CHAP. I. VVherin it is proued out of Scrip­ture, that, that kind of life, wherin some, Men or VVomē, liuing in the world, leauing of costly apparrell, & vsing plain and modest attire, doe vow Chastity, is laudable and me­ritorious before God.

THERE be many in this age who vsing o­uer much the liberty of their owne Iudgments, dis­allow of this kind of life: yet by what reasons, or v­pon what grounds they are moued so to do, besids those [Page 8] which Iouinian the ancient heretike (& those also of his coate euen in these tymes) hath alleadged, I cannot i­magine. Neither do I think they haue any other, vnles perhaps they consider the difficulties which this mā ­ner of life is subiect vnto, & are terrifyed with more dangers of liuing chast in this, then in the state of re­ligion. For which cause they may thinke it more se­cure to vow Chastity in the one, then in the other. But neuerthelesse it is to be held as a point of faith, that this [Page 9] State is not only lawful, but also commendable, and of great merit before Almigh­ty God; and the same pra­ctised not only of men, and women, but also of youth it selfe.

This is euidently con­uinced out of holy Scrip­tur, wher our Lord himself (Matth. 9.) doth openly cō ­mend this Institution. For first when the Apostls hea­ring the speaches of our Blessed Sauiour cōcerning Marriage, answered, Si ita est &c. If such be the condi­tion of man, linked vnto a [Page 10] wife (to wit, that it is law­full to haue but one, neither to be so separated from that one, that whiles she liues he may take another) it is bet­ter not to marry, & incurre such a seruitude. To whom our Lord replyed, appro­uing that which they had sayd: Non omnes capiunt &c. al apprehēd not this speach but only such to whome it is giuen: for there be those who haue made themselues Eunuches for the kingdom of heauen &c. He who can vnderstand this, let him vnderstand it.

[Page 11] Heere our Lord spake of single life in generall, commending the same also in those who liue in the world; first, when appro­uing the answere of his aforesayd Apostles (who then thought not of liuing in Monasteryes, or being Religious) he sayd: Non om­nes capiunt &c. All apprehend not this word; as though he should haue sayd, you rightly infer, that it is not conuenient to marry, but few there be who vnder­stand a thing of so great, & high a Mystery.

[Page 12] Secondly, when distin­guishing three sorts of Eu­nuches, he sheweth, that those do greatly please him, who haue made themselues Eunuches, that is to say, who haue exempted them­selues from Marriage, for the Kingdome of heauen: To wit, that being thereby made more free, from the burthen of such a clogge, they may runne the faster vnto it, and enioy it more safely and aboundantly.

Thirdly when he saith, He that can vnderstād this mystery, let him vnderstād [Page 13] it: as if he should haue said, I cōstraine no man, but ex­hort al, for it is a great bene­fit to abstaine from mariage for the kingdome of God. Therefore he who hath so great a courage, that he ho­peth he shalbe able to apre­hend & imbrace so great a good, let him not neglect it.

Wherefore since our Lord did not only cōmend this state in generall, but also in particuler according to which the apostles vnder­stood him, & which might haue been practized at that tyme; it followeth manife­stly, [Page 14] that the same is com­mendable, and most accep­table vnto God, being pra­ctised also by those that liue in the world.

Neither can it be said, that our Lord spake not of the vow of Chastity, but onely of the simple purpose and vse therof: for to be made an Eunuch, is not on­ly to abstaine from Ma­riage, but also to bereaue ones selfe of al ability ther­of, and of all other carnall pleasure; which is done in effect also, by the vow of Chastity. For euen as the [Page 15] corporall making one an Eunuch, cuts off all suffici­ency of carnall act, or de­light: So likewise the spi­rituall making one an Eu­nuch, which is effected by the vow of chastity, disina­bles al morall faculty so far­re, that we may not vse any such delight lawfully, ma­king it morally impossible (as it is incompatible with Iustice) to do it. For what we cannot lawfully do, may be absolutely said, that we cannot do, and is said to be (iustly) impossible.

From whence it is, that [Page 16] holy Fathers vsually out of this place of Scripture pro­ue the vow of Chastity, be­cause a spirituall making one an Eunuch, cannot be otherwise effected, then by vow. See S. Augustine in his booke of holy Virginity, cap. 30. S. Hierom in his book against Iouinian, and vpon this place of S. Matthew cap. 19. The same is cleerly proued out of the Apostle 1. Corinth. 7. where he greatly prayseth singlenes of life, professed in diuers manners of estate, and obserued also in the world, and in priuat [Page 17] howses, for as then Mona­steryes were not yet begun. Dico innuptis &c. I speak both to the vnmaried, & to Wid­dowes, that it is good for thē to remain in that estate, as I haue also done. And a­gaine: I would haue al be as I my selfe, that is, I desire that all should be continēt, as it wil appeare out of that which follows. De Virginibus &c. As for those that are virgins, I haue no expresse commissi­on to them from our Lord, but I giue them Counsell (to wit, that they remain in their Virginity) as hauing [Page 18] obteyned mercy of Almi­ghty God, to be faithfull, &c. And againe, Si nupserit virgo &c: If a virgin marry, she sinneth not, but such notwithstanding shal haue the tribulation of the flesh, that is to say, many troubls cares, and afflictions &c. A­gaine: Igitur qui &c. Ther­fore he which giueth a vir­gin in mariage, doth well, but he which doth it not, doth better. Also, Beatior erit &c. she shalbe more happy if she remaine so still (to wit vnmarried) according vnto my aduice, for I think [Page 19] that euen I my selfe, haue the spirit of God. In al these places the Apostle comends the loue of Chastity, and Virginity, euē in the world and in priuate howses, as it was obserued at that tyme.

For in Ancient tymes, when the faithfull were most deuout, many follow­ed the aduice of our Saui­our, in such manner, as they had then oportunity to do it, as is manifest out of the Acts of the Apostles; where many hauing sould their goods & bestowed the mo­ney in common, imbraced [Page 20] pouerty. It is very probable therfore, that there were a greater nūber of those who imbraced Chastity, then others, both because that vertue was more noble and profitable, and also because there might be many poore folks which had not goods and possessions to sell, or if they had, yet perhaps could not sell them; all which notwithstanding might professe Chastity.

Neither is it to be doub­ted, but that many obliged themselues by vow there­unto, since they imbraced it [Page 21] out of a desire of perfection and zeale to please Almi­ghty God. And it is more perfect a great deale to keep it with an entire resolutiō, then only with an vncer­taine and mutable purpose.

Finally also, because they imbraced it out of the mo­tiue of our Sauiours owne aduise and commendation therof; and that which our Sauiour cōmended was the voluntary making of them­selues Eunuches, which is effected by vow, as hath bin said before. The same is col­lected also out of the A­postle [Page 22] 1. Tim. 5. Adolescentiores viduas &c. Take none of the younger sort of widowes, &c. which is meant that they should not be admitted into the function or mini­stery of diaconisses, or into the number of the Alumnae or Pu­pills of the Church. Cùm enim &c. for that, saith S. Paul, af­ter they haue liued licenti­ously in Christ, at last also they will not sticke to mar­ry, frustrating their former Faith: that is, they will breake the vow of Chastity which they had made be­fore; for the word Fayth, is [Page 23] taken in this place for Pro­mise, or obligation dew by promise: as for example, to give ones Faith, is to giue ones promise, to keepe fayth, is to keepe promise, to fru­strate sayth giuen before, is to breake promise, and a promise made to God, is a vow.

From hence it is mani­fest, that it was a custom in the primitiue Church, for Widdowes also to vow Chastity, so that without a mortall sin, & being guil­ty of damnation, they could not marry againe: besides [Page 24] that, euery act of Concu­piscence, yea and the very marriage it self was iniury against Christ; for so much is signified in these words, After they haue liued licentiously in Christ, that is to say, after they haue liued lasciuiously and luxuriously, wron­ing our Sauiour Christ, to whome they had bound themselues by vow, and were become espowsed to him, at length also they will not sticke to marry. After this manner the Coū ­cell of Carthage the 104. Ca­non, and S. Chrysostome vpon [Page 25] this place, and S. Hierome in his epistle to Herontia de Mo­nogamia, and others, do ex­pound it.

This place is to be no­ted & pondered of all such as haue made vow to Al­mighty God of perpetuall Chastity, for that without being guilty of eternall dā ­nation, they can neither marry (especially with an intention to consummate) nor otherwise enioy carnal delight, which also is the opinion of all the Fathers, who interprete this place to be of promise made vnto [Page 26] God by the vow of Chasti­ty.

Finally wheresoeuer ho­ly Scripture commendeth Virginity, it speaketh in ge­nerall; neither is it to be re­strained vnto those alone, who liue in Monasteryes, And all rewards and priui­ledges of Virginity there rehearsed, belong vnto all holy Virgins, as in the 3. chap. of the Booke of VVise­dome: Faelix est sterilis &c. hap­py is she that is barren and vndefiled, which neuer knew any impure bed, she shall haue fruite in the be­houlding [Page 27] of soules that are blessed &c. Apoc. 14. It is granted only vnto Virgins (sequi Agnum quocumq, ierit) to follow the Lambe where­soeuer he goeth, and to sing that new Hymne in Isay 56. To Eunuches which keep Gods diuine Commande­ments, is promised an e­uerlasting name, and a high place, and a degree in the Citty of Almighty God.

Some will obiect that, that place of the Apostle 1. Tim. 5. saying: Volo iuniores nubere &c. I would haue the younger sort to marry, to [Page 28] bring forth Children and keep house &c. makes cleare against that which we haue sayd. To this I answere, that it is not to be vnder­stood of all Widdowes that are young, but only of those which cannot liue conti­nent, and are not otherwise obliged by any vow: for it is better that such should marry, then liue inconti­nent, and giue scandall to the vnfaythfull, as the A­postle insinuateth in the same place.

Also the holy Father S. Chrysostome in his 15. Homily [Page 29] vpon the 1. to Timothy, affir­meth, that the Apostle spea­keth there of such widows, who being freed from the yoake and gouernement of their husbands, liue disso­lutly, become idle, pratlers, wanton, curious, running vp and down to their nei­ghbours houses, & the like. And it is manifest out of the text it selfe that the Apostle speaketh of such, when he sayth: Volo &c. I would haue the younger sort to marry. S. Ambrose also in his booke of VViddowes explicateth S. Paul. Pro remedio suasit nuptias [Page 30] &c. he perswaded Marriage as a remedy, but not pre­scribed it as a choice. S. Hierome in his 8. Epistle to Saluina, asking: Cur nuptias Paulus indulserit &c. Why did S. Paul fauour Marriage? Presently he addeth: I am quaedam &c. Some haue al­ready declined after Sathā: whereby we may vnder­stand, sayth S. Hierome, that these speaches rather signify a helping hand to be lent to those that are fallen, then the reward of a crowne to those which stand firme: See then (sayth he) what [Page 31] these second Marriages be, which are yet to be prefer­red before the condition of a Brothell-house: for some haue declined after Sathan; therefore a young Widdow which cannot, or will not containe her selfe, let her rather take a husband then the diuel. So S. Hierome Out of which it appeares that it is not conuenient for all young Widdowes to mar­ry, but onely such who are subiect to the vices a­boue named, to wit, in whome there is manifest danger of Incontinency, or [Page 32] which cannot liue chast, or will not vse meanes to do it.

CHAP. II. The same is proued by examples out of holy Scripture, and the custome of the Church, most frequently practised from the first beginning of Religion euen vnto these dayes.

FIRST of all, doth here present her selfe our blessed Lady, as guide and Author of this Iustitution, who liuing in the world at her owne command, and free from being subiect to [Page 33] any other, reseruing also her proper goods, vowed vnto God perpetuall virgi­nity, & this either before, or immediatly after her Marriage.

And truly, if before her marriage (as it is most likely she did, and S. Augustin in his Book of holy virginity cap. 4. doth thinke most pro­bable) then she contracted not marriage afterwards of her owne accord, but ra­ther moued thereunto by diuine Reuelatiō, by which also she was assured that there should be no danger [Page 34] to loose her virginity, and that her husbād also should binde himselfe by the like vow of Chastity; wherfore she neuer consented neither expresly, nor in effect to any matrimoniall Act. For al­beit that in the contract of Marriage, there is power giuen to the husband ouer his wiues body, yet by this reuelation she was assured that it should in her neuer actually take effect. And as she for her part had chosen to preuent it, so likewise her husband should presēt­ly do the like.

[Page 35] But if she made her vow after Marriage, it is to be sayd that she contracted Marriage, not with an ab­solute consent to consumat the same, but in such man­ner as she referred her selfe wholy to the prouidence of Almighty God, relying altogeather vpon his diuin will and pleasure. Moreo­uer it is most manifesty pro­bable that our Blessed La­dy had vowed Chastity, out of these wordes of S. Luke: Q [...]omodo fied istu [...] &c. How shal this com to passe, since I know not man? that [Page 36] is to say, how shall I con­ceiue a Sonne, that cannot know Man, because I am boūd by my vow of Virgi­nity? for so the holy Fathers Athanasius, serm. de sanctissima Deipara, Gregory Nissen in his Oration on the birth of our Sauiour, S. Augustine in his booke of holy Virginity cap. 4. S. Bernard in his fourth sermon super missus est &c. do teach; and reason it selfe doth likewise manifestly conuince. For otherwise her obiection to the Angell had beene to no purpose, since it might haue beene [Page 37] answered vnto her, Now thou shalt know man, and conceaue. Therefore her obiection, I know not man, is the same, that I cannot know man: euen as he who hath vowed to abstaine from flesh or wine being inuited sayth: I eate not flesh, I drinke not wine, I frequent not ban­quets &c.

An innumerable multi­tude of Virgins presently followed the example of our B. Lady, in so much that one howse, to wit of Philip the deacō, had 4. daugh­ters remayning virgins, as [Page 38] it is manifest out of the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 21. who also were indued with the spirit of Prophecy, as it is there said: which as S. Hierome witnesseth in his Epistle to Demetriades, was granted them as a reward of their Virginity.

S. Philip the Apostle be­fore his Apostleship, brou­ght vp three daughters also, wherof two remayned vir­gins till they were very old as Policrates in S. Hierome re­porteth De Scrip. Ecclesiast. in Polycrate.

S. Petronilla daughter S. Peter [Page 39] vowed virginity, and for feare of loosing it, obteyned soden death from Almigh­ty God.

S. Tecla at the perswa­sion of S. Paul, imbraced the same, as S. Ambrose wit­nesseth in his second booke of Virgins.

S. Iphigenia daughter to the King of Ethiopia, by the counsell of S. Matthew, as Abdias writeth in her life.

Flauia Domitilla daugh­ter to Clemens the Consull, & S. Peters host at Rome, at the perswasion of S. Clemēt, as S. Bede witnesseth in his [Page 40] Martyrologe the 7. of May, or as it is set downe in his life, at the perswasion of Nereus and Achilleus.

S. Valeria at the perswasiō of S. Martialis, as appeareth out of his Epistle ad Tholo­sanos, Chap. 8.

S. Pudentiana & her sister Praxedes, by the Counsell of the Apostles, or Aposto­licall men.

Finally S. Anatolia, Apollo­nia, Balbina, Barbara, Pelagia, Catherina, Caecilia, Agatha, Agnes, Lucia, Basilla, Christina, Dorothea, Emerentiana, Prisca, Euphemia, Saturnina, Susanna, [Page 41] Victoria, Theodora, and innu­merable others contynued virgins, in the world, euen to their death, and honou­red their virginity with the crowne of Martyrdome.

Moreouer it is manifest out of S. Cyprian, S. Ambrose & S. Hierome with other holy Fathers, that there were in those ages infinite who cō ­secrated their virginity to Almighty God, although they entred not into Mo­nasteries, but dwelt either in their Parents howses, or in their owne, retayning the vse of their proper [Page 42] goods, or els liued many together in comon.

The same appeareth also out of the testimony of Fau­stus Manichaeus in S. Augustine, in his 30. boke against Fau­stus the 4. Chap. where Fau­stus thus obiecteth. Necvidetis hinc &c. Neither do you see heere, both your virgins to be noted of being deceaued by the doctrine of the Di­uell, and your selues to be­come his Prelats, who con­tentiously alwayes incite them to this profession, by your perswasions, that there is almost now in your [Page 43] Churches a greater number of Virgins, then of marry­ed women.

By which speach two things are to be noted, that Bishops & Prelates, euery where through the whole world, did earnestly incite those that were vnder their charge to the profession of Virginity, and that the nū ­ber of those who did pu­blikely professe Virginity, was as great as those that were marryed. See S. Am­brose in his 30. booke of Vir­gins, where he sheweth the same most euidently.

[Page 44] Among these also ma­ny were very eminent and wealthy, as the daughters of Senatours, and Prin­ces, and many of them had wayting women to follow them when they went a­broad, as it appeares out of S. Hierome in his 8. Epistle to Demetriades, where he al­so warneth such Mistresses, that, as they themselues go modestly in their apparell, so they should cause their women of attendāce also to auoyd vanity in their atty­res, & see that their habits were modest and graue.

