effect by reason of the too short raign of this King since a busines of that importance required many messages and returns froÌ„ Rome serious agitation on both sides and reasons to be given by the two contrary pretendants His Successour in the Archbishoprick Kenulf at last perfected after the death of King Egfrid 7. This good King therefore being accomplished in a short time fullfilled a long age and after five months payed his debt to nature He was taken away saith Alcuin not for his own sins but because his father for the establishing his kingdom had shed much blood But how unsecure a foundation blood is for the establishing of kingdoms was shewd in this example for Offa was so far from confirming his Throne to his posterity that five months after his death it was transferred to another family a quite stranger to his 8. The same year dyed also Eanbald Archbishop of York and in his place was chosen and consecrated another Eanbald a Preist of the same Church and Disciple of Alcuin The place where his Predecessour dyed was called Edere and his body attended by great multitudes was conveyed to the Church of York where it was honourably buried 9. This second Eanbald ioyned courageously with Ethelard Archbishop of Canterbury to nullify the invasion which Offa King of the Mercians had made on the Archbishop of Canterbury which they also effected as shall shortly be declared And this endeavour of Eanbald was much commended by his Master Alcuin as appears by part of his Letter cited by William of Malmsbury XII CHAP. 1.2 c. Alcuin famous for learning teaches at York and is called into France 1. WEE have oft made mention of Alcuin as making his abode in France It will not be impertinent to declare what occasion drew him into France and obliged him to spend the remainder of his life there Twice he had passed into France before the first time upon some busines for which his Master Egbert Arch-bishop of York sent him to King Charles What that speciall busines was it does no where appear The second time when he was sent by Alfwold King of the Northumbers to Rome to demand and bring the Archiepiscopall Pall to Eanbald the first of that name Archbishop of York in the year of Grace seaven hundred eighty one In this iourney both going and returning he passed through FraÌ„ce But neither of these times did he make any long abode there However his second iourney was the occasion of his going a third time thither never to return Because at his coming from Rome he meâ—t K. Câ—arles the Great at Pavia who being much delighted with his discourse and behaviour earnestly entreated him that assoon as he had finishd the present affair for which he had undertaken that voyage to Rome he would return to him into France 2. The answer which Alcuin gave him was That without the order of his King and Arch-bishop he could not dispose or himself And in effect his stay in Brittany was esteemed so necessary that twelve years more passed before he could comply with this request of so great a King But to speak more properly it was not in compliance to this request that he then went but he was obliged thereto by the emergent necessities of the Church which was combatted by a New Heresy for repressing of which none was â—ound more sufficiently enabled then Alcuin considering his eminently famous piety and learning 3. That which detained him so long in Brittany was for the instructing the youth thereof in all manner of learning both sacred and secular For since S. Beda's time Brittany had never enioyed so universally a knowing Master Some Writers pretend that he was a Disciple of S. Beda But the long space of time which intervened between them takes away all probablity from such an assertion and those Writers mistake is grounded upon a confounding of two persons â—nto one for they suppose that this Alcuin or Albin is the same with that Albin who many years before was Abbot of S. Augugustins Monastery at Canterbury The Master and Instructour of this Alcuin was Egbert the Noble and learned Archbishop of York as not only the Authour of Alcuins life but Alcuin himself declares 4. The twelve years which Alcuin employed in Brittany in teaching produced a wonderfull happy effect for out of his Schoole were produced almost all the able Bishops Preists Abbots and other Religious persons which adorned this Island in the present and following Age. Yea not a few came out of France and Germany to enrich themselves and their countreys with those treasures of knowledge which Alcuin communicated to them at his Schoole which he kept open at York in his own Native Province where he was furnished with a most plentifull Library instituted there by his Master Egbert the Archbishop whose Successour Eanbald the second of that Name was one of the most eminent among Alcuins Scholars XIII CHAP. 1.2 c. Of two holy and learned English Virgins Gisla and Rictrudis or Columba Disciples of Alcuin Their Letter to him in France and his Answer c. 1. AMong Alcuins schollars in Brittany we must not omitt two illustrious Virâ—ins Gisla and Rictruda concerning whom our Learned Pits gives this short account Rictruda and Gisla saith he English Nunns of the Order of S. Benedict were for their extraction Noble but much more for their vertues and learning From their chilhood they were instructed in the purity of the Latin tongue and other good lâ—tterature by their learned Master Alcuin After whose departure out of Brittany it is reported that they made great progresse both in the studies of learning and exercises of vertues in their Monastery at Canterbury They diligently imitated both S. Mary Magdalen in contemplation and S. Martha in actions of Charity They with continuall watchfullnes attended to the perfectionating their own soules by Mortification and Spirituall Meditations and next to benefits their neighbours by externall works of Charity espeâ—cially comforting the afflicted These two Virgâ—ns were renouned in Brittany during the time of Alâ—ric King of Kent But this suspicion that they lived at Canterbury seems to be grounded on the forementiond mistâ—ke that Alcuin was Abbot in the same Citty Whereas it is not to be doubted but that they were Northumbrian Virgins living in their Monastery at York where Alcuin taught 2. There has lately been rescued from the dust of oblivion one Epistle written by these devout Virgins to Alcuin which alone may be a proof sufficient both of their piety and learning In which Epistle they signify to him their earnest desire to receive from him out of France sometimes letters of instruâ—ction and consolation and that he would therein imitate S. Hierome who living in his Monastery at Bethleem did not disdain to write Epistles to severall Noble Virgins at Rome notwithstanding the great distance between in which Epistles he did moreover explicate to them many obscure passages in the Propheticall
