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Dialogues
St Gregory the Dialogist, tr. P. W., 1608
Book 3, Of a Priest Called Stephen, in the Province of Valeria: Whose Stockings the Devil…
Some that are yet living with me, affirm this to be true which I will now speak of. A man of holy life there was, called Stephen, who was a Priest in the province of Valeria, nigh of kindred to my deacon Bonifacius: who, coming home upon a time from travel, spake somewhat negligently to his servant, saying: “Come, sir devil, and pull off my hose”: at which words, straightways his garters began to loose in great haste, so that he plainly perceived that the devil indeed, whom he named, was pulling off his stocking: whereat being much terrified, he cried out aloud, and said: “Away, wretched caitiff, away; I spake not to thee, but to my servant.” Then the devil gave over, leaving his garters almost quite off. By which we may learn, that if the devil be so officious in things concerning our body, how ready and diligent he is to observe and note the cogitations of our soul.
PETER. A very painful thing it is and terrible, always to strive against the temptations of the devil, and, as it were, to stand continually armed ready to fight.
GREGORY. Not painful at all, if we attribute our preservation not to ourselves, but to God’s grace; yet so notwithstanding, that we be careful what we may for our parts, and always vigilant under God’s protection. And it falleth out sometime by God’s goodness, that when the devil is expelled from our soul, that he is so little of us to be feared, that contrariwise he is rather terrified by the virtuous and devout life of good people.