which was our noble LaÌ„tgraue the forwardest of al to promote the enterprise so as hee was held the fittest of any to haue the cheife CoÌ„maund if any such thing were resolued vpon which were the occasions of those former seruices and atteÌ„dances on Frederick the Emperour in Apulia wee mentioned aboue HOVV THE CROYSADC being published anew the Lantgraue secretly receiued the Crosse and went to meete with the Emperour in Sicily CHAP. II. THe holy Citty of HierusaleÌ„ hauing been 〈◊〉 subdued subiected to the power of the enemyes of the Christian faith for our demerits endured the yoke of an intollerable and calamitous seruitude about some 490. yeares at least vnder diuers reuolutions and mutations of states In which tyme as often as things had their seueral vicissitudes following the diuerse alterations and variety of the tymes so often had this Citty changed their Lords According to whose gouernment and disposition it receiued sometymes ioyful and somtymes sad alterations of fortunes not vnlike to the accesses of a burning feauer in a sick man without euer being able wholy to recouer it self and a perfect state of health vntil the first publication of the Croysado aforesaid when through the instigation of Peter the Hermite and the glorious atcheiuements of Godfrey of Bulloigne It was conquered and recouered from them though relapsed afterwarde for the sinnes of the people into the state as before And this was that which moued the Vicar of Christ and Pastour of the vniuersal Church at this tyme considering the chosen people of God to bee now come Slaues to the Turkish yâ—…ake the royal Preisthood and the holy Citty of God the Princesse of Prouinces to be subiect to those seruile tributes to promulgate a third tyme the said Croysado for the redemption of that Citty and to vindicate the sacred pledge of the Sepulchre of Christ from the Infidel power For what Christian hart could endure the holy places whereon the feete of our Sauiour Iesus Christ so familiarly had trod which haue so plentifully been dyed with his pretious bloud should so impiously bee prophaned and polluted by those miscreants that tyrannically held them by strong hand Who is he that coÌ„sidering these things would not melt into teares Who is hee that considering these things would not melt into teares Who is hee whose hart would not pine and languish quite reducing these things to memory Who is hee that would not bee moued to hazard his life to enfranchize his brethren enthralled in so cruel a captiuity Whereupon it being now three yeares since the Prince returned from Apulia by the Popes decree the Crosse began to bee preached againe throughout al Christendome against the professed enemyes of Christ and the Christian name who hâ—…ld the captiue Hierusalem in their possession with al the Countryes adioyning thereto commonly called the Holy Land This same besides other summons vsed and confederations laboured with the greater Lords both Princes and Bishops allured the noble Lantgraue and Prince of Thuringia as I said to prepare himself for this expedition of the Holy Land and to shew himself as forward as any to receiue the Crosse from the Bishop Heldesam which hee fixed on his habit The only care hee had was to conceale it from his Wife for a tyme that hee might not greeue her too suddenly or make her laÌ„guish for sorrow any time before his voyage being priuy to the great affection she bare vnto him But alas the Crosse thus coÌ„cealed notwithstanding all the diligences vsed that possibly could bee to keepe the secret from her Elizabeth ere long came priuily to the knowledge thereof while according to custome shee searched the Princes purse to find some money to giue vnto the poore presuming on the general leaue and liberty afforded her in al such occasions Whereupon though shee loued the Crosse very wel yet was shee neuer so troubled at the sight thereof as shee was at this tyme. For being quick of apprehension vnderstanding of the publishing of the foresaid Croysado with the knowne zeale and valour of her Hushand shee soone concluded against her self When you might haue seene a notable conflict of sundry passions now of loue now of feare by enterchanges of white and red to appeare in her countenance One while the absence of his dearest personage seemed to wound her hart encreased with the feare of seeing him no more Oh what a knife was this to her gentle breast Then againe she would cal to mynd the noblenes of the enterprise it self the honour that would redound to God thereby and profit to the Church Considering which at last she yeilded for what was she whose priuate interests should poyse withal these high and honourable respects and especially with the greater glory and seruice of God With this she stood as it were like a Satue when behold the Prince suspecting nothing and entring in as he was wont perceiued how the matter went and not being able to hold any longer most louing and cheerfully spake thus vnto her taking her by the hand How fares it with my Sister now What a la mort And is it euen so You were not wont to looke so sadly those clouds vsed not to shadow the serenity of your face Something deare Sister is amisse Oh what disastre I pray hath obscured the cheerfulnes of that brow wont to entertayne mee with a gratious smile at my entering Oh speake deare Sister and put mee out of paine Whereto Elizabeth answeared You must pardon mee Deare Lord and my louing Brother if I bee not now as yesterday or as I haue formerly beene since I am of flesh and blood and subiect to the sense and passions thereof Whereas were I otherwise or wholy spirituall you might well expert so euen a tenour of mynd and countenance as you speake of Alas good Brother how should I bee otherwise when I am to loose the staffe of my estate the comfort of my hart the apple of myne eye the moytie of my self euen my second self How can I choose but bee heauy at all these disasters surprizing mee at once how can I choose but bee sensible of the Crosse which you haue taken on your shoulders Whereto the Prince replyed the truth is deare Sister I haue taken vp the Crosse you speake of which our Redeemer hath layed vpon mee Would you not haue mee to correspond with his seruice The Temple of our Lord God from whence Iesus Christ being iealous of his honour and moued with diuine zeale draue away the prophane Marchants not suffering the howse of his Father to become a denne of Beasts or retraite of Theeues is now vnfortunatly made a hell of infernall inhabitants The Citty of the king of kings which to others hath giuen rules of true faith is now at this present extreamity outraged and constrained to serue the superstitions of the Gentils And would you not haue mee set my hand to the redemption of these places I know you would your zeale to
wayting at her heeles with meagre lookes So was the innocent and douelike demeanure of this Virgin and her holy simplicity in contempt with the Courteours attending on her who began with bitter words and secret taunts yea most iniurious and contumelious speaches now and then and that to her face also to play vpon her with cauills nods fond laughters scoffs and gibes at her hyppocritical sanctity as they would terme it And that the rather in beholding Sophia her self with her il trayned daughter to concurr with them and openly as it were to applaud them for it being so opposit as they were to her in their conditions For Elizabeth being now in contempt with her self esteemed the vanity of the world as filth and dung togeather with these excellencies and preeminences of honour and the pompes and gorgeousnes of attires but they on the contrary loued reuerenced esteemed nothing lesse then what Elizabeth did loue reuerence esteeme She desired to please God only but they so they pleased the world esteemed little to offend God Thus the diuersity in their harts caused a great dissimilitude Antipathy in their manners so as hardly now could they looke vpon her with an equal eye as cōmonly is wont in such occasions laying open a large and spacious field to the Virgin to exercise al vertues in no smal rock of scandal to the other of their spiritual ruine if the Sacramēts repaired not the secret wracks of their soule which the Stillicids of enuy had wrought while her humility in her ordinary conuersation encreased the same For loe Elizabeth leauing the cōpany of the Nobles such as rufled in their silks and sauoured of their ciuets and amber-gris who were clad in purple kissing the hand at euerie word ful of their courtly cōplemēts withal affected rather the familiarity of the simple and delighted more with the conuersatiō of poore women the more sober Damoselles of her age discoursing with them of spiritual and pious things then to tattle of this or that fashion or to vse those courtly exercises which her Sister Agnes her like applied thēselues vnto And hence it was that Sophia would often say to her ladyes that Elizabeth should be placed among the Nunnes since her manner of life euen wholely resembled theirs doing nothing worthy the greatnes of her House Nay there were some of the Nobles whose impudent boldnes wee mentioned aboue who stuck not to auouch that Elizabeth in respect the portion shee brought was not answerable to the Estate and dignity of their Prince should eyther be sent back to Hangary againe or be giuen in Mariage to some other of the Nobility there Which words were so confidently and freely deliuered here and there vttered euery where as they could not choose but come to the eares of the innocent Lady Now what should the Virgin do admidst those venemous serpentine tongues but as a Rose prickt with the thornes wherewith it is beset vent forth a sweeter odour of meekenes by the wounds shee receiued from them which without such occasions had layne as hid before yet could shee not choose but weep of tēdernes seeing her self so iniuriously contēned especially by such of whom in duety shee ought to bee honoured And so much the rather as shee feared her constāt purpose of Humility through their enuious ◅raynes wicked practises might come to suffer detriment Til cōsidering with her self how by these cōtempts affronts and humiliations shee should the better resemble her Lord IESVS Christ and his Apostles Saints how they had passed thē al and greater to in respect