ther many a longe day And of the same reliques they toke no parte away But of therth all blody saint Germane toke a porcion To bere aboute w t hym of feruent deuotion And for the same in full recompence A cophyn enclosed with relyques many one Of all thapostels and 〈◊〉 with reuerence whiche he gathered in places where he had gone There he them offered to blessed saynt Albon For a perpetuall memory of that his acte and dede And to all pylgryms to haue rewarde and mede Than departed Germayne and his felowe Lupus In to theyr owne countres there to remayne within foure yeres after agayne it happened thus Newly to sprynge theresyes of pelagyans Than the clergy sent of newe for saynt Germayne who hastely graunted to come and discusse All doutes associate with holy Seuerus who breuely confounded and brought to vtterance All theretykesto theyr shame and confusyon That done they retourned agayne into Fraunce The people delyuered from deuyllysshe illusion Albert shortely after theyr former abusyon Returned theyr myndes and brought in appostacy Theyr god forgettyng to laude and magnifie And all that was done by the greuous occasyon Of the furyous saxons and theyr pagan ryte For after that they had in this laÌ„de made inuasion Churhes and clergy they distroyed quite To adnull Christis lawe was all theyr delyte And compell the christen to theyr false ydolatry In suche miserable lyfe was all theyr felicite Thus by them all this region in maner 〈◊〉 From 〈◊〉 fayth and holy saynt Albâ—â— The 〈◊〉 and tombe decayed and 〈◊〉 Token or knowlege there was lefte none Deuotion and prayer forgotten and gone Tyll god of his goodnes and mercyfull pitie wold reuele his sayntes to the laude of his deite Thus duryng this tyme thre hundred yere mo The hertes ot the people all derke obumbrate From the fayth of Christ was clerely lost and go worshyppyng ydols of power aduychilate Reason of knowlege by wyll was obnubilate By longe continuance accustomed and vsed That good and trew doctrine they vtterly refused Thylke holy saynt Albon to the godhed directed His deuoute prayer his countrey to reconcile To Christis owne fayth all heresyes reiected with errours and scismes from them put in exile The disceytes of the deuyll hath the longe begyle To abate and suppresse to the christen releue And to all heretikes shame and repreue His prayer well herde god hath prouyde A captayne a ruler a prince of great pleasance Ouer this contre to reigne rule and gye Discended of blode from royall aliance That by goddes helpe shortly made purueyance These fautes to redresse by grace as he may This noble deuoute prince called kynge Offs It 〈…〉 t this kyng thaÌ„ beinge at Bygging Besyâ—â—â—ynstowe his owne maner place Callyng to memory all his former lyuyng How by the blody swerd his peace he had purchace CoÌ„puncte by contrition callyng for grace Besought god on his knees with ferueÌ„t deuocion Some knowlege to haue of his synnes remyssyon Than sodeÌ„ly in the chapel came a maruelous light Inflamed the king with a swete fraragrauÌ„t odour The kynge fyrst astonyed to se it so bryght Than after coforted gaue laude prayse honour To that only god grounde of all socour And set fast in hym his trust and confidence Dayly to serue hym with all dewe reuerence This kynge then lyinge in the citie of Bath Halfe slepyng in a slombre appered an angell Shewyng that of god suche fauour he hath And also commaundement as he dyd than tell All scismes and heresyes from the contre texpell He shulde perceyue with all diligence anone To translate the reliques of holy saynt albon The kyng or this tyme of the pope had purchased That Lychefelde shulde be tharchebysshops see wherby Canterbury was greatly defased But for that tyme there was no remedy All whiche I onâ—ye and returns to our story Howe and by whom was done this translation Of archebysshop and bysshops w t feruent deuocion After that the angell at Bathe had thus appered Of this ê“thomartyr AlboÌ„ made the kyng relacion He called Humbertus whome he had than arered Archebysshop of Lychefeld and made declaration Of thangelles coÌ„mandement for the translation Of this holy martyr than the bysshop anon ryght Obeyed and prepared therto w all his myght Accompanyed with suffraganes two he had than Theyr names to recount I let ouer passe The kyng they to Verolamy w t many noble men Accompaned came reuerently to the same place where as a fyrye pyllour bryghtly shynynge was Ouer the tombe place where as lay saynt Albon By whiche token they founde the cophyn anone They toke vp the bones w t all humble deuotion And bate them to the church w t ympnes and songe The kynge and his nobles folowed the processyon where many fayre myracle was done than amonge The relyques enclosed in a shryne great and longe Of syluer and golde set with great ryches Thus with all solempnite endeth this busynes Not without myracles as the story doth vs teache They that were blynde recured haue theyr syghte The domme also was restored to theyr speche Folkes lame and podagryd went than vpryght Lepres made cleue by prayer of this knyght And