THE SECOND PART.

1 IN an other popish seruice booke, like vnto the former, called Portiforium se [...] Breuiarium ad vsum ecclesie Sarisburien­s [...]s, castigatum, suppletum, marginalibus quota­tionibus This booke was printed at Paris, anno 1555. adornatum: that is, A Portus or breui­arie, for the vse of the Church of Salisburie corrected, supplied, and adorned with mar­ginall quorations, &c. In this booke I say to omit the like blasphemous praiers to the vir­gin Marie as before haue beene noted. I finde these speciall things following, not mentio­ned in the former. For the translation of Saint [Page 213] Martin, there are these things read for the se­cond and third lesson.

Lectio secunda.

Anno sexagessimo quarto post transitum beati Martini, beatus Perpetuus predicte sedis epis­copus: corpus beati Martini, transferre disposu­it, conuocatis (que) vicinis Abbatibus & clericis, & cum hoc in kalendis [...]ulij agere vellent, vigilata prius vna nocte, per totam diem laborantes, ni­hil proficiebant. Tunc quidā ex clericis ait. Sci­tis quod post tridu [...], natalis episcopatus eius est: & forte in hac die nos transferr [...]se admonet.

Lectio tertia.

Quarta autem die accedentes non valebant mo­uere sepulchrum. Pauore autem omnes exterri­ti vasculum terra cooperire cogit abant. Tunc apparuit eis veneranda canitie senex, dicens se abbatem: & ait quid turbamini & tardatis? Nonne videtis beatum Martinum astantē vo­bis iuvare paratum: simanus apponatis, & ia­ctans pallium posuit manum cum alijs ad sarco­phagim. Quod pratinus cum summa leuitate commotum: in locum quo nunc honoratur tu [...] hymnis domino annuente perducitur. Post haec requiritur senex, nec exite visus est, nec ibi inue­nitur.

The second lesson.

In the 64. yeare after the death of blessed Martin, blessed Perpetuus bishop of the sea A tale of Saint Martin read in the Church for a lesson. aforesaid (that is, of Toures in France) deter­mined to translate the bodie of blessed Mar­tin. And hauing called together the neigh­bour abbots and learned men, when they [Page 214] would haue done it the first daie of Iuly, ha­uing first watched a whole night, they did also labour a whole daie and did no good. Then one of the learned men saide, Ye know that after three daies, is the birthday of his bishopricke, and peraduenture on that day he admonisheth vs to translate him.

The third lesson.

But when they came the fourth daie, they could not remooue the sepulchre. Now bee­ing stricken with feare, they thought to coue [...] the vessell with earth. Then appeared vnto them an old man with a reuerence, hore hea­ded, that called himselfe an abbot: and he he said, Why are ye troubled, and why pro­long ye the time? doe ye not see blessed Mar­tin standing by you readie to helpe, if ye put to your hands? And throwing away his clocke he put to his hand with other vnto the sepul­chre; the which presently with very great case beeing remooued, was by the fauour of God, brought to the place, where now it is honoured with hymnes. After this they sought for the olde man: but neither was he seene to goe forth, neither did they finde him there.

2 In the translation of Thomas Becket, many blasphemous praiers, and some other Many blasphe­mous praiers in the translation of Thomas Becket. thinges are in the same booke mentioned. First of all thus they pray vnto God, Deus qui nobis translationem beati Thome martyris tui atque pontificis celebrare concedis: te supplic [...] [Page 215] exoramus, vt eius meritis & precibus a vitijs ad virtutes, & a carcere transferamur adregnum: that is, O God which grauntest vs to cele­brate the translation of blessed Thomas thy This Thomas (as our Chronicles testifie) was put to death for trea­son, yet see how they honour him. martyr and bishop, we humbly beseech thee that by his merits and praiers, we may be translated from vice to vertue, and from pri­son to a kingdome. After that they saie, appa­ruit ei dominus & dixit, Thoma, Thoma glorifi­cabitur in sanguine tuo ecclesia mea: that is, the Lord appeared vnto him, and said, Thomas, Thomas, my church shall be glorified in thy blood. In the sixt lesson for his translation, they S. Thomas [...] miracles. speake of many miracles that he did, namely that he restored sight to the blinde, hearing to the deafe, speach to the dumbe, and life to the dead. Then they praie againe, Iesus Christe per Thome vulnera quae no [...] ligant relaxa scelera, &c. Iesus Christ by the wounds of Thomas loose the sinnes which doe binde vs. Then they say in further commendation of him, Fe­lix locus, felix ecclesia in qua Thome viget me­moria: felix terra que dedit presulem: felix illa que fouet exulem. Happie is the place, happie is the church wherein remaineth any memo­rie of Thomas: happie is that land which gaue him for a bishop, and that likewise entertai­ned him a banished man. Againe, Thome ce­dunt & parent omnia: pestes, morbi, mors, & de­monia, ignes, aer, tellus & maria. Thomas mun­dum All things obe [...] Thomas and he filleth the world with glorie. repleuit gloria: Thome mundus prestat ob­sequia. All things giue place and obedience [Page 216] vnto Thomas: pestilences, sicknesses, death and the deuills. The fire, the ayre, the earth and the seas. Thomas hath filled the world with glorie. The world yeeldeth humble ser­uice vnto Thomas. Then follow the eight & nine lessons for the said Thomas B [...]ckets day; the summe of which lessons is this. A certaine man desirous to visit his shrine, for praiers sake, meeting with a carre vpon Kainford [...]. Thomas sa­ [...]eth a man frō drowning. bridge by London, was throwne into the wa­ter. He remembred therefore Thomas, and praied vnto him, that he might not be drow­ned. Now although he suncke fiue times to the bottome, and still came vp againe, yet he did earnestly protest, that he felt no griefe ei­ther in his mouth, or in his nostrills, but that onely in his falling, he tooke a little salt wa­ter He also added, that when he began to be drowned, a certaine bishop supported him, that he could not be drowned. Then they note that the translation of Thomas was cō ­summated ann. 1220. in the nones of Iuly, a­bout three of the clocke, but whether in the morning or euening they tell vs not, in the 40. yeare after his suffering. After they say, Aqua Thome quinquie [...] varians calorem (that perhaps should be colorem) in lac s [...]mel tran­s [...]t & quater in cruorem. The water of Tho­mas fiue times changing the heat (or rather S. Thomas his water turned in­to milke and blood. the colour) was turned once into milke, and foure times into blood. Then they adde. Ad Thome memoriam quater lux descendit, & in [Page 217] sancti gloriam, cereos accendit. For the remem­brance of Thomas light descended foure times, and lighted the waxe candles vnto the glorie of the saint. Then they praie. Tu pro Thome sanguine, quem prote impendit, fac nos Christe scandere, quo Thomas ascendit. For the blood of Thomas which for thee he did spend, cause some of vs, O Christ to clime thither, where Thomas did ascend. And after that to Thomas himselfe they praie thus: Opem nobis O Thoma porrige, rege stantes, iacentes erige, mores, actus & vitam c [...]rrige, & in pacis nos vi­am dirige. Reach forth thy helpe, O Tho­mas vnto vs, gouernevs standing, raise vs vp lying, correct our manners, our workes, our life, and direct vs into the way of peace. Af­terward they salute Thomas, thus: Salve Thoma virga iustitie, mundi iubar, robur ec­clesiae, plebis amor, cleri delitie, salue gre­gis tutor ecclesiae: salue tue ga [...]dentes glorie. Good morrow Thomas the rodde of iustice, the sunne-beame of the world, the strength of the Church, the loue of the common peo­ple, the delight of the cleargie. Good mor­row O gouernour of the flocke thy Church: saue them that reioyce in thy glorie. Besides many foolish and ridiculous things in these wordes that I haue noted concerning the foresaide Thomas, who seeth not also many horrible and outragious blasphemies, in that that many thinges proper onely to God and his Sonne Christ Iesus, are attributed [Page 218] vnto him whereby he is made euen equall with God and with Christ Iesus. In the feast of relikes, first reading these wordes, Matth. 5. at that tim [...] Iesus seeing the mul­titude, went vp into a mountaine, and when he was set his disciples came vnto him. Then they make this glose vpon them: Mons in quo sedit dominus mystice significat, maiora precepta iustitiae, quia minora erant queiudeis data sunt, &c. Mystice etiam sessio domini incarnatio eius est, &c. that is, the moū ­taine in which the Lord did sit, doth mysti­cally signifie the great precept of iustice, be­cause they were the lesse which were giuen vnto the Iewes. The sitting also of the Lord is mystically his incarnation. Is not this clerkly done?

3 In the fift and sixt lessons of S. Margarets day there is this historie in effect. S. Marga­ret being in close prison for the christian faith, praied vnto God that cum inimico latente fa­cie ad faciem haberet conflictum, that is, shee A notable fight of S. Margaret. might fight face to face with the secret ene­mie. Arising therefore from praiers shee saw a terrible dragon, readie to swallow her vp with his iawes: but by making the signe of the crosse, he brake in the middes. After shee saw an other deuill sitting like a blacke man, and hauing his handes bound to his knees: but shee tooke him by the haire and laid him all along vpon the earth, and set her right foote vpon the crowne of his head. Then shee [Page 219] praied, and suddenly light shined from heauen in the prison: and the crosse of Christ was seene euen to heauen, and a doue sitting vp­on it, say, Blessed art thou, O Margaret, the gates of paradise doe looke for thee. Then giuing thanks to God, shee said to the deuill, enarra mihi naturam tuam. Tell me thy nature. The deuill saide, Take away thy foote from the crowne of my head that I may tell thee. This beeing done, the deuill saide, I am as one of them whome Salomon shut vp in a brasen Salomon a con­iurer. Diuels may be locked vp in vessels. vessell: and when the Babylonians came, they thought that it had beene full of golde and brake it open, and by this meanes we flew out, and euer sithence we haue laid snares for the iust. After these and many other things the virgin said vnto him, Auoide O tempter Sathan. Then the earth opened her mouth and receiued him.

4 In the seauenth and eight lesson next An other tale of the said Marga­ret. following is added this historie of the saide virgin Margaret. The gouernour Olymbrius hauing grieuously tormented her, comman­ded her to be bound hand and foote, and put into a great vessell of water. The virgin praied that that water might be made a fountaine of baptisme vnto eternall life. Then was a great earthquake, and a do [...]e came from heauen, and set a crowne of gold vpon her head. By this sight, fiue thousand men were conuerted, besides women and children, all which by the commandement of Olymbrius were be­headed: [Page 220] and he seeing her constancie com­manded her in like māner to be put to death. Beeing brought forth therefore to the place of execution, shee desired the hangman to giue her leaue to praie. This graunted, and her praier made, that euery one that should write her sufferings, or reade it, or heare it, or make mention of it, might merit pardon of This maketh well for me that write this histo­rie, so also for all them that shall read it, &c. his sinnes, &c. This praier (I say) made to this effect, and more largely, there were great thunders, and a doue came from heauen, say­ing, Blessed art thou, O spouse of Christ Marga­ret; behold Christ hath graunted all thy petitions, come therefore into the rest of thy heauenly coū ­trey. Then shee lifting vp her selfe, badde the hangman execute his masters commaunde­ment. But he saide, God forbid that I should kill thee. Shee answered, if thou doest it not, thou canst haue no part with me. Then he trembling, cut off her head, and falling at the feete of the virgin, he gaue vp the ghost.

5 Many other like fabulous things are re­ported in the same booke of other the like saints: as of Saint Osmond, Saint Kenelme the King of the seauen sleepers, of whome they The 7. sleepers. read likewise for a lesson in the church, that they fleeing persequution, and laying them downe in a caue to sleepe, continued there sleeping 362. yeares. Likewise of Saint Os­wald the king: of Saint Laurence: Saint Dio­nis. and his fellows: Saint Edward the king: [Page 221] of Saint Wenefred the virgin: of these, I saie, and many other the like saints, many fabu­lous things are there reported, which I might here haue added: but hauing beene long al­readie in these seruice bookes, I dare not pre­sume further vpon he patience of the reader. For this cause also I forbeare further addition of many most foule and blasphemous pray­ers in the feast of the exaltation of the crosse, the rather also because I haue noted the like before.

6 Nowe it may be, some will here ob­iect against these things thus gathered out of their seruice bookes, that albeit it be most true indeede that sometimes there haue beene such praiers and such pardons annex­ed vnto them, yet now the church of Rome hath vtterly disclaimed and reuoked them, and likewise reformed such bookes as now especially they vse. To this I answer first, that if there be any such reuocation and refor­mation of the foresaide ridiculous toyes and horrible blasphemies, because they were ridiculous and blasphemous, then thereby it is graunted, that the time hath beene when the Church of Rome was a foolish and blasphemous Church, and their religion likewise foolish and blasphemous. For other­wise, what needed they to haue reuoked such things or to haue made any reformati­on of them? Secondly, I demand where this reuocation and reformation is. They wil per­haps [Page 222] wonder at this demaund, sith I my selfe haue before named their late booke intitu­led, officium beatae Mariae virginis nuper re­formatum, & pij quinti pontificis maximi iuss [...] editum, that is, the seruice of blessed Marie the virgin lately reformed, and by the comman­dement of Pius the fift high priest published. They will perhaps referre me to this booke it selfe, as pretended to be reformed; and espe­cially to the preface thereunto prefixed by the said pepe Pius, wherein is a kinde of reuoca­tion of some former seruices of the virgin.

7 Touching the booke it selfe, I doe one­ly repeat my answer before made, namely that this booke is but onely said and preten­ded to be reformed, and not reformed in truth at the least of the substantiall points most to be regarded. This is manifest by such ridiculous & blasphemous praiers, as I haue before noted out of the same booke, still re­maining therein. Therefore in setting this ti­tle before the booke, The seruice of the Virgin lately reformed; they doe but as many a false taylour doth with the garment which he hath marred in making: and as some careles cooks with the meate which they serue vnto their masters table, not throughly rosted or boiled. As the taylour beeing blamed for the fault of the garment, promiseth to mende it, & taking it home with him, bringeth it againe facing out the owner that he hath mended it, when he neuer did any thing more vnto it then at [Page 223] the first, at least to any purpose: and as the cooke beeing rebuked for his negligence, oftentimes notwithstanding sendeth in the meat the second time as better rosted or boi­led, when either he neuer did put it againe on the spit or into the pot, or if he did that yet it had neuer a turne more nor any more seething: euen so the church of Rome being iustly blamed for the grosse and foule blottes of their former seruice bookes, haue taken it againe into their shoppe or kitchin, but yet returned it vnto vs, or rather vnto their mi­stris and ladie, onely giuing this word refor­matum, reformed, that is, facing vs or rather their mistris and ladie, omnia esse bene, that is, that all things are well, when in truth the chiefe and most principall absurdities and blasphemies doe yet remaine.

8 Concerning the preface vnto the for­mer booke so pretended to be reformed, I graunt that therein seemeth to be a kinde of reuocation or disanulling of some former ser­uice The auncient popish seruice bookes before mentioned, are not now disanul­led or reuoked by the church of Rome. bookes, but not of such seruice bookes, as out of which I haue gathered the things before set downe. For in the same preface, af­ter the reuocation and disanulling of their former seruice bookes which it doth reuoke and disanull, followeth a very large excepti­on of three branches: the first, is of bookes printed in the latin tongue: the second of bookes whose institution was expressely approoued and allowed by the Apostolike see: the third of bookes [Page 224] that had beene in vse for two hundred yeares be­fore. The reuocation therefore and inhibition is onely of bookes published in the vulgar tongue, whose first institution was not al­lowed by the apostolike sea, and which had not beene vsed aboue two hundred yeares.

9 Now the bookes out of which I haue gathered the former stuffe, are not within the compasse of the saide inhibition, but doe still remaine in force by the former exceptions. For although the titles and pardons prefixed to the praiers in them contained be in the en­glish tongue, yet the praiers themselues and the other subiect matter of the saide booke is all in latin. Againe their first institution was allowed by the Apostolike see: otherwise they would neuer haue had such publike vse and sufferance, especially in Cathedrall churches as they had. Lastly although some few prai­ers (as one in king Henrie, and an other the pardon whereof was graunted at the instance of Queene Elizabeth wife to king Henrie the seauenth, and a fewe more perhaps (al­though I say some such praiers of late edition, are here and there inserted, yet as touching the principall substance of the bookes, that they haue beene in vse, farre aboue two hun­dred yeares, it may euidently appeare to them that will compare the diuers bookes of diuers impressions together. Wherefore as I haue heard that some great men in their last will and testament, haue sometime made a [Page 225] gift vnto their wife of all their houshold stuff, all their plate, all their golden chaines and bracelets, all their rings and iewels whatsoe­uer, and yet afterward haue excepted so ma­ny of the former things, and giuen them to their other friends, that their former gift to to their wife, hath not come to any great va­lue, notwithstanding all the former great words: euen so, although the foresaide pope Pius the filt, see me at the first to make a large Inhibition, yet the exceptions following make the former inhibition in a manner no­thing worth: because there were scarse any former seruice bookes, which might not chalenge their former vse and allowance, by some of those exceptions. Now further al­though in the same new booke aboue menti­oned, Pius quintus doe also admonish all cō ­stantly to beleeue, that in some former books not within chose former exceptions comp [...]i­sed, many faigned praiers are interlaced, sub falsis & confictis sanctorum nominibus, vnder false and counterfaited names of saints, and that there is no certen authoritie of the church for indulgences and pardons of sinnes graun­ted vnto them that say many of those praiers so interlaced; although (I say) this admoniti­on be giuen by that holy father, yet this ma­keth not against those praiers and titles by me before expressed. For many of them are made to God or Christ Iesus himselfe o [...] to the vir­gin Marie; & the other (at least for the most [Page 226] part) to such saints, as whose names are not counterfaited, but most certenly knowne to be such saints as the Romish church hath al­waies worshipped. This therefore shall suffice to haue noted out of their bookes of com­mon seruice.

