the best of souldiers I speak of Sampson which is so much as to say Sun in our language where it seemeth the Scripture leadeth us by the hand to make us acknowledge that military profession which is under good direction so much excelleth the ordinary vocations of men as doth the Sun the stars For letters yea eloquence and arts which are set out with so much lustre in the estimation of men are covered under the wings of military virtue as very well the Roman Oratour hath acknowledged We do not read that ever the Sun stood still to hear the gracefull words of an eloquent tongue nor to behold the Theaters and Amphitheaters of the Romans nor the Olympick games of Grecians nor all the other objects of admiration which are in the industrie of men But we do well know from the Oracle of truth that this great Star admired by all the world immoveably stayed as charmed by the voice of a souldier the illustrious Josuah at that time when he acted so many brave feats of arms as if it would admire his prowess and enlighten his conquests And what is there also more admirable in the The greatnes and excellency of a brave Captain world than to see a man covered with steel who curvetteth on a generous horse and hasteneth his head bowed to throw himself through the battallions all bristled with launces and swords through so many musket-shots so many hail-showers of iron and so many dreadfull images of death which he as freely defieth as if he were immortal and as little spareth life as if he had a hundred to loose What a spectacle to behold him in a furious conflict like a thunder-bolt in the cloud which forceth his prison and breaks all resistance flying upon wings of fire and the whirling roar of thunder to shake the height of rocks What an affrightment to see him in another posture scaling a wal all beset with arms and terrours and hastening into danger with the same pace and visage as another to a feast What support and what consolation for poor people whom injustice and hostility would butcher as sheep ordained to slaughter to perceive a brave captain with a flying squadron dissevering the malignity of those forces conspired to the ruine of innocents and by the splendour of his arms changing all the storms into calms O what a beauty is it to receive wounds in those combates from whence floweth more glory than bloud O what greatness to reap palms in midst of so many thorns O what a felicity to behold his battels attended by so many laurels congratulations and applauses of the people preserved by this military virtue How can all be in this profession but glorious seeing death it self the terrible of terribles sheweth a face all smiling to those who are buried in their valour as in the true tomb of honour It seemeth holy Histories do likewise describe these The delight of history to praise Captains Induit se loricâ sicut Gigâ—s similis factus est leoni in operibus suis sicut catulus leonis rugientis in venatione great Captains with some delight when they make them march in the war So they tell us (a) (a) (a) 1 Mac. 13. of Judas Machabaeus who having put on his arms appeared like a Gyant and that he in the battel was seen like a roaring Lion seeking out his prey So they describe in the second of Kings (b) (b) (b) 2 Reg. 23. the prowess of David and other valiant men who flourished in this time with most particular Elogies So they depaint unto us in a very admirable manner the strength and stratagems of Gedeon against the Midianites Valour is matter of astonishment which transporteth all men both great and small wittie and dull to honour its qualities Aristotle the politest judgement which hath been in former Ages so much wondereth at this warlick force though far distant from his profession that he composed an excellent Hymn in praise of it which is yet to be found in Diogenes Laertius Where he calleth it a virtue most painfull for mortals but the fairest ornament of Civil life A virtue which hath such attractive beauty that the most generous hearts seek for death with strife to enjoy the lustre of its glory If then this valour have such attraction considered onely within the limits of nature how will it be if once advanced by the assistance of grace and virtues which take al that is harsh from it to make it shine with rays of a true and happy majesty Is there any thing more lovely in the whole world than to see a valorous souldier furnished with qualities of piety prudence justice liberality goodness honesty and with all other graces which are in a sweet disposition as stars sown in the azure of celestial globes Oh Nobility if you knew your own excellency and could conform your life to your dignity what lustre and support would you afford to Christendom It was the faith of a souldier and of a souldier issued from Paganism which the mouth of the living God hath exalted above all the piety of the Israelites when he so highly commended the Centurion of the Gospel for acknowledging the Saviour had as much power over maladies and things insensible as an absolute Captain over his souldiers It was a souldier whom Saint Peter by the revelation of the Angel did first of all consecrate to faith as the first fruits of Gentilism They are warriours which so often replenish our Martyrologes with their names our memories with their veneration and mouthes with prayers offered up to them These hearts have at all times been capable to receive seeds of most noble virtues and now adays they are suffered to putrifie in neglect ordure and bruitishness Oh Nobility deceive not your selves in the acknowledgement of the badges of your profession nor flatter your selves under a false mask of valour I will here represent to you the Palace of military virtue and shew the way you must walk in to arrive thither not suffering your selves to be seduced by chimerical fantasies and illusions of greatness onely big-swoln with smoak and which when they have promised to make mountains produce nothing but rats and vermine The second SECTION The enterance into the Palace of valour and the illusions of Salmoneans and Rodomonts .. THe ingenious Delben who hath composed all Aristotoles moral Philosophie in excellent Tables figureth unto us at the entery into the Palace of valour an enraged Mistress called Audaciousness which seduceth an infinite number of Salmoneans or Rodomonts under colour of virtue It is true she is dumb in this piece of painting but I resolve to shew her full of life in this Treatise and discover to you the slie practises and damnable maxims which she makes use of to deceive the spirits of this Age to the end that the knowledge of the evil may with more facility furnish us for application of remedies Suffer me here O Reader to
I say O God how little is the world Is it for this we deceive we swear and make a divorce between God and us But admit we were not interessed in this action must we not rest on the law of God who maketh life and ordaineth death by the juridical power of his wisdom ever to be adored by our wills though little penetrable to understanding Will you I pronounce an excellent saying of Tertullian The world is the Vterus naturae An excellent coÌ„ceit drawn from the words of Tertullian belly of Nature and men are in it as children in the mothers womb the birth of men are the world 's child-bearings death its lying in and deliveries Would you not die to hinder the world from bringing forth and unburdening it self by the way the Sovereign Master hath appointed it We have seen Tyrants of all sorts some invented exquisite torments and tryals others forbade eating and drinking some to weep some caused children to be taken from the teat to strangle them and cut their throats as Pharaoh and Herod But never was there any amongst them who forbade women with child to be delivered The world hath for a long space been big with you and would not you have it to be delivered at the time God's counsels have ordained Were it a handsom thing think you to see an infant presently to have teeth and articulate speech and yet if it might be would stay in the mothers womb using no other reason but that there is warm being Judge now and take the even ballance if the world be the belly of nature if this good mother bare us the time Gods providence appointed if she now seek her deliverie that we may be born in the land of the living in a quite other climate another life another light are not we very simple to withstand it as little infants who crie when they issue out of bloud and ordure at the sight of day-light yet would not return thither from whence they came 4. Behold the Providence of God in that which Providence in the death of the vicious Boet. l. 4. de consol Cum supplicis carent inesâ— illis aliquid alteriuâ— mali ipsâ— impunitâ—s S. Eucher in paraenesi concerneth death in the generality of all men Let us see in this second point the like providence towards the wicked the vicious rich and proud Great-ones who spit against Heaven We must first establish a most undoubted maxim that there is nothing so unhappy as impunity of men abandoned to vice which is the cause the paternal providence of God arresteth them by the means of death dictating unto them an excellent lesson of their equality with other men Mortals circumvolve in life and death as Heaven on the pole artick and antartick from east to west the same day which lengtheneth our life in the morning shorteneth it in the evening and all Ages walk that way not any one being permitted to return back again Our fore-fathers passed on we pass and our posteritie follows us in the like course you may say they are waves of the sea where one wave drives another and in the end all come to break against a rock What a rock is death There are above five thousand years that it never ceaseth to crush the heads of so many mortals and yet we know it not I remember to this purpose a notable tradition of the Hebrews related by Masius upon Josuah to wit Masius in Josuah Notable action of Noah that Noah in the universal deluge which opened the flood-gates of Heaven to shake the columns of the world and bury the earth in waters in stead of gold silver and all sort of treasure carried the bones of Adam into the Ark and distributing them among his sons said Take children behold the most precious inheritance your father can leave you you shall share lands and seas as God shall appoint but suffer not your selves to be intangled in these vanities which are more brittle than glass more light than smoke and much swifter than the winds My children all glideth away here below and there is nothing which eternally subsisteth Time it self which made us devours and consumeth us Learn this lesson from these dumb Doctours the relicks of your grand-father which will serve you for a refuge in your adversities a bridle in your prosperities and a mirrour at all times Moreover I affirm death serves for a perfect lesson of justice to the wicked which they were never willing throughly to understand for it putteth into equality all that which hazard passion and iniquity had so ill divided into so many objects Birth maketh men equal since they receive nought else from their mothers womb but ignorance sin debility and nakedness but after they come out of the hands of the midwife some are put into purple and gold others into rags and russets some enter upon huge patrimonies where they stand in money up to the throat practise almost nothing else throughout their whole life but to get by rapine with one hand and profusely spend with the other Some live basely and miserably necessitous A brave spirit able to govern a large Common-wealth is set to cart by the condition of his poverty Another becomes a servant to a coxcomb who hath not the hundreth part of his capacity It is the great Comedie of the world played in sundry fashions for most secret reasons known to Divine Providence would you have it last to eternity See you not Comedians having played Kings and beggars on the stage return to their own habit unless they day and night desire to persist in the same sport And what disproportion is there if after every one have played his part in the world according to the measure of time prescribed him by Providence he resume his own habit I also adde it is a kind of happiness for the wicked to die quickly because it is unfit to act that long which is very ill done And since they so desperately use life it is expedient not being good it be short that shortness of time may render the malice of it less hurtfull If examples of their like who soon die make them apprehensive of the same way and how seasonably to prepare for death it is a singular blessing for them But if persisting in contempt they be punished it is God's goodness his justice be understood and that it commandeth even in hell 5. But if at this present you reflect on the death of the Just which you should desire I say God's Providence there brightly appeareth in three principal things which are cessation from travels and worldly miseries the sweet tranquility of departure and fruition of crowns and rewards promised First you must imagine what holy Job said That The sweetnes of the death of the just Iob 3. Qui expectant mortem quasi effodientes thesaurum Tert. de pallio Homo pellitus orbi quasi metallo datur this life is to the just as
