men able and willing to take paines amongest whome that notable and excellent lerned man VVilbrorde priest was chieff Who after their arriuall thither being in number xij went streyt to Pypine chiefe gouuernour then of Fraunceâ— where being very frendly intertained of him because he had lately taken the lower part of Frisland and by force driuen oute their kinge Radbed he sent them thither to preache ayding and assisting them with his princely authoritie that no man should by violence iniury them or interrupte their preachinge and also bountifully rewarding all such as would embrace and receiue the faithe Whereby it came to passe by the assistaunce of Gods grace that in shorte tyme they conuerted very many from idolatrie to the faith of Christ. After the example of these holy men ij other englishe priestes which had voluntarily liued in banishment a longe tyme in Ireland for hope of aeternall lyfe came to Saxonie if happely by their preaching they might winne any to Christ. As these good men had leeke deuotion so had they bothe one name being bothe called Henwalde Yet for diuersitie to knowe one from the other one was called blacke Henwalde and the other white Henwalde because of the diuerse colour of their heare Bothe of them had a greate zeale and reuerend loue to Christes religion But blacke Henwalde was the better diuine They coming into the countrey went to a farmers house and desired they might be conducted to the Lorde which had the rule and gouuernaunce there saying they had an embassy and other matters of importaunce to declare vnto him For the olde Saxons had no kings but many Lordes to rule the countrie Who as often as there was surmise or feare of warres towarde did cast lotts equally amongest them selfs and vppon whome the lott fell him they folloed as their generall capitaine as longe as the warres indured and obediently exequuted what so euer he commaunded When the warres were done all the Lordes wer equal in powre and authority againe as they were before The farmer intertained these good men and promising to conduct them to the Lorde of the soyle according to their request staied them iij. or iiij dayes in his house When they were espied of the rude barbarous people and knowen to be of an other religion for they soonge hymnes psalmes and other deuoute prayers and saied masse hauing with them bookes and holy vessells and a litle table hallowed in stede of an aulter they had them in ieolosy and suspicion that if they came to the Lorde and talked with him they would turne him quite from worshipping of their gods and bringe him to the new religion of Christes faith Wherby a litle and litle all the whole country should be enforced to chaunge the old auncient manner of worshipping their Gods into some newe religion neuer heard of before Wherfore they toke them away sodainly and killed white Henwald with a sworde and blacke Henwald with longe torments and horrible diâ—membringe all partes of his body and after they had murdred theÌ„ cast theÌ„ into the riuer of Rhene This fact when the Lord of the couÌ„try whom they desyred to see vnderstoode he was very angry that straungers repayring to him could not haue free passage And streytwais sending forth his men of armes slew all the inhabitaunts of the same village and burnt their houses downe to the grounde Those good priestes and faithfull seruants of our Sauiour Christe suffred the third day of Octobre and to testifye their Martirdom vnto the wordle there lacked no miracles from heauen For when their bodies were cast of the paynims as we signified before into the ryuer Rhene it so fortuned that they were caried against the maine runninge streame almost xl miles where their companions were and a greate bright beame of light reaching vp to heauen shyned euery night ouer the place whersoeuer they came they them selues that had cruelly murdered them beholding and seing the same Moreouer one of them appered by vision in the night to one of their companions whose name was Tilmon a noble man of great renowne in the worlde who from the high degre of a knyght becacame a monke shewing that he might finde their bodies in that place where he should see a light shyne from heauen The which came so to passe And their bodies being founde they were buried with all honour worthy for such holy martires And the day of their Martirdome or rather of the findings of their bodies is kepte solemne and holy in those parties with much deuotion and reuerence Finally when that worthy and renouned Captaine of the frenchmen named Pipine had vnderstanding of this he caused their bodies to be buried very honourably in the church of Coollen a famous citie situated harde by the riuer Rhene Besides it is commonly saied that in the place where they were kylled there spronge vp a fountaine which at this present day floweth with a greate streame to no litle commoditie of the country How ij reuerend and holy men were made bishoppes to set forth and preache Christes religion in Frisland Switbert in Britanny and Wilbrorde in Rome The. 12. Chapter AT the first arriuall of these holy men to Freslande Wilbrorde hauing lycence of the prince to preache went first to Rome where Sergius at that present occupied the sea Apostolique that with his lycence and benediction also he might set vpon that Apostolike office of preachinge to the heathen which he longe desyredâ— hoping with al to receiue of him some reliques of Christes holy Apostles and Martirs to the end that while in the country where he preached he should erect churches after the idolles were cast out and destroyed he might haue in a readinesse some holy saintes reliques to bring in their place and to dedicat churches in their honour whose reliques he had receuid Diuers other thinges also he lerned and receiued from thence requisite for so greate an enterprise In al which requestes when his desyre was accomplished he returned backe againe to preache At the very same time his bretherne and companions left in Fresland altogether beÌ„t to the setting forth of Gods word choosed out of their coÌ„pany a maÌ„ modest and sober in al outward behauiour and humble of spirit called Switbert to be their bishop Whom sent for that purpose into Britanny the most reuerend father in God VVilfride did consecrate lyuinge then as a banished man out of his country amongest the Marshes For at that tyme Canterbury had neuer a bishop Theodore was dead and Berthwalde his successour which went ouer the sea to be consecrated was not yet returned to his bishoprike The said Switbert returning out of Britanny after he was consecrated and made bishopp went within a shorte tyme after to the Bruchtuars And coÌ„uerted a greate nuÌ„ber of them to the perfect way of truth but shortly after wheÌ„ the Bruchtuars wer subdued and conquered by the old SaxoÌ„s al that receiued the gospell were dispersed some into this
to the faith a Saxon borne which was taken with the same sickenesse and had kept his bed no small time And when the second day of the said fasting and praying was nowe come it happened that about vij a clocke in the morning as the boy was leafte al alone in the place where he lay sicke sodainly by the appointement of God there vowtsafed to appere vnto him the most blessed two chiefe Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul For the boy was of a very innocent and meke mind and nature and with sincere deuocion kepte the sacramente of faith which he had receaued In this vision the Apostles first saluted him with most gentle wordes saying Feare not Sonne the death for which thou art so pensife for we wil this day bring thee to the kingdom of heauen But first thou must tary til the Masses be said and after thou hast receaued thy viage prouisioÌ„ the body and bloud of our Lord being so released both of sickenes and death thou shalt be lifted vp to the euerlasting ioyes in heauen Therefore doo thou call for priest Eappa vnto thee and tell him that our Lorde hath heard your prayers and deuocion and hath mercifully looked vpon your fastinge neither shall there any one more dye of this plage either in this monasterie or in any of the possessions that adioyne to the same But as many as belonge to you any where and lye sicke shall rise againe from their sickenes and be restored to their former health saue only thow which this daye shalt be deliuered from death and be brought to heauen to