the life of the glorious virgin s. clare togeather with the conuersion, and life of s. agnes her sister. and of another s. agnes, daughter to the king of bohemia. also the rule of s. clare. and the life of s. catharine of bologna. translated into english. chronicle and institution of the order of the seraphicall father s. francis. selections marcos, de lisboa, bishop of porto, 1511-1591. 1622 approx. 162 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 113 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2007-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a18932 stc 5350 estc s121170 99856357 99856357 21895 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a18932) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 21895) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 879:10) the life of the glorious virgin s. clare togeather with the conuersion, and life of s. agnes her sister. and of another s. agnes, daughter to the king of bohemia. also the rule of s. clare. and the life of s. catharine of bologna. translated into english. chronicle and institution of the order of the seraphicall father s. francis. selections marcos, de lisboa, bishop of porto, 1511-1591. bentley, catharine, attributed name. evelinge, elizabeth, attributed name. [8], 218+ p. english college press], [saint-omer : permissu superiorum. m.dc.xxii. [1622] in two parts; part 1 largely extracted from stc 11314.2: "the chronicle and institution of the order of the seraphicall father s. francis", a translation of: marcos da silva, bp. of oporto. chronicas da ordem dos frades menores. part 2 is a reissue of stc 5350.7: "the rule .. s. clare. togeather with the life, of s. catharine of bologna", the latter translated from a french version of d. paleotti's vita by e. evelinge? or c. bentley?--cf. stc. "of possessed persons deliuered by the merits of s. agnes: and of certayne other miracles" has caption title. part 2 formerly also stc 200. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng clare, -of assisi, saint, 1194-1253 -early works to 1800. agnes, -of assisi, -saint, 1196-1253 -early works to 1800. agnes, -princess of bohemia, 1205-1282 -early works to 1800. francis, -of assisi, saint, 1182-1226 -early works to 1800. christian saints -biography -early works to 1800. christian saints -italy -biography -early works to 1800. 2006-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-07 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2006-07 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the life of the gloriovs virgin s. clare . togeather with the conuersion , and life of s. agnes her sister . and of another s. agnes , daughter to the king of bohemia . also the rule of s. clare . and the life of s. catharine of bologna . translated into english. permissis superiorum , m. dc . xxii . to the most gloriovs virgin s. clare . most glorious saint , being to publish thy blessed life , traslated into english for the publik benefit of our coūtry ; i found no creature heere on earth , seeming worthy inough , to be presented therewith , by way of dedication : and therfore , were my thoughts presently , transported hence to the glorious cittizens of heauen ; whither ariuing , they forthwith made choice of thy blessed selfe , as best ( & in particuler ) deseruing so true an honour . accept then ( b. saint ) this my small labour which in all humility & reuerence i heere offer vnto thy holy name , togeather with my vnworthy selfe ; that by thy intercession , & piety , i may be made partaker of some little glimpse of that spiritual influence , which out of the huge masse of thy glorious merits , thou vouchsafest to impart vnto thy deuout suppliants ; amongst whom i humbly begge ( o glorious virgin ) to be accepted for one . i. w. the table . of s. clare her countrey , family & byrth . chap 1. of her education , charity , prayer , mortification and virginity . chap. 2. of her knowledge , & acquaintance with s. francis. chap. 3. of her forsaking the world , & entring into religion . chap. 4. how her friends laboured to reclayme her from religion . chap. 5. of the cōuersion of her sister agens by her prayers . chap. 6. of her humily . chap. 7. of her voluntary pouerty chap. 8. of the miracles wrought by her pouerty . chap. 9. of her great mortifications & abstinence . chap. 10. of the spirituall profit procured ouer the whole world , by the fame of s. clare . chap. 11. of her feruent prayer . chap. 12. how the mores were expelled the monastery , by s. clare . chap. 13. how the citty of assisium , was deliuered by her prayers . chap. 14. of her reuerence & deuotion to the most b. sacrament . chap. 15. of a meruailous consolation she receyued vpon a christmas day . ch. 16. of the spirituall doctrine with which she noursed her daughters . chap. 17. of the deuotion which pope gregory the ix . had to s. clare . chap. 18. of her feruent loue to iesus christ : & of an extasy wherin she was . ch. 19. of the many miracles she wrought by the signe of the crosse . chap. 20. of the signe of the crosse remayning vpon bread blessed by her . chap. 21. of her infirmity & sicknes . ch. 22. how she was visited by pope innocent the fourth . chap. 23. how she comforted her sister saint agnes . chap. 24. of her death , & obsequies . chap. 25. & 26. of the miracles wrought by her intercession . chap. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. of her canonization by pope alexander the fourth . chap. 32. the life of s. agnes . hovv s. agnes was sent to florence to build there a monastery . chap. i. of a letter she wrote to her sister s. clare , & the rest of the monastery of s. damian . chap. ii. of an extasy of s. agnes , and of her thrice crowning by an angell . chap. iii. how she sent s. clares veyle to the monastery of florence , and of her death . chap. iiii. of the many miracles wrought by the merits of s. agnes . ch. v. & vi. of the life of another s. agnes who was daughter to the king of bohemia , & religious of the same order . pag. 207. of the intention of our lord in the vocation of s. clare . of her countrey & family : & of a reuelation to her mother touching her birth , & sanctity . chap. i. six yeares after the conuersiō of the holy father s. francis , & the fourth yeare , after the confirmation of his rule by pope innocent the third , the yeare of grace 1212. the omnipotent father of light , hauing framed , and sent into the world a new man , his seruant s. francis , by him to repayre , and reforme his faithful people in that age ; would also , that a valourous woman should by his worke appeare in the world , to accompany that his great , & faythfull seruant , to the end , that of those two , shold be new borne a perfect regeneration of the children of god. and as the first naturall generation came of man and woman , as of an vnited beginning : so this spirituall generation of the imitatours of the life and counsailes of iesus christ proceeded in al the church , and in all the estates , and qualityes of persons , of the one & same spirit of zeale , of perfection , of humility , and of pouerty , from one man , and one woman . and to the end it might not be vnlike the creation , almighty god hauing first perfected his seruant s. francis , would frame of the ribb , or side of his life , doctrine and santy , the glorious virgin s. clare , his true , and legitimate daughter in iesus christ for his companion , as zealous also of perfection , and angelicall reformation . with great reason therfore hath she her place in the chronicles of the friars minors ; for she being a ribbe , and party of the same order , it is very requisite a speciall mention should be made of her sanctity of life , as we shall heere performe : and if it be not according to her merit , shall at least be done , with the least defect we can possible ; being resolued to imploy therein , that little force of spirit , which god hath giuen vs , both to the honour of his diuine maiesty , & his holy seruant , and to the edification of soules . the glorious s. clare was borne in the citty of assisiū in italy , scituate in the prouince of the valley of spoletum , which is a territory apperteyning to the pope , and roman church . her father and mother were noble , of a famous and very welthy family : her mother was called hortulana , which in our tounge may be tearmed gardener , and not without mistery , considering she was to produce so noble , and vertuous a plant , in the garden of the holy church . this woman was exceeding deuout , and compleate in the fruites of good workes : and albeit she were marryed , and consequently obliged to the care , and gouernement of her house , and family , yet did she not omit with all her power to be exercised in the seruice of god , and imployed in the works of mercy . she was so feruent in the loue of iesus christ , that with great deuotion she passed the sea with many other pilgrimes , & visited those holy places , which our redeemer iesus christ god and man , consecrated with his holy presence , and retourned exceedingly comforted , and inriched with many meritts . she also visited the church of the archangell saint michael , on the mount gargan , and with a pious , and feruent desire , visited the apostles s. peter & s. paul in rome : in such sort did that vertue and feruour shine in those dayes in many holy persons , but now so weakned is the feruour of christians touching the visiting of holy places , & the reliques of our lord , and his saintes , that it is almost lost by the continuall warrs of heretikes , and punishment for our sinnes . now our lord began to power out the aboundance of his celestiall graces vpon the roote , that afterwardes the sproutes of farre greater sanctity might follow , and disperse into the boughes . neyther would he , that this deuout woman hortulana , should be depriued of the cōsolations , & knowledge of this grace : for being neere her child-birth , she one day with great feruour prayed in a church , before a crucifix , where she besought almighty god to deliuer her from the danger of death in her child birth , which she much apprehended ; & she heard a voice that sayd : woman , feare not for thou shalt safely , and without danger , bring forth a light , that shall illuminate , and lighten all the world . being thus comforted , and admonished by this diuine answere ; so soone as she was deliuered of a daughter , she caused her to be called in baptisme clare , firmely belieuing that in her should be accomplished the splendour of the light promised , according to the prouidence , and the ordinance of the diuine bounty . of the education , charity , prayer , mortification , and virginity of s. clare . chap. ii. saint clare being borne into the world , she began incontinently to appeare , and shine as a morning starre in the obscure night of that age , for in the most tender yeares of her first infancy , she already discouered euidēt signs of notable and pious works , wherin she made to appeare her naturall worth , and the graces which god had communicated vnto her : for being naturally of a very delicate constitution , she receiued of her mother the first foundations of faith : afterwards being inspired of god , to apply herselfe to vertuous , and pious workes , she shewed herselfe to be a vessell aptly prepared for diuine grace ; and as she abounded in interiour piety , aswell by nature as by grace towardes poore beggars ; so according to the small meanes which then she had , she supplyed their necessities . and to the end her sacrifice might be more pleasing vnto god , the most delicate meates that vvere giuen her , for the nourishment of her little body , she hid , and gaue it secretly to the poore . thus did piety augment and increase in her , & nourished charity in her soule , preparing her to receiue the grace & mercy of almighty god. her greatest contentment was in prayer , wherby she was often susteyned , made ioyfull , and comforted as by an angelicall milke , and in a most delicious manner eleuated to the diuine pleasures of the conuersation of our lord iesus christ . in these beginninges , hauing no beades , she vsed insteed thereof certaine little stones , some to serue for the pater nosters , and others for the aues , and so offered her prayers to god. wherupon beginning to feele the first feruours of diuine loue , she iudged that the must contemne all transitory apparence , & painted flowers of this world : and being by prayer well instructed of the holy ghost , she resolued , as a wise spirituall merchant , to haue no more regard of terrestriall affayrs acknowledging them vnworthy to be esteemed : & with this spirit she did weare , as another s. cecily , vnder her gay apparrell , a haire-cloth ; so exteriourly satisfying the world , and interiourly her lord iesus christ . but hauing attayned the age of marriage , she was importuned by her father , & other kindred , to choose a husband ; whereto she would neuer consent , but vsed lingrings , and delayes , putting off , and differring what she could all humane marriage , & euer recommended to our lord iesus christ her virginity , with other vertues wherwith she was indued ; by such exercises indeauouring to please almighty god , that he might bestow on her his only sonne for her spouse . such were the first fruits of her spirt , and such the exercises of her piety : so that being anoynted with such a sweet , and pretiousoyntment , she yielded a most pleasant sauour , as a closet replenished with most delightfull liquors , whose perfumes , though they be shut vp , discouer , and manifest themselues ; and in such sort this holy virgin beganne without her knowledge to be commended by her neighbours ; the true fame of her secret pious workes so publishing themselues , that in an instant they were exceedingly spread abroad , & euery where diuulged . how the virgin s. clare had knowledge of the vertues of the holy father s. francis. chap. iii. this vertuous virgin clare , hearing the great fame of the admirable life of saint francis , who then renewed vnto the world the way of perfection in the same citty , with a maruelous example of piety and vertue ; & considering that many gentlemen did follow him , and that his life was already approued by our holy mother the church , she exceedingly desired to see , and heare this seruant of god , most worthy , and eminent in all vertues ; thereunto inspired by the soueraigne father of spirits , to whome had already byn presented the first fruites of their deuotions , though differently . s. francis hauing byn aduertised of this her desire , and hauing heard the bruit of her vertues , and holy affections , desired also exceedingly to see her , and to conferre with her , with intention to frustrate the world of so noble , and pretious a prey , to present her to our soueraigne redeemer , to serue him in some notable enterprise , as preordayned of god to despoyle the great prince of the world . neither did his diuine maiesty fayle , to open vnto them both the meanes , to attaine thereunto : he inspired this vertuous woman to rely vpon a very honorable & graue matron , that gouerned her in her house , as her mother . and to the end that this holy purpose might not be sinisterly interpreted of men , and to hinder publike murmure , she went out of her fathers house with this good woman , & found out the holy father ; by the seruour of whose pious discourses , she was presently inflamed with diuine loue , and moued by his holy actions which she admired , as seeming vnto her to be more then humane ; and therfore she began very exquisitely to dispose herselfe to the effecting of the wordes of the holy seruant of god ; who hauing very louingly intertained her , began to preach vnto her the cōtempt of the world , and by euident reason to demonstrate vnto her , that all the beauty of thinges present is but a vanity , filled with false , and deceitfull hopes . then he persuaded vnto her pure eares , the honourable & amiable espousall of iesus christ , and counsailed her to cōserue those most pretious pearles of virginall purity , for that glorious spouse , who out of the loue he bare to the world , being god became man , & would be borne of a virgin . this holy father sollicited this affayre , and played the part of a true paranymph , & embassadour of the heauenly king. the holy virgin on her side beginning already to tast the sweetnes of contemplation , and the proofe of the eternallioyes ; the world beginning to seeme vnto her vile , and contemptible , as indeed it is , she as it were melted for the loue of her celestiall spouse , whome she already desired with all her hart . thēce forth therfore she despised pretious stons iewells , gold , sumptuous apparrell , all other worldly trash as filth , and dunge , and abhorring the detestable delights of the flesh , she resolued intierly to dedicate herself a liuely temple to iesus christ , & to take him for the only spouse of her body and soule , and so submitting herselfe wholly , and totally to the counsayles of the glorious father s. francis , him , next after our lord , she tooke for guid , and director of her life . how s. francis drew the virgin s. clare out of the world , and made her religious . chap. iiii. and to the end the most cleare mirrour of her soule might not be stayned , and blemished vvith the dust of this world , and that the contagious seculer life did not corrupt her innocency , the holy father prudently indeauoured to sequester this virgin from worldly people . and the solemnity of palme-sonday approching , the holy espouse of iesus christ , with a great feruour of spirit , repayred to this man of god , and most instantly demaunded of him , when , and how she should make her retyre from the world ▪ wherupon the holy father ordayned , that on the day of the sayd feast she should goe to the procession of palmes with the people , decked , and adorned the most richly , and gorgiously that she could procure , and the night following going out of the citty , and withall , out of al conuersation of the world , she should change secular pleasurs into lamentations of the passion of our lord. palme-sonday being come , the glorious s. clare went in the company of her mother , and other ladyes to the great church , where there hapned a matter worthy to be recorded , as not done without the prouidence of the diuine goodnes , which was , that all the other ladyes going , as is the custome of italy , to take holy palme , and s. clare , out of a virginall bashfulnes , remayning alone without mouing out ofher place , the bishop descended frō the steps of his seate , & put into her hand a branch of palme . the night approaching she began to prepare herselfe for effecting the commaundment of the holy father , and to make a glorious flight , and honorable retyre from the world , in honest company . but it seeming to her impossible to goe forth at the ordinary , and chiefest doore of the house , she bethought herselfe to take the benefit of a backe doore , which ( though it were dammed , and closed vp with grosse stones , and mighty blocks ) she with an admirable courage , & force rather of a strong man , then of a tender yong woman , herselfe broke open . thus then leauing her fathers house , her citty , kindred , and friendes , she with extraordinary speed arriued at the church of our lady of angels , where the religious , that in the house of god were imployed in pious watchings , receiued , with burning wax lights in their handes , this holy virgin , that sought her spouse , and redeemer iesus christ with a lampe not extinct , and empty , but filled with diuine loue : and incontinently in the selfe-same houre and place , hauing left , and abandoned the impurityes of babylon , she gaue the world the ticket of defiance , and vtter adieu before the altar of the soueraigne queene of angells ; where the glorious father s. francis , inspired of god , & neglecting all other worldly respects , cut off her hayre : then he cloathed her with a poore habit of the order , cōmanding the iewels , & gorgeous attire which she brought , to be giuen to the poore of iesus christ . it had not beene indeed conuenient , that the new order of florishing virginity towardes the end of the world , should otherwise begin , then in the angelical pallace of that most immaculate queene , who before had alone byn a mother , and a virgin , and consequently more worthy then all others vvhatsoeuer . in the very same place had the noble chiualry of the poore of iesus christ , the friars minors , their beginninge , vnder the valourous captaine s. francis , to the end it might euidently appeare , that the mother of god in this her habitation ingendred , and produced the one and the other religion . and so soone as this new espouse had receiued the habit , & ensignes of holy pēnance , before the aultar of the most sacred virgin mary , the hūble seruāt was accepted by iesus christ for his espouse , and the glorious father s. francis conducted her to the monastery of s. paul in assisium , where were religious womē of the order of s. bennet ; there to remaine till almighty god had prouided another monastery . how much the kindred of s. clare laboured to rerire her from religion : and how she was conducted to s. damian . chap. v. the kindred of this holy virgin vnderstanding what she had done , and the bruit of her resolution being diuulged ouer all the citty , many of the friendes of her father and mother assembled , and consulted to preuent this vertuous virgin of her holy resolution ; and coming to the monastery of the religious of saint bennet , whither she was retired , they purposed to execute by violence , what they could not compasse by humane policy , trying their forces against the meeke lambe of iesus christ , and by their malice & peruerse counsell seeking to delude that simple doue ; the did they make her deceiptful promises , exhorting her to retire herselfe frō such base condition , and abiection , demonstrating vnto her , that it was a matter vnworthy her noble descent , and that the like neuer hapned in the citty . but the virgin firme and stable in iesus christ , approaching to the altar , discouered her hairelesse head , alleadging , that she could no more be separated frō the seruice of iesus christ , for whose loue she had already forsaken all the world , & themselues also ; and the more they tormented her , the more was her hart inflamed in the loue of god , and of her sweet spouse iesus christ , who supplyed her with new forces to resist . thus for many dayes togeather disturbed with many iniuries , she indured great contradictions in the way of god : and albeit her kindred perseuered in their attempts to withdraw her from her pious designe , her feruour yet did neuer wax cold , nor her hart feble : but on the contrary , so many iniurious wordes , and violent threats did so much confirme her confidence in god , that her kindred were constrayned to forbeare any more to vexe , and disquiet her , retyring themselues as all ashamed , & confounded . thus did almighty god make appeare , how much the power of those that are his , though of themselues feeble , did exceed the strong , and puissant of the world . but in regard that her soule had not perfect repose in that place , she was by the holy father s. francis placed in the church of s. damian , and there , as in a secret harbour and secure , she cast the anker of her soule neuer changing place , nether in respect of the great restraint therof , nor for feare of solitude , this church being without the citty . this was the church in reparatiō wherof the glorious s. francis laboured in the beginning of his conuersion : and where he did also offer money to the chaplaine to repayre it : this holy father being once also in this church , and praying with aboundance of tears , merited to heare the voyce of the crucifix , before which he was , that thrice reiterated vnto him : goe francis , and repayre my house , which , as thou seest , is ready to fall . the glorious virgin clare , for the loue of her heauenly spouse , shut herselfe vp in that little place , and there imprisoned herselfe during her life , sequestring her body 〈◊〉 the turbulent tempest of the world . this siluered doue there building her nest in the concauities of that church , ingendred the colledge of virgins of our lord iesus christ , & there instituting a holy conuent , gaue a beginning to the order of poore religious women . and thus being setled in the way of pennance , she bruized the hard turfes of her members , with the coulter of the crosse , and perfectly sowed the seede of sanctity and iustice , making with her very soule stepps and traces of vertuous progresse , for them that were to follovv her . how the virgin agnes , sister to s. clare , was by her feruent prayers conuerted : and of the persecutions she indured by her kindred ; and how she was miraculously freed of them . chap. vi. saint clare had a younger sister , who both in regard of bloud & of pouerty , was really her sister ; and she exceedingly desiring the conuersion of this young virgin , neuer failed in her most feruent deuotions , which in her first dayes she offered to almighty god , as feruently & deuoutly as she possibly could , with a perfect zeale , to beseech him , that as she had liued with her sister in the world , there might be also betweene them an holy vnion of body , & will , in his feruice ; most instantly importuning him to make it appeare to her sister , whome she had left in her mothers house , what a notorious delunder the world is , & how ful of discontenment ▪ & on the contrary how sweet , and pleasant is iesus christ ; and that consequently he would please to change her desired resolution of carnall marriage , and cause her to imbrace the vnion of diuine loue , and to take for her spouse the king of glory . now in regard that our lord had already setled such an amity betweene these two sisters , that their separation was afflictiue & troublesome vnto them , ( though then their desires & willes were farre different ) he made no delay to fauour this his poore suppliant , and deuout seruant , euen in this her first petition , which she so instantly required of him , and which his diuine maiesty so readily graunted . sixteene dayes then after her conuersion , her sister agnes inspired of god , with a strong and prompt resolution gaue a slip , and farewell to the world , & came to her sister clare , to whō discouering the secrets of her hart , she said she was resolued to serue god in her company : which the glorious clare vnderstanding , she most amiably imbraced her , and with a very ioyfull & contented countenance said : my most deare sister , i giue infinit thankes to our lord iesus christ , that it hath pleased him to heare me , and deliuer me from the afflion i endured for your sake . this noble conuersion of agnes , by the prayers of her sister clare , was seconded by as many contradictions of her kindred , as that of s. clare : but these blessed sisters seruing our lord iesus christ , and imitating his stepps , she that had most tast of god , and was in higher progresse , instructed her sister nouice . their kindred knowing that agnes was with her sister clare , twelue men of their neerest bloud , as brothers , vncles , and cosen germanes assembled to assault them , and to combat the espouses of iesus christ . the day following then , with an extreme rage and fury they came to those holy virgins , yet at their first cōming dissembling their lewd intention , they shewed them some fauorable countenance : then addressing themselues to the virgin agnes , despayring of all hope to withdraw s. clare from her holy purpose , they demaunded of her , wherfore she was retyred into that place ? thē willed her to deliberate , and resolue to retourne with them to her fathers house : whereto she answered , that she was resolued , ( the grace of god assisting her ) to remayne with her sister : which answere one of them disdayning , full of passion , and transported with choler , took her by the haire , and gaue her many blowes with his feet and fistes ; then vsed all his force to pull her out of the place , which at length by the help of others he performed : for taking her in their armes , they forcibly trayled her out . but this little daughter of iesus christ , seing herselfe violently wrested by those furious lyons out the armes of her god , she began to cry to her sister , help me sister , & permit me not to be separated frō our lord iesus christ , and your louing company . her carnall kindred trayled a long the valley this virgin of iesus christ agaynst her will , and in despight of her feeble , though couragious resistance , renting her cloathes from her tender body . in the meane while s. clare , vnable by other meanes to relieue her sister , had recourse to prayer , with aboundance of teares , beseeching god to vouchsafe to giue a couragious confidence , to her sister , that his diuine fauour defending his faythfull seruant , humane forces might be ouercome : and our lord heard her . for at the instant of her prayer , the body of the virgin agnes miraculously became so weighty , that her kindred were at length inforced to leaue her on the ground : and albeit so many men , and their seruantes , put all their forces to lift her vp , yet could they neuer doe it , but called labourers , and workemen of the vineyards that wrought therabouts to assist them , yet their great number no more auayled then the lesse . finally the forces fayling of her kindred , and those that attempted to assist them , they acknowledged the miracle , though scornefully , saying : it is no maruayle though she be so weighty , hauing layne all night as lead . whereupon signor monaldo her vncle in extreme passion lifting vp his armes to strike her , he presently felt an extreme payne therein , which did not only torment him for the present , but a long tyme after . then s. clare after her prayer , ariuing , besought her kindred to forbeare in vaine to contend with god , and to leaue her the care of her sister , who lay as halfe dead . they perceiuing their labour lost to hinder their pious resolution , being exceedingly vvearyed , left the two sisters togeather . the troup then being departed , the tormented agnes arose from the ground , full of ioy in iesus christ , for whose loue she had fought , & ouercome in this her first conflict against the world , and his prince the diuell , by fauour and assistance of diuine grace ; & her sister asking her how she felt herselfe , she answered , that notwithstanding all the affliction they had procured her by buffets , beatings , spurnes with their feet & fistes , tearing her by the hayre , trayling her through stony wayes , she had felt in a manner nothing , especially by the vertue , and force of diuine grace , and next by the merits of her good prayers . shortly after the holy father s. francis cut of her haire , she retayning still her proper name of agnes , in memory of the innocent lambe iesus christ , who offering himselfe in sacrifice to his father , gaue resistance to the world , fought valerously , and ouercame : and so the holy father instructed her with her sister , and taught her the way of god in such sort , that she so increased , and profited in religion , & all vertue , and sanctity , that she was an admiration to al the world . of the humility of the virgin saint clare . chap. vii . profovnd humility was the first assured stone , & foundation , which the holy virgin layd in the beginning of her relion , after she had begun to labour in the way of god , so to aduance , and set forward the building of all other vertues . she vowed obedience vnto s. francis , which vow in all her life , she neuer transgressed , and for three yeares after her conuersion , she desired rather with great humility to be subiect , then a superior , shūning the title , & office of abbesse , taking more content to serue among the seruants of iesus christ , then to be serued . but being at length by the holy father s. francis thereunto constrained , she vndertooke the gouernment of the religious , which bred in her hart more feare , then presumption : so what she rather continued , and became a seruant , then free from subiection . for the more she seemed to be raysed to the office , and title of dignity , the more did she repute herselfe vile , and the more shewed herselfe ready to serue , and made herselfe more contemptible then all her religious , both in habit and base seruice . she disdayned not to doe the office of seruants , giuing water to the religious to wash , whom she made often to sit , herself standing , and seruing them at table . when she commaunded any thing , it was vnwillingly , rather desiring to do , then to commaund others . she performed to the sicke all kind of seruices , were they neuer so loathsome , as to make cleane any thing that was defiled or foule , shunning with so worthy a spirit al pleasant , and delightfull actions , neuer abhorring , or desdayning the most offensiue smells . she often washed the feete of the lay sisters , whē they came from abroad , made them cleane , and with great humility kissed them . it one time chaunced , that washing the feete of a seruant , and offering to kisse them , the seruant vnwilling to permit such humility , pulled away her foote to auoid it , but she did it so rudely , that she gaue the holy virgin a dash on the face : yet so farre was this saint from being offended therewith , that on the contrary she mildly tooke the foote of the seruant againe , and kissed the sole therof . thus did this true espouse of god accomplish the doctrine of iesus christ , & the example which he left , when he washed the feete of his apostles . of the voluntary pouerty of the virgin s. clare , and of her zeale to that holy vertue . chap. viii . this holy virgin made an vnion & correspondence betweene her pouerty in all externall thinges , and her holy pouerty of spirit ; and first at the beginning of her conuersion she made sale of her patrimony , and birth-right , all which distributing vnto the poore of iesus christ , she reserued nothing to herselfe . hauing so abandoned all the world exteriourly , and inriched her soule interiourly , freed from the burthen of worldly affayres , she ran farre more lightly after iesus christ , and thereby contracted such an inuiolable amity with holy pouerty , that she would haue possession of no other thing then her glorious spouse iesus christ , nor would she permit her spirituall daughters to possesse any thing els . and with this euāgelical traffique , she purchased the most pretious pearle of celestiall desire , in place of all the other thinges , which she had sold , acknowledging , that the same could in no sort be inioyed togeather with the distraction , and occupation of temporall things . giuing instructions to her religious , she would sometimes say vnto them , that this their company should be then grateful to god , and become very rich in pouerty , and should by such meanes conserue it selfe firme and stable , if it were alwayes fortifyed , and enuironed with the rampiers & strong bulwarkes of pouerty . she also admonished her beloued daughters in our lord iesus christ , to conforme themselues to him , lying poore in the bed of pouerty , who was no sooner borne , but was by the most sacred virgin his mother layd in a straite cribbe . now desiring to call her rule by the tytle of pouerty , she demaunded of pope innocent the fourth the priuiledge of pouerty , who as a magnanimous prelate reioycing at the great feruour of this holy virgin , exceedingly commended this her deuotion , assuring himselfe that the like priuiledge had neuer byn demaunded of the apostolike sea . and to the end a new & extraordinary fauor might answere this new and vnacustomed demaund , the holy pope with an exceeding contentment vvrote with his owne hand the first pa●tent of the priuiledge ; which pope gregory the ninth his predecessor of holy memory had also done , who with a fatherly affection louing this espouse of iesus christ , once gaue her counsayle , in consideration of diuers alterations of matters , and the strange euents of rymes , yea and in regard of the perills of future ages , to be content that her order might haue some possessions , himselfe offering to bestow it vpon them : but she couragiously withstood it , and as a true , poore , and legitimate daughter of the holy patriarch poore s. francis , would neuer accord therevnto . the pope alleadging , that if she feared the breach of her vow , he would absolue her theerof : but this virgin answered very humbly in this manner . holy father i shall be very ioyfull , if it please your holynes to absolue me of all my sinnes , but to free me from performing the counsayles of god , i will accept no absolution . this holy virgin with an exceeding ioy receiued the morsels of bread which the religious brought from begging , and had gotten for the loue of god : but she was much troubled , when she saw whole loaues ; labouring much to conforme herselfe in all things to perfect pouerty with him , who was poorly and nakedly crucified : & in such sort , that no transitory thing might at any tyme separate the most poore virgin from her beloued , nor hinder her from her most ardent feruour to follow our lord iesus christ . of the miracles of the pouerty of the glorious s. clare . chap. ix . it hapned one day that the glorious virgin s. clare knew , that there was but one loafe of bread in her couent , and so the houre of dinner being come , she called the sister that was the despensier , and willed her to cut the loafe she had in her custody in two , and to send the one halfe to the religious that were without , and to keep the other for themselues , vvhereof she should make fifty portions , there being so many religious , & then should set it vpon the table of pouerty : whereunto the despensier answered , that the miracles of iesus christ were needfull to make so many portions of so small quantity of bread : but s. clare replyed ▪ saying , daughter doe only what i doe comaund thee . the sister went presently to effect the commaundmēt of her abbesse , who in the meane while togeather with all the other religious applyed themselues to prayer , presenting their deuotions , & tears to their spouse iesus christ , and instantly by his infinit bounty the little morsells of bread so augmented in the handes of the despensier that they sufficed to feed al the religious . it hapned another tyme that the seruantes of iesus christ wanted oyle , so that they had not sufficient to dresse meate for the sicke . s. clare being aduertised of this necessity tooke a pot , which ( as mistris of humility ) she washed with her owne handes , then sent it to the turne wheele , that a religious man there might take it , to go , and demaūd oyle for the loue of god. hauing to this effect caused a religious mā to be called to send him , ( as matters doe not succeed as men propose , but according to the pleasure of the diuine , and mercifull prouidence ) s. clare hauing recommended this necessity to almighty god , the sayd religious found the pot full of pure oyle ; which perceiuing he thought the religious within had required it without need ; & with a kind of murmure he sayd : i know not why the sisters haue called me , their pot being ful of oyle ▪ so that the miracle was discouered . almighty god did often also by extraordinary means supply the necessityes of his poore seruants by the meritorious prayers of s. clare . of the austere mortifications , abstinences , and fasts of s. clare . chap. x. i doubt whether it be not more expedient to conceale , then to diuulge the admirable affliction , and rude pennance of s. clare , because this holy virgin hath performed such extreme mortifications , that many , who shall reade them , acknowledging themselues cowardes , and ouercome in this conflict , ( as we are all ) and put into admiration of these marueylous actes , will perhapps call in question her prowesse , which is to oppugne the very truth . is it not a great matter , that vsing one only habit , all patched , and a poore cloake of the grossest cloath , she rather couered her body , then defended it from the importunityes of the seasons ? but it is more admirable , that she neuer wore stockings , shooes , nor any other things on her feete after she became religious . it was also a strange matter that she fasted daily , and neuer fayled for whatsoeuer occasion that hapned . she neuer lay vpon mattresse , though that were no singuler prayse vnto her , all her religious doing the like . this espouse of iesus christ wore more then the rest , a hayre-cloath as great as halfe a tunicke , made of hogges haire , the haire being halfe shorne , next her flesh . she also wore a hayre-cloath , which a religious very importunatly once borrowed of her , but prouing it to be so rude , and sharpe , she restored it three dayes after to s. clare more readily , then she had ioyfully borrowed it . her ordinary bed was the bare ground , except somtymes she slept vpon dry branches or twigges , vsing for a pillow a blocke of wood . but in regard that the rigorous life , wherwith she afflicted her body , brought her to sicknes , the holy father s. prancis commanded her to lye vpon chaffe . the rigour of her abstinence in her fastes was such , that she could not maintaine her body in life , so little did she eate ; wherby it is easy to iudge that she was susteyned by diuine vertue . when she had her health , she fasted all the aduent , and lent , & from all saints to christmas with bread and water , the sondayes excepted : and which is more admirable , three dayes of the weeke , monday , wednesday , and friday in the lent , she did eate nothing at all : so that the commaundment of fast , and the rigour of her voluntary mortification , seemed to haue a contrariety ech with other , because vpon the eue of a commaunded feast , she vsed but bread & water : neyther must it be admired , if such a rigour of so long continuance bred many infirmityes in this holy virgin , vvhich vvasted her forces , and ouerthrew all the naturall strength and health of her body . the deuout religious daughters of this holy mother had exceeding compassion of her , and they bitterly lamented the voluntary procuring of her owne death : for remedy wherof , s. francis , & the bishop of assisiū forbad her those three dayes of fast , which euery weeke she vsually inflicted vpon herselfe , and commaunded her not to passe one day without taking at least an once and a halfe of bread , to conserue her life . and albeit such grieuous afflictions of the body doe accustome to breed also some affliction to the hart , yet did the contrary succeed in her ; for she carryed a countenance so gratious and ioyfull in all her austerities , that she seemed eyther to haue no feeling of them , or not to feare any inconuenience thereof : yea she in a sort made light of corporall afflictiōs : which sufficiētly demōstrated , that the spirituall ioy , wherwith she was interiouly nourished , appeared exteriourly in her holy face , because the true loue of the hart maketh always corporall afflictions easy and light . of the deuotion , and spirituall prosit , which the fame of the glorious s. clare procured ouer all the world . chap. xi . the fame of s. clare began within little tyme to spread ouer all italy , which caused women from all partes to begin to run after the odour of the pretious liquour of her sanctity . the virgins after her example approached vnto iesus christ , and made him presents of their virginity : marryed vvomen endeauoured to liue more chast and vertuously : gentlewomen and ladyes , contemning their fayre houses , and sumptuous tables , shut themselues into monasteries , esteeming it a great glory to liue in strict pennance for the loue of iesus christ . this saint was also a spur vnto men to excite in them a violent feruent , and principally to youth , that began to take courage in the contempt of the world , & by exāple of the frayler sexe , to fight agaynst the temptations , and deceiptfull pleasures of the flesh . many marryed persons with mutuall consent obliged theselues to continency , the men entering into couents of men , & the women into monasteries of religious women . the mother induced the daughter to serue iesus christ , the daughter the mother , one sister another , & briefly ech one by a holy enuy desired to serue iesus christ , all of them seeking to participate of the euangelicall life , which by this espouse of iesus christ vvas demonstrated vnto them . an infinite nūber of virgins , that by her fame were induced to piety , vnable to become religious , or to leaue their fathers houses , indeauored yet to liue there more religiously , leading a regular life without rule . s. clare by her exāple produced such & so many brāches of saluation , that it seemed the saying of the prophet was to be accomplished in her : the fruits of the desolate , and barren are farre greater , then of the marryed . whiles these matters thus proceeded in italy , the descent of this benediction , which distilled downe in the valley of spoletum , grew by diuine prouidence to so spatious and large a flood , that the violent current therof ouer flowed al the cittyes of the holy church , so that the nouelty of such admirable things , was speedily diulged ouer all the world , & with such prayse , and admiration gaue such splendour , that the nature of her vertues filled the chambers of great ladies with beames of vnspeakable charity , and penetrated euen into the chambers of great dutchesses ; yea those most pure beames of her brightnes pierced into the very cabinetts of queenes , and princesses ; and that in such sort , that eminency of bloud , and height of nobility submitted , and debased it selfe to follow the stepps of this glorious virgin , many reiecting the greatnes of their honour , and the sublimity of their estates ; so that some ladyes , who could haue byn marryed to kings and dukes , induced by the fame of s. clare , tooke vpon them the practise of strict pennance , and many already marryed to men of great nobility , desired in their estate to imitate this seruant of iesus christ . an infinit number also of citties were by this exāple adorned with monasteries of young women : the fieldes , and mountaynes were enriched and inobled with the structures of these celestiall buildings : the exercise and honour of chastity did multiply in the world , s. clare carrying the stādard of the order of virgins , which being then almost extinguished , she restored to perfection , renewing it by the blessed flowres of her example & conuersation . but returning to the history , let vs speake of the perfection of the prayer of this glorious virgin , by meanes wherof she obteyned of god so great graces for her selfe , and her daughters . of the feruent and perfect prayer of the virgin s. clare . chap. xii . as saint clare was mortifyed in her flesh , and farre more from all corporall recreations , so did she cōtinually busy herselfe in deuotions , and diuine prayses . this virgin had fixed , & imprinted the subtility of her feruent desire in the eternall light , and as she was remote from earthly occupations , and rumors , so did she the more largely dilate the bosome of her soule to the influence of diuine grace . she continued in long prayer together with her religious after complin , the riuers of teares that flowed from her eyes awaking and bathing the harts of her companions : when the sleep of others gaue her opportunity to be solitary , being often in prayer , she wold lay her face agaynst the earth bathed with teares , kissing it sweetly , and with such contentment , that she seemed alwayes to hold in her armes her spouse iesus christ , at vvhose feete her teares trickled downe , and her kisses left their impressions . it hapned one time , that as this holy virgin powred out her teares in the silence of the night , the angel of darknes appeared vnto her in figure of a blacke young man , saying , if thou continuest this extreme weeping thou wilt become blynd , wherto she answered , he that is to see god , cannot be blynd : wherwith the diuell being confounded vanished & fled . the same night this saint being in prayer after mattines , all bathed in teares , the tēpter appeared againe vnto her , and sayd , weepe not so much , vnles thou wilt haue thy braynes to melt , and distill in such sort , that thou shalt auoyd them at thy eyes and nostrels , & therwith shall thy nose be croked . s. clare with great feruour answered him , saying , he that serueth iesus christ can haue no crookednes , and presently the wicked spirit disappeared . many signes did discouer , and make knowne the great alteration she receiued in herselfe , in feruour of her prayer , & how sweet & delectable the diuine bounty was vnto her in this ioy & holy conuersation : for when she returned from prayer , she with admirable contentmēt brought words inflamed with she fire of the altar of god , which kindled the harts of her religious , and procured in them a great admiration at this extreme sweetnes that appeared from of her face . it is without doubt , that almighty god had coupled , & conioyned his sweetnes with her pouerty , and did manifest exteriorly in her soule what was interiourly replenished with diuine light . in this manner did she ordinarily liue full of supreme delights , passing ouer this deceiptfull world with her noble spouse iesus christ , and being placed vpon this wheele of motion , she was theron susteyned with an assurance , and firmity of vertue , very stable ; and preserued with the celestiall eleuation of her soule in the height of heauē , keeping the treasure of glory securely shut vp within a vessel of flesh heere below vpon earth . this holy virgin accustomed to call vp the yonger religious a little before mattines , & to awaken them with the ordinary signe , to excite them very often to prayse god. all her religious sleeping , she did watch , lighted the lampe , and rung at mattins , so that negligence found no entrance into her monastery : nor sloath had there any place . she also by the sting of sharpe reprehension , and of her liuely and effectuall examples , expelled tepidity , and irkesomnes in prayer , and the seruice of god. how the mores were expelled the monastery by the prayers of saint clare . chap. xiii . this being the place , where we should record the miracles of this holy virgin , it is not conueuient that we pretermit them in silence ; for as the marueilous effects of her prayers were veritable , so also are they worthy of honour and reuerence . in the time of the emperour federike the second , the holy church in diuers places indured great persecutions , but particulerly in the valley of spoletū , which being subiect to the roman church , dranke of the vessel of wrath by this mischeuous tyrant , his captaynes and souldiers being scattered ouer the feildes as grasse hoppers with sword to murther people , and with fire to burne their houses . the impiety of this emperour did so augment , that he had assembled all the mores that dwelt vpon the mountaines , and amongst the deserts , to make himselfe the more fearefull to his vassells : & after he had by large promises gayned these mores , and disposed of them in diuers places , he gaue them at length for retire a very auncient , but ruinated citty , which yet to this present is called mourades mores , which they fortified , and then thither retyred about twenty thousand fighting mē , who did much mischiefe ouer all apulia , and in other christian places . these enemyes of the faith of iesus christ came one day vnexpectedly towards the citty of assisium , who being already close at the gates ▪ a great number of them came to the monastery of s. damian , as a lewd and disloy all nation , that continually thirsteth after the bloud of christians , and dareth to commit villanously all kind of execrable actes , without eyther shame of men , or feare of god. these mores then brake euen into the monastery of s ▪ clare , where she was with her religious daughters , who had their harts surprised with an extreme terror ; but much more , whē they heard the barking and cry of those dogges so neere them , so that they were euen dying with the apprehension , not knowing where to seeke reliefe , nor of whome to hope for deliuerance frō so eminent peril , but only by the merits of their holy mother , whome with infinit sighes & teares they aduertised of what they heard and saw . this holy virgin ( though sicke ) incouraged her religious , & caused herselfe with incredible constancy to be carryed to the gate of her monastery , at the entry wherof , in sight of all her enemies , she with great reuerence placed the most blessed sacrament of the eucharist in the pix , before which falling prostrate vpon the earth , she with aboundance of teares thus spake to her beloued spouse iesus christ ▪ is it possible ( my god , ) thy will should be , that these thy seruants , who cannot vse materiall weapons to defend themselues , & whome i haue heere brought vp , and noursed in thy holy loue , should now be deliuered into the power of the infidell mores ? o my god preserue them if thou please , and me likewise ; for albeit thy diuine maiesty hath committed them to my gouernement , yet it is not in my power to defend them from so great a perill , sith this protection cannot be , but by a worke of thine omnipotency : therfore doe i recommend them to thy diuine maiesty with al the affection that i am able . as soone as this holy virgin had sent these prayers vnto heauen , she heard a voice so delicate , as if it had bin of a sucking child that said , i wil protect you for euer . the holy mother did not yet giue ouer to preset her prayers saying : my god i humbly beseech thee , if so it be thy holy will , to preserue , and defend this thy citty of assisium which doth nourish vs for the loue it beareth to thy diuine maiesty . wherto god answered , this citty shall suffer much , but in the end i will by my fauour defend it . saint clare hauing heard so gratious newes , lifted vp her face bathed with teares and comforted her beloued daughters , saying : deare sisters , i assure you that no euill shall befall you , only be carefull to haue a firme faith , and confidence in iesus christ . the diuine assistāce making no long delay , for the presumption and rage of the mores was in continently cooled , so that a suddaine vnknowne terrour hauing surprised them , they speedily retyred ouer the walles , which they had scaled , to enter . they being thus by the vertue of the prayers of saint clare expelled , she priuately called the religious , that had heard the said voice of god , and commaunded them , that howsoeuer it were , they should not diuulge what they had heard during her life . how the citty of assisiū was at another tyme deliuered by the prayers of this holy virgin . chap. xiiii . vpon another time , one of the principall captaynes of the emperour frederike called vitalis auersa , a man very ambitious of glory , full of courage , and a notable captaine , conducted his troupes to besiege assisium , & hauing inuironed it , he proposed to wast , & spoile the plaine countrey thereabout , making a totall ruine to the very trees which were hewed downe ; and then laying his seige , he vttered menacing and vaunting oathes , that he wold not stirre thence , till he had giuen the citty a victorious assault : and this siege so long continued , that the beseiged began to loose courage , as wanting many thinges extremely needfull vnto thē ? wheros the seruāt of iesus christ being aduertised , sighing in her hart , she called all her religious , to whom she thus discoursed : my deare sisters , know that all our necessities haue euer bin supplied by the charity of this citty , so that we should be very vngratefull , if we should not according to our ability assist them in this extreme necessity : then she commanded to be brought her ashes , and all her religious to discoife their heades ▪ and to giue them example , she began to couer her bare head with ashes , wherin all the other religious following her , she said : goe yee to our lord iesus christ , and with the greatest humility , and most feruent prayers that you can possible , demaund of him the deliuerance of your citty . it cānot be expressed , with what feruour and teares these deuout virgins incessantly offered their prayers , vnto god the space of one entiere day and night , demaunding mercy in behalfe of the said citty beseiged by their enemies . these prayers and teares were of such force and vertue , that the omnipotent bounty and mercy had compassion of them , and from the day following sent them his puissant hand , and assistance in such sort , that the enemies campe was defeated , & the captaine constrained shamfully , & in despight of his forces , without sound trompet to raise his seige : for he fled without euer troubling the assisians , being shortly after slaine . of the reuerence & deuotion which s. clare had to the most blessed sacrament : and of the vertue of her prayers agaynst the diuells . chap. xv. the deuotion of saint clare towardes the most holy sacrament of the altar was such , that she made it apparent in many of her actions : for though she were most grieuously sicke in her bed , yet would she so dispose herselfe therin , & be so propped , and stayed vp , that she might conueniently spinne , an exercise which she exceedingly affected , & wherin she wholy imployed herselfe ; doing it so delicately , that with the threed of her labour she caused to be wouen very curious , and fine cloath , which she imployed in furniture for the altar . she one time got made 50. corporalls , which she sent in cases of silke to many churches of the valley of spoletum . when she was to receiue the most blessed sacrament , before she presented herselfe therunto , she was alwayes bathed in teares , and so with exceeding feare approaching , she did reuerence him that was present in the sacrament , as acknowledging him to be the same that gouerneth heauen & earth ; therfore did the diuells so much feare the prayers of the espouse of iesus christ , s. clare , as they haue suudry times declared . a very deuout womā of the bishopricke of pisa came to the monastery of s. damian , to thanke god and his seruant s. clare , for hauing bin by her merits deliuered of fiue diuells that possessed her , which in going out of her body , confessed that the prayers of s. clare did burne them , and to their great confusion expelled them out of the humane bodies which they possessed . of a meruaylous consolation which s. clare receiued vpon the feast of the most holy natiuity . chap. xvi . as the glorious s. clare was alwayes in her sicknes with a liuely memory myndfull of her beloued iesus ; so was she correspondently visited by him in all her necessities . once in the night of the natiuity , when all the world and angells did so solemnely feast for the birth of our redeemer , all the religious went to the quier to mattines , and left their mother accompanyed only with her grieuous infirmity : wherfore hauing begun to meditate vpon the great mistery of that night , and lamenting exceedingly , that she could not assist at the diuine seruice , she sighing sayd : o my god , thou seest how i remaine here alone ; and ending this , she began to heare the mattines that were sung in the church of saint francis in assisium , very distinctly vnderstanding the voice of the religious ; and the very sound of the organs : yet was she not so neare the said church , as she might humanly heare what was sung there ; but it must necessarily be concluded , that this was miraculously done in one of these two sortes , eyther that the singing of the said religious was by the will of god carried to s. clare , or her hearing was extended extraordinarily , & by the speciall grace of god , euen to our lady of angells neere vnto assisium . but this saint was further fauored by a diuine reuelation which exceedingly comforted and reioyced her , for she was by almighty god esteemed worthy to see in spirit his holy cribbe . the morning following , her religious coming to see her , she sayd ; deare sisters , blessed for euer be our lord iesus christ , that it hath pleased him not to leaue me alone , as you haue done ; but know that by the grace of his diuine maiesty , i haue heard all the seruice that this night hath byn performed in the church of our holy father s. francis. of the spirituall doctrine , wherwith s. clare noursed her daughters . chap. xvii . the virgin s. clare acknowledged , that she was committed to the pallace of the great king , for gouernesse and mistres of his deare espouses , therfore did she teach them a sublime doctrine , comforting , & assisting them with such loue and pitty , as with words cānot be expressed . first she taught them to cleare their soules of all rumors of the world , that they might the more freely attaine to the high secrets of god. she also taught them to haue no affection to their carnall kindred , and intierely to forget their ownehouse , the better to please iesus christ . she admonished them also to surmount and misprise the necessities of their bodies , & to get a habit of repressing the deceiptes , and appetites of the flesh , by the bridle of reason . she likewise taught them that the subtill enemy armed vvith malice , continually addresseth his hidden snares to surprise the pure soules , and that he tempteth the pious in another sort then worldlings . finally she would haue them so imployed in handy labour for certaine houres , that they might afterwards be more prompt , and better prepared to the desire of their creatour by the exercise of prayer , which after their labour they shold vndertake , not leauing for such payne the fire of holy loue , but rather expelling by it the tepidity of deuotion already purchased . there was neuer seene a stricter obseruation of silence then amongst them , nor a greater forme , and example of vertue . there was neuer seene done in this holy house one act of vanity , neyther by wordes , nor signes ; nor was there discouered by any vaine discourse any desire of lightnes , so much were they mortifyed , their holy mistres giuing good example by wordes , and pious , and briefe documents ; likewise teaching her disciples feruent desires , and admonishing them to possesse , and conserue them vnder the key & custody of strict silence . by meanes of deuout preachers she procured to her daughters the holy word of god , wherof her owne was not the least part , she being filled with contentment and ioy , when she heard the word of god preached , and would with such deuotion , and consolation , reioice in the memory of her sweetest spouse iesus christ ; that one time hearing the sermon of brother philip de adria , a most famous preacher , there was seene before this holy virgin a most beautifull child , which there remained during almost all the sermon , comforting her with his ioifull delectations , of which apparition she receiued such a sweetnes and delight , as she could no way explicate . albeit this most prudent virgin had neuer studyed , yet did she much delight to heare a learned man preach , vnderstanding very well that vnder the wordes of science lay hidden the sweetnes of spirit , which herselfe subtily obteined , & tasted vvith much more gust . she accustomed to say , that the sermon of whosoeuer preaching the word of god was exceeding profitable to soules , considering that it is no lesse prudence to know how sometimes to gather beautifull , and sweet flowers from amongst grosse , and rude thornes , then to eate the wholsome fruits of a good plant . pope gregory the ninth one time at the instance of diuers prelates cōmaunded , that no religious man should preach at the monastery of poore religious women , without his expresse permission : wherat the pittifull mother complayning , in regard that thence forward her deuout & religious daughters shold seldome be spiritually fed vvith holy doctrine , with teares she said : let then all my religious be taken hence , since they are taken away , who gaue vs the food of spirituall life ; withall sending away the religious , that appertained to her monastery to serue them in getting almes abroad , refusing to haue religious , that should prouide them bread to relieue the body , sith they were depriued by this meanes of all spirituall teachers that gaue thē bread to nourish their soules ; wherof his holines being aduertised , he presently reuoked his former prohibition , referring all to the disposition of the generall of the friars minors . s. clare had not only a prouident care of her religious daughters soules , but of their bodies also that were feeble and tender , for whose necessary wantes she daly prouided with exceeding feruour and charity ; she oftentimes in the night , when it was cold , going to visit and couer them whiles they slept ; and if she found any one ouer much benummed with cold , or otherwise in il disposition through strict obseruation of the common rigour , she instantly commaunded her to take some recreation , till her necessities were satisfied . if any of her religious daughters were any time afflicted , or much grieued in mind through temptations , or were sorrowfull and melancholy , she would call her apart , and most louingly comfort her . she would sometimes fall prostrate herselfe at the feete of those that were heauy and afflicted , therby to put away the force of their griefe by her motherly cherishings , for which they in all submission yealding themselues to this their holy mother , did not proue vngratefull . they likewise reuerenced the office of prelature in their mistres , following all their life time the conduct of so diligent and secure a guide , directing their actions by the espouse of iesus christ , admiring with all the excellency of such sanctity & charity . of the deuotion which pope gregory the ninth had to the holy virgin s. clare : and of a letter which he wrote vnto her whiles he was yet cardinall . chap. xviii . pope gregory the ninth had a meruailous confidence in the prayers of s. clare , hauing experienced their great vertue & efficacy : and oftentimes when he was in any difficulty , both whiles he was cardinall & bishop of hostia , and afterwards when he was pope , he would by letters recommend himselfe to this glorious virgin , demaunding help of her , knowing assuredly of what importance her assistance was ; this being in him not only a great humility , but also worthy to be diligently imitated , to see the vicar of iesus christ vpon earth to begge help of a seruant of god , in recommending himselfe to her prayers . this great pastour knew very well what diuine loue could doe , & how freely pure virgins do find the port of the consistory of the diuine maiesty open . there is exstant a very deuout letter of this pope written to s. clare , whiles he was cardinal , which is heere inserted , to make it appeare that the spirit of god made his residence in this prelate , and what deuotion he carryed to the sanctity the glorious virgin saint clare . to the most deare sister in iesus christ , and mother of his holines , sister clare , the seruant of iesus christ ; vgolin miserable sinner , & bishop of hostia recommendeth himselfe , whatsoeuer he is , and what he may be . well beloued sister in christ iesus , since the houre , that the necessity of my returne separated me frō your holy speaches , and depriued me of that pleasure to conferre with you of celestiall treasures , i haue had much sorrow of hart , aboundance of teares in mine eyes , and haue felt an extreme griefe ; and that in such sort , that if i had not found at the feete of our lord iesus christ the consolation of his ordinary piety , i feare i had fallen into such anguishes , as my spirit would haue forsaken me , and my soule vtterly melted away ; and not without reason , because that ioy failed me , with which i discoursed with your good company of the sacred body of our svveet redeemer iesus christ , and of his presence vpon earth , celebrating the feast of easter with you , and the other seruants of our lord. and as whiles our blessed sauiour by his dolorous passion and death was absent from the presence of his dilciples , they were possessed with an extreme griefe & affliction ; so doth your absence procure my desolation . and though i acknouvledge my selfe a grieuous sinner , considering the prerogatiue of your meritts , and the rigour of your most holy religion ; yet without doubt , the multitude of my sinnes is such , and so much haue i offended god the vniuersall lord , that i am not worthy to be vnited to the glory of the elect , nor to be sequestred from vvorldly occupations , if your tears & prayers doe not obtaine me pardon of my sinnes ; and therfore to you i commit my soule , to you i commend my spirit , as iesus christ vpon the crosse recommended his spirit to his heauenly father , to the end that in the terrible day of the vniuersall iudgement you giue an account for me , if you be not diligent & carefull of my saluation : for i confidently belieue , that you may obtaine of the soueraigne iudge whatsoeuer by your deuotion and teares you shall at any time aske or demaund of him . the pope speaketh not of coming to assisium , as i desire , but i purpose to visit you and your sisters at my first commodity . recommend me i pray you to agnes your sister & mine , and to all your other sisters in iesus christ . of the most feruent loue of iesus christ which inflamed the hard of saint clare : and how the diuell tormented her : of an extasy wherin she continued a night and two dayes togeather . chap. xix . vvhen s. clare heard any speake of the passion of our redeemer iesus christ , she oftentimes was accustomed to weepe in compassion , in such sort , that out of the sacred wounds she would somtimes draw dolorous feelings and affections , and at other times vnspeakable ioyes & consolations of admirable sweetnes ; and the crosse of iesus christ , which with her dearest spouse she carryed in her soule , the weight thereof gaue her so much more tast of contentment as she felt more griefe . the great aboundance of teares , which she powred out for the most bitter passion of iesus christ , kept her somtimes out of herselfe ; and the internall loue , which she had imprinted in her hart , in manner continually represented vnto her iesus christ crucified . she ordinarily gaue example by workes , of what she taught her religious by wordes : for admonishing them often , and instructing them likewise secretly touching some exercise , before she had ended her discourse , she was seene to power out of her eyes aboundance of teares . among the houres of the diuine office that are sung in the church , she was present with greatest deuotion at the sixt and ninth , by reason that at such houres she vvas crucifyed with her redeemer iesus christ . the holy virgin retyring one tyme to her priuate deuotion after the ninth houre , the diuell came to her , & did beate her outragiously , hurting her withall so much in the face , that her eye was all bloudshoot , the signe remayning vpon her cheeke : but s. clare omitted not for that to perseuer in her prayer . and to the end she might with the more deuotion apply herselfe to the sweet contentments which she conceiued in the often meditating of iesus christ crucifyed , she ordinarily contemplated the sacred mystery of the fiue woundes : and therfore she learned by hart the office of the holy crosse , as the true louer of the holy crosse of saint francis had taught her . she accustomed to vveare next her naked flesh a girdle of thirteene knottes , vvhereunto also were little stones fastned in forme of knottes : vvhich she did in memory of the sacred vvoundes and dolours of our redeemer iesus christ . one lent vpon maunday thursday , wherupon our lord iesus christ shewed a particuler loue to his disciples , at the houre of the agony , that our redeemer did sweet bloud and water in the garden , this holy virgin retyred into her oratory full of deep sorrow , ioyning herselfe with almighty god in prayer , as if she had seene him praying , and as if by contemplation of the soule of iesus christ sorrowfull euen to death , she herselfe had felt and suffered his prison , his derisions , his iniuries , reproaches , affrontes , beatings , sentence , crosse , and most ignominious death , carrying in her memory a like sorrow : wherfore as wholly transported she sate vpon a straw bedd , and all that night , and the day following , she was so absorpt and rapt out of herselfe , that her eyes being open and without motion , she seemed to hold them fixed in one place , and remayned so insensible , being conioyntly crucifyed with iesus christ , that a religious , familiar vnto her , coming often to see if the wanted any thing , she found her alwayes in one manner . but vpon the night of holy saturday , this deuout religious came to her deare mother with a candle , partly by signes , and partly by wordes , making her the best she could to vnderstand the commaundment that the holy father s. francis gaue her , that she should not let passe one day without taking & eating somthing , so that in the presence of this religious , saint clare , as if she came out of another place sayd vnto her , what need haue you to light this candle , is it not day ? wherto the religious answered : mother the night of holy thursday is past , as also good friday , and we are now in the night of easter eue ; the saint replyed , my daughter blessed be this sleep , which almighty god at length after my long desire hath graunted me , but i admonish and commaūd you , not to speake hereof to any creature liuing , whiles i shall liue in this world . of many miracles wrought by s. clare , by the signe and vertue of the holy crosse . chap. xx. ovr redeemer iesus christ recompenced well the pious desires , and good workes of his beloued virgin s. clare : for as she was inflamed with an infinite loue of the mistery of the holy crosse , so by the vertue and power of the same crosse , she became noble in the signes and miracles of iesus christ , that oftentimes in making the signe of the holy crosse vpon the sicke , they were miraculuosly cured , and instantly healed of sortes of diseases . a religious man called stephen , hauing a hoat feuer that exceedingly vexed him , the holy father s. francis sent hin to s. clare , to make the signe of the crosse vpon him , as one that well knew her perfection and verue , which he exceedingly honored . now the vertuous lady hortulana mother to saint clare , was then in the couent of s. damian , for a little before , considering that her daughters had espoused iesus christ , she came to them to religion , where this happy lady serued as a true gardiner in the garden inclosed with those virgins , our redeemer iesus christ , with the glorious virgin agnes sister to saint clare , and the other religious , all replenished with the holy ghost , to whome the holy father saint francis sent many diseased , whome they cured , after hauing made vpon them the signe of the holy crosse , which they most hartily honored . the sayd religious then being sent to s. clare , she as the daughter of obedience thereto commaunded by the holy father s. francis , presently made vpon him the signe of the crosse ; then left him a little to sleep in the church , in the place where she was accustomed to pray , and the religious hauing a little reposed arose sound , secure , and freed of his infirmity : then he returned to saint francis , by whome he had byn sent to s. damian , & consequently was cured . a child of three years old of the citty of spoletum called matthew , had by chaunce a stone thurst into his nose , whence it could not be gotten out , so that the child was in extreme perill , wherupon he was brought to saint clare who hauing made the signe of the crosse vpon him , the stone incontinently fell out of his nose , and he was perfectly well . another child likewise of perusia hauing a filme vpon his eyes was brought to s. clare , who touching the eye of the child , and making the signe of the crosse thereupon , willed thē that had presented the child vnto her to carry it vnto her mother hortulana , that she might also make the signe of the crosse vpon it , which hauing done the eye became cleere , and being purged of the filme that obscured it , he was presently cured : wherupon s. clare affirmed , that this miracle was wrought by the merits of her mother , who finding such glory to be attributed vnto her , reputed herselfe vnworthy thereof . one of her religious called beneuenta , hauing had for 12. yeares togeather an impostume vnder her arme , which did purge by fiue seuerall issues , s. clare had compassion therof , and made vpon her the signe of the holy crosse , then with her owne hands taking away the playster , she was cured of her long continued soares . another of her religious called amia , being for more then a yeares space afflicted with the dropsy , togeather with an extreme paine in her sides , and a burning feuer , s. clare conceiued a very strong compassion of her , and therefore hauing recourse to her noble and infallible medicine , she made vpon her body the signe of the holy crosse in the name of her beloued iesus christ , and the religious was perfectly cured . another seruant of god borne at perusia had for two years togeather so lost her voice , that one could scarsely heare her speak ; but hauing vnderstood by a vision which she had the night of the assumption of our blessed lady , that s. clare should cure her , the poore afflicted creature hauing very patiently expected the breake of day , repayred with a strong confidence vnto that holy virgin , and by signes craued her benediction , which fauour hauing obtained , her voice , which so long time she had wanted , became as cleere and shrill as euer it had byn . another religious called christina , that had bin long time deafe in one of her eares , and hauing in vaine tryed many remedies , saint clare making the signe of the crosse vpon her head , and with her hand touching her care , she recouered her hearing as perfectly and clearly as before . another religious call andrea had a disease in her throat , the griefe wherof procured her much impatience : it being admirable , that among so many prayers inflamed with diuine loue , their should be a soule so could , & among such prudent virgins one so indiscret and moderate . this religious feeling herselfe one night more tormented with her infirmity then ordinarily , afflicted & impatient , that her paine did rather increase then diminish , she so crushed and pressed her throat , making thereby appeare her intention to choake herselfe , thinking by violence to expell that swelling , so to auoid longer torment , & through ignorance attempting to do more then was the will of god. but whiles that poore religious busied herselfe in this folly , saint clare by diuine inspiration had knowledge thereof , wherfore calling one of her religious , she vvilled her to hasten downe , boyle an egge in the shell , & cause sister andrea to swallow it , which done to bring her to her presence . the religious instantly dressed the egge , and forth with brought it to the sicke party , whome she found little better then dead , hauing so crushed her throat , that her speach was vtterly gone , yet she made her swallow the egge so well as she could , then raysing her from her straw bed , she with much labour led her to saint clare , who thus spake vnto her ; wretched sister confesse thee to god , & haue contrition , for what thou intendest to doe , & acknovvledge that iesus christ wil giue thee health far better , then thou with thine owne handes hadst purposed to doe : change this euill life into a better , for thou shalt neuer recouer another sicknes that shal succeed this , but shalt dye therof . these words procured in this religious a spirit of compunction and contrition , so that she being intierly cured of this grieuous infirmity , amended her life , falling a little after into another sicknes , which saint clare had foretold , wherof she ended her life piously . it doth manifestly appeare by these examples , and by many other marueylous thinges , that the tree of the crosse of our blessed sauiour iesus christ was deeply planted in her hart , & that in a meruailous māner the fruits therof did interiourly recreate her soule , sith the leaues did worke exteriourly such remedies by the hands & merits of his glorious saint . how saint clare blessed bread , vpon which the signe of the crosse miraculously remayned . chap. xxi . saint clare was a disciple of the crosse , and of so notable same & sanctity , that not only great prelates & cardinalls much desired to see her , to heare and discourse with her , for which cause they often visited her ; but the pope himselfe bare her also this affection , in so much that pope innocent the fourth repayred to her monastery , to heare of her , as a secretary of the holy ghost , celestiall and diuine discourses . and hauing a long time conferred with her of matters of saluation , and of the prayses of god , whiles they intertayned themselues in so pious a discourse , s. clare caused dinner to be prepared , and the tables for the religious to be couered , causing bread to be brought thither , with intention to procure the vicar of iesus christ to blesse it , to be afterwards kept of deuotion . their discourse then being ended , s. clare fell vpō her knees before the pope , beseeching him to blesse the bread . vvhereto his holines ansvvered : daughter clare , i will that you blesse it your selfe making therupon the signe of the crosse : the saint therto answered , most holy father , pardon me if you please , for if i should doe it , i should deserue sharpe reprehension , in presuming to giue my benedictiō in presence of your holines . the pope againe replyed : well , that no presumption be imputed vnto you , and that you may merit thereby , i command you by holy obedience to blesse these loues , making vpon them the signe of the crosse . this daughter of obedience lifted vp her hand , making the signe of the crosse vpon the bread ; whence insued an admirable accident , for the crosse remayned vpon the bread , whereof part was eaten of deuotion , & the rest reserued as a holy relique , which euent filled the pope with admiration , for which he gaue thankes to god ; then gaue his benediction to s. clare , who receiued it with great humility , and was much comforted withall . of many infirmityes of the glorious virgin s. clare : of her weakenes ; and how she was visited by the protectour . chap. xxii . the glorious virgin s. clare had now forty yeares run the race of the most eminent vertue and practise of pouerty , hauing broken the alabaster of her body in the most strict prison by fasting and rigorous disciplines , and by this meanes filled the house of the holy church with the most pretious oyntment of her vertues , wherwith she drew after her an infinit number of soules to the seruice of iesus christ . and as she already approached to the recompence of eternall glory , hauing supported diuers infirmities , and consumed the forces of her body in her first yeares by the rigour of pennance , she was also in her latter dayes oppressed , and afflicted with diuers grieuous sicknesses . and because in the time of her health she was also enriched in such sort with the merit of good workes , that being sicke she gayned the true riches of the merits of patience , she yet inioyed the fruits of her vertues , that were ripened in afflictions and molestations , occasioned by diuersity of diseases . but the vertue of her patience doth euidently appeare , in that hauing byn twenty eight yeares togeather afflicted with diuers diseases , she was neuer heard to vtter the least murmure or complaint : but continually were heard to proceed out of her mouth pious wordes , and thankes-giuing to almighty god. now being exceedingly weakened with infirmity , and euery moment seeming to her the drawing on of her life towardes an end , it pleased our lord iesus christ to prolonge it , till she might be visited by the eminent prelates of the roman church , wherof she was a seruant , and a speciall child ; for the pope being yet at lyons , and this saint beginning to be more tormented with her infirmities , then she was accustomed to be , a sword of sorrow pierced through the soule of her beloued daughters . but a virgin , seruant of iesus christ , a very deuout religious of the monastery of s. paul , and order of s. benedict , had at that time this vision following . it seemed to her that she did visit s. clare with all her sisters at saint damian , whome she saw in a sorrowfull , yet pretious bed , about which they all lamented expecting her death , and withall she saw come to the bolster of the sayd bed a very beautifull woman , who sayd to them that wept ▪ my daughters weep not for her that is yet to liue , for she cannot dye , till our lord and all his disciples doe come . a little after the roman court came to perusia , where the increase of s. clares sicknes being diuulged , the cardinall of hostia hastened with great diligence to visit the espouse of iesus christ , whose father he was by office , gouernour by speciall sollicitude , fosterer and friend in most pure and chast amity ; & he comforted her , and vvith his ovvne handes administring vnto her the most blessed sacrament of the eucharist ; and then made a very deuout sermon to the religious , s. clare with great humility , & in the name of our redeemer iesus christ , beseeching him to accept into his protection that her family , & all her other poore sisters of other monasteries ; but aboue all she most instantly besought him , obtaine of the pope , & the colledge of cardinalls , a priuiledge & confirmation of holy pouerty , whereto the cardinall gaue his word , & as a faithfull father of her religiō , & one most deuout & affectionate to s. clare , did afterwardes effect it : for pope innocent the fourth at her most instant request , confirmed the rule , which the holy father s. francis had instituted for her , as is formerly recorded , wherof s. clare had neuer vntill then other confirmation written but that of the said cardinall , because the popes supposing to induce s. clare , not to bynd her religious to such an extreme pouerty , did still deferre to confirme her rule by writing . but innocent the fourth seing the perseuerance , & last will of saint clare , graunted the same vnto her by a bull , the eleuenth , and last yeare of his reigne , as we haue before recorded . and the yeare being almost expired , the pope came with his cardinalls from perusia to assisium ; whereby the first vision touching the death of the holy virgin was accomplished . for the pope being in his office more then a mā , by the authority which he hath of iesus christ vpō earth , whose person he representeth in the temple of the church militant , the cardinalls accompanying his holines , represented the disciples of our lord iesus christ . how pope innocent the fourth visited saint clare in her last sicknes , and gaue her absolution . chap. xxiii . the diuine prouidence wold no longer deferre the accomplishment of the will of saint clare , but her spouse iesus christ came to eleuate into his celestiall pallace his poore espouse & pilgrime vpon earth , who desired nothing more ▪ that being deliuered of this mortall body , she might haue the sight , & full fruition of her most glorious spouse iesus christ in his celestiall kingdome . now then the members of this sacred virgin being by continuance of her sicknes wholy decayed , there befell her a new weakenes , which being an euident token that she should in short time be called of god , which she vsed as a ladder to mount vp to eternall saluation : wherupon pope innocent the forth came to the monastery of s. damian , accompanyed with many cardinalls , to visit the seruant of god , not doubting but she , whose life he had already approued , was the most perfect in sanctity of all vvomen of his tyme ; and therefore worthy to haue her death honored by his presence . his holines then being entred , he went directly to the glorious virgin , & comming neere to her bed , he gaue her his hand to kisse , which fauour saint clare vvith exceeding ioy receiued . but besides that , she with great humility besought him to affoard her his feete to kisse : the pope to content her sat downe vpon a little bench , and deuoutly presented vnto her his apostolicall feete , vpon which this glorious saint reuerently layd her face and mouth , most affectionatly kissing them : then with the serenity of an angelicall countenance , she demaunded of him remission of all her sinnes ; wherto the pope answered : would to god my deare sister , i had no more need of such a pardon : but finally he gaue her the benefit of absolution , & the gift of his benediction , & then left her in peace . she hauing that morning receiued the most sacred communion at the hands of the prouinciall of the friars minors of that prouince , with her hands ioyned togeather , & her eyes eleuated towards heauen , she weeping said to her religious : my daughters , prayse almighty god for the benefit it hath pleased him to bestow vpon me this day , which is such , that the heauens & the earth are not sufficient to recompence it , sith this day i haue both receiued my lord god , & am made worthy to see his vicar vpon earth . how s. clare comforted her sister s. agnes . chap. xxiiii . the daughters were all about their mother , without whom they were in a short tyme to remaine as orphans ; the consideration whereof deeply pierced their soules with a most bitter griefe , that neyther heauines of sleep , nor hunger could withdraw thē frō the presence of their mother ; the present contentment , which they receiued in beholding her , making them forget to eate and sleep , because al their exercise was to weep , and particulerly her most deuout sister agnes , who was expresly come from the monasterv , which she had newly erected at florence to be present at her death . being then in this anguish , she turned to wardes her sister , & most instantly prayed her , not to depriue her of her presence : wherto saint clare answered , deare sister , whome i cordially loue , sith it hath pleased god that i depart , be you ioyfull , & weep no more , for i answere you , our lord will shortly come to you , to visit you with an exceeding consolation before your death . of the death of the blessed virgin s. clare : and of a vision , which one of her religious saw . chap. xxv . the holy virgin , and seruant of iesus christ , was many dayes to wards the end of her life afflicted with diuers diseases , the fayth and deuotion , which at that time ech one bare her , exceedingly increasing , yea so farre forth , that she was honored as a saint , being ordinarily visited by cardinalls , and other prelates : but which is more admirable to heare , hauing byn seauēteene dayes without force to receiue any sustenance that was presented vnto her , she vvas neuertheles so fortified of god , and incouraged of his diuine maiesty , that she exhorted all those that would comfort her , to be prompt in the seruice of god. a religious man intending to comfort her , and to perswade her to haue patience in so grieuous a sicknes , that procured her so much torment , she with a smiling countenance , and cleare voice answered him : brother , since the time that i knew the grace of my god , by the meanes of his most humble seruant saint francis , no payne hath byn troublesome vnto me , no pēnance hath seemed difficult , nor any sicknes irksome . and as almighty god approached neere vnto her , and her soule being as it were at the doore to goe forth , the blessed virgin wold haue the most pious and spirituall friars minors to be present , to discourse vnto her of the dolorous and bitter passion of our lord iesus christ , & by their pious words to inflame her hart more in the loue of god : wherfore some of them , who were vnto her true brethren in our redeemer iesus christ were present , and among other brother iuniperus , the familiar of our lord iesus christ , who often vttered vnto her such fiery and inflamed words of the omnipotent god , that she by his presence being filled with an extreme ioy , one day demaunded of him , if he then , knevv nothing new from almighty god : wherupon brother iuniperus opening his mouth to answere her , there issued out of the fornace of his inflamed hart , infinite sparkes of such sublime wordes , that this holy virgin receiued therof much consolation . finally turning her angelicall face towardes her deare and beloued daughters & sisters there present , all of them bitterly weeping , she recommended vnto them the pouerty of our redeemer iesus christ in this her last passage , praysing and thanking god for the infinit benefitts , which they had receiued of his diuine maiesty , which she particulerly recounted vnto them ; then she gaue them all her benediction , and also to all the religious of her monastery present and absent , & likewise to all those , who should hereafter enter into her order . there were present two companions of s. francis , to wit brother angelus , who though much afflicted , did yet comfort the others , & the right simple brother leo , who ceased not to kisse the bed of the holy virgin who was leauing the world , & was much lamēted of her daughters , because they were left orphanes , and were no more in this life to see their most holy mother , and therfore they accompanyed her soule to heauen with aboundance of teares , without power to admit any other consolation , then to desire to goe with her : wher with being so afflicted , they could not without difficulty forbeare with their nailes to rent their faces , but not being permitted them to discharge themselues of such griefe exteriourly , it did inflame in them a more burning fire within : for those espouses of iesus christ were sufficiently mortifyed by rigour of religion , albeit the force of griefe did constreine them to cast forth lowd cryes and sighes , and to powre out riuers of teares . the holy virgin at length being turned towardes them , began very sweetly to say vnto her soule , go my soule , go out securely , thou hast an assured guide to performe this voiage ▪ for he who is thy creatour hath sanctifyed thee , and hath alwayes cōserued thee , affecting thee with a tender loue , equall with that of a mother towardes her child : and thou my god be praysed for hauing created me . a religious sister asking her what she ment thereby , she answered ; i speake to my blessed soule ; her most glorious spouse iesus christ not being far from her , attending for her : then turning to one of her religious she sayd : doe you not see my daughter the king of glory whome i see ? almighty god also laid his hand vpō another religious , who saw with her corporall eyes through the teares that distilled from them a glorious vision ; she being pierced through with the dart of sorrow , cast her eyes towards the gate of the house , & saw to enter a great processiō of sacred virgins richly cloathed in white , hauing ech one a crowne of gold vpon their head : but one of them appeared more beautifull , sumptuous , and glittering then the rest , hauing vpon her head an imperiall crowne garnished with pretious stones , from whose countenance proceeded a light so shining , that it conuerted the obscurity of the night into cleare and bright day , it being without doubt the most glorious virgin mary , queene of virgins , who came to the bed of the espouse of her sonne , to whome inclyning she most gratiously imbraced her , and incontinently she was couered & the bed also by the other virgins vvith an extreme sumptuous mantle : so the day following , which was the eleuenth of august , her holy soule ascēded to heauen , there to be crowned with perpetuall glory . happy was her departure out of this miserable life , sith it was the entry into that of eternall felicity : for the fastes , which this saint performed in this exile , she is now ioiful , hauing her fill at the magnificall table of the cittizens of heauen ; & for the humility and basenes of her habit , she is now gloriously attired with the glory of paradise . the continuall sighes & desires , which she had for the presence and loue of her deerly beloued spouse , are accomplished by the blessed vision of god face to face , and by the assured fruition of the soueraigne good : leauing the way open to the example of sanctity , that we blind and miserable mortall creatures , reiecting these short , false , and deceiptfull pleasures of this world , may purchase the permanent , true , & assured delightes that indure eternally . of the honorable obsequies that were performed for saint clare . chap. xxvi . vvhiles the soule of s. clare departed this life , the report of her decease was incontinently diuulged through assisium , frō whence both men and women in such aboundance speedily flocked to the monastery , that none seemed to be left in the citty , each one presently esteeming her a saint , calling her the espouse of iesus christ , and accōpanying their discourses with great a boundance of teares of deuotion . the officers of iustice repayred thither accompanyed with many warlike champions , and a great number of armed men , which that night guarded the monastery , for feare that pretious treasure might be bereaued thē . the night following , the pope with all his court came thither , accompanyed withall the neighbour people . the religious men of s. damian being ready to begin the office of the dead , the pope would haue had said the office of the holy virgins , wherin he would haue canonized her before her buriall : but the cardinall of hostia hauing demonstrated vnto him , that it was fitting in this affayre to proceed with more humane prudence , the pope permitted the said religious solemnely to proceed in the office of the dead , according to their ordinary & accustomed manner . the said cardinall hauing taken for his text , vanitas vanitatum , & omnia vanitas , made a very worthy and deuout sermon , to manifest the vanity of thinges appertayning only to this world , where he exceedingly exalted that most eminent contemner of vanities which ended , all the cardinalls and other prelates accompanyed her holy body with an exemplar deuotion . all the funeralls being very solemnely ended , then cittizens of assisiū thinking it not secure , that this pretious treasure should remaine so far out of their citty , they caused her holy body with exceeding great pompe to be transported , singing psalmes and hymnes with the sound & melody of diuers musicall instruments , in a very solemne procession , carrying it into the chuch of saint george within their citty , where the body of s. francis had formerly byn reposed . and it was very reasonable , that he , who in his life had giuen a patterne of the way of life vnto this holy virgin , should as it were prophetically preparre her a place of sepulture . there was then a great repaire and confidence of people from diuers cittyes , townes , and villages vnto assisium , to thanke iesus christ , and to pray vnto this blessed creature , proclayming this holy virgin to be really a saint & glorious , who now liueth in paradise with the angells , hauing bin already so much honored of men vpon earth . o blessed virgin pray now to god for vs , & gayne our soules to iesus christ in heauen , as thou hast conuerted and gayned so ma-many liuing vpon earth . the holy virgin passed this transitory life to the other of rest , the yeare of grace 1253. the tweluth of august , forty yeares after her perfect vocation to god , and the 60. yeare of her age . she was interred the 12. of august , vpon which day her feast is solemnized at assisium , and ouer all the holy roman church . of the miracles wrought by the merits of s. clare : and first of possessed persons that haue byn deliuered . chap. xxvii . the chiefest marks that saints can haue , and the worthyest testimonies of fayth and reuerence , are sanctity of life , and the perfection of good workes : for s. iohn baptist wrought no miracles during his life , and yet they who haue wrought many , shall not be esteemed more holy then he : and therfore the notable renowne of the religious life of saint clare , might suffice to make her appeare such as she is , if the tepidity , coldnes , and remissnes of the world , &c partly also deuotion did not otherwise require . but since this holy virgin was not only in her lifetime by her merits swallowed vp in the depth of diuine illuminations , but was also after her death a meruaylous splendour ouer all the world by the light of her miracles : and as the most pure verity hath caused the recording of many of her miracles , that they remayne as testimonies , memory , & denuntiation of her sanctity : therfore also the multitude of them inforce me to recount some , that they may be generally diuulged & knowne . a child called iames , seeming not so sicke as possessed , in regard that somtimes he cast himselfe into the fire , or into the riuer , fell rudely vpon the ground , and with such fury did bite the stones , that he brake his teeth withall , forced bloud out of his head , and wrested his mouth most strangely , yea somtimes would seeme a monster , so doubling & foulding his members , that his feete would be vpon his necke . he was ordinarily twice in the day afflicted with the like torments in such sort , that two persons sufficed not to restraine him from tearing of his cloathes , yea there was great difficulty to keep him from murdering of himselfe ▪ phisitians hauing in vaine laboured to cure him , at length his father named guidalote had recourse to the merits of s ▪ clare , affectionatly saying : o holy virgin honored of the world , to thee i addresse my selfe , beseeching thee to obtaine of god my sonnes health : then full of confidence he conducted him to the sepulcher of this saint , & laid him thereupon , and he presently miraculously obtained the fauour he desired , his sonne being perfectly cured of all his infirmities , & was neuer troubled after . alexandrina a womā of the town of frata , neere to perusia , was possessed and tormented with an abhominable diuell , to whose power she was so left , that he made her to fly as a bird to the top of a rocke neere to the riuer of tibur , then made her descend to a branch of a tree that did hang ouer the said riuer , thē to hang vpon that branch , there playing her idle prankes . this woman had halfe her body vtterly benummed , for which the phisitians could find no remedy : at length she came with great deuotion to the shrine of saint clare , and inuocating her merits she was cured of all her afflictions ; hauing also the gout in her left hand , her body halfe paraliticall was cured , and withall she was intierly freed from the oppression and seruitude of the diuell . another woman of the same place was cured before the said sepulcher , who was in like sort possessed with the diuell , & had withall many other grieuous infirmityes . of many that were miraculously cured of diuers diseases . chap. xxviii . a french youth , going to rome in company of other his countreymen , fell sicke & lay by the way , loosing through the force of his infirmity his sense and speach , and his body became deformed as it were a monster , then became he so furious , that he could not be held , so that he seemed ready to dye ▪ which spectacle did not only moue his companions to compassion , but did also exceedingly terrify them : and therfore they boūd him to a beere , & carryed him to the church of s. clare ; where hauing placed him before her sepulcher , they applyed themselues all to prayer , inuocating the help of god and of the saint , vvho made such intercessiō for the yong man , that he was in an instant intierly cured . a man of the citty of spoletuns called valentine , was exceedingly afflicted with the falling sicknes , in which he fell six times a day in whatsoeuer place he was , and besides he had one foote so wrested awry , that he was vtterly latned : he was brought vpon an asse to the sepulcher of s. clare , where hauing remained two dayes & three nights , the third day attempting to moue his lame foote , and none being neere him , he made such a noyse , that being heard by some a farre off , they seemed to heare the breaking of a piece of dry wood ; and the man was instantly cured of both the one and the other his said diseases . the sonne of a woman of spoletum called lames of twelue yeares old being blind , could not goe without a guide : and being once forsaken of him who conducted him , he fell into a pit , brake one of his armes , and hurt his head . the night following sleeping by the bridge of varue , a woman appeared vnto him , and sayd : iames , if thou wilt come to me to assisium i will cure thee . arising early in the morning , he much admired at the vision , which he recounted to two other blind men , who answered him : brother we haue heard of a lady lately dead in the citty of assisium , at whose sepulcher god worketh by her merits many miracles : which the blind youth hauing heard , he left the two other blind men , and with a strong confidence hastned to assisium , and in the way he lodged at spoletum , where in the night he had the same vision , which increased the hope of the recouering his sight , and made him hasten in time to arriue at the church of s. clare , where finding it so filled vvith people that he could not enter , was greatly troubled . but seing no remedy , he rested at the dore , and there remayned till the euening , where this poore blind youth being weary with his iorney , and afflicted that he could not enter into the church , setled himselfe the best he could to rest vpon the ground , laying his head against a great stone , and so slept , and presently the third time he heard the sayd voice , speaking : lames , god wil do thee good , if thou canst enter , and incontinently a waking out of that sleep , he began to cry , and begge of the people with aboundance of teares to permit him to enter , which hauing a long time continued , they gaue him place , & hauing discloathed himselfe , putting his girdle about his necke , he went to the sepulcher of the saint , before which with great reuerence and humility her fell vpon his knees , and hauing persisted somtime in prayer , beseeching s. clare to intercede for him , he fell into a gentle slumber , wherin s. clare appeared vnto him , and sayd , arise lames , for thou art already cured , and being awaked , and raysed vpon his feete , the defect of his sight left him , & by the vertues and meritts of this saint he clearly saw ; for which he glorifyed god , and gaue him thankes for so admirable a work , exhorting all people present to do the like , & to praise our redemer iesus christ in this his holy seruant . of the lame and paralitiqes cured by saint clare . chap. xxix . a cittizen of perusia called iohn-martin de buoni , went one time with many other cittizens out of the citty to fight against their enemies of fullinium : the skirmish being ended , iohn found his hand exceedingly hurt with the blow of a flint stone ▪ and the bone being broken he was therby maymed : and hauing byn at extreme cost for the cure therof , yet without any remedy , but still inforced to carry his arme in a skarfe , he alwayes complayned therof as of a desperate may me , & asked coūsell about cutting off his hand ; but hauing one day heard speach of marueylous thinges wrought by almighty god at the intercession of s. clare , he with a strong fayth vowed to goe to her sepulcher , whither arriuing he very deuoutly presented her a hand of wax , then fell vpon his knees , & made his feruent prayor to god , that it would please his diuine maiesty , by the merits & intercession of that most holy virgin to cure him ; the successe was admirable , for before this gentleman arose , he felt his hand intierly cured , for which he gaue thankes to god & to the saint . a young man likewise of castrouitoli called petronius , was so cōsumed with a disease which had for three years continually afflicted him , that he seemed to be already withered , & corrupted , yea he was therby brought to such weaknes , that in going he stouped with his face as it were vpon the ground , & found great difficulty to walke , though with a staffe in his hand to support him . his father hauing alredy bin exceedingly charged about his cure , continued yet in resolution to imploy the residue of his substāce out of his vehemēt desire to see his son cured . but the phisitians hauing assured him that there was no hope of cure by humane art , he had recourse to the new saint , of whose vertue hauing heard much report , he caused his sonne to be carryed thither where the reliques of saint clare reposed . and hauing made his prayers by her sepulcher , he recouered his former health , and miraculously arose sound & streight , as if he had neuer indured infirmity , yea he ran , leapt , and praysed god , & s. clare , inducing all present to haue greater faith and deuotion towards her . in the towne of saint quirice , within the diocesse of assisium , a child of ten yeares old , hauing byn borne lame , went so pittifully and painfully , that if he chaunced to fall to the ground , he could not rise againe , but with extreme difficulty . his mother had many times recommended him to s. francis , yet found he no redresse : but vnderstanding afterwardes , that the virgin saint clare was very famous for infinit miracles , which by her meritts were wrought at her sepulcher , she caused her sonne to be carryed thither ; & incontinently after that he had bin there , his bones were setled in their places , & his mēbers were cured : that which saint francis intreated by deuout prayers would not graunt , he referred to be obtayned & impetrated by the meritts of his disciple s. clare . a cittizen of eugubium called iames le france , had a sonne of fiue yeares old so lame , that he could not goe , which he very impatiently supported , seeming to him that the torment of his child was a reproach vnto his honour and family . when this child was vpon the ground , he would wallow & creep in the dust in that sort to goe , and if he would stay himselfe against any thing to arise , he could not , for uature had giuen him only a desire , but no force or ability therunto . but his father and mother consulted to make a vow for him , and to offer him to the merits of saint clare , to whome they promised , that being cured he should be called hers . the vow being made , the espouse of iesus christ cured this child , who began so well to go , that without any help he went to the sepulcher of the sayd saint . a woman of castell menarie , called plenaria , had bin long time benummed , in such sort as she could not goe without a staffe , but causing herselfe to be carryed to the sepulcher of saint clare , and hauing there deuoutly offered her prayers , the day following obtayned , vvhat she vvith fayth demaunded , so that he returned home vpon her owne feete , who came thither supported by the feet of others . a woman of perusia had a swelling vpon her cheeke , which tormented her a long tyme , and besides had all ouer her body many ring-wormes and tettars ; she had also her necke greater 〈◊〉 her head & often thinking on s. clare , she one day went to her church , where with great deuotion and a true fayth she made her prayers : & continuing by her sepulcher till euen within night , she fell into a great sweet , wherby the swelling began to wax dry and to shrinke , and so by little and little she was so perfectly cured , that there remayned no shew of any skarre . how two children were by saint clare rescued , and preserued from the rage of wolues . chap. xxx . the valley of spoletum was accustomed to be much afflicted with wolues , which did often prey there vpon mans flesh . there dwelt a woman called bonna , vpon the mount galion , within the diocesse of assisiū , who hauing two children , had scarse ended her lamētations for the one which the wolues had deuoured , but whiles she was busied in her house they carried away the other . the wolfe carryed the child to the top of a mountaine & grapled it by the throat , whilest a labourer in the vineyardes hearing the pittifull cry of the child called the mother , and admonished her to haue care of her sonne , in regard he heard a crying voyce like to his : the woman not finding her sonne , presently belieued that the wolues had seysed vpon him , and therfore began to raise her lamentations towardes heauen , deuoutly inuocating the help of saint clare in these tearmes : o blessed s. clare haue compassion vpon me miserable woman , and restore me my child . heare if thou please the prayers of an infortunate mother , and permit me not to continue in this rigorous desolation . whiles this poore woman so recommended her distresse to s. clare , her neighbors furnished with vveapons , hastened after the rauening wolfe , and coming to the top of the said mountaine , they found that he had left the child wounded in the throate , whose woundes a dogge was licking , & so the child was safely recouered by the merits of s. clare , who was inuocated by his mother , to whom he was brought , and was incontinently restored to perfect health . a little girle of the towne of canary , being about noone abroad in the field , where she did some seruice to another woman , there came a wolfe , which being taken by the girle but for a dogge , he leapt vpon her necke , and tooke hold off her head . the other woman , and the mother of the girle there present ran after , and cried for help , inuocating saint clare : & it was admirable to heare that the child being in the teeth of the wolfe reprehended him , saying , thou theefe , how canst thou carry me further i being recommended to that holy virgin ? the wolfe as daūted with those words , gently set the girle vpō the ground , & as a theefe found & taken in the fact , he fled : & the girle returned without any hurt vnto her mother . how diuers were deliuered from drowning and danger of sea , hauing inuocated s. clare . chap. xxxi . a shippe fraught vvith many persons departing out of the port of pisa , for the i le of sardinta , the first night , there arose such a terrible tempest , that the force therof leaked the bottome of the vessell , which made apparent to all therein , that they were in most euidēt danger of shipwrake : wherfore they began to inuocate the queene of heauen , and many other saintes to assist them . at length perceiuing no appearance of their liues safety , they addressed themselues to s. clare , and vowed to her , that if by her intercession they were deliuered , they would goe all naked to their very shirtes , with their girdles about their neck , to visit her sacred reliques at assisium , ech of them carrying a wax light of two pound in their hands . this vow being made , they savv three great lights descend frō heauen , the one whereof setled vpon the forepart of the ship , another vpon the poupe , and the third vpon the pumpe , by the vertue whereof the leakes where the water did enter was closed vp , and the sea became so quiet and calme , that with a gratious wind the vessell was accompanied and safely conducted by the said lights to the port of arestan , where being arriued and landed , and the marchandize all safely put vpon shore , the said lights vanished , and ( vvhich was admirable ) the ship presently sunke , and vvas cast away : they which went out of her , acknowledging the miracle , and at their returne to pisa deuoutly accomshed their vow , yielding infinit shankes to almighty god , and to the virgin s. clare for the great benefit receiued by her intercession . how saint clare was canonized by the pope alexander the fourth . chap. xxxii . pope innocent the fourth liued so little time after the death of s. clare , that he could not canonize her . the holy sea hauing bin two yeares vacant , alexander the fourth was chosen pope , who being exceedingly deuoted , & a friend to piety , protectour of religious , hauing heard true relation both of the miracles , vvhich our lord iesus christ wrought for the glory of his holy seruant , & of the renowne of her vertues , which daily more and more diuulged themselues in the church , knovving also that her canonization was generally desired , his holines being also induced by the assurance of so many miracles , began therfore to treat in the consistory of her canonization . wherin to proceed more maturely , there were elected prudent and vertuous men to examine the said miracles , & the irreprehensible life of the saint : vvhich being done , and this holy virgin being found , & proued to haue bin in her life an vnspotted mirrour of all vertues , and to haue byn ennobled of almighty god after her death by true and approued miracles , the day of her canonization was appointed , when were present with his holines many cardinalls , archbishops , bishops , other prelates , and a great number of priests and religious with infinit noble men , gentlemen and others , ech in their degree & quality , before whome the pope proposed this sacred affayre , demaunding the opiniō of the prelats ▪ who with one accord gaue consent , and affectionatly besought that the said saint might be canonized in the church , as iesus christ had glorifyed her in heauen . in this sort then , three yeares after her happy decease , pope alexander caused her solemnely to be enrolled in the catalogue of saintes , ordayning her feast to be celebrated with solemnity in the church the 12. of august . this canonization was performed the yeare of grace 1255. and the first of the raigne of the pope , to the prayse and glory of our redeemer iesus christ . heere endeth the life , and miracles of the glorious virgin s. clare . the life of s. agnes sister to s. clare how s. agnes was by the holy f. s. francis sent to florence , there to build a monastery . chap. i. the virgin & espouse of our redeemer iesus christ , agnes , & true companion of saint clare , aswell in bloud , as in vertue & religion , perseuered & persisted in notable sanctity of life in the monastery of s. damian : & from the tyme of her entrance into religion , euen to her death , she alwayes wore a very rough hairecloath next her tender skin . her ordinary refection was almost alwayes bread and water , being naturally very pittifull to euery one . s. francis finding this virgin to haue obteyned of god , by meanes & assistance of her sister , a worthy perfection , he sent her to florence , there to found a nevv monastery of poore sisters called mount caeli , wherof saint francis made her abbesse . this holy virgin induced many soules to abandon the world , and to serue iesus christ , which she did by meanes of her pious conuersation , & sanctity of life , by holy discourses , and wordes of god , that sweeetly flowed out of her mouth : and as a perfect contemner of transitory thinges , & follower of iesus christ , she planted in this monastery ( conformably to the desire of the holy father saint francis , & of s ▪ clare ) the obseruance , & profession of euangelicall pouerty : but being exceedingly grieued with the absence of her sister , she wrote this letter following vnto her , and to all the religious of the monastery of s. damian , wherin she had receiued her education , and spirituall nourture . a copy of the letter , which s. agnes wrote to her sister s. clare , and to all the other sisters of the monastery of s. damian . chap. ii. to the venerable & beloued mother in our lord christ iesus , clare , and to all her couent , humble sister agnes , the least of the disciples of iesus christ & of yours , commendeth herselfe vnto you all , and prostrate at your feete , doth yield you al submission and deuotion , wishing vnto you what is most pretious from the most high king of kinges . to the end that all nature , which hath bin created of god , doe acknowledge it selfe to be such , as it cannot persist of it selfe in it owne essence , the diuine prouidence most prudently permitteth , that when any one esteemeth himselfe to be in prosperity , then is he drowned & plunged in aduersities . this i tell you my most deare mother , that you may know , what affliction and extreame heauines possesseth my spirit , being so tormented , that hardly can i speake : and this because i am corporally separated from you and my holy sisters , with whome i hoped to haue happily liued , and dyed in this world . so far is this my griefe from slacking , that it cōtinually increaseth , which as it had a beginning , so do i belieue it will find no end in this world , for it is so continuall , and familiar vnto me , that i greatly feare it will neuer forsake me . i was perswaded that life and death should be a like , without power of any separation vpon earth , amongst them , who haue one same conuersation and life in heauen , & must haue one same sepulture : them i say , whom one same , equall naturall profession , and one same loue hath made sisters . but so far as i can see , being abandoned and afflicted on ech