she had seen in his picture which commonly was painted with the horns of a bull on his fore-head it was not in my opinion his fair eyes nor goodly nose which made him sought after for he was one of the most deformed creatures of the world Yet he notwithstanding was reputed a great Captain and a puissant King This blind Princess so breathed the air of ambition that though he were wholly Pagan and hydeous she no whit was affrighted for verily her passion was so much enkindled that she secretly dispatched one of her Eunuches with express letters beseeching Attila he would demand her in marriage of the Emperour her brother and she should account it a great honour to be his wife This Scythian entered into a much greater estimation of his own worth than ever beholding himself sued unto by a Romane Ladie of noble extraction and thereupon grew so eager that he immediately addresseth an Embassadour to the Emperour Valentinian to require his sister of him in marriage and the moity of his Kingdom otherwise he was not gone back so far but he would return with his Army to enforce his obedience All the world was now strucken with terrour when by good chance he saw himself for some pressing occasions engaged to return into his Countrey where all these lightenings were quickly turned into a shower of bloud After he had sweat under harness like another Hannibal who in the end of his conquests was bruitishly besotted in the bosom of a Capuan Ladie this haughty King of Hunnes as soon as he came into his Countrey wholly engulphed himself in wine and love Besides a great rabble of creatures which he had to satisfie his lust he became in his old days passionately enamoured of a gentlewoman named Hildecon whom he married with sports feasts and excessive alacrity That evening after he had freely drunk according to his custom he retired into his nuptial chamber with his new spouse and the next morning was found dead in his bed floating in a river of bloud who had drawn bloud from all the veins of the world Some said it was an eruption of bloud which Death of Attila choaked him but others thought Hildecon lead thereunto one knoweth not by what spirit nor by whom sollicited handled her pretended husband as Judith did Holofernes Behold how God punisheth the proud A despicable dwarf who commanded over 700000. men who forraged every where environed as with a brazen wall who boasted in the lightenings of his puissant arms who razed Cities all smoking in bloud and flames who wasted Provinces who destroyed Empires who would not tread but on Crowns and Scepters behold him the very night of his nuptials full of drink massacred by a woman having not so much as the honour to die by the hand of a man The same night that Attila yielded up the ghost in his own bloud our Saviour appeared in a dream to the good Emperour Martianus and shewing him a great bowe all shivered in pieces saith Martianus behold the bowe of Attila which I have broken thou hast no further cause to fear thy Empire Thus you see how God fighteth for the pious even while they sleep This scourge being so fortunately diverted Martianus and Pulcheria attended with all their power to the consolation and ornament of the universal Church under the direction of the great Pope Saint Leo whom their Majesties most punctually obeyed At that time were seen the reliques to march in triumph into Constantinople of the good Patriarch Flavianus massacred by the practices of hereticks at that time the exiled Bishops were with honour re-established in their seats At that time the Councel of Chalcedon was celebrated where the Emperour Martianus though wholly a souldier made an Oration first in Latin for the honour of the Romane Church then in Greek his natural language At that time heresie was fully condemned and impudence surcharged with confusion At that time an infinite number of goodly Canons were confirmed by the Councel and strongly maintained by the authority of the Emperour At that time justice was fixed in the height of perfection Briefly at that time the whole world was infinitely comforted by the good order and liberalities of this holy Court It was an admirable Empire and a happy marriage and nothing could be desired more in this match but immortality But the holy Virgin Pulcheria being about fifty years of age not so much loaden with years as merits wearied out with continual travel and care which she had endured almost fourty years in the mannage of affairs found her repose in exchange of the Court of Constantinople for that of Paradise She died in a most pure virginity which she carefully had preserved all her life time leaving the poor for her heirs who were her delight after she had built in her own life time five Churches and among the rest one to the honour of the most Blessed Virgin Marie which surpasseth all the other in magnificence besides many hospitals and sepulchres for pilgrimes Torches made of aromatick wood cast out their odoriferous exhalations when they are almost wasted and the virtuous Pulcheria made all the good odours of her life evaporate in the last instant of her death She who had lived as the Bee in the tastfull sweetness of purity died as the Phenix in the Palms not of Arabia but of conquests which she had obtained over the enemies of our nature We have here annexed her Picture and Elogie AVGVSTA AEL PVLCHERIA PULCHERIA FLA. THEODOSII JUNIORIS SOROR AUGUSTA VIRGO ET CONJUX AUGUSTORUM FILIA SOROR NEPTIS UXOR PROPUGNATRIX PONTIFICUM MAGISTRA IMPERATORVM CVSTOS FIDEI MVNIMEN ORTHODOXORVM ECCLESIAE ET IMPERII DECVS NOVA HELENA NOVVM ORBIS MIRACVLVM ANNO CHRISTI CLIII AETATIS LV. IMPERII XXXIX AD COELESTEM AVLAM PROFICISCITVR Upon the picture of PULCHERIA A Golden Virgin in an iron Age Who trampled under foot infernal rage A barren wife a fruitfull maid unstain'd That all the world within her heart contain'd Mother of people Mistress over Kings brings And who 'twixt Church and Law firm union She in herself bright Scepters did behold Joyn'd to the Cross Altars to Crowns of gold The married life unto virginitie And glorious greatness to humilitie If virtue were a substance to be seen Well might we here suppose this happy Queen Should lend her body that it outward may Resplendent lustre to the world display GReat-ones may here behold the shortest way to the Temple of Honour is to pass by that of Virtue Never woman was more honoured in her life never woman more glorious in her death That great Pope S. Leo S. Cyril and all the excellent men both of the East and West have employed their pens in her honour So magnificent and noble acclamations were made to her in Councels that nothing would be wished more glorious A little before her death in the Councel of Chalcedon they cried out Long live the Empress most Sacred Long live
more than an ordinary souldier This seemed commendable in him but he was so desperately proud and cholerick that he would have all things carried according to his own counsels much offended with the least contradiction and accounting himself so necessary that nothing could be done without him On the other side the young Emperour who was jealous of his authority seeing that through his presumption he took too much upon him he in all occasion sought to depress him which the other ill digested but he continuing in this arrogant and harsh disposition Valentinian violently moved did resolve to be rid of him Behold why one day as Arbogastus approched to his Throne to do him reverence he looked awry on him and gave him a ticket by which he declared him a man disgraced and deprived of his charge He furious as a dog who byteth the stone thrown at him after he had read the ticket tore it in pieces in the presence of the Emperour through extream impudency and cried out aloud You gave me not the charge which I hold nor is it in your power to take it from me This he spake presuming of support from the souldiers whom he had ever esteemed From this day forward he ceased not to make his distasts appear and to bend his spirit to a mischievous revenge There was by misfortune at that time in the Court one named Eugenius who was accounted a wittie man but cold and timorous that heretofore had professed Rhetorick and acquired a good talent in speaking Arbogastus supposed his own boldness would make an excellent temper with the coldness of this man and having along time much confided in him he made him an overture to seize on the Empire which he at first refused But the other having promised him the death of Valentinian and his sword for defence gave consent to a most enormous assassinate All men were amazed that the poor Emperour in a fatal morning was found strangled by the conspiracy of Eugenius and Arbogastus aided by the Gentils who desired nothing but the liberty of Paganism This news brought a most sensible affliction upon Saint Ambrose for the Emperour was assured that the Bishop came to Vienna expresly to entreat his return into Italie which having understood he reckoned up the days and expected his arrival with unspeakable impatience But S. Ambrose who would not by importunity thrust himself into unnecessary affairs as he through charity was unwilling to be wanting in necessary having understood that the Emperour was daily upon his return deferred this voyage which had been most requisite to hinder Arbogastus over whom he had a great power Valentinian advertised of this delay wrote to him and earnestly pressed him to come adding he meant to receive Baptism at his hands for he was as yet but a Catechumen The good Prelate having received the Emperours letters speedily undertook the journey using all expedition when at his coming to the Alps he heard the deplorable death of the poor Prince which made him return back again and wash as he saith his own steps in his proper tears most bitterly every moment bemoaning the death of his dearest pupil The Providence of God was very manifest in his Manners of Valentinian Ambrosius de obitu Valent. death for Valentinian was drawn from Empires of the world in a time when he seemed now fully ripe for Heaven It is an admirable thing how the