THE THIRD PART.

NOw I come to note something like­wise out of some of the principall po­pish Doctours. Here I will doe as the marchant doth in selling his wines vnto the vintener. For as he giueth not a taste of euery vessell, but onely assuring the vintener the rest to be like vnto those whereof he giueth a tast; so likewise will not I giue the reader a tast of euery popish vessell (for that were infinite to me to write, and to him to read) but onely I wil deliuer him a tast of some few, that ther­by he may see what all the rest are, beeing of the same vintage, or at the least of the grape of the same countrey. But what? doe I com­pare popish bookes to vessels of wine, which is in price with all men, and which is saide to delight God and man? Iudg. 9. 13. nay rather I may compare them to vessells of filthie and fustie vineger, whereby many haue beene & are deceiued, as the which they haue bought in stead of most wholesome and delectable wine. As therefore a faithfull friend that would haue his friend to take heede of being [Page 227] so deceiued, doth not giue him a tast of eue­ry such vineger caske, but onely of some and those of the best, assuring him that such or worse are all the rest: so likewise will I giue the reader a tast of the doctrine and writings of the greatest and most famous popish wri­ters, whereby he may know the other to be like or worse. Here first I will begin with the works of one Bernardine de Bust [...]: and that all men may know that this man was no ob­scure person, but of high account for an ex­ceeding profound clarke, and his worke like­wise in as great reckoning in the popish Church, before I goe downe into the cellar it selfe to giue a tast of the liquour in the vessels therein, I thinke it not amisse to point the reader vnto that, which for the drawing of customers to buie the ware it selfe, is written as it were vpon the do [...]e.

2 This writing is double. The inscription, or title written (as it seemeth by the author himselfe,) and the approbation, allowance, and commendation thereof by other. The first written with great letters, that all that passe by may read the same, as it were run­ning (as the Prophet speaketh in an other matter) is this. Mariale eximij viri Barnardini de Busti, ordinis seraphici francisci, de singulis festiuitatibus, beate virginis per modum sermo­num tractans, omni theologia copiosum, denique vtrius (que) iuris authoritatibus, applicatum, & ar­te humanitatis effectum in omnibus allegationi­bus [Page 228] promptissimum. that is in english. The Mariall of the renowmed man Bernardine This worke set­met [...] to haue bin pu [...]lished anno dom. 1480. as ap­peareth by the date of the Apo­stolike writing of Po [...]e [...]tu [...] [...]he 4. forth allow­ance o [...] the ser­ [...]ice o [...] the virgin therein contai­ned. see the 49. lease [...]. of Busti, of the Seraphicall order of Francis, intreating by waie of sermons, of all the feasts of the blessed Virgin, flowing with all diuini­tie, and finally with the application of autho­rities of both lawes, replenished also with the skill of humanitie, and most readie in all allegations. In this title the word Mariall sig­nifieth onely a worke made in commenda­tion of the virgin Marie, as it is manifest by the whole booke following For although the whole booke beeing in a large quarto, and printed with a small letter containe 407. leaues, which is aboue a hundred sheetes of paper, yet through the whole booke is God skarse named, except onely for the further magnifying of Marie. The word Seraphicall, is taken for Seraphim, which signifieth bur­ning or shining, attributed in the script [...]res to angels, to signifie their excellencie. Yea the Papists making nine degrees of angels (as we shall afterward he are) doe make the Se­raphims the highest degree of all. Therefore this tittle here attributed to this Bernardine, doth signifie that he was not onely such a do­ctour as they accounted angels, but also such an one as they esteemed angelicall and excel­lent in the highest degree. All the rest of the words in this inscription, put vs in great hope of most profound learning of all sorts in the worke it selfe.

3 Thus much for the inscription. The ap­probation of the worke by other is set down in the ende of the table, thus: Quia secundum constitutiones, &c. for [...]on [...]it the whole latin, as beeing too long. The english the [...]of is this: Because according to the constitutions of the Order of Minoritie fryers, especially of obseruants, no new worke ought to be prin­ted, except it be first diligently examined and allowed by some learned and approoued brother, specially thereunto appointed by the generall prelate of the same Order. Ther­fore the most reuerend father fryer Angel of Clanasi beyond the mountaines, by his l [...]t­ters hath deputed the venerable father fryer Dominike de Ponzon of the same order an a­postolike preacher, to see and diligently to examine the worke vnder written: who ha­uing diligently read the same, hath not onely allowed it, but also exhorted the author thereof to cause it to be printed, writing vnto him these verses vnderwritten,

The rest of the verses for breuitie I omit. The summe of all is, to encourage him to publish the learned worke, and to assure him of euer­lasting praise thereby throughout the world. After these verses follow other of the same author to encourage all men to the reading of the booke. By these things we see in what [Page 230] acount both the man and the worke is with the popish church.

4 In the worke it selfe there are first of all nine sermons for the immaculate concepti­on of the virgin Marie, that is, to prooue her conception without sinne. All these are so impious and blasphemous, that I cannot tell what speciall thing almost to note, except I should set downe the whole sermons. The cheefe matter it selfe of these sermons beeing so iniurious vnto Christ Iesus, and so contra­rie to all the scriptures, which with full con­sent condemne all flesh of sinne (Christ him­selfe onely excepted) how can the sermons themselues be free from impietie? Notwith­standing euen of these first nine sermons I will giue the reader a tast, that thereby he may discerne the great diuinitie, and other learning, both of the foresaid author, and al­so of the popish church which so allowed of them. In the first therfore, the partition therof beeing learnedly made into three parts: 1 ^•. oppositionis, 2 ^•. responsionis, 3 ^a. confirmationis, in the beginning of the second leafe; after­ward in handling the third of those parts in the 7 leafe, at the letter L. he laieth this groūd, that bonus fil [...]us tenetur diligere matrem, a good sonne is bound to loue his mother, & eam ab omnibus periculis & damnis secundum suampossibilitatem liberare, and to deliuer her from all perils and dangers according to his power; then he setteth vp this peece of buil­ding [Page 231] vpon the foundation, Concludendum est, quod ipse cui omnia futura erant presentia, a cunctis malis & damnis peccati originalis eam voluerit prescruare, vt boni silij debitum adim­pleret, &c. that is, it is to be concluded that he to whome all things are present, would pre­serue her from all euills and dangers of origi­nall sinne, that he might performe the dutie of a good sonne. Is not this learnedly conclu­ded? Nay what boie seeth not how doltish and blockish an argument he maketh? For first of all, Christ was not the sonne of the vir­gin Marie till he was conceiued and borne of her: therefore neither was he bound to performe any dutie vnto her till that time. Secondly Christ was not the sonne of the vir­gin, as he was God, but as he was a man, and the mediatour betwixt God and man. As he had no father according to the flesh, so he had no mother according to the Godhead. Againe by the same argument he might haue concluded, that Christ should also haue pre­ferred her to the vttermost of his power in earthly things: for this is also the dutie of children as well as to keepe their parents from euils. Lastly so also he might haue proo­ued the virgins mother and other friends to be conceiued without sinne. For children are not onely bound to their next parents, but also to their forefathers, and other kindred to keepe them from all euills, & to helpe them touching all good things what lieth in them [Page 232] to doe, and so in the end it would follow that no flesh is conceiued in sinne. For by progres­sion we should come at length to the first parents not of the virgin onely, but also of all mankinde, &c.

5 The second sermon beeing made of these words, psal. 87. 1. fundamenta eius in montibus sanctis, her foundations are in the holy mountaines, and this scripture spoken of the Church generally beeing applied vnto, and chosen to speake particularly of the vir­gin Marie: this second sermon (I say) is diui­ded into the very same three parts that we haue heard of the former. Notwithstanding to shew his learning and rhetoricke, he cal­leth these three parts by other names: Prima (saith he) dicetur argumentationis. 2. satisfa­ctionis. Note his rheto­ [...]icall copia ver­borum. [...] 3. probationis. The english of these parts, as likewise of other such words of art afterward, I leaue to the learned reader. In the second of those parts, thus he writeth in the 9 leafe at the letter P. Licet propter pecca­tum originale, clausa sit ianua regni celestis, ta­men no [...] seq [...]tur necessario, quod quicun (que) abs (que) peccato original [...] moriebatur an [...]e passionem Christi, deb [...]et illam nitare, quod sibi esset aperi­enda. N [...]m Hieremias & Iohannis Baptistam vtero matris sanctifi [...]a [...], mortui sunt sine peeca­to originali, & non intrauerunt tamen ianuam r [...]gni celestis. that is, Although by originall sinne the gate of the kingdome of heauen be shut, yet it doth not follow, that whosoeuer [Page 233] did die before the passion of Christ without originall sinne did enter therein; because it was to be opened vnto him. For leremie and Ieremie and Iohn the Baptist borne without o­riginall sume. Iohn the Baptist beeing sanctified in the wombe of their mother, died without origi­nall sinne, and did not enter into the gate of the kingdome of heauen.

6 The third sermon is vpon a text out of the Macchabees. This sermon he also diui­deth as the former: but still he she weth his e­loquence, as though he had a well of words in his head. For thus he setteth them downe: The yong schol­ler may doe well to note the great varietie of Syno­nima in this do­ctour. Here for breuitie I haue omitted certaine autho­rities quoted out of their po­pish distinctiōs. 1. dicetur contrarietatis 2. veritatis. 3. stabili­tatis. In the third part of this sermon thus he writeth, Cum papa sit Christi vicarius, &c. & gerat vicem dei in terris ex quo sequitur quod habet plenitudinem potestatis, &c. & illud quod facit presumitur facere authoritate dei, &c. ideo ipso approbante aliquid & nos approba­re debemus. Immo ipsitis sententiamagis est stā ­dum quam sententie totius mundi. that is in english: Sith the pope is the vicar of Christ, & Gods vice gerent vpon earth, from whence it followeth that he hath absolute authoritie, and that which he doth is to be presumed that he doth by authoritie of God; therefore that which he alloweth we ought to allow, yea we are to stand more to his sentence then to the sentence of all the world, &c. Then vpon those premises he concludeth the ap­probation of his seruice, made for the imma­culate conception of the virgin, &c. whereof [Page 234] I will also giue the reader a tast after that I haue deliuered him the tast of these nine ser­mons.

7 The fourth sermon hath the three parts of the former sermons, but set downe with new words (it a inexhausta erat huius doctoris eloquentia) thus: 1. dicitur impugnationis. 2. defensionis. 3. corroborationis. In the first of these he maketh this obiection against the immaculate conception of the virgine. Om­nis homo qui per concubitum viri & mulieris natus est, est in peccatis conceptus. Euery man that is borne by the copulation of a man and a woman is conceiued in sinne. This he proo­ueth as by the testimonie of Augustine in the first place, so also in the second place, by the testimonie of our Sauiour Christ, Math. 7. eue­ry good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but an euill tree bringeth forth euill fruit. Then he addeth, that forasmuch as the parents of the virgin were euill, therefore it must needes fol­low that shee was conceiued in sinne. How doth he answer the former argument in the second part of the sermon, which he calleth defensionis? Alas poore signie, he is so troubled with it that he cannot tell what in the world with reason to saie to it. For first he saith that God that gaue that law, that all that were borne of sinnefull parents should be concei­ued in sinne, might cha [...]ge that law about some particular person; and this he prooueth by the testimonies of certain former school­men: [Page 235] then he addeth that the former testi­monie of Augustine applied to confirmation of the former argument, is to be vnderstood with this caution, nulla special [...] gratia interue­niente, cui oppositum fuit in casu nostro: that is, no special grace comming betweene, where­of the contrarie is in our case. But this contra­rie he onely affirmeth without any proofe at all, yea without any one word more. Then he addeth an other answer to the testimonie of Augustine, as fearing the former not to be sufficient. vel dicere possumus quod Augustinus loquitur, de his qui concipiuntur interueniente concupiscentia parentum, quali modo non fuit concepta mater dei: that is, or else we may say that Augustine speaketh of those which are conceiued with the concupiscence of their parents, in which manner the mother of God was not conceiued. How also doth he prooue this? forsooth he referreth vs to the second part of the worke, and the first sermon there­of, and third part of the first sermon. And what haue we there? verily nothing but a long tale out of the Legend of the virgin Marie, to this effect. That her parents loachim and Anna hauing liued for the space of xx. yeares without issue, did at the last vow that if God A pretie tale of the manner of the virgins con­ception. would giue them issue, it should be the Lords. Afterward according to their yearely man­ner, comming to the feast of the dedication of the temple, Ioachim offered his offering. But the priest reiected it, and rebuked him [Page 236] for presuming to come to the altar, beeing [...] man vnder the curse of the law, for want of issue. Ioachim beeing put to this shame, re­turned not home but went a side to his shep­heards, where hauing staied a while, the an­gel of the Lord appeared vnto him and com­forted him, telling him that the former re­proach was not well obiected against him, because God was a reuenger of sinne, not of nature: and that when the wombe of any is shut, God doth it that he might open it the more miraculously, and that that which is so borne, might be knowne to be divin [...] mune­ris, non libidinis, of God his gift, no [...] of lust; this that angel prooueth by the examples of Sara, Rahel, and mothers of Sampson and Sa­muel. In fine the angel telleth him that his wife should haue a daughter, which should be called Marie, and that shee should be san­ctified from the wombe, and that according to their vowe shee should be the Lords, not liuing abroad with other men and women, but keeping alwaies in the temple, and that shee should also bring forth a sonne which should be called Iesus, and which should be saluation to his people, &c. This is the summe of that matter whereunto he doth referre vs. Now what proofe is this of that whereunto it is applied? First of all, this is taken but our of the Legend of lies: and if it had beene [...] truth, would not the Scripture as well haue mentioned the same, as it doth matters of [Page 237] farre lesse importance? Againe though it should be graunted for a truth, yet it maketh no more for the conception of the virgin, without lust of her parents, and without ori­ginall sinne, then for the like conception of Isaac, of all the children of Rahel, of Samp­son, and of Samuel. And by the same argu­ment might all those be prooued to haue bin conceiued without originall sinne, as well as the virgin Marie. Lastly if this tale were truth, then either the parents of the vi [...]gin Marie brake their vowe, or the virgin her selfe did not like of it, or both. For the scripture teach­eth no such thing, yea it teacheth the contra­rie, namely that Marie liued not in the tem­ple continually at Ierusalem, according to the former word of the angel, and vow of her parents, but at Nazareth in Galile, many miles distant from Ierusalem, Againe if there had beene any such vow of the parents of the virgin, or any such reuelation of the angel, would the virgin haue betroathed her selfe vnto an husband? or could shee so doe with­out actuall sinne. And if the angel had before told her parents, that shee should be concei­ued by the holy Ghost, and bring forth a sonne, whome shee should call Iesus, would shee haue so wondered at the second decla­ration thereof by the angel Gabriel to her selfe as shee did? Luk. 1. 3. would shee haue saide, how shall this be seeing I know not a man? Thus much for the learning of the great do­ctour [Page 238] in his fourth sermon of the immaculate conception of the virgin.

