THE LOVING HUSBAND And Prudent WIFE Represented in the persons of St. Eustachius and Theopista Martyrs Written in Italian by John Baptista Manzini and englished by John Burbery The Historie is confirmed by Baronius with the testimony of Greek and Latine Authors LONDON Printed for J. Martin and J. Allestrye at the Bell in St. Paul's Churchyard 1657. To the most incomparable Pair and no less happy in affection than matchless in worth and honour the Right Honourable Henry Howard of Arundell my most noble Patron and the Ladie Anne his Wife T IS related of the River Alpheus that by subterranean passages it runs awhile unseen through the Countrey of Elis but afterwards breaking out repairs to the Sea though with no great stream The rivulet of my thanks for your favour to me all along my attendance on my Lords of happy memory your Grandfather and Father and since more abundantly express'd during my service with your Honours which long hath been conceal'd it having no proportion with the Sea of your bounty now openly runs thither though blushing all the way at the smallness of the stream But since at any rate I desire to be gratefull to your Honours I publishing with my gratitude my own imperfections whom can I more worthily entitle to this Book since the one is so loving a Husband and the other so prudent a Wife The Dedication then by right belonging to your Honours Valour and Beauty with the virtues of both Sexes meeting in you as lines in the center what juster Oblation could be made if the Offering had resemblance with your Honours high deserts But the Sun not secluding the Valleys from the influence of his rayes invites me to hope your Honours like the Sun in the luster of your Families will descend into this Valley and seclude not from the influence of your favourable aspect the humble labours of Your Honours most devoted and most faithfull humble Servant John Burbery The Loving Husband and Prudent Wife c. The first Book THE merit of Virtue is so great and so glorious with Man that if Man ow'd not Virtue to God he would owe less to God than to Virtue And what benefit would Life be if Life were nothing else but a bundle of evils A good life said the Moralist is a greater benefit than life it self The merit of Virtue a Treasure we have happily gotten out of the Exchequer of Gods grace is the thing that hath made Man admir'd many times above all earthly Creatures And what wonder is it that an Angel whose object is so blessed and whose nature so perfect should alwayes live burning in the love of that Creator he beholds and enjoyes A wonder it is and a wonder for a Deity that is seated on a Throne of Omnipotency to see that a worm of the earth oppress'd with the weight of his carnal desires wrestling with the distraction of so many flattering objects and oppos'd by Hells treacheries and power should be every where invincible and triumphing over all dangers by a heat of love mount above the sphear of all corporeal things on the wings of Charity and flying into the bosome of his Maker miraculously engraff and transform himself wholly into his Creator If the reverence due to the profound depths of heavenly wisdome commanded not my silence I should presume to say that to so rebellious an Angel as Lucifer a man so pious as he I speak of should in reason have been Guardian Perhaps his example might have kept him in his duty who hath rear'd with a handfull of Clay an Altar to his God to the shame of a noble spirit whose sacriledges lasted but a while to make him more eminent in his sin than his nature Of such men renowned for Virtue the Stories of Christian Religion relate many And because to arrive at the perfection of so holy a state Virtue is necessary and cannot be better learned than by an Example I have thought it fit to give the Reader a Pattern which we by imitation may improve to our advantage In the life of Eustachius you will reade the Idea of Perfection His Heart was Love's Forge his Bosome a Shop of Martyrdome Whatever we believe of all the Unfortunate we may pity in Eustachius alone His life made him a Martyr perhaps too a greater than his death yea nothing but onely death hath contributed to his rest among the intollerable and uncessant torments of so painfull a life Whosoever hath not read his life knows not yet how God playes at Tennis Job in the old Testament would have been Envie 's subject if Eustachius had not been born Eustachius hindred Job from being singular and Job him from being the first Whosoever gives not credit to Miracles let him forbear reading this Story in which it's a Miracle to me my heart doth not break in running it over much more in writing it He that denses Tribulation in a good man is a gift of God shall see by reading here whether it were possible a man of ill life could suffer without despair the thousandth part of the disasters of this heart without heart I call the heart of Eustachius a heart without heart supposing Christ did there the office of a heart And I cannot think it possible that had not God assisted