whereof these here were to bee esteemed as nothing And weighing also how great a fauour mercy it was to her from God to be so cloathed with his liuery and that the indignityes offered her were but as money or marchandise wherewith heauen was to be purchased by her that after the measure of thē her glory should be rated and that shee ought to hold any payne or mortification soeuer as a pearle or pretious ruby of no lesse value and estimation then heauen it self And finally that the traueils of this world haue no comparison with the weight of glory which is giuen for them as S. Paul saith She resolued at last and purposed with the diuine grace to suffer not only with patience al manner of disgraces and affronts soeuer but euen with cheerefulnes and alacrity it being the holy wil of God yea more to desire seeke them by al meanes possible without offence of hers thereby to conforme her self the more to his diuine Maiesty and so dryed vp her eyes commending her case entirely to the diuine prouidence resigning her self wholely to his wil in these words O soueraigne Spouse of my hart O suffer mee not to affect any thing inordinatly without thee that is not wholy in order vnto thee yea that al things els whatsoeuer without thee may bee vngrateful and bitter to mee and thou only sweet That thy wil bee mine and this my desire withall that as in heauen thy wil is punctually performed so may it bee don likewise here on earth and most particularly in mee And since Loue requires an vnion and a most entire resignation of al things into the hands of the beloued I giue thee my whole self without reseruing ought to my self And as before so now do I offer thee a new a ful affect of pouerty renouncing in hart al riches and pomps of the world and if I had many worlds I would leaue them al for thee and become poore as thou wast poore for mee O Spouse of my hart so great is the loue I beare thee and pouertie for thy sake that if it were possible I would leaue to be what I am to be transformed into thee My enemyes seeke my ouerthrow and to entrap mee and with their guiles to draw mee from thy seruice O let them not preuaile vpon my weaknes but be thou a Rampart to mee against the assaults and batteries they lay against mee to pul mee off from my setled purpose to follow thee as neerely as my state and condition wil permit I trust thou wilt perfect what thou hast begun and I shal remayne victorious ouer al my Aduersaryes This I beseech thee for thy Beloued Seruants sake S. Iohn my venerable Patron for the loue of thy dearest Mother and aboue al for thy most pretious Bloud wherein I put my cheifest trust Nor was she any whit receiued as shal appeare hereafter HOW THE YOVNG PRINCE Lewes declared his affiction to Elizabeth not withstanding the malignity of her Aduersaryes CHAP. IIII. BY this tyme Lewes the Prince like a rising sunne began to draw the eyes of al vpon him euery one admiring some excellence or other in him as each apprehended excellence to bee Some would note his goodly personage some obserue the whole symetry or due proportion of his body in the parts thereof others his complexion strong and
the exercize of these two meanes so efficacious to obteine her end For truly shee was so farr frō slacking a whit her former desires as now they began to breake forth into open flames of feruourous acts being neuer wel but when some wayes or other shee practized the works of either Vertues For first shee fed her mind with thae heauenly and delicious viandes of sweete contēplation deuoutly meditating the points of the foure last things to make her self vigilant and cautious Or the mysteries of the Life Passion of our Lord to breed Cōpassion in her gentle breast Or the Life of our Lady the Saints to patterne or frame her Life by For as for higher speculations of the diuine attributes as yet her yeares would not beare them Or if they would her singular humility permited her not to looke so high contenting her self with the Doue to abide in the holes of the rock Christ IESVS and to dwell in his Wounds For which end shee exercized her body with watchings macerations and fasts For euen then she began to abandon the softnes and deliciousnes of her downy bed fearing least by pampering the flesh so much shee might vnworthy of the Loue of Christ. And therefore shee would often steale from the Princes bed and did it so cunningly indeed that likely he was not aware thereof when shee thought shee had gotten a great purchase to winne so much tyme vnknown to her Spouse to attend more freely to the traffique of her soule without any danger of vaine glory therein sometymes shee was taken in the act of stealing forth then shee would be sad to be so discouered in her pious endeauours but yet would ◅raue his licence to proceede notwithstanding which shee did most seriously and often obteyned her desire of the good Prince somtymes againe shee would steale forth to prayer when shee thought him a sleepe or he but dissembled the matter and then reioyce in her hart as much as before And againe sometymes wel knowing the good disposition in the Prince shee would plainely begg and hee as freely permitt shee might rise in the night or early in the morning to giue her self to Prayer and to commend her estate and actions to God The Prince howsoeuer he approued these deuotions yet affecting her so dearly as he did could not choose but admonish her sometymes to temper and moderate the excesse shee vsed eyther in the tyme or intensnes of her prayer discreetely aduising her to beware shee empayred not the health of that her weake feeble body But what gayned he by it but a fuller satisfaction in his conscience to haue sweetely admonished her of the perils which are ordinarily incident to the Seruants of God in the way of perfection referring the rest to his diuine pleasure so pious hee was While she guided by the Holy Ghost noe doubt pursued her course or increased it rather with the more caution greater circumspection not to offend her husband in the least whom shee honoured so much And to auoyd sloath and sleepynes to the end shee might rise in the night and not neglect her religious custume of nigthly prayer shee gaue order to her Mayds to awake her at a certaine tyme when shee appointed to arise Which to bee done more priuily and that her watching and nightly rising might the better be kept from her Lord the Prince Shee tooke one of her Mayds aside in whom shee had greater cōfidence then in the rest coniuring her thus Thou knowest Isentrude for so was her name what trust I haue alwayes reposed in thee and here I acknowledge how faithfull I haue found thee hitherto I must now therefore commend a new Office to thee to bee my Alarum in the night yf I bee not vp by such an hower and to haue it donne more secretly my wil is that thou shoudst awake mee in giuing mee a remembrance at least by pulling mee by the Toes at the Bedds feete for feare I disturbe and awake my Lord. The faithfull Seruant apprehended her streight and assumed the charge and diligently performed it a good while togeather til at last being once mistaken I know not how shee tooke the Prince by the toe insteed of her Who awaking therat and perceiuing the matter was not a whit displeased therewith as being acquainted with her custome of arising in the Night to Prayer Which custome continually so preuailed vpon her and her feruours therein now grew so great as shee was not contented that by stints and turnes to enioy these vicissitudes of rest and rising in the night but in the absence of the Prince shee was often found by her Mayds sleeping on a Carpet spread and extēded on the ground when finding her self through a freindly and louing liberty of theirs to be handsomely checked and rebuked by them as fearing least such manner of austerities might breede her harme and some great inconuenience to her Her answere was shee reaped a double fruite and commodity by it First that shee lesse regarded her bed And secondly abstained from the softnes of those downes or the approach of her husband that her mynd more easily and freely might apply it self to heauenly thoughts and spirituall exercizes so opposit to sense softnes and carnall delights She would often complayne shee was vnworthy to dedicate her virginity when tyme was to her heauenly Spouse and yet loued her Lord no whit the lesse from whom she would willingly neuer be absent euen when hee tooke any iourney in hand were it in frost or snow heate or cold or any stormy weather soeuer For shee well vnderstood his company debarred nor hindered her at all from her exercize of watching and Prayer and the sweete Embraces of her heauenly Spouse wherein shee daylie encreased so much as now shee tooke vp streighter austerityes and afflictions to macerate more that innocent body of hers to whipp her self euery Friday in the yeare in memory of the Passion of her deare Sauiour which in the Lents and oftentymes in the nights when shee arose was don by her Mayds to humble and confound her the more and yet with a meruailous chearefulnes and sweetnes shee suffered all obliging them to a perpetuall silence HOVV ELIZABETH SVBMITS her self to the Obedience of one Conrad a religious Priest and what followed thereof CHAP. VI. ALmightie God hath so ordered and disposed of things in the faire Oeconomy of his diuine prouidence touching the way and Life to be led and traced by mortalls in this world that none may be his owne Guide nor yet rely on his proper knowledge or trust to his prudence And if this be so in generall how much more in the way of spirituall perfection can one walke without a true sincere discreet and prudent Guide in a spiritual life For alas how hard a thing it were for a man as wel out of passion as self-loue to know the defects of the mind and to perswade himself hee hath any and therefore the