the vision of our Lord Christ whome thow haste faithfully serued Which thing it hath pleased the mercy of God to doo for you through the intercession of the godly and dere seruant of God king Oswald which sometime gouerned the countre of Northumberland most nobly both with the authoritie of this temporall kingdome and also in holynesse and deuotion of Christen pietie which leadeth to the euerlasting kingdom For on this very day the same king being bodely slaine in battaile of the infidels and miscreants was straight takeÌ„ vp to heaueÌ„ to the eternal ioyes of the soule and felowship of the chosen and electe companies Let them seke in their booke that haue the notes of the departing of the dead and they shall fynd that he was takeÌ„ out of the world on this selfe day as we haue sayd And therfor let theÌ„ say Masses and geue thankes that their prayer is heard and also for the memory of the sayd king Oswald which sometime gouerned their nation For therefore did he humbly pray our Lord for them as being strauÌ„gers and exiles of his people And when all the bretherne are come together to the churche let them all be houselled and so fynish their faste and refresh their bodies with sustenaunce All the which wordes when the boy had declared to the priest being called vnto him the priest enquired of him what maner of aray and lykenes the men had which appeared vnto him He aunsweared they were very notable and goodly in their aray and countenaunces and exceding ioyfull and beautifull such as he neuer had sene before nor beleued that any men could be of so great comlynesse and beautie The one was shauen like a priest the other had a long beard And they sayd that the one of them was called Peter and thother Paul and that they were the ministers and seruantes of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ of whome they were sent from heauen for the sauing and defense of our monasterie Wherefore the priest belieued the wordes of the boye and went out by aud by and sought in his booke of Cronicles and found that king Oswald was slaine on that very day Then called he the bretherne together and commaunded dyner to be prouided and masses to be sayd and that they should all communicat after the accustomed maner And also willed a parte of the same sacrifice of our Lordes oblation to be brought to the sicke boye which thinge so done not loÌ„g after the boy died the very same day and proued by his death that the wordes were true which he had heard of Christes Apostles And this morouer gaue witnesse to his wordes that at that time no creature of the same monasterie was taken out of the world except him only By which vision many that might heare of the same were meruaylowsly styrred and enflamed both to praye and call for Gods mercy in aduersitie and also to vse the holesome helpes and medicines of fastinge And from that time not in that monasterie only but in very many other places to the birthe day of the sayd kinge and champion of Christ began yearely to be kept holy with masses and deuout seruice most reuerently Howe king Ceadwall â—lew Edilwach king of the Genisses and wasted that prouince with cruell death and ruyn The. 15. Chap. IN this meane time Ceadwall a valiant yong man of the royall blood of the Genisses being bannyshed from his countre came with an hoste of men and slewe king Edilwach of Sussex and wasted that prouince cruelly murdering and spoyling euery where But he was sone after driuen owt by two Capitaines of the kinges Berthun and Authun whiche from that tyme dyd holde and kepe the dominion of the prouince The chief of whiche two was afterward slaine of the same Ceadwall being then kinge in the west countre and the prouince subdued and browght into more greuouse subiection then it was before Againe he that raigned after Ceadwall oppressed it with lyke miserie and bondage a great many yeres Whereby it came to passe that the people of Sussex in all that time could haue no bishop of their own but were faine their first byshop VVilfride being called home againe to be vnder the diocese of the byshop of the Genisses which belongeth to the VVest Saxons as many as were in the territory of Selsee Howe the Ile of Wyght receaued christen inhabitantes in which I le two childerne of the kinges blood as sone as they were Christened were slayne The. 16. Chap. AFter that Ceadwall had thus obtayned the kingdome of the Geuisses or west Saxons he tooke the I le of Wight also which was so all giuen to the worshipping of idols that he entended vtterly to bannysh and dryue owt thence all the old natiue inhabitantes and to put people of his owne countre in their place For thowghe he was not yet at that time christened and regenerated in Christ him selfe at it is sayd yet he bownd him selfe with a vowe that if he tooke the Iland he wold giue vnto God the fourth part therof and of all the pray Which thing he so perfourmed that bishop VVilfride happening to be there at that time a man of his own countree he gaue and offred the same vnto him to the vse and seruice of our Lorde The sayd Iland conteyned as the English doo rate it M. CC. tenementes Whereof was giuen to
Howe Coenrede kinge of the Marsshes and Offa king of the East Saxons ended their liues in the habitt of religion and of the lyfe and death of bisshop VVilfride The 20. Chap. THe iiij yeare of Osredes raigne king Coenrede which kept the soueraintie in the countrie of Marshes honourably for a tyme did more honourably forsake it and all his dominions For vnder Constantine the Pope he went to Rome and receiuing there the tonsure and habitt of a religious man at the Apostles toumbes continued in praying fasting and dealing of almes vntill his dying daye Vnto this noble prince Coenrede succeded kinge Edilredes son which Edildred had the gouuernement of the same realme before him There went with him also to Rome Sigheres sonn king of the east Saxons called Offa whome we mentioned before a princely and beautefull gentleman and then in his first flowres and much desired of his subiectes to remaine and rule among them But he moued with leke deuotion and zeale as the other prince was forsoke his ladye his landes his kinsfolke and countrie for Christes sake and the ghospell that in this world he might receiue an hundred folde and in the world to come life euerlasting with Christ. When he came to the holy places att Rome he also was shoren into religion in the which he passed the rest of his life and came to the vision of the blessed Apostles in heauen as he had longe desired before The very selfe same yere that these ij princes went out of Britannie a worthy prelate and notable bishopp called VVilfride died the xlv yeare after he had ben made bisshoppe in the territory called Wundale And his body well chested was caried to the monastery of Rhippon wher he had before liued and with al honour and solemnitie worthy for so noble a bishopp was buried in Saincte Peters church at Rhyppon Of whose life and behahauiour let vs brieflly make mention what things were done returning as it were backe againe to that we haue spokeÌ„ before This Wilfride being but a childe was of such towardnesse and good nature induced with so many goodly qualities of such modest and honest behauiour in all pointes that all the elders and auncients did with a speciall good loue reuerence him After he was xiiij yere olde he more estemed a monasticall and solitarie lyfe than all secular and wordly wealth The which thing when he had communicated with his father for his mother was departed to the mercy of God he gladly condescended to his holly requestes and godly desires and exhorted him to persiste in that godly purpose which he had entended Hereuppon he came to the isle Lindisfarne and there atteÌ„ding vpoÌ„ the monks he diligeÌ„tly lerned and gladly practised al pointes of chastity and godlinesse required in a solitarie and religious man And because he had a goodly pregnant witt he lerned spedely psalmes and certain other bookes of prayers being not yet shoren in or professed but well garnished with those vertues which far surmounted the outward profession to witt of humility and obedience For the which he was wel loued and estemed bothe of the elders and also of his equals When he had serued God certaine yeares in that monastery he perceaued by litle and litle being growen in iudgement as a wife younge man that could quickly fore