thus continually the space of three years, upon a day the old enemy, overcome with his heavenly courage, made a great hissing, and tumbling himself down by the side of the mountain, he consumed all the bushes and shrubs with fire: in which fact by the power of God he was enforced to shew of what force he was, that Cf)C Dialogues of ®tegotp departed with loss of the victory. Consider, I pray you then, in the top of what mountain this man of God stood, that continued three years together with a serpent, without taking any harm at all.
Peter, i do consider it, and do tremble at the very hearing of the story.
©regorp. This reverent man, when he first shut him- self up, was determined never to behold women any more: not because he contemned them, but for that he feared lest their sight might be the occasion of sinful temptation: which resolution of his a certain woman understanding, up she went boldly to the mountain, and forgetting all modesty, impudently approached to his cave. He seeing her a good way off, and perceiving by the apparel that it was a woman, he fell straight to his prayers, with his face upon the earth, and there he lay prostrate, until the shameless creature, wearied with stay- ing at his window, departed: and that very day after she was descended the mountain, she ended her life; to give all the world to understand how highly she displeased almighty God, in offending his servant with that her bold enterprise.
At another time, many of devotion going to visit him, a young boy, taking little heed to his feet, and by reason the path was so straight upon the side of the mountain, fell down, and tumbled until he came to the bottom of the valley, which was very deep: for the mountain is so high, that huge trees growing beneath seem to them that be above nothing else but little shrubs. The people present were at this chance much dismayed, and very diligently did they seek, to see where they could find his dead body: for who would have thought any otherwise but that he was slain, or once imagined that his body could ever have come safe to the ground, so many rocks being in the way to tear it in pieces? yet for all this, he was found in the valley, not only alive, but also without KING TOTILA AND ST. BENEDICT (Ujjixi Qallery, Florence) any harm at all. Then they perceived very well, that the reason why he was not hurt was because Marcius’ prayers did preserve him in his falling.
Over his cave there was a great rock, which seemed to hang but by a little piece unto the mountain, and there- fore daily was it feared that it would fall, and so kill the servant of God. For preventing of which mischief, the honourable man Mascatus, nephew to Armentarius, came thither with a great number of country people, desiring him to leave his cave so long until they had removed that rock, to the end he might afterward continue there without any danger: but the man of God could not by any means be persuaded to come forth, bidding them not- withstanding do what they thought convenient, only he retired himself to the farthest part of his cell: yet none made any doubt, but that if so huge a rock as that was did fall, but that it would both spoil his cave and kill himself. Wherefore they laboured what they might, to see if they could remove that mighty stone without any danger to the man of God, and forthwith, in the sight of them all, a strange thing happened: for that rock, severed by their labour from the rest of the mountain, not touching Marcius’ cave, did skip clean over, and avoiding, as it were, to hurt God’s servant, it fell far off: which thing no man can doubt but that it was done by the hands of Angels, at the commandment of almighty God.
At such time as this holy man came first to inhabit that mountain, and had not yet made any door for his cave, he fastened the one end of an iron chain to the stony wall, and the other he tied to his leg, to the end he might go no farther than the length of that chain did give him leave: which thing the reverent man Bennet hearing of, sent him this word by one of his monks: “ If thou be God’s servant, let the chain of Christ, and not any chain of iron, hold thee ”: upon this message Marcius forth- with loosed his chain, yet did he keep still the same Cbe Dialogues of ©regorp compass, and go no farther than he did before* Living afterward in the same cave, he began to entertain certain disciples, which dwelt apart from his cell, who, having no other water but that which with a rope and a bucket they drew out of a well, great trouble they had, because their rope did often break: and therefore they came unto him, craving that chain which he had loosed from his leg, that they might tie the rope to that, and fasten the bucket upon it: ind from that time forward, though the rope was daily wet with water, yet did it break no more; for having touched the holy man's chain, it became strong like unto iron, so that the water did not wear it, nor do it any harm. Peter* These worthy acts of his do please me, seeing they are strange, and that very much, because they were so lately done, and be yet fresh in memory.
