Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/131

whom he always trusted, and prayed to, not only delivered him from the hands of his enemies, but was also moved by his faithful prayers to show among the godless men that the veritable and true God, strong and powerful, still existed. It is known that to the prayers of the faithful God never places limit or time, but it here has pleased God, through this Hans Stade, to show his miracles among the godless savages. This I should not know how to gainsay.

It is also known to everyone that troubles, sorrow and sickness, etc., generally so turn men to God, that they in adversity cry to Him more than before. Some hitherto according to popish ways, perhaps pledge themselves to this or the other saint with pilgrimage or penance, so that they may be helped in their distress, and these vows are generally strictly kept, except by those who think to defraud the saints of their vows. Erasmus Roterodamus describes in his Colloquies concerning shipwreck, that one in the ship vowed to St. Christopherus, whose picture in a church at Paris stands some ten yards high, like a great Poliphemus, that if he helped him out of his troubles, he would burn to him a wax taper as large as the saint. His next neighbour, who sat near him, knew of this man's poverty, and rebuked him for such vow, and said, that even if he sold all his goods on earth, yet could he not bring together wax enough to make so large a taper. Answers him upon this the other, whispering that the saint might not hear it, and said: "When he has saved me from this danger, I will scarcely give him a common farthing candle."

And the other story of the knight who was in a shipwreck is also similar. This knight when he saw that the vessel was about to sink, called upon St. Nicholas to help him in his need, and that he would offer him his horse or his page. Then his serving man rebuked him, saying, that he should not do thus, whereon would he then ride? quoth