[Page 45] Besides many Fathers haue written of the attyre, and discipline of Virgins, as Tertullian, S. Cyprian, S. Am­brose, S. Hierome, in diuers places of their workes. All which they directed spe­cially vnto such, as liuing out of Monasteryes at their owne gouernment, imbra­ced virginity. And the said holy Fathers do warne thē that they should not be seen in publique without veils, and ciuilly accompanyed; that they should not vse se­cular ornaments; that they should abstaine from pain­ting, [Page 46] and vanity in their cloathes; that they should auoyde vnprofitable mee­tings, marryages and ban­quets; that they should giue their almes with a pure in­tention to the reliefe of or­phans, and such as were in distresse. All which things it is manifest do belong to such as are at their owne disposing, and retaine their proper substance.

Neither haue we on­ly examples of Chastity in single or vnmarryed folkes, but also euen in those thē ­selues which are marryed, [Page 47] which to auoyd tediousnes I omit. See Marulus in his 4. booke the 7. and 8. chap. Fulgosus in the 4. chap. Ignat. in his 6. Booke. Out of which it ap­peares euidently, that this institution of imbracing & professing Chastity, in the world, hath beene most frequent and vsuall, euer since the beginning of the Church, and therefore ve­ry commendable and meri­torious.

CHAP. III. The same is witnessed by the te­stimonyes of holy Fathers.

MERVAILOVS are the commendations which holy Fathers giue to this state of life, which are no lesse referred to such as obserue it in the world, then to those which pro­fesse it in Monasteryes. S. Ignatius in his epistle ad Thar­senses calleth Virgins (so vow­ed vnto God) the Priests of Christ, because they offer their bodyes to God as a sa­crifice, Eas quae in virginitate [Page 49] degunt &c. Account, saith he, those who liue in the state of Virginity, as Priests of Christ.

S. Athanasius in his little worke of virginity, about the end, sayth: Magna virtus continentia &c. Continency is a great vertue, purity is a thing worthy to be boasted of, great are the prayses of Virgins. O Virginity, treasure inconsumable, gar­land neuer to be withered, temple of Almighty God, house of the holy Ghost, Margarite most pretious, ouercōmer of death & hell, [Page 50] life of Angels, crowne of Saints &c. S. Cyprian in his booke of the habit and disci­pline of Virgins: Nunc nobis ad Virgines sermo est &c. Now speake we of Virgins, sayth he, of whom by how much their glory is the more emi­nent, by so much their care is the greater. This is the flower of ecclesiastical bud, the ornament and grace of spirituall grace it selfe, the hopeful towardnes of prai­se and honour, a worke en­tire and vncorrupted, the i­mage of God correspondēt to the sanctimony of our [Page 51] Lord, the more beautifull part of Christ his flock &c. And afterwards: Si praemium pollicitationis &c. If thou ex­pect the reward of promise, thou wilt count thy labour little: Immortality shall be giuen to him, that perse­uereth; perpetuall li [...]e is proposed a reward; our Lord promiseth a king­dome: preserue yee Virgins, preserue that which you haue begun to be, preserue that which yee shall be, for great is the reward proui­ded for you &c.

That which wee must [Page 52] be heereafter, you haue be­gun to be already; yee pos­sesse in present the glory of the Resurrection in the age to come; yee passe through the tymes without taking infectiō from them as long as yee perseuere in Chastity and Virginity; yee are e­quall euen to the Angells of God, solide and vntoucht; Virginity only endures, o­nely lasteth for euer.

The first Precept (S. Cy­priā goeth still on) of Almi­ghty God, commaunded to increase and generate; the second perswaded Conty­nency. [Page 53] Whilst the world was rude & vnpeopled, by our fertility, by generati­on we were multiplyed, & grewe to the increase of mankind: but now when the world is peopled and filled, those who are capa­ble of Chastity are made Eunuches spiritually, after the manner of things that are made vselesse to the Sex, for the kingdome of God. Hitherto S. Cyprian.

S. Basill in his booke of true Virginity saith: Virgi­nity is certainly a great and excellent thing, which ma­keth [Page 54] a man incorruptible like vnto God himselfe; but it passeth not from our bo­dyes into our soules; yet being the propriety of an incorporeall nature, keeps also our bodyes incorrupt with a pretious integrity &c. Virgins haue before hand indewed themselues with that which by deuine vertue, must be perfected in vs at the Resurrection; for liuing heere like vnto An­gells, they neither marry, nor are marryed, but are both in vertue of minde, & integrity of body, equall [Page 55] vnto Angells. The same Fa­ther explicating also the words of the Prophet Esay 56. of Eunuches, he wry­teth in this manner. Pro humano nomine &c. Insteed of a humane name, sayth our Lord, I will giue them a name of Angells which are immortall, that they may haue heauen and the fairest part therof to remaine in, and that dwelling in the most beautiful seate of hea­uen, that is to say, in my house, within the inclosurs thereof, they may receaue not only the nature of the [Page 56] Angells, and the honour of perpetuall succession, being sufficient of themselues to continue an eternall succes­sion of their kind, in them­selues, for life euerlasting; but also that they may haue a principall place amongst Angells, and a name inde­leble, which for the great splendour in their beauty shall neuer decay &c.

S. Gregory Nazianzen in his Verses in the prayse of Virginity singeth thus: Sal­ue Virginitas &c.

Haile Chastity the guift of only Heauen,

[Page 57] Parent of a purelise, by whom are giuen

Our greatest goods, part euen of Christ, and one

Thats to celestiall spirits com­panion:

Nor euer knew of vnchast bed the touch,

For God himselfe and his faire Quire are such.

S. Iohn Chrysostome in his booke of Virginity the cap. 2. sayth: Virginity so much excells marriage, by how much heauen doth earth, and Angells mortall men. And againe in the 12. chap. Humanity since it is infe­riour [Page 58] to those happy spirits the Angells, as farre as it is able, striueth to attaine vn­to their perfection. And how? Angells marry not, nor take to them wiues, no more doth a Virgin. Angels wayting alwayes about the throne of Almighty God, do serne him: so doth a Virgin. Wherefore S. Paul calls them away from all cares, that they may con­tinually imploy themselues in the seruice of God, with­out hauing wherewithall to be distracted. Againe, chap. 37. Dare any one after [Page 59] all this compare marriage with virginity, or but once bring the one in presence of the other? S. Paul suffe­reth not this, who interpo­seth a great distance betw­eene these two, where he sayth: the one thinketh on matters belonging vnto God, the other on matters belonging to the world.

S. Ambrose in his first booke of virgins saith, Nec immerito &c. deseruely hath virgini­ty deriued from heauen the manner of her life, since it is in heauē that her Spouse hath his dwelling place. [Page 60] This clowde passing tho­rough the Ayre, Skyes, & Quires of Angells them­selues, hath found out the word of God, euen in the bosome of God the Father, and hath filled its bowells therwith. For who is it, that hauing found so great a good, will leaue it? For thy Name is an oyntment powred out, wherfore yong virgins, and maides haue loued thee, and taken thee vnto them. Finally, that is not my saying, Be­cause those which neither are nor wilbe marryed, shall [Page 61] be as the Angells of God in heauen.

Let none therfore mer­uaile (saith S. Ambrose fur­ther) that they are cōpared to the Angells of God who are lincked and vnited in the God of Angells &c. Let vs compare therfore the cō ­tents of marryed women, with the lowest and least happines of Virgins.

Admit (saith he further) that some great woman should boast of her fertility & the fruit which she hath brought forth: by how many the more Children [Page 62] she hath beene deliuered of, by so much the greater haue beene the panges & paynes which she endured. Let her reckon the ioy which she hath of her children, and withall she may count li­kewise the troubles which they haue caused her. She marryeth and weepeth: & what wise vowes are these, which so sodenly must be repented &c.

Againe▪ Yow haue heard all yee that are mothers, in what vertues, in what order, and discipline, yee ought to bring vp your [Page 63] childrē, that you may haue some of your owne, by whose merites your owne sins & offences may be for­giuen. A Virgin is one to whom God hath giuen her to be so, and therefore she is his guift, she is the reward of her Parents &c. A virgin is the oblation of her Mo­ther, by whose dayly sacri­fice Gods diuine power is appeased.

S. Hierome in his first book against Iouinian cap. 1. Ideoplus amat &c. Therefore our Sauiour Christ loueth Virgins the more, because [Page 64] of their owne accord they giue him that, which was not exacted of them: and it is a token of greater grace to offer that which is not due, then to giue that which they are compelled vnto.

And afterward: Gran­dis fidei est &c. It is a worke of great fayth, and much vertue, when the Temple of God is most pure to offer it entierly as a burnt-sacri­fice vnto our Lord, and ac­cording to the Apostle to be holy, aswell in body as in spirit.

[Page 65] S. Augustine in his booke of holy Virginity cap. 13. sayth: Virginall integrity is an Angelicall portion and a perpetuall medita­tion of incorruptibility in a corruptible body. Let all fertility of body giue place vnto this, and all conti­nency of marryed persons yeild vnto it; for the for­mer is not in our owne power, the later liueth not in eternity. The liberty of our will extendeth not vnto bodily fruitfullnesse, Matrimoniall Chastity is not found in Heauen. [Page 66] They certainely shall haue some reward aboue all o­thers in that generall im­mortality, who haue alrea­dy growne in their flesh somwhat that is not fleshly. Wherefore they are much ouerseene, who thinke the good & commodity of this cōntinency not to be neces­sary, for the kingdome of heauen, but onely for the present world wherein we liue.

In which last wordes he conuinceth Iouiniā & the heretiks of our tymes, who with him teach, that Vir­ginity [Page 67] is only conuenient to auoyd worldly troubles.

S. Fulgentius in his 2. E­pistle to Proba cap. 9. Di­cimus à sanctis nuptijs &c. We affirme (wheras those mar­ry who cannot liue conti­nent) that holy Virginity as farre excelleth holy Ma­trimony, as that which is better excelleth that which is good, that with is high excelleth that which is low, that which is heauen­ly excelleth earthly, that which is holy, more holy, mortall marriage, marriage immortall, the flesh the spi­rit, [Page 68] weakenes strength, the fruit of a trāsitory issue the fruite of a braunch euerla­sting, tribulation security, vnsetlednes of mind tran­quillity, a good which is momentary and ful of trou­bles excelleth that which is better, and accompanyed with ioy euerlasting.

These & many other thinges, holy Fathers haue written in the cōmendatiō of virginity, by which the excellency & worth therof may be beeter knowen and esteemed, no one vertue or estate of life being commē ­ded [Page 69] with so great affection, & consent of holy Fathers, as this.

Heereupon, especially in former ages, an infinite multitude haue imbraced it, in so much that S. Ambrose in his 3. booke of Virgins affirmeth, That in the Ea­sterne & Africā Churches, there were more virgins consecrated to Almighty God, then wee haue men borne in our parts heere. And yet notwithstanding mākind is not therby dimi­nished, but increased. If any one (quoth he) imagi­neth, [Page 70] that the number of mankind is diminished by the multitude of virgins, let him consider, that where there are few virgins there are also the fewer persons, and where the number of them is more frequent who are louers and imbracers of Virginity, there also the number of men is more great. Consider how many Alexandria, & al the Easterne parts, with the Churches also of Affrica, was wont euery yeare to consecrate: fewer men are heere begot­ten then there virgins con­secrated; [Page 71] the reason wherof is, that God will not be o­uercome with liberality: but if the Parents offer him a Child or two, he renders them eight or ten, graun­ting fruitefullnes, and for­tunate Childe-bearing to such as are mothers, and filling their howses with his blessing. Therfore euen as faithfull paying of Ty­thes, & liberality towards the poore, bringeth not pouerty, since God by his prouidence prospereth and increaseth our substance, & maketh our fields the more [Page 72] fruitfull, as S. Hierome tea­cheth Serm. 219. de tempore; so the loue and affection to virginity hindreth not the world, nor wasteth the number of secular Persons, but obteyneth it a longer benediction.

CHAP. IIII. The same is proued also, by reason.

THE errour of Iouinian was, that Virginity did not excell Marriage, which he meant by virgi­nity, taken absolutely and generally, whether it were [Page 73] professed by persons liuing in the world or in Religiō. He therefore who confes­seth that virginity professed in the state of Religion, is to be preferred before Mar­riage, but not that which is imbraced in the world, is at least halfe a Iouinianist, because he is halfe of his o­pinion; nay rather he see­mes to be altogether of the same minde, and really a Iouinianist, because he denieth, that Virginity is of it own nature better thē Marryage, wherein the whole Errour of Iouinian [Page 74] about this matter consisted. For if of it owne proper na­ture it were better, it would followe, that the same be­ing also professed in the world, would be better. See S. Augustine Cap. 28. ad Quod-vult-Deum, and S. Ierome in his 10. booke against the same Iouinian &c.

If it were not laudable and meritorious to vow Virginity, liuing in the world, either it should be for the great difficulty and morall impossibility of kee­ping their vow in that es­tate, or els because Chasti­ty [Page 75] is not better then marri­ag; for no other reason can be imagined. Not the for­mer, for it is an heresy of the heretikes of these our daies, who for the difficulty therof, affirme, that such a vow is not to be made, vn­lesse the person know that he is peculiarly inspired with the guift of continen­cy. Not the latter, for it is the errour of Iouinian afore­said. Cōcerning the gift of Chastity, it is to be held as a point of faith, that this gift will not be wanting to any who will resolue to [Page 76] liue chaste, if he do as much as lyeth in him to obteine the same of Almighty God.

If there be so great diffi­culty to liue chaste in the world, in so much that it is not meritorious for a man to bind himself therto by vow; then such a vow is of it owne nature vayne, & of no effect to him that ma­kes it, and so he may freely breake that which is of such difficulty, as seemes morally impossible. But this kind of reasoning may by no meanes be admitted; to wit, that such a vow is [Page 77] of it owne nature vaine & of no effect, and that it may be broken without a most grieuous sin. See the aboue mētioned testimony of the Apostle 1. Tim. 5.

It is very commenda­ble & meritorious for yong men also remayning in the world to vow chastity, yea the Church bindeth al such as haue taken holy Orders therunto. Therfore if men do it, & that it be commen­dable in them to do so; why should it not be the like for women, such as are yonge, both Maydes, & Widdows [Page 78] especially, since men liue in far greater danger by means of their greater freedome of conuersation, and their lesse bashfullnes, togeather with more frequent occasi­ons of temptation. From whence we see, it pro­ceeds, that more men which vow Chastity in the world do offend against their vow then women: yea there are very few of that sexe who vowing Chastity in the world do violat their vow: in so much that oftentimes in a great citty, for the space of many yeares, you shall [Page 79] not hear of any such: which is a signe, that it is a matter more easy for women to do then for men; & yet we see that men do laudably take vpon them such vowes: neither can they by any meanes be excused frō thē, being once vndertaken.

If it be meritorious to keep Virginity in Religi­on, why is it not also in the World? For the circumstan­ce of the place alters not the merit of the worke, but the excellency it selfe thereof, and a deuout will vnto it: and this pious inclination [Page 80] may be had as well out of the state of Religion, when a Virgin purposeth with her selfe to abstaine from Marriage, and to consecrate her virginity to Almighty God, that she may serue him the more perfectly, that she may follow the counsell of our Sauiour Christ, that she may imitate our Lord, and his most blessed Mother, that she may apply all her thoughts and affections to heauenly things, and to the health of her soule; for the excellency of the worke is equall on both sides. Ther­fore [Page 81] there is no reason, why the profession of Chastity in the World, should not be meritorious, as well as in Religion.

It is not only commen­dable in Monasteryes, but also in the world, to do o­ther good workes, as to pray, to fast, to giue corpo­rall and spirituall almes, to chastice our body, and to bind our selues by vow thereunto. Then if other good works loose not their worth & esteem, nor their merit before God by being done in the world; why [Page 82] should Virginity, and single life? Yea, as it is the more prayse-worthyto be tempe­rate, and to abstaine sitting at a banquet, and to be able to bridle our appetite, euen in the very middest of pro­uocations; so likewise may it be a deed of greater merit to liue chastly in the world, where occasions of falling are more frequent: As for example, when there are lawfull reasons why such occasions might not be cō ­ueniently shunned, which otherwise they would haue willingly auoyded.

[Page 83] The state of being Reli­gious, and to be shut vp in Monasteryes, is not agree­able with the complexion of euery one: yea a great many, either are not apt for this state, by reason of the weakenes of their body, or for other causes, or oftenty­mes their mindes are not easely wonne to it, and that most commonly for diuers sufficient reasons, which it is not necessary to reuea­le: and who now should cōstraine such to marry, or to enter into Monasteryes? Why should it not be law­full [Page 84] for them to keepe their virginity in the world, & to vow themselues vnto it? Is it either because they wil not, nor cannot ascend to the highest degree, that they must be therfore constray­ned to stay in the lowest, & may not keep a meane be­twixt both? No man will thinke so, except he be in­dued with the spirit of Ioui­uian. The counsells and ad­uices of our Sauiour Christ are not so necessarely vni­ted one to the other, but that one may be followed without another, and by [Page 85] themselues, in diuers de­grees. Wherfore as those who desire to obserue the state of Pouerty, are not bound vnto Chastity; so also those which imbrace Chastity, must not therfore of necessity keep Pouerty, or Obedience, or shut them­selues vp in Monasteryes.

CHAP. V. The same is proued out of the com­modities which this state of life, being prosessed, both in the world and in Religion, doth bring with it.

