which was made there and els where ouer all the world by the appointement of Augustus Caesar who commanded to be made a generall description ouer all countries The description of the world by Caesar as S. Luke saith ◠Cap. 1. He shall then behold the B. Virgin as a Pilgrime walking on foote with her husband light with that precious load which she caried in her wombe burning with loue and charity towards God whome shortly she was to bring forth Secondly he shall draw in his imagination the picture of the place where she was to lye in and be deliuered giuing saluation to the world Our Sauiours Cribbe This place was a desert or forsaken Caue and stable to set beastes in where she was constrayned to lodge not fynding any place in the Inne by reason of the great concourse of people that then repayred thither vpon this imagination he shall demaund of God light well to penetrate the wonders of a Natiuity so admirable in al the circumstances The first point shall be to meditate some figures and prophecies of the birth of our Sauiour Figurs prophecies of the birth of our Sauiour The figures were all the ancient apparitions wherein the Sonne of God shewed himselfe in the forme of man as in Paradise to Adam in Canaan to Abraham and Iacob for he that was borne this midnight was the God who before had spoken to men therefore called Verbum the Word of God and he shewed himselfe to them in humane shape S. Chrys hom 2. Greg. orat 4. de Theo Clem. Ale in exhort ad gentes in paeda cap. 12. but as a passenger not staying in it as it were making a proofe or tryall of that nature which he was once to marry and ioyne by an eternall vnion to his diuinity be borne God and Man to conuerse with men and be to them the Word and interpreter of the mysteries of heauen of the Commandements of his Father And this was in his Natiuity when he shewed himselfe meerly cloathed with our nature performing what he had prophecyed caused to be foretold by his Prophets My delight is to be with the children of men for heere he began to be among the children of men Psalm 8. a true Man already conuersing with them as a little child heere he did first effectuate what I say sayd in his person Isa 52. Behould I that did speake am present and that he sung of the Natiuity Behould a Virgin shall conceaue Isa 7. and bring forth a child And againe A little child is borne to vs Isa 9. Bar. 3. and a sonne is giuen vnto vs. And another And thou Bethleē Ephrata thou art not the least among the principall towns of Iudea for out of thee shall come a Captayne to gouerne my people This therfore is that little Sonne that Prince prophecyed of by these and like passages of Scripture who was borne this night The second point shall consider the circumstances of this Natiuity 1. Circūstance of this meruailous natiuity which being well vnderstood will teach vs a good lesson of the greatnes of God and of the misery of man He was borne as he was conceaued that is miraculously conceaued of a Virgin without man borne of a Virgin without the breach of her Virginity without the panges and throwes or griefe of childbirth which was the effect of the malediction giuen to the first Woman and to all her race So hath the Prophet foretold speaking of this Virgin Before she did labour Isa 66. she was deliuered before the houre of her deliuerance she brought forth a man child Verily a man child hauing nothing effeminate God and man togeather all mighty all wise all good and though the B. Virgin did beare only the body The Virgin verily the Mother of God and not his diuinity which was from all eternity yet was she verily the Mother of God for hauing conceaued that body which was vnited to the diuine person and so brought forth that person euen as other Mothers are mothers of those they beare although the soule is not begotten of them because they ingender that body which is personally vnited to the soule It is therfore a more admirable natiuity Isa 53. then that of al the world in the Creation and so what was sayd of the eternall generation of the Sonne of God VVho shall declare his generation may also be sayd of this temporall Conception and Natiuity He was borne in the sixth age of the world foure thousand yeares or there about after the Creation in the night The circumstāce of the tyme of the sixth age in the hart of Winter when the world was most couered with darkenes and frozen in the filth of all vice and Idolatry when the temporall Kingdome of the Iewes was dismembred and translated to the gouernement of forraine Princes strangers Herod his brethren who deuided it into 4. parts or Tetrachies and made so many particular tyrannies gouerned by the great and soueraine Pagan tyranny of Rome Why Caesar described the world which commanded all and therefore Caesar commanded that description a commandement that carried the signe of soueraignty And these fiue temporal tyranies did in mystery signify the miserable estate of mākind ouerwhelmed oppressed with so many spirituall