Part 4

And yet not being able by these means to moue her constant mind, bicause he could not endure the rage of his loue, he determined, by abstinence and hunger to make an ende both of life and loue togither. This determination was not vnknowne to =Ide=, =Mundus= Fathers bondseruaunt, a maide cunning in many artes, but such as were not to be liked. She maruellously gréeued with the yoong mans wilfulnesse in absteining frō meat, talking with him, by swéete and flattring words began to encourage him, assuring him that she would bring to passe, that he should at his pleasure embrace =Paulina=. After that he had gladly condiscended to her entreatie, she telleth him she must néedes haue fiftie thousand groates to ouerthrow the Gentlewomans chastitie. So putting the yoong man in good hope, and receiuing as much mony as she required, because she wel knew =Paulina= could not be wonne with mony, she deuiseth a new way to deceiue her. Vnderstanding therefore that she was maruellously addicted to the worshipping of =Isis=, she inuenteth these meanes: She talketh with some of =Isis= Priests, and hauing receiued sure promise of them to kéepe all things secrete, and (which is most effectuall) hauing shewed their reward, promising presently 25000. groates, and when they had done the déed, other 25000. she openeth vnto them the yoong mans loue, beséeching them to helpe by al means possible, that shée might enioy the same. They touched at the heart with desire of the mony, gently promised their helpe. Wherefore the eldest of them spéedily goeth to =Paulina=, and being admitted to her spéech, after hee had obtained to talke with her in secrete, he declareth that he is come vnto her being sent by the great God =Anubis= (this =Anubis= hauing a head lyke to a Dogge, was worshipped togither in one Temple with =Isis=) who is maruellously in loue with her beautie, and doth commaund her to repaire vnto him. She ioyfully receiued the message, and forthwith vaunteth among her familiar acquaintaunce, that the God =Anubis= hath vouchsafed to loue her: And shée telleth her husband, that shée must suppe and lye with him. Which thing was so much the more easily graunted vnto her, for that her husband had had good experience and knowledge of her chastitie. Whereupon shée goeth to the Temple, and after supper when time of rest drew neare, being shut in by the priest, shée méeteth with =Mundus=, who had priuily hidden himselfe there, the darkenesse bringing them togither, without any suspition. And so all that night shée satisfied the yong mans desire, supposing she had done pleasure vnto the God. Afterwards he departing from hir, =Paulina= early in the morning, before the priestes (who were priuie to this deceit) were stirring, returned home to her husband, to whome she recounteth her meeting with =Anubis=, and also with great words setteth out the same amongst her gossips and friends. They could not beléeue her, considering the nature of the thing, and yet could they not chuse but maruell, waying the great chastitie of the woman. Thrée dayes after the déede done, =Mundus= méeting by chaunce with his beloued, saide vnto her: O well done =Paulina=, thou hast saued me 200000. groats wherewith thou mightest haue encreased thy riches, and yet notwithstanding thou hast fulfilled my desire, for I way it not that thou hast despised =Mundus=, sith vnder the title of =Anubis=, I haue enioyed my desired lust, which words said, he departed. But the woman then first perceiuing this villany, began to teare her garments, and opening the whole matter vnto her husband, beséecheth him that he suffer not such a notorious mockery to go vnpunished. Her husband then declareth the whole matter to the Emperoure =Tiberius=: who after he had learned all things by diligent examination, trusseth vp these iugling priests on the gallowes, togither with =Ide=, the author of all this mischiefe, by whose meanes chiefly the chastitie of this noble Gentlewoman was defiled: and ouerthrowing their temple, he commaunded the Image of =Isis= to be sunke in the riuer of _Tibris_. But it pleased him to chasten =Mundus= with banishment, a more gentle kind of punishmēt, ascribing his fault to yͤ weaknes of his immoderat loue. By this history it may easily be gathered how sathan in times past bewitcht the Gentils, and how their priests persuaded them yͭ their Gods appearing in visible forme spake this or yͭ vnto them, which notwithstāding were very false. Vnder the pretence of worshipping their gods, they gaue thēselues to wicked deuises. For how often may we wel thinke they cōmitted abhominable mischief (although indéed yͤ matter it selfe neuer came to light.) If they brought it to passe, yͭ =Mundus= by their meanes enioyed his desired loue, surely there is no doubt, but yͭ they thēselues vnder the colour of holinesse defloured other mēs daughters & wiues: for otherwise this deuise could neuer haue bin so ready in mind. This matron would neuer haue bin so wel cōtent, vnles yͤ very same had bin practised with other dames before. Neither yet wold her husbād haue suffered her to lodge in the Church all night. What néed was there for yͤ gods to haue beds prepared for thē in yͤ Church, whē it was most aparant they neuer lodged in thē. Princes also may learne by yͤ example of =Tiberius=, although he were a wicked tyrant, how such varlets are to be restrained. To this purpose maketh yͭ historie which =Ruffinus= a Priest of _Aquilia_ reporteth in =Li.=11.=ca.=25. of his ecclesiasticall history.

