PILGRYMAGE comminge of the latyne worde perigrinatio , is nothinge ells in this presente case which now I mene to write of , The name of pilgrimage & pilgrime . but going of de●●tion to visite some holy monument ●f Christ or his Saints , as to Hierusalem , 〈◊〉 Rome , to Compostella . To the which ●aces because there hath bene alwaies ●eat resort of strangers ( in latin pere●ini ) out of all Christian countries , ●erof is it that we say , Pilgrimes of Hie●salem , of Rome , of Compostella , that is , ●raungers and religious trauelers to ●ose places . For example , wheras the ●ree wyse and honorable persons na●ed Magi came from the Easte to wor●ip Christ in Bethlehem , Mat. 2. we may very ●uely say of them , that they came in Pilgrimage to Christ . When the Cha●berlayne to the Queene of Aethiopr● whom Philippe baptised , went out of hi● countrye to worship God in the temple at Hierusalem , he wente also in Pilgrimage . S. Paule him selfe goinge to Hierusalem of purpose to see Peter , and ( as Theophylactus noteth ) not to see him onely , In. 1. Galat. but with all to honour him as his be●ter , euen as we goe to holy vertuous men , made a certeyne Pilgrimage . The difference is , here was Pilgrimage to the persons them selues , as to Christ and to Peter , we hauing now their monuments onely and of other Saints , make Pilgrimage vnto them . Ho. 5. ad po. Antioch . And accordinge to this sense S. Chrisostome in one of his Sermons most properly speaketh thus . If I were voyde of Ecclesiasticall cares and had a strong body , I would not refuse to make soe longe a iourney , ( as from Antioch to Rome ) to see the cheynes at the least and the prison , where Paule was bound . In the latin we read it thus , peregrinationem tantam facere non recusarem . I woulde not ●cke to make so longe a Pilgrimage . ●nd this much for the names of Pil●ime and Pilgrimage , which heretiks ●ue made sore bugges-wordes , as ●ough a man would saye , Idolatour ●d Idolattie .

Which termes to the ende thou ●yest vnderstand ( Christian Reader ) ●w falsely and foolishly they are ob●cted to vs : The principal cause of pilgrimage , Gods honor . Marke in all that I shall 〈◊〉 hereafter , the feruent deuotion of ●grymes , and the princypall cause ●reof , to wit the glory of God and 〈◊〉 honour of his Sonne Iesus Christ : ●ich are the very grounds of Catho●ke Pilgrimage , Ho. 5. ad Po. Antioch . Deuotion or affecti●● , as when the forsayed holy Doctor ●●ulpet vehemently brake out into ●se words : Vellem nunc in illis locis ver●● &c. I would wish now to be for a ●e in the places where these chaynes re●yne , and see the fetters , which diuels feare , 〈◊〉 Angels reuerence . The cause of this 〈◊〉 affection , because they were Paules ●ynes , his cheynes that was Vas electionis , God chefely is honored , when sayntes or their reliks are honoted Gods chosen vessell : his cheyn●● that caried the name of Christ before Kinges and countryes , that turned a great parte of the worlde to the fayth , that wrote so many excellent Epistles for our edifying , that for Christ suffered infinit miseries , finally his cheynes that vnder Nero shed his bloud for the Ghospell . These considerations and the lyke made this learned Father so in loue with the Apostle , that he could not conteyne him selfe , but woulde needes signifie , how he honored the very fetters , cordes , and linckes , wherwith this Champion was tyed for the name of Christ . This religious zeale towardes Christ and his Saynts caused him in an other place to saye in this heauenly maner . I remember thee Peter , and am amased . I thinke vpon thee Paule , and being in maner past my selfe , can not refrayne weeping , for what I may say or what I may speake beholding your afflictions , I know not . How many prisons haue you sanctified ? How many cheynes haue you 〈◊〉 eautified ? How many tormentes haue you ●●usteyned ? You haue folowed Christ in all ●hings . Well mayest thou reioyse Peter , that ●adst the gift to suffer vpon the Crosse as Christ ●●id . Blessed are the nayles that persed those ●oly limmes of thyne . Thou also ( O blessed ●aule ) haste greate cause to be glad , whose ●ead was cut of with the sword . What a ●recious sword is that which perced thy sa●red throte , the instrument of our Lord , which ●eauen doth admire , and the earth doth reue●ence . That sword I wish to be my garland , ●nd thoso nayles of Peter in steed of precious ●●nes to stande in my golden crowne . This ●euotion proceding of that cause and ●eferred to that end , which is the wor●hip and glory of Christ , is the very ●round of honoring Relicks , and con●equentlye the cause of Pilgrimage : The glory of Christ I say . 