Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	bless_a	mercy_n	sinner_n	1,766	5	10.2326	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04408	A briefe relation of the persecution lately made against the Catholike Christians, in the kingdome of Iaponia diuided into two bookes. Taken out of the annuall letters of the fathers of the Society of Iesus, and other authenticall informations. Written in Spanish, and printed first at Mexico in the West Indies, the yeare of Christ M.DC.XVI. and newly translated into English by W.W. gent. The first part.; Breve relacion de la persecucion que huvo estos años contra iglesia de Japon. Part 1. English	Morejon, Pedro, 1562-1634?; Wright, William, 1563-1639.	1619 (1619)	STC 14527; ESTC S106448	116,621	360

Sauiours sake 7. Peter first animating his mother and his vncle Linus then spake vnto the Gentills in this manner I warne you all that no body do giue false subscriptions in our names that we leaue our fayth for if you do I will go presently to Meaco to giue notice thereof vnto the Gouernor and he will hold you for falsifiers when I shall tell him that we alwaies haue been are Christians-Linus being in his sacke and saying his prayers something aloude some of the Gentills did put a gag in his mouth of clouen canes and tyed it like a brydle about his chinne and although afterwardes moued with compassion they tooke it away yet he earnestly entreating them to let him haue it still they easily agreed thereto and let him so remaine for two whole dayes together One that was there present did much desire to make him relent and to that end he carried him to his house and there both he and his wife did intreat him euē with teares that he would leaue his religion for two or three dayes only promising if he would do so not only to procure him life and liberty but that they would also giue him good store of mōey besides but he little regarding their offers tould them they labored in vaine and so they returned him againe to the prison with his brother Michael where they both of them remayned preparing themselues to dy for Christ and from thence they wrote some letters to their friends abroad full of humility and resignation into our Sauiours handes By this one of Linus his writing we may gather the manner of the rest 8. This I write from the prison when at this present I do remaine through the grace of the holy Ghost and although a wretched and miserable sinner yet hauing my hope confidence placed in the mercy of Almighty God I do most earnestly intreat you would pray for me vnto him our Blessed Lady all the Saintes and happy soules of heauen that I may perseuere vnto the end Although vnworthy yet was I put into a sacke and so remayned one day and a night because I would not deny my fayth and after that they put me in prison with my Brother Micael I am determined and resolued by the grace of God and the help of your good prayers to perseuere euen vnto death in the seruice of my Sauiour Once more I beseech you to pray for me vnto God to giue me perseuerance for I am a great sinner and haue no other confidence but only in his diuine goodnes This sixt of the sixt moone 9. After 7. dayes vpon the 13. of Iuly these two holy brethren were adiudged to be burnt aliue which was very joyfull newes to them in so much that when they were taken out of prison Michael said to Linus Is it possible that only we two be so happy as to dy for Christ desiring much that his Father wife and Children might be companiōs with them in their crowne And in part Almighty God did satisfy his desire for that Officers taking his wife Maxentia ●ut of the sacke in which she yet remained they carried her to the place were he and his brother were to be burned to see if with the sight of their torments he would any thing relent she seeing her husband was exceeding glad hoping he should accōpany him in that happy ●eath In the way diuers Christians wēt ●o meet them and saluted them with ●reat reuerence desiring they would ●ray for them vnto God As they passed ●y the place where Benets body was bur●ed Michaell made a low reuerence ●her to as to a holy place They went all ●he way which was about a league are foote and one of their seruants offering them shoes they would not accept of them saying they rather desired that for that little space their feet might be cut and mangled with stones that so they might suffer something for the loue of God And Maxentia although she was a heauy woman not accustomed to go on foot and hauing beene foure dayes togeather bound vp in a sacke yet she wēt barefoot all that way with so great contentment that the very Gentills did admire her 10. Comming to the place of execution they found three pillers of wood set vp whereat they were to be burned the which they imbraced then praied for the space of halfe an houre then the two brethren giuing their beades and reliquiaries vnto a Christian that was present because they would not haue them burned put of their vpper garmēts and each of them betooke himselfe vnto his piller wher vnto being tyed and fire put vnto the straw and boughes and other dry wood about them Linus saying Iesus Maria and Michael