluester the Pope consecrated it on the 18. day of Nouember in the year of our Lord. 325. euen as he had consecrated the Church of S. Sauiour on the 9. day of the same moneth He made there an Altare of stone and consecrated it ordeining that from thensforth the Altars should be made of stone The same Emperour Constantin caused another Church to be builded in the honor of the Apostle S. Paul in the way to Hostia and enriched the one theother with reuenewes and adorned them with vessells and iewells of great value Great was the feruour and desire this Prince had to raze to the ground the temples of the Idolls through
not tarry to be tempted by the deuill for they themselues seek occasions to offend God and especially at those times when we be most obliged to to serue him viz on the feast day or in their Octaues which were ordeined that we might haue more time to be emploied in the seruice of God and to solemnize them The reason then why a greater feast is kept on one holy day then another and more to one saint then to another is because one signifieth a more higher mistery then another The Resurrection and Ascension of CHRIST be two high and principall feasts yet there is greater solemnity obserued in the first then in the second for the cause aboue-mentioned The same reason is of the saints The Catholike Church maketh a greater holy day vnto one saint then vnto another for that the deeds of one haue bene greater then of the other or for that his estate and dignity was greater or els for that he had done more good in the Catholik Church And for this reason the feasts of S. Peter S. Paule of S. Iohn Baptist of S. Laurence and other like saints be higher and more principall feasts then others though they which haue the lesser feasts and they who haue the greater be all in heauen contented enioyng God in his glory vnto which he bring vs for his great mercy Amen The life of S. Pontianus Pope and Martyr GOD commaunded Moises that to snuff the lights that burned in the temple vpon a candlestick which had seuen braunches he should cause to be made snuffers of the most fine and purest gold These lights be a figure of the priests who are called light by IESVS CHRIST By the name of seuen is giuen to vnderstand the seuen gifts of the Holy Ghost Then he commaunding that the snuffers where with they must snuffe the said lights should be of gold would demonstrate that vnto them they ought to beare great respect And that the reprouing and chastising of them though they deserue it is not graunted vnto euery one but only to him that shal be of such perfection that he is likened vnto the most pure gold And he that knoweth of himself that he is not gold but that he hath some defect and imperfection Let him not touch the light to wit Let him not murmure or speak euill of the priests but leaue the matter to God or els to his superiors who haue the office from God to reprehend and chastise them But if they leaue the matter vnto God the reproof punishment wil be more seuere and worthily shall the priests deserue it if their life be not correspondent vnto the dignity and function they haue aboue other men The holy Pope Pontianus hauing in mind the respect and regard that ought to be giuen to priests maketh mention and giueth many aduises in one of the two epistles he wrote out of his place of exile vnto all the faithfull for he was banished into the Island of Sardegna not for any fault he had committed but for confessing the faith of IESVS CHRIST The life of this holy saint was written in this manner by Damasus and other Authors BY the death of Pope Vrbane the first of that name there was placed in the seat of S. Peter Pontianus the sonne of Calphurnius borne in Rome He liued peaceably in the Papacy a while and attended to the gouernement of Church to the good contentment of all the Clergy people At the end of that time Alexander Seuerus th'emperour who of his owne nature was milde and no ennemy to the Christians persuaded by the priests of the Pagan Gods banished him from Rome and with him a priest called Philip by some martirologes called Hippolitus Those two were conducted into Sardegna and commanded not to depart out of that Iland In that place the blessed Pope Pontianus endured very great troubles and afflictions yet for all that he forgot not to gouern his Church with good and holy aduises and counsells when he could not do any other thing In that Island he wrote two epistles vnto all the faithfull Christians In the first he commendeth as hath bene aboue said the veneration and reuerence that ought to be vsed toward priests in regard of the high mistery they deale in consecrating by their words and holding in their hands the most Blessed Body of CHRIST our Lord. In the other he exorteth them all generally vnto charity brotherly loue Some Authors attribute vnto Pontianus the vse which is kept in the Church of singing the psalmes of Dauid in the office of the Howers and that he ordeined that the priest before he began Masse should say the psalme Iudica me Deus but to conclude the troubles and molestations of the holy Pope were so extreme which he endured in this banishment that he died in the same Island of Sardegna on the. 19. day of Nouember when he had ben Pope fiue years 5. months and. 2. dayes He gaue holy orders twise in the month of December and ordered 6. Bishops 6. priests 5. deacons His blessed body was buried in Sardegna