is the promise of S. Ioachim and S. Anne who had vowed to God their fruite to the imitation of that holy but barren woman S. Anne the Mother of the Prophet Samuel who prayed vnto God with warm teares to take away the reproach of her sterility with that promise 1. Reg. 12 11. that she would consecrate to his seruice the child he should giue her and so hauing obtayned of God a little Samuell that was to be a great Prophet she did dedicate him to Gods seruice 1. Reg. 2. as soone as he was weaned with like deuotion did Ioachim and Anne offer their daughter to the Temple Niss sup Niceph. l. 1. c. 7. as a present receaued by the speciall fauour of God and consecrated to God by promise and vow they had made The other cause of this oblation is more high that is the election of God The 2. cause who had decreed before the creation of the world to make a paterne or principal worke in this B. Virgin according as Wisedome maketh her selfe to say I was created from the beginning Eccl s 14. and before the world that is foreseene in the councell of Eternity and by the same Prouidence chosen by God to be the Mother of his Sonne he would therfore that as she was a singular worke of his hand so should she be dedicated to him as his owne from her infancy by this particular ceremony whereby giuing her to Ioachin and Anne aboue the course of their naturall infirmity and yeares he inspired also into thē to offer her as a proper guift of his liberality that she might be blessed with all causes as well supernatural as naturall enriched with heauenly guifts in her soule and honoured with the deuotion of her Progenitours and made capable of greater benedictions The offering of the Virg. This was therefore the richest offering that hitherto was euer made to God in his Temple it was also the most noble peece that euer came out of the treasury of his holy Spirit With what eye then think you did he receaue her with what admiration did the Angels-guardians of the Temple desire to behould this diuine starre rysing in the heauen of the Temple of God This heauenly Virgin that was to be the Mother of their Lord and Maker The third point of the Meditation Of Virgins and men consecrated to Almighty God CHAP. XVIII IN the third point he shal meditate how God hath alwayes had in his Church Women consecrated to God haue beene alwayes not only certaine men dedicated to his seruice who by a common name were called Priests but also women as well Virgins who after a certaine tyme did mary as Widowes who remayned in perpetuall widowhood a custome counted heauenly among the Iewes in the booke of Exod. 38. where he sayth that Moyses made a Vessell or Lauatory of brasse with the foot Exod. 38.8 of the looking glasses of those women which fasted and watched in great number before the doore of the Tabernacle wherof Rabbi Abraham writing sayth Rabbi Abraham This was the custome of women to dresse and adorne themselues euery morning dressing their heades by a looking glasse of brasse or of glasse Now there were in Israell women pious and deuout who leauing the follies of the world did offer their Glasses to God as needing them no more for the attiring of their bodyes and they met euery day before the gat of the Sanctuary in great number in manner of an army attended i◠prayer and hearing the Law of God Of which wordes we gather first that Moyses made the foot of this Lauer of those Glasses of brasse or steele molten which being polished and burnished Lyra and others did serue for a Glasse to such as washed to see if there were any vndecent spot in their face though some Doctours haue lesse probably held that these Glasses were not melted but rather set on as plates or barres both opinions come to one but the first is more agreable to the text of Scripture Looking glasses the instruments of vanity In the second place we gather that these women did altogeather renounce the pompe of the world for in signe heerof they offered to God their Glasses principall instruments of their vanity to be applyed to some holy and sacred vse serued God with all their strength with goodly order and constancy like spirituall Amazons and women of warre consecrated in the house of God Amazōs women of warre euen as the Priests in their vocatiō made another sort of spirituall army of which principally the Creatour in the Scripture is called God of Hostes or Armies as ruling and pleasing himselfe in them aboue all other companies of men they being the strength and ornament of his spirituall kingdome against the armies of Sathan who being an Ape of Gods works hath not omitted to ordayne like companies in his Kingdome for as among the Idolatours he had his sacrifices Vestall Virgins exēpted from Parents authority his Temples and Priestes and other tokens of diuinity to the imitation of God so caused he to be erected Houses of women in Aegypt Greece and other places one the most noble of all the rest in the famousest seate of his Tyranny which was Rome of the Vestall Virgins consecrated to Vesta the Goddesse of fire whome they serued vnto 30. yeares Aul. Gell. l. 1. Noct. act c. 12. Sueton. in Iul. Caes c. 83. Hub. in suo Caesar Alex. ab Alex. l. 5. cap. 12. ex Plutar. alijs and afterwardes married were respected of all the world and honoured with many priuiledges for they were exempt from the power of their Father and Mother from the day of their consecration without any other letters of their emancipation they had authority to make their will were of that credit and respect that to them were giuen to keep the Testaments of the most noble men of Rome that died and the publick contracts of peace and alliance If the Magistrate met them in the street he returned to make them place and saluted them as if they had beene Goddesses if in the way they chaunced to meet with any condemned person they deliuered them for that tyme neither durst any speake a dishonest word in their presence as if they had beene a certaine Deity at the Theaters they had the most honourable place by themselues a part which honours no doubt were giuen to the imitation of the Hebrewes among whome these religious women were inuiolable and held in great reuerence yet without all shew of superstition Therfore the race of Hely the high Priest was accursed and rooted out because his sonnes 1. Reg. 21.22 besides other sinnes had violated some of these as in the booke of the Kinges is signifyed These women continued vnto the tyme of our Sauiour who being brought to the Temple a child was ackowledged and praysed by one of them called Anna a Widow of
the world was busied in making good cheere some wicked Cittizens driuen with rage and enuy against them that had wonne the prize and against the Magistrates that by paâ—sicke senteÌ„ce had adiudged it them set fire to the towne house and raised in this publicke flame a most cruell sediâ—ion against the Cittizens diuided amongst themselues I found my self besieged in a lodging hard by the house with diuers othâ—â— merchants whome they sought to kill and had already broken downe the doores to enter fynding my selfe thus betwixt the fire and the sword without meanes to escape a miserable death I had recourse to God with al my hart making a vow to him that if it would please him to deliuer me from the danger of this dolefull day I would not deferre to dedicate my selfe wholly to his seruice and I was heard for I had no sooner pronounced this vow but I felt some body without seeâ—ng any that seized on me with great violence and carying me in the aire brought me hither in an instant into the orchard where I was found the last wednesday Therfore if it be God that hath giuen me will to doe well if it be he also that made me be thus caryed to follow his counsells your Fatherhood may iudge by the circumstances and not refuse to open if it please you the gate of mercy to a poore penitent with these wordes he began to weep and cast himselfe at the feete of Dom-Prior And continuing his discourse my Father saith he refuse not a prodigall child whome to saue the Sonne of God descended from heauen If you account me a thiefe I haue confessed and doe still that I am so but I am also penitent punish me here with you for satisfaction I will contribute my life and death with youâ— therefore reiect me not for being a thiefe our Sauiour would be crucified betweene theeues and at the tyme of his death he shewed so much and his last exploit of clemency and mercy was employed in the behalf of a thiefe But doe with me what you will I will not goe from that place where the Angell of God hath put me and so he held his peace sighing and weeping All that were present were much moued to compassion And Dom-Prior sayd vnto him with a graue and gracious countenance My friend your teares sighes make me belieue that