importance for both the States and that now they were neere at hand Which tydings when the Prince had heard he went immediately to his Elizabeth said vnto her not without some anxiety and perplexity of mynd Haue you heard Sister the newes And what newes I pray deare Brother replyed shee then with a chearful countenance Behold Embassadours are neere at hand from our royal Father of Hungary If that be al deare Brother said shee they are hartily welcome Why then replyed he anâ—…n and is that al thinke you and know you not how il you are furnished with apparel and decent ornaments befitting your state and calling to receiue and encertaine them with and to yeild them satisfaction as I desire for my honours sake and which is worse there is now no tyme to furnish you better Alas good Brother replyed shee then there is no cause why this my attire should so trouble you Since you know wel enough how litle I haue alwayes regarded such things For my part I haue but litle desire to please men and to be gracious in their sight with the hazard of loosing the grace and fauour of my heauenly Spouse But what trow you wil they signify to your royal Father at their returne Good Brother said shee dispose you of the rest for their better entertaynement and take you no care for mee I trust our Lord wil prouide for both our honours And not long after the Embassadours came to the Court and were very Princely and honorably enterteyned by the Lantgraue and the Nobles When after they had deliuered the letters of credence and the effect of their Embassage with a gratious audience on the part of the Lantgraue The Princesse Elizabeth her self was sent for to come into the presence at the earnest suite of the Embassadours themselues who had an earnest desire to behold her now a woman growne whom long since they had seene to be a hopeful Infant and whom fame had spread to be a Paragon of the world both for beauty personage and much more for her singular vertues and eminent sanctity of life When behold shee came in like a Heâ—…ter before Assuerus for loe the Author of al beauty and exteriour grace no lesse then interiour had so adorned her with comelynes and especial outward graces withal besides the inward of the soule and mynd as shee seemed to be an Angel apparelled in flesh and adorned with purple beset with the richest stones to the great astonishmeÌ„t of al the beholders and especially the Prince himself who was priuy to her great defects of such ornameÌ„ts iewels attires hee hauing before distributed them to the poore had no tyme to be furnished anew When secretly demaunding of her how it came to passe Elizabeth made answere smiling My Lord and Master can when he list prepare such ornaments for mee Nor was the same obserued by the Pâ—…ince himself only but diuerse others especially by her Mayds about her who now regarded her as a great Saint and fauorite of God THE DEVOVT AND pious exercises of Elizabeth at the Sacrifice of the Masse CHAP. X. OVR Sauiour Christ as wee read in the Ghospel one day found a great noyse and tumult in the Gallery of the Temple by such as bartered therein and bought and sold and therefore being enflamed with the zeale of Gods honour with certaine cords and whipps which he tooke vp from the ground as one in choller draue them forth of the Temple and as S. Mark saith ouerthrew al their ware But now alas were hee to come into our Temples what abuses doubtles might he there find to reforme amongst vs what noyses what gigling what chatting whaâ—… conuersations and perhaps lasciuious glaunces But this lady Elizabeth here of the contrary was exceeding deuout as wel at her entrance into the howse of God as during the whole tyme shee was there present Knowing wel that one of the greatest deuotions a Christian could vse was to heare Masse euery day or as often as he could First because the excellence and dignity of the Masse is infinite as being a Sacrifice wherein Christ is offered to God who offered vp himself once on the Crosse with all his trauells and merits and is the most perfect act of Religion wherein wee giue God the greatest honor wee can giue him and secondly is the most excellent act of prayer wee can possibly make Wherfore from her infancy and tender age til her dying day shee was wont alwayes to be present at this venerable and dreadful Sacrifice and very often was there her self before any other when shee would keep her mind as free from distractions as shee could and if shee ware any ornament which with conuenient decency might wel bee spared shee would either put it off quite or handsomely conceale it some way or other vntil the Offices and Ceremonyes of so admirable a Sacrifice were ended But especially shee vsed a singuler reuerence as wel while the Ghospel was reading as the body of our Lord IESVS Christ was handling applying no doubt her whole attention thereto and preparing the mouth of her Soule for the worthy receiuing thereof Her manner of hearing Masse was comonly in this sort Most deuoutly on her knees with great silence and deepe and profound reuerence and attention without speaking with any or turning her head on the one side or other but fixing her eyes on the Altar and Preist who represents Christ obseruing the actioÌ„s he vsed for al is a liuely representation of that which the Redeemer of life did suffered in his most holy life passion When the Preist at the beginning said the General Confession shee silently said it with the Minister also being contrite for her sinnes and crauing pardon for the same After which shee attended to the wordes of the Priest because they are sacred it is fiâ—… to heare them though they be not vnderstood The Ghospel and 〈◊〉 being ended shee sayed inwardly in herself making liuely acts of faith I confesse to thee Lord al these verityes whatsoeuer are contayned in the Creed and the whole diuine Scripture And through thy diuine fauour am ready to yeild my life for them Do thou my God giue mee grace that with my life and holy works I may confesse teach preach them to al vnto thy glory At the Offertory shee made an oblation of her self and deuoutly presented her self and her occasions and affayres to God that with the purest and most holy offering of his most blessed Sonne they might fairely ascend into his diuine presence in an odour of sweetenes At the SaÌ„ctus she would conuert her self to the most holy Trinity the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost true God in the company of al the Angells and of al the Blessed Spirits wishing that al creatures and al men whosoeuer would know prayse serue the same and shee especially aboue the rest might loue and honour it with al her forces and al the powers
Gods honour I assure my self will not permit you to enuy him the same nor your charity and loue to his flock suffer you to barre them the succour and therefore deare Sister let mee intreate you to â—…esigne your self in this to the especiall ordination of God Noe my deare Lord said she may it please you to know I am not troubled at your voyage or enterprize soe much for any thing as that my sex and condition will not permit mee to accompany you thither since I assure you if my blood and life would excuse the whole voyage for my Sauiour and my neighbours sake I should freely and easily lay downe the same but consider I am a Woman of flesh blood and noe senseles image or a meere spirit deuoyd of passions and affections and therefore pardoÌ„ my infirmity herein while in the Superiour I am wholely resigned to that which is yours and the will of God And soe she dryed vp her eyes and from that tyme forward gaue her self to prepare for the voyage as she had beene to haue gone her self Till at last things now being put in a readines the compleate armour prepared for his owne person his Esquiers and Estatâ—…sions appointed and ordayned his steeds brauely caparisoned his Sumpters all things now in goodly equipage Rodulph the Princes Cuâ—…bearer who had the office assigned him comes into the roome vnto the Princely couple and tells them it was now tyme to take their leaue of each other since his Marshall troupes expected his coming and were ready to march to the randeuous The good Elizabeth notwithstanding would go along with her dearest Spouse on the way not willing to leaue his company till of force she must soe long then as they were in their owne Territoryes she accompanyed him till they arriued to the confines thereof when it was not fit she should passe any further They are now then come to the place assigned when behold no tongue tan possibly expresse the amourous and dolourous significations of the chast Spouses in their last adiew such Spouses as the world had not a better paire if wee regard the piety of their minds the purety of their hartes the integrity of their bodyes inuiolably kept for each other in that honourable state besides the coniugall vnity betweene them which is euen the very happynes thereof wherein these things are truely found as with them it was in the greatest punctuallytie that might bee as appeares by those speciall and mutual appellations of of Brother and Sister which passed betweene them For now were words of no vse with them nor could expresse a last adiew the eyes with teares were faine to supply that office and shaking the hands to each other a far of was al they could do While the noyse of fiâ—…e drumme and trumpets with other warlike instruments had made the tongue vnprofitable in that Ceremony Elizabeth returning home with her sad company for lo they were al touched very deepely with the sorrow of this so loth depart of these true Louers like an other Iudith she layes aside the attires of her glorie and magnificence and tooke to her self 〈◊〉 Widow habit she was wont to weare in her husbands absence and for as much as she was now more desolate then euer as hauing as she thought much more cause of discomforts then she had at any time before she addicted her self to a greater retirednes acting as it were her Widowes part before her tyme in outward shew But for the interiour she was now more free then euer to attend to her spiritual Spouse For neuer any one I thinke so mingled two such seeming contrary loues as thâ—…se with better harmony and temper then she so as her heauenly Spouse had no cause to enuy the others part nor her earthly one to say she was too religious altogether vnapt for the Wedlock state Because indeed she knew right wel what it was to loue God aboue al things with al her hart and with al her powers and the Neighbour as her self her parents with the loue due vnto Parents her Children with that belonged to them and lastly her husband with a loue transcending al other earthly loue but farre inferiour to that of God THE ARRIVAL OF THE Lantgraue in Sicily where the Emperour was his Death and the Lamentation made