The life of the Reuerend Fa. Angel of Ioyeuse Capucin preacher Sometimes duke, peere, and marshall of France, and gouernour for the Kinge in Languedoc. Together with the liues of the Reuerend Fathers, Father Bennet Englishman, and Father Archangell Scotchman, of the same ordere. Written first in the Frenche tongue, and now translated into English by R.R. Catholique priest.

Of his Country, birth, and education. THE FIRST CHAPTER.

THERE are not more vertuous ef∣fects, then those of Gods provi∣dence which are powerfull to rouse vpp a soule, and to dawe it from the vanities of the worl∣de, to the searche of the Soueraigne good. But they are so full of excellence and obscuri∣tye, eyther in theyre cause, or theyr essence, or in theyre end, that wee muste haue our vn∣derstāding wholly perverted, or els ingenous∣ly confes, that they are beyond the bounds and limitts of our reason and knowledge to com∣prise them. There is noe man ignorant that they are, for wee feele thē, and taste the fruits dayly: but to iudge of the worthe and value of them, or to knowe what perticular motive induceth God to bring them to light, this is a matter that the Angells themselues doe not knowe.

The Reuerend Father Bennett of Canfeild, whose life, conuersion, and conuersation hath not only beene miraculous but a cōtinuall mi∣racle, will serue for an euident proofe of this

truthe: For hee wh••ch had su••ked heresy with his mothers milke, and in his birth was seazed with death, grewe to bee nourished and fedd with the swee••e liquoure of grace, within this Seraphicall order, the moste hard and au∣stere of all others, to subdue the passions of the flesh, wherein many liued many yeeres. In his death hee was made partaker of a true and happy life: hee which from his cradle was tainted w th the impurityes of Puritans, and tooke contentment therein, was clensed from this filth, and brought into the bosome of the pure, and true Church of God, the Catholi∣que, Apostolique, Roman Church; And his soule shining with an extraordinary puritie, by an extraordinary measure of Gods graces and benedictions, vowed an irreconciliable enmitye, both in tongue, and harte agaynste such impuritye, after hee had discouered the odiousnes of it: Hee who in his former thou∣ghts and designes, aymed at nothing but at the glory and greatenes of the worlde, and had noe feeling or care of heauenly things, soudainly was soe changed, that hee despised all the pom∣pes and vanityes of the worlde, and fixed all his thoughts vppon the bettering of his soule, and aspiring to heauenly things: Hee perseue∣red in these holy desires, & neuer grewe faynt or weary in his affection: Hee only changed the obiect, and like repentant Mary Magdalen gaue all that vnto God, which hee before had

prodigallie em••loied vpon the worlde: This was gods prouidence, which wrought this ex∣traordinary change, which in the begining; cā∣not but produce a rauishment, and in the end, comforte and contentement, and likewise hu∣militye, and astoinshment in the ignorance of the time:

Hee was an English man by nation, and I may say, by predestination, and benedi∣ction; whence those that are drenched and buryed in errour, may see that God doth neuer refuse sufficiencie of grace to drawe thē forth, seeing that euen in this Realme (heeretofore a deare childe of the churche, and afterward se∣parated by Gods secret Iudgment) there are whom God doth extraordinary call vnto him by speci••ll grace: For although the excercise of catholique religion, bee forbidden and sup∣pressed, yet are there many feruent and zea∣lous soules, which will not (though it bee with perill of theyre liues) doe any thing which is contrary to Gods and the churches commande∣ments. Therefore, as the storie of Iob noteth very perticularly to his greate commēdation, that hee was of the land of Hus, where the people were malicious and greate sinners: soe hee borne and bredd in heresy, which is soe much the more venemous and dangerous, be∣cause it is masked with the name of a pure re∣ligion, meriteth the more honour, and prayse in that hee was an English man, in that hee did

ouercome the corruption of nature, and nur∣ture, and afterward attayned to such heroicall vertues, preferring bann••shment, pouerty, and austerity of life, for the loue of Christ, before his dearest country, his plentifull meanes, and delights, wherein hee had beene bred and pā∣pered.