but some years after S. Fabian the Pope caused it to be brought vnto Rome and buried it in the Churcheyard of Callistus among many other Martirs And because he died in exile through the vexation and trouble he endured he was accounted among the holy martirs His death was in the year of our Lord 236 Maximinus being then emperour of Rome * ⎠* The presentation of our B. Lady THE great king Assuerus hauing depryued Queene Vasthy his wife of the royall crowne and hauing expulsed her out of his pallace because she would not obey his commaundements All the princes and great lords of his kingdome were assembled to seeke out another wife for the king which should not only be equall to Vasthy but should rather surpasse her in all fauour and beauty For this end all the choysest damosells were sought out through the realme to whom there was apointed a roome by themselues and an Eunuch called Egeus had the charge of them who sawe them prouyded of all things necessarie aswell for their dyet as also for their apparell and adornements There wanted no odoures perfumes or Iewells which might aggrandize and shewe forth their beauties This was done the more to please king Assuerus vnto whom they were led one by one as their turne was to the end he might choose one that lyked him best to be Queene in stead of Vasthy The prudent and beautifull Esther being elected out of the rest for that purpose the day came that she was to be presented before the king Assoone as the king sawe her he was so pleased with her fauour and beautie that he chose her out from among the rest for his wife and Queene and set the royall crowne on her head commaunding all his subiects to honor her and to regard and esteeme her as their soueraigne Queene and ludy This king Assuerus is a figure of our Lord God
things go in this manner in a great rage commaunded the Empresse should be put to death And for that Purphirius the captaine spoke in her behalf and the Emperour vnderstood he was a Christian and 200. of his souldiers also he gaue charge they should be all put to death fullfilling herein that which this holie saint had said before namelie that many should be saued by her meanes As the Empresse was led vnto her death she met S. Catherine on the waies and they embraced affectionatly requesting eache other to praie vnto God which they both promised hoping they should shortlie meet together in heauen The Empresse was beheaded on the 23 of Nouember and so was Porphirius and his souldiers The Emperour being in a manner beside himself to see the constancie of Catherine and not knowing what to do more commaunded to behead her also The holâ—e virgin was led to the place of excecutioÌ„ where was a great concourse of people as well men as women many of the companie weeping for compassion Before she was beheaded she prayed vnto God and yeelded him thancks for many graces that she had receiued at his hands but especiallie for this which she was at this instant to receiue to wit the loosing of her life for his sake which she took for the greatest signe of his loue toward her could be She besought him also that after her death he would not permitt her bodie to come into the hands of the perfidious Infidells least they might reproach or abuse it Moreouer she besought him that those that in their necessitie remembred her might be deliuered from their afflictions so farre forth as was conuenient for them This praier being finished one of the souldiers cut of her head and out of the wound came milk in stead of bloud Then were Angells seene to lift vp her bodie from the earth who caried it in the ayre vnto the mount Synay and there the same Angells buried it The Emperour Iustinian in processe of time caused a sumptuous Church to be built in the same place and a monasterie also in which the holie saint is honored and reuerenced Her death was on the 25. of Nouember and on the same daie the Catholique Church celebrateth her feast with great sollemnitie which is done with good reason for God hath three crownes with which he croweeth some of the faintes in heaven One is of red coullor which is for the holie martyrs The second is of skie-coullor wherewith the preachers be crowned and the third is white which is agreable vnto the virgins It seemeth all these crownes were due vnto S. Catherine For she was a Martyr and both before and at the time of her martyrdome she conuerted many person vnto the faith of CHRIST and she was a virgin also And for that she hath such rare prerogatiues beside as she said of her self that she was the especiall spouse of CHRIST with great reason deserueth shee to be honored and reuerenced of all Christians especially of students who by her meanes do receaue as we maie beleeue many graces and wisedome also infused by God This blessed martyr and virgin S. Catherine suffred martyrdome about the yeare of our Lord 310. in the raigne of Maxentius and Maximianus SPanish The ordinarie painting her with a sword in her hand and setting her foot vpon the head of an Emperour deuoteth that she conquered victoriously the tyrant that martyred her * ⎠* The life of S. Peter of Alexandria Bishop and Martyr THe prophet Zacharie sawe in a vision IESVS the high priest sore beaten and wounded his handes were all bruised and pierced through being demaunded who had vsed him so he made answere I haue receiued these stripes and woundes in the house of them that loued me This is