you are touched by God and that your desire deserueth to be heard but weigh well your strength and the designement you vndertake and letting him kneele still to try his constancy and patience What he must doe who leaueth the world went forward with him saying My sonne you aspire to a high enterprise you must wholly renounce the world and all her vanities you must make deadly warre with your owne body by labours abstinence fastings watchings hairecloth disciplines other skirmishes troublesome painefull to a man that is worldly who hath nourished his flesh at a full table Math. 16.24 and a soft bed and which is most difficult of all you must renounce your owne selfe according to our Sauiours decree that is giue ouer your owne iudgement and will â—au 9.23 which are two of the most potent peeces of the soule and which a man can leaue with more difficulty then all the good of the world besides You must become a litle childe and when you shall iudge that any thing should be thus and thus done for you you shall be commanded the contrary when you would goe to the garden you shall be sent to the kitchen you will loue to sing they will set you to write and finally you must be ruled by the rules of religion and your superiours and not by your owne iudgement Are you content to contract with God and vs vpon these conditions My father quoth Gratian I desire not to be admitted vpon any other condition The world then to doe all that your rule and commandement shall bid me For as concerning the world I haue renounced it already and haue in horrour her vanities which to my cost I know to be deceitfull and pernicious experience hath taught me that lesson The flesh And for my Flesh I hope to handle it as it deserueth and payne shall be no great newes vnto it for it hath laboured allready and endured but too much for the world and for farre lesse wages then I expect for my labour in the seruice of God My iudgement and my will are no more my owne I now make an offering of them to God Proper iudgmeÌ„t and leaue them vpon his Altar in your hands and haue firme confidence in him who hath giuen me the desire to consecrate my selfe wholly to his seruice that he will also giue me strength to accomplish it This was Gratians answere which did woÌ„derfully content all the company and Lazarus turning to Dom-Prior My Father saith he your benignity cannot deny this request for it is iust the grant easy I am content quoth Dom-Prior but so that you will be content to yield to one small request which I shall make for him There is nothing in my power quoth Lazarus that I will refuse I require quoth Dom-Prior only that you would stay this day with vs nothing can be more reasonable nor more easy you shall comfort vs your friends to morrow is Sunday and this day a day of rest say the word and Gratian is receiued Father quoth he vnder correction you should haue demaunded some better thing you require nothing in this but to proloÌ„g your paine to your charge but seeing it pleaseth you that shall not hinder Syr Gratians contract with your Fatherhood Arise then my dearely beloued quoth Dom-Prior I imbrace you now as my litle brother you shall be no longer at prisoners table but sup with your host this night and to morrow god willing you shall haue a maister who shall begin to furnish you with the weapons of religion The rumour of this miracle was presently caryed ouer all the Conuent Dom-Procurator who was present all ioyfull beheld Lazarus I said wel Sir Lazarus that your coming would bring vs good fortune for not only you haue recouered vs our sacred moueables but haue also deliuered from suspicion this innocent and will be a cause to make him our brother It is not we answered Lazarus that brought good fortune hither but we found it heere But Dom-Prior was wonderfully glad of these good fortunes and namely that the Pilgrims would stay vntill the morning All the afternoone vntill Euensonge was imployed in seeing the parts and offices of the Conuent and the Cells of Religious They saw three goodly pictures in a faire chamber where they vsed to make their recreation The first represented on one side diuers persons who caryed their purses to the feete of certaine Prelates and on the other a great ship tossed in a terrible tempest the mast was brokeÌ„ the shipmen vpon the hatches casting all their merchandise
contrarywise this house subsisteth without foundation or rest against the lawes of Nature and art And heere also is to be noted a singular wonder that when the wall was made which now doth compasse it round about to the end to hold it vp and sustaine it it was found to be disioyned and retyred leauing a great space betwixt them as iâ— still to be seene whereby God would declare that this was an effect depending of his holy hand and a continual miracle to make this house of his Sonne and his mother more admirable and honourable Behold the beginning of this house of Loreto and the first condition and quality that we sayd might make a place venerable before meÌ„ wherin I haue enlarged my selfe the more for that the knowledge of this is as it were the foundation wheron is grounded the rest that I come to say heereafter where I intend to be so much the shorter by how much I haue beene heerein the loÌ„ger Of places honourable for their antiquity and how that of Loreto is most honourable by this Title CHAP. XIV THE second cause and condition that giueth title of honour and respect vnto any place as also to a man to workes to goods to vertues to any thing els is Antiquity Thereby men become memorable families famous nations glorious languages of great authority amities and friendships become more commendable and wine with age waxeth better The Iaponians haue certaine earthen pots framed after an old manner Pots of Iaponia of no valew for the matter nor of any beauty for the fashion yet more esteemed with them for this only title of Antiquity then heere with vs are Diamonds or other precious stones and are sold sometimes for two or three thousand Duckets Opinion setteth the price of all thinges for which heere perhaps a man should hardly get six pence whereat the Portugeses meruailing and mocking also who compassing these farre Seas did first land with those people for their traficke they could wel auouch that their opinion of valewing their pots was vpon better ground and foundation then ours in so esteeming of stones for of those we haue no pleasure but the sight whereas their pots say they do them some seruice and besides doe carry with them an image of immortality It is certaine then that buildings as all other thinges are honoured by this antiquity though fallen to ruine 3. Rev 6.3 2. â—aâ—al 34. Ioan. 10.23 Act 5.11 and decay In the tyme of our Sauiour there was standing in the Temple that Herod had caused to be builded in Hierusalem a porch or cloisture remayning of the ruines of Salomons Temple which was for honour called the Porch of Salomon a peece honourable chiefly for the Antiquity At Rome are beheld with reuerence the Amphitheaters the triumphant Arches of royall pallaces and like peeces of ancient buildings and yet further the pillers bathes Piramides that escaped the breaking in the falls and ruines of Cittyes haue endured whole or cracked vnto our tyme do make more honourable this Citty the abridgement of the world Loreto a most ancieÌ„t building aboue any in Palestine But in all the world there is no worke better founded vpon this title of ancient nobility then this sacred House The antiquity of the other for the most part is but a profane worke of vanity food of curiosity carying with it no greater commodity then the testimony of the mysery and mortality of humane thinges but this is diuine full of honour of spirituall fruit and holines It sheweth vnto vs a little Chamber that hath stood on foot 1600. yeares without reckoning how long it endured before which was perhaps as long or more which we cannot know as we do certainely know that it hath lasted these 1600 yeares whole and sound amidst the ruines of so many princely Pallaces Temples Synagogues and other stately Buildings More ancient theÌ„ any in the world not only of Nazareth in Galiley but also in all Palestine yea I may boldly say in the whole world wherein it giueth vs without saying a word a heauenly instruction giuing vs to know that when God will transitory and fading thinges can exceed the boundes and lawes of tyme and become immortal maugre death according as they are coÌ„secrated to the seruice of him who giueth beginning and lasting to all things There is nothing so fraile and so soone perishing as haires yet notwithstanding the haires of that noble Penitent Mary Magdalen are yet whole because they were imployed to wipe and drye our Sauiours feet There haue beene a