open vnto them the spirituall lighte of the soule who forthwith obeying Gods commandement visited the foresaide Albeies and preached vnto them such preceptes of goode life as him selfe before had in conuersation practised Returning after fiftene daies to his owne Abbeye he called his monkes together and in theire presence receiued the Sacrament of the body and bloude of our Lorde and straighte-waies began together with them the mysticall hymnes of the Psalmes afterwarde falling with attention to his praiers whiles they continued on theire singing he gaue vp the ghost at which very tyme all the monkes sawe a doue comminge out of his mouth which in theire sighte flying forth throughe the topp of the oratory being then opened ascended vp into heauen And surely it is to be thoughte that his soule by diuine prouidence did in that manner appeare in the likenes of a doue that almighty God mighte thereby shewe with what a true and simple heart that holy man had alwaies serued him OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a Priestes soule called Vrsinus CHAPTER XI NEither must I forget that which the reuerent Abbot Steuen who not long since died in this city and whom you kne we very well tolde me to haue happened in the same Prouince of Nursia For he saide that a Priest dwelled in that countrye who in the feare of God gouerned the Church committed to his charge and althoughe after he had taken orders he did still loue his old wife as his enemy and neuer wolde he permit her to come neare him vpon any occasion Priestes after holy orders bounde to abstayne from the carnal company of theire former wiues abstayning wholy from all intercourse of familiarity For this is a thinge proper to holy men often tymes to depriue them selues of those thinges which be lawful to the end they may remaine the more free from such as be vnlawfull and therfore this man not to fal into any synne vtterly refused al necessary and requisit seruice at her handes When this reuerent man had long liued in this worlde the fourtith yeare after he was made Priest by a great and vehement agewe was broughte to the last cast his olde wife beholding him so far spent and to ly as thoughe he had bene deade putt her heade neare vnto him to see whether he did breath or no which he perceiuing hauing yet a little life lefte enforced him selfe to speake as well as he coulde and in greatferuor of spirit brake out into these wordes Gett the awaye woman a little fire is yet lefte away with the strawe after she was gone his strength some-what increasing he began with greatioy to cry out welcome my Lordes welcome my Lordes why haâ—e you vouchsafed to visit me your vnworthy seruant I come I come I thancke you I thancke you and when he did often repeate these and the like wordes his friendes that were present asked him to whom hespake to whom with a kinde of admiration he answered what do you not here beholde the holy Apostles Do you not see the chiefe of them S. Peter and S. Paul and so turning him selfe againe towardes them he saide Beholde I come beholde I come and in speaking those wordes he gaue vp his happy ghost And that he did indede verily beholde the holy Apostles he testified by that his departure with them And thus it doth often fall out by the sweete prouidence of God that goode men at theire death do beholde his Sainctes going before them and leading as it were the waye to the end they sholde not be affraide at the panges thereof and that whiles theire soules do see the Sainctes in heauen they maye be discharged from the prison of this bodye without all feare and griefe OF THE SOVLE OF PROBVS Bisshop of the city of Reati CHAPTER XII COncerning which thing I must also tel you that which the seruaÌ„t of God Probus who now in this city liueth in an Abbey gaue me to vnderstande of an vncle of his called also Probus who was Bishop of the citye of Reati For he saide that being grieuously sick in great extremity of death his father whose name was Maximus caused many Phisitions to be sent for to see whether by theire skill he could any waies be holpen who all vpon the feeling of his pulse gaue sentence of speedy death When dinner tyme was come and the day some what far spent the venerable Bishop more carefull of theire health then of his owne desired them that they woulde goe vp with his old father into the higher part of his pallace and after theire great paynes to refresh them selues with a poore dinner Wherevpon all went vp and none remayned with him but a little yonge boy who as Probus saith is yet liuing The little boye standing by his beddes side suddainly sawe certaine men comming into the man of God apparrelled in white stoales whose faces were far more bewtifull and brighte then the whitenes of theire garmentes whereat being amazed and affraide he began to crye out and aske who they were at which noise the Bishop also loking vp behelde them comming in and knewe them and therevpon comforted the little boye bidding him not to crye or be affraide saying that they were the holy martirs S. Iuuenall and S. Eleutherius that came to visit him but he not acquainted with any such strange visions ran out at the dores as fast as he coulde carying newes hereof both to his father the phisitions who going downe in all hast found the Bishop departed for those Sainctes whose sighte the childe coulde not endure had carried his soule away in theire company OF THE DEATH OF A Nunne called Galla. CHAPTER XIII NEither will I conceale that which I receiued by the relation of those that are graue and of goode credit In the tyme of the Gothes an honorable yonge maide called Galla daughter to Simmachus the Consull was bestowed in marriag whose husbande before the yere came about departed this life and thoughe both plentye of wealth and her yonge yeres were great allurementes to a seconde marriag yet she made choise rather to be married spiritually to God in which after mourninge euerlasting ioy doth followe then to become againe subiect to carnall matrirnonye which alwaies begineth with ioye and in conclusion endeth with sorrowe But because she had a passing highe colour the Phisitions tolde her that vnlesse Nunnes maye not marrye she did marrye againe that she wolde throughe abundance of heate contrary to nature haue a bearde like vnto men which afterwarde fell so out indede but the holy woman little regarded outwarde deformitye which in wardly in her soule was inamored with the bewtye of the heauenly spouse and feared not yf that in her became foule which she knewe that her caelestial spouse did nothing loue Wherfore straight vpon the death of her husbande casting of her secular Nunnes weare no secular habitâ— habit and attire she rendred her selfe for the seruice of God to that Nunnery
not by reason of suche thunder and lighteninge and greate abundance of raine returne backe to his Abbey began to be heauye and to complaine of his sister sayinge God forgiue you what haue you done to whom she answered I desired you to staye and you wolde not heare me I haue desired our goode Lorde and he hath vouchsafed to graunt my petition wherfor yf you can now departe a Gods name returne to your monasterye and leaue me here alone But the goode father being not able to goe for the taried there against his will where willinglye before he wolde not staye And so by that means they watched all nighte and with spirituall and heauenly talke did mutuallye comfort one an other and therfore by this we see as I saide before that he wolde haue had that thinge which yet he could not for yf we respecte the venerable mans minde no question but he wolde haue had the same faire weather to haue continewed as it was when he sett forth but he found that a miracle did preuent his desire which by the power of almighty God a womans praiers had wrought And it is not a thinge to be maruailed at that a woman which of longe tyme had not sene her brother mighte doe more at that tyme theÌ„ he could seeing accordinge to the sayinge of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 4. God is charity and therfore of righte she did more which loued more Peter I confesse that I am wonderfully pleased with that which you tell me HOVV BENNET SAVVE THE soule of his sister ascend into heauen CHAPTER XXXIIII Gregory THe next daye the venerable woman returned to her Nonnerye and the man of God to his Abbey who three daies after standinge in his cell and liftinge vp his eyes to heauen behelde the soule of his sister which was departed from her bodye in the likenes of a doue to ascend into heauen who reioysinge muche to see her great glorye vvith hymnes and laudes gaue thanckes to almighty God and did imparte the newes of this her death to his monkes whom also he sent presentlye to bringe her corps to his Abbey to haue it buried in that graue which he had prouided for him selfe by meanes whereof it fell out that as theire soules were alwaies one in God whiles they liued so theire bodies coÌ„tinued together after theire deathe HOVV HE SAVVE THE VVHOLE worlde represented before his eies and also the soule of Germanus Bishop of Capua ascending to heauen CHAPTER XXXV AT an other tyme Seruandus the Deacon and Abbot of that monasterye which in tymes past was founded by the noble man Liberius in the countrye of Campania vsed ordinarily to come and visit the man of God and the reason why he came so often was because him selfe also was a man full of heauenly doctrine and so thy two had often together spâ—rituall conference to the end that albe it they could not perfectly feede vpon the celestiall foode of heauen yet by means of such swete discourses they might at least with longing and feruent desire taste of those â—oyes and diuine delightes When it was tyme to goe to rest the venerable father Bennet reposed him selfe in the topp of a tower at the foote whereof Seruandus the Deacon was lodged so that one paier of staiers went to them bothe before the â—ower there was a certaine large roome in which bothe theire disciples did lye The man of God Bennet being diligent in watching rose early vp before the tyme of mattins his monkes being yet at rest and came to the windowe of his chamber where he offered vp his praiers to almighty God Standinge there all on a suddaine in the deade of the nighte as he looked forth he sawe a lighte which bannished away the darckenes of the nighte and glittered with suche brighenes that the lighte which did shine in the middest of darckenes was far more clere them the lighte of the daye Vpon this fighte a maruailous strange thinge followed for as him selfe did afterwarde reporte the whole worlde gathered as it were together vnder one beame of the sunne was presented before his eies and whiles the venerable father stoode attentiuely beholdinge the brightenes of that glitteringe lighte he sawe the soule of Germanies Bishop of Capita in a fierye globe to be carried vp by Angels into heauen Then desirous to haue some witnes of this so notable a miracle he called with a very loude voice Seruandus the Deacon twise or thrise by his name who troubled at such an vnvsuall cryinge out of the man of God went vp in all hast and looking for the sawe not any thinge els but a little remnant of the light but wondring at so great a miracle the man of God tolde him all in order what he had sene and sendinge by and by to the towne of Cassino he commanded the religious man Theoprobus to dispatche one that nighte to the citye of Capua to learne what was become of Germanus thiere Bishop which beinge done the messeÌ„ger founde that reuerend Prelat departed this life and enquiringe curiously the tyme he vnderstoode that he died at that very instant in which the man of God behelde him ascending vâ— to heauen Peter A straunge thinge and verye muche to be admired But whereas you saye that the whole worlde as it were vnder one sunne beame was presented before his eies as I must nedes confesse that in my selfe I neuer had experience of any suche thinge so neither can I conceiue by what meanes the whole worlde can be sene of any one man Gregory Assure your selfe Peter of that which I speake to witt that all creatures be as it were nothinge to that soule which beholdeth the creator for thoughe it see but a glympse of that lighte which is in the creator yet verye small do all thinges seme that be created for by meanes of that supernaturall light the capacity of the inwarde soule is inlarged and is in God so extended that it is far aboue the worlde yea and the soule of him that seeth in this manner is also aboue it selfe for being rapt vp in the lighte of God it is inwardly in it selfe inlarged aboue it selfe and when it is so exalted and looketh downeward then doth it comprehend how little all that is which before in former basenes it could not comprehende The man of God therfore who sawe the fiery globe and the Angels returninge to heauen out of all doubte coulde not see these thinges but in the lighte of God what maruaile then is it yf he sawe the worlde gathered together before him who rapâ— vp in the light of his soule was at that tyme out of the worlde But albeit we say that the worlde was gathered together besoore his eies yet were not heauen and earth drawne into any lesser roome then they be of them selues but the soule of the beholder was more inlarged which rapt in God might without difficultye see that which is vnder God and therfore in
end of all fleshe is come which worâ—es after he had repeated thus three tymes he vanisshed out of his sight Then the man of God rose vp and fell to his pâ—aiers with many teares And straight after those fearefull sightes in heauen followed to wit firy lances and armies appearing from the north Straight after likewise the barbarous and cruell nation of the Lombardes drawne as a sworde out of a sheath left theire owne countrye and inuaded ours by reason whereof the people which before for the huge multitude were like to thicke corne fieldes remayne nowe withered and ouerthrowne for cities be wasted townes and villages spoiled churches burnte monasteries of men and wâ—men destroied farmes left desolate the countrye remayneth solitarye and voide of men to till the grounde and destitute of all inhabitantes beastes possessinge those places where before great plenty of men did dwell And howe it goeth in other partes of the worlde I knowe not but here in this place where we liue the worlde doth not foretel any end but rather sheweth that which is present and already come Wherfore so much the more zealouslye ought we to seeke after eternal thinges by how much we finde all temporall so quicklye to be fled and gone Suerlye this worlde were to be contemned althoughe it did flatter vs and with pleasant prosperitye contented our minde but now seing it is fraught with so many miseries and diuers afflictions and that our sorrowes and crosses do daily encrease and be doubled what doth it els but crye vnto vs that we sholde not loue it Maâ—y more thinges yet remaine of the worthy actes of Gods seruauntes but because I haue resolued vpon an other course I wil passe ouer with silence Peter For as much as I perceiue that many Christians doe doubt of the immortality of the soule after the dissolution of the bodye I beseech you for the spirituall goode of manye to sett downe some reasoÌ„s for proffe thereof or the examples of some soules which haue testified the same yf you remember any to the end that those which be troubled with any such tentations may learne that the soule doth not dy together with the bodie Gregory This is a worke of great labour especially for one that is busied with other affaires and hath other thinges to attende vnto yet yf any profit by my meanes may redound to others willingly doe I prefer that before myne owne will and pleasure and therfore Gods grace assisting me in this fourth booke followinge I will clerely shewe that the soule doth liue after the death of the body The end of the third booke THE CHAPTERS OF THE FOVRTH BOOKE 1. THat carnal men doe the lesse belieue eternal and spiritual thinges because those of which they heare they knowe not by experience 2. That an infidel liueth not without faith 3. That there were three vital spirittes created 4. Of that question of Salomon wherein it is said That the death of a man and beastes is all one 5. Of that question concerninge the soule which goeth inuisiblye out of the bodye to witt whether there be any such thinge when as it can not be seene 6. That as the life of the soule whiles it remaineth in the body is knowne by the motions of the members so the life of the soule asâ—er it is out of the bodye in Sainctes is gathered by the vertue of miracles 7. Of the departures of soules 8. Of the departure of the soule of a monke called Specioâ—us 9. Of the soule of an Anchoret 10. Of the departure of the soule of an Abbot called Hope 11. Of the departure of the soule of a Priest caled Vrâ—inus 12. Of the soule of Probus Bisshop of the citye of Reati 13. Of the departure of a Nunne called Galla. 14. Of the departure of Seruulus sicke of the Palsye 15. Of the departure of a Nunne called Romula 16. Of the departure of the virgin Tarsilla 17. Of the departure of a yong maide called Musa 18. How certaine yong children come not to heauen throughe the fault of theire parentes because they bring them vp wickedly as is shewed and afterward declared by the example of a blaspheâ—â—ous yonge boye 19. Of the departure of one Steuen the seruant of God 20. That sometyme the merit of the soule is not sene at the departure but is after deathe more truly declared 21. Of the two monkes of Abbot Valentius 22. Of the departure of Abbot Soranus 23. Of the departure of the Deacon of the Churche of Marsi 24. Of the death of the man of God that was sent to Bethel 25. VVhether the soules of iust men be receiued into heauen before the resurrection of the body 26. By what meanes some that are a dying doe prophecy Of the death of a certaine Aduocat Of the reuelation of the two monkes Gerontius and Mellirus Of the death of a boy called Armentarius and of the diuersitye of tongues 27. Of the death of the Earle Theophanius 28. That as the soules of iust men be in heauen so we ought to belieue that after the death of the bodies the soules of wicked men are in hell 29. VVhat reason we haue to belieue that corporal fire can hold spirittes they being without bodyes 30. Of the death of the Arrian kinge Theodoricus 31. Of the death of Reparatus 32. Of the death of a courtier whose graue burnt with fire 33. VVhether the goode knowe the goode in heauen and the bad those that be bad in hell 34. Of a certaine religious man who at his death saw the Prophetes 35. How sometime soules ready to departe this worlde that knowe not one an other doe knowe for all that what torments for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode deedes they shal receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius SteueÌ„ 36. Of those soules which throughe error seme to be carried out of theire bodies Of the vocation and reuocation of Peter the monke and of the death and resusciâ—ation of Steuen Of the vision of a certaine soldiar and of Deusdedit whose house was sene to be built vpon the sabboth daye and of the punnishement of the men of Sodome 37. That the soules of certaine men whiles they be yet in theire bodies do see some spiritual punnishment and of the boy Theodorus 38. Of the death of Chrisorius and of a certaine monke of Iconia 39. VVhether there be any fire of purgaâ—orye after death 40. Of the soule of Paschasius the Deacon 41. VVhy in latter times so many thinges come to lighte concerning mens soules which before were not knowne 42. In what place we ought to beleue that hel is 43. VVhether the fire of hel be one or manye 44. VVhether they alwaies burne that lye in hell 45. How the soule is saide to be immortal if it be punnished with the sentence of death 46. Of a certaine holy man who was affraide at the tyme of his death 47. That some are by reuelation strengthned not to
