law of God in what sort soeuer and in the end say Pater Aue. In the 4. point he must say Confiteor knocking his breast for his faults found with dolour and dislike and also with hope to knocke at the gate of Gods mercy humbly crauing pardon for the snnes we find our selues to haue committed The 5. point is to make a firme purpose neuer by the help of Gods grace to fall againe into the like and with the first commodity to goe to Confession so to end with Pater Aue And Credo This is the dayly exercise of all that be carefull and solicitous of their owne saluation commanded by the Scripture and practised by the Saints Eccl. 28.29 Locke vp thy gold siluer sayth the Wise man and make a weight vnto thy wordes and put a strict bridle in thy mouth That is vaunt not of thy vertue nor glory in thy good actions weigh and examine all euen vnto thy wordes and keep thy selfe from euill and haue a purpose to abstaine for afterward Iob sayd I feared all my workes Iob. 9.28 knowing that thou dost not pardon the offender And this without doubt was because he weighed all in the ballance of Gods iustice which he knew left nothing vnweighed Dauid Psalm 76. I meditated in the night with my hart I did exercise my selfe I did sweep cleanse my spirit Vpon which wordes S. Augustine sayth He enquired of himselfe he examined himselfe and he iudged himself within himselfe He examined in the night the fit and proper tyme in silence with attention hauing his eyes shut to other thinges he exercised himselfe in good earnest with all his hart with feruour and vigour of deuotion and not with a distracted and wandering cogitation dead without motion of life and sorrow My sinne is alwayes before me Psal 50. Because he was in continuall examination of his actions alwayes finding some defect and heereof he sayd to God Psal 18.14 Who is he that knoweth his faultes Deliuer me from my secret sinnes and pardon thy seruant the sinnes of others He that doth not his diligence to performe this once a day sheweth himselfe to haue no great care of his owne soule for he putteth himselfe fondly in danger to be surprised and sodainly arrested by the executioner of the supreme Iudge hauing the accountes of his life ill ordered charged with debts which he shal neuer be able to discharge The deuout Christian doth it often in the day How often in the day the deuout ChristiaÌ„ should examine his conscience Our Pilgrime shall do it thrice in the morning when he riseth he shall examine the night past at noone examine the morning and at night when he goeth to bed shut vp the account and reckoning of the whole day A generall distribution of what the Pilgrime should do euery day And first of the Credo CHAP. VII Clem. Const Apost l. 7. c. 25. THE dayly prayers and spirituall exercises of the pilgrime are distributed into three tymes of the day Morning after dinner and Night according to that distribution of K. Dauid who sayd In the Euening and Morning and at Midday I will pray to thee O Lord and speake thy prayses and myne owne necessityes Psal 54. Which also Daniel practised in his captiuity as before him all iust men in their owne dwellings Dan. 6.10 In the Morning he shall make the principall meditation at Noone and after he shall make others or els if he be loath to change the subiect hauing some tast thereof in the Morning he may goe ouer it againe by way of repetition at euery one of these three tymes of prayer he must still repeate the Credo Pater Aue Confiteor as a true child of the Church who reciteth them in the midst among other prayers she maketh he that prayeth must haue Fayth Hope and Charity Fayth is the foundation of the others by fayth he doth often say in his prayers the Creed as making profession of his fayth comprised therein by these 12. Articles 1. I beleeue in God the Father almighty creator of heauen earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord. 3. Who was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4. Suffered vnder Pontius Pilat was crucified dead and buried 5. Descended into hell the third day he rose againe from the dead 6 He ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty 7. From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead 8. I belieue in the holy Ghost 9. The holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints 10 The forgiuenes of sinnes 11. The resurrection of the body 12. And life euerlasting AmeÌ„ This is a summary of fayth called the Symbole collection or gathering because it was composed by the Apostles euery one bringing and contributing his part as they doe at a reckoning after a banket representing by the number of the Articles the 12. Authors and compounders thereof for which cause S. Ambrose calleth it the Apostolike fayth Amb. ser 38. Aug. ser 1â—1 de tempore Leo c. 13. ad Pulchr composed by those 12. Artificers also the key whereby is discouered the darknes of the Diuell that the light of Iesus Christ might appeare S. Augustin calleth it the Apostolike fayth because it contayneth the abridgment thereof and would haue euery one learne it by hart The Symbole or Creed sayth he is short in wordes and great in mystery let euery one therefore that is come to the yeares of discretion learne the Apostolike fayth which he hath professed in Baptisme by the mouth of his God-father These twelue Articles containe all that euery Christian ought distinctly to belieue of God and his Church The 8. first teach vs the beliefe we must haue of the B. Trinity one God and three persons and specially of the mystery of our Redemption The foure last deliuer vnto vs what to belieue of his Church Of the Pater Noster Aue and Consiteor CHAP. VIII THE Pater noster is the summary of our hope as the Creed was of our fayth contayning seauen petitions in forme of prayer as followeth 1. Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy Name 2. Thy kingdome come 3. Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen 4. Giue vs this day our daily bread 5. And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. 6. And lead vs not into temptation 7. But deliuer vs from euill Amen The foure first demand the guift of good thinges the three last deliuerance from euill The 3. first aske that which pertayneth to life euerlasting the foure last that which concernes this temporall to attaine vnto the other as S. Augustine sayth Aug. euch c. 115. serm Dom in montel 2. cap. 17. This is a prayer made and dictated from the mouth of the Sonne of God the richest and worthyest of all the
that it is much more beseeming the Maiesty of God and his Mother to be conceaued without original sinne then to be cleansed from it more noble to haue been light from the beginning then of darknes to haue beene made light more approaching to the sense and mind of the Catholike Church which honoureth this conceptioÌ„ with a solemne feast though she doth not condemne of heresy those who belieue that she was touched with originall sinne but after from heauen sanctifyed Pure intion the foundation of all Christian actions Luc. 11.34.36 He shall gather also certaine conclusions and practicall rules of his spirituall discourse as that our actions should be pure in their conception and beginning in the thought in the will that we must beginne by the light to be children of the light that the good and pure intention which our Sauiour calleth The eye of the soule ought to be the foundatioÌ„ of all our workes These and such like rules he shall frame in his mynd and shall verify them in the life of the Blessed Virgin who from her infancy neuer sought in her actions any thing but the glory of God This hath beene her light her beginning her end in all that she did thought or sayd VpoÌ„ these reasons and examples our Pilgrime shall make a full purpose to reforme his life to Godward and to serue him with all his hart to the imitation of his glorious Mother and shall say O B. Virgin To the B. Virgin all bright and beautifull cast some beames of thy diuine fauour vpon the soule of this poore sinner thy deuoted seruaÌ„t driue away my darkenes with my holy light and my coldnes with thy heauenly heaâ—e and strengthen my weaknes with thy mercifulâ— power Make me see that