as I haue said before who after Trithemius liued in the yeare of our Lord. 660. and adding the time this holy Saint liued after his death he died in the yeare of our Lord. 700. or there aboutes The Spanish originall saith 720. vpon a Sunday The tvvelue brethren Martyrs ON THE same day that the Church celebrateth the feast of S. Giles it also maketh a commemoration of the twelue brethren martirs The martirdome of these twelue holy men was written in heroicall verse by Alfan monke of Monte Cassin◠who liued in the yeare of our Lord. 1108. That which we can extract out of this Author and out of other martyrologes concerning the life of these holy Saints is That they were martirized in Beneuento in the time of Valerian Emperour of Rome in the yeare of our Lord. 258. The names of the holy martires were thes Donatus Faelix Acontius Honoratus Fortunatus Sabinianus Soptimius Ianuarius Faelix Secundus Vitalis Satyrus and REPOSITVS They were in bloud noble and all of them had bene well instructed in humanity diuinity They all preached the Ghospell of IESVS CHRIST and many were conuerted vnto the faith of CHRIST by their doctrine They were all layed in most dark prisons Then were they taken foorth and brought into the high street where they thrust their handes hard into certain pieces of wood and afterward made fier vnderneth them Then in the presence of the same Valerian they bound them vnto certain cordes and ropes which ranne in polleis and so hoised them alofe into the aire then they let them falle on a soodaine and gaue them the most cruell strappado This sufficed not but they also scourged them and then tore and rent their flesh with hookes of Iron to the execessiue paine torment of the holy martires the officers herin displaying their cruell mindes Then they put them to the fier again and set the kindled torches to their bare sides but the holy Saints endured and abode all very constantly which the tyrant seing and awearied in putting them vnto so many torments did lastly cause all of them to be beheaded and by this martirdome their mortall liues ended and their soules went to the ioyes of heauen * ⎠* The Natiuitie of our B. Ladie THE sacred scripture in the booke of Exodus recounteth that Moyses Cap 2. being borne his father and mother knewe not howe to deliuer him from death for that king Pharao had made a decree that all the male children that were borne of the Hebrewes should be put to death The resolution of his parents was this They made a baskett of Rushes and dawbed it ouer with claye wherein they put Moyses and laying him thus in the Ryuer Nylus they let him go to take his aduenture By this inuention he escaped death for the daughter of Pharao seing him caused him to be taken out and to he brought vp as if he had bene her owne sonne After this he came to be the captaine of the Hebrewes Moyses was a figure of IESVS CHRIST who for that he was to be cast into the water of this world which is full of stormes there was made a litle basket wherein he was put which signifieth the blessed virgin his mother who is a basket annoynted ouer on the outside The holie virgin is like vnto the rushes for she had no bark of Actuall sinne nor no knott of Originall sinne She remained neere vnto the torrent of waters for that she enioyed those goodes that spring from that liuelye fountaine of God in great aboundancy for that she is neere conioyned vnto his maiestie This litle basket hath the claie without which was the grace wherwith God preserued and defended her that her soule could receaue no damage neither after she was borne into the world nor in the wombe of her mother Anna. God was put in this basket being made man in her sacred and holie wombe and for that respect that she was to be his mother God bestowed graces and fauours vpon her aboundantly And that we may see for what reason the church celebrateth the feast of the natiuity of this glorious virgin before that we recount the history therof it shal be well done for vs to consider the dignity for the which shee was borne the worthy and eminent estate shee ought to haue and her great familiarity with God I SAY then that though this virgin had diuers names and titles all maiesticall and stately yet are none to be equalized to the name of the Mother of God for this cause alweis when the euangelists name her in the discourse of the ghospell they call her the mother of God Math. 1. The Euangelist S. Matthew fetching the pettigree of her most noble linage from Abraham when he cometh to name her and her spouse Ioseph forthwith he addeth of whom Iesus that is called Christ was borne When he writeth of the commyng of the three kings or sages to adore Iesus Christ Math. 2. he saith they found him with Mary his mother S. Luke also writing howe the B. Virgin went to visitte S. Elizabeth her cosin Luc. 1. saith the good old woman resaluted her with thes words Howe haue I deserued this that the mother of my Lord cometh to visite me The same S. Luke saith that when Iesus was 12. Luc. 2. yeres old and staied behind her at Ierusalem and was found after three daies his mother said vnto him Sonne why hast thou done this vnto me Ion. 3. S. Iohn speaking of the wedding in Cana of Galilee where Iesus Christ and the glorious virgin were present he repeateth twise the name of the mother of Iesus The same Euangelist writing also of the mystery of the passion saith Ioan. 19. that Iesus Christ being on the Crosse there was his mother present in such sort that in this and the other places of the ghospel the Euangelist always giue vnto her this most noble name of the mother of God The same Christ our Lord as often as he nameth himself is called the sonne of man which words meane after the opinion of many holy doctors the sonne of the virgin The holy church hath alwaies had such care of that name that in the Ephesine councell which was one and the third of the same generall counceles which was celebrated in the time of Pope Celestinus and of thempeior Theodosius where Cyril the great was present and. 200. Bishops were assembled the principall thing that was determined therin and for which thy were assembled was that it should be helden for a Catholike verity and an article of faith that the glorious virgin Mary was Cyrill in tract pecul Dam. l. 4. c. 15. de side orthod Aug. in c. 2. Ioan. D. Tho 3. p. q. 31. ar 4. and is the very true mother of God as truly and verytably as other mothers are to their true and naturall children The same was confirmed in the time of Pope Leo the first Martian themperor
for the vse of the aforesaid monasteries but also ranne vnto the bottome of the mounteine and endured a longe time Though this miracle was done by S. Benedict yet Placidus was a party therein for that he went with him and praied with him was a testimony therof Vertue is alwaies enuyed and maligned and the good doe ordinarily suffer persecutions So one Florentius spiting S. Benedict his neighbor resolued for to persecute him He did it first presenting to him by a messenger bred impoisoned but the holy man knowing what was with in it gaue it to a crowe coÌ„manding him to cary it and leaue it in the desert where it should hurt no man The wicked man seeing he could not accomplish his intent by this deuise agreed with a woman to enter all naked into the garden of the monastery and by dishonest behauiour tempt the moÌ„kes to lewdnes This villanous trick against his monks displeased greatly S. Benedict especially fearing lest Maurus and Placidus being yong youths might thereby susteine some wrong be annoied but God spake to him in his sleep with sweet amiable words bidding him depart out of that country and go and build a monastery in Monte Cassinâ— The holy man obeied and in his iourney visited the holy places and monasteries he had built in that countrey in that seasoÌ„ the house fell vpon Florentius that wicked persecutor and killed him which thing Maurus wrote vnto his father seeming to be glad that their order was freed froÌ„ that persecutor but he reproued him sharply for the same Hauing then set all his conuents in good order in the yere of our Lords 529 he with his two disciples Placidus and Maurus iourneied toward Mont Cassino and as they passed by a village called Aureola nere the city Hercularia it was reuealed vnto him that in thaâ— place was to be builded a famous monastery of his order for which cause he commaunded his two disciples to stay there certain daies to lay the fouÌ„dations that being done to go on to Monte Cassino where he would be They obeied the glorious father S. Benedict proceeded on his iourney and came to Monte Cassino where for the space of 40. daies he continued in praier not farre from a temple of Apollo after which time inspired and fauored of God he destroied the Idoll threw downe the Altar and defaced the foundation and all signes of Idolatry which he could finde Then came his two disciples and began to founde the monastery which was after the head of all his order and built a Church vnto S. Martin in the place where the Idoll before had bin He made an altar to S. Iohn Euangelist and this being done he also preached vnto the people of that countrey and conuerted theÌ„ vnto the faith of CHRIST These doings of the holy man enraged the deuill wherfore he persecuted him all that he might appeared to him ougly in dreadfull shapes Placidus Maurus heard the roaring and howling that he made all though thy did not see his shape He did them also all the harme he could by endeuoring to disturbe the work and the building of the monastery makiÌ„g the stones verie weighty casting downe the walles raising fantisticall fires but by the praiers of S. Benedict they were deliuered from all these mischiefs Monte Cassino all the territorie had bin the possession of Terâ—ullus father vnto Placidus who vnderstanding how S. Benedict built there a monastery reioiced much therat and went thither to visite him accompanied with many other noble Romans as Boetius Simmachus Vitalianus Gordianus and Equitius When the blessed man vnderstood of their comming he went with Placidus to the doore of the monastery to receaue theÌ„ Terâ—ullus seing S. Benedict whose body was feeble and withered with great fasting alighted froÌ„ his horse and decked with riche and gay apparrell as he was fell on the ground to kisse his feete The holy patriarch lifted him vp and embraced him both of them weeping for tendernes of heart The whole company went into the Church of S. Martin in the which were many relligious men Tertullius did embrace them all and incontinent in the presence of those noblemen Consuls and Senators which came with him offred to God and to S. Benedict the monte Cassino with all the lands and villages thereunto apperteyning and because it was his patrimony which he enherited from his father he made a publick writing therof after the Romaine vse and maner In like maner he made a deed of guift of other posessions villages and castles and of a house in the which his sonne Placidus was borne being within Rome vpon the mounte Celius in which place was after made a Church called S. Erasmus And Equitius the Senator made a donation vnto the Abbot in the name of him self and of his sonne Maurus of some of his lands and posessions lyeng in Naples Gordianus in the name of himself and of his wife Siluia offered some villages and arrable grounds vnto the blessed Abbot theÌ„ they returned back to Rome The posessions that Tertullius the father of Placidus gaue to S. Benedict were 18. villages in Sicilie with hauens woods ryuers and parks When it was know in the Is'land that Tertullius had giuen those things vnto the monks diuers persons iniuriously inâ—â—uded themselfs into theÌ„ and kept theÌ„ by force The ouer seers and bailiues of them certefied S. Benedict therof who assembled his monks to treate of a meanes to remedy the same it was determined that Placidus should go thither who should be respected as being sonne to Tertulius and that he with his discretion would bring all things to good passe He as an obedient sonne was content to go thither and accompanied with two of his houshold friends Gordianus and Donaâ—â—s departed from Monte Cassino on the 20 day of May in the yeare of our Lord 536 and came vnto Capua where Germanus B. of that citie receaued them courteously At that time Zoffa chief secretary to the Church of Capua was grieuously troubled with the headache and hearing of coÌ„ming of Placidus disciple of S. Benedict whose miracles were renowned in all places came vnto him and said I beseech thee ô Placidus seruant of God by the name of thy maister Benedict which is worthy of all reuerence to lay thy hand vpon my head for I stedfastly belieue that if thou doest I shall be healed Placidus was aggrieued that he made such a request desired him to depart in peace for it was not fitt to request such things of him but of his Mr S. Benedict or of such other holy meÌ„ for he was a greeuous sinner needed the praiers of good men himself The B. Germanus hearing his wordes esteemed him to be very humble and besought him to performe the request of the sick man Placidus thought not good to gainsay the request of so holy and famous a prelate and so he laid his hand vpon the sick man and
their blood for the faith of Christ and their virginity were accordinge to Adon S. Vrsula guide and theife leader of all the rest and Sentia Gregoria Pinnosa Mardia Saula Britula Saturnina Saturnia Rabacia Palladia Clementia and Grata On That day in with they suffered Christ their sweet and beloued spouse triumphed in these holy virgins ouer infidelity and carnality ouer sinne and hell and declared of what greater force the vertue of a Christian is in sufferinge death then the crueltie of the diuell and his ministers in inflicinge it for that his soldiers by their fall arise by their death ouercome and thereby receane a nowne of eternall glorie The bodies of these holy virgins were gathered together by the Christians with great deuotion and carried to the citie of Collen which is seated vpon the same riuer of Rhene where was erected a famous monastery of Nuns and euen vntill this day many heads of these holy virgins are to be â—eene and are reuerenced with singular deuotion although they be distributed into many parts of Christendome Some are of opinion that the place in which the holy bodies of these virgins now remaine is the verie same in with they were martirized because the earth on which that Church is built will not retaine any dead bodie although it be of a child newly baptized but by niâ—ht it casteth it forth as Lindanus Bishoppe or Ruremund recounteth giuinge this as a token that God will not haue any other body to be buried where the bodies of these so many virgins and martirs his spouses lie who there shed their purest blood for the confession of his faith and defence of their chastitie It is recounted also that S. Vrsula and her holy companions fauour and assist them at the hower of their death who in their life-time haue been deuoted vnto them The martirdome of these virgins was accordinge to Baronius in the yeere of our Lord 383. Baron tom 4. Annal an 383. Graetian and Valentinian and Theodosius the elder rulinge the Empire whome Gratian had made his compartener in the Empire seeinge himselfe to be straightened on euery side by the warres of so many barbarous people and standinge in neede of the assistance of so valourous a Captaine It was also vpon the 21. of October vpon which day the Holy Chuch celebrateth their feast Of these 11000 virgins besides those authors we haue already rehearsed haue written wandalbertus Vide Baron in Annâ—t Martirol 21. Oct. Claud-Rota Cap 134. Bonfin decad â— lib. 5. Petrus de Natal lib. 9. cap. 87. Polid lib 3. Surius tom 5. who florished in the yeere of our Lord 850 Sigibertus Moncke of the Monestery cald Gimblacense who liued almost 500 yeeres since Rogerius Cisterciensis Richardus Praemonstratensis Claudius de Rota Bonfinius in his Historie of the affaires of Hungarie Petrus de Natalibus Polidore Virgill in his Historie of England and aboue all the rest more copiousely Laurentius Surius in his fift tome of the liues of Saincts * ⎠* The life of SS Chrisantus Daria martirs SAINT Chrisantus was borne in the cittie of Alexandria he was sonne to an honourable Gentleman of the order of senators called Polemius who together with his sonne and the rest of his familie came to dwell at Rome where he was most graciouslie and friendlie wellcomed and honourablie aduaunced by Numerianus the emperoure Being once setled at Rome the greatest care of Polemius was