tyrannies of diuers sinnes which it serued vnder the great and generall tyranny of the diuell who held the world in his dominion as peaceable as Augustus held his Empire At midnight He was borne at midnight in the hart of winter the true sunne of our Night to driue away the deep darknes hard Ice from the harts of men to bring them day and heate them in the loue of heauenly things to bring in the beautifull seasō of the spirituall spring-time of summer and Autumne of sweet smelling flowres of the heauenly heate of the Holy Ghost of the fruit of good workes whereof the world had hitherto beene barren And this is what the Prophet sayd The people that walked in darknes haue seene a great light Isa 9. and light hath risen to them who dwell in the shadow of death He was borne in a stable among beasts Psalm 48.13 to restore man to his old ranke and place who by sinne was cast downe to the basenes of bruit beastes and was made like vnto them The third point of the Meditation Our Sauiour encountreth and ouercometh vices in his Infancy CHAP. XXXIII THE third point shall be to contemplate how this little child beginneth to handle his weapons and to fight for vs betymes euen from his cradle for this being happened not by chance but by his owne prouidence in a stable he bruized in his birth with this onely circumstance the head of the old Serpent which before he had threatned He crushed the pride of the diuell the ancient enemy of our saluation Genes 3. the authour of all our miseries In
THE PILGRIME OF LORETO PERFORMING HIS VOW MADE TO THE GLORIOVS VIRGIN MARY MOTHER OF GOD. Conteyning diuers deuout Meditations vpon the Christian Cath. Doctrine By Fa. Lewis Richeome of the Society of IESVS Written in French translated into English by E.W. PRINTED At Paris Anno Dom. M.DC.XXIX TO THE MOST HIGH AND EXCELLENT PRINCESSE MARY BY GODS SINGVLAR PROVIDENCE QVEENE OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE AND IRELAND c. MADAME This Pilgrime being drawn with a great desire to present himselfe and his seruice to your Maiesty was driuen backe by a double feare the one of offending with his ouer-boldnes in presenting himselfe poore Pilgrime to so great a Princesse the other least the very name of Pilgrime might debar him of all accesse and Audience Yet at last he resumed his first resolution considering that he was to appeare before a Queene not so Great as Gracious as all that conuerse in your Royall Court do try and testify You are the daughter of that great and Gracious King who heertofore hath with gracious acceptaÌ„ce intertained this same Pilgrim in FraÌ„ce presented vnto him by that eloquent learned and Religious Frenchman F. Lewis Richeome Accept then MADAME in England what your renowned Father imbraced in France He desireth only to be graced and honoured with your Maiestyes Name and to shroud himselfe vnder the winges of your Princely protection and to be admitted your Maiesties poore beadesman For the bare Name of Pilgrime though it may chance to breed some iealousy at the first yet whosoeuer shall but search him and examine his instructions and directions find nothing but of deuotion meditation prayer and particulerly for your Maiesty he may hope rather to be admitted for his innocency and loyall Intention then excluded for the only name of Pilgrime which Name though now strange hath heertofore beene so vsuall and esteemed in our Court S. Helene and Country as Kinges and Queenes haue not only vndertaken it but gloried therein Canutus And so great sayth an ancient Authour 900. yeares since was the deuotion of Englishmen in that tyme Ceadwalla after all the Country was conuerted and christened that not only the Noble men and the meaner sort Clerickes and Layickes but the Kinges the Kinges children leauing their kingdomes and the wealth of the world Marcelliâ— in vita S. Switbâ—râ—â— haue out of their great deuotion chosen for a tyme to go Pilgrims for Christ on earth This Pilgrime was presented to your Maiestyes Father in France of purpose to offer his prayers for the then Daulphin now King the benefit and fruit whereof he hath found and felt in good successe of his affaires and for all the Royall house Realme of France wherein your Maiesty had a part he commeth now wholy and particulerly to do the like for both your Maiesties that God by the intercession of his Blessed Mother would blesse your Royall persons your people and kingdome with all earthly and heauenly benedictions And namely that hauing vnited you in the sacred bandes of holy Matrimony and lincked your hearts with so fast Loue and Affection as all your Subiects do ioy to see and heare that he would also blesse you with the happy fruit thereof and make his Maiesty a ioyfull Father and You a Mother of many goodly and Godly Princes who may longe sway the Scepter of great Britaine after you may imitate in vertue and sanctity S. Edward and S. Lewis your Maiesties glorious predecessours and in wisedome and valour your Maiesties noble Father