THe Cause why this state of life is so com­mended [Page 86] by holy Fathers, as well in the one as the other, are the manifold cōmodities which it brin­geth therwith. For in both, it is an imitation of An­gelicall life; in both it is the making of our body as it were a burnt-offering to Almighty God; in both it is a spirituall Marriage, in which Christ is the spouse; in both it freeth from the irksome slauery of Marri­age, and from the troubles which belonge vnto it; in both it deliuereth the minde from infinite cares [Page 87] & troubles; finally in both it maketh it free, and at li­berty to apply it selfe vnto God, and to dwel as it were mentally and spiritually with the Blessed, in com­munity of heauenly things.

First it is an imitation of Angelicall life, as holy Fathers euery where do de­liuer, out of the opinion of our Lord Matt. 22. Because as Angells marry not, nor are troubled with carnall concupiscence, but are euer attent to diuine matters, & entertaine themselues al­wayes in them; so in like [Page 88] manner Virgins are sayd to anticipate the glory of the Resurrection, because mar­riage after the Resurrection shall cease.

Virginity is a burnt-of­fering: for as in a burnt of­fring the thing sacrificed is killed, and afterward all of it consumed in the honour of God, that no part ther­of remaines for humaine vse: so likewise a Virgin must first kill all carnall af­fectiōs in her selfe, & after­wardes offer vp her body, mortified after this sort by the fire of Charity, to Al­mighty [Page 89] God, and reserue no part thereof to any hu­maine or carnall vse.

She is a spirituall mar­riage, because by vow she is bound vnto God as to her husband: for as the band of carnall marriage is not to be loosed; neither also is that of spirituall: yea that of spirituall Marriage, is much more indissoluble; for it cannot be loosed by death it selfe, but continu­eth in all eternity. Againe, as carnall marriage is effe­cted for the mutuall enioy­ing and comfort of both [Page 90] persons, and the bringing forth of children: so this Marriage is made, that the soule may please God the better, and receaue help & comfort backe againe from him, and that it may con­uerse more familiarly, and with the greater delight with Almighty God, as with its Spouse.

And finally, to the end that hauing receaued seed of diuine grace from him, an immortall and glorious issue may be begotten to in­herit in the world to come: wherein spiritual Marriage [Page 91] is farre more happy then carnall; for the later is to the end, that of impure and corruptible seede, another man may be begotten, and that but to enioy a mortall life, and thereby subiect to infinite miseryes: but the other is to the end, that out of diuin seed a mortall man should beget, not another mortall man, but himselfe, to an immortall and happy life. Therefore he perswa­deth himselfe first vnto this marriage, and afterward by word & example profiteth others. To this may be lik­wise [Page 92] added, that as in car­nall marriage, titles, and dignityes, and all the goods of either is communicated to both: so likewise in spi­rituall, the goods and dig­nityes of the espoused, be­longeth also to the Spouse.

The desire of a wife is, that she may haue a hus­band, who is faire, noble, rich, powerfull, and cour­teous, and if it happen that she get such a one, she thin­keth her selfe happy. But how much more happy, is a Virgin whose husband is the most fayrest, most no­ble, [Page 93] most rich, most power­full, most gentle, and im­mortal Lord of heauen and earth, of Angells also, and of men. See more of this in S. Ambrose in his first booke of Virgins.

For as much as belongs to the benefits and commo­dityes of holy Virginity, they are generally three. The first is, that it freeth the mind from innumera­ble troubles and afflictions vnto which the state of ma­trimony either by meanes of the wife or by meanes of the childrē is subiect vnto; [Page 94] which the Apostle insinu­ateth 1. Cor. 1. when he speaketh in this manner of those which are marryed: Tribulationem carnis habebunt huiusmodi; such shal haue the tribulation of the flesh. And first of all, is the serui­tude of the wife, by reason that she hath not power of her owne body, & is made subiect in all thinges to her husband, must endure his frowardnes, his insolencies, his banquetting, drūkenes, iealousy, suspicion, incon­tinency, adultery, taunts, & blowes. Also she must fol­low [Page 95] him, sticke alwayes to him, obey him and serue him as his slaue; so that many slaues in the world haue a more tollerable bō ­dage, then some wiues vn­happily marryed; whilst he spends her wealth and sub­stance at dice, at play, in drinking, banquetting, pro­digall giuing, improfitable bargaines, improuident cō ­tentions, and diuers other wayes, which his wife is not able to remedy.

Moreouer he leaueth the charge of prouiding for the whole house-hould to [Page 96] her, and yet alloweth not wher withall sufficiently to do it; and bringeth her of­tentymes euen into that ex­tremity, that she groweth halfe desperate. In the mean tyme being oppressed and ouercome with too much impatience, she often cur­seth her husband, and wi­sheth al il hap to befal him, and desireth nothing more then his death. Neither are these thinges rare and sel­dome, but the whole world is full of them.

Now if we should add vnto all this, the troubles [Page 97] that come continually by meanes of children, there would arise euen a whole world of miseryes & affli­ctions. And although in the carnall Act of marriage there seemeth to be now & then a little pleasure: yet of it owne nature, it is both vncleane (as a thing wher­in we differ not frō a beast) and also full of shame and immodesty; & in a moment it is past, and afterward re­warded with innumerable discommodityes. For pre­sently after Conception, there followeth a kind of [Page 98] irkesomnes, idle dreames, giddines, vnsetlednes of the head, melancoly, conuulsi­ons of the hart-stringes, ab­surd longings after meates, and a generall perturbation of nature.

Then follow the paines of child-bearing which are both violent to the sense, & oftentymes endure long, and to many bring death also; and then the Child be­ing borne, with what great care and solicitude must it be brought vp, vntill it come to be of some strength and perfection of nature. [Page 99] How many tymes a day must it be made cleane, fed, made vp, apparrelled, laid to sleepe, rockt in the cradell, taken out againe to giue it suck, and be held out. How many times must it be flattered and intreated with faire speaches & with a thousand pretty hypocri­sies and flatterings, to make it leaue crying, or to sleepe?

These are the contynu­all exercises of such as be Mothers, and in such they are imployed, not on ly all day long, but also most part of the night, so that they [Page 100] can scarce take any rest but with often interruption.

I omit the sluttishnes, the ill sauour, the weeping, crying, & brauling, which they are constreyned dayly to suffer. I omit allso the cares and troubles, which they haue when their chil­dren begin to grow big, & to be exposed to diuers chā ­ces of the world. What great greefe they haue, if it chaunce they should mis­carry and dye; if by euil company they should be al­lured to villany and disho­nesty; if they should proue [Page 101] stubborne and disobedient against their Parents; if they should spend & wast their Parents goodes at play, drinking, or at any other vnlawful game; if without their Parents consent they should marry.

To these afflictions the whole life of all such as are mothers, is always subiect; for albeit the Parents be very deuout and religious, yet it happens oftentymes that the children be wicked and lewd, and with their misdemeanours, and ill li­uing, torment their Parēts, [Page 102] as wee haue examples in Adam and Cain, in Noë and Cham, in Abraham and Ismael, in Isaac and Esau, in Iacob and many of his sonnes, in Dauid, Amon, and Absolom, with infinite others: ther­fore since sacred virginity deliuers from all this, it is deseruedly to be numbred amongst the greatest bene­fitts that are.

Another commodity of virginity and single life is, that it freeth the minde frō all cares of gouerning a fa­mily, of increasing the stocke and wealth of their [Page 103] estate, of marrying their children, & of leauing them ample Patrimonyes; for of these foure things all Pa­rents are for the most part most careful & sollicitous; yea commōly their minds are so wholly addicted and giuen to such businesses, as they can scarce euer thinke seriously on God, or things belonging to the good of their soule.

These things they keep alwayes in minde, in these things they spend all their thoughts and affections, these things so waste and [Page 104] weare out all the ability & powers of their mindes, as they haue no strength left to consider, or thinke vpon things that are eternall.

Greatly therfore is the misery of this estate to be pittyed; for the bondage of the mynd is more hurtfull a great deale, then that of the body; and the losse of good thoughts, is a greater domage, then the losse of money.

The third cōmodity of virginity and single life is, that it maketh the minde, being freed from the cares [Page 105] and troubles of Marriage, more fit & prepared to serue Almighty God, and pro­cure its owne safety: and this is the greatest good of this life. For which cause it is commended specially by the Apostle the 1. Cor. 7. where he saith, Mulier innup­ta &c. A womā vnmarryed, and a Virgin thinketh on what belongeth vnto God, that she may be holy, both in body and minde.

There is nothing better nor more healthfull vnto our soule thē to serue God, and to endeauour the ob­teyning [Page 106] of our soules well­fare. To this purpose were we made, & adorned with these noble faculties of our soule, Vnderstanding, Me­mory, and Will. Wee haue not receiued these to imploy them about transitory and seruile matters, without a­ny fruit at al, but to addresse them to eternall and celesti­all things, for our great be­nifit and aduantage. All earthly things are to base & cōtemptible for our minds (which is aboue all visible things) to fixe, and exercise it selfe there about. The [Page 107] shortnes it selfe of our life, togeather with the vncer­tinty & necessity of dying, might iustly recall vs from the care of temporall mat­ters, & addresse our thoghts to the solicitude of thinges eternall. Whereupon the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. sayth: Tē ­pus breue est &c. Time is short, it remaines, that such as haue wiues, be as those who haue them not; and those who mourne, like those who mourne not; & those who reioyce, like those who reioyce not; and those who buy, like those who [Page 108] possesse not; and those who vse this world, like those who vse it not; for the fa­shion of this world passeth away &c.

By which wordes he teacheth vs, that we should be no more affected and ad­dicted to transitory things, then as if they did not be­long vnto vs. We ought to haue care of nothing so much, as to auoyd eternall punishment, and attaine to euerlasting ioyes: for in comparison of these, all the good or ill of this world, ought to be of no ac [...]ount: [Page 109] So that if there were no­thing but madnes practised in the world, this would be the greatest, to neglect the highest and euerlasting thinges, & to follow that which is base and transito­ry, with so great hazard of eternall damnation.

Therfore as that man­ner of life is miserable, and to be auoyded by all wise men, which intangleth the mind with care of base & earthly thinges, howsoeuer glorious and honourable they seeme: So on the con­trary, is that state happy & [Page 110] most desirously to be imbra­ced, which freeth the mind from all these cares & trou­bles, and affoardeth it com­modity to meditate on hea­uenly things, and to apply it selfe to the obtayning of its own welfare. And such is single life, as it hath byn shewed.

Neither in women on­ly, but also in men single life hath all these effectes: for most of those thinges which we haue sayd before of women, haue place also in men: yet men in Marri­age are most commonly ex­posed [Page 111] to more discommo­dityes and inconueniences then women, because the whole care of maintayning the houshould, and of the greatest busines lyeth vpon him; and infinite disdaines of the wife, offences, iea­losies, suspicions, cōplaints, and frowardnes are to be endured, as S. Hierome pro­secuteth it, very elegantly out of Theophrastus the Phi­losopher in his first booke against Iouinianus, whose words it seemeth heer good to set downe.

Fertur, inquit, Aureolus &c. [Page 112] Heer is brought (quoth he) a little goulden booke of Theophrastus written concer­ning marriage, in which he asketh this question, Whether a wise man should marry a wife or no? And when he hath defined, that if she were fair, wel broght vp, of good Parents, and if she were healthfull & rich, with these conditions a wise man might somtimes marry; he presently infer­reth: But all these seldome match togeather in marria­ge, therfore it is not behoo­full for a wise man to mar­ry [Page 113] &c. And then he sets down diuers reasons which the same Philosopher alled­geth for his opinion.

First (quoth he) it hinders the study of Philo­sophy; for no man can serue his bookes and his wife at once. There are also many thinges which are necessary for the vse of Wiues, as gay apparell gold, Iewells expenses, wayting women, variety of houshold stuffe, guilded horse-litters, and coaches. Moreouer you shal haue all the night long no­thing but pratling, & com­plaintes [Page 114] that this Dame weares better cloaths when she goes abroad then she: This Lady, or Gentle wo­man is much honoured and respected of all wheresoe­uer she comes; whilest I, poore soule, am despised & contemned of euery body. Why did you looke so ear­nestly on my Neighbours wife? Why did you talke with her mayd? Are you come frō the Market, what haue yee bought? &c.

Her husband cannot haue a friend or companiō, but straight she thinketh that [Page 115] the loue of another is her hatred. If there were a lear­ned Maister in euery town, men should neither forsake their wiues, nor be able to walke with so great a bur­then. If she be poore, it is cost to help her, if rich, a torment to endure her.

Moreouer there is no choice of a wife, but what a one soeuer you chance to take, if she be colerique, if a foole, if deformed, if proud, if slutrish, what fault soeuer she hath, we learne that afterward. A Horse, an Asse, an Oxe, a Dog, the [Page 116] worst slaue a man can en­tertaine; his apparell also, his kettles, his chayres, his cups, his earthen pots, all these a man may proue be­fore he buy them, only his wife must not be shewed before she be had, for feare a man should so dislike her, that he would neuer haue her.

You must alwayes be looking on her face, and commending her beauty, for feare least if you looke on another, she thinke that her beauty displeaseth you. She must be called Mistresse [Page 117] and her Birth-day must be made a Holy day: you must sweare by her health, and you must pray that she may out liue you: you must re­uerence her that nurst her, and her also that bare her when she was a little one, her seruant, her brother-in-law, her little dandling, her pretty Page, her hyred Proour, and her Eunuch forsooth, for the longer con­tinuance and more security of lust (vnder all which names are prettily couched Adulterers.) And whome­soeuer of all these she affect­cteth, [Page 118] he must be beloued too, euen by those to whom they are vngratefull.

If you commit the go­uernement of the whole house to her charge, you must be her seruant. If you reserue any part of it to your selfe, she thinks you wil not trust her, & straight turneth into hatred, and scoulding, and vnles you beware of her betymes, you are in danger to be poyso­ned.

Old women, Wisards, brokers of Iewels and silke apparel, if you admit any of [Page 119] these into your house, you are in dāger of cuckolding: and if you forbid them, you do her wronge to sus­pect her.

But to what end is it to watch her narrowly, when a wife that is vnchast can neuer be restrained: & if she be chast, she ought not to be restayned; for the con­straint of chastity is but an vnfaythfull keeper. She on­ly is truly to be named chast who can be otherwise if she wil. A faire wife is a bayte, aswell in other mens eyes, as in his that hath her. A [Page 120] slut wil sooner desire others then they her. It is a hard matter to enioy that alone which many men seeke af­ter; and it would be a trou­ble to haue such a one, as no body would vouchsafe to affect. Yet it is a lesse mi­sery to haue an ill fauoured wife, then to keepe a faire one true. There is nothing safely possest by one, which of euery body is wisht for.

One sollicits with his comlynes, another with his wit, another with his plea­santnes, another with his money: by some meanes or [Page 121] other at last the Fort will be taken, which is on euery side so strongely beseiged.

But it may be obiected, that it is necessary for a mā to haue a wife, to take charge of the expēses of his howse, or to be a comfort to him when he langui­sheth, or to auoyd solitary­nes. To this I answere, that a faithfull seruant obeying the authority of his Maister, and doing his busines ac­cording to his will, dispo­seth of matters a great deale better then a wife, who thinketh that her Mistres­ship [Page 122] cōsisteth in doing that which is against [...]er hus­bands will, that is to say, to do that which she hath a will to, not that which she is commaunded to do.

And as for attending & comforting a man when he is sicke, his friends and ser­uants, or such poore soules as he hath made beholding vnto him, may better do it then she, who vpbraides him, as it were, with the teares which shee sheedes for him, yea sells the very filth and drosse therof, in hope to be his executour. [Page 123] And by this boasting of her carefullnes, neuer leaues him, til with her perpetual trouble, she driues him into vtter desperation.

But if her finger chance to ake, he must be sicke for it, and neuer budge from her bed side. Or if she be a good wife, and of a sweete disposition (which not­withstanding is a rare bird) he must groane with her, whilst she is in child bed, & be payned with her dan­ger.

As for the auoyding of solitarines, a wise man can [Page 124] neuer be alone; he hath pre­sent all those which are, or euer were good, in his thoughts, & freely placeth his mind on what he will. That which he cannot do with his body, he imbra­ceth with his thoughts, & if there be sarcity of men to conuerse withal, he talketh with God; he is neuerlesse alone then when he wants all company.

Besides it is a most idle thing to take a wife, in re­gard to haue children by her that his family may not be extinct, or that he haue, [Page 125] help & ayde to his old age, and also to know who shall in herit that which he lea­ues behind. For what is one the better when he is going out of the world, that another is called by his name, when as a sonne can­not presently be like his Fa­ther; and there are an infi­finite number of other men also perhaps called by the same name. Or what boo­teth it to nourish those at hom, whō we hope may be helps to vs whē we are old, whē perhaps they either dy before vs, or become of such [Page 126] a peruerse disposition, as they will not succour vs; or if they themselues come to maturity of yeares, perhaps they thinke their parents liue to longe.

And as for heires, our friends & our neighbours whom we loue, are better & more sure heyres vnto vs, being chosen thereunto by vs freely, thē those whome wee are constreyned to haue whether we will or no: though indeed it be a for more assured inheritan­ce to make our selues our owne heires, (by doyng [Page 127] good workes whilst we liue, (for otherwise we do but abuse the same) then to leaue it, being gotten all by our owne industry and pains, to the vncertein vses of any others whatsoeuer.