and B. Godwin cast on the memory of our glorious Apostle Saint Augustin to whom they impute this horrible Massacre as if by his instigation that Pagan King had by this cruelty revenged their refusall to submitt to his Metropoliticall authority Whereas by the ioynt testimony of our Historians and the expresse words of Saint Beda Saint Augustin was dead long before to wit five years at least 8. But they reply that those words of Saint Beda quamvis ipso iam multo antè tempore ad caelestia regna sublato that is though Saint Augustin himself a good while before this was translated to Heaven included in a Parenthesis were added by Papists to salve Saint Augustins honour and are not found in the Saxon Translation of Saint Beda made by King Alfred True it is that in the Latin and Saxon Edition publish'd by Abraham Whelock in the year 1643 those words appear not in the Saxon Copy But the publisher though a Protestant ingenuously confesses that not only in all Impressions of Saint Beda's History some of which saw the light before any Protestants were but in all ancient Manuscripts extant in the Libraries of Cambridge that Clause of S. Beda was extāt and never included in a Parenthesis but only distinguish'd by Comma's 7. Surely if we will iudge of Saint Augustin by the Spirit of his Father and Master Saint Gregory we would not suspect him of so horribly murdrous a disposition For Saint Gregory though Rome and all Italy had been many years infested and wasted by the Lombards yet was so fearfull of being in any measure accessory to blood that he durst not concur to the death of any one of their Princes though he was assured therby to free the whole countrey from their Tyranny And S. Augustin himself as hath been shewed taught King Ethelbert a quite contrary Lesson That in the cause of Religion no violence or compulsion ought to be used 8. If any credit may be given to Ancient and till this age never questiond Tradition Saint Augustin was a man of eminent piety of admirable zeale for the rooting out Pagan Idolatry and planting the Gospell in this Island And even Protestants themselves acknowledge that Almighty God gave testimony to his Teaching by many great miracles If he had been guilty of some defects Christian Charity requires us either not to mention them or to let a thousand great obligations we have to his Memory preponderate them But upon meer ungrounded suspicions disproved by the current of Story to charge with crimes execrable to Heathens a person in the iudgment of the whole Church for almost a thousand years now raigning with Christ in glory is certainly a presumption of which God with whom the death of his Saints is precious will one day require a severe account 9. Yet of late this poysonnous humour of calumniating Gods Saints is become the principall Character of the New reformed Gospell I will adde one example more of a calumniatour at least parallel to these witt Mr William Prinn alate stigmatized Presbyterian who in his not long since publish'd Censure of Arch-bishop Whitgift charges Saint Anselm that he induced Sir Walter Tirrel to murder King William Rufus Now by the consent of all our Historians Tirrel himself was no murderer for it was by the unhappy casuall glancing of an arrow that the King was slain However it hapned yet certain it is that at that time Saint Anselm was an exild person in France and whereas at that Kings burial many Noble men mett but few mourned for his death yet saith a late Protestant Historian of all mourners Anselm express'd most cordial sorrow at the news That blasphemous tongue therefore must expect that such envenomed darts as these shott against heaven it self will if he repent not one day descend upon his own head and the wounds made by them never be cured But alas what Repentance can be expected in such a person who is inveteratus dierum malorum when wee see in his decrepite age his rancorous tongue against innocent Catholicks yet more violently sett on fire of hell so far as to solicite a generall Massacre of them by publishing himself and tempting others to damne their soules also by publishing through the whole kingdom that in the last fatall calamity by fire hapning to London they were the onely incendiaries This he did though himself at the same time confessed that not the least proof could be produced against them But said he it concerns us that this report should be beleived Complaints of this most execrable attentat were made and severall Oathes to confirm this were offred But in vain However surely there is a reward for the innocent oppress'd And what soever Mr Prinn may think doubtles there is a God who iudges the world Let him therefore remember what the Spirit of God sayes Quid detu◠tibi aut quid apponatur tibi ad linguam dolosam Sagittae potentis acutae cum carbonibus desolatoriis that is What must be given to thee and what must be assigned to thee for thy portion O deceitfull Tongue Sharp darts cast by an Almighty arme with devouring coales of juniper 10. With as good reason therfore S. Augustin may be accused of the slaughter of these Brittishs Monks as S. Columban a Holy Irish Monk in France might be charged with the most horrible death of Queen Bronichild hapning at this very time for he also by the Spirit of Prophecy forewarn'd her of it And so far may we esteem the ancient Prophets guilty of the calamities befalling many Princes and Stares which by Divine Inspiration they foretold 11. To all this wee may adde that there was no such freindly correspondence between the Kings of Kent and the Northumbers as that this latter should be employed by the former as an instrument of his unworthy revenge On the contrary wee read that Ethelfrid bore so mortall a hatred to all Christians that he denounced to the Kings of Kent and Essex that he would be no lesse an enemy to them because they had forsaken the Institutes of their Fathers then he was to the Brittains and Scotts And to conclude according to the plain Narration of S. Beda the Pagan King Ethelfrid came with no design against the Brittish Monks but their slaughter was caused by occasion of his seing them on a hill together and being told that they were assembled there to pray to God against him So that the Pagan Authour himself of the slaughter absolves both King Ethelbert and S. Augustin unjustly condemned by partiall and ungratefull Christians V. CHAP. 1. Kinegils the West Saxon King overcomes the Brittains 2. 3 The death of Sebert King of the East-Saxons His Successours 1. IN the year of Christ six hundred and fourteen Kinegilsus King of the West-Saxons after he had raigned three years assumed his Son others say his Brother Quicelmus a companion in his Throne And presently after they both fought a battell
rooms where coming to his guest he said thus to him Freind If those things which thou told'st mee lately concerning Christ be true I beseech thee to declare to mee freely and without any feare the meaning of my dream Mee thought I saw a certain man come down from heaven and presently an innumerable multitude of men laid hold on him and tormented him all the wayes they could devise they bound his hands with chaines they tore his flesh most greivously with whips they hung him on a tree stretching his hands a crosse The man thus tormented was quite naked not having so much as shooes on his feet His hands and feet were fastned to the wood with nailes and his side was peirced through with a spear and from his wound as it seem'd to mee there flowd both blood and water On his right hand they sett a reed and upon his head they put a crown of thorns 5. And when they had exercised all that human cruelty could devise they began to insult on him with despightfull speeches Saying to him Hayle King of the Iewes if thou art the Son of God come down from the Crosse and wee will beleive in thee And when they had continued a good while thus reviling him the Young man answerd them not a word To conclude after they had sayd what so ever they thought good to him at last he cryed out with a loud voyce and sayd Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said this he expired His livelesse body was afterward taken down from the Crosse out of which the blood still flowd abundantly They then layd it in a sepulcher of stone sealing the monument and setting guards to watch it But then followd a wonderfull