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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	father_n	life_n	way_n	6,604	5	5.4332	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02208	The dialogues of S. Gregorie, surnamed the Greate: Pope of Rome: and the first of that name deuided into fower bookes. Wherein he intreateth of the liues, and miracles of the saintes in Italie: and of the eternitie of mens soules. With a shorte treatise of sundry miracles, wrought at the shrines of martyrs: taken out of S. Augustin. Together with a notable miracle wrought by S. Bernard, in confirmation of diuers articles of religion. Translated into our English tongue by P.W.; Dialogi. Part 1. English	Gregory I, Pope, ca. 540-604.; Woodward, Philip, ca. 1557-1610.; Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo. De civitate Dei. Book 22. Chapter 8. English.	1608 (1608)	STC 12349; ESTC S121026	216,240	619

his returne knewe his sonne to be restored to life at that verye howre in which he hearde so much from the mouth of truth it selfe The monckes puttinge theire fathers commandement in execution turned Basilius out of the Abbeye who beinge so expulsed did often saye that he had by his incantations hanged Equitius his cell in the aire and yet that he colde not hurt any of his monckes This wretch not longe after in this citie of Rome throughe the zeale of goode people for his wickednes was burnt and so ended his life Vpon a certaine daye one of the Nunnes of the same monasterye goinge into the gardin sawe a lettice that liked her and forgettinge to blesse it before with the signe of the The signe of the cros vsed in blessinge crosse greedily did she eate it where vpon she was suddainly possessed with the deuill fell downe to the grounde and was pitifully tormented worde in all hast was carried to Equilius desiring him quickely to visit the afflicted woman and to helpe her with his praiers who so sone as he came into the gardin the deuill that was entred began by her tongue as it were to excuse him selfe sayinge what haue I done what haue I done I was sitting there vpon the lettice and she came and did eat me But the man of God in great zeale commanded him to departe and not to tarry any longer in the seruant of almightye God who straighte waies went out not presuminge any more to touche her A certaine noble man likewise called Felix of the prouince of Nursia father to Castorius who nowe dwelleth here with vs in Rome vnde●standinge that Equitius had not receiued holy orders and yet that he did visit many places preache vnto d●uers vpon a day very boldly went and asked him howe he durst presume to preach not hauing receiued holy orders nor yet licence of the Bishop of Rome vnder whom he did live vpon which demande the holy man being thus compelled gaue him to vnderstande by what means he had obtayned licens to preache speaking thus vnto him What you say vnto me my selfe haue seriously thought vpon but on a certaine nighte a yonge man in vision stode by me and touched my tongue with such an instrument as theie vse in letting of blode sayinge Beholde I haue put my worde into thy mouth goe thy way preache And since that daye thoughe I wolde I can not but talke of God Peter Desirous I am to knowe what manner of life he ledd who is saide to haue receiued such giftes at Gods hande Gregory The worcke Peter procedeth of the gifte and not the gifte from the worcke otherwise grace were not grace for Goddes giftes do go Grace encreaseth by good workes before all worckes of ours althoughe the gifts by the worckes which followe do encrease but to the end that your maye vnderstande what life he led which was knowne to the reuerent man Albinus Bishop of Reatino and many there be yet alive which mighte very well remember the same But what do yowe seeke for further worckes whē as his purity of life was answerable to his diligence in preachinge for such a zeale to saue soules had inflamed his harte that albeit he had the charge of many monasteries yet did he diligently trauaile vpp and downe and visit churches townes villages and particular mens houses and all this to stirr vp the hartes of his auditors to the loue of heauenly ioyes The apparell which he ware was so base and contemptible that such as knewe him not wolde haue thoughte scorne so much as to haue saluted him though him selfe had first offered that courtesye And whether so euer he went his manner was to ride but that vpon the most forlorne beast which coulde be founde his bridle was but an halter his saddle no better thē plaine shepes skinnes His bookes of diu●ni●y were putt in to leather bagges those he did carry him selfe some hanging on the righte side of his horse and some vpon the lefte and to what place so ouer he came he did so open the fountains of sacred scripture that he wa●tered theire soules with the heauenly dewe of his