beseech thee O blessed Saviour do thou command and by thy onely word my affairs will go well and receive a happy dispatch my body will become sound my soul innocent my heart at rest and my life an eternal glory The Gospel upon Saturday the first week in Lent and the Sunday following out of S. Matthew 17. Of the Transfiguration of our Lord. ANd after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James and John his brother and bringeth them into a high mountain apart and he was transfigured before them And his face did shine as the Sun and his garments became white as snow And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him And Peter answering said to Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias And as he was yet speaking behold a bright cloud over-shadowed them And lo a voice out of the cloud saying This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him And the Disciples hearing it fell upon their face and were sore afraid And Jesus came and touched them and he said to them Arise and fear not And they lifting up their eyes saw no body but onely Jesus And as they descended from the Mount Jesus commanded them saying Tell the vision to no body till the Son of man be risen from the dead Moralities 1. THe words of the Prophet Osee are accomplished the nets and toils planted upon mount Tabor not to catch birds but hearts The mountain which before was a den for Tigers and Panthers according to the story is now beautified by our Saviour and becomes a place full of sweetness ravishments Jesus appears transfigured in the high robes of his glory The cloud made him a pavillion of gold and the Sun made his face shine like it self The heavenly Father doth acknowledge his Son as a true Prince of glory Moses and Elias both appear in brightness the one bearing the Tables of the Law and the other carried in a burning Chariot as Origen saith which made the Apostles know him For the Hebrews had certain figures of the most famous men of their Nation in books They both as Saint Luke saith were seen in glory and Majesty which fell upon them by reflection of the beams which came from the body of Jesus who is the true fountain of brightness The Apostles lose themselves in the deliciousness of this great spectacle and by seeing more than they ever did desired to lose their eyes O that the world is most contemptible to him that knows how to value God as he ought So many fine powders so many pendents and favours of Glass so many Towers and Columns of dirt plaistered over with gold are followed by a million of Idolaters To conclude so many worldly jewels are like the empty imaginations of a sick spirit not enlightened by the beams of truth Let us rely upon the word saith Saint Augustine which remains for ever while men pass like the water of a fountain which hides it self in the Spring shews it self in the stream and loseth it self at last in the Sea But God is always himself there needs no Tabernacle made by the hands of man to remain with him for in Paradise he is both the God and the Temple 2. Tabor is yet but a small pattern we must get all the piece we must go to the Palace of Angels and brightness where the Tabernacles are not made by the hands of men There we shall see the face of the living God clearly and at full There the beauties shall have no vails to hide them from us Our being shall have no end Our knowledges will not be subject to errour nor our loves and affections to displeasure O what a joy will it be to enjoy all and desire nothing to be a Magistrate without a successour to be a King without an enemy to be rich without covetousness to negotiate without money and to be ever-living without fear of death 3. But who can get up to this mountain except he of whom the Prophet speaks who hath innocent hands and a clean heart who hath not received his soul of God in vain to bury it in worldly pelf To follow Jesus we must transform our selves into him by hearing and following his doctrine since God the Father proposeth him for the teacher of mankind and commands us to hearken unto him Wee must follow his examples since those are the originals of all virtues The best trade we can practise in this world is that of transfiguration and we may do it by reducing our form to the form of our Lord and walking upon earth like men in Heaven Then will the Sun make us have shining faces when purity shall accompany all our actions and intentions Our clothes shall be as white as snow when we shall once become innocent in our conversations we shall then be ravished like the Apostles and after we have been at Mount Tabor we shall be blind to the rest of the world and see nothing but Jesus It is moreover to be noted that our Saviour did at that time entertain himself with discourse of his great future sufferings and of his death to teach us that his Cross was the step by which he mounted up to beatitude Aspirations O Blessed Palace O magnificent Tabor which this day didst hold upon thee the Prince of Glory I love and admire thee but I admire somewhat else above thee It is the Heavenly Jerusalem that triumphant company that face of God where all those beauties are which shall never cease to be beauties It is for that I live for that I die for that I languish with a holy impatience O my Jesus my most benign Lord transform me then into thee that I may thereby be transformed into God If I have carried the earthly Image of Adam why should I not also carry the form of Jesus Catch me O Lord within those tissued nets and golden toils of brightness which thou didst plant upon this sacred mountain It is there I would leave mine eyes it is there I resolve to breath out my soul I ask no Tabernacles to be there built for me I have long since contemplated thy heart O Father of essences and all bounties as the most faithfull abode of my eternity The Gospel upon Munday the second week in Lent S. John 8. Jesus said to the Jews Where I go ye cannot come AGain therefore Jesus said to them I go and you shall seek me and shall die in your sin Whither I go you cannot come The Jews therefore said Why will he kill himself because he saith Whither I go you cannot come And he said to them You are from beneath I am from above you are of this world I am not of this world Therefore I say to you That you shall die in your sins For if you believe not that I am he ye shall die
it slept as the Providence of God shewed it self affectionate in the conservation of these elevated souls Observe the persons precisely and consider each in particular What happiness in the Empress Eudoxia whilest she laboureth for the glory of Altars God gave the heart of her husband into her hands the world in honour at her feet and a little Theodosius by her fide who in his infancy maketh all the hopes of his mother to bud But as soon as this poor Princess forgetting her duty and self contended with S John Chrysostom behold her cut down with the sythe of death carried away in her flower deprived of the contentment and glory which she possessed Behold she received a breach in her reputation which cannot in the memory of all Ages be repaired Her bones are in horrour and dread till such time as S. Chrysostom banished by her commandment and returning dead to Constantinople came to serve as an anker for the floating ashes of this unfortunate Empress Consider this little Theodosius who even at his birth maketh the Idols to fall the Pagan temples to sink and hell to howl under his feet What glory was it to bury the remainders of Idolatry what a trophey to extirpate under his reign so many monsters of heresies What celestial comfort to see in his time so many learned writings to be laid at his feet to see so many worthy men flourish so many Saints as Leo's Cyrils Chrysostoms Simeons Stilites to see the Church all garnished with stars and lights to sway a Scepter more than fourty years in a peaceful Kingdom among so many tempests and which is more to fall into some defects by sudden surprizal and expiate them by a happy repentance to see himself drawn by a powerfull hand from the brink of a precipice and in the end to yield up his soul in the midst of Palms and good odours of a glorious life See you not a Fortunate Piety Behold Pulcheria as an Eagle on the top of apyramide which ever hath her eye on the Sun and seeth all storms broken and confounded under her feet Was there ever a more fortunate Piety To say that a maid at fifteen years of age swaying Emperours and Empires enchaining all hearts of the world to make herself on earth a Crown might boast to have had the Universal Church for trumpet of her praises and from the government on earth to mount to Heaven by so happy death born as on a Chariot of liberality and magnificence Where may one more manifestly see the happiness of true and solid piety Behold Athenais a silly maid who had not so much as a poor cottage for shelter as soon as she embraceth piety and offereth the faculties of her soul to the honour of Altars behold her raised upon the throne of the prime Empire of the world afterward as she came a little to forget God he sent her a very sharp affliction but as soon as she hath again recourse to the arms of devotion the cloud of calumny cast on her forehead dissevereth the storm passeth away and her face all glittereth in glory and which is most admirable God layeth hold of her even in the gulph of errour whereinto a wicked hypocrite had cast her reconducteth her to Altars receiveth her soul in peace and causeth her to reign both in herself and bloud in all the three parts of the world for she held in person the Scepter of Asia her daughter Eudoxia was married to the Emperour of Rome the Capital Citie of Europe and her Grand-child was Queen of Africk miraculously finding a Kingdom in her own captivity Is not this a fortunate piety Adde also hereunto Martianus a poor peasant who now had his neck under the sword of the executioner falsely accused of a crime whereof he was innocent and God taketh him by one hair of the head delivereth him from shame and peril marvellously guiding him to the government of a great Empire giveth him innumerable prosperities and indeed maketh him another Constantine Ought not impiety to burst with rage and confess that happiness greatness benedictions and favours of Heaven are for piety Here it may be you will also have some rememberance of the Court of Herod where you have seen the poor Mariamne in virtue so ill intreated and will think that piety in this creature was unfortunate But if this thought occur would it not condemn all the Martyrs and all the Saints whose lives notwithstanding we ought to judge most happy since that vanquishing the petty misfortunes of the world she hath fallen into the bosom of felicity Tell me one hour of life in patience and tranquility of soul which this good Queen had among so many strange accidents is it not more worth than the thirty seven years of her husband all clouded with crimes disturbancies and fury Tell me is it not a happiness and an incomparable glory that God would pertake in persecutions with this good Princess suffering himself by this self-same man to be pursued who had been the hammer of all her afflictions Is it nothing to die in the Amphitheater of patience in the Theater of honour by the same sword which was afterward unsheathed against Jesus Christ Is it nothing to give up the life of a Pismeer in exchange of an immortal glory on earth and a happy repose in Heaven And if you besides desire to see her fortunate piety according to the world is it not a blow from Heaven to say that all the race of Herod issued from his other wives was unlucky miserable execrable deprived of their fathers Scepter chased away exiled scourged with whips from Heaven and the Grand-children of Mariamne remained last in royal thrones Tigranes her Grand-child descended from Alexander was King of Armenia crowned by the hands of the Roman Emperours Agrippa the Great issued from Aristobulus who having been fettered with an iron cain through the cruelty of Tyberius was sent back to his Kingdom by Caius Caesar and honoured with a golden chain of like weight with the same of iron wherewith he had been fettered Agrippa the youngest under whom S. Paul pleaded his cause was preserved from the horrible sack of Jerusalem as Lot from the flames of Sodome and reigned in Tyberiade and Juliade even to decrepit age Berenice grand-child of Mariamne was extreamly courted by the Emperour Titus entituled the worlds darling Another called Drucilla was married to Faelix Governour of Judea of whom is spoken in the Acts God likewise recompencing the virtue of the mother in the children by some temporal favours and all those who disposed themselves to virtue were fortunate to make it appear by evident testimonies that unhappiness ariseth from nothing but impiety These two Courts the histories of which we have here represented in my opinion sufficiently shew the unhappiness of impiety and fortunate success in the lives of Great-ones when they are guided according to the laws of Heaven If I hereafter shall continue this work I will