to haue his sonne Chrisantus that was of a quick and piercing witt and great capacity trained vp in learning As Chrisantus was turning ouer manie bookes and seeking out suche as were most for his purpose it happened by the especiall prouidence of God that he mett with one wherein were written all the foure ghospells He did peruse them attentiuely and read them from the beginning to the end he plainely perceaued the steppes of darknesse and shade of death wherein he had walked and that our soules had no other light sauing online CHRIST IESVS And being desirous to haue the riches hidden in that booke more disclosed vnto him and vnderstanding how a famous clearke in holie writte named Carpophorus lay secrett in a caue for feare of the persecution he went vnto him and with teares besought him to instruct him in the faith and the ghospell of CHRIST Carpophorus did willingly accomplish his desire he instructed him first and then Baptized and lasty so confirmed and strenghthned him in oure faith that seauen daies after he openlie auouched and taught in Rome that IESVS CHRIST was the onlie true God Polemius came to haue notice heereof and partly for zeale of his blinde religion parely for feare of the cruell lawes and punishments established against the Christians he was greatly enraged with his sonnes proceedings whom he therefore committed to a darke and close prison assigninge him his meate with a scant and verie hard allowance But findinge this punishment was to litle purpose and wrought no other effect in Chrisantus but online to strengthen him in his faith he tooke another course of kinde vsage and gentleness and pamperinge seekinge by the meanes of certaine bond woemen of his owne yonge beautifull and gallantly attired to peruert him and allure him to naughtiness that leesing his chastitie he mighe the more easilie loose faith They brought him out of prison they apprailed him richely they lodged him in a goodly chamber most costly furnished and hanged the woemen came in to performe theire lewd and wicked intent but Chrisantus fearinge his frailtie and feebleness lyfted vp his eies to heauen crauing helpe and succoure of oure Lord. Metaphr in vit Chrisanti And he did affoord it him so boundantly that as Simeon Metaphrastes writeth a heauie sleepe and drousiness so deepelie possessed those woemen that none could awake them except they were caried out of the chamber and by this meanes God preserued his seruaunt from so great a daunger Polemius did iudge it more conuenient for his purpose to seeke our some faire yonge gentlewoman wise louely discreet and gracious and matche her with his sonne and make her his heire to the end that she as his lawfull wife might work his minde and make it more pliant which the others being seruants could not bring to pass Amonghst the virgens of Minerua they found out one called Daria endued with all the rare gifts and qualities that might be desired wished in a woman They acquinted her with all theire designes and purposes yet hardly could perswade her to marrie Chrisantus and vndergoe that taske of healinge him from that which they called madness Not withstanding at length the teares of old Polemius and a strong imagination that heerein she did her Gods great good seruice did make her relent and win her to doe it She aparailed her selfe most goregeouslie she came into the place where the yonge mau was with a comely behauioure yert some what streigning it to a light wantoness aad heedeless demeanure she assailed him with
gotten with child and the author of that wickednes was not knowen She being vpon the time of her deliuery her father and mother vrged her to tell the man that had dishonored her that they might inflict vpon him some punishment agreable to his desert Shee to free her self from further reproache for that he was of so base a coÌ„dition and estate that she was ashamed to say who it was laid the blame vpon a deacon of the Apostles saing that he committed that villany The deacon was forth with taken and led before the king The Apostles vnderstanding therof and knowing he was innocent went to the court and requested the king that the parties and the child that was new borne might be brought before him and so it was done The Apostle asked when the child was borne and they said that the same day then they looked on the child and said vnto him we commaund thee in the name of IESVS CHRIST to tell vs if this deacon hath committed the offence that thy mother chargeth him withall The infant aunswered This deacon is good and chast and neuer in his life committed any carnall sinne and he is not my father His ennemies vrged the Apostles instantly to ask of the child who it was that had committed the offence they aunswered It is lawfull for vs to cleare the innocent but it is not fit for vs to disclose them that are faulty And at this the wholle company remained astonied and amazed The faith being well planted in that place they departed from Babilon went preaching through many prouinces of that kingdome and at last they came to a very rich city called Suamir in which place Zaroes and Arphaxat the two magitians told the ministers of the Idolls that the Apostles were in the city Wherfore many of them assembled and took the Apostles and imprisoned them and led Simon to the temple of the Sonne and Thadeus to the temple of the Moone for to adore them but at the praiers of the Apostles the Idolls and their statues fell in pieces and to dust and out of them went two deuills in the shape of Negroes with horrible roaring and houling The painims were moued therat with such indignatioÌ„ that in a rage and with infernall fury they ranne vpon the Apostles and cut them in pieces At that time the heauens and skie was cleare and calme and one a sodein it was couered with black clouds which powred downe a dredfull tempest and withall fell many thunderbolts which beat downe to the ground the temples of the Idolls nere vnto them and slew many of the Painims among whom were the two Magitians whose bodies were afterwards found beaten to ashes The king of Babilon who was a Christian was much grieued for the death of the Apostles and sent men to fetch their bodies vnto Babilon where he caused a Church to be builded vnto them in which place they remained for a while They were after ward caried to Rome and laid in the Church of S. Peter The martirdome of these holy saints was on the 28. day of October and on the same day the Church celebrateth their feast The Apostle Iude Thaddeus wrote one epistle which is numbered in the canonicall scripture God graunt we may be all written in the book of life Amen The martirdome of these two holy saints was in the yeare of our Lord 64. in the time of Nero the Emperour after the opinion of Onuphrius and Canisius * ⎠* The end of the month of October NOVEMBER The feast of all Saincts THe sacred scripture in the booke of Hester recounteth Cap. 1 that king Assuetus to shew the greatnes and majesty of his Empire in the third yeare of his raigne made a most solemne feast to the Lordes and Princes of his court and to all other the subjects of his kingdomes This feast lasted manie daies the tables were allwaies couered and richly furnished with most costlie meat and delicious wines and euerie other thing was in great aboundance No man was forbidden but euery man might eare when and of what it best pleased him Yet that in which the greatnes and maiestie of the king was showed was as said the text that there was great store of wine and that most excellent and such was giuen to euery one as pleased him best When the king made this feast Queene Vasti his wife made also another vnto her Ladies and the damosells of the court in which likewise her magnificence and bountie wasshewed being serued also at her tables with sundrie different dishes of most delicate viandes This feast is a figure and representation of that which passeth in the triumphant and millitant Church The great king Assuerus representeth our Lord God who to shew the glory and maiestie of his Empire in the third yeere of his kingdome made a most solemne feast unto the Princes and Lords of his court and all other of his kingdomes These three yeeres signifie the three estates and ages of the world to witt of the law of nature of the law written and of the law of grace That king Assuerus made this feast in the third yeare signifieth that in the third age and state of the world to witt in the time of the law of grace our Lord God opened heauen for before in the time of the law of nature and law written heauen was shut vp from men and they could not enter thereinto but in the time of the law of grace God opened his royall pallace and inuited all the great Lords of his court to participate and enioy the rich treasors he had therein as the Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Virgins do who sit continually at his celestiall tables and eate that which is most to their content For the viands or meaâ—es being variable to witt the delights and contents in heauen being sundrie euery one taketh and reacheth that which sauoureth best to him But aboue all the wine for that it is most excellent maketh the feast better and sheweth the greatnes thereof This wine signifieth the taste and suauity of the Holie Ghost which is bestowed among them in great aboundance the blessed being as it were inebriated of God are made partakers thereof and haue no mind ner thought of any thing that may bring discontent or anney but all things causeth vnto them vnspeakable ioye and delight This is the feast which the king made It is said also that the Queene made a feast to the Ladies and damosells of the court By the Queene is vnderstood the Catholique Church who maketh a feast vnto her women and damosells that is the soules trauayling in her affaires It is not altogether from the purpose if it be said that they that be in the millitant Church be called woemen and they that be in the triumphant be called men because as man is the more perfect creature then woman so there is found more perfection in them that be in heauen then in them that be on the
earth though they be all holie persons the reason is this they which be in heauen cannot fall any more but they that be holie on earth may fall againe and so do many and often tymes Before Queene Vasty kept this feast she gaue vnto her damosells to eate sometimes of one kind of meat sometimes of an other yet moderately and in measure but on the festiuall daye she gaue them all kind of delicacies most freely So also the Catholique Church maketh ready her table daily for all faithfull beleevers yet diuersly some dayes with one ind of meat somedaies with another Sometimes she maketh a feast and giueth meat to all them that haue been good all the time of their liues and this she doth in celebrating the feast of S. Iohn Baptist Another day she dres seth a dinner for great sinners presenting vnto them a Mathew a Marie Magdalene which for a season offended God by their wicked liues She also maketh a feast for religious men on the day of S. Benedict S. Dominik S. Francis and such others as they be She maketh a feast to the religious recluses on the day of S. Clare of S. Catherine of Siena and such others To the maried people when she celebrateth the feast of S. Ioseph Vnto Kings and great Lords on the daie of the Epiphanie when the feast of the three kings is celebrated vnto Bishops and Prelates on the daie of S. Ambrose S. Martin S. Nicholas of such like Vnto virgins and damosells on the day of S. Agnes S. Lucy and many others But the day of all Saints signifieth the day that Queene Vasty made the feast and prepared the royall banquet vnto all her ladies damosells because on this day the Catholique Church doth prepare and dresse meat for all manner of people when she celebrateth the feast-day of all the saints in heauen who be a patterne and example for all men in the world that by imitating them they may reforme their liues and amend all loose and lewd behauiour DIVERS and sundrie reasons haue been diuersly alleadged why the Church of God doth celebrate a feast of all the saints together One reason is the dedication of a temple which was consecrated in Rome in the name of all the Saints Ado Bishop of Vienna and those authors that write the liues of the popes and Emperours relate it in this manner In chro aetat 6 ano 604. About the yeare of our Lord 608. Boniface the 4. being pope there raigned in Constantinople Phocas the Emperour who though he be noted to be couetous and cruell yet was he a Catholique prince very affectionate to the Church of Rome and a priuate friend vnto Pope Boniface There had been built in Rome a most sumptuous temple in honour of Cybele that false goddesse mother of all the Gods and in the name of all the other Gods also This was built by Marcus Agrippa a noble man of Rome who called it by a greek name Pantheon that is to say the habitation of all the Gods The temple is round and hath no other windowe but one great hole in the top thereof which giueth light to all the temple It is said Agrippa caused it to be built in that fashion for that he would not shew himself partiall toward the Gods in setting one in a more honorable place then another but to make them all equall and by the iudgment of those that haue skill in Architecture it is held the most artificiall building that is in our knowne world Of this temple with the consent of the Emperour Phocas because he had iurisdiction and comaunded in Rome and a great part of Italy Boniface made a Church consecrated it to the mother of God and of all saints His reason was that euen as the pagans in this temple had adored the diuells and all the crew of their heathenish Gods with Cibele their mother so from thence forth there should be honored in the same place the Blessed mother of the true sonne of God and all the whole court of heauen with the holie martirs also For at that time they did not so ordinarilie celebrate in the Church the festiuall daies of the Confessors The Pope called this feast S. Mariaad Martires and willed it should be kept on the ninth day of May. Afterward Pope Gregorie the 4. who liued in the yeare of our Lord 827. after the opinion of Onuphrius Panuinius translated the feast vnto the first of Nouember because of the infinite number of people that resorted to Rome to sollemnise that feast Wherefore he thought it more conuenient to transferre it vnto a season wherein the fruits of the earth were inned and brought into the barnes that there might be sufficient store therof and no scarcity for the pilgrimes and strangers as there was wont to be and is ordinarilie in the month of May. At this present that Church is called S. Maria Rotunda the daie is called the daie of all saints On the first of Nouember it is celebrated with great sollemnitie and marueilous concurse of people to the honour of the B. virgin Mary and all saints And this may be one of the reasons why the Catholique Church celebrateth this sollemnity Another reason is for that the Church endeuoureth to satisfie in honoring all saints in common since it is not possible so to do in particuler feastes The holie Ghost by whom the Church is ruled and gouerned apointeth some feast daies of saints to be kept festiuall besides those daies which are kept holie in the honour of CHRIST his B. mother and the Apostles The reason why feast day of one faint is celebrated more then another may be because they were martired in Rome which is the head of the world and the perpetuall sea of the vicar of CHRIST as long as the world endureth as S. Laurence S. Agnes and others Or for that their bodies haue been translated thither from other countries as S. Anastasius and S. Gorgonius Or else for that they haue been renowned martirs as S. Vincent of Valentia the Spaniard and S. Catherine of Alexandria or it may be for some other such like cause The reasons of them all are not knowne but secret As of the saints which the same Church putteth into the Canon of the masse Sup Canon Leâ—â— 32. lit K. for though they imiâ—ate liuely as Gabriell saith the passion of CHRIST yet it seemeth there be saints of more fame which might haue beene set in that most rare singuler place as well as other that be there as S. Sebastian S. Georg many others Yea as the same Gabriell saith it hat beene knowne that some men in particuler Churches haue taken some saints out of the Canon put others in their place it hath beene found that they that haue beene blotted out haue beene put in againe and they that were newlie written were cancelled and blotted out So that it seemeth there is in it some misterie