direction of S. Ambrose whom in his latter days he onely affected had metamorphosed him into another man In the beginning he was thought to be over-much delighted in tourneys and horse-races he so took away this opinion of him that he would hardly permit these sports in the great festival entertainments of the Empire The Gentiles who made observations on all his life had nothing to reproach in him but that he excessively delighted in the slaughter of savage beasts whom he caused to be taken and fed for his pleasure saying it diverted him from cares of the Empire He to satisfie all the world caused instantly all those creatures to be killed and disposed himself to attend the affairs of his Councel with so good judgement and so great resolution that he seemed a Daniel in the midst of the Assembly of Elders These envious people having watched him so far as to observe him at the table objected he anticipated the hour of his repast yet he so addicted himself to abstinence that he was seen in feasts rather seemingly than effectually to eat for sometimes in entertaining others he fasted tempering devotion and charity with a singular discretion Finally to give testimony of his infinite chastity it was told him there was in Rome a female Comedian endowed with a singular beauty having attractives which ravished all the Nobilitie This understood he deputeth one expresly to bring her to the Court but they being passionately in love with her corrupted the messenger so that he returned without doing any thing The Emperour rechargeth and commandeth that she with all expedition should be brought It was so done but she coming to the Court the most chaste Emperour would not so much as onely see her but instantly sent her back again saying That if he being in a condition which gave him the means to satisfie all his pleasures and in an Age which ordinarily useth to be very slippery in matter of vice and which is more not married abstained from unlawfull loves his subjects might well do somewhat by his example Never servant saith S. Ambrose was more in the power of his Master than the body of this Prince was under command of the soul nor ever Censor more diligently examined the actions of others than he his own Though all these dispositions infinitely much comforted the holy Prelate and namely the desire he expressed to receive Baptism two days before his death asking every instant if Bishop Ambrose were come notwithstanding his heart was transfixed to see him taken away in a time when he went about to make himself most necessary for all the world His death was generally bemoaned by all men and there was not any nay not his enemies which for him poured not out their tears It is said that Galla his sister wife of the Emperour Theodosius at the news of his death filled the Court with inconsolable lamentations and died in child-bed which came by excess of grief for which Theodosius was pitifully afflicted The other sisters of the Prince who were at Milan ceased not to dissolve into tears before the eyes of S. Ambrose who had no word more effectual to comfort them than the assurance that his faith and zeal had purified him and the demand he made of Baptism had consecrated him to the end they should no longer be in pain with the ease of his soul The good Bishop took a most particular care of his obsequies and burial where he made a Funeral Oration found yet among his Works In the end remembering his two pupils Go saith he O you most
understanding this defeat became so furious that he caused the head of his prisoner to be cut off with his wife and children by his second marriage commanding through extremitie of cruelty to throw the body into a ditch which was executed Nor content with this he re-entereth into Burgundie boyling with choller with intention to recover all to his obedience but he found himself assaulted by the Burgundians in a battel who slew him and knowing him by his long hair they cut off his head and fixed it on the point of a launce to serve for a sad spectacle to the French This accident afflicted the heart of the mother who bewailed her son with inconsolable tears as well because he was the first whom she had bred with all tender affection as for that she seeing him dead in the pursuit of so many bloudy acts was full of anxiety in the matter of salvation of his soul The poor Queen fortified her self as much as she might against the violences of sorrow and armed her self against other accidents which she foresaw might grow from the evil dispositions of her children Clodomer left three sons very young whom the holy woman bred up in her house and near her person into whom the most excellent Maxims of all wisdom and piety were distilled These little children very well bred and gently trained by the very good precepts of their grand-mother promised something excellent in time to come and served as a most sweet lenitive to this disconsolate turtle to sweeten the acerbities she had conceived upon the death of their father when behold a horrible frenzie crept into the souls of Childebert and Clotharius her two sons which is read in all our histories the brows whereof do blush to leave a blemish of execration on the wicked exorbitancy of ambition It were much fitter for the great men of the earth to have gnawing vultures and sharp rasors in their entrails than to nourish such a passion which being onely puffed up with a smoke violateth all it hath therein of right or humanity to fatten it self with bloud and never as it were openeth its eyes but in the flames of the damned Childebert and Clotharius sons of the great Clodovaeus and the holy Clotilda despoyling themselves of all respect sweetness and humanity conceived a mortal jealousie against their little Nephews imagining their mother would breed them up to their prejudice and so not taking counsel of ought but their own bruitish passion they resolved to be rid of them The poor children were perpetually under the wing of their good grand-mother Clotilda who could never suffer them out of her sight such fear had she of ill habits which are easily made to slide into the hearts of children by the corruption of evil companie These infamous Uncles besought their mother to let their little Nephews come to visit them to have thereby some harmless recreation promising to restore them again speedily into her hands The holy woman who could not imagine the execrable malice which was hatched in the hearts of these unnatural sons consented these little ones should go fearing lest the denial she might make would further exasperate the suspition of the suppliants Yet did she even then quake for fear and bidding them farewel kissed them with redoubled embracements raptures and affections not being able to contain her passion nor the presage of her unhappiness The little innocents went to the slaughter with a smiling countenance as children who have walks of recreation and play in their heads When they had them in their full power they dispatched a messenger to their mother to bear unto her most unwelcome news For he was commanded to shew her a poynard and a cyzars requiring her she would make choice which of these she should judge fittest for her grand-children either to pass them by the dint of sword or forcibly to shave them and make them Monks Clotilda extreamly astonished at this impudence answered As well dead as Monks which some very inconsiderately have interpreted thinking this answer proceeded from an ambition she had that her grand-children might reign but the admirable Princess would say that we ought not to apply any to the service of God but voluntaries and that she had rather see her children well dead than to behold them in a religious profession by constraint and force This wretched messenger made to the humour of his Masters in stead of sweetening the matter made a very harsh relation of his message which precipated the evil already beginning to fall into extremity Clotharius possessed with a diabolical spirit took Thibault the eldest of these children and striking him down to the ground thrust his sword quite through his body The little Guntharus who was the second besprinkled with the bloud of his brother whom he saw distended on the pavement grasped the knees of his uncle Childebert with lamentable out-cries saying O Uncle save my life wherein have I offended you He so quaked in all the parts of his body and so transfixed him with his sighs that the other though he purposed this mischief was seized with much compassion and prayed his brother to pass no further But Clotharius enraged and more ravenous than a Tyger of Armenia What saith he you have been of the Councel and yet now hinder me in the execution I will run you both through with my sword Childebert amazed threw the poor victim from his knees and delivered him to the executioner who in that very place cut his throat As they were upon these contestations the third son of Clodomer named Clodoaldus was taken away by a friend of the father and secretly bred up in Ecclesiastical condition wherein he arrived to so perfect a sanctity that forsaking the shadow of Diadems and Scepters which deceiveth the credulity of the most passionate by its illusions he hath merited Altars on earth and a Crown of glory in Heaven For this is that S. Cloud which we reverence near unto Paris What imagination is sufficiently powerfull to figure to its self the ardent dolours which seized on the spirit of poor Clotilda when she heard all that passed by the practise of her unnatural sons What might this soul think so free and purified from the contagions of the earth which apprehended the shadow of the least sins when she beheld her house polluted with so horrible sacriledges Yet still she guided the helm of reason in so tempestuous a storm of passions and in so dead a night of misery she adored a ray of the Providence of God which she considered in the depth of her sorrows she her self no whit affrighted took up the mangled bodies of these innocent creatures and gathered together the scattered members as well as she could saying Poor Children I bewail not your death although it cannot be too much bemoaned You are dead like little Abels like little Innocents forsaking the earth profaned with the crimes of your Uncles to hasten to possess a place in
