After their deaths the gouernor Almachius entended to get the goods of the two brethren into his hands but vnderstanding that Cecilie had distributed them vnto the poore he caused her to be brought before him She confessed vnto him the truth namelie that all the goods of the two noble gentlemen Tiburtius and Valerian were giuen vnto the poore The gouernour therefore seeking a quarrell and desiring to be reuenged on her said in a great rage I think we shall haue a Christian of you also but I will haue you to sacrifice vnto the Gods in my sight that I maie be witnes whether you deserue the same punishment that those brethren deserued and had The officers of the gouernour vrged her to sacrifice to whom she said Harken to me brethren You be the officers of the gouernour and you think it meet that I should obey his comandement but I on the other side think it verie vniust in him to comaund me to sacrifice vnto those Gods which be not such indeed and to leaue of to sacrifice vnto the true God that is IESVS CHRIST Be assured that I will suffer and endure and the torments that can be inflicted vpon me and at the end rather lose my life then do his cōmaundement The officers made shew of pittie compassion toward her seing a damosell so yong so discreet so faire and gratious readie to abandon and leaue all these yea life and all for her faith and religion They said vnto her Consider thy youth and beautie haue compassion on thy self and change not all other thy good parts in these tender yeares for vntimelie death The holie virgin said vnto them To change earth for gold is not to loose but to gaine Or to giue a cottage half-ruinated for a house built with perles and pretious stones or a life repleat with troubles and miseries which shall quiklie end for a life replenished with riches and treasure that shall endure for euer These and the like speaches vsed S. Cecilie and her words were of such force and wrought so that many that were present resolued to be Christians and were afterward Baptised by S. Vrban The gouernor was astonied to heare the holie virgin speak and viewing her angelike beautie asked what her name was for till that time he knew no other name but only that she was the wife of Valerian She told him that her name was Cecilie and then the gouernour replyed knowest thou not that the Emperours of Rome haue comaunded that the Christians either do sacrifice vnto the Gods or else that they be put to death I know it right well said the holie saint What wilt thou then do said the gouernour I determine to die said she For it is farre better to dye for confessing IESVS CHRIST then to liue denying him Consider said the gouernour that it wil be best for thee to leaue and forsake this thy oppinion and to sacrifice vnto our Gods S. Cecilie said It were better for thee to open thine eyes and to consider that those whom thou callest Gods be but stocks and stones If thou wilt not beleeue me touch them with thy hands or throwe them into the fire and there will come lime from the stones which maie serue to build with so shall there be no deceit in them as there is nowe Then said the gouernour How should I suffer thee to speak such words in my presence knowest thou not that I haue power to giue thee life or to take it awaie at my pleasure S. Cecilie answered thou thinkest my words void of reason and I know thy words to be false and no truth in them Almachius said doest thou saie Cecilie that I speak not truth The holie virgin said I saie it and auouch it in that thou saiest thou hast authoritie to giue and take awaie my life Thou maiest take life from the liuing but to giue life vnto the dead it is most cleere and certaine thou canst not So that I maie well call thee the minister of death I wil be such an officer vnto thee said Almachius if thou wilt not sacrifice So when he sawe she was constant and resolute and would not sacrifice he caused her to be put into certaine bathes which were in her owne house and hauing shut her in one of them being empty without water they made a great fire vnder which burned a whole daie and a night The holie saint receaued not any hurt thereby but it seemed to her a place rather of pleasure and refreshing then other wise when Almachius heard thereof he comaunded one to cut of her head in that place The hangman gaue her three blowes yet did he not cut of her head altogether but left it euen as it was hanging by the skinne The blessed virgin being thus wounded liued three daies many Christians coming to visite her Among these were some that had receaued the faith by her meanes whom she seing sorowfull comforted They dried vp the bloud that ran from her wound with napkins and other clothes with intent to keep them as reliques S. Vrban went also to visite her and she told him that she had desired of God to liue three daies that she might dispose of her goods and request him to consecrate that house of hers into a