Jane Owen

Printed Writings 1500–1640: Series I, Part Two, Volume 9

Dorothy L. Latz

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781351925570
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism for Comparative Literature
• Index: Literature

Few facts are known about Catholic recusant Jane Owen. The title page of this, her only work, tells us that in 1634 when this volume was published at St Omer, she was already deceased. However, she was necessarily still living after 1617 when the treatise of Bellarmine, which she here partially translates and comments on, De Gemitu Columbae, was first published. It seems likely that she spent most of her life in England but later lived in exile on the Continent, possibly returning regularly to collect alms for poverty stricken English recusants abroad. Her simple prose gives us unique glimpses of social history written by a recusant woman in the first person.

AN

ANTIDOTE
AGAINST
PURGATORY.

OR

Discourse, wherein is shewed that Good-Workes, and Almes-deeds, performed in the Name of Christ, are a chiefe meanes for the preventing, or mitigating the Torments of Purgatory.

Written by that Vertuous, and Right worthy Gentle-woman (the Honour of her Sexe for Learning in England) M^s. IANE OWEN, late of God-stow [illegible text in source], deceased, [illegible text in source] now [illegible text in source] after her death.

As VVater doth [illegible text in source] deeds do extinguish [illegible text in source].

---

Printed M. DC. XXXIIII.

TO THE
WORTHY
AND CONSTANT
CATHOLICKES
OF ENGLAND:

And more particularly, to such, who be of the best temporal Meanes

WORTHY and Noble Catholiks: My charity towards the advancing of the spiritual good of your soules, is the mayne Allective, inviting me to write this small Treatise, (pardon I pray the boldnes of my Sexe heerin.) The subject therof is, First, to inculcate, & make deep impressios in your minds, of the horrour, and most dread full torments of Purgatory: Secondarily, to set before your eyes, the best meanes to prevent, at least to asswage, and mitigate them: gratu opus agricolis; A labour (I hope) pleasing to such, who are desirous to cultivate their owne Soules, for gaining their spirituall and expected harnest.

That you believe there is a Purgatory, your owne Catholike Faith teacheth you; therefore presuming that you rest immoveable therein, without the least fluctuation of judgment, I hould it were but lost labour, to spend any time in prooffe thereof. Only I heere court, that you would deeply consider and medicate thereof; and thereupon that you would with all meditate and put in practise the meanes of anoiding the same.

Touching the terriblenes of the Torments of Purgatory, I have insited in the Authority of the most Blessed Cardinall Bellarmine; out of one of whose spirituall bookes I have translated a whole passage concerning this subject, as hereafter I shall more fully shew. Thus I make him the foundation or ground-worke of this my ensuing Discourse; and the rest following I do build, and crest upon this foundation: so as this Miscelene worke of mine, may perhaps resemble the statua of Nabuchodonozor, of which, part was gould, part silver, and part of baser mettall. So I am sure, that what is taken out of the learned Cardinalls writings in this my Treatise, is perfect gould or silver; what is adjoined thereto by me, must (I willingly yield) endure the touch of the learned, to prove what mettall it is.

But now, to proceede a little further: I could wish you (worthy Catholickes) that you would have a feeling apprehension of the paynes of Purgatory, though yet to come. True it is, that the Time present, and the Time future are in nature different; yet if a man could in some case, so lively paint to himselfe the face of the Time future, as that it might appeare to him, to be the Time present, it were, felix Error, a happy mistaking or confusion of times, (to use the Catholike Churches like Dialect of the sinne of Adam, calling it, felix Culpa: For then would men apprehende the Future paynes of Purgatory, as present, (and certainely once they must be present;) and consequently, would bane a greater feare and dread of them, then comonly they now have. It is not in mans power to deprine God of his incommanicable Attribute of Justice, being even of the Essence of God.