of famous memory Neither doe I see MADAME why this Pilgrime should feare to come to any Court or company seeing he coÌ„meth euery where but among his fellowes for though all be not Pilgrimes of Loreto neither is this booke only or principally to direct such yet whilest we liue in this world we are though as Kinges Queenes and Emperours all Pilgrimes as a great King sayd of himselfe Aduena peregrinus sum ego Psal 38. Who though they haue thousandes of Castles and Citties yet haue they not heere any one Ciuitatem permanentem which shall not be taken from them before they dye or they taken from it by death but futuram inquirimus hauing no mansion-house or byding place in this world we goe seeking one in Heauen where be multae mansiones Which this Pilgrimage vnder the shadow of his other Pilgrimage doth exactly teach vs to do exhorting vs with S. Peter 1. Pet. 2. as strangers and Pilgrimes to abstaine from carnall desires which fight against the soule and to seeke the spirituall and eternall the increase whereof will make your Maiesty greater before God and man For the honours and glory of this mortal life your Maiesty hath as much as your heart can reasonably desire You haue for your Ancestours great Emperours and Kings of Hungary and Bohemia for your Progenitors the great Dukes of Tuscany for your Father Great Henry of France and for your husband the King of Great Britaine all Great Being placed in the top of these honours there is no roome for more nor cause to desire any greater fortunes but only those which may and alwayes should increase in vs in this life and prouide matter for a Crowne of glory in the next These MADAME are holy vertues which adorne noble deuout soules as silke siluer gold pearles and precious stones doe the body these are the ornaments which haue aduanced meane women aboue Queenes Queenes aboue theÌ„selues as they did Hester who though she were exceeding beautifull yet her humility modesty charity wisedome other diuine qualities of her soule made her more admired in her life theÌ„ the beauty of her body or the Diademe of her head and after her death hath left her Name grauen in the memory of all following ages These goodly ornaments I say togeather with the corporall guifts which the hand of God hath liberally cast vpon You wonne the harts of those who knew you in France and were the titles wherby you were iudged to be a Princesse worthy of a Kingdome and a fit Consort for so great a King To conclude these are the treasures which only You shall carry with You departing this life to raigne for euer in the other with the Blessed The other guifts as beauty riches honour Iewelles the Crowne it selfe and all other earthly treasures the spoyle of tyme do passe from their being to their buriall as a shadow that vanisheth as a Post that gallopeth away as a Ship on the sea as a Bird in the ayre who leaue no path nor trace behind them as dust or a lock of woll hoysted with the wind as the froth and fome of the Sea broken with a storme as smoke dispersed in the ayre and as the memory of a guest which stayeth but one night Thus sayd Salomon out of his owne experience and we see as much euery day by ours Sap. 5. How vaine then O most Christian Queene is all this world
whole world shall be iudged when the iustice of the Iudge shall be made manifest to all the world when the iustice of the good shal be published by open iudgement in the full assembly of Angells and men and rewarded with a crowne of immortall glory There sayth one Saint shall be no complaint Aug. l. 20. ciuit c. 11. such as often in the presse of this world saying one to another why is this wicked man so happy in his wickednes VVhy is such a good man vnhappy and miserable in his vertue VVhy do Robbers prosper and poore Pilgrimes haue their throtes cut For then true felicity shall be reserued only for the good and extreme and true misery reserued only for the wicked This then is called the day of our Lord all other dayes are the dayes of men this which is the shutting vp of them all shall be our Lords day for therein he shall shew manifestly the treasures of his infinit mercy and iustice making for his glory the heauens and earth to leape all the most strong peeces of his power wisedome bounty O my soule tremble with feare The Prayer at the remembrance of this fearefull day for if Dauid Iob the Prophets if the pillars of vertue haue shaked how great ought thy feare to be poore sinnefull and feeble creature that thou art With what sense feeling shouldest thou meditate vpon the holding of this day the Iudgement of iudgements and the last of all What wilt thou then doe What Aduocate shalt thou haue Who dareth defend thee from this iust Iudge if he be offended with thee How shalt thou heare the irreuocable sentence when it shall be pronounced What shalt thou do if he condemne thee O sweet Iesus keep me from thy wrath to come if it please thee and giue me now a penitent hart that may deserue both now and then the voice of thy