Church When the three daies were ended this holie virgin and glorious martyr being in prayer yeelded her blessed soule vnto God on the 22 of Nouember Her bodie was buried by pope Vrban in the Chruchyard of Callistus and her house was consecrated into a Church In processe of time pope Paschalis translated the bodies of SS Cecilie Tiburtius Valerian and pope Vrban into the Church of S. Cecilie The Catholique Church celebrateth the feast of this holie saint on the daie of her martyrdome At the end of the life of SS Tiburtius and Valerian on the 14. of Aprill is rehersed the saying of Canisius to wit that these saints were martyred in the time of Alexander Seuerus in the yeare of our Lord 225. the same he saith of S. Cecilie also and because mention is made there of pope Vrban the account cometh to be iust at that time But the Romane Breuiarie of Pius 5. putteth her martyrdome about 50. yeeres before in the times of the Emperours Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and Commodus Her name is in the Canon of the masse The life of S. Clement Pope and Martir GREAT was the fame and credit which Moises the guide Exod. 27. and captein of the Hebrewes acquired and got when the said people being in the desert and at the point to dy for thirst he by the apointement of God strook a rock out of which issued water in abundance sufficient for them all to drink and to be refreshed and comforted No lesse glorious and worthy of fame was S. Clement the holie Pope and martir who did the like He liued in a desert banished thither with many other Christians for the profession of the name of IESVS CHRIST and they all
came vnto them a priest and seruant of God dwelling in Rome called Nicomedes who said masse and gaue them the B. Sacrament S. Petronilla hauing communicated began a long and feruent speech vnto IESVS CHRIST saieng that she had offered her virginity vnto him with a perpetuall vow and therfore desired him not to permit it to be violated against her will S. Felicula also as a true friend aided her importunating our Lord to deliuer his handmaid out of that danger though she desired not her death It was Gods pleasure to giue Petronilla remedy by that means for hauing ended her oraisons she went vnto bed and yelded vp her soule vnto God The matrones and damsells Flaccus had sent to accompany the spouse vnto his house on the wedding day came in god time to solemnise the funeralls of the holy saint When Flaccus was certefied and sawe Petronilla to be dead he cast his eies vpon Felicula who was very sorowfull for the death of her friend being very beutifull which drew the affection of Flaccus in such sort that he was enamored of her also and after many wordes he vsed to that purpose he finished his speach thus Felicula elect one of thes two things please thy self either to be my wife or els sacrifice vnto the Gods The good damsell made him this bold answere I will not be thy wife for I haue IESVS CHRIST to my spouse and I will not sacrifice vnto thy Gods for that I am a Christian when Flaccus hard the resolute answere of Felicula he deliuered her into the hands of the liuetenant to giue iudgment vpon her He kept her fast in a dark roome for seuen daies and beside other vexations he kept her from any sustenance Some women that belonged vnto the prison said vnto her Alas poore girle why art thou so fond as to dy willingly this euill death Take this great Lord vnto thy husband who is beutifull riche and in the flower of his youth and highly fauored of th' emperor who hath made him gouernour of this city other women would haue ben right glad therof and thou makest no account of him which may turne to thy damage and losse of life The blessed damosell replied I am the spouse of IESVS CHRIST and I will not mary any other but him After that seuen daies expired Felicula was led vnto the Vestall virgins where she remanied certein daies but she would neuer eate of the meat that they did eate bicause it was offered and sacrificed vnto the goddesse Vesta for if she had eaten therof she had giuen a signe to consent vnto their Idolatry and other Christians would haue bene much scandalised therat When the deputy vnderstood the constancy of Felicula he caused her to be taken out of that place and to be tortured with the torture called Eculeus and when she was tortired there with she said with a loud voice Now do I see my beloued IESVS CHRIST vpon whom I haue fixed my loue The excutioners said vnto her Say that thou art not a Christian and thou shalt be deliuered from this torture She answered I do not deny neither will I deny my beloued IESVS CHRIST who for my sake was crowned with thornes and had gall giuen him for drink and also died on the Crosse The executioners tooke her of from that torment and threw her in a gutter or sink in the which the blessed damosell yelded vp her soule vnto Almighty God Nicomedes the priest that had said masse giuen the