sermons Whose grace in preaching was so great that the fame thereof came euen to Rome it selfe and as the tongues of flatterers doe with theire glorious wordes kill the soules of such as giue them the hearinge at the same tyme some of the Roman clergy did in flatteringe sorte complaine vnto the Bishoppe of this Apostolique sea sayinge what manner of rusticall companion is this that hath taken vpon him authority to preache and being without learning presumeth to vsurpe vnto him selfe the office of our Apostolical Lorde wherfor yf it please yow let him be sent for before your presence that he may tast of the seuerity of ecclesiasticall discipline And as it falleth out that he which hath much busines is ouercome sometyme by flattery yf that pleasing venime be not spedilye dispatched from the soule at the perswasion of his clergye the Pope gaue his consent that he sholde be sent for to Rome to vnderstande vvhat talent and gifte he had receiued from God and so one Iulianus who afterwarde was made Bishop of Sa●inum was sent hauing yet commaundement giuen him to br●nge him vp with great honor to th end that the seruaunt of God mighte not thereby sustaine any iniury or detriment in his fame who to gratifie the Popes clergye went in post to the Abbey and finding there in his absence certaine antiquaties writinge demanded of them for the Abbot who tolde him that he was in the valley at the bottom of the Abbey mowinge of haye Iulian had a man very proude and stubborn suche a one that he colde scarse rule him This man he sent in all hast for the Abbot who in an angrye mode went his way and comminge quickly into the medowe where beholdinge all that were there cuttinge of grasse he demanded which of them was Equitius and when they shewed him where he was being yet far of he fel into a great feare and became therewith so fainte that he colde scarce goe vpon his legges tremblinge in that manner he came to the man of God and humbly bowinge downe his heade he embraced his knees and kissed them tellinge him that his master was desirous to speake with him After Goddes seruaunt had saluted him againe he willed him to take vp some of the grasse and to carry it home for theire horse and I will quoth he straighte waies come when I haue dispatched this little worke which remaineth In this meane time Iulianus much maruailed what the matter was why his man tarried so longe and seinge him at length to come laden with grasse vpon his necke in great rage he cried out to him saying Sirrha what meaneth this I sent yow to fetch me the Abbot and not to bringe meate for myne horse Sir quoth his man he will come to yowe by and by and forthwith

that when the deiull is expelled from our soule that he is so little of vs to be feared that contrariwise he is rather terrrified by the vertuous and deuout life of goode people OF A NVNNE THAT BY HER only commandement dispossessed a deuil CHAPTER XXI FOr the holy man olde father Eleutherius of whom I spake before tolde me that which I will nowe tell you and he was him selfe a witnes of the truthe thereof this it was In the citye of Spoleto there was a certaine worshipful mans daughter for yeres mariagable which had a great desire to leade an other kinde of life whose purpose her father endeuored to ●inder but she not respectinge her fathers Habit of Nuns pleasure tooke vpon her the habit of holy conuersation for which cause her father did disinherit her and lefte her nothinge els but six little peeces of grouude By her example manye Nunnes dedicated theire virginitye to God noble yonge maides began vnder her to be conuerted to dedicat theire virginitye to almightye God and to serue him Vpon a tyme the vertuous Abbot Eleutherius went to bestowe vpon her some goode exhortation and as he was sittinge with her discoursinge of spirituall matters a countrye man came from that peece of groūd which her father had lefte her bringinge a certaine present and as he was standinge before them suddainly a wicked spirit possessed his bodye so that straight-waies he fell downe before them and began pitifullie to crye and roare out At this the Nunne rose vp and with angrye countenance and loude voice commanded him to goe forth saying departe from him thowe vilde wretche departe yf I departe quoth the deuill speaking by the mouthe of the possessed man into whom shall I go By chance there was at that tyme a little hogge hard by into which she gaue him leaue to enter which he did so killing it went his waye Peter I wolde gladly be informed whether she mighte bestowe so muche as that hogge vpon the deuill Gregory The actions of our Sauiour be a rule for vs accordinge to which we may directe our life and we reade in the scripture how the legion of deuils that possessed a man saide vnto our Sauiour Yf thow doest cast vs forthe sende vs Math. 8. into the hearde of swine Who cast them out and permitted