who is pleased to take the pain to look into the deportments of men Ecclesiastical who are of eminent extraction shall perceive you are in the Church as an unprofitable burden (d) (d) (d) Principatus sine meritoris sublimitate bonorum titulus sinehomine dignitas in indigne ornameÌ„tum in luto Salvia l. 1. ad Eccles Cath. to disgrace the charge which honoureth you and that all those that name you when you happen to be mentioned in honourable assemblies will wish a cloud of darkness at noon-day to cover the shame of their foreheads Adde that the Church stretcheth out her arms and intreateth you would not suffer her laurels to wither in your hands to defile her victories nor eclipse her lights She hath seen many miseries many hath she born many vanquished but never felt any wounds more dolorous than those which fell upon her by vice (e) (e) (e) Nescio criminum an numinum turbam Tert. advers Valentinianos de eorum diis cap. 8. ignorance and the negligence of her Prelates That is it which hath opened the gate to heresies which hath fomented infidelities enlarged impiety disposed the brows of the wicked to impudence the tongue to slander the hands to rapine which hath darkened the present times with horrible confusions and which vomiteth upon the times and Ages of posterity Will you increase these calamities and with your corruptions make a bridge for the faithless to ruin Christianity For that perhaps shall be the last scourge which God will use to punish the abuses of ill Prelates and the sins of the people in general For conclusion I demand what will become of you in the end at the last judgement of God under which the Angels tremble who govern the world What will become of you when you shall be accused to have been a viper in the Church a scandal to the simple an ill example to the most corrupt a fiery torch that would enflame the house of God Where may one find punishments sufficient to inflict on you and where can you get members enough to furnish out so many punishments when the stones and marbles of those places you have possessed will crack in pieces to flie into your eyes On the contrary if you take the right way which I propose you shall lead a peaceable life in the security of a good conscience rich in honour and ability honourable in reputation terrible to the wicked reverenced by honest men fertile in good actions abundant in infinitie of fruits fruitfull in recompences prosperous in successes glorious to posterity attended on earth with the odour of virtues and crowned in Heaven by Eternitie The tenth SECTION The examples of great Prelates are very lively spurs to virtue TO come to this effect often represent before your eyes the lively images of so many worthy Prelates who have flourished through all Ages and behold them as stars which God with his own hand hath planted in this great firmament of the Church as well that he there might make his glory shine as here to prepare a way for our direction Think sometime within your self what a spirit one S. Nilamon Martyrol Rom. ad 6. Januar. had who died with terrour as they bare him to the Throne of a Bishop for which so many other pine away with ambition he forgoing life with apprehension he should loose his innocency What humility in S. Peter of Alexandria who being the lawfull Baronius Successour of S. Mark would never mount to his chair but contented himself to sit the residue of his days on the foot-stool until after his death the Chron. Alexandr people having attired him with his Pontifical habit did carry his body to the seat which he never had possessed A man truly humble whose death must be expected to honour his merit as if honour were incompatible with his life What zeal in Eustatius Bishop of Epiphanium whose heart was so surprized with onely notice of the prosanation of a Church that he fell down dead in the place making himself a tomb furnished with the triumphs of his own piety a thousand times more pretious than gold and richest diamonds What liberality in Saint Exuâ—erius Bishop of Tholouse to give away the gold and silver of his Church for the necessities of the poor yea even to the carrying of the Blessed Sacrament in a little basket of osier What charity in Saint Paulinus who after he had in alms spent his whole patrimony which was both very rich and abundant sold himself and voluntarily became a slave to redeem the son of poor widows What faith in Saint Gregorie Thaumaturgus to remove mountains and command over elements with as much liberty as a Master over his servants What power in S. Leo and S. Lupus to stay Attila and make head against an Army composed of seven hundred thousand men drawn from the most dreadful Nations of the earth What confidence in S. Martin to submit his shoulders to receive the fall of a huge tree on condition he might thereby banish the Idols Let us lay aside all other actions which are miraculous behold the lives of those who have traced a more ordinary way Imitate the contemplation of a S. Denis the fervour of a S. Ignatius the constancy of a S. Athanasius the contempt of the world of a S. Hilarie the generosity of a S. Cyprian the austerity of a S. Basil the mildness of a S. Augustine the majesty of a S. Ambrose the vigilancy of a S. Gregorie the vigour of a S. Cyril the wisdom of a S. Remigius Propose to your self the acts of S. Vedastus Herculanus Eleutherius Medardus Lucipinus Nicerius Romanus Sulpitius Pretextatus Germanus Amandus Claudius Lambertus Woâ—phranus Swibertus and many such like Consider the deportments of S. Thomas of Canterbury S. Lewis of Tholouse and above all let not your eye pass over Saint Charles Boromaeus whom God hath made resplendent in our days to teach us that no Age is secluded from sanctity A man is powerfull to perswade virtue when in one and the same instant he alledgeth three-score thousand reasons each of which weigh a Crown of gold hath one of the best Writers of this Age said and so did S. Charles forsaking three-score thousand crowns of yearly rent for one mornings Mass He was a Bishop who often fasted with bread and water even in the time of feasts who every day said his Breviary on his knees and moistened it with his The Reverend Father â—inet tears who celebrated Mass every day with a majesty more than humane who had two retirements in the year to attend to spiritual exercises who read the Bible on his knees sheading brinish tears who gave alms above his ability who in person waited on the infectious who wore hair-cloth under his scarlet habit who slept on the bare boards who stirred not out of his Diocess who visited it on foot who in his charge made himself indefatigable who ever was the foremost
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
to death And now-adays is found a frantick Nobility who degrading themselves from the honour of generous spirits and bearing the sentence of an ignoble action against themselves make tropheys of that which is put upon Moorish slaves for punishment Yet the great Constantine saw this manner of punishing the base and abject creatures of the world was too brutish and butcherly and that it would do well to change these duels into Gallies or some such like thing for he wrote to Maximus the Superintendent of justice in these terms These bloudy spectacles in the civil repose and L. 1. de gladiat Cod. Theod. domestick peace wherein we live please me not at all Behold the cause why I will wholly take away these combats of Gladiatours For if there be such graceless wretches who for the punishment of their crimes deserve such a sentence and such condition I ordain that you rather cause them to labour in the mynes to the end that without effusion of bloud they may feel the pain due to their demerits Given at Berytus the first day of October under the Consulship of Paulinus and Julianus I leave you to think what this Monarch would Apostrophe to King Lewis the thirteenth have said of duels of this time where they hasten to pour out willingly upon publick passages that bloud which ought rather to be shed upon the walls of Infidels to cement up the glory of the French O Lewis our great Monarch it seemeth the God of peace hath permitted the heads of this Hydra to have hitherto budded forth that they might be made to fall under the innocency of your hands divinely destinated to so many good works You have again very lately renewed your Edicts against this pestilence assuring unto fathers and mothers the bloud of their children for the service of your Crown and taking away a stain which stuck so many years upon the brow of your Empire Heaven and earth have participated in the contentment which hath succeeded from these good ordinances as they do in the preservation of the lives of your subjects and tranquility of your whole Realm Let your Majesty so handle the matter that this Law may hold with nails of adamant and not loose a glory which Constantine would have bought at the price of two Empires This brave Prince who ever had been most chast His chastity made also sharp war against the infamous ordures of lust for he expelled from the Court as vermine certain effeminate men who had made sale of their souls to dishonour and at other times made a lamentable traffick of their bodies insinuating themselves by this means into the Palaces of Great-ones and sometime into honourable rank He degraded them all from Nobility and forbad them to bear even the marks of men of Arms tying them to services the most contemptible Besides he caused to be taken from publick infamies many poor Christian maids that had been abandoned to evil by the form of punishment making express inhibitions to those villains who live upon others sins never to undertake the like practises Briefly he so abolished the crimes which had been tolerated under the other Emperours that S. Hierom writing upon Isaiah hath given the title to Constantine that his Empire had vanquished two monsters the most dreadfull that were ever seen by destroying the infidelity and impurity of the earth His prudence descended even to the moderating His prudence Cod. Theod. L. de paenit Quo facies quae ad similitudinem pulchritudinis caelestis est sigurata minimè maculetur Zozom l. 1. c. 8. and changing the punishments of offenders which had some disproportion and among other things he decreed that characters should no more be imprinted upon the forehead of the miserable for the respect that is due to the face of man on the which God hath engraven his image And moreover for the honour he bare to the Gross he forbade it should ever again be defiled with the punishments and executions of malefactours thinking it unreasonable that that which was matter of glory to Emperours should likewise serve as an instrument for the pains of the unhappy He suffered not any image to be made unto him either in tables statues or coins whereon the Cross was not ever set such honour bare he to this Honour of the Cross venerable sign which Hereticks have ever rejected with as much malice as stupidity It were an infinite thing for him that would particularly decipher so many noble actions of our Constantine I content my self to have here set down that in brief which might have been distended into many chapters and to make many dishes of it endeavouring to furnish out more substance for my Reader than unprofitable amplifications The eleventh SECTION The zeal of Constantine in the proceedings of the Councel of Nice THe Emperour Constantine had great cause to say what he spake in Eusebius That he was as the common Bishop of the Church outwardly so much vigilance and zeal he exercised to procure all which concerned the maintenance thereof Behold an accident happening under his reign which more troubled Christendom than ever did the torturing racks the combs of iron or boyling cauldrons of Diocletian Theologie had been for a long time taught in the Original of the Arians Citie of Alexandria at which time a Priest named Arius held the regency who had the reputation to be subtile in seeking out questions which never had fallen into the thought of man but otherwise was malicious and of an evil life Out alas that these extravagant curiosities should bring and daily also introduce prejudice into the Church and repose of the people It were to be wished that those who through long idleness and itch of vanity amuze themselves to find out novelties in matter of belief might rather handle the coulter in tillage or the oar in gallies than turn over books and contaminate the honour of Divinity Satan never found a spirit more fit to perplexe holy letters and embroil Empires than this wretched man of whom we speak Saint Epiphanius who might often have seen him Arius and his qualities saith He was of a large body of a sad countenance covering under a mask of austerity hydeous monsters He had an extream ambition to hold the highest place and seeing that Alexander a holy man was preferred before him in the Episcopal Chair of Alexandria he entered into desperate jealousies searching out all possible means to crie down this Bishop and raise calumnies against him to dispossess him of his charge And the life of this Alexander being so unspotted that no least stain of reproach might be seen therein he resolved to involve him in some captious disputations thereby to accuse him to hold opinions not consonant to the doctrine of the Church It happened that the Bishop in preaching and speaking of the Son of God put him as he ought in equality of power and honour with his Celestial Father calling him by