Sunne that came out of thy bowels make me feâ—le the vanity of this vaine world and the firmenesse and solidity of those goods which this thy Sonne hath gâ—tten for vs with his precious bloud and that this may be the profit of the piâ—grimage which I haue vndertaken to thy house and of the vow I haue made to thee O Virgin of all Virgins The foure and twentith Day A Meditation of the Natiuity of the glorious Virgin CHAP. XV. THE meditation of this morning shall be of the Natiuity of the Blessed Virgin in three points The first shall consider some figures of this Natiuity The firmament as the Firmament which God made and filled with many goodly starres to the likenes of this B. Virgin a liuing heauen and firmament as the holy Doctours call her high and solâ—d in perfectioÌ„ marked with a thousad goodly vertues in her soule Earthly Paradise as with spirituall starres Also the earthly Paradise pâ—anted with most excellent fruites and made in the Month of Septer for the dwelling of the first Adam which is a figure of the Virgin giuen vnto the world in the same month adorned with all sort of graces a garden of delights where the second Adam Iesus Christ should dwell much more happily Exod. 2â— 20 pleasantly then the other in the earthly paradise Also the Arke of the Testament made of incorruptible wood couered with plates of gold within without Heb. 9. where the heauenly Manna was kept as this Virgin exempt from all corruption in her Conception beautifyed both in soule and body with excellent guifts hath giuen and kept the Manna that feedeth our soules Iesus Christ discoursing vpon these figures he shal admire the goodnes of God bestowing on the world so noble a creature and shall thanke him therefore and stirre vp himselfe to deuotion of the Creatour and of this B. Virgin Prophecies of her Natiuity Num. 24. For the second point he shall take some Prophecye as among others this A starre shall rise out of Iacob and a man from Israell The B. Virgin is signifyed by this starre so called by the Saints by reason of her heauenly and eminent vertues her Sonne by the name of Man For he is verily the Man of men Cant. 6. and Sauiour of men Also VVho is she that coÌ„meth ascending like the morning rising beautifull as the Moone chosen as the Sunne terrible as a battaile in aray This is the B. Virgin appearing comming to the world with her celestiall purity next and before the Sunne the spirituall morning and more beautifull a thousand tymes then our worldly morning for she did not only bring tydings of the day at hand but brought him forth not only did make the end of the night of this world but also the day of the grace of our Redeemer Also A rodd shall rise out of the roote of lesse Isa 11. and from the roote thereof shall spring a flower This Rod is the B. Virgin sayth S. Hierome hauing no other shrubbe ioyned with her Hier. 16. The flower is her Sonne Iesus Christ Cant. 2. The flower of the field as he is called issued from this Virgin whereof the same Prophet sayd cap. 7. Behold a a Virgin shall conceaue Isa 7. and bring forth a sonne Vpon these like prophecies he shall discourse in his meditation still gathering the fruit of loue or admiration to the prayse of God and this holy Virgin In the third point he shall meditate the Natiuity it selfe reioycing therin honouring it as the chiefest that hath byn among men The natiuity of the B virgin most honourable and ioyfull worthy of all ioy and honour Others hitherto haue beene of misery and sadnes as the wiser sort of men haue acknowledged and the Princes of the earth that made feastes vpon their birth day were ill aduised and ignorant of their owne estate and condition for their birth was but vncleanes and an entry vnto misery but this is of good fortune and ioy being without al deformity of sinne the only cause of al euils and for that therin the world hath receaued the neerest beginning of saluation the Mother of Messias to come of the Sauiour at hand of that Sunne rysing which should bring vs the day so much desired and therefore the Church singeth and inuiteth her children to reioyce in this day saying Let vs with solemnity celebrate this feast of the Natiuity of her who was euer a Virgin the mother of God Mary This is the day that saw borne the liuing heauen this blessed earth this starre of the Sea this paradise of pleasure this Arke of the Testament this Rod of lesse this faire morning that bringeth the Sunne and so shall discourse on the ioy of this Natiuity and conclude with these or the like wordes O day desired aboue all the dayes of the precedent ages or rather the only day all the rest being but night To the birth day of the B. Virgin for seeing the morning did not appeare before thee and the bright shyning and quickening sunne was yet farre distant from the Horizon of our Redemption surely all the dayes before thee were
36. Moyses prayed by that great ineffable Name that it would please him to shew his face so much desired Dauid sayd When will my beloued come O Lord my sonne and my Father whome I haue fortould whome I haue song whome I haue exalted in my mortall dayes When will come that little Dauid elder thē his grand-father truly to bury the Giant Goliath whome I killed only in figure and shaddow Esay when shall come that God of whome I sayd to the people of Israell God shall come in person Isay 36. and saue you Micheas When shall he come of whome I prophecied saying Behould our Lord shall come out of his place and descend and all with one voice shall call vnto him In meditating heereof he shall admire the Prouidence of God who in so good tyme did promise a remedy of our fall in a Redeemer his Wisedome in that he deferred the execution thereof so many ages to teach men the grauity of their sinne to make them feele their owne infirmities to humble them in their misery to cause them to cry vnto heauen and to beate at the gates of his mercy with sighes prayers and teares to obtaine that by merit which without merit was promised vnto them In this deuotiō the Pilgrime shal passe the midnight with thankes giuing to the goodnes of Almighty God The Meditation for Morning and Noone Of the Annunciation made to the B. Virgin by the Angell Gabriell CHAP. XXIV OVR Pilgrime hauing taken some rest shall go betimes to the holy Chappell there to make his morning Meditation which shall be of the Annunciation of this mystery which he commeth to meditate Preparation to the Meditation In the beginning of his meditation he shall conceaue in his mind as profound reuerence towardes God as possibly he can as one that is to speake in his presence of a chiefe worke of his of a mystery and Embassage full of maiesty he shall with equall humility demaund a sufficient light to see it and to profit by it He shall not neere need to imagine a place where the history happened as in his other meditations for he shall meditate the mystery in the same place where it was both tould and performed yet he may set before his eyes our B. Lady praying at the now Gospell corner of the Altar when the Angell Gabriel brought her this tydings The Angell saluting the Virgin glittering and shining with an extraordinary light and accompanied with many of the chiefe of Angels as we may piously belieue and as we haue sayd before Cap. 18. The first point shall be taken of the beginning of the history which sayth In the sixth moneth the Angell Gabriel was sent of God to Nazareth a citty of Galily to a Virgin whose name was Mary espoused to a man called Ioseph of the house of Dauid Behould an Embassage in euery point excellent and honourable In the Maiesty of him that sent it who is God of the messenger sent who was one of the principall Angells of the person to whō it was sent who was the greatest Lady that euer was in the sight of God The excellency of the Embassage of the mystery or message it selfe that was brought a mystery of all mysteries which is the marriage of the Sonne of God made with the Nature of man agreed on by the sacred Senate of the glorious Trinity for the comfort of men of the end for which it was sent which was to informe the B. Virgin to haue her consent and accomplish and celebrate the mariage Heere now