to Britanie when the most puissaunt king Bride Meilocheus sonne raigned ouer the Redshanks in the ninth yere of his raigne and did by his learning and example of life conuert that nacion to the faith of Christ. In consideration whereof the aforsay de yle was geuen him in possessioÌ„ to make a monasterie For the yle is not greate but as though it wer of fiue families by estimatioÌ„ His successours kepe it vntil this day wher also he lieth buried dying at the age of lxxvij yeres about xxxij yeres after that he cam into Britain to preach But befor that he trauailed to Britaine he made a famous monasterie in IrelaÌ„d whiche for the great store of okes is in the Scottish tong called Dearmach that is to say a fild of okes of both the which monasteries very many mo religious houses were afterward erected by his scholars both in Britaine and also in Ireland Of all the which the same abbey that is in the yle where in his bodye lieth buried is the head house This yle is alwayes wont to haue an Abbat that is a priest to be the ruler to whoÌ„ both the wholle countrey and also the bishops them selfes ought after a strauÌ„ge and vncustomed order to be subiect according to the example of the first teacher who was no bishop but a priest and a monke The report is that some things ar written by his scholars coÌ„cerning his lyfe and sayings but yet what maner of man so euer he was we know this of him for a surety that he left successours men that excelled in great continence in passing charite and vertuous trade of religious lyfe In obseruing the high feast of Easter they trusted to vncertaine compasses and no maruaile consydering that no man sent vnto them the decrees made in generall counsayles for the keping thereof Yet they diligently obserued all such workes of deuotion and chast conuersation as they could learne in the prophets in the ghospels and the Apostles writings This keping of Easter continued no small time with them that is to witt vntill the seuen hundreth and sixteneth yere of our Lordes incarnation by the space of an hundreth and fiftie yeres after they receiued the faith But when the right reuerend and holy father and priest Egbert came to them from England liuing in Christes quarell in exile in Ireland being a man very well learned in the holy scripture and singular for the perfett lyfe which he had lead many yeres together they were reformed by him and brought to kepe Easter on the true right and laufull day Neuerthelesse they did not alway before that time solemnise and keepe the feast of Easter vppon the fourtenth daye after the chaunge of the moone according to the Iewes custome as some men supposed but on the same day though in an other weke then it was conuenient For they knewe as Christen men do that the resurrection of our Lorde whiche was on the firste daye of the weke ought allwayes to be celebrated on the first daye of the weke also but as ignoraunt and highvplandysh men they had not learned when the same first daye of the weke whiche nowe is named Sounday shoulde come Yet for as muche as they continued in perfecte charitye they deserued to attaine the perfitte knowledg of this thing according as the Apostle promiseth saying And yff ye be off an other mynds God will reueile that also vnto yowe But hereof we shall treate more at large hereafter in a place conuenient Of the lyfe of Aidan the bishop The 5. Chap. FROM this yle therefore and from this couent of monkes founded by holy Columban Aidan was sent and consecrated bishop to instructe Englande in the fayth of CHRISTE at what tyme Segenius abbot and priest was head of the same monasterie Wherein among other lessons of liuing he left the Clerkes a most holsome example of abstinence and continence This thing did chiefely commend his doctrine to all men that the learning whiche he taught was correspondent to the life that he lead And why He was not desyrous after wordly goods he was not enamoured with present Vanitees His ioye and comforte was foorthwyth to distribute to the poore that mette him all that was geuen him of kinges or other wealthy men of the worlde He vsed to trauayle continually bothe in the citye and in the countrey neuer on horse backe but allwayes on foote except peraduenture greate neede had forced him to ryde And in his trauaile what dyd he Forsoothe whome so euer he mette riche or poore incontinent abyding for a time with them either he allured them to receiue the faythe if they were out of the faythe or strengthened them in the faythe if they were in it exhorting them eftsoones no lesse in workes then wordes to almesse geuing and other good deedes And his religious lyfe so farre passed the slackenes and key colde deuotion of oure time that all they whiche went with him were they professed into religion or were they laye brethern gaue them selfes continually to contemplation that is to saye bestowed all their tyme either in reading scripture or in learning the psalter This was the dayly exercise of him and his brethren to what place so euer they came And if by chaunce it had happenned whiche yet happened seldome that he were bidden to the kinges banket he went in accompained with one or two clerkes and taking a shorte repast he made spedely hast to read with his brethren or els weÌ„t other where forth to pray Euery deuout maÌ„ and womaÌ„ being at that time taught by his ensamples tooke vp a custome al the whole yere through sauing betwene Easter and whitsontyâ—e apon wensday and friday to continew in fasting vntill three of the clocke in the after none If rych men had done any thing amysse he neuer for hope of honour or feare of displeasure spared to tel them of it but with sharpe rebuking amended them If any gesse or straunger had come vnto him were he neuer so worshipful he neuer gaue mony but only made them good chere As for suche gyftes as in monye were liberally geuen him by ryche men he dyd eyther as we haue sayed geue them in a dole for the reliefe of the poore or els he layed it out for the raunsomyng of those that had been wrongfully solde finally many of such as by mony he had redemed he made after his scholers bringing them vpp in learning and vertue and exalting them to the highe dignite of priesthod The report is that when kynge Oswald desired first to haue a Prelate out of Scotland who might preach the fayth to him and his people an other man of a more austere stomacke was first sent Who when after a lyttell while preaching to the Englishe nacion he did nothing preuaile ne yet was wyllingly heard of the people he returned into his country and in the assemble of the elders he made relacion how that in teaching he could do the
which there wer made to kepe owt the enemy in the felf same place where Seuerus before had cast the trench which walle euen to this day remaineth famous and to be seene with publick and priuat charges the Britannes also putting to their helping haÌ„des They then buylded it eight fote broade and xij high right as it wer by a line from east to weste as it doth to this day playnly appeare which being perfited they geue the people strayt warning to looke well to them selues they teach them to handle their wepon and instructe them in war like feates Also by the sea side southward where their ships lay at harbar least their enemyes should land there aboutes they makyth vp bullwarkes a longe one sum what distant from the other and this donne biddeth them fare well as mynded no more to retourne As sone as they wer gonne the Scottes and Pyctes hauing intelligence that they had made promisse they wold come no more they takyng hart of grace therof retourneth agayne to their wont busines And first all that was without the walle they taketh for their owne After that they came to geue assault vnto the walle where the Britannes with faynt hand and fearfull hart defending it wer with grapples which they had diuised pulled downe to the grownde and otherwise so assaulted that they leauing both the cytties and the wal also wer dispercled and put to flight The enemy followeth kylleth and sleyth more cruelâ—y then eâ—er he did before For euen as the lambes of the wilde beastes so were they torne and mangled of their ennemies Whereuppon being dreuen out of their owne houses and possessions they falleth a robbing and spoyling one the other of them encreasing their outward misery with inward