them to enter in as they desired and to drowne that hearde in the sea By which facte of our Sauiour we learne also this lesson that except almighty God giueth leaue the deuill can not haue any power against man seeing he can not so muche as enter into hogges without our Sauiours permission Wherfore necessary it is that we be obedient to him vnto whom all our enemies be subiecte that we may so muche the more be stronger then our enemies by howe muche throughe humilitye we become one with the author of all thinges And what maruaile is it yf Gods chosen seruantes liuinge yet vpon earthe can doe many straunge thinges when as theire very bones after they be dead doe often-tymes Relickes worcke miracles worcke miracles OF A PRIEST IN THE PROuince of Valeria who detained a thiefe an his graue CHAPTER XXII FOr in the prouince of Valeria this straunge miracle happened which I had from the mouth of Valentius myne Abbot who was a blessed man In that countrye there was a Priest who in the company of diuers other clerkes serued God and lead a vertuous and holy life who when his tyme was come departed this life and was buried before the churche Not far of there belonged to the churche certaine shepe-coates and the place where he laye buried was the way to goe vnto the sheepe Vpon a nighte as the Priestes were singinge within the churche a thiefe came to the saide place tooke vp a weather and so departed in all hast but as he passed where the man of God was buried there he staied and coulde goe no further Then he tooke the weather from his sholders and ●olde faine haue let it goe but by no meanes coulde he open his hande and therfore poore wretch there he stoode fast bounde with his praye before him willingly wolde he haue let the weather go and coulde not willinglye also haue carried it awaye and was not able And so verye straungely the thiefe that was affraide to be espied of liuing men was helde there against his will by one that was deade for his handes and feete were bounde in such sorte that awaye he coulde not goe When morning Singing of Mattens was come and the Priestes had ended theire seruice out they came where they founde a straunger with a weather in his hande And at the first they were in doubt whether he had taken away one of theires or els came to giue them one of his owne but he that was guilty of the thefte tolde them in what manner he was punnished Whereat they all wondred to see a thiefe with his praye before him to stande there bounde by the merites of the man of God And straighte-wayes they offered theire praiers for his deliuery and scarse coulde they obtaine that he which came to steale awaye theire goodes mighte atleast finde so muche fauor as to departe emptie as he came yet in conclusion the thiefe that had longe stoode there with his stolne weather was suffred to goe away free leauinge his cariage behinde him Peter By such factes almighty God doth declare in what swete manner he doth tender vs when he voutsafeth to worcke such pleasaunt miracles OF THE ABBOT OF MOVNT Preneste and his Priest CHAPTER XXIII Gregory ABoue the citye of Preneste there is a mountaine vpon which standeth an Abbeye of the blessed Apostle S. Peter of the monkes of which place whiles I liued man Abbey my selfe I hearde this miracle which those religious men saide they knewe to be verye true In that monastery they had an Abbot of holy life who broughte vp a certaine monke that became very vertuous whom he perceiuinge to increase in the feare of God he caused him in the same monasterie to be made Prieste who after his taking of orders vnderstoode by reuelation that his deathe was not far of and therfore desired leaue of the Abbot to make readye his sepulchre who tolde him that him selfe sholde dy before him but yet for all that quoth he go your waye and make your graue at your pleasure Away he went and did so Not many daies after the olde Abbot fell sicke of an age we and drawinge nere to his ende he bad the foresaide Priest that stoode by him to bury his body in that graue which he had made for him selfe and when the other tolde him that he was shortlie to followe after and that the graue was not bygge ynoughe for bothe the Abbot answered him in this wise do as I haue saide for that one graue shall contayne bothe our bodies So he died and accordinge to his desire was buried in that graue which the Priest had prouided