not yet come yet withal commanded this man who rather chose death than to become an Authour of impiety in the re-establishment of this Temple The rage of Idolaters by the Magi professed enemies Terrible persecution of our Religion was not wholly extinct in the bloud of Audas but stirred up a violent persecution which almost proceeded to the undermyning the foundations of Christian religion in Persia Men were every where seen to be flayed and roasted pierced with bodkins and arrows thereby becoming spectacles of terrour and pitie to all those who beheld them Some were exposed to wasps in the boyling ardours of the Sun Others thrown into caves and places filled with infection to be devoured by rats and slowly gnawn by ugly vermine Their members fell in pieces and their life daily distilled drop after drop their faith unshaken which the sword of persecution sought for even in their entrails Their members were not tormented for they had none but wounds for they were all over covered with them and as torments redoubled one upon another gave no end to their sufferings so God found the means to finish their pain and life by the eternity of their crowns The King seeing so dreadfull tortures rather served to publish the glory of the Combattants than ruin their virtue resolved upon other cruelties which being apparently less violent were in effect much more pernicious There were among the Christians two Lords of prime quality the one whereof was called Hormisdas the other Suenes who being the two eyes of the Court and Standard-bearers of Christianity the endeavour of the Gentils was most violent against them to force them to abjure Religion Hormisdas is first summoned Hormisdas â—he strength of his will to return to the Persian superstition and being sent for to the Palace the King who much esteemed him both for his great nobility for he was of the bloud Royal as also for the services his father had done to the Crown in the quality of the Governour of a Province unwilling to loose him he made tryal of all sorts of allurements to gain him to his opinion But the brave Champion stood firm in his belief telling the King with many excellent reasons that destroying the faith of his true God in Persia he would bury the loyalty due to his Majesty in the ruins thereof which was the cause that Ildegerdes in stead of yielding the homage he owed to reason and truth became furiously chollerick so that degrading him of honour and confiscating all his goods yea leaving him nought at all but a poor pair of linnen breeches he sent him out to keep the camels of the Army adding to this great inhumanity the most barbarous scorn could be invented against a gentleman endowed with such excelleÌ„t parts But this couragious heart which had studied the glory of the Cross in the deep abyss of the ignominie of Jesus drave camels before the eyes of an Army wherein he had commanded with such alacrity as others govern Empires and thought his nakedness more glorious than the purple of Monarchs The King one day beholding him out of a chamber window among the camels roasted under the scorching Sun and all covered over with dust felt his heart mollified by the effect of his own cruelty and calling him into his palace after he had laid before him the worth of his extraction and the noble employments wherewith he meant to honour him he clothed him with rich apparel and conjured him by all the ways of friendship to return to the throne of honour by forsaking his Religion But Hormisdas displeased with such discourse took the robes were cast over his shoulders and tore them in pieces in the Kings presence saying Sir keep your gifts and impieties and know Hormisdas will never do any thing unworthy his courage which was the cause Ildegerdes thrust him naked out of the Court and sent him back again to his camels where he ware out a long painful martyrdom The same storm fell at that time upon Suenes one of Suenes perfecuted the wealthiest and most powerful in the kingdom and who had a thousand servants in his family Officers were sent to seize on his whole estate possessed by him not to maintain riot but cherish piety so that in a short time he saw himself reduced to beggery But he weighing how Almighty God who clotheth Heaven with beauties of light and in the spring-time maketh a garment for the earth bordred and adorned with so many millions of flowers had for us put on nakedness scorned all these violences and said aloud They were not near taking away the treasure of faith he bare in his heart who attempted it on this silly moveable of fortune The King purposely to afflict him the more took all his children from him to thrust them into servitude and fetters if they would follow their fathers example wherewith somewhat softened seeing they snatched from between his arms those who in the imbecility of age had more need of his example than wealth he kissing them said Children Keep constantly An excellent instruction for children the faith of your poor father and leave greatness and worldly fortunes to others You shall ever be wealthie enough if you persist loyal to God Faith will wipe away your tears will enrich your povertie glorisie your chains and immortalize the honour of your death This persecution is a cloud that passeth but we shall quickly behold a bright day which neither admitteth end nor darkness This constancy which should make all the world Stranger persecution of a man wonder exasperated the infidels so that daily seeking out all the ways how to torment and burn him with a soft fire they advised to give the confiscation of all his goods to one of his servants who had been the most treacherous and cruel against his Master He had nothing left but a wife who possessed in his heart the place of those chast correspondencies which the law of God afforded him and she in the beginning making a shew of willingness inseparably to follow the fortune of her husband much comforted this generous soul who thought nothing was his but what he gained to Jesus Christ But behold a strong battery to take from him the remainders of his consolation The King caused this woman to be vehemently solicited to make a divorce from her husband and to marry his servant to whom he already had given possession of his great estate This at the first a little startled the soul of this Lady she yet having some humanity in her but saw her self encompassed with many kinred and worldly friends who suggested according to the maxims of impiety That it was a folly to forsake a blessing so present to run Violent temptation of a woman after a fantasie of felicitie That the command of Kings must be obeyed who are visible gods on earth That a husband despoiled of all his means retaineth nothing of man but bodie nor
1. dist 41. Manifest reason the will of God could not be unjust and that praedestination proceeded besides the grace of God by most secret merits which were discovered to this divine eye that discerneth all the actions of men 4. Is there a soul so replenished with contradiction which averreth not That what God doth in a certain time he determined to do it in his eternity Now Faith teacheth us he in that time by him determined rendereth life eternal to the just for reward of their merit as himself pronounceth in S. Matthew (c) (c) (c) Matth. 25. Answer to objections And therefore it is necessary to confess God before all Ages was resolved to give the Crown of glory not indifferently but in consideration of good life and laudable virtues And for this it is to no purpose to say the end of our intentions goeth before the means whereby some infer God first decreed beatitude which is the end then considered good works which are the address to this end For I answer when the end possesseth the place of salary as this here doth the merit is always presupposed before the recompence And although the Master of a Tourneament wisheth the prize to one of his favourites yet his first intention is he shall deserve it by his valour God taketh the like inclinations in this great list of salvation he wisheth all the world palms but willeth it to them who well know how to make use of the helps of his grace Thus the most ancient and gravest Fathers of the The doctrine of the most ancient Fathers concerning praedestination Church thought this sentence they agreed on before the impostures of Pelagians in the golden Age of the Church through a most purified ray And to this purpose Tertullian said (d) (d) (d) Tertul. de resur carnis Deus de suo optimus de nostro justus God who is very good of his own was ever just of ours And S. Hilarie said most perspicuously (e) (e) (e) Hilar. in Psal 64. Non res indiscreti judicii electio est sed ex delectu meriti discretio est That Election was not an effect of judgement indiscreet but that from the choice of merit proceeded the distinction made for glorie S. Epiphanius expressed the like opinion That there was no exception of persons in the proceeding of God but that it passed according to the merit or demerit of every one Behold what we may gather from the soundest tradition of the Church (f) (f) (f) The second point of reasons That God is glorified in that he hath our works for praedestination to glory But if we now weigh the second Article whereon we insist which is the glory of God it is an easie matter to see this opinion which appropriateth a certain fatality of divine decrees without other knowledge of cause agreeth not with this immense bounty of God nor the sincere will he hath to save all the world It is not suitable to his justice nor to his promises or menaces he makes to virtues or vices besides it tormenteth minds weakens the zeal of souls and throweth liberty and despair into manners Why should not a miserable reprobate have cause The complaint a Reprobate may make hereupon to say Ah my Lord where are the bowels of goodness and mercy which all pens testifie all voices proclaim and laws establish Is it then of honey for others and of worm-wood for me How cometh it to pass without any knowledge of merit you drew this man from the great mass of corruption to make him a son of your adoption a coheir of your glory and have left me as a black victim marked with a character of Death What importeth it me that in this first choice you made you did not condemn me without knowledge of cause to think no good for me was to think ill enough for me Was I then able to row against the torrent of your power Could I intrude into your Paradise which you have fitly disposed like the Halcyons nest whereunto nothing can enter but its own bird You have built your Palace of a certain number of chosen pieces in such sort that the account thereof being made and proportions valued one small grain might not be added to encrease the number What could I do in this dreadfull exclusion but accuse your bounty and deplore my unhappiness Behold what a reprobate soul may object and Aug. de verbo Apost ser 11. Si posset loquipecus dicere Deo quare istum fecisti hominem me peculem Answer to objections Glossa in Danielem it were bootless to answer that a bruit beast might complain in this fashion that God had not made it a man or the like might be alledged for infants who die without Baptism For as concerning beasts nothing is taken from them rather much given when from nothing being and life is afforded them with contentments of nature and as for little infants they endure no evil and are no more disturbed to be deprived of the sight of God than was Nebuchadnezzar for the Scepter of Babylon when he in his infancy was bred among shepheards thinking himself the son of a Peasant and wholly ignorant of his Royal extraction But to say A man who dies at the age of discretion and is delivered over to eternal flames was condemned by God without any other fore-sight of his works is it not a cruelty not worthy of ought but Calvinism as if a father might be excusable in marrying one daughter richly and cutting the others throat to set her on a pyle He who would judge wisely must flie the very shadow of an opinion so damnable and all which may seem to favour it 6. Now as concerning the Doctrine which establisheth The fruits of Gods glory derived from our Maxim Praedestination upon grace and prevision of good works it seems to stretch far towards the point of Gods greatest glory It discovereth us his science in attributing unto him an infinite survey over all the actions of Adams children before all Ages by which it seasonably fore-saw all that was to be done by all particulars in so great a revolution of times It in an instant affordeth us this most innocent knowledge seeing we learn by the same way that the prescience which God hath of our works is no more the cause of our happiness than my memory of the fireing of Rome which happened under Nero or than mine eye of the whiteness of snow and fresh verdure of meadows by its simple aspects Nothing happeneth because God fore-saw Qui non est praescius omnium futurorum non est Deus Aug. de civit Dei l. 5. c. 9. it but God fore-saw it because it should so happen by motion of our free-will and not by the laws of necessity Moreover the Justice of the great Master is very eminent in this action for we do not say he works at random and seeks to make boast