1. cor. 3. For what is Paule , what Apollo , what Peter , but his ●inisters and seruantes in whom we be●eeue ? Our Sauiour sayeth , he that geneth a cuppe of could water to one of his litle ones , tantum in nomine discipuli , onely in the name of a disciple , and 〈◊〉 S. Marke expresseth it , Cap. 9. quia Christi sun● , because they belong to Christ , he shall not loose his rewarde . And he that receaueth a Prophete in nomine Propheta , because he is a Prophete , not for an● other worldly consideration , he shall haue a rewarde answerable to the dignitie of a Prophete . Li. 4. cap. 4. We reade in the bookes of Kinges , that the welthy woman of Suna hauing entertayned Eli●eus , at length sayed to her husband I perceaue this is a holy man of God which passeth by our howse so often : let vs therefore prouide a litle chamber for him , and set a hed in it , a table , a stoole , and a candlesticke , that he may rest with vs , when be commeth . Therefore ( sayeth she ) let vs doe it , because he is a holy man of God . A goodly reason and godly consideration . But what rewarde had she ? Being barren before , now she had a sonne : the sonne dyed , and was restored to lyfe agayne , that after sorow her ioy might be greater . In the greate dearth that then happened , she was well prouided for in an other countrye , and after seuen yeres receaueth all her possessions agayne , and the rents for the tyme that she was absent , by the Kings commaundment , and all this by the meanes of that Prophete whom she so entertayned . Leonides father to Origen that learned Doctor , him selfe a great clerke and afterward a Martyr , was wonte to kisse his sonnes brest , being then a litle boye , when he laye sleeping . Euseb. . li. 6 , cap. 2. If therefore because he was his prety boy , it had bene 〈◊〉 litle fondnes , but the storye sayeth : Osculabatur tanquam Spiritus sancti habi●aculum : Hiero. in . ●pitaphio . He kissed it as the dwelling or temple of the holy Ghost . Paula an honotable widow and religious marrone of Rome comming in Pilgrimage to Bethlehem , after many godly meditations , at length concludeth thus . Here is my resting place , because it is the country of my Lord : here wil I dwell , because our Sauioer hath chosen it . S. Hierome speking of Origens commentaries vpon the twelue Prophets , In 〈◊〉 saith that he esteemed them as much worth as Craesus welth . Whye ? because they were written with Pamphilus the martyrs owne hand . Si enim laetitia est &c. For if it be great ioye to haue one epistle of a Martyr , how much more , to haue so many thowsand verses , which I imagine as though they were drawne with the printes of his bloud .

This deuotion toward God and his sonne Iesus Christ , maketh holy persons to honour all thinges that belong to them . The trewe end and purpose of godly pilgrims . Prophetes , because they are Gods Prophets . Mattyrs , because they are the matyrs of Christ . All monuments of them , for their sake . Concerning places : Bethlehem , because our Sauiour was borne there . Mount Caluarye , because he suffred there . Rome , because Peter and Paule are buried there , there they dyed for Christ , there are their bodies , their shrynes , their chaynes , other their glorious memories . In this respect to goe to Hierusalem , to trauaile to Rome , is a very frutefull Pilgrimage . Otherwise to goe to see strange countryes , gaye buildinges , prophane antiquities , to learne tongues , yea and as ●ome traytours doe , to espye faultes , ●ometyme it is sinfull , and neuer to be ●alled Pilgrimage . Socrat. ● . 4. ca. 18. It is tould much for ●he prayse of Ammonius an auncionte monke , that going to Rome with Atha●atius , he was so farre from all vayne ●uriositie , that he desired to see no●hing at all of the stately buildinges ●here , but onely Peter & Paules Church : ●arre contrary to a certen countryeman of ours , whoe making large re●orts of courtysāts , what goodly howes and how many they had , wherin by ●he authority of a traueler he thought ●e might bouldly feyne at his pleasure : ●eing demaunded of a wyse man , how ●any Churches were there , how bew●ifull , how deuoutly frequented , could make no answere . Such a wonderfull difference there is betweene a good godly Pilgrime , and a worldly wicked traueler . In Ep. ad . Rom. S. Chrisostome declaring his singuler affection toward Rome , hath after his maner these excellente wordes . I therefore loue Rome ( albeit I might prayse it for other causes , for largenes , for antiquitie , for beautie , for number of people , for the Empyre , for ryches , for mightye thinges atcheiued in warfare , but letting passe all these , therefore I accompt it a blessed Cyttie , ) because Paule did so loue them , when he lyued , and preached before them , and at length ended his lyfe among them : whose holy body they haue , and therfore that Cittie thereby is made more glorious , then by all other thinges . And as it were a great mightye bodye that had two gliftering eyes , so it hath the bodyes of those Saints ( Peter and Paule ) : The heauens I tell you doe not so shyne , when the sunne casteth his beames , as doth the Cyttie of Rome with these lampes , that lighten the whole world . Consider me I pray you , and be amased to thinke , what a fight Rome shall see when Paule shall ryse sodenly out of that Coffin of his , with Peter , to meete our Lorde . O that I might be so haeppie as to embrace and grype that body of Paule rounde about , to be tyed in his graue a whyle , to see but the duste of that bodye which caried the markes of Christ . Tell me ( gentle Reader ) when thou hearest this , art thou not moued with deuotion towarde the very carcasses of those Apostles , and consequently toward the Cittie where they are to be seene ? I confesse vnto thee my folish kind harte in this case : As often as I reade it I am redy to melte for ioye . But marke as I began to say the cause of his affection towarde Rome : to wit the bodies of the Apostles lying there , and why the bodies ? because they caried the markes of Christ . This is it that causeth Pilgrimage . This consideration , The eruen● deuotion o● pilgrimes whence it procedeth . for the loue of Christ and the honour of him , inflamed this godly Father and all the beste Christians in the Primitiue Church , to loue sacred monuments , to be desirous to see them , to goe farre and neere vnto them , to touch , to kisse , to licke them , to weepe in the place , to conceaue such a lyuely imagination of thinges done there by Christ or his Saynts , and withall such a sensible feeling of heauenly deuotion , that it was a payne to remoue from thence , a death to dwell farre of : A ioy and comfort to say with the Spouse of Christ , Inueni quem quaesiuit anima mea : tenebo eum & non dimittam . I haue founde him whom my soule sought for . I will hould him fast , and neuer let him goe . One example may suffice in steede of a number , being of most excellent importance , and therefore I will tell it at large and neuer craue pardon for the matter , because I know it can not but much delight al such as are not sworne ennemies to the honour of Christ and his sacred monuments .

I named a litle before one Paula a verye honorable gentle-woman of Rome : who after the death of her husbande entred into religion with her doughter Eustochium , traueled both together to the holy lande , dwelt there aboue twentie yeres , vntill her death . Whose vertues vere such that S. Hierome doth protest , if all his ioyntes and limmes were turned into tongues , he could not sufficiently prayse her : and calleth IESVS to witnes , that whatsoeuer he wryteth of her , is a playne historicall truth , and no retoricall amplification . In Epitaphio . The order of her Pilgrimage for the cheefe points was this as S. Hierome telleth it . The pilgrimage of paula . After she had passed Rhodes and Lycia , she came at length to Cypres , where she fell at the feete of the holy and reuerent Bishop Epiphanius , and was content to be stayed there ten dayes , not to rest her in steed of a bayt , but to doe workes of charitie : For in that space she visited all the religious howses of that country , Cypres fu● of religion men . and as she was able , gaue them almes : From thence she made a litle cutte ouer the water to Selencia and so to Antioch , where the holy Confessour Paulinus could staye her but a very litle tyme : but euen in the mids of winter ( so feruent she was in fayth ) a woman of honorable calling , tooke her iorney vpon a lytle asse : Arryueth at Sarepta , where she entred into a litle turret of Elias , and making her prayers to our Sauiour , passeth by the sandes at the shore of Tyre where Paule kneeled : From thence to Caesaria : In it she saw Cornelius howse , whose houshold was the litle