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.

How S. Antony mollifyed a Tyrant with his sharpe reprehension, and brought him to reason. Chap. 6.

THis excellency of preaching, was not only discouered in the blessed disciple of Christ; but as true humility is capable of all graces, and mother of all vertues, he shewed himselfe very soone, how exceeding sufficient he was for confessions, and apt withall for disputations against Heretikes, and for Scholastical chayres, & for writing of bookes very profitable for the whole posterity, and (being a thing very hardly to be coupled with such 〈◊〉〈◊〉) he shewed likewise no small skill and dexterity in gouernment. To all which prerogatiues, as by an irrefragable seale and patent, the diuine Clemency had annexed the spirit of Prophecy, with the priuiledge of frequent and manifest miracles. Of ech one of which guifts according to our purpose, we shall declare the cheife of them with breuity.

And first, for his preaching, we must know, there was so bur∣ning a zeale of the glory of God, and the saluation of men, planted by inch solid and deep rootes in the soule of this louer of Christ, as that being suddenly pushed forth of his stand, like a generous

steed, he began to discurre through villages, Boroughes, castles, and Cittyes, leauing steps imprinted of holy customes on all sides, and exciting miserable mortalls, from base and terrene cares, to high and celestiall thoughts. And this his zeale of Charity, he en∣deauoured allwayes to keepe liuely and flaming, with the breath of prayer, and with matter of consideration, keeping also it from all humidity of sensuall pleasures or disordinate affections. Whence followed among others, two inestimable aduantages, to wit, a great credit with the auditory, and a singular energy of discourse: the one of which conditions, more auayles to perswade with, then all the artificiousnes, and figures of Rethoricall art that may be: the other how behouefull for a Teacher of truth, and Embassadour of the King of Heauen, may be easely comprehended of euery one.

By this meanes he came to be free and rid of those bands, which are wont to inueagle the mind, or restrayne and tye the tongue of others. So as neyther the force, nor malignity of the Mighty was able to dismay him, nor flatteryes or offers of freinds to bow him, nor the winds of popular applause to puffe him vp. Without all ex∣ception of persons, as well in publike according to occasions, as in priuate, the magnanimous Interpreter and Messenger of Christ, ceased not to hammer & breake the wils growne obdurate in vices, and that with a presence of a couragious hart, as that many fa∣mous Preachers, who came to hear•…•…him would euen tremble; and some amazed at the lightning and flashes he sent from him, would couer their face; others agayne, through doubt of some perilous ac∣cident, would retyre themselues. Which thinges to be no whit exaggerated, nor feigned may sufficiently be seen by that, which happened to him, with that famous Tyrant Ezelinus, of the Citty of Padua, and of a great part of Marea Treuisana.

This man vnder a rationall figure, hauing the hart of a Beare, and Tigre, seemed to thirst for nothing more then human bloud. Persidiousnes and impiety both, were in him as conuerted into na∣ture: robberyes, rapines, destructions through fire & sword, were euen sports and recreations to him, and (as to the Captayns of mis∣chiefs it happens) he was allwayes wayted on by Souldiours and Sergeants, neyther in auarice, nor cruelty, nor lust much inferiour to him. Now this bloudy wretch, only to terrifye the people, without cause, made many noble Cittizens, to be slayne in Vero∣na. Saint Antony tooke such sorrow, and indignation thereat, at

that going boldly into the presence of that monster, and those Ser∣geants of his, began with a loud voyce to cry out against him, say∣ing: VVhen wilt thou cea•…•…e, thou fierce Tyrant, and rauenous Dog, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 so the bloud of innocent Christians? VVhen wilt thou termine or m•…•…gate euer this so great inhumanity? Know then, there hangs a dreadfull punishment of the diuine Iustice vpon thee which shall not leaue vnpunished the homicides, the robberyes, the extorsions, and wicked slaughters thou committest.