This then being so, why will yet not seeke to appease this his Justice in this world, when small satisfactions will serve, rather then to performe those satisfactions incomparably far greater in a more horrible manner, in the next world, by enduring those Torments, which are not to be endured? And there to endure them, donec reddas nouissimum Quadrantem, Matth. 5. These are the words of holy Scripture, and are understood in the judgment of the Ancient Fathers, of a Soule lying in Purgatory, and therefore must be performed: which forcing words, since they ought to be most dreadfull to ech Catholicke, not performing his satisfaction in this life, I have therefore though not amisse (though I grant in a most unusuall manner) to set downe in the lower part of every page; that wheresoever the Reader shall open these few leaves, his eye shall instantly meete with the said mooving words, thereby to cause him to have a more intense and erious meditation of them.

It is certaine, that God is pittifully cruell (as I may say) since he is content to turne Eternity of punishments; into temporall paines; But withall it is no lesse certaine, that a soule not performing its pencance in this life before its dissolution from the body, can no more immediatly ascend to Heaven, then the Patriarchs which dyed in Eghypt, could be buryed int he land of Promise.

Well now, the chiefest help for the preventing of the paines of Purgatory, is the practise of Workes of Almes-deeds, and such other actions of Mercy, as hereafter in this short Treatise wil more fully be proued. Workes of this nature are the only Oyle, wil more fully be proued. Workes of this nature are the only Oyle, which is to be powred into a Repenting soule, whose full satisfaction for its former sinnes, is not yet accomplished.

Gods sacred Word assureth you, that you may buy Heaven with Good Workes: Venite possidete paratum vobis regnum; Esuriuienim, & dedistis maducare &c. Matth 25. Much more then, may you with Good Workes (dyed in the bloud of our Sauiour, and not otherwise) buy out the paynes of Purgatory. And though you do find a reluctation in your naturall disposutions to relinquish a part of your state to that end, now in your lyfe time; yet let that be made easy to you by Grace, which is hard and dfficult by Nature; that so it may be said of you, as was said of Cornelius the Centution, Act. 10. Eleemosinæ vestræ commenmoretæ suntin conspectu Dei. For assure your selues, that the Grace of God euer seeeth a charitable Hart.

And by this meanes, you may become more rich in your graucs, then you could have beene in your life tyme: Since to give away riches, in a mans life, for the good of the soule, is to carry them away after his death. And in this sense, they hould most, who have the most open hand in dispensing of their riches; So true is that sentence, to wit, It is no small riches, for Gods sake, to abandon riches.

But (alas) such are the pit tifull tymes, wherein we live, & such is the searsity of Vertue among us, as that insteed of practising Workes of Charity, men are comended and praysed, if only they forbeare to practise workes of Iniustice and Wrong. And thus we are glad to accept of a meere Priuation of Vice, in place of a Positiue, and reall Vertue. O the miserablenes of our dayes! The very Beasts do not, nor can sinne, nor can they do not, nor can sinne, nor can they do any wrong; are they therefore vertuous?

Well, I bumbly beseceb you to have a setled eye upon your soules good, for the preventing of future punishments; and remember, that our Sauviour in the Ghospell (Luc. 17.) commended the unjust Steward for hoording up for the tyme to come; and shall then the slouthfull carelessues of Catholikes be upbrayded with that unjust steward diligence? God forbid! But before I do remit you to the purusall of this ensuing Discourse, I will put you in mind, that all Good Workes streame from Charity, & that without it, there are no Good Workes.

Now, how necessary and efficacious Charity is in its owne Nature, it being the Queene of all vertues (the which who hath it, cannot be damned, and who wanteth, cannto be saned) I will not only refer you to the Apostles iust prayses given thereof (1. Cor. 8.) but also to the bearned and graue Judgment of Cardinall Bellarmine herein, who thus writeth (lib. 5. de æterna Felicitate cap. 6.) Audeo dicere, si oleum charitatis in anim as damnatorum &c. I dare be bould to say, that if the oyle of Charity could distill downe into the soules of damned men, or into the Diuells, we instantly should behould, both the damned Soules and the Divells, to ascend out of their torments. As on the contrary side, if this oyle of Charity should forsake the holy Angels, A postles, Martyrs, Virgins, &c. they instantly would become lumpish and heavy, & thereupon would dehoed into the lowest parts.