thing for this bloodlesse carkeys return'd to life and resuming its former strength came out of the sepulcher which remaind seald as before I my selfe with mine own eyes saw how he rose again Then came from heaven certain men cloathed with Vestments white as snow and taking the man with them returned from whence they came and were attended by an infinite number of others in white garments which all the way ceased not to sing praise incessantly blessing the Father I know not who he was together with his Son saying Blessed be God the Father together with his onely begotten Son They express'd such wonderfull ioy as nothing could be compar'd to it These things I saw and besides these many other which I neither will nor ought to declare I beseech thee now tell mee what is signified by these things which were represented to mee in Vision Doe not fear any danger to your selfe at all but speak freely 6. The holy man Amphibalus having heard all this sensibly felt his heart visited by our Lord with incredible ioy And presently taking out a Crucifix which he had born secretly he said to Albanus Behold in this figure and image thou maist manifestly perceive the meaning and importance of thy last nights Vision For the man who came from heaven is this Iesus Christ my Lord Who refused not to undergoe the punishment of the Crosse to the end that by his blood He might free us from the guilt which we had contracted by the transgression of our first Father Adam Now those men which layd violent hands upon him and afflicted him by diverse sorts of torments were his own people the Iewes For though they had a promise from God that he would send unto them from heaven his own Son yet when he whom they so much and so long a time expected was come they did not acknowledge him to be the Authour of their salvation but contradicted him in every thing and returned to him evill for good and hatred for his love and in conclusion being agitated with extreme envy and malice against him they broke forth to such horrible impiety that they layd hold on him crucified and murdred him Thus it was that our mercifull Lord redeem'd us with the price of his own blood thus by dying he became victorious over death and being rais'd upon the Crosse he drew all to him For descending voluntarily to the enclosures of Hell he freed from Captiuity his own servants detain'd there and binding the Devill in everlasting chaines he cast him into the utmost places of darknes 7. Then Albanus being fill'd with wonder at these speeches broke forth into these words All that thou hast said of Christ is most true and can not be charged with any falsity For this last night I evidently perceived and with mine own eyes saw how Christ overcame the Devill how he bound him and thrust him down into the bottom of Hell where that abominable wretch lyes fast tyed with chaines So that hereby knowing that all things told by thee are true from this moment I doe professe that I will be thy most obedient Disciple Tell mee therfore I beseech thee for I know thou art ignorant of nothing how must I behave my self to the Father and the Holy Ghost now that I professe my self a servant of the Son 8. Amphibalus at this question with great ioy sayd I give thanks to my Lord Iesus Christ for that thou of thine own selfe hast had the knowledge to pronounce these three adorable Names Beleive therfore firmly and professe faithfully that the three Persons express'd by thee with their proper names are one onely God Albanus answered I beleive said he and from hence forward my firm Faith is that there is no other God besides my Lord Iesus Christ who for the salvation of mankind took our nature and suffred death on the Crosse He together with the Father and the Holy Spirit is one onely God and besides him there is no other 9. Having said this he oft times cast himself prostrate before the Crucifix and as if he had seen our Lord Iesus himself hanging on the Crosse this happy Penitent earnestly begg'd pardon for his sins Such affectionate kisses he often pressed on his feet and places of his wounds as if he had lieâ— prostrate as the feet of his Redeemer whom he had seen crucified Teares mixt with blood flowd abundantly from his eyes upon the Venerable Crosse which he accompanied with these words I renounce the Devill said he and I detest all the enemies of our Lord in whom only I beleive and resigne my self to him who as thou affirmest rose the third day from the dead 10. Then Amphibalus said to him Be of good courage our Lord is with thee and his Grace will never be wanting to thee That saving Faith which other men attain to by ministery of men thou hast learnt not of men nor by men but by the revelation of Iesus Christ himself Therfore being assured of thy constancy my purpose is to leave thee and to travell further that I may shew the way of Truth to other Gentiles also By no means said Albanus Stay at least one week longer with mee that I may be more perfectly instructed in the Faith by
assistance of the Nobility about her and her Counsell he at last obtained Thus Hermannus Cromback relates the matter out of an ancient Manuscript belonging to the Monastery of S. Pantaleon in Colen who adds that this Translation befell in the year of Grace nine hundred eighty four 11. To conclude this subject and to demonstrate with what devotion our whole nation hath always celebrated the memory of this our first Brittish Martyr shall be here annex'd out of Thomas Walsingham a breif narration how the Controversy was ended betwen the two Monasteries of S. Alban and Ely both which earnestly and confidently pretended that S. Albanus his body repos'd among them 12. For King Edward the second celebrating Easter in the Monastery of Ely employed his authority to procure that the Tomb in which the Monks affirm'd that the Body of S. Albanus lay among them should be opened Which at last though with great reluctance of the Monks being perform'd there was nothing at all found in it but only a course hairy garment in the upper part whereof was seen sprinckled in severall places thick congeald blood as fresh as if it had been shed a few dayes before which garment was without all question the Caracalla which S. Albanus received from his Master Saint Amphibalus and wherin he suffred Martyrdom And by this discovery the Monks of S. Alban to their great ioy gained their cause 13. Neither let any one wonder that the same Veneration should be pay'd to a Martyrs Vestment sprinkled with his blood which would be given to his whole body for by many miracles God hath testified that this is acceptable to him A more authentick witnes hereof cannot be required then the Holy and learned Father S. Gregory Nazianzen whose words are these A little portion of dust a particle of bones a little haire part of the Vestment or the marks of the blood of a Martyr sprinckled ought to have as much veneration as the whole body Nay I have known where onely the name of a Martyr attributed to a place has produced the same vertue that the Martyrs whole body would have done O wonderfull the memory alone of Martyrs is sufficient in my opinion to conferr health XVI CHAP. 1.2 c. The ancient Acts of S. Amphibalus 3. Great multituds present at the death of S. Albanus converted 4.5 S. Amphibalus venerates the Crosse. 