Fuga sæculi. Or The holy hatred of the world Conteyning the liues of 17. holy confessours of Christ, selected out of sundry authors. Written in Italian by the R. Fa. Iohn-Peter Maffæus of the Society of Iesus. And translated into English by H.H.

S. Fulgentius to shun the title of Abbot, hides himselfe in vayne: & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 afterwards a Bishopricke, is made Bishop of Ruspa. Chap. 5.

NOtwithstanding the great pleasure and contentment, which S. Fulgentius tooke on the one side, for the great fruit of soul•…•… which was made, yet on the other he felt exceeding sorrow, in p•…•…∣ceiuing himselfe by such occupations much hindred from his vnion with God, and sweet contemplation of inuisible things. Besides the which, the tytle of Abbot and charge of commaunding others, was of small contentment to him, while he called to mynd that Christ our Lord himselfe, had sayd, that he came to serue, and not to be serued, and to performe not his proper will, but that of the eter∣nall Father. With such kind of thoughts as these, being newly pushed on to abase, and hide himselfe by all meanes; after a long consideration, atlast he tooke the resolution, which we will shew you now.

There washes the banckes of Vinci, and Bennese, an arme of the Sea, full of shelfs and rockes. In the one of which, being so dry 〈◊〉〈◊〉 day by day, they were fayne to procure fresh water to be brought them with litle boates, was found to be a Conuent of Monks, who vnder the care of two Reuerend Prelats there, perseuered in extre∣me pennance, and pouerty. To this Monastery now the blessed Ful∣gentius being retired, he began to relish agayne the desired fruits of a priuate life, and of holy humility, mortifying through obedience all proper will, in taming continually the flesh with fastings, pray∣ers, and vigils, and diuing at pleasure in to the profound mysteryes of the Eternity: and yet interupting withall, at tymes, his mentall exercises, in copying forth, with his owne hand, •…•…ome good booke or other, which he could do very excellently well; or els in weauing, for sundry vses, the leaues of Palmes, wherin likewise he had beene very dexterous heertofore; so as it seemed to him h•…•… was now in that state he wished for so much: but yet was it not affoarded him, to remayne therein, as long as he would.

Because that Felix his Collegue, and the other his Monkes, ha∣uing notice thereof, first of all, vsed all the meanes possible they could themselues, to haue him agayne: but while their prayers and persuasions, were not of force thereunto, they finally interpo∣sed the authority of the Venerable Faustus the Bishop, by whome

S. Fulgentius was constrayned at last, to returne backe agayne; and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the end, he might be engaged to remayne there with a new obli∣•…•…ation, he was forthwith ordayned both Priest and Abbot: with •…•…hich chaynes being now tyed, he began to set his hart at rest, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 attend with all study and care, to that which God had commen∣•…•…ed vnto him: whereupon in short tyme was spread so good an o∣•…•…our, as the Abbot: Fulgentius, in all that territory was held to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 common Father and Pastour of all, with a vniuersall desire to •…•…hoose him, and no other for Bishop, when tyme should serue: of •…•…hich conceipt S. Fulgentius was aware, but in regard that as then, •…•…y Edicts of King Trasamond, the ordinations of Bishops were pro∣•…•…ibited, he was acquit of all doubt thereof, esteeming it in vayne to •…•…y the dignities, which could neyther be giuen, or taken.

But after that, the holy Colledge of Bishops yet remayning, •…•…rough zeale of the diuine glory, and the common good, with pu∣blike Decree had freely defined, that notwithstanding the Kings •…•…rohibition, ordination of Bishops should be made in euery Dio∣•…•…esse, and heerupon that holy decree was begun to be executed •…•…n all sides: & the people, the while striuing to appeare no lesse •…•…ious and diligent then others, heere it was, that the blessed Ful∣•…•…entius, went about to preuent their designes, and to hide him∣•…•…elfe in such wise, as there was no possible meanes to find him out. •…•…o as the inhabitants were fayne to resolue to expect till such time, •…•…s he might appeare in sight; but fearing in the meane while, some •…•…ew inhibition should proceed from Court, they were enforced a∣gaynst their wills to make one of their Clerks, a Bishop: and so in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 very short space, were almost all the Churches furnished with Pastours, and that with so great dislike of the King, as he tooke or∣der to banish the Bishops, and caused the Archbishop S. Victor him∣selfe to be cast into prison at Carthage, to the great lamentation, and disturbance of the Catholique part.

The which as soone as S. Fulgentius vnderstood, as thinking him∣selfe to be now out of all daunger of any such honour, he stayd not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whit from returning agayne to the custody of his litle flocke. But it pleased the diuine prouidence, that the humble Seruant of God should be deceyued of this purpose. Forasmuch indeed, as among •…•…hose people which as yet now were destitute of a Bishop, was •…•…hat of Ruspa, a famous Citty and very full of rich and noble inha∣bitants. Which delay of theirs, had sprung from the ambition of a

certayne Deacon there, one Felix by name, who the more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he pretended to the Chayre, was the more maynely resi•…•… by good men: and though himselfe, through fauour of his kindred and friends, had a faction sufficient to hinder others from the di∣gnity, yet not inough it seemed to procure it to himselfe.

Among those discords, and ciuill broyls, it was sudainely vn∣derstood, that S. Fulgentius, who could neuer be discouered before, at the tyme of the creation past, did now appeare at last. In the me∣ane while, the Arch-Bishop, happening to passe by Ruspa, in his conduction to Carthage, the Gentleman of the Citty, with some Ca∣tholique Bishops there, had accesse vnto him, and easely obteyned full licence, to create S. Fulgentius the Pastour of Ruspa. Heereupo•…•… many Cittizens with great hast presented themselues to the Serua•…•… of God, who remayned in his Cell infirme of his eyes, & so •…•…king him vp as it were, on their shoulders, with mayne force they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him into their countrey, and then consecrating him with d•…•…e 〈◊〉〈◊〉, placed him in the Pontifical seate. But in conducting hi•…•… thither, there happened a notable thing which followes.