Thus you see, what this learned Cardinall censureth hereof of. Do not then sleight and neglect the worth of this Noble Vertue of Charity; and particularly the most healthfull and fruitfull effects, proceeding from thence; I meane Good Workes, Mercy, and pious Lierality imployed upon others; ascertayning your selues, that the next and most speedy helpe to procure God, to be mercifull, in mildly chastizing the relickes of your linnes, & to mitigate your temporall punishments, is to shew your selues mercifull to others; Beati misericordes, quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur, Matth. 5. 1 meane prompt and ready in exerciling the Workes of Charity; fince siluer in a large degree bestowed in this manner, is the spirituall Water, which quencheth the flames of Purgatory.

One thing heere I wish you to remember, that cuery man (how young soever) through the wingy speedines of time, is euen flying towards his grave. And when he is ance thither come, then hath he didden his last Adieu, or Good Night to all the word. Therefore whiles the day lasteth, employ your selues busily in Good Workes: So true (and withall wholesome) is that Counsell in Holy Writ. Eccl. 9. Quodcumque facere potest manus tua, instanter operare &c. Whatsoeuer thy hand can do, do it instantly; because neither any worke, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdome, is beneath whither thou hastest.

And with this (Worthy & deare Cahtolickes) I remit you to the perusing of this litle Treatise; Humbly beseeching his Mercy, that the reading of it may beget great and worthy effects in you; And then I shall hope, that you will vouchsafe me now and then, your charitable prayers; not only for the remitting of the guilt of ternall damnation, due for my infinite sinnes; but also, if so his Diuine Majesty would vouchsafe me, (though most unworthy) so much fauout and grace, that I may escape this most dreadfull fyer of Purgatory.

Your Soules well-wishing
And tho nisher,

IANE OWEN.

The Contents of the seuerall Sections ensuing.

SECT. I.

OF the inexplicable paynes of Purgatory, and of other Circumstances accompanying the same paynes; translated out of the spirituall Booke of Cardinall Bellarmine, intituled; De gemnu Columbælib. 2. cap. 9.

SECT. II.

Of the meanes to auoyde, at least to mitigate, the paynes of Purgatory.

SECT. III.

A persuasory Discourse, for the putting in practise the meanes) which are Good Workes) for the auoyding the paynes of Purgatory.

SECT. IV.

Certaine examples of Good Wor kes, to be practised for the auoyding of Purgatory, propounded by the Authour of this Treatise.

Non exibis inde, donec reddas nouissimum Quadrantem.

Matth. 5. v. 27.

Thou shalt not goe out from thence , till thou repay the last Farthing.

Date Eleemosynam, & ecce omnia vobis munda sunt.

Luc 11. v. 41.

Giue Almes, and behould all thinges are cleane unto you.

Of the inexplicable paynes of Purgatory, and other Circumstances accompanying the same; translated out of the spirotia; Booke of Cardinall Bellarmine, entituled: De gemitu Columbæ. lib. 2. ca. 9.

THE I. SECTION.

AMONG all the Passions of the mind, there is not any, which hath so great a soveraignty, and command over man, as the Passion of Feare. The reason hereof is evident, and euen ingraffed in mans Nature. For every man taketh pleasure and delight in a sweet and quiet repose of his owne beeing; and consequently flyeth, and auoydeth whatsoever may endanger to hinder, or take a[illegible text in source]ay his said quietnesse and rest; according to that Axiome in Philosophy: Omnis res cupit consi[illegible text in source] sunm Esse. And hereupon it ryseth, that the Passion of Loue is nothing so potent and preuayling with men, as Feare. For we experimentally see, that most men are afrayd to commit diuers impieties, more for Feare of punishment to be inflicted by the Law, then for Loue of God, or Vertue.

Now, to apply this to my present purpose. Whereas my proiect in these ensuing leaves is, to awaken the harts and minds of diuers Catholiks for the preventing, or at least lessening the paynes of Purgatory by their good deeds and workes of Charity, performed in their lyfe tume; therefore I have in the Front of this Treatise thought good to plant a Discourse touching the incomprehensible torments of Purgatory, and other circumstances accompaning the same torments; that so, such persons, for whose sake this labour is vndertaken, (as not being blindfoulded vnder the veile of carelesse negligence) may have a greater Feare & Horrour of...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Original Copyright Page
• Preface by the General Editors
• Introductory Note
• An Antidote Against Purgatory