tumult so far furth that all the whole country was brought to that exigent that they had none other sustenance but that they gotte by hunting and killing of wild beastes How in the time of Theodosius the younger the Britannes sowght helpe of Boëtius then consull of Rome but could not obtaine it and howe at that time Palladius was sent to the Scottes which beleyued in Christe to be their Byshop The 13. Chapter THe yere of the incarnation of our Lord 403. Theodosius the younger succeding Honorius was made Emperour of Rome which he gouerned 27. yeres being the xxv Emperour after August In the eight yere of whose Empire Palladius was sent of Celestinus bishop of the Roman church to the Scottes which had receiued the faith of Christe to be their first bishop And the 23 yere of his raigne Boetius one of the pears and patricians of Rome was now the third time made consul with Symmachus The poore leauing of the Britanes directed vnto him their letters where of this was the beginning To Boetius thrise consâ—ll the Mourning of the Britannes In the processe of which epistle they thus setteth furth their pittyfull estate The Barbarous enemy driueth vs vpon the sea the sea againe vppon the enemy betwene these twaine riseth two maner of deathes either we are killed or drowned And yet for all their sute they could obtaine no ayde of him as he which had then both his handes full of busines and battaile at home with Bleda and Attila kinges of the Hunnes And though the yere before Bleda was murdered by the wyhe treason of his brother Attila yet he alone remained so vntolerable an ennemy vnto the world that he wasted all most all Europe spoyling and ouerthrowing both cities and castles About the same time there arose a great famine in Constantinople after which folowed also the pestilence and a great part of the wal of the said citye fel vnto the grouÌ„de with 57. turrettes And many other cities also being ouerthrowen with earth quake hunger and pestilence beside consumed many a thousand both of men and beastes How the Britones being forced by hungar droue the Barbarous people owt of their country VVhereof ensewed plentif of corne riott pestilence and the losse of the whole country The 14. Chap. IN the meane season huÌ„gar more and more preuailing against the Britones in so much that many yeres after it left tokens and remembrance of the hurt it did in the country droue many of them to yelde them selues into the handes of the robbers Other there were which could neuer be brought there vnto but rather then they would so doe from the hilles and brakes where they luâ—ked many times inuaded their ennemies as trusting so much the more in the help of God how much the lesse hope they had of ayde of man And by such meanes first of all both resisted and ouerthrew them which many yeres together had liued by the spoyle of the couÌ„try Whereby for the time they drewe homeward with shame inough intending not longe after to returne The Pictes then and long time after kept them selues quiet at home saue only that they would make now and then inuasions into the land and driue away bouties of cattell After that they leauing their pilling and spoiling the country drew to a quietnes ther ensued such plentif of grayne as neuer was sene the like before as far as any man could remember whereof the people grew to lose and wanton liuing whereof all maner of lewdenes followed strait after specially cruelâ—â— hate of truth and loue of lying in so much that if any were gentler and more geuen to truth then other the other wold wurke him all the hurte and spite they could as a common enemy of the country This did not only the seculars but also the clergy it selfe and the heddes therof geuing them selues ouer to dronkennes pride contention enuy and such other wickednes casting vtterly from them the swete yoke of Christe In the meane season a bitter plage befell among them for their corrupt liuing consuming in short time such a multitude of people that the quicke wer not sufficient inough to bury the dead And yet for al that they remained so hardened in syn that neither their freÌ„des death nether the â—eare of their own could cure the moreyn of their soules which dayly perished thorow their synfull liuing Wherby a greater stroke of goddes vengaunce ensewed vppon the whole synfull nation For being now infested againe with their ould neighbours they deuised with them selues what was best to doe and where they might seeke reskew to withstaÌ„d and repell the force of the Northen nation And they agreed all with their kyng Vortigerius to demaund ayde of the Saxons beyonde the seas Which thing doutlesse was don by gods owne appointement that the wicked people might be therby plagued as by the ende it shall most manifestly appeare How the English and Saxons being sent for in to Britanny did first cleare the couÌ„try froÌ„ the Pictes and Scottes but shortly after ioyning them selues in leage with them turned their weapon vpon their fellowes that sent for them The. 15. Chap. THe yere of the incarnation of our Lord 4â—29 Marcianus
the foresayd feare and shewed him moreouer on what day he shoulde ende this lyfe For he sawe as he after reported him selfe three men come to him araied in bright shining clothing and one of them while his felowes that came with him stode by and asked how the sicke man did whom they came to visite sate before his bed and sayed that his soule should departe from the bodie both without pain and also with great light and brightnesse And he farther also declared vnto him that he should die the third day after Both which things as he learned by the vision were so fulfilled in dede For the third day ensuyng when the ix houre was come sodainly as if he had fallen in to a softe slepe he gaue vp the ghoste without feeling any grief at all And whereas for the buriall of his body they had prepared a tombe of stone when they began to lay his bodie in it they found it to be longer then the tombe by the quantitie of an handbreadth They hewed therefore the stone as much as they might and made it longer than it was about two fingers breadth but yet it could not receaue the bodie not so neyther Whereupon bicause of this distresse of burying him they were minded eyther to seke an other tombe or els if they might to gather in the body by bowing of the knees that so it might be holden and receaued of the same tombe But a wonderfull case happened and not withowt the working of God from heauen the whiche kept them from doing any of those thinges For sodainly the byshopp standing by and the sayd kinges sonne a monke also Sighard by name which after him raigned with his brother Frede and also a great company of other men the very same tombestone was found to be of a fyt length for the quantitie of the bodie Yea and so much that at the head there might also a pillowe be layde betwene and at the feete there remained in the tombe bysyde the body about the quantitie of fowre fingers And thus was he buried and Layed in the Churche of the blessed doctour teacher of the gentiles S. Pawle by whose good lessons he being taught had learned to labour and longe for the ioyes of heauen Howe after Eleutherius Headd◠was made bishop of the west Saxons after Putta Quichelmus was made byshop of Rotchester and after him Gebmund and who were byshops in Northumberland at that tyme. The 12. Chap. THe fowrth byshop of the westsaxons was Eleutherius For the first was Birinus the second Agilbert the third VVini After the departure of kinge Cenwalch in whose raigne the sayd Eleutherius was made byshop certaine Lordes vsurped the kingdome and diuided it betwene them and so helde it about x. yeres In their raigne dyed this byshop and Headdy was put in his place and consecrated bishop by Theodore in the citie of London In the time of whom being byshop Ceadwalla dyd ouercome and put owt the sayd vsurpours and toke the kingdome to himselfe And when he had kept the same for the space of two yeres at last pricked and styrred with the loue of the kingdome of heauen he leafte it while the same bishop dyd yet gouerne the diocese and went vnto Rome and there ended his lyfe as it shal be tolde more at large hereafter In the yere of thincarnation of our Lorde 677. Edilred kinge of the Marshes or middleland englishmen came into kent with a terrible and fell hoste not only spoyling