Church of Christ : and Phillips chambers with the fowre closettes of his doughters that were Virgins and Prophets : Then to Nicopolis , which before was called Emaus , where our Sauiour was knowen in the breaking of bread . To make shorte , Hermynd was onlie to sacred monuments . she forsooke the princely monumente of Queene Helena ( who had succoured the people with corne in a tyme of famine ) and went on streyght to Hierusalem . The Lieutenante of Palestine knowing her howse and family very well , commaunded the Palace to be prepared for her , but she chose rather a litle base cottage , and with such feruente deuotion visited euery holy place , that but for hastening to the rest she might hardly haue bene plucked from the former . In Hierusalem kneeling before the Crosse , Her manner of reuerence in holy places . euen as though she had seene our Lord present , so deuoutly she adored and did humble reuerence . Entring into the Sepulcher , she kissed the Resurrection-stone , which the Angell had remoued from the doore : and the very place where our Lords body did lye , she licked with a faythfull mouth , as one that thirsted after water much longed for . All Hierusalem beareth witnes , what teares , what sobbinge , what sorowe she powred out there : Our Lord him selfe is witnes to whom she prayed . Comminge furth from thence , she went to Sion , which is ( to interpret ) a peere or watch-tower : there was shewed vnto her a piller that bare vp part of the cloyster , embrued with our Lords bloud , to the which they say he was tyed and whipte . The place was shewed where the holye Ghoste came downe vpon a hundred and twentie persons that beleeued , to the fulfilling of Ioels Prophesie . This donne , she deuided the litle substance she had to the poore Pilgrimes there her felow-seruants , and went forward to Bethlehem . In the way at the righte hand she pawsed at Rachels sepulcher , where she was deliuered of Beniamin : From thence being entred into Bethlehem , after she saw once the Inne of the blessed Virgin , and that stall where the oxe did acknowledge his lord and the asse his maisters stable , Wonderfull deuotion by occasion of the plrce . she sware in my hearing ( sayeth S. Hierome ) that she saw with the eyes of faith , the Infant wrapped in his clowtes , our Lord crying in his cradle , the wyse men adoring , the starre shining ouer the howse , the Virgin Mother , the carefull Tutour , the she pheards comming in the night to see what the matter was , the yong Innocentes slayne : Herode raging , Ioseph and Mary flying into Egipte : wherat betweene teares and ioy she brake furth into these words , So the hebrew words do signifye . saying : All bayle Bethlehem the verye howse of bread in deede , wherein was borne that bread which came downe from heauen . All hayle Ephrata , worthely called a moste plentifull and frutefull country , whose fruteful flower is God him selfe . Of thee Micheas prophicyed long agoe . And thou Bethlehem the howse of Ephrata , art not the least among a thousand other in Iuda : out of thee shall come furth to me euen he that shall be prince in Israell , whose proceeding is from the beginning and from the dayes of eternitie . And I wretched and sinfull woman that I am , how is it that I am thought worthy to kisse the manger where my Lorde first cryed , being a litle pretye one , and to pray in that cabbin , where the Virgin Child-wife brought furth our Lord a yong babe ? Here is my resting place , because it is my Lords countrye : here will I dwell , because our Sauiour hath chosen it . Thus farre S. Hierome , and much more which I omitte . Tell me Reader who so euer thou art , I appeale to thy conscience : what doest thou thinke of this noble womans Pilgrimage ? Hast thou not read here her wonderfull desire and longing to these holy places ? her exceeding deuotion in them ? her words ? her teares ? her maner of worship , in all poyntes so feruently and discretely applyed to the honor of our Lorde and Sauiour , that to dreame of her superstition in this case , were colde Christianitie : to imagine Idolatrie , were playne infidelitie ? Moste happie is he that can feele in him selfe these heauenly motions toward the least thinges that concerne Christ , for his sake : And most vnhappie is he that doth not at the least desire it : for to dispyse and condemne it altogether , I knowe right well is no small poynt of heresie , but in deede that name is to common and therefore to good for it .