These thinges the Seruant of God vpbrayded him with to his face, first in generall, and then after in particuler, descending into circumstances, with so much vehemency of spirit, with so much sparckling of the eyes, & feruour withal, and with so much weight and liberty of speach, as that most rauenous Wolfe became now of a sudden a most meeke Lambe, & in the presence of as many as were there, pulling off his girdle with his owne handes, & putting it a∣bout his necke, cast himselfe at his feet, very humbly crauing par∣don, both of God and him, and offering himselfe most ready to per∣forme whatsoeuer pennance the Venerable Father should impose vpon him. Whereupon the Blessed Antony being somewhat pacify∣ed, and the penitent confirmed with sweet admonitions in his good purposes, not only without any hurt at all, but rather with a great deale of reputation and honour, and grace withal, came from him: the people remayning the while much admiring, and amazed be∣yond measure, how Ezelinus at the first sound of such rebukes and reprehensions, had not caused him to be hewed in peeces, and cast forth to the beasts with a looke only. To take away the wonder, he yet wholy confounded, and euen pale for feare, sayd: Let it not seeme strange to you my Maisters, what heere I haue done, because while that same Religious man spake in that manner, I manifestly saw most liuely rayes of diuine splendour to come from his face, which so dazeled me, & filled me with such feare, that euen doubt∣les me thought, I should euen haue beene swallowed into hell. These wordes indeed Ezelinus spake, and such feelings he shewed for the present: but as the promises proceeded from seruile feare, & not for the loue of vertue, after a short remorse, returned the Bar∣barous wretch to his former custome, accusing himselfe for hauing yielded so basely, to the boldnes and menaces of a presumptuous Fryer, and perhaps also a dissembler and hypocrite. Yet neuerthe∣lesse, remained that more then humaine countenance so engrauen in his memory, and that Maiesty, wherewith he was terrifyed,

as to him it seemed very hard to belieue, that without some hea∣uenly concourse, and the hidden merites of so couragious a repre∣hender, so strange and vnusuall a thing should befall him.

After the Tyrant had beene thus perplexed in mind a prety while, wauering in himselfe, he resolued at last to cleare himselfe in that point of the goodnes & sincerity of the Fryer, with the touch∣stone as followes. Taking then forth of his treasury a rich Iewell, he gaue it to some Ruffians, of his, to carry it to S. Antony on his be∣halfe, with faire and amorous speaches, but with expresse order, that if he accepted the same, as a false & couetous man, they should suddenly hew him to peeces: and if he should refuse it, they should with all respect abstaine, as from a person truly holy and accepta∣ble to God; nor for whatsoeuer he should say vnto them, they should take any reuenge vpon him, but without any reply at all returne backe againe. With such commission those Russians being come to S. Antony, and intreating him with the greatest courtesy they could, to accept of that small charity, which Ezelinus sent him, and to remember him only in his deuout prayers; by so liuely ex∣perience they presently knew what he was, since with a seuere looke & shew of anger, he thus answered to the message: God for∣bid, I receaue in signe of liberality the very bloud of the poore of Christ: for which shall Ezelinus, ere he be aware thereof, make an exact accompt to the diuine iustice: and get you hence also with∣out delay, least through your iniquityes eyther the howse ouer∣whelme vs with a sudden ruine, or the earth come to swallow vs vp with a horrible rupture.

Whereat those miserable wretches, with bowing downe the head, went silently and fearefully away to giue account to their wicked maister of the whole successe; who being cleared in this manner of the suspitions falsely conceaued by him, touching the seruant of God, from that tyme forwards held him in the esteeme he ought, and gaue order to his souldiers, they should let him say of him what he listed himselfe: and though the Tyrant, through his inueterate custome in sinning, was neuer conuerted from his lewd wayes, yet certaine it is, that the memory of S. Antony serued him often tymes for a bridle, and through feare and reuerence of so great a man, he forbare afterwardes to commit many outrages, which he had otherwise effected without respect. These then and the like assaults, the couragious Champion of Christ, would not

fayle to make at any tyme when need required. Though indeed no merueyl it be, that for the defence of the truth, he should not feare the face of any man how angry soeuer, who with so much desire heretofore had sought to drinke of the chalice of the passion.