the countree and profaning the churches and monasteries withowt any respecte of pitie or feare of God but also ransacking with the same generall ruine the citie of Rotchester wherof Putta was byshop howebeit at that tyme he was not there Who when he heard hereof that his Churche was spoyled and all thinges taken away and ryffled he went vnto Sexwolfe byshop of the Marshes and receaued of him the possession of a certaine churche and a litle piece of grownd and there ended his lyfe in peace and reast not taking any care at all for the restoring of his byshopricke for as we haue aboue sayd he was a man more giuen to ecclesiastical and spiritual than to worldly and temporall matters And so he liued quietly and only serued God in the same church going somtimes abrode where he was desired to teache verses and hymnes of the churche In his place dyd Theodore consecrate VVilliam bishop of Rotchester Who not long after for scarcitie and lacke of thinges necessarie departed frō the bishopricke and went his way thence in whose place Theodore ordeined Gebmund byshop The yere of thincarnation of our Lord 678. which was the viij yere of the raigne of kinge Ecgfride there appered in the moneth of August a blasing star the whiche continewed three moneths rysing in the morninges and giuing forth as it were an highe piller of a glistering flame In which yere also throwgh a certaine dissension that rose betwene king Ecgfride and the moste Reuerend byshop VVilfride the sayd reuerend father was put owt of his byshoprike and two other appointed byshops in his place ouer the prouince of Northumberlande the one named Bosa to gouerne the Deires and the other named Eata for the Bernices which Eata had his see at yorke and Bosa at the Cathedral churche of Hagulstald or Lindisfarne which two men were both taken owt of the cloyster of monkes and called to this degree And with them also was Eadhed made byshop ouer the prouince of Lindesfar which king Ecgfride had very lately conquered of VVulfhere whom he ouercame in battaile and put to flight In which prouince this man was the first bishop that they had of their owne the next was Ediluine the third Eadgar the fourth Emberth who is there at this present For before Eadhed came they were in the diocese of bysshopp Sexwolfe who was byshop both of the Marshes and the myddle english but nowe being put from the gouuernement of Lindisse he remayned only bishopp of the Marshes These bysshops Eadhed Bosa and Eata were cōsecrated byshops at yorke by Theodore tharchebishop who also the third yere of VVilfrides departing thence ioyned vnto them two byshops mo Trūbert at Hagustald Eata remayning at Lindesfar and Trumuin ouer the prouince of the Pictes which at that tyme was subiect to the dominion of the english men But bycause that Edilrede kinge of the Marshes recouered the sayd countree of Lindisse againe Eadhed came away thence and was by Theodore made byshop of the diocese of Rhyppon Howe byshop Wilfride conuerted the prouince of the Sowth Saxons to Christ. The. 13. Chap. WHen VVilfride was put out of his byshoprike he went and wandred in many places a longe tyme and came to Rome and from thence retourned into England againe And thoughe bicause of the displeasure of the said kinge he could not gett into his owne diocese againe yet he could not be kept from doing the office of preaching the ghospell For he went
time that she went to the monasterie she wold neuer weare any lynnen but only wollen clothes and seldome wash herselfe in warme bathes saue against solemne highe feastes as Easter whitsontyde or twelfetyde and than would she be the last of all and with her owne handes and helpe of her handemaydes wold first wash the reast of Christes virgins that were there Very seldom also excepte on high feastes or for great necessitie dyd she eate more than onse a day and that continually on lesse a greater feblenesse dyd let her From the time of the first comming to prayer together vntill the rysing of the day she abode in the Churche still continewing at her prayers And there are that say that by the spirite of prophecie she dyd foretell both the pestilence wherof she should dye herselfe and also did openly in all their presence declare the nomber of them that showld be taken from this world owt of her monasterie She was takē away to our Lord in the mids of her company seuen yeres after she was made Abbesse And as she her self had willed she was buryed in a tombe of wood in none other place than in the myds of them in such order and sort as she departed After whome succeded her sister Sexburg in the office of Abbesse which woman Earcombert king of Kent had had to wyfe And when Edildride had lyen buried xvj yeres it semed good to her sayd syster nowe Abbesse to haue her bones taken vpp and put in a newe tombe and remoued into the churche Whereupon she wylled certaine of the bretherne to seke a stone whereof they mighte make a tombe for this purpose And they taking ship for the countree of Eelye is round abowt compassed with waters and fennes nor hathe any great stones for such purposes came to a certaine litle citie leafte desolate and vnhabited the which was not far from thence and in the englysh tonge is called Grandchester and straight way they found by the walles of the citie a tombe of white marble ready made very fayre and couered very trym and fyt with a couer of the same stone wherby vnderstanding that our Lorde hadd prospered their iourney they gaue him thankes therefore and browght it to the monasterie And when the graue was opened and the body of the holy virgin and spouse of Christ taken owt into the light it was found so cleane from corruption as if she had dyed or bene put in the grownd the very same daye euen as bothe the aforesayd byshop Wilfride and many other that knewe it beare wytnesse But Cinfride a certaine phisition whiche was present by her bothe when she dyed and when she was taken owt of the tombe was wonte of more certaine knowledge to tell that when she lay sicke she had a very great swelling vnder her arme pit and they bad me quoth he to launce that swelling that the yll humour that was within might issue owt Which when I had done for the space of two dayes after she semed to be somewhat better at ease so that some thowght that she might be cured of her grief But the third day her former paynes tooke her againe and straight way was she taken owt of the worlde and chaunged all paine and death with health and life euerlasting And when after so many yeres her bones showld be taken owt of the graue they spred a tent ouer the same and all the company of the bretherne on the one syde and systers on the other stode round about synging and the Abbesse with a fewe other went in to take vp and bring forth the bones But sodainly we heard her within crye owt withe a lowde voyce Glorie be to the name of God And anon after they called me in opening the entraunce of the tente where I sawe the body of the holy virgin of God being taken out of the tombe and lyeng on the bead like one that were a slepe Then dyd they also open the couering of her face and shewed me the wound of the cut that I had made healed and cured so that in meruailous wyse in the place of the open and gaping wound wherwith she was buried there appered than but litle smal signes of the scar. Byside this all the lynnen clothes wherein the body was winded appered hole and so newe that they semed to be put abowt those chast lymnes but that very daye And the report is that when she was grieued with the forsayd swelling and paine of her cheeke bone and necke she tooke great ioye in this kind of disease and was wont to saye I knowe most certainly that I worthely doo beare this bourden of paine in my necke in which I remember that when I was a gyrle I did beare the superfluouse and vaine bourdens of tablettes and owches and I beleue that the soueraine pitie of God doth therefore send me this grief and paine in my necke that he may so absoyle and quit me from that gylte of vanitie and lightenesse whereas nowe in stede of gold and pretious stones the read fire heate and burning swelling breaketh out off my necke It happened also that by the touching of the same Clothes wherein the corse lay both spirits were driuen oute of certaine bodies possessed and also other diseases healed sometimes And it is said