be affraide when they dye and of the monkes called Anthony Merulus and Iohne 48. VVhether we oughte to obserue dreames and how many sortes of dreames there be 49. Os a certaine man who in his dreame had longe life promised and yet died shortly after 50. VVhether the soules receiue any commoditye by the buriall of theire bodies in the church 51. Of a certaine Nunne that was buried in the church of S. Laurence which appeared half burnt 52. Os the burial of the noble man Valerianus 53. Of the body of Valentinus which was throwne out of the churche after it was buried 54. Of the body of a dier buried in the churche which afterwarde could not be founde 55. VVhat thinge that is which after death hath force to helppe mens soules and of a Priest of Centumcellis who was by the soule of a certaine man desired that he mighte after his death be holpen by the holy sacrifice And of the soule of a monke called Iustus 56. Of the lise and death of Bisshoppe Cassius 57. Of one that was taken by his enemies whose irons at the tyme of the sacrifice were loosed and of the mariner called Caraca saued by the sacred host from being drowned in the sea 58. Of the vertue and mystery of the healthful sacrifice 59. How we oughte to procure contrition of harte at the tyme of the holy mysteries and of the custodye of our soule after we haue bene sorrowfull sor our sinnes 60. How we oughte to forgiue the sinnes of others that we may obtayne forgiuenes of our owne THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF S. GREGORIES DIALOGVES HOVV CARNAL MEN GIVE the lesse credit to those thinges which be eternal and spiritual because they know not by experience what they heare others to speake of CHAPTER I. AFTER that the first parēt of mankinde was for his synne bannished from the ioyes of Paradise he fell into the miserye of this ignorance and bannishment which to this yerie daye we doe all indure for his synne was the cause that he coulde not any longer see those ioyes of heauen which before by contemplation he possessed for during the tyme of his residence in Paradise he vsually hearde God talking with him and by purity of harte and heauenly vision was present with the quires of the blessed Angels But after his fall he lost that lighte of soule which before abundantly he enioyed From whom we beeing by carnall propagation deriued that liue now in this darcke ignorance of bannishmēt do heare indede of an heauenly countrye and howe it is inhabited by the Angels of God and that the soules of iust and perfect men do there keepe them companye But yet such as be carnall because they can not by experience knowe those inuisible creatures doubt whether there be any such seing with theire corporall eies they can not behold them from which doubt our first Parent was altogether free for althoughe he was exiled from the ioyes of Paradise yet did he still kepe in memorye what he had lost because he had before behelde the same but these men can not by any meanes call to minde such thinges as they heare others speake of because they neuer had of them any former experiēce as our first father Adam had For it is in this case as yf a woman bigge with childe sholde be putt in prison and be there deliuered of a sonne which neuer went forth but were there continually broughte vp for yf his mother sholde tell him of the sunne mone starres mountaines and speake of the fieldes the flying of birdes and running of horses her childe that had continually bene broughte vp in the prison and acquainted with nothing els but blacke darckenes might well heare what she saide but with a doubt whether it were true or no because experience taught him not any such thinge Euene so men that are borne in this darcke worlde the place of theire bannishmēt do heare that there be wonderfull strange and inuisible thinges but because they are not acquainted with any els but terrestriall creatures which only be visible they doubt whether there be any such inuisible thinges as are reported of or no for which cause the creator him selfe of all thinges both visible and inuisible and the only begotten sonne of the eternall father came into this worlde for the redemption of mankinde and sent the holy Ghost vnto our hartes that quickened by him and his grace we shoulde belieue those thinges which as yet by sence or experience we can not possibly vnderstande and therfore so many of vs as haue receiued this spirit the heauenly pledge of our inheritance make no doubte of Gods inuisible and immortall creatures and who so euer as yet is not setled in this beliefe out of all question he oughte of reason to giue credit to the wordes of them that be more learned and holy and belieue them that throughe the grace of Gods holy spirit haue experience of those thinges that be inuisible for he were a very foolishe childe that thoughte his mother lied when she spake of lighte in other places because him selfe where he was beheld nothing els but the darckenes of the prison Peter That you say doth wonderfully content me yet he who beleueth not that there be any inuisible thinges out of question in myne opinion is an infidell and he that is an infidell in that thinge whereof he doubteth seeketh not for faith but for reason THAT AN INFIDEL LIVETH not without faith CHAPTER II. Gregory I Speake boldlye yet trulye that an infidell liueth not without faith for yf I demaunde of him who is his father or mother straight-waies he will tell me such a man and such a woman and yf I presse him further whether he doth remember the tyme when he was first conceiued or the houre when he was borne into this worlde he wil answer me that he neuer knewe or sawe any such thinge and yet for all this doth he beleue that which he neuer behelde seing he beleueth without all doubt that such a man was his father and such a woman his mother Peter I must nedes confesse that I neuer knewe before this tyme that an infidell had any faith Gregory Infidels haue faith but not in God sor then they were not infidels but worthly are they by the former reason to be blamed and thereby also to be prouoked to imbrace true faith for yf concerning theire visible bodye they beleeue that which they neuer sawe why do they not also beleeue some thinges which with theire corporall eyes they can not beholde THAT GOD CREATED THREE kindes of spirites with life CHAPTER III. FOr that our soule doth liue after the death of the bodye reason doth teach vs assisted and holpen with faith for almightye God created three kindes of spirites hauing life One altogether spirituall without bodye an other with a bodye but yet which dieth not with the bodye the thirde that which is both ioyned with the body and also together with the body
nor wisdom how then is the death of man and beastes all one and howe is theire condition and state alike or how hath not a man more then beastes when as they after death liue not and the soules of men after the death of there bodies be for there wicked deedes caried to hell and do not dye when they depart this life But in both these sayinges which seeme contrary each to other it is made manifest that the Preacher speaketh the truth vttering the one of carnall tentation and yet afterwarde vpon deliberation and according to truth resolutely setteth downe and defineth the contrarye Peter Glad I am that ignorant I was of that question which I demanded seing I haue by meanes thereof come to so exact an vnderstanding of that which before I knewe not But I beseeche you to take it patiently yf I also like to this our Preacher take vpon me the person of weake and fraile men that I may the better as it were by theire demanding of questions be profitable to them in theire weakenes and infirmities Gregory Why sholde I not beare with you condescending to the infirmities of your neighbours when as Paul saith 1. Corint â— To al men I became al thinges that I might * By this we see that men may in a goode soÌ„ce be called Sauiours without any iniury to our Sauiour Christ saue al and surely you are the more to be reuerenced for condescending to theire weakenes vpon charity therein do you imitate the steppes of an excellent preacher OF A QVESTION CONCERNING the soule which goeth inuisibly out of the bodye to witt whether there be any such thinge seing it can not be seene CHAPTER V. Peter IT chaunced so that I was present when one departed this life Who suddainlye as he was a speakinge gaue vp the ghost and whom before I heard talking with me in an instant I sawe deade but whether his soule went out of the body or no that I did not see and it seemeth verye harde to beleeue that thinge which no man can behould Gregory What maruaile is it Peter that you sawe not the soule departing out of the bodye seing you behould it not when it remayneth in the bodye what do you beleeue me to haue no soule because whiles you nowe talke with me you can not see it The nature of the soule is inuisible and therfore inuisibly doth it depart out of the body as it doth inuisibly remayne in the body Peter That the soule hath life so long as it remaineth in the bodye easily do I perceiue by the motion thereof for yf the body were destitute of the soule the members coulde not possibly moue at all but that the soule liueth when it is out of the body by what motions or actions I sholde gather desirous I am to be informed by you to the end that by such thinges as I do see I may knowe that thinge which I can not see Gregory Thoughe not with any great â—ubtility of discourse yet confidentlye do I affirme it to be most true that as the power of the soule doth quicken and moue the bodye so the power of God doth fill all thinges which he hath created and to some thinges doth he giue life by breathing it into them to other thinges he vouchsafeth life in an other manner and vpon some other thinges he bestoweth only a being without any life at all Seing therfore you doubt not but that God is the creator and preseruer of all thinges that he doth fill and imbrace all thinges that he doth excell all thinges and also mainetayneth them that he is incircumscriptible and inuisible so neither ought you to doubt but that he is serued with inuisible creatures seing they that serue oughte to be somewhat like vnto him vpon whom they attende and so consequently that we ought not to doubte but for as much as he is inuisible in him selfe that they also be of the same nature and what creatures can these be els but his holy Angels and the soules of iust men wherfore as you knowe when you see the bodye moue that the soule remaineth in the body and you gather this from the bodie which is lowest so oughte you to thincke of the life of the soule that departeth from the bodye deducing a reason from God who is the highest to witt that the soule liueth inuisibly seing it is to remayne in the seruice of the inuisible creator Peter All this is verye well saide yet our minde can hardelye be broughte to beleeue that which with our corporal eies we can not beholde Gregory Seing S. Paul saith that faith is the Hebr. 11. substance of thinges to be hoped for the argument of thinges not appearing truly are we saide to beleeue that which can not be seene and by no meanes to beleeue that which with out eies we doe behold yet in fewe wordes to bring you home againe to your selfe I saye that no visible thinges be seene but by the means of inuisible for althoughe your bodily ey beholdeth all sensible creatures yet coulde it not beholde any such thinge did it not receiue force from that which is inuisible for take awaye the soule which none doth see and in vaine be the eies opened to loke vpon any thinge Take away the soule from the body and the eies out of all question may remaine still open as before Yf then our eies did â—ee of them selues howe commeth it to passe that nowe the soule is gone they see nothinge at all Learne then by this that visible thinges them selues are not sene but by meanes of them that be inuisible Let vs also imagin that we sawe before vs the building of houses huge timber and stones to be lifted vp great pillers to hang vpon engines what I pray you effecteth all this the visible bodye that with handes draweth and moueth those huge and massy thinges or the inuisible soule that giueth life to the bodye for take awaye that which is not seene in the bodye and straightwaies all those thinges which before did moue will temayne without any motion at all By which we may easily gather that nothing can be disposed of in this visible worlde but by an other creature which is inuisible for as almightye God either by inspiration or by replenishing those creatures which haue reason doth both quicken and moue those thinges which be inuisible so in like manner those thinges which be inuisible doe giue motion and sence to carnall bodies which are visible Peter Willingly ouercome with these reasons alleaged I confesse that I am enforced almost to thincke that these visible thinges are nothing whereas before taking vpon me the person of weake and vnlerned men I doubted whether there were any inuisible creatures or no wherfore your whole discourse doth very well please me yet as I am assured of the life of the soule by the motion of the bodye so desirous I am to knowe by some sure and certaine demonstrations
that the soule doth also liue after it is departed from the body THAT AS THE LIFE OF THE soule remaining in the bodye is gathered by the motion of the members so the life of the soule after death in holy men is to be found out by the vertue of miracles CHAPTER VI. Gregory HErein most readye I am to satisfye your request and for proffe of this pointe no difficultye do I finde for thincke you that the holy Apostles and martirs of Christ wolde haue contemned this present life and offered theire bodies to death had they not knowne that theire soules did most assuredly liue for euer You confesse that you knovve the life of the soule remayninge in the body by the motion thereof beholde then howe these that lost theire liues for Christ and beleeued that soules liued after death be renoumed for theire daily miracles For sicke persons come vnto Pilgrinage to Sainctes bodies theire deade bodies and be curied periured persons repaire thither and be possessed with deuiles possessed with deuiles visit them and are deliuered Lepers come and be clensed deade folke are broughte and they be raised vp againe Consider then in what sort theire soules do liue in those places where they liue whose deade bodies liue also in this worlde by so many miracles yf then you gather the life of Miracles wroughe by relickes the soule remayninge in the body by the motion of the members why do you not likewise by the deade bones which work miracles inferre that the soule doth liue after the death of the body Peter No solution as I thincke can ouerthrowe the force of this reason alleaged by which we are constrained through visible thinges to beleeue those which we see not and be inuisible OF THE DEPARTVRE OF menes soules CHAPTER VII Gregory A Little before you complained for that you coulde not see the soule of one when it departed out of his bodye but that was your fault who desired with corporall eies to beholde an inuisible thinge for many of vs that by sincere faith and plentifull praier haue had the eye of our soule purified haue often seene soules going out of theire bodies and therfore nowe I thincke it necessarye to sett downe both howe and in what sort menes soules departing out of theire bodies haue bene seene and also what wonderfull thinges haue bene reuealed vnto them at the tyme of theire departure that by this meanes examples may satisfye our wauering and doubtfull mindes which reason can not so full ye perswade Wherfore to begin I remember that in the second booke of this worcke I tolde you howe venerable Bennet as by relation of his owne monkes I learned beeing far distant from the city of Capua behelde the soule of Germanus Bishop of the same place at midnighte to be carried to heauen in a fiery globe who seeing the soule as it was ascending vppe behelde also in the largenes of his owne soule within the compasse of one sunne beame the whole world as it were gathered together OF THE DEPARTVRE OF the soule of Speciosus a monke CHAPTER VIII BY the relation also of the same monkes his disciples I vnderstoode howe two noble men that were brethren and very well learned in humanity the one called Speciosus the other Gregory entred into religion there to liue vertuously vnder the direction of his rule whom the venerable father placed in a Monastery of his harde by the city of Teracina These men whiles they remained in the worlde were verye riche but for the redemption of theire owne soules they Voluntarye pouertye had giuene all to the poore and ledd theire life in the same Monasterye One of these twaine to witt Speciosus being sent vpon busines of the Monasterye to the Capua his naturall brother Gregory in the meane tyme sitting at table at dinner amongest the other monkes rapt in spirit behelde his brothers soule thoughe so far distant departing out of his bodye which forthwith he tolde vnto the other monkes and straighte after in all hast tooke his iornye to Capua wher he founde his brother newlye buried and there vnderstoode how he died at that very houre in which he sawe his soule going out of his bodye OF THE SOVLE OF A certaine Anchoret CHAPTER IX A Certaine religious man and one of great credit at such tyme as I liued in the Monastery tolde me that certaine sailing from Sicilye to Rome as they were in the the middest of the sea behelde the soule of a certaine seruant of God caried to heauen who had bene an Anchoret in the Iland of Samnium Landing afterward in the same place Anchoretes and making enquiry of that thinge they vnderstoode that holy man to haue departed this life vpon that very day in which they saw his soule ascending to heauen OF THE DEPARTVRE OF Abbot Hopes soule CHAPTER X. VVHiles I liued as yet in my Monasterye I vnderstode by the relation of a verye reuerent man a certaine thinge which I will now tell you A venerable father there was called Hope who had built an Abbey in a place called Cample distant almost six miles from the old oâ—tye of Nursia This man almightye and mercifull God by temporall affliction preserued from euerlasting miserye and gaue him great grace and quiet of mynde for how deerely he loued him yea at that very tyme when he sent him affliction was afterwarde made apparant to the worlde when he vouchsafed perfectly to restore him to his former health This man therfore was for the space of fourty yeres punnished with such a continuall blindenes of his eies that he coulde not so much as beholde any lighte at all But because none in aduersitye can without the helpe of Goddes grace stande and vnlesse the same mercifull father who sendeth punnishement giueth also patience straighte-waies his chastising of our synnes doth by impatience more increase them and so it pitifully falleth out that our synne is by that very thinge made greater by which an end of all synne mighte very well haue bene expected God therfor seeing our infirmitye together with affliction by his swete prouidence keepeth and preserueth vs and is in his correction which he sendeth his chosen children in this worlde so iust with mercy that they maye become such to whom afterwarde he may iustly shewe mercie and therfore thoughe he did laye his crosse of blindenes vpon this venerable man yet did he not leaue him destitute of inwarde lighte for as his bodye was weried with paine so by the prouidence of Gods holy spirit his soule was refreshed with heauenly comfort At length when he had continewed fourty years in this kinde of blindenes our good Lorde restored him to his former sighte giuinge him also to vnderstande that he was shortly to leaue this worlde and therfore admonished him to preache the worde of lyfe vnto all such Abbeies as were about him and that for as much as him selfe had receiued the light of his body he wold goe and