see the waye of trewe religion and vertue taught by the Scotts not to be altogether perfecte Whereuppon he fully determined to make a voyage to Rome only to see what riâ—es and ceremonies were obserued there as well of secular priestes as of religious personnes The which determination of his after notice geuen to his Bretherne by preuy conference eche man did well commeÌ„d it and persuaded him to go forward in his good purpose Incontinent coming to Quene Eamflede who knew him wel and by whose counsell and coÌ„mendation he was receaued into that monastery declared to her hyghnesse that he had an earnest and feruent desyre to visit the monuments of the holy Apostles The Quene much delited with the younge mans good purpose and zele sent him to Caunterbury to kinge Ercombert which was her vncles sonne requiring that it might please his highnesse to send him honorably to Rome at what time Honorius one of the blessed Pope Gregories schollers a man profoundly lerned in holy scripture was Archebishop there When this younge man lackinge nor good courage nor lyuely sprite had tarried there a space and employed his diligence to lerne and commit to memory that which he ouerloked there repaired thither an other younge gentilman whose name was Bishop and Christen name Benet one of the nobles of Englande desyrours to go to Rome of whom I haue mentioned before The kinge committed VVilfride to this younge gentilman and his company with chardge that he shuld conduct him safe to Rome When they came to Lyons in Fraunce VVilfrid was stayd there by Dalphine bishop of that city The gentleman went on his iourney to Rome The delight and pleasure which the bishop had in VVilfrides wyse talke aminable continaunce ioly actituity and graue inuention was the occasion why he was staied there For that cause also he gaue him and all his company frendfull intertainement as long as they continued there and furder offred him the gouernement of a greate parte of Fraunce the mariadge of his brothers daughter whiche was yet in the flower of her virginity brefely to adopte him for his heyr if he wolde make his abode there But he rendring lowly and harty thankes for so great courtesy and gentilnesse that the bishop vouchsafed to shew vnto him being but a straunger answered that he was fully determined to an other conuersation and trade of lyffe and therfore had forsaken his country and taken this iourney to Rome The which when the bishop heard he sent him to Rome with a guide to conducte him in the waye and gaue him mony sufficient to beare his chardges desyringe that at his returne he wolde remember to take his house by the waye VVilfride with in fewe dayes after cominge to Rome and occypuing him selfe in daily contemplation of heauenly thinges according to his first determination fel acquainted with a notable holy and lerned man called Boniface who was Archedeacon and one of the Apostolike Popes counsellers By whose instruction he lerned orderly the foure bookes of the Gospell and the trewe counte of Easter and many other godly lessons commodious and profitable to vnderstande the orders and disciplines of the churche which he could not attaine vnto in his owne country And when he had passed certaine monethes there in godly exercise and study he returned to Dalfine againe in Fraunce and after he had tarried with him iij. yeares he toke the inferiour orders of the bishop and was so entierly loued of him that the bishoppe fully determined to make him his successour But by cruel death he was preuented and VVilfride reserued to a bishoprike in his owne natyue country England For Brunechild
religious eares of protestants then such deuâ—tion Of relikes of holy men of the reuerence vsed towâ—rdes them and off miracles wrought by them the history is full Namely the first booke the 29. chap. the 3. booke the 29. the iiij booke the 6. chap. Nothinge is more vile in the sight of protestants then suche reuerence of Christians Blessing with the signe of the Crosse accompted no superstition but practised for godly and good in our primitiue church witnesseth the history in the iiij booke the xxiiij chapter and in the v. booke the ij chapter In the deuotion of protestants it is estemed for magicke Solemnites of Christen buriall protestants despise and sett light by terming it a vaine of gentilite or heathen superstition The deuotion of our primitiue church was to be buried in monasteries churches and chappels as it appeareth in the history in the second booke the iij. chap. the third booke the viii chap. and otherwhere Benediction of the bishop whereby the superiorite of the spirituall pastour ouer the laie according to the reasoning of S. Paule euidently appeareth is to be read in this history of our primitiue Churche in the iiii booke the xi chap. Protestants confounding all good order do scorne at this also The seruice of the church was at the first planting of our faith in the latin and lerned tounge as it may appeare in the first booke the xxix chapter and the iiii booke the xviii chap. This protestants haue altered bothe against due orâ—er and condemning wickedly other partes of Christendom for the contrary Aultars protestants haue plucked downe contrary to the order of our primitiue faith as this history witnesseth in the first booke the xxix chap. And in the second booke the xiiij chap. Aultar clothes and holy vestements the prophane saith of protestaÌ„ts admitteth not Our primitiue church vsed them witnesseth the History in the first booke the xxix chap. Holy vessels in like maner for the due administration of Christes holy Sacraments protestans bothe diminishing the number of them and prophaning the right vse of such as they kepe knowe none Our first faith had and vsed theÌ„ The history reporteth it in the first booke the xxix chap. and in the second booke the last chapter Holy water protestants abhorre Our first faith vsed it In the history 〈◊〉 appeareth In the first booke the xxix chap. Nothinge is more reuiled of protestants then the ecclesiasticall tonsure of the clergy How after what maner and wherefore the church of Christ vseth it the history disputeth and sheweth at large in the fifte booke the xxii chapter toward the ende Our primitiue church was gouuerned by Synods of the clergy only in determining controuersies ecclesiasticall The History declareth this practise in the first booke the ii chap. the fourth booke the v. chap. the xvii chap. and xxviii chap. Protestants haue called the determination of ecclesiasticall matters from thence to the laie Courte only The spirituall rulers of our primitiue church were bishops and pastours duly consecrated It appereth in the History the first booke the 27. chap. and the second booke the 3. chap. Protestants haue no such due consecration no true bishops at all Protestants haue brought the supreme gouuernement of the church to the laie authorite In the primitiue faith of our countre the laie was subiect to the bishop in spirituall causes Peruse the xiii and xxii chapters of the third booke Last of all the finall determination of spirituall causes in our primitiue Church rested in the See Apostolike of Rome This practise appeareth in the second booke the iiii the xvii and the xx chapters Item in the fifte booke the xx chap. How farre that See is nowe detested by the sober religion of protestants all men do see To note how differently the Catholike faith of al Christendom was first planted in our countre and the parted faith of protestants hathe corrupted the same the first difference is clere herin that our first Catholik faith we receaued of the See of Rome This heresy hath begonne by first departing from that See The Apostles of our faith came from Rome the messangers of these schismes beganne first by scattering froÌ„ the See Apostolik of Rome How we receiued our faith of Rome the later chapters of the first booke and the first of the secoÌ„d do testifie Againe our faith was first preached with Crosse and procession Lib. 1. cap. 25. These heresies first raged by throwing downe the Crosse and altering the procession therewith Our first Apostles were monkes See the first booke the xxiii chap. and the third booke the iii. chap. The first preachers of protestants haue ben Apostatas Luther Oecolampadius Bucer Peter Martyr Barnes Barlow and other The first impes off our faith the first scholers off oure Apostles were holy and