that the tumbe in which she was firste layd and buried did heale certaine that were pained in their eyes which as sone as they set their head to the same tombe and prayed straightway had the griefe of their sore or dymme eyes taken away The body of the virgin was taken and washed and layd in newe clothes and so caried into the churche and put in the other tombe that was brought where it is kepte vnto this daye and is had in great reuerence The said tumbe founde ready made was not without a miracle so apte and fyt for the virgins bodie as if it had bene of purpose made and cut out for her the place also of the head was made by it selfe seuerally and semed to haue bene fasshioned as iuste as could be for the bygnesse of her head This countree of Ely is in the prouince of the East english and conteyneth about CC. housholdes and is compassed on eche syde as we haue said lyke an Iland round about with either fennes or waters And therefore of the eeles which are plentifully taken in those waters it hath his name In this I le this sayd handmayde of Christ desired to haue a monasterie bicause as we sayd before she came of the nation and bloud of the East english An hymne of the sayd virgin The 20. Chap. THe occasion semeth conuenient to put in this historie an hymne of virginitie which many yeares past we made in meter in the lawde and prayse of the sayde Quene and virgin which is in dede therfore verely a Queene for that she is the spouse of Christ. And herein we shall followe the custome of the holy scripture
to be fouÌ„d And to speake somwhat particularly he that in this history will discredit such miracles as S. Bede reporteth vpoÌ„ report of one brother or sister let him geue a reason why he beleueth the tale of Elyzabeth Lawnson and SymoÌ„ Harlston Who mistrusteth miracles reported vpon coniecture let him considre the miracle tolde of Tindall If it seme incredible that the bodyes of dead men may remaine vncorrupted and sounde why is it tolde for a miracle that the hart off Zwinglius was found whole in the ashes all the rest of the body being burned vp If visions appearing to some not to al that are present seme fabulous let it be a fable as in dede it is being thereof eye witnesse my selfe that he telleth of Latimers hart bloud when he suffred in Oxford Iff the Crosse of saint Oswalde seme a superstitious tale how much more fonde and fabulous is the tale of one that suffred at Bramford with a greate white crosse appearing in his brest Thus if we may coÌ„pare truth with falshood light with darknes true miracles with light tales we see as much vncredibilite if we looke to reason as great vanite in respect of the matter it self in the one as in the other But how farre more credit this auncient history of Venerable Bede deserueth then the liyng libels of vpstert sectaries it shal as I haue already saied easely appeare if we consider but the Authour of this history and the time that he wrote in Whereof we haue spoken at large before One thinge remaineth which being saied I shall haue finished Concerning the proper names of places as of cyties and monasteries mencionâ—d in the history we haue many tymes kept the latâ—n or rather Saxon names where Polydore and other instructions coude not helpe vs to call them by their present names they now beare Wherein we desire the gentle Reader the rather to beare with vs considering that this translation being penned on this side of the seas we coulde not being out of the countre haue such speciall intelligence of eche shere and Countie as to that purpose was requisit and as we might perhaps easely hadd yff we had ben at home and trauailed the countre our selues Notwithstanding as touching the sheres principall cytes and diners monasteries by the helpe of Polidore we haue termed them as they are now called Whereby the whole course of the history shall be euery where perspicuous and euident thoughe some certaine small monasteries and villages remaine vnknowen How so euer it be the principall intente bothe of Venerable Bede and of vs being the honour of God the publishing off our first Christen faith the course and proceding thereof we haue chosen rather to sett forth the history in some part barbarous theÌ„ to câ—nceale froÌ„ our dere countre in these necessary times of instruction the precious treasure of our ChristeÌ„ belefe wherein we were first baptised and haue so many hundred yeares in such quiet and felicite continued Trusting verely in almighty God that the perusing hereof with the Fortresse and defence of our faith presently also set forth may staie the conscience of some from daungerous deceites of this later religion so directly and in so many pointes repugning the other Which if it may please the goodnesse of God to worke in the hart of any one of my dere countremen I shall thinke all my labour happely bestowed and my simple paines abundantly rewarded In the meane we haue declared our good wil and done in part our duty VVhiche with all that is amisse if any thinge so be I beseche euery gentle Reader to accept in good part Fare well At Louain The 12. of Iune 1565. Thomas Stapleton THE LIFE OF S. BEDE WRITEN BY TRITHEMIVS BEde a monke and priest of the monastery of S. Peter and Paul of S. Benets order in England a man in holy scripture much conuersant and very well lerned In other good lerning of great knowleadg As in philosophie Astronomie Algorisme and Poetry Skilful of the greke toung of an excellent witt His tounge and stile not curious but pleasaunt and semely He wrote many volumes in the which his witt and lerning is tried This man at the age of seuen yeares was by his frendes committed to Benedictus and after to Ceolfridus the Abbbat of the forsaied monastery at Murmouth to be brought vp and instructed From the which age continuing all daies of his life in that monastery he bestowed all diligence in the study of holy scripture And obseruing with all the rule of his order singing daily gods seruice in the church in the rest he delighted allwaies to lerne to teache or to write In the nintenth yere of his age he was ordred deacon In the xxx yere he was made priest Bothe which orders he receiued at the handes of the holy Bishop Iohn of Beuerlake by the coÌ„maundment of Ceolfrid his Abbat FroÌ„ which time of his pristhood vntel the ende of his life he wrote the workes here folowing In Genesim vsque ad I saac lib. 4. In Exodum lib. 1. De tabernaculo vasiseius lib. 3. In Numeros lib. 1. In Leuiticum lib. 1. In Regum 30. quest lib. 1. In Deuteronomium lib. 1. In Iudicum lib. 1. De aedificatione templi lib. 2. In principium Regum lib. 3. In Iâ—suae lib. 1. In Prouerbia Salomonis lib. 3. In Paralipomenon lib. 2. In Ecclesiastem lib. 1. In Cantica Canticorum lib. 6. In Esdram Neemiâ—m lib. 3. In Tobiam lib. 1. In Ezaiam prophetam lib. 2. In Ezechielem lib. 1. In Hieremiam lib. 2. In Danielem lib. 1. In xij prophetas minores lib. 12. In epistolas Pauli lib. 14. In epistolas Canonicas lib. 7. In Euangelium Marci lib. 4. In Apocalypsim lib. 3. In actus Apostolorum lib. 2. In Euangelium Lucae lib. 6. Gesta Anglorum lib. 5. Flores B. Gregorij in CaÌ„tica lib. 2. Homilias euangeliorum lib. 2. Chronicam sui coenobij lib. 2. Gâ—sta diuersorum sanctoruÌ„ lib. 1. De teÌ„poribus natura reruÌ„ lib. 1. Martyrologium lib. 1. De passione Sancti Felicis lib. 1. Aliud minus volumen lib. 2. De Locis sanctis lib. 1. Vitam S. Alberti episcopi lib. 2. ScintillaruÌ„ ex senteÌ„tijs patruÌ„ lib. 1. Epigrammata hero lib. 1. Himnorum diuerso carmine lib. 1. Distinctiones in Hieremiam lib. 1. Lectiones noui Testam lib. 1. Lectiones in vetus Testam lib. 1. De Christo Ecclesia lib. 2. Distinctiones in Iob. lib. 1. Epistolarum ad diuersos lib. 1. De cantico Abacuc lib. 1. De orthographia lib. 1. De arte metrica lib. 1. De schematibus lib. 1. He wrote also many other thinges which are not come to my knowleadge This mans workes were of such authorite euen while he yet liued and wrote allwaies newe that they were openly read in Churches by the appointment of the bysshops of England And bicause that his homelies then read in the church
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