particularly he could have opposed much more overcome the power of Hell so much at liberty and set on to ruine him who being onely flesh in the end would have shewed his weakness Of the Father of Eustachius his Nativity and Countrey we have no light at all from Antiquity were it that the Writers employ'd about the miracles of his life had no leisure to celebrate his birth or were it that God being alwayes mysterious would not let him be known to descend from the Earth whom he had predestin'd to be a great Ornament to his Heaven and our Law It 's the fate of the famous Rivers Euphrates and Tygris to derive their springs from Paradise He was born and liv'd long in the errours of the Gentiles and barbarous Infidels but true it is also that in the whole carriage of his life nothing could be ever observ'd to be barbarous but his Paganism He liv'd in Trajan's time God would not permit him or his Prince to be born in an age of impiety Trajan deserv'd to be born in a time when the justice of his Faith must be purg'd as that of his Government But Almighty God who was pleas'd to try his Church to make it victorious design'd that age for Princes the hardness of whose hearts was to serve for a resemblance with the mines of a rising Faith He was called Placidus from his Cradle perhaps with less expression of his mildness than his happiness Even his name assur'd him he should be very acceptable to God Being born in a Countrey if we may believe his valour which perswades us to think he was a Roman and in an age that reduced all Virtues to Courage he went to the Wars
air he adored the Spirit of God passing and triumphing on the wings of the winde He either plow'd mowed or sow'd never wanting occasion of recollecting himself He grieved that Man from the Earth an insensible thing could promise himself a gratitude for each though little labour of his tilling when he who had a soul and was rational and more oblig'd to God than any other Creature was cold slow and backward in returning him thanks who cover'd him with the Heavens warm'd him with the Sun sustain'd him on a Pavement of Flowers and nourish'd him with plenty of all things drawn out of the ground Every Flower put him in minde of a virtue The whiteness of the Lilly made him blush to think a Soul redeem'd by Christ should let a stinking Flower surpass it in purity In every Rose he found a thorn piercing his heart and upbraiding the little charity he express'd for the love of his God who crown'd and rent with thorns was torn to save him The herb Turnsole is never weary in following the tracks of the Sun Eustachius said mortifying himself and wilt thou O my heart let a Flower instruct thee in loving â—erving and contemplating on thy God The Hyacinth in the opening of his leaves sends forth sweet and sad notes and he that bewails not his sins in his heart bewails them in the leaves But what doth Eustachius perform who hath been so long and continually a Sinner Every green Herb taught him hope and every fruitfull Tree imitation These Meditations ended in extasies of his minde which sever'd from the body did run to the feet of his Creatour to thank him for the fruit he had gather'd as a benefit receiv'd and the immature fruit as a benefit expected Such was the life of Eustachius in that solitude inhabited by Angels who continually descending and ascending as it were on Jacob's Ladder beheld and admired the love which towards his Creatour he expressed whom I cannot call earthly since he alwayes liv'd in Heaven The Loving Husband and Prudent Wife c. The third Book WHosoever is thankfull to God in prosperity pays his debts but he that gives him thanks in adversity turns Creditor Tribulation sayes Saint Jerome is a fruit of the Almond-tree the rinde of which is bitter but the kernel very sweet And the Naturalists observe when the Almond-tree is full of blossoms 't is a sign of a plentifull harvest Our Eustachius makes it good whose sufferings all know which have been so great their billows have petrify'd his heart and render'd it stony obdurate and dead to passions and affections Under the bitter Plant of affliction as Jacob under the Turpentine-tree Eustachius hath bury'd the Idols of his affections his interest and desires His heart is no longer of flesh but of Christ and had it been open'd the name of Jesus would have been found there as in that of Ignatius the Martyr But God would not permit him to continue in this state Tribulations may serve to increase his temptations but cannot increase the faith of his invincible heart which can have no addition of courage The eagerness and valour he hath shew'd on all occasions give him worthily the praises and title of a Noble Commander who had been still victorious Here misery made a stand and Heaven clear'd up to this fortunate Passenger As Eustachius was discoursing one day with certain Husbandmen in order to their rural affairs two Strangers saluting them kindly approached to them whose civility the Country People returning offer'd themselves readily to serve them