Hee was borne at Cāfeild in Essex, of a good family and parentage, his first name w••s Wil∣liam Fich, by which hee was called till hee be∣came Capucin: From his infancye hee was of soe sweete and louely a disposition, that hee drewe all mens affections to him that knewe him: His parentes loued him more deerely, then they did the rest of theyre children, and cherished him more tenderly, not knowing to what end god had destinated theire naturall fauours: Hee was the second brother of three of them; The eldest who was heyre of the re∣uenues and lands, according to the lawes of the contry was called Thomas, the third was Frauncis, who hauing litle lef•• him by his pa∣rents, marryed a rich widowe by whome hee aduanced his meanes and fortune, and after∣ward for testimony of his gentrie and recom∣pence of his publique seruice, was made a knight.

These two bretheren though brought vpp in good letters, were noe way comparable to Father Bennett; who beyond his naturall in∣clination, wherein hee did exceede, did shewe

by effect, that hee was carryed to his studies with an extraordinary desire: Hee spent in his tender age whole nights at his booke, and did not willingly conuerse with any, but those of whom hee myght learne somewhat. Hee tooke noe pleasure in any recreations that drewe him from his studyes, in soe much that when his Brethrē, & some other gētelmē, who were brought vp together vnder the same ma∣ster, would take him to goe a hūting, (in which sporte hee more delighted then in any other) hee would eyther refuse to goe with them, or if hee wēt, hee allwayes tooke some booke in his pockett, which hee opened and read, as often as the least occasion was offered to him, taking more contentement, in readnig some passage or sentence in such a booke as hee car∣ryed with him, then in that delightfull sporte: Many such things did hee in his tender age, and in the darkenes of errour and heresye, what would hee haue done if hee had beene a Catholi{que}, & had had the light of true Fayth?

When hee was growen to better age and which was capable of greater knowledge, he gaue himselfe to higher studies, which occasio∣ned his parentes to sende him to the Innes of the court, there to studye the common lawe: This good Father aduanced himselfe soe much heerein in a shorte tyme, that those who were not wittnesses of it, coulde not beleeue it. But when it pleased God of his infinite mercye,

to shewe him the beames of his truth, through the clouds and foggs of heresye, wherewith his sou e was infected, ••h••y did soe lighten his soule, that in one moment hee was wholy changed into an other man, for whereas befo∣re hee w••s feruent in his studie of the lawe, hee bec••me sl••ck and cold and whereas befo∣re hee was pleasant and a louer of companye, hee became melancholly••k, and a freind of so∣li••arynes and much retired: yea nowe hee be∣gan to enter into mature consultation with himselfe, beeing driuen into many perplexed thoughts: For on the side, the beleife and re∣ligion which hee had learned from his infan∣cye, held him as it were fettered and manicled, besides that, it was the common religion of his country and of the greatest parte of his kin∣dred and freinds: on the other side, he cōcea∣ued greate scruple and matter of doubt concer∣ning ••he truth and veretie therof, soe that hee knewe not what resolution to make: but God made him by his diuine inspiration to consi∣der the glorious crownes which are reserued in heauen for the recompence of good wor∣kes, and the eternall torments which are pre∣pared in hell for the soules of sinners, which of all good inspirations is the best and the most forcible.

Hee continewed some fewe dayes in this estate, feeling these spirituall combatts in his soule, which God did more and more augmē•…•…

The cause whereof hee could not cōprehend, till his miraculous conuersion was effected, Which it hath pleased God that hee hath left written with his owne hand, to serue for a motiue to others, that straye out of the right waye, and to giue occasion to Catholiques to admire the effects of gods prouidence, to hū∣ble themselues, and to giue vnto God immor∣tall thankes, for those graces which hee hath soe freely and graciously giuen to his creatu∣res. It hath beene already, printed by some one (who desirous to conserue the memory of this blessed man, hath preuented me) but be∣cause the rest of his life and actions, which are of very greate importance, to serue for a nota∣ble example vnto others, was not adioyned to it, I haue thought it fitt to putt all together in one story, that so it might bee more perfect, and more auailable to the edification of others, and thus the storie doth begin.