B. sacrament vnto S. Petronilla on the day of her death and had laine cloâ—e and hidden in a caue for feare of the persecution was aduertised therof and one night he departed out of the caue and took the body of S. Felicula from thence and buried it a mile out of Rome in the way toward Ardea Flaccus being told what Nicomedes had done caused him to be apprehended for the same and being instigated by the fiend willed him to sacrifice vnto the gods The good priest said he would not sacrifice to any but to Almightie God that raigned in the heauens for that they whom they reputed gods were no other but stocks and stones which remained in their temples like prisoners The gouernour commaunded he should be whipped which was done with such vehemency that the good priest passed out of this vnto a better life in this torment and his body was cast into the riuer Tiber by the commandement of the cursed Iudge but one Iustus his seruant sought carefully after it and caried it being found vnto a garden of his nere vnto the walles of the citty in the way called Numentana there he buried it Vnto which place many Christians resorted and there by the merits of that holy Saint obteined many graces of God The death of S. Nicomedes was on the 15. day of September Spanish saith 52. vnder Clâ—â—dius and on the same day the Church celebrateth his feast It was then as Canisius saith the yeare of our Lord. 90. in the raigne of the Emperour Domitian and the same he saith of S. Petronilla as is already said in her life But many think it was much sooner for if S. Petronilla died in the yeare of our Lord. 90. she must be of necessitie at that time 60. years old because she was borne before that our Lord gaue the chiefest prelacy or Papacy vnto S. Peter her father for froÌ„ thenceforth he obserued chastity And againe if she was so old it is not a thing likely that Flaccus should be ennamoured of her We reade also in the life of Pope Paule 1. that he translated from one place vnto another All this the Spanish hath not in this place the body of S. Petronilla and that he found an epitaph which S. Peter the Apostle had made at her death Which being so it followeth that before the yeare of our Lord. 70. in which S. Peter was crucified S. Petronilla was dead wherfore in mine opinion her death and the martirdome of S. Nicomedes was not in the yeare of our Lord. 90. as Canisius saith but in or about the yeare of our Lord. 60. in the reigne of Nero. The life of S. Cornelius Pope and Martir SALOMON saith in Ecclus Ca. 23. The man that sweareth much shal be full of iniquitie and the plague shall not depart from his house The wise man doth not say he that sweareth falsly but he that sweareth much For that speaking morally he that sweareth much sweareth false at one time or other This sinne displeaseth God so much that he deferreth not the chasticement till the world to come but punisheth it in this life sending plagues vpon the house where such poople be So then if the swearer be afflicted with necessities infirmities and other troubles of this life we may think he hath deserued it for his many oathes Those that be free from such miseries if they desire to be alwaies free let them abstaine from othes swearing The holie Pope Cornelius
confidently denied to do it saieng he was a Christian and that he would not sacrifise vnto any but vnto IESVS CHRIST Themperour being wroth at this answer commaunded that Eustachius his wife and two sonnes should be put to death and to effect it he bad that they should be put in a place where a fierce Lyon should tear them in pieces The Lyon was let out against the holy martirs but he lay downe at their feet and did them no hurt at all Themperour seeing the same commaunded to make a gret bull of brasse hollowe inward With in this concauity he caused S. Eustachius his wife and sonnes to be inclosed and then to sett fire vnder it and in this torment the glorious saints rendered their soules vnto God The Bull was opened and their bodies were found with out any blemish but that they were dead and had not burnt one heare of their head which astonished the Pagans and much edified rhe Catholiks who tooke those blessed bodies and buried them honourably The martirdome of these holy saints was on the same day the Catholik Church celebrateth their feast to wit on the. 20. day of September in the yeare of our Lord. 118. The seuenth generall Sinode Dam. l. 3. de imag Nicep lib. 3. ca. 29. S. Iohn Damascen and Metaphrastes make mention of S. Eustacius Nicephorus Callistus recounteth his life in particuler and the mistery of the Hart and the Crucifixe also Beside the sayieng of this Author the vniuersall picture of the wholl Church is an important proof for that this holy saint is alwaies painted on his knees before of Harte which hath the Crucifixe between his hornes which was that which spake vnto him The life of S. Mathevv Apostle WE READ that the prophet