thousand Queenes Ladyes Gentlewomen who haue had more goodly haire which yet are turned to aâ—hes 1. Reg. 1â— 26. Absalon had goodly golden lockes that did flye about his shoulders and beat vpon his legs and he was faine to cut it euery yeare least he should be loaden or troubled therewith all these haires are perished and Absalon loosing his life was hanged by them and perished by his haire corporally as many Dames do by theirs 2. Reg. 18.9 spiritually The haires only of Magdalen haue remayned incorruptible amidst the great reuell and change of mortall thinges to serue for a goodly and honourable attire to her head who so happily employed them to the seruice of her masters feet Such seruice hath founded the Antiquity of this little great ChaÌ„ber and hath made it stable against all the assaults of men tyme for that he who put all thinges and tyme in his owne power was there serued honoured O mortal men build you so so dedicate your actions and workes to the glory of him that can giue them ground and bring them to immortality euen in the land of mortality and to your selues aboue in heauen that life and glory which feareth not the lawes and rigour of tyme. Places renowned by diuine apparitions made in them and of the apparitions of the Chamber of Loreto CHAP. XV. The third cause THE third thing that doth beautify and sanctify a place is diuine apparitions made in them by this title were many places in Pale tine made honourable as was the plaine of Mambre Gen. 18. where God came to lodge in Abrahams tent and pauillon vnder the figure of three men an apparition which Deuines expound of the B. Trinity which is one God and essence in three persons Aug. lib. 1 de Trinit Also Bethel in Mesopotamia of Syria where Iacob in his sleep saw that meruailous Ladder standing vpon the earth Gen. 28.7 and reaching with the top to Heauen Angells ascending and descending thereon in prayse of which place Gen. 28.17 Iacob awaking sayd Verily our Lord is in this place and I knew it not this place is terrible and no other but the house of God Honourable also in this respect was the desert where God first shewed himselfe to Moyses in a burning Bush but aboue al other Exod. 20. the top of the mountaine Sinai is
thee in her thoughts my will in her desires my memory in her capacity and all my senses in their functions seruices and that I take no strange Gods before thee Alas what folly is it to admit and follow another seeing thou art so great and all alone in thy greatnes and all others be false Defend me from the vanity of false Gods and their Idols not of Paynimes from which we haue beene long freed by the cleare light of our fayth O sweet redeemer Iesus Christ but from those Gods and Idols which vanity and peruersity doth forge in the soules of those False Gods Idols are vices who vnder false banners carry the name of Christians which are proper will pride auarice impurity enuy rancour gluttony slouth and such like abhominations of vices and aboue all from obstinate errour and heresy which this malignant abuser of men and infernall workeman doth forge and furnish to the world insteed of the old Idols of Pagans which he seeth hath long since lost all honour and credit Keep me Cypr. l. de vnit Ecc. O my Creatour and Sauiour from being abused by those false Gods let not my soule seeke after these vanityes nor euer bow her knee to these Idols that she acknowledge no other God but thee honour thee alone in thy Church and in the communion of thy Saintes and with a sound faith and place her chiefe hope in thee alone God to be honoured with a true faith hope charity and loue thee alone withal her hart and honour and respect for loue of thee all others that are honourable by thy guifts and graces in heauen and earth Angells and men These and the like shall be the Pilgrimes discourse this after dinner In the Euening he shall say his beades or some other prayer to salute the B. Virgin and shall take vp his lodging for his rest that night The fifth Day A meditation vpon the second Commandement Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vaine CHAP. XII THE second Commandement shall be the chiefe meditation for the morning of the fifth Day contayning the prayer preparatiue two preambles and fiue pointes The prayer preparatiue The first shall containe the accustomed demand to wit the assistance of Gods grace by the which all our actions and prayers may be made to the honour of God The first preamble shal be like that of the precedent meditation differing in matter only setting before the eyes of our soule the second Commandement grauen in great letters in the first Table of the Law THOV SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF GOD IN VAINE The second preamble shall aske grace to make particuler profit of this meditation The first point shall obserue that this Commandement informeth and teacheth the tongue one of the most excellent members of man Our tongue giuē to prayse God with to honour God as the first instructed the hart and as the tongue dependeth of the hart so this commandement is a dependance or conclusion of the first for if God must be honoured with a soueraigne worship as the first teacheth then it followeth that we must honour his Name What is meant by the name of God which is the note of his Greatnes as the name of a King is the note of Roialty that we should not take it in vaine that is without reuerence iust cause otherwise it is a dishonour to him This is therfore one consequence of the first commandement yet God would giue it a part and in expresse termes the better to particularize the markes of his honour more distinctly to bridle tongues of worldly men too much inclined to iniury his maiesty with false and vaine oathes It teacheth vs therefore to employ our wordes to the honour of God and if we must sweare to sweare holily and not in vaine now the name of God as farre as we can know is euery saying or word that signifieth the infinit Essence wisedome bounty as are God Lord King of kinges Almighty Lord of Hostes These names and the like vsed in holy Scripture are soueraignely honourable because they appertaine to God and God is honoured and dishonoured in them as the King in his by the vertue or malice of men and namely by their language The second shall be employed to meditate Diuers wayes of honouring the name of God how we honour the name of God m ny wayes to wit when we confesse him stoutly before all when we professe Iesus Christ his Sonne authour of our saluation God and man when we attend holily to heare the word of God when we singe his prayses when we pray to him when we thanke him as wel in aduersity as in prosperity as holy men haue alwayes done Dauid Iob and the like who were they in peace were they in affliction sayd alwayes The name of God be blessed How the the name of God is honoured by swearing But specially and according to the principall sense of this Commandement we honour his name when we sweare with piety that is when with necessity truth and respect we call God to witnesse of any thing saying God is my witnesse God knoweth by God I call God to witnesse as God help me or any other wayes that a mā may sweare to which also are referred the oathes made by Saints Angells men the Ghospell by heauen or earth or other Creatures all which appertaine to the prayse of the Creatour as they are vnder his rule and seruice The third shall meditate the three conditions necessary to a good Oath that is Verity Iudgement and Iustice Three conditions of swearing Verity commandeth that what we sweare be true be it in affirming denying or promising saying so it is or so it is not or so I promise and I call God to witnesse he that sweareth without this condition is forsworne and doth a great iniury to the diuine Maiesty calling him to be witnesse of a lye who is the first and soueraigne Verity Iudgement teacheth vs to thinke well of that we sweare and not sweare at aduenture without necessity and he that doth it sweareth in vaine abuseth the name of God Iustice wills that what we promise by oath be iust and honest otherwise it is one sinne to sweare it and another to keep it such was the oath of the Iewes binding themselues not to eate or drinke before they had killed S. Paul Act. 23.21 The fourth shall be to meditate that as he offendeth God grieuously who taketh his name in vaine so doth he honour him greatly who sweareth with the foresayd three conditions by such an oath he confesseth him first to be the first Verity which cannot lye the supreme Maiesty most worthy of respect and reuerence and the soueraigne Iustice hating all sinne So we read that Abraham Moyses Dauid S. Paul and other great seruants of God haue sworne holily Gen. 21.23 24.31 2. Reg 19 7. Rom. 9.22 Cor. 11.31 Gal. 1.20 Gen.