came vnto them a priest and seruant of God dwelling in Rome called Nicomedes who said masse and gaue them the B. Sacrament S. Petronilla hauing communicated began a long and feruent speech vnto IESVS CHRIST saieng that she had offered her virginity vnto him with a perpetuall vow and therfore desired him not to permit it to be violated against her will S. Felicula also as a true friend aided her importunating our Lord to deliuer his handmaid out of that danger though she desired not her death It was Gods pleasure to giue Petronilla remedy by that means for hauing ended her oraisons she went vnto bed and yelded vp her soule vnto God The matrones and damsells Flaccus had sent to accompany the spouse vnto his house on the wedding day came in god time to solemnise the funeralls of the holy saint When Flaccus was certefied and sawe Petronilla to be dead he cast his eies vpon Felicula who was very sorowfull for the death of her friend being very beutifull which drew the affection of Flaccus in such sort that he was enamored of her also and after many wordes he vsed to that purpose he finished his speach thus Felicula elect one of thes two things please thy self either to be my wife or els sacrifice vnto the Gods The good damsell made him this bold answere I will not be thy wife for I haue IESVS CHRIST to my spouse and I will not sacrifice vnto thy Gods for that I am a Christian when Flaccus hard the resolute answere of Felicula he deliuered her into the hands of the liuetenant to giue iudgment vpon her He kept her fast in a dark roome for seuen daies and beside other vexations he kept her from any sustenance Some women that belonged vnto the prison said vnto her Alas poore girle why art thou so fond as to dy willingly this euill death Take this great Lord vnto thy husband who is beutifull riche and in the flower of his youth and highly fauored of th' emperor who hath made him gouernour of this city other women would haue ben right glad therof and thou makest no account of him which may turne to thy damage and losse of life The blessed damosell replied I am the spouse of IESVS CHRIST and I will not mary any other but him After that seuen daies expired Felicula was led vnto the Vestall virgins where she remanied certein daies but she would neuer eate of the meat that they did eate bicause it was offered and sacrificed vnto the goddesse Vesta for if she had eaten therof she had giuen a signe to consent vnto their Idolatry and other Christians would haue bene much scandalised therat When the deputy vnderstood the constancy of Felicula he caused her to be taken out of that place and to be tortured with the torture called Eculeus and when she was tortired there with she said with a loud voice Now do I see my beloued IESVS CHRIST vpon whom I haue fixed my loue The excutioners said vnto her Say that thou art not a Christian and thou shalt be deliuered from this torture She answered I do not deny neither will I deny my beloued IESVS CHRIST who for my sake was crowned with thornes and had gall giuen him for drink and also died on the Crosse The executioners tooke her of from that torment and threw her in a gutter or sink in the which the blessed damosell yelded vp her soule vnto Almighty God Nicomedes the priest that had said masse giuen the B. sacrament vnto S. Petronilla on the day of her death and had laine cloâ—e and hidden in a caue for feare of the persecution was aduertised therof and one night he departed out of the caue and took the body of S. Felicula from thence and buried it a mile out of Rome in the way toward Ardea Flaccus being told what Nicomedes had done caused him to be apprehended for the same and being instigated by the fiend willed him to sacrifice vnto the gods The good priest said he would not sacrifice to any but to Almightie God that raigned in the heauens for that they whom they reputed gods were no other but stocks and stones which remained in their temples like prisoners The gouernour commaunded he should be whipped which was done with such vehemency that the good priest passed out of this vnto a better life in this torment and his body was cast into the riuer Tiber by the commandement of the cursed Iudge but one Iustus his seruant sought carefully after it and caried it being found vnto a garden of his nere vnto the walles of the citty in the way called Numentana there he buried it Vnto which place many Christians resorted and there by the merits of that holy Saint obteined many graces of God The death of S. Nicomedes was on the 15. day of September Spanish saith 52. vnder Clâ—â—dius and on the same day the Church celebrateth his feast It was then as Canisius saith the yeare of our Lord. 90. in the raigne of the Emperour Domitian and the same he saith of S. Petronilla as is already said in her life But many think it was much sooner for if S. Petronilla died in the yeare of our Lord. 90. she must be of necessitie at that time 60. years old because she was borne before that our Lord gaue the chiefest prelacy or Papacy vnto S. Peter her father for froÌ„ thenceforth he obserued chastity And againe if she was so old it is not a thing likely that Flaccus should be ennamoured of her We reade also in the life of Pope Paule 1. that he translated from one place vnto another All this the Spanish hath not in this place the body of S. Petronilla and that he found an epitaph which S. Peter the Apostle had made at her death Which being so it followeth that before the yeare of our Lord. 70. in which S. Peter was crucified S. Petronilla was dead wherfore in mine opinion her death and the martirdome of S. Nicomedes was not in the yeare of our Lord. 90. as Canisius saith but in or about the yeare of our Lord. 60. in the reigne of Nero. The life of S. Cornelius Pope and Martir SALOMON saith in Ecclus Ca. 23. The man that sweareth much shal be full of iniquitie and the plague shall not depart from his house The wise man doth not say he that sweareth falsly but he that sweareth much For that speaking morally he that sweareth much sweareth false at one time or other This sinne displeaseth God so much that he deferreth not the chasticement till the world to come but punisheth it in this life sending plagues vpon the house where such poople be So then if the swearer be afflicted with necessities infirmities and other troubles of this life we may think he hath deserued it for his many oathes Those that be free from such miseries if they desire to be alwaies free let them abstaine from othes swearing The holie Pope Cornelius
honorable memorie of him in celebrating the feastiuall day of his martirdome Yet most stupendious is the miracle straunge the wonder that to this day is seen in the same city of Naples which is this His bloud which is kept is in a violl of glasse congealed and hardened very much yet let it be put right before and against the head of S. Ianuarius and it doth melt and dissolue in such sort that if seemeth to boile or seeth as if it were liuely and did issue and spring euen then out of the veines The passion of all these blessed Saints was on the 19. day of September vnder Dioclesian and Maximian Romain Emperours in the yeare of our Lord. 305. Our holie father Pope Sixtus 5. in the first yeare of his papacy by a Bull commaunded that the said blessed Saints should be put in the Calendar and their office and masse should be celebrated by all faithfull Christians on the day of their Martirdome * ⎠* The life of S. Eustachius and others WE READ in the book of Numbers Ca. 22. that Balac king of Moab douting the Israelits would come and make warre vpon him in his realme sent messengers for Balaam the prophet that he might curse them imagining by that meanes to haue the victory against them The prophet went at his request which displeased God and rode on an asse It fell out that the Asse after a litle trauell staied and would not go forward The prophet rated and bet her and stroke her without discretion or iust cause and as the scripture said God opened the mouth of the beast who also speak vnto him Then did an Angell also speak in the defence of the Asse vnto the prophet and moreouer tole him what he should do This history may be fitly applied vnto S. Eustachius who wandering in the paths of Idollatry and heathenishe errors a thing abhominable in the sight of God was admonished of his errors by a wonderfull meanes God vsed toward him to wit he made a hart of stag to speak vnto him and to instruct him what he ought to do The life of this glorius saint and of his fellowe martirs was written by Symeon Metaphrastes and by S. Antoninus Bishop of Florence in this manner IN the time of Traiane Themperour there was in Rome an honorable and noble Lord called Placidus who was Generall of the horse And though he was a paynim yet did he works in them selues good He was charitable pitifull iust and faith full vnto his Lord. On day as Placidus went on hunting he spyed a goodly harte and pricked his horse with the spurres in pursuite therof The â—art or stag made a stand on a high eminent place and when Placidus approched nere it seemed vnto him that the hart had the signe of one crucified betwen his hornes and withall he heard a voice which said why doest thou persecute me Incontinent he alighted from his horse and kneeling on the ground said who art thou Lord that speakest vnto me The voice replied I am IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God who discended from heaven vnto earth and was crucified for the saluation of mankind and rose ageine to life on the third day Placidus replied againe Lord what is thy pleasure I shall do In what sort wilt thou haue me to serue thee It was answered vnto him My will is that thou thy wife and all thy family be Baptised and so thou shalt find the true way to go vnto heauen and when thou art Baptised my will is that thou be patienâ— and tollerat willingly the afflictions that shall be fall vnto thee and this do for my sake This being said the hart ran swiftly away and departed out of his sight Placidus wondered excedingly and at that instant God touched his hart and so enlightened him that he beheld the blindnes and misery in which he then was by giuyng diuine worship to stocks and stones He went home without delay and conferred and shewed his intent vnto some Christians and to conclude he was Baptised wherin he chaunged his name from Placidus and took the name of Eustachius his wife called Theopista and his two soÌ„nes Agapitus Theopistus were Baptised also After a few dayes Eustachius being well instructed in the Christian faith the deuill began God permitting it to persecute him Iob. c. 1. as he did Iob. The first thing was he slewe all his beasts and cattail wherof he had great store then did all his slaues and bondmen dye and briefely he lost all his goods became so poore and was so abandoned of the world that he was forced to depart out of Rome and lead a priuate life in a poore village In that place the fiend did also persecute him for he incited some wicked persons to take his wife from him and he had not power to resist and withstand them but God did always so preserue her that shee was neuer dishonored He lost also his two sonnes and he remained alone in so great necessity that he was faine to dwell with a rich citizen who made him his baily and ouerseer ouer one of his farmes in the countrey Although the good Eustachius sawe himself brought into this great misery yet euidently appeared in him a generous mind and Christian resolution to tollerat euery thing with patience God proued him like another Iob but when he was in this hard case he thought of him and restored him vnto his former estate For the Emperour Traian hauing designed to make a warre of much import and considering that to bring it to the wished end he must haue an expert generall he called Placidus to his remembrance whom he iudged a man fit for that charge After diligent enquiry he was found and madegenerall of the forces which charge he hauing receaued as he was carefull in mustering men for this gret seruice he came to the knowledg of his two sonnes Agapistus and Theopistus who were among the other souldiors of the army He also found again his wife who in poore and mean array was a seruant to an Inholder The ioy Eustachius had and the infinite thanks he yelded vnto God to see him self deliuered and freed from his former miseries and to haue found again his wife and two sonnes cannot with words be expressed After he had accomplished his entreprise committed vnto him he retorned vnto Rome with great honor and found Traian dead and Adrian installed in the empire Eustachius was receued into Rome with gret pompe and triumph aswell by the Emperour as by the wholl senate And because the custome of the Romain Capteins was that when they entred Rome with Victory they went vnto the temple of Iupiter there they sacrificed Eustachius excused himself saieng he could not do it bicause he was a Christian Themperour the Senate and all the people thought that if the accustomed sacrifice was not done they should neuer after haue any victory for which cause thy were very earnest that Eustachius should sacrifice Eustachius
this he was driuen and banished out of the citty After this S. Telcla was taken and hauing beene examined and her intention found that she desired to be a Christian and determined to conserue her virginity she was condemned to be consumed with fire The fire was kindled and a huge multitude of people were assembled to behold that most beautifull yong damosell that would willingly go to dy such a cruell death The blessed damosell was set in the midst of the fire which did not any hurt at all vnto her persons And on the sodaine fell from heauen such a storme with thunderclapps with such aboundance of raine that it put out the fire and afrighted all them that were present in such sort that euery one departed and the holy virgin was left at liberty whereby she might go free And so she went to the house of Onesiphorus where she found S. Paul with some other Christians who had continually for sixe daies made their praiers for her and they were all exceeding glad of her comming The Apostle did Baptise her and instructed her fully in the faith but because they were assured that the Proconsull would send againe for her the Apostle departed from that house and citty also recomending much the virgin Tecla vnto all the Christians that were in that place Though all dilligence that might be was vsed to keep her secret yet within a fewe dayes Alexander a lewd person apprehended her and brought her before the Proconsull who seing her to preseuer constantly in that she would not marry her spouse but continue a Christian gaue sentence that she should be deuoured of wilde beastes in the citty of Antioch whether the Proconsull was to go An especiall daye was apointed for this spectacle and in the meane space S. Tecla was deliuered vnto the custody of a matrone called Triphona When the apointed daie was come S. Tecla was brought into the Theater and a fierce Lionesse was let out against her which drawing neere vnto the holy saint lay downe quietly at her feete without doing her any harme S. Ambrose wondring much at that which the wild beasted did to the holy virgin said these wordes The firstly onesse which was let out against the blessed virgin was mild lay downe at her feete and hurt her not and also gaue example vnto the other lyons Beares and fierce Bulles who hauing bin let loose against her stood round about her peaceably and licked her feete The people were seuere cruel and the sauage and wild beastes were tame and pittifull though they were kept hungry and almost famished that they might haue their fill and make their praie vpon the holy damosell And though they were prouoked and pricked forward by their keepers that they might deuoure the holy saint yet could they not make them to hurt or harme her in the least degree The Iudge seing that the wild beastes spared her she being taken out of the Theater cōmaunded she should be cast into a ditch wherein were many dreadfull and venimous serpents when S. Tecla was put into that deep ditch there discended from heauen a fierie cloud that slewe all the serpents and by this meanes S. Tecla remained free from this third torment euen as God had deliuered her from the other two to wit from the fire and the wild beastes The people seing such great maruailes and especially the matrone Triphona who had her in keeping and in that time had conceiued great good affection vnto her she beginning