This this I saye , and often I must repete it , is the true cause , and maner , and frute of Catholicke Pilgrimage , exemplified by me in the forsayd Paula , Pilgrimage to Hierusalem from al countries in al ages . but so vniuersally vsed of all the moste holy and best learned men in the Primitiue Church , that S. Hierome in an other place wryteth thus . Ad marcellam in the name of Paula and Eustockium . It were long for me to runne through euerye age from the Ascension of our Lord vnto this day , and to shew , what Bishops , what Martyrs , what excellent Diuines haue come in Pilgrimage to Hierusalem , thinking that their deuotion and knowledge was so much the lesse , and that they wanted some-thing to the perfection of vertue , if they had not worshipped Christ in the same places , from whence the Ghospell gan first to shyne downe from of the Crosse . Surely the companye of religious persons both men and women ( that haue resorted thither ) is a certayne flower and most pretious iewell among the ornaments of the Church . pilgrimes of our owne countrye in S. Hieromes tyme . In Fraunce who soeuer is the cheefe , he commeth hyther in all hast . The Britayne whom the seas deuide from this mayne part of the world that we are in , if he grow once to be any thing religious and well disposed , he forsaketh the west parts , and seketh after this place which he knoweth by common brute only & by report of the scriptures . What neede I reckon here the Armenians , the Persians , Indians , Aethiopians , and Aegypt , adioyning to it ful of Religious folke , Pontus , and Capadocia , Coele-syria and Mesopotamea with whole swarms of the East , and so furth . Gentle Reder , be wyse and sober in esteeming of holye thinges , marke those few examples , and be not wise in thine owne skoffing conceyte to condemne the authoritie of the whole world , and of that auncyent world , which by our aduersaries confession was without corruption . Thow hast here the custome of all states and degrees , out of all contryes , synce CHRIST ascended , by S. Hieromes accompt . Vnles perhaps thou desire also to heare of Kyngs and Emperours : which demande is not vnreasonable , for that some Prynces now a dayes are partly so prowd , and partly so farre from all deuocion , that it may seme incredible that the mightie Emperours of the world , aboue a thousand yeres ago , would not only reuerently kneele in the place , Vbi steterunt pedes eius , where he stood , walked , died , rose againe & ascended , that is Lord of lords , The Pilgrimage of Princes , and their honor of Relikes . but stoupe to the dust & ashes of poore fyshers his Apostles , & of meaner men his beloued seruants . And yet how easy it were to be copious in this poynte , they can not be ignorant , that haue read the ecclesiastical histories of Constantyne the great , and his mother Helena , of Arcadius , of Theodosius his sonne and Eudocia the Emperesse his wyfe , of others . My purpose to be short doth not suffer me to tell of all perticularlye , Generally of al I will bring two testimonies very sufficient . Ep. 42. S. Austen wryting to Madaurēces that were Idolators : you see ( saith he ) that the potestates and Peeres of this world them selues , that haue bene wonne by the Christians not resisting but willingly dyeng , haue turned theyr force and lawes aganst these Idols , for the which before they put Christians to death . Et Imperii nobilissimi culmen eminentissimum ad sepulchrum Petri piscatoris submisso diademate supplicare : haec omnia scripturae diuinae ante longissima tempora futura esse testata sunt . And the most lofty toppe of the noble Empyre humbling the stately crowne , maketh supplication at Peter the fishers tombe : all these things the diuine scriptures witnessed long before should come to passe . Chrisostome also wryteth thus . Homeli . qd. Christus sit Deus . Romae quae vrbs est regalissima &c. At Rome , which is the most royall citty , Kinges , Lieutenantes , Captaynes , all other things set apart runne to the tombes of the Fisher and the Tent-maker . And in Constantinople our Emperours thinke it a great benefite to haue their bodies buryed not hard by the Apostles , but at the least without their chappell dore a litle , and notwithstanding they were Princes of the world , are content to be dore-keepers to poore fishers . Is not here going , running , kneeling , praying , burieng at the Apostles memories ? And is not that playne Pilgrimage ? Is it not the verye honoring of sacred R●likes after the present Catholicke maner ? Were they all fooles , all asses , all superstitious , all Idolatours ? Yea I will say with S. Hierome : Cont. Vigil . scripto . 