Elias considering howe few the men were that serued God in his time 3. Reg. 13. Eccles 48 Iac 5. and the multitude of them that offended him being desirous to to correct them that they might amend prayed that it might not raine God graunted his request and in three years and a half there fell no raine The people dyed of famine and yet they did not amend their wicked lifes Helias also remained firme in his purpose that God should not permitt it to raine God said to him as S. Iohn Chrisostome supposeth Behold Helias it troubleth me to see so many peâ—ple dy with famine if thou wilt that all be good get thee into heauen for there be all good and let me remaine here vpon the earth that I may make prouision for the necessities which my people and creatures suffer and endure I would not haue thee think that they haue vtterly abandoned me for I haue yet 7000. men who haue not bowed their knees vnto Baal Among others there is Heliseus 3 Reg. 19. who is following twelue yoke of oxen go and call him bid him leaue all and come with thee and be thy disciple Elias obeyed strait and went to the place where Eliseus was and said to him Come and followe me Heliseus also obayed incontinent only he requested 3 Reg. 19. to go and take leaue of father and mother kinffolk and frends The Prophet was content went with him wher vpon Heliseus made a solemne banquet took leaue of them all entending to followe the prophet Elias Perhaps his father and friends said this to him Heliseus mark well whom thou meanest to followe consider that he is a poore man hath no cloths to his back but only a garment of camells skinne he fasteth much he is much persecuted by Queen Iezabel and many others who desire his death These words were in vaine for he was resolued to followe Elias and it was euident that this his resolution was good for afterward being his disciple 4. Reg. 2. when Elias was taken away from him he did more greater miracles then euer Elias had done This figure fitteth and agreeth to S. Matthew the Apostle and Euangelist for Elias being a figure of IESVS CHRIST was much displeased to see so many offend God and so few to serue him Elias praied God that he would not let it raine that men might dy but IESVS CHRIST did not so Math. 9. for he was by nature mercifull and full of compassion and to see his creatures perish was vnto him a most greuous torment yet went he to seeke out some that might serue God who though they had not done it before time yet might they doe it in the time to come Elias found Eliseus while he plowed so IESVS CHRIST beheld S. Matthew with the eyes of his mercy not plowing but at a worse trade for he lent monie vnto vsurie yet the plowing and sowing hath some similitude with lending to vsurie He that soweth alwaies gathereth more then he soweth So the vsurer alwaies receiueth more then he lendeth out Helias called Eliseus and he fellowed him but he would make a banquet to all his kinsfolke and frends Luc. 5. Marc. 2. So also when CHRIST called Matthew and he fellowed him he made first a banket in his house where IESVS was present with his fellow publicans and toll-gatherers frends vnto S. Matthew These men might say to S. Matthew the same that the kinsfolke of Eliseus said to him or in this maner Matthew wilt thou forsake and leaue all thy goods and money and go with a poore man one that is persecuted as this man is what thinkest thou to get in his company it may be if the Scribes and Phariseys determine once to put him to death they will do the same to thee also for his sake for ordinarily the disciples speed as bad as their maister These words sturred not S. Matthew froÌ„ his good purpose to giue ouer al follow CHRIST The going in CHRISTES company was fortunate to him for he made him his Apostle and Chronicler and gaue vnto him an admirable spirite like the spirit of Eliseus and after the Ascension of our Lord into heauen he did many miracles The life of this glorious Apostle is collected out of the Ghospell and other good Aucthors who do make mention of him SAINT Matthew was a Galylean Iohn 3. borne in Cana where IESVS CHRISTE conuerted the water into wine He was a PublicaÌ„ tollegatherer a vsurer which was the most infamous trade that could be among the Hebrews Math. 9. they reputing it the most heinous oppressioÌ„ that could be Luc. 5. Marc. 2. for the Emperour of Rome to enforce them being the elect people of God to pay tribute and tolles And all though they paied yet they alwais protested that vyolence and force was offered to them their aggreeuances were encreased by the letting out the tributes and tolles to farme which is the cause that the publicans who were they that rented them and moreouer lent money vpon vsury were counted by the Iewes worse then the Pagans and heretiks for which cause the sonne of God conformable to their opinion when he instructed