with Valentinian the 46. emperour after August raigned vij yeres In whose time the people of the English or Saxons being sent for of the sayd kyng in to Britanny landed there in iij. longe shipps and by the kynges commaundement is appointed to abide in the east part of the land as to defende the couÌ„try like frendes but in dede as it proued afterward as minding to destroy the country as enemies Wherefor encountring with the northen enemy the Saxons had the better Wherof they sending word home in to their country as also of the batfulnes of the lande and the cowardnes of the Britannes the Saxons sent ouer a greater nauy and number of men better appointed for the warres which being now ioyned with the former bande drew to a stronger army then all the power of the Britannes was able to ouercomme These by the Britannes wer allowed a place to dwell among them with that coÌ„dition that they should war for them against their enemies and should receiue waiges of the Britannes for their trauailes These that cam from beyond the seas wer iij. of the strongest natioÌ„s in Germany That is the SaxoÌ„s English the and the Vites Of the Vites cam the people of Kent and of the I le of Wite and they which in the prouince of the West Saxons or called vnto this day the nation of the Vites right ouer against the I le of wite Of the Saxons that is of that region which now is called of the ould Saxons desceÌ„ded the east Saxons the south Saxons and the west Saxons Of the English that is of that country which is called England and from that time to this is thought to stande in the middest betwene the Vites and the Saxons descendeth the easte English the vplandish English the Marshes and all the progeny of the Northumbers that is of that people which inhabiteth the north side of the flud Humber The chiefe capitaynes of the Saxons ar sayd to haue ben ij brothers Hengistus and Horsus Of the which Horsus being after slayne in battaill of the Britannes was buried in the east partes of kent where his tombe bearing his name is yet to shew They wer the sonnes of one Vetgissus whose father was Vecta whose father was Voden of whose ishew many kynges of sundry prouinces had their originall Now then great companies of the sayd nations dayly flocking in to this Iland they begaÌ„ to grow so stroÌ„ge that the people of the couÌ„try which sent for them stode in great feare of their powessance And sodaynly taking leage with the Pictes whom they had now dreuen farder of beganne to turne their force vppon the Brytannes And first they require of them more plenty of vittayles and pycking matter of falling owt with them threateneth them that except they wold prouide them better store they wold break of wyth them and spoyle all the country about And as much as they then promised they after in dede performed To be short the fire once kendled in the handes of the Paganes tooke iust reuenge of the wyckednesse of the people not much vnlike vnto that fire which being kendled of the Caldees consumed the citty of Ierusalem So allso this fire of vengaunce the wycked conquerour kendeling it or rather God the iuste iudge disposing it raiged first vppon the citties and countrey next vnto it after from the east sea vnto the west ouer whelmed all the whole Iland with out any resistaÌ„ce made to queÌ„ch it Both publick and priuat houses were ouerthrowne to the grownd the priestes wer slayne standing at the aultar the bisshops with their flock wer murdered without respect of their dignitie nor was there any that wold bury the slayne Sum of the miserable leuinges being taken in the hilles wer there kylled other being sterued with hungre wer fayne to creape out of their caues and buy their vittall at their enemies hands with sale of their liberte for euer if yet they wer not killed owt of hand Other fled ouer the seas with a heauy hart Other taryeng still in their country in feare of death and lack of foode liued full miserably in the mountaines woddes and cliffes How the Britannes obteyned the first victory of the English by the helpe of Ambrosius a Romane The. 16. Chapter BVt after that the English men hauing nowe dryuen owt and disperkled the lande dwellers wer come back agayne the Britannes by litle and litle begannne to take strength and couraige vnto them comyng out of their caues in which they lay hidde before and with one vniforme consent calling for heauenly helpe that they might not for euer vtterly be destroyed They had then for their capitaine a Romane called Ambrosius Aurelianus a gentle natured man which only of all the blud of the Romans remayned then a liue his parentes being slayne which bore the name of the kynge of the country This man being their Capitaine they assembled them selues together and prouokyng the victoures to the fight through gods assistance atcheiued the victory And from that day forward now the men of the country nâ—w the enemye had the victory vntill the yere that Bathe was beseiged where they gaue their enemies a great ouerthrowe which was about the xliiij yere of their comyng in to the land But of this we shall speake more here after How Germanus the bishop sayling with Lupus in to Britanny ceased first the tempest of the sea after the stormes of the Pelagian heresies by the power of God The. 17. Chapter A Few yeres before the comming of the Saxonnes in to the lande the Pelagian heresies being browght in by Agricolâ— the son of Seuerianâ—s a Pelagian bishop did sore corrupte the faith of the Britannes But the BritaÌ„nes being neither willing to receiue their lewde doctrine as blasphemous against the grace of God neither able to refute their wylye and wycked persuasioÌ„s they deuiseth this holsom couÌ„sel to seeke for ayde of the byshops of Fraunce against these their spiritual enemies And they calling a coÌ„mon counsell coÌ„sulted among them selues whom of them all it wer best to send to helpe their neybours faith By the assent of them all ther was chosen ij worthy prelates Germanus Altisiodorensis and Lupus bishop of the cite Trecassa which should passe ouer in to Britanny to confirme them in the faith which with reddy obedience accepting the commaundement of the Synode tooke shipping thether ward and had very prosperous windes vntill they were halfe way ouer betwene Fraunce and Britanny Then sodenly as they wer sayling the diuell much enuyeng that such men should goe to recouer the people out of their dauÌ„ger and winne them to the right faith of Christ he rayseth such tempestes and stormes against them that a maÌ„ could not know day from night The sayles ar not able to beare the boysterous fury of the winde the marinours being in despair gaue ouer the ship was guided rather by the prayer of the good theÌ„ pollice of
But how shal we proue sayd they that he is a man of God The Anchoret answered our Lord sayth take ye on yow my yooke and lerne ye of me For I am milde and humble of haerte Yf therfore this Austin be milde and humble of harte it is likely that him selfe beareth the yooke of Christ and will offer you the same to beare But if he be curst and proude it is certaine that he is not of God neither must we much esteme his wordes Then they enquired againe of him how they might know whether this Austin were proude or no Marry quoth he prouide ye that he with his compaine come firste to the place of the Synode or counsell house And if when ye approche nere he ariseth courteously to you thinke ye that he is the seruant of Christe and so heare ye him obediently But if he despise yow nor will vouchesafe to ryse at your presence which are the more in number let him likewise be despised of yowe And truly as this Anchoret bad them so did they For it happened that when they came thither S. Austin was alredy thereâ— and sate in his chayre Which when they sawe straight waye wexing wrothe they noted him of pride and therfore endeuored to ouerthwarte and gainsaye what soeuer he proposed His oracion briefly was thus Although though dere brethern in manie other points ye doe contrarie to our custome or rather contrarie to the custome of the vniuersall churche of Christe yet not withstanding if ye will in these 3. thinges consent and obey vnto me that is to celebrate the Easter in dew time to accomplish the ministerie of baptisme by which we are borne againe to God according to the maner of the holie Roman and Apostolike churche and last of all to preache with vs to this English natioÌ„ the word of our Lordâ—ll your other ceremonies rites fashions and customs though they be contrary to oures yet we will willingly