The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times…The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times…

Of the Hermits of Paulus order.

Of the Heremites of Paulus order.

¹The year of our lord. 345. was one Paulus an Hermit in Egypt, a companion to the aforesaid Antony, which spent his life also in wilderness. They write of him, that when he was xv. years of age,² flying the promotions of Valerianus and Decius Emperors of Rome, though he was of noble progeny, and descended of a right worthy parentage before the world, yet left he all, and went into wilderness, where he dwelt in a little cave by the space of 98. years (unknown to any man living) in fasting & prayer, with water and bread, herbs & roots and such other nourishments as the wilderness did minister unto him. In the book called vitas patrum, we read that the aforesaid Paulus was well instructed & learned both in the Greek ⟨p. 49⟩and Egyptian tongue, He seeing the persecution of Christen men went into a town much far from his country, and from thence into a mountain full of rocks, at the foot whereof was a great and marvellous pit covered with a stone, which he took away, and looked therein and found there a much fair fountain. With this there was in the said mountain diverse habitations & dwellings. Paulus then loved the place marvellously,³ like as god had given it unto him. And there he led a solitary life in occupying devout prayers, and abstinence marvellously. His vesture was only of the leaves of the palm tree, and his meat was the fruit thereof. These and diverse other things not altogether to be despised, read we in the book entitled Vitas patrum. Of this Paulus the Hermit or solitary man,⁴ are there risen and sprung up certain Apes and counterfeiters, which have a name and an order fathered upon him: and yet, to say the truth, have they no more of this Paulus faith, prayer, abstinence, and such other Godly and spiritual exercises, than some