well observed this maxim that to Theodorus Anagnostes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witness the zeal he bare to our Religion he caused the head of one of his officers to be cut off who having been bred in the Catholick Church became an Arian thinking by this means to be advanced into the good favour of his Master But this brave King My friend saith he since thou hast been disloyal to God I can never think thou wilt be faithful to thy Prince Thou shalt wash away the stain of thy treachery with thy bloud to teach posterity thou must not mingle the interests of God with the profane pretenses of thy fortunes He shewed himself very zealous to preserve peace in the Church in a most dangerous schism raised in his time For Pope Anastasius being deceased and they proceeding lawfully to the election of Symmachus there was a Senatour of an unquiet spirit who desirous to make a Pope at the devotion of the Emperour of Constantinople so to countenance his Extravagencies banded Altar against Altar and caused an Antipope to be chosen named Laurentius which rent both Senate and Clergy into great partialities But Theodorick very speedily quenched the fire and being well informed of the business seeing Symmachus was first elected and supported by the soundest part he mantained him with a strong hand against all the enterprises of adversaries who durst not in the end resist his authority Besides having published an Edict against the favourers of the Heruli who perplexed the Province of Genoa and Milan whither they were retired that fell out to be the cause of very many miseries and tears among the poor people who having no support so helpful unto them as the Bishops threw themselves into the arms of Epiphanes and Laurentius both great Saints and great Prelates the one of Pauta the other of Milan Epiphanes undertook to speak and said to the King Sir Should I here reckon up all the favours which you have received from God I might make you appear more sparing in your desires than he hath been in his liberalities since you have asked nothing of heaven which hath not ever surmounted your vows and hopes But not to speak at this time of so many prodigies is it not a very great wonder to see you do justice in the throne of your enemy and to behold us pleading the cause of your servants with such a confidence in a place which the terrour of arms had heretofore rendered so dreadful Sir it is the Saviour of the world who hath given into your hand this people which hath charged us with their requests Take good heed how you offend him by ill using the gift he hath afforded you Know how an invisible power hath led you by the hand into so many encounters and battels that the air rain and seasons have favoured your standards as if they had been to you engaged Now is the time you must acknowledge so many benefits by your piety not despising the tears of the afflicted which are the sacrifices of suppliants The examples of your Predecessours who have been cast out of the throne for their iniquity shew you cannot establish it but in your virtues Upon this consideration your Countrey prostrate at your feet most humbly beggeth you would be pleased to sweeten the rigour of your laws not onely by doing good to the innocent but by pardoning the culpable For very little would our clemency be if we did onely abstain to strike those who have given offence to none not considering mercy is not made for any but the miserable In revengeing your injuries you shall do like men of the earth and by pardoning share in glory with that great Monarch of heaven who daily maketh his sun to shine on criminal heads as well as the most innocent The King made a most courteous answer saying There was no reason that earthly powers should resist the prayers of Bishops who made heaven propitious and that he remitted to all in general the punishments of death ordained by laws but in so Vitia transmittit ad posteròs qui praesentibus culpis ignoscit much that the ulcer must be purged least by shewing himself too indulgent to vices he might make them pass into example for posterity the consideration of his state required the Authours of sedition should be removed to the end their presence might not foment the evil The reply was found very reasonable and letters of grace instantly dispatched by Urbicus who was one of the chiefest officers in the Court for expeditions He satisfied not himself with this favour but calling the good Bishop into his cabinet having highly commended him sent him among the Gauls to redeem the Italian prisoners there by reason the Burgundians in certain incursions had taken away very many and others over-whelmed with the miseries which proceed from civil wars were voluntarily stept aside The King gave commission to the Bishops to rally them to their troups liberally defraying the charges that were necessary There is also found one amongst his letters addressed Cassiodor l. 2. c. 2. 29. to Count Adela wherein he witnesseth that though he had a great desire to preserve his people in full peace and repose because the glory of a Prince consisteth in the tranquility of his subjects yet that he principally intended the Churches should enjoy this favour since in obliging them the mercies and blessings of God were drawn on his kingdom and pursuing this course he commanded Duke Ida to cause all the Ecclesiastical possessions to be restored which some had usurped in Languedoc after the death of Alarick Observe the good foundations of piety which he laid by the counsel of Boetius The second Maxim was to bend all his endeavours and imploy his best thoughts for the comfort of the people because there is not any way more powerful to gain the hearts of all the world than by sweetening the sharpness of the times present or the burdens of the passed We have seen said he by experience that those who are desirous to possess gold without the love of the people have been very unsafe that Kings differ not from other men but in being powerful to do good and that the common sort measure their greatness onely by their bounty that is it which heretofore made the Gods of Gentiles and which maintaineth Monarchies on the firm rock of constancy Theodorick imbraced this care most particularly Cassioder l. 4. ep 36. for he punctually enquired after the losses of his poor subjects and if he found any molested by the passage of some troups or other like he released them of taxes and ordinary subsidies as it may yet be seen in his letters and namely in one which he wrot to President Faustus wherein he commanded him to hold his hand in this business Because saith Lib. ◠Epis ◠he a body over-burdened sinketh to the ground and that it were better to despise a slight gain than to deprive himself
received with infinite devotion From thence forward she for some time onely lived on extasies of her soul turning that little breath which remained on her lips to the praises of God and in the end rendered up her happy Ghost the third day of June on the first hour of the night pronouncing in the instant of death these words Ad te Domine levavi animam meam Deus meus in te confido non erubescam The History telleth that the chamber where she died at the instant when her soul departed out of her body appeared very lightsom and that her sacred members yielded forth a most sweet savour which left to all there present a great estimation of her sanctity Her body was enterred as she desired at the feet of S. Gevovefue for she was so humble that she accounted her self most happy to submit her diadem to the ashes of a poor shepherdess Her memory hath been so honourable throughout all France that she is yet reverenced under the name of S. Clothe which is the vulgar word O woman truly worthy to bear a Crown of stars gold silver and precious stones are too base for you If statues should be erected suitable to your desert Diamonds Emeraulds and Topases which have been employed on the pourtraicts of the Queens of Aegypt would be of too mean a value in respect of your praises Oh Queens oh Princesses nay oh Ladies and Gentle-women why do not you at the least in your houses that which she performed in an ample Kingdom What a glory What an Empire and what a triumph to issue from the house of a King of Burgundie as an innocent lamb a poor orphan married for despight and to enter into a Court full of idolatries which seemed then a forrest of ravenous beasts yet knew so well how to charm them with invincible spells of her piety as to convert a King warlike haughty a Pagan and in converting him to change the whole face of a great Monarchy All that which we retain of Religion piety and happiness under God we ow to this holy Queen O France France my dear Countrey how art thou bound to her memory to her name to her virtue and how much oughtest thou to preserve the precious treasure of faith which she hath so happily recommended unto thee by her example I speak not at all now of the particular favours thou hast received from Heaven I say nothing of thy flower-de-luces of thy holy Viol of thy Standard of thy cure of the Kings Evil and other such like I onely mention that which thou mayest boast before the face of all Nations nor ever shalt thou loose the glory which S. Gregorie the Great an incomparable Greg. ep 6. l. 5. quae est 106. man who flourished above a thousand years since gave thee in his books when he called thee the lamp of the whole world and saith thy Monarchs as much surpassed all other sovereign Princes as Kings transcend the people I pronounce that which thou mayest publish as Baron tom 10. anno Christi 960. Constant Octavi 49. a priviledge very extraordinary that Constantine the Great made heretofore a decree which was afterward engraven upon the Altar of S. Sophia in the prime Church of Constantinople by which he expresly forbade all his posterity to make any alliances or marriages with forreigners wheresoever under Heaven except the French Nation as if this Religious Monarch had foreseen that they were the Kings of France who should second him in the zeal he bare to the support of the Church See and consider the favours God hath done thee herein Behold thy neighbours behold the powers and sovereignties of the earth behold the Empires and Kingdoms where is it that one alone may be found from the memory of men which hath received Catholick Religion with more favour which hath defended it with more courage which hath preserved it with more constancy Behold the Roman Empire and thou shalt see presently after Constantine his sons to be Hereticks and his son-in-law an Apostata Behold Italie and thou shalt see it sheltered under the protection of thy Kings Behold Spain and thou shalt see it over-run with Goths Vandals and Sarazens and the Scepter in the hands of Arian Kings Behold England and thou shalt see that it did not seriously receive the faith till six hundred years were fully expired after the publication of the Gospel Poland accounteth but six hundred and two and fifty years since it was Christian Muscovia six hundred and two and twenty Thou O France alone art it to whom Jesus Christ being in the agony of his dolorous passion when he recommended his mother to S. John and his soul to his father designed and miraculously deputed a Pastour to wit the glorious S. Denys who received the first rays of the knowledge of God in this eclipse which happened at the death of our Saviour to diffuse his divine lights afterward with his bloud upon the mountains where thy Virgins do as yet lead a life wholly Angelical O France wherefore hast thou enlightened all the parts of the world with thy conquests Wherefore thy Kings having communicated themselves with so much sweetness and facility have they augmented their Majesty by familiarity with the people which usually dissolveth it Why have they appeared as Amathists which shine so much the more as they are often worn Why hast thou been a Seminary of all great spirits Why hast thou in all times held predominance in learning and sciences like unto the Altar of the Sun from whence light is borrowed to illuminate all other lamps Why dost thou astonish all histories with the continuance of thy Monarchy to which there is none to be found comparable in the world Why hath God so many times enriched thee by thy losses enobled thee by thy disasters raised thee by thy ruins and precipices Fecitque cadendo Ne caderes Is it not for having preserved this precious jewel of Clotilda this faith this Religion which he hath consigned to thy Kings and to thy people Oh blind if thou knowest it not Oh insensible if thou neglectest it Oh unfortunate if thou loosest it Go yet and see the ashes of this good Princess which are in thy capital Citie ashes worthy to be kissed of Queens honoured by Kings and reverenced by all people So long as there shall be Sacrifices and Altars Angels and men the name of holy Clotilda shall live and spread it self with a sweet odour through all the Provinces of Christendom and my pen which taketh its flight much further than my design intended shall be the messenger of her greatness with so much the more fidelity as it hath confidence in her protection I will also to crown this work represent unto you a Lady issued of her bloud a grand-child of one of her sons who hath done in Spain that which this in France converting her husband to the faith and by consequence gained the Nation The tenth SECTION
