nostra sicut nos dimitâ—imus debitoribus nostris Et ne nos inducas in tentationem At other times she prayed with vs or gaue eare to the reading of the Passion of Christ or some pious booke and now then would admonish vs to put her in mind of heauen heauenly things Sometimes she enquired the estate of other sick persons as occasion was presented she did exhort Catholikes to constancy in their fayth and sometimes also she spake to Heretikes of imbracing the Catholike fayth But how much at that time she was enflamed with the loue of God euen by this it may appeare that once she exceedingly loathing a certaine potion when after many importunate requests one had desired her to take the same for his loue who for her dranke vinegar gall presently without giuing any answere she tooke the cup and dranke it all vp so sodenly did the memory of the Passion of Christ make that seeme sweet which before was very loathsome vnto her She so little feared death that from the beginning of her sicknes to vs who much desired her life she seemed too much to desire her death therfore when we did propose vnto her the examples of She rather wisheth then feareth death S. Paul S. Martin and others who for the consolation of their friends were coÌ„tent to liue she would humbly answere The will of God be done And wheÌ„ once she falling into a sound her seruant cryed out in lamentation as soone as she returned to her selfe she reprehended her saying Weep not for me but weep for thy sinnes and I command thee that thou pray not for my life O singular confidence of a pure conscience O contempt of this life and desire of the future After this patient and pious manner did the La. Magdalen spend that tedious time of her grieuous infirmity wherin certayne things were obserued which perhaps may seeme speciall markes of her excellent piety towards God and The body of the Lady Magd. breathed a sweet odour of his diuine fauour towards her For albeyt there was nothing about her that could produce any sweet odour yea euery day oyntment applyed to her necke and arme for cure of the Palsy which gaue a loathsome smell yet one day her body seemed to yield a pleasing sauour which not only Catholikes but euen some Protestants which then by accident were present did feele and admiring demaunded whence that sweet odour was To others it seemed another kind of sauour yet most delicious and beyond all common sauours To me it seemed much like sweet balme so that reflecting on the odour of vertue which she left behind her both to Catholikes and Protestants I reputed that saying of Ecclesiasticus to be fulfilled in her Sicut balsamum aromatizans odorem dedi Another tyme also of her sicknes a certayne very A most delicious sauour came forth of the place where he accustomed to pray graue pious man kneeling to pray without the Chappell but behind the place wherin she accustomed to pray did fiue or six tymes feele a certaine breathing of the most delicious sauour that euer he felt in his lyfe to come forth of the Chappell which sauour he likened to the gumme of the balme-tree yet far exceeding all earthly odour and filled him with exceeding admiration and pleasure But what doe we admire so sweet a sauour to proceed froÌ„ the place where the Lady Magdalen accustomed to pray when she as the Apostle sayth Was a sweet odour of Christ in euery place Another thing which to me seemeth worthy of consideration was that wheras the Phisitian three or foure dayes before her death gaue vs hope either of recouering her health or at least of prolonging her life neither indeed did there appeare to vs any signe of imminent death neuerthelesse the seauenth of Aprill which was the day before her death she requested me to intreat my brethen the other Priests for we were then fiue that we would all that day say masse for her in honour of the Blessed Virgin and I demaunding of her to what end The admirable perfection of the La. Magd. she desired those masses to be celebrated That sayd she I may haue no will but the will of God and that his most sacred will may be fulfilled in me either in life or death O admirable perfection of this woman prepared either to liue or dye as it should please God and of herselfe desirous of neither but only of the fulfilling of his diuine pleasure And behold wheras before this time as is sayd we saw no signes of imminent death not long after the celebration of the Masses the very pangs of death did assault her neyther did they euer leaue her till they bereaued her of this mortall life And albeit those pangs were very violent and continuall from Thursday three of the clocke in the after Death speedily ensued after she said she was prepared for lyfe or death noone till almost midnight of the day following which was the eight of Aprill when she gaue vp her Ghost yet did she perseuere with the same admirable patience and tranquillity of mind In so much that the Friday morning being asked how she had passed the precedeÌ„t night she answered The best of all that euer I passed For the most prudent woman perceyued death to draw on and that night to open vnto her a day which was neuer to haue end Whiles her senses continued she prayed with vs in one hand she held a Crosse till her forces fayled in the other a hallowed light which she held so fast euen after her death that without