2. Did Constantyne the Emperour commit sacriledge , when he translated the holy Relikes of Andrew , Luke , and Timothie to Constantinople : Great solennitie in traslating or remouing of Relikes . before the which Reliks the diuels rore , and confesse they feele the presence of these Saynts ? Shall we say that Arcadius ( Emperour at this present ) is guiltie of sacriledge for translatinge Samuels bones so longe tyme after his death from Iewry into Thracia ? Are all those Bishops not only sacrilegious but also fooles and asses , who caried in silke and in a golden coffin that which Vigilantius calleth a moste vyle theng and nothing els but wynd-blowed asshes ? Are the people of all parishes doltes and dysards , who came to meete the boly Reliks , and receaued them so ioyfully , as if they had seene the Prophete presente and alyue among them ? in so much that from Palestine to Calcedon swarmes of people were clustered together , singing with one voice to the praise of Christ . Here are many goodly poynts to be noted : the vniuersal practise of the Primatiue Church , the principal cause and finall ende thereof , the prayse of Christ , Reliks honored because they were the Reliks of Samuell , Samuell honored because he was the Prophete of Christ , so deuoutly & in such swarmes because they now sawe them , and by occasion thereof entred into a higher consideration what a maruelous man he was , how farre in God his fauour : borne by miracle of a barren woman , dedicated or vowed to God before he was borne , famylier with him beinge but a child , nerer then of his counsell them Hely the high priest , able to commaund rayne and to stay it , to make Kings and to depose them , at one worde a moste excellent Prophete . These meditations I say by occasion of the eye trickling into the mynd ( as S. Cap. 18. Banist Chrisostome . and S. Austen speake in the lyke cases ) made them so affected toward the Reliks as if they had seene the Prophete present . Cap. 5. de cura pro mort .

Now then to go one steppe furder , If to see the place onely or some blessed monument , doth so much styrre vp deuotion ( as by these former examples appereth ) that it iustly moued al good folke to trauail vnto them : Myracles wrought by Reliks caused Pilgrimage . which is properly Pilgrimage . When it pleased God moreouer to shew not onely quam pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctorum eius : How presious in his sight the death of his saintes is , but also quam mirabilis Deus in sanstis suis : HOW meruelous a God he is in his saynctes , when it pleased him I say to worke strang miracles , to bestow his gratious gifts vpon the poore , the lame , the sicke , and such like , and that at the tombes , by the verie vertue of his saintes Relikes : That , by al reason did much more increase this desire , inflame this deuotion , multiplye Pilgrimes and Pilgrimages . This was it that made the Princes of the earth bowe their crownes to the shrynes of the Apostles and Martyrs : When they saw the deuels rore there , wicked spirits cast out , the blind to see the lame to go , the dead to rise agayne , Ipsi videntes sic , psal. 47. abmirati sunt , conturbati sunt , commoti sunt , tremor apprehendit eos . They seeyng such wonderful works , were amased , astonyshed , apawled , trembled to consider it , sayng that that goeth before in the same psalme . Magnus Dominus & laudabilis nimis : The lord is great and exceeding prayse worthy . And agayne : For the credit of myracles . Nimis honorati sunt amici tui Deus : Thy frendes O God are become very honorable .

But doubtest thou Reader , whether euer anye such thinge hath bene done or no ? No maruayle in this our faythlesse age wherein is veryfied the saying of our Sauiour : Luc. 18. Putas cum venerit filius hominis , inueniet fidem in terra ? Shall the sonne of man thinkest thou finde any fayth vpon the earth , when he cometh ? But thou art a reasonable man , thou wilte beleeue those that in thyne owne iudgemente are worthye of credit , if they tell it thee . To omit S. Ambrose , Chrisostome , Hierome , and others , whose testymonyes are verye playne and very many : let S. S Austens . testimonie of sundrie myracles Austen . suffice in this my breuitie for all the reste : a man so farre from all superstition as he is from fayning or forginge : from both so farre , as the grauest , wisest , best learned Doctor of the Church muste needs be : Read at thy leasure the eight chapter of his twentye two booke de Ciuitate Dei through out . In the maene tyme I chose out these his wordes for thee to waye indifferently . Miraculum quod Mediolani factum est cum illic essemus . The miracle that was wroughte at Millan when we were there , at what tyme a blynd man was made to see , might wel come to the knowledge of manye because it is a great cittie , and the Emperour was there at the same tyme , and the thinge was done