side , i am much mistaken . o my holy sisters , i beseech you to be reciprocally grieued with me , & let vs weep togeather , being assured , that you shall neuer experience any dolour comparable to that which i now feele , in being separated from them , with whome iesus christ had conioined me . this griefe tormenteth me incessantly , this fire burneth my hart continually , so that being on ech side afflicted , i know not what to thinke , neither doth any hope remaine , but to be assisted by your prayers , that almighty god easing this affliction , may make it tollerable vnto me . o my most gratious mother , vvhat shall i doe , and vvhat shall i say , sith i know not that euer i shall see you more , or likewise my sisters ? o that it were lawfull for me to vtter vnto you the conceipts of my soule , as i would desire , or that i could open my hart vnto you vpon this paper : then should you see the liuely and continuall dolours that torment me : my soule burneth interiourly , being afflicted with an incessant fire of loue ; and my hart groaneth , sigheth , and lamenteth with desire of your presence : myne eies cannot haue their fill of weeping ; and albeit i seeke for some consolation against this bitternes , yet can i find none ▪ but euery thing turneth into griefe , & much more , when i consider the meanes to see you . i am intierly steeped in these anguishes , hauing none that can comfort me in this life , but that i receiue a little consolation from the liberall hand of our sauiour iesus christ , which causeth me to beseech you all to giue thankes vnto his diuine maiesty , for this fauour and mercy extended , towardes me , & for that through his grace , i find such concord peace , and charity in this couent , as by wordes cannot be expressed ; these sisters hauing receiued me with exceeding loue & deuotion , yielding me obedience , vvith extraordinary promptitude & reuerence . they all with one accord recommend themselues to our lord iesus christ , & to you my sister , & to all the sisters of the monastery : & i recommend my selfe & them to your holy prayers , beseeching you as a mother to be mindfull of them , & of me , as of your daughters : & know you that they & i , will all the daies of our life , obserue & keepe your holy precepts and aduertisements . besides i desire you should know , that the pope hath accorded to whatsoeuer i demaunded of him , conformably to your intention & myne , & particulerly in the matter you know ; to wit , that we may not possesse any thing proper . i beseech you my most deare mother , to procure of the reuerent father generall , that he often visit vs , to comfort vs in god , whose grace be with your spirit . amen . of an extasy of s. agnes ; and how s. clare saw her thrice crowned by an angell . chap. iii. saint clare in her last sicknes obteyned , that her sister saint agnes might come to see her in the monastery of s. damian , to keep her company during the few daies she had to liue : & so s. agnes bauing left her couent , well grounded in religion & sanctity , she came to assisium , where saint clare being one night in prayer apart from her sister , she neuertheles saw her , being also in prayer , lifted from the earth , & an angell to crowne her thrice with so many seuerall crownes . the day following she demaunded of her sister , what prayer or contēplatiō she had made the night past : but she of humility vnvvilling to manifest her prayer , being at length inforced by obedience , made her this relation : i considered the great goodnes , and patience of almighty god , wherby he supporteth such enormous offēces of sinners ; which i considered with a deep sorrow and compassion : then i thought , and yet doe thinke of the loue , which almighty god beareth to sinners , & how he indured death to saue them thirdly i considered , & doe consider , & am with compassiō exceedingly afflicted for the soules in purgatory , & their great torments , & because they cannot help themselues , i asked mercy for them of the most sacred wounds of our redeemer iesus christ . how s. agnes sent s. clares veyle to the monastery of florence , and of her death and translation to saint george in assisium , with all her religious into a new couent . chap. iiii. after the death of s clare , saint agnes sent her blacke veyle , which she did ordinarilv weare , to the poore religious of mount cae●i , which she had founded at florence , which she did , in regard of her great amity towardes them , and that they might inherit some reliques of s. clare for their comfort and deuotion , that veyle is yet in the said monastery , where it is so carefully preserued , that in substance and colour it seemeth still new . there is likewise to be seene in the same monastery a cloak of s. francis , by which reliques our lord worketh many miracles . a little after the death of s. clare , s. agnes also desired to be present at the marriage of the lambe , whither she was inuited : but she first receiued the consolation , which s. clare had promised her , that before she departed out of this life , she should see her spouse iesus christ , as a tast of the eternall felicityes , wherto she was to be eleuated , & conducted by her sweet spouse christ iesus . she dyed the 56 , yeare of her age , replenished with perfect sanctity ; and being deliuered out of this prison , she went to possesse the kingdome with angels , and the holy virgins , that had bin consecrated to iesus christ , in which glory these two sisters , & daughters of sion , companions in heauen by nature & grace , doe prayse god without end . there assembled a great multitude of people vpon the death of s. agnes , and they with great deuotion ascended with a ladder the monastery of saint damian , hoping thereby to receiue some spirituall consolation of sanctity , but it hapned that the chaine which held the ladder did slip , so that all those , who were vpon it , fell downe one vpon another , which made a great noyse and clamour by those who were hurt ; & hauing with a strong faith inuocated s. agnes , were all cured . the said holy virgin was interred at s. damian , but afterwardes was transported into the church of s george , where she still remayneth togeather with her sister in assisium , by the which church the cittizens haue builta faire monastery intituled saint clare , whither were afterward remoued the religious sisters of s. damian : which was done to preuent many inconueniences , that might arriue vnto the being without the citty . the said religious brought from s damian many reliques , and perticularly the crucifix , which spake to s. francis , at the beginning of his conuersion , which is extant in the said monastery of s. clare : and the friars minors are at s. damian . of many miracles wrought by almighty god , through the merits of s. agnes . chap. v. a girle of perusia had a cancred fistula in her throate , who hauing deuotion to s. agnes , visited her sepulcher . the religious there hauing vnbound her soare , at the entry of the couent & then hauing with a strong faith ' offered her prayers , she arose sound , and returned to her house exceedingly comforted , yielding thankes to god , and to his seruant . there was a religious sister at our lady of angells of perusia , vvho had a mortall soare in her breast , which the phisitians had iudged to be incurable ; in it there were three holes , so that the religious womē exhorted her to beare this affliction vvith patience , as proceeding from the hand of god , and to conforme herselfe to his diuine will. this diseased sister being alwaies of mind to recommend herselfe to s. agnes , kneeling one day before the altar , she vvith much deuotion commended herselfe to the holy seruant of god , demaunding of her redresse of her infirmity , vvherewithall falling falling into a gentle and sweet slumber , saint agnes appeared vnto her , and with her hand touched her mortall wound , with which visitatiō she was sweetly comforted , and cured ; and at her awaking finding herselfe soūd , she gaue infinit thankes to god , & to her aduocate s. agnes . another religious womā of the monastery of venice , had an impostume in her breast , which was opened by the phisitians , & found so dangerous , that they allotted her a very little time to liue . this poore sister therefore in this diftresse , recommended herselfe to the two sisters , s. clare and saint agnes , and about midnight these two saints , as most skilfull phisitians , brought boxes of most pretious oyntments , and accompanyed with many virgins entred into the infirmary , where this sicke sister was , who were seene by many religious , & drawing neere to her bed , saint clare said vnto her : sister , be you assured that you shal be cured by the power & goodnes of god , and by the meritts of saint agnes . the sicke religious not knovving vvho spake vnto her , doubted of this reuelation : & the saintes replyed , that they were phisitians of assisium : then saint agnes annointed the soares with the oyntment she had brought , & so the vision disappeared , & the diseased sister was in such sort cured of her mortall wound , that no appearance remayned therof . another religious of the monastery of saint clave in assisium , had byn for sixteene yeare togeather afflicted with such an infirmity , that the other religious held her for a lepar . this diseased creature besought s. agnes to pray to the virgin of heauen for her recouery . and this prayer being performed with a vow , the religious was incontinently cured , & freed from all remainder of her infirmity . a burgesse of assisium had byn long time lame by the blow of a stone receiued vpon his foote , and being hopelesle of humane remedy , vpon the feast of s. agnes , he went so well as he could to her church , and with strong fayth and deuotion fell vpon his knees before her altar . his prayer being ended , he arose sound , and lusty , which he recounted to many , and thanked almighty god for it . a painter called palmero being in a dangerous sicknes , & by the phisitians giuen ouer as dead , one night after his speach was lost , his brother expecting in his opinion his last breathing , was exceedingly disquieted , and coming to his bed side , and lamenting him as already dead , he fell vpon his knees , addressed his prayers to s. agnes , & vvith aboundance of teares and great confidence made a vow , that if his brother by her meritts and intercession might be cured , so oftē as he painted her image , he would set a crowne of gold vpon her head . this prayer and vow being ended , the sicke party incontinently began to speake , as if he had awakened out of a profound sleep , and called for meate , and did hungerly eate , then arose from his bed , saying , that two religious women came to visit him being in his agony , & reputed for dead , & that the same visitation had such force , as it left him perfectly cured , as he appeared . a vvoman of assisium had a sonne of 12. yeares old that had an impostume in his breast , where the canker was so increased , that it made it in such sort venemous , as it exceeded the phisitians skill to cure it : this woman hauing vnderstood , that by the meritts of saint agnes , almighty god had cured such diseases , she commaunded her sonne often to visit her sepulcher , and deuoutly to recommend himselfe vnto her : which he did in such sort , that approaching one euening so neere her selpulcher , that his mortall soare touched the same , and there falling a sleepe , he so remained till the next morning , when awaking he found himselfe intierly cured : for which hauing thanked god & his saint , he returned to aduertise his mother , affirming that s. clare , and saint agnes appeared vnto him in the night , and that s. clare brought an oyntment , where with saint agnes hauing annointed him , he was presently cured . of possessed persons deliuered by the merits of s. agnes : and of certayne other miracles . chap. vi. there was a child of 12. yeares old in assisium , who playing amōg other childrē , an vnknovvne man gaue him a greene beane codde , which the boy opening , three of the beanes fell to the ground , and the fourth only he did eate , yet so soone as he came home , he vomited extremely , then beganne to tumble , and furiously so behaue himselfe , turning and rouling his eyes in his head in such sort , as it well appeared , that he indured extreme torment : and his gesture so terrifyed them who beheld him , that they iudged him possessed : and therfore his father , and many other of his kindred brought him the next morning to the church of saint clare , where hauing offered their prayers for him , and inuocated the intercession of s. agnes , the child a little after began to cry , and barke as a dogge , then cryed out , take heed , there are two diuells already gone out , say one aue maria , and the third wil be gone , which being presently done , the diuell withall left the child . a woman of fullinium , being tormented with many wicked spirits , her father and grand-mother vowed to go with her to assisium , to visit the sepulcher of s. agnes , with faith and hope , that by her merits she should be deliuered , & so this possessed woman remaining before the sepulcher of the saint , from the ninth houre til euensong , she felt herselfe freed from the diuells that possessed her . this was done vpon the feast of s. francis ▪ the kindred of this deliuered woman offered an image of wax weighing two poundes , to the sepulcher of the saint , in acknowledgement of the grace and fauour receiued . a man of perusia with a continuall feuer had in his body an impostume , whereof the phisitians gaue their iudgement , he would in short time end his dayes ; wherfore a woman called celiola , admonished him to recommend himselfe to saint agnes , and to vow the visiting of her sepulcher ; which hauing done , and his prayers ended , his infirmity ended withall , being cured both of the one , & the other disease ; for which not being vngratefull , he visited the sayd sepulcher , & euery where preached the prayses of the holy virgin , giuing thankes to almighty god for such a fauour . a religious womā of the monastery of s. clare in assisiū , had lost the sight of one eye , & was in danger to loose the other , but finding that no humane application did auaile her , she recommended herselfe to saint agnes , and the other religious of her monastery also prayed for her , who as she one time prayed in the church , saw a woman , that came to her and said : sister open your eye , for your sight is recouered : and so opening her eye she clearly saw , but she could no more see the woman that spake vnto her ▪ only she was assured that it was s. agnes , to whome she had hartily recommended herselfe . vitula the wife of matthew de loupe at s. francis gate in assisium , had a sonne called martin , that had a deep soare in his throat , and another in his shoulder , both mortall , whence issued such an offensiue sauour , that it was not possible to come neere him . at length after many remedies had in vaine bin tryed , his mother recommended him to s. agnes , to whome hauing with a deuout hart offered her prayers , the saint one night appeared vnto her richly attyred with a diademe of gold vpon her head , and a branch of lilly in her right hand , and said vnto her : my daughter disquiet not thy selfe for thy sonne , for he shal be cured , and deliuered from perill ; which this woman hauing heard , she arose full of comfort , and went to the monastery of s. clare , & recounted this apparition to the abbesse and the religious : then she heard masse , which being ended , the religious shewed to the mother and the sonne the sacred reliques of the saint , and at the instant her sonne was cured of the impostume in his throat only . after that , saint agnes appeared to him in vision , togeather with another woman , who brought a violl full of oyntment saint agnes then sayd to the child , my sonne how do you ? whereto he answered : i am by the meritts of saint agnes cured of the impostume in my throat , but that vvhich is vpon my shoulder procureth me extreme affliction . the saint replyed , i will cure this , as i did the other in thy throat : then she vnbound the sayd ●●postume , tooke of the playster , and cast it vpon the ground ; then applyed thereto the oyntment , vvhich her companion had brought , and instantly the child was perfectly cured . when his mother came to see him , she found the playsters , vpon the ground , and her sonne sound and lusty , vvho particulerly recounted vnto her the sayd vision , vvhich afterward vvas generally diuulged . this happened in the yeare 1350. the end of the life of saint agnes . the life of another s. agnes , who wasdaughter to the king of bohemia , and religious of the order of s. clare . chap. i. in the beginning of this religious order , there was another virgin besides the precedent called agnes , as illustrious in sanctity , as in bloud , for she vvas daughter to the king of bohemia , vvho promised her in marriage to the emperour frederike : and this holy virgin hauing heard the worthy reputation of s. clara who then liued , by such as came from rome & assisium , being inspired of god , she besought the king her father , to giue her leaue , to serue rather a celestiall then a terrestriall spouse . but the king knowing that he could not recall his word , & that whatsoeuer excuse he shold alleage to breake this marriage , the emperour would sinisterly interprete , he vtterly denyed her . now the virgin hauing found the drift & cause of this deniall , assured her father , that if he would accord to whatsoeuer she demaūded , she would vndertake , the that emperor should condescend therunto , presuming confidently vpon the fauour of iesus christ . she knew well to deliuer herselfe from many other allegations with so good a grace , & with such persuasiue tearmes that she purchased her fathers consent to what she desired , without further seeking , the approbation of the emperour ; wherupon this princesse presently sent for certaine friars minors of magnes , where they had a couent , who coming to her , did shortly after consecrate vnto god this royall plant , with many other gentlewomen of great families in bohemia , to whome they gaue the habit of religion , instructing them in the life and rule of s. clare . the king desiring to assigne a good pension , & to bestow vpon the monastery vvhere his daughter was , a good rereuenew , to supply the necessities thereof , she formally withstood him , purposing to liue & dye poore , & to be maintayned by almes , conformably to her rule , rigorously obseruing the intention of the holy father saint francis , & saint clare , in the vow of pouerty , which is yet to this day in the same manner obserued in the sayd monastery , which is in prague , the chiefest citty in the kingdome of bohemia : and this foundation layd by this holy princesse , hath alwayes bin furnished with gentlewomen . now the emperour vnderstanding that his promised loue had abandoned the world , he was at the first apprehension exceedingly troubled ; but considering vvith more maturity , that she had not forsaken him to take another man , but for iesus christ himselfe , he was at length satisfyed , contented , and comforted . s. clare being aduertised of all that this princesse had done , and of her life and perfection , who also had written , and expresly sent a messenger , to acknowledge obedience vnto her , as to her mother & mistresse , auouching herselfe her humble disciple ; s. clare answered her by a letter filled with much feruour and consolation , & sent her in token of amity , & good will , a girdle , a veyle , a cuppe of wood , and a dish wherin the saint herselfe accustomed to eate , & many like small thinges , which the holy princesse with great deuotion accepted . our lord wrought many miracles by the sayd reliques , which euer afterward were kept in the sayd monastery , with very great deuotion and reuerence . the renowne of this princesse being diuulged ouer all germany , there were founded many monasteries of poore religious in her imitation , which were filled with many daughters of princes , duks , earles , and other great lords , and gentlemen of that countrey , who in imitation of saint clare , & the sayd princesse agnes abandoned the world , & the vanities thereof , and espoused , for eternity , iesus christ , seruing him alone in pouerty , & in humility . this saint agnes of bohemia being illustrated by many vertues & miracles , hauing assembled an infinit number of religious in diuers couents , & hauing perseuered with them in all perfection of vertue , she left this transitory world , to take eternall possession of her glorious celestiall spouse christ iesus , who honoured her , and made her blessed , as he hath manifested by ma-many miracles , which he hath wrought by her great merits and intercessiōs . the emperour charls the fourth , who was also king of bohemia , was two seuerall tymes deliuered from death by the intercession of this celestiall princesse , & therfore at his death he inioyned his sonne vvenceslaus , and successour to the empire , to procure her canonization , but he was hindred by important , and continuall troubles and affayres , that disabled him to execute the pious and iust desires of his father . of many other religious , that florished primitiuely in the order of saint clare . chap. ii. there was another holy religious of the royal bloud of polonia called salome , whose sanctity was manifested by by diuers miracles , which god wrought after her death . she by her merits deliuered women from perill of death in trauell of child , many lame were restored to the vse of their lymmes , blynd recouered sight , and wounded persons were cured . a holy religious of padua , called helena , florished in great perfectiō of life in the monastery which was builded by the seraphicall father s. francis , and in which the blessed father s. antony of padua yielded his spirit vnto almighty god. this holy religious liuing in that place , after she had there obtained of god many vertues , she was tryed by iesus christ , and refined as gold in the furnace of afflictions ; for she kept her bed depriued of all corporall force , yea and of her speach for fifteene years , during all which time , she ordinarily demonstrated by signes & gestures an exceeding great alacrity & ioy in her hart . our lord reueiled many things to this saint , which she manifested to the religious , who seriously recorded the same to be knowne to posterity . the said religious being demaunded how the sicke religious sister could make them vnderstand those wordes , sith she could not speake , they answered that themselues then obserued so strict a silence , that they opened their necessities by signes , vvhich vvere well vnderstood among them , for expressing whatsoeuer they desired to haue knowne . and in this had they vnderstood the sayd saint , whose body for many yeares after , the said religious sisters did shew to such , as in deuotion repayred to see it , remayning entiere , and incorruptible , yea her nayles and haire did grow , as if she had byn liuing . by her merits god wrought many miracles , and particulerly vpon the lord marquesse of parma , who was of the family of lupi called boniface , who being in the anguish of death , his lady making a vow to this saint helene for his health , it was perfectly restored vnto him . in the beginning of the order of saint clare , there was also a daughter of the king of hungary called cuiga , sister vnto blessed s. elizabeth the widdow , who hauing taken the habit , & made profession fession of the rule of s. clare , became so famous after the death of s. elizabeth in sanctity and miracles , both during her life , and at her death , that her canonization is treated of at rome . finis . the life & death of that renowned john fisher, bishop of rochester comprising the highest and hidden transactions of church and state, in the reign of king henry the 8th, with divers morall, historicall and political animadversions upon cardinall wolsey, sir thomas moor, martin luther : with a full relation of qu. katharines divorce / carefully selected from severall ancient records by tho. baily ... hall, richard, 1535 or 6-1604. 1655 approx. 294 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 128 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-05 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a45326 wing h424 estc r230 13649487 ocm 13649487 100969 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a45326) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 100969) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 789:23) the life & death of that renowned john fisher, bishop of rochester comprising the highest and hidden transactions of church and state, in the reign of king henry the 8th, with divers morall, historicall and political animadversions upon cardinall wolsey, sir thomas moor, martin luther : with a full relation of qu. katharines divorce / carefully selected from severall ancient records by tho. baily ... hall, richard, 1535 or 6-1604. henry viii, king of england, 1491-1547. testamentum. bayly, thomas, d. 1657? [8], 261 p. : port. [s.n.], london : 1655. attributed to richard hall. cf. dnb and bm. added t.p., engraved. hall's manuscript was edited and published by bayly, who implied in the preface that it was his own. cf. nuc pre-1956. "henrici octavi testamentum": p. 244 [i.e.228]-238. numerous errors in paging. reproduction of original in duke university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fisher, john, -saint, 1469-1535. christian saints -england -biography. 2002-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-01 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-03 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2003-03 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the life & death of that renowned john fisher bishop of rochester : comprising the highest and hidden transactions of church and state , in the reign of king henry the 8th . with divers morall historicall , and politicall animadversions upon cardinall wolsey , sir thomas moor , martin luther , with a full relation of qu : katharines divorce . carefully selected from severall ancient records , by tho. baily , d. d. vivit post funera virtus . london , printed in the yeare , 1655. the right reverend father in god iohn fisher b : of rochester . john fisher was his name of whom you read like john the baptist this john lost his head . both y● sharpe axes , stroake theyr body's feeles both theyr heads danc'd of , by light payrs of heeles . read but this booke this fisher through and then you 'l finde a fisher , not of fish , but men . the life & death of that renowned john fisher bishop of rochester : comprising the highest and hidden transactions of church and state , in the reign of king henry the 8th . with divers morall historicall , and politicall animadversions upon cardinall wolsey , sir thomas moor , martin luther , with a full relation of qu : katharines divorce . carefully selected from severall ancient records , by tho. baily , d. d. vivit post funera virtus . london , printed in the yeare , 1655. to my honoured kinsman mr. iohn questall , merchant in antwerp . sir , there are but three reasons inducing an author to dedicate his book to any one man , rather than to another : the first is the patronage of his work , under the shelter of some o're-spreading tree , whose armes may happily receive the suppliant under his protection , and defend it from the stormes of persecution . the second is a willingnesse in the author , to expresse a gratitude by dedication , by reason of some former courtesies received . and the third is a fitnesse in the person to whom he dedicates his book , whereby his dedication may become suitable to such a patronage . the first i never affected , as never believing that the estimation of any patron could be o● sufficient authority to dignifie the patronage , if it had not that within it selfe to make it acceptable , according to that expression of the father of the english poets , v●z . i never knew that a generalls oration could make an army either stand or fall , but look how much habituall valour each man hath in himself , so much in act it shews . the second i alwaies loved , viz. to be gratefull to my friends , and where such love and gratitude cannot otherwise goe or stand upon their owne legs on any ground , they shall both creep on paper ; wherefore , most worthy cousin , having received so great a benefit ( at your hands beyond the seas ) as in my low condition , not onely at once to relieve the father in his necessity , but also to adde so bountifull a hand in the bringing up of that child , which by you● speciall charity is now able to live of it selfe , to you onely do i dedicate this book as an acknowledgement of all your loving kindnesses . nor is the dedication of the history ( of this renowned bishop and cardinall elect ) to your selfe altogether improper for you , being a merchant your selfe , he being a merchants son , whereby it may appeare , that men of your profession do not altogether bring home , together with your gold , from ophir , apes , and peacocks feathers , but sometimes iewels of divine verity , and highest estimation . thus with my prayers to god for you , and your continuance in his grace and favour , till you reach his glory , i take leave to rest , your most faithfull servant , and poore kinsman , t. b. the life and death of the most renowned john fisher , sometimes bishop of rochester . chap. i. 1. the time and place of his birth . 2. how suitable both his names were with his condition . 3. his comparison unto john the baptist. 4. his temperance in dyet , and retirement of life . 5. his education and preferment . 6. the countesse of richmond ( the kings mother ) her great desire of winning him to her service . 7. the great good deeds which she performed by his perswasion . at the time , when as the starres of heaven frowned upon the nation , to behold innocence , swaying the scepter of this land , so misbecomingly ; in the seven and thirtieth year of the reign of the most noble ( though unfortunate ) king henry the sixt , and in the year , one thousand , 〈◊〉 hundred , fifty and nine , after the time , that a virgin daughter had produced her father , and a creature , her creator : ( when the blessed vine , sprang from the same grape it bare , and the root of iesse shot from the spring ) the divine providence brought forth under succour , whose after growth made it soon known unto the world , how worthily he received the two names ( which both his christendome and his parents had bestowed upon him , within the collegi●t church , and town of beverly , scituate within the province of york , about eight score miles distant ( northwards ) from the head city of the nation ) viz. of iohn , and fisher : of iohn , being so like unto iohn the baptist , who was twice baptized : first , with water , secondly , with blood : as by the first , he was named iohn ; so by the second , he deserved to be stiled iohn the baptist : having so fitly sympathized with the fore-runner of his saviour , by his following christ ; that as like unto the others head , became both fountaine , and their senselesse trunkes , streamers of blood , whiles the spectators eyes , became rivers of w●●●● . the first , his head was beg'd of king herod , at a banquet of wine , by a psaltresse , or woman dancer : by the like light paire of heels , the second iohn ( of whom we treat ) his head was beg'd of king henry , whilst he was banquetting , and making merry at his house of hanworth . the first was beheaded on the birth day of king herod , the second was beheaded on the birth day of king henry , having that very day , compleated the just age , of five and forty yeares . and as the holy finger of saint iohn the baptist ( which pointed to the lambe , when he said , ecce agnus dei ) was miraculously preserved from corruption , for a long space of time , after his martyrdome , so the head of this most blessed martyr , wherewith he so de●cended ( and that so manfully ) the holy catholick church , and head of his mother , was by the like miracle preserved from corruption a long time ( after it was stuck up upon the bridge of london ) with a fresh and lively colour , untill such time as by commandement from the king , it was taken downe , and conveyed away from the sight of men. the first , made a wildernesse his habitation : the second , turned his pala●● into a wildernesse , and place of solitude ▪ so austerely curbing his wanton appetite , with the most spare and lessian dyet , as that he made his refection to be his locufts : and so cooling his infrequent pleasures with sighs , and sa●cing them with so many tears , as that he made the selfe same bitter sweetings , his wilde honey , the first wearing only a girdle , but the second contiually a shirt of courser haire . only in this they may seem to differ in their agreement , the one diligently preached the coming of christ to be at hand , giving notice of salvation to all that would believe , and be baptized : the other as diligently ( by his continuall preaching and writings ) giving warning to all his country men of christs departure from their coasts , ( if like the gergesites , they preferred their owne swine before salvation . ) thus did the two cherubims over the mercy-seat , which seemed opposite to one another , yet both of them mutually beholding the same arke , that stood between them . these two with contrary faces , mutually beheld the same object , to which that was but a perspective . both these dyed for a cause of matrimony , the first , for saying to king herod , it is not lawfull for thee to take thy brothers wife : the second , for saying to king henry , it is not lawfull for thee to put away thy brothers wife . obj. how shall we reconcile these two assertions , and make both them and their assertion good and lawfull ? sol. herod , to whom the first so spake and reprehended , had taken to his bed , his brothers wife , his brother living , which was repugnant to the law of god : but henry , to whom the second spake , as is before rehearsed , onely took to wife his brothers wife , his brother being dead , having neither issue by , nor knowledge of her ; which by moses law , in such like cases , is not forbidden , and therefore easily dispensed with , according to the rules of ecclesiasticall authority . and if this be sufficient to shew you how deservedly the name of iohn , was bestowed upon the subject of our story at his christendome , the remainder of the history will let you see , how worthily he deserved also to be called fisher ; being indeed ( as indeed he was ) a true fisher of men , as after shall appeare . his fathers name was robert fisher , his state sufficient , his reputation among the best , his condition a merchant , the place of his abode , within the foresaid town of beverly ; a place , where the blessed and glorious confessour , st. iohn of beverley , archbishop of yorke , sometimes lived , and preached the gospel : these we may suppose to be the caus●s why the father gave unto this son that name as a looking glasse unto his eye , a spur unto his feet & as copy for his hand ; a consideration too much neglected in these our dayes , as if our names were only given us for distinction sake , or civill use , and not as obligations unto christian piety . this robert fisher , after he had lived many yeares , in good estimation and credit amongst his neighbours , dyed , leaving behinde him this iohn fisher ( of whom we treat ) and a younger sonne ( who bare his fathers name ) both in their tender age . their mothers name was anne , who in processe of time , marryed one wright by name , by whom she had three sonnes , iohn , thomas , and richard , and one daughter , which was called elizabeth , which afterwards was a professed nunne in dartford ; and yet these three sonnes , together with a husband that was living , no way stood between her , and the piety which she owed unto the dead , as that she any way neglected the former two , but gave them the best education ( as the expences of those l●gacies , which the deceased parent had provided for them in that behalfe ) that could be had ; in order whereunto , as soon as ever they were capable of learning , they were put to school , and committed to the care and custody of a priest , of the said colledg church of beverly ( being a church which of antient time hath been richly endowed with land and possessions ) there this iohn fisher , among other children , was first taught his letters , and the rudiments of grammer ; where he continued not many yeares , but the bladeing of the field , soon informed the labouring husbandman , of the gratefulnesse of the earth , to which he had committed ( with so liberall a hand ) so great a trust , which appearing daily more and more , the counsell of his friends at last , thought it fitting to humour , so much as in them lay , the genius of so promising a proficient ; insomuch , that like a tender sappling , fitted for transplantation , he was taken from his nursery to be disposed of , in so faire a garden of the muses , as was so antient and so flourishing an vniversity , as is that alma mater ▪ which is called cantabrigia , where he was committed to the government of one m● . william melton , a reverend priest , and grave divine , afterwards , master of the colledge ( called michael house in cambridg ) and doctor in divinity . under whom , he so profited in few yeares , that he became master of all the arts , before such time as he had received the degree of batchelour , which he received in the yeare of our lord , 1488. and his degree of master , the third year following : where being suddenly elected fellow of that house , he was as shortly after chosen proctour of the university : in which space of time , according to the ancient laws and statutes of his colledge , he took upon him the holy order of priesthood , and now did the almond tree begin to bud ; all other arts and sciences were but his tooles , but this his occupation : and no wonder it was , that he that went through with his philosophy so heavenly , should be so excellent at the heavenly philosophy ; insomuch , that his disputations in divinity ( according to the order of the schools ) were rather determinations than disputes ; so that in short space , he grew to such profoundnesse in those he●venly mysteri●s , that envy her selfe , left canv●sing for palmes , whiles vertue ( her companion ) accounted him the flour of all the university , who in his due time , proceeded to the degrees of batchelour , and afterwards of doctor in divinity : which with no small appl●use he atchieved , in the year of our redemption , 1501. in which interim , it hapned that doctor melton ( of whom we before have made some mention ) was preferred to the dignity of chancellour of the cathedrall church of yorke ; whereby the mastership of michael house in cambridge became void : whereunto , by a most free and willing election of all the fellowes of that house , this man ( as the most deserving of all other ) was worthily promoted , who by his acceptance , made the proverb good , magistratus arguit virum , for who more fit to play the master , than he that knew so well , how to act the disciple ? in which office , he demeaned himselfe so worthily , that ( as a mirrour from whence all governours of other houses might well take their patterne or resemblance ) for his worths sake , he was soon after chosen vicechancellour : which office , as if one yeare had not grac'd ( sufficiently ) so great a worthinesse , he was continued in the same office for another yeare ; and had not his fame ( passing the bounds of the university ) spread it self so far over the whole realm , as that ( at length ) it reached the eares of the most noble and vertuous lady margaret , counte●●e of richmond , mother to the wife and sage prince , hen. 7. ( who hearing of his great vertue and learning , never ceased till she had wrought him to her service ) he might have been ( where he was twice together ) perpetuall dictator : who afterwards , mounted the high capitoll of chancellourship of that university , a dignity , which is able to adorne the brightest purple . but now vicechancellour-ship , mastership , and all , must be laid downe as at her feet , who with her knees , requites the courtesie , whiles she kneels unto him as her ghostly father . remaining in which office , he behaved himselfe so temperately , and discre●tly , that both the countesse , and her whole family , were altogether governed and directed , by his high wisdome and discretion . having by these opportunities lodg'd much divinity within his mistris soule , and the divine himselfe within her heart , he makes it soon known unto the world , what love it was , wherewith he p●osecuted so faire an opportunity , viz. to make his mistresse , a most glorious queen in heaven , and himselfe acceptable in doing good , improving all that opportunity , not to the advantaging of himselfe in worldly honour , but to the inclination of his mistresse minde to workes of mercy ; and finding in her owne naturall disposition ; a liberality and bountifulnesse to all sorts of people , his worke was onely to advise her , that that bounty should not ru●ne a course , where it might be sure to lose its due reward ; but that it might b●stow it selfe in deeds of almes , as to the poor ; in redemption of captives , in marrying poor and distressed virgins , reparation of bridges , and high-wayes ; in many such deeds of charity he implored her ( who easily was won thereto ) to imploy so large a talent as god had given her , that she might reap plentifully , by sowing much . nor did he suffer her to rest thus satisfied with the distribution of such doles of bread , and worldly food , but at his perswasion also , she erected two noble and goodly colledges in cambridge , to the glory of god , and benefie of his church : the one whereof she dedicated to christ our saviour , and called it christs colledge , largely endowing the same with store of maintenance , for all manner of learning whatsoever ; this colledge , she in her life time beheld built and finished of stone and brick , as it now standeth . the other she dedicated to saint iohn the evangelist ; endowing it with like proportion of maintenance , to the same intent and purpose , but she lived not to see this colledge finished ; but it was compleated after her death , by this good man , at his owne cost and charges , as hereafter shall bee declared . also , upon his motion , she ordained a divinity lecture in cambridge , and another in oxford , to be openly read in the schools , for the benefit of such , as should be preachers , to the intent , that the darke and hard places of scripture , might be opened and expounded ; in maintenance whereof , she gave good store of land , to be disposed , as stipends to the readers , and that for ever . what good cannot such a man doe , who held such keyes within his hand , such a lady at his feet ? chap. ii. 1. his preferment to the bishoprick of rochester . 2. his contentednesse with that small diocesse . 3. his promotion to the high chancellorship of cambridge . 4. his care and vigilance in that office . 5. his opposing of martin luther . 6. his excommunicating of peter de valence , and his tender-heartednesse therein . 7. his election to the master-ship of queens colledge . these proceedings of his , ( together with many other performances of deeds of charity procured from others , whereof not any one was ever performed , whereunto ( according to his ability ) he did not set his helping hand , together with his daily preaching to the people with most carefull diligence ) gained him so much love and reverence from all sorts of people , especially from the bishops , and all the clergy in generall , that that most worthy and grave prelate bishop fox , bishop of winchester ( a man in no small authority and estimation with king henry the 7. of whose councell he was ) never left so commending of him to the king upon all occasions ( as he saw his time convenient ) for his virtuous life , and perfect sanctity , untill such time as ( by the death of william barous , bishop of london , richard fitz iames , bishop of rochester , being translated unto that see , the b●shoprick of rochester , became void ) he found his opportunity to present this doctor fisher , as a fit and worthy pastor for that cure , ( nor was it otherwise possible but that so great a glory about the moon should borrow ( though but by reflection ) some small lustre from the sun ) whereupon the king directed his letters to the chapiter of the church of rochester , to the intent they should elect the nominate within his letter , for their bishop ; whereunto ( without any the least contradiction or negative voice ) they all most willingly assented , which act of theirs , was shortly afterwards confirmed by the see apostolick , by iulius the second , pope at that time , in the month of october , in the year of our redemption , 1504. and of his age . 45. this sodain● and unexpected promotion of this holy man ( in regard he never had been formerly advanced to any other dignity of the church ) caused some to suspect , and deem it , as a thing that was purchased ( either by his mistresse purse or favour ) from the king , her sonne , which when it was told unto the king , his majesty replyed , indeed the modesty of the man , together with my mothers silence spake in his behalfe , solemnly protesting , that his mother never so much as opened her mouth for him in that particular . and openly affirming , that the pure devotion , perfect sanctity , and great learning , which he had observed , and often heard to be in the man , were the onely advocates that pleaded for him , the truth whereof may be gathered out of the very statutes of s. iohn's colledge in cambridge , where he took occasion to praise ( much to the honour of ) the king , at whose hands so frankly and so freely , he received this donation , the like mention he makes of the kings bounty , and liberality towards him , in his epistle dedicatory to richard fox , bishop of winchester , before the book which he wrote against o●colampadius , where he makes mention of the king , as his chiefest , and best friend and patron . so farre was this good man from making any meanes by friends , to be a ●ishop , that all the friends he had could scarce perswade him to accept the office , after that it was granted to him : which modesty of his , was very much confirmed by the sequell of his deeds ; for at one time after another , being offered the two great bishopricks of lincolne and ely. he refused both ; and from the hands of hen. 8. but we may behold him in the foresaid epistle dedicatory , not only satisfying , but enjoying himselfe with his little shock , where his words have this beginning . habeant al●● proventus pinguiores , &c. others have larger pa●tures , but i have lesser charge of soules , so that when i shall be called to an account for both , i shall be the better able to give an account of either . not making so high and heavenly an office , a stair-case , whereby we climb unto pre●erment . but so small a b●shoprick , a competent height , whereby he might so over● look the plaines that were under him , that ( in the end ) with too large a prospect , he did not lose his owne eyes . thus being mounted in the kings favour , there will not be wanting those , who will be ready to say concerning such a one , thus shall it be done to the man ●●om the king honnour 's ; and accordingly , the university of ca●bridge ( considering with themselves what bene●it they had received already , at his hand , and what future benefit they might receive ) with a greatefull and prudent minde , and forecast , unanimously chose , and ordained him their high chancellour ; a magistracy that hath no les●e authority and jurisdiction ( thereunto belonging ) than of an arch bishop , in causes spirituall ; and of a high judge , in causes that are temporall . hitherto we have traced him to his bishoprick , and high dignity of chancellorship , of the most renowned university of cambridge ; how he behaved himselfe in both these places , we shall leave the mentioning of those particulars , to the post fu●era of this history , as most proper for them ; onely it shall suffice for the present , that his whole life seemed to the world to be no otherwise , than as if he had used the church , as if it had been his cloister : and his study , as his cell : governing his family with such temperance , chastity , and devotion , as if his palace , for continency , had been a mo●nastery , and for learning an university . in the yeare of our redemption , 1509. it happened that the most wise , and fortunate king , hen. 7. departed this life , upon the twentieth day of may , being upon a sunday , whereupon he had the opportunity to performe two acceptable and good offices , and , both of them deeds of charity : whereby , he gained unto himselfe great applause , and commendation : the one , in comforting the sorrowfull mother of the king , his mistresse , who seemed to be overwhelmed with griefe , who received great contentment in his consolations . the other , in edifying the people by his sermon , which he preached at the funerall solemnity of the kings buriall , exhorting them to the imitation of those noble , and virtuous actions , which they saw to have raigned more over his passions , than himselfe had exercised authority over his subjects ; powring into every ●are , an antidote against the feare of death , and a preservative unto eternall life . about the yeare , 15●7 . at the time when this worthy bishop of rochester , had governed his see 12 yeares , luther began in germany , to set up his new found doctrine , then ( as himselfe reports ) unknown to the world . but the divine providence , who never suffered an athanasius , a lyberius , or an hillary to be wanting , where there was an aris risen up to rend , and teare the undesiled spouse of christ ( his church ) in pieces : nor a damasus , gregorius , basilius , or a nazianzen , where there was a macedonius . nor a c●lestin , or a cyrill , where there was a nestorius : nor a leo , where there was an en●yches . nor an irenaus , where there was a valentine : nor a tertullian , where there was a martian : nor an origen , where there was a celsus ; nor a cyprian , where there was a novatus , nor a ierome , where there were helvidians , iovinians , vigilantians , and luciferians : nor an austin , where there was a donatus , or a pellagius , did not suffer such a leviathan to roule about , and beat the sides of that ship , into which christ entred , out of which he taught ; and of which , s. peter was the onely master , but that there should be still a fisher , to oppose and wound the monster with such harping irons , as that this kingdome never was much troubled with his doctrines , whiles this good bishop lived ; nor ever could have had its entrance , till the others exit brought it in . for , hearing how that severall of luther's bookes , and writings , were brought over by merchants ( whose profession , though it deserves to be ranked among the best of educations , yet , like solomons merchants , they sometimes bring home ( together with their gold from ophir ) apes , and peacocks feathers ) and dispersed among the people ( too apt to entertaine any new fashion , of their soules , as well as of their bodies ) and how the people swallowed downe the novelty , that was so taudred with pretences : like unto some generall ( who hearing of the approach and march of an enemy ) hasts to his army : with no lesse a cause of vigilancy did so great a champion of the chu●ch hasten to so great a charge , the university , of which he was their chancelour , that he might take an account in what condition the main body of all learning stood , whereby ability might be drawn up in the saf●st posture to defend the faith. but , no sooner was he come amongst them , but he might perceive t●res to be already sprung in so faire a seminary , where so much good seed was sown , for about the same time , it fell out that pope leo the i0 . had granted forth a generall and free pardon ( commonly called indulgences ) according to the ancient custome and tradition of the catholique church , to all christian people ( that were contrite ) through 〈◊〉 the provinces of christendome , which is no otherwise than an application ( by that ministry ) of the superabundant merits of our blessed saviour ( who shed so many , when the least one drop of his most precious blood was able to have redeemed a thousand worlds ) to the soul●s of true believers . this luther formerly having written against , and the bishop , and chancelour of the university , being carefull the students there as well as others , standing in need of such a remedy , might be partakers of the heavenly bounty , and causing certain copies of those pardons to be set up in sundry places of the university ( one where of was fixed upon the school● gate ) a man without a name came secretly in the night time , and wrote over the pardon , which was there fixed , these word , beatus vir cu●us est nomen domi●i spes ●jus , & non resp●xit va●itates & insantas fals●s ( istas ) thinking the word ( istas ) which he had added would have brought the pope and all his clergy within the premunire of the statute of gods word , for setting up that pardon , whilest he forgot the severall pun●shments , which are threatned by the same word , to all those who shall adde or diminish to the book of life . in the morning , the schoole doores being opened , and the schollers resorting thither according to their wonted manner , and beholding this strange spectacle , there needed no shiboleth to distinguish , c●tholiques were much offended at so great an abuse of holy scripture : others approved the fact , and thought it a fine thing , as they were severally addicted . the chancellour having notice hereof , was struck with horrour at the no lesse boldnesse , than wickednesse of the fact , whereupon he endeavoured to finde out the party , by the knowledge of his hand , but that in vaine ; then he call'd a convocation , where he declared unto them , for what cause they were conven'd ; layes before them the foulenesse of the deed , interprets the true meaning of the abused places of scripture : explicates the true and wholsome meaning of the words , pardons and indulgence , ju●tifies the holy use thereof , acquaints them with the great displeasure that might justly ensue at the hands both of almighty , and of the kings , if so wicked a fact should passe unpunished ; tells how great a discredit it would be to the university , that never had such a spot upon her breast before ; and a● length , moved the author ( though unknown ( to ● world ● , and conf●ssion of his sinne , that he might be forgiven ; which if he would performe within a time prefixed , he assured him in gods name ; but if the contrary , such remedy sh●uld proceed against him , as is ( provided in such like cases ) in gods holy chu●ch , by christ himselfe , viz. to be cut off●like rotten members ) from the body of christs church , by the censure of excommunication , which not being performed at the time prefixed ( on the delinquents part ) he called another convocation ( where there was a great assembly ) and fearing the infection of others , by the obstinacy of one , he betook him to his last remedy , and taking the bill of excommunication in his hand , he began to read it ; but when the words began to sit heavy upon his tongue ( according to the weight of the sentence ) the fire of love ( as if within some limbeck , or beneath a baln●o mariae ) kindling within his breast , sent such a stream up into his minde , ●s suddenly distilled into his eyes , which like an overflowing● viol reverberates the stream back againe to the heart , till the heart surcharged , sends these purer spirits of compassion out at his mouth , which could onely say , that he could read no further . good god! into what compassion did the mildnesse of such a nature strike the beholders , who were all of them by this time mollified into the same affection ? insomuch that they all left off without any further proceedings in the excommunication for that time . neverthelesse a third day being appointed for the same purpose , & time having brought on the day , there was a great multitude of people , where the chancellour with a heavy countenance , declared , how that no tidings could be heard , either of the person , or his repentance ; wherefore now ( seeing there was no other remedy ) he thought it necessary and expedient to proceed , and so arming himselfe with a severe gravity , as well as he could , he pronounced the terrible sentence from the beginning to the end , which being done with a kinde of passionate compassion , he threw the bill unto the ground , and lifting up his eyes to heaven , sate downe and wept . which gesture , and manner of behaviour , both of his minde and body , struck such a ●ea● into the hearts of all his hearers , and spectators , that many of them were af●aid the ground would have opened to have swallowed up the man , but that they hop'd he was not there . but did all these teares fall to the ground ? were none of them botled up , whereby they might become the wine of angells ? certainly men may repent , as well as weep by proxie : teares have their voices in the parliament with god ; and the same god that washeth us so clean with the laver of regeneration , by the faiths of others , may ( by the prerogative of his mercy ) call us for the rep●ntance sake of other men . for , so it appeared by this d●linquent , who having not the grace as yet bestowed upon him , of repentance , so many repenting for him , he became repentant ▪ for not long after , this miserable wretch ( it se●mes , b●ing taken notice of by the alteration of his countenance , and other changes in the disposition of his minde , whether he was there in presence , or had onely heard with what solemnity so terrible a sentence was pronounced against him to be the man ) forsaking the u●ive●s●y , his body carried his minde when it sound no sanctuary ( as he supposed ) with the superintended of ely : a man too much taken notice of to be too great a favourer of luthers doctrine ( dr. goodrich by name ) where no lesse the dismall manner of proceeding , than the thing it self , would never out of his minde , where , notwithstanding , he became a domestique servant to the said dr. goodrich , and had unfolded his mind unto them concerning the premises , yet they never coul● perswade him otherwise , but that he had most grievously offended almighty god in that particular ; openly detesting the deed , as a thing that was both unadvisedly , and wickedly performed ; insomuch that his minde could never be at rest , untill such time , as with his own hands , in the self-same place , where the former sentence was written , he had blotted out his sin , and that together by fixing upon the place thi● other sentence , which carried healing in every word , delicta juventutis mea & ignorantias ne memineris domine . remember not lord my sinnes , nor the ignorances of my youth ; subscribing thereunto his name , peter de valence ( who was a norman by birth , from whence he came to cambridge to be a student , and remained there till he had committed this fact ) whereupon he was absolved , and became a priest. there is a great deale of difference in the consideration , which catholiques doe use when they pronounce this terrible sentence , over that which the lay-chancellours had with us , when they excommunicated for every threepenny matter , which was the reason that in the end the people made not a threepenny matter of their excommunications . thus imploying his time , so need●ully required , in healing the sore brest of such a nurse , it happened , that in the year 1525. the : wilkinson , dr. in divinity ( who wasthe second ma●st●r of queens colledge ) departed this life , whereby the mastership of that colledge became void , and in regard that the chancellour of the university had no house belonging to him , as he was chancellour , the fellowes of that colledge with unanimous consent , chose him to be their master , which he thankfully accepted of , whereby he became the third master of that house , continuing there the space of three yeares and odde moneths . chap. iii. 1. the recreation of bishop fisher. the erection of colledges . 2. the lady margaret dies and leaves him her executor . 3. the high e●comium which he bestowes upon her in his funerall sermon , made at the solemnities of her interrement . 4. his faithful● behaviour in so great a trust reposed in him . 5. his great love unto that colledge . 6. the praise-worthinesse of the vniversity of cambridge . that this good man sojourned in those parts , during the time he made it his recreation to overlook the work of christ-colledge , which was then not fi●ished which the lady margaret had endowed wi● maintenance for one master , 12. scho●lars , felowes , and 47. disciples for ever , to be brought up ( as the words of her will make mention ) in learning , vertue , and cunning : the which colledge she onely lived to see finished , and so took sanctuary in the holy of holies , the celestiall ierusalem ; after the dissolution of so faire a temple of the holy ghost ( as was the body of so incomparable a soule ) in the yeare of our lord god , 1519. the third of the calends of iuly ▪ within the abbey of s. peters in westm. to the great grief and sorrow of all good people but to her own eternal happinesse : who before her departure , made her last will and testament , wherein ( together with other personages of great quality ) she made this holy bishop ( as one in whom she reposed her chiefest trust ) one of her executors : she was buried with all solemnity , according to the dignity of so great a person , in the abbey church at westminster : at whose fu●erall sermon , this most excellent bishop threw these flowers upon her grave , &c. as concerning her birth , that she was the daughter of iohn duke of somerset , lineally descended from the most noble prince , edward the third , king of england : as for quality , that she was a second martha , both for her hospitality and nobility ; where ( together with many other of her great vertues , and incomparable deeds of charity ; all which he there related , at large , as so many proofs of sanctity ) he had these remarkable passages concerning her , viz. that notwithstanding she was princesse , who by lineage and affinity , had had thirty kings and queens ( besides dukes , marquesses , and earles ) within the fourth degree of marriage supporting her greatnesse ; yet would she often fall so low , as to search and dresse the wounds and sores of poore and distressed people with her own fingers : performing all this for his sake , who for ours , received so many wounds : as also when there was an offerture made by divers princes to warre against the common enemy of our faith , she encouraged them thereunto by often telling them , that upon condition that they would got , she would also goe along with them and be their laundresse . the funeralls of this great lady being ended , and that other colledge , which she had willed to be dedicated to s. iohn the evangelist , being not yet built , the rest of her executors , finding how faithfull the good man had been in his former trust , by a generall consent resigned into his hands ( by a publick instrument in writing ) the whole authority of the disposement of her leg●cies : but behold how worthily the dispensation was conferred upon him ; for whereas the lady margaret , out of her great bounty and liberality , had given to so pious a use a portion of land for the maintenance of one master , and fifty schollers , with all manner of furniture , and servants requisite to every office , in manner and forme : this good man did not onely bear a portion in the charge of the same building , but much augmented the revenue thereof , with possession of land , whereby four fellowships were founded upon his own account , and one reader of an hebrew lecture , and another of greek , together with four examining readers , and four under-readers , to help the principall ; and whereas he observed the price of victuals began to rise , he gave wherewith ( by weekly divident ) the fellows commons might be augmented , bequeathing thereunto his library of books ( thought to be the best that ever was in europe ) after his death ; together with all his plate , hangings , and other housholdstuffe , whatsoever to him belonging by a deed of gift in his life time , under his own hand , and putting the colledge into possession of the same by indentures , onely borrowing the same back again to his owne use , during his life . and for a perpetuall memory of his hearty good will , and love towards this colledge ; he caused a little chappell to be built neere unto the high altar or the great chappell , where there was a tombe set of white marble ●inely wrought , where he intended to have laid his bones , if god had not so disposed of him otherwise , but he was otherwise disposed of , and ( as if ) because this martyrs body was not permitted to be brought ●mong these men , these fellowes brought their bodies to his martyrdome ; for those famous martyrs , mr. greenwood , richard reynolds , doctor in divinity , a professed monke in sion , of the rule of s. bridget , and mr. william exmew , a carthusian , professed in london : the first whereof , came out of s. iohn's colledge , the other two , came forth of christs : all three , suffering death under king hen. 8. in the cause of supremacy , that they might still be of his foundation , though not of stone and mortar , yet of blood and fire . out of the first of these two colleges proceeded ( likewise ) ralph bayn , bishop of lichfield ; thomas walson , bishop of lincolne ; iohn christoferson , also bishop of chichester ; thomas bishop elect of glocester , and before that , abbot of leicester , all catholique bishops . out of the second ( also ) sprang that most reverend and grave doctor , nicholas heath , archb shop of york ; together with divers other grave and learned preachers of the catholick faith. and this is to be noted to the honour of that university , that during the space of so many hundred years , as is between the laying of the first stone in this our bethel : cambridge was never infected with any unsound doctrine , untill such time as regis ad exemplum brought it in ; and luther's soul , was transmigrated into henry the eighth ; who ev●r after , never spake at a lesser rate , than si● volo sic jubeo ; who both of them , since their fall from the catholick church , pulled down reason , and set up will. and it is a thing which is most remarkable , that he who goard this university so much ( as it is conceived ( the more ) for this mans sake of whom we treat , and the great love sake which they all bore unto his memory ) by his placing and displacing ) 〈◊〉 men and lawes he pleased , and all to make way for a new religion , in the end , reconc●led himself● unto the catholick faith ; as appeares , by his subscribing to the six articles of the roman catholick religion , which was all the difference that was ( then ) between the two churches , in matter of doctrine , as also by the expresse words of his last will and testament . so the first uncleane beast that ever passed through the oxens-ford ( i meane wickliffe by name ) afterwards chewed the cud , and was sufficiently reconciled to the roman faith , as appeares by his recantation ; living and dying conformable to the holy catholick church , at his parsonage of litterworth ( as i take it ) in northampton-shire : constantly saying masse unto his dying day . so that reformation as it seems was left unto the time of which it is said , vae regn● euipuer dominatur ; woe be to the kingdome over which a ●hild reignes . chap. iv. 1. the encrease of luthers doctrine . 2. 〈◊〉 vigilancy to suppresse it . 3. his intention to goe to rome . 4. the occasion of his stay . 5. his brave and worthy speech in the synod of bishops . now was the time come , wherein god was determined to make triall of his people ; and the storme was not altogether unseen , to ensue by this good man : for by this time , the people of this nation had well drank of the intoxications of prince luthers cup : but when he perceived the better sort of people to be so ( like the nature of islanders ) changeable , and desirous of novelties , and how luthers doctrine was now come from private whisperings , to open proclamations : ( whereby all authority , either of pope or emperour , king , or bishop , or any superiority whatsoever , was much vilified and debased , a new way of salvation found out , a neerer , readier , and cheaper way to heaven propounded ; and liberty of conscience promised to all that were believers in his gospell , all thinking him a brave fellow , and who but luther , that cared neither for pope , nor emperour ) this holy prelate began to looke about , and bestir himselfe ; and questionlesse had out-rid the storme , had not his hand been taken from the steerage , and the head . pilot ( when the poor fishers head w●● off ) wilfully cast away the ship. for , hereupon this good bishop , first acts the part of a good chancellour , and set all right in that university in generall , especially in those colledges , whereof he had peculiar jurisdiction : where he took an occasion to provide in the statutes , that the fellows of those houses should so order their studies , as that the fourth part of them might be preachers : so that as soon as one was gone abroad , another should be ready to succeed in his place , that if it were possible the young cubbe might be catch'd at his first arrivall . then he returned to his pastorall charge at rochester ; and there , setting his owne diocesse in good order , he fell to writing , and diligent preaching , procuring others ( whose abilities were best known unto him ) to doe the like ; but , perceiving the disease to grew desp●rate , as it had done in saxony , and other parts of germany , and the rest of the physitians , not so ready to set thereto their helping hands ( as the necessity of the cause required ) he not onely called for help from the king , but by his perswasions , and at his instance , the king himselfe set upon the head of all those mischiefs , and wrote a book against luther , intituled , an asser●on of the seaven sacraments against martin luther . so learned , and so worthy a piece , as that thereby he worthily deserved the title of d●f●nder of the faith. which upon that occasion was given unto him , by leo the tenth , then pope of rome ; which book , was supposed by divers to be written by my lord of rochester , whereupon he obtained leave from the king , that he might goe to rome , ( as it is conceived , to take farther order concerning the settlement of those affaires ) and having obtained leave likewise of his metropolitan , and disposed his houshold , and ready to set forward in that expedition , all was dashed , by reason of a synod of bishop● ( together with a synod of the whole cleargy ) which was then called by cardinall wolsey , by reason of his power legantine , lately conferred on him by the pope , which stop to his designe , he bare with lesse reluctancy , because he hoped that much good to the church , might happily be wrought thereby ; but in the end , perceiving the synod rather to be made a concourse ( whereby to 〈◊〉 unto the world , the great authority , wherein the cardinall was invested , and that he might be seen sitting in his pontificality ) than for any great good that was intended , he spake as followeth : bishop fisher his speech in the synod . may it not seem displeasing to your eminence , and the rest of these grave , and reverend fashers of the church , that i speak a few words , which i hope may not be ou● of season . i had thought that when so many learned men , as substitute for the cleargy , had been drawn into this body , that some good matters should have been propounded for the benefit and good of the church : that the s●andals , that lye so heavy upon her men , and the disease , which takes such hold on those advantages , might have been h●reby at once removed , and also remedied ; who hath made any the least proposition against the ambition of those men , whose pride is so offensive , whiles their profession is bunnility ? or against the incontinency of such , as have vowed chastity ? how are the goods of the church wasted ? the lands , the tithes , and other oblations of the devo●● an●●stors of the people ( to the great scandall of their posterity ) wasted in super sluos , ri●tous expences ? kew can we exbort our flo●ks to fly the pomps and vanities of this wicked world , when we that are bishops set our mindes on nothing more than that which we forbid ? if we should teach according to our doing , how absurdly would our doctrines sound in the eares of those that should hear● 〈◊〉 ? and if we teach 〈◊〉 thing , and doe another , who believeth our report ? which would seem to them no otherwise than as if we should throw downe with one hand , what we built with the other : we prtach humility , sobriety , contempt of the world , &c. and the people perceive in the same m●n that preach this d●ct●ine , pride , and haughtinesse of wind● , excesse in apparrell , and a resignation of our selves to all worldly pomps and vanities : and what is this otherwise than to set the people in a stand , whether they shall follow the sight of their owne eyes , or the beli●fe of what they 〈◊〉 . excuse me reverend fathers , seeing herein i blame no man more than i doe my self , for sundry times when i have setled my selfe to the care of my flock● to visite my diocesse , to governe my church , to answer the enemies of christ , suddenly there hath come a message to me from the court , that i mu●● attend such a triumph , receive 〈◊〉 an embassadour , what have we to doe with princes courts ? if we are in love with majesty , is there a greater excellence than whom we serve ? if we are in love with stately buildings , are there higher roofes than our cathedrals ? if with apparell , is there a greater ●rnament than that of pristhood ? or is there better co●pany than a communion with the saints ? truly most reverend fathers , what this vanity in temporall things may worke in ●ou , i know not ; but sure i am , that in my selfe i finde it to be a great impediment to devotion : wherefore i think it necessury ( and high time it is ) that we , that are the heads , should begin to give example to the inferiour cl●argy , as to these particulars , whereby we may all the better be conformable to the image of god , for in this trade of life , which we now leade , neither can there be likelihood of perpetuity ( in the same state and condition wherein we now stand ) or safety to the cleargy . a●te● that he had uttered these and many other such like words to this effect , with such a gravity , as well became him , they all seem'd to be astonished , by their silence , and the cardinalls state to become him not so well , seeingm , chap. v. 1. luther's rayling against the king. 2. fisher writ●th in the kings behalfe . 3. the effect of a sermon which he preached at s. pauls crosse . 4. occolampadius his doctrine and beginning . fisher opposeth him . 5. the king leaveth off all care of kingly government , gives himselfe wholly to sensuality , 6. laies his whole trust in the c●rdinall . wolsey's character . 7. his solicitation for the bishoprick of toledo , afterwards for the papacy , is r●fused both . about this time it was that luther an● wered the kings book , wherein he used such scur●ilou● railing , against the king , as is not to be m●ntioned , far beneath the appro●ement of a sanctified spirit , and the dignity of a sacred person . whereupon this bishop , ( in vindication of the kings honour , and defence of the truth ) w●it an apologie , whereby he rebuked the authors vilany , and abuse of a p●ince of so great dignity : the title of which book was , a defence of the king of england 's assertion of the catholique faith against martin luther's book of the captivity of babylon ; which book he dedicated to his deare friend , and old acqu●intance , dr. west , bishop of ely. shortly afterwards , he writ another book intituled , a defence of the holy order of priesthood , against martin luther . upon the quinquagesima sunday ( which was in the yeare of our redemption , 1525. ) this holy and most learned bishop preached a most excellent sermon at s. paul's crosse ; where cardinall wolsey , legate a latere , with eleven bishops & great resort of the nobility and g●ntry , were present , which was performed with such fe●veney of faith , zeal● to the catholique church , and force of arguments ( grounded upon scripture ) that one robert barnes , an augustin friar , and five more ( infected with lutheranism ) were thereby converted and abjured their errors , and for their penance stood openly at st. paul's crosse. upon the octaves of the ascension , he preached also another most admirable sermon , in the presence of the cardinall , and all the bishops &c. wherein he shewed himself a most stout and zealous champion , and defender of his faith , ta●ing no l●sse the severall curers of soules , with n●glig●nce , than the people with levity . about this time , ●rose out of lather's schoole , one o●colampadius , like a mighty and fierce giant , who , as his master had gone beyond the church , went beyond his master , ( or else it had been impossible he could have been reputed the better scholler ) who denied the reall preseuce ; him this worthy champion sets upon , and with five bookes ( like so many smooth stones taken out of the river , that doth always run with living water ) slays the philistine ; which five books were written in the year of our lord , 1526. at which time he had governed the see of rochester twenty years ; which books of his , nor any other of his books that he ever writ , were ever answered . about this time it was that the king left off the kingly occupation ( as they called it ) wherein he had governed this realme with great wisdome and moderation , whereby he became ( as all wise kings doe aim at ) beloved at home , and feared abroad ; and addicted himself wholy to sensuall pleasure and delight , leaving the ministry of his state wholy to the disposition of the cardinall , who was a man ( though but meanly and obs●urely borne ) yet of an excellent wit , voluble speech , quicknesse of memory , haugh●inesse of courage , well bred , sufficiently learned , and one that knew how to behave himself among persons of the greatest rank and quality , and that in businesses of greatest weight and importance : who besides , that he was arch bishop of york , and bishop of winchester at the same time , and abbot of s. alb●ns , and had the b●shopricks of bath , woroester , and hereford , in farm ( at small rents , the incumbents being strangers , and continually living in their owne countries , whereby he might dispose of all presentations and promotions of those bishopricks as freely as if they had been his own , and was legat● à latere ( whereby he might convocate the clergy at his pleasure ) besides what he received from italy , by reason of his dignity of cardinall ) he was also lord chancelour of england , whereby , in a manner , he formerly ruled all under the king ( also ) in matters temporall ; and to g●ve him his due , he so beh●ved himselfe in government , that he won from all wise men great praise for his indifferency to all sorts of people , whether they were rich or poore , onely his fault was , that he governed himself the worst of all , for all this was not sufficient , except he was more , and more was nothing , except he was most of all . for the arch-bishoprick of toledo in spaine being void , he made meanes unto the emperour , charles the fifth , and to that purpose procured the kings letters , whereby that great dignity might be conferred upon him , but the emperour noting his ambition , would in no wise condescend thereto . that failing , it happened that pope leo the tenth died , whereby the papacy became void : then he bestirred himself exceedingly , together with all his friends , and ( besides his own master the king of england ) he made means unto the king of france , who ( upon certain grounds moving him thereto ) took great paines in his behalfe , but all was disappointed by the emperor , who had so wrought with the conclave of cardinalls , that they elected cardinall hadrian ( one who formerly had been tutor to the emperour ) for their pope , a man of singular and rare vertue and learning . chap. vi. 1. the revenge which the cardinall took again●● the empero●● for withstanding his ambition● . 2. the scruple which he put into the kings head concerning queen katherine : this scruple the ruine of the clergie . 3 : the king is fallen in love with anne bullein . 4. her character . 5. the king resolved to go thorough-stitch with the div●rce . 6. the kings dealing with fisher in that behalfe . fisher's answer to the king. this lay boyling in the cardinals stomach so hot , that he never rested till he had set variance between the king his master , and the emperour , which he performed , by causing the king to enter into a strict league and amity with the king of fr●nce , whereby the emperours occasions were much hindred ; and to aff●ont him the more ( together with the feare of a blind prophesie which was told him , viz. that a woman should be the confusion of him , and fearing it might be the queen ( katherine ) in regard she was aunt unto the emperour , whom he thus purposed to ma●gne , he began to set the straw on fire that was under her bed ; by putting a new scruple into the kings head of marrying his brothers wife : wherefore taking his opportunity , when he saw the king best disposed , he fell into discourse with him of the great unhappinesse that was befalne the nation , and how great a pity it was , he had not issue m●l● to succeed him in the crown of england ; whereat the king began to stare upon him , but answered him not a word , while the cardinall proceeds to tell him that there might be a way found out , how with gods blessing he might have plenty , whereat the king began to thrust his thumbs under his girdle , and to cry hob man , hoh , lawfully begotten cardinall , lawfully begotten ? yet , lawfully begotten , replied the card. i speak no more than what i am able to make good , and justly ; whereupon he began to tell him in plain termes , that the marriage between him and his wife ( in regard she had been his brothers ) was not lawfull , and that it was a thing which was much spoken of , as well in forraign nations , as in his own realm , and that therefore he was bound in conscience to tell him of it , to the intent he might consider of it , and inquire further . the king looking a long time very earnestly upon the cardinall , as if he had been greatly dismayed , at last answered him in these mild terme● : why , my lord , you know this marriage was sufficiently discussed at the beginning by sundry grave and learned men , and was at last by them concluded to be good & lawfull , which was afterwards confirmed and dispensed with by the pope himself ; and therefore good father take h●ed what you say in this great and weighty matter : whereupon they thus parted ( for that time ) from one another . having once broke the ice , he thus intends to passe thorough the ford ; he sends for one dr. iohn longland , bishop of lincoln , confessor to the king , a very timerous man , and one that was afraid to say or doe any thing that might displease the cardinall , and therefore was there placed as a man wholy for his purpose : him the cardinall conjures , that when the king should deal with him concerning a scruple of conscience about the marriage of his wife queen katharine , that by any means he should further the same as much as in him lay , and make it a great matter of conscience to co-habit with her , being not his lawfull wife ; longland , as he supposed , having given him his lesson , within two or three daies the cardinall addresseth himselfe to the king , and after that he had discussed a while with him concerning the invalidity of the marriage , he adviseth him by all means to resolve on nothing rashly , but to advise with his ghostly father , which when he had done , his ghostly father was not altogether the man which the card ▪ took him to be ; for when the king advised with him concerning the businesse , he put it off from himself , and advised his majesty to consult with some other , that were the most learned bishops , whereupon the cardinall had a g●me to play for that , which he thought to have got by slight of hand ; for now the king was pleased to send for the most able bishops and divines that he could think upon ; amongst all which there was not any one in all his kingdome of whom he had a more reverend estimation both for honestly and learning , than he had of doctor fisher bishop of rochester , wherefore he was one of the nominates within the list of summons to a meeting at the cardinall's house in westminster , where after much debatement of the businesse , and that the bishop of roshester had fully answered and refelled all the arguments and reasons , which were there made and given concerning the validity of the m●rriage ( to the satisfaction of most of the bishops ) he concluded that there was no cause at all of any question to be made , seeing the marriage between the king and the queen was good and lawfull from the beginning , and that therefore it was necessary to remove that scruple from the kings breast as soone as possible , and so the conference was ended . while the clergy were all thus dancing about a scruple , in a lofty room led by the cardinall , they were not aware of the loose fire which was brought into the powder , room , which was under them ready , and at last blew them all up : for just in this nick of time the king was deeply falne in love with a faire young gentlewoman of the court , then waiting upon the queen , called mrs. a. bullein ( secretly a lutheran , and the first that ever opened her mouth to advise the k. to al : eration in religion ) daughter to sir thomas bullein knight ( who afterward for his daughters sake was promoted to many high honours and dignities . ) this mrs. anno had formerly been brought up in the court of france , under the lady mary the french queen , sister to king henry , and sometimes wife of lewis the 12. king of france , wherd she had learnt much courtly fashion and behaviour , then strange and dainty in the english court , whereby she farre surpassed all other lad●es her companions , which so inslamed the kings minde ( having conceived within himself a possibility of riddance from his old wife , and probability of having issue male by this ) that inwardly he was resolved to have her nolens volens , whereupon for the present , he shewed her great favour , and expressed unto her many signs of the love , which she was yet ignorant of , so that now he was resolved upon a hand gallop in this businesse . insomuch , that when the cardinall ( inscious of his design ) made his addresse u●to him to give him account of the conference which was between the bishops , and had told the king how that all did , and was likely to stick in the lord of rochesten , as the onely remora to that proceeding ( supposing that if the king could take him off , all the rest would follow his judgement ) the king ( by this time , desiring nothing more than that the divorce should take effect ) speedily fell into consulta●ion with the cardinall , how the bishop might be won to his ( now ) design ; the cardinall advised his majesty to send for the bi●●shop , and to work him to him by faire means and gentle usage ; whereupon the king did as he was advised ; for the bishop being sent for , and come into the kings presence , the king treated him with exceeding courtesie and liberality of good language , and at last took him with him into the long gallery , and there walking awhile with him , after that he had bestowed many words of praise and commendation upon him for his great learning and vertue , at length ( in the presence of the dukes of norfolk and suffolk , and some bishops that were there ) he un●olded his minde unto him concerning the businesse that was in hand , telling him how sore his conscience was tormented , and how for that cause he had secretly consulted with his ghostly father , and divers other men , by whom he was not yet satisfied , & therefore ( he said ) upon special confidence which he had in his great learning , he had now made choic● of him to use his advise above all others , requiring him to declare his opinion therein freely , whereby he might be sufficiently instructed in his conscience , and remaine no longer in suspence . the bishop hearing all this , ●ell suddenl● upon his knees , and in that posture would have delivered his minde unto him , but the king immediately lifted him up with his own ●ands , and blamed him for so doing , where upon he spake as followeth . i beseech your grace to be of good cheer , & not to disquiet your self one whit concerning this matter , nor to be dismayed , or troubled at this businesse ; for there is no heed to be taken of these men , who account themselves so wife , and do arrogate to themselves more knowledge and learning in divinity , than had all the learned fathers of the church , and the divines of spaine and england ( together with the see apostolick ) that were in you● fathers time , by whose authority this marriage was approved , confirmed and dispens●● with , as good and lawfull : truly sir , m● soveraign lord , you rather ought to make 〈◊〉 a matter of conscience , than to make any such scruple ( in so clear and weighty a matter ) b● bringing it in question , than to have any the least scruple in your conscience ; and there●fore my advise is , that your majesty , with all speed , lay aside those thoughts , and for any perill that may happen to your soule thereby , let the guilt rest on mine . and this is all that can be said by the loyallest of subjects ; and whether i have said well herein , or other wise i shall not refuse to answer any man in you behalf , whether it be privately , or publickly and i doubt not but there are as many worthy and learned men within your ●kingdome ; which are of my opinion ; as on the contrary ( if they might be permitted to speak with freedome ) who hold it a very p●rilous and unseemly thing , that any such thing as ● divorce , should be spoken of ; to which side i rather advise your majesty to incline than to the other ; whereat the king replied not on● word ; for whiles there was so faire a beauty in his eye , his eares must needs be stopped with the blackest wool : so he departed suddenly , and never looked favourably upon the bishop from that time forward . chap. vii . 1 : the cardinal brought into a peck of troubles , by reason of this soruple . 2. the king declares himself for anne of bullein , and declines the queens company . 3. the cardinalls s●cret complotting to break off the match with anne bullein . the king resolving to go thorough stitch with his work , makes it a publique businesse : and now the cardinals hic labor was become hoc opus ; for the same thing which was hitherto but secretly handled among the bishops , was now made the common subject of discourse to the whole kingdome : and a convention hereupon was had not onely of the bishops , but of all the noted and famous divines of both the universities , cathedrals , and religious houses within the realme , at the cardinals house at we●minster , where the said businesse was debated , argued , and consulted many daies together ; but the subject was too knotty for such tooles to work upon , and the knot too hard for their untying , wherefore they dissolved of themselves without dissolution ; and now the cardinals hoc opus began to be impossible , and voluntas regis , to 〈◊〉 so high , as if to that nothing were impossible , for now the king begins to puff and blow , and to sweare mother of god he will have ●●r , declaring it openly to all the world ; whereupon , from more and more , he becomes altogether to decline his katharine's company , and to delight himself wholy in the courtships of his new mistress . in the mean time the cardinall ( wolsey ) walks the round within his owne chamber , and with his bitten nailes teares ou● these words by piece-meales from his mouth , we will have none of this anne bullein ; for we m●st conceive him wonderfully perplexed , having otherwise designed au allianco for his m●ster with the french king , by this divorce , if he could have had his will so to have revenged himself upon the emperour ; and we cannot imagine the distressed queen to be otherwise than implacably , as well as necessitously bent to employ all her engines to work together , with his ruine , her owne preservation . o the just and secret workings of the almighty , who often buries us in the 〈◊〉 pits which we dig for others ! yet most wonderfull it is , to consider what countermines he had laid , if it had been possi●le to have blown up the kings resolution in his new choice , able to have level'd any fortification of a minde that had been but compos'd either of honour , wisdome , honesty , or shame , & not of what was altogether wilfullnesse . for first , hearing a common fame of the incontinency of this ann of bullien he sends forth spies in every corner , to learne out , who had , or who could hear of any that had bin familiar with her : at last intelligence was brought him , that for a certeine , sir thomas wiat had carnall knowledge of her , whereupon providing himself with sufficient inst●uction , he sends for sir thomas wiat , and tells him how thus and thus it appeares , that he had bin oftentimes familiar with the lady anne bullein , and that for ce●teine , the king was at this time resolv'd to marry her ( assoone as ever the sentence of divorce should be pronounced ) and therefore out of the great love which he ever bare unto him , and care which he had of his welfare , he thought good to acquaint him with what danger he was in , whereby he might avoid it by acquainting the king with what was truth , lest afterwards such a thing should come to the kings eare , and then it would not be all the land , nor all the life he had in england , that could give his majesty satisfaction for concelment of a businesse of so high concernment . the knight replied , sir , i thank you for the great love and sound advice which hath been alwaies exercised in my affairs : but reverend sir , if the king be so in love with her , as you say he is , and the world takes notice of him to be . i think i cannot be in greater danger than in acquainting the king with such a business . if you cannot prove it s●id the cardinall , you say well , it is a hard matter to prove that , said the kn● . it is a harder matter to answer the concealment , said the cardinall , of a thing that is so much divulged as this is ; and besides , in this case you can hardly suffer , but you must finde many friends ; in the other you will suffer pitilesse , and will will finde no man to speak in your behalf : in this you will be but ingenuous , in the other p●ccant ; wherefore i advise you of two evils to choose the least . sir thomas wiat , by these perswasions , was resolved to confesse all upto the king , which he plainly did ; and with great feare , told him , that she was no fit wife for him , if he w●re free : the king commanded him to speak no more upon his life , ●nor to acquaint any else with what he had told him ; so blinde is fate . nor would the cardinall attempt to batter so strong a tower with one piece , but he procured a reserve of engines , which he thought could not faile ; for he had notice given him how that ( for certain ) the said anne bullein was really contracted to the lord henry percy , son and heire to the earl of northumberland ( then a servant waiting upon the cardinall ) whom he immediately caused to appear before him , and by his ow● confession , finding the report to be true , and selemnly performed , he sent for the countesse of wilt shire , mother to the said anne bullein ; and hearing what she could say to the businesse , which w●● no lesse than what the said percy had said before , he en●ouraged her in the prosecution , who for some reasons best known unto her self , a● she said to the cardinall , better liked of the marriage of her daughter with the said lord percy , than if the king should marry her . the cardinall finding a backwardnesse in this lady , that her daughter should be wedded to the king ; and hearing what fame had formerly spread abro●d con●erning the kings former familiarity with her , gu●shed at the cause , and therefore advised her to go unto the king , and deale freely with him in that particular , lest hereafter she might otherwise repent . the lady takes his advise , and addresses her self to the king , who communing with him awhile upon that subject , between jest and earnest , she uttered these words ; sir , for the reverence of god take ●eed what you do , in marrying my daughter , for if you record your conscience well , she is your own daughter as well as mine : the king replied , whose daughter so●ver she is , she shall be my wife . but when she proceeded to acquaint him with the contract , and told him how that her daughter and the lord percy were already man and wife before god , ●olemnly contracted in the presence of s●ch and such : the king was exceeding angry , and swore by his wonted oath that it was not so , and it should not be so , and sent immediately for the lady her self to come before him , to whom , as soon as ever she came into the presence , and before ever she had heard of the business , the king , with a frowning conntenance said unto her , is it so nan , is it so , hoh , what say'st thoss to it ? to what , said anne bullein ? mother of god , said the king , they say that thou hast promised to marry young per●y : mrs. anne nothing at all abashed , returns him this answer , sir , when i knew no otherwise but that it was lawfull for me to make such promises , i must confesse i made him some such promise ; but no good subject makes any promises but with this proviso , that if his soveraigne commands otherwise it shall be lawfull for him to obey : well said my own girle , said the king , and turniug himself to the countess , he said , i told you that there was no such thing . thus you see concerning the first particular , the king cared not who he married , so that he might be wedded to his own will ; and concerning the second , the king presently after sent for the cardinall , and him for to undo the former kno● with his own teeth , enjoyning him to procure his servant to release his mistress of her engagement , which he did . chap : viii . 1. the first occasion of the cardinalls ruine . 2. the king sends divers orators to the vniversiti●s beyond the seas to procure their ass●ntments to the divorce . 3. the return with satisfaction , but it proves fruitlesse . 4. embassadours are sent to rome . 5. the cardinall aspireth to be pope . 6. ho useth strange meanes to accomplish the same . now it is the queen● bed must be taken down , that her palat may be advanced : but from this time forward , though the card. was seemingly forward , yet was covertly slow in the prosecution of the divorce , which afterwards proved to be his ruine . wherefore the king was advised by the cardinalls , and the rest of the b●shops ( as the only way of dispatch ) to send certaine orators to forreine universities ( as well as to those at home ) and so without any more ado to rest in their judgements . the king having made choice of men fi● for his purpose , gave them instructions , and sent them several ways to the most renowned universities of christendome , there to dispute the case , viz. whether it was lawfull for a man to marry his brothers wife , or not , without acquainting them with the particulars , either of the former brothers having no carnall knowledge of the said wife , or the popes dispensation thereupon , so that by this slight and subtil●y they easily obtained determinations from all the universities , viz. that it was not lawfull ; whereupon , not knowing whose case it was , nor the case it selfe rightly , the o●atours procured those determinations under the common s●ales of all the forraigne u●iversities , whereupon they returned with great triumph , to the great contentment of the king , who rewarded them highly for their paines ; and it must not be thought that our universities at home ( though they onely understood the case ) sh●uld be wiser than all the universities of christendome . all these s●ales were all delivered into the c●rdinalls hand , with a strict charge speedily to convene all the bishops before him , and to determine upon the businesse : but this quick fire could not make this sweet malt ; for it was determined ( by whose means you may easily guesse ) that although the universities had thus determined under th●ir seales , yet the businesse was too weighty for them to determine thereupon , as of themselv●s , without the authority of the sea apostolike ; but they all fell upon this agreement among themselves , that orators should be sent with these seales of the universities to rome , to treat with the pope for procuring his confirmation therein : thus the king was shov'd off with another wave from the shore of his desired purpose . with much reluct●ncy , and sensibility of the tediousnesse of the delay , no other remedy appearing , a mbassadours were dispatched in all hast to rome , cl●ment the seventh being pope at that time : the ambassadours names were st●phen gardiner , the kings secretary ▪ sir francis brian knight , one of the gentlemen of the kings pr●vy chamber ; sir gregory de cassalel , an italian , and mr. p●ter 〈◊〉 a venetian , who being arrived at rome , having propounded the cause of their coming , and rested themselves there awhile , letters were come unto them from the king and the● cardinall , with further instructions how to deale with the pope , and to make all possible dispatch that could be made in the businesse : but the ambassadours were not half so hasty in demanding , as the pope was slow in expedition , and that by reason of the gout , which then afflicted him ( and perhaps of an unwillingnesse of the minde , as well as a debility of the body ) the emb●ssadours , by the return of their letters , having made knowne unto the king the popes slownesse , by reason of his great infirmity , the cardinall layes hold upon this occasion , and in●ormes the king , how that if he were pope , if it should so happen , that the pope should die , all should goe well and speedily on his side : to this purpose letters were sent thick and three-fold to rome , both from the king and cardinall , with instructions , that they would the more earnestly and often call upon the pope for a finall determination , hoping that he would the more easily be drawn thereto , that he might ( by reason of his paine ) be rid of their importunity ; as also , that if the pope should chance to die of this present disease , that ( by all meanes ) they should devise some way or other how the cardinall of york should be elected to succeed in his place : and to promise mountaines of gold , to procure their suffrages in his behalfe , and in case they could not prevaile , but that the cardinalls were likely to choose some such man , as was not likely to further the ki●gs designes , that they should take up what summes of money they could upon the kings credit , and therewith to raise a presidie ( as it is termed both in the king & cardinals letters ) or power of men ( and taking with them such cardinals as could be brought to favour their purposes ) to depart out of the city into some out-place not farre off , and there to make a schisme , in the behalf of the cardinal . but there was no need of that advise , for the pope recovered health , and lived to finish the businesse , though contrary to the kings expec●●tion , wherefore . chap. ix . 1. cardinall camp●ius is sent legate into england to determine the business of divorce . 2. the embassadours are returned . 3. cardinall wolsey joyned in commission with the other cardinall . 4. the court sits . 5. couns●ll is assigned to both the parties . 6. queen catharine's speech in her own defence . th embassadours finding the pope to be the same man , for slownesse , as he was , when he was tyed by the leg : requested of his holinesse that he would be pleased to send a legate into england with full authority to heare and determine the businesse there , according to right , as he should see cause ; which was granted , and accordingly one laurence campeius , a well learned man , and of undaunted courage ( to whom the king about ten yeares before , had given the bishoprick of bath at his being in england upon another occasion ) was appointed for that negotiation . the embassadours thus returning with a conclusion of a new b●ginning , the kings patience must now rest satisfied with the expectation of the legates coming , which after long expectation he arrived here in england , who coming to lond. was lodged in his own palace , then called b●th-house ; but before his arrivall , a new comm ssion from the pope overtooke him at callis , wherein the cardinall of york was joyned with him in commiss●on ; and this was procured by the king , wh●reby ( as he thought ) his businesse should be ●a●e to meet with the fewer rubber . the cardinals met , audience was given , the commssion was opened , the place assigned , the assignement was at the dominick f●●yers in lon●on , the king and queene were to be close by at their lodgings at bridewell : the learned counsell on both sides were appointed . the king ( b●cause he would seeme ind●fferent ) willed the q●eene to chuse her cou●sell , the q●eene would chuse none at all ( as suspect●ng the indifterency of such as were his owne subjects . ) wherefore for fashion sake these counsellours were assigned her . iohn fisher b●shop of rochester ; henry staindish bishop of st. alaph : thomas abel , richard fetherstor , edward powell , all doctors in divinity ; and of c●vili●ns , and canonists , william warham archbishop of canterbury ; cuthbert tunstall bishop of london , nichol●s west bish ▪ of ely , and iohn clerk bishop of bath ( for at campeius his arivall he was translated to the bishoprick of salisbury ) on the kings part the like number of profound and learned ! doctors , as well divines , as civilians , and canonists . silence being proclaimed in the court , and the commission read , the bishop of rochester presented the two legates with a booke , which he had compiled in defence of the marriage , making therewith a grave and learned oration , wherein he desired them to take good heed to what they did in so weighty a businesse , putting them in minde of the great and manifold dangers , and inconveniences which were ready to ensue thereupon , not onely to this realm , but to the whole state of christendome . after this oration was ended , the king was called by name , who answered here : after that the queen , who made no answer , but rose immediately out of her chaire , and coming about the court , she kneeled downe before ●●he king openly in the sight of both the legates , and the whole court , and spake as followeth . sir , i beseech you do me justice and right , and take some pity upon me , for i am a simple woman , and a stranger born out of your dominions , and have no friend but you , who now b●ing become my adversary , alas , what friendship or assurance of indifterency in ●●y counsel can i find hope to amongst your subjects ? what have i done ? wh●rein have i off●nded you ? how have i given you any occasion of displeasure ? why will you put me from you in this sort ? i take god to my judge i have bin a true , humble , & faithful wife unto you ; alwaies conformable to your will and pleasure : wherein did i ever contradict , or gainsay whatever you said ? when was i discontented at the thing that pleased you ? whom did i love but those whom you loved , whether i had cause or not ? i have been your wife this twenty yeares ; you have had divers children by me ; when you took me first into your b●d , i take god to be my witnesse i was a virgin , and whether that be true or no , i put it to your conscience . n●w if there be any just cau●e that you can alleadge against me , either of dishouesty , or the l●ke , i am contented to depart the realm , and you , with sh●me and insamy ; but if there be no such cause , then i pray you let me have justice at your hands . the king your father was in his time of such an excellent wit , as that for his wi●domes sake he was accounted a second solomon ; and ferdinand my father was reckoned to be one of the wisest princes that reigned in spaine , for many yeares before his daies . these being both so wise p●ince● , it is not to b● doubted but they had gathered unto them as w●se counsellours of both realmes , as they in their wisdomes thought most meet ; and as i take it , there were in those dayes , as wise , and learned men in both kingdomes , as there are now to be found in these our times , who thought the m●rriage between you and i to be good and la●full ; but for this i may thank you my lord c●rdinall of york ( then her best friend , though she knew it not , or perhaps was secretly advised to be thus b●tter against him ) who having sought to make this di●sention betweene my lord the king and me , because have so often f●und f●ule with your pompous ; v●nity , and aspring minde ; yet i doe not think that this your malice proceeds from you meerly in respect of my self , but your chief displeasure is against my nephew the emperour , because you could not at his hands attaine unto the b●th ●p●ick of toledo , which greedily you desired ; and after that was by his meanes put by the chief and high bishoprick of rom● , 〈◊〉 you most ambitiously aspired ; whereat being sore offended , and yet not able to revenge your quarrel upon him , the heavy burden of your indignation must be laid upon a female weakness , for no other reason but because sh● is his aunt . and these are the manly wayes you take to ease your minde : but god forgive you ; wherefore sir ( applying her self to the king ) it seemes to me to be no justice that i should stand to the order of this court , seeing one of my judges to be so partiall ; and if i should agree to stand to the judgement of this court , what cou●cellours h●v● i but such as are your owne subjects , taken from your own counsell , to which they are privy , and perhaps dare not go against it ; wherefore i refuse to stand to their advic● or plea , or any judgement that is here , and doe appeale unto the sea 〈◊〉 , before our holy father the pope , humbly beseeching you by the way of charity , to sp●re me , till i may know what further course my friends in spaine will advise me to ; and if this may not be granted , then your pleasure be fulfilled . with that , making a low obeysance to the king , she d●parted the court , leaving behinde her many ●●d hearts , and weeping eyes , among the which this good bishop of rochester was most compassionate . after she was perceived to be quite departed from the court ( for it was supposed that she meant to have returned to her place ) the king commanded that she should be called back againe , but she would not in any wise returne , saying to those that were about her , this is no place for me to expect any indifferency , for they are all agreed what they will doe , and the king is resolved what shall be done . soe she departed cleare away from the court , and never afterwards did she appeare there any more . chap. x. 1. the good character which the king gave his queen ( katharine . ) 2. the king declares his scruple of consc●ence . 3. shewes the danger the kingdom is in for lack of issue male. 4. his proc●●dings with the bishops therein . the king peroeiving that she was thus departed , spake unto the court as followeth : forasmuch as the queene is now gone , i will declare , in her absence , before you all , that she hath ever been to me , as true , obedient , and conformable a wife , as i could wish , or any man desire to have , as having al● the vertuous qualities that ought to be in a woman , of her dignity : she is high born ( as the quality of her conditions do declare ) yet of so meek a spirit , as if her humility had not been acquainted with her birth ; so that if i sought all europe over , i should never finde a better wife ; and therefore how willing i w●uld ( if it were lawfull ) continue her to be my wife ●●ill death make the separation ) ye● may all guess : but conscience , conscience is such a thing , who can endure the sting and prick of conscience , alwaies stinging and pricking wit●in his breast ? wherefore , my lords , this woman , this good woman , i say , sometimes b●ing my broth●rs wife , as ye all know , or have heard , h●●h bred such a scruple within the secrets of my breast , as daily doth torment , cumber , and disquiet my minde , fearing and mistrusting , that i am in great danger of gods indignation , and the rather , because he hath sent me no issue male , but such as died incontinently after they were born . thus my conscience being tossed to and fro upon these unquiet waves , ( almost in despaire of having any other issue by her ) it behoveth me , i think , to look ● little further , and to consider now the welfare of this realm , and the great danger that it standeth in , for lack of a prince to succeed me in this office , and therefore i thought good in respect of the discharging of my conscience , and for the quiet state of this noble realm , to attemp● the law herein , that is , to know by your good and learned counsell , whether i might lawfully take another wife , by whom god may send me issue male , in case this my first marriage should appeare not warrantable ; and this is the onely cause for which i have sought thus farre unto you , and not for any displeasure , or disliking of the queenes p●rson , or age , with whom i could be as well contented to live , and continue ( if our marriage may stand with the laws of god ) as with any woman living : and in this point consisteth all the doubt , wherein i would be satisfied by the sound learning , wisdome , and judgements of you my lords , the prelates and pastors of this realme , now here assembled for that purpose ; and according to whose determination herein , i am contented to submit my selfe , with all obedience ; and that i meant not to wade in so weighty a matter ( of my selfe ) without the opinion and judgement of my lords spirituall , it may well appeare in this , that shortly after the coming of this scruple into my conscience , i moved it to you , my lord of lincolne , my ghostly father ; and forasmuch as you your selfe , my lord , were then in some doubt , you advised me to ask the counsell of the rest of the bish●ps , whereupon● moved you , my lord , of canterbury , fi●st , to have your licence ( inasmuch as you were the metropolitan ) to put this matter in question , as i did to all the rest , the which you all have granted under your seales , which i have here to shew . that is true , and if it please your grace , said the bishop of canterbury , and i doubt not but my brethren here will acknowledge the same . now you must understand , that the king having won the archbishop wholly to his designe ▪ the archbishop had got as many of the bishops hands unto that deed as he could , and set the rest of the bishops hands thereto , of his own accord , they both imagining that none would have been so bold as to contradict , or charge so openly , both the king , and the archbishop of an untruth : but my lord of rochester , being of an undaunted spirit , and one of the queenes counsell assigned ( whereby he might deliver his mind the better ) knowing the clearnesse of his own conscience , said unto the archbishop , no my lord ; not so , under your favour , all the bishops were not so farre agreed , for to that instrument you have neither my hand nor my seale : no , 〈◊〉 , said the king , and with a ●rowning counten●nc● , said to my lord of rochester , look here , is not this your hand and seale ? shewing him the instrument , no forsooth , ( said the bishop ) it is none of my hand nor seale , how say you to that ( said th● king to my lord of canterbury ) sir , said he● it is his hand and his seale ; no my lord ( said the b●shop of rochester ) indeed you were in hand with me often for my hand and seal , as others of my lords have been ; but i alwaies told both you and them , i would in no wise consent to any such act , for it was much against my conscience to have any such businesse called in question , and therefore my h●nd and seale should never be put to any such instrument , god willing , with a great deale more , which i said to that purpose , if you remember . indeed ( said my lord of canterbury ) it is true , you had such words with me ; but after our talk ended , you were at last contented that i should subscribe your name , and put your seale thereto , and you would allow the same , as if it had been your act and deed ; then my lord of rochester seeing himself so unjustly charged , said unto the archbishop , no , no , my lord , by your ●avour and licence , that had been all one , and that which you charge me with , is not true : and as he was proceeding in his speech , the king interrupted him saying , well , well , my lord of rochester , it makes no great matter , we will not stand with you in argument , you are but one man amongst the rest , if the worst fall out : but the rest of the bishops that had bin dealt with in like manner , said not a word , so that the fi●st encounter on the queen● side was not so well performed , through want of seconds : and this was all that was done for that day . chap. xi . 1. the pleadings of the counsell on both sides . 2. the d●position of the severall witnesse . 3. the honest plea of bishop fisher. 4. the stout plea of doctor ridley . 5. cardinall wol●ey takes him up . 6. the doctors reply thereto . upon the second meeting there was much matter propounded by the counsell of the kings part , concerning the invalidity of the foresaid marriage from the beginning ▪ by reason of the carnall copulation there vehemently u●ged to have bin committed between prince arthur the kings brother , and the present queene ; but being again as vehemently denied by the queenes counsell ▪ the whole matter rested onely upon proof : to this purpose divers witnesses were produced . as 1. agnes , the old datchesse of norfolk , 〈◊〉 d●posed , that she was present at the marriage of p●ince arthur , at s● . paul's in london , and that sh● saw them both in bed together the next night after they were married : the prince being of the age of fifteen yeares , and the princesse elder . 2. george , earle of shrewsbury , who deposed , as to the celebration of the marriage , decimo septimo henrici 7. 1501. that he was born at winchester , secundo hen. 7. that he believed prince arthur knew the queen carnally , and was able so to doe , because he knew his wife before she was sixteen . 3. william warham , archbishop of canterbury , that never liked the marriage , and that he told hen. 7. as much . 4. sir william thomas knight , who deposed , as to the age of the parties , and their cohabitation as man and wife five moneths together , both at london and in l●dlow . 5. sir anthony poynes as to the age onely . 6. thomas , marquesse of dorset , as to age , and that he was●of a good sanguine complexion , and able ( as he supposed ) for the busin●sse . 7. robert , viscount fir●water , as to the age , and that the next day ( after they had been ● bed together ) he waited on prince arthur , whiles he was at breakfast , where maurice st. iohn carved , and the lord firzwater was cupbearer , where he heard prince arthur ( upon the said maurice hi● asking the prince how he had done the last night ? ) answer , i have been in spain the last night . 8. thomas lord darcy , william lord montjoy , and henry guildford knights of the garter , little to any purpose but what they had heard by publique fame . 9. charles duke of suffolk ▪ deposed to the ●ame effect with mau●i●e s. iohn , and that the prince soon after beg●n to decay in bodily health ; which said he , as the said s. iohn related , grew by the prince his lying with the lady katharine . 10. david owen , as to the age onely . 11. thomas duke of norfolk , lord treasurer of england , to the same effect with maurice s. iohn , by which words he believed that the prince carnally knew the lady ; and because he was of a good complexion and age ( as he supposed ) sufficient , having performed the like himselfe at the same age . 