These reasons and the like Theophrastus discussing, what good Christiā might he not make ashamed of such vanities and troubles, whose conuersation ought to be in heauen, and who dayly sayth Cupio dissolui &c. I desire to be dissolued and be with Christ: as though he who may be a coheyre [Page 128] with Christ himself, should desire to haue man to be his heire, and should wish for children, and be deli­ghted in the succession of his posterity whome per­haps Antichrist shall per­uert; when notwithstan­ding wee read that Moyses, and Samuel preferred others before their own children. Neither yet did they ac­count thē children whome they sawe displease Almi­ghty God.

Thus farre are S. Hiero­mes words, who afterward confirmeth the same with [Page 129] examples out of the old Testament. By which it is manifestly shewed how far single life in the world is to be preferred aboue Marria­ge, and out of how many discommodityes & cares it doth deliuer a man; and what aboundance of helpe it affoardeth to a man, to passe ouer pleasantly, and quietly this temporall life, and obteine a high degre in the euerlasting. All which things if they should be exactly weighed and con­sidered of most men, I doubt not, but there would be [Page 130] farre fewer who would so much admire, loue, and imbrace the seruitude, that Marryage oftentimes brin­geth with it.

CHAP. VI. Of the Merits of both States of life, to wit, of vnmarried and married.

SOME one will obiect, That if the paines and troubls of mothers be great in bearing and breeding their children, and in sup­porting the conditions and iniuryes of their husbands; great also are the merits of [Page 131] enduring them: which merits such as are virgins cannot haue. Whence the Apostle also 1. Tim 2. saith: Saluabitur &c. She shall be saued, by bringing forth children &c.

I answere, that Parents may be moued with a dou­ble affection, to beget and bring vp children: to wit, with a meere humaine and naturall affection, & with a spirituall or diuine. A na­turall affection is, when any one desireth children for the conseruation of his name & family that he may [Page 132] haue heires to whome he may leaue his goods; that he may out-liue his owne death in his posterity; that he may be honoured in thē; that he may haue comfort and help by his children. All these are humaine res­pects and affections, and therfore of no merit, or es­teeme before God; yet of their owne nature they are not ill, but indifferent. Wherfore those who out of such affection do contract Marriage, or beget childrē, or bring them vp begotten, merit nothing before Al­mighty [Page 133] God, and loose all their labours and charges which they are at, as far forth as this; to wit, that they shall not receiue eter­nall reward for them, but onely a temporall comfort or comodity. For as an hu­maine affection is not me­ritorious before Almighty God, no more also is the work which followeth out of it, although it be frequēt and laborious.

In like manner to loue and follow Honours, Ri­ches, Magistracy, Digni­tyes and Pleasures for the [Page 134] commodity, splendor and sweetnes which we per­ceiue in them, although of it selfe it be no sinne; nei­ther likewise is it of any de­sert, but rather apperteineth to the delight of such things as are the concupiscence of the flesh, of the eyes, and pride of life, and which pro­ceede out of a corrupt natu­re, not out of the inspiratiō of diuine grace.

The same likewise is to be sayd of the affections of Parents, whereby they wish and procure these cō ­tents & pleasures vnto their [Page 135] children. For euen as whē they desire and obtayne these things for themselues, they deserue nothing at the handes of Almighty God; no more likewise doe they when they doe the like in their childrens behalfe: yea this affection is not onely not meritorious before Al­mighty God, but also it is not so much as a worke of any vertue.

For first of all, that it not a worke proceeding out of any diuine or infused vertue, it is manifest, since it may be foūd also in Hea­thens [Page 136] themselues, and the most wicked persons that liue. Also that such affecti­ons proceed not out of any morall or Philosophicall vertue it is plaine, for they respect not their obiects, as they are honest and rea­sonable, as the natures of such vertues require, but as they are delightfull & cō ­modious, or honourable.

Whence it is, that no man by such an affection becom­meth praise worthy, which is the propriety of vertue. As no man is worthy of prayse, for that he loueth or [Page 137] getteth riches, honors, plea, sures, or for louing his child because he is fair, or because he is like him, for singing wel, dancing wel, speaking well, or being indewed with such like ciuill orna­ments or qualityes. Al such affections are only naturall and indifferent, and there­fore of no desert or merit in the sight of Almighty God before his Tribunall seate.

Therfore as he which giueth almes to the poore prodigally, and vayneglo­riously to make himself ho­noured and esteemed the [Page 138] more of men, according to the wordes of our Sauiour, shal haue no reward before Almighty God, but recea­ueth all his reward in the prayses which he getteth of men in so doing: So those, which marry for respect of pleasure or riches, those which desire to haue chil­dren, or to bring them vp to haue contentment, who day and night onely take care, how they may leaue them a large and ample in­heritance, that they may promote them to honours, offices, dignityes, or weal­thy [Page 139] marriages, deserue no­thing before God, but re­ceaue their reward in the temporall contentements, which by this meanes they procure, either to themsel­ues, or to their children.

Therefore to speake truely, their labours and cares are all lost; neither do they reape any fruit at all to be accounted of from all this; for nothing is to be e­steemed of any great valew, but that which is euerla­sting.

All temporall things are of small account, passing [Page 140] away as shaddows, & ther­fore most vnworthy to spend al the vigour & prin­cipal acts of our soule about thē, which were ordained for things eternal. Heerupō holy Scripture euery where calleth vs from the loue and desire of riches, honours, and pleasures, and telleth vs that such as are poore, meeke & oppressed, are on­ly happy.

Neither are all these la­bours and paines of Parents onely vnprofitable, but they are also hurtfull, and the originall cause of infinite [Page 141] euils. From hence it is, that there are such an infinite nūber of men in the world, who damne there owne soules (which otherwise might haue been saued) for their childrens sake, to mak them rich, or to promote them to Honours. For those that wil become rich as the Apostle witnesseth, fall into temptation, and the snare of the deuill, and into many vnprofitable and hurtfull desires, which send them head long into damnatiō, & destruction; for couetous desire is the roote of all mischeife.

Marriage doth comonly [Page 142] force men headlong vnto this desire, for al mē would make their children rich, & leaue them a large inheri­tance; so that deseruedly also for that cause, that state of life is not to be greatly desired, which maketh all our paines and cares, most commonly, not only vn­profitable for our welfare, but also dangerous and hurtfull vnto vs, if it be not auoyded. Yet it followes not from hence, that wed­locke is euill: for neither Riches or Honnors be euil but good, which God also [Page 143] sometymes bestoweth vpō vs, for the reward of some good deed or other; and in tymes past haue beene pro­mised also to those few who obserued the law: but it is dangerous I say, to loue such pleasures and delights, to follow them, and to im­ploy al our endeauors onely in attayning of them, since they are but base & meane, and do hinder the loue and desire of things eternall, & intāgle the minde in many snares.

In like manner, though Matrimony of it selfe be [Page 144] good, and ordeyned by God, yet it drawes with it many cares and troubles, which through humanie frailty hinder the health of the soule, that it leades men secretly into many sins, and oftentimes vnto eternall damnation. Thus much of the humaine af­fectiō, out of which many men inclyne vnto Marry­age.

The spirituall affection is, when Parents desire to haue children, to the end that they may instruct them in the feare of God, that [Page 145] they may teach them to serue him, that they may increase the number of the faithful, that by them many deeds of deuotion may be done, that God may be ho­nored by them and the like: these affections rise not out of nature; but out of di­u [...]ne inspiration, and are worthy of a man, as he is a Christian.

Whence I confesse that Parents who with this kind of affection desire to haue yssue, and bring them vp, as aforsaid, do merit great­ly before Almighty God; [Page 146] & the wife also who with such a spirit desireth Mar­riage, shalbe saued by the bearing of children. And in this manner the wordes of the Apostle are to be vn­derstood 1. Tim. 2. But yet it seemes to be more proba­ble, that the Apostle in that place speaketh not of the merit, but of the estate and office of Marriage; & that to be also the meaning of this saying, Saluabitur &c. She shalbe saued, by doing the office of Marryage, and en­deauouring to haue chil­dren: for so the Greeke text [Page 147] doth import, as the learned do teach.

So likewise to the Ro­mans cap. 4. 5. & 11. Abrahā is sayd to be the Father of those that belieue, by hauing the foreskin or Prepuce cut off, that is to say, by those which are in that Estate. And in 2. Cor. cap. 6. Per gloriam & ignobilitatem &c. By glory and ignobility, by in­famy and good credit, that is to say, in prosperity and aduersity. The same is con­firmed by the words which the Apostle addeth, Saluabi­tur &c. She shal be saued (saith [Page 148] he) by the bearing of chil­drē, if she perseuere in faith, in loue, & in holynes, with sobriety: therefore he attri­buteth the cause of saluati­to fayth, & to loue &c. not to the procreation of chil­dren: yet I confesse also that this very deed is meritori­ous likewise, if it be done, as we haue sayd, out of spirituall affection: but it is otherwise, if it be done out of humaine only.

Moreouer if this estate and the offices thereof, be chosen & performed with a spirituall affection: ne­uertheles [Page 149] single life is much better and more meritori­ous; both because it remo­ues innumerable occasions of distractions, imperfecti­ons, and sinnes, by which the estate of Matrimony is hindred in the offices of deuotion; and also because it affoardeth cōmodity of conuersing dayly with God and of being attent to diuin matters. Wherefore a Vir­gin oftentymes may merit more in one day, then a marryed woman in many monethes.

CHAP. VII. Of certaine thinges to be obserued in this Estate.

TO the end that Vir­gins may the better preserue this treasure, & ob­tayne their scope and pur­pose more at larg, by which they haue so straitly bound themselues vnto God, and vndertaken this estate; ho­ly Fathers haue prescribed certaine things to be obser­ued. First in their apparell; secondly in their exercises; thidly in the vse of their ri­ches and wealth; & lastly [Page 151] in their conuersation.

As for their apparell, it must not be costly, but dec [...]nt and graue, without any kind of vanity or curi­osity, without pride also, or any secular ornaments, such as may represent the state wherein they liue, and the forsaking of the world: by which euery man that sees them, may know that they are Virgins, and haue an intent neuer to marry. For by this meanes they shall a­uoyd all importunityes and troubles, which suiters are accustomed to vse: and be­sides [Page 152] this they shall preuent many other inticements to the breach of their intent.

S. Cyprian in his booke de disciplina & habitu Virginum, handleth this place more at large, and with great ele­gancy: Continency (quoth he) & Chastity consist not only in the integrity of the body, but also in the honor of the Attire and apparell, being ioyned with mode­sty▪ She must not only be a Virgin really, but also she must be knowne, and be belieued to be such a one: so that no man who seeth [Page 153] her who is a Virgin, may haue any doubt whether she be so or no. For why should she go adorned, or attyred as though she had, or would haue a husband? let her rather feare to please any, if she be a Virgin; nei­ther let her seeke her owne danger, since she preserues her selfe for a better & more deuout purpose &c. Nei­ther ought a Virgin to be delighted with the shew of her owne beauty, or to take a glory in her owne person or comlynes, since she hath no resistance or war against [Page 154] any thing, so much, as a­gainst the flesh, nor any more obstinate enemy to o­uercom thē her own body.

Afterwards he allead­geth some, who excuse thē ­selues for their Riches and Nobility, for which res­pects they thinke that it is conuenient for them to go more richly attyred; whose excuse he refuteth at large, shewing in what thinges they should imploy their wealth.

To their habit also be­longeth a Veyle, with the which it is meete that a [Page 155] Virgin should be couered when she goeth abroad, least either she might see that which were not befit­ting, or her countenance should be perceaued of o­thers. For how many, I pray you, haue there beene in the world, who only by sight haue either perished themselues, or killed others? In so much that they must take principal heed of their eyes. And Tertullian hath written a particuler Trea­tise vpō this subiect of vir­gins veyling and couering their heads, which he iud­ged [Page 156] to be a thing so necessa­ry, that he sayd: It was no lesse then a passion of lust, to a vertuous Virgin, euery tyme that she exposeth her selfe to publique view; to wit, because that therby she with her face open, casting her eyes freely about to see, & to be seene, is easily cor­rupted in spirit; & that the very gazing it self is a signe of an vnchast mind.

And againe afterward: The desire not to be veyled or couered is not a chast de­sire, but admiteth somwhat that belongeth not vnto a [Page 157] Virgin; as also the desire to delight others inbeholding her; for true, entyre, and pure Virginity feareth no­thing so much, as it owne selfe, yea it endureth not the eyes of other women that delight in gazing, since the eyes of it selfe are farre dif­ferent from such; it flyeth to the veyle of her head, as to a helmet, & as to a buck­ler which defendeth her; it is a protection against the blowes of temptation, a­gainst the darts of scandals, against suspitions, & whis­pering, and emulation, yea [Page 158] and against Enuy it selfe. After this put on the armor of bashfullnes, entrench thy selfe within the bull warke of modesty, build vp a wall for thy sex, which keepeth in thyne own eyes, and let­teth not the eyes of others to enter. Thou hast marry­ed Christ and deliuered thy body to him, thou hast es­poused the maturity of thy yeares to him. Goe accor­ding to his will and plea­sure; it is Christ that bid­deth those who are marry­ed to others▪ to veile them­selues, much more those [Page 159] which are espoused vnto him.

For this purpose the womens attyres of Brabant are very fit, which are cal­led by them Huekes, which the very noblest Matrons of that Country vse, when they would not be knowne in any publike assembly.

Let vs now come to the exercises which holy Fa­thers prescribe to be vsed by virgins. These are fast­ing, prayer, reading of spi­rituall bookes, and handy­worke, in the dayly vse and variety wherof they may [Page 160] spend all their tyme most profitably.

Fasting is as it were the foundation & ground of al other vertues; for by this the roote of many tempta­tions, and by consequence of many vices, is cut of; the minde is made more fit to conuerse dayly with Almi­ghty God, with great com­fort & fruit, from whome it conceiueth all its good, frō whence al Saints for the most part haue deriued the begining of a spiritual life. By fasting, I meane not such fasting, as should weaken [Page 161] or impaire nature: but such wherby the body becomes more healthfull, the mind more quicke, and the con­cupiscence more subiect.

S. Hierome commendeth greatly this exercise in his 8. Epistle to Demetriades, de custodia virginit. After (saith he) diligent taking heed of impure thoughts, you must put on the ornament of fasting, and sing with Dauid, I haue humbled my soule in fasting, &c. And then afterwardes. Fasting is not a perfect ve [...]tue of it selfe, but the foundation of [Page 162] others, and is both sancti­fication & chastity, with­out which no man shall euer see God. It affoardeth staires to such as wil ascend to the top; & yet if it should be alone, it is not suffici­ent to crowne a virgins &c.

In which words it is to be noted, that fasting is te­armed by S. Hierome, Sancti­fication, and Chastity of o­ther vertues. It is called Sanctification, because it maketh others vertues flo­rish, and works their effects the better; and by this mea­nes it sanctifieth.

[Page 163] It is called Chastity, be­canse it procureth cleanesse of body and hart, wherin consist all other vertues, without which no man shall see God.

And that this fasting must be moderate, & such as may not weaken the body, but refresh & quickē the mind, S. Ierome warneth vs in these words, when he saith: Nei­ther do I prescribe to yow immoderate fasting, or such abstinences, as should be altogether without meat, by which bodyes that are tender and delicate may be [Page 164] quickly brought out of he­alth, and grow sicke, be­fore they haue layde the foundation of this holy conuersation.

S. Ambrose in his first book of virgins saith, that the sparing of meate, and ab­stinence from drinke, ma­keth a man to be ignorant of vice; for it maketh him to be ignorant of the causes therof. Therfore let this be rather a fast of sobriety thē affliction.

Prayer also, vnder which is conteyned the meditatiō of heauenly things, and the [Page 165] mysteries of our faith, is principally necessary. First, because by this wee must obteyne dayly supply of Grace, wherby we may both resist temptations and fulfill Gods diuine Com­mandements, and perseue­re to the end: wherfore our Lord warneth vs, that we alwayes pray, to wit, as much as conueniently we may, and as far forth as the fraylty, and necessary affai­res of this world will per­mit vs: for our perseueran­ce and eternall safety de­pendeth on Prayer.

[Page 166] Secondly by Prayer & Meditation we list vp our mynd to Almighty God, we place our selues in his sight and presence; wee cō ­sider his Maiesty, his Power, and his Wisedome, his Goodnes & his prouidence, his Mercy and his Iustice; we adore him, and praise him, we giue him thankes and blesse him; there we deale with him about the busines of our Saluation, and call to mynd all things which he hath both done and suffered for vs.

For this cause especially, [Page 167] a Virgin must abandone Marriage and secularity, & imbrace the state of holy Virginity, according to the Apostole, to wit, that she may thinke of these things which belonge to our Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit, that she may behaue her selfe worthily in the presence & conuersation of Almighty God, that she may sticke so close vnto him, that she may neuer be drawn away: and as our Interpreter tran­slateth it, that she may haue free leaue to beseech any [Page 168] thing of our Lord, without hinderance.

Heere are delights and spirituall comforts; in this consisteth as it were the Pa­radise of our soules; by these things our conuersation is in heauen, and we are made to enioy the society of An­gels: without these what­soeuer we do, is dry & bar­ren, for all comfort and spi­rituall ioy proceedeth from the attentiue consideration of diuine matters.