it sholde be purged And here of it commeth that reprobates receiue superioritye and power ouer others who at theire death be so much the more punnished for that they vsed theire cruell authoritye against Gods seruantes as the foresaide wicked and wretched man whom God suffred not to triumphe ouer that venerable Deacon thoughe he permitted him to kill his bodye which thinge to be true we learne also out of holy scriptures For that man of God which was sent against Samaria because contrarye to 3. Reg. 19. Gods commandement he did eate in in his iorny was slayne by a lion and yet in the same place we reade that the lion stoode by the mans asse and did not touche his dead bodye By which we perceiue that his synne of disobedience was by that his death pardoned because the same lion that feared not to kill him presumed not yet to touch his dead carcasse for licence he had for the one but no leaue was graunted for the other because he that was culpable in his life hauing his synne of disobedience now punnished was iust by his death and therfore the lion that before slewe the body of a synner preserued afterward the corps of a iust man Peter Your discourse pleaseth me very well yet willing I am to knowe whether before the resurrection the soules of iust men do enter into the kingdome of heauen VVHETHER THE SOVLES OF iust men be receiued into heauen before the general resurrection of our bodies CHAPTER XXV Gregory THis thinge speaking generallye Al iust men go not straighte to heauen of all iust men can neither be affirmed nor denied for the soules of some iust men remayninge as yet in certaine mansions be differâ—ed from heauen by which staye of theirs what els do we learne but that they lacked some-what of perfect iustice And yet is it more clere then daye that the soules of them that be perfect do straighte after death possesse the ioyes of heauen the truthe where of Christ him selfe assureth vs when he saith VVheresoeuer the body shal be thither will the Luc. 17. eagles be gathered together for where our Sauiour is present in bodye thither without all question doe the soules o â— iust men assemble them selues and S. Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to â— Philip. 1. with Christ He therfore thaâ— doubteth not Christ to be in heauen how can he doubt that S. Paules soule is in the same place which Apostle speaketh also of the dissolution of his body and his dwelling in heauen in these wordes VVe knowe that if our terestrial house of 2 Corint 5. this habitation be dissolued that we haue a buildinge of God and house not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen Peter If iust mens soules be already in heaueÌ„ what then shall they receiue for a rewarde of theire vertuous and iust life at the daye of iudgement Gregory Whereas nowe theire soules be only in heauen at the day of iudgement this further increase of ioye shall they haue that theire bodies also shall be partakers of eternall blisse and they shall in theire fleshe receiue ioye in which for Christes sake they suffred griefe and toâ—mentes In respect of this there douole glorye the scripture saith In theire land they shal possesse double Esay 61. thinges and it is written of the soules of the iust that before the day of resurrection To euery one of them white stoales Apocalip 6. were giuen and it was saide to them that they should rest yet a little tyme vntill the number of theire fellow-seruantes and brethren were complete They therfore that now receiue but one stoale in the daye of iudgement shall euery one haue two because nowe they reioyce only for the felicitye of theire soules but then shall they enioye the endlesse glorye of bodye and soule together Peter I graunt it to be as you saye but what I beseech you is the reason that ostentymes those which ly a dyinge do prophecye and tell of many thinges to come BY VV HAT MEANES IT FALLETH out that those which ly a dying do prophecye of thinges to come and of the death of a certaine aduocat os that also which was reuealed to the monkes Gerontius and Mellitus of the death of a boye called Armentarius and of the diuersitye of tongues CHAPTER XXVI Gregory SOmetyme the soule it selfe by reason of the spirituall nature vvhich it hath doth foresee some thing which will so fall out and sometyme soules before theire departure come to the knowledge of future thinges by reuelation sometyme also when they are straight-waies to leaue the body by heauenly inspiration they penetrate with theire spirituall eies the secrets of heauen For that the soule by reason of the spirituall nature which it hath doth knowe thinges to come certaine it is by that which happened to a certaine aduocate in this citye who died two daies agoe of a paine in his side For a little before his death he called for his boye to giue him his apparrel that he mighte rise vp and walke who supposinge him not to knowe what he saide refused to do what he willed him Where vpon herose vp put on his clothes and saide that he wolde go to the churche of S. Sixtus which is in the waye called Appia and when not longe after his sicknes increasing lie departed this life determined it was that his bodâ—e sholde be buried in the churche of S. Ianuarius the martir which standeth vpon the way called Prenestina But because they which had the care of his buriall thoughte iâ— too far of suddainlye they resolued vpon a newe course and so going forth with his corps by the waye called Appia not knowinge what he had saide they buried him in that church which before he mentioned and seing it is well knowne that he was a man giuen to the worlde and one that soughte after earthly gaine how coulde he know that which fell out but that the force and spirituall nature of his soule did foresee what shoulde become of his bodye That those also which lye a dyinge do oftentymes by diuine reuelation foretell what shall happen afterwarde we may learne by such thinges as haue fallen out amongest vs in diuers Abbeyes For ten yeares since there was a monke in my Monasterye called Gerontius who lying sore sicke sawe by vision in the nighte tyme certaine white men bewtifully apparrelled to descende from aboue into the Monasterye and standing by his beddes side one of them saide The cause of our comminge hither is to choose out certaine of Gregories monkes to sende them abroade vnto the warres and forthwith he commanded an other to write in a bill the names of Marcellus Valentinian Agnellus and diuers others whose names I haue nowe forgotten that being done he saide further Putt downe also the name of him that nowe beholdeth vs. By which vision he being assured of that which would come to passe the next morning he tolde the
body which by meanes of the bodye it had often tymes before sene to the end that we should thereby vnderstanne whether his soule mighte spiritually be carried And in that he saide he was to goe into Sicily what els can be ment therebye but that there be in the Ilandes of that countrye more then in any place els certayne gaping gulphes of tormentes castinge out fire continually And as they say that knowe them dailye do they wax greater and enlarge them selues so that the worlde drawinge to an ende and so consequently more comming thither to be burnt in those flaminge dungeons so much the more do those places of tormentes open and become wider Which strange thing almighty God for the terror and amendement of the liuing wolde haue extant in this world that infidels which beleeue not the vnspeakable paines of hell may with their eies see the places of tormentes which they list not to credit when it is told them And that both the elect and reprobat whose life and conuersation hath bene alike shal after death be carried to like places the sayinge of our Sauiour doth teach vs thoughe we had no examples to proue the same for of the elect him selfe saith in the Gospell In the house of my father Ioan. 14. Inequality of rewardes in heauen there be many mansions For yf there were not inequalitye of rewardes in the euerlasting felicitye of heauen then were there not many mansions but rather one wherfore there be many mansions in which diuers orders and degrees of Gods sainctes be distinguished who in common do all reioice of the society and fellowship of theire merites and yet all they that labored receiue one penny thoughe they remayne in distinct mansions because the felicitye and ioye which there they possesse is one and the rewarde which by diuers and vnequall good Worckes they receiue is not one but diuers which to be true our Sauiour assureth vs when talkinge of his comminge to iudgement he saith Then I wil say to the Math. 13. reapers Gather vp the cockle and binde it into bundels to burne For the Angels wâ—ich be the reapers do then binde vp in bundles the cockle to burne when like with like are putt together in tormentes as the proude to burne in hell with the proude carnall with the carnall couetous with the couetous deceiptfull with the deceiptfull inuious with the inuious and infidels with insidels when therfore those that were like in sinfull life be condemned to like tormentes then be they as it were cockle bounde together in bundels to be burnte Peter You haue giuen a sufficient reason for satisfaction to my demande yet I beseech you to informe me further what the cause is that some be called out of this vvorlde as it vvere throughe error vvho aftervvarde returne againe to life saying that they hearde hovv they vvere not the men vvhich vvere sent for out of this life OF THOSE SOVLES VVHICH seme as it were throughe error to be taken out of theire bodies and of the deathe and reuiuinge of a monke called Peter of the death likewise and raising vp againe of one Steuen and of the strange vision of a certaine soldiar CHAPTER XXXVI Gregory VVHen this happeneth Peter it is not yf it be vvell considered any error but an admonition For God of his great and bountifull mercy so disposeth that some after theire death do straighte-vvaies returne againe to life that hauing seene the tormentes of hell vvhich before vvhen they hearde they vvolde not beleeue they may novv at least treble at after they haue vvith theire eyes beheld them For a certaine Sclauonian vvho vvas a monke and hued vvith me here in this city in my Monasterye vsed to tell me that at such tyme as he dvvelt in the vvildernes that he knevve one Peter a monke borne in Spaine vvho liued vvith him in the vast desert called Euasa vvhich Peter Eremites as he saide tolde him how before he came to dwell in that place by a certaine sicknes he died and was straightwaies restored to life againe affirming that he had sene the tormentes and innumerable places of hell and diuers who were mighty men in this vvorlde hanging in those flames and that as him selfe was caried to be throwne also into the same fire suddainly an Angel in a be wtifull attire appeared who wolde not suffre him to be cast into those tormentes but spake vnto him in this manner Go thy way backe againe and hereafter carefully looke vnto thy selfe how thow leadest thy life after which wordes his body by little and little became warme and him selfe waking out of the slepe of euerlasting death reported all such thinges as happened about him after which tyme he bounde him selfe to such fasting and watchinge that thoughe he had saide nothing yet his very life and conuersation did speake vvhat tormentes he had sene and was affraide of and so Gods mercifull prouidence wroughte in his temporall death that he died not euerlastinglye But because mans harte is passing obdurat and harde hereof it commeth that thoughe others haue the like vision and see the same paines yet do they not alwaies reape the like profit For the honorable man Steuen whom you knevve very vvell tolde me of him selfe that at such tyme as he vvas vpon busines resident in the city of Gonstantinople that he fell sicke and died and vvhen they sought for a surgeon to bovvell him and to embalme his bodye and coulde not get any he laye vnburied all the nighte follovving in vvhich space his soule vvas carried to the dungeon of hell vvhere he savve many thinges vvhich before when he heard he little beleeued But vvhen he vvas broughte before the iudge that satt there he vvolde not admitt him to his presence sayinge I commanded not this man to be broughte but Steuen the smith vpon which wordes he was straighte-way restored to life and Steuen the smith that dwelled harde by at that very houre departed this life whose death did showe that the wordes which he heard were most true But thoughe the foresaide Steuen escaped death in this manner at that tyme yet three yeares since in that mortalitye vvhich lamentably vvasted this citye and in vvhich as you knovve men vvith theire corporall eies did behold arrovves that came from heauen vvhich did strike diuers the same man ended his daies at vvhich tyme a certaine soldiar being also broughte to the pointe of death his soule vvas in such sort caried cut of his bodye that he lay voide of all sence and feelinge but comminge quickely againe to him selfe he tolde then that vvere present vvhat present vvhat strange thâ—nges he had sene For he saide as many report that knowe it very well that he sawe a bridge vnder which a blacke and smoakye riuer did runne that had a filthy and intollerable smell but vpon the further side thereof there were pleasant grene medowes full of swete flowers in which also there were diuers companies of men
is the reason that in these latter daies so many thinges come to lighte which in tymes past were not knowne in such sort that by open reuelations and manifest signes the ende of the worlde semeth not to be far of VVHY IN LATTER TYMES so many thinges be knowne concerning mens soules VVhich in former ages were not heard of CHAPTER XLI Gregory So it is for the nerer that this preseÌ„â— world draweth to wards an end so muche the more the worlde to come is at hande and sheweth it selfe by more plaine and euident tokens For seing in this worlde we knowe not one an others cogitations and in the next mens hartes be knowne to all what fitter name can we giue to this worlde then to terme it nighte and what better to the next then to call it daye But as when the nighte is almost spent and the daye beginneth to breake darkenes and lighte be in a certaine manner ioyned together vntil the lighte of the day followinge doth perfectly bannishe away the darke remnantes of the former nighte euen so the ende of this world is as it were mingled together with the beginninge of the next and with the darckenes of this some lighte of such spirituall thinges as be in that doth appeare and so we see many thinges which belonge to that vvorlde yet for all this perfect knovvledge vve haue not anye but as it vvere in the tvvilighte of our soule beholde them before the risinge of that sonne of knowledge vvhich then abundantly vvill cast his beames ouer all Peter I like very well of your speeche yet in so worthy a man as Paschasius was this doubt doth trouble me howe he was after his death caried to any place of punnishement seing the touching of his garment vpon the biere did dispossesse a vvicked spirit Gregory Herein appeareth the great and manifolde prouidence of almightye God by whose iust iudgement it fell out that Paschasius for sometyme entertayned inwardly synne in his soule and yet in the sighte of the worlde wroughte miracles by his body after his death who in his life tyme did as they knowe many goode worckes to the end that those which had sene his vertuous life shoulde not be deceiued concerning the opinion of his great almes and yet him selfe should not without punnishement haue remission of his synne which whiles he liued he thoughte to be no synne and therfore did not by teares washe it awaye Peter I vnderstande very well what you say but by this reason I am driuen â—nto such straightes that I must stand in feare both of those synnes which I knowe and also of those which I know not But because a little before you discoursed of the places of tormentes in what part of the worlde I beseech you are vve to beleue that hel is vvhether aboue the earth or beneath the same IN VVHAT PLACE OF THE worlde we oughte to beleue that hell is CHAPTER XLII Gregory TOuchinge this pointe I dare not rashelye desine any thinge for some haue bene of opinion that hell vvas in some place vpon the earth and The latin â—ord for â—el signiâ—eth a â—ace beâ—eath others thincke that it is vnder the earth but then this doubt ariseth for yf it be therfore called hell or an infernall place because it is belovve then as the earth is distant from heauen so likevvise shold hel be distant from the earth for which cause perhappes the Prophet saith Thow hast deliuered Psal 8 my soule from the lower hel so that the higher hell may seme to be vpon the earth and the lower vnder the earth and vvith this opinion that sentence of Iohne agreeth who when he had saide that he sawe a booke sealed with Apocal. seauen seales and that non was found worthy neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth to open the booke and loose the seales thereof he added forthwith and I wept much which booke notwithstanding afterwarde he saith was opened by a lion of the tribe of Iuda By which booke what els can be ment but the holy scripture which our Sauiour alone did open for being made man by his death resurrection and ascension he did reueale and make manifest all those mysteries which in that booke were closed shutt vppe And none in heauen because not any Angell none vpon earth because not man liuinge in body not any vnder the earth was founde worthy because neither the soules departed from theire bodies could opeÌ„ vnto vs beside our Lord him selfe the secretes of that sacred booke Seing then none vnder the earth is said to be founde worthy to open that booke I see not what doth lett but that we sholde beleeue that hell is in the lower partes vnder the earthe Peter I beseech you Is there one fire in hell or accordinge to the diuersitye of sinners be there so many sortes of fires prepared in that place VVHETHER THERE IS ONE fire in hel or many CHAPTER XLIII Gregory THe fire of hell is but one yet doth it not in one manner torment all synners For euerye one there according to the quantitâ—e of his synne hath the measure of his paine For as in this world many liue vnder one and the same sunne and yet do not alike feele the heate thereof for some be burnt more and some lesse so in that one sire diuers manners of burninge be founde for that which in this worlde diuersity of bodies doth that in the next doth diuersitye of synnes so that althoughe the fire be there all alike yet doth it not in one manner and alike burne and torment them that be damned Peter Shall those I pray you which be condemned to that place burne alwaies and neuer haue anye ende of theire tormentes VVHETHER THOSE THAT be in hel shal burne there sor euer CHAPTER XLIIII Gregory CErtaine it is and without all doubt most true that as the goode shall haue no ende of theire ioyes so the wicked neuer any release of theire tormentes for our Sauiour him selfe saith The wicked shal goe into euerlasting Math. 2 punnishment and the iust into euerlasting life seing then true it is that which he hath promised to his friendes out of al question false it can not be that which he hath threatned to his enemies Whar yf it be saide that he did threaten eternall paine to wicked liuers that he might thereby restrayne them from committing of synnes Gregory Yf that which he did threaten be false because his intent was by that meanes to keepe men from wicked life then likewise must we say that those thinges are false which he did promise and that this minde was therebye to prouoke vs to vertue But what man though madd dare presume so to saye For yf he threatned that which he ment not to put in execution whiles we are desirous to make him mercifull inforced we are likewise which is horrible to speake to affirme him to be deceiptfull Peter Willinge I am to knowe howe that