vertuous meÌ„ Reade the xxvj chap. of the third booke The broode of protestants in the very first issue hath ben so enormous that Luther the holy Father thereof confesseth his scholers to be vnder him farre more wicked then they were before vnder the Pope The first preaechers of our faith liued Apostolically in voluntary pouerty as the history reporteth in the first booke the xxvj chap. This Apostolicall perfection protestaÌ„ts bearing theÌ„ selues for the Apostles of England neither practise them selues neither can abide it in other As touching the effect and consequences of both religions our faith builded vp monasteries and chirches as the history reporteth in the firste booke the 32. chap. in the third booke the iij. and xxxiij chap. IteÌ„ in the fourth booke the iij. chap. Protestants haue throwen down many erected none By the first Christians off our faith God was both serued day and night as in the fourth booke the vij chap. it is expressely mencioned Protestants haue abolished al seruice off God by night and done to the deuill a most acceptable sacrifice By the deuotion of the people first embracing our catholike faithe much voluntary oblations were made to the church as in the first booke the xxvij chap. it appeareth By the rechelesse religion off protestants due oblations are denied to the church Princes endued the church with possessions and reuenues moued with deuotion and feare of God The loose lewdenes off protestants haue stirred Princes to take from the church possessions so geuen Last of all our first faith reduced the Scottishmen liuing then in schisme to the vnite of the Catholike church This late alteration hath remoued them from vnite to schisme All these differences touching doctrine and ecclesiasticall gouernement are proued to concurre with the belefe and practise of the first vj. C. yeares in the second part of the Fortresse of our first faith set forthe presently with the History ET Priuati BrabaÌ„tici Regiae Maiestatis Consilij diplomate cautum est ne quis infra quadriennium proximum Historiam ecclesiasticam gentis Anglorum Authore Venerabili Beda Presb. a Thoma Stapletono in Anglicum sermonem versam per omnes Burgundicae
of the history which I read and partely also haue added thereunto such things as I could learne my selfe by the faithful testimony of such as knew him I humbly beseche the Reader that if he shal finde any thing otherwise then truth in this treatise he wil not impute it vnto me as the which hath endeuoured to put in writing to the instruction of our after-commers such thinges as we could gather by common report which is the true lawe of an history THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE church of Englande Of the situation of Britanny and Ireland and of the people which inhabited there of owld time The 1. Chapter BRitāny an Iland of the Oceane which of owld time was called Albion doth stande betwext the north and the west right ouer against Germany Fraunce and Spayne iij of the greatest countries of Europe Which being eight hundred myles longe Northward is but ij hundred myles broade excepte yow reckon the cabes or poyntes of the mountaynes which runneth owt a long far into the sea wherby the Iland is in cumpasse forty and eight times lxxv myles Of the sowth side it hath Flaunders the first hauen towne wherof to arriue at for a man comyng owt of England is called Ruthubi the hauen whereof is now corruptely called Reptacester 50 myles of from Calleis or as some write 60. myles On the back syde of it where it lyeth open vnto the mayne Oceane it hath the Iles called Orcades It is an Iland very batfull of corne frute and pasture In sum places it beareth vines it hath plentif of fowles of diuerse sortes both by sea and by land of sprynges also and riuers full of fysh but specially of lampriles and eles Ther be many times also takē porposes Dolphyns and whales beside many kynde of shellfishes among other of muskles in whom be founde perles of all coulours as red purple crymson but specially white ther is also great store of cockles whereof is made the dye of crymson whose rudd will be appalled nether with heate of sonne nether with wette of wether but the oulder it is the more bright and beutifull glasse it casteth It hath also sprynges fitt to make salt and others of whott waters where ar buylded seuerall places meete for all ages as well for men as women to bathe them selues For the water as saynt Basill writeth runnyng thowrogh certayne metalles receiueth therof such vertue of heate that it is not only made warme therby but also skalding whot This Iland is stored wyth mynes of sundry metalles as of brasse lead iron and syluer It bringeth furth also great plētyf of the Geate stone and that of the best This stone is blacke and burneth being put to the fire and then is of vertu good to chase away serpentes If you rub him till he be warme he holdeth fast such thinges as ar layd vnto him euen as Aumber doth This Iland had in it sumtimes xxviij fayre cities beside an innumerable sort of castles whiche also wer well and strongly fensyd wyth walles turrettes gates and bullwarkes And for as much as it is placed right in manner vnder the north pole it hath light nightes in the sommer so that at mydnight many times men dowteth whether it be yet twylight of the euening past or breach of the day followyng Wherby the daies be of a great length there in sommer as contrary the nighte in wynter that is to wytt xviij howers by reason the sonne there is so farre gō sowthward And so in like maner the nightes in the sommer ar there very shorte and the daies in the wynter that is to wytt vj. equinoctiall howers where as in Armenia Macedonia Italia and other countries subiect to the same line the longest day or night passeth not xv the shortest ix howers This Iland at this present to the number of the v. bookes of Moses wyth v. sundry languages doth study and set furth the knowledge of one perfecte truth that is wyth the language of the English the Britannes the Scotts the Pictes and the latine which by study of the scriptures is made common to all the rest At the first this land was inhabited of none other nation but only of the Britānes of whom it receiueth his name which Britānes comyng out of Armorica called now litle Britāny as it is thought chose vnto them selues the sowth parte of this land And after when they from the sowth forward had in their possession a great parte of the I le it chaūced that certaine people of the Pictes coming owt of Scythia as it is sayd trauailing vppō the seas with a few long shippes the winde dryuing them in cumpasse rownde about the coaste of Britannye blewe them a land on Irelands syde on the north partes therof Which they finding inhabited of the Scottes besought thē to allow them some part of the land where they might plante them selues But they coulde not obtayne their desire This Ireland next vnto Britanny is the greatest lland of the Oceane sea and standeth westward of Britanny But as Northward it is not so longe as it so westward it is much longer and reacheth vnto the North partes of Spayne hauing the mayne sea runnyng betwext The Pictes as I haue sayd arriuing wyth their nauy in Ireland required of the inhabitants that they might be suffered there to rest and place them selues The Scottes aunsered that the Iland was not bigg inowgh to hold them both But we can geue you good counsel quoth they what we thynke best for you to doe We know well there is an other Iland not farre from oures standing easte ward from hence which we may see owt of this land in a fayer sonnye day If you will goe thether you may inhabit ther at will And if there be any resistance made against you we wil ayde you Whervpon the Pictes arriuing in Britanny planted them selues in the North partes therof For as for the sowth partes the Britānes had taken vpp before And wheras the Pictes hauing no wyues did require of the Scottes to marry their dawghters the Skottes agreed to graunt them their bone vnder condition that as often as the matter was in dowt they should choose their kyng rather of the next of the howse of the woman then of the man Which order it is well knowen the Pictes kepeth euen to this day In processe of yeres after the Britās and the Pictes the Skottes also wer receiued in to Britanny amōg the Pictes Which coming owt of Ireland vnder Rewda their Capitaine either by force or frendship entered and inhabited the country in Scotland which they possessed Of which capitaine euen vnto this day they ar callid dall reudini for in their language dall signifieth part Irelande both in bredth holsomnes and fines of ayre for passeth Britanny so that there snow remayneth skant iij. dayse to gether and no man there for foddering of his beastes ether maketh hay in the sommer or buyldeth stawles for