force it could not be wrested froÌ„ her Her last words which could be vnderstood were She peaceably departeth those of our Sauiour Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit which without any resistaÌ„ce or reluctation she peaceably yielded vp a litle before midnight at which time as the Scripture sayth There was a clamour made Behold the Matt. 25. bridegrome commeth go ye forth to meet him she with the holy women within the Octaues of our Lords Resurrection arose out of this valley of teares her lampe being prepared entred as we hope with the Bridegrome to the Mariage Her bowels were buryed at Battell where she dyed in the monument of her husbands Father and her body honorably caryed to Midhurst and there layd in the Sepulcher of her husband Of the shape of her Body and Mind CHAP. XV. OF Stature she was very tall so that as Saul amongst men she among women of middle stature appeared from the shoulders vpward yet very vpright neither did she stoop in the least manner euen till her death her very body being erected by her vpright mind She was fat and grosse in body her head was round in regard of the greatnes of her body seemed litle her haire in her youth was faire and enclining to yellow her face beauttfull and long her forehead
commaundement of Queene Elizabeth there He exhorteth the Nobility to maintaine the Catholike fayth was consultation agayne among the Nobility of the Realme for suppressing the Catholike Fayth this most Noble Viscount making a graue eloquent and pithy oration exhorted thē not to permit themselues to be carryed away with euery wind of new doctrine nor to dissolue that which themselues so very lately had ratifyed and with solemne ceremony had promised inuiolably to obserue nor to abolish that Religion wherein all their Christian ancestors liued with such splendour and dyed with such piety to imbrace that which a small number they base voluptuous turbulent men of no reputation disagreeing among themselues had inuented and which had neuer set foot in England had not in famous lust and greedines of Church-goods depraued K. Henry the VIII But when he perceiued the principall of the Nobility of the realme partly being deluded with the vaine hope of marrying the Q. partly blinded with the couetous desire of earthly riches not to admit good Counsaile but like the deafe aspe to stop their eares as the Psalmist sayth at whatsoeuer voyces sweetly enchaunting what he could not perswade others himselfe constantly maintayned obserued And if somtime afterward he went to hereticall Churches it was not so much to be imputed to him as to his Priest a learned and piousman indeed but too fearfull who supposing it expedient something to giue to the tyme durst not determine such a fact to be sinne For when that Priest being dead he had entertayned another who with Priestly courage told him that it was a grieuous offence and hatefull to God and the Church pernicious to his soule to be present at hereticall seruice he was so far from defending his fact that as I receiued from the mouth of one that was present instantly putting of his hat falling on his knees both with gesture of his whole body with his tongue he most humbly submitted himself to the censure of the catholike Church and piously promised neuer thence forward to be present at hereticall seruice which all the rest of his lyfe he exactly obserued Many other notable things might be related of this right Nobleman but that mine intended subiect calleth me another way and therfore I will adde only one thing that the Reader may vnderstand in what pious manner this worthy man ended his holy lyfe Whē it pleased God to purge the rust of his sinnes in this lyfe he permitted him to fall into a tedious troublesome and lingring kind of infirmity wherof he dyed Which in the opinion of many happening vnto him by witch-craft from which opinion himselfe seemed not to dissent though certayne Sorcerers promised to restore him to his former health if he would but giue way therto he not only refused to consent to their iniquity but detesting all helpes of the slaues of Sathan seuerely forbad his friends euer to vse such detestable remedyes for the recouery of his health And so declaring not only in words with the Psalmist but euen in deeds Meliorem sibi misericordiam Psal 62. Dei esse super vitas That Gods mercy was better to him then lyfe being by a long triall purged he piously ended his lyfe in our Lord. Of the mutuall loue betweene the La. Magdalen and her Husband of her issue and of her rare Charity towards her husbands children CHAP. V. BY the aforesayd piety of the Viscount it wil be easy for the Reader to make a coniecture of the conuersation of his Lady who being of her owne nature and The exceeding loue betvveene the La. Mag. and her husband education addicted vnto piety by the further iuducemēts of her husbands example more speedily ran the course of vertue They liued together in great loue and amity 36. yeares and whiles I was writing this I lighted by chance on a letter of D. Langdales who was for many yeares theyr Confessor wherein in testimony of theyr loue and piety he thus speaketh vnto them Fare yee well most louing couple of one mind of one loue which is rare in this world of one piety She as S. Augustine left written of S. Confess l. 9. c. 