Chapter ^etienteen: boto a e©on& of amount argentano talseo up a Dean man* <1 <$tegotp* Not long since in our time, a certain man called Quadra- gesimus was subdeacon in the church of Buxentin, who in times past kept a flock of sheep in the same country of Aurelia: by whose faithful report I understood a mar- vellous strange thing, which is this. At such time as he led a shepherd’s life, there was an holy man that dwelt in the mountain of Argentario: whose religious conver- sation and inward virtue was answerable to the habit of a monk, which outwardly he did wear. Every year he travelled from his mountain to the church of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles: and in the way took this Quadra- gesimus’ house for his lodging, as himself did tell me. Coming upon a day to his house, which was hard by the church, a poor woman’s husband died not far off, whom when they had, as the manner is, washed, put on his garments, and made him ready to be buried, yet it was so late, that it could not be done that day: wherefore the desolate widow sat by the dead corpse, weeping all night long, and to satisfy her grief she did continually lament Cbc 0@onfe of 0§outtt Stgentatio and cry out. The man of God, seeing her so pitifully to weep and never to give over, was much grieved, and said to Quadragesimus the subdeacon: “ My soul taketh compassion of this woman’s sorrow, arise, I beseech you, and let us pray ”: and thereupon they went to the church, which, as I said, was hard by, and fell to their devotions. And when they had prayed a good while, the servant of God desired Quadragesimus to conclude their prayer; which being done, he took a little dust from the side of the altar: and so came with Quadragesimus to the dead body; and there he began again to pray, and when he continued so a long time, he desired him not, as he did before, to conclude their prayers, but himself gave the blessing, and so rose up: and because he had the dust in his right hand, with his left he took away the cloth that covered the dead man’s face; which the woman seeing, earnestly withstood him, and marvelled much what he meant to do: when the cloth was gone, he rubbed the dead man’s face a good while with the dust, which he had taken up; and at length, he that was dead received his soul again, began to open his mouth and his eyes, and to sit up, and as though he had awakened from a deep sleep, marvelled what they did about him; which when the woman, that had wearied herself with crying, beheld, she began then afresh to weep for joy, and cry out far louder than she did before: but the man of God modestly forbad her, saying: “ Peace, good woman, and say nothing, and if any demand how this happened, say only, that our Lord Jesus Christ hath vouchsafed to work his pleasure.” Thus he spake, and forthwith he departed from Quadra- gesimus, and never came to his house again. For, de- sirous to avoid all temporal honour, he so handled the matter, that they which saw him work that miracle, did never see him more so long as he lived.
What others think I know not: but mine opinion is, that it is a miracle above all miracles, to raise up dead men, and secretly to call back their souls, to give life unto their bodies again.
(S>te0Otp* If we respect outward and visible things, of necessity we must so believe; but if we turn our eyes to invisible things, then certain it is that it is a greater miracle, by preaching of the word and virtue of prayer, to convert a sinner than to raise up a dead man: for in the one, that flesh is*raisedup which again shall die: but in the other, he is brought from death which shall live for ever. For I will name you two, and tell me in which of them, as you think, the greater miracle was wrought. The first is Lazarus, a true believer, whom our Lord raised up in flesh; the other is Saul, whom our Lord raised in soul. For of Lazarus’ virtues after his resurrection we read nothing: but after the raising up of the other’s soul, we are not able to conceive what wonderful things be in holy scripture spoken of his virtues: as that his most cruel thoughts and designments were turned into the bowels of piety and compassion; that he desired to die for his brethren, in whose death before he took much pleasure; that knowing the holy scriptures perfectly, yet professed that he knew nothing else but Jesus Christ and him crucified; that he did willingly endure the beating of rods for Christ, whom before with sword he did perse- cute; that he was exalted to the dignity of an Apostle, and yet willingly became a little one in the midst of other disciples; that he was rapt to the secrets of the third heaven, and yet did turn his eye of compassion to dispose of the duty of married folks, saying: Let the hus- band render debt to the wife, and likewise the wife to the husband f that he was busied in contemplating the quires of Angels, and yet contemned not to think and dispose of the facts of carnal men; that he rejoiced in his infir- mities, and took pleasure in his reproaches; that for him to live is Christ, and gain to die; that although he lived TBennet t be 9@onfe in flesh, yet was he wholly out of the flesh. Behold how this blessed Apostle lived, who from hell returned in his soul to the life of virtue: wherefore less it is for one to be raised up in body, except perchance, by the reviving thereof, he be also brought to the life of his soul, and that the outward miracle do serve for the giving of life to the inward spirit.
Peter. I thought that far inferior, which I perceive now to be incomparably superior: but prosecute, I beseech you, your former discourse, that we spend no time without some spiritual profit to our souls.