all the world and to build Churches to the honor of CHRIST his saints but especially in Rome where beside the aforenamed he builded in the field Sossorium the Church of the Holy Crosse that is called in Ierusalem and in the field Veranius without the walles he built the Church of S. Laurence and in the way to Lauico he built a Church to the holy martirs SS Peter and Mâ—rcâ—llin Hither to we haue seene the occasion of the feast the Church celebrateth the which is The dedication of the Church of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul Nowe it wil be good to see the reason why the Church maketh such account of these holy Apostles and of all theother martirs and saints that it buildeth Churches vnto them in which the faithfull do assemble to celebrat their feasts Moreouer it shal be good to see what is the signification of the Vigills and Octaues and for what cause there is a greater feast kept of one saint more then of another These may be thought by some to be but curious questions yet they may be profitable and it is very good in my oppinion that euery Christian should know the reason therof First I say that the Catholik Church hath had many respects to celebrat the feasts of the saints On was for that in the primitiue Church they desiring to extirpate totally the adoration of the Idolls wherin the Painims were drowned the holy Bishops brought in this vertuous custome of worshipping the holy saints to the end the memory of Iupiter Saturn Apollo Venus Mars and Diana and of the other Gods might be abolished by substituting in the place of them S. Peter S. Paul S. Iames S. Iohn S. Stephen S. Laurence S. Agnes S. Agatha S. Lucia and theother saints Theother reason that moued the Church was this that in honoring and making feasts to the saints there is feast made and honor done vnto God himself that made them saints The Church had also another regard viz to satisfy the obligement and duety we all haue and owe vnto the saints They reioice in heauen and make triumph when we conuert our selues vnto God and therefore it is reason we should make feast and reioyce in that day that they begin to enioy the sight of God in heauen viz the day of their death Moreouer the feasts of the Saints are celebrated because of the great neede we haue of them that they may pray vnto God for vs the he may truly conuert vs vnto him that he may giue vs perseuerance that he may deliuer vs from tentations that he may teach vs to do his will that he may giue vs things necessary for the sustenaunce of our life All these things many other such like God doth giue vs by the praiers of his saints And therefore it is reason that in some part we do satisfy our great obligement that we owe vnto theÌ„ by celebrating their feasts Another motion the Church hath to celebrate the feasts of the saints was for our example for when we consider that the saints were men as we be formed of flesh and bone and subiect vnto the same frailty and misery of our natures yet that they did such famous acts and heroicall deeds supporting and enduring such outragious paines in their martirdome such cruell persecutions horrible reproches lastly death by which they came to be so honored and rewarded by God in heauen we also moued by their example should striue to imitate them To this purpose saith S. Augustine they do truly celebrate the feast of the martirs who followe their examples for he who doth not followe them in what he can 2. Cor. 1. can not enioy beatiâ—udâ— in their company S. Paul saith also If we shall be partakers of their troubles and passions we also shall haue part of their consolations Concerning the Virgills of Saints Isay that a Vigill properly is not a day of fasting but of watching And so it was vsed in the feasts of IESVS CHRIST of the B. Virgin of the Apostles and of some other saints especially of the patrons of the Church when all the people the night before the day of the feast came vnto the Church and remained there all the night in praier and other holy exercises This holy and good custome began some what to be corrupted for the people who kept the vigills if they spent a litle time in praier they spent a great deale more in eating and drinking and sometime in gaming lewd talk vncomely behauior yea it came to such a passe that many foule and grosse abuses were vsed in the Church To remedy this mischief S. Ambrose who was enformed therof by S. Monica the mother of S. Augustine at her being at Millaine did in his Church as other Bishops in their diocesses the Pope through all Christendome change the vigills and watchings into fasting the day before the festiuall day and yet it reteineth the auncient anme of vigill still The vigill signifieth also this present life in the which we must be vigilant and must support troubles as the body doth endure troble by fasting that we may haue the feast in the next life But he that on the contrary side will first haue the feast before the fast and wil be mery and take his pleasure in the