[Sidenote: Tyrannus a wicked priest.]

There was a priest in _Alexandria_ in _Egipt_, vowed to =Saturn=, whose name was =Tyrānus=. This mā as it had bin frō the mouth of god, vsed to say vnto al such noble & principall men, whose Ladies he liked & lusted after, that =Saturne= had cōmanded, yͭ such a ones wife shuld lie al night in the temple. Then he which heard yͤ message, reioycing much yͭ the god vouchsafed to call for his wife, decking her vp brauely, & giuing her great gifts (forsooth lest she shuld be refused bicause she came emptie) sent her foorth vnto yͤ temple, where the woman being shut vp in the presence of al men, =Tirannus= whē he had fast locked the doores, surrendring the keyes departed his wayes. Afterwards in great silence passing through priuie caues vnder the ground, he issued foorth out of the open holes into the image of =Saturne=: which image was made hollow in the backe, and cunningly fastned to the wall. And as the candles burned within the Church, he spake sodeinly vnto the woman (giuing great care, and praying deuoutly) through yͤ image made of hollow brasse, in such sort that the vnhappie woman, trembled betwéene feare and ioy, because she thought her selfe worthie of the spéech of so great a god. Now after the baudie god had talked his pleasure to bring her in great feare, or to prouoke her to lust and wantonnesse, sodeinly all the lightes were put out with the spreading abroad of shéets, by a certain cunning deuise. And then descending out of the image, he committed adultery with the woman much abashed and afraid, vsing most profane and wicked gloses vnto her. When he had thus dealt a long season, almost with all the wiues of these silly Gentlemen, it chaunced in the end, that a certain chast Gentlewoman began to abhorre and loath the deede, and marking the matter more héedfully, knew it to be =Tyrannus= voice: and there vpon returning home againe, declared the slie conueiance of this horrible déed vnto her husband. He being set on fire with rage for the iniurie done vnto his wife, or rather vnto his selfe, apprehēded =Tyrannus=, & brought him to yͤ place of torments, where being conuicted he cōfessed al yͤ matter, & thē other deceits being likewise detected, al shame & dishonor was spred throughout the houses of yͤ Pagans: the mothers were found adulterers, fathers incestuous persons, and their children illegittimate and bastardes. Which thing so soone as it was brought to light and noysed abroad, togither both Church and image, and wickednesse, and all was vtterly subuerted and destroied. We reade that =Numa Pompilius= bare the people of _Rome_ in hande that hée hadde familiar company with =Egeria= a Goddesse of the waters, to the ende he might purchase credit and authoritie to his lawes.

CHAP. VII.

_Timotheus Aelurus_, counterfeiting himself to be an Angell, obteined a bishopricke: foure Monkes of the order of Preachers, made many vaine apparitions at _Berna_.

[Sidenote: Lippis & tonsoribus notum.]

It might be somewhat borne withall, if these things had only chaunced among the Gentiles, which were without the word of God, if we did not euidently sée the like happen oftentimes amongest Christians, and in case it were not to be feared least many such things should happen euen at this day also. For it is well knowne to all men, that there haue bene many Magiciens, Sosserers, and Coniurers, and those especially Monkes and Priests, who would easily counterfeit visions, and miracles, and familiar talking with soules.

[Sidenote: Theodorus.]

[Sidenote: Foure Monks of Berna.]