the deuout soule contemplating the maiesty of this Embassage in the foresayd circumstances shall set before his eyes all the ranckes of the heauenly Court of all those happy Angelicall spirits reioycing there aboue in this mission and the assembly of those iust Soules that before this departed who hauing heard this good newes in Limbo were in an admirable expectation of the comming of their Redeemer It is sayd that this message was done the sixth month This at the first hearing seemeth to be referred to S. Iohn who was six monthes elder then our Sauiour Christ incarnate in the 6. age but in a mystical sense the mention of this number goeth further and teacheth that this Conception of the Sonne of God is annoūced and accomplished in the sixth Age of the world as Beda sayth Also Man created the sixth day which is Friday on which day christ was crucifyed that as God created Man in the sixth day of this world which is our Friday and that at the sixth houre of the day which is our mid-day so he descended into the earth the sixth day and at the sixth houre of the day for on such a day was this Embassage made to wit the fiue twenty of March which that yeare was Friday And vpon the same day and houre he ascended vp the Crosse as the Scripture doth expresly signify Conueniences which doe easily declare that the benefit of our Redemption was no more by chance or aduenture then that of our Creation but proiected of purpose many ages before euen from all Eternity and this long prouidence doth testify the ancient fatherly loue of God towards vs. The Aue Maria thrice a day The Catholike Church in remembrance of this Embassage and Mystery which it teacheth saluteth the Virgin at high noone with these wordes of the Angell as also at morning and night to giue thankes to God for so notable a benefit in those three tymes which we haue shewed before to be remarkeable by the deuotion of the Saints and therein she sheweth that she doth not loose the memory of that immortall benefit The second point shall consider the wordes following When the Angell was entred to her he saluted her thus All haile full of grace Luc. 2.28 our Lord is with thee blessed be thou among women But she hearing this was troubled at his speach and thought what manner of salutation this might be And the Angell sayth to her Feare not Mary for thou hast found grace with God behould thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe The Maiesty of this salutation and shalt bring forth a Sonne and shalt call his name IESVS He shall be great and shall be called the Sonne of the most High And our Lord shall giue him the seat of Dauid his Father and he shall reigne in the house of Iacob eternally and of his Kingdome there shall be no end And Mary sayd to the Angell How shall this be done seeing I know not man And the Angell answering sayd vnto her The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the vertue of the Highest shall shadow thee and therfore the Holy that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God And behould Elizabeth thy kins-woman she hath also conceiued a sonne in her old age and this is the sixth month to her that is called barren because euery word shall not be impossible with God And
before men whose soules are shut prisoners in hell and the names of thousandes of others doe shine in heauen which are vnknowne vpon earth S. Iohn sheweth his Maister and preacheth him with a wonderful testimony The true Preacher sendeth his hearers to Christ 〈◊〉 his Disciples do follow whome he doth shew So it is the â—art of a true preacher to preach Iesus Christ and to send his â—earers and followers vnto him he that in his preaching maketh himselfe admired and not Iesus Christ and draweth â—he harts of his hearers after himselfe and not after Iesus Christ is a thiefe employing his Maisters mony and guiftes to his owne vses and not to his Maisters honour God hath giuen thee thy tongue to prayse him thou by thy tongue procurest and seekest prayses for thy selfe and dost thou not thinke that this soueraine iustice will call thee to reckoning and reuenge the wrong thou hast done him Iesus Christ seeing that these two disciples followed him turning to them Whome â— seek you asked what they sought O Lord what a question is this They do not seeke or search but they haue found without seeking that which hundred thousandes of iust men haue sought 4000. yeares without finding They haue found that which the Embassadour did announce that is the Lambe of God Luc. 10. the Lambe promised figured prophecyed by the Scriptures by the sacrifices and by the Prophets of thy schoole and family Why dost thou aske O Lord what they seeke Is it perhaps to make them thinke better of the greatnes of him whome they haue found and to make them enter into a deeper knowledge of him As if he had sayd vnto theÌ„ Whome haue you found Do you not know What seeke you more For many men find thee O sweet Lambe and yet search further not knowing throughly the valew of the treasure they haue found Many ChristiaÌ„s and Religious know not well their vocation neither can vnderstand it except thou wilt turne thy selfe towardes them giuing them light to know thee as thou hast giuen them grace to find thee They sayd Maister VVhere dwellest thou O Lord thou didst aske them What seeke you And insteed of an answer they aske another question saying Maister where dwellest thou Why do they not answere directly we seeke the LaÌ„be of God and the Messias promised in the Law preached by our Maister Is it that enlightned with thy light in their spirit they do thereby perceaue and acknowledge that they had found thee And therfore they answered not we seeke but sayd in their hart we see thee seeke nothing but thee and we would know where thou dwellest They answere therefore what thy holy spirit had put into their hart mouth Maister where dwellest thou And this question they aske that they might in conuenient tyme and place more priuately conferre with thee of holy things much importing to their saluation And thou dost answer them Come see and dost gently inuite them to come to the place of thy dwelling But O good disciples know you well what you aske of this Maister God is euery where asking the place where he dwelleth He dwelleth in heauen in earth in the sea in the North and in the South and euery where and yet dwelleth in no place For no place is capable to lodge him he filleth all and yâ—t is without all but if you aske as it seemeth you do meane where this his Humanity visible to mortall men dwelleth know you that he hath no dwelling and that he hath forsakeÌ„ all to giue vs all and to enrich vs by his pouerty as you shall heare of him hereafter that Foxes haue holes birds of the aire haue neastes and the Sonne of man hath no where to rest his head Matth. â— which is so because he came to be a Pilgrime not a cittizen vpon earth The place then of his dwelling was a lodging borrowed not his owne and to such a place he brought them where they stayed a whole day with him O day a day indeed for these disciples hauing so neere them the sunne of the world casting into their soule this wholsome light and loue What heauenly discourses were held in the houres of that day What demands and what answers were made What lessons were giuen of the mystery of this lambe whome they had found Andrew who was one of the two met his brother Simon Andrew brought Peter to Iesus who gaue him his name Peter and by the light of this faire day becomming a Preacher did shew him the sunne his maister and said we haue found the Messias who is Christ the Annointed And like a good disciple brought him to Iesus to the Sauiour to saue him Simon came desirous to see Iesus of whome he had heard before somewhat and was to heare much more afterward And our Sauiour beholding him before he spake vnto him O beholding diuine and most happy for thee O Simon to dispose him to the faith of his diuinity called him by his name and told him whose sonne he was Thou art saith he Simon the sonne of Ionas neuer hauing seene him or his Father before with his corporall eyes and changed his name Thou shalt be called Cephas which is to say a Rocke And declareth