6.7.8 A thousand Brittish Christians martyrd in the presence of S. Amphibalus 9. The place of their Martyrdome Lichfeild 1. THE first that follow'd S. Albanus by the way of Martyrdom to heaven was his Master Amphibalus who first shewd him the way thither Concerning whoÌ„ thus wee read in his Life extant likewise in Capgrave but written by a lesse ancient Authour as appears by the context of it for he mentions some Provinces by names which were not given them till some ages after these times as wallia Wales c. 2. When S. Amphibalus had by his preaching and exhortation through the operation of the Holy Ghost converted the glorious Martyr S. Albanus to the Fatih his Venerable Disciple earnestly perswaded him to depart that Citty of Verolam and withall gave him his own Soldiers garment richly woven with gold that so he might travell more safely from his enemies To whose request Amphibalus condescending began his flight early in the morning directing his iourney northward with an intention to preach the word of God to the Gentiles in Wales 3. After whose departure followd the Martyrdom of S. Albanus and when the multitudes which accompanied him to his death saw the pillar of light which from his tombe rais'd it self up to heaven and the Angells descending and asscending with praises to God all the night they were amazed at that unusuall ligâ—t which they ascribed to the miraculous power of God Whereupon one of theÌ„ seeing the rest astonishd thus spake to them It is manifest that it is Christ the Son of God who hath wrought these wonderfull things The Gods which we have hitherto worshipped are rather Monsters then Deities having no power nor Divinity in them so that we have spent our dayes in their worship without any proffit at all See how the nights darknes gives way to celestiall splendours See how the heavenly Cittizens come and goe celebrating the Sanctity of Albanus Let us therfore forsake our former Errours and be converted from lyes to truth from infidelity to Faith Let us goe and enquire out the man of God who as you know converted by his preaching Albanus to the Faith This man having with these and other like speeches exhorted the rest they all with one accord presently profess'd a detestation of their former Heathenish Errours and exalted the Faith of Christ. 4. Thus with great hast they directed their iouney into wales where the servant of God Amphibalus was suppos'd to remain To whom when they were come they found him preaching the word of life to the people of that Region and told him the cause of their coming withall presenting to him the Crosse which himself had before bestow'd on his Disciple Albanus and which was sprinckall over with fresh blood thereby exhibiting manifesâ—â—igns of the Blessed mans Martyrdom 5. As touching this Crosse thus Mathew of westminster writes The Crosse says he which the holy Martyr Albanus was wont almost continually to carry in his hands at his death being sprinckled with his blessed blood fell upon the grasse which a certain Christian privily took up and conceal'd it from the Pagans 6. The same Authour pursuing this Story adds That S. Amphibalus having heard and seen these things gave thanks to Almighty God and made a Sermon of Christian Religion to these his new Auditours who were in number about a thousand To whose doctrin they all immediatly profess'd their consent and beleif and therupon chearfully received from his sacred hands the Seale of Faith which is in Christ to witt his holy Baptism 7. In the mean time the conversion and departure of such great multitudes caused great trouble among the Pagan Cittizens of Verolam wherupon the Ministers of the persecution rais'd against Christians there resolved to pursue with all cruelty the holy man Amphibalus who had been the cause of so great a change and in order thereto they with armed forces march'd the same way which their companions had taken intending to find out this publick and profess'd Enemy of their Superstition In conclusion they easily found him who sought not to escape from them and they found him employed in his usuall office of preaching the word of God to his new Converts 8. Then according to the relation of the Acts of this holy Martyr rushing with violence upon him O seducing wretch said they how darest thou with thy fallacious inventions deceive this simple people and teach them to trample under â—â—â—t the Imperiall Lawes and contemne our Gods They said no more but mad with rage presently without any distinction
living in Citties together with all trades should rest on the Venerable day of our Lord. But as for those Pagans who lived in the Countrey free license was given them to employ themselves in cultivating the grounds Because it often happens that no other day is more commodious for plowing or digging the Vines Care therfore ought to be taken that an opportunity of a common good granted by divine Providence should not be lost 7. Yea so admirable was Constantins piety that he thought fitt to prescribe a Form of Prayer to be recited on all Sundays both by Christians in Citties and Pagans in Villages and specially by Soldiers in these words Wee acknowledge thee the only God wee professe thee our Soveraign King Wee invoke thee our Helper By thee wee obtain Victories by thee wee have vanquished our Enemies Wee acknowledge that from thee wee have obtained present felicity and hope wee shall obtain future also Wee are all of us thy Suppliants Wee beseech to preserve many years safe and victorious Constantin our Emperour together with his pious children 8. Yea moreover as Sozomen relates in honour of our Saviours Crosse and Passion he ordained a vacancy of judgments and Trades likewise on Fridayes and that some time should be spent then in Prayers and supplications to God 9. Lastly he not only by his own magnificence enriched the Church but by a Law opened as it were the purses of all men to endow it For he gave a generall licence to all persons without exceptions to bequeath what proportion of their goods they thought fit to the most holy Congregation of the Catholick Church 10. Yet one action this time Constantin did by which he stained the purity of his Faith Being at Sardica he was inform'd from Rome that his Palace had been struck with lightning Which was an ominous sign to the Pagan Romans and according to their ancient Laws to be averted by many superstitious lustrations and purgations Wherupon in condescendence to their request he gave order to the Magistrats to consult the Sooth sayers what was portended therby onely he commanded them to abstain from domesticall Sacrifices 11. But this unlawfull condescendence of the Emperour wrought an effect to the prejudice of Christians which he did not expect For upon this occasion the Heathen Roman Magistrats at the instigation of the Aruspices or Soothsayers would compell the Christians to ioyn in the publick expiatory Sacrifices But they refusing to doe it chose rather to leave the Citty Which doubtlesse was the cause of the voluntary Exile of the Holy Pope Silvester 12. Hereupon Constantin being informed of this was forced to publish a Severe Law commanding That if any one should endeavour to compell any Ecclesiasticall persons or any other professing the most holy Law of the Catholick Sect to celebrate the Rites of Heathenish lustrations if he were a mean person he should be publickly beaten with clubs if otherwise he should have a greivous fine imposed on him XIII HAP 1.2 Constantin baptised at Rome and the occasion of it Errour of Eusebius 6.7 c. His Great acts of Piety after his Baptism 1. HItherto Constantin had deferd his Baptism according to the Custome of many in that Age who being taught that that Holy Sacrament is a certain purgation of all Sins and gives to the persons an immediate and undoubted right to heaven frequently delayed the receiving it till their declining age or when death was ready to seise on