He also shall make your memory the more famous vnto your posterite whose honour you seke and maintaine among your people For so Constantinus being sometimes a most vertuous Emperour him selfe and calling his subiectes from the wicked worshipping of Idoles brought them all with him selfe vnder the obeysance of God almighty our Lord Iesus Christe Whereby it was brought to passe that his name was of higher renoune then any of the princes that went before him and so much in glorie excelled all his auncetours howe much also he passed them in well doing Wherfore let your highnes also seeke now to publish vnto the kinges and countries subiecte to your dominion the knowledg of one god the Father the Son and the holy Goste to th entent thereby you may passe in honorable fame the aūcient kinges of your natiō and how much the more you trauail to do away sinne in your subiectes you may haue so much the lesse fear of your own sinnes before the dreadful bench of Gods iustice Our right reuerend brother Augustine bishop being brought vp in rule of religiō hauing good knowledg in the holy scriptures and a man through the grace of god of much vertue what so euer he shall aduertise you to doe gladly heare it deuoutly doe it diligently remember it For if you will heare him in that he speaketh vnto yow in Gods behalfe God also shall the soner heare him speaking and entreating for yow If otherwise as God forbid yow refuse to geue eare and heede to his wordes how can God heare him praying for yow whom yow despise to heare speaking to yow from god Wherfor with all yowr harte ioyne yower selfe with him and assiste him in gods busynes with all such authorite that God hath geuen yow that he may make yow partaker of his kyngdom whose fayth yow in your kyngdom cause to be receiued and obserued We will also yower highnes to know that according as we ar taught in the holy scriptures by the very wordes of God the end of this world draweth onward and the kyngdom of the sayntes of God shall follow which neuer shall haue ende And the ende of the world approching many thinges shall fall vppon vs which haue not ben heard of before that is to witt chaunge of the ayer terrible sightes from heauen tempestes contrary to the order of the times All which shall not yet fall in ower dayes Wherfor if yow shall know any of these to happen in your land let not yower mynd be dismayed therwyth For therfor shall there be signes sent before the end of the world to th entent we should the more diligently tender the helth of ower soules liue euer in dowte and feare of death ready prepared by good workes for the cumming of Criste our Iudge Thus much haue I sayd in few wordes right honorable Son intending to speak more at large as I shall heare the fayth to be enlarged in your kyngdom Then shall I be so much the more encouraged to speake how much the greater comfort I shall conceiue by the conuersion of your country I haue sent yow small presentes which yet shall not seme small vnto yow if yow shall accepte them as halowed wyth the blessing of S. Peter All mighty god make perfecte in yow his grace according as he hath begonne And send yow both longe life here vppon the earthe and that ended eternall life in his kyngdom of heauen The grace of God kepe yower highnes in safte my dere Son Datum vt supra How Augustine repayred the church of our Sauiour and buylded the abbay of S. Peter the Apostle The. 32. Chap. AVgustine after he had obtayned to haue a bishops see appoynted him in the kinges citty as is aboue sayd through the ayd of the kyng he recouered there a churche which was there of owld buylt by the Romans which wer Christianes and did dedicate it to the name of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and there made a house for him and his successors And not far eastward from the citty he buylded a monastery in the which kyng Ethelbert through his aduise buylded a new church in the honor of Saynt Peter and Paule and enriched it with sundry gyftes in which both the body of Augustine him selfe and of all the bishops of Cātorbury and of all the kinges of kent wer wont to be enterred Which church yet not Augustine him selfe but Laurentius his successor did consecrat The first Abbat of that monastery was one Petrus a priest which being legat vnto Fraunce was drowned in a creake called Amflete and burned after a homly maner of the inhabitours of the same place But ower Lord entending to haue it knowen how worthy a man he was made that euery night there appeared a light from heauen vppon the place where he lay buried which when the neyghbours about had espyed gathering therby that he was some good and holy man and searching out what and from whence he was remoued his body from thence and buried it honorablye in the towne of Bulleyne in a place of the churche conuenient sor so worthy a person How Edilfrith kyng of the Northumbers wasted Britanny and conquered the Scottes The. 33. Chap. ABout this time Edilfrith a man very valiaunt and much desirous of renowne was king of Northumberland one that more wasted the Land of Brytanny then any of the English Princes So that it semed he might be cōpared vnto Saul kyng of the Iraelites saue only in that he was voide and ignorant of Gods religion For none of all the coronells none of all the kinges did conquer more of the lande of Britanny ether makyng them tributary ether dreuing them cleane owt of the countrye and planting the Englsh in their places then did this Edilfrith To whom that might be wel applyed that the Patriarke Iacob sayd when he gaue his sonne Beniamin his blessing in the person of Saul Beniamin like a rauening wolfe in the morning shall eate his pray and at night shall diuide the spoyle Wherby Edanaden kyng of Skottes much grudging to see him goe forward after this sorte assembled a mayne and a strong army agaynste him But the sayd Edelfrith encountering him in the field with a few men gaue him the ouerthrow and in that famous place of Degsastone disconfited his great army In which field Theobald brother to Edilfrith was slayne with that parte of the army wherof he was generall This battell was foughtē in the yere of our lorde 603. and the xj yere of his raygne which lasted xxiiij yeres and the first yere of the raigne of Phocas then Emperour of Rome From that time forward vnto this present neuer was there king of Scottes which durst meete the English men in the field THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF the churche of Englande Of the life lerning and death of blessed Pope Gregory The. 1. Chapter IN the yeare of the incarnation of our Lord 605. the hollie pope Gregory when he had most
more quiet and the companie of faithfull began a litle and litle to encrease againe set vp a schole emongest them and professed to be a master of church musyke and singinge according to the fashion and maner of the Romās and the Diocesans of Cāterbury Which thinge whē he had so don a longe time with greate profyt at the lenght that I may vse the worde of scripture being a man well strooken in age full of yeares and hauing seen manie good dayes he walked the wayes whiche his fathers went THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND How the first successours of kinge Edwin did both forsake the faith of their nacion and also lost their kingdome Moreouer how the most christen kinge Oswald restored bothe The. 1. Chapter KYnge Edwin beinge in battaile the sonne of Elfrike his vncle by his fathers syde called Osrich who after that he had hearde Paulin preache receaued the faith succeded him in the gouernance of the Deirans of the whiche prouince he had the petigree of his parentage and the firste beginninge of his kingdome But the realme of the Bernicians for the nation of Northumberland had been deuided of olde time into these two countries was ruled by Edelfrides sonne named Eanfride who had of that prouince the beginning of his kinred and kingdome For during all the time of Edwines raigne the sonnes