world let such a one know that he must make a long and greuous vigill in theother life for he shall abide in hell fasting for euer For the Octaues the Church began to celebrat them in imitation of certain feasts the hebrews had which lasted seuen daies as the Pascha of the vnleuened bread the feast of Tabernacles and the Dedication of the Temple So the Church ordeined that some of her feasts which are worthy of all honour and reuerence as well as they were should haue Octaues to the end the solemnity should be greater and in the office of these daies are many things read of those solemnities that the faithfull might heare and consider the same and take profit thereby We read that the Idollaters assaulted the Macchabeis on the day of the feast and that they because they would not violat it for they thought it was a work to defend themselfs and so a breach of the feast though after ward they resolued to do other wise suffered themselues to be killed rather So do the deuills also they do assault the faithfull on the festiuall daies especially with more and greater tentations then on the other daies which is the cause that sometimes the sinnes which are comitted on the feast be more heinous then theother of all the week coÌ„ming of frailty For some be so fraile and feeble that assoone as tentation coÌ„meth they confent vnto it and know not howe to resist or with stand it Let the tentations be of gaming murmuring of losse of time of vnseemly words and of sensuality they yield streight and resist them not yet there be some worse then these who do seek tentations and do
of th'emperour Traian The life of S. Felicitas Martyr ONe of the affections which parents ought to conquer and bring to a meane is the ouer-great fondness of loue to they re children For though nature hath engrafted a loue vnto them and reason teacheth that loue is due to them yett is it due with such proportion and measure that the loue of they re children depriue them not of the loue of God which ought to be prized and preferred aboue all other Moreouer they ought to marke well and regard wherein consisteth the true loue of they re children For manie times parents desire and procure for they re children the false fayned fading goods of this world with such painfull endeuoure such vnquencheable thirst that euerie thing seemeth to meane and to little in repect of that which most they wish them and faine would haue for them And herein they bound the limitts of they re loue this they prefixe as they re only marke not regarding how to enrich they re children with vertues nor make them worthie of those verie goods which they painfully scrape and carefully heape vp together for them litle mindfull of instructing them how to purchase those euerlastinge vnspeakeble treasures of glorie in whose comparison all the good and riches of earth are only shadowed conterfayted goods To teache and instruct parents in this trueth and set before they re eyes a rule and patterne of they re duety the holie Churche makes this day a commemoracion of Holie S. Felicitas She was a most honourable Matrone of Rome where being lefte a widow with seauen sonnes she liued without blame or reprehension bending her greatest care and endeuoure to serue her selfe and make her children serue allmightie God And so much preuailed her good example and holie education that Gods loue was so deepelie rooted in they re harte as to make them holie martyrs of his in the time of the Emperoure Antoninus when before the eyes of they re blessed mother with cruell torments and sundrie kinds of death they bought one euerlasting lyfe as hath bin said in the month of Iulie But after those glorious Knights of CRHIST IESVS the sonnes of blessed Felicitas had manfully fought and wonne the victorie all the rage and furie of the Emperour was turned againste that holie mother whose woords had encouraged and giuen her sonnes weapons to fight the battaile The Tyraunt therefore commaunded that she should be cast into a loth some prison to the end that sparing for some time her lyfe he might make her grieue daylie more and more for her childrens death For though she reioyced as knowing that now they were cittizens of heauen yett could she not as a mother but feele some sorrow they being lost to her allthough she had gained them to God There he kept her foure months in prison to afflict her and molest her the more and at the length seing that still she perseuered constant in the faith of IESVS CHRIST he commaunded her to be beheaded Of this blessed mother the patterne of all christian mothers of this martyr or as S. Gregorie saith more then martyr for she was eight tymes martyred seauen in her children and once in her selfe the same S. Gregorie hath these words Let vs behold my brethren consider this woeman and be ashamed to see her so much surpasse vs. Often times one only word said against vs doth trouble and vexe and make vs breake