in what they were able The Strangers thanking them seem'd most desirous to have information of a Roman call'd Placidus who together with his Wife and two Sons had been missing fifteen years and they were in quest of Eustachius who before had been their General and their intimate Friend knew them but was not known again And who would e're have thought so pale so hairy and so humble a countenance colour'd onely with misfortune could have been the face of Placidus who formerly full of majestie and glittering like the Sun represented in the Colours of his Banners the Purple of his Triumphs At this their encounter and demands Eustachius could not choose but be sensible of the natural commotions our frailty occasions so as 't is no wonder if the memory of himself his Wife and his Sons caused him to relent The temptation was strong because too unexpected and had a too delicate opportunity and too little suspected His Friends were the cause whose affections incommodity and charity unless by not concealing them he could not return Quickly but quietly lest he should have been observ'd he sadly turn'd his back and leaving the company went weeping towards his home His tears trickl'd down in too great an abundance and he perceiv'd he wept with a kind of afflicted sensuality even tears said Metrodorus have their lust which he soon was sorry for Woe is me what do I Men weep not in this manner for the easing of nature whose sorrows to appease many tears are not requisite Men weep in this manner for some unruly passion tyrannically subduing their reason Le ts look to our selves O Eustachius least the Devill circumvent us for this violence is too great So he spake to himself when invaded by the memory of his former prosperity his love to his wife and his grief for the death of his sons but conquer'd by his fear to be seen by his God too devoted to the world he besought his sacred Majesty not to suffer any earthly affection to prevayle in his heart which dedicated and bequeathed to him was no otherwise of Eustachius than as Eustachius could not serve without a heart and love his gracious God So with unknown resentments resembling a trance which might be thought a punishment for his sorrow but probably was the sweetness and fruit of his devotion he fell to the earth beseeching God to moderate so immoderate a passion He would have begg'd of God as he was pleas'd to comfort him with the unexpected presence of two such dear friends so he would too be pleas'd even once before he dy'd to shew him his beloved Theopista since he could not hope possibly to see his little sons ah little sons so unfortunately lost and bewayl'd He would have pursu'd his desire with devout supplications and prayers if he could have been assur'd it was no temptation he being so confirm'd and onely intense in the will of his Creator that it seem'd to him a sin to desire it He so passionately was enamour'd of God that he thought if he lov'd any thing besides him 't would decrease his love to God These his irresolutions doubts exprest his devotion and affection to God T is one of the happinesses of a soul in the state of grace to see that all his thoughts affections and operations are prayers incenses and meritotorious To these supplications of Eustachius a voyce answer'd plainly from Heaven which spake in this manner Be
They discoursed long together so as they who were without were a great while onely curious but when the length of time began to exceed what they thought in probability was enough to dispatch such mean affairs amazement succeeded And what things deserving so tedious a Session do the tears of a despicable Woman design What counsels does so valiant and so honoured a Champion impart or receive from a Female of no worth While they murmur'd in this manner a Sergeant whom the General called at last enter'd in who quickly returning with a pale and troubled countenance obsequiously and hastily shut the door of the Chamber How amaz'd they were at that I cannot relate their wonder even making them dye of fear Ah what 's the matter All came about the nimble Messenger asking him earnestly the cause of his paleness and sollicitude Sirs he reply'd great things are sure amiss but what I could not penetrate but I found the General weeping who so often with dry eyes hath seen the doubtfull dangers of Victory and contemned and o'recome the horrours of death I am seeking certain Souldiers he commanded should be brought to him presently and hinder not his service The Souldiers he sought after were the very same Men whose discourse the same day the poor Woman had heard and observ'd behind the hedge of the Garden 'T was not long e're he came back accompanied by the two Souldiers who hearing with what trouble and impatience the General expected them were dejected and half dead The paleness in their faces was interpreted by the Waiters as the mark of an ill conscience and every one look'd strangely upon them as well because they thought they were guilty of the Generals sadness whom they lov'd as because