8 For his fift sermon, he seemeth to take foure texts: 1. certaine wordes of Anselmus, Candor est lucis eterne, &c. 2. certaine wordes Foure texts for one sermon. of Ambrose, quid nobilius dei matre, &c. 3. cer­taine wordes of Ecclesiasticus, chap. 44. pul­chritudinem candoris eius admirabitur oculus. 4. certaine wordes of Salomon (but I cannot tell where) Candor est, &c. then proceedeth to the parts of his sermon, saying, Super quibus verbatres considerationes faciemus. primadici­tur ostensionis. 2. testificationis. 3. appellabitur figurationis. Are not these parts (O ye learned readers) learnedly set downe? and may not the learne dest of you all, learne some what by this old learning? yea but marke as great lear­ning also in the handling of euery one of these parts. For he telleth vs touching the first part, that the conception of the virgin without sinne, may be prooued by 14. argu­ments. O wonderfull; had not a iust dosen beene sufficient, especially with one odde ar­gument to haue bound vp the rest together? But what are these 14. arguments? they are thus set downe. 1. dicetur appellationis. 2. equationis. 3. concessionis. 4. filiationis. 5. salu­tationis. 6. verificationis. 7. verisimulationis. 8. approbationis. 9. presumptionis. 10. nobililati­onis. 11. subiectionis. 12. parturitionis. 13. libe­rationis. 14. superationis. Sutable also to these tearmes of arguments, is the matter it selfe. [Page 240] For to omit other things, thus he expoundeth and handleth the seauenth argument. Sexta (saith he) dicitur verificationis. vt enim veri­ficentur, verba que dicuntur, in missa beate vir­ginis & habentur proverb. 8. necesse est dicere illam sine originali peccato conceptam. Ibi enim dicitur in eius persona. Dominus possidet me in initio viarum suarum. quod non esset verum, si in conceptione sua fuisset beata [...]irgo a diabolo per peccatum possessa. Nihil enim potest per du­os dominos sub perfecto domino possideri. that is, The sixt reason is said to be of verifying. For that the wordes may be verified, which are said in the masse of the virgin, and are also in the 8. of the Proverbs, we must of necessitie say, that shee was conceiued without origi­nall sinne. For there it is saide in her person, The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his waies, which were not true, if the blessed vir­gin had beene possessed of a deuill through sinne in her conception. For nothing can be kept in perfect gouernment by two lords. Who seeth not how foolishly and blasphe­mously he applieth that to the virgin Marie which is spoken of wisdome? Might he not haue eased himselfe of much labour about the immaculate conception of the virgin, and by the same argument haue as well prooued her not to haue beene conceiued at all, but to haue beene eternall? it cannot be denied. For in that place Salomon speaketh of the eterni­tie of wisdome, by wisdome also vnderstan­ding [Page 240] Christ Iesus himselfe, the wisdome of his father. Yea this Bernardine himselfe also doth so vnderstand wisdome, in his sixt ser­mon de anunciatione Marie, leafe 189. the first side and 35. line. The like learning the same seraphicall clarke sheweth in the third part of that sermon, where he prooueth the immaculate conception of the virgin by 12. figures. The first whereof he maketh the first woman in the first creation, Gen. 3. inimiciti­as ponam inter te & mulierem & semen tuum & semen illius & ipsa conteret caput tuum. I will put enmitie betweene thee and the wo­man, and betweene thy seede and her seede, shee shall bruise thy head, &c. Where (accor­ding to their manner) most falsly and impi­ously that which is spoken of Christ, they ap­plie to the woman, saying shee shall bruise, for he shall bruise. The third signe they make the arke of Noe. The fourth the arke of the olde testament, Exod. 25. the fift certaine wordes out of the 24. of Ecclesiasticus, (Vbi (saith he) in persona virginis dicitur, Quasi pal­ma exaltata sum, &c. I am exalted as a palme &c. The sixt out of the same place, [...] quasi plantatio rose in Hiericho, and as it were the planting of a rose in Ierico. The seuenth out of the same place, quasi myrrha electa, &c. as pretious myrrhe. The eight out of the song of Salomon, chap. 2. 2. Ʋbi (saith he) celest:s sponsus inquit de sponsa sua virgine benedicta, Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic amica mea inter fi­ [...]a [...]. [Page 241] where the heauenly bridegroome spea­keth of his spouse the blessed virgin; like ali­lie amongst the thornes, so is my loue amōgst the daughters. Where that which is spoken of Christ his whole Church, they interpret onely of the virgin, so making her both the mother and also the wife of Christ. The ninth figure they take out of the same song, chap. 6. Que est ista que progreditur, quasi aurora [...] that is, according to their translation, Who is shee that goeth forth in the morning? Here also they commit the same fault that before. The tenth they take out of psal. 192. dies diei eru­ctat verbum, &c. that is (as they speake) daie speaketh vnto daie. The 11. figure is out of the same psalme, vers. 4. in sole posuit tabernaculum suum; that is (as they also interpret) he hath set his tabernacle in the sunne. The 12. out of Num. 24. orietur stella ex Iacob, there shal arise a star out of Iacob. Who reading all these things, will not admire their monstrous learning?

9 The sixt sermon following is of the same stampe, diuided into these three parts: 1. dici­tur rationabilitatis. 2. authoritatis. 3. [...] vltima appellabitur exemplaritatis. The reasons of the first part are ten: 1. mendationis. 2. perfectionis. 3. reportationis. 4. concursionis. 5. demonstratio­nis. 6. figurationis. 7. medicationis. 8. locatio­nis. 9. destinationis. 10. affirmationis.

10. For the 7. sermon he taketh his text out of Gen. 1. God said let there be light, and there was light. This and that which followeth, and [Page 242] God saw that the light was good, and God diui­ded the light from the darknes; that also Ioh. 1. 5. And the light shineth in darknesse, and the darknes comprehended it not. All this, I say, he and many other whome he nameth (if he lie not, for I cannot examine all his authorities) applie to the virgin Marie. Then he commeth to the diuision of his sermon, where of againe he maketh the three parts thus: 1. dicetur fundationis: 2. operationis. 3. fructificationis. The arguments of the first are as followeth. 1. gratificationis. 2. desponsationis. 3. preseruati­onis. 4 optationis. 5. punitionis. 6. mediationis. 7. exaltationis. 8. euitationis. 9. similationis. 10. a­ctionis. 11. liberationis. 12. debellationis. 13. con­iunctionis. 14. deuiationis. 15. renelationis. In the handling of the fift of those arguments, thus he writeth: Si beata virgo fuit conceptain peccato originali, sequitur quod ipsa fuit plus o­dita a deopro illo tempore, quam Ca [...] aut Iudas vel quicun (que) alius damnatus, quod est impium & nefarium d [...]cere. & probatur predicta conclusio, sequendo doctrinam predictorum doctorum, &c. Nam quanto pena includens culpam est maior & grauior, tanto talis peccator a deo magis odi­tur, sed pena virginis fuit maior, quia plura bona perdidisset, & non propter aliud nisi quod deus ipsam in peccato concipivoluisset. Igitur [...]llo tem­pore illam deus plus quam alios odio habuisset. Non enim est aliud odium dei quam subtractio gratie. Sicut dilectio ipsius dei nihil aliud est, quam gratie communicatio, &c. that is: If the [Page 243] blessed virgin had beene conceiued in origi­nall sinne, it followeth that shee was more hated of God then Ca [...]n or Iudas, or any other that is damned, which is impious and wicked to say. And the former conclusion is prooued by following the doctrine of the foresaid do­ctours, &c. For how much the punishment, including the fault is greater and heauier, so much the more is such a sinner hated of god. But the punishment of the virgin had beene greater, because shee should haue lost more good things, and for no other cause [...] then be­cause God would haue her conceiued in sinne. Therfore at that time God should haue hated her more then others. For the harred of God is nothing els but the withdrawing of grace, as his loue is nothing els but the com­municating of his grace. These things shall [...]uffice for a tast of those nine learned sermōs, the which in truth haue almost as many bla­phemies as they haue words.

THE FOVRTH PART.

1 AFter those sermons followeth offici­um beate virginis, that is, a seruice for the blessed virgin. This seruice consisteth of many dishes of meat made rea­die for the virgin by the former cooke. But before this seruice, according to the manner of Princes, is sounded a trumpet of great com­mendation, by no meaner person then the [Page 244] most blessed father Pope Sixtus the 4. For the foresaid seruice beeing presented to his ho­lines, The seruice must be honourable that hath such a trumpet sounded before it, & that by such a trum­pottour. that he might appoint some other of his wisest and grauest diuines to examine the same, and vpon examination taken to be trū ­pettours for the proclaiming of the praises thereof, he answered that he himselfe would doe it. Hauing therefore examined it, he al­lowed it, first by his word of mouth commā ­ding it to be published, and secondly by a short apostolicall writing, ratifying and con­firming the same, with these word [...] in the end of that [...]a [...]ification and confirmation, for the better credit thereof, Non obstantibus constitu­tionibus & ordinationibus apostolicis, ceteris (que) contrar [...]is quibuscunque. The meaning where­of is this, that no other constitutions and ordi­nations apostolicall, neither any other co [...] ­trarie seruices whatsoeuer, should let or hin­der the same, leafe 49. B. Then followeth a [...] other solemne commendation of that se [...] uice in the inscription or title thereof: and after all this solemnitie commeth [...]he serui [...] it selfe to the table, the first dish where [...] is this:

2 Dixit dominus dominemee, sede a dextr [...] innocentie mee: that is, The Lord said vnto m [...] ladie, sit thou on the right hand of my inno­cencie. Again, Laudate pueridominā super om­nes gentes in conceptu gloriosam. O childre [...] praise ye the ladie aboue all nations, gloriou [...] in her conception. Againe, Letatus sum in [...] [Page 245] que dicta sunt mih [...], concepta est hodie regina ce­ [...]. I reioyced in those things that were saide vnto me, to daie is conceiued the queene of heauen. Againe, Laudate Hierusalem domi­nam, quia non fecit taliter vlli nationi, sicut fecit dilectissime matri. Praise the Lord, O Ie­rusalem, because he hath not dealt so with any nation, as with his most beloued mo­ther.

3 The second dish is this. Dominus posse­dit me in initio viarum suarum, antequam quicquam faceret a principio. ab eterno ordinata sum, & ex antiquis antequam terra fieret. nec dum erant abyssi cum ego tam concepta eram. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his waies, before he made any thing at the beginning. From euerlasting was I ordai­ned, from of old before the earth was made. There were no depths, and I was now con­ceiued.

4 Betwixt these dishes and those that fol­low, our ladie must haue a little musicke, and there is the hymne or song:

5 Then followeth an other dish with an o­ther fitte of mirth: after which follow many other dishes, which they call by the name of lessons, because they were to be read vpon the seueral daies of the feast of the conception of the virgin, as we read certaine portions of scripture for seuerall lessons of seuerall daies. These lessons I had thought to haue set down both in latin and english for the better credit of them, but because I see they would be too long I wil therefore make choice of some of the most daintie of them, and those al [...]o I will set downe but partly in latin, and wholly in english for breuitie sake.

6 This therefore following was the fifth lesson for the second daie of the feast of her conception. Beatus Bern. post mortem suam, &c. that is in english, Blessed Bern. an abbot after his death appeared all shining to one of his brethren. Now all his apparrell beeing The word tran­slated brethren, may also be trā ­ [...]ted [...]riars, &c. white in his breast onely there seemed a spot of a very blacke colour. His brother inqui­ring where he had receiued that blacke spot, he answered; I thought good to appeare vnto [Page 249] thee with such a spot, because whilst I liued, I was in an errour, thinking the mother of our In quadam exti [...] non vir [...] op [...]nion [...] Lord to haue receiued the Originall staine. Therefore my sonne, tell vnto the faithfull people, what things thou hast seene.

7 The sixt lesson for the same daie is this, In reuelationibus beate Brig [...]tte habetur, &c. that is in english. In the reuelations of b [...]essed Bridgit it is reported, that a certaine chaplin of hers, a famous doctour of sacred diuinitie named Mathias, entreated blessed Bridgit, Si benedicta virgo Maria ab originali fu­ [...] vi [...]io detur pata. saying. I beseech thee, O daughter, vouchsafe to reueale vnto me, if the blessed virgin Ma­rie were defiled with originall sinne. Blessed Bridgit answered, I did once desire the most pure virgin to shew me the māner of her most holy conception, and she answered; Know that I cōming of my parents Ioachim & An­na [...] was preserued from all pollutiō of sinnes. The foresaide brother hearing these things, presently laied aside his opinion, and yearely preaching, he did most deuoutly celebrate the feast of the immaculate conception.

8 For the fourth lesson of the third day of her conception, they read this: Legitur in quo­dam beati dominici opusculo, quod cum regularis esset canonicus, &c. that is, It is read in a certain work of blessed Dominick that when he was a regular Canon in the Bishoprick of Tholos­sa, he disputed with certaine heretiks, which affirmed many conclusions contrary to truth. Now amongst other opinions they preached [Page 250] this vnto the people, namely that the virgin was not preserued from original sinne. When blessed Dominicke saw that he could not perswade them the truth, he tooke this order with them; that both sides should put their conclusions together in a burning ouen, and Taliter cum [...]is conuenit. that those should be accounted for true, which should not be consumed by the heate of the fire. They put therefore their conclusi­ons in the middest of the fire, amongst many other things, saying that the virgin Mary was defiled with originall pollution. Blessed Do­minick affirmed the contrarie. Presently therefore the deuouring flame consumed the false conclusions of the hereticks. But the most true sayings of blessed Dominick, re­mained in the middes of the burning flame, for three daies togither without any hurt at all, and no signe of fire appeared in them.

9 For the fifth lesson of the same day they read this tale following. In regno Vngarie qui­dam This might well herfor the papists haue a thousand waies to poison and secretly to murther their owne catholike Kings▪ yea and their own popes. Might not they therefore much more secretly take away the life of one that so openly op­pugned such a chiefe principle of their religion. theologie magister, &c. that is, In the king­dome of Hungarie a certaine master of diuini­tie, preached before the King against the cō ­ception of the vndefiled virgin, saying, that shee was sanctified, but not conceiued with­out staine: who so soone as he had thus vn­reuerently spoken these things, receiued the punishment of this boldnes, and presently gaue vp the ghost. In the citie also of Tholo­sa a certaine frier feared not to preach in like manner. But hauing ended his sermon, he [Page 251] came to a certaine chappell to say masse. In this chappell there was an image of the glo­rious virgin grauen in marble. When there­fore the f [...]ier presumed to goe vp to the altar, the blessed mother of God the virgin shew­ed him a very terrible and angrie countenāce, and turned ( Was this pos­sible in the ladie of pitie. Here seeme to want these words, from sinne: but this de­fect is in their latine it selfe.) her face from him: and so shee continueth to this daie.

10 For the sixth lesson of the same day, they read this, In ducatu Subaudiensi iuxta mō ­tem sancti Bernardi, &c. that is, In the duc hie of Subaudia, by the mount of S. Bernard, a certaine frier seeing the women going to the preaching of the conception, rebuked them, saying, that the most pure virgin was not in her conception preserued by her beloued sonne: and he addeth, If it be so, I desire this miracle to be shewed vpon me by the blessed virgin, that I may die before the euening. So therefore it came to passe. For in the same houre the other friers found him hanged by the feete and dead.

11 In the fourth daies seruice for the fourth lesson, there is a trimme tale of a very elo­quent frier in Tholosa, who for preaching a­gainst the conception of the virgin, was pre­sently rent in sunder & deuoured of a wolfe, &c.

12 In the fift and sixt lessons for the same day, there is a long tale out of Anselmus for iustifying the immaculate conception of the virgin. This tale beeing too long to set downe [Page 252] word for word, I haue thought good to set downe the summe onely th [...]reof in this man­ner. The Danes taking it grieuously that Wil­liam the Conquerour had taken England from them, and that so they were as it were depriued of their inheritance, made all prepa­ration that might be for expelling the [...]aide William and his forces. VVilliam the Con­querour therefore hearing thereof, sent one Elfinus a man of excellent wit, abbot of the monasterie of Rhemes, into Danske to en­quire the truth. This Elfinus hauing dispat­ched his masters busines, in his returne home­ward, was with his whole companie in great daunger vpon the sea. In the middes of which daunger, hauing commended themselues to the blessed Virgin, and expecting nothing but death, suddenly amongst the waues nere vnto the shippe, they did see a very Venerabilem virum pontisi­ciali insuls de­coratum con­spexere. The deuill can transforme him­selfe into the likenes of an angel of light, much more into the likenes o [...] a bishop. reue­rend man, adorned with a Bishops mytre, who said vnto the Abbat thus, Vis periculum euadere? vis sanus ad patriam redire? wilt thou escape this danger? wilt thou returne in safe­tie to th [...] countrey? To whome when the ab­bat had answered with teares, that that was his desire, then he that had so appeared spake further. Scias (in quit) me ad [...] a domina nostra Dei genetrice M [...]ria directum, quam dulciter reclamasti: & si dictis meis obtemperare volue­ris, sanus cum comitibus tuis euades seuientis periculum maris. Promitte ergo Deo & mihi, quod conceptionem purissime virginis Marie [Page 253] solenniter celebrabis & celebrandum predica­bis. that is. Knowe thou (saide he) that I was directed vnto thee by our Ladie Ma­rie God his mother, whome thou hast sweetely called vnto: and if thou wilt obey my sayings, thou with all thy companions shall safely escape the daunger of the raging sea. Promise therefore vnto God and vnto me, that thou wilt solemnly celebrate and preach to be celebrated the conception of the most pure Virgine Marie. VVhen Elfi­nus had promised to performe that before en­ioyned him, presently the sea was calme, and he with his companie safely ariued in England.

13 For the seruice of the fifth daie, and for the fourth and fifth lessons they read these toyes following. For the fourth lesson this, In pago gallico canonicus erat quidam, &c. that This miracle is the 60. example in the booke of miracles: yet some difference there is betwixt the narration of it there & here. is, In a countrey parrish of Fraunce, there was a certaine man, by order a canonicall priest, which was wont with no small affe­ction to sing the night houres of the bles­sed Virgin. This priest in a certaine village ioyned himselfe in fornication with another man his wife. Once therefore hauing satis­fied his sacrilegious lust, when in the deade of the night he made hast to returne to the towne in which he aboad, beeing desirous to crosse a certaine sea, and entring alone into a shippe, in sayling hee be ganne to sing the houres of the blessed Virgine the mother [Page 254] of our Lord. Now whilst he said the inuitati­on, Ha [...]le Marie full of grace, the Lord be with thee, and he was now come to the middes of the streame, behold a multitude of deuills Whether of these speake truth? Bernardine that saith he had deserued this, or the virgin which rebuketh these deuils, as hauing dealt vniustly therein? threw him and his boat headlong to the bot­tome of the sea, and so tooke his soule (as he had deserued) vnto torments. The third day commeth God his mother Marie accompa­nied with innumerable lights of the saints, vnto the place where those maligne spirits did vexe him with diuers torments, ( Est (que) talibus iniquos demo­nes conu [...]iis all [...]cu [...]a. The virgin is not afraid to goe downe to h [...]ll it selfe and chide and rate the de­uils at their owne dores and in their owne houses.) and with these reproches spake vnto those vniust spirits. Why doe yee vniustly afflict the soule of one that serued me? The deuils answered, we (saide they) ought to haue it, because we found it occupied in our workes. If (saide the virgin) it be his whose works it did, then cer­tenly it is manifest to be mine, because it sang my matters when yee tooke him: wherefore yee are guiltie of a great crime, because yee haue dealt so vnrighteously towards me.