suffer theÌ„ and be content to beare with theÌ„ But they answered that they would doe none of the thinges requested neither would compre him for their Archebishop sayeng with them selues Nay if he would not so muche as rise to vs truely the more we shoulde now subiecte our selues to him the more woulde he hereafter despise vs and set vs at naught To whome the good man of God S. Austen thretfully proficied that if they would not take peace and be at accord with their brethern they should receaue and feele warre from their enemies And yf they wold not preache to the English men the waye of lyfe they should suffer at their hande and by their power the vengeance of death Which thing in al pointes came so to passe as he forsayed by the secret working of Gods iudgement For it happened afterward that the most mighty king of English men Edilfrede of whome I haue spoken before gathering a greate armie made at the citie which the English men call Legacester but the Britons better Carlege a foule slaughter of this vnfaithfull and naughty people For being now redy to geue the onset of the fight when he had spidde their priestes which came together to praye to God for the souldiers warringe stand a parte from the rest in a sure and safe place he demaunded what they were and to what end they came thither Now the most parte of these priestes were of the monasterie of Bangor where was sayde to be so great a number of monkes that this monasterie being diuided in to seauen companies with eche companie his seuerall assigned ruler none of these compaines had lesse then 3. hundred persons who all did euer lyue by the labour of their owne handes Manie therefore of them after their 3. dayes fast came with the rest to thafforsaide armie to pray for the souldiers hauing also by them a defendour named Brockmal who should keape and preserue them from the weapons and strokes of their enemies while they were thus ernestly bent to their prayers This the cause of their comminge thither when king Edelfrede had vnderstoode he sayd Yf these men crie and call vppon their God against vs truly although they haue no armoure yet they fight against vs who with their wicked wordes and hatefull curses persecute vs. Therefore he commaunded his souldiers first to assault them And so he vanquished after the other parte of this detestable hoste but yet not without greate losse of his owne men It is reported that there were slaine in that warres of them which came to praye aboute a thousande and two hundred men and only fiftie to haue escaped by flight For Brockmale at the first comming of his ennemies fled straight with all his souldiers and whome he ought to haue defended lefte them all naked and bare to the strokes of the sworde So in this manner was fulfilled the prophetie of holye bishop Austin Who was himself longe before that taken out of this life to the kingdom of heauen And thus these vngratiouse and false people suffred the punishment of temporal death bicause they had refused and despised the holsome counsell of perpetuall life and saluation offered them How the saide Austin made Mellite and Iustus Byshops and of his death The. 3. Chap. IN the yere of thincarnation of our Lord. 604. Austin Archebishop of Britannie consecrated ij Byshops Mellite and Iustus The one that is Mellite to preache to the prouince of the Este Saxons which are separated from kent with the Tems And are fast ioyned to the Este sea Whose chiefe citie is London of situation nere sette vppon the banckes of the fludde called the Temsâ— a princely mart towne of manie people arriuing thither by sea and lande In the which countrie at that time raygned Sabereth Elberts nefue by his syster Ricula Although this Sabereth was himselfe vnder the dominion of the same Elbert who was as I haue before saide king ouer all the Englishmen euen vnto the end of the fludde Humber Kinge Elbert the first Christen king of Englishmen buildeth S. Poules in LondoÌ„ and S. An â—rewes in Rochester for the ij first bisshops of both those Secs Mellitus and Iustê° Wher also wer interred the bodies of all the Archebishops folowing except ij only that is Theodore and Berthwold Whose bodies were layed in the church it selfe bycause the porche could receiue no more This church hath almost in the middest of hit an aulter dedicated in the honour of S. Gregory the Pope at the whiche aulter euery saterday their memories are solemnely celebrated by the priest of that place In the tumbe of this same Austin was writen such and epitaphe as foloweth Here lyeth and resteth blessed S. Austin the first Archebisshop of Caunterbury who was sent hether of holye S. Gregory Bisshop of Rome and strengthened of God by working of miracles VVho conuerted king Elbert and his royaulme from the worshypping of idols to the faith of Christe and so fulfilling
people no good to the which he was sent for as much as they were folkes that might not be reclaymed of a hard capacite and fierce nature Then the elders as they say began in counsaile to treate at lōge what were best to de done being no lesse desyrous that the people should attayne the saluation whiche they sought for then sory that the preacher whom they sent was not receiued When Aidan for he also was present at the coūsaile replyed against the priest of whom I spake saying Me thinketh brother that you haue ben more rigorous then reason would with that vnlerned audience and that you haue not according to the Apostles instruction first geuen them milke of milde doctrine vntell being by litle and litle nourished and weaned with the worde of God they were able to vnderstand the more perfect misteries and fulfill the greater commaundementes of God This being saied al that were at the assemble looking vpon Aidan debated diligently his saying and concluded that he aboue the rest was worthy of that charge and bishopricke and that he shoulde be sent to instruct those vnlerned paynims For he was tried to be chiefely garnished with the grace of discretion the mother of all vertues Thus making him bishop they sent him forthe to preach Who when he had taken his time euen as before he was knowen to be endued withe discretion so did he afterward shewe him selfe to be beautified with all other vertues Of kinge Oswaldes wonderfull religion and passing piete The. 6. Chap. KInge Oswald and that parte of the Englishe nation of whome he was the Soueraine gouuernour beinge from thence forthe instructed by this right Reuerend prelats doctrine did not only learne to hope for the heauenly kingdome vnknowen to his graundfathers but also cōquered more then any of his auncetours did earthly kingdomes by the power of the same one almighty God who made heauen and earth Brefely all the nations and prouinces of Britanny which spake foure diuers languages that is to saie the Britons the Redshankes the Scottes the English became subiect vnto him And yet being aduaunced to so royall maiesty he was euer notwithstanding which is maruailous to be reported lowly to all gracious to the poore and bountifull to all pilgrimes and straungers The report is that at a certain time when on the holy day of Easter the kinge and the foresaied bishop were sitt downe to diner and a siluer dish replenished with princely deintees was sett on the table before them being now ready to saie grace sodenly entered in his seruaunt to whom was committed the charge to receiue the needy and tolde the king that a very great numbre of poore people flockinge from all places did sitt in the Courte looking for some almes from the kinge Who by and by gaue commaundement that the delicates whiche were sett before his owne person should be bestowed on the poore and the dishe of siluer broken and by peecemeale parted amonge them At the sight whereof the bishop who sate by the kinge being delited withe such a worke of mercy toke him by the right hand and saied I praie God this hande be neuer consumed Which thinge came euen so to passe as in his blessing he desired For where as after that he being slaine in battail his handes with his arme were cut of from the residew of his body so it is that his handes to this time continue vncorrupted◠and are reserued in a siluer shrine in S. Peters church wher with worthy honour they are worshipped of all men in the kinges cyte whiche hathe his name of a lady sometime Quene called Bebba