9. Monica being ioyned to a husband serued him as her Lord and God made her beautifull and reuerently amiable and admirable to her husband Her husband had by her eight children Syr George Browne Syr Henry Browne honourable knights and Elizabeth wife to the Lord Dormer of whose prayses The children of the La. Magdalen because they yet lyue according the Counsayle of the wisemā I wil be silent the residue dyed eyther infants or vnmaryed leauing no issue excepting Mrs Iane Browne most like her mother in vertue maryed to Francis Lacon Esquire to whome she brought forth many children And Fateor nulla sic amabat liberos Hier de Sancta Paula albeyt the La. Magdalen most tenderly loued her children and what she could without iniury to others carefully aymed at their preferment yet her husband hauing by a former wyfe one only Sonne of exceeding tender constitution and infirme who only was to precede her Sons in his Fathers in heritance she had neuertheles so sollicitous a care of his health as if he had byn her owne child Yea his Sonne the present most Honourable Viscount Her vvorthy charity tovvards her sonne in-lavv Montague both by words as I vnderstand and by writings as we shall hereafter recite imputeth the benefit of his owne and his Fathers lyfe to the rare piety of this Mother-in-law which is also confimed by the testimony of others And when also by an offence which her husband conceyued occasion was presented whereby she Infrac 16. might exceedingly haue raysed the fortunes of her owne children she was so far from making vse thereof to the She preserueth the life of her sonne-in lavv and of his sonne iniury of her Sonne-in-law his child that she pacifyed her husband and reduced him into fauour So much did eyther the loue of her husband whome she affected in all his children or the ingrafted Nobility of mind or finally the loue of God and equity preuayle with her In which proceeding she shewed a worthy example to all Mothers-in-law and so much therfore did she purchase the loue of the present Viscount that none of her owne children exceeded him in filiall affection And though at the tyme that her husband dyed she seemed in the iudgement of many to be neerer death her selfe yet so much force did loue adde vnto her that arising out of her bed she held him in her armes whiles he yielded vp his last breath And as S. Hierome writeth of the most noble widdow S. Paula She so bewayled him as if she would haue dyed with him she so betooke her selfe to the seruice of God as she seemed to haue wished his death For wheras formerly obliged to wedlock she was constrayned to think Her piety and gratitude tovvards her
dowry but she gaue him so resolute a denyall that thence forward she was no more sollicited by sutors This example is not ordinary in England in this so corrupt an age where sometimes women of honour after the death of their husbaÌ„ds not finding others equall to theÌ„selues in dignity do mary euen their seruants or men of meane condition In this manner liued this Hon. ble Lady all her life without reprehension as S. Paul speaketh in the middest of a crooked and peruerse NatioÌ„ among whome she shined as light in the world And Phil. 2. albeit these be arguments of rare chastity yet I will adde one far more singular eminent the truth wherof though it depend on her only testimony yet sith God doth deuide to euery one as the Apostle sayth according as he will imparteth 1. Cor. 12. greater guiftes vnto his seruants and she being so worthy a Lady as whosoeuer knew her could haue no suspition that for vaine glory she would delude her confessor I litle feare but that it will find credit with the vnpartiall Reader this it was that in all her life she neuer The La. Mag neuer felt the rebellion of the flesh felt the inuoluntary stings or as they call it rebellion of the flesh wherby her mind should be prouoked to lust O singular chastity O what kind of tast of the state of innocencie O woÌ„derfull arguments of Gods loue towards this woman For with what purity did God beautify her soule who so adorned her flesh what treasure did he lay vp in so rich a chest what pure Tabernacle of the holy Ghost was that soule which inhabited so pure and chast a body Neither yet is this all that in this kind I can relate of this chast woman but as S. Hierome sayth of himselfe writing the life of S. Paula I am constrayned to omit many things least I should exceed the beliefe of things and by detractors be reputed a lyer But what chast soule thinke you had she who was freed from that interiour and cruell enemie of her chastity And if some time the enemie did suggest that vnto her soule whereto her flesh did not allure her if she were waking she did instantly not only reiect it from her mind but euen with spitting or some exteriour signe did declare how much she detested it But if it happened in her sleep when reason had not power to giue her assistance yet did her body so striue and labour to expell that filthy suggestion that it awakened her mind after which the victory was easy O happy woman whose very flesh in which euen in holy men as the Prophet Psal 7. speaketh there is no soundnes but their loynes are filled with illusions and their reines do afflict them euen vnto night was free from turpitude S. Gregory esteemed it a rare degree of chastity 