mirrour what perfection My eyes dazle in beholding her actions and my pen fails in writing her praises What a courage that a young maid not above fifteen or sixteen years of age entereth into a Kingdom with intention to conquer it for God much otherwise than the Caesars who so many times have devoured it by ambition What a prudence to tolerate the conversation of a step-mother whilest she medled not with her Religion What liberty of spirit and what strength of words to defend her faith so soon as she saw her self assailed in this virtue which was more dear unto her than the apple of her eye What patience to endure to be dragged along upon the pavement by the hair to be beaten even to bloud to be thrown into the river to be used like the dust of the earth for the honour of Jâ—sus Christ not challenging any one not complaining not seeming offended nay not telling her husband into whose bosom she poured forth her most secret thoughts the affront she had received for fear to break peace with a creature who deserved the hatred of all the world What wisdom what grace what eloquence used she in the conversion of her husband What love for his soul what zeal for his salvation what care for his direction What authority to stop with a word the armies of the father and son instantly ready to encounter What resignation of her own will in this separation from her husband And what a heart of diamond against a thousand strokes of dolours to take thankfully a death so bloudy so tragical so pitifull To see her self at an instant bereaved of a son and a husband and of all things in the world offering up unto God in all her afflictions the obedience of her heart prayers of her lips and victims of all the parts of her body What triumph when after her death her brother-in-law who had participated of her good instructions in rememberance of her and her husband was absolutely converted to the Catholick faith and changing the whole face of the Kingdom repealed the banished restored the Bishops to their Sees Religion into force Laws into authority and the whole Province into peace What miracle to see sage Indegondis on the top of all her tropheys whereof she tendereth homage to God in the glory of Saints How ought we here to render to her the offerings of our most humble services Behold here the limits which I proposed to my self so to give an end at last to these Histories having thought it more fit and suitable to my employments to abbreviate my self in these four Models than unboundedly enlarge them yet it hath been somewhat difficult with me to make a resolution to put forth this second Volume among so many duties of our ordinary functions being thereunto sollicited by entreaties which held as it were the place of commands And I may well say I were stupid and ungratefull if I should not confess to have been much excited to prosecute this labour by the honourable invitations which my Lord Bishop of Bellay hath used towards me in his Works I cannot set too high a price upon his recommendation in such a subject For he is verily one of the most able and flourishing wits that ever handled a pen. To see the number of his books one might say he began to write so soon as to live and to consider their worth it is a wonder how so many graces and beauties which other attain not but with much labour encreased with him as in a soil natural for eloquence If there be any slight discourses who amuse themselves to argue upon some words of his writings it is not a matter unusual seeing we are now in an Age where there are some who revive the example of those corrupted Grecians that preferred a sauce made by the Cook Mithecus before the divine Works of Phidias If this piece have given you any contentment take the pains to read it over again sometimes at your leisure tasting the Maxims therein with an utilitie worthy of its subject For believe me the precipitation now adays used in slightly running over all sorts of books causeth a certain indigestion in the mind wherewith it is rather choaked than nourished Reading is never good if the understanding take not occasion thereby to negotiate by meditation and industrie that which concerneth the health and ornament thereof 1 TIM 1. To the King of Ages Immortal and Invisible to GOD alone be honour and glorie given for ever and evermore THE HOLY COURT MAXIMS OF CHRISTIANITIE AGAINST THE PROPHANE COVRT Divided into three Parts WHEREOF The I. Treateth of the Divinitie The II. Treateth of the Government of this life The III. Treateth of the State of the other World THE THIRD TOME Written in French by NICHOLAS CAUSSIN of the S. of JESUS and translated into English by Sr. T. H. DEUS EST NOBIS SOL ET SCUTUM LONDON Printed by William Bentley and are to be sold by JOHN WILLIAMS at the Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard 1650. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LADIE FRANCES Countess of PORTLAND and Baroness WESTON RIGHT HONOURABLE THe excellent endowments of your soul acknowledged even by envie and admired by truth together with your known propension to the reading of pious Books invites me to this Dedication as proper for your sweet retirements and consonant to my intentions which onely aim in some measure to express my humblest respects to your Honour The matters herein handled are Instructions apt to inform the mind by way of Maxims learned discourses made familiar to less able understandings and choise Histories exemplifying both that so all sorts of Readers though of different capacitie disproportionable judgement may find somewhat to entertain their curiositie My scope Excellent LADIE in this Translation is through your Honours hand and under so noble a Patronage to convey the third Part of the HOLY COURT into English light which as the first breathed air under the benign aspect of her sacred Majestie may also hope in this latter piece with like happiness to be crowned with your Honors chearful acceptation The height of my ambition is by this poor way to serve you since more ample demonstrations are wanting to my weak abilities as likewise not to doubt your noble disposition will be satisfied with such my humble acknowledgements The advancement of virtue and depression of vice is my Authour's scope throughout the whole Work which he elegantly pursues and victoriously atchieveth Triumphs of that kind best become his grave and serious pen whilest my task is faithfully in our language to imitate his living figures though in dead and discoloured forms and confidently to tell your Honour that I will ever be The most Obsequious Servant of Your Commands T. H. TO MONSIEUR MONSIEUR THE PRINCE SIR THe excellency of the subject I handle in these discourses makes me reflect on that of your Greatness to offer you a Work which being conceived by your authority must needs seek for
knows how patiently to suffer an injury The maxims of the world cease not to persecute us and say That by tolerating a first affront a second is provoked that mildness and mansuetude serve as matter of mirth to insolency and that a man never so much undervalueth himself as by publishing his little courage in the revenge of an affront Behold goodly propositions which so oft have drawn bloud out of the veins of France in these detestable duels nourishing afterward covert hatred and everlasting aversions O ignorant that we are of Gods greatness and ever unfaithful to his word We fear by pardoning to be contemned when the onely reason which God useth in the Gospel to perswade us unto pardon is the excellency and glory derived from this action for he Vt sitis filij Patris vestri qui in coelis est qui solem suum facit oriri super bonos malos pluit super justos injustos Mat. 5. Isaiah 40. saith It is the means to become the children of God who causeth his Sun to shine upon the good and the bad who lets his showrs fall as well on the offenders as the innocent What beauty what lustre what splendour to enter into the number of the children of God! What elevation to be transported with full flight into conformities with the Omnipotent The Prophet Isaiah saith God measureth the waters with his fist and poizeth the heavens in the palm of his hand to signify he goeth with a shut hand to punishments signified by the waters but proceeds with the whole extent of his goodness to reward represented by the heavens The rain-bow which God hath taken for the simbole of his reconciliation with man environeth the throne of his Majesty in the Apocalips and it is a bow without arrows saith S. Ambrose to instruct us this divine Ambros 16. de arcâ— Noe. 17. Arcus contentus at carens sagitta magis terrere vult quà m ferire Majesty is sweet and peaceful So in the Prophet Ezechiel after the description of this terrible cloud which serves as a chariot for the God of Hoasts you read these words (a) (a) (a) Et sursum quasi aspectus splendoris And upward a face smiling with light where Theodotion as saith S Hierom hath translated (b) (b) (b) Aura in supernis Dei The west hath the highest place with the Creatour meaning the mildness of western winds and cooleness from scor chings is in the pavillion of glory where this Sovereign Monarch inhabiteth O wonder God who is a Sovereign Majesty Sovereign Greatness and Sovereign Justice shewed himself in all times so patient to suffer men who are the worst of all evils that he had rather we doubted his Divinity than make any question of his mildness he had rather that by so patiently tolerating such infidels sinners the lips of blasphemers should receive encouragement to say there is no God than by taking revenge Non est Deâ—â— on every sin in the heat of crime it should be truely said there is a God but he is ever armed with lightnings is inaccessible to the miseries of men as those mountains which all flaming cast out their entrails O Prodigie God maketh it so great a matter to pardon Tertul. de pat c. 2. an injury that he rather permitteth his essence to be touched than his clemency his title of God to be taken away than the glory of pardon Shall we then place greatness in revenge How many Pyrates are there to whom God daily openeth seas How many Idolaters for whom he causeth stars to give light fountains to stream corn to grow harvests to become yellow and vines to ripen How many ungrateful children who take benefits from him as hogs do acorns by grumbling against the tree which gave them and never casting an eye to heaven God notwithstanding suffereth them and confounds their ingratitude by continually conferring favours in an absolute power of revenge What answer we to that Shall we make it our glory to do like the silly mouse which bites that which pincheth her or rather imitate the perfections of God who never appears so great as in pardoning great injuries What may we hope in revenge but to enter into the community of a bruitish life That is it bears do tygers serpents and so many other creatures which imploy their teeth horns poyson and all the arms they have from nature to pursue revenge Yet many times they measure it by the necessity of their defence but to pardon an ungrateful man and an enemy is to go out of our elements and the base dross of earth to enter into a sphere of glory and light ranked in the number of sovereign beauties to be an associate with so many noble and illustrious souls who have in all Ages placed their glory on actions of mildness and patience Let us I pray you enter into it with a firm footing Goodly company of courteous a bright forehead There shall we see Moses at the feet of the Tabernacle to pray almost bind up the hands of God to stay the course of his revenge against those who persecuted him even to the Tabernacle There shall we see an Aaron in the majesty of his Priestly habit bearing all the world with the incensory and Sacrifice in hand to appease the anger of God against his persecutours when heaven was all on fire over their heads and the earth became a gulph under their feet to swallow them There shall we see a David bear honourable wounds which the envenomed tongue of Shimei had thrown on his reputation and to mount to the throne of Saul by the steps of patience witnessed in suffering Saul There shall we see all the Martyrs laden with torments opening as many mouths as they had wounds to beg pardon for those who persecuted them and in the midst of all the Martyrs Jesus the great and faithful witness quickning by effusion of his bloud even those who shed his There finally shall we see Constantine laughing at his statues they stoned a Theodosius pardoning such as dragged his an Andronicus who at the taking of a Citie embraced in sight of all the world him who most eagerly had opposed him with all manner of outrage Let us now judge which is most glorious either to enter by pardoning into the most noble and generous society or in seeking revenge to become of the number of certain wranglers ruffians men of the damned crew and lastly creatures the most bruitish in the world wholly inclined to revenge 4. Let us conclude finally with the third reason Third point of reasons drawn from necessity Dimitte nobis sicut dimittimus Yade prius reconciliari fratri tuo tune veniens offer munus tuum and withal say that to pardon injuries is not so much an election of virtue as a necessitie of salvation since God will not we hope remission of our sins but on condition we banish