them But in this year many sad misfortunes proceeding from heynous sins enforced Constantin now to have recourse to that saving remedy 2. True it is that Eusebius and other Greek Authours mislead by him affirm that he was not baptised till near his death and then received that Sacrament from the Sacrilegious hands of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomediae a principall pillar of the Arian Heresy Thus wrote the other Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea of the same faction to please Constantius his Son seduced by them But the constant Tradition of the Western Church confirm'd by many proofs as the authentick Acts of Artemius c. doth positively inform us that this year being the three hundred twenty fourth after the Incarnation of our Saviour Constantin received Baptism at Rome by the hands of Pope Silvester upon this occasion 3. The younger Licinius his Sisters Son was falsely accused to him of a design to rebell against him wherupon Constantin commanded him to be slain Immediatly after this he putt to death his own eldest Son Crispus born to him by Minervina a young Prince already famous for many Victories and adorned with many vertues and principally with chastity The crime layd to his charge was an attempt to violate his Mother in Law Fausta Constantins wife In conclusion it being too late discovered that this accusation was falsely invented by Fausta because the young man would not yeild to her lust Constantin caused his wife to be stifled in a hot bath 4. After these calamities and crimes as we read in the Acts of Pope Silvester and find asserted by Pope Hadrian and the Fathers of the Second General Council of Nicaea c. Almighty God struck Constantin with a Leprosy who being anxious to find a remedy he was inform'd by the Soothsayers that the only way to restore him was by a bath of infants blood Which detestable Medecin being abhorr'd by Constantin God was pleas'd by a Vision in Sleep wherin the Apostles S. Peter and Paul appear'd to him to instruct him that the only certain Remedy would be to receive Baptism at the hands of the Holy Pope Silvester Which was accordingly with great solemnity perform'd 5. Hereof an evident and Visible proof to this day is the magnificent Chappell built by Constantin himself in the same place where he was baptised in which according to the description eight hundred years agoe taken by Anastasius Bibliothecarius out of a most ancient Manuscript there was a font Baptisterium built of Porphyry and covered within and without with three thousand pound weight of pure silver and over it hung a Phiale weighing fifty pounds of pure gold in which yearly two hundred pounds of Balsom did burn On the brink of the Font was placed a Lamb of pure gold which powred forth water and weighed thirty pounds At the right hand of the Lamb stood the Statue of our Saviour of pure Silver weighing one hundred and seaventy pounds And â—n the left hand was placed S. Iohn Baptist of silver weighing one hundred pounds holding a scroll wherin was written Behold the Lamb of God Behold him whâ— takes away the sins of the world c. 6. After his Baptism the Emperour according to the Churches Custom being for seaven days cloath'd in White consecrated every day with some signall act of Piety In the first he published as a Law that Christ is the true Lord who cleansed him from his Leprosy and whom he commanded to be adored through the whole
sadnes nor dissolute in mirth never angry or turbulent but kind and affable to all Every day he repeated the hundred and fifty Psalms sometimes standing with his armes stretch'd forth in the figure of a Crosse sometimes â—alln on his knees From the day that he began to build his habitation he never used any garment of wooll or linnen but made use only of goat-skins Neither on his bed had he either feathers or cloaths but instead of feathers he strowd under him Nuttshells and instead of blankets sand mingled with pebles and two great stones he putt under his head He us'd the same garments day and night He never eat wheaten bread and but a small proportion of bread made of barley with which was mingled an equall measure of ashes He took his refection once only in two and sometimes three dayes His other dyet was a mixture of meale and cabbage without any fatt at all Vpon saturdays and sundays he would add a little cheese sodd in water and at Easter a few small fishes 3. It was his usuall custom dayly to visit a Church about a mile distant from his Monastery attended by a Deacon named Egbin and there to offer Sacrifices to God both for the living and dead And such was his diligence and devotion at the Holy Altar that he merited there to receive his reward of eternall happines For as it follows in the same Authour One day an Angel appeard to him and said Reverend Father the heavenly Cittizens desire thee for their companion and soon shalt thou be deliver'd from thy painfull exercises After this he presently call'd his Brethren together and said to them Prepare your selves to day for assoon as I have sung Masse and communicated the Body and Blood of our Lord at the sixth hower of the day our Lord will receive mee out of this mortall body Having therefore celebrated Masse as he stood at the Altar between two Monks which sustain'd him on each side and was singing with his Brethren he rendred his soule to God as untouch'd by corporall sicknes as it was free from any carnall staines 4. The same happy manner of his death is likewise recorded in the Gallican Martyrologe and the day signd by it is the third of March Where is further declar'd that in the times when the Normans wasted France his sacred Body was translated from his Monasâ—ery at Tauriacum to the Provinces further remov'd from sea and thence carried into Flanders and laid in the Blandin Monastery at Gaunt where the Feast of his Memory is celebrated on the first of August the day of his Translation Notwithstanding Malbranc earnestly contends that his sacred Relicks repose at Monstrueil where they shew likewise his Chasuble Albe and stole and there is a Church dedicated to his memory in French call'd S. Walâ—y 5. Now though S. Winwaloc dyed out of Brittany yet there were not wanting the monuments of his memory and Sanctity A town in Shropshire call'd even in the Saxons time Wenlock as Malmsburiensis testifies which seems a contraction of Winwaloc from him took its denomination There it was that the Holy Virgin Milburga founded a Monastery of Religious Virgins as shall in due place be declared 6. And whereas in the Gests of S. Winwaloâ— mention hath been made of his attendant and Deacon calld Egbin or as others write it Ethbin the memory of his Sanctity also is particularly preserv'd in the Gallican Martyrologe where wee read that he overliv'd his Master went over into Ireland there in a Wood call'd Neeten built a Monastery where with great sanctity he lived and dyed on the nineteenth of October Severall other particulars are there related of him which considering he was a stranger to this Island doe not require a place in this History Onely one passage in which S. Winwaloc is also concern'd shall be here produced viz 7. Ethbin by his merits and piety being Deacon was chosen to be the dayly attendant and assistant to the Holy Preist Winwaloc Now it was S. Winwalocs custom to repair dayly to a a little private Church separated from noyse and abode of people about a mile distant from his Monastery that he might more quietly and without distraction offer the Divine Sacrifice for the Living and the Dead Going thither one day accompanied by his Deacon Ethbin