in her bosome and closed in her armes whome the capacity of the heauens could not comprehend she feareth his danger and relyeth in his prouidence willingly endureth the horrour of the desart and the wearisomnes of the way and gathereth of her paines the ioyes of iust soules in the loue of him who came into the desart of the world to suffer O how gracious a spectacle to heauen is this little company O desart more happy in these three Hebrew Pilgrimes then in that infinite multitude that passed before A desart sanctifyed by these heauenly trauaillers signed and consecrated one day after to be the repaire of sanctity the earthly Paradise of deuotion to thousands of Religious soules who shal there sing the prayses of their Redeemer The desart of Egypt inhabited by Religious A desart more plentifull then all the orchards of Eden then all the Gardens of Aegypt yea then earthly Paradise it selfe for although thy trees be barren thou bearest notwithstanding at this tyme the fruit of life the mother of life and the faithfull spouse of life O Lazarus behould this pretty Pilgrime behould this trauailer and his faithfull Spouse doe them some seruice in the way giue them some fruit some ease or refreshment from thy hands request of the B. Virgin that little load she carryeth in her armes and take him into thyne to ease her but alas thou art not worthy although thou wert yet she would not leaue him This burden though it be more weighty theÌ„ the whole world is light vnto her yea giueth her vigour and strength to go the better If she will not gratify thee in this take boughes and shadow this little God who heeretefore shadowed his children in a cloud from the scorching Sunne and enlightened them with a Pillar of fire in the shadowes of night Psalm 77.14 and if thou canst do them no other seruice kisse humbly their shadow kisse the steps of their feet and haue compassion of the payns of this child and confesse thy sinnes to be the cause He entred into Aegypt according to the prophesy which he gaue many ages before Behould God shall ascend vpon a little cloud Isa 19.1 and enter into Aegypt and the Idols of Aegypt shall be troubled at his face This Cloud is the precious humanity of the Sonne of God in the which he is carryed It may be also the glorious Virgin compared to a cloud because she is heauenly and diuine like the humanity of her Sonne without any burden of sinne hauing brought forth her Sonne as the cloud doth the rayne without corruption and carryeth him in Aegypt els where as the cloud carryeth the rayne within her bosome O celestiall cloud O heauenly rayne O diuine child O diuine Mother He entreth into Aegypt whence his Father called him as he foretould by his Prophet I haue called my Sonne out of Aegypt He had called before the Hebrewes his adoptiue sonnes Ose 11. and people out of Aegypt he calleth now his naturall Sonne borne of his owne substance but in another manner Then he called the Hebrews to recall them from a cruell slauery bondage to make them enter into Iudaea now coÌ„trarywise he calleth this his Sonne from Iudaea to Aegypt to enter there and deliuer the Aegyptian himselfe from a more cruell seruitude to crush their Idols and breake the kingdom of Pharao who oppressed them vnder his tyranny with thousandes of horrible superstitions Arise then O Aegypt receaue with a good entertainement this little Sonne haue no feare of the plagues Exod. 6. 7. c. wherewith the malice of thy Ancestours hath heretofore been plâ—ged by him he coÌ„meth to sanctify thee to saue thee he is a great God but is become a little child affable of easy accesse a King full of sweetnes and mercy receaue him then receaue with good cheere these three Pilgrims the most noble that euer marched vpon thy grouÌ„d The Sages of Greece the Platoes Philosophers haue visited Egypt the Aristotles the Gallants of the world the Great Alexanders braue Caesars that haue heeretofore visited thee were nothing but poore wretched slaues of Ambition hauing their soules bound with chaines of iron howsoeuer they seemed gold glittered only in the outward of worldly vanity these heer doe passe the greatnes the brightnes of the glory of a thousand worlds This footman who is called Ioseph bringeth one who is a Virgin and a Mother the greatest Lady of the whole world admired of the Starres and Angells and shall one day be the admiration and refuge of al mortall men And this mother bringeth thee a Sonne who is the Maiesty of the heaueÌ„s the King of Angells the Sonne of a Father all mighty all wise all good himselfe as wise as good and as old as his Father in euery thing equall to his Father Creatour of the heauens with thâ— Father Gouernour of the whole world with the Father and sent by his Father from heauen to redeeme vs here in earth Receaue him then as a Pilgrime seeing Herod chaceth him out of his Countrey and whilest this Tyrant embrueth Iudaea with the bloud of the litle InnoceÌ„ts make much of this little Innocent father of them all rewarder of their life lost for him make much of his Mother and of his foster-father O my sweet Iesus did it please thee so soone to be chaced out of thy Country and to be a Pilgrime and banished maÌ„ to bring me vnto my heauenly couÌ„try whence my graÌ„dfather Adam hath so long been excluded Wouldst thou suffer euen in thy cradle what my sins deserued and what shall I eÌ„dure for thee in my Pilgrimage O mother who hast carryed this prety Pilgrim in a strange couÌ„try who hast suffered with him nursed weaned him who can conceaue the care the Charity the zeale the diligence the seruices thou didst eÌ„ploy in these seaueÌ„ years thou wert in Aegypt faithfully to nourish bring vp this litle God cloathed in the sackcloth of our mortality The goodly example thou gauest of all vertues to that people blacker in their superstitioÌ„ then in their coÌ„plexion O B. Virgin that after thy exaÌ„ple I might serue my God not now like a Pilgrime suffering in Aegypt but as a Conquerour triuÌ„phing in heauen It is I that am in Aegypt this valley of affliction where I haue need of his visit and help and of thyne O fauourable Virgin help thy Pilgrimes and deuotes The seauen yeares of this Pilgrimage being expired Herod in Iudaea being dead and the Lyon of Aegypt being buried the Angell of God aduertiseth Ioseph in his sleep to returne into Palestine The returne of Iesus to Palestine and because Archelaus the sonne of Herod successour both of his crowne and cruelty reigned in Iudaea he retyred himselfe from Galiley vnto the Citty of Nazareth where the little child Father of all ages seauen years old in his humanity was brought vp by his Mother and
siluer of diuers branches and a great plume of diuers colours scarfes of greene taffata fringed with gold their Armes were Azure a Wheele Or and in Chiefe three Moones greene in a field Argent Merefolly the guide retrait of worldlinges All this company went to the Inne of Mere-folly as they sayd there to banquet and after to accompany her to the Theater where she should be carryed in a triumphing chaire They saw these things in passing without making any great account thereof and came straight vnto the Hospitall Sap. 5. They had dined when Gratian came vnto them who tooke Lazarus apart and wringing him by the hand Affliction openeth the eyes sayd with teares in his eyes Syr Lazarus although I haue not had the good fortune to know you but of late yet the good discourses I heard of you yesterday haue ēgrauen in my hart a great conceit of your vertue as also a great confidence in your friendship Our good Lord hath visited me Syr Lazarus yesterday a little after we came to this Towne I had news that my wife was dead and a little sonne I had the hope of my house and old age I thought little of this accident whē talking with you I sayd that were it not for the hinderance of my family I would willingly haue serued God with