in that they are laden with the burthen of thiere corruptible fleshe theye be not with God and so in that they be ioyned with him they knowe the secret iudgements of God and in that they be separated from God they knowe them not for seeing they do not as yet perfectly penetrate his secret mysteries they giue testimony that his iudgements be incomprehensible But those that do vvith thiere soule adhere vnto him and cleauing vnto the sayinges of the holy scripture or to secret reuelations acknovvledge vvhat they receiue such persons both knovve these thinges and do vtter them for those iudgemētes vvhich God doth conceale they knovve not and those vvhich he doth vtter they knovve therfore the prophet Dauid vvhen he had saide I haue with my lippes vttered all the iudgements he addeth immediatly of thy mouthe as thoughe he sholde plainely saye Those iudgemēts Psal 118. I maye both knovve and vtter vvhich I knevve thovve diddest speake for those thinges vvhich thovve doest not speake vvithout all questiō thovv doest conceale from our knovvledge Wherfor the sayinge of Dauid and S. Paul agree together for the iudgemēts of God are incomprehensible and yet those vvhiche him selfe vvith his ovvne mouthe vouchesafeth to speake are vttered vvith mens tongues because men maye come to the knovvledg of them beinge reuealed they may be vttered and by no meanes can be kept secret Gregory Novve I see the ansvvere to my question But I praye you to procede yf any thinge yet remaineth to be tolde of his vertue and miracles HOVV THE MAN OF GOD BENnet did foretell the suppression of one of his owne Abbeyes CHAPTER XVII Gregory A Certaine noble man called Theoprobus vvas by the goode counsell of holy Bennet conuerted vvho for his vertue and merit of life vvas verie intrinsecall and familiar vvith him This man vpon a daye comminge into his cell founde him vveepinge verye bitterlye And hauinge expected a good vvhile and yet not seeing him to make an ende for the man of God vsed not in his praiers to vveepe but rather to be sadd he demanded the cause of that his so great heauines to vvhom he ansvvered straightevvaye sayinge Al this Abbey which I haue builte and all suche thinges as I haue made ready for my brethren are by the iudgement of almighty God deliuered to the gentils to be spoiled and ouerthrowne and scarse coulde I obtaine of God to haue thiere liues spared that shold then liue in it His wordes Theoprobus then heard but we see them to be proued most true who knowe that very Abbey to be nowe suppressed by the Lombardes For not longe since in the nighte tyme when the monkes were a sleepe they entred in and spoiled al thinges but yet not one mā coulde they retaine there and so almighty God fulfilled what he promised to his faithfull seruant for thoughe he gaue them the house and all the goods yet did he preserue thiere liues In which thinge I see that Bennet imitated Act. 21. S. Paul whose shipp thoughe it lost all the goodes yet for his comforte he had the liues of all that were in his company bestowed vpon him so that no one man was cast awaye HOVV BLESSED BENNET knewe the hidinge awaye of a flag on of wine CHAPTER XVIII VPon a certaine tyme Exhilaratus our monke a lay brother whom you knowe was sent by his master to the monastery of the man of God to carry him two wooden bottles commonly called flagons full of wine who in the waye as he was goinge hidd one of them in a bushe for him selfe and presented the other to venerable Bennet who tooke it very thāckefullye and when the man was going awaye he gaue him this warninge Take hede my sonne quoth he that thowe drinckest not of that flagon which thow hast hidden in the bushe but first be careful to boowe it downe and thowe shalt finde what is with in it the poore man thus pitifully confounded by the man of God went his waye and comminge backe to the place where the flagon was hidden and desirous to try the truthe of that vvas told him as he vvas boovvinge it dovvne a snake straighte wayes leaped forth Then Exhilaratus perceiuinge vvhat vvas gotten into the vvyne began to be affraide of that vvickednes which he had committed HOVV THE MAN OF GOD knewe that one of his monkes had receiued certaine handkerchefs CHAPTER XIX NOt far from his Abbey there vvas a village in vvhich very many men had by the sermons of Bennet bene conuerted from idolatrye to the true faithe of Christe Certaine Nunnes also there were in the same towne to whom he did often sende some of his monkes to preache vnto them for the goode of thiere soules Vpon a daye one that was sent after he had made an ende of his exhortation by the entreaty of the Nunnes tooke certaine small napkins and hid them for his owne vse in his bosome whom vpon his returne to the Abbey the man of God verye sharpely rebuked sayinge Howe commeth it to passe brother that synne is entred into your bosome At which wordes the monke was much amazed for he had quite forgotten what he had putt there and therfore knevve not any cause why he sholde deserue that reprehension wherevpon the holy man spake to him in playne termes and saide was not I present when you tooke the hand-kercheffes of the Nunnes and put them vp in your bosome for your ovvne priuat vse The monke hearing this fell dovvne at his feete and vvas sory that he had behaued him selfe so indiscretly forth he drevve those napkins from