6. Moral c. 17. When Gods grace sayth he perfectly rewardeth some abstinent not to feele the stings or violence of the motions of the flesh But this woman felt neither the violence of the motions nor the motion it selfe O what iewell of chastity did the earth loose how much did heaueÌ„ gaine by her death But now let vs consider her patience Of her singular Patience CHAP. VIII OVr Sauiour affirmeth Patience to be so necessary to euery man that he declareth that therin we shall possesse our soules as if without it man were not maister Luc. 1. of him selfe but were carryed hither and thither with the blind fury of affection and this vertue in the La. Magdalen was not inferiour to the former For it appeared admirable Her continuall patience to all that knew her not for a certaine time nor in some company nor vpon certaine occasions but in all the whole course of her life Nor did she carry her selfe patiently towards strangers only or her equals but euen towards her familiars and her very seruants from reprehending of whome if they had offended her she accustomed She wold nor chide her seruants least she should be angry to abstaine least as she often sayd she should be moued to anger being more carefull of her patience and tranquillity of mind then of conscruing her temporall estate For when any matter was committed deseruing reprehension she accustomed to say to one Goe and chide such a one And so farre was she from the vice of chiding that she vnderstood not all the words which brauling A mild speach of the Lady people accustome to vse and therfore when not long before her death she heard one woman scolding with another she openly sayd that till that day she neuer heard such kind of speaches She vsed to say A good word is as easily spoken as an euill And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of her Her notable patience towâ—â—â—… 〈…〉 〈…〉 not only 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 would 〈…〉 him 〈…〉 which Patience ouercommeth aduersaries her 〈…〉 him It was doubtles an act of great patience 〈…〉 â—â—â—meles an iniury of her seruant but a greater to conceale it but the greatest in that she accustomed to induce her aduersaries by benefits to acknowledge their fault And so much did this her Patience preuaile with two of her notorious aduersaries that vpon their knees they asked her pardon People of all ages and conditions delighted in her coÌ„uersation of their offence And this her patience was in her so much the more admirable as she was by nature cholerike and so much choler was found in her body after her death that such as saw it and knew her most meeke manner of liuing were exceedingly amazed therat So milde and sweet was her conuersation that she allured people of all conditions to her company and which was to be admired euery age euery degree and both sexes did seeme equally to be surprised with the loue of her company and she did so accommodate her selfe to the ciuill comportments of euery one that yet she admitted nothing vnworthy of her selfe or vnbeseeming her age and grauity She was very vnwilling to offend any by word gesture or act yea to take from others occasion of complayning whatsoeuer seemed molestfull she tooke it her selfe and that which S. Augustine calleth a great gift of God in his She concealeth the discord of others Mother that when one had secretly complayned vnto her of another She would speake nothing of the one vnto the other but what might tend to their reconciliation this in this woman was rare and perspicuous And this kind of Patience she exercised not only when she had her perfect health but euen in her grieuous sicknes as shall appeare 9. Conf. c. 9. hereafter in our relation of her extreme infirmity wherin not content with the torments which her disease did inflict she ofteÌ„ inuocated almighty God with these words Excellent patience O Lord more paine and more patience Of her prompt Obedience CHAP. IX HOw obedieÌ„t the pious Lady was may easily be collected by what we haue
presented against her in the County of Sussex or else where to be remoued by writ of Certiorari into his Maiesties Court of the Kings bench therby you shall haue power to stay all processe against her person grounded vpon that presentment or whatsoeuer other till we shall be further certifyed And in the same manner when vnder pretence of search for the powder-traytors Protestants did often search her house she obtayned letters from the Kings Councell dated the 5. of Aprill 1606. And subscribed by ten of the same Councell that none besides fower by her self nominated should search her house By which The La. Mag. exposing herselfe to perill for religion became more free from danger letters she obtayned that herselfe whose house especially was alwayes free to all Catholikes who in admitting Catholikes to the Sacraments exposed herselfe to danger more then all others proued thence forward to be more free from perill then any else Whiles she lay in Lōdon in the yeare 1606. a Protestant seeing one goe into her house whome he suspected but falsely to be one of those whome the King had proclaymed guilty of the powder-treason declared the same to the Kings Councell who instantly authorized Officers that most watchfully beset both hers and the adioyning houses from Wednesday at two of the clocke in the