go under hatches to sleep like the out-casts and scorns of humane Nature The fifth the peace of a good conscience the inseparable companion of honest men which sugereth all their tears which sweeteneth all their sharpness which melteth all their bitterness a continual feast a portable theater a delicious torrent of unspeakable content which beginneth in this world and is often felt in this life even in chains prisons persecutions what then will it be when consummated in the other life when the curtain of the great Tabernacle shall be withdrawn when we shall see God face to face in a body impossible as an Angel subtile as a beam of light swift as the wings of thunder bright as the Sun and when we shall dwell among so goodly and flourishing a company in a palace of inestimable glory where we shall enjoy no life but the life of God the knowledge of God the love of God as long as God shall be God Nescio quid erit quod ista vita non erit ubi lucet quod non capiat locus ubi sonat quod non rapit tempus ubi olet quod non spargit flatus ubi sapit quod non minuit edacitas ubi haeret quod non divellit aeternitas said S. Augustine What will that life be or rather what will not that life be Since all good either is not at all or is in such a life Light which place cannot comprehend Voices and musick which time cannot ravish away Odours which are never dissipated a Feast which is never consumed a Blessing which Eternitie bestoweth but Eternity shall never see at an end The sixth is on the other side to consider the state of this present life A true dream which hath onely the disturbances but never the rest of sleep a childish sport a toil of burthensom and ever-relapsing actions where for one rose we meet with a thousand thorns for an ounce of hony a tun of gall for apparent good real evil The happiest here may number their years but not their cares The paths here to the highest honours are all of ice and often bordered onely by precipices Its felicities are floating Islands which always retire when we but offer to touch them they are the feast of Heliogabalus where are many invitations many ceremonies many complements many services and at the end of all this we find a table banquet of wax which melts at the fire whence we return more hungry than we came It is the enchanted egg of Oromazes in which that Impostour boasted that he had enclosed all the happines of the world but broken there was found nothing but wind Omnia haec conspectui nostro insidiosis coloribus lenocinantur vis illa occulorum attributa lumini non applicetur errori saith Eucherius All these prosperities flatter our senses with an imposture of false colours why do we suffer those eyes to be taken in the snares of errours which are given us by Heaven to behold the light and not to minister unto lying Besides another thing which should put us into an infinite dislike of this present life is that we live in a time as full of diseases as old age of indispositions we live in a world extreamly corrupt of which may be said it is a monster whose understanding is a pit of darkness his reason a shop of malice his will a hell where thousands of passions outragiously infest him his eyes are two Conduit-pipes of fire out of which flie sparkles of concupiscence his tongue an instrument of cursing his face a painted hypocrisie his body a spunge full of filth his hands harpies talons and to conclude he owns no faith but infidelity no Lord but his passion no God but his belly what content can there be in living with such a monster The seventh If there are any pleasures in this life they do nothing but overflow the heart slightly with a little superficial delectation Sadness dives into the bottom of my soul and when it is there you would think it hath leaden feet never to go thence but pleasure doth onely tickle us in the outside of the skin and then all those sweet waters run down with haste to discharge themselves into the sea of bitterness For this reason Saint Augustine said when any prosperity presented it self before his eyes he durst not touch it he beheld pleasure as a wandering bird that would deceive him and flie away as soon as he should offer to lay hold of it The eighth Pleasures are begot in the sense and like abortives die in their birth their desires are full of disquiet their access of violent forced and turbulent commotions their satiety is seasoned with shame and repentance they pass away as soon as they have wearied out the body and leave it like a bunch of grapes whose juice hath been pressed out as saith Saint Bernard They stretch themselves out at full length to much purpose when they must end with this life and it is a great chance if even during life they prove not executioner to him that entertains them I see no greater pleasure in this world than the contempt of pleasure Nulla major voluptas qâ—à m voluptatis fastidium saith Tertullian The ninth He that consumeth his time in pleasures when they slide away like waters occasioned by a storm findeth himself destitute and ashamed like a Pilgrim despoiled by a Thief so many golden harvests which time presented to him are passed away and the rust of a heavy age furnished him with nothing but sorrow for having done ill and impotence to do well what then remains but to say with that miserable King who gave away his scepter for a glass of water Alas Must I for so short a pleasure loose so great a Kingdom The tenth Sin always carrieth sorrow behind it but not always true repentance It is an extraordinary favour from God to have time to bewail the offences of our life past and to take that time by the foretop Many are sent into the other world without once thinking of their departure and some think of it at their death with many tears but not one good act of repentance they weep for the sins which forsake them and not for God whom they have lost True contrition is a hard work how can he obtain it who hath ever falsified it Faciliùs inveni qui innocentiam servarent quà m qui congruè poenitentiam agerent saith S. Ambrose The eleventh Death all this while is coming on a great pace he waits for you at all hours in all places and yet you cannot wait for him so much as one minute so displeasing is this thought unto you his sentence is more clear and perspicuous than if it were written with the Suns beams and yet cannot we read it his trumpet soundeth perpetually more audibly than thunder and yet we hear it not No wonder that David Psal 49. 4. calleth it according to the Hebrew a Riddle every one beholds the Tablet but
honour of God and the reverence of sacred things shall not accompany all your pretences For if you ground your piety upon any temporal respects you resemble that people which believes the highest mountains do support the skies 2. There are no sins which God doth punish more rigorously nor speedily than those which are committed against devotion and piety He doth not here take up the scourge against naughty Judges usurers and unchaste persons because the Church is to find remedy against all faults which happen in the life of man But if a man commit a sin against Gods Altar the remedy grows desperate King Ozias felt a leoprofie rise upon his face at the instant when he made the sume rise from the censor which he usurped from the high Priests Ely the chief Priest was buried in the ruins of his own house for the sacriledge of his children without any consideration of those long services which he had performed at the Tabernacle Keep your self from simonies from irreverence in Churches and from abusing Sacraments He can have no excuse which makes his Judge a witness 3. Jesus was violently moved by the zeal which he bare to the house of his heavenly Father But many wicked rich men limit their zeal onely to their own families They build great Palaces upon the peoples bloud and they nothing care though all the world be in a storm so long as they and what belongs to them be well covered But there is a revenging God who doth insensibly drie up the roots of proud Nations and throws disgrace and infamy upon the faces of those who neglect the glories of Gods Altars to advance their own He who builds without God doth demolish and whosoever thinks to make any great encrease without him shall find nothing but sterility Aspiration O Most pure Spirit of Jesus which wast consummate by zeal toward the house of God wilt thou never burn my heart with those adored flames wherewith thou inspirest chaste hearts Why do we take so much care of our houses which are built upon quick-silver and roll up and down upon the inconstancies of humane fortunes while we have no love nor zeal towards Gods Church which is the Palace which we should chuse here upon earth to be as the Image of heaven above I will adore thy Altars all my life with a profound humility But I will first make an Altar of my own heart where I will offer sacrifice to which I doubt not but thou wilt put fire with thine own hand The Gospel upon Tuesday the fourth week in Lent S. John 7. The Jews marvel at the learning of Jesus who was never taught ANd when the festivity was now half done Jesus went up into the Temple and taught And the Jews marvelled saying how doth this man know letters whereas he hath not learned Jesus answered them and said my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me If any man will do the will of him he shall understand of the doctrine whither it be of God or I speak of my self he that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glorie but he that seeketh the glorie of him that sent him he is true and injustice in him there is not Did not Moses give you the Law and none of you doth the Law Why seek you to kill me The multitude answered and said thou hast a Devil who seeketh to kill thee Jesus answered and said to them One work I have done and you do all marvel Therefore Moses gave you circumcision not that it is of Moses but of the Fathers and in the Sabbath ye circumcise a man If a man receive circumcision in the Sabbath that the law of Moses be not broken are you angry at me because I have healed a man wholly in the Sabbath Judge not according to the face judge just judgement Certain therefore of Jerusalem said Is not this he whom they seek to kill And behold he speaks openly and they say nothing to him Have the Princes known indeed that this is Christ But this man we know whence he is But when Christ cometh no man knowerh whence he is Jesus therefore cried in the Temple teaching and saying Both me you do know and whence I am you know and of my self I am not come But he is true that sent me whom you know not I know him because I am of him and he sent me They sought therefore to apprehend him and no man laid hands upon him because his hour was not yet come But of the multitude many believed in him Moralities 1. IT appears by this Gospel that Jesus was judged according to apparences not according to truth It is one of the greatest confusions which is deeply rooted in the life of man that every thing is full of painting and instead of taking it off with a spunge we foment it and make our illusions voluntary The Prophet Isay adviseth us to use our judgement as men do leaven to season bread All the objects presented to our imaginations which we esteem are fading if we do not adde some heavenly vigour to help our judgement 2. To judge according to apparences is a great want both of judgement and courage The first makes us prefer vanity before truth the second gives that to silk and golden clothes which is properly due to virtue We adore painted coals and certain dark fumes covered outwardly with snow But if we did know how many great miseries and what beastly ordure is hidden under cloth of gold silk and scarlet we would complain of our eyes for being so far without reason It is a kind of Apostacy and rebellion against Gods providence to judge without calling God to be a president in our counsel or to take in hand any humane inventions without the assistance of his Spirit 3. God is pleased to lodge pearls within cockles and bestows his treasures of wisdom and virtue many times upon persons who have the most unfashionable outsides to countercheck humane wisdom He makes his orators of those who are speechless and numbers of frogs and flies to overthrow mighty armies He makes Kings out of shepherds and serves himself of things which are not as if they were The most pleasing Sacrifice which he receives upon earth is from the humble and when we despise those we divert the honours of God We offer Sacrifice to the worlds opinion like the Sages of Egypt who did light candles and burn incense to Crocodiles The Jews lost their faith to follow apparences and there is no shorter way to Apostacy than to adore the world and neglect God 4. An ill opinion make folks many times pass a rash judgement They mount into Gods chair to judge the hearts of men The chaste doves are used like Ravens and Ravens like Swans Opinion puts false spectacles upon our eyes which make faults seem virtues and virtues crimes Yet nevertheless we should think that virtuous persons will not conceive an ill suspition of their neighbour without a very sure