12. anth : willoughby kt. that the morrow after the marriag● ( in the presence of divers witnesses , being in the privy chamber ) the prince called to the s●id willougby , saying , willoughby , give me a cup of ale , for i have been in the midst of spain the last night . 13. nicholas b●shop of ely , that he could say nothing concerning the carnalis copula , but that he very much doubted it , in regard the queen often ( sub testimonio conscientiae suae ) said to this d●ponent , that she was never carnally k●own by prince 〈◊〉 . these things being 〈◊〉 , the bishop of rochester stood up and spoke in this manner , and all this is no more than what hath formerly been deposed , examined , throughly debated , and scanned by the best and l●arnedst divines and lawyers that could possibly be got ; which time i do very well remember , and am not ignoranc of the manner of their proceedings , when and where all the allegations ( in respect of what was then produced to the contrary was a ju●lged vain and frivolous ; whereupon the marriage was concluded ; which marriage was afterwards approved , and ratified by the see apostoa bque , and that in such large an lample ma●ner , as that i think it a very hard matter now againe to call the same in question before another iudge . then stood up another of the q●●enes counsell ▪ doctor 〈…〉 we have heard how the queene her selfe , here in the face of the whole court , 〈…〉 presence and hearing of the king himself , called the great god of heaven and earth to witness , that she was a pure virgin when she first came into the kings bed , and how she put it to his conscience , speaking unto him face to face ; and if it were otherwise , we cannot imagine that either the queen durst so appeale ●●to him , or the king so spoke unto ( if unworthily ) would not have contradicted her : besides , we have here the testimony of a most reverend father , who hath deposed upon his oath how the queen had often 〈◊〉 testimonio 〈…〉 said unto him , ●ow that she never had any carnall knowledge of prince ar●hur . now , my lords , that such a ●rolick , or a j●st ( as that about a cup of ale , or the midst o● spaine , which together with all the rest that hath beene said ) are but meere conjectures and presumptions ( should stand in competition with so great a testimony , as a soveraigne 〈…〉 attestation of her cause upon the 〈◊〉 conscience , and that conscience 〈…〉 such presumption by its own silence , 〈…〉 to lay aside all reverence which 〈…〉 power and authority , as that all the 〈◊〉 , consultations , 〈…〉 of all former powers , even of the see apostolique it selfe , should become 〈◊〉 , by your calling this matter againe into 〈◊〉 , is a thing in my conceit ●ost detestable to be rehearsed , and a great sha●e to this honourable court to heare ●uch stuffe ripped up to no other purpose but in contempt of former power , and c●lling the wisdome of our ancestors and 〈◊〉 , together with our owne , into question and derision . whereat cardinall wol●ey , that he might not seeme to say nothing by saying something , said unto him 〈…〉 , d●mine doctor , magis reverenter : no no , my lord ( said the doctor ) there belongeth no reverence to be given ( at all ) for an 〈◊〉 matter would be unreverently answer'd . whereupon cardinall campeius called for doctour cuthbert tunstall , bish●p of london , and desired to heare 〈…〉 , for he was a man of profound judgement and learning ▪ and one in whose wisdome and honesty the cardinall rep●sed great confi●ence . this tunstall had w●itten a very l●arned treatise in defence of the 〈…〉 , which indeed should have 〈…〉 in the court , but the 〈…〉 ●bilities , purposely sent h●m upon 〈…〉 into scotland ( at the v●ry 〈◊〉 he should have appeared ) about 〈…〉 businesse , so that he appeared not in court this second time . it was conceieved , that had not the queen appealed unto 〈…〉 marriage had been confirmed at this 〈◊〉 , as it was afterwards by the pope 〈◊〉 , when it was too late ; but being as it was , all matters of question 〈…〉 were cleare laid aside , 〈…〉 such things as belonged to instruction and information of his holinesse in 〈…〉 , were inquired after , and that upon the 〈◊〉 motion of the bishop of ely , one of the queenes counsell , whereupon both the ●●gates determined to hear no further pleadings . chap. xi . 1. the king commanded the two cardinalls to perswade the queen to 〈◊〉 her appeale . 2. their 〈…〉 to his commands . 3. the king growes resolute , and demands sentence ; th● cardinalls refuse to give it . 4. the lor●● of the counsell begin to sto●me . 5 the king to conceive great indignation against the 〈◊〉 of yo●k , 〈…〉 the countrey . 6. the p●ssage which happened between the king and mr. 〈…〉 . 〈…〉 better , and more honourable for both parties , then to stand to a publique triall in forreigne parts . the cardinall ( to satisfie the kings comm●nds ) pro●ised the uttermost of his endeavou●s in that behalf , but all in vain ; for the queen st●o● stoutly to her appeale , and would not in any wise be brought to retract her former resolution , affording them the same reasons as formerly , and requesting them for charity sake , to give a simple and he●plesse woman the best advise they could , what was b●st to be done to the glory of god , the kings satisfaction , and her owne honour : whereupon they both returned to their form●r perswasions , and the queen to her form●r answers . thus the cardinal●s returned well pleas●d , that they could not conquer her , and the queen unfortunate that she was not overcome . the k●●g put off ( 〈◊〉 ) from post to pillar grew weary o● these delayes , and resolute in having a speedy end , he cared not which way , so it were done , and done it must be , as he would have it : wh●refore he called another session , and in person urged a finall sentence , abd the pro●●edings to be read in latin , whe●eupon the● k●ng counsel called for judgement ; with that campeius answered again in latin , not so , i will give no sentence before i have made a relation of the whole transactions of these affaires unto the pope , whereunto i am obliged by vertue of the queens appeale consi● ring whose 〈◊〉 we are , and by whose authority we here sit . i come not hither for favour , or dread sake to pleasure any person living , be he king or subj●ct , neither for any such 〈…〉 will i 〈◊〉 my conscience , or disple●se my go● . i am now an old man , both we●k and sickly ; and should i now put my soule in 〈◊〉 of gods 〈…〉 time : so the 〈…〉 , and nothing more of this nature was done ( in england ) ever after . the lords about the k●●g perceiving the miscarriage of the kings 〈◊〉 , began to happened ; mr. cranmer ( ● master both of all arts , and cunning how to 〈…〉 & fellow of jesus colledge in cambridg ) being at the same time retired into that countrey with one of his pupils ( by reason of the sicknesse then raging in cambridge ) happened to be in an 〈◊〉 thereabouts , where some of the courtiers were , by reason of the courts then being at my lord of darcy's house , where ( hearing some of the courtiers relating how discontentedly the king behaved himself ( by reason of those late accidents which had happ●ned ●o crosse to his designes ) insomuch that he would hardly suffer any man to come neere h●m , much lesse to speak unto him ) he spa●e unto them as followeth . 〈…〉 and my life against any man living . one of the courtiers ( hearing this , and knowing it to be a spe●ch so justly calculated to the height of that meridian , and a saying so agreeable to the kings temper , as i● it had taken measure of his minde ) said thus unto him , i ●ell the● scholler , the king shall 〈…〉 what thou hast said ; and if 〈…〉 words good , for 〈…〉 and to speak with the king but it was late in the evening before he could ●inde his opportunity , but at the l●st he fou●d it ; and when he had related unto the k●ng what such a man had said , and what he would undertake , the king swore by his wonted o●th , m●ther of god that man h●th the right sew by the care ; i shall not goe to bed untill i 〈◊〉 with him , comm●nding the same party forthwi●h to depart out of his presen●e , and to bring cranmer to him with all speed , the m●ssenger makes hast unto the inne , but mr. cranmer was dep●rted to his friends house two miles off before his return thither , wherefore the messenger gave strict order to the inne-keeper that he should send an expresse unto m● . cranmer to t●ll him that he should not faile to be at the court betimes on the morrow , for the king would speak with him : back to the cou●t the m●ssenger r●turnes with this account , whereat the king was exceeding wroth with the messenger , and swore that he should finde him out this night if he were above ground ▪ and bring him to him , for he would not close his eyes until● he had seen h●m ; with much ado night brought him unto the k●ng , who brought night upon the chu●ch ; for questionlesse there was the fi●st platform raised for the church of englands downfall . for after much private conference first had between the king and mr. cranmer , and afterward with his most private counsell , the most cunning and ab●e men ( as spies ) were speedily sent to rome to prie into the records , to see in what state and condition the clergy of england there stood with the pope of rome , as also what oaths the clergy of england did usually there take , and what obedience they had promised unto him , &c. and what advantages otherwise might be pickt thence against the clergie here , whereby to draw them into a paemunire . which things pe●formed , the king returns back again to london with an ocean of displeasure in his bosome , and a temp●st in his countenance . chap. xiii . 1. both he queenes set against cardinall wolsey . 2. cardinall campeius departs the kingdom . 3. a parliament is called wherein great complaints are made against the clergy . 4. the bishop of rochester his speech in parliament . 5. the commons highly incensed at his speech , they complaine thereof unto the king. 6. the king questioned the bishop therefore ; the bishops answer thereupon . the cardinall ( wolsey ) had the two ladies , catharine that was so neere her setting , and anne that was so apparent in her rising ( though as different as the two poles between themselves ) both against him ; the one discovering , the other aggravating his offences ; yet , though sometime he had a better friend ; for he proved such a constant enemy to the last , that he became a martyr for the former , and such a b●tter adversary ( sometimes ) to the first , as he became ( afterwards ) the second 's footstoole to her throne ; yet neither of them gave him thanks , which rendred his venome guilty of the nature of the spiders thus to be intangled within his own web . cardinall campe●●●s perceiving the king disposed to discontentment , takes his leave of his maje●●y , and suddenly departs the realme ( after that he had made his abode here in this kingdome neere upon the space of one yeare ) who was no sooner gone , but a sodaine rumour 〈◊〉 , how that he had carried with him vast ●ummes of money of the other cardinalls ●ut of the realme ; ( for at that time cardinall wolsey wa● suspected to 〈◊〉 the land , by ●eason of the kings displeasure ) insomuch that 〈…〉 after , and overtaken at callis ▪ where when they had searched 〈…〉 , they scarce found so much money about him as would serve to defray his ordinary charges to rome : this the cardinall campeius took heavily , and thereat was m●rvailously discontented ; which search for treas●●e was but a colour , for the thing which the king aimed at , was the instrument which contained the sentence of divorce ( which campeius had shewed unto the king ) in case he had seen cause to put the same in ex●cution , which if the king had sound out , it is supposed he would have made good play therewith : but he was deceive● of his purpose . howsoever , in the 22. yeare of the kings reigne a parliament was summoned to begin at london the 3. day of november , and in the year of our lord 1529. and accordingly writs were directed to all the counties , &c. but withall private letters were sent to the most potent men , directing them whom they should choose ; which letters there were few or none durst disobey , so that there was a parliament filled to the kings hearts desire . and the regulations of all abuses of the clergy were referred to the house of commons , where s●vere complaints against the whole clergy , as well as against particular clergie-men , were daily presented ; whereof some the house of lord● 〈◊〉 into consideration , and some they 〈◊〉 ; wh●ch when the bishop of rochester perceived , he spake as followeth . my lords , here are certaine bills exhibited against the cl●●gy , wherein there are complaints made against the 〈◊〉 , id●●nesse , rap●ciry and cruelty of bishops , abbots , priests and their officialls : but my lords , are all vitious , all idle , all ravenous , and ●ruell priests , or bishops ? and for such as are such , are there not laws provided alrea●y against such ? is there any abuse that we do● not seek to rectifi● ? or can there be such a 〈◊〉 , as that there shall be no 〈…〉 their owne ? and 〈◊〉 where they have no a●●hority to correc● ? if w● be not 〈◊〉 in our lawes , let each man suffer for his d●linquency ; or if we have not power , did 〈◊〉 with your assistance , and we shall 〈…〉 much the good as the goods of the church , that is look●d after : truly my lords , how this may sound in your 〈◊〉 i cannot tell ▪ but to me it appeares no otherwise , than as if our holy mother the church were to become a bondmaid , and new brought into servility and 〈◊〉 , and by little & little to be quite banished out of those dwelling places , which the piety and liberality o● our forefathers ( as most 〈◊〉 benefacto●s ) have conferred upon ●er ; otherwise to what tendeth these 〈◊〉 and curious petitions of the commons ? to no other intent or purpose , but to bring the clergie into contempt with the laity , that they may s●ize their patrimony . but my lords , beware of your selves and your 〈…〉 now on fire , teach us to beware our own disasters : where●ore , my lords , i will tell you plainly what i think , that except ye resist manfully by your authorit●●● , this violent heap of mischiefs offered by the commons , you shall see all obedience first drawn f●om the cle●gie ; and secondly from your selves ; 〈◊〉 if you 〈◊〉 into the true causes of all these mischiefs which reign among them , you shall finde that they all arise through want of faith. this speech p●eased and displeased divers of the house of peeres , 〈…〉 were severally inclined or adicted to ●orward , or 〈◊〉 the k●ngs design●s ; among the which none 〈…〉 thereto , but onely the 〈…〉 b●t when the commons heard of this speech , they conceived so great displeasure against the bishop , that they forthwith sent their speaker , mr. audeley , to complaine on him to the king ▪ and to let his highnesse understand how grievously they thou ●h● themselves injured ther●by , so as to be so highly charged for lack of faith , as if they had been infidells or hereticks , &c. the king therefore , to satisfie the commons , sent for my lord of rochester to come before him ; being come , the king demanded of him why he spake in such sort ; the bishop answered , that being in counsel he spake his minde in defence of the church , whom he saw daily injured and oppressed by the common people whose office it was not to judge of her manners , much lesse to reform them , and therefore ( he said ) he thought himself in conscience bound to defend her in all that lay within his power ; neverthelesse the king wished him to use his words more temperately ; and that was all , which gave the commons littl● satisfaction ▪ chap. xiv . 1. the demand of all the small abbies within the land for the kings use . 2. the bishop of rochester opposeth the demand in the convocation house . 3. the mindes of the clergie ( before ready to condescend to the proposition● altered thereupon . 4. the bishop of 〈◊〉 escaped very narrowly from being poysoned at his dinner . 5. how he escaped another danger from the shot of a cannon . 6. his departure from the place to rochester . immediately hereupon the foresaid demand for all the small abbeys and monasteries within the land ( of the value of two hundred pound land and under , to be given to the king ) was revived ; and the pretence for such demands of the clergie , was in recompence of the great charges and expences , which the king was 〈◊〉 , concerning the divorce which he was put upon by the false and double dealing of the cardinall and his clergie , and therefore it was said to be all the reason in the world , that the clergie should satisfie the king againe for the great expences he had been at ; and this was urged with such ●impor●unity ; as if the businesse had been called upon by sound of drummes and t●umpets : in conclusion , they all agreed that cert●ine of the kings counsell should make demands hereof to the co●vocation of the cl●rgy , which was performed with such a terrible shew of the kings displeasure 〈◊〉 them , if they y●ilded not to his 〈◊〉 , that divers of the convocation ( sea●●ing the ki●gs indign●tion , and hoping by a voluntary condescention in these particulars to save the r●st ) were of a minde to satisfie the ki●g ther●in , which the bishop of rochester perceivi●g , spake as followeth . my lords , and the rest of our brethren here assembled , i pray you to take good heed to what you doe , l●st you do you know not what , and what you cannot do : for indeed the things that are demanded at our hands , are none of ours to grant nor theirs to whom we should bestow them , if we should grant them their desires ; but they are the legacies of those testators , who have given them unto the church for ever , under the penalty of a heavy ●urse imposed on all those who shall any way go abou● to aliena● their property from the church : and besides , if we should grant these smaller abbeys , &c. to the king , what should we do otherwise than shew him the way how in time it may be lawfull for him to demand the greater ? wherefore the manner of these proceedings puts me in minde of a ●able , how the ax ( which wanted a handle ) came upon a time unto the wood , making his m●an to the great trees , how he wanted a handle to work withall , and ●or that cause he was constrained to sit idle ; wherefore he made it his request unto them , that they would be pleased to grant him one of their small saplings within the wood to make him a handle , who mistrusting no guile , granted him one of the smaller trees , wherewith he mad● himself a handle ▪ so becoming a compleat ax , ●e so fell to work within the same wood that in processe of time there was neither great nor small tree to be found in the place where the wood stood . and so my lord , if you grant the king these smaller monasteries ▪ you do but make him a handle , whereby at his owne pleasure he may ●ut downe all the cedars within your 〈◊〉 , and then you may thank your selves after ye have incurred the heavy displeasure of almighty god. this sp●●ch qu●te changed the mindes of all those which were formerly bent to gratifie the k●ngs d●mands herein , so that all was rejected for that time . after this the bishop escaped a very great danger , for one r. rose came into the b●shops kitchin ( being acquainted with the cook ) at his house in lamb. m●rsh & having provi●ed a quantity of de●dly poyson , whiles the c●ok went into the buterie to fetch him some drink , he took his opportunity to throw that poyson into a m●ss of grue●● , which was prepared for the b●shops dinner ; and after he had stayed there awhile , went his way : but so it happened , that when the bishop was called unto his dinner , he had no app●tite to any meat , but wished his servants to fall to , and be of good chear , and that he would not eat till towards n●ght : the servants being set to dinner , they that did eat of that poysoned dish were miserably infected , whereof one gentleman , nam●d mr. bennet carwin , and an old widow ▪ died sodainly , and the rest never recovered their healths till their dying day . the person that did this wicked deed , was afterwards , for the same offence , boyled alive in smithfield , in the 22. yeare of k. henry's reign . shortly after this , there happened another great danger to him in this same house , by reason of a cannon bullet that was sh●t thorough his house , close by his study window ( where he was used to spend much time in pr●y●r and holy meditations ) which made such a horrible noyse and clutter , as it went thorough , that all the house were suddenly amazed ; upon enqu●ry made from whence this mischief shou●d proceed , it was f●und out how that it came from the other si●e of the river , ●nd out of the e●●le of 〈◊〉 house , father to the la●dy anne bullein , which being told unto the b●shop , he cal●ed all his se●vants before him , and said u●to th●m , let a trusse up ou● baggage and be gone , this is no place for us to abide in any longer ; so he set forwards in his j●urn●y towards 〈◊〉 . 〈…〉 co●spiracies w●re contrived by the k●ng● consent , or p●ivity , it is not handsome to determine , being 〈…〉 words against him at his table , & els●where ; which words ●xperience tel● us how too great 〈◊〉 may often take so large commission from them , as to attemp● such things as are beyond the nature of their warrant . the bishop , now come to rochester , f●ll to his old accustomed manner of frequent preaching , visiting the sick , converting the seduced , and for his recreation , he would sometimes go and see his workmen whiles they w●re employed in the reparation of rochester 〈◊〉 : upon which he had bestowed great cost ; ●ut 〈◊〉 had not long remained in those pa●ts , but he was robbed almost of all his plate by thieves in the night-time , who brake into his manour house of halling , n●are rochester , which being perceived in the morning by his servants , they were all in great perplexity , and pursued the thieves as well as they could , and following them thorough the wood , the thieves le● fall severall pieces of plate , through the great hast which they had made in flying , so that they brought some of the plate back ●gain before the bishop had heard of the losse of any ; but the bp. coming downe to his dinner , perceived an unwonted kinde of heavinesse and sadnesse in their countenances , insomuch that he asked them what was the matter ? they seeming unwilling to relate the story , and looking upon one another who should begin , he commanded them to inform him of the cause of such d●straction , assuring them that he was armd for all adventures ( deeming it to be some great matter ) but when they had given a full relation of the whole businesse , and how they had recovered some of the ▪ plate back again ; the bish. replyed , if this be all , we have more cause to rejoice that god hath restored to us some , than to be discontented that wicked men have taken away any for the least favour of god almighty is more to be esteemed than all the evill ( which the devil and all his wicked instruments can doe unto us ) is to be valued , wherefore let us sit down and be merry , thank god it is no worse , and look ye better to the rest . chap. xv. 1. the kings agents are returned from rome with sufficient matter of vexation to the clergie . 2. the king calls another parliament . 3. the whole clergie are condemned in a praemunire . 4. the king laies hold on that advantage to make himself head of the church . 5. the bishop of rochester his most admirable speech upon that occasion , whereupon the proposition was rejected . 6. the king persists in his demand . by this time the kings agents , which were sent to rome , were returned with sufficient matter wherewith to ve● the whole clergie ; for they had learned our how that there had been a priviledge formerly granted from the see of rome , no legate de latere should enter the realme of england , except he were first sent for by the king ; now it happened that cardinall wolsey ( either ignorant , or forgetfull of this priviledge , or perhaps thinking he might doe any thing without the kings consent , or procu●ement ) procured of , and for himselfe , the power legantine from the pope that then was ; but though the cardinall had exercised that authority for the space of divers yeares , without the kings consent or privity , yet at the length ( perceiving his own errour , and the danger he was in ( if the kings favour , which was no inheritance , should chance to sl●ck its sailes ) and perhaps how merrily the whe●le of fortune began to turn about ) he so wrought ( formerly ) with the king , that he procured a confi●mation thereof under the great seal of england , as well for that which was past , as that which was to come , which the king full well remembring , thought the cardinall too hard for him ; howsoever he was resolved he would be too hard for the cardin●ll , and knowing that nothing stood between him and the mark he aimed a● , but the reduction of this cardinall to the statuquo wherein he had him once safe enough , he so deales with a servant then belonging to the cardinall , and in great truth about him , that by his meanes he regained the foresaid ratification under the great seal , into his own hands , and then to work he went. and accordingly he summoned another parliament to beg●n upon the 16. day of february , in the year of our lord god 1530. in which pa●liament divers heinous matters were propounded against the ●lergy , as a praeludiū of the winds to the ensuing tempest ; then an account was given up in parliament of 100000 l. charges which the king had been at to obtain so many inst●uments from forraign universities concerning the businesse of the divorce : all which expences they said the king had been at through the falshood and dissimulation of the cardinall , and certain others of the chief of the clergie ; all which was demanded of the clergie , that they should make all good unto the king ; but when this business began to be propounded to the convocation of divin●s , it was there opposed , & especially by the lord b. of roche●ster , who said u●to the kings orators , that it was not their faults , as they were there the body representative of the clergie , that the king had been at any charges at all concerning that businesse , for to his knowledge the clergie were generally against it , that any such matter should at all be brought in question , and that if any such faulty persons were amongst them , it is fit they should be questioned , and compelled to give his majesty , satisfaction ; whereupon they all sl●tly denied upon any such score to make any restitution at all . then the king ( more ●urio●sly than ever ) called the whole clergie into the kings bench , and sued the cardinall , together with the whole clergie in a praemunire , for receiving and acknowledging the power l●gan●ine of the cardinal : which objection , whiles th● card , thought with as easie a grace to w●sh off of him , as the proud swan to sl●de so much water off of his back ( like the bastard eagle called hali●t●●s he was drowned under the waves ( because , like the true eagle , he poized not his prey before he offered to carry it ) by catching after a fish , which was heavier than he could carry ; and so they were all condemned upon the statute of king richard the second in a praemunire . thu● the k. was put into a capacity of imprisoning whom , or as many of them as he pleased , or to enter into , or upon what goods or possessions of theirs he had a minde unto : whereupon the clergie first fallen under the kings heavie displeasure , and now not being willing to abide the further danger of his displeasure under his justice , sued unto him for mercy , declaring unto him their willingnes● to pay the 100000 l. upon his indemnity , which the king promised unto them , excepting the cardinall and some others . but the businesse of the divorce s●uck so indig●stedly in the kings stomach , that before he wo●ld either divorce them from their feares , or marry them to their former securities , he wished them all to repair unto their house of convocation , and there he would propound unto them a businesse , which if they would condescend unto , then they should finde that he would be unto them a gracious prince ; which when they were assembled in the place ●ppointed , such a business was propounded to them , as never was propounded by men since there was a congregation of mankinde , viz. that they should acknowl●dge the king to be the supreme head of the church which was propounded chi●fly by mr. thomas audel●y , ( who after sir thomas moore had given over his place , was created lord chanc●lour of england ) and that with such mix●ure of faire promises , and threatni●g● together , that many of the convocation thought themselves in a capacity neither of refusing any thing that shou●d be demanded of them by the king , nor of consul●ing of what was , or was not to be granted ; whereupon divers of the convocation upon ●canning of the businesse , were in a readinesse to promote the kings designe ; and few there were that durst open their mouthes to speak their mind● freely : wher●upon the athanasius of the clergie , this ●●out prelate , of whom we treat , thus took the busi●esse into consideration . my lords , it is true , we are all under the kings lash and stan● in need of the kings good favour and clemency ; yet this argues not that we should therefore doe that which will render us both ri●iculous and contempti●le to all the christian world , and ●issed out from the society of gods holy cath●lique church ; for what good will that be to us to k●●p the p●ss●ssion of our houses , cloysters , and covents & to lose the society of the christian world ? to preserve our goods and lose our consciences ? wherefore , my lords , i pray let us consider what we doe , and what it is we are to grant , the dangers and inconvenien●●s that will ensue thereupon , or whether it lies in our powers to grant what the king requireth at our hands or whether the king be an apt person to receive this power ▪ that so we may go groundedly to work and not like men that had lost all honesty and wit , together with their worldly fo●tune . as con●erning the first point , v●z . what the supremacy of the church is , which we are to give unto the king : it is to exercise the spirituall government of the church in chief , which according to all that ever i have learned , both in the gospel , and th●ough the whole cou●se of divinity , mainly consists in these two points . 1. in loosing and binding sinners , according to that which our saviour sai● unto st. peter , when he ordained him head of his church , viz. to thee will i give the keyes of the kingdome of heaven . now my lords , can we say unto the king , tibi , to thee will i give the keyes of the kingdome of heaven ? if you say i , where is your wa●rant ? if you say no , then you have answered your selves , that you cannot put such keyes into his hands . secondly , the supreme government of the church consists in feeding christs sheep and lambs , according unto that , when our saviour performed that promise unto peter , of making him his universall sheepherd ; by such unlimited jurisdiction , feed my lambs , and not onely so , but feed those that are the feeders of those lambes , feed my sheep : now my lords , can any of us say unto the king , pasce oves ? god hath given unto his church some to be apostles , some evangelists , some pastors , some doctors , that th●y might edifie the body of christ , so that you must make the king one of these , before you can set him one over these , and when you have made him one of these supreme heads of the church , he must be such a head as may be answerable to all the members of christs body ; and it is not the few ministers of an island that must constitute a head over the vniverse , or at least by such example , we must allow as many heads over the church , as there are soveraigne powers within christs dominion , and then what will become of the supremacie ? every member must have a hea● ; attendite vobis , was not said to kings , but bishops . secondly , let us consider the inconveniences that will arise upon this grant ; we cannot grant this unto the king , but we must renounce our unity with the see of rome ; and if there were no further matter in it ▪ than a renouncing of clement the seventh ( pope thereof ) then the matter were not so great : but in this we do forsake the first four generall counsells , which none ever forsook , we renounce all canonicall and ecclesiastical laws of the church of c●rist ; we renounce all other christian princes ; we renounce the vnity of the christian world , and so leap out of peters ship to be d●owned in the wave of all heresies , sects , schismes and divisions . for the first and generall counsell of nice acknowledged silv●ster ( the bishop of rome ) his authority to be over them , by sending their decrees to be ratified by him . the cou●sel of constantinople did acknowledge pope 〈◊〉 to be their chief , by admitting him to give sentence against the heretiques , m●cidonius , s●bellinus , and e●nomius . the counsell of ephesus acknowledged pope celestin to be their cheif iudge , by admitting his condemnati●n upon the heretique ne●torius . the counsell of chalcedon acknowledged pope leo to be their chief head , and all generall counsells of the world ever acknowledged the pope of rome ( onely ) to be the supreme head of the church , and now shall we acknowledge another head , or one head to be in england , and another in rome ? thirdly , we deny all canonicall and ecclesiasticall lawes , which wholy doe depend upon the authority of the apostolic●ll see of rome . furthly , we renounce the judgement of all other christian princes , whether they be protestants , or catholiques , i●wes , or gentiles , for by this argument herod must have been head of the church , of the iewes ; nero must have been head of the church of christ ; the emperour must be head of the protestant countreys in germany , and the church of christ must have had never a head till about 300. yeares after christ. fifthly , the kings majesty is not sus●●ptible of this donation : ozias for medling with the priests office , was resisted by az●rias , thrust out of the temple , and told that it belonged not to his o●●ice : now if the priest spake truth in this , then is not the king to meddle in this businesse ; if he spoke amisse , why did god plagu● the king with leprosie for this , and not the priest ? king david , when the ark of god was in bringing home , did he place himself in the head of the priests order ? did he so much as touch the ark or ex●cute any the least , properly belonging to the 〈…〉 ? or did he not rather go be●ore , and abase himselfe amongst the people , and s●y that he would become yet more vile , so that god might be glorified ? all goo● christi●n emp●rours have evermore refused 〈◊〉 authority ; for at the first generall counsel of nice , certaine bills were privily brought unto constantine , to be ordered by his authority , but he caused them to be burnt , saying , dominus 〈◊〉 constituit , &c. god hath ordained you ( priest● ) and hath given you power to be iudges over us , and therefore by right in these things we are to be ju●ged by you , but you are not to be judged by me . valentine , the good emperour , was required by the bishops to be but present with them to reform the heresie of the arians ▪ but he answered , forasmuch as i am one of the m●mbers of 〈◊〉 lay-people , it is not lawfull for me to define such controvers●●s , but let the pri●sts , to whom not to separate our selves from such a one . if we answer , th●t the church of rome is not of god , but a malignant church then it will ●ollow , that we the inhabitants of this land , have not as yet received the true faith of christ ; seeing we have not rec●ived any other gospel , any other do●trine , any other sacraments , than what we have received from her , as most evidently appears by all the e●cl●siastical histories : wherefore if she be a malignant church , we have been deceived all this while , and if to renounce the common father of christendome , all the g●nerall counsels , ●specially the first four , which none renounce , all the c●untr●ys of christendome , whether they be 〈…〉 countreys or protestant , be to forsake the vnity of the christian world then is the granting of the supremacy of the ch●●ch unto the king , a renouncing of the vnity , 〈◊〉 of the s●amlesse coat of christ in 〈◊〉 a divid●ng of the mystical body of ch●●st 〈◊〉 spouse limb 〈…〉 , and tayle to tayle lik● 〈…〉 , to set the field of christs holy church all on 〈◊〉 : and this is it which we are about , wherefore let it be said unto you in time an not too late , look yov to that . this sp●ech so wrought with the whole convoc●●●on that all 〈◊〉 were laid aside , and such an a●mour of resolution generally put upon the whole body there assembled , that come what come would , all was rej●cted , and the kings purpose for that time clearly frustrated . but the king desi●ted not , notwithstanding all this but sent his orators to the convocation-house , to put them in mind of the dangers they were in , and to acquaint them with the k●ngs heavy displeasure against them , for denying him so reasonable a demand , both which particulars they aggravated and set forth to the high●st advantage ; but it was answered , that they were sensible enough of that which they had said ; and for the kings displeasure they were very sorrowfull , because they could not help it , wherefore if they must ( they said ) suffer , they must be contented . the king having in vain thus attempted the fury of the wind , in bereaving these travellers of this upper garm●nt of the church : he now makes triall what the policy of the sun will do . wherefore the king sent for divers of the chief leading men of the convocation , as well bishops as others , to come unto him at his palace of westminster ; at whose first entrance into his presence , he shines upon them such a gracious look , as if all the ra●●s of majesty had beene bestowed upon them by that aspect ; and courts them with the sof●●st , mild , and gentlest words , as that p●ssibly he could use , protesting unto them upon the word of a k●ng ▪ that if they would acknowledge and 〈◊〉 him for sup●●me head of the chu●ch of england he would never , by vertue of that g●ant , ●ssume unto himself any more pow●r , ju●isdict on , or ●uthority over them , than all other th●kings of england , his 〈◊〉 , had forme●●y assumed ; nei●her wou●d he t●ke upon him to p●omulg● , or 〈◊〉 any new spiritual law , or ex●rcise any 〈◊〉 jurisdiction , or interm●ddle himself among them in altering , changing , ord●ring or judging in any sp●ritual businesse whatsoever : wherefore ( said he ) i having made you th●s frank promise , i exp●ct that you should deale with m● according●y : and so he dismissed them to consi●er of this businesse amongst thems●lv● , and to g●ve his orators an accou●t thereof in the house the next morning . chap. xvi . 1. the bishops consult what course to take . 2. the bishop of roch●ster proposeth unt● them a parable , whereupon they all break off in confusion . 3. the kings o●ators repaire unto the co●●ocation to know the clergies fin● determ●nation in the busin●sse . 4. the bishop of r●chester's sp●ech unto the kings orators . 5. the orators reply unto the bishops speech . 6. the headship of the church gra●te● unto the king upo● conditions , the conditions rejected , at last accepted of . the bishops , &c. as soon as they were departed the kings presence , retired themselves to a place of privacy , to consider with themselves what were best to be done , and what account and advice they should give unto the rest of the clergie : some of them were apt enough to think the businesse now pretty faire , seeing that the king had promised fairly ; but because my lord of rochester was the onely man that most stickled in this businesse , they all asked his opinion herein , in the first place ; who soon answered them with this parable , thus stands the case my ma●ters , the heart upon a tim● s●id unto the members of the body , l●t me also be your head , and i will promise you that i will neither see , nor heare , nor smell , nor speak , but i will close , and shu● mine eyes and eares , and mouth , and nostrills , and will excecute no other offices than a meere heart should do ; whereupon all hopes of reconciliation upon that trust and w●yes of satis●action was soon nipp'd in the bud , and they all broke off in confusion with ●●d hearts . the next day the orators came to the house of convocation , to know the clergies reso●ution in the businesse repeating unto the whole hous the words which the day before his maj. had spoken unto some of them , and that over & over : and moreover , saying unto them , that if they should now oppose themselves against his maj. this businesse , it must needs declare a gr●at mistr●st●ulnesse which they had in the kings words , s●eing he had made unto them so solemne and high an oath ; which words of theirs pressed so home , and followed so close , with all the specious arguments , and fairest promises that could be imagined , st●ggered indeed some , but sil●nced all , excepting him who is the subject of this history , who ( after that he had earnestly required of the lords to take good heed what they did , and to consider the manifold michiefs and inconveniencies that would ●n●ue unto the whole church of christ ( if they should condescend to any such request ) applying himself unto the kings orators , he spake thus unto them . it is true , the king was graciously pleased to protest thus and thus : what if the king should alter his minde , where is our remedy ? what if the king will execute the supremacy , must we sue unto the head to forbeare being head ? againe , this dignity is invested in him , his successors will expect the same , and the parliament will ( questionlesse ) anne● that dignity to the crowne : what if a woman should succeed to the crowne , must she be head of the church ? what if an infant should succeed , can he be head ? this were not only ( said he ) to make the church no church , but the scripture no scripture , and at last iesus to be no christ. to the which sayings , the orators replyed , that the king had no such meaning ▪ as he doubted ( repeating againe his royall protestation ) and further said , that though the supremacy were granted unto his m●j●sty simply , and absolutely , according to his demand ; yet it must needs be understood , or so tak●n , that he can h●ve no farther power or authority thereby , than quantum per legem dei licet ; and then if a temporall prince can have no such authority by gods lawes ( as his lor●ship hath declared ) what needeth the forecasting of so many doubts ? the b●shop of rochester ( perceiving the whole house to be much aff●cted with their manner of pleading , and fearing that they might desert him in the end , through ●ear and dread of the kings displeasure ) takes hold upon their last words , and thus speakes unto his majesti●s orators . g●ntlemen , you think that herein we stand too st●ff upon our owne legs , but it is not so , but on●ly in the defence of our owne , and your mother , the holy catholique church , in whose bosome you are , as well as we ; and the milk of whose breasts it is your p●rts to suck as well as ours , and within whose bl●ss●d commu●ion there is but one salvation , which is common u●to all ; wherefore , gentlemen , let it be your care that our tendernesse in this point be not misconstrued to the king : and now , as to this demand , that his m●jesty , and you all , may plainly see , that we shall ( to please his maj●sty ) do the u●termost of wha● lie● within ou● p●wer in that 〈◊〉 ; let all that which his majesty hath protested , and so solemnly taken his o●th upon , be ●●cord●d , and the words quantum per l●g●m 〈◊〉 be in●erted in the grant ( which is no otherw●●● than what the king and you your selves have faithfully promised and protested ) and for my part it shall be granted . whereupon the or●tors went away as well 〈◊〉 , and made a report of all that had happened in the convocation house unto the king ▪ whereat the king was highly offended , and said unto them . mother of god , you have 〈◊〉 p●etty prank , i thought to have made fooles of the●● , and now you have so ordered the businesse , that they are likely to make a foole of me , as they have done of you already : got unto them again , and let me have the businesse p●ssed without any qu●ntum's , or tantum'● ; i will have no quantum's nor no tantum ' s in the businesse , but l●t it be done . whereupon , imme●i●t●ly they returned to the convocation house , calling and crying ou● upon them with open and co●tinuall clamour , to have the grant pass absolutely , and to credit the kings honour , who had made unto them so solemne an oath and protestation , falling into disputation with the bishops , how farre a temporall princes power was over the clergie ; but the bishops soon disputed them into having nothing else to say , but whosoever would refuse to condescend to the kings demands herein , was not worthy to be accounted a true and loving subject , nor to have the benefit of such a one . after which , nothing could prevaile , for then the clergie answered with unanimous consent , and full resolution , that they neither could , nor would , grant unto the king the suprem●cy of the church , without those conditionall words quantem per legem dei licet , and so the orators departed , relating unto the king all that had passed , who seeing no other remedy , accepted it with that condition , granting unto the clergie a pardon for their bodies and goods , paying him ●00000 l. which was paid every penny . chap. xvii . 1. how campeius related the whole businesse of the divorce unto the pope , and was blamed for the same . 2. the king send● two doctors of the civil law with private c●mmissions to treat with the pope about the divorce . 3 ▪ the pope solemnly ratifies the marriage . 4. the sentence it self . but we cannot well go on with our history , except we fi●st arive our discourse within the gates of rome , to observe what account cardinall campeius had given unto the pope of all these proceedings , which was no otherwise than what had passed directly here in england , which being related to his holinesse by the cardinall , the pope blamed him exceedingly , for that he had not over-ruled queen katharine , to have waved her appeale , whereby the businesse might have been determined within the kings own dominious ; for which cause-●ake he sent him thither . so sl●ppery is the g●ound whereon m●nisters of state do set their feet in any busin●ss● , that his businesse would doe right well , to make a separation between them by his definitive sentence : the pope demanded to see their commission and authority which they had to treat with him ; they answered , that the ki●g was by this time grown somewhat unruly , and that therefore what they did ▪ they did it upon their own score , and for the love-sake which they bare unto the common good of the 〈◊〉 church , and for the peace and unity-●ake thereof . then the pope demanded of them to see the certificate under the b●sh●ps 〈◊〉 , whereby it might appeare that they had so consented : to which they answered , that they had no such certificate for the present , but that they expected such a certific●te daily to come unto them , together with a commission to treat with his holinesse . whereupon his holinesse bad them expe●t . all this while the king was framing a new model of a church , and sent these men over on purpose , if it were p●ssible , to retard all proceeding at rome , untill such time , as by a new court of judicature , under a new supremacy , the marriage should have been adjudged 〈◊〉 , b●fore the popes 〈◊〉 of ratification ( which was feared ) should have made it good . all which policies and workings here in england , you must not imagine them of rome to be ignorant of . wherefore the pope takes the best and most substantiall advise that could be given him , and calls unto him , not onely his cardinalls , &c. but the most able canonists and divines that could be heard of , and consults with the most famous universities , procuring the censures of the most famous men that had written of this case ; among the rest , the two books of the before-mentioned d● . tunstall bishop of london , and this out dr. fisher bishop of rochester ; ( of which ●ast book ( if you will believe that reverend and famous clerk , alphonso de castro ) it is said of him to be the most excellent and learned of all other works ) and at last , after diligent examination of the businesse , 〈◊〉 himself in his tribunall seat , and open consistory , by assent and counsel of his 〈◊〉 , the card●●al● , pronounced this definitive 〈◊〉 in the cause : the words begin as followeth ▪ clemens papa septimus . christi nomine invocato , in throno justitiae pro tribunali sedentes , &c. which in english is thus . pope clement the seventh . we invocating the name of christ , and having for our tribunall the throne of iustice , and the glory of the almighty god onely before our eyes ; by this our definitive sentence ( which by the counsell and assent of our venerable brethren , the cardinalls of the holy church of rome , assembled before us in consistory ) we doe in these writings pronounce , decree , and declare , in the cause and causes , lawfully devolved upon us , and the see apostolique , by an appeal ( brought before us ) of our welbeloved daughter in christ , catharine , queen of england , from the judgements of the legates , deputed by , and sent from us , and the see apostolique , between the foresaid queen catharine , and our welbeloved sonne in christ , henry the eight , the most illustrious king of england , upon the validity and invalidity of the matrimony between them , contracted and consummated , and upon other matters more largely deduced in the acts of such like cause or causes , and committed to our son paulus capissuchus , then dean of the causes of our h●ly palace ▪ and in his absence to our reverend father symoneta b●shop of pausa●ia , supplying the place of one of our aud●tors of 〈◊〉 said palace , to be heard , intrust●d and in our consistory to be repor●ed ▪ and by them to us ; and the said 〈…〉 , and maturely discuss●d du●●ng the time of the matter 〈…〉 , that the matrimony co●tract●● 〈◊〉 the sa●d queen catharin● and k. henry of england , with all 〈…〉 of the same , was , and is , cano●●call , and of good force , and that they may and ought to enjoy to them their due effects , and that the ●ss●e between them heretofore born , or hereafter to be born , was , and shall be , l●gitimate , and that the ●oresa●d king henry , ought is , and shall be ●ound and obliged , to cohabit ▪ and dwell with the said queen catharine his lawfull wife ▪ and to entreat her with all husbandly aff●ction , and kingly honour ; and that the said king henry is condemned , and by all remedies of law is to be restrained , and c●mpelled as we do condemn constraine , and compell him , to accompl●sh and ●ulfill all , and singular the premises ●ff●ctually ; and that the molestat●o●s and r●fusalls by the foresaid king henry , by any manner of wayes made to the said queene catharine touching the in●alid●ty of the s●id matrimony , and alwaies from the beginning were unlawfull , and 〈◊〉 ; and that perpetuall silence 〈◊〉 all the foresaid matters , and 〈…〉 of the said matrimony 〈…〉 unto the said henry , and 〈…〉 it ; and that the said king henry of england be condemned , and we doe condemn him , in the expences lawfully made before us and our said brethren , in such case , on the behalf of the said queen catharine ; the taxation of which expences we reserve to our selve till another time : so we have pronounced . this was published in the palace of rome , in open consistory , the 23. of march in the year of our lord god , 1534. two men must be thanked for this ( wolsey and fisher ) and these two men must be met withall , whereby they may receive their payment : for the first , we leave him to his owne story , or some others on his behalf : the second is the subject of my pen , and how they found out him , the following chapter must relate . chap. xviii . 1. the various rumour of the people concerning the divorce . 2. the history of the holy maid of kent . 3. div●rs persons of quality executed as traitors concerning her and the bishop of rochester , &c. convicted of misprision of treason for the same cause . 4. a new parliament called . 5. the marriage between the king and queen katharine pronounced null by archbishop cranmer . 6. a new oath made and tendred to both houses of parliament , &c. all take it excepting the bishop of rochester . at the time when the kingdome began to be divided ( when the king was about to make the divorce between him and his wife , as the first act of his supremacy ) and to talk too busi●● , some in favour of the king , but most of the queen : it happened , that one elizabeth barton , a young maiden borne in kent , at a plac● called court , at street , declared unto sundry persons that she had lately received certain visi●ns and revelations , concerning the kings proceedings in this matter of d●vorce ; and as sh● thought , they came from god , and often falling into a trance ▪ she would declare , how that the k●ngs 〈◊〉 away his wife would be a m●anes to bring in 〈…〉 land , and that 〈…〉 〈…〉 his wife , should never have co●fo●t in any other ; that whatsoever he did , yet the daughter of this q●een should reign ; and bec●use he deprived 〈◊〉 mother ▪ the 〈◊〉 cathol que church , of so many chi●dren ▪ all his child●●n should die 〈◊〉 , and himselfe comfortlesse , leaving an ●●nominious name and fame 〈◊〉 him to the w●rlds end . to this and the like 〈◊〉 she would ●tter words , which were too wonderfull to proceed ordinarily from so simple a reputed woman . first , she communicated these v●sions , &c. to one m ▪ richard mayster parson of aldington in kent , whose penitent she was . this al●ington advised her to go to mr. edward bocking dr. of d●vinity , and a monk of christ-church in canterbury ; a man that was ●amous , both for learning and devotion , who sent for one mr. iohn deering , another monk of the same house ; all these advised her to go● to the archbishop of canterbu●y doctor warham , and to take his adv●se therein , and to follow his direction ; who ( as it was conceived , being conscious of the great ill-w●ll of the people which he had drawn upon h●mself , by being so great a furtherer of the d●vorce , and of the inevitable changes and alterations in r●ligion , which he then saw evidently to ensue ●●rough his so much compliance with the king ) shortly after discoursed with this maid , died of grief . after whose departure from this life , the king ( by vertue of his supremacy ) appointed ●ranmer to be archb●shop of canterbury . this womans fame did so spread it self abroad over the whole kingdome , as that she was resorted unto by multitudes of p●ople , and called by them the holy maid of k●nt , whose vertues were exceedingly ex●olled by the preachings of mr. henry gold bachelour in divinity , and a learned man ; father hugh rich warden of the ●riars observants in canterbu●y , and richard risby of the same house ; and having gone her perambulation to the charter-house of london , and sheane , thence to the nunnery of sion , and thence to the friars of richmond , canterbury , and greenwich , at last she came to the king himself and before him declared her minde fully and plainly ( with whom , as she had quiet audience , so she had peaceable departure ) at last she came unto the bishop of rochester , dr : iohn adeson his chaplain , and dr. thomas bell , sometimes the queenes chaplaine , who , as a rarity , admitted her to come before them to heare what she would say , as all men else had done ; and now ( and not till now ) was this businesse looked upon as a matter of dangerous consequence : the kings counsel were call'd together to consult about it , who were divided amongst themselves concerning her ; some were for letting her alone , as knowing not what to make of her ; others were for rigour and cruelty to be shewed against her : in the end forbearance was laid aside , and severity was to take its place , which sentenced it to be a traiterous conspiracy between the maid and some that were chief of the clergie , to bring the king and his government into contempt , and hatred with his people , whereby to encourage them to tumults and insurrections : wherefore the king sent for his judges , and certain others which were servient to the law , and propounded the case unto them , acquainting them with that which every one had done , desiring to know their opinions therein : who sitting in long consultation , at last they made result , that elizabeth barton , edward bockings , iohn deering monks . richard maysters , henry gold priests . hugh rich , and richard risby friars minors , where all by the law in case of high treason , that my lord of rochester , dr. adeston , dr. abel , &c. b●cause they were not the fi●st contrivers of the matter , but concealers of the thing , were on●ly in the case of misprision of treason , viz. losse of goods , and imprisonment of their bodies , during the kings pleasure : and thus the king got the opinion of the judges , but not so home ( it was conceived ) as he expected . this being done , all the forementioned persons , opin'd to be within the case of high treason , were attached and carried to lambeth before the new arch-bishop ( cranmer ) where , after they had been examined by him , & others of the commissioners , and charged with treason , fiction , and hypocrisie , fa●sehood , dissimulation , and conspiracy , tumults , rebellion , and insurrection : they were all sent to the tower. thus the king got the parties into prison . which being done , the king called a parliament in the 25 ▪ year of his reigne , to be held at westminster upon the 15. day of ianuary , where they were all attainted of high treason , the maid judged to b● hanged and head●d at tyburne , the rest to be hanged and qu●rtered alive ; the bishop of rochester , dr. ad●son , dr. abel thomas , register to the archdeacon of cant. and e●ward thwaites gent. convicted of misprision of treason ; of which conviction ( being it was no more ) the bishop of rochester for that time , got himself cleared , paying unto the king three hundred pounds . a little before this parliament sate , the archbishop of canterbury ( cranmer ) had decreed ( which decree was made at dunstable ) that the foresaid marriage solemnized between the king and the lady katharine , was clearly and absolutely against the lawes of almighty god , and that it ought to be accepted , reputed , and taken as of no value or effect , but utterly void to all intents and purposes ; and that the marriage which was to be had and solemniz●d between the king and the lady anne bullein , ought to be taken as undoubtedly true , si●cere , and perfect ; which marriage ( carrying with it the soveraign imfortunity of all second marriages ) being compleated , the same parliament enacted a statu●e , which declared the establishment of the kings succession in the imperiall crowne , to be upon the issue which he was to have by the present queene anne , ratifying whatsoever the foresaid archbishop of canterbury had decreed , and disinheriting the issue which the king had by the foresaid lady katharine , from all title to the foresaid crowne and government ; or that if any person of what state and condition soever , shall , by writing , printing , or any exteriour act or deed , procure , or doe any thing to the prejudice , slander , disturbance , or de●ogation of the said matrimony , or the issue growing of the same , every such person shall be deemed and adjudged as an high traitour , and suffer such punishment as in case of high treason is provided ; and for the better keeping of this act , the kings majesty , together with his counsellours , of their owne authority , framed an o●th upon the breaking up of this parliament ( which was upon the 30. day of ma●ch ) and tendred it the same day to all the lords , both spirituall and temporall , as likewise to all the commons , and was to be tendred to whom the commissioners ( for the same purpose ) should call before them , the words of which oath were these , viz. ye shall swear to beare faith , truth , and all obedience , onely to the kings majesty , and to his heires of his body , and of his most dear and entirely beloved wife queen anne , begotten , and to be begotten , and further to the heires of our soveraigne lord , according to the limitation made in the statute , for surety of his succession in the crown of this realm , mentioned and contained , and not to any other within this realme , nor to any other forraign authority , or potentate whatsoever : and in case any oath be made , or hath been made by you , to any person or persons , that then ye doe repute the same as vaine , and annihilate , and that to your cunning , wit , and utmost endeavours , ye shall observe , keep , maintain , and defend the said act of succession : all the whole effects and intents thereof , and all other acts and statutes , made in confirmation and for ex●cution of the same , or any thing therein contained : and this ye shall do against all manner of persons , of what estate , dignity , degree , or condition soever they be ; and in no wise do , or attempt , nor to your power suffer to be done , or attempted , directly , any thing , or things , privily , or openly , to the let , hindrance , danger , or derogation thereof ; or if any part of the same , by any manner of meanes , or any manner of pretences : so help you god , and all his saints , and the holy evangelist . which oath , all the lords , both spirituall and temporall , took , except the bishop of rochester , who absolutely refused it : so the parliament was ended . but the said bishop had not been 4 daies quiet within his palace of rochester , but a letter came to him from the archbishop of canterbury , together with other of the commissioners , willing him personally to appear before them in the said archbishops house , by a certain day expressed within the letter , all excuses set a part . and chap. xix . 1. the bishop of rochester summoned to appear before the archbishop of canterbury . 2. sir thomas m●or , and dr. wilson committed for refusing the oath . 3. the bishop of rochester sent to the tower for the same cause . 4. a parliament is called , wherein the bishops imprisonment was voted lawfull . 5. the supremacy of the church conferred upon the king , &c. by act of p●●liament , absolutely ▪ and w●●●out the fo●mer clause . 6. an act 〈◊〉 parliament making i● treason to deny the king to be supreme head of the church . now was the thing come to passe , which was no●hing terrible to him , because it was foreseen : wherefore he first makes his will , and leaves severall l●gacies to divers persons and uses , as to michael house in cambridge , where he received his education , to st. iohns colledge , to the poore , to some of his 〈…〉 to all his servants , whom he leaves weeping behinde him , whiles the rest followed him ( lam●nting his condition ) in his journey towards lambeth . passing thorough the city of rochester , there were a mult●tude of p●ople gathered together , both citizens and countreymen , to whom he gave his benediction , riding by them all the while b●●eheaded : some crying , that they should never see him again ; others denouncing woes unto them that were the oc●asions of his troubles ; others crying out against the wickednesse of the times , and all of them lamenting and bewailing that wh●ch was their miserie , and his glory : thus he passed on his way till he came to sutors hill , twenty miles from rochester , on the top whereof , he rested himself , descending from his horse ▪ and causing to be brought before him such victuals as he had caused to be brought thither for that purpose : he said , he would now make use of his time , and dine in the open aire while as he might : after which dinner he chearfully took his horse , and came to london the same night . the day of his appearance being come , he presented himselfe before the archbishop of canterbury ( at lambeth ) the lord audely chancelour of england , thomas cromwell the kings secretary , and the rest of the commissioners , authorised under the great seale of england , to call before them whom they pleased , and to tender unto them the foresaid oath ( then sitting at lambeth ) where , at the same tune , the bishop met with sir thomas moore , who welcomed and saluted the bishop in these termes , well met my lord , i hope we shall meet in heaven : to which the bishop replyed , this should be the way , sir thomas , for it is a very strait gate we are in . there had been doctor wilson , sometime the kings confessor , who , together with sir thomas moore , had both of them refused the oath a little before the b●shops coming , for which the knight was committed for the present to the custody of the abbot of westminster , as the doctor had been formerly committed to the tower of london ; at which time also , the clergie of london were warned to appeare about the same businesse , who all of them took the oath at the same time : then was it that the b●shop of r●chester was called before the archb●shop , &c. who ( putting the b●sh●p in remembrance of the act which was made by the late parliament ( wh●ch had provided an o●th to be administred to all persons within this r●alm , concerning the establ●shment of the succession , &c. ) how all the lords , both spirituall and temporall , had taken the said oath , onely himself excepted , how grievo●sly his majesty was offended with him therefore , how he had g●ven strict charge to himself and the rest of the commissioners , to call him before them , and to tender unto him the oath once more , presented unto him the oath , laying it before him , and demanded of him what he would say thereto : the good man p●rusing it awhile requested that he might have some tim● to consid●r upon it ; the commissioners consulting with themselves awhile , granted him five daies to co●sider upon it , and so dismissing him for the present : whence he departed to his owne house in lambeth marsh. during which small time of his abode there , there came divers of h●s friends , rather to take their leaves of , th●n to v●sit him : among which , one mr. seton , and mr. bransby , substitutes of the masters and fellows of the two c●l●edges , to which he had shewed himself so much their friend , partly to salute him in the name of the two societies , and partly to d●sire his confirmation of their statutes under his seale which he had drawn long before ; but the bishop desired to have some further time to consider of them , as he intended ; alas , said the two g●●tlemen , we fear your time is now too short to read them before you go to prison ; it is no matter , said the b●shop , then i will read them in prison : that will hardly be permitted ( said the trustees ) if you come once there ; then gods will be done ( said the bishop ) for i shall hardly be drawn to put my seale to that which i have not well considered of ; howsoever ( said he ) if the worst should happen , there is mr. cowper ( a worthy reverend man , and a bachelour in divinity ) that hath the copy of the same statutes , which i have , if i do not , or cannot , according to my desire , peruse them , i will give it you under my seale , that if you like them that shall be unto you a confirmation ; for i am p●rswaded , that one time or other , those statutes will take place ; and accordingly it hapned , for when this master cowper ( long after the imprisonment and death of the b●shop of rochester , and the change and alteration of the times , which had made rel●gion , lords , and lawes , all new ) commi●ted this book of statutes to the custody of one m. t : watson ( a man that afterwards came to great honor & estimation for his profound learning , & was afterwards elected to the mastership o● s. iohn's colledge , and afterwards to the bishoprick of london who ( as the b●shop of rochester foretold ) restored them to the house , who admitted them as their onely lawes whereby they were wholy governed , during the reign of queen mary . the time being come when the good bishop was to give an account of the premises , he presen●ed himself before the comm●ssioners , ●cqu●inting them how that he had perused the oath with as good deliberation as he could : but as they had framed it , he could not ( with any safety to his owne conscience ) subscribe thereto , except they would give him leave to alter it in some particulars , whereby his owne conscience might be the better satisfied : the king pleased , and his actions rather justified , and warranted by law. to this they all made answer , that the king would not in any wise permit that the oath should admit any exceptions or alterations whatsoever , and ( s●●d the bishop of canterbury ) you must answer directly ▪ whether you will , or you will not subscribe ; then ( said the bishop of rochester ) if you will needs have me answer directly , my answer is , that foasmuch as my own conscience cannot be satisfied , i absolutely refuse the oath . whereupon he was immediately sent to the tower of london , which was upon tuesday , the 26. of april in the year of our lord god , 1534. and upon the 25. year of the kings reign , being the last of his reign for that year . thus the remora to the kings proceedings ( in this kind ) being removed , the ship went merrily along ; for all things being fitted for a parliament , there was a parliament which was ●itted for all things immediately called , upon the 26. year of the kings reign , and upon the 23. day of novemb. which wrought above nine wonders , lasting but fifteen daies , wherein the bishop of rochester's imprisonment was voted lawfull , and all other men their imprisonments good and lawfull , that should refuse to take the foresaid oath ( which authority before was wanting ) also another statute was ●nacted , whereby the supremacy of the church of england was given unto the king ▪ his heires and successors , to have and enjoy the same , as a title and stile to his imperiall crown , with all honours , jurisdictions , authorities , and priviledges thereunto belonging , with full power and authority , as himselfe listeth , to visit , represse , redresse , reforme , order , correct , restraine , and amend all heresies , abuses , errors , and offences , whatsoever they were , as fully and as amply as the same might , or ought to be , done , or corrected , by any spirituall authority or jurisdiction whatsoever , and that without the clause or condition of quantum per legem dei lieet , which was as contrary to the kings promise to the convocation-house , as it was answerable to what the good bishop forewarned the cl●rgie of , whiles he 〈◊〉 amongst them . and thus whiles the k●ng acted the pope , the bishop became a prophet . this act being once passed , the king required them to passe another act , viz. that if any manner of person whatsoever , should , by word or deed , presume to deny the title of supremacy , that then every such person so offending , should be reputed and adjudged as an high traitour , and suffer and abide such losses and paines , as in ●ases of high treason is provided . chap. xx. 1. the king sends divers learned bishops to perswade with the bishop of rochester to take the oath . 2. the bishop of rochester answers unto the bishops . 3. sir thomas moore committed to the same prison . 4. the comfort which they received in each other . 5. their lettters intercepted , and the bishops man committed to close prison therefore . 6. the simple , yet m●rry question , which he ●ade thereupon . 7. the lord chancelour with divers other great lords sent by the king to perswade the bishop . but when that businesse came to be discussed in the parliament-house , the commons themselves began to think it a very hard law , an● full of rigour ; for ( said they ) a man may chance to say such a thing by way of discourse , or such a word may fall from a man negligently , or unawares ; all of them as yet not otherwise able but to think it a strange thing , that a man should die for saying the king was not the head of the church : which debate held them many daies ; at last the king sent them word , that except it could be proved that the party spake it malitiously , the statute should not be of any force to condemn : so the word maliciovsly was put in , and it passed currently , which afterwards served to as much purpose , as the words quantum per legem dei licet . and during the bishops hard and close imprisonment , the king ( as he had at several other times so done ) sent divers of the privi●-councel ( as well bishops as others ) to perswade the b●shop of rochester to take the oath of succ●ssion : after that the b●shop had suffered a great deale of rhetorique to come from them ▪ he thus spake unto them : my very good friends , and some of you my old acquaintance , i know you wish me no hurt , but a great deale of good ; and i doe believe , that upon the termes you speak of , might have the kings favour as much as ever . wherefore , if you can answer me to one question , i will p●rform all your desires . what 's that my lord , said one , and all of them ? it is this , said the bishop , what will it gain a man to win the whole world , and to lose his own soule ? whereupon , after some little talk , to no purpose , they all left him ; some of them wishing ( for their owne security ) that either they had him in the same danger that they were in , or else that they were endued with the same constancy of minde that he was of : now the same god which refused him comfort in his visitants , sent him the consolation of a fellow sufferer , which was sir thomas moore , the fame of the world , who was now sent to the same prison where he was , and for the same cause ; whereat he seemed to conceive no small joy ; to whom , as soon as opportunity would give leave , he sent ( by his man ) his most loving and heartly commendations , and received the like from him : between whom ( to their comforts ) there passed sundry letters for a while ▪ untill such time that there was notice taken thereof , and one of their letters intercept●d , and carried to the k●ng● councel ; which being read , although there was not in any part of 〈◊〉 least part of evil , yet was it taken in ●vil part ; and a great charge was given unto their keepers to restraine them from that lib●rty . the b●sh●ps man being clapt up ● close prisoner , and threatned to be hanged ( for carrying l●tters to sir thomas moore ) asked the keeper if there were another act of parliament come forth , whereby a man should be hanged for serving his master ? which coming from a man that was so noted for simplicity , set them into such ● laughter , that after a little examination , as how many letters he had carried , &c. he was set at liberty , with a strict charge given him , that he should carry no more letters . after the king had tried all other waies , he sent the lord chancelour audely , together with the duke of suffolk , the earle of wiltshire , secretary cromwell , and divers others of the councel , to the b●shop of roch●ster , to certifie him of the new law that was lately made concerning the kings supremacy , and the penalty thereof to them that should gainsay it , or withstand it ; and to know , in his maj●sty's name , whether he would acknowledge it ( as the rest of the lords , both spirituall and temporall , had done ) or not : to which the b●shop , after some pause , replied unto them , my lords , you present b●fore me a two-edged sword for if i should answer you with a disacknowledgement of the kings supremacy , that would be my death ; and if i should a●knowledge the same ▪ perhaps contrary to my owne conscience , that would be assuredly unto me worse than death ; wherefore i make it my humble request unto you , that you would beare with my silence , for i shall not make any direct answer to it at all . whereupon the commissioners were nothing satisfied , but urged him more and more to answer one way or other , directly telling him how displeasing such kinde of shiftings will appeare unto his m●j●sty , how much the king was formerly displeased with his correspondence with s●r thomas moore ; wherefore , said the lord c●ancelour , if you should now thus use him , you would exasperate his grievous indignation against you more and more , and give him just cause to think that ye deal more stubbornly with him , than well becomes the duty of a good subj●ct . to which the bishop replied , that as concerning the letters which had passed between him and sir thomas moor , he wish●d with all his heart they were now to be read ; which if they were ( said he ) t●ey would declare more innocence than hurt on our behalfe , most of them being onely friendly salutations , and encouragements to patience . indeed i was a little curious ( knowing the great learning and profound w●t that is in the man ) to know what answer he had made to the questions which were asked him concerning the statute , which answers he sent unto me , as i had sent unto him mine : and this is all the conspiracy that was between us , upon that conscience which i suffer for , and will suffer ● thousand deaths , before ever it shall be called upon by me to justifie the least untruth : and whereas you tell me , that his majesty will be much displeased with me for this doubtful kind of answer : truly , my lords , no man shall be more sorry for the kings displeasure , than he that tells you he is s●rry to displease the king : but when the case so stands , that ( in speaking ) i cannot please him , except i displease almighty god , i hope his m●j●sty will be well satisfied with my silence . then said mr. cromwell , wherein do you ( more than other men , who have satisfi●d the kings desires herein ) think you sh●ll displ●ase almighty god ? b●cause ( said the b●sh●op ) i know how my own conscience dictates to me but do not how anothers may inform him . if your conscience be so setled , said my lord chancelour , i doubt not but you can give us some good reasons for it . ind●e● my lord ( said the b●shop ) i think i am able to give your lordships reasons that p●rhaps may seem sufficient why my conscience stands affected as it doth and could be well contented that you heare them , could i declare my minde with safety , and without offence unto his majesty , and his laws . after which not a word more was spoken for that time ; but calling for the lieutenant , they re-delivered him unto his custody , giving the lieutenant a strict charge that no further conference , or messages , should pass between him and sir thomas moore , or any other ▪ all which being related to the king upon their returne to court , the king swore they were all fooles , and asked them if there wer● not more waies to the wood than one : they told his majesty that they had tried all the wai●s that they could finde or think upon , advising his majo to send some of his own coat unto him , to perswade him further , as thinking it more proper for them : but the king swore mother of god , both moore and he should take the oath , or he would know why they should not , and they should make them do it , or he would see better reasons why they could not ; wishing them to see his face no more , untill it were done . chap. xxi . 1. the notable slights which the councel used to procure the two prisoners ( fisher and moore ) to take the oath . 2. the king sends the most grave and learnedst bishops unto him . 3. how the bishops man set upon his master to perswade him , after such time as the bishops were gone , and could not pr●vaile with him . 4. bishop fisher is created cardinall by paul the third , pope of rome . 5. the cardinalls hat was sent as far as callis . 6. the king sends to stop it from coming any further . the lords were by this time put to their trump● , and to use their wits , how they might bring this thing to passe : wherefore the next morning they sent for sir thomas moore to come to court , and after they had kept them there three houre● waiting upon them , they admitted him into their presence , and causing the doore to be close shut , they discoursed with him about half an houre , the main subject of the discourse being to perswade him to conformity , and compliance with the king in these demands , and to assure him how gracio●sly ( thereupon ) he should be received into the kings favour , and accustomed good opinion of him : but all being in vain , he was de●ained in s●fe custody within the court , and a strict charg● was given that he should not speak with any man and that none should be permitted to speak to him . this being done , it was given out , that sir thomas moor had taken the o●th , so that all men believed it . this done , they sent for the b●shop of rochester the same day , and urged him very sor●ly to take the oath of supremacy , saying , that he ( resting himself wholly upon sir thomas moore , by whose perswasion he stood out so st●fly against the king ) had now no reason but to do as he had done , who shewing him now the way , they all exp●cted him to doe no otherw●se than to fo●low the good example which he had given him , and be received unto the like grace and favour with the king , as his fellow-prisoner was at that time received : the good b●shop hearing as much befor● , and now those lords justifying as much as he had heard , believed no less , an● seemed to be much troubled thereat , and sorrowfull for his sake ; ●ut in the end , he thus spake unto the lords , my lords , i confesse i am a little perplexed at that which you now tell me , which is no more than what i have heard already am exceeding sorrowfull that that courage should row be wanting to him which i once thought never would have failed him and th●t constancy had not been an addition to all his other great and singular vertues : but i am not a fit man to blame him , in regard i was never assaul●●d with those strong temptations 〈◊〉 of and childr●●n ) the which , it 〈…〉 lodgings ; and it was likewise given out , that the bishop had subscribed to , and taken the oath of supremacy , and that he was then conducted to the king to kisse his hand . in this interim , it hapned that mrs. margaret roper , ( the darling daughter to sir thomas moore , one that had much accesse unto the lords by reason of her great friends and manifold perfections ) was at the same time at the councel doore , with a petition in her hand , thinking to deliver it unto the lords in the behalf of her father , to procure him more enlargement within the tower , than what he formerly had enjoyed ; and hearing of her fathers being there , was resolved to inform her self of the event of that daies conference ; which the lord chancellour audely perceiving , and knowing her businesse , went out unto her , and thus thought to perswade how the daughters thimble might prick a needle into the fathers conscience , viz. mrs. roper , i am sorry i can doe you no more service , in that which you so earnestly solicite in your fathers behalfe : truly mrs. roper your father is to blame to be so obstinate , and self-will'd , in a businesse wherein no man in the whole realm stands out but onely he , and a blinde bishop , and yet that bishop was not so blinde , but at the la●● , with much adoe , we have brought him to see his own error ; with that mrs. margaret gave a spring for joy , and asked him , are you sure that my lord of rochester hath taken the oath ? yes , said the lord chancellour ; and more than that , he is now with the king , and you will see him at liberty , and in great favour with the king ; then i will warrant you , said the poore gentlewoman , that my father will not hold out : go , said the lord chancelour , and perswade your father ( that he doe not ) before he be brought before us ; for i wish him well , and it is a great pity that such a man as he should be cast away . away goes mrs. margaret to her father , but could not be admitted to speak with him ; back she comes to the l. chan. and procures his warrant of admittance : in she comes unto her father , & tells him all that she heard with a great deal of confidence ; when her father had heard all that she would say , he onely answered her with a soft voice , peace daughter , my l. of rochester hath not taken the oath : yes indeed father , it is so , said his daughtter , for my l. chancelor told me as much with his own mouth , who wisheth you well , and my l. of rochest . is at liberty , and is now with the k. and in great favour : away , away , you foole , said sir tho : moore , thou are not used to these s●●ights , i know the tricks of them all , they think to take me in a poppet snatch , but they are deceived ; and i tell thee more , if the bishop had taken the oath , yet it should never be taken by me : a bishop is a correcter of vice , but no president for sin. after they had had much talk to this , and no purpose , sir thomas moore was sent for to appeare before the lords , where he was no sooner entred the room , but they all called upon him to do as my lord of rochester had done before him ; all of them using no other arguments , but my lord of rochester , my lord of rochester , as my lord of rochester had shewed him a good example ; sir thomas moor asked them where my lord of rochester was ? saying , that if he could but speak with my lord of rochester , it may be his motives might induce him to take the oath ; they told him that my l. of roch. was where he might also be , viz. with the king , if that he would do but as he hath done : may i not speak with him , said sir thomas moor , before i take this oath ? they answered , that he should speak with him as soon as ever he had taken it , but to speak with him before , was not so proper , because then it would be said he pinn'd his judgement upon anothers sleeve , neither would they wish him to desire it , in regard that the king would then have cause to thank the bishop , and not him , for such his condescention ; and besides , that would be too great a sl●ghting of us that are here , in that you will not take our words for such a businesse : i pray you then , said sir thomas moore , let me see his hand , if he have subscr●bed : that said the chancelour , is carried also with him to the king : then let me tell you , said sir thomas moore , that i do not believe that my lord of rochester hath either subscribed his hand , or taken the oath ; and if he had done both , i could do neither . whereupon they were both sent back to the tower. the king ( seeing these engines would not hold ) betook himself to the advice which the lords had formerly given him , and he re●used to take , viz. of sending unto him men of his owne coat , to perswade with him in this businesse ; wherefore he sent for dr. stokesly bishop of london ; st●phen gardiner bishop of winchester ; dr. tunstall b●shop of durham , and commanded them to repaire immediately unto their brother of rochester , and see what they could do , and see they did it ; for he would have it done . these men ( knowing there was no mercy to be had , if they did not do their uttermost endeavour , at the least to give the king all manner of satisfaction herein ) went to the tower and dealt heartily with the bishop in that businesse . but before i will tell you what answer the bishop made unto their importunities therein ( that you may the better know the miseries of those times ) you shall first understand that these very men ( after that this good man was dead and rotten ) perceiving this supremacy to exercise its authority more and more , untill at last it came to alteration of their religion in point of doctrine ) would often weep most bitterly , and carelesse of themselves , w●sh ●hat they had stuck to their brother fisher , and not to have left him wholly to ●●mself , as wickedly they did , and not onely so , bu● they would preach the same openly in their pulpits , and upon all other occasions , and times of meeting , and that b●fore the lords of the 〈◊〉 , and sometimes in the kings hearing , which d●●w great commiseration from their hearers , and at last the k●ng hims●lfe to serious animadversions of what he had 〈◊〉 , and at last to a rectification of what he 〈◊〉 he had done amisse , by his 〈◊〉 enjoy●●g of the six maine articl●s of 〈◊〉 r●lig●on ( which these bishops 〈…〉 ) to be propounded unto al● his subj●cts & to be subscribed unto , in which religion the k. died , and in the reign of k. e●w . 6. ( when 〈◊〉 supremacy was held in a 〈…〉 over a childs head , being then 〈◊〉 before the kings commissioners , and 〈◊〉 urged to proceed according to the fruits of those times ) they did not onely recant their former doings , but suffered thems●lves to be d●prived of so great dignities , and to endure the same prison , where , for the space of five years , they had no other comfort but the expectation of that martyrdome , which might be an expiation to them of those errors , which fear and worldly vanity , had caus●d them to run into ; which resignation of themselves so willingly into the hands of almighty god , was answered with a me●cy , which restored th●m unto their former liberties , dignities , and honours , in the beginning of the reign of qu. mary . but to return to my former story . when the●e men had perswaded the good b●shop all they could , to do what their owne conscience tol● th●m should not hav● been done , the good b●sh●p made them this reply . my lords , 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 me so much to be urged so sorely ●n a 〈◊〉 of this nature ▪ as it doth wound me grievously that i should be urged by you , whom it concerns as much as 〈◊〉 i 〈◊〉 but defend your cause , whiles you so plead against your selves ; it would 〈◊〉 become us all to stick together in repressing the violences and injuries , which daily are obtruded upon our holy mother the catholique church , whom we have all in common , than thus divided amongst our selves to help on the mischief : but i see judgement is begun at the house of god ; and i see no hope , if we fall , that the rest will stand ; you see we are besieged on every side , and the fort is betrayed by those who should defend it : and since we have made no better resistance . we are not the men that shall see an end of these calamities : wherefore i pray leave me to almighty god , in whom onely there is comfort , which no man can deprive me of ; and for that you have so often told me of the kings heavy displeasure agasnst me , i pray remember my duty to his grace , and tell him , i had rather exercise the duty that i owe unto his grace , in praying for him , than in pleasing him in this kinde . so they departed from him with heavy hearts , and fad countenances , and never came unto him any more . within a while after , that the bishops were thus gone , the poore fellow ( his man ) that waited upon him , being somewhat simple , and hearing all the discourse , began to take his master in hand , thinking he had not got reason enough to speak thus unto his lord and master , alas my lord , why should you stick ( said he ) with the king , more than the rest of the b●shops , which are learned and godly men ? doubt ye not he requireth no more of you , but onely that you would say he is head of the church ; and methinks that is no great matter ; for your lordship may still think as you please : whereat the bishop fell into such a fit of laughter , that he little thought he sh●●ld have laughed so much so long as he had a day to live : but the man taking courage at this , began to prosecute his begun discourse in a manner which he thought more serious , which the bishop cut short with this composure of jest and e●rnest , tush , tush , thou art but a foole , and knows but little what belongs to this businesse ; but hereafter thou maist know more . alas poore fellow , i know thou lovest me , and speakest this out of simplicity and love together ; but i tell thee , it is not onely for the supremacy that i am thus tossed and tumbled ▪ but also for another oath ( meaning the oath of succession ) which if i would have sworn unto , i believe i should never have been much questioned for the supremacy ; nor is it for these two that i stand out , but for the ensuing evills , that must necessarily follow hereupon : and this thou maist say another day thou hast heard me speak . when i am dead and gone . upon the 21. of may , and in the yeare of our lord 1535 : paul the third , pope of rome ( hearing the fame of this good b●shops constancy , and sufferings , in defence of the catholique church ) at the solemn creation of cardinalls in rome , in the first yeare of his consec●ation ( among divers other worthy and famous men ) he nominated this good bishop fisher for one that should be made a cardinall , where , upon the same day before specified , he also was intituled , sanct. ro. ecclesiae tituli sancti vit . pretriter cardinalis . this the pope did for his great worth , and merits sake , thinking that by reason of the dignity and advancement of so high a degree of eminence , that either the king would use him with more clemency for his dignity sake , or else that he might thereby heap further trouble and danger upon the king , if notwithstanding that dignity , he continued such his displeasure against him : and this was it that clean threw him over the perch , and brought him a fiery chariot to his journies end , whirl'd by all the furious winds of rage and madness ; for upon the sending of the cardinalls hat to him from rome , which was intended to have been p●rformed with the greatest ceremony that ever any hat was sent from thence ( taking no notice of the condition he was in ) whereby it was conceived , that the king would reflect within himself , and take some heed how he offended so great a body as had the universe for its dimension : but it fell out otherwise , for harry the 8. ( for all the other kings were called henries ) with his dagger , was resolv'd to go thorough● stitch with what he had begun ; wherefore , as soon as ever he had intelligence hereof , he sent immediately to callis to stop the favour of the pope , from coming any further into his dominions , untill his pleasure therein was further known , which was done accordingly . chap. xxii . 1. the k. sends his secretary to the bp. to know of him , that in case the pope should send unto him a cardinalls hat , whether he would accept of it , or not . 2. the bishops answer thereunto . 3. the king highly offended with his answer . 4. a notable , but most wicked policy , to entrap the bishop within delinquency . 5. a commission to enquire and determine treasons . 6. three monks of the charter-house executed . immediately hereupon , the king sent mr : thomas cromwell his secretary , to this good father , thus in prison , to advertise him what was done , and to heare what he would say thereto ; who ( being come into the prisoners chamber ) after some other conference had passed between them , concerning divers other businesses , he said unto him , my lord of rochester , what would you say if the pope should send you a cardialls hat , would you accept of it ? whereat the bishop of roch●ster replyed , sir i know my self to be so far unworthy of any such dignity , that i think of nothing lesse ; but if any such thing should happen , assure your self i should improve that favour to the best advantage that i could , in assisting the holy catholique church of christ , and in that respect i would receive it upon my knees . mr. cromwell making a report of this answer ( afterwards ) to the king , the king said with great indignation , yea , is he yet so lusty ? well , let the pope send him a hat when he will , mother of god he shall weare it on his shoulders then , for i will leave him never a head to set it on . and now was this impregnable piece of constancy , and strong so ● of i●nocence , surrounded on every side , by the most watchfull eyes , and diligent enquiry , how a breach may be made into it by the battery of the new law , for prejudice to enter . in order to which machination it was resolved upon ( after that the blessed man had continued a prisoner ( within the tower ) the space of a whole yeare , and somewhat more ) that one mr. richard rich ( then solicitor generall , and a man in great trust about the king ) should be sent unto the b●shop , as from the king , upon some secret message , to be imparted to him on his majesties behalf ; which message was to this effect , viz. that he had a great secret to impart unto him from the king , which was a case of conscience ; for , said he , the truth is , my lord , that though you are lookt upon ( as you now look upon your selfe ) as a man utterly forlorne , yet i must tell you , and not as from my self , but as a thing uttered to you by the kings expresse commands , that there is no man within the kings dominions , that he looks upon , as a more able man , or a man upon whose honesty and upright dealings he will more rely , than on your self , and what you shall be pleased to say in that b●halfe ; wherefore he bids me tell you , that you should speak your minde boldly and freely unto me , as to himselfe , concerning the busin●sse of supremacy , protesting upon his royall word , and the dignity of a king , that if he should tell him plainly it were unlawfull , he would never undertake it : and one thing more ( said he ) he wished me to acquaint you with , which is , that you may see how farre his royall heart , and pious inclination , is from the exercise of any unjust or illegall jurisdiction thereby , that if you will but acknowledge his supremacy , you your selfe shall be his vicar generall over his whole dominions , to see that nothing shall be put in execution , but what shall be agreeable both to the 〈◊〉 of god , and good mens liking : 〈◊〉 ( saith he ) the k. thinks that whiles 〈◊〉 p●ople acknowledge any other head besides himsel●● , his crowne ●its not safe nor rightly upon his owne : wherefore i pray , my lord , since the king hath been so 〈◊〉 pleased to open his breast unto you in these particulars , that you will answer the respect with an ingenuity that shall be 〈◊〉 to such high favour , and that without any the least suspition of any ●raud or guile intended to your good lordship , either by him or me . the poore bishop thinking he had assurance enough in conscience , when for conscience-sake his opinion was required in such and such matters , answered thus freely . worthy sir , as to those high commendations which his maiesty ( by your own mouth ) is pleased to give me , i think them higher than what deservedly can stoop so low to take into due consideration ; so meane worth as that which every one must look to finde , that makes true search into me ; however , according to the ability and faithfulnesse which is resident in this poore piece of earth , i shall answer freely , and without feare of any other intentions towards me , than what is just and honourable . as to the businesse of supremacy i must needs tell his majesty , as i have often told him heretofore , and would so tell him , if i were to die this present hour , that it is utterly unlawfull ; and therefore i would not wish his majesty to take any such power or title upon him , as he loves his own soule , and the good of his posterity ; for it will be such a president as none will follow , whiles all will wonder at it , and will never leave this land till it lies bu●ied with the first power that first assumed it : and to what purpose were it to make me his vicar generall of his whole dominions , to see that nothing were done contrary to the lawes of god , when nothing is more contrary to gods law , than that i should be so ? and as to his majesty's conception of his crown , not sitting rightly upon his head , whiles his people ( as so many half subjects ) owne any other head besi●e himselfe ; i must tell you , my lord , that such a kinde of headship is no more prejudiciall to the temporall supremacy , than judgement ( which is the top of the soule ) is inconvenient to the intellects : for i must tell you ( my lord ) there were never any greater stayes , or supporters to any crown , than were your english catholiques all along unto the crown of england , and that even against all , or any the least encroachment offered or attempted to be made , even by the bishop of rome himself , as you shall find in the statute lawes of king richard the second , where you shall finde ( in many businesses wherein the pope of rome himself was interessed ) the roman catholiques flatly denying the crown of england ( which they averred stoutly immediately to be subject unto none but god , and to other in all things touching the regality of the said crowne ) to be subject to the pope of rome , and yet the very same parliament ( said the bishop ) at the same time acknowledged the bishop of rome ( in respect of his spirituall jurisdiction ) to be their most holy father . and this the author assures the reader to be taken notice of by b●shop bilso● , where he brings in this parliament ( consisting then altogether of roman catholicks ) thus expressing their loyalti●● to their soveraigne prince , viz. we will be with our said soveraigne lord the king , and his said crown , and his r●gality in cases aforesaid , and in all other cases attempted against him , his crowne and dignity , in all points to live and di● . nor will i onely bring in your protestant bishops , but also your protestant chronologies of latest editions averring the same , viz. holinshead , where you may finde how in the reign of king edward the first , all the lords ( then catholiques , assembled a● lincoln in parliament , in the name of all the estates ) did answer the pope's right to judge &c. viz. that they would not consent that their king should do any thing that should tend to the disinh●riting of the right of the crown of england , and that it was never known ( wherefore never practised ) that the king of this land had answered , or ought to answer , for their rights in the same realme , before any judge , ecclesiasticall , or secular . and yet notwithstanding all this , in their speciall letter writ to the same pope ( boniface ) at the same time they thus wrote unto him . boniface , by gods providence , high bishop of the holy roman , and universall church , styling themselves his devout sons , where ( notwithstanding all this ) it consisted with their devotion , further , to affirme , that the king of england ought not to answer for any of their rights in the said realme , or for any of their temporalties before any judge ecclesiastical , by reason of the free preheminence of the estate of the royall dignity , and custome kept without breach at all times , and after full treaty and deliberation , it was consistent likewise with their devotion , to make it their common argument and unanimous consent ( which agreement they said should be without faile in time to come ) that their foresaid lord the king , ought not by any meanes , to answer in judgement , nor send any proctors to the popes presence ; especially seeing that the premises tended manifestly to the disinheriting of the crown of england , and also to the hurting of the liberties and lawes of their fathers , and the duties of their oath made , which ( said they ) we will maintaine with all our power , and defend with all our strength , and will not suffer our foresaid lord the king , to do or attempt the premises , being so unaccustomed , and before not heard of . nor will we onely bring you your owne chronicles , but our owne annotations upon our own testaments , where you shall finde catholiques acknowleging themselves bound in conscience to obey their emperours and governors , though they were heathens and persecutors . our greatest champions , where you shall finde bellarmine himself maintaining how that the lawes of magistrates do binde even the consciences of christians . our strict●st casuists , where you shall finde them averring how that faith is not necessary to iurisdiction , and that authority cannot be lost by the losse of faith. your own protestant apology for the church of rome , though writ by us , yet made by you , where you shall finde the roman catholicks acknowledging themselves indissolubly bound by all lawes ( humane and divine ) in the highest degree of all earthly allegeance , to the present temporall government , notwithstanding at the same time , the magistracy was adverse unto them in matters of religion , and heavy upon them by reason of the same . our owne submissions and protestations ( in the vindication of our loyalty to the temporall magistrate ) as the declared will of god in that behalf , where you shall finde us quoting all these severall texts of scripture out of the word of god , to the same purpose , how that we ought not to speak evil of our governours , though they should perscecute us , nor so much as to think amiss of them , but to be subject to them , and that not onely for necessity , but for conscience sake , lest otherwise we should be damned . where should a man finde better subjects ? and yet these are the men who have been traduced all along , as inconsistent with politique government . and why should the same loyalty be suspected at any time , still to remaine within the same breasts , since that their religion , lawes , ( both civil and ecclesiasticall ) custome , provision for the future , present practise , oathes and protestations , all along , evermore obliging them to such obedience , especially whereas at this present , all other sorts and sects of christian religion ( excepting those who are for all sorts and sects ) appeare against the present government , like aries , scorpio , leo , sagitarius , &c. as if they would all , and every one of them , wound each part and member of this body politique ; the roman catholiques , like pisces ( the emblem of the fisherman ) are contented to remaine quiet under foot . and this digression from the subject we have in hand , i have presum'd to make , whereby the courteous reader may be more cour●eous , if he please , to roman catholiques , seeing they have no such ugly features in their faces , as their adversaries would have them have , when the vizards are taken off , which they have clapt upon their faces ; and therefore let not ( hereafter ) a few discoloured , powder-spi●ited , and inconsiderate men ( among so many thousands ( of the same religion , and better quality ) that were then ignorant of , and afterwards detesting the designe as diabolicall ) blow up a whole cause , so universall , or contract any tragicall , or immoderate application , for some few's sake , against the whole , any more than equity her selfe shall think it reason , that one devil shall be able to prejudice the dignity of the twelve apostles , since that there hath not been all along ( which way soever the government was adicted to one or other religion ) more faithfull , peaceable , and loyall subjects , than were the roman catholiques excepting an exception which makes , but never marres a generall rule . what if this good b●shop had lived to see how in the daies of queen elizabeth , when she first took ●upon her the government of this land ( although that catholiques were then the chiefest ministers , both in church and state , and had ( at that time ) the government of both setled in that course , and therefore questionlesse were sufficient to have used any indirect , or sorcible meanes , if such kinde of loyalty had been consistent with their religion , to have impugn●d that alteration in religion , then evidently foreseen to ensue ) how the catholique b●shops ( although she was a princesse of a contrary religion ) were so farre from holding their crosirers over , that they set the crown upon her head ( insomuch ) that they are commended by holinsheaa for peaceable and quiet b●shops ) and the catholique and temporall lord there by him recorded to be so farre from opposing themselves against her interest , as that they are there said to offer her majestie in her defence to impugne and resist any forraigne force , though it should come from the pope himself , insomuch that they ( also ) are there commended by holinshead himself for loyalty and obedience , and had seen how the lord archbishop of canterbury , himselfe , and chancellour of england ( a catholique b●shop ) how instead of inveighing against her , or casting forth libells against her authority ( as archbishop cranmer did against queen mary , her entrance into the government ) he made a publique oration in her behalfe , to perswade the people to obedience , and acknowledge of her highnesse just power and authority , insomuch that the said archbishops faithfulness was left to the commendation of a protestant bishop , adverse to him in his religion , how all the catholique lords , and catholique bishops , repaired with all speed to london , to proclaime her queene , who not long after , turned them all out of their severall offices and bishopricks . and on the contrary , how when qu. mary was to be invested in her right , protestants would not receive her as their queen , but upon conditions ; nor assist her without indentures ; nor acknowledge her but upon such and such termes ; how warre was waged against her by the duke of northumberland , a protestant duke ; bills spread abroad , and severall treacherous practises contrived against her , & her right and dignity , by archbishop cranmer , a protestant archbishop ( for which he was afterwards arraigned and condemned of high treason ) what great commotions and insurrections were made against her by wiat upon the score of religion ; how townes and castles were taken and held out against her by stafford ; how daggers were thrown at , and gunnes shot off , at the priests of her religion , whiles they were preaching at paul's cross , insomuch that it is notorioslny evident , that there were more open rebellions during the five years of her short government , than during the four and forty yeares of her late majesties after-reigne , and yet these , and such like men as these , are accounted martyrs , whiles we onely suffered martyrdome . had this good bishop , i say , lived to have seen , and to have observed all these particulars , how much more able would he have been to have answered master rich his objection ( from his majesty ) concerning the inconsistency of the pope of rome's spirituall , with his temporall supremacy ; but now both the fish and the f●sher himself , is caught within the net that was laid for him ; for mr. rich was no sooner departed from him , but immediately after the king commanded a commission to be drawn , and given to mr. audely his lord chancellour , and certaine other persons commissionated under his great seale , to enquire and determine treasons ; which commission was dated the first day of iune , in the 27. yeare of the kings reigne , against which time the kings learned councell , among the rest , had drawn up an indictment of high treason against the bishop of rochester , and three monks of the charter-house of london , whose names were william exmew , humphrey midlemore , and schastian nudigate . this indictment was not long in finding ; for on st. barnaby's day ( the apostl● ) being the 11. of iune ; it was presented to the commissioners sitting in the kings bench at westminster : whereupon the carthusians were shortly after arraigned , and condemned ; and having sentence of high treason pronounced upon them , they were all three put to death at tyburne , the 19. day of iune next following , all in their religious habits . but this good bishop of rochester ( now cardinall , if it be lawfull to call him so ) chanced at that time to be very sick , insomuch that he had likely to have saved the commissioners , and divers others a great deale of paines , which afterwards they bestowed upon him , and it is conceived would willingly have spared , wherefore the king sent unto him his owne physitians to administer unto him , to his great charges ( as i have it in my record ) to the value of fifty pounds , onely that he might be e●served for fu●ther ●riall . in the mean time , lest any conveyance might be made of his good remaining at roch●●ter , or elsewhere in kent , the king sent one sir richard morison of his privy chamber , and one gostwick together with divers other commissioners , down into that countrey , to make seisure of all his moveable goods that they could finde there ; who being come unto rochester , according to their commission entred his house , and the first thing which they did , they turned out all his servants , then they fell to rifling his goods , whereof the chief part of them were taken for the kings use , the rest they took for themselves ; then they came into his library , which they found so replenished , and with such kind of books , as it was thought the like was not to be found againe in the possession of any one private man in christendom ; with which they ●russed up , and filled 32. great fats , or pipes , besides those that were imbezel'd away , spoyl'd , and scatter'd ; and whereas many yeares before he had made a deed of gift of all these books , and other his housholdstuffe , to the colledge of st. iohne in cambridge ( as in the beginning of this history it was mentioned ) two frauds were committed in this tr●spasse ; the colledge were bereaved of their gif● , and the bishop of his purpose , yet both found out a way , through gratitude , to a reception ; for the colledge accepted the good will for the deed , and the almighty received the giver for his good-will : and whereas a summe of money of 3001. was given by a predecessor of the bishop , to remaine as a d●positum for ever to the said see of rochester , in the custody of the bishop for the time being , against any occasion that might happen to the bishoprick ; to which this good b●shop had added one hundred pounds out of his own purse , with this inscription upon a labell which hung out at the bags mouth , tu quoque fac simile , and notwithstanding ▪ that there was there written , in an old character upon the inside of the chest , let no man offer to lay hands on this , for it is the churches treasure : yet they swept it all away . and i cannot omit ( as a scaene of mirth in this sad tragedie ) to relate unto you one merry passage , which hapned in this quaerendum , there was a wooden coffer strongly girded about with hoops of iron , and double l●cked , which stood in his oratory , where commonly no man came but himself , for it was his secret place of prayer . this coffer thus fenced about , and in so private a place , and close unto him , every man beleived verily that some great treasure had been stored up in that same coffer , wherefore , because no indirect dealing might be used in defrauding the king in a matter of so great cons●quence a● this was thought to be , wherefore witnesses were solemnly called to be present , so the coffer was broken up before them , and much paines was taken in ●breaking up th● coffer ; but when it was open , they found within it , instead of gold and silver , which they looked for , a shirt of haire , and two or three whips , wherwith he used full often to punish himself , as some of his chaplaine● and servants have often reported , that were neere about him , and curiously marked his doings ; and other treasure than that found they none at all . but when report was made to him in his prison of the opening of that coff●r , he was very sorry for it , and said , that if hast had not made him forget that , and many things else , ●●ose things had not been to be found there at that time . after this good b●shop was recovered to some better strength , by the help of his physitians , and that he was more able to be carried abroad , he was on thursday the 17. of iune , brought to the kings bench at westminster , from the tower , with a huge number of holberts , bills , and other weapons , about him , and the ax of the tower born before him with the edge from him , as the manner is ; and because he was not yet so well recovered that he was able to walk by land all the way on foot , he rode part of the way on horseback in a black cloth gown , & the rest he was carried by water , for that he was not well able to ride thorough for weaknesse . as soon as he was come to westminster , he was there pres●nted at the barre before the said commissioners , being all set ready in their places against his coming , whose names were these , sir thomas audely knight , lord chancellor of england ▪ charles duke of suffolk , h●nry earle of comberland , thomas earle of wiltshire , thomas cromwell secretary , sir iohn fitz. iames chief iustice of england , sir iohn baldwin chief justice of the common-pleas , sir william pawlet , sir richard lyster chief baron of the exchequer , sir iohn port , sir iohn spilman , and sir walter late justices of the kings bench , and sir anthony fitzherbert one of the justices of the common-pleas . being thus presented before these commissi●ners , he was commanded , by the name of iohn fisher late of rochester , clerk , otherwise called iohn fisher bishop of rochester , to hold up his hand , which he did , with a most cheerfull countenance and rare constancy : then was his indictment read , which was very long and full of words ; but the effect of it was thus , that he maliciously , treacherously , & fals●ly , had said these words , the king our soveraigne lord , is not supreme head in the earth , of the church of england : and b●ing read to the end , it was asked him , whether he was guilty of this treason , or no ? whereunto he pleaded , not guilty . then was a jury of twelve men ( being free-holders of middlesex ) called to try this issue , whose names were these , sir hugh vaughan knight , sir walter langford knight , thomas burbage , iohn nudygate , william browne , iohn hewes , iasper leak , iohn palmer , richard henry young , henry lodisman , iohn elrington , and george heveningham , esquires , these twelve men being sworne to trie whether the prisoner were guilty of this treason or no , at last came forth to g●ve evidence against him mr rich , the secret and close messenger that passed between the king and him , as ye have read before , who openly , in the presence of the judges , and all the people there assembled , deposed and swore , that he heard the prisoner say in plaine words , within the tower of london , that he believed in his conscience , and by his learning he assuredly knew , that the king neither was , nor by right , could be supreme head in earth of the church of engl. when this blessed father heard the accusations of this most wretched & false person , contrary to his former oath & promise , he was not a little astonied thereat ; wherefore he said to him in this menner : mr. r●ch , i cannot but mervaile to hear you come in , and beare witnesse against me of these words , knowing in what secret manner you came to me ; but suppose i so said unto you , yet in that saying i commited no treason ; for upon what occasion , and for what cause it might be said , your self doth know right well , and therefore being now urged ( said he ) by this occasion , to open somewhat of this matter , i shall desire , my lords , and others here , to take a little patience in hearing what i shall say for my self . this man ( meaning mr. rich ) came to me from the king , as he said , on a secret message with commendations from his grace , declaring at large what a good opinion his majesty had of me , and how sorry he was of my trouble , with many more words than are here needfull to be recited , because they tended so much to my praise , as i was not onely ashamed to hear them , but also knew right well that i could no way deserve them ; at last he broke with me of the matter of the kings supremacy , lately granted unto him by act of parliament , to the which he said , although all the bishops in the realme have consented , except your selfe alone , and also the whole court of parliament , both spirituall and temporall , except a very few ; yet he told me , that the king , for better satisfaction of his owne conscience , had sent him unto me in this s●cret manner , to know my full opinion in the matter : for the great aff●●nce he had in me more than any other : he ad●ed further , that if i would herein frankly and freely advertise his maj. my knowledge , that upon certificate of my misliking , he was very like to retract much of his former doings , and make satisfaction for the same , in case i should so advertise him : when i had heard all his message , and considered a little upon his words , i put him in minde of the new act of parliament , which standing in force as it doth against all them that shall di●●ctly say , or do any thing that is against it , might thereby ●ndanger me very much , in case i should utter unto him any thing that were offensive against the law : to that he told me , that the king willed him to assure me on his honour , and in the word of a king , that whatever i should say unto him by this his secret messenger , i should abide no danger no perill for it , neither that any advntage should be taken against me for the same , no , although my words were never so directly against the