by Elizabeth for him CHAP. III. SVch is the inconstancy and mutability of earthly things so various are the aduentures of this lyfe and so diuers the euents of humaine actions as nothing seemes more constant then a kind of inconstancy in al things nothing more steedy then a perpetual vnsteedynes and mutability of fortunes and finaly nothing fuller of Varietyes and viciscitudes then is the life of this glorious Princesse the sport of fortune a Sceane of enterludes a tragedy ful of sad Catastrophes in a word a paterne of al patience exposed on the spacious Theatre of the world For she being now setled in her vidual way a course which gaue her extreame contentment wherein she might with fuller scope attend to the affayres of her soule Posts continualy passe to and fro stil certifying her of the safe arriual and good health of her Lord the renowned Lantgraue in Sicily with the great expectation the world had of him and how the voyce went he was to bee the General of al the Christian forces in that great expedition a thing sutable to his zeale of Gods honour and his heroical hart matched with a singular prudence in him and dispose fit for so great a manage by whom likewise she particulary vnderstood of the great entertaynement made him by the Emperour Frederick and how for the present they were busied with setling of affayres in those parts in visiting of Forts Castles and cittyes for the greater security of Christendome with a thousand other things of good importance and of much consolation to her in her Spouses absence She heard withal that the Prince would happily find the leysure to visit her yet before the voyage to the Holy Land could bee wholy prepared The Posts stil brought nothing but comforts to Elizabeth insatiable to heare from him ouer ioyed with the hope to see him ere long But fortune or rather diuine Ordination so disposing when the Prince now thoâ—…ght to haue taken his leaue of the Emperour to returne to his Country for dispatch of same particular affayres which pressed him much Tydings was brought that the Sultan the professed enemy was in readynes to make some notable attempt vpon the Christians The newes amazed them much and doubtesse had not the Princes valour and expectation reared their hopes their harts had fayled So as now it was necessary the Prince should stay and his returne was growne vnpossible Wherefore taking pen and incke in hand instead of going himself in person hee was fayne to write to his dearest Elizabeth his true and vnfayned excuse in these words Deare Sister by this you may read how poore a thing Man is hee
often determines this or that but God disposeth al things I had my foote euen ready in the stirrop to haue seene th◅e once more according to my purpose in my last But behold the face of things is altered through the hot vnexpected charging of the Enemy on our frontiers and wee who at ley sure had thought to haue found him out to confront him are now enforced to prouide for our selues to repel him Wee must needes therefore sudainely make head and hasten sooner then wee thought commending the whole enterprize to thy prayers and especially my life and person that wee returne victorious and triumphant ouer the enemyes of the Christian Name and I may see and enioy thee once more howsoeuer I trust that I haue so prouided for thee as whatsoeuer become of mee thou shalt bee able to liue of thy self and that if I dye thou wilt be myndful of my soule so as at least wee may happily meete in heauen Til when I bid thee adiew And so putting to his wonted subscription he sealed it vp in al hast dispatching the Post as soone as might bee These last words were as certaine presages of what immediately followed For af◅er hee had laboured much to animate the army disconsolate and dismayed with the former newes spending his spirits too prodigally fell into a Calentura or malignant f◅auer and being youthfull and full of blood the malignity of ◅he malady encreasing his lyfe was vtterly dispayred and finally receiuing the Sacraments of the Patriarch of Hierusalem hee gaue vp his happy spirit on the eleauenth of September It can not bee told what expressiōs of mourning there was through the whole Campe and but for that the Body was to bee conueyed by his Freinds into Thuringia neuer generall had been more honorably enterred by the Emperour and the Army then hee how soeuer they spared it not in a marshall manner to condole with his Hearse soe long as they had him present in that sort When the Newes of this vntymely death was brought vnto Thuringia the former Post was permitted to deliuer his letters from the Prince vnto the Dutchese his Spouse written with his owne hand immediatly before his infirmity which they all supposed would bee a good disposition to prepare her against the last encounter that should bee giuen her of his certaine departure out of this world which she read and tooke as discreetly as was to be expected From her But then all the care was taken that possibly could bee how to breake the latter tydings vnto her Whom they knew to bee soe tender and affectionate to her Lord. Wherefore by common consent of the Peeres of the Land and Councell of Estate it was resolued the old Dutchesse Sophia the Prince his Mo◅her should warily and discreetly acquaint her with it For they verily feared that if she came to the knowledge thereof by any other wayes abruptly and of a suddaine some great inconueniencies at least would ensue thereof Sophia for the present like a wise and discreete Matron hauing as well as she might disgested her proper sorrow for the losse of soe hopefull a Prince her sonne taken her fairest occasion and the best opportunity she could as is were vpon an ordinary Visit went to see her at her Castle where she lyued a Vyduall and retired lyfe in the absence of her Husband hauing lately read and receiued the last Tydings as she tooke it from her neuer sufficiently honoure Spouse and Lord And hauing saluted her according to custome she chearefully spake to her in this sort Madam I he◅re you haue heard from m◅ son◅e your husband if soe how fares hee I pray ◅ul well I hope sayd she And soe doe I quoth the Dutchesse straight Why Madam answeared Elizabeth and is hee soe soone taken prisonner and his person in safetie if it bee soe Lady Mother by Gods grace and the bounty of his freinds hee shall soone bee ransomed againe Hee is taken indeed Deare Daughter replyed she againe not as you imagine Captiued by his enem◅es but led in tryumph by the hands of Angells to the heauenly Hierusalem so happy an issue his voyage hath had as that insteed of a terren and earthly land but Holy in name onely and meere denomination hee ha◅h made a conquest of the heauenly Countrey the celestiall Hierusalem the true Holy land indeed Whereat the Princesse was truly pierced through the heart with the sorrow of Sorrow and wringing her woefull hands wept most bitterly till recouering her self againe she sayed And if my Brother bee dead I heere doe promise hence forth to dye to my self and to the world with all its vanit◅es Soe great and intense her sorrow was and soe deepe sighs and sobbs she fetched from the center of her heart as there was none able to comfort her they being all now likewise nigh dro◅vne in teares as well as she to behould her mourning And the calamity w◅ich but now seemed vniuersall ◅or the losse of a Prince a Pat◅on and a common Father of his Country in a moment is turned into a priuate condolement and tender compassion on a desolate Princesse Thus alas the dolefull Widow was assayled with the batteryes of a hard disaster whic◅ ha◅ been able to haue made her onstant mynd to haue surrendered to impa◅ience had not the Cittadell of her heart been well fortifyed before hand with most noble and heroicall resolutions and well practized with the mortifications of self-loue and her proper interest and aboue all preuented with peculiar fauours from heauen the Holy Ghost reuealing to her what crosses and tribulations she was to suffer heereafter and how this was but only a Praeludium of the rest and therefore it behoued her to buckle her self for them and to bee armed with the compleate harnesse of Fortitude against the volleys of misfortunes which our Lord would send her for her greater Crowne according to the measure of her patience From which tyme the Ro◅all Princesse offered her self to suffer whatsoeuer fortune or to say better the execution of the diuine Will could any wayes powre vpon her Thus it pleased the Almightie to comfort his pore distressed Seruant in the midst of her greater calamityes Whereby she was now growen a Lyonesse as it were euen daring fortune her self to doe her worst HOW HENRY BROTHER to the deceased Lan◅graue vsurped the Dukedome and eiected Elizabeth and her Children from al their right CHAP. IIII. ALthough the affections and il dispositions yea the rancour and enuy of the freinds and kindred of the deceased Prince Lewes and of al the Nobles and Peeres of that state had been euer poysonous and malitious and were growne inueterate in them against the royal and most vertuous Princesse Elizabeth yet during the Lantgraues life they were but raked vp as fire in the ashes nor euer durst they so much as let them appeare for the extraordinary loue and respect the Prince did beare to Elizabeth But hee was no sooner departed this transito◅y