if they were destin'd to ill fortune 't was necessary to begin to declare they had no amity with them Friendship dyes when Calamity is born Even this increas'd the horrour of the Wretches who the more they were us'd to be respected as being Lanciers and sitting at the General 's Table bewail'd with greater terrour the contempt and disesteem shew'd to them in this occasion Eustachius inform'd of their arrival gave order to the Sergeant to usher them in who commanded immediately to go out return'd to his Companions to raise new doubts among them who perplex'd panted after the knowledge of such strange and impenetrable nows Eustachius not long after cry'd aloud so as every one attentive to hear what succeeded heard resound from the Chamber though shut a lamentable confusion of weeping and sobs They irresolute awhile concluded at last they were bound to go in to see if they were able to do their Lord service But the Chamber being open'd they amaz'd and more disorder'd than before found ah wonder found that their valiant Commander prostrate between two Souldiers and a despicable Woman lay pitifully weeping like a drooping little Boy that had been correctedd for his faults Eustachius no sooner beheld them but rising from the ground and instantly looking chearfull cry'd aloud unto them Come in Brethren come in I invite you to behold the unspeakable wonders of Gods providence and mercies The joy his words occasion'd which were far more pleasing than they could imagine surpass'd each affection in the breasts of the Auditors curiosity excepted When they were enter'd in he re-spake in this manner Behold here O Friends my Wife and my Sons the chances of whose losses will eternally be famous in the Diaries of my Misfortunes He recounted here particularly to them how his Wife had long since been violently taken from him by an amorous Robber and how by the favour of Heaven she preserv'd undefil'd surviving the barbarous Fellow and extreamly necessitous came begging to the service of a Garden behind whose hedge she had the occasion of re-knowing her Sons who contracting a friendship and relating the unfortunate accidents of each others fate were known to be Brothers All ran on the sudden by turns to embrace and do homage unto their new Lords by whom they were inform'd of the manner how the one by Shepherds recover'd out of the mouth of a Wolf and the other by Peasants out of the paws of a Lion had spending their time in a mean education been at last by a Drum recall'd to their natural inclination Acclamations soon began the usual Companions of felicity each one affirming he admir'd how 't was possible they took not before for Placidus his Sons those valiant young Gentlemen who were so like their Father in the features of the face the strength of arm and magnanimity of heart Kinde receptions praises and congratulations would have never had an end if the General who most passionately desired to thank again his gratious Creatour had not taking an occasion from the time the night now coming on very fast after his thanks to every one for their kindness most courteously and dexterously dismiss'd them After their departure Eustachius left onely with his Wife and his Sons began to say to them Ah Wife ah Sons as dear to my heart as all the hope it hath and all its felicity and what sense have we of the multitude of favours so mercifull a God bestows upon us Ah dear Theopista whom so long I have sigh'd for behold me again in thy arms I embrace thee by the favour of that most loving Father who most gratiously and mercifully depriv'd me of thee to make me relish pleasure by restoring thee to me And O ye Sons so principal a part of my bowels have ye in such disatrous and difficult wayes of hostile vicissitudes kept the innocence was due from you by gratitude not onely by nature for the many obligations which more than all men living besides ye have to so bountifull a God Embrace ye me O Sons O Sons much defir'd and twice born O how many times have tears drown'd my sleep when I thought I heard you howling and roaring in the Woods But glory be to God we behold one another once again and shall meet for the future more happily for the plenty of so many favours cannot choose but so mollify and so powerfully in the end raise our hearts to correspond with God Almighty but that this correspondence enflaming and replenishing us with him must showre on our souls a Paradsie of graces of glory and happiness Here he made an end for affection brake the thread of his discourse Theopista wept his Sons likewise wept The brother the brother the husband the wife the mother the sons and the sons now their father now their mother did hug and embrace mixing congratulations with kisses and embittering their kisses with tears Every thing concluded in expressions of kindness and the mutest were most eloquent All these love-extasies they ended at the foot of a Crucifix where what discourses of gratitude what sense of devotion what affections of affection and what protestations and resignations they made I cannot describe The Angells have done it who spectators of so delicate and