reciting of his Creed both their eyes being lifted vp and fixed fast on heauen they gaue their happy soules vnto Almighty God 11. Whilest this was in doing there were some that earnestly importuned Maxentia that at least exteriourly shee would make some shew or signe to haue left the faith of Christ But she would not rather much desiring to dy for cōfessing it making offer three seueral times to go into the fire but they stil deteyned her with a rope which they had in their hands fast tyed vnto her necke and being not yet altogether out of hope to make her yeald they carried her to a howse thereby where they perswaded her most vehemently But she still answering that she was resolued and that to vse perswasions to her in that matter was but labour lost they carried her backe againe to the place of Execution where a soldier putting his sword twice vnto her throat fiersly threatned to kill her if she did not yeald whereat she said This is a goodly threat inaed seeing there is nothing that I do so much desire as to giue my life for the loue of God If you should tell me that you would deliuer me and set me fre that were the greatest thing that you could threaten me for I hauing seene my husband dy with such valour and courage for his Lord and God how can I enioy life but with great sorrow griefe and affliction 12. Which being said she tooke her haire that hung down vpō her shoulders and backe and cast it before to the end it should not hinder the blow of the axe and then with an inuincible courage bidding the executioner do his office calling often vpon the B. Names Iesus and Maria she held out her head whilest he did cut it of They burned her bodie presently which being done they tooke the ashes together with those of her husband and his Brother Linus and put them into sackes as also the earth of the place of their Martyrdome cast them into the deepest place of all the riuer because the Christians should haue nothing at all of them no not of the earth where they suffered to reuerence as reliques although there wanted not some that afterwards found meanes to get some of them

Gentiles there to hate and exterminate the pictures and images of our Blessed Sauiour and his Saintes togeather with all other thinges appertayning to the promotion of Christian piety as he hath moued your Persecutors here vtterly to abandon and abolish them It shall not I say be needfull for me to signify these thinges vnto you for that I do assure myselfe that your selues in the reading thereof will easily obserue these and many other thinges greatly worth the marking as the great feare and care of the gentiles least any reliques of the holy Martyrs should remaine to be reuerenced by the deuouter sort of Christians theyr extraordinary diligence to make those that were constant in theyr fayth to dissemble at least a little while in the exterior profession thereof theyr false and slaunderous calumniations of the Catholike religion theyr feares suspitions and iealosies of preists and religious persons concerning matters of State all of them thinges common to them and to the Gentils of former times that persecuted Gods Church as also to the Heritikes of all ages and in especiall to these of ours That which I would wish you to reflect vpon is only the bad successe euen in temporall affayres which in the end befell to such persons that for worldly respectes eyther forsooke theyr religion or without care of theyr conscience behaued themselues to the discredit therof and how on the contrary those that were constant therein and carefull to frame theyr liues according thereunto besides theyr happines in heauen honour vpon earth through the Paternall prouidence of Almighty God were euer in the end after some suffering sufficiently prouided for And now because I do imagin that many of you hitherto haue not had much notice of the Kingdome of Iapone and lesse of the affayres therof it being a country so farre distant remote from ours as perhaps few or none in the world more at least as it is accessible and by reason thereof you will not so easily vnderstand some thinges that will occurre in the reading of this relation I haue therefore thought it not amisse preifly by way of a Preface or Introduction to set downe some few things concerning the same that may help to giue you some litle light therein If therewith or by the reading the relation it selfe you shall receiue but so much contentment as I tooke paynes in the translating thereof yea or but any confort or other good at all I shall thinke any labours very well bestowed desiring no other thinge in requitall thereof but only to be remembred in your best deuotions and made partaker of those afflictions that it shall please our Blessed Sauiour to giue you grace to suffer for his sake and so humbly beseeching Almighty God to send you eyther a speedy end of them or else much patience to endure them as long as it shall be his holy wil and pleasure to permit them with all dutifull respect I take my leaue euer remayning Your seruant in Christ Iesus W. W. THE PREFACE TO THE READER AMONGST other coūtryes which were vnknowne to vs of Europe vntill in this later age they were