before a greate concurse of people to beare witnesse thereof , that ranne by heapes to the bodyes of the Martyrs Geruasius and Protasius : which bodies hauing bene longe so hid that no man could tell of them , Amb. ser. 91 nameth the man & his occupation were founde by a reuelation that Ambrose the Bishoppe had in his sleepe : At the which very place the same blynd man was deliuered from his olde darknes , and sawe the daye lighte . He telleth moreouer of a yong man so horribly possessed of an euill spirite , that he lay for dead , from the which he was delyuered , and restored also to his eye , that by force of the spirite departing from him , hanged downe vpon his cheeke . And this was done at the memory only , that is to saye some litle Relike of the forsayed Martyrs , farre from Millan where the bodyes lye : in Africke , at a towne called Victoriana , lesse then thirtie myles from S. Austens bishoppricke . Note by the waye that of one Martyr there were dyuers memories , S. Steuens relikes in sundrie places . that is , some Relike or other of him in sundry places : As of S. Steuen he reconeth vp seuen or eight , at all greate myracles wrought : At the one , a blynd woman saw , at an other , the Bishop that caried the Reliks was immediatly healed of a fistula : at another a Preist cured of the stone or grauell per memoriam supradicti Martyris : by the Relike of the forsayed Martyr . Agayne a man of worship that was a verye Infidell , made an earnest Christian by the feruent prayer of his sonne in lawe ad memoriam Martyris , at the Martyrs Reliks : At another , a yong chylde and a nonne raysed from death to lyfe , and many other besids at other places reuyued whom he there recyteth . At length he concludeth thus : Quid faciam ? What shall I doe ? My promise to ende this booke forceth me that I can not rehearse all which I knowe . And without doubt moste parte of our countrye men when they shall read these , will be sory that I haue omitted so many thinges which they knowe as well as I : of whom I craue pardon . Myracles in many places by S. Steuens Relikes , For to let passe other , if I would wryte the myraculous cures onely that haue bene done by this Martyr , to wit , Steuen that moste glorious saynte , at Calamnes and with vs , I mighte make many bookes . In the ende he telleth at large a wonderfull cure donne vpon one Paule and his sister Palladia in his owne Church at S. Steuens Reliks , when him selfe was present : Tam clarum atque illustre miraculum , vt nullum arbitrer esse Hipponensium , qui boc non vel viderit vel didicerit : nullum qui obliuisci vlla ratione potuerit . So euident and famous a miracle ( sayeth he ) that I thinke there is none in al Hippo but he saw it or hath heard of it , none that can possibly forget it . His conclusion to shut vpp the matter is that which I make the principall ground of all these Pilgrimages , the honor of Christ in his sayntes . Exultabant in Dei laudem voces &c. There was such a sound of their voyces that coulde not speake for ioy , in the prayse of God , that our eares might hardly abyde it . Quid erat in cordibus exultantium nisi fides Christi , pro qua Stephani sanguis effusus est ? What was there in their hartes that so reioysed , but the fayth of Christ , for the which Steuen shed his bloud ?

And are there yet Christian men in the worlde that doe discredite the mighty power and glorious workes of Christ in his sayntes ? Agaynst faythles heretikes that discredit myracles . Yea ( God wot ) there are yet Eunomians and Porphirians that saye these were but delusions of noughty spirites , Hiero. aduc . Vigil . and that they did not rore in very dede , but fained as though they suffered intollerable tormentes . Yet there are stubburne Arians that is to say heretickes , who ( as Ambrose telleth ) would in no wyse confesse that the martyrs Geruasius & Protasius did vex the diuels , or make the blynd man see : Sermo. 91. whereas the spirites them selues confessed it , and of the man named Seu●rus it was a thing famously knowen : yet there are Iewishe Scrybes that saye of Christ and his saynts : In nomine Belzebub eiiciunt daemonia : In the name of Belzebub they cast out diuels . Yet there are hypocriticall Pharises that pretend as though they gaue all the honor to God , which they detracte from his saynts and their Reliks , lyke to the Iewes that sayed to the blynde man whom Christ had cured . Da gloriam Deo : Geue God the prayse good felow : yea a lamentable case to consider , yet there are among Christian men as farre from beleeuing the miracles done by Sayntes , To discredit miracles is plaine paganisme . as were sometyme the Paynims : in so much that the learned bookes of Chrysostome , Austen , and others made in this case to proue agaynst them , are not