there mett him one vayld in the figure of a miserable Leaper with a lamentable voyce begging assistance Ethbin mov'd with great compassion and charity embrac'd and kiss'd the Leaper and the same also at his monition did S. Winwaloc Our Lord accepted their office of charity with great kindnes for he loves to be cherish'd in his poor members and therfore he was pleas'd to give each of them a present reward of their unfeign'd Charity For flying from their embraces our Lord immediatly appear'd in a cloud in great glory and with gracious words assur'd them that their names were already written in the Book of Life and that they should with his Saints be partakers of his kingdom This most happy assurance of their future blessednes Ethbin out of a vile esteem of himself ascrib'd to the merits of S. Winwaloc And he on the other side moved with the same Humility and charity cast the merit on Ethbin XI CHAP. 1. S. Ninianus death 2.3 c. The Centuriatours testimony of him 6.7 His Miracles 8. Of Casa Candida 9. Alcuinus his Epistle touching him 1. THE same year four hundred thirty two is mark'd with the happy death of S. Ninianus whose Gests have been formerly related This Holy man saith the Authour of his Life wonderfully shining with miracles and illustrious for many vertues at last approch'd to the happy day in which God graciously call'd him out of this mortall life Thus being perfect in Grace and piety mature in age on the sixteenth of the Calends of October he happily mounted to heaven His Body was buried in the Church dedicated to S. Martin which himself had built from the foundation Hence may be disprov'd the assertion of an Irish Writer extant in Bishop Vshers Antiquities of the Brittish Churches concerning S. Ninianus his going into Ireland and dying there 2. The Lutheran Centuriators of Magdeburg likewise confirm what is here deliver'd of his dying in Brittany and moreover adde some things deserving our observation Their words are these Ninianus a Venedotian was a Teacher of Christian verities of a desert more then ordinary He to his old age did largely communicate the Talent wherewith God had entrusted him among the Brittains Scotts and Southern Picts He was a man assiduous in the reading of Holy Scripture mercifull to orphans widdows and poor illustrious in miracles and sanctity By his pious industry the Nation of the Picts first of all relinquishing their Idolatry embraced the true Faith of Christ. He dyed among the Picts in the Province of Galloway in the year of Grace four hundred thirty two having been the first Bishop of Candida
in thankfullnes for his victory obtaind against the bloody King of the Mercians Penda XXII CHAP. 1.2 The Gests of S. Adulf and S. Botulph brethren 1. AT the same time with S. Hilda flourished S. Botulph and his Brother S. Adulph whom erroneously some Writers affirm to have been Scotts who are confuted by the whole contexture of their Lives For thus we read in their Gests recorded by Ioannes Anglicus in Capgrave Before Christian Religion was spread over Brittany the Venerable Fathers Botulph and Adulf born of a Noble family and of a German descent and more strictly linked by charity then blood being very young were initiated in spirituall and celestial exercises For being born of a Saxon stock which conquered Brittany by martiall courage they from their infancy were imbued in the Christian Faith But their parents being rude and unacquainted with the Documents of perfection sent their children five in number to their ancient countrey of Saxony there to learn the Discipline of a holy conversation 2. Thus by mistake writes that Authour for as yet Christianity was not entred into Saxony Therefore in stead of Saxony we are to understand Belgick France whither by S. Beda's testimony our Ancestors in those times usually sent their children to be in 〈◊〉 in more sublime Christian Philosophâ— The same Writer thus prosecutes hiâ— Narratio 3. With this intention the foresaid Fathers paâ—sing the Sea repaired to Monasteries of Holy Religious men desiring coÌ„munication with them to be instructed in the Document of a spirituall life There being imbued with Monastical Instituâ— and disciplines of a more austere life they received the Religious Habit and in a short time Gods Grace became enabled co be Teachers â— Perfection 4. The King therefore hearing the fame of S. Adulphus exalted him to the Government of the Church of Virect in Belgium Who in discharge of that sublime employment was very watchfuâ— and solicitous to prevent the snares and cunning designs of the Devill who like a ravening wâ—l sought the destruction of his flock He was sedulouâ— in works of mercy feeding the poor cloathing the naked correcting those which strayd and comforting the afflicted to the end he might himself obtain the effect of our Lords Promise Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy He was instant in fasting watching and prayers He prevented his preaching by his practise and in all things lead a saintlike life 5. In the Gallican Martyrologe he is adorned with this Elogy On the seaventeenth of Iune is celebrated the Memory of S. Adulph Bishop of Vâ—rect who was Brother of S. Botulph and out of Brittany passing with him into France for his eminent endowments and Sanctity of life was raised to that See wherein by his admirable vertues and learning he became a shining light to his flock and at last with a great affluence of merits ended his life or rather being translated by death he passed to a life immortall 6. As for his Venerable Brother S. Botulph by the testimony of the foresaid Authour being well exercised in vertue and holines he resolved to return into England Now there were in the same Monastery where he made his abode two Sisters of Ethelmund a Prince among the Southangles who had been sent thither to be instructed in Monasticall Disciplines They hearing that the Blessed man had a purpose to return to his countrey gave him commissions to be delivered to their Brother Having therefore passed the Sea S. Botulph was honourably received by the said Prince who having heard his Sisters petitions and accepted them granted to the Holy man a place for building a Monastery Now S Botulph did not desire that for his cause any one should be driven out of his hereditary possession but rather that some place unpossessed and uncultivated should be assigned him that there he might build a Church and congregate brethren to serve God by whose pious lives and prayers his Principality might be established in this world and an eternall kingdom prepared for him in the world to come This request the Prince willingly granted whereupon the Venerable Father chose a certain untilled place where none dwelt named Ikanho It was a Wildernes unfrequented by men but possessed by Devills whose phantasticall illusions were to be expelled thence and a Religious conversation of pious men to be introduced that where the Devills fallacies abounded there our Lords Divine Grace might superabound 7. Where this place called Ikanho was seated is now uncertain The Centuriators of Magdeburg from Leland and Bale place it not far from the Citty of Lincoln And indeed in that Province where the River Witham enters the Sea there is a Town called Boston but more truly Botulphs-town for saith Camden it being formerly by Beda called Icanhoe took a new name from Botulph a most holy Saxon. Likewise in Huntingdon-shire there is a town called Bottle-bridge for S. Botulphs-bridge So that it seems in one of these two places S. Botulph built his Monastery 8. The said Authour thus pursues his Narration When he had