his bosome and thre vve them all avvaye HOVV HOLY BENNET KNEVVE the proude thoughte of one of his monkes CHAPTER XX. VPon a tyme vvhiles the venerable Father vvas at supper one of his monke vvho vvas the sonne of a greate man helde the candle and as he vvas standing there and the other at his meate he began to entertayne a proude cogitation in his minde and to speake thus within him selfe who is he that I thus waite vpon at supper and holde him the candle and who am I that I shold do him any such seruice Vpon which thoughte straighte wayes the holy man turned him selfe and with seuere reprehension spake thus vnto him Signe your harte brother for what is it that you say signe your harte and forthwith he called an other of the monkes and bad him take the candle out of his handes and commanded him to giue ouer his waitinge and to repose him selfe who being demanded of the monkes what it was that he thoughte tolde them how in Yf Saintes in mortal flesh may knowe the thoughtes of our harte much more the immortal Saintes in heauen wardelye he swelled with pride and what he spake against the man of God secretlye in his owne harte Then they all sawe verye well that nothinge coulde be hidden from venerable Bēnet seeinge the verye sounde of mens inwarde thoughtes came vnto his

forthwith he sent his officers of execution to putt to death that most constant confessor in the verye prison where he lay which vnnaturall and blody commandement was performed accordingly for so sone as they came into the prison they claue his braynes with an hatchet and so bereaued him of mortall life hauinge only power to take that from him which the holy martir made small account of Afterwarde for the publishinge of his true glorye to the worlde there wanted not miracles from heauen for in the nighte tyme singinge was hearde at his bodye some also reporte that in the nighte burninge lampes were sene in that place by reason whereof his bodye as of him Worshippinge of martirs bodyes that was a martir was worthily worshipped of all christian people But the wicked father and murtherer of his owne sonne albeit he was sory that he had put him to deathe yet was not his griefe of that qualitye that it brought him to the state of saluation For althoughe he knewe verye well that the catholicke faithe was the truth yet for feare of his people he neuer deserued to be a professor thereof At length falling sicke a little before his deathe he commended his sonue Recharedus who was to succede him in the kingdome and was yet an hereticke vnto Bishop Leander whom before he had greatly persecuted that by his counsell and exhortation he mighte likewise make him a member of the catholicke churche as he had before made his brother Hermigildus and when he had thus done he departed this life After whose death Recharedus the kinge not followinge the steppes of his wicked father but his brother the martir vtterly renounced Arrianisme and laboured so earnestlye for the restoring of religion that he broughte the whole nation of the Visegothes to the true faithe of Christe and wolde not suffer any that was an hereticke in his country to beare armes and serue in the warres And it is not to be admired that he became thus to be a preacher of the true faith seing he was the brother of a martir whose Merit of martirs merites did helpe him to bringe so manye into the lapp of Gods churche wherein we haue to consider tha● he coulde neuer haue effected all this yf kinge Hermigildus had not died for the testimony of true religion for as it is written ●●les the graine of wheat fallinge Iohan. 12. 〈◊〉 24. into the earthe doth dy it selfe remayneth alone but if it dy it bringeth forth muche fruite This we see to proue true in the members which before was verified in the heade for one died amongest the Visegothes that many mighte liue and of one graine that was sowne for the faithe a great croppe of faithefull people sprunge vp Peter A wonderfull thinge and much to be admired in these our daies OF CERTAINE BISHOPPES OF Africk who had theire tongues cut out by the Vandals that were Arrian heretickes for the defence of the catholike faithe and yet spake ●til as perfe●tlye as they did before CHAPTER XXXII Gregory LIkewise in the tyme of Iustinian the Emper●r when as the Vandals that were Arrian heretickes did grieuously per●ecute the catholicke faithe certaine Bishoppes continewing constant were ope●lye examined whom when the kinge of the Vandals sawe that he coulde neither by any wordes or rewardes drawe to imbrace his hereticall religion yet he thoughte that by tormentes he mighte doe it and therfore when he commanded them not to speake in defence of truthe and they refused to obey his precept least by silence they mighte seme to giue consent vnto wicked heresie● in a greate fury he commanded theire tongues to be cut out by the rootes A miraculous thinge