=Theodorus Lector=, =collectaneorum ex historia ecclesiastica lib.1.= writeth of =Timotheus Aelurus=, that he, before =Proterius= bishop of =Alexandria= was put to death, gaping for the bishoppricke, in the night cladde in blacke apparrell walked about the celles of the Monkes, and calling eache man by his name, they answering, sayd vnto them, that he a spirit, one of Gods seruants came to warne them, that euery one reuolting from =Proterius=, should ioyne himselfe vnto =Timotheus=. And by his craft and deceit obteining the bishoppricke, hée made great vproares in the Church of God. Here I cannot refraine my selfe as touching this present matter, but that I rehearse a famous historie, of foure Monkes of the order of Preachers (who were bernt at =Berna= in =Heluetia=, in the yeare of our Lord 1509. the last day of May) by what subtilties they deceiued a poore simple Frier whom they had lately reteined into their monastery: concerning which thing, many bookes were written at the same time when these things were done, which are yet extant both in the Latin and in the Germain toong. There was great contention betwéen the Monkes of yͤ order of Preachers, and the Friers =Minorites=, or =Franciscans=, touching the conceptiō of yͤ virgin =Mary=. The Friers preachers affirmed, that she euen as other men also was conceiued in originall sin, that the =Franciscans= denied and stoutly denied. At the last the matter came to that issue, that the preachers determined to auouch and prooue their opinion by false and fayned miracles: taking aduisement in a certaine Synode (which they call a chapter) holden at _Vimpenium_ a cittie of _Germanie_, where the most conuenient and fittest place for this matter might be founde: and at the last they chose out _Berna_ in _Heluetia_, because the people there were plaine and simple, and giuen to the warres. Foure therefore of the chiefest in the Abbay of the order of preachers beganne the pageant at _Berna_: and because the Supprier one of the foure, was well seene in coniuring, he bounde the Diuell to ioyne in councell with them by what meanes they might best bring their purpose to passe. Hée appearing vnto them in the likenesse of a =Negro= or blacke Morian, promised them all that he could doo, vnder this condition, that they should yéeld and giue themselues vnto him, which thing they willingly did, deliuering vnto him a writing written with their owne hand and blood. And it chaunced at the same time very fitly, that one =Iohn Iezerus=, a plaine fellowe, a Taylour by occupation, was chosen into their order, who séemed to be verie fit for their purpose. They tryed him by throwing stones into his chamber in the night time, making a great noyse, and faining themselues to be Spirits. The matters séemed vnto them, euen from the beginning, that it would take good successe. On a certaine day being Friday, the Supprior shrouding himselfe in a shéete, togither with other Spirites, whom he had coniured vp for this purpose, brake into the Friers cell with great force and noyse, faining with many teares, that he desired his ayd and help. Now had they priuily conueied Holy water and the Reliques of Saints into his Cell before. The poore Frier halfe dead with feare, denied that he could by any meanes helpe him, recommending himselfe to Christ our Sauior, and to his holy mother. The Spirite aunswered, that it was in his and his brethrens power to deliuer him out of this miserie, if he would suffer himselfe for the space of viij. dayes, euery day to be whipped vntill the blood followed, and moreouer, cause eight Masses to be sung for his sake in S. =Iohns= Chappell, himselfe while they were sung, lying in the floore with his armes spread abroad. After hée tolde him that the next Friday before midnight, he wold come again with greater noyse, willing him in any wise not to be afrayd, for the Diuels could nothing hurt him, because he was an holy man. The next day this foolish Frier openeth all the matter to the ringleaders of this deuise, beséeching them to assist him, that the miserable soule might be deliuered. The matter was out of hand rumored about the Citie. The Monkes preached openly hereof in the pulpit, commending highly yͤ holinesse of their order, which euen hereby might be séene, for that the spirite craued helpe of them, and not of the wicked drunken =Franciscans=. At the time appointed, the spirite accompanied with the other euill spirits, came againe with great noyse to the Friers Cell, who adiuring and coniuring him, questioned with him touching certaine points. The spirit shewed him who he was, and for what cause he was so miserably vexed: and withall gaue great thanks both vnto him and also to his fathers, for being touched wͭ remorse of him, adding, yͭ in case there were yet 30. Masses sung, and 4. Vigiles obserued, and yͭ he would yet once again whip himself vntil he bled, thē he shuld be clean deliuered out of most cruell torments, which he had cōtinually endured a 160. yéers. He had conference with him also of other maruellous matters, which we néed not here to reherse. Afterwards yͤ same spirit appeared again vnto the Frier, and preferred the order of preachers before all others, bearing him in hand, that many of them which had bene aduersaries vnto this order, suffered most horrible torment in purgatorie, and that the citie of _Berna_ should be vtterly ouerthrowne, except they banished yͤ =Franciscans=, and refused yͤ yéerly stipends which they receiued at the French kings hands. He also talked of sundry things which had hapned to the Frier (which thing they had learned before of him by meanes of auricular confession.) Moreouer he hartily thanketh the Frier for the great benefit of his deliuerance, giuing him to vnderstand, that he was now admitted into the eight degrée of Angels, and that he should say Masse there for his benefactors.