and the cōmon people following her cried out iointly together That the God of Tecla was most potent and most worthy to be adored that had deliuered her from such and so great dangers The Iudge fearing some cōmotion of the people set S. Tecla free and Triphona led her vnto her house adopted her to be her daughter The holy virgin Tecla departed from that citty and went to make her abode in Seleucia In which place many by her meanes receaued the faith of CHRIST Spanish addeth being 90 yeeres old and there she ended her daies blessedly There is extant a history of S. Tecla in the which be many fabulous and vncertaine things As that she clothed her self in mans apparell and would haue gone so in the compaine of S. Paul and that he would not permitt it but willed her to go in her ordinary and vsuall attire of a woman moreouer it saith that a great Lord in the citty of Antioche would haue giuen vnto S. Paul a great summe of mony if he would haue giuen that yong damosell vnto him to be his paramour and that S. Paul would not do it These and other such like things are read in the abouenamed legend but Pope Gelasius commanded that those stories should not be credited and put them among the writings apocriphall and of none auctority but that which I haue written of this saint is auowed by graue authors and is authorised and of credit the Church also giueth credit thereto who in the praiers which are said in the commendations of soules saith these words O Lord deliuer this soule euen as thou didst deliuer S. Tecla from three most cruell torments The Catholik Church maketh commemoration of S. Tecla on the day of her death which was on the. 23. day of September in the year of our Lord 90. as Canisius saith in the time of Themperour Domitian It is said that the body of this holy saint is in Spaine in the city of Tarragona in the prouince of Catalonia spanish addeth In the Cathedrall church of that citty dedicated to her name The life of SS Cyprian and Iustinia Martirs SAINT Paul to confound the wise men of this world writing to the Corinthians saith God hath chosen the foolishnes of this world This was especially said vnto the Apostles who being people vnlettred and by consequens were holden as folish in that intending them selues to teach a new doctrine would preach vnto people learned and full of knowledg and yet their preaching was the cause that many were conuerted vnto God and receued glaldy the Ghospell This same is verefied by S. Iustina a damosell vnlettered in humain Wisdome yet God made chose her for an instrument to cōuert a Pagan who was very lerned not only in Philosophy but also in magike and sorcery and had dealing and practise with the diuell and though he was such a one yet was he conuerted vnto the faith of IESVS CHRISTE by the meanes of S. Iustina was martired with her The life history of theise two holy saints was written by S. Gregory Nazianzen though he was deceiued in that he thought he had bin Bishop of Carthage well he venerable Bede and other Authors wrote of these holy saints in this maner EVEN as it is no reproch vnto S. Paul to say of him that he had bene a persecutor of the Church of God nor any infamy vnto S. Matthew to say of him that he had bene a customer or vsurer before that either
speache of euery one in generall yet some priuate persons wished him euill and sought to wreak their malice on him because he did publikely reprooue theire faults At last they took this occasion to slaunder him The religious women being many it was expedieÌ„r that they should be in diuers places and we may think that Sophronia Marcella Melania and Paula had them home to their houses and that in those places they vsed their holy exercizes S. Ierome visited them oftentimes and came vnto the houses where they remained for at that time they had no grates nor any such inclosures as the Nonnes of our time haue which is done with great discretion and wisedome let heretiks bark therat as much as they will for thereby are auoided and preuented many inconuenientes Well S. Ierome visited all these relligious women but he went more to the house of Paula then to any other place for there as it was apparaunt afterward was most vertue and good life to be found The enemies of S. Ierome at these often visitations took occasion to slaunder and murmure at him and said it was not well done as they thought for though Paula was old Ierome was not old being then but. 40. years of age and moreouer there was Eustochium the daughter of Paula and other yong women in the house They ment that by the other relligious women which were in the house of Paula and by her maides and waiting women for Paula and the religious women that remained with her were of the richest and chiefest Ladies in Rome These enemies of S. Ierome weare so voide of shame that they hired a man who as it is thought belonged to Paula who said much euill of S. Ierome and charged him and Paula with dishonesty These aduerâ—aries of S. Ierome led this naughty fellowe vp and down the towne to defame the holy saint and told it to euery one in maner of a scoffe and of a Ieast It may be it came to the eares of Pope Damasus but were it so or other wise the man was taken and tortured to confesse the truth and at last he confessed that all was vntrue and false which he had said of S. Ierome The holy saint seing the dealing of this man and perceiuing how his enemies had contriued to put him to vtter shame and reproch and also remembring the quiet repose he had in the desert and what fauors and graces he had receued there of our Lord and the time he had there to study and to write All these things vnited caused him to make a resolution to forsake Rome and to return into Siria as he saith himself writing to a Lady called Asella in this sort I know not nor cannot imagine noble lady what thanks I am to yield vnto you for the great affection you beare vnto me for our lordes sake God is able to render vnto thy soule the reward it deserueth although I am as some think a hatefull creature and very vitious yet doest thou well to account me for good though to thee be spoken much euill of me because thou notest who saith it and of whom they speak They that speak euill of me as is euident and apparant be deceitfull crafty and cauelling wicked people In three years I liued with them many relligious women followed me vnto whoÌ„ and vnto others with them I expounded the sacred scriptute I preached and taught them how they should serue God and do vnto him acceptable seruice let them say if they can if in all this time they sawe any thing in me not fit for a good christian They say I am a man and that I ought not to coÌ„uerse with women which indeed I would not haue done if I had not kowen the vertue and sanctity of the holy persons with whoÌ„ I coÌ„uersed If before time they gaue credit to the fellow that defamed me why do they not also beleeue him now since he hath denyed all that which he spake before to my reproach There was but one man that at the first condemned me and the same man saith nowe that I am innocent But ô the frailty of mans nature howe soone will they beleeue that which they desire be it neuer so false Before I knew the house of Paula all the city commended me and euery one said I was worthy to be Pope and also wished it they called me a holy man and compared me vnto s. Damasus I aske this question if euer they saw me go into the house of anie dishonest woman was I euer delighted to looke after women with sweet perfumed gloues or decked with gold or pearle There was neuer a lady in Rome that could get me to visite her or to come vnto her house but shee only who with lamenting and fasting had made her face wanne and pale her eyes litle better then blind shee that was so coÌ„tinually in praier that many times at the sunne setting and at the sunne rising in the morning she was still at her prayer Her ballers were hymness her words were the holy Ghospel her delights were chastity and her life a perpetuall fasting None could please me but she that I neuer sawe eating Assone as I began to honor her for her deserued vertues I straite was abandoned of vertue in the eyes of the enuyous O enuy that first doest bite and tear thy selfe O the malice of Lucifer who ceaseth not to persecute vertue and sanctity I haue written vnto thee these few words in hast being nowe entred into the shippe but not without teares grief at my hart yet do I render thanks vnto my God for graunting me this fauor that I am abhorred of the world Make thy prayers vnto our lord for me that when I am gone out of Babylon he would guide me in peace vnto Ierusalem lest that Nabucodonozor enthrall me Some call me inchaunter and so was our Sauior called but the seruant cannot be greater then his maister Others say that I am a deceiuer the same was said vnto S. Paule the Apostle My soule feeleth great coÌ„solation in this that we are to enter into heauen by good report and by infamy These and other things S. Ierome wrote in that epistle by which may be knowen the occasions of this departure from Rome to wit because his aduersaries ceased not to slaunder him Being departed thence he passed into Siria visited Epiphanius B of Cypres Paulinus B. of Antioche his two great freÌ„ds who had brought him to Rome left him there they departing assone as pope Damasus had accorded their variaunce S. Ierome visited also those relligious men with whoÌ„ he had bin before time desired to stay with them but importunated by his frends he went to Bethlehem where he built a monastery To defray the charges of it he sent autority into his couÌ„try as he himself writeth vnto Pammachius to haue all his patrimonie sold ep 26. and with the money made therof he caused the Abbey to be builded
our lord and Sauyor IESVS CHRIST was borne therin when he came to liue in this world and also but in farre lower degree for the S. Ierome dyed there to liue in heauen But aboue all other prouinces Spaine oweth an especiall duety vnto S. Ierome for the many epistles he wrote to particular persons therin as also for that after many hundreth years that he dyed in Bethlehem it seemed he was raised to life in Spaine not he in person but his name and religion for in the time of Pope Gregory II. the king Don Alonso the. II. raigning in Spaine there came out of Italy two holy hermites into the kingdome of Toledo in Spaine and by their good example of life and holy admonitions others were conuerted vnto that holy religious order Don alonse Peccia Bishop of Iaen and Petro fernandez Peccia his brother and Hernando Laguez chief chaplen of the kings Chappel Chanon of Toledo who being elected Arch-Bishop therof refused that dignity beside these many other noble men of marke and quality Many of the before named chose that life for that they had conceyued a great dread and fear of the king Don Pedro who at that time reigned in Castile after the death of the king Don Alonso his father because he had a delight to shed mans bloud so much that if the offence or fault were neuer so small he caused very rigorous punishment to be inflicted vpon the delinquents which seuere kind of Iustice was not vsed to be excuted in Spaine Wherefore the king gained thereby the surname of Cruell to this day I cannot tell if the doing of his Chronicler who did smally befrend him as it seemeth for some priuat respect did not help forward to settle confirme that odious name of Cruell vnto him from that time vnto this All these liued together certein years in the desert then they besought Pope Gregory to giue them a habite and a rule vnder the name of the hermitts of S. Ierome but the Pope gaue vnto them the rule of S. Augustine the name and habite they haue at this daie This order was confirmed in the third yeare of the Popedome of S. Gregorie on S. Lukes daie in the yeare of our Lord 1373. The order which is called in Spaine of the Isidori which is also of S. Ierome was instituted in the time of Pope Martin the 5. by frier Lopes de Ouiedo professor of the monasterie of Guada Lupe who out of S. Ieromes workes tooke a rule which is printed with his other workes and with the helpe of some that desired to followe it and with licence from the sea Apastolike he founded certaine monasteries in Italy which are called Isidori or the congregation of frier Lopes Of the first named relligious men of the order of S. Ierome there be in Spaine many worthie monasteries but in especiall fifteene which are called Royall because alwaies they haue bin fauoured by the kings They were especially fauoured by the Catholique king don Phillip the second of that name who built them a monastery an college in the Escuriall vnder the title of S. Laurence the Royall and the rule institution of the glorious S. Ierome In which place be many rare singular reliques of saints many pictures Images the workes of famous painters and caruers manie bookes of great vale we much riche stuffe for the church Challices Crosses and other things for the seruice of the Altar and there also is buried the corps of the mightie Emperour Charles the fifte of that name and other of the blood Royall By these and other the great and costlie things in this Royall house euidentlie appeareth the deuotion of the said king Don Phillip toward the glorious Doctors S. Ierome and his blessed religious order wherefore we maie hope that the same saint wil be his good aduocate vnto God that his Royall person and also his Realme shall encreasein temporall and wordlie goods and also that he shall inioye the celestiall kingdome of heauen by the intercession of this blessed saint To the wich God bring vs also of his infinite mercy Amen The end of the month of September OCTOBER The life of S. Remigius THERE shall spring a fountaine saith the prophet Ioel Cap. 3 and come from out of the house of God and passe by water the brooke of thornes in which words the prophet doth fortell us what shall happen after the latter iudgemeÌ„t The bodie of a mortall man is fitlie resembled in a brooke for it runneth swiftlie to death and perdition nay further it is a brooke of thornes for that of it selfe it produceth nothing but euill desires and worser deedes shat wound and pierce the soule like thornes But a fountaine after the latter day shall spring from out of the house of God and water these thornes whereby are deciphered those streames of glory which shall ouerflow the bodies of the elect and adorne them together with they re soules The Gloss saith this text may be well applyed to the primitiue Churche when the Apostles and preachers of the Ghospell did in the manner of a fountain spring from out of the house of God from the Catholicke Churche to water wich they re heauenlie doctrine the thornie brooke of Paganisme In this sence it fitteth that glorious Archb. of Rhemes S. Remigius who was indeede a fountaine of lyfe that springing from out of the house of God with the sweete and pleasant streames of his lyfe and doctrine watered that riuer of thornes Clodoueus who being a king and worshipper of Idolls was conuerted to the faith by S. Remigius and with him all his court and armie of men The lyfe of this glorious Saint was written by Hinc marus Archbishop of Rhemes in this manner following VVHEN the hand of our Lord did chastize the Frenchmen for they re sinnes with along bloudie warre which the Vandalls a fierce and cruell nation did wage against them there dwelled in the desert a holy Monk called Montanus who had lost his sight by continuall bewailing the sinnes of his nation For knowing that all they re afflictions and scourges were caused by they re many fold offences he coÌ„tinually prayed and with teares beseeched allmightie God to redress all they re miseries and graunt them pardon for all they re sinnes and be coÌ„tented with that punishment he had allreadie inflicted vpon them God vouchsafed at length to heare his prayers and graunt his request where fore he did reueale vnto him that shortlie there should be borne a child whose name should be Remigius that comming to be Bishop should with his preaching and good example with draw men from vices conuert them to God appease his wrath and stay his punishment He reuealed allso to this holie man the parents of this Childe Emilius and Ciliâ—ia people of great religion and charitie of noble bloud and great reuenews liuing in the tertitory of Laudum Montanus went and acquainted them whith his reuelation whereof both