discouered by the Spaniardes Por●ugalls one is Iapone vnder which name be conteyned diuers Ilandes lying in the east Ocean of the great Kingdome of China chiefe prouince of Asia from whence the ●earest of them is distant some ninescore ●nglish miles and about foure hundred and fifty from Nona Espan̄a a principall part if the West Indies conquered and inhabited by the Spainish Nation These Ilandes are deuided one from the other by litle crikes 〈◊〉 armes of the sea and amongst them there be three which do farre exceed the rest vnto the which the others are subiect and in 〈◊〉 manner do adhere The greatest of these three which is called Niphon doth lye from East to West and is 700 m les in length an● 180. in breadth and it deuided into three 〈◊〉 fifty little Kingdomes or Prouinces an● therein is the noble Citty of Meaco th● chiefe and head of all Iapone The second called Ximo extendeth it selfe from Nort to South and hath in it nine Kingdomes 〈◊〉 The third Scicoco is deiuded into four● Prouinces and lyeth Eastward from the second All these Ilandes be for the most par● full of hilles and mountaines much subie●● vnto could and raine whereupon it proce●deth that for the most part they be nothing fertile rather subiect vnto barrennes The● yeeld no wheate nor rye nor any such li●● graine at least but very small the chief thinge they beare is rice which they brin● forth in great aboundance they haue th● same kind of birdes and beastes that we of Europe both wild and tame though the ●habitantes seldome eate the flesh of any ●●lesse at sometimes it be of Venison Theyr ●●mmon fare is hearbes and fish and ryce 〈◊〉 the which they also make a kind of wine ●●though theyr ordinary drinke be warme ●●ater into the which in feastes and banquets ●●ey put a certaine ponder much esteemed of ●●em the which is called Cha. Theyr building●s for the most part be of wood partly because they haue but little store of stone and ●ood in great aboundance especially Cedar ●●d partly by reason the country is much subiect vnto earth-quakes yet be there many ●oodly houses and stately pallaces of excellent ●orkemanshippe and rare Architecture The people are more swarty of complexion then the Spaniardes be almost like the tawny Mores and something lesse of stature commonly then those of our nation be They are for the most part of pregnant siuely ●ittes of exceeding memory of stoute ●ouragious mindes and wonderfull patience in occasions of aduersity Commonly they be ●aughty and high minded very desirous of honour and estimation They do contemne all other Nations in the world in comparison of themselues from whence proceedeth the small account they make of any strangers that come into theyr country Pouerty doth not with them diminish Nobility nor Gentility nor wealth gaine or increase it The better sort do vse great cerimonies of honour and courtesy one towardes another yea the common people as tradesmen and artificers must be vsed with respect or else you shall obteyne nothing at theyr handes neyther will they put vp intury at any man without complete reuenge They are very carefull not to shew feare or cowardize in any case they stand much vpon theyr grauity and therefore they carry thēselues alwaies very soberly after a stayed manner in so much that it is held a wondrous inciuility for any to make any great noyse as shouting hollowing or the like whether it be in publike or priuate at home or abroad To bring vp theyr children to hardnes as soone as they be new borne they wash them in some riuer and when they be weaned from the nurse they take them from theyr mothers bring them vp most commonly in exercise of hunting the like when they come to a certaine age they change the forme fashion

they should haue no cause to ●●oubt of their resolution conformity ●●n desire to dye for Christ They had a Father of the Society hidden amongst them who with great care and secresy went from one place to another sayd ●●asse preached administred the holy Sacraments vnto them But the diuell not being able to endure that those two good brethren should do so good seruice vnto God nor that the Christians should ●iue with such loue feruor as they did did so dispose that Arimadono and his Iudges came to haue notice and intelligence of all that passed which being knowne to them and they easily perceauing that whilest those two holy brethren liued they should not be able to do any thinge with the Christians of Ariye they therefore condemned them to death cōmitting the execution therof vnto two principall men whome they willed to do it secretly because the Xogun had not commaunded that they should put to death any of the Christians but onely that they should moleste them in such manner that they of their owne accord for the auoiding of those troubles should leaue their Fayth and Religion 4. Vpon the Eue of S. Iames of the year 1612. the Father of the Society went to Michels house and there sayd masse the two dayes following heard their confessions gaue them the Blessed Sacrament and then retourned to a little Cottage where he did lye hidden In the afternoone which was vpon the day of the glorious Saint S. Anne did God Almighty choose to