statutes seeing it was but a declaration of my minde secretly to him , as to his owne person : and for the messenger himselfe , he gave me his faithfull promise that he would never utter my words in this matter to any man living , but to the king alone : now therefore , my lords , quoth he , seeing it pleased the kings majesty to send to me thus secretly , under the pr●tence of plaine and true meaning , to know my poore advice and opinion in these his weighty and great affaires , which i most gladly w●● and ever will be , willing to send him in ; meth●nks it is very hard in justice to heare the m●ssengers accusation , and to allow the same as a sufficie●● testimony against me in case f treason . ●o this the messenger made no direct answer ; but ( neither denying his words as false , nor confessing them as true ) said , that whatever he had said unto him on the k●●gs behalf , he said no more than his maj●ty commanded ; and , said he , if i had said to you in such sor● as you have d●clared , i would gladly know what discharge this is to you in law against his majesty , for so directly speaking against the statute ; whereat some of the judges taking quick hold one after another , said , that this message , or promise from the king to him , ne●ther could , nor did , by rigour of the law , discharge him ; but in 〈…〉 claring of his minde and conscience agai●●● the supremacy , yea , though it were at the kings own commandment or request , he committed treason by the statute , and nothing can discharge him from death but the kings pardon . this good father perceiving the small account made of his words , and the favourable credit given to his accuser , might then easily ●inde in which doore the wind blew , wherefore directing his speeches to the lords his judges , he said , yet i pray you my lords consider , that by all equ●ty , justice , worldly honesty , and courteous dealing , i cannot ( as the ●ase standeth ) be directly charged therewith , as with treason , though i had spoken the words indeed , the same being not spoken maliciously but in the way of advice and counsell , when it was requested of me by the king himself , and that favour the very words of the statute do give me , being made onely against such as shall maliciously gainsay the kings supremacy , and none other : wherefore , although by r●gour of law , you may take occasion thus to condemn me , yet i hope you cannot finde law , except you adde rigour to th●● law to cast me downe , which herein i hope i have not deserved . to which it was answered by some of the judges , that the word m●l●ciously is but a supe●●●●ous and void wo●d , for if a man speak against the kings supremacy by any manner of meanes , t●a● sp●ak●ng●● to be understood , and taken in law , as 〈◊〉 . my lords , said he , if the law be so understood , then it is a hard exposition , and ( as i take it ) contrary to the meaning of the● that made the law. but then l●t me demand this question , whether a single testimony of one man may be admitted as sufficient to prove me guilty of treason for speaking these words , or no ? and whether my answer , negatively , may not be accepted against his affirmative to my availe and benefit , or no ? to that the judges and lawyers answered ( that being the kings case ) it rested much in conscience and di●ecretion of the jury , and as they , upon the evidence given before them , shall finde it , you are either to be acquitted , or else by ju●gement to be condemned . the jury having heard all this s●●ple evidence , d●parted ( according to the order ) into a secret place , there to agree upon the verdict ; 〈◊〉 ●ore they w●nt from the place , the case was so aggravated to them by my lord 〈◊〉 , making it so hainous and dang●rous a treason , that they easily perceived what verdict they must returne ; others heap such danger upon their owne heads , as none of them were willing to undergo ; some other of the co●●●ssioners charged this most reverend man with obstinacy and s●●gula●ity , alledging , that he being but one man , did presumptuously stand against that which was in the gre●t cou●cell of parliament ag●●d upon , and finally was consented unto by al the b●sh●ps of this realme , saving hims●lfe alone . but to that he answered , that indeed he might well be accounted singular , if he alone should stand in this matter ( as they said ) but having on his part the rest of the b●shops in chr●ttendorme far surmounting the number of the bishops of engl. he , said they , could not justly account him singular . and having on his part all the catholicks and bishops of the world from christ's ascention , till now , joyned with the whole consent of christs univer●all church , i must needs , said he , account mine own part farre the surer : and as for o●stin●cy , which is likewise obje●●●● 〈◊〉 me , i have no way to cleare my self thereof , but my owne solemne word and promise to the contrary , if ye please to beli●ve , it , or 〈◊〉 , if that will not serve , i am 〈…〉 the same by my oath . thus in effect he answered their obj●ctions , though with many 〈◊〉 words , both wisely and profound●y uttered , and that with a mervailous , couragious , and rare constancy , insomuch as many of his hearers , yea some of his judges , lamented so grievously , that their inward sorrow in all sides , was expressed by the outward ●eares in their eyes , to perceive such a famous and rever●nd man in danger to be condemned to cruell death , upon so weak ●vidence given by such an accuser , contrary to all faith and promise of the king himself . but all pity , mercy , ●nd righ● , being set aside , ugour , cruelty , and malice , took place ; for the twelve men being shor●ly returned from their consu●tation , verdict was given that he was 〈◊〉 of the ●reason , which although they thus did , upon the menacing & threatning words of the commissioners , the kings learned councell , yet was it ( no 〈◊〉 ) 〈◊〉 ●ore against their conscience , as some o● them would after report , to their dying daies , onely for safety of their goods and liv●s ▪ which they were we●l ●ssured to lose , in case they had acquitted him . after the verdict thus given by the twelve m●n , the lord chancellour commanding 〈◊〉 to be kept ▪ said unto the prisoner in this ●ort , my lord of roch●ster , you have been here arraigned of high ●reason , and putting your selfe to the triall of twelv●men you have pleaded not guilty , an● 〈◊〉 notwithstanding have found you guilty in their 〈◊〉 ; wherefore , if you have any more to say for your self , you are now to be 〈…〉 iudgement according to the 〈◊〉 and course of law. then said this blessed fa●her againe , truly my lord , if that which i have before spoken be not sufficient , i have no more to say , but onely to desire almighty god to forgive them that have thus condemned me , for i think they know not what they have done . then my l chancellour framing himselfe to a solemnity in countenance , proclaimed sentence of death upon him , in manner and forme following ; you shall be led to the place from whence you came , and from thence shall be drawn through the city to the place of execution at tyborne , where your body shall be hanged by the neck , half alive you shall be cut downe and throwne to the ground , your bowels to he taken out of your body before you , being alive , your head to be smitten off , and your body to be divided into four quarters , and after your head and quarters to be set up , where the king shall apoint ; and god have mercy upon your soule . after the pronouncing of this cruell sertence , the lieutenant of the tower , with his band of men , stood ready to receive and carry him back again to his prison . be●ore his departure he desired audience of the commissioners for a few words , which being granted , he said thus in effect , my lords , i am here condemned before you of high treason , for deniall of the kings supremacy over the church of england , but by what order of iustice i l●ave to god , who is the search●r both of the kings majesty's conscience and yours . neverthelesse , being found guilty ( as it is termed ) i am ▪ and must be , consented with all that god shall send ▪ to whose will i wholly referre and submit my self . and now to tell you more plainly my minde , touching this matter of the kings supremacy , i think indeed , and alwaies have thought , and do now lastly affirm , that his grace cannot justly claime any such supremacy over the church of god , as he now taketh upon him , neither hath it ever been seen or heard of , that any temporall prince , before his daies , hath presumed to that dignity : wherefore if the king will now adventure himself in proceeding in this strange and unwonted case , no doubt but he shall deeply incurre the gri●vous displeasure of almighty god , to the great dammage of his owne soule , and of many others , and to the utter ruine of this realme , committed to his charge , whereof will ensu● some sharp punishment at his hand : wherefore i pray god his grace may remember himself in time , and hearken to good counsell , for the preserva●ion of himselfe and his realme , and the quietnesse of all christendome . which words being ended , he was conveyed back againe to the tower of london , part on foot , and part on horseback , with a number of men , bearing holberts and other weapons about him , as was before at his coming to raignment : and when he was come to the tow●r 〈◊〉 he turned him back to all his tra●●● 〈◊〉 had thus conducted him forward and 〈◊〉 and said unto them , my master● , i thank you all for the great labour and paines 〈…〉 with me this day , i am not able to give you any thing in recompence , for i have nothing left ; and therefore i pray you accept in good part my hearty thanks . and this he 〈◊〉 with so lu●ty a courag● , so amiable a countenance , and with so fresh and lively a colour , as he seemed rather ●o have come from some great feast , or banquet , than from his arraignment , shewing by all his gesture , and outward countenance , nothing else but joy and gladnesse . thus being after his condemnation , the space of three or four daies , in his prison , he occupi●d himselfe in continuall p●ayer most fervently ; and although he looked daily for death , yet could ye not have perceived him one whit dismayed thereat , neither in word nor countenance , but still continued his former trade of constancy and patience , and that rather with a more joyfull , cheere , and free minde than ever he had done before , which appeared well , by this chance that i will tell you : there hapned a false rumour to rise sodainely among the people , that he should b● brought to his execution by a certain day ▪ whereupon his cook , that was wont to dres● his dinner , and carry it daily unto him , hearing , among others , of this ex●cution , dressed him no dinner at all that day , wherefore at the ●●ook's next repaire unto him ▪ he demanded the cause why he b●ought him not his dinner as he was wont to doe : sir , said the cook , it was commonly talked all the towne over , that you should have died that day , and therefore i thought it but in vaine to dresse any thing for you . well said he , merrily unto him againe , for all that report thou seest me yet alive ; and therefore whatsoever newes thou shalt heare of me , hereafter let me no more lack my dinner , but make it ready as thou art wont to do ; and if thou see me dead when thou comest , then eat it thy selfe : but i promise thee , if i be alive , i minde , by gods grace , to eat never a bit the lesse . thus while this blessed b●shop lay daily expecting the houre of h●s death , the king ( who no lesse desired his death than himself looked for it ) caused at last a writ of execution to be made , and brought to sir edmond walsingham lieutenant of the tower. bu● where by his judgement at westminster he was condemned ( as ye have read before ) to drawing , hanging , and quartering , as traitors alwaies use to be , yet was he spared from that cruell execution , wherefore order was taken that he should be led no further than tower-hill , and there to have his head struck off . after the lieutenant had received this bloody writ , he called unto him certaine persons , whose service and presence was to be used in that businesse , commanding them to be ready against the next day in the morning : and because that was very late in the night , and the prisoner asleep , he was loath to disease him of his rest for that time ; and so in the morning before five of the clock , he came to him in his chamber in the bell tower , finding him yet asl●ep in his bed , and waked him , sh●wing him that he was come to him on a message from the king , and after some circumstance used with perswasion , that he should remember himself to be an old man , and that for age he could not , by course of nature , live long ; he told him at last , that he was come to signifie unto him , that the kings pleasure was he should suffer death that forenoone . well ( quoth this blessed father ) if this be your errand , you bring me no great newes , for i have long time looked for this message ; i most humbly thank his majesty , that it pleaseth him to rid me from all this worldly businesse , and i thank you also for your tidings . but i pray you mr. li●utenant ( said he ) when is mine houre that i must go hence ? your houre ( said the lieutenant ) must be nine of the clock : and what houre is it now ( said he ? ) it is now about five ( said the lieutenant . ) well then ( said he ) let me , by your patience , sleep an houre or two , for i have slept very little this night . and yet to tell you the truth , not for any feare of death ( i thank god ) but by reason of my great infirmity and weaknesse . the kings further pleasure is ( said the lieutenant ) that you should use as little speech as may be , especially any thing touching his maj●sty , whereby the people should have any cause to think of him or his proceedings , otherwise than well : for that ( said he ) you shall see me order my self , as by gods grace , neither the king nor any man else , shall have occasion to m●st●ke of my words . with which answer the lieutenant departed from him , and so the prisoner falling againe to rest , sl●p● soundly two houres and more . and after h● was waked , he called to his man to help him up : but first of all he commanded him to take away the shirt of haire ( which accustomably he wore on his back ) and to convey it privlly out of the house , and instead thereof to lay him forth a clean white sh●●● , and all the best apa●rel he had , as cleanly brushed as may be : and as he was in arraying 〈…〉 abou● nine of the clock the lieutenant came againe to his prisoner and finding him almost 〈◊〉 , said that he was come now for him . i will wait upon you straight ( said he ) as fast as this thin body of mine will give me leave . then said he to his man , reach me my 〈◊〉 ●ppet to put about my neck . o my lord , said the lieutenant , what need you be so careful for your health for this little t●me , being ( as your self knoweth ) not much above an houre ? i think no otherwise ( said this bless●d father ) but yet in the mean time i will keep my selfe as well as i can , till the very time of my execution : for i tell you truth , though i have ( i thank our lord ) a very good desire , and a w●lling minde , to die at this present , an● so trust of his infinite mercy and goodnesse , he will continue it , yet will i not willingly hinder my health , in the mean●t me ▪ one minute of an houre , but still prolong the same as long as i can by such reasonable waies and meanes as almighty god hath provid●d f●r me . with that taking a little book in his hand , which was a n. test. lying by h●m , he made a crosse on his forehead , and went out of 〈…〉 doore with the 〈◊〉 , being to weak that he was scarce able to go downe staires : wherefore at the 〈◊〉 foo● he was taken up in a chaire between two of the 〈…〉 and carried to the tower gate , with a great number of weapons about him to be delivered to the sher●ffs of london for execution . and as they were come to the uttermost pr●cinct of the liberty of the tower , they rested there with him a space , till such time as one was sent before to know in what readinesse the sheriffs were to receive him : during which space he rose out of his chaire , and standing on his feet leaded his shoulder to the wall , and lifting his eyes towards 〈◊〉 , opened his little book in his hand , and said , o lord , this is the last time that ●ver i shall open this book , let some comfortable place now chance unto me , whereby i thy poore servant may glorisie thee in this my last house ; and with that , looking into the book , the first thing that came to his sight were these words , haec est ●utem vita aeterna ▪ ut cognoscant 〈◊〉 , solum verum deum , & quem 〈◊〉 iesum christum . ego te glorificavi sup●r terram , opi●us consummavi quod dedists mihi ut faciam : et nunc clarific●tu me , 〈◊〉 apud 〈◊〉 〈…〉 &c. and with that he shut the book together , and said , here is even learning enough for me to my lives end . and so the s●eriff . being ready for him , he was taken up again among certain of the sheriffs men , with a new ▪ and much greater company of weapons than was before , and carried to the scaffold on the tower-hill , otherwise called east-●smith●●●lt himselfe praying all the way , and recording upon the words which he before had read ; and when he was come to the foot of the scaffold , they that carried him offered to help him up the staires . but then ( said he ) nay masters , seeing i am come so farre lee me alone , and ye shall see me shift for my self well enough , and so went up the staires without any help , so lively , that it was mervail● to them th●● knew before of his debility and weaknesse ; but as he was mounting up the staires , the south-east sun shined very bright in his face , whereupon he said to himselfe these words , lifting up his hands : accedite ad eum , & illuminamini , & facies vestrae non consundentur . by that time he was upon the scaffold it was about ten of the clock , where the executioner being ready to doe his office , kneeled downe to him ( as the fashion is ) and asked him forgivenesse : i forgive thee ( said he ) with all my heart , and i trust thou shalt see me overcome thi● storme lustily . then was his gown and tippet taken from him , and he stood in his doublet and hose , in sight of all the people , whereof was no small number assembled to see this execution : there was to be seen a long ▪ lean , and slender body , having on it little other substance b●sides skin and bones , insomuch as most part of the beholders mervailed much to see a living man so farre consumed , for he seemed a very image of death , and as it were death in a mans shape , using a mans voice ; and therefore it was thought the king was something cruell to put such a man to death , being so neere his end , and to kill that which was dying already , except it were for pity sake to rid him of his pain . when the innocent and holy man was come upon the scaffold , he spake to the people in effect as followeth : christian people , i am come hither to die for the faith of christs holy catholique church , and i thank god hitherto my stomack hath served me very well thereunto ▪ so that yet i have not feared death ; wherefore i desire you all to help and assist with your prayers , that at the very point and instant of deaths stroke ▪ i may in that very moment stand stedfast , without fainting in any one point of the cathol . faith●free from any fear . and i beseech almighty god of his infinite goodnesse , to save the king and this realme and that it may please him to bold his hand over it , and s●nd the king good councel . these , or the like words he spake , with such a cheerefull countenance , such a stou● and constant courage , and such a reverend gravity , that he appeared to all men , not onely void of feare , but also glad of death . b●sides this , he uttered his words so distinctly , and with so loud and cleare a voice , that the people were astonished thereat , and noted it for a miraculous thing , to heare so plain and audible a voice come from so weak and sickly an old body , for the youngest man in that presence , being in good and perfect health , could not have spoken to be better heard and perceived , than he was . then after these few words by him uttered , he kneeled down on both , his knees and said certain prayers , among which one was the hymn of te deum laudamus , to the end , and the psalm in te domine speravi . then came the executioner , and bound a handkercheif about his eyes ; and so this holy father lifting up his hands and heart towards heaven , said a few prayers which were not long , but fervent , and devout : which being ended , he laid his head down on the middle of a little block , where the executioner being ready , with a sharp and heavy ax cut asunder his slender neck at one blow , which bled so abundantly , that many wondred to see so much blood issu● out of so slender and leane a body . as concerning the head , the executioner put it into a bag , and carried it away with him , meaning to have set it on the bridge that night , as he was commanded . the lady anne bullein ( who was the chief cause of this holy mans death ) had a certain desire to see the head before it was set up ; whereupon , being brought unto her , she beheld it a space , and at last , contemptuously , said these or the like words : is this the head that so often exclaimed against me ? i trust it shall never do no more harm : & with that , striking it upon the mouth with the back of her hand , hurt one of her fingers upon a tooth that stuck somewhat more out than the rest did , which finger after grew sore , and putting her to pain many dayes after , was nevertheless cured at last , with much difficulty . but after it was healed , the mark of the hurt place remained to be seen when her own head was not to be seen upon her shoulders . this may seem strange , as a rare example of cruell boldness in that sex , which by nature is fearfull , and cannot behold such spectacles , and therefore argueth ( no doubt ) a wonderfull malice which she , by likelihood , bare to the holy man living , that could thus cruelly use his head , being dead . then the executioner stripping the body of his shirt and all his clothes , he departed thence , leaving the headless carkasse naked upon the scaffold , where it remained after that sort for the most part of that day , saving that one for pity and humanity sake , cast a little straw over his privities ; & about eight of the clock in the evening commandment came from the kings commissioners to such as watched about the dead body ( for it was still watched with many halberds & weapons ) that they should cause it to be buried . whereupon two of the watchers took it upon a holbert between them , and so carried it to a church-yard there hard by , called alh : barkin , where on the northside of the church hard by the wall , they digged a grave with their halberds , and therein , without any reverence , tumbled the body of this holy , prelate , all naked and flat upon his belly , without either shirt , or other accustomed thing belonging to a christian mans buriall , and so covered quickly with earth . and this was done on the day of st. albane the pro●omartyr of england , being tuesday the 22. of iune in the year of ou● redemption 1535. and in the 27. year of the kings reigne , after he had lived full threescore and sixteen years , nine moneths and odde daies . the next day after his burying , the head being parboyled , was pricked upon a pole and set on high upon london bridge , among the rest of the holy carthusians heads that suffered death lately before him . and here i cannot omit to declare unto you the miraculous sight of this head , which after it had stood up the space of fourteen dayes upon the bridge , could not be perceived to wast nor consume , neither for the weather , which then was very hot , neither for the parboyling in hot water , but grew daily fresher and fresher , so that in his life-time he never looked so well , for his cheeks being beautified with a comely red , the face looked as though it had beholden the people passing by , and would have spoken to them , which many took for a miracle , that almighty god was pleased to shew above the course of nature , in this preserving the fresh and lively colour in his face , surp●ssing the colour he had being alive , whereby was noted to the world the innocence and holinesse of this blessed father , that thus innocently was content to lose his head in defence of his mother , the holy catholique church of christ ; wherefore the people coming daily to see this strange sight , the passage over the bridge was so stopped with their going and coming , that almost neither cart nor horse could passe : and therfore at the end of fourteen daies this executioner was commanded to throw downe the head in the night-time into the r●ver of thames , and in the place thereof was set the head of the most blessed and constant martyr , sir thomas moore , his companion and fellow in all his troubles , who suffered his passion the 6. day of iuly next following . and touching the place of his buriall in barkin church yard , it was well observed at that time by divers worthy persons of the nations of italy , spain and france , that were then abiding in the realme , and more diligently noted and wrote the course of things , and with lesse fear and suspition then any of the kings subjects might or durst doe , that for the space of seaven yeares after his buriall , there grew neither leaf nor grasse upon his grave , but the earth still remained as bare as though it had been continually occupied and trodden . when by common fame this bloudy execution was blown and spread abroad , straight way the name of king henry begun to grow odious among all good people , not onely in his own realm at home , but also among all forreign princes and nations abroad through christendome , insomuch that paul the third , then pope of rome , with great grief signified these doings by severall letters to all the christian princes , openly detesting the outrage of king henry , in committing such a wicked and manifest injury , not onely against the freedome and priviledge of the church of rome , but also against the whole state of christs universall church , for the which , in short space after , he pronounced the terrible sentence of excommunication against him . likewise the most noble and christian emperour charles the fifth , at such time as sir thomas moore was beheaded , and word th●●eof brought to him , sent speedily for sir thomas eliot the kings embassadour , there 〈◊〉 with him , and asked him whether he heard any such newes , or no ; who answered him that he heard no such thing : yes , said the emperour , it is true , and too true , that sir thomas moore is now executed to death , as a good bishop hath lately been before : and with that , giving a sigh , said , alas , what meant the k. to kill two such man ? for , said he , the bishop was such a one , as for all purposes , i think the king had not the like agai●●● in all his r●alm , neither yet was to be matched through christendome , so that ( said he ) the king your master hath in killing that bishop , killed at one blow all the bishops in england . and sir thomas moore ( said he ) was well known for a man of such profound wisdome , cunning , and vertue , that if he had been towards me , as he was towards the king your master , i had rather have lost the best city in all my dominion than such a man. and in like manner king francis the french king ( though in some respects a man to be wished otherwise than he was , yet ) talking on a time with sir iohn wallop the kings embassadour , of those two blessed men , told him plainly , that either the king his master had a very hard heart , that could put to death two such worthy men , as the like 〈…〉 within his realm , whereof k. 〈…〉 advertised , took it very ill at the 〈…〉 king francis , for 〈…〉 of him , saying , that he had don● nothing but that himself was first made privy to it . in statute of his body , he was tall and comely , exceeding the common and middle sort of men ; for he was to the quantity of fix foot in height , and being therewith very slender and lean , was neverthelesse upright and well formed , straight back'd , big joyn●ed , and strongly sinewed , his haire by 〈◊〉 black , though in his later time , throug● age and imprisonment , turned to hoarinesse , or rather to whitenesse , his eye large and round , neither full black nor full gray , but of a mixt colour between both , his forehead smooth and large , his nose of a good and even proportion , somewhat wide mouth'd and big jaw'd , as one ordained to utt●r much speech , wherein was , notwithstanding , a certaine com●linesse , his skin somewhat tawny , mixed with many blew vein● , his face , hands , & all his body , so bare of flesh , as is almost ineredible , which came ( rather as may be thought ) by the great abstinence and penance he used upon himself many yeares together , even from his youth . in his countenance he bare such a rev●rend gravity , and therewith in his doings exercised such discre●t severity , that not onely of his equalls , but even of his superiours he was honoured and feared ; in speech he was very mild , temperate , and modest , saving in matters of god and his charge , which then began to trouble the world , and therein he would be earnest above his accustomed order ; but vainly , or without cause , he would never speak , neither was his ordinary talk of common worldly matters , but rather of divinity and high power of god , of the joyes of heaven , and the paines of hell , of the glorious death of martyrs , and strait i fe of confessors , with such like vertuous and pro●itable talk , which he alwaies uttered with such a heavenly grace , that his words were alwaies a great edifying to his hearers ; he had such a continuall impression of death in his heart , that his mouth never ceased to utter the inward thoughts of his minde , not onely in all times of his exercise , but also at his meales ; for he would alwayes say , that the remembrance of death came never out of season : and of his own end , he would now and then ( as occasion of speech was given ) cast out such words , as though he had some fore-knowledge of the manner of his death ; for divers of his chaplaines and houshold servants have reported , that long before his death they have heard him say , that he should not die in his bed ; but alwaies in speaking thereof , he would utter his words with such a cheerefull countenance , as they might easily perceive him rather to conceive joy , than sorrow thereat : in study he was very laborious and painfull ; in preaching assiduous , ever beating down heresies and vice ; in prayer most fervent and devout ; in fasting , abstinence , and pun●shing of his lean body , rigorous , without measure . and generally in all things belonging to the care and charge of a true bishop , he was to all the b●shops of england , living in his daies , the very mirrour and lantherne of light . one that was dean of rochester many years together , named mr. philips , in the daies of king edward the sixth , when certaine commissioners w●re coming towards him to search his house for books , he , for ●eare , burned a large volume , which this holy bishop had compiled , containing in it the whole story and matter of d●vorce , which volume he gave him with his owne hand a little before his trouble ; for the losse whereof the deane would many times after lament , and wish the book whole againe , upon condition he had not one groat to live on . pope paul the third writing ( as before is said ) to the princes of christendome of the dealings of k●ng henry against this goodly man , wrote , among others , one letter to ferdinando king of romans , which i my self have seen and read . in this letter , after great complaint made of king henry for killing of such a man , whom be before , for his great sanctity and vertue , had inrolled in the number and society of the cardinall , hoping thereby that all should have turned to his better safety and deliverance , because that dignity in all places hath ever been acounted sacred , yet now falling ou : otherwise , he taketh occasion to compare the doing● of king henry the eight to the doing ; of his progenitors k. hen. 2. and this holy father he compareth , or rather preferreth , to the holy martyr st. thomas of canterbury , saying , that his k●ng henry did not onely 〈◊〉 the imp●ety of that k●ng , but also went farre beyond him , for where he slew one , this sl●w many . st. thomas defended the right of one particular church , this of the universall ; that king killed an archbishop , but this king hath put to death a cardinall of the holy church of rom● ; that king exiled st. thomas by long banishment , but this king tormented this holy man by long & hard imprisonment ; he sent unto s. thomas certain hired men to kill him , to this was ●ssig●ed onely a hungman ; he caused st. thomas to be sl●in by a forcible death , but this by a shameful torment hath killed the holy man of god ; he ( in conc●usion ) sought to purge himself before alexander the third , and laying the fault upon others , did with humility , take upon him such 〈◊〉 , as was to him enjoyned by the b●shop of rome ; but this with a most obstinate ●inde , defended his own horrible fact , shewing hims●lf not onely unwilling to do penance , but also b●cometh a stubborne and rebellious enemy against the church of rome . then consider what that man of happy memory ( cardinall poole ) wr●teth of him in sundry places of his works , who in his life● time both knew him , and was familiarly acquainted with him , but specially in that book which he wrote to king henry the eight , intituled pro ecclesiasticae vnitatis def●●sione , wherein he extolleth the name of this blessed prelate , with words according to his great worthinesse , saying to the king , that if an abassadour had bee● to be sent from earth to heaven , there could not among all the bishops and clergy so sit a man be chosen as he , for what other man ( saith he ) have ye presently , or of many yeares past had comparably with him in sanctity , learning , wisdome , and carefull diligence in the office and duty of a bishop ? of whom ye may justly , above all other n●tions , glory and rejoice , that if all the corners of christendome were narrowly sought , there could not be found out any one man that in all things did accomplish the parts and degrees of a bishop equ●l with him . further in the same place he laudeth him highly for his great travaile and care in the education of youth , especially of the young students in the u●iversity of cambr. for that by his onely mean and motion , that noble and right vertu●us l●dy margaret , countesse of richmond and derby , sometimes his mistress , erected two famous colledges in that university ( as before in this history hath been declared ) wherein young schollers receive great comfort toward their instruction in learning unto which number himself became also a very 〈◊〉 and father , and being after chosen by the whole consent of the university to the room of their high chancellour , he b●●ame no less carefull over them than over the slock of his diocess . all which , with many other high praises , this most vertuous , learned , and high-borne cardinall set down very bountifully of him . likewise blessed sir t. moor , his companion and fellow in adversity and trouble , upon occasion of talk , ministred unto him by his daughter mrs. roper , about refusing the oath by my l. of roch. & himself , saith in a certain epistle to his ●●id daughter , that he hath had him in such a reverend estimation , as for his wisdom , learning , & long approv'd vertue together , he reckoneth in this realme no one man to be matched or compared with him . furthermore , the renouned b. of nuceria , and most el●quent historiographer of our time , p. iovius , although he lacketh no commendation of him throughout all his whole history , yet in one place specially he saith , that upon the acceptance of his great charge of a b●shoprick , he became so vigilant over his stock the space of many years together , that he was to be wondred at , not onely of his owne country people at home , but also of all other outward nations : then he greatly reverenceth him for his constant piety , in defending the marriage between k. hen. and his lawful wife q. ●ath , and for withstanding the kings wilfull minde in taking upon him so absurdly the name & title of supreme head of the church , for the which he did not refuse even in his old age , to suffer the losse of liberty , livings , life , and all . then weigh what is said of him by that most eloquent and learned father stanstau● hosmes , b●shop of warima in poland , and cardinall of rome , in his book of confutation against brentius the heretique , his words being thus , fatemur & nos br●nti , &c. wherein he sheweth very notably , how , although in all ages heretiques have lift up themselves against the church of god , yet hath he not forsaken or left her destitute at any time . neither hath god in these our unfortunate daies , failed his church ; for whereas you lutherans are broken forth , and from you are sprung zuinglius , munserans , or patimontans , and a number of hereticks mo god hath produced against you into the battell , many worthy men indued with singular wit , and excellent learning , by whom your raging madness might be suppressed and put down . among whom especially , and by name , was that famous holy man iohn , bishop of rochester , who , in defence of the faith , and catholique church of christ , never stuck for the loss of his life , and the shedding of his blood . finally , whosoever shall read of cocleus , wycelleas , eckius , and others learned writings of ger●any , of the worthy bishop and eloquent writer , osorius , of alphonsus d● castro , and others of spaine and portugall , besides a number of such other learned fathers of many nations , whereof some lived in his own daies , and some since , shall easily perceive that he was a man for his profound learning , and rare vertue , highly reverenced and esteemed thoroughout all christendome . and no doubt but if his writings and doings be well compared , ye shall find him most like those holy fathers and doctors , that in the primitive church laid the very first ground and foundation of our belief , upon the which we have since rested and stayed our selves , whom to describe wholly and fully unto you , according to his worthiness , i will not take upon me , neither am able to doe ● , yea were i as elequent as cic●ro , or as witty and subtill as aristotle , as copious as demosthenes , or as profound in philosophy as plato , such , and so innumerable were his singular vertues . but herein i will content my self with the generall commendation , which all the famous universities of divinity in europe do give this learned man , by calling him blessed martyr , and alledging his works for great authority . thus much i may also say , that unto iustus his predecessor , the first bishop of rochester , he was a just and true successor ; the place of his birth he doth greatly beautifie with the glorious bishop st. iohn of beverly ; to the country of kent , where he was bishop , he is an ornament with st. thomas of canterbury ; in gravity of his writing he is to be reverenced with st. bede ; for stout defending the right and liberty of the holy church , against the power of princes , he is not inferiour to the blessed bishop st. ambrose , and st. c●rysostome ; in praying for his enemies and persecutors he resembleth holy st. stephen ; in constancy and stoutnesse of his martyrdome he was a second cyprian , and in the manner of his death to iohn the baptist . and now we shall observe the wonderfull working of almighty god , whose judgements are secret and strange in our sight , much to be marked and noted in him and his adherents ; for as god of his own nature is patient and long suffering , because he expectth the amendment of our sinfull lives : so is he also just in his doings , and pun●sheth grievously , when no amendment is endeavoured , as now may well be perceived by those perceive by those persons that were persecuters of this blessed man ; for they escaped not the danger of his heavy hand , as shall be declared unto you . as first , to begin with the king himselfe , in quo quis peccat in ●o punitur , the almighty ( commonly ) makes rods for our own sins , wherewith he often punisheth those that offend him , as here most notably it is to be observed in the three fold manner of his displeasure , which accused him to be so cru●●l to this good man , that nothing but the punes of death could satisfie his ir●full indignation : as first for resisting his so inord 〈…〉 of changing wives . secondly for his refusall to take the oath of succession , and his constant disapprovement of the unlawfull cou●ses which he took to procure unto himselfe 〈◊〉 male . thirdly for withstanding his supremacy in causes e●clesisticall . these were the three causes of his displeasure , which like a trident he st●uck into the breast of innocence ▪ whiles the three● pointed scept●r made their severall entries within his own bo●ome ; for the first , he that robb'd so many breasts of the poss●ssion of so great joy and happinesse in being his through his desire of change , found change a robbery to his own hearts contentment in so many wives , which lawfully were none of his , for of the six bells whereon he rung this change , two of them were repudiate , two beheaded , one wittingly killed , and the last so displeasing to him , as he had determined to have sent her to the tower so far onward in her way to her predecessors fates , had not his approaching death caused her to survive . as to the second , viz. the unlawful meanes which he took to have succession by his issue male , those females who he illegitimated , succeeded , and his issue male deceased , that they might succeed . as to the third , viz. his assuming ( and taken upon him ) the supremacy of the church ( whose doings herein were neither approved by the roman party ( as monstrous in their opinions ) nor by the lutherans and zuingl●ans as different from theirs ) but what the holy martyrs conjectured ; thereupon it came to passe , for , said he in the convocation-house , ( when this businesse was in scanning ) the king desires that we would make him head of the church ; his successors will expect to be the like : what if his successor should chance to be a child , or a woman , how shall we be governed by such ? and accordingly the almighty , to shew us the ridiculousnesse of the usurpation , left him none but women and a child to succeed him in that office ; women that could not speak , and a childe that knew not how in the church of god , till at the length he had neither male nor female to sit any more upon the throne than in the chair , death having made all their hands ( issueless ) as unapt to sway the scepter , as improper for the keyes . lastly , i shall produce before your eyes , his last will and testan●ent , with some observations upon the same . henrici octavi testamentum . in nomine dei , gloriosaeque & benedictae virginis mariae dominae nostrae , totiusque sanctae societatis caelictum , nos henricus dei gratia rex angliae , franciae & hiberniae , defensor fidei ; & in terris immediate sub deo supremum caput ecclesiae anglicanae & hiberniae , ejus nominis octavus : revocantes in memoriam magna dona & beneficia omnipotentis dei nobis collata in hac vita transitoria , ipsi submisse himilimas reddimus gratias , agnoscentes nos ipsos protinus insufficientes ex ulla parte ad eadem beneficia promerenda aut compensenda : quin potius metuentes ne illa non digna receperimus : perpendentes ulterius apud nos ipsos , esse nos ( ut & totum genus humanum ) mortales , in peccato natos ; cernentes nihilominus & sperantes , omnem christianam creaturam in hoc transitorio miseroque mundo viventem sub deo , ( dummodo in fide stabilita conetu● & exerceat in hac vita si tempus habuerit , talia charitatis & pietatis opera quae scriptura injungit , quaeque ad dei honorem & beneplacitum faciunt ) ordinatam esse ut per christi passionem salvetur , & ad ae●srnam vitam pertingat , de quorum numero veraciter , confidimus nos ipsos per dei gratiam existere : considerantes etiam unamquamque creaturam quanto fuerit sublimior statu , honore , & auctoritate in hoc saeculo , tanto esse obstrict orem , aut amer deum , eique serviat , & gratias agat , tantoque diligentius conari deberi ut bona opera charitatis faciat , ad laudē , honorem & gloriam omnipotentis dei ; memoria etiam repetentes , dignitatem , honorem , regnum , & gubernationem , ad quae nos vocavit omnipotens deus in hoc mundo ▪ quoque haec , nos ipsi nec ulla alia mortalis creatura noverit tempus aut locum quando vel ubi placebit omnipotenti deo nos ex hoc transitorio saeculo evocare : idcirco volentes & meditantes per dei gratiam , ante nostrum ex eodum mundo transitum , disponere & ordinare nostram ultimam mentem , voluntatem & testamentum , eo modo quo confidimus gratum fore omnipotenti deo , unico salvatori nostro jesu christo , & toti societati coeli ad satisfactionem etiam omnium piorum fratrum in terra , adhuc integra perfectaque mente adhaerentes totaliter rectae fidei christi ejusque doctrinae , poenirentes de veteri detestabilique vita , habentes perfectam voluntatem & mentem per ejus gratiam nunquam ab ea deflectere , quamdiu ulla memoria , spiritus aut interior cognitio fuerit in hoc nostro mortali corpore , humilime & cordialissime commendamus & legamus animā nostrā omnipotenti deo , qui eam in su● persona redemit pretioso corpore & sanguine suo in tempore passionis suae , & in pleniorem ejus rei memoriam relequit hic nobiscum in ecclesia sua militante consecrationem , & administratonem pretiosi corporis & sanguinis sui , ad consolationem nostram non mediocrem , si nos etiam ita gratanter accipimus , sicut ille gratanter , & quantum ex hominum parte est , immerenter , ad nostrum , non secu● bonum illam ordinavit . instanter e●iam rogamus & obsecramus beatam virginem mariam , dei matrem , totamque sanctam societatem coeli , ut continuo p●o nobis & nobiscum precentur quam diu in hoc mundo vivimus & in nostro transitu de illo , ut citius pertingamus ad vitam aeternam quam & speramus & vendicamus ex christi passione , & verbo , quantum ad corpus meum , quod quando inde anima discesserit , manebit eadaver , atque ita ad vilem materiam unde factum fuerat , redibit : nisi locus & dignitas ad quam nos vocavit deus , impediret ; & ● ne notemur quasi violatores humanitatis , & bonarum consuetudinum , quando legi dei non contrariantur : contenti sane essemus ut quovis in loco ●●peliretur christianae sepulturae con su●●o , quantumvis v●lis foret : cinis enim est duntaxat , & in cinerem reverretur : nihilominus , quia non libenter volumus populo nostro videri injuriam facere dignitati , ad quam deus immeritos nos vocavit , contenti sumus & per hanc nostram ultimam voluntatem ac testamentum volumus & ordinamus , quod hocce corpus nostrum terrae mandetur , & scpeliatur in choro collegii nostri de windesor , in medio spatio inter stalla , & summum altare , quodque fiat & collocetur , quam primum commodè possit post decessum nostrum per exequutores nostros , & nostris sumptibus & expensis ( si tamen per nos ipsos , in vita nostra non fiat ) honorabile monumentū in quo ossa nostra requiescant guod monumentū jam pene consummatū est , cum cancellis seu cratibus pulchris circumpositis : in quo etiam monumento , volumus ossa , & corpus fidelis , & dilectae , conjugis nost●●● reginae janae simul poni : utque projudeatur , ordinetur & fiat expensis sumptibusque nostris , aut exequutorum nostrorum si tamen in nostra vita non fiat ) conveniens altare reverenter ornatum & instructum omnibus requesitis & necessariis ad missas quotidianas ibidem decendas perpetuo , donec mundus perseverat . volumus insuper ut sepulchra & altaria regis henrici sexti & regis edwardi quarti , abavunculi & avi nostri fiant forma augustiori magisque principali & regali risdem in locis in quibus nunc sunt , idque nostris sumptibus & expensis , & insuper voluntas nostra & specialiter desideramus atque requitimus , ut ubi & quandocunque placuerit deo nos vocare ex hoc mundo transitorio ad infinitam misericordiam , & gratiam suam , sive ultra maria aut in quocunque loco extra nostrum angliae regnum vel intra ipsum exequutores nostri quam primum commode poterunt curent omne genus servitii divini , quod pro defunctis fieri solet pro nobis etiam celebrari idque in proximo maximeque commodo loco , respectu illius in quo nos ex hac vita caduca decedere contigerit . volumus praeterea ut quandocunque & ubicunque placuerit deo nos vocare ex misera vita ista ad infinitam misericordiam & gratiam suam , sive intra regnum sive extra ipsum , exequutores nostri quam poterunt pio , convenienti et celeri modo ordinent & procurent , corpus nostrum transferri & portari atque convehi ad praedictum collegium nostrum windesorae , quoque servicium placebo & dirige , cum concione , & missa postero mane , nostris sumptibus & expensis devote celebretur , & solemniter observetur ▪ ut ibi terra mandetur & sepuliatur in loco disignato pro sepulchro seu monumento , ad eum finem faciendo : & haec omnia ut fiant devotissimo , quo fieri poterunt modo . volumus & injungimus executoribus nostris , quatenus disponant & per viam eleemosinae distribuant pauperimis maximeque indigentibus personis quae inveniri poterunt ( exclusis tamen , quantum ratio postulat , mendicis ordinariis ) idque quam brevissimo intervallo post nostrum de hac vita transitoria discessum , summam mille marcarum legalis monetae angliae , partim quidem eodem ipso in loco , in quo placuerit deo nos ad suam misericordiam evocare ; partim in itinere , partim in loco ipso sepulturae nostiae secundum quod ipsi discretius judicaverint ut populum cui hec nostrae elemosinae tribuentur , moneant , ut deum ex corde precentur propeccatis nostris & salute animae nostrae . item volumus , ut quanta commode fieri poterit celeritate post nostrum ex hoc mundo transitum si in vita nostra id non fiat ) decanus & canonici liberae capellae nost●ae intra castrum windesorae habeant in maneriis , terris tenementis & spiritualibus promotinibus ad annum valorem lexcentarum librarum , ultra omnes alias expensas , iisdem assecuratum , successoribus eorum in perpetuum , sub his conditionibus sequentibus & pro debita ad impletionem omnium conditionum inibi contentarum , per formam indentaturae chirographo nostro subsignatae , quae transigetur per viam pacti & contractus in eundem sinem inter nos & praedictos decanum & canonicos in vita nostra , viz. praed●cti d●canus & canonici ●orumque succ●ssores in perpetuum habebunt paratos duos presbi●eros qui missas dicunt ad prae●atum altare in loco superius designato collocandum : & post decesrum nostrum celebrabunt quatuor solemnes obitus , pro nobis in praedicto collegio windeso●ae , curabuntque solemnem concionem haberi : & in unoquoque praedictorum obituum pauperibus donent decem libras ( i. centum francos ) quotannis in perpetuum , donent tredecim pauperibus , qui vocabuntur equites pauperes unicuique duod●cim donarios ( hoc est decem asses per diem , & semel per singulos annos unicuique togam talarem panni albi , habentem in pectore acupictam periscelidem seu garteriā cum cruce d. georgii in scuto inclusam intra periscelidem & mantellam panni rubei : ut uni ex●llis tredecim , qui constituetur caput & rector aliorum , tres libras fex solidos & octo denarios ( i. 33. froncos & sex asses ) ultra supraque predictos unicujusque diei duodecim denarios : u●que omni dominica totius anni in perpetuū curent haberi concionem in castro windesorae , sicut in praefata indentatura , & contractu pleniùs & particularius exprimetur . volentes & onerantes & requirentes filium nostrum principem edvardum , omnesque ex●quutor●s nostros & consulati●s postea nominandos , omnesque haeredes nostios & successores , qui hujus regni reges 〈◊〉 sunt , sicut se noverint responsuros coram deo in tremendo judici● die , quat●nus ipsi , & unusquisq●●psorum p●ovideant , ut praed●cta indentatura & assecuratio , inter nos & predictos decanum & canonicos transigenda & omnia in e●s contenta , debite mādentur exequutioni . observentur , & custodiantur in perpetuum , juxta ha●d extremam voluntatem nostram atque testamentum , &c. reliquam testamenti partem in qua de successione disponebatur summatim recitat sanderus in hunc modum : ut edvardus filius ex iana seimera , novē natus annos primas omnium regnandi vices acciperit , secundas maria●x ●x catharina , tertias elizabetha , ex anna bulleina postea his deficientibus ad illos transire successio ad quos jure cōmuni pertineret . deinde impuberi filio sedecim constituit tutores & curatores pari potestate , cosque magna ex parte catholicos , velut aristocratia quadam monarchiam temperans . demum valde mandavit ut filius in fide catholica educaretur , excepto primatus titulo , quem ei reliquit & ut regnum ab haeresibus purgatum teneretur . he that had made void so many mens wills , had his own made void in every par●icular . all those sixteen counsellors which he had appointed to governt the kingdome in his son● minority , either by threatning , exclusion , or imprisonment , were all of them forc●d to give way to one , who wholly took upon him the gov●rnment of the whole kingdome ; and he that took such care that his son should have none to be of his councill but such as should be catholiques , had his will so performed , that there was one who took care that no catholique should come 〈◊〉 him ; and when the heads of these gainsayers of his will were cut off , his son was l●ft in tuition of such hands , as it was verily beli●ved , made his son away , that they might set up one upon his thron● , in opposition to his owne daughter ; the religion wherein his son was bred and commanded to be brought up in , was changed , his lawes abrogated ; and he that took so many unlawfull courses to obtain issue , had so many children , who all of them died issu●l●sse . next to the king i shall observe the punishment of almighty god , which lighted neavily upon the q● . ( anne bullein ) the chief and principal cause of all this wofu● tragedie , who in a short space was suddenly thrown down from the top of all her high d●gnity and honour ( whose glory was exalted upon this mans ruine ) and for a most vil● and abominable incest committed with her owne brother , condemn'd and accused to be worthy of death by her owne fath●r , together with divers others of her own kindred , and the nobility then sitting in judgement , who , not long before , were her idolaters , and she their idoll ; whereupon she was executed at tower hill , her head being stricken off ▪ of whose losse the king himself took such sorrow , that the very next day after she was dead , he mourned for her in a wedding garment . next to the queen we will call to minde m. thomas cranmer archbishop of canterbury , who of his own power , without any other warrant or authority , pronounced the sentence of divorce between the king and queene ( being calculated to the height of that meridian ) and afterwards called this holy man before him , and cast him into prison for refusing the two new oaths , the one of the kings new marriage ▪ the other of the new supremacy , from whence he was never delivered , till death rid him of all worldly 〈◊〉 . this archbishop lived till he was condemned for a traitour , because he spred certain seditious libels amongst the people , and assisted the duke of nort●umberland in his rebellion ( in the behalf of the lady iane ) against his lawfull soveraigne . but forasmuch as this was done in qu●en mary her daies , and the clergie had somewhat else to say to him , they burned him as a heretique . as for mr. rich , the kings soliciter , and the dequoy to this good man , who gave such strange and injurious testimony against him at his arr●ignment , he lived to be deposed from all his high places and preferments , and fell into deep disgrace , not onely with the king his master , but with those who afterwards sate at the stern in the young kings time , insomuch that affiction brought him to understand , and the knowledge of himself to true repentance , so that it is to be believed that he escaped without any further punishment than the clipping of his wings whilest he was alive , and the singing of his qody when he was dead : for his dead body being laid into a coffi● , seared & imbalmed , c●rtain candles that were set upon the hearse , through the watchers negligence , or absence , fell downe , and took hold first on the cloaths , and then upon the coffin , till at length came unto the se●rcloaths , that before any man could come unto the rescue , the fire was pre●●y onward in his way , to have deceived the worms . lastly , we shall conclude with mr. cromwell , a shrewd enemy to this good man , and a great agent in this businesse ; a man in whose behalf the archb●shop of canterbury thus writ in his behalf in his letter to the king , after his troubles had beginning . viz. — a man that was so advanced by your majesty , whose surety was onely by your majesty , who loved your majesty no lesse than god , who studied alwaies to set forward whatsoever was your maj●sties will and pleasure , who cared for no mans displeasure to serve your maiesties , who was such a servant , in my judgement , in wisdome , diligenc● , faithfulnesse , and experience , as no prince in this realm ever had the like , who was so vigilant to preserve your maiesty from all treasons , that few could be so secretly conceived but he detected the same in the beginning ; such a man , that if the noble princes of memory , king john , henry the second , richard the second , had had such a councellour about them , i suppose they should never have been so treacherously abandoned and overthrowne , as those good princes were . who shall your grace trust hereafter , if you mistrust him ? alas , i bewaile and lame●t your grace's chance herein ▪ i wot not whom your grace may trust , &c. and for this fidelity , ability , and good service , advanced successively to the d●gnities of the master of the rolls , biron , lord privy seale , knight of the g●rter , earle of essex lord high chamberlaine of england , and higher than all this , v●car generall of the church of england , by vertue of which office he took place above them , who were metropolitanes of all england , and yet notw●thstanding he was arrested at the councell ●●ble of high treason by the duke of norfolke , when he least suspected any such desig●e , committed to the tower , brought ●hence unto the hill , and ( without being permitted to plead for himselfe ) there beheaded without any more adoe . but the strangest thing of all , is , that he that was the king● vicegerent in spirituall causes should be accused for an heretique , and that made one of the causes of his death , and that that was such a great enemy to the catholiqu●s ( kicking downe all the religious houses of the l●nd , and grinded the religious together with the rubb●sh under his feet ) should at his death openly profess● that he would die in the catholick faith . thus we see gods justice in the d●struction of the churches enemies ; who knowes but that he may help her to such friends , though not such as may restore her her own jewells , yet such as may heale her of her wounds ? and who knowes but that it may be aff●cted by the same name , sithenc● the almighty hath communicated so great a secret unto mortalls , as that there should be such a salve made known to them , whereby the same weapon that made the wound , shou●d work the cure ? oliva vera is not so hard to be construed ; oliv●rus , as that it may not be believed , that a prophet , rather than a her●uld , gave the common f●ther of christendom● , the now pope of rome ( innocent the tenth ) such ensignes of his nobility ( viz. ● dove holding an olive branch in her mouth ) since it falls short in nothing of being both a prophesie , and fulfilled , but onely his highnesse running into her armes , whose emblem of innocence beares him already in her mouth . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a45326-e560 stat. king rich. 2. ● . bils . in his true difference between christian & antichri●●ian rebellion . part 3. pag. 243. 244. hol. in his second volume of the last edition , p● 309. b. line 66. holins . ib. pag. 310. line 2. ibid. p. 30. a. line 11. ibid. pag. 310. a. l. 11. ibid. pag. 310. a. l. 14. ibid. pag. 311. a. l. 2. ibid. pag. 311. a. l. 9. annotations upon the r●●m . 〈◊〉 . cap. 13. 2. an. in 1 pet. cap. 2. 13. bell. li. de ●aic●s . c. 10. & 11. of dr. keilison in his survey printed 1603. p. 480. tract . 3. sect . 5. written by i. brer●ly an. 1608. exo. 22 , 28 act. 23. 5. eccl. 10. 20 rom. 13. 2. rom. 13. 5. hol. vol 3. an. eliz. 26. p. 1358 ib. p. 1360. b. line 26. ib l. 26. ib. l. 35. ib. l. 40. ib. l. 53. 54. &c. holi●s . ubi supra , p. 1170. 2. l. 35. 36. goodwin in his catalogue of bishops . hol. ubi supra , p. 1170. l. 15 ▪ as the suffolk people , s●ow in his annals . p. ● 1046. s●ow an ▪ printed 1592. p. 1039. and 1045. stow. an. p. 1046. stow. an. p. 1047. stow. ubi supra , pag. 1039. p. 1058. the enthusiasm of the church of rome demonstrated in some observations upon the life of ignatius loyola. wharton, henry, 1664-1695. 1688 approx. 325 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 85 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-05 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a65590 wing w1562 estc r29269 11061870 ocm 11061870 46195 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a65590) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 46195) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1433:8) the enthusiasm of the church of rome demonstrated in some observations upon the life of ignatius loyola. wharton, henry, 1664-1695. [19], 139 p. printed for ric. chiswell..., london : 1688. attributed by wing and nuc pre-1956 imprints to henry wharton. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce 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some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ignatius, -of loyola, saint, 1491-1556. catholic church -controversial literature. christian saints -biography. 2003-01 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-03 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2003-03 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the enthusiasm of the church of rome . imprimatur , liber cui titulus , the enthusiasm of the church of rome . guil. needham , rr. in christò p. ac d. d. wilhelno archiep . cant. a sacr. domest . mart. 16. 1687 / 8. the enthusiasm of the church of rome demonstrated in some observations upon the life of ignativs loyola . london : printed for ric. chiswell , at the rose and crown in st. paul's church-yard . mdclxxxviii . the contents . an irrational credulity the occasion of enthusiasm , page 2 the causes of this credulity , p. 1 , 2 the ill effects of enthusiasm , p. 3 the true remedy of it , p. 4 how fatal it is to christianity , p. 5 that christianity rightly understood , cannot be charged with it , p. 6 , 7 that the church of rome is most guilty of it , p. 7 , 8 that learning tends effectually to prevent it , p. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 the artifices of enthusiasts , p. 9 , 10 that the constitution of the body , and disposition of the spirits , may very much promote enthusiasm ; and these either natural or acquired , p. 11 , 12 , 13 the mistakes in religion arising from enthusiasm , p. 13 , 14 that to promote enthusiasm is a certain mark of a corrupted church page 15 that the church of england doth not in the least encourage it , p. 16 that the church of rome doth many ways promote it , p. 16 , 17 , 18 especially in her approbation and veneration of enthusiastick saints , p. 18 , 19 particularly of ignatius loyola , p. 20 ambition the first necessary quality of an enthusiast , p. 20 , 21 ignatius in an eminent manner guilty of it , p. 21 , &c. first induced to undertake a religious life by reading romances , and the lives of saints , p. 22 , 23 , 24 his apish imitation of christ and st. francis , p. 25 his imitation of romantick heroes , p. 26 , 27 , 28 his dispute with the moor in his pilgrimage to montserrat , page 28 , 29 his ambition , confessed by the writers of his life , p. 30 , 31 that his conversion proceeding from ambition , could not be the effect of a divine operation , p. 31 that this ambition continued after his conversion , p. 32 that an enthusiastick way of life was an effectual means to procure to him his desired glory , p. 32 , 33 , 34 other arguments of ignatius his ambition , p. 34 , 35 , 36 his great conceit and boasts of his own sanctity , p. 37 , 38 weakness and violent commotions of body necessary to enthusiasts , and eminent in ignatius , p. 39 , 40 his ignorance , and weakness of understanding , stupidity and hatred of learning , p. 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 the essential properties of enthusiasm , p. 44 his pretence of divine visions , p. 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 that these visions were wholly owing to his disturbed imagination , p 50 , 51 his pretence of internal supernatural illuminations , and infused knowledge , page 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 his own account of his divine visions , raptures and illuminations , p. 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 that these illuminations were false and fictitious , p. 60 , 61 his pretence of acting by divine inspiration , and an inward light , p. 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 his requiring a blind obedience and submission from his disciples , p. 64 , 65 , 66 his diffidence of his own reason , and irrational expectation of a divine direction and assistance upon all occasions , p. 66 , 67 , 68 his pretence of a mighty familiarity with god , and receiving wonderful internal consolations , p. 68 , 69 his canting about spiritual matters , p. 70 , 71 his irregular preaching without receiving any commission from the church , p. 71 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 in imitation of st. francis , p. 72 the ordinary effects of enthusiasm , and that ignatius was guilty of them , p. 76 , &c. his perpetual praying , p. 77 his foolish expectation of extraordinary assistance from god in all difficulties , p. 78 other mistakes in religion arising from enthusiasm , p. 79 , 80 the foolish pretence and gross practice of evangelical poverty used by ignatius , p. 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 his immoderate and irrational abstinence and austerities , p. 84 , 85 , 86 his desire of contempt , contumelies and derision , p. 87 , 88 the ridiculous actions of enthusiasts , p. 89 of st. francis , p. 89 , 90 , 91 of ignatius , p. 91 , 92 his denying to pay the usual ceremonies of civilitiy , p. 93 , 94 the inconstancy and irregular conduct of enthusiasts , p. 95 of ignatius , p. 95 , 96 , 97 the pretence of fighting with devils common to the enthusiasts of the church of rome , p. 97 , 98 more especially to ignatius and st. francis , p. 98 , 99 that all these pretences may be justly suspected of falshood , p. 100 that the actions related to ignatius by the writers of his life , might give just occasion of suspecting the concurrence of evil spirits in them , p. 101 , 102 ▪ that the pope hath erred in affirming him never to have committed any mortal sin after his conversion , p. 103 that he was most grosly guilty of the sin of despair , p. 103 , 104 , 105 that his blind submission to the dictates of his confessor was sinful , at least foolish , p. 105 , 106 that he may be justly suspected of many other vices , of entertaining unworthy thoughts of god , of revenge and cruelty , of lying , equivocating and incontinence , p. 107 , 108 , 109 st. francis's temptation to incontinence , p. 109 , 110 that ignatius may be justly suspected of imposture , p. 110 , 111 of heresie , p. 112 , 113 that both he and saint francis were , while alive , generally esteemed fools , madmen , impostors and hereticks , p. 113 , 114 , 115 of his miracles , p. 115 , &c. that it is incredible that god should in these latter ages exert his power of miracles so frequently , p. 116 , 117 that the miracles of ignatius were forged after his death , p. 118 that by the confession of the writers of his life they are highly uncertain , p. 119 , 120 that they want due attestation : many of them depending upon his own single testimony , p. 121 , 122 others upon the testimony of one single credulous witness , p. 122 , 123 , 124 that many of his miracles have nothing extraordinary in them , and may be solved by natural causes , p. 124 , 125 , 126 that some of them are evidently false , proved from the testimony of the writers of his life , p. 126 , 127 , 128 from the absolute impossibility of them , and contradictions included in them , p. 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 from their monstrous incredibility , p. 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 from their frivolousness and impertinence , p. 134 , 135 , 136 the conclusion , p. 137 , 138 , 139 the preface . among other artifices , wherewith the romish emissaries recommend their religion to ignorant and unwary persons , none hath been more specious and successful , than the pretence of an excellent ecclesiastical policy , fitted to preserve vnion in the church , and prevent the illusions of a private spirit . the badness of their cause permits them not to descend into a scrupulous examination of the merits of it . every single controversie hath been so often handled , and so demonstratively determined against them , that it would be rash and disadvantageous to resume the debate of those particular questions . it was therefore found necessary to advance some general considerations , which might amuse the ignorant , and divert the inquisitive from the examination of particular controversies . prejudices have been published against the reformed religion ; and pompous arguments of external convenience daily urged in favour of the church of rome . the principal of these is the pretended excellence of the constitution of that church , tending to preserve an intire unity of faith , and universal decency of discipline in the church , and free all private persons from the danger of entertaining any pernicious error , or at least infusing it into others continuing in the communion of the church ; while every one submits his private reason to the iudgment of the church , and with a blind obedience receives directions from the living rule of faith , whether pope or council . this supposed advantage hath been often , and with great ostentation produced in behalf of the church of rome ; and a natural tendency to disorder , heresie and schism , with great vehemence charged upon the church of england . it is objected that she allows to every man an unlimited power of using his own reason in deciding matters of faith ; that she constitutes every person a supreme iudge of the most momentous controversies , from whom lyeth no appeal to any visible iudge on earth ; that she subjects the faith of all private christians to infinite uncertainty and fluctuation , since the infallible direction of the holy ghost is promised only to the representative church ; and the iudgments of men may be as various as are their humours and vnderstandings ; that hereby a door is opened to infinite heresies and errors , and the christian religion exposed to the danger of being divided into as many several systems as it contains proselytes : that by this disorder all rules of faith are rendred useless , since whatsoever they may propose in their genuine sense , men will adapt them to their own pre-conceived notions ▪ and frame to themselves a belief from the dictates and inclinations of their private spirit : whereby unity of faith will be totally destroyed , and religion will degenerate into downright enthusiasm . indeed the danger of enthusiasm , when rightly understood , is so fatal to christianity , and destructive to the reason of mankind ; that we cannot but conclude any church , which is guilty of it , to be grosly corrupted and degenerate ; and shall willingly put the whole controversy upon this issue . but then enthusiasm consists not in allowing to every private person the power of judging for himself in matters of religion . for this the nature as well as interest of mankind requireth , which received the use of reason chiefly for this end ; and even our adversaries themselves must at last recur to this principle ; but it consists in pretending to receive the articles of faith by extraordinary illumination , and in irrational and extravagant actions of devotion and piety , which a fond imagination mistaketh for the impulses and dictates of the divine spirit . such pretences and actions , as they are most remote from the genius and constitution of the church of england ; so they naturally flow from the principles of the church of rome , and are fomented and promoted by her . this appears upon many accounts , but chiefly from the consideration of her most illustrious saints , whom she admired when living , and reverenceth when dead ; consulted them then as oracles , and proposeth them now to her followers as patterns of the most consummate perfection , and by canonization of them , and solemnizing their memories , hath set a publick stamp of authority and approbation upon their life and conduct . the most eminent of these were extravagant enthusiasts , who distinguished themselves from the rest of mankind by nothing else but the continued exercise of a blind fanaticism . the proof of this charge is the design of this present treatise ; which hath therefore assumed for the subject of it the actions of ignatius loyola , as the greatest and most illustrious of all the latter romish saints . if our arguments shall be convictive , and the most admired saints of the church of rome shall be found to be in the highest degree guilty of enthusiasm ; many considerable conclusions may be drawn from thence in relation to other controversies , which i shall not here insist to prove ; the so much boasted order and discipline of the church of rome will be intirely ruined . for if the pretence of a private impulse be once publickly admitted and countenanced in any church , all impulses whatsoever must be allowed without distinction , whether agreeable or contrary to decency and the established discipline of the church , which will open a wide door to all licentious disorders , since it is the nature of enthusiasm ever to affect somewhat extravagant and irregular . the certainty of oral tradition will be overthrown ; since if persons of so great authority and repute , as saints are supposed to be , received not the catholick faith from any precedent tradition , but from extraordinary inspiration , that is in truth , the whimsies of their own brains , and so delivered it to vast multitudes of credulous hearers ; oral tradition will be interrupted , and the grossest heresie might be easily introduced in the church . but to omit other consequences prejudicial to the doctrine of the church of rome ; the invocation of saints will hence receive a fatal blow . for it would be highly irrational to address our prayers to any saint to desire his intercession in heaven , unless we were probably assured that the saint hath already obtained a place in heaven . but if the church can so far err in the canonization of saints , as to bestow that sacred character upon , publickly address prayers to , and exhort the people in their private devotions to desire the intercession of such foolish enthusiasts , as are utterly unworthy the lowest seat in heaven , and perhaps never got so far as purgatory ; then invocation of saints , altho we should grant it to be lawful in the theory , cannot but be infinitely unsafe in the practice of it . if the imputation of enthusiasm renders the invocation of these saints unsafe and dangerous ; much more will the evidence of some notorious crime unrepented of incapacitate other romish saints from receiving our addresses . that there have been such , the examples of st. thomas becket and st. dominick put past all dispute ; the first of which violently opposed the lawful power of his prince over the clergy ; the last employed his whole life in inciting armies of holy pilgrims to the slaughter of the innocent albigenses . but what , if after all , great numbers of saints , placed in the roman calendar , and invoked in the publick offices of the church , had never any existence , and are the meer inventions of romantick legends ? a learned person hath lately instanced in some few of them , as st. george , st. sebastian , st. longinus , st. viarius , &c. to which perhaps some hundreds might be added . i will instance but in one , but him most remarkable , and not yet observed by any , as being such a monster of a saint , as pagan superstition would have never thought of , and which may perhaps at the first sight seem incredible . the church of rome hath taken the almanack into the number of the saints , and canonized it under the name of st. almachius , solemnizeth its memory on the first day of january , and giveth to it an illustrious character in the martyrology . this probably proceeded from the mistake of some ignorant monk about the seventh or eighth age , who finding the word s. almanacum , sanctum almanacum written in the front of the calendar , and not knowing what to make of that barbarous term , with which he was before unacquainted , imagined it to be some ancient obscure saint , who took up the first place in the calendar . being possessed with this error , it was no hard matter to make s. almachius of s. almanacum written in the old way of abbreviation . having thus framed the saint , out of good manners he placed him after the circumcision of our lord , the memory of which is celebrated upon the same day ; but yet to keep the former order as much as possible , immediately after it , as it now continueth in the roman martyrology . this unhappy mistake was thence transcribed into many other copies , and so encreased the rabble of the romish saints with the addition of st. almanack . afterwards a goodly story was framed of him ; that he suffered martyrdom at rome under the presecture of alipius , where reprehending the gladiators in the amphitheater for their bloody sports , he was killed by them . that my conjecture is just , manifestly appears from the constant silence of all ancient writers concerning any such martyr . none makes mention of him before alcuinus (a) ; and he doth it in such a manner as sheweth that he knew not what to make of him . for as for the martyrologies of beda , usuardus and ado , they have received so many interpolations from latter hands , that no arguments can be drawn from them . baronius is grievously perplexed about this s. almachius . one while (b) he makes him to have suffered under honorius ; another while (c) under theodosius ; and supposeth him to have been the same with the martyr telemachus , of whom theodoret (d) makes mention . but so prodigious a change of telemachus into almachius is somewhat incredible ; and that telemachus was stoned , whereas almachius is said to have been stabbed . add to this universal silence of the ancients , that s. almachius is placed exactly in the beginning of the calendar , on the first of january , immediately after the circumcision of christ ; and the matter will be rendred highly probable . the only objection , which with any shew of reason can be opposed , is , that the word almanacum seems not to have been so ancient as the time of alcuinus , as being received from the arabians . but this is no other than a vulgar error . for porphyry (e) used the word 1400. years since , where speaking of the many different horoscopes , he saith of them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose names are contained in the almanacks : which may also give a probable reason how the letter h crept into almachius . for as anciently in spelling words derived from the greek , they kept much more closely to the greek orthography , than we now do ; it is not unlikely that when this word was first adopted by the latins , it was writ almanachum . these arguments will at least create a probability of my assertion , that this fictitious saint arose from the unhappy mistake of some ignorant writer . if our adversaries of the church of rome shall yet persist to defend the honour and truth of their calendar ; it will concern them to produce better arguments for the existence of st. almachius , than i have now proposed against it : but to return from st. almanack to st. ignatius ; it cannot be pretended by our adversaries , that the character of enthusiasm or falsity , which i have affixed to him , and the miracles attributed to him , may equally be fastned on the actions and miracles of christ and his apostles ; altho both ignatius and st. francis in acting their extravagances flattered themselves with the thoughts of a perfect imitation of christ. as for the reception of the faith by extraordinary illumination , and in many cases acting by divine impulse ; that in the first propagation of christianity ( when it was both necessary and convenient ) was no argument or character of enthusiasm : but only in subsequent times , after the faith had been once published ; and an ordinary rule , whether scripture or tradition , was fixed , which by natural means might divulge the knowledge of it . nothing childish or ridiculous can be discovered in the actions of christ and his apostles ; none of those frantick motions , or irrational extravagances , which are so eminently conspicuous in the whole conduct of ignatius . at least none of their miracles are subject to those objections , which intirely ruine the credit of those ascribed to ignatius . they were all well attested , performed before whole multitudes of enemies as well as friends , delivered to us by eye-witnesses , and that without any fluctuation , or mutual repugnance of their testimony , were not destructive of the laws of corporeal beings , nor included any contradiction , contained nothing monstrous or indecent in them , and were in all respects intirely conformable to the majesty of that god , who wrought them ; and the gravity of that religion , which was confirmed by them . it will perhaps be pretended with greater shew of reason , that the actions and histories of many famous monks and anchorets of the ancient church give no small countenance to the conduct of ignatius , and by the authority of their examples rescue it from the force of our objections ; that consequently the ancient church is no less subject to the charge of enthusiasm than the church of rome , and both equally concerned in it . altho the deformity of enthusiasm cannot be palliated by any authority whatsoever ; yet the regard which i have to truth , and the great reverence which the church of england not unjustly beareth to the more pure and ancient times of christianity , obligeth me to remove this prejudice , and preclude the force of any such objection , before i dismiss the reader . first then , however it cannot be denied that many persons , who obtained to themselves an extraordinary repute of sanctity in the ancient church , committed many gross irregularities in the conduct of their devotion , practised immoderate austerities , and were sometimes guilty of ridiculous actions ; yet the ancient vniversal church is not in the least concerned in all this , nor receiveth any prejudice from the indiscreet zeal of these private bigots . she gave no countenance to their extravagances , never recommended them to the practise or imitation of her children , much less approved them by any solemn and publick act. whereas the church of rome hath in the highest and most solemn manner espoused the follies and whimsies of her enthusiastick saints by canonizing them , celebrating their memories with festivals and pompous ceremonies , invoking them in her publick offices , and recommending their examples to the world as the best and greatest patterns of christian perfection . this alone might suffice to overthrow all pretence of antiquity in this case . yet to clear the matter somewhat farther , i will observe that these indiscreet actions and childish irregularities were the products of latter and degenerate ages in the ancient church , unknown to the first four ages , when christianity flourished in its greatest purity . in the three first ages not the least footstep or shadow of them can be found ; and in the fourth age they were very rarely practised , and wholly confined to the desarts of egypt or palestine . as for the follies related of st. antony in his life , ascribed to st. athanasius , and those of other saints in the vitae patrum , said to have been writ by st. hierom , all learned men are now agreed that the former work is miserably corrupted , the latter wholly spurious . after the fourth age , many childish impertinencies and trifling superstitions began to be practised by the monks and hermits , whose follies are celebrated and magnified by injudicious writers of the same order and time , such as palladius , heraclitus , sulpicius severus , cassian and moschus ; but augmented with a large addition of fables and absurdity , by the latter legendary writers of the church of rome . in the next place it deserveth farther to be considered , that in the ancient church none but obscure and inconsiderable persons , confined to a mountain or a desart , who obtained neither authority nor reputation in the church , were guilty of such foul mistakes and irregularities . the great and famous doctors and fathers of the church , who drew the eyes of the whole world upon their actions , and acquired to themselves an universal veneration , cannot be accused of such fatal miscarriages , which were so far unworthy of them . on the contrary , they sharply opposed the misguided zeal of these ignorant devotoes , censured their imprudent actions , slighted their external shews of apparent piety , and deplored the evil consequences of their irregular practices . what the wisest of the ancients disowned , deserve not to be excused and defended by us . and indeed the trifling devotions and wild impertinencies of the monastick order were the greatest blemish to those latter ages of antiquity ; and laid the foundation of all corruptions , whether of faith or manners , which infected succeeding ages . towards the beginning of the fifth age , eunapius , the heathen historian , could find no more plausible or rational objection against christianity , than the sordid actions and ridiculous conduct of the monks : certainly no objection was then more visible , or less capable of a refutation . but then the actors of these follies never obtained that respect and admiration from the publick suffrage of the ancient church , which enthusiastick saints have received from the church of rome . the former commemorated none in her publick offices but martyrs , confessors and famous persons , who had been eminently instrumental in the service of the church ; and filled not her diptychs with monks and anchorets . the latter hath scarce canonized any other than such as were chiefly eminent for enthusiasm . lastly , to say no more , even the highest extravagances of these ancient bigots come far beneath the enthusiasm of ignatius and other admired saints of the church of rome . they might perhaps commit many gross absurdities and indecent actions , and entertain childish notions of religion ; but never proceeded so far , as to pretend to extraordinary illuminations , reception of the faith by supernatural revelation , and continual impulse of the divine spirit ; nor took upon them to publish their own whimsies by preaching to the people without any commission from the governours of the church ; which are the genuine and most essential characters of fanaticism . if the miracles related of them be sometimes found to lye open to the same objections , which are opposed by me to those of ignatius ; the honour of the ancient church suffers no prejudice thereby ; which far from building her authority and reputation on them , hath frequently disowned and rejected them ; as appears among other arguments , from that passage of the learned author of the opus imperfectum , which i have produced in the following discourse . none will be concerned in the truth of these ancient monkish miracles , but that church only , which hath proposed them to the people in her publick offices and ecclesiastical legends . in representing the actions of ignatius , i have chiefly made use of the authority of f. dominick bouhours , a french iesuit ▪ altho one of the latest writers of his life ; because in publishing the life of ignatius of late among us , that author was thought fit to be preferred before all others , and his relation of him translated into our language . however , in whatsoever he proposeth , he wants not the attestation of more ancient and authentick writers . for he seems to have taken his whole relation from orlandinus his history of the society of jesus , printed at colen in the year 1615. with the approbation of claudius aquaviva the general . i have seldom produced any other writers of ignatius his life ; but when the first is either wholly silent , or giveth a different relation . if i have sometimes inserted observations from the life of apollonius tyaneus ; that tendeth as well to illustrate the nature of enthusiasm in general , as to do justice to the common cause of christianity against the pretences of an impostor , whom the latter heathens set up in opposition to our blessed saviour . to conclude , i hope our adversaries will not pretend that i have misrepresented or falsified the actions of ignatius : since i have all along to every particular action so carefully annexed in the margent the author who relates it , and the place where it may be found . the pretence of misrepresentation is the last refuge of a baffled cause ; and therefore made use of by our adversaries as the only remaining expedient upon all occasions ; particularly by the author of the monomachia , who not being able to answer the objections brought by a friend of mine against the authorities of his speculum ecclesiasticum , pretended to overrule the concurrent testimonies of labbé , oudin , du pin , and other romish criticks ; because the particular places of their books , to which those passages related , were not adjoined ; and insinuated a suspicion of some insincerity , as if that omission had proceeded from a fear , lest the truth of those citations should be examined . what the ignorance or artifice of this author will not permit him to do ▪ at least all judicious persons will allow , that it were both unuseful and impertinent to stuff the margents with particular mention of the places of such critical writers , who in giving their censures upon ancient authors , proceed either alphabetically , or in order of time , and may consequently be immediately recurred to without any difficulty . but a lame excuse must serve the turn , when the badness of the cause will admit no better . the enthusiasm of the church of rome , &c. so great and venerable an idea of god is by nature imprinted in the minds of men ; so visible and convictive are the arguments of his omniscience and veracity , that all divine revelations are no sooner proposed , than admitted ; and esteemed to command , no less than to deserve our assent . the infinite desires of our will , and visible imperfections of our understanding , sufficiently convinceth mankind of the necessity of such revelations . the desire of happiness is natural to all , and impossibility of attaining it in this life is no less evident . the nature and immateriality of our soul demonstrates that we were created for greater and more noble ends than the mean and inconsiderable enjoyments of this life ; that we cannot but exist for ever , and are capable of eternal happiness ; and then our will naturally prompts us to desire that this future happiness may be commensurate to the infinite duration of our existence , and not inferior to the capacity of our nature . yet these ardent desires , and possibility of obtaining them , would but enhance our misery , and augment our wishes , unless the means of attaining them were assured to us . this divine revelation alone can do ; since god alone can confer that happiness upon mankind ; and that he will do it , can no otherwise appear than by some external revelation . the sense and evidence of these undoubted truths have excited mankind in all ages to enquire after such revelation , and obliged them to found all their hopes of future happiness upon it . their hopes and desires induced them to attend to the proposal of it , and then their reason commanded them to acquiesce in it . the assurance of the divine infallibility excluded all doubts and scruples ; and the sense of their interest engaged in it , banished even all desire of doubting . thus divine revelations easily gained belief and obedience in the world ; and if at any time they were rejected or disbelieved by men , it was because their judgment and assent was prepossessed with some either real , or feigned revelation . but then it could not be avoided but this natural reverence for divine revelations , and proneness of believing them , would produce some ill effects prejudicial to the reason and interest of mankind . a fatal credulity would creep into the world , and possess the minds of more ignorant persons , and induce them blindly to believe every bold pretender to revelation . after a laborious and fruitless search of future happiness , men were apt to embrace any system of religion presented to them , if it flattered their hopes of future felicity ; they were loth to discover the error and illusion of any pleasing revelation : they wished it might be true ; and what at first they wished , they at last believed . but not only did the desires and hopes of mankind create this credulity ; the natural reverence of god and all divine oracles , when not rationally directed , advanc'd and increas'd it . many feared they should be injurious to the divine majesty , and incur the guilt of atheism , if they should scrupulously examine what pretended to carry the stamp of his authority , and to have been revealed by him . to entertain scruples in this case , was thought no less than sacrilege ; and every doubt was esteemed an affront to god. to which may be added , that most imagined they should contract no small merit , and even lay an obligation upon god , if they immediately resigned up their judgment to his supposed revelation , and blindly received it without any doubt or hesitation . this in all ages opened a wide gate , and prepared the way for error and superstition : while the whimsies of every foolish enthusiast , and fables of every bold impostor were proposed under the venerable name of divine oracles , and securely believed by the credulous multitude . hence all the follies and absurdities of pagan religion found belief and entertainment in the world ; and the most extravagant impostors never wanted proselytes . hence the most pernicious errors of hereticks found admission into the church ; and the pretence of new revelations in every age , seduced some part of the christian world. all the present corruptions of the faith are owing to it ; on which side soever any errors at this day are entertained , a scrupulous examination would discover them to be entertained chiefly for the precedent reasons ; and all modern additions to genuine christianity will be found either to flatter the hopes , or raise the admiration of the common people . to this fatal credulity , and danger of illusion arising from it , god and nature have assigned an excellent remedy , the use of our reason ; which may examine the grounds and testimonies of all pretended revelations , inquire into their truth , and after a scrupulous trial pass sentence on them . this the interest of truth , and the honour of our nature requires us to perform , that we may neither prostitute the former , nor depreciate the latter by submitting our understandings to the pretensions of every bold impostor . without this precedent enquiry , our belief would be irrational , and far from being meritorious , would become unlawful . for to violate the rules of conduct prescribed to our understanding , were to overthrow all the laws of nature , to debase the dignity of mankind , and efface the image of god imprinted in us . these rules assure us that god cannot reveal any thing foolish or ridiculous , much less contrary to the testimony of our senses , or repugnant to the first principles of reason . no greater injury can be offered to the deity , than to believe him the author of any religion which prescribes or encourageth foolish and superstitious practices , or opposeth sense and reason . all such revelations would imply repugnant attributes to be in god ; which if it did not destroy his existence , would at least oblige us to form dishonourable ideas of him . and therefore seneca truly saith , (a) superstition is a most senseless error , which affronts that object it pretends to worship . for what doth it matter , whether you deny or dishonour god ? justly also doth plutarch wonder (b) why atheism should be rather accused of impiety than superstition , since few of are moved by any defect in the order or government of the world to call in question the existence of god ; but the tricks and cheats of superstitious persons , their enthusiastick motions , ridiculous actions , exorcisms , lustrations , and such like , give them occasion to believe it better , and more rational , there should be no god , than such a god , as the author of such a superstitious religion must necessarily be . so that wise heathen . if christianity in the first and purer ages of it , had laboured with these difficulties , or been obnoxious to these objections ; it could never have convinced the world of its truth , or surmounted the resistance of heathen philosophy . it would have been highly irrational and unworthy the learning of those ages to have deserted one superstition to embrace another so much more absurd , than the former , by how much the one was repugnant to reason alone , the other both to sense and reason . it is the unhappiness of latter ages , to lye open to the force of this objection , which after so many superstitious practices and opinions introduced into a great part of the christian church , is thereby become unanswerable . for , whosoever considers the fictions of transubstantiation , purgatory and infallibility , the impertinence of prayers in an unknown tongue , the trifling actions of their most illustrious saints , and fond superstitions practiced in their several monastick orders , processions , worship of images , saints and relicks ; and indeed , in every individual office of the church of rome , cannot but conclude without descending into the merits of the cause , that the complex religion of the church of rome , is not of divine institution , and deserves not , either to have been revealed by god , or to be believed by men ; and if he believeth these opinions and practices to be inseparable from christianity , he may justly reject it , and rationally conclude it to be a cheat , and the author of it to have been an egregious impostor . that these reasons have really tended to the prejudice of christianity , and made innumerable apostates from it , the sad experience of italy , and other romish countries beyond the seas demonstrates , where , if the relations of modern travellers do not deceive us , few real christians can be found out of the credulous multitude , whose ignorance disableth them from perceiving the follies , and discovering the falseness of their religion . it is therefore the peculiar glory of the christian religion , that it was revealed and proposed to the world in the most learned of all the precedent ages ; that it did not take shelter in the ignorance of mankind , nor confine its mysteries to the more remote and ignorant part of the world. the learning and philosophy of the heathens was then raised to the highest perfection ; and the knowledg of all arts and sciences had gained equal extent with the roman empire ; so that we may truly affirm the world to have been then more universally learned , than in any age , either before or since . at this time especially , god chose to publish his revelations to the world , and made the more learned part of it the stage of his promulgation ; that so in future ages , christianity might not be subjected to any just suspicions of fraud and imposture , nor the precedent reception of it be ascribed to the foolish credulity of ignorant and illiterate proselytes . the doctrines of it were proposed , and miracles in testimony of it , wrought in all the more famous cities of the empire , in their publick schools and synagogues , in their theaters and universities , in rome and athens , the great centers of learning ; and , which deserveth to be observed , more especially in greece , and asia minor , the most learned part of that then learned empire . this secured the christian religion from all possibility of error and illusion ; since , if either the doctrines of it had been ridiculous and irrational , or the miracles fictitious and pretended ; the learned auditors and spectators of those times , who were not in the least prepossest in favour of it , would soon have discovered the cheat , and vehemently decried the error . this consideration also tendeth no less to the advantage and reputation of the reformation , that it was advanced and undertaken in a most learned and knowing age ; that all the authors and promoters of it , were persons of extraordinary knowledg ; and that purity of religion , and success of learning , as they decreased proportionably in all ages ; so they returned into the world at the same time . whereas popery oweth all its triumphs and success to the ignorance of mankind ; began with the decrease of learning , and was well nigh ruined with the restauration of it . all the peculiar articles of popery , were founded in the dark and ignorant ages of the church ; their most illustrious and admired saints , were rude and illiterate idiots , devoid of all learning , and oft-times of common sense ; their miracles are ever acted either in barbarous and credulous ages , or in remote corners of the world ; ( we poor hereticks , who have the greatest need of them ( for their arguments being so often baffled , nothing but miracles can now convert us ) can never be blessed with the sight of them ) and at this day , it flourisheth proportionably to the knowledg or ignorance of all countries . in france , the most learned of all the popish countries , it is forced to put on a new masque , and by many subtil and nice expositions , qualifications and interpretations , is almost lost and refined into nothing . in italy ( if we may believe the reports of modern travellers ) it hath few proselytes , besides the ignorant and unlearned multitude ; the more intelligent sort being become either atheists , scepticks or molinists . in spain alone , and the indies , doth it flourish in its full vigour ; where so gross an ignorance hath possessed the minds of papists , that they believe their inquisitors no less infallible than the apostles ; and imagine that their images can both hear and see them . so necessary and useful is learning to mankind , which may fix rules to distinguish true from pretended revelations , discern real from feigned miracles , and discover the illusions of impostors , that the decay of it hath in all ages and countries been accompanied with a deluge of error and superstition . but in nothing is the use and necessity of learning , and its subservience to the interest and purity of religion , more conspicuous and apparent , than in preventing the dangers and follies of enthusiasm ; to which , in the present constitution of mankind , all revealed religions cannot but be obnoxious . i do not hereby imply the necessity of any extraordinary learning , or accurate knowledg of all sciences , in all ranks and orders of christians ; but an ordinary prudence , and right understanding of the nature and genius of christianity ; which if assisted by the direction of more learned guides and pastors , as god in the first institution of christianity intended it should be ; will abundantly secure all persons from the delusions of designing or ignorant enthusiasts . however , a great part of mankind will continue to want this prudence , and neglect this direction ; especially , when the means of knowledg are studiously kept from them , and no instruction to be obtained , but from external ceremonies , or the dictates of a confessor , as it is in all popish countries . such persons profess christianity , not out of any conviction of the truth or divinity of it , but induced by the prejudices of education and authority of example , understand not the true principles of their religion , and instead of a rational faith , possess only a blind credulity . this affords a fair opportunity of success to the frauds and artifices of impostors , who will never want proselytes in an ignorant and credulous auditory ; and if upheld , and favoured by the publick applause of the church , may draw multitudes of admirers after them . the great engines of these religious juglers , were ever enthusiasm , and the pretence of miracles . the latter have long since ceased , and could never really be performed by impostors : it remains therefore , that they betake themselves to enthusiasm ; possess the people with a belief of extraordinary revelations communicated to them , of an inward familiarity with god , of continual divine inspirations , of acting solely by the impulse of the spirit , and following the infallible dictates of an inward light. this opinion must be raised , and continued by bold pretences , extatick motions , severe austerities , and macerations of the body , a mortified look , extraordinary acts of apparent humility , ridiculous actions , which may imply a contempt of the world , perpetual canting about spiritual matters , and delivering them in such a manner , as may seem to proceed from the immediate revelation of god ; and withal , in impenetrable nonsense . such pretences and actions , will excite the admiration of foolish persons , and by amusing their judgment with specious shews , create in them an extraordinary veneration for their enthusiastick prophet . all the whimsies of his disturbed phantasy shall then pass for oracles , and his foolish austerities for so many certain indications of a real sanctity . when this opinion is once entertained , then the pretence of miracles may securely be set on foot , and the grossest cheat may pass undiscerned among credulous spectators , who will be deterred by a religious awe from examining the truth of the miracles of their admired impostor , whose own word shall without scruple be received for miracles pretended to be done by him in secret ; or at least , the single testimony of one credulous woman , or fanciful ideot , shall be esteemed an undoubted certainty . whosoever examines the miracles of the romish saints , will find them all to have been at first believed upon such slender motives , and afterwards amplified and increased by the writers of their lives ; at least , that this was the case of the miracles pretended to be done by ignatius loyola , i doubt not to demonstrate . thus the folly and credulity of mankind , hath opened the way , and facilitated success , even to designing impostors , who are conscious of the falsity of their own pretences , and are disquieted with a perpetual fear of discovery . but , then the way is more open , and success more easy to such enthusiasts , who imagine they really enjoy and receive from god those illuminations and impulses which they vent to their deluded followers . such persons are inspired with a false zeal ; and in proposing the phrensies of their disturbed brains , imagine themselves to act in obedience to heaven , and for the benefit of mankind ; which renders all their actions vigorous , and themselves unwearied in the prosecution of them . that there have been , and are still , many such enthusiasts in the world , the history of all times , and our own experience demonstrates beyond all doubt ; and that there should be such , we shall cease to wonder if we consider the nature of things . such persons are commonly endued with weak brains , and diseased bodies ; often suffer irregular motions of the blood , which creates gross and turbulent spirits , and fills the brain with strong and active vapours . these continuing a violent motion in the brain , will reproduce so strong and lively images of those things , which have been the most frequent objects of their meditations , and made deepest impression in them , that they will really believe themselves to act those things which they only imagine ; and to see , hear , and feel all those objects , which are so lively represented to them . this is manifest even in melancholly and hypochondriack persons , who are so far deluded by the action of the undigested vapours of their bodies upon their brain , that they frequently believe the reality of those things , which their disturbed imagination representeth to them . if the motion of the spirits be very irregular , and their action upon the brain exceeding strong , it will produce various effects upon the body , according to the different constitution of it , or peculiar irregularity of the motion and disorder of the spirits . sometimes violent and extraordinary motions of the body shall be effected ; at other times , all the spirits flowing to the brain , the nerves will be emptied , and thereby all the visible actions of life will be suspended , and both ways an extasy will be produced . and all this may happen involuntarily without , or even against the consent of the will. all these effects will be much more sensible and apparent , when the enthusiasm is affected , and contracted by a long habit of distempered imagination . this frequently happens in ignorant and melancholy persons , whose thoughts are not serene and calm , but accompanied with vehement passions and turbulent motions . such are wont to affix their whole thoughts to certain objects , and employ all their spirits in continuing their ideas of them ; which being gross , and hurried with an irregular motion , create a mighty fermentation in the blood , whence new clouds and vapours are transmitted into the brain , and render the imagination more intense and strong . the spirits being put into this irregular and rapid motion , various effects will follow in the body , according to the different constitution of it , or present disposition of the spirits . either violent and extraordinary motions of the whole body will be produced , or all the sensible actions of life will be suspended . and all the while the mind amuseth it self with monstrous and extravagant ideas of things , which are often rendred pleasing and delightful by their infinite variety . when once the art is obtained , of exciting the passions , and disturbing the spirits of the body at the meditation of certain objects , no sooner will the ideas recur to the mind , but the same motions will return into the body , and all the aforementioned effects will naturally be produced . thus a habit of enthusiasm at last is formed ; and extasies may be produced as often as the convenience or whimsies of the enthusiast shall require it . in this state the soul is detained with unaccountable notions , and monstrous ideas of things , which enables even the most ignorant persons to talk boldly and fluently of those things , whose imagination then disturbs the mind , which are commonly divine matters , but withal in an incoherent and unintelligible manner . however , the enthusiast himself believes all this to proceed from a divine influence , and mistakes the phrensies of his brain for the dictates of the holy ghost ; and the credulous multitude , which ever refers those things to a divine original , whose causes it cannot comprehend , proclaimeth his dreams to be inspirations , ascribeth the extatick motions of his body to the operation of the spirit acting in him , and admireth his high-flown nonsense as divine sublimity . these enthusiasts , as they are commonly persons of weak understandings , and narrow capacities , are easily led away with false appearances of religion , and grosly mistake the nature and genius of christianity . they imagine religion to consist in a rigorous and severe exercise of those external actions , which in the countrey they live in , are generally esteemed the indications of piety and christian vertue ; and fancy , that the farther they carry these practices , the more nearly they approach to the utmost degree of perfection . thus in the church of rome , the profession of evangelical poverty , a beggarly habit , a severe mortification of the body , continual telling over of beads , going in pilgrimage , and other childish actions , are at least by the common people esteemed the best characters of a refined and exalted vertue . hence enthusiasts of that communion , corrupted with these prejudices , while they aim at an extraordinary perfection and purity , propose to themselves long pilgrimages , terrible austerities , continual prayer , and a thousand other ridiculous actions , which their deluded fancy suggests to be meritorious . they employ their thoughts in the perpetual meditation of these imaginary perfections ; and in their extasies and raptures are amused with them , and form pleasing ideas of them , arising from the apprehension of any exceeding merit or veneration to be obtained by the practice of them . in this religious phrensy they imagine to have received the divine approbation of them , mistaking a foolish satisfaction of a deluded judgment for the suffrage and voice of the holy spirit acting in them : and at last proceed so far , as to fancy the reception of a divine command for the commission of these extravagancies . no wonder then , if after such a false perswasion they proceed to act all the whimsies and follies which a disturbed brain and violent imagination can suggest ; if they put off all sense of shame and modesty , and setting no bounds to their extravagance , deliver themselves up to the conduct and direction of an irrational fancy , which inciteth them to commit such follies and trifles , as are beneath the dignity of a rational being , and contrary to the dictates of common sense ; such ridiculous fopperies and elaborate extravagance , as may justly provoke the laughter of sober heathens , and indignation of wiser christians . such ridiculous fanaticism is the utmost degeneracy of christian religion , than which nothing can be more contrary to its genius , and destructive of its principles . christianity was intended to exalt and perfect the reason of mankind , to create true notions of the nature of all moral and religious actions , and introduce the practice of a manly and rational piety . whereas this enthusiasm debaseth the reason and understanding of mankind , introduceth false ideas of religion and piety , and exposeth both to the scorn and derision of the more judicious and intelligent world : as if none but fools and ideots could be perfect christians ; and the highest degree of madness were the most certain mark of piety . such absurd opinions cannot but scandalize all considering persons ; and cause them to conclude , that either these absurdities are gross corruptions and deviations from christianity , or else christianity it self is a grand imposture , unworthy the belief and veneration , or even attention of mankind . the former is not easily discernible by those who have no other notions of christianity , than what they receive from the general practice and currant opinions of their countrey ; and are from their infancy prepossest , that there is no true christian society besides their own ; where if such fanaticism be publickly practised or countenanced , it cannot but create in them a detestation of all christianity . but as for those who are convinced of the truth of christianity in general , and enquire after the true doctrines of it among so many divided communions of the christian world , they may rationally and infallibly conclude that particular church which favours or promotes this superstitious enthusiasm , to be infinitely corrupted and degenerate from the true spirit and principles of christianity . if we view the several churches and communions of the christian world , we shall find no society of christians more free from fanaticism than the church of england , or more guilty of it than the church of rome . it hath been the peculiar happiness of the church of england to create a right sense of religion and piety in all her communicants , and secure to them the practice of a rational devotion . she makes no pretensions to private inspirations , and extraordinary illuminations of the holy ghost ; and all her children are more apt to deride , than admire the follies and extasies of enthusiasts . if any of her members have at any time through ambition or ignorance embraced fanaticism , they have at the same time departed from the communion of the church , and becoming schismaticks , proclaimed themselves her enemies . yet so far hath the sober and judicious practice and example of the church of england influenced even their conduct , that the most extravagant among them have been less fanatical than the most admired saints of the church of rome : and whensoever the sense of their duty , and providence of god shall induce them to return to the bosome of the church , which we heartily wish , they can do it no otherwise than by deserting even all reliques of fanaticism . not so the church of rome , which in all her offices and publick ceremonies promotes and foments it , hath on many occasions given publick applause and approbation to it , and oweth the greatest part of her peculiar doctrines , and present prosperity to the enthusiasm of her followers . if we consult the publick offices of that church , we shall find nothing intelligible directly proposed to the common people , but the prayers performed in an unknown tongue , and their senses in the mean while amused with antick gestures , images , processions , and pompous representations . the first enforceth the minds of ignorant persons to betake themselves to the entertainment of their own thoughts , and direct their devotion according to their own crude and indigested ideas ; and then the latter inspires them with childish and absurd notions of religion , and divine matters , and both together cause them to form wild and enthusiastick apprehensions of religious actions , and direct their conduct according to those apprehensions . if we examine the peculiar doctrines of the church of rome , we shall find many of them to derive their original from enthusiastick visions and revelations . i will instance only in purgatory and transubstantiation ; whereof the former , however at this day defended , was at first set a foot upon the sole authority of these fanatick visions ; which imaginary visions of this kind were so frequent among the enthusiastick monks of the sixth , seventh , eighth , and tenth ages , that large volumes might be compiled of them : as indeed i have seen several voluminous collections of them in manuscript , composed before the reformation , in proof of purgatory . as for transubstantiation , as it was first forged in the cell of a visionary monk ; so it chiefly gained credit and belief in the world from the pretended visions of supposed saints ; for whose sake god divested the sacramental elements of their usual accidents , and offered them to their sight under the very species of an humane body . scarce a monkish saint of any eminence after the ninth age can be found , in whose life such a vision is not related . lastly , if we view the religious orders of the church of rome , where religion and piety is supposed to flourish in its utmost perfection , and which are esteemed the grand patterns of refined christianity ; we shall find them to be so many societies of fanatical enthusiasts , who , if we except vicious and irreligious persons among them , wholly busie themselves in wild imaginations , and ridiculous ceremonies . if any religious persons among them escape this contagion , and surmount this imperfection , it is owing to the excellency of their genius , and advantage of their learning , not the rules of their order , which naturally lead them to it . but in nothing is the enthusiasm of the church of rome more apparent , than in her approbation and veneration of enthusiastick saints . the church of rome in