mercy Let me in this banishment suffer a thousand deathes but at that day let me liue with thee Afflict me whippe me cut me burne my soule my life my flesh my bones with al sorts of tribulation persecution trauaile and torments but may it please thee to pardon me then for euer O Lord. O Blessed Virgin my good Aduocate whome I often see represented in this Iudgement by the pious pictures of the holy houses in the Church of thy Sonne as suppliant for all mankind intreat I beseech O Virgin for al and for me who am of the number and the most needy and performe what the pictures represent They signify that thou art now Aduocate of mortall men to the end that at that day they may be out of paine and danger Aske now O B. Virgin for this is the tyme of asking and mercy and not then when there shall be no question but of iudging rewarding and punishing aske and in good tyme obtaine for me and for all those that seeke vnto thee obtaine for me O puissant Aduocate the grace throughly to bewaile my sinnes vertuously to correct my faultes wisely to order my senses and actions that at that day I may confidently behould the eye and countenance of that soueraigne Iudge set in his throne of Iustice ioyfully heare the sentence he pronounceth and happily be placed on the right hand in the number of his beloued The After-dinner and Euening of the nineteenth dayes Iourney The separation of the good from the wicked after Iudgement CHAP. XLIII AFTER dinner the Pilgrime shall imploy his deuotioÌ„ in meditating what followeth Iudgement setting before his eyes how the one sort take their flight vp to heauen with Iesus Christ and his Angells there to reigne with him happy and blessed for euer The other full of misery and anguish broken-harted desperate shall be swallowed downe body and soule to the Center of the earth with the Diuells whome they serued and hauing gone foreward a while in this thought he shall also in the euening make some prayer to our Lord and to the B. Virgin his glorious Mother to the same end with that before dinner and shall looke about to lodge himselfe in some place proper for a poore wearied Pilgrime to repose The twentith Day A Meditation of Hell CHAP. XLIV THE Pilgrime hauing purposed to cleanse his soule in this his Pilgrimage and in good earnest to sweare emnity for euer against sinne the better to moue himselfe to peÌ„nance and to conceaue contâ—ition requisite for such an effect he shall help himselfe with the meditation of Hell the second death and reward of sinne as he helped himselfe hitherto with the meditation of the first death and iudgement This is a thundring peece Eccl. 7.40 to beat at the eares and soule of a sleepy sinner and with a wholsome alarum to awake him and make him take armes and looke to himselfe Good men are also holpeÌ„ therby for though they follow vertue rather for loue then for feare and serue God for himselfe which is the seruice of true children it profiteth them notwithstanding to meditate as well the punishmeÌ„t as the reward drawing from theÌ„ce matter to prayse God in his iustice and mercy and to stirre vp themselues to serue him well The Meditation shall haue his partes The prayer preparatory accustomed The first Preamble shall represent an obscure and darke bottomlesse dungeon in the Center of the earth ful of horrour and stench of fire brimstone and smoke and soules inclosed in their bodyes plunged in these flames The second shall demand particuler grace well to meditate of Hell for euer to auoyd it Hell most intollerable The first point shall consider that as there is nothing in this life more horrible then death nothing so dreadfull as Iudgement that followeth after so nothing is more intollerable then Hell and the punishments therof Matth. 8.33.22.24 There sayth the Scripture is weeping gnashing of teeth there is the worme gnawing of the soule and neuer dying and killing alway without killing Marc. 9.44 There is the fire that neuer quencheth there is the darke Countrey couered with the cloud of death There is the shaddow of death where no order but perpetuall horrour inhabiteth Iob. 10.25 Apoc. 21.14 There the portion of the damned is in a lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death where the wicked shall be tormented world without end The second point shall represent the diuers sortes of paines ordayned according to the diuersity of sins Diuers paines for diuers crimes for notwithstanding the horrour and disorder of this gulfe the order of Gods iustâ—â—e neuerthelesse shall be kept as the Apostle signifyeth when he sayth that he heard a voice from heauen condemning the Lecher to paynes saying Apec 18.7 Giue him torments in that measure that he hath had glory and delight in this life Therfore there the Proud shall be oppressed with an extreme confusion and shame The Couetous suffer an vnspeakable hunger and thirst The Adulterers buryed in fire and
