CAP. XXXIII.
Of Symeon the Monke, who fained him selfe to be a soole for Christes sake.
THere was at Emesa, a man whose name was Symeon, who laying aside all desire of vaine glory, although he was wise in euery respect, and replenished with the grace of God, yet seemed he vnto such as knew him not, as if he had bene a starke foole. He liued for the most part a solitarie life, neither did he make any man priuie either when, or what he prayed vnto God, neither at what time he alone fasted or refreshed nature by taking of sustenance, sometime when he walked in the open streate or market place, he seemed farre from the common trade of liuing, nay, he shewed him selfe as though he had neither witte nor vnderstanding. Againe, if hunger draue him into a Tauerne, he would feede vpon pottage, meate and whatsoeuer first came to his hand. If in case any did him obeysance, and saluted him with the bowing of the head, he woulde straight be angrie, and gette him thence with speede, fearing left the common people would espie his vertue. Thus was Symeon wont to doe at his being in the market. Yet there were some with whom he made him selfe familier, and that vnfainedly. Of which number one had a maide that was rauished and gotten with childe, and being compelled by her maister and maistresse openly to reueale the father and him that plaid so leud a part: made answere that Symeon had secretely layen with her, and that shee had conceaued of him, that shee would not onely sweare it to be true, but al∣so* 1.1 if neede were proue it with plaine euidence. Symeon hearing of this, sayd it was so in deede, that he was a man as other men were, and that the flesh was a fraile thing. When the rumour thereof was noised abrode, and Symeon therefore as it was very likely defamed for euer, he gotte him out of sight, and made them beleeue he was ashamed. When the houre came that she should be de∣liuered, as the maner is, she lay in, her labour was so grieuous, so great, and the paine so intollera∣ble, that the poore seely wretch was ready to yelde vp the ghost, yet was she not ridde of her bur∣then. Wherefore when Symeon (who of sette purpose came thither) was entreated to pray vnto God for her, his answere was: that the woman was not like to be deliuered, before she confessed truely who was the father of the childe. When she had so done and named them the true father, im∣mediatly the childe came spraulling out of her wombe, and truth played the office of the midwife. The same Symeon was seene on a certen time to goe into an harlots house, who shutte the doore af∣ter* 1.2 him, and taried there a long while, when none was within but they two: Againe, was seene to vnlocke the doore, and to put out his head, looking about whether he could see any, the which be∣rely caused great suspition, in so much that such as beheld him, called the harlot vnto them, de∣maunded of her what busines Symeon had in her house? which swore vnto them, that for pouertie she had not tasted of any thing in three dayes before, saue only water: that Symeon had brought her vitailes and a boule of wine: that he had shut the dore and couered the table: that he had commaun∣ded her to sit downe and to eate her fill, and that shee was sufficiently chastised and brought lowe e∣nough with abstinence. When shee had made this protestation, she shewed them the fragmentes