and yet knowne to manye olde men they did as perfectlye afterwarde speake in defence of true religion as they did before when they had theire tongues safe and sounde Peter You tell me of a maruailous ●●range thinge and greatly to be admired Gregory It is written Peter of the only sonne of the eternall father In the beginninge Ioh. 1. was the worde and the worde was with God Of whose vertue power it straighte waies followeth All thinges were made by him Why then shoulde we maruaile yf that eternall worde coulde ●●eake without a tongue which made the tongue Peter What you say pleaseth me very well Gregory These Bishopes therfore flyinge at that tyme from the persecution came vnto the citye of Constantinople and at suche tyme as my selfe about the affaires of the churche was sent thither vnto the Emperor I founde there a Bishop of goode yeares who tolde me that he sawe them him selfe speake without tongues for they opened theire mouthes and saide Beholde and see howe we haue no tongues and yet doe speake for as he saide theire tongues being cutt of by ●he rootes there seemed as it were a deep hole in theire throate and yet thoughe theire mouthes were emp●ye they pronounced theire wordes very plaine and distinctlye One of which falling afterwarde in that place into carnall synne was forthwith depriued of that supernaturall gifte and that by the iust iudgement of almighty God seing reason requireth that he which was carelesse to preserue the continencye of his body which he had shoulde not any longer vtter the wordes of truth without the tongue of his body which he had not But because I haue now spoken sufficient for the condemnation of Arrianisme therfore I will returne to entreate of such other miracles as haue lately fallen out here in Italy OF THE SERVANTE OF GOD Eleutherius CHAPTER XXXIII ELeutherius of whom I made mention before father of the abbey of the Euangelist S. Marcke which is in the suburbes of the citye of Spoleto liued longe tyme together with me in this city in my monasterye and there ended his daies Of whom his monkes doe reporte that by his teares he raised vpp one that was deade for he raised vpp one that was deade for he was a man of such simplicitye and compunction that no doubt but those teares comminge from his humble and simple soule were of force to obtaine many thinges of almighty God One miracle of his I will nowe tell you which him ●elfe beinge demanded by me did with great simplicity confesse As he was trauailinge vpon a certaine daye and not findinge at mighte any other place to lodge in he went to a Nunnery wherein there was a little boye which the wicked spirit did vsually euery nighte torment The Nunnes giuinge entertainement to the man of God desired him that the saide little boye mighte remaine with him all nighte where-with he was well content In the morninge the Nunnes diligently enquired of the father yf the childe had not bene sore troubled and tormented that nighte who maruailinge why they asked that question answered that he perceiued not any such thinge Then they tolde him howe a wicked spirit did euerye nighte pitifully afflict the childe and earnestly desire● him that he wolde take him home to his owne Abbey

but one there is which by no meanes I can ommitt This it was In the same Abbey there liued a certaine moncke very vertuous who was the gardiner A theife likewise there was that vsed to clyme ouer the hedge so to steale away the wortes The holy man seing that he did sett many which afterward he colde not finde and perceiuinge that some were trodden downe and other stolne awaye walked rounde about the gardaine to finde the place where the theife came in which when he had found by chaunce also as he was there he lighte vpon a snake which he willed to followe him and bringing him ●o the place where the theife entred gaue him this charge In the name of IESVS quoth he I command thee to keepe this passage and not to suffer any theife to come in Wherevpon the snake forthwith obeying his cōmandement laid it selfe a crosse in the waye and the monke returned to his cell Afterwarde in the heate of the daye when all the monckes were at rest the theife according to his custome came thither and as he was clyming ouer the hedge and had put one leg on the other side suddainlye he sawe the snake whiche stopped the vvaye and for feare falling backewarde he lefte his foote hanginge there by the shoe vpon a stake so he hunge with his heade downewarde vntil the returne of the gardiner who comming at his vsuall hower founde the theife hanginge there in the hedge whom when he sawe he spake thus to the snake God be thancked thowe hast done what I bad the and therfor go nowe thy waye vpon which liceuce the snake by and by departed Then commynge to the theife he spake thus vnto him What meaneth this goode brother God hath deliuered yowe as you see into myne handes