that liberty as you do and in saying this he began to weep and sobbe that he could speak no further Lazarus sayd vnto him Syr Gratian you haue lost nothing which you should not haue lost once this is but a little preuenting the tyme Death is a cōmon debt and perhaps you haue gayned much heerein for how know you what fortune would haue followed your sonne as if insteed of being the staffe of your old age he might haue tormented and vndone you your house himselfe as hath fallen out to many Fathers And if you had beene sure of his vertuous course God would haue him and bestow on him a farre better inheritance then you could haue left him or at the least haue giuen you some other supporter insteed of your sonne He tooke nothing but his owne he gaue him you with this condition to take him againe when he would and now he hath taken him it is his right and his will to the which you neither may nor can resist It resteth only for you to haue Christian patience and to profit by your losse Gratian being somewhat asswaged resumed his discourse and sayd Well seeing it hath pleased him thus to afflict me in taking from me what was deerest in this world I resolue to cast my selfe wholy into his armes and heale my wound by that hand that made it I haue now no band that bindeth me to the seruice of the world and hindreth my liberty to serue God withall my hart to liue a true Pilgrime vpon earth it is longe since the world did stinke vnto my nose and my experience of her infidelity hath breed in me a hatred and loathing to deale with her this is the very matter that I would cōsult with you and take aduise about retyring my selfe from vanity to serue God in assurance all the rest of my life and I coniure you in the name of God and by the zeale which I know you haue to his honour and the saluation of soules to assist me with your direction Lazarus told him in few wordes Syr Gratian I am of all other the vnfittest to instruct you though I dare place my selfe among the first in harty affection towardes you I will tell you notwithstanding freely that I behould in this accident a great prouidence of God towardes you for I doubt not but he hath striken you with this blow to bring you out of the gulfe where you were in danger to haue made shipwracke of your soule me thinks you should not call affliction the death of two dearely beloued but a double benefit being vnto your selfe a doore with two hinges to enter at your ease into the rest of Paradise in this life and of eternall felicity in the next he had prepared and disposed your hart heereunto by making you tast the bitternes of the world he graued therein by little and little a desire to leaue the vanityes thereof now he vntyeth your feet and your handes and openeth you a way to execute the desire he hath giuen you For that you demand my counsell you haue diuers Religious men of great learning and conscience more capable then I without comparison that may aduise you in this affaire yet seeing it pleaseth you to addresse your selfe to the meanest by way of friendship I will tell you as a friend that if you haue a mind to leaue the world to serue God withall your hart you are in a good way and you may your selfe alone decide the matter with Almighty God The matter is extremely commendable the intention holy the conclusion cleare what should you consult In high and heroicall enterprises there is more need of execution then of consultation All that you can doubt of is what choice to make of Religions for euery Religion is not for euery body You say well quoth Gratian and this is the principall point How to choose a Religion wherein I desire your direction Heerein sayth Lazarus you must first take heed to choose a Religion well ordered for to go out of the world into a Religion debaucht disorderly is to leaue Aegypt and ioyne with the murmurers in the desart there to be exterminated by serpents or swallowed downe into the ground There is nothing more goodly or excellent in the Church of God then a Religious company walking according to their rules towardes perfection neither is there a confusion more pernicious then a dissolute and vnruled congregation hauing nothing of Religion but the title and the habit and therefore in the first place you must choose a Religion that keepeth well its Order Secondly among many Religions well reformed you must choose that which hath the most worthy noble end The highest and the best meanes or rules of greatest perfection and more Apostolicall which hath more meanes and help to fashion and frame the inward man to cultiuate the soule and plant therein the most noble vertues S. Thom. contra retrahentes à Relig. c. 2. that contributeth most to the seruice of God and profit of our Neighbours and therfore that which attendeth to Contemplation is to be preferred before that which dealeth only with Action and that which tendeth to both is the better A mans owne inclinatiō In the third place he that will make his choise must obserue whereunto himselfe is more apt and inclined to God-ward some imbrace austerity of life others action others contemplation he shall therefore haue regard not only to the perfection of the rule but also to his owne capacity and shal thereupon conferre with God by prayers and with some good spirituall Father by conference
he calleth vs not if he say not Follow me we remayne fast in the presse of the world not able to mooue O my Redeemer and Sauiour reach me thy helping hand that I may rise out of my infirmities turne towardes me that heauenly face and alwayes and as oft as thou shalt se me wandering in chace pursuit of transitory things say vnto me What searchest thou Say vnto me with such successe as thou saidst it to these disciples in another subiect Alas my Lord I haue not alwayes sought thee and so it hath fallen out that I haue not found thee I haue sought the baites of the world and pleasure and repose in present things as all the children of this world do and haue at last found thornes vanities and could find no rest for my soule indeed how could I find thee out of thy selfe but what sought I in the bogs and quagmires of this vaine world And why sought I that repose among the thistles of this earth and out of thee who art the true and solid repose of men and Angels My sweet repose I seeke thee now and I desire to haue thee alwayes and to dwell with thee suffer thy selfe to be found O my Sauiour and let me enter where thou dwellest that I may learne the lesson to liue perfectly before thee and the way effectually to draw soules vnto thee be with vs in the way of our Pilgrimage and let vs alwaies lodge with thee in this time of our mortality that we may walke with thee liue eternally with thee in that heauenly Country we aspire vnto And thou O glorious Virgin To the B. Virgin who giuing milke to this thy precious fruit didst thy selfe sucke from him the milke and hony of his heauenly wisedome his first scholler and learner of his lessons and first nurse child of his sacred doctrine make me by thy intercession a good scholler of this maister help me if it please thee to find him and that with him and in him I may trauell rest whilst I am Pilgrime at last to be receaueâ— into his house and into the company of his heauenly Cittizens 1. The Nightingales 2. The Hermitage 3. The mysticall description 4. The charmed and inchanted drinke CHAP. XIIII HERE ended Lazarus his meditation as also his companions and hauing payd their small reckoning The Pilgrimes espied by a theef at the fountaine and drunke a draught of wine they went out of their lodging onwards of their iourny with their accustomed prayers hauing walked about three leagues and waxed somewhat weary they saw a little out of their way a goodly fountaine at the foot of a little hill hauing on the left hand a copse wood and thither they went to refresh themselues and to eate a little and Lazarus