by this change what he was to do after and what place he would giue him in his Church which were so many testimonies that he was God knowing his creatures euery one by their name the name of the Fathers as of the children yea euen before they are borne into the world and changing their nature as he changeth their name bettering them by new gifts of graces so he caused his Precâ—â—sor to be called Iohn which is to say Gracious by reason of the aboundant grace he bestowed on him So he changed the name of Abram into Abraham which is to say Father of many nations because he was ordayned for such an end So now he changeth the name of Simon into Peter that is a Rocke because he would giue him a faith which should be a Rocke stone wherupon should be founded the great building of the Church Behold then a remarkeable seruice of S. Andrew bringing the sheep vnto the Shepheard and a notable benefit to his brother addressing him to a maister who so soone was so liberal vnto him Galilee the higher the lower In the next morning our Sauiour went forth to go towards Galilie not high Galilie which is of the Gentils but low Galilie of the Iewes and where the citty of Nazareth is and there he found Philip sayd vnto him Follow me This Philip was of Bethsaida the citty of Andrew and Peter Philip preached Messias to Nathaniell so by diuers meanes all foure became disciples of whome three afterward were made Apostles This is the first calling of those that should follow our Sauiour this is his grace For if he do not preuent vs to draw vs vnto him if
set before the the house on a little banke they came to him and saluted him courteously and he did the like to them and with a friendly and kind countenance said vnto them My good brethren haue you not misled of your way Father quoth Lazarus I thinke you haue sayd true but fynding this holy place we are glad we lost our way for we hope that this good chance will set vs againe in our way and bring vs some good fortune besides It shall be you quoth he that shall comfort to our good Father for he doth willingly see all Pilgrims of Loreto whence I gesse that you come we come from thence indeed quoth Lazarus by the grace of God I will go tell him so much quoth the good man and went in where he met the good old Father coÌ„ming towards them knowing of the Pilgrimes coÌ„ming by secret reuelation so they made towards him and he towards them and imbraced them with a shew of great charity They were all much moued to see so venerable an old man all white yet right vp and vigorous with his long lockes beating vpon his shoulders and a long beard in a rugge gowne girded with a thicke rope buttened with a maÌ„tle of the same stuffe they saw not the hayre he wore next his skin He said vnto them My good brethren God be with you The good Angell hath brought you hither for my comfort and for your owne good I haue long desired to see some Deuote of the B. Virgin the mother of my Sauiour She hath directed you by a secret way to this little desert and hath withall deliuered you from two immineÌ„t dangers The one from theeues who this after dinner thinking you had more mony then you haue did watch for you in the right way to haue spoiled murdered you he that aduertised them was one of their companions who lay hidden behind the fountaine when you opened your bags for bread they remembred then well what they said when they found their peeces of gold and they harkened to the good old man as a Prophet who followed his discourse The other danger saith he you shall know by and by let vs now go salute our Sauiour the B. Virgin and so brought them into an Oratory where was a great Crucifixe of wood hauing on the right side a very deuout table conteyning the picture of the B. Virgin with little Iesus in her armes and on the left hand another table of S. Antony In this he vsed to say masse they prayed there a while and from thence he lead them into a little chamber ioyning to his cel which serued for a refectory gaue them for their collation a little bread and wine with a few cherries which the good porter had gathered a little before After he asked them of their Pilgrimage to Loreto of their fortunes and aduentures they told him in briefe the comfort they had receaued in the sacred House the miracles that are daily wrought there and finally their way and aduentures they had had vntill that time and namely th s of the robbers But Aime-dieu saith the Hermit you teâ—l me nothing what you saw and suffered in your pilgrimâ—ge of Palestine Aegipt and other countries bâ—yond the Sea The Pilgrimes were astonished to heare him name Lazarus by his owne name hauing neuer seene him before and perswading theselues fuâ—ly that this Hermit spake as a Prophet they cast themselues downe at his feet The Hermit lifted them vp streight and Lazarus said vnto him My reuerend Father we need not discourse vnto you what hath hapened vnto vs in diuers countries during our seauen yeares pilgrimage for as we see God hath reuealed it vnto you as well as my proper name which I changed into Lazarus thinking my selfe vnworthy to be called Aime-dieu that is a I ouer of God not louing him with that perfection and purity I should haue taken the name of Lazarus to remember that I am poore and needy The name is good saith the hermit and the inuention is better and speaking to them all three My good brethren saith he I will not put you to the paine to recount your fortunes it sufficeth me to know and thanke God therefore that you haue suffered much for his name and that you are Deuotes of the B. Virgin the most glorious mother of his Sonne As he said this the porter perceiued a far oft a great troupe of horsemen who galloped with all fury towards the hermitage and he cried out my Father we are vndone Feare not quoth the Hermit not being any whit moued we are stronger then they they were aboue fifty carying a cloud of dust which their horses raised in the aire As they came neere the hermitage they went thrice about it crying and shouting like mad men and after they returned whence they came without doing any more harme This is said the Hermit a company of souldiers pertayning to the Captaine of that towne whence you came who seeke nothing els but to hurt men or at least scare them And God did you a faire grace inspiring you not to stay at Mondeuil whereby you passed yesterday at dinner that you were not entrapped in the sedition that was raised a little after and to direct you this day to this place for without doubt you had suffered domage this is the second danger I signified vnto you before Blessed be God and the B. Virgin quoth Lazarus for this fauour all others we haue receaued from his holy hand as well which we know not as which we know Well saith the Hermit that you may haue occasion to praise yet more hartily that supreme bounty I will tell you the qualities of another Citty the mother of this out of the which he hath deliuered you long since a benefit which you must alwayes haue before your eyes The Pilgrimes shewed great desire to vnderstand of this Citty and her conditions which the hermit knowing by their countenance sayd vnto theÌ„ I will make you the description of this Citty by her causes and qualities and if thereby you shall vnderstand it you will be glad that I haue made you remember it The description of a mystiall Citty This Citty saith he is built in the midst of the earth yet neere vnto the Sea in a marish ground vpon great wooden postes the founder and gouernour therof was a naughty and seditious person who reuolting from his King built this Citty and made it his retraite and refuge of rebellion and a denne of wicked persons Insteed of walles he hath made great ditches to the which he hath raised high rampires of earth such as you haue seene if you remember and to the end to make himselfe strong against his lawfull Prince if perhaps he would force him to his allegiance he made both himselfe The laws of the world and his Citty vassall to a cruell Tyrant The lawes it holdeth are to loue none but themselues to haue