spaken figuratiuely by IESVS CHRIST who being of his heauenly father loued infinitely yet he willed him or permitted him to dye This may also very well be sayd of them that haue receiued greater fauours and benefitts of Almightie God hauing higher and more eminent dignities and functions as he hath done vnto priests And if they offend or transgresse his lawes he is more displeased at their offences then he is at the faultes of others And through he be highly displeased with sinners yet he complayneth of them more then of all others This very same befell to S. Peter of Alexandria who sawe IESVS CHRIST with a coate rent and torne to pieces He demaunding who had vsed him in that manner answere was made Arrius the heretick The sonne of God shewed himself much displeased that that accursed man had set his toung against his honor in deprauing and touching him in his deitie it being his dutie to defend the same more then others for that he was a priest The life of this holie Bishop and martyr Peter collected out of Eusebius of Cesaria venerable Bede and other authors of Martyrologes is in this manner SAINT Peter of Alexandria was borne in the same cittie of Alexandria and thereof he took his surname For his great vertue and wisedome he was elected Bishop after the death of a holie man called Theonas And as some authors say he was the 16. prelate of that cittie after S. Mark the Euangelist In the persecution of Maximinus the Emperour great were the troubles he suffred in so much as many seing and beholding his patience and perseverance were stirred vp to imitat him neither did they quaile in the confession of theyr faith but perseuered in the same euen to the losse of their temporall liues Although the cruelty and tyrany of the ministers in the persecution encreased daily against the Christians yet the hoâ—ie Bishop left not of to look about and to prouide for the good and vtillitie of his Church And whereas the accursed heretick Arrius continued in the sowing of his cockle and infernall heresie he not only resisted him but excomunicate separated him from the congregation and comunion of the faithfull Hauing done this he was by the commaundement of the Emperour apprehended and put in prison And assoone as he knew that he was taken he sent a comaund vnto the officers to cut of his head This sentence being diuulged through the cittie it was a thing very remarkable to see all the people runne to the prison to defend him from death asmuch as lay in their power so great was their loue vnto their Pastor The accursed Arrius hauing a desire to be Bishop after Peter if he happened as he hoped to be put to death laboured guilefully and dâ—câ—â—tfully to be reconciâ—ed vnto Peter To that effect he spake to many Catholiques desired them to entreat him in the peoples name to absolue him and to signify vnto him that he was willing ready to submitt himself to his will and correction There were chosen two priests the one called Alexander the other Achillas to go on that Embassade or message who comming to the prison where Peter was propounded vnto him the cause
the hangman began to vntie him he lyfted vp his voice to IESVS CHRIST and said Lord I beseech thee for thy holie names sake permitt me not to be taken from the Crosse aliue Receaue me my master whom I haue loued whom I haue confessed whom I haue preached and of whom I hope to be rewarded Oh good IESVS receaue my spirit in peace for now is it time to come to thee whom I haue so much desired Whilest the Apostle said these wordes there discended from heauen a great brightnes in manner of a beame of the sunne which euerie one saw and couered the bodie of the Apostle that for half an houres space it could not be seene at which time it vanished awaye and then they perceiued that the was dead One Maximilla a deuout woman a disciple of the Apostle being of that cittie and verie rich went to the Crosse with some of her seruants and took the bodie of the saint and buried it anointing it first with pretious ointments When Egeas vnderstood what Maximilla had done he ment to complaine vnto the Emperour both of her and of many other that asisted her Whilest he was in the publique hall taking informations thereof tâ—e diuell entred into him making him to roare and crie out as a beast and tormenting him in the sight of the people made him to yield his soule to be tormented in hell This iudgment of God caused many to be conuerted to the faith of CHRIST The martirdome of S. Andrew was on the 30. of Nouember and on the same daie the Church celebrateth his feast His death was in the yeere of our Lord. 62. as Canisius saith in the raigne of Nero. In the time of the Emperour Constantine the bodie of S. Andrew was translated to Constantinople and from thence to diuers other places till lastlie it was carried into Italie to the cittie of Amalfy in the kingdome of Naples where it is at this present And it is said that out of this blessed bodie cometh a most pretious liquor that cureth and healeth diuers infirmities When Pius the second was Pope his head was brought to Rome and set in a tabernacle made for that purpose in the Church of S. Peter S. Gregorie of Toures recounteth many miracles done by the intercession of S. Andrew namelie the curing of diuers and sundrie infirmities He saith also that in the time of Clodoueus king of France in a warre he made in Burgundie and in the sacking of a countrie