brimstone with an intolerable stench and ech of all their partes and specially of those that haue been instruments of their villanies The Cholericke and cruell shal haue for their whips and scourges their owne passions and the fury of the fiends The Gluttons shall be serued at the table of Hell fed with serpents and toades and drinke of the cuppe of the wrath of God The Enuious shall beare in their bosomes euer-liuing scorpions who shall sting them to an immortall rage The Slouthfull shall be beaten with the rodes of his owne rechlesnes vexed with a particuler torment of body and soule These shall be the proportions of euery one and all in generall shall haue the horrour of that hellish company of darknes of cries howlinges one of another The eternity of hell torments The third point shall be to consider that al these torments besides that they are vnspeakable and continuall shall also be euerlasting This eternity is that which giueth the forme the name of Hell to that hellish misery and without it there should be no Hell of torments nor paradise of pleasure This shall be the great hart-breake to the damned The cause of the daÌ„neds rage and sting their soule with a raging grief that they shal suffer without ceasing they shall also see without ceasing that it shall alwayes be so They shall alwayes pay the interest of their sinnes committed and yet shal alwayes be behind in errerages they shal alwayes pay and their debt increase still that which shall be past though it were ten milions of ages shall be reckoned for nothing and the future tyme shall be followed with another future as long as all Eternity The forme of this Eternity shall flye as a fierce fury continually before their eyes beating her vnwearied wings and hissing her horrour into their eares shall couch it selfe in the depth of their imagination and grauing there the marke and round circle of these eternall ages shall breed therein the sting and immortall rage of a furious desperation O soueraigne bounty What monster may sinne be that could so incense either thyne anger or thy clemency against it O sinne how abhominable art thou seeing no payne is sufficient to punish and chastice thee but eternall O mortall men what thinke you of when you defile your soules with the familiarity of this plague this death this confusioÌ„ Where is your wit to loose glory delight and riches of heauen for a fond pleasure for a foule delight for a brutish vanity with this inestimable losse throwing your selues head-long into euerlasting damnation O my soule thinke heereof delay no longer thinke of it betymes all tyme of repentance is good tyme flye the danger of eternall euills whilest the mercy of God inuiteth thee and doth promise thee help and assistance and recompence for thy labour O my Lord I will serue thee with all my soule and withall my soule renounce all vanity and doe vow from henceforth eternal emnity to thy great and immortall enemy who hath furnished so much matter to thy iustice to build these mansions of darknes confusion death O Virgin Queene and Mother most pure most great and puissant further the desires of thy Pilgrime and deuoted suppliant and by thy credit obtayne that he may happily performe the good desires and designements which thy Sonne his Redeemer and Lord hath by thyne intercâ—ssion planted in his hart The After-dinner and Euening of the twentith dayes Iourney Other Meditations of the paynes of the damned CHAP. XLV THE two other partes of the day shall be employed in the consideration of the infinite number of soules lost The lost soules since the beginning of the world vnto this tyme also an infinit number that daily are and will be lost from this tyme to the end of this world Soules alas lost dead deadly groaning in the gulfe of their torments byting their tongue for fury that seeke for death and cannot find it Apo. 18.10 being buryed in the bowells of death it selfe dying alwayes and yet cannot dye liuing alwayes and yet cannot liue that curse the day of their birth and the name and memory of their Progenitours detesting the earth they so much loued the heauens and the starres that they could not see and foâ—â—ul measure of theâ— impiety they blaspheme the Maiesty of thy Creatour and haue no rest neither day nor night All thinges are to them affliction all is night and darkenes all is gall and bitternes all tears and gnashing all griefe and despaire Death can neither end them nor ouercome them wheresoeuer they cast the eyes of their vnderstanding they find themselues on euery side coÌ„passed and inclosed with the barres of eternity without all hope not only to escape out of the prison of this dolefull and lamentable being and worse a thousand times then not being at all but also to haue ease or respit By this consideration the Pilgrime shall learne more and more the malignity of sinne and shall harden himselfe to the hatred thereof and at night he shall yield thankes to the mercy of God for the tyme and respit he hath giuen him with a thousand meanes to do pennance in this life and to abstaine from sinne