finished his Monastery like a good shepheard he gathered together his flock whom he diligently taught Apostolick Doctrines and Instituts of the Holy Fathers and whatsoever good Documents he had learnt abroad concerning Monasticall Disciplines those he instilled into the minds and practises of his Monks He was beloved by all for he was free from arrogance being humble mild and affable in all things He was illustrious likewise for many miracles and the gift of Prophecy For sometimes by Divine inspiration he foretold future things as expressly as if they had been passed When he was oppressed with any infirmity he with blessed Iob persisted in thanking God and all his discourse was of matters which might edify and advance the hearers Such was his conversation during his life and in such exercises he attained to a good old age 9. He dyed most happily the same year in which S. Hilda also dyed and was buried in the Monastery which he had built There his Sacred Relicks remained till the Danes invading this Island wasted all Holy places with fire and sword Then by the care of S. Ethelwold they were translated part to the Monastery of Ely and part to that of Thorney The Memory of S. Botulph was elsewhere also celebrated for at London there is a Church dedicated to his honour Hence we read this passage in Capgrave In the Book of the Church of S. Botulph near Aldersgate London there is mention how a part of the Body of S. Botulph was by King Edward of Happy memory conferred on the Church of S. Peter in Westminster His memory is celebrated in our Martyrologe on the sixteenth of May. THE SIXTEENTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAPTER 1.2 c. The Mercians Converted and an Episcopall See erected there 5 Ithamar Bishop of Rochester dyes and Damian succeeds 6. The Holy Offspring of Merovald a Prince of the Mercians
mine own brain But having in my frequent voyages passed through no fewer then seaventeen-well ordred Monasteries I informed my self in all their Laws and Orders and selecting the best among them those I have recommended to you Moreover he enioyned them to have a speciall care that the most noble and well furnished Library which he had brought from Rome and which was so necessary for the instruction of the Church should not through negligence be spoyld or dissipated 5. But one speciall Injunction he often and earnestly renewd to them which was That in the Election of an Abbot no regard at all should be had by any of them to kinred but only to integrity of life and ability of reaching For said he I prosesse unto you that I would much rather chuse that this place in which I have founded this Monastery if such were the will of God should be reduced to a barren wildernes then that mine own Brother who we know does not walk in the wayes of Piety should succeed mee in the charge of Abbot And therefore my Brethren be yee in a speciall manner wary not to seek in my place a Father either among strangers or for propinquity of blood to any of you But according as is contained in the Rule of the Great Patriark and Abbot S. Benedict as likewise in the particular Decrees of this Monastery when you meet together in the common Assembly of your Congregation for the Election of an Abbot let him be proposed to the Bishop to receive his Benediction whom you shall unanimously chuse as most apt for that charge both with regard to his vertue and learning 6. The same Venerable Abbot Benedict likewise to qualify the tediousnes of long nights which by reason of his infirmity he was forced to passe without sleep was accustomed to send for one of the Monks to read to him some portion of Scripture suitable to his present state as the Story of the patience of Iob or such like by meditating on which his mind might be more vigorously affected to the love and desire of heavenly things And because he was utterly unable to rise out of his bed to the Quire and withall found great difficulty to raise his voyce and frame his tongue to the usuall course of Psalmody he out of a prudent devotion would every Ecclesiasticall hower send for some of his Monks and whilst they divided as it were into two quires chanted the Psalms proper for the Hower by day or night he as well as he could would ioyn his voyce with theirs and so by their assistance he would perform the divine Office which alone he could not doe 7. These two Venerable Abbots being thus oppressed with sicknes one day had a desire to meet together that they might see one the other and consult together touching the common good of the Monasteries which they were become unable any longer in their own persons to govern But so extreme was their weaknes that Abbot Sigfrid was carried in a Coffin to the Chamber where S. Benedict lay on his bed and both of them being placed close to one another with their heads on the same pillow yet their weaknes was such that without the help of others attending on them they were unable to ioyn their lips together to give and take their last kisse of charity which was a sad spectacle to the assistants who helped them to perform this last Office 8. At that time Holy Abbot Benedict by the advice of Sigfrid and consent of all the Monks of both Monasteries sent for Ceolfrid a man of nearer propinquity to his vertues then blood whom he had formerly constituted Abbot of the Monastery of S. Paul and proposed him to be Abbot of both the Monasteries whereto all the Religious men present willingly consented as judging it most proffitable to the common good and the preservation of peace and concord that one Spirituall Father should have the care and direction of those two neighbouring Monasteries 9. After these things were thus ordered within two months the Venerable and devout Abbot Sigfrid having passed through the fire and water of many tribulations was conveyed to the refreshment of eternall peace And four months after his death S. Benedict also the great conquerour of all vertues was brought to his last end That whole night the Religious Monks spent in watching and modulating Divine Psalms so comforting themselves in the losse of so beloved and reverenced a Father Severall of them continued in the chamber where the devout Abbot lay expecting his deliverance from mortality All that night they employed in reading some parts of the Gospell for his comfort and in prayers and his last hower approaching they gave him for his Viaticum the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord. And thus that holy soule after it had been purified in the furnace of many tribulations took her flight freely to eternall glory precisely in the point of time when the Monks reciting the whole Psalter were come to this Psalm Domine quis similis erit tibi c. the scope of which Psalm imports that notwithstanding the malice and violence of our spirituall enemies continually watchfull to destroy us yet by Gods help every faithfull soule shall triumph over them and mock at their eternall confusion So that it may seem that by Divine Providence this Psalm was recited the same moment when that happy soule left her mortall body to shew that no Enemy should have power to hinder her passage to eternall felicity 10. His death hapned in the sixteenth year after he had founded the Monastery of Saint Peter which he governed eight years alone and the eight years following with the assistance of Easterwin Sigfrid and Ceolfrid the first of whom continued Abbot four years the second three and the third one He dyed on the day before the Ides of Ianuary and was buried in the Church of the Blessed Apostle S. Peter to the end that after his death his Body might not be far divided from the Altar and Relicks of him to whom whilst he lived in the flesh he bore a devout affection and who was to open unto him the gates of the celestiall kingdom 11. Thus far have we continued the History of the two ancient and famous Monasteries of S. Peter and S. Paul at Wiremouth and Girwy together with the Gests and death of the first Abbots S. Benedict Easterwin and Sigfrid which though they hapned beyond the present time of this History yet I thought fitt not to interrupt S. Beda's Narration or divide each occurrent assigning it to its proper year to the prejudice of the Readers memory As for the Gests of the remaining Abbot Ceolfrid to whose care our famous and learned Historian S. Beda was committed we will treat of them hereafter in due place XIV CHAP. 1.2 c The Gests of Saint Ebba Abbesse of Coldingham 1. IN the year of Grace six hundred eighty three S. Ebba Abbesse of