why haue you bene so bold as so often to robb away the labor of the monckes and speakinge thus he loosed his foote without doinge him any harme willing him also to follovve him vvho broughte him to the gardin gate and gaue him those vvortes vvhich he desired to haue stolne speaking also to him in svvete manner after this sorte Goe your vvaye and steale no more but vvhen yowe haue need come hither to me vvhat sinfully yovv vvolde take that vvill I vvillinglye bestovve vpon yovve for Gods sake Peter I haue hitherto as I novve perceiue liued in an error for neuer did I thincke that there had bene any holy men in Italie vvhich had vvrought miracles OF EQVITIVS ABBOT IN THE prouince of Valeria CHAPTER IIII. Gregory BY the relation of venerable Fortunatus Abbot of the monasterye vvhich is called Ciceroes bathe and also of others reuerent men I haue come to the knovvledge of that vvhich novve I meane to tell yowe There vvas a passinge holy man called Equitius dvvellinge in the prouince of Valeria vvho for his vertuous life vvas in great admiration vvith all men vvith vvhom Fortunatus vvas familiarlye acquainted This Equitius by reason of his greate holines of life vvas the father and gouernor of many Abbeis in that Prouince In his yonger yeres many and sore carnall tentations he endured which made him more feruent and diligent in praiers and to perseuere continually in that holy exercise which he did crauing most instantly of God to afforde him some remedye Lyring in that manner it fell so out that in vision vpon a certaine nighte he sawe an Angell come vnto him who made him an eunuch and so ●eliuered him from all those carnall motions in such sort that neuer after he felt any more as thoughe he had not bene any man at all Trusting now vpon this great grace receiue● by the speciall goodenes of God as before he was a gouerner of men so afterwarde he toke charge likewise of we men and yet for all that did he continually admonishe his scollers not easily to credit them selues herein nor to follovve his example nor yet to trust vpon that gifte which they had not in them selues least it turned to theire owne ruyne and destruction At such tyme as diuers witches were here in this city of Rome apprehēded one Basilius that was ● principall man in that wicked arte put Monckes apparel different from others vpon him the habit of a moncke and so fled a waye to Valeria and comminge to the reuerent Bishop of the city of Amirtin he desired his helpe that he wold for the goode of his soule commende him to Abbot Equitius The Bishop went with him to the Abbey where he made sute to the seruant of God that he wolde vouchsafe to receiue into his conuent that moncke which he broughte whom so sone as the holy man behelde he saide to the Bishop This man good brother quoth he whom yowe commende vnto me semeth in myne eies to be a deuill and not any moncke whereunto the Bishop replied saide that he sought excuses not to graunt his petition Not so quoth the seruaunt of God but I do denounce● him to be suche a one as I see him and because yow shall not thincke that I will be disobedient what yowe commande I will performe Wherevpon he was receiued into the Abbeye Not many daies after Gods seruant trauailed far of to preache vnto the people in the countrye after whose departure It fell out that in the monasterye of virgins which was vnder his charge one of them which in respect of her corruptible carcasse semed bewtiful fel into an ague to be afflicted with sore fittes and not so much to speake as pitifully to cry out in this manner I shal dy forth with vnles Basilius com vnto me by his skill in phisick restore me to my health But in the absēce of their father none of the mōckes durst presume to enter into the monastery of virgins much lesse was he permitted that was yet but a nouice whose life cōuersation was not knowē to the rest of the brethrē A messenger therfor with all spede was dispatched to the seruant of God Equitius to let him vnderstande how suche a Nun was fallen into a terrible burninge ague and how she did earnestly desire to be visited of Basilius which newes so sone as the holy man did heare in an anger he smiled and saide did I not saye before hand that this companion was a deuill and not a moncke goe your waies and turne him out of the Abbeye and as for the virgin that is so sicke of a feuer take no further care for hereafter it shall not troble her any more nor she make any further inquisitiō after Basilius The moncke that was the messenger returninge backe vnderstode that the Nunne was at that very chowre restored to her health in which the seruant of God Equitius far distant affirmed that she sholde no question but by speciall miracle like to the example of our Sauiour who beinge desired Ioan. 4. to visit the sonne of a Lorde did by his only worde restore him to his health so that the father at