churche which thing shall be more plaine yf I do briefly tell you what concerninge this pointe hath chaunced in our tyme. OF A CERTAINE NVNNE that was buried in the churche which appeared with her body halse burnt CHAPTER LI. FElix Bishop of Portua a man of holy life vvho was borne and brought vp in the Prouince of Sabina saith that there liued in that place a certaine Nunne which thoughe she were chast of her bodye yet had she an vngratious and foolishe tongue which departing this life was buried in the church the keeper whereof the nighte following saw her by reuelation brought before the holy altar where she was cutt in two peeces and the one halfe was burnt in the fire and the other was not touched at all Rising vp in the morning he tolde vnto others what a strange vision he had sene and shewed them the very place in which she was burnt the marble whereof appeared with the verye marckes and signes of a fire vpon it as thoughe that woman had bene there burnt in very dede with corporall fire By which we may plainely see that such as haue not theire synnes pardoned can reape small benefit by hauing theire bodies after deathe buried in holy places OF THE BVRIALL OF Valerianus CHAPTER LII IOhn also an honorable man one of the gouernors of this citye and one that is of great grauity and credit as all knowe tolde me howe one Valerianus that was a gentleman of the city of Bressa departed this life whose bodye for money the Bishoppe was content sholde be buried in the churche This Valerianus euene to his verye old age led a lighte and wanton life refusing vtterlye to giue ouer synne and wickednes That verye nighte in which he was buried the blessed martir Faustinus in whose churche his bodye laye appeared to the keeper thereof sayinge Goe bid the Bishoppe cast out that stinckinge carcasse vvhich he hath here buried and he yf he vvill not do it tell him that thirty daies hence he shall dye him selfe This vision the poore man vvas affraide to report vnto the Bishoppe and thoughe he vvere admonished the second tyme to do it yet he refused and so vpon the thirtith day the Bishoppe goinge safe and sounde to bedd neuer fearing any such thinge suddainly departed this life OF THE BODYE OF VALENTINVS that was after his buriall cast out of the churche CHAPTER LIII THere be also at this tyme here in the city our venerable brother Venātius Bishop of Luna Liberius a noble man and one of very great credit both which do saye that them selues knowe it and that theire seruantes were present in the city of Genua when this strange thinge happened One Valentinius who had an office in the churche of Millan died there a man in his life tyme giuen to wantonnes all kinde of lightenes whose bodye was buried in the church of the blessed martir Sirus The midnighte followinge a great noise was hearde in that place as thoughe some bodye by force had bene drawne out from thence wherevpon the keepers ran thither to see what the matter was and when they vvere come they savve tvvo verye terrible deuiles that had tied a rope about his legges and vvere dravving him out of the churche him selfe in the meane tyme crying and roaring out at vvhich sighte they vvere so frighted that they returned home againe to theire beddes but vvhen the morning vvas come they opened the graue in vvhich Valentinus vvas buried but his body they coulde not finde therfore they sought vvithout the churche to see vvhere it vvas and so founde it throwne into an other place with the feete still bounde as it was drawne out of the churche Out of which Peter you may learne that such as dye in mortall synne and cause theire bodies to be buried in holy grounde are punnished also for that theire presumption the holy places not helping them but rather the synne of theire temeritye accusing them OF THE BODYE OF A DIER buried in the churche which afterwarde coulde not be founde CHAPTER LIIII FOr an other thinge also which happened in this citye the companye of diers dwelling here do testifye to be most true and it is concerning one that was the chiefe of theire profession who departed this life and was by his wife buried in the church of S. Ianuarius the martir neere to the gate of S. Laurence whose spirit the nighte followinge in the hearinge of the sextin cried out of his graue saying I burne I burne and when he continued a longe tyme crying so the sextin tolde it to the diers wife who therevpon sent certaine of his owne profession to the churche to see in what case his body was in the graue who so cried out in that pitifull manner and The manner of Italy is to bury men in theire garmentes when they had opened it there they founde his garmentes safe and sound which be still kept in the same churche for a perpetuall memorye of that which happened but his body by no meanes could they finde as thoughe it had neuer bene buried there by which we maye gather to what tormentes his soule was condemned whose bodye was in that sort turned out of the churche what profitt then doe holy places bring to them that be buried there when as those that be wicked vnworthy be by Gods appointement throwne out from those sacred places Peter What thinge is there then that can profit and relieue the soules of them that be departed VVHAT IS AVAILABLE FOR the soule after death and of a Priest of Centumcellis who was desired by a certaine mans spirit to be holpen after his death by the holy sacrifice and of the soule of a monke called Iustus CHAPTER LV. Gregory YF the synnes after death be pardonable Some sinnes pardonable after death then the sacred oblation of the holy host vseth to helpe mens soules for which cause the soules sometyme of them that be deade do desire the same for Bishoppe Felix whom we spake of before saith that a vertuous priest who died some two yeares since and dwelt in the diocesse of the citye of Centumcellis and was Pastor of the churche of S. Iohn in the place called Tauriana told him that him selfe did vse when he had neede to wash his bodye in a certaine place in which there were passing hote waters that going thither vpon a tyme he founde a certaine man whom he knewe not ready to do him seruice as to pull of his shoees take his clothes and to attend vpon him in all dutifull manner And when he had diuers tymes done thus the Priest minding vpon a day to go to the bathes began to thincke with him selfe that he would not be vngratefull to him that did him such seruice but cary him some-what for a rewarde and so he toke with him two synging breades and comming thither he founde the man there ready and vsed his helpe as he was wont to do and when he
the dead report vve haue for confirmation of the same thinge the factes of the liuinge For Cassius Bishop of Narnye a man of holy life vvho did vsually euery daye offer sacrifice vnto God and vvhiles he vvas at the mysteries of those sacrifices did also immolat him self in teares receiued from our Lorde this message by one of his Priestes Doe that thow doest worcke that thow worckest let not thy foote cease let not thy hand cease vpon the natiuitye of the Apostles thow shalt come vnto me and I vvill giue the thy reward And so seaueÌ„ years after vpon that very daye of the Apostles after Cassius offered sacrifice and saide masse he had ended the solemnity of Masse and receiued the mysteries of the sacred communion he departed this life OF ONE THAT VVAS TAKEN BY his enemies and put in prison whose irons fell of at the tyme of the sacrifice and of one Baraca a mariner that was by the holy sacrifice deliuered from drowninge CHAITER LVII THat also which I haue hearde is knowne to manye to witt how one was by his enemies taken and putt in prison with irons vpon him for Oblation of sacrifice whom his wife caused vpon certaine daies sacrifice to be offered who longe tyme after returning home to his wife By this appeareth how auailable the holy sacrifice is tolde her vpon what daies his boltes vsed to fall of by whose relation she founde that it was vpon those very daies in which sacrifice had bin offered for him By an other thinge like wise which happened seaueÌ„ years since the verye same truthe is confirmed For when Agathus Bishop of Palermo as many faithfull and religious men both haue and still do tell me was in the tyme of my predecessor of blessed memory commanded to come to Rome The Bisshop of Rome coÌ„manded Bisshoppes of other countries and in his iornye fell into such a tempest at sea that he despaired of euer comming to lande The mariner of the shippe called Baraca who nowe is one of the clergy and serueth in the same churche gouerned an other small vessell tied to the poupe of the former shipp the roope whereof breaking in peeces awaye it went with man and all and amongest the huge mountaines of waters quickly vanished out of sighte The shipp in which the Bishop was after many great danugers at length arriued all weather beaten at the Ilande of Ostica and when three daies were past and the Bishop coulde heare no newes of the foresaide mariner that was so violently caried awaye with the storme nor see him in any part of the sea very sory he was and verily beleeued that he had bene drowned and so vpon great charity bestowed one thing vpon him being yet aliue which was not due vnto him vntill he was deade for he willed Sacrifice offered for the soules departed that the sacrifice of the healthfull oblation shoulde be offred vnto almighty God for the absolution of his soule which being done accordinglye and the shipp newe rigged awaye he departed for Italy where arriuing at Portua he founde the mariner aliue whom he verilye supposed to haue bene drowned vpon which goode chauÌ„ce altogether vnlooked for very glad he was and demanded of him how it was possible that he coulde escape so many daies in so great a daunger and so terrible a teÌ„pest who told him how in that storme he was tossed with that little shippe which he gouerned and how he did swimme with it being full of water and so often as it was turned vpside downe how he gat vpon the keele and helde fast there adding also that by striuing and laboring thus continuallye daye and nighte at lengthe with watchinge hunger his strengthe began to faile him and then he tolde how by the singular prouidence and mercye of God he was preserued from drowninge for as euen to this verye day he still affirmeth so then did he verifye the same to the Bishoppe telling him in this manner As I was quoth he striuing and labouring in the sea and my strengthe began to faile me suddainlye I became so heauy of minde that me thoughte I was neither waking nor yet a slepe and being in that case in the middest of the sea I sawe one come who broughte me breade to refreshe my tired bodye which so sone as I had eaten I recouered my strengthe againe and not longe after a shipp passing by toke me in and so was I deliuered from that danger of death and set safe a lande The Bishoppe hearing this inquired vpon what day this strange thing happened and he founde by his relation that it was that verye daye in which the Note how auailable the holy sacrifice is Priest in the Ilande of Ostica did sacrifice for him vnto God the hoast of the holy oblation Peter That which you report my selfe also hearde at my being in Sicily Gregory I for my part doe verily beleue that the reason why by Gods prouidence this thinge salâ—eth out thus apparantlye to them that be liuing and thincke nothing thereof is that al may knowe Some sinnes pardonable after death The holy sacrifice profiteth some after theire death how yf theire synnes be not irremissible that they may after death obtayne pardon and absolution for them by the oblation of the holy sacrifice But yet we haue here to note that the holy sacrifice doth profit those kinde of persons after theire death who in their life tyme obtayned that such goode workes as wereby their friendes done for theÌ„ might be auailable to their soules after they were out of this worlde OF THE VERTVE AND MYSTERYE of the holy sacrifice CHAPTER LVIII ANd here also we haue diligently to consider that it is far more secure and safe that euery man sâ—ould doe that for him selfe whiles he is yet aliue which he desireth that others should doe for him after his death For far more blessed it is to depart free out of this worlde then being in prison to seeke for release and therfore reason teacheth vs that we shoulde with our whole soule contemne this present worlde at least because we see that it is nowe gone and past and to offer vnto God the daily sacrifice of teares Note what was the daily sacrifice in the primatiue churche the dailye sacrifice of his bodye and blood For this sacrifice doth eâ—pe cially saue our soules from euerlasting damnation which in mystery doth renewe vnto vs the death of the sonne of God who althoughe being risen from death doth not nowe dy any more nor death shall not any further preuaile against him yet liuing in him selfe immortallie and without all corruption he is againe sacrificed for vs in this mysterye of the holy oblation for there his body is receiued there his fleshe The real â—presence is distributed for the saluation of the people there his bloode is not nowe shed betwixt the handes of infideâ—s but poured into the mouthes of the faithfull Wherefore
THE DIALOGVES OF S. GREGORIE SVRNAMED THE GREATE POPE OF ROME AND THE FIRST OF THAT NAME DIVIDED INTO fower Bookes WHEREIN He intreateth of the liues and miracles of the Saintes in Italie and of the eternitie of mens soules WITH A shorte treatise of sundry miracles wrought at the shrines of martyrs taken out of S. Augustin Together with a notable miracle wrought by S. Bernard in confirmation of diuers articles of religion Translated into our English tongue By P. W. Ecclesiastic cap. 1. v. 1. 2. A wise man will searche out the wisdome of all the auncient and keepe the sayinges of famous men Printed at Paris 1608. In earth longe life with happie state Queene Anne Christ Iesus sende In heauen that blisse amongst his Saintes Which neuer shal haue ende TO THE HIGHE AND EXCELLENT PRINCES ANNE BY GODS SINGVLAR prouidence Quene of greate Britâ—aine Fraunce and Irelande HAD the consideratioÌ„ of highe dignity most gratious Quone suggesting retiring thoughts more preuailed then the reports of your vertuous inclination inciting for warde neuer should I have presumed to make so meane a person knowne to so great Maiesty But the constant fame of your Princely partes and a soule not stouping to transitory toyes emboldened my feareful hart hoping that with gratious countenance you will beholde the poore and rich present of your deuoted seruant poore in respect of that which my small ability affordeth but most rich in regarde of the thing it selfe being a rare iewell worthy of any Christian Prince and of none more then your most excellent person For to whom coulde so heauenly a pearle more iustly be presented then to your royall Highnes whose hart Gods grace so touched that wheÌ„ the glorious beames of an earthly paradise new kingdome first saluted it mounting aboue all corruptible creature and not complying in complements with this false flattering worlde thought rather vpon the perpetuall pleasure of the heauenly paradise and that kingdome which crowneth Queenes with the diuine diademe of eternall glory For I haue bene credibly enformed how at that very tyme in the middest of those meeting ioyes and the very thronge of those terrestriall pleasures you sent for out of England such principall bookes of piety and deuotion as were there to be founde A zeale verily commendable in the person of a meaner fortune admirable in the highnes of Princes whose eyes vsually the vanishing vapors of earthly coÌ„tent doe with false reflexion dazell deceiue but surpassing all common conceipt in such a spring-tide of the worlds flowing felicity God the inspirer of such heauenly cogitations contine we them with the fire of his diuine grace to the inflaming of your soule with his loue that you may with encrease of spirit walke for warde in that heauenly path and goe sal 83. from vertue to vertue vntill the God of gods be seene in Sion Many alas be the allurements which carry many a mayne from the following of vertue to the embracing of vice from the sweete seruice of Christ to the sowre seruitude of Belial yet none are in such daunger as Potentates and Princes whose florishing fortunes and transcendent soueraigntye commonly so bewitch the powers of the soule that present pleasure profered on all handes is prosecuted with full saile and future endlesse payne the dreadfull dregges of delights enchaunting cupp is not thought vpon or els spedily banished not to disturbe the tiranny of false felicity And that which is lamentable and deserueth an ocean of teares whereas priuate persons finde either friends that of charity doe or enemies that of malice will put them in minde of their errors and imperfections only the eminent dignity of Princes are exempted who meete with fewe friendes so faithfull that in any spirituall necâ—ssity whatsoeuer list to apply any such charitable corsiue not to incurre displeasure and fawning foes to many that with the pleasing venim of flattery will be ready to christen any vice by the name of vertue to gayne royall grace and fauour Holy Dauid though a man according to Gods hart yet was his court haunted with such vermin and his eares acquainted with the musicke of such Sirenes songs The wicked saith he haue Psal 118. v. 85. told me fables but not as thy lawe S. Iohn Baptist is not fouÌ„d in kinges houses and the text of Potent persons shall suffre potent Sapient 6. v. 7. paynes seldome soundeth in the Pallaces of Princes This being the dangerous estate of the worlds dearlings especially of Kinges Queenes passing necessary it is yf they desire froÌ„ the short variable pleasure of corruptible crownes to passe vnto the endlesse and immutable glory of an euerlasting kingdome that they should principally procure such faithful vertuous teachers to instruct theÌ„ in the way of truth and piety of whoÌ„ no suspition can be had that either priuate interest causeth theÌ„ to speake to please or any feare conceiued that they vse silence not to offende such as be the spirituall bookes of auncieÌ„t and learned fathers whose liues for holy conuersatioÌ„ were gratious in the eyes of men and their deathes for the sweete smell of vertue pretious in the sight of God For these be they which far vnlike to many courting Chaplins that chaunt litle other euensonge then in the pleasing tune of placebo teach the way of truth without respect of persons giuing the same documents to great and sinall and without all distinction of dignity powre wine and oile into the woundes of our soules launcing the festered vlcers of obdurate and seared consciences and applying comfortable lenitiues and sweete salues to them that be of contrite harts of tender and timorous disposition For as much therefore as diuine grace that inspired into your soule that heavenly resolution as to seeke for such spirituall masters as may without all feare of erronious direction guide you in the sea of this worlde where not only the surging waues of aduersity but much more the swete gale of delighting prosperity is dangerous to the barbour of true repose and happy tranquillity to whom more worthily coulde I present this rare ie well of glorious Saint Gregories Dialogues entreating of the miraculous liues of diuers renowned Saints then to the Princely person of your Maiesty wherein you may beholde the faith of the Primitiue Church to which by him our couÌ„try was first couÌ„erted and in which so many Kinges and Queenes your predecessours through the current of diuers happy ages gloriously ended their dayes where in also you may finde so many heauenly lessons very delightfull to reade and passing profitable to practise viewe great numbers of familiar examples of diuers holy persons and see the comfortable endes sweete deathes and soueraigne rewardes of Gods seruantes rauishing our soules with the loue of vertue and drawing our thoughts from the shorte vncertayne and false ioyes of this worlde to the serious cogitation of the eternall permanent and true delight of the worlde to come and that in a most
discontentement and dislike coÌ„cerninge suche secular affaires mighte plainely shewe them selues and all thinges that vsually bringe griefe mustered togither mighte frelye be presented before myne eies in whiche place after that I had satt a longe while in much silence and great sorrowe of soule at lengthe Peter my deere sonne and deacon came vnto me a man whom from his yonger yeres I had alwaies loued most intierelye and vsed him for my companion in the studye of sacred scripture who seing me drowned in such a dompe of sorrowe spake vnto me in this manner what is the matter or what bad newes haue you heard for certaine I am that some extraordinarye sadnes doth nowe afflicte your mynde To whom I returned this answere ô Peter the griefe wich continually I endure is vnto me both olde and newe olde throughe common vse and newe by daily encreasinge For myne vnhappye soule wounded with worldly busines doth nowe call to mynde in what state it was when I liued in myne Abbeye howe then it was superior to all earthly matters far aboue all transitory and corruptible pelfe howe it did vsuallye thincke vpon nothinge but heauenlie thinges and thoughe is was enclosed in mortal bodye yet did it by contemplation passe far beyonde earthly boundes and penetrat to the very height of heauene and as for death the memorye wherof is almost to all men grieuous that it did loue and desire as the ende of all miserye the rewarde of her labors and the very entraunce to an euerlastinge and blessed life But nowe by reason of my pastoral charge my poresoule is enforced to endure the burden of secular mens busines after so excellent and swete a kinde of rest defiled it is with the dust of worldlye conuersation and when it doth at the request of others attende to outwarde affaires no question but it returneth backe far lesse fitt to thincke vpon those that be inward spiritual and heauenly Wherfor at this present do I meditat what I suffer and consider what my soule hath lost and the memorye of my former losse doth make that more grieuous which I do nowe eÌ„dure For do you not be holde at this present howe I am tossed with the waues of this wicked world and see the shipp of my soule beaten with the storms of a terrible tempest and therfor wheÌ„ I remeÌ„ber my former state of life I caÌ„ not but sighe to looke backe cast myneâ—eies vpon the forshaken shore And that which doth yet greiue me more is bycause I see my selfe so carried awaye amayne with the boisterous blastes of this troublesom worlde that I can not nowe scarse beholde the porte from whence I did first hoise saile for such be the downe falles of our soule that first it loseth that goodnes and vertue which before it possessed yet so that it doth still remember what it hath lost but afterwarde carried awaye more and more and strayinge further from the pathe of vertue it coÌ„meth at lenghte to that passe that it doth not so muche as keepe in mynde what before it did daily practise so in conclusion it falleth out as I said before that saylinge further on we go at length so far that we do not so muche as once beholde the swete harbor of quiet peace from whence we first sett forth Sometyme also my sorrowe is encreased by remembringe the