of kinge Edelfride who as we saied before raigned before Edwin were banished with a greate numbre of noble young gentill men and so liued amonge the Scottes or Redshankes where they wer instructed accordinge to the Scottes doctrine and had receiued the grace of baptisme These younge princes after the death of their ennemie kinge Edwin retourninge in to their countrie Osrich the eldest of them toke the kingdome of the Deirans and Eanfride the seconde sonne the kingdome of the Bernicians but alas as bothe had now receiued the yles of an earthly kingdome so likewise bothe in geuing and abandoning them selfes to the diuell lost the diuine mysteries of the heauenly kingdome wherein they were instructed and yelded them selues againe to be defiled with the former olde filth of Idolatrie This apostasie remained not longe vnpunished For Kadwallader the king of Britons with wicked force but with worthy vengeaunce slew them both the next sommer ensuing sodeinly issuing out with all his host At what time he murdereth first Osrich vnprepared and his whole armie pending themselues miserably with in the suburbes of their owne citie Then afterward when by the space of a whole yere hauing possessed the prouinces of the people of Northumberland not as a king that were a conquerour but as an outragious cruell tyranne destroying them and with tragicall slaughter renting them in pieces he put Eanfride also to death coming vnto him very vnaduisedly with twelue chosen souldiers minding to intreate vppon peace That same yere continueth vntill this daye vnhappy and hatefull to all good men as well for the Apostasie of the English kinges forsaking the religion of Christe as also for the king of Britanes furiouse tyrannie Wherefor the historiographers and writers of that time haue thought it best that the memorie of those Apostate kinges being vtterly forgotten the selfe same yere should be assigned to the raigne of the king that folowed next which was Oswald a man dearely beloued of God Who after that his brother Eanfride was slaine coming vnlooked for with a small armie but fenced with the faith of Christe the Britons cursed capitaine and that victorius hoste whereof he made his auant that nothing coulde be able to withstand it was vanquished and slaine in a certain place which in the English tonge is called Denises Burna that is to say the riuer of Denise How by the signe of the Crosse which the same kinge set vp when he fought against the Barbarous Britons he cōquered thē and among diuers other miraculous cures a certaine yownge man was healed of a desease in his arme The. 2. Chap. THe place is shewed vntill this daye and is had in greate reuerence where Oswald when he should come to this battayle did set vp a signe of the holy crosse amd beseeched God humbly vppon his knees that with his heauenly helpe he would succour his seruauntes being in so great a distresse The report also is that the crosse being made with quicke spede and the hole prepared wherein it should be sette the kinge being feruent in faithe did take it in hast and did put it in the hole and held it with both his handes when it was sett vp vntill it was fastened to the earth with duste which the souldiars heaped about it Nowe when this was done he cried out a loude to his whole armie Let vs all kneele apon our knees and let vs all together pray ernestly the almighty liuing and true God mercifully to defend vs from the proude and cruell ennemy for he knoweth that we enterprise warres in a ryghtfull quarell for the saulfegard of our subiectes All did as he commaunded them And thus in the dawning of the day they marched forth encountred with their enemie and according to the merite of their faith atchieued and wonne the victorie In the place of which prayer manifold miraculous cures are knowen to be done questionlesse in token and remembraunce of the kinges faith For euen vntill this present day many men do customablye cut chyppes out of the veraye tree of that holy crosse which casting into waters and geuing thereoff to sick men and beastes to drinke or sprinckling them therwith many forthwith are restored to their helth That place is in the Englishe tongue named heauen feld and was so called long before not without a sure and a certaine fore sight of thinges to come as signifieng vndoubtedly that in the same place a heauenly memoriall was to be set vp a heauenly victorie should be gotte heauenly miracles should be wrought and remembred euen vnto our dayes This place is nere to that wal which stādeth toward the northeast wherwith the Romaines did ones in time past cōpasse all whole Britaine frō sea vnto sea to kepe of the inuasions of forenners as we haue declared before In the self same place the religious mē of Hagstalden church which is not far frō thēce haue now of long time been accustomed to come euery yere the eue and the day that the same king Oswald was afterward slaine to kepe Diriges there for his soule and in the morning after psalmes being saied solemnely to offer for him the sacrifice of holy oblation This good custome longe continuing the place was made more holy and is now much honoured of al men by the reason of the church that was lately builded and dedicated in the same place And not without a cause considering that no signe of the Christen faith no church no aultar was sett vpp in all the whole countrey of the Bernicians before that this vertuous warrier moued wyth harty deuotion of
paine and afflicton put vpon him And as he had deuised and purposed in his mynd so he did in dede and bearing vp and staying his feble lymmes with a staffe he went into the churche and there fell downe prostrate at the corse of the man of God praying with feruent entent and deuotion that through his helpe and intercession our Lorde wold be good and mercifull vnto him And as he was at his prayers falling as it were in a certaine softe slumber he felte as he him selfe was afterward wont to tell like as a great brode hand touche his head in that place where the grief was and with the same touching passe along ouer all his body to the very feete on that syde where the paine laye and there with al by litle and litle the grief weÌ„t away and straight theroÌ„ followed perfecte health which done he awoke forthwith and rose vp sound and hole and geuing thankes to our Lorde for his health came and shewed the brethern what had chaunced vnto him And at the great reioysing of all men he retourned againe to the office and seruice that he was wonte diligently to doo being nowe as it were made better and more seruisiable by this tryeng and examining scourge of God The clothes also wherewith the holy body of Cutberte was clad either before in his lyfe time or after when he was dead did not want the grace and gyfte of healing the sicke as who so will reade shall fynd in the booke of his lyfe and vertues How a certaine man of late at S. Cutbertes reliques was cured of a gâ—eat sore in his eye The. 32. Chapter YET this one thing is not to be passed ouer or vnspoken of which three yeares passed was done by and at his reliques as was tolde me by the same man on whome it was done And it was in the monasterie whiche is buylt by the riuer of Dacore and thereof hath his name in whiche that time Switbert a good religiouse man was head and Abbot In that monasterie there was a certaine young man that had a foule vnhansome swelling in the lead of his eye the which daily grewe bigger and was lyke to put him in danger of the losse of his eye The physitians layed salues and plaisters thereto to assuage the swelling but they could doo no good some men wold haue it to be cut of other sayed no for feare of a farther danger And thus the foresayd poore brother continewed in this case no small time and could get no helpe at mans hand against this perill of the losse of his eye but rather it daily encreased and waxed worse till at last it was his chaunce through the grace and goodnes of God to be healed sodainly by the reliliques of the most holy father S. Cutbert For when the monkes had found his body not rotten nor corrupted after it had many yeres lyen buried they tooke partes of the heare of his head which in maner of reliques they might giue or shewe for a signe of the miracle to their fryndes when they came and desyred the same A litle parte of these reliques were at that time in this monasterie in the keping of one of