The holy court in five tomes, the first treating of motives which should excite men of qualitie to Christian perfection, the second of the prelate, souldier, states-man, and ladie, the third of maxims of Christianitie against prophanesse ..., the fourth containing the command of reason over the passions, the fifth now first published in English and much augemented according to the last edition of the authour containing the lives of the most famous and illustrious courtiers taken out of the Old and New Testament and other modern authours / written in French by Nicholas Caussin ; translated into English by Sr. T.H. and others.

Moralities.

1. SAint Marie Magdalen is under the feet of Je∣sus Christ, as is that work of Saphires (men∣tioned in Exodus) under the feet of God. It is a work wrought by the right hand of the High∣est, the wonder of women, the most happy of all lovers; who made profit of sin, which destroyes all; who sanctified that love, which so little knew the way to any sanctity. This is the fountain men∣tioned in the Book of Esther, in the vision of Mor∣docheus; A fountain which became a river, and af∣ter changes it self into the Sun, which gives beams and showers at one instant. She is a fountain at the Pharisees talbe she is a river in her solitary grove, she is a Sun both in Paradise, and in that great exaltation, wherein the Catholick Church now beholds her. Be∣ing now in glory, she doth not yet forbear to open fountains of tears (by imitation of her) within the

souls of repentant sinners, of whom incessantly she procures the conversion. Happy is that heart which is pierced with the imitation of her virtues, thereby to gain some part of her crowns.

2. Every thing is admirable in her conversion: A sinner wounded with love, cures her self by love. She changes the fire of Babylon, into that of Jeru∣salem. She plucks out of her wound the venemous dart of worldly love, to make large room for the ar∣rows of Jesus, which pierce her heart; and at an in∣stant make a harmony of heavenly passions within the bottom of her soul. She holds the wound dearer than life, and goes streight to her conquerour, to desire death, or increase of love.

3. She appears most ingenious in her affections, to provide no water wherewith to wash her Masters feet, since she could draw it so fitly out of her own eyes. This was the water which Jesus did thirst after, when he asked of the Samaritane woman some to drink; But that poor woman was so asto∣nished, that she forsook her pitcher, and forgot that which Jesus asked. Now the holy Magdalen brings her eyes to the Pharisees table, as to vessels full of Chrystal water, which was of that pure stream which comes from the holy Lamb. Heaven is wont to water the earth, but here the earth waters Heaven. A soul which was before black, and burnt up with the fire of concupiscence, provides a Fountain for the KING of highest Heaven. She drawes tears from her sins, to make them become the joyes of Paradise.

4. She sanctifies all that which was esteemed most prophane. Her hairs, which were the nets wherein so many captive souls did sigh under the yoke of wan∣ton love, are now (as the ensigns and standards of wic∣ked Cupid) trampled under the feet of her Conquer∣our. Those kisses, which carried the poison of a luxu∣rious passion in her heart, do now breath from her nothing but the delicacies of chastity. Her pleasing odours which were before vowed to sensuality, are now become the sweetest exhalations from that Am∣ber Isle, which brings an odoriferous perfume to Jesus Christ. She brings with her Aromatick spi∣ces, to burn her self at the Mountain of her Sun, who makes himself her Priest, her Advocate, and Bride-man.

5. She had gained the great Jubilee, and was as∣sured of it, by the word of the Eternal Bishop; and yet during all the rest of her life, she practised upon her self a sanctified revenge, and her penance never ends, but with her life; to confound our coldness, who know so little what it is to bewail a sin. She is as timorous in the assurance of her pardon, as we are secure at the approch of Gods justice. No body could be so patient, and so constant in her love, but she, that had a holy emulation toward heavenly cha∣rity. It is her perseverance which draws to the earth a perfect copy of that life (without limit) which the blessed souls enjoy in heaven. It is she alone to whom eternity was then given, because she had power to offer repentant frailty to Eternity it self.