her calendars , offices , legends , and bulls of canonization hath placed such a rabble of saints in heaven , that if a lucian or iulian should arise anew to write satyrs againts the inhabitants of heaven , and criticise upon the vulgar conceptions of them , i fear they would find greater matter of laughter among the christian saints , than the heathen gods. of these saints no small part had never any existence ; and many no such existence as is commonly ascribed to them ; i mean , acted no such things as their legendary lives relate . of those which remain , many were vicious and wicked persons , traytors to their prince and countrey , or furious persecutors of the supposed hereticks of latter ages ; whom nothing but a blind zeal for the interest of the court of rome caused to be canonized . as for the saints of latter ages , who were canonized by solemn bulls and ceremonies ( for the ancient saints never enjoyed that honour ) they were generally chosen out of the monastick orders ; and were either downright enthusiasts , or chiefly admired for those actions which included somewhat of enthusiasm . in these canonizations it is enquired , not whether the candidate of that sacred character exercised all the offices of piety , temperance and charity in the highest perfection ; not whether he procured some illustrious benefit to the church , or was ever ready to suffer martyrdom for the profession of christianity ; but whether he ran about the world barefoot , and professing evangelical poverty , begged his bread from door to door ; whether he wore an iron chain , an hair shirt , or a knotted cord , and affected to appear ridiculous in all his actions ; whether he macerated his body with prodigious austerities , and went in pilgrimage to the holy land , and other famous shrines ; whether he enjoyed extraordinary illuminations of the holy ghost , acted by the sole impulse of the spirit , and had frequent extasies and raptures of mind : lastly , whether any of his credulous followers would adventure to testify any miracles done by him , either seen by themselves in secret , or received from others by tradition . what a miserable corruption of christianity must this needs be , to give such solemn and publick approbation to the extravagances of fanaticks , to applaud their follies , admire their phrensies , and propose them as the great objects of imitation , not to say of worship , to the people ; to solemnize festivals in their memory , and invoke them in the publick liturgies ; and give thanks to god for the great and glorious examples of those , who were fitter for bedlam , than the blessed society of apostles , prophets and martyrs ! such fond credulity and irrational conduct might be somewhat excusable in the common people , whose ignorance and inexperience might plead their pardon . but when the representative church of rome commit such follies , and deliberately form such canonizations , which are afterwards approved and received by the whole roman communion , we cannot but conclude that church to have grosly perverted the design of christianity , and widely deviated from the primitive purity of that most rational as well as holy religion . that the charge of enthusiasm upon the saints of the church of rome is most just and deserved , will appear from a particular view of their lives and actions : and that not only of those who lived in the more barbarous and ignorant ages of the church , but of those who flourished in these last more learned and refined ages , after so many reformations of ecclesiastical discipline , and so great improvements of reason . for in those countries where popery is freely professed , and without fear of heretical observers , fanaticism retains as great applause as ever ; and by a fatal contagion , whether of pernicious examples , or prevailing ignorance , the latest saints are the greatest enthusiasts . this might be abundantly demonstrated from the lives and actions of st. philip neri , of st. teresa , st. mary magdalen pazzi , and st. rosa ; but i chuse rather to prove it from the conduct of st. ignatius loyola , as well because he is one of the most eminent and illustrious saints in the roman calendar , as because he was founder of the most celebrated and learned order of the church of rome . if after a strict examination he shall appear to have been a most extravagant enthusiast , we cannot hope to discover a more rational devotion in the obscure and more inconsiderable saints of that church . in forming this enquiry , i shall begin with the qualities necessarily required to constitute and compleat an affected enthusiast ; among which an ardent desire of glory , and immoderate ambition , obtains the first place . for none would prostitute the dignity of his nature to the follies and impertinencies of enthusiasm ; deny to himself the common benefits of life , and undergo poverty , nakedness , hunger , and a thousand other inconveniencies incident to that profession , if he were not transported with a violent ambition , and sustained with the pleasing hopes of obtaining thereby unusual glory , and extraordinary admiration . ignatius was in a most particular manner indued with this heroick quality , and that both natural and acquired . that he was by nature ambitious , all the writers of his life assures us . thus bouhours ⸫ tells us , that above all , he had an ardent passion for glory ; that he was naturally haughty , and his fancy wholly filled with gallantry and vanity ; and in all his actions , he only followed the false maxims of the world. this , as the same father relates , naturally incited him to the love of poetry , and made him keep a kind of decency even in his irregularities . they pretend indeed , that ignatius was possest with this ambitious temper , only before his conversion , when it was abolished by a particular gift of god ; but besides , that even that is sufficient for our purpose ; if we may judg from his subsequent actions , we have no great reason to believe them , as shall be shown hereafter . this natural ambition of ignatius , was fomented and increased by his extraordinary addiction to read romances , and the lives of saints . the same historian * relates of him , that he was a diligent reader of romances ; and in particular , a great admirer of amadis de gaul , and such books of knight chivalry , and wonderfully tickled with adventures and feats of arms related in them . this filled his head with false ideas of glory , and heated his brains with vehement desires of imitation . thus don quixot began his knight-errantry with the reading of such romances , which even made him run mad with ambition and desire of glory : and as it happens most unluckily , ignatius and don quixot were both inspired with reading the same book , the adventures of amadis de gaul , whom the don always proposed to himself , as the grand pattern of all his exploits ; and ignatius imitated as far as the difference of saint-errantry would give him leave . but it was the reading the legends of saints , which finally compleated the disease , and rendred it incurable . this excited in him a passionate desire of obtaining an equal reputation in the church , and degree in heaven with them ; and after envying their glory , perswaded him to imitate their follies . it was necessary , as well as natural , for such an ignorant bigot , who designed to acquire to himself esteem , by the repute of extraordinary sanctity , and yet understood little of the true principles of christianity , to take his pattern from the lives of saints , and direct his conduct by the imitation of their most celebrated actions , related in the ordinary legends of the church ; which affixing most ridiculous follies to the venerable names of apostles , martyrs and confessors , and not undeservedly relating them of the latter saints , who are commonly held in the greatest esteem , betrayed his weak judgment to the imitation and practice of the same extravagances . all the writers of his life , ascribe his conversion to his accidental reading of the lives of saints ; and maffeius † particularly relates of him , that in reading these legends , he would often stop , and in a transport , whether of zeal or ambition , cry out , what if i should imitate this illustrious exploit of st. dominick ? what if i should undertake this celebrated action of st. francis ? this procured to them little less than divine honours , and may make me be accounted somewhat more than human. somewhat extraordinary , therefore , he was resolved to do , which might immortalise his name , and give occasion for new legends ; but how to direct his ambition , he was yet uncertain ; being desirous of the honour of a saint , yet loth to forfeit the triumphs of a knight-errant . he was ravished indeed with the reading the life of christ , and legends of the saints ; * was set on fire with the wonderful things he read ; and being astonished at the austerities of the anchorets , resolved to imitate them , to visit the holy sepulchre , and shut up himself in an hermitage . but these good motions lasted but for a while , and he quickly relapsed into his former weakness . he wisely considered , that the imitation of these anchorets might procure him the admiration of ignorant devoto's ; but feats of arms alone , could secure to him the favour and applause of more polite ladies . for it must not be dissembled , that our saint ‖ , besides his innate passion for glory , had a secret inclination for a lady of quality ; and now his head was full of military exploits , to make himself worthy of that ladies favour . then he fell again to read , and anew to imagine somewhat more wonderful in the actions of saints , than in all the exploits of those romantick heroes , which had formerly filled his imagination . this rekindled in him a desire of solitude ; but still , when he was upon the point of taking a good resolution , the world with all its charms so powerfully assaulted him , that he fell back , and lingred after military honour . many days were spent in this fluctuation of mind , till at last he resolved to become saint-errant . and not imprudently . for as sancha pancha unanswerably disputed to his master don quixot , since the attainment of glory was his only aim , saint-erranty was a much easier , and more certain way than knight-errantry . for from the first , nothing but blows and wounds were to be expected , and perhaps a sudden death in the first encounter , which might blast all the hopes of honour ; whereas a saint-errant might sleep securely , unless disturbed with the phrensies of his own brain ; be lodged in palaces , and attended with crouds of admiring followers ; might survive the fruits of his labour , and after his death be inrolled among the favourites of heaven ; might be honoured with an anniversary solemnity , have his bones enchased in gold , and his tomb frequented with crouds of devout clients ; might have churches and images erected to his memory and worship ; and if the writers of his life be endued with fruitful inventions , have innumerable miracles ascribed to him . besides , ignatius wisely remembred that his lameness , and the visible deformity of his leg , remaining after his wound received in the siege of pompelona , would eternally hinder him from appearing a compleat courtier , or attracting the favour and affections of ladies , without which a knight-errant cannot subsist . he had used indeed all imaginary remedies to cure this deformity , as passionately affecting to appear every way compleat , without the least blemish . but heaven had designed him for a more noble profession . the order of knighthood being thus resolved on , it remained to chuse some illustrious saint , whose actions he might imitate , and propose as a rule to his conduct . don quixot sat not longer in councel to chuse a pattern for his military atchievements , than ignatius did to find out a fit exemplar for his intended bigottry . at last , most luckily he pitcht upon st. francis , than whom latter ages have not produced a greater , or more extravagant enthusiast , if we except his ape ignatius . how well he performed his undertaking , and how nearly followed the footsteps of this great master , we shall often by comparing their actions , have occasion to shew . however ignatius , to manifest that he was no dastard , sometimes ventured a little higher , and had no inconsiderable flights in imitation of christ himself , having a very ardent desire to be as much as possible , the lively image of iesus christ , as bussieres expresseth it . thus after he had perswaded his first six disciples to submit themselves to his direction ; he calls them together , and opens to them his design of imitating christ in the most perfect manner ; tells them , that christ went about saving souls , and thence perswaded them to go into palestine upon the same employment . st. francis was not altogether so hasty ; he staid till he got twelve disciples about him , that so himself might resemble christ , and they the apostles ; altho none can easily discover any resemblance between them , save only in this , that they were illiterate . but ignatius was not so wholly taken up in the imitation of saints , but that he still kept an eye to the laws of chivalry , and as much as possible , directed his actions by those ideas which the reading of romances had created in him . and in this he degenerated not from the example of his master st. francis , who in the beginning of his conversion , was inclined to exert his vigorous ambition in feats of arms. these military ideas so far possessed ignatius's imagination , that he could not forget them , in forming the draught of his order , and writing his book of exercises . the first design of his order , was revealed to him by god in his meditation of the two standards , in which were shewed to him the first lineaments , and general scheme of his order , by military representations . afterwards intreating the pope that no preferments might be conferred on any of his order , he represented to him , that the other orders were like so many squadrons of cuirassiers to stand fast in their post ; but his order like light-horsemen , to be always in a moving condition . in like manner , his book of meditations is formed in a military way , where he represents to us , our saviour as a king , inviting his subjects to accompany him in a military expedition , for the conquest of the whole earth , and assures them of their share in the booty and glory of the conquest in proportion to their fatigues in war. he describes christ coming to preach his doctrine to the world , with the devil standing in the front before him , and both under the resemblance of generals , who raise troops , spread their ensigns , take the field , and exhort their men to follow them . it seems , the propagation of the gospel by force of arms , is connatural to the order of jesuits ; only the wisdom of latter years hath changed these spiritual , into carnal weapons . but to come a litle nearer ; one of the most necessary ingredients of knight-errantry , is a lady , who by the auspicious charms of her beauty may protect the knight , and receive the trophies of all his victories . the choice therefore of dulcinea del toboso , cost don quixot no less than the serious consultation of eight days ; and the choice of the blessed virgin cost ignatius a tedious preparation at his first setting out ; when at last , he prostrated himself one night before her image , and consecrated himself to the service of the son and the mother ; vowed inviolable fidelity to her ; made her his protectress , and ever after esteemed himself to be obliged to her by the laws of knighthood . another necessary qualification of knight-errantry , is to be solemnly dubbed knight , and watch a whole night in armour , before the undertaking of that profession . and therefore don quixot at his first setting out , had a terrible scruple of conscience , because he was not yet dubbed knight ; whereupon he immediately caused himself to be dubbed by the inn-keeper , and kept his vigils in his imaginary chappel . ignatius was not forgetful of this ceremony , and therefore in imitation of it , he watched a whole night in his pilgrims weeds , the armour of saints , before the altar of our lady at montferrat , praying and devoting himself to jesus and mary , according to those warlike ideas , which were still in him , as bouhours * expresseth it . departing , he hung up before the altar his sword and poniard . for where-ever a knight-errant performs his vigils , his arms are forfeited to the use of the chappel , and must be redeemed if he will have them . but to proceed , don quixot carried no money about him , because no knight-errant ever did ; ordered sancha pancha to provide no necessaries aforehand , saying knights-errant ought to rely on gods providence ; and ever pleaded that by the priviledg of his order , he was exempted from paying any reckonings , or any other debt whatsoever . so ignatius thought it a crime to carry money with him ; relied so far upon the providence of god , that he would accept of no provivisions for a journey , altho offered to him ; and in his journey to the holy land by sea , pleaded always , that as a saint he ought to be excused from paying any fraight , and would never pay it , tho money were given to him for that purpose . don quixot believed every one bound to confess , believe , and maintain whatsoever he avouched , whether they had seen it or no. so ignatius established it for the primary rule of his order , that every one should obey the general , that is , himself while alive , with the same implicite faith as they would god himself . lastly , to omit many other instances of this nature , as the inn-keeper excused don quixot when he had done many outragious injuries , as a fool and distracted coxcomb ; so the spanish captain excused upon the same account the extravagant incivilities of ignatius , when he was brought before him . but the most remarkable instance remains behind . don quixot in obedience to the laws of knight-errantry , in all his exploits left it to the discretion of his horse whether he would go , believing the essence and being of all his adventures to consist in that . in like manner , ignatius ever submitted himself blindly to the dictates of his confessor ; and when he was wanting , to the direction of his horse ; as may appear from this story . ignatius presently after his conversion , made a pilgrimage to montserrat . by the way , he fell in company with a moor , and disputed with him about the immaculate conception of the blessed virgin. the moor stifly opposed it , and as it should seem , was too hard for ignatius upon the point , as well he might , arguing against an ignorant disputant , and being on the righter side . at this ignatius , transported with anger and zeal , was in doubt with himself , whether his faith and allegiance due to the blessed virgin ever since his solemn dedication of himself to her , did not oblige him to revenge her honour by the death of the mahometan . not being able to resolve the doubt , and fearing to be wanting in his duty , he resolved to follow the moor , and do what god should inspire him . thus riding on , he came where the road parted . one way led to montserrat , the other the moor took . no divine inspiration yet appearing , and the case admitting no longer delay , he abandoned all farther expectation of divine impulse , and committed himself to the direction of his horse , although all will not allow him to have rid upon so learned a beast ; maffeius saith , it was a plain ass , or at least a mule. ignatius , therefore , coming to the division of the road , stopt his horse , and loosned the reins , resolving if the beast took the same way which the moor had done , to set upon him , and kill him ; if the other , to let him pass unrevenged . the beast by good luck took the way leading to montserrat ; whereupon ignatius most rationally concluded , that god did not require at his hands that he should revenge the blasphemies of the moor. this the writers of his life call a miracle , tho an honest heretick would rather call it chance . now the romish saints may well be impeccable , if god must work miracles to perserve them from sin ; tho a sober casuist would not fear to conclude , that ignatius by making such an irrational resolution , was really guilty of murther . it is well his countryman st. dominick did not live in his time . for he denying the immaculate conception of the blessed virgn , if ignatius had met him in this mood , and his ass had not been wiser than himself , the two saints must have fought a duel about the immaculate conception ; and then surely by the common privilege of saints each would have fought for truth . that ignatius in his conversion was acted with these ambitious principles , and reformed his life not out of any sense of piety , but meerly through an immoderate desire of vain-glory , is so undeniable , that even the writers of his life cannot dissemble it . this appears from the account given by them of the motions excited in his imagination by reading romances and the lives of saints at his first conversion , which was before mentioned ; and may be farther demonstrated from what bouhours (a) adds , that in exercising all his religious austerities , he had at first no other aim than to imitate those holy penitents , whose lives he had read , and to expiate his sins . this last clause was annexed only to save the credit of the saint . for in his life , (b) published by order of mutius vitelleschi , general of the jesuits , it is freely confessed , that ignatius his first resolutions were to exercise great austerities , and perform extraordinary penance , not so much to expiate his sins , which then presented themselves to his view , as because he imagined that in these rigours the utmost perfection of christianity consisted , having no higher idea of it , and desiring with passion to acquire that perfection , as the only means of obtaining the repute of sanctity . and indeed if we examine his first adventure after his conversion , we hear of no extraordinary acts of real piety and devotion , but only pilgrimages , sackcloth , fasting , whipping and begging , the effects of an ambitious desire to imitate the actions of the most renowned saints , which then wholly possest his imagination ; and with the thoughts of which he continually amused himself , so far as to employ his whole time in painting the famous actions of christ and his saints upon a book , and then admiring the glory of them . however , this was somewhat better employment , than that wherewith st. francis at first busied himself , to make crucifixes in mortar with his own hands ; although both equally proceeded from childish notions of religion and devotion . if then ambition had so great a part in the conversion of ignatius : if an excessive desire of glory , and foolish emulation of the honour of other saints , chiefly induced ignatius to embrace a religious life : with what pretence or shew of truth can the writers of his life ascribe his conversion to the providence of god , and operation of the holy ghost ? a conversion which themselves cannot deny to have been the effect of ambition , and other unruly passions ; and in which , without any breach of charity , the devil had far more influence than god. divine conversions never proceed from such unlawful principles ; and correct the errors of the judgment , as well as purge the corruptions of the will ; whereas ignatius , after his conversion , continued in the same ignorance of all divine matters and true piety , and retained his former ambitious inclination , which alone may create a reasonable suspicion of insincerity in the whole conduct of his life . it cannot be pretended that ignatius was at first induced by motives of ambition and vain-glory to undertake the severities of a religious life , but afterwards proceeded wholly upon principles of disinteressed piety . the writers indeed of his life assure us , that immediately after his conversion , all reliques of ambition were by an immediate operation of the holy ghost extinguished in him ; but the subsequent conduct of his life demonstrate the contrary . the ambition of founding a new order in the church , had strongly possest his imagination , and was the grand motive of all his austerities . to this all his actions were directed ; and by this he was encouraged to undertake and conquer the greatest difficulties . orlandinus (a) plainly confesseth , no man would have taken so much pains as he did , unless he had carried such a design in his head ; and bouhours , (b) that he had designed to institute an order under the name of the society of iesus , ever since his retirement at manreza , immediately after his conversion . the ambition of instituting a peculiar sect was ever the chief motive of all heresiarchs and impostors ; who thought nothing more glorious than to acquire an arbitrary command over the understandings of their deluded followers . this incited apollonius tyaneus , st. francis , and ignatius to gather to themselves disciples as soon as they had obtained a popular repute of sanctity ; and that the world might take notice of their great success , they all agreed to lead their disciples as it were in triumph into the capital city of the world : ignatius and francis on pretence to receive the pope's blessing and commands , but apollonius upon a more generous design to brave the tyant nero , and let him know that he detested his actions , and scorn'd his threats . no wonder the supposed merits of the design , and sanctity of the profession which ignatius had undertaken , should raise his pretensions ; since he might rationally promise to himself an extraordinary veneration on earth , and a more exalted throne in heaven . don quixot fancied that all knight-errants went to heaven , or at least to purgatory ; and surely saint-errants deserved to be placed in an higher degree than they . the indian philosophers had assured apollonius , that both dead and living he should be esteemed a god. a pious frier had seen st. francis's soul in the shape of a bright star carried in a cloud upon many waters into heaven ; and another holy brother being wrapt into an extasy had seen an empty seat prepared in heaven , more eminent than the rest , shining with great splendor , and adorned with precious stones ; and at the same time heard a voice from heaven , saying , that it was kept for st. francis. bonaventure † , who was himself a saint , had stiled him the angel ascending from the east , having the seal of the living god ; and might not ignatius reasonably expect a place of equal dignity in the court of heaven ? yes surely ; and that we may not doubt of it , st. mary magdalen pazzi in an extasie saw his soul in a glorious seat in heaven . as for reverence to be obtained by them whilst alive , apollonius was commonly saluted by the people with the title of divus , and esteemed so great a favourite of the gods , that crouds of clients daily flocked to him , desiring him to intercede with heaven for them . st. francis enjoyed the title of christianissimus pauper , or the most christian beggar , and thereby stood in competition with the most christian king ; but ignatius being more ingenious , assumed the title of pauper pauperum ; and thereby emulating that of servus servorum , exceeded st. francis , as much as the pope exceeds all secular princes . however , both are now attended with crouds of devout supplicants ; altho in this apollonius hath the advantage of them in point of judgment and learning . for they favoured such invocations while alive , and are now supposed gladly to receive them when dead : whereas the heathen philosopher wisely rejected the petitions of those who desired his intercession with god , telling them , that if they were really devout persons , they needed no intercessor , but might themselves boldly approach to god , and offer up their petitions to him . i might instance in several other actions and circumstances , which clearly manifest an immoderate desire of vain glory . his resolution of preaching the gospel among the infidels in the holy land , the great stage of knight-errantry in former ages , without any probability of success , arose from this principle of ambition . thus apollonius affecting the honour of dying a martyr for philosophy , went boldly to domitian , and reprehended his tyranny ; and saint francis went twice into asia , and once into africk to convert the soldan of babylon , and miramolin of morocco , not so much out of desire to propagate christianity , as that by his impertinence provoking those princes to cruelty , he might obtain the crown of martyrdom . the singularity of habit used by ignatius ▪ and apollonius was directed to the same design . by this they distinguished themselves from the rest of mankind , and drew crouds of admirers after them ; who at first drawn together by the novelty of their habit , might at last be deluded with their jugling artifices . but a most certain argument of ambition in sacred matters is to envy to all others the acquisition of reputation by the same method . that must needs be an impious as well as extravagant ambition , which cannot endure any rivals or competitors in sanctity , and would engross to it self all the veneration of fools , and credulity of mankind . this philostratus (a) and bonaventure (b) particularly observe of apollonius tyaneus , and st. francis , that they approved not those austerities in any other , which they practised themselves . in like manner , ignatius represented to two ladies of alcala his disciples , who had resolved to go in pilgrimage to our lady of gvadalupe , profess evangelical poverty , and serve the sick in hospitals , the folly of their design ; and asserted , that without an evident inspiration of the holy ghost , they must not take such extraordinary courses to advance in perfection ; that sanctity did not consist in pilgrimages or evangelical poverty ; and earnestly dissuaded them from their intentions . now if ignatius did truly practice and pursue evangelical perfection , he ought not to have diverted these ladies from their resolutions , who had proposed to themselves the practice of those very actions which they had before admired in ignatius . he might perhaps plead for himself inspiration of the holy ghost : but besides that such a plea is downright enthusiasm , it might have been with equal reason pretended by the ladies ; since all such inspirations are purely interrnal , and known only to the person who receives them . thus also he expressed great dislike of long prayers in others , altho himself frequently bestowed whole days in prayer ; and at his first conversion did nothing else but pray . the affectation of the name of saint is a no less evident mark of a violent ambition ; and therefore we may reasonably conclude apollonius to have been extremely guilty of this vice , in that while alive he not unwillingly received the title of god from the common people . the notions which the heathens had of their inferior deities was the same which the papists usually entertain of their saints . this title ignatius upon all occasions ambitiously courted ; and by cunning artifices endeavoured to procure . thus at manreze having with many incredible austerities and severe mortifications once acquired among the credulous multitude the title of a saint , as if he had got his aim , he immediately gives over all solitude , changed his deformed penitential dress into a more decent habit , and moderates his austerities . at barcelona meeting a company of beggars , he distributed all his money to them , and then immediately in their sight began himself to beg : whereupon they cryed out , a saint , a saint . his confessor eguia was wont to give it out , that he was more than a saint ; and he to return the complement , and secure the continuation of it , gave eguia a great character of extraordinary piety . he betrayed no less vain glory , when in an affected extravagance of humility he prayed to god , and wished publickly on all occasions , that his body , when dead , might be exposed in the open fields to be devoured by beasts and fowls , or at least might be buried in a dunghill . such wishes were frequent in the mouths of cynicks , who were ever esteemed the most ambitious of all philosophers . if any thing be still wanting in ignatius to compleat the character of ambitious , it must be arrogant boasts , and high pretences of his his own sanctity ; which indeed is the utmost degree of vain-glory , than which nothing is more intolerable or inexcusable . ignatius was never wanting to his own praise , always endeavouring to excite and continue great ideas of his own merits in the minds of men : following herein the common artifice of all impostors , who supply their own want of merit by an arrogant ostentation of it . thus apollonius tyaneus gloried that he knew all things , penetrated the most secret thoughts of others , understood all languages , tho he had never learned them ; and bragged to domitian that he could not hurt him , since he was immortal . saint francis boasted that he was daily fed with the bread of angels ; and published every-where , that after his death he should be worshipped as a saint through all the world. as for ignatius , he conceived so great an opinion of his own merit , that presently after his conversion , before he had performed yet any thing extraordinary , being seized with a violent fever , and lying in a desperate condition , he fancied to hear an inward voice repeating to him , that he need not be troubled to die , because he died a saint ; and that being arrived at so great a degree of perfection , he needed not fear either the temptation of the devil , or the judgment of god. on the one side he saw represented to him his meritorious austerities ; on the other side heaven open , where the angels , with palms and crowns in their hands , invited him to enter in . that he might create in others the same apprehension which he had formed to himself , he sometimes talked publickly of his raptures and extasies , and spread abroad a report that he had an archangel for his angel guardian . this perhaps might be somewhat pardonable in a spaniard , but what follows is intolerable . polancus asked him one day , as he was boasting of his wonderful gifts , whether he did not fear to be guilty of vain-glory ? ignatius answered in these words : polancus , i do assure you that i do not relate the thousandth part of the divine gifts conferred on me , by reason of the incapacity of those who hear me , to conceive them : and added , that he would not change merits or divine gifts with any one of all the saints , if they had not greater than what are commonly related of them in their lives . it might perhaps be imagined that a more exquisite flattery could not be invented ; yet thanks to a politick brain , the reputation of ignatius his merits must be rais'd yet higher . eguia , his confessor , often wished that he might outlive the saint , at least , some few hours , that he might reveal without scruple , what he knew of the sanctity of ignatius , and he pretended that he had things to tell , which could not be heard without astonishment . the cunning saint fearing that if the matter came to a trial , it might end in smoke , or at least , not answer expectation , prayed earnestly against his wish ; and by good fortune the confessor died before him . alas , what a loss did the immature death of eguia bring to christendom ? such a loss no doubt the world had before suffered in the case of don quixot ; a great part of whose most noble adventures were not mentioned in the records of mancha . ambition is the chief and fundamental quality of an affected enthusiast ; that ignatius was eminently endued with it , we have now proved . other accedaneous qualities are required to constitute a compleat fanatick , which were not wanting in our saint ; i shall instance only in two , weakness of body , and want of judgment . the first is commonly antecedent to , and in some measure the cause of enthusiasm , but must necessarily be contracted by those immoderate fermentations and commotions of the blood , which attend the extasies of enthusiasts ; which may for a time confer an unusual vigour upon the body ; but when the heat is expired , and the tempest calmed , leave it languid and dejected . the production and conservation of a strong and irregular imagination , by gross and impure spirits , supposeth a vehement indisposition of the body , and general corruption of blood , which also that very imagination promotes and augments . and this alone might unanswerably detect all the illusions and impostures of enthusiasts , who pretend to intellectual visions and divine raptures . for if those visions were indeed purely intellectual , no extraordinary motion of the body would attend them ; whereas the violent ebullition of the spirits , which accompany these pretended visions of enthusiasts , demonstrate them to be wholly owing to their imaginations and disturbed brains . thus * st. phillip neri being often overflowed with celestial pleasures , was forced to fall flat upon the ground , and rowl himself to and fro : and in praying , his whole body was wont so much to quake and tremble , as would cause the chamber to shake , and the stools in it to dance about . nay , once this shaking proceeded so far , that the poor saint broke two of his ribs by it . ignatius began his fits of devotion in a violent fever , and ever after maintained them in a weak and crazy body . in his retirement into the vale of paradice , where he enjoyed such extraordinary raptures , he impaired his health so far in a few days , that his friends searching for him , found him in a swound , which wmmediately followed by a desperate fever . in his meditations and raptures , he poured forth so great an abundance of tears , that he was often very near blinded by it . in all his extasies , his body was wonderfully weakned . by reciting mass , ( wherin he always pretended to receive a flood of consolations ) he often became so languid , that he was forced to be carried to his chamber upon the shoulders of other men , not being able to stand upon his own legs for weakness . sometimes in praying or celebrating mass , he burned with such vehement heat , that all the parts of his body seemed to be on fire , his face grew red as scarlet , his pulse beat violently , and all his veins swelled through the extraordinary fermentation of his blood , and the hair of his head stood upright . or as another author expresseth it , * his countenance was inflamed in praying ; and commonly in the heat of his devotion , he had very violent palpitations of heart , and frequent raptures ; withal , he poured out a torrent of tears , till he obtained of god by prayer , that he might be able to restrain his tears ; but when they were kept in , he felt in his soul an inundation of spiritual delight . from which last words , it is manifest , that he mistook the extraordinary motion of his blood ( which commonly produceth a grateful sentiment of pleasure ) for spiritual delights ; since , from the restrainment of his tears , no other effect could follow , than that the motion not being allayed by an evacuation of tears , should continue longer in its first vigour . to mention no more , our saint , whensoever he thought of death , and the love of god , had such furious motions in his heart , that his health was exceedingly injured for a long while after . after so many manifest indications of a violent and disturbed imagination , we cannot with any shew of reason ascribe his spiritual delights and visions , to the serene and calm operation of the holy ghost , but must impute them to the phantomes of his brain ; an effect which naturally followed his method of devotion and meditation ; insomuch , as peter faber having wholly resigned up himself to his conduct , and to the rules prescribed in his book of spiritual exercises , felt such fervour in his meditations , that he was forced often to go down from his chamber into a little court , to take fresh air , and cool his brains . ignorance and weakness of understanding , is so necessary a quality to those enthusiasts , who are perswaded of the truth and reality of their dreams and visions , such as ignatius seems to have been , at least , in the former part of his life ; that without it , enthusiasm could gain neither admission nor belief , even in their own breasts . for this reason st. philip neri , above † all things endeavoured that his disciples should suppress in themselves the too nice inquisitions of the rational intellect , and often said it was the abridgment of all spiritual life , to lay aside reason and arguings . this affected ignorance not only disposeth them to submit their judgment to the direction of an irrational imagination , and resign up their conduct to the fortuitous impulse of irregular motions in the body ; but also disables them from discovering the folly and false ideas of enthusiasm , from perceiving that nothing can be more contrary to the genius of christianity , than fanaticism ; that right reason is the greatest ornament , as well as perfection of mankind ; that whatsoever violates the laws of decency and sobriety , cannot be divine ; and instead of merit , that god is dishonoured by ridiculous actions and irrational austerities . the great founders of monastick orders , are observed to have been ignorant and stupid to a prodigy ; and ignatius far from being ambitious to surpass them in learning , thought it meritorious to be more ignorant than them all . he judged it a great perfection to be esteemed a fool ; and made it one of his chief maxims , that whoever would do great things in gods cause , must have a care of being too wise . nature it seems , had taken care that he should not be too wise , if the writers of his life do not foully misrepresent him ; vitelleschi * saith plainly , that he was an ideot . bouhours ‖ , that he was but meanly instructed in the mysteries of the faith. maffeius ‡ , that he had scarce learning enough to preserve him from heresy . orlandinus ‖ , that he was devoid of all learning . he was so far indeed conscious of his own ignorance , that he put himself to school , and bestowed many years in learning philosophy and the latin tongue ; but all his labour met with small success ; his natural stupidity was too prevalent for the greatest industry . in the grammar-school at barcelona , he made so small proficience , that in many months he could not learn to conjugate the verb amo ; and was forced to beg of his master to whip him severely , and treat him equally with the meanest boy . after two years study at barcelona , he goes to alcala , where he learneth logick , physick and divinity , and studieth night and day without intermission ; but so many different notions so confounded his vnderstanding , that all his labour ended in learning nothing . next he removes to salamanca , leaves off begging , and mitigates his austerities , that he might imploy his whole time in learning . yet finding but small progress , he quits spain for shame , and betakes himself to the university of paris , wisely driving an ass laden with books before him . for himself , before he got to paris , had lost all his learning , insomuch , as coming thither , he was forced to begin all a new , and return even to the first elements of grammar . after he had studied there several years , by the help of friends , and many petitions , he gets a degree ; but still continues so ignorant , that after he had enticed faber into his society , he was forced to desire him privately to explain aristotle to him ; to whom he in requital explained the secrets of a spiritual life , and mystical divinity . but perhaps all this is to be ascribed to a singular providence , which hindred his progress in learning , as knowing it to be destructive to the very being of a romish saint . that little smattering which he had of learning , did no small prejudice to his sanctity ; for after that , his visions , extasies and illuminations , became infinitely less frequent . the very reading of a learned and rational book , lessened his devotion , and quenched his spiritual consolations . for being advised once by some learned men , to read the books of erasmus , he perceived that the reading of him diminished his devotion ; and the more he read , the less fervour he had in prayer : he thereupon threw them away ; and when general of his order , commanded that none of his followers should read erasmus's writings , or at least , not without great precaution . nothing but the reading of thomas a kempis , or other unintelligible enthusiasts could keep alive his first fervour , which grew faint and expired at the least appearance of solid learning . if the jesuits have since conceived a greater esteem for learning , and not unsuccessfully employed their labour in the attainment of it , they have perhaps deservedly obtained a reputation to themselves ; but , as i fear , have thereby forfeited the protection and intercession of their founder ignatius , who continues even after his death , to be the professed enemy of learning . for ten years after his death , appearing to iames terry , a young scotchman of his society , who with diligence and fervour had applied himself to the study of true learning , he sharply reprehended him , recommending to him , less knowledg , and more virtue . having thus manifested , that ignatius wanted no qualities necessary to an enthusiast ; i shall next enquire , whether he were really guilty of enthusiasm . this consisteth in pretending to divine visions and extraordinary illuminations , after christianity is once fully setled , and all christians left to learn their religion by natural and ordinary means from the rule of faith , whether scripture or tradition ; in boasting of infused knowledg and inward lights , in pretending to have received all the articles of faith by particular inspiration , to do all things by the private impulse of the spirit , and act solely by the inspiration of the holy ghost ; in venting these pretended revelations , without any respect to the rules of ecclesiastical discipline fixed by christ , much less of decency ; in perpetual talking of divine matters in an unintelligible jargon , and impertinent canting , and boasting of a mighty familiarity with god and christ. to which , if frequent extasies and raptures of mind be added , the enthusiast is become compleat , and his disease little less than madness . these pretences are not only apt to raise the admiration , and excite the veneration of the vulgar , who ever admire what they cannot penetrate ; and having crude notions of religion and piety , are easily led away with pretences of it ; but raise the ambition , and augment the folly of the enthusiast himself , who thence formeth vast ideas of his own merits and perfection ; is delighted with his own illusion , hates to be convicted ; and flatters himself with the thoughts of being the familiar friend of god , and favourite of heaven . that ignatius was guilty of all these extravagances and follies in the highest degree , a particular examination of his actions , will abundantly demonstrate . first , therefore , as to the pretence of divine visions and illuminations , his whole life after his conversion , if we may believe the writers of his life , was a continued series of them . his conversion was at first produced by such imaginary visions . the holy virgin descended from heaven , and brought down with her the child jesus in her arms ( one would wonder how our saviour since his ascension , should dwindle into a child ) to convert this maimed soldier . she appeared to him all invironed with light , while he was awake , ( tho bouhours * implieth the contrary ) and continued with him some while . at this vision , ignatius felt his soul replenished with such a spiritual vnction , as ever after rendred all pleasures of the senses insipid to him . during this apparition , it seemed to him that his heart was purified within him , and that all images of sensual delights were quite razed out of his mind . soon after he imagineth st. peter to appear to him , to touch him , and cure his wounds . being recovered , he goeth to manreze , where he receiveth innumerable visions and illuminations ; but the most remarkable , was an extasy , which lasted eight days ; during all which time he had no use of his senses . some thought him dead , and would have buried him . but some motion of his heart being at last perceived , diverted that resolution . no body ever knew the secrets which were revealed to him in that long rapture ; and all the account which he would give , was , that they were inexpressible . travelling thence through italy , in his way to the holy land , and praying in the open plain before the gates of venice , jesus christ appeared to him , gave him inward strength , and promised him protection in all his journey . coming to ierusalem , he was seized with a religious horror , and imagined that he saw jesus christ in every place , born in the manger at bethlehem , teaching in the temple , crucified in mount calvary , and triumphing on mount olivet : or as another author expresseth it , iesus christ appeared to him often , and enriched him with a thousand benedictions . travelling from mount olivet to the convent , christ appeared to him in the air , and accompanied him along , encouraging him with his presence . afterwards at paris he saw clearly in a vision that god had appointed to establish a company of apostolick men , and found a new order in the church . a year after journeying from spain through valentia into italy , he happened on iohn de castro , a religious hermit , to whom he made known his intention of going into the holy land. castro spends all the night following in prayer , comes out of his cell next morning in a transport of joy , and tells ignatius that he was commissioned by heaven to let him know , that his design should succeed , and turn to the good of all christendom ; and for a sign that he did not speak at random , offered himself to be his companion and disciple . ignatius received this testimony of castro as an oracle of the holy ghost , but would not suffer him to accompany him . whence bouhours concludeth , that persons inspired from heaven in behalf of others , are not always so for themselves . he might more reasonably have concluded that the whole inspiration was fictitious , and a meer whimsie of the hermites brain , with which both parties were not unwillingly deluded . for ignatius his design did not succeed . he never went after that to palestine , as he intended , and consequently his design was not in the least beneficial to the cause of christianity : and then castro equally pretended a divine inspiration for his entrance into the same design , as for ignatius his success in it : so that either castro received no real inspiration , or ignatius resisted the holy ghost . but to proceed , ignatius travelling from venice to rome , he stept alone into a little ruinous chappel upon the road , following the motion of the spirit which possest him , to recommend his company to god. scarce had he begun his prayer , but he was wrapt in spirit , environed with a great brightness , and saw the eternal father , who presenting him to the son , who stood before him laden with an heavy cross , recommended him to his protection ; who receiving him graciously , said , i will be propitious to you at rome . removing soon after to monte cassino , he saw the soul of hozez , one of his companions , who at that time died at padua , at the very moment of his expiring , in a glorious and shining habit , enter into heaven : and thereby had the good fortune to equal st. benedict , who in that very place saw the soul of his sister scholaria in form of a dove ; and the soul of germanus , bishop of capua , environed with exceeding light , ascending into heaven . but now for the honour of ignatius , whereas st. benedict had but a transient view of the ascending souls , our saint had the same vision more than once . for presently after hearing mass , he saw heaven open , and his companion in the middle of the saints ( see the merits of the society ) more resplendent than the rest . however , it must be remembred in favour of st. benedict , that in his time enthusiasm was but in its infancy , which in latter ages was advanced to greater perfection . st. ignatius scorned to draw his model from an imperfect copy ; but chose rather to imitate st. francis a more illustrious visionary . he assured his companions , that he often enjoyed the corporeal presence of jesus christ ; who appeared to him in his private prayers nailed to the cross , and at other times under the form of a cherub having six wings , bearing a crucifix in his breast , and fluttering before him for a long while in the air. not only were divine visions of this nature frequently by heaven granted to them , but also liberally communicated to others , whensoever their interest or advantage required it . thus ignatius coming to barcelona to take ship for the holy land , a certain lady , called isabella rosella , saw him at church , and heard a voice within her , crying , call him , call him . hereupon she invites him to her house , and desires him to lodge there . but he declared that he was called by heaven to another place , and so denied her request . certainly one of these calls must have been an illusion . for if the lady was indeed commanded by god to invite him , he ought to have accepted the invitation ; if he was sent by god to another place , she ought not to have diverted him . but not to be too critical upon the actions of the saints , since it is the peculiar privilege of the church of rome that no contradictions can prejudice the truth of its assertions . from barcelona ignatius travelled to venice , where entring late , he takes up his lodging upon the stones in the piazza . heaven thought this too mean a lodging for so great a saint ; and therefore marco antonio trevisani , a senator , was immediately commanded by a voice in a vision to rise and invite him into his house . when rodriguez , one of his chief disciples , was tempted by the devil to leave ignatius , and become an hermite , god , to prevent so great a loss , sent an angel from heaven , who taking a gigantick body , and putting on a terrible aspect , met him going out of town , with a naked sword in his hand , and brandishing his sword against him , forced him to return with all speed ; altho the countrey people , who admired the precipitate , and as they imagined , causeless flight of rodriguez , could see neither sword nor giant . to produce but one instance more : a recluse near vicenza slighting ignatius , and esteeming him a madman , god to vindicate the honour of the saint , appeared to him , and told him , ( or as bouhours hath it , he understood by a light from above ) that ignatius was a vessel of election , filled with the spirit of god. in like manner a priest of assisium , who despised saint francis , was assured by a divine vision , that he was some great and venerable person . hitherto their visions are pretty equal : but st. francis had one adventure , which ignatius could never equal . being prostrated one day before a crucifix , he received exceeding consolation of spirit in praying ; and with his bodily ears thrice heard a voice proceeding from the cross , saying , francis , go and repair my ruined house . this was wonderful indeed ! but ignatius never attained to this perfection . for as the devils and oracles vanished and disappeared at the coming of christ ; so the romish images ceased to speak at the first appearance of the reformation . the last , which we can hear of , is that of bern in switzerland , which performed the miracle few years before the reformation . these visions and apparitions are so plainly owing to the whimsies of a disturbed imagination , that no art can palliate the delusion . the ideas which these enthusiasts conceived of god , christ , and angels , were so gross and corporeal , and by long habit attended with such violent motions of the spirit , that every cloud in their brain was mistaken for that object , whose idea did then accompany it . this is evident in the case of ignatius , who in mount cassino remembring the famous vision of st. benedict in that place , and then hearing the death of hozez , imagined he saw a vision of the like nature ; and in visiting the holy places in palestine always fancied to see christ before his eyes in that habit , which the remembrance of the place suggested to his imagination , born in the grotto at bethlehem , crucified in mount calvary , and ascending in mount olivet . this was solely to be ascribed to the delusion of a violent and strong imagination , wherewith all the precedent actions and arguments demonstrate ignatius to have been endued . to which may be added this following circumstance . when ignatius first set himself to learn grammar at barcelona , he found his spirits by long habit so stongly enclined to these enthusiastick imaginations , that he could not divert them any other way . whence instead of conjugating the verb amo , he did nothing but form acts of love. i love thee my god ( said he ) thou lovest me : he could think of nothing else for many months . however , if this illusion had stopt in his own breast , it had been no great loss ; but when it imposeth upon multitudes of credulous believers , and draws them into pernicious mistakes ; when after a juridical inquiry the reality of such apparitions is allowed and attested by the publick suffrage of a large christian church in the canonization of the visionary , we cannot but deplore the credulity of mankind , and corruption of that church . if the truth of all christian religion depended upon the attestation of such a church , as is pretended , well might all sober heathens suspect the miracles of jesus christ , or even deny the existence of such a god , who chooseth the greatest fools for his highest favourites , and obsequiously attendeth the motions of every petty visionary . more rationally did philostratus proceed in writing the legend of apollonius tyaneus ; to whom he ascribes no more than two visions , and both of them undertaken for the improvement of knowledge ; the first an apparition of achilles's ghost to him for the resolution of divers critical questions ; the other of himself after death to a company of friends , to assure them of the immortality of the soul. if the external visions of ignatius were rare and wonderful , the internal illuminations of his understanding were more extraordinary . from these he pretended to have received a more perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the christian religion , than could have been drawn from the ordinary rule of faith ; to have learned all the secrets of the trinity , and seen the very essence of god. the pretence of this infused knowledge is the chief and most essential character of enthusiasm ; others may be properties or effects of it , but this constitutes the very nature of it . thus apollonius pretended to know all things by divine inspiration , to act by a particular illumination , to know the state and adventures of his own soul before it was united to his body , ( according to his notion of transmigration ) and to discern the souls of ancient heroes imprisoned in the bodies of beasts . by this divine illumination he knew domitian had laid snares for him ; and if we may believe hierocles † , performed all his miracles , not by enchantments or spells , as was commonly believed , but by an hidden and preternatural knowledge of divine matters . saint francis understood many secret things by the spirit ; knew all the mysteries of scripture , not by the help of learning , but by divine revelation : unfolded many things to his disciples by the assistance of divine visions , which transcended humane capacity : preached always sermons to the people not composed by his own industry , but ex tempore , suggested by the spirit ; and lest you should suspect these discourses to have been highly impertinent , bonaventure assures you , they were not empty or ridiculous , but full of the vertue of the spirit , piercing the very marrow of the heart , and ravishing all his hearers with mighty admiration . but to raise your opinion yet somewhat higher of the wonderful illuminations of this saint , christ corporally appearing to him , revealed to him many things , which it was unlawful for him , while he lived , to publish : and the great and wonderful mystery of the cross , wherein all the gifts of graces and treasures of wisdom lay hid , concealed from the wise and learned men of the world , were at once fully revealed to st. francis. yet all this is inconsiderable , when compared to the infused knowledge of ignatius . iohn de avila , a famous spanish doctor , declared that he knew no man more interiour , nor filled with more supernatural wisdom than ignatius : and oviedo , one of his disciples , out of a long experience of him , gave his opinion , when ignatius desired to be eased of the office of general , that he ought not to be opposed ; since being a saint he had lights which ordinary christians had not . soon after his conversion , at manreze he began to receive visions and illuminations : (a) he was hitherto meanly instructed in the mysteries of the faith ; but now he is elevated in the spirit , and hath all , particularly the trinity , so clearly represented and revealed to him by an internal light , that he can speak of nothing but the trinity , and that with so much unction and light in such proper and sublime expressions , that the most learned admired him , and the most ignorant were instructed by him . (b) the illustrations which were communicated to him upon this subject , cannot be expressed ; how often our lady , and the three persons of the holy trinity appeared to him , and taught him what was their will touching this article ; how many internal consolations he received , and how great secrets were revealed to him . in one of his visions he saw the blessed trinity , as plainly as we do one another , under a corporeal representation . the very notions of his institute were obtained by illumination , and all the rules of his order composed by the assistance of an internal light. immediately after his conversion in time of mass , at the elevation , he had an intuitive knowledge that the body and blood of christ were truly contained under the elements , and in what manner they were there : nay , he saw with his bodily eyes iesus christ and his blessed mother , which kindled in his soul new desires of following the cross. (c) one day he had a profound knowledge of all the mysteries of religion together ; and at another time praying before the cross , all which he had formerly learnt were set before his eyes in so full a light , that the verities of faith seemed to him to have nothing obscure in them ; and he remained so enlightned and convinced of them , that he hath been heard to say , that had they never been recorded in scripture , he should still have believed them ; and that had the scriptures been lost , no part of his faith had been diminished . but none raiseth the merits of ignatius in this respect so high , as the anonymous author of his glory , who relateth his divine illuminations in these words . before he had yet learned any thing , he was so fully instructed in a sublime manner by an intellectual vision of the unity of the essence and persons of the trinity ; that being but an idiot , he was enabled to write a book concerning the trinity in the beginning of his conversion . his mind was frequently illuminated with visions of divine persons , sometimes altogether , sometimes every one separately , and of the divine essence it self . the whole design of his order was by him ascribed to this divine and admirable illustration of mind . wherefore he might justly assume those words of st. paul , for i neither received it of man , nor was i taught it but by the revelation of iesus christ. for in the very first year of his conversion , when he thought least of it , a divine light arose in his mind , so great , and so wonderful , that he clearly perceived many things without any master in a moment of time , not only concerning matters of faith , but also other things , even the most subtil questions and determinations of philosophers ; and manifestly perceived , as in a most bright glass , those things which men are scarce able ordinarily to understand after long and accurate reading , many labours , and great study . this is even a degree above the infallibility of pope or councils ; for they never pretended to be infallible , or to receive divine inspiration in the determination of philosophical questions . certainly the world would have been infinitely obliged to the memory of ignatius , if he had published a system of his revealed philosophy . but the cunning saint would not trust his revelations to the examination of the virtuosi . but to represent more evidently the enthusiastick spirit of ignatius , his pretence of infused knowledge , and perpetual enjoyment of divine illuminations ; i will present the reader with an account of his transactions for some few days only , written by his own hand ; which the writers of his life pretend to have been preserved by a particular miracle and extraordinary providence , when all his other papers , relating to the same subject , were by him committed to the flames . if the whole journal of his life had been preserved , it had mightily conduced to the glory of ignatius ; since none could then have denied him to have surpassed infinitely all the enthusiastick follies of the other romish saints , or english visionaries . however , it appears from this fragment , that he was no puny in this art ; but only was either more cunning , or less charitable than the rest , in not blessing the world with the publication of his revelations . let us hear him then speaking in his own words . the tears of this day seemed to me very different from those of other days ; they poured down more gently , they were less violent and impetuous ; they were in a manner internal , and carried a certain sweet languor along with them , which i cannot express . i heard speeches within and without me , which all excited me to the love of god by an internal sound , with a concert and harmony so touching , wherewith god spoke to me , that i want words to express it . the next day i was overwhelmed with my tears , during mass , as on other days , and even after mass ; and all the while i heard with great joy this internal discourse . it seemed to me , as it was pronounced , that it was the musick of heaven , which i then heard . with these tears i perceived my devotion and love towards god to increase ; as knowing that i understood what was revealed to me by an extraordinary and divine manner . the day after i had yet a great abundance of tears , as also of internal discourses extraordinary and wonderful . praying to the holy virgin , and desiring her to intercede for me to the son , and to the eternal father ; and addressing my self to the son , i implored the intercession of himself , and his mother , to obtain for me the assistance of his divine father . in doing this , i perceived that my hairs stood aright , that i was elevated before the father , and that an extraordinary heat was dispersed through my whole body : after which my tears began anew , together with a very ardent devotion . i began my prayer with great abundance of tears , with a very sensible devotion , and among lofty perceptions of the holy trinity . amidst these so sublime ideas , so often reiterated , so sweet and so touching , i saw very well , that i had no memory which could represent them to me , nor understanding which might furnish to me words wherewith to express them . i had so great an abundance of perceptions , illuminations and spiritual sentiments , with so many tears , that i could not speak , could do nothing else but name god and my saviour : and it seemed to me , that as often as i named them , i found my self pierced to the very bottom of my soul with a plenary submission , and a profound respect , and a desire of obedience , which is impossible to be expressed . after prayer i felt yet extraordinary motions , tears and palpitations , burning all over with the love of god , and saying to him , that i desired rather to die with him , than live with any other . while i prepared my self for the altar , meditating on jesus christ , i found my self moved by impulse to follow him . it seemed to me internally , that to accept an extreme poverty , the greatest motive which i could have , was to consider my saviour as the chief of the society . remembring then that the father had formerly remitted me , and as it were , delivered me to the son , i renewed my design to imprint more than ever in my heart the name of jesus . after i had well fixed my resolution , tears and palpitations returned as before . speaking to the divine majesty , i was surprised with a torrent of tears ; and was elevated to so flaming a love of god , that it seemed to me i was extraordinarily united with his love . i do not remember ever to have received any illumination so excellent , so luminous , so sweet , and in so admirable a manner . being afterwards in the chappel , my tears began anew , and my devotion renewed , being wholly terminated upon the most holy trinity . being at the altar , and habited to say mass , my tears , palpitations and most ardent love were redoubled , thinking of nothing else but the adorable trinity . afterwards i said mass with so tender a sentiment of devotion , and among such abundant tears , that the continuation of them , together with a great pain , which they caused in one of my eyes , made me fear the loss of it , if they ceased not . at those words , placeat tibi sancta trinitas , i was surprized with an emotion of excessive love , and a great inundation of tears . this illumination and all others were terminated in the most holy trinity , which led me to it self , and drew me to its love . after mass , having put off my habits , and praying near the altar , i began anew to sob and renew my weeping , all inflamed with the love of the trinity ; and the sweetness of this love was so great , that i could neither divert my self from it , nor rise from that place . the rest of the day , either in the house , or in the streets , at the remembrance of the adorable trinity , these violent emotions of love were renewed , with a great inclination of melting into tears . disposing my self to say mass , and speaking to the holy ghost with the same tears , and in the same devotion , it seemed to me that i saw him in a singular brightness , in the colour of a flame of fire , in an extraordinary manner , and that he spoke to me . while the altar was prepared , and while i put on the habits , and while i celebrated mass ; i had great interior commotions , strong tears , and vehement palpitations , which often hindred my speech . afterwards i had a powerful commotion , and i saw the holy virgin near the eternal father , who seemed to me mightily disposed to assist me . insomuch , as in the prayers addressed to the father , and at the consecration , it seemed to me that i comprehended , and saw evidently , that the mother of god hath a very great share in the distribution of grace ; and that she is the gate whereby to arrive at glory . i saw moreover at the consecration , that her flesh was contained in the flesh of her son , which i saw with so clear a perception , and so tender a sentiment , that it is not possible to express it . in the ordinary prayer , from the beginning to the end , i had a very great devotion , and all full of light . without doors , in the church , and in saying mass , i saw the heavenly countrey in its sovereign monarch , as it were by knowledge of the three divine persons , seeing the second and third persons in the father . entring into the chappel to pray , i received an illumination and supernatural assistance ; by the help of which i knew , or to speak more properly , i saw the most holy trinity , and jesus christ , who served me in quality of a mediator , and disposed me to this intellectual vision . in this sentiment , and in this vision i was overwhelmed with a torrent of tears , and filled with an extraordinary love . saying mass with the same tears , and in the same devotion , i had on the sudden the same vision of the holy trinity , my love for the divine majesty continually increasing . in beginning the te igitur , i knew and saw , not obscurely , but with a vey clear light , the divine existence or essence , as the sun , but much more luminous than that sun which we see ; and it seemed to me that the father proceeded from this divine essence , yet so , that the essence appeared to me with the father . and in this representation of the divine existence , without any distinction of persons , i felt a very ardent devotion for the thing represented , with great emotions , great effusion of tears , and a great love towards the holy trinity . after which having finished mass , and praying before the altar , i saw a-new the same essence in the similitude of a globe ; and i saw in some manner the three persons , to wit , the father on one side , on the other the son , and on the third side the holy ghost , which took their original from the essence , without being yet divided from the globe which i saw . and in this vision i had new emotions , and new tears . he proceeds to relate other visions and representations of the trinity , his clear perception of its essence ; and being swallowed up in the love of it , his union with the divine majesty , and fresh visions of the trinity , sometimes with , and sometimes without any distinction of persons ; his wonderful illuminations which gave him in a moment greater knowledge of divine matters than could have been obtained by the study of many years ; his elevated and innumerable perceptions in spirit , and those so clear , that there remained nothing further to be comprehended in the holy trinity : his flaming love towards the person of the father , because in him the other persons were especially contained : his frequent sight of jesus , whithersoever he turned himself , accompanied with abundant tears , inexpressible sweetness , and strong internal motions . in short , it appears from this extravagant account of his visions and illuminations , that no enthusiast in any age hath exceeded him either in the number or extravagancy of his imaginary visions . that they were indeed imaginary , and no other than the effects of a disturbed brain , i need not insist to prove , since the very nature and constitution of christianity requires it ; which would be dissolved , if after a determinate rule of faith were setled , extraordinary revelations in matters of faith should be admitted , or religion were to be learned not from that rule , but from private inspiration . besides the absurdity and impertinence of these pretended revelations of ignatius , the crude and indigested notions contained in them , demonstrate them to have proceeded from a principle of disorder , not the divine omniscience . but since the writers of his life contend these inspirations to have been real and divine , and the church of rome in the process of his canonization alledgeth them as the grand argument of his sanctity : i will oppose one reason to the truth of them . if indeed ignatius received a perfect knowledge of the christian religon by extraordinary illumination ; if in these inward inspirations he obtained distinct notions of all matters of faith , and was enabled to publish his inspirations in such proper and sublime expressions , that the most learned admired him , and the most ignorant were instructed by him , as is pretended ; how came it to pass that for many years after , he was still esteemed a fool and an ideot ? that in learning of any science whatsoever , he was so insuperably dull and stupid , that after some years study , upon a particular examination by the inquisitors of alcala , and archbishop of toledo , he was adjudged not to have been sufficiently instructed in matters of religion , and therefore ordered by them to continue his studies of divinity some years longer ; but above all , how can it be imagined that after so many , and so clear illuminations , any learning should be necessary to him ? yet after all bouhours (a) tells us , that being conscious to himself of his ignorance , and convinced that learning was necessary to his intended purpose of conversion , he applied himself to study . but to proceed , when once the belief of divine illuminations is received by the deluded enthusiast , and he imagines himself to be frequently inspired by god , it is natural for him to resign himself wholly to the supposed conduct of that inward light , and act solely in obedience to it . thus he mistaketh every whimsie of his fancy for the dictate of the holy ghost , and every motion of his brain for the impulse of the spirit . then he believeth himself infallible , and pretends to act always by divine inspiration . this indeed is an high degree of fanaticism , but which above all is apt to draw the admiration , and delude the judgment of the common people , who being not willing to undertake the labour necessary for discovery of truth , greedily embrace every pretence of infallibility , which may ease them of a laborious search , and in appearance secure them from all error . philostratus (a) ascribes the actions of apollonius , and bonaventure (b) , of st. francis , to divine impulse . the latter founded his order by the inspiration of the holy ghost , was incited by divine visions to write the rules of it ; to which end retiring to a mountain by the guidance of the spirit , he composed it not by his own industry and invention , but writ down every thing , as it was divinely revealed to him , according as the holy ghost suggested to him in prayer , as if he had taken the very words from the mouth of god. he never prayed but by the impulse of the spirit ; and whensoever that impulse came , he forthwith kneeled down , whether in the road , in the street , or in the dirt. but all this is inconsiderable to the merits of ignatius . in him , if we may believe busssieres (c) , reason never commanded , but by the motives of grace , and the dictates of the spirit . (d) in all acts of religion he was rather passive than active . particularly (e) his manner of prayer consisted in passively receiving the impressions of the divine spirit ; and he told laynez , that god acted in him much more than he acted himself . (f) when he went to paris to re-commence his studies , he acted in obedience to a strong inspiration ; and when he waited on the principal of his college , there to deprecate his punishment of being whipt publickly , he followed the inward light which directed him . his very playing (h) at billiards must be ascribed to the impulse of the divine spirit : and that the rules of his order , as well as those of st. francis , might obtain a divine original , (i) being about to write them , he confulted god with the simplicity of an infant , as if he had nothing to do but to write down that which god should dictate to him . when he had written it , he laid it on the altar after he had said mass , desiring that god would correct it himself , and miraculously blot out all which should not be orthodox . after many prayers the interior answers which the holy ghost made to him , gave him at least an intire assurance and perfect quiet in his vnderstanding concerning the resolution he had made . not only were the constitutions of each order divinely inspired , but the pope and whole conclave must be compelled by particular impulse to confirm them . innocent iii. refused to approve st. francis's designed order , till he was overruled by a divine vision . when ignatius first presented the project of his institute to the pope , paul iii. he gave it to the cardinals to be examined . most opposed it , and cardinal guidiccione , the chief commissioner , writ against it . to remove these obstacles , (a) the pope was powerfully incited by an inward impulse : (b) the holy ghost changed the heart of the cardinals ; and guidiccione being at the last on the sudden changed , he knew not why , (c) was forced to say , i cannot indeed approve new religious orders , yet this i dare not disapprove . for i find my self so disposed in mind , that whither my reason doth not lead me , thither the divine will inclines me ; and i am driven thither by inclination , whither before i could not be brought by arguments . indeed no memorable action of ignatius was performed without a particular impulse ; and as if he had derived an eternal contagion of fanaticism upon st. peter's chair , many years after his death paul v. found within himself a strong impulse to have him honoured as a saint among all the faithful . lastly , to advance the merits of ignatius beyond all possibility of comparison , or even comprehension , contrary impulses of the holy ghost acted in him and his disciples at the same time . some ladies of alcala , his disciples , had resolved to profess evangelical poverty , and go in pilgrimage to guadalupe . ignatius earnestly dissuaded it , and drawing arguments from truths divinely revealed to him , laid before them the folly of their undertaking ; yet the ladies pursued their design ; and no wonder , for (e) they were moved to it by the impulse of the spirit . this enthusiastick pretence of divine impulse proceeded so far in the college of jesuits at conimbria , while ignatius was yet alive , that every one took upon himself to be his own director in matters of piety and mortification , only consulting his own spirit , and following the heat of his devotion . ignatius , who never approved in others the same methods of perfection which he embraced himself , and could endure no competitors of divine inspiration , writ an epistle of obedience to them , wherein he layeth down three rules of perfection . the first and lowest consists in doing what we are commanded . the second in not only executing the orders of our superior , but also conforming our will to his . the third , to believe that what he orders us is best , and most reasonable , and upon this ground alone , because the superior doth judge it so to be . however , this advice of ignatius may seem to check the fanaticism of his followers , yet it infinitely tendeth to promote his own . for if the commands of the superior must be judged best and most reasonable for this reason alone , because the superior judgeth them so to be ; it must necessarily be supposed that the superior in giving all his commands , is acted by a divine inspiration , which renders him infallible . this not only created in others the belief of a divine impulse perpetually acting in him , but conduced to feed his ambition , and augment his glory . and indeed the whole design of his order , and practice of his life , tended to produce in others a belief of his own infallibility , and thereby create to himself a little less than divine authority . summoning all his companions to rome in the year 1538. to treat with them about the constitution of his intended order , he perswaded them besides their vow of poverty and chastity , which they had before made at paris , to add a third of obedience ; and resolve to this end to elect a superior general , whom they must all obey as god himself . he knew very well , that the election would most certainly fall upon him ; and accordingly after he was chosen , his companions made their vows of poverty , chastity , and obedience ; to which they added a fourth vow of a blind-obedience to the pope , with this difference , that ignatius the general made his promise immediately to the vicar of jesus christ , and the rest made theirs to him as to their general and chief . afterwards sending twelve disciples into sicily , he required them to subscribe to this article among others , that they did believe whatever their superior should prescribe to them was most proper for them , and most conducible to their eternal good . lying upon his death-bed , among other rules left as a legacy to his order , he requireth them to believe all things which the superior enjoyns , to be good for them , even altho their own judgment should suggest the contrary . this is a degree of infallibility beyond whatever the pope claimed . for however many have asserted him to be infallible in defining matters of faith ; none ever yet denied that he might publish constitutions prejudicial to the real interest of the church . but ignatius ever affected somewhat extraordinary ; and therefore taught that none did perfectly perform his vow of obedience , who were not like a statue , which doth not in the least resist any motion : a position which he had learned from his master st. francis , who affirmed none to be truly obedient , who were not like a dead body , which remaineth in whatsoever situation it is placed . an opinion , which indeed deserveth to be chiefly urged and recommended by designing impostors ; who , when they have once possest their credulous disciples with the belief of it , have obtained their design , and may securely propose their erroneous doctrines . therefore apollonius above all things took care to teach his disciples , that they ought in all things to pay a blind obedience to his commands : told them that he had received inspirations from god , and was taught by him whatsoever he revealed to them ; that he acted by divine impulse , and expected that they should follow his directions , as he followed god's . this pretence and belief of divine inspiration and impulse in enthusiasts , is usually accompanied with so great a diffidence of their own reason and judgment , that no matters of moment must be left to their direction ; heaven must be importuned , and extraordinary revelations demanded to satisfy the meanest scruples , and regulate their actions ; as if no reason had been given to mankind to guide their conduct , and determine their resolutions . st. francis upon any undertaking was wont to retire into solitary places , and there incessantly beg of god with inexpressible groans , and importune him with continual prayer to reveal to him what he should do . in all emergent difficulties he neither trusted himself , nor his friends ; but by instant prayer searched out the good pleasure of the divine will , till he were illustrated by the oracle of supernatural revelation . being tormented with a great scruple , whether he should employ his whole time in prayer , or betake himself to preach the gospel , he could not resolve the question by his own reason , but resolved to expect the divine revelation . he commands st. clara to inquire the will of god by prayer . it is revealed to her that he should undertake the office of preaching . it is impossible to imagine any thing more irrational or enthusiastical than this conduct ; but what follows is an unpardonable superstition , which in the ancient church would have been punished with excommunication . whensoever he undertook any thing of moment , he was wont to consult the bible , and take his resolutions from that place , which upon a sudden opening of the book first presented it self to his view . ignatius having got together six companions at paris , calls them together , causeth each in particular to pray , and fast , and beg of god his light to direct them ; and then opens to them his design . he prescribed to them the same method in forming the constitutions of his order , and choosing a general . when borgia , one of his disciples , was chosen cardinal , to find out the will of heaven in that matter , he shut up himself for three days , and communicated only with god in prayer . the first day he found himself wholly indifferent , inclining to neither side . the second day he found in himself an inclination rather of breaking the design , than permitting it to go on . but the third day he was convinced that it was not the will of god , that borgia should be made cardinal ; and therefore opposed the election . i will produce but one passage more , which demonstrates both the enthusiastick diffidence of ignatius , and the intolerable flattery of his disciples . upon occasion of his seeking god by prayer so much , when he was to write the constitutions of his order , vitelleschi hath these words . (a) it seems there was upon this subject an agreeable debate between the master and the servant ; the latter judging himself incapable of making any constitution , and resolving not to make any , without consulting the oracle of the eternal wisdom ; and the former taking pleasure in communicating to the other the sublime and resplendent lights of his treasures , which he had reserved from before the beginning of time for the conduct and regulation of this society , which he conceived , and gave to his church . what pity is it , ignatius should be unhappily reserved to such a learned ungrateful age ? otherwise his disciples might have offered somewhat to his memory , answerable , and in nothing inferior to the eternal gospel of st. francis. when the enthusiast is advanc'd so far as to believe the phrenzies of his brain to be divine illuminations , and himself on all occasions to be divinely inspired , he will not fail to pretend a mighty familiarity with god ; and from the sentiment of any grateful motion in the blood or spirits , imagine together with his inward lights to have received great abundance of inward consolations . he will fancy himself to be the familiar acquaintance of god , and favourite of heaven ; and thence conceive a spiritual pride greater and more intolerable than any which ariseth from the pomp or grandeur of the world. apollonius boasted that he enjoyed a personal familiarity with the gods ; and , as a philosopher , conversed with them every morning . st. francis was commonly filled with great consolation of spirit in praying ; and boasted that he could defend himself from the cold of winter by the fervour of the divine spirit acting in him . what large conceits ignatius entertained of his own merits , and published without all sense of modesty , we before shewed . the pretence of extraordinary divine consolations in his prayers and raptures , runs through the whole fragment of his journal before published . to these we may add what the authors of his life relate of him ; that sometimes such a flood of consolations would suddenly come upon him , that he was even overwhelmed , and transported out of himself ; that by reason of these overflowing consolations , such abundance of tears would follow , that his sight was endangered by it : that by the great affluence of these consolations , and tears ensuing from them , in reciting the divine office , he was forced to stop and interrupt his prayers at almost every word , and employ a great part of the day in reading the psalms only . that he continued sometimes two or three whole days together without taking any thing , feeding himself only with the honey of celestial consolations : that all the favours which god bestowed on the society , are to be attributed to the love which he bore to the soul of st. ignatius , in which his divine majesty was well pleased . that he burned inwardly with the fire of charity ; and the heart of iesus was a soft bed to him , whereon he took his repose . such impertinent jargon and unintelligible cant is the natural effect of enthusiasm . for when the turbulent motions of the brain are mistaken for divine inspirations , and the judgment willingly acquiesceth in that delusion , the outward expressions , which are ever conformable to the ideas of the mind , cannot but be involved in the same obscurity . and this , however it deserves the scorn and contempt of judicious persons , tendeth not a little to raise the reputation of the enthusiast among ignorant men , who ever admire what they cannot penetrate , and suppose the obscurity of his discourse to proceed from the divine mysteriousness of it . if we consult the writings of ignatius , we shall find them full of this foolish canting . his book of spiritual exercises talks much of the love of christ in a most unintelligible manner ; and his letter to a religious person of barcelona concerning the two manners whereby god teacheth us , is most remarkable upon this account . while he was yet a novice in philosophy , he professed the knowledge of mystical divinity , and indeed never knew any other . in prescribing the duty of the general of his order , he saith that all learning is necessary for him ; yet the science of the saints is that which is far most necessary for him , to discern the divers interior spirits of men . this science of the saints is commonly too mysterious for learned men ; and therefore barth . torrez , writing in defence of ignatius's book of spiritual exercises , accused of heresie in spain by the learned melchior canus , saith , there is a great difference between the sciences learnt in schools , and the sciences of the saints . his followers pretend his constitutions to be filled with the spiritual vnction of grace ; and himself to have drank largely of the wine of heaven , which is too strong and heady for the vessels of the earth . thus st. francis is said to have been wholly absorpt in god in time of prayer ; and all swallowed up in the flame of the divine love , as it were a burning coal . and indeed it may be affirmed in general of all the romish saints , that their writings are wholly unintelligible , and nothing else but a rhapsody of sublime nonsense . the grossest and most impertinent of our english fanaticks come far beneath them , and were never able to equal their mysterious follies . we may indeed hear them talk of being christed with christ , and godded with god ; but the science of the saints was never among the●●●●vanced to that perfection which it obtaineth it 〈◊〉 church of rome . there remains nothing to compleat the enthusi●●● but to fancy himself commissionated by god to pu●●lish his imaginary revelations to the world ; and thereupon , without any respect to the rules of ecclesiastical discipline instituted by christ , to invade the office of preaching . this is indeed the last and highest degree of fanaticism , not to contain the whimsies of their disturbed fancy within their own breasts , but imagining them to be necessary truths for all christians , to propagate them with a blind and unwearied zeal ; to believe that christ hath not openly and plainly delivered to the church in the rule of faith all necessary articles of religion , or that sufficient means were not provided for the propagation of them , unless they intruded themselves into the holy office against all the rules of decency and ecclesiastical policy . the author of the lawful prejudices against the calvinists , affirms the guilt of this disorder alone to be a sufficient argument why all their pleas should be rejected without any farther consideration . whether , and how far the calvinists are guilty of this irregularity , i will not enquire ; but affirm that the most illustrious saints of the church of rome have been inexcusably guilty of it . particularly the supposed merits of st. francis and ignatius are chiefly founded upon this apparent zeal for souls , and preaching their wild notions to the people without any ordinary mission from christ , or delegation from the church . st. francis immediately after his conversion , while he was yet an ignorant layman , fell to preach repentance to the people in the streets and markets : and being asked by some robbers , setting upon him in the road , who he was , as if he were another iohn baptist , he answered , i am the preacher and messenger of the great king. as soon as he had got together seven disciples , he sends them forth to preach the gospel in these words , go ye , and declare peace unto men , preaching repentance for the remission of sins . then taking one companion to himself , he proceeds to one part of the world , sending the other six by couples into the other three parts of the world. this was a phrenzy beyond the power of hellebore , and which exceeds even the follies of our english fifth-monarchists . surely , whatsoever bonaventure may pretend , the holy ghost had no share in this undertaking : and therefore no wonder it met with no better success . st. francis himself prepares to preach the gospel to the sarazens in syria ; but by contrary winds is driven upon the coast of sclavonia , and forced to return back . the spirit still moving him , he disposeth himself to convert the moors and miramolins of africk ; but detained in his journey by sickness , loseth his courage , and quits the design . at last he resolves firmly to convert the soldan of babylon . away he goeth to syria ragged and barefooted : and yielding himself prisoner to the soldan's guards , boldly demands to be brought to his presence . the soldiers , after they had soundly beaten him , bring him to their emperor . he asketh him who he is . francis answers , that he is sent by god to preach salvation to him and his people ; and for proof of the christian faith , undertakes to enter into the fire . the soldan laughs at him ; and having made sufficient sport with him , dismisseth him for a fool. ignatius at his very first conversion proposed to himself to preach the gospel in the holy land. accordingly , in the year 1523. he enters upon the journey , guided by that inward motion which had first prompted him at his conversion . coming thither , the guardian of the franciscans , whom he had acquainted with his resolution , disapproved such irregular usurpation of the holy office , and commands him to be gone upon pain of excommunication . the poor saint is forced to return without success : however , he quits not his design . studying at barcelona , he began to preach conversion to his neighbours . removing to alcala , he falls to reform the dissolute manners of scholars , clergy-men , and others , and to catechize youth . but being suspected of sorcery , he is clapt into the inquisition . to free himself from prison , he professeth himself willing blindly to obey his ecclesiastical judge . at last the inquisitors dismiss him , but withall forbid him to explain to the people the mysteries of religion upon pain of excommunication and banishment . ignatius , notwithstanding his promise of blind obedience , would not readily submit to this command , doubting whether it were a lawful command , and fearing that in not preaching , he should be wanting to his call and vocation . to get rid of this difficulty , he removes to salamanca , and there preacheth openly to the people in the streets and fields ; altho many good men were scandalized at it , saying , it was never heard that a simple layman should instruct the people , and perform the whole office of a pastor in directing their consciences . upon this he and his companions are thrown into prison by the inquisitors ; where they do nothing but sing psalms , and preach to the people flocking to them , through the windows and chinks of the doors . being examined by the inquisitors , he pretends that he did not preach , but only hold forth to the people , sitting on horseback , or getting upon the stalls in the market , concerning vertue and piety . being driven from that plea , he flieth to the pretence of an extraordinary vocation . being confuted in that , he refuseth to give any farther account of his authority to preach , till his ecclesiastical superiors should command him . at last he is absolved upon condition to preach no more . he dislikes the condition , and therefore resolves to leave spain . coming to paris , he falls upon his old work of preaching and converting . upon this he is accused to the inquisitor , but upon intercession of friends dismissed . now he falls hard to study , and wholly omits preaching : but soon after begins to talk of heaven and hell so vehemently to the scholars , that he forced them to intermit their studies ; and was thereupon condemned to be publickly whipt in the hall by all the regents , as a disturber of the colledge . however , soon after his zeal for conversion of souls mightily increased upon him ; and he clearly saw that god had appointed him to establish a company of apostolick men to that end . hereupon he begins to gather disciples , and first sets upon peter faber , a poor spanish youth , acted with sentiments of vain-glory , and after a deal of cant , acquaints him with his resolutions to go into the east , and employ himself wholly in the conversion of infidels . faber takes fire at this , and resolves to follow him through all dangers . after he had gained five other disciples by the like artifices , he calls them together , opens his design , and perswades them to vow a journey into the holy land to preach the gospel there , altho none of them were yet ordained , except faber . the design being resolved on , ignatius takes a progress into spain ; and there preacheth every sunday , and two or three days in the week , with great concourse of people . the church not being able to contain the multitude of his auditors , he holds field-conventicles ; and there inveighs powerfully against cards and dice ( i suppose mince-pies were not yet in fashion ) perswading the people to throw them all into the river . coming to venice , he waits for his companions , and in the mean while employs himself in preaching . when his companions were all met , they most unhappily could get no passage to the holy land ; and therefore go to rome to receive the directions of the pope . here they obtain to be ordained priests ; yet that they may as much as was possible continue their enthusiasm , refuse to preach in a regular way ; but dispersing themselves through the great cities of italy , commonly get upon some stone in the middle of the market-place , and whirling their caps over their heads , invite the people to hear them with a loud voice ; when having got a confluence of people about them , they vented their undigested notions of religion in a canting and mysterious stile ; altho for the most part with such ill success , that many of them were clapt into prison by the inquisitors . we have long since deplored , and our adversaries of the church of rome have upbraided to us , the divisions of our church arising from the unlawful usurpation of the pulpit by enthusiastick preachers . yet could we never charge them with such gross follies and irregularities as those now mentioned ; nor can the papists justly accuse them of any ; since in acting this disorder and enthusiasm , they imitated the great ignatius and his disciples , and perhaps learnt it from them . at least our adversaries cannot now deny , that jesuits have sometimes preach'd in conventicles . thus we have past through all the chief and most essential properties of enthusiasm , and demonstrated ignatius to have possest them all in an high degree . i will next consider some of the more ordinary effects and consequences of it , and compare them with the actions of our saint . for these essential errors of enthusiasm , in mistaking the turbulent motions of the spirits for the dictates of the holy ghost , and the tempests of the brain for divine inspirations , cannot but betray the judgment of the enthusiast to a thousand other errors and absurdities ; inspire him with false notions of religion , misguide his zeal , and corrupt his devotion : every immoderate excess of vertue will then appear an extraordinary perfection ; and the foulest superstition shall be accounted meritorious . hence , among other follies , the enthusiast will imagine it no small perfection to pray continually , suppose it to be a sign of a nearer familiarity with god ; thence flatter himself with the belief of his own extraordinary merit , and by gratifying his mistaken ambition , create to himself even a sensual pleasure in the performance of it . thus st. francis was wont to pray incessantly , if not vocally , at least mentally ; and in praying , used to receive great caresses from the holy ghost , to be ravished in his mind , and wholly swallowed up in a certain wonderful light ; and ofttimes in an excess of contemplation to be put beside himself ; insomuch , as being wrapt in spirit , and perceiving somewhat beyond humane sense , he was ignorant of what was done before his eyes . ignatius , after his conversion , spent seven hours every day in the church in prayer upon his knees ; and was immediately so recollected , that he often continued many hours together without any motion . in his long retirement at manreze , not satisfied with his seven hours of prayer , he did nothing but pray . when he was ordained priest , he retired to a poor solitary cottage ; and living like an ancient hermit , fasted daily , prayed incessantly , and there received such overflowing consolations , that through , the abundance of tears his sight was endangered . to produce no more instances , all the actions of his life were directed by the illuminations of the spirit , supposed to be received in prayer , as we before shewed . yet himself , when the reputation of any other devout enthusiast was to be diminished , could alledge against it , that such as made long prayers , ought to take great care not to abuse that commerce which they have with god. that there are a sort of people , of a wilful nature , who by much praying , without observing the rules of discretion and found judgment , dry up their brains , and are so possest with their own imaginations , that there is no getting them out of their head . that others there are , who perswaded that all comes from god which enters into their thoughts in time of prayer , take their own fancies for their conduct ; and so by following only the impulse of nature , which they mistake for that of grace , fall into most gross errors . another ordinary effect of enthusiasm is the expectation of extraordinary assistance from god in all emergent difficulties . the supposed experience of frequent supernatural illuminations makes the enthusiast believe that god is ever ready to engage in his quarrel , and for his sake to violate the laws of nature no less than the established rules of christianity : that as he informs his soul with supernatural inspirations , so he will protect his body , and provide it necessaries by continual miracles . thus st. francis offered to the soldan of babylon to throw his body into the fire in proof of christianity , and decide the controversy by the operation of the flames upon it . st. dominick was more cunning , when preaching against the albigenses in france , he would not trust his body to the fire , but drawing up his faith and arguments in a schedule , used to cast it into the fire together with the like schedule of the albigenses . the legend tells you , that the first was always untoucht , the latter always burnt . thus apollonius , when brought before domitian to be tried for his life , scorned the threats , and braved all the power of that tyrant ; telling him , that god would certainly interpose in his behalf , and not permit him to touch his body . ignatius indeed was never guilty of so great courage , yet the belief of his endearment to god made him often presume upon the favour of heaven . undertaking his pilgrimage into the holy land , he would take no companion along with him , no money , nor provision of necessaries for the iourney ; that he might have no comfort but from god , and no dependance but on providence . yet with all this self-resignation , the cunning saint dared not to come near barcelona , because it was infected with the plague . being accused of sorcery , sedition and heresy to the inquisition of alcala , and some ladies offering to him an advocate to plead for him , he refused their kindness , thinking that he ought to leave himself to providence , and not distrust god so far as to make use of any humane means for his preservation . in his voyage to ierusalem he would give no money for his passage , for that he thought utterly unlawful . free passage he could obtain no otherwise than upon condition of providing necessaries for himself . this he scrupled at , and esteemed it a kind of diffidence of providence , and deviation from evangelical poverty , to carry any thing along with him in the ship. touching in the way at venice , some endeavoured to discourage him from the journey , by representing to him the dangers of it , and impossibility of getting any farther passage at that season of the year ; he told them , that if he could not get a ship , he would pass the sea upon a plank with the succour of heaven . i suppose he had read how iosefes , the son of ioseph of arimathea , sailed from france to britain , with 150 companions , upon his shirt . not in these respects only doth enthusiasm betray the judgment to false notions of piety and perfection ; but in all other christian vertues infuseth the same error , especially if it may tend to ostentation , and procure to the enthusiast the admiration and reverence of the deluded vulgar . in that case it will be accounted an improvement of vertue to run into extremes ; and the most extravagant superstition shall be esteemed an exalted degree of piety . thus if christ hath commanded us not to set our heart upon riches , but to be ready to forsake all worldly possessions , when they stand in competition with the profession of true religion ; the enthusiast will believe all propriety of goods to be unlawful , and account evangelical poverty a christian perfection . if a temperate diet , and sometimes fasting , be recommended to us , the enthusiast will fall in love with immoderate austerities and mortifications ; and imagine the merits of his abstinence to be then infinite , when the practice of it exceeds all bounds . if we be admonished not to be deterred from our duty by the contempt of the world , or scoffs of men , the enthusiast will by all means court this contempt , and perform a thousand ridiculous actions to obtain the laughter of mankind ; and then applieth to himself all the beatitudes of the gospel as rewards of his folly. evangelical poverty is one of the most specious pretences , that can be made use of by fanatick visionaries , to raise an opinion of extraordinary merit either in themselves or others . this was ever the grand engine of the monastick orders of the church of rome ; altho the world knows what vast treasures and possessions they have appropriated to their monasteries and colledges . certainly reason doth not teach us that it is any great perfection to put on rags , and beg from door to door ; and if christ had taught so , mankind would have had sufficient reason to reject his religion as irrational and absurd . but he proposeth no such thing . these are only the whimsies of brainsick enthusiasts , who have abandoned themselves to the conduct of a depraved imagination . when apollonius boasted to phraates , king of media , of his own voluntary poverty ( for he had distributed all his inheritance and possessions to his kindred and the poor ) and that of other greek philosophers ; phraates truly answered him , that they were bigotted enthusiasts , contumelious and seditious , unfaithful and rebellious , asserters of fables and monstrous stories ; who made an ostentation of poverty , not out of any sense of modesty or frugality , but that they might have the better pretence to steal and cheat . how far this character may agree to st. francis , ignatius , or their followers , i will not now determine . i will only shew that they far exceeded these greek philosophers in the pretence and extravagant practice of voluntary poverty . st. francis immediately after his conversion , changed his fine cloaths with the rags of a beggar , whom he met ; and soon after hearing that gospel read , wherein our saviour sending forth his disciples to preach , commands them to take neither staff nor scrip , put off his shoes , laid aside his staff , threw away his money , girded on a rope , and fell a begging ; which practice he continued all his life with such superstition , that he thought it unlawful to possess any thing in particular , and himself to be defiled with the sole touching of money . if he were invited to dinner by any great men , he would first beg pieces of bread from door to door , and then sitting down to dinner , draw out his pouch , and feed upon the fragments of it , which he called the bread of angels , refusing to tast of any other dish . ignatius in his first pilgrimage to montferrat , meeting a ragged beggar , stript himself to his shirt , and changed habits with him . having performed his vigils , in conformity to the laws of knight-errantry , he puts on his pilgrims weeds , that is , a rugged and course canvas coat reaching down to his feet , wicker shoes , a knotty rope for a girdle , with a bottle of water hanging at his girdle , a crabtree staff in his hand , his head bare , and his left leg naked ; and in this habit marched to manreze , intending to take ship for palestine . coming to manreze , he imagins his habits to be too costly , and sackcloth to be far more evangelical than canvas . being at last equipped to his satisfaction , for a specimen of his humility , he begs from door to door ; and to that end disguiseth himself in the most slovenly manner , his face all covered with dirt , his hair clodded and uncombed , which with his beard and nails grown out to an horrible length , made such a figure , as seemed at once both frightful and ridiculous : so that whenever he appeared in the town , the children laught at him , threw stones at him , and followed him in the streets with shouts and outcries . coming to barcelona , he would not engage in any ship , but upon condition of free passage , thinking it unlawful to make use of money upon any pretext , altho a lady proffered to deposit the money for him . at last obtaining free passage , but upon condition of providing for himself necessaries to the voyage , he thinks even that prejudicial to evangelical poverty . being overruled by his confessor , he accepts of some money to buy necessaries . but being at the point of departure , a fit of conscience returns : he dares not make use of the money , nor carry it along with him ; and yet would not give it to the seamen , lest they should use him the better for it in his voyage , for to permit that , would be a distrust of providence . at last he very learnedly decides the case , he layeth down his money upon the shore for the next comer to take , and so enters into the ship. the same scruples urge him at his return ; he begs free passage in the notion of a saint , and upon no other condition will enter the ship. the same scruple had possest st. francis (a) and st. dominick before ; who would sooner trust themselves to the waves , than pay any fraight for their passage . the latter being once asked by the master of the ship for his fraight , told him he was a preacher of the gospel , and consequently carried neither gold nor silver with him ; however to make some kind of payment , he freely bestowed the kingdom of heaven on him . but to return to ignatius ; returning to barcelona with a sum of money , which he had lately received , he distributes it all to a company of beggars , and then immediately falls a begging himself . while he studieth at barcelona , alcala and salamanca , he will not accept of any allowance , which was often offered to him , but pursueth the trade of begging . at barcelona he is by importunate perswasions induced to wear shoes ; yet to satisfy his enthusiastick phrenzy at least in secret , he cuts large holes in the soles of his shooes , that he might not wholly lose the honour of a discalceate beggar . being at last convinced that his small progress in learning proceeded from spending his time in begging ; he thought he might in conscience raise a small fund , wherewith to subsist at paris , whither he now removes . coming to paris , his conscience grows somewhat squeamish , and he thinks it unlawful to keep his money himself , out of the old principle of evangelical poverty . he trusts all therefore with one of his chamber-fellows , who runs away with it . ignatius is forced to retire himself into the spanish hospital ; and when they grew weary of him , betakes himself again to begging . finding charity to be cold at paris , he travels to antwerp , brussels , and ( that england alone might not be unhappy in the want of his presence ) at last to london . returning to his native countrey , he puts on his ragged weeds , which he had for some years left off , throws off his shooes , resumes all his former austerities ; and lodging in an hospital , begs his bread from door to door , refusing to accept the earnest invitation of brother and kindred . coming to venice , and sending forth his disciples through italy to preach , he chargeth them strictly to lodge in hospitals , and beg their bread ; and afterwards forming constitutions for the order , resolves with the unanimous consent of them all , that the professed of his order should possess nothing , either in common , or in particular . how well the jesuits have observed this constitution , concerns not me to enquire . i fear most believe them to have broken their founder's will. i am sure they have palpably violated it in intruding themselves into the courts of princes , courting their favour , seeking the acquaintance of great men , and intermedling in secular matters ; practises which ignatius esteemed the greatest plagues which could befall his society , and therefore earnestly begged of god for ever to avert them . immoderate abstinence and austerities contribute no less to raise the admiration of ignorant persons , and excite in the enthusiast an extraordinary opinion of his own merits . the former are led away with all apparent mortifications which may strike their senses ; the latter continually triumpheth in his imaginary conquests over his own body ; and both imagine it to be an high degree of vertue , and near approach to angelical perfection , to deny to the body the most natural pleasures and conveniences , and by an excessive maceration intirely subdue it to the government of the soul ; whereas reason and true philosophy would rather teach us , that by such rigorous mortifications the energy of the soul is weakned , the body is disabled from performing her commands , and her thoughts are disordered by continual tempests and irregular motions of the body . the heathen philosophers imagined that an austere diet would procure a personal sight and familiarity of the gods : and therefore apollonius would never tast any flesh or wine , feeding only on herbs and water ; and affecting all squallid impurities which might disgust the body . christianity giveth no incouragement to such irrational conduct : yet the common prejudices of mankind , and false ideas of religion , have in all ages induced enthusiasts to admire and practice the same follies . st. dominick began early . for while he was yet an infant , he would often rise out of his cradle , and lay himself naked upon the cold ground . st. francis used to call his body brother ass , because of the rigorous severities , continual whippings , and course diet , wherewith he treated it : and particularly , sprinkled all his meat with ashes . however , this might be pardoned in st. francis , who was grievously tormented with temptations of the flesh. but for ignatius , whom the writers of his life assure us to have been by a particular favour of the blessed virgin reprieved from all such temptations , to practice the same austerities , could be nothing else but an extravagant phrenzy . he imagined all christian perfection to consist in the maceration of the body . and therefore his first resolutions were to perform great austerities , to do penance in good earnest , not so much to expiate his faults , as because he imagined that in these rigors perfection consisted , having then no higher idea of it , and passionately desiring to acquire it . immediately after his conversion he puts himself incognito into an hospital , fasts whole weeks with bread and water , except sundays , when he eat a few boiled herbs , but sprinkled over with ashes , girded his reins with an iron chain , wore an hair shirt , disciplined himself thrice a day , slept little , and lay upon the ground ; resolveth to continue these austerities all his life , to go barefoot to the holy land , and then choose a wild desert for his abode . removing to manreze , the spirit grows more violent . he adds to his hair shirt and iron chain a girdle of certain herbs full of little thorns and prickles : and remembring that knights-errant use not to eat sometimes in two or three months together , he lengthens his fasts as far as nature will permit , and continueth sometimes two or three days together without