One 17th century controversial work contains some piquant stories about Masses offered for the souls of the dead.
FROM
A remembrance of the living to pray for the dead. The first and fundamental part. Proving that there is a Purgatory. That souls are thence deliverable before the day of Judgment. The second part. Recommending prayer for the dead. Second edition.
by J Mumford. Printed at Paris, 1660.
Chapter IX, Proofs out of the authentick stories of St Gregory, and St Bede
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St Gregory relates unto us, that upon the death of a Monke in his own Monastery, called Justus, who against the laws of his profession had secretly laid up the summ of three crownes for his own use, his great sin being discovered before his death, he was by the singular industry of St. Gregory brought to repent, though it were only upon his death-bed. Yet for the terrour of others and his just chastisment, the same Saint commanded, that his body should be buried with his money in a dunghill, and that no one of his Monastery should presume to pray for him.
But at last taking compassion upon his poor soul, St. Gregory called to him the Prior of that Convent and said unto him, It is now a good while since our brother, who is departed, remains in torments of fire. And therefore we must show him some charity, and labour what we can for his delivery. Wherefore go your wayes, and see that for thirty days following sacrifice be offered for him.
After the thirty days were ended, Justus who was dead, appeared to his brother Copiosus saying to him, Hitherto I have been in bad case, but now I am well. For this day I have received the Communion.
Which I understand to be the full effect of the Communion of Saints. For now, by the prayers of the Saints on earth, he was joined to the company of the Saints in heaven.
And therefore saith St Gregory, The thing was made apparently manifest, that the dead Monk was by the holy sacrifice delivered from pains, through the so exact agreement of the time in which the vision was made to one who knew nothing of the sacrifices appointed, with that very time at which the last sacrifice had been offered (for it is to be noted, that Copiosus did not know that those thirty days were appointed to pray for his dead brother). But why did the delivery happen just at the end of those thirty days Masses? for in other examples the chains of those who were in fetters did fall off loose at the offering of the first Sacrifice. I answer, the bands and chaines were loosened at the first Sacrifice, to show the mitigation of [Purgatory] pain obtained by it. Yet they were found again in their former chaines the next day to signify, that by one Sacrifice, perfect delivery is not always obtained. For this soul it was obtained by thirty days Sacrifices; Because after the Divine justice had been so well appeased, the Divine mercy granted the delivery of that soul to the prayers of those holy Monks and their holy Abbot St. Gregory.
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Thus then the Venerable Bede writeth,
. . . In the same battle happened a thing famous and known to many, which we may not omit, both for the profit of the Reader, and glory of God. A young man called Imma, left for dead in the battle, at last reviving and binding up his wounds, was taken by his enemies, and commanded to be kept in Irons. But his Irons of themselves would be often falling off. The Earle, whose prisoner he was, wondering thereat, and demanding the cause, he answered, I have a brother, who is a Priest (he was Abbot of Tunnacester). I know he thinks that I am slaine in battle; and therefore doth often say Mass for me. And if I now were in the other world, my soul should be loosed from pains through his intercession, as my body is here loosed from fetters. Thus did he speak anno 679 for that year the battle was fought.
And by the words of so young a man (and a young man trained up in war) you will easily mark, that what he spake, he did not speak out of any private speculation of his own, but he delivered his minde agreeably to such principles, as in those days, were so common, that, even such an ordinary young fellow could answer, according to the then universally received opinion, that if he were now in another world, his soul should be loosened from pains, through the intercessions made for him, as his body was loosed from fetters.
Many (saith he) that heard this were devoutly inflamed in Faith (not fondly seduced by novelty) employing themselves in Prayers, Almes, and charitable deeds, offering to our Lord Hosts of sacred Oblation, and Sacrifices for the delivery (mark these words) for the delivery of their friends who were dead. For they understood thereby and knew (taught by miracle from heaven) that the saving Sacrifice was effectual to the everlasting redempton of body and soul.
All these be Bedes own words. Now if this story be undoubtedly true, then our Adversaries opinion is UNDOUBTEDLY FALSE: And shewed to be so, not by Bede, but by God, attesting it by a very public and undoubted miracle.