as he opened his bagge to take out some bread found therein a Crowne of gold and Vincent found an other this was the almes which the good host of the Country farme had hidden in their bagge without saying any thing Loe quoth Vincent we are richer in crownes thaÌ„ we tooke our selues to be they sayd grace sopping their bread they did both eat and drinke togeather The Nightingales which were in great number in that wood began to sing striuing as it were who should do best and to make a consort of musike with diuerse tunes and quires and it seemed they had warning before hand to prepare themselues to sing the best aires they had in their bookes of nature whilest the Pilgrimes did eat Lazarus was rauished and a man might see in his countenance that his soule song praises to the Creator moued by the songs of these little birds Theodosius and Vincent also tooke more pleasure to refresh their spirit with this musicke than in feeding their body with meate and drinke and they admired three of these aboue all the rest for in recording and answering one to another they made an admirable melody to the eare neither was there any variety of tunes of accord or voices which they did not furnish they song by nature and did meruailously well mingle their flattes and sharpes together now in the Dorian and the Lydian tune to bring men asleep and refresh them now in the Phrygian and Martiall as it were giuing a signe of battell They song the treble with a clere sound and a high and after the base with a throt stretched out quauering with ascendants descendants fuâ—l and graue They might heare them a part sing the high counter and meane and after together to sing three partes a Trio of two trebles one Concordant a Bourdon and at last euery one song all alone the foure partes they went softly with longs and larges and streight they stretched out their voices in quauering and warbling so thicke and small in so good measure and harmony that it seemed the musike it selfe did sound in the brests of these little Quiâ—isters from heauen And thus these good Pilgrimes tooke their recreation but they were not aduised of a certaine Robber lurking as a spy behind them who cared not one whit for the Nightingales songs but rather for the Pilgrimes purses which he thought had beene full of Crownes by reason of what he ouerheard a little before and watched to worke them an ill turne and harkened for no more but to know which way they went and so crosse their way cut their purses and perhaps their throates too Hauing taken their refection sayd grace they continued their way to go lodge at Meuriers which was 3. leagues off The Rogue failed not so soone as they were departed to go seeke his companions who were seaueÌ„ or eight in ambush a quarter of a mile off in the wood he aduertised them that he had discouered three Pilgrimes loaden with gold and siluer who went towardes Meuriers and that they should arme themselues with their best weapons for that he iudged by their couÌ„tenance that they were stout fellowes of their handes and harts So they departed in post to intrappe the Pilgrimes halfe a league oft in the wood but God preserued them for comming to a crosse-way parted into three wayes they commended themselues to the B. Virgin that she would leade them into the right and insteed of taking the way to Meuriers where the theeues lay in waite for them they tooke another which lead to an Hermitage where there liued after the manner of the old Monks of Aegypt a man of most holy Conuersation As they came in sight of this hermitage The heâ—mitage they mistrusted that they were out of their way and to informe themselues they went straight thither thinking it had beene some farme house where they might find some body to shew them the way but comming neere vnto it they perceaued by a little Bell that it was an hermitage A good old man who serued for porter and clarke to the good Hermite to say Masse and to go a begging was then in his little garden
no religion to abuse all for to preuaile in their intentions to oppresse vertue and authorize vice and namely pleasure couetice and ambition to loue and sow discord to promise rest and honour and to yield at last nothing but wind and smoke Her faith is to betray her friends and most cruelly to handle and destroy her most faithfull seruants which commonly are three great and ancient families of the same bloud with those three sortes of courtiers of Merefolly whome you saw yesterdaye And to the end that this towne doe not rebell being oppressed and offended with his cruelties An encharmed drinke he hath dressed a feast of purpose where he giueth them a certaine drinke wherby the guests are so well charmed that they lose the remembrance of all that is past and belieue that all that were killed died in their bed and that they are happy and haue alwaies a good opinion of their maister if by good chaÌ„ce they be not vncharmed by seeing the perfidiousnesse folly of men which trust vnto him and serue him with so great loue for such wages Those whome you saw euen now compasse about this house like mad men are not men but wicked spirits in the shape of men who reioycing in any tragedy acted to their desire came to see if peraduenture they could entrappe any one to cary him to the towne and to make him slaue to their great maister by the means of their gouernour Now there be neere vnto this Citty some good men that enter therinto somtimes but as strangers and forennners and as neither he nor his Citty doth trust them so do they trust it as little and it falleth out well for them For if they should be made Denizens or take any right of burgesse amongst them they must needs vndergo the same fortune with the naturall Cittizens Our King hath purposed a loÌ„g time to raze it down to the ground and to cut in peeces these rake-hels but by reason of those good and faythfull seruants of his Maiesty he hath deferred and temporized hitherto chusing rather like a good Prince to pardon many enemies in respect of some friends than to hurt his friends in chastising his enemies Pereaâ—t amici modo pereant inâ—mici vox Tyranni which is the humour of a tyrant Behold my good Brother out of what Citty you are come if it may be called a Citty and not rather a labyrinth or enclosure of many parkes filled with lions serpents foxes rhinocerots basiliskes and other sauage and cruell beastes Heere Theodosius and Vincent remeÌ„bred againe the dream of Lazarus al three did highly prayse God of this great fauour in hauing pulled them out of so dangerous a place and they tooke a singular pleasure in the narration of the good man but they did not vnderstand what Citty he had described neyther did they remember that euer they set foote iâ— any that was of such situation figure and quality neither in Aegypt Palestine nor in Christendome Lazarus suspected that it was a Parable and a mysticall description allegorizing some spirituall Citty and they requested him more plainly to expresse what Citty it was Theodosius and Vincent who had almost taken all his wordes according to the letter made yet more instance but the Hermit for feare of holding then too long and the better to prepare their hart and eare aduised theÌ„ to eate somthing first and rest a while and that the houre of his prayer approched promising for the rest to satisfy their demand in the morning if they desired they tooke a small refection which serued for their supper and after they went altogether to say Letanies in the Chappell whence the good Hermite brought them to a litle place neere his Cell where there was a table and certaine mats layd vpon bordes to rest vpon so he left them with his blessing and retired himselfe to his Cell to his accustomed deuotions charging his man to haue ready early in the morning all thinges necessary for the Altar The Pilgrims examined their conscience tooke for subiect