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
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
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
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
the name of Lady or Mistresse she would onely be called by them by her proper name and that as familiarly as they vse to style it Finally Causing them to sit downe with her at the same table she would bee their Cooke sometymes in her turne and eate together of the same dish with them Which humility of hers when one of her Maydes admiring sayed Good Woman you litle regard it seemes our daunger heere while seeking to encrease your own merits you put vs in hazard to be easily tempted with proud cogitations by being made so familiar with you and vsed as yous equals Whereby we may loose the fruite of our conuersation with you Whereto Elizabeth replyed Why Daughter if it trouble thee so to sit by mee at the same Table thon shalt eate and take thy meate from my Lap and made her so to do in good earnest This her humility and Mildenes of behauiour was likewise adorned with a wonderous gratious kind of speach Which she alwayes practized among her Maydes And as she had a strange and extraordinary Care that noe words of vanity should come from them or peeuish or distastful speach be vtered by them in her presence against each other as with the best disposed wil happen now and then eyther by words signes or otherwise she would readily and handsomely checke them for it in a very good manner saying Where is our Lord now Sisters who promised assuredly to be present with his Seruants whensoeuer they talked of him Her sharpenes was mixed with such sweetnes that as she would dissemble and winke at noe faultes soe she was not austere in punnishing any While her familiarity caused not impunity nor her rebukes carryed any acerbity with them THE THIRD BOOKE THE THIRD BOOK OF THE HISTORY OF S. ELIZABETH Of the exceeding Charity of S. Elizabeth towards her Neighbour especially the sick With her great humility CHAP. I. SEEING wee are al pertakers of the self same nature and euery lyuing creature is apt to loue and affect another like to it self and that Man especially is borne without weapons or corporal defence as other creatures are as being wholy made for peace and concord it followes by consequence how greatly wee stand in neede of each other and this same so ordayned of God for a stricter bond of mutual Charity and assistance one of another For while one loues or hates his neighbour he loues or hates the Image of God framed by his owne hand Noe maruaille then if Elizabeth considering these things as doubtles she did was found to bee so charitable towards the poore vpon al occasions in whom shee considered the said Image of God to remayne so liuely imprinted as it were in the nature of Man But then considering him againe as redeemed by the pretious Blood of our Sauiour Christ though otherwise he had had no such dignity at al before in his Creation she wel vnderstood the Ransome had beene able it self to haue made him farre more pretious â—…en heauen and earth and consecuently she laboured by al meanes to â—…leiue these Images of God so preâ—…ous and soto be valued for either â—…tles And she wisely pondered â—…ithal what good soeuer was found 〈◊〉 her Neighbour was the goods â—…f God and common to al and what â—…uil a common calamity and detriâ—…ent to al that as wee are al members as it were of the same body she considered how careful wee ought to â—…ee to succour releiue one another â—…s wee see in the body of a man how sensible are al the members of the hurt â—…r dommage of any particular one Besides these common inducements to moue her vnto Charity towards the needy and afflicted neighbour she would likewise help and excite her self thereunto by this special reason That euen those whâ—…m she beheld to bee in great extreamityes either of pouerty sicknes or greiuous infirmityes she might happily one day see obserue to bee heyres of God and coheyres of Christ resplendent as the Sunne in the kingdome of their heauenly Father Citizens among the Saints and Dearest to God and might behold there as so many Aultars of incense as so many Kings of glorie and so many Organs to praise and exalt the most holy Trinity The deepe apprehension no doubt of these things had bred that enflamed Charity she felt in her self in relieuing assisting and comforting her Neighbour in al distresses This made her when she went to visit the poore in their owne howses as often she did to be allwayes attended by one or other to carry along with her sundry sorts of al kind of prouisions as meate drinke and clothes for the purpose not omitting the while fit medecins for the sick as she vnderstood they were in need and would minister to them with her owne hands and deale distribute to the poore what necessary things she had brought with her and accordingly examine their apparel and other necessaryes for their howses as bedds sheetes couerlets and blanckets and euer supply what was wanting if she had wherewithal and if she had it not she would prouide it for them by selling her rings of gold her bracelets and iewells which stil she had for the same purpose so as she was forced at last to sel with much disaduantage certaine apparel she wore in former tymes as yet left her to furnish them with things which she held to bee simply needeful for them Amid these spoyles which she made so of her owne goods she being now exhausted not hauing wherewith to ful-fil the suite and humble request of a poore man who begged but a sory fish at her hands on a certaine day of abstinence she made her prayer to Christ very anxiously for him when arising from prayer whether it were that she expected what followed as the fruits and effect thereof or that otherwise she had neede of some water for some vses of hers I cannot say but she going to the Spring to draw thereof where no fish at al could bee any wayes expected she fetched vp one in her bucket for the satisfying of the hunger or the longing of the poore man this is certaine she drew vp the fish and giuing it to him sent him away exceedingly wel satisfyed And verily it is thought she had done the like before and after diuers tymes which stil for humility she sought to conceale but could not now do it in his presence who doubtles went away satisfyed praysing the works of God being so miraculously fed through the prayers and merits of Elizabeth the great Seruant of God Her Charity likewise much appeared in a certaine difficult thing for being a woman of that condition as she was so delicately bred vp as she had beene tooke vpon her to tend an Orphan sick of many irksome and greiuous diseases at once as of the palsey catarrhe and bloody flux so as very often in the night she was fayne to take vp the child in her tender armes not being otherwise able