Against Popery, Addition · Part 7
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 hauehave bin in the former. I will not therefore take all, neither the largeſt diſhes, leaſt I ſhould leaue her table bare: but I will onelyonly 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 vponupon 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 vntounto 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 hauehave beene of meane account in the popiſh Church, let him firſt vnderſtand that both they were ſolemnly read in the churches for leſſons in their publique ſeruice, vponupon ſuch feaſtiuall daies as they did obſerue vntounto 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 hauehave 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 onelyonly with the engliſh faithfully tranſlated. And in caſe the whole miracle be very long, I will onelyonly 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 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 hauehave 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 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 vntounto all them that flocked vntounto 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 vsus 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 vntounto 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 vntounto 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 of, namely, that take we away what we will of them, yet the number will be perfect. Now although this errour hauehave 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 vntounto 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 vntounto the virgin, O bleſſed virgin Marie, I hauehave 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 vponupon 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 of his mother, and with many teares brake forth into theſe wordes: Thou ſhalt neuer Nunquom rehabebis filium tuum, niſi mihi reſtituas filiam meam.hauehave thy ſonne againe, except thou reſtore me my daughter. VponUpon 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 vntounto 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 hauehave giuen the child ſuck, 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 vntounto 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 vntounto all; Stay your ſelues, O Iudges: becauſe this Suſtinete vos iudices.boy ſhall be iudge this day. Then preſently the child ſaid vntounto 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. 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 vntounto 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 hauehave departed. But the mother of merciemercy appeared vntounto her in the ſhape of a woman, and ſaid, I hauehave ſupplied thine office for fifteene yeares of thine abſence: now returne into thy houſe & repent, for no man hath knowne thy going out. For 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 vntounto 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 giuegive him ſound counſaile, which was, that for a whole yeare he ſhould ſalute the virgin eueryevery 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 vponupon 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 vntounto me and I will giuegive thee a kiſſe: ſhe ſaide alſo, Now is The Papiſts make the virgin to louelove kiſſing.the marriage begunne; ſuch a day before my 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 hauehave 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 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 vntounto the virgin, and once a daic to ſay an 100. Av… Maria. Being brought vntounto 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 giuegive me one droppe of thy bloode which was ſhedde for ſinners in thy paſſion. Then ſaide 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 vntounto 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 vponupon 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 hauehave 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 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 vntounto this.
18 The 57. A certaine ſoldier did daily ſalute the bleſſed virgin Marie with an Aue One ſaued onelyonly 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 vntounto which is the 45. example of a notable theefe that nener had done any good thing, but onelyonly 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 vntounto the former is the 72. example, which is of a grieuous ſinner that neuer had done good, but onelyonly ſaluted the virgin eueryevery daie: and yet beeing dead, and chalenged earneſtly by the deuills to be theirs, the 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 vntounto 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 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, vponupon condition that he might ſee her againe. Then the angel ſignified that he ſhould ſee her againe, and that he ſhould not onelyonly enioy that eye which alreadie he had, but alſo hauehave 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, vponupon a certain day would hauehave 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.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 hauehave 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 vponupon 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 hauehave 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 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.