Ecclesiam Ephes 5. 25. To seek by lawfull wayes ones petty accommodations is not a thing of it self to be alwayes condemned Servus vocarus â—es non fit tibi curae sed â— potes fieri liber magis utere 1 Cor. 7. 21. onely by the first Motives of Nature but also out of Election and Reason all that which is hurtful to the body and health No man saith the Apostle hateth his own flesh but cherisheth and entertaineth it as long as he can therein imitating the tendernesse of affection which Jesus Christ hath for his Church I adde that it is not also my intention to perswade that one should not seek in the care of his life things the most commodious so much as Justice and Reason will permit We must bear with servitude saith this fore-alledged Oracle if we be engaged in this condition but if one can become free I advise him rather to make choice of liberty Yet we are not ignorant but that there are many good men who by the power of virtue afflict their bodies and preferre contempt above all which the world esteemeth that they may conform themselves to the suffering of our Saviour But to rest within the limits of * * * One must take heed of being 〈◊〉 curious Civii life I say that although we may innocently use the blessings of God and put nature to its small pittances yet we must take heed of becoming too suspicious too nice and too apprehensive of those things which are not according to our appetites for otherwise there happen great disturbances and irksome confusions of mind which thrust the health of our soul into uncertainty First when a spirit is too much tied to its skin and It is a hard thing not to feel some incommodities life being so full of them too much bent to flie all the contrarieties of nature it is very beggarly and suppliant towards its body which is not done without much care For life being replenished with great and little incommodities from which Kings themselves cannot be wholly exempt If one apprehend them too much he must live like a man who would perpetually shut his eyes for fear of flies and imploy almost all his time which is so precious in the service of the flesh God himself permitteth it also Timor quem timebam evenit mihi quod verebar accidit Job 3. 25. Secondly God for punishment of this nicenesse will suffer that all we most fear shall happen to us a man many times falleth into mischiefs even by fearing them Death seems to be onely for cowards and when one seeks for liberty by unworthy wayes then he is involved in rhe greatest servitude Thirdly one is in danger to fall into much discouragement One puts himself upon the hazard to live alwayes in insupportable anxiety Debitores sumus non carâ—i ut socundum carnem viâ— vamus Rom. 8. Hier. in ep ad Aglas Non est de ficata in Deum secura confessio quotiâ— die eredent in Christum tollit Crucem suam negat scipsum Bern. ser 85. in Cant. Fuge ad illum qui adversatur per quem talis fias cui jam non adversetur and into sad despair when he sees himself slipped into matters troublesome and very vexing since he sought to avoid the lightest For which cause the Sages counsel us willingly to accustome our selves a little to evill and of our own accord to harden our selves to the end that when it shall come necessity may make that more supportable which we have already assayed by prudence We ow nothing to flesh to live according to flesh saith S. Paul and S. Hierome in the Epistle he wrote to Aglasius clearly giveth him to understand That the Profession of Christianity is not a Profession nice and lazy a true Christian every day beareth the Crosse and renounceth himself S. Bernard said as much in one of his Sermons upon the Canticles Fly saith he to your beloved persecutour that you may find the end of your persecutions in the accomplishment of his will It is a determination from heaven that we should see before our eyes so many great religious men and women most austere whom the divine Providence seems to propose unto us to extend and glorifie the Crosse of Jesus Christ and shew that all is possible to the love of God § 3. The Consideration of the indulgent favours of Jesus Christ towards Humane Nature is a powerfull remedy against the Humour of Disdain IF we be not yet throughly perswaded by these reasons The example of our Saviour serves for another strong remedy to sweeten our Aversions the example of our Saviour ought to make us ashamed For when we more nearly consider his life we find that he onely did not shew an Aversion from things despicable but chose the most abject and contrary to Nature I ask of you what attractive was there in humane nature to draw him from the highest parts of the heavens to its love What saw he in it but a brutish body a soul in the most inferiour order of Intelligencies all covered over with crimes wholly drenched in remedilesse miseries and yet laying aside those beautiful Angels who did shine as Aromatick lamps in his eternall Temple he came upon earth to seek for this lost creature prodigall of his substance a foe to his honour injurious to his glory and not content to reconcile it to Eras â—â—da confusione plena transivi perte vidi â—â— expandi amictum meum super te opeâ—uâ— Ignominram tuam Ezech. 16. Displicentes amati snmus ut fieret in nobis unde placeremus Concil Arausican Nee pereuntem perire patitur nec abaverso avertirur sed fugientem paternâ charitate insequitur revocat blanditur reâ—erso no◠〈…〉 ignoscit sed regnâ—â— promâ—â—it Fraâ—â—â— Abbâ—â— l. 5. de gratia The humours of the world are quite contrary to the designs of God Displicet avaris quòd non corpus aureum habuit displicet impudicis quia ex virgine natus est displicet superbis quòd contumelias â—apienter pertulit displicet delicatis quòd â—ruâ—iatus est displicet timidis quòd mortuus est ut non vitia sua videantur defendere unum in hoc dicunt sibi hoc displicere sed in filio Dei August de agone Christiano his father he espoused it and united it to himself with a band indissoluble putting it into the possession of all his greatnesse to surcharge himself with its miseries This is it which is so notably described by the Prophet Ezechiel when he sets before our eyes a miserable ungracious wretch cast forth upon the face of the earth wallowing in ordures abandoned to all sorts of injuries and scorns whom the Prince of glory looketh on with his eyes of mercy taketh him washeth clotheth adorneth and tyeth him to himself by the band of marriage We naturally have so much Aversion from persons misshapen nasty and infected
causeth heaven and beatitude Thus doth S. Augustine assure us that the science of God is the cause of all things which draweth Being from the Abysse of nothing and brings the shades of death into light The world is known by us because it is but it is insomuch as it is known by God so efficacious this knowledge is O what a goodly thing it had been to see this great world how it displayed it self in all its pieces and smiled in all its mansions under the eye of God! The Heavens were stretched forth like a Courtain the stars were inchased in the Heavens as Diamonds the clouds suspended in the air as floating bodies that air was diversified in meteors the eternal veins of fountains began to stream the earth to cover its bosome and liberally to afford us out of its entrails infinite many blessings from the benignity of his aspects Tell me not that which the naturall History mentioneth that the Ostrich hatcheth her little ones by the rayes of her eyes yet never shall she bring forth eggs by looking on the earth but the Eye that is to say the knowledge of God hath such virtue that it is the maker of all creatures O beauty O greatnesse O goodnesse Beauty to inhabit in the Idea of God as in a Paradise of Glory Greatnesse to have a capacitie infinite Goodnesse to rest in the bowels of the mercy of the Creatour See a little the difference that is between our knowledges The differencies of our knowledges from those of God and that of God you think it a goodly matter to know a man and to wish him well yet he thereby becomes neither white nor black hot nor cold good rich nor learned for our knowledges are small in their capacities limited in their effects and inefficacious in their operations How many brave Captains and learned Authours are there who are still well thought of in the opinion of men but whether they beliving or whether they be dead if their souls be in an ill state this knowledge and this love nothing contributeth to their felicities But so is it not with the knowledge of God I speak of an amourous knowledge It gives Being and Grace Being because all things known by God are in God in a more noble manner then in themselves Here we behold dying creatures who fade wither and shrink insensibly into nothing were they not supported by the divine hand but in the house of God in the palace of Essences the Summers are of Cypresse saith the holy Canticle insomuch as all therein Cant. 1. 17. is immortall vigorous perfect and incorruptible and there it is where the blessed who have not here seen the world but by two eyes of flesh and have seen it tottering Bearis pervium est omniforme illud divinitatis speculum in quo quicquid eorum interest illucescat Concil Sen nonse and altogether imperfect behold it in God fully stable equall and absolute in all its dimensions The Saints perpetually have before their eyes the incomprehensible mirrour of the Divinity in which they at case behold all that which concerneth them and may conduce to their greater contentment I add that this knowledge causeth Grace For what makes predestination but that preparation of Grace and Glory which God hath conceived from all Eternity in his understanding to communicate it to his elect See what God doth seeing and God seen what doth he else but actually make heaven and Beatitude which consisteth in the clear vision of God So soon as a soul predestinated to enjoy without delay the glory of heaven is gone from out the bands of its body it hath for guide this divine splendour which Divines call the light of Glory which is a quality infused into the understanding that so elevates and fortifies it beyond its condition that it is able to endure the lightning flash eternall Beatitude Is it not of this light holy Job spake when he said he hideth light in his hands Job 36. and faith to his friend it is his inheritance possession Then God all-good communicateth himself to this soul ennobled with such a qualitie not by some image or representation but by its very essence intimately united to the glorified understanding and from thence what followeth but an admirable transformation The soul is wholly absorpt in felicity and as a small drop of water poured into the sea instantly takes the colour and taste of the sea so the souls taste is fully inebriated and coloured with the Divinity It is almost no longer in its self but becometh wholly like to God not by nature but by participation We know saith S. John when we shall see him we shall be like him And S. Gregory Nazianzen dareth to call it God Joan. ep 1. and as we have two principall parts of the soul to content Greg. Naz. Hymn the understanding and the will so God all benigne abundantly satisfieth them making thither to stream as by two dugs of glory all the delights and contentments proportioned to their condition For the understanding which naturally desireth to know is illuminated by a most excellent knowledge of things the most hidden which it seeth in God as in an incomprehensible Mirrour and seeth them not in the manner of the wise men of the world who flutter round about sciences as little flies about lamps that findge their wings and make their tomb in the flames but it seeth them with a vision sublime calm and delicious which giveth to the will that is made to love amorous eagrenesse Avidi semper pleni quod habent desiderant Pet. Damis in Hymn de gloria Paradis ever desiring and ever having what it desireth O what miracles doth the eye of God enkindling with one sole aspect of many Divinities when maketh so many blessed ones like unto it self as if the sun rising should in the heavens createa million of little suns and on earth an infinitie of Diamonds all which should bear the image of this bright star All those blessed ones illustrated by this aspect albeit The blessed although unequall iâ— glory are not enviouâ— they shine diversly according to each ones merit are so far from envie receiving the flames of eternall Goodnesse that every one accounteth the felicity of his companion for the accomplishment of his own Non erit tibi aliqua invidia disparis claritatis ubi regnat unitas charitatis Aug. There you shall hear no speech of envie occasioned by inequalitie of felicity where the union of charity shall eternally reign Go to then O thou Envious O thou malign Man God hath made thee to his likenesse to carry as he in proportion raies of love and compassion in thy eyes towards men and thou there bearest gall bloud and poyson Nay so far art thou otherwise that if it were in thy power to make benefits to grow from thy aspects thou wouldest rather desire the eye of a Basilisk to poyson burn and