contrariewise the humillity vertue of Placidus fauored by the praier of S. Benedict was the cause that he safe aliue came out of a riuer wherinto he fell was in iminiment daÌ„ger of drowning His good successe was very profitable beneficiall for all Christians to whoÌ„ his good example was a light direction in the way of vertue God did shew them many fauors by his praiers merites His life was written by Iordano a houshold dweller with the same saint and at the commaundent of the Emperor Iustinian Laurence Surius rehearseth it in this maner THE Gothes hauing conquered made them selues Lords of Italy Theoderik the secoÌ„d being their kinge Iohn sitting in the chaire of S. Peter and Iustinian being Emperour in Constantinople there came to Rome an honorable man of the order of Senators called Tertullius surpassing all others in posessions and allied to the Emperour in bloud Moreouer he was a iust man and vertuous which made euery one to loue him and manie call him father of the countrie He had a wife of an equall degree vnto him and by her three sonnes and one daughter The eldest sonne was called Placidus the second Eutichius the third Victorinus the name of his Daughter was Flauia they were all holy people for so good a tree did bring forth good fruite From their child hoode their father and mother instructed them to serue God to loue patience humility temperance and charity And though Tertullius was continually emploied in the affaires of the Emperour yet omitted he not to spend much time in visiting Churches and monasteries seeking in what he might the good of his soule and the seruice of God At that time the most blessed father S. Benedict liued in Sublak shining with sanctitie and miraculous deedes Much people resorted vnto him from all parts with a desire to saue their soules to be of his holie religious order so he builded 12. monasteries placed in euerie one of them people of a pure holy and vertuous life who should instruct in the seruice of God those that came newlie to his order yet some of those nouices he kept with himself to be their teacher All these things related in the presence of Tertulius the Senator in Rome moued him to go and visite the saint being nobly accompanied as his state required appareled with scarlet gold and precious stones Assone as he sawe the holy maÌ„ he fell downe with greate reuernce and humility at his feete and with sobbes and teares requested him to pray vnto God for remission of his sinnes S. Benedict beholding the great humillity of this noble Senator raised him vp and conferred long with him about things apperteining to the good of his soule the obtaining of eternall life aduising him to regard thes aboue all thigs At this Tertulius tooke great consolation and left his sonne Placidus being vij yeares old with s Benedict which happened in the yere of our Lord 522. he recomeÌ„ded the charge of the child vnto him and besought him to bring him vp and teache him in his rule so crauing the blessing of the holy man he returned to Rome Placidus staied with his Mr S. Benedicte profitted so in the way of vertue and gaue so good hope what he would be therafter that the holy Patriarch shewed him especiall fauor very carefully instructed him how to a void be freed from tentations and howe to vse them to his profitt Placidus loued abstinence kept his vigills fastings and austeritie and with great care was attent to all things belonging to the seruice of God were it day night or any time whatsoeuer And all though he endeuored to adorne his soule with many vertues yet was he so compleat in obedience that the father S. Benedict wondered therat considering how to shewe himself obedient he did those things that were vnseemely for one of his birth of his linage As he was obedient so he was humble for these two vertues goe alweis together without humlity obedience is rather forced then voluntarie On a day there wanted water in the cell and Placidus went to dippe a paile in the riuer the vessell fell out of his hand into the water as he dipped it and as he would haue reached it he fell in allso and was in daunger to be drowned but in the instant that he fell in God reuealed it to S. Benedict who said to his disciple Maurus that was neere him Sonne Maurus runne speedily for the â—â—hld Placidus is fallen into the water he gaue him iointly his benediction S. Maurus ran apace and behoulding a far of the child ready to sink not thinking whither it was land or water but transported with charity and obedience ran vpon the water and tooke him fast by the heare of his head came out with the same speed he went in Being come to the bank he was astonied to see he had walked vpon the water as if it had bene vpon dry land neuer sinking nor being as much as wette Hauing returned he told hather Benedict the case and the blessed Patriarch said I cannot attribute it to my merit but to thy prompt obedience And Maurus he said that it be fell so for that he had commaunded him that for his part he had no interest in this miracle as done with out foresight delay or reflection Of this same holy and humble contention Placidus was the iudge and said when I came out of the water I sawe ouer my head the habite of the Abbot wich you father do nowe were and so you be the man that hath deliuered me from this great dauÌ„ger and this was a signe of the great vertue and merite of Placidus since he merited to see that which Maurus could not Of the aforesaid 12. monasteries built by S. Benedict in Sublake some were set on the toppe of the hill and therefore the monks were much troubled to fetch water for their necessary vses for they were forced to goâ— farre for the same They requested S. Benedict to remoue theÌ„ to some other place auoid this trouble He coÌ„forted theÌ„ saieng thaâ— yâ— they would returne to their monasteries God would prouide no doubt water for them On the next night the blessed father accompanied with Placidus only went vp to the hill and remained there all night in praier and laid three stones one vpon another and returned to his Cell The day ensuing the monks came to him for water the holy Abbot said vnto theÌ„ Goe to the toppe of the mounteine and digge where ye find three stones lieng one vpon another for God is able to furnish yee in that place with water to ease you of your trauell They did so and went to the toppe of the hill and found as he said In that place they digged making a piâ—t or well deepe and wide like a litle bath which was filled with water and rose in such quantity that it was not only sufficient
same being the 21 of October oure holy mother the church doth celebrate the Martirdome of S. Vrsula and and the 11000 virgins her companions Beda Adon in Martâ—ol Molan in Addit ad Maâ—â—â— Vsuar in whose historie some things are certaine other some doubtful This is certaine that S. Vrsula and all her holy compainons were Virgins martyrs and were 11000 in number For although neither he Romaine Martyrologe nor the Collecte vsed in their feast doe affirm that they were 11000 yet because venerable Bede and Adon in their Martyrologies and Molanus in the additions he made vnto the Martyrologe of Vsuardus and other authors together with the tradition of the church do auerre it we haue sufficient authoritie to beleaue it But that which is vntertaine and doubtful is the maner of theire martirdome the voyage which these virgins made to Rome with soe great a traine and theire returne from thence with Pope Sâ—ricius when he left his Popedome and other such things which some write without either ground authoritie or any probabilitie contradicting the trueth of Ecclesiasticall Histories and reason it selfe Wherefore leauing out that which commonly is reported of the maner of their meeting and the end for which these 11000 were gathered together and that they all died for the faith of Christ our Lord therby purchased vnto them selues the crounes of virgins and martirs I will relate heere what Cardinalle Baronius and William Lindanus Bishope of Rurimund men of rare learning Baron in An not Maâ—tirol 21. Octo. br tom 4 Annal an 383. Lindan apud Baron haue iudged most probable and secure taking it out of a very ancient booke of the Vatican librarie of Rome which treateth of Brittanie whose author is Gaufridus Bishop of Assaffe in the kingdom of England and is after this maner GRACIAN sonne vnto Valentinian the elder being Emperour a certaine captaine of his called Maximus a very stout and valiant man naturall of the Is'land of Britanie which now is called England rebelled against him and was proclaimed Emperour and by the fauour of the soldiers and of other Englishmen his friends and acquaintance entered into France and possessed himselfe of it all but especially of one prouince which then was called Armorica is that which now we call litle Britanie because the Brittons and Englishmen did conquerre and raze it and with great rage and furie putting to sword all the naturalls thereof left it vninhabited as a wildernes Maximus thought it necessarie to people that prouince againe because it lay fit for him therin to conserue and transport his English soldiers and for that purpose he deuided the fertill fields and lands of the lesser Britanie amongst his soldiers which came to him out of England to the end they might till and husband and mannure them reape the fruit therof But because his soldiers might marry and haue succession and settle them selues in that prouince where there were noe woemen for that they were also putt to the sword he determined to send vnto the Ilands of Britanie which comprehend England Scotland and Ireland for a great number of virgins which being brought vnto the newe lesser Britanie might marrie with those soldiers whoe were for the greatest part naturals of their owne countrie The chiefe commander of all that army was called Conanus a man of great birth and of greatest estimation of all the English nation whom Maximus had made his lieuetenant generalle Warden of all the ports of that coaste Conanus desired to marrie with the daughter of Deonocius kinge of Cornwall called Vrsula a most noble and vertuous lady in whom did shine all the gifts of chastitie beautie grace which might be desired in a woman Throughout all the prouinces of Britanie there were culled forth 11000 virgins as well for the intent aboue mentioned as also that they might accompaine Vrsula who was to be their leader and lady Some of these virgins went of their owne accord and others by constraint but seing the coÌ„maund of Maximus then Emperoure or rather tirant was soe peremptorie that no excuse could be admitted they imbarked them selues in those ships which were prepared for their passage vnto the new prouince of Brittanie It pleased our Lord that these ships lanchinge out of the hauen meâ—t with a quite contrary winde which in stead of carrying that blessed and holy companie towards Brittanie it furiously carried them quite contrarie and passing by the Ilands of Zealand and Holland droue them into the mouth of the riuer Rhene a riuer of greate capacitie depth and bredth and carried them soe highe as the water did ebb and flowe At that time which this hapned Gratian the Emperour vnderstanding what Maximus had done in England and France and that he carried himselfe as Lord and Emperour not as his Captaine and creature for to represse and chastize him he entertained into his seruice the Picts Hunnes a fearce cruell and barbarous people who had conquered the Gothes and done wonderous thinges by their force of armes These beinge gathered together vnder the commande of Melga Captaine of the Picts and Gaunus generall of the Huns began to molest the seas and to lye coastinge about after the manner of pirats robbinge and spoilinge all that fell into their hands with intent to passe ouer into England to expulse Maximus the tirant and to serue Gratian th'emperour who for that purpose had entertained them These barbarous people were at that present where these blessed virgins arriued perceauinge that the ships which brought the virgins belonged to their enemies and to Maximus in particular against whome they had vndertaken that voiage they encountred with them seing that they were loaden with virgins beinge as dishonest and lasciuious as they were cruell and furious they entended to rauish them But those holy virgins Vrsula their leader incouraginge and exhorting them determined rather to loose their liues then their chastetie and heere vpon as well in deedes as in wordes shewinge their valour and coÌ„stancy that they were prepared rather to suffer what torments soeuer then to offend God those barbarous people conuerting their loue into fury and detestation of the Christian faith fell vpon them like wolnes vpon a flocke of lambes and put them all to the sword because they would remaine there no longer but passe ouer speedely into EnglaÌ„d which they thought had been vninhabited because Maximus had drawne so many soldiers from thence Of all that holy and virginall companie onely one called Cordula remained aliue who through feare hid herselfe at the time of that slaughter but seeinge what had passed and that all the rest of her companions were martirized being encouraged by the motion of our Lord A don in suo Mart. 21. Oct. who had chosen them all for himselfe the next day followinge discouered herselfe and was also martirized as the Roman martirologe recounteth The principall of these virgins which there shed
work of great charitie acceptable vnto God profitable to keep a man out of sinne and is also good for the health of the body The holy Ghost entendeth so much in these wordes saying 2. Macha 12. V. 46 To pray and to do good for the dead is a holie and a healthfull work and is also very profitable for the soules their paines being diminished and they deliuered the sooner The workes that help them are foure viz Almes fasting discipline with other penall works an the fourth is the holie sacrifice of the Masse said for them You must also vnderstand that there is difference betweene these workes for that three of them if they shall do the soule good must be done in the grace of God and if they be done other wise they do not help them except they be done by the apointment of another And if that he that commaundeth the good work to be done as to giue almes or such like be then in the state of grace in this case the work is good and auaileable and helpeth the soule though the person that did that good work were not in that good estate himself Concerning the masse and these other workes as I haue insinuated before there is a difference For that helpeth alwaies not with standing that he that said it was not at that time in the fauour of God for that he who offreth it doth it in the person of the Church who is alwaies in the fauour of God and therefore it helpeth those soules alwaies for whom it is especially said and celebrated So that we may truly saie that this is the best and most secure work that can be done for the soules in purgatorie If this which we haue said be the truth as vndoubtedly it is viz that the paines in purgatorie be so great and excessiue and that also being true which S. Augustine saith as it is for certaine to wit that to see God one houre only is of more worth then all the treasures of the world And sithens with all them he cannot do that which one may do with the good workes he doth for a soule in purgatorie that is to deliuer it out of payne and that it may see God before the time it should otherwise see him How greatlie and vnspeakablie shall that soule be obliged and bound vnto the person that shall so help to deliuer it without doubt more then can easilie be said And that soule being so much bound vnto any partie after it is heauen and enioyeth the glorie of God shal be his perpetuall aduocate to beseech the diuine maiestie to be gratious vnto him that hath beene so good vnto it by procuring it to be freed from the fault land deliuered from paine purchasing heauen by enioying it before the deserued time Which happie felicitie in his kingdome God graunt vnto vs all for his heauenly bounty and infinite mercy Amen The life 's of SS Vitalis and Agricola Martyrs THE Apostle S. Paule in his epistle to the Galathians Galat. 