crowne these two happy brethren with the crowne of martyrdome Michael was taken and carried to a place where sometimes had stood a Church of the Misericordia and for that those that were to execute the Sentence were his friendes they notifyed it vnto him and wished him to prepare himselfe to dye Presently he lifted vp his eyes and handes to heauen giuing first thankes vnto Almighty God for so great a benefit and afterwardes he sayd ●nto those that brought him the newes This is a fauour which a long time I haue desired at God Almighty his handes and being so weake and sickly as I am it seemed to me that I should haue dyed of some ordina●y sicknesse and disease and therefore now I am exceedingly reioyced with such happy ●ewes and so glorious a lotte Then he kneeled downe vpon the ground and prayed a little space when as the executioner came to him and sayd Brother Michael I beseech you that seing you are ●o dye for the loue of God that you would intreate him to pardon me this sinne for I am also a Christiā do this office God knowes of force and much against my will He answered with great ●●ildnesse that he would do it very willingly and so his head was presently ●troken of whilest he was inuoking the holy name of Iesus His Brother Matthias they tooke at the same time in his owne house as he was foulding vp the ornamentes which the Father that day had vsed in the holy Sacrifice of the masse and carrying him aside they gaue him three or foure woundes with which he fell downe and dyed saying with a loud voyce Iesus Maria. 5. The executioner that cut of Michaels head did great reuerence to their two holy bodyes and taking some of their holy reliques he gaue notice to the Christians of their death and cause thereof So many came thither to reuerence theyr bodies and to get some of their reliques that they could scarce get them burried all that night at length they buried them though afterwardes they were taken vp againe and carried to the Church of Nangasaqui where they were likewise much reuerenced of all some taking peeces of their apparrell some parcels of their hayre others some of their bloud many therewith made the signe of the crosse on their own foreheades desiring much to imitate and follow them in dying for their fayth An old man of threescore and ten yeares called Ioachim as soone as he had notice of their death went running to the place where their bodies lay and imbracing Matthias his body by the seete he most earnestly desired the executioners who yet remayned there that they would do the like to him seing he also was a Christian and had promised Michael to dye in his company 6. Some monethes before this matter happened Lucy the mother to these two holy martivs a very deuout and vertuous Christian did see in a vision a most beautifull child who hauing two pretious stones in his handes shewed them vnto her and she desiring to take them in her handes he vanished away The next day following he did appeare againe with two nosegayes made of many goodly followers and when she desired to haue taken them as before he vanished away againe likewise the third day he appeared againe with two beautifull red roses in his handes at which she wondring told her sonne Michael of it and he afterwardes related it to another brother of his who is of the Society not long after she dyed and as seemes that Almighty God thereby would let her vnderstand how gratefull and beautifull the soules of her two sonnes were in his heauenly eyes 7. The same sentence of death was executed vpon Leon Quita Quinzayemon on the two and twenty day of August 1612. He was a Gentleman of a good house and a very valerous souldier of fifty yeares of age or thereaboutes he was borne at a towne called Chinxina and from his youth very vertuous and of exemplar life When Arimadono came first to Ximauara Leon sent him word that if he meant to make vse of his seruice it could not be but vpon condition that he would giue him leaue to liue a Christian for that otherwise he would not serue him He went vp and downe two monethes and more without his sword expecting an answere from Arimadono animating with great feruor all to constancy and to that end visiting the neighbour townes and villages And some wondring to see him go without his sword he told them Seing that I am not to defend myselfe when they come to kill me for Christes cause I haue no need at all to weare my weapon Going vp and downe in this manner he found that the Christians of one towne durst not bury publikely one that was dead and reprehending them for their cowardize therein they told him they feared some hurt and domage would befall him for the great boldnesse which he shewed To which he answered What can they do to me more then kill me and for that I am very ready whensoeuer they will for there is nothing that I more desire then to dy for Christ and saying so with his owne handes he buryed the dead body of the Christian 8. The Iudges did procure by all meanes possible to perswade him to accommodate himselfe vnto the time and so he might enioy his liuing and be in fauour with his Prince and a certaine Noble man that loued him very well called Camon who was