wonderfull a scene have registred their Acts in the Annals of eterninity to present them to God as a pleasing sight to him who is in his own sphear when he shines among the flames of an enamour'd heart They supt but gaz'd more than they did eat the communication of their miseryes past refreshing them more than the delicatest meat though it had been drest by the skilfullest hand and with the rarest sauces in the world In the morning they went to the Army which rendevous'd together expected them waving with gladness acclamations and such joyfull applause that it plainly appeared the happiness alone of the Generall was the soul of that vast body considering his dignity but the heart if we consider their affections This day they were jocund and joviall and consumed the next in preparations to be gone the word being given through the Campe of their future dislodging Eustachius when the legions the baggage and prisoners were marcht away went directly to Rome in the midway to which he received advice that Trajan the just the valiant and couragious was dead which disturb'd in some sort the contentment of his heart Something should be said in the praise of his vertue if the name of Trajan had not been the greatest prayse the memorialls of that age could commemorate The Generall publisht the news to the Legions who wept not for his death for at the same time they heard of the succession of Adrian not was it lawfull or at least secure to weep when tears might maliciously be interpreted and said to be shed rather for the coronation of the one than the death of the other In those tyrannous times they lookt not nor spake without counsell and before they went abroad receiv'd information of the interests of the Prince to know what kind of Countenance they should wear through the City Eustachius arriving in Rome was receiv'd in that manner by the Emperour that he found no want of Trajan I relate not the ceremonyes at his meeting his prayses the concourses of people the Images Crowns and triumphall arches because in each place where vertue appears she draggs triumphs after her and he 's much more fortunate than valiant whose vertue can receive augmentation of glory by a triumph Adrian embraced commended and rewarded him augmenting his titles his riches and authority Adrian's whole discourse still concluded with the prudence the valour and fortune of Placidus Placidus was the Emperors right hand the apple of the eye of the Empire and a patterne for the Lords All lookt on him not only as a valiant Commander but a favorite He that of Placidus could dispose whose Genius was supposed predominant o're Adrians thought he could command the Prince Adrian made him often tell the story of his life and kist and hugg'd him often in his bosome and sometimes was so jealous and sometimes so delighted with him that he challenging a share in the fortunate successe of so raging a tempest said in the health of Placidus he ow'd his first triumph to the Gods Placidus dispatcht all affaires and calm'd and resolv'd all the Emperours cares and doubts But what wonder is' t that vertue should be lov'd and respected Placidus never went into the Royall Cabinet but learning and truth enterd with him necessary conditions for the Moses who is to be there to discourse with his God His Power never swell'd him at all and though in so short a space of time he attain'd to such greatness that his looks and command were held in the same veneration yet he more humble and more affable to all than before then onely shew'd his greatness when he had an opportunity to shew his magnanimity He had a heart of ashes and still thought upon his own vileness As the Bee that the wind should not carry him away he still carry'd in his hands the base stone of his condition He had not like Philotas need of shoes soal'd with lead to the end the winde of vanity should not raise him from the earth Death and the Cross were the Anchor and Mast which secured this Ship He knew well the feathers of birds that were offer'd up in holocausts were thrown on the dunghill and that the more the Syren of greatness allures the more needfull it is for Ulysses to be ty'd to the mast for his own preservation The greater his power was the more stil the followers or to speak better the fishers of Fortune extended their netts and toyl'd for his favour Every one believ'd he had stopt the rowling wheele of his fortune when he thought he was sure of his power Every one directed his motions to the splendour of this light which was reverenc'd by all as the North Star of this Heaven O with what ease do our eys deceive themselves Whither it be the nature of affection whose heat 's the less durable by being the more vehement or whither it be the nature of nature which having to every thing prescribed a mutation reduces that faster to the center which she hath with greater violence exalted to the summit Placidus had a fall Confide he in the favour of man who is a