14 Then it followeth in the fifth lesson, His ita (que) dictis, demon [...]bus (que) huc illuc fugienti­bus, &c. that is, The deuils hauing heard these things, and taking them to their heeles, some this waie and some that waie, the most holy virgin reduced the soule of that priest vnto his bodie, and the man beeing raised from both graues shee toke from the bottom of the sea, and brought him to the port. But he beeing full of ioy and exceeding gladnes, presently fell downe prostrate at her feete. My verie [Page 255] good Ladie (saide he) and most gracious vir­gin▪ what shall I giue vnto you for the great benefits you haue bestowed vpon me? I praie thee, said Marie God his mother, fall no more into the sinne of adulterie, and declaring the feast of my immaculate conception, procure it to be kept yearely with all solemnitie. Af­ter that the most blessed virgin had said these Ad [...]thereas polorum sedes (angelis com [...] ­tata) prorexit. a loftie phrase. words, shee departed (beeing waited on by the angels) into the heauens. But that canoni­call priest liuing an heremitic all and single life, tolde what things had befalne him to all that were desirous to heare: and his whole life-time he ceased not with speciall solem­nities to celebrate the conception of the vir­gine.

15 Many other the like iunkats follow in the same booke, which I doe the rather here omit, because I purpose in the ende of this booke, to be so bolde with our ladie, as to make the reader a short banket with a few of the choisest of her miracles, which I hope I may the better doe, because I thinke they haue stoode so long vpon the table before her, and shee hath beene fedde so often with them, that now shee careth not greatly for them: or if shee make any account of them, yet there is such great store, that if there be neuer a blabbe and pickthanke to tell her, shee will not greatly misse the taking away of a few of them: or if shee doe it, yet such is her liberalitie and bountie, that shee will not [Page 256] grutch them: yea such is her power and au­thoritie, that shee can quickly commaund new dainties as good as those for her seruice.

THE FIFTH PART.

1 NOw therefore leauing the seruice of the Virgin, I wil here adde some things out of the rest of the booke, namely out of the sermons following of her Nativitie, &c. But first I will remember this one thing, before those sermons in the 57. leafe, and second side thereof. O pulcherrima virgo, vulnerauit formosit as tua cor diuinum: attraxit puritas tua creatorem, ad vterum tu­ [...]m. that is, O most faire virgin, thy beautie What vnchast words are these to be spoken vn­to the chast vir­gin. hath wounded God his heart▪ thy pu [...]iti [...] hath drawne the Creator vnto thy wombe. Then follow the sermons of the Natiuitie of the Virgin.

2 The first of these sermons hath these three parts or mysteries. Primum (saith he) appellabitur necessitatis. 2. nobilitatis. 3. iocun­ditatis. The necessitie of the virgin he shew­eth by three reasons: 1. reedificationis. 2. suc­cessionis. 3. subventionis. In the third reason he hath these words, Sicut per mul [...]erem pecca­tricem a diabolo deceptam, &c. that is, As by a sinnefull woman deceiued and ouercome of the deuill, mankinde was lost and deiected from his state: so on the contrarie by a wo­man beeing innocent, pure, and most hol [...], A mon [...]trous blasp [...]emie. [Page 257] and conquering the deuill, it ought to be re­stored and repaired. Otherwise the father himselfe of lies the deuill should haue gained by his lie; which ought not to be. For none ought to haue profit by a lie, according to those things which are noted C. 1. ff. &c. In the third part of the same sermon, thus he writeth: Exal [...]abat Adam videndo lignum The virgin Ma­rie is the [...]ree of li [...]e which Adam did see in para­dise. vite, scilicet Mariam disponi ad fructum produ­cendum vite eterne in medio paradisi that is, A­dam reioyced to see the tree of life, to witte, Marie prepared to bring forth fruit of eter­nall life in the middes of paradise. A little af­ter are these wordes: Ipsa est fenestra celiper quam [...]eus oculo suo misericord [...]e nos respecit. The virgin the window of hea­uen. Shee (he meaneth the virgine Marie) is the window of heauen, by which God with his eye of mercie doth respect vs. Aga [...]ne pre­sently after, dicere autem potest virgo benedi­cta, que est ost [...]ar [...]a, &c. that is, But the blessed virgin which is the dore keeper of paradise, The virgin is the dore spoken of Ioh. 10. 9. may say that which is, Ioh. 10. I am the dore [...] if any man enter in by me he shall be saued. Therefore, O ye sinners which are banished men from your heauenly countrey, enter in by this gate. Goe yee that are sicke to the physitian. Come yee fatherlesse to your pa­rent. Proceede yee that are blinde to the light. Make hast yee afflicted vnto comfort. Walke O yee virgins after the glasse of cha­stitie. Make speede O yee mothers vnto the mother of God.

[Page 258]3 In the beginning of the next sermon, he saith, ipsa virgo beata deum iratum placat, quia est nostra aduocata. The blessed virgin pa­cifieth God beeing angrie, because shee is The virgin our aduocate. our aduocate. To the same effect and some­what more largely he writeth in the third part of the sermon. Sicut ipsa mediante sedata est lis, que est inter deum & homines, ita etiam per ipsam terminantur questiones inter homines & diabolu [...]. As by her mediation the contro­uersie And our media­tour both with God and the deuills. betweene God and men is compoun­ded, so also by her are questions determined betweene men and the deuills. This he proo­ueth by a most forcible argument, namely by one of the miracles of the virgin, touching that great sinner which in a visiō was drawne A great disputa­tion in hell be­twixt the virgin and the deuill. to the iudgement of God, where the deuill by many allegations prooued him to be his: but alwaies by the virgin Marie wisely an­swering, he was foyled. But at the last, the deuill obiected against him, that the euill things which he had done, were more then the good things: when therefore at the com­mandement of the iudge, both his goodnes and his euills were laide in a paire of ballance, and the skoale towardes the left hand in which were his euills did ouerwaie the other, on the suddaine the glorious virgin put her hand to that skoale where were his few good works, and drew it downe to the ground, and by this meanes made it ouerwaie the other Tune diabolu [...] confusus ab­scessit. skoale. So the deuill went away with shame, [Page 259] &c. In the same part he saith that the virgin is the booke mentioned in the right hand of God, Rev. 5. 1. In the same part he saith a­gaine, Hec benedicta virgo non tantum est liber generationis, &c. that is, This blessed virgin is The virgin is the gospel of Saint Matthew, &c. not onely the booke of the generation of Ie­sus Christ the sonne of God, but shee is also the booke of the generation of all that are to be saued. And therefore we may also iustly say that which is written, Act. 17. namely, that we are her generation. For the blessed virgin is our mother.

4 In the fifth sermon he sheweth tenne conditions of the virgin Marie, which he saith euery spouse of euery great Emperour ought to haue. These he setteth downe by these tearmes. Prima (saith he) dicetur, integritatis. 2. virtuositatis. 3. generositatis. 4. formositatis. Daintie latine. 5. gratiositatis. 6. fecunditatis, siue fertilitatis. 7. copiositatis. 8. timorositatis. 9. pudorositatis. 10. & vltima appellabitur honestatis. If I should note all things worthie to be laughed at, &c. I should cause all his whole booke to be new printed. Omitting therefore a thousand and ten thousand absurdities and blasphemies in that great clarke, I will hereafter note the most principall.

5 In this third sermon of the nomination of Marie, in the ende of the fourth excellen­cie of her name, thus he writeth. Quarto (saith he) licet ad ipsam appellare, si quis a dei iustitia se grauari sentit, &c. that is, Fourthly it is law­full [Page 260] to appeale vnto her, if any man feele him­selfe oppressed with the iustice of God, which The court of Ma­rie aboue the court of God. O horrible blas­phemiel was signified in the 5. of Hester, where it is saide, that when King Assuerus was angrie with the Iewes, Queene Hester came to ap­pease him. To whom the King said, Although thou shalt aske halfe of my kingdome it shall be giuen vnto thee. This Empresse therefore figured the Empresse of heauen, with whom God hath diuided his kingdome. For where­as God hath iustice and mercie, he hath re­serued iustice to himselfe to be exercised in the world, and mercie he hath graunted to his mother. And therefore if any feele him­selfe greeued at the court of Gods iustice, let him appeale to his mothers court of mercie.

6 In the fourth part of the booke, and ninth sermon of the graces of Marie, he affir­meth, that shee was able to heale diseases onely by her word leafe 143. and anon after, Marie able to heale diseases by her word onely. Shee knoweth the Mathema­ticks and allo­ther things. that shee hath all Mathematical knowledge, yea that shee knoweth all things. For thus he writeth. De scientiis quoque Mathematicis quod in beata virgine fuerunt, probari potest secundum Albertum, &c. that is, Concerning the mathematicall sciences that they were in the virgin Marie, it may be prooued by Al­bertus, &c. for shee was most perfect accor­ding to affection, therefore also according to vnderstanding. Sith therefore shee loued all things that were to be loued, it is to be con­cluded [Page 261] that she knew all things to be known. The same he amplifieth afterward by an in­duction of the particular mathematicall sci­ences, applying many sentences of the scrip­ture & Apocrypha to the virgin Marie, which are spoken onely of the infinite knowledge and wisdome of God. In the same sermon in the beginning of the 145. leafe thus he wri­teth, Beata virgo non solum totum hominem sa­num facit in anima & corpore, &c. The blessed The virgin hea­leth the whole man, both in this life and after death. virgin doth not onely make the whole man sound in soule and bodie, and cureth all incu­rable diseases (as appeareth before) but also after death shee worketh cures, and putteth death it selfe to flight, and whom she cureth shee healeth to immortalitie. Therefore shee excelleth all in the gift of healing, and there­fore shee saith in the 8 of the Proverbs: He that findeth me findeth life, and shall receiue fa­uour of the Lord.

7 In the first part of the 6. sermon of the Annunciation of the virgin (which is long af­ter the former) which part he calleth Deter­minabilitatis, in this part, I say, he telleth such a tale, as would make an horse (as we speake) breake his bridle to heare it. The tale it selfe is very long, but the summe thereof is this, The fathers which died before Christs com­ming in the flesh, beeing in Limbo, and wea­rie A notable tale. of that place, because it was so long ere he came that should fetch them thence, at length consulted among them selues, and [Page 262] at the last agree to sende an ambassage vnto An ambassage by the fathers in Limbo sent to God in heauen. God to entreat the hastening of Christs cō ­ming. In this ambassage they send these 20; 1. Abel, 2. Noc, 3. Abraham, 4. Isaac, 5. Iacob, 6. Moses, 7. Iosua, 8. Dauid, 9. Salomon, 10. Eliia, Elisha, E­zechia, and many other taried per­haps at home to keepe Limbum. Isaias, 11. Ieremie, 12. Malachias, 13. Agge­us, 14. Zacharias, 15. Abacuc, 16. Iob, 17. E­zechiel, 18. Daniel, 19. on the 19. name there is some er­rour. Ezechiel, 20. Eccle­siasticus. Euery one of these vrge God with seuerall arguments. Some with sentences of scripture, some with verses of Virgil, Ovid, and such like Poets, and some with the au­thoritie of the ciuill and canon law. But the deuill vnderstanding of this ambassage, went also himselfe before God, and pleaded hard against the former ambassadours, reasoning mightily from the iustice of God, &c. for their The devill saide, Absit à Deo impietas. continuance still in Limbo. God therefore (not that he needed so to haue done, but that he might giue an exāple of righteous iudge­ment) consulted with the angels what was to be done. Then was there great silence in heauen for halfe an houre, that they might the better deliberate what to say. The halfe houre beeing ended, euery order of Angels spake largely their minde for the fathers in Limbo. Then God hauing heard all their al­legations, gaue sentence, approouing the counsaile of the angels, and reiecting the sug­gestions of the deuill. Therefore he answered the ambassadours of the fathers very grati­ously, telling them that he shortly in mercie [Page 263] would thinke vpon them. The ambassadours hearing this were filled with ioy, as it is saide of the Iewes, Hest. 8. Then the three persons of the Trinitie consulted togither, and con­cluded the sending of Gabriel to the virgin Marie, &c. This briefly is the summe of the tale which that great doctour Bernardine doth handle farre more largely, writing so largely thereof, as beeing written againe in latine without any abbreuiations, would fill two sheetes of paper. And was it not paines thinke you well taken? yes, yes, without all doubt. For so we see more touching the sen­ding of the angel Gabriel to the virgin, then is contained in all the Scripture, or then agre­eth with any truth. An hundred such merrie tales their are in the same booke, the which I forbeare to mention, thinking this to be suf­ficient for a tast of the rest.

8. In the tenth sermon of the same mat­ter, at the 209. leafe, about the letter K, he cō ­mendeth the humilitie, fortitude, and boun­tifulnes of the virgin most highly. For refer­ring vs to some one of his former sermons, thus he writeth: Probatum est quod super om­nem creaturam fuit humillima atque fortissima, Yet for all that shee feared when Gabriel spake vnto her: but who euer read that the angels feared any other creature. [...]deo quod vicit mundum, &c. that is, It was prooued that shee was most humble and va­liant aboue euery creature, so that shee hath ouercome the world, God, and the deuill. Also shee was most bountifull: for shee hath giuen the world vnto God, and the king­dome [Page 264] of heauen and God him-selfe vnto man.

9 In the second sermon of the visitation of Marie, leafe 234. at the letter V, thus he spea­keth to the virgin Marie: Profecto si fas est di­cere, tu secundum quid maiora fecisti deo, &c. that is, Truly if I may be so bold as to speake, thou in some respect hast done greater things The virgin hath done more for God, then God for her and all mankinde. for God, then God himselfe hath done for thee, or for all mankinde. I therefore will speake that, whereof thou in humilitie hast held thy peace. For thou diddest onely sing. He that is mightie hath done great things vnto me: but I sing and say, that thou hast done greater things to him that is mightie. For God formed man of the clay of the earth, but thou most blessed virgin hast brought forth God of thy most pretious blood, and hast couered and cloathed him with thy most pure fleshe so that thou maist say that of Ecclesiasticus, chap. 24. I haue caused light to rise in the hea­uens that will neuer goe out, and haue couered all flesh as it were with a cloud, and thy most pure flesh excelleth all things in the world. Againe God brought vp man with the fruits of para­dise, but thou hast nourished God himselfe with thy breasts full of heauen, of which milke one droppe is of more value, then all the trees in paradise, or then all the fruits of the whole world. God also hath cloathed man with a garment of skinnes, but thou glo­rious virgin hast wrapped the sonne of God [Page 265] in thy cloutes, and afterward diddest put vpon him a seamelesse garment, which is farre more better then all the coates in the world.

10 In his second sermon, de festo nivis, leafe 290. after the letter N, thus he writeth: Cum beata virgo sit mater dei, &c. that is, Sith the blessed Virgin is the mother of God, and God her sonne; and euery sonne naturally is inferiour to the mother and her subiect, and the mother preferred vnto and aboue the sonne: it followeth that the blessed vir­gin God inferiour to the virgin. is aboue God, and that God is her sub­iect in regard of the humanitie taken from her. In the same sermon the beginning of the 292. leafe thus he writeth, Legitur quod predicantibus Apostolis, &c. that is, We reade that the Apostles preaching but not beeing able to conuert some, they sent them to the blessed virgine who admiring the beautie of the mother of God and her most wise spea­ches, were conuerted to the faith. In the same sermon leafe 294. a little before the letter I, hauing compared, Marie to a ladder, and called her the ladder of heauen, he bringeth in Bernard speaking thus to the Virgin, C [...] profecto scalae Dominus innixus est, &c. that is, The which ladder God vsed, because God The virgin a lad­der betweene God and mano. would not haue vs to haue any thing that should not passe through the hands of Marie, & that none of our works are acceptable vnto him, except it be offred by the hāds of Marie. [Page 266] Therefore that little that thou wouldest offer vnto God, prouide tho [...] deliuer it into the hands of Marie, if thou wilt not haue the re­pulse. Then he addeth his owne wordes, Hoc etiam patet exemplo quod legitur in Chronicis nostris, &c. that is, This also is manifest by an exāple that is read in our Chronicles, namely that on a certaine daie S. Frances did see two ladders, one redde vpon which Christ stoode, and an other white on the which was the virgin. And when as by the admonish­ment of blessed Frances, the brethren assai­ed to ascend by the redde ladder, whilst they beganne to goe, many fell backeward and could not ascend. At which thing S. Frances did grieue with weepinge to whome Christ saide, Cause thy brethren to runne to my mother The virgin a better ladder for heauen then Christ. and to the white ladder, that they may ascend by it: which when the brethren did, they were entertained of the virgin with a cheerefull countenance, and then with ease they went vp to heauen.

11 In his second sermon of the 9. part of the booke with this title, Maria terra, leafe 303. at the letter R, thus he writeth, Si quis querat quareoum diabolus tempore Tobie 7 vii ros Sare strangulauerit, &c. that is, If any man The word eum is superstuous, or els should be cum. aske why the deuill in the Time of Tobia did strangle the seauen husbands of Sara for their sinne, as it is Tob. 2. and yet now doth not kill all whome mortall sinnes doe giue into his hands: I answer, that this proceedeth frō [Page 267] hence, that God hath giuen vnto men this most mightie virgin, which hath in her hand The virgin giuen to keepe men from the deuills, &c. a rodde of iron to driue away all infernall beasts, and to put to flight the deuills them­selues. Wherefore he saith vnto her in the 2. psal. Thou shalt rule them with a rodde of iron, and breake thē in peeces like a potters vessel. And this power of the glorious virgin, is figured in the 7. of Exod. in the rodde of Aaron, which was turned into a serpent, and deuoured the roddes of the inchanters. In the same ser­mon leafe 304. he applieth many thinges spoken of the power of God, of Christ, &c. to the virgin. As, Thou canst doe all things. If thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane. Thou art The virgin is omnipotent. stronger then all. He hath deliuered me from the mightie aduersarie. All things are possible with thee. Neither is there any thing that is not in my power. Thou rulest the raging of the sea, and the surging floods thereof thou doest miti­gate. God hath giuen him power ouer the things that are in the earth. In Ierusalem is my power. Thy dominions is to the ends of the whole earth. His authoritie is an euerlasting authoritie from generation to generation. We have heard the fame of his power, and wonderfull is his power. All these things that I say, and many other the like, partly blasphemously and partly foolishly he applieth to the virgin Marie. In the ende of that sermon, he applieth many things also to her, that are spoken of the book The virgin is the booke of life, &c of life, exhorting such as desire to attaine vn­to [Page 268] eternall life to studie this booke daie and night. In the same sermon leafe 308. a little before the letter G, thus he saith, Beate igitur virgini quae omnes demones superauit & debel­lauit, dici potest illud Isaij, vulnerasts dracones: & illud Apocal. 20. Apprehendit draconem antiqaum serpentem. that is, To the blessed virgin therefore which hath ouercome and subdued all the deuills, may that be saide of Esai, Thou hast wounded the dragons: and that in the 20. of the Revelation, Shee tooke the dragon that olde serpent. Againe in the same sermon leafe 309. Habet etiam solicitu­tudinem in custodiendo, quia sub alis, &c. that is, She is also very carefull of keeping because shee keepeth vs vnder her wings, and prote­cteth Her two great wings. vs from the snares of the deuill, for shee is that woman to whom are giuen two great wings, Revelat. 12. one is the wing of mercie, vnder the which sinners doe flie, that they may be reconciled vnto God: the other is the wing of grace, vnder which the iust do stand, that they may be preserued in grace.