thee with all my soule let mee loue thee with all my memory let mee loue thee with all my power and forces with a most streight feruent and soueraigne loue with a loue not familiar to all I will not rest most blessed Diuinity and one most louing God and surely I shall neuer rest till I loue thee with a most burning Loue. O let mee enioy thee Let me enioy thee O most blessed Trinity one God let mee enioy thee Hauing sayed all this within her self because she was in the open Church mouing but her lipps only as Anna did when she begged Samuel at the hands of God which proued a Prophet consequently Seeing God as all Prophets are said to doe she obteyned very speciall graces and the vision of strang and mysterious things For lo she was suddainely rapt into an extasy eleuating and raysing her soule and vnderstanding soe vp to heauen as she seemed to be kneeling fixed in the place without iudgment or operation of the senses with eyes notwithstanding as glued to the Aultar Till at last returning to her self againe Isentrude her dearest and most faythfull seruant being confident of her loue and respect towards her presumed soe farre as to presse her much after many refusalls to declare vnto her what she had seene while she was soe rapt and alienated in her senses with her eyes fastened on the Aultar To whom at last she answeared and said O daughter I may not make any mortall wight priuy to those heauenly secrets which I saw But this I tel thee since thou vrgest mee and coniurest mee of al loues that I was replenished with wonderful and vnspeakeable ioy beholding with the eyes of my mind such heauenly mysteries and this is al good Isentrude I can say vnto thee in this matter Isentrude was forced to rest satisfied with this answeare though her much curiosity could hardly brooke the denial so curious are mortals of immortal secrets But resolued if euer the like happened agayne she would be so refused no more From thence then they returned to their poore and most pityful lodging againe Where the holy and blessed Elizabeth was faine to restore nature with such poore pitance as she had after soe strange an extasy and alienation of mind Which though it wrought on the soule yet was it doubtles laborious and toyle some to the body to bee so long suspended from the functions and operations of the powers thereof they being so deare and indiuidual companions during life But being of a weake constitution a litle sufficed her then after refection she desired to be priuate as willing to rest and repose her self in her Chamber with Isentrude alone And being as I said extreame weary with the former excesses of the mynd she layd downe her head on Isentrudes lapp and soe began to fall asleep and soone after to weepe as she slept and then againe to smile of a suddaine shewing a chearefull and serene countenance withal as she had receiued extraordinary contentment at somewhat or other Anone she would weepe againe and then smile welnigh as soone and those alterations and strange viciscitudes of diuers and opposit feelings went and came all that day vntill the euening yet seemed she oftner to smile then weepe and then at last she vttered these words Yea truely my Lord soe it please thee to remaine with mee I will neuer depart from thee but still perseuere to abide with thee for euer When she had once expressed these words which Isentrude directly heard and punctually obserued she awaked nor can it be imagined how great was the desire which Isentrude had to heare the mysterie and therefore laid soe strange a battery of importunityes against her Ladyes humble resolution as she was forced to yeild to her and to reueale the whole passage as it was saying in this manner I saw the Heauens to open and our Sauiour Iesus Christ to appeare vnto mee and to comfort mee for my trauayles and tribulations past in whose presence as I stood I was extraordinary chearefull and glad but as sad and full of heauynes againe when hee offered to depart and goe away from mee whereon taking presently compassion hee immediatly returned againe and at last after many alterations in this kind hee said to mee Tell mee Elizabeth wilt thou remayne with mee as I will doe with thee Whereto I answeared these wotds you heard mee vtter euen now ELIZABET VISITSH her Aunt an Abbesse and then her Vncle the Bishop of Bamberg who plotted to haue her marryed but in vayne CHAP. VI. THe fame of the calamitous state of the Princesse Elizabeth who as before was famous for Sanctity now as remarkable for misery conteyned not yt self within the bounds of the Territoryes neare at hand or the borders of Thuringia it self but had dilated yt self to forrayne and remote places Soe as indeede there was nothing more in euery ones mouth then the hard disasters of so noble a Lady some blaming her fortune and some were caryed so farr into passione as nigh to murmure at the Ordinance of God to see soe innocent a Lady without al desert of hers to fal so suddainely into so great an abysse of miseryes calamities afflictiōs And others the while for so diuers are the humours of men spared not to traduce the innocence and religious simplicity of the admirable Lady with the impious aspersion of foolish stupidity For els they say how should it bee that she being the Widow of soe great a Prince and daughter of soe puissant a king should be soe iniuriously entreated by Prince Henry and the Nobles of the land were she not altogether forlorne and destitute of freinds to right her cause she being so innocēt and her wrong so patent to al. Thus diuerse according to their fancyes shot their bolts but few so wise and versed in spiritual things as to hit a right or to measure the drift or scope of the eternal Ordination herein to dispose al to his glory and her greater crowne through the exercize of so Heroical a vertue as her inuincible Patience was in al these things Saue only an Aunt she had being Sister to her Mother and Lady Abbesse of a famous Monastery in those parts who hearing of the sauage vsages and proceedings with her Neece framing a farr higher conceipt of her deserts then the ordinary sort could diue into Partly moued with the respect of blood partly out of charity and partly also for the rumour of her sanctity which amidd all her aduersityes and contradictions more and more dilated it self in the opinion of the best iudgments and all such indeed as were not caryed away with ignorance or sinister passions This Aunt of hers tooke such order what with her louing inuitements and what with the meanes she contriued to bring her to her which wanted no difficultyes by reason of her great necessityes that she and all her Mayds hauing taken in the meane tyme the best order for the children
iniuryes But yet Sir thus much I must confesse I vnderstand that you your self are not altogether in the fault whom wee know to haue beene bred and endued with a milder and more generous disposition but rather the lewd and vngodly Councel about you who hauing impiously abandoned al piety and goodnes haue laboured to entangle you likewise in their wickednes and seeking to make you degenerate from your owne blood haue first endeauoured to dispoyle you of al feeling of common sense Pardon mee I pray most noble Prince if I speake with more vehemency and boldnes then becomes mee for I cannot flatter nor sooth vp Princes in their humours but must sweetly put them in mynd of their dutyes when they seeme to swarue and tax and vprayd the vices which I note in others You haue beene hitherto abused with the venemous perswations of the maleuolous Now follow my councel then and correspond with the Votes and desires of al these Gentlemen here who wish the increase of your honour and reputation Put Elizabeth entirely into her state and dignity againe and I wil vndertake she shal be reconciled vnto you and returne to the auncient freindship agayne with you as no such thing had euer beene and such capitulations and conditions shal bee had betweene you as greatly shal redound to your honour and the greater profit and aduancement of all yours Thus spake the stout and valorous Champion of Elizabeth as ready to enter into the marshall lists in her behalf as to pleade soe like an Aduocate her cause in whom was no lesse fortitude and magnanimity to goe through an enterprise then sagacity and discretion to contriue the same His valour and heare of courage made him not precipitous a whit to attempt any thing vnaduisedly but gaue him force and vigour to atchieue what soeuer he had sagely premeditated before He was no lesse rich and potent then stoute and prudent all which soe concurring in one man gaue a powerfull and efficacious energy to his speach Wherefore the Prince besides the pregnant and conuincing reasons he gaue being moued not a litle with the authority of the man relented somewhat and anone surrendred the Citadell of his hart wholely into the power and disposition of the Baron the rest of the Lords reioycing the while to behold soe great a change and alteration in him For his eyes now standing all in teares his lipps being full of lenitiues and sugred words he now desired nothing more then to haue his hands appeate as effectuall in works And therefore immediately offered to Elizabeth not only her proper demeanes of Dowry and other Viduall rights belonging to her but euen likewise the gouernement of the state as she had before These newes were almost as soone brought to the eares of the vertuous Elizabeth as vttered from the mouth of the Prince so ioyfull they were all to heare them soe ingenuously to proceede from soe franck and liberall a hart Only Elizabeth when she heard the same most candidly answered she would by no meanes yeild her assent to take the gouernement of Thuringia vpon her or to charge her weake shoulders with so insupportable a burden and that if it pleased the Prince to restore her dowry againe and other rights belonging to it it was al she desired that she might vse them for her owne saluation and the behoofe and benefit of her hushands soule and as for the gouernement she regarded it not but left it wholely to their dispose Herevpon they carryed her with a great trayne into her auncient Castle againe where she liued before and whence she had beene iniuriously expelled And Henry thenceforth regarded her as a great Lady and Princesse desiring obsequiously as it were in al things to accomplish what she required she no sooner intimated her pleasure in any thing but hee was ready to see it executed to the ful and especialy he besought her at least to vse the marks and ornaments in vse with Princesses like her self Who would haue thought now but this Lady would haue taken some complacence at this happy returne into her owne agayne and howbeyt to be eased of the burden of the gouernement she might refuse indeede the charge yet for the rest which she wel and lawfully might enioy without dommage and preiudice of her religious purposes to leaue so meerly for the loue of Pouerty was an act indeed of heroical fortitude For lo the Seruāt of God remayning thus for some dayes in her said Pallace re-installed and re-invested againe in al that belonged thereto fearing least perhaps through aboundance of al daynties delicious fare pomp attendancyes and worldly glory wherewith she was now entreated she might