mortal flesh yet that notwithstanding she seeth not at all nor ever did which maketh us believe her love was of a thing invisible We love excellent men though separated from us by so many lands and seas yea by death it self because we have seen some ray of their wits upon paper We love virtues which have neither bodies nor colours yea the Amorists of the world confess they often feel vehement passions not for the nobility riches or beauty of such women as they court well imagining there are other of them much more accomplished in all kind of perfections who notwithstanding make no impression upon their minds What is it then they love That which they cannot see speak unto nor think on so true is it that the most penetrating arrow of love proceedeth from things invisible But if that be acknowledged in natural objects how much more by just titles should it be in things divine which have attractives so much the more noble and entire as they have qualities more solid and eminent I will here shew God hath set a Jesus composed both of visible and invisible upon the frontis-piece of the Temple of Eternity as a lively Image of his greatness to draw to himself the love of Angels and men Excellencies in the Person of our SAVIOUR 1. GReat-ones naturally delight to do works Works of Great men 2 Reg. 18. 18. Vocavitque titulum nomine suo appellatur manus Absolom 3 Reg. 10. 18. Non est factum tale opus in universis regnis Baron Annal. Just 31. Cedr l. 4. c. 30 wherein they heap together the most visible marks of their power So Absolom made a proud monument to preserve his memory which he called The hand of Absolom So Solomon made a magnificent throne all of ivory covered with plates of gold environed with statues of Lions very gracefully set out and the Scripture assureth us there never was such a piece of work through all the Kingdoms of the world So Justinian the Emperour made the Altar of Saint Sophie of gold silver and precious stones out of all the rarities in the world which he caused to be melted and incorporated into one mass a wonder never till then known nor used So we have many times heard talk of the seven wonders of the world which are at this time but seven silly Fables upon a piece of paper I now demand of you if mortals who can do nothing Singular work of God A God Incarnate immortal do notwithstanding endeavour to leave contracted works to posterity for witness of their greatness what should the Father of glory and sovereign Monarch of the whole world do Were it not a thing very reasonable and befitting his Majesty that having distended the rich pavillion of the Heavens over our heads which is notwithstanding no other than the works of his own hands as the Scripture speaketh he made a monument wherein he might employ the strength of his arm and assemble together all the most delicious attractives of his beauty and the most conspicuous characters of his power And this verily is it he did in the mystery of the Incarnation affording to the earth a Man-God of whom we cannot discourse but must say what S. Hilarie did My understanding feareth to touch the Hilar. 2. de Trinit Filium mens veretur attingere trepidat omnis sermo se prodere discourse of this great Word and I have not a word which trembleth not to be uttered before such a divine light Let us imitate those sacred creatures of the Prophet Ezechiel which clasp their wings when they hear the voice of God in the firmament Let us hearken and say with reverence what Saints did of the excellencies of the Person of Jesus Christ 2. If we seek his name in the Prophet Isaiah he Excellent qualities of Jesus Christ Isaiah 9. Candor lucis aeternae teacheth us he is called ADMIRABLE If we look for his beauty in the writings of the Wiseman he instructeth us it is THE BRIGHTNESS OF ETERNAL LIGHT If we consider the band of two natures in the Person of the Redeemer and so much riches and treasure arranged in good order we shall find the Prophet Zacharie compareth them to a Pomegranate Zach. 12. Adrademmon malogranatum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Isaiah 64. If we reflect on his Divinity it is THE ANGEL OF THE FIRST FACE according to the Evangelical Prophet If we weigh his continuance HE IS THE ELDER OF THE DAYS AND FATHER OF AGES If science HE IS THE INTERPRETER Revelator secretorum Genes 41. Aegyptiis AND ORACLE OF DIVINE MYSTERIES If the harmony of his wisdom HE IS THE HARP OF THE LIVING GOD in the thirty sixth Psalm If his office HE IS THE ETERNAL BISHOP OF SOULS in S. Peter If his effects HE IS THE RESTORE◠1 Pet. 2. OF AGES All lips are opened with singular prerogatives in honour of the Saviour and are all dried up in the abundance of his praises It seems Constantinus Manasses said well in his Ecclesiastical Annals when he named the Word Incarnate Jesus a concurrence of all perfections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the universalitie of perfection For it is there where God hath engraven as on gold the last draughts of his love power wisdom consummation of his designs and counsels over men And it is that which according to my opinion moved the grave Pacies ultim◠pulchritudinis Guil. Paris 1. p. de univer p. 1. c. 26. Authour William of Paris to say it was the Face of the last beautie Now know that to understand this title it is necessary to consider an axiom of Saint Thomas which saith The great diversitie of creatures Divina assimilatio est causa diversitatis in rebus S. Thom. opus 2. c. 102. in all the orders of the world hath no other aim but to represent the Divinitie by some image whatsoever And in so much as the Sovereign Essence is infinite it was expedient to produce many things that the one might supply the others defects and all conspire to express some character of Divine perfections So that God beholdeth himself figured in such varietie of beauties as appear from earth to Heaven But all these beauties being unable to pourtraict him to the life he painted himself in the mysterie of the Incarnation which is his true table his design his work wherein he included his Essence and all his Excellencies and in which he bounded and limited himself it being impossible to make any thing more worthy or greater than a God humanized and a man deified He is the visible Image of a God invisible the first-born Colos 1. 15. Imago Dei invisiblis primogenitus omnis creaturae quoniam in ipso condita sunt universa in ipso complacuit omnem plenitudinem inhabitare Per cum in eo se cognose◠vult Deus celi Tertul. Appolog c. 2. Invention of Valentinians of all creatures because
Charls of Anjou much fearing this young Lion forgat His sentence and death all generosity to serve his own turn and did a most base act detested by all understandings that have any humanity which is that having kept Conradinus a whole year in a straight prison he assembled certain wicked Lawyers to decide the cause of one of the noblest spirits at that time under heaven who to second the passion of their Master rendered the laws criminal and served themselves with written right to kill a Prince contrary to the law of nature judging him worthy of death in that said they he disturbed the peace of the Church and aspired to Empire A scaffold was prepared in a publick place all hanged with red where Conradinus is brought with other Lords A Protonotary clothed after the ancient fashion mounteth into a chair set there for the purpose and aloud pronounceth the wicked sentence After which Conradinus raising himself casting an eye ful of fervour and flames on the Judge said Base and cruel slave as thou art to open thy mouth to condemn thy Sovereign It was a lamentable thing to see this great Prince on a scaffold in so tender years wise as an Apollo beautiful as an Amazon and valiant as an Achilles to leave his head under the sword of an Executioner in the place where he hoped to crown it â—e called heaven earth to bear witness of Charls his cruelty who unseen beheld this goodly spectacle froÌ„ an high turret He complained that his goods being taken from him they robbed him of his life as a thief that the blossom of his age was cut off by the hand of a hang-man taking away his head to bereave him of the Crown lastly throwing down his glove demanded an account of this inhumanity Then seeing his Cousin Frederick's head to fall before him he took it kissed it and laid it to his bosom asking pardon of it as if he had been the cause of his disaster in having been the companion of his valour This great heart wanting tears to deplore it self wept over a friend and finishing his sorrows with his life stretched out his neck to the Minister of justice Behold how Charls who had been treated with all humanity in the prisons of Sarazens used a Christian Prince so true it proves that ambition seemeth to blot out the character of Christianity to put in the place of it some thing worse than the Turbant This death lamented through all the world yea which maketh Theaters still mourn sensibly struck the heart of Queen Constantia his Aunt wife of Peter of Arragon She bewailed the poor Prince with tears which could never be dried up as one whom she dearly loved and then again representing to her self so many virtues and delights drowned in such generous bloud and so unworthily shed her heart dissolved into sorrow But as she was drenched in tears so her husband thundred in arms to revenge his death He rigged out a fleet of ships the charge whereof he Collenutius histor Neapol l. 5. c. 4. 5. recommended to Roger de Loria to assail Charls the second Prince of Salerno the onely son of Charls of Anjou who commanded in the absence of his father The admiral of the Arragonian failed not to encounter The son of Charls of Anjou taken him and sought so furiously with him that having sunck many of his ships he took him prisoner and brought him into Sicily where Queen Constantia was expecting the event of this battle She failed not to cause the heads of many Gentlemen to be cut off in revenge of Conradinus so to moisten his ashes with the bloud of his enemies Charls the Kings onely son was set apart with nine principal Lords of the Army and left to the discretion of Constantia Her wound was still all bloudy and the greatest of the Kingdom counselled her speedily to put to death the son of her capital enemy yea the people mutined for this execution which was the cause the Queen having taken order for his arraignment and he thereupon condemned to death she on a Friday morning sent him word it was now time to dispose himself for his last hour The Prince nephew to S. Lewis and who had some sense of his uncles piety very couragiously received these tidings saying That besides other courtesies he had received from the Queen in prison she did him a singular favour to appoint the day of his death on a Friday and that it was good reason he should die culpable on the day whereon Christ died innocent This speech was related to Queen Constantia who was therewith much moved and having some space bethought her self she replyed Tell Prince Charls if he take contentment to suffer An excellent passage of clemency death on a Friday I will likewise find out mine own satisfaction to forgive him on the same day that Jesus signed the pardon of his Executioners with his proper bloud God forbid I shed the bloud of a man on the day my Master poured out his for me Although time surprize me in the dolour of my wounds I will not rest upon the bitterness of revenge I freely pardon him and it shall not be my fault that he is not at this instant in full liberty This magnanimous heart caused the execution to be staied yet fearing if she left him to himself the people might tear him in pieces she sent him to the King her husband entreating by all which was most pretious unto him to save his life and send him back to his Father Peter of Arragon who sought his own accommodation in so good a prize freed him from danger of death yet enlarged him not suddenly For his deliverance must come from a hand wholly celestial Sylvester Pruere writes that lying long imprisoned in the City of Barcellon the day of S. Mary Magdalen aproaching who was his great Patroness he disposed himself to a singular devotion fasting confessing his sins communicating begging of her with tears to deliver him from this captivity Heaven was not deaf to his prayers Behold on the day of the feast he perceived a Lady full of Majesty who commanded him to follow her at which words he felt as it were a diffusion of extraordinary joy spread over his heart He followed her step by step as a man rapt and seeing all the gates flie open before her without resistance and finding himself so cheerful that his body seemed to have put on the nature of a spirit he well perceived heaven wrought wonders for him The Lady looking on him after she had gone some part of the way asked him where he thought he was to which he replied that he imagined himself to be yet in the Territory of Barcellon Charls you are deceived said she you are in the County of Provence a league from Narbon and thereupon she vanished Charls not at all doubting the miracle nor the protection of S. Mary Magdalen prostrated himself on the earth adoring