12 In the fourth sermon of the same 9. part, all (almost) spoken in the scripture of light, is applied to the virgin: so also that which is spoken of the citie of God.

13. In his first sermon of the Assumption of Marie, thus he saith, Omnis natura a deo est facta, & deus est ex Maria factus. Deus omniū factor se ex Maria fecit, &c. that is, Euery na­ture is made of God, & God is made of Ma­rie. [Page 269] God the maker of all things made him­selfe of Marie.

14 In the second sermon of the same matter leafe 363. he telleth vs, that the vir­gin standing at the feete of her sonne, desired him to shewe her the order of the Angels and Saints in heauen, because (saide shee) Moses & alij prophete de hoc nihil dixerunt. Marie desireth to know more then Moses and the prophets had taught. The nine orders of Angels. Moses and the other prophets haue said no­thing of this matter. To whome the sonne shewed first touching Angels, that there were nine degrees or orders of them, and that euery order was tenne times more ex­cellent then other. 1. of angels, 2. of archan­gels, 3. principalities, 4. powers, 5. vertues, 6. dominions, 7. thrones, 8. cherubins, 9. se­raphims. Here note before I proceede any Repugnance be­tweene Bernar­dine and other Papists. further, let the reader obserue that this a­greeth not with that which some other Pa­pists write of this matter. For he saith that Christ himselfe shewed these things vnto his mother: but other Papists, and namely Saint Vincent in his sixth sermon for the ninth Lords daie after the feast of the Trinitie, saith that Dionysius learned this diuinitie of Paul, and that to Paul it was first reuea­led, when he was rapt vp into the thirde heauen. After that Christ had shewed his mother these orders of the Angels, then he proceedeth to shew her further the seue­rall places of the Saints, which were these [...]t first, that in the first order of Angels before [Page 270] mentioned, are placed those which shall re­pent of their sinnes. In the second order of Archangels shall be placed, they that ouer and aboue their repentance shall haue actual deuotion, which he saith is more then repen­tance. Thirdly that with principalities shall be placed, they that are mercifull in corpo­rall and spirituall workes. Fourthly that with powers shall be placed, they that are pati­ent, and which beare much aduersitie pati­ently. Fifthly that with vertues shall be pla­ced the peacemakers, and they that as much as in them lieth haue peace with all men. Sixth­ly they with dominions shall be made bles­sed, prelates as well ecclesiasticall as secular. Beatificabūtur prelati, tam ec­ciesiastics quam seculares. Seauenthly that with thrones shall be placed, they that perfectly for saking the world shall obserue wilfull pouertie. Eightly that with Cherubims shall be placed the wise teachers of soules, which shall not onely liue well themselues, but shall also by their wisdome and doctrine bring other to eternall life. Ninthly that with Seraphims shall stand they that shall be perfect in burning loue aboue all other, as the Apostles and other like vnto them. When shee had heard all this shee said further, Et ego fili in quo ordine collocabor? And in what order, O sonne, shall I be placed? He answered, because thou art perfecter then all the former, therefore thou shalt not be in any of the former orders, but shalt be exalted a­boue all angelicall spirits. Nam due cathedre [Page 271] & sedes fulgentissime sunt nobis preparate in ce­lo, &c. for there are two chaires and seates most fulgent, (or bright) prepared for vs in heauen. One for me wherein I shall sitte as king of heauen, and an other for thee at my right hand, wherein thou shalt sitte as the Queene of Angels, and of all the Saints, which was figured 3. King. by Bathsheba & 1. King. 2. Salomon, &c. These things are much more largely set downe by him in his booke, then by me in this place, because I hasten to an ende. Now who seeth not the vanitie and follie of these mysteries?

15 In the first sermon of her coronation, leafe 381. thus he writeth: O igitur regina no­stra serenissima &c. that is, O therefore our The virgins kingdome vni­uersall and euer­lasting. most excellent Queene, thou truly maist say Ezr. 1 that, The Lord hath giuē me all the king­domes of the earth. And we may say vnto thee that Tob. 13. Thy kingdome is throughout all ages. and psal. 144. Thy kingdome is for all a­ges. Psal. 145. 3. and Dan. 2. A kingdome which shall neuer be broken. Come therefore and take thou the kingdome ouer vs. Iudg. 9. for of thy kingdome may that be said, psal. 105. And his kingdome shall rule ouer all. and Luc. 1. And of his king­dome there shall be none ende, &c.

16 In the second sermon of her corona­tion, O how much adoe is there of the great singing in heauen by the angels and saints, &c. euery one hauing a seuerall antheme? leafe 386. Afterward he telleth vs that shee [Page 272] was crowned with three crownes, as the Em­perours are wont to be crowned. One crown is of iron, in signum fortitudinis, in token of her fortitude and strength; the second was of Her three crownes. siluer, ratione purit at is, in regard of her puri­tie; the third crowne where with shee was crowned, was of gold, ratione superioritatis & sufficientie, in regard of her superioritie and sufficiencie. In the same sermon leafe 391. he saith, that in glorie shee doth as much ex­cell the nature of angels and men, both bee­ing ioyned together, as the circumference of the firmament doth in greatnes exceede his center; that is, (to speake more plainely) that her glorie is as much greater then the glorie of the angels and of men, as the whole high­est heauen is greater then the earth. In the same lease thus he speaketh vnto her, O femi­na ab omnibus & super omnia benedicta, &c. An heape of the virgins titles. that is, O woman of all, and aboue all blessed. Thou art the nobilitie and preseruation of mankind. Thou art the breadth of merit, and the perfect power of all things created. Thou art the onely mother of God. Thou art the Ladie of the whole earth, and the Queene of the world. Thou art the dispenser of all gra­ces. Thou art the cōsummation of the whole world, and the beautie of the holy Church. Thou art out worthie satisfaction before the giuer of all gifts. Thou art the incomprehensi­ble greatnes of all vertues, gifts, and graces.

17 It were infinite to note the cithe one­ly [Page 273] of the foolish and blasphemous speaches concerning the virgin Marie, contained in that one booke so highly allowed by the Popes holines. To omit therefore the gathe­ring of any more out of this Bernardine, I come now to the sermons of Saint Vincent.

THE SIXTH PART.

THis Vincent was no obscure person, but like wise of great account in the Romish Church. For he is not onely called by the name of a Saint, but also in the beginning of his Estivall sermons, he is called Divini verbi preco, interpres & professor subti­lissimus, that is, a most subtile or sharpe prea­cher, interpretour and professour of the word of God. In the ende also of the same booke, he is called Iluminatissimus & acutis­simus sacre theologie professor, a most illu­minated and acute professour of sacred di­uinitie. Let vs therefore see what pretious ware this great marchant hath in his shoppe.

2 First it is to be obserued that as Bernar­dine did, so doth this man also beginne all (or at the least most of) his sermons with a de­uout salutation of the Virgin. Touching the speciall matter of his sermons, it is as follow­eth. In his first sermon for Easter daie, he no­teth chiefly and principally three points, wherein consisteth (as he saith) all the pra­ctise of the blessed resurrection of Christ. These three points he setteth downe thus, Resurrectio Christi fuit celebrata affectuose, [Page 274] demonstrata gratiose, publicata virtuose. The resurrection of Christ was celebrated with great affection, shewed with great grace, published with great power or vertue In the same sermon speaking of the virgin Marie he saith, that shee had prepared against the re­surrection of Christ, cameram a chamber, and Camara is vsed for a cham [...]er by the same author, [...]erm. 2. pro Do­minic. 1 post fe­ [...] [...]nnitatis. cathedram a chaire: and that she said, Hic se­debit filius meus, & hic loquar et. Here shall my sonne sit, and here will I speake vnto him. What word is there of any such thing in the Scripture? Then he addeth, that when Christ and his mother met, and Christ was set in the chaire, he told his mother what he had done in hell, how he had bound the deuill, & shew­ed her the holy fathers which he had taken from thence, who did to the virgin great reue­rence. Then he setteth downe particularly the words of Adam and Eve, of the Prophets and Angels, &c. to the virgin Marie.

3 In his sermon for the fourth holy day of Easter, hauing read his text which he saide was the gospel for that daie, and hauing sa­luted the virgin, he addeth these words: In sa­cro euangelio sunt quatuor moralia circa appa­ritionem quam fecit Christus discipulus suis, sci­licet, Occasio necessilosa, Operatio miraculosa, Cognitio virtuosa, Refectio gratiosa. I leaue the english to the learned.

4 His first sermon for Dominica in albis he maketh on this text Ioh. 20. Post dies octo i­terum venit Iesus. After eight daies came Ie­sus [Page 275] againe. These eight daies he doth thus in­terpret in the beginning of the 19. leafe. Hic octo dies sunt opera penitentialia, quibus comple­tis iterum venit Christ us. Primus dies est pec­catorum cognitio. 2. cordis contritio. 3. oris con­fessio. 4. vite oorrectio. 5. iniuriarū remissio. 6. debitorum restitutio. 7. fame reparatio. 8. eucha­ristie communio. that is, Here eight daies are the works of penance (or rather repentance) In his first sermō for the 14. Lords day after Trini­tie, he speaketh often peniten­tiall works. which beeing complete Christ came againe. The first day is the knowledge of sinnes: the second the contrition of the heart: the third the confession of the mouth: the fourth the a­mendment of life: the fifth the remitting of iniuries: the sixth the restoring of debts: the seauenth the repairing of credit: the eight the receiuing of the eucharist or communion. Is not this a subtile, a lightsome, and an acute or wittie, and sharpe manner of interpreting the scriptures, according to the titles before gi­uen to this Vincent? and was he not well worthie to be sainted for such interpretati­ons? but let vs see further.

5 His fifth sermon for the same day is vp­on these words, Noli esse incredulus sed fidelis. Be not faithles but beleeue, Ioh. 20. Intrea­ting of these words, thus in the beginning of that sermon he writeth: A principto mundi semper fuit necessarium ad saluationem, habere fidem, &c. From the beginning of the world it was alwaies necessarie to saluation to haue faith, &c. but diuersly, quoniam tempore legis [Page 276] naturae, &c. because in the law of nature that explicite faith was sufficient, which might be What faith Saint Vincent maketh alwaies necessary to saluation. had in the naturall vnderstanding with out a­ny bookes, namely to beleeue, first that there was one God, which may be knowne by na­turall vnderstanding, as the power of a lord is knowne by the building of a great house. Se­condly, that he is a iust god & a rewarder, &c. Then for the time of the law of Moses, he saith that it was necessarie to beleeue three articles of faith, namely the former two, and for the third, that God would send his sonne to be a sauiour of the world. And he addeth, Alia se­creta fidei non tenebantur scire, nisi magni lite­rati. The other secrets of faith none were bound to know, but onely the great learned men. Lastly now in the time of the law of grace, he saith that men must beleeue the 12. articles of faith, &c. Who seeth not but that by this doctrine, before the law of Moses a man might be saued, first onely by naturall vnderstanding without any other grace, yea without the helpe of any booke: secondly without any faith at all in Christ euen to come. And then what needed the Lord, Gen. 3. 15. and often elswhere before the lawe of Moses to haue made any promise of Christ Iesus? yea how is it said that Abraham belee­ued and it was accounted vnto him for righte­ousnes? yea that Abraham did see the daie of Christ and reioyced?

6 In his third sermon for the first Lords day, [Page 277] post octa: Paschae, thus he writeth, Nota quod Christus in cruce, &c. leafe 33. that is, Note that Christ vpon the crosse did especially sustaine sorowes in fiue parts of his body; namely first in his whole bodie, when it lay vpon the hard & heauie crosse; 2. in nailing of his right hād; 3. of his left hand; 4. of his right foote; 5. of his left foote. Here let the reader note, how wittily this great Saint Doctour maketh the whole bodie of Christ a part of his bodie.

7 To passe by many other things, for his first sermon of the bodie of Christ, leafe 97. he taketh this text, Ego accepi a domino quod & tradidi vobis. I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you. Then he sheweth his auditors where he had this text, verbum istud habetur textualiter, 1. Cor. 11. &c. In the beginning of this sermon he hath some pretie things indeede worth the obser­uation, as that he saith, that the heart of man is not to enlarge it selfe to beleeue more, nor the mouth to speake, nisi quantum habemus ex sacra scriptura, but as much as we haue out of the holy scripture. And againe, The holy scrip­ture is the mouth of god, hauing two lippes, name­ly the two testaments: the upper lippe is the new testamēt; & the nether the old testamēt. But pre­sently he returneth to his old fashion, & shew­eth the cōmō learning of those times, adding, Inter cetera mirabilia & secreta huius sacramē ­tisunt quing, principalia, &c. 1. est mutatio sub­stantialis. 2. operatio sacerdotalis. 3. habitatio sa­cramentalis. [Page 278] 4. perreptio sensualis. 5. receptio vsuoe­lis. that is, Amongst other miracles and se­crets of this sacrament, fiue are principall, &c. The 1. is a substantiall chaunge, the 2. the priestly operation, the 3. a sacramentall dwel­ling, the 4. a sensible perceiuing, the 5. an v­suall receiuing. In handling the second of these, and magnifying the operation of the priest, by the place from whence he fetcheth Christ into the sacrament; he setteth downe first diuers places from whence Christ is not drawne into the sacrament, namely, nor out of the aire, nor out of the sphere of the fire, nor out of the heauen of the moone, nor out of the heauen of Mercurie, nor out of the heauen of Venus, nor out of the heauen of the sunne, nor out of the heauen of Mars, nor out of the heauen of the starres (O wonderfull elo­quence:) at last he sheweth that he fetcheth him out of the highest heauen. Then he ad­deth his rhetoricall acclamation, Ecce opera­tio sacerdotalis: behold the priestly operation or working. Then followeth this goodly si­militude. Sicut quod quando virgo, &c. For as when the virgin Marie beeing saluted by the angel Gabriel, did giue her consent and said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, Luk. 1. at the last word heauen was opened, and the sonne of God descended into her wombe, and the angel and the virgin did worship him in the wombe, and as the mouth of the virgin ope­ned heauen: so doth the mouth of the priest, [Page 279] and that in a more excellent manner, (it shall not offend the virgin Marie if I speake the The priests work in the masse, greater then the virgins in concei­uing of Christ. Habuit dicere octo verba. Neither the vir­gin nor Christ spake any latin. truth) because the virgin to open heauen had to say eight wordes, the 1. Behold, the 2. the handmaid, &c. till shee had saide all, for then was heauen opened and shee conceiued: but the Priest speaketh fiue words onely, and when he speaketh the last word. to wit, Me­um, then is heauen opened, and Christ is in the host. Againe the virgin Marie did open hea­uen but once: but the priest euery day and in euery masse. Againe he descended into the virgins wombe but little, not so bigge as an ante, and passible also and mortall: but into the host he descendeth as great as he is in heauen, and as he was vpon the crosse, neither passible nor mortall, but glorious and impas­sible.

8 Neare vnto the beginning of the next sermon, leafe 99. thus he writeth, Sicut Chri­stus fuit eleuatus & crucifixus inter, &c. As Christ was lifted vp and crucified betweene two theeues: so the host beeing consecrated is lifted vp by two hands, the right and the left, which signifie the theeues. And as then the bodie of Christ was white by shedding A fitte and ex­cellent smiliuda forth blood: so the host is lifted vp white. The former of these similitudes is very apt, espe­cially if in the application thereof, and like­wise in the interpretation thereof of the two hands of the priest, he had said which are, and not which signifie. For they are indeede two [Page 280] theeues robbing God of his glorie, and men of many a penie.

9 In the beginning of the fourth sermon of the bodie of Christ, he sheweth how the masse is remembrance of Christs death. This he sheweth thus: Altare significat crucem, &c. The altar signifieth the crosse: the reason is, How the Masse is a remembrance of Christs death. because on the altar the bodie and blood of Christ are sacramentally consecrated: so vpon the crosse he was really sacrificed. The cuppe or chalice signifieth the sepulchre of Christ; because as in the chalice the bodie and blood of Christ is contained: so in the sepulchre the bodie of Christ was really con­tained. By the couer is vnderstood the stone which was laide vpon the dore of the sepul­chre to couer it: so is the couer to the chalice. By the corporall wherein the bodie of Christ is put, are vnderstood the linnen cloathes in which the bodie of Christ was wrapped. Is not this trimme stuffe? what word is there in the scripture of an altar at the first institution of the supper? Againe here is no mention at all of the host: neither is the host put into the chalice, as the bodie of Christ was laide in the graue. How also will they prooue that the cuppe that our Sauiour blessed at the first institution of the supper, had a couer? Lastly the linnen cloathes wherof they speake, were not vsed in the first supper, neither at the suf­fering of Christ, but after his death, for the bu­rying of the bodie, when the soule was depar­ted [Page 281] frō it: neither was the body of Christ wrap­ped in linnen clothes by the Apostles whose successours they boast them selues to be, but by Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.