come to loose in a moment the diuine grace wherewith she had hitherto beene copiously endued she refused wholy those speciall cherishments they gaue her and freely and voluntarily left that delicious and dayntie life and immediately betooke her self to an humble Cottage thereby with intention to liue and perseuere in that manner of lyfe now of her owne election which of force heretofore she was fayne to lead and this for the loue of her Sauiour IESVS CHRIST her heauenly Spouse HOW THE POPE TOOKE notice of Elizabeths Sanctity and receiued her into his protection and how she made her profession of the Third Order of Saint Francis CHAP. IX AS the wisedome of this world is a meere folly in the sight of God and his blessed Angells and Saints in heauen soe◅rue wisedome to sensuall men is indeed a rock of scandall and block for euery one to humble at they make a wonder of all those things which they cannot vnderstand because they being carnall and sensually giuen perceiue not the things which are of God Hence it is that Elizabeth embracing the folly of the Crosse as worldlings accompt of it was not only condemned by her auncient ill Willers for superstitious hippocriticall and a meere dissembler but euen her best freinds and such as hitherto had stood most for her began to dis-esteeme her by litle and litle till she lost them quite holding it a madnes in her soe in the flower of her youth now they had procured her to be restored to her former dignity and estate to disclayme from it of her owne accord and soe much to neglect her self and contemne the world as she did by that act of renunciation which she made especially when they saw her to respect Pouerty soe much as to preferre it farre before all the honours riches and delights of the world and to prise Deuotion before the Court and the delights thereof soe as they now could hardly looke on her with an equall eye But the Seruant of Christ vpon the warrant testimony of a good conscience knowing she did it for the loue of her deare Sauiour set light by all and endured all their affronts scornes and reproaches with such patience and constancy as she reioyced not a litle to be able to suffer any thing for the loue of him
the gift of Prophecy and reuelations of things remote hidden and future and now they began more then euer to regard her while nothing is more specious in the eyes of men then Gifts of these kinds and such especia fauours from God But leauing these let vs returne to her wonted work◅ of Charity againe whereof I find no end Although a man would verily haue thought to haue seene the profuse largesse of this incomparable Stewardesse of Christ shee might wel haue sate downe with what shee had already done Yet as one but now to begin and who as yet had done nothing to the purpose shee had a good mynd with the like bounty to haue disposed to the releife of the poore the remaynder of her portion stil in her hands whereof shee was to liue and sustayne her self shee was so extreamely enamoured of that vertue and so wonderfully affected to the needy and necessitous people And surely shee had done so indeed had not the Reuerend Father and Guide of her soule her dearest Maister preuented her in taking care for her temporaltyes and therefore wisely foreseeing and prouiding for future necessityes forbad her the same with a strickt commaund making vse of the absolute power and authority he had ouer her appointing some hard and seuere persons to accompany her alwayes and to obserue very diligently all her actions and to intimate to him and complayne of her if shee obayed not his commaundements to wit if shee were obserued to passe her stint assigned her in dealing almes An order was taken that if any one had complayned of her shee was humbly to come and take correction for it both by words and stripes as the matter required so as sometymes shee was smit on the cheekes in which kind of correction shee much reioyced remembring the boxes of the eares which Christ had in his passion especially that same of the Souldiour with his armed fist in the presence of Annas holding them all as too light in regard of the same shee would haue wished their hands more hard and a great deale more heauy to suffer more for his sake and the loue of that special vertue Which fault when shee had once committed and accordingly been punished shee was commaunded to distribute no more then a penny at once to a poore body Wherein with a pious breach and yet a litteral obseruance shee so obeyed her Maister as shee neuertheles gaue reasonable satisfaction to her tender and merciful mind For now shee would giue to many one by one what shee had wont to fewer in greater peeces Which when her Maister once perceiued because shee obeyed not his wil therein he forbad her to giue any more money and onely permitted her to giue Bread which when shee began to deale more bountyfully then he would haue her he restrayned her to giue peeces of bread only whereas before shee had dealt whole loaues at once to seueral persons and so with a wonderful variety was both Obedience exercised in her and compassion prouoked If shee had beene commaunded at any tyme to refrayne from giuing of almes or to meddle with leaprous or diseased persons or else to discharge and dismisse such as shee had already it was a wōder to see how vpon a suddaine her coulour would goe and come as shee had verily beene in a strange dilemma what to do When indeede it would bee no more but a terrible conflict in her self betweene the superiour and inferiour part of her soule or the soueraigne power which Obedience exercised vpon her owne inclination to communicate her meanes to the poore and to pratise such works of piety So as now and then shee would bee in such a perplexity of mind thereat as the good Father knew not what to do in the case For one while he feared least the disquiet of her mynd shee felt therewith might bring her into some inconuenience of her health which was the thing he doubted so much by dealing so boldly with such leaprous people otherwhile againe he would feare as much least her excessiue liberality would bring al to naught and he be blamed for guiding her no better And lastly otherwhiles but very tenderly he began to suspect her promptnes in Obedience that found such maine opposition inthe inferiour part of her soule til weighing the matter with more deliberation he found it to be rather an emulous strife between two noble and eminent vertues in her of Charity to the Neighbour and Charity to God Piety to the poore and a perfect Obedience to her Superiour And therefore commending the matter to God from thenceforth he was resolued in those things to leaue her to the vnction of the Holy Ghost to inspire and direct her in the best Which liberty as shee perceiued to be afforded her from her Maister fearing shee had violated the Lawes of Obedience and that her Maister had beene fayne to condescend to her infirmityes shee resolued with her self thenceforth shee would be more exact precise and punctual not only to obey him to the letter but euen likewise to the vtmost extent of his intention as neare as shee was able to interpret the same Wherein doubtles shee made a notable conquest of her self considering her pious inclination to works of Charity so to immolate the same on the Aultar of Obedience as shee did afterwards And therefore henceforth shee contented her self with such works of Charity only as were not only not expressely forbidden her but likewise such as shee might imagin he intended to include in his prohibitions and iniunctions giuen her And so shee went with her Mayds to the Hospital to tend the sick not infected with leaprosy and washed them and made their bedds for them and couered them as they lay And would often say to her Mayds whom shee made as her fellowes in these occasions How happy are wee Sisters who haue the honour t◅ wash our Lord to tend him so and to couer him in his bed Whereto being enflamed with her example they would answeare Yea and take great complacence therein how beyt one of them being somewhat lesse mortifyed then the rest one day gaue her this answere not so pleasing to her You Lady it seemes can away with this sluttishnes but so cannot wee and other women which Elizabeth hearing dissembled the matter and replyed not a word but wee piously beleeue shee laboured not a little what with prayers and other meanes to reclayme her from that coldnes and tepidity in the seruice of God in his weak and feeble members Vpon a certaine Woman great with child and neare her tyme shee bestowed hous-roome and al necessary furniture for her childbirth and shee being deliuered of a daughter newly borne shee caused it to be Christened and baptised by the name of Elizabeth and likewise daylie visited the woman in childbed and stil carryed some good dish of meate or other with her to comfort her withall But at length this ingrateful woman being now recouered and brought to