morning till Saturday noone following and in that tyme very diligently searched hers but especially her neighbours houses The Lady Magdalens Priest was then absent who was gone towards Battell she intending immediately to follow him but vnderstanding that two of her family were fallen grieuously sick instantly taking horse returned to London the same day that the search began But almighty Her Priest twice euē miraculously escaped the handes of heretikes God so protected the Lady Magdalen that at the very instant when the Priest suspecting no danger entred into the house the Watchmen for a quarter of an hower were gone aside And euen two dayes after when it was esteemed most dangerous for him to remayne there any longer he went againe out of the house in the middest of the watch not one of them apprehending him albeit amongst them there were three that knew him well to be a Priest and did speake of him to each other and with their fingers pointed at him Not many monthes after the same Priest going from the house of the Viscountesse at Battell was discouered to the aforesayd impious Cobbe Againe an other time the Priest being scarce out of sight Cobbe hauing a vehement malicious desire to apprehend him ran euery way to hyre a horse to pursue him but Almighty God did so preserue the Lady Magdalen that he permitted not any Protestant though her grieuous enemyes to lend Cobbe a horse nor suffered him to follow the Priest a foote or by out-cry as is the manner in England to rayse the people to pursue him wheras the Priest not suspecting any danger walked on a foote pace expecting one that was to accompany him might easily haue byn apprehended Both which escapes the Priest himselfe ascribed to the piety of this Lady whome God protected least her Priest being taken her lyfe had byn brought in question for entertayning him With the rehearsall of one admirable thing which happened in her house I will end the discourse of these things There stood vpright agaynst a An admirable thing of an Altar-stone wall a great marble stone which in Catholike tymes had byn an Altar-stone for the seruice of almighty God and a womā of curiosity desirous to see that side therof which rested agaynst the wall so drew the stone towards her as it fell vpon her And albeit the stone was of that huge greatnes and weight as eight men could hardly with whatsoeuer leauers remoue it from one place to another and nothing lay betweene it and the woman that might saue her from the fall of it yet was it so taken vp without the least hurt of the woman as if a bed of fethers not so huge a stone had fallen vpon her Whereupon the stone was by commandement of the Lady Magdalen remoued into the Chappell consecrated agayne to diuine seruice and applyed to his former vse But now though with griefe let vs come to declare her death For who as S. Hierome writeth of S. Paula can with vnwatered eyes relate the death of the Lady Magdalen Of her happy Passage vnto God CHAP. XIIII VVHen she had piously and blessedly liued complete 70. yeares had seene her third generation and aboue thirty persons of her issue and all by the grace of God Professors of the Catholike fayth the next day after her birth-day to wit the 21. of Ianuary of the yeare 1608. at which tyme there was such an extreme frost An extreme frost in England in England that the Riuer Thames being frozen men horses and carts passed ouer vpon the ice yea meat being rosted theron people did banquet there as vpon the firme land at such tyme I say as the frost gaue such a generall The Lady Magd. falleth into a palsy horrour the Lady Magdalen fell into a Palsy wherby she lost the motion of the right side of her body and much wanted the vse of her tongue Within two dayes the most prudent Lady perceiued her disease to be mortall neither yet did she desire any medicine or sent for How she prepared for death any Phisician but calling for her Cōfessor desired to participate of all the sacraments of Christ which in such case are requisite Which hauing with exceeding deuotion tranquillity of mind receiued deliuering her last will and testament to one she prepared herselfe for death requesting that thence forward she might be free from all molestation of temporall affaires But almighty God for the greater glory of his name for her merit and our edification did prolong her infirmity for eleuen whole weekes to wit till the eight of Aprill In which time it cannot Her admirable meeknes and patience be vttered what admirable patience she shewed both in words and deeds neuer wayward or tedious but alwayes thankefull euen to the meanest of her seruants when they had done any thing about her and oftentimes euen in her extremest torments praying God to increase both her paine and patience Her accustomed prayers as before I sayd she distributed amongst her friends She heard Masse euery day at which time she would be lifted vp in her bed which she omitted not euen the last day of her life There did hang at her beds feete a siluer Crosse Her deuotion in her sicknes guilded of Christ crucified which was sometimes her Grandmothers the famous Countesse of Shrewsbury to it she did very frequently lift her eyes and sometimes as she could her hands without vttering a word but with great signes of deuotion sometimes she would double those petitions of the Pater noster Fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo in terra Dimitte nobis debita