of the law and yield your souls up for the testament of your Ancestours Children will you not answer what the holy Machabees did by the lips of their elder brother Let us die in virtue for our brethren and not defile our glory by any crime which may be objected against us Let war be proclaimed against Libertines and blasphemers who will still persevere with deliberate malice in their impiety Let these infernal mouthes be stopped and condemned to an eternal silence Let the standard of the Cross be adored by all Nations and the enemies of Jesus dissolved as wax melted on the flames of burning coals as smoke scattered in the air Let a chast and sincere worship of God flourish every where and sacrifices of praise mount to Heaven to obtain benedictions on earth But you SIR who most near approch to the Kings person having given so many testimonies of your prudence your courage and fidelity seem to speak unto him with the same tongue which holdeth ears enchained by the charms of your eloquence and say what France pronounceth 7. GReat King for whom our Altars daily smoke An Apostrophe of France to the King in Sacrifices and for whom our lips cease not to send forth thanksgivings of prosperitie to Heaven The monsters are not all as yet vanquished Behold the last head of Hydra which God hath reserved to this triumphant sword which the Cross guideth valour animateth justice moderateth and the stars crown Needs must impietie be crushed under those feet which have already trampled on so many Dragons and be fettered with an hundred iron chains under the Altars we daily charge with our vows When Libra the constellation of your birth ariseth the Ram falleth It is not time O Monarch of flower-de-luces that appearing on the throne of justice with Ballance in hand all sparkling with the rays of glorie which environ you after so many battel 's concluded by your victories you humble the horns of this Ram of insolent impiety which dares so confidently oppose both by words and actions the Religion which crown you the spirit which possesseth you and the power which directeth you Alas Alas SIR To what purpose were it to have walked on the smoking ruins of so many rebellious Cities What would it avail to have thrown down in one Rochel so many surly rocks with the help of so great so faithfull and happy counsel and opening one gate there at your enterance to have shut up a thousand against factions and civil wars What contentment could your Majesty have by wiping away the sweats on the Alps you had gotten on the Ocean and to have gathered palms perpetually verdant for you as well in the frozen ice of winter as the scorching beats of summer if you must again behold at your return that Religion you so often defended trodden under the feet of impiety wounded by slanderous tongues outraged by blasphemies and contaminated by insolent spirits who know not God but to dishonour him It now at this time presenteth it self to you with sighs in the heart and tears in the eyes It sheweth unto you the robe which Clodovaeus Charlemaigne and S. Lewis your Predecessours gave you with so much splendour now torn in pieces with such violence it imploreth your assistance it expecteth your power it breaths an air much the more sweet in the confidence conceived of your zeal and courage I call to witness that great Angel which hath led you by the hand to so many conquests and triumphs making you dreadfull to your enemies helpfull to your Allies awfull to your subjects and amiable to all the world it is not here where he will limit your actions and fix the columns of your memorie We still hope quickly to see the day which shall drie up the tears of the poor shall ease their burdens shall sweeten their pains shall â—our oyl on their yokes And from whom should we expect all this but from a Prince so pious so benign We promise our selves to see a Clergie which shall speedily put it self into so good a way under your favour entirely purified from the dregs of simonie ignorance and the liberty of evil actions Who can give us this happiness but a King who hath under his heart a Temple for true piety We sigh for that great day that day which shall for ever wash away the stains of bloud impressed on the foreheads of French Nobilitie which shall dissipate disorders shall stop the current of so many dissolutions and what can assure us of it but the certainty of your Edicts We most earnestly desire to behold an absolute regularitie in justice and in all Officers that a golden Age may shine again which hath so often been varnished through the corruption of souls set at sale And who shall do it but a King that from his most innocent years so much hath cherished the title of Just that be for it contemned the name of a Conquerour which his valour presented him and of Most Sacred which the veneration of his virtues afforded him Impiety vanquished beareth the keys of all these hopes nor shall we have any thing more to fear or desire when that shall be throughly suppressed throughout all the parts of the Kingdom Dear delight of Heaven is it not for this God drew you the last year from the gates of a sepulcher and restored you to life to render us all to our selves Alas Great God what a stroke of thunder was the news of this maladie What a terrour to all Cities What astonishment in all Orders What a wound in the heart of the whole Kingdom Your poor France remembered the 27. day of September made sacred by your royal birth It considered this nativitie had done to your state what the infusion of the soul into a bodie and saw you almost taken hence at the same time that your Majestie entered It beheld all that greatness and those comforts readie to be shut up within your tomb The Queens drenched in their deep sorrow could not speak but by their tears and sobs Your good Officers dissolved in lamentations at the foot of your bed which was become at the Altars of grief All humane hopes were cut off by the violence of the maladie Nothing was expected but the fatal blow which all the world deplored and which no man could divert But who knoweth not SIR God permitted it to let us see your virtues by their bright reflection The lustre of beautifull paintings must be suffered a little to mortifie before we can judge of them We could not sufficiently know your Majestie in the bright splendours of fortune and such good success of arms Needs must we have a character from God of men afflicted and a mark of the Cross of Jesus to consummate so excellent qualities And what heart was not then seized with admiration when we saw a young King so great so flourishing so awfull to look death in the face with a confident eye to expect it with
to obey thy Commandments and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour In the time of Plague LEt thy anger cease O Lod and be appeased for the iniquity of thy people as thou hast sworn by thy self O holy God holy and strong holy and immortal have mercy upon us For the Clergy ALmighty and everlasting God who by thy Spirit dost sanctifie and govern the whole body of the Church graciously hear our prayers for all those whom thou hast ordained and called to the publick service of thy Sanctuary that by the help of thy grace they may faithfully serve thee in their several degrees through Jesus Christ our Lord. For a Citie COmpass this Citie O Lord with thy protection and let thy holy Angels guard the walls thereof O Lord mercifully hear thy people For the sick O God the onely refuge of our infirmities by thy mighty power relieve thy sick servants that they with thy gracious assistance may be able to give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Jesus Christ For grace LOrd from whom all good things do come grant unto us thy humble servants that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same through our Lord Jesus Christ For the afflicted O Almighty God the afflicted soul the troubled spirit crieth unto thee Hear O Lord and have mercy for thou art a merciful God For friends I Beseech thee O Lord for all those to whom I am indebted for my birth education instruction promotion their necessities are known unto thee thou art rich in all things reward them for these benefits with blessings both temporal and eternal For enemies O God the lover and preserver of peace and charity give unto all our enemies thy true peace and love and remission of sins and mightily deliver us from their snares through Jesus Christ our Lord. For travellers ASsist us mercifully O Lord in our supplications and prayers and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help through Christ our Lord. For a Family ALmighty and everlasting God send down thy holy Angel from heaven to visit protect and defend all that dwell in this house through Jesus Christ our Lord. For the dying FAther of spirits and God of all flesh receive the souls which thou hast redeemed with thy bloud returning unto thee For the fruits of the earth O God in whom we live and move and have our being open thy treasure in the due season and give a blessing to the works of thy hands For women in travel O Lord of thy goodness help thy servants who are in pains of child-birth that being delivered out of their present danger they may glorifie thy holy name blessed for ever Against temptation ALmighty God which dost see that we have no power of our selves to help our selves keep thou us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul through Jesus Christ For misbelievers and sinners ALmighty and everliving God who desirest not the death of a sinner mercifully look upon all that are deceived by the subtility of Satan that all evil prejudice laid aside they may return to the unity of thy truth and love For Prisoners O God who didst deliver S. Peter from his chains and restoredst him to liberty have pitie upon thy servants in captivity release their bonds and grant them freedom and safety for his merits who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost ever one God world without end For temporal necessaries REplenish those O Lord we beseech thee with temporal nourishment whom thou hast refreshed with thy blessed Sacraments Against tempests DRive spiritual wickedness from thy house O Lord and preserve it from the malignity of tempestuous weather A Prayer of Thomas Aquinas before study O Unspeakable Creatour who out of the treasure of thy wisdom hast ordained Hierarchies of Angels and hast placed them above the highest heaven in a wonderfull order and disposed them sweetly for all parts of the world Thou the true fountain and incomprehensible principle of light and wisdom vouchsafe to illuminate the darkness of my understanding with a beam of thy light remove the darkness wherein I was born sin and ignorance Thou who makest the tongues of infants eloquent loosen my tongue and pour forth the grace of thy spirit upon my lips give me acuteness to apprehend capacity to retain subtility to interpret aptness to learn readiness to speak direct my beginning further my progression and perfect my conclusion THE PENITENT OR ENTERTAINMENTS for LENT And for the first day upon the Consideration of Ashes THou art Dust and to Dust thou shalt return Genes 3. 