THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR to the deuout Reader.

THOSE auncient Fathers deuout Reader
who by their writings, eyther gaue ornament
to the Christian Religion, or defended it agaynst
Heretikes, did also accustome to commend
to writing the liues of such pious women of their tymes,
as eyther by affinity, or familiarity were conioyned
vnto them. Wherof, whosoeuer hath byn but indifferently
conuersant in the workes of S. Hierome, S. Augustine,
S. Gregory, or others, cannot be ignorant. For
these most holy men vnderstood, that therby they did satisfy
theyr owne deuotion, gaue honest intermission to
their grauer studies, praysed God in his Saintes, and finally
by these examples induced others to piety. I imitating
their proceedings, though in a far meaner degree, omitting
for the present, my writing against our moderne
Heretikes, which also by enioyned employments, I was
inforced to interrupt haue vndertaken to write the lyfe
of the right Vertuous Lady Magdalen, with whome I
familiarly conuersed many yeares, and was her Confessour.
In writing wherof, as I haue endeauoured to auoyd
barbarous language, so haue I purposely abstayned
from the pleasing veyne of eloquence, & the flourishes of
Rhetorike. For as the one vseth to offend the eares of the
Reader, and sometymes to auert him from reading the
matter written: so the other by ouermuch delighting maketh
him lesse attentiue to the matter it selfe, and sometymes
makes him doubtfull of the truth therof. The beauty
of a chast Matrone ought to be as free from paynting
as from vncleannes. Let those be adorned with wordes
whose lyfe is not adorned with deeds. Our Magdalen
doth so shine with Vertues, that she needeth not the sple~dour
of a pleasing discourse. Yea rather, as she euer abstained
from painting, & neuer made vse of a looking-glasse:
so is it requisite that all vnnecessary flourish of speech be
shunned in the description of her lyfe. My principall
ayme shal be at the truth, that I write nothing, but what
my selfe haue seene, or haue receyued from the mouth of
this Lady her selfe, or of other witnesses worthy of credit:
so that with S. Hierome writing the lyfe of S. Paula, I
may call IESVS to witnes, and his Saints, & the
very Angell who was Guardian, and companion
of this admirable Woman, that I speake nothing
for fauour, nothing in flattering manner; but
what I am to say, I speake as a testimony, and lesse
then her merits. And that which may be a great satisfaction
to indifferent Readers, what I heere commit to
writing, I vttered before a great audience at the funerall
of the Lady Magdalen, her familiar acquaintance
there present; and diuulging it within the space of 19.
monthes after her death, if I lye, I may be disproued by
the mouth, eyes, & testimony of all that knew her; and
especially of Heretikes, who sith they could not endure
true glory to be attributed vnto her liuing, would lesse
permit false honour to be fayned on her, dead. Therfore
their silence in this matter may be an assured testimony
vnto posterity of the truth of my discourse. But as I feare
not calumniators of the truth, so do I desire to satisfy others,
who perhaps thinke that the liues only of such
persons ought to be recorded, whose worthy Sanctity meriteth
that they be enrolled in the Catalogue of Saints.
From the iudgment of these I cannot but dissent, considering,
that not only the liues of S. Paula, and S. Marcella,
but also of Blesilla, Fabiola, and the like are written
by that most graue Father S. Hierome; and the life
of S. Monica by her Sonne S. Augustine, whiles he
feareth that she was yet detayned in the paines of Purgatory.
And with good reason; for as Gods power doth
not only shine in the composition of the sunne and moone,
but appeareth also in the fabrick of the lesser starres: so
his heauenly grace doth not only giue a lustre in the perfection
of famous Saints, but shineth euen in the worth
of euery pious person. Besides the sunne and moone, to
haue added also starres vnto the heaue~s, was not the least
increase of their ornament; and so to record the liues of
some pious people, wil be some addition to the glory of God
and of his Church. And as men for the most part do rather
admire then clime the highest mountaynes, who yet
by the lownes of little hilles are inuited to ascend: so,
more doe commend, then imitate the vertues of famous
Saints, who yet with no great difficulty ayme at the piety
of lesse vertuous persons. And vnto these I propose
a woman, not famous for rudenesse of habit, or rigour
of diet, or seuerity of discipline, or abnegation of the
world; but one that was humble, chast, meeke, patient
and pious, neither resplendent by miracles, but abounding
with vertues: so that they who despaire to imitate
the admirable sanctity of S. Mary Magdalen, may
see themselues capable to attaine the piety of Magdalen
Viscountesse Montague. Neither yet doe I enrole her in
the number of Saints, or the Blessed: Mine intention is
only for the glory of God, & edification of my neyghbour,
sincerely to commend her lyfe to writing; whether she deserued
the opinion of sanctity, let others iudge. Thus
much deuout Reader I desired to premonish thee, before
thou takest in hand, the reading of the lyfe of our
Magdalen. Make thou the benefit thereof, and farewell.