taking any thing , feeding only on the honey of celestial consolations . this was indeed a considerable advance towards the imitation of romantick heroes ; but not comparable to the following adventure . ignatius had read in his beloved romance , how the admired amadis de gaul being once despised by his mistress oriana , retired to the poor rock , like an hermit ; where he snivelled and whined , and cried , and shed tears unmeasurably , till heaven took pity of him , spent most of his time in prayer , made a rosary of acorns , and confessed himself to an hermit . in imitation of this heroick penance , ignatius resolves upon a retreat ; and having found out a dark and deep cave in the hollow of a rock ( opening into a solitary valley , called the vale of paradice ) so hideous , that none would ever venture into it ; dark and obscure , the mouth overgrown with bushes and brambles ; he enters into it , and makes his abode . the horror of the place inspired him with a new spirit of penance : he whips his body five times a day with an iron chain , beats and cuts his breast with a flint-stone , fasts unmeasurably , and prays without ceasing ; till his friends finding him , draw him out of his den by force . he was then reduced to a very weak condition : but as a knight-errant must not complain , tho his guts be coming out of his belly ; so neither must a saint-errant , tho his bones be coming out of his skin . ignatius will not renounce his austerities , but continueth all his life to sprinkle his meat with ashes . to produce but one instance more of this extravagant mortification ; ignatius , when he first began to gather disciples at paris , and had gained peter faber to him , used with him to lye abroad in winter evenings upon the snow and ice , gazing upon the heavens ; and then stripping themselves to their shirts , lay the remaining part of the night upon the coal-heap . if to be bedawbed with coaldust be so great a perfection ; when the granting of indulgences comes next in fashion , we may hope to see erected an holy confraternity of catholick chimney-sweepers . if it be irrational to mortify the body with excessive austerities , and deny to it the common benefits of nature ; it is no less folly to court the laughter , and industriously procure the contempt of mankind ; much more to be ambitious of afflictions and sufferings , or refuse to be delivered from them . this is the utmost degeneracy of humane reason , to imagine that our nature receiveth any perfection from contempt or misery ; an opinion which overthroweth the very laws of creation , and is highly injurious to the honour of god ; as if god in creating us had not intended some benefit and happiness to mankind even in this world ; or afterwards , in revealing christianity , had resolved to render us miserable and ridiculous . such fatal mistakes doth enthusiasm introduce , while it affecteth excesses in all actions , and disliketh all sober vertue . yet no wonder even these gross mistakes should be admitted , which so naturally tend to inflame the pride , and foment the ambition of the enthusiast ; who hence imagins himself dear to heaven , assumes the title of martyr , conceives a vast opinion of his own merits , and misapplies to his follies all the blessings and rewards promised to those who suffer for righteousness sake . s. francis desired nothing more than to be reviled ; and when by his extravagant actions he had acquired in his own countrey the character of a mad-man , and was thereupon usually persecuted with a train of boys flinging dirt , stones , and jeers at him , he sought not to undeceive the opinion of the multitude , or avoid their importunate clamours by withdrawing himself ; but ravished with joy , walked along as it were in triumph , blessing himself that he was thought worthy to suffer for the name of christ. thus ignatius also thought it highly meritorious to be on any account derided ; and if by chance any insolent person threw stones at him , while he preached , or rotten oranges , he returned to his lodging so contented and satisfied , as cannot easily be imagined . being accused of heinous crimes to the inquisitors of alcala , he would not accept of an advocate , which was offered to him , that so he might not lose , through his own fault , so fair an occasion of partaking in the ignominies of the cross. upon his refusal to plead , the inquisitors clapt both him and his companions into prison , and load them with chains , as hereticks and seditious persons . hereupon they sing psalms , and give thanks to heaven all night long , for being thought worthy to suffer for righteousness sake . the other prisoners brake prison ; and binding the guards , make their escape . ignatius and his disciples will not make use of this opportunity , but stay in the prison . this is exaggerated by the writers of his life as an extraordinary mark of christian gallantry ; altho we shall have no great reason to admire it , if we remember that their legs were chained . however , it cannot be denied , to the honor of ignatius , that he never blushed at any reproach , nor was ashamed of the most ridiculous action . when he preached at rome in italian , that he might obtain the laughter and scorn of his auditors , he would often intermix spanish words , talk gibberish , use solecisms , and break the rules of grammar . but of all his actions of humility , the most illustrious was his adventure at bologna . going over the draw-bridge there , he fell into the ditch , and crept out soundly drencht and bedaubed with dung . in this condition he entred into the town ; and that he might the better triumph over the vanity of the world , and obtain the happiness of an universal derision , he walked through all the larger and more frequented streets of the city , begging of alms , all covered with dung , as he was . this no doubt procured the desired effect , diverted the rabble , pleased ignatius , loaded him with merit , and made him proof against all shame . these effects of enthusiasm , which i have already mentioned , however they be highly irrational , and contrary to the simplicity of the christian religion , yet at least they carry some shew of piety , abstinence , humility and mortification along with them , which may dazle the eyes of unwary people , and in an ignorant age pass for real sanctity . but there are other actions of enthusiasts so extravagantly absurd and ridiculous , that they can be ascribed to no other cause than the unaccountable phrensies of a disturbed brain ; to whose irregular motions the enthusiast yielding a blind obedience , is betrayed to the commission of all those follies and absurdities which an heated imagination can invent or suggest . these above all other actions give the greatest scandal to the unthinking part of mankind , as not to be palliated with any pretence of piety ; and do infinite prejudice to the common cause of christianity , while unlearned persons taking their measures of it from the actions of reputed saints , accuse it of folly and superstition , and believe it rather to have been designed for the sport , than the salvation of mankind . st. philip neri often caused (a) his disciples , and among them the great baronius , to do many ridiculous actions , and walk the streets in antick habits on purpose that they might be derided . st. francis , as soon as he was converted , being drunk with the spirit , putting off his breeches and all his cloaths before a multitude , said to his father , hitherto i have called you father here on earth ; but now i may securely say , our father which art in heaven . passing into hospitals , he kisseth the hands and mouths of lepers , waits upon them , washeth their feet , kisseth their ulcers , and sucks out the filth of them . meeting a company of beggars ; he tears and cuts his cloaths in pieces to distribute them to them , not being able to stay till he could pull them off . travelling in the road , he sings psalms all along with a loud voice ; and whensoever the spirit moves him , kneels down in the streets , or dirt , to pray . imagining himself commanded by god to repair his decayed house , he serves the masons gratis in repairing of churches . retiring alone into the woods , he fills them with sighs and groans , and bedews them with tears ; beats his breast with his fist , and continually talks to god , as he were present with him . whensoever he hears the name of christ , he licks his lips , as if he felt some sweetness in the sound . he gives the title of brother or sister to the meanest beasts , even worms and flies ; and thinks it meritorious to redeem lambs from slaughter . a lamb being presented to him , he daily reads lessons of instruction to it , and enjoins to it great attention in praising god. the lamb in a little while becomes illuminated , kneels reverently in time of divine service , bleats before the altar of the blessed virgin in an humble posture ; and ( to the eternal conviction of all hereticks ) kneels down at the elevation of the host. finding a flock of birds or grashoppers , he preacheth to them ; then sets a psalm , and invites them to joyn with him in praising god. on christmas eve he gets a company of asses and oxen into a stable , reads mass at the manger , and makes a sermon to them . he feareth to touch lights , lamps or candles , because he would not defile them with his hands . walks gingerly upon the stones , in honour of him who was called stone . gathers the small worms out of the way , that they may not be trod on by passengers : and feareth even to kill the vermin of his body . saint macarius had done penance by going naked six months in the desert , and suffering hmself to be stung of flies , for having killed a flea . not only animals , but the very elements did st. francis imagine to be endued with understanding . for being in a grievous sickness necessitated to admit a cauterism , he thus bespeaks the fire . my brother fire , god hath created thee beyond all other things , handsome , and vertuous , and fair , and useful ; be thou kind and courteous to me in this moment . now see the force of an eloquent complement ; the fire is applied , but doth not burn him . being one day full of the spirit , he calls together the people of assisium , enters into the great church , causeth a rope to be fastned to his neck , and commands himself to be drawn naked in the sight of all to a stone , on which malefactors were wont to be placed before their execution . getting upon this , he preacheth naked to the people in a cold season , confesseth himself to be a very great sinner , a carnal man , and a glutton . this phrenzy could not be ended but with his life : in the last period of which , he commands himself to be carried into the church , and to be there laid naked upon the ground , that he might expire in the sight of all the people , and boast before them that he left the world as naked as he entred it , disburdened of all possessions . those many ridiculous actions , which i have already related of ignatius , might justly supersede any farther labour ; yet at least to equal the merits of st. francis , i will produce some few instances of a no less extravagant folly. in his retirement at manreze , feeling some temptations of vain-glory , he enters into an hospital , and applies himself to serve the sick persons , licks their sores , and sucks out the filth of their ulcers . as soon as he was made general of his order , the first thing he did , was to serve in the kitchin in quality of a scullion ; where for some while he executed the most vile and sordid offices . sending for his companions from france to venice , he instructs them to sing psalms as they travelled in the road , and when the spirit moved , to kneel down and pray . they punctually perform his instructions , travel through heretical countries with beads about their necks ; and out of the abundance of their zeal , refuse to eat with any lutheran minister , as fearing some contagion from him . while he studied at paris , he had often in vain employed his reason to convert a fornicator , who held an unlawful commerce with a woman living in a village near the city . ignatius watcheth his walk by a ponds side in a frosty morning . perceiving him coming , he strips himself , and runs into the water up to the chin. the man coming by , he calls to him , thunders out damnation against him , tells him , that he there did penance for him , and intended by the cold , which he voluntarily undertook , to temper the ardent heat of his lust , being resolved to continue this practice every day till he should be converted . to produce no more examples , the constant flouts and derisions of the rabble , which for many years after his conversion attended him at his entrance into any town , demonstrate that all his actions had somewhat ridiculous in them , which might excite and deserve the laughter of the vulgar . certainly folly may be advanced to a great perfection , when it is affected and elaborate ; and the enthusiast is ambitious of being ingeniously ridiculous . our saint thought it a great perfection to be esteemed a fool : and therefore often resolved , and earnestly desired to cover himself with horns , and in that equipage march through the streets of rome . but whether it were that the fates envied his happiness , or he were afraid to provoke the roman citizens by so significant a ceremony , he never enjoyed the honour of that glorious procession . these are the most natural and ordinary effects of enthusiasm , which i have already mentioned . however , because in england we have a race of enthusiasts , who are chiefly taken notice of for denying to give to any the titles of their dignity , or usual ceremonies of respect introduced in all civil countries ; i will consider ignatius even on this account , and therein demonstrate that he was in nothing inferior to the most ridiculous enthusiasts of any denomination whatsoever . among other errors , into which he was carried headlong by a violent , and as himself thought , infallible imagination , none of the least was his false notion of a christian simplicity ; which he imagined to consist not in a sober deportment , and unaffected gravity , but in acting publickly all the follies of an unthinking ideot , in manifesting a morose behaviour , and declaring open war against the innocent civilities of the polite world. hence he never gave to others in discourse any titles of respect ; but in talking with persons present , treated them with the friendly compellation of thou and thee ; and in speaking of persons absent , called them only by their common names : nay , studiously endeavoured ever after his conversion to converse with great men and princes in a rude and clownish manner . as for oaths , he was so far from making use of them , that out of a scrupulous concern for truth , he thought it unlawful even to use superlative words . to give one memorable instance of this enthusiastick behaviour . returning from venice to spain , his way lay through the spanish and french camps , which had then declared war against each other ( tho maffeius saith he might have taken another way , and escaped all danger , if he had not been led with the ambition of being esteemed a fool. ) the spanish guard apprehended him , took him for a spy , treated him rudely , stript him naked , whipt him soundly , and then carried him to their general . as he was leading away , he bethought himself , ( or as the writers of his life say , was tempted by the devil ) to make himself known who he was , that so he might escape reproaches and stripes . but immediately correcting himself for his base cowardise , and desertion of his magnanimous resolution to take up the cross of christ , he resolved to punish himself for it , and to counterfeit the fool and ideot , that he might be beaten the more severely . he doth so , plays the fool before the general , denieth to him the civility of his hat , and the common terms of respect due to a person of his quality , and dreaming out his words , denies himself to be a spy. the general takes him for a fool , and is angry with the soldiers for bringing such an ideot to him . the soldiers revenge themselves upon him by beating him unmercifully . next he passeth through the french guards ; but is there treated somewhat better . i suppose the spanish discipline had by that time perswaded him to pull off his hat. in the midst of all these sufferings he was taken up with a profound meditation of the contumelies which our saviour suffered , when he was carried from annas to caiaphas , from caiaphas to pilate , and from pilate to herod ; and congratulated to himself the similitude of his sufferings . o happy ignatius , if the spanish soldiers had hanged him up ! for then no doubt he would have more nearly imitated the sufferings of christ , and thereby outdone even the conformities of st. francis. when our adversaries shall hereafter charge the reformation of england to have given occasion to the rise of all those sects , wherewith we are now divided ; i hope they will at least make some exceptions , as remembring that the sect of the quakers began in spain , and was founded by st. ignatius . i might produce many other properties and effects of enthusiasm ; and among these the perpetual inconstancy which attends their actions and resolutions . for since the enthusiast wholly resigns up himself to the directions of an irregular imagination , which is often disturbed with various , and sometimes contrary motions of the spirits , it cannot be avoided that his thoughts and resolutions should be no less fortuitous than are their motions ; that while the motion continueth violent and rapid , he should feel a sensible pleasure , and imagine himself overflowed with divine consolations ; when it grows languid and ceaseth , he should be reduced to extreme despair , and exchange his sublime raptures with melancholly ideas of his own condition : that what at one time is accounted a vertue , and no small perfection , shall at other times be contemned , and perhaps esteemed unlawful ; and that the motions of his will should be no less variable than the conceptions of his understanding . this alone might abundantly refute all pretences of divine impulse ; since the dictates of the holy ghost are constant and invariable , and can no more be altered , than can the reason and nature of things . ignatius soon after his conversion began to be afflicted with scruples , and wants his former interior consolations . sometimes in his prayer he found nothing but driness and anxiety . sometimes such a flood of consolations would suddenly return , that he was even overwhelmed and transported out of himself . but these had no continuance . he found himself often precipitated from an illuminated state into desolation and darkness . at his first conversion , being led , as he imagined , by the inspiration of the holy ghost , he resolved to clothe himself in rags , to beg his bread , to go barefoot , preach the gospel in the holy land , and continue these austerities and employments all his life . many months had not passed before he changed his austere penitential dress into a more decent habit , put on shooes , and suffered his resolutions of preaching in palestine , at first to cool , and at last to vanish . the itch of begging continued longer . in his voyage to palestine he dared not so much as to carry provisions with him , laid down his money at the sea-shore ; and touching at cajeta , when some spaniards bestowed some money on him , he presently was troubled in conscience for having taken it , and accused himself of it to god in his prayer , and gave it all away to the next poor he met . finding his studies to go on slowly at barcelona , he diminisheth his austerities yet farther , leaves of his fantastick habit , and iron chain , and retrencheth his seven hours of prayer , following the light which he then had , that we may and ought on some occasions leave god for god. retiring to paris , he is satisfied in conscience , that he may quit his evangelical poverty , and lawfully raise a fund of money . soon after he grows perfectly weary of his begging life , doubts whether it is lawful ; and proposed this question to the sorbon , whether a gentleman renouncing the world to follow iesus christ , and wandring through several countries to beg alms , doth any thing against conscience . he acquiesced indeed in the negative determination of the sorbon ; yet remitted his first ardor so far , that he , who had thought it a diffidence of divine providence , to make any provisions for himself in a long voyage , was content to take a journey into spain , to settle his own , and his companions affairs . for many years after his conversion , he had ambitiously courted the contempt of the world , and esteemed disgrace his greatest happiness ; yet when he came to rome , he renounced this self-resignation , and thenceforth stood upon his punctilios of honour ; insomuch , as being accused by a piemontese priest , of heresy and sorcery , and at last beyond hope acquitted , he sollicited earnestly , to have a sentence juridically passed to remain upon record , and after long sollicitation obtained it . lastly , however he placed his supreme happiness in those imaginary consolations , which he believed himself to receive from god in prayer , and was wont to despair when he found himself to want them ; he sometimes prayed to our lord , not to give him any inward consolations , that so his love might be more pure and disinteressed . such frequent changes of resolution , argue that the principle of his actions was no other than a volatile and disturbed imagination , no fixed and stable judgment founded on true notions of the nature of moral and religious actions ; much less the impulse of an infallible spirit . there remains one phrenzy peculiar to the enthusiasts of the church of rome , which deserveth some observation , before we close this argument ; i mean their imaginary fighting with devils , whom these visionaries fancy to appear frequently before their eyes , to put on divers shapes , and play a thousand antick tricks . this indeed is natural to those enthusiasts , who propose to themselves the imitation of legendary saints , who in their lives are represented to fight with devils , no less continually than knights errant are in romances to fight with giants . ignatius raised the whole model of his imaginary perfection from reading the lives of saints ; and therefore may be pardoned if he were transported with a furious ambition of fighting devils , or rather the phantasms of his own disturbed brain . the devil it seems used to persecute both him and st. francis most terribly ; yet to spare the infirmity of these puny saints , he never appeared to them under those monstrous shapes wherewith he was wont to terrify the ancient saints . to them he presented himself under the shape of a lyon , a dragon , a bear , or a crocodile ; and to st. macarius , under the shape of so tall a giant , that he reached heaven ; but to our latter saints he presents himself under a more amiable shape ( as knowing their weak side ) either of a handsom woman , or a purse of money . thus the devil peeping one evening into st. francis cell , with a pretty face and glancing eye , excited in the poor saint an horrible commotion of the flesh. another time casting himself in his way , in the shape of a large purse of money , he would have tempted him to the violation of his evangelical poverty , by taking up the purse ; but here the saint was too cunning for the devil . he is aware of the stratagem , forbids his companions to take up the purse , unless with intention of abusing the devil in it . the devil smells out their design , turns into a serpent , and runs away . upon which st. francis made this worthy remark ; beloved , money is nothing else but the devil . one night the devil got into his pillow , and disturbed the good mans sleep ; but st. francis soon made him weary of that , for he ordered the pillow to be taken away , and the devil to be shaken out into no very wholesom place . nothing without doubt can be more edifying , than to read the stratagems and counterstratagems of the devil , and the saints . but above all , recommend me to our countryman st. guthlac , who when the devils disturbed the workmen in building the monastery of croyland , forced them in part of penance to build the whole abby church with their own hands . as soon as ignatius was converted , the devils endeavoured to bury him in the ruins of an earthquake ; and when that would not succeed , deluded him in appearing often in the air before his eyes , in a sensible image , under the shape of a body composed of many stars . ignatius for a long while knew not what this apparition meant . but one day kneeling before the cross , he received an internal light , which assured him that it was no other than an illusion of the wicked spirit . afterwards , whensoever ignatius saw it , he took his staff and brandishing it in the air , beat the apparition , which thereupon disappeared . for you must know , the devil feared no mortal like ignatius ; he trembled at the very sight of his staff , with which ignatius was wont to drive him away , when he appeared to him , as he often did , under monstrous shapes . lodging in an haunted chamber at barcelona , his presence so terrified the spirits which appeared to him , that they never after dared to approach that chamber . in demoniacks , his very name would scare the devils , and make them fly before him . nay , his very picture at last grew terrible to the powers of hell , and made them fly without resistance . even his letters drave away evil spirits from a colledg , which was haunted by them , when the ordinary exorcisms of the church could not . as soon as the letter was publickly read in the house , the noise ceased , and the spectres disappeared . st. francis enjoyed so unlimited a power over devils , that if he commanded them in virtue of their obedience , to go out of possest persons , they dared not to disobey . particularly coming to arezzo , which was greviously disturbed with intestine seditions ; he saw a company of devils leaping and sporting in the air over the city , and inciting the citizens to mutual slaughter . he commands brother sylvester , to command the devils in virtue of their obedience to be gone quickly . sylvester goes to the gate , and makes proclamation with a loud voice . the devils without expecting a second summons , run away ; whereupon the citizens are presently reconciled . poor apollonius was forced to go farther about , when he had to do with the devil , whom he could dislodg no otherwise than by opprobrious contumelies and railings ; or at least , by making him soundly drunk . yet this may be alledged to the honour of the heathen philosopher , that he once killed the devil , which is more than ever our christian saints could perform . for aspying a little sorry fellow to walk in the market of ephesus , he assured the people it was the devil , and perswaded them to stone him . they do so , and then removing the stones , instead of a man , find only a great black dog lying dead . however , if all which our historians relate of ignatius and st. francis , be true , they exercised an arbitrary and unlimited power over the devils , save only in the case of life and death . but see how a goodly story is like to be marred by the imprudence of the relators . the devil it seems , owed them a turn , and revenged himself upon their memory . for the same historians relate , that the devil , far from being afraid at their names , their pictures , or their letters , sometimes seized upon their very bodies , and handled them very roughly . thus st. francis being once perswaded to betray his humility so far , as to accept a lodging in a cardinals palace , was at night most unmercifully beaten by the devils , and left for dead . ignatius was often most cruelly scourged by the devil ; more especially , one night at rome , when the devil catch't him by the throat , and squeezed him so hard , that the saint straining himself to call upon the name of jesus , continued hoarse many days after . however these bastinadoes might for a while mortify the saints , and intirely blast the repute of their arbitrary command over the devils ; yet at least they conferred this benefit upon them , that hereby they more nearly resembled the ancient heroes of the legend ; among whom the great st. antony underwent the same fate . for unadvisedly peeping into the hole of a rock , and discovering there a whole nest of devils , the devils sallied out upon him , and beat him so unmercifully , that his servant carried him away for dead . not only in this respect were the writers of his life injurious to the memory of ignatius , in not telling their story plausibly , and without any repugnance between the several parts of it ; but also by their improvident zeal to raise the honour and grandeur of their saint , have so imprudently represented many of his most illustrious and wonderful actions , that we might justly suspect the concurrence of evil spirits in the performance of them , if we either believed the truth of those actions , or were ready to admit any such suspicions . when he first dedicated himself to the blessed virgin , as soon as he had ended his prayer , he heard a mighty noise , the house trembled , all the windows of the chamber were broke , and a rent made in the wall , which remaineth to this day . this bouhours would gladly attribute to god , testifying thereby the acceptance of ignatius his prayers , as formerly of the prayers of the apostles , by a like sign . however he doth not deny that it might possibly have been caused by the devil , who by that earthquake endeavoured to put a period to ignatius his life . bussieres makes no doubt of it , but confidently affirms it to have been caused by the devil . a little after the devil excited in him an extraordinary nauseousness of the hospital , into which he had voluntarily entred , and shame to see himself in the company of beggars . at manreze he appeared to him in the habit of an honest young man , disswading him from the use of so great austerities . while he learned the latin tongue at barcelona , the devil , to hinder his learning , instigated him to practices of piety , filled him with consolations , raised in him such tender sentiments of god , that all the time of his study was spent in devout thoughts . of the demoniacks , which he dispossessed , some were lifted up into the air ; and himself , in time of prayer , was often seen to be raised from the ground , and be elevated in the air. from this pendulous posture procopius (a) concludes that iustinian the emperor was a devil , and no man. that apparition of the devils hovering in the air before his eyes in form of stars , he mistook a long while for an angelical vision , and effect of the divine favour to him . when a spanish maid was brought to him under the notion of a demoniack , raging with violent contortions over all her body ; he asserted she was not possest , and that those extraordinary motions proceeded from a natural cause ; and that if the devil had any part in it , it was only in disturbing the imagination of the sick person . lastly , being told of a religious woman at bologna , endued with an extraordinary gift of prayer , and having frequent raptures and extasies , during which she had no sense of feeling , altho fire were applied to her : he assures ribadeneira , that god indeed did operate in his soul , and abundantly infuse into it the vnction of his spirit ; but that this happened rarely , and only to persons much in favour with god : whereas the devil , who could act nothing upon the soul , ( i know not how this can be reconciled with the former assertion ) was wont to counterfeit externally divine operations , and by such appearances impose upon the credulous . that this was the case of the nun ; as in effect it was afterwards found out , that all her pretended holiness was but an illusion of a wicked spirit . if then the devil can externally counterfeit divine operations , suspend the senses , and cause extraordinary extasies and raptures of the soul ; and by these impostures procure to any one a great repute of sanctity and devotion in the church of rome ; if he can disturb the imagination of men , without possessing their bodies , or taking from them the liberty of their will ; if ignatius actually mistook an illusion of the devil for a divine favour ; and was often observed in the same pendulous posture with demoniacks ; if the devil sometimes inspired him with good thoughts and resolutions , as well as at other times diverted him from them ; lastly , if it be uncertain which miraculous actions of ignatius are to be ascribed to god , and which to the devil : it cannot but remain infinitely doubtful , whether god or the devil had the greater share in the actions of ignatius ; whether he acted by the power and impulse of the former , or by the assistance and suggestion of the latter . it cannot be pretended that the church , by giving attestation to the sanctity of his life , and the truth of his miracles in his canonization , hath removed all suspicions of this nature , and vindicated the memory of ignatius from all possibility of disadvantageous scruples . for till the late jesuits of clermont proposed their theses , it never was pretended that the church , much less the pope , is infallible in determining matters of fact ; and that the pope in attesting the sanctity of ignatius was actually deceived , and imposed upon the credulous world , i will undeniably demonstrate . in the bull of his canonization the pope affirmeth , that from the time of his conversion no word or action proceeded from him , which can be accounted a mortal sin. despair of the divine mercy is by divines commonly accounted the greatest of all sins ; and even this may receive greater or less aggravations as it is more or less unreasonable . ignatius committed this sin in the most aggravating circumstances , some while after his conversion , when he had received frequent illuminations from heaven , had enjoyed infinite raptures and extasies , performed stupendious acts of apparent charity , and undergone the most severe exercises of external mortification ; which if they be indeed acceptable to god , as the admirers of ignatius , and the church of rome imagine , might reasonably recommend him not only to the mercy , but even the favour of god. yet notwithstanding all these advantages , he fell into a most horrible despair , which bouhours thus describeth . soon after his penitential austerities performed at manreze , he began to be afflicted with scruples , and want his former interior consolations ; and he finds himself precipitated into a state of desolation and darkness . his scruples and despair increase ; he doubteth whether he had confessed all his sins , and with all their circumstances , ( altho his confession had lasted three whole days . ) to dissipate these doubts , he hath recourse to prayer ; but the more he prays , the more his doubts and fears increase upon him . every step he made , he thought he stumbled and offended god , imagining there to be sin , where there was not the least shadow of it ; and always disputing with himself about the state of his conscience , not being able to decide what is sin , and what not . in these conflicts of mind he groans , he sighs , he crieth out , he throws himself upon the ground like a man tormented with pain , but for the most part keeps a mournful silence . being wont to communicate every sunday , it now happened to him more than once , that being ready to communicate , his troubles of mind so redoubled upon him , that he retired from the holy table full of confusion and desolation . after many unprofitable debates , wherein his understanding was lost , it entred into his thoughts , that obedience only could cure him ; and that his pains would cease , if his confessor should command him entirely to forget all things past . he doth so ; but his scruples continue . he redoubleth his exercises of piety ; but finding no relief either from earth or heaven , he believeth that god had forsaken him , and that his damnation was most certain . the dominicans out of pity take him into their house , but can give him no comfort . he falls into a dark melancholly , and being one day in his cell , he had the thought of throwing himself out of the window to end his misery . but heaven by force restrained him against his will. then remembring the precedent of an old hermit , he set himself to fasting ; and resolved to eat nothing till god should hear him . accordingly he fasted seven whole days without eating or drinking , but without success . his confessor at last commanded him to break his fast . he doth so ; and is on the sudden for ever freed from all his scruples . certainly if all irregular conducts of the will , be sins , and an irrational despair the greatest of all sins ; this of ignatius was such a complicated sin , as few examples can equal . but , it seems , heresie alters the nature of vertue and vice. such a despair in a protestant would have deserved damnation ; whereas in a romish saint it was so far meritorious , that if we may believe bouhours , god in reward of it bestowed upon him the gift of curing scrupulous consciences . upon occasion of this ready obedience paid by ignatius to the commands of his confessor , i will take farther notice of the same blind submission observed by him through the whole course of his life . whether the principles of the church of rome do not naturally lead to such a blind obedience to the dictates of every private confessor , and thereby resolve the faith of all particular christians into the private opinion of an ignorant , and perhaps heretical priest , i will not now enquire : but certainly ignatius practised this blind submission in the utmost extravagance ; insomuch , as if he had adhered to his own principles , or we may judge from his other actions , he must have renounced christianity , and even natural religion , if his confessor had so commanded him . his notion of a perfect obedience , which we before mentioned , sheweth this ; and his actions put it beyond all doubt . he declared upon all occasions his resolution blindly to obey his ecclesiastical judge ; and when he preached at venice , he proposed this as a first principle to all , that true christians ought to submit themselves to the decision of the church , with the simplicity of an infant . being tried before the inquisitors for no less than a capital crime , he refused to answer till his ecclesiastical superiors should command him . apollonius in a like case had refused to move his tongue after a vow of five years silence , when he was falsly accused of an horrid crime , and in great danger of being executed . however , if it be a venial sin for a man to sacrifice his life to his folly ; it is no less than a mortal one deliberately to commit an action , which he is perswaded in his own conscience to be unlawful . ignatius in his voyage to ierusalem thought it utterly unlawful , and contrary to evangelical poverty , to carry any provisions along with him . yet being resolved by his confessor to the contrary , he boldly did that out of obedience , which he durst not do of himself , and made provision for his voyage . this folly at last proceeded so far , that renouncing the liberty of his will , and use of his reason , he would not venture upon any indifferent action without consulting his confessor : as if with st. francis he wanted a guardian , who might in all things direct his actions , and command his will. when an unskilful physician in his sickness administred to him hurtful remedies , and proceeded contrary to the nature of his distemper , and ignatius fully knew all this ; he would not once open his mouth against it , because he esteemed it meritorious , and a point of religion , to obey in all things . when he was unanimously elected general of his order by a method of election which himself prescribed ; he refused to accept the office , unless he should be commanded by his confessor . so the iew refused to go on shipboard on the sabbath-day , till he was beaten thither by the janizary whom he had hired to do it . if then an irrational despair of the mercy of god , and an intire renunciation of the use of reason , may be accounted sins ; we have abundantly demonstrated the pope to have been widely mistaken in celebrating the sanctity of ignatius . if we should carry our enquiries yet farther ; we might perhaps discover other no less infirmities , which would ruin the supposed sanctity of ignatius , and the truth of the papal assertion of it , at the same time . we might suspect him to have been guilty of many other vices after his conversion : for before it , all writers allowed him to have been abandoned to the utmost degree of debauchery and immorality . his mean and unworthy thoughts of the nature and excellency of god , appear from many actions before related , and may be farther manifested from his frequent imagining to see god and the holy trinity , before his eyes , in a corporeal representation ; from his endeavouring to bribe him in favour of his order , by offering up to him three thousand masses , and from his seeking to acquire the favour of god , by the practice of foolish superstitions . we cannot but suspect him to have been inclined to revenge and cruelty , if we remember that all the ships , passengers and mariners , which refused to carry him gratis , going and returning from the holy land , were cast away ; that lopez mendoza , for slightly reviling him , was in a few hours burnt to ashes . that when general of his order , he frequently chastised the novices so severely with his own hands , that some of them died of the blows , by the attestation of hoffoeus * , a professed jesuit in his own colledg , and an eye-witness ; and that all this is confirmed by the testimony of salmanassar , a jesuit of naples , who describes ignatius to have been of a fierce , severe , and cruel disposition . his turbulent and unquiet temper appears from his being condemned in the colledg at paris , to be whipt publickly for disturbing his fellow-students ; and from his valedictory form , wherewith he dismissed all the fathers of his society , whom he sent in mission , ite omnia accendite & inflammate . go , put all in flames , and set the world on fire : words , which i suppose he used in emulation of st. dominick ; whose mother , while yet with child , dreamed she had a whelp in her belly , carrying a torch in his mouth , which set the whole world in flames . that ignatius was addicted to lying and equivocation , may be suspected from his behaviour to his own brother , who perceiving him fallen into a religious phrenzy at his first conversion , was resolved by all means to divert it . ignatius not knowing how to leave his brothers castle of loyola handsomely , without discovering his intentions , borrows a horse , and a servant of him , assuring him that he went only to visit the duke of naiara , their neighbour . being at some distance from the castle , he sends back the servant , and rides away to montserrat , where he enters upon a religious life . after many years , returning in triumph to loyola , he takes up his lodging in an hospital ; but at last being overcome by the earnest importunities of his brother , promiseth to him faithfully to lodg with him in the castle . he goeth thither , lodgeth there one night , and next morning betimes steals back to the hospital , thinking he had now fully satisfied his promise ; and refuseth ever after to return . lastly , however the writers of his life pretend him to have been by a special priviledg freed from all carnal concupiscence , ( which philostratus * also reports of apollonius ; ) we have no small reason to suspect the contrary ; for from his conversion to his death , he never dared to look any woman on the face ; which argues him to have been conscious of his own infirmity , and to have feared the temptations of their beauty : and even after that vision of the blessed virgin , wherein this extraordinary gift of continence is pretended to have been conferred on him ; bouhours confesseth him to have had a secret inclination for a lady of quality . st. francis had the same bashfulness . he never durst look upon a woman ; and no wonder ; for the very thoughts of them so terribly tormented him , as created to him no small perplexity : in proof of which i will crave leave to present the reader with this following story . the devil one night putting on a handsom face , peeps into saint francis's cell , and calls him out . the man of god presently knew by revelation , that it was a trick of the devil , who by that artifice tempted him to lust : yet he could not hinder the effect of it . for immediately a grievous temptation of the flesh seizeth on him . to shake off this , he strips himself naked , and begins to whip himself fiercely with his rope . ha , brother ass , saith he , i will make you smart for your rebellious lust : i have taken from you my frock , because that is sacred , and must not be usurped by a lustful body . if you have a mind to go your ways in this naked condition , pray go . then being animated with a wonderful fervour of spirit , he opens the door , runs out , and rowls his naked body in a great heap of snow . next , he makes seven snowballs , and laying them before him , he thus bespeaks his outward man. look you , this great snowball is your wife , those four are two sons and two daughters ; the other two are a man and a maid , which you must keep to wait on them . make hast and clothe them all , for they dye with cold : but if you cannot provide for them all , then lay aside all thoughts of marriage , and serve god alone . this was honestly said : no expedient of fornication thought on , when marriage was rejected . now see the merits of rowling naked in the snow . the tempter being conquered , departs , and the saint returns into his cell with triumph ; that is in plain english , his courage was cooled ; and brother ass benummed with cold . not only may the immunity of ignatius from all mortal sin after his conversion be denied ; but even his sincerity through the whole conduct of his life may be called in question . we before observed him to have been acted with an ambitious spirit , which might prompt him to undertake any artifices tending to increase his reputation ; and if any thing was wanting to render him a compleat impostor , it was only defect of wit. yet in many of his actions we may plainly discover the footsteps of an impostor , who designed to raise his honour upon the credulity of mankind : thus it may be observed , that for many years after his conversion he applied himself to infuse his notions into women and young men , taking advantage from the weakness of sex , or inexperience of immature judgment . agnes pascall , isabella rosella , and some ladies of alcala , were in a manner his only disciples before his remove to paris . these were the only witnesses of his miracles , and admirers of his sanctity . at paris he sets upon , and after a long canting and earnest sollicitations gains , to him peter faber , a poor spanish youth , in whom were sentiments of vain-glory. xaverius , a generous soul , but who was naturally vain , and loved ostentation ; a young man , who filled with an innate tumour of vanity and pride , fed himself with chimeraes after the custom of ambitious men , and framed to himself the obtaining of great advantages upon the least appearances : nicholas bobadilla , a poor young man , whose necessities forced him to cast himself upon ignatius : rodrigues , who had been long possest with the same ambition of preaching in the holy land : iames laynez , and alphonso salmeron , the first 21. the other 18 years old . these were the only disciples he gained at paris , and the first six companions of his order . to this we may add his resuming his discalceate habit after a long intermission at his return into spain ; which tended only to raise to himself an opinion of extraordinary sanctity among his credulous countreymen ; his artifice of framing his countenance , as himself pleased , and occasion required : his canting upon the greater glory of god , which served as a preface to all his words and actions : his pretended desire of resigning the generalty of his order , when he knew that it would not be permitted ; his flattery of great men , whom he continually praised , but winked at their faults , and never blamed them , altho their actions and behaviour were condemned and decried by the unanimous consent of all men . lastly , to produce one instance of a just suspicion of imposture in performing miracles , i will represent it in the words of vitelleschi . (a) at his last voyage into spain , one night the saint did a great miracle . the people flocking to his chamber , and staying with him late , he desired them to withdraw , and carry away the candle with them , saying , god can enlighten the darkness of the night . when they were gone , ignatius fell to praying loud . the people after some while return ; and peeping through the keyhole , see a light in his chamber . he that will not suspect some artifice in this matter , may safely believe all the fables of the alcoran . if ignatius wanted a light in his chamber , why did he order the people to carry away the candle with them ? if he intended to perform a miracle , why did he not suffer the people to stay , and be spectators of it ? but , what if after all , ignatius should be found an heretick ? he would ill deserve the dignity of a saint ; and at the next reformation of the calendar , might be perhaps expunged out of it it seems st. francis was somewhat inclined to heresie , and no thorough catholick . for his epistle to the priests of his order is prohibited in the index romanus : (b) and he is known to have laid those principles of evangelical poverty , which afterwards founded the heresies of the fratricelli and beguini , or beguardi . this opinion of the perfection and excellence of evangelical poverty , was common both to ignatius and st. francis ; and was condemned as erroneous and heretical by pope iohn xxii . but the charge of heresie falls much more heavy upon ignatius . for he believed scripture to be the only rule of faith : a doctrine which passeth among our adversaries for a rank heresie . for magnifying the greatness and perspicuity of the divine illuminations and revelations conferred on him , and boasting that he received the knowledge of christianity not from the ordinary rule of faith , but by extraordinary illumination , he was wont to use these words : that if the articles of faith had never been recorded in the scriptures ( or as another author (c) expresseth it ) altho no monuments or testimonies of the christian religion had remained , he should still have believed them ; and that even had the scriptures been lost , no part of his faith had been diminished . which manifestly supposeth him to have believed that the knowledge of the christian religion must necessarily be received either from the scripture , or from extraordinary illumination , and that there was no medium , which might serve the ends of a rule of faith. besides all this , ignatius pretended that in prayer his soul acted passively , not actively , and did nothing but receive the influences of the spirit ; and upon the authority of a personal apparition , believed that the flesh of the blessed virgin was contained in the eucharist in the flesh of her son there substantially present . now among the articles of molinos , condemned last year in the inquisition at rome , one is , that in contemplation the mind acts purely passively , not actively : and one of the pretended opinions of signior burrhi , condemned of heresie by the inquisition , and which he was forced to recant in the year 1668. was , that the consecrated host hath in it the body of the mother , as well as of the son. if ignatius had lived at this time , i do not see how he could have escaped being condemned for an heretick by the inquisition . it will be no small confirmation of the truth of whatsoever i have hitherto observed or advanced concerning ignatius , if it be proved , that in his life-time he was esteemed an enthusiast , an impostor , and a heretick , by many sober , indifferent , and learned men of the church of rome ; if he was censured as such by the publick tribunals of the church ; and suspicions of this nature often entertained of him by whole multitudes of his hearers . saint francis at his first conversion was esteemed to be a mad-man by his father , who therefore put him in chains , and shut him up in a dark room , to cure his distemper . his townsmen of assisium entertained the same opinion of him , where the rabble commonly persecuted him whensoever he appeared in publick , with stones and dirt , and followed him with loud outcries ; civilities which both himself and his disciples often received in other cities of italy , when they first began to preach . ignatius fared no better . his own brother , far from esteeming his conversion a work of heaven , told him it was only the effect of a melancholy distemper , which betrayed him to extravagant courses . the people of manreze , where he vented the first heat of his devotion in wonderful austerities , thought him a fool and a mad-man ; insomuch , as whenever he appeared in the town , the children pointed at him , threw stones at him , and followed him in the streets with shouts and outcries . going into the holy land to preach the gospel , the franciscans , far from believing him to have received a divine mission , charged him to depart on pain of excommunication . at alcala he was suspected by some of sorcery , by others of heresie , and put into the inquisition for a visionary ; but at last acquitted on condition of deserting his extravagant methods of religion . soon after , he is clapt into the inquisition a second time , for instilling foolish principles into his hearers ; and when he removed to salamanca , both he and his disciples were put in chains by the inquisition there , as hereticks and seditious persons ; and not absolved , but upon condition of preaching no more . soon after his arrival at paris , he is accused to the inquisitors for seducing young scholars ; but by the intercession of friends dismissed . after some time he is sentenced to be whipt publickly in the hall by the regents of his colledge upon the same account ; and before his departure accused a second time of heresie to the inquisitors , chiefly for his book of exercises , which his enemies called the mysterious book . at venice he was decried as an heretick , and a dangerous impostor ; and by some accused to have a familiar , which informed him of all things . at rome both himself and his companions were accused of heresie by a famous piemontese priest ; and were esteemed by the people to be hypocrites and false prophets . no body , for a while , dared to appear in the company of such miserable wretches , whom they thought to be destined to the stake . when he first proposed the erection of his order to the pope ; the cardinals generally disapproved and opposed it . after it was approved , it met with great opposition in france , in his life-time . many decried it as monstrous , and said , that he who had set it on foot , was a little spanish visionary . lastly , his book of exercises was accused of heresie in spain by the learned melchior canus ; who asserted it to be the work of a brain-sick enthusiast . from this universal contempt of ignatius in his life-time , and frequent suspicions of heresie , enthusiasm and sedition , entertained of him by the governours of the church , it may be farther evinced that all the reports of his miracles are absolutely false , and either not yet invented , or generally disbelieved at that time . for it is not credible that such contempt should attend him , or such suspicions be entertained of him , if he had indeed performed so many and so great miracles . it remains that we examine the truth of these miracles more particularly by some general observations , which may be framed of them . it might indeed be sufficient to oppose to them , what eusebius (a) doth to the miracles of apollonius , that we are not inclined to believe them : but because our adversaries are not ashamed to produce them as undoubted arguments of the truth of their cause , i will oppose some few considerations to them . and first , it may be enquired , to what purpose should god work so many miracles in the midst of christian countries , many ages after the faith had been fully setled in them ? were those countries devoid of true religion ? this is not pretended . was the church of rome at that time grieviously corrupted with errors and superstition ? this our adversaries will by no means allow . or lastly , did the evangelical counsels of poverty , abstinence , humility and renunciation of the world , which were the grand topicks of ignatius , want the recommendation of divine miracles ? this ignatius himself would not approve : for he was wont to say , that if miracles were to be desired of god , they were much rather to be desired in confirmation of the precepts , than of the counsels of the gospel . it remains therefore that god should perform all these miracles meerly in testimony of the extraordinary sanctity of ignatius , to manifest his favour to him , and procure to him honour and esteem among all christians ; a design so unworthy of god , and contrary to the excellence of his , and imperfection of our nature , that the very pretence of it is an unpardonable boldness , and a manifest argument of imposture and immoderate ambition ; and that even altho we should allow ignatius to have been indeed as great a saint , as the writers of his life do represent him . and therefore the author of the opus imperfectum upon st. matthew , argueth excellently , that there is no way now left to find out the true church , or the true faith , but only the scripture ; that at the first institution of the gospel , it was known indeed by miracles , who were true , and who false christians ; since the latter could either perform no miracles , or none such as the former did : for the miracles of true christians were perfect , and tended rather to the use and interest of the church , than to procure the admiration of the world ; whereas the miracles of false christians were imperfect , and of no use , and tended wholly to raise admiration . by this means true christians might formerly be discerned from false : but now all working of miracles is ceased , and is found only among false christians , among whom miracles are yet feigned to be wrought ; as st. peter ( cited by st. clement ) assureth us , even the power of working true miracles shall be given to antichrist . this passage is so offensive to our adversaries , that it is ordered to be expunged in the indices expurgatorii , and was accordingly left out in all subsequent editions , till it was restored by fronto ducoeus . if yet the church of rome will pretend her miracles to be true and real ; we are content , provided she assumeth the title affixed by st. peter , and this author , to the workers of true miracles in latter ages . if she refuseth the title , she renounceth her claim to miracles . but the temptation of lying and feigning miracles for the reputation of an order , is in that church far more perswasive than the evidence of reason . a catalogue of miracles is as necessary to a romish saint , as a list of wonderful cures is to a mountebank ; no canonization can be obtained without them . when ignatius therefore was to be promoted to the dignity of a saint , his disciples set their inventions on the rack , to raise a fund of miracles ; every flying report was taken up , and every old womans tale advanced into a miracle : and the most illustrious wonders of his life then first feigned without any ground . this the honour of the order required , to which all considerations of truth and honesty were betrayed , that so the founders of it might be rendred no less illustrious , than those of other more ancient orders by an equal number of miracles and prodigies . vitelleschi produceth a catalogue of 140 miracles wrought by ignatius in divers parts of the world , drawn from the registers and process of his canonization ; he cured twenty five persons of divers mortal diseases ; ten of diseases apparently incurable ; thirteen of blindness ; nineteen of collick , head-ach , tooth-ach , and belly-ach ; four of the stone ; one of the plurisie , &c. that the far greatest part of these miracles were feigned many years after his death , we have just reason to suspect ; for when ribadeneira , who was his familiar companion , first published his life , in the year 1572. he made a long apology in it , in defence of ignatius ; maintaining that it was no way derogatory to his sanctity , that he had performed no miracles : afterwards in the year 1610 , publishing a second edition of his life , he was so far enlightned in this matter , that he giveth to us a long catalogue of the miracles of ignatius , but withal confesseth , that the reason why he had not inserted them in the first edition , was because they were not then sufficiently certain and uncontested . now it cannot be imagined , how the miracles of ignatius , who died in the year 1556 , should be unknown , or at least uncertain , sixteen years after , when the memory of them was yet fresh , if any such indeed there were ; and after fifty four years , when the greatest part of the witnesses must be supposed to have been dead , should be advanced to undoubted certainty ? in like manner , maffeius writing the life of ignatius , in the year 1605 , when his canonization was not yet thought on , relates very few miracles performed by him ; and concludes in these words , beside these , many other wonderful actions are related of ignatius , which because they are not sufficiently certain , i thought not fit to insert ; especially , since the holiness of famous men consists not so much in signs and miracles , as in the love of god , and innocence of life . and after all , bussieres confesseth , that many wonderful things related of ignatius in his life , written by nierembergius , are by no means testified with incontestable proofs ; and that we may justly doubt of the truth of them : but however ribadeneira and maffeius knew very few miracles of ignatius ; later writers had abundant information of them . at the examination preceding his canonization , in the year 1609 , bouhours (a) tells us , that 660 ( bussieres (b) 665 ) witnesses , juridically interrogated , deposed concerning the holiness of his life ; and that 200 miracles well attested , were produced at the same time ; altho vitelleschi (c) assures us , that 13 years after , at his canonization , no more than 140 miracles could be heard of , when he saith that 175 witnesses were examined by order of gregory xv. two or three years after vitelleschi , comes out the glory of ignatius * , which enlargeth the number of the miracles to above 200. and the witnesses to 675. now even altho we should take the lesser account , it is utterly incredible , that so many witnesses of the miracles and holiness of ignatius should be alive in the year 1622. 66 years after his death . if it be a merit to believe contradictions in faith , it is none to believe lies in history . the miracles of st. francis and apollonius , labour with the same difficulties ; for to mention no more of st. francis , than the miracle of the five wounds of christ imprinted in his body , which however bonaventure , proposeth it as a thing past all dispute , and attested by infinite multitudes of spectators ; it is certain , that presently after his death , pope gregory ix . would not believe one word of it ; insomuch , as the poor saint was forced to appear to him in the night , and draw a whole porringer of blood out of the wound in his side , to convince him of the truth of it . as for apollonius , moeragenes , who was contemporary to him , and writ his life immediately after his decease , knew little of his miracles ; philostratus comes a hundred years after , and giveth a large legend of them ; altho at last , he confesseth himself to be so far ignorant of his actions , that he knows not whether he died eighty , ninety , or an hundred years old , and by what kind of death . philostratus himself pretends no more than one person to have been raised from the dead by apollonius ; and even relates that so doubtfully , that he delivers it as his own opinion , that the person was not really dead . an hundred years after him , vopiscus doubted not confidently to assert , that apollonius raised to life many dead persons . but miracles may so easily be obtruded upon the world , after a long distance of time , and are so securely received by the credulous multitude , that nothing less than a strict examination can defeat the hopes of impostors , and confute the lies of their devoted historians . if all the miracles of ignatius in general , want a sufficient attestation , much less will those deserve our belief , the truth of which was never attested by any spectators , but depends upon his own sole credit and authority ; and that , not only because it is unreasonable to believe a person witnessing in his own cause ; but chiefly , because it is foolish to imagine that god should concur with ignatius , to work miracles in secret , which could tend to no other end , than to foment his vain glory by increasing in him an opinion of his own merits . yet if we examine his miracles , we shall find many of them attested by his own sole authority . all his illuminations and visions were of this nature ; of which none could be conscious besides himself . when in his journey to rome , he stept alone into a little ruinous chappel , and there enjoyed that wonderful vision of the two first persons of the trinity , vitelleschi tells us , that he was environed with a great brightness . this could depend only upon his own testimony ; as also the hovering of a flame of fire over his head , like the cloven fiery tongues of the apostles , while he writ the constitutions of his order in his private chamber ; and indeed , bouhours pretends to no other testimony of this miracle , but only saith it appears from a paper-book , writ with his own hand . his driving away devils from an haunted chamber , and producing a light in his chamber , when he had commanded the candle to be carried away , which we before mentioned , are of the same nature . thus st. francis , while he prayed alone in woods , or solitary places , was wont to be raised from the ground , and continue in that pendulous posture , environed with a bright cloud . his five wounds in the likeness of christ's , he received in secret , and would never shew them to any but his own confidents . st. mary magdalen pazzi , was yet more careful to prevent any discovery of her imposture . she pretended to have the five wounds of christ engraven in her heart . it is more than probable , that if her heart had been opened , they would have disappeared , and must have been searched for in her disturbed brain . it would be no less irrational blindly to believe those miracles of ignatius , which are delivered to us upon the testimony of one single witness ; who possessed perhaps with a vast opinion of his sanctity , fancied somewhat extraordinary to be in all his actions , and mistook every motion for a miracle , to which himself could not assign a cause . not to say , that in some persons the vanity of lying and spreading wonderful reports , surmounts all considerations of shame and moral honesty . that he was often raised from the ground in prayer , and continued in that pendulous posture in the air , is delivered to us upon the sole authority of iohn pascal , a poor ignorant youth , his chamber-fellow at barcelona ; who thought sometimes , that he saw him elevated from the ground , and surrounded with light , when he arose in the night to pray . the widow and children of this pascall deposed upon oath , that they had heard their husband and father say , that he had often seen ignatius in an extasy , environed with light , raised from the ground five or six yards high . this was admitted as an undoubted testimony , and most certain proof of a prodigious miracle ; altho , if we remember that pascall's house was a poor cottage , and that another author assures us , that he always lodged in a low chamber , which could not admit any such elevation of his body ; we shall have great reason to suspect the miracle . however it is irrational to imagine god the author of so unuseful a miracle , which could tend only to make the foolish saint believe that god heard him better hanging in the air , than kneeling on the ground . that miracle was more notorious , which lucian * assures us , he saw publickly performed in the temple of hierapolis , of the image of apollo , hanging for some while , and caried about in the air ; yet must we ascribe it to any thing else , rather than the divine omnipotence . the same pascall being reduced to great necessity after the death of ignatius , and imploring his assistance one morning in a church , heard a melodious sound , and saw ignatius appearing attended with a beautiful train of young clergymen . after a while , the canons enter to sing mattins , see no apparition , but find pascall transported into an extasy with the imagination of it . the frequent splendor and supernatural brightness of his face is no better attested . isabella rosella , a credulous woman , fancied she often saw it at barcelona , while standing amidst a croud of people , he heard sermons in the church ; altho no other person present could perceive any such thing . in spain , two women of his kindred peeping through the keyhole , while he prayed , saw his countenance enflamed , as with a fever ; for it shined with such a light , that it dazled their eyes . being once at the point of death , as he expected extreme unction , his health was miraculously restored to him . vitelleschi ‖ confesseth that this miracle would never have been known , had not his good hostess by great fortune been in the chamber with him , at that very juncture of time . this consideration also defeats the credit of the greatest part of apollonius his miracles , being known only to his confident damis ; with whom being chained in prison , he drew his leg out of the chain , and shewing it unchained to damis , immediately put it in again ; by which miracle he was first convinced , that somewhat divine , and more than human , was in apollonius . the miraculous splendor of his face , was better attested , if we may believe philostratus * , for while he was led to the tribunal of domitian , the whole people of rome saw and admired it . this also ruins the authority of st. francis's miracles , the far greater part of which were performed by him after his death , in apparitions to sick persons ; apparitions which are owing only to the disturbed imagination of the foolish votaries , first desiring his assistance , and then fancying him to be present . such miracles as these have nothing extraordinary in them , and are fitted only to amuse the ignorant part of mankind , who not knowing their natural cause , recur to the divine power . many miracles of ignatius lay open to the same objection ; and may be rationally solved without any deep philosophy . all his apparitions after death , and cures of sick persons making their application to him , and other like miracles , which fill up the far greater part of his legend , are of this nature . the former may be ascribed to the whimsies and vapours of a disturbed brain ; the latter to the effect of chance , altho even the strength of imagination may not a little concur to the happiness of the effect . if among a thousand persons , which implore the assistance of ignatius in any sickness , danger , or undertaking , one hundred recover , escape , or obtain their desire ; a blind credulity shall ascribe the whole event to the miraculous power , and wonderful benignity of the saint ; altho in all appearance the invocation of aesculapius , mahomet , or don quixot , had produced the same effect . as for the remaining nine hundred which obtain not the grant of their petitions ; their unhappiness shall be ascribed to their want of faith , to the coldness of their devotion , and perhaps to the multiplicity of business wherein the saint was then engaged . thus miracles can never be wanting to a romish saint , when once the people are perswaded to offer up their petitions to him many even of the most illustrious miracles performed by ignatius in his life-time , may be resolved into the same cause ; and when examined , will be found to have nothing worthy admiration in them . i will instance but in one , the raising of a man from the dead at barcelona , which all the writers of his life magnify as a great miracle . the case was this . a man had hung himself in the house where ignatius lodged . ignatius comes hastily into the chamber , and cuts the rope . the man revives , but had already so far weakned the union of soul and body , that his life could be continued no longer , than while he confessed , and commended his soul to god. here is nothing extraordinary in all this ; but only an impertinent story magnified and exalted into a miracle in imitation of those frequent fables of legends , which to aggrandize the power of priests , represent them saving the souls of men by some pretty artifice performed in a minute , without any concurrence of themselves , and sometimes even against their wills . thus pope gregory by one short prayer translated the soul of trajan the emperor from hell to heaven ; and st. dunstan did the same kindness to king edgar , when they least thought of it . but st. patrick did somewhat more majestick , when he raised from the dead glasse a pagan giant in ireland , an hundred foot high , after he had been dead one hundred years ; and having baptized him , sent him back to his grave with assurance of salvation . st. benedict used a more compendious way ; who , when any of his monks died in a doubtful state , as to their future happiness , laid the consecrated host upon the breast of the dead body , which immediately opened it self to receive it ; and then all was safe . there are other miracles ascribed to ignatius , which may be evidently convinced of falsehood and forgery ; and if this charge be once proved , the credit and authority of all his other miracles is intirely overthrown . it would be highly unreasonable in a cause of so great moment to admit the testimony of a witness once convicted of perjury , since all his miracles are equally founded upon the same authority ; and a voluntary fraud proved in one case , will subject the whole relation to a just suspicion of the like imposture . thus it is sufficient to oppose to all the miracles of apollonius , that damis his companion , from whose sole authority philostratus professeth to receive them , hath wilfully obtruded an evident fable upon the world , in relating that the constellation of the bear cannot be seen in the red sea , where he remained with apollonius many months , and could not be ignorant of the truth of that matter . to this we may add , that whereas apollonius pretended , and philostratus (a) relates of him , that by an extraordinary gift of god he understood all languages , and as porphyry (b) would perswade us , even the language of beasts and birds ; yet when he came into india , he was forced to make use of an interpreter , by the confession of the same historian (c) . that the history of ignatius ▪ his miracles receiveth the same prejudice from the disagreement and contrariety of the historians , i will briefly demonstrate in some few examples . his conversion is commonly represented to have been begun by a vision of saint peter touching his wounds , and healing them immediately . yet bouhours confesseth the cure was not yet performed of many weeks after this supposed vision , and at last so performed , that a visible deformity and perpetual lameness remained in his leg : altho vitelleschi proposeth it as a certain rule of miracles , that they are ever perfect , and in nothing deficient . at barcelona ignatius was so grievously beaten by some ruffians , that he underwent great danger of his life . his recovery is ascribed to a glorious miracle by vitelleschi ; who relates , that after thirty days sickness , being now at the point of death , he was miraculously in a moment restored to perfect health . in opposition to this bouhours (a) and bussieres (b) maintain , that he hardly recovered his health after fifty three days sickness and pains . ribadeneira (c) relates many miracles performed by the reliques of his garments , which vitelleschi (d) saith that the people with great reverence and devotion divided among them . maffeius (e) and bouhours (f) on the contrary assure us , that the fathers of the society would not suffer the least part of his garments , nor any other relique , to be carried from his dead body . to name no more , the case of ignatius his horse , which carried him from paris to spain , is much to be lamented , the poor beast having suffered great loss of reputation from this disagreement of historians . for however one relates , that being left by ignatius to an hospital , the people looked on him with so much reverence , that no man dared to use him afterwards , but that as a sacred horse he was preserved in ease and good pasture all his life ; another degradeth him to the everlasting drudgery of carrying wood for the poor people of the hospital of aspeitia . those miracles , which i have hitherto mentioned , may be justly rejected , as wanting that due attestation and authority , which are necessarily required to create a rational belief of them . but there are others , which the greatest authority upon earth , even the united testimony of the whole world , cannot render credible ; i mean such as include contradictions in them , and are destructive of those evident ideas of created beings , which are common to all mankind . such miracles , while we act rationally , we cannot believe , even altho ten thousand other miracles should be wrought in confirmation of them . if philostratus tells us , that apollonius standing before the tribunal of domitian rendred himself invisible , disappeared , and in a moment removed himself to puteoli ; if the legend relates how the soul of st. benedict was seen ascending into heaven by the bishop of brixia , and a priest of tibur at the same moment . if baccius (g) pretends that st. philip neri was frequently present in distant pla●●● at the same time ; or if bonaventure (h) writeth that st. francis was bodily present at assisium in italy , and at arles in france , in the same moment ; that he could turn himself into the shape of a cross , and be present at several chapters of his order at the same time ; and that his soul was seen flying into heaven in mount garganus , and terra di lovoro , at the very same point of time ; and other miracles of this nature be obtruded on us ; it is sufficient to oppose to them their absolute impossibility , and not descend into a particular examination of the authority which attests them . thus the soul of ignatius is reported at the very same instant , in which it was separated from the body at rome , to have appeared to a devout widow , called margaret gigli , at bologna . a soul can no otherwise appear , than by moving matter , whereby it may strike the senses of living persons . now that a soul should move matter in two distant places at the same time , is no less impossible , than that a body should be in two places at the same time . that the soul should in a moment remove its operation from rome to bologna , is no less inconceiveable ; not to say that it is contrary to the philosophy of the schools , which ignatius , who received (a) his philosophy from divine illumination , so far embraced and admired , that he accounted the least opposition of it no less than heresie ; and threatned (b) , that if he lived a thousand years , he would never give over crying down all novelties in divinity , in philosophy , and even in grammar . i know not what philosophy taught these historians , that the devil knows future contingencies ; but surely no divinity will allow it . yet are we told a goodly story , how the devil , after ignatius his death , but before his canonization , cryed out of the body of a doemoniack ; that ignatius his greatest enemy now led a blessed life in heaven , and should shortly be canonized on earth . but to compleat the absurdity of ignatius his miracles , and advance their contradiction to the laws of nature beyond all comparison ; the writers of his life pretend him to have been bodily present in two places more than nine hundred miles distant at one and the same time : and produce this one example of it . leonard kesel , a jesuit of colen , passionately desired to see ignatius while yet alive ; and therefore writing to him earnestly , desired him to give him leave to come to rome . the saint forbid him to come , assuring him , that if his sight was necessary , god would provide a way for it , without putting him to the trouble of undergoing so long a journey . this answer seemed enigmatical to kesel ; yet he contented himself , and expected the event . upon a day then , when he least thought of it , ignatius entred into his chamber at colen ; and having talked with him for some while , disappeared , leaving him wonderfully comforted with this prodigious visit . it seems , romantick negromancers , our modern witches , and romish saints , are all alike famous for making themselves invisible , and flying in the air. saint francis frequently rid through the air in a fiery chariot ; and saint dunstan , while yet a boy , flew down from the top of glastenbury church : but abaris , the disciple of pythagoras , and priest of apollo , among the scythians , outdid them all ; who taking an arrow out of apollo's temple , rid upon it in the air over all the world , past seas , rivers and deserts ; performed miracles , and did such wonders , as no romish saint-errant did ever equal . miracles including such contradictions , as that one individual body can exist in two distant places at the same time , ought in no case to be believed ; but there are others , which however implying no contradiction , include somewhat monstrous in them , and carry such an air of incredibility , that nothing less than the utmost evidence of sense can induce the mind to assent to them . the miracles of christ and the apostles were indeed beyond the ordinary power of nature ; but yet were not so extravagantly stupendious , as might affright no less than perswade mankind . but the legendary writers of the church of rome , while they calculated their miracles , not for the benefit of the church , or information of the world , but the honour and admiration of their saint , scorned to stoop at ordinary prodigies , or take measures from the more sober miracles of the first founders of christianity . it was not sufficient for saint francis to turn water into wine , to draw water from the rock , and feed great multitudes with a little bread , in emulation of christ ( whose miracles the romish legends have so far transcribed , that not even those have been omitted , which argued a divine nature to be in christ. thus (a) st. philip neri is said to have understood the most private thoughts of men ; and his disciples pretended frequently to cure diseases in his name . yet these satisfied not the ambition of st. francis ) but higher flights must be taken , and greater miracles invented . beasts , birds , and insects , must admire and reverence him ; the cross must speak to him , stone-walls must move at his command , ships must voluntarily attend his motions without any pilot , and his votaries must walk under water no otherwise than upon dry ground . lastly , to exceed the glory of all prophets and apostles , and even the humanity of christ himself ; he must know the secret thoughts of men ; a privilege in like manner challenged by apollonius , (a) and ignatius (b) ; altho the former recommended euphrates the philosopher to vespasian the emperor as a most vertuous and religious person , whom he afterwards accused of many horrid crimes before domitian ; and the latter , by the confession of his historians , was often ignorant of the intentions of the popes concerning his order ; and both chose to themselves at first disciples who apostatized from them : both equally pretended to know whatsoever was done in any absent part of the world ; and dio (c) asserts confidently , that apollonius knew at ephesus , what was done in the same moment at rome , altho we should ten thousand times disbelieve it but we have learned not to resign up our judgments to confident pretences ; and do not envy to the church of rome , the example and authority of the ancient heathens in inventing prodigious fables , and requiring a blind belief to be given to them . it were too tedious to reckon up all the fabulous prodigies ascribed to ignatius ; how many miracles were performed by his name written in a piece of paper ; how many legions of devils were driven away by his staff , and cures performed by the parings of his nails . but that miracle is more especially observable , which he acted at his last return into his own country . preaching there in field-conventicles , surrounded with a great auditory , his voice , tho naturally very low , and weakned with many diseases and infirmities , was heard distinctly above a quarter of a mile round . in framing of miracles for the reputation of an order , it seems dishonourable to copy out from one another . no greater curse can befal an order , than not to invent some miracles more stupendious , than any pretended to by other orders . yet in this case of preaching , the dominicans have been so successful in their miracles , that they have left no room for future invention . they tell us , that vincentius ferrerius of their order , preaching to people of many nations , and different languages at once , was understood by all at the same time , as well as if every one had heard him preaching in their own language . this was so high a flight , that it must be a very fruitful invention which can exceed it . the jesuits therefore at least , to offer somewhat in comparison to it , have represented ignatius dilating his voice in preaching beyond the ordinary power of nature ; and when they were conscious that this was too mean a flight , have ascribed to xaverius the gift of tongues ; a miracle in their esteem so great and unexceptionable , that of late it hath been thought worthy to be produced and employed in the conversion of english hereticks . but see the unhappiness of the project . there is yet extant an epistle of xaverius , wherein he complains of his small success in the east indies , proceeding from his want of the tongue ; and tells us , how coming to iapan , he employed himself for some months , with great labour and industry to learn the tongue . to which we may add , what orlandinus * relates of him , that , when in the island socotora , he could not teach christianity to the people by word of mouth , for want of the tongue , he taught them by nods , and the motion of his fingers . lastly , there are some miracles so foolish and unuseful , and performed upon such frivolous occasions , that the proposal of them would deserve our indignation , rather than belief ; such as are injurious to the honour of god , and repugnant to his wisdom , and look rather like the effects of vanity , or a trifling petulant humor , than the works of omniscience ; as if god would condescend to exert his omnipotence in trifles , and give sport to mankind . it would be unworthy his infinite perfection , to violate the ordinary course of nature , for any other than great and noble ends , or to prostitute his power of working miracles to the whimsies an capricio's of every petty devoto . when we are told , therefore , that an elm saluted apollonius with an articulate voice , at the command of an indian philosopher : that when the brachmans entertained him at dinner , the earth of its own accord rose up in a gibbous excrescence in form of a table ; leaves and flowers raised themselves into seats for the guests , and cups and dishes placed themselves on the table without any mover ; and that after the dinner , the brachmans diverted their guests by hanging in the air. when we hear of st. dunstans setting his shoulder to the church of macclesfield , which was not placed towards the east , and crouding it into a right position . that † st. philip neri could smell the devil , could see souls , while they were yet in the body ; and by the smell , distinguish who had kept their virginity , and who not . that st. dominick , and st. vrsula , with her army of virgins , marched through the rain without being wetted . that st. benedict , while yet a child , repaired the broken platter of his nurse . that when st. fremyns body was translated to amiens , the trees put on leaves , and the sun ascended to the tropick of cancer in the middle of december ; we cannot so far betray our reason , as to believe such trifles , which ●ould be even unworthy the gaiety of a theatre , much more the majesty and wisdom of god. st. francis and ignatius were no less remarkable for such miraculous freaks , than any other saint whatsoever . the former being invoked after death , set the broken legs of oxen , restored stollen cattel , mended crackt wooden dishes , and repaired broken plowshears ; and as if saints were freed from all obligations of moral justice , broke the prison-doors to set debtors at liberty . ignatius was taught to play at billiards by an extraordinary miracle ; and which will for ever engage the devotion of the softer sex to him , is reported to have conferred beauty upon deformed children , at a single invocation . his companions march through a deep snow ; but wheresoever they set their foot , the snow presently dislodgeth : a father and mother dispute whether their little son of three months old , should be named ignatius , or irenoeus . the controversy is committed to the arbitration of the child , who presently gives sentence for ignatius in an articulate speech . lastly , that nothing may be wanting to the perfection of these theatrical miracles , musick must be introduced to complement the saint , and divert the reader . when st. francis one night earnestly desired to hear some musick , a concert of angels appeared to him , and played most melodiously . while ignatius writ his constitutions , he often heard , not only in his imagination , but with his outward ears , most sweet lessons of the heavenly musick . and when his body was exposed after death , divers stars were seen upon his sepulchre , and a very harmonious concert of musick was heard about it , for two whole days together . but st. dunstan was more modest in procuring to himself this miraculous musick . he scorned to put the angels to any trouble ; and therefore his harp usually played of its own accord , as it hung upon the wall. such are the miracles , which in former ages advanced the doctrines of the church of rome , and at this day continue to be none of the least arguments of their truth to credulous and injudicious persons . upon these is founded the honour of their saints ; and upon their truth depends one of the most glorious notes of their church . from the miracles of saint francis alone , surius pretends , that , whatsoever hereticks may prate , it is abundantly proved , that the departed saints know our concerns on earth , and hear our petitions . thus the controversie of the invocation of saints is decided . add to this the visions of ignatius , and devotion of saint francis's lamb , and transubstantiation will be irrefragably demonstrated : and so in all other articles peculiar to the church of rome , miracles will not be wanting to demonstrate their truth . and indeed miracles are now become the only refuge to which our adversaries can recur , when reason and learning runs so low among them , and their arguments have been so often baffled . but by an unhappy incredulity we are no more inclined to believe their miracles , than doctrines ; the latter we imagine to be false , but the former both false and foolish . it remains therefore that we receive a conviction of the truth of the romish religion , as ignatius did , by supernatural illumination , and extraordinary impulse , which may be hoped for , when god shall lose his attribute of immutability , and christianity cease to be rational . but to pass by that ; from what hath been hitherto said , it appears that the church of rome is in the highest degree guilty of enthusiasm ; and that ignatius , and ( whom he imitated ) saint francis , were the greatest and most foolish enthusiasts of any age ; persons so far unworthy the glories of heaven , and society of angels , that they deserved rather to be excluded from the number of rational beings , and upon that account be placed one degree beneath fools and madmen . yet to these are publick prayers addressed in the church of rome , festivals celebrated , churches dedicated , and vows directed ; and as if all this were not sufficient , god must be desired to save us through their merits . thus bonaventure concludes the life of saint francis in these words . may iesus christ bring us unto heaven by the merits of his servant francis : and the golden legend thus . let us pray to saint francis that he would aid and assist us , that by his merits we may come to everlasting life . and that somewhat more than humane may be conceived of them ; we are told of ignatius , that only by his name writ in a piece of paper , he did more miracles than moses , and not fewer than the apostles ; that the founders indeed of other religious orders were formerly sent by god for the benefit of the church ; but that after all , in these last days , god hath spoken to us by his son ignatius , whom he hath made heir of all things , and to whom nothing else was wanting to the utmost perfection , but the following attribute , by whom also he made the world. this was spoken of ignatius before he was yet canonized . i know not whether his canonization qualified him to receive that attribute ; but i am sure it excused not his memory from the just imputation of folly and enthusiasm , nor the church of rome from the charge of a most deplorable fanaticism in celebrating his memory , and applauding his folly. finis . errata . page 1. l. 9. for convinceth r. convince , p. 14. l. 11. for any r. an , p. 39. l. 21. in marg . for vite r. vita , p. 24. l. 9. for first r. last , p. 39. l. ult . for swound r. swoon , p. 79. l. 22. for cap. grave r. capgrave , p. 105. l. 21. for do r. doth . books printed for richard chiswell . dr. cave's lives of the primitive fathers , in 2. vol. folio . dr. cary's chronological account of ancient time. fol. hooker's ecclesiastical polity . fol. sir. i●hn bu●l●ce's history of the irish rebellion . fol. the laws of this realm concerning jesuits , seminary priests , recusants , the oaths of supremacy and allegiance , explained by divers judgments and resolutions of the iudges ; with other observations thereupon . by willian cawley , esq. fol. dr. towerson's explication on the creed , the commandments , and lords prayer , in 3 vol. fol. bishop nicholson on the church-catechism . mr. iohn cave's seven occasional sermons . 4 to . bishop wilkins natural religion . 8 o. — his fifteen sermons 8 o. mr. tanners primordia : or the rise and growth of the first church of god described . 8 o. spaniards conspiracy against the state of venice . 8 o. dr. caves primitive christianity , in three parts . 8 o. certain genuine remains of the lord bacon , in arguments civil , moral , natural , &c. with a large account of all his works . by dr. tho. tenison . 8 o. dr. henry bagshaws discourses on select texts 8 o. mr. s●liers state of the church in the three first centuries . dr. burnets account of the life and death of the earl of rochester . 8 o. — history of the rights of princes in the disposing of ecclesiastical benefices church-lands 8 o. — relation of the present state of the difference between the french king and the court of rome ; to which is added , the popes brief to the assembly of the clergy , and their protestation , published by dr. burnet . 8 o. dr. combers companion to the altar . 8 o. dr. sher●ocks practical discourse of religious assemblies . 8 o. — defence of dr. stillingfleets unreasonabless of separation . 8 o. — a vindication of the defence of dr. stillingfleet , in answer to mr. baxter and mr. lob about catholick communion . 8 o. sir rob. filmers patriarcha , or natural power of kings . 8 o. bishop wettenhalls method and order for private devotion . 24 o. valentines private devotions . 4 o. dr. spencer de legibus hebr●orum ritualibus & earum rationibus , fol. dr. iohn lightfoots works in english , in 2 vol fol. sir tho. browns vulgar errors , with all the rest of his works , fol. patris simoni● d●squisitiones criticae de variis per diversa loca & tempora bibliorum editionibus . accedunt castig . opusc. ij. vossii de sybil. orac. 4 o. the case of lay-communion with the church of england considered , 4 o. two letters betwixt mr. r smith , and dr. hen. hammond about christs descent into hell , 8 o. dean stratfords disswasive from revenge , 8 o. dr. hez . burtons first volume of discourses , of purity and charity ; of repentance , and of seeking the kingdom of god. published by dean tillotson . 8 o. — his second volume of discourses on several practical subjects . 8 o. sir thomas mores vtopia , newly made english by dr. burnet . 8 o. mr. sellers devout communicant ; assisted with rules , meditations , prayers and anthems , 12. dr. towerson of the sacraments in general . — of the sacrament of baptism in particular . 8 o. the history of the covncil of trent , in which , besides the ordinary acts of the council , are declared many notable occurrences which hapned in christendom for 40 years , and particularly the practices of the covrt of rome to hinder the r●formation of their errors , and to maintain their greatness ; written by father paul of the servi . to which is added , the life of the author , and the history of the inquisition . dr. b●rnets history of the reformation of the church of eng. in 2 vol fol. a collection of sixteen several tracts and discourses , written in the years , from 16●8 . to 1685. inclusive ; by gilbert barnet . d. d. to which is added , a letter written to dr barnet ▪ giving an account of cardinal pools secret powers . the history of the powder treason , with a vindication of the proceedings thereupon . an impartial consideration of the five jesuits dying speeches , who were executed for the popish p●ot , 1679. 4 o. a dissertation concerning the government of the ancient church ; more particularly of the encroachments of the bishops of rome upon other sees , by william cave , d.d. 8 vo . an answer to mr. serjeant's [ sure footing in christianity ] concerning the rule of f●ith . with some other discourses . by william falkner , d. d. 4 o. a vindication of the ordinations of the church of england ; in an●wer to a paper written by one of the church of rome , to prove the nullity of our orders . by gilbert bvrnet . d d. an abrid●ment of the history of the reformation of the church of england , by gilb bvrnet , d d. 8 vo . the apology of the church of england ; and an epistle to one signior scipio . a venetian gentleman , concerning the council of trent . written both in latin , by the right reverend father in god , iohn iewel lord bishop of salisbury ; made english by a person of quality . to which is added , the life of the said bishop ; collected and written by the same hand , 8 vo . the life of william bedel , d. d. bishop of kilmore in ireland . together with certain letters which passed betwixt him and iames waddesworth ( a late pensioner of the holy inquisition of sevil ) in matters of religion , concerning the general motives to the roman obedience . 8 vo . the decree made at rome the second of march , 1679. condemning some opinions of the iesiuts , and other casuists . 4 o. a discourse concerning the necessity of reformation , with respect to the errors and corruptions of the church of rome . 4 o. first and second parts . a discourse concerning the celebration of divine service in an unknown tongue . 9 o. a papist no misrepresented by protestants . being a reply to the reflections upon the answer to [ a papist misrepresented and represented ] 4 o. an exposition of the doctrine of the church of england , in the several articles proposed by the late bishop of condom , [ in his exposition of the doctrine of the catholick church ] 4 o. defence of the exposition of the doctrine of the church of england ; against the exceptions of the mons. de meaux , late bishop of condom , and his vindicator , 4 o. a catechism , explaining the doctrine and practices of the church of rome . with an answer thereunto by a protestant of the church of england . 8 vo . a papist represented and not misrepresented , being an answer to the first , fifth and sixth sheets of the second part of the [ papist misrepresented and not represented ] ; and for a further vindication of the catechism , truly representing the doctrines and practices of the church of rome . 4 o. the lay-christian's obligation to read the holy scriptures . 4 o. the plain man's reply to the catholick missionaries . 24 o. an answer to three papers lately printed , concerning the authority of the catholick church in matters of faith , and the reformation of the church of england 4 o a vindication of the answer to the said three papers . 4 o. mr chillingworths book , called [ the religion of protestants a safe way to salv●tion ] made more generally useful by omitting personal contests , but inserting whatsoever concerns the common cause of protestants , or defends the church of england ; with an exact table of contents , and an addition of some genuine pieces of mr. chillingworths , never before printed , viz. against the infallibility of the roman church , transubstantiation , tradition , &c. and an account of what moved the author to turn papist , with his confutation of the said motives . an historical treatise written by an author of the communion of the church of rome , touching transubstantiation . wherein is made appear , that according to the principles of that church , this doctrine cannot be an article of faith , 4 o. the protestants companion , or an impartial survey , and comparison of the protestant religion as by law established , with the main doctrines of popery . wherein is shewn , that popery is contrary to scripture , primitive fathers and councils ; and that proved from holy writ , the writings of the ancient fathers , for several hundred years , and the confession of the most learned papists themselves . 4 o. the pillar and ground of truth . a treatise shewing that the roman church falsly claims to be that church , and the pillar of that truth mentioned by s. paul in his first epistle to timothy , chap. 3. ver . 15.4 o. the peoples right to read the holy scriptures asserted . 4 o. a short summary of the principal controversies between the church of engl. and the church of rome , being a vindication of several protestant doctrines , in answer to a late pamphlet , intituled , [ protestancy destitute of scripture proofs ] 4 o. an answer to a late pamphlet , intituled , [ the judgment and doctrine of the clergy of the church of england concerning one special branch of the kings prerogative , viz. [ in dispensing with the penal laws . ] 4 o. a discourse of the holy eucharist in the two great points of the real presence , and the adoration of the host ; in answer to the two discourses lately printed at oxford on this subject : to which is prefixed a large historical preface relating to the same argument . two discourses ; of purgatory , and prayers for the dead . the fifteen notes of the church , as laid down by cardinal bellarmin examined and confuted . 4 o. with a table to the whole . preparation for death : being a letter sent to a young gentlewoman in france , in a dangerous distemper of which she died . by w. wake , m. a 12 o. the difference between the church of england and the church of rome ▪ in opposition to a late book , intituled , an agreement between the church of england and church of rome . a private prayer to be used in difficult times . a true account of a conference held about religion at london , sept. 29. 1687. between a. pulton , jesuit , and th. tenison , d. d. as also of that which led to it , and followed after it . 4 o. the vindication of a. cressener , schoolmaster in long-acre , from the aspersions of a. pulton , jesuit . schoolmaster in the savoy , together with some account of his discourse with mr. meredith . a discourse shewing that protestants are on the safer side , notwithstanding the uncharitable judgment of adversaries ; and that their religion is the surest way to heaven . 4 o. six conferences concerning the eucharist , wherein is shewed , that the doctrine of transubstantiation overthrows the proofs of christian religion . a discourse concerning the pretended sacrament of extreme vnction ; with an account of the occasions and beginnings of it in the western church . in three parts . with a letter to the vindicator of the bishop of condom . a second letter from the author of the discourse concerning extreme unction to the vindicator of the bishop of condom . the pamphlet entituled , speculum ecclesiasticum , or an ecclesiastical prospective-glass , considered , in its false reasonings and quotations . these are added , by way of preface , two further answers , the first , to the defender of the speculum ; the second to the half-sheet against the six conferences . a second defence of the exposition of the doctrine of the church of england , against the new exceptions of mons. de meaux , late bishop of condom , and his vindicator . the first part . in which the account that has been given of the bishop of meaux's exposition , is fully vindicated ; the distinction of old and new popery historically asserted , and the doctrine of the church of rome , in point of image-worship , more particularly considered . 4 o. a second defence of the exposition of the doctrine of the church of england , against the new exceptions of mons. de meaux , late bishop of condom , and his vindicator . the second part . in which the romish doctrines concerning the nature and object of religious worship , of the invocation of saints , and worship of images and relicks , are considered , and the charge of idolatry against the church of rome , upon the account of them , made good , 4 o. the incurable scepticism of the church of rome . by the author of the [ six conferences concerning the eucharist . ] 4 o. mr. pulton considered in his sincerity , reasonings authorities : or a just answer to what he hath hitherto published in his true account ; his true and fu● account of a conference , &c. his remarks ; and in them his pretended confutation of what he 〈◊〉 dr. t●● rule of faith. by th. tenison , d. d. a full view of the doctrine and practices of the ancient church relating to the eucharist , wholly different from those of the present roman church , and inconsistent with the belief of 〈…〉 . b●ing ● sufficient confutation of consensus veter●● , n●bis 〈◊〉 , and other late collections of the fathers pretending to the contrary . 4 ● an answer to 〈…〉 reflections upon the state and view of the controversy ; with 〈…〉 v●●dicator's f●ll answer shewing ; that the vindicator has utterly ru●●●d the new design of expanding and representing popery . 4 o. an answer to the popish address presented to the ministers of the church of england , 4 o. popery not founded in scripture , or the texts which papists cite out of the bible for proofs of the points of their r●●i●i●n , examin'd and shew'd to be alledged without ground . in twenty discourses , four whereof are published , the rest will follow weekly in their order . an abridgment of the perogative of st. ann , mother of the mother of god , with the approbations of the 〈◊〉 of paris , thence done into english , with a preface concernining the o●igin●l of the story . the ●●●●nitive fathers no papi●t● , in answer to the nubes testium , to which is added , a discourse concerning i●v●cation of saints , in answer to the challenge of f. sabran the jesuit ; wherein is shewn , that the invocation of saints was so far from being the practice , that it was expresly against the doctrine of the primitive fathers . 4 o. an answer to a discourse concerning the celibacy of the clergy , lately printed at oxford . 4 o. the virgin mary misrepresented by the roman church , in the traditions of that church concerning her life and glory , and in the devotions paid to her as the mother of god. both shewed out of the offices of that church , the lessons on her festivals , and from their allowed authors . reflections upon the ●●oks of the holy scripture , in order to establish the truth of the christian religion , in 3 parts . 8 vo . 〈…〉 dr. tenisons sermon of discretion in giving alms. 12 o. a discourse concering the merits of good works . the enthusiasm of the church of rome , demonstrated in some observations upon the life of ignatius loyala , ( founder of the order of jesus ) . a vindication of the answer to the popish address presented to the ministers of the church of england . 4 o. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a65590-e2900 vid. 2d part of the vindication of the exposition of the doctrine of the church of england . (a) de divin . offic. c. 4. (b) not. in martyrolog . rom. p. 3. edit . paris , 1645. (c) annal. ad an . 395. n 20. (d) hist. eccl. l. 6. c. 26. (e) ap. euseb. praep. evang. l. 3. c. 4. paulo post princip . in vita aedesii prope fin . notes for div a65590-e4270 (a) superstitio error insanus est , quos colit , violat . quid enim interest utrum deos neges an infames ? epist. 123. (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . de superstitione . vid. histoire de l' inquisition de goa , chez hortemels , paris , 1688 cum privilegio . ⸫ de la vie de st. ignac . lib. 1. vid. orlandin . hist. soc. jesu l. 1. num . 9. &c. * ibid. † de vita ignat . l. 1. c. 2. * bouhours , l. 1. ‖ id. ibid. bouhours l. 1. maffeius , l. 1. c. 2. vie de st. ignace . l. 2. c. 5. bouhours , l. 2. bonaventura de vita . fran. cap. 3. id. cap. 1. bouhours , l. 3. id. l. 4. bouhours , l. 1. * ibid. maffeius , l. 1. c. 3. bouhours l. 1. l. 1. c. 3. (a) l. 1. (b) cap. 2. rome , 1629. ● vo maffeius , l. 1. c. 3. (a) hist. soc. jesu , l. 1. (b) lib. 3. philostratus de vit . apoll. ● . ● . c. 12. id. l. 3. c. 15. bonaventura , cap. 15.6 . † de vita fr. cap. 14. bussieres , l. 2. c. 16. philostrat . l. 1. c. 15.9 . bonavent . cap. 8. vitelleschi , cap. 7. philostrat . l. 1. c. 9. philostrat . l. 7. c. 6. bonavent . cap. 8. (a) l. 3. c. 3. (b) cap. 5. bouhours , l. 2. id. l. 6. philostr . l. 8. c. 2. bouhours , l. 1. id. l. 2. gloria s. ignatii , rothomagi , 1630. cap. 8. id. c. 14. ribadeneira in vit . ejus . philostrat . l. 1. c. 13. l. 7. l. 1. l. 7. bonaventur . c. 7. golden legend , fol. 262. london , 1527. bouhours , l. 1. id. l. 6. gloria s. ignatii , cap. 7. bouhours , l. 6. * vite ejus per jac. baccium romae 1645. bouhours , l. 1. gloria s. ignatii , cap. 8. * bouhours , l. 6. vitelleschi , c. 20. † jac. baccius in vit. ejus , l. 2. c. 19. vitelleschi , c. 19. bouhours , l. 6. * cap. 3. ‖ l. 1. ‡ l. 1. ‖ hist. soc. jesu . l. 1. num . 7. bouhours , l. 2. id. ibid. maffeius , l. 1. c. 18. bussieres l. 2. c. 1. bouhours , l. 2. bussieres , l. 3. c. 8. gloria st. ignatii , c. 4. l. 1. * l. 1. id. ibid , id. l. 2. vitelleschi , cap. 4. id. cap. 5. bouhours , l. 3. vitelleschi , cap. 14. bouhours , l. 3. id. ibid. golden legend , london , 1527. par . 2. fol. 103. bouhours , loc . cit . bonaventura , cap. 8.13 . bouhours , l. 2. vitelleschi , cap. 4. id. ibid. bouhours , l. 3. vitelleschi , cap. 13. bonavent . cap. 3. id. cap. 2. bouhours , l. 2. de vita apoll. l. 4. c. 5. l. 8. c. 13. philostratus , l. 1. c. 13. l. 2. c. 10. l. 3. c. 7. l. 5 c. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. 7. c. 4. † apud euseb. adv . hierocl . in in●● . bonavent . in vit . ejus c. 11. cap. 4. cap. 12. cap. 3. cap. 13. in fine . bouhours , l. 4. id. ibid. (a) id. l. 1. (b) vitelleschi , cap. 16. orlandinus , l. 1. n. 27. bouhours , l. 3. id. l. 1. vitelleschi , c. 3. (c) bouhours , l. 1. gloria s. ignatii rothomagi , 1630. 240. cap. 4. cap. 3. bussieres , lib. 3. cap. 2. vid. supra . bouhours , l. 2. (a) ibid. (a) vid. l. 1. c. 5. l. 5. c. 10 , &c. (b) in vit. ejus passim . cap. 4. cap. 10. (c) l. 2. c. 14. (d) gloria s. ignat. c. 9. (e) bouhours , l. 6. (f) id. l. 2. id. ibid. (h) pousse de l' esprit de dieu . bussieres , l. 1. (i) bouhour● , l. 3. bonavent . cap. 3. bouhours , l. 3. (a) id. ibid. (b) vitelleschi , cap. 15. (c) ribadeneira , cap. 9. bouhours , l. 6. id. l. 2. (e) maffeius , l. 1. c. 17. bouhours , l. 5. bouhours , l. 3. id. ibid. id. l. 4. id. l. 5. maffeius , l. 3. c. 8. bonavent . cap. 6. philostrat . l. 5. c. 7. id. l. 1. c. 13. bonavent . c. 2. id. cap. 4. id. cap. 12. id. cap. 3. bouhours , l. 2. id. lib. 4. (a) cap. 16. philostrat . l. 3. l. 1. c. 12. bonavent . cap. 5. bouhours , l. 1. id. l. 3. gloria s. ignatii , cap. 9. vitelleschi , cap. 3. id. cap. 22. id. cap. 7. vid. bussieres , l. 1. c. 4. id. l. 2. c. 1. bouhours , lib. 5. id. l. 3. vitelleschi , cap. 19. bonavent . cap 2.8 . bonavent . cap. 3. cap. 2. cap. 3. id. cap. 8. bouhours , l. 2. id. ibid. id. ibid. ribadeneira , cap. 6. maffeius , l. 1. cap. 17. bouhours , l. 2. id. ibid. id. l. 3. maffeius , l. 2. c. 4. bouhours , l. 3. bonavent . cap. 4. cap. 3. cap. 8. bouhours , l. 1. id. l. 3. vid. bouhours , l. 6. bonavent . cap. 8. golden legend . london , 1527. fol. 190. philostratus , l. 7. bouhours , l. 1. maffeius , l. 1. c. 5. bussieres , l. 1. c. 3. bouhours , l. 2. id. ibid. cap. grave legend . nov. london , 1516. fol. 197. philostratus , l. 1. c. 10. id. l. 3. c. 9. bonavent . cap. 3. id. cap. 5. bouhours , l. 1. ribadeneira , cap. 2. bouhours , l. 1. id. l. 2. (a) bonavent . cap. 8. golden legend , london , 1527. bouhours , l. 2. vitelleschi , cap. 7. bouhours , l. 2. vitelleschi , cap. 12. bouhours , l. 3. id. ibid. philostratus , l. 1. c. 5.15 . golden legend . london , 1527. bonavent . cap. 5. bouhours , l. 1. vitelleschi , cap. 2. bouhours , l. 1. vitelleschi , cap. 3. bouhours , l. 1. bussieres , l. 1. c. 4. vitelleschi , cap. 19. bussieres , l. 2. c. 1. bonavent . cap. 6.2 . bouhours , l. 1. vitelleschi , cap. 19. bouhours , l. 2. bussieres , l. 2. c. 15. id. l. 2. c. 3. (a) iac. baccius in vit . ejus , l. 2. c. 19. bonavent . cap. 2. cap. 10. cap. 8. cap. 12. cap. 10. golden legend . fol. 264. id. in vita macarii . bonavent . cap. 5. cap. 6. cap. 15. bouhours , l. 1 vitelleschi , cap. 11. bussieres , l. 1. c. 4. vitelleschi , cap. 16. bouhours , l. 3. bouhours , l. 2. vitelleschi , cap. 20. bussieres , l. 1. c. 14. vitelleschi , cap. 19. bussieres , l. 2. c. 15. orlandin . hist. soc. jesu , l. 1. num . 44. bussieres , l. 1. c. 7. maffeius , l. 1. c. 15. vitelleschi , cap. 8. maffeius , l. 1. c. 15. orlandinus , num . 44. vitelleschi , cap. 6. orlandin . hist. soc. jesu , l. 1. num . 44. bouhours , l. 1. id. l. 2. id. l. 3. id. l. 6. golden legend , f. 70. bonavent . cap. 5. cap. 7. cap. 5. capgrave legend . nov. london , 1516. fol. 172. bussieres , l. 1. c. 2. vitelleschi , c. 16. ribadeneira , cap. 18. gloria s. ignatii , cap. 7. bouhours , l. 2. id. l. 6. bonavent . cap. 12. cap. 6. philostratus , l. 2. c. 2. l. 4. c. 6. l. 6. c. 13. id. l. 4. c. 5. bonavent . cap. 6. ribad . c. 18. gloria s. ignati● , cap. 7. golden legend in vita s. antonii . lib. 1. l. 1. c. 2. bouhours , l. 1. vitelleschi , cap. 3. bouhours , l. 2. id. l. 6. id. l. 2. (a) hist. arcan . vitelleschi , cap. 16. bouhours , l. 3. id. l. 6. a sua conversione nullum in eo deprehensum est dictum factumve , quod censeri posset esse peccatum mortale . bulla canonizat . lib. 1. ibid. bouhours , l. 2 , 3. id. l. 2. philostrat . l. 1. c. 11. bouhours , l. 2. bonavent . cap. 6. maffeius , l. 3. c. 7. bussieres , l. 2. c. 15. bouhours , l. 3. bouhours , l. 1. maffeius , l. 1. c. 1. maffeius , l. 2. c. 12. bouhours , l. 2. * apud ludov . lucium , hist. jesuitic . l. 1. c. 1. in init . basil. 1627. 4 to . bouhours , l. 2. vitelleschi , cap. 16. golden legend , fol. 190. bussieres , l. 1. c. 3. vitelleschi , cap. 12. bouhours , l. 1. c. 10. * l. 1. c. 10. bouhours , l. 6. l. 1. bonavent . cap. 5. id. ibid. bouhours , l. 2. vultum pro sua voluntate fingebar , ribadeneira , cap. 9. haec verba , ad majorem dei gloriam , uti symbolum in ore semper habebat . bulla canonizat . bussieres , l. 2. c. 14. (a) cap. 12. (b) ind. rom. libr. prohibit . romae 1607. p. 211. vitelleschi , c. 3. bouhours , l. 1. (c) gloria s. ignatii , c. 3. vid. supra . gloria s. ignatii , cap 4 ▪ vid. supplement to dr. burnet's letters . bonavent . cap. 2 , 4. bouhours , l. 1. id. l. 2. id. ibid. id. l. 3. bussieres , l. 2. c. 4. bouhours , l. 3. id. ibid. id. l. 4. id. l. 5. (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . adv. hierocl . prope fin . gloria s. ignatii , cap. 22. homil. 49. cap. 23. ignatii majorem necessitudine contubernii cognitionem hausimus prope fin . utpote haud satis certa & explorata . haud satis explorata sunt . l. 3. c. 14. in fine . in prefat . (a) lib. 6. (b) lib. 3. c. 5. (c) cap. 23 , 24. * cap. 16 , 17 , 7. bonavent . c. 15. philostrat . l. 1. c. 3. id. l. 8. c. 12. l. 4. c. 16. in aureliano caes. cap. 14. lib. 3. bonavent . c. 10. id. cap. 14. bouhours , l. 2. vitelleschi , cap. 7. cubiculo semper usus est perangusto humili , longo 29. lato 14. alto 10. palmis . gloria s. ignatii , c. 10. * de dea syra . bouhours , l. 6. gloria s. ignatii , c. 6. bouhours , l. 3. ‖ cap. 7. philostratus , l. 7. c. 16. * l. 7. c. 13. vid. bonavent . capgrave , fol. 262. golden legend ▪ fol. 103. philostrat . c. 3. ● . 15. (a) lib. 1. (b) de abstinent . l. 3. sect . 3. (c) lib. 2. bussieres , l. 1. c. 2. lib. 1. cap. 7. id. ibid. (a) l. 2. (b) l. 1. c. 8. (c) cap. 19 ▪ &c. (d) cap. 19. (e) l. 2. c. 23. (f) l. 5. maffeius , l. 2. c. 1. bussieres , l. 2. c. 3. l. 1. c. 2 , 5. golden legend . london , 1527. (g) vit. ejus , l. 3. c. 11. (h) cap. 4. cap. 11. cap. 15. illo ipso , quo romae obiit , momento . gloria s. ign. cap. 17. eo temporis puncto . ribadeneira . (a) gloria s. ign. cap. 3. (b) bouhours , ● . 4. ribad . c. 18. uno eodemque tempore in spectabili corpore duobus in locis , &c. gloria s. ign. c. 6. vitelleschi , cap. 16. bonavent . cap. 11. capgrave legend , nov. fol. 89. iamblichus de vit . pythag. cap. 19. bonavent . cap 5 , 7 , 8.2 , 7 , 12 , 18. (a) iac. baccius , in vir . ejus , l. 3. c. 8. l. 5. c. 4. id. cap. 11. (a) philostrat . l. 1. c. 13. l. 7. c. 4. (b) gloria s. ign. cap. 3. philostrat . l. 4. c. 12. bouhours , l. 2. vitelleschi , c. 16. philostrat . l. 5. ● . 10. l. 8. c. 10. (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , apud xiphilin . in domitiano . vitelleschi , c. 12. epist. ad sodales . inter epist ex india select . l. 1. ep. 3. p. 16. antwerp . 1605. 8 o. * hist. soc. jesu . l. 3. num . 87. colon. 1615. 4 o. philostrat . l. 6. c. 5. l. 3. capgrave , f. 94. golden legend . london , 1527. † jac. baccius in vit. ejus , l. 3. c. 1. l. 2. c. 13. id. fol. 103. id. fol. 68. bonavent . c. 24.19 . bouhours , l. 2. gloria s. ign. c. 17. bussieres , l. 2. c. 4. gloria s ign. c. 16. bonavent . cap. 5. gloria s. ign. c. 4. vitelleschi , c. 19. ribad . c. 21. capgrave legenda nova , london , 1516. fol. 89. not. ad bonavent . vit. s. francisci ad iv. octob. fol. 266. vid. tres insignes conciones pronuntiatas die festo glorific . b. ignatii excusas pictaviae 1611. the seven champions of christendom kirke, john this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a04874 of text s109282 in the english short title catalog (stc 15014). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. martin mueller incompletely or incorrectly transcribed words were reviewed and in many cases fixed by nayoon ahn lydia keren yi this text has not been fully proofread earlyprint project evanston il, notre dame in, st.louis, washington mo 2017 distributed under a creative commons attribution-noncommercial 3.0 unported license a04874.xml the seven champions of christendome. acted at the cocke-pit, and at the red-bull in st. iohns streete, with a generall liking. and never printed till this yeare 1638. written by i.k. kirke, john, d. 1643. 42 600dpi tiff g4 page images university of michigan, digital library production service ann arbor, michigan 2007 january (tcp phase 1) 99844932 stc (2nd ed.) 15014. greg, ii, 545. 9791 a04874