of their meditation the sermon of the 8. Beatitudes as they are called which our Sauiour made in the mountaine to his Apostles The six and thirtith day and the sixt of his Returne The Hermits prayer CHAP. XV. THE Hermit watched all night in prayer and demaunded of God the grace happily to shut vp the last period of his mortall Pilgrimage and to fauour his Pilgrimes whome of his good assistance he had sent vnto him that they might performe their course like true Pilgrims and come at last to their heauenly home and couÌ„try He prayed also in generall that it would please him The Hermits praier to cast forth the beames of his mercy ouer so many poore mortall creatures who allured with the baytes of the world and caryed with the wind of her vanities posted vnto euerlasting perdition O Lord sayth he what is this mortall world and how great is the blindenesse of man The shortnes of this life who suffereth himselfe to be seduced by such a cosener taking at his handes straw for gold and shadowes for truth I haue liued 80. yeares vpon the earth alas what is become of these yeares and all that hath beene done since the Creation of the world They came from nothing and to nothing they are vanished againe and nothing can I make account of but of a few houres employed in the seruice of thy Maiesty if I haue employed any well what is life but a passing shadow and the pleasures and presents of the world but deceitfull vanities In such prayers desires passed the good man al that night talking to God in the closet of his hart without sound of tongue Lazarus and his compainions were vp soone after mydnight and in great silence began their Meditation A Meditation vpon the eight Beatitudes CHAP XVI EVERY one remembred the history of the Gospell which sayth Iesus seeing the multitude ascended vp into a mountaine Matt. 5 2â— and when he was set his Disciples came vnto him opening his mouth he taught c. They noted in these words the signification of some great and high doctrine pronounced in a choice place in a mountaine as a singular and high Law giuen by our Sauiour sitting and opening his mouth as the Doctour of doctours who hauing hertofore opened the mouth of his Angels and Prophets openeth now his owne and speaketh in person not to the coÌ„mon sort but to those whome he had ordained of the priuy Councell to his prouidence the pillers of perfection and the noble foundations of his Church and that which they had noted in generall in this Preface they did obserue in euery one of the eight clauses which make this sermon The first saith Happy are the poore of spirit 1. The poore of spirit Louers of pouerty The humble for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen The poore not by fortune but by will and vow the humble and
of earth for that her defences are but bottoms and hils of errour and pride The first founder made himself vassall and tributary to a Titant for Selfeloue all the burgesses of that citty are alwayes rebels to God tributary to the Diuell him they haue loued to him they haue bowed their knee though a tyrant of all tyrāts the most cruell that euer was seeke help of him against their God The fundamentall lawes of that Citty are those fiue I touched before the first for each man to loue himself The laws of selfe-loue and the world and euery thing for himselfe for the humour of the world worldly men is to affect onely their owne particular profit hauing clean banished out of their hart the loue of God and their neighbour The 2. to haue no Religion to vse and abuse all for their temporall commodity this is to too much verified by the experience of all the children of this world whose common custome is to make Religion a pretext of their designements and to make vse of the name of God for their owne glory very hypocrites and sacrilegious impostors To haue no Religion To authotize vice and disgrace vertue The 3. to cast down vertue and set vice aloft according to this law the world prayseth those that liue in delights as most happy and the pleasures of the body as the ioyes of felicity It cōmendeth the couetous as prudent to aduance further their own affaires It bosteth of the ambitious calling them men of valour and courage and therefore it is that this Citty is filled with the brood of these families To sow discord all great courtiers of Mere-folly The 4. is to loue and sow dissention and to entertaine subiects with false reports calumniations and other malicious meanes thinking that by their discord and debility their estate should be strong and firme And as the Kingdom of God is peace and charity and his spirit is to nourish and mainteine peace so the Kingdome of the Diuell the estat of the world is trouble hatred the spirit of the world is to make discord when there is question to do euill To promise riches The 5. is to entice deceiue men by the promise of riches honours which passe vanish so many abused do perceiue whē they come to dy though late that all they haue gotten is but shadowes dreames Psal 75.6 The rich men saith Dauid haue slept their sleep in the end found nothing in their hands They haue passed this life as a dream resting themselues on the saffran bed of their riches and at the end haue found their braines troubled with fumes their hands empty of good workes their conscience loaden with sinnes These are the lawes of this world and of this Citty And as her lawes are but disorders so is her fayth perfidiousnes her end nothing els but to ruine her acquaintance and to send them to the slaughter that serue her best and are most faithful vnto her will you see this Cast the eyes of your memory vpon the histories of all ages passed how many gallants hath she precipitated into confusion after they had a while runne the race of their vanity in the sight of men How many hath she most miserably strangled that had to her performed most faithfull seruice Was there euer any that more honoured or better serued her then the Assuerus Caesars Alexanders Pompeies Neroes Diocletians Decians and other like Princes and Lords of her Court great admirers of her maiesty sighing seeking nor breathing any thing els but her greatnes hath she not made them all dye death euerlasting Thousands see this at euery moone and euery day but the world is such a cosener that it bereaueth mortall men of their senses and men are so foolish and simple that stil they suffer themselues to be seduced by her gaudies present delights so that they honour and serue her as their soueraigne Lord not able to open their eyes to behold eyther the misfortune of others or their own danger nor their eares to heare the voice of the iustice of God who threatneth them The good mixed with the bad in this world and perseuer in such sort vntill they be ouerwhelmed in the ditches of their enemie without help or hope euer to come out Now God who is our soueraigne King will ruinate this Citty raze it to the ground for he must iudge the world drench the obstinate but because there be diuers of his owne seruāts amongst these sinners as of Lots in Sodome he doth not yet exterminate the world but expecting in fauour of the good and by patience inuiting sinners to pennance in the tyme of mercy not to incurre at the day of iudgement the seuerity and rigour of his eternall iustice This is the Citty of which I told you yesterday out of the which by the grace of God you haue beene long since sequestred and shall be yet more if you be good Pilgrims as I esteeme you Thus did the Hermit expound his Allegory often looking vp to heauen and sighing The Pilgrims heard him with great attention and contentment their way seemed short Lazarus seeing him hold his peace sayd vnto him My reuerend Father you haue set before our eyes a wholsome picture of the Citty of this world and of the vanities of worldly men you haue bound vs in eternall benefit we desire to be bound vnto you also for