that he might auoyd these paines reserued for sinners in this euerlasting prison And after he hath in good time taken vp his lodging to prepare himselfe with leasure to the last meditation of his third weeke and the day of his arriuall The one and twentith Day Of Generall Confession and of the parts of Pennance CHAP. XLVI THIS one and twentith day is the last of the first part of this Pilgrimage wherin the Pilgrime must prepare him selfe with his best endeauour to pennance purgation of his soule which is the end of this part the more worthily to appeare in the house of the B. Virgin that he goeth to visit a Virgin of purity mother of purity and Queene of purity This preparation shall be in the chiefe foundation and exact and entire confession of all his sinnes since his last Confession or if need be To whoÌ„ generall confessioÌ„ is necessary generally of all his life since his yeares of discretion or from some other markeable time This is the Confession commonly called Generall necessary to him that was neuer so confessed or was ill confessed either by concealing any mortall sinne willingly or for want of good disposition necessary to a Penitent that is without sorrow for sinnes committed Sorrow and purpose of amendement necessary or firme purpose of amending or for hauing beene confessed to such as wanted either knowledge to help him or authority to absolue him to others that haue beene daily confessed this generall is not necessary yet to them also it is profitable for thereby gathering as it were into one heape the multitude of our sinnes we procure a confusion so much the more holesome by how much it is greater The profit of general
purgation for their faultes wherof they had not done pennance whilst they liued Aug. epist 99. ad Exod lib 10. in Genes cap. 33 all which soules the soule of our Sauiour did enlighten and deliuer out of paine and prison and put them in possession of the vision of God which was the Paradise he promised to the good theefe The third place was that of eternall prison which properly we call Hell Greg. moral c. 120. where were enclosed the damned soules with that great Diuell the rebellious Angell and his complices These soules were neither deliuered nor enlightened no more then the Diuels themselues Nâ—ss l. de resurr because they dyed in the disgrace of God without pennance and repentance of their sinnes and had no hope in God which the soule of our Sauiour did reproach to them shewing theÌ„ that 〈◊〉 was not long of God that they were not redeemed and saued but of their owne obstinate malice In this descent Lazarus beheld the burning loue and great power of our Sauiour his great loue so soone deliuering those imprisoned soules and making them so soone feele the fruit of his death his power in entring freely into the kingdome of death Psalm 87 there brauing his enemies death and the Princes of darknes frighted with this power neuer hauing seene the like in that region of dead men and in the kingdome of death The Resurrectio of our Sauiour Vpon the second point he obserued how the victorious soule of our Sauiour leading from hell the soules of his elected came to resume his body in the Sepulcher made it liuing and glorious which thing yet neuer happened to any deceased for all the soules departing out of theit bodies remained captiue below and neuer any were so farre remoued from those regions where death had raigned long in peace This was an exploite reserued for the sonne of God thereupon called The first Borne amongst the dead Col. 1.18 and therefore the Poets who feigned that Vlisses Hercules and other heroicall fellowes to haue gone and returned from Hell The vanity of profane Poets spake against the truth being therein both liers and sacrilegious attributing falsly to mortall men that which the Prophets and Sibilles haue written of the Sauiour of mortall men the true triumpher of hell by his death and death by his Resurrection Those that were miraculously raised agayne before him as Lazarus and the like were not victorious of death for they died againe but he issuing out of his tombe killed death with his victory and by his descent he had subiugated Hell for so had he foretold by the mouth of his Prophet O death Ose 1.13 14. I will be thy death O Hell I will by thy consumer Vpon the 3. point Lazarus noted that our Sauiour being risen againe shewed himselfe first to his most honourable Mother Our Sauiour first appeared to his mother after his Resurrection For it was iustice that she who had honoured him by her fayth followed him in his Crosse and did suffer with him in sufferings aboue all other Creatures should be the first in the ioy of his Resurrection O sweet Iesus quoth Lazarus what ioy didst thou bring to thy desolate mother shewing her vpon that fayre Sonday the glory and brightnes of thy body which she had seene the friday before so vnworthily hanled in the conflict of the Crosse What consolation feltst thou O glorious Virgin seeing thy well beloued