World and that Heaven makes me be born again in your Person If you will reign happily fear God which is the source of Empires and the Sovereign Father of all Dominions keep his Commandments and cause them to be observed with an inviolable fidelity Take the care and the Protection of his Church Love your young brothers and your sisters rendring your self good and officious to your Kindred Honour the Church-men as your Fathers cherish tenderly your subjects as your children and be all your life time the comforter and the Protectour of the Poor Chastise the vicious and recompense the men of merit Establish not Governments Judges and Officers which are not capable and without reproch and when you have established them deprive them not of their charges without a most just cause Serve first of all for an example to all the world and lead before God and Man a life irreprochable After this action he stayed about a year longer in the world purifying continually his spirit by repentance by good works and by the contemplation of heavenly things And when he saw himself infected with an extraordinary sicknesse he caused immediately the Sacraments to be administred to him and dyed with a most pious and most exemplary death at the age of seventy two years the fourty seventh of his reign and the four teenth of his Empire His Corps were exposed in publick clothed after the manner of a King with a sword and the Gospel which he had so gloriously defended Then he was interred with a stately Magnificence in the Church of Aix the Chappell which he had built He was universally lamented by all the world as the Father of the Universe and the singular ornament of Christianity The Pagans themselves wept for him abundance of tears so true it is that the goodnesse and sweetnesse of a King towards his subjects is a ray of God that renders him lovely in his life and gives splendour even to his ashes after his death He was afterward Canonized by Paschal that was not a lawfull Pope but forasmuch as the true successours of Saint Peter never retracted that action He is held for a Saint and honoured publickly in the Church with the approbation of all ages Saint LEVVIS S. LEWIS K. OF FRANCE I Do not forget that I have already spoken of Saint Lewis in the first Tome but because that was by accident and by the way I will here extend my thoughts somewhat more largely and give you a more compleat Elogium of him It is very true that an Antient faith That great Goodnesse is seldome joyned with great Power and that well-accomplished Kings are so few in number that their names might be comprehended all together within the circumference of a Ring But I may add that if God did take delight to carry this Ring in very deed as the Scripture doth attribute it to him in an Allegory and if he would engrave there the names of all the good Kings that of great S. Lewis would possesse the first place This Monarch was so like unto virtue that if it should have shewed it self on the one side incarnate to mortall eyes and Saint Lewis on the other one should hardly have been able to judge which had been the Copy and which the Originall It is not my intention to write of his life here upon which so many excellent pens have laboured very fortunately but to make a reflexion upon some principall points of his Government Great things do not alwayes cause themselves to be known by a multitude or great variety of discourse but oftentimes by draughts abbreviated And no man in my opinion ought to conceive amisse of this seeing that we measure every day the greatnesse of the Sun by the shadow of the earth and his goings in the Dyals by a little thread I know that heretofore three lines onely represented upon a Table did set forth an Idea of the perfection of the excellentest Painter in the world in the understanding of the skilfull and I will draw here three little draughts for to set before your eyes the beauty and bignesse of the virtues of S. Lewis In one word he hath done three mervellous things whereof the first is that he found out the means to joyn the wisedome of State with that of the Crosse The second that he hath planted humility upon Sceptres where it hath ordinarily very slippery footing and hath likewise placed it amongst the Rubies and Diamonds of the Crown where its lustre is often darkened by the too stately glittering of the World A third is that he hath joyned the devotion of one consecrated to Religion to the courage of the Alexanders and Cesars As for that which concerns the first conjunction it The first marvel the joyning of the wisdom of State with the Gospel Tert. Apol. is so rare that Tertullian who flourished two hundred years after the Nativity of our Lord when as yet there had no speech been of any Emperour that had embraced Christianity said That if the Cesars should become Christians they would cease to be Cesars and if the Christians should become Cesars they would cease to be Christians He conceived that poornesse of spirit could not agree with so high and stately riches nor humility with a sovereign Empire or the tears of Repentance with the delights of the Court that the hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse could not stand with the desire of Conquerours nor pitifulnesse with Arms nor purenesse of heart with the conversing with most pleasing beauties nor peace would consist with the licentiousnesse of warre and suffering persecutions with an absolute power to revenge ones self And neverthelesse Saint Lewis alone hath found means to joyn things together which seem so contrary in the highest degree that ever they were found to be in so-Kingly an estate Amidst the riches of a Kingdome so abundant he was not rich but onely towards the poor and if God had permitted him he would have as willingly covered himself with the habit of Saint Francis as with his Royall Purple He did never consider himself otherwise amongst all the goods that he possessed but as the Steward of Jesus Christ he left unto God willingly the glory of having given them him to needy persons the benefit of receiving them and kept nothing to himself but the pains of distributing them He assaid a thousand times to enter into Religious Orders and yet still answer was made him that God would have him to be King he wore the Crown by way of obedience he used riches onely for necessity and had no other thing in his desire then spiritual nakednesse and a perfect unloosing himself from all worldly things In the midst of an Absolute power he was so meek that his heart seemed a Sea where a calme perpetually reigned The Scarlet of his attire did never colour his face with the heat of anger Arrogance did never puff up his words he made it his glory to communicate himself
Life those of Rigour He desires Peace and it is denyed him and sues for an agreement and is slighted His arrogance being sorely pricked vomits out nothing but whirlwinds of fire and comes to fall before Croye the Capitall City of the Valiant Castriot with an Army of two hundred thousand men The other defends himself with six thousand One onely place bayes that great Deluge the Storm is scattered the Siege raised the shame of it remains on the face of the Sultan with so lively a Tincture that the Shadow of death must passe over it to blot it out He that had lived with Glory dyes with the sadnesse of his Ignominy and carries with him into the other World the unability to revenge himself and an eternall desire of vengeance Mahomet his sonne the Scourge and Terrour of the Universe that overthrew two Empires took two hundred Cities killed twenty Millions of Men comes to split against the same Rock Was there need of so much blood to write upon Castriot's Trophies the Title of Invincible Who would Imagine that a mortall man should have gone so farre who should believe that those exploits were the Actions of a slave Truly we must avow that he lent his Name to God in all this businesse and that God lent his Arm to him It is said of him that he never refused Battell never turned his back never was wounded but once very Lightly He slew two thousand Barbarians with his own hand which he cleft ordinarily with his Coutelax from the head down to the Girdle Mahomet desired to see that Thunder-bolt that he bore in his hands and had it in veneration although so many times bedewed with his Subjects blood He saw the Steel but he never saw the Arm that gave it Life O brave Castriot If the State of Christians could have been delivered from the Tyranny of the Sultans it should have been by thy hands We must now acknowledge that our wounds are irrecoverable seeing that our divisions hinder us from enjoying the succour of so Divine an hand The Feaver that took thee hence in the City of Lissa in the Climactericall of seven and nine the most to be feared by old men extinguished all our hopes by the same burnings that consumed thy Body After thou hadst lived the most Admirable of Captains thou dyedst like a truly Religious melting the hearts of all those that beheld thee by a most sensible Devotion Thy victorious spirit soared up to the Palace of the Beautifull Sion after it had performed in the Body all that was possible for a most eminent Virtue and an Happinesse to which nothing was wanting but imitatours The most barbarous thy Enemies have kissed thy Sepulchre have Reverenced thy Ashes and shared thy Bones as the dearest Reliques of Valour And now thou hast no more to do with a Tomb seeing that thy Memory hath found as many Monuments as there are Hearts in all ages BOUCICAUT BAYARD BOVCICAVD BAYARD WE need not search the Catalogue of Saints and Martyrs for a Souldier Furnished before God and men with great and Divine virtues Behold one among a thousand I mean the brave Marshal Boucicaut who flourished in France under Charles the Sixth Those petty Rodomonts who boast of their Duels but indeed meer cowardise varnished with a glossy colour of valour durst not behold this most excellent Cavalier without doing that which was antiently done to the Statues of the Sunne that is to put finger on the mouth and admire For not to mention his other acts of prowesse it is he who was present at that daring Battell which the Turkish Emperour Bajazet waged against the King of Hungary the Duke of Burgundy then called the Count of Nevers with many other of the French Gentry being there in person The History relateth that the Turkish Emperour coming to fight with dreadfull forces began so furious a charge the air being darkned with a black cloud of Arrows that the Hungarians who were alwayes reputed good Souldiers being much amazed with this fierce assault fled away The French who in all Battels had ever learned to conquer or dye not willing to hear so much as the least speech of the name of flight pierced into the Turkish army notwithstanding a field of Pikes and stakes fastned in the earth did hinder their approch and attended by some other Troops brake the Vangard of the Turks by the counsell and example of this brave Marshall whereat Bajazet much amazed was about to retire but that at the same time it was told him that it was but a very little handfull of Frenchmen that made the greatest resistance and that it was best for him to assault them The Turk who kept his Battalions very fresh returneth and fell like lightning upon these poor Souldiers now extreamly wearied Never did an angry Lyon exercise more violent force against the Hunters Javelins then this generous Cavalier shewed prowesse which shined in the midst of the adventurous Pagans For seeing himself at last negligently betraied he having no other purpose but to sell his own life and those of his companions at as dear a rate as he could he with the French Cavalry and some other people that stuck to him did such feats of Arms that it was thought twenty thousand Turks were slain in the place At last this prodigious multitude able to tire out the most hardy although it had been but to cut them in pieces did so nearly encompasse our French that the Count of Nevers with Marshall Boucicaut and other the most worthy Personages were taken Prisoners The next day after this dismall Battell the proud Bajazet sitting under a Pavillion spread for him in the field caused the prisoners to be brought before him to drench himself in blood and revenge which he alwayes most passionately loved Never was seen a spectacle more worthy of Compassion A sad spectacle The poor Lords who had wrought wonders in Arms able to move Tygers were led to the slaughter half naked straight bound with cords and fetters no regard being had either to their bloud which was noble or youth which was pitifull or their behaviour which was most ravishing These Saracens ugly and horrible as Devils set them before the face of the Tyrant who in the twinkling of an eye caused their throats to be cut at his feet as if he meant to carouse their bloud The Count of Nevers with the Count of Ewe and the Count of Marche had now their heads under the Symiter and their lives hung as it were by a thread when Bajazet who had heard by his interpreters that they were near Kinsmen to the King of France caused them to be reserved commanding them to sit at his feet on the ground where they were enforced to behold the lamentable butchery of their Nobility The valiant Boucicaut covered with a little linnen cloth in his turn was brought forth to be massacred over the bodies of so many valiant men He being wise and in this