a perfect state of health togeather with her husband with one consent ran quite away from her leauing their litle daughter behind them to the mercy of the charitable Matron taking some part of the furniture with them that was but lent them for the tyme only Whereof when the Seruant of God had notice giuen her by her Mayd whom shee had sent vnto her with a good dish of meate shee presently commaunded the child to be brought to her and put it forth to be nursed by a souldiours wife a neighbour by When sending immediatly to the Gouernour of the Citty hee caused a diligent search and pursuit to bee made for those wretched vagabonds But when they could not be found the holy woman betooke her self to her prayers and so caused them shortly to returne against their wills and to begge pardon very humbly on their knees for their great ingratitude and prodigious impiety affirming they had been very miserably punished already in that through the iust iudgment of God they were not able to passe any further but were constreyned in spite of their harts to returne againe The fault was soone pardoned by the blessed woman with condition to take their child againe and so they were both restored to her fauour But yet in some manner of penance for their heynous delict shee tooke away from her a cloake which shee had giuen her before saying that an iniury was so to be pardoned as the same might not come to bee offered any more Which cloake shee presently bestowed on a poore Mayd at hand who through the merits of the Saint was so i'lumined thereby with the grace of God as shee vowed immediatly thereupon perpetual Virginity and obserued the same to her dying day leading a most vertuous life THE CHARITY OF Elizabeth to the Neighbour in spiritual mercyes and particularly of her singular gift of Prayer CHAP. V. IT is not enough to haue these temporal mercyes in behoofe of the poore if wee haue not the spiritual works of mercy withal There are some very apt to put their hands very readily in their purse to releiue the necessityes of the poore Many who can prodigally enough lay out very largely vpon building of pious howses And many likewise wil spare for no cost to endow them with Rents very amply so they may haue but the name of Founders only and haue theyr armes aduanced in the Frontispices thereof But to put the hand to the hart to raze out rancour by the rootes to pardon an iniury receiued to loue ones enemy to do good for il to direct the ignorant and tepid in the way of saluation being sinners to reconcile them to God and remayning in grace to harten them on to perseuerance and to help them to the vse of the Sacraments and a thousand more of the like kind and al this for the true Loue and Charity of God How few there are God wot Alas kow few in regard of those who do wholely neglect such things But Elizabeth as shee was pittyful in all external things belonging to the body so must you imagin her zeale to bee much more in the spiritual necessityes of the soule Hence it was tâ—…at shee would earnestly exhort aâ—… Mothers after their children were borne not to differre baptisme For the sick now lying in extreames at the mercy of God shee would carefully perswade and procure them to cleanse their consciences by confession and to receiue their Viatique with the rest of the rights of the Church And once her zeale carryed her so farre as shee that otherwise was so meeke as to submit her self to any correction for the least transgression in the world did beate a woman somewhat handsomely with a wand in her hand for differring her Confession too long whereby with stripes shee expelled the spirit of slouthfulnes and tepidity from her And for her piety and deuotion to holy things though shee honoured the Reliques of Saints with tapers incense according to the custome of good Christians piously offering besides the money shee had earned her self with her handy works most reuerently on the Aultar Yet shee seemed to mislike those sumptuous Images And therefore entering once into a Church of Fryars professing Pouerty shee rebuked them for their excesse therein beholding such curious and exquisit peeces of workmanship there saying These had been better bestowed vpon the mayntenance of the poore the lyuing images of their Creatour and that the memory of the Saints were rather and better to be honoured with a religions mynd then with all such externall ornaments to insist so much vpon them and neglect the other And to the end â—…t may appeare with what spirit shee spake it that which shee sayd vpon some other occasion is worth the noting which was this To one who had exceedingly commended an Image there present both for the excellency of the workemanship and the rarenes and preciousnes of the stuffe it was made of Shee answeared how all that which he praysed soe much in the image shee possessed in her hart and had it there more liuely imprinted and charactered Thus this great Seruant of God being endowed with soe rare and excellent vertues faithfully executed the office of Martha Yet soe you may imagin as shee omitted not the while the Contemplatiue and quiet life of Mary For when shee was not busyed about the externall workes of Charity and the care of her house she ordinarily repayred to a certaine solitary place where falling with her knees on the ground and lifting vp her eyes hands and hart to heauen shee would pray prolixly for diuers howers togeather with extraordinary deuotion and feeling and not without great plenty of teares wherein shee had a 〈◊〉 singular gift from God For as shee wept shee disfigured not her face a whitt as others are wont through excesse of dolour but with a chearefull and pleasant countenance testifyed and expressed comforts and great consolations the while And the teares shee let fal in her latter tymes were accompanyed rather with smiles then sighes or groanes soe as shee seemed to weepe rather then to greiue and lament And no marueile for her countenance vpon no occasion of mis-fortune would euer change or alter a whitt but alwayes keepe the same tenour of chearefullnes and serenity with it Nor may wee imagin shee arriued to this soe high perfection of Prayer at once but ascended thereto by certaine degrees For first shee only began to haue a liuely desire of perfection and Loue of God Secondly shee stirred vp and excited her self to attaine this perfection with acts of desire and Loue and from sighs euen fetcht from the inward of the hart still crauing of our Lord this perfection and loue Thirdly shee had a continuall watch vpon all her thoughts words and works not to offend and displease God in whatsoeuer being still present to her self in all affayres not suffering her hart to bee carryed and distracted with them Fourthly shee would deale very
from the eyes of mortalls with a silken veyle of chast retirement and fenced with the thornes of Vigilance as with a court of guard In her infancy nothing more innocent in her minority ful of sports witty and ingenious but tending all to piety and for the rest to the yeares of election of a constant state most stayd and prudent farre beyond her yeares Sophia her curst Mother in the tyme of her Espousals had cause to know it wel when shee a woman of so great a spirit and who had such a tongue as had been able Syren-like to haue enchaunted and be witched any tender Mayden to haue perswaded what shee listed was so put to silence with her prudent answeares as shee durst neuer prouoke such a piercing wit any more But thou Sophia wert deceiued the while it was not her wit so much as thou imagind'st which foyled thee so in thy proper element of a potent tongue but the sweet Vnction of the holy Ghost that gaue such a force and energy to her speach in defence of her self being pressed so hottly with such batteryes as thou laydst against her Which oyle of grace in her hart once taking fire within her mouth turned to such a flame of seeming Eloquence For if shee a Child had such a loathing and contempt of the vanityes of this world as tyres and dressings pearles and carkanets which the Daughters of the world affect so much and desperately dote vpon in that age Who doubts but the holy Ghost did dictate to her what shee spake in that occasion But leauing those passe wee vnto her pucellage the tyme being come shee should assent or disassent from the Spousalles made in her Infancy with Lâ—…wys the gallantest Prince and the most accomplished of al Europe No doubt but heere was a combate al the while in the breast of this noble Princesse and such a one as happily had shee not a sure rampart or bullwark to repaire vnto shee had questionlesse sunck down in the field and her tender breast had neuer beene able to haue endured the shocks and counterbuffs were giuen on either side The Prince for his person dignity piety qualityes of a Prince was voyd of aâ—…l exceptions what then and should shee giue her ful consent to ratify the espousalles made long since betweene them Should shee so easely giue ouer her former faire designes of abandoning the world the pompes and vanityes thereof should shee now leaue her heauenly Spouse for an earthly one And what comparison I pray would shee say within her self may be found betweene them He a noble Prince but yet a man subiect to death and al calamityes The other a Prince of Princes and which is more my God and though a man and mortall heretofore yet now immortall The Prince of Thâ—…ringia as yet seekes not to mee nor doe I know his mynd as yet But my other Spouse hath woed mee long and graced mee much Him if I eâ—…ioy and none but him In him haue I al that hart can possibly require And this when I shal haue though he were the Monark of the world yet should I waâ—…t these 〈◊〉 contents which he affords The sweet conuersation of one hâ—…wer with him to me is more then al the solaces the other can affoard in a whole age And if for his sake I shal leaue an earthly Spouse I shal oblige to me a heauenly one and looke what terren things I shal renounce for him I shal find to bee multiplyed a hundred fold Yet is this Prince I vnderstand a vertuous and religious Prince Why then may I not enioy him too in his degree an earthly Spouse and yet reteyne my heauenly and cheifest Spouse and yeild my body and my second faith to one and not infringe the loyaltie of my first to the other but keepe my soule inuiolably his And why may I not loue him with al the powers of my body and soule as my spiritual Spouse and yet loue my earthly Spouse with a loue subordinate to his and proper to it What here now should this poore Virgin doe in this doubtful dilemma what should shee choose Faire and goodly reasons seeme to inuite on either side She hath no way to cut this Gordian knot but with the sword of entire resignation in putting it freely into the hands of â—…er heauenly Spouse and make him the vmpire in his owne cause The history makes no mention of it but wee piously presume shee shut her self in her Closet hereupon where what passed betweene these amourous Spouses cannâ—…t be set downe because I neuer heard shâ—…e reuealed it to any This only do wâ—…e find in effect from that tyme forwards shee was wholy cleâ—…red of her doubt For thence shee resolued indeed to hear ken to the Prince for her part to yeild a ful consent vnto 〈◊〉 Spousalls Resâ—…luing so to entertayne the one as shee neuer meaâ—…ed to forgâ—…e the other And truely this we may boldly say if euer woman kept her self entire in these double Spousalls without exception of either part our S. Elizabeth hath had the happynes and prerogatiue aboue others With this began her Nâ—… one or Mid-day of her age wâ—…eÌ„ the heate of youth is apt to carry vs into youthful thoughts such as are sports and pastimes