By this kinges trauail the prouinces of the Deirans and the Bernicians which did so deadly hate one the other were reconciled and ioyned together in one allegeaunce and amitie like as they were one people This kinge Oswald was kinge Edwines nephew by his sister Achas side And it was mete that so noble a predecessour shuld haue so worthy an heyre as wel of his religion as of his realme and that of his owne kinred How the cuntry of west Saxons receiued the worde of God by Berinus preaching and Agilbertus and Eleutherius his successour The. 7. Chapter THe west Saxons who of old time were called Genisse receiued the faith of Christ in the raign of Cynigilsus Berinus the bishop preaching to them the worde who came into Britanie by Pope Honorius appointment promising in his presence that he wold sowe the seedes of the holy faith in the hart of the vttermost coastes of England whether no teacher had of any time gone before him In consideration wherof at the commaundement of the same Pope Asterius the bishop of Geane did consecrat him bishop But at his arriuall into Britany and first entering into Geuisse finding that al the inhabitants there were very paynims he thought it more expedient to preach the word of God among them rather then in trauailing further to serche for such as he shuld preach vnto And thus at his preaching of the gospell in the forsaid prouince when the king him selfe being newly taught the faith was Christened with his nation it happened at that tyme that Oswald the most holy and very victorious king of Northumberland was present Who coming then to take his daughter to wife toke him first out of the holy font for his godson not without the meruailous and swete prouisiō of almighty God After this solemnitie both the kinges gaue the same bishop the citie of Dorcinca for his bishoprike where after that he had builded and dedicated churches and by his paines brought much people to our Lord he went to God and was buried in the same citie Many yeares after when Hedde was bishop he was translated from thens to the citee of Venta and laid in the churche of the blessed Apostles S. Peter and Paule After the death of this kinge his sonne Senwalch succeded him in his kingdome who refused to receiue the faith and sacramentes of the kingdome of heauen and shortly after lost the greate rule of his wordly kingdome also For taking an other wife and casting of the sister of Penda kinge of the Marshes his true wedded wif he was by Penda assauted with battaile deposed from his kingdome and constrained to flye to the king of the east English men who was called Anna with whom liuing in banishment by the space of three yeres he learned the faith For this kinge with whom he lyued in banishment was a vertuous man and blessed of God with plentifull and holy issue as we shall declare hereafter But when Senwalch was restored to his kingdome there came out of Irelande into his prouince a certaine prelate named Agilbertus a frenche man borne yet hauing made long abode in Ireland because he read there the scriptures This bishop of his owne accorde came to serue the prince and to preach him the word of life Such was his lerning and industry that the
the byshop the possession of the land of CCC tenementes Whiche portion the Bishop gaue and committed to one of his clerkes named Bernwini his sisters sonne and appointed there to a priest named Hildila to minister the worde and baptisme of lyfe to all that would be saued And here I thinke it not to be passed ouer in silence that for the first frutes of them that were saued throwgh beleuing in the same I le two children of the blood royall being bretherne to Aruald king of the Iland were crouned with a speciall grace of God For when the ennemies came on the Iland they â—led and scaped to the next prouince of the Vites And there they gat to a place called Stonestat hoping to hyde themselues from the face and sighte of the king that had conquered their countree but they were betrayed and fownd owt and commaunded to be put to death Which thing when a certaine abbat and priest named Cimberth had heard of whose monasterie was not far from thence at a place called Redford he came to the king which was than in the same parties lying secretly to be cured of his woundes that he had taken fighting in the I le of Wighte and desired of him that if he would nedes haue the childerne put to death yet they might first receaue the sacramentes of the Christian fayth The kinge graunted his request and than he tooke them and catechised them in the right faith of Christe and wasshing them withe the holesome fonte of baptisme made them sure and in perfyt hope to enter into the kingdome euerlasting Anon after came the hangeman to put them to death which death of this world they ioyfully toke by the which they douted not but they should passe to the eternall life of the soule When after this order all the prouince of great Britaine had receaued the faythe of Christe the I le of Wight receaued the same also in whiche notwitstanding bicause of the miserie and state of forayne subiection no man tooke the degree of the ministerie and place of a bysshopp before Daniel who nowe is bysshopp of the west Saxons and of the Geuisses The situation of this I le is ouer against the middes of the South Saxons and Geuisses the sea comming betwene of the breadth of three myles which sea is called Solent in which two armes of the Ocean sea that breake out from the maine north sea about Britanie do dayly mete and violently ronne together beyond the mouth of the riuer Homelea which ronneth along by the countree off the Vites that belong to the prouince of the Genisses and so entreth into the foresaid sea And after this meting and striuing together of the two seas they goe backe and flowe againe into the Ocean from whence they came Of the Synode made at Hetdfield Theodore the Archebishop being there president The 17. Chap. AT this time Theodore hauing worde that the faith of the church at CoÌ„stantinople was sore troubled through the heresie of Eutiches and wishing that the churches of the english nation ouer which he gouuerned might continew free and clere from such a spot gathered an assemble of Reuerend priestes and many doctours and enquired diligently of eche of them what faith they were of where he found one consent and agrement of them all in the catholique faith Which consent he procured to set forth and commende with letters sent from the whole Synode for the instruction and remembrance of the aftercommers the beginning of which letters was this In the name of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and in the raignes of our most good and vertuouse Lordes Ecgfride king of the Humbers the x. yere of his raigne the viij yere of the Indiction and the xvij day of September and Edilrede king of the Marshes in the vj. yeare of his raigne and Aldulphe king of the Estenglish in the xvij yere of his raigne and Lothar king of kent in the vij yeare of his raigne being there president and chief Theodore by the grace of God Archebishop of the I le of Britanie and of the citie of Caunterbury and with him sitting in assemblee the other bishops of the same land most Reuerend men and prelates hauing the holy ghospelles set before them at a place called in the Saxon tong Hedtfield after commoning and conference together had thereuppon we haue expounded and set fourth the right and true catholique faith in such sort as our Lorde Iesus being incarnate in this worlde deliuered it to his disciples which presently sawe and heard his wordes and doctrine and as the crede of the holy fathers hath leaft by tradition and generally as all holy men all generall Councells and all the whole company of the authentique doctours of the catholique churche haue taught and deliuered Whome we following in good dewe godly and rightbeleuing maner according to their doctrine inspired into them from God do professe and beleue and stedfastly do confesse with the holy fathers the Father and the Sonne and the holy ghoste most verily and in true and formall proprietie the Trinitie in the vnitie of one substance and the vnitie in Trinitye that is to saye one God in three persons of one substance and of equall glorie and honour And after many like thinges pertaining to the confession of the right faith the holy Synode dyd also