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the seven champions of christendome. acted at the cocke-pit, and at the red-bull in st. iohns streete, with a generall liking. and never printed till this yeare 1638. written by i.k. kirke, john, d. 1643. [86] p. printed by i. okes, and are to be sold by iames becket at his shop in the inner temple gate, london : 1638. 1638

dedication signed: iohn kirke.

partly in verse.

signatures: a-l4 (-a1).

the last leaf is blank.

reproduction of the original in the british library.

christian saints -drama -early works to 1800. a04874 shc the seven champions of christendom kirke, john nayoon ahn keren yi 1634 play closet drama shc no a04874 s109282 (stc 15014). 27646 0 0 0 2000.72b the rate of 0.72 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. incorporated ~ 10,000 textual changes made to the shc corpus by hannah bredar, kate needham, and lydia zoells between april and july 2015 during visits, separately or together, to the bodleian, folger and houghton libraries as well as the rare book libraries at northwestern university and the university of chicago

the seven champions of christendome .

acted at the cocke-pit , and at the red-bull in st. johns streete , with a generall liking .

and never printed till this yeare 1638 .

written by j. k.

london : printed by j. okes , and are to be sold by james becket at his shop in the inner temple gate . 1638 .

to his much respected and worthy friend master john waite . sir ,

thinking of amends to expres my gratefulnes for those many favours you have shown me , i could pitch on no other more fit than this my genius prompted me , it was well thought on , if yours give it the like acceptance i am happy : for workes of this nature , i dare affirme , have beene acceptable to most men , contemn'd by few , unlesse it bee those of the more stoicall disposition , whose rigid fronts cry downe all things , but what themselves approve of . for this worke of it selfe , i may say thus much without blushing , it received the rights of a good play , when it was acted , which were applauses & commendations , whether it merited them or not , i leave to your judgement : the nature of the worke , being history ; it consists of many parts , not walking in one direct path , of comedy , or tragedy , but having a larger field to trace , which me thinks should yeeld more pleasure to the reader , novelty and variety being the only objects these our times are taken with : the tragedy may be too dull and solid , the comedy too sharpe and bitter ; but a well mixt portion of either , doubtlesse would make the sweetest harmony . but this worke as it is , and my wishes that all defects in it , to my desires , and your content were supplide , i commend to your perusall , my selfe , it , and resting , to bee commanded by you in all friendly offices ,

john kirke .
the actors names . the seven champions . st. george of england . iames of spaine . anthony of italy . andrew of scotland . patrick of ireland . david of wales . denis of france . tarpax the divell . the emperour of trebozand . three lords . ancetes . almeno . lenon . the king of tartary . ormandine , a magician . 2 lords his friends , argalio , an inchanter . leonides , his friend . brandron , the giant . king of macedon . suckabus , the clowne . violeta , the princesse . carintha her maid . three daughters to macedon . calib , the witch . three spirits . three attendants on the emperour . three shepheards . a priest of pan . three messengers . two armed knights . three ghosts ; the father , mother , and sister of leonides .
the seven champions of christendome .
actus primus . thunder and lightning : enter calib the witch . calib . ha , lowder a little ; so , that burst was well : agen , ha , ha ; house , house your heads you fear-stroke mortal fooles ; when calibs consort plaies a huntse-up to her , how rarely doth it languell in mine eares ? these are mine organs , the toad , the batte , the raven , and the fell whisling bird , are all my anthum singing quiresters ; such saplesse rootes , and livelesse witherd woods are pleasanter to me , than to behold the jocund month of may , in whose greene head of youth , the amorous flora strowes her various flowers , and smiles to see how brave she has deckt her girle : but passe we may , as game for fangled fooles , that dares not set a foote in arts darke secret , and bewitching path as calib has . here is my mansion , within the rugged bowels of this cave , this cragge , his cliffe , this denne , which to behold would freeze to ice the hissing tramels of medusa : yet here inthron'd i sit , more richer in my spels and potent charmes , than is the stately mountaine queene , drest with the beauty of her sparkling jems , to vie a lustre 'gainst the heavenly lampes : but we are sunke in these antipades , so choakt with darknesse in great calibs cave , that it can stifle day , it can and shall , for we doe loath the light , and as our deedes are blacke we hug the night . but where 's this boy , my george , my love , my life , whom calib lately doates on more than life : i must not have him wander from my love , further than sommons of my eye or becke can call him back agen : but 't is my fiend gotten , & deformed issue that misleads him , for which , i le rappe him in a storme of haile , and dash him 'gainst the pavement on the rocky den : he must not lead my joy astray from me ; the parents of that boy begetting him , begot and boare the issue of their deaths , which done , the childe i stole , thinking alone to triumph in his death , and bathe my body in his popular gore : but dove-like nature favoured so the child , that calibs killing knife fell from her hand , and stead of stabs i kist i kist there i lipt boy , and since have brought him up , cope mate , and fellow with my owne sweete sonne : and now the boy desires to know , what calib hath so long conceal'd from him , his parentage , which still i must , as i have done , put off , and cast some pleasing game to file that question out of his thoughts : his heart soares high , fame on his temple plaies , and calib feares her death by autumes day , for which my light wing'd spirit of the aire grand tarpax , prince of the gristy north : what , ho tarpax , obey my charmes , and with the steele tipt pinions of thy wings , cut through the clowds and flye unto thy calib . thunder and lightning : tarpax descends . tar. no more my calib , see thy tarpax comes , more swifter than the motive of an eye , mounted on wings swift as a thought i flye unto my mistresse : now , what wouldst thou ? calib . be full resolv'd of feare , struck suddain doubts : age makes my spanne of dayes seeme but an inch , and snowes , like cold december , on my heart : see how i tremble tarpax , as doth the listning hart , when he heares the feather'd arrowes sing his funeral dirge . tar. name what afflicts my love . calib . but will my tarpax tell me ? tar. both must and will . calib . when must i dye then ? when must calibs life be backe surrenderd by the hands of death ? age can no longer to me subsistance give : my taper hath watcht long , when will it out ? performe no flattering part for to delude me : when ? ha , when my tarpax ? tar. fates keepe unknowne from spirits those last times of dayes and houres : yet can i riddle out a prophesie , which if my calib well observe and keepe thy time may farther runne , death stay his sleepe . calib . say on sweet tarpax . tar. whilst calib in her powerfull hand holds fast her powerfull art , so long may calib by her power , command death hold his dart . but when fond love by dotage shall , blindfold wise calibs eyes , with that great power she did command , the great inchantresse dies . cal. ha , ha , ha ; and when will that be tarpax ? vanish like smoake , my feare , come kisse me my love , thou hast earn'd thy breakefast chuck ; here suck thy fill . clowne within . clow. illo ho , ho illo . tar. what mortall 's that disturbs us ? shall i blast him ? cal. hold my love , 't is suckabus our sonne ; fall off . tar. the foole nere saw his father yet , make us acquainted . enter foole bloody . clow. so ho , ho ; mother , mother . cal. defend me tarpax : what doth ayle the boy ? clow. ale ? no mother ; i am neither in ale nor beere , nor no such graine-tub , peasanticall element : my hogshead runnes alegant , and your nursling broacht it . cal. hath george done this ? slave , thou lyest : goe call him hither . clow. mother , no more such words , my blood 's up , and i am apt for rebellion ; and you know a souldiers latin for the lye , is the stab . tar. hold villaine , what resist thy mother ? clow. oh lord , helpe me george , george , nursling george . cal. villaine come back , i 'le tosse thee in a whirle-winde i' th' ayre else : come back i say , and learne to put on duty . there stands your sire , you cur ; kneele for a benediction . clow. hold your hand mother , i have no mind to be made a buzzard , nor flye like an owle i' th' ayre , or mount like a kite over townes and citties for carrion , without any biding place . where my father is i know not , but the likenesse of our persons shews me a pig of your owne farrow . tar. i am thy father suckabus . clow. you may be the divell for ought i know , for you are neither like my mother , nor me . cal. cast feare and wonder off my boy , this is thy father , and a potent spirit , prince of the grisly north , that muffles us , and tyes , and also unties the fiery rude band og boreas : then , as becomes thee , shew thy reverence to him . clow. why now i am satisfi'd ; could not you have said this before , pray father , pray the devill to blesse me , and make me a man like my mother : so be it . both . our blessings on our child . clow. but doe you heare father , if you be a prince , i must be a lord , or an earle , or a devillish duke , or somewhat . tar. thou art by birth duke of styx , sulpher , & helvetia . clow. o brave , o brave , duke of styx , sulpher , & helvetia ? pray father , what title hath my mother ? tar. queene of limbony , and dutchesse of witchcordia . clow. i thought so , i told my mother shee lookt like a witch a great while agoe : a poxe on 't , i knew it : but doe you heare mother , were not you one of the cats that drunke up the millers ale in lancashire wind-mills ? cal. peace sir , begon , goe seeke out george , and bring him to me presently . clow. must i call george agen ? then ( i feare ) i shall get another broken pate , before i get a playster for this : for wee doe nothing in the world but fight ; he kils me two or three times in an houre : he playes a knight in armour , and i a lady ; that he fights with a great tree for , and winnes me from it : then i play a gyant , and he kils me ; then a boare , and he kills me agen ; then an inchanted castle , and then my stones goe to 'rack ; then a lyon , and then hee pulls out my heart . cal. then an asse sir . horne within . clow. right , and there he kills me agen : but mother , george is come , i heare his horne . cal. into my cave my tarpax , take my some with thee , i 'le have a little conference with george . exit . enter george . welcome my george , my joy , my love , my life , my soules sole darling , and my fancies dotage commander of great calib , and her power ; why does those eyes , the lights of calibs cell , shoote their illustrious splendor on the earth , and not shine upwards as they were wont to doe ? why doe those armes thus twine into a locke , as if dispaire had seiz'd upon thy thoughts , and b'lasted quite the flower of thy youth ? speake my lov'd nursling , can calib give thee ease ? geo. you may , you can . cal. why then be sure i will : let day-light shine then , and expell those clouds , for here i vow , by that infernall power , by whom i may command to grant what ere it be , thy full demand , not dangering of our selfe . geo. i wish it not , but so much love to my kind nurse , as shews a tender mother to her child , when she first blesses him after a long absence . cal. this stronger tyes our love ; thy demand ? geo. then thus : although i want no parent in your selfe , by your kind fostring and indulgency : be not offended , that i here renew my former suite , which though so long put by , your oath stands now unto me for to grant . cal. say on . geo. the knowledge of my parents , that by them i may not be a stranger to my selfe . cal. that string 's not out of tune , yet still 't is toucht , and i no longer now can put him off : george , you shall , your suit is granted ; but this condition i must have ye seale to , and then we will deliver eithers deed . geo. 't is granted . calib . then know sweet boy that calib loves thee deare , witnesse my pitty on thee at thy birth , when thy adultrous mother cast thee off , as fearefull least their close lascivious sinne should play the tell-tale of them to the world : wherefore thy mother strove by art to kill thee , even in thy first conception , but still my charmes i mixt amongst her drugges , whose greater poyson prov'd thy antidotes , kild what should kill , and in the casket safe preserv'd my jemme . georg. o my unhappy fate ! am i a bastard then ? calib . giv 't not so grosse a title , but list a little more : thy mother saw the more she strove to kill , the more thou quicknest , and grewst stronger still , gave ore the child-bane pills , and from the worlds quicke censuring , screend up the knowledge by obscurity , save unto me the closet of her thoughts , and an attendant hand-maid . but to be briefe , maturity being to ripenesse growne , i plaide lucidaes part , and snatcht thee from the knife , aim'd at thy heart ; thus having sav'd thee , going from thy unnaturall damme i bore thee to lifes safety ; and since thou hast a tongue to speake how i have us'd thee . george . both nurse and mother , my duty , with my thankes gives it acknowledgement : but could my mother , finding painfull throwes , through which i hastned to give her ease , before my tender eyes did ope to see the world , seeke to intombe me up agen ? calib . urge it no more she did . george . were they asham'd of their owne worke ? how were they titled , base or noble pray ? calib . base , and noble too : both base by thee , but noble by descent ; and thou got base , yet maist thou write true gent : no further satisfaction seeke to know , i call thee george , thy sur-name i must not shew . george . i have enough : i me glad i soare above the common wing , both base and noble too , they ar bloods that keepe two currents in my veines , but they must meete : smile honour and assist mee , let me thy foote-steppes trace , my noble deedes shall purge the blood that 's base . calib . i feare i have said too much : come george for mee . george . i am ready mother ; farewell the name of nurse : speake , and i grant . calib . then thus my george ; thou yet art but an april tender bud : before that month in thee be quite expired looke for thy mother here , an autumne shaken leafe , and falne to th' earth , dead and forgot ; now if thou lov'st me , as i hope thou dost , stay but a little , next puffe of winde makes me but kisse the earth , and thou hast freedome ; say , is it done ? georg. my teares deliver 't as my deede ; 't is done . calib . that 's my sweete boy ; and now to give thee further triall of my love , to thee alone the ransome shall belong of sixe obscur'd champions in my cave , a sight thou never yet beheldst , my loving boy : tarpax bring forth those daring champions that were sent to kill great calib , and confound my charme . oh they are come : this is , my george , the fiery youth of spain , cal'd by the name of iames : this anthony of italy : this the brave northerne knight , brave andrew : this irelands patricke : brittaines david this : and this the lively briske crosse capring french man denis : there take 'em to thee , use em as thou please ; their armour and their weapons too are thine : with which the scare-crowes came to fright us hence . georg. a sight would pierce a rocke , goodly shapt persons , how i suffer for them ? but yet i must dissemble love and pitty : are these 'em mother ? take them away , they have beene us'd too well ; wee 'le thinke of harder paine and courser fare . calib . that 's my best george , take this charming wand ; make tryall of it then against this rocke , and with once waving it about thy head , the mortis sinnewed stones shall cleave in sunder , and gape like an insatiate grave , to swalow up what 's theron : and doe but wish that it should close agen , give but the other wave , and it is done : there george i give it thee . thunder and lightning , a groan , tarpax laughes . georg. thankes loving mother . calib . ha , 't was tarpax voyce . tar. foole , foole , calib foole . calib . o my feare strooke shaken heart . georg. what ailes my mother ? calib . nay , nothing george : i must a while retire ; be not you absent , a minutes space shall send me back agen . exit . george . though borne in bastardy , how happy was my fate , in this good calib ; she 's cruell unto others , and few or none , whose foote doe chance to stray neare the abiding of this great inchantresse , but deaths therein , to which they travaile to . a world of fancies dance about my braines . and shapes me thoughts , which saies i am no bastard : or what a warre my selfe hath with my selfe , and spurres me on to know what fate denies me : she told me too my parentage was noble , but name and title she obscur'd from mee : how , or which way ; oh i hav 't , i will make tryall of her sorcery : she said , what i desir'd to see or know , this rod wave 'bout my head should amplifie : take courage george then , though they lov'd not thee , yet thus i doe desire their shapes to see . defend me all you ministers of grace . thunder and lightning , then soft musicke : enter the ghost of georges father and mother . fath. george . moth . george . geo. j answer to that name : say on . fath. then first to settle these thy wandring thoughts , thou art our sonne , truely legitimate ; vomit the thought of bastard , thou art none , but heire to the earle of coventry . geo. o say , resolve me compleat shadows of my parents , vpon my knees with reverence i bow , tell me , oh tell me , since from your ayrie shapes i heare both sound & voice adde to distressed george a second birth and life , in saying that yee live . fath. o no . mo. o no . geo. how soone fresh flowers fall , which now did grow . fath. delay not long thy parents rest my george , heare a briefe story , and then send me hence : know then that cursed calib , which now doates on thee , did not at first doe so , but poison'd us , and fled with thee away unto that cell of honour , secur'd by her inchantments from all danger , then hir intents not satisfied with both our lives , began to prey on thine ; but pitty , spight of hell , flew from thine eyes , and overthrew the murdresse black intent : that since th' ast liv'd in love and favour with her . but now be wise , her power is in thy hand . oh then be swift , be swift to execute thy parents murder on the damned witch : that done , redeeme the christian champions , go with them , her cave is not unfurnisht of rich armes ; fame holds the christian trophy thou must beare , englands red crosse shall george , then st. george weare , that summond us , back sends us : george waft thy wand . geo. farewell . exit . both . farewell deare son . thunder & lightning . geo. go rest , go rest sweet shadows , be no more disturb'd , all my sick passions , that late were scatter'd with my troubled thoughts , are re-united in this little orbe : but for this calib , this accursed hagge , whose deeds are blacker than her tempting tutors , revenge hath fill'd her cup unto the brim , and she shall quaffe her foule soules black perdition . both . protract not george , we rest not till she dies . geo. no more , no more , revenge like lightning flies . exit . a noise within : enter witch , tarpax , with other spirits arm'd , clowne with them , thundring and lightning . cal. shield me my tarpax from the furious boy , that hurries to my death more swifter than the hot fiery steeds , that threw ambitious phaeton from his pride : defend me then . tar. calib , we cannot . thy power 's extinct , and thou thy selfe must fall : did dotage on thy deaths-man blind thee so , to give thy safe protection and thy power to him ? now arm'd with both , comes to destroy thee . fie calib , fie , could not the riddle which i read to thee , when thou desired'st the knowledge of thy doome , forewarne thee then ? prepare , he comes . cal. hell and confusion . tar. i , confusion comes . cal. how comes he ? arm'd ? tar. one hand thy power , the other beares a falchion . cal. oh gentle tarpax , numbe his sences so , that he forget the power of his wand , we may be safe . tar. he comes , he comes . cal. circle me round , and keepe him off a while , whilst on the outside of this rocke i climbe vp by the crags unto the top . thundring & lightning : enter george in a fury , the spirits keepe him backe . geo. have i found thee witch ? i 'le not be long from thy accursed heart ; the bastard , hagge , is prov'd legitimate heire to great coventry , whom thou , thou devill , worse than those that guard thee , murther'd . but in despight of all thy hellish hoast , who faint against the justice of my cause , i thus assay thee . tar. thus we defend her . cal. fight sweet spirits , fight , kill but that boy , i 'le let ope rivers of my blood to you , and you shall drinke your fill . geo. this instrument is not of power to deale with fiends . cal. destroy him tarpax , let not the villaine breath . geo. i will make tryall of this other toole . tar. calib farwell , we can no longer stay , wee 'le meete thee strait in flames , our joviall day . cal. now cleaves the rock , and i doe sinke to hell ; roare wind , clap thunder for great calibs knell . musick : the rocke cleaves , she sinkes ; thunder & lightning . geo. sinke downe unto thy black infernall fellows hagge . this messenger assures me heaven 's pleas'd , at whose sweet ayre the other ayre dissolves , and all the black inchanted vapours hell cast up , descends to make her night more horrid there : and now those woods that were so long choak't up with hells black sulpher and disastrous fumes , give welcome to the golden eye of day , as a most cheerefull and blest visitant . but stay a little , all is not firmely finisht , there is an unlickt lumpe of hers remaines , suckabus her son : oh are ye there sir ? come , prepare ye . clow. alas sir , what to doe ? geo. to make a brand for the devills fire : i 'le cut your throate , and send you thither strait . clow. i doe beseech you sir , have no compassion on me , and let me live with you : there be cookes enough in hell without me , their roast-meate is too hot for my fingers , i shall never be able to licke 'em ; i had rather be your scullian here , than cooke ruffian there : i beseech you take pitty on me a motherlesse child , let me live with you sir , and suckabus shall suck out his owne heart to doe you any pleasure . geo. well , take thy life , be faithfull in my service , thy mothers sin hath perisht with her life : learne thou by her example then to shun it , be my attendant still and follow me . clown . i thanke you sir , and for this life that you have sav'd , thinke it no life , for it is not ; you may command , and have it when you please ; and i 'le be as firme to you as fire in water , as tender as the foxe o're the goose , or the wolfe o're the lambe ; when you are most in any danger , i 'le be farthest off from yee ; disobey your commands , and keepe your secrets like a cryer , or any thing else i can doe for you . geo. well sir , wee 'le conster your good meaning , i long to be in armour , mounted on a steed , to scuffle with black danger and her bug-beares : first i le set free those knights , and cherish them ; then see how long lost armour sits upon their backs , that done to armes , to hunt out honours game , for george is no george till i purchase fame . exit . as they go off , tarpax comes in , and beckons to the clowne . tar. illo hist , suckabus come hither . clowne . i cannot ; doe not you see my master gone before ? i am now bound , and must obey , must follow after : you have fry'd my mother in stekes by this time , and you would have my lambe stones and sweet-bread to inch out your commons . tar. come backe , or i will force thee . clowne .

sfoote i le set all the prentises in the house about your eares if you strike me , besides the law my master shall take of yee ; but now i remember club law is better : for they love your angels so wel there 's no pleading against you .