From whence it com­meth, that those who apply not themselues with great [Page 169] loue and desire, to Prayer and Meditation, they must needs remaine dry, or at leastwise they shall neuer tast the most excellent de­lights of the spirit. By Pray­er & meditation the mind is exercysed, and groweth zealous in the function & habit of other vertues, be­cause the guift of grace is more aboundantly obtey­ned by it, whereby the la­bour of vertue is made more easy and delightfull.

Hence the Royall Pro­phet saith, Viam mādatorū &c. I haue runne the course and [Page 170] way of thy commaunde­ments, whilst thou dila­tedst my hartwith ioy. And why? because the vanity of the world, & the worth of vertue, and the Charity of God, and the reward of life to come, are shewed therby vnto vs. The consi­deration of all which, must needs greatly stir vs vp to all offices of vertue, and to a diligent care of our owne saluation.

Reading of Spirituall bookes also is commended by the holy Fathers, and commeth very neere to the [Page 171] exercise of Prayer. For as by Prayer we obteyne the conuersation euen of God himselfe; so do we it also by reading of spirituall books. Whereupon Isidorus in his 3. booke of Sentences the 8. Chap. saith: Who alwayes wil conuerse with God, must pray often, and read much; for when we pray, we speake familiarly vnto God, but when we read, he speaketh vnto vs.

And afterward be ad­deth, that Spirituall profit also proceedeth from pray­ing and reading.

[Page 172] Lastly handy-worke is greatly commēded, for this is an especiall and benefi­ciall Exercise for three things. The first is, therby somewhat to release and refresh our minde; for we cannot alwayes attend to read or pray, but it is needfull to recreate our minde by intermixing of labours sometymes betwēe, least we should be ouer­wearyed: and this is done most conueniently by out­ward imployments, in which the mind is little or nothing at all buysied.

[Page 173] Whence it followeth, that this manner of variety becommeth most gratefull to our weake and changea­ble Nature, and hath beene vsed in all ages by men and women, such as were holy; and likewise it helpeth to auoyd idlenes, which is es­pecially to be taken heed of, by all such as endeauour to attaine to the perfection of a deuout and holy life. For as S. Ierome in his Epistle to Demetriades sayth, there is nothing more hurtfull to any deuout purpose then Idlenes, which doth not [Page 174] only omit to get new per­fectiō, but also wasteth that which was gotten before. And Blessed Ignatius saith, Otium omnium malorum &c. Idlenes is said to be the be­ginning of all mischiefe; for a minde that is not im­ployed, is open to all sug­gestions and impressions of the diuell.

Wherby sometymes it commeth to passe, as Seneca witnesseth, that although the body be guiltlesse, yet the mind being idle, falleth into a thousande sorts of lewdnesse. Wherfore it is [Page 175] good to be alwaies doing of somewhat, and to im­ploy our minds about one good action or other, that the diuell may alwayes find vs busy.

Lastly it is beneficiall for the health of our body, and to giue good example also, and to releeue others. For no Almes is so pleasing to Almighty God, no guift so acceptable, as that which is earned by our owne la­bours. S. Hierome discourseth at large of this point in his epistle to Demetriades, which for breuities sake I omit.

[Page 176] It resteth now to speake of the third, to wit of the vse of their Riches. Holy Fathers set downe the man­ner at large, how amongst Virgins, those who are wealthy shold imploy their meanes; to wit, not in su­perfluous apparell, not in banquetting and pleasures, not in adorning their bo­dyes, not in Iewels, pearles, rings, bracelets, not in rich & curious houshould-stuff, not in riot and excesse of brauery aboue their neigh­bours; but in the succour & releife of the poore, and of [Page 177] such as are seruants of God.

S. Cyprian in his booke De disciplina & habitu Viginum, discourseth at large vpon this thing: I will only al­leadge one sentence for bre­uityes sake: Locupletem te dicu &c. Thou boastest (quoth he) that thou art wealthy and rich, and thou thinkest that it behooueth thee to vse the riches which God hath permitted thee to pos­sesse. Do so, vse them, but let it be in such thinges as may concerne the health of thy soule. Vse them, but in that which God hath com­maunded. [Page 178] thee to vse them, & in which he hath shew­ed thee & taught thee how to doe. Let the poore find thee to be rich, and those that are needy perceaue thee to be wealthy. Put out thy Patrimony to vse, into the handes of Almighty God. Giue meate vnto Christ, that it may be lawfull for thee to sustayne the glory of thy Virginity. And to the end that it may be rewar­ded by our Lord, beg it of him by the prayers of ma­ny. Lay vp thy treasures there, where no thiefe can [Page 179] dig them out, where no wait-layer, or night-rob­ber can breake through. Purchase to thy selfe posses­sions, but let them be of heauen, where neither rust shall eate, nor hayle fall v­pon, nor Sunne burne, nor rayne corrupt thy fruites, they being continuall and euerlasting, free from the touch of secular abuse &c.

And S. Hierome in his Epistle to Demetriades sayth: Consideremus &c. Let vs con­sider how wisely Wisdome it self hath spoken: Sell what thou hast. To whome is this [Page 180] commanded? To wit, to him to whome it is sayd: If thou wilt be perfect, sell not a part of thy goods, but all. And when thou hast sould them, what follow­eth? Giue them to the poor, not to the rich, not to thy Neighbors who are weal­thy, not to maintaine ex­cesse, but to suffice necessity. Whether he be a Priest, or thy cozen, or kinsman, thou shalt consider in him no o­ther respect but his pouerty. Let the bowels of those that are hungry, not the fat ban­quets of those that surfet re­ceaue [Page 181] thy almes &c.

Yet for all this it is not the meaning of S. Hie­rom, that if a Virgin entreth not in to Religiō, she should depriue her selfe, of that which is needfull for her selfe to liue on in good for; but that she bestow therest which she hath superflu­ous, for the vse of the poore, & that after the manner which she iudgeth to be most to the honour of God.

S. Cyprian before mentio­ned goeth yet for ward, spea­king to those who hauing vowed Virginity, and are [Page 182] very rich & wealthy, thus: But there be some rich wo­men & very wealthy, who will set out, and shew their store, & say, that they must vse their owne goods. Let these first vnderstand, that she is rich, who is rich in God; that she is wealthy who is wealthy in Christ; that those be goods indeed, which be spirituall, diuine, and heauenly, which lead vs to God, which with sted­fast possession remaine to vs when we be with God. But whatsoeuer things are earthly, gottē in this world, [Page 183] and heere to remaine with­in the world, they must be contemned as well as the world it self, whose pomps and pleasures we doe then renounce, when with a better pace, we come to­wards God. S. Iohn doth ex­hort and stir vs vp, conte­sting with his spirituall & heauenly voice: Do not, saith he, loue the world nor those things which are in the world. If any man loue the world, the Charity of the Father is not in him, be­cause all that is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and [Page 184] the ambition of the world▪ which is not of the Father, but of the concupiscence of the world. And the world shall passe and the con­cupiscence therof. But he that doth the will of God abideth for euer, euen as God abideth for euer.

Wherefore eternal & diuine thinges are to be sought after, and all things are to be done according to Gods will▪ that so we may follow the footsteps of our Lord, and his diuine ex­examples, who did warne vs and say: I descended not from heauen to do myne owne will, but the will of him that sent me. [Page 185] Now if the seruant be not greater then his Maister, & he that is made free oweth duety to his deliuerer, we that desire to be Christians, must imitate that which Christ did. It is written, it is read, it is heard, and for our example celebrated by the Churches mouth. He that sayth, he abideth in Christ, ought euen as he walked, himselfe also to walke. We must therefore walke with equal steps, we must endeauour to follow his paces. Then doth the following of the Truth, an­swere [Page 186] to the Faith of the name, and reward is giuen to him that belieueth, whē that which is belieued is also done.

Thou sayst, that thou art wealthy and rich: but S. Paul doth obiect against thy riches, and prescribe with his wordes, that thy trimming and decking is to be moderated by an vp­righteous end. Let women sayth he, with shamfastnes and modesty adorne them­selues, not in plaited hayre, nor gold, nor pretious stons nor gorgeous apparell, but [Page 187] as it becōmeth women pro­mising chastity by good conuersation. S. Peter like­wise doth consent with these precepts and say: Let there be in a woman, not the outward decking of fai­renes, or of gold, or of good­ly garmentes, but the trim­ming of the hart. Now if these men do admonish vs, that euen those women, who are wont to excusethe adorning of themselues for their husbāds saks, are to be restrained, and moderated by religious obseruation, according to Ecclesiasticall [Page 188] disciplin: how much more expedient is it that a Virgin should obserue the same? Who deserueth no pardon of this her trimming, nei­ther can she cast her fault, vpon another, but she her selfe must beare all the bla­me.

Thou dost say, that thou art wealthy and rich: but not all that may, ought also to be done. Neither must inordinate desires, and such as spring vp out of the am­bition of the world, be ex­tended beyond the honesty & shamfastnes of a Virgin, [Page 189] for so much as it is writen: All thinges are lawfull, but all thinges are not expedi­dient. All things are law­full, but all thinges do not edify. But if thou adorne thy selfe ouer sumptuously, and go abroad, so as al men may note thee, and draw the eyes of young men to regard thee, and make them sigh after thee, and nourish their vnlawfull appetite to desire thee, and kindle their fire to longe after thee, in such sort, that albeit thou perish not thy selfe, yet thou art the ruine of others, and [Page 190] shew thy selfe as a sword or poyson to those that looke on thee; thou canst not be excused, as if thou wert chast and honest in mind. Thy wanton attyre, and dishonest trimming doth reprehend thee; neither canst thou be numbred a­mongst the Damsels & Vir­gins of Christ, who dost liue so, as if thou wouldest be loued.

Thou dost say that thou art wealthy and rich; but it beseemeth not a virgin to vaunt of her riches, be­cause holy scripture saith: [Page 191] what good hath our pride donne vnto vs, or what profit hath the vaunting of riches brought vs? All those things or past away like a shadow. And againe the Apostle doth admonish vs and say: And they that buy, let them be as though they possessed not; and they that vse this world, as though they vsed it not: for the figure of this world pas­seth a way. S Peter also vnto whome our Lord c [...]mmē ­ded his sheepe to feed, and to defend them, and vpon whome he set and founded [Page 192] his Church, did denie that he had either gold or siluer, saying that he was rich in the grace of Christ, and wealthy in his faith and power; by which he could do strange and miraculous things, and by which he aboūded in spirituall goods to attain the grace of glory. These goods and riches she can not possesse, who de­sireth to be esteemed rich, rather to the world than to Christ. Thus far S. Cyprian.

The fourth is her con­uersation, wherein the ho­ly Fathers prescribe to Vir­gins [Page 193] that they must auoyd frequentation of marriages publique banquettings, & the company and conuersa­tion of secular persons, es­pecially of such are light in their behauiour, and are giuen vnto the world; and that she should conuerse with modest and deuout women.

So saith S. Cyprian in the place aboue cyted, Quosdam non pudet nubētibus interesse &c. Some (quoth he) are not a­shamed to be presēt at Mar­riages, and in that liberty of lasciuious talke, to chatte [Page 194] with the rest, and mingle now and then, impure & dishonest speaches; to heare that which is not fitting to be heard, nor lawfull to speake againe; yea and to be euen present at lasciuious conferences, and drunken banquets, by which the fuell of Lust is kindled. The Bride now accusto­med to the patience of hea­ring vnchastnes, and the Bridegrome to be the more audacious, what place is it then to be at Marriages, for such a one whose minde is neuer to be marryed? And [Page 195] though she remaine both in body & mind a virgin, yet by her eares, and eyes, she hath lost part of that which she had before.

S. Hierome likewise in his epist. to Demetriades▪ Decline and auoyd (saith he) the husbands of Matrons, such as serue the world, for feare least thy mind be troubled, and thou heare either what the husband sayth to the wife, or the wife to the husband, for such Confe­rences are poyson vnto o­thers. Choose women that are graue, and especially [Page 196] Widdowes and Virgins to be thy companions, whose conuersation is approued to be good, their speaches well gouerned; & their outward modesty presages their san­ctity within. Auoyd the wantonnes and immodesty of yong Maydes, who at­tire their heads stangely, weare lockes at their eares, make their skynne smooth by art, paint, weare straite bodies, and sleeues, must not haue a wrinkle in their cloathes, weare creaking shoes, and all this forsooth, that vnder the name of a [Page 197] Mayde, they may seeme the more salable. For the com­portment and inclination of the Mistresse, is oftenty­mes iudged and proportio­ned, by that of the wayting woman, and such as they keep company withal &c.

S. Hierome goeth on thus: And this likewise a Virgin must take specially heed of, that she neuer talke or cōuerse at any tyme alone, with any man, whether he be secular or religious, no not so much as with her ghostly Father, withont the company of others: but [Page 198] let all things be done open­ly, where they may be be­held of others. Or if it be necessary at any tyme to talke with any man with­in doors, let it not be done, vnles some other be present who may see al. For it is an vnseemly thing for a man, thogh be her Confessarius, yea religious (& though his habit should make him seeme to be euen of the san­ctity of S. Iohn Baptist) to be alone with a woman in a chamber, the doore be­ing shut, and without any other present; whether it be [Page 199] vnder pretense of Confessi­on, or any spirituall instru­ction whatsoeuer. Let her remember that Thamar in priuate, for want of presen­ce of others, was rauished by her owne brother. Let her remember that for the most part all that haue fallē in this kind, haue done it through the neglect of this aduice.

If there were no confe­rēce in priuat, there would hardly any dishonesty be euer committed. Therfore this especially is to be ob­serued of a virgin, as a pre­cept, [Page 200] That she keep herselfe vndefiled, both before God and men

S. Ambrose also in his 2. bo. vpon S. Lukes ghospell saith: Trepidare virginum est &c. vir­gins ought to tremble and feare, as often as any man comes into their presence, and be affrayde to speake vnto any man &c. he spea­keth of such a one when she is alone (for in priuate they are fire and tow to one ano­ther:) and the diuell neuer more imployeth all his strength and endeauour, then at such a tyme, for [Page 201] feare least so fit an occasion should escape without be­nefit vnto him. See more concerning this matter in S. Hierome in his 8. 9. 10. 11. and 22. Epistle.

Of any vow of Obedi­ence to be made to ones ghostly Father, I finde no­thing written in holy Fa­thers, neither do I iudg it expedient (vnlesse in some few who are truly perfect, & are become euen maisters as it were, in the way of Perfection) by reason of many discommodityes, that may follow thereof. [Page 202] Wherfore it is deseruedly forbiddē in the Rules of the Society of Iesus, that any such Vow should be admit­ted by any Father of that Order. To which also may be added the solemne decre of the Prouinciall Councel of Mechline which by chaūce I happened vpon lately, wherein the 5. tytle the 7. Chap. are these words. Nemo aliquem ad perpetuò &c. No Ghostly father shall bynde any one, neuer to confesse his sinnes to any other then to him &c. And this Synod declareth all such Obliga­tion [Page 203] or promise, though confirmed by vow, to be vnreasonable, indiscreet, voyd, and of no effect; & therefore as far, as it shalbe needfull, doth by this pre­sent Decree ordeyne it to be so. I omit also many o­ther things which may be alleadged for this purpose.

These prescriptions of holy Fathers, if a virgin keep, liuing in the world, she shall be happy, and her Estate and condition shall come neere to the perfectiō of a Religious life.

CHAP. VIII. VVhether single life, confirmed by Vow, may be properly called an Estate.

SOME seeme to make doubt, Whether single life cōfirmed by vow, ought properly to be called an E­state, nor do▪ I know vpon what grounds. Neuertheles it may be easily gathered out of that which hath byn sayd before, that this man­ner of liuing, may be pro­perly called an Estate, and [Page 205] that such as professe the sam may be rightly sayd to haue chosen, and to be of an E­state.

For an Estate is no­thing els, but a manner of life, in the which it is pur­posed so to cōtinue, that it may not be lawfull to goe out therof into another, as S. Thom. 2. 2. quaest. 183. and other Doctours, doe euery where teach: but vowed Chastity or Virginity is a manner of life, wherein it is firmely purposed to con­tinue, so that it is not law­full to forsake the same & [Page 206] marry; therefore it is pro­perly an Estate.

Henriques teacheth the same in his 12. Quodlibet, where he sayth, That the estate of Virginity or wid­dowhood is no lesse to be accounted an Estate in the Church of God, then the Estate of Marriage. And Caietan affirmeth, that this doctrine of Henriques is true, according to the Law, if Virginity or Widdowhood be kept, or professed by o­bligation of vow.

And surely if there be in the Church an Estate [Page 207] of Marriage, why should there not be also an Estate of Virginity or widdow­hood? If there be an Estate of those which are wedded, why should there not be the like of those that liue continent, especially when S. Cyprian witnesseth; That this is the more beautyfull part or portion of Christ. If marriage with a mortall man or wo­man, which can continue but a small tyme, setleth a man in an Estate, why should not also an eternall marriage with Christ him­self, which is neuer to haue [Page 208] end, effect the same? Those who at this prensent are in the state of wedlocke, con­tinue not longe therin, but after a litle time by death of the one party, must go out of it, into the estate of such as liue single: but such as are now in the Estate of thos [...] that liue continent, shall neuer go out of it, but alwayes remaine therein. From whence it appeares that this is rather, and more perfectly to be tearmed an Estate, then that of Wed­locke.