After these things thus done, an other night one comming vnto him in the apparell of a woman, said he was =S. Barbara=, whom he deuoutly serued, and told him yͭ the blessed virgin would shortly appear vnto him, and make ful answere vnto those questions which one of the Monkes had writtē in paper for him. This paper =Barbara= promised that she her self would deliuer vnto our Lady, which they should shortly after find in a holy place sealed & signed miraculously. The Frier vpon this reuealeth the whole matter vnto his fathers, desiring to be confessed of his sinnes, wherby he might be found worthy the apparition or séeing of our Lady. He willed them to search in yͤ halowed place for the scroll, which at the last they found in the Fratry (as they term it) where they had laid it before. Thē they caried it with great reuerēce vnto the high alter, affirming yͭ it was sealed with Christs blood, and that the tapers lightned of their own accord. In the morning the virgin =Mary= appeared vnto him againe, rehearsing many things which her sonne Iesus commaunded her to tell vnto him; to wit, that Pope =Iulius= was that holy man, which should reconcile the two orders in friendship againe, and institute and ordaine the feast of the defiled conception of our Lady, for she would send vnto the Pope a crosse marked with foure droppes of her sonnes blood, in signe that she was conceiued in originall sinne: and that they should find an other crosse marked with fiue drops of blood in their fratrie, which they must conuey to _Rome_, for the Pope would allowe and confirme it with large indulgences, and after return it to _Berna_ again: other things likewise she said, whereof many things were both reported and written too and fro.

But in witnesse of the aforesaid things, the same =Mary= droue an yron nayle through the hande of the poore Frier, saying: this wounde shall be renewed in the day wherein my sonne was crucified, and in the feast of my sonnes bodie. After they tooke a burning water made by Necromancie, by the which they taking away his senses, made foure other woundes in his bodie. And after that he came againe vnto himselfe, they bare him in hand that there was a certaine holy thing I wotte not what, which appeared about him. And when they sawe that many men came flocking about him to sée this newe Christ, they taught him (for hée was of rude conditions) howe to behaue himselfe. And when they had giuen him a drinke beréeuing him of his senses, and causing him to fome at the mouth, then they sayd he striued and wrestled with death, euen as Christ did in the mount Oliuet. After all this, another of them appeared vnto him, telling him many things: but yͤ Frier knowing him by his voyce, beganne to suspect and mislike the whole matter, and with violence thrust him from him. The next night the Frier himselfe appeared vnto him, saying that he was =Mary= of whome he had bene in doubt, and to the ende he should be out of all suspition, she had brought him the host of her sonnes bodie (for he brought him an host stiped in poyson) to the ende hée shoulde no more thinke he sawe an euil spirite: he also affirmed, that he had brought a vessel of glasse full of her sonnes bloud, which he would giue vnto him, and vnto his Monasterie. But the Frier, who also had this vision in suspition, answered: If (sayde he) thou be not an euil spirit, rehearse thy =Pater noster= and thy =Aue Maria= with me. The Prior sayde the =Pater noster=, and afterward sayd in the person of our Lady: =Hayled am I Mary full of grace, the Lord be with me. &c.= The Frier knowing the Priors voyce, caught a knife, and wounded him therewith, and when he defended himselfe, the Frier stoutly resisted, and draue him backe. These things thus done, the Supprior béeing in good hope to restore all that they had lost, appeared againe to the Frier, saying that he was =S. Catherin= of _Sena_, and therwith begun to chide him, for that he so discurteously had intreated the holy Virgin: adding moreouer, I am sent (quoth he) to shewe thée, that the wounds which thou hast in thy body, are the very true wounds of Christ, which neyther I, nor yet S. Francis hath, and that he enlarged with many words. Yet notwithstanding, the Frier so entertayned him, that he was glad to saue him selfe with running away. Now bicause the Frier wold no longer be mocked at their hands, they, maruellously troubled, and almost at their wits ende, taking aduise among them selues, brake the matter vnto him, and tolde him, that in verie déede they fréely confessed many of those apparitions which he had séene to be fayned, and that for no other cause, but to the ende he should perseuere in his profession and Religion, howbeit the very effect of the matter was most true, and that he ought not to doubt, but that he bare the wounds of Christ in his body. And forsomuch as the matter was nowe knowen abroad, they earnestly besought him, that he would not refuse to go on in the matter, for otherwise their order should incurre open shame, and both he and they fall into present daunger, but in case he woulde persist in his enterprised purpose, the thing would fall out to his and their great aduantage. And so with fairer words, they perswaded him to make promise to be ruled by them hereafter.