fire was set on the Church of a holie martir called Saturninus within the which were some reliques of S. Andrew The fire enereased and the people were much agreeued that the reliques of the holie Apostle should be so consumed There was a souldier borne at Toures who perceiuing the sorrow of the people entred resolutlie into the middest of the fire and went vnto the place where the reliques of the holie Apostle were and brought them awaie safe without hurt And God was pleased to shew how acceptable this pious deed was to him preseruing the souldier from the fire that it hurt him not at all We read also of other miracles of S. Andrew as of a Bishop whom the diuell in forme of a damosell would haue deceiued and the holie Apostle went to his house in the shape of a pilgrime and told him of the deceit but for that I haue not read it in any approoued author I do not auerre it yet God can and vseth to do those or the like things by the intercession of his holie saints And we ought not to doubt but he hath done many miracles by the intercession of S. Andrew who followed and loued him so that at last he died on the Crosse for his loue as himself had done It is iust therefore that we be deuout to this holie saint that by his prayers and meritts we maie obtaine of God eternall glorie Amen DECEMBER The life of S. Bibiana virgin and Martir MANY were the vexations and great were the tribulations the holy man Dauid suffered at the haÌ„ds of sondry persons who without any cause giuen on his part endeuored to do him all the mischief they could as amoÌ„g others his father in lawe Saul did yet he supported all these troubles with patience and myldnes but the insurrection of his sonne Absalon nipped him to the hart and mollested him aboue all the rest wherefore he said in one psalme If myne enemy had said euill of me and had persecuted me Ps. 54 I would haue supported it bycause that of an enemy no friendly kindnes is expected but I am aggreiued that this my sonne he who satt at my table and eate with me in the same dish should be the maÌ„ that should persecute me Oh how worthy was he and such as he was to descend aliue into hell Many were the tyrants that persecuted the Church and many more were they that put the Christians to death but S. Bibiana had reason to complaine of none more then of Iulyan the Apostata because the others were her professed enemyes in that they were Idollaters But this wicked and damnable man was a Christian and within holy orders who put her to very great sorrow and moued her to desire God to chastise him as indeed he did by depriuing him in a short time both of his empire and life it being not knowen by whom nor in what maner This is only certain that the lewd and wicked man being in the middest of his army was wounded with a speare wherof he dyed blasphemyng and reuiling at IESVS CHRIST his cursed soule falling as a pray into the diuells hands S. Bibiana was martyred in the time of this wicked emperour Venerable Bede and other Authors of martyrologes write her martyrdome in this maner SAINT Bibiana was borne in Rome and was daughter vnto Faustus and Drafosa who were both Christians and holy matâ—yrs S. Bibiana being very yong did exercise her self in holy and vertuous woorks Shee was taken in the time of th'emperour Iulian the Apostata a cruell foe vnto Christians and deliuered to the custody of Faustus the gouernour who was apointed to heare and determyne her cause He persuaded her to sacrifice vnto the Idols the souer to drawe her to the same he threatned to put her vnto grieuous torments if shee refused it But the holy saint answered with such godly reasoÌ„s that shee persuaded the Gouernour himself to forsake and relinquish the Idolls and to be made a Christian and consequently to endure torments and death couragiously for the same The holy damsell Bibiana was very ioyous that shee had made that gaine as to gaine a soule to her spouse IESVS CHRIST Then was shee led before the Emperour who exhorted her to sacrifice vnto the Idolls and shee aunswered him that the God creator and gouernour of heauen and earth was only worthy to be adored Th'emperour hearing this answer commaunded Bibiana to be beaten with cudgells which was done with such cruelty that shee
for he was mercifull and myld also and endued with other good qualities and verâ—ues â—â—r which cause God elected him to be the captaine and pastor of his people in the city of Myrrea The life of this glorious saint was written by the Patriarch Methodius Symeon Metaphrastes and other Greeke authors our of whom Iohn the Deacon and Leonard Iustinian made a collection Out of these two was this sumarie taken and is in this manner SAINT Nicholas was borne in Patarae a city in the prouince of Licia His father and mother were Christians noble by birth and deuote seruants of God To this good couple God graunted a sonne in reward of their many teares praiers and continuall almes deeds desiring him to send vnto them an heire who should vse their goods in his seruice God heard the prayers of his dâ—uouâ—e seruants and comforted them by gyuing vnto them their sonne Nicholas Of him it is thought that he had the spirite of God euen from his infancie for that assoone as he was borne he began to serue him Assoone as he knewe what it was to eate he knew also what it was to fast for he would not take the brest to sucke but one time only in a day especially twâ—se