S. GREGORY THE GREAT
Gregory is to say in our language as 'awaked,' for he awoke to himself, to God, and to the people; he awoke to himself by keeping of cleanness, to God by good contemplation, and to the people by continual predication. And by this is deserved the vision of God; and S. Austin saith, in the Book of Order, that 'he seeth God that well liveth, well studieth, and well prayeth.'
S. Gregory was born of the parentage of senators of Rome; whose father was named Gordian and his mother Silvia. And when he had so much learned that he was a master in philosophy, and also was rich of patrimony, he thought that he would leave all the riches that he had and would enter into religion for to serve God. But in this that he put this thought in respite he conceived another purpose, that was that him seemed he should better serve God in a secular habit, in doing the office of the pretoria of the provost of Rome, for to give to each man duly reason after the right of his cause. But he found in this office so great secular business that it began to displease him, because by this great business he withdrew him over far from God. In this meanwhile his father and mother died, in such wise that he was so rich of patrimony and puissant, that at the beginning he founded and endowed with rents six abbeys
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