10 His first sermon for the first Lords day after the feast of the Trinitie, is vpon these wordes, Habent Mosen & Prophetas, audiant [...]llos. Here he exhorteth his auditours to sa­lute the virgin, and saith, First let vs present to the virgin Marie the ie well that shee most Iocale. loueth, namely, Haile Marie, &c. then he sheweth what things are contained in the text. Sctendum quod euangelium hodierum, &c. We must know that this daies gospel doth declare 4. things very necessary to be knowne for our auisement. Et sunt haec, Mundanalis Auisamento. conuersatio, Diuinalis retributio, Infernalis di­spositio, Scripturalis confirmatio. And they are these, Worldly conuersation, diuine retributi­on or rewarding, infernall disposition, scriptu­rall confirmation.

11 The text of his second sermon for the same daie is this, In domo patris mei habeo quinque fratres. In my fathers house I haue brethren, Luk. 16. Then he addeth, that for declaration of the word House, we are to knowe that the whole generalitie of crea­tures, as well heauenly as earthly, is called the house of God. The reason whereof he maketh to be this, namely, that as in the palace of a great prince, aboue are cham­bers, Who euer saw any such palace? beneath a stable for cattell, and vn­derneath [Page 282] within the earth a prison for male­factours: so in the house of God, aboue, that is, in the highest heauen are chambers, to wit, By this reckning Christ hath no friends in the world. the 9. orders of angels, where dwel the friends of Christ, &c. beneath in the world dwell beasts, seruitours, and clients; but the prison for male factours, is in the heart of the earth, namely the infernall perpetuall prison. After Where is purga­torie now be­come? this because his text speaketh of fiue brethrē, he sheweth fiue fraternities in the house of God, which are these, Fraternitas humanalis, & ista venit per naturam. Fraternitas spiritua­lis, & ista venit per gratiam. Fraternitas demo­nialis, & ista venit per culpam. Fraternitas an­gelicalis, & ista venit per amicitiam. Fraterni­tas diuinalis, & ista venit per misericordiam. An humane fraternitie or brotherhoode, and this commeth by nature. A spirituall frater­nitie, and this commeth by grace. A diuelish fraternitie, and that commeth by offence. An angelicall fraternitie, and this commeth by friendship. A diuine fraternitie, and this com­meth by mercie.

12 In his one sermon. In octava corporis Christi, he saith, that he found that Christ said two masses in his life time. One secretly with Christ said two masses in his life time. Solenniter in pontificalibus. his disciples when he ordained this sacrifice, the other solemnly and in his pontificalibus on good friday. Of this he writeth thus, leafe 109 Altare fuit crux, mitra fuit, &c. His altar was the crosse, his mitre the crowne of thornes, his rings on his hands were nayles, his san­dalls [Page 283] on his feete were nayles, his redde hood Such hoodes would soone wearie the po­pish priests. was of his blood, his staffe was the speare, the deacon was the theefe on his right hand, the subdeacon the theefe on his left hand, his a­colytes or waiting men the virgin Marie and The theeues in higher office thē the virgin Marie and Iohn. Iohn the Euangelist. Who will not wonder to heare these toyes? yea, who will not smile, or rather laugh right out? for what can be more childish and foolish?

13 In his first sermon for the second Lords day after Trinitie, in the same booke the se­cond side, hauing laid the foundation, he cō ­meth to build (as he saith) quatuor cameras, foure chambers. Which are, Largitas gloriosa, Charit as gratiosa, Equitas rigorosa, Pietas co­piosa. the english of which tearmes I leaue to the learned reader.

14 In his second sermon for the same day, Three villages in the other world. lease 112. he saith that he found three villa­ges in the other world according to the scrip­tures, much differing in conditions. Prima est superius celestialis & glortosa, Secunda infe­rius infernalis & tenebrosa, Tertia est in medio purgatorialis & dolorosa. The first is aboue ce­lestiall or heauenly and glorious, the second beneath infernall and darke, the third in the middes purgatoriall and painefull.

15 In his fourth sermon for the same daie he noteth three waies, after which men goe Three waies of [...] going to heauen. to heauen, leafe 155. Aliqui, saith he, vadunt currendo vigorose, Aliqui vadunt ambulando spaciose, Aliqui vadunt tracti rigorose: that is, [Page 284] Some goe running stoutly, some goe walking largely, some goe beeing drawne rigorously or violently.

16 In his next sermon he telleth vs that he hath found in holy scripture, that by defect of loue towards God, quatuor mortes venerunt generi humano, &c. foure deaths haue come Foore deaths of mankinde. vnto mankinde, &c. Prima mors spiritualis quam debemus fugere. Secunda corporalis quam debemus prouidere. Tertia gehennalis quam de­bemus precauere. Quarta eternalis quam debe­mus horrescere. The first death is spirituall which we must auoide, the second corporall which we must foresee, the third of hell fire which we must take heede of, the fourth eter­nall which we must feare. The 2. last he doth thus distinguish, making the third of the soule onely till the day of iudgement: the fourth of soule and body for euer after the day of iudgement.

17 His text for the 7. Lords day after tri­nitie is this, Misereor super turbam, &c. I pitie quiae triduo me sustinent. Poterit habere abundantiam & prouisionem de omnibus sibi necessariis. the multitude because they haue sustained me these three daies. His text diuided, &c. he saith, quilibet cuiuscunque sit status, &c. Euery one of what degree soeuer, may haue abun­dance and prouision of all things necessarie for him, is he sustaine Christ three daies. Thē he noteth 7. degrees of men, 1. Domin [...]um, Seauen degrees of men. temporalium, of temporall lords. 2. prelatorū, of prelats. 3. religiosorum, of religious persons. 4. clericorum, of clerks or learned men. 5. con­iugatorum, [Page 285] of married persons. 6. viduarum, of widowes. 7. virginum, of virgins. Then he noteth three daies to be three vertues, which euery one of those degrees of men ought to haue. 1. est iustitia generalis, gene­rali Three vertues necessarie for e­uery degree of men. iustice. 2. modestia personalis, perso­nall modestie. 3. reuerentia diuinalis, di­uine reuerence. These are for temporall lords; for prelats he noteth these three, pre­sidentia spiritualis, spirituall presidence. Pro­videntia pastoralis, pastorall prouidence. Sanctimonia personalis, personall sanctimo­nie. For religious persons he setteth downe these three, Paupertas apostolicalis, apostoli­call pouertie. Castitas angelicalis, angelicall chastitie. Obedientia vniuersalis, vniuersall o­bedience. The fourth triduum, that is, the fourth 3. daies he maketh these three, Dili­gēter officiare, to setue diligently. Deuote cele­brars, to celebrate deuoutly. Honeste conuer­sari, to liue honestly. The fifth three daies he maketh these three vertues, Amor cordia­lis, cordiall or heartie loue. sides coniugalis, marriage faithfulnesse. sedulitas doctrinalis, spirituall deuotion. Afflictio corporalis, bo­dily affliction. Miseratio fraternalis, bro­therly compassion. The seauenth three daies are these, Verecundia in facie, bashfulnesse in the face. Silentium in voce, silence in voice. Obedientia ad parentes in opere. Obe­dience in worke to parents. To all those that haue these three vertues, he saith that [Page 286] Christ will say, Misereor super hanc turbans, quodecce iam triduo sustinent me, &c.

18 In his fourth sermon for the 9. Lords daie after Trinitie, he noteth foure occasions Foure occassons of falling into sinne. whereby deuout persons fall into sinne, leafe 160. B. Prima est per diabolicalem tentationē. 2. per familiarem affectionem. 3. per deliciosam conuersationem. 4. per negligentialem operatto­nem. The first is by diuellish tentation, the se­cond by familiar affection, the third by deli­cious conuersation, the fourth by negligent working.

19 In the next sermon but one he saith, that as in an apple there are certaine houses wherein are the kernells: so in the foure parts of the earth there are foure chambers. Prima Foure chambers in the earth. est infernus peruersorum. 2. est limbus pueronū. 3. est locus purgandorum. 4. est l [...]mbus patrum. leafe 136. A. The first is hell for the froward, the second the limbe or well of children, the third is the place of them that are to be pur­ged, the fourth is the limbe or well of the fa­thers. Where finde they this diuinitie in the Scripture?

20 In the second sermon for the 11. Lords daie after Trinitie he saith, that he found the soules of purgatorie to haue foure conditions Foure differences betweene vs and them in purga­torie. very differing from vs so long as we liue in this world, leafe 174. A. Prima est stabilit as in gratia. 2. est securit as de gloria. 3. acerbitas de pena. 4. paupert as nimia. The first is stabilitie in grace, the second is securitie or certentie of [Page 287] glorie, the third sharpnes of punishment, the fourth extreame pouertie. By the two first of All in purgatorie, are beggers. these, that is manifest that in my former trea­tise I haue saide in the seauenth argument thereof, namely that in peoperie there is no sound ioy and comfort. For what sound ioye and comfort can there be without stabilitie in grace, and certentie of glorie? verily where these things are doubted of, there can be no­thing but feare.

21 HIs text of his first sermon for the 14. Lords daie, leafe 189. is this, Are there not tenne clensied? Luk. 17. In the ende of this ser­mon he deliuereth vs this deepe point of di­uinitie. In his 1. sermon for Dom. in all is he mentioneth but & penitentiall workes. As (saith he) this word Innocentia or obedientia hath tenne letters: so this word pe­nitentia. Because as the forme of baptisme, Wherein innocencie is giuen to the partie baptised, consisteth of tenne words, and obe­dience in tenne commaundements: so doth penance in tenne workes of penance before mentioned: therefore our theame saith, Are there not? that is, ye acertenly there are tenne, to wit, that are clansed by the workes of pe­nance.

22 In the next sermon, that text beeing Goe shew your selues to the priests, after the rea­ding thereof, thus he writeth For loue of this word, I haue sought in the scripture, as well in the old as in the new testament, how ma­ny waies God hath obserued for healing the leprosie: and I finde he hath cured it 5. waies. [Page 288] Primo per ablutionem corporalem, by bodily washing. 2. per tactum manualem, by touch­ing Fiue waies of cu­ring the leprosie. with the hand. 3. per ostensionem visua­lem, by visible shewing. 4. per absconsionem sinualem, by bosome hiding. 5. per separatio­nem personalem, by personall separation. The third of these he saith that his text speaketh of. Vnto the fifth he applieth the wordes of God vnto Moses touching Miriam, after that he had stricken her with the leprosie, Let her be shut out of the host seauen daies, Numb. 12. where, vpon the words seaven daies, he noteth that by them are vnderstood seauen things, wherein standeth perfectiō of religion. These seauen he setteth downe thus. Obedientia ge­neralis, generall obedience. Paupertas aposto­licalis, apostolicall pouertie. Cast [...]tas angeli­cas, Seauen things in which standeth the perfection of religion. angelicall chastitie. Devotio in officio, de­uotion in seruice. In ore silentium, silence in the mouth. Penitentia corporalis, bodily pe­nance. Et patientia virtualis, and virtuall pa­tience. Will not any man thinke all this to be profound diuinitie?

23 In his fourth sermon for the 16. Lords daie after Trinitie, leafe 209. A. he hath these wordes, Transeuntes primam & secundam cu­stodiam, &c. When they had passed the first Act 12. 10. and second watch, they came to the yron gate, that is, to purgatorie, because as yron is harder and wood; so the paines of purgato­rie is harder then yron, and the paine of pur­gatorie exceedeth the paine of this world. [Page 289] But there is comfort for them, that this pur­ging time beeing finished, they enter into the citie of paradise. Wherefore it followeth in the foresaid authoritie, which opened vnto them by it owne accord. Is not this as profound diui­nitie as the former? what comparison is there betwixt the iron gate where by S. Peter had no paine, and purgatorie, of the paines where­of S. Peter in purga­torie. the Papists doe so often complaine? A­gaine if the iron gate were purgatorie, then Peter went through purgatorie. Will the Popes beare this that Peter whose successors they all boast themselues to be, should passe through the fire of purgatorie? Againe how doth this similitude agree with it selfe? for Peter had first beene in prison, and beeing released out of prison, he came vnto, and pas­sed through the iron gate, whence it is eui­dent that Peter had beene in the hardest con­dition before he came to the iron gate: but this great and learned Doctour telleth vs the contrarie, namely that the paines of purga­torie are greater and harder then all former paines. Lastly this iron gate was hard by the citie, whereby he vnderstandeth para­dise or heauen: but purgatorie is as farre distant from heauen as the earth, yea some­what further then the vpper part of the earth, because by their doctrine it is within the earth.

23 In the 2. sermon for the 19. Lords day he hath this sweete latin, the english where­of [Page 290] I doe omit, as not beeing greatly materiall. Modo in vnaparva summa, ego epilogavi om­nes rationes, quibus eleuatur & excitatur cor creature ad confidendum in creatore, & sunt sep­tem. Prima est fidelis integritas. 2. cordialis pu­ritas. 3. lachrymabilis vbertas. 4. timoralis seru­pulositas. 5. misericordialis largitas. 6. doctrina­lis sedulitas. 7. virtualis firmitas.

24 The like latine is in the first sermon for the next daie, where he setteth downe haec tria puncta multum notabilia. Primus est humi­litas diuinalis. Secundus est peruersitas huma­nalis. Tertius est indignitas meritalis.

25 The text of his third sermon for the 22. Lords daie is this, Patientiam habe in me, &c. Haue patience towards me, and I will pay thee all, Math. 16. In the ende of this ser­mon thus he writeth, Sciatis quod modo pote­rimus, &c. that is, Vnderstand that if we can paie him with ten works he will be content; which is signified in this word patientia, wher­in are ten letters: because as we haue offen­ded against the ten commandements, so we must satisfie with ten penitentiall workes. Here to omit the diuinitie of the doctour in this place, let the reader obserue how foully he was deceiued in Arithmetike, euen in nu­meration. S. Vincents arith­metike faileth him in numera­tion. For if he had remembred to haue taken a sticke (as men speake) to haue tolde the letters of patientia, he should haue found but nine. If any shall answer that he meant the accusatiue case patientiam, as it is in the [Page 291] vulgar latin text, I obiect againe, that he him­selfe saith not so much, but plainely setteth downe the nominatiue case patientia: and fur­ther to the latin word, which is arbitrarie ac­cording to the minde and vnderstanding of the translator, I oppose the originall Greeke word (which is most authenticall) [...], where are twelue letters.

26 Thus much shall suffice for a tast of such soure liquour as is in S. Vincents vessell; yea let this suffice for a tast of all the rest. Such as we haue seene these two Doctours to be, such for the most part are the other popish writers of that age, and of these times of po­perie. I had indeede thought to haue giuen the like tast of some other of their writings, but because I thinke this alreadie giuen to be sufficient (if not more then sufficient, except the matter were sweeter and pleasanter) I will therefore here spare the further paines of my selfe and of the reader.

27 These thinges I haue thought good thus to write, for the auoiding of all aduan­tage against me by any actions of slaunder, for obiecting so much ignorance (besides the blasphemies) to those times wherein poperie did weare the garland. If I had not thus laide downe their owne wordes, it may be many would haue thought, that there had not bin so high blasphemies, neither so foule and grosse absurdities with such rudenes and bar­barisme, as by these few things I haue shew­ed, [Page 292] and might haue shewed more largely, if I had had conuenient leasure, & had thought the patience of the reader would haue borne the reading of more such vnsauorie stuffe.

28 By these blasphemies thus discouered, farre beyond the opinion (I thinke) of all that vnderstand not the latin tongue, & that haue not bin acquainted with these deepe myste­ries of the iniquitie of poperie, I wish all chri­stians, that as now they see poperie to be more blasphemous thē euer they had thought it to haue beene: so For euer here after they hate all poperie both the head and the taile, both the substance and all the accidents, with a more perfect hatred then they haue done.

29 And because I doe verily thinke, that many papists themselues did neuer imagine so high abominations to be contained in po­perie, as hauing beene learned to beleeue as the Church beleeueth, that ignorance is the mother of deuotion, and such other like princi­ples, and hauing not therefore euer truly vn­derstood the substance of poperie: I doe ther­fore also againe earnestly exhort them, as they loue Gods glorie, which now they see alto­gether impaired & disgraced by poperie so for the time to come, they loath this religiō as much as euer ignorantly they haue loued it: and that they thinke it as beastly, as filthie, and abominable, as euer hitherto, they beeing de­ceiued haue esteemed it reasonable, amiable, and acceptable in the sight of God.

30 All such as loue learning, let them in like manner abhorre this Romish religion. For although now all kinde of learning doe flourish by the meanes of the gospel: yet if e­uer poperie preuaile as it hath done, and reco­uer the former strength (as I hope it shall ne­uer doe) doubtles all learning will wither and decaie againe. In the time of the Apostles, & in the age of the primitiue church, the gifts of Gods spirit did much more abound then now they doe: yet as poperie spread it selfe ouer the face of the earth, so those gifts decaied, vntill there was as much barbarisme, as po­perie. Let the like therefore be feared if po­perie should againe ascend the staires of her former dignitie.