of earth for that her defences are but bottoms and hils of errour and pride The first founder made himself vassall and tributary to a Titant for Selfeloue all the burgesses of that citty are alwayes rebels to God tributary to the Diuell him they haue loued to him they haue bowed their knee though a tyrant of all tyrāts the most cruell that euer was seeke help of him against their God The fundamentall lawes of that Citty are those fiue I touched before the first for each man to loue himself The laws of selfe-loue and the world and euery thing for himselfe for the humour of the world worldly men is to affect onely their owne particular profit hauing clean banished out of their hart the loue of God and their neighbour The 2. to haue no Religion to vse and abuse all for their temporall commodity this is to too much verified by the experience of all the children of this world whose common custome is to make Religion a pretext of their designements and to make vse of the name of God for their owne glory very hypocrites and sacrilegious impostors To haue no Religion To authotize vice and disgrace vertue The 3. to cast down vertue and set vice aloft according to this law the world prayseth those that liue in delights as most happy and the pleasures of the body as the ioyes of felicity It cōmendeth the couetous as prudent to aduance further their own affaires It bosteth of the ambitious calling them men of valour and courage and therefore it is that this Citty is filled with the brood of these families To sow discord all great courtiers of Mere-folly The 4. is to loue and sow dissention and to entertaine subiects with false reports calumniations and other malicious meanes thinking that by their discord and debility their estate should be strong and firme And as the Kingdom of God is peace and charity and his spirit is to nourish and mainteine peace so the Kingdome of the Diuell the estat of the world is trouble hatred the spirit of the world is to make discord when there is question to do euill To promise riches The 5. is to entice deceiue men by the promise of riches honours which passe vanish so many abused do perceiue whē they come to dy though late that all they haue gotten is but shadowes dreames Psal 75.6 The rich men saith Dauid haue slept their sleep in the end found nothing in their hands They haue passed this life as a dream resting themselues on the saffran bed of their riches and at the end haue found their braines troubled with fumes their hands empty of good workes their conscience loaden with sinnes These are the lawes of this world and of this Citty And as her lawes are but disorders so is her fayth perfidiousnes her end nothing els but to ruine her acquaintance and to send them to the slaughter that serue her best and are most faithful vnto her will you see this Cast the eyes of your memory vpon the histories of all ages passed how many gallants hath she precipitated into confusion after they had a while runne the race of their vanity in the sight of men How many hath she most miserably strangled that had to her performed most faithfull seruice Was there euer any that more honoured or better serued her then the Assuerus Caesars Alexanders Pompeies Neroes Diocletians Decians and other like Princes and Lords of her Court great admirers of her maiesty sighing seeking nor breathing any thing els but her greatnes hath she not made them all dye death euerlasting Thousands see this at euery moone and euery day but the world is such a cosener that it bereaueth mortall men of their senses and men are so foolish and simple that stil they suffer themselues to be seduced by her gaudies present delights so that they honour and serue her as their soueraigne Lord not able to open their eyes to behold eyther the misfortune of others or their own danger nor their eares to heare the voice of the iustice of God who threatneth them The good mixed with the bad in this world and perseuer in such sort vntill they be ouerwhelmed in the ditches of their enemie without help or hope euer to come out Now God who is our soueraigne King will ruinate this Citty raze it to the ground for he must iudge the world drench the obstinate but because there be diuers of his owne seruāts amongst these sinners as of Lots in Sodome he doth not yet exterminate the world but expecting in fauour of the good and by patience inuiting sinners to pennance in the tyme of mercy not to incurre at the day of iudgement the seuerity and rigour of his eternall iustice This is the Citty of which I told you yesterday out of the which by the grace of God you haue beene long since sequestred and shall be yet more if you be good Pilgrims as I esteeme you Thus did the Hermit expound his Allegory often looking vp to heauen and sighing The Pilgrims heard him with great attention and contentment their way seemed short Lazarus seeing him hold his peace sayd vnto him My reuerend Father you haue set before our eyes a wholsome picture of the Citty of this world and of the vanities of worldly men you haue bound vs in eternall benefit we desire to be bound vnto you also for your praiers and to obtaine for vs of our Lord that as he hath already drawn vs from the snares of this deceifull world so that he would giue vs grace to perseuer vnto the end in his loue and feare He will do it sayth the Hermit do only what is in you walk on euery day from good to better like good Pilgrims be perfect before him and you shall come by Gods grace to your desired country The B. Virgin whome you serue will help you with the assistance of her praiers the holy Apostles our good Fathers the Hermits S. Iohn S. Paul S. Anthony S. Hilarion S. Bruno and others who haue trampled vpon the world with the feet of constancy lyuing in the deserts as Pilgrims vpon the earth will procure you ayd happily to finish your course You haue yet som way to dispatch and some crosses to endure you shall passe not without paine and trauaile but with the profit of your soules As for you Lazarus you shall be lamented of many and your funerals shall be kept before your death and those that shall most mourne for you shall be most comforted in your fortune and that you may the better remember what I haue foretold you keep this and gaue him a litle paper folded like a letter conteining these foure verses At that fayre Day the last which you desire Two dead reuiu'd without death shall ech other see And being seene after their funerals kept Shall to the world
our hands Take it further addeth Theodosius in title of necessity for you are not only a Pilgrime but a spoiled Pilgrime Tristram reaching forth his hand well then quoth he now I beginne to be a hardy Pilgrime tooke it The host also moued with compassion offered his almes and gaue him a lether bagg to put his small moueables in and three manchets a little cheese a Pilgrims staffe which he had carried once before to Loreto with a litle botle so Tristram found himselfe in an instant armed for a Pilgrim at all points The wolf they brought remayned prisoner with the Loste vntill he could pay his ransome They imbraced agayne and taking a long farewell followed euery maÌ„ his way Tristram towards Italy for Loreto and the Pilgrimes into France to which they had but three houres iourney and but one dayes iourney to the house of Lazarus Father Marching thus couragiously they came about noone to a little house at the entry of a Forrest in the which being a little refreshed they continued their way through the same forrest hauing entred about a mile they saw a Hart run a great pace without any body following and but halfe his head the want whereof made him both ashamed and feareful as fynding himself disarmed halfe a league off they heard certaine hallowings gallopings of hunters mingled with the cries of dogges which made them vnderstand the cause why this Hart dislodged hold so out of season and before he had cast his whole head and renewed his hornes Passing a little further they saw a great kennell of hounds and many set in relayes in diuers stations and they knew by the company and attendance that it was some great Lord that hunted coniecturing that it was the Marquesse of that country there a Lord very courteous and Catholike although he was beset with diuers of the pretented Reformation and singularly deuout to the