greater favourit more deserving and more necessary to his master than Placidus was to Adrian He fell but he fell into Paradise This is a fortunate precipice for he fell into the lap of eternall and incomprehensible felicity but yet t is a precipice for a terrible and dreadfull example of human mutability That a man for his vertue respected and for his condition most powerfull well spoken of by all desir'd by all Nations and victorious in all battailes whom his Countrey glory'd in the age he liv'd in honour'd and in whom the Prince said he was happy should set in an instant be examin'd by a hangman unjustly condemn'd and sentenc'd by that mouth which more than any other carest kist and made him renown'd is a thing so full of horrour that I hold the man mad who after so notorious an example will trust in his own prudence and think it sufficient to support him in the favour of man be he never so friendly or oblig'd The ancient Roman Emperors after any remarkable victory gave publiquely thanks to their Gods which they used to do with that pompe of apparrell and train of applauses that many times the altars had occasion to envy their bravery who offer'd Incense on them and still he was ador'd more devoutly that discharged the vow than he that had given the successe The pompe predesign'd for the glory of this sacrifice receiving the Period expected so long Adrian with bravery more becoming a magnificent oftentation than a devout and great gratitude repayred to the Temple to give the Gods thanks for the Empire so great and victory so glorious they propitiously had given him He went into the Temple attended and applauded by all his greatest Princes beginning his function with the accustomed piety of the fortunate who usually place all their devotion in the charge they are at
with what constancy Eustachius contemn'd both Death and the Gods was mad with indignation and perhaps too with grief for without extream violence we pass not to hatred from love so deeply and tacitly this potent affection of affection takes root in our hearts Supposing himself to be vilify'd and despis'd as he was contriving a revenge a new information furpriz'd him that Theopista with her sons was as ready to accompany her Husband into Prison as she did in his Belief He heard that all four unanimously and publickly detesting the Idols not without the Peoples wonder and attention stood preaching and extolling the merit of their Religion He overcome by a violent passion which transported him against them would precipitously have commanded their present execution if some persons of authority commiserating the sadness of their case and endeavouring the appeasing of his fury had not made him believe 't would be more advantageous to the Empire and Religion to conquer Eustachius than kill him They represented to Adrian Eustachius was a Person belov'd of the People and Armies and 't was necessary not onely commendable to give him some time that his contumacy might justifie the punishment or repentance make glorious his imprisonment This as the best resolution was concluded and therefore the Prisoner was inform'd he should prepare himself to make the Gods a sacrifice or be sacrific'd himself This combate continued three dayes during which time all the Christians of the City were not wanting to visit him to comfort and encourage him His friends us'd all means for his safety and the Emperour invaded him by his intimate acquaintance The last temptation was suggested by a Friend who though sent by Cesar feign'd he came of himself out of kindness and an earnest desire to preserve him insomuch as what Arts the School sels Dissembling can counterfeit or Interest devise he put in execution and making a mixture of affection of arguments offers and threats and tempering and infusing each thing in commendations the last and most powerfull enchantment to Persons of Valour labour'd mightily to corrupt him Dearest Eustachius what is become of thy renowned Virtue the scourge of our Enemies the prop of our Empire and glory of our Age Who hath perswaded thee to make thy self an Enemy to the Gods by opposing the Religion of thy Ancestors the Law of thy Prince and injuring the simplicity of the People who by thy example will protect the injuries done to the Gods which have made thee victorious against all the powers and triumphant under that space of Heaven they govern and illuminate Eustachius thou dissentest from thy self not onely from thy Prince and out faith Why leav'st thou the Religion thou so frequently hast defended with thy dangers so often augmented with victories and so many times authoriz'd with thy noble and sumptuous sacrifices even to the exhausting of thy Treasure Is this the gratitude thou professest to the Gods who so often have made thee victorious and sharing as it were their Divinity with thee have allow'd men as well to swear by thy happiness as by their own omnipotency Some Devil and Enemy to the People of Rome hath perverted thee The justice of those Gods who never abandon'd thy