returne victorious from Hell and his graue clothed with immortall glory and carying with him that noble spoile the soules of his Elect 1. Of the first Resurrection 2. A horrible Spectacle CHAP. XXI THIS was the Meditation of Lazarus Theodosius and Vincent ended at the same tyme and hauing heard Masse The Pilgrims departure and taken a small breakfast they bad Gratian farewell and with the blessing of Dom-Prior and a thousand thankes they began their iourny they sayd first their Itinerarium and after their beads in this manner Lazarus declared the mystery which they must meditate at euery Tenne after recited an Aue Maria. Theodosius followed with Vincent saying another Lazarus began againe and continued praying ouer the beads in turne as those that sing in the quire or recite their houres This being done they began to discourse of the spirituall resurrection of man to the which S. Paul exhorteth Christians after the similitude of the resurrection of our Sauiour The first Resurrection saying As our Sauiour is risen from the dead by the glory of his Father so let vs walk also in the newnes of life Where the Apostle meaneth that the glorious Resurrection of our Sauiour doth teach vs a spirituall resurrection Resurrection spirituall which is made by rising froÌ„ sin which is the death of our soule by lyuing working in the grace of God which is our true life and glory in this world Rom. 6.4 and this is that which S. Iohn calleth the first resurrection necessary to all those who will be partaker of the second Apoc. 2â— which shall be when at the great rising againe of mortall men and the generall iudgement the bodies of the iust shall rise out of their graues and vnited to their soule shall shine like the sunne and the bodies of the damned that made no reckoning of the first resurrection shall rise agayne to dye to death euerlasting Vincent demaunded of Lazarus what shall be the qualities of the bodies of the iust being risen againe Lazarus answered him that neither tongues of men or Angells were sufficient to expresse the glorious beauty and qualities which God shall bestow vpoÌ„ the bodies of the blessed yet the Christian Schoole doth teach vs in generall that these bodies shall be endewed with foure speciall and principall qualities of brightnes agility impassibility and subtility and that whatsoeuer is goodly or beautifull dispersed among all other naturall bodies as heauens starres stones plants birds beasts fishes should be assembled meete all in the body of man For as in the Creation God made in him an abridgment of all nature so shall he in their bodies risen againe make an abridgmeÌ„t of al the corporal beauties of the same nature Theodosius hearing this discourse of Lazarus Alas saith he sighing if men thought of this Resurrection what would they not doe to obtaine it And if they make so great account of goodly and braue apparell and of wearing ornaments which adorne the body and yet belong not vnto the body how should they esteem the glorious array of this future Resurrection which shall be infinitely more beautifull which shall be proper and affects to the body and shall last for all eternity These and such like were their discourses from morning vntill noone about which tyme they arriued at a little village and lay at the signe of the Sunne where after they had examined their conscience they made a light dinner and learned of their host that they
brethren that we shall haue cause to mourne to day at our arriuall Then am I farre besides my reckoning quot Vincent for I make account to rest and make merry It will be then at the funerall quoth Lazarus that you must be merry for yonder fellow told me that my brothers obsequies are kept this day They are quoth Theodosius the obsequies of Pauline But I feare me quoth Lazarus that they are of my brother Francis haue I not then cause to lament both mine owne estate that of the good old man my fathers With what face can I looke on him what hart-breake shall my presence be vnto him when by me he shall vnderstand the death also of his other sonne his hart and his dearling I pray you quoth Vincent let vs not found melancholy vpon shadowes it is but a coniecture you haue we must not hold it for certaine truth Let vs expect a while without giuing the alarum at the voice of a peasant Lazarus sayd no more but marched all mute As they were a quarter of a mile from the Castle I see there below quoth Vincent fiue or sixe persons I thinke they be of Monsieur his people stay a while I pray you vntill I go and know Lazarus and Theodosius stayed as he came about ten paces from them he perceiued Pauline with three or foure of his Cousins amongst whome was a brother of Theodosius Pauline perceiuing him also ranne straight vnto him and imbraced him Vincent all rauished And what sayth he we thought you had beene dead in Africa and Lazarus mourned for you euen now My brother Lazarus quoth Pauline and is he aliue Yea saith Vincent and as lusty as euer he was sauing