31 If any shall obiect against these things that I haue noted out of popish writings, for the disgracing of poperie, that in many of our books like wise there are some vanities & ab­surdities: I answer that though this should be An answer to an obiection touch­ing the former popish testimo­nies. graunted, yet first the matters are not so blas­phemous, so grosse, so rude, and so ridiculous, as these that I haue noted, & a thousand yea ten thousand the like. Secondly the number of them is not so great. Thirdly the persons that haue written such vanities, are not of that credit in our whole church as these and other are with their Church. Fourthly our mens books are not published by such high autho­ritie & solemne allowance, as the bookes be­fore mentioned and other the like writings of theirs haue bin.

THE SEAVENTH PART.

IT remaineth now, that according to my promise, I make the reader a litle banquet with some of the Virgins miracles. Herein I will be the briefer, by how much the larger I haue bin in the former. I will not therefore take all, neither the largest dishes, least I should leaue her table bare: but I will onely make choice of the least but yet the daintiest iun­kats, that so the taking of them away may be the lesse espied. Yet what neede I feare the missing of any thing from her table? her pow­er is such, that as they say of the crosse vpon which Christ suffered, that whatsoeuer is ta­ken from it, yet it is not diminished, but re­maineth as ample as it was at the first: so we may like wise say of these her iunkats, that though we should take neuerso many of them, yet her table would be nothing the ba­rer. And therefore whereas the booke, or ra­ther the closet and storehouse of her mira­cles (for so it is called, Promptuarium discipuli de miraculis beate Marie virginis) containeth but 99. miracles, this may well be added vn­to them for an other to make vp the whole hundred, that whatsoeuer a man taketh a­way, yet her table remaineth as fully furnish­ed as at the first before any dish was touched. And that no man may thinke these miracles to haue beene of meane account in the po­pish Church, let him first vnderstand that [Page 295] both they were solemnly read in the chur­ches for lessons in their publique seruice, vp­on such feastiuall daies as they did obserue vnto the virgin; as also the great diuines of the popish Church did commonly alleadge thē in their sermons for authorities to prooue and confirme many of the points of their re­ligion. Both these things I haue made mani­fest. Againe, the gatherer together of these miracles, in his prologue to the whole worke, doth commend the dainties following to be Omni melle dulciora, sweeter then any honie. What is this but to compare them with the written word of God, which is in like manner commended? psal. 19. 10.

2. Now for the manner of setting downe these miracles, I will for the more breuities sake altogether omitthe latine (except now and then some speciall word or phrase which I will put in the margent) and content my selfe onely with the english faithfully transla­ted. And in case the whole miracle be very long, I will onely set downe the summe ther­of briefly. The contents of each example or miracle shall be placed in the margent. And all this I will doe so faithfully, that no Papist whatsoeuer shall be able iustly to charge me with any false dealing.

3 To come then to the miracles them­selues, I will passe by the first and second ex­ample, and beginne with the third, the text whereof is this. There was a certaine woman [Page 296] of honest conuersation, who although being Marie deliuereth a woman from damnatiō, whichin her confession wittingly concea­led a great sinne. maried she did weare a secular habite, yet she liued a regular life. Notwithstanding in her youth she had committed a great fault, which for shame she durst not tell any man. When she confessed her selfe to the priest, cloking Palliato crimi­ne sic conclusit. Reddo me cul­pabilem. her sinne thus she concluded. Of all that I haue said or not said, I yeelde my selfe guiltie, and saying this, oftentimes she sighed grie­uously. The priest perceiuing this, did cun­ningly Calide tentabat [...] [...] [...] trie to draw from her that which laie hidde: when he could not, he admonished her to reueale her conscience to the Prior of the next Monasterie; and he aduised him wa­rily Et ipsc caute eū investiga [...]e persuasit. [...] [...] [...] to aske her: but neither could he wrest a­ny thing from her. Notwithstanding this wo­man was wont dailybefore the altar or the image of the blessed virgin, with weeping to open her foresaid fault. At the last when she died in this manner, and her daughter which dwelt in a village some what farre of, was loo­ked for at her buriall, she at the length com­ming with howling and mourning, and her haire spread abroad, embraced the bodie of her mother, and cryed out, Alas mother why dost thou forsake me a wretched creature? then with her lamentation she mooued the standers by: and the soule of her mother pre­sently returned, and waking as it were out of sleepe, said, The Lord commanding I am re­uiued: One raised from [...]he dead to con­fesse vn [...]o a priest a sinne be­fore concealed. take away the things wherewith I am couered, and let me arise. When she was thus [Page 297] set at libertie, a priest was called for, and the fault opened. And she testifying that by the intercession of the blessed virgin she was de­liuered, saide vnto all them that flocked vnto the miracle, I beeing deliuered to the tormen­tours was drawne to punishment: but the blessed virgin succouring me said, and asked thē that did lead me, why they durst presume to lead her handmaid, and bad them quickly Et vs cito do­nec a domino sententiarer me deponerent ai [...]. So the deuills were very hastie to take her be­fore sentence. to let me goe, vntill I had sentence of the Lord. The which beeing done, she comming to her sonne praied, saying, I pray thee, O sonne, let not that soule be damned, which did so often bewaile her sinne before me. To whome the Lord said, thou knowest mother, that without confession she cannot be saued: but because I can denie nothing vnto thee, let her returne and confesse, and so she shall be deliuered. An angel therefore beeing present­ly sent, hath brought me back again. Hauing therefore made my confession I will returne. Quo dicto fig­uans se, capite in sevetro incli­nato spiritum exhalauit. This said, she signed her selfe & bowing her head vnto the beere, she gaue vp the ghost.

4 The next miracle is said to be the third: but here the memorie of the author or of the printer failed. For the former was the third. And so by this meanes there is an errour in the number of the miracles following. For they are said to be but ninetie nine, whereas indeede if they had beene numbered, they are a iust hundred, besides that which before I spake of, namely, that take we away what [Page 298] of, namely, that take we away what we will of them, yet the number will be perfect. Now although this errour haue escaped the writer or the printer, yet I will follow the same, that if it should please the reader to trie my faith­fulnesse by hauing recourse to their owne booke, he might the sooner finde that which he seeketh for. The summe of this twise­third miracle is this.

5 A certaine woman with a straunge dreame, when shee did awake was depriued The wife of a soldier hauing lost her wits, is holpen by the virgin. of her sense, so that shee thought that the faith which before shee had, was betwixt her paps and did continually issue out. Her friends bee­ing full of heauines for this misfortune, tooke her and lead her through the place of the Saints, to trie if by any meanes they could re­couer her. So they lodged in a Church of the holy Trinitie, but the holy Trinitie would not restore health, but reserued the gift for the virgin, &c. Then was holy water made adiured with many coniurings, but the wo­man A woman the worse beeing put into holy water. put thereinto was the worse and mad­der then before. At length the yeare com­ming about, and the feast of the Purification of holy Marie approching, shee was brought to a certaine Church built in the honour of the virgin, and in fashion farre vnlike other Churches, yet good enough for the Heremit [...] Satis tamen congrua ad ha­bitandum he­remitis. to dwell in. Whilst therefore she lodged here at the foresaid feast, she was made as whole as if she had neuer beene euill, &c.

6 The fourth example is of a certaine monke that beeing much ouercome of wine, The virgin deli­uereth a drunken Monke that had bin deuout vnto her. and afterward recouering his senses, retur­ning home ward was met withall by the de­uill: first in the likenes of a great bull, second­ly in the likenes of a foule dogge, thirdly in the likenes of a cruell lyon. But alwaies a cer­taine faire virgin with her haire hanging ouer The Papists make the virgin a friend to drun­kards. her shoulders, beeing present chased him a­way, and the last time tooke the monke by the hand and signed him with the crosse in his forehead, and bad him goe to an other monke and confesse his sinne, and doe what­soeuer he should enioyne him, &c. The fifth miracle is as followeth.

7 There was a notorious and most wic­ked theefe minding nothing but the seruice A certaine theefe did fast the vigils of Marie, and he could not die without the sa­craments. of the deuill: yet this good he had, that he did deuoutly fast the vigils of blessed Marie with bread and water: and when he went about his theft, he saluted her with the deuotion that he could, desiring her that she would not suf­fer him to die in his mortall sinne. Now whē beeing taken he was hanged, for three daies he hung and could not die. He called there­fore to them that passed by that they should bring him a priest. The priest comming with the Iudge and the people, he was taken from the gallowes, saying, that the blessed virgin had sustained him. So he was set at libertie, and a while after he finished his life lauda­blie.

8 To omit the 8. next miracles, the summe of the 14. is this. A certaine deuout woman Marie deliuereth the sonne of a certaine woman from captiuitie. Inconsolabiliter flebat. had a sonne taken captiue in warre. Shee therefore wept most vncomfortably, and made many praiers for her sonne to the vir­gin Marie. At length profiting nothing, she said vnto the virgin, O blessed virgin Marie, I haue often entreated thee for the deliuerāce of my sonne; and thou hast not heard me: therefore as my sonne is taken from me, so The woman cri­eth quit with the virgin. will I take thy sonne from thee, and I wil put him in custodie as a pledge for my sonne. Then taking the image of the childe out of It was high time for the virgin to helpe this womā to her sonne that she might reco­uer her owne. the lappe of Marie, she went home, wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloath, and shut it dili­gently in her chest. And behold the night following blessed Marie appeared to the cap­tiue young man and deliuered him. So vpon his returne, his mother restored the image of Iesus to Marie, &c.

9 The fifteenth is somewhat like the for­mer, in this manner. A certaine Matrone ve­ry deuout to the virgin, had a little daughter which shee had put forth to nurse (as it see­meth) Marie deliuereth a litle girle frō a woolfe. in a village next by. It fell so out, that as this infant was playing in the streete, a woolfe came and ranne away with it, nei­ther could any man stay the woolfe or saue the childe. Newes of this beeing brought to the mother, as shee sate at the table, shee a­rose and went into the chappell and tooke the image of our Sauiour out of the bosome [Page 301] of his mother, and with many teares brake forth into these wordes: Thou shalt neuer Nunquom re­habebis filium tuum, nisi mihi restituas filiam meam. haue thy sonne againe, except thou restore me my daughter. Vpon this the virgin com­maunded the woolfe, and presently some following the woolfe recouered the childe, &c. So the woman restored the virgins sonne, &c.

10 The summe of the 16. example is this Marie preserueth a child from fire. A certaine woman that daily saluted the vir­gin with Aue Maria, one daie hauing none to send to the field with her husbands dinner, she was constrained to goe her selfe. Hauing therefore a little sonne, she left him at home, and saluting the virgin with an Ave, she committed him vnto her keeping. In her ab­sence, her house and all therein being burnt, at her returne with many teares shee expo­stulated the matter with the virgin. Then they sought the childe, and found him alto­gether without hurt.

11 Here passing by the sixe next, the 23. Marie deliuereth an innocent wo­man from death. is this. A certaine adulterer had an honest wife and much deuoted to the blessed virgin: but the miserable adulterer did hate her ex­ceedingly. By the inconstancie of her hus­band, she came to such want, that she was constrained to nurse the childe of a certaine soldier. The adulterer for enuie of his wife, came very secretly and cutte the childes throat, & departed earely. When the woman awaked, and would haue giuen the child suck, [Page 302] she saw his throat cut. Then she brake out into so great a crie, that all in the lodging did awake. But this was vnknowne to the father and all in the citie. The woman apprehended is brought vnto iudgement: and when shee was iudged to die, hauing no bodie to speake for her, shee looking vp to heauen, saide, O Marie, thou knowest mine innocencie: to thee I commend my selfe. These words en­ded, Metibi recom­mendo. there came one ladie which did beare a faire boy, and with these wordes spake vnto all; Stay your selues, O Iudges: because this Sustinete vos iudices. boy shall be iudge this day. Then presently the child said vnto the iudge, So ought iudge­ment to be of a murtherer; let the person mur­thered be brought, and let the answer of the woman be heard. All men maruailed at the wisdome of this child, and presently the child killed was brought. Then said the childe in iudgement, Iudge tighteously, O ye sonnes of men: and he said to the childe murthered, In the name of the Lord arise, and name him that killed thee. Immediatly the childe that was killed arose, and hauing neuer spoke be­fore, then he beganne to speake, and with his finger did shew the murtherer. So the wo­man was dismissed and the murtherer appre­hended. In the meane time the ladie with her child vanished away: and the adulterer beeing bound to an horse taile most misera­bly died.

12 The summe of the 25. miracle is this. [Page 303] In a certaine monasterie of Nunnes, there was a very deuout virgin named Bettres, which for her deuotion beeing Wardnesse, Beatrix facta nutrix. did discharge this office so much the more deuoutly, by how much the more freely shee did it. At length a certaine priest entising her to filthines, shee withstood him a long time. But beeing in the ende ouercome, shee came to the altar of the blessed virgin which there was Patronesse, and resigned her keyes, as not beeing able any longer to abide the tentati­on: so shee secretly followed the priest. But within a little time he forsooke her, by which meanes shee came to great pouertie; and be­ing ashamed to returne to her cloister, shee became a common whore: and hauing liued many yeares publikely in that sinne, at length she came vnto the gate of her Monasterie in a secular habite, and asked the portresse whe­ther she knew Bettres sometime Wardnesse of that Monasterie. To whome the portresse answered that shee knewe her well, and that shee was a good ladie (or mistresse) and holy, and that without rebuke shee had liued in Domina proba. that monasterie from her infancie to that day. Notans sed non obseruans. The virgin sup­plieth an harlots place for 15. yeares. All which time the whole church of Rome erred in praying to her in heauen, she beeing here in earth. This Bettres noting these wordes but not ob­seruing them, would haue departed. But the mother of mercie appeared vnto her in the shape of a woman, and said, I haue supplied thine office for fifteene yeares of thine ab­sence: now returne into thy house & repent, for no man hath knowne thy going out. For [Page 304] in her forme and habite, the virgin the mo­ther of God had executed her office, &c. so she was restored.

13 The 27. in summe is this. A certaine soldier a yong man, dwelling with an other soldier by whome he was maintained, being A quo infeuda.tu [...] erat. in his flourishing age, but flourishing more in virginitie, by enuie not with standing of the deuill, beganne to be grieuously tempted and to burne in lust towards his mistresse. This in modestie he concealed a whole yeare, but at the last ouercomming shame, he opened his desire vnto her. Shee beeing honest & faith­full to her husband repelled him, whereby he was the more afflicted. Then with teares ma­king his temptation knowne to a certaine Heremite, this holy man faithfully answered, Fiducialiter re­spondit. Sound counsell against tentation. that he would giue him sound counsaile, which was, that for a whole yeare he should salute the virgin euery daie with an 100. Aue Maria. The young man willingly perfor­med this, and when he had done it the last time, as he came out of the Church, he saw a most beautifull Matrone farre excelling all the glorie of man, getting vpon his horse and holding the bridle. He maruailing what shee should be, shee answered, doth my person please thee? then he saide that he had neuer seene one fairer then her. Shee answered a­gaine, I will be thy wife, come vnto me and I will giue thee a kisse: she saide also, Now is The Papists make the virgin to loue kissing. the marriage begunne; such a day before my [Page 305] sonne, it shall be finished. By this word he knew her to be the Lords mother. From that houre he was freed from the tentation: and he reported all this to the Heremite, who reioy­ced greatly, and said he would be at the mar­riage. The day comming, and the Heremite beeing present, the foresaid soldier beeing in an agonie gaue vp the ghost: and so entred agonizans spi­ritum exalauit. the heauenly brid-chamber to celebrate the promised marriage.

14 Now because I promised to make the reader but a short banquet, with these iun­ka [...]s: A man deliuered from cond [...]mna­tion for offering one candle to the virgin. I will therefore passe by many other, and come to the summe of the 49. which is this. A certaine soldier a young man, much giuen to the world, had a deuout wife that praied often to the virgin Marie for his conuersion. Now in a certaine night, her husband in spi­rit was brought to the iudgement of God, and there accused of all his sinnes. And bee­ing forsaken, the iudge asked; if there were none of the saints whom he had honoured at any time. The virgin Marie answered, that once in reuerence of her he had giuen a great waxe candle; so at her request he was dischar­ged. Whē therfore the deuils would haue laid on him, with a burning candle he burned the, combussit eos, & viriliter se defendit. and manfully defended himselfe. Thus with feare and trouble he laboured & swet mighti­ly in his bedde, and so howled that his wife Inuenit ontem haspidam quasi corticem de ar­bore. heard him. In the morning therfore she foūd his skinne rough, as it had beene the barke [Page 306] of a tree, his haires long, graie, and hard, and suspecting adulterie, she cried out. The ser­uants running to their weapons, he awaking could not speake, but made an horrible noise as if it had becne an oxe. At last recouering himselfe, he reported the whole matter, and was conuerted, &c.

15 The 50. miracle. There was a certaine man in name only religious, but to all things a drop of Christs blood waieth more then all the sinnes of the world. that concerned religion hard and negligent. This man not with standing accustomed him­selfe to piaie vnto the virgin, and once a daic to say an 100. Av [...] Maria. Being brought vnto extremitie, and taken into a transe, the Duclus ad ex­trema, raptus est ad extasin. deuills presented him to the highest iudge, crauing sentence that he might be iudged as their owne. God therefore knowing his sinnes many waies, saide he should be damned. In the meane time came the blessed virgin, offe­ring The virgin brin­geth a writ of er­rour to r [...]uer [...]e the former iudge ment of her sonne. the rolles in which were contained all his Ave Maria: desiring her sonne the second time to proceede to iudgement. But the de­uills brought many bookes of his sinnes: so on both parts the bookes were put into the ballance, but his sinnes waied heauier. Then the blessed virgin seeing that she did not pro­fit, did most deuou [...]ly make supplication to her sonne, saying, Remember, deare sonne, of my substance thou tookest substance, visi­ble, palpable and passible: and therefore giue me one droppe of thy bloode which was shedde for sinners in thy passion. Then saide [Page 307] he, It is impossible to denie thee any thing: yet know that one droppe of my blood wai­ethvp all the sinnes of the whole world. Take therefore that which thou hast asked. The which she taking put it into the skoales, and it ouerwaied all the sinnes of the foresaid re­ligious man, as if they had beene but light ashes. Then the deuills departing consoun­ded, Tanquam sa­villam. cryed, saying, The ladie is too mercifull to Christians, therefore we faile so often as she putteth her selfe into the conflict. His soule therefore was brought againe to the bodie, and he recouering told all these things, and Monkerie a re­ward of lying. was made a monke.