Chapter rnghttm: of IBennet t&e q (S)t ejJQtp* A certain monk lived with me in mine Abbey, passing cunning in holy scripture, who was elder than I, and of whom I learned many things which before I knew not. By his report I understood that there was in Cam- pania, some forty miles from Rome, a man called Bennet, young in years, but old for gravity: one that observed the rule of holy conversation very strictly. When the Goths in the time of King Totilas found him, they went about to burn him, together with his cell; and fire for that end was put to, which consumed all things round about, but no hold would the fire take upon his cell: which when the Goths saw, they became more mad, and with great cruelty drew him out of that place, and espying not far off an oven made hot to bake bread, into those flames they threw him, and so stopped the mouth. But the next day he was found so free from all harm, that not only his flesh, but his very apparel also, was not by the fire anything touched at all.
PfctCt* I hear now the old miracle of the three children, which were thrown into the fire, and yet were preserved from those furious flames. 1 ©regorp* That miracle, in mine opinion, was in some thing unlike to this: for then the three children were 1 Daniel 3.
Cfje Dialogic of ©regorp bound hand and foot, and so thrown into the fire, for whom the King looking the next day, found them walk-: ing in the furnace, their garments being nothing hurt by those flames: whereby we gather that the fire into which they were cast, and touched not their apparel, did yet consume their bands, so that at one and the same time, for the service of the just, the fire had force to bring them comfort, and yet had none to procure them torment.
e&aptet Nineteen: of tfjc cfmccf) of filesoeD 3eno tbc #artpt: in tofric b the toater ascenDeO bigbet tfmn t be Hoot, ano tfrougfuttoere open, pet enteteo ItOt in* Like unto this ancient miracle we had in our days another, but yet in a divers element: for not long since John the Tribune told me that, when the Earl Pro- nulphus was there, and himself also with Antharicus the king, how there happened at that time a strange miracle, and he affirmed! that himself doth know it to be true. For he said that, almost five years since, when the river of Tiber became so great that it ran over the walls of Rome, and overflowed many countries: at the same time in the city of Verona, the river Athesis did so swell, that it came to the very church of the holy martyr and Bishop Zeno; and though the church doors were open, yet did it not enter in. At last it grew so high, that it came to the church windows, not far from the very roof itself, and the water standing in that manner, did close up the entrance into the church, yet without running in: as though that thin and liquid element had been turned into a sound wall. And it fell so out, that many at that time were surprised in the church, who not finding any way how to escape out, and fearing lest they might perish for want of meat and drink, at length they came to the church door, and took of the water to quench their thirst, which, as I said, came up to the windows, and yet entered not in; and so for their necessity they took water, which yet, according to the nature of water, ran not in: and in that manner it Iprieat Stephen of Valeria stood there before the door, being water to them for their comfort, and yet not water to invade the place: and all this to declare the great merit of Christ’s martyr. Which miracle I said truly, that it was not unlike to that ancient one of the fire: which burnt the three children’s bands, and yet touched not their garments.
IPfctfct. Marvellous strange are these acts of God’s saints which you tell; and much to be admired of us weak men, that live in these days. But because I understand now, by your relation, what a number of excellent and virtuous men have been in Italy, desirous I am to know whether they endured any assaults of the devil, and did thereby more profit in the service of God.
©regotp. Without labour and fighting, none can obtain the crown of victory: whence, then, come so many con- querors but from this, that they fought valiantly, and resisted the assaults of the old enemy? For the wicked spirit doth continually watch our thoughts, words, and works: to find something whereof to accuse us before the eternal Judge. For proof whereof 1 will now let you understand, how ready he is always to entrap and deceive us.
C&aptet Ctoentp: of a Hottest calleo ^tepfcen, in tfje province of Valeria: tofiose stockings tfre Deoil tOOUiD fratie Dtaton Off. Some that are yet living with me, affirm this to be true which 1 will now speak of. A man of holy life there was, called Stephen, who was a Priest in the province of Valeria, nigh of kindred to my deacon Bonifacius: who, coming home uppn a time from travel, spake somewhat negligently to his servant, saying: “ Come, sir devil, and pull off my hose ”: at which words, straightways his garters began to loose in great haste, so that he plainly perceived that the devil indeed, whom he named, was pulling off his stocking: whereat being much terrified, he cried out aloud, and said: “ Away, wretched caitiff, away; I spake not to thee; Cfje Dialogues of §>t ©regotp but to my servant.” Then the devil gave over, leaving his garters almost quite off*. By which we may learn, that if the devil be so officious in things concerning our body, how ready and diligent he is to observe and note the cogitations of our soiil.
}£)etet* A very painful thing it is and terrible, always to strive against the temptations of the devil, and, as it were, to stand continually armed ready to fight.