Neither doth it auaile, [Page 209] that this vow of perpetuall Virginity may be dispen­sed with all, and that ther­fore this Estate seemeth not to be firme & immoueable. First, because such a dispen­sation may be only graun­ted by the Pope himselfe, yea is very seldome graun­ted, and that for matters of great importance: other­wise such release is not of force before Almighty God; but that which is only cō ­predended vnder the pow­er of the Pope may be law­fully thought impossible to vs, and therefore it dimini­sheth [Page 210] not the immobility or remouall of this estate: for it is sufficient, that by vs as much as is on our parts, it is firme and immoueable, in so much that it cannot be altered by vs; otherwise Religion it selfe should not be an Estate, since the Pope may vpon iust occasions of great importance, release a Religious man from the o­bligation of his Order, dis­pense with his vowes, and permit him to marry.

Secondly also, because Marriage is an Estate, yet it may be many wayes dissol­ued, [Page 211] to wit before carnall knowledge of one another, by entring into Religion; and also after the knowledg of one another by death of the wife, or husband. Also by the Adultery of the hus­band, the wife hath right of a diuorce, whereby the Marriage it selfe is dissolued euen to euery duety & con­iugall act, as though it had beene no marriage at all, al­though the habituall obli­gation remaine.

Finally if it be con­tracted in the Estate of in­fidelity, it may be dissolued, [Page 212] although it were consuma­ted, by copulation, if so be the one be conuerted to the Catholike fayth, and the o­ther perseuere in Infidelity. Therefore Wedlocke is far more easily, & more wayes dissolued, then the vow of Virginity: and yet that hin­dreth not, but that it is, and may be truely called an E­state; much lesse therefore shal that power of releasing it, which consisteth only in the authority of the Prince of spirituall matters, hin­der the vow of Virginity of being tearmedan Estate.

[Page 213] Thirdly a Cleargy E­state is made a true Estate by meanes of the Vow of Chastity, added to holy Or­ders, and hath sufficient fir­menesse; and yet the Pope may easily take it away, es­pecially in a Deacon, and giue him leaue to marry. Therefore it followeth &c.

Lastly, Seruitude is a true Estate, according to al lawes, and yet at the Mai­sters pleasure, the seruant may be enfranchised, and made free: Therefore that extrinsecal power of taking away any obligatiō, which [Page 214] consisteth not in our owne powers, doth by no meanes impaire the assurednesse & certainty of an Estate. For it is inough, that it is firme and immutable on our part. And the reason is, because he is sufficiently sayd to be in an Estate, who maketh choice of a certaine kinde of life, and settleth himself firmely therein, so that he cannot take any other v­pon him differēt vnto this, but must continue therein, euen vnto death. But he who imbraceth single life, and byndeth himselfe by [Page 215] vow vnto it, chooseth to himselfe a certaine kind of life, & so establisheth him­selfe therein, as he cannot passe out of it, vnto the contrary. Therefore he is in an Estate.

You will aske perhaps, Whether this Estate may be called an Estate of Perfe­ction? I answere, that it is not a complete Estate of Perfectiō, but only in part, because it is a notable part of the Estate of perfectiō for some Estates include more, & others lesse. An Estate of Perfection which is entire [Page 116] and complete, includeth al­so the vow of Pouerty and Obedience, both which a Virgin vowing Chastity in the world, may also after her manner, imitate and supply before God.

CHAP. I. VVho are to be accounted truely VViddowes.

THERE are sayd to be three kindes of Cha­stity, to wit, that of Mar­riage, that of Widdowes, & that of Virgins; al three [Page 226] signifyed by the good groūd mentioned in the Holy Ghospell, wheron the seed fell: The first wherof yiel­ded fruit thirthy fould, the second sixty fould, and the last an hundred. But they who cannot yeild the hun­dred-fould fruit, let them at least offer vp sixty, to shew themseues more liberall to­wards our Sauiour.

And for as much as all perfection of man con­sisteth in abandoning and forsaking carnal and worl­dly things, & drawing neer and ioyning himselfe vnto [Page 227] God his Creatour, louing him, fearing him, seeking him, thinking on him, con­templating and honouring him in euery thing and a­ction; this can hardly be af­fected in the state of Mar­riage, especially by womē, who hunting after, & day­ly following the delightes and pleasures of the world, are hindred thereby, for the most part, from treading the true path which leadeth di­rectly thereunto. But Wid­dowes who are free from such cares and troubles, and haue a true desire, may with [Page 228] great case and facility per­forme the same to their great comfort.

Now, there be diuers sorts of Widdowes. Some, as soone as their husbands be dead, purpose so marry againe, for some temporall comfort and consolation, not hauing any diuine In­spiration to serue God Al­mighty in that Estate, and are in danger to offend him. Of this sort of widdowes S. Paul speaketh, when he saith. I will, that the yong wid­dowes do marry againe, & become mothers of families, not to giue oc­casion [Page 229] to the Diuell to tempt them. And this is not ill but ap­proued of all. But when a widdow will marry a­gaine for any disordinate appetit, or because she is very rich, or faire, or soght after by some one that is placed in a high degree of Honour or State, or for any other vicious occasion, or ill end, without doubt this her desire is naught, nor is she to be reckoned, or worthily called a widdow, as long as she remaynes with this desyre, although she do not actually marry againe.

[Page 230] There is another sort of widdowes, who though they do not purpose to mar­ry againe at all, eyther for that they haue no dowry, or for feare least they hap­pen vpon an ill husband, or for some other secret or ma­nifest respect, yet is their manner of life and conuer­sation, not like indeed vnto widdowes: for that they will allwayes be gadding abroad, tatling, & gossip­ping, euen with those who be not reputed of the best edification. And these, forsooth, will be finely ap­parelled: [Page 231] and though they haue veyles, yet will they scarsely couer their heades with them; their eyes must be rolling vp and downe, they must go to banquets weddings and playes, they must tell tales, heare & tell newes, & carry themselues euen as meere secular, ordi­nary, and the worst sort of people. These are to be auoy­ded and shunned by all true widdowes: and these be those of whome S. Paul spea­keth in another place, say­ing: Take heed of such yonge widdowes, for after that they haue [Page 232] liued riotously, and licentiously in Christ, they will marry, carrying with them their damnation, for that they haue broken and made voyd their first faith. &c. And for these it were better that they did marry againe, then liue as they do.

Another sort there is, who neuer intend, nor do indeed marry againe, but liue chastely & vertuously, both in act and desyre. But yet they do it not for the loue of God, but rather for some humaine respect, as for the loue of their childrē, their goods, or the like. And [Page 233] although according to the esteeme of the world, they liue honestly, and are re­puted for Venerable Mo­thers and Matrones; yet are they wholy dedicated to the seruice of the world, & haue little feeling or gust of spirituall things; and do but seldome frequent the Sacraments or sermons, fast only but when the church commandeth them, or doe imploy themselues in any other spirituall Exercises. These I do intreat, by the bowels of Christ Iesus, that they will no longer imploy [Page 234] the gifts and graces which they haue receaued frō our Lord, to the honour and seruice of the world, to the end they may haue their reward in heauen, and not on earth.

There is another sort of widdowes also, who make a firme purpose and deli­beration, to conserue and keep their chastity & serue God with all their hart: & of these there are two kinds. One who cannot separate themselues from their chil­dren, or other parents, ei­ther for the charge they [Page 235] haue of thē, or because they cannot so wel liue alone, or for some necessity, or chari­ty in gouerning their fami­ly: and these although they be not wholy free from the world, nor are dedicated to the seruice of God; not­withstanding al the paynes and labours they take, they doe it principally for the loue of God, of whom they shalbe rewarded with life euerlasting. These Wid­dowes are not any to be re­moued, or drawne away from this kind of life, but are, according to S. Paul, [Page 236] greatly to be honoured and esteemed.

The other kind, are those Widdowes, who de­sirous to serue God, & may commodiously separat thē ­selues from their parents, friends, or family, and be more free to attend to pray­er and other deuout exerci­ses; yet they will not, tho­rough a kind of pufill ani­mity, or little courage, or els for compassion to their friendes, or for some other reason. Neither are these to be condemned, but estee­med in a second, or third [Page 237] degree from the former.

The last sort of widdow­es, are the true, & worthily so called, Widdowes, who dispatching themselues of al worldly impedimēts, do attend only to the seruice of God cōtemplating him, and meditating on him day and night. And these are placed in a more quiet and peaceable Estate, then any of the others aboue named, and are entred into the right, and direct way of perfection.

In this Estate liued that Holy Widdowe Anne the [Page 238] Prophetesse, recorded by S. Luke; who is sayd to haue serued God in fasting & prayer, remaining night and day in the Temple. And if such Widdowes, who haue a desire to liue vertu­ously cānot match or come neere to S. Anne; yet let thē come as neere vnto her as they can.

So as I conclude, that the true Widdow, is she, who not only conserues her Chastity in the world, but also whatsoeuer she doth, she doth it purely for the honour and seruice of Al­mighty [Page 239] God. And for that euery widdow doth not know how to exercise her selfe in the truly seruing of God, vnlesse she know the scope and end therof, I pur­pose heere to set downe briefly in what manner she is to do the same.

CHAP. II. Of the Intention, and Exercise of a true VViddow.

VVHEN a Widdow hath well consi­dered of her Estate & firme purpose to serue God, it is necessary, that first she vn­derstand [Page 240] what is the end & scope of this kind of life, that conformably therto, she may addresse all her workes and actions.

The first and principal end then is, that not onely Widdowes but euery Chri­stian also ought to liue wel and in the feare of God, whome she must loue more then her owne soule: and therefore she must labour, that by al her endeauours & actions the name of God may be euer blessed & prai­sed, Christian fayth and re­ligion aduanced, and ho­noured. [Page 241] This belongeth more to Widdowes then to many others, who conse­quently must be mortifyed, and of a chast and pure life. For that they hauing lost their carnall Spouses, they ought to seeke for no other but their Spouse Christ Ie­sus. So as a truely deuout Widdow ought so to infla­me her hart with the zeale of Gods honour, that she should choose rather to dye, then that by her means, her Spouse should be any way dishonoured.

Secondly she ought with [Page 242] as great zeale seek and pro­cure her owne saluation, considering that she is not alwayes to remayne in this world, because it is orday­ned for al men once to dye, and then of necessity, to go either to heaue, or to intol­lerable torments in Hell, or Purgatory. And there­fore hauing as it were, lost and forgone all the Conso­lations of this transitory world, she must force her self, to get & conserue those that be celestiall, and euer­lasting.

CHAP. III. Documents for VViddowes out of S. Paul.

SAINT Paul wryting to Timothy sayth: Honour VViddowes. He meaneth such Widdowes who liue vertu­ously according to the rule of Widdow-hood, that is to say, to gouerne wel their families, not only their chil­dren, or their kinsfolkes, but also their subiects, in­structing them in good life, manners and vertue, and when it is needfull to re­prehend and correct them. [Page 244] Secondly he sayth, That Widdowes ought to hope in God, to trust in his mer­cy; in him alone to seeke for Comfort and consolati­on, hauing dayly their mind eleuated in God in al humility, praying often, and imploring his diuine ayde to preserue them from all euill, to forgiue them, (and all sinners) their sins, to replenish them with his gifts and graces, and lastly to guide them to eternall felicity.

Thirdly he sayth, That a VViddow entertayning [Page 245] worldly & carnall consola­tions, & passing her dayes in mirth, ioylity, & vanity is accompted for dead. For although she liue according to the body, yet is she dead according to the spirit; nor can she once do any good or meritorious work, worthy of heauen.

Fourthly, he comman­deth widdowes, That they should be irreprehensible in all their words and deeds; that is to say, that in all their actiōs they giue good example, & that they keep themselues, not only from [Page 246] cōmitting of mortal crims, but euen from the least ve­niall sinnes that may be. Whence it followes, that if they liue vertuously, hū ­bly, in feare and vigilancy, it may be said of them, as it was said of Iudith, that most noble and deuout wid­dow, That neuer was there foūd any man who spake euill of her.

Fifthly he sayth, That the Widow ought to think vpon those things that be­long vnto God, to the end she may be holy & sanctify­ed in body and spirit &c.

CHAP. IIII. The prayse of VViddowhood, out of S. Hierome.

SAINT Hierome, amongst the rest of Ancient Fa­thers, is not the last, nor least that hath praysed wid­dowhood; nay I may say, he hath exalted the same a­boue many, if not aboue all the rest. And to begin first with an Epistle of his to Furia, a Noble yong Lady and widdow of Rome, thus he wryteth vnto her in cōmendation of the crown of Widdowhood.

[Page 248] You desire in your letter, and humbly intreate me, that I will answere you, or rather write vnto you in what manner you may liue, & conserue the crowne of widdowhood, without any blemish of the honour of your good Name. My mind reioiceth, my bowells do daunce, my affection doth leape, because you de­sire to be such after your husbands death, as your mo­ther Titiana of holy memory was a long time her husbād liuing. Her praiers and de­uotions are heard. She hath [Page 249] obtained in her only daugh­ter, that which she possessed whilest she liued.

You haue moreouer a ve­ry great Priuiledge of your Ancestours, that euen from Camillus, either none at all, or very few women of your stocke was married the se­cond time: so that you are not so much to be praised, if you remain a widdow; as to be detested, if being a Christian, you perfourme not that, which heathen women for so many ages haue obserued. I say nothing of Paula & Eustochiū, flowers [Page 250] of your family, least I may seeme to take occasion by the exhorting of you, to praise them. I let passe Blesilla which following her hus­bād your brother, in a short space of life, fulfilled many yeares of vertue.

And I would to God that men would imitate the praises of women, & wrin­ckled ould age would per­forme that which volun­tary youth doth offer. Wit­tingly & willingly I thrust my hand into the fire. Many countenances wil frowne, many armes will be spread [Page 251] abroad, and angry Chremes will rage with his foa­ming mouth. Many great personages will be incensed against my Epistles: the whole company of Nobles will thunder out, and say I am a witch, that I am a seducer, worthy to be ba­nished from all ciuill com­mon wealthes. Let them adde, if they will, a Sama­ritane also, that I may ac­knowledge my Lords title.

Surely, I do not deuide the daughter from her fa­ther Neither do I say that of the gospell, Suffer the [Page 252] to bury the dead. For who­soeuer beleeueth in Christ liueth, and whosoeuer be­leueth in him, ought surely to walke, euen as he wal­ked. Honour your father, but so, as he seuere you not from your true father. So long acknowledg the linck of your bloud, how long he acknowledgeth his Crea­tour. For otherwise Dauid will presently sing vnto you: Heare O daughter, & see, and incline thine eare, and forget thy people, and the house of thy father: and the King will desire thy [Page 253] beauty, because he is thy Lord, thy God, and thy King.

O great reward of for­getting ones Father! The King wil desire thy beauty: because thou hast heard, be­cause thou hast seene, be­cause thou hast inclined thy eare, & forgot thy people and the house of thy father; therfore will the King de­sire thy beauty, and will say vnto thee: Thou are al faire, O my Deare, and there is no spotte in thee. What thing more faire then the soule, which is called the [Page 254] daughter of God, and see­keth no forraine ornamēts? she beleeueth in Christ, and with this ambition she goeth to her spouse, hauing the same to her Lord, and to her spouse.

What miseries mariage haue, you haue learned in marriage it selfe: and you haue bene filled with that which you longed for, euen vnto loathsomenes. Your lawes haue tryed most bit­ter choler, you haue cast out those sower & vnwholsom meates, you haue eased your boyling stomake. Why wil [Page 255] you yet throwe in againe that which once was hurt­full vnto you? The dogge returneth to his vomit, and the sow againe to her wal­lowing in the mire. The very brute beastes, & restles birdes, do not fall the secōd time into the same snares & nettes.

Do you feare least the family of the Furij be extin­guished, and least your fa­ther haue not a babe by you, which may creepe in his bosome, and beslauer his necke? What, I pray you? haue all which are maried, [Page 256] children? And those chil­dren which they haue, do they alwaies answere to their kinred? Yea surely Ci­ceroes sonne did resemble his fathers eloquence: and Cornelia your Auncestresse, an example of honesty and fecundity, had much ioy of the Gracchi her sonnes. It is ridiculous to hope of a cer­tainty for that, which both many haue not had, & haue lost when once they had it.

To whom wil you leaue so great riches? To Christ who cannot dye. Who shall be your heire? he which is [Page 257] also my Lord. Your father will mourne, but Christ will reioyce; your family will be sorowfull, but the Angels will be ioyfull. Let your father do what he wil with his substance: you are not his, by whom you were borne, but his by whom you were borne againe, and who redeemed you with an exceeding great price, euen with his bloud.

So far, ould good S. Hierom. Where you see what esteeme he maketh of Wid­dowhood, yea in a young, noble, and beautifull Lady. [Page 258] And no lesse doth he in an­other Epistle of his to Mar­cella, commending the cou­rage and resolution of Ble­silla a young & Noble wid­dow also. Thus then he writeth to Marcella of Blesil­la her sicknes.

Abraham is tempted in his sonne, & is found more faithfull. Ioseph is sould into Aegipt, that so he may feed his father & brethren. Ezechias is terrified with his death at hand, and dis­solued into teares, hath his life prolonged for fifteene yeares. Peter the Apostle is [Page 259] afflicted, with our Lords passion, and weeping bit­terly, he heareth; Feed my sheepe. Paul a rauening woolf, and another young Beniamin is stroken blind in a traunce, that he may receiue his sight: and being compassed with a suddaine horrour of darknes, calleth him Lord, whom before he persecuted as man.