liues of certain notable meÌ„ who with theire whole soule did vtterlye forsake and abaÌ„done this wicked worlde whose highe perfectioÌ„ when I beholde I can not also but see myne owne infirmities and imperfection verye many of whom did in a contemplatiue retired kinde of life much please God and least by dealing with transitory busines they mighte haue decaied in vertue Gods goodenes voutsafed to fre theÌ„ from the trobles affaires of this wretched worlde But that which I haue nowe saide will be far more plaine and the better perceiued yf the residue of my speche be dialogue wise distinguished by setting downe eache of our names you askinge what you shal thincke conuenient I byanswere giuing satisfaction to such questioÌ„s as you shall demande at my handes Peter I do not remember any in Italye that haue bene verye famous for vertue and therfor ignorant I am who they be that comparinge your life to theres yowe shoulde be so muche inflamed to imitate theire steppes for althoughe I make no doubte but that there haue bene many goode men yet do I verily thincke that none of theÌ„ wroughte any miracles or at least they haue bene hitherto so buryed in silence that whether any suche thing hath bene done or no not any one man can tell Gregorye Yf I sholde Peter but report onlye those thinges wich my self alone haue vnderstoode by the relation of vertuous and credible persons or els learned by my selfe concerninge the life and miracles of perfect and holy men I sholde soner in myne opinion lacke daye to talke in then matter to speake of Peter Desirous I am that yowe wolde vouchsafe to make me partaker of some of them and not to thincke much yf vpon so goode an occasion you interrupt your other studie of inter pretinge the scripture because no lesse edification doth growe by the relation of miracles For as by the exposition of that we learne howe vertue is to be founde and kepte so by recountinge the miracles of holy meÌ„ we knowe how that wich is founde out and possessed is declared and made manifest to the worlde And some there are that be soner moued to the loue of God by vertuous The profit of sainctes liuâ—s examples then by godly sermons and ofâ—eÌ„tymes by the liues of holy fathers the heart doth reape a doble commoditye for yf by comparing of his owne life with theirs he findeth him selfe inflamed with the loue of heauen althoughe before he had haply a goode opinion of him selfe yet seing novve hovve far others do excell him he becommeth also more humble and is broughte to haue a more lowly conceipte of his owne actions and vertue Gregory Such thinges as venerable and holy men haue tolde me I will now without any further delay make you partaker of and that following the example of sacred scripture for sure I am that S. Luke and S. Marcke learned that gospel which they wrot not by sighte but by the relation of others yet lest any in reading sholde haue occasioÌ„ to doubte whether such thinges as I write be true or no I will sett dovvne by vvhat meanes and of vvhom I haue learned them yet in some of them yow haue to knovv that I remember not all the particulars but only the matter in other some both the matter and also the vvordes And besides yf I sholde haue bene so curious as to haue kept in mynde each mans particular vvordes many vttered after the countrye manner vvolde haue made the stile of my discourse nothinge handsome nor semelye That story vvhich I meane first to begin vvith I had by
and mad sounde by S. Bennet 2. How he ouercame a great carnâ—l tentation 3. How he brake a glas with the signe of the crosse 4. How he cured a moncke that had an idle and wandring minde 5. How by praier he mad water to springe out of a rocke in the topp of a mountaine 6. How he caused an yron bill to come againe into the handle from the bottom of the water 7. How his scholler Maurus walked vpon the water 8. How he mad a crowe to carye a loafe far of that was poisoned 9. How he remoued an huge stone by his praiers 10. Of the fantastical fire of the kâ—tchin 11. How a little boye a moncke was slaine with the ruine of a wall restored to life 12. Of certaine monckes that eate meate contrarye to thiere rule 13. How the hoâ—ye man knewe by reuelation that the brother of ValeÌ„tinian the moÌ„ke had eaten in his iornye 14. How the couÌ„ter faitinge of kinge Totilas was discouered 15. How the holy man did prophecye to the same kinge 16. How he dispossessed a clergye man of a deuil 17. How he did prophecye of the destruction of his owne Abbey 18. How by reuelation he vnderstode of the stolne slaggon of wine 19. How by reuelation he knewe that a monke had receiued certaine napkins 20. How he likewise knewe the proude thoughte of one of his owne monkes 21. How in the tyme of a dearthe two hundred busshels of meale was founde before his cell 22. How by vision he gaue order for the buildinge of the Abbey of Terracina 23. How certaine Nunnes were absolued after thiere death 24. How a certaine monke was cast out of his graue 25. How a monke forsakinge his Abbey was encountred by a dragon 26. How he cured one of a leprosye 27. How miraculously he prouided money for one that was in debte 28. How a cruet of glasse was throwne vpon the stones and not broken 29. How an emptye barrel was miraculouslye filled with oile 30. How a monke was dispossessed of a deuil 31. How a countrye man pinioned was by his only sighte loosed 32. How a deade man was restored to life 33. Of a miracle wroughte by his sister Scolastica 34. How and in what manner he sawe his sisters soule goinge out of her bodye 35. How in vision he sawe the world represented before his eies and of the soule of Germanus Bishope of Capua 36. How he wrot the rule of his order 37. How he fortolde the tyme of his deathe 38. How a mad woman lyinge in his caue was cured THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF S. Bennet THERE was a man of Benedictus signifieth Blessed venerable life blessed by grace and blessed in name for he was called Benedictus or Bennet who from his yonger yeres carried alwaies the mynde of an olde man for his age was inferior to his vertue all vaine pleasure he contemned and thoughe he were in the worlde and mighte freelye haue enioyed such commodities as it yeldeth yet did he nothinge esteme it nor the vanities thereof He was borne in the prouince of Nursia of Honorable Parentage and broughte vp at Rome in the study of humanitye But for as much as he sawe many by reason of such learninge to fall to dissolut and and leude life he drewe backe his foote which he had as it were nowe set forth into the worlde least entring to far in acquaintance therewith he likewise mighte haue fallen into that daungerous and godlesse gulphe wherfore giuinge ouer his booke and forsakinge his fathers house welth with a resolute minde only to serue God he soughte for some place where he mighte attaine to the desire of his holy purpose and in this sorte he departed instructed with learned ignorance and furnished with vnlearned wisdom All the notable thinges and actes of his life I could not learne but those fewe which I mynde nowe to reporte I had by the relation of fower of his disciples to witt of Constantinus a most rare and reuerent man who was next Abbot after him Of Valentinianus who many yeres had the charge of the Lateran Abbey Of Simplicius who was the thirde Generall of his order and lastly of Honoratus who is nowe Abbote of that monastery in which he first began his holy life HOVV HE MADE A BROKEN suâ—ue hole and founde CHAPTER I. BEnnet hauinge nowe giuen ouer the schole with a resolute minde to leade his life in the wildernes his nurse alone which did tenderly loue him woloe not by any meanes giue him ouer CoÌ„myng therfore to a place called Enside and remayning there in the churche of S. Peter in the companye of other vertuous men which for charity â—iued in that place it fell so out that his nurse borrowed of the neighbours a sieue to make cleane wheate which being left negligently vpon the table by chaunce it was broken in two pieces wherevpon she fell pitifully a weepinge because she had borrowed it The deuout and religious youth Bennet seeing his nurse so lamenting moued vvith compassion tooke avvay vvith him both the pieces of the sieue and vvith tears fell to his praiers and after he had done rising vp he founde it so vvhole that the place coulde not be seene vvhere before it was broken and comminge straight to his nurse and comforting her vvith goode wordes he deliuered her the sieue safe and sounde which miracle was knowne to all the inhabitantes thereabout and so much admired that the townese-men for a perpetuall memorye did hange it vp at the churche dore to the ende that not only meÌ„ then liuinge but also thiere posteritye mighte vnderstaÌ„de how greatly â—ods grace did worck with him vpoÌ„ his first renouncinge of the worlde The sâ—eue coÌ„tinewed there many yeres after eueÌ„ to these verye troubles of the Lombardes where it did hange ouer the churche dore But Bennet desiringe rather the miseries of the worlde then the praises of men rather to be wearied with labour for Gods sake then to be exalted with transitorye commendation fled priuily from his nurse and went into a deserte place called Sublacum distant almost fourtye miles from Rome in which there was a fountaine springinge forth coole and clere water the abundaÌ„ce whereof doth first in a broade place make a lake and afterwarde runninge forwarde commeth to be a riuer As he was trauailinge to this place a certaine monke called Romanus met him and demanded whether he went and vnderstandinge his purpose Habit of monkes he both kept it close furthered him what he mighte vested him with the habit of holy conuersation and as he coulde did minister and serue him The man of God Bennet comminge to this foresaide place lined there in a An Hermiteslife straighte caue where he continewed three yeres vnknowne to all men except to Romanus who liued not far of vnder the rule of Abbot Theodacus and very vertuouslye did steale certaine houres and likewise sometyme a loafe giuen for his owne prouision
expected and therfore the valiāt soldiar of Christ wolde not be kept within wals but soughte for a larger fielde where he mighte more freely labour for his master And so in like manner you shall quickly perceiue yf you marcke well that venerable Bēnet forsooke not so many in one place that were vnwilling to be taughte as he did in sundry other places raise vp from the death of soule many more that were willing to be instructed Peter It is so as you say and plaine reason teacheth it and the example of S. Paul alleaged doth confirme it But I beseeche you to returne vnto your former purpose and to prosecut the life of the holy man Gregory When as Gods seruant dayly encreased in vertue and became continually more famous for miracles many were by him in the same place drawne to the seruice of almighty God so that by Christes assistance he built there twelue Abbeis ouer which Building of Abbeis he appointed gouernors and in eache of them placed twelue monkes and a fewe he kept with him selfe namely such as he thoughte wolde more profitt and◠be better instructed by his owne presence At that tyme also many noble and religious men of Rome Yong children brought vp in a monastical life came vnto him and committed thiere children to be btoughte vp vnder him for the seruice of God Then also Euicius deliuered him Maurus and Tertullius the Senator broughte Placidus beinge thiere sonnes of great hoope towardnes of which two Maurus grovvinge to great vertue began to be his masters coadiutor but Placidus as yet was but a boy of tender yeres HOVV BENNET REFORMED A monke that wold not stay at his praiers CHAPTER IIII. IN one of the monasteries which he had built in those partes a monke there was which coulde not cōtinewe at prayers for when the other monkes kneeled downe to serue God his manner was to go forth and there with wandring minde to busy him selfe about some earthly and transitorye thinges And when he had bene often by his Abbot admonished of this fault without any amendment at length he was sent to the mā of God who did likewise very muche rebuke him for his folly yet notwithstanding returning backe agayne he did scarse two daies followe the holy mans admonitiō for vpon the thirde day he fel againe to his old custome wolde not abide within at the tyme of praier worde whereof being once more sent to the mā of God by the father of the Abbey whō he had there appointed he returned him answer that he wold come him selfe reforme what was amisse which he did accordingly it fell so out that when the singinge of psalmes was ended and the howre come in which the monkes betooke them selues to praier the holy man perceiued that the monke which vsed at that tyme to goe forth was by a little blacke boye drawne out by the skirte of his garment vpon which sighte he spake secretly to Pompeianus father of the Abbey and also to Maurus saying Do you not see who it is that draweth this monke from his praiers and they answered him that they did not Then let vs pray quoth he vnto God that you also may beholde whom this monke doth follovve and after tvvo daies Maurus did see him but Pompeianus could not Vpon an other day vvhen the man of God had ended his deuotions he vvent out of the oratorye vvhere he founde the foresaide monke standinge idle vvhom for the blindenes of his hart he strooke with a little vvand and from that day forvvarde he vvas so freed from all allurement of the little blacke boye that he remayned quietly at his praiers as other of the monkes did for the olde enemye was so terrified that he durst not any more suggest any such cogitations as though by that blowe not the monke but him selfe had bene strooken OF A FOVNTAINE THAT sprunge forth in the topp of a mountaine by the praiers of the man of God CHAPTER V. AMongest the monasteries which he had built in those partes three of them were situated vpon the rockes of a mountaine so that verye painfull it was for the monkes to go downe and fetche water especially because the side of the hill was so steepe that there was great feare of danger and therefore the monkes of those Abbeis with one consent came vnto the seruant of God Bennet giuinge him to vnderstande how laborious it was for them daily to go downe vnto the lake for water therfore they added that it was very necessarye to haue them remoued to some other places The man of God comfortinge them with swete wordes caused them to returne backe againe and the next nighte hauing with him only the little boy Placidus of whom we spake before he ascended vp to the rocke of that mountaine and continewed there a longe tyme in praier and when he had done he toke three stones laide them in the same place for a marcke so none of them being priuy to that he had done he returned backe to his owne Abbey And the next daye when the foresaide monkes came againe about thiere former busines he saide thus vnto them Go your vvaye to the rocke and in the place where you finde three stones laide one vpon an other digge a little hole for almighty God is able to bringe forth vvater in the topp of that mountaine and so to ease you of that great labour vvhich you take in fetching it so farr avvay they vvent and came to the rocke of the mountaine according to his direction vvhich they founde as i◠vvere svveating droppes of vvater and after they had vvith a spade made an hollovve place it vvas straighte vvaies filled and vvater flovved out so abundantly that it doth plentifully euen to this day springe out and runne downe from the topp to the verye bottom of that hill HOVV THE YRON HEADE OF a bill from the bottom of the water returned to the handle againe CHAPTER VI. AT an other tyme a certaine Goth poore of spirit that gaue ouer the worlde was receiued by the man of God whom on a day he commanded to take a bill and to clense a certaine plott of grounde from briers for the makinge of a gardin which grounde was by the side of a lake The Goth as he was there labouringe by chance the heade of the bill slipt of and fell into the water which was so depe that there was no hope euer to get it againe The poore Gothe in great feare ran vnto Maurus and told him what he had lost confessing his owne fault and negligence Maurus forth with went to the seruaunt of God giuing him to vnderstande thereof who came straighte waies to the lake and toke the handle out of the Gothes hande and putt it into the water and the yron heade by and by ascended from the bottom and entred againe into the handle of the bill which he deliuered to the Gothe sayinge Beholde here is thy bill againe
the mountaine not touching Marcius caue did skipp cleane ouer and auoidinge as it were to hurt Gods seruaunt it fell far of which thinge no man can doubte but that it was done by the handes of Angels at the commandement of almighty God At such tyme as this holy man came first to inhabit that mountaine and had not yet made any dore for his caue he fastned the one ende of an yron chaine to the stony wall and the other he tied to his legge to the end he mighte goe no further then the length of that chaine did giue him leaue which thinge the reuerent man Bennet hearinge of sent him this worde by one of his monkes yf thowe be Gods seruant let the chaine of Christ not any chaine of yron holde the vpon this message Marcius forthwith loosed his chaine yet did he keepe still the same compasse and goe no further then he did before Liuinge afterwarde in the same caue he began to entertaine certaine disciples which dwelt apart from his cell who hauing no other water but that which with a rope and a bucket they drewe out of a well great trouble they had because theire rope did often breake and therfore they came vnto him crauinge that chaine which he had loosed from his legge that they mighte tye the rope to that and fasten the bucket vpon it and from that tyme forwarde thoughe the rope was daily wett with Vertue of relickes water yet did it breake no more for hauing touched the holy mans chaine it became stronge like vnto yron so that the water did not weare it nor do it any harme Peter These worthy actes of his doe please me seinge they are straunge that very much because they were so lately done and be yet freshe in memorye HOVV A MONKE OF MOVNTE Argentario raised vp a deade man CHAPTER XVII Gregory NOt longe since in our tyme a certain man called Quadragessimus was Subdeacoâ— in the churche of Buxentin who in tymes past kept a flocke of sheepe in the same countrye of Aurelia by whose faithfull reporte I vnderstoode a maruailous strange thinge which is this At such tyme as he lead a sheapherdes life there was an holy maÌ„ that dwelt in the mountaine of Argentario whose religious conuersation and inward vertue was answerable to Habit of monkes the habit of a moÌ„ke which outwardly he did weare Euerye yeare he trauailed Pilgrimage from his mountaine to the churche of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and S. Peter Prince of the Apostles in the waye tooke this Quadragessimus house for his lodginge as him selfe did tell me Comminge vpon a daye to his house which was harde by the churche a poore womans husbande died not far of whom when they had as the manner is washed put on his garmentes and made him ready to be buried The manner of burieng in Italye yet it was so late that it could not be done that daye wherfore the desolat widowe satt by the deade corps weepinge all nighte longe and to sasatisfye her griefe she did continually lament and crye out The man of God seeinge her so pitifully to weepe and neuer to giue ouer was nuche grieued and saide to Quadragesimus the Subdeacon my soule taketh compassion of this womans sorrowe arise I beseche you and let vs praye and therevpon they went to the churche which as I said was harde by and fel to theire deuotions And when thy had praied a good while the seruaunt of God desired Quadragessimus to conclude theire praier which beeinge done he tooke a little dust from the side of the altar and so came with Quadragessimus to the dead bodye and there he began againe to praye and when he continewed so a longe tyme he desirede him not as he did before to conclude theire praiers but him selfe gaue the blessing and so rose vp and because he had the dust in his righte hande with his left he tooke awaye the cloth that couered the deade mans face which the woman seeing earnestlie withstoode him and maruailed much what he ment to do when the cloth was gone he rubbed the deade mans face a goode while withe the dust which he had taken vp and at length he that was deade receiued his soule againe began to open his mouth and his eies and to sitt vp and as thoughe he had awaked from a deepe sleepe maruailed what they did about him which when the woman that had weried her selfe with cryinge behelde she began then a freshe to weepe for ioye and crye out far louder then she did before but the man of God modestlye forbad her sayinge Peace goode woman and say nothinge and yf any demaunde howe this happened say only that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath vouchsafed to worcke his pleasure Thus he spake and forthwith he departed from Quadragessimus and neuer came to his house againe For desirous to auoide all temporall honour he so handled the matter that they which sawe him worcke that miracle did neuer see him more so longe as he liued Peter What other thincke I knowe not but myne oplnion is that it is a miracle aboue all miracles to raise vp deade men and secretlye to call backe theire soules to giue life vnto theire bodies againe Gregory Yf we respecte outwarde and visible thinges of necessitye we must so beleeue but yf we turne our eies to inuisible thinges then certaine it is that it is a greater miracle by preaching of the worde vertue of praier to conuert a sinner then to raise vp a deade man for in the one that fleshe is raised vp which againe shall dye but in the other he is broughte from death which shall liue for euer For I will name you two and tell me in which of them as you thincke the greater miracle was wroughte The first is Lazarê° a true beleeuer whom our Lorde raised vp in fleshe the other is Saul whom our Lorde raised in soule For of Lazarus vertues after his resurrection we reade nothinge but after the raisinge vp of the others soule we are not able to conceiue what wonderful thinges be in holy scripture spoken of his vertues as that his most cruell thoughtes and designements were turned to the bowels of piety and compassion that he desired to dy for his brethen in whose death before he tooke muche pleasure That knowinge the holy scriptures perfectly yet professed that he knew nothinge els but Iesus Christ and him crucified That he did willingly endure the bearing of roddes for Christ whom before with sworde he did persecute That he was exalted to the dignitye of an Apostle yet willingly became a little one in the middest of other disciples That he was rapte to the secretes of the thirde heauen and yet did turne his eye of compassion to dispose of the dutye of married folkes sayinge Let the husband Corint render debt to the wife and the wife likewise to the husbande That he was busied in contemplatinge