©tCgOtp* Not painful at all, if we attribute our pre- servation not to ourselves, but to God’s grace; yet so notwithstanding, that we be careful what we may for our parts, and always vigilant under God’s protection. And it falleth out sometime by God’s goodness, that when the devil is expelled from our soul, that he is so little of us to be feared, that contrariwise he is rather terrified by the virtuous and devout life of good people.
Chapter Ctoent^one: of a jQurt that, bj? fjer onlg commanDment, Dispossess a Deoil For the holy man, old father Eleutherius, of whom I spake before, told me that which I will now tell you.: and he was himself a witness of the truth thereof: this it was. In the city of Spoleto, there was a certain worshipful man’s daughter, for years marriageable, which had a great desire to lead another kind of life: whose purpose her father endeavoured to hinder: but she, not respect- ing her father’s pleasure, took upon her the habit of holy conversation: for which cause her father did disinherit her, and left her nothing else but six little pieces of ground. By her example many noble young maids began under her to be converted, to dedicate their virginity to almighty God, and to serve him. Upon a time, the virtuous Abbot Eleutherius went to bestow upon her some good exhortation: and as he was sitting with her, discoursing of spiritual matters, a country man came from that piece of ground which her father had left her, bringing a certain present: and as he was l i 2 Cfje Chief at t&e ©rade standing before them, suddenly a wicked spirit pos- sessed his body; so that straightways he fell down before them, and began pitifully to cry and roar out. At this the Nun rose up, and with angry countenance and loud voice, commanded him to go forth, saying: tc Depart from him, thou vile wretch, depart.” “ If I depart,” quoth the devil, speaking by the mouth of the possessed man, “ into whom shall I go? ” By chance there was at that time a little hog hard by: into which she gave him leave to enter, which he did, and so, killing it, went his way. IPCtCt. I would gladly be informed, whether she might bestow so much as that hog upon the devil.
The actions of our Saviour be a rule for us, according to which we may direct our life: and we read in the scripture, how the legion of devils that possessed a man said unto our Saviour: If thou dost cast us forth, send us into the herd of swine: 1 who cast them out, and permitted them to enter in as they desired, and to drown that herd in the sea. By which fact of our Saviour we learn also this lesson, that, except almighty God giveth leave, the devil cannot have any power against man, seeing he cannot so much as enter into hogs, without our Saviour’s permission. Wherefore, necessary it is that we be obedient to him, unto whom all our enemies be subject, that we may so much the more be stronger than our enemies, by how much through humility we become one with the author of all things. And what marvel is it, if God’s chosen servants, living yet upon earth, can do many strange things, when as their very bones, after they be dead, do oftentimes work miracles?
Chapter Ctoentp=ttoo; of a priest in the province of Valeria, toho Detained a thief at bis grade.
€| For, in the province of Valeria, this strange thing happened: which I had from the mouth of Valentius, mine Abbot, who was a blessed man. In that country €bc Dialogues of ©tegorp there was a Priest, who in the company of divers other clerks served God, and led a virtuous and holy life: who, when his time was come, departed this lire, and was buried before the church. Not far off, there belonged to the church certain sheep-cotes: and the place where he lay buried was the way to go unto the sheep. Upon a night, as the Priests were singing within the church, a thief came to the said place, took up a wether, and so departed in all haste: but as he passed where the man of God was buried, there he stayed, and could go no farther. Then he took the wether from his shoulders, and would fain have let it go, but by no means could he open his hand: and therefore, poor wretch, there he stood fast bound, with his prey before him; willingly would he have let the wether go, and could not; willingly also have carried it away, and was not able. And so very strangely the thief, that was afraid to be espied of living men, was held there against his will by one that was dead; for his hands and feet were bound in such sort, that away he could not go. When morning was come, and the Priests had ended their service, out they came: where they found a stranger, with a wether in his hand. And at the first they were in doubt, whether he had taken away one of theirs, or else came to give them one of his own: but he that was guilty of the theft told them in what manner he was punished: whereat they all wondered, to see a thief, with his prey before him, to stand there bound by the merits of the man of God. And straightways they offered their prayers for his delivery, and scarce could they obtain that he, which came to steal away their goods, might at least find so much favour as to depart empty as he came: yet in conclusion, the thief that had long stood there with his stolen wether, was suffered to go away free, leaving his carriage behind him.
H4 €f)e abbot of amount Ipretieste By such facts almighty God doth declare, in what sweet manner he doth tender us, when he vouchsafeth to work such pleasant miracles.