Euen so now, O Marcella, we haue seene our louing Blesilla thirty daies continu­ally to haue bene tormented with the burning of an ague, that she might learne [Page 260] to reiect the delights of that body which shortly after is to be consumed with wor­mes. To her also came our Lord Iesus, and touched her hand, and behould she arising, now serueth him. She sauoured somewhat of negligence: and being tied with the bandes of riches, she lay in the sepulcher of the world. But Iesus gro­ned, and being troubled in spirit, cried out: Blesilla, come forth. Who arose when she was called, and being come forth, now sitteh at the ta­ble with our Lord.

[Page 261] Let the Iewes threaten and swell, let them seeke to murder her who hath bene raised vp againe; and let the ōly apostles reioyce. She knoweth, that she oweth her life vnto him, who did restore it. She knoweth that she ēbraceth his feete, whose iudgment lately she feared. Her body lay almost dead: and death approaching did shake her gasping members. Where were then the helpes of her kinred? where were then the wordes full of vanity? She oweth nothing vnto [Page 262] thee O vngratefull kinred, which dying to the world is reuiued vnto Christ. Who is a Christian, let him reioyce: he that is angry, sheweth that he is no Chri­stian.

A widdow loosed from the bond of marriage, nee­deth nothing but perseue­rance: But doth the course garment offend any person? let Iohn offend him, then whom, amongst the sonnes of women there was none greater: who being called an Angell, baptized our Lord himselfe, for he also [Page 263] was cladd with a Camells skynne, and girded with a girdle of hayre. Do grosse meates displease them? no­thing is more grosse then locusts. Let those women rather offend Christian eies who with vernish and co­lours paint their eies, and cheekes: whose plaistered coūtenance deformed with ouermuch shining, doth re­semble Idols. Who if they happen for want of heed to let fall a teare, it trickleth downe in a furrow: whom not so much as the very number of their yeares can [Page 264] perswade that they are old: who with other folkes hair set forth their head: and paint out in aged wrinckles their youth forespent: who finally in presence of many nephews are trimmed like trembling girles.

Let the Christian wo­man blush, if shee force the comelinesse of nature, if she make prouision for the flesh vnto concupiscence, in which according to the A­postle, whosoeuer are deli­ghted, cannot please God. Our widow before was ve­ry carefully dressed: and all [Page 265] the day at the glasse she stu­died what might be amisse. Now she confidently saith: but we beholding the glory of our lord with face reuea­led, are transformed into the same image, from glory vnto glory, as of our Lords spirit. Then the maides did platte her hayre, and the harmeles head was wrin­ged with frizeled tops: but now the vntrimmed head knoweth this to suffice, that it is couered.

Then did the very soft­nes of feathers seeme hard, and she could scarce lay in [Page 266] the raysed bedds: now she riseth betimes for to pray, and with her shrill voice preuenting the others, in singing Alleluia, she is the first which beginneth to prayse her Lord. She kneeleth v­pon the bare ground, and with often teares that face is purged, which before was defiled with painting. After prayer, there are sung psalmes: & the feeble neck, and wearyed knees, & slee­py eyes, for the earnest fer­uour of the mind, can scant obtain any rest. The mour­ning gowne is least fouled, [Page 267] when she lyeth on the ground. The course pan­toffle affoardeth the price of gilt shoes vnto the poore: the girdle is not beset with gold & pretious stones, but of wollen, and most pure, because of the simplicity, & such as may rather strai­ten the garments, then a­dorne them.

If the Scorpion enuy­eth so good a purpose, and with flattering speach per­swade againe to eate of the forbidden tree; insteed of a shoe, let him be crushed with a curse; & whilest he [Page 268] dyeth in his poyson let him haue this answere: Go after me Satan: which is as much to say, as Aduersary; for he is the Aduersary of Christ, and an Antichrist, whosoe­uer is displeased with the precepts of Christ.

I pray you, what haue we done like vnto the Apo­stles, that they are so offen­ded? They forsake their a­ged Father with their ship and nets: the Publican ri­seth from the custom-house & followeth our Sauiour: The disciple which desired to returne home, and bidd [Page 269] friends farewell, is forbid­den by our Maisters voice. The buriall of a Father is not allowed, & it is a kind of piety, for our Lord to be voyd of pitty. We, because we goe not in silkes, are e­steemed Monks, because we are not drunke, neither o­pen our mouthes vnto dis­solute laughter, we are cal­called graue and melancho­ly. If our coate be not gor­geous, we straight heare that common Prouerbe: He is an hypocrite, and decea­uing Grecian.

Let them vse euen yet [Page 270] more rude scoffes; and carry about with them men stuf­fed with fat paunches. Our Blesilla will laugh, and not disdaine to hear the reproa­ches of croking frogges, whereas her Lord & Mai­ster was called Beelzebub.

Hitherto S. Hierome. And there might be heer set downe many of his Epistls of the same subiect in praise and commendation of the Crowne and Merit of Wid­dowhood, if this litle trea­tise were capable therof, or that it were our intention to make heereof a great vo­lume. [Page 271] And therfore we wil content our selues at this tyme with some briefe Ad­uertisementes of his, con­cerning the same subiect.

CHAP. V. Aduertisementes to VViddowes, out of the same S. Hierome

MANY are the Instru­ctions & documents, which the ancient Fathers, haue set down for vertuous & deuout Widdowes. And first of all we will produce what we find written by S. Hierome aforesayd in diuers places of his works, in the [Page 272] briefest manner we can, not to ouerweary the Widdow-Reader.

As those Widdowes (sayth S. Hierome) who whē they were marryed, did on­ly study to please their hus­bands: so let those, who are now freed from carnal mar­riage, seeke and study only to please God, whome they haue chosen for their spouse in place of their former hus­bands.

As Widdowes whilest they were ioyned to the world, did vse the vanity of the world: so let them now [Page 273] being ioyned to god, banish from their hartes all vani­tyes.

As Widdowes, whi­lest they were marryed in the world, studyed how to nourish and pamper their bodyes, for the bearing of children, & supporting the burden of Marriage: so now let them keep sobriety, and bring their body into ser­uitude, and subiect the same to the spirit, thereby to be able to serue their second spouse Christ Iesus, in their sacred and spirituall Marri­age.

[Page 274] Let a Widdow be so much the more a louer of Chastity; by how much all her actions, wordes, and workes, may sauour of pu­rity.

Let her neuer be alone, as neere as possible, with any man, that she need not be ashamed, whensoeuer she is seen to conuerse with another.

Let her alwayes a­uoyd the cōpany of vaine, idle, and sensuall persons; especially of Widdows that should be so giuen: nor so much as permit any such to [Page 275] come neere vnto her.

Let her take great heed neuer to detract, or mur­mure, or speake euill of any man. Let her also auoyd those who vse to murmure, and permit them not vpon any occasion to speake euill of any person in her presen­ce, to the end that those who visit her, may be edi­fyed by her vertuous com­portment.

She must also haue a great care of her honesty and reputation, of which she ought to be alwayes so iealous, and fearefull, that [Page 276] her speach, her face, and all the actions of her body, yea her very garments may demonstrate the same; to the end that no occasion be giuē to others, not so much as to thinke the contrary of her.

By how much more younge she is; by so much the more ought she to be graue, and venerable in all her actions.

Let her not take too much pleasure, or delight in singing, especially of songs; but let her recreate her selfe honestly with those of her [Page 277] owne house and family.

Let her alwayes haue at hand, some book of deuoti­on; & let her haue often re­course vnto prayer, which is the readiest way to driue away all vayne and euill thoughts, which the Ene­my may put into her mind.

And for that, the flesh hath continually combat with the spirit, let her vse abstinence, and other mor­tifications, to subdue the same, according to the coū ­sell of her prudent Ghostly Father.

As Anger and Choller is [Page 278] naturall oftentymes to a man: so neuer to be ouer­come therwith is most pro­per to a Christian. Let the widdow therfore take great heed therof.

Let her alwayes haue be­fore her eyes the examples of Indith, and Anne the Pro­phetesse, widdowes, who continually night and day imployed their tyme in prayer, fasting, and vertu­ous exercises. For which God gaue to one of them so much grace and valour, as to ouercome and cut off the Diuels head, figured in that [Page 279] of Holofernes; and to the o­ther, to be the first widdow who should imbrace, and receaue the Sauiour of the world in her armes, and thereby made partaker of diuers diuine secrets.

Let her consider that her soule, is the daughter of God, & therfore she ought not to vse any strang or fan­tastical ornaments to adorn her body; but let all her study and care be to adorne her soule, as it becommeth the daughter of God,

She must not content her selfe to haue begon any [Page 280] thing well, but she must study how to end it well: although S. Paul began to do euill, and ended with good; and Iudas contrariwise be­gan to do well, but ended in euill.

To what purpose should there be colours & vernice vsed, to paint the face of a Christian? Such an orna­ment of the body becom­meth not one, that serueth Christ, but rather one who serueth Antichrist. And if any looke towardes heauen with such a face, Christ wil not know them, since they [Page 281] haue changed that shape which he gaue them.

Why do we promise one thing, and do another? And why doth the tongue prayse Chastity, & the bo­dy exercise Impurity?

It is a very great ver­tue, & worthy to be sought after with great diligence, care, and watchfullnes, to wit, to be born in the flesh, & not to liue according to the flesh.

If S. Paul feared, say­ing: I doe not the good that I would, and therefore I do bring my body into ser [...]itude. Which [Page 282] of vs is there, who can be assured in this case?

If Dauid and Salomon, the familiar friendes of God, haue beene ouercome, by the temptations of their flesh: who is he, that will not feare to fall, walking vpon so slippery an yce?

Let a widdow conti­nually thinke of doing seri­ously the will of God, that she may be worthy often to heare that saying of our Sa­uiour in the Ghospell: Not those who say lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but those who shall doe the will of my [Page 283] Father which is in heauen. And that also which he sayd in another place: VVhy do yee cal me Lord and Maister, and do not the thinges I command you to do? And againe: He that doth the will of my Father, is my brother, my sister, and my Mother.

Moreouer God sayth by his Prophet: The Sonne honours the Father, and the ser­uant the Maister: But I am your Father, and where is my honour? I am your Maister, and where is my seruice? Wherby it is ma­nifest that whosoeuer doth not the will of God, nor loues him as a Father, nor [Page 284] serues and feares him as a Lord and Maister, is (as ho­ly Dauid sayth) for that he is a sinner, & hath done euil.

Labour, that thou mayst be rich: but so, as the poore may gaine thereby. And it wilbe most pleasing to God, if thou giue what thou canst possibly spare to the poore.

VVhensoeuer a widd­ow takes her repast, let her thinke on the poore, if she be of ability; at least let her giue what she can, accor­ding to her riches, or po­uerty. And let her also think [Page 285] at this tyme, that by and by after she must fall to her prayers, or read some good spirituall lesson, or exercise her selfe about some other deuout and pious worke.

VVhilest a Widdow hath meanes, let her make vnto her selfe friendes by Almes; that when the same is wanting, and all spent, they may receaue her into the euerlasting tabernacles.

Giue vnto all those that shall demand of you, if you be able, and specially to those who be good. Cloath the naked, feed the hun­gry, [Page 286] and visite the sicke.

Euery tyme that you stretch forth your hand, to giue to the poore, remem­ber that it is Iesus Christ to whome you giue: and be­hold, how your sweet lord, and Sauiour beggeth, to lay vp riches for you, against you haue need.

Think often that with­in a short tyme, you are to dye, and leaue this world; and so, you shall haue little list to thinke of a second worldly marriage.

Carry your selfe so, in the gouernement of your [Page 287] house and family, that all may acknowledge you for their Mistresse; and also re­uerence you for your holy and vertuous life.

Fly all sorts of persons, that haue any suspitiō of an euil name; it is not inough to say, My Conscience is cleer I care not what others say of me: but take you away all occa­sion from others of thin­king ill, wherby God may be in any sort offended.

Seeke first of all the kingdome of heauē purely, and all other thinges neces­sary shall be giuen vnto you [Page 288] aboundantly.

A VViddow ought to flye all inordinate delights of the sense of Tasting: and for this cause, God would not haue hony to be burnt in his honor in the church, but oyle, which comes from the bitter Oliue-tree, and is of an vnpleasant tast.

S. Paul did chastise and afflict his body diuersly, that he might not become reprobate. And who will warrant a young widdow for her Chastity, if she con­tinually fill her belly with variety of delicate viands?

[Page 289] It is not possible, that any one now adayes should be exempted frō the obliquy of mens tongnes, since it is become, as it were, a kind of pastime among the bad, to speake euill of the good: but a false bruite is soone past; and this present life of ours, doth giue vs witnes­se of our life past. If any spe­ake ill of thee, amend thy fault, and the rumour will quickly cease.

Nobility, Beauty, yong Age and Riches, make wid­dowes amiable vnto euery one; And how many more [Page 290] enemyes they haue to fight against, for the conseruati­on of their Chastity; so much more great shall be their reward and recom­pence, if they māfully resist and ouercome.

Fly the company of those widdowes, who are widdowes not in will, but of a kind of necessity; as also those who liue in such sort, that they may seeme not to haue lost their husbands.

God did not send a wid­dow riches to be idle, or to spend the same vnthriftily, but rather to the end she [Page 291] might labour the more, es­pecially with her owne hands, and to haue dayly somthing to giue therof to the poore.

Haue continually before your eyes, and in your me­mory, this sentence: That which you would haue to be done vnto your selues, do you the same vnto another.

Do not easily beleeue euill of another, for this is the property of a light & giddy mind, which for this reason is seldome in quiet.

Do not regard that which another prayseth in thee; [Page 292] but weigh and ponder the same well with thy selfe, & in thy owne conscience.

Speake little, and not without necessity, & thou shalt auoyde a number of sinnes and imperfections.

Esteeme nothing more amiable, or precious, then Humility which is the kee­per & guardian of all other vertues. And know, that ther is nothing which ma­kes thee more regarded of God and men, then Humi­lity, our sweet Sauiour say­ing: In whome shall I repose or rest, but in the humble?

[Page 293] This Humility must not be exteriourly faygned, nor in wordes only; but truly perfect, and in the hart: for the Pride, which is tur­ned into Humility, is ex­treme deformed: and the vices with are couered ouer with the veyle of Vertue, are insupportable, & odious in the sight of God.

Do not preferre thy self, before another, eyther for that thou art Noble, Rich, or Fayre, or for any other exteriour ornament of thy body: but rather esteeme thy selfe the more base and [Page 294] abiect, therby to be truly greater in the sight of God. For we are all borne of the same parents Adam & Euen, and all redeemed with the selfe same bloud of Iesus Christ.

Do not regard the con­ditions of persons, but their affections: for their māners and carriage make them as well base, as noble. It is true liberty, and noblenes in­deed, according to God, not to be a slaue to sinne. Who hath byn more famous or illustrious then S. Peter, who was euē but a poore Fisher­man? [Page 295] Who among women hath been more noble then the B. Virgin, who was ne­uerthelesse espoused but to a poore Carpenter? To this Fisherman, God notwith­standing gaue the keyes of Heauen: and this humble Virgin was made worthy to be the Mother of God himselfe, and her spouse S. Ioseph his Foster-Father.

Haue some conuenient & retyred place in thy house whither thou maist repayre often to talke & trait with God alone, as well about that which belongeth to [Page 296] thy selfe, as to thy family.

Content thy selfe to haue lost the first degree of Vir­ginity; & that by the third, thou art come to the secōd: to wit, that by the endea­nour of marriage, thou art come to the continency of Widdow-hood.

Many women whilst their husbands are aliue, make vowes of Chastity & are continent. And shall not others who are freed from their husbands, and are be­come widdowes, much sooner performe the same?

God gaue thee a husbād, [Page 297] and God hath taken him from thee againe, & therby made thee free from the ser­uitude of men. Do thou therfore rēder him due thā ­kes by thy chast and vertu­ous liuing in widdowhood

Let the yong widdow, who cannot (or rather will not) liue chast, rather take a husband, then the diuell.

Yow know by experience how many troubles cares & anguishes of mynd marrya­ge drawes with it: Now that you haue vomited vp al the bitternesse therof, wher­fore will you be againe [Page 298] caught with the same? The byrd, that hath once had her foot in the limetwigs, wil take heed for comming there againe, I trow.

Make a Vertue of Neces­sity: and leaue not a thing certaine, for an vncertayne if you be wise.

Take heed of the coū ­sells of your Nurse, and others of your house and family, for that they do al­wayes set before your eyes somthing that may please yow, and that may turne to their owne profit & cō ­modity.

[Page 299] If in doing well your Father, or carnal friends be heauy and grieued, your Spouse Christ Iesus will reioyce: And if your fami­ly weepe, the Angells will singe.

You do not so much be­long to those of whom you were borne, as to him of whome yow were regene­rat, & borne a new; redee­med by his pretious bloud and death.

Let the yong Widdow, if her stomacke be weake, vse a little wyne; but let her take heed of meates that be [Page 300] hoat of nature.

A Heathen women once said, He that had my first loue, was my husband: and he that hath takē it away, let him keep it with him still in his graue. If an In­fidell did so much dispraise and dislike a second mar­riage: what shall be expe­cted that a Christian wid­dow should do?

All these sayings are of good old S. Hierome: in ga­thering wherof I haue byn the longer, for that I hope they wil be pleasing & cō ­fortable to widdows. Now let vs see a little what S. Au­gustine [Page 301] will say vnto vs, con­cerning the same subiect.