and Martin the fourth And Polydor Virgil an Italian acknowledges that he was sent into England to perform the Office of Collectour for the Pope 8. This liberality begun by our Saxon Kings was imitated by other Extern Princes in succeeding times Thus Pope Gregory the ninth of that Name in an Epistle to his Legats declares that in the Archives of S. Peter in three severall places it is fâ—und that Charles the Emperour collected yearly for the service of the Apostolick See twelve hundred pounds besides what every one offred in his particular devotion And in the year of Grace one thousand forty six by a Generall Assembly of the States of Poland under King Casimir a promise was made of a half penny yearly to be payed by every person in that kingdom to the Pope And in the year of our Lord one thousand seaventy six Demetrius Duke of Dalmatia Croatia in a Synod assembled at Salona obliged himself to pay to the See of Rome an annuall Tribute of two hundred peices of Gold called Byzantins The like Pensions we read to have been given by the Dukes of Brittany c. Thus much wee thought fitt to adde upon occasion of this charitable Liberality to the See of Rome begun by the devout Saxon King Ina. Wee will prosecute his iourney the year following XVIII CHAP. 1. Death of Tobias Bishop of Rochester 2 3 S. Boniface consults the Pope about severall Questions which are resolved by him 1. THE same year Tobias Bishop of Rochester dyed He was saith S. Beda Disciple of Theodore Arch-bishop of Canterbury of happy memory and of Adrian Abbot of S. Augustins Monastery And to a great perfection of learning both Ecclesiasticall and secular he added so accurate a skill in languages both Greek and Latin that they were as familiar to him as his Native countreys tongue He was buried in the Porch of S. Pauls which himself had built within the Church of S. Andrew to be a place for his sepulcher From this passage of S. Beda the great Cardinall Baronius inferrs that the English Nation received from the Roman Church not the Catholick Faith only but likewise all good literature To Tobias there succeeded in the See of Rochester Aldulfus who was the tenth Bishop of that Church 2. But the incessant labours of S. Boniface wil oft interrupt our Narration of the affaires of Brittany and require our attention to them This year as appears by an Epistle or Pope Gregory to him he sent his Preist Denuaâ— to the said Pope to onsult him about certain difficulties occurring in the discharge of his Apostolick Office As 1. within what degrees of propinquity Mariage may be permitted to which the Resolution was that the utmosâ— strictnes ought not to be exercised to such new converted Nation and therefore thaâ— beyond the fourth degree of affinity or consanguinity Mariage might be allowd Again 2. that in case a woman have an incurable infirmity before Mariage be accomplished it may be lawfull for the husband to marry another 3. That if a Preist be defamed by an accusation of the people and no certain Witnesses be produced against him the Preist by oath making God witnes of his innocence shall remain in his degree 4. That it is no fitt that more Chalices then one should be upon the Altar at celebration of Masse 5 That concerning eating meats consecrated to Idols it may be allowd after making the sign of the Crosse over them except in case oâ— scandal mentioned by S. Paul â—â— at one shoulâ— say This was offred to Idols 6. That childrenâ—o â—o either sex offred by their parents to God in their infancy to a Regular Discipline may not afterward in ripe age leave that state and contract matrimony 7. That persons baptized by adulterous and scandalous Preists ought not therefore to be rebaptized But in case there be a doubt whether infants have been baptized or not then according to the Tradition of the Holy Fathers they ought to be baptized 8 That the holy Sacrament of Christs body and blood ought not to be denyed to persons infected with Leprosy or other like contagious disease but they must not be admitted to eat and drink with others 9. That in case the Pestilence should rage in Monasteries oâ— Churches it would be a folly to flye since no man can scape Gods hands 10. That he ought sharply to reprove scandalous and licentious Bishops or Preists but was not obliged to refuse eating or conversing with them For this may be a mean to gain them 3. Some of these doubts also S. Boniface proposed to his learned freinds in Brittany and particularly to the holy Prelat Daniel Bishop of Winchester who returned him the like answers and comforted him being much afflicted with his perverse and obstinat German Clergy Both his Epistle and the Answer to it are still extant XIX CHAP. 1.2 c. King Ina at Rome builds the Schoole of the English â—hâ—re it was seated 6 7 He there takes a Monasticall Habit. his happy death 1. IN the year of Grace seaven hundred twenty seaven the devout King Ina finished his iourney to Rome At his leaving Brittany he resigned his kingdom to his kinsman called Ethelard a worthy Successour of so Noble a Prince And being thus discharged of so great a burden of secular solicitudes he performed his iourney more chearfully 2. Being arrived at Rome saith Mathew of Westminster he by the consent and will of Pope Gregory built in the Citty a certain house which he would have to be called The Schoole of the English To the said house the following Kings of this Nation the Princes Bishops Preists or any other Ecclesiasticks were to come to be instructed in the Catholick Faith and learning to prevent the teaching any perverse doctrine contrary to Catholick Vnity and when they were become well established in the Faith they returned home again 3. It seems that not only the Popes in these times but the Saxon Princes in Brittany thought more convenient that the youth of this Nation should be taught learning and vertue at Rome rather then publick Schooles should be erected at home And the reason is given by the same Authour saying From the time of S. Augustin our Apostle to this Publick Schooles and Professours of Teaching were by the Bishops of Rome straitly forbidden to the English by reason of the many Heresies which at the coming of the English into Brittany at which time the Pagans were mixed with the Christians did much corrupt the doctrines and Discipline of Christianity So that the Censure given by the Apostat Bale touching this Foundation does well become him who affirms That it was erected to the great mischeif of the English state 4. Besides this house the same King Inas built near to it a Church to the honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary in which the Divine Mysteries might be celebrated by and for such