flat her eyes sharpe of the colour of an hasell-nut and her sight so continued as in her last dayes she could discerne a tower fifteene miles of and with spectacles could cut euen the finest linnen cloth by a threed and in the same manner had she the vse of all the residue of her senses Her nose was straight and sharp and somewhat short and her chinne great her couÌ„tenance very graue and venerable and her gate vpright sober and full of Maiesty And this was the externall forme of her body But concerning her mind she was of a sharp wit and of a notable memory which yet she sayd was decayed by her foresayd long and tedious affliction She was also of a profound iudgment and of a stout and manly courage so that of her may be sayd that which is written of S. Thomas of Canterbury viz She was humble but Aâ—â—…d Suâ—ium tom â— amongst the humble for among the potent and proud she seemed more lofty and potent And thus far to my ability I haue described the life of this pious woman now let vs heare other mens opinions of her Other Mens Iudgements of her CHAP. XVI FIrst the most Reuerend Arch-Priest of England M. The iudgment of the Arch-Priest and other Priests of England George Birckhed in his letters directed to me lamented her death as it were said he of a great Mother in Israel the Priests in EnglaÌ„d did euery where extoll her as the worthy Patronesse of the holy fayth and the singular ornament of the Catholike religion in England A Catholike man of worthy piety and a man of good iudgement albeit he formerly had knowne her well yet visiting her in her sicknes and obseruing her singular patience and piety sayd he would not for any mony haue missed the sight Also of a Catholike NoblemaÌ„ of such her excellent vertue But aboue all the most cleare and euident testimony of the vertues of the La. Magdalen may be gathered out of the letters of the present most honorable Viscount Montague whose testimony is the more estimable in that she was the step-mother of his Father and himselfe as all that know him can witnes most free from flattery and a most constant Professour of the Catholike fayth for which he hath often bin imprisoned Of the right honourable the Viscount MoÌ„tague and at the setting forth hereof was prisoner in his owne house This then so worthy a man the yeare before the death of the La. Magdalen sending his daughters to visit her in this manner wrote vnto her Most louing La. and Grandmother as in my former letters I mentioned I now in most humble and dutifull manner send these my children vnto your most Honourable Ladiship most earnestly desiring that euery one of them in their degree may so carry themselues towards your Ladiship that in some part they may expresse that care which I haue alwayes had to plant in them so much loue and such dutifull respect The La. Mag. preserued the life of the Viscount of this Father towards your most Noble and worthy person as both from them and me is iustly due vnto her by whose singular care and tender affection I do not only belieue as I haue partly heard and partly experienced that my worthy Fathers life and mine as by the most principall earthly instrument were preserued but also do acknowledge so many worthy offices both in matter of temporalities and in other things of greater moment in reconciling and conseruing whensoeuer occasion was offered the most wished fauour of my right Noble She recoÌ„cileth and conserueth the fauour of his GraÌ„dfather towards him Grandfather towards me so that scarce any La. that was Mother of so many children nor any of lesse vertue euer performed the like Which certainly enforceth me exceedingly to honour and admire your person In other letters also written in the yeare 1606. when he was requested by the La. Magdalen to vouchsafe to be Executour of her Will Testament he answered that although he did neither desire nor would willingly see the mournfull day of the death of the La. Viscountesse yet if almighty God should so dispose Such fidelity sayd he as I owe vnto my owne hart the same I promise to performe towards your honorable Ladiship Which he did afterwards most abuÌ„dantly performe in deeds For he did not only exactly execute her testament but did giue mourning apparell to all his family wherof the number was great distributed a good summe of mony for her soule maintayned the The Viscount promised and performed whole family of the La. Magdalen for three monthes after her death and diuers her principall seruans he entertained into his owne seruice and some of them he rewarded with stipends for their seruice done vnto her such was the loue betweene him and the Viscountesse as they may be an example to all step-Mothers and Sonnes-in-law The opinion of Q. Mary And this was the worthy testimony both in words and deeds of this Viscount touching the Vertues of the La. Magdalen What esteeme Queene Mary of famous and worthy memory had of her is formerly alledged From whose iudgement in this matter though almost in all other goodnes she was far different her sister Q. Elizab. did not disagree For thus the La. Scudamore a Lady of her bed-chamber in her name wrote to the La. Magdalen The Also of Q Elizabeth Queene commaunded me to signify to your