gallantry in apparel deintyes and delicacyes in dyet especially which Princes in the Court. And yet this Phâ—…nix among the Ladyes and Princesses of the earth lyuing in a vayne want on Court as it was wheÌ„ shee found it first took no more of those relishes then fishes are wont of the brackish seas Shee was a SalamaÌ„der amid the fires of earthly coÌ„cupiscences A Bird of Paradise which had no feeâ—…e to settle on terren things but allwayes houering in the ayre of heauenly and spiritual contemplation How often had the Musique playd in her presence when shee adueâ—…ted nothing and when her Sister Agnes had been dauncing among the Ladyes of the Court shee would be stealing to her Oratory to conuerse with her heauenly Spouse either in reading of some pious and deuout booke when shee would imagin her Spouse had spoken familiarly with her or in vocal or mental prayer making then accompt she treated with her Spouse thus shee would spend whole houers while Agnes and the rest would spend as many in their chatts and daliances with the youthful Lords How oft had Sophia fetch Elizabeth out of her Closet to consort with such as these saying they were company indeed fit for Ladyes like her self and for those retirements shee affected so they were for Anchoretts and not for wiues especially great Ladyes When shee for satisfaction sake would now and then come forth in person indeed and bodily but in soule left bâ—…hind Madam Mothers shee would say if I be not with my Lord and Spouse giue me leaue I beseech you to conuerse with my Lord God assuring you if I be not with the one of necessity I must be in company of the
and spirit to her death Thus had our Saint heer more then a two fold spirit vertually contayned in her a whole Hierarchy of Sanctity And now let vs see how shee approached to the Angelical Hierarchy of the blessed Spirits First then shee was an Angel in her modesty whereby she edifyed In Obedience an Archangel to performe the heasts of her heauenly Spouse and of man in contemplation of him Shee was as one of the Vertues in her promptnes to help and assist her Neighbour As one of the Powers to vanquish il with good One of the Principates in her exercise of Humility and assiduous practize of humiliations A Domination in the victory of her passions A Throne in her repose and peace of mynd A Cherubin in her in-sight into heauenly and diuine mysteries And lastly a Seraphin in her buâ—…ning flames of Charity the Loue of God And shall we yet goe higher with Your leaue the Purest of all pure creatures For lo I here set forth no Paragons nor paralels doe I here make with any much lesse with you ô most blessed Virgin Mary the soueraigne Lady of all the Ecclesiastical and triumphant Hierarchyes spiritual or angelicall But only with your fayre leaue doe make some resemblances betweene you as the Mother and this Saint the Daughter First then I find these sympathies betweene you You were a Virgin Wife and Widow so was shee wiâ—…h this differeÌ„ce that you were perpetually a Virgin really before in and after Childbirth really a Wife indeed and fruitfull in effect and truely a Widow both in effect and affect Whereas shee the first not perpetually in effect though in affect perpetually such and the other truely and râ—…ally soe SecoÌ„dly you were presented in the Temple at three yeare old as dedicated to the seruice of God and shee at three yeare old affianced to an earthly Prince as dedicated to the seruice of the world You at fourteene consented to the Espousalles of Ioseph hauing first made a Vow of perpetuall virginity and shee coÌ„sented to the espousalles of Prince Lewys with the purpose of still retayning the affect of Chastity You remayning perpetually a Virgin saw yet the fruit of your Womb and shee with the affect of Chastity had likewise hers Thirdly You persecuted by Herod fled into Egipt with your litle child she persecuted by Henry with her children likewise was thrust out of doores You Queen of Angells liued in Nazareth in a slender howse and shee Princesse of Thuringia at Marpurg in a poore houell Finally you the Patronesse and Protectresse of all that come running for succour And she had not the hart to send any vnsatisfyed away but was the Mother of Orphans the Phisitian to the sick ChirurgieÌ„ to the lame a staffe to the aged Cloth to the naked bread to the huÌ„gry a storehouse of al prouision for the poore needy in a word you the Mother of mercy shee your daughter right al of mercy This leaue allowed mee now to goe so high giues mee a confidence to goe yet higher to find resemblances as in the Mother so likewise in the Sonne Now then to end with her where he began Hee at his Natiuity into this world had an Angel singing as he lay in the Crib and shee at her Natals her Natiuity into the next had an Angel likewise singing by her bed side Hee wept in entring into this vale of miseries shee sung in going forth His Angel tuned first gaue the tone saying Glory to God aboue peace to men of good will and hers glory to God and peace vnto her Soule An host of Angels ioyned to his Guiuer so there did to her This only differeÌ„ce was she sung with them againe he wept and cryed as Infants vse to doe in their birth Shee in conuenient tyme was baptized with water and hee with his proper blood in circumcision Shee found an Astrologer to cast her Natiuâ—…ty who presaged her future glory And hee a Symeon that fore told him likwise to become heerafter a Light vnto the Gentils and a glory vnto Israel What more S. Iohn hath truely said that We should bee like one day to Iesus Christ our Lord himself hath likewise vttered with his own mouth that Such as shal beleiue in him shal doe the things which hee â—…ath done Yea and which is more shal arriue to such a point of happines as they shall do yet greater things then hee hath done If soe then Elizabeth may be said to resemble him For if an intimous conuersation makes a simpathy and similitude among friends and that Moyses conuersing with our Lord on Mount Syna got a Gloriet on his head so like to his No marueil that Elizabeth should seeme so to resemble her Spouse with whom shee had so frequent and priuat familiarityes in the Syna oâ—… Mount of sublime Contemplation And I should thinke it no dishonour orderogation to Christ her Spouse that shee should be said to haue wrought the same wonders and greater when it 〈◊〉 confessed that what he did he did of himself and of his own power and shee by his as a meer participation from him Say we then with confidence if Iesus Christ the Spouse of Elizabeth wrought Miracles Elizabeth likwise the Spouse of Iesus wrought Miracles If he cured the sick and infirme euen so did shee if he gaue eyes to the blind feete to the Lame and blood to the withered arme so did shee If he dispossessed Diuells and cast them out of their holds so did shee If he fed multitudes with bread fish of his owne power shee fed them likwise of her store through his power Thus doe wee see how neere this Saint resembled and approached her dearest Spouse so neere that I may say yet more that they seeme to be as One since shee being vnited with him was One and the self same in spirit with him so Deifyed in a sort where I leaue her adoring the blessed Trinity shee hauing through a diuine and Seraphicall Loue ascended so by the ladder aforesaid from the lowest state of a Coniugall lifâ—… to the highest pitch of the burning and most amorous Seraphins Now then to descend againe excuse my rudenes while I call vpon you Mirrour of piety Patterne of sanctity Modell of innocency image of vertue Example of perfection Terrour of Diuills Consolation of the afflicted You the faire Elizabeth the Wel Beloued of the blessed Spirits the Sister the Doue and singular Spouse of your beloued Iesus Most delicious soule most mercyfull and gracious in the midst of the pleasures now and diuine delights which you enioy Graunt I beseech you I may allwayes remayne vnder the shadow of your wings vnder the folds of your protection and sweet mercy intercede you for the saluation of my soule for the corporall health and happy successe of mee poore Worme and miserable wretch Obtayne for mee all those gifts of God which are expedient for mee and to his greater glory that I may be Maister of my passions and haue a soueraigne commaund ouer all my affections You who already haue found such grace in the sight of God cause through your prayers O dearest Saint of many Saints most deare vnto mee O noble Princesse of Thuringia I may alwayes find grace in the sight of God your dearest Spouse and before the whole celestial Court of the blessed Saints and holy Spirits Graunt I beseech you I may not once forget or euer seeme to neglect the meanes of my saluation that mine Enemyes may neuer vaunt they haue preuayled against me that being fed with the bread of grace of life of wisdome receiuing the sacred food of Angels which is the precious Body of my sweet Iesus your dearest Spouse and mine I may suck in the fountayne self the sweet pleasures of the Diuinity and be inebriated and drunk of the diuine consolations O let your humble seruant find so much grace with your deare Spouse that his deuout prayers may suddainely bee heard his vowes and good desires find entrance and accesse to his Throne of Maiesty that his iust petitions may freely be accorded to And this doe I demaund of your this I desire and â—…quire of you by all the acts of pure dilection which in your prayers your euer aymed leueled at the Diuinity And while I shal performe my race in this list in the vale of miseryes his Omnipotency would please to vnite my hart and spirit vnto his more then most holy one through the sacred cheyne of his most fair transforming and deifying loue And pardon mee ô most holy Lady gracious S. Elizabeth that offering your and dedicating to your honour in all humility this litle Work of myne I doe it in so poore a fashiou Oh graciously deigne to accept it so and it shall be rich enough Amen FINIS Luc ca. 18. 1. Rom. 8. 17. â—…ob 12. 〈◊〉 Gen 24. Tim. 2 Isaye 3. Iob 31 Eccl. 10. 9. Io. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 â—… 11 2. Cor. 6. 14. 1. Cor. 7. 28. Eccl. 25. 2. Luc 9. Exod 2â—… 12. Gen. 3. Leuiâ—… 25. 1. Ioh 3. In 〈◊〉 Brig L. 6. de bell Iud c. 6. Psal. 15. Orat. in 4â—… Mart. Conâ—… Amb. l. 4 c. 2. de San. Io. 1. c. 3. Io. 14.