all oure good purposes whereas neyther torments nor death it selfe was able to conquer blessed Felicitas nor make her yield or giue backe one foote Wee with a blast of contradiction are streight waies dismayed and shamefully fall she wrought a way thorough steele and flint to obtaine and euerlasting crowne We giue not the least part of oure goods to the poore for the loue of CHRISTE she offered him her flesh in sacrifize Wee when God calleth backe for oure children which he had giuen vs in loane waile euerlastingly without comfort she be-wayled her children vntill they died for CHRISTE and reioyced when she did behold them dead And Peeter Archeb of Rauenna saith B holde a woman whose children liuing were cause of her care dead of her securitie Most happie she that now hath as manie faire shining lights in heauen as heretofore she had sonnes on earth Happie in bringing them into this world most happie in sending them vp into heauen She was farre more diligent and industrious when the tyraunt commaunded them to be slaine and when she walked amonghst they re dead bodies then when she did rocke them in the cradle and gaue them milke with her owne brests she viewed full well with the eyes of her soule that as manie wounds as they receaued so manie should be the pretious jewells of they re victorie how manie they re torments so manie they re rewards the crueller they re combats the more glorious they re crowns what shall I say of this valerous woman only this that she 's no true mother that loues not her children as this loued hers Hitherto are the words of S. Peeter of Rauenna The martyrdome of S. Felicitas was on the 23 day of Nouember the yeare of oure Lord 175. There is mention made of her in the Roman and other Martyrologes * ⎠* The life of S. Chrisogonus Martyr GREAT was the ioje and content the holy man Ioseph conceiued when he was taken out of prison in which he had remayned a long tyme suffring therein many troubles â—fflictions especially being vpon his deliuery ouâ— made gouernour ouer all ihe land of Egipt No lesse was the content and spirituall ioye S. Chrisogonus had when he departed out of prison where he had continued two yeares and had endured the ordinary molestations incident to prisons though he was not taken out to be a prince on the earth but to be a glorious and happie Saint in heauen whether his soule presently ascended by meanes of his martyrdome The life of this holie Sainct was written by Venerable Bede and by Ado Archbishop of Treuers in this manner SAâ—NT Chrisogonus was borne in Rome of a noble and honorable family and was in all his cariage and behauiour no lesse worthie and gracious with all men He was apprehended by the comaund and apoyntment of Dioclesian the Emperour and was kept in prison two yeeres contynually being there releeued with all things necessary by a vertous woman his disciple called Anastasia wife vnto Publius a man great and potent in the cittie but an Idollater This Phlius hauing knowledg of that which this wife Anastasia did shutte her vp and locked her stronglie in a chamber of his pallace setting a guard and watch ouer her to the end she should not send any help or relief vnto Chrisogonus as also that the should not haue any sustenance for here self determining that both the one and the other of them might dye by famine Notwithstanding the blessed woman was shut vp in this sort yet she found meanes to
clear that he who is to he head of others must haue both hony and gall for he must at one time be affable myld toward the lowly and humble and must shew himself sterne and rigorous to the prowd and hauty S Peter had these conditions he was not altogether mylde for when occasion serued he knew to fight with his sword and to wound men but S. Iohn he was peaceable myld at all times Moreouer S. Iohn was the kinsman of CHRIST after the flesh â—f he had giuen him the Papacy it would haue bene thought and he should haue giuen occasion to think so that such a dignity might haue bene bestowed vpoÌ„ their friends and kinne He gaue it then to S. Peter with whom he had no kindred S. Thomas saith also that our Lord gaue the Papacy to S. Peter for that he loued him more Iohn 21. then any other as it is collected out of the same Ghospell and therefore it was good reason he should be preferred vnto that high dignity Christ hauing giueÌ„ that function vnto S. Peter said to him obscurely that he should dye on the Crosse as he did S. Peter who loued S. Iohn dearly asked our Lord. what should become of him as if he had said Shall Iohn also dy on the Crosse the sonne of God answered him what if it please me that Iohn stay till I come to iudge both the quick the dead to the o Peter what importeth it to know it the same S. Iohn also recounteth that the brethreÌ„ talked amongst themselfs that he disciple should not dy but they marked not that CHRIST said not that he should not dy but if it pleased him that