La. that she is perswaded she fareth much the better for your prayers and therefore desireth you euer hereafter to be mindfull of her in your prayers What esteeme the Kings Councell had of her appeareth by the forerecited letters And the worst that in their iudgement any Protestants though her peeuish enemies sayd of her after her death was that which doubtles was her greatest honour to wit that she was an earnest Papist I will conclude these testimonies with the iudgement of a certaine worthy Catholike who albeit in the life of the La. Magdalen The iudgment of a worthy Catholike he seemed litle to fauour her yet she being dead he doubted not to say That she left nor her like in all England And truly of her we may vse those words of S. Augustine touching his Mother S. Monica Whosoeuer of thy seruants O God did know her did in her much praise honour and loue thee because they perceiued thy presence in her hart the fruits of her holy conuersation testifying the same She was the wife of one husband Confess l. â— c. 9. sherendred mutuall affection to her parents she gouerned her house piously she had her reputation in good workes she gaue her children good education as often as she saw them stray from thee so often did she beare them anew And all which things to be most true in this pious woman all that knew her will testifie with me THE CONCLVSION BVt now Magdalens box is broken and the house is filled
with the odour of her oyntment now the lanterne of Gedeon is broken and the light appeareth which darkeneth the sight of the Madianites now the body of our Magdalen is dissolued and her most rare and fragrant vertues dilate themselues more clearly and more abundantly England may lament that it hath lost such a pillar of Fayth so worthy an ornament of Religion such a rare example of vertues Nay it may rather reioyce that once it had or rather hath such a one And certainly the La. Magdalen may reioyce that she hath found the thing so long and so much desired that hauing left the world she is more absolutely ioyned to almighty God A happy The La. Mag. happy touching the world woman no doubt touching the world in that she was of noble birth married to a man of worthy fame and honour for a long time enoyed wealth honour prosperous health and fortune long life worthy issue Happy touching her body to whome God had giuen a sound beautifull and healthfull a body Happy touching her soule Touching her body being endued with a most piercing wit an excellent memory a profound iudgment a stout and manly courage But most happy towards God who had giuen her so much grace as to make vse of her birth honour mariage Touching her soule wealth beauty issue and finally of all the guifts graces of her body and soule to the glory of God her eternall felicity If then as the scripture testifyeth they are Blessed Most happy towards God who dye in our Lord how blessed shall we esteeme this woman who not only dyed but also liued in our Lord and not for a short tyme but all her lyfe and that not indifferently but most piously and religiously and that in the land of Hus where is the houre and power of darkenes where piety is sharply impugned and freedome giuen to vice Rest now therfore O Magdalen from thy labours from thy frequent fastes and dayly deuotions and from thy other exercises of piety rest from the implacable The La. Magd. dieth the day before the translatioÌ„ of S. Monica hatred curses accusations and inquisitions of Heretikes For thy workes of mercy piety chastity humility fayth hope and charity do follow thee But because this pious widdow was translated as I hope to a better lyfe the day before the translation of that most holy widdow S. Monica to whome she may be resembled I will conclude my writing of her with the same wordes which S. Augustin concluded his of his Mother S. Monica Confess l. 9. c. 11 which is thus Albeyt being reuiued in Christ her flesh not yet dissolued she liued so as thy name O God may be praysed in her fayth and conuersation yet dare I not say that from the tyme thou diddest regâ—â—â—â—â— are her by baptisme no word proceeded from her mouth against thy precept and woe to the laudable lyfe of men if thy mercy remoued thou discusse the same Therfore O God of my hart forgeâ—â—â—â—g a litle her good actes for which I ioyfully giue that thankes I noâ— implore thee for the sinnes of my Lady heare me by the cure of our wounds which hung on the Crosse and sitting at thy right hand mediateth for vs. She desired memory should be made of her at thy Altar where she assisted without one dayes intermission where she knew that holy oblation to be dispenced wherby the debt wherto we were subiect was cancelled to which Sacrament of our redemption thy handmayd eyed her soule by the bond of fayth And inspire O my Lord God inspire thy seruants my brethren thy children my maysters that as often as they shall read this they be mindfull at thy Altar of the Lady Magdalen thy seruant with Antony sometyme her husband Amen Of the day place of birth death and buryall of the La. MAGDALEN Viscountesse MONTAGVE The twentith day of Ianuary first vitall breath her gaue The eight of Aprill stopt it quite brought her to her graue Naward life did first affoard which Battell tooke away And Midhurst yeldeth to her Corps rest till the IudgmeÌ„t day FINIS