palatyke folke as the story doth remembre And all other diseased were hole in euery membre Be glad and mery thy title riche and goode Londe of brytane called brutes Albion whiche art inbaumed with the purple bloode Of blessed saint Albon prince of that region And specyally O noble and ryall towne Of verelamy reioyce and be iocounde So riche a treasure is in thy boundes founde Richer treasure more worthy to be commended Moche better then in Troy was euer Palladion For on thy soyle of newe is discendyd A celestiall dew of grace and all fosion And specially by angelicall reuelation whiche on thy londe of newe dothe rebounde That blessed Albon is in thy boundes founde Hector whylom was Troyans Champion And Haniball protector of Cartago Marchus Maluius saued Rome towne The capitolie conserued frome dammage And in britayne nowe in more lattre age Of holy Albon when the corps was founde Made in that region all thinges to habounde Kynge Offa as I sayd hauynge this vision whiche of saynt Albon was patron and founder By myracles shewed for his good deuocion The place where was hyd this ryche treasure He with cost and diligent laboure Lett call to gedre of diuers regions Most cunninge maysters of wryghtes masons To buylde the churche of blessed saint Albon Indowed the same with londes and possession So that in all Britayne lyke to that is none Replenished w t people of saynt benettes ê“fession Almost .viii. C. yere continued in succession Takynge fyrst auctorite as the hystorie telle can Graunted by bulles of pope Adriane After went hym selfe this noble worthy kynge Of great deuotion to Rome the ryall citie Spared no cost tyll he in euery thynge Had of his purpose graunt and autoritie Priuileges fredomes and liberties By the pope then
Of prouidence toforne as I haue tolde Before all other Albon he hath withholde On hym to awaite and abide day and night Of his empire as for moost worthy knight whan Bassian had his leue take Of Dioclecian with knightes of Britaine The Emperour for Albons sake At theyr departynge list nat for to faine To make hem chere and after in certaine For his pleasaunce as saith the croniclere Fully complete Albon abode seuen yere This mean while myne author writeth thus when this prince was come home in dede Into his contree A knight Carauseus Greatly disposed to kyll and blood to shede Of the Romains gate licence as I rede And of the Cenate by great auctorite To be made keper of the Brittisshe see Bassianus by iust succession At his comyng home to Britaine anon right was crowned kynge of that region His father dede a full notable knight Called Seuerus whiche in the peoples sightes Great fauour had but Bassian in that Ile The story saith reigned but a while By Carauseus of whome I tolde beforne This Bassian was slaine traitrously Ceptre and crowne this yonge prince hath borne Carâ—useus vsurpyng moost falsly To be crowned kynge of that party Hauyng no title to the regally But a fals traine of murder and tiranny On Bassian thus when he was awroke By intrusion the kyngdom vsurpynge To the Romains had his othe broke And in Britaine toke vpon hym to be kynge The Romaine tribute the whiche was hangynge To themperour he falsly can deny Graunted also within Albany To the pietes for to haue a dwellynge place The whiche now is called Scotlonde And from Rome they bode no longer space A Cenatour cam downe with mighty honde Called Allectus the malice to withstande Of Carauseus with Romaine champions Brought in nombre fully thre legions This Carauseus in story as I fynde whiche traitrously had murdred Bassian Slaine by Allectus his name put out of mynde Romaine knightes with many a manly man For to accomplisshe theyr purpose they began Brought Britons thrugh theyr renowne Almoost by force vnto subiection To theyr socour hopynge it shulde auaile Against Romaines to make resistence Asclepeodot duke of Cornewaile They chose of new to stande at defence whiche thrugh his manly knightly excellence Slew Allectus of very force and might And put his felow Galles to the flight The proude Romains he dyd so encombre They might afore hym abyde in no maner He slew of them at London so great a nombre Thrugh his knighthode beside a ryuer After whose name as saith the Cronicler Is called there as Romains did blede Vnto this day walbroke as I rede In memory of that discomfiture The noble Britons after that bataile Of one assent did theyr busy cure The same day armed in plate and maile Proudly to chose the duke of Cornewaile Asclepeodot theyr purpose to attaine To crowne hym kynge and lorde of all Britaine This mighty duke knowynge theyr intent Agreed well vnto theyr election To be crowned that wolde he nat assent But auctoritie from Rome were sent downe By themperour to Brutes Albion For whiche caused Dioclecian To Britaine to sende Maximian The chefe cause in sothe of his cuÌ„mynge with other maters that were collaterall Into that londe was for to crowne hym kynge There for to reigne in his estate royall And Dioclecian in especiall Hath a conceite in the meane while with hym to sende Albon into that