Chapter Ctoentp=tbree: of the abbot of amount Pteneste, ano bts JPtiest. <1 ®tcgorp. Above the city of Preneste there is a mountain, upon which standeth an Abbey of the blessed Apostle, St. Peter: of the monks of which place, whiles I lived in an Abbey myself, I heard this miracle: which, those religious men said, they knew to be very true. In that monastery they had an Abbot of holy life, who brought up a certain monk, that became very virtuous, whom he perceiving to increase in the fear of God, he caused him in the same monastery to be made Priest: who, after his taking of orders, understood by revelation that his death was not far off; and there- fore desired leave of the Abbot to make ready his sepulchre, who told him that himself should die before him: “ but yet for all that,” quoth he, “ go your way, and make your grave at your pleasure.” Away he went, and did so. Not many days after, the old Abbot fell sick of an ague, and drawing near to his end, he bad the fore- said Priest that stood by him, to bury his body in that grave which he had made for himself: and when the other told him that he was shortly to follow after, and that the grave was not big enough for both, the Abbot answered him in this wise: “Do as I have said, for that one grave shall contain both our bodies.” So he died, and according to his desire, was buried in that grave which the Priest had provided for himself. Straight after, the Priest fell sick, and lay not long before he departed this life; and when his body was by the monks brought to the grave, which he had provided for himself, they opened it, and saw that there was not any room, because the Abbot’s corpse filled the whole place: then one of them, with a loud voice, said: “O father, where is your promise, that this grave should hold you €f)e Dialogues of <£regorp both?” No sooner had he spoken those words, than the Abbot’s body, which lay with the face upward, did, in all their sight, turn itself upon one side, and so left place enough for the burial of the Priest: and so after his death he performed what he promised alive, con- cerning the lying of both their bodies in that one grave. But because we have now made mention of St. Peter’s Abbey in the city of Preneste, where this miracle hap- pened, are you content to hear something of the keepers of his church which is in this city where his most holy body remaineth?
Petet* Most willing I am, and beseech you that it may be so.
Chapter CtoentpTout: of CbeoDorus, deeper of ©t Peter’s Cfiur cf), in t&e Citp of Home* ^ <£>tegOtp* There be yet some alive that knew Theo- dorus, keeper of that church: by whose reporta notable thing that befell him came to my knowledge. For rising somewhat early one night to mend the lights that hung by the door, and was upon the ladder (as he used) to pour oil into the lamps, suddenly St. Peter the Apostle in a white stole, standing beneath upon the pavement, appeared unto him, and spake to him in this manner: “Theodorus, why hast thou risen so early?” and when he had said so, he vanished out of his sight: but such a fear came upon him, that all the strength of his body did forsake him, so that he was not able to rise up from his bed for many days after. By which apparition what meant the blessed Apostle else, but to give those which serve him to under- stand by that his presence, that whatsoever they do for his honour, himself for their reward doth always behold it? PCtCt* I marvel not so much at his apparition: as that being before very well, he fell sick upon that sight. <2£>teg0tp* What reason have you, Peter, to marvel at that? for have you forgotten how the prophet Daniel, when he beheld that great and terrible vision at which abuntmis of l^etct’s Cfjutcf) he trembled, speaketh thus of himself: I became weak, and was sick for very many days; x for the flesh cannot conceive such things as pertain to the spirit, and there- fore sometimes when a man’s mind is carried to see somewhat beyond itself, no remedy but this earthly and frail vessel of ours, not able to bear such a burthen, must fall into weakness and infirmity.
Your reason hath taken away that scruple which troubled my mind.
Cfmptet of 3tmnDtus, Keeper of tfje same Cfmtcf) of IPeter* ®regorp* Not very many years since (as old men say) there was another keeper of the same church, called Abundius, a grave man, and of great humility: who served God so faithfully, that the blessed Apostle St. Peter did by miracle declare what opinion he had of his virtue. For a certain young maid, that frequented his church, was so pitifully sick of the palsy, that she crept upon her hands, and, for very weak- ness, drew her body upon the ground. Long time had she prayed to St. Peter for help of this her infirmity: who upon a night in a vision, stood by her and spake thus: “Go unto Abundius, and desire his help, and he shall restore thee to thine health.” The maid, as she made no doubt of the vision, so not knowing this Abundius, up and down she crept through the church, enquiring for the man, and suddenly met with him whom she sought for; and asking for him of himself, he told her that he was Abundius. Then quoth she: “Our pastor and patron, blessed St. Peter the Apostle, hath sent me, that you should help me of this my disease.” “If you be sent by him,” quoth Abundius, “ then rise up”: and taking her by the hand, he forthwith lifted her up upon her feet: and from that very hour, all the sinews and parts of her body became so strong, that no sign of her former malady remained. But if I should recount all the miracles in 1 Daniel 8, 27.
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