protection till they saw thee their Enemy make thee see the injustice of thy cause Consider dear Friend what condition thou art in from the high way of triumphs and greatness thou art faln into Prison and the danger of thy head Ah unhappy man who will assist thee Will that God peradventure whos 's own hands are nail'd Wilt thou therefore dishonour the glory of thy name ruine thy state and the greatness of thy Family and bury the hopes of thy Country which promis'd it self in thy valour and prudence a long and sure prop to its happiness Wilt thou despise the fortune which offers it self unto thee by the favour of the Prince who because he might not see thee destroy'd exhibites to make thee so great that thou in all the world shalt have none above thee he onely excepted who is second to none that is not a God All thy friends and alliance with tears and prostrate hearts beseech thee not to do it Wilt thou see so many tears shed in vain and so many friends deceiv'd for a God condemn'd and punish'd They have bought thy protection with the sweat of their labours and have spent and still passionately desire to spend their blood for the glory of thy Family and Name and wilt thou give consent to abandon them Ah they may have reason to fear it if thou tak'st delight in holding them so long in suspence and go'st about even to abandon the Gods themselves But who but who are they which remov'd not far from thee groan under the weight of so many Chains in so dark and so dreadfull a Prison Ah wretch that I am whom do I behold Are they or are they not the same Are those thy so valorous Sons and that thy Wife so chast whom thou so much lovedst Ah Placidus and canst finde in thy heart to see them torn in pieces And why grow'st thou so cruelly perverse on the sudden to thy Friends thy Wife thy Sons thy self and the Gods of thy Progenitors of thy Prince thy Country and Triumphs Eustachius inspired by God turning himself towards his Sons with a smile lest his valour might be stain'd if he fell to words when he had the command of his Sword spake to them in this manner We must now my Beloved resolve to do something and what will ye do To enjoy a short eternity will ye disgust the Friends which counsel us so well For a God though a Creator and Redeemer will ye offend a Prince that hath done you the honour to let you spill so often your blood to uphold him in his Throne For a God displeas'd with our loving Deities though Heaven be his Temple and by nature he be goodness it self and virtually omnipotent shall we leave off offering up Incense to these beautifull Statues where men admire the excellency of Art and harken to infernal Consultations If ye'll resolve on this besides the leave ye'll have of the most gratious Prince to spill again your blood for his sake he will too permit you since the loss of your souls is inevitable if ye dye in rebellion against the true God to live at least and quickly leade a fortunate life if it be a happy life to have many occasions of contesting with the dangers and miseries of war emulation envy sickness and servitude So spake he to them then turning himself to his idolatrous Counsellour he added I both excuse and pity thee Thou dost not comprehend what our souls aspire to we thirst after favours and lives which are not terrestrial Report we do not adore Gods Deflowrers of Virgins Incestuous to their Sisters and Deceivers of Men Gods that are Parricides Adulterers Rapacious Impostors and Blood-suckers born to the shame not protection of the world and deify'd
onely by them who under the shadow of a Deity that loves and does not punish impieties seek to shelter their consciences And is' t possible a Man of Valour though no Christian should not be asham'd to see himself prostrate at the foot of a God more wicked than wickedness it self And is' t possible he should not know these Incenses are consum'd in vain and so many and such chargeable Victims are to no other end but to waste our Wealth and Goods These are Gods which rob us though dead and though ador'd O blindness That God is not ours which seeks our perdition and that God is no God that knows not how to hinder his own Let us bestow our incenses where we have our hopes We hope not in impieties in wickednesses and eternal blasphemers of Gods name by whom they condemn'd will alwayes feel the punishment of their pride and rebellion I can answer you no otherwise but that you know us not if you threaten us And what wouldst thou have us to fear Shame And think'st thou that he 'll dye of shame who a Conquerour of the Devil and the World dyes serving and to serve his Creator What would'st thou have us fear Death A Christian hopes for death and fears it not Gods knife not Adrians affrights us A Christian hath his Country his faith hope treasures and glory in Heaven He is not a Countrey-man of this life Whosoever kils him does not drive him from the Earth but helps him to get sooner to Heaven whither he here a Pilgrim aspires O unhappy man that to live a few days would lose such a fortunate