it not these poor miserable creatures desire nothing more than to give me my last Farewel and I am confident my Sister Elizabeth would not have refused me so small a courtesie seeing the Honour of my Sex demandeth that my Servants should be present I am her near kinswoman Grandchild to Henry the eight and Queen Dowager of France besides I have received the Unction of Queen of Scotland if you will not grant this courtesie to one of my quality let me have it at least for the tenderness of the heart of men On this consideration five or six of her ordinary Servants were permitted to accompany her to the place of Execution to which she now was going This Divine Queen whom France had seen to walk in such state and Triumph at the pomp of her marriage when she was followed with all the glory of that Kingdom doth now alas go with this poor train to render her neck unto the Hangman She came into the Hall hung round about with blacks and ascended the Scaffold which was covered with the same livery to accomplish this last Act of her long Tragedy What eyes of furies were not struck blind at the aspect of this face in which the dying Graces did shoot for the last light of their shining Glories As soon as she was sate in a chair prepared for that purpose one Beal did read the Command and the outragious Sentence of her death which she heard very peaceably suppressing all the strugglings of Nature to abandon her self to Grace in the imitation of her Saviour At last Fletcher the Dean of Peterborough one of her evil Counsellours did present himself before her and made a Pedantical Discourse on the condition of the life passed the life present and the life to come undertaking according to his power to pervert her in this her last conflict This was the most sensible to her of all her afflictions at the last minute of her life to hear the studied speech of an impertinent and audacious Minister wherefore she oftentimes interrupted him and besought him not to importune her assuring him that she was confirmed in the saith of the ancient Catholick and Roman Church and was ready to shed her last bloud for it Nevertheless this infamous Doctour did not cease to persecute her with his Remonstrances unto the shades of Death She looked round about the Hall if she could discover her Confessor to demand of him the absolution of her sins but he was so busie that he could not be found A poor Maid belonging to her having thrust her self with all her force into the Croud as soon as she was got through them and beheld her Mistress between two Hang-men did break forth into a loud crie which troubled those who were about the Queen to assist her But the Queen who had a spirit present on all occasions made a sign unto her with her hand that she should hold her peace if she had not a mind to be forced thence The Lords then made a semblance as if they would pray for her but she thanked them heartily for their good will saying that it would be taken as a crime to communicate in prayers with them Then turning to the multitude who were about three hundred persons she thus expressed her self It is a new spectacle to behold a Queen brought to die upon a Scaffold I have not learned to undress to unveil my self and to put off the Royal Ornaments in so great a Companie and to have two Hang-men in the place of the Grooms of my Chamber But we must submit to what Heaven is pleased to have done and obey the Decrees of the Divine Providence I protest before the face of the living God that I never attempted against the Life or Estate of my Cousin neither have I committed any thing worthie of this usage If it be imputed to my Religion I esteem my self most happie to shed even the last drop of my life for it I put all my confidence in him whom I see represented in this Cross which I hold in my hand and I promise and assure my self that this temporal Death suffered for his Name shall be a beginning to me of eternal Life with the Angels and most happie Souls who shall receive my bloud and represent it before the face of God in the Remission of all my Offences There was now a floud in every eye and amongst all her Enemies there were not above four who were able to contain their tears The Hang-man clothed in black velvet fell down on his knees and did demand her pardon which she most willingly granted and not to him onely but to all her persecutours After these words she kneeled down her self praying aloud in Latin and invoked the most holy Mother of God and the triumphant Company of Saints to assist her She repeated her most servent prayers for the Church for her Kingdom for France for her Son for her cruel murtherers for England for her Judges and for her Executioner recommending into the hands of the Saviour of the world her spirit purified as well by love as by affliction The last words of her Pravers were these As thy arms Lord Jesus were stretched forth on the Cross so receive me into the stretched forth arms of thy mercie She uncessantly kissed a Crucifix which she had in her hand whereat one that stood by being offended at the honour which she gave unto the Cross told her That she should carry it in her heart to whom she suddenly made answer Both in my heart and in my hand After this she disposed her self to the Block The Executioner would have taken off her Gown but she repelled him and desired that that office might be performed for her by her own maids who approched to her to prepare her for the stroke of Death And she her self did accommodate them in it as diligently as she could and laid open her neck and throat more white than Alabaster and too much alas discovered for so lamentable a Subject This being done she signed her own Attendants with the sign of the Cross kissing them and with a short smile did bid them farewel to shew that she died as comfortably as constantly making no more resistance than the flower doth against the hand that doth gather it Those poor creatures did weep most bitterly and with their sighs and sobs could have cleaved the rocks when the Queen reproved them saying Nay What do you mean Have I answered for your constancie and that your grief should not be importunate and do you suffer your selves to be thus transported with lamentation when I am going to exchange a temporal Kingdom full of miserie for an everlasting Empire filled with fellcitie It was discovered that she had a Cross about her of great value which she intended to have bestowed on one of her nearest friends promising the Executioner to recompence him some other way but this enemy of the Cross did force it from her to satisfie
her the news thereof The Empress saluted him very courteously and disposed her heart to speak to him touching a certain sum of money she desired to give for the entertainment of his Monks but the good man divining the thoughts of her heart saith to her Madame trouble not your self for this money there are other affairs which more concern you know you very shortly must depart out of this world and now you ought to have but one care which is to entertain your soul in that state you desire it should part out of this life Eudoxia at the first was amazed at this discourse It seemeth souls as Plato saith go not but with grief out of fair bodies but this was too much disengaged to do in the end of those days any unresigned act After she had a long time talked to Euthymius as one would with Angels she gave him the last adieu full of hope to see him at the Rendez-vous of all good men Returning into Ierusalem she had no other care but to set a seal upon all her good works then distributing whatsoever she had to the poor she expected the stroke of death freely and resignedly her soul was taken out of her body throughly ripened for Heaven as fruit which onely expects the hand of the Master to gather it She was about threescore years of age having survived Theodosius her husband and Pulcheria Flaccilla Marina Arcadia for all of them went before her into the other world she was married at twenty years of age she spent twenty nine in Court and as it were eleven in Jerusalem she deceased in the year of our Lord 459. the 21. year of Pope Leo and the 4. of the Emperour Leo Successour of Martianus A woman very miraculous among women who seemeth so much to have transcended the ordinary of her sex as men surpass beasts More than an Age is required ere nature can produce such creatures They are born as the Phenix from five hundred to five hundred yeare yea much more rare A great beauty great wit great fortune a great virtue great combats great victories to be born in a poor cottage as a snail in his shell and issue out to shew it self upon the throne of an Empire and die in an hermitage all is great all is admirable in this Princess But nothing more great nothing more admirable than to behold a golden vessel with sails of linnen and cordage of silk counterbuffed by so many storms over whelmed and even accounted as lost in the end happily to arrive at the haven Behold her Potraicture and Elogie AVGVSTA EVDOXIA EUDOXIA AUGUSTA THEODOSII JUNIORIS CONJUX EX HUMILI FORTUNA IN MAGNUM IMPERIUM TRANSCRIPTA SCEPTRUM VIRTUTIBUS SUPERAVIT CELESTIS INSTAR PRODIGII FOEMINA INGENIO FORMA VITA SCRIPTIS ET RELIGIONE CLARISSIMA CUM VICENIS NUPTA ANNOS XXIX EGISSET IN IMPERIO ET UNDECIM FERME IN PALESTINA HIEROSOLIMIS RELIGIOSISSIMO EXITU VITAM CLAUSIT ANNO CHRISTI CDLX AETATIS LIX Upon the picture of EUDOXIA Fortune unparallel'd beauty her own A spirit that admits no Paragon Divine immense although it seem to be 'T was but the Temple of the Deitie HEr example drew an infinite number of great Ladies to contempt of pleasures and vanities of Court to seek the Temple of repose in the deserts of the holy Land Among others Queen Eudoxia her Grand-child who as we have said was married into Africk treading the world under foot with a generous resolution came with her Crown to do homage at the tomb of her Grand-mother kissed her ashes as of a holy Empress and was so ravished with the many monuments of virtue she had erected in the holy Land that there she would pass the residue of her days and choose her tomb at the foot of that from whence she derived her bloud and name It is a great loss to us that the learned books written by this Royal hand have been scattered for those varieties of Homer which are extant are not Eudoxia's Photius much more subtile than Zonaras to judge of the works of antiquity maketh no mention thereof in the recital of the writings of this divine spirit but of her Octoteuch which he witnesseth to be a worthy heroick and admirable piece Behold that which is most remarkeable in the Court of Theodosius And verily for as much as concerneth the person of the Emperour he did enough to make himself a Saint by living so mortified in his passions in the delights of a flourishing Court It is a meer bruitishness a very plague of mans soul to make no account of Princes but of certain braggards vain brain-sick and turbulent spirits who fill histories with vain-glorious bravadoes whoredoms murders and treacheries these are they of whom the spirit of flesh an enemy of God proclaimeth false praises and such an one seemeth to himself sufficiently great when there appeareth a power in him to do ill A calm spirit united docible temperate though he have not so many gifts of nature is a thousand times to be preferred before these vain-glorious and audacious who are onely wise in their own opinion valiant in rashness happy in vice and great in the imagination of fools It is good to have the piety of Theodosius and to let over-much facility work in praying and pray in working to have the beak and plumage of an Eagle and the mildness of a Dove to lay the hide of a Lion at the feet of the Stature of piety As for Pulcheria she was the mirrour of perfection among the great Princesses of the earth yet not without her spots but still giving water to wash them away And for Eudoxia you find in her what to take what to leave many things to imitate few to reject but an infinite number to admire Behold in the end the Fortunate Pietie which I have set before your eyes as a golden statue not onely to behold it in passing by but to guild your manners with the rays and adorn your greatness with the glory thereof Who will not admire the prosperity of the Empire of Constantinople in the manage of Theodosius of Pulcheria of Martianus under the rule of piety and not say Behold the world which trembleth in all the parts thereof under the prodigious armies of Barbarians who seem desirous to rend the earth and wholly carry it away in fire and bloud from the center Behold the Roman Empire which hath trodden under foot all Scepters and Crowns of the earth ruined dis-membred torn in a thousand pieces in the hands of a vitious Emperour who buried it under the shivers of his Scepter and behold on the other side God who preserveth his Theodosius his Pulcheria his Martianus among these formidable inundations which cast all the world into a deluge as heretofore he did Noe in the revengefull waters which poured down from Heaven to drown the impurities of the earth What nurse was ever so carefull to drive a flie from the face of her little infant while