he should liue vntill his second comming what had S. Peter to do to know it This speech S. Iohn made himself is not sufficient but that some make a doubt for there the many that say that he liueth yet is to come and preach against Antechrist in the company of Enoch and Eâ—â—as whom God keepeth aliue for that entent and that S. Iohn is to be martired with theÌ„ Some agâ—ine be of a contrary opinion and say that the same S. Iohn who treateth of the commyng of Enoch Elias in the Apocalipse Cap. 11 saith thy shal be two so that if he should haue him ioyned vnto them he would not haue concealed it And to the end it may appear which of these two opinions is of greatest autority I will in this place name them that be of those opinieus this I say if it be lawfull to put this matter in opinion for that considering the words of S. Iohn of himself against the other Apostles that douted of his death it seemeth not secure to say that the Apostle did not dy They that affirme that he dyed not be Abbot Ioachin and George of Trapeunt a grammaryan who made a treatise of this matter and Francis Mairon red this treatise and saith also that S. Iohn is yet aliue He was a franciscan fryer and was the first that determinately saith Mai. 4. dis 49. that the mother of God was conceiued without originall synne for thought that Scotus who was a fryer mynour also moued the questioÌ„ yet he did not resolue the matter clearly though he seemeth to be of that opinion as Mairon is who affirmeth and determyneth it to be so These three Authours I haue seene and I know not if any other be of that opinion for that Theophilactus and Euthimius who be graue and ancient autors if you mark their words well say only that in their time it was the opinion of some that S. Iohn was not dead and the same saith Symeon Metaphraster also But other holy doctors be of a coÌ„trary oppinion S. Ierome saith plainely in many places In mat 20. that S. Iohn dyed the same in auouched by S. Iohn Chrisostome Tertullian who wrot the martirdome of S. Iohn Hâ— 26 in epis ad hâ— lib de In â—â— 21. Lib. 3. c. 3. Lib. 1.35.4 d. 43 art 3. when he was put into the boyling oyle saith that then he was deliuered from death but he afterward dyed and the same saith venerable Bede Eusebius of Cesarea in his ecclesiasticall history Polyerates B. of Ephesus said that S. Iohn dyed Nicephorus Callistus not only saith that he dyed but also that he rose againe incontinent and that he went into heauen in body and soule and S. Thomas Aquinas is of that opinion also S. Ierome and venerable Bede seeme to infer that S. Iohn is in heauen both in body and soule for they say that he dyed without griefe and that his body was not turned into dust So that the Authors who say S. Iohn did not dy be not of any great account and against them is the opinion of many and auncient doctors Iudge then whom we shall beleeue But in my opinion there is no dout but that S. Iohn did by After that IESVS CHRIST ascended into heauen and after the commyng of the Holy Ghost at the which S. Iohn was present with the other Apostles and disciples S. Luke recounteth in the Acts of the Apostles Act. â— that S. Peter and S. Iohn going into the temple to pray at the nynth houre healed a lame man to the great wonder of all the people Whereupon the two holy Apostles were led into the consistory of the Iewews where they constantly professed the faith of IESVS CHRIST They were also put in prison and beaten whereof they much reioyced thought they had receued a singular benefite in that they had suffered persecution for the name of IESVS CHRIST In this consistory was present Gamaliel a disciple of CHRIST who laboured to set the Apostles free without punishment but he could not effect it S. Iohn remained in Ierusalem certaine yeares and that was as some thinke as long as the B. Virgin liued after the Ascension of our Sauiour into heauen He had a great regard and care of herâ— he stayed ordinarily in her company He said masse vnto her and she did often times receaue the B. Sacrament at his hand as S. Bonauenture saith The communication that these two blessed creatures had together was questionles euen â—eraphicall being both of them so inflamed with the loue of God as they were After the death of the B. Virgin S. Iohn went to preach in Asia which country fell vnto his lotte in the diuision of prouinces This glorious Apostle preached with great zeale and founded seuen Churches in seuen principall Citties viz Ephesus Smirna Pergâ—mo Thyatira Philadelphia Sardis and Laodicea In all thâ—se places he ordained priests to administer the sacraments to the Christians that were many in euery one of these Citties It befell that Domitian a most cruell tyrant was made Emperour of Rome who persecuted the Christians in all the lands subiect to the Empire In this persecution S. Iohn was taken in Ephesus and brought to Rome and was there put into a vessel of boyling oyle