sufficient to perswade our owne faythlesse false brotherhood : wherein I maruaile they are not ashamed , pretending the name and profession of Christians , agaynst the authorytye of the wholle Prymytiue Church , to plead the Paynims cause● who to discredit the miracles of Christ and his Apostles , 22. eiuit . c. 8. obiected thus , as S. Austen writeth . Cur nunc illa miracula quae praedicatis facta esse , non fiunt ? Why are not the lyke myracles donne now a dayes to them which you saye were wrought sometyme ( by the Apostles ? ) To answere them fully ( although to alleage later myracles was not necessary , because at the beginning they were requisite til faith was planted , afterwarde they were not to be loked for ) yet to answere them fully , whereas it pleased God alwayes from tyme to tyme to nourishe fayth and deuotion by them , these holy Fathers alleadge myracles wrought at sayntes tombes , by their Relikes . The paynims were at a poynt to beleeue neither the one nor the other . what doth Luther ? what Caluin ? The former they are content to admit , least they shold be otherwise no christians . The later they wil not graunt least they should be good Catholiks . But , S. Austen saith of both sorts thus . Non credunt hoc , qui etiam dominum Iesum per integra virginalia matris enixum , & ad diss●pulos suos ostiis clausis ingressum fuisse non credunt . They do not beleeue these later , which also do not beleeue that our Lord Iesus was borne of his mother wythout empayring of her virginitie , and that he entred in to his disciples , the doores beyng shutte : The auncyent Doctors did easely-beleue myracles . Againe he saieth to philosophers concernyng the former , that which may verie wel be sayd to our aduersaries touching the later . Vlt. ciuit-dei . Si rem credibilem crediderunt &c. If christian people did beleeue such thinges as were not incredible , let them consider what fooles they are that do not also beleeue it . Agayne if it were incredible , how is it that al the world hath so long beleeued it ? S. Hierome in another case of certen meruelous fasters , but in the same case concerning faythles heretikes , saith verie fynely . Hoc illis incredibile videbitur , qui non credunt omnia possibilia esse credentibus . ●n vita Pau●i Eremitae . This wil seme incredible to such as do not beleeue that al thinges are possible to them that beleeue . Nafianzene also that famous doctor wryteth thus . Et illud est narratu dignum . Corin. devita sua . That also is worthy to be toulde , which to many seemeth incredible , as other things doe , such men as thinke nothing that they see done playnely and without delusion . My selfe dare not discredit them , whom strang thyngs do moue as much as any man : for in deed it is worse to stand styfly agaynst all thinges vniuersally , then contrariewyse to be content to beleeue any thing easely : this proceedeth of simplicitye and lightnes , that of presumptuous bouldnes . Fynally the Apostle sayth , Charitas omnia credit . Charitie beleeueth al things . which is trew in this sense , that a charitable man is not contentious and selfwilled to stand agaynst the likely report of an honest man , much lesse against al senses , al reason , al authority al custome & practise . and therfore to such , S. Austen sheweth also the reason why it is verie credible that saynts do worke these myracles at their tombs & Reliks . Haec a domino impetrare possunt propter cuius nomen occisi sunt . 22. ciuit ca. 8 , 9. 10. They can easely obteyne these thinges of our Lord , for whose names sake they were put to death . Praecessit corum mira patientia , vt in bi : miraculis tanta ista potentia sequeretur . Their wonderful patience went before , that in these myracles this so great power might folowe after . Credamus ergo eis & vera dicentibus & mira facientibus . Dicendo enim vera passi sunt , vt possint facere mira . Let vs therfore beleeue them both when they say truly and when they do wonderfully : for by sayeng trewly they suffred death , that they might be able to do wonderfully , So far S. Austen . To conclude this point agaynst al stubbourne negatiues and Ethnyshe reasoning , the same holy Father him selfe was so easie to beleeue , and so careful to publysh them , because he knew God was much glorified in them , that he toke orderin his owne Church where S. Steuens Relikes were , to haue al the miracles from time to time written . Id namque fieri voluimus , cum videremus antiquis similia diuinarum signa virtutum , etiam nostris temporibus frequentari , & ea non debere multorum noticiae deperire . For we would haue it so , for asmuch as we saw that , the like signes of God his power to them of olde tyme were often shewed in our age also , to the ende they might not dye but be knowen of manye .