occasion of eternally beatifying himself But why nam'd I a few days If thou canst assure me of a moment of time for sacrificing to thy Gods I am ready to tell thee I will readily do it but if that cannot be so fading and uncertain is this our frail life why wouldst thou make me lose an eternal felicity for a very short moment of time for a moment uncertain for a moment which if certain would have howsoever more torment than life Friend we will dye even to fly this so troublesome life much more to serve our God that is so full of power And this life is too vile too uncertain and too dependant and we passionately desire once to dye to behold our most mercifull God to whose onely presence our souls do aspire and sigh Ah O my Sons shall we never attain to this happiness Shall we never get to tast it O most happy we if our God will be pleas'd to confer it on us And what shall we do in that blessed light which never is eclipsed In that inexhaustible and incomprehensible Sea of delights and consolations Will these petty disasters we suffer for his sake prove bitter or sweet profitable or sad Ah woe's me a frail and poor Creature who love not even so well my God but that the flesh makes me think of interest of pleasure and reward Be not scandaliz'd my sons let 's fight let 's suffer and dye for the onely love of God God alone be our object our reward and our interest Though he did not intend to reward us he deserves to be belov'd and how much for us hath he done Ah scourges ah thorns ah lances ah nails and ah cross ye know very well They spake here all together as expressing the consent of four valiant persons who animating one another as they fortify'd themselves so made the Spectators relent The Orator confounded and unable to compass his end returned to Adrian relating to him he had met with a Prison full of Constancy where he that expected to dye was more fearfull of the flowness than the sharpness of his Sword Adrian implacably incens'd with this last relation calling Placidus ingratefull sacrilegious and seditious and invoking particularly each God extoll'd and exaggerated the merit of his own piety That he had rather part with a Minister of state though usefull and glorious to the Empire than that Heaven should be sacrific'd to by his hand When he with exclamations complaints threats and injuries had sufficiently enflam'd and tormented himself the authority of the Devil his Counsellor prevailing at last he resolv'd to blot Placidus out of the book of life and ask'd by his will what death they should dye the Lions he reply'd should devour them who had for that purpose fasted three dayes together The innocent Christians were led to the Theater whither they went with a faith deserving a Theater The People who with tears resented their condition accompany'd and pitied them with a sorrow and compassion that cannot be express'd Every one was sorry for the Sons unhappy youth and every one for the Parents affliction Some thought the death of the young men was most worthy of pity because they were cut off in the flower of their age while others had a greater compassion for the Parents supposing their death to be the more pretious for by losing themselves and their Sons they lost and lamented more lives When the Theater was open'd and the persons condemned appear'd who more cheer'd up themselves in their dangers no eye was free from tears especially when they saw and heard Eustachius speak who kneeling in the midst of his beloved family cry'd aloud with his hands rear'd to Heaven Though all hell should be let loose much less a few Lyons he can have no feare that loves thee O Lord. Thou art too sweet and too dear O sweet and dear Love of our love Behold us at thy feer most ready and prepar'd for a sacrifice which is not so pure and immaculate as thou dost deserve is what four poor and miserable sinners can give thee With thy loving mercyes make it what thou would'st have it to be for thy glory What say ye dear Sons are ye glad of this occasion to shew your prompt obedience to our most gracious Father and God Take ye pleasure that he see he hath not given so much to you but that ye are ready to present and sacrifice more to him if it lay in your power Offer up to him and give him that life he so often hath bestow'd upon you preserv'd and made noble Which way will these Lyons come out Will they make peradventure to this place Come valorous Sons let us bend thither Ye are well acquainted with Lyons ye have conquer'd them formerly when ye were not old enough to distinguish them Will ye now be afraid of them when ye fight for Gods sake Ah dear husband his wife interrupting him began wrong not the valour of our Sons Ye O my Sons shall stand here together and I here before She will lead you out of this life who brought you into it Give prayses to God for the victory and bless and invoke him O holy thrice holy and a thousand times holy behold us at the sacrifice we so often have desir'd Accept O amorous accept most loving flame of our breasts this litte and last but