Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/81

 1580.] THE JESUIT INVASION. 65 of the country every day. The harvest is wonderful great. On horseback I meditate my sermon ; when I come to the house I polish it. Then I talk with such as come to speak with me, or bear their confessions. In the morning, after mass, I preach. They hear with exceeding greediness, and very often receive the sacra- ments, for the ministration whereof we are well assisted by priests, whom we find in every place. The priests of our country being themselves most excellent for virtue and learning, yet have raised so great an opinion of our society, that I dare scarcely tell the exceeding reverence all Catholics do to us. How much more is it requisite that such as are hereafter to be sent for supply, where- of we have great need, be such as may answer all men's expectation of them. Specially let them be well trained for the pulpits. I cannot long escape the hands of the heretics. The enemies have so many eyes, so many tongues, so many scouts and crafts. 1 am in apparel to myself very ridiculous. I often change it, and my name also. I read letters sometimes myself, that in the first front tell news that Campian is taken, which noised in every place where I come, so fills mine ears with the sound thereof, that fear itself has taken away all fear. My soul is in my own hands ever. Let such as you send, make count of this always : The solaces that are intermeddled with the miseries are so great that they not only countervail the fear of what temporal govern- ment soever, but by infinite sweetness make all worldly pains seem nothing. A conscience pure, a courage in- vincible, zeal incredible, a work so worthy the number VOL. xi. 5