B. Virgin and charitable towards the poore He had three sonnes meruaislously well bred brought vp to all sorts of honest exercise namely of armes of huÌ„ting The yongest was gone to the bath with the Lady Marquesse his mother the eldest who was called the VicouÌ„t remained in the Castle to dispatch some matters with the Abbot of S. Leo his vnckle his yonger brother who was called the Baron being about twenty yeares of age accompanied his Father He was a gentleman of excellent personage of more excellent spirit hauing beene of long time inclined to serue God in a religious estate though euery maÌ„ iudged him more fit for the warre and for the world The beastes that were chaced in this hunting were principally two great wild bores the one whereof was liuely pursued by the dogs the other hauing escaped gayned ground whilst his companion busied both dogs and hunters The Baron went a side out from the company without being perceiued and driuen with a youthfull heat set himselfe to follow at the heeles of the bore escaped with his sword in his haÌ„d he was mounted vpon a double curtall encountred the beast iust by the way where the Pilgrims passed and seeking his aduantage going about the bore he strake him on the left legge meaning to haue striken him on the right side without danger of his horse The bore turning himselfe to the right side of the horse whence he fouÌ„d that he was strikeÌ„ gaue him such blowes within the belly with such a fury that he burst againe the horse fell downe streight and the Baron vnder him the bore rushed to haue killed him had not Lazarus his companions run quickly for they thought it was an office of necessary charity who with their staues enuironed the beast and Lazarus so watched him that he stroke him to the hart a deadly wound with the pike of his staffe and sent him fifty paces off to dye they lifted the yong gentleman from vnder his horse and found he had no hurte He beheld with a very attentiue and gracious eye the Pilgrims and especially Lazarus and could not forbeare to imbrace him saying My good friend Pilgrime next vnto God I owe vnto you my life Lazarus answered God be blessed Sir al goeth well seeing there is nothing lost but the horse In the meane tyme diuers of the company that missed their yong maister came to the place and seeing his horse lye dead they set him vp vpon another and the Pilgrims did steale away the Baron not perceiuing being compassed with his men The Marquesse meruailed what was become of his people and knew nothing of the daunger his sonne had incurred As he went this way and that way he met a poore country fellow with a staffe in his hand Friend quoth he thou shalt do well to gett out of the way lest my dogges do thee some harme Sir quoth the poore maÌ„ I can say certaine verses of the seauen psalmes with the which I will arrest them well inough he had no sooner sayd so but fiue or sixe great dogs ranne with open mouth vpon him he got him selfe to an hedge and the dogges followed him he threw at them three or foure stones which foreseeing the danger he had put in his bosome and strake the boldest of them so â—ud ly vpon the breast as he ranne away crying and howling and the other dogs set vpon him as their manner is leauing the poore man who stirred not One of the hunters wroth that his dog was striken went to bumbast the fellow but the Marquesse staying him Soft and fayre quoth he is it not lawfull for euery man to defend himself checking the poore man Good fellow quoth he are these the verses of the psalme wherwith you arrest the doggs Sir quoth he I did say them but I was forced to cast two or three stones among The good Maquesse laughed and commaunded them to looke wel to the dogs that they did him no harme and the poore fellow was very diligent to get ground and runne out of the dogs dangers The Baron was returned vnto the company perceauing that his Father marked him he sayd Sir you see me mounted vpon a new horse the other fell downe vnder my legs and told him how the matter had passed highly commeÌ„ding the Pilgrims The Marques asked where they wâ—re the Baron thought they had followed but one answered that that they were gone on their way O verily quoth the Marquesse you are very vngratefull for the benefit and commaunded one of his Gentlemen to go stay them at the Castle in any sort The Castle was a league of neere vnto a village where they did meane to lye The first bore being killed the hunters followed the chace of the second to do as much to him but they found him dead in the wood and a horse dead by him Surely quoth the Baron this is of a blow the Pilgrime gaue him I neuer in my life saw man better handle his sword agaynst a wild bore then this Pilgrime did his staffe
our fayth Demand of humane reason and of philosophy if a mans body deuoured by beasts or turned into ashes can rise againe to life They will tell you that it is impossible and will mocke at the Resurrection as hertofore did Epicurus and the Philosophers of his schoole as also your ministers do mocke other mysteries of our fayth namely that of the Altar the truth wherof they impugne saying that one body can not be in diuers places that it caÌ„not be without occupying place without being seene and touched which are reasons drawn raw from philosophy which hath onely the eyes of nature not of fayth which teacheth that God is mightier then nature That he is faythfull to performe what he had sayd Now it is he that sayd This is my body then although by the lawes of nature a body could not be in diuers places yet it may by the power of God EueÌ„ so to touch the point of our purpose although a mans body cannot naturally liue without his entrailes yet by the power of God and by miracle it may And what will you say Ios Acost hist lid lib. 3. cap. 23. if I shall adde that a man whome the Paynims in Mexico did sacrifice these yeares past did speake after they pulled out his hart And if you receiue not this history will you belieue what a great Physician affirmeth to haue happened hertofore Galen lib. 2. de Placit that diuers beasts that were to be sacrificed and cast vpon the Aultar did breath cry and rore aloud yea also runne sometime after their harts were taken out The Physician by the way sayd this is very true our Galen hath left it in writing Arist. de gen aâ—iâ—t lib. 2. c. 4. And yet sayd Lazarus proceeding Philosophy teacheth that the hart is the fountaine of life and the part that liueth first and dyeth last in the bodies of beasts Now whether you belieue these testimonies or no it importeth not much at the least you should belieue that God can make a man liue speake and walke without entrayles though humane reason and nature should say that by their lawes it could not be And if you had rather follow reason then religioÌ„ which teacheth that God can do all things you must also confesse that you had rather be a Philosopher then a Christian Thus farre Lazarus The eyes of all the company were fastened on him and there ranne through the table a soft and sweet noise and rumour euery one praising his discourse as full of learning eloquence The Abbot asked the Tutour if he had any thing to reply he answered No for that he should gaine nothing all the company being contrary to his Religion and that he would neuer belieue these miracles Then it is want of faith quoth the Abbot yea quoth the Phisician and of some things els besides Tony marking the man to be amazed could not hold his peace but sayd vnto him Cime thou maist take horse when thou wilt and saue thy self thou hast thy bootes full thy spurres on did I not tell thee so much But what thou hast no fayth The Vicount had beene very attentiue all supper long taking singular pleasure in the discourse contenance of Lazarus and sayd in his Cousins eare behold a worthy Pilgrime your maister in my opinion had rather be some where els I would quoth he that he were at the Garamantes so I had neuer seene him and vpon these termes euery man rose from the table sauing Monsieur Marquesse and Monsieur S. Leo who discoursed sometime together with the Pilgrimes and forget not to entreat Lazarus to tell them his country and his kindred he answered in