16 Like vnto the former is the 51. the The virgin a friend to encro­chers. summe and effect where of is this. A certaine secular man occupied in countrie busines, as he was many waies euill; so in plowing of his ground he would encroch vpon his neigh­bours, and steale from them. Not with stan­ding he had sometime the virgin in his minde, and did often deuou [...]ly salute her. When he was dead, the deuils gathered them selues to­gether hoping to haue his soule. The angels also were present, & she wed the good things that he had done: the deuils like wise brought forth his infinite euills. Here upon they triū ­phed, as thinking they had gotten the day: but one of the angels pleaded that he was wont with great deuotion to salute the vir­gin. The vncleane spirits hearing these things left his soule, and went away ashamed. So [Page 308] was his soule deliuered from the power of his aduersaries.

17 The 53. example is of one that hauing learned of a virgin, that cuery one that fasted How good a thing [...] is to fast on saterdaies in the honour of the virgin. on saterdaies in honour of the virgin Marie, should neuer die without the sacraments, did therefore obserue the same: and beeing be­headed, his head when it was cut off cried, Confessiō, confessiō. The 54. is like vnto this.

18 The 57. A certaine soldier did daily salute the blessed virgin Marie with an Aue One saued onely by saluting daily the virgin Matir, without doing any other good thing. Maria, when he arose in the morning, and at night when he laied him downe to sleepe. He did no more good, and by the grace of the virgin he was saued. Like vnto which is the 45. example of a notable theefe that ne­ner had done any good thing, but onely fa­sted on saterday to the blessed ladie, and pro­uided her one masse, yet by the grace of the virgin he spake fiue wordes at his ende, by which he was saued. The like is also in the 60. example, of a certaine priest that was a notorious sinner, and drowned as he went about his sinne, or after he had committed it: and yet saluting the virgin he was saued. But this was mentioned before in the seruice of the virgin made by Bernardine de Busti. Lastly, like vnto the former is the 72. exam­ple, which is of a grieuous sinner that neuer had done good, but onely saluted the virgin euery daie: and yet beeing dead, and chalen­ged earnestly by the deuills to be theirs, the [Page 309] virgin Marie rescued her, and saued her.

19 The summe of the 78. example is this. A priest desireth to see the virgins beautie. A certaine priest of Paris very deuout to the Virgin, entreated earnestly to see her beautie. At lēgth he was certified by an angel that his praiers was heard by the virgin, and that on such a daie and houre shee would come vnto him, and he should see her but withall that af­terwards he should be blinde. The priest was glad of this ridings, and willingly accepted the condition. But after the departure of the angel, he began to thinke with himselfe, that if he should loose both his eyes, he should be vtterly vndone, a miserable person, & a beg­gar, as being vnfit for any thing. There fore he determined with himselfe to behold her but The priest cose­neth the virgin. with one eye, and to shut his other eye, and that if he might keepe the sight of one eye, that would be sufficient. When the day ap­pointed came the virgin appeared, and he put his hand before one of his eyes, and with the other did behold her, seeing so much of her beautie and glorie, as can be expressed with wordes, or thought in heart. So he lost the The beautie of the virgin. sight of one eye: not with standing he was so rauished with her beautie, that he greatly la­mented that he had not beheld her with both his eyes, and reprooued himselfe for shut­ting of one eye, wishing that he were wholly blinde, so as he might see her more fully. Wherefore he praied more earnestly, that hee might see her the second time. The [Page 310] angel therefore was sent againe to certifie him of the second comming of his ladie. The priest said, that if he had a thousand eyes, he could be content to loose them all for euer, vpon condition that he might see her againe. Then the angel signified that he should see her againe, and that he should not onely en­ioy that eye which alreadie he had, but also haue the other eie restored. And so it came to passe: whereby we may consider how ex­cellent the beautie of the virgin is, and how delectable a thing it is to beholde the same with our eyes.

20 The 83. example. A certaine painter painted the deuill with hornes and other Marie vpholdeth a painter from falling. members as fouly as he could, to make him the more horrible: but he painted the image of the blessed virgin Marie, so comely and so faire as he could with diuers colours. The deuill therefore was very angrie with it, and enuied it: and in all hast came to the painter, and questioned with him, saying, Why hast thou made me so horrible and euill fauoured, and the blessed virgin Marie so faire and so comely? He answered, because the thing was so in truth, as the picture made, shewed. The deuill being angrie, vpon a certain day would haue throwne the painter downe headlong from a lost, where he painted the image of the blessed virgin Marie: and he brake the confregit ligna in quibus sta­bat. scaffold whereon the painter stood. But as the painter was falling, presently the image of vt casum petijt. [Page 311] the most goodly virgin put forth her hand to the painter, and held him strongly that he If her image be so strong, how strong th [...]n is her selfe? might not fall: & so kept him from the deuill.

21 The summe of the 84. miracle. In a certaine church built to the honour of S. Mi­chael, in a mountaine called the tombe of Michael, there was the image of the virgin made of woode, with a vaile on her head in manner of a mitre. This church by lightning was once set on fire and burned. But when The image of the father and the sonne no doubt were in that Church: might not they also as well haue beene preserued? the fire came to the place where the virgins i­mage was, as though it feared the image, it did not so much as touch the same: yea the white vaile vpon her head had not so much as any sauour of fire.

22 The 93. in summe is this. A certaine ignorant priest that knew no masse but the An ignorant priest suspended by a bishop. ladies masse, beeing complained of to the Bi­shop, was by him suspended from saying masse afterward. By this meanes therefore beeing after this in great necessitie, and pray­ing for helpe to the virgin, she bad him goe The virginpatro­nizeth an igno­rant priest: why then doe puri­tans condemne such ministers? to the Bishop, and will him in her behalfe to restore him to his office. The priest obiected that he was poore and a despised person, and that therefore he should not be heard, nei­ther haue any accesse to the Bishop. Yet goe (said the virgin) and I will make the way for thee. But, saide the priest, he will not beleeue my words. Shee answered, thou shalt tel him The virgin too kinde to doe so much for a priest that had so litle faith. for a token, that in such an houre and in such a place, as he was sewing his sackcloth, I held [Page 312] it on one side and holpe him; then will he pre­sently beleeue thee. In the morning therefore this priest went to the Bishop with this mes­sage. The Bishop hearing it maruailed, and admitted him againe to his place. Let these dishes suffice the reader for a banquet: by these he may discerne the rest.

THE EIGHT PART.

I Haue not gathered these, neither written any other thing of the deuotion of the pa­pists towards the virgin, to disgrace her: farre be it from me, and from all other Christi­stians: whome God hath cōmended as bles­sed, him or her must no man disgrace. Yea, as God hath pronounced her blessed aboue all other women, in regard that he honoured her with being mother to our Sauiour: so must all men yeeld her that prerogatiue. Not with stan­ding as we must not denie her any thing that God hath granted her; so also must we take heede, that we be not more liberall vnto her, then God himselfe hath beene. Especially we must beware, that we make her not rich with the spoiles of God. And this is the great fault of the Papists, both towards the virgin & al­so towards her saints, yea towards them that were neuer sanctified: yea sometime towards such, as whom they can not prooue by good demonstration, euer to haue bin in the world. All these they thinke that they neuer honour sufficiently, till they take the crowne from Gods head, and from the head of his sonne [Page 313] Christ Iesus, & set it vpon their head. And so, as they doe most extreame wrong to God & to Christ Iesus: so also they doe not honour, but highly dishonour them, whom they pre­tend most to honor. For what greater disho­nour can there be then mockerie? and what greater mockerie is there, then to giue to a­ny person greater honour, then of right be­longeth vnto him?

2 As this is manifest of them by many o­ther things, so especially the same appeareth most euidently by these miracles which I haue here set downe, & by many other part­ly contained in that booke from whence I took these, & partly dispersed in other books, & not comprehended in the former. For we haue seen how they make the virgin a patro­nesse of many notorious sinnes & impieties. We haue seene how they make her to make more account of one Aue Maria, and of one waxe candle offered vnto her, then of all duties belonging vnto God, in as much as she hath saued them (as they say) that haue honoured her, though they had committed neuer so many, and neuer so great and hai­nous sinnes against God. We haue seene how they make God to be mutable, in as much as he hath at her word oftentimes reuersed his owne sentence, & saued them whō before he had condemned. Finally we haue seene, how flatly they contradict the Scriptures in most of these miracles: for the Scripture ex­pressely Luk. 16. 26. [Page 314] saith, that betwixt heauen and hell is such a great gulfe or distance, that they which would goe from one place to an other can not: but they make this to be an ordina­rie matter, both for the virgin Marie, & also for the angels, yea likewise for the soules of men.

3 Further concerning those miracles, which the Papists so falsly ascribe vnto the virgin Marie, they are to be considered, not onely as a part of the matter of poperie: but also as a meanes and chiefe pillar whereby especially the worship of the virgin in pope­rie, hath bin vpholden and maintained. The same is likewise to be saide of the like mira­cles of their other saints. For wherefore haue they read them, and preached them in their churches? hath it not bin to keepe the peo­ple in the more deuout worship of them, and to make them to thinke them halfe as good at the least, as God himselfe? verily it can not be denied.

4 Now what vse are we to make of all these things thus added to my former trea­tise? The vse of the [...]ddicion. Are we onely to laugh at them, and to make our selues merrie with them in a carnal maner? It may be some will make none other vse of them; it may be some will buie this whole booke, onely for that purpose: but truly such shall greatly peruert my meaning. We may indeed (as before I haue said in the trea­tise) laugh at them in some sort, so we doe it in an holy manner with the spirit of Eliah, as [Page 315] he skorned the foolishnes or rather extreame madnes of the priests of Baal: but besides this, we are to applie these thinges many other waies, which I will onely briefly note, lea­uing the further consideration of them to the godly reader.

5 First therefore, sith all these things doe most liuely shew the extreame follie, & high abominatiō of poperie: how ought all papists to be ashamed of their religion? How ought all Protestants that sometimes haue bin pa­pists, to be grieued for their poperie? How ought they likewise to mourne for any of their friēds, yea for any other yet remaining in that estate, & yet shut vp in the shadow of death? How ioyfull likewise and thankfull ought we to be, that God hath opened our eies to see these things, that he hath not sent his angel onely into our houses (as sometime he did in­to the house of Lot, to take him & guide him out of Sodō, before fire came frō heauen to de­stroy that citie) but also hath giuē vs his holy spirit in our hearts, & thereby deliuered vs frō so ridiculous, so grosse, & so horrible a religiō.

6 Further we see by these things, how dan­gerous it is not to beleeue the truth, and how blockish we are, if we be left vnto our selues. Verily there is no errour so foolish, so absurd, so grosse, so abominable, & so monstrous, but that if God doe forsake vs, if he take his spirit from vs, if he leaue vs to our selues, we are rea­die to beleeue it as truth; yea to be zealous [Page 316] therein; yea farre more zealous, then any of Gods owne children are in the truth.

7 O therfore let vs not deceiue our selues: late vs hate poperie as such a monster ought to be hated: let vs make that account of the truth, & giue such credit & obediēce therūto, that for our contēpt & light account thereof, God neither giue poperie any returne againe vnto vs. Let vs earnestly pray, let vs keepe watch by night & ward by day, let vs alwaies with all carefulnes looke vnto our selues, let vs take heede of all Iesuits, seminatie priests, yea of all papists, and likewise of all other meanes, whereby we may be entangled with this filthie & sottish religion, and be drawne thereunto. Let vs delight in the communion & fellowship of al them that loue the truth, and are able to confirme, strengthen, & helpe vs forward in this religion which now generally we professe; vsing all other good means com­mended vnto vs for the same end. Let vs take heed, not onely of the maine stock of poperie; but also of euery bough, branch, twigge, yea of euery leafe; for there is d [...]ungerous (if not deadly) poison in th [...] least patch of poperie. And as the whole substance of popish do­ctrine was not hatched all at once, but now one egge laide laide and then an other; now one chicken, and then an other; now one opinion and then an other; vntill all the whole brood was come forth: and when it was throughly hatched & brought forth, it had not all the sta­ture, [Page 317] nor all the feathers, nor all the strength the first day, but crept and got vp by litle and litle: so the deuil being stil as subtil as he was, and seeing poperie now to be banished, and grieuing that it is forced to liue so long in ex­ile, therefore daily laboureth (as alas by too great experience we daily see) by litle & litle againe to winne vs thereunto. Priuately in­deede in many places of this land (and it is to be feared in too many. I pray God also that it be not in too great places, and with too great persons) he laboureth, where the whole body of popery doth remaine, there to vphold it; and where it is not, there also wholly to bring it in againe. For we see many now to be Papists, euen of both sexes, yea some to be recusant papists, whose fathers: were little more then borne in the beginning of the raigne of her most excellent Maiestie. But al­though Satan the olde aduersarie, where he thinketh he may be bold, and where he hath fitte instruments to worke by, hath in some priuate places, euen in this flourishing time and bright light of the gospel, drawne some to the whole doctrine and religion of pope­ [...]ie: yet he will not as yet be so bold as to at­tempt this publikely. Notwithstāding he go­eth about it by degrees, & by litle & litle tun­ning (as it were) and filling his vessels here & there, one with strōg popish drink & an other with small, that is, one with a maine point of poperie, & another with a smal point; yea not [Page 318] onely tunning & filling thē ther with, but also tapping & broching thē so filled, & giuing of the drink of thē by whole kannes to other to drinke. And this he doth according to his old subtiltie, hoping the more easily to bring in & to broach all againe & so to make all drunkē againe with the cuppe of fornications that is in the hād of the whore & strumpet of Rome.

8 Wherefore in the feare of God, & in the tender loue that I beare vnto the soules of all, I doe admonish all to take heede of this euil. Whatsoeuer hath bin accounted poperie, & by good reason shewed to be repugnāt to the truth, & cōmon consent of all churches refor­med held as erronious & heretical: let all dili­gētly take heed they neuer cōceiue any good liking thereof again. If we feare any more to embrace all poperie, let vs take heede that in the mean time we neuer entertain any one o­pinion therof, though neuer so litle. If we feare to be drunken with the strōgest drink, or with many cups of poperie, let vs refraine from ta­sting therof. For as with them that delight in strong drinke, one cup draweth on an other; so also may we feare it wil be with thē, which begin to smel of any one point of poperie. It is dangerous, it is dangerous to drinke in any one errour of poperie, though neuer so small, especially to persist in the liking thereof & to say when we haue tasted it, This is good: and most dangerous it is to cōmend the same to other, & to make them to drinke of the same [Page 319] cup with vs: all this is very dāgerous, whither we doe it for some good liking of the thing it self, or in regard of our own estimatiō, or in any other respect whatsoeuer. For we may feare, least the Lord harden our hearts, euen to like of those errors which as yet our soules abhor.

9 I write not this to gal or gird at any, or to disgrace any one particular person (my heart hateth all such hatred, & delighteth in loue & peace, & as wel in the credit of other, as of my selfe) but in a general loue, I do generally ad­monish all to take heede in this behalfe. The Apostle speaketh in the like generall māner, not admonishing some onely, but also euery one to take heed, least at any time there should be in any an euill & vnfaithful heart to fal away Hebr. 3. 12. frō the liuing Lord. Yea after that he had testi­fied vnto thē that he was perswaded good things Hebr. 6. 9. of thē, & such as did accompanie saluation; yet he speaketh as generally, exhorting thē to take heede that no man did fall away frō the grace of Hebr. 12. 15. God. Adding further as a special means to take heede thereof, that they should not suffer any roote of bitternes so much as once to spring vp amongst thē: where by the root of bitternes all men know he meaneth errours and heresies. Finally he addeth these reasons, fitst that such roots or root would trouble thē, & secōdly that it would defile thē. There is none therefore so strōg in the grace of God, but that he may fal (though not finally as hath bin shewed in my treatise) if he be secure, & take not great heed [Page zzz] [...] himselfe. There is none so well [...] with the sweet & precious liquor of Gods truth, but that he may becom bitter, by suffering such bitter rootes to spring vp in his heart. There is none at such peace with men and with his owne conscience, but that he may be disquieted, disturbed, and troubled. There is none so well was washed & clensed by the pure water of Gods holy spirit, but that he may be polluted & defiled. There is none therefore that may thinke this mine admoni­tion of taking heede vnto himselfe, to be su­perfluous and needles for him.

11 To conclude, I do again in all hūble mā ­ner beseech all whōsoeuer, both all the reue­rend fathers & gouernours of our church, & also all other my learned and good brethrē, as well remaining vnder our mothers wings in the Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxenford, as also alreadie called forth to labour in the mi­nisterie of the word in particular churches, all these, I say, I doe hūbly beseech, & earnestly exhort, to be feruent in spirit in behalfe of the truth, and with all zeale to vpholde, defend, maintaine, and daily in the places where we liue, and in the hearts of the people ouer whō the holy Ghost hath made vs ouerseers, to fur­ther, to encrease, and to enlarge that sound and wholesome doctrine, which hitherto hath bin taught by vs, and heard like wise and in some measure receiued by those amongst whome we haue laboured.