for him selfe Sraighte after the Priest fell sicke and lay not longe before he departed this life and when his body was by the monkes broughte to the graue which he had prouided for him selfe they opened it and sawe that there was not any rome because the Abbots corps filled the whole place then one of them with a loude voice saide O father where is your promise that this graue sholde holde you bothe No soner had he spoken those wordes then the Abbots bodye which laye with the face vpward did in all theire sight turne it selfe vpon one side and so left place ynoughe for the buriall of the Priest and so after his death he performed what he promised aliue concerninge the lyinge of both theire bodies in that one graue But because we haue now made mention of S. Peters Abbey in the city of Preneste where this miracle happened are you content to heare somethinge of the S. Peter buried at Rome keepers of his churche which is in this citye where his most holy bodye remayneth Peter Most willinge I am and beseeche you that it may be so OF THEODORVS KEEPER OF S. Peters church in the city of Rome CHAPTER XXIIII Gregory THere be yet some aliue that knewe Theodorus keeper of that churche by whose reporte a notable thinge that befell him came to my knowledge For risinge somewhat early one nighte to mende the lightes that hunge by the dore and was vpon the ladder as he vsed to powre oile Burning laÌ„ppes in the churche into the lamppes suddainly S. Peter the Apostle in a white stoale standing beneath vpon the pauiment appeared vnto him and spake to him in this manner Theodorus why hast thow risen so earlye and when he had saide so he vanished out of his sighte but such a feare came vpon him that all the strengthe of his bodye did forsake him so that he was not able to rise vp from his bed for many daies after By which apparition what ment the blessed Apostle els but to giue those which serue him to vnderstande by that his presence that whatsoeuer they doe for his honour him selfe for theire rewarde doth alwaies behold it Peter I maruaile not so muche at his apparition as that beeinge before verye well he fell sicke vpon that sighte Gregory What reason haue you Peter to maruaile at that for haue you forgotten howe the prophet Daniell when he behelde that great and terrible vision at which he trembled speakethe thus of him selfe I became weake and was sicke for Daniel 8. verye many daies for the fleshe can not conceiue such thinges as pertaine to the spirit and therfore sometymes when a mans minde is caried to see somewhat beyonde it selfe no remedye but this earthly and fraile vessell of our not able to beare suche a burthen must fall into weakenes and infirmity Peter Your reason hath taken away that scruple which troubled my minde OF ABVNDIVS KEEPER OF the same churche of S. Peter CHAPTER XXV Gregory NOt verye many yeares since as olde men saye there was an other keeper of the same churche called Abundius a graue man and of great humility who serued God so faithfullye that the blessed Apostle S. Peâ—er did by miracle declare what opinion he had of his vertue For a certain yonge maide that frequented his churche was so pitifully sicke of the palsey that she crept vpon her handes and for very weakenes drewe her body vpon the grounde Longe tyme had she praied to S. Peter for helpe of this Praier to Sainctes her infirmitye who vpon a nighte in a vision stoode by her and spake thus Goe vnto Abundius and desire his helpe and he shall restore the to thine healthe The maide as she made no doubte of the vision so not knowinge this Abundius vp and downe she crepte throughe the church enquiringe for the man and suddainly mett with him whom she â—oughte for and askinge for him of him selfe he tolde her that he was Abundius Then quoth she Our pastor and patron blessed S. Peter the Sainctes knowe how our necessities Apostle hath sent me that you sholde helpe me of this my disease Yf you be sent by him quoth Abundius then rise vp and takinge her by the hande he forthwith lifted her vp vpon her feete and from that verie houre all the synowes and partes of her body became so stronge that no signe of her former malady remayned But yf I sholde recount all the miracles in particular which are knowne to haue bene done in his churche questionlesse no tyme wolde be lefte for the relation of any other wherfore I will speake no more of them but come to such holy men as haue bene famous in diuers other places of Italy OF A SOLITARYE MONKE called Menas CHAPTER XXVI NOt longe since in the prouince of Samnium there was a reuerent man called Menas who some ten yeares since led a solitary life and was knowne to many of our friendes and for the truthe of suche his notable actes as I shall reporte I will noâ— name any one author because I haue so many witnesses as there be men that knowe that prouince of Samnium This holy man had no other wealth to liue vpon but a fewe hiues of bees which a certaine Lombarde wolde nedes haue taken awaye for which cause the holy man reprehended him and by and by he fell downe before him and was tormented of a deuill vpon which accident his name became famous both to his neighbours and also to that barbarous nation so that none durst after that but in humilitye come into his cell Oftentymes also there came certaine beares out of the wood which was harde by to deuoure vp his hony whom he strook with a little stricke which he carried in his hande and the beares so feared his stripes that they wold roare out and runne away and they which little feared naked swordes were now affraide to be beaten by him with a small â—ande He desired not to possesse ought in this world nor to seeke for any thinge his maÌ„ner was by heauenly talke to inflame all such as of charity came to visit him with the desire and loue of eternall life And yf at any tyme he vnderstoode that others had committed any great synne he wolde neuer spare them but with true loue to theire soules reprehende them for theire faultes His neighbours and others also that dwelt farther of vsed vpon a custome euery one vpon certaine daies in the weeke to send him theire presentes and offringes to the ende he mighte haue somewhat to bestowe vpon suche as came to visit him A certaine man there was called Carterius who ouercome of filthy concupiscence violently tooke awaye a Nunne and Mariage of Nunnes vnlawful by vnlawfull matrimonye made her his wife which thinge so sone as the man of God vnderstoode he sent him by suche as he could that message which his facte deserued The man guiltye in his conscience of that wickednes which
he had coÌ„mitted durst not him selfe go vnto Gods seruaunt fearing least as his manner was he wolde sharpelie haue rebuked him and therfore he sent his offringes amonge others that at least through ignorance he mighte receiue what he sent him But when all the offringes were broughte before him he satt still viewinge them all in particular and layinge the rest aside he tooke those which Carterius sent and cast them away sayinge Goe and tell him Thowe hast taken awaye Gods offringe and doest thowe sende me thine I will none of thy offringe because thou hast taken from God that which was his By which facte all that were present fell into a great feare perceiuinge that he could certainly tell what they did which were absent Peter Many suche men as he was mighte in myne opinion haue bene martirs yf they had liued in tymes of persecution Gregory There be Peter two kindes of martirdoms the one secret the other open for yf a man hath a burninge zeale in his minde to suffre death for Christe althoughe he endureth not any externall persecution yet hathe he in secret the merit of martirdome For that one may be a martir without suffringe death openly our Lorde doth teache vs in the Gospell who saide vnto the sonnes of Zebedeus desiringe as then throughe infirmitye of soule the principall places to sitt vpon in his kingdom Can you drincke the chalice which Math. 20 I shall drincke and when they answered that they coulde he saide to them bothe My chalice verily shall you drincke but to sitt at my righte hand or lefte is not myne to giue you in which wordes what is signified els by the name of chalice but the cupp of passion and death And seeinge we knowe that Iames was put to deathe for Christe and that Iohne died when the churche enioyed peace vndoubtedlye we do gather that one may be a martir without open suffringe for as much as he is saide to haue drunke our Lordes chalice who yet in persecution was not put to deathe But concerning those notable and excelleÌ„t men of whoÌ„ I haue made meÌ„tioÌ„ before why may we not truly say that yf they had fallen into a tyme of persecution they mighte haue bene martirs when as by enduringe the secret assaultes of the deuill and by louinge theire enemies in this worlde by resistinge all carnall desires and in that they did in theire harte sacrifice them selues to almighty God they were also martirs in the tyme of peace seeing that now in our daies we see that meane men and of secular life yea and euen those of whom one woulde haue supposed that they did little thincke of heauen haue by occasion of persecution obtained the glorious crowne of martirdome OF FOVRTYE COVNTRY HVSBAND men that were slaine by the Lombardes because they wold not eate fleshe sacrificed to idols CHAPTER XXVII FOr aboute fiftene yeres since as they report who mighte very well haue bene present fourtye husbande men of the countrie were taken prisonners by the Lombardes whom they wolde needes haue enforced to eate of that which was sacrificed to idols but when they vtterly refused so to do or so muche as once to touche that wicked meate then they threatned to kill them vnlesse they wolde eate it but they louinge more eternall then transitory life continued constant and so they were all slaine What then were these men what els but true martirs that mad choise rather to dy then by eatinge of that which was vnlawfull to offend theire creator OF A GREAT NVMBER OF prisoners 〈…〉 because they 〈…〉 goates heade CHAPTER XXVIII AT the same tyme the Lombardes hauing almost fower hundred prisoners in theire handes did after theire manner sacrifice a goates heade to the deuill running round about with it in a circle and by singing a most blasphemous songe did dedicate it to his seruice And when they had them selues with bowed heades adored it then wolde they also haue inforced theire prisoners to doe the like But a verye great number of them chosinge rather by death to passe vnto immortall life then by such abhominable adoration to preserue theire mortall bodies refused vtterly to do what they commanded them and so would not by any means bowe downe theire heades to a creature hauing alwaies done that seruice to theire creator whereat theire enemies in whose handes they were fell into such an extreme rage that they slewe all them with theire swordes which wolde not ioyne with them in that sacrilegious facte What maruaile then is it that those notable men before mentioned mighte haue come to martirdom had they liued in the dayes of persecution who in the tyme of peace by continuall mortification walked the straight waye of martirdome when as we see that in the storme of persecution they merited to obtaine the crowne of martirdome who the churche being quiet semed to walke the broade waye of this worlde yet that which we saye concerning the elect seruantes of God is not to be holden for a generall rule in all For when open persecution afflicteth the churche as most true it is that many may ariue to martirdom who when no such tempest did blowe seemed contemptible and of no account so likewise sometimes they fall awaye for feare who before persecution and when all was quiet semed to stand very constant but suche holy men as before haue bene mentioned I dare boldlye saye that they mighte haue bene martirs because we gather so muche by theire happy deathes for they could not haue fallen in open persecution of whom it is certaine that to the very ende of theire liues they did contynue in the profession of piet and vertue Peter It is as you saye but I muche wonder at the singular prouidence of Gods mercie which he sheweth to vs vnworthy wretches in that he doth so moderate and temper the crueltye of the Lombardes that he suffreth not theire wicked Priestes to persecute the faithe of Christians when as they see them selues as it were the conquerors and rulers of Christian people OF AN ARRIAN BISSHOP that was miraculously strooken blinde CHAPTER XXIX Gregory MAny Peter haue attempted that but miracles from heauen haue staied the course of theire cruelty and one wil I now tel you which I hearde three daies since of Bonifacius a monke of my Abbey who vntill these fower yeres last past remayned amongest the Lombardes An Arrian Bishop of theirs comminge to the citye of Spoleto and not hauinge any place where to exercise his religion demanded a churche of the Bishop of that towne which when he constantly denied him the Arian prelat tolde him that the nexte daye he wolde by force take possession of S. Paules churche which was harde by his lodginge The keeper of the churche vnderstanding this newes in all hast ranne thither shutt the dores and with lockes and boltâ— made them as fast as he Lampes burning â—n the â—hurche coulde and when 〈…〉 he put out all the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 him selfe
forthwith he sent his officers of execution to putt to death that most constant confessor in the verye prison where he lay which vnnaturall and blody commandement was performed accordingly for so sone as they came into the prison they claue his braynes with an hatchet and so bereaued him of mortall life hauinge only power to take that from him which the holy martir made small account of Afterwarde for the publishinge of his true glorye to the worlde there wanted not miracles from heauen for in the nighte tyme singinge was hearde at his bodye some also reporte that in the nighte burninge lampes were sene in that place by reason whereof his bodye as of him Worshippinge of martirs bodyes that was a martir was worthily worshipped of all christian people But the wicked father and murtherer of his owne sonne albeit he was sory that he had put him to deathe yet was not his griefe of that qualitye that it brought him to the state of saluation For althoughe he knewe verye well that the catholicke faithe was the truth yet for feare of his people he neuer deserued to be a professor thereof At length falling sicke a little before his deathe he commended his sonue Recharedus who was to succede him in the kingdome and was yet an hereticke vnto Bishop Leander whom before he had greatly persecuted that by his counsell and exhortation he mighte likewise make him a member of the catholicke churche as he had before made his brother Hermigildus and when he had thus done he departed this life After whose death Recharedus the kinge not followinge the steppes of his wicked father but his brother the martir vtterly renounced Arrianisme and laboured so earnestlye for the restoring of religion that he broughte the whole nation of the Visegothes to the true faithe of Christe and wolde not suffer any that was an hereticke in his country to beare armes and serue in the warres And it is not to be admired that he became thus to be a preacher of the true faith seing he was the brother of a martir whose Merit of martirs merites did helpe him to bringe so manye into the lapp of Gods churche wherein we haue to consider thaâ— he coulde neuer haue effected all this yf kinge Hermigildus had not died for the testimony of true religion for as it is written â—â—les the graine of wheat fallinge Iohan. 12. 〈◊〉 24. into the earthe doth dy it selfe remayneth alone but if it dy it bringeth forth muche fruite This we see to proue true in the members which before was verified in the heade for one died amongest the Visegothes that many mighte liue and of one graine that was sowne for the faithe a great croppe of faithefull people sprunge vp Peter A wonderfull thinge and much to be admired in these our daies OF CERTAINE BISHOPPES OF Africk who had theire tongues cut out by the Vandals that were Arrian heretickes for the defence of the catholike faithe and yet spake â—til as perfeâ—tlye as they did before CHAPTER XXXII Gregory LIkewise in the tyme of Iustinian the Emperâ—r when as the Vandals that were Arrian heretickes did grieuously perâ—ecute the catholicke faithe certaine Bishoppes continewing constant were opeâ—lye examined whom when the kinge of the Vandals sawe that he coulde neither by any wordes or rewardes drawe to imbrace his hereticall religion yet he thoughte that by tormentes he mighte doe it and therfore when he commanded them not to speake in defence of truthe and they refused to obey his precept least by silence they mighte seme to giue consent vnto wicked heresieâ— in a greate fury he commanded theire tongues to be cut out by the rootes A miraculous thinge and yet knowne to manye olde men they did as perfectlye afterwarde speake in defence of true religion as they did before when they had theire tongues safe and sounde Peter You tell me of a maruailous â—â—range thinge and greatly to be admired Gregory It is written Peter of the only sonne of the eternall father In the beginninge Ioh. 1. was the worde and the worde was with God Of whose vertue power it straighte waies followeth All thinges were made by him Why then shoulde we maruaile yf that eternall worde coulde â—â—eake without a tongue which made the tongue Peter What you say pleaseth me very well Gregory These Bishopes therfore flyinge at that tyme from the persecution came vnto the citye of Constantinople and at suche tyme as my selfe about the affaires of the churche was sent thither vnto the Emperor I founde there a Bishop of goode yeares who tolde me that he sawe them him selfe speake without tongues for they opened theire mouthes and saide Beholde and see howe we haue no tongues and yet doe speake for as he saide theire tongues being cutt of by â—he rootes there seemed as it were a deep hole in theire throate and yet thoughe theire mouthes were empâ—ye they pronounced theire wordes very plaine and distinctlye One of which falling afterwarde in that place into carnall synne was forthwith depriued of that supernaturall gifte and that by the iust iudgement of almighty God seing reason requireth that he which was carelesse to preserue the continencye of his body which he had shoulde not any longer vtter the wordes of truth without the tongue of his body which he had not But because I haue now spoken sufficient for the condemnation of Arrianisme therfore I will returne to entreate of such other miracles as haue lately fallen out here in Italy OF THE SERVANTE OF GOD Eleutherius CHAPTER XXXIII ELeutherius of whom I made mention before father of the abbey of the Euangelist S. Marcke which is in the suburbes of the citye of Spoleto liued longe tyme together with me in this city in my monasterye and there ended his daies Of whom his monkes doe reporte that by his teares he raised vpp one that was deade for he raised vpp one that was deade for he was a man of such simplicitye and compunction that no doubt but those teares comminge from his humble and simple soule were of force to obtaine many thinges of almighty God One miracle of his I will nowe tell you which him â—elfe beinge demanded by me did with great simplicity confesse As he was trauailinge vpon a certaine daye and not findinge at mighte any other place to lodge in he went to a Nunnery wherein there was a little boye which the wicked spirit did vsually euery nighte torment The Nunnes giuinge entertainement to the man of God desired him that the saide little boye mighte remaine with him all nighte where-with he was well content In the morninge the Nunnes diligently enquired of the father yf the childe had not bene sore troubled and tormented that nighte who maruailinge why they asked that question answered that he perceiued not any such thinge Then they tolde him howe a wicked spirit did euerye nighte pitifully afflict the childe and earnestly desireâ— him that he wolde take him home to his owne Abbey