After long instruction and teaching, they placed him on the altar of our Lady, knéeling on his knées within a chappell before the image of the holy virgine: Where one of the Monkes standing behinde a cloath, spake through a cane réede, as if it were Christ talking with his mother, in this wise: Mother why dost thou weepe? haue I not promised thée, yͭ whatsoeuer thou willest, shall be done? Wherto the image made answere. Therfore I wéepe, bicause this businesse findeth no end. Then said the image of Christ: Beléeue mee mother, this matter shall be made manifest. This doone, the Monke priuily departing, the chappell doores were shut. Assoone as these things were scattered about the citie, by & by there was a great thronging of people. Amongst whome also came foure monks, dissembling and fayning, that they knewe not what was there doone, and therfore they commanded the doores to be opened, and after asked the Frier howe and after what sorte he came there. He answered them that he was carried by a spirit. And moreouer told them what words the image had spoken, and that he could by no meanes moue out of that place before that foure of the chiefest Aldermen were come vnto him, vnto whom he had certaine things to be declared: he also desired to receiue the holy sacrament. The Aldermen were foorthwith called, and then the Frier declared vnto them, how the virgin Mary lamented and sorrowed, for that the citie of _Berna_ should be shortly destroyed, for receiuing yearely pentiōs of the French king: Also for that they droue not the =Franciscans= out of their citie, who honoured her with the fayned tytle of vndefiled cōception. Vnto this hir talke the Aldermen answered very little. By and by the other Monkes gaue him the host infected with poyson, which when he refused to receiue, they brought him an other, which he tooke, then they led him with greate pompe into the quire, (for so they call the vppermost parte of the churche.) The Frier & the other foure Monkes were soone after called before the Aldermen, to testifie the truth whether those things were so or not. But the foure fearing exceedingly least he should betray something because they knew he suspected thē, endeuoured by all meanes to do him some priuie mischief by poyson giuen in his meate, & therefore they gaue him the sacrament dipped in poyson, which he presently cast vp againe by vomit: finally they so vexed and tormented him by so many wayes, that in the end he left the Colledge and ran away, and opened the whole matter to diuers and sundry men. In the meane time the Monkes dispatched two Legates or messengers to =Rome=, to obtaine a confirmation of these things of the Pope, that hereafter it should be vtterly vnlawfull for any man to contrary or mislike the same. And when these messengers were returned, (and as the Prouerbe is) thought themselues in a safe heauen, the noble Senate had commaunded the foure Monkes to be fast kept in prison: for they had learned the whole circumstance of the matter before of the Frier, whome they had committed to ward. And sparing neither labour nor mony, sent also vnto =Rome=, that they might perfectly knowe, what they should do in this matter. In the end both the Frier & the foure Monkes were all put to torments, and there confessed all the matter. And when they had bin openly conuicte of so many guiles, and horrible deeds, by the Popes permission they were first putte from the orders (which they commonly call degradation) and afterwards burned in the fire.