that he is somwhat melancholy Alas we haue made his obsequies His obsequies quoth Vincent do the bury folkes aliue in this country He thoght they had beene the funerals of his brother Francis He is quicke and queath too God be thanked quoth Pauline but where is my brother Lazarus He is there quoth Vincent shewed him where they stayed vnder the trees Pauline fell a running and crying without seeing any body my brother Lazarus my brother Aime-Dieu where are you Lazarus hearing this voice sayd to Theodosius Is not this voice of Pauline Do I not dreame still Hearke Pauline cried againe it is euen so quoth Theodosius and they went â—eâ—â—e Lazarus saw Pauline who cast himselfe into his armes Lazarus 〈…〉 his necke both weeping 〈◊〉 remaining to a wâ—iâ—◠〈◊〉 speaking At last saith Lazarus but is not 〈◊〉 â—â—earâ—e that giueth me a vaine ioy Theodosius imbracing Pauline It is surely Pauline that I hold quoth he doubt you nothing And speaking to Pauline O my good Cousin Lazarus hath made your obsequies 〈◊〉 Loreto are you yet liuing And we haue made his heere quoth Pauline This then quoth Lazarus is the fulfilling of the two first verses of the Hermits prophecy At that fayre Day the last which you desire Two dead reuiu'd without death shall ech other see For behold you my brother raised againe to mine eyes without dying and I to yours and I hope that the other two verses with the whole prophecy shall he accomplished but is our honourable Father well and in health and our wel-beloued brother decrest sister All the world is well and galliard quoth Pauline God be thanked there was nothing but the newes of your death that did contristate vs. Amidst these imbracings the other gentlemen came the brother of Theodosius and imbraced streight not without many teares Lazarus arriued at his Father house Now the question was how to aduertise their Father Pauline would preseÌ„tly haue gone vnto him but Lazarus was of opinion to vse dexterity least receiuing newes of a great ioy presently vpon a great heauines he should fall into some deadly sounding by the encountring of these contrary passions No quoth Pauline he is resolute and constant and the newes of your arriuall will not hurt him I warrant you Let me alone with the matter all shall go well Expect onely in the court of the Castle vntil I warne you of a fit time to come in Pauline went and saluted his father who was in his chamber with his brother Francis somewhat pensiue He sayd vnto him Sir you must reioyce and not be sorry for the death of my brother Aime-Dieu My child answered his father my greatest griefe is past I am resolued to patience seeing it is the will of God so I hope I shall see him shortly in heauen Sir quoth Pauline would you not be glad to see him in earth If it had beene Gods will I would gladly haue seene him returned from his pilgrimage before I did end myne but seeing it is fallen out otherwise God be blessed for all Sir quoth Pauline reioyce your sonne is yet aliue and you shall see him shortly and therewith made a signe to the page who had the watch word to call his brother How vnderstaÌ„d you that saith his Father And as he would haue spoken asked further Lazarus entred in with Theodosius and Vincent saying aloud Sir behold your sonne risen againe The good good old man as it were a waked out of a deep dreame and astonished as if he had seene a body rise out of the graue fastened his eyes on the face of Lazarus and imbracing him bathed him in warne teares O my Sonne quoth he how litle looked for and how greatly pleasing is thy coming vnto me thou art wellcome with all thy coÌ„panions but art thou yet aliue Art thou he whose funerals we celebrated yesterday and for whome we hanged this house with blacke Is it not a dreame that doth thus transport me Syr quoth Lazarus it is your sonne and heere loe your nephew Theodosius and your faythfull seruant Vincent Loe verily I do remember them well sayth he and imbracing them God saue you my good friends quoth he Francis imbraced his brother Aime-Dieu with a wonderfull demonstration of ioy as also Theodosius and all the Castle towne did ring of the newes of these Pilgrimes returne The hall which was hanged for doâ—e was straight hanged with tapistry the countenance of the persons and of the very walles changed from a great sadnes to a sudden ioy and there was nothing but imbracements and voyce of ioy and the good old man come to himselfe and as it were becomming yong againe with the returne of his sonne Go we sayth he to giue thankes to God and lead them to the Church in their Pilgrims weed as they came into the Castle The Church was full of the townesmen astonished and rauished to see their maisters Sonne sound and lustie for whome they had mourned in the morning After they had song Te Deum and giuen thankes the old man said to Lazarus My sonne Aime-dieu your brother Pauline told me that you had changed your name and were called Lazarus behold to that purpose you are raysed againe the fourth day for