and afterwarde that which was weâ— beneath Peter Yoâ—r discourse pleaseth me very well but seinge you haue nowe â—olde me of that reuerent man Eleutherius and his great grace of compunction desirous I am to knowe whether there be now any such men liuinge in the worlde OF AMANTIVS A PRIEST in â—he prouince of Tuscania CHAPTER XXXV Gregory FLoridus Bishoppe of Tiuolye a man as your selâ—â— knoweth very well of holy life worthy to be credited tolde me that he had dwellinge with him a certaine Priest called Amantius of maruailous simplicitye who like vnto the Apostles had such a grace giuen him of God that laying his hand vpon them that were sicke he restored them to theire former healthe and although the disease were verye great and daungerous yet vpon his touchinge did it forthwith departe Moreouer he saide that he had also this miraculous giâ—te that wheresoeuer he founde any serpeÌ„tes or snakes though neuer so cruel yet did he with the signe of the crosse dispatch and kill them for by vertue Miracles wrougâ—te by the signe of the crossâ—â— of the crosse which the man of God made with his haÌ„de theire bowels did breake and they suddainly dye and yf by chaunce the snake gaâ—t into any hole then did he with the sâ—gnâ— of the crosse blesse the mouthe thereof and it wroughte the same effecte for any mighte straighte-waies finde it there deade My selfe hauing vnderstandinge of this great grace bestowed vpon him was desirous to see him and when he was broughte vnto me I caused him to be lodged in a chamber amongest the sicke men thereby to trye what his gifte was in curing of diseases At that tyme there was one amongest them beside him selfe being fallen into a phrensy who one nighte did so crye out like a mad man that with his noise he disquâ—eted all the rest that were sicke so that they coulde not sleepe or take any rest and so it feâ—l out verye straungely that one being yll all the rest fared the worse But as I had before learned of the reuerent Bishop Floridus who was at that tyme there present with the saide Priest and afterward also plainly vnderstoode of him that attended that nighte vpon the sicke persons the foresaide venerable Priest risinge out of his bedd went softlye to the place where the mad man lay and there praied layinge his handes vpon him wherevpon the man became somewhat better Then he carried him awaye vnto the higher part of the house into the oratorye where more plentifully he praied vnto God for his recouerye and straight after he broughte him backe againe to his owne bed safe and sounde so that he cried out no more neither troubled any of the other sicke persons By which one facte of his I had sufficient reason to giue credit to all the rest that before had bene told me Peter A great edification it is to see men worckinge such notable miracles and to beholde as it were vpon earth heauenly Ierusalem in her citizens OF MAXâ—MIANVS BISHOP of Syracusis CHAPTER XXXVI Gregory NEither â—s that miracle to be passed ouer with silenâ—e which almighty God vouchsaâ—ed to worcke by his seruant Maximianus now Bishop of Syracusis but then the father and gouernor nor of myne abbey For at such tyme as I was vpon the commandement of my Bishop sent to Constantinople to the Emperour about affaires of the churches the same reuerent man Maximianus vpon charitye with other of his monkes came thither vnto me who in his returne homewarde to Rome fel into a great tempest vpon the Adriake sEa in which both him selfe and all those that were in his companye after a most straunge and miraculous manner tasted both of the indignation and fauour of alighty God For the sea did so rage with the furye of the windes that they had speÌ„t theire â—â—ast the sailes floated vpon the waues and the ship beaten and torne with boisterous billowes did leake water so fast that it was nowe come to the vpper decke in such sorte that the shippe seemed not so muche to be in the waters as the waters in the shippe The mariners and passengers trobled with the feare of death not as a thinge far of but euen present before theire eies voide of all hoope of this life prepared them selues for the Roseruâ—tion of the B. Sacrament next and so mutuall giuing the pax or kisse of peace one to an other they receiued the body and bloude of our Sauiour commendinge them selues to almighty God that he wolde vouchsafe mercifully to receiue theire soules who had deliuered theire bodies to so fearefull a deathe but God who had wonderfully terified theire mindes did more wonderfully preserue theire liues For the same shippe althoughe full of water yet did it holde on her course for eighte daies together and vpon the ninthe it arriued at the porte of Cothronum and when all the rest were safely gone out then last of all the reuerent man Maximianus went also forth and no soner was he vpon lande then the shippe suncke in the hauene as thoughe by theire departure it had wanted that which did preserue it and whereas before being at sea it was full of men and carried also abundance of water and yet sailed onwarde now when Maximianus with his monkes were landed it coulde not in the hauen carrye the waters alone whereby God gaue them to vnderstande that when it was laden him selfe with his diuine hande did gouerne and preserue it seing when it was empty it could not for a small tyme contynue aboue the water OF SANCTVLVS A PRIEST IN the Prouince of Nursia CHAPTER XXXVII ABout fourty daies since you saw with me one called Sanctulus a reuerent Priest who euerye yere came vnto me out of Nursia but three daies agoe a certaine monke comminge from those partes broughe me very heauye newes of his deathe The holy life and vertue of which man was such that althoughe I can not but fetche sweete sighes when I remember it yet now I may without all feare reporte and publishe to the world such miracles as I haue learned by the relation of very vertuous holy Priestes that were his neighbours and and amongest dare friendes familiaritye causeth one to presume muche in charitye oftentymes my selfe did so courteouslye vrge him that he was inforced to tell me some small miracles which him selfe had done Certaine Lombardes beinge vpon a tyme pressinge of oliues to make oile Sanctulus as he was both mery in countenance and harte came vnto them and saluted them pleasantlye and shewinge them his bottle which he broughte rather vvilled then desired them to fill it with oile But they being infidels and hauinge laboured al daye in vaine and not pressed out any oile at all tooke his wordes in yll parte and gaue him very bad speche but the man of God notwithstandinge this spake vnto them yet with a more mery to do me a goode turne you will fill this bottle for Sanctulus and
which is by the church of the blessed Apostle S. Peter where she liued for the space of many yeares in praier and simplicitye of harte and bestowed almes plentifullye vpon needy and poore people At lengthe when almightye God determined to bestowe vpon her an euerlasting rewarde he sent her a canker in one of her brestes Two candles she had vsually in the nighte tyme burninge before her bed for louing lighte she did not only hate spirituall darckenes but also corporall One nighte lying sore afflicted with this her in firmitye she sawe S. Peter standing before her bed betwixt the two candlestickes and being nothing affraide but glad loue giuing her courage thus she â—pake vnto him How is it my Lorde what are my sinnes forgiuen me to whom as he hath a most gratious countenaÌ„ce he bowed downe a little his heade and saide Thy sinnes are forgiuen the come and sollowe me but because there was an other Nunne in the Monasterye which Galla loued more then the rest she straight-waies beseeched him that sister Benedicta might goe with her to whom he answered that she could not then come but an other sholde and as for her quoth he whom you now request thirtye daies hence shall she follow you and when he had thus saide he vanished out of her sighte After whose departure she straighte-wayes called for the mother of the Conuent and tolde her what she had sene and hearde and the thirde daye following both she and the other before mentioned departed this life and she also whose company Galla desired the thirtith daye after dâ—d follow them The memory of which thinge continueth still fresh in that Monasterye so that the Nunnes which novve liue there receiuing it by tradition from theire predecessors can tell euerye little pointe thereof as thoughe they had bene present at that tyme when the miracle happened OF THE DEPARTVRE OF A poore man sicke of the palsey called Seruulus CHAPTER XIIII HEre also we haue to knowe that often tymes at the death of Gods seruauntes heauenly musicke is hearde to the end that whiles they giue willing eare to that melodye the soule may haue no leysure to feele when it departeth from the bodye For I remember that in my Homelies Homelia 15. vpon the Gospell I tolde howe in that porche which is in the waye to S. Clements Churche there laye a certaine man called Seruulus whom I doubt not but you also do remember who as he was poore in welth so riche in merites This man had longe Merâ—â— tyme bene aâ—â—cted with sickenes for from the first tyme that I knew him to the very last hour oâ— his 〈◊〉 neuer can I remember but that he was sicke of the palsey and that so pitifully that he could not stande nor sitt vp iâ— his bedd neither was he euer able to putt his hande vnto his mouth or to turne from one side to the other His mother and brethren did serue and attende him and what he gott in almes that by theire handes he bestowed vpon other poore people Reade he coulde not yet did he buye the holy scriptures which verye carefull ye he caused such religious men as he entertained to read vnto him by meanes whereof according to his capacitie thoughe as I saide he knewe not a letter of the booke yet did he fullye learne the holy scripture Very carefull he was in his sicknes alwaies to giue God thanckes and day and nighte to praise his holy name When the tyme was come in which God determined to rewarde this his great patience the paine of his bodye strooke inwardlye to his harte which he feeling and knowing that his last houre was not far of called for all such strangers as lodged in his house desiring them to sing hymnes with him for his last far well and departure out of this life and as he was him selfe singing with them all on a suddaine he cried out a loude and bad them be silent sayinge do ye not heare the great and wonderfull musicke which is in heauen and so whiles he lay giuing of care within him selfe to that diuine harmonye his holy soule departed this mortall life at which tyme all that were there present felt a most pleasaunt and fragrant smell whereby they perceiued howe true it was that Seruulus saide A monke of myne who yet liueth was then present and with many teares vseth to tel vs that the sweetnes of that smell neuer went awaye but that they felt it continually vntill the tyme of his buriall OF THE DEPARTVRE OF a Nunne called Romula CHAPTER XV. IN the same Homilyes I remember likewise howe I tolde a certayne thinge which Speciosus my fellowe Priest doth also verify to be most true At such tyme as I entred into religion there dwelt in this city neare to the church of our blessed Lady a certaine old woman called Redempta liuinge in the habit of a Nunne Habit of Nunne a disciple of that Hirundina which was famous for vertue and lead an eremiticall life as they saye in the mouutaines Eremites and oremitical life by the city of Preneste This foresaide Redempta had two scollers which ware the same habit that she did the one called Romula and the name of the other vvhich yet liueth I can nortel thoughe by sighte I knovve her very vvell These three together in one little house liued a poore life yet riche for pietye and vertue and of these tvvaine Romula far excelled the other in meritt of life for she vvas a vvoman of maruailous patience passing obedient a great obseruer of silence and one that vvith greate zeale bestovved her tyme in continuall praier But because it often falleth out that they vvhom the vvorlde thincke to be perfect haue yet in the eies of almighty God some imperfection as many tymes vnskillfull men do commende seales of armes as excellently vvell engrauen vvhich yet the cunninge vvorckeman doth better consider and laboureth to make more perfect this foresaide Romula fell into such a pitifull palsye that she was faine to keepe her bedd where she laye depriued almost of all the vse of her members which great crosse notwithstanding drewe her not to any impatience but rather the sicknes of her bodye was the health of her soule and the cause of her greater increase in vertue for the lesse she could doe in other thinges the more she did in praier and deuotion Vpon a certaine nighte she called for Redempta who as I sayde brought them both vp as her daughters saying Come mother come mother who straighte-waies with her other disciple rose vp and as my selfe and many more haue heard it from theire owne mouthes when they were about midnighte by her beddes side suddainlye there came a lighte from heauen which filled all that cell and such a brightenes there appeared that it put them both into a vvonderfull feare and as them selues did aftervvarde report all theire bodye became colde in such sorte that there they stoode amazed for
theire owne whom in the presence of the clergye nobilitve and common people I examined touching that miracle and they all affirmed it to be most true sayinge that they were in a strange manner replenished with that swete smell and they added also certaine other thinges concerninge his sepulchre that made the miracle greater which not to be ouer longe I meane to passe ouer with silence Peter I perceiue nowe that my former question is sufficientlye satisfied yet an other remaineth which troubleth my minde and that is seinge you affirmed before that holy mens soules which departe this life be nowe in heauen it followeth consequentlye that the soules of the wicked be also in hell and yet ignorant I am whether it be so or no for mans ymagination can not conceiue howe the soules of synners can be tormeâ—ted before the daye of iudgement THAT AS VVE BELEVE THE SOVles of iust and perfect men to be in heauen so we ought also to beleue that the soules of the wicked after theire departure from the body be in hell CHAPTER XXVIII Gregory YF by the testimonye of holy scripture you beleeue that the soules of holy and perfect men be in heauen by the same reason ought you also to beleeue that the soules of the wicked be in hell for as iust men do reioice and be glad at the retribution of eternal iustice so necessary it is that the wicked at the same iustice sholde be grieued and tormentedâ— for as heauenly felicitye doth glad the elect so vve oughte to beleeue that from the daye of theire departure fire doth afflict and burne the reprobat Peter With vvhat reason can vve beleeue that corporall fire can holde and torment an incorporall thinge THE REASON VVHY VVE ought to beleeue that corporal fire can hold and torment the spirites that be without bodies CHAPTER XXIX Gregory YF a spirit vvithout a body can be holden and kept in the bodye of a liuing man vvhy like vvise after death maye not an incorporal spirit be holden and kept in corporall fire Peter The reason vvhy an incorporal spirit in euerye liuing man is kept in the bodye is because it doth quicken and giue life to the bodye Gregory Yf an incorporall spirit Peter may be kept in that to vvhich it giueth life vvhy also for punnishement may it not be kept there where it continually dieth And we saye that a spirit is holden by fire to the end that in the torment thereof it maye both by seeing and feeling be punnished for the soule by seeing of the fire is afflicted burned it is in that it seeth it selfe to be burned and so it falleth out that a corporall thinge may burne that vvhich hath no bodye whiles that an inuisible burninge and sorrowe is drawne from visible fire and the incorporall soule by meanes of corporall fire maye be tormented with a spirituall and incorporall flame although out of the Gospell we also learne that the soule is not only tormented by seeing the fire but also by the feeling thereof for the riche glutton as our Sauiour saith was buried in hell And he giueth vs to vnderstande that his soule was kept in fire in that he telleth vs how he did beseech Abraham speaking to him in this manner Send Lazarus Luc. 16. that he may dipp the topp of his finger into the water and may refrethe my tongue because I am tormented in this flame Seing then truth it selfe assureth vs that the sinfull rich man was condemned into fire what wise man can deny that the soules of the reprobat be detained in fire Peter Both reason and testimonye of scripture draweth my minde to beleue what your saye but yet when I thinke not of them it returneth againe to his former opinion for I neither see nor can perceiue how a corporall thinge can holde and torment that which is incorporall and without bodye Gregory Tell me I praye you whether do you thincke that those Angels which fell from heauen haue bodies or no Peter What man that hath his wittes vvill say that they haue any bodies Gregory And whether do you thincke that the fire of hel is corporal or spirituall Peter I make no doubt but that it is corporall seinge most certaine it is that bodies be burned therewith Gregory And as certaine it is that at the daye of iudgement our Sauiour shall saye to the reprobate Go into euerlasting Math. 25. fire which is prepared for the deuil and his angels Yf then the deuill and his angels thoughe without bodies shall be tormented with corporall fire what maruail is it that the soules after theire departure and before they be vnited againe to theire bodies may in like manner suffer corporal tormentes Peter The reason you giue is very plaine and therfor now there is not any further doubte touchinge this question that doth troublemy minde OF THE DEATH OF KINGE Theodoricus who was an Arrian heretike CHAPTER XXX Gregory SEing with such difficulty you are broughte to beleeue I thincke it worth my labour to let you vnderstad such thinges concerning this very pointe as I haue receaued from them that be of goode credit Iulian who died almost seuen yeres since had a worshipfull office in this church of Rome in which nowe by Gods prouicence I serue vsed often to visit me liuing as yet in my Monastery and to talke with me of spirituall thinges for the goode of both out soules This man vpon a daye tolde me this storye In the tyme of kinge Theodoricus quoth he my wiues father being theâ— in Sicilye was to returne into Italy The shipp in which he came arriued at the Ilande of Liparis where he vnderstood Solitary men and Anchoretes that there dwelt a certaine solitary man of great vertue whom he thoughte goode whiles the mariners were occupied about mendinge of theire shipp and tacklinge to visit to talke with him and to commende him selfe to his praiers and so he did in the company of others When they were come to the man of God amongest other talke which they had he asked them this question Do you quoth he heare that kinge Theodoricus is deade to whom they quickly answered God forbidd we lefte him aliue at our departure from Rome and before this present we neuer hearde of any such thinge Then the seruaunt of God told them that certainly he was deade for yesterdaye quoth he at nine of the clocke he was without shoes and girdle and his handes fast bounde broughte betwixt Iohne the Pope and Symmachus the Senator and throwne into * A rupture of the earth that casteth forth fire Vulcanes gulph which is not far from this place When they hearde this nevves carefullye they vvrot dovvne the tyme and at theire returne into Italy they vnderstood that kinge Theodoricus died vpon that verye daye in vvhich his vnhappy passage out of this worlde punnishement vvas reuealed to the seruant of God And for as much as he had by miserable