the priestes there named Thridred who now is Abbot of the house Which maÌ„ on a certaine daye went to the churche and opened the shrine of reliques to geue a parte therof to afrynd of his At what time it chaunced the yong man which had the sore eye was present in the churche And when the priest had geuen his frynd such parte therof as he wold he gaue the rest to the yong man to lay vp againe in his place Who by a good motion and minde that came to him as sone as he had receaued the heares of the holy head tooke theÌ„ and put them to his sore eye and helde them there a space to kepe downe and assuage the greuouse swelling therewith And that done he layed the reliques vp againe in the shrine as he was bidden beleuing that his eye should shortly be healed by the heare of the man of God wherewith he was touched And his faith and belief deceaued him not For it was at that time as he was wont to tel about vij of the clocke in the morning And as he thought vpoÌ„ his busynes and weÌ„t about other thinges as the daye required towarde none the same day he hapned sodainly to touche his eye the which he felte and found with the eyled and all as whole and sounde as if ther had neuer bene sene any blemyshe or swellinge therin THVS ENDETH THE FOVRTH BOOK FO THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND THE FIFTE BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND How Aedilwalde Cutberts successour lyuing a solitary and heremytes lyffe alayd by prayer for certaine of his Bretherne a greate tempest in the sea The. 1. Chapter THE famous and reuerende father Aedilwalde which by vertuous and worthy behauiour of him selfe many yeres in the monastery called Inripe brought the office of priesthoode taken vppon him in greate reuerence and estimation succeded Cutbert the man of God in practise of that solytary and lonefull lyffe which he passed in Farne island before he was made bishoppe Whose worthynesse and good lyfe that all men may more euidently perceaue I will declare one miracle wrought by him as one of the same company for and in whome it was wrought declared to me to wit Gutfride a faithfull seruante of Iesus Christe by vocation a priest who afterwarde was Abbot of the same church of Lyndisfarne where he was brought vpp I came saide he with ij other off my bretherne to Farne Island desyring to speake with the reuerend father Aedilwald And when we had talked with him a whyle to our greate comforte and afterwarde receiuing his blessing haste nyd homewarde againe beholde sodainly as we were in the mydest off the sea the caulme in which we sayled was taken awaye and so greate a tempest and terrible storme came vppon vs that neither with sayle nor ower we coulde preuaile nor presently looke for any thinge but deathe And when we striuing longe with the wynde and the seas to no effecte looked backe at the lenght if perchaunce by any possible meanes we might returne backe to the Iland agayne from whence we came we manifestly perceaued that on euery syde with leeke tempest our iourney was staied and retourne intercepted and no hope of escape in our selfes Afterwarde when we descried the lande a farre of and looked stedely towardes the same we sawe in Farne islande that vertuous and holy father Aedilwalde come out of his caue to loke howe we sayled awaye For as sone as he heard the blusteringe of the winde and rage of the Ocean sea he came foorthe to see what might happen and chaunce to vs. And when he sawe vs labouring harde against the surges of the sea and in cleane desperation of recouering the lande he fell downe vppon his knees and prayed
that euer I had committed not only in worde and dede but also in lyght thoughtes written there in greate blacke letters and he said to the ij fayre younge men that sate by me Why sitte yow here knowing most certaynly that this felow is owers They made answer Trewe it is Take him and leade him away to the botomelesse pit of damnation and with that they vanisht away Incontinent ij wycked sprites hauyng fyer pronges in their handes rose vppe and stroke me one in the hed and the other in the sole of my feete the which nowe with greate torment and anguysh creepe vp in to the bowells and other internall partes of my bodie and when they meete together I shall dye and be drawen hence by the dyuells watchinge and whyuering about me into hel without redemption Thus spoke that myserable manlying in extreme desperation and died owte of hande and now lyuinge in thrauldome with the deuill in euerlastinge payne doth that penaunce but all in vayne which in his lyfe time he myght haue done if it had bene but one howre with an assured hope of gods mercy and pardone for all his synnes Of this miserable and wrechyd man it is euident that as S. Gregorye wryteth of certaine he had not those visions for his owne sake whome they auailed nothing at all but for other men which knowing his lamentable end might be afeared to differ and prolonge the tyme of repentaunce while they haue oportunytye and leasure lest by sodayne preuention of death they dye impenitent That he sawe diuerse bookes brought before him by diuerse and sondry sprites some good some bad it was done by the diuine prouidence and permission of god to putt vs in remembraunce that our doinges and thoughts flee not away with the winde but ar reserued particularly to the straite examination of the dreadfull iudge And at the ende shall be shewed to vs other by the good angells which frindfully wishe our saluation or by the wicked sprites which spitefully woorke our damnatiō Concerning that first of all the good Angells brought forhe a fayre white booke and the deuills afterwarde their fowle euill fauoured black lygger the angels a litle one they an vnmeasurable greate one it is to be noted that in his childehode he did some good dedes yet notwitstandinge he disgraced all that euer was done with his lewde and loose demeanour in yowthe But if he wolde haue amended in youth the wanton toyes and foolishe panges of childhode and with wel doinge raunesomed them owt of the sight of god he myght haue bene brought to their societie of whome the Psalme of Dauid saithe Beati quorū remissae sunt c. Blessed ar they whose iniquities ar forgeuen and whose sinnes ar couered This history I thought good to set forth playnly and simplie as it was declared vnto me of that worthy prelate Pechthelme to the comforte of all suche as shall reade it or heare it Howe an other in leeke manner sawe a place of paine appointed for him in hell The. 15. Chapter FVrthermore I my self knew a religious man whom wold God I had neuer knowen placed in a good and famous monasterie notwithstanding he him selfe was infamous for his lewde behauiour and loose lyfe I could tell his name also if it were worth the telling This man was earnestly rebuked of his bretherne and other head officers of the monastery for his enormities and exhorted to a better trade of lyfe but all was in vaine Notwithstanding albeit he would not geue eare nor humbly obey their charitable exhortations yet they did tolerate him very longe for his externalll seruice which was very necessarie for them For he was a singular good carpenter This man was much geuen to dronknesse and other wanton pleasures of dissolutnesse and accustomed rather to fit in his shopp both day and night than to come to the church to singe or pray or heare the trew worde of life with his bretherne by which occasion it happened to him as men ar commonly wounte to saye He that will not come of his owne accorde within the church dore shall runne against his will to hell gates For he being now streeken with a very fainte desease and brought to extremitie called all the couent about him and with much lamentation and deepe sitghes leeke a man damned already beganne to declare vnto them that he sawe hell gates open and the deuill drouned in a deape doungell thereof and Caiphas and al the whole rablemēt that put Christ to deathe cast in flaminge fier hard by him and next to them oh miserable and wretched man that I am saide he I see a place of eternall perdition prepared for me His bretherne hearing these wofull wordes exhorted him earnestly to repent and be sorie for his sinnes while he was yet alyue Then he brought to extreme desperation answered No No. There is no time for me to amend my former life especially seing I perceiue my iudgement is past and fully complete