Ile Bothe for trust plainly to deuise And to gouerne notably that londe Parcell also to guerdon his seruise For trouth in knighthod in Albon that he fonde Ordeined hym and made hym suraunce in honde Prince of knightes and stewarde soueraine Vnder Romains thrugh all Britaine He sent hym thither also for that entent For his wysdom and high discrecion with Maximian for to be present At this solempne coronacion Of Asclepeodot lorde of that region Albon as stewarde in that solempnitie And prince of knightes receiue his dignitie By the byddyng of Dioclecian Like custome vsed of antiquitie Make his othe to Maximian As prince and stewarde of moost auctoritie To themperour in his imperiall see As he was bounde by statutes olde and new For life or dethe euer to be trew All thinges accomplished like as I haue tolde Maximian retourned is againe with a tribute thre thousande pounde in golde Behâ—nde of olde denied of disdaine whiche was withdraw the story saith certaine To the Romains the tyme of Carauseus A fals tiraunt cruell and furious Come into Rome when Maximian Returned was with all his chiualry That tyme the pope named Poncian That busy was on that other party In Cecile and in Lombardy By deuout teachynge as myne author saith To turne people vnto christes faith In that time made was non obstacle That yere in dede there was as it was sene Thrugh christes law turned by miracle To the nombre of thousandes fally sixtene The chirche of christe tender very grene when themperour hath the wonders same was greatly meued of malice and disdaine To christes faith had so great enuie when that he saw to his confusion The nomber of christen encreace and multiplie Let call in haste by fals collusion All the lordes of that region And all the Cenates afore hym to apere At a certaine day to treat of this matere Echone assemblyd in his high presence Byd cast theyr wyttes togyther and take hede And faithfully do theyr diligence In this mater theyr purpose for to spede what was to done in so strait a nede For thynges that toucheth the welthe of the citie Must of wyse councell take first authoritie For this mater touched one and all A thynge expedient for to be amended whiche to amende first they dyd call The pope in hast that hath theyr lawe offendyd And to this pointe they be all condescended To dampne hym by hasty iugement And all christens that were of his assent Banyssshe all christens out of Rome towne And punysshe them by mortall crueltie Not onely there but in eche region with diuerse tourmentes serched euery contree This statute made in Rome the citie Thrugh all the worlde a decree forthe sent They to be slaine and theyr bodies brent Spare no place where men dyd them know But them pursue vpon eche partie All theyr chirches cast downe and ouerthrowe Plaine w t the grouÌ„de where men coude them espie Thus stode our faith in mortall ieopardie Of miscreauntes foes to Christes law For drede of dethe that they haue them withdraw Against them the painems were so stronge Droue them for feare eche man fro his contree And Amphiball that bare non armes of longe Saue in knighthod of wilfull pouertie Constrained was with other for to flee Paciently with trauayle and with paine Passynge the see came into Britaine Conueyed he was by grace and vertue In his repaire homewarde as I rede His safeconduite stronge in our lorde Ihesu who so trusteth hym amys he may nat spede The holy goost dyd his brydell lede To Verolamy
confirmed to that place For loue of saint Albon with many especial grace By auctoritie as ye haue hard deuysed He had his askynge by power spirituall And for his part to be more auctorised He hath annexed his power in especyall with all liberties and fraunchies full ryall Perpetually bound yt in brede and in lenght In honour of saint Albō to stonde in his strenght O Verolamy as I haue tolde beforne O Famous olde citie amonge all nations whiche in thy boundes hadst suche a prince borne Notable in knyghthode with all conditions Of hygh prowes by manyfold reasons wordy by vertu and by ryall lyen To be in degre aboue all the worthies nyen He that whylom was busy to compyle This noble historie trewly of entent In latyn tonge to directe his style Ryght as he sawe so was he diligent It to conuey bicause he was present yet lyst he not I suppose of mekenes Tell what he was nor his name expresse To hym selfe he gaue none other name After the story as I reherse can Excepte he wrote of drede and of honest shame He wolde be called as he wrote than Of all wretches the symplest man Of other name as by his wrytyng To vs he lefte no maner knowlegyng Saue he of trust and good confydence whiche that abode in his opinion There shulde come in great reuerence Tyme commyng folke of religion Specially to Verolamy towne whiche that shulde do theyr busy payne The fayth of Christe for to preache in Britayne Than shall the trouthe be openly knawe whan the errour is loused and vnbounde Of paynyms and Christis worde be sawe Thorowe all the londe false ydols to confounde Than to theyr hartes gladnes shall rebounde That vseth our fayth