a weeke to wit on the wednesday and the Friday and this fast he obserued all the dayes of his life Being somewhat growen in years he shewed signes of great vertue which increased in him as his yeares did His father sent him to schoole to learne to read and also other sciences where Nicholas made proofe of his delicate wytt because in very short time he profitted very much He would not keepe company with other yong men of his yeares who suffred themselfs to be transported into all vices and wantonnes but his conuersation was only with the most vertuous and honest people He avoyded also not only the conuersation of women but abhorred them euen as a deadly poyson for youth And to eseape the warre which is made by wicked thoughts and carnall cogitations against youth he tamed his flesh with watchings fastings hayrecloths and such like exercises He frequented the Churches and oratories of the Christians for he desired to be as the Temple of the Holy Ghost These holy exercises and other vertues in which Nicholas was employed did so shine in him that he was praysed and commended of euery one For as to see old men behaue themselues like yong men see meth a monstrous thing so on the other side to see a yong man to haue the deportment and cariage of old men is a thing very commendable and laudable S. Nicholas had an vncle who was Bishop of the city where he was borne a learned and a holy man He persuaded the father and mother of Nicholas to dedicate their sonne vnto God in the seruice of his Church and to be a priest It was an easy matter to obteine it of them for they remembred God had graunted that sonne vnto them through their many praiers therfore they willingly rendred him vnto God againe with right good will that he might alwaies be employed in his seruice The father and mother of S. Nicholas hauing made this grauÌ„â— his vncle made him priest whilest he gaue him orders he sayd these words vnto them that stood by Brethren I see a newe sonne arise in the earth who shal be a great consolation and repose for the world Happy is the pasture and happy be the sheepe that shall deserue to haue such a sheapherd The day shall come also when you shall see him reduce many straying sheepe vnto the flock of CHRIST you shall see him to be the consolation of the coÌ„fortles health of the sick and rest for them that be in tribulation All that which this good Bishop said was afterward found in S. Nicholas When S. Nicholas sawe he was a priest he thought it conuenient that with his newe dignity he should encrease his austerity and strict life imitating heerin the trees and plants which the more they spred their braunches the larger their roots grow also vnder the ground So the holy saint stroâ—e to be more sober and temperate more continenâ— more rygorous toward his owne body chastising the same with more seuerity not to make it dye but to make it more subiect vnto the spirite He depriued it of the ordinary sleepe of eating and of apparell although he did not like to go in stayned or spotted apparell as some hypocrits do but such as was comely and fitting for one of his dignity of function He frequented the Church more â—hâ—n he had vsed he was more earnest at his prayer then before time he would neuer read any book nor take it in his hand but the booke of the holy scripture or els some holy lecture treating of some ghostly matter He showed more modesty in his countenance more grauity in his speech so that it seemed although he were in mortall flesh that he led the life of a man imortall There befell in the country of Lycia and in all the East a great contagious pestilence which killed very many and among others within the space of three dayes died both the father and mother of S. Nicholas and he remayned sole inheritor to all their goods The yong man being already dedicated to God regarded not to be the heite but rather desired to be the dispenser of his fathers goods giuing out of them continually many almes deeds And because among many other he did one rare deed of charity it shall not be amisse to make a recitall therof by particulers There was in the city of Patara a gentleman of a good house who had bene before time very rich and nowe was become poore This man had three daughters which were of good yeares and maâ—igeable but because he had not wherewith to maynteine endowe theÌ„ with portions he vrged and sollycited them to get their liuyng and his also by dishonest life The poore father though he was ashamed so to doe spake to them to that purpose the distressed maydes shed teares incessantly considering to what a miserable estate their fathers pouerty had brought them S. Nicholas had an inkeling hereof and thought he could not bestow his almes better then with the same to delyuer their bodies from shame and their soules from synne He took a good some of mony all in gold and lapped it in a napkin and departing from home by night he went to the house of the poore decayed gentleman The holy man looked about to put in the mony in some place where the distressed man might light vpon it taking care that he should not know who bestowed in vpoÌ„ him whilest he studyed therof hesa wâ—y Mâ—nâ—light the casement of the chamber windowe where the poore man lay not fully open S Nicolas cast the gold wrapped in the cloute in at the wyndowe and went downe The pooâ—e man rising vp and finding there the mony the benediction of God he was in