1. It is an excellent way to begin Lent with the consideration of Dust whereby Nature gives us beginning and by the same Death shall put an end to all our worldly vanities There is no better way to abate and humble the proudest of all Creatures than to represent his beginning and his end The middle part of our life like a kind of Proteus takes upon it several shapes not understood by others but the first and last part of it deceive no man for they do both begin and end in Dust It is a strange thing that Man knowing well what he hath been and what he must be is not confounded in himself by observing the pride of his own life and the great disorder of his passions The end of all other creatures is less deformed than that of man Plants in their death retain some pleasing smell of their bodies The little rose buries it self in her natural sweetness and carnation colour Many Creatures at their death leave us their teeth horns feathers skins of which we make great use Others after death are served up in silver and golden dishes to feed the greatest persons of the world Onely mans dead carcase is good for nothing but to feed worms and yet he often retains the presumptuous pride of a Giant by the exorbitancie of his heart and the cruel nature of a murderer by the furious rage of his revenge Surely that man must either be stupid by nature or most wicked by his own election who will not correct and amend himself having still before his eyes Ashes for his Glass and Death for his Mistress 2. This consideration of Dust is an excellent remedy to cure vices and an assured Rampire against all temptations S. Paulinus saith excellently well That holy Job was free from all temptations when he was placed upon the smoke and dust of his humility He that lies upon the ground can
Ambrose 207 His death 215 Ammon plotteth incest with his sister 407 He is counselled to this sin by Joadab ib. He dissembleth fickness ib. Thamars advise to him ib. He despiseth his dishonoured sister ib. He is slain 408 Anaâ—tatius fearing thunder is slain by a Thunder bolt 288 Angelical Aenigma's 56 Why bad Angels punished without mercy 23 Antipater his cunningness in geeting the kingdom of Judea 115 He calumniateth his brothers 130 He is thrown from the top of the wheel 132 His Conspiracy is discovered 133 His wofull event ib. His Accusation before his Father ib. His death 135 Wicked Antiothus punished 348 He is delivered Hostage to the Romanes 347 His manners 393 He warreth against Ptolomey ib. The war between them is ended by a marriage ib. Antonie's generous act 352 A trick of an Ape 43 Apes in the Court of Solomon 46 A pretty tale of an Ape ib. Intellectual Appetite faulty 37 Appetite of man infinite 436 Apple of discord 145 Arbogastus 210 Aristobulus taken prisoner by Pompey and Jerusalem become tributarie 115 His pitifull death 119 Arius and his qualities 251 Original of Arians ib. Their proceedings ib. Condemnation of Arius 154 End of Arius ib. Arts tributarie to Great-men 16 Astrologie the vanity thereof 360 Athanasius 254 Athenais her admirable adventure 141 She pleadeth her cause before Pulcheria 142 Her Conversion ib. She could not brook Pulcheria 145 Audas destroyeth a Pyraum 942 Sr. Augustine converted by Sr. Ambrose 188 His wit ib. His inclination ib. He studied Judicial Astrologie 189 His Religion ib. Curiositie Presumption and Love the three impediments in the conversion of Sr. Augustine 190 The Oeconomy of God in the conversion of S â— Augustine 193 He is baptized by Sr. Ambrose 198 B THe Bat employeth her eyes to make her wings 382 An excellent Act of Bayard the Cavalier 227 Opinion concerning Beatitude 435 The essential point of Beatitude is union with God 437 Three acts of Beatitude ib. Three effects of Beatitude 438 Excellency of Beatike science ib. Beautie of beatike love as it is compared to the weakness of worldly love ib. Beautie condemned by Idolaters 9 Defence of Beautie as the gift of God 10 Natural Beautie of men praised by Poets ib. Beautie an instrument of God ib. Beautie of our Saviour ib. Power of Beautie 11 Beautie of Constantine 16 Abuse of Beautie damnable ib. Vanitie of Beautie 93 Tyrannie of the Belly 52 Binet a Reverend Father of the Church 174 Boetius his Nobilitie 276 His eminent wisdom and learning 278 He was stiled the Father and Light of his Countrey 287 His opinion of the providence of God 291 His death ibid. Boleslaus his notable act 5 Boniface martyred 380 C CAligula a great scoffer 47 The devils busied about Calumny 46 From whence it proceedeth 47 Horrour of Calumny ibid. Calumny plotted against the sons of Mariamne 128 Calumny of Fausta against her son Crispus 244 Her rage turned into pitie ibid. Her Calumny discovered ibid. Her death ibid. Camerarius his observation concerning the Heron. 405 The excellency of a brave Captain 217 The delight of Histories to praise Captains 218 Singular commendation of Cato 13 The praise of the strength and courage of Cato ibid. The Stone Ceraunia 7 Charity excellently displayed 2 Charity towards God and our neighbour defined 469 Charity in Conversation defined ibid. Charity with the acts thereof 91 An excellent passage of Charity ibid. Charls of Anjou is taken and put to death 402 Charlemaign his goodness and indulgence 403 Chastity defined 468 Three sorts of Chastity with the acts thereof 85 86 A royal act of Chastity in a Souldier 230 S. Paul calleth Chastity Sanctification 304 Excellent Instructions for Children 343 Chrysaphius an heretical Eunuch projecteth ruin to Theodosius his Court. 147 He entangleth the Emperour and his Wife in the heresie of the Eutyches 148 Christians Warfare delicate 2 To do good and suffer wrong the true Character of a Christian 48 Virtue of the first Christians 53 The happiness to be born a Christian 339 Solitude of Christian Religion ibid. Clergy reformed 149 Clotilda 309 Her birth and education ibid. Clodovaeus requireth her in marriage ibid. An Embassadour is dispatched to the King of Burgundie concerning the Marriage 310 Her first Request to King Clodovaeus her husband 312 How she behaved her self in the Conversion of her husband 313 She converteth her husband 315 How Clodovaeus behaved himself after Baptism 316 Communion without preparation what it is 72 What ought to be done in the day of receiving the Communion 73 Considerations for Communions ibid. Fruits of Communions ibid. General Confession of sin the beginning of spiritual life 69 Practice of ordinary Confession 70 Three sorts of Conscience from whence Impiety doth spring 26 Horrible estate of a sinfull Conscience 27 Bruitish Conscience ibid. Curious Conscience ibid. Nothing so pleasing as the house of a good Conscience 48 Constancy in Tribulation doth manifestly appear in the death of Sosia and Eleonora 411 Constantia her exceeding Clemency to the Son of Charls of Anjou being condemned to death 403 Constantine's Law 12 His greatness 233 His Nobility 235 His notable Moderation ibid. He was bred up in the Court of Diocletian 237 His first battel against Lycinius 242 His great victory 243 His first Marriage 244 The beginning of his Conversion 246 His absolute Conversion ibid. His Baptism ibid. The History of his Baptism drawn from the acts of Saint Sylvester is more easie piously to be believed than effectually proved 247 His Oration ibid. The great alteration of the world by his Oration and Example 248 His Piety Devotion and Humility 249 He made an Oration in the Assembly of Bishops 253 His Successours 259 Constantinople built 254 His death 274 Divers degrees of Contemplation 384 Contrition what it is 71 Cross of Nature what it is 52 Honour of the Cross 251 The Court full of Envie 17 Comparison between a Courtier and a Religious man 18 A Courtier frustrated of his hope how he is afflicted 352 Courage compared to the River Tygris 13 Baseness of Courage in some Noble-men 14 Crispus his death 245 Curiosity and the Description thereof 188 The whole world an enemy of Curiosity 405 Impious Curiosity pulls out both its eyes 27 Dangerous Curiosity 28 D PAins of the Damned are eternal 431 Three Reasons to prove the eternity of the Damned ibid. An excellent Conceit of Picus Mirandula concerning the punishment of the Damned 432 Strange Narration of Palladius concerning the Damned ibid. Souls of the Damned tormented by their lights ibid. Daniel and his Companions bred at Court 16 Daniel the Hermite having seen a Vision went to Constantine and spake to Eulogius 364 David his remedy against a malevolent Tongue 48 Day is precious 94 Motives to pass the Day well ibid. Every Day a Table of Life ibid. To provide in the evening for the Day to come 95 Three parts of the Day ibid. Five things to be practised in the Day ibid. Desperate
Death 24 Its Attendants 66 Meditation of Death 67 Death of the Just is sweet 415 Quality of a good Death is the indifferency of time and manner 416 Worldly irresolutions of Death 417 The way how to be well provided for Death 418 A good Death must have Union with God 419 A notable Aenigma of Death 436 Devotion defined 467 That the great number of Devout men should settle men in Devotion 82 The adhering to creatures doth marre all in Devotion ib. Pretext of Devotion dangerous illustrated by the Fowler 203 Devotion subject to many illusions and the reason why 381 Gross and afflicting Devotion 382 Three blemishes of anxious Devotion ibid. Quaint Devotion 383 The pomp and practises of this Devotion ibid. Reasons of the nullity of this Devotion 284 Transcendent Devotion ibid. Illusions of this Transcendent Devotion 385 S. Lewis the true Table of Solid Devotion 387 State of the Church under Diocletian 234 His conditions ibid. He forsaketh the Empire 235 Dissimulation reigneth every where 394 Dissimulation doth ruin humane faith 395 Dissimulation shamefull to the Authour of it ibid. Dissimulation doth debase a man ibid. The horrours and hatred of Dissimulation 396 The troubles and miseries of Dissimulation ibid. The dreadfull Events of Dissemblers ibid. The power of the Divinity over Infidels 346 Different opinion of the Divinity 348 It is a sacriledge to make Divinity of proper Interest 390 How abominable vicious Domesticks are 17 Duels unlawfull 14 A Duel is no act of Courage ibid. Who anciently entered into Duels ibid. There is want of Generosity in Duels ibid. Authors of Duels 224 Courage of Duellers like to that of the possessed 22â— Dydimus his bold attempt 86 E EDucation its force 15 Defects of Education ibid. Moses educated in the Court. 