whan Iesu lyst by grace Of his infinite mercy a tyme to purchase This same man of full trewe intent whiche busy was this story to endue Vnto the see of Rome with the boke he went By great aduise his purpose to acquite And fynally lyke as he doth playnly wryte All false goddes and ydols to forsake Baptisme to receyue and Christis fayth to take And as I haue tolde this boke w t hym he brought To be sene ouer with meke and lowe subiection To all that courte and humbly he besought Our lorde Christe Iesu with deuoute intention After theyr dewe and full examynation Called to recorde this story made of newe Lyke as he wrote that euery worde was trewe This boke accomplysshed notable and famous Of hym that was in Brutis Albion Called prothomartyr most vertuous That for Christ suffered passion That yere accompted of his translation Fro Christis byrthe and his natiuite Fully seuen hundreth nynty yere and thre Nowe perfyte reders that dyuers stories hath sene Marke well the tymes of this here expressed whan that saynt Albon by the paynyms kene For Christis fayth from this lyfe was suppressed The cōmyng of saynt Germayn for errours to be After all these the tyme of his inuention Done by kynge Offa w t his holy translation CC. lxxxx.iii yeres of our lorde Christ Iesu The reigne of Dioclesyon the .xix. yere Christis holy fayth to reuyue and renewe Suffred saynt Albon the story doth appere Maximiane Asclipiodot both his iuges were It was in the seconde yere of the pope Gaius That holy saynt Albon was martyred thus Than one hundreth one yere after his passion Began fyrst theresies of false pelagyane which was CCCC iiii yeres by iust computation After that Christ had take our nature humayne The .xiiii. yere of the Brittisshe kynge Graciane In the .iii. yere of the fyrst Anastacious And the .xvi. yere of themperour Theodosius Foure hundred and forty of our lorde .ix. yeres mo And in the fyrst yere of Vortigern the kynge And the fyfte yere of the fyrst pope Leo Theodose the seconde emperour than beinge In his .xxi. yere after iust rekenynge Saynt Germayn come fyrst and lupus also To distroye theresies that were begon tho C.xliii yeres by iuste computation After his passion thus come saynt Germayn And forty and two yere without variation After the fyrst tyme of the falce pelagian yet within fyue yeres saynt Germayn come agayn As is shewed before with holy Seuerus All former heresies by grace to discus CCC.xliii yeres after saynt Germayne whiche was seuen hundreth lxxx .xiii. yere Of our lorde Iesu as stories doth determyne That thangell at Bath to kyng Offa dyd appere To translate saynt Albon w t all heuenly chere The fyrst Adrian pope the .vi. Constantine thēperour whā this translation was done w t all honour Perceyue nowe good reders gyue true iugemēt Betwene the monkes of Colen of blessed Albon The Coloners wryteth after theyr entent To cause the pylgryms to w tdrawe theyr deuotion From Verolamy to folowe theyr affection Sayinge that they haue the very body To theyr shame and rebuke detendyng suche foly And to proue theyr intent playnely they say That these heresyes of false pelagiane Began in the reigne of noble kynke Offa And also in the tyme of pope Adrian Affyrmyng that than shuld come in Germayne And with hym Lupus a clerke of great substance And all theresyes were brought than to vttrance And so by Germayn were brought vnto Rauenus The body of saynt Albon and there themperour Valentiniane he was nobly receyued than And also the body with all godly honour where Germayn sore vexed w t a mortall dolour Departed this lyfe and vale of all misery To theternall lyfe in the celestiall glory After whose deth themperours mother Placida by name as Coloners doth say To Rome brought this body she with many other with all dewe reuerence there abode many a day Tyll Otto themperour w t his mother Theophana Brought it to Colen to tharchebysshop Brunon In to the monastery of holy Panthaleon Also at the tyme of this translation in dede Adrian was pope and that they confesse And whan Valentiniane to thempyre dyd procede Liberious was pope in his .xii. yere doutlesse As diuerse Historiographers playnly do expresse So that of the sees spirituall nor temporall Agreeth w t theyr accomptes after theyr memoriall They say also the body is yet incorrupt From the thyes vpwarde they haue in possession whiche saiynge me semeth of trouthe be interrupte Onles they wyll graunt any vnsemyng diuision Of a corporall body to be cut in perticion yet I can not knowe what parte they shulde haue For kynge Offa founde nothyng but the bones in his graue They say also that kyng Offa saynt Germayne was bothe at one tyme at this translation whan therisies was destroyde of false pelagian In whose tymes is a great alteration who lust accompt by iust compotation Shall fynde CCC yeres .xliiii. also That kynge Offa came after saynt Germayn was go They say also that themperour Valentiniane Shulde mete s Germain whā he came to Rauene whiche can not be trewe but all spoken in vayne For CCC.lxvi was the yeres of our lorde than whan Valentiniane