already With those wordes he died without receauing the sacrament His bodie was interred in the formost parte of all the Abbaie not one of all the whole couent durst say masse for his soule nor singe psalmes nor once say one Pater noster for him Oh howe farre a sunder hath God separated light and darknesse The first blessed Martyr S. Steuen ready to suffer death for testimonie of the truthe sawe heauen gates open and Iesus standing on the right hande of God He to the ende he might more ioyfully die fixed the eyes of his mind there before his deathe where he should be after but this forsaied felow blacke in soule blacke in body and blacke in all outwarde doinges sawe hell open at the houre off his death and perpetuall damnation prepared for the deuill and all that follow him Againe to th entent that though his death were miserable in desperation yet by his owne damnation he might geue other example to repent and worke their owne saluation in time he sawe his owne place and doungell prepared amongest such caytyffs as Cayphas and his complices were This chaunced of late in the countrie of the Berniciens and wa◠by common talke blasted all the countrie ouer so that it stirred vp many to make quick confession of their sinfull actes and not to take dayes with God Which God graunte it may worke allso in such as shall reade this present historie Howe many churches of Scotland by the instant preaching of Adamannus kept the feast of easter after the catholique maner and howe he wrote a booke of holly places The 16. Chap. AT that time a greate multitude of Scottes in Ireland and many Britons in Britanny receaued by the singular gifte of God the trewe manner of celebrating the feast of Easter taught by the catholique church For when as Adamannus a vertuous priest and Abbott of all the mounkes and religious men that were in the isle Hu being sent Embassadour by the prince
euening of that daye That is that the lambe should be offred when the moone is fiften dayes olde whiche fyftenth daye off the moone is the begynning of the third weke of the monthe And that it is the selfe same night of the xv daie of the moone in which God stroke the Aegiptians and deliuered the children of Israel it appeareth by that he saithe Seuen dayes ye shall eate sweete bred With which wordes also all the third weke of the first moneth is commaunded to be kept solemne and holye not only the first daye of the weke And that we shoulde not thinke those seuen dayes to be counted from the xiiij to the xx he added by and by The firste day there shall be no leauen bred in your houses VVhosoeuer shall eate in any of your houses any leauen bred his soule shall perishe out of the companye of Israel from the first day vntyll the vij c. Vntill he saith For in the same daye he saith after I will bring and conducte your hoste oute of the lande of Aegypte First of all then He called that the first day of sweete bred in the which he would conducte and bringe their hoste out of Aegipte But it is manifest that they were not delyuered oute of Aegipte the xiiij daye when the lambe was offred in the euening which night was properly called the passeouer but the xv daye as it is euidently written in the booke of numbers where we reade thus VVherefore when the children off Israel were gone from Ramesse the xv day of the firste monethe the nexte daye after they kepte the Passeouer with a myghty power Ergo the seuen dayes of swete bred in the first of the which seuen the children of God were deliuered oute of Aegipte must be counted as I said before from the beginning of the thirde weeke that is from the xv of the firste moneth to the xxj fully complete and ended Now that the xiiij daye is not numbred amongest these seuen wher Easter beginneth that which foloweth in Exodus doth euident declare Where after it was saied For in the vij daye I will delyuer thy hoste oute of the lande of Aegipte it was added streytwayes And you shall keape holy this daye from generation to generation after one perpetuall rite and ceremonye The xiiij daye off the first moneth at the euening you shall eate sweete bredd vntill the euening of the xxj in the same monethâ— Seuen dayes shall no leauen bred be founde in your houses Now who doth not plainly see that from the xiiij day to the xxj be nott only seuen dayes but also eight yf the xiiij day be reakoned for one But if we will counte from the euening of the xiiij daye to the euening of the xxi as the veritie of holy scripture diligently searched oute doth declare we shall well perceiue that the xiiij daye so beginneth the feast of Easter in the euening that all the whole weeke hath no more but vii dayes and vij nightes Wherefore our proposition is proued trew wherin we saied that Easter must be kepte in the first moneth of the yere and the thirde weeke of that moneth And that is in dede truly solemnised in the third weeke the solennite where of beginneth in the euening of the xiiij daye and is complete and ended in the euening of the xxj daye Now after that Christ our trewe paschall lambe was offred vpp in sacrifice and had made the Sondaie called amongest the auncient writers â—na vel prima sabbati one of the sabothe or firste of the sabothe solemne and holy to vs for ioye of his resurrection the tradition of the Apostles hath so put this Sounday in the feaste of Easter that they fully decreed nether to preuent the time of Easter in the olde lawe nor to diminishe any on daye but commaunded according to the precepte geuen in the lawe that the same first monethe of the yeare the same xiiij daye and the same eueninge should be expected and taried for In which euening when it fell vppon the saboth daye euery man should take a lambe according to their families and householdes and offer him vpp in sacrifice at the euening That is to saye all christian churches through out the whole world which all ioyned together maketh but one catholike church should prepare bred and wyne for the mysterie of the fleshe and precious bloud of that immaculate lambe which tooke awaye the synnes of the world and when all lessons prayers rites and ceremonies vsed in the solemne feast of Easter were done shoulde offer the same to god the father in hope of their redemption to come For this is the selffe same night that the people of Israell were deliuered oute of Aegypte by the bloude of the lambe This is the same night in whiche the people of God were delyuered from aeternall death by Christes glorious resurrection In the morning folowing being Sondaye the solemne feast of Easter should be celebrated For that is the day wherein our Sauiour opened the glory of his resurrection appearing diuers times in that one day to his disciples to their vnspeakeable comfort and ioye This is the first daye of the swete bread of the which clere mention is made in the Leuiticus wher we reade thus The xiiij daye of the first moneth at euening is our Lordes passeouer and the xv day of the same his soleÌ„ne feast of swete bred vij dayes shal ye eate sweete bred the firste daye shall be most solemne and holye Wherefore if it were possible that the soundaye might alwaies falle vppon the xv daye of the firste moneth that is to saye vpon the fifteneth day of the age of the moone we might celebrate and keepe the feaste of Easter alwaies at one time with the olde auncient people of god as we do in one faith albeit they differ from vs in the kinde of externall sacramentes But because the weeke dayes do not runne equally with the course off the moone the tradition of the Apostles preached at Rome by S. Peter and confirmed at Alexandria by the Euangelist Saint Marke his interpreter hath decreed that when the first moneth is come and the eueninge of the xiiij daye of the same the next sounday also should be expected and looked for from the xv day to the one and twentyth off the same monethe For in which so euer off those it shall be founde Easter shal be kept in the same And that because it appertaineth to the number of these vij daies in which the feast of sweete bred is commaunded to be kept Wherefore it cometh to passe that our Easter neuer passeth the thirde weeke of the thirde moneth nor ouer nor vnder but ether it hath the whole weke that is to say vij daies of sweet bred according to the old lawe or at the lest some of them If of all them it compryseth but one to witt the vij daie which the holy scripture so highlye