16 Education of Children recommended by excellent passages of the holy Fathers 17 Eleazar his Combat 347 The Isle of Amber the felicity of Epicurus 40â— The Philosophie of Epicurus doth bear sway in the world 404 The foundation of Episcopal life 180 Eponina a rare example of Conjugal Piety 306 Errours of the Time 341 Eternity of nothing first humilation of man 349 Eucharist the foundation of Paradise 72 Greatness of the Eucharist ibid. Eusebius the Patron of Hereticks 252 Eustatius his Oration at the opening of the Councel 253 Evils generally proceed from ignorance and from the want of the knowledge of God 62 Evil alwayes beareth sorrow behind it but not true pennance 66 Eudoxia mother of Theodosius 138 Her humour ibid Bishops treat with her ibid. Her Zeal ibid. She goeth into Palestine 147 Her return is laboured by Chrysaphius ibid. She lived in the Holy Land in the Eutychian heresie 153 Her Conversion 155 Her worthy life and glorious death ibid. Remedies and reasons against Excess 52 Indignity of Excess in apparel ibid. Necessity of Examen 71 Six things in the Examen to employ the most perfect ibid. Ill Example the work of Antichrist 22 Exemplar crimes deserve Exemplar punishments 23 An Observation upon the Chariot of Ezechiel 451 F FAith what it is and the dignity thereof 62 Its Object and the manner of its working ibid. Touch-stone to know whether we have Faith 63 Heroick acts of Faith ibid. How acts of Faith may be made easie 64 What ought to be the Faith of good Communicants 72 To be Faithfull to the King one must be loyal to God 236 To be Faithfull is to be conformable to reason 340 The great Providence of God in the establishment of Faith ibid. The repose which our Faith promiseth 341 Constancy of Faith 417 Fathers and Mothers compared to Ostriches 16 Fantasies to gain honours 25 Conclusions against Fatalitie 36 Maxims of Fatalitie 365 Favorinus his excellent Observations 10 Excellency of Fidelity 395 Flattery punished 349 Flattery inebriateth Great-men from the Cradle 46 Great Spirits enemies to the Flesh 405 Immoderate love of health doth make a man become suppliant and servile to the Flesh 406 Plotinus a great enemy to his own Flesh 405 Instance upon the weakness and miserie of the Flesh ibid. Hierom his Observation upon the Flower of Box. 406 A notable Fable of the Flie and Silk-worm 43 Fortitude defined 486 Fantasies of Ancients upon the Names of Fortune 360 Fortune is in the power of Providence ibid. A Conclusion against those who curse Fortune 362 Manners are changed with Fortune 364 G GAramant the Fountain 301 GOd's hands a golden bowl full of the Sea 9 God named Obliging in the beginning of the World 19 God a great Thesis 22 God is better known to us than our selves 344 God most easie to be known ibid. All things contribute to the knowledge of God 345 God in this life handleth the wicked as the damned 348 God is who he is 349 Excellency of the Simplicity and Universality of God in comparison of the World 350 Perfections of God 351 God his Goodness 355 367 An excellent similitude of God with the Ocean 351 The God of Hosts besiegeth a Citie 217 Diversity of Gods 349 Gods pastime what it is 42 Why God admitted not the Ostrich and Swan into the number of Victims ibid. Knowledge of the Goodness Justice and Power of God 356 357 God governeth the world with two hands 430 God will replenish us with himself 437 Desperate desire of worldly Goods 418 Gratian the son of Valentinian 200 His excellent qualities 201 Affectionate words of S. Ambrose unto him ibid. His zeal and virtue by the direction of S. Ambrose ibid. His admirable Charity 202 Maximus rebellâ—th against him ibid. His pitifull death 204 Gratitude in the Law of God 20 Excellent proofs of natural Gratitude 19 Gratitude defined 488 The acts of Gratitude 90 Gratitude of the Hebrews ibid. Practise of S. Augustine to encourage himself to Gratitude 20 Greatness of God 437 Greatness of an honest man 48 Lives of Great-ones enlightened 6 The great virtue of Great-ones 7 Authority of Great-ones to strengthen Devotion 8 Great-ones heretofore have perverted the world 21 Great-ones that are vicious draw on themselves horrible execrations of God 23 Great-ones strangely punished 24 Three sorts of Great ones do make Fortune 25 True Devotion in Great-ones 60 Humility of Great-ones 92 A good Document for Great-ones 139 Plague of Great-ones 140 Great-ones are the flatterers of Gods 349 H HEart of man what it is 69 HEbrews horribly persecuted 347 Heliogabalus his wheel 57 Hell defined 432 How the fire of Hell burneth 430 Helena the Beauty and grace of her time 236 She is married to Constantius ibid. Her exceeding virtue ibid. Exceeding love of Constantius and Helena ibid. Effects of Heresie 35 Herod depresseth the Royal Stock 117 His deep Hypocrisie and Dissimulation 120 He is accused for the death of Aristobulus ibid. His Apologie for himself full of craft 121 His Oration against his Wife 125 His fury after the death of Mariamne 127 He advanceth Antipater his son whom he had by Doris 128 His horrible condition in his latter days 134 Herod's
of their flying arrows overthrown scattered torn into a thousand pieces by the enterprise of a Jewesse Judith gives not her self the praise of this work it was God that acted in her who was the direction of her hand the strength of her arm the spirit of her prudence the ardour of her courage and the soul of her soul O how great is this God of gods O how terrible is this Lord of hosts and who is there that fears not God but he that hath none at all What Colossus's of pride have faln and shall yet fall under his hands What giants beaten down and plunged even into hell for kindling fiery coals of concupiscence shall smoak in flames by an eternall sacrifice which their pains shall render to the Divine Justice HESTER THe holy Scripture sets before our eyes in this History Greatnesse falling into an eclipse and the lownesse of the earth elevated to the Starres Humility on the Throne and Ambition on the Gallows Might overthrown by Beauty Love sanctified and Revenge strangled by its own hands It teaches Kings to govern and People to obey great Ones not to relie on a fortune of ice Ladies to cherish Piety and Honour the Happy to fear every thing and the Miserable to despair of nothing All that we have to discourse of here happened in the Kingdome of Persia during the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon about four hundred and sixty years before the Nativity of our Lord and under the Reign of Ahasuerus But it is a great Riddle to divine who this Prince was to whom Hester was married and which is called here by a name that is not found in the History of the Persian Kings and which indeed may agree to all those high Monarchs signifying no other thing but The great Lord. Mercator sayes that it was Astyages grandfather of Cyrus and Cedrenus that it was Darius the Mede Genebrand is for Cambyses Scaliger for Xerxes Serrarius for Ochus Josephus and Saillan for Artaxerxes with the long hand The wise Hester that was so much in love with Chastity is found to have had fourteen husbands by the contestation of Authours every one would give her one of his own making she is married to all the Kings of Persia she is coursed up and down through all the Empire and her Espousals made to last above two hundred years But as it is easie enough to confute the Opinions of all those that speak of her so is it very hard to settle the truth of the Chronology amidst so great obscurities The Scripture sayes that Mordecai with Hester was carried away out of Judea into Babylon under the Reign of Nebuchadonozor and if we are of the opinion that marries her to Artaxerxes if we reckon well all the years that were between those two Kings we shall find that this young and ravishing beauty of Hester which caught so great a Monarch by the eyes was already an hundred and fifty years old which is an age too ripe for a maid that one would give for a wife to a King It is impossible to get out of this labyrinth if we do not say that Mordecai and Hester were not transported in their own but in the persons of their ancestours and that that passage means nothing else but that they issued from the race of those that were lead captives with King Jechonias destroyed by Nebuchadonozor so we will take Artaxerxes and not divide that amiable concord of Authours united in this point Represent then to your selves that from the time that the Jews were dispersed into Babylon into Persia into Medea and through all the States of those great Kings they ceased not to multiply in Captivity and that servitude which is wont to stifle great spirits produced sometimes amongst them gallant men Amongst others appeared upon the Theatre the excellent Mordecai a man of a good understanding and of a great courage who by his dexterity and valour delivered all his Nation from death and total ruine He then dwelt in Shushan the capitall city of all the Kingdome and bred up in his house a little Niece the daughter of his brother an orphan both by father and mother which was named in her first child-hood Edisla and after called Hester Now as those great spirits that are particularly governed by God have some tincture of Prophecie he had a wonderfull Dream and saw in his sleep a great tempest with thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake which was followed with a combate of two dragons who were fighting one against the other and sent forth horrible hissings whiles divers Nations assembled together stood and looked upon them expecting the issue of the combate thereupon he perceived a little fountain which became suddenly a great river which was changed into a Light and of a Light transformed it self into a Sun that both watcred and illuminated the earth He knew not what his Dream did mean but he learned the Interpretation of it in the great combates he had with Haman and in the exaltation of his little Niece that was promoted to so high a splendour as to give both evidence and refreshment to all the people of her Nation This Mordecai being a man of good behaviour and quality found means to advance himself to Court and to make his beginnings there in some inferiour office expecting some good occasion to make himself be known He had an eye alwayes open to discover all that passed without any bragging of it He considered the approaches of divers Nations that lived in that Court the humours the capacities the businesses the obligations the intricacies the credit the industry of every one omitting nothing of all that might advance the benefit of his Countrey-men He quickly discovered the spirit of Haman who was at that time a mean Cavalier of fortune but ambitious close crafty revengefull bloudy and capable to embroil a State He had an aversation from him although he had not yet been offended by him and began to distrust him fearing lest he be one day fatall to his people Neverthelesse Haman with the times took an high ascendant and Mordecai feared his greatnesse as one would do the apparition of a Comet It happened that two perfidious Subjects Thares and Bagathan ushers of the door made an abominable conspiracy against King Artaxerxes which Mordecai who was not a drowsie spirit soon perceived and began carefully to watch them observing their goings out and comings in their words and their countenances their plottings and their practices He gave notice of it very opportunely so that being taken arrested and put to the rack they acknowledged the crime and were led away to punishment The King gave hearty thanks to Mordecai commanded him to live in his Palace in a certain office which he bestowed upon him and caused the day to be set down in writing wherein he had been preserved from the conspiracy of those unhappy servants to recompence as opportunity should be offered the good services of his Deliverer