adde to their letters these thinges folowing We haue receaued the fiue holy and generall Synodes of the blessed and derebeloued fathers of God that is to saye of CCC xviij which wer asseÌ„bled at Nice against the most wicked and blasphemous Arrius and his opinions And of Cl. at Constantinople against the madenesse and fond secte of Macedonius and Eudoxius and their opinions And at Ephesus the first time of CC. against the most wicked Nestorius and his opinions And at ChalcedoÌ„ of CCxxx against Eutiches and Nestorius and their opinions And at Constantinople the second time where was assembled the fifte Councell in the time of the emperour Iustinian the yonger against Theodore and Theodorete and Ibe and their epistles and their opinions And a litle after against Cyrill Also we receaue and admit the Synode made at the citie of Rome in the time of the most holy and blessed Pope Martin the viij yere of the Indiction and the ix yere of the most godly and good Emperour Constantine And we worship and glorifie our Lorde Iesus Christ in such sort as these men haue done adding or diminishing nothing and we accurse with hart and mouth them whome these fathers haue accursed and whome they haue receaued we receaue glorifyeng God the father without beginning and his only begotten sonne begotten of the father before all ages and times and the holy ghost proceding of the father and the sonne in vnspeakeable wise according as these aboue mentioned holy Apostles and prohetes and doctours haue preached and taught And all we that with Theodore the Archebishop haue set forth and declared
sepulchre as an aulter foure-square The greater parte standeth for an other aulter in the same churche in the manner of a quadrangle couered with faire white clothe The colour of the sayd sepulchre semeth to be white and read decently mixed together VVhat he wrote of the place of Christes ascension and the patriarches sepulchres The. 18. Chapter THe Author aboue mentioned writeth also in this wyse touching the place of Christes ascension The mounte Olyuete is as hye as the mounte Syon but not so brode nor so longe There growyth no trees but vynes and olyues wheate and barlye it bryngyth forth good stoore The vayne and soyle of that grounde is not shryueled nor fleaten but grene and full of grasse In the very toppe where Christ ascendyd to heauen standyth a greate rounde church with thre porches rownde in a circuite vawtyd and coueryd ouer The ynner chapell hauing an aultar toward the east with a goodly frount in the top could not be vauted nor coueryd ouer bicause the very place of Christes ascension might be kept open In the mydle of which churche the last prynte of Christes feete left vppon earth ar to be sene where he ascendyd into heauen openinge aboue and ready to embrace hym And although the earthe be fett away dayly of the Christians yet it remayneth still and kepyth the very figure and prynte made with the steppes of his holy feete when he ascended Rounde aboute the print of those blessed feete lyeth a brasen wheele as hygh as a mans neck hauynge an entraunce and way in vppon the east side and a greate lampe hanginge aboue it in a pullye whiche burneth day and night In the weast side of the same church be eyght windowes and so many lampes hanging in cordes directly ouer them They shine thorough the glasse to Ierusalem and their light is said to stirre the hartes of all that behold and see it with a certaine feruent zeale and compunction At the day of Christes ascension euery yere when Masse is done there cometh downe from heauen a greate gale of wynde and maketh all that ar in the churche prostrate them selfes downe flatt vppon the grownd Of the situation also of Hebron and monumentes of old auncient fathers there he writeth in this sorte Hebron somtimes the chiefest cytie in al Kinge Dauids realme shewing now only by her ruines howe princely and puissaunt she was in time paste hathe towarde the east with in a furlonge the double denne where the Patriarches sepulchres ar enuironed with a fowre square walle their hedds turned toward the northe Euery tumbe hath his stone Al the thre stones of the patriarches being all whyte squared as other stones are vsed in building of great churches Adam lieth aboute the north side and vttermost parte of the walle not farr from them in an obscure tumbe nor curiously wrought nor workmanly sett There ar besides base memorialls of thre simple weemen The hill Mambre also is a mile from these monumentes ful of grasse and pleasaunt flowres towarde the north and in the top it hath a goodly champion and playne fielde In the north parte wherof Abrahams Oke which is nowe but a stumpe as hygh as ij men can reache is compassed rounde abowt with a churche I haue thought it good for the profitt of the readers to intermingle in my historie these thinges taken out of the Authors bookes and comprised here in latin after the trewe meaning of his woordes but more brieflie and in fewer woordes If any man be desirous to knowe more of this matter either lett him reade the same booke or that litle abridgment which I drew owt of him but late How the South saxons receaued Eadbert and Collan for their bysshopps the weast Saxons Daniel and Aldethelme for theirs and of certaine writinges sett foorth by the same Aldethelme The. 19. Chap. THe yere of the incarnation off Christe 705. Alfride kinge of Northumberlande dyed the xx yere of his raigne not yet fully expired After hym sucdeded Osrede his sonne a child but eyght yeres olde and raigned xj yeares In the beginning of his raygne Hedde bysshop of the weast Saxons departed from this mortall life to immortal ioye For vndoubtedly he was a iuste man one that lyued vpryghtlye in all pointes leke a good bishoppe and preached sincerely leke a trewe pastour and that more of the loue of vertue naturally graffyd in him then of any instructours by often readinge taught him Furthermore the reuerend father and worthy prelate Pechtehlme of whom we must speake hereafter in place where he shall be mentioned who being but yet a deacon and younge monke liued familiarly a longe time with his successour Aldethelme was wounte to tell vs that in the place where the said Hedde died for reward of his holy life many great miracles and cures were don and that men of the same prouince vsed commonly to carry away dust from thence and mingle it with water for such as were deseased and sicke that also the drinking and sprinckling of the same did cure many sicke men and beastes also By which occasion for often carying away of the sacred dust a great deepe pitt was made there After his death that bisshopprick was diuided into ij dioceses The one was geuen to Daniell which he keapeth at this present the other to Aldethelme where he ruled the people very painefully for iiij yeares They were borhe lerned men skilfull in holy scripture and all ecclesiastical doctrine Aldethelme when he was priest and yet but Abbot of the monastery of Mailsbury wrote by the commaundement of the whole Synode of his countrye a booke against the errour of the Britons for not keping the fest of Easter in his dewe time and doing many thinges besides contrary to the trewe obseruation and vnite of the church By reading of the same book he reduced many Brytōs subiect at that time to the Weastsaxons to the catholike solemnisation of the feast of Easter He wrote also a notable booke of virginitie bothe in longe verse and prose with doble paines folowing the example of Sedulius He set forth also many other workes For he was notably well lerned very fine and eloquent in his talke and for knowledge as well in liberall sciences as in diuinite to be had in admiration After his death Forthere was made bishop in his place a man also much conuersant in holy scripture These ij hauing the gouuernaunce and whole rule of that diocese it was determined by a decree in the Synode that the prouince of South Saxons which to that present day appertained to the diocesse of Winchester where Daniel was bisshoppe should haue a see and bishopp of their owne seuerally Whereuppon Eadberte Abbot in the monasterie off that blessed bishoppe VVilfride was made and consecrated first bisshopp of that diocese After his death Ceolla toke the bisshoppricke vppon him Who not past iij. or iiij yeares past departing this life the see to this day is vacant