and the badd haue knowledge of the badd For yf Abraham had not knowne Lazarus neuer wolde he haue spoken to the riche man being in tormentes and made mention of his affliction and misery past sayinge that he had receiued euil thinges in his life And yf the badd did not know the badde neuer wolde the rich man in tormentes haue remembred his brethren that were absent for shall we thincke that he knewe not them that were present with him who was so carefull to praye for them that were absent By which we learne also the answer to an other question which you demanded not and that is that the goode do knowe the badde and the badde the goode For Abraham knewe the rich man to whom he saide Thow hast receiued goode thinges in thy life and Lazarus Gods elect seruant vvas also knovvne to the rich reprobat vvhom by name he desired that he mighte be sent vnto him saying Send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger into water and coolemy tongue by vvhich mutuall knovvledg on both sides the revvarde like wise to both partes encreaseth for the goode do more reioice when they beholde them also in felicitye whom before they loued and the wicked seeing them whom in this worlde not respecting God they did loue to be now punnished in theire coÌ„panye tormented they are not only with theire owne paines but also with the paines of theire frendes Beside all this a more wonderful grace is bestowed vpon the saintes in heaueÌ„ for they knowe not only them with whom they were acquainted in this worlde but also those whom before they neuer sawe and conuerse with them in such familiar sort as thoughe in â—ymes past they had sene and knowne one an other and therfore when they shall see the auncient fathers in that place of perpetual blisse they shall then knowe them by sighte whom alwaies they knewe in theire liues and conuersation For seing they doe in that place with vnspeakeable brightenes common to all beholde God what is there that they knowe not that knowe him who knoweth all thinges OF A CERTAINE RELIGIOVS man that at his death sawe the Prophetes CHAPTER XXXIIII FOr a certaine religious man of my Monasterye that liued a vertuous life dying some fower yeres since sawe at the very tyme of his departure as other religious men do report that were present the Prophet Ionas Ezechiell and Daniell and by there names called them his Lordes saying that they were come vnto him and as he was bowing his heade downewarde to them for reuerence he gaue vp the ghost whereby we perceiue what perfect knowledge shall be in that immortall life vvhen as this man beinge yet in corruptâ—ble fleshe knewe the Prophetes whom he neuer sawe HOVV SOMETIME SOVLES READY to depart this worlde that know not one an other know yet what tormentes for theire sinnes or like rewardes for theire goode dedes they shall receiue And of the death of Iohne Vrsus Eumorphius and Steuen CHAPTER XXXV ANd sometyme it falleth out that the soule before it departeth knoweth them with whom by reason of equalitye of synnes or rewardes it shall in the next worlde remayne in one place For old Eleutherius a man of holy life of whom in the former booke I spake muche saith that he had a naturall brother of his called Iohne who liued together with him in his Monasterye who fourtene daies before hande tolde the monkes when he was to dye and three daies before he departed this life he fell into an agewe when his time was come he receiued the mysterye of our Lordes body and bloude and calling for the monkes about him he willed them to singe in his presence prescribing them a certaine antheme concerning him selfe sayinge Open vnto me the gates of iustice Psal 17. v. 19. and being gone into them I will confesse vnto our Lorde this is the gate of our Lorde iuste men shall enter in by it and whiles the monkes about him were singinge this antheme suddainlye with a loude and longe voice he cried out saying Come awaye Vrsus straighte after which wordes his soule departed this mortall life The monkes maruailed because theye knewe not the meaning of that which at his death he so cried for and therfore after his departure all the Monastery was in sorrow and affliction Fower daies after necessary busines they had to send some of theire brethren to an other Monastery far distant to which place when they came they founde all the monkes in great heauines and demanding the reason they tolde them that they did lament the desolation of theire house for fower daies since quoth they one of our monkes died whose life kept vs all in this place and when they inquired his name they vnderstoode that it was Vrsus asking also at what houre he left this woâ—lde they found that it was as that very instant when he was called by Iohne who died with them Out of which we may learne that the merites of either were alike and that in the next worlde they liued familiarly together in one mansion who at one tyme like fellowes departed this life Here also will I tell you what I hearde from the mouthes of my neighbours at such tyme as I was yet a lay man and dwelled in my fathers house which descended to me by inheritance A certain widow there was not far from me called Galla which had a younge man to her sonne whose name was Eumorphius not far from whom dwelt one Steuen called also Optio This Eumorphius lying sicke at the pointe of death called for his man commanding him in all hast to goe vnto Steuen Optio and to desire him without all delaye to come vnto him because there was a ship ready to carry them both into Sicily But because his man refused to goe supposing that through extremitye of sicknes he knewe not what he spake his master very earnestlye vrged him forwarde sayinge Goe thy may and tell him what I saye for I am not mad as thow thinckest Here-vpon away he went towardes Steuen but as he was in the middest of his iornye he met one that asked him whether he was goinge and when he tolde him that he was by his master sent to Steuen Optio You lose your labour quoth the other for I come nowe from thence and he died this verye houre Backe againe vpon this newes he returned to his master Eumorphius but before he coulde get home he founde him deade And so by conferring theire meeting together and the length of the waye apparaunt it was that both of them at one and the selfe same instant departed this mortall life Peter Very terrible it is that you saye but what I praye yow is the reason that he sawe a shipp at his departure or why did he sayo that he was to goe into Sicily Gregory The soule needeth not any thing to cary it yet no wonder it is yf that appeared to the soule being yet in the
contemplation of heauenly mysteryes Peter Is there any text of holy scripture to proue that carnall sinnes be punnished vvith stincking and bad sauours OF THE PVNNISHEMENT of the men of Sodom Gregory THere is for in Genesis vve reade Genes 19. that our Lorde rained fire and brimstone vpon the city of Sodom that both fire mighte burne them and the stenche of brimstone smother and kill them for seing they burnt vvith the vnlawfull loue of corruptible fleshe by Gods iust iudgement they perished both by fire and an vnsauory smell to the end they mighte knovve that they had by the pleasure of theire stiâ—cking life incurred the sorrovves of eternall death Peter Concerning those thinges vvhich before I doubted of I finde my selfe novv so fullye satisfied that I haue not any further question to moue HOVV THE SOVLES OF SOM men being yet in their bodies do see some spiritual punnishement And of that which happened to the boye Theodorus CHAPTER XXXVII Gregory VVE haue also to knowe that sometyme the soules whiles they are in theire bodies do beholde some spirituall punnishement which yet happeneth to some for theire owne goode and to others for the edification of them that heare thereof For there was one Theodorus which storye I remember that in myne homiles to the people I haue also spoken of who was a verye vnrulye ladde and more vpon necessiâ—ye then of his owne good will in the companye of his brother entred into my monasterye and so sittle pleasure he toke in spirituall talke that it was death to him to heare any thinge tending to the goode of his owne soule for he was so far from doing any goode worcke that he could not endure to heare thereof and he wolde openly protest sometymes by swearing sometymes in anger and sometymes in scoffing sorte that he neuer ment to take vpon him the habit of a religious life This vntoward â—he haâ—it of reâ—igious â—en boye in the late mortalitye which consumed the greatest parte of this citye was grieuously strooken whereof he lay sore sicke and being at last come to the pointe of death all the monkes repaired to his chamber to praye for the happy departure of his soule which semed not to be far of for the one halfe of his bodye was already deade and only in his brest a little life remayned and therfore the nerer they sawe him to his ende the more feruentlye did they commend him to Gods mercye Whiles they were thus busied suddainlye he cried out to them and with great clamor went about to interrupt theire deuotions sayinge Depart and away for beholde I am deliuered ouer to a dragon to be deuoured and your presence doth let him that he can not dispatch me My heade he hath alreadye swallowed vp in his mouthe and therfore go your waies that my tormentes be not the longer and that he may effect that which he is about to do for yf I be giuen him to deuoure why do you keepe me here in longer paine At these fearfull wordes the monkes saide vnto him why do you speake thus good brother blesse your selfe with the signe The sig of the hâ—ly crosse vsed against the deuâ— of the holy crosse to whom he answered willinglye I wolde but I can not I am so loaden with this dragons scales Vpon these wordes the monkes fell prostrat vpon the earth and in great zeale with teares they prayed to God for his deliuerye out of the enemies handes who mercifully hearde them for vpon a suddaine the sicke person began to cry out and saye God be thancked beholde the dragon that had me to deuoure is fled awaye and ouercome with your praiers here he could not tarry Now I besech you make intercession for my synnes for I am ready to turne vnto God and wholy to renounce all kinde of secular life and thus he that was halfe deade as before was saide reserued now to a longer life turned to God with his whole harte and so after he had put on a newe minde and was a longe tyme punnished with affliction then his soule departed from the miserieâ— of this mortall life OF THE DEATH OF CHRIsorius and of a certaine monke of Iconia CHAPTER XXXVIII BVt Crisorius on the contrarye as his kinseman Probus of whom I made mention before tolde me was a substantiall man in this worlde but as full of synne as of wealth for he was passing proude giuen to the pleasures of the fleshe couetous and wholy set vpon scraping of riches together But when God determined to make an ende of so many synnes he sent him a greatsickenes and when his last tyme drewe nere in that very houre in which his soule was to leaue the bodye lying with his eies open he sawe certaine cruell men and blacke spirites stande before him pressing vpon him to carrye him awaye to the pitt of hell at which fearfull sighte he began to tremble to wax pale to sweate and with pitifull outcries to craue for truce and often with faltring tongue to call for his sonne Maximus whom when I was a monke I knewe also to professe the same kinde of life saying Come away Maximus with all speede Neuer in my life did I any harme to thee receiue me nowe in thy faith His sonne greatly moued at these outcries came vnto him in all hast and his whole familye lamentinge and crying out repaired also to his chamber none of all which behelde those wicked spirites which did so vrge and vexe him but by his trouble of minde by his palenes and tremblinge they made no doubt of theire presence for he was so affrighted with theire terrible lookes that he turned him selfe euery way in his bed Lying vpon his lefte side he coulde not indure theire sighte and turning to the wall there also he founde them at last being very much beset and dispairing of all meanes to escape theire handes he cried out with a lowde voice saying O truce till to morrow ô truce till to morrow and crying out in this sort he gaue vp the ghost This being the manner of his death certaine it is that he sawe this feareful sight not for him selfe but for vs that his vision mighte do vs goode vvhom Gods patience doth yet vvith fatherly longe sufferance expect to amendment For vvhat prosit reaped he by seeing those fowle spirites before his death and by crauing for that truce which he coulde not obtaine There is also nowe dwelling amongest vs a Priest of Isauria called Athanasius who telleth a very fearefull storye which in his tyme happened as he saith at Iconium For there was in that place as he reporteth a Monasterye called Thongolaton in which there liued a monke that was had in great accounte for he was of goode conuersation and in his life verye orderlye but as the ende declared he was far otherwise then he outwardlye appeared for thoughe he did seme to fast with the rest of the monkes yet did he secretlye take his meate which vice of
synne can iustlye be punnished without ende which had an end when it was committed Gregory This which you saye mighte haue some reason yf the iust iudge did only consider the synnes committed and not the mindes vvith which they were committed for the reason why wicked men made an end of synninge was because they also made an end of their life for willingly they wolde had it bene it theire power haue liued without ende that they mighte in like manner haue sinned without ende For they doe playnely declare that they desired alwaies to liue in sunne who neuer so longe as they were in this world gaue ouer theire wicked life and therfore it belongeth to the great iustice of the supreme iudge that they sholde neuer want tormentes and punnishement in the next worlde who in this wolde neuer giue ouer theire vvicked and sinfull life Peter But no iudge that loueth iustice taketh pleasure in crueltye and the ende vvhy the iustmaster commandeth his vvicked seruaunt to be punnished is that he may giue ouer his levvd life Yf then the vvicked that are tormented in hell fire neuer come to amend them selues to vvhat ende shall they alvvaies burne in those flames Gregory Almightye God because he is mercifull and full of pitty taketh no pleasure in the tormentes of wretched men but because he is also iust therfore doth he neuer giue ouer to punnishe the wicked All which being condemned to perpetuall paines punnished they are for theire owne wickednes and yet shall they alwaies there burne in fire for some ende and that is that all those which be iust and Gods seruantes may in God beholde the ioyes which they possesse and in them see the tormentes which they haue escaped to the end that they may thereby alwaies acknowledge them selues gratefull to God for his grace in that they perceiue throughe his diuine assistaunce what synnes they haue ouercome which they beholde in others to be punnished euerlastinglye Peter And how I praye you can they be holy and sainctes yf they pray not for theire enemies whom they see to ly in such tormentes when it is saide to them Pray for your enemies Math. 5 v. 44. Gregory They praye for theire enemies at such tyme as theire hartes may be turned to fruitfull penance and so besaued for to what purpose els do we praye for our enemies but as the Apostle saith that God may giue them repentance 2. Timoth 2. v. 25. to knowe the truthe and recouer them selues from the deuil of whom they are held captiue at his will Peter I like very well of your sayinge for howe shall they pray for them who by no meanes can be conuerted from theire wickeones and broughte to do the worckes of iustice Gregory You see then that the reason is all one why in the next life none shall praye for men condemned for euer to hell fire that there is nowe of not praying for the deuill and his angels sentenced to euerlasting tormentes and this also is the very reason why holy men do not nowe pray for them that dye in theire infidelitye and knovvne vvicked life for seing certaine it is that they be condemned to endlesse paines to vvhat purpose should they pray for them vvhen they knovve that no petition vvill be admitted of God theire iust iudge And therfore yf novve holy men liuing vpon earth take no compassion of those that be dead and damned for theire synnes vvhen as yet they knovve that them selues doe some thinge throughe the frailty of the fleshe vvhich is also to be iudged hovv much more straightly and seuerelye doe they beholde the tormentes of the damned vvhen they be them selues deliuered from all vice of corruption and be more nerelye vnited to true iustice it selfe for the force of iustice doth so possesse theire soules in that they be so intrinsecall vvith the most iust iudge that they list not by any meanes to do that vvhich theye knovve is not conformable to his diuine pleasure Peter The reason you bringe is so clere that I can not gaine say it but novv an other question commeth to my minde and that is how the soule can truly be called immortall seing certaine it is that it doth dye in that perpetuall fire HOVV THE SOVLE IS SAID to be immortall and neuer to dye if it be punnished with the sentence of deathe CHAPTER XLV Gregory BEcause there be two manner of liues consequently also there be two manner of deathes For one kinde of life there is by which we liue in God another which we receiued by our creation orgeneration and therfore one thinge it is to liue blessedlye and an other thinge to liue naturallye The soule therfore is both mortall and immortall mortall because it looseth the felicitye of an happy life and immortall in that it alwaies keepeth his naturall life which can neuer be loste no not when it is sentenced to perpetuall death for in that state thoughe it hath not a blessed life yet it doth retaine still the former being and naturall life by reason whereof it is inforced to suffer death without death defect without defect and end without end seing the death which it indudureth is immortall the desect wâ—ich it suffereth neuer faileth and the end which it hath is infinite and without ende Peter What man is he thoughe neuer so holy that comming to leaue this mortall life hath not iust cause to feaâ—e the vnspeakeable senâ—â—nâ—e of damnation for althoughe he knoweth what he hath done yet ignorant he is not howe straightlye his worckes shall be examined and iudged OF A CERTAINE HOLY MAN that was assraide when he came to dye CHAPTER XLXVI Gregory IT is euen so Peter as you saye And yet sometyme the only feare of death doth purge the soules of iust men from theire smaller synnes as you and I haue often hearde of a certaine holy man that was very much affraide when he came to dye and yet after he was deade appeared to his disciples in a white stoale reporting to them in what excellent manner he was receiued when he departed out of this worlde HOVV SOME BY DIVINE reuelation are discharged from feare at theire death And of the manner how the monkes Anthony Merulus and Iohn departed this life CHAPTER XLVII SOmetyme also almightye God doth by diuine reuelation strengthen the mindes of them that be fearefull to the end that they should not be affraide of death For a certaine monke there vvas called Anthonye that liued together with me in my Monasterye who by daily teares laboured to come to the ioyes of heauen and when as he did verye carefullye and with great zeale of soule meditate vpon the sacred scriptures he soughte not so muche for cunninge and knowledge as for teares and contrition of hart that by meanes thereof his soule mighte be stirred vp and inflamed and that by contemninge all earthly thinges he mighte with the winges of contemplation flye vnto the kingdome of heauen This man vpon a