CHAP. VI. Documents for VViddowes, out of S. Augustine.

THE widdow that hath Children, ought to bring them vp, and in­struct them in the feare of God. And this must be her principall care. Neither ought she so much to glory that she hath children, as that she hath indeed good and vertuous children.

If she resolue to keep her [Page 302] dowhood, let her giue thankes to good, who hath by his holy inspiration, put this resolution into her hart, & let her in all things praise his holy Name.

Let her not despise those who haue not the intentiō to remayne widdowes: but let her know, that it is a speciall gift of God; and that he giues it to whome he pleaseth, and in diuers manners.

Let her imploy as much tyme to please and serue God, as she hath done to please and serue her hus­band: [Page 303] and by how much the more she shall please him, by so much more shall she be happy.

Let her seeke to please God with the beauty of her soule, as she hath done be­fore to please the world with the beauty of her bo­dy: to wit, with her humi­lity, Chastity, wisedome, loue &c.

In place of carnall & worldly pleasures, let there succeed spirituall, to wit, prayer, reading, good thoughtes, good workes, frequēting the Sacraments, [Page 304] hope of eternall life, eleua­tion of the mind to God, & continual giuing of thanks to his diuin Maiesty. These and the like are the true de­lights and pleasures of a true and vertuous Widdow.

Let her haue a speci­all care, that the loue of ri­ches, and Honours succeed not in place of the loue of her husband. For many haue there beene who haue vanquished and ouercome the lasciuious wantonnes of the flesh, and yet haue been themselues ouercome with couetousnes: and haue lo­ued [Page 305] riches so much the more disordinatly, by how much they haue repressed the cō ­cupiscence, & desires of the flesh.

Let her exercise her selfe in all true vertue, as well in her young age as in her old; & as much as her health and ablenesse of bo­dy will permit.

When she loues God with her whole hart, all kind of labour and toyle seemes sweet and light. And if it seeme pleasant vn­to a hūter, to follow a wild and sauage beast, with so [Page 306] great labour, toyle, yea and danger of his life, to take him: what should it seeme vnto a soule inflamed with loue, to take paynes for the getting of God himselfe?

Let not a Widdow, though neuer so rich, noble, fayre, yea and though she haue neuer so fayre an issue of children, for this cause reioyce; but accompt her selfe as one desolate in this world, not relying vpon any other consolation, but wholy vpon God; estee­ming her selfe but as a pil­grime vpon earth, banished [Page 307] into this world from her heauenly Countrey, & sub­iect to many perils, and mi­seryes, a great way distant from eternall happynes, & most vncertaine euer to at­taine therunto: And ther­fore let her lament with King Dauid, & S Paul, who had the like thoughts and cogitations.

If she do abound in ri­ches, yet let her not set her affection thereon. And a­boue all things, let her con­temne couetousnes and a­uarice, the holy Scripture saying: There is nothing more [Page 308] pernicious then couetousnes, no­thing more wicked then the loue of money; since that for money the Couetous man will sel his own soule. And the Apostle sayth: That couetousnes is the roote of all euil. Our Sauiour also in the Ghospell telleth vs. How hard a thing it is for those that be rich to enter into the kingdome of heauen: And that a Camell, shall ēter more easily through a needle, then a richman into the Kingdom of heauen. By riches are vn­derstood all earthly things, and goods, disordinatly af­fected, or sought after.

[Page 309] When a widdow hath done her deuotions, let her neuer be idle; let her take in her hand either wooll, or flaxe, let her card, let her spinne, let her wind the yarn that others haue spon, let her twist it, let her see there be no fault in the worke, and if there be any let her mend it, & do what is necessary. Being thus continually occupyed, the longest dayes will seem ve­ry short & pleasant: For the soule that is idle is full of bad de­sires, as the holy Scripture insinuateth. And nothing [Page 310] can be so pretious in the sight of God, as to giue to the poore the labour of her owne handes.

Let a VViddow take heed of adorning or atty­ring her head with pearles, Iewells, or pretious carca­nets, nor vse frizeled hayre; for these be the true signs of hell-fire: but let her seeke another sorte of pretious stones, and weare them, to wit, Humility, Feare of God, and other vertues; to the end, she may buy ther­with that inestimable pearle & margarite, Christ [Page 311] Iesus the spouse of the soule.

Finally let a Widdow vse discretion, maturity, & prudence in all her actions: let her consider who she is, & who he is to whome she hath consecrated her Wid­dowhood; to the end she may obtaine his earthly be­nediction for her selfe, and her children in this world, & life eternall in the next.

CHAP. VII. Diuers memorable Examples of true VViddowhood.

VVE haue spoken already of the Fa­mous [Page 312] and glorious Wid­dowes Iudith, and Anne the Prophetesse, before the cō ­ming of Christ. Let vs now set downe some other ex­amples. And first of all oc­curs that most noble and illustrious Roman Wid­dow Paula, of whom S. Hie­rome writeh, That so soone as her husband was dead, contemning the pompes & pleasurs of the world, euen in the middest of so great wealth and aboundance of riches, chose the state of per­petuall Continency in wi­dowhood.

[Page 313] Blesilla likewise renow­ned for her beauty, wealth, and honour, her husband desceasing, & she being left a young and noble Lady, chose the holy State of wi­dowhood, by which she became renowned to al po­sterity.

Melania was no lesse prayse-worthy, who when her husband being dead, & not as yet buryed, she cau­sed the bodyes of two of her sonnes (of very great hope and expectation, a little be­fore also desceased) to be brought vnto her husbands [Page 314] body, where after extreme weeping, sighing, & drow­ninge of her selfe almost in teares, and euen loathing as it were marriage for the cares, troubles, & torments that it bringes, without a­ny longer deliberation, con­secrated her selfe vnto God, by vowing perpetuall Wid­dowhood.

Eufrasia likewise a Ro­man Lady is not inferiour to the aboue named, whose husband dying, she being in her young & flourishing age, fayre, noble, rich, con­temned a second marriage, [Page 315] wherūto she was as sollicited by the Emperour himselfe. And so dimissing her ser­uants and retinew, retyred her selfe into Thebais, where she liued most Saintly in perpetuall widdowhood.

The same did Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary, who being depri­ued of her Lord and Hus­band, presently contemned the pleasures of the Court, and vanityes of the world, giuing her selfe wholy to the seruice of poore, sicke, & needy people; not enduring that any man besides Iesus [Page 316] Christ, should be called her Spouse, which she truly acknowledged in the poor.

The noble and most worthy example of Constan­tia daughter to Cōstantine the Great, Emperour, is admi­rable: who whilest her hus­band was yet liuing, deser­ued to receaue the crowne and merit of Continency. For that her Father the Emperour marrying her to Halicarnus Captaine of the Roman Army, she first per­swaded him to be a Christi­an, afterward to giue ouer the warres, to lay aside his [Page 317] purple, and finally for the loue of Iesus Christ, to vow perpetuall Chastity.

The same did Chunegun­dis wife to Henry the Empe­rour, who perswaded him also to liue in perpetuall Chastity, as she had vowed to do; whereby they both became Saintes of Gods Church, renowned to all posterity.

Neither must we passe ouer in silence the most worthy and noble example of Galla daughter to Simma­chus a Consul of Rome, whose husband deceasing, and she [Page 318] left a yong and beautifull widdow, was so assayled with infirmityes, that her body became ful of botches and soares. She consulted with her Doctours, who all agreed, that if she would be cured, she must marry a­gaine. Whose counsell she so much disliked, that she sayd, She would rather en­dure the same all the dayes of her life, yea death it self, then marry againe: which purpose she truly obserued most Saintly in holy Wid­dowhood to her dying­day.

[Page 319] Ania also another Roman Lady, and widdow of great worth and nobility, yong, & fayre, her husband being dead, which he had enioy­ed but a small while, was earnestly sollicited by her friends to a second marria­ge, which she vterly refused. Being by them demaunded the cause why, she said. If (quoth she) I should marry again, & find a good hubād like to my former, I should liue continually in feare to loose him by death: and least I should chāce to light vpon a bad husband, I will [Page 320] not aduenture vpon such a disgrace. An act and pur­pose surely wise, and graue, worthy to be considered attentiuely by widdowes, that desyre to liue out of danger.

As nobly and prudently did Olimpia of Constantinople, disciple of S. Iohn Chrysostome, and the widdow of Nebridi­us Prefect of the Army, a man of most noble Re­nowne, who hauing byn married but twenty mo­neths only, was exhorted by Theodosius the Emperour to marry againe, since she [Page 321] was both yong, fayre, no­ble, rich, learned, and held of euer one for a virgin. She made this Answere. If my Lord the Emperour (quoth she) would haue me to mar­ry againe, why did he so soone depriue me of my husband (for he was slayne in the Emperours warres) who was so agreable to my nature, and myne to his? But because his Highnesse knows me to be vnfit for a marryed Estate, it seemes he hath quickly deliuered me from that seruitude: and made me print in my hart [Page 322] the delight of Continency in widdowhood.

And let no man meruaile that the continency of wid­dowhood is so much recō ­mended to Christian wo­men, seing that among the Gentills, specially the old Romans, the same was so gre­atly honoured, that when a widdow died, her head was adorned with a Crowne of Continency, and to caryed in solemne triumph to her graue.

The said Romans did also attribute another ho­nour to the Continency of [Page 323] Widdowhood, which was, That on the wedding day, there were no women suf­fered to come neere, much lesse to touch the Bride, but only such as had beene the wiues of one husband, to wit, such as had beene but once marryed; cōmanding all that had beene twice marryed (yea though they were Widdowes) to keep a­loofe of, as prophane, im­pure, and fortelling of an euill fortune to the happy­nes of marriage.

They did moreouer ac­compt it a signe of great in­temperance [Page 324] in any woman, to marry more then once. And for this cause one Portia a Noble Lady being in cō ­pany of other Matrons and Dames vpon a tyme; & vn­derstanding that one of thē had beene twice marryed, sayd vnto her: Madame, The happy, and chast woman neuer marryes but once. A saying worthy of a most prudent and wise Lady. And con­forme to this was that most laudable fact of Cornelia, daughter to Africanus & wife to Tyberius Gracchus, who when her husband was des­seased, [Page 325] refused a second Mar­riage with King Ptolomey, accompting it an act of too great Intemperance so to do.

And of no lesse praise & commendation was Con­tinency in Widdow-hood, held amongst the ancient Iewes, in the old Testamēt wherof before we haue set downe the Examples of Iu­dith & Anne the Prophetesse, and so needlesse to be heere againe repeated.

The chast Continency also of that holy and vertu­ous Widdow of Sarepta, is [Page 326] not vnknowne, to whome Meale & Oyle neuer wanted during the tyme of that great famine, till by gods commandement it rayned againe vpon the dry and withered earth, wherby the same became so moist and fertile, as it filled the Coun­treys round about with all aboundance.

CHAP. VIII. Of the works of Mercy, Deuotion, Courage, and Constancy of widdowes. And of the Mantle, and the Ring.

AMONGST many, this is not the least, nor last pious Considerati­on, that in all Countreyes of Christendome, the no­ble workes and monumēts of widdowes are yet extāt. Nor shall we need at this tyme to trauaile out of our owne Iland of England, to view the same.

For it is well knowne, [Page 328] that ther is scarse any Citty, Towne, yea or Borrough thoughout all England, without some monument or other, of pious widdow­es.

For how many goodly Hospitalls, Almes-houses Free-schooles, yea some famous Churches also haue you seene built, and endo­wed with sufficient rents, & reuenews by widdowes? How many High-wayes, Bridges, Wels, Crosses, haue byn made, and exected by pious Widdowes, for the increase of deuotion in the [Page 229] people, and for the good of their owne soules?

What Prayers, I pray you, what Mortifications, Tēperance, Night-watch­inges giuing of almes, ha­ue the deuout Widdowes of our Countrey in former ty­mes (and now a dayes very many also, but yet not com­parable to the former) exer­cised, for the loue of God; taking a true delight therin in their most Chast Wid­dow-hood, to serue their spouse Christ Iesus, whome they had chosen insteed of their deceased husbands?

[Page 330] How many of prime Nobility haue we had, in our Countrey, that haue contemned second marria­ges? And if we should re­count all, we should per­haps surpasse the greatest part of Christendome ba­sides, in that kind: some en­tring into Religion and becomming Nunnes, yea great Saints also; & others exercising workes of mercy at home among the poore, to the great comfort of the distressed.

And to begin with Queenes, how many I pray [Page 331] you, haue we had in our little Iland, that after the death of their Lords, haue set aside all pompe and va­nity of the world, vtterly refusing a second marriage, and haue either voluntari­ly shut themselues vp in Cloisters, there to spend their dayes in prayer and contemplation with God; or els haue retyred to some priuate place, continually exercising themselues in de­uotion and meditation of heauenly thinges.

Before the Conquest our Iland was more fertile in [Page 332] this kind, as being neerer to their primitiue feruour, & that in few ages, thē it hath byn euer since. For within the compasse of 500. yeares, there haue byn aboue thir­ty Queenes, that our Histo­ries do make mention of, to haue made themselues ey­ther Nuns in Monasteries as is aboue said, or els haue li­ued priuatly at home, con­tinuinge in their Chaste widdowhood to their dy­ing day.

Of the bloud Royall, and other Noble familyes, the number is far greater; [Page 333] neyther will it be to our purpose in this place to re­count them all. Only this I note, that the greatest part of the forsaid Queens (be­sides others of noble fami­lies) were many ages ago accoūted Saints, & for such acknowledged throughout Christendome; and many Churches, Altars, and Mo­numents of sanctity erected in their honour, and their very Names famous to all Posterity. For to omit S. He­len the Empresse, a Brittish Widdow, and Mother to Constantine the great the first [Page 334] Christian Emperour, we haue S. Ermenild & S. Ermen­burge Queenes of Mercia, or middle Englishmē; S. Algiue mother, and S. VVilfride wife to king Edgar the first Mo­narch of England; S. Edil­burge, & S. Ethelwide Queenes of the VVestsaxons; S. Eadgith, S. Ethelburge, S. Chineburge, S. Ealflede, S. Audry Queenes of Northumberland; S. Osith Quee­ne of the Eastsaxons; S. Sexburg Queen of Kent; S. Hereswide Q. of the Eastangles; S. Aga­tha, widdow of Prince Ed­ward surnamed the Outlaw; S. Margaret Queene of Scol­land, [Page 335] Maude the Empresse &c.

All these, and very many others, were most eniment in piety & deuotion, both in their widdowhood, and continēcy: yea some of thē vowed chastity their Lords and Husbands yet liuing, as S. Edilburge Queen of the VVestsaxons, & S. Audry Queen of Northunberland; at whose bodyes and reliques it hath pleased God to shew won­derous signes, and worke many Miracles to testify the same; wherby they haue byn euer since, and still are [Page 336] honoured for Saints tho­roughout the world.

It was an ancient custo­me in our Iland (and the same continueth in some parts of Germany vntill this day) that in tyme of warre, plagues, famyne, or of any publicke necessity, there were in many Citties and Townes a certaine number of widdowes ordayned to watch & pray continually, night and day, in the Churches, by their turnes or courses, one or more to­geather: because it was held, that their prayers were of [Page 337] more efficacy, and power with Almighty God, to as­swage his wrath, then the prayers of other common people, as persons dedicated wholy to his seruice, by the obseruation of Continency, in their Chaste, and Holy widdowhood.

Neyther is the true Va­lour and Constancy of de­uout Widdowes, in our Countrey; lesse to be praised and admired; since in that kind also we haue gone be­yond many other Nations, especialy in these later days, when as their noble and [Page 338] heriocall Examples heerof haue made them famous to posterity; whether we res­pect their courage & con­stācy in suffering both losse of goods & imprisonment for their faith and religion, as glorious Confessours; or els the sheeding of their bloud in testimony of the same, as triūphant Martyrs.

For vpon some of these widdowes hath God besto­wed an inuincible coura­ge and fortitude, ioyned with an admirable patiēce in suffering for the Catho­like Cause, not only im­prisonmēt [Page 339] of their bodyes, but losse also of goodes and fortunes, to their wholy vndoing in their temporall estates in this world, that they might receaue a more plentifull reward and me­rit in the world to come. And what Catholike in England is there, that can­not witnesse the same suf­ficiently?

Vpon others, hath sweet Iesus, of his infinite loue, and superabundant Cha­rity bestowed a more high and supereminent gift, not only in suffering, as is afor­said, [Page 340] losse of goods & liberty in this life; but also to seale the same with their dearest bloud, for his Names sake, Honour, Faith, and Reli­gion. And this not vpon the meanest sort, but euen vpon some of the Bloud Royall of England; as is well knowne in the Lady Marga­ret Plātagenet widdow, coū ­tesse of Salisbury, and daugh­ter to the Duke of Clarēce, in time of K. Henry the 8. & in the Soueraign Lady Q. Ma­ry of Scotland, Widdow, and mother to our Soueraigne that now raigneth; vpon [Page 341] the deuout widdowes also M ^s. Marg. Clitherow at Yorke, M ^s. Anne Lyne at London, & o­thers, in the late raigne of Q. Elizabeth: All giuing their liues for the constant profession & defence of the Catholike Faith, & therby made worthy of a crown of a Martyrdom, in their holy widdowhood.