3. speaking of them that are baptized haue put on IESVS CHRIST by receauing his faith saith that in the sight of God there is neither seruauÌ„t nor freeman but all are equall His meaninge is not that among Christians there should not be maisters and seruaunts some to commaund and some to obey for this would be contrarie to all good gouernment and to the common course and vniuersall order of the world wherein the Starres the Riuers the Trees the Beastes the Byrdes the Fishes are euidentlie distinguished not onlie by theire vertues but also by theire greatnesse and lessenes and by a certaine preeminence and subordination besides that if there were equallitie in all men none would vndergoe painfull and meaner offices in the common wealth none would laboure and toyle none plowe nor sowe and euerie one rulinge and none obeyinge all would runne streight waies to ruine and destruction So that S. Paules meaninge is not that Christians should be all equall in this but rather as S. Ierome and S. Augustine say that in the eyes and sight of God the seruant is no lesse worthie nor lesse esteemed then the master if both of them be Christians and bothe do the workes of Christians Of this we haue an example in the two holie martyrs SS Vitalis and Agricola Agricola being the master Vitalis the seruant They were both Christians and martyrs and equally esteemed and regarded by IESVS CHRIST and the holie Church doth celebrate the feast of them both equally Their life written by S. Ambrose was in this manner IN the persecution of Dioclesian and Maximian there dwelt in the citty of Bologna in Italy a noble citisen called Agricola who had a seruant named Vitalis They were both Christians and for that cause were apprehended by the ministers of these two cruell Emperours These holy Saints being in the presence of the Preâ—ident the seruant to wit Vitalis was first put to torments thereby the more to terrify the master And because seruaÌ„ts be ordinarily scourged for their chastisment and do tremble and quake to see the whippes it was the Iudges will that the first torment of Vitalis should be scourging and so he caused him to be beaten rigorously After that he put him vnto other manner of torments and herein the Iudg was so cruell and the officers so mercylesse that the bodie of the holie martyr was whollie couered with blowes and woundes So that search neuer so narrowly you could not see any thing but woundes and gashes There was not any blood left in his vaines but all was shed and the scourges and wandes of Iron where with they stroke him hit not ne touched not the whole skin any more but the rawe flesh and the bare bones so that his very bowells were seene The glorious martyr lifted vp his eyes vnto heauen and made a deuout prayer saying O my Lord LESVS CHRIST my God and Sauiour I humblie beseech thee that it would please thee to receaue my soule for I desire much to enjoye the crowne which thy holie Angell hath shewed vnto me His prayer being ended he yealded vp his soule vnto God Agricola was present at this spectacle who being a man of good nature pleasing behauiour friend to all affable doing good and hurting none was generally beloued of all And therefore the executioners yea and the Iudg himself also being desirous to haue him change his mind and to sacrifice vnto the Idolles wherby he might be deliuered from death made him to be present at the martyr dome of his seruant Vitalis to the end he might learne as is said before to beware by another mans cost and affliction But he that had seene the successe of his seruant was more desirous to gaine a crowne as he had done rather then to be terrifyed with the torments and so he remayned firme and constant in his first good purpose The Iudge and the officers were wroth and enraged against him and the more for that they
had vsed him courteously and he had despised and contemned them in which rage the Iudge commaunded he should be put on the Crosse The executioners were not slowe to execute the cōmandement of the ludge Forthwith the Crosse was brought and Agricola was stripped naked Then layd they him at length vpon the same piercing his handes and feete with sharp nayles they crucifyed him lifting him vp a loft In that place was to be seene a wonderfull and liuely representation of the Lord in his seruant that is to say of CHRIST in Agricola The holie martyr being thus raised on high shewed that he made smalle account of earthlie thinges but desired heauenlie He hauing bene on the Crosse a good space on the same daie that his seruant Vitalis yealded vp his soule vnto God by scourging he rendred vp also his spirit on the Crosse And so the maister and the seruant were equall in theire martyrdome and in theire reward Their bodies were buried in a Churchyard where the Iewes were buried and in that place they remayned as Roses among thornes and light in darknes vntill the time of S. Ambrose as he saith himself writing the story of their martyrdome But he hauing notice of the place where they were at the request of a holie widowe called Iuliana who had particuler and speciall deuotion to these holie saintes took them out of that place and translated them into a Church which the same Iuliana had builded vnto them where their bodies take their repose and rest and their soules expect to be reunited vnto them at the last daye of Iudgment The martyrdome of these holie saintes was on the 4. of Nouember and vpon that daie the Church maketh of them a commemoration This befell in the yeare of our Lord. 298. in the raigne of the Emperour Diocletian Spanish saith The bodies of these holie saintes are said to be in the Roiall monasterie of S. Maria Naxara in Spaine The foure Crovvned THe Apostle S◠Paul writing vnto Timothie his disciple saith None shal be crowned but he which fighteth lawfully which is asmuch as if he had said He that fighteth acording vnto the apointement of his captaine such a one moriteth the crowne and to triumph Amongst the Romaines in their warres some did worthy and very notable exploites but because some were against the apointement of the captaine they did not only depriue them of the crowne of victorie but chasticed them seuerely Some fathers there were which put their owne sonnes vnto death for that they went out to answere a challenger on the contrary part in single combate although he returned with victory and slew his aduersarie honorablie And this because he had bene forbiden Vpon paine of death not to issue out to any such incounter without speciall license Hereby wee se that that souldier only deserued to haue the crowne of triumph which fought and got the victory by the apointement of his Captaine It is conuenient that we imitate IESVS CHRIST euen as these holy martirs imitated him which are called the foure crowned because their names were not knowen These verily did merite the crowne for that they imitated IESVS CHRIST and as he gaue his life for their snakes in like manner did they giue their lifes for his sake The life of these holy martirs and of other fire whose bodies are buried in one and the same Church within the citty of Rome was this taken out of the Martirologes of Venerable Bede and Ado Archbishop of Treuers THe vnsatiable hunger of Dioclesian and Maximian those two great and professed enemies of IESVS CHRIST and his holy saints was not satisfied although by their order and apointement and of others which were their Iudges and presidents there was shed much Christian blood daily through most partes of the world but the more they put to death the more their cruellty encreased It was told vnto Dioclesian that there were in Rome foure citisens Christians whose names were Seuerus Seuerianus Carpoforus and Victorinus The Emperour commaunded that they should be forth with apprehended and led vnto the Idoll of Esculapius and if they refused to worship it that they should be scourged to death and acording to his apointement it was done They were led and conducted vnto that diuell and they made account of him as he was refusing to adore him wherevpon they began to torment them They pulled of their clothes and bound them vnto seuerall pillers The scourging which was giuen them was such and so great that in that torment they yealded vp their soules vnto God The tirant commaunded that their bodies should be cast into the street that the dogges might dououre them and although they remained there fiue daies yet they were not touched by any beast whereby it euidently apeared that men were more cruell and bloody then the very beastes The Christians took vp their bodies and buried them in the Arenarium three miles out of Rome in the Via Lauicana It is said that pope Melchiades who liued shortly after their martirdome put them into the Catalogue of holy martirs and because their names were not knowne he called them The foure Crowned But afterwardes it was reuealed to a holy man that their names as is said before were Seuerus Seuerianus Carpoforus and Victorinus Of the fiue Martirs SS Claudius Nicostratus Simphorianus Castorius and Simplicius NEERE vnto the place where the foure martirs last spoken of were buried there had bene laid two yeares before but on the same daie the bodies of fiue other holie saints who in like manner had bene put to death for the faith of CHRIST by comandement of the same Emperour Dioclesian Pope Melchiades who ordeined the feast of the foure crowned to be celebrated entended that together with them there should be a commemoration of these fiue martirs which were called Claudius Nicostratus Simphorianus Castorius and Simplicius These holy saintes were caruers and remained in Hungarie by the apointment of the Emperour and wrought together with many other of their trade in the quarries of marble which the Emperour vsed in his buildings in diuers places of the world Foure of these blessed men were Christians and Simplicius was an Idolater As the wrought together the Chizells and other tooles of Simplicius were oftentimes broken and the tooles of the others did neuer break Simplicius being much amased hereat demanded of Simphorianus how it fell so out and he made answere my tooles break not for that euery time I take any of them into my hand to work I call vpon IESVS CHRIST my God vpon this occasion Simphorianus vsed such perswasions vnto Simplicius that by the help of God he was conuerted vnto the Christian faith and was Baptised It fell out afterward that Dioclesian gaue the charge vnto these fiue blessed saintes of a building in which they should set the statues of diuers liuing beastes and in the midest of them an Idoll of one of his heathenish Gods The holie saintes made vp
the Ensigne and left the warre Then said Pirrhus vnto him Tell me Art thou a soudier as this man saith S. Menna answered It is true I was a souldier but when the wicked Edict of your Emperours was proclaimed I left the army and departed from the warre What mooued thee said Pirrhus to leaue the warfare Art thou a Grecian or a Christian S. Menna answered I haue bene I am and I desire to be euer a Christian I left the host because I would not be partaker of your impieties So Pirrhus comitted him to close prison On the next daie giuing audience he comaunded that Menna should be brought before him and then he said vnto him Come hither thou presumptuous fellowe what mooued thee to come into the Theater and to hinder our festiuall daies which are celebrated in the honor of our Gods Whence art thou why diddest thou leaue the armie S. Menna answered I am of Egipt and because I desire to fight vnder the banner of IESVS CHRIST I forsook your armies which be but seeble and weak And where hast thou bene said Pirrhus all this time Menna answered I had rather liue a sollitarie life for the loue of my God in the companie of sauage and wild beastes then contine we with you that know not the true God and loose my soule for it is written Lord do not destroy my soule with the sinners nor my life with the bloodthirstie men Softe not so many words said Pirrhus Offer sacrifice vnto the Gods and they will restore vnto thee the honorable offices thou haddst in the host and augment the same also Menna said I only desire to please the eternall king and of him to receaue the crowne of imortallity Loose not time in threatning mee for I regard not thy torments at all but desire rather to suffer for the loue of Iesvs CHRIST my Lord and my God The Iudg comaunded that Menna should be laid flat on the ground and then to be beaten with rawe sinewes of beastes vntill he obeied the commaundment of the Emperours The executioners began to beat him rigorouslv and during the torment a minister of the Idolls laboured by perswasion to bring him to sacrifice to their Gods The blessed Mâ—itir said to him Why doest thou perswade me thus thou counsellor of darknes and captaine of iniquitie If I would not do it at the commandment of the Iudg doest thou think that I will do it at thy perswasion I giue thee to vnderstand that I haue by my side IESVS CHRIST who for this which I suffer and endure for his sake will giue vnto me an eternall reward and vnto you and your Emperours he will giue perpetuall torments not only for your owne sinnes Idollatrie but also because you do your endeauour that he should not be loued not serued by his owne faithfull seruants goe to said Pirhus make ready the other torments to tame the stub brone hart of this fellowe Forth with was prepared for him the torture with the cord in the which the holie saint hanging on high the Iudg said vnto him Menna doest thou yet remeÌ„ber thy self wilt thou yield or shall we prouide greater torments The blessed martir answered very litle is that I haue yet suffred to that which my Lord and king deserueth I should suffer for his sake because he keepeth about me many Angells that asist and help me encouraging me not to shrink at thy torments Pirrhus said Scourge this villaine and rebell yet more seuerely who having a king alreadie faith he hath another which is not knowne Then said the saint Thou indeed doest not know him for if thou diddst to haue his loue thou wouldest forsake thine Emperours since he can better reward thee then they can And who is this great and potent king said Pirrhus S. Menna answered This is IESVS CHRIST the sonne of the liuing God creator of all things vnto whom all that is in heauen and earth is subiect Then said Pirrhus Doest thou not know Menna that to be the only cause why our Emperours haue commaunded you Christians to be tormented namely that you should neither professe IESVS CHRIST for God nor adore and worship him Menna answered what is that to me If that be their intention their power and torments are of no auaile Rom. 8. to make me forsake my dearest Lord God It is said Who shal be able to seperate vs from the lone of CHRIST or from his seruice not tribulation nor affiction nor famine nor persecutson nor dangers much lesse the world Be assured that what soeuer persecution is raised against vs shall not make vs alter our mindes The Iudg commaunded his gashed and wounded body should be rubbed ouer with rough sharp clothes which paine he tollerated very patiently Pirrhus remained astonished hereat and said vnto him verely Menna it seemeth thy bodie which is thus tormented is not thine owne but borrowed of some other The martir answered him I feele not thy torments because I haue my God by me who doth helpe defend me vnto those that haue him with them all things succeed prosperously Then said Pirrhus set other burning torches vnto his sides that we may ouercome this his obstinacy The fire was brought applied and although they burned his sides two whole houres together yet the martir spake not one word Where vpon Pirrhus said Doest thou not feele the fire that burneth thee S. Menna answered I feele it not for CHRIST giueth me strength who hath said to me in his holie writt Esay 43. That if we passe by the fire the flame shall not burnevs He saith also in another place Mat 10. that we must not feare them that kill the bodie and cannot kill the soule but him we must feare that can send both bodie and soule into euerlasting fire Then said Pirrhus How canst thou alleadg these testimonies out of the bookes of thy God being a souldier when hadest thou time to read and study them Then said the blessed martir The same IESVS CHRIST our God said vnto vs That when we should be brought before kings nad Iudges for the profession of his name we should not care what to speak for that he would direct vs what we should answere Pirrhus said Tell me Menna whether your CHRIST did foretell you that you should suffer those torments yet surely said Menna for that he being God knew right well all that was to happen in after times Well well said Pirrhus leaue this vaine talk made and diuised of thine owne head and sacrifice vnto the Gods or I will condemne thee to be consumed with fire Do thy will said Menna for as I haue told thee already although thou hast power to torment my bodie yet hast thou none ouer my soule The Iudg said wilt thou haue daies of respitte to consider of this matter that thou maist free thy self from this thy blindnes and error The blessed martir made answere Long since haue I determined and resolued