generall that his country was not farre of and his parentage small modestly concealed the lustre of his house They pressed him no further doubting that he had made a vow not to make himselfe knowne So they tooke leaue as well of the Marquesse and the Abbot as of Monsieur Vicount the Baron and their cousin that they might not be constrayned to attend till they rose in the morning which would be late as also to be free to depart betymes Euery man did his endeauour to stay them the next day or longer but they could not preuayle The Vicount and the Baron and diuers others accompanyed them to their chamber and hauing talked a while they imbraced them for their farewell with a great demonstration of loue and friendship and the Baron holding Lazarus hard told him that he would remember him as long as he liued but told him not what he had already resolued in his mynd They being alone made their examen sayd the Letanies and tooke for their morning Meditation the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin and the subiect of the glory of Paradise The fourtith day and the tenth and last of his Returne 1. The desires and deliberation of a deuoute soule 2. A Meditation of the glorious Assumption of the B. Virgin 3. Of the glory of Paradise CHAP. XXIV THE Baron being gone to bed all kindled with the discourse of Lazarus The desires and deliberation of a deuout soule could not sleep being tossed with the violence of his cogitations that tormented him and spake to himselfe in this manner whereon thinkest thou yong man and why takest thou not the way of glory which God hath shewed thee now many yeares What dost thou expect of the world â—ariest thou for some misfortunate end of thy life such as thou didst escape narrowly in this hunting If thou h dst died by the tuske of the wild Bore who killed thy horse in what estate preparation hadst thou left this mortall life And with what rigour had thy poore soule going out of her body loaden with her sinnes beene conuented before the tribunall of the diuine and supreme iustice And seest thou not that this good God let thee fall into this danger to make thee feare and hath deliuered thee by these holy Pilgrimes to shew thee what thou shouldest do to auoyd the iawes of that internall Lion that expected there to haue thee in couert of his holy house What expectest thou in thy vocation of this earthly warfare What caÌ„st thou gayne more then the friendship of some earthly Prince and the recompence of some humane and flittering fauour and how deare shalt thou buy it How easily shalt thou lose it And if being once gotten it would last all thy life yet what is it in respect of those goods those riches of that immortall glory which thou shalt get following the seruice of this great King who hath long inuited thee to his Court by threats by promises by secret inspirations and by a thousand fayre warnings wherby he knocketh day and night at the doore of thy hardned hart After he had long debated this matter with these and like discourses he fell a sleepe and sleeping had this vision He thought he was caryed into heauen A vision of Paradise where
of the cleare vision and contemplation of their Creatour the cause of all beauties that are in heauen or earth and infinitly more beautifull then all other beauty put together Of the body He meditated in the second place of the glory which the bodies of the â—ust shall haue after the ResurrectioÌ„ which can not otherwise be declared but as the Apostle declareth the whole felicity That the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the hart of man comprehended â— Cor. 2. what God hath prepared for those that loue h m he could say no more then in saying as he did that it is impossible to conceiue that felicty The scripture sayth that the iust shall shine like the sunne and compareth them to eagles Matt. 15. signifying the beauty agility of their body Our Sauiour to whose similitude we shall rise agayne came out of the graue that he rose out subtile impassible such in similitude shall our bodies be in such qualities shining Phil. 3.20 transpareÌ„t agile subtile penetrant and immortall heere withall euery particular part of the body shall haue a supernaturall beauty as now it hath a naturall with this difference that then all the body being transparent like christall all parts shall be visible in it as well the inward as the outward the bones the muscles the sinewes the veines the arteries the lungs the liuer the hart all shall be cleansed and cleared from all imperfectioÌ„ indewed with their proper beauty in propoâ—tion clearenes and colour This of Saphire that of Emeraldes one of Carbuncles another of Diamonds and aboue all shall be most adm rable those which haue beene employed in some speciall and peculiar seruice of the diuine Maiesty So the skinne of S. Bartholomew stead off for the faith shall shine with a particular beauty the armes and feete of S. Peter crucifyed the head of S. Paul cut of the tongues of true preachers the hands of Almoners the armes of the true souldiours of Iesus-Christ the eyes of chastity the hayres of virginity nothing shall be without recompence without excellency without particular glory Lazarus was plunged in this meditation and sayd O my soule if thou beest rauished meditating these beauties how great shall thy ioy be in enioying them O Lazarus what doost thou to deserue them What giuest thou to buy them What sufferest thou to gaine this honour And with what pace walkest thou to get the goale of this glory O soules redeemed with the precious bloud of Iesus thinke vpon these honours O Christian Dames who so highly esteeme the beauty of the body that not hauing it you would gladly purchase it with great summes of gold and siluer hauing it do hold it so deere tender it so carefully by art by gold by apparell by chaynes carkenets and iewels your beauty is nothing it is foule and ill fauoured in respect of this and if it were any thing you know well it shall finally perish eyther by some misfortune or by touch of sicknes or by age or surely by death Where is the beauty of AbsaloÌ„ of Lucrece of so many men women admired in the world Loue then the beauty of this Resurrection which shall be proper for euer vnto your bodies and to obtaine it loue now the beauty of your soules O my soule be thou amorous and in loue with this beauty O glorious Virgin O faithfull aduocate aduaÌ„ced this faire and ioyfull day aboue all the thrones of the heauenly and happy spirits the wonder of all goodly creatures on earth whilst thou wert aliue the wonder of all the creatures in heauen for euer the honour of the triumphant Church the refuge of the militant the comfort of the afflicted the guide of wanderers helpe vs with thy graces and credit with him by whome thou wert this day carryed vp into heauen with the company of all the heauenly hostes Procure o most B. Virgin that we obtaine grace holily to liue vpon earth to the imitation of thy selfe and happily to dye to thy example and one day to enioy eternally the riches of the triumphant Resurrection in the Kingdome of thy Sonne Iesus 1. An exhortation to a sick person in agony of death 2. The affliction of Lazarus 3. His arriuall at his Fathers house 4. His farewell to his Father and to the world CHAP. XXV THVS Lazarus ended his prayer Theodosius and Vincent ended then also and had felt great inward ioy therein The steward came early to their chamber hauing made ready their breakfast but they would eate nothing saying it was to soone They desired him humbly to salute in their behalfe Monsieur the Marquesse the Abbot the Vicount the Baron his children and to assure them that they would pray to God for their prosperity The steward had closely put into Lazarus bagge ten Crownes wrapped in a paper with these words of the Marquesse owne writing Pray to God for the Marques which Lazarus found at night in his fathers house He imbraced the Steward with many thankes after they had sayd their Pilgrims prayers they went out of the Castle and hauing beene a while silent they began to talke Lazarus praised much the prudence and liberality of the Marques and of his brother the sincere and harty loue of his