tarp. my angels slave ? clown . why any bodies , yours , or the divells , all 's one to them , so they have 'em : but now the humour has tooke me to come backe ; what is your pleasure ? tar. onely a short remembrance of your duty , with an acknowledgement you have a father , and al 's done : my blessing shall attend thee . clowne . let me first know , whether i have a mother or no , for mothers have so often belide the childes father , that i am very doubtfull whether ever i had any . tar. cast off those doubts then , i am thy father , calib was thy mother , was ? nay is , though strange it seemes to thee , earth was too base to hold so great a queene : didst thou not note the love 'twixt george and she ? clowne . nay truely father i did note something , but i cannot say directly what it was . tar. 't was love , great love betwixt 'em boy , but in the bottome of their honey cup i mixt a little dregges of bitter gall , which straight converted all their love to hate , and in that hate , that george , thy master , sought her death : but by my power i clave the rocke in twaine , whose carefull subjects underneath were ready to catch her in their armes , who when they had her ; those flames ascending up , which put such horrour into her , were bone-fires of their joy and loving hearts . clowne . o that i were there to leape over one of them . tar. i , they would make thee leap . clowne . and i am old dogge at that 'yfaith . tar. and now thy mother 's in my kingdome , boy , by this time crown'd with their applausive shouts , queene of helvetia . clowne . o my sweet mother : well , i le but serve my time out , and come home to you : you have staid me some thing long father , i must goe eate a dish of trotters to my breakfast , i shall hardly overtake my master else . tar. observe this fatherly instruction first : thou art to travaile with thy master , boy , through perrilous adventures , all sorts of countries , fashions , garbes and manners , thou must observe thou art effeminate in shape and favour , iust thy sweete mothers , sweete hu'd faire effigies , fram'd to make woemen do ate and flye to thee ; refuse 'em not , take all that comes , increase the world like one of tarpax sonnes . clowne . as long as my backe will hold let me alone . tarp. and when thou com'st in company of men , what ere they be , refuse not what they do ; if they quaffe wine by gallons , do so too : or cloud the aire with india's precious weede , kindle that fuell ; let thy chimny smoak too . clowne . like a fury . tarp. swallow no wrong , stabbe if they give the lie ; sweare and forsweare ; the rules of galantry . clowne . if e're a knight of the post mend me for that , hang me . tar. lye to get profit ; borrow , pay no debts , cheat and purloyne , thy are gaming dicers bets . clowne . if cottington out doe me i le be whipt . tar. love ease and sleepe , it ripes the memory : but in each sleepe have severall sleepers by thee : females , no men , i charge thee on my blessing . clowne . i le take my choyce here if you will . tar. no , no , goe travaile farther first ; these rules if thou observ'st and keep'st , thou soone shalt see thy mother . clowne . it shall be my daily practice father : farewell if i see you no more . tar. o we must meete agen nere feare 't : obey but my commands ; so farewell sonne , blessing on my boy . clowne . father farewell : i were an ungracious boy if i would not obey . now wenches looke to yourselves . exit . enter andrew , david , patricke , george , denis , james , anthony , all arm'd and plum'd . george . renowned christian knights welcome to liberty , the blacke inchantresse , by whose hell-bred power , bright honour was subdu'd , and pinniond up darke , is now her selfe fetter'd and manicl'd in the store-house where her accursed crimes can never pay the summe that ransomes her . all . our loves , our honours , and our lives rest pawnes to george of england for this favour . david . which we acknowledge with a generall thanks . georg. thus doe i cancell all those bonds but love , there rest my debtor still , as i will yours : the lazy dust , that long hath hid your guilt , is now brush't off , and you new polish't to the world agen : sift the dead ashes ere they kill the sparkes , and let fames wings fanne 'em to glorious flames ; shine bright my christian comets of the world , and english george , whom these your loves hath made seventh brother with you , in the schoole of armes shall prove no truant , noble christian knights . and. let scotlands andrew be the mount , brave youth , from whence thy beames may take a prospective , to see , to wish , to have , to rule the same . david . brave maiden knight , raise me another hill upon his mount , a beacon upon that , which kindled , all the world may see the flame , and fame cry out , i 'me wearied with thy fame . denis . the sybels have fore-told no more but seven , the odde man now is come , and all is even . pat. even in our loves , even in what heaven us sends ; still pagans scourges , and still christians friends : den. then let us seven defend the christians name : and let george beare the trophy of our fame . iames. advance it youth ; let thy white standard beare a bloody crosse , to fill the world with feare . georg. i crave a generall voyce , are all so pleas'd ? all . we are . george . let us imbrace , and seale it with each breast : and here behold your maiden knight doth draw defence to all that wrong insultion treads on : first in our cause 'gainst those fell miscreants , that trample on the christians sacred crosse , lifting aloft the mahometane moone , dishonour both to heaven and christendome : next to maintaine by force and dint of armes opressed ladies wrongs , widowes , & orphans , or who else , which wrongfully dares tread within a list ; and further let this christian power extend 'gainst blacke inchantments , witchcraft , and the like , that arts foule potency may meete us with . all . all this we sweare too on thy maiden sword . georg. it shall suffice ; the brazen piller 's not farre , vnto whose circuits knits the heads and paths of seven faire severall wayes : honour we altogether winne , is not to one ; then let us part , and as we part proclaime , whose champions we goe forth to purchace fame . george for brave england stands . den. denis for brave france . and. the bony scotland andrew will advance . iam. iames stands for spaine . pat. patricke for ireland . david . and david will the brittaines name defend . anton. the reare is brought up by anthony , who goes a champion forth for italy . georg. bravely resolv'd , at all the world we 'le play , but christendome that is our tiring house , the rest our stage . on which our buskin seames must wade in blood , but time no trifling loves , nor staies for none , le ts mount , and part , honour is yet unwonne . exeunt omnes .
actus secundus . enter emperour of trebizond , carinthia the princesse , ancetes a lord , violeta , & attendance . emp. the gods are angry with us , and their arrowes sticke in our bosomes , though we have inhausted the glory of our isles , and paid oblations on their altars , we remaine regardlesse and forsaken . princesse . o sacred pallas , protector of the virgin votary ; thou in whose well mixt soule iudgement and worth holds equall ballance ; from those sphere-like eyes that shoot forth terrour to the amazed world , send piercing lightning to consume these monsters that o're-whelme our kingdome . emp. ancetes are our proclamations forth , and a reward propos'd to those bold men dare undertake their ruine ? ancet. they are my lord ; and unto him , by whose unequal'd power the monstrous dragon falls , there is allotted the glorious shield , whose verdge is studded round with pearle , diamonds , rubies , and saphires , carbuncles , and other stones fetcht from the orient : that shield which from the indian provinces was sent as tribute to abate your wrath , and stay your army from invasion . empr. t is well . ancet. and to his valour that shall quell the pride of that fierce lyon forraging these fields , that doth devoure the harmlesse passengers , great mars his armour , and his ebon lance , a hot barbarian steed , whose fiery pace darts terrour through the trembling enemies , with such majesticke footing strikes the earth , as if he did disdaine the touch of it ; this as a donative is freely given to him whose valour shall confound that beast . princess . how many knights , even in their spring of youth , the pride and riches of this populous land , has his vast bowels made their sepulcher ? empr. teares not availe , but gives woes ballance waight , which of himselfe 's too heavy : this last edict will spurre our youthfull gallants to the chace of this untamed monster : oh we want those gretian youths those former ages bred ; a bold alcides , whose unequal'd strength tyr'd a step-mothers sharpe invention : deeds , whose relation frighted other men , were but his pleasure and his pastime then : what knights this morning are prepar'd to incounter the dreadfull dragon ? ancet. the sprightly youths , niger , pallemon , & antigonus ; niger well mounted on a sable horse , his armour of the same resemblance , discover'd in him actions sterne , and high , past through the city with magesticke pace : his outward forme prefigur'd to the eye , future presages of bold victory . next pallemon gave our eyes view of knightly prowesse , his armour russet , round beset with flames ; though artificiall , seem'd to consume the youthfull wearer , true embleme of unpittied light braine pride ; a fiery sorrell bore the noble youth , who chew'd the ringled bit , as in disdaine , to be o're-master'd by so weake a raine : and as the sunne forsooke his mistresse lappe , he left the city . last of all appear'd antigonus , in a sure armour clad ; a milke white courser bare him through the streetes : his plume agree'd with it , and at all poynts white , like the cause he went for : when he set forth , me thought he lookt like iustice dropt from heaven , to take revenge on wrong and cruelty , the peoples prayers went with him , and their eyes dropt teares , o're-masterd with their extasies . empr. oh be propitious heaven to their designes , give double vigour to their able nerves , inflame their hearts with matchlesse charity . ancetes haste you to the temple strait , give order to apollo's sacred priests , to make his altars smoak with hallowed fumes , let neither prayers nor sacrifice be scant , to move the gods to heare our just complaint , ancet. i shall my lord . empr. good daughter be it your charge to summon all the virgin votaries of dianaes traine , attir'd in all the choyce habiliments , to gratulate these warlike youths returne , 't is our last hazard , and like gamesters now , we venture all at one uncertaine throw : if we prevaile , immortall verse shall crowne and memorize their happy victory ; but if they fall , their ruines shall be song in elegiacke straines , recorded fit for such untimely fatall overthrowes : how ever , honour shall adorne their herse , and they still live by never dying verse . exeunt . enter country swaines . 1 sw. wit must not be advanc'd then ? 2. no , all 's dust . 3. must not the may-pole up ? what will this come to at length ? 1. god pan will never endure it . 2. he must endure it , an he were a god of tustaffety : i am in a fustian-fume to see 't , but all will doe no good . well fellow well-braine , doe i live to see , the may-pole slighted , i could be drunke by priviledge in those dayes , and had a stay to leane on : now 't is past , and who can helpe it ? 3. that we shall presently know : here comes the priest of pan , and hee 'le dissolve us , 't is all to nothing else . enter priest . priest . lay by your idle sports and vanities , and send up vowes and sad repentant teares : these offend , and pull downe ruines on us , to provoke the gods , ready to destroy us . 1. what newes baptisto there ? enter baptisto . bap. oh sir , i cannot speake and tell yee , let me weepe out mine eyes first , and then i may chance finde the way too 't . priest . prithee whither , out with it ? bap. betimes this morning unfolding my sheepe , some halfe a mile off the dragons denne : for hee 's no night-walker , take that by th' way , and in the day time i 'le keepe out of 's company . 2. come forward . bap. comes me a gentleman all in black armour , to inquire of me where was the dragons lodging : i told him where he kept house , but wisht him , if he would be welcome , to bring his stoole with him ; for he was very churlish , and as most of our great men now a dayes , devoure all his neighbours : he smil'd , and on he rode ; i followed to see what would follow , and into a tree i got me : the trampling of his horse awak't the monster , and forth comes the devill out of his denne , the knight runnes at him with his launce , pierc't through one of his ugly wings , but by fatall chance his courser stumbl'd , and by unfortunate happe threw him betweene the monsters jawes , who in a trice with his large devillish teeth crusht him in pieces . all . alas poore gentleman ! bap. he had not hardly breath'd himselfe alittle , when suddenly two gallant knights assaild him , who long held combate with him , till the lyon , his devillish deare companion , came to helpe him ; who presently then sent 'em to accompany their fellows fate . all . vnhappy chance ! bap. they having done their worke , went to their dens , to licke their wounds , i thinke for want of better surgeans : i tooke the opportunity , and hither stole to relate the newes . loud musick . priest . but soft , what musick 's this ? surely there are some great ones abroad , and here they come : let 's stand aside awhile . flourish : enter emperour ancetes , andrew , and anthony , his daughter , three other virgins , bowes , arrows , and quivers by their sides ; attendants . emp. ancetes , thou hast told us deeds of wonder , and , but our eyes convince our doubtfull thoughts , we could not give beleefe too 't : now their deaths , that ran on danger for their countries good , have ample recompence : what power , for none but a celestiall one , could arme your hands , and give your spirits vigor to o'recome so much of danger ? anth. no other sir , but our true borne loves to noble actions , pitty of others wrong'd , and faire renowne , are all the spurres should put on noble spirits to warlike actions , and in that to fall , or rise with glory : who would not venture this weake peece of flesh , which every ague beats ? nor ever held i life at such a rate , but to get fame , i dare and will tempt fate . emp. what a bold spirit he moves with ! noble youths ; we glory that our countries earth now beares so much of man upon her . prin. sir , by my fathers leave i doe pronounce y' are freely welcome , not to us alone , but to all , all faithfull subjects to my father , and their loud joyes shall speake it ; one worke of gratitude we owe the gods , the other to your valours . what remaines , but that you blesse our eyes with the true figures of our deare lives preserver ? therefore unarme your selves , your dangerous combate , the heate and dust , and the fast closure of your armours strictnesse may much impaire your healths ; let me prevaile with you . and. bright lady , where necessity implies an act of duty , manly vertue should clap on spurres to hasten piety : these goodly parts , they were not made alone to serve our selves , but like pure fountaines , freely to dispence our streames to others wants : and so faire lady , vrgent affaires call on our swords and valours , to revenge the wrongs of some few virgins , that have long expected our wisht for presence . anth. this , i hope , may plead in our excuse , and no way render us discourteous or unworthy for departing unarmed , or else unman'd from this faire presence , and so we take our leaves . emp. make me not so unworthy by your absence , to my owne subjects , and to forraigne nations , vvho shall read the story of your deeds , and my requitall , but they will brand me with ingratitude . can you maintaine the good of charity in your owne actions , yet tye mine in bonds , when she should stretch her silver wings , and pay back thanks for so large benefits : no , take the meed your valours have deserv'd , and let us crowne our hopes , in that we long have wisht your faire aspects : nor shall your stay exceed our one nights welcome , and then a faire farewell . and. where majesty and beauty both command , in vaine were our resistance : brother , your hands and mine shall be imployd ; to unbuckle yours i 'le quickly ease your shoulders of a burden . omn. nay , wee 'le be helpers all . vnarmes them . emp. you make sure worke sirs , every light justle leaves you not defencelesse , and i commend your care in it . anth. he that encounters danger , must not thinke his skin of armour proofe : tho but young schollers , we have learn'd that discipline . prin. of goodly presence both , and farre exceeds the youths our countrey breeds , in forme and stature ; speake my carintha , what judge yee of them ? car. madam , so well , that had i leave to wed , one of these knights should blesse my marriage-bed . prin. then you are indifferent , your love is equall ? car. in troth it is . prin. so is not mine ; but thoughts a while conceale , what passion might unwisely now reveale . ance. they are both unarm'd . emp. now worthy knights , mine eye is pleas'd in viewing your faire presence , i would gladly know what countrey owes yee , for the place is happy that first gave yee beeing . and. not one my lord : we owe our lives first light to severall nations , an iland farre remov'd from grecian shores , vvhose lovely waste proud neptune circles round , her craggy clifts ambitiously threat heaven , and strikes pale terrour to the mariner , vvhen unadvisedly he falls on them . the inhabitants proportion'd like our selves , well skill'd in science , and all humane arts ; a government of peace and unity , for plenty , farre exceeding all the isles europes vast bounds or wealthy asia yeelds , the name britannia , which includes within it faire england , wales , and scotland ; the last of which i fetcht my birth from . thus have you heard at full what i can give you of relation . emp. it pleases us : but now sir we must crave the like from you , and then to court we hie to gratulate your welcome . anth. then know my lord , italian earth i claime , mother of arts , and nurse of noble spirits ; and in that countrey , rome , my place of birth , great mistris of the world , whose large-stretcht armes o're land and sea holds domination : renown'd for government in peace or warre even to the shoare of scorching india , their armes strike terrour through the world : kings were their vassals , and their awfull swords brought the knowne world to their subjection . nor wonder not great king , that we should leave a court that 's fraughted with such happinesse , for christians glory and our countries fame we have adventur'd life and honour too . emp. and both are lost i feare , unhappy men : whom in my piety i should respect , the gods in justice causes me reject . lay hands on 'em . both . on us ? for what ? empr. performe our will , in the delay is death . both . is this your welcome , love , and gratitude ? emp. your honour or your valour now will be of small assurance : what ill-fated starre guided your haplesse feete into this land ? these eyes that shot forth welcome , now must send embassadours of death to your cold hearts , no acclamations now must fill your eares with joyfull conquest : apollos garland , that should grace your browes , must decke your coffins , the grave your chambers , and the wormes must be the sad companions of your destiny . boldly then prepare , for in your journey you have equall share . anton. we mist your aimes in this ; 't is a strange turning from courteous welcome , to blacke threats of death . empr. i le ease your doubts , though not your misery ; you both are christians ? both . we are . empr. in being so , you post to your owne ruine : the holy gods , whom piety commands us to obey , have from their oracles sent this decree , what ever christian sets his haplesse foote on this forbidden ground unlesse he instantly recant his faith , let him be made a bloody sacrifice to appease our wrath : now here lies before yee the riches of our kingdome , glory , and honour , the benefits of sweete and happy life , all the most choyce delights , that with our love may be propos'd to you ; even these our beauties , turne your amorous eyes , please your owne fancies , and inrich your selves where you best affect , onely relinquish the religion which now you hold , and turne unto our gods ; that done , as we are emperour of trebizon , all these shall be perform'd : but if through pride , and hated wilfulnesse , you shall refuse our proffer , a present death attends you . both . we are prepar'd . emp. then in your death this favour we will shew , because your valour hath so shew'd you both , to be borne high and noble , we give this priviledge , to chuse your executioners . andr. thou hast redeem'd thy honour , and this sentence speakes thee a royall tyrant : come my friend , we two , like travellers that are inforc'd to venture on a lodging fild with horrors in outward shew , threatning no way but ruine , the blacke preparatives of sad decay , being vshers to the entrance ; but once being in , then thinke , my constant partner , what endlesse welcome followes ; pleasures unspeakable , beyond the sublimary thoughts of our poore natures : if but the thought of this advance the soule , and drives our sence to admiration : oh then how glorious is that wisht for seat , where all these benefits shall be compleat . anthon. i need no armour , but my constant heart , and thou hast given new life to 't in our deaths ; our innocence shall make our after story be worth all knowing judgements : nor shall our bloods be shed by vulgar hands , since we have power in the disposing it . come beauteous ladies , now expresse your arts , make your apollo wonder at your skill , and with more glory than he did ascend olimpus top , after blacke pythons fall : with more shall you salute your peoples eyes , rejoycing in our haplesse tragedies . princesse . vnhappy violeta . car. lost carintha . emp. bind them fast : now violeta , arme thy feeble hand , strike sure and fearelesse , for thou sendst the gods a pleasing sacrifice . prin. o unhappy mayd , lost in my best of wishes ! was i borne to ruine vertue , and gaine by it a name hatefull to all posterity ? royall sir , have you no other to imploy , than her that you gave life too ? must i become an executioner ? or doe you thinke me marble ? oh that i were , that i might ever weepe for your injustice : for ever may my hand forget its motion if it give way to this : know i dare dye , rather than act this mischiefe . emp. are you of that opinion too carintha ? car. sir i am , and rather will i chuse a noble death , than live with such dishonour . emp. oh my unbounded passions , give 'em vent , the flame will else consume me : fall from me all respects of nature ; i will forget that i had such a thought , as to beleeve thee mine : farewell the houres i often spent in contemplation of thy beauty , youth , and breeding ; thou and these shall be like things forgotten , and if thy hand refuse to act our will , expect the utmost of all sad afflictions our hate can cast upon thee . princesse . i am prepar'd , and glory in my suffrings . emp. binde them then , since you are so resolv'd , wee 'le give you cause to expresse your fortitude : they shall suffer first . anthon. give us a hearing sir : we doe not wish to pull on others ruines with our owne ; nor would we make you guilty of a crime so soule , least after ages should traduce your name for this impiety ; give us then your first and voluntary promise that your tongue alowd , and we will quit these ladies from the act . emp. we agree to 't , and by our gods i sweare my promise to performe without all doubt or fraud . anton. vnbinde us then , and give us in our hands our well try'd swords , and you shall see how quickly we will charme a passage to our wisht for expirations , we will embrace in steele : and worthy friend , doe but strike home , and thou shalt soone perceive how quickly wee le have freedome ; thou shalt see how i will meet thy wishes , and woe thy backward sword to give to me a passage to yon blessed kingdome . emp. vnbinde 'em strait , and arme 'em . princesse . this is cruell ; sinke mine eyes into your hollow cavernes , doe not see an act so full of horrour . emp. are yee prepar'd ? both . yes , for your eternall ruines . anthon. we are free , and like untamed lyons , we now will forrage , and bath us in your bloods . and. so , they are all disperst and fled ; never before stood life on such a fickle poynt with us : le ts leave this cursed kingdome , mount our steeds , which through negligence , our enemies have faild to sieze on ; leave them to curse their starres ; and still be sure , in all our actions , that heavens mighty hand , can mens devices easie countermand . exeunt .
actus tertius . enter almona and lenon , being throwne by david . almon. no more , no more , your words are feathers for the winde to play with . lenon . will you not joyne with me to be reveng'd ? when was it knowne that lenon and almona parted with victories tryumphant , which now flies with a disdain'd applause from us unto a stranger ? when did these bulwarks which hath stood till now the shock of all the knights our parts hath seene , ere shrinke under the sinews of an army ? al. why now , just now we have ; have we not still by daring challenges oppos'd our selves the round worlds opposites ? have not our prowesses in stately lifts tost up the golden ball , and wonne it ? is not bright honour free in princes courts ? we have o'recome , and now we are o'recome , and shall we envie what we ever loved , and were lov'd for ? so thinkes the adder , when his sting is gone , his hissing has the power to venome too . cast off that coate , it not becomes thee lenon ; 't will weare thy honour thread-bare to the bones , and make death seize on thee with infamy . le. let death come how he will , and doe you tamely suffer what you will , this brittish knight shall never boast in wales , that ere he triumpht victor over me . al. another charge : a charge and a shout cry arbasto . what over desperate and life-weary foole dares meete the couched lance of this brave knight , seeing the foyle we tooke ? le. the cry went in our prince arbasto's name : hearke another charge gives 'em a second meeting : 't is well he kept his saddle at the first : a charge , a cry arbasto . looke to the prince there some , and take him : for falne i 'me sure he is before this time . al. i now admire and love this venture in him : well done young twig of a most royall bough , thou hast wonne our losses , which we must allow . le. heark , the third charge is begun . a charge , a crye , save the prince . al. i doe not like that sound , what ever accident betides , arbasto hath not lost but wonne renowne : now , what newes bringst thou ? enter messenger . mes. set ope your eares to entertaine sad news , i sing the latest requiem of our prince , hee 's slaine . al. falne i beleeve , but yet i hope not slaine . le. this whet-stone makes revenges edge more keene : goe forward good mischance . mes. twice met this brave young prince the brittish knights , and bore his body stiffe against his shock , vnmov'd of either stirrop or of saddle , their shiver'd launces quarrell'd as they brake , and as they upward flew , clasht strong together , and he unmov'd , undanted twice appear'd as faire for victor as his stout opponent , and had he rested there , he had equall shar'd the dayes bright honour with him . le. well , the disaster . mes. bowing his plumed head unto his syre , who sent him smiles of joyes incouragement , addrest him for the third , and last careere : the christian knight likewise 'gan couch his lance , but as he graspt it in his manly fist , an angry fire circled about his eyes , and from the furrows of his browes revenge leapt forth , and seizes on the prince : they charg'd , he fell , and in the fall his neck he broke ; so ends my heavy nuntius . both . the prince ! al. so honour sprung a bud , and blasted it before it grew to his maturity ; noble prince , i pitty thy misfortune , more , the knights ; and i for this condemne nimble mischance , but not the knight at all . le. murderous villain , if my braines can invent torture sufficient , sufficient ; here begins thy hell , and i thy first devill . al. and i will second be how to prevent yee . enter the king of tartary , two knights in armour , the body of the prince arbasto in a herse . king . set downe the broken columne of mine age , the golden anchor , hope , once shewed to me , hath split and sunke the vessell held my wealth : oh my arbasto . alm. take comfort royall sir , fame stories few are living ; more the dead , death hath but rockt him then on honours bed : then let him sleepe . king . hee 's a good physitian that can quite kill griefe , that hath but newly made his patient of me : teares must give vent first to the oppressed heart , and time lay drawing plaisters to the sore , before he can find ease , but yet i thanke yee . le. most noble sir , teares shews effeminate in noble spirits , those aged sluces want that raine that falls , bewaile him not with teares , but with revenge ; if drops must needs be spilt , let 'em be blood . his blood that wilfully sheds blood , the law of nations wisely did allow all iusts and turnaments in princes courts , for honours cause to breake a friendly staffe , but not to make a butchery or shambles in court lists : therefore if i might of his jury be , my verdict should be given up , he must dye . alm. lord lenon , 't is most certaine he must dye : i love my soveraigne well , i lov'd his sonne , but dare not say that he deserves to dye : this stranger here , came here in honours cause , stak't honour downe , and bravely bore it hence : your selfe , silence but envies tongue , can witnesse with me , i have spoke but truth : where lives the noblenesse but in the minde ? wild beasts have strength , irrationall and rude , but want the sence of reasons government : let rage hot raines bite upon temperance : the iron handed fates warres hard at game , and threw a cast at brave arbastoes life ; but let your sentence passe my lord , ha' done , len. spoke like no lover of his soveraignes sonne alm. reply'd not like a lover unto either : your valours 's horse-like , and it must be tam'd , len. t will breake the riders necke dares but to back him . king . forbeare i say , on your allegeance : had my arbasto dyed in our defence , against the pride of the hot persian host , that seekes to pale his temple with our wreath , and name tartary new persia , our cares had beene but slight , but in a friendly breathing exercise , when honor goes a feasting but for shew , a jesting practice in the schoole of armes , there for to lose him . len. an ill intent arm'd executions hand . king . i know not that ; why should he ruine him , shewing more kind innated friendship to him , than brother shewes to brother . len. remus and romulus , my lord , one suckt more harder on the wolfe than tother , thinke what a game hope lost . alm. upon my soule , my lord , the knight is cleare of any foule intent against your sonne . len. why almaine , almaine , dare you stand to this ? alm. lenon i dare , and in thy venome blood write he 's not guilty . king . no more i say , upon your lives no more : too hard it is for me to give a true descidence to the cause , the knight was ever courteous , faire , and free , and 'gainst the persian in my just defence , ransom'd my sonne from multitudes of losse , and brought home conquest to our very gate , i cannot then in honour take his life , our neighbour kings would say , i dealt not faire , and quite disclaime in us all brother-hood : to banish him , were but the more to enlarge his fame ; all kingdomes are but knight errands native home . len. in private be it spoke my liege , i like not almonas love to this same knight : it little shewes love to the deceased prince : what was he but a young strait tender plant ; the sturdy oke might well have spar'd him then : his toward hopes were ruin'd and cut downe : had he done this in any other court , to any prince so toward as your sonne , he had ere this beene attomes : your sonne has suffer'd , let him suffer too , who ever wilfully committed murther , and was without excuse ? but can that save ? no more should this my liege , i have but said . king . and wisely lenon , goe bring forth the knight ; we are determin'd that he shall not live ; exit for him . nor shall he suffer here within our courts , wee 'le kill him in a nobler gentile way : o here he comes . enter knight bound . alm. you 'r gone ; false lenon hath betraid yee to your death . david . welcome my fate . king . sir knight , you have not fairely dealt with us ; though 'gainst my foes you brought me honour home , my deare sonnes life you have tooke for your reward ; but you shall finde 't is treasure stole , not bounty given , and for that theft your life must satisfie . david . king of tartary , heare sad david speake . len. now the excuse my lord . david . those honours i have brought you home , it seemes this accident hath cancel'd , and stifles all my merits in your love : yet let 'em hang like pendants on my herse , that i did love the unfortunate deceas'd , these drops of teares , true sorrowes , testifie ; and what hath happend to that lifes deare losse , was not by will , but fatall accident : i hold my hand up at the hand of heaven , not guilty : king , thinke not i speake to have thee spare my life , for halfe my life lies dead there with thy sonne , and here the other halfe is ready too , to testifie , how well i lov'd the prince , though now i dye . lenon . a heads man and an axe there . king . for him that calls him . alm. i that was well said king ; spannell no more . king . thy hand once more brave english knight , we are at peace , and will not what we may : but let me now one thing enjoyne you to , not as a pennance for my deare sonnes losse , but as a further safety of my kingdome , and larger interest of your love to me . david . give me the danger , i can meet but death . king . my hopes are better of thee , noble knight ; heare then thy taske , thou shalt then hence in knightly order ride , 'gainst him , not onely aided persia 'gainst our power , but shakes our kingdome with the power of hell , blake ormandine , the inchanted garden-keeper ; if that thou dar'st attempt , and bring his head , i will not onely quittance this mischance , which makes me wretched , but halfe my part of this large crowne is thine , and when i dye , david of wales reignes king of tartary ; speake comfortable words of the attempt . david . it is the oath of knight-hood i have tane , and here againe before you i will take , from hence being parted , ne're to make stay more than a nights repose till i am there , and being there , by all the honours of a knight i vow blacke ormandines head , and lay it at your feete : this , by the honour of a knight , i le do , or dye in the attempt . king . 't is enough ; rise noble david , so , now shall i be reveng'd for my sonnes life , without the clamour of the world for it : thou bring his head , poore knight , thou maist as well rob love of lightning , or claspe a hand garnado , being fir'd : to morrow morning you shall forward set ; on with the herse till you returne we sorrowes path shall tread , and bury griefe when thou bringst armands head . a dead march within . exeunt . chorus . our brittaine knight we leave in his hard journey but more hard attempt , yet all the other have not idle beene , for since their parting at the brazen piller , each hath shar'd strange and perillous adventures , which here in severall acts to personate , would in the meanest fill a larger scene than on this stage an action would containe ; but to the shortnesse of the time wee 'le sort , each champion in 't shall beare a little part of their more larger history : then let your fancies deeme upon a stage , one man a thousand , and one houre an age . and now with patience beare your kind attents to the red crosse bearer , english george , your high renowned knight , who since the hand of christendome parted her seven faire knights , the dangers he hath seene and past , would make the brightest day looke pale and tremble , nay death himselfe , that ends mortality , to thinke of death , and that himselfe must dye . after renowned george from the fell dragons jawes , redeem'd sabrina , pomils onely heire , with slaughter of the hell-produced fiend ; his wife he wonne , had pomil promise kept ; but in a large requitall of her life , incens'd by the moroco king , our champions rivall , cast george in prison , in a hatefull dungeon ; he that deserv'd his crowne , and daughters bed , he ingratefully with branne and water fed 7 years together , which time expir'd , the miserable knight found once that opportunity shewed him a little favour , for by the breaking of the iailers neck , he gaind the keyes which gave him liberty : when being freed , and out of dangers port , you his kind countrymen shall see for englands honour , georges chivaldry . enter clowne like a poore shepheard . clow.

oh most astonishable hunger ! thou that dost pinch worse than any fairies , or the gummes of old women : thou that dost freeze the mortall gouts of a man more than the rozom'd stick of a base violl , what shall be said ? what shall be done to thee ? oh my glorious mother , what a time of eating had i in thy dayes , nay , my magnanimous master , whom i lost in the devils arse of peake : what a plentifull progresse had i with thee , when we did nothing but kill gyants and wild beasts , then the golden gobbets of beefe and bacon , whose shining fat would cry clash in spight of my teeth , now i may compare with ploydens law , the case is alter'd ; a shepheard , a sheep-biter ; nay , i were happy then , i would wish no better bitings than mutton ; the cobs of herring , and parings of cheese is now a sundayes dyet , and yet they cry out of my abhominable feeding , my unsatisfied gut , with a wolfe at the end on 't : i have eate up my tarrebox for hunger already , what will be next troe ? soft , who comes here , my fellow swaine with some pittifull provant for my dinner ?

enter shepheard . shep.

suckabus , where art thou ?

clow.

heere , where the bare bones of him will be very shortly : what hast thou brought me there ?

shep.

a feast , a feast ; here 's princely cheere for thee : here 's two carrots and a turnip , and a little morsell of beanebread , that i stole to hearten thee up withall .

clow.

sweet fellow coridon , give me 't , i shal grow a phiosopher shortly if i fare o'th is fashion : o the very steame of the three fat oxen that my master found boyling for the gyants dinner , which we kill'd , would have fill'd both our bellies for a fortnight .

shep. ha , three oxen for one gyants dinner ? thou art mistaken sure ; thou art not old enough to see a giant , and could thy master and thee kill him ? clow.

why there 's the wit of a bell-weather ; one ? we kill'd a hundred : but talke i to thee , that wert never no traveller since thou wilt not beleeve a truth , i le hold my tongue , and fall to my teeth .

shep. nay good fellow suckabus be not angry , i doe beleeve : what are those gyants ? prithee tell me ? clow. no iackalents , no pigmies , no dwarfes . shep. nay , i doe beleeve they are lusty fellows , and men of tall stomacks , they could never eate so much else , three oxen at one meale . clow.

tush , a fasting-dayes medicum ; but when he makes a feast to stuffe his abhominable gut , three hundred acres of oates will scarse make oate-meale to thicken his porridge-pot .

shep. now the devill choake him , for hee 's fitter farre for hell , than to live here . clow.

hell ? what should he doe there ? hee 'd pisse out their fire , and drowne all the devills in his urine .

shep. o monstrous ! marry blesse me from him , i had thought they had not beene much taller than some of our guard . clow.

the guard ? hum , still like a bell-weather ? why hee 'le chop up two yeomen of the guard like pocht egges at a spoonefull : there 's not a meale that he makes , but hee will load yee two dung-carts with the picking of his teeth .

shep. blesse us ! clow. blesse thee ? why dost thou know what thou speak'st ? shep. no hurt i hope good fellow suckabus : but how could you two kill this monstrous man ? clow.

why as we killd a great many more of 'em ; wee rid a horseback into their bellies , made a quintin of their hearts , and rod out at the but-hole end .

shep. that may be done indeed , this carries some shew of truth . clow. why , didst thou thinke the rest were lies ? shep.

no , no ; lord , what indiscretion people learne by travaile ! i have heard my master say , hee was page to a knight erant they call'd old dick , who ha's bin sixe dayes together in the bottome of the sea , and tooke tobacko 'mongst the sharkes and such adventures , but none like this you speake of : travell'd you e're with him ?

clow.

i had more wit yfaith ; i deale in no water-workes .

shep.

but pray tell me now , what stature might this man be you kill'd ?

clow.

his stature ? let me not lye , he was not the biggest that e're we kill'd , let me tell yee that , he was just about that stature that tuttle-field would fitly make a grave for : i have told yee of a place before ; 't is neare london in england , where men goe a trayning to get 'em good stomacks .

shep.

that 's more than e're i heard of yfaith , that souldiers want stomacks : what enemies doe they meet with there ?

clow.

why barrels of beere , bottles of sack , costerdmongers , cakes , and creame , and their wives that bring 'em their dinner .

shep.

i marry sir , i would willingly be put into such service ; sure , their commanders are brave fellows .

clow.

the bravest can be pickt out in each parish , and the ablest too , yet i heard one man in the shape of a monster , put a captaine and his company to slight .

shep.

o monstrous !

clow.

come , no more of that ; let me intreat thy absence till i have eate my vittails , and i will tell thee more .

shep.

good suckabus doe , and i 'le see if i can tell thee of a dwarfe shall be all as little .

exit . clow.

well , say and hold ; come master carret and mistris turnup , i want but beefe and porke for sawce to yee , but hunger bids me fall to merrily , and i shall not want for sawce .

eates . enter george in poore habit . geo. thanks to my great preserver , by whose sacred power poore george of england is set free agen from death , danger , and imprisonment ; i bow with duty to thy deity ; seven yeares hath famine under bolts and barrs dungeon'd me up , accompanied with my teares in the darke bowels of a loathsome den , a place so farre remote from comfort , that not the smallest chinke or crany could let the sun-beames in to point on me ; yet thou , in whose foundation stands my building , hast given me freedome and my hope agen , those sweet companions that dispaire shut out . now george agen may weare a plumed crest , and wave the standard of great christendome in the defiance of her opposites : i 'me poore in show , yet since my freedome hath thus long laine rusty , and unoyl'd loines unarm'd , are grown a strength immutable and from the pinching pangs of famines jawes a second time ransom'd my pining life ; but since i have left those desart woods behind , let me behold this goodly prospective . clow.

so my panniar's pritty well sussifi'de , and the whelps in my belly muzzeld from barking any more this two houres : how now what proper stripling 's this stands gaping about him ? let me survey him .

geo.

a goodly place , pleasant , and full of ayre .

clow.

i cannot for my guts call to mind where i have seen this fellow .

geo.

inricht with plenties hand .

clow.

but that he had a horse and armour , hee doth resemble my long lost master george of england .

geo. ha ? what eccho's that gives me my name , without a summons which it answers to ? what fellow 's this that walkes and stares about me ? i am no wonder that i know of ; and but that time makes me to doubt , i should suppose him for to be my servant suckabus i lost . clow.

the same , the same ; i am your servant , and fellow suckabus : oh my sweet master ! have we found one another ? i could e'ne kisse thee round about for joy .

geo. i ' me glad to see thee ; it seemes you have alterd fortune with your master : where hast thou liv'd and wander'd since i lost thee ? clow.

oh sir , i have had such a company of masters in law since i left you : first sir , i serv'd a lord till he entertain'd a cooke , and then i must stay no longer : then i was gentleman vsher to a young lady , but she hating new fashions , i hated her service . then sir , i serv'd a young heire newly come to his living , and because he open'd his gates , and let hospitality enter , i bid �lanlet to him : then i serv'd a vsurer , and because he would often be drunke , and let his angels flye gratis , i gave him the bag too : then i dwelt with a procter , and he every day would bid conscience to dinner , so there was no staying with him : then i serv'd a scrivener , but he was so taken up with his orator the pillary , that i was faine to leave him too ; and then i came here a sheep-biting , as you see sir .

geo.

't is very well sir ; but will you leave your sheepe & your sheepe-hooke , and follow me without leesing ?

clow.

follow thee ? that i will , till i finde no land to tread on , nor water to swimme on : shepheard farwell , fox , looke to the lambs , wolfe , keepe the sheepe safe : now shall we kill gyants , and eate meate agen .

geo. be true to me , once more y' are entertain'd , 't shall not be long before thou seest this low dejected state shining in compleat steele : he that in pursuit of adventures goes , must not shun danger , though he meet with blows : come suckabus . exeunt . loud musick : enter the inchanter ormandine with some selected friends that live with him in his magick arts , with his spirits canopy borne over his head . orm. this is the state of princely ormandine ; tho once dejected , and low trodden downe vnder the feet of fortunes petty kings , above her envy re-advanc'd agen ; and you my friends and partners in her frowns , shal now deride her petty deity , laugh at those kings , which like to guilded moats ! dance in the sun-beame of her various smile : and when we have laught our fills , my fury then shall rise , and like a torrent in the ocean rais'd by swelling spring-tides driven from their bounds , so shall the rage of oxmandines swift vengeance at once o'reflow the cruell tartar and arabian kings . lord . great ormandine has given us satisfaction ; we were your subjects first , so are we now , yet never liv'd in that tranquillity , when we did bow under your scepter as now we doe : then cares of countries safety , and your person , care of our wives , our substance , and our selves , expell'd our stomacks , tooke our sleepes away , and made our eyes feares watchmen ; here art thou crown'd with arts rich , potent , and commanding power ; there sate a golden hoope temper'd with feare , that tattor'd on thy head , here with a wand thou call'st , and art obey'd ; there by the tartars cruelty dismay'd , thy pleasures mixt with store of misery , vndor the pride of tartars tyranny . then let me speake , but farre from contradiction , your hand hath laid her actions waite on well . orm. rest you contended with content , our will admits no counsell but our owne ; here lives no pitty of our enemy , we have bought vengeance at a mightier rate , than you , or can , or must be privy to . learning by time and industry are bought , but he that barters for revengefull arts , must with his best pri'zd jewell from depart : i have yet shewed tricks to make 'em laugh , but long it shall not be ere i smite home to make us pastimes by their generall ruines : and now my friends and subjects shall behold the indented time and riddle of our safety : ho tarpax , the chiefest which attends upon our acts . tar. what would my master ? tarpax must obey . orm. set forth my brazen pillar . tar. 't is done . orm. now wonder at the tablet i shall read , which while it comes to passe , live in more pleasures and voluptuous state , than doth the roman potentates . he reads . ormand be bold , seeare , and free , revell thou in arts potency , till from the cold and northerne clime , a knight post on the wings of time , being lighted on tartaries ground , of fame spoke loud by honour crown'd : from brute descended , and his brest is with a sanguine crosse be blest : then shall this sword , thy art here clos'd , by him be drawne , thy art oppos'd ; thy life , thy arts , thy potent power expire , dissolve that instant houre . orm. this bug-beare frights us not , and yet my fall must come from brute descended , and on his breast the embleme of our hate , a sanguine crosse : must ormandines great power be shaken downe by a chill northerne ague-shaken knight , a lumpe of snow , a frosty i sickle ? this saying damps me , and the thinne pure blood , which but even now flowed through the azure branches of my veines , is runne to cherish my feare-trembling heart , who , there affrighted at its horrid ruine , mixt with cold comfort , is congeal'd to clods , and i a blood lesse substance doe remaine . lord . why is our king and governour dismay'd ? orm. walke in i pray , i 'me very much disturb'd : exeunt lords . a swarthy passion harrows up my sence : ho tarpax . tar. your call must be obey'd : i 'me here . orm. fetch me my characters , my calculation , & my glasse . tar. they are here . orm. my ever-ready servant , fly to the first aã«riall degree , snatch thee a cloud , and wrap thy selfe intoo 't ; fly to tartaria , looke within his court , confines , & country , if any christian knight there be arriv'd , i feare me tarpax ; bring me answer swift , whilst i survy my booke and magick glasse . tar. i 'me gone ; ten minutes hence expect me back . orm. ha ? what 's here ? the tartars sonne slaine by a brittish knight , who , as a pennance for this hainous fact , sent here to fetch my head , by oath enjoyn'd too 't : a brittish knight , the same my tablet speaks of : now ormandine must fall . ho tarpax ! what sees my tarpax ? enter tarpax . tar. great ormand , haste unto thy powerfull charmes , we will assist thee in what hell can doe , with strength , with horrour , and detested shapes , to daunt the courage of this northerne knight , that comes to fetch the head of ormandine . orm. i read the same here too ; be swift my tarpax , summon up hells hoast to be my guardians 'gainst this northerne knight : put out the golden candle of the day with horrid darknesse from the night below : vnchain the windes , send out our fiery raines , breake atlas backe with thunder through the clouds , and dart your quick-past lightning at his face : raise earthquakes shaking round about his steps , to bandy him from one place to another ; let horrour empty all her store-house : if ormandine can vanquish but this knight , secure and firme still stand our power and might . exit . enter david arm'd cap-a-pe . dav. how shall i style this tartar ? i cannot say hee 's noble , nor yet base : h 'as given me life , but with that strange adventure , that he himselfe is confident i perish : my knighly oath assures him i will on , and setting on , am sure enough to fall : unhappy david in that princes death , whom fates , no will of mine , gave so unkind a meeting ; for which the sable plume and corslet i doe weare , as a true embleme of my inward sorrow : rest princely ashes in a golden vrne , whilst wretched david in a worke is sent , to his owne sad requiems bitterment , and be mine owne destroyer : take courage yet , let not base feare steal from thy heart the name of man away , death cannot dresse himselfe in such a shape , but i dare meete him ; on then in pursuit of a knightly vow , if 't chance dice run so , that we must fall , fame shall weare black at davids funerall . enter above ormandine , his friends , tarpax , & spirits . orm. hee 's now within a mile and lesse of us ; spirits away , each fall unto his taske , enter david . whilst i raise stormes which may dismay the knight . dav. yonder 's the place , mine eye hath reacht it : now ormandine , our bloody game begins , heads are our stakes , and there 's but one can winne . protect me heaven , what sudden strange eclipse do i behold thunder & lightning the golden sun that now smil'd in my face , drawes in his beames , and robes himselfe in black : in what a darke vaile is the cleare azur'd sky ! you do begin to entertaine me ormandy , but wee 'le have better welcome e're we part : i , let your thunder come , we dread it not ; what send yee fire-drakes too to meet with us ? your worst of horrour is best welcome to me : your ministers rather invite me on , than like to bug-beares fright me back agen : more visitants of hell-bred sorcery ? i must needs through , or sinke . tar. there 's nothing we can doe , can quell the valour of this christian knight . orm. my feares devine this is the man , by whom great ormand falls : hee 's come unto the gates , and now sticke fast my sword , and we are yet secure : so , in spight of all the tampring of your arts we are got something neare you now . this is the gate ; what have we here ? a brazen pillar , in it a golden sword , immur'd and rivited ; a golden tablet with inscriptions on 't , let me discourse with you a little first . ormand be bold , secure , and free , revell in arts strong potency , till from the cold and northerne clime , a knight poast on the wings of time . ha , what 's here ? till from the northerne clime , a knight poast on the wings of time . a northerne knight ! why that 's my selfe : let 's see a little farther . being lighted on tartary's ground , of fame belov'd by honour crown'd . i am arriv'd here in tartary , a northerne knight , and for my same and deeds of chivaldry , with honour hath been crown'd in princes courts : a little farther yet . from brute descended , and his brest is with a sanguine crosse be blest . i have enough ; david of wales from brute descended is , a christian knight , that weares the sanguine crosse , that must dissolve this blacke inchantment here : come let me clutch thy temper in my hand , thus draw thee forth , and thus : will you not come ? orm. o you are not the man , ha , ha , feare vanish once agen ; goe spirits , sieze that knight , and bring him straight . ormand and all laugh : spirits with fiery clubs , they fight . enter ormandine . orm. knight , knight forbeare , in vaine thy stroaks are dealt against our power : thou maist as well number those briny drops , as cope with these , or scape with life , did not we pitty thee ; spirits away . dav. art not thou ormandine ? orm. the same ; thy friend and ormandine . dav. that head i come for , and must ha 't . runnes at him with his sword , he puts it by with his wand . orm. the body will not yet so part with it ; this is the tartars cruelty not thine ; i know thy oath stands gag'd to bring this head , or not returne ; thus shalt thou save thy oath , here shalt thou live , with ormandine thy friend , here spend thy dayes , crown'd with delight and mirth , pleasure shall be thy vassell to command , with new inventions , fresh varieties , and when thy dalliance would consort with love , queenes shall infold thee in their ivory armes , which to affirme , and give thee love and liking , this waving of my wand above thy head , dissolves this horrour , and does give thee cause to change thy minde . the day cleares , inchantments cease : sweete musicke . dav. what alteration 's here ! your pardon mighty sir ; oh let me never , never part from hence . orm. be master of your wish : come sit here by me , i le rape your care , and captivate your eye . soft musicke . enter free excesse , immodest mirth , delight , desire , lust satied , and sicknesse , they dance ; after the dance excesse , delight , and desire embrace him to a lazy tune , they touch him , he falls into their armes , so carry him away . orm. how happy now is ormandine in this ; i will no more credit the tablet i shall for ever raine , as now i doe : eternity shall seale my habitation here , the brittaine knight is now within my power , charme hangs a drousie rest upon his eyes , and he shall sleepe his youth to a full age . as for the arabian bird , and the proud tartar , revenge arm'd with destruction to them flies ; who seekes my life , without my pitty dyes . exeunt . enter george arm'd , and clowne with him . geo. come on sir suckabus , how doe you like this alteration ? clow. nay , we are come to weare good cloth agen , and we fill our bellies at other folkes cost : marry we part with crackt crownes for our ordinaries . they that in the low countrey-garrisons kill men for three shillings a weeke , are punies to us ; by that time i have serv'd but halfe my time , i shall be able to play with all the fencers in christendome . geo. leave your folly sir . clow. leave your prating sir , and then wee 'le leave our livings both together . geo. villaine no more ; how pleasant is this place , how fresh and cleare , as when the last of aprill offers to sweet may the pride and glory of the youthfull spring , the lovers coupling time ! the farther that i goe , the more elizium like it doth appeare . clow. good master let 's goe back agen : i doe not like this talking of elizium ; it is a place where good and honest men come in , and for mine owne part , i am in the minde never to trouble it . geo. i thinke so too : what 's here the platforme of a garden ? if that the sun rob'd in his brightest glory , dazell not mine eyes , it is the richest that i ever saw , the paradise of some deity : â�� musicke too . clow. ey , two taylers are a dancing for a butter'd bunne . geo. list suckabus , hear'st thou no musick ? clow. i thinke i heare the horse-head and the tongs . geo. most heavenly musick , follow me close , wee 'le see the guider of this heavenly spheare , for sure no mortall ownes it . clowne . pray sir le ts backe againe , i have no minde to 't , the sunne shines so hot , i feare we shall have some raine . geor. what 's here , a wonder past the other beauties farre ? a brazen pillar , through whose impregnable body sticks a sword , a tablet , and inscriptions writ upon 't , wonder falls on me ! bee'st thou inchantment , th' art the loveliest shape that ever hels art strove to tempt withall : by your leave a little , it seemes these are no secrets , y' are open breasted , i must know your mind : we will not stand on doubts . he reads , pulls out the sword : thunder and lightning : a great cry within . i am the man , for england , oh y' are welcome sir . clowne . did not i tell yee ? now shall i be roasted for divels , and my bones scorcht into small-coales : where 's the goodly weather that we had even now ? where 's the tongs and the tailers a dancing . georg. follow me slave , wee 'le in , and with this immur'd blade , that i set free , cut out my passage through the gates of horror : the inchantment 's done , and georges happy fate some christians may redeeme from tyrants hate . exit george . clown . well , i were best runne away , while i have legges to carry me : he 's a good loving master , this same honest george , but he does lead me into more quarrels and dangers than all the roaring davids in the world ; but they are cowardly rascals , & i wil stay no longer , my accounts are made even , and i will backe agen ; hay day , they are at it . thunder & lightning , divels run laughing over the stage : tarpax with 'em . tar. come , we are freed , le ts now prepare his death , that being done , give welcome to him in confusion . clown . o brave , that by his likenesse and voyce should be my sire suckabus , 't is he ; i le take acquaintance of him . tar. who 's that , the issue of my calib ? begone afore i 'le follow . exeunt spirits . clow. he sees me , and stayes a purpose to talke with me : i will put on my mothers good face , and salute him : pray sir , hoping that the like is the same , father give me your blessing . tar. what suckabus ? o let me kisse my boy : a blessing on my princely sonne and heire . clow. thanke you father , i have not knowne my selfe a long time : but now your blood royall begins to plumpe up my veines . have you brought me never a letter from my mother queene ? tar. none my sweet sonne . clow. why that shews now , shee 's in her pontificalities , in my kingdome after your decease , shee never minds the sweet heire of her body , she casts me backward , as if i were unworthy to be prince of her joyes : but i shall think on 't . tar. be patient sonne . clow. you talke you know not what ; have you no carriers in your kingdome ? tar. yes , divers . clow. is hobson there , or dawson , or tom long ? tar. i know not till i make inquiry . clow. well , doe so father ; and if you find 'em , send to me by 'em ; they are honest men . not a letter ? can limbonias queene , and dutchesse of witchfordia so much forget her selfe , and that royall blood of hers , as not to send a letter to me ? tar. list to me my sonne , and i le shew thee the cause , why so thy mother and our royall selfe sent not unto thee : for hadst thou but obey'd the charge i left , iust at the parting of thy mother from thee , thou hadst e're this beene with us gentle boy , inthron'd and honour'd as thy mother is : welcom'd with tryumphs , shows , and fire-workes : of what we want , we shall be furnisht shortly . clow.

i would you had 'em , they 'd give much content ; oh i doe love those things a life i'faith . have you any squibs in your country ? any green-men in your shows , and whizers upon lines , iacke pudding upon rope , or sis in fire-workes ? but pray father let me know why you did not send .

tar. then thus : i did not bid thee unsolace thy mind like a dejected low-begotten slave , but revell , drinke , laugh , and carowse , quarrel , and stab , game , wench , sweare and curse , and if thy master offend thee , watch him asleepe , and kindly cut his throat ; so doing , hadst thou long e're this come to us . clow.

forgive me this , and if the obeying of your wil , wil bring me to you , let me alone ; i 'le not be long from home : but father , what , no trick , no invention to make me famous e're i come to you ? why , my mother could juggle as well as any hocus pocus i' th' world , and shall i doe nothing ?

tar. here , take this paper , learne these nine words in 't ; at reading the first three , i will appeare to thee , to satisfie what ever thou demand'st . the vertue of the other three is this : look , in what place soe're thou wish thy selfe , or company should meet thee to thy mind , speake but the middle three , 't is done : the best and last three words carry this property ; which once rehearst by thee , whom thou shalt please , shall straightwaies doat on thee , love thee intirely , nay , would dye for thee , if that in pitty thou not comfortst them : there 's a jewell for my princely boy . clow.

oh sweet father , now thou lov'st thy boy : but you know father , i never was so well learn'd , as to say god by my speed .

tar. the better , i would not have thee boy : i will infuse that learning in thy braine , that thou shalt read that whensoere thou please . clow. pray read em over to me father . tar. observe the first three words : hulcha , pulch , palcha ; these three being spok , i straight appeare . the next is runio , rant , runto ; then art thou where thou please , and in what company , the last and best plagmanitis , squirtis , pampistis , thy love lies in thine armes . clowne .

what a gift is here ! i will cuckold the great turke , love all his concubines , and lye with all over and over : i will beget a thousand of giants , fill the world full of basterds , march with an army royall of 'em into my kingdome , depose my father , and live like a monarch .

tarp. come bring me a little on my way my sonne , i le tell thee braver things than these that thou shalt doe . clowne . oh my sweete father , what a man art thou ! enter george , bringing out ormand and his friends . geor. what is the cause , you tenne times worse than divels , that thus , like traitors , you deface and spoyle so faire a stampe as your great makers is ? why have you sold your endlesse blisse for bane ? had they the hopes man has shining on them , worlds would not gaine a life of thousand yeares , and in those lives raigne kings and emperours , change those celestiall joyes you might have had : ever lost wretches , where 's your power now ? orm. vanquisht by thee : that sanguine crosse my tablet foretold , blood-sheds mine eyes for to behold it worne and thou that christian knight confounds my state : yet as thou honourst what i feare to see , as thou art hopefull of what 's past in me , and as thou art a knight sworne to honour , grant me one small request . geor. if thy request in honours grant stands faire , give us the knowledge , we will see 't perform'd , orm. then spare the lives of these two harmlesse men . which i secur'd by safety of my charmes . geor. are they not practis'd in thy horrid art ? orm. christian no . geo. the happier men : rise , we have no hate against yee . both . live still in honour , courteous christian knight . geor. now ormandine quit this my grant with one request from me . orm. 't is yours ; say on . georg. i crave the knowledge of your former being , before you found the path of your destruction . orm. know then , that island seated in the maine , whose crosticke sides poynts to barbaries kingdome , was i once duke of , the nearest parts to it is this of tartary , the other is arabia , whose kings disturb'd my peace and government : briefely , by flight we sav'd our lives ; and to revenge those wrongs i practic'd on this art , and since have liv'd scourges to both those kings : my tablet and piller then erected , through whose hardnesse stuck that temper'd blade ; the riddles date on 't did so strange appeare , that i thought ever , ever to live here . and now you shall behold another christian knight , sent from the tartar king , by oath enjoynd to fetch my head , this did i deeme the man , hath brought what you have , my confusion , but missing of my fears , i entertaind him faire , yet dreading still least he might prove the man , my art hung on his eyes these charmes of sleepe , which till i expiate , can never wake : his name is david , and a brittaine knight . geo. ha , my brother ! prepare thee ormand , this shal wake him . orm. hold , do not with crimson purple your white blade with such a hancell : give me but leave to mount yon storied steps , and you shall see brave archers hit me sure : thinke not that i must live , would you life give , be good unto my friends : i falne , take up your friend & hence . geor. well to your fate : farewell . thunder . orm. oh are you aiming , t was time i came , you had fetcht me else : so , so , we are met . thunder strikes him . he that sels blisse , and would in this art shine , at last shall pay for 't , as did ormandine . geor. so , farewell ormandine ; wake david , wake . dav. is the inchantment past ? where is this fiend , this divel ? ormandine , your charmes no longer shall prevaile on me . geor. no more , they shall not noble brittaine knight , see who with joy imbrace thee in his armes . dav. brother of england , farre-renowned george , am i a second time enlarg'd by thee ? i shall pay time a death indebted to thy valour . geo. doe not engage so farre , who knows what haps attend our next adventure ? dav. brother , where 's ormand ? geo. dead ! dav. oh i am lost , for ever lost and gone , for ever bearing knightly armes agen : oh , oh � geo. brave brittain knight with patience heare , i le tell o're your owne story . dav. say on my oracle , i will attend . geo. this sword you see is mine , inchantments done , you waken'd from deaths sleepe , think it not strange , ormand did declare before his death , your oaths adventure for to fetch his head : by the tartarian king , your oath shall be perform'd , wee 'le take it off ; these harmelesse men that hither fled , onely to save their lives , shall you get favour'd of their king agen ; i le beare you company unto the king , where we agen must part : you shall be further satisfi'd in all what appeares darke , i le open as we ride . come brother david , we the world that range , must not admire at accidents or change . exeunt .
actus quartus . enter argalio , leonides , and spirits . arg. come deare leonides , my loves sole minion , that like the powerfull ruler of the fates , turnes my restlesse negromantick charmes into what forme best fitts thy appetite : speake my leonides , prithee smile , and speake it , could earth or hell invent a guard to shield black crimes from direfull punishment ? walls are by warres strong engins raz'd and torne , and center-reaching cavernes of the earth , have oft bin made the inhabitants sad graves : but to build thee a stronger barracado , i have fetcht force from underneath the poles , the slimy mists of darke avernus lake , cocitus pitchy steems are mixt with that , and black compounded smoake the cyclops send from the foule sulpher of hot aetna's forge , all which i have compounded in a lumpe , to make this isle obscure and tenebrous . i 'le tell thee friend , those furious gyants that did warre with heaven , had they effected their great enterprise , could not more glory in their usurpation , than i doe in this master-piece of art . leon. true great argalio , yet here i live as a repriev'd prisoner , in hope of life , sure of imprisonment , losing the benefit of lifes repast . arg. in what ? leon. in the grand losse of the all-pleasing light , without the which life is a misery too hard to be inflicted . arg. wrong not thy judgment with that fond opinion , night , why 't is the proper spheare , the orbe of pleasure ; when doe those heires of pleasure , cupids lords , the active courtiers and attractive dames , choose to expresse their quintessence of mirth in sports and revells , is 't not in the night ? night and the pleasures that she brings with her , shall make thee scorne day , as unnecessary : my several spirits in an active dance shall now present themselves . enter spirits , and dance ; thunder & lightning . leon. why are these terrours mixt with our delights ? arg. the angry heavens with common destiny , thunder , reprove my sports . leon. as they 'd oppose my sinnes : enter leopides with father and sister . see , see where those poore soules , their murthering hands puld from the mortall motion of their flesh , come backe to give the ferry-man his hire , i am behinde hand in that fatall debt : but now in spight of his blacke churlish oare , wee 'le waft ourselves unto the hoped shoare . arg. correct thy feare affrighted fantasie against these fond illusions , see they are vanisht ; come unto pleasures turne , they but abuse thy thoughts . enter spirits . spir. o great argalio , call thy ablest charmes , never had art more need to helpe her mistresse : three bold adventerous knights prepare themselves to ruine thee . and thy leonides : aurela , queene of this unhappy kingdome , has given her best advice to further them . arg. be carefull of your charge , downe to the infernall vaults , call up the legion of the lower world , and throw hels vengeance on them : come my leonides , away with feare , should these charmes faile , which to mistrust were poore , my art should helpe thee with tenne thousand more . exeunt . enter iames . iam. sure i have lost mine eyes , or else am walkt into eternall darknesse : i have read how wise vlysses saw the under world , convers'd with bold achylles and the greekes , and then returnd alive to earth agen , but fables helpe but weakly , imitate what really i feele i have lost , my fellowes in this endlesse night ; till now their voyees kept me company . ho denis , denis . within . here , here . iam. where art thou man ? den. wading through fire , and buffetting with aire . iames. where 's patricke ? within . here , here . enter patr. pat. where 's my noble spaniard ? enter iam. iam. here , my friend . pat. we all came severall waies then ? den. but a worse than i have ventur'd , never man set foote to : first through a lake that lybias desarts yeeld not more hot contagions , venome that has strooke confused terrour throughout all my limbes , and pierc'd my armours closure , then was i faine to enterpose my shield , betwixt me and that pondrous weight , that fell , as if some castles ruines had falne downe , to crush me into nothing . pat. mulciber like i walkt through fire , and as the salamander bathed in the flames , winding his body in a streame of sulphure , so the devouring heate incompast me . iam. but i had musicke in my passage friends , the whistler and the screech-owle joyn'd their songs , the boding ravens made the consort up , and with their multitudes prest me to earth ; but here the ayre breaths cold and gently on us : is not yon light ? or being inur'd to darknesse , have not our eyes forgot their faculties ? 't is light ; what 's here , a pillar , and a tablet on 't ? the lively taper , which not onely cleares our eyes , so long invaded with cimerian mists , but gives vs light , by viewing this inscription , thereby for to unfold this darke aenigma . read denis . denis reades . read , and wonder , you that be not be not borne to end this prodigie . the golden fleece , which iason sought , in embleme must be hither brought , the floure de luce and harpe must ioyne , before the riddle you untwine . iberias earth must yeeld a knight , that must extinguish this great light . by the same water must be found , that borne was on unvenom'd ground . a gallion helmet , that must hold the water that these charmes unfold ; that done , this land resumes her rest , and all inchantments here deprest . either my genius flatters my best thoughts , or else we three were borne to consummate this great adventure . iam. 't is most plaine , spaine gave me birth , the golden fleece mine armes , the figure of that prize which iason brought , and to make perfect the inscription , here is a helmet fram'd in normandy , which i have worne in all my travailes since . den. no more of doubts ; argalio and leonides prepare to meete your ruine , your all potent charmes , me thinks i see them flye from roome to roome , searching the cavernes and obscurest vaults to hide their guilty heads from vengeance : and this strong charme , once thought invincible , when it shall vanish like an idle dreame , their confidence will plague their conscience more , than if they had mistrusted it before . iam. no more delaies , but boldly le ts assaile , our cause is good , and justice must prevaile . exit . enter argalio , and leonides . leon. it cleares , it cleares : what does thy art availe thee , thou that hast said for to obscure the sunne , where are they fled ? hide thy selfe now argalio , and hide my errours with thee , they are vaine , as my beleefes are , that thou hast a knowledge above my mischieves : horse us on the clouds , for nought else can prevent our imminent ruine . arg. art thou yet doubtfull , unbeleeving boy ? remember the large stretcht thoughts i have imploy'd to arme thee , could i cause darknesse ? could my powerfull art hide the bright sunne in his most royall progresse ? and shall it be confin'd by these opposers ? leon. i cannot have a faith in these delusions : let me despaire and dye ; here is a sword can quickly ease my torments , and set free a burthend conscience : how freely will my spirit greet the aire of hells blacke kingdome : there the thracian sits , hard by the sullen waters of blacke styx , fingring his lute ; to heare whose pleasing straines , hells ministers forget their offices , the wearied soules their torments , the whole vault resounds his ecchoes ; thither will i hie , and lay my troubled head upon his lap , and he shall charme me into endlesse slumbers . arg. hold braine-sicke man , looke up for thy safety ; seest thou this throne by sable spirits borne , in it wee 'le mount , so unbeleev'd a height , earth shall appeare an attome to thine eye : thou shalt view cynthia in her silver spheare , couch'd by aurora on her rosie bed ; and make the sunne-god jealous of your loves : wee 'le progresse over the celestiall orbes , thence to the windes , and view the hollow cave , where aeol fetters up the unruly broode ; then by descentions pleasing to our thoughts , wee 'le take survey of neptunes watry rule , ride o're the bosome of the ocean on crooked dolphins , amphion like , striking a well tun'd harp , and then to th' earth agen . leon. thou hast given me a new life , i feele a new unwonted joy assaile me , and all my sorrowes vanish like those clouds , that even but now invirond us with darknesse . arg. mount then my sonne , and as we reach the sky , my spirits shall salute us with sweete bayes , iove shall bow downe his head to heare their layes , and wish himselfe commander of their skill : will this delight thee ? leon. oh my happy friend . enter champions . pat. earth , nor her strongest hold shall not secure 'em . den. o act of wonder , we in vaine pursue : looke how they raise themselves unto the clouds : oh had i wings but to ore'take the villaine , divell , inchanter . arg. ha , ha , ha ; fooles to imagine you could wrong argalio , i pitty you , or else my powerfull hand should crush you into ayre : stand , and admire , whilst we ascend a height 'bove your weake thoughts . pat. yet are we happy , though they scap'd our justice , that we have freed the countrey from contagion . the people finde this benefit already ; shouts within . and harke , with shouts applaud this act of wonder : le ts to the queene , and fully give relations of all these accidents , then are we free for other warlike deeds . vertue should still be active , apt to right those which are wrong'd , and good deeds to requite .
actus quintus . enter suckabus with bread and meate in his hand . clowne .

ah sirrah , the world is pretty well amended with me now , thankes to my kingly father , and his charmes , 't was time for me to leave the domineering rascall , and his beggerly crue of wanderers , groomes i may tearme them , for if they had beene knights they would never have us'd a prince amongst 'em so . i have travail'd five times through the world , and not a towne , city , or burrough in england but i carryed the markes on my shoulders to shew for 't . the best dayes that ever i saw with 'em , was when we hir'd charles waine , and rid about the elements , that was the best twelve dayes journey that e're i had : and i remember we had good lodging at the twelve signes , and nobly us'd , for they would not take one penny , and to say the truth we had no money to give : but how we got up , or how the divell we got downe agen i know not : and then we fell to our old course agen , to kill every one that wee met : which course i not liking , in regard wee must fight for our victualls , i begg'd this charme of my father , where hearing of a famous castle of brandrons , and what a brave house hee kept for victuals , i out with my spell , and straight wisht me there ; which being no sooner utter'd , but a hawke or a buzard flew betwixt my legs , mounted me in the aire , and set me downe here , where i finde whole oxen , boyld in a pottage-pot will hold more water than the thames , and now having pretty well stuft my pannier , i le e'ne take a he sleepes . nap , and so wish my selfe somewhere else .

enter brandron . bran. how weary am i with this forraging , yet cannot finde my hunted prey come in : have i a truce granted to a fruitfull kingdome , and her chiefe city , not a mile from hence vpon condition i should spare his city , selfe , and people , to have my quicke provision hunted into my iron nets , and doe they breake and baffle thus ? is beare and lyon food too good for me ? why then i see i must take paines to march , and with my iron mace , pound , pash , and morter them and city too : oh the net is falne , 't is well you keepe your league . how now , what scare-crow 's that ? a sleeping dormouse in my castle walls : how got he in ? i have no other porter than my selfe , and through the key-hole sure he could not craule ; how or which way should this small spie get in ? sirrah awake , or with one phillip of my iron mace , i le send eternall sleepe to sieze on thee : awake you dog . clown . i , i , you say very well father , 't is true indeed , and then watch him asleepe , and kindly cut his throat . bran. how ? cut my throat ? i shall prevent yee slave : wren of deformity awake i say . clown . i heare a rumbling noyse , i le e'ne packe up my trinkets , and begon : oh lord what will become of me ! i have wisht my selfe to have my braines beate out . bran. what art thou worme ? clown . an 't please you sir , i am a prince , a sweete young prince , my fathers name is tarpax , prince of the grisly north , my mothers name was calib , queene of limbonia , and dutches of witchfordia . bran. perish thy father and thy mother , as thy selfe shall : slave how gotst thou in ? clown . i flew over the castle wall . bran. bird of the divell , where 's your wings to flye ? clown . if you will give me leave , you shall see me flye the same way backe agen . bran. no my fine pidgeon , i will clip your wings : come to my caldron , come i le see how finely you can flutter there , it reekes and bubbles , there i le plunge thee in , there shalt thou play my pige . till thou art fine , soft , plumpe , and tender sod , and then i le picke thy bones my dainty bird . clowne .

o lord , what shall become of me ? boyld , o lord , the very terrour of that word , hath thrust the charme quite from my head , that charme would save me ; oh sweet father now or never helpe me , and save a prince from boyling , a boyld prince is his meate else .

bran. dispatch my bird . clowne . o sweete father , now , now , now i goe else , boyld : oh the thought of that word : o i ha 't , sweete father i thanke thee , has put that charme into my head shall make 'em all in love with me : now i care not . bran. why when i say ? clown . splagnalis squirtis pampistis . the giant in a maze lets fall his club . bran. ha! the beames of wonder shootes into mine eyes , and love and pitty hath surpriz'd my heart . clown . oh sweete father , now he 's mine sure , and i will domineere . bran. the mornings majesty doth not so fresh break forth , when she doth usher the altitionate from forth his bed of spices , here to shine : how were mine eyes deluded , my sweet boy , when that i thought deformity hung here ? for which upon my knees i begge thy gracious pardon , and with submission , and contrition , doe desire that favour , but to kisse thy foote . clowne . my foote ? no you shall kisse somewhere else , my back-side of this hand is yours . bran. i merit not that favour , heavenly boy . clown . goe too , i le have my will , my hand is yours i say . bran. and for that hand my whole heart is thy slave ; demand , and take the life of brandron . then say , my dotage darling , canst thou love me ? clown . as well as i love roast beefe : hast any victualls love ? i am a hungry . bran. enough , my dainty boy ; the banquet of the gods , to which flew saturne , once in thirty yeares , tasteth not there of more delightsome cates , than i le have for my love : come in my boy , walke with me hand in hand , thou shalt not aske , but have thy full demand . exeunt . enter the sixe champions . iam. brothers , you are welcome all to brandrons castle . iam. not brandron nor his castle long shall beare that name . pat. a strong and sumptuous habitation . jam. to good a palace for a tyrants raine . andr. what , shall we knock , and rouse the monster up ? ant. le ts walke the round , and take a view of this strong castle first ; happily we may finde a passage in , for to surprize him e're he thinke of us ; le ts strike upon occasion , but advantage , in law of armes , deserves this hatefull traitor . pat. your counsell wee 'le allow , on , let be so : come gentlemen , le ts walke , but not too neare the castle pray , least treasons bounty should drop downe upon us . iam. what if we finde no entrance , and he refuse our summons , and not come ? and. that cannot be , we then might sterve the fiend ; his foode is dayly hunted to these nets , and once a day we are sure to meet with him : then let us carefull passe about these walls . exit . enter clowne and brandron . bran. how lik'st thou brandron , and his castle boy ? clowne . as i am a prince , i was never better pleas'd in all my life . bran. musicke to brandrons eare that thou art so . clowne . now you talke of musicke , will you heare me sing ? bran. a contradiction to thy will , were poyson to my thoughts : on my soules harmony . clowne sings . i have a love , as white as a raven , excelling for blacknesse the snow , she will scould , scratch , and bite like a fury or spright , and yet she was counted no shrow . the haire of her head was like coblers thred , which sow-haires doe draw through so , her legges on each foote is so sweld with the gout , that my love is not able to goe . her face bares a front , like to weare water-spout . which brought was from thence by great cunning , with a mill in her bum , that did roare like a drum , which did set her faire nose still a running . how like you this love ? bran. orion , that o're-strid the dolphine with his harp , nere song nor plaid such chanting melody : thou hast made me drousie love with thy sweet aire . clowne . i carry aire at both ends of my pipe , but this is the sweeter : come what shall we doe ? bran. walke with thy iove , my lovely ganymede , and once a day survey my castle round , then will i play with these thy silken locks , kisse that sweete venus mole upon thy cheeke , and smell unto thy sweete sabean breath , then will we walke and view my silver fountaine , and my silver swans , whom next to thee , i take most pleasure in . clowne . i like that fountaine very well , and the three swans that swimmes about it : i was wishing for a goose-pye made made of one of 'em but the tother day . bran. little dost thou know what those swans be . clowne . why , what are they ? bran. list , and i le tell thee : those swans are daughters to the king of macedon , whom i surpriz'd , and kept within my castle , till at the length , so scorcht with loves hot flames , that brandron needes must dye , if not enjoy : so thinking to deflowre 'em one by one , each by her prayers converted to a swanne , and flew for safety in my golden fountaine , and there for ever shall my ledas birds remaine , unharm'd by brandron , or any . clowne . oh monstrous , i have heard indeed that wenches have turnd pretty conies , ducks , or pigeons ; but swans , o brave : come whither shall we goe now love ? leon. vp to the promontary top of my faire castle , there take thy pleasure of the mornings aire , breath'd from aurora's care the sun doth wake , from thence to banquet upon lyons hearts , i le feast the hye and strong , my ganymed : come let us mount , pleasure 's to us a toy , my happinesse consists in thee my boy . exeunt . enter the sixe champions . den. as yet we cannot finde a fitting place , where we may make a breach for entrance . pat. what shall we rouse him then ? iam. a little stay , we have not yet begirt the castle walls , the time of his approach will not be long , for all his iron nets are stor'd you see . anth. i long to see , and grapple with the monster . andr. here 's no man here but hath the same desire . come let us walke . enter brandron and clowne above . bran. where art thou love ? clowne . here , here , as close as beggery to a prodigall , i le ne're forsake yee i le warrant . bran. 't is well ; now we have attaind the highest top : ha ! clowne . what 's the matter sir ? bran. see , see , sixe stragling spies , wandring fugitives are lurking 'bout my walls to make a breach , and steale my swans away ; but i will downe , and with my iron mace send 'em a welcome , that their powder bones shall seeme a pastime for the winde to play with . clowne . goe to love , no more such words , no more i say , i know 'em well enough . bran. dost thou my love ? clown . yes , and i am afraid you will know 'em to your cost : there 's not a man of these , but is able to cope with a whole army . bran. ha , ha , ha . clowne . you were best tell me i lye : have you not heard of seven roaring boyes , that made such a damnable thunder through the world , making gallimafries of all came in their way ? bran. o the christian curres , what then ? clowne . these are sixe of 'em , and i 'me afraid the seventh , and that 's my master , george of england . bran. are these the men ? beshrew me heart the largenesse of their fame makes brandron shrug . clowne . doe not you feare for all this ; what will you say if i betray all these champions to yee , and bring 'em all unarm'd unto your mercy ? bran. i cannot love thee dearer if thou dost , but i am loath to venture thee my love . clowne . take you no care for that , i le do 't , give me the keyes , and then when i have got them in vnarm'd , if we cannot make our parties good with 'em , wou'd you were hang'd y'faith . bran. goe and be fortunate , i long till thou returnst . exit . enter champions . dav. there is no hope of entrance till hee comes . and. shall we obscure our selves till then , or face the monster at his comming out ? dav. obscure , no brother andrew , here 's not a man of us but singly dares both meete and cope with him : but soft , i heare the gates unlocke , each stand upon his guard , the giant comes . enter clown . iam. who this ? this the mighty brandron ? den. if blacke inchantments doe not blinde mine eyes , i well should know that habite and that person : send me your judgements , know you not that face ? anth. 't is suckabus , our brother georges man . clown . you are not deceiv'd sir , i 'me the very same . all . what suckabus ? clown . gentlemen , 't is no wonder for us that are champions to meete at tho worlds end : my master 's i' th castle . all . how ? clown .

't is as i tell yee ; we saw yee out of a window looke about the castle walls , and laught heartily at yee , and so did the ladies too .

all . how , ladies ? clown .

yes faith ladies : my master hath kild the giant , a foule great lubberly knave he was i 'me sure a that : wee had much a doe with him ere he fell : but now have wee the bravest life with the ladies , we doe nothing but dance with 'em al day long . you must come up unto my master presently .

all . with all our hearts ; lead the way good suckabus . clowne .

nay not so hasty neither : my master doth earnestly desire you , that you would deliver all your weapons to me , for feare of frighting the ladies ; there must no signe of a souldier now appeare , all must be lovers that doe enter there .

all . with all our hearts ; take 'em , and lead the way . clowne . why now it is as it should be ; i le bring you sweet linnen and water to refresh you , and then into your pantables , and pump up the ladies . all . excellent suckabus . exeunt . enter brandron . bran. ha , ha , ha ; how happy am i in this faithfull boy ? i have beheld through a chinke , the knights brought in unarm'd and weaponlesse : oh my prosperous polititian how i love thee : these were the knights whom i did ever feare , and now i have 'em all mine owne but one : oh here comes my boy ; the newes , the newes ? my eyes best object ; what are they spring'd my love ? clowne . i , they are my owne , fast lockt in a pitfold : but i have stranger newes to tell thee than this . bran. say on , we are secure from feare and danger now . clowne . after my slight had fetcht 'em in unarm'd , and cag'd my birds fast under locke and key , i went to fetch some weapons that i left behinde me at the gate porch : where peeping through a key-hole , by more chance i spide my master george of england , prancing his steede about the walls . bran. what 's he the seventh ? clowne . i , and the veriest kill-cow of 'em all , these are but very punies to him . bran. goe and betray him as thou didst the rest . clowne . nay soft , some wiser than some : hee 's no such fellow as yee take him for ; he may heare me , but he 'le see me hang'd ere he trust mee ; for indeed i have beene so trusty to him , that he 'le be sure to trusse , if he catch me . bran. i will not venture thee : come , le ts to these knights , if they will yeeld unto our faire demands , and by that christian power they doe adore , sweare fealty and faithfull love to us , to fight our battailes , and our champions prove , 'gainst those that shall oppose our might and power , we are their friends , and they shall live in favour ; but if deniall breath from ones lip , he and the rest shall perish instantly : follow me love . exeunt . enter george . geor. through blacke inchantments , misbeleeving men , wild beasts and monsters , and through death himselfe , hath george of england made his passage , to the desire of my longing thoughts ; and by my tedious travailes have i now obtain'd , and here i am arriv'd , where ends my fame , or deeper shall insculpe my honour'd name . the castle beares a foule usurped title , which i will read out of the tyrants heart , and backe deliver injur'd honours due , or dye in the attempt . a rich and stately building : how fast 't is rivited into the rocke , as if the sure foundations and the walls were one , how gain'd the monster such a policy to vanquish , and still hold it as his owne ? i have no other way but one , and this is it , this sword must play the pioner for me , which through brandrons platted coat of brasse , shall cut his passage to his heart : and thus i ring deaths larum at his gate . enter brandron aloft . bra. ha , what hare-braind frantick vrchin have we there ? dost come to meete the crowes and chatting pyes ? they 'le make a banquet of thy carkasse : reserve your smooth-fac'd brow to play with ladies , begon i say , and doe not make reply , for if thou urge me to a porters paines , the strong nerv'd cyclops , who by pondrous waight , forg'd out the gates of steele , neare laid such strokes , as i will on thy childish burgonet . b�gon i say , thou see'st i 'me pittifull . geor. let pitty be accepted at thy hand by such as feare thy bug-beare tearmes , were thy deeds as much : therefore descend , and to my hands deliver up the keyes , with it those virgins , undeflowr'd and wrongd , the daughters to the king of macedon , or by the sacred crosse of christendome , vnder whose banner george of england fights , i le pitch thy head upon the wall thou standst , and traitor like thy hatefull limbes beside . bra. o , we have heard of you before , but since you are so hot , i le fetch a iulip for to coole your blood , you shall be fought , and fought , and fought with too : betake you to your tooles , that valour tries , for ne're till now you plaid your master-prize , exit . georg. i doe accept it : brandron in this alone doe i finde thee honourable : meane time , i will prepare to entertaine them . enter brandron aloft , with all the champions and clowne . bran. hollow once more , looke up and see , if these thou conquerst , then thou copst with me , but not before : nay , never start , i know thou knowst 'em wel , you ne're so strange were , as you must be now : i keepe those bonds which yoakt your amities , and i have broke those bonds : these , once what ere they were , are now my subjects , and all sworne to fight in brandrons quarrell , be it wrong or right . i , and to dye in 't : question them i pray . geor. amazement throwes his wonders on my head : brother resolve me , is it so , or no ? i see y' are prisoners to his power and will , but let me know the meanes that makes you so , lives there no foule inchantment in this place ? dav. brother not any . georg. monster , i know thou took'st 'em not in fight ; the meanest of them them there that stands by thee , but with the quicke flames of his resolution , had scorcht thee into ashes : give reason then how this should come to passe ? bran. one of you tell him , if you please you may . dav. we all arrived at one court , the macedonian kings , and comming hither in his wrongs behalfe , met with your hell-borne suckabus , who was before by brandron entertaind ; no sooner we approacht the castle here , and made a gentle walke about the walls , but running to us with great signes of joy , that slave came to us , told us your selfe was here , and how the mighty brandron by your hand was slaine . bran. ha , ha , ha ; oh my dainty boy , stand neare my love , here 's none dares injure thee . clowne . looke how master george on foote-backe frownes on me , but i care not . dav. further he told us 't was your faire request , having sweete musicke and faire ladyes with you , we should come in unarm'd and weaponlesse : we being joyfull , thinking truth he spake , were all betray'd , and so to brandron led , and so our lives were granted , on condition , his wrong or right to guard against the world . geor. brood of the divell thou shalt pay for this . clown . thy worst , i defie thee . geor. what we must fight then ? omn. brother we must . geor. well then , what remedy ? but tell me brandron , ere we beginne , since thou hast set this quarrell on our heads , shall i have faire and single opposition ? bran. champion thou shalt . geor. seale it with your oath , and then 't is firme . bran. why by the ethiopes stampe , yon burning ball , i vow ; and this i furthermore will promise , that each severall combatant shall beare severall armes ; and to thy selfe , from our rich armory , weapons i le send compleat , although mine enemy : here , take the keyes , my boy , and see each weapon fitted both for him and them : meane time , heare will we sit spectators of their deedes : oh they are met . enter champions severally , arm'd ; weapons brought for george . da. y' are welcom to our castle : i 'me your first man brother geor. you are welcome . dav. for brandron , and his right . geor. for england , and the brittaines doe i fight . fight . brother y' are mine , your quarrell is not good . david is orecome . da. what i have lost , then call it brandrons blood . geor. you are noble . come the next . and. that 's i for brandron . fight . geor. i stand for scotland now . and. you have wonne it fairely ; take it as your owne . geor. y' are welcome home . and. and i am glad it is so well falne out . each fight their severall combates : george overcomes them all : brandron stampes . geor. let us unite our brother-hoods againe . you are welcome to your liberty . omn. we joy to see 't . iam. there are the keyes , enter , and sieze on brandron . bran. am i betray'd ? dav. each hath the best done to defend your state , then yeeld thee to the mercy of our brother . bran. first will i head long throw me from this tower , and dash my braines 'gainst the craggy rocks , that murmures at the fall of brandron : no , christian slaves , you shall not write your glories in my blood , to say , the mighty brandron fell by you : brandron wins glory to himselfe to yeeld , and thus will conquer brandron in the field , he beates out his owne braines . geor. one ruine ends for to beginne another : enter the castle , seeke the slave his man . and give his guerdon for his treachery . dav. that will we doe ; follow me anthony . exit . geor. what drum is that ? le ts in , and stand upon our guard , pat. it is our friend , the king of macedon . that comes to gratifie our victory . geor. wee 'le greete him with a token of our loves . enter the king , drumme , colours , and souldiers . mac. i come in loving quest of you , brave christian knights , who since your absence from our mournfull court , in this adventure tooke in our behalfes , feare made us doubt your safety and your lives : wherefore resolv'd , in quittance of your losse , more than the wrongs i did sustaine before , made us thus change our mournfull blacke for steele , and arm'd with dread lesse danger of our lives , came thus resolv'd , to fight , and dye for you . pat. you have out-done us in your noble minde : brother of england , embrace this aged king : and reverend sir , doe you the like by him ; this the seventh , which in this enterprise , redeem'd us from the hateful hands of treachery . mac. i joy to see such worth abound in man , may honours spring send garlands for thy brow , and victory still dwell on thy triumphant arme : i glory in your conquest . geor. which glory once more shines upon thy head ; the hatefull monster , that usurpt so long , and kept poore tenopas in dread and aw , hath iustice from his owne hand done himselfe , and you are honour of your losse agen : therefore reserve it as our loving deed , and weare it as our favour . mac. you so inrich me with your love and bounty , my life and kingdome is too poore to thanke yee . were i assur'd of my daughters lives , i were ascended to my height of joy . geor. of that these gentlemen can more resolve yee . omn. we never knew , nor saw no ladies there . mac. why then they are dead : sweete peace rest with their soules . enter with the clowne . clowne .

as you are gentlemen use not a prince so hardly : what i have done was meerely out of love ; because i would have you staid men , men of biding , to be forth comming , though not every houre comming forth : master george , for my queene mothers sake , that kild your father and mother , and kept you in a cave , have compassion upon me .

geo. dispatch , and hang the slave . clown . what shall i do now ? i have been calling to my father for helpe , and he does nothing , but stands and laughes at me , and will not put my charme in my head . dav. nay come away good suckabus . clown . which is the king of macedon , i pray ? mac. i am my friend , but cannot save thy life , because thou didst betray these gentlemen . clown . i doe beseech thy kingly worship to save my lifs , & i will bring you where your daughters are . clown . thou powrest fresh blood into our empty veines , and melts the snow that lay upon my heart : victorious knights , as much renownd for pitty , as for valour , upon my aged knees i beg the life of this condemned wretch . geor. you must not kneele : upon condition that thou dost performe , thy words , we will not onely give thee life , but guard on thee with rich rewards , and love : but if thy feare delude us , hoping to save thy life � clown . why you may hang me then , that 's all the care i take . mac. and wilt thou bring me to my daughters friend ? clown . come follow me , i le lead you a dance . sings . three whitings they cockle , and set in their luddle , sing bay cocke without a combe , sing cock a duddle . looke you , doe you see those three swans ? these swans were once the daughters , ducks and darlings to the king of macedon . geor. those were the swans that in the fountaine liv'd : did not i tell you what this slave would do ? dispatch and hang him straight . mac. i doe beseech yee spare him ; and noble knights , thus for to let you know , i doe give faithfull credit to his words ; heare me relate what once my daughters told me ; the eldest having priviledge of birth , came to me first for to relate her dreame , and askt me if i could interprete it ; i answerd , as i had small faith in dreames , so i had lesse knowledge to expound the meaning . yet went she on ; i dreamt , said she , my sisters and my selfe were playing round about your golden fountaine , when suddenly we all three were- surpris'd , by a fierce savage and inhumane monster , and as his flaming lust did us pursue , we turnd to swans , and in the fountaine flew . as she related so did both the rest , and all three had one dreame . clown . i le assure you , the giant that is dead told me the selfe same tale , and how he would have done something to 'em , but having three eeles by the taile they slipt out of his fingers , & flew like swans into the golden fountaine . mac. this doth confirme it more : oh my swans , my girles ! come shall we sing our requiem together ? and at the stretching out your silver wings , your aged father falls and dies with you . geo. take comfort , royal macedon , as heaven for to preserve their honours , chang'd their shapes it may be pleas'd for to restore't agen , for after prescripts to beleeving men , and would you but become � mac. in that i le interrupt yee : hold i pray , let me imbrace you all ; nay , take sure hold : though clouds of darknesse did my cleare shine smother , i am converted to each here a brother . omn. a happy conversion . geor. blest macedon , thou hast sent a gift to heaven , borne upon angels wings ; the swans turne . and is by us on earth here ratified , which without this could never have beene done . omn. o father , father , happy are we now . mac. my blessing on my swans , my new found joyes : we all are christians now . omn. oh happy state ! georg. each lady doth deserve a monarchs bed . mas. renowned knights , may we desire to know , which of you are unmarried ? an. de. pat. we are . geor. then here 's three ladies , take 'em to your beds . mac. george highly honours aged macedon . 3 knig. but can the ladies love accord with us ? 3 lad. most willingly . 3 king . we thus then seale our contracts . geor. which thus we ratifie : sit with the brides , most noble macedon , and since kinde fortune sent such happy chance , wee 'le grace your nuptialls with a souldiers dance . they dance . mac. true noble knights , how am i honour'd in you ? georg. no more good macedon : pray lead the way , wee 'le see your nuptiall rites , that taske once done , we must abroad for fame of christendome . finis .
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feare � stroke , ha , ha ; house , house your heads you fear-stroke mortal fooles ; when calibs consort de�kt flowers , and smiles to see how brave she has deckt her girle : but passe we may , as game for c� within the rugged bowels of this cave , this cragge agge , his cliffe , this denne , which to funke 'gainst the heavenly lampes : but we are sunke in these antipades , so choakt with darknesse deed es , for we doe loath the light , and as our deedes are blacke we hug the night . but wheres child e issue of their deaths , which done , the childe i stole , thinking alone to triumph in his istole of their deaths , which done , the childe i stole , thinking alone to triumph in his prophefie dayes and houres : yet can i riddle out a prophesie , which if my calib well observe and keepe besure why then be sure i will : let day-light shine then , s�ale granted ; but this condition i must have ye seale to , and then we will deliver eithers deed luci�aes maturity being to ripenesse growne , i plaide lucidaes part , and snatcht thee from the knife , � and overthrew the murdresse black intent : that since th'ast liv'd in love and favour tear�s that hath but newly made his patient of me : teares must give vent first to the oppressed heart � breake the riders necke dares but to back him . n�w 'tis enough ; rise noble david , so , now shall i be reveng'd for my sonnes life , ar�ands tread , and bury griefe when thou bringst armands head . p�mils the fell dragons jawes , redeem'd sabrina , pomils onely heire , with slaughter of the hell-produced r�zom'd the mortall gouts of a man more than the rozom'd stick of a base violl , what shall be said al��r'd may compare with ploydens law , the case is alter'd ; a shepheard , a sheep-biter ; nay , i withsome soft , who comes here , my fellow swaine with some pittifull provant for my dinner ? farrefor the devill choake him , for hee's fitter farre for hell , than to live here . �unger but beefe and porke for sawce to yee , but hunger bids me fall to merrily , and i shall not �awe fall to merrily , and i shall not want for sawce . agen� power poore george of england is set free agen from death , danger , and imprisonment ; � and fellow suckabus : oh my sweet master ! have we found one another ? i could e'ne tatt or ' a golden hoope temper'd with feare , that tattor'd on thy head , here with a wand thou call'st � our owne ; here lives no pitty of our enemy , we have bought vengeance at a mightier rate ormand ormand be bold , seeare , and free , revell thou aswarthy a swarthy passion harrows up my sence : ho � exit . tarta y's let's see a little farther . being lighted on tartary's ground , of fame belov'd by honour crown'd bel�v'd being lighted on tartary's ground , of fame belov'd by honour crown'd . i am arriv'd here in suekabus what suckabus ? o let me kisse my boy : a blessing on nino here , take this paper , learne these nine words in't ; at reading the first three runi� being spok , i straight appeare . the next is runio , rant , runto ; then art thou where thou � know then , that island seated in the maine , whose negr�mantick ruler of the fates , turnes my restlesse negromantick charmes into what forme best fitts thy appetite apperite negromantick charmes into what forme best fitts thy appetite : speake my leonides , prithee smile , and � knights prepare themselves to ruine thee . and thy leonides : aurela , queene of this iberi�s must ioyne , before the riddle you untwine . iberias earth must yeeld a knight , that must extinguish fin� no my fine pidgeon , i will clip your wings : come � art fine , soft , plumpe , and tender sod , and then ile picke thy bones my dainty bird �ha't , boyld : oh the thought of that word : o i ha't , sweete father i thanke thee , has p�mpistis splagnalis squirtis pampistis . the giant in a maze lets fall his club tog�e with the gout , that my love is not able to goe . her face bares a front , like to weare � length , so scorcht with loves hot flames , that brandron needes must dye , if not enjoy befortunate goe and be fortunate , i long till thou returnst . �o walls , and laught heartily at yee , and so did the ladies too . frhm say on , we are secure from feare and danger now . � i will not venture thee : come , lets to these knights , if they will � the attempt . a rich and stately building : how fast 'tis rivited into the rocke , as gaind'd foundations and the walls were one , how gain'd the monster such a policy to vanquish , ��� gates of steele , neare laid such strokes , as i will on thy childish burgonet . ��� thou ��� strokes , ��� i will on thy childish burgonet . b�gon i say, thou see'st i'me pittifull . ��� be accepted ��� burgonet . ��� thou see'st i'me pittifull . geor. let pitty be accepted at thy hand by such as feare thoustandst fights , ile pitch thy head upon the wall thou standst , and traitor like thy hatefull � of you before , but since you are so hot , ile fetch a iulip for to coole your blood � there are the keyes , enter , and sieze on brandron . were-surpris'd golden fountaine , when suddenly we all three were surpris'd , by a fierce savage and inhumane same that taske once done , we must abroad for fame of christendome .