your praiers and to obtaine for vs of our Lord that as he hath already drawn vs from the snares of this deceifull world so that he would giue vs grace to perseuer vnto the end in his loue and feare He will do it sayth the Hermit do only what is in you walk on euery day from good to better like good Pilgrims be perfect before him and you shall come by Gods grace to your desired country The B. Virgin whome you serue will help you with the assistance of her praiers the holy Apostles our good Fathers the Hermits S. Iohn S. Paul S. Anthony S. Hilarion S. Bruno and others who haue trampled vpon the world with the feet of constancy lyuing in the deserts as Pilgrims vpon the earth will procure you ayd happily to finish your course You haue yet som way to dispatch and some crosses to endure you shall passe not without paine and trauaile but with the profit of your soules As for you Lazarus you shall be lamented of many and your funerals shall be kept before your death and those that shall most mourne for you shall be most comforted in your fortune and that you may the better remember what I haue foretold you keep this and gaue him a litle paper folded like a letter conteining these foure verses At that fayre Day the last which you desire Two dead reuiu'd without death shall ech other see And being seene after their funerals kept Shall to the world
this is twesday and on Saterday we had newes of your death God giue me grace quoth Lazarus well to dye and well to rise againe This being sayd they returned to the Castle Monsieur caused good almes to be giuen and Lazarus aduised Vincent to giue the steward the ten Crownes in his bagge to giue also in almes to the poore and the remaynder of their Viaticum Open house was kept all that day and the next to all commers they went quickly to supper and al supper time and after also was nothing but questions and answers and admirations About ten a clocke in the night the Pilgrimes tooke their leaue of the old man giuing him the good night and he to them They were brought euery one to their chamber their feetâ— were washed new chaÌ„ge of apparell brought them to put on when they rose In the morning all the Pilgrimes made their meditations and communicated without omitting any of their accustomed exerses of deuotion A fortnight passed in diuers recreations namely in recounting the miracles and fauours of the B. Virgin the aduentures and accidents the encounters and dangers of their Pilgrimage in Palestine in Aegypt in Africa in Asia and in Europe since Pauline was prisoner who also related vnto Lazarus and his companions how he fell into the hands of the Saracenes and the manner how God deliuered him and conducted him home Theodosius returned to his Fathers house to take his blessing and after came backe to Lazarus Pauline was alwayes in his feruour of leauing the follies of the world and pressed Lazarus as much as he could to hasten that affaire as also Vincent Lazarus was glad to see all the house in good order and his sister who had beene widdow now three yeares like a good mistresse of the house gouerne the family insteed of her mother departed and in mynd to marry no more and his brother Francis full of prudence and piety honouring and solacing his father as much as could be desired of a Sonne so that he watched nothing but a fit houre to bid his father farewell fynding him one day as he desired he spake to him in this sort Lazarus his farewel to his Father and the World My most honourable Father and Lord by Gods fauour power I am returned from my seauen yeares voyage and vpon the point to beginne another longer then that with your leaue and blessing I beseech you to permit me vpon my departure solemnely to confesse and acknowledge that I am as much bound vnto you as euer was sonne to his father or subiect to his Lord and that I vse this confession to iustify the request I meane to make make it graÌ„table I owe vnto you next to God all that I haue and all that I am for I am your Sonne and you are my Father by which title I owe you all And a Father not such as onely hauing begotteÌ„ me and giuen me my body as other fathers to leaue me heyre of your earthly possessions The obligation of the Sonne to the Father without taking any care or very small of the saluation of my soule but like a true Father you haue nourished me in my childhood in the feare of God without sparing of any care or temporall meanes haue prouided me of the best and choisest maisters in Christendome hauing learned good literature vntill 18. yeares of age you made me learne to weare handle armâ—s after the fashion of our Nobility of France in the best Vniuersities of Eâ—rope After I was sent into Hungary to wars against the Turkes where I coÌ„manded three yeares with honorable successe of my trauailes contentment of the Captaine in whose coÌ„pany I carried armes being returned from this voiage and no occasion presenting it self vnto me in our France honorable to imploy my desire and calling you were of opinion depriuing your selfe of me for loue of me that I should trauaile into the East that so I might learne vertue in the schoole of the world seeing diuers countries and diuers nations and you did condescend that my brother Pauline should go with me because he desired it and you caused vs to be furnished with honourable prouision of men and horse but I desired you to permit me to go trauaile as a Christian Pilgrime and namely to that noble place of Loreto and that enduring some paine for the loue of God and satisfaction of my sinnes I might winne heaueÌ„ you praysed mine intention yet notwithstanding you recommended vs to certaine french Gentlemen which were in the East and made vs to take letters of Banke to help vs if we should be in necessity Then I declared vnto you as also did my brother Pauline the desire I had in my soule euer since my youth to leaue the world and to dedicate my selfe to the seruice of God a desire which hath alwayes increased in me and growne so much the more earnest feruent by how much the more clearely I did discouer the vanity of this life in euery vocation and learne that there was nothing stable vnder the heauens nothing more noble or worthy then to seeke euerlasting riches a desire which came not of my self but of God for whome I haue heard you often say that we must leaue Father and Mother and all It came also of you Syr by reason of the good instructioÌ„s which you gaue me and had caused to be giuen me so that for all and euery way I am bound and obliged to you Behold then my request grounded vpon two good titles of the goodnes and will of God and of your vertue and merit towards me and this my desire is that for the honour of God whome your selfe honour aboue all things and for the holy loue you beare vnto me and haue shewed by a thousaÌ„d benefits that it would please you to take in good part that without any longer delay I may leaue the world to consecrate my selfe to the seruice of him who hath called me to follow him and that giuing me your blessing you would crowne with this benefit all others that hitherto I haue receiued of you all which I will remember whilst my body shall breath and for the which I shall demaund of God with warme teares a recompence worthy of his diuine Maiesty The manner of life which I shall choose shall not make me leaue or forget the loue and respect which I owe vnto you but will make it more solide and firme for the counsels of God which teach vs to follow him neere are not contrary to his law which commaundeth to honour Father and Mother and Religion doth not destroy the law of nature but doth purify confirme and increase it And therefore thogh I should be absent in body yet I shall be alwaies present with you in spirit in what place soeuer the prouidence of God shall let me liue I shall alwayes remaine your most humble Sonne and Seruant and will put you in the