children full of humility and courtesy the true markes of true nobility as contrariwise pride and disdaine is a true token of a base and rude mynd he commended also greatly the modesty diligence of all the officers and seruants and tooke this for a sure signe of the Marquesse his vertue for commonly like maister like men and the subiects doe for the most part frame themselues after the fashions of their Lord. Theodosius sayd that he noted at supper a meruailous contentment of all in the answere that was made to Syre Cime and that he did neuer better perceiue the leuity obstinacy of heresy then in that man who sought nothing but to talke and shew himselfe though he shewed himselfe alwayes void of good learning Pride the Father of heresy Whereupon Lazarus sayd Pride is the Father of heresy and vanity is her Mistresse and therefore you may not meruaile to see an Heretike both proud and vayne togeather Wherefore then quoth Vincent doth not the Marquesse his nephew shew himselfe like his maister Because sayth Lazarus he is not so much an Heretike as bred and brought vp in heresy neuer hauing beene Catholike knowing nothing but what they haue giuen him to vnderstand without contradictioÌ„ it is well to be hoped that as he is of a noble tractable nature and of a goodly spirit that as soone as he shall haue free liberty to conferre with some learned man or cast his eyes vpon some learned booke he will discouer the deceits of these impostures which his maister hath commended vnto him for rules and maximes of his Religion will imbrace the truth of the Catholike fayth Surely sayd Vincent I longed much
brethren that we shall haue cause to mourne to day at our arriuall Then am I farre besides my reckoning quot Vincent for I make account to rest and make merry It will be then at the funerall quoth Lazarus that you must be merry for yonder fellow told me that my brothers obsequies are kept this day They are quoth Theodosius the obsequies of Pauline But I feare me quoth Lazarus that they are of my brother Francis haue I not then cause to lament both mine owne estate that of the good old man my fathers With what face can I looke on him what hart-breake shall my presence be vnto him when by me he shall vnderstand the death also of his other sonne his hart and his dearling I pray you quoth Vincent let vs not found melancholy vpon shadowes it is but a coniecture you haue we must not hold it for certaine truth Let vs expect a while without giuing the alarum at the voice of a peasant Lazarus sayd no more but marched all mute As they were a quarter of a mile from the Castle I see there below quoth Vincent fiue or sixe persons I thinke they be of Monsieur his people stay a while I pray you vntill I go and know Lazarus and Theodosius stayed as he came about ten paces from them he perceiued Pauline with three or foure of his Cousins amongst whome was a brother of Theodosius Pauline perceiuing him also ranne straight vnto him and imbraced him Vincent all rauished And what sayth he we thought you had beene dead in Africa and Lazarus mourned for you euen now My brother Lazarus quoth Pauline and is he aliue Yea saith Vincent and as lusty as euer he was sauing that he is somwhat melancholy Alas we haue made his obsequies His obsequies quoth Vincent do the bury folkes aliue in this country He thoght they had beene the funerals of his brother Francis He is quicke and queath too God be thanked quoth Pauline but where is my brother Lazarus He is there quoth Vincent shewed him where they stayed vnder the trees Pauline fell a running and crying without seeing any body my brother Lazarus my brother Aime-Dieu where are you Lazarus hearing this voice sayd to Theodosius Is not this voice of Pauline Do I not dreame still Hearke Pauline cried againe it is euen so quoth Theodosius and they went â—eâ—â—e Lazarus saw Pauline who cast himselfe into his armes Lazarus 〈…〉 his necke both weeping 〈◊〉 remaining to a wâ—iâ—◠〈◊〉 speaking At last saith Lazarus but is not 〈◊〉 â—â—earâ—e that giueth me a vaine ioy Theodosius imbracing Pauline It is surely Pauline that I hold quoth he doubt you nothing And speaking to Pauline O my good Cousin Lazarus hath made your obsequies 〈◊〉 Loreto are you yet liuing And we haue made his heere quoth Pauline This then quoth Lazarus is the fulfilling of the two first verses of the Hermits prophecy At that fayre Day the last which you desire Two dead reuiu'd without death shall ech other see For behold you my brother raised againe to mine eyes without dying and I to yours and I hope that the other two verses with the whole prophecy shall he accomplished but is our honourable Father well and in health and our wel-beloued brother decrest sister All the world is well and galliard quoth Pauline God be thanked there was nothing but the newes of your death that did contristate vs. Amidst these imbracings the other gentlemen came the brother of Theodosius and imbraced streight not without many teares Lazarus arriued at his Father house Now the question was how to aduertise their Father Pauline would preseÌ„tly haue gone vnto him but Lazarus was of opinion to vse dexterity least receiuing newes of a great ioy presently vpon a great heauines he should fall into some deadly sounding by the encountring of these contrary passions No quoth Pauline he is resolute and constant and the newes of your arriuall will not hurt him I warrant you Let me alone with the matter all shall go well Expect onely in the court of the Castle vntil I warne you of a fit time to come in Pauline went and saluted his father who was in his chamber with his brother Francis somewhat pensiue He sayd vnto him Sir you must reioyce and not be sorry for the death of my brother Aime-Dieu My child answered his father my greatest griefe is past I am resolued to patience seeing it is the will of God so I hope I shall see him shortly in heauen Sir quoth Pauline would you not be glad to see him in earth If it had beene Gods will I would gladly haue seene him returned from his pilgrimage before I did end myne but seeing it is fallen out otherwise God be blessed for all Sir quoth Pauline reioyce your sonne is yet aliue and you shall see him shortly and therewith made a signe to the page who had the watch word to call his brother How vnderstaÌ„d you that saith his Father And as he would haue spoken asked further Lazarus entred in with Theodosius and Vincent saying aloud Sir behold your sonne risen againe The good good old man as it were a waked out of a deep dreame and astonished as if he had seene a body rise out of the graue fastened his eyes on the face of Lazarus and imbracing him bathed him in warne teares O my Sonne quoth he how litle looked for and how greatly pleasing is thy coming vnto me thou art wellcome with all thy coÌ„panions but art thou yet aliue Art thou he whose funerals we celebrated yesterday and for whome we hanged this house with blacke Is it not a dreame that doth thus transport me Syr quoth Lazarus it is your sonne and heere loe your nephew Theodosius and your faythfull seruant Vincent Loe verily I do remember them well sayth he and imbracing them God saue you my good friends quoth he Francis imbraced his brother Aime-Dieu with a wonderfull demonstration of ioy as also Theodosius and all the Castle towne did ring of the newes of these Pilgrimes returne The hall which was hanged for doâ—e was straight hanged with tapistry the countenance of the persons and of the very walles changed from a great sadnes to a sudden ioy and there was nothing but imbracements and voyce of ioy and the good old man come to himselfe and as it were becomming yong againe with the returne of his sonne Go we sayth he to giue thankes to God and lead them to the Church in their Pilgrims weed as they came into the Castle The Church was full of the townesmen astonished and rauished to see their maisters Sonne sound and lustie for whome they had mourned in the morning After they had song Te Deum and giuen thankes the old man said to Lazarus My sonne Aime-dieu your brother Pauline told me that you had changed your name and were called Lazarus behold to that purpose you are raysed againe the fourth day for