Nicholas beholde the man elected by God they ranne all thither and liking his graue countenance tolde the people of that had passed and consecrated him Bishop euery man reioycing thereof so that he knew not how to resist them thinking it to be the will of God though it was much displesant vnto him as he declared in his oration wherein he manifested his great humility and sanctity Assoone as Nicholas saw himself a Bishop he reasoned thus to himselfe saying Nicholas this dignity requireth another manner of life Vntill this time thou hast liued vnto thyself now thou must liue for the good of other men The example of life that thou must giue vnto euerie one must be such that thou need not by talk to persuade thy people to be good This the saint said and if vntill this time he vsed in his life great mortification and austeritie he afterward much augmented the same His appatell was more course he eate but once euerie day but neuer any flesh he would haue something of holie writte read at his table he spent the greatest part of the night in praier and meditation and the small time he slept he lay on the bare grouÌ„d he arose before day and called vp his priests to sing hymnes psalmes in the praise our Lord IESVS CHRIST When the sonne arose he went vnto the Church there he heard diuine seruice the rest the day he bestowed in the affaires of his Church He was carefull that in the Churches of his Dyoces there should be curats borne in the same village or parishe and that they were also learned and vertuous in their lifes These he assembled once euerie yeare in the moneth of September and kept a Synode with them making those ordinances that were coÌ„uenient for the good profit of his flock and tooke information of the publick sinnes that befell within their charges and also of all needy persons and then for the one and for the other he prouided remedy in the best manner he could For the relief and helpe of the poore and needy he would resort vnto knowen rich frindes which he had and they gaue almes largely and bountifully for that the good father in his house was verie poore after he was Bishop he had not any thing to sell nor to lay vnto pledge the books he had were borrowed for he would not haue any thing of his owne For the necessitie of soules he had the iudges magistrats on his side who hauing notice of anie publick crime remedied the same This good prelate desired to do the will of God in euerie thing Although he was expert skilfull in the dispatch of affaires yet he trusted not to himself but tooke vnto his counsellers two meÌ„ well learned graue the one was called Paulus Rhodius and the other Theodorus Ascalonâ—a by the aduise and approbation of these two men he did all things At that time the two most cruell tyrants and enemies of the name of CHRIST Maximian and Dioclesian were emperours of Rome persecuting the Christians withall extremity either by themselues or by their Iudges This persecutioÌ„ arriued at the last at Mirrea where S. Nicholas was Bishop First they imprisoned the Christians whom the holie prelate zelouslie moued with the honour of God exhorted and animated and shewed himfelf a defender of the Christians his subiects and others vnder his charge both in publique and in priuate reprouing the tiranny and crueltie of the iudges whereupon they imprisoned him but they were not so hardy as to put him to death douting least the people would make an insurrection wherefore they onlie banished him S. Nicholas being sent into exile he found many Christians who tooke verie great consolation at his presence The holy Bishop was not idle in that place yea he serued God in the best manner he could no we comforting one then an other and exhorting them to support patientlie the persecution hold them in their necessities to his power but because God assisted him in his actions some helpe and reliefe he gaue vnto them for the which he was beloued of all them with whom he conuersed The furie of that persecution passed away and the golden age of th'emperour Constantin succeded and then S. Nicholas returned to his Church all the people reioycing for the same and because Constantin had made an edict by which he commaunded the temples of the Idolls to be throwen to the ground in Mirrea was a most goodly temple dedicated to the goddesse Diana which stood still because of the conning workmanshippe therof lest the people should raise a commocion none durst lay on hands to demolish the same S. Nicholas moued with zeale and without respect of any got together many lusty and strong yong fellowes and he as their captein guided them vnto the temple and cast it downe euen vnto the foundations Whiles they ruynated the walles the deuills were heard to howle and rore for that they were expelled out of their auncient habitation After this arose a newe trouble against the Catholike Church by the Arryans for remedy wherof a generall Councell was assembled in Nice by the commanndement of pope Syluester then Bishop of Rome and by the good dilligence of themperour Constantyn In this assembly among the 318. Bishops that were there S. Nicholas was one who by the meanes of the disputations he had with the heretiks and by the vertue of his continuall prayer wherin he desired the good of the Church was a great cause that Catholiks preuailed and obteined victory against the heretiks and that it was declared by the Councell That the sonne one of the three persons is of the same substance with the father and is God as he is for that is the state of the questyon which was disputed betwene the Catholikes and the heretiks When the Councell was ended S. Nicholas returned vnto his Church and then befell a great dearth At that time a merchaunt had laden ships with wheat in Sicilia intending to transport it into Spaine S. Nicholas appeared vnto him in his sleepe and requested him to bring it into Lycia and agreed with him for the price and in wytnes of the truth gaue him three pieces of gold in earnest The merchaunt awoke and finding the three pieces of gold in his hand determyned to go into that couÌ„trey so he did and sold the wheat according to the bargaine made with the saint and so the dearth of corne was remedyed At another time there was a great scarcity of bred in that countrey and certein shippes laden with wheat passed by trauelling toward Constantinople S. Nicholas requested the owners of the shippes to giue vnto him a 100. measures of wheat out of euery one promising them that when they came vnto the vnloding at Constantinople they should not want any thing of their measure The patrones and owners gaue credit vnto the saint and gaue the wheat vnto him wherupon two myracles ensued One was when
Emperours Court also in their rage It happeneth many times that the good subiection and obedience of subiects is turned into fury and vproare when some small matter which they earnestly request is to them denyed as in this present example These doings displeased the Emperour exceedingly as reason was it should but for that he had in his company some Prelates and S. Ambrose also as some say that besought him to pardon the multitude he made promise by word that he would pardon them yet afterwards being instigated by some courtiers who sometimes vse to insence princes to wrath when they ought rather to appease their anger he altered his minde and determined to punish the people for the example of others without course of law or order of Iustice And so when the people was in the citty busy and occupied to see the triumphes of that day the armed souldiers appointed by the Emperour assaulted and set vpon them and neither regarding age nor sexe massacred all that they met olde and young little and great innocent or culpable Cittyzens or strangers so that there were 7000. slaine although it be said that the Emperour commaunded there should be but 2000. slaine The miserable citty remained moistened with the bloud and all the Empire of Rome was filled with the report of the cruelty The first time the Emperour went vnto Millan S. Ambrose vnto whom this cruelty was much displeasant for the offence committed thereby against God was desirous to giue remedy to the soule of the Emperour but yet he doubted there might follow some scandall in reprouing him on a sudaine therefore he iudged it were good to dissemble a while and withall he would not see nor conuerse with him so that when the Emperour approached neere vnto Millan he departed from thence The prudence S. Ambrose vsed in this case may be an example for other Prelates how to behaue themselues with great Princes And the desire of a good Pastor much moued the mind of S. Ambrose to reduce home this wandering and straying sheepe yet considering that the Emperour was not of his dyocesse so none of his particuler flock and douting a greater scandall might arise determyned as is said aboue and departed out of the city by which he stayed himself and refrayned his Christian earnestnes Th'emperour being come vnto Millan and not finding the good prelate there shewed himself to be displeased The holy saint wrote vnto him an epistle in the beginning wherof he vsed mild words and very lowly but afterwards he told him in plaine termes that he was departed because he would not speake with him for if he should speake that which was fytt and conuenient he should be thought to passe the bounds of modesty and if he should be sylent not reproue him he might be noted for a man that wynked at notoryous faults sought not to giue due and fit remedy vnto them In the rest of his epistle he called to his mynd the cruell massacre committed at Thessalonica and willed him to do penance and withall gaue him many good admonitions and rehersed vnto him many examples At the end he said plainly that he durst not say masse in his Church if he were present and that he had a particuler coÌ„maundement from God thus to doe Then concluded he the epistle with these words my Lord if thou beleeue me behaue thy self as I aduise thee and if thou do not beleeue me pardon this that I haue done in departing from the city for I did therin make more account of God then of thy displeasure When S. Ambrose had written this letter to the Emperour â—e thought that when he had red it it would haue moued him to penance and therefore he returned to Millan but yet he would not visite th'emperour accounting him as an excoÌ„municate person The more the holy saint estranged himself froÌ„ his sight the more th'mperour thought himself bound to seek vnto him Things standing in this state it happened that one day S. Ambrose was reuested to say masse in his Church and it was told him that th'emperour was commyng to Church The good Bishop went to meet him out of the dore and in the middest of all that proud and stately company took him by the purple robe with the same liberty that he wrote he said to him in this maner Stay my Lord for vnto a man spotted and stained with such inhumaine cruelty and that hath shed so much innocent bloud it is not lawfull to enter into a house consecrated vnto God and lesse deserueth he to be partaker of his mysteries except he do penaÌ„ce first I am of opinion that thou takest no knowledg of the sinne thou hast committed and though the fury which drew thee headlong into it be past thou hast not yet entred into consideration therof with the light of thy vnderstanding to see what a great offence thou hast committed I suppose thy Royall estate and thy Imperiall maiesty do hinder thee and suffer thee not to see and to take notice of thy heynous fault but look down with thy eies and consider that thou art a mortall man Take heed lest thy royall vesture thou wearest do dasell thy sight that thou cannot see within thy self the fragility of thy flesh of which thou art formed as other men are if thou consider rightly of thy frailty think also how great and mighty God is that is the vniuersall Lord of all Feare him then for thou art his subiect craue pardon of him for thou hast offended him and vntill thou doest this be not so bold as to enter into his Church nor appear in his deuine presence lest thou double thy sinnes and prouoke him to more wrath against thee This say I on his behalf and so I commaund thee laying on thee this lawfull punishment by which the Church doth separate all them which do not make satisfaction with due penance Th'emperour gaue eare attentiuely vnto the words of the holy saint and with himself considering the maner he had vsed toward him in telling and reprouing him and taking it in the best part iudged that he had done with him as a good prelat should do and returned to his pallace pensiue and sad as they be which begin a newe to feele the sorowe which is caused by the remembrance of their offences when they be represented vnto a repenting soule Theodosius remained thus certein months and neuer entred into the Church sighing secretly and lamenting for his offence The feast of the Natiuity of our Lord approached and the generall of his forces called Ruffinus seeing his Lord pensiue asked him what made him so discontent Th'emperour fetched a deep sigh and shedding teares said Ruffinus the cause of my grief is this I see other men yea slaues and bondmen enter freely into the Church and house of God and whensoeuer they come thither they find the dore open and the entrance is denyed only to me vnto me only is the Church doore shut and
his blessed bodie was found I refer you vnto the feast of his Inuention which the holie Church keepeth on the third of August in which place you may read some more of them At this time we will speake only this That seing this saint made prayer for them that stoned him we which desire to honour him in celebrating his feast may hope that he will be a good meanes to obtaine mercy for vs of the heauenlie Maiestie and that by his especiall fauour we may haue the guift of perseuerance in his seruice vnto our death that afterward we may be worthy to see him in his glorie Amen Eusebius saith the death of S. Stephen was in the yeare of CHRIST 34. in the raigne of Tiberius Caesar Durandus in his rationall saith that the death of S. Stephen was on the third of August when his Inuention is celebrated which as he saith in the same booke was on the 26. of December being the day whereon his principall feast is kept The Chruch changeth it as the same Guilielmus saith to haue the Martyrdome more festiual adioining that rather then the Inuention vnto the birth of Christ The life of S. Iohn the Euangelist THE holy and valiant man Mardocheus the faithfull Chronicler of the King Assuerus and Esther recounteth that he being aduised and attent and hauing continuall regard to the health and welfare of his King and Lord heard one day that some seruants of the King had made a conspiracy to kill him and resolued to put it speedily to effect Mardocheus noted the words and taking knowledge of the men made a memoriall wherein he wrote all their conspiracy and wrought so that it came to the Kings hands who caused the affendors to be imprisoned and after they had confessed their offence to be punished according to their deserts There was no reward giuen to Mardocheus for discouering this treason but there was made only a noâ—e in the Annales of the Kings of Persia Some dayes after it happened that the King commaunded that booke to be read vnto him that he might reward the seruices done vnto him whereof in that booke the memory was conserued and when he came to that place where mention was made of Mardocay the King perceuing that he had bene the cause of a great and manâ—â—est deliuery from a danger of his life studied what reward to bestowe on him At last he determined that Mardocay should be arrâ—ied gorgeously and led thâ—rough the Citty vpon a goodly Horse and that before him should go trumpets sounding and declare that iâ— was the Kings will and pleasure that Mordecay should be hounoured and euery man was charged to do him honour This history agreeth and fitteth well S. Iohn Euangelist figured in Mordâ—cay For as he was Croniâ—lâ—r to the King of Persia so S. Iohn was a faithfull Cronicler of IESVS CHRIST The one was holy the other most holy Mardocay discouered the conspiracy made against the King whereby he auoided a greiuous hurt S. Iohn hauing notice also of another conspiracy that the Ebyoniâ—es heretâ—kes plotted against IESVS CHRIST denying that he was God wrote his Ghospell against them whereby their iniquity was disclosed the damage preuented and they confounded This writing was written in the memoriall of God and then came the day wherein the memorials are read and seing what S. Iohn had done for IESVS CHRISTS sake not only for this seruice but for diuers others worthy of rewarde it pleased his Lord to honour him euen as it happened to Mardocay To this end was giuen vnto him a gorgeous and rich vesture the like whereof is hardly to be found for the tittles that do agree vnto this holy saint do not ordinarily concurre in any other at one time He was set vpon a horse which was the speciall fauour bestowed on him by God The horse was that which Dauid meaneth in a Psalme saying O Lord thou shalt saue both men beasts In some sence you may vnderstand by beasts the bodies as by the names of men we may vnderstand the soules as if he had said that at the day of iudgement the holy saints shall goe to heauen both in body and soule Vpon this Horse viz. his owne body it pleased God that S. Iohn Euangelist not staying for the day of iudgement should rise againe assoone as he dyed and go vp into heauen as many great authors hold who yeeld many strong arguments to proue that S. Iohn Euangelist is in heauen both in body and souâ—e whereunto be entred like another Mordecay triumphantly with trumpeâ—ters before him who proclaime all his heroicall acts and declaring that God will so honour him and that he would haue him honored of all The life of this holy Apostle and Euangelist ensuyng is collected parâ—ly out of the Gospell and in part out of diuers good and graue Authors SAINT Iohn the Euangelist was the sonne of Zebedee brother of S. laâ—es the greater who was beheaded by Herode S. Iohn after Onuphrius was borne in the third yeare of CHRIST Lib. 1 â—a 28 He was of a noble house as Nicâ—phorus and S. Ierome say And they be of that opinion for that S. Iohn was familier in the house of the high priest as appeareth in the night that CHRIST was taken for S. Peter was suffered to come in by meanes of S. Iohn as one whom they respected Though he was a gentleman yet for to auoid idlenes the nurse of many vices he vsed the trade of fishing ioyntly with his father and brothers and the rather because their house was nere the sea of Galily This sheweth they were not so poore as some make them in that they had a barke of their owne wherewith they fished They being then one time busy at their fishing CHRIST called them and bad them follow him and be his disciples They knowing him to be their kinsman and reputing it happy that he would accept them into his schoole forsooke their father the barks and the nets and went to IESVS CHRIST S. Iohn was now abouâ— 28 yeares old and a virgin as he was all his life of a good nature beautifull in countenance very amiable and wise Whervpon the sonne of God tooke vnto him an especiall affection and made him his fauorite among all the Apostles This same Euangelist esteemed this prerogatiue so highly that when he recounteth any thing in the Ghospell where he is to name himselfe in steed thereof he vseth this phrase The disciple whom Iesus loued IESVS CHRIST shewed often to him particuler kindnes of the which one was that when he was to be transfigured vpon mount Thabor in the presence of three Apostles one of them was S. Iohn he was one of them that was present when our Sauiour raised the daughter of the prince of the Synagogue in the presence of two other Apostles he being the third S. Iohn gaue notice to his mother of the great affection CHRIST bore to him who guided by motherly affection or
fullfilled yet Do not you remember the three kings that came from the East who plainlie reported that this king was borne and that they came to worship him and to giue him obedience If these kings so farre distant stood in awe of him much more cause haue I to feare that am so neere vnto him I appointed these kings that they should giue me notice when they found him because I would haue gone to see him and then I would haue beene freed from this danger But they I know not for what cause haue mocked me and be returned into their countries and kingdomes by another waie and haue giuen me no notice I feare I doubt I faint and consume with sorrow when I studie on the successe of this busines I haue no remedie and I know not vnto whom to resort but vnto you My will therefore is this I would haue you go vnto Bethleem Math. 2. v. 16. and into all the territorie thereof and the countrie thereabout and with your naked weapons rushe into the houses pardon the old men touch not the young men spare the women only kill all the children all of them from two yeeres old vnto a daie old My will is that you kill them all spare none of them for if one of them remaine aliue that same one shall depriue me of my kingdome Take no regard nor pittie not the teaâ—es of the mothers yea in their armes I would haue you search our mine enemies And if any woman will defend her child kill her also with him Feare not to be accused for this fact for it is by my commaund that you do it Go into the cittie like Lyons search it through diligentlie least any remaine hidden and perchance it maie be that child that the kings came to adore The captaines vnderstanding the kings mind and intention gathered all the armie recyting vnto them the same reasons that the king had alleadged before They all accorded and agreed to performe this mischeiuous act and so to Bethleem they went and he seemed the best and worthiest fellowe that trauelled thither with most speed So comming to Bethleem they began the massacre the cruell butchers slaughtering the quiet lambes All the houses were repleat with the outcries of the afflicted mothers the waies streamed with riuers of blood and the streets were filled with bodyes of the hoie Innocents Herod desired to slay IESVS CHRIST in the person of euerie one of them and so euerie of them dyed for CHRIST who being in Egipt had yet compassion on them seing they dyed for his sake Trulie Herod did vnto them herein more good then harme and more proffit then damage since they be all saued If these children had not bene put to death at that age and by such occasion it might haue come to passe that many of them might haue beene damned But IESVS CHRIST our blessed sauiour and of all mankind would not that nay of them that were borne in that prouince and at the time that he was borne should be condemned The slaughter and butcherie continewed the waies were all stayned with blood and the number of dead bodies increased but the rage and cruell furie of these barbarous ruffians was no whit diminished The most secret roomes could not defend the holie infants from the slaughter neither was the Temple where God was honored a sufficient refuge or safftie for their liues In that their Temple they assembled to make their prayers but they offred no sacrifice therein for that was to be done only in the Temple of Ierusalem They began now to make sactifices in the Temple of Bethleem not of brute beasts but of innocent children Euerie thing was stayned with blood graues and diâ—ches were filled with children and their dead bodies were lying in euerie place And if perhaps any mother did hide her sonne from the souldiers the child manifested himself seeming with his crying to call those butchers to kill him because he would not be depriued of so happie and blessed death Some mothers that were more bold thrust forward on the executioners desirous rather to receaue the blow themselues then it should light on their children but his was to no purpose for themselues were wounded and their children slaine Some other mothers held them so hard in their armes that they could not get them from them then would they cut and deuide them in the middle so that one part of the child remained in the hands of the mother and the other in hand of the souldier Some women ran to and froe with their children in their armes to get out of the place where the slaughter was and stumbling on the dead bodies killed their owne children themselues Some other turning vnto these bloodie fellowes said vnto them How is it that you become so senceles and voyd of pittie Haue none of you a mother haue you not wiues and children Do none of you know how great the loue of pareÌ„ts is toward their children How sauage and beastlie is this your cruelltie If in this cittie hath bene comÌ„mitted any offence these whoÌ„ you kill haue not done it Slaievs that deserue death the rather for that we haue liued in coÌ„panie with such men as you bee brought theÌ„ children The souldiers hearing these words were mooued vnto compassion and shed teares but remembring the commaundement of king Herod they became more fierce and enraged then before killing a fresh the children in their mothers armes S. Augustine who also wrote hereof faith in a sermon when our Lord was borne ser de sanct 1. huius fest there was heard many plaints not in heauen but in earth The Angells in heauen reioyced and the mothers which were in earth lamented God was borne a litle child and his will was that vnto him should be offred a sacrifice of children He that was to be sacrificed like a lambe on the Altar of the Crosse would haue the Innocent children sacrificed vnto him It was a lamentable spectacle to see souldiers with naked swords in their hands to kill so many litle infants and not to know the cause seing none of them could committ such an offence as might merit so vntimelie a death It was euident therefore that enuy was the only cause Theire poore mothers tore their haire stroke their breasts and made pittiful outcries their eyes running like fountaines of water The more they laboured to hyde their litle infants the sooner they were discouered they not hauing the skill to hold their peace for they had not learned to feare such butcherly ruffians The mother and the souldier strugled together the one to deliuer her sonne the other to take him awaie The mother said why will you pull froÌ„ me him that was borne of me Ah my prettie tender infant I haue not brought thee so carefully vp that thou shouldest be thus rudelie handled If any fault or offence hath bene committed I haue done it let this babe liue and kill me Others said If
at a Church there came in a man posessed with the diuell and made such a noise that the deuine office could not be heard The holy man praied for him and not only obteined that the deuill in him did hold peace but also did depart out of him left him free Through all Greece the fame of S. Giles was spred wherupon he fearing to be honoured and reputed for a holy man tooke sea intending to go into some country where he should not be knowen The bark was not far from the shore but a huge tempest arose so that euery one made accoūt to perish in the sea S. Giles praied and the storme ceased by which all the mariners and passengers wel perceiued that the storme ceased by his praiers and they yelded vnto him many thankes for the same After a fewe daies the barck arriued at a hauen in France where S. Giles took land and went to the city of Arlez where a holy man called Cesarius was Bishop The holy Saint staied in his company two yeares to the great content of them both for that all their conference and conuersation was of heauenly matters In that place S. Giles by his praiers healed a man which had bene sick of a feuer three yeares And because that deed and the comendations of Cesarius caused him to be had in great reuerence and that euery one called him the holy man he resolued to depart and to fly from the reputation and honor of the world though the conuersation and company of Cesarius pleased him much So he passed ouer the riuer of Rhosne which is wel knowen in that realme he founde on the bank therof a holly hermit called Veredemius liuing a solitary life with whom he staied and continued certaine daies And wheras the countrey naturally was barren it became fertile and fruitfull by the praiers of S. Giles It happened that on a time a sick man was carried vnto the cell of Veredemius to be healed by him but it falling out that he was not at home at that time S. Giles praied for him and healed him There was neuer man that auoided to be contemned and despised as S. Giles laboured to shunne and to repell the estimation honor of the world and therfore he departed from that place went vnto an other which was more solitary and fuller of woode toward the mouth of the Riuer In that place he found a cane among certein thornes and other wild plantes nere vnto which sprang a cleare and pure fountaine In it he also sawe a hind which made signes to be content that he should lodge with her so the holy man resolued to make his abode in that place His food was the rootes of herbes and running water and sometimes the hind permitted him to milk her and in that sort he spent part of his life passing the time in praier and meditation It befell afterward that the king who then reigned in France being a Christian went one day on hunting and his houndes found the hind of S. Giles and pursued her hard to kill her Shee with a swift course ranne back vnto the caue where the holy man remained and lay at his feet as it were to demaund succor and help at his handes in that danger when the hind came into the caue S. Giles was at his praiers on his knees though he sawe his hostesse that gaue him lodging in manifest daunger he did not therfore arise from his exercise but he besought God to defend and deliuer her The praier of the holy Confessor was hearde for by the power of God the dogges could not enter into the caue but stood a good way of and barked At this noise the king the other hunters came in but they being not able to enter the caue one that caried a crosbowe put a quarell therin which he shot of toward the caue determinating to make triall what was within and the quarell or arrowe be what it was lighted vpon the holy Saint and wounded him who patiently tollerated the wound which was made The hunters passed through the thornes and braunches determining to see what was in the caue and at the last they came to the place where S. Giles was It seemed vnto euery one of them a strange spectacle to see him at the mouth of the caue on his knees with a graue and venerable aspect and nothing troubled looking with his face and eyes and likewise his handes lifted toward heauen The wound had made him all bloudie and the hind lay close by his side These thinges put the King and all his people in great dread wherfore he went vnto him and reputing him a holy man made obeysaunce and craued pardon of him because his bowe-bearer had wounded him gaue order that prouision should be made for his cure though the holy Saint made therunto deniall wishing that the wound and the sore might continew all his life that it might be an occasion wherby he might haue more merite The king offered vnto him great sommes of mony to the end he should pray vnto God for him but the holy Saint would not accept any guiftes but perswaded him to lay out that which he desired to bestow on him in building of a monastery in which religious men might dwell that should pray vnto God for him and for his kingdome The king was well pleased therewith caused a monastery to be builded of the which the holy man was compelled by the importunity of the king to take on him the gouernment with the title of Abbot S. Giles liued in this monastery certain yeares and all that time he spent in praiers and fastinges endeuouring that euery one should fly from sinne and attend to the seruice of God This may euidently appere by the same king who was obstinate in a certaine sinne he had committed and therof had small remorse and greefe and lesse wil to confesse it yet so much the praier of S. Giles preuailed that the king confessed it with great sorrowe of mind and repentance for his trespasse and all other offences committed in his life It is said that the holy Saint went vnto Rome and at his returne brought many indulgences and pardons graunted vnto him by the Popes for his monasteries aswell for them that dwelt therin and wore his habite as also for them that visited it S. Giles hauing gouerned his monastery no lesse religiously then holylie certain yeares the time of his death approched which was agreable vnto his good and vertuous life leauing behind him a holy enuy vnto all them that were present at that time for it was apparant and